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10 signs the double-dip recession has begun
Friday's news on GDP shows the double dip has arrived — an expansion of only 1.3 percent and consumer spending up 0.1 percent in the second quarter. Astonishingly low by any account. The debt ceiling trouble and lack of a longer term resolution to the deficit will make it worse.
The U.S. has entered a second recession. It may not be as bad as the first. Economists say that the Great Recession began in December 2007 and lasted until July 2009. That may be the way that the economy was seen through the eyes of experts, but many Americans do not believe that the 2008-2009 downturn ever ended. A Gallup poll released in April found that 29 percent of those queried thought the economy was in a "depression" and 26 percent said that the original recession had persisted into 2011.
It is any wonder that many Americans believe that the economic downturn is still in progress? Home prices have fallen to 2002 levels. Values have dropped nearly 50 percent in parts of Florida, California, Nevada and Arizona. Property values are also down that much in parts of troubled big cities like Detroit. Estimates are that as many as 11 million homes have underwater mortgages. Banks have inventories of as many as 2 million foreclosed homes which have not even been released to the market. Home prices could fall another 10 percent if current trends persist.
Perhaps the most powerful argument that the recession never ended or that a new one has begun is the persistence of unemployment. Fourteen million people are out of work. A third of those have been jobless for more than a year. May employment data showed the jobless rate rose unexpectedly and that the economy added only 58,000 jobs. Experts believe that the unemployment rate will not improve significantly until the monthly gain in jobs is consistently 300,000 jobs or more. And, at that rate the gains would have to go one for more than two years to bring the economy back to what is traditionally considered a reasonable unemployment figure.
There are several signs that a recession is firmly in place again and that the downturn could last for several quarters. Most are already easy for the average American to see.
1. Inflation
There is almost nothing that damages consumer confidence as badly as a rapid rise in prices. Starbucks recently increased the price of a bag of coffee by 17 percent because wholesale prices have risen by almost twice that rate in the last year. Cotton prices nearly doubled in 2010 but have fallen this year. But, apparel is made months in advance of when they reach store shelves. Summer clothing prices are up as much as 20 percent. That may change in the fall, but for the time being, the consumer's ability to buy even the most basic clothing has been undermined. Consumers today pay more for sugar, meat, and corn-based products as well.
2. Investments have begun to yield less
Part of the recovery was driven by the stock market surge which began when the DJIA bottomed below 7,000 in March 2009. The index has risen above 12,000 and the prices of many stocks have doubled from their lows. As result, American household nest eggs that were decimated by the collapse of the market have rebounded and enabled people to splurge on themselves. However, the market has stumbled in the last quarter. The DJIA is up only 1 percent during the last three months and the S&P 500 is down slightly. (more)
US Interest Payments as a Percentage of Total Revenues
5 Stocks For Summer: KO, PEP, BUD, HNZ, TUP
Ah, summer. The season for lightning bugs, pool parties and barbeques. But the next time you squirt some ketchup on your burger or pour yourself a cold one, consider the companies behind the products you're enjoying. Load your plate with the five stocks described below, and you could fill your wallet as well as your belly. All of these companies offer their products around the globe and are expanding their sales in fast-growing emerging markets.
Always Coca-Cola
When it comes to multinationals, Coca-Cola (symbol KO) is the real thing. The world's largest beverage company derives 70% of its sales outside the U.S., and foreign business, particularly in emerging markets, will continue to drive Coke's bottom line.
But Coke is also taking steps to get its languid domestic sales moving. For example, Coke acquired its North American bottlers last October. That should help it reduce costs -- the company ultimately expects to realize annual savings of $350 million -- and respond more nimbly to changing consumer preferences. Coke has also been coming out with new formats for its fizz, offering, for instance, 1.25-liter bottles to supplement its 2-liter and 20-ounce bottles.
Meanwhile, Coke continues to invest in Asia and South America to capitalize on rising incomes in those regions. The company is aiming to double its total business by 2020. At $68.81, Coke stock trades at 18 times estimated 2011 earnings of $3.88 per share and yields 2.7%. (All prices and related data are through July 28.)
The Joy of Pepsi
Unlike Coke, which is essentially a pure play on liquid refreshments, PepsiCo (PEP) is also a big player in snack foods. But like Coke, Pepsi is benefiting from growing sales overseas, especially in emerging markets. And the company is expanding in those markets. For example, last February Pepsi acquired a majority interest in Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods, a Russian dairy company.
The owner of such brands as Pepsi-Cola, Gatorade, Tropicana, Frito-Lay and Quaker Oats is also revamping its global beverage unit to boost profitability. For starters, Pepsi has begun to market its drinks on a global basis rather than marketing brands differently in each country in which it operates. Last year, the company bought its two largest North American bottlers, which should benefit Pepsi in the same way that Coke's bottler acquisitions should help that company. Pepsi is also trying to improve the healthfulness of its food and beverage products -- for example, introducing sweeteners that reduce the sugar in soft drinks.
At $63.89 Pepsi sports a 3.2% dividend yield and trades at 14 times estimated 2011 earnings of $4.46 per share.
Give Your Portfolio a Buzz with Bud
As summer heats up, cool down with shares of the world's biggest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD). The Belgium-based producer of Budweiser, Michelob and Stella Artois is the product of the 2008 purchase of Anheuser-Busch, the iconic St. Louis–based beer maker, by InBev, which wisely adopted Anheuser-Busch's snappy trading symbol.
The company sells its key brands in the world's five most-profitable beer markets: the U.S., Brazil, Russia, Canada and Mexico. What's more, BUD dominates most of the markets it serves. It also owns a 50% stake in Grupo Modelo, the Mexican brewer that owns the Corona brand and has 70% of the Mexican market. The BUD growth story is mainly about Brazil, where the company has a 70% lock on a market in which millions of people are joining the middle class every year. Credit Suisse analyst Anthony Bucalo estimates that Latin America will provide 80% of the company's sales and profit growth until 2020. That growth will offset sluggish sales in Western Europe and North America.
First-quarter sales in Brazil disappointed some analysts. But they still expect earnings to increase 20% in 2011, to $3.75 per share. The company nearly doubled its annual dividend in March, to $1.16 per share, and once it finishes paying down the debt it took on to acquire Anheuser-Busch, it's likely to boost its dividend more. The stock, which trades in the U.S. as an American depositary receipt, yields 1.7% at a price of $58.50 and sells for 16 times 2011 earnings projections.
Squirt Some Heinz into Your Portfolio
Heinz (HNZ) is expanding into emerging markets to reinvigorate growth. For example, the maker of ketchup, Ore-Ida potatoes and Weight Watchers frozen dinners bought a Chinese manufacturer of soy sauces and bean curd last November. And in April, Heinz acquired an 80% stake in a Brazilian maker of tomato sauces, ketchup and condiments; the company expects that unit's sales to double in the first full year of its ownership. Heinz sees emerging markets accounting for more than 20% of its sales in the fiscal year that ends next April, up from 16% in the year that ended April 2011.
Heinz has sought to offset the impact of rising costs for raw materials by increasing productivity and raising prices on ketchup and other products. Like other multinationals, Heinz will also benefit if the dollar continues to weaken, as sales and profits generated overseas are translated into a greater number of dollars.
The stock trades at $52.76. Heinz, which recently raised its dividend by 6.7%, yields 3.6% and sells for 16 times estimated earnings of $3.34 per share for the year that ends next April 30.
Store Your Money in Tupperware
Tupperware parties have gone global. There were 18 million Tupperware parties in 2010, and most of them were overseas. That trend will continue as the maker of food-storage containers takes its concept to Brazil, India, Indonesia and other developing nations. In fact, revenues from developing nations rose 18% in 2010 and accounted for 56% of Tupperware's sales of $2.3 billion.
Tupperware relies mainly on female entrepreneurs to sell its wares. Expanding in developing countries is allowing Tupperware to capitalize on the lack of jobs for women, as well as growing middle classes.
Tupperware (TUP) shares plunged 13% on July 27 after the company said third-quarter earnings would come in below expectations. At the same time, Tupperware raised its earnings outlook for the full year by a nickel per share, to between $4.50 and $4.60. Analysts on average expect earnings to jump 23% this year, to $4.58 per share and to climb at an annualized rate of nearly 15% per year over the next three to five years. The decline in the stock gives investors an opportunity to buy into an attractive emerging-markets play at a much lower price. At $62.97, Tupperware trades at 14 times estimated 2011 earnings and yields 1.9%.
S&P under pressure over US credit rating
Standard & Poor's is in the spotlight again.
The question facing the credit rating agency is whether it will downgrade the triple A credit rating of the US, or whether a tentative debt deal struck in Washington involving up to $2,400bn in deficit cuts over the next decade will avert such a move.
"Standard & Poor's has been the most explicit about a downgrade," said Eric Green, director of US rates research at TD Securities.
Moody's Investors Service, S&P's main rival in the rating business, has already indicated its top-notch ranking of the world's biggest economy is safe for now. Moody's said on Friday that its "review for downgrade will more likely than not conclude with a confirmation of the AAA rating, albeit with a shift to a negative outlook".
But S&P has, so far, not issued any statement. It said on Monday that the review of the US triple A rating, which started on July 14, was continuing.
Investors are unsure what the agency will do.
The main reason for this uncertainty is S&P's comment in its review that it was looking for $4,000bn of deficit cuts to prevent the level of US debt relative to gross domestic product from rising too far.
"We expect the debt trajectory to continue increasing in the medium term if a medium-term fiscal consolidation plan of $4,000bn is not agreed on," S&P said.
The deal struck in Washington has a lower headline figure of debt reduction, however, leading some analysts to expect that a downgrade is still possible.
"The risk of a downgrade to the US triple A rating remains high," said analysts at Barclays Capital.
But Deven Sharma, president of S&P who testified before US lawmakers last week, said the firm's analysts were "misquoted" regarding this figure.
"Since there was a $4,000bn number put forward by a number of congressmen, as well as by the administration, our analyst was just commenting on those proposals, that would bring the threshold within the rating of what a triple A sovereign debt would require," he said, according to reports of the hearings.
Mr Green at TD Securities believes S&P will hold off on a downgrade.
"S&P are no doubt under an immense amount of pressure to back off, if just for now," said Mr Green. "I don't think they will punish progress and this [debt-ceiling deal] is progress."
Thomas Deas, chairman of the National Association of Corporate Treasurers, said the debt ceiling deal did not resolve the US's bigger fiscal problems. "The next thing is: will the [credit rating] agencies downgrade the US government securities anyway?" he said.
If S&P's analysts decide to downgrade the US's debt, there is likely to be a tide of complaints from politicians – just as rating cuts of eurozone sovereign debt have resulted in an outpouring of scorn and renewed regulations from politicians in Europe.
Some investors, however, have welcomed the more aggressive stance from the agencies.
The agencies were widely criticised after failing to spot the risks in thousands of billions of dollars of securities backed by US mortgages in the run-up to the financial crisis, because many of these triple A-rated debts proved worthless.
However, finding alternatives to the big rating agencies would be no easy matter.
Dow Theory sell signal on horizon
Monday morning's stunning reversal, from a triple-digit gain at the open to a double-digit loss, is discouraging not just because it indicates that the market faces more challenges than just the political paralysis in Washington. It also puts a possible Dow Theory sell signal back on the horizon.
The crucial levels to watch, according to Jack Schannep, editor of TheDowTheory.com, are the June lows for both the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA and the Dow Jones Transportation Average DJT — at 11,897.27 and 5,060.59, respectively.
If both averages fall below these levels, it would be quite bearish according to the Dow Theory — especially since it would come on the heels of what Dow Theorists refer to as a non-confirmation, because in early July only one of these two averages was able to surpass their April highs.
We're not there yet, so Dow Theorists remind us not to jump the gun. But the Industrials are now only 1.7% away, and the Transports 2.2% away — a lot closer than where they were at this morning's opening, and close enough to make the bulls sweat.
-Mark Hulbert
Oppenheimer: Buy Industrial Companies Relying on US Sales
Investors should buy "high-quality" industrial stocks that rely most on U.S. revenue because the group should perform better than the broad market in coming years, Oppenheimer & Co. said.
Oppenheimer screened for stocks using criteria including less than 50 percent of revenue from outside the U.S., a price- earnings ratio of less than 15 times forecast profit and earnings-per-share growth estimates higher than 10 percent for 2011 and 2012. It found 11 stocks, including delivery companies FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc., power-tool producer Stanley Black & Decker Inc. and security-systems maker Tyco International Ltd.
"Despite the sector's poor performance in recent months, we continue to believe that industrials remain well-positioned to provide leadership in the coming years," Brian Belski, the New York-based chief investment strategist at Oppenheimer, said in a note dated today. Industrials offer "opportunities even during challenging market environments," he said, and investors should focus on "high-quality and defensive companies."
A gauge of industrial companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index has declined 1.8 percent in 2011 as of 1:45 p.m. in New York, compared with a 1.8 percent gain for the broad measure. U.S. manufacturing expanded in July at the slowest pace in two years, with today's Institute for Supply Management's factory index falling to 50.9 last month from 55.3 in June. Economists projected the index would drop to 54.5, according to a Bloomberg survey.
Belski forecasts the S&P 500 will rise to 1,325 at the end of 2011, less than the average estimate of 13 strategists surveyed by Bloomberg who predict a year-end close of 1,401.
Italy Burning
Italy undergoing a slow motion crash, with bank after bank getting halted, first Intesa, then Monte Paschi, and most recently, main bank Unicredit. The FTSEMIB is now down a whopping 5.5% from intraday highs, led by the financial sector which may or may not last the week absent another EFSF expansion as we have speculated before. Of course, should that happen, Italy becomes a liability and not a funder, meaning the proportional obligations of Germany and France will surge, just as we explained two weeks ago. And more bad news: the spread between the 10 year Italy - Bund just hit an all time wide of 349, +16 bps on the session, as Italy CDS are now trading 328, +12, and Spain is 9 bps wider to 374. Time for bailout #3, this time to rescue Italy, then Belgium and Spain, then France and the UK, until finally the Fourth Reich, in the darkness, shall bind them.
And just the country's top (and we use that term loosely) banks:
NIA Exposes Debt Ceiling Truth
NIA hasn't written about the whole debt ceiling issue over the past few weeks because in our minds it is completely irrelevant. Our elected representatives in Washington along with the mainstream media have been wasting thousands of hours of time and hundreds of millions of dollars debating a topic that has no meaning at all. The President, Senate, and House of Representatives are putting on a show to make it look like they care about cutting spending and balancing the budget. Except for a select few elected representatives like Ron Paul who care about protecting the U.S. Constitution and preserving what little purchasing power the U.S. dollar still has left, every other politician in Washington is putting on a complete charade in order to trick their constituents into believing there is a difference between the proposals from the Republicans and Democrats.
While our incompetent and corrupt mainstream media has been proclaiming there are major differences between the two bills proposed by House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, NIA believes John Boehner might as well be a Democrat and Harry Reid could easily pass himself off as a Republican. There are absolutely no meaningful fundamental differences between Boehner's plan that was approved by the House of Representatives yesterday evening, before being killed by the Senate two short hours later, and Reid's bill, which was just rejected by the House today in a pre-emptive vote before the Senate even had a chance to vote on it.
Both bills are estimated to reduce the U.S. budget deficit by approximately $900 billion over the next 10 years. Of the $900 billion only about $750 billion are actual discretionary spending cuts with the rest being an expected reduction in interest payments on the national debt as a result of either bill passing. When you have an unstable fiat currency that is rapidly losing its purchasing power and could collapse at any time, it is impossible to accurately project what our budget deficits will be 5 or 6 years from now, let alone 9 or 10 years from today. As far as the next two fiscal years are concerned, both proposed bills from Boehner and Reid are estimated to only cut spending by a total of about $70 billion in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 combined. (more)
Who Owns The Central Banks' Central Bank?...
As I've pointed out for years, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is owned by the world's central banks, which are in turn owned by the big banks. See this and this.
It turns out there may be a very interesting wrinkle to the private ownership issue.
By way of background, BIS is often called the "central banks' central bank", as it coordinates transactions between central banks, and which is the entity determining the level of reserves banks are required to keep worldwide.
As Spiegel reported in 2009:
The BIS is a closed organization owned by the 55 central banks. The heads of these central banks travel to the Basel headquarters once every two months, and the General Meeting, the BIS's supreme executive body, takes place once a year.
But as the New York Federal Reserve Bank currently states on its website:
As of March 2006, the BIS had 55 shareholding central banks from around the world. As of March 2006, the Bank's assets were approximately $221 billion, including $5.8 billion of its own funds.When the BIS initially raised capital, participating banks were given the option to buy BIS shares or arrange for those shares to be bought by the public. Currently, 86 percent of the shares of the BIS are registered in the names of central banks, and 14 percent are held by private shareholders. The shares owned by private shareholders consist of part of the French and Belgian issues and all of the shares that were in the original U.S. issue in 1930.
So the private banks own the Fed (and most other central banks), and the central banks – and private shareholders – in turn own BIS, the global bank regulator.
It would obviously be very interesting to find out who these private shareholders are.
And to find out if the shareholders enjoy any special benefits. As Spiegel notes:
Formally registered as a stock corporation, it is recognized as an international organization and, therefore, is not subject to any jurisdiction other than international law.It does not need to pay tax, and its members and employees enjoy extensive immunity. No other institution regulates the BIS, despite the fact that it manages about 4 percent of the world's total currency reserves, or €217 trillion ($304 trillion), as well as 120 tons of gold…
Central bankers are not elected by the people but are appointed by their governments. Nevertheless, they wield power that exceeds that of many political leaders. Their decisions affect entire economies, and a single word from their lips is capable of moving financial markets. They set interest rates, thereby determining the cost of borrowing and the speed of global financial currents.
Could that mean that the private shareholders owning 14% of the world's central bank have somehow been "grandfathered in", and are immune from taxes and other national rules? Wouldn't it be interesting to find out?
The New York Fed claims that the private BIS shareholders don't have voting rights:
All shareholders receive the Bank's dividends. However, private shareholders do not have voting rights or representation at the BIS annual meetings. Only a country's central bank or its nominee may exercise the rights of representation and voting.
This may or may not be true. It is common for powerful and wealthy people informally influence agency decisions. Just look at every captured financial regulator in the United States.
But whether or not the shareholders get special treatment or influence the decisions of the world's most powerful banking institution, it is still newsworthy that there are private parties with not insignificant ownership interests.
Go Against the Crowd of Sellers
On Friday, the focus of investors was on the inability of Congress and the White House to come to an agreement on the debt ceiling, and the markets plunged to the biggest weekly decline in a year.
From a technical standpoint, the most widely followed broad market index, the S&P 500, managed to hold at the important 200-day moving average at 1,285, and that is good news. And at the time of this writing, a deal appears to be in the works between the major parties, but the success of the politicians to gain the necessary votes is uncertain, and the failure to pass an acceptable arrangement could have an impact on the direction of the market early this week.
Those who have followed the Daily Trader's Alert are familiar with the long-term chart (monthly) of the S&P 500 and its 12-month simple moving average (red line). For over 10 years, investors who sold when the price line crossed below the 12-month moving average and bought when it crossed above it have enjoyed a better-than-average return.
There are no guarantees that this system will remain an accurate trend predictor, and no single system should be relied on to make major investment decisions. But this chart above is currently telling us to hold investment-grade stocks and buy on dips. However, if the price line crosses under the 12-month moving average (now at 1,256), this system would tell us to sell stocks and go to a 100% defensive investment posture.
Manufacturing growth hits lowest level in 2 years
Manufacturers had their weakest growth in two years in July, a sign that the economy could weaken this summer.
The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing executives, said Monday that its index of manufacturing activity fell to 50.9 percent in July from 55.3 percent in June. The reading was the lowest since July 2009 — one month after the recession officially ended.
Any level above 50 indicates growth. The manufacturing sector has expanded for 23 straight months.
Still, new orders shrank for the first time since the recession ended. Companies slashed their inventories after building them up in June. Output, employment, and prices paid my manufacturers all grew more slowly in July.
The disappointing report on manufacturing is the first major reading on how the economy performed in July. It suggests the dismal economic growth in the first half of the year could extend into the July-September quarter.
"The ISM manufacturing report for July is a shocker and strongly suggests that the disappointing performance of the economy in the first half of the year was not just temporary," said Paul Dales, a senior U.S. economist for Capital Economics.
The news of weak factory growth in July also cooled what looked to be a strong day on Wall Street.
The Dow Jones industrial average had risen nearly 140 points in the first half-hour of trading, afterPresident Barack Obama and lawmakers announced a deal to raise the nation's borrowing limit. But the Dow erased all of those gains after the manufacturing report was released, and then fell another 145 points. It later pared most of the day's losses to close 11 points down.
In a separate report, the Commerce Department said builders began work on more projects in June, pushing construction spending higher for a third straight month.
Construction spending rose 0.2 percent in June, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $772.3 billion, the government said. But even with the gains, spending remains slightly above an 11-year low hit in March and is just half of the $1.5 trillion pace considered healthy by most economists.
The economy expanded at a dismal 1.3 percent annual rate in the April-June period after an even worse 0.4 percent increase in the first three months of the year, the government said Friday.
The factory sector has expanded in every month but one since the recession ended in June 2009. The ISM's index topped 60 for four straight months at the start of the year.
But manufacturing has stumbled in recent months. A parts shortage stemming from Japan's March 11 earthquake disrupted automakers' supply chains, cutting into the output of new cars. And high gas prices left Americans with less money to spend on discretionary items, such as vacations, furniture and appliances.
The index fell in May to 53.5 from April's reading of 60.4. That was the sharpest one-month drop since 1984.
Employers have responded by pulling back on hiring. The economy added just 18,000 net jobs in June, the fewest in nine months, and the unemployment rate rose to 9.2 percent. Hiring by manufacturers was nearly flat in the April-June period.
The government issues its July employment report on Friday.
Several regional manufacturing surveys for the month of July have been mixed. The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank said its manufacturing index rose to 3.2, signaling that the sector is growing again in that region. It had contracted in June for the first time in nine months.
And a private survey in Chicago showed that manufacturing expanded in July, but at a slower pace than in June.
Meanwhile, a survey by the New York Federal Reserve Bank found regional manufacturing activity shrank in July.
Manufacturing represents only about 11 percent of U.S. economic activity and can contribute only so much to the broader economic recovery. For unemployment to fall significantly, consumer income and spending also must pick up.
The ISM, a trade group of purchasing executives based in Tempe, Ariz., compiles its manufacturing index by surveying about 300 purchasing executives across the country.
US Interest Payments as a Percentage of Total Reve...
Oppenheimer: Buy Industrial Companies Relying on U...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We Have also added our review section to our google page! Feel free to check us out and past clients we would love to hear from you!
Here are a just a few of our past clients reviews.
We loved using Pixburgh Photo Booths for our daughters wedding. It offered a fun evening for our guests. They got a memory photo and we got one too. Would use them again should we have the occasion. Great service, kind and professional.
My guests loved the photo booth and using the photo strips in a scrapbook instead of an old fashioned guest book. We were able to sit and go through some great photos of our loved ones that we will always have to remember the day. Pixburgh was so easy to work with and so much fun. They were incredibly responsive and helpful with suggestions. The booth attendant made the photo booth a fun experience. I'm trying to think up another party to do so I can have a photo booth again. No bride will be disappointed if they hire Pixburgh.
PixBurgh Photo Booths did an excellent job at our wedding! The booth was black and red and blended well with the decor. They had an attendant standing by the whole time making sure that everything went smoothly. Everyone got a copy of the pictures they took and there was an extra copy for them to place in our guest book and sign their names. There was an option for guests to do black and white and/or color. There was a prop box full of all kinds of hilarious items that our guests had a blast with! We got some really funny picture. After the event, all of the pictures were provided to us on a disk and uploaded to a website for all of our guests to view for free. Everyone loved it and we got some of the best shots of our whole wedding. The price was good, the service was great, and we would highly recommend Pixburgh Photo Booths to others!
Loved that I could have both black/white and color options! Also, PixBurgh happily placed my personalized logo on our picture strips- which looked awesome and added a personal touch (it matched our invitations!). The guy who ran the booth was friendly, helpful, and very tolerant to my loud and rowdy family and friends! 🙂 I would totally recommend this company to anyone… And honestly I already booked them again for my sons sweet 16!
Pixburgh Photo Booth was one of the stars of my wedding! People had so much fun in the photo booth and are still talking about it and sharing pictures with one another. I would highly recommend them to anyone for their wedding or event!
This was a lot of fun at our event! I think the props were great and the service was friendly and professional! Yes, I'd book this again for an event! Everyone had a fabulous time!


Versace is a French combination rocker and push horse in original condition. He retains his original bridle and lovely original leather saddle and his paintwork is also largely original, as well as the paintwork on the frame which has a beautiful patina.
His body is made of limewood.
The stand is unusual in that it can be used as either a rocking horse or as a push horse, the mechanism all works perfectly.
He is a lovely decorative horse who would look good in a decorative setting or display.


text:
Q: Casting string to Z3.expr in .Net API I have a string variable which I need to cast into Expr type. I am using the Z3 .Net API. Is this possible?
Edit
List<Node<string>> lChildren = new List<Node<string>>();
//...
switch (pNode.Data)
{
    //...
    case ">=":
    {
        lResult = lZ3Solver.GreaterOrEqualOperator(
            lChildren[0].Data,
            int.Parse(lChildren[1].Data)
        );

The first argument of GreaterOrEqualOperator is of type Expr. In this case I need to cast the current string type to Expr type.

A: A variable (constant function) of name lChildren[0] can be created by calling ctx.MkConst(lChildren[0], sort), where ctx is a Context and sort is the sort/type of the variable, e.g., it could be ctx.IntSort for integers.
Note that Z3 allows two variables of the same name, i.e., calling ctx.MkConst a second time with the same name/sort, will create a new variable, which is different from the first one. If the same variables are required at a time later than their construction time, the need to be saved elsewhere, e.g., in a hashtable (or Dictionary) that allows for quick lookups.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Illustration by Holly Warfield / Getty / The Current
How CTV is democratizing TV for DTC brands
October 6, 2022•5 minute read
By Ilyse Liffreing
Explore how advertisers are embracing new opportunities on the world's most influential advertising medium.
Joel Cox recalls when, during must-see TV on Thursday nights on NBC, viewers would only watch ads from major brands like Ford, Coca-Cola, and Folgers Coffee during the commercial breaks of hit shows like Friends, Seinfeld, and ER. Smaller brands were simply priced out and couldn't compete.
"It was like Fortune 100 brand after Fortune 100 brand, like Mad Men days," Cox, co-founder and senior VP of strategy and innovation at connected TV (CTV) agency Strategus, tells The Current. "All of that has changed."
Indeed it has. Cox, who works with a variety of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands to execute CTV strategies and campaigns, says Strategus was one of the first agencies to run a programmatic CTV campaign in 2015. Since then, he has witnessed the evolution of TV as an advertising channel — from one that has historically been reserved for major budgets and broad audiences to an adaptable one, available to a wider variety of more niche segments, brands, and viewers.
"All of a sudden [CTV] opens up so much opportunity for everyone because, instead of having to budget to serve an ad for your brand of coffee to an entire state or nation, we can serve our ads to people who actively buy certain brands of coffee, or who visit a specific Starbucks location, or have [a] certain [number of] dollars in disposal income," Cox says.
"Frankly, unless you're selling air or water, not everybody needs to see your ad," Cox adds. "And so the democratization of TV is important. It's good for small business. It's good for consumers. Variety is better. Relevance is better."
From linear to digital
DTC brands across sectors are seeing the opportunity — from alcohol delivery service Drizly to men's personal-care brand Dr. Squatch to dental brand SmileDirectClub. A major draw of CTV is its flexibility. Instead of committing to a set price at the offset, brands typically have more control over their ad dollars throughout the campaign, which can make it easier to test and learn, especially for smaller brands without traditional linear budgets.
DTC cell carrier Mint Mobile, for example, is currently testing CTV and is seriously eyeing the medium for 2023, largely due to the channel's malleability. "The ability to limit spend and adjust based on our terms, not broadcaster minimums, has allowed us to test a wide array of approaches in CTV," Aron North, CMO at Mint Mobile, tells The Current.
Of course, it also doesn't hurt that streaming services continue to draw more viewers, and many brands of all sizes are redirecting their spend from linear as a result. The latest Insider Intelligence figures predict that the number of cord-cutter and cord-never households will exceed pay-TV households next year, and then by 2026, the distance between the two is expected to grow by more than 25 million. Meanwhile, Insider Intelligence predicts this year's upfront CTV ad spend will grow by 34.6 percent to $6.41 billion—about as much as total CTV spend only three years ago.
This also means that DTC brands can now share the same spaces and screens as much-larger brands. "A brand that saw $10 million in revenue last year could be running a connected TV ad right next to a Nike of the world and All State of the world," says Dan Larkman, founder and CEO of programmatic CTV agency Keynes Digital, which works with a variety of DTC brands. "That's where it really makes a big difference for DTC brands."
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DTC gain
In the CTV space, DTC brands are also uniquely positioned to succeed. For one thing, DTC brands tend to have more access to first-party data because they often serve consumers online and communicate through logins and emails. When layered with third-party data, DTC efforts on CTV can be that much more effective.
"The oil and the steel that built previous generations in this country is today's data," says Cox. "Let's be frank: Prior to this, a lot of DTC was search and social. That's all well and good, but you can only run so many Facebook ads and Instagram ads and paid search ads before you're like, 'We need to fill the funnel.'"
Because they operate mostly online, many DTC brands also tend to lean into direct response marketing, where conversions can be more easily tracked. This can make the move over to CTV relatively simple. Mint Mobile, for instance, already deploys a direct response approach to its linear ads — where Mint Mobile co-owner, actor Ryan Reynolds, directs viewers to head to mintmobile.com — so it's easy to use the same ads and measure for the same results on CTV, North tells The Current.
"It's an advantage because we are already measuring the same KPIs you would want from a CTV program," says North. "Now we are simply comparing and optimizing to see if we can exceed the efficiency of linear."
Many DTC brands are already seeing the impact CTV can have on their overall advertising efforts. Take women's personal healthcare brand which worked with Keynes Digital on its CTV campaigns, and saw 4.4 times the growth of paid search conversions if users saw their CTV ad first, according to Larkman.
"If you're looking at CTV just as cost-per-action marketing, you're missing out," says Larkman. "You don't want to look at CTV as a silo. We need to be thinking about it as the overall marketing mix."


Vodafone launched its own IPTV offering in Dublin today. The service, Vodafone TV, will be available to home broadband customers with a minimum 40mb/s connection.
The service comes in two tiers mixing a selection of HD TV and radio channels with a choice of premium movie or sports content or multi-room viewing.
Vodafone Basic TV package provides a minimum of 55 TV channels, with the add-on of Netflix or Sports (BT and Setanta Sports) with unlimited broadband and landline calls included for €40 for six months with a standard price of €70 per month thereafter.
Vodafone TV Plus package includes all Basic TV elements with additional channels across kids, Comedy, Eurosport, increased music options plus access to additional documentary channels, with two add-ons included (Netflix or Sports or multi-room) alongside unlimited broadband and calls for €40 per month for six months and standard price of €80 per month thereafter. Additional add-on packages for Sky Sports and Sky Movies will also be available.
Both service tiers include one-touch access to Netflix via a button on the remote control; fast channel switch with minimal load times; the ability to restart a programme at any point; seven-day catchup; a live TV filter allowing live preview of what's on across every channel all on one screen; personalised viewing profiles; up to 300 SD hours of recording space; and Vodafone TV Anywhere, a mobile catch up app for iOS and Android.
Vodafone is the latest telco to venture into the content space. Both eir and Virgin Media (formerly UPC) provide additional content to their home broadband customers. At a presentation at the company's office in Sandyford today, Vodafone Ireland CEO Anne O'Leary called the service "the last piece of the puzzle".


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Soleil tanning spa caters to women and men. Gift certificates: Soleil tanning spa gift certificates are the perfect way to celebrate, appreciate and reward the special people in your life.


Our vineyard was originally planted with this wine in mind. Corner Stone our signature wine, is a Bordeaux style blend which includes Merlot (47%), Cabernet Sauvignon (21%), Cabernet Franc (21%) Malbec (7%) and Petit Verdot (4%). Aged 18 months in French oak, this fruit-forward blend is rich in flavour, colour and texture and is structured for longevity. Should age well 7 - 10 years.
The 2013 vintage was another spectacular year in the vineyard. Bud break was April 21st and harvest started on October 8th. The grapes for this single vineyard Bordeaux style blend were grown on our estate vineyard, River Rock Vineyards, which surrounds our winery in Oliver BC. The vines were planted in 2003. in 2012 part of our Cabernet Sauvignon block was grafted over to Petit Verdot which makes its first appearance in the 2013 vintage. The vineyards are all on south facing slopes where soils are composed of rock, sand, and gravel laid down during the last glacial recession.
Each varietal contained in the blend was hand picked, and de-stemmed. Approximately 80% of the fruit was left whole, un-crushed. The grapes were cold soaked between 3-5 days and then fermented in both stainless steel tanks (2200 and 2850 litre) and small fermentation totes to maximize skin to juice contact. The wine was transferred, following pressing, to tanks to settle then transferred to barrels where malolactic fermentation was completed. Wine was aged in French oak barrels (33% new) for approximately 18 months. Following aging, blending trials were done, final filtering, and bottling resulting in the 2013 Corner Stone Blend. 2013 is a special year for the Corner Stone blend as it is the first year there is Petit Verdot added, the blend now contains the 5 classic grape varietals. The Petit Verdot brings velvety tannin structure and floral notes to the nose.
This bold Bordeaux style blend is rich and concentrated with bold ripe fruit and concentrated textures from mature tannins representative of the great growing season. This wine is presently showing dark berry flavours complimented by hints of spice including sage, wild thyme as well as chocolate and coffee, supported by French oak. It has balanced acidity and moderate tannins that will soften in time.. This wine will age nicely 7-10 years.
We love red wine and this one is indeed very palatable.
Satisfyingly delicious, rich and smooth - wonder nose and beautiful palate. Thank you for this deliciously special wine.


text:
Q: WPF variable custom button shape I'm trying to desinge a Template for a Button, which addapts the shape of the Button. I want to give the shape as Attribute to the control. Like this:
<Button Style="{StaticResource MyStyle}">
   <Button.Shape>
      <ImageBrush ImageSource="MyImage"/>
   </Button.Shape>
</Button>

I tried to use the OpacityMask-Attribute of the Button, but somehow I coulden't specify in the template on which element I want to apply the mask.
<ControlTemplate x:Key="Test" TargetType="Button">
            <Grid Background="{TemplateBinding Background}"
                            SnapsToDevicePixels="True">
                <Rectangle Fill="{TemplateBinding Foreground}" OpacityMask"{TemplateBinding OpacityMask}">
                </Rectangle>
            </Grid>
            <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                <Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
                    <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="#aaff00ff"/>
                </Trigger>
            </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
        </ControlTemplate>

I already tried something like this:
<Button Style="{StaticResource MyStyle}">
   <Button.OpacityMask>
      <ImageBrush ImageSource="MyImage"/>
   </Button.OpacityMask>
</Button>

But then i can't change the background anymore. I know, I could put every button in a Grid with the background I want, but I try to learn the concept of Templates and I wonder if there is a more elegant solution. :)


← Swimming Through Texas: Tapering – Preparing Physically and Mentally for the Finish!
Counting down the days until nationals in Sunny Arizona!
Tons of snow in the Northeast this winter!
My parents sent me these snow-covered snapshots this morning — the view from my house in New Jersey. Although Massachusetts hasn't been hit as hard this week, we're supposed to get a huge storm tomorrow!
It's made training outside almost impossible at times — so I've turned to indoor workout. Trainers & treadmills.


text:
HomePosts Tagged "viral"
Stories tagged with: viral
Subscribe to the viral News Feed.
Kylie Jenner has a laugh at viral video poking fun at renaming her son Aire
Thursday, January 26 by ABC News
(NOTE LANGUAGE) When Kylie Jenner announced that she and Travis Scott rebranded their 11-month-old son, Wolf, as Aire, people on social media had a laugh, particularly when folks pointed out that it means "my penis" in Arabic. "Anyway, I doubt... Read More.
Strangers raise over $133K for 82-year-old Walmart employee who went viral on TikTok
Thursday, December 29 by ABC News
(NEW YORK) -- An 82-year-old Walmart employee says she's been overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers after a TikTok video of her at work went viral. On a recent trip to her local Walmart, Liz Rizzo noticed a woman named Carman Kelly and felt compelled... Read More.
Moms react to viral TikTok video showing labor, delivery nurses mocking pregnant patients
Wednesday, December 14 by ABC News
(NEW YORK) -- Mothers are speaking out after four labor and delivery nurses from Emory Healthcare were disciplined following a TikTok video that appeared to show them making fun of patients. In the video, the nurses are seen talking about their "icks," or what annoys... Read More.
Jimmy Fallon urges Elon Musk to "fix" viral #RIPJimmyFallon hashtag
Wednesday, November 16 by ABC News
Following Elon Musk's reported $44 billion purchase of Twitter, some users of the social media platform have rebelled, deleting the app in protest, including prolific TV producer Shonda Rimes and Whoopi Goldberg. For his part, Jimmy Fallon remained on Twitter. However, some prankster has deleted... Read More.
University of Kentucky student seen in racist viral video set to withdraw
Tuesday, November 8 by ABC News
(LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY) -- A female student who was caught on camera using racial slurs towards a Black student at the University of Kentucky will voluntarily withdraw from the university, according to her attorney. Sophia Rosing, 22, the senior at the University of Kentucky, plans to... Read More.
What to know about mouth taping, the viral wellness trend that has people taping their mouths shut at night
Monday, November 7 by ABC News
(NEW YORK) -- For the past three months, Lauryn Bosstick, a Texas-based mom of two, has added a new step to her nightly routine: taping her mouth shut. Bosstick, an entrepreneur and founder of The Skinny Confidential -- a lifestyle product line, book and podcast... Read More.
Officers under review after brutal arrest of two men go viral
(WASHINGTON) -- Several police officers in Washington D.C. are facing allegations of police brutality and excessive force after video of a brutal arrest of two men went viral and the Metropolitan Police Department's Internal Affairs Bureau is now investigating the incident as city leaders and... Read More.
Meet the women who went viral for delivering a resume cake to Nike headquarters
Tuesday, October 4 by ABC News
(NEW YORK) -- Getting a foot in the door at a company is a huge step for any job seeker. And one woman's clever concept involving a cross-country pastry ploy quickly went viral on LinkedIn, but it was an unexpected friendship with the Instacart... Read More.
Chloë Grace Moretz says viral meme about her body turned her into a "recluse"
Thursday, September 29 by ABC News
(NOTE LANGUAGE) While celebrity memes are often traded as harmless fun, actress Chloë Grace Moretz says one about her body was so "horrific" that she "basically became a recluse." In a frank conversation with Hunger, the star of Amazon's upcoming The... Read More.
Nearly 225,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 since the start of 2022 despite viral declines, data shows
(NEW YORK) -- Although the daily death rates have ticked down slightly from August, updated federal data shows that the U.S. is still losing hundreds of Americans to COVID-19 every day, and 225,000 people in the U.S. have been lost to the virus since... Read More.
National COVID-19 wastewater levels signal viral uptick ahead of fall
Friday, September 16 by ABC News
(NEW YORK) -- Although reported COVID-19 case levels in the U.S. are still falling after a viral resurgence over the summer, there are preliminary indicators that infection rates may be back on the rise across the country. In recent weeks, federal data has shown that... Read More.
COVID-19 wastewater data signals potential viral plateau after weeks of declines
Wednesday, August 24 by ABC News
(NEW YORK) -- The number of U.S. wastewater sites reporting increases in the presence of COVID-19 in their samples appears to be plateauing after a significant decline in recent weeks. Federal data shows that about 44% of wastewater sites, which are currently providing data to... Read More.
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text:
'A real game changer for us': Batavia's Jalen Buckley is the 2021 Beacon-News/Courier-News Football Player of the Year.
By Rick Armstrong
Batavia's Jalen Buckley looks for an opening against Mount Carmel during a Class 7A playoff game on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. (Vincent D. Johnson / The Beacon-News )
Things didn't go exactly according to plan this season for Batavia's Jalen Buckley, but they worked out pretty well in the end for the all-purpose tour de force.
So well that the senior running back led the Bulldogs to a perfect 9-0 record and DuKane Conference title in the regular season and the second round of the Class 7A playoffs.
"Jalen was a real game changer for us," Batavia coach Dennis Piron said.
Buckley thought he would split his time nearly evenly between offense and defense playing running back and safety, much like he had in the truncated spring season.
"I thought I might be a little more impactful on offense," Buckley said. "But that it would still be about 50-50."
Still, despite a change in that direction, the 2021 Beacon-News/Courier-News Player of the Year had a fall season to remember.
Oswego's Mark Melton (11) slips away from Batavia's Jalen Buckley during a game on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. (Jon Cunningham / The Beacon-News)
Buckley was utilized almost exclusively on offense after fellow running back Josh Dornink was injured in the second game and sidelined for nearly six weeks.
"We had to switch his role to full-time running back," Piron said of Buckley. "Fortunately, we had the depth that allowed us to move some people around on defense to make up for his loss on that side of the ball.
"He's still our best defensive back, best running back, probably best linebacker and such a great kid."
Batavia defensive coordinator Matt Holm plugged cornerback Vincie Solano into Buckley's safety role and Grant Wardynski at cornerback as the Bulldogs made it work.
"If teams had been more successful passing against us," Holm said, "we might have had to play Jalen more on defense."
Buckley didn't lead the area in rushing, but he did finish with 189 carries for 1,194 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also caught 16 passes for 230 yards and four TDs.
"After Josh went down, Jalen was the guy to stop and people knew that," Piron said. "But he kept getting 150-170 yards a game, and with a young quarterback we were developing, that was so neat."
Buckley was good every game he played, missing only a first-round playoff win over Lake Zurich with an ankle sprain.
Batavia's Jalen Buckley breaks free for an 82-yard touchdown run against Wheaton North during a game on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. (Mike Mantucca / The Beacon-News)
One game, though, a 23-20 come-from-behind win over Wheaton North, went a long way for the 6-foot, 200-pound speedster who also runs with power.
"It's hard to pick one highlight," Buckley said. "But if one game stands out, it's probably that one, because of how good Wheaton North is and how we started when I fumbled on the first play."
That turnover set up the first score for the Falcons, who led 17-7 early in the third quarter when Buckley bolted 82 yards down the sideline for a TD to start his team's comeback.
Holm remembered that play.
"There were two guys in pursuit and I thought, 'Oh, they've got an angle on him,'" Holm said. "But he put it at another level. Jalen does have breakaway speed."
That he does.
"I just hit the sideline and didn't feel like getting caught," Buckley said.
He closed that game with 196 yards on 26 carries, the last 3 yards coming on his overtime TD run that provided the winning margin.
It was the lone blemish this season for the Falcons, who are headed to DeKalb to play St. Rita in Saturday's Class 7A state championship game at Northern Illinois.
A controversial 16-14 second-round loss at Mount Carmel kept the Bulldogs from advancing.
Batavia's Jalen Buckley (27) celebrates a touchdown with teammates Drew Gerke (11) and Will Hohmann (72) during a game on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. (John Konstantaras / The Beacon-News )
"It feels good to have won that conference title," Piron said. "Our conference might be the best 7A conference in the state. Three of the last four 7A title games have had a team from our league in it.
"It's pretty much a badge of honor to win it, but it doesn't make up for the difficult playoff loss."
Buckley will move on to play in college. He has a long-standing offer from Eastern Illinois and a preferred walk-on offer from Illinois. Indiana State is talking to him.
Piron also said other schools are looking at Buckley's film from this season. Piron and Holm both think he could play offense or defense in college.
"It depends on the school or the staff," Piron said. "I could see him as a safety, linebacker, power back or receiver. He's very fast, very explosive."
If given a choice, Buckley would likely opt for offense since that's what he has played the most growing up — and during a terrific senior season.
"I know the ins and outs there, better," Buckley said. "But if defense is the best second option, that's fine. I do feel I'm suited to defensive back more than linebacker, though."


For most digital nomads, the startup journey begins in a coffee shop or coworking space, with unlimited wifi and lattes on tap. For Fabian Dittrich, it began on a road trip across South America, juggling intermittent internet with car troubles and all the while maintaining a successful web series. Now in the second year of managing his own company, Dittrich has a lot to share about efficiency, prioritisation and using travel to inspire creative problem solving.
Join Dittrich at the next meetup of the Community of Digital Nomads in Barcelona (CODINO). In this interactive workshop, he will share his experiences of launching a business out of the back of a Land Rover, and may well redefine the way you think about work along the way.


- Creamy foam for a gentle shave.
- Relaxes the skin, enabling the perfect, classic wet shave.
- The creamy foam is gentle on the skin.
- The fine fragrance is composed of pure essential oils, which provide a natural way topamper the skin.
- The bowl makes this soap particularly convenient – even when travelling.
- 100% free from synthetic fragrances and colours, preservatives, silicones, parabens and mineral oil-based ingredients.


text:
int testglob = 0;

int testglob_not_collected = 10;

const int constglob = 10000;

const int constglob_not_collected = 100;

static void
start (void)
{}

static void
end (void)
{}

int
main (void)
{
  testglob++;
  testglob_not_collected++;

  start ();

  testglob++;
  testglob_not_collected++;
  end ();
  return 0;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Marriage license applications for Aug. 30
Melissa S. Borland, 24, of 4232 20th St. NW, Plain Township, and Erik W. Hann, 23, of 1225 Valleydell St. NW, Plain Township.
Virginia O. Dewar, 27, and Adam D. Jones, 27, both of 2614 Daleford Ave. NE.
Melanie A. Cockrill, 23, of 13882 Reeder Ave. NE, Marlboro Township, and Andrew M. Ulbricht, 24, of 10877 Julie Ave. NE, Lexington Township.
Heather S. Ward, 29, and Bryan L. Gordon, 34, both of 3047 15th St. NW, Canton Township.
Lindsey E. Livengood, 27, of 6535 Nickel Plate Ave. NE, Nimishillen Township, and Christopher L. Barkan, 28, of 6001 Schilling Ave. NE, Nimishillen Township.
Constance Ray, 56, and Erin C. Hookey, 39, both of 5254 Burlawn St. NW, Perry Township.
Mary E. Boosz, 22, of 7609 Panther Ave. NE, Plain Township, and Thomas D. Eames, 28, of 173 Applegrove St. NE, North Canton.
Katherine A. Meisenhelter, 22, of 7893 Mudbrook St. NW, Jackson Township, and Martin T. Koch, 25, of Avon Lake.
Christa E. Stoll, 26, of 2690 Rita St. NE, Lake Township, and Jason A. Magda, 32, of Canal Winchester.
Amy K. Croskey, 27, and Heath W. Miller, 30, both of Ruffs Dale, Pa.
Maria K. Lazoran, 26, and Michael J. Liossis, 27, both of 4535 17th St. NW, Perry Township.
Pamela L. Morris, 27, and Allen L. Palmer, 26, both of 210 Ohio Ave., Louisville.
Jessica L. Fitzgerald, 19, and Daniel W. McNutt, 24, both of 717 15th St. SW, Massillon.
Shannon M. McMillen, 33, and Joe R. Scheiber Jr., 44, both of 2415 Coventry Blvd. NE.
Delainaok R. Means, 28, and Samuel J. Blackwood, 26, both of Las Vegas, Nev.
Amber B. Grove, 27, and Jeremy W. James, 31, both of 8010 Stuhldreher St. NW, Jackson Township.
Sumireok J. Crader, 27, of Tokyo, Japan, and Justin G. Stanislawski, 33, of Sano-Shi, Japan.
Tonya A. Evans, 49, of 7044 Hills & Dales Rd. NW, Jackson Township, and Curtis L. Wilder Sr., 51, of 3028 Thornton St. NW, Lake Township.
Emily L. Stevens, 25, and Brian S. Warstler, 35, both of 819 Bennington Ave. NE, Massillon.
Maria M. Maglentiok Tims, 31, and Christopher J. Weisgarber, 35, both of 1422 11th St. NE, Massillon.
Julie A. Contrucci, 27, and Joseph A. Wright, 29, both of 7830 Peachmont Ave. NW, Plain Township.
Nicole E. Wallin, 25, and Dirk A. Rozich, 29, both of 15710 Cenfield St. NE, Washington Township.
Jennifer R. Carey, 19, and Charles M. Bachman, 24, both of 867 Franklin Rd. NE, Massillon.
Kristin A. Faulkner, 28, and Benjamin A. Clapper, 29, both of 1480 E. Beech St., Washington Township.
Lorraine A. Griffin, 25, and Nathan J. Barker, 30, both of 9916 Schlabach Ave. NE, Lake Township.
Carrie L. Nelson, 29, and Thomas E. Boyd, 28, both of 718 Longview Ave. NW, Canal Fulton.
Andrea M. Reese, 25, of 2410 Brayton Ave., Alliance, and Brian N. Deack, 27, of 2611 S. Freedom Ave., Alliance.
Robin L. Calloway, 43, and Curtis W. Griffin, 43, both of 1021 Erie St. S, Massillon.
Stacy J. Lambert, 29, and Douglas P. Lombardi, 28, both of 1338 Portage St. NW, North Canton.
Peggy A. Brumfield, 55, of 1724 Main Ave. W, Massillon, and William F. Buttermore, 66, of 619 Webb Ave. SW, Massillon.
Nadine J. Stevens, 18, and Christopher J. Sterling, 21, both of 147 Bonnett St. SW, North Canton.
Elizabeth E. Duff, 22, and Patrick R. Mangan, 25, both of 1724 Herbert Cir. SE, Canal Fulton.
Kimberly L. Pierson, 38, and Steven L. Durgala, 39, both of 12824 Williamsburg Ave. NW, Uniontown.
Rachaelok A. Rose, 21, of 1257 Miles Ave. SW, Perry Township, and Derek J. Mason, 22, of Salem.
Amanda L. Benner, 23, of 2313 S. Bandy Rd., Alliance, and William T. Staib, 24, of 3840 Robertsville Ave. SE, Paris Township.
Michelle A. Blevins, 42, and David W. Cook, 61, both of 1105 Meadowbrook Ave., Alliance.
Nicole R. Lenton, 25, and Jacob F. Daum, 23, both of 1077 W. College Rd., Alliance.
Faith A. Bonam, 23, of 2561 Ravenna Ave. SE, Osnaburg Township, and Andrew S.C.ok Reynolds, 22, of Wilmore, Ky.
Aileenok A. Strange, 61, of 5088 Massillon Rd., North Canton, and William E. Kelley, 71, of 6288 Apple St. NE, Nimishillen Township.
Jacqueline R. Owens, 35, and Lloyd J. Blake, 39, both of 316 Briarcliff Ave., Alliance.
Devinneok M. Yoder, 18, of 524 Park St. NW, Navarre, and Jared M. Shockey, 19, of 129 Elm St. NE, Brewster.
Teriok M. VanMeter, 29, and Michael A. Fernandez, 25, both of 2337 38th St. NW, Plain Township.
Agnes C. Kennedy, 72, of 2056 University Commons Dr. SE, Massillon, and Kennardok D. DeVault, 73, of 325 Bonnieview Ave., Alliance.
Rachel A. Luce, 21, and Eric D. Blyer, 30, both of 3011 Fairmont St. NE, Plain Township.
Brittany L. Beck, 23, of 334 Barber Ave. NE, Brewster, and Adam R. Reicosky, 29, of 123 Main St. N, Navarre.
Sheriok E. Bowman, 21, of 5310 13th St. SW, Perry Township, and Christopher C. Lane, 22, of 1507 Garfield Ave. SW.
Virginia M. Pegler, 54, and David W. Brower, 60, both of 152 11th St., Alliance.
Kimberly R. Schaufele, 41, of 213 Glenwood St. SW, North Canton, and Eric W. Eye, 43, of Athens.
Sara E. Yoder, 20, and Todd S. Shyjka, 34, both of 9952 Schlabach Ave. NE, Lake Township.
Kara N. Hammond, 26, and Lawrence W. Alton, 30, both of 3670 Forestdale Ave. SW, Canton Township.
Maria L. Muhleman-Beichler, 40, of 1334 17th St. NW and John E. Hall II, 41, of 7716 Angel Rd. NW, Sugarcreek.
Rebekkaok R. Lemmon, 22, of Salem and Bryan T. Russell, 24, of 1221 Ford Ct. NW.
Amanda M. Warren, 19, and Nathan D. Reed, 32, both of 1731 Shawnee Ave. SE, Massillon.
Alisonok R. Campbell, 23, of 1341 Applegrove St. NE and Joel A. Bucklin, 22, of Jamestown, N.Y.
Erika L. Woessner, 24, of 11197 Billingham Ave. NW, Uniontown, and Brandon P. McDonald, 24, of 1633 Bennington Cir. SW, North Canton.
Chrisannok Everetts, 45, and James D. Nichols II, 36, both of 3950 Waynesburg Dr. SE, Canton Township.
Jocelynok K. Lumpcik, 20, of 6876 Milhaven Ave. NW, Lawrence Township, and Joseph A. Noble, 21, of Cincinnati.
Brittany N. Johnson, 21, of 3910 Easter Ave. NW, Lawrence Township, and Patrick J. Magazzeni, 23, of 315 South Ave. SE, Massillon.
Cynthia A. Zurbrugg, 48, of 634 Parkway Blvd., Alliance, and John F. Heighway, 53, of 1436 Ellesmere Ave. NW.
Deborah A. Hammock, 44, and Timothy M. King, 45, both of 1634 Charolais St. NW, Uniontown.
Cariok A. Hussar, 28, of 3372 Allenford Dr. SE, Canton Township, and David C. Derheimer, 27, of 1074 Cayuga Tr. SW, Hartville.
Amy L. Appleman, 56, and James C. Collins, 58, both of 742 Tamwood Dr., Canal Fulton.
Michelle L. Moore, 39, and Theodore J. Herncane, 29, both of 1216 Second St. NE, Massillon.
Devinok L. Parker, 27, and James J. Coughlin Jr., 28, both of 6864 Milhaven Ave. NW, Lawrence Township.
Kimberly S. Stinnett, 31, of 407 Oak Ave. SE, Massillon, and Andrew D. Johnson, 28, of 4576 Alabama Ave. SW, Tuscarawas Township.
Amanda J. Kampert, 27, and Matthew D. Adamson, 21, both of 605 17th St. NW.
Corinne J. Miller, 25, and Gary A. Perry, 35, both of 1109 First St. NE, Massillon.
Sheila R. Weaver, 30, of 6380 Portage St. NW, Jackson Township, and Derek R. Steinberg, 30, of 223 Sixth St. NE, North Canton.
Erica F. Tichenor, 29, and Brian M. Stires, 28, both of 126 21st St. NW.
Jennnifer J. Ritz, 26, and Dana S. Swift Jr., 24, both of 813 S. Nickel Plate Ave., Louisville.
Joyeannaok L. Sheaffer, 20, of 6410 Edison St. NE, Marlboro Township, and David M. Jones, 20, of 2302 Howard St. NE, Lake Township.
Mallory L. Guidone, 22, and Norman E. Menegay Jr., 28, both of 251 Ohio Ave., Louisville.
Ashley L. Davis, 22, and Brandon S. Goshorn, 22, both of 9105 Moulin Ave. NE, Lexington Township.
Diane S. Davison, 51, and Michael C. Pierce, 49, both of 11833 Freshley Ave. NE, Lexington Township.
Rochelle R. McKinney, 23, of 260 Cheyenne Tr., Malvern, and Adam G. Haught, 26, of 4054 Springdale Ave. SE, Paris Township.
Jaymeok M. McGuire, 23, and Andrew J. Speight, 26, both of 4102 Independence Cir. NW, Jackson Township.
Kimberly M. Stanford, 22, of Tyler, Texas, and Andrew L. Palmer, 21, of 4118 Bernard Ave. NW.
Margaret A. Flanagan, 25, of 5226 Market Ave. N and Ryan A. Jadwin, 25, of 213 Lawver Dr. SE, New Philadelphia.
Teresa M. Fasone, 31, and Anthony D. Caserta, 37, both of 2368 Ridgewood Ave., Alliance.
Clair M. Hill, 25, and Daniel J. Brechbill, 25, both of Moncks Corner, S.C.
Kathy A. Klepatski, 49, and Barry L. Burns, 47, both of 139 22nd St. SE, Massillon.
Julie A. Morrison, 42, and Robert A. Korte, 43, both of 5077 Monticello St. NW, Perry Township.
Valerie B. Cricks, 33, and Richard L. Casto Jr., 34, both of 8686 Pontius St. NE, Marlboro Township.
Melissa R. Andrie, 39, and James L. Daniel Jr., 34, both of 135 Fairview St., Louisville.
Rebecca Grubb, 36, and George P. Comtois, 37, both of 510 W. Line St., Minerva.
Ashley J. Russo, 26, and John L. Schaffner III, 27, both of 2226 Clarendon Ave. NW, Plain Township.
Jennifer L. Gilbert, 21, and Ryan M. Mendoza, 27, both of 3386 Mehaffie Dr. NE, Plain Township.
Kellie S. Lindsey, 27, and Benjamin G. James, 31, both of 3646 Mollane St. NW, Perry Township.
Denise S. O'Connell, 40, and William T. Wallace, 42, both of 6111 Lakemoor Cir. NW, Jackson Township.
Darcy J. Haddox, 22, of 128 Smith Ave. NW and Michael J. Parks, 27, of 13487 Cleveland Ave. NW, Uniontown.
Dawn M. Ramsey, 24, and John T. Umberger, 27, both of 2219 Times Ave. SW, Perry Township.
Melissa M. Draggett, 25, of 5 West Dr., Lake Township, and Joseph R. Greenhill, 26, of Fort Worth, Texas.
Sarah E. Uittook, 22, and Kevin M. Long, 25, both of 7674 Daytona St. NW, Jackson Township.
Kayleighok M. Gonzalez, 22, of 8150 Fulton Dr. NW, Jackson Township, and Adam J. Smith, 23, of 5624 Lasater St. NW, Jackson Township.
Jennifer L. Bennethum, 30, of 12277 Elton St. SW, Sugar Creek Township, and Scott V. Cunningham, 32, of 312 S. Vine St., Orrville.
Sarah J. Linville, 22, of 724 Schneider St. NE, Plain Township, and Timothy M. Keene, 24, of 7010 State St. NE, Nimishillen Township.
Melissa A. Maier, 25, of 2411 Fallen Oak Cir. NE, Massillon, and Brandon J. Stevens, 31, of Smithfield, R.I.
Amanda L. Gamertsfelder, 19, and Joseph C. Lones, 19, both of 15221 Gaskill Dr. NE, Lexington Township.
Doris J. Huston, 55, and Sylvester Huston Jr., 58, both of 5852 Shetland Cir. NE, Plain Township.
Farai Mabgweok, 20, of 2727 Heritage Ave. NW, Plain Township, and Gerald L. Knight, 23, of 4626 Orchardale Dr. NW, Plain Township.
Kristen D. Peterson, 20, and Clayton T. Taylor, 33, both of 2208 Clark Ave., Alliance.
Billieok N. Newton, 25, and Erik D. Kieffer, 27, both of 147 Claremont Ave. NW.
Tina M. Pittman, 45, and Barry L. Scott, 46, both of 537 First St., Alliance.
Linda K. Gillespie, 47, of 2393 Ashdale St. NW, Plain Township, and Robert T. Stevens, 47, of Bristow, Va.
Danheok L. Solomon, 27, and Brian A. Slinger, 25, both of 1212 Arnold Ave. NW.
Crystal J. Martin, 23, of 2021 54th St. NE and Ian M. Miller, 22, of Columbus.
Natalie A. Eckinger, 22, of 1330 George St. SW, Canton Township, and Justin K. Lindamood, 22, of 3727 Maplewood Ave. SW, Canton Township.
Monica L. McFarland, 27, and William J. Greenberg, 34, both of 2237 Harsh Ave. SE, Massillon.
Nicole Ezzie, 25, and Chad B. Russell, 28, both of Gastonia, N.C.
Katie M. Wernet, 23, of 3405 Shellburne Ave. NW, Jackson Township, and Joseph B. Sedon, 23, of 1445 School Ave. NE.
Marie D. Williams, 41, and Ronald C. Christy, 43, both of 2412 Third St. NW.
Cathy D. Cioci, 59, of 621 Market Ave. N, Apt. 106, and David L. Graybill Sr., 53, of 621 Market Ave. N, Apt. 101.
Kieri A. Haidet, 25, and Thomas P. Carli, 28, both of 1841 Carriage Ln., Alliance.
Charlotte L. Brown, 33, and Michael J. Froelich, 35, both of 3661 Diane Ave. SW, Canton Township.
Nancy R. Seimetz, 71, of 2417 Wales Ave. NW, Jackson Township, and Thomas A. Byers, 76, of 953 Amundsen Dr., Canal Fulton.


Discussion in 'Indian Air Force' started by OverLoad, Apr 1, 2017.
Some people accuse China of stealing technology, I suggest that these people go to the hospital psychiatric clinic to see, this kind of jealousy can only reflect the inferiority complex.
It is not "Some people". Everyone from the US to the EU/Russia have documentary evidence. You know the old saying. One man calls you a donkey, ignore him, two men call you a donkey - ignore them. But if three men call you a donkey - you better get yourselves a saddle.
It has benefited china. So you should not be embarrassed. Rather you should be proud.
We don't have inferiority complex. we are just commenting on something widely accepted as fact.
It is dangerous to fail to see the achievements of other countries correctly.
Please understand. We are aware of your achievements. We do not underestimate anyone. We give respect where it is worthy and expect a similar response. It is when we do not see mutual respect that we react as we do because it is the other side underestimating us and we know our strengths and are very capable of responding.
Yes, quite a bit of the Chinese Technology has been developed in-house. We do not deny that. Our point is - a lot of the technologies have also been stolen and have been used.
Yes, this is hard data. And we do not deny this. But to use this to say that there is no other nation that is trying is unacceptable. We are all equals on the face of this earth - denying this will get you the backlash you are seeing.
While you might have more resources today - who is to say who will have more tomorrow.
It is because Chinese has gradually started to attach importance to India's achievements, so more Chinese gradually began to pay attention to India,I know that media coverage may be inaccurate, so I registered the website account want to know a friend in India's view of the world.
So if you are talking about collaborating and bringing value together, that works for us. We would be happy to step up to the table and support.
Yes, this is certainly a possibility and a good way to go. We would much prefer working/collaborating rather than fighting it out. It is just that the past has not seen much of this and has been more of You vs. Me and we would be wary because past lessons are not forgotten quickly. But the future can definitely lay the past to rest.
Please be aware there will be areas where we can collaborate and areas where we will need to make our independent ways. A recognition that both possibilities exist is important.
Old Indian saying - give us an inch, we'll go a mile to make it happen - that's who we are.
The company I serve has begun to open up the market in India. Building an industrial park around New Delhi. Now there are a lot of Chinese enterprises began to invest in India, looking for business opportunities, which is a trend.
So our point of view - we do not believe that we HAVE to be pre-eminent/the first but see ourselves as part of the nations of this world working together for humanity. It will not matter how large, how rich we are - this perspective will hold for us forever - yes we know that by the 2050s we will be the third (or even the second) richest nation in this world.
We wish you luck and hope you and your company succeed and grow bigger & stronger.
In the 1600 AD, both India and China contributed to 60% of the World GDP. We believe that era will come back - is in the process of coming back.


Wandering around the Christmas light–lit streets and baubled shopping centres of NSW and ACT, it's easy to see that Christmas is well and truly on its way. The age-old proverb 'tis better to give than to receive' rings true for all of us here at Uniting, but for some of our teams, Christmas is a time of year where they truly dig deep to give of themselves to some of the most marginalised people in our community.
The Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (also known as Uniting MSIC) is open 365 days a year, including on Christmas Day. It's a compassionate and practical harm minimisation health service for people who inject drugs, located in Sydney's Kings Cross. The team of health practitioners and counsellors who work at the centre welcome people without judgement into an environment where they can connect to the help they need. We spoke with Cat about what this time of year is like for her team.
What is Christmas like at the Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre?
Christmas is a difficult time for a lot of the clients who come in to use the service. It can remind them of their disconnection from family – grief for people they have lost; a reminder that they don't have a home or a job or whatever other significant thing that many of us take for granted. That's why we work really hard to make Christmas special for our clients.
We cover the centre with Christmas decorations and our team works really hard to keep the atmosphere happy and fun. Importantly, we're also there to listen and support our clients when they're finding it hard. They are really grateful that we're open over Christmas. We get a lot of love and appreciation – "Thank you for being open today. We know you've taken time away from your families to be here for us".
On Christmas Day there is a palpable vibe of positive energy. Clients generally get along well with each other – better than other times of the year. There is more happiness and laughter than usual as we all chat together and share the Christmas cheer.
We also celebrate together as a team over lunch when we close the centre for an hour and each of us brings a plate of food. We have a special sense of camaraderie in sharing this tradition together.
How do you spread the festive cheer with your clients?
Christmas is a great example of how our service is about more than just safe injecting. On Christmas Day we give out gift bags and food hampers. We also have food and drinks laid out on the tables in the aftercare area for clients to help themselves to.
This is an important part of our work on the day because it lets our clients know that we see them – we believe that they are valuable people who deserve to be recognised as such. We do it to show we care for them and that they're just as deserving of gifts as the rest of the community.
We see people who are completely gobsmacked. They can't believe that we're giving them gifts and they're very touched. It is very common to hear the words, "Thank you. This is the only present I've been given this year," followed by a big hug.
Can you tell us some of your favourite Christmas stories?
Andy* often brings some challenging behaviour with him into the centre – he can be somewhat passive aggressive in his interactions with staff and is often up for an argument. On Christmas Day, the team member who gave him his gift was somewhat tentative, but to her surprise it was like interacting with a different man. After he looked in the bag Andy exclaimed, "This is perfect, thank you. Oh, now I'm getting all teary". He gave her a big hug with tears of gratitude in his eyes.
Kate and Monty also joined us for Christmas. The two are regulars at the service and are always upbeat and grateful for the gifts they receive. Kate particularly loved the perfume she was given and gleefully told her partner, "Oh look, Monty! Isn't this beautiful? I'm going to put it…" and went on to describe how she would display the bottle in their home. Until a couple of years ago, this couple had been homeless on a long-term basis, so having pretty things in the house is really important to Kate.
I've got so many more stories I could share like these ones. It's so good to know our work is making a difference to people's lives in such a meaningful way.
Why will you be working this Christmas?
It's important that we're open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day because drug use or addiction doesn't take a holiday just because the majority of people in Australia do. People still need a clean and safe place to inject drugs. Many of our clients are homeless and don't have anywhere else safe to go. Many of them don't have a family or at least a family that cares about them, so we can be that family to them on Christmas. Being able to celebrate the holiday with people who care about them is deeply important to our clients. They are so grateful – so happy. You will never see as many smiles at Uniting MSIC as you'll see on Christmas Day.
Read a blog by Dr Marianne Jauncey, Medical Director of Uniting MSIC. For more information about this harm minimisation service, get in touch on 1800 864 846 or email us.


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Home / Our Mill / Community Outreach | Prison to Community Simulation
Community Outreach | Prison to Community Simulation
Apr 05, 2022 Posted by: Michael Lucas
STI Fabrics has been an integral part of the Kings Mountain, NC, community for nearly 6 decades. As the business grows, our impact on the community grows with it, and we are determined to make that impact a positive one for generations to come. Our latest Community Outreach Initiative has been highlighted by our involvement with Gaston County Corrections and their Work Release Program.
Since the start of the partnership in 2019, about 40 inmates have come to work at our plant, weaving and warping yarn, cleaning facilities, preparing the fabric, and performing other duties needed around the business. The program's success is due in large part to our existing workforce giving it a chance to grow.
At this time, offenders are only permitted by the prison to work the first shift. STI hopes they will be permitted back on third shift shortly. While here, the inmates have to follow strict rules set by Gaston Correctional Center to remain employed. A single infraction can take an inmate out of the program, and it can take years to get back in.
Work Release by the Numbers
Of the 30 inmates sent to work at STI in the last year, 12 are still employed through the Work Release Program, 18 have been released and returned to their homes, and 10 have come back to work full time at the plant. That means 56% of work-released inmates come back to work at STI. A recent study by Northwestern University found that employees with records had a 13% lower turnover rate, saving the company $1,000 per year for each hired inmate and increasing our overall retention rate. Because felons have such a difficult time finding jobs, when they do, they tend to keep them longer.
Another reason our retention rate is so high with the Work Release offenders is that we start them at $15/hour. According to Zip Recruiter, North Carolina ranks lowest nationwide for felony job salaries with a state average of only $11.08/hour.
By offering offenders a livable wage, we allow them to make (and save) enough money while incarcerated so that when they are finally released, they will have the ability to pay for basic things like transportation, food, and housing. Once they are released, they have other opportunities to increase their pay by working different shifts and applying for other positions in the company while also qualifying for healthcare and retirement benefits.
Officer Jennell McCorkle, Recent Hire Nathan Hopper, HR Manager Sandra Jenkins
Challenges Upon Re-entry
Kevin Young, one of the first inmates to work at STI in 2019, returned to the plant last year after leaving prison, in part due to the relationships he made with our HR team and his co-workers. Life in prison is extremely difficult but getting out also brings challenges. In 2020 the N.C. Department of Public Corrections nixed a program that allowed inmates to get an ID while in prison. This has left many offenders in a catch-22 when trying to find a place to live or a way to work.
"It's been progressive. They have helped me advance, STI has. They've cross-trained me on just about every job in the weaving department. Sandra has tried to help me get a license and a place to live. Hotels are expensive," said Young. "All of the people I work with are all reasonable about it. There are some that don't want anything to do with (inmates), but you have that everywhere you go. But the rest of the people, they've all been helpful. They've helped me advance even when I was still incarcerated."
-Kevin Young
For example, to get a driver's license in North Carolina you need two verifiable forms of address. You have to show proof of residency in the form of a utility bill, so hotels do not count. The catch-22 is that you cannot get a lease to rent without a driver's license.
*Update* Kevin has secured a license, a car, and permanent housing in Kings Mountain thanks to a relationship built between Sandra and a local property owner. This would not be successful without these types of community partners.
Since our involvement with the Work Release Program, STI has become hyperaware of these issues and has sponsored and supported causes related to solving the problems facing re-entry. One of those causes has been a newly added men's shelter in Shelby, NC. We recently donated $1000 to Trailhead Men's Shelter and equipped them with the furniture they need to house and help men in Cleveland County get back on their feet. Shelters like these become instrumental in providing a temporary place to live once released from incarceration.
Cleveland Community College has been instrumental in providing a facility to educate offenders.
Although several local correctional facilities do not offer a work-release program, they do offer educational programs through higher learning. Cleveland Community College has been instrumental in providing a facility to educate those offenders. They recently inherited a prison that closed in 2008 on adjacent property and repurposed it into an educational facility for offenders. Here they can learn trades that are in high demand such as Plumbing, Electrical, Carpentry, and Welding.
More often than not, many offenders who have completed their courses have already acquired trade skills and the education needed to perform the jobs we are hiring for while in jail or prison. By establishing these relationships in the community, STI is seeking to create a pipeline of qualified individuals looking to begin a career in textile manufacturing upon their release. We understand the valuable skills that many of these folks possess and the confidence they gain in knowing they have an occupation after their release.
Prison to Community Simulation
Last week, STI Fabrics sponsored an event dedicated to bringing awareness to the problems surrounding re-entry in Shelby, North Carolina. We teamed up with Officer Jennell McCorkle who runs a Prison 2 Community (P2C) Simulation titled, "In Their Shoes."
In Their Shoes is designed to show the general public exactly how difficult it is to navigate society upon release from jail or prison. In this simulation, you are assigned a new identity and given different paths to take upon your release from prison.
For an in-depth recap of the event, visit EdNC's article by clicking here.
The simulation is not only designed to bring attention to this issue, but also to provide the necessary resources offenders need after being released. The simulation provides an opportunity for community leaders to network and share their resources. In Their Shoes has garnered the attention of many high-ranking state officials including NC Governor Roy Cooper, House Speaker Tim Moore, along with community leaders on the local level.
Dr. Jason Hurst, President of CCC
"The partnership between Cleveland Community College and STI has been developed over the past several years and has positively impacted both students and adults. I have always been impressed with the vision and leadership of STI in looking for opportunities to improve the awareness, training, and community impact of manufacturing in Cleveland County. STI continues to be innovative through apprenticeship and inmate re-entry programs that change the lives of people. STI has become a valuable business leader in our county whether it is with the K-12 school system, CCC, Economic Development, or the Chamber of Commerce. I can say that we are stronger as a community because of the partnership and leadership of STI."
-Tony Fogleman, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development for CCC
This initiative not only has a positive impact on STI by creating a pipeline of qualified job candidates but also has a profound impact on our surrounding communities by providing jobs to people who previously may not have been hired due to social stigmas. These jobs create an opportunity to pay taxes and child support while creating a residual economic impact on surrounding area businesses. STI Fabrics is proud of the work we've done and the work we continue to do to bring new opportunities to underrepresented people in our community.
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Many of us insist that we need that morning cup of coffee or enjoy a leisurely coffee break each afternoon, but it seems inevitable that we'll spill some of that mocha java. Hopefully, it's just an easy to wipe up spill and not one that ends up on an absorbent surface like the rug or furniture! Sadly, a lot of us know the slow-motion horror of a mug of black coffee headed straight for the carpet or sofa, though.
While you might rush for the nearest bottle of universal stain remover or carpet cleaner, if you have a valuable Oriental or Persian rug, or one made of delicate materials, you'll want to use caution when removing coffee stains.
Have you tested the rug (new or old) for color fastness? If not, you'll want to do so to ensure that any attempts at any sort of cleaning will not also end up with the colors bleeding and running or fading away.
If your rug is not color fast, it is a good idea that you contact a professional to tackle the cleaning. Whether it is an old or new coffee stain or any other issue, if a valuable rug is not color fast, it is a job for the expert.
If it is color fast, you need to be attentive to the carpet fibers. Longer fibers are tougher to blot clean and may require a lot of time before you get rid of all of the cold water you will use to eliminate a stain.
Additionally, natural fibers are not going to stand up to the use of a lot of water but will definitely succumb to chemical cleansers and ammonia based solutions. So, skip the cleansers and rely on simple, mild dish soap heavily diluted with water to ensure the rug's stability.
Perhaps you have purchased a rug or inherited one and you see that it has some staining? This is a challenge and you'll need to use the same techniques as outlined below, along with that gentle soap bath just mentioned above. Don't scrub or use chemicals out of stubbornness as these can damage or even destroy the rug. A fixed stain may be just that – fixed – but you can also speak with an expert in carpet cleaning.
So, you are rushing to get out the door and to work or wherever it is you happen to be heading and you drop that mug of coffee. Even if it was a travel mug, you might have ended up with a stain, and you must take a few moments to do a sort of pre-emptive strike on the spill and its resulting stain.
To address the fresh stain, you'll want to work from the outside and in (thereby preventing stain spread). You'll NEVER scrub the stain but instead consistently blot and press inward to soak up the coffee.
At this moment, a clean white towel and cold water are your best allies, but you'll need to move to a clean area of the towel with each blot in order to soak up more coffee. Keep blotting and switching to a clean towel until most of the coffee has transferred.
Never rush stain removal and always use a gentle hand. It is possible to eliminate a fresh coffee stain, but if you are even a little worried, consult with an expert.