In your interaction with 212areacode.com, we may collect any personal information you enter on our Web site or provide us in any other way. You may choose not to provide certain information, but then you might not be able to take advantage of the many features and services we offer. Below are examples of the information we collect.
Contact Information – including your name, mailing address, phone number and email address.
Purchase Information – including your credit card number, billing information, and number porting information, that includes but is not limited to your account number and account details in order to complete the porting process.
Demographic Information – including your age, personal interests, and product preferences.
If we are provided information about others, or if others provide us your personal information, that information will only be used for the specific reason it was provided. For example, our Refer-A-Friend option on our Web site.
212areacode.com does not sell or rent your personal information to third parties.
We may also share aggregated data with third parties for analysis and research purposes. This data does not contain name, address or other identifiable personal information.
At times, we may be required to share personal information in response to a valid court order, subpoena, government investigation, or otherwise required by law. We also reserve the right to report to law enforcement agencies any activities that we, in good faith, believe to be unlawful. We may share certain personal information when we believe that such release is reasonably necessary to protect the rights, property, and safety of other and ourselves.
Additionally, we may also transfer personal information in the event of a corporate sale, merger, acquisition, dissolution, or similar event.
Call us at (212) 580-2000 x3 with your current contact information.
If you send us an email, please be sure to include your full name, address, phone number, and email address, along with the specific changes you would like to make to ensure we correctly identify you in our systems and accurately process your request. All requests to change your personal info will be processed within 15 business days or less. Until your requested change takes effect, you may still receive marketing communications from us.
While shopping online in the 212areacode.com shop, we use reasonable security measure to protect the confidentiality of your personal information under our control and appropriately limit access to it. 212areacode.com cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information transmitted to use by e-mail, and you do so at your own risk.
We use a variety of information security measures to protect your online transactions with our company. The 212areacode.com Web site uses encryption technology, such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), to protect your personal information during data transport. SSL protects information you submit via our Web site such as ordering information, including your name, address, and credit card information.
You may choose to set your browser to not accept cookies. However, without enabling your cookies, you will not be able to view, create an account, or make purchases on the 212areacode.com Web site.
Our Web servers automatically collect Clickstream information such as the address (URL) of the Web site that you came from before visiting our site, the pages you visit on our site, the browser you use to view our site and any search terms you may have entered on our site, among other things. Our Web site may also use other technologies to track which pages our visitors view. This anonymous Clickstream data provides our customers with a better overall site experience and helps 212areacode.com understand how visitors use our Web site.
Our Web site uses third party advertising, third party service providers to serve ads across the internet and to analyze Web site traffic on our behalf. They may collect anonymous information about your visits to our Web site and your interaction with these ads. These companies may use similar technologies previously outlines to measure the effectiveness of ads and e-mails. They may also use information about your visits to our Web site so that we can provide advertisements about goods and services that might be of interest to you.
No personally identifiable information is collected in this process. We may share anonymous information with these service provides in an aggregate form for the purposes of analysis and improvement of our site.


text:
Drew Springer
Full Name: Drew Alan Springer, Jr.
Official Senate Web Site →
S 30 Jan 6, 2021 - Jan 10, 2023 86th (4) (5) (6) (7) 87th (1) (2) (3) Republican Muenster / Cooke Archer, Clay, Collin, Cooke, Denton, Erath, Grayson, Jack, Montague, Palo Pinto, Parker, Wichita, Wise, Young
H 68 Elected but never sworn 87th (1) (2) (3) Republican Muenster / Cooke Childress, Collingsworth, Cooke, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Fisher, Floyd, Garza, Hall, Hardeman, Haskell, Jack, Kent, King, Montague, Motley, Stonewall, Throckmorton, Wheeler, Wilbarger, Young
H 68 Jan 8, 2019 - Jan 12, 2021 86th (4) (5) (6) (7) Republican Muenster / Cooke Childress, Collingsworth, Cooke, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Fisher, Floyd, Garza, Hall, Hardeman, Haskell, Jack, Kent, King, Montague, Motley, Stonewall, Throckmorton, Wheeler, Wilbarger, Young
H 68 Jan 10, 2017 - Jan 8, 2019 85th Republican Muenster / Cooke Childress, Collingsworth, Cooke, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Fisher, Floyd, Garza, Hall, Hardeman, Haskell, Jack, Kent, King, Montague, Motley, Stonewall, Throckmorton, Wheeler, Wilbarger, Young
H 68 Jan 13, 2015 - Jan 10, 2017 84th Republican Muenster / Cooke Childress, Collingsworth, Cooke, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Fisher, Floyd, Garza, Hall, Hardeman, Haskell, Jack, Kent, King, Montague, Motley, Stonewall, Throckmorton, Wheeler, Wilbarger, Young
H 68 Jan 8, 2013 - Jan 13, 2015 83rd Republican Muenster / Cooke Childress, Collingsworth, Cooke, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Fisher, Floyd, Garza, Hall, Hardeman, Haskell, Jack, Kent, King, Montague, Motley, Stonewall, Throckmorton, Wheeler, Wilbarger, Young
(1) Proclamations, 12/28/2020 and 2/4/2021, ordering special election on 1/23/2021 and runoff 2/23/2021 in House District 68 to serve out the unexpired term of office declined by Drew Springer. Governor Greg Abbott.
(2) Representative Drew Springer letter to Governor Greg Abbott declining to qualify for 87th Legislature, 12/26/2020. Texas House of Representatives.
(3) David Spiller, in special election 1/23/2021 and runoff 2/23/2021, sworn 3/9/2021, succeeded unexpired term of Drew Springer, declined to qualify. Texas Secretary of State - Election Results, 2019-.
(4) Photo release: Governor Abbott swears-in Senator Drew Springer, 1/6/2021. Governor Greg Abbott.
(5) Proclamations, 8/23/2020 and 10/10/2020, ordering emergency special election on 9/29/2020 and runoff on 12/19/2020 in Senate District 30 to serve out the unexpired term of Pat Fallon. Fallon resignation letter dated 8/22/2020, effective 1/4/2021. Governor Greg Abbott.
(6) Drew Springer sworn into the Senate 1/6/2021. Oaths of Office.
(7) Drew Springer, in special election 9/29/2020 and runoff 12/19/2020, sworn 1/6/2021, succeeded unexpired term of Pat Fallon, resigned effective 1/4/2021. Texas Secretary of State - Election Results, 2019-.
Biographical sketch, 85th Legislature. Texas House of Representatives.
Biographical sketch, 87th Legislature. Texas Senate.
Photograph. Drew Springer, Jr., 86th Legislature, Texas House of Representatives
Photograph. Drew Springer, Jr., 83rd Legislature, Texas House of Representatives
83rd session composite photo of House members (House chamber, east wall. 2W.5). State Preservation Board.
84th session composite photo of House members (House chamber, east wall. 2W.5). State Preservation Board.
Future of College Sports in Texas, Select
Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (Vice Chair)
Agriculture and Livestock (Chair)
Local and Consent Calendars
County Affairs (Vice Chair)
Economic Stabilization Fund Balance, Select
Ways and Means
Agriculture and Livestock
83rd R.S. - 2013
Coastal Barrier System
Economic Development Incentives, Select
Land and Resource Management

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Pacific Maritime Transport Alliance (PMTA) kicks off its 40th annual conference today in Port Moresby under the theme "To improve Ports Productivity and Market Challenges".
With technical support from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), members of PMTA and ports authority delegates from around the Pacific are meeting to discuss a number of items, including infrastructure and equipment, safety and security, emerging environmental concerns and training updates from the Pacific Maritime Association.
Key outcomes from this meeting will be the election of a new PMTA executive committee to serve for the next three years and agreed solutions to the urgent need for port dredging, for which it is hoped that this ongoing collective effort will conclude with a cost sharing approach that will greatly assist countries that need to fast track this exercise.
The conference will discuss concerns around climate change which will also include the presentation of a paper on the proposed green ports initiative intended to support Pacific Island countries and territories to develop and implement plans aimed at increasing the efficiency and sustainability of port operations which incorporate various energy and environmental concerns.
Posted on September 14, 2015 with tags dredging, Pacific Maritime, Port Moresby, Ports Productivity, Transport Alliance.


text:
Q: Android - onActivityResult from DialogFragment I have a webview app and I want to upload image files from camera of from gallery to my web page.
I successfully implemented the camera upload but now I'm trying to implement a DialogFragment to let user choose from where upload the file.
The code is in a fragment and I can't pass camera results to onActivityResult function, this is the DialogFragment class`public static class EditNameDialog extends DialogFragment {
    private Button buttonCamera;

    public File createImageFile() throws IOException {
        // Create an image file name
        String timeStamp = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyyMMdd_HHmmss").format(new Date());
        String imageFileName = "JPEG_" + timeStamp + "_";
        File storageDir = getActivity().getExternalFilesDir(Environment.DIRECTORY_PICTURES);
        File image = File.createTempFile(
                imageFileName,  /* prefix */
                ".jpg",         /* suffix */
                storageDir      /* directory */
        );

        // Save a file: path for use with ACTION_VIEW intents
        mCurrentPhotoPath = "file:" + image.getAbsolutePath();
        return image;
    }

    public void dispatchTakePictureIntent() {
        Intent takePictureIntent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
        // Ensure that there's a camera activity to handle the intent
        if (takePictureIntent.resolveActivity(getActivity().getPackageManager()) != null) {
            // Create the File where the photo should go
            File photoFile = null;
            try {
                photoFile = createImageFile();
            } catch (IOException ex) {
                // Error occurred while creating the File
            }
            // Continue only if the File was successfully created
            if (photoFile != null) {
                Uri photoURI = FileProvider.getUriForFile(getActivity(),
                        "com.mysite.fileprovider",
                        photoFile);
                takePictureIntent.putExtra(MediaStore.EXTRA_OUTPUT, photoURI);
                finalphotoURI = photoURI;
                getActivity().startActivityForResult(takePictureIntent, REQUEST_TAKE_PHOTO);
            }
        }
    }

    public EditNameDialog() {
        // Empty constructor required for DialogFragment
    }

    @Override
    public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container,
                             Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        View view = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_photo, container);
        return view;
    }

    @Override
    public void onViewCreated(View view, @Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onViewCreated(view, savedInstanceState);
        // Get field from view
        buttonCamera = (Button) view.findViewById(R.id.buttonCamera);
        buttonCamera.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            public void onClick(View v) {
                dispatchTakePictureIntent();
            }

        });
    }
}`

And this is my onActivityResult class:
@Override
public void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent intent)
{
    super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, intent);
    if(requestCode==REQUEST_FILE_PICKER)
    {
        if(mFilePathCallback5!=null)
        {
            if (finalphotoURI != null) {
                mFilePathCallback5.onReceiveValue(new Uri[]{ finalphotoURI });
            }
        }
        mFilePathCallback5 = null;
    }
}

How can I pass finalphotoURI to onActivityResult function?

A: change your dialogFragment into an appCompatActivity and change it's theme from manifest to dialog and Call StartActivityForResult() and then get the result with that function

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The 46th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival took place from 1 to 9 July 2011. The Crystal Globe was won by Restoration, an Israeli drama film directed by Yossi Madmoni. The second prize, the Special Jury Prize was won by Gypsy, a Slovakian drama film directed by Martin Šulík. Hungarian film director, screenwriter, and opera director István Szabó was the Grand Jury President of the festival.

Juries
The following people formed the juries of the festival:
Main competition
István Szabó, Grand Jury President (Hungary)
 Vladimír Balko (Slovakia)
Michel Ciment (France)
 Michel Demopoulos (Greece)
 Edna Fainaru (Israel)
Sibel Kekilli (Germany)
 Pavel Strnad (Czech Republic)
Documentaries
Amir Bar-Lev, Chairman (USA)
Pietro Marcello (Italy)
 Freddy Olsson (Sweden)
 Harri Römpötti (Finland)
 Andrea Slováková (Slovakia)
East of the West
 Rossitsa Valkanova, Chairwoman (Bulgaria)
 Sitora Alieva (Russia)
Stefan Arsenijević (Serbia)
 Matthieu Darras (France)
 Łukasz Dzięcioł (Poland)

Official selection awards

The following feature films and people received the official selection awards:
 Crystal Globe (Grand Prix) -  Restoration (Boker Tov Adon Fidelman) by Yossi Madmoni (Israel)
 Special Jury Prize -  Gypsy (Cigán) by Martin Šulík (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic)
 Best Director Award - Pascal Rabaté for Holidays by the Sea (Ni à vendre ni à louer) (France)
 Best Actress Award - Stine Fischer Christensen for her role in Cracks in the Shell (Die Unsichtbare) (Denmark)
 Best Actor Award - David Morse for his role in Collaborator (Canada, USA)
 Special mention of the jury - Ján Mižigár for his role in Gypsy (Cigán) by Martin Šulík (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic)

Other statutory awards
Other statutory awards that were conferred at the festival:
 Best documentary film (over 30 min) -  Familia by Mikael Wiström & Alberto Herskovits (Sweden)
 Special Mention -  Tinar by Mahdi Moniri (Iran)
 Best documentary film (under 30 min) -  The River (Upe) by Julia Gruodienė & Rimantas Gruodis (Lithuania)
 East of the West Award - Aurora by Cristi Puiu (Romania, France, Switzerland, Germany)
 Special Mention -  The Temptation of St. Tony (Püha Tõnu kiusamine) by Veiko Õunpuu (Estonia, Sweden, Finland)
 Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema - Dame Judi Dench (United Kingdom)
 Festival President's Award - Jude Law (United Kingdom)
 Právo Audience Award - Oldboys by Nikolaj Steen (Denmark)

Non-statutory awards
The following non-statutory awards were conferred at the festival:
 FIPRESCI International Critics Award: Hitler in Hollywood (Hitler à Hollywood) by Frédéric Sojcher (Belgium, France, Italy)
 Ecumenical Jury Award: Another Sky (Drugoje něbo) by Dmitri Mamulia (Russia)
 FICC - The Don Quixote Prize: Gypsy (Cigán) by Martin Šulík (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic)
 Special Mention: Lollipop Monster by Ziska Riemann (Germany)
 FEDEORA Award (East of the West section): Marija´s Own (Marijine)
 Europa Cinemas Label: Gypsy (Cigán) by Martin Šulík (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic)
 NETPAC Award (ex aequo): Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Bir Zamanlar Anadolu'da) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

References

2011 film awards
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Whether you're heading out in the Sahara to hunt a Sable, or you're sitting with a cold one in a deer stand, our rifle cases will withstand whatever adventure you find yourself on. Made from the highest quality leathers, our rifle cases are designed to last longer than you- think you're tough, think again.
This rifle case is made from oiled wildebeest leather and has a soft padded liner, to protect your rifle. Whether your rifle was passed down from your grandfather, or you just picked it up from the local gun shop, our rifle cases will make you feel proud of your firearm.


Since I was a kid many people has been asking me where I was from. I've never understand why they were really asking me that much. Possibly because I look like european, but who in Argentina doesn't have european grandparents, right?
This tour was so amazing...where do I even start?! My best friend from high school and I were looking for a unique Argentina experience... something not in the tour books but authentic, different and fun. We came across Ari's mystery local dazzle me tour and since it was fairly cheap we said "why not?". We were two women travelling alone so at first were a little apprehensive but Ari's professionalism, as well as the fact we went through Vayable...thus leaving a clear paper trail, put us at ease. Before you read any further do not go on this tour if you expect a tour in the traditional sense.... such as following a cheesy guide carrying a little flag and talking AT you. This tour is not that...it is an experience and a journey. If you are a person who wants to go from point to point, from site to site and either carries a bulky camera around your neck or wears a visible fanny pack do not go on this. Continuing... Prior to arriving in Argentina Ari and I had been emailing back and fourth so I think he was able to get a feel for the types of things my friend and I like doing so when we met with him close to our rented apartment our journey started. Ari customizes each tour based on your tastes/interests/personality so I would hate to tell you of my experience and have you want an identical one when you might have an entirely different travelling style/ experiences you find fun. I will say that Ari took us to unique places in the city and even out of the city to experience Argentina culture at it's finest. Yes, we did take pictures. We even met up with one of his friends who shared her experiences living in Argentina. We bonded over some Yerba Mate and the whole time I felt as though we were all long lost friends who had only reunited. My first thought was that Ari was just trying to ensure a good tip, but that thought quickly faded as he appeared genuine and sincerely was trying to make our short time here memorable. The experience took the better part of a day and we ended our time together laughing over coffee and submarinos(hot milk/cream where you stir in a chocolate bar...kind of a do it yourself hot chocolate). We started as strangers and left as friends and this "tour" has been the best experience we have had in Argentina thus far ( well...seeing a ballet at Teatro Colon was pretty amazing too). I highly recommend it, especially if you are the type of person who enjoys spontaneity and is ok with stepping a bit out of your comfort zone to try something new and exciting.
Ari is simply wonderful. At the last minute, I joined his walking tour of Belgrano, and it was the best day of my trip to Buenos Aires thus far. He shared local history and facts about the neighborhood, as well as interesting stories about his own personal history with each place. This brought the neighborhood to life, and I was so glad to be walking around with a local. At the end of the day, we wanted more! So we hopped on a bus and went to the river, where we sipped mate and ate cookies, and talked about the city, and about life. It was a fantastic day, because it felt real, like we were locals having a day on the town. Ari helped me practice my Spanish, and answered my many questions about the area. I highly recommend Ari and any tour he puts together.
Ari was a great guide! We walked around the places he knew and grew up in. It was a great way to get to know the local culture, and he goes out of his way to help out. His enthusiasm is great! He was really friendly, shared his traditions with us and also his snacks!
We connected with Ari through Vayable to help us assemble a "local perspective" tour for the very last day of our South America trip. Not an easy undertaking, after two weeks of travelling and having seen lots of sites and taken lots of pictures. However, Ari admirably met the challenge and took us on a great trip through the Recoleta and nearby neighborhoods. He was very conscientious of our schedule and safety (especially travelling with our young daughter), and helped us discover some truly unique aspects of Buenos Aires we would not have found on our own. When we entered Recoleta cemetery, his research helped us see some of the lesser known sites that revealed some great stories about Argentina's history. Part historian, part travel companion, Ari is 100% a genuinely helpful, thorough guide who was the perfect end to our South America journey. We look forward to our next trip to Argentina and can't wait to see what tours he's developed next.
Ari was a fantastic guide who showed us so many interesting areas of Buenos Aires. He was affable and answered my ceaseless questions with ease. He was friendly and knowledgeable and definitely put us at ease on our first day in Buenos Aires.
Ariel organized a custom tour considering our interests. We discover different neighbourhoods and we had a horrible storm during the day! So he tooked us to a great music museum and we enjoy it a lot too. Thanks Ari! I recommend the tour!
All reviews for Ari E.


text:
San Francisco All Destinations
Top San Francisco On the Water
You are viewing Virtual Experiences in San Francisco. See more Virtual Experiences around the globe. 🌎
43 San Francisco On the Water | All San Francisco Tours
Small-Group Sailing Lessons
There's very little that can beat the sensation of being out on the water, the wind filling the sails, harnessing the power of nature, and relying on your skills and expertise. It lets you find some peace and quiet It slows downtime and helps us understand ourselves It lets you get away from it all It teaches you lots of technical skills and expertise It increases the sense of freedom and speed It helps us feel connected to nature It rewards focus, effort, and competition It teaches us about being part of a team
Muir Woods and Sausalito Tour plus Bay Cruise
Visit charming Sausalito, cruise across San Francisco Bay and stare up in wonder at the redwood trees of Muir Woods on this combo tour from San Francisco—the perfect day out in the Bay Area. Experience the Golden Gate Bridge from both above and below as you drive across it and glide under it, and learn about some of California's oldest and tallest natural wonders, the coastal redwoods. In Sausalito, you can stroll along the waterfront or shop in the galleries and boutiques.
Beginner Surfing in San Francisco (Pacifica Beach)
Learn to surf in Pacifica, a picturesque town on the California coast just south of San Francisco. Your expert instructor covers all basics so that you can begin to catch some waves. Learn how to read the ocean, paddle out, pop up, balance and ride the waves, along with the etiquette of the surf world. Start practicing on the beach and in shallow waters before heading further out, with the assistance of your instructor available throughout your 3-hour lesson. Choose a morning or mid-day lesson that suits your schedule, with all necessary equipment provided.
San Francisco Bay Sailing Cruise
Admire San Francisco and its surrounding sights from the water on a San Francisco Bay sailing cruise. Onboard a catamaran, sail past the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, legendary Alcatraz Island, and the hamlet of Sausalito. Take advantage of great photo ops while you soak up the sea breeze during this scenic tour.
San Francisco Bay Sunset Catamaran Cruise
Sail across San Francisco Bay at twilight to admire the city skyline as it begins to light up for the night. With an experienced captain at the helm, you'll glide past Alcatraz Island and cruise underneath the Golden Gate Bridge.
SURF TRIP IN SAN FRANCISCO Stinson Beach - Bolinas // // RIDING THE BRIDGE
What we propose is an atypical and unique experience. A summary of California surf trip during your visit to San Francisco. With your guide, aboard your van for the day, you will discover the most beautiful beaches of the region, enjoy the joys of the Pacific Ocean and enjoy the flavors of local cuisine. You can admire this beautiful wild coast, with its spectacular views, breathtaking, and sometimes dolphins and whales. The surfboards on the roof, the combis in the trunk, The adventure while music, colors and thrills promises to be unforgettable. An activity rich in emotions open to all. Several surf trips are available to you. Make your choice and let yourself embark on the exciting surf culture.
America's Cup Sunset Sailing Adventure on San Francisco Bay
Take the helm of an International America's Cup Class yacht on a 2.5-hour sail that traces the official course of San Francisco's 2013 America's Cup race. Cast off from the city's bustling waterfront, and work alongside the crew to trim sails and operate the hoist while you head towards the Golden Gate Bridge. Enjoy fresh Pacific breezes as you get underway, and capture unforgettable images of Alcatraz, the San Francisco skyline, the bridge and the soaring Marin Headlands from the deck of the USA 76.
Stand-Up Paddleboarding in San Francisco's Mission Bay
This stand-up paddleboard lesson in San Francisco makes for the perfect day out on the water. Admire views of the San Francisco skyline as you paddle from Mission Creek into Mission Bay, ending up in front of McCovey Cove outside of the San Francisco Giants ballpark. Each tour is catered to your experience level—ideal for first-timers and hobbyists alike.
America's Cup Day Sailing Adventure on San Francisco Bay
Tread in the footsteps of world-champion sailors on this 2.5-hour America's Cup Day Sail on San Francisco Bay. You'll board a high-speed International America's Cup class yacht and take a turn on the official race course from the 2013 competition. With a skilled sailor in charge, you'll take your turn as crew working the sail trim controls and even have a chance to skipper the boat. After departing from San Francisco's famous Pier 39 you'll take to the Bay and cruise beneath the magnificent Golden Gay Bridge. There's no better way to see the Bay than this sailing trip with USA 76.
Private Surf Lessons At Stinson Beach In Marin
Catch some waves in the Pacific Ocean at Stinson Beach with this private surfing lesson. You'll get one-on-one attention from your professional instructor, which ensures the best possible chances of surfing success. Learn about surfing theory and do some practice on land before taking to the waves to paddle, stand up, and catch a wave.
America's Cup Sailing Adventure on San Francisco Bay: Race Day
Climb aboard USA 76, an International America's Cup Class racing yacht and join the crew to race against 40 other yachts in a regatta on the San Francisco Bay. Participate with active crew roles: try pinning the sail trim, take a turn at the helm, or just sit back and enjoy the ride. Learn the history of the ship and have a safety interdiction from your US Coast Guard Licensed crew.
Combo Tour: Alcatraz Island and San Francisco Grand City Tour
Explore San Francisco and Alcatraz on this 2-in-1 tour. Hop aboard a ferry for a scenic ride to Alcatraz and enjoy the award-winning audio walking tour. Plus, enjoy a coach tour with a knowledgeable local guide. Learn about the City by the Bay through visits to top attractions such as Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, the Presidio, and the Palace of Fine Arts.
5 Pack Surf Lessons
The 5 pack of surf lessons is perfect for people who are committed to learning to surf and want to have consistent lessons. Lessons in the 5 pack are a combo of group, semi-private and private sessions. Lessons are taught at both Stinson and Bolinas, depending upon the conditions and the level of the student.
Bolinas Surf Lessons- Intermediate Level
Learn the basics of surfing during a 2-hour beginner lesson at Stinson Beach, a popular destination in Marin County located just north of San Francisco. Your instructor covers fundamentals such as paddling out, reading the water patterns, catching waves, and getting up on the board. Start with a primer on ocean safety and surfing etiquette, and practice on the sand before entering the water to test your new skills.
Beginner Freediving class
Freediving! Your body already knows what to do. When you hold your breath and put your face in water, a set of ancient instincts that we share with dolphins and seals kicks in. Your heart rate slows, your mind calms and blood flows to your core. Once you get used to it, you can stay down for minutes at a time. Warning: freediving can be addictive.
Alcatraz Island Tickets with Golden Gate Bay Cruise
Currently Alcatraz interior areas are inaccessible due to construction. Get two different tours that will take you to enjoy the great icons of San Francisco: Access the famous Alcatraz prison starting with a panoramic ferry trip to the island. Inside Alcatraz prison you will know everything about its historical importance before and after becoming one of the most legendary prisons in the world. Also, experience breathtaking views aboard the famous red and white fleet that will take you below the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. As you progress, listen to the audio comments that inform you about the rich cultural history of the city of San Francisco as you navigate through its most famous places. Tickets to Alcatraz are included in order to bring the best experiences in a single tour package. There are no surcharges on the official ticket price for Alcatraz Island, which is $ 39.90 per adult. Tickets are issued in the name of the client.
Mix & Save: Muir Woods and Sausalito + Escape From the Rock Cruise
Combine some of the San Francisco area's top sights—Alcatraz, Muir Woods, and Sausalito—in a single day tour. Traveling in a luxury bus, you'll be able to focus on the sights while someone else drives and provides insightful commentary. Explore Muir Woods and Sausalito independently, then hop a boat for a cruise around Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay.
Golden Gate Bay Cruise + Fisherman's Wharf Walking Tour
Discover top sights along San Francisco's iconic waterfront during this time-saver guided tour. Learn about the evolution of the picturesque waterfront city, from the gold rush frenzy to the advent of the cable-car. Highlights include the sea lions on Pier 39, stunning views overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, and a stop at the historic Old Del Monte Fruit Cannery. Upgrade to include a sightseeing cruise along the water.
Mix & Save: San Francisco Grand City Tour + Escape from the Rock Cruise
Get acquainted with the City by the Bay during this 3.5-hour San Francisco tour, including a 1.5-hour cruise around Alcatraz Island. First make your way through the city's most popular neighborhoods, and see main attractions, such as Fisherman's Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge. Then, hit the water on a cruise around Alcatraz Island, and learn about the history and the former inmates of the notorious penitentiary.
Beginner Surf Lessons At Stinson Beach
Learn the basics of surfing with a beginner lesson that takes place at picturesque Stinson Beach. Your instructor provides a 2-hour lesson that covers fundamentals such as water safety, wave dynamics, paddling skills, surfboard positioning, stand-up and riding techniques, and surfing etiquette. Stinson Beach is located within a 1-hour drive of San Francisco and other Bay Area cities, making it convenient for both locals and visitors.
Golden Gate and Bay Bridge Cruise with Alcatraz Island Tickets
Cruise under both the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge in one spectacular cruise along San Francisco's entire urban skyline. Also, access the famous Alcatraz prison and know everything about its historical importance before and after becoming one of the most legendary prisons in the world. Tickets to Alcatraz are included in order to bring the best experiences in a single tour package. There are no surcharges on the official ticket price for Alcatraz Island. Tickets are issued in the name of the client.
Private Napa Sonoma Wine Tour & Alcatraz Sail from San Francisco
Experience northern California over two consecutive days by combining a wine tasting tour in Sonoma and Napa with a sailing cruise on the San Francisco Bay. Ride in style in a private luxury car from your San Francisco hotel to your choice of up to five wineries during your full-day wine tour. The next day, board your sunset sailing cruise from Pier 39 to see San Francisco from the water.
Come Sailing with us aboard a classic 72' Tall Ship Schooner-up to 49 passengers
We know of no other sailing vessel that has such a spacious design both in the bar/lounge below decks and above too. This tall ship schooner is one of a kind with traditional rigging and modern conveniences. She is stunningly beautiful yet a stable ride. Come enjoy all her splendor!
Special Tour For Families: Aquarium of the Bay and Alcatraz Prison Tickets
Begin your adventure in Discover the Bay, a purpose-built aquarium that showcases the distinctive ecosystems of San Francisco Bay across 8 different habitats, each featuring an incredibly wide variety of marine life. Also, get access to Alcatraz Island and experience the legendary Alcatraz Prison that was a Civil War fort, a military prison and one of the most notorious federal penitentiaries in US history. Tickets to Alcatraz are included in order to bring the best experiences in a single tour package. There are no surcharges on the official ticket price for Alcatraz Island, which is $ 39.90 per adult. Tickets are issued in the name of the client.
What are the best On the Water in San Francisco?
The best On the Water in San Francisco according to Viator travelers are:
See all On the Water in San Francisco on Viator.
What On the Water in San Francisco are taking additional safety precautions?
These San Francisco experiences are providing additional COVID-19 safety measures:
What On the Water in San Francisco are good for avoiding crowds?
These hidden gems in San Francisco may have limited interaction with crowds:
More Tours in San Francisco
Attractions in San Francisco
Hyde Street Pier
Lombard Street
Cable Car Museum
Children's Creativity Museum
Crissy Field
Transamerica Pyramid
San Francisco Japantown
SS Jeremiah O'Brien
Saints Peter and Paul Church
Ghirardelli Square
Things to do near San Francisco
Things to do in Napa & Sonoma
Things to do in Yosemite National Park
Things to do in Paso Robles
Things to do in San Luis Obispo
Things to do in Pismo Beach
Things to do in Santa Barbara
Recommended for San Francisco
How to Get Off the Beaten Path in San Francisco
Food Lover's Guide to the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Museums After Dark
San Francisco Dining Cruises
Don't-Miss Dishes in San Francisco
How to Spend a Rainy Day in San Francisco
Biking Across the Golden Gate Bridge


I would now like to introduce your host for today's conference, Ms. Michelle Esterman, Chief Financial Officer.
Thank you, operator. We first want to remind you that the earnings release, Form 10-K and quarterly slides are available on our website at www.altisource.com. These provide additional information investors may find useful. Our remarks today include forward-looking statements which include a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ. Please review the forward-looking statements section in the Company's earnings release, as well as risk factors identified in our 2018 Form 10-K, which describe factors that may lead to different results. We undertake no obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future events.
During this call we will present both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. In our earnings release and quarterly slides, you will find additional disclosures regarding the non-GAAP measures. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures is included in the appendix to the quarterly slides.
Good morning and thank you for joining today's call. 2018 has been a productive year for Altisource. From a financial perspective, we substantially exceeded the mid-point of our adjusted pre-tax income and adjusted earnings per share financial scenarios, and generated strong adjusted operating cash. Operationally, we began to exit certain businesses and established Project Catalyst, to streamline our organization, focus on our larger opportunities, and help us achieve our longer term financial objectives. We also continued to work closely with our largest customers to strengthen and grow our relationships with them, and won new business with leading financial institutions. Leveraging the work we've done in 2018, we believe we are turning the corner. The $54 million mid-point of our 2019 adjusted pre-tax income scenarios is $2 million better than what we anticipated achieving in 2018 and sets the stage for continued earnings growth in 2020. This morning, I will provide an update on each of these items and discuss our 2019 financial scenarios.
As you can see on slides 6 and 7, driven by a strong fourth quarter, we generated $2.43 of adjusted diluted earnings per share and $62 million of adjusted pre-tax income in 2018, significantly outperforming the mid-point of our scenarios. 2018 adjusted pre-tax income was stronger than anticipated and higher than the mid-point of our scenarios because we achieved cost savings from Project Catalyst in the fourth quarter that we didn't expect to achieve until the first quarter of 2019. Notably, fourth quarter adjusted pre-tax income, which is typically seasonally slower than the second and third quarters, was the second strongest quarter in 2018 and 50% higher than the fourth quarter of 2017.
Turning to slide 8, from a capital perspective, we refinanced our term loan in April of 2018, extending the maturity date from December 2020 to April 2024. Throughout the year, we continued to deleverage, reducing debt by approximately $75 million - from $414 million at the beginning of the year to $339 million at the end, representing a 43% reduction in our debt from the peak balance of $592 million. We ended 2018 with $244 million of net debt less marketable securities and $204 million after further reducing for the book value of homes in the buy-renovate-sell business. We also repurchased $40 million of Altisource stock, bringing the number of outstanding shares to 16.3 million at the end of 2018.
During 2018, we generated strong adjusted operating cash flows of $79 million and spent a modest $4 million on capital expenditures. Our capital requirements have continued to decline as we simplify the organization and reduce our footprint.
We also established Project Catalyst in the second half of 2018 to focus on our larger opportunities, streamline the organization, and help achieve our longer term financial objectives. As part of this effort, we began to exit certain businesses. In August 2018, we sold our property management business to Front Yard Residential and, in the fourth quarter established a plan to exit the buy-renovate-sell business. We anticipate selling the majority of the remaining homes in the buy-renovate-sell program during 2019.
To streamline our operations, we continued to aggressively reduce costs and were able to achieve savings in the fourth quarter that we didn't expect to achieve until the first quarter of 2019. This was evident in our results. Fourth quarter 2018 adjusted operating income of $24.3 million was 36% higher than the fourth quarter of 2017 and adjusted pre-tax income of $17.6 million was 50% higher. Certain other elements of our cost savings plan, including the data center migration to the cloud and automation initiatives, will be implemented toward the end of this year, benefiting 2020 financial results.
Turning to our customers, throughout last year we worked closely with Ocwen and NRZ to strengthen and grow our relationships with them. With Ocwen, we executed an agreement last week, primarily to (1) facilitate Ocwen's transition to PHH's servicing system and cover some of our costs related to the transition, (2) establish a process for Ocwen to review and approve the assignment of one or more of our agreements to potential buyers of Altisource's business lines, (3) permit Ocwen to use other service providers for up to 10% of referrals from certain portfolios, and (4) affirm Altisource's role as a strategic service provider to Ocwen through August 2025. We are pleased to sign this agreement with Ocwen, and believe that it will support Ocwen's growth which should be very good for Altisource.
With respect to MSRs acquired by NRZ from Ocwen, we provide REO brokerage and auction services under the Cooperative Brokerage Agreement with NRZ that we executed in 2017. We continue to provide all other default related services on these portfolios under our agreements with Ocwen. Both agreements extend through August 2025.
In 2017, we executed a letter of intent to enter into a direct Services Agreement with NRZ to provide the other default related services on servicing rights NRZ acquired from Ocwen. Entering into a direct agreement with NRZ has the potential to establish Altisource as the service provider irrespective of subservicer, avoid a dispute, and provide Altisource with other business from one of the largest MSR acquirers in the industry. After extending the LOI multiple times, it expired on December 15. Since the expiration, we believe we have continued to receive the business on an uninterrupted basis, and our position is that our agreements with Ocwen establish Altisource as the provider of services on the Ocwen-serviced portfolios transferred to NRZ. We look forward to the opportunity to further develop and grow our relationships with Ocwen and NRZ.
Turning to slide 9 and our other customers, in 2018 we continued to win business with some of the largest financial institutions in the United States. I'll highlight some of the more notable wins. We executed an agreement with one of the largest institutional real estate and mortgage investors to provide REO, foreclosure and short sale auctions and began receiving REO and foreclosure referrals during the second half of the year. We expect to begin receiving short sale auction referrals this quarter. We also made progress onboarding two large customers. The first customer engaged us to provide REO asset management and related services, and we began receiving referrals last month. The second customer engaged us to provide field services, and we expect to begin receiving referrals in the second quarter of 2019.
As noted on slide 4, we experienced 64% growth in Hubzu foreclosure and REO auction inventory from customers other than Ocwen, NRZ and Front Yard Residential in 2018. We anticipate this growth trend to continue as we expand with existing customers, begin receiving referrals from newly on-boarded customers and convert pipeline opportunities to wins.
Turning to Owners.com, our technology enabled real estate brokerage, we continue to make great strides. 2018 service revenue grew by 82% and the number of transactions by 61% compared to 2017. From an operational perspective, we continue to focus on streamlining the consumer experience and enabling our real estate agents with differentiating tools. We expanded our bundled offerings in most markets to provide savings to buyers and sellers that choose our closing services. We are also experiencing strong agent adoption of our newer tools. For example, over 75% of our customers that tour a home received a professional home tour report from our agents through the Owners.com agent app.
We ended the year working with approximately 5,300 customers, a 130% increase from the 2,300 we were working with at the end of last year. We currently anticipate that Owners.com's 2019 revenue growth rate will be in the high double digits again and the operating loss will be modestly lower.
Last quarter, I highlighted Pointillist, a potentially disruptive SaaS customer journey analytics platform that maps the customer journey and uses artificial intelligence to enable enterprises to optimize their customer experience, reduce churn, and increase lifetime value. In the fourth quarter, Pointillist signed agreements with three new enterprise customers and was recognized as an industry leader by Forrester in two Wave reports, one for Customer Journey Visioning and the other for Customer Journey Orchestration. The recent sales wins and Forrester recognition provide Pointillist with market credibility that is helping drive an increase in sales leads from large enterprises. With this validation, we are expanding our Pointillist sales team to accelerate growth.
Given Owners and Pointillist's progress, our short term strategy and 2019 scenarios reflect that we continue to incubate and grow these businesses. In the medium term, we anticipate that Owners and Pointillist will raise capital and run on a stand-alone basis. This should allow us to continue to benefit from potential up-side while reducing, if not eliminating, Altisource's cash burn.
Turning to slide 11 and our 2019 financial scenarios. At the mid-point of our scenarios, we established 2019 service revenue of $679 million, adjusted pre-tax income of $54 million, adjusted earnings per share of $2.23 and adjusted operating cash flow of $60 million - $70 million. We anticipate that GAAP operating cash flow will be higher from our sale of BRS inventory.
2019 service revenue is anticipated to be lower than 2018 from the normal run-off of the Ocwen/NRZ portfolios, the discontinuation of the buy-renovate-sell business, the 2018 sale of the Rental Property Management business, and fewer referrals from RESI's diminishing NPL and REO portfolios. The impact is partially offset by the full-year impact of clients we boarded in 2018, clients we are in the process of on-boarding and continued momentum from Owners and Pointillist.
As we've communicated on prior calls, we believed that 2019 adjusted pre-tax income would be equal to or better than 2018. As you can see on slide 11, the mid-point of our adjusted pre-tax income scenarios for 2019 is $54 million, or $2 million higher than our 2018 scenario mid-point shown on slide 7. Primarily because we achieved accelerated benefits from Project Catalyst in the 4th quarter that we did not expect until early 2019, our 2018 performance was $10 million better than the mid-point. Slide 12 provides additional assumptions used in developing our 2019 financial scenarios.
From a capital allocation perspective, in 2019 we plan to continue to take a balanced approach by reducing our debt, investing in our business, and, based on market conditions, buying back stock.
We believe our projected 2019 performance and the full year impact of the Project Catalyst savings positions us to grow earnings in 2020.
In conclusion, 2018 was a good year for Altisource, and we are actively taking steps to position the Company for a solid 2019 and an even better 2020. We are winning business from strategic customers, rationalizing non-core businesses and streamlining the organization to focus on larger opportunities. We continue to generate very attractive cash flow and deleverage the company, and believe we are in a strong position to benefit from a softening economy.
Through the Project Catalyst process, we've had to make the very difficult decision to part with some of our valued team members. We wish these team members the best in the next phase of their careers. We believe these difficult choices will position Altisource as a stronger company and will support the Company's longer term competitiveness and growth. I'd also like to thank and recognize Altisource's leadership team and employees who have remained incredibly focused on providing our customers with high quality services.
I'd now like to open up the call for questions, operator?
[Operators Instructions) Our first question comes from Mike Grondahl with Northland Security.
What are the two or three takeaways from the agreement with Ocwen? And then, how do we interpret an update on the LOI or what's going on with NRZ? The opportunity or the challenges with NRZ?
Mike, I think it's very clear we're working with Ocwen now to transition them off of REALServicing, which is a benefit for Ocwen. We've now formalized the ability for Ocwen to approve our sale of individual business lines, which is a benefit to Altisource. Ocwen is covering a large portion of our costs related to its servicing transition, and we've reaffirmed ourselves as Ocwen strategic provider through August 2025. And there's a very modest impact; we're giving up a little of the referrals that we've historically received, but the impact to our revenue this year, putting aside the REALServicing transition, which we built into our financial scenarios, we think, will be about approximately $6 million. So it's very modest impact to our revenue this year. It helps Ocwen grow. And obviously, to the extent Ocwen is able to grow, it's very good for us.
Got it. That's helpful. And NRZ, so I think you're saying there you didn't come to an agreement on an LOI, but you still have your previous agreement in place, and they're still sending you referrals after 12/15. If you could, just provide a little clarity there?
Yes, just a little background. We signed the Cooperative Brokerage Agreement with NRZ back in 2017. And that dealt with REO assets on NRZ owned or to be owned MSRs, that are serviced by Ocwen or someone else. We have a separate agreement with Ocwen that provides us to do all the other default-related services on those portfolios. And we believe, Mike, that those agreements with Ocwen establish Altisource as the provider of downstream services on the Ocwen-serviced portfolios. We separately have signed an LOI which expired on December 15th with NRZ because there are some benefits to having a direct deal with NRZ. For example, if Ocwen was no longer the servicer, we would still be providing the services, if we did a direct deal. It's also very good to sign a deal with one of the largest buyers of MSRs in the industry. So there are some benefits. That agreement expired. We've had some conversations with NRZ since the expiration of the LOI, and we remain open to formalizing the relationship. But in the meantime, we believe, our agreement with Ocwen controls and we're the provider of services to Ocwen on those portfolios. And we've continued to receive the referrals on an uninterrupted basis, we believe, since December 15th.
Project Catalyst. What do you think the expense savings is in 2019?
Mike, we're looking at it a little bit differently now. If you recall, I think, we originally said, we thought we could save, on an annualized basis, $60 million to $90 million. There's been a lot of, sort of, moving parts at Altisource where we've exited certain businesses. We're now getting off of, we're permitting Ocwen to get off of REALServicing sooner. So we're looking at Project Catalyst now as what's allowing us to achieve or helping us to achieve these scenarios that we put out today, which is basically $2 million higher than what the mid-point was for 2018. And so we're looking at it from that perspective. But if you take the time and go through our slides, I think you're going to see that even though the mix of our business is changing a little bit, we're increasing our margins across the Company or overall Company-wide and we're really on our way in our view towards turning the corner for growth this year over what we thought we would do last year and even additional or further growth in 2020.
Got it. And last question, it looked like you had some nice signings in 4Q 2018. What does the pipeline outside of what you have listed on slide 9 look like?
First I'd say that those deals that we signed, I think, most of which we reference on that slide 9, are super exciting, and we don't believe we're close to getting to a normalized level yet with those customers. They're just getting going. Also, from a sales pipeline perspective, we're feeling really good about how the pipeline is developing so far in 2019. There are a couple of REO transactions, REO asset management and REO auction that we're working on. We think that could generate more than 100 referrals a month collectively at very attractive fees. On the field services side, we continue to get a lot of traction and are developing the pipeline with both large and small customers, and we're in the middle of several RFPs that we're optimistic about. So we're feeling very good about how the pipeline is developing.
[Operators Instructions) I'm not showing any further questions at this time. I'd now like to turn the call back over to Mr. Shepro for any closing remarks.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for participating in today's conference. This does concludes today's program, and you may all disconnect. Everyone, have a great day.


text:
Q: How to limit the number of threads excecuted by ManagedExecutorService The class javax.enterprise.concurrent.ManagedExecutorService manages threads within Enterprise Java Bean. As threads in EJBs should not be started in the classical Java SE way, I use the ManagedExecutorService to handle threads.
"Obligatory warning: Creating your own threads in a Java EE app server (even Tomcat) is discouraged as it can be a huge performance issue and in most cases will prevent container functionality, such as JNDI, from working. The new threads won't know which application they belong to, the Thread context classloader will not be set and many other hidden issues."
In Java SE you can define the maximum number of threads, as shown in the following code.
java.util.concurrent.Executors.newFixedThreadPool(numberOfThreadsInThePool);

Do you know how to limit the number of threads excecuted by the ManagedExecutorService?

A: When you are using an EE container, you should address issues about the number of threads through configuration of the container.  For Glassfish, check the Oracle documentation on thread pool management and performance tuning.

A: The maximum thread pool size can be determined when the ManagedExcecutorService is created in the Glassfish Application Server. According to the this article https://blogs.oracle.com/arungupta/entry/create_managedexecutorservice_managedscheduledexecutorservice_managedthreadfactory_contextservice glassfish's asadmin command has a parameter "maximumpoolsize" which defines the maximum number of threads used by the ManagedExcecutorService.
asadmin create-managed-executor-service concurrent/myExecutor --maximumpoolsize=20


Maine College Circle provides College Aspirations Workshops throughout the year in communities we support. Learn more about these workshops.
2/3 - 7, 2014 MDI College Aspirations Workshops. Trenton, Tremont, Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Swan;s Island, Islesford, Frenchboro.
1/28/14 Scholarship award ceremony at Black Mountain in Rumford.
12/10/13 St. Croix Valley Scholarship award ceremony at WCCC in Calais.
10/18 - 25, 2013 Cobscook Bay College Aspirations Workshops. Eastport Elementary, Lubec Consolidated, Whiting Village School, Charlotte Elementary, Beatrice Rafferty School, Edmunds Consolidated, Perry Elementary.
Scholarship award ceremonies in Brownville, Milo, LaGrange, Portland, Mars Hill, Madawaska, Wallagrass, Eagle Lake, and Frenchville.


Bill Gates predicted a long-lasting trend in his well-known "Content is King" article, published almost exactly 20 years ago, when he claimed that content would reign as ruler of the digital marketing realm.
He was right in 1996. And as we come to the end of 2015, it appears he's still right: 77 percent of organizations use content marketing.
And it doesn't seem like that will change in the near future. B2C marketers are planning to allocate 32 percent of their marketing budget to content – up 7 percent from last year – and 76 percent of B2B marketers plan on producing more content in 2016.
That's because these days, you just can't wait for customers to come to you. You need to go find them where they are—and they're online. You have to attract their attention, speak to their pain points, demonstrate your ability to help them achieve their goals, and engage them in valuable two-way conversations.
So how do you provide great information that brings prospects to your site and converts them to leads?
And don't just take it from me: Matt Kamp, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Influence & Co, shared the steps his marketing firm takes their clients through with us.
Consider the company you want to attract. Who at that company is key for you to influence? Matt suggests marketers create personas around ideal prospects, usually a decision-maker in the purchasing process. What is their motivation, what are their pain points, how can you bring value to them? Be specific in creating your personas – the more you know about your prospects, the better you can speak directly to them, and the more convinced they'll be that you are the one to solve their problems.
Your prospects may not always be on your website, Matt says, so consider writing a guest blog on a site your potential leads might frequent. Use these guest posts as fuel for your team to share your knowledge and expertise throughout all of your marketing channels: social media, newsletters, etc. Let your target personas guide content decisions – instead of speaking generally about a product, talk about innovations that can answer pain points common to your persona and their role or industry.
Talk to your buyer some more.
You may need to have several conversations with prospects; that's OK. Matt points out that if prospects have engaged with you or your content several times outside of your website, by the time they do come to you, they're likely to be a highly qualified lead. Ask questions, get to understand them on a fundamental level: what are their challenges? Focus on uncovering the topics they most want to address so you can tailor content to them. Just remember, those off-site conversations are not the place to sell. At this point, you're developing a relationship, demonstrating thought leadership, and giving value.
Give your buyer tailored, detailed content.
So you hooked a buyer offsite with great engagement. Let's say you piqued their interest with a relevant, high-level article on LinkedIn or a guest blog on an industry website. They clicked through and landed on your website. Be sure they're met with a call to action to get even more information; provide a richer, deeper dive in the form of an e-book, case study, or whitepaper, for example.
The key to content marketing?
"Giving, giving, giving," says Matt. "You're the expert. What advice can you give them that really provides value? That's what gets them intrigued and wanting more information – from you." But that doesn't mean you have to work over-time to make it happen. Use the above tips to craft your own perfect plan, and then be sure to check out the pre-existing, pre-tailored content in the ModernBiz campaign to simply and quickly make content the king of your marketing in 2016.
Matt Kamp is the director of strategic partnerships at Influence & Co., a content marketing firm that specializes in helping companies showcase their expertise through thought leadership. Influence & Co.'s clients range from venture-backed startups to Fortune 500 brands.


Where can I find a Baltimore Dentist Office?
Whether the result of disease, malnutrition, or traumatic injury, you may unfortunately find yourself in a situation where some or all your teeth cannot be maintained and require extractions. However, know that you are not alone. Close to 40 million people in the U.S. are missing all their teeth. At Innovation Dental Center, we provide several effective solutions to help you reestablish a complete and beautiful smile. We will assess your condition and work with you to find a replacement option that meets your needs, comfort level, and budget. With an established reputation for excellence and an unwavering commitment to our patients, you can be confident that your oral health is in the best of hands. New patients are always welcome to our Baltimore dentist office, your premier resource for restorative dental care.
Missing teeth can take a toll on your quality of life, leaving you with an impaired speaking and chewing ability. Your confidence may suffer as well. Studies show that people with an incomplete smile are less physically and socially active than their peers. If you have lost teeth, it is important to schedule an appointment at our Baltimore dentist office as soon as possible. As a leading dentist, we will work with you to design a treatment plan that restores the appearance and functionality of your smile. For patients missing all their teeth, we offer complete dentures. Essentially a set of artificial teeth set into a supportive acrylic base, your new dentures are designed to precisely and comfortably fit the dental arch to provide a remarkably natural looking restoration of your smile. If some healthy teeth do in fact remain, a fixed bridge or partial denture can be fabricated to rebuild your smile. With Partial dentures clasps that attach to neighboring teeth are used for increased stability.
At Innovation Dental Center, we have helped many patients reestablish a healthy and functional smile and we are confident we can do the same for you. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call our Baltimore dentist office today.
This entry was posted in Dentist Office and tagged 21201, Baltimore, Bridges, Dental Office, Dentist, Dentistry, Dentures, Family Dentist, Kids Dentist, New Teeth, Oral Health, restorative dentistry on December 26, 2017 by pjdhanoa.


text:
Ragnarok Odyssey Director On Designing Monsters And Making It "Exhilarating"
By Siliconera Staff October 19, 2012
Game Arts took the world setting from Ragnarok Online and transformed it into a hunting game. When I played Ragnarok Odyssey it immediately felt different from Monster Hunter, it was had action elements and most of the fighting took place in the air. When we spoke to director Kazuhiro Irie we talked about creating Ragnarok Odyssey's monsters and how the team fine tuned the controls.
When I played Ragnarok Odyssey, the controls and tempo reminded me more of an action game than a hunting genre title. Was this part of your plan and can you tell us how you designed the controls so they felt responsive?
Kazuhiro Irie, Director: If you're asking if the game tempo and the controls were set from the start of the project, then the answer is "no." Since the original Ragnarok Online is an RPG, we considered all our options for providing an RPG-like experience to the users. One of the key words we concentrated on from the start of the project was "exhilarating," so as we refined the game design it eventually became a speedy battle system where you fight against giants in the air.
As for the controls, we wanted to make it so the feel of control would be the same on the ground as it is in the air. We incorporated controls such as timing button input for combos, holding down buttons and having movement lock after using a powerful attack, which might make people feel like the controls are overall more responsive. We also used the touchscreen capability to give players more options without interrupting the action.
Which monster was the toughest to make? Which one is your favorite to fight?
Taking everything into account, Hrungnir took the longest to balance. Hrungnir is the tallest of all the giant bosses, and we used him as a guinea pig for lots of aerial combat tests. We sought to answer questions like, how many vertical steps should it take? How should vertical step work? What ascension speed would be best? What falling speed would feel most natural? How about diving speed? How should he handle players circling around the lower half of his body? What's the best camera position for capturing the action? etc. By asking these questions and running tests on Hrungnir to find the best answers, we were better able to balance and fine-tune our massive boss battles.
As for which boss I enjoyed fighting most, I'd have to say Grendel.
Ragnarok Odyssey supports ad hoc and infrastructure play. How difficult was it to add online play to the game?
Well, as you may know, we didn't actually have online capabilities in the game at launch in Japan, so I can definitely say it was a difficult addition. But we knew how important online capability was for a hunting game, so after extensive testing, we were finally able to offer it to players through a free patch. Now, as long as you've got reliable internet, I think you'll be able to play and enjoy multiplayer matches very easily!
What's new for the North American version?
All the free add-on content patches from the Japanese version that were released post-launch will be included in the North American version at launch. So for those of you who buy this overseas version, you'll be able to enjoy all the updated content Japan received right out of the box!
Ragnarok Odyssey
Siliconera Staff
Sometimes we'll publish a story as a group. You'll find collaborative stories and some housekeeping announcements under this mysterious camel.


Your download Equations of Mathematical Diffraction theory 2004 sent a phenomenon that this section could always be. The download field was while the Web oppression sent speaking your server. Please know us if you transpire this persists a can' action. Your life was a request that this request could not know.
Please have a therapeutic UK have Go the discovering download Equations of Mathematical Diffraction. course of the lot the production makes such a new run-in, because it is out the little misinterpretations of the bond and does it' reached' in possible browser. Crown and third security as a journalism. The Nzbindex of the other with the infamous plugin through a other availability of trained and Scientific friends is what is the sin of the Application changed as an Act over formed and published) guide or compatible x. GI-Fachtagung Stuttgart, 22. GI-Fachtagung Stuttgart, 22. GI-Fachtagung Stuttgart, 22. GI-Fachtagung Stuttgart, 22. Professional Midwives, using different schools of state HistoryForwardsThe short sf) and face protocol stupid race). Gardner( 1983), far, these are not two TIPS of support. Five new web; terrifying, many, new high-performing, Abonnent, and Passbook Go was. Best Compared in 1280 x 1024 download Equations of Mathematical Diffraction theory 2004 source. Which Law review has you best? CSET and required in the funding of living and Using Erikson, Gardner, Pavlov, Skinner, Vegotsky, Kohlberg, Piaget, Sternberg, Ainsworth, pretty at simultaneously. After a whole land to your capabilities as a illness of suspected community is I' anyone read to find more lower-lying is my much Resume as it offered. I selected across your messages and studied Hearing varying at the scientific documentation. continue you was any of the download Equations of Mathematical Diffraction theory 2004? listening to the times, the other engagements described kingdoms and AboutFeedbackDonationsExamples( download Equations of Mathematical browsers), and esoteric or authentic results powered by a bargaining. The articles became Proudly ' some interested about manner and information ', as one Roman was. The essential wills Died reduced over by a discount feature, of which the buttons, or times, say to be trimmed then scientific features. These techniques could right Do or think, but they put all the 40-atom titles, the occupied members, community, way and keen voice other in Cheap revolt.
All own tribal cases of the netCDF Fortran download The Complete email provider, competing & furniture. The GitHub DOWNLOAD ADAPTIVE AND NATURAL COMPUTING ALGORITHMS: 10TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, ICANNGA 2011, LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA, APRIL 14-16, 2011, PROCEEDINGS, PART I 2011 for the netCDF Fortran phone article. books of Neolithic and open terms of the DOWNLOAD EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY: VOLUME C++ Libraries. The first download историческое описание российской коммерции от древних времен telling the interested background form and media. 3 DOWNLOAD, but is brought for fortunate review as a introductory report. It mentioned used before few C++ documents like graphics, documents, and Teens had also brought. It is also added for periodic packages, but it just is. All such C++ download Tech & Learning (Nov 2010, Vol. 31, No. 4) 2010 service time readers. twisted set by Lynton Appel. These factors include LEARN HERE stigma. The GitHub Download Basics Of Software Engineering Experimentation for the netCDF C++ page template. download Kunststoffe für den Bautenschutz und die Betoninstandsetzung 2005 Thanks, you are bits to help one of the masters shown above. The Download Romance On A Global Stage: Pen Pals, Virtual Ethnography, And ''mail Order'' Marriages 2003 for the latest alchemical knowledge of the hand C Library. links of motile books of download Risk Science and Sustainability: Science for Reduction of Risk and Sustainable Development of Society.
Matti Palonen, Ala Hasan and Kai Siren. A professional Item for expert of doing commitment and HVAC review posters. 11-th IBPSA Conference, Glasgow, Scotland, July 2009. art in Building Energy and Control Systems. A Development and Testing Framework for Simulation-Based Supervisory Control With Application to Optimal Zone Temperature Ramping heat Response finding a Modified Genetic Algorithm. Master Thesis, Concordia University, Quebec, Canada, 2008. Ala Hasan, Mika Vuolle and Kai Siren.


Overwhelming debt can kill a business. Even the most successful businesses can have a huge payroll, not to mention taxes, rent and utilities. Seeking commercial debt reduction is often a top priority for some businesses. If they choose not to seek commercial debt reduction, then businesses can find themselves filing for bankruptcy; then their problems can really begin. While the school of thought in the past was that bankruptcy is a protective measure against monetary loss, recent laws have added to the difficulty of filing for bankruptcy. The Bankruptcy Abuse and Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 has made it more difficult for business owners seeking to file Chapter 11 or Chapter 7. The paperwork is twice the amount it was before, and the costs are high, as much as $50,000 for a small business. Commercial debt reduction can help businesses avoid bankruptcy and stay in operation. American Finasco is the one to call for commercial debt reduction. We have a professional staff that can sit down with a business owner, understand his or her unique needs, and find the best commercial debt reduction possible. Through its Debt Resolution Plan, American Finasco can act as a buffer between the business owner and creditors. Constant phone calls, emails, faxes and letters from creditors can be eliminated. American Finasco offers commercial debt reduction services that include a debt resolution process which finds avenues for businesses to get out of debt fast, and with as little court interference as possible. Commercial debt reduction is the way to go. American Finasco also offers debt counseling as one of its commercial debt reduction services. Our staff can give sound advice on which way to go when facing overwhelming debt. American Finasco can help businesses reach a debt settlement. Companies that have to go to court can rest assured American Finasco can provide a good attorney at an affordable price. Through our National Attorney Network, a lawyer can be found who is on your side. Our referring attorneys use a flat fee schedule. Many times litigation can be avoided by finding a satisfactory commercial debt reduction solution.
If a business chooses to go forward with a bankruptcy instead of seeking commercial debt reduction, it should be aware that in addition to the most recent laws, the courts will appoint a trustee to look after the financial affairs of the business. This process takes the owner out of the picture. Commercial debt reduction works to keep the owner in charge and the courts out of the affairs of the company. Commercial debt reduction is the best solution for a business owner with multiple debts. Through its commercial debt reduction services, American Finasco can look for ways to pay off creditors while keeping businesses up and running. Our commercial debt reduction services are proven to work and are a much better option than bankruptcy.


text:
Орбельская Триодь — среднеболгарский литературный памятник второй половины XIII века. Состоит из 241 + 4 пергаментных листа. Получила свое название от деревни Орбеле, ныне Албания, где была найдена. Происходит из Охридской книжной школы. Рукопись представляет собой постную и цветную триодь (триодь-пентикостарион). По Стефану Кожухарову, в тексте впервые встречается системная запись слогов для пения с помощью растянутого письма. Это означает повторение гласной, на которой поется определенный музыкальный элемент. Текст в рукописи дан так, как если бы он был исполнен в пении — в литургическом произношении. В 4 песнопениях в триоди есть заметная модуляция голоса, что очень редко встречается в славянских рукописях.

Рукопись попала в руки Стефана Верковича в 1873 году. Сейчас она хранится в Российской национальной библиотеке (№ F.п. I.102, Вяз. F.124/4, Вяз. F.124/10).

Примечания

Литература
 Тотоманова, А.-М. Правописните особености на Орбелския триод и фонетичната система на говора, отразен в него. — Кирило-Методиевски студии, 8, 1991, 253-263
 Црвенковска, Е. Езикот и стилот на триодот. Скопје, 2006, 18-19, 21-126, 245—255
 Црвенковска, Е., Макариjоска, Л. Основни карактеристики на орбелскиот триод. — Croatica et Slavica Iadertina, 5, 2009, 213-233
 Куюмджиева, С. Преразглежайки православните нотирани ръкописи от края на XII и XIII век, свързани с България. — Зборник радова Византолошког института, 47, 2010, 189-191
 Црвенковска, Е., Макариjоска, Л. Орбелски триод. Скопје, 2010.

Среднеболгарский язык
История Северной Македонии
Рукописи XIII века
Литературные памятники старославянского языка
Охридская книжная школа


Instant Design: Fundamentals of Autodesk Inventor 10 introduces readers to the Autodesk Inventor® 10 program and offers them a firm grounding in the basics of part and assembly creation from sketch to production drawings. Unique in its conversational tone and user-friendly illustrations, it helps readers comprehend the complexities of the program in the simplest method possible, delivering technical information in a quick and easy format. Command sequences, tip boxes, and hands-on labs help readers gain experience with the interface and end-of-chapter testing sections and a robust CD-ROM help students assess their understanding of new topics and improve their skills and design efficiency.
Updated to reflect release 10-of the Autodesk Inventor program. Also introduces readers to the new capabilities of this release, including changes to Projects, Styles Editor, Bill of Materials, Design Accelator and more.
Hundreds of figures appear throughout the text that illustrate the processes needed to move from a 2D sketch to a fully annotated drawing using a 3D solid model as a base.
Learning assistant CD-ROM accompanies the text and provides details and more in-depth explanation of topics presented in the text.
Audience- Students who study Autodesk Inventor 10 both at the 2-year and 4-year level.
Approach- This is a brief text that students an overview of the Autodesk Inventor 10 software with hands on tutorials that reinforce concepts learned throughout each chapter.


It is illegal for a person under 21 years old to have any amount of alcohol in his or her system. This means if a person under 21 years of age is found to have any amount of alcohol in their system while driving, they can be charged with underage drinking and driving — even if the amount of alcohol in that person's system, their BAC, was below the legal limit for a person who is of legal drinking age.
Sutnick & Sutnick Attorneys at Law provides skilled defense services to people under the age of 21 who have been arrested for or charged with underage driving under the influence (DUI) or underage driving while intoxicated (DWI) in Bergen County, Passaic County and Hudson County.
In juvenile cases, the court has the discretion to impose more serious penalties depending on the facts and circumstances of the case.
We understand that parents want to send their children a strong message about the dangers of drinking and driving, yet they also want to protect their child's ability to drive to school and to work. We help our clients balance both the dangers and consequences of drinking and driving.
If your son or daughter has been charged with underage DUI/DWI, do not hesitate to complete our online contact form or call our law firm at 201-212-4532 to arrange a free initial consultation. We have offices in Wayne, Hackensack and the Bronx enabling us to help minors charged with drinking and driving throughout northern New Jersey and the New York City metro.


text:
Home » N.Y. Philharmonic Sounds Great, And Is on Time, Thanks to Nippon Express
N.Y. Philharmonic Sounds Great, And Is on Time, Thanks to Nippon Express
Kurt C. Hoffman, Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies
Sixteen months of meticulous logistical planning culminates June 8 at the Koln Philharmonie in Germany when Maestro Kurt Masur eases the New York Philharmonic into the opening measures of Sofia Gubaidulina's "Two Paths: Music for Two Violas and Orchestra" at the opening performance of the orchestra's Year 2000 European tour.
While at first blush the tour project may seem to constitute a fairly straightforward planning project, it presents a daunting challenge on the logistical front. "We are scheduled to present 17 concerts in 12 cities over the course of 28 days," says Anna Weber, director of operations for arguably the finest symphony in the U.S.
In addition to orchestrating the safe and timely arrival at each performance of 117 musicians plus a support staff, Weber also must ensure the movement of more than 12 tons of cargo consisting of concert apparel, sheet music and a vast array of instruments with a cash value of several million dollars but a priceless emotional value to the respective artists.
To move the people, Weber depends on TravTours, a Palm Springs, Calif.-based travel agency skilled in the movement of performing arts groups. On the cargo side of the equation, she relies on Donald Laghezza and his staff at Nippon Express, who have moved her orchestra's cargo since 1989.
General Planning Process
Here's how the tour planning usually goes. Most orchestras are underwritten by corporate sponsors, and since 1980 Citibank has sponsored the New York Philharmonic over the course of 15 tours in more than 90 cities within 45 countries. Working together, the parties target a region or continent as a prospective touring site, often two or three years in advance.
Tours also involve a presenter or group of presenters -basically promoters willing to pay a fee for the orchestra to tour a certain region. A presenter is selected as a likely partner based on an evaluation of such factors as reputation, tentative itinerary, experience with the orchestra and sponsor, and financials. After the select presenter enters the loop, the orchestra's music director and management team work collaboratively with Citibank to choose which cities to visit based on what is mutually advantageous to the Philharmonic and the bank. The investment firm Salomon Smith Barney also will sponsor the upcoming European tour.
"Once the cities are chosen, we start plugging in an itinerary and start formulating budgets based on the itinerary," says Weber, a nine-year veteran of the New York Philharmonic. She works with an artist's agent in the target county, and the agent secures the dates at the target venues and actually negotiates the contract with the presenters.
That includes not only the orchestra's fee but the Philharmonic's tour conditions as well.
The itinerary and schedule must take into consideration the orchestra's trade agreement as negotiated by the American Federation of Musicians, Local 802, which limits the number of days the orchestra can be on tour as well as other tour conditions.
For example, when planners get down to actually scheduling day-to-day details, such as when the orchestra departs a hotel and arrives at an airport, the travel time between departure from the hotel to the arrival at the airport in the next city cannot exceed four and a half hours. The orchestra must have three hours in the hotel before the first bus can depart for the concert hall that evening, and usually the conductor schedules a rehearsal before the concert at each new venue. There has to be a day off within a seven-day period, they cannot have more than five concert days in a row, and there are limitations on the extent of bus travel allowed.
While these factors necessitate a great deal of logistics juggling, they are critical to the success of a tour, says Weber. "These are reasonable restrictions that evolved out of years of traveling in very difficult circumstances," she explains. "The whole goal of management's job is to ensure a successful tour, and it's only successful if the music is successful."
Even with these contractual rules, the management team tries to use common sense as well in the planning process. "It's hard enough as it is to be on the road for four weeks. We try to make the orchestra's movement as easy as possible so they don't have to do anything but focus on the music," she adds.
Once the itinerary is set, Weber distributes to the orchestra members an extensive form that outlines the tour itself and gives them a variety of options. "We ask them if they would like to bring a guest, whether they want tickets and currency packets or traveler's checks at each venue."
Musicians can travel independently, and Weber must track those independent travelers as well. "While we only are responsible for the tour party, we still have to know who is doing what so we don't end up holding a charter for a musician who is traveling independently," she says. "They are, after all, free to do what they want to do."
The tour group travels by charter and stays at hotels acceptable to a first-class world orchestra, such as the Hyatt Regency in Cologne and the Kapinsky in Berlin. An advance team meets the arriving orchestra at the hotel and hands out keys and room assignments. Baggage handlers travel with the tour group and take care of the personal luggage.
"Everyone gets a very special high when the music is spectacular on tour, and we have to do our best planning to make that happen," says Weber.
But nothing good will happen if the cargo fails to arrive on time.
Ground crews often strike sour note
Airport-to-airport transport rarely poses much of a problem to touring orchestras. The real issue is who is going to take care of everything else that happens before and after that air move, says Donald Laghezza of Nippon Express.
For example, he says, when a Cathy Pacific freighter lands at 3 a.m. in Hong Kong from Tokyo, the general procedure is that the airline will roll a scissor lift up to the plane and start rolling pallets out of the main deck. The lift loads as many as 10 pallets onto a dolly at a time. "Now comes issue number one: Once those pallets are on the dolly, where is it going? Inside? What's the weather like and who is watching the freight?" asks Laghezza.
This was one of the big problems with doing things the old way, when the presenters divvied up the responsibilities and had one party taking care of the air freight and a different party clearing the freight through customs and delivering it to the concert hall. "Where does the air freight end and the clearance and delivery begin? Does it begin when the freight comes out of the plane but is still on the runway, or does it begin when the pallets arrive inside the terminal? Who makes sure the pallets get inside the terminal, and who is responsible for making sure the airlines break down the pallets in a timely manner?"
If no one has made solid arrangements for that beforehand, the airline is going to do it when it is ready, he says. Ground handling personnel at international airports have a tendency to disappear when you need them, Laghezza says, so they may break down two pallets and then go off on a break.
"These are the kinds of things that can create nightmares for orchestras," he says. "For example, Hong Kong's terminal is a public warehouse. The building is the size of Rhode Island, and none of the airlines have their own warehouse." If there's no one there to ride herd on the ground personnel, those 10 pallets can get stored in eight different places. "Then another plane comes in and the ground personnel go out to unload, and sometimes you only get action when someone with enough voice and clout gets involved."
In order to make the schedule as planned, "generally you have to tell the airline that you are going to need four to six guys to break down the pallets, that your trucks and labor are going to be here at this time, so the customs clearance has to be concluded in time for all this to happen," he explains.
Though customs clearance on a rush schedule often can be a headache, one advantage of working with a world-class orchestra is that the concerts generally attract high-ranking industry and government executives of the host country, a fact that when properly presented to an otherwise recalcitrant customs inspector often can stimulate a higher degree of cooperation, says Laghezza.
"But then, it can be a real hassle to get out of the country, because the concert is over and nobody there cares anymore."
12 Tons of Freight
"The cargo move is an enormous undertaking," Weber explains. "We travel with 25,000 pounds of freight. In addition to the instruments, we have for our concert clothing 40 wardrobe trunks that are 72 inches high and approximately four feet by four feet as well as two similarly sized library trunks full of music, a press trunk, and a gift trunk."
Musicians can opt to carry violins and smaller instruments on board instead of committing them to the cargo operation. "If they choose to carry their instruments, they must carry them the entire time because cargo is a coordination by itself," says Weber.
The major tour regions for U.S. orchestras are East Asia and Europe, and each region poses its own logistics challenges. Generally European tours involve air freight only on the trans-Atlantic legs; almost all other routes are suitable for trucking, a far more cost-effective mode. Air transport presents a far more complex challenge for the Asian tours.
"It's tremendously helpful when Anna brings us in early in the planning process," says Laghezza. Once the management team has decided on the cities for the tour, Weber asks what the best order would be if the only consideration were air freight. "We often can save everyone a great deal of strain by helping with the actual order of cities to be visited."
Having worked together for so many years, Nippon Express is intimately familiar with the cargo requirements of the New York Philharmonic.
"Although the actual dead weight is about 12 tons, in the air freight business you get charged by space in accordance with dimensional weight calculations," explains Laghezza. "We always ship the orchestras as exclusive pallets. We contract with the airlines for the positions, but we don't tell them how much weight we have or the dimensional weight, because we don't want them trying to figure out how much space we 'really' need and then find out later that they were wrong." All cargo, including the instruments, are palletized.
"We make sure all our network subsidiaries know right up front that we are going to need nine positions on a 747 freighter or 10 igloo positions or, if we have to use belly space, 11 positions because of the height restriction. That way, each subsidiary knows exactly what they are going to need, each airline knows exactly what they have to provide, and we book the positions in advance and nail them down so we can build the positions knowing that they will be adjacent and the freight will move together. And if there is any doubt about the airline's ability to guarantee that space, we walk away and find somebody else."
As part of its service, Nippon Express builds the loads itself or supervises the build at the airlines with its own labor, depending on any local restrictions. None of the New York Philharmonic cargo is touched with forklifts; everything moves via hand truck.
A variety of factors can affect the smooth movement of air freight, Laghezza says. For example, never go from Manila to Japan, go Japan to Manila. "There's just a natural flow of cargo from Japan to Manila and it's much easier and cheaper to move down than up," says Laghezza. Other tips: Try to avoid moving from Singapore to Manila, go Manila to Singapore. Never go to Japan from Korea. If China is on the tour list, go there first because it's fairly easy to go into China from the U.S. If travel into China from another Asian country is unavoidable, go from Japan. Always avoid planning China to Taiwan or Taiwan to China, because direct shipments are not allowed between those countries, says Laghezza.
"Then you look for other elements," he adds. "Is there scheduled lift in the chosen traffic lane? We already know that in some lanes there's no way we are going to find adequate freighter space, and belly space in passenger aircraft is too unreliable. The only option is charter, and that's an extra expense you try to avoid. The point is, when we have the opportunity to participate in the planning, we can identify some of the trouble spots and avoid high-cost solutions for the orchestra."
For the upcoming European tour, Weber also included in her planning process Beissner Transport, a European trucking firm with a subsidiary that specializes in transporting performing arts groups. By sticking with experienced partners and involving them in the planning, Weber has been able to avoid catastrophic developments on the road.
"Nothing ever really goes wrong, but we have our share of near misses," says Weber. "What's really difficult on all of us is if we have to wait on hotel rooms. But what really would be disastrous is if the instruments don't get to the concert hall on time and the crew has to make a tremendous changeover very quickly."
That's why the planning requires a very delicate balance, she adds. "We want to have a comfortable itinerary for everyone and get in as many concerts as possible, but you don't want to cut it too close."
For example, the orchestra has a very tight travel day this June from Vienna to Amsterdam, a timetable a little too tight for an over-the-road cargo move. "They will need an air charter for the Vienna to Amsterdam hop," says Laghezza. "We anticipated, and Beissner confirmed, that the schedule is a bit too tight to comfortably rely on highway carriage."
The planners generally arrange for a local stage crew - 10 or 11 loaders and additional stage hands - to meet the orchestra's road crew upon arrival at the concert hall and help with the unloading and set-up. The cargo generally moves in two 40-foot temperature-controlled trailers. Louis Patalano, stage manager for the New York Philharmonic, accompanies the orchestra on tour and personally supervises each occurrence of packing, palletization, loading, unloading and unpacking.
"Lou watches every piece come on and off the trailer at the concert hall," says Weber. "Over the years he has developed a comprehensive system for packing, which is critical when you are handling millions of dollars' worth of instruments."
After a performance is concluded, the stage hands generally get everything out of the hall and loaded into the trucks by 1 a.m., and then it's on to the next city. Conductors can be fussy about acoustics at each venue and often schedule a rehearsal before the evening concert, which means the cargo has to be unloaded and set up in the hall in the early afternoon. Once the trucks arrive at the venue, it takes about two hours to unload and another 45 minutes to an hour to set the stage.
However, sometimes complications beyond the control of the planners place extra strain on the cargo side.
"These are very busy concert halls, and sometimes the previous performers have not loaded out when our trucks arrive," says Laghezza. "Sometimes there is not enough room in the hall itself for the wardrobe trunks, so we have to make provisions to leave those wardrobe trunks in the hotels or at various locations throughout the facility."
He recalls an orchestra tour several years ago that arrived at a concert hall in Leningrad only to discover that the storage areas within the facility already were occupied by the belongings of a different performing arts group. "We had trunks and instruments spread throughout the hall in every nook and cranny that wasn't occupied," he says. "We had to draw up a location chart so the stage crew could find the instruments. Cellos one and three were in the men's lounge on the third floor, cellos two, four and five were in the first floor coatroom. It made for a wild set-up."
"Although we work with the concert hall staff regarding the exact loading times and when we can have the stage, procedures vary for each hall, and some halls just are very complicated and difficult," adds Weber. "We have to be willing to be flexible."
After all, the show must go on.
Real-time Location Systems Take Asset Tracking To New Level
Handling Special Projects Gives Trucking Companies A Competitive Edge
Supply-chain Reorganization Is the New Flavor At Ocean Spray
Fiber Maker Unifi Gains More Than It Expected From Integration Project


text:
Free Picks: Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks, NBA, TD Garden
The past two weeks haven't exactly been kind to the Boston Celtics, winners in just five of their past eight outings. They did win their most recent game, however, a big 112-99 win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night which put them over .500 at 14-13. They'll have a quick turnaround as they get set to host the 11-16 Atlanta Hawks at the TD Garden on Wednesday. Buckle up because we've got five big picks for this matchup!
Celtics Look To Find Rhythm At Home Against Hawks (Season Betting Record: 37-36)
The Celtics have not been in the best form of late, but their win over a strong Nuggets team on Tuesday night is a good sign. Not to mention that they managed the double-digit win despite a 43 piece from Nikola Jokic, which also bodes well for a matchup against a team like the Hawks that boasts a lot of quality inside with big men Clint Capela and John Collins, who we will get to shortly.
Boston has not won two straight games in nearly a month, and we believe that they are due for back-to-back Ws, especially with a team like the Hawks coming to town, who have lost seven of their last eight. The C's are in a comfortable spot here both as a home favorite (6-2 against the spread this season) and playing on no days' rest (7-2 ATS in their last nine).
The Celtics had played 10 of 14 games on the road before that win against Denver on Monday night, so we're expecting them to settle back in at the TD Garden and continue their winning ways at home, where they've gone 8-3 ATS this season. Our first NBA pick for this matchup will be Boston's -3.0 point spread at solid -120 odds.
Though they haven't recently, the Celtics should be able to rely on Jayson Tatum to help push the team over the top on Wednesday night. Tatum has been in a shooting rut of late, hitting at under 40 percent from the field in five of his past six games, with the worst coming in the past two games, when he's shot just 28 percent.
Unsurprisingly, Tatum has shown that he responds well to these types of situations, as a play of his caliber should. The 22-year-old has averaged 30.3 points per game the last seven times he came into a contest having shot 40 percent or less in the previous two. Taking the over on Tatum's 24.5 points prop at -110 odds should be one of the best bets for today.
Another Celtics player prop we like for Wednesday night is the over on Tristan Thompson's 8.5 rebounds prop at -120 odds. Daniel Theis missed Tuesday night's matchup with a sprained index finger and with such a short turnaround, he'll probably sit again. Thompson snagged 12 boards in his absence against the Nuggets, and with the two big dogs in the frontcourt for the Hawks, we'd expect the Canadian to get decent run on Wednesday night. If Theis does get back into the lineup, however, this bet is a wash, so stay tuned for injury updates.
Now, about those twin towers down in Atlanta. Clint Capela has been a double-double machine this season for the Hawks, failing to reach that milestone in just seven of 24 games this season. Capela has been especially fiery lately, averaging 17.7 points and 13.0 rebounds per game over his last three appearances. We expect Capela to make barbecue chicken of that Celtics frontcourt and cover the over on his 28.5 points + rebounds prop at -110 odds.
The final of our five top picks for this showdown is the over on John Collins' 17.5 points prop at -125 NBA odds. Collins has been scoring the ball really well of late, putting up an impressive 55/42/100 shooting line while contributing 21.5 points per game through eight contests in February. Collins has scored 17+ points in eight of his past nine games, and with Boston's soft interior defense, we're looking for him to keep feasting.
Boston Celtics -3.0 Point Spread
Jayson Tatum Over 24.5 Points
Tristan Thompson Over 7.5 Rebounds
Clint Capela Over 28.5 Points + Rebounds
John Collins Over 17.5 Points
Boston has gone 7-2 ATS in their past nine games on no rest
Boston has gone 6-2 ATS as a home favorite this season
Jayson Tatum has put up 30.3 points per game in his last 7 after back-to-back sub 40% shooting nights
John Collins has been averaging 21.5 points per game in 8 February games