In September 2014 immigration agents came to the house of labor leader and Oregon immigrant rights organizer Francisco Aguirre house looking to take him into custody to deport him. When he did not open the door and asked for a warrant, they left. For the next two months, Francisco took Sanctuary in a local Portland church, while his family, advocates, and faith leaders organized a campaign to stop his deportation.
But during his stay in sanctuary, ICE switched its pursuit from civil immigration to a criminal case that enlisted the participation of the U.S. Attorney. In an example of a recent increase in prosecutions for re-entry from the Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Marshals served him with an indictment for a felony charge relating to Francisco's return to the U.S. after being deported some 15 years ago. If found guilty, he could spend up to 20 years in prison before eventually being deported.
Francisco is the father of 3 children. He has lived in Portland, Oregon for almost 20 years. He is a long-time labor rights organizer at VOZ Worker's Rights and Education Project. He has helped claim stolen wages for workers, has been involved in improving health and safety labor standards. Francisco is also one of the pioneers of advocating for the rights of day laborers across the country and along with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network helped found worker's centers along the west coast.
Please sign the petition to support Francisco and help stop his deportation.
Please sign below to ask the U.S. District Attorney and the Department of Justice to drop the charges against Francisco.
I am writing with great concern an support for Mr. Francisco Aguirre (docket case: #3:14-cr-00400-JO-1), a valued community leader, a father of three children, husband, musician, and church member who has lived in Oregon for nearly 20 years. Mr. Aguirre is currently facing charges for felony re-entry in as pursued by your office.
Mr. Aguirre is a loved community and labor leader in Portland, Oregon, where he has raised 3 children and where he has lived for almost 20 years. Francisco has been a long-time organizer at VOZ Worker's Rights and Education Project, where he works with low-income workers and helps them fight for fair labor rights. He has helped claim stolen wages for workers, has been involved in improving health and safety labor standards, and is a musician who signs for social justice-related causes. Mr. Aguirre is also one of the pioneers of advocating for the rights of day laborers across the country working closely with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.
As you may be aware, before being under your office's jurisdiction Mr. Aguirre's case came to the attention of ICE in September 2014. When immigration agents attempted to detain him, Mr. Aguirre saw as his only option to seek refuge in a church and seek sanctuary. There are many who believe that the felony charge was sought by ICE against Mr. Aguirre as retaliation for seeking sanctuary, a message to the immigrant community that fighting back against deportations only results in harsher penalties.
Instead of honoring his place in our community, ICE looked for a backdoor way to put him in detention and found it with your office. I urge you to re-consider the priorities of your office, and use discretion to drop the charges against Mr. Aguirre and allow him to continue to contribute to his community and remain with his family.
We undersigned labor, faith, immigrant rights, and civil rights organizations write to ask that you dismiss the reentry charges currently against Portland labor leader Francisco Aguirre (docket case: #3:14-cr-00400-JO-1). We are deeply troubled by the highly unusual prosecution coming years after Mr. Aguirre's alleged deportation and re-entry into the United States. Of particular concern is the appearance that the prosecution comes in retaliation because Mr. Aguirre publicly sought sanctuary in the Augustana Lutheran Church in Northeast Portland after ICE attempted to raid his home and separate him from his three children, two of whom are U.S. citizens.
Mr. Aguirre is an influential leader of the immigrant rights and labor movements, and he is a pillar within the community. He was the worker center coordinator for the VOZ Workers' Rights Education Project in Portland, which is a worker-led organization that empowers immigrants and day laborers to gain control over their working conditions through leadership development, organizing, and community education. Through his work as an organizer, he has helped workers collect $500,000 in stolen wages, has helped improve health and safety labor standards, and organized neighborhood clean-ups. He is a passionate advocate for people's rights and is a musician who sings for social justice causes. Francisco is also a trailblazer of the national movement advocating for the rights of day laborers and has worked closely with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON).
The prosecution of Mr. Aguirre would constitute a grave injustice for him and his family. Moreover, we are concerned that prosecuting Mr. Aguirre for reentry so many years after the alleged reentry as a result of his public activism would create a chilling effect on other immigrants who would otherwise publicly assert their rights and report labor and civil rights violations. We request that you dismiss the charges immediately.
Grandfather detained during family trip to Michigan is set to be deported Tuesday!


MILWAUKEE (November 27, 2007) – Oncontact Software today released Oncontact CRM 6.1 Web, the industry's first customer relationship management (CRM) solution that allows users to access data via the Web, network and synchronization. For the first time, customers have a consistent user experience and feature set no matter how they wish to access their CRM system. With all the options for accessibility, users will always be equipped with the resources they need to stay up-to-date with their accounts, calendars, opportunities, sales history and support data.
Oncontact CRM 6.1 Web is a Microsoft.NET, Vista-compatible solution that only requires a Web browser to access. The solution is easy to use, quick to implement, customizable and affordable. The Oncontact CRM system is built upon one consistent data model that allows an organization to utilize the system in any combination of environments.
In addition, Oncontact Software also features a customer and partner Web portal, ClientNet, which utilizes the Internet to give an organization's customers and partners the ability to log into the company's corporate Web site to view their sales history, review service cases and provide Web-based self-service, and download company-specific information. The increased visibility aims to further enhance client relationships.


