SMPL (Small Business Management Platform) is an all-in-one CRM that is very intuitive and highly customizable to your business' sales process or pipeline. SMPL provides you with a whole suite of tools to assist in all aspects of running your business, which can be accessed from virtually any device.
We start off by connecting to your existing website, or providing one through your SMPL system. Once connected, form submissions go directly into your SMPL system and are placed into your sales cycle, with those who have expressed interest in your services pushed to the front of the line. Your clients and leads are auto-sorted for easy access using your customized data and fields, and can be easily filtered and segmented into lists for marketing or follow-ups.
AJ Wilder is a team of dedicated programmers that feel getting the most out of a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system shouldn't require a degree in database management. Nor should your process be forced into someone else's idea of how you should conduct your business.
SMPL Configurations Here are some of our pre-packaged configurations designed to cater to specific industries or types of business. All of these are just base starting points, since every SMPL System can be configured to your specific business and your business process.
This configuration of the SMPL System is designed to assist in the sales and marketing process for your event-based business. Whether you're a DJ, caterer, florist, photographer or event planner, this configuration supports all stages of the event booking process, from lead → prospect → customer → repeat customer. Send contracts and invoices, process transactions, schedule actions and emails, push to your calendar, and more!
This configuration of SMPL is designed specifically for restaurants, bars, and brick-and-mortar retail shops to improve their online presence and efficiency of customer relations. Display your product or food menu online, and create attractive signup forms for your website using SMPL's straightforward tools. Increase the overall number of potential customers reached with regular emailing of daily specials, discounts/coupons and other special occasions.
FSB (For Small Business): For the more traditional business model of contacts associated with contracts. Utilize our full suite of tools to deliver a truly simple solution to your sales and marketing needs for your small business. Manage your website, marketing and other communications, calendar, social media, tasks and documents all under one system. We can even make custom modules to plug into your site to suit your needs. Keep it SMPL.


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text:
Viggo-Works
'From the ashes a fire shall be woken.'
Viggo News
V-W Marketplace News
Hard-Edged Drama
Sean Penn Bites Back
Very Devilish Devil
Viggo's Box
The Guy Can't Help It
Viggo - and Demi
Virtuoso Bad Boy
Mortensen And Moore
Vim and Viggo
Jane Man
The Master Chief
Versatile Viggo
Hot New 39
Nice And Sensitive
Sensitive Side
Leave It To Viggo
Leggo My Viggo
Viggo Artist & Actor
Mooning Over VM
Talking With...VM
Talking With Viggo
Things Were Weird
Viggo From 5 to 7
Poet, Painter
Viggo Gallery
Online Translators
By Manuela Cerri Goren
Source: L'Uomo Vogue #270
L'Uomo Vogue #270 - 4.1996 The Guy Can't Help It
Image Bruce Weber.
© L'uomo.
Goto page: 1 2 Next
Viggo Mortensen is about to travel to Italy, he is nervous and excited. Not about the trip, which he has done before, but because he will have to shoot two movies simultaneously.
The thirty-six year old American actor of Danish origins is in fact one of the stars of the new Jane Campion movie, Portrait of a Lady with Nicole Kidman, which is being shot between London, Florence and Lucca and of the new Sylvester Stallone movie Daylight directed by Rob Cohen under works at Cinecitta [Roman Studios].
"The two movies," explains Mortensen with a vaguely anxious tone, "are very different: one is a period piece, in costume, an intimate, delicate story; the other is a typical blockbuster action movie, a frantic, megaproduction, a Stallone picture. And I find myself in the enviable but unstable position of having to commute between two sets. Two days here, four days there and so on. Traveling continuously doesn't bother me but getting in and out of character could prove complicated."
Viggo Mortensen is one of the most respected young actors in Hollywood. He carries with him an experience in the avant-garde that allows him to play difficult characters, sometimes psychologically challenged, with ease. He doesn't seem to care too much about it however, even though, with his physique and his looks, he could easily become a leading man.
Viggo's career started with the role of an Amish in Witness. Critics and public however took notice of his existence after the explosive interpretation of The Indian Runner, the first movie directed by Sean Penn, where Viggo acted alongside David Morse, Sandy Dennis and Patricia Arquette. The role of the ex-friend traitor in a wheelchair in Brian De Palma's Carlito's Way with Al Pacino followed.
Recently Mortensen made himself known once again in the role of the officer responsible for the launch of the nuclear weapons on board an American submarine in Tony Scott's Crimson Tide with Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman. In the movie, he is caught between a rock and hard place in the deadly confrontation between Hackman and Washington. Mortensen offers a restrained, dignified and incredible solid performance: the voice of reason in the power play of the two main characters.
"My character," Viggo explains, "is an ordinary man trapped in an extraordinary situation which requires a difficult decision on his part. It was nice for once to play a character similar to myself, a man with a job, a family, instead of the usual psychopath. But it was even harder because a role like this requires complete focus, while for the role of the crazy man you can always hide behind violence, make up or a twitch. The real surprise for me was Tony Scott who I knew as a director only thanks to a description by Patricia Arquette, who is a friend and had worked with him on True Romance. Tony is a mature and capable director that won't get intimidated or irritated by suggestions from the actors, on the contrary, he accepts them with open arms. The only things I would change about Tony are his ever-present pink shorts that he wears on the set and his faithful companion, his cigar."
But high-grossing movies are not the norm for Viggo Mortensen who, until not long ago, was considered one of the most underestimated actors in Hollywood, one of those who could find work only in small independent productions of some avant-garde director. Even today though he receives offers for far higher profile roles, Viggo still likes to play in a small movie with great expectations between one big movie and another, such as Albino Alligator directed by Kevin Spacey or Gimlet, a movie shot in Barcelona, Spain, with Angela Molina, in which Mortensen also managed to show his knowledge of the Spanish language.
"Some jobs," says Viggo, "are more interesting than others. Not only for the character I have to play but also for the atmosphere on the set or the location. I try to be cynical enough about what I do and I manage not to carry with me psychological ties to my work. At the end of the day my job is one that is modified and completed by others in the editing room. Sometimes this is very frustrating. The secret is to keep loving your work but to be able to detach yourself from it the moment the director says, "It's a wrap!" You need a lot of movies and a lot of time to be able to reach this type of balance and often I fight the need to control or change my performance.
To keep his balance in an unstable environment such as that of the film business, Viggo Mortensen writes poems. Some are more like essays, stream of consciousness, more than rhymes, but with feelings, so much that one of his collections has been published under the title Ten Last Night. Poetry is his refuge, and offers him a chance to say his piece in an entirely original way. Of Viggo's private life very little is known besides that he married Exene Cervenka, singer of the punk band X, famous in the 80s, and that this union produced a son that today is seven and a half years old and lives mostly with his father.
"When my son was little," relates Viggo, "I used to take him with me everywhere, even on location. Now it is harder because he is in second grade. For my son, my job is like any other. He is very philosophical about the whole movie experience because he knows that there is very little that is glamorous. Mostly there is the boredom of waiting between one take and the other. Every once in a while he offers his point of view, he says, 'You know, Dad, that scene that you just shot is better than the one before, we can recognize you better.' Who knows? Even now at seven and a half he seem more intelligent than me, maybe he will be a director..."
Last edited: 4 January 2007 14:43:24
© L'Uomo Vogue.
Viggo-Works Logo Image © Abaca Press, Licensed. All Rights Reserved

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Looking for a way to save those herbs so you can save money too? Check out these great tips!
If you have ever shopped for herbs at the grocery store, you have seen how pricey they can be. Not to mention, they may not always be fresh. These are two of the reasons that growing your own herb garden is such a great idea. But what happens when you grow more than you can manage? You can only cook so many meals a day. You don't want to waste those lovely fresh herbs, so what do you do with them? Of course you can give them away, as family and friends will gladly accept them from you! But if you want to be sure you have some on hand for the fall and winter months, take a look below at some clever ways to save those herbs for later.
When you grow fresh herbs, you have quite a few options for making them last. This way during the cooler months, you can still enjoy your tasty herbs in your daily cooking. You hate to resort back to buying wilted and pricey herbs at the grocery store, right? Then take a look at how easy it is to save those herbs for later and get more life out of them.
1. Put your food dehydrator to use.
If you have a food dehydrator, you can dry your herbs and easily store them for later. Just rinse your leaves and lay them flat on the trays. Turn your dehydrator on and let it do the rest. When done, you can store in airtight bags or containers either in crushed form or whole.
If you don't have a dehydrator, you can always go the old fashion way and hang them. When you hang your herbs, you just gather a bunch, tie string around the bottom, and hang upside down. Allow them to hang in a sunny and dry place for 1-2 weeks until crispy. Then, just store as mentioned above, either in a container or air tight bag.
3. The paper towel method.
Wash your herbs and lay them flat on a paper towel. Place a paper towel on top and press lightly. Apply another layer of herbs, and press another paper towel gently on top. You are going to continue this, creating layer by layer until all of your herbs are gone. Keep out in a dry place where the herbs will dry, then crumble and store.
4. Pop them in the freezer.
Herbs will last up to six months in the freezer if you blanch them first and then store them in a freezer safe bag or container. If you choose not to blanch you can still store for about three months in your freezer. Just use a safe container to avoid burn.
This method is brilliant. Just fill an ice cube tray with water and drop in a few herb leaves into each. Freeze. When you need to add herbs to a recipe, just toss in a cube. The cube will melt and your herbs will be tasty and fresh!
You can put your microwave on defrost, place a cup of water in it, and place the herbs on a towel next to the cup. Yes, this is a bit complicated, but still a viable option. Don't skip any of these steps as in doing so you can damage your herbs or your microwave. Try heating in 1 minute intervals until dry. Crumble and store.
Add some herb stems and leaves to your favorite olive oil. It will infuse it with extra flavor. Use your oil in marinades, dips, or even for coating pans when you cook meat. It makes it tasty and the herbs will hold up well in the oil.
When it comes time to use any of your herbs, use them in the crushed form you left them in or just let them defrost. They may not be the most attractive color, so you will avoid using them as a garnish, but they are still full of flavor and perfect for your cooking.
If you find yourself with an abundance of herbs, try a few of these methods to make them last longer. You will be so happy when the cooler months come and you still have home grown herbs on hand to add to all of your recipes and favorite dishes. When you freeze your herbs you continue to get more bang for your buck, and avoid having to run out to the grocery store where you are sure to spend more.
So which one of these methods will you choose?
My favorite is to hang dry. I do it to my flowers too. I love to make potpourri with it. I never knew you could put them in ice cubes. Great list.
Great advice! I love preserving my herbs from my garden.
That whole 1st sentence… totally me!!!
Im trying this! I never would have even thought to do this!
I love fresh herbs but just never take the time to buy them because I just don't have time to do the steps needed to keep them fresh or preserve them for later use. I will have to give your tips a try.
I'd never heard of the ice cube tray idea. Love it!
Excellent ideas! I am the queen of not using up my herbs, so these are just what I need.


Let us hope that they can model the "Flying Scotsman" and others more prototypically than the sorry excuses in MSTS (no offence Mr. Gates).
It's offense and you should be sure to go out of your way to offend Mr. Gates as he makes Alfred P. Sloan look like a nun.
Could you explain your meaning?
Alfred P Sloan : Guilty of numerous anti-trust violations and poor business ethics. Ran General Motors and used multiple levels of dummy corporations to buy nearly every public and private light rail transit corporation in the county. Shutdown the trolley and rail services in all major and minor US cities and replaced them with buses with deliberately innefficient schedules. Formed the Freeway commision that ensured cities would be divided up by large, ugly, elevated highways. All to sell a few more cars. He was directly responsible for the rise of the automobile and overly freewayed cities (like Los Angeles)and the demise of light rail and bicycle transit that is only just now starting to make a comeback.
Inneficient and money-losing public transit.
City neighborhoods divided, razed, ruined by elevated highways.
Huge suburban sprawls and suburb-like sprawling cities.
Couldn't agree more with you, Andy!
Bill Gates said at the beginning of his career that he wanted a PC in every home. He didn't say that he also wanted every PC owner to pay tax to him. But that's what he effectively got.
Where is the much cherished American freedom of choice here? Soon Microsoft will start charging for everything, including Internet Explorer, and then we really will know what we allowed to happen.
BTW, Gates got a rap over his knuckles by the American government recently. Do you think, this will make any difference?


she's a beautiful mom and friend and walks beside me in loving our church and city. welcome bea moraza as she shares a great idea for making family life all the better!
I just love the satisfaction of checking off a to-do list, and apparently, so does my three year old (Honor). A few months ago I decided to implement a "task chart" in order to give structure to Honor's day, and in order to help me keep my sanity. A new addition to our family (now 6 month old Noble) sparked the change. With a new baby on the scene I needed something to help our days run more smoothly. I have to say it has worked out great for us. We went from chaos to controlled chaos; which is a significant improvement.
Honor enjoys the structure the task chart provides. He knows what to expect in his day. More importantly, it gives him a sense of responsibility and accomplishment, which being a 3 year old (who thinks he's 13) is a big deal. Another bonus has been that it has eliminated the constant, "What can I do now, Mom!" In fact, he actually helps keep us on track throughout our day together.
The cookie sheet serves as the magnetic board. I painted it with two coats of chalkboard paint. I initially had my husband drill two holes at the top because I thought I would hang it with ribbon. But I changed my mind and opted to use command strips.
I cut out the pictures that I wanted to use and mod podged them to the back of the clear beads (did this during a girls craft-night). Once that dried I super-glued the magnets to the back and weighed them down with a heavy book (did this during nap-time).
Finally, wrote Honor's name on the chart and made two separate columns.
I place about seven tasks for him to do in the mornings and switch them out during his nap. This keeps it from becoming too overwhelming for him. Honor looks forward to moving the magnets each day. He gets his chores done, his lessons get done, and once all of the magnets are moved to the "done" side he knows he can move on to fun stuff.
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"routine." For example, when we go on trips I can write out what we need to do and he gets to cross it off with the chalk.
The task chart would work well for any age. As I mentioned before, who doesn't love checking off that "to-do" list?


DENVER — A federal appeals court ruled that skiing is voluntary, not a necessity, and that the waiver on the back of your lift ticket and your ski lesson waiver is all a ski company needs to keep you from suing them if you're injured.
The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Dr. Teresa Brigance could not sue Vail Summit Resorts for her broken femur. By signing her ski school waiver and by buying a lift ticket, she was barred from suing the ski company for a broken femur during a ski lesson at Keystone.
Brigance suffered her broken femur while trying to unload from the Discovery lift, a beginner chair in Keystone.
Joe Bloch, Brigance's attorney, disagreed.
The whole thing started on March 23, 2015, when Brigance was part of a beginner ski lesson in Keystone. Bloch said the instructor had not completed Keystone's ski instructor training courses.
After several "magic carpet" rides, the class was taught to load and unload from the lift chair and headed up Keystone's Discovery lift, a beginner lift.
Bloch said that as Brigance was unloading, her left ski boot became lodged between the chair and the ground in the unloading area, preventing her from standing up.
Bloch alleged that the lift operator did not stop the lift, but only slowed it, and that the chair continued to move forward with Brigance's leg still trapped under it. Brigance said she heard her left leg "snap," as her left femur broke. She was hospitalized for a week, Bloch said.
Bloch also alleged in the lawsuit that Brigance, an orthodontist based in Florida, was hit with $238,399 in medical bills, lost $134,000 in income and would lose $1.9 million in future income.
However, the case did not get to trial in U.S. District Court. The federal District Court dismissed the lawsuit two months before the trial, ruling that the waiver on the back of Brigance's lift ticket, as well as a ski school waiver, barred Brigance's claims.
Brigance appealed the ruling to the federal 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, which sided with the lower court.
Citing several legal precedents, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that skiing is "recreational," and not "practically necessary," and therefore does "not rise to the level of essential public service contemplated by Colorado law." The court also ruled that is a person voluntarily enters into a contract for recreational services, such as skiing and ski lessons, that person is not "at the mercy" of the business.
"The ski and ski lesson services offered by (Vail Summit Resorts Inc.) are recreational in nature and do not constitute essential services or matters of practical necessity," the court ruled.


text:
Q: List_display for ManytoMany fields in Admin panel I have 2 apps: Visitors and Meetings, linked via a ManytoMany field:
visitors/models.py:
from django.db import models
from meetings.models import Meeting

class Visitor(models.Model):

    visitor_name = models.CharField(default='name', max_length=128, blank=False, null=False)
    visitor_meetings = models.ManyToManyField(Meeting)

    def __str__(self):
        return self.visitor_name

meetings/models.py:
from django.db import models
from team.models import Team

class Meeting(models.Model):
    team_member = models.ForeignKey(Team)
    meeting_name = models.CharField(default='name', max_length=128, blank=True, null=True)

    def __str__(self):
        return self.meeting_name

I know the correct way to get a list_display for meetings in the Visitors admin panel is here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/18108586/2429989.
However, how can I show a list_display for visitors at each meeting in the Meetings admin panel? I have tried:
meetings/admin.py:
from django.contrib import admin
from .models import Meeting
from visitors.models import Visitor

class MeetingAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
    list_display = ['id', 'team_member', 'show_visitors' ]

    def show_visitors(self, obj):
        return "\n".join([a.visitor_name for a in obj.visitor.all()])

admin.site.register(Meeting, MeetingAdmin)

This results in 'Meeting' object has no attribute 'visitor', where am I going wrong?

A: The default reverse lookup relation it's always obj.tablename_set. In your case you need to use obj.visitor_set.all()
class MeetingAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
    list_display = ['id', 'team_member', 'show_visitors' ]

    def show_visitors(self, obj):
        return "\n".join([a.visitor_name for a in obj.visitor_set.all()])

However, you can customize the name of the reverse lookup by defining the related_name:
class Visitor(models.Model):
    visitor_name = models.CharField(default='name', max_length=128, blank=False, null=False)
    visitor_meetings = models.ManyToManyField(Meeting, related_name='visitors')

    def __str__(self):
        return self.visitor_name

All Meeting objects will now have access to visitors. Use it like:
class MeetingAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
    list_display = ['id', 'team_member', 'show_visitors' ]

    def show_visitors(self, obj):
        return "\n".join([a.visitor_name for a in obj.visitors.all()])

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
package com.frdfsnlght.transporter;

import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;
import org.bukkit.DyeColor;
import org.bukkit.Location;
import org.bukkit.Material;
import org.bukkit.block.Block;
import org.bukkit.block.BlockFace;
import org.bukkit.block.BlockState;
import org.bukkit.block.Sign;
import org.bukkit.material.Colorable;
import org.bukkit.material.Directional;
import org.bukkit.material.MaterialData;
import org.bukkit.material.Openable;

/**
 *
 * @author frdfsnlght <frdfsnlght@gmail.com>
 */
public final class BuildableBlock {

    protected int type;
    protected byte data = 0;
    protected String[] lines = null;
    protected boolean physics = false;

    public BuildableBlock(BuildableBlock src, BlockFace direction) {
        this.type = src.type;
        this.data = src.data;
        this.lines = src.lines;
        this.physics = src.physics;
        rotate(direction);
    }

    public BuildableBlock(Location location) {
        extract(location);
    }

    public BuildableBlock(String str) throws BlockException {
        type = parseType(str);
    }

    public BuildableBlock(TypeMap map) throws BlockException {
        type = parseType(map.getString("type"));
        data = 0;
        physics = map.getBoolean("physics", false);

        if (type == -1) return;
        String str;
        str = map.getString("data");
        if (str != null) {
            try {
                data = Byte.parseByte(str);
            } catch (NumberFormatException nfe) {
                throw new BlockException("invalid data '%s'", str);
            }
        } else {
            MaterialData md = Material.getMaterial(type).getNewData((byte)0);
            if (md != null) {
                if (md instanceof Directional) {
                    str = map.getString("facing");
                    if (str != null) {
                        try {
                            ((Directional)md).setFacingDirection(Utils.valueOf(BlockFace.class, str));
                        } catch (IllegalArgumentException iae) {
                            throw new BlockException(iae.getMessage() + " facing '%s'", str);
                        }
                    }
                }
                if (md instanceof Colorable) {
                    str = map.getString("color");
                    if (str != null) {
                        try {
                            ((Colorable)md).setColor(Utils.valueOf(DyeColor.class, str));
                        } catch (IllegalArgumentException iae) {
                            throw new BlockException(iae.getMessage() + " color '%s'", str);
                        }
                    }
                }
                if (md instanceof Openable) {
                    str = map.getString("open");
                    if (str != null)
                        ((Openable)md).setOpen(map.getBoolean("open"));
                }
                data = md.getData();
            }
        }

        str = map.getString("lines");
        if (str != null) {
            lines = str.split("\n");
            if (lines.length > 4)
                lines = Arrays.copyOfRange(lines, 0, 3);
            for (int i = 0; i < lines.length; i++)
                if (lines[i].length() > 15)
                    lines[i] = lines[i].substring(0, 15);
        }

    }

    public Map<String,Object> encode() {
        Map<String,Object> node = new HashMap<String,Object>();
        node.put("type", getMaterial().toString());
        node.put("data", new Byte(data));
        if (physics) node.put("physics", physics);
        if (lines != null) {
            StringBuilder buf = new StringBuilder();
            for (String line : lines) {
                if (buf.length() > 0) buf.append("\n");
                buf.append(line);
            }
            node.put("lines", buf.toString());
        }
        return node;
    }

    public boolean hasType() {
        return type != -1;
    }

    public int getType() {
        return type;
    }

    public Material getMaterial() {
        return Material.getMaterial(type);
    }

    public byte getData() {
        return data;
    }

    public String[] getLines() {
        return lines;
    }

    public Block build(Location location) {
        Block block = location.getBlock();
        block.setTypeIdAndData(type, data, physics);
        if (lines != null) {
            BlockState sign = block.getState();
            if (sign instanceof Sign) {
                for (int i = 0; i < lines.length; i++)
                    ((Sign)sign).setLine(i, lines[i]);
                sign.update();
            }
        }
        return block;
    }

    public Block extract(Location location) {
        Block block = location.getBlock();
        type = block.getTypeId();
        data = block.getData();
        BlockState state = block.getState();
        if (state instanceof Sign)
            lines = ((Sign)state).getLines();
        physics = false;
        return block;
    }

    public boolean matches(Location location) {
        return matches(location.getBlock());
    }

    public boolean matches(Block block) {
        Utils.debug("match %s to %s", this, Utils.block(block));

        if (block.getTypeId() != type) {
            // handle liquids special
            switch (block.getType()) {
                case WATER:
                case STATIONARY_WATER:
                    if ((type == Material.WATER.getId()) ||
                        (type == Material.STATIONARY_WATER.getId())) return true;
                    break;
                case LAVA:
                case STATIONARY_LAVA:
                    if ((type == Material.LAVA.getId()) ||
                        (type == Material.STATIONARY_LAVA.getId())) return true;
                    break;
            }
            return false;
        }

        // can't simply compare data values because signs can have multiple values indicating
        // the same facing direction!
        MaterialData myMd = Material.getMaterial(type).getNewData(data);
        MaterialData otherMd = block.getType().getNewData(block.getData());
        if ((myMd instanceof Directional) &&
            (otherMd instanceof Directional)) {
            return ((Directional)myMd).getFacing() == ((Directional)otherMd).getFacing();
            // this is broken if there are other aspects to compare
        }
        if (block.getData() != data) return false;
        // we don't care about matching lines on a sign
        return true;
    }

    // only applied to screens (i.e., signs)
    public BlockFace matchTypeAndDirection(Block block) {
        if (block.getTypeId() != type) return null;

        MaterialData myMD = Material.getMaterial(type).getNewData(data);
        if (myMD == null) return null;
        if (! (myMD instanceof Directional)) return null;
        Directional myDir = (Directional)myMD;
        if ((myDir.getFacing() == BlockFace.UP) ||
            (myDir.getFacing() == BlockFace.DOWN)) return null;

        MaterialData otherMD = block.getType().getNewData(block.getData());
        if (otherMD == null) return null;
        if (! (otherMD instanceof Directional)) return null;
        Directional otherDir = (Directional)otherMD;
        if ((otherDir.getFacing() == BlockFace.UP) ||
            (otherDir.getFacing() == BlockFace.DOWN)) return null;

        float fromYaw = Utils.directionToYaw(myDir.getFacing());
        float toYaw = Utils.directionToYaw(otherDir.getFacing());
        float result = toYaw - fromYaw + 180;
//        float result = toYaw - fromYaw + 90;

        Utils.debug("fromYaw=%s", fromYaw);
        Utils.debug("toYaw=%s", toYaw);
        Utils.debug("result=%s", result);

        return Utils.yawToDirection(result);
    }

    public boolean isSign() {
        return (type == Material.WALL_SIGN.getId()) ||
               (type == Material.SIGN_POST.getId());
    }

    public void rotate(BlockFace to) {
        MaterialData md = Material.getMaterial(type).getNewData(data);
        if (md == null) return;
        if (! (md instanceof Directional)) return;
        Directional dir = (Directional)md;

//        Utils.debug("facing=%s", dir.getFacing());
//        Utils.debug("to=%s", to);
//        Utils.debug("rotate result=%s", Utils.rotate(dir.getFacing(), to));

        dir.setFacingDirection(Utils.rotate(dir.getFacing(), to));
        data = md.getData();
    }

    @Override
    public String toString() {
        StringBuilder buf = new StringBuilder("BuildableBlock[");
        buf.append(Material.getMaterial(type)).append(",");
        buf.append(data).append(",");
        buf.append(physics);
        if (lines != null)
            buf.append(",").append(lines.length).append(" lines");
        buf.append("]");
        return buf.toString();
    }

    @Override
    public int hashCode() {
        return type + data + ((lines != null) ? lines.hashCode() : 0) + (physics ? 1 : 0);
    }

    @Override
    public boolean equals(Object obj) {
        if (obj == null) return false;
        if (! (obj instanceof BuildableBlock)) return false;
        BuildableBlock other = (BuildableBlock)obj;

        if (type != other.type) return false;
        if (data != other.data) return false;
        if (physics != other.physics) return false;

        if ((lines == null) && (other.lines != null)) return false;
        if ((lines != null) && (other.lines == null)) return false;
        if ((lines != null) && (other.lines != null)) {
            if (lines.length != other.lines.length) return false;
            for (int i = 0; i < lines.length; i++)
                if (! lines[i].equals(other.lines[i])) return false;
        }
        return true;
    }

    private int parseType(String type) throws BlockException {
        if (type == null)
            throw new BlockException("block type required");
        if (type.equalsIgnoreCase("NONE")) return -1;
        Material m = Material.matchMaterial(type);
        if (m == null)
            try {
                m = Material.getMaterial(Integer.parseInt(type));
            } catch (NumberFormatException nfe) {}
        if (m == null)
            throw new BlockException("invalid block type '%s'", type);
        if (! m.isBlock())
            throw new BlockException("block type '%s' is not a block type", type);
        return m.getId();
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Perkins High School is a public high school in Perkins Township, Ohio, near Sandusky. It is the only high school in the Perkins Local School District. They are known as the Pirates and school colors are black and white with an accent of red.

Ohio High School Athletic Association state championships

 Boys Football – 1999
 Boys Cross Country – 1987, 1988, 1989
 Boys Track and Field – 1984, 2008
 Girls Track and Field – 1993
 Girls Golf - 2012

Marching band
The Perkins Pirate Marching Band has had the honor of qualifying for the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) State Marching Band Finals every year since its creation in 1980 until 2016.

In 2012 the band received a Superior Rating (I) at the Maumee Marching Band Competition in Maumee, Ohio, the North Coast Marching Band Festival at Perkins High School, and the Swanton Bulldog Bowl in Swanton, Ohio. At the State Marching Band Finals in November, they received a Superior Rating (I). The director of the band is John Kustec.

The Perkins Pirate Band Program officially took the lead in 2006 for having the largest student-to-band member ratio in the state of Ohio, 188 students in band, with over one-third of the high school population involved in the band program.

The Pirate Band qualified for the State Finals by receiving Superior Ratings at both the Maumee, Swanton, and North Coast (held at PHS) Marching Band Competitions in October 2013. At the Swanton Bulldog Bull, the band received 3rd Place Overall, best Percussion, and best Auxiliaries. The entire marching band, including musicians, Flags, Pirettes and Pit Crew are judged on the performance of their music, marching and drills. The PHS Marching Band received Superior Ratings in all of these individual categories.

Notable alumni
Jay Crawford - (Class of 1983) sports anchor for Sportscenter
Brian Bixler - (Class of 2001) perennial major league baseball infielder

References

External links
 District Website
 2005 OMEA State Finals - Perkins High School Marching Band - Superior Rating
https://web.archive.org/web/20100914201129/http://www.perkins.k12.oh.us/vnews/display.v/ART/48c5c1f53c0a1

High schools in Erie County, Ohio
Public high schools in Ohio

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Quality excellence is Corning's commitment. To ensure an optimum use of our products, we have developed a range of support documents providing guidelines about storage, handling and cleaning of our products.
Storage: The high barium and lead content of CORNING shielding glass products makes them susceptible to staining by acids and alkalis. We recommend this glass is not to used or stored in conditions that will result in exposure to acid gases or excessive humidity.
Handling: It is advisable to wear cotton gloves when handling the glass. Any fingerprints should be removed as soon as possible to avoid permanent staining on the glass surface. Adhesive stickers may also stain the glass in a non-reversible way.
Cleaning: Only water, non-abrasive cleaning agents and soft cloth can be used to clean our radiation shielding glass. As a safety precaution the cleanser should not be in contact with the glass for more than 30 seconds before wiping/rinsing/drying.
The above recommendations apply to direct contact with Corning shielding glass. Please follow carefully the recommendations of the equipment manufacturer, or your supplier who has incorporated our protective glass into your equipment. If the CORNING radiation shielding glass has been laminated with float glass, the cleaning procedure of the latter surface may be more tolerant.


text:
Reese Witherspoon reveals who she wants to cast in Legally Blonde 3
goss 01/11/2019
Reese Witherspoon has been pretty public about her desires to make a third Legally Blonde film. With a script underway - it's no surprise she's thinking about who she wants to star alongside her!
While the plot of the movie is under wraps, in a recent interview she revealed which fan favourite characters she'd like to see return when she reprises her role of Elle Woods.
"I love Jennifer Coolidge and Luke Wilson and Selma Blair and so there's so many great characters that people love," she told ETOnline.
Coolidge played Woods' best friend Paulette, Wilson played her love interest Emmett and Blair portrayed her rival Vivian.
"If we end up doing it, hopefully they end up all being there... It's just a development project right now, so we'll see."
Fingers crossed all the original cast are just as keen for the reboot as Reese is!


"Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord." — Isa. 52:11.
THE VESSELS of the Lord in the Tabernacle, and also in the Temple, were those vessels which were connected with the holy services—in the Court, in the Holy and the Most Holy. They consisted of hooks, censer, pans snuffers, cups, bowls—a variety of precious vessels. Those used in the Holy and the Most Holy were of gold, and those used in the Court were of copper.
The only ones who were allowed to handle these vessels at all were the consecrated class. The priests handled these in the Holy and the Most Holy in certain parts of the service, and in less important services they were covered up and borne in the hands of the Levites. So the vessels were handled only by the priests and the Levites. They required a cleansing before being used, and so were washed. Every bearer of these was required to be cleansed, typically washed free from sin.
In the antitype, our Lord is the great High Priest. The most faithful of His followers are those who are counted as the Priesthood in God's sight, on trial now to see whether they will constitute the Priests in glory. But all who have made consecration have the Robe of Christ's Righteousness. Whoever is not thus clothed upon by the righteousness of Christ, whoever is not thus justified in God's sight, can have neither part nor lot in handling the holy things—the precious truths.
The antitypical significance of the Prophet's exhortation in our text is that as in the type God required that everything should be clean, so we must be clean, pure of heart. "Blessed are the pure in heart." We have not perfection of flesh at the present time. When we have come into Christ, this imperfection of the flesh is said to be covered by a clean, white robe, representing the righteousness, the merit, of Christ. We must abide in Him. So long as we are in the flesh, we must have the Robe of Christ's Righteousness, in order to be clean.
Moreover, as it was required of the priests that they keep their robes clean, so we are exhorted to put away all filthiness of the flesh and to keep our robes clean. We are told that the Church will be without spot, and clean. (Eph. 5:26, 27.) And if we marvel how this could be, the Scriptures show us how it is. We were cleansed from sins of the past when the robe was given us, and this means also a provision on God's part for the continued cleansing of all the sins that are ours through weakness, through temptation, through unavoidable failures. But nothing in this provision indicates a cleansing from wilful sin.
We as New Creatures could not have wilful sin and still remain New Creatures; for the New Creature represents the mind of Christ, which is holy. Whatever weaknesses and imperfections there may be are attached to the flesh; and all these are covered by the Robe of Christ's Righteousness. We approach the Throne of Heavenly Grace and find grace to help in every time of need.
The context seems to make the text applicable in the present time. It was applicable in our Lord's day. He was holy, harmless, undefiled. It was applicable in the Apostles' day. All these must be clean. One, who was unclean, Judas, went to his own destruction. We believe that he went into the Second Death because he failed to use the opportunities that had been given to him.
As it was possible for Judas to fail, it is also possible for us to fail—to a greater or a less extent. As he was put out of the Divine service because of impurity of heart, love of money, etc., so we may be sure that all not pure in heart will be put out of this service. Just as none would be placed in this service if not pure in heart, so if any become impure they will be put out of it.
This is illustrated by the case of Ananias and Sapphira, who were put out of their affiliation with the Priesthood because of their love of money and their attempt to deceive. We remember this also in the case of Simon Magus and others mentioned in the New Testament. There might be some defiled of heart and other people not know of it. As the Scriptures intimate, there might be some highly esteemed among men, and not highly esteemed in God's sight. And there might be some not much esteemed among men, but highly esteemed of God. "The world knoweth us not, even as it knew Him not."—I John 3:1.
No doubt there are those occupying pulpits who may esteem themselves as really the ministers of God, and be thus esteemed of others, who do not honor His Word. We are told that some of the ministers of Satan are thought to be ministers of God. (2 Cor. 11:13-15; Rev. 2:2; 3:9.) Some of them confess that they have no faith, no God at all. Some of them say that God is simply the god of nature. And others, again, say that they believe in God, but do not believe in the Scriptures.
We cannot suppose that these are bearing the vessels of the Lord's House in any sense of the word. Probably they never did bear these vessels. Or possibly they might have done so, and then gone into error, gone out of the Court condition altogether, become enemies of the cross of Christ. (Philippians 3:18.) The Apostle speaks of some such who hold down (Greek katecho) the Truth in unrighteousness. In this text the word hold is used, not in the sense of retaining the Truth, but of oppressing it.—Romans 1:18.
In another Epistle the Apostle speaks of some who preach Christ with contention (Phil. 1:15, 16.); but he is not in any way here referring to those bearing the vessels of the Lord's House. He seems to refer to those who have not known Christ, but who nevertheless were drawing attention to the fact that there is a Christ; that they had heard that there was such a claim put forth—that there is a Christ—just as there are some today who are more or less calling attention to certain features of the Truth. We would not think that these in any sense of the word are bearing the vessels of the Lord's House, but rather that they are opponents.
The passage from which our text is taken seems to indicate that those who bear the vessels of the Lord's House would have a special force and influence at the present time. This is shown in the statement, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him who bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" (Isaiah 52:7.) This seems to be applicable now in a sense that it never was previously; for the time for the Kingdom reign is practically here, the time for this Message of God is at hand. We believe that the Kingdom of God is in process of erection, and the gathering of the saints now in process of completion. With the completion of this class will come the inauguration of the Kingdom.
The context also shows that the time is near when the Message shall be preached to every creature. We believe that this is even now being fulfilled. Many are seeing the Restitution of all things and the glorious outcome of the Divine Plan. All who would be thus engaged in proclaiming the Message are exhorted to be clean.
The intimation of the Scriptures everywhere is that there are adverse influences at work in the world, tending to defile the people of God. They all have, of course, through the weaknesses of their own flesh, a sufficiency of temptation, we might say, to overcome. But the Scriptures say that this is not all they have to contend against. There are fallen angels that operate through occult influences and that are intent upon defiling especially the saintly class. But they are intent upon defiling all.
The purer the person, the more surely will he be the target. You notice that the speckled birds are more a mark for the huntsman than are the others. Thus all who are bearing the vessels of the Lord's House are special targets for the fiery darts of the Wicked One. So we must contend against the world, the flesh and the Adversary. Those who are in the right condition of heart, the pure in heart, earnest as the Lord's children, watch to keep their garments clean. Unless they watch, they will surely get their garments defiled. Satan is specially endeavoring to touch them; and we know that wherever he would touch there is defilement. Whoever the Wicked One touches receives a measure of injury. And there is a measure of culpability in the individual before he is touched.
The suggestion is that to whatever extent one becomes defiled, unclean, in that proportion he would not be fit to be entrusted with the vessels of the Lord's House. Perhaps all of God's people can say from experience that they know something of what this means. Doubtless it is the experience of all of the Lord's children that in proportion as their hearts are clean their spiritual vision is clear. And in proportion as they depart from this purity, in that proportion they would have less and less opportunity for service—for bearing the vessels of the Truth.


text:
Posted inMoney & Politics Column
Court ruling blamed for record spending
by Bill Lueders January 29th, 2013 July 29th, 2016 Why you can trust WisconsinWatch.org
During a recent news conference at the state Capitol, Lisa Graves, executive director of the Madison-based Center for Media and Democracy, made an astonishing claim.
"This past election, in 2012, was the most expensive election in U.S. history," Graves said. "In fact, it was the most expensive election in the history of the world." She later pointed to articles that backed this up, at least in terms of total amount.
The Jan. 22 event, before a mostly empty room, highlighted a new report tracking spending in the 2012 elections, the first since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in Citizens United. That ruling, which equated money with speech and barred government from restricting "independent" spending on political campaigns, opened two new floodgates: super PACs, which can raise and spend unlimited sums, and nonprofit groups that don't disclose their funding sources.
The report, "Billion-Dollar Democracy," was produced by two national nonpartisan groups, Demos and U.S. PIRG Education Foundation, and was released here by the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group, or WISPIRG. Among its findings:
Total spending in the 2012 presidential and congressional races topped $5.2 billion, not including some outlays that fell outside of federal reporting rules. (Others have put the total at about $6 billion.)
More than $1 billion came from outside groups — that is, not the candidates or parties. Of this amount, 61 percent was from super PACs and about a third from "dark money" nonprofits.
Presidential contenders Barack Obama and Mitt Romney received donations of under $200 from 3.7 million people, for a total of $313 million. This sum was matched by the donations of just the top 32 contributors to super PACs.
"Political power in America is concentrated in the hands of a wealthy and shrinking minority of the population, threatening our democracy," Joe Rasmussen of WISPIRG declared.
Also on hand was Mike McCabe, executive director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, who said spending on Wisconsin elections more than tripled in the 2010 and 2012 election cycles, from what it had been in 2006 and 2008. Even excluding the estimated $137 million spent on Wisconsin's 15 recall elections, the total was twice what it had been before.
"We already had a raging campaign arms race before Citizens United," McCabe remarked. "Now that arms race has been put on steroids."
Beyond amplifying the volume of a few wealthy voices, McCabe said, spiraling spending on elections "effectively creates a wealth primary," excluding any candidate who cannot raise substantial funds. And it "shapes what can even be on the public agenda," leaving issues like poverty unaddressed, because politicians "can't make money talking about poverty."
WISPIRG, the Center for Media and Democracy and Wisconsin Democracy Campaign are among a coalition of 10 groups backing a state advisory referendum on whether there should be a U.S. constitutional amendment to undo the effects of Citizens United. According to WISPIRG, 11 states are already on record as supporting this amendment.
What would it take to get this referendum on the ballot in Wisconsin?
When this question was asked at the news conference, spectator Dianne Hesselbein, a newly elected Democratic state representative from Middleton, called out an answer: "A miracle."
In fact, it would take a majority vote of both houses, and then not be vetoed by the governor.
A spokesman for state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, did not comment on the proposed referendum. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, is firmly opposed. He views the Citizens United decision as an affirmation of free speech rights, as did the court majority.
"Wisconsin does not need to put a limit on democracy," Vos said. "We want to educate our citizens about the issues. It would be unfair to seek to squelch speech because some group is unhappy about the content of it."
Hesselbein may have sized up the challenge for those on her side of the issue just about right.

Court ruling blamed for record spending

by Bill Lueders, WisconsinWatch.org
January 29, 2013

During a recent news conference at the state Capitol, Lisa Graves, executive director of the Madison-based Center for Media and Democracy, made an astonishing claim.

"This past election, in 2012, was the most expensive election in U.S. history," Graves said. "In fact, it was the most expensive election in the history of the world." She later pointed to articles that backed this up, at least in terms of total amount.

The Jan. 22 event, before a mostly empty room, highlighted a new report tracking spending in the 2012 elections, the first since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in Citizens United. That ruling, which equated money with speech and barred government from restricting "independent" spending on political campaigns, opened two new floodgates: super PACs, which can raise and spend unlimited sums, and nonprofit groups that don't disclose their funding sources.

The report, "Billion-Dollar Democracy," was produced by two national nonpartisan groups, Demos and U.S. PIRG Education Foundation, and was released here by the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group, or WISPIRG. Among its findings:

Total spending in the 2012 presidential and congressional races topped $5.2 billion, not including some outlays that fell outside of federal reporting rules. (Others have put the total at about $6 billion.)

More than $1 billion came from outside groups — that is, not the candidates or parties. Of this amount, 61 percent was from super PACs and about a third from "dark money" nonprofits.

Presidential contenders Barack Obama and Mitt Romney received donations of under $200 from 3.7 million people, for a total of $313 million. This sum was matched by the donations of just the top 32 contributors to super PACs.

"Political power in America is concentrated in the hands of a wealthy and shrinking minority of the population, threatening our democracy," Joe Rasmussen of WISPIRG declared.

Also on hand was Mike McCabe, executive director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, who said spending on Wisconsin elections more than tripled in the 2010 and 2012 election cycles, from what it had been in 2006 and 2008. Even excluding the estimated $137 million spent on Wisconsin's 15 recall elections, the total was twice what it had been before.

"We already had a raging campaign arms race before Citizens United," McCabe remarked. "Now that arms race has been put on steroids."

Beyond amplifying the volume of a few wealthy voices, McCabe said, spiraling spending on elections "effectively creates a wealth primary," excluding any candidate who cannot raise substantial funds. And it "shapes what can even be on the public agenda," leaving issues like poverty unaddressed, because politicians "can't make money talking about poverty."

WISPIRG, the Center for Media and Democracy and Wisconsin Democracy Campaign are among a coalition of 10 groups backing a state advisory referendum on whether there should be a U.S. constitutional amendment to undo the effects of Citizens United. According to WISPIRG, 11 states are already on record as supporting this amendment.

What would it take to get this referendum on the ballot in Wisconsin?

When this question was asked at the news conference, spectator Dianne Hesselbein, a newly elected Democratic state representative from Middleton, called out an answer: "A miracle."

In fact, it would take a majority vote of both houses, and then not be vetoed by the governor.

A spokesman for state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, did not comment on the proposed referendum. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, is firmly opposed. He views the Citizens United decision as an affirmation of free speech rights, as did the court majority.

"Wisconsin does not need to put a limit on democracy," Vos said. "We want to educate our citizens about the issues. It would be unfair to seek to squelch speech because some group is unhappy about the content of it."

Hesselbein may have sized up the challenge for those on her side of the issue just about right.

The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

This article first appeared on WisconsinWatch.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Tagged: Barack Obama, Center for Media and Democracy, Joe Rasmussen, Lisa Graves, Mike McCabe, mitt romney, robin vos, scott fitzgerald, wisconsin democracy campaign, wisconsin public interest research group
One reply on "Court ruling blamed for record spending"
D K says:
What needs to be done is the donations should be used for any candidate that wants to run. No one candidate should be recieving big funds from anyone or any group. I don't understand how we can still be allowing money to be coming in from outside the country for these elections and then allow it to be used by specific candidates. All this does is contribute to corruption.


The smell of smoke still lingers amongst the orchards and The Bright Nights are reduced to ash but the Spectres are kept busy putting out fires. One war is over but there's no real rest as Nain runs from his past, Zaphira puts hers in its place and Fazio expands his job prospects. This week in Arcus: What's in a name?


text:
Witness Vern and Verniece Enciso Embark On An Adventure Of A Lifetime To Brazil and Machu Picchu
By Angelo de Cartagena
Join Vern and Verniece Enciso as they discover a world far, far from their own in a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Brazil and Machu Picchu in this story-filled exclusive.
Related: Vern and Verniece Enciso's Amazing Synergy Led Them to be Successful in Life and Business
"We're going to…" Vern and Verniece say in unison, consciously pausing before announcing: "…To Brazil!"
As far as travel announcements go, of course at a carefree time prior to the pandemic, this one was pretty standard, trailing of course whispers and bits of clues left all over social media. Who wants a preempted plan after all? In any case, after the hushed discussions muttered under their breath becoming full on audible conversations, Vern and Verniece Enciso can finally share with all of you their travel adventure to Brazil and Machu Picchu sometime in January.
After only dreaming of it for so long, prompted in part by the iconic and pioneering #MakingMEGA cover of Anne Curtis, it was finally happening, in about 35 hours.
"We thought our Morocco flight was already the longest," mentions Verniece as they wait to board the plane to their first layover in Turkey. "Can you believe that?" Vern exasperates, although playfully as these the dynamic duo are pretty much used to this kind of traveling at this point, having been whisked to many corners of the globe for work and pleasure.
Once arriving at the massive Istanbul Airport in Turkey for a 4-hour layover, there was enough time to explore and shop, naturally. "This girl decided to shop again," says Verniece on their YouTube vlog, and without even denying, Vern proudly shows off her would-be purchase: a pair of Dior slip-ons. "Look, it's so cute!" she says, before finally giving in to the allure and swiping her Metrobank Vantage Credit Card. "We learned it is really easier and more efficient to travel with trusted credit cards, especially in places that you haven't been to or are so far off," stresses Vern, sharing that the Metrobank Vantage Credit Card fits the bill perfectly with all its exclusive perks, pleasures, and privileges. More so, with rewards and value added services, this really was the best travel buddy they could tag along, apart from each other, obviously. Imagine, they not only get to shop, they also rack up points that could in turn be converted into air miles, shopping and dining certificates, and much, much more.
Finally after a 15-hour journey to Sau Paulo, Brazil and another domestic flight, the Enciso sisters touched down at Rio de Janeiro where they were to tick off another milestone on their already stellar career: A MegaStyle cover shoot that was part of the iconic #MakingMEGA series, the one chalking a full circle moment in the very city it was born in.
Photo from @verniecenciso on Instagram
Like clockwork, the next few days were a flurry of get the work done moments, from waking up 7:00 AM for their shoot (black-lined eyes and tight ponytails and all) at the popular and vibrant Escadaria Selarón, also known as the world-famous tiled steps of Brazil crafted by Chilean-born artist, Jorge Selarón as a tribute to the Brazilian people, to battling jet lag and rain that dampened their early plans of exploring Ipanema beach and Christ The Redeemer. But thankfully, the conditions were in their favor soon after, as they were able to finally hit those must-see and must-do landmarks for posterity, as well as weave themselves with the modern culture and colors of the festive city with excursions to favelas (unique residential areas that appear stacked from plain sight), Copacabana beach (a stone's throw away from the hotel they stayed at), and even a gay bar at night.
In what was already shaping to be a memory-filled trip, Vern and Verniece snacked on Brazilian snacks like chocolates and chips, before feasting on cuisine only the locals know how to prepare. And of course, being the stylish siblings that they are, Vern and Verniece made it a point to check out the Brazilian mall. "It's nothing really different from the ones we have," notices Vern, "but I really wanted to check out the brands that they have here." Apart from the popular mainstay, Havainas, they also checked out fashion brand Renner, before treating the MEGA team they had the pleasure of traveling with to a scrumptious, soulful lunch at Cortes, which they had covered with their trusty Metrobank Vantage Credit Card, of course. (It also proved handy when they ran into emergency Uber rides to the hotel and purchasing souvenirs to keep and share. Talk about adulting.) With the mighty contactless card tucked in their wallets, Vern and Verniece affirm that it has made them feel more grown up than usual. Apart from the convenient and hassle-free swiping, "it has really made us even more aware of the value of money," they concur. "We're so mature na," they laugh.
Soaking in the sun, permeated by momentary fits of breeze in the warm embrace of Rio de Janeiro, Vern and Verniece couldn't believe that they were in the midst of it all, the sights, the sounds, the scents, and the spirit of Brazil.
Photo from @ verniecenciso on Instagram
Photo from @vernenciso on Instagram
But their once-in-a-lifetime adventure didn't stop there, because this was merely the midpoint, as they were to finally make their way to Machu Picchu. From a bucket list destination to actual reality a mere hours away, they couldn't contain their excitement, which was only upended by aggressive bouts of jet lag. Without letting this stop them, Vern and Verniece Enciso flew to Lima, Peru, before eventually landing at Cusco, where the heat of Brazil became a quick thing of the past with a shocking 10-degrees Celsius temperature greeting them.
Confronted by rains and sudden altitude sickness caused by the sharp shift in temperature, the sisters had to make a quick decision to stay in a boutique hotel before carrying on with their scheduled travel to Machu Picchu through Aguas Calientes. "Thankfully, we stocked up on medicines and tea, as well as backed up by the global reach of the Metrobank Vantage Credit Card, because this sudden side trip turn came with its own advantages, mostly which was to rest and recover for their big day ahead. "Transactions and transfers were really so efficient," they said, which helped ease their worries, of course.
Preceded by a train ride with a view of the Peruvian countryside of mountain ranges, rivers, and heaped houses, the gateway town to the legendary Inca ruins proved to be a worthy respite, where they were able to recuperate and charge up with the Peruvian delicacies and meals they devoured in the weaving alleyways of the market place. It goes without saying that more shopping was done, where Vern convinced Verniece to buy fluffy Peruvian headgears to go with their planned looks, and of course, to insulate them from the biting chill. "We even had a mini-contest to see who was the better haggler between the two," shares Verniece. "The trick, I learned is to look sad and walk away. Good thing Vern convinced me to get the har, because it was so helpful later on."
At long last, the day had arrived, Vern and Verniece Enciso were all set to trek their way to Machu Picchu with the help of their tour guide who filled them in on what to expect, as well as snippets of stories from the remnants of the citadels.
Nestled in the mountain-ringed valley in the Andes, Machu Picchu (which literally means old mountain), is not for the faint of heart. Whether you choose to hike or take a ride to the archeological site, it will still prove to be a winding experience as you trace your steps through the slopes of the mysterious and moving attraction. A UNESCO World Heritage that attracts throngs of tourists yearly, which now includes the Enciso siblings. "It's like a postcard come to life," expresses Verniece as they take in the expanse from above.
From the verdant greens that colors the mountains and hills, the tuft of clouds wisping about the blue-tinged sky, and the piles of gray lining what once a thriving civilization, it was quite literally a breathtaking view that Vern and Verniece just took a moment to relish in. As the euphoria settled, they explored every nook and cranny of Machu Picchu with much verve, taking photos and videos (even running into a little hiccup when the site administration thought they were models doing a photo shoot, which was thankfully explained by their tour guide that it wasn't the case), and eventually getting to come face-to-face with sunbathing rain-drenched llamas.
As if it couldn't get any better, the heavens opened itself up even more, washing the scene with even an incandescent light that not only brightened the view, but also filled the spirits of a very grateful Vern and Verniece Enciso, because apart from the obvious pleasures of this once-in-a-lifetime destination, this adventure in their lives was more than just content collected. For the two, it was a chance to bond even more, withstanding hours and miles of traveled, as well as sickness induced. This wasn't just a tick off their list, but a beautiful chapter in their story that they will treasure for a lifetime and more.
Photography DOOKIE DUC AY
Creative direction SUKI SALVADOR
Styling RJ ROQUE and LYN ALUMNO
Makeup PONG NIU
Hair JAN EDROSALAN
Shoot coordination THEA MARTIN and ANGELA JACOB


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Osé Takes Microrobotics in a New Direction
Technology Editor Bill Wong talks with Lora DiCarlo's Director of Engineering, Kim Porter, about designing Osé.
William G. Wong | Apr 24, 2019
Osé is the first product from Lora DiCarlo, a women-run startup that emerged from Oregon State University. Osé is a microrobotic female pleasure stimulator (see figure) that made waves at this year's Consumer Electronics Show for an award it was given and then rescinded.
While some may find the product and its discussion a bit too racy for their tastes, it's based on advanced engineering that implements biomimicry and haptic feedback that's being using in a variety of less controversial products.
Osé uses microrobotics to implement biomimicry and haptic feedback.
I had a chance to interview Kim Porter, the Director of Engineering at Lora DiCarlo. The company raised $1.1 million in 2018 for research and is poised to deliver product in the fall of 2019.
How did the Osé project come about?
Mostly it comes down to our founder's tenacity. When she was 28, she experienced her first blended orgasm—and she literally fell onto the floor, it was so good. She talks openly about it. At that point, all I could think was "how do I do that again?" Blended orgasms are essentially the holy grail of orgasms and they can be extremely difficult to reach without juggling the perfect combination of toys or a really talented partner, and neither of those are easy to come by.
Osé grew out of the desire to make a product that could give all people with vaginas that experience—whether they have a partner or not. She turned around from that experience and put together a list of 53 engineering requirements, and took it to Oregon State University and John Parmagani to get the engineering process started. What we're working on now is very close to Lora's original vision, which is amazing.
Kim Porter, Director of Engineering, Lora DiCarlo
What are the microrobotic components of the system?
Each of our three primary functions are based on robotics. The touch-less clitoral stimulation uses a micro-mechanism that creates an alternating pressure differential to simulate all of the movements of a mouth. The biomimetic g-spot stimulator uses a gear motor that drives a finger-like movement. And we use a proprietary pneumatic system to ensure that it fits perfectly.
What challenges were addressed in the design of these systems?
Getting micro robots to fit into an anatomically appropriate shape and size was our biggest challenge. We upgraded absolutely everything about a dual stimulator—size, power, and material strength. Additionally, creating a completely hands-free product that stimulates the entire clitoris was a core challenge to developing this product—it has never been possible before. It offers so many new possibilities for using your hands during intimacy and masturbation, and even for general accessibility for users who have difficulty using handheld devices.
What were some of the material challenges and how are they addressed in the final product?
The material challenges are inherently married to the mechanism and design-wise could not be delineated. The biggest challenge with a product like this is the balance between energy use and power, which presents as friction and heat. So, we had to be very smart about the silicone durometer, polymer selection, and components. Our biggest concern is the material biocompatibility and human efficacy.
Kim Porter has over 30 years of product design and manufacturing experience. In her previous role as a Program Director at ZIBA Design, she has designed products for clients such as Intel, Nike, Morrow, Precor, Starbucks, FedEx, and Coleman/Peak 1. Prior to ZIBA, she worked at Nike as an engineer in the Advanced Product Engineering group and at ILC Dover designing custom space suits for NASA astronauts. She is minor-league famous for bringing the first Microsoft ergonomic keyboard to market. Kim has a BS in ESci from Iowa State University.
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Australia bushfires
Australian comedian Celeste Barber raises $50 million for bushfire victims
Vita Molyneux
Watch: High-profile names have been raising money to donate to those battling Australia's bushfires. Credits: Video - Newshub ; Image - Getty
Comedian Celeste Barber has raised an incredible $50 million in donations for the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.
The 37-year-old and her family were evacuated due to the devastating fires which have raised more than 10 million hectares across Australia.
"Someone needed to do something and the people did something," Barber told 7 News on Sunday.
Comedian Celeste Barber gives emotional update on 'incredible' $43m bushfire fundraiser
'This is terrifying': Aussie comedian raises more than $20m for fire services
Barber is not the only celebrity who has raised money for the victims.
Kylie Minogue and her family have donated NZ$516,335 towards firefighting efforts, as did pop star P!nk.
Kath & Kim star Magda Szubanksi and Will 'Egg Boy' Connolly have started a GoFundMe crowdfunding effort to raise money for mental health services for bushfire victims, which has raised more than $67,123 in 24 hours
The fires have been burning out of control since December and at least 26 people have died.


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Wild Feathers settle on 'Lonely is a Lifetime'
Maybe The Wild Feathers aren't so wild after all.
Wild Feathers settle on 'Lonely is a Lifetime' Maybe The Wild Feathers aren't so wild after all. Check out this story on courier-journal.com: https://cjky.it/1pnGE8S
Glenn Gamboa, Newsday, @ndmusic Published 7:05 a.m. ET March 16, 2016
Lonley is a Lifetime album cover(Photo: Courtesy Photo)
The Nashville quartet's eponymous debut was a raucous Americana affair - part Southern rock swagger, part alt-country cool.
For their sophomore outing "Lonely Is a Lifetime" (Warner Bros.), the band is far more focused and radio-friendly, like when Kings of Leon entered their "Use Somebody" period. And there is no shortage of radio-ready tracks here.
"Sleepers" channels early Coldplay with its chiming guitar and massive chorus, creating a multi-format sing-a-long. The way Taylor Burns, Ricky Young and Joel King share vocals on "Leave Your Light On" calls to mind recent Goo Goo Dolls hits.
However, The Wild Feathers expand their sound in other directions as well on "Lonely Is a Lifetime." The title track, with its sweet harmonies and spare instrumentation, gives the album some artistic heft while the carefree "Happy Again" is alt-country that's shaggier than ever as if it leapt off Wilco's genre-defying debut.
"Overnight," the album's first single, directs that energy in a catchier rock direction, showing how the band is ready to forge its own path with all its new influences in tow.
-- Glenna Gamboa, 3 of 4 stars
Read or Share this story: https://cjky.it/1pnGE8S
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smapse.com Countries Russia St. Petersburg Private school-gymnasium "Northern Venice" Kindergarten (Russian)
Julia S. (a review about the University of Hawaii school)
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Description : Kindergarten (Russian) in Private school-gymnasium "Northern Venice"
Private school-gymnasium "Northern Venice"
St. Petersburg / Russia
Ranking: 70
Language of studies Russian
Education type: co-educational school
Kindergarten (Russian)
Check with
Pre-school education (pre-school preparation)
Age: 5-7 years.
Private school, gymnasium "Venice of the North" helps children and parents in preparing the child for school. Training includes a set of subject lessons, sports and physical activity, developing and entertaining games, quizzes, events and excursions. Teachers, educators, a speech therapist and a psychologist work with the children, the program is adjusted depending on the individual level and the needs of each child. Program participants subsequently adapt more easily to school life and program.
The private school, North Venice Gymnasium was opened in 2010, has state accreditation and excellent characteristics from experts and specialists, is a member of the St. Petersburg Association for International Cooperation. Pupils and parents speak positively about the school and their learning experience.
The school implements education in general educational programs of primary, basic general and secondary general education, there is a school preparation program. Stuednts are in the gymnasium from morning to evening (half board): after completing the lessons, they attend clubs and sections, go in for sports and art, go on excursions and events. Foreign languages and many subjects are studied in depth.
The teachers of the gymnasium have a high level of qualification, work experience and a strong desire to help students in development: in addition to knowledge in subjects, they give stuednts care and attention, help to solve all the issues that arise. The school is visited by workers of science and art, business representatives, special lectures, master classes are held. Pupils of the school regularly win regional, national and international competitions and contests.
Categories : education abroadeducation in Russiasecondary education in Russiasecondary education abroad
Primary classes (Russian)
Classes: 1-4
Classes start: September
Form of study: full-time, individual education, family education, distance learning.
The private school, the North Venice Gymnasium, offers high-quality training programs for an elementary school course, compiled in accordance with the requirements of the state standard. In the gymnasium there is a special individualized system, where each student receives professional help and support in subject studies, development of creative potential, upbringing and spiritual and moral aspects. Teachers, a psychologist and a speech therapist in close cooperation with their parents help children adapt to new environments and classroom work. In 1-2 classes, many classes are held in a game form. The gymnasium expands and complements compulsory subjects: children acquire knowledge of the history and culture of the city, etiquette and rules of conduct, and English is studied in depth. Primary school gives a good start and knowledge that helps in the future.
Middle classes (Russian)
Middle classes
Form of study: full-time, individual education, family education, distance learning, extern.
In the 5th grade begins training in the program of basic general education, which lasts for 5 years. The private school, the gymnasium "Northern Venice" conducts programs developed in accordance with the state standard - children study a number of special subjects, study in circles and sections. Teachers teach children to think critically, set goals and objectives and achieve their execution, analyze and use information. In-depth study of English and second foreign language. In the 8th and 9th grades, children choose the most interesting sciences and subjects for in-depth study; after the 9th grade, state exams are held in 4 subjects. Graduates receive a certificate, go to grade 10 or go to other educational institutions.
Senior classes (Russian)
Classes: 10-11
Starting from the 10th grade, a two-year program of secondary (complete) general education is conducted. The private school, the gymnasium "Northern Venice" teaches adolescents in a unique, individualized system, including work on subjects, in-depth study of languages, active preparation for exams and entering universities, cultural development. During this period, adolescents are determined with their preferences, choose subjects for intensive study and passing exams. The state exam (USE) is held after grade 11 (Russian, mathematics, a choice of subjects): graduates receive a certificate, enter higher education institutions in Russia, Europe and America.
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Planning for your retirement should start now, when there's still time for you to save and still have the energy to work and earn money. The earlier you start saving and keep saving, the higher the possibility of you retiring with the best lifestyle possible. You can even retire richer than you were while working with the right investment strategy.
One of the many ways that you can ensure a stress-free retirement is through a 401(k). Without a doubt, you've heard of it before, and you may be saving money in a 401k. But what do you really know about your 401k except that it's a pension plan?
Time to educate yourself. Continue reading to become financially literate about your 401k and retirement.
A 401k is an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan, where you save and invest a part of your paycheck before taxes are taken out. This means, if you allocate 7% of your income to your 401k, it will be deducted from your gross earnings, which will be higher than if the 7% was deducted after taxes.
How much should you set aside for your 401k?
Financial experts agree that you should save at least 10% of your paycheck for your retirement account. You can choose to go lower, of course. But the more you allocate, the more money you can enjoy in the future.
The money you invest in your 401k can be spread through various products, or in stocks, money market fund and bonds that comprise a spread of mutual funds. You have full control of how your money is invested, which would require a certain level of financial literacy or, at least, basic knowledge of different investment products.
Stocks are a share in the ownership of a company, representing a claim on a corporation's assets and earnings. How much you earn will depend on the amount of stocks you own.
Money market funds are a relatively safe investment in short-term securities, such as the US Treasury bill. They're as safe as bank deposits, but with a higher yield.
Bonds are a form of debt investment, where your money is loaned to the government or a company.
The most popular option, however, is target-date funds that combine stocks and bonds. One is high risk, while the other is low risk. What is great about this option is that it becomes more conservative, as you reach your retirement age. This makes practical sense, since you don't want to risk your savings when you're nearing the time that you'll need them the most.
As it is a subsection of the Internal Revenue Code, a 401(k) is regulated by the Internal Revenue code, and the government sets the rules on contribution and treatment of retirement accounts.
401k savings are tax-free. Tax will only apply upon early withdrawal.
If you are over age 50, you need to make an additional contribution of $6,000 to bring your total contribution to $24,000.
You must keep your funds invested in 401(k) until you reach the age of 59 and ½.
Withdrawing early from your pension plan will incur taxes and penalties, unless you meet an exception.
If you cash out early from your 401k, you will have to pay a 10% early withdrawal penalty. This is on top of the federal and state income tax that you need to face.
Scenario 1: You withdraw $50,000 from your pension, at an income bracket of 20%.
30% of tax and penalty is cut from your withdrawal.
Scenario 2: You withdraw $30,000 from your 401k, at an income bracket of 25%.
35% of tax and penalty is cut from your withdrawal.
Think your investment options for your pension plan are limited? You can always rollover your 401k to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). This option is also highly recommended if you leave a company before your retirement age.
With an IRA, you have access to more investment options such as gold and silver IRA's, and you get to choose the brokerage firm where you want to roll your funds. This means, you get to select the fees to pay for a broker, unlike in 401k plans where fees are not transparent. You can also withdraw money from your IRA for education expenses, and to buy a house for the first time without facing taxes and penalties.
Rollover to a new employer's 401k if you want all your funds in one account, or when your new employer offers better investment options.
You can also choose to leave your 401(k) with your old employer if the cost and investment options are better than what your new employer offers.
Starting a 401k is entirely up to you. You also get to decide when to start making contributions. But if you want a retirement plan that works to your advantage, you should start early and save more than the recommended 10%. Save for the future, so you can enjoy the kind of lifestyle you deserve – in luxury and style. Believe me. It is possible.


text:
The first sip
Wine + Gastronomy
"I had come to the conclusion that I must really be French, only no one had ever informed me of this fact. I loved the people, the food, the lay of the land, the civilized atmosphere and the generous pace of life."
Almost everybody has dreamt of the "French lifestyle" at least once in their lifetime. For many, the image of France evokes the smell of hot croissants and freshly brewed coffee coming from a nearby café, or visions of the majestic Eiffel Tower and fashionable Parisians strolling on the Champs Elysees, or maybe of lazy summer days in a French countryside dotted with quaint villages, with sprawling hillside vineyards and their wine-beckoning terraces…
The idea behind WineTime France is simple: we want to demystify the image of wine in France by curating unforgettable wine experiences, all while immersing you into the local gastronomy and culture in some of the best wine regions in France: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and the Loire Valley.
Thirsty yet ?
WineTime reviews
Amanda - Landenberg, PA
Amazing trip!
Our group had all levels of wine expertise, from near non drinkers (my spouse) to Sommeliers and the people like me who just love to drink wine!
Jodi and Stephen made sure that everyone in the group had an exceptional experience, we all ended the trip feeling very connected to Burgundy and can't wait to go back!
Our experience simply could not be duplicated anywhere else in the world! From rarified tours and tastings in cellars and chateaus (some of which dated back to Medieval times) to spending time in the gorgeous and historic town of Beaune to biking through vineyards followed by an alfresco wine picnic, everything was carefully and thoughtfully planned by a team with both a vast amount of knowledge and obvious love of the area!
Anu - Nashville, TN
We had a truly fantastic experience in France. I already loved Burgundy wines, but this trip to the heart of Burgundy, took us to another level. Can't wait for the next trip. Thank you Jodi & Stephen.
Kaitlyn - Washington DC
The most perfect wine tour to explore a beautiful region of France. Stephen was enjoyable company to spend the day with and was extremely knowledgeable. We would definitely recommend WineTime France and hope to return to explore one day;
to be discovered…
Champagne; the universal drink of celebration and love. Over 300 million bottles are sold around the world, each one produced from grape to bottle in this small grape-growing region located only 100 miles outside of Paris.
Here you'll discover a trail of manicured vineyards draped over the rolling hillsides, shouldering tiny villages, and inevitably leading to the cities Epernay and Reims, where the iconic Bollinger, Veuve Cliquot, and Ruinart house their glorious champagnes. Pay a visit to one of the family-owned producers in a nearby village, or explore the tunnels carved out beneath the city of Reims by its ancient Roman inhabitants.
No wine region in France exists without its gastronomy, and Champagne is no exception. White sausage (Retherl Boudin Blanc), Joute vegetable stew, and Chaource cheese are delectable local specialties that incidentally all pair perfectly with champagne!
Treat yourself to a celebration
One of France's best-kept secrets, Burgundy is home to some of the most iconic and expensive wines in the world. Sleepy yet prestigious villages: Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée, Musigny, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, to name just a few, lay idle between the prestigious vineyards like diamonds on a necklace.
The Burgundy countryside is a renowned landscape of grassy hills and pine forests. But visit the ancient city of Dijon, the capital of Burgundy and former home to the Dukes of Burgundy and you'll uncover a perfect blend of architectural beauty and French history as you walk along the paths trodden by the Dukes of Burgundy and enter the market designed by the illustrious Gustav Eiffel.
Discover cheeses that are truly exceptional, like the pungent Epoisses, the briochy Citeaux, the creamy Brillat Savarin, and salty/nutty Comté. For heavier fare, head to a brasserie around the famous covered market area (designed by Gustav Eiffel) or the Place de la Liberation opposite the ducal palace to sample the famous Escargots, Beef Bourguignon, Poulet de Bresse (considered as the best chicken in France) and much more.
Discover Burgundy's hidden charms
Bordeaux is the oldest and arguably the most famous wine region in the world. Its red wines are legendary: Cabernets are bold, Merlot's elegant, Cabernet Francs intense, Sauternes are sublimely sweet, and the Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and expressive. Each château has its own architectural charm and legend, whether Petrus, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, or Yquem to name just a few.
The stunningly beautiful vineyards lying on either side of the rivers Gironde and Garonne match the equally elegant city of Bordeaux proudly known as the City of Art & History and making it one of the most fascinating and popular cities in France.
Bordeaux's culinary reputation is second to none. On the coast, you will find a mouth-watering array of seafood dishes, including Cap Ferret oysters, Aquitaine caviar, and the region's tender, grass-fed Beef de Bazas. and for desserts head to the village of Saint Emilion for the perfect macaron, or sample one of the deeply caramelized Canelé pastries fresh from a local bakery.
The best alternative to Paris
The natural beauty of this aptly called "Garden of France" is truly unparalleled. Following the Loire River as it carves its bed through hills and forests, you will uncover an endless string of breath-taking Chateaux. The region stretches 600 miles from the center of France to the Atlantic coast, making the Loire the third biggest wine region in France. Its cities burst with legends, with Orléans, the official capital of the Loire, the birthplace of Joan of Arc!
Here, you'll find the famous Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre, as well as Chenin Blanc from Touraine and Anjou.
There are many gourmet delights, particularly in the city of Tours. Pop into one of the city's many fabulous restaurants to sample some Rillettes, as this local pork spread is known to be the best in France. And we highly recommend you order the fish, as the region specializes in many dishes featuring some of the local varieties of river fish.
A lazy trip down the river
Thirsty for more?
Jodi B. Murphy
FRANCE OFFICE
Stephen J. Liney
Nuits-Saint George, France
© WineTime France 2022
Photo credits ©Michel Joly ©Vosne Tasting Club ©Stephen Liney
Designed & developed by 83°NORD


Tour operators are constantly being presented with the challenge of diversifying their offerings and increasing their profits. If you run a business in a region that relies on the tourism industry, you might want to consider adding other tours or activties to your business as a way to generate extra income and increase your customer base. Whether you plan to offer tours of your location and an explanation of how your business operates, or you simply want to earn a commission by helping your own customers book tours in the area, there's plenty of extra potential revenue by selling packaged tours.
Partner with local tour and activity providers who offer products that your customers might be interested in as well. You may want to select a tour company that offers excursions that complement your own business style and mission. For example: You offer a rafting adventures, at the end of the tour, you try to get customers to book another Adrenalin adventure, like zip-lining or Canyoning. Select tours that can be booked through an automated online booking system. You will want to work with a company that offers a system that provides you with easy, accurate payments. This ensures that you get the commission you deserve for reselling tours and activities. Of course, you also will want to work with tour operators who offer you a favorable commission rate. you can even embed a booking button on your own website, allowing your customers to book their own tours while you collect a commission payment. It really can be that easy!
Invest in an online booking system that provides you with the features you need. Real-time availability booking is critical, because this ensures that you and all of your agents are aware of exactly what has been booked at any given moment. You can even share resources across different types of tours, prioritize resource management, as this is becoming more complex and more rewarding once organized properly. You won't want to book too many people on a tour and not have enough seats for them on the bus. Knowing your real-time availability allows you to shift focus between products to maximize your profits.