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Becoming a Seasoned Investor
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The Story of Berkshire Hathaway's Billionaire Chairman
••• Steve Pope / Stringer / Getty Images
By Joshua Kennon
Warren Edward Buffett was born on August 30, 1930, to his mother Leila and father Howard, a stockbroker-turned-Congressman. The second oldest, he had two sisters and displayed an amazing aptitude for both money and business at a very early age. Acquaintances recount his uncanny ability to calculate columns of numbers off the top of his head - a feat Warren still amazes business colleagues with today.
At only six years old, Buffett purchased 6-packs of Coca-Cola from his grandfather's grocery store for twenty-five cents and resold each of the bottles for a nickel, pocketing a five cent profit. While other children his age were playing hopscotch and jacks, Warren was making money. Five years later, Buffett took his first step into the world of high finance.
At eleven years old, he purchased three shares of Cities Service Preferred at $38 per share for both himself and his older sister, Doris. Shortly after buying the stock, it fell to just over $27 per share. A frightened but resilient Warren held his shares until they rebounded to $40. He promptly sold them - a mistake he would soon come to regret. Cities Service shot up to $200. The experience taught him one of the basic lessons of investing: patience is a virtue.
Warren Buffett's Education
In 1947, Warren Buffett graduated from high school when he was 17 years old. It was never his intention to go to college; he had already made $5,000 delivering newspapers (this is equal to $42,610.81 in 2000). His father had other plans and urged his son to attend the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Buffett only stayed two years, complaining that he knew more than his professors. When Howard was defeated in the 1948 Congressional race, Warren returned home to Omaha and transferred to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Despite working full-time, he managed to graduate in only three years.
Warren Buffett approached graduate studies with the same resistance he displayed a few years earlier. He was finally persuaded to apply to Harvard Business School, which, in the worst admission decision in history, rejected him as "too young". Slighted, Warren then applied to Columbia where famed investors Ben Graham and David Dodd taught - an experience that would forever change his life.
Ben Graham - Buffett's Mentor
Ben Graham had become well known during the 1920s. At a time when the rest of the world was approaching the investment arena as if it were a giant game of roulette, Graham searched for stocks that were so inexpensive they were almost completely devoid of risk. One of his best-known calls was the Northern Pipe Line, an oil transportation company managed by the Rockefellers.
The stock was trading at $65 a share, but after studying the balance sheet, Graham realized that the company had bond holdings worth $95 for every share. The value investor tried to convince management to sell the portfolio, but they refused. Shortly thereafter, he waged a proxy war and secured a spot on the Board of Directors. The company sold its bonds and paid a dividend in the amount of $70 per share.
When he was 40 years old, Ben Graham published Security Analysis, one of the greatest works ever penned on the stock market. At the time, it was risky; investing in equities had become a joke (the Dow Jones had fallen from 381.17 to 41.22 over the course of three to four short years following the crash of 1929). It was around this time that Graham came up with the principle of "intrinsic" business value - a measure of a business's true worth that was completely and totally independent of the stock price.
Using intrinsic value, investors could decide what a company was worth and make investment decisions accordingly. His subsequent book, The Intelligent Investor, which Warren celebrates as "the greatest book on investing ever written", introduced the world to Mr. Market - the best investment analogy in history.
Through his simple yet profound investment principles, Ben Graham became an idyllic figure to the twenty-one-year-old Warren Buffett. Reading an old edition of Who's Who, Warren discovered his mentor was the Chairman of a small, unknown insurance company named GEICO. He hopped a train to Washington D.C. one Saturday morning to find the headquarters. When he got there, the doors were locked. Not to be stopped, Buffett relentlessly pounded on the door until a janitor came to open it for him. He asked if there was anyone in the building.
As luck (or fate) would have it, there was. It turns out that there was a man still working on the sixth floor. Warren was escorted up to meet him and immediately began asking him questions about the company and its business practices; a conversation that stretched on for four hours. The man was none other than Lorimer Davidson, the Financial Vice President. The experience would be something that stayed with Buffett for the rest of his life. He eventually acquired the entire GEICO company through his corporation, Berkshire Hathaway.
Flying through his graduate studies at Columbia, Warren Buffett was the only student ever to earn an A+ in one of Graham's classes. Disappointingly, both Ben Graham and Warren's father advised him not to work on Wall Street after he graduated. Absolutely determined, Buffett offered to work for the Graham partnership for free. Ben turned him down. He preferred to hold his spots for Jews who were not hired at Gentile firms at the time. Warren was crushed.
Warren Buffett Returns Home
Returning home, he took a job at his father's brokerage house and began seeing a girl by the name of Susie Thompson. The relationship eventually turned serious and in April of 1952, the two were married. They rented out a three-room apartment for $65 a month; it was run-down and the young couple shared the space with a family of mice. It was here their daughter, also named Susie, was born. In order to save money, they made a bed for her in a dresser drawer.
During these initial years, Warren's investments were predominately limited to a Texaco station and some real estate, but neither were successful. It was also during this time he began teaching night classes at the University of Omaha (something that wouldn't have been possible several months before. In an effort to conquer his intense fear of public speaking, Warren took a course by Dale Carnegie). Thankfully, things changed. Ben Graham called one day, inviting the young stockbroker to come to work for him.
Warren was finally given the opportunity he had long awaited.
Warren Buffett Goes to Work for Ben Graham
Warren and Susie moved into a house in the suburbs of New York. Buffett spent his days analyzing S&P reports, searching for investment opportunities. It was during this time that the differences between the Graham and Buffett philosophies began to emerge.
Warren became interested in how a company worked - what made it superior to competitors. Ben simply wanted numbers whereas Warren was predominately interested in a company's management as a major factor when deciding to invest, Graham looked only at the balance sheet and income statement; he could care less about corporate leadership. Between 1950 and 1956, Warren built his personal capital up to $140,000 from a mere $9,800. With this war chest, he set his sights back on Omaha and began planning his next move.
On May 1, 1956, Warren Buffett rounded up seven limited partners which included his sister Doris and Aunt Alice, raising $105,000 in the process. He put in $100 himself, officially creating the Buffett Associates, Ltd. Before the end of the year, he was managing around $300,000 in capital.
Small, to say the least, but he had much bigger plans for that pool of money. He purchased a house for $31,500, affectionately nicknamed "Buffett's Folly", and managed his partnerships originally from one of the home's bedrooms, then later, a small office. By this time, his life had begun to take shape; he had three children, a beautiful wife, and a very successful business.
Over the course of the next five years, Buffett's partnerships racked up an impressive 251.0% profit, while the Dow was up only 74.3%. A somewhat-celebrity in his hometown, Warren never gave stock tips despite constant requests from friends and strangers alike. By 1962, the partnership had capital in excess of $7.2 million, of which a cool $1 million was Buffett's personal stake (he didn't charge a fee for the partnership - rather Warren was entitled to 1/4 of the profits above 4%).
He also had more than 90 limited partners across the United States. In one decisive move, he melded the partnerships into a single entity called "Buffett Partnerships Ltd.", upped the minimum investment to $100,000, and opened an office in Kiewit Plaza on Farnam street.
In 1962, a man by the name of Charlie Munger moved back to his childhood home of Omaha from California. Though somewhat snobbish, Munger was brilliant in every sense of the word. He had attended Harvard Law School without a Bachelor's Degree. Introduced by mutual friends, Buffett and Charlie were immediately drawn together, providing the roots for a friendship and business collaboration that would last for the next forty years.
Ten years after its founding, the Buffett Partnership assets were up more than 1,156% compared to the Dow's 122.9%. Acting as lord over assets that had ballooned to $44 million dollars, Warren and Susie's personal stake was $6,849,936. Mr. Buffett, as they say, had arrived.
Wisely enough, just as his persona of success was beginning to be firmly established, Warren Buffett closed the partnership to new accounts. The Vietnam war raged full force on the other side of the world and the stock market was being driven up by those who hadn't been around during the depression. All while voicing his concern for rising stock prices, the partnership pulled its biggest coup in 1968, recording a 59.0% gain in value, catapulting to over $104 million in assets.
The next year, Warren went much further than closing the fund to new accounts; he liquidated the partnership. In May 1969, he informed his partners that he was "unable to find any bargains in the current market". Buffett spent the remainder of the year liquidating the portfolio, with the exception of two companies - Berkshire and Diversified Retailing.
The shares of Berkshire were distributed among the partners with a letter from Warren informing them that he would, in some capacity, be involved in the business, but was under no obligation to them in the future. Warren was clear in his intention to hold onto his own stake in the company (he owned 29% of the Berkshire Hathaway stock) but his intentions weren't revealed.
Warren Buffett Gains Control of Berkshire Hathaway
Buffett's role at Berkshire Hathaway had actually been somewhat defined years earlier. On May 10, 1965, after accumulating 49% of the common stock, Warren named himself Director. Terrible management had run the company nearly into the ground, and he was certain with a bit of tweaking, it could be better managed.
Immediately Mr. Buffett made Ken Chace president of the company, giving him complete autonomy over the organization. Although he refused to award stock options on the basis that it was unfair to shareholders, Warren agreed to cosign a loan for $18,000 for his new President to purchase 1,000 shares of the company's stock.
Two years later, in 1967, Warren asked National Indemnity's founder and controlling shareholder Jack Ringwalt to his office. Asked what he thought the company was worth, Ringwalt told Buffett the company was worth at least $50 per share, a $17 premium above its then-trading price of $33.
Warren offered to buy the whole company on the spot - a move that cost him $8.6 million dollars. That same year, Berkshire paid out a dividend of 10 cents on its outstanding stock. It never happened again; Warren said he "must have been in the bathroom when the dividend was declared".
In 1970, Buffett named himself Chairman of the Board of Berkshire Hathaway and for the first time, wrote the letter to the shareholders (Ken Chace had been responsible for the task in the past). That same year, the Chairman's capital allocation began to display his prudence.
Textile profits were a pitiful $45,000, while insurance and banking each brought in $2.1 and $2.6 million dollars. The paltry cash brought in from the struggling looms in New Bedford, Massachusetts had provided the stream of capital necessary to start building Berkshire Hathaway into what it has become today.
A year or so later, Warren Buffett was offered the chance to buy a company by the name of See's Candy. The gourmet chocolate maker sold its own brand of candies to its customers at a premium to regular confectionary treats. The balance sheet reflected what Californians already knew - they were more than willing to pay a bit "extra" for the special "See's" taste.
The businessman decided Berkshire would be willing to purchase the company for $25 million in cash. See's owners were holding out for $30 million, but soon conceded. It was the biggest investment Berkshire or Buffett had ever made.
Following several investments and an SEC investigation (after causing a merger to fail, Warren and Munger offered to buy the stock of Wesco, the target company, at the inflated price simply because they thought it was "the right thing to do" - not surprisingly, the government didn't believe them), Buffett began to see Berkshire Hathaway's net worth climb.
From 1965 to 1975, the company's book value rose from $20 per share to around $95. It was also during this period that Warren made his final purchases of Berkshire stock. (When the partnership dolled out the shares, he owned 29%.
Years later, he had invested more than $15.4 million dollars into the company at an average cost of $32.45 per share.) This brought his ownership to over 43% of the stock with Susie holding another 3%. His entire fortune was placed into Berkshire. With no personal holdings, the company had become his sole investment vehicle.
In 1976, Buffett once again became involved with GEICO. The company had recently reported amazingly high losses and its stock was pummeled down to $2 per share. Warren wisely realized that the basic business was still intact; most of the problems were caused by an inept management team.
Over the next few years, Berkshire built up its position in this ailing insurer and reaped millions in profits. Benjamin Graham, who still held his fortune in the company, died in in September of the same year, shortly before the turnaround. Years later, the insurance giant would become a fully owned subsidiary of Berkshire.
Changes in Warren Buffett's Personal Life
It was shortly thereafter one of the most profound and upsetting events in Buffett's life took place. At forty-five, Susan Buffett left her husband - in form. Although she remained married to Warren, the humanitarian/singer secured an apartment in San Francisco and, insisting she wanted to live on her own, moved there.
Warren was absolutely devastated; throughout his life, Susie had been "the sunshine and rain in [his] garden". The two remained close, speaking every day, taking their annual two-week-long New York trip, and meeting the kids at their California beach house for Christmas get-togethers.
The transition was hard for the businessman, but he eventually grew somewhat accustomed to the new arrangement. Susie called several women in the Omaha area and insisted they go to dinner and a movie with her husband; eventually, she set Warren up with Astrid Menks, a waitress. Within the year, she moved in with Buffett, all with Susie's blessing.
Warren Buffett Wants Two Nickels to Rub Together
By the late '70s, his reputation had grown to the point that the rumor Warren Buffett was buying a stock was enough to shoot its price up 10%. Berkshire Hathaway's stock was trading at more than $290 a share, and Buffett's personal wealth was almost $140 million. The irony was that Warren never sold a single share of his company, meaning his entire available cash was the $50,000 salary he received. During this time, he made a comment to a broker, "Everything I got is tied up in Berkshire. I'd like a few nickels outside."
This prompted Warren to start investing for his personal life. According to Roger Lowenstein's book, Buffett, Warren was far more speculative with his own investments than he was with Berkshire's. At one point he bought copper futures which were unadulterated speculation. In a short time, he had made $3 million dollars. When prompted to invest in real estate by a friend, he responded: "Why should I buy real estate when the stock market is so easy?"
Berkshire Hathaway Announces Charitable Giving Program
Later, Buffett once again showed his tendency of bucking the popular trend. In 1981, the decade of greed, Berkshire announced a new charity plan which was thought up by Munger and approved by Warren. The plan called for each shareholder to designate charities which would receive $2 for each Berkshire share the stockholder owned.
This was in response to a common practice on Wall Street of the CEO choosing who received the company's hand-outs (often they would go to the executive's schools, churches, and organizations). The plan was a huge success and over the years the amount was upped for each share. Eventually, the Berkshire shareholders were giving millions of dollars away each year, all to their own causes.
The program was eventually discontinued after associates at one of Berkshire's subsidiaries, The Pampered Chef, experienced discrimination because of the controversial pro-choice charities Buffett chose to allocate his pro-rated portion of the charitable contribution pool. Another important event around this time was the stock price which hit $750 per share in 1982. Most of the gains could be attributed to Berkshire's stock portfolio which was valued at over $1.3 billion dollars.
Warren Buffett Buys Nebraska Furniture Mart, Scott Fetzer and an Airplane for Berkshire Hathaway
For all the fine businesses Berkshire had managed collect, one of the best was about to come under its stable. In 1983, Warren Buffett walked into Nebraska Furniture Mart, the multi-million dollar furniture retailer built from scratch by Rose Blumpkin. Speaking to Mrs. B, as local residents called her, Buffett asked if she would be interested in selling the store to Berkshire Hathaway.
Blumpkin's answer was a simple "yes", to which she added she would part for "$60 million". The deal was sealed on a handshake and a one-page contract was drawn up. The Russian-born immigrant merely folded the check without looking at it when she received it days later.
Scott & Fetzer was another great addition to the Berkshire family. The company itself had been the target of a hostile takeover when an LPO was launched by Ralph Schey, the Chairman. The year was 1984, and Ivan Boesky soon launched a counter offer for $60 a share (the original tender offer stood at $50 a share - $5 above market value).
The maker of Kirby vacuum cleaners and World Book encyclopedia, S&F was panicking. Buffett, who had owned a quarter of a million shares, dropped a message to the company asking them to call if they were interested in a merger. The phone rang almost immediately. Berkshire offered $60 per share in cold, hard, cash.
When the deal was wrapped up less than a week later, Berkshire Hathaway had a new $315 million dollar cash-generating powerhouse to add to its collection. The small stream of cash that was taken out of the struggling textile mill had built one of the most powerful companies in the world. Far more impressive things were to be done in the coming decade. Berkshire would see its share price climb from $2,600 to as high as $80,000 in the 1990s.
In 1986, Buffett bought a used Falcon aircraft for $850,000. As he had become increasingly recognizable, it was no longer comfortable for him to fly commercially. The idea of the luxury was a lifestyle that was hard for him to accept, but he loved the jet immensely. The passion for jets eventually, in part, led him to purchase Executive Jet in the 90s.
The 80s went on with Berkshire increasing in value as if on cue, the only bump in the road being the crash of 1987. Warren, who wasn't upset about the market correction, calmly checked the price of his company and went back to work. It was representative of how he viewed stocks and businesses in general. This was one of "Mr. Market's" temporary aberrations. It was quite a strong one; fully one-fourth of Berkshire's market cap was wiped out. Unfazed, Warren plowed on.
I'll Take a Coke
A year later, in 1988, he started buying up Coca-Cola stock like an addict. His old neighbor, now the President of Coca-Cola, noticed someone was loading up on shares and became concerned. After researching the transactions, he noticed the trades were being placed from the Midwest.
He immediately thought of Buffett, whom he called. Warren confessed to being the culprit and requested they don't speak of it until he was legally required to disclose his holdings at the 5% threshold. Within a few months, Berkshire owned 7% of the company or $1.02 billion dollars worth of the stock. Within three years, Buffett's Coca-Cola stock would be worth more than the entire value of Berkshire when he made the investment.
Warren Buffett's Money and Reputation On the Line During the Solomon Scandal
By 1989, Berkshire Hathaway was trading at $8,000 a share. Buffett was now, personally, worth more than $3.8 billion dollars. Within the next ten years, he would be worth ten times that amount. Before that would happen, there were much darker times ahead (read The Solomon Scandal).
Warren Buffet at the Turn of the Millennium
During the remainder of the 1990s, the stock catapulted as high as $80,000 per share. Even with this astronomical feat, as the dot-com frenzy began to take hold, Warren Buffett was accused of "losing his touch". In 1999, when Berkshire reported a net increase of 0.5% per share, several newspapers ran stories about the demise of the "Oracle of Omaha".
Confident that the technology bubble would burst, Warren Buffett continued to do what he did best: allocate capital to great businesses that were selling below intrinsic value. His efforts did not go unrewarded. When the markets finally did come to their senses, Warren Buffett was once again a star. Berkshire's stock recovered to its previous levels after falling to around $45,000 per share, and the man from Omaha was once again seen as an investment icon.
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Category: LDR 640. Tags: LDR 640 Grand Canyon, LDR 640 Grand Canyon Discussion, LDR640DQ, LDR640GrandCanyon, LDR640GrandCanyonDiscussion.
How can an awareness of one's cognitive factors and biases help a leader improve his/her ability to take the right risks for the right reasons and to innovate the risks appropriately?
Is it necessary for the employees to act like owners in order to create innovations? Support your position.


We've got three people asking for feedback from the Plover community!
First up, Josh is hard at work on the Stenosaurus, and in his most recent blog post, he gives us his working schematic of the design as it currently stands. He's definitely looking for comments from potential users before finalizing it, though, so if you've got any ideas, drop him a line.
The amazing Sveta from Audio Accessibility, a user experience expert, web designer, and accessibility consultant, is currently putting together a new consolidated website for The Open Steno Project, which should be much easier to navigate for potential users and contributors than the current sprawling tangle of links we have right now. She's put together a wireframe and is hoping for input from Plover users before refining it into HTML.
And finally, Boborama is working on a C-based sister/clone of Plover called StenoLite, and he's looking for feedback from testers, especially those with serial-based steno machines.


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Precision Stamping Company
Highly focused on the automotive industry, Precision Stamping Company is one of the largest producers of deep drawn stampings in the US Midwest. From modest beginnings, the Michigan-based company became a global supplier of stamped metal products.
Volume 16 | Issue 6 | Year 2013
A somewhat similar situation occurred on the opposite gender side – but it led to the creation of a new, and enduring, business. John Parke Jr., current president of Precision Stamping Company, describes the details: "My father, John Parke Sr., worked in a Michigan stamping plant. During the war, his role was elevated and he ran the plant. After the war, he was told that he had to go back to his old job. 'The heck with that,' he said.'"
So, using his accumulated war bonds, the senior Parke bought a stamping press and started his own business. Thus, the Precision Stamping Company (also known as Presco) was born. That was in 1946. Now, more than six decades later, Presco, located in Howell, Mich., has grown into more than 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Its major client base is the automotive industry, but the company also serves clients in the industrial, military, and commercial sectors. From its modest regional beginnings, it now serves customers throughout the world with its stamped metal products.
"The early years were a struggle for my father and his new business," recalls Parke. "Fortunately, my mother was a nurse, and her good salary helped support the company."
Parke continues the narrative. "We remain a family owned company," he says, "supplying metal stampings to a variety of customers – the main area being the automotive sector, where we have achieved a great deal of success. But that was more a matter of opportunity than a matter of choice. After all, we're headquartered in Michigan. But we now ship throughout the world. Many of our customers have plants in Mexico, so that's at least one destination for our parts."
Another substantial part of Presco's revenue involves servicing the HVAC industry, Parke relates.
Nonpareil Enterprise
During its ongoing existence, Presco has continued to develop and demonstrate capabilities that are second to none in its field.
"Right now, we have about 55 employees, and they are highly skilled when it comes to tooling, engineering, and production," boasts Parke. "Each employee brings great knowledge into the field, and with them helping us design our own tools, we have managed to remain very competitive. If you look at the entire stamping industry, we may seem a relatively small operation, but our employees' talents are enormous. We have been very fortunate."
In recent years, Presco has challenged itself and its employees to develop new stamping techniques that enhance production methodology, production efficiency and – very critical – quality.
"We adhere to ISO 16000 and 14000 standards, so we meet all of the quality ratings, and our people honor that commitment. And that's tied in with our stringent efforts toward superior customer service," says Parke.
How Does Presco Do It?
All of these efforts take place under a single roof – in the Howell, Mich. production facility – where the company continuously makes investments into manufacturing technology.
"For instance, we currently have a 300 ton-capacity press," says Parke. "Also, in our advanced tool room, we have deployed CNC capabilities. We make all of our own tools, and we heat treat and finish everything inside the building."
Indeed, within this state-of-the-art production site, you will find auto CAD design centers, CNC lathes, surface and ID grinders, bridge port mills, precision high-speed lathes, an overhead hoist, a machine repair center, drill presses, sand blasters, optical comparator, vertical and cutoff saws, a Hurco CNC mill, a jig grinder, and wired EDM.
That's an impressive technology menu. For sure, Presco invests in equipment that will increase efficiency, quality consistency, and on-time delivery. All customers' expectations are met.
As far as production processes, you'll find prototyping, roto-finishing, vibro-finishing, plating, mechanical assembly, part washing, rust proofing, embossing, powder coating, counter sinking, tumbling/deburring, and component assembly, among other skills.
"Our highly skilled employees will design and create new and innovative products, and we operate our industry's most reliable and accurate equipment," comments Parke, underscoring the "Precision" element of the company's name.
Here's another noteworthy Presco differentiator: It's a single-source supplier. Finishing, polishing, assembly, treatments – when a purchased product reaches a client's own facility, it's immediately ready for use.
Responsible Corporate Citizen
One of the developments of the business and industrial landscapes in the 21st century is that corporations have come to be viewed as "people."
Presco willingly accepts that designation and, as such, behaves as a responsible individual. Specifically, that relates to environment. In February 2009, Parke fashioned this official company statement: "Precision Stamping is aware of the environmental issues and accepts responsibility for any harmful effects its operations may have on both the local and global environment with a commitment to reduce them by measuring our impact on the environment through training and targets of ongoing improvement. Precision Stamping encourages our employees and suppliers support in improving our company's performance. To ensure a profitable future for our customers and Precision Stamping, we are committed to following the ISO/TS 16949 standard, and complying with all relevant environmental legislation applicable requirements, laws and regulations.
Now and the Future
When asked about growth, Parke wryly notes, "Just to be able to stay in business is good, in an economic environment that has gone up and down in recent years. We can't forecast growth. Nobody really knows what tomorrow brings."
But he does offer this observation: "If you look at our graphs, you'll see that our growth has been in the 25-percent range in the past several years. We have a tendency to overbook, because the busier the better."
But that doesn't mean that the company in any way comprises quality.
"We've also been creative when it comes to pricing – again, to keep us competitive," he adds.
As far as plans, Presco seeks to expand its customer base. "Working with the automotive industry has been a bumpy ride," says Parke. "We're looking to increase activities in the defense and aerospace sectors."
Presco is well poised to accomplish that ambition. "When we moved to Howell in 1990, we settled on ground that was fertile for growth," he reveals. "Since then, we have expanded twice, and installed a fair amount of new equipment. The first expansion represented a million-dollar investment. The second expansion came at a cost about 1.5 million."
www.precisionstamping.com
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text:
Perfect for the New Year!
From my friends at Stag Arms, the ideal briefcase for the Year the Mayan Calendar ends:
STAG ARMS is proud to announce that it has partnered with LAN World, Inc. to introduce the 2012 Executive Survivors Kit.
STAG ARMS and LAN World, Inc. have designed the executive survivor's kit (ESK) for the discerning customer that demands the highest quality equipment. Using only the finest products the 2012 ESK is truly the survivor's kit of choice for any type of disaster preparedness and personal security. The ESK can be purchased ($2012) online or over the phone where a customer service agent will find your closest dealer and assist in the transfer to you. The ESK with its military grade case is perfect for long term storage or can easily travel with you.
The 2012 Executive Survivor's Kit includes the following and is competitively priced at $2,012 (over $2500 value!):
•Stag Arms Model 2 AR-15 rifle
•Diamondhead Versa-Rail handguard
•EoTech 517 Holographic Red Dot Optic
•Stag Arms Field Repair Kit, OTIS AR-15 Cleaning Kit, & Silent Sling
•Two 30 Round Magazines (10 rounds for restricted states)
•Gerber MP 600 Multi-Pliers
•Gerber Omnivore LED Flashlight
•Dual Purpose Human/Pet First Aid Kit
•MRE Field Ration Meal
•Pelican 1700 Long Case
•60 Rounds of Quality Ammunition
Trying to get my apps back up and running...
Sorry for My Absence!
A combination of hellish end-of-the-year stuff that has to be finished by tomorrow and an ill-timed (okay,,,there aren't any GOOD times for this!) computer changeover that has not not gone nearly as well as I'd anticipated. I'm still trying to get everything up, running and sync'ed!
BTW, this AM saw a huge coyote in full winter fur about 7 yards from the house, standing up on one of our trees that came down in the last storm so he had a clear view of Alf the Wonder Beagle at the back door. That coyote would make a fine hat!
Clear, cold and very still here in the High Country. Dinner will be "Midwest Traditional," with smoked turkey, sage dressing, dumplings, grilled asparagus, homemade bread. My contributions include a new lime/tequila/jalapeño cranberry sauce, a small bowl of very-Southern oyster cornbread dressing and amaretto chocolate mousse. Maybe King Fu Girl Riesling wine for a change of pace.
Tomorrow I will pass the actual holiday day on a stationary bicycle so as not to completely blow all the weight I've lost over the last couple of months!
Got to get to cookin'.
Merry Christmas, y'all!
We just came back from a long walk in the snowy woods with the Wonder Beagle, shown here after sticking her nose deep into the snow to see if there were any elk, or anything edible, such as biscuits, nearby.
The woods are indeed lovely, dark and deep, and we are amazingly lucky to live up here. It's going to be a low-key Christmas here at the Secret Hidden Bunker, and, obviously, a very very white Christmas.
As always, our thoughts are with those who serve on far-flung fronts, especially with our dear friends somewhere in the wilds of Afghanistan...wish you were here, guys.
From our family, animals and all, to yours...Merry Christmas.
And tonight of all nights, peace.
Buffalos Died in the Frozen Fields, Ya Know!
Well, maybe not that cold, but it was nippy up here at the Bunker. We hosted a neighborhood party last night, and it went wonderfully. We even drank up the last of my hi-zoot Brian Benson Kandy Red, a just wonderful red wine.
The winter storm that slipped through last night dumped about a foot-and-a-half of snow, which my Sweetie and I spent the afternoon chiseling off the driveway..ah, winter! Almost.
I hated to see that Kevin Brittingham, founder of Advanced Armament, is out. Of course, Kevin sold AAC to Freedom Group/ Remington a couple of years back for about a zillion dollars, but the merging of the free-wheeling AAC culture (much loved by top tier military) with the more staid FG/Remington was easier said than done. Last time I talked to Kevin, there was a lot of tension there. It's a shame because so much innovation comes from those "skunk works" type companies. Kevin's a genius, and I wish him the best.
"I Can't Believe It's Monday" Monday Post
In other words, I need another Sunday, or maybe even a Saturday and Sunday. When a major holiday like Christmas happens on a weekend day, doesn't it seem like a gyp? I haver a genuine grueling day in front of me, staring at a microphone, which is, I realize, perhaps less taxing than hanging drywall. Still, a day's work...I'm waiting for the stuff I need to voice-over to finish downloading...the Secret Hidden Bunker's Internet connection is catch-as-catch-can.
I did shoot a cowboy match up in Ft. Collins Saturday, resulting in my worst place finish of the year...wowee zowee...my gun-handling seemed pretty good, but I somewhat cleverly avoided actually hitting targets. Head-not-in-game = piss-poor performance!
The new 1-hour format of SG looks very cool!
Cry, the Beloved Country!
The McBane of McBane weeps in his grave, and the fallen of Culloden Moor are dishonored...from The Scotsman:
ANYONE caught carrying a knife in town and city centres in Scotland in the coming weeks faces a potential four years in prison, under a new crackdown announced today.
The six-week pilot scheme will see cases automatically prosecuted as more serious offences, increasing the length of jail terms available to sheriffs from one year to four.
The move follows a similar strengthening of prosecution policy in July covering anyone found with a knife on licensed premises or public transport and in incidents linked to local gangs.
Prosecutors say anyone caught as part of the latest crackdown will be arrested and brought before a sheriff and jury.
Scotland's top law officer, Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland, QC, said the pilot would involve a zero-tolerance approach to the problem. He said: "The public will wish to enjoy the festive period in our towns and cities without fear. The zero-tolerance crackdown should help to deter anyone stupid enough to think about carrying a knife.
"If the threat of severe penalties for breaking the law deters knife carrying and prevents one act of violence it will have been a success."
No new legislation is planned by the Scottish Government on knife crime, according to a spokesman, but ministers will work to use existing laws more effectively.
Scots accused of possession of a knife in a public place in town and city centres during the pilot will see their cases automatically go through "solemn", not summary, procedure, increasing sentencing powers.
Victims groups and the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit welcomed the new approach to knife crime but shadow community safety minister James Kelly MSP said the Scottish Government needed to go further.
He said: "The Crown Office's tough new stance on knife crime is a step in the right direction, but with knife crime taking its toll on Scotland 365 days a year, the crackdown should be all year round, not just for Christmas.
"The message needs to be sent loud and clear that it is never, ever, acceptable to carry a knife on the streets of Scotland."
A Gun You Gotta Have!
The Ruger LCR revolver...in .22LR!
The .22 LCR weighs in at 14.7 ounces and has 8 holes in the stainless steel cylinder...otherwise it's the same as it's .38 and .357 brothers, including the patented Friction Reducing Cam trigger system that gives the small-frame revolvers one of the best trigger pulls I've ever felt on a revolver of that size.
The HUGE utility of the .22 LCR — and something that we've been talking about a lot on the podcasts and on THE BEST DEFENSE — is that it's a convenient, low-cost tool for practicing with a gun that for some people can be notoriously hard to shoot. Snubs are the embodiment of Jeff Cooper's "carried a lot; shot a little" dictum. But the problem is that a snubbie revolver's short sight radius, light weight and resulting "brisk" recoil make follow-up shots a bit of a challenge (LOL! With an ultralight .357 and 125-grain screamers, is that ever an understatement!).
The solution to the challenge is, as it pretty much is with all guns, to shoot them a lot. A .22 option allows you to shoot them a lot, and cheaply. I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that if you're new to CCW and think a snub revolver might be the way you want to go, I might get the .22 LCR first...no, .22 isn't the world's best self-defense cartridge, but it is substantially better than harsh language. Secondly, you will have a gun that you can shoot a lot and that you will keep even if you decide to go to a semiauto for CCW. If you feel comfortable with the .22, it's an easy transition to the .38 (which I've been carrying for a couple of months now) or the .357 version.
Secondly, a .22 revolver is a great gun in its "kit gun" role...a gun that you'll have with you in your "kit," fishing or otherwise. Recall that Smith & Wesson has made small-frame .22s described as "Kit Guns" since the 1930s. To update this concept, a .22 small, light .22 revolver is a great addition to a grab-and-go bugout bag, because if you have to grab and go, you now have a back-up gun to your primary piece, and you can easily add 100 rounds of .22 ammo to the bag. I currently have an S&W Kit Gun and 100 rounds of CCI Mini-Mag 36-gr hollowpoints in my grab-and-go bag. That gun will be replaced by a Ruger LCR .22, because I've shot the centerfire LCR a lot and love the trigger, I have extensive holster options for the platform and, hey, it's a Ruger and will probably outlast cockroaches and Keith Richards!
DRTV will have a full video report next week...
The Last Airport of the Year!
So I was at the Tulsa airport staring aimless at a spot between the magazine rack, women's fashion rags, and the Duracell display when it finally hit me that this is my airport of the year. If I can get out of Tulsa before the line of storms I can see moves in I will have gone the distance for 2011. Heck of a year -- taking SHOOTING GALLERY to an hour, the huge success of GUN STORIES, the addition of Mike Seeklander to TBD, our announcement of GS/RAPID FIRE as a new series, 2 more Telly Awards for excellence in programming, a lifetime achievement award from my Overlords at Outdoor Channel and the Communicator of the Year award from POMA/NSSF, a "Gunnie" award for the best podcast of the year...not a bad 12 months!
Of course, one of the things I learned as a music critic all those years ago is that you're only as god as your last hit...the holidays are a chance to find a bunch of new rabbits and stuff them in hats, to be ready to pull at the appropriate time.
A lot of my focus in 2012 is going to be on the Internet...there's a ton of things Marshal and I want to do for DRTV. I'm also planning on "building out" the new SHOOTING GALLERY format...there were too many changes we wanted to make to try and cram them into one season, so for Season 13/2013 (assuming I'm renewed) we've got some more surprises up our sleeve.
In the meantime, Uncle has funny piece on what he would like to see for SHOT versus what he will see...read the whole thing. He's pretty much on target, with a couple of exceptions I can't tell you about now. He got me thinking about what I'd really like to see, realizing that I might be the only potential market for some of this stuff.
• A centerfire double-barreled howdah pistol...my heart tells me in .500 S&W Magnum but my brain suggest something obscure, like 40-65. I could probably compromise on .50 Special.
• A .380-sized semiauto in .22 LR...a great CCW practice tool!
• A .44 Special Ruger SP101 (I keep begging and begging, but so far, nyet)
• A Scout forward-mount scope with an illuminated reticle...please...
• A coffeemaker that fits on an AR rail
How about you guys?
Ruger LCR
As I have mentioned, I've been doing a couple of months' experiment with carrying a small-frame revolver, a Ruger LCR in .38 Special, as my primary carry gun. I wanted to give it a try because it has been a long time since I carried a J-framed sized gun as my primary, and I've been getting a lot of questions. I'm thinking that many new CCW holders, what we refer to as Gun Culture Ver. 2.0, has opted for the classic revolver as their carry gun of choice.
Let me give you a quick set of bullet points of what I've learned so far:
• The LCR carries amazingly well on the belt. It's light (13.5 ounces in .38; 17 ounces in .357). The short revolver, combined with that light weight, allows the gun to be easily carried in a hi-ride holster without the dreaded "tip" outward of the gun away from the built. I've been using a Ritchie holster on a Wilderness Tactical Instructor's Belt.
• The LCR has the best trigger pull of any snubbie I've ever shot, including the other 3 I own. I've put anouth rounds through it that it's very smooth and, thanks to the patented trigger system, doesn't stack at the end.
• Polymer frames and soft grip panels work...felt recoil is reduced and the second shot comes quickly, even with the Corbon DPX I routinely carry.
More later...
BTW, here's Jeff Quinn's old review and an excellent look at the LCR .357 from My Gun Culture. You guys know I'm in the .38 Special camp, right?
GUN STORIES/RAPID FIRE
Say, what if the GUN STORIES team created a series that focused on full auto rock-and-roll? RAPID FIRE, coming Q4 2012...this ought to be a hoot!
Perfect Christmas Movie!
"There's a saying in prize-fighting...everybody has a plan until they get hit."
-- Charles Remington (Michael Douglas)
"The Ghost and the Darkness"
I made a special trip to the Field Museum in Chicago to see the Ghost and the Darkness...a little tatty, but think of it as a mandatory stop on the Grand Tour of our culture...
One Hard Lap Finished!
The Tombstone-Hollywood-Tulsa back-to-back filming trip is finally finally over! I'm not lying...this one was a toughie....lots and lots of moving parts. We ran mostly 4-camera shoots, adding in the ultrahigh-speed Phantom as a regular item. We really are taking the shows to a new level, and I can't wait to get them out there!
Couple of gunny things. Say Uncle links to a story on the current Virginia Tech shootings. Uncle notes that the VT campus had probably done more to be "ready" for an active shooter situation than any other place...closing barn door after horses have fled, etc. How well did their "never again" planning work? You be the judge:
14 minutes to respond...22 minutes to issue an alert
Yes! When your life hangs on seconds, the police are only 14 minutes away! Plenty of time to get a Happy Meal! Watch our scenarios on TBD Season 4 and see how quickly violence can boil up...Fourteen minutes...think about it.
In next season's TBD we also look at the controversial technique of using the gun as an impact weapon, a topic that's spun up a little buzz on the Internet. Mostly, it's a last ditch technique against multiple assailants to buy either the time or distance to put the gun fully into play. Maybe the most important thing we've learned from simulations is that the Real World refuses to mold itself to our training, requiring us to mold our training to the Real World.
Couple of new guns world a more expanded loop...the little 5-shot Ruger .357 with the better fiber optic sights and the 4.2 inch barrel (here's The Firearm Bog review) is really starting to grow on me...
First off, Ruger is a sponsor, so we've got that out of the way. For the last couple of months I\'be been carrying the Ruger small-frames snub, the ultralight-weight LCR, asan expedient as much as anything else.. Been a while (read, decades) since I routinely carried a snub as my CCW choice. But after some question off the Internet and as I was getting ready to put together by CCW Tips for TBD Season 4, I started carrying the LCR, a .38 Special version loaded with Corbon DPX. I've used 3 holsters -- a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster and leather holsters from Ritchie Leather, a vertical belt holster and a dedicated crossdraw I use when driving. Neither Ritchie nor DeSantis are sponsors. It's kinda spoiled me...the light LCR pretty much disappears on the Ritchie belt holster and conceals under a shirttail, vest, jacket, etc.
One of the CCW topics we talk about on TBD Season 4 is not comprising on one's home defense guns....if you routinely carry a smaller gun on a daily basis, and most of us do, it makes sense to have a larger, heavier "full-size" gun for home defense, since there,s no need to compromise size/weight to carry the gun.
The new Ruger is a pretty good home defense choice for a person who carries a snub on a daily basis. It's heavy enough so that full power .357 loads don't case one to have the vapors and because it's a 5-shooter you cans use the same speedloaders as for the snub. Not a huge deal, but handy. For those of us out in the boonies, it's also a "right-sized" trail gun. Besides, it's a Ruger and probably indestructible. We'll be doing a full DRTV report on it.
A second gun that has made a really great first impression on me is the Kahr CM9...I've shot a coupe of in both 9mm and .380 and was always impressed by the way they shot. The price, howeer,was daunting. The little CM9,though, has street prices in the mid-high $300 range. My T&E gun has just a super trigger pull,and I can't wait to take it to the range in my on-going evaluation of all the mini-9mm. Expect a .40 version by SHOT.
And BTW, I should have a really cool announcement from Ruger late next week...by really cool, I mean something I wanted...we'll probably be talking about at least the concept on the podcast!
More F-and-F
It gets harder and harder for anyone to even pretend...from this morning's PowerLine Blog:
If the Obama administration wasn't trying to set up an argument for more gun control, then what was it trying to do? That question has never been answered.
If the Obama administration did arrange for the shipment of arms to Mexican drug gangs, not for any legitimate public purpose but in order to advance a left-wing political agenda, and those guns were used to murder hundreds of Mexicans and at least one American border agent–which they were–then we are looking at a scandal that dwarfs any in modern American history. I think one would have to go back to James Buchanan, who ordered the shipment of federal armaments to the South so that they could be commandeered by secessionists when disunion came, to find a worse scandal. And one could argue that even that act by Buchanan, generally considered the worst President in American history, was motivated by principle and not politics, and therefore was not as craven as Obama's gun walker scandal. But such a judgment would be premature. A great deal more investigation needs to be done before we can conclude that Fast and Furious was the worst scandal since pre-Civil War days.
And from M.J. Mollenhour:
I always suspected that the ATF set F&F up for at least the right motive, and then the absurd operation got co-opted by the administration. Holder, and Hillary, others, and perhaps even the president then kept it going for the benefit of the TV cameras and reporters, finding Calderon a willing fellow-oppressor. I suspected.Now, after this, I am more strongly suspecting that it was a setup early on, to create anti-American citizen gun-owner propaganda. It may not have been spawned in the White House or with Hillary, though: might have started right there within the ATF.
But, I will never forget the sight of our Secretary of State on stage with the leader of a foreign power, speaking out to disarm Americans. And they wonder why we do not trust the government.
How About Marshal's Jacket?
From Tombstone last week...
Man, what a week! From Tombstone to Hollywood to Tulsa, bippity bappity boom! I am seriously glad to see so many things coming together, but I can at least "see the barn" from here.
Couple of things...Eric Holder before the House again tomorrow...wonder what Mr. "You're all cowards" will have to say? The dog ate his homework? That the buck stops somewhere else? That, hey, collateral damage doesn't count if you just look at it the right way. The man is an embarrassment...he should be under indictment, not the head law enforcement officer in the United States.
I see that CBS is reporting that they have memos proving Fast and Furious, if it wasn't purely an undercover pro-gun control attack on the Second Amendment, was at least going to be used to promote gun control by hiding BATFE involvement and calling for long gun reporting requirements. I've said it before (and I believe I said it very very early on) F&F only makes sense as an attack on the Second Amendment...give me a different explanation that passes the sanity check. If DOJ/State was using F&F to funnel guns to the Sinoloa cartel to aid in their endless apocalyptic struggle with the Zeta cartel -- the net result regardless of who wins being the destabilization of the legitimate, if ineffectual, Mexican government -- that's an act of war by the United States against Mexico. "Bungled operation?" Yeah right...everybody and his dog Fred in the chain of command signed off on this thing...it wasn't bungled...it ran exactly the way it was supposed to run, which is why all the sign-off'ees signed off in the first place. And recall that the Obama administration has sealed the records on the death of Agent Brian Terry...that should tell anyone with the IQ of a grape just how high those sign-offs went.
And you know, I won't even mention the Mythbusters cannon ball, except to say WOW, I'm glad that wasn't mine!
-- Post From The Road
In the Autopsy Room...
...on the Criminal Minds set...
Moderately More Coherent...
...tonight...was truly a Whipped Puppy last night. Hard to keep up with so many things going on...the record Black Friday gun sales are amazing but not surprising. We are an unsettled nation clinging to our God and our guns and counting the days until next November. Not to mention there are some very good deals out there! I have said this before and I will say it again...if you don't own an AR, it's a great time to shop around and buy one.
Thanks to all the commenters who weighed in on knee replacements. My doctor wants to wait as long as possible before the replacement, which suits me because my schedule is so grueling these days. When I do it, I know I need the appropriate rehab time, and right now it's just not there (especially with SHOT earlier in January). I know it'll be easier when we get a little better grip on the SHOOTING GALLERY 1-hour format...I expected the changeover from the old format to be...challenging...
Another in the...
..."Tough Day at the Office" pixs!
Posted by Michael Bane at 1:38 PM No comments:
Pre-Christmas Filming Push...
...on both SG and THE BEST DEFENSE. Lots of long days, so expect limited blogging. Tomorrow, weather permitting, we'll be back at the range with the ultrahigh-speed camera and various point-of-view stuff. Too tired to do more...sorry...
Here are some pictures from today's filming: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2411648205276.2116627.1073377951&type=1&l=5c37ce2b64 .
Shovel Day
About a foot if snow in the driveway of the Secret Hidden Bunker...Alf on strike since we wouldn't give her all the leftover sausage from the red beans and rice dinner. Maybe I can convince the cat to clear the snow...


text:
1497 1498 1499 - 1500 - 1501 1502 1503
1470s 1480s 1490s - 1500s - 1510s 1520s 1530s
14th century - 15th century - 16th century
Europe's population was ~60 million. (Spielvogel)
January 5 - Duke Ludovico Sforza recaptures Milan, but is soon driven out again by the French.
April 21 - Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral officially discovers Brazil and claims the land for Portugal.
November 11 - Treaty of Granada - Louis XII of France and Ferdinand II of Aragon agree to divide the Kingdom of Naples between them.
Emperor Go-Kashiwabara ascends to the throne of Japan.
Battle of Hemmingstedt: The Danish army fails to conquer the peasants' republic of Dithmarschen.
Second Battle of Lepanto - The Turkish fleet of Kemal Re'is defeats the Venetians. The Turks proceed to capture Modon, Lepanto, and Koron.
The Luo, a Nilotic people from modern Sudan, settle the Cwezi states, establishing the state of Buganda. (approximate date)
Diogo Dias is the first European to see Madagascar.
February 24 - Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1558)
April 12 - Joachim Camerarius (d. 1574)
April 23 - Alexander Ales, Scottish theologian (d. 1565)
November 1 - Benvenuto Cellini, Italian goldsmith and sculptor (d. 1571)
Johannes Aal, Swiss theologian and composer (d. 1553)
Erasmus Alberus, German humanist (d. 1553)
John of Avila, Spanish mystic and saint
Jacques Buus, Flemish composer and organist (d. 1565)
George Cavendish, English writer (d. 1562)
Wu Cheng'en, Chinese novelist
Richard Cox, Dean of Westminster and Bishop of Ely (d. 1581)
Charles Dumoulin, French jurist (d. 1566)
Bartolomé de Escobedo, Spanish composer (d. 1563)
Heinrich Faber, German music theorist (d. 1552)
Federico II of Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua (d. 1540)
Bernhard Knipperdolling, German religious reformer (d. 1536)
Luis de Milán, Spanish composer (d. 1561)
Francisco de Moraes, Portuguese writer (d. 1572)
Cristóbal de Morales, Spanish composer (d. 1553)
Aonio Paleario, Italian humanist and reformer (d. 1570)
Reginald Cardinal Pole, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1558)
Bonaventure des Périers, French author (d. 1544)
John Rogers, English protestant martyr (d. 1555)
Mem de Sá, Governor-General of Brazil (d. 1572)
Maurice Scève, French poet (d. 1564)
Peder Skram, Danish senator and naval hero (d. 1581)
Johann Stumpf, Swiss writer (d. 1576)
Tielman Susato, composer (d. 1562)
Pedro de Valdivia, Spanish conquistador (d. 1554)
Juan de Valdés, Spanish religious writer (d. 1541)
May 29 - Bartolomeu Dias, Portuguese explorer who sailed around the Cape of Good Hope (born 1450)
June 19 - Edmund Tudor, Duke of Somerset (born 1499)
September 12 - Albert, Duke of Saxony
September 15 - John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury (born 1420)
October 1 - John Alcock, English churchman (born 1430)
October 21 - Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado of Japan, 103rd imperial ruler of Japan (born 1442)
Juan Pérez de Gijón, Spanish composer (born 1460)
Robert Henryson, Scottish poet (born 1425)
Feodor Kuritsyn, Russian statesman
Thomas Rotherham, English cleric and minister (born 1423)
Spielvogel -- Western Civilization -- Volume II: Since 1500 (5th Edition), p.401af:1500
ast:1500 bg:1500 ca:1500 cs:1500 cy:1500 da:1500 de:1500 et:1500 el:1500 es:1500 eo:1500 eu:1500 fr:1500 gl:1500 ko:1500년 hr:1500 io:1500 id:1500 it:1500 he:1500 lb:1500 hu:1500 nl:1500 nb:1500 nn:1500 os:1500 pl:1500 pt:1500 ro:1500 ru:1500 sk:1500 sl:1500 sr:1500 fi:1500 sv:1500 tt:1500 tr:1500 uk:1500 zh:1500年
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Categories: 1500
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In their book, Clay Christensen, Efosa Ojomo and Karen Dillon show how businesses can generate prosperity – for themselves and the poor.
Can you kick-start the economic growth of an entire region? It depends. How many billions do you have to throw around? Daniel Isenberg, entrepreneur and professor of entrepreneurship practice, has a better way. His method partners with stakeholders to help create growth innovation at a small fraction of the region's businesses, which then drive growth in the entire area. More than theory, he's worked scaling up success stories with major cities in the USA, Latin America and Northern Europe.
Startups live and die by their culture. And not by the ping-pong tables or the all-night coding sessions, but by the cultural infrastructure put into place by the management. According to a new Harvard Business Review article, 70% of startups see their employee morale dive in year three or four, and the size of this decline is directly associated with the company's level of growth.
Africa's economic slowdown, triggered by a plunge in commodity prices, has raised lingering questions about the continent's future: Is Africa's population boom more of a curse than a blessing? Can its economies generate the jobs necessary to employ a workforce projected to reach 830 million people by 2050? Will its leaders deliver the education and infrastructure required to unleash the productivity of its people?
The Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation hopes to answer these questions and more through the work of its new research division focused on global prosperity. Led by researcher Efosa Ojomo, a champion of creating economic prosperity through disruptive innovation, his team will examine how emerging markets in sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South America, and Asia can create prosperity by focusing on innovations that build new markets and spur long-term economic growth and employment.
In Rwanda, more than 80% of the population lives in homes with a dirt floor. In India, only 25% of the population can afford a refrigerator. Such poverty-stricken countries are not markets for business – or are they?
Do you really understand what your product means to your customer?
Small Business is the Problem, Not the Solution. Scale Up Instead.


The Black Boots began in 1996, 20 years ago. The first products were boots and boots own, but gradually the shop was adding other partners. With its positioning bold, became point concept for many important brands that have been coming to Brazil.
The store's current physical is located in Belo Horizonte, at Rua Sergipe 1233, Savassi. It is a space that makes you feel at home, no matter who it is or what it is you are. The next time you're in Belo Horizonte, take the time to visit with friends.
I think you already know, but I have worked there, from 2013 to 2017. Managed the digital transformation of the brand. The goal was to expand the online visibility to tell your story at the national level and to implement an operation of e-commerce more robust, taking advantage of a job on the internet that began in the year 2000, but that had not yet taken the form of a business, on a national scale.
I think we managed! The number of visits to the site increased by 500% and sales by 750% in three years. In addition, the brand with Black Boots and took the first plan, being firm with credibility as one of the main marks of boots in the country. The products themselves came to be seen as better than other brands of boots, and gradually, the shop was turning into a space almost 100% Black Boots.
The coolest thing? I remember when I started working on Instagram, with less than 200 followers and on Facebook with less than 30,000. Today, there are thousands of people in Brazil, following and enjoying the pictures that we took and interacting with our stories. All of this without basically investing nothing in the "purchase". New friends who found us organically.
Pos as well, in the middle of this path, in 2016, I was invited to be a member of a physical store new, that would be the first store-franchise. It was an amazing opportunity that began three years ago on Tumblr. I was very happy… but it was certainly very intense! We knew what was supposed to be: A space simple and creative, to meetings, meetings and conversations, but mount is not easy.
The exchange of space has been a major change in the company. The old store was larger and shared space with the e-commerce. We did not need a huge space to meet clients, and as it is not reasonable to pay rent for storing inventory, came the search for a space, well located and a shed for the products. The pace has changed, but above all this is the desire to improve interaction with customers and deliver better products. Not necessarily the fastest or with the best price, but made with care to last.
This hospitality is in the blood. The Black Boots grew adding interactions between employees, customers, suppliers, partners, friends, etc. She has been interacting with the life around, people, different, but very similar…after all, are only the details that change! There in the shop has the old acquaintances that we newbies let us know, and also has the new faces that arrive every day, our time to cultivate relationships.
All of these people who have gone through and are still going to go through the store left something… ideas, lessons learned, an object, a hug. Take something also… may be products, or inspirations, just a nice experience. I hope to help play a little bit of it on the newly born!
For this the shop was built with much care, all done at home; inspirations my design Camila who works in customer service, work and installation by Flávio, ex-salesman who was some 10 years in the shop, decorated with objects of the room of one of the file from the other. Personal touch, simple, as the best things in life.
The most important lesson I learned in this experience? Several! I never imagined that post on Tumblr would turn into this. Let me explain… I started my journey in the digital testing the principles of "organic traffic". I set up a Tumblr where you stood on the that I liked, and it was there that I started the conversations with the store.
I learned a lot because sabía so little! I think lesson # 1 is that retail is a continuous process. The environment is unpredictable and you have to adapt and improvise. There is the challenge of balancing the need for return with the curation and new vision, especially in a city not considered to be "open-minded".
Think very forward, and customers may not be ready. There is not going to sell anything. On the other hand, if it is to only satisfy the trend curves and work that sells quickly, will just follow trends without never being ahead of the curve. Some of the lessons that I have learned in this space of time working at the physical store.
Well… I thank you again to all those who attended the inauguration, in person, in spirit, or by reading this post here!
Remembering the new address is Rua Sergipe 1233, Belo Horizonte, Savassi.


text:
An Interview with Tony "TS" McPhee of The Groundhogs: A Legendary Artist of British Blues History
Posted by Michael Limnios Blues Network on June 28, 2013 at 11:00am
"As long as there are people who 'understand' what is necessary to play Blues and as long as there's guitar players & guitars, there'll be real blues."
Tony "TS" McPhee: The Lionheart Blues
Tony McPhee is an English blues guitarist, and founder of The Groundhogs.The Groundhogs backed Champion Jack Dupree and John Lee Hooker on UK concerts in the mid-1960s, evolving into a blues-rock trio that produced three UK Top 10 hits in the UK Albums Chart in the early 1970s.
In the very early 1970s, the Groundhogs were an ultra-hip, Utopian musical force playing their Top 10 album songs on Top of the Pops and recording alongside Can, Hawkwind and Amon Düül 2 for Andrew Lauder's groundbreaking Liberty/United Artists record label.
The Groundhogs' albums were housed in supercool gatefolds or triple-gatefolds or even 12" x 15" unfolding comic books which portrayed the individual group members as superheroes. The Groundhogs referred to themselves as 'Men of Destiny with secret thoughts of saving the world', and gave their albums titles such as Thank Christ for the Bomb, Split and (best of all) Who Will Save the World? The Mighty Groundhogs!
McPhee has also released many solo acoustic blues records, as well as duets with Jo Ann Kelly. He is often credited as 'Tony (TS) McPhee'. He was dubbed TS by the producer Mike Vernon in the mid-1960s. Apart from the Groundhogs, McPhee has played with Herbal Mixture, the John Dummer Band, Tony McPhee's Terraplane, Tony McPhee's Turbo and the Tony McPhee Band. The definitive biography & discography of Tony McPhee was published in 2012. Eccentric Man: A Biography & Discography of Tony (TS) McPhee by Paul Freestone.
Interview by Michael Limnios
Which is the most interesting period in your life? Which was the best and worst moment of your career?
There are so many 'bests' No.1 playing with and having John Lee Hooker as a friend, and playing - recording with Champion Jack Dupree, considering him as a friend also recording with Billy Boy Arnold, supporting the Rolling Stones, etc.
The 'worst' is easy the stroke I had 16th June, 2009 striking me totally mute when I was going to play at a French Blues Festival alongside Billy Boy, had to cancel!
Four years later I'm still suffering from Dyspraxia (difficult forming words as a consequence of facial muscle weakness after the stroke.
Some music styles can be fads but the Blues is always with us. Why do think that is?
Because it IS timeless!
What do you think is the main characteristic of your personality that made you a Blues musician?
Got into music firstly because I was crap at school academically rubbish and I totally understood people who had a similar experience, we had to teach Hooker how to write his autograph (he asked me write a 'love letter' to a young girl he met at a gig, he dictated, I wrote!)
What does The Blues mean to you and what does offer you? What experiences in life make a bluesman?
Life itself, all the kicks in the testicles, the ability to take them and keep smiling!
How do you describe your philosophy for the music and what characterizes the sound of Tony McPhee?
I try always to write and play stuff that is timeless, not pandering to 'fashion' just like Blues, being honest and able to incorporate new ideas and techniques.
Are there any memories from Champion Jack Dupree and John Lee Hooker which you'd like to share with us?
There are SO many! One of my favourite memories is when John used to play and sing in our van going to gigs on the tour, the 1st time we played with Jack at the 100 Club he asked Bob Hall, our pianist, to take over the keys whilst Jack danced at the front of the stage etc.........
Someday I'll write a book about 1964, what a year!
Why did you think that The Groundhogs continued to generate such a devoted following?
Hopefully it's because we're down-to-earth and no BullShit!
"I try always to write and play stuff that is timeless, not pandering to 'fashion' just like Blues, being honest and able to incorporate new ideas and techniques."
Which memory from The Groundhogs makes you smile?
Difficult to say one, maybe playing to 3500 people supporting the Stones in Glasgow then playing to that many at our own gig later the same year.
What do you miss most nowadays from the 60s and your first steps in music?
The thrill of getting my first guitar and amp & modifying them to my own requirements, these days guitars and amps are factory set-up, I used to have to stone the frets on all my guitars and modify my amps, maybe change the pre-amp wiring.
What's the best jam you ever played in? What are some of the most memorable gigs you've had?
Never really had Jams as such, I always thought they were a bit of "Who can bore your tits off with too many notes"
Apart from the Stones gig I already mentioned probably 1970 Isle of Wight festival was a memory that stands out, of course, IF I'd played with Billy Boy in France in 2009 that would stick in the mind!
Of all the people you've meeting with, who do you admire? Which meetings have been the most important experiences?
John Lee Hooker is my main man, Jack Dupree next and meeting and spending a wonderful evening with Howling Wolf, Sleepy John Estes, Gary Davis, meeting Hubert Sumlin and playing his Fender Zebra guitar, I could go on & on...
"Has to be John Lee Hooker and Hubert Sumlin - playing without a pick." (Photo: Groundhogs, Steve Rye & John Lee Hooker)
Are there any memories and experiences from Eddy Boyd, Big Joe Williams and Billy Boy Arnold?
Not many memories about Eddy Boyd, I was supposed to play all the guitar parts but Eric Clapton turned up so I only played slide on a couple of tracks whereas I was asked to play on every track on ' Checkin' it out for Billy.
Big Joe Williams was a very intelligent, kind man, totally illiterate and full of stories about Model T-Fords and cotton picking, great fun.
What are some of the most memorable tales from JoAnn Kelly, Alvin Lee and Rolling Stones?
I 1st met JoAnn in a local jazz/ blues record store called the 'SwingShop' she was buying a Howling Wolf album, I thought "I need to know this woman!"
We played at Bunjies, a coffee bar in Soho, London where Lou, the owner used to give us Ski yoghurts when we finished playing and wipe the tables with a wet cloth which he used to throw on the tables if he thought we should leave, we knew he was in a bad mood depending on how hard he threw them!
First time I met Alvin was when he came into our dressing-room after he had slugged us off in the Melody Maker in a feature called ' Blind Date, he was so tall!
When we played Bristol Colston Hall with the Stones I needed to plug in my soldering iron to fix my amp, I knew there was only one mains point back-stage, so I took my amp and iron to this room, the door was slightly open so I pushed it it felt heavy so I pushed it harder and I saw a white powder floating down Mick & Bianca had been snorting coke behind the door! I don't know how much flew up in the air but they saw the funny side of it.
"Life itself, all the kicks in the testicles, the ability to take them and keep smiling!" (Photo: Tony McPhee with Hubert Sumlin and friend)
From whom have you have learned the most secrets about the music? What is the best ever gave you?
Has to be John Lee Hooker and Hubert Sumlin (playing without a pick).
What are the lines that connect the legacy of Cyril Davies and Chris Barber with Muddy, Wolf and your generation?
They go back to slavery, when people used music to communicate, entertain themselves maybe even send messages that wouldn't be understood by their 'masters' through to the 20th century mainly just to entertain and tell stories mainly of unrequited love to the 21st century where what has survived all these years in roughly the same format it's an accessible music, simple but honest.
When we talk about Blues usually refer moments of the past. Do you believe in the existence of real Blues nowadays?
As long as there are people who 'understand' what is necessary to play Blues and as long as there's guitar players and guitars, there'll be real blues.
What from your memorabilia and things (photos, records etc.) you would put in a "capsule on time"?
On vinyl the 'rocking chair' album by Howling Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller)'s "Checkin' Up On My Baby", Robert Johnson CBS album, my Harmony Sovereign guitar picture of Hooker and Hogs with Steve Rye.
Tony McPhee & The Groundhogs - Home


7 Family Cruises in 2019 Sure to Float Your Boat!
5 Educational Destinations For The Ultimate Year-End Family Getaway + Emirates Fly with Me (Lonely Planet Kids) Kiddie Bags Giveaway!
From cosy cottages and beachfront chalets to fancy hotels and serviced apartments, these kid-friendly hotels in Perth make an ideal home base for loads of family vacation fun. Whenever we think of Perth, we picture pleasant suburbs with good universities….


Something special is dropping on Thursday.
HAIM fans have been waiting patiently for the follow-up to the trio's 2013 album Days Are Gone. But they're days are numbered as it looks as though the sisters are dropping new music next week.
First, new billboards of the band were plastered all over the world in cities like London, Berlin, LA and Sydney. Then, they teased new music themselves with a minute-long video on their twitter with reference to something special coming next Thursday. And the videos continue. April 27 can't come sooner.


text:
W.T.E Archives
What Is Taekwondo
EU Olympic Gold Medalists
Para Taekwondo
UP Coming Timeline
UP Coming Table View
WTE Archived Events
WTE News
WTE Magazine Archives
WTE Partners
Taekwondo Federations
Union Links
Provisional Members
World Taekwondo Federation
The World Taekwondo Federation is the International Federation (IF) governing the sport of Taekwondo and is a member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF). The WTF recognizes national Taekwondo governing bodies recognized by the NOC in the pertinent country, one in each country, as its members.
The World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) mission is to lead a collaborative worldwide campaign for doping-free sport. WADA was established in 1999 as an international independent agency composed and funded equally by the sport movement and governments of the world. Its key activities include scientific research, education, development of anti- doping capacities, and monitoring of the World Anti Doping Code (Code) – the document harmonizing anti-doping policies in all sports and all countries. WADA is a Swiss private l law Foundation. Its seat is in Lausanne, Switzerland, and its headquarters are in Montreal, Canada. WADA works towards a vision of a world where all athletes compete in a doping-free sporting environment.
The Kukkiwon leading globalization of Taekwondo and vitalization of material arts of Taekwondo will try to establish the Taekwondo status with that 80 million people of the Taekwondo family who can sympathize through change and innovation. The special corporation, Kukkiwon, tries to be faithful to the basics and principles with the promising determination sufficiently acting as the world-class Taekwondo headquarters to receive the trust from our Taekwondo family. By recognizing human resources as Kukkiwon's property, we will endeavor to foster the creative, future style, and talented people. We will also lead to achieve unity and communicate with the world-class Taekwondo people with the Taekwondo spirit that is impartial anytime and anywhere by performing administration corresponding to the global era. In addition, we will contribute to the base expansion of the Taekwondo training population and the globalization through the World Taekwondo Hanmadang Competition, taekwondo Poom/Dan Promotion Test, etc.
European Para Taekwondo UNION
The mission of the European Taekwondo Union is to provide effective international governance of para taekwondo as a Paralympic Sport within the European geographical region of the WTF.
The objectives of the European Para Taekwondo Union are:
to work towards the integration of disabled children and adults in taekwondo activities and championships,
to focus on empowering and enabling children and adults with disabilities to take up positions of responsibility in sport,
to work with and through the Member National Associations of ETU in order to enhance the capacity to integrate people with disabilities into physical recreation,
to promote, expand, and improve within Europe the practice of para taekwondo in light of its educational, cultural, and sports values (the "Taekwondo movement"),
to promote fair play, youth development, and education,
to encourage peace and cooperation though participation in sports,
to promote or sanction international para taekwondo competitions,
to take action in order to strengthen the unity and protect the interests of the European Para Taekwondo Union, ETU, WTF and the Taekwondo Movement,
to engage in other (para) activities in support of the above objectives.
Asian Taekwondo Union
The Asian Taekwondo Union is one of the 5 continental unions of the World Taekwondo Federation and we are the official governing body of all Taekwondo activities in the Asian continent. All our activities are aimed at promoting and developing Taekwondo in this continent. Currently, 41 member national associations are affiliated to the ATU.
Establishment: 1978. 09
President: Dr. Lee, Dai Soon
Secretary General: Mr. Lee Kyu Seok
Main Activities:
Organization of Taekwondo tournaments such as the Asian Taekwondo Championships, the Asian Junior Taekwondo Championships alternating years. Dispatch of Korean student masters to member countries to teach local Taekwondo practitioners. Dispatch of demonstration team and holding seminars on athletes training skills overseas. Organization of academic seminars in Korea more than two times a year to discuss various Taekwondo issues and to appoint the officials of our union. Maintaining standards established by the World Taekwondo Federation.
Panamerican Taekwondo Union
PATU (Pan American Taekwondo Union) is one of the five (5) regional Taekwondo organizations under WTF (World Taekwondo Federation). The other four (4) are: Africa, Asia and Europe and Oceania. PATU encompasses the entire western hemisphere from the North Pole to the South. We total 42 member nations. The Pan American Taekwondo Union functions solely to provide members everything they need to enable their member schools to train athletes to the best of their ability in both mind and body. PATU coordinates various activities of WTF, promotes Taekwondo development, organizes seminars, lectures, championships and tournaments, promotes rank and referee status, tests, distributes and advises on new equipment and generally advises members in all aspects of Taekwondo.
African Taekwondo Union
The African Taekwondo Union is the Continental Union from WTF in Africa. It has 44 members and is one of the largest geographical continents. The Union is headed by General Fouly, who is also a Vice-president of the WTF. The African Taekwondo Union was in the news after the Olympics when Anthony Obame from Gabon won the first silver Olymic medal ever for the African country.
President: Gen. Ahmed El-Fouly
Address: African Taekwondo Union (AFTU), 64 Ramsis Extension Street ( 2 ), Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
Mobile: 20 100 630 1000
Web: http://www.aftu.org
Secretary General: Mrs. Nadia Sobhi
Oceanian Taekwondo Union
The fifth Continental Union of the WTF is the Oceanian Taekwondo Union,
Headed by Mr.Walter Coles.
The Union has 19 members and has its headquarters in Australia.
President: Phillip Walter Coles
Address: 4/118 Hewlett Street, AU-Bronte NSW 2024, Australia
Tel: 61 2 93 89 59 87
Fax: 61 2 93 89 09 23
Web: www.otu.org.au
Secretary General: Mr. John Kotsifas
Address: Level 5, 398 Lonsdale Street,
Melbourne Vic Australia 3000
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text:
<bill session="110" type="h" number="2579" updated="2009-01-08T22:13:03-05:00">
	<status><introduced date="1181102400" datetime="2007-06-06"/></status>

	<introduced date="1181102400" datetime="2007-06-06"/>
	<titles>
		<title type="official" as="introduced">To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the use of funds in the Department of Veterans Affairs readjustment benefits accounts and funds appropriated for such purpose to provide funding for State approving agencies.</title>
	</titles>
	<sponsor id="400040"/>
	<cosponsors>

	</cosponsors>
	<actions>
		<action date="1181102400" datetime="2007-06-06"><text>Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.</text></action>
		<action date="1181880000" datetime="2007-06-15"><text>Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.</text></action>
		<action date="1182398400" datetime="2007-06-21"><text>Subcommittee Hearings Held.</text></action>
	</actions>
	<committees>

	</committees>
	<relatedbills>

	</relatedbills>
	<subjects>

	</subjects>
	<amendments>

	</amendments>

	6/6/2007--Introduced.
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make payments to state and local approving agencies (agencies that approve educational courses for veterans) out of amounts in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) readjustment benefits account (under current law, out of amounts available for the payment of readjustment benefits) and out of amounts appropriated to the Secretary for such purpose. Makes $13 million the fiscal year amount to be paid from the readjustment benefits account.

</bill>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


CEDAR FALLS - Melissa Ohden was supposed to be dead.
Her mother was 19 when she got pregnant and attempted to have a saline-infusion abortion in 1977.
But when Ohden was delivered at St. Luke's Hospital in Sioux City, she began to move and grunt.
"Those doctors and nurses did something that they didn't have to do," said Ohden, 32. "They gave me medical attention."
Ohden shared her story of survival with a couple hundred students at the University of Northern Iowa on Tuesday. She is the founder and director of For Olivia's Sake, an organization dedicated to her daughter that seeks to peacefully raise awareness of the intergenerational impact of abortion.
Born four months premature, Ohden weighed about 3 pounds and suffered from jaundice and severe respiratory distress. She was fed through a intravenous line and spent three months in intensive care at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.
She went home to her adoptive family in October 1977 and today seems in perfect health - other than having a "bad back and asthma," she joked.
Ohden wasn't at UNI to coerce people into becoming anti-abortion. Instead, she was providing a voice for the 1.3 million children who die from abortion every year in the United States, she said.
Ohden said college campuses are ideal places to spread her message, as women of college age - ages 18 to 24 - are most likely to have an abortion. Her biological mother had been a freshman in college. According to the Guttmacher Institute, the research arm for Planned Parenthood, 45 percent of women who have abortions fall into that sector.
Ohden noted that abortions don't always result from unstable lifestyles. Her mother had dated her father for four years before the pregnancy. Both came from well-respected families.
Parents of an unborn child often fail to consider how their decision affects others, both living and dead, she added.
"My daughter would have never had life if that abortion had succeeded," she said of Olivia, born in 2008. "Tell my husband he never would have had a wife. Tell my adoptive parents that they never would have had a child."
Ohden began searching for her birth parents at age 19. A few years ago, she exchanged letters and photos with her maternal grandparents. She has never spoken with her mother.
She also sent a letter to her father, though he never replied. He later died. She has since reconnected with some members of his family.
Many in the audience stuck around to speak with Ohden afterward, including sophomores Kristi Juergens, Julie Fricke and Megan Boomershine.
Juergens, who is anti-abortion, recently found out Ohden's adoptive mom is her great aunt.
The three said Ohden is one of the first people they've heard talk about abortion. Groups supporting homosexuality or religion are common on campus, they said. But many at UNI avoid sharing their beliefs on abortion.
"It's like the first topic in class that you can't write about, you can't give a speech about, you can't discuss," said Boomershine of abortion rights. "In my oral comm(unication) class, you couldn't talk about that."
"Because too many get emotional about it," Juergens added.
"They want to focus on being objective, and that's kind of something that's hard to be objective on," Fricke said.
The event was sponsored by the Student Organization Speakers Fund and the student organization UNI Right to Life.
Ohden's talk was funded in part by student activity fees as allocated by the Northern Iowa Student Government.
As is written, Juergens could be called "anti-abortion". She could also be called "pro-life" or even "anti-baby-killer". Why the abortion-negative slant?
This young lady truly is a blessing - Every child is a gift from God and all are precious in His eyes.
May God bless her as she tells her story and people open their hearts to hear her message.
I dont get why abortion is something to be kept quiet. Especially in college. Isnt college the place to think outside the box? View others opinions and debate your own? Having never gone to college, I dont know, but that is the thing I have always missed when I thought about college.
GodBlessAmerica...Because "pro life" suggests that others are "anti life," which is wholly incorrect. It's kind of like divorce: No one likes it and wishes that it didn't happen, but it is necessary in some instances.


text:
Liberals hand out $14.4 million to support climate change news coverage
Have you ever noticed that when you read articles in the mainstream media they feel more like advertorials — paid advertising masquerading as news?
That because sometimes they are advertorials for the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. You just weren't told the truth about it.
Last year, the Liberals dished out 50 million dollars to "support local news" but almost 15 million of that wasn't going to cover local and municipal issues at all. Instead it was going to push the Liberal's "pay a carbon tax or we're all gonna die" agenda.
Blacklock's Reporter has the details:
Records by the Canadian News Media Association, a publishers' trade group, show subsidies were paid for climate change coverage. The Association received a $14.4 million grant last year.
Successful applicants for subsidies included The Narwhal, a Whitehorse periodical that wrote: "It seems like British Columbia is always on fire. The Narwhal tracks government commitments to climate change and separates the wheat from the chaff." Narwhal stories include one headlined: "Meet The Alberta Climate Activists Who Say They're Not Scared Of Jason Kenney".
Nunavut's Nunatsiaq News also received a grant to have a reporter cover the Canadian High Arctic Research Station, "a key institution for the study of the effects of climate change on the Arctic." The Winnipeg Free Press was paid to hire a reporter "dedicated to climate change", though the daily stressed in its grant application that coverage would be balanced.
That explains a peculiar op-ed published without a byline in the Winnipeg Free Press headlined "Time to Silence the Voices of Denial. The Free Press sold out the free press for a couple of coins in their tin cup from Trudeau.
Canadians have been unwittingly consuming bought and paid for Government propaganda and not one of Trudeau's pet publishers divulged who they've been working for.
You just can't trust the mainstream media.
Climate Change Liberal Party of Canada Media Party Government Waste
Former NDP MP granted $41k pipeline mediation contract
"Lockdowns work if you don't want your freedoms": Avi Yemini Exclusive Interview
Liberals plan legislation to censor social media "hate speech"
Should Erin O'Toole and the Conservative Party ban Rebel News?
Spring Election 2021: Get ready for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (again)
Liberal Cabinet Minister received donations in potential violation of Canada Elections Act


text:
Kristian Nylén: Abios acquisition gives Kambi the esports DNA we wanted
August 24, 2021/ Kambi
Kambi's CEO and Co-founder explains how Abios aligns with Kambi's overall strategy and diversifies the Group's product portfolio, and why the long-term opportunities of esports are so compelling
See all news & insights
Today, Kambi Group plc announced its acquisition of esports data and odds provider Abios, a deal which will enable Kambi to capitalise on the growing opportunities of the fast-growing esports wagering market which is projected to double in size by 2025.
As a global leader in the provision of esports data, odds and visualisation services, Abios will ensure Kambi delivers a first-class esports product for our partners, while Abios' data management capabilities will also benefit Kambi in other areas of the sportsbook.
In the below interview, Kambi Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Kristian Nylen, explains in further detail why Abios was the perfect fit for the company and why aligns with the Group's long-term strategy.
Q: What was the rationale for the deal?
KN: It's become clear that esports could be an important future revenue stream for Kambi, so now is the right time for us to improve our product in this area. We also saw that, in the absence of traditional sports, esports became a popular vertical for wagering during the pandemic, therefore establishing a top-class esports product reduces our exposure to any potential risk to traditional sports in the future. Furthermore, Abios is a fantastic business, with great products and excellent people, which will help Kambi further its reach and increase its appeal.
Q: How does it fit into Kambi's longer-term strategy?
KN: We've been clear that we'd look to add products that complement our sportsbook and esports fits the bill. What this acquisition also does is broaden our revenue streams into areas such as content and data provision, while also expanding the business relationships we hold, which are currently limited to sports betting. Also, thinking about the longer term, both Kambi and Abios are certain that esports will be an important part of the sportsbook product in the future, therefore investing now, at a relatively early stage, makes sense. Kambi knows what it takes in sports betting and Abios knows what it takes in esports, so bringing these together will be a powerful combination.
Q: Can you describe the opportunity in esports?
KN: The opportunity is exciting. Esports is on the rise – large and growing viewing figures, intense professional competition and is now largely regulated in Europe and the Americas. We also believe esports taps into a slightly different demographic, which will enable our partners to increase their appeal to a wider audience. If we look at the US specifically, esports is hugely popular but we don't feel anyone has really cracked the esports betting market yet, particularly when it comes to live betting, so we see a great opportunity to take a lead in that area.
Q: Can you give a bit more colour on the regulation of esports betting?
KN: Esports betting is already permitted in a large number of states, including New Jersey, Colorado, Nevada, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington. Beyond the US, there is already a large and regulated market. Many European regulations allow it, while the same is true in Latin America and Australia. Esports is also immensely popular in Asia so we hope and anticipate any future regulation of sports betting would also include esports. At Kambi, we already apply our market-leading internal integrity monitoring to all esports events offered, and liaise directly with regulatory and industry bodies such as the International Betting Integrity Association to share all relevant esports integrity data. This approach will only be strengthened further with the addition of Abios and the vast experience they have gained in the area of esports integrity.
Q: What was it about Abios that stood out?
KN: There was no one thing that stood but a combination of plus points that made this deal a no-brainer. First of all, they have great people, all of whom have a passion and knowledge for esports, so Abios gives us the esports DNA we wanted. Abios also offers a range of products and services such as data, odds and content, meaning Kambi's product portfolio becomes a little more diverse, which was attractive to us. Abios has also developed its own proprietary technology and highly sophisticated data management methods, which will not only benefit our esports betting product, but also benefit us in other areas of the business.
Q: How will Abios be integrated into the business?
KN: Abios has enjoyed great success in recent years so we won't be rushing to make any major changes for now, but of course creating closer alignment where we see there to be some immediate benefits. Our primary objective is to ensure Abios has what it needs from us to continue on its growth path while we help them to build out their esports odds and trading capability. Once we've done that, we'll of course look to incorporate the Abios esports betting and data offering into our modularised platform via our trading gateway, which essentially allows third parties to deliver content and odds to and through our core platform.
Q: What does this acquisition mean for Kambi's partners?
KN: At Kambi, we are continuously looking for ways to improve the product and invest in areas which will benefit partners and the network at large. We feel the acquisition of Abios, and all it has to offer, will ensure Kambi has a first-class esports product, which we know is of growing importance to our partners. And as already mentioned, the data management capabilities Abios has developed will benefit Kambi in other areas of the sportsbook. In addition to that, I also believe Abios has a range of products and services outside of the core sportsbook that will be of great interest to our partners, such as esports data and visualisations. So, in general, this acquisition will only be of benefit to our partners and improve the offering they can provide to their players.
Q: When should we expect the benefits to begin to materialise?
KN: We'll get to work straight away but I'd expect to see momentum build throughout 2022 and beyond.
Read the announcement in full here: https://kambistage.expre.co.uk/kambi-group-plc-acquires-esports-data-and-odds-provider-abios
Kambi CEO, Kristian Nylén, on how the sports betting supplier is evolving its product strategy to lead the industry into a new era.
As we look back at 2022, we want to share some important milestones and news that the Kambi team shared throughout the year.
Connect with Kambi
Sign up to Kambi@ event content
Sign up for news and insights


The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licenses and regulates the use of radioactive materials at civilian facilities, including nuclear reactors. Funding for that agency is provided in annual appropriation acts, and the agency is required to recover most of its funding through fees charged to licensees and applicants.
H.R. 4979 would direct the NRC to report to the Congress on existing federal activities related to testing and demonstrating advanced reactors with significant design improvements over existing commercial reactors.


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At SoftSeq, we narrowly focus on Software Security.
Everyone on SoftSeq team is a proactive OWASP member, leveraging OWASP best-practices today, and giving back to the community by improving OWASP standards the world will use tomorrow.
By integrating security best-practices into development, SoftSeq enables Secure Software Development Life-cycle - a process delivering highest security at lowest cost.
We perform in-depth application security auditing, engineering, and formal certification of software compliance with OWASP Application Security Verification Standard.
SoftSeq offers uniquely in-depth, 21-module technical training for software development teams. Flexible and tailored to different roles, it boosts your product's security end-to-end.
With expert hands-on experience in software security, we've cut for you through security automation vendors' marketing talk to offer custom DevSecOps solutions that truly work.