Many of us have a slave mentality after we have lived in the condemnation of the devil for a long time. We have been beaten, bruised, condemned and were made to believe the lie of the devil that we can never be what God has said to be in the Word of God.
You might ask, why should God allow me to live like this when He promises a great abundant life in the word of His promise (John 10:10).
My friends, the problem is not with God, but with us humans who are fighting the fight of faith to become perfected in our soul life, so that our life may bring GLORY TO GOD! (1 Peter 1:4-9). God does not keep us away from the problems, but he is faithful to keep His promise of empowering us to become overcomers over all problems we face, as we continue to believe His Word to work on behalf of us (1 Cor 10:13).
The enemy of our soul will try his best to make us live in unbelief so that we may destroy our soul and not experience the abundant life that Jesus promised (1 Peter 2:11; Rom 14:23; John 10:10). We can experience abundant life of God only as much as we believe and not by how much we behave in a perfect way before God and men. So don't be too concerened about your behaviour now, it will fall inline with your belief as you start to rest in the promises of God.
This is the reason God has put a new way of belief system in the New Covenant to be victorious over all types of earthly circumstances we face.
The New Testament system says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." (Eph 1:3). In other words, all the spiritual blessings of God that we need as long as we live on this planet earth in order to be sucessful, prosperous, victorious, joyful, peaceful... has already been given to us through Jesus Christ.
Then the question arises, how can I see these spiritual blessings tangibly in the physical dimension of my every day life?
Apostle John gives the answer to this question saying, "11-12 He who has Jesus Christ the Son of God has the eternal heavenly life of God living vibrantly within him to be successful and happy in this earthly life, and this life of God is in His Son who is experiencing it every second in heaven and giving it to people who are living as one in Him on earth. If someone does not have the Son of God Jesus Christ as His Lord and Saviour, He cannot experience this life of God on earth or in the eternal time to come 13 I have written these things to you that you may know by experience this life of God on earth through believing in the name of Jesus Christ, that you may believe Him continually to experience this heavenly blissful life on earth as it is in heaven." (1 John 5:11-12, 13, Abi's Paraphrased Version).
Once we have received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we have got positioned to experiecne this awesome life of God on earth. God's life is His fullness. Exactly as Jesus was filled with the fullness of the life of God bodily and has been seated at the right hand of God, we are progressively filled with the same fullness of God to be seated with him in the heavenlies, as we have already been made completely worthy to receive His fullness in our body by His awesome Grace (Eph 1:18-23; 3:16-21; Col 2:9-10). In other words, we cannot be made anymore worthy to God that what we are already in Christ Jesus. God sees us through our Lord Jesus.
When He sees us, He sees Jesus who is dwelling in us spiritually. When our Father in heaven sees our righteousness, he see the perfect righteousness of Jesus in us and not the behavioural rightousness of us which is always like a rag that reveal a person's spiritual nakeness (2 Cor 5:21; Isa 64:6).
We cannot be any more further accepted by our Heavenly Father than what we are already in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:6).
We cannot be any more further blessed than what we are already in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:3).
We cannot please God anymore further than how we have already pleased Him by our faith in Christ Jesus (Heb 11:6; 2 Thess 1:10-11; Gal 3:26).
We cannot be any more sanctified than how much we are already sanctified in Christ Jesus (Heb 10:10, 15).
We are completed product of God in our spirit-man (Eph 4:24), but a progressive recipient of the finished spiritual transaction in the physical realm. This is the reason we should not see ourself as we think how we feel in our soul, but we should see as God sees us as we really are in Christ Jesus. Who we are in Christ is who we really are.
We are a product of our faith and not our behaviour. Behaviour will fall inline with out belief as we pursue the will of God with a passionate heart.
When God sees you as a righteous lion, don't see youself as a helpless puny little cat (Prov 28:1). A Indian Tamil Proverb beautifully says, "You may never know, even a cat might become a tiger". Why not with God's people as we are already of the line of the lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5)? Though it may look like a spiritual thing to see our self as a tiny little worthless rats, it is this deceiving religious spirit influence that God hates. And this poisonous self-pity also makes us as dry as a bone without the blessing of God inside us. The Israelite's did the same mistake of seeing themselves as grasshoppers, when God who had chosen them saw them as lion (Num 13:33; 24:9). Until we begin to see ourselves as God sees us from heaven, we cannot be able to experience the life of God in its fullness on earth.
The biggest lie of the enemy is to make you believe as you think you are in your soul. The greatest truth of God is to help you believe as you are in your redeemed and reborn spirit inside you.
The enemy knows that the redeemed soul will only be fully made free from sin at the time of rapture of saints (1 Thess 4:14-18). It is desperately evil and irrepairable completely until the appointed time of God in which we will all receive a glorious sin-free, Spirit-led and heaven residing body suit during the rapture of all saints (Jer 17:9; 13:10; 2 Cor 5:2; 1 Cor 15:49, 40, 43-44). Satan usually influences us in our soul easily and therefore will deceive us completely when we are off guard soul walkers and not spirit walkers (Jer 10:21; 11:8; Gal 5:16). The spiritual antidote for soul walking Christians to become spirit walkers is not behavioural change, but a change in one's belief. As also Martin Luther the great reformer says, "Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times."
Therefore keep believing the promises of God even though you may not be able to feel the power of it in your body immediately. All the promises of God are yes in Christ Jesus, ready to be fulfilled for the glory of God to all those who believe it and seek for its fulfillment diligently by continual faith (2 Cor 1:20; Heb 11:6; Jer 1:12).
I hope you will understand this powerful truth through this following story clearly.
A wealthy man had a only son who was born very late in his life after much faith and prayer, and he loved him very much. The family always lived in great peace.
They had a beautiful big farm in which a big lake was there and a lot of trees surrounded it. The father of the house always had a liking towards animals, birds and fishes as he was a naturalist.
As the house of this wealthy man was built on a hillock, it was always a panoramic view of great serenity to see the the lake from the house. But a servant who took care of the house was a very wordly wise guy who was always looking for oppurtunity to promote his own benefit.
The wealthy father instructed the servant to take care of his little boy in such a way that it should not make him think that some one is following him whenever he is in outdoors. So one fine morning on a weekend the boy excitedly ran with all his strength to spend his time on the outdoors near that beautiful lake.
As he saw that big lake shining in the morning sun, he got very much tempted to thow stones and create ripple effect in it. So he collected stones and started to throw stones as far as he could in to the lake and was enjoying himself. Suddenly a misdirected stone went to the other side of the lake and hit a beautiful imported goose that his father recently bought. The stone hit the head of the goose and it fell down immediately before his eyes and it died. The boy cried and ran towards it to see whether it is possible to give first aid to it. But sadly he found it dead. Soon fear took control of him as he was thinking of how he could tell his father about this accident and tragedy. Then he tried to bury the goose immediately before anyone could know it.
Just at that moment when he was burying it, the servant appeared and told the boy, "I know what you did and how you killed the goose, but if you do all the work I tell you, I will not tell this to your father."
So the boy from that day began to work for the servant and the servant enjoyed his time greatly in the ourdoors. But soon the little boy got tired of the laborious work that the servant told him to do day after day and finally decided to tell his father the truth privately.
When he confessed it to his father, he told that he already knew what had happened and he patted the boy on his back for his honesty. Then the father said to the little boy, 'You are my son, so I love you for who you are to me. Then he embraced and kissed him.' The boy could never forget after that what his father said, and from that day he began to look to his father as a friend he could trust in hard times.
The next time the boy went out to play near the lake side, the servant was sitting lethargically expecting the boy to come and do his work. But to the surprise of the servant the boy joyfully played without even noticing the servant who was lying down and enjoying himself near the lake.
The servant angrily asked the little boy why he did not do the work that he was supposed to do as usual. The little boy stupefied and stunned the servant saying, "I love my father and my father loves me because I am his son." The servant on that day ran away as usual to do his daily work or lose his job before the end of the day.
What can we learn from this, we need to confess our wrong doings to our Heavenly Father as soon as possible and then keep believing that because we are his sons and daughters, our Heavenly Father God loves us and we love Him back because of it (1 John 1:9; 4:19). Then when the enemy comes to discourage us and harass us to do his evil bidding through our body, then we must remind him that we are His sons and that God loves us unconditionally at all times because we are his sons and daughters through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:25-26; Jer 31:3). God has become our friend now through Jesus Christ (Prov 17:17; John 15:15; James 2:23) and we ought to see this truth in our day to day life and apply it to transform the way we see ourself differently forever. This will make the enemy to flee away from us (James 4:7-8). Our confession of our sins to God is our submission to him, and that very act becomes a drawing near to him in fellowship. Confession restores the fellowship and restores our sonship identity. It also keeps our faith intact in the promises of God and makes our mind to consider God as a friend whom we can trust with our weakness, sins and inadequancy.
Jesus promised all the sons of God that sin cannot alter the sonship by saying, " 34 ..."Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son [has made you free from sin through the Cross, you are free (1 Cor 15:17)]...indeed." (John 8:34-36). We who are adopted in to the house of God are his sons forever by faith which is given as a gift of God (Rom 8:15; Eph 2:8). The next time you are tempted to reject the promises of God because of the condemnation of the enemy, simply remind yourself of the fact that you are God's son and that nothing can change that fact, especially sins of the torturous kind. Then with all faith and confidence in the promises of God remind Satan and his cohorts that you are the son of God, he will surely flee from you as soon as possible.


Chances are, you're familiar with the Karma Dinner process by now: you sign up to our waiting list, and if you're selected, you'll get an invitation to a lovely evening, full of lovely food and lovely people.
This time around, it's a little different.
Because of the overwhelming popularity of sign-ups lately, we're shifting the parameters of the event. This month, it's an open invitation, so if you want to come, you can (up to the venue's capacity). This means places are going fast.
We like fast, so we're upping the ante.
Our new friend Simon Woodroffe wrote a wonderful poem about us the other week.
We absolutely loved this. It's reinvigorated our poetic spirit. We're spouting sonnets and sestinas and limericks from the rafters.
As such, a lucky selection of our Karma Drinks applicants will get a personal haiku written for them, on us, with their twitter handle attached.
Free drinks, like-minded people, exciting chatter and lovely poems.


text:
Q: How to install the scanner of Canon MF4750 multi-device? I am using 32 bit Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and bought a Canon i-Sensys MF4750 printer + scanner + fax. There is a driver on the official Canon homepage only for the printer, and that works fine. But I need the scanner too...
The scanner is not recognized automatically (I connect it by USB). I installed SANE, but still doesn't work. I followed the steps here:
Troubleshooting sane - Adding a Scanner that is not auto-detected.
when I type sane-find-scanner than it finds it as follows:
found USB scanner (vendor=0x04a9, product=0x2774) at libusb:002:005
But when I try to scan (SimpleScan, XSANE, Scanimage...) it just does not work (no scanner).
How can I get to work it? How can I get a driver for this scanner (probably SANE is not supporting my model)?
Please write in very simple way, I have very poor knowledge about Linux systems...

A: 1. Printer driver:
Canon i-SENSYS MF4750 - Support - Download drivers, software and manuals
2. Scaner driver :
sudo apt-get install libusb-dev build-essential libsane-dev

sudo apt-get install git-core

Download latest sane source code
git clone git://git.debian.org/sane/sane-backends.git

cd sane-backends

./configure

make

sudo make install

3. Set Permissions for USB (allows you to scan without using sudo)
sudo gedit /lib/udev/rules.d/50-udev-default.rules

Change..
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ENV{DEVTYPE}=="usb_device", ... , MODE="0664"

To..
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ENV{DEVTYPE}=="usb_device", ... , MODE="0666"

Reboot.
sane-find-scanner -f

scanimage -L

Enjoy !!!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Fighting Injustice
BINGHAM PRESS LTD
DCH
Bond V Lucan
The Bingham's
Northern Island
Bingham Press Media Ltd
The Hon Barry Bingham VC OBE
The Hon Edward Barry Stewart Bingham (1881-1939), of Bangor Castle, County Down, third son of John, 5th Baron ClanmorrisJP DL, ADC to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Matilda Catherine, daughter of Robert Edward Ward JP DL, of Bangor Castle.
This is a branch of the noble house of BINGHAM,Earls of Lucan.
The Hon Barry Bingham joined the Royal BINGHAM, a midshipman, after school at Arnold House, Llanddulas, Carnarvonshire; and a spell on HMS Britannia, a permanently-moored training ship at Dartmouth, Devon.
He was commissioned Lieutenant RN and served a year (1904-5) on HMS Cormorant based at Gibraltar; then was given his own command, of the torpedo boat destroyer HMS Star.
In 1915, Bingham was promoted Commander RN, and given HMS Hornet, a destroyer.
In May 1916, during the Battle of Jutland, Commander Bingham commanded a destroyer division.
He led his division in their attack, first on enemy destroyers and then on the battlecruisers of the German High Seas Fleet.
Once the enemy was sighted Bingham ordered his own destroyer, HMS Nestor, and the one remaining destroyer of his division, HMS Nicator, to close to within 3,000 yards of the opposing battle fleet so that he could bring his torpedoes to bear.
While making this attack, Nestor and Nicator were under concentrated fire of the secondary batteries of the German fleet and Nestor was subsequently sunk.
For his actions, Commander Bingham earned the Victoria Cross, one of relatively few awarded for naval bravery during the 1st World War
The citation reads:
For the extremely gallant way in which he led his division in their attack, first on enemy destroyers and then on their battlecruisers.
He finally sighted the enemy battle-fleet, and, followed by the one remaining destroyer of his division (Nicator), with dauntless courage he closed to within 3,000 yards of the enemy in order to attain a favourable position for firing the torpedoes.
While making this attack, Nestor and Nicator were under concentrated fire of the secondary batteries of the High Sea Fleet. Nestor was subsequently sunk.
Bingham was picked up by the Germans at Jutland and remained a prisoner of war (latterly at Holzminden) until the Armistice.
After the war, he stayed in the Royal Navy, was promoted several times and retired in 1932 with the rank of Rear-Admiral, having for a year held the position of Senior Officer of the Reserve Fleet, Devonport.
He had several commands, including HMS Resolution, in the Mediterranean.
Admiral Bingham served as Chief of Staff in the Nore Command, 1927-9, and was appointed ADC to GEORGE V.
Outside the Navy, his interests were equestrian; he was a keen jockey and polo player.
In addition to his VC, Bingham was also awarded the OBE and was mentioned in dispatches.
He was also awarded the (Tsarist) Russian Order of St Stanislaus.
He published a memoir of his naval career in 1919, notable for his description of the worst part of naval life being, not nearly being blown to pieces in battle, nor the nervous hours and minutes before battle; it was the ordeal, in that pre-diesel age, of coaling.
Bingham had, in 1915, married Vera Temple-Patterson; this was dissolved in 1937 though they had a son and a daughter.
His nephew, the 7th Baron Clanmorris, was a successful novelist, as John Bingham, whose daughter Charlotte, in turn, would follow in these of her father's footsteps.
Some maintain that his espionage activity during the 2nd World War provided a model for the fictional writings of John le Carré, the successful English writer of spy fiction.
Admiral Bingham, who latterly resided at Evershot, Dorset, died in London.
Content accredited to the original article to be viewed HERE but a copy placed here to ensure it remains.
George Bingham, 3rd Earl of Lucan
The Binghams and Lucans, Castlebar in Co. Mayo
Heirs of 1804 Trust To Divide $838,000 - The New York Times
© 2020 by Bingham Press Media Ltd Proudly
Please address all correspondence, in the first instance, to:
50 Grosvenor Hill
W1K 3QT

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Thinking about a vacation in Abu Dhabi? As a luxury adventure travel expert and blogger I get to go to some pretty cool places around the world. And I love it – even the hectic pace as I make as many meetings as I can in new vacation destinations, and see contacts I already have relationships with in places I have been (and my clients love).
I am always on the hunt for new luxury and adventure travel experiences and insights. But when I get to come HOME, where is that? All photos on this blog post are provided by the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority.
Well, for me it is a bit complicated and SO ME, as an explorer at heart. I spend part of my downtime on the East Coast where my family is (or there are great connecting flights to get to those farther away), and part of the time elsewhere in the world where my husband is. He is currently working in the Middle East.
Yup, the Middle East. And I LOVE it there! This is not my first rodeo in the region.
I have stayed with my man in Bahrain and Dubai, and I visit Jordan often because I love it there. Currently, my part time home is in Abu Dhabi, and it is an eye-opener.
So I am going to tell you why you should go and plan a vacation in Abu Dhabi.
It is easy to get there, and is a connection for many other destinations. Etihad Air has its hub there. If you are a fan of comfortable flights and great service, then Etihad should be on your radar. I could move in to their lounges!
By stopping in Abu Dhabi, you add another layer of travel experiences. If you are on your way to the Maldives, a city and desert experience gives more dimension to your travel. It is a sophisticated resting stop in your journey.
There is WAY more to do than you think.
Abu Dhabi and Dubai are a car ride away from each other. Abu Dhabi is laid back, but not sleepy while Dubai has a tendency to be frenetic.
PS: Take a woman taxi or cab driver to support the local women empowerment and the responsible tourism movement.
There is culture in the city! Not only top artists but also venues for art, music, dance. And local traditional arts as well.
Sightseeing is amazing. The Sheik Zayed Mosque is one of the most beautiful modern structures in the world. There are forts, UNESCO sites, local culture such as camel farms and the falcon hospital that will immediately immerse you in the traditions of the region.
There is a strong horse tradition, and Formula One racing.
Of course, entertainment options on your vacation in Abu Dhabi are almost boundless from music to nightclubs, sporting events, and art (the Louvre really looks like it is going to open soon, and then the Guggenheim eventually).
Don't get me started on the dining options, as Abu Dhabi has so many great options for true international cuisine and venues of top chefs.
Beyond the too-numerous to list entertainment options, Abu Dhabi and elsewhere in the smaller Emirates have stunning natural beaches and island resorts with blue-hued clear warm Arabian Gulf and unobstructed views and white sand beaches (and of course exceptional service and amenities) that rival the Maldives or Seychelles.
The white sand of the beaches and the blue and green hues of the Gulf are a far cry from what you'd think your vacation in Abu Dhabi and the Middle East look like.
More than anywhere else in the UAE, the desert is spectacular in Abu Dhabi, particularly in the Lost Quarter. This lends itself to incredible trekking by foot, bike, camel and horse. And of course, by SUV. You can dune-bash or sled or sand board these massive hills.
Touring options abound from forts to dune excursions, falconry, UNESCO sites, camel farms and racing in season, glamping, hiking, Bedouin adventures. Camel races, beauty contests (yup), and farm visits.
What about places to stay on your vacation in Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi is a wealthy country, and like its neighbor Dubai, there is no lack of wonderful hotels and resorts in which to indulge.
From the best of the best Emirates Palace to numerous luxury properties through the various sections of the city, you are spoiled for choice and it only depends on where you'd like to be and the view you want. But the choices don't end there.


What is the profit from Feldenkrais group lessons (Awareness Through Movement lessons, in short: ATM's)?
ATMs are likewise suited for people that recover from injuries, illness or accidents, that improve athletic or artistic performance, prevent injuries and want to improve the quality of everyday movements.
Each ATM lesson consists of a series of movements that are composed in a way such that they lead to a new sensory evaluation and an understanding of your own movement possibilities.
The main obstacles to easy and efficient movements are the habitual, unconscious aspects of our movement. The things we do without even realizing it.
The lessons lead to a new awareness and this way you learn to move outside of self-limiting patterns.
– Try to get here 15-10 minutes before the course starts in order to arrive calmly.
– Give yourself enough time to repeat every move according to your own leisure and need.
– Take yourself plenty of time for breaks.
– Take breaks when you need them, not only when they are announced.
– Work in a smooth and quiet way.
– Try to execute the movements in such a way that you could continue endlessly.
– If you are in pain, work in your imagination.
– Watch out for a quiet and regular breathing.
– Practice the movements only to the point where they can be done easily and feel good.
– Do each movement slowly, gently, without effort, pressure, or strain.
– Stop any movement before it can cause any pain.


DUBAI, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Gulf stocks opened lower on Monday as investors worried about reports the United States was preparing a new round of tariffs on Chinese imports.
Such a move would set up a possible escalation in the trade dispute between the two world powers.
After closing at a new six-month low on Sunday, stocks in Saudi Arabia failed to recover on Monday. Saudi Basic Industries Corp, the largest listed company in the Gulf, opened 1.7 percent down, with Al Rajhi Bank falling 0.9 percent.
The Saudi index slid 0.7 percent in early trading.
Gulf markets followed the earlier slide in Asian shares. U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to announce new tariffs on about $200 billion of Chinese imports as early as Monday, a senior administration official told Reuters.
In Dubai, Emaar Properties sank 2.1 percent, reversing an earlier gain.
It follows the United Arab Emirates's approval on Sunday of a law allowing retired expatriates to stay in the country with renewable five-year visas if they meet conditions, such as investment in property worth 2 million dirhams ($544,514) or financial savings of 1 million dirhams.
"It's obviously a positive development from a long-term perspective for the UAE real estate sector. Near-term, the sentiment in the stock market remains weak and don't expect much reaction on UAE real estate stocks from this announcement," said Ayub Ansari, senior analyst at SICO in Bahrain.
Emirates NBD opened 1 percent down. The Dubai index was down 1.0 percent.
In Abu Dhabi, First Abu Dhabi Bank fell 1.4 percent, while Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank dropped by the same amount.
The Abu Dhabi index was 0.9 percent down.
Qatar National Bank, the largest bank in the Middle East and Africa, dipped by 1.4 percent, while Industries Qatar fell 1.1 percent.


text:
CEV: Champions League Play-offs 6's Round 2
Arkas Izmir will have to win through another Golden Set if they want to return to CEV Champions League Final Four
We're down to the nitty gritty in Champions League action, and a group of Canadians will be fighting for their playoff lives on Tuesday afternoon. Arkas Izmir dropped their first match to Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle 3-2, this week, they'll be playing at home in the second match, looking to once again play spoilers and take the series in a Golden Set. Don't forget to watch Hoag, Perrin, Duff, and Simac push to get back to the Final Four!
Tuesday February 12th, 2013
Men: Arkas IZMIR vs. Zaksa KEDZIERZYN-KOZLE @ 12:00 p.m. EST
Wednesday February 13th, 2013
Women: Azerrail BAKU vs. Unendo Yamamay BUSTO ARSIZIO @ 9:00 a.m. EST
Men: Dinamo MOSCOW vs. Zenit KAZAN @ 10:00 p.m. EST
Men: Bre Banca Lannutti CUNEO vs. Lube Banca Marche MACERATA @ 2:30 p.m. EST
Thursday February 14th, 2013
Women: Rabita BAKU vs. Dinamo KAZAN @ 8:00 a.m. EST
Women: Eczacibasi Vitra ISTANBUL vs. Vakifbank ISTANBUL @ 10:00 a.m. EST
Everett Delorme February 12, 2013
The Volleyball Source Podcast: Episode 32
beach, canada, cev, cis, podcastCameron Kerr February 13, 2013 anderson, arkas, mcmaster, ryerson
Happy Birthday Volleyball
Cameron Kerr February 9, 2013


text:
underEXPOSED IV
English (Available dubbed in Aboriginal & subtitled in English)
Region: N/A
Duration: 13x30 minutes
underEXPOSED Series finale season continues with the struggles of young Aboriginal photographer Gracey Dove and her quest to forge a career in the competitive action sports industry. Gracey holds nothing back as she jumps whole-heartedly into the world's most exciting sports and athletes who are competing in today's current thrill-seeking culture that has become a huge entertainment industry. This finale season is the make or break year for Gracey. She is determined to become an accomplished action sports photographer and needs to be the complete package - a photojournalist who can get the epic action shot, take the awesome portrait and write a compelling article. While she still has to push the boundaries to get that extreme action shot, she needs to learn to be a "story teller" to connect her photos with the subject and action.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Airdog Media Inc.
Cast/Participants: Gracey Dove
L' ÉROTISME ET LES PERSONNES ÂGÉES
Le souhait d'Augustine
Saint-Élie-de-Légendes II
Chubby Chaser


text:
Death looming, John McCain Battles Brain Tumor and Reminisces
Senator and Former Presidential Candidate was a national hero and a lion of the US Senate
Share Tweet 1 Comment
US Republican presidential candidate senator John McCain campaigning ten years ago in Ohio.
Several news sources are reporting that Sen. John McCain, 81 has died of a Glioblastoma at age 81. The US Senator and former US Presidential candidate has not been seen publicly in several weeks. He announced last year that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor.
But as of May 6, 2018 McCain was alive and meeting with friends and supporters as he fights what is no doubt a losing battle.
The New York Times says he has met with former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden, and urged him not to walk away from politics.
No one is saying goodbye, not explicitly. The son and grandson of admirals, Mr. McCain "doesn't like overt sentimentality," as his friend the former chief of staff Grant Woods put it. But his visitors are telling him they love him, how much he has meant to them - and together they are taking care of unfinished business.
The Republican senator encouraged the former Democratic vice president to "not walk away" from politics, as Mr. Biden put it before refusing to discuss a possible 2020 presidential run. Mr. McCain is using a new book and documentary to reveal his regret about not selecting former Senator Joseph I. Lieberman as his running mate in 2008. His intimates have informed the White House that their current plan for his funeral is for Vice President Mike Pence to attend the service to be held in Washington's National Cathedral but not President Trump, with whom Mr. McCain has had a rocky relationship.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/05/us/politics/john-mccain-arizona.html
John Sidney McCain III is an American politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Arizona since 1987. He was the Republican nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 election, which he lost to Barack Obama.
McCain was born in 1936 in what was then the US controlled Panama Canal Zone.
McCain graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1958 and followed his father and grandfather-both four-star admirals-into the United States Navy. He became a naval aviator and flew ground-attack aircraft from aircraft carriers. During the Vietnam War, he was almost killed in the 1967 USS Forrestal fire. While McCain was on a bombing mission over Hanoi in October 1967, he was shot down, seriously injured, and captured by the North Vietnamese. He was a prisoner of war until 1973. McCain experienced episodes of torture and refused an out-of-sequence early repatriation offer. The wounds that he sustained during war have left him with lifelong physical disabilities. He retired from the Navy as a captain in 1981 and moved to Arizona, where he entered politics. In 1982, McCain was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served two terms. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986 and easily won re-election five times, most recently in 2016.
While generally adhering to conservative principles, McCain at times has had a media reputation as a "maverick" for his willingness to disagree with his party on certain issues. After being investigated and largely exonerated in a political influence scandal of the 1980s as a member of the Keating Five, he made campaign finance reform one of his signature concerns, which eventually resulted in passage of the McCain–Feingold Act in 2002. He is also known for his work in the 1990s to restore diplomatic relations with Vietnam, and for his belief that the Iraq War should have been fought to a successful conclusion. McCain has chaired the Senate Commerce Committee, and he opposed pork barrel spending. He was a member of the bi-partisan group known as the Gang of 14 who played a key role in alleviating a crisis over judicial nominations.
McCain has recently admitted that he regrets not selecting New York Sen. Joseph Lieberman as his running mate.
McCain entered the race for the Republican nomination for President in 2000, but he lost a heated primary season contest to Governor George W. Bush of Texas. He secured the nomination in 2008 after coming back from early reversals, but was defeated by Democratic nominee Barack Obama in the general election, losing by a 365–173 electoral college margin. He subsequently adopted more orthodox conservative stances and attitudes and largely opposed actions of the Obama administration, especially in regard to foreign policy matters. By 2013, however, he had become a key figure in the Senate for negotiating deals on certain issues in an otherwise partisan environment. In 2015, McCain became chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In July 2017, he was diagnosed with brain cancer; since the diagnosis he has taken a reduced role in the Senate.
Anti-War Demonstrations in LA and Santa Monica Call on US Congress to Avoid War with Iran
Joanne Bonner Leavitt...Observer Staff
The Homeless Call LAX...Samuel Alioto
Metrolink Offers $10 T...Observer Staff
Tckc2010 writes:
John Mcain is willing to sell out our county and all of his principles if he ever had any just to get back at trump he is nothing more than a baby a spoiled brat. And mire than that he is the essence of a dirty politician and we thank god he was never elected president .He is the perfect reason why we need term limits he should be in jail for trying to use the secret police in the FBI to undermine a sitting US president a very communist play book kind of a thing Maybe the communist sprit rubbed off on him in vietnam.


Wildlife and humans don't always go together. Wildlife and domesticated animals don't always go together. And when 73 year old Carl Moore found a black bear trying to slip under a gate to get access to the porch with Moore's beloved Chihuahua Lacy, they definitely didn't go together.
These stories often end badly, with a dead dog, a shot bear, or an injured human. This particular story is different.
Carl Moore punched the bear in the face, and the bear chose to run instead of take the fight. Might be hard to believe, but there are witnesses to the incident, and seeing how he holds Lacy in the video, it's probably true. His friends say he's a former First Recon Marine, and he has worked as a bouncer, so he has probably seen his share. Odds are, this is still his first fight with a bear.
If the bear returns, Moore has promised to call the authorities instead of punching first.


Thanks D. The sky image was too grainy.ive not notice it !
Yep, be careful of distortion. It doesn't help your image. When scaling pics be sure to hold down the Shift key.
Also the shadows need an improvement,they're not loyal to the character's position.
Thanks you are right. I edited a little the shadows now too. Thanks.


text:
As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration.
The paper has been prepared and formatted following the template (doc or docx format). The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements as used in the template.
The article must be a minimum of 3,000 words to a maximum of 8,000 words. The abstract, references, figure captions, and tables are not counted toward the word count
At least five (5) of the reference must be from reputable journal articles found in database such as sciencedirect.com
All in-text citations must be listed in the reference list and all sources in the reference list must be cited within the article.
Jurnal Ekonomi dan Manajemen (JEM) accepts unpublished research and review papers in the areas of Management and Business, Micro and Macroeconomics, also Financial Corporate and Tax.
We insist that authors are careful to write in English, seeking help of skilled professionals, so that the text is within the standards of international publications. If English is incompatible with the standard of quality, the text will be corrected, with the costs borne by the authors.
All submitted papers will be reviewed by the technical experts (reviewers) from the same field. The review may take two to four weeks.
Authors should use the correct template JEM
There are several things that authors should pay attention to:
Abstract must contain research objectives, methods, results and importance of findings.
All in-text citations must be cited in the reference list and all sources in the reference list must be cited within the article. At least five (5) of the references must be from reputable journal articles found in database such as sciencedirect.com.
Attention to the reference:
English translations for any non English titles should be included in brackets following the titles in the original language.
Anwar Prabu. 2015. Manajemen Sumber Daya Manusia Perusahaan. PT Remaja Rosdakarya Offset-Bandung.
..:: UMKT JOURNALS ::..
..:: JOURNAL INFORMATION ::..
Screening Plagiarism
..:: INFORMATION ::..
..:: SINTA Certificate ::..
..:: Journal Template ::..
..:: Visitor Status ::..
..:: Recommended Tools ::..
Copyright @ 2020 PPI Universitas Muhammadiyah Kalimantan Timur


text:
The BBC are reviving axed Doctor Who spin off Class as an audio series
Sarah DeenTuesday 29 May 2018 5:19 pm
The original cast of Class is returning for some brand new adventures (Picture: BBC)
Doctor Who spin off class is coming back with the original cast for an audio series.
Class, set in Coal Hill School where the Doctor's companion Clara Oswald worked, centered around a group of teenagers and their alien encounters.
It was canned by the BBC after just one series.
Fans will be pleased to hear that six brand new adventures are on their way as audio books, and will see them meet the Seventh Doctor's companion Ace, played by Sophie Aldred.
Greg Austin, Fady Elsayed, Sophie Hopkins, Vivian Oparah and Matteusz Andrzejewski will reprise their roles as Coal School students Charlie, Ram, April, Tanya and Jordan. Katherine Kelly will return as their teacher Miss Quill.
The audio books will be released in two parts, with the first half made up of Gifted, by Roy Gill, Life Experience by Jenny T Colgan and Tell Me You Love Me by Scott Handcock.
Everyone Love Reagan by Tom Foley, Now You Know by Tim Leng and In Remembrance by Guy Adams will make up the second part.
Director-and-producer Scott Handcock said: 'We've had a great deal of fun reuniting the original cast for the audio series, telling brand-new stories set within the TV run whilst tackling a host of alien menaces.
'I couldn't resist linking up the Doctor Who universe – bringing Ace and the Daleks into the world of Class has been an absolute treat. And for full authenticity, we're lucky to have series composer Blair Mowat return to the world of Class as well.'
At the time Class was axed, BBC Three Controller Damian Kavanagh admitted that the show 'didn't really land'.
MORE: Doctor Who's Jodie Whittaker joined Bradley Walsh for a bit of Dad-Instagramming at the BAFTAs
MORE: Jenna Coleman congratulated by fans who think she's pregnant as star wears fake baby bump on The Cry
BBC ThreeDoctor WhoSchool


Well being and wellness in the 21st century have some vital problems. As quick as youngsters change and grow, it's crucial to stay on top of their changing health care needs. Is yours a healthy school? RAND Well being is the nation's largest impartial health coverage research program, with a broad research portfolio that focuses on health care costs, high quality and public health preparedness, among different topics.
Of healthcare for kids. Teaching your kid to journey the scooter and riding one together with them permits the parents additionally to have quality time with children. AboutKidsHealth is proud to partner with the next sponsors as they assist our mission to improve the health and wellbeing of youngsters in Canada and world wide by making accessible health care data accessible by way of the internet.
And having a fats little one does not necessarily equal to having a wholesome child. 2. Assist children cope: the most effective defence towards stress is a healthy balanced lifestyle that features physical exercise, quiet time and leisure methods, with a main emphasis on affectionate parents who're good listeners.
These programs present health coverage for kids in order that they can get routine verify-ups, immunizations and dental care to maintain them wholesome. "Get to know your children and let them get to know you." It is the one means mother and father can determine if stress is an issue of their kid's life.
For instance, children need immunizations to help them thrust back infections and illnesses and develop wholesome and strong. A baby's physical and psychological health are each important. Good mental well being allows kids to think clearly, develop socially and learn new skills.


text:
Vintage Pulp Oct 17 2013
Laura Gemser ventures into uncharted territory in Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals.
Laura Gemser's Emanuelle series started innocuously enough, but soon she was running into slavers, zombies, and Amazon cannibals. It's the latter she contends with in Emanuelle e gli ultimi cannibali, aka Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals, and she handles them and their voracious appetites for human meat the way she handles pretty much every obstacle in her movies—by getting naked. In truth, Gemser has nothing to fear from flesh eaters—she's nothing but skin and bones. But of course her angular, stick-figure exoticism is her appeal.
You really have to appreciate how hard Gemser tries to breathe life into this one, gamely wading into fetid swamps, battling murderous anacondas, and letting ham-fisted Italian dudes paw her tender parts. Her co-stars Gabriele Tinti, Mónica Zanchi, Annamaria Clementi, and Nieves Navarro likewise give their all—including some innards, a uterus, and plenty of dignity—but the mixture of sex and gore is jarring, and the Mondo Cane style shock documentary realism is totally inappropriate. Oh, and we'll add that the scene in which a chimpanzee smokes a cigarette—and French style, no less—is just wrong.
We gather that this was a pioneering effort by director Joe D'Amato at genre mash-up, but being neither scary nor erotic, we can only shrug at the final result. However, on the plus side of the ledger you get a groovy score from Nico Fidenco, some lush tropical scenery, and several unintentionally funny "cannibal cam" sequences. In the end, the film imparts one important lesson, which is that there's never a bad time to get your hump on, even when homicidal cannibals are lurking in the undergrowth. Above you see the movie's nice Italian poster, painted by an unknown. Emanuelle e gli ultimi cannibali premiered in Italy today in 1977.
ItalyEmanuelle e gli ultimi cannibaliEmanuelle and the Last CannibalsLaura GemserGabriele TintiNieves NavarroMónica ZanchiNico FidencoAnnamaria ClementiJoe D'Amatoposter artcinemahorrorsexploitationnuditymovie review
SEARCH PULP INTERNATIONAL
The headlines that mattered yesteryear.
1915—Claude Patents Neon Tube
French inventor Georges Claude patents the neon discharge tube, in which an inert gas is made to glow various colors through the introduction of an electrical current. His invention is immediately seized upon as a way to create eye catching advertising, and the neon sign comes into existence to forever change the visual landscape of cities.
1937—Hughes Sets Air Record
Millionaire industrialist, film producer and aviator Howard Hughes sets a new air record by flying from Los Angeles, California to New York City in 7 hours, 28 minutes, 25 seconds. During his life he set multiple world air-speed records, for which he won many awards, including America's Congressional Gold Medal.
1967—Boston Strangler Convicted
Albert DeSalvo, the serial killer who became known as the Boston Strangler, is convicted of murder and other crimes and sentenced to life in prison. He serves initially in Bridgewater State Hospital, but he escapes and is recaptured. Afterward he is transferred to federal prison where six years later he is killed by an inmate or inmates unknown.
It's easy. We have an uploader that makes it a snap. Use it to submit your art, text, header, and subhead. Your post can be funny, serious, or anything in between, as long as it's vintage pulp. You'll get a byline and experience the fleeting pride of free authorship. We'll edit your post for typos, but the rest is up to you. Click here to give us your best shot.
Pulp art from around the web
Things you'd love to buy but can't anymore


text:
Q: Search Excel with multiple string criteria I'd like to search a description cell for ANY words (criteria) from a predefined list, and pull the relevant dollar amount for the item from the adjacent cell.
To illustrate, here is my setup:
   A   |   B   |   C   |     D    |    E    |   F    |

 Date  | Descr.| Amount|   Cat1   |   Cat2  |  Cat3  |

D,E,F: Each one of these are item categories.  If the item in that row belongs to a category, I would like its amount to populate that category cell in that same row.  Each category cell has a formula to test for this and perform the operation.
My first thought was to use VLookup, but I have a list of lookup values.  I haven't been able to successfully do that.  Each of the category cells has a formula like this -->
=IF(SUM(COUNTIF($B10,{"*costco*","*saputo*","*t & t*"}))>0,$C10," ")
Column B refers to the description, which is searched for any of the criteria.  If any of the words are contained in the description, the cell is filled with the amount from column C, otherwise its left with a space.
This works perfectly as is, however I need the criteria (costco, saputo, t&t in this case) to be flexible (add or remove strings to the list) rather than hard-coded in the formula.  This is my issue: the formula stops working if I replace the criteria with a reference to another cell.  I'm relatively new to excel and not familiar with restrictions/constraints of its functions, which I suspect is the issue.
Any help is much appreciated, let me know if I need to provide more info.
Ankit

A: Create a Name (like a named range, but refers to a value rather than a range.)
For Excel 2007 and 2010, on the Formulas tab, Defined Names group, Name Manager
For Excel 2003 Insert, Names, Define
Create a new Name (lets use the name "KeyWords") , set it "Refers To" value to
={"*costco*","*saputo*","*t & t*"}

Formula then becomes  EDIT enter as an array formula
=IF(SUM(COUNTIF($B10,KeyWords))>0,$C10," ")

Editing the list then becomes editing the value of KeyWords refers to value.  This can be done through the Name Manager, or if you wish, through VBA
EDIT
Sample VBA
Sub SetKeyWords()
    Dim wb As Workbook
    Dim nm As Name

    Set wb = ActiveWorkbook
    Set nm = wb.Names("KeyWords")
    nm.RefersTo = "={""NewString""}"

End Sub

A: Load the strings you are seeking into an array (via converting a range into an array, or having the user select the strings from a small form you design)
 Sub MyLookup(arrCategories() As Variant)
    Dim searchrange As Range
    Dim xCell As Range
    Dim count As Integer
    'set searchrange to the proper column
    For Each xCell In searchrange
       For Each catg In arrCategories
          If xCell = catg Then
              'Do something here
          End If
       Next catg
    Next xCell
 End Sub

You may need to adjust your string array based on whether case matters.  Depending on the size of your set of data, it might be better to convert searchrange into an array.
There may be a faster way to see if certain strings are found within a given range, but this is the general idea.


Before/After: M.V. Pelletier Custom Remodeling Kitchens and Baths — M.V. Pelletier Inc.
It's always a great idea to see how your remodeling company takes an existing space and transforms it into your desires. Here are some projects in Frederick MD and surrounding areas, allowing you to see what the spaces looked like before, and how M.V. Pelletier completed it to enhance the home. Revisions, renovations, and remodeling to suit your needs are a specialty of our company. Contact M.V. Pelletier for your next design project.


Professor Waziyatawin: Keynote Presenter at the He Manawa Whenua Indigenous Research Conference 2013.
Dr. Waziyatawin is a Dakota writer, teacher, and activist from the Pezihutazizi Otunwe (Yellow Medicine Village) in southwestern Minnesota. She is the author or co/editor of six volumes, including her most recent book, For Indigenous Minds Only.
"As Dakota people, we consider Minisota Makoce (Land Where the Waters Reflect the Skies) to be our ancient homeland and we were the first human beings to call this place home. Yet, in the last two centuries, Dakota people have been systematically dispossessed of our homeland and we currently reside on about .01 % (about one-hundredth of one percent) of our original land base within the borders of what is now the State of Minnesota. As a consequence, the vast majority of our people still live in exile.
Oyate Nipi Kte is committed to restoring a land base for Dakota people through the Makoce Ikikcupi project so that we may begin to bring some of our relatives home, re-establish our spiritual and physical relationship with our homeland, and ensure the ongoing existence of our People. Our cultural survival depends on it.
We live in an age when our language sits on the brink of extinction. Our last fluent speakers of Dakota language in Minnesota number less than ten and are now all over the age of 70. The link to our knowledge about our cultural traditions is quickly fading. If we do not implement a way of living in which our language is tied to our daily activities, our language will die and we will lose valuable survival knowledge.
Further, in the coming months and years, as the globe continues to warm, the environment continues to be desecrated by industrial civilization, and cheap oil becomes more and more scarce, all populations must consider their future food security. Our physical survival depends on it.


text:
PROJECT_DIR       = $(shell pwd)

### ARDMK_DIR
### Path to the Arduino-Makefile directory.
ARDMK_DIR         = /usr/share/arduino

### ARDUINO_DIR
### Path to the Arduino application and ressources directory.

### or on Linux: (remove the one you don't want)
ARDUINO_DIR       = /usr/share/arduino

### USER_LIB_PATH
### Path to where the your project's libraries are stored.
USER_LIB_PATH    :=  $(PROJECT_DIR)/lib

### BOARD_TAG
### It must be set to the board you are currently using. (i.e uno, mega2560, etc.)
BOARD_TAG         = uno

### MONITOR_BAUDRATE
### It must be set to Serial baudrate value you are using.
MONITOR_BAUDRATE  = 115200

### AVR_TOOLS_DIR
### Path to the AVR tools directory such as avr-gcc, avr-g++, etc.
### On OS X with `homebrew`:
AVR_TOOLS_DIR     = /usr/local
### or on Linux: (remove the one you don't want)
AVR_TOOLS_DIR     = /usr

### AVRDDUDE
### Path to avrdude directory.
### On OS X with `homebrew`:
AVRDDUDE          = /usr/local/bin/avrdude
### or on Linux: (remove the one you don't want)
AVRDDUDE          = /usr/bin/avrdude

### CFLAGS_STD
### Set the C standard to be used during compilation. Documentation (https://github.com/WeAreLeka/Arduino-Makefile/blob/std-flags/arduino-mk-vars.md#cflags_std)
CFLAGS_STD        = -std=gnu11

### CXXFLAGS_STD
### Set the C++ standard to be used during compilation. Documentation (https://github.com/WeAreLeka/Arduino-Makefile/blob/std-flags/arduino-mk-vars.md#cxxflags_std)
CXXFLAGS_STD      = -std=gnu++11

### CXXFLAGS
### Flags you might want to set for debugging purpose. Comment to stop.
CXXFLAGS         += -pedantic -Wall -Wextra

### MONITOR_PORT
### The port your board is connected to. Using an '*' tries all the ports and finds the right one.
MONITOR_PORT      = /dev/ttyACM*

### CURRENT_DIR
### Do not touch - used for binaries path
CURRENT_DIR       = $(shell basename $(CURDIR))

### OBJDIR
### This is were you put the binaries you just compile using 'make'
OBJDIR            = $(PROJECT_DIR)/bin/$(BOARD_TAG)/$(CURRENT_DIR)

### path to Arduino.mk, inside the ARDMK_DIR, don't touch.
include $(ARDMK_DIR)/Arduino.mk

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
NFTs for Authors: Is This a Rush for Fool's Gold?
November 20, 2021 November 18, 2021 by P. S. Hoffman 6 Comments
Today's post is by author and marketer P. S. Hoffman.
Lately, influencers are parading Non-Fungible Tokens, or NFTs, as the shiny new key that will unlock the future of the internet. In publishing, respected entrepreneurs, like Joanna Penn, are wondering if NFTs could become a serious source of income for authors.
And I think by now we've all heard of the dazzling displays of wealth behind the earliest NFT artwork and book deals.
But in my opinion, the promise of NFT books is riddled with warning signs. The outlandish hype, the allure of quick riches, and the shining exterior of "new, disruptive technology" paints a picture I've seen before.
Here's why all this chatter about NFTs in publishing will probably amount to nothing more than a rush for fool's gold.
What is an NFT book?
The short answer: an NFT is a receipt that proves you bought a digital product. Jane has much info on NFTs here, but at its core, that's all an NFT is—a crypto-generated digital receipt.
Therefore, an NFT book is a receipt for a digital book. Most often, this will come packaged with the actual book's file, and exclusive content to "sweeten the deal."
The most basic idea is to allow people to collect, trade, and sell digital products, as if they were handmade and truly unique. But a unique string of numbers on your receipt does not make your product more valuable.
What's more, I'm going to show you why the promise of NFTs will most likely not upturn the whole publishing industry, and will not decentralize the power of the richest publishing giants. More on that in a second.
First, let's talk about marketing.
Scarcity does NOT make something valuable
Have you ever heard of "thulium?"
It's the scarcest rare metal on Earth. It's smooth, silvery, and easy to work with. Thulium is also one of the least valuable metals. Scarcity alone does not make something valuable.
If I tried to sell a book that no one has ever heard of on the premise that "it's the only one ever printed," no one would care. Now, if I tried to sell the author's original handwritten copy of, say, The Hunger Games, I could probably sell it for a pretty penny.
Without demand, scarcity doesn't matter.
And NFTs ignore the simple truth of the internet: everything hosted here is infinitely reproducible. There is no scarcity.
Therefore, to make a meaningful income off of NFTs, we're going to have to talk about artificial scarcity.
Artificial scarcity is a tool to make potential buyers of a product temporarily increase the value they assign to that product. As a professional marketer by day, I use artificial scarcity almost everywhere. Giant ticking timers on sales pages, phrases like "as long as supplies last," and limited edition runs are well-used tools in every marketer's kit.
Artificial scarcity has two major drawbacks:
First, it's not scalable. Limited-time offers, by definition, are limited.
Second, artificial scarcity is fake. Too much use can cheapen your brand, and anger your audience. Nobody wants to feel like they're being duped.
These problems are magnified when it comes to NFT Books. People who praise Non-Fungible Tokens have yet to address the fact that ebooks are inherently fungible.
Before this century, books had to be printed. Which meant we had to kill trees, process them into paper, and expend gobs of ink to create a single book. Books were inherently limited by their resources and manufacturing costs, not to mention distribution.
The internet changed that. A ebook file is so small, it can be sent in an email. Anything digital can be replicated infinitely, for no cost except the power that feeds your device. Which means, if you want to sell an NFT of your book, you are going to use artificial scarcity.
Will readers buy NFT books?
Only if they're easier or less expensive to buy than any other ebook. And thus far, that doesn't seem to be the case.
The internet is obsessed with hype, and letting it spiral out of control. Often, to dangerous effects (I'm sure you can think of a few recent instances).
The hype always begins with a promise—great wealth, or great health, or some dramatic change—while providing very slim evidence (if any) to back it up.
Hype spirals are magnetic. As hopefuls flock to become "early adopters," they add momentum to the spiral, which pulls in more. When you're in the epicenter of a hype spiral, it can be hard to see anything but the benefits of hopping aboard.
I have seen it happen to dear friends. I've watched them lose thousands on silly schemes that were obvious in hindsight, but because the hype was so strong…
This is a warning about all this NFT buzz: it's easy to make promises, and hard to deliver. Independent authors, specifically, may be at risk for the predatory sales tactics around NFTs. Even the copyright law isn't there yet.
Some readers will certainly buy NFTs, for as long as the NFT novelty lasts. But nothing builds momentum forever, and when the hype spiral begins to slow, it begins to die.
The publishing industry will be fine, but any author who stakes their writing future on NFTs may be left holding the bag, so to speak. As with any area, be careful how much you focus on NFTs.
Of course, many still believe NFTs have the power to change the publishing world. The power comes not from basic book sales, but from other areas.
Don't people want to collect unique NFT editions of books?
Oh, certainly.
But NFTs are digital. So where are you displaying these digital receipts for the books you've purchased?
Digital collectibles make sense in limited environments, like cosmetic micro-transactions that are popular in the gaming world. Gamers "live" in their worlds, and the cosmetics are immediately obvious.
But publishing is different. Are readers supposed to sit down with their morning coffee and scroll through their digital library while sighing with pleasure?
NFTs might have a place in other industries, but when it comes to turning NFT books into a sustainable and meaningful source of income for writers, the basic premise of the digital collectible business model doesn't hold much water.
NFT books will be more expensive than regular ebooks (and probably more than physical books, too). They will be less useful, they will have no physical attributes (like the feeling of a leather-bound or the smell of an old bookcase), and—except for that tiny piece of code—they will be nearly identical to a regular ebook.
The main way to make NFT books profitable is to bundle them with other products. We can already do this. I'm skeptical that NFT technology brings anything new to the table here, other than over-specialized proof of purchase.
It's like hiring a full-time construction crew and a jackhammer to nail a picture to your wall.
Do NFTs have the power to usurp the rich publishing monopolies?
In truth, Amazon is already looking at NFTs, and numerous online distributors are already selling NFT books. Several other entertainment giants are already laser-focused on exploiting people's hype for NFTs. These major players, who have all the resources in the world, are ready to capitalize on this new fad.
At best, new independent NFT marketplaces will crop up and limp along for a few years, before the giants gobble them up.
You can already see this happening in cryptocurrency markets, like Bitcoin, where a full 30% of the currency is concentrated in the hands of a relatively small number of investors.
Decentralized often means unregulated, and today's digital monopolies easily have the resources and flexibility to take advantage of any new media.
The audience for NFT books is (probably) smaller than the hype
Unless you're already a big-name author, and the cash doesn't really matter, you're probably not going to make a meaningful income from selling NFT books.
I doubt NFTs are dangerous for authors, but recently I've seen a lot of slick talkers trying to shove this dollar-sign-shaped technology into the publishing industry. Since the hype around NFT books is nearing its peak, I just wanted to stake my warning down for writers everywhere: if you go rushing for fool's gold, you might just find it.
P. S. Hoffman
P. S. Hoffman is an author and marketer. He runs a fiction advice blog, where he teaches writers how to create addicting characters. Learn more at PSHoffman.com.
Categories Digital Media, Guest Post
View the often insightful comments (usually featuring Jane)


While all eyes are on the RBI's rate action and policy stance, which will be out in a couple of hours, for one segment of the market, the central bank's action appears to matter little.
Depositors, who have been grappling with sharp cuts in deposit rates through 2016, have been feeling the heat in recent months too, despite the RBI holding rates since its October policy last year.
Banks have continued to cut deposit rates in 2017; a few banks have, in fact, cut deposit rates by a sharp 25-40 basis points across tenures over the past two months since the RBI's last policy in April.
Between April and November 2016 (before the demonetisation move), deposit rates had fallen by around 30-50 basis points in leading banks across various tenures. But with bank deposits swelling following the Centre's move to scrap old high denomination notes, deposit rates fell by a substantial 50-100 basis points across banks between November and February this year.
The plight of depositors has not eased much in recent months despite these sharp moves. Between the RBI's February and April policy, few banks such as SBI, Central Bank of India, IDBI, and SBI continued to lower deposit rates by 10-25 basis points despite the central bank holding its key policy rate.
Over the past two months, the fall has been steeper, led by PSU banks. Bank of Baroda, for instance, has cut its deposit rates by as much as 50-75 basis points in certain tenures between the end of March and now. IDBI Bank has made sharp cuts over the past two months. Other banks such as Bank of India, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India, Corporation Bank, Punjab National Bank and SBI have also lowered deposit rates by 25-40 basis points since April.
Given the still abundant liquidity in the system, banks may continue to tinker with deposit rates to ward off margin pressure on account of weak credit growth.
Bottomline, even if the RBI holds rates in today's policy, depositors may see pain in the months ahead. On the other hand, if the RBI -- much to borrowers' delight -- cuts its policy rate, depositors' woes could only worsen.


text:
The Curse Of Being Rich In Natural Resources (Yes, You, Malaysia!)
We have heard this again and again, the curse of being too reliant on natural resources. There are of course exceptions, countries which are resource rich and deployed their gains well, invested in their people and education system, such as Australia and Norway ... but by and large resource rich nations are always underperforming.
Josh Haner/The New York Times
Thomas L. Friedman won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for commentary, his third Pulitzer for The New York Times. He became the paper's foreign-affairs Op-Ed columnist in 1995. Previously, he served as chief economic correspondent in the Washington bureau and before that he was the chief White House correspondent. In 2005, Mr. Friedman was elected as a member of the Pulitzer Prize Board.
Mr. Friedman joined The Times in 1981 and was appointed Beirut bureau chief in 1982. In 1984 Mr. Friedman was transferred from Beirut to Jerusalem, where he served as Israel bureau chief until 1988. Mr. Friedman was awarded the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for international reporting (from Lebanon) and the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for international reporting (from Israel).
EVERY so often someone asks me: "What's your favorite country, other than your own?"
I've always had the same answer: Taiwan. "Taiwan? Why Taiwan?" people ask.
Very simple: Because Taiwan is a barren rock in a typhoon-laden sea with no natural resources to live off of — it even has to import sand and gravel from China for construction — yet it has the fourth-largest financial reserves in the world. Because rather than digging in the ground and mining whatever comes up, Taiwan has mined its 23 million people, their talent, energy and intelligence — men and women. I always tell my friends in Taiwan: "You're the luckiest people in the world. How did you get so lucky? You have no oil, no iron ore, no forests, no diamonds, no gold, just a few small deposits of coal and natural gas — and because of that you developed the habits and culture of honing your people's skills, which turns out to be the most valuable and only truly renewable resource in the world today. How did you get so lucky?"
That, at least, was my gut instinct. But now we have proof.
A team from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or O.E.C.D., has just come out with a fascinating little study mapping the correlation between performance on the Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA, exam — which every two years tests math, science and reading comprehension skills of 15-year-olds in 65 countries — and the total earnings on natural resources as a percentage of G.D.P. for each participating country. In short, how well do your high school kids do on math compared with how much oil you pump or how many diamonds you dig?
The results indicated that there was a "a significant negative relationship between the money countries extract from national resources and the knowledge and skills of their high school population," said Andreas Schleicher, who oversees the PISA exams for the O.E.C.D. "This is a global pattern that holds across 65 countries that took part in the latest PISA assessment." Oil and PISA don't mix. (See the data map at:http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/43/9/49881940.pdf.)
As the Bible notes, added Schleicher, "Moses arduously led the Jews for 40 years through the desert — just to bring them to the only country in the Middle East that had no oil. But Moses may have gotten it right, after all. Today, Israel has one of the most innovative economies, and its population enjoys a standard of living most of the oil-rich countries in the region are not able to offer."
So hold the oil, and pass the books. According to Schleicher, in the latest PISA results, students in Singapore, Finland, South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan stand out as having high PISA scores and few natural resources, while Qatar and Kazakhstan stand out as having the highest oil rents and the lowest PISA scores. (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Algeria, Bahrain, Iran and Syria stood out the same way in a similar 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, or Timss, test, while, interestingly, students from Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey — also Middle East states with few natural resources — scored better.) Also lagging in recent PISA scores, though, were students in many of the resource-rich countries of Latin America, like Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. Africa was not tested. Canada, Australia and Norway, also countries with high levels of natural resources, still score well on PISA, in large part, argues Schleicher, because all three countries have established deliberate policies of saving and investing these resource rents, and not just consuming them.
Add it all up and the numbers say that if you really want to know how a country is going to do in the 21st century, don't count its oil reserves or gold mines, count its highly effective teachers, involved parents and committed students. "Today's learning outcomes at school," says Schleicher, "are a powerful predictor for the wealth and social outcomes that countries will reap in the long run."
Economists have long known about "Dutch disease," which happens when a country becomes so dependent on exporting natural resources that its currency soars in value and, as a result, its domestic manufacturing gets crushed as cheap imports flood in and exports become too expensive. What the PISA team is revealing is a related disease: societies that get addicted to their natural resources seem to develop parents and young people who lose some of the instincts, habits and incentives for doing homework and honing skills.
By, contrast, says Schleicher, "in countries with little in the way of natural resources — Finland, Singapore or Japan — education has strong outcomes and a high status, at least in part because the public at large has understood that the country must live by its knowledge and skills and that these depend on the quality of education. ... Every parent and child in these countries knows that skills will decide the life chances of the child and nothing else is going to rescue them, so they build a whole culture and education system around it."
Or as my Indian-American friend K. R. Sridhar, the founder of the Silicon Valley fuel-cell company Bloom Energy, likes to say, "When you don't have resources, you become resourceful."
That's why the foreign countries with the most companies listed on the Nasdaq are Israel, China/Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, South Korea and Singapore — none of which can live off natural resources.
But there is an important message for the industrialized world in this study, too. In these difficult economic times, it is tempting to buttress our own standards of living today by incurring even greater financial liabilities for the future. To be sure, there is a role for stimulus in a prolonged recession, but "the only sustainable way is to grow our way out by giving more people the knowledge and skills to compete, collaborate and connect in a way that drives our countries forward," argues Schleicher.
In sum, says Schleicher, "knowledge and skills have become the global currency of 21st-century economies, but there is no central bank that prints this currency. Everyone has to decide on their own how much they will print." Sure, it's great to have oil, gas and diamonds; they can buy jobs. But they'll weaken your society in the long run unless they're used to build schools and a culture of lifelong learning. "The thing that will keep you moving forward," says Schleicher, is always "what you bring to the table yourself."
Blow-Off Top Rally Coming.
Endangered Bear.
Being Human, Humane, Humaneness, Humankind-redspir...
Waiting For Tomorrow.
Double Top In Dow?
Dumb Money Still Chasing Stocks.
Texas Holdem (Ways To Lose Your Money Other Than P...
Slaughter of the lambs (Bears).
Free Fall Week Coming Up.
Time To Get Real?
Music Empowering Women
Beautiful H&S in EURO
Shifting Grounds.
Chart Of The Year
Vellapan To the Markets?
Global Capital Flows - Developing Markets
Happy St. Patrick's Day.
CD Of The Year So Far
Three Peaks & Domed House.
Smart Fund Raising Move By Khazanah
Just A Pause.
To The Galaxy Far Far Away?
The Curse Of Being Rich In Natural Resources (Yes,...
Schizophrenic Market.
Who Is Yu Heng?
We May Not Realise It Yet But We Are In A Bullish...
Let's Move Our Country!!?? - Kiribati
Hurry Up, Sit Down and Start Running!
EOW Analysis Tomorrow.
Told You So.
Calvin & Hobbes On Some Companies
Insightful Comments On Lynas
Rumour Worth 10 SPX Points!
I Don't Mention This Person Often, Now You Know Wh...
Hallelujah?
Minimum Wage At RM1,000
"Unemployment is an illusion and recessions are vo...
Be Careful When You Are At The Airport/Customs
The Unthinkable.
Microfoundations -- fact and fiction
The Market Was Tired ... Key Word "Was"
Remembering Bukit Merah In Pictures
Shake, Shake, Rattle, Rattle But No Roll.
RBS signs MOU with CIMB to sell part of Asia-Pacif...
Weekend Reading.
Can Malaysia's leaders emulate the Myanmar politic...
Return of Volatility?
Tickets Moving Well (Updated)


News item: Abercrombie & Fitch has offered to pay Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino of the "Jersey Shore" reality show to not wear its merchandise. Sorrentino is said to be highly insulted by the offer from the racy teen retailer.
I have never watched "Jersey Shore" on MTV. From what I have read, that is a wise decision for anyone hoping to not destroy any more brain cells than necessary. At my age, I figure I don't have a lot of margin for error. Speaking of age, I have resigned myself to accepting the senior discount at movie theatres, though I'm drawing the line at joining AARP or getting the early-bird special at Luby's. As of a few days ago, I am now closer to 60 than 50, though I have no plans to rush it.
Anyway, apparently Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino is fond of showing off his stomach muscles, which from the photo I saw in the Wall Street Journal are tight enough to bounce a nickel off. I believe the term is "six-pack abs." Like most American men, though I am nowhere near obese, the only time "six pack" is said in direct association with my abs is when I bring home some brewskis from the grocery store. The work required to have abs like Mr. "The Situation" is far more than I'm willing to undertake. Even if I did, I am too modest to walk around in public with my shirt pulled up. For that, my unadoring public is grateful, I'm sure.
Apparently, A&F feels that Mr. "The Situation" is not a great role model for its brand. It issued a statement saying, "We understand that the show is for entertainment purposes, but believe this association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans," the statement read. In the interest of research I read a synopsis of Season 4, Episode 3 in an online post from the WSJ.
Hoo boy. Thank the Lord for C-Span.
I looked up from the book and saw this impossibly sculpted young man, maybe 18, shirtless and talking to some teen girls outside a mall store. "That boy needs to put his shirt on," I thought and went back to reading. Later I noticed yet another shirtless male. This one might have owned an eight-pack of rippled muscles. His stomach looked like a series of West Texas mesas turned on its side.
The womenfolk returned to the bench. "Did you see those boys just walking around without shirts?" I asked. "What's up with that?" They, of course, rolled their eyes and explained the boys were male models for A&F, one of its edgy marketing devices. "They just pay those kids to stand around without shirts and look good?" I asked incredulously.
"Yes, and they sure look good!" both replied. I was rather shocked.
I don't know how much A&F is offering to "The Situation" to not wear its line of clothes. This is likely just another edgy marketing ploy, since A&F carries a shirt called "The Fitchuation," and another that just says, "GTL." That stands for gym, tan and laundry, which apparently take up a lot of the "Jersey Shore" cast's time.
Regardless, here's my offer. I'm willing to not wear A&F's line of clothing for, let's say, $9. That's enough to buy me a six pack of a decent micro-brewed beer, including sales tax. Further, I promise to never go shirtless in the mall. That alone ought to be worth the money.
maybe you are right. it doesn't worth the money.


Fiscalini Cheese Co.'s expansion won approval Thursday night from the Stanislaus County Planning Commission, which praised it as the kind of venture that fits in well amid farmland.
The commission also discussed overall county policy on what should be built in rural areas. This policy — in the proposed update to the agricultural element of the county general plan — had not come to a vote by press time.
Fiscalini, which makes award-winning cheese on Kiernan Avenue at Jackson Road west of Salida, plans to expand its plant nearly tenfold to 81,800 square feet and builda visitors center. Supporters said it fits with the county's goal of getting more value out of raw farm products.
"This is exactly what we need to be doing with the ag element," Commissioner Allen Layman said just before the 8-0 vote.
The ag element, enacted in 1992, lays out ways to shield farmland from population growth, protect water and other resources, and encourage rural ventures such as produce stands, nut hullers and wineries.
The proposed update's most-debated section would clamp down on ranchettes — rural homesites that can fragment farmland.
The Board of Supervisors could make a decision on the update April 17, based in part on the commission's recommendations.
To comment, click on the link with this story at www.modbee.com. Bee staff writer John Holland can be reached at jholland@modbee.com or 578-2385.


text:
The best quotes by Jack O'Neill
Legendary surf icon Jack O'Neill changed the sport of surfing forever when he decided to give surfers a protection against 50°F (10°C) waters. Discover his most inspiring quotations.
Jack O'Neill (1923-2017) is often called the inventor of the modern wetsuit. The man who designed the surfers' second skin so that they could stay in cold waters for hours.
O'Neill was born in Denver, Colorado. He served in the US Navy in World War II and then moved to Northern California where he began bodysurfing in the early 1940s.
He tried everything to stay warm in the frigid waters. His first prototype was a vest made of foam and plastic. It was not perfect, but it was a start, and it was better than suffering at the hand of the low water temperatures.
"We could only stay in for about a half hour," O'Neill once told. So, despite all negativism and doubts, the young experimentalist went ahead with his business idea.
Initially, surfers thought that Jack was the "clown of surfing." Real surfers would never wear a silly neoprene suit. But they all changed their mind in a matter of months.
The wetsuit went on to become the most important item in the surfer's equipment. Without it, surf sessions are cut short by hypothermia.
The eyepatch-wearing surf legend was a continuous innovator. O'Neill was also one of the first to open a surf store in the San Francisco area. He named it simply "Surf Shop."
The friendly, laid-back character also developed a special interest in oceanography and marine education. His O'Neill Sea Odyssey catamaran helps students understand the fragile relationship between the oceans, humans and the surrounding environment.
Jack O'Neill did many things in life. He was a lifeguard, windsurfer, salesman, sailor, huckster, flyer, fisherman, and a trailblazer. Nevertheless, one thing he always believed in was that it's always summer on the inside.
In other words, O'Neill allowed us surf more, to surf longer. Take a look at his most famous quotes:
When I started, "surf" was a dirty word. The city thought those guys out there were a bunch of bums. They threatened to arrest them.
I had a surfer friend who wanted to work for the police, and when he went to the station, the chief took one look at the surfboard on his car and said, 'Policemen don't surf.'
I just wanted to surf longer. I just worked on something to make it last longer.
I remember going to sleep at night. You see that wave, that wall of water, and that tube. It's something with being close to nature like that, pretty hard to beat.
Guys were using sweaters from the Goodwill. I remember one guy got a jumper from the Goodwill and sprayed it with Thompson's water seal, and he set out there in an oil slick."
Surfing, for me, was kind of a therapy - jump in the ocean and feel alright again. You just get one wave, and everything's okay.
All my friends said: 'O'Neill, you will sell to five friends on the beach and then you will be out of business.'
When we started wetsuits, they used to laugh at us. But Then they could see that the first in with the wetsuit was the last out.
We didn't have any money to put in advertising, so we've always been very nice to the press, and they've been very nice to us.
Nobody is more surprised than I am about what's happened.
It's been a hell of a ride. Long may it continue.
Santa Cruz is the center of surfing.
The three most important things in life: surf, surf, and surf.
I'm not much into business; I'm into the ocean.
I'm just a surfer who wanted to build something that would allow me to surf longer.
The kids surfing today are doing things we never dreamed about.
The main thing with this house [Pleasure Point, CA] is a surf out there. In a spot like this, you can look out, see when it's not too crowded, and grab your board and jump out to get a few waves.
Over half of our oxygen comes from the ocean. I think if the ocean goes, we do too.
The ocean is alive, and we've got to take care of it. There is no doubt in my mind that the O'Neil Sea Odyssey is the best thing I've ever done.
Explore the best surfing quotes of all time.
The best quotes by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk
The best quotes by Garrett McNamara
Thousands paddle out in memory of Jack O'Neill
Jack O'Neill, the father of the modern wetsuit, dies at 94
The best quotes by Mark Richards


Freelance writing jobs give you freedom and high income.
Many want to know how to get into writing careers from home. Doing work from the privacy of your home is more than just convenient. It allows you to be in control of your career interests while helping others. You set your schedule and determine how much you want to earn. It takes discipline and patience, but with strong personal interests you can make it work for your situation. It's a good idea if you find opportunities that fit your abilities while helping you grow personally and professionally. Here are some things to know about home-based jobs for writers to put things in perspective.
With writing jobs, work from home is an easy option with flexible scheduling and unlimited income earnings. One of the most common reasons why people choose to write from home is to earn income. Some do so part-time and have other work outside of their home.
How do you get started with a writing job from home? Many who choose to work from their home as a writer have personal writing goals. They range from starting a writing business to getting published as a book author or magazine writer. Because there are so many opportunities for writers doing it from home makes it easier to take your time and really explore your options. Other goals writers pursue include writing memoirs, novels, or screenplays. Working in your private space encourages many to follow their writing dreams and see where it leads them.
Others may look to do this as a full-time job because they have flexible schedules during the day. Overall, people have found ways to make it work producing quality written content from home. It does help to assess your options and time availability to help you find suitable gigs you can commit.
Our company works with a variety of companies and businesses seeking premium content for writing projects. Options for beginners and advanced freelancers allow writing professionals to grow their brand while helping others achieve professional goals.
As a writer, working from home is a lucrative way to be creative in your personal space. Some just like the idea of being their own boss and see writing as an easy way to do it. You can be as creative as you want. People have started related businesses by creating brochures, mailings, emails, newsletters, flyers, and more. Others may write content and provide photos by taking pictures themselves for content. You can determine how to use your writing skills and learn about the most sought after skills to help build your writing business. If you're a good research paper writer, finding a job will be much easier.
The best home based writer job includes working on topics you will enjoy. Many will have personal reasons why they choose to write from home. Some enjoy writing and the idea of being paid for it. Others see it as a lucrative business that lets them put their professional skills on display. Make sure when choosing this option to do so not just for financial reasons, but because you want to help others get quality written content of value they can use for productive purposes.


The price of euro continues to consolidate above 1.3700. Price decline has stopped despite the negative data on industrial production, which fell by 0.3% in March, which coincided with forecasts of analysts. Today, the focus will be on data on GDP growth in the 1st quarter in France (5:30 GMT), Germany (06:00 GMT), Italy (08:00 GMT) and the Eurozone (09:00 GMT). In addition, special attention of traders will be focused on the data on the consumer price index of Eurozone in April (09:00 GMT), from which the ECB's monetary policy will depend. We maintain a long-term negative outlook for the euro.
The price of the British pound continued to decline, despite the positive data on labor market and the statement of the Bank of England. Thus, Mark Carney noted that the country's economy continues to develop but promised to keep interest rates low. The unemployment rate fell to its lowest level since February 2009 - 6.8%, in line with expectations. Today, the course of trading may be affected by the data on the index of leading economic indicators in March (09:00 GMT). We revise our medium-term outlook to negative, but we expect continued growth of price in the long term.
The Japanese yen continued to strengthen against the positive data on GDP growth in the 1st quarter to 1.5% compared with an expected 1.0%. Tertiary PMI in March rose by 2.4%, against a decline by 1.0% in February. Today the course of trading will be affected by the speech of the head of Bank of Japan and the data from the U.S. on labor market, the consumer price index in April (12:30 GMT) and industrial production (13:15 GMT). We expect the resumption of growth of USD/JPY and maintain medium and long term positive outlook.
The price of the Australian dollar fell sharply and compensated a significant portion of the previous growth. Investors continue to revise their portfolios due to the budget which plans to reduce spending and raise taxes. Furthermore, the negative impact on Australia's currency has the Chinese industry slowdown to 8.7% compared with an expected growth to 8.9%. We maintain a medium-term negative outlook for the Australian dollar.
The price volatility of the New Zealand dollar remains at a high level. The index of business activity in the country totaled 55.2 in April, against 58.4 in March. In addition, the attention of traders today was focused on the publication of the draft of the state budget, which was positively perceived by the market. We need new signals to determine future price movements, but overall downside potential of the New Zealand dollar is limited.


text:
Q: Allow external, not-owned origins to be trusted in Android TWA I am developing an app that uses a TWA activity to show the login screen (and perform login using OAuth2).
Currently, the login is entirely handled inside our own server, so the TWA hides the navigation bar as expected.
But we are extending the login functionality to also support external authority providers (like Google, Microsoft, Github, etc...).
The issue is that we don't "own" those hosts, so we cannot update the .well-known/assetlinks.json file to include our own application. So the TWA activity, when clicking the external provider login link, displays the browser navigation bar.
Is there a way to prevent displaying the navigation bar when we don't have control to modify the external URL host?


text:
How to Monitor Individual Sales Performance with Real-Time Dashboards
Best Practices & How-To's
How many Sales meetings or scrums have you been privy to, where some of the Sales reps are unfocused, unsure of how to prioritize their leads, unable to articulate which key accounts are receiving the attention they require – or which have the potential to generate the highest revenue – and are unaware of how their performances stack up against the metrics – or their colleagues, for that matter.
This is a grim reality for many Sales departments. Despite the best efforts of Sales leaders, it can be difficult to keep Sales teams in sync, and keep things moving as efficiently as possible. This isn't a knock on Sales reps either. They're often inundated with and juggling high volumes of daily tasks, and simply prioritizing those can be a mammoth accomplishment in and of itself.
What Sales reps need to boost their productivity and achieve their targets is transparency and unprecedented insight into those oh-so-important daily tasks. Daily check-ins and weekly stand-ups aren't getting the job done. The best way to encourage Sales reps to achieve peak performance is to light a competitive fire beneath them and hold them accountable. You have to build and facilitate a Sales culture – one that rewards hard work and recognizes tangible successes – and the best way to do so, is by visualizing the status of all Sales activities using real-time dashboards.
We've developed an Individual Sales Performance Dashboard using Dundas BI that accomplishes just that. (This dashboard was optimized for desktop monitors).
Click here or on the image to interact with the dashboard.
While this dashboard was purely designed to spark your inspiration – we are using fabricated data – in practice, it's a highly effective tool for keeping Sales reps and organizational goals aligned, organized, and frequently updated. By tracking specific metrics that are critical to individual performance, Sales reps are more likely to achieve the goals set for them and adjust their processes accordingly.
So what, exactly, are we tracking on this dashboard? Glad you asked! Let's take a closer look at each section and discuss what information is being shared and how Sales reps can use these insights to make better decisions and stay on top of their activities.
Sales Rep Selection
The first thing you'll notice when accessing our Individual Sales Performance Dashboard is that you have the option to select which Sales rep you'd like performance metrics on. You're also given the ability to select a time-frame, which will impact what data is shown on the dashboard. Now, depending on whether or not you've opted to build user-dependent filtering or row-level security into the dashboard, the Sales rep selection panel will vary in appearance for different users.
For example, you may decide it's vital that Sales managers have access to performance metrics for all Sales reps, but the individual Sales reps should only have access to data associated with their accounts. In our example, we've opened the filters so you can get a feel for how easy it is to see and change the current view as you interact with the dashboard.
Inbound Sales Activities
In our dashboard example, the efforts of this Sales team are rooted in a mix of Inbound and Outbound activities, we felt it necessary to divide our Individual Sales Performance Dashboard into sections, so that Sales reps are able to visualize metrics pertaining to both activities. Here's what information we've opted to highlight within the Inbound activities section of the dashboard:
New Leads
In our fictitious scenario, each Sales rep gets, on average, 10-15 new Inbound leads every single day. Now, at the daily level, that might not seem like a lot, but trust me… once they start compounding, the Sales reps will be clamoring for a way to manage the non-stop onslaught of workable leads.
This is why we've included a table visualization in our dashboard. This data visualization – also known as a data grid or data table – has been designed with familiarity in mind – note the resemblance to an Excel spreadsheet – so that Sales reps are more easily able to understand what it's trying to tell them. By populating this table visualization with a constantly updating stream of new leads, Sales reps are able to quickly see contact details – in whichever order they'd prefer (most recent, alphabetically, priority-level, etc.) – of each lead they've been assigned, and take action accordingly. No longer will Sales reps miss following up with their Inbound leads. If it's in the table, they know there's an action to take.
Conversion Rate and Average Response Time
On the right side of the Inbound leads section is a Pie Chart and two Linear Gauges. With the Pie Chart, we're able to visualize the results of our Inbound activities and express them as a 'part-to-whole' relationship, where all of the pieces combined represent the status of all Inbound leads – which, by the way, we've opted to include in the hollowed out hole in its center. Using this simple, compact data visualization – and for the purpose of this project – Sales reps can, at-a-glance, identify the volume of leads they've qualified, disqualified, or have remaining at discovery.
To ensure Sales reps are connecting with and qualifying leads as effectively and efficiently as possible, we've supplemented the Pie Chart with two Linear Gauges: one displaying the lead conversion rate against a target, and the other displaying the average response time against a target. Each of these gauges illuminates where the Sales reps sit in relation to target for both metrics and whether or not their performances are considered bad, good or excellent – along a gradated scale. While other factors are in play, in this particular use case, we found there to be a correlation between response time and lead conversation rate, and these gauges provide useful information in this regard.
Outbound Sales Activities
To quantify the performance of Outbound activities, we felt it necessary to track metrics relating to three key indicators – Cold Calls, Emails, and Meetings. And, similar to Inbound activities, we wanted to include a table visualization as a way for Sales reps to prioritize their follow up of Outbound leads. When dealing with 100+ Outbound activities a day, it's easy for things to fall through the cracks. We wanted a way to seal these cracks entirely, and this table is our solution.
Cold Calls & Emails
Up first, we've two more Linear Gauges – each of these tracking Sales rep performance of the two most common 'cold outreach' activities: calls and emails. Each of these gauges displays the number of outreaches a Sales rep has made per channel – against a target – along with the numbers of conversations borne from each. Outbound Sales is traditionally more difficult than Inbound Sales, so rather than measuring the two using the same metrics – i.e., using qualified, disqualified, and discovery – we felt it made more sense to measure the number of conversations had.
Now, based on the number of conversations a Sales rep is able to have from their cold outreach activities, we are expecting to see in return, a specific number of meetings booked. We've included a Bar Chart data visualization to represent this conversion, and what's unique about this chart, is that its target is never static – it's constantly fluctuating based on how many conversations the Sales rep had. For example, a Sales rep with 20 conversations will be expected to book more meetings than a Sales rep with only 5 conversations.
What a moving target does, is reward Sales reps on their ability to further the conversations they've already had. There's less emphasis on the quantity of meetings booked, and more emphasis on pushing those leads they've already connected with, further through the funnel. It also shines a light on where processes might need to be fixed or where more training is required.
The final section of our Individual Sales Performance Dashboard focuses solely on the opportunities driven by Inbound and Outbound activities. It's here where Sales reps can visualize the fruits of their labor and better understand and make tangible their contributions.
Sales reps can easily conclude the number of opportunities they've opened over the selected time frame, the total monetary value of those opportunities, and the average opportunity value. While the other sections of the dashboard provide insight into whether or not a Sales rep is on target to achieve their goals and offer concrete paths for improvement, this section highlights whether or not they have actually achieved those goals. This concept of Key Performance Indicators vs. Key Results Indicators is discussed in more detail in this video, KPI 101 – The Basics.
With the right tools in place to increase transparency and insight into important daily Sales activities, your sales team will be able to boost their productivity and work on those activities that will produce results and generate revenue. Don't let your Sales reps get overwhelmed. Give them a dashboard that rewards their hard work and keeps their eyes securely on the prize.
For more dashboard inspirations, take a look at our Samples Gallery – all of these dashboards are built using Dundas BI.
Jordan Zenko is the Community & Content Manager at Dundas Data Visualization. As Dundas' resident (and self-proclaimed) story-teller, he authors in-depth content that educates developers, analysts, and business users on the benefits of business intelligence.