The thermostatic valve project team of Hangzhou Sanhua Research Institute (SRIC, a member of Sanhua Holding Group) announced that its thermostatic valve passed the EN 215 certification after 10 months of strict review and appraisal.
The EN 215 certification indicates that the whole process of thermostatic valve's production and quality control are Keymark TRV Directive compliant and satisfies the demand exerted by EN 215-2007 thermostatic radiator control valve's testing standards. In November 2011, engineers from Germany came to SRIC for review and sampling. The product successfully completed the required tests in the WSPLab, Germany in December. On January 31, 2013, Din Certco of Germany issued the certificate, with universal certification number 'ID80' that officially certifies that this thermostatic valve is EU standards compliant and can be exported to EU countries.
The EN 215 certification is an honor to Sanhua's brand. It will help the company set up effective product development and management process system, and enhance the corporate image and market competitiveness.
We are pleased to announce that Sanhua Holding Group, has recently acquired 100% share of R- Squared Puckett Inc. in USA. The acquisition is done through Hangzhou TC Industry Co., Ltd., one of Sanhua Holding Group's affiliated companies.
R-Squared Puckett Inc. is a local manufacturer of precision heat transfer system in USA, who has been in this industry for years.
We believe that the acquisition is a good fit for both Sanhua and R-Squared. It will strengthen Sanhua's presence in North American Market and grow R-Squared to a new stage. After the acquisition, we will retain the name R-Squared Puckett Inc. and run as an independent company.
We will make sure to keep the operation of R-Squared run normally during the transition and integration. And we will continue to grow the business and expand the operation with new investment injections to better serve our strategic North America Market.


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Ed Tracy is a British television writer and television director who collaborated with the comedian Kayvan Novak to create all of the Fonejacker and Facejacker television shows.

Initially working together on Tracy's short film Obscene in 2003, the pair co-created, wrote and directed the pilot episode of Fonejacker in 2005. This working partnership continued across two television series of Fonejacker and two series of Facejacker. Alongside writing and directing, Tracy took a lead role in editing, animation, design, camera, and music composition. The shows were produced by Hat Trick Productions.

Tracy was awarded a British Academy of Film and Television Award for best comedy television programme in 2008 for his work on Fonejacker, and was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Award for best television comedy programme in 2011 for his work on Facejacker. Other awards include a Broadcast Award for Best New Programme with Fonejacker, and three Royal Television Society awards for Editing and Design. Both Fonejacker and Facejacker were nominated for Golden Rose of Montreux comedy awards, and Facejacker for an International Emmy Award.

Tracy's previous work includes collaborating with street artist Banksy producing animation for the television show The Antics Roadshow, directing the music video for the Dizzee Rascal song "Flex", and directing two Channel 4 Comedy Lab pilot shows with Paddy McGuinness and Liam Hourican. Tracy also produced and directed a music promo for actor/rapper Riz MC / Riz Ahmed, titled "Dark Hearts".

Tracy wrote and directed the short film CAPTCHA for the British Film Institute and Film4. It was released in 2014, and starred Arthur Darvill, Amy Beth Hayes, Nigel Lindsay, Kayvan Novak, with the voice of Zoë Wanamaker.

References

The International Emmy Awards 2011

External links
 Ed Tracy's company - Too Tall Productions Ltd

Living people
BAFTA winners (people)
British television writers
Place of birth missing (living people)
Year of birth missing (living people)
British television directors
British animators
British animated film directors

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Today's education: global commodity and catalyst for cultural diversity
The great shift online during Covid-19 culminated in an 'international learning village' which offers rich potential for the further development of educational models, says Berlin School of Business and Innovation's Kyriakos Kouveliotis
Covid-19 has helped to show the world how important education and research truly are.
Each year, in May, the UN's World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development raises awareness of diversity issues around the globe and promotes an understanding of different cultures.
Even though cultural events and initiatives have been put on hold for months, the way countries had to co-operate in tackling the menace of the pandemic, co-ordinate their emergency and contingency plans and evaluate the effectiveness of their actions has showcased the biggest experiment of global solidarity and alliance in the history of humankind.
It is apparent that the domain of education was greatly affected. However, not only did it respond effectively, but it also came out stronger. It embraced cultural diversity in the most productive way and at a time when it was most needed. In a matter of days, global educators had to switch from traditional teaching to online. They had to improvise, innovate and become global. What was expected to happen in years or decades took place instantly. The world was transformed into a global education hub, an 'international learning village'. This change was cataclysmic.
The end of constraints?
It is expected that the future of education, not in some years but soon, will eliminate the classroom, as well as the borders between countries and all the stereotypes for acquiring knowledge. Technology can turn our entire lives into learning experiences.
Some scholars have argued that 100 years ago, higher education seemed on the verge of a technological revolution. The spread of a powerful new communication network—the modern postal system—made it possible for institutions to distribute their lessons beyond the grounds of their campuses. Anyone with a mailbox could enrol in a class. Classes now are global, and the student community is composed of different nationalities and backgrounds. Education today has literally abolished international borders and rediscovered itself as a global commodity. This commodity is accessible to all, round the clock, regardless of geographical or other constraints.
This rediscovery is based on education's use of all the latest innovative developments of technology and modern methodologies, such as open learning, social media, mobile learning, blended learning and augmented reality. As a global commodity, modern education commodity brings a new stream of positive thinking regarding cultural diversity and multiculturalism. Today, educators should be able to:
Recognise and achieve goals and ambitions, especially in response to global challenges
Enhance their knowledge with a global perspective
Recognise that they belong to an international community and use this understanding effectively to understand multiculturalism
Practice their skills and creativity beyond their regional environments
In this framework, what we need in modern education is a didactic model that achieves the following changes in learning dynamics:
From teacher-centred to student-centred learning
From the transmission of knowledge to the building of knowledge
From passive and competitive learning to active and collaborative learning
In this way, the individual international student becomes the centre of the educational process.
Incentives for developing multicultural initiatives
The legacy of what global education has already achieved during the pandemic created a cross-cultural revolution. The new innovative and modern didactic methodologies that were adopted have led to greater knowledge of the world around us and assisted us to cope better with it.
Salman Khan, Founder of online education platform, Khan Academy, once said: 'This is the information revolution. It's crazy that every other field is getting revolutionised except education.'
As education continues to shift from national to international, countries have strong incentives to build the skills of their populations through higher multicultural training initiatives.
At the same time, the explosive growth of online education raises an important question – will traditional didactic methods continue to attract students at the same pace as in the past, now that the world has seen the creation of a new international and multicultural audience? I think we all know the answer already.
Professor Kyriakos Kouveliotis is Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Berlin School of Business and Innovation (BSBI).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Meet The Man That Owns A Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1 & Porsche 918 Spyder: Video
Remember Briton Paul Bailey who used a McLaren P1 to first pick up a Ferrari LaFerrari and then, together with his wife, drive over to pick up a Porsche 918 Spyder as well, completing the hypercar Trifecta in the process.
ALSO SEE: 'Superfast!' Fast And The Furious Parody Coming In 2015: Video
Well, he's the star of a new video from SupercarDRIVER which was filmed on the day that he picked up the cars and includes some excellent commentary about the excitement of taking delivery of such fine pieces of machinery as well as the feeling of being behind the wheel.
In case you were wondering, Bailey and his wife were the owners of a communications company that they sold for over $40 million. Since then, he's been expanding his fleet of supercars and doing his best to share them with the world in videos like these. Bailey is also a member of a group that raffles off rides in his cars, and the money supports worthy causes.
DON'T MISS: Freeway Three Way: Corvette Z06 Vs. Challenger SRT Hellcat Vs. Mustang Shelby GT500
See more videos on our YouTube sites: The Car Connection, Motor Authority, and Green Car Reports.
Source: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1096951_meet-the-man-that-owns-a-ferrari-laferrari-mclaren-p1-porsche-918-spyder-video


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Advertising & marketing >
Compare the Market: qualifying language in ad too material to be communicated by on-screen text
Published on 08 April 2019
How prominently do you need to show qualifying language in an ad which is material to the offer in question?
A TV ad was aired in July 2018 which promoted Compare the Market's "2 for 1" meals offer. However, two complaints were received by the ASA that the ad was misleading, as it did not sufficiently communicate the fact that the offer was only redeemable through the Compare the Market app.
The ad itself showed characters sat at a dining table with one of Compare the Market's meerkats stating, "I'm here to split the bill with you all". At this time, small text at the bottom of the screen listed information and conditions, including the condition that the offer was app only. Later in the ad, the meerkat stated "Introducing Meerkat Meals. Get 2 for 1 on food when you buy through Compare the Market". Concurrently, prominent text at the top of the screen stated "Meerkat meals. 2 for 1 on starters, mains and desserts".
The response
Compare the Market gave various reasons as to why the ad sufficiently communicated that the offer was app only. Among these, the company stated that the app only condition was clearly communicated through on-screen superimposed text. For example, the company stated that, with reference to BCAP guidance, the text was held on screen for a suitable amount of time, the text was simple and the font was the correct size.
The ASA ruled that the ad was likely to mislead, breaching BCAP Code rules 3.1, 3.10 and 3.11. According to the ASA, the fact that the offer was only available through the app was material information which had not been communicated clearly enough. The ASA cited the fact that the material information was not referred to in the voice-over, referenced by any characters or shown in the large on-screen text. Moreover, while "app only" did appear in the small on-screen text while the offer was referred to by the characters at the start of the advert, later in the advert, when the offer was mentioned again, there was no such on-screen text mentioning the limitation.
The ruling against Compare the Market's ad highlights that it is not always sufficient to mention material information in on-screen text only. In the ruling, the ASA considered that the on-screen message was insufficient compared to the overriding message of the advert, which was created by (among other things) the voice-overs, the characters' speech, the large on-screen writing and the lack of small on-screen writing the second time the offer was mentioned.
Any practical tips?
Keep on your toes! Look out for those conditions which are so material that they need to be included in the main body of the ad, and not just the on-screen text.


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"Two student governments disbanded by campus administrators are operating again this fall"
Officials at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa abolished the Student Government Association in 1993 after violence marred the election process. One of the candidates for president that year was beaten at her home and had a burning cross placed in her yard.
Although no organization was officially blamed for the incidents, the woman had been running against a candidate supported by a clandestine group known as "The Machine," which had controlled the student government for years. The group is said to be composed primarily of members of the university's predominantly white fraternities and sororities.
Before this year's elections, students adopted a new constitution, under which each student can vote for only one candidate for each office, rather than one for each open seat. Under the old rules, if there were eight senate seats open, for example, students could vote for eight candidates.
Harry J. Knopke, the university's vice-president for student affairs, says the old system allowed control of the student government by those voting in blocs.
But even without bloc voting, some students say The Machine has enough influence over fraternity and sorority members to continue to dominate the student government. Scott Powell, a senior who opposes the group, says many pledges are told they will be fined if they vote against a candidate supported by The Machine. Jessica Medeiros, who had that support, is the new student-government president. She could not be reached for comment.
As part of an effort to weaken the power of The Machine, Mr. Powell started a group last spring called JUSTICE (Joining University Students Together in Cooperative Effort). Its goals are to get more non-Greek students to vote, and to convince fraternity and sorority members that "just because candidates are endorsed by The Machine does not mean that they're the most qualified," he says.


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Today we went to Beau Constantia to check out this new winery and the views! It is a very nice modern building, tasting room and the views are lovely.
The tasting room is mostly made of glass, allowing you to enjoy the views while you do your tasting.
We decided to do the wine and food pairing. I have to admit it is quite expensive, but it is a fun way to try the wine. I saw on facebook that they change the canapes weekly using a different theme each time. This week the theme was mexican.
Canapes and wine tasting is R135 per person.
I do recommend visiting this winery, the wine is good, the service was fine, and the overall experience was nice.
Sauvignon Blanc (and a touch of Viognier plus Semillon) at R75 a bottle.
Viognier 2013 R130 a bottle. 5 months 30% new oak. Floral, fruity, pear with the food it was a bit acidic.
Pas de Nom Red 2011 (66% Petit Verdot 17% Malbec 17% Merlot) at R85 a bottle. Nice nose and taste. Dark berry and fruit flavours. Little dry with slight powdery tannins. Like. Quite abold wine but not heavy in body.
Beau Constantia Lucca 2011 (63% Merlot 37% Cabernet Franc) at R190 a bottle. Lovely berry flavours. Soft yet the intense Cabernet Franc dominates in flavour and on the finish. Quite intense. Good wine. Lovely soft fruity nose. Best with food – it reduces the intensity and you then get more of the soft fruit driven characteristics. 18 months French oak. 85% new oak. I like it.
Pas de Nom Rose 2013 (Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Franc) R60 a bottle 3 hours on the lees. Lovely colour, dry, little spicy finish with the matching food. Soft, smooth, like.
Beau Constantia Aidan 2011 (Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot) at R190 a bottle. 18 month French oak. Smooth, med-full body wine. Like.


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U.S. lobbyist helped draft Eastern Europe's Iraq statement
This is from Agence France Press by way of CommonDreams.org, and it's good.
Bruce Jackson, a U.S. lobbyist and former DoD employee helped draft the Vilnius 10's statement of support for President Bush on Iraq.
Jackson, of course, said his role "vastly exaggerated." However, the International Herald Tribune quoted Kestutis Jankauskas, deputy chief of mission at the Lithunian embassy in Washington, as saying Jackson had a "considerable role" and helped "initiate the text."
Kind of makes you wonder if French president Jacques Chirac had some basis for his pique, especially if he thought the Americans were meddling in EU business…
War pushed back to mid-March?
Category: European Union, Politics, United Nations
Some emails from the front and what the hell is happening with the opposition?
tendentious
Coalition of the Shilling
Now that we all agree, this fine fellow will tell you what you think. A former Pentagon official helped draft a controversial statement by 10 Central and Eastern European nations this month that supports the United States in its stand-off


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'His love was clearly evident:' Coach McCarthy welcomed back to bid farewell to players
GREEN BAY — Fired coach Mike McCarthy was welcomed back to bid farewell to the Packers players on Wednesday.
"Mike came by the office, I think Tuesday we all saw him as a staff, which was great," interim coach Joe Philbin said before Thursday's practice.
"Then we talked, and he wanted an opportunity to speak with the team. I was 100 percent, fully supportive of that, and he did a fantastic job talking to the team. Not just about football and winning football games, but his passion. His passion for the game, his love for the players was clearly evident. I'm sure it was emotional for him and everybody in the room. It was awesome. I thought he did a great job," Philbin said.
McCarthy, who was in his 13th season, was fired after Sunday's home loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The team's fifth loss in six weeks sent the Packers to 4-7-1 on the season.
Philbin's first game as interim coach will be at home against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.


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Europe Seeks Green Label for Certain Gas and Nuclear Projects
Author of the article: Bloomberg News Ewa Krukowska (Bloomberg) — The European Union is planning to allow some natural-gas and nuclear energy projects to be classified as sustainable investments in a proposal that sparked immediate criticism from the Greens. The European Commission wants to give a temporary green label to gas projects that replace coal…
Ewa Krukowska
(Bloomberg) — The European Union is planning to allow some natural-gas and nuclear energy projects to be classified as sustainable investments in a proposal that sparked immediate criticism from the Greens.
The European Commission wants to give a temporary green label to gas projects that replace coal and emit no more than 270 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour, according to a draft regulation seen by Bloomberg News. Such plants would have to obtain construction permits before the end of 2030, and have plans to switch to renewable or low-carbon gases by the end of 2035.
Nuclear energy could be classified as sustainable as long as new plants that are granted construction permits by 2045 meet a set of criteria to avoid significant harm to the environment and water resources, according to the draft, sent on Friday to EU national governments for review.
"The Commission considers there is a role for natural gas and nuclear as a means to facilitate the transition towards a predominantly renewable-based future," the EU executive arm said in a statement on Saturday.
The design of the EU investment classification system, known as taxonomy, is closely watched by investors worldwide and could potentially attract billions of euros in private finance to help the green transition. The challenge is to ensure the decision on nuclear and gas gets political support, while avoiding the risk of greenwashing, or overstating the significance of emissions cuts.
EU Energy Ministers Clash on Soaring Costs as Winter Arrives
Europe wants to reach carbon neutrality by the middle of the century under the Green Deal, a sweeping overhaul that aims to accelerate pollution cuts in all areas, from energy production to transport.
Yet for some lawmakers, investors and activists, classifying gas or nuclear projects as green would harm the entire sustainable investment rulebook.
"Including nuclear power and gas in the EU taxonomy is like labeling a caged egg as organic," said Michael Bloss, a German member of the Green group in the European Parliament. "Instead of channeling money into investments in the solar and wind industries, old and extremely expensive business models can now be continued under false guise."
The taxonomy aims to guide investors to clean projects. The decision on whether it should include gas and nuclear power was delayed in April following criticism that such an addition could undermine the credibility of the system.
Giving a temporary green label to certain gas projects gas projects could facilitate investments in cleaning up coal-based heating systems in countries such as Poland. That's an argument often raised by East European politicians.
France Wants Europe to Cut Its Energy, Raw-Materials Dependence
The inclusion of some nuclear energy projects would help attract private finance in nations from France to the Czech Republic, which plan to rely on atomic power in their transition to net-zero emissions.
The Commission is also planning to ensure a high degree of transparency to investors concerning gas and nuclear energy, introducing specific disclosure requirements for non-financial and financial undertakings.
Member states and the Platform on Sustainable Finance have until Jan. 12 to provide feedback. The Commissions will then adopt the delegated act later this month. In the next step, it will be sent to EU nations and the European Parliament for scrutiny.
Bloomberg.com
UK shares at more than 1-1/2 year high after Christmas break
Author of the article: UK shares rose in thin holiday trading on Wednesday with defensive and financial stocks leading gains, against the backdrop of Britain reporting a record number of COVID-19 cases and slim prospects of pandemic-related lockdowns this year. The blue-chip FTSE 100 gained 1.1% following a two-day Christmas break and is on track…
What's at stake in Turkey's upcoming elections
President Tayyip Erdogan is aiming to extend his 20-year rule in elections that will decide not just who leads Turkey but how it is governed, where its economy is headed and what role it may play to ease conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East. The presidential and parliamentary elections, which must be held by…
U.K. May Boost Aid to Households Facing a Surge in Energy Costs
Author of the article: Bloomberg News Alex Morales and Rachel Morison (Bloomberg) — Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is considering whether to double the amount of money it lends to U.K. households grappling with surging energy bills and then ease the requirements for paying that back. Options put to Johnson by Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng…
Hungary Continues to Block EU Oil Sanctions Against Russia
Author of the article: Bloomberg News Ewa Krukowska, Nikos Chrysoloras and Alberto Nardelli (Bloomberg) — Hungary continued to block a European Union proposal that would ban Russian oil imports, holding up the bloc's entire package of sanctions meant to target President Vladimir Putin over his war in Ukraine, according to people familiar with the talks. …


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At University of South Carolina-Aiken, 85 percent of undergraduate students are traditional students - age 24 or younger - and 64 percent are female, according to the latest disclosure from the U.S. Department of Education.
In-state tuition and fees rose 3 percent for 2017-18 at University of South Carolina-Aiken, according to the latest disclosure from the U.S. Department of Education.
The price of education: Which 4-year South Carolina schools charge the lowest in-state tuition?
South Carolina residents attending four-year schools pay the lowest in-state tuition at W L Bonner College, Clinton College and University of South Carolina-Aiken, according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of federal data.


It should be apparent that unless a person is up on classified aircraft and related advancements, they're not in a position to offer such an assessment. There have been fascinating developments in manned and unmanned aerial vehicles over the years, and our eyes might play tricks on us when we see things we're not used to seeing, such as planes refueling during flight. Did you know, for instance, NOVA reported reported in 2013 about an airplane wing that changes shape as it flies?


To decorate home is a great thing and everyone enjoys doing it. It is our constant effort to make the home interiors as unique as possible.
Be it for the living room decor or for the bed room, unique things are always in demand. We have a range of exclusive things that will make your home fabulously decorated and moreover.


PINE64 - Hello and some general advice.
PINE64 > PINE A64(+) > General Discussion on PINE A64(+) > Hello and some general advice.
Full Version: Hello and some general advice.
Hi guy's. I'm new to the forum. I'm an sbc enthusiast and currently own a raspberry pi 0,2,3 and 3b+ as well as an odroid XU4Q. But I've turned my attention to a pine A64 (512mb) variant, which I've been able to pick up for a really good price.
1. What would be the recommended Linux OS for this board? I know it's the lowest hardware version so after something lightweight but usable for light DE tasks and possibly packages to set up a Nas. What have other users found a good set up?
2. I've read a few threads in regards to these boards being picky about being powered through micro usb and a workaround by powering through the EULA bus. Could I chop the end off one of my 5v2amp pi adapters and connect to the DC in pins?
3. What micro SD cards are guys using on their boards? Any perticular brands that work well?
4. And finally, what sort of heat does the SoC give off? Will I potentially need to apply a heatsink? My pi 3 makes some mega heat when under load.
Any other advice or things to watch out for would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance?
(02-17-2019, 10:58 AM)vinylash Wrote: [ -> ] Hi guy's. I'm new to the forum. I'm an sbc enthusiast and currently own a raspberry pi 0,2,3 and 3b+ as well as an odroid XU4Q. But I've turned my attention to a pine A64 (512mb) variant, which I've been able to pick up for a really good price.
Thank you very much for the reply and taking the time to advise. I will have a look at Armbian. Is it optimised well for low power devices? And do you happen to know if hardware video acceleration is supported?


Bank Of India has started the Recruitment process for Credit Card Officer from 20th of April.Those candidates are interested as well as education qualification who cloud might be applying for this post.
Read Official Job notification for more Details.
The examination fee is 600/(General, OBC)- Each applicant has to pay the amount through online Internet Banking/ Debit Card or offline by paying at your nearby SBI Branch.


The university's IT staff is determined to move applications to the web and offer mobile options whenever possible.
Robert Juckiewicz, the college's vice president of information technology, says the apps are now available to Hofstra's 12,000 students – a major increase because access was previously limited to 1,600 seats. Juckiewicz says the university will save more than $300,000 a year in notebook replacement costs for classrooms and hundreds of man-hours that were once invested in maintenance.
On the mobile front, My.Hofstra Mobile offers mobile access to the college's portal. Harvey says the application supports iPhones and BlackBerrys, and plans are in the works to support many other smartphones. Students, faculty and staff can sign on to Blackboard, register for classes, and check e-mail and bus schedules. They can also search for e-mail addresses, office contact numbers, fax numbers and office locations of faculty and administrators on campus.


Brilliant wine with a light golden color. Complex aroma with hints of tropical fruit and floral nuances, skillfully interwoven with tons of vanilla and oak. Attractive taste with a pleasant freshness. Long and lingering aftertaste.
Exciting wine with light golden color with greenish tints. Complex aromas with hints of tropical fruit and herbs. Attractive taste with pleasant freshness. Long and lasting aftertaste.


text:
Wall Street in red, and the Dow Jones hits a two week low
The New York Stock Exchange ended in the red on Wednesday amid renewed concerns about the strength of the economic recovery in the US. There's uncertainty surrounding the Fed's monetary policy decisions in the US.
In its Beige Book published two hours before the close, the US central bank noted that the US economy had downgraded slightly in August.
The Dow Jones index fell by 0.2%, or 68.93 points, to 35,031.07.
The S&P-500 lost 0.13% or 5.93 points, to 4,514.1 points.
The Nasdaq slipped by 0.57% or 87.69 points to 15,286.64.
Apple shed 1.07%, and Facebook lost 1.23%, weighing on the trend.
Nervousness over the economic recovery
According to Morgan Stanley strategist Andrew Sheets, the market is in the final stages of a mid-cycle transition, so this could be a rough September and October.
The Beige Book attested that US growth slowed this summer because of the Delta variant. Analysts say this scenario remains a source of uncertainty as the gap between the demand for labor and job seekers has widened further.
For Aoifinn Devitt, director of the Moneta firm, nothing has changed substantially so investors are reluctant to put money in the market.
In terms of sectors, public services, essential consumer goods, and real estate were the most favored of the day. Meanwhile, energy, raw materials, and communications were the most affected.
Among the 30 Dow Jones companies, Coca-Cola led the advances, increasing by 1.35%. Visa followed it with a rise of 1.25%. 3M also gained 1.2%. Dow was the most affected, losing 1.91%. Also, UnitedHealth shed 1.39%, and Boeing yielded 1.33%.
The online payment giant PayPal Holdings dropped by 2.7% after announcing the takeover of the Japanese Paidy for $2.7 billion.
The crypto-asset exchange platform Coinbase fell by 3.2% after announcing that the SEC warned it of the risk of legal action if it proceeds with its proposed offer of interest-bearing cryptocurrency lending services.
The post Wall Street in red, and the Dow Jones hits a two week low appeared first on FinanceBrokerage.
A Look at Sterling Bancorp's Risk Factors Ahead of Webster Merger
Taking Stock of Elys Game Technology's Risk Factors
European Markets Were Unchanged
Japan's Stocks Are Rising
Gold and silver: The gold is looking for support at $1920
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Gained 33% Last Week; Will the Recovery Sustain?


text:
Home › Opinion › Comment
Michelle O'Neill: Our promise is to do all that we can to ensure power-sharing works
Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O'Neill (Niall Carson/PA)
Michelle O'Neill
As we started the new year Sinn Fein said it would be the start of a decade of opportunity for the island of Ireland.
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/comment/michelle-oneill-our-promise-is-to-do-all-that-we-can-to-ensure-power-sharing-works-38851842.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/3a818/38851850.ece/AUTOCROP/h342/bpanews_d2f53f09-6f85-47c6-8f15-b40cfb4c7f1f_embedded249455914
Our decision yesterday to re-enter the power-sharing institutions and nominate ministers to an Executive was the tangible start of those opportunities.
We believe that the changes which have been achieved in the negotiations over the last year, build on what was agreed in February 2018, and involve some very significant advances.
The new agreement contains:
• An Acht Gaeilge - with official, legal recognition of the Irish language for the first time, an Irish Language Commissioner and increased Irish language funding.
• Legislation on the Stormont House Agreement to be brought forward within 100 days.
• Reform of the petition of concern to try and end its misuse as a veto by one party.
• Key measures to ensure transparency and accountability to prevent corruption and bad practice and to implement the recommendations arising from the RHI Inquiry.
• Strategies to tackle poverty and a plan to put objective need at the heart of the Programme for Government.
• Finance to start to repair the damage of Tory austerity and help deal with the crisis in our health service, including a commitment to settle the health service strike; an action plan on waiting lists; implementing the Bengoa recommendations on health and social care and a mental health action plan within two months, and the medical school at Magee.
• There are also a range of proposals to support our teachers and improve education provision; welfare mitigations to be extended beyond March 2020; proposals on workers' rights and climate change; investment in stadia including Casement Park, and ending regional imbalance.
We now have a basis to restore power-sharing and that is what we are now going to do.
The biggest and most significant challenge will be ensuring that we have genuine power-sharing based on equality, respect and integrity, and with political will that can be achieved. I believe that the power-sharing government can work. That requires everyone to step up. Sinn Fein's commitment is to do all in our power to make this happen.
At these historic times we will also continue to work for Irish reunification and ensuring the criteria for the triggering of an Irish unity poll are set out and that the planning for unity is stepped up, including the convening of a national forum to discuss and plan the future.
Three years ago Martin McGuinness set down a challenge to all of us to get it right and to deliver for all. Now it is up to us to get the job done.
Should more revenue now be sourced from Northern Ireland rates system?
Paul MacFlynn The return of a Northern Ireland Executive earlier this month was greeted as a big step forward and a chance to tackle some serious policy issues that have festered over the last three years.
Return of Stormont Executive is good news but just the beginning
Michael Hall, Managing Partner, EY The return of the NI Executive after three long years away is excellent news and has been enthusiastically welcomed across the business community. However, simply being back at the desk is...
Sarah Caden: Can Harry and Meghan really live the quiet life in Canada?
Sarah Caden As the royal family gathered to hammer out Megxit, the women who matter went back to work. Neither of these women was at the summit, but Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle will prove the...
Nicola Woods: What we're doing to tackle green elephant in the room
By Nicola Woods, Glandore Green initiatives are becoming much more than just a box-ticking exercise for businesses. They are a way to encourage innovation and to help us look at the wider issues affecting the environment.


text:
Q: How to start the standard Stopwatch activity in Android (particularly Andorid Wear) programmatically? I am working on a launcher application for Android Wear, and would like to include icons for the default actions such as "Set Alarm", "Set Timer", "Show Alarms" or the Stopwatch.
I found the way to start alarm clock related activities using the following intents:

*

*AlarmClock.ACTION_SET_TIMER  or "android.intent.action.SET_TIMER"

*AlarmClock.ACTION_SET_ALARM or "android.intent.action.SHOW_ALARMS"

*AlarmClock.ACTION_SHOW_ALARMS or "android.intent.action.SET_ALARM"

I can start them by:
Intent i= new Intent(AlarmClock.ACTION_SET_TIMER);
i.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK | Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_RESET_TASK_IF_NEEDED);
context.startActivity(i);

If started without any extras, they simply bring up the corresponding UI. Perfect!
Except, I can't find the corresponding action for the Stopwatch. Do you know the intent? Where should I look?

A: Maybe this will help someone. At the moment there is intent action 'com.google.android.wearable.action.STOPWATCH' which you can use.
According to this training- Adding Voice Capabilities

A: Use @promanowicz 's answer like this:
    Intent intent = new Intent("com.google.android.wearable.action.STOPWATCH" );
    intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK );
    startActivity(intent);

A: The starting and stopping Stopwatch is not exposed via public API or intent

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Are Indian Muslims Outbreeding Hindus?
The narrative that Muslims have too many children and are out to outbreed Hindus isn't merely a fringe notion held by Sakshi Maharaj or the VHP. The incumbent Prime Minister held that view as Chief Minister of a large state and hasn't mentioned a revision in his views since. It's reasonable to assume therefore, the Hindu right's position more or less is: each Muslim woman has at least 4 children as part of a demographic conspiracy. Is that true, though?
According to 2011 Census, 14.2% of India's population was Muslim. Up from 13.4% in 2001. The growth rate of the Muslim population compared to Hindu population has significantly declined in the last 2 decades but it still is growing. Is that evidence for the Hindu right's assertion?
There are a few ways to verify this. The first is of course to do a simple scatter plot of fertility rate of various states against their proportion of Muslim population; and draw a regression line through it. What happens if we do that is a near flat line — not a strong relationship at all.
The correlation coefficient between Muslims as a proportion of population and fertility rate is 0.14. Low enough to ignore it. Especially when you consider what the relationship between female illiteracy of the states and their fertility rate is.
That's a much more powerful relationship without even looking at summary statistics. The correlation coefficient between female illiteracy and fertility is 0.67. Quite a strong correlation.
In case the Hindu right wants to make a convoluted argument that there's possibly a second order effect, that is Muslims cause low female illiteracy which leads to high fertility, they'd be out of luck. There is negative correlation (-0.17) between female illiteracy and Muslim population. In other words, you're more likely to see higher higher literacy in states with more Muslims.
There is also a simple back of the envelope calculation that supports the fact that Muslim women aren't out to produce 4 children each. Consider the large states that have highest percentage of muslim population: West Bengal (27%) and Kerala(26.6%). Their fertility rates are 1.7 and 1.8 respectively. If we extend Narendra Modi's metric of each Muslim woman producing 4 children to either of these states, their Hindu fertility rate would fall 0.84 and 0.99 respectively. That's so obscenely low that it means Hindus are about to be reduced to half their current size or even less in a generation. For comparative scale Japan, that famously ageing and depopulating country, has a fertility rate of 1.41. Surely no one, not even VHP, thinks Hindus in Bengal are almost twice as worse compared to Japanese in terms of depopulating.
What's disappointing is that the literature is dominated by Sociologists who take for granted Muslim women have higher fertility rate and then try to explain it. Without a simple back of the envelope calculation that'd suggest the assumption is not even valid.
 – Both Sakshi Maharaj and VHP seek 4 children per Hindu woman.
 – Data from Census for percentage of Muslims and SRS for state-wise fertility rate. Find the CSV of combined data here.
 – For the purpose of this calculation, non-Muslim population is assumed Hindu.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on January 11, 2015 by Puram.
A significant growth of the Muslim population in India is because of the large scale influx of illegal, muslim immigrants from Bangladesh into the border districts of West Bengal and Assam, from where they diffuse into the rest of the country. With a porous border, Muslim vote-bank politics in West Bengal / Assam, petrodollar funded mosque and madrasah infrastructure on the border AND jihadi aggression — the border areas have already become Muslim majority where — as was reported recently, even sounding the traditional conch shell is forbidden for Hindus.


text:
using System;
using NUnit.Framework;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Nito.AsyncEx;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading;
using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;

#if NET40
#if NO_ENLIGHTENMENT
namespace Tests_NET4_NE
#else
namespace Tests_NET4
#endif
#else
#if NO_ENLIGHTENMENT
namespace Tests_NE
#else
namespace Tests
#endif
#endif
{
    [ExcludeFromCodeCoverage]
    [TestFixture]
    public class TaskConstantsUnitTests
    {
        [Test]
        public void BooleanTrue_IsCompletedWithValueOfTrue()
        {
            var task = TaskConstants.BooleanTrue;
            Assert.IsTrue(task.IsCompleted);
            Assert.IsTrue(task.Result);
        }

        [Test]
        public void BooleanTrue_IsCached()
        {
            var task1 = TaskConstants.BooleanTrue;
            var task2 = TaskConstants.BooleanTrue;
            Assert.AreSame(task1, task2);
        }

        [Test]
        public void BooleanFalse_IsCