text:
What did we discover in Dubai?
ILM Comment
Published: 05 April, 2022
Credit: APLF Dubai
The "one-off" APLF Dubai fair is over, and it has thrown up many new questions. Where is the best future home for an international leather industry trade fair? Will we be in Hong Kong in 2023, Dubai or both? There are pros and cons for each, writes ILM Content Director Martin Ricker.
The trade fair in Dubai 2022 was international with large leather industry groups from India, Brazil, Pakistan, Italy, Turkey and France. There was also quite a sizeable presence of leather chemical and machinery makers with a large group represented by UNPAC and Assomac in Italy representing both segments. However, at the APLF in Hong Kong in 2019, there were around 1200 exhibitors whereas, in Dubai, the figure was a respectable post-Covid figure of 463.
In terms of visitors and exhibitors, the demographic in Dubai was heavily centred around South Asia with India and Pakistan well represented. A short flight and similar time zone combined with an easy to enter immigration system make the UAE a great destination for South Asians. Especially after the cancellation of more local fairs in Chennai as well as the Hong Kong fair during the pandemic. Dubai was a great platform for these countries, especially without the presence and competition of Chinese exhibitors and others from Southeast Asia.
Dubai also attracts local buyers from the Middle East as well as North Africa but, honestly speaking, it did not feel like the same number or calibre of buyers were at this fair compared with Hong Kong or indeed Lineapelle. Lineapelle has truly cemented itself as the only major leather industry fair in Europe and also has a strong international presence.
The ongoing pandemic restrictions in Asia and general wariness around travel and quarantines, a successful Lineapelle last February in Milan and, more recently, the Russian invasion of Ukraine may all have had an impact on visitors' willingness to visit the Emirates this time round. Especially as it was a step into the unknown for this market segment.
Many hide and skin suppliers, especially from the U.S., stayed away from Dubai because the Chinese were not there. That in itself is a good reason why the fair would be more attractive in Hong Kong in 2023. Few, if any, visitors or exhibitors from places such as Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and South Korea were present in Dubai. The pandemic is not the only reason why they weren't present and, for those countries, a trip to Hong Kong is much easier than Dubai, although Dubai does have excellent transport links.
On our final walk around the fair, we noted that the second and the third days were a lot quieter than the first day, but the exhibitors that ILM spoke with were all impressed by the setup at the World Trade Centre and it does have world-class exhibition facilities, which are clean and safe with easy access to decent places to eat and drink on-site. Side meetings and conferences were also easy and were close to the main exhibition halls. All in all, a good experience for exhibitors and visitors. The stands were nicely laid out and there was a relaxed but professional atmosphere inside the exhibition area.
APLF Ltd, organisers of the fair, told ILM that the plan is for the next edition in 2023 to take place back in Hong Kong around late March/early April. Dubai was meant as a one-off.
However, a lot has changed in China/Hong Kong since the leather industry was last there in 2019, and one wonders if the Hong Kong we knew then will ever be the same as the one we may find in the future. One thing is for sure: China remains the largest and most important leather producing country in the world and no international fair can ignore its presence. The same goes for the other APAC countries mentioned above.
Raw materials suppliers and traders would certainly welcome a return of the APLF to Hong Kong and the fact that only two hide suppliers from the U.S. attended the Dubai show underlines just how important Chinese tanners (and leather buyers) are in a global context.
While many countries have managed high and effective Covid vaccination rates, it has allowed their populations to evolve to a "learn to live with Covid" phase bringing an end to perpetual in-out lockdowns and the personal and economic consequences that had on national economies.
China's zero-tolerance policy towards Covid now seems hopelessly out of touch and must be doing a great deal of damage to its economy. While the Dubai fair was taking place, Shanghai was in complete lockdown, again! I'm sure as the weather improves over the Summer of 2022, the authorities in China/Hong Kong will have to pivot away from this policy and let Covid "run free" through the population, supported by vaccinations.
It will put a huge strain on their healthcare systems, but I cannot see any alternative if they want to open the economy up and allow people to travel freely and visit again. Maybe Covid is the excuse for the central government in China to retreat from a globalised world in which it has benefited the most over the past three decades and return to a more controlled but more prosperous version of itself in the 1980s? One thing is for sure, the zero-tolerance policy around Covid will not work forever. We have learned that you cannot keep Covid away.
Only when travel restrictions in Hong Kong are fully and indefinitely lifted can we be sure that the APLF in 2023 will take place. A large trade show requires months of planning, so any decision on where to host an event next year will have to be taken as early as the Summer of 2022 in my view. Other options, such as hosting the event in Singapore, have also been discussed but, given that Dubai was a relative success this year, the leather industry may prefer to go with what they know rather than taking on the risk of another new venue. Then it's just a case of keeping fingers crossed and hoping that many of the APAC-based buyers and materials sourcing people will attend because I'm not sure that many did this year.
The location of APLF in 2023 will be decided by the feedback of visitors/exhibitors from APLF Dubai and close monitoring of the travel restrictions in Hong Kong, but it's too early to make that call right now.
One thing is for sure: most people ILM spoke with at the APLF in Dubai were firstly relieved and happy that a face-to-face trade show was taking place again on an international basis (we must acknowledge that two highly successful editions of Lineapelle have taken place in Milan since September 2021). The fact that people could see each other in person and not via a screen was widely welcomed. No amount of Zoom calls can beat live interactions and, when you have a visual and tactile product such as leather, the best way to really appreciate it is by seeing, touching and smelling it in a physical environment. Leather doesn't work in the metaverse!
The APLF organisers will have to make some tricky decisions in the weeks and months ahead. This bet could go either way.
Martin Ricker, Content Director
martin@internationalleathermaker.com
What does the future hold for international leather exhibitions?
APLF Leather fair off to a flyer
Animal welfare expert to speak at Hong Kong Sustainability Conference
New Year, new leather industry


Tuntland asked who at WSI had the power to suspend him. Long replied that Sandy Blunt was his only boss.
Long said his personnel file had no derogatory information. He had had three performance appraisals. The first in January of 2006. He did really good. The second in April of 2007. Again, he said he did really good. This was just a few days before Blunt was charged. Tuntland asked whether until the time Blunt had been charged was there anything to indicate that he was doing badly. "To the contrary," Long said "I was doing very well." In June of 2007, Halvorson gave Long a mid term review. This was after Long had his discussion with Halvorson regarding his relationship with Peltz. There was no mention of he and Peltz in the report and there were no negative comments in the report. He said Halvorson did a decent job on his review, gave him things to work on, and also talked about goals and strengths.
Tuntland asked whether Long could think of anything other than his request for whistleblower protection that led to his suspension on November 15, 2007. "No, that was the only thing."
There were several conditions of the suspension, including he was relieved of his office duties, could have no contact with vendors or employees, and had limited access to his computer and to the grounds. The suspension letter stated that WSI will have a plan to reintegrate you back into the organization. He turned in his keys and laptop and phone and said nobody ever called him and there never was a plan for reintegration.
Long testified he asked for reinstatement on numerous occasions. He asked why he had been suspended and never got an answer. Tuntland established there were a series of disqualifications and assignments of people to investigate Long's complaint of whistleblower retaliation and established there was much publicity surrounding the event.
Tuntland established that Long eventually got a letter from Halvorson outlining the allegations against him. This occurred 75 days after his suspension. The allegations included engaging in wrongdoing and disclosure of privileged and confidential information. The letter asked him to explain how it is as a current employee of WSI that this information was allowed to be publicly released. Tuntland asked was information puclicly released prior to his suspension. Long didn't think so, but said there was information he had supplied to the state's attorney after his suspension. Tuntland established there was a 30 page report of allegations that Long wrote that became known as the manifesto.
The state's attorney excused itself from investigating. The attorney general's office disqualified itself. In fact, Tuntland established that there was no one in law enforcement that was not disqualified from investigating Long's allegations, as Bureau of Criminal Investigation reported to the AG's office. Long said the manifesto was made public because his attorney Tuntland made it public. Tuntland asked whether Long had refused to provide the manifesto to WSI. He said he did refuse but told them to get it from state's attorney Cynthia Feland, who had a copy.
One specific account was of a former board member; Long said he thought there was criminal activity involved. Tuntland asked, if you thought criminal activity was involved, who would you call. Long said, law enforcement. I did give it to law enforcement. Cynthia Feland.
On or about February 3, 2008, Long said he answered Halvorson's allegations in a letter which Halvorson called defiant. Long said he sent that letter not only to Halvorson, but numerous state officials because he was backed against the wall. "We needed sunshine. It was a cry for help." He also said, since Halvorson had sent the allegations against him to the press, he sent his rebuttal to the press as well.
At some point, Long said he received another letter from Halvorson asking a set of questions. He responded to Bjornson as he'd received an email from Wahlin that that was his new contact. Halvorson's response on March 12, 2008 stated that Long was fired. Tuntland asked whether anyone else who had sought whistleblower protection had been fired. Long responded that Billie Peltz and Kay Grinsteinner were fired the same day he was.
Tuntland established that under WSI procedures there was an appeal process to go to the executive performance committee, but no such committee was in existence at the time of his firing so there was no formal group for him to go to. So Long said he submitted a packet of information regarding his termination to the board of directors. The appeal package was visible in the courtroom and was approximately 2 1/2 inches thick.
Long's request for reinstatement was brought to the board of directors. He was present at that meeting, but not allowed to speak. Members at the meeting complained they had not had sufficient time to review his appeal packet. Many had not received it until that very morning.
Tuntland established that Long provided information to investigator Quinn, at his request, and that he was later asked to testify at the Blunt trial after which Blunt was convicted of a felony. Long went on to describe his search for new employment, how he was eventually hired for a job at Cross Country Courier at a much lower salary. He said he today teaches at the University of Mary, at Grand Canyon-Phoenix, and Rasmussen College. The rest of testimony had to do with specific details about his income.


Theresa May was facing growing demands to allow a referendum on relaxing the abortion laws in Northern Ireland on Sunday after signalling that she will not risk alienating her DUP allies by letting MPs settle the matter with a parliamentary vote.
Conservative MPs and the Royal College of Midwives were among those calling for a referendum, which would give voters in Northern Ireland the chance to follow the example set by the Republic of Ireland after it backed abortion liberalisation by a surprise landslide of two to one.
Around 160 MPs have backed a letter, championed by the Labour MP Stella Creasy, saying the government should legislate to relax the abortion rules in Northern Ireland, which will now be the only place in Britain and Ireland where abortion is in most circumstances illegal. Creasy wants to force a vote by tabling an amendment to the forthcoming domestic violence bill.
Labour also said that, as a party, it was committed to extending the right to choose to Northern Ireland and that it would be "looking at legislative options" to try to orchestrate a vote in the Commons. Downing Street's initial response was to reject the idea of giving MPs a vote, on the grounds that abortion is a devolved matter and one that should be decided by the power-sharing executive and the Northern Ireland assembly. A source said that Theresa May's focus was on getting the executive, which has been suspended for more than a year, "back up and running".
But there were reports on Sunday of opposition even within the cabinet, with women and equalities minister Penny Mordaunt saying on Twitter that the hope for change in Northern Ireland "must be met" amid calls for the region to have a referendum – although she did not specify how.
Obstacles to a parliamentary vote have prompted some MPs to argue for a referendum, which would allow the people of Northern Ireland to take the final decision, not London, while also bypassing the logjam created by the suspension of the executive.
Sarah Wollaston, the Conservative MP and GP who chairs the Commons health committee, told the BBC that, while she would vote in favour of pro-choice legislation for Northern Ireland, if that proved impossible a referendum was a good second best. "We'd all like to see the Stormont assembly back up and running and for this decision to be made by people in Northern Ireland but if that doesn't happen ... then at the very least people in Northern Ireland should be allowed a referendum so that we can gauge the strength of opinion there," Wollaston told the BBC.
And in Northern Ireland the Royal College of Midwives' regional director Breedagh Hughes said no one was speaking up for the "pro-choice majority" in Northern Ireland at present and the only way to give them a voice was through a referendum.
A No 10 source said May was also opposed to the idea that parliament should legislate for a referendum in Northern Ireland on the grounds that, if there were to be a referendum, that should also be matter for the Northern Ireland executive.
Under the Sewel convention, the UK government has agreed that it will not normally legislate on matters that are the responsibility of devolved administrations without their consent.
But the government is set to ignore this for the first time in Scotland, pushing ahead with the EU withdrawal bill even though the Scottish government is opposed, and May's stance on abortion is partly motivated by a desire not to antagonise the DUP, who provide the votes that give the Tories their majority and who are strongly opposed to liberalising Northern Ireland's abortion laws.
May did not comment on the Irish referendum result until lunchtime on Sunday, almost 24 hours after the final result was confirmed, when she posted a tweet congratulating the Irish people on their decision.
On a free vote, the Commons would probably vote overwhelmingly in favour of bringing Northern Ireland's abortion laws into line with those in the rest of the UK. But the domestic violence bill, which Creasy would like to use as a vehicle for an abortion amendment, is still at the consultation phase and, even when it does come to the Commons, Downing Street thinks that the Sewel convention will ensure that Northern Ireland related amendments get ruled inadmissible.
Dawn Butler, the shadow minister for women and equalities, said Labour would be looking investigating what legislative options it could use to ensure MPs did get a vote on this. "No woman in the UK should be denied access to a safe, legal abortion," she said. But party sources would not elaborate on what those options might be.
In the past polls have revealed strong support in Northern Ireland for relaxing abortion laws in at least some circumstances, although not to the extent allowed in the rest of the UK.
Currently abortions in Northern Ireland's hospitals are only available to women and girls where their life or health is in grave danger; only 23 were carried out between 2013-14.
The call for a referendum is opposed by some of the MPs who want to change the law in Northern Ireland. Creasy pointed out that, while a referendum was necessary in the Republic because of its constitution, that was not the case in a north. A referendum would be a move "in the wrong direction" because the law should be changed now, she said.
Sinn Féin, the second-largest party in Northern Ireland, supports limited change to Northern Ireland's abortion laws. Michelle O'Neill, its leader in Northern Ireland, told ITV on Sunday that the region was "becoming a backwater" in terms of rights because of the position taken by unionists.
A spokesperson for Unite, one of the largest unions representing workers in Northern Ireland, backed the RCM's call for a referendum.
"As long as it does not in any way entail imposing direct rule Unite would like Theresa May to consider the idea of a local referendum and explain to is why, if she objected, the people in Northern Ireland wouldn't be granted one," a Unite spokesperson said.


Kii is focused on addressing the high-performance demands of innovation in the connected world with an end-to-end cloud platform optimized for the IoT. Since 2007, our organizational DNA has been in serving the world's largest carriers with connectivity, scale, stability and performance. By extending our platform and global business expertise to device manufactures and startups, we help today's disruptive technologies become tomorrow's household names.
Founded in 2007, Kii is carrier grade and tested. We obsess about simplifying device connectivity, reliability, scalability and performance so you can focus on your core product and delighting customers. No need to reinvent the wheel.
We are executive thought leaders, engineers and mobile app developers with deep expertise in business, backend infrastructure and mobile.


text:
TTAB - Trademark Trial and Appeal Board - *1 GILLETTE CANADA INC. v. RANIR CORPORATION June 24, 1992
*1 GILLETTE CANADA INC.
RANIR CORPORATION
Hearing: April 14, 1992
Opposition No. 82,769 to application Serial No. 73/820,132 filed August 18, 1989.
Marie V. Driscoll and Douglas A Coblens (of Counsel) of Robin, Blecker, Daley & Driscoll; and Raymond J. De Vellis (of Counsel) of The Gillette Company for Gillette Canada Inc.
Richard C. Cooper of Price, Heneveld, Cooper, DeWitt & Litton for Ranir Corporation.
Before Cissel, Seeherman and Hohein
Applicant, Ranir Corporation, has filed an application to register the mark "ORAL-ANGLE" for "toothbrushes". [FN1]
Opposer, Gillette Canada Inc., dba Oral-B Laboratories, has opposed registration on the ground that applicant's mark, when applied to its goods, so resembles opposer's previously used trade name "ORAL-B" and various marks that consist of, include or are a variant of the designation "ORAL-B," which previously have been registered and/or used in connection with a line of preventive dentistry products encompassing such goods as "toothbrushes, denture brushes, interdental brush systems, dental floss, dental trays, toothpaste, oxygenating mouth rinse, fluoride rinse, topically applied gels, and dental amalgams," [FN2] as to be likely to cause confusion, mistake or deception. [FN3]
Applicant, in its answer, has essentially denied the allegations set forth in the notice of opposition and has further pleaded that "[t]he term ORAL as applied to oral care products such as toothbrushes for use in the oral cavity is merely descriptive".
The record includes the pleadings; the file of the involved application; and the testimony, with exhibits, of Alan A. Michaels, the general manager of the "Professional Products Division" of opposer. [FN4] In addition, opposer has submitted Mr. Michaels' stipulated testimony, with exhibits, which serves to supplement his trial deposition and has furnished the stipulated testimony, with exhibits, of Raymond J. De Vellis, an attorney and the "Director of Trademarks of The Gillette Company," [FN5] which relates to opposer's ownership of its seven pleaded registrations and its ownership of an additional registration [FN6] that issued after the May 21, 1990 commencement of this proceeding. [FN7] Applicant, although it did not take any testimony, has made of record, by notices of reliance, dictionary definitions of the word "oral" [FN8] and opposer's answers to certain of applicant's interrogatories. [FN9] Both parties have filed briefs and were represented at the oral hearing held at the Board.
Priority of use is not in issue since opposer has made of record copies of the registrations upon which it relies and has established that the registrations are in force and are owned by opposer. [FN10] In any event, applicant does not dispute opposer's priority in its brief, and the record, as detailed below, establishes opposer's prior use of its registered marks. The record also demonstrates, and applicant in its brief does not contend otherwise, that opposer's various products are identical in part and are otherwise closely related to applicant's goods, given the absence of any specific limitations in either the registrations or the involved application. The parties' goods consequently must be considered suitable for sale through the same channels of trade to the same classes of purchasers. Therefore, the only issue to be determined is whether applicant's "ORAL-ANGLE" mark, when applied to toothbrushes, so resembles any or all of opposer's "ORAL-B" marks for identical and closely related dental care products as to be likely to cause confusion, mistake or deception.
*2 According to the record, opposer is in the business of developing, selling and promoting dental care products, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss, to both the dental profession and to consumers through retail outlets. Oral-B Laboratories, as it has been known in the trade since at least as early as September 1971, is currently a division of opposer, which purchased the business from Cooper Laboratories, Inc. in mid-1984. The business originated a few years after World War II when a periodontist in California named Robert Hutson developed a new type of toothbrush which was marketed under the brand name "ORAL B". Ownership of the business subsequently changed hands several times before it ultimately was acquired by opposer and the mark, in various styles, changed over the years to include a hyphen.
Opposer uses its "ORAL-B" marks on all of its products and utilizes "ORAL-B" as part of its trade name on its business cards and literature. Typically, the "ORAL-B" marks appear on packaging for opposer's goods and, in the case of various brushes, are applied to the handles of the products. Although opposer sells a variety of dental care products, toothbrushes account for the vast majority of its sales. Opposer sells its toothbrushes at retail through food stores, mass merchandisers and drug stores, with distribution of such goods in over 90 percent of all such outlets. In essence, wherever toothbrushes are sold to consumers, opposer's toothbrushes may usually be found.
At the retail level, most toothbrushes are displayed for sale in racks which are either supplied by manufacturers or furnished by individual retailers. Opposer's witness, Mr. Michaels, testified in particular that:
The most common type of a rack is what we call an egg crate rack, where there are single slots for each toothbrush. All of the different brands are usually included in that one rack. And they are usually segmented by brands, although they get mixed up quite often. When the consumers go to make a choice, they will take one brush out and put it back in the wrong space. In many cases you have a mixture of a bunch of different brands on the shelf in the same place.
The approximate retail cost of an "ORAL-B" toothbrush is in the range of $2.50 to $3.00. Opposer, through a series of dealers, also sells its "ORAL-B" toothbrush products to dentists and other dental professionals. Dental offices purchase opposer's products to give to their patients.
Opposer advertises its goods to the general public in print media and on television. Opposer further promotes its products through the use of consumer coupons and refund programs. While opposer also advertises its goods to the dental profession in professional journals and through the use of brochures, direct mail offers and free samples, the bulk of its advertising and promotional outlays is spent on that directed to the consumer trade.
In terms of volume and market share, the "ORAL-B" brand is the largest selling toothbrush in the United States with respect to sales both to the consumer and the dental profession. Opposer has enjoyed its position as the number-one seller of such goods to the consumer since 1978 and has been the leading seller to the dental profession since before 1979. Although its exact sales figures are the subject of a stipulated protective order and thus are confidential, it suffices to say that opposer's total sales have been and remain substantial, with the amount thereof increasing annually. A substantial majority of such sales, which quadrupled during the period from 1982 to 1990, reflects toothbrush sales.
*3 Opposer offers a variety of sizes and styles of toothbrushes under its "ORAL-B" marks. In particular, opposer added a toothbrush with an angled handle or neck to its product line in September 1981. The brush, marketed as the "Oral-B Right Angle," was sold through 1986, when a new style of angled brush, designated as the "Oral-B Ultra Right Angle," was introduced as part of opposer's "Ultra" series of toothbrushes. Eventually, opposer converted all of its styles of toothbrushes, both straight-handled as well as angled, to the "Ultra" design in 1990. At that time, which was subsequent to applicant's use of its "ORAL-ANGLE" mark, opposer decided to drop the term "Right Angle" and to use just the term "Angle" to designate those of its "ORAL-B" toothbrushes which feature an angled neck or handle.
Opposer's promotional activities for its angled toothbrushes, such as refund offers and buy-one-get-one-free type promotions, are similar to those used in the marketing of its straight-handled brushes. Opposer has also manufactured angled toothbrushes on a private label basis for others and its competitors in the trade likewise have used the terms "angled" or "angle" on their product packaging to describe the angled handle or neck feature of their goods. The angled toothbrush market, which was originated by E.R. Squibb & Sons, Inc. and currently includes Johnson & Johnson as a major competitor of opposer, presently accounts for between 20 and 30 percent of all toothbrush sales.
While applicant, as previously mentioned, did not take testimony, opposer's witness testified as to his familiarity with applicant and its products. Specifically, Mr. Michaels stated that over a period of years in the mid-1980s, opposer received its supply of dental floss and flossing products, bearing opposer's "ORAL-B" marks, from applicant. Mr. Michaels further stated that applicant's products, like opposer's, are sold at retail through food, drug and mass-merchandiser accounts, although he indicated that he did not know the levels of distribution or sales volume of applicant's products. In addition, an advertisement by applicant (Exhibit 35) for its private label toothbrushes, including its "Oral Angle" brushes, which appeared in the June 1990 issue of Private Label Product News, contains the following statement with respect to applicant and its goods: "The leading manufacturer of Private Label Dental Floss now introduces a full line of PRIVATE LABEL TOOTHBRUSHES". [FN11]
On cross-examination, opposer's witness reaffirmed that the term "angled" is used by others in the toothbrush field to describe an angled product and that such term, as well as the word "angle," is generic for toothbrushes with an angled handle. Mr. Michaels also stated that the phrase "oral health market" has been used generically to refer to the market segment for opposer's goods and that such goods, as a product category, have been variously described as "oral health products," "oral care products" and "oral hygiene" products.
*4 However, as to whether the word "oral" alone is descriptive or generic, when applied to toothbrushes, Mr. Michaels testified that:
Q. How about the term "oral," in terms of toothbrushes or other oral care products, is the term "oral" a general descriptive term?
MS. DRISCOLL: Objection. It calls for a legal conclusion.
You may answer it, if you can.
A. Well, I don't know of any cases where the term "oral" is used in conjunction with a toothbrush as a trademark other than Oral-B.
I think Oral-B is a trademark[.] "Oral" obviously is used to describe something that goes in the mouth, so that could relate to a number of any type of products. But I think in this particular case "oral" and "toothbrush" is synonymous with Oral-B, in this particular category.
Q. The category of toothbrush, the term "oral" is not generally descriptive of those type of products?
A. It depends on how you use it. If you are using "oral" something as a trademark, then obviously it is going to be confused with Oral-B.
When pressed by counsel for applicant, Mr. Michaels further testified that:
Q. I would like an answer to that specific question. I think we heard your opinions in relation to "oral" as a trademark.
Now I would like to know your opinion as to "oral" by itself as being a generally descriptive term.
MS. DRISCOLL: You can answer it again, if you wish.
A. I guess my answer is the same as the one before. If it is used in copy to describe in a sentence, to describe the oral cavity or something, obviously it is used. But if it is being used in conjunction with a trademark, or as part of a trademark, then to me it is very confusing with Oral-B. When people think of "oral" as a trademark, they think of Oral-B. Especially in the toothbrush category where we have--we have market share leadership in both the consumer end and in the professional end.
Mr. Michaels also indicated, in relation to the above, that he was not aware of or familiar with any third-party use of the term "oral" as part of either a trademark for, or a trade name of a company in the field of, oral or dental care products.
Applicant argues that contemporaneous use of the parties' marks for their respective goods is not likely to cause confusion. Specifically, applicant contends that since it has been established that the word "oral" means "related to the mouth" and it has been shown that the term "angle" designates a type of toothbrush, its "ORAL-ANGLE" mark for toothbrushes is not confusingly similar to opposer's "ORAL-B" marks for toothbrushes and other oral care items because the only shared aspect of the respective marks is the descriptive word "oral". Thus, contrary to opposer's argument that the term "oral" is the dominant feature of the parties' marks, applicant maintains that "[s]uch a descriptive/generic word is not capable of forming the dominant part of a mark, and indeed, '... it should be given little weight in determining whether these marks are confusingly similar,' " citing Lauritzen & Co., Inc. v. Borden Co., 239 F.2d 405, 112 USPQ 60, 62 (CCPA 1956). Instead, according to applicant, it is the letter "B" in opposer's marks which is the dominant portion thereof or, at the very least, sufficiently distinguishes those marks from that of applicant.
*5 Applicant also asserts that, applying the relevant factors set forth in In re E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., 476 F.2d 1357, 177 USPQ 563, 567 (CCPA 1973), for determining whether a likelihood of confusion exists, it is apparent, and opposer has not shown otherwise, that the parties' marks in their entireties are dissimilar as to appearance, sound, connotation and commercial impression. In view thereof, and in the absence of any instances of actual confusion, applicant urges that there is no likelihood of confusion.
We agree with opposer, however, that confusion as to source or sponsorship is likely to occur. As a preliminary matter, we note as a general proposition that, as pointed out by Professor McCarthy, "[t]he degree of similarity of the marks needed to prove likely confusion will vary with the difference in the goods ... of the parties. Where the goods ... are directly competitive, the degree of similarity required to prove a likelihood of confusion is less than in the case of dissimilar products". 2 J. McCarthy, Trademarks and Unfair Competition § 23:3 (2d ed. 1984) at 56-57. See, e.g., ECI Division of E-Systems, Inc. v. Environmental Communications Inc., 207 USPQ 443, 449 (TTAB 1980) and Jules Berman & Associates, Inc. v. Consolidated Distilled Products, Inc., 202 USPQ 67, 70 (TTAB 1979). Here, both parties market toothbrushes, which are relatively inexpensive items, through common channels of trade. Purchasers of such goods, especially members of the general public, would consequently not be expected to exercise a great deal of care or deliberation in making their selections.
In the present case, we find that when considered in their entireties, the respective marks are quite similar in sound and appearance, and that they create virtually identical commercial impressions, particularly since the term "ANGLE" in applicant's mark generically designates a toothbrush with an angled handle or neck. [FN12] Consumers seeking such a brush would therefore place more emphasis and reliance on the term "ORAL," which applicant's "ORAL-ANGLE" mark shares with opposer's "ORAL-B" marks. While the record discloses that the word "oral" is used by the trade to refer to a broad category of dental items known variously as "oral care," "oral hygiene" or "oral health" products, there is no evidence that consumers, or even dentists, use such word to describe any specific characteristic, quality, feature, use, purpose or other aspect of toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss or other related goods individually. It consequently may serve as a distinguishing element of the parties' marks. In addition, when the term "ORAL" is used in conjunction with a hyphen, as is the case with both parties' marks, the result creates marks which are so similar that, when used on identical and closely related goods, confusion as to origin or affiliation is likely to occur.
*6 Furthermore, as noted in the recent case of Kenner Parker Toys Inc. v. Rose Art Industries Inc., --- F.2d ----, 22 USPQ 1453, 1456 (Fed.Cir.1992): "the fifth duPont factor, fame of the prior mark, plays a dominant role in cases featuring a famous or strong mark. Famous or strong marks enjoy a wide latitude of legal protection". Opposer's "ORAL-B" marks are undoubtedly famous. They have been in use for many years; they represent the leading brand of toothbrushes sold in the United States; they have held the number one sales position, among both consumers and dentists, since about 1978; and they receive significant advertising and promotional outlays. Moreover, besides their high degree of renown, the record reflects that no one else in the preventive dentistry products trade utilizes a mark or trade name which includes the term "ORAL". Opposer's "ORAL-B" marks are thus strong marks meriting a wide latitude of protection from imitators.
Given the appreciable similarities in the parties' marks and the longstanding public recognition and fame of opposer's "ORAL-B" marks, we believe that confusion is likely to take place since a consumer, in picking out a toothbrush from a rack in which different brands frequently have become jumbled, could easily be misled into believing that an "ORAL-ANGLE" brush is a type of angled brush from opposer. Applicant maintains, however, that notwithstanding the facts that toothbrushes are inexpensive items which share such channels of trade as food stores, drug stores and mass merchandisers, confusion has been shown to be unlikely by the absence, to date, of any instances of actual confusion.
We observe, however, that the absence of any reported instances of actual confusion would be meaningful only if the record indicated appreciable and continuous use by applicant of its mark for a significant period of time in the same markets as those served by opposer under its marks. Applicant, in this case, has failed to present any evidence of the extent and duration of the use of its mark. Although opposer's witness, Mr. Michaels, testified that applicant's toothbrushes are sold in the same types of trade channels in which opposer sells its goods, there simply is no evidence that the parties' goods have been sold together in the same locality for a significant period of time so that, if confusion were likely to occur, circumstances have been such that it could be expected to have happened. Moreover, the lack of any occurrences of actual confusion is not dispositive inasmuch as evidence thereof is notoriously difficult to come by [FN13] and, in any event, the test under Section 2(d) of the Trademark Act is likelihood of confusion rather than actual confusion. See, e.g., Block Drug Co. v. Den-Mat Inc., 17 USPQ2d 1315, 1318 (TTAB 1989) and Guardian Products Co., Inc. v. Scott Paper Co., 200 USPQ 738, 742 (TTAB 1978).
*7 As a final consideration, it is apparent that applicant had knowledge of opposer and its "ORAL-B" marks since applicant, for a period of time in the 1980s, served as the supplier to opposer of dental floss packaged under the "ORAL-B" mark. We note, in this regard, that a party which knowingly adopts a mark similar to one used by another for the same or closely related goods or services does so at its peril and any doubt on the question of likelihood of confusion must be resolved against the junior user. See, e.g., First International Services Corp. v. Chuckles Inc., 5 USPQ2d 1628, 1633 (TTAB 1988) and Roger & Gallet S.A. v. Venice Trading Co. Inc., 1 USPQ2d 1829, 1832 (TTAB 1987).
Accordingly, we believe that ordinary consumers and dental professionals, familiar with opposer's famous "ORAL-B" marks for toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss and other preventive dentistry products, would be likely to believe, upon encountering applicant's appreciably similar "ORAL-ANGLE" mark for toothbrushes, that the parties' goods emanate from or are otherwise sponsored by or affiliated with the same source.
Decision: The opposition is sustained and registration to applicant is refused.
R.F. Cissel
FN1. Ser. No. 73/820,132, filed on August 18, 1989, which alleges dates of first use of July 21, 1989.
FN2. Specifically, opposer has pleaded ownership of the following seven registrations: (i) Reg. No. 547,130, issued on August 28, 1951, which sets forth a date of first use anywhere of January 22, 1949 and a date of first use in commerce of May 19, 1949 for the mark "ORAL B" and design, as reproduced below, for "toothbrushes"; second renewal;
TABULAR OR GRAPHIC MATERIAL SET FORTH AT THIS POINT IS NOT DISPLAYABLE
(ii) Reg. No. 1,106,587, issued on November 21, 1978, which sets forth dates of first use of May 2, 1977 for the mark "ORAL-B" and design, as illustrated below, for "dental floss dispensers and dental floss"; combined affidavit §§ 8 and 15;
(iii) Reg. No. 1,197,304, issued on June 8, 1982, which sets forth dates of first use of June 15, 1972 for the mark "ORAL-B" and design, as depicted below, for "toothbrushes"; combined affidavit §§ 8 and 15;
(iv) Reg. No. 1,501,858, issued on August 30, 1988, which sets forth dates of first use of May 31, 1981 for the mark "ORAL-B" for "topical fluoride gels for application to the teeth, medicated mouthrinse preparations and dental amalgam"; (v) Reg. No. 1,502,069, issued on August 30, 1988, which sets forth dates of first use of May 2, 1977 for the mark "ORAL-B" for "dental floss and trays for topical application of fluoride compositions and other preparations to the teeth"; (vi) Reg. No. 1,502,572, issued on September 6, 1988, which sets forth dates of first use of May 31, 1982 for the mark "ORAL-B" for "toothpaste and dental prophylaxis preparation"; and (vii) Reg. No. 1,548,836, issued on July 25, 1989, which sets forth dates of first use of June 8, 1988 for the mark "ORAL-B" for "in vitro diagnostic test kit consisting primarily of a reagent for detecting microorganisms associated with gum disease".
FN3. Opposer also has alleged that:
Opposer has manufactured and sold ORAL-B toothbrushes with angled handles and has used the word ANGLE in the forms ORAL-B RIGHT ANGLE and ORAL-B ULTRA RIGHT ANGLE in connection with the sale of said toothbrushes to describe this feature of the brushes. Opposer has also used ANGLE in connection with the packaging of toothbrushes manufactured by it for others on a private label basis, and, upon information and belief, others in the industry have likewise used ANGLE or some variation thereof in connection with the sale of toothbrushes.
In consequence thereof, it is asserted that "Opposer will be further damaged by the registration sought by Applicant because such registration will give a color of right to Applicant to assert trademark rights in ANGLE and will cast a cloud over Opposer's right to continue use of the word ANGLE in connection with the sale of ORAL-B Angle toothbrushes".
FN4. Opposer's uncontested motion, filed on July 10, 1991, to allow the filing of the confidential portions of the transcript of Mr. Michael's deposition under seal is granted. Trademark Rules 2.27(e) and 2.125(e).
FN5. Specifically, the parties have stipulated pursuant to Trademark Rule 2.123(b) that:
In this capacity, he has overall responsibility for the registration and maintenance of trademarks owned by The Gillette Company and its various affiliated companies, including Gillette Canada Inc., which does business in the United States as Oral-B Laboratories. Mr. De Vellis, in his capacity as Director of Trademarks, is familiar with the United States Trademark Registrations owned by Gillette Canada Inc.
FN6. Inasmuch as applicant has stipulated to opposer's reliance on the additional registration as part of opposer's case-in-chief, the pleadings are hereby deemed to be appropriately amended in accordance with Fed.R.Civ.P. 15(b) to include the following registration: Reg. No. 1,608,762, issued on August 7, 1990, which with respect to the mark "ORAL-B" and design, as shown below, sets forth dates of first use of March 24, 1986 for "dentifrice; [and] dental prophylaxis preparations--namely, non-medicated mouthwash"; recites dates of first use of September 24, 1986 for "medicated mouth rinse preparation, topical fluoride gels for application to the teeth, [and] dental amalgam" as well as for "dental floss, [and] disposable trays for topical application of dental medications"; and lists dates of first use of May 16, 1986 for "toothbrushes, denture brushes, [and] interdental brushes".
FN7. Besides including a copy of each of the eight registrations relied upon by opposer in this proceeding, the parties have stipulated pursuant to Trademark Rule 2.123(b) that:
All of the registrations are presently in force and subsisting and are owned by Gillette Canada Inc. Registration No. 547,130 has been duly renewed. Affidavits of Use and Incontestability have been filed and accepted in support of Registrations No. 547,130, 1,106,587 and 1,197,304.
FN8. Applicant, in accordance with Trademark Rule 2.122(e), relies upon definitions from Webster's Third New International Dictionary (1986) at 1585 and The Random House Dictionary of the English Language (2d ed. 1987) at 1361 "to show the descriptive nature of the word 'oral', the only word in common between Applicant's mark and Opposer's mark[s]". In pertinent part, the former defines "oral" as meaning "2a(1): of, relating to, or belonging to the mouth: BUCCAL <the mucous membrane> (2): given or taken through or by way of the mouth <does for administration> (3): acting on the mouth < diseases> < a skillful surgeon>," while the latter defines such term to mean "3. of, pertaining to, or involving the mouth: the oral cavity".
FN9. In particular, applicant notes that in response to Interrogatory No. 11, which requested that opposer identify and describe all evidence to be relied upon by opposer which relates "to actual confusion between Opposer's term ORAL B as applied to its products, and Applicant's mark ORAL ANGLE as applied to its products," and in answer to Interrogatory No. 25, which similarly sought from opposer the identity of "all instances of actual confusion or mistake regarding Applicant's Mark and Opposer's mark[s]," opposer replied in each instance that it "is not presently aware of any actual confusion which may have occurred".
FN10. See King Candy Co. v. Eunice King's Kitchen, Inc., 496 F.2d 1400, 182 USPQ 108, 110 (CCPA 1974).
FN11. The advertising copy further indicates that:
Ranir, the leading manufacturer of private label dental floss, brings you private label toothbrushes. One source for your entire oral health care line. The same high quality that has earned Ranir a reputation of excellence in the private label industry is now available for your entire toothbrush line. All of our toothbrushes are made in-house with state-of-the-art equipment assuring you on-time deliveries.
We will introduce new marketing concepts, cross merchandising, couponing and other strategies ... never seen in the private label oral-care category.
In addition, the representative packaging for some of applicant's toothbrushes, although not that for its "Oral Angle" brushes, bears the legend: "Compare with *Oral-B(R)".
FN12. Aside from the evidence in this case demonstrating that the term "angle" signifies a type of toothbrush which has an angled handle or neck, the term has also been judicially determined to be generic for such a product. See E.R. Squibb & Sons, Inc. v. Cooper Laboratories, Inc., 536 F.Supp. 523, 214 USPQ 441, 445-46 (S.D.N.Y.1982) ["angle," as applied to toothbrushes with handles that are not straight, "is the common description for this category of goods"].
FN13. Such is especially the case where, as here, inexpensive consumer items are involved. See Alberto-Culver Co. v. F.D.C. Wholesale Corp., 16 USPQ2d 1597, 1603 (TTAB 1990).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


So what can you do for your car to get it all ready for the warm weather? Having your air filter and cabin filter looked at are a great place to start. These components filter the air going into the engine and into the passenger cabin respectively. They can get dirty and clogged and that reduces the efficiency of your engine and the quality of the air you breathe in the cabin. Spark plugs can wear down and loose their…spark! This means that your engine won't run as smooth and its efficiency will suffer. It's one of the best ways to keep your engine running smooth and at its peak for those long cross country drives, or when you're sitting idling on the 401.
Lastly, having all your fluids topped up and in check ensures that you're never left stranded anywhere. And let's not forget to check the battery and air conditioning! It's best to have these components looked at before you go on a big trip or before the sweltering Toronto summer sets in.
When you switch back to your summer tires from your winter (Check out our other post about why you need winter tires…seriously! Go now!) make sure that your tires have no visible signs of damage or abnormalities. If there's a nail or giant bulge in the tire, bring it to our service staff's attention as soon as possible.
Also consider giving your car a good wash. If you do it at home in your driveway or take it to a carwash, a good cleaning (inside and out!) means that all the deposited salt and winter gunk get cleared and it helps keep that paint looking like new. It also helps prevent rust forming in micro cracks or in that dent from that grocery store parking lot you swore you would never go back to.
Keeping your car clean inside and out makes you and your passengers feel better and breathes new life into an older vehicle or keeps that new vehicle looking like it just rolled out of the showroom.
Whatever you get up to this spring, make sure you're well prepared everywhere you go! The staff at Eurotech Import Auto can help fulfill all your spring and summer vehicle needs!
Here's to the season and adventures ahead!


Pelican Sales, Inc. is a GSA contract holder with over 300,000 products across 3 contracts. Browse our full GSA product catalog by clicking the icon below.
We offer a unique supply service, that will help you maximize your business efforts by saving you time and resources. Our expert staff and streamlined operations will help you get what you need when you need it.
Looking for a quote? Use our online quote form to get a quote within 24 hours.


Bruno Shooters Supply is running a holiday sale on Krieger 6mm Gain Twist (GT) barrels. Short-range GT barrels cost $249.95 while long-range GT barrels are $269.00. Gain twist barrels have performed very well in recent short-range benchrest matches and long-range shooters have started to experiment with them in faster twists for the longer bullets.
For short-range benchrest rigs, Heavy Varmint, Light Varmint, or Medium contour 6mm slow-twist GT barrels are offered in 15-14.2 twist, 14.6-13.8 twist, or 14.2-13.4 twist, all with a 27″ length, and a $249.95 price. For tactical, 600-yard, or long-range, Krieger 6mm GT barrels are offered in 8.75-8.3 twist rate for $269.00. Available contours are: #14, 15, 16 Palma; Heavy Varmint (1.250″ x .900″); and 1.250″ straight. Length is 31″ on the fast-twist 6mm barrels. Bruno's also offers 29″-long, 1.450″ straight-diameter gain twist Krieger barrels for rail guns. These cost $315.00. For more info, visit Brunoshooters.com or call Bruno's at (623) 587-7641.
Share the post "Krieger 6mm Gain Twists on Sale at Bruno Shooters Supply"
Midsouth Shooters Supply has a great deal right now on AOSafety (Peltor) 23NRR shooting earmuffs. Now through the end of 2009, you can purchase these comfortable folding muffs for just $3.99! That's so cheap you can purchase 3 or 4 as extras to have on hand when you go shooting with friends. A club or range can afford to purchase a couple dozen for "loaner" use or rentals. These AOSafety Muffs (made by Peltor) conveniently fold up for storage. They have a 23dB noise reduction rating (NRR) — as good as many muffs costing much more.
Midsouth's $3.99 price is a STEAL. Northern Tool & Equipment sells these very same muffs for $14.99. If you run a club, place quantity orders before the price goes back up. Note: If Midsouth sells out, CDNN Investments offers these 23NRR muffs (item Pel #90559) for $4.99 — part of a "liquidation sale" in CDNN's latest 2009-5 catalog (p.121).
Share the post "23 NRR Folding Earmuffs for Just $3.99 at Midsouth"
Texas discount vendor CDNN Investments has released its latest 2009-5 catalog (30 mb PDF file). As usual, the catalog features big discounts on handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Among the many bargains, we spotted two exceptional deals in the latest CDNN catalog….
CDNN acquired a selection of 1″-tube Kahles Helia CL hunting scopes and is selling them at liquidation prices. Kahles is a highly respected Austrian optics-maker. We wouldn't say that Kahles is on a par with Swarovski or Schmidt & Bender, but Kahles scopes are very high quality, with excellent glass, etched reticles (no reticle wires to drift or break), wide field of view, +2/-3.5 diopter eyepiece, and very good fit and finish. If you're looking for a quality 3-9 or 4-12 hunting scope, here's a chance to own a premium European scope for a "below wholesale" price.
CLICK HERE for CDNN KAHLES Scope Sale Order Page.
CDNN is selling the Uncle Mike's straight drop belt holster for half price — just $9.99. Models are available for popular Beretta, Glock, HK, Ruger, S&W, SIG, Springfield, and Walther pistols. The holster is made from injection-molded Kydex. Injection molding allows for a MUCH more precise fit than the typical folded-over Kydex holster. This editor has used this injection-molded Uncle Mike's holster for my Glocks and HKs, and the fit is excellent. The handgun is secure but the draw is easy. Injection-molding allows nice straight corners, so the plastic doesn't bind or grab as with many "hand-made" Kydex holsters. If you want an "on the belt" holster, I highly recommend this model. You may be surprised to see how much better it works than holsters costing 5 or 10 times as much.
Don't be put off by the low price. This editor owns and uses Uncle Mike's injection molded holsters for various handguns. I consider this the best outside-belt holster I've ever tried. It is clearly superior to a $85 Blade-Tech Kydex I had for an HK USP, and, I have to admit, it works better than the pretty $125 Milt Sparks leather holster I had custom-made for a 1911. The straight-drop is ideal for range use, and in a vehicle you can wear it on the left-side as a cross-draw (CCW permit required). These holsters fit close to your belt and all metal fittings are recessed or covered so they don't scratch your gun. IMPORTANT: All plastic/Kydex holsters will cause some wear on high-gloss blued finishes. If your pistol is high-gloss blued, I suggest a soft leather holster instead.
Share the post "Half-Off Pricing on Kahles Hunting Scopes at CDNN"


That was the key message shared by Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Chancellor Santie Botha – one of South Africa's most successful businesswomen and, at 49, the youngest chancellor at any South African university – in a talk on leadership to NMMU's brightest students recently.
Botha's talk was a highlight on the leadership development programme tailor-made by the university for the 79 academically-selected students, who are recipients of NMMU's prestigious Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships.
The former group executive director of Absa is perhaps best known as the marketing guru behind the 2010 success of MTN and its Ayoba brand campaign, which saw the telecoms giant become the only African global sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Today, Botha is chairman of Curro Holdings, the parent company of Curro private schools. She is also the chairman of Famous Brands as well as a non-executive director of Tiger Brands, Telkom and Liberty Holdings. In 2012, the Intellidex "Rich List" placed her among South Africa's top 10 richest women.
In her talk on Tuesday night (22 July), she shared an example of agility in action – which was Tesla Motors' head Elon Musk announcing to the world that he would set the company's patents [for electric cars] free. Rather than holding on to patents, as most companies do, Musk's motivation was to accelerate the electric vehicle industry by allowing people to build on existing information.
In addition to agility, Botha said curiosity and honesty were also vital for leadership success.
She said the ability to communicate clearly – and the ability to actively listen – was also critical.
Advising the students on how to get a head-start in the corporate world, she said: "You have to survey the landscape you're in and identify the top achievers – and then you have to find a way to be part of their teams. If you work in a deadbeat team that doesn't have the ideals of changing the business or the world, move quickly, or you won't go anywhere … My personal biggest victories were when my people excelled.
BUSINESS GURU … Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Chancellor Santie Botha, a leading South African businesswoman, shares leadership advice with first-year engineering student Sinakho Calata (left) and fourth-year education student Tarryn Lovemore.


wtbwplug is a plugin for MsgPlus! which allows any size Custom Emoticons and Display Pictures in MSN Messenger 6.
UPDATE: wtbwplug also allows more than five custom emoticons to be sent in one message! Note: the other person needs the plugin to see them.
Current version is only compatible with MSN Messenger version 6.1.0211 (you can get the latest one here). A generic version will be released soon.
Add Custom Emoticons and Display Pictures as you normally would: the pictures you add will keep their original size instead of being resized to 96x96 or 19x19. Your existing Custom Emoticons and Display Pictures will continue to work at the old size.
IMPORTANT: To see Custom Emoticons bigger than usual, (or more than 5 of them in 1 message) your contact will also need wtbwplug installed or they will not see the image properly. However, the plugin is not needed to see any size Display Pictures.
The larger a picture you use, the longer it will take to display, and if you use too large picture for your Display Picture, your contact's IM window may become messed up, and they wont be able to see what you say. No, it won't crash them, it's just annoying as hell and nobody will speak to you if you do it. So don't.
Even though this is a Messenger Plus plugin, it won't be listed in the plugin list as it doesn't have any commands. Don't worry about it, especially if you don't know what I'm talking about.
To uninstall, simply run setup.exe again.
The Danish company Titoonic has developed a new 3rd-party game for the Launch Menu of Scandinavian MSN Messenger users. The game is called 4Across Birds, and it is a Connect 4 variation based in the jungle.
Like said, this game's only available in the Scandinavian region but Koen will hopefully soon add it to the Custom Games Patch just like he did with Pegbal.
The .NET Messenger Service has been "temporarily unvailable" three times over the past two days. The selectivity of the passports affected by this downtime is striking. Is Microsoft getting accounts ready for the release of MSN Messenger 6.2? Oh, and can you already drag a contact person right below the "new e-mail message" line in your main window?
Demolition Dude wants to be on your list!
It's been a long time, we shouldn't have left you without some funny bots to chat to... Chat to, chat to, chat to... Freaky-freaky.
Enough of my rapping, time for some chatting. Check out daz's chat bot for MSN Messenger: DeMoLiTiOn DuDe, a pretty new bot with over 1100 users now. It has got games such as slot machines, horse racing, rock paper scissors & fighting, all linked to the same system of points just like a casino. There's even more games, lots of jokes, the latest film reviews and news, bot-mail (all bot users get their own inbox!), etc. And all this is just a handful of the 200 available menu commands (type !menu).
>> Add demolitiondudebot hotmail.com to your contact list.
Yesterday around 5 PM GMT the .NET Messenger service didn't allow MSN Messenger users to sign in for a while. The problems seem to have been resolved now.
Here are a few display pictures and emoticons in rememberance of Kurt Cobain, lead singer of Nirvana, who's life ended 5th of April 1994 at the age of 27 in what appeared to be a suicide although the actual cause of death is still under heavy discussion among fans.
Cobain's Nirvana, best known for the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit", was highly influential in creating and popularizing what came to be termed grunge music -a style that evolved as a reaction against the perceived superficiality of 1980s stadium rock and over-the-top metal bands with preened images and elaborate stage shows.
Minor update of Huuf's Skin Tool, but full MSN Messenger skinners are invited to use this one because of extra bug fixes. The next version will have a working auto-update option and you can also expect a neat tutorial on the use of this skinning software.
DP Importer for MSN Messenger 6.1 is a Windows Explorer plugin by Dosoftware Productions that allows you to right-click a folder and automatically import all images therein as MSN display pictures in only a couple of seconds.
Roy reports that since Friday 26th of March a new, purple-star tab appears to Israeli users of MSN Messenger. It's one from cellular phone provider, Cellcom, with icons, ringtones, games, videos and SMS sending function. Like 99% of these customization sites you have to pay to receive the stuff on your mobile phone.
Thanks to TabMgr by Daniel, you can make whatever tabs from around the world appear in your MSN Messenger by registering here and applying this patch.


text:
Five 'Pacific Standard' Stories for Mother's Day
Everyone has one, but no two are quite the same.
Francie Diep
Prince Harry, Michelle Obama, and Jill Biden helping children create Mother's Day cards at the White House. (Photo: Public Domain)
Here at Pacific Standard, we've thought a lot about moms. How do they and other caregivers shape children when they're little? What are the newest forces shaping modern motherhood? Below, we've collected five of our favorite stories featuring moms, ranging from long non-fiction stories to personal essays to recaps of recent research. For each suggestion, we offer a little commentary, as well as a preview of the story.
We know every mom is different; we hope you'll find something below that speaks to your relationship with yours.
Aunt Mommy
The latest in vitro fertilization technologies can make for some unusual new family arrangements, but they needn't lack openness and love.
Shannon is proud of how she and Jodie helped each other to have babies, and her daughters know the stories well. "What did I do for Aunt Jodie?" Shannon called from the front seat. "You gave her eggs," both girls shouted in unison from the back. "Why did I do that?" asked Shannon. "Because she's your sister and because you love her," answered Jessica. "Why do you think she helped us?" "Because she is your sister and she loves you," both girls said. They've even been taught the biology. "How did they make the embryo?" I asked, referring to Josh's birth. "With Uncle Paul's sperm," said Jessica. "And my mom's eggs," said Tessa.
What If We Admitted to Children That Sex Is Primarily About Pleasure?
We only wish our mothers were as cool as Alice Dreger, the author of this essay.
One day nine-year-old Elaine started asking me about birth control out of the blue. I said to her, "Listen, I need to call your parents and ask them if it's OK for me to talk to you about this, OK?" She said that'd be fine. So I did. I didn't expect her mother's response.
"Oh, God, yes, please answer any questions she has! And tell her it's OK to go to you any time with those questions!"
The Damage Done: Can Distance Between a Mother and Daughter Be the Best Solution?
Not everyone has a healthy relationship with their mother. For those who don't, we hope this essay will offer some assurance that you're not alone.
I think engaging with her may have been like walking on landmines—I was at risk of consequence, but it felt like a mystery to figure out which of my actions would set her off. When I stepped on a mine, it set off a series of explosions, both of us reacting to one another.
Our C-Section Rate Won't Budge—Is It Because We Don't Trust Women's Hormones?
Check out this deep dive into a recent report about the numerous, subtle benefits of using fewer medical interventions during healthy births.
One of the report's big takeaways is that the glass warming tray, the synthetic oxytocin, even the epidural—these staples of modern maternity care are all subbing for normal physiology, and failing to measure up.
How Moms Change Brains
For the finale, a short story about a study on the neuroscience effects of Mom.
Young children's brains responded differently based on whether they were looking at their mothers or strangers. In particular, their brains showed signs of positive amygdala-PFC connections when viewing pictures of strangers, but negative connections when viewing pictures of their mothers, suggesting more mature and stable brain function—and likely more mature and stable behavior, at least when moms were around.
RelationshipsMotherPsychology
Francie Diep is a staff writer at Pacific Standard, where she specializes in health and drug policy and the intersections of culture and science. Previously, she covered science, health, and science policy for Scientific American, Popular Science, and Smithsonian.
Starry, Starry Skies
California desert town takes back the night, wins rare "Dark Sky" award
What Is the Future of Paid Parental Leave in America?
The U.S. has a rough track record with how it treats new parents, but there are reasons to believe that this could soon be a thing of the past.
These Maps Show What Graham-Cassidy Would Mean for Your State
A new report concludes that the Graham-Cassidy proposal would reduce federal funding to states by $215 billion by 2026.
The Fault in Our Star Names
The International Astronomical Union has established a committee to finalize a list of official star names. Some companies offer unofficial naming rights for purchase. But the voices of certain communities are often left behind.
How Much Can Dietary Changes and Food Production Practices Help Mitigate Climate Change?
Food policy experts weigh in on the possibilities of individual diet choices and sustainable production methods.
Unseen America
Las Manos Jóvenes Que Nos Alimentan
Se calcula que 524,000 niños trabajan inimaginables largas horas en los agotadores campos agrícolas de Estados Unidos, y todo es perfectamente legal.


Picks to Click contributors for the 2018 season include: John Baetz (Kansas Pregame Magazine); Hayden Barber (Wichita Eagle); Sean Boston (Sports in Kansas); Dion Clisso (PrepsKC.com); Matt Gilmore (Kpreps.com); Chet Kuplen (Sports in Kansas); Brent Maycock (Topeka Capital Journal); and Conor Nicholl (Kpreps.com).
Quarterback Drew Biggs, just one of two seniors back for the Lincoln Leopards, will try to help his team improve on back-to-back 1-8 seasons this week against Wilson after the Leopards posted a 72-6 victory over Tescott in week one. The Trojans are the only team Lincoln has beaten the last two seasons. Biggs found the end zone early and often against Tescott completing his only pass for a 35-yard touchdown to Zach Obermueller to open the game and rushing 10 times for 132 yards with three scores while adding five successful two-point conversion runs as the Leopards rolled up 72 points by halftime. New coach Dustin Patee will lean on Biggs and sophomore running back Tyler Good to fuel his spread option offense as the Leopards travel to play Wilson in week two looking to double their win total from a year ago.
Caudle, a junior who is already in his third year as a starter, had 246 yards passing with four touchdowns, along with one on the ground last week in the 48-24 victory over McLouth. He has thrown for over 3,400 yards and 46 touchdowns in his career with nearly two full seasons left. Look for Caudle to have a big outing versus Oskaloosa.
In a Central Kansas League contest, Jorge Hanschu had a breakout game in a 42-36 loss to Hesston, a preseason top-5 team in Class 3A. The senior completed 16 of 28 for 251 yards and five scores, along with 25 carries for 113 yards.
Hillsboro went 1-8 last season and didn't score more than 32 points in any game, including a 41-6 loss to Hesston. Hillsboro has not tallied more than 36 points in a contest since a 37-6 win versus Lyons on Oct. 10, 2014.
The 5-foot-10, 165-pound Hanschu served as the starting running back as a sophomore, and then had to sit out last fall due to an ACL injury suffered in baseball. Hanschu, known for his running ability and vision, had multiple big plays on third-and-long and impressed Hesston coach Tyson Bauerle. Hillsboro is at struggling Lyons on Friday. The Lions have lost 21 straight contests.
Kasen McKee had a huge opening night in the Blujays' return to 11-man football as Pleasanton delivered a 42-14 victory over Northeast-Arma. McKee caught 11 passes for 230 yards and four touchdowns from his quarterback, and brother, Kaden McKee. Last season, the McKee duo helped a Pleasanton offense average nearly 45 points per game in eight-man football. Kaden passed for more than 2,000 yards, while Kasen had more than 750 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. Pleasanton will now host Southeast-Cherokee this week in a game that was moved from Cherokee due to incomplete renovations to the Lancer's track surrounding the football field.
Led by All-Class 3A selection Elliott Strahm, Sabetha averaged 325 yards per game on the ground last year on its way to capturing the Class 3A state title. The highlight of the year was a 611-yard performance against Osage City, but the Bluejays' top game during the regular season was a 444-yard night in a 57-0 win over Riverside where they racked up eight rushing touchdowns. Four backs had at least 75 yards in Sabetha's season-opening win over Nemaha Central as the Bluejays amassed 392 yards. With rain in the forecast, Sabetha may not attempt a pass and its ground game should run wild.
Sanchez and the Eagles had a big night on the ground last week in beating rival Olathe East. The senior running back had 192 yards on 18 carries while scoring 3 touchdowns. Sophomore Arland Bruce IV added 133 yards rushing and three more scores as the Eagles racked up 478 rushing yards. It could be another big week for Sanchez against a young Shawnee Mission North.
The senior QB threw for 502 yards on 31-of-51 passing and two touchdowns in last Friday's win over Remington. This Sedgwick offense has been putting up crazy numbers over the last few seasons under coach Doug Mabry and currently Jeff Werner. They're a team that doesn't play in a very strong league, so this won't be the only time we see Schroeder pass for over 300 yards. Schroeder will look to have another big week when the Cardinals travel to Wichita to take on the Independent Panthers. Schroeder threw for 2,601 yards last season and 30 TD's, so look for those numbers to rise even more this season after his impressive week 1 performance.
Theis is coming off a game in which he carried the ball a dozen times and ran for 212 yards in Pratt's 34-0 season-opener against Hoisington. Halstead has been a consistent program, which means Theis should get the ball at every opportunity. With that, he will have plenty of opportunities to strut his skills for a Greenbacks offense that is completely engulfed in his ability. Last year, Pratt ran for 313 yards on the Dragons in a 39-30 win.


When it concerns the important things that can make or break an event, few are as essential as the quality, taste and appearance of the food and drinks you serve. A lot is riding on your decision of which caterer to hire, and if you believe this decision actually isn't that essential, look at it in this manner, remarkable catering can rescue an event that's on the rocks, however bad catering will often send guests to the doors.
In addition, because catering is often the # 1 or # 2 line-item expense for the majority of events, the catering service you pick is also a considerable financial decision and can influence how much money you have actually left over to spend on other areas depending on food costs and quantities.
Include the fact that catering services can vary dramatically in their rates and the types of meals and services they offer, and the process of picking a catering service can figuratively and actually feel like you are comparing apples to oranges.
Of all the event and catering professionals we talked with, this turned up over and over and over again, generally because how responsive and interested a catering service is throughout your preliminary conversations is a sign of how they will perform throughout the length of their contract with you (and more on contracts later).
So when interviewing your Tyabb caterers (and you should speak to a minimum of 3 catering services for any occasion with a sensible budget), you need to be specific about the kind of occasion you are planning and the kind of food and/or presentation you are expecting. Otherwise, you might wind up selecting a caterer who just isn't really a great fit for the type or style of your event.
Virtually every catering service has a basic menu or menus to select from, and lots of do supply some level of built-in flexibility to adjust these menus to your particular requirements by substituting particular items and/or tailoring others.
However, the standout catering services will surpass standardized menu choices and be willing to produce incredible fare that matches even more particular style and dietary requirements.
Some people avoid asking to sample the particular items they want for their occasion due to the fact that it looks like a hassle for the caterer, however it is standard to request a tasting of exactly what you are planning to order before you sign on the dotted line.
In addition, you can ask for wine parings for these tastings if they are appropriate for your event (again, be prepared to pay a fee, it's a small price to pay to guarantee you pick the ideal catering service). When you are sampling the food, also attend to how it exists, as any catering service who makes the effort to properly display a sample will probably be more likely to make that sort of effort on your occasion day.
You might be in for a surprise if you work with a BARBEQUE take-out joint to cater a formal ballroom charity event. Or if you pick a high-end business occasion catering service to serve a barn wedding event. Why? Since these caterers may not be accustomed to preparing and serving food in such a setting.
A lot more conventional venues can likewise have constraints that caterers should follow, like certain setup standards or disposal limitations for waste food and water, so having a catering service that recognizes with a location's rules can possibly save you great deals of hassle on occasion day.
The caterer's agreement ought to clearly spell out exactly what food, beverages and services the catering service will be supplying on the designated day( s). Additionally, it ought to protect you from non-performance as much as it protects the caterer from non-payment/default, so you may want to think about having a lawyer} take a look at it prior to you sign it.
Every detail should be consisted of in the agreement, consisted of chosen menus, variety of servings and/or individuals to be served, beverage/bar service information (if relevant) and all prices and additional services.
No caterer in Tyabb with a shred of dignity and scruples participates in an agreement with plans to bail at the last minute, but you have to ensure there is a cancellation stipulation in your contract simply in case your caterer needs to cancel.
However, don't stop there, as online reviews are not constantly dependable (and even authentic); for instance, an excellent catering service may have had a couple of nightmare/hater customers who alter their rankings, while a truly average caterer may have padded their online reviews. So see if you can find some past customers of the caterers you are considering and reach out to them.
Every catering service we spoke with called insurance protection "an offered" for caterers, and you definitely do not wish to legally be on the hook for some oversight or mishap that was the fault of your catering service.
Surprisingly, for how long a catering company in Tyabb has actually stayed in business might not be as critical in choosing a terrific caterer as you may believe.


text:
Q: Can a lower-semi continuous function be convex? In an image processing paper I was reading about a class of functions:
$\Gamma(\mathbb{R}^N)$ is the class of proper, convex, lower semi-continuous functions from $\mathbb{R}^N \rightarrow \left] -\infty, +\infty \right]$.
Then I was drawing a function similar to this (but quadratic, without the tailes).

Then I noticed that this function cannot be convex. Then I questioned whether even semi-continuous function can be convex?

Can anyone say something about this? Thank you.

A: For example, the following is a convex l.s.c. function from $\mathbb R$ to $]-\infty, \infty]$:
$$ f(x) = \cases{0 & if $|x| \le 1$ \cr
                 +\infty & otherwise}
$$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The first repair man did a clean and fast repair but did not tell me that there was a coating on the part that needed to burn off and so is scared me and I called in for another repair. But the second repair man was very nice and told me about the burn off and proceeded to run my dryer till the burn was off with good ventilation. Thank you.
The contractor that Sears sent out, Home Pro Refrigeration was excellent! Professional, courteous, very knowledgeable and prompt!
YOU SUBBED OUT TO CALLAHANS IN DALLAS AND THEY ARE GREAT.
The subcontracted technician was not thorough in his work and you could tell he could not wait to get out of here. Maybe because it was a Saturday. His appearance was not professional. He blamed our problem on venting, even after we told him we had a service that checked regularly and they had just serviced our ac and vents on Friday and all was good. He said to have the vent checked and call SEARS if there were still problems. We called the ac/vent service back and they came on Monday and checked again and took pictures of our venting to show us there was no problem. When I initially called SEARS to arrange service, I was offered to either have the subcontracted technician come on Saturday or wait for a SEARS technician to come on Wednesday. Now I know to ask if the person coming is a SEARS technician or a subcontractor. I will not take a subcontractor again. I have had several service calls from SEARS and this is the first one that has been poor. When I called to have SEARS come back I was told the only service I could get before October was the same subcontracted company I had on Saturday. I asked a different technician be sent which SEARS requested. The subcontracted technician from Saturday called me and asked, "you were able to get someone out today to check the vent?", almost like he thought I was not being truthful. Then he asked me if I had requested he not come back. I said yes. He told me that he would call SEARS and they would have to find me another provider. Then SEARS called me and told me they had found a SEARS technician who could be here tomorrow. It was very intimidating to be in a situation where the prior technician called me and challenged me about requesting someone else. My only other comment is that the first phone call I had to request SEARS come back out again was with an individual who did not speak clear English which made our conversation very frustrating.
WARNER IS THE BEST REFRIGERATOR GUY YOU HAVE. HE IS THE ONLY TECH I WILL USE. I HAVE USED HIM FOR 7 YEARS. THANKS.
Dale was superb. We will renew our maintenance agreement simply because of the excellent service he provided! A true asset to your company.


text:
5 Johnny Depp Movies To Watch Instead Of The Lone Ranger
by Darragh O'Connor
Aug 7, 2013 August 7th, 2013
The Lone Ranger has received awful US reviews, which is not surprising given that everything about the film screamed a disaster before it was released last month in the US: Jerry Bruckheimer, a modern western, articles like this and Johnny Depp portraying a Native American character for some reason. These fears were confirmed when it was panned by critics. The Lone Ranger is being touted as "an unoriginal tribute to the source material" and holds a 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on its US release. Depp has stated that he "doesn't watch his own films" and that would explain a lot. Let me save you some time, don't watch this one! This film is fated to join the grimy underbelly of Depp's recent back catalogue such as Dark Shadows (2012), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), The Tourist (2010), and so on. This movie looks sets to be received in very much the same vein as Wild Wild West when it is released in the UK this Friday...and I do not say that lightly. And yet, underneath all this ill-feeling towards the film, it's pretty sad. The reason it's sad is simple - its main star Johnny Depp is clearly capable of so much more, and with that in mind, I have compiled 5 films that I believe to be a better use of your time than this latest western-themed flop. Johnny Depp is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in Hollywood today. He first broke onto the scene when he starred in the 21 Jump Street TV series and played small parts in movies like Platoon and Nightmare on Elm Street. On that note, Depp has the best death scene in the Elm Street series. Mr. Depp has more unforgettable characters than you can name, all which underscore his outstanding range. It seems that he can really play anyone or anything: from the comedic to the overtly serious. So what has gone wrong with his recent movies? That issue may be outside the scope of this piece but it is worth thinking about. I would like him to return to form and leave Captain Jack behind him. With the decline in this man's corpus of work as of late, I want to take you back to some off his best work and to advise a few of my favourite films that I believe you should watch instead of The Lone Ranger. Honourable Mentions: Public Enemies (2009), Corpse Bride (2005) and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998).
sweeney todd johnny depp Rango Edward Scissorhands Ed Wood. The Ninth Gate
Posted On: 7th Aug 2013
Darragh O'Connor
Roman Historian, computer nerd, Freelance Journalist, Podcaster, Star Wars Fanboy, and a Sci-fi/Horror über fan with a soft spot for awesomely terrible films. Host of the weekly Wrestleview International Desk radio show on WViDesk.com. Feel free to follow me on Twitter @DarraghWV.
See more from Darragh


text:
Groundwater exploration poised to grow economy
As world leaders continue to make pledges to achieve net zero I global warming targets, it's time to reflect on the potential of the country's underground water, and how to sustainably manage and protect these largely untapped natural resources that would be a game-changer for our economy. Kenya is a water scarce country with large parts of our lands being predominantly arid with frequent water shortages including in major towns.
Again, surface water resources like rivers and lakes are only concentrated in specific parts of the country meaning that in other areas the population must rely on groundwater resources to address their water needs. Severe droughts in recent years have also compounded the severity of the water situation in the country and deforestation has also contributed to reduced rainfall and surface water supplies.
All these challenges have left up to 15 million Kenyans without access to clean water while 15 percent of Kenyans are compelled to rely on unimproved water sources, such as ponds, shallow wells and rivers, according to data from Water.org. To further exacerbate the situation 41 percent of Kenyans lack access to basic sanitation solutions, exposing many more Kenyans to deadly diseases.
There are also high costs involved in accessing water with water. org showing rural households bearing the biggest burden approximately Ksh 3,800 in coping costs compared to an average monthly water bill of Ksh460 a month. While climate change will continue to impact the availability of surface water making droughts more common occurrences, there is still hope. Kenya like elsewhere in Africa, still has abundant groundwater resources and if used sustainably, it can become a viable alternative to surface water.
Sustainable extraction of groundwater is extremely important if the groundwater is removed faster than it can be replenished back into the ground then the problem of water scarcity will be compounded. This is the point where we need to have a concerted, multi-stakeholder collaboration to harness our individual strengths. We will need better policies to create a favorable investment climate where players can easily access affordable drilling equipment. We will also need financing instruments to ensure that we scalep faster by opening up supply of water pumps, drilling and piping equipment to ensure we reach as many people as we can.
A key challenge to extraction of groundwater resources has always been the requirement for an electric pump to bring the water up to the surface. Unfortunately, much of the water scarce areas in Africa also have limited coverage by the main electric grid. By pumping using solar power, remote communities with no access to the main electric grid, are able to access groundwater resources.
Promotion of solar pumping for groundwater extraction though education and incentivization among other measures should be a key aspect of policy development by African governments when looking at sustainable groundwater use. In the developed world extensive rural and urban piped water networks have been established over centuries to bring water from central utility companies to consumers. But for many countries in Africa including Kenya, we have limited water distribution networks making it difficult for centralized water utilities to get water to consumers. Tapping into groundwater resources through decentralized wells and boreholes however allows decentralized access to water enabling even the most remote customers to access water without a water utility connection. While some work has been done to tap these water resources, there is still need for a comprehensive overhaul and review of groundwater resources inventory and their capacity. This coupled with an understanding of the recharge requirements of each of the major aquifers will give Kenya and other African governments a clear picture of the groundwater resource available for current and future generations.
Different governments in Africa are at different levels with regards to policy development to manage groundwater resources and while some countries are very advanced and have done extensive work in defining policies for groundwater abstraction others are still far behind. In addition to policy development, what is also critical is enforcement of the policies to ensure sustainable use.
Lastly, it is important to remember that groundwater needs to be replenished. It is not sufficient to promote the extraction of groundwater, governments must also encourage activities that will replenish groundwater resources such as planting of trees, establishment and protection of water catchment areas, as well as building swales.


text:
Q: Conversion failed when converting the nvarchar value to data type int - Error Message My Query
Select * from MyTable

The table consists 300k rows.
It runs for 200k+ rows and this error pops up.

How to handle this to get the full data?

Does MyTable have any computed columns?

Table consists of a computed column with the name IsExceeds which is given below for your reference.

This is the computed column formula:
(CONVERT([int],[Pro_PCT])-CONVERT([int],replace([Max_Off],'%','')))

Field Definitions:
[Pro_PCT] [nvarchar](50) NULL,
[Max_Off] [nvarchar](50) NULL,
[IsExceeds]  AS (CONVERT([int],[Pro_PCT])-CONVERT([int],replace([Max_Off],'%','')))

A: Kindly convert in float then convert into int.
declare @n nvarchar(20)
set @n='11.11'

if (isnumeric(@n)=0)
 SELECT 0
   else
      SELECT CAST(CONVERT(float, @n) as int) AS n

A: Why are you storing amounts as strings?  That is the fundamental problem.
So, I would suggest fixing your data.  Something like this:
update mytable
    set max_off = replace(max_off, '%');

alter table mytable alter pro_pct numeric(10, 4);
alter table mytable alter max_off numeric(10, 4);

(Without sample data or an example of the data I am just guessing on a reasonable type.)
Then, you can define IsExceeds as:
(Pro_PCT - Max_Off)

Voila!  No problems.

A: Based on the formula - either Pro_PCT or Max_Off contains the value 11.11 (well, with an extra % for Max_Off. Perhaps they also contain other values that can't be converted to int.
Here's what you can do to find all the rows that will cause this problem:
Select *
from MyTable
where try_cast(Pro_PCT as int) is null
or try_cast(replace([Max_Off],'%','') as int) is null

After you've found them, you can either fix the values or change the calculation of the computed column to use try_cast or try_convert instead of convert.

A: Check the bad data with
select  * from MyTable where isnumeric(  Max_Off ) = 0


text:
Inout Fiberglass Sofa
from Cappellini
Design Jean Marie Massaud, 2001
Polish lacquered fiberglass, metal, stainless steel
Made in Italy by Cappellini
Inout sofa and bench are available in two versions: polish lacquered fiberglass or upholstered. Both versions are offered with a satin stainless steel base. The fiberglass sofa seat is available in yellow, orange, red, green, blue, white, black, anthracite and light grey.
The designer from Toulouse graduated in 1990 from the National Industrial High School. He began to work both in Asia and in France, finally opening his own office in Paris in 1994. Since then, he has dedicated himself to industrial and furniture design, building important relationships with major brands around the world.
fiberglass sofa: 118.25" w | 23.75" d | 21.25" h | seat: 17.25" h
(please allow 12-16 weeks for this special sofa to be created and shipped to your location)
Born into a family of furniture manufacturers, Giulio Cappellini began working for the family company in 1979, after earning his degree in architecture and studying business management. By the early 1980's, Guilio's leadership brought the Cappellini company into the world market from its three decade run as a handicraft furniture business. Hoping to expand the styles and materials used, Guilio scouted designers, bringing Jasper Morrison, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Marcel Wanders, Marc Newson, and Tom Dixon into the fold. Now, the firm boasts a varied, comprehensive collection rather than a singular style. Still, there are common threads: refined simplicity, dynamism, liveliness, humor.
orgone chaise lounge
proust geometrica
$12,595.00 + $195.00 shipping
rive droite lounge chair
lochness sideboard
drop bookcase
lochness large cabinet
polish lacquered red (803)
polish lacquered blue (805)
polish lacquered black (807)
polish lacquered white (806)
polish lacquered green (804)
polish lacquered yellow (801)
polish lacquered orange (802)
polish lacquered light grey (813)


This is a placeholder page for Linda Tanner, which means this person is not currently on this site. We do suggest using the tools below to find Linda Tanner.
You are visiting the placeholder page for Linda Tanner. This page is here because someone used our placeholder utility to look for Linda Tanner. We created this page automatically in hopes Linda Tanner would find it. If you are not Linda Tanner, but are an alumni of Oregon Davis High School, register on this site for free now.


I always make a bee line to the shoes section when I thrift. Shoes are definitely my weakness, as I do believe that a woman can never have too many shoes. The saving grace for me is that I don't spend an arm and a leg on great shoes because most of my shoes are thrifted, or are bought on clearance from my favorite retail stores.
Today's feature are these gorgeous Badgley Mischka's black pumps that I scooped up from My Sister's Closet in San Diego for a markdown price of $55. Yes, that price is correct! These amazing heels normally retail at $250, so getting them at this price, I was super excited that I now owned them. I absolutely love the over sized bow in the front, and the low cut on the sides. It simply allows you to put your best foot forward when rocking these beauties.
Since the shoes were going to make a statement for me, I opted for a simple yet very chic sweater and skirt ensemble. This black full skirt came from SheIn and you have seen it festively styled during the holidays like this. I love full skirts and find that you can wear them in so many ways that it's a basically a must have in your closet. This full skirt was also rather inexpensive, so a major score in my book.
During the holiday season, I bought a few dainty sweaters for myself, because Black Friday sales were just too good to pass up. I got this beautiful cream sweater from Kohls for $17, as it was 50% off. I love the lace details on the sweater, the fit is perfect and the price tag is all about what this Thrifting Diva is about. I accessorized with this bauble chain that has also been featured on the blog here. A statement piece without too much bling for a simple yet chic outfit, won't you say?
Finally, I accessorized with this beautiful clutch from Aldo. The clutch caught my eye because of the mixed prints – polka dots and floral. I got this clutch at the Aldo outlet in a clearance bin for $11, a markdown from a tag price of $58. That was definitely a score!
I built this outfit from the bottom, wanting to feature these fabulous shoes by Badgley Mischka. It's even more fabulous knowing that I didn't have to pay the retail price to rock them. Have you thrifted a gorgeous pair of heels lately?
Love your shoes and the bow detail.


text:
Ross Carr is a former Senior Gaelic football manager and former inter-county player for Down. Carr had previously managed the Down Minor Football team in 2003 and 2004.

Carr was assisted by DJ Kane, Declan Mussen and Michael Doyle during his management period at Down. Carr won two All-Ireland medals with the Mourne county in 1991 and 1994. Carr finished as top scorer in the Ulster senior football championship of 1991,scoring 21 points over all he scored 30 points and also won an All-Star award at right half-forward that same year. Carr previously managed Co Monaghan side Castleblayney Faughs.

Honours
 5 Dr McKenna Cup 1987 1989 1992 1996 1998
 2 Ulster Senior Football Championship 1991 1994
 2 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1991 1994
 2 Ulster Senior Football Championship 1991 1994
 1 Down Senior Football Championship 2000 C
 1 National Football League Division 2 1988
 1 National Football League Division 3 1997
 1 Ulster Minor Football Championship 1983
 1 Ulster Under-21 Football Championship 1984
 1 All Star Awards 1991
 1 Irish News Ulster All-Stars 1998

External links
 Appointment as Manager
 Appointment as Manager

Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Gaelic football managers
Clonduff Gaelic footballers
Down inter-county Gaelic footballers
Winners of two All-Ireland medals (Gaelic football)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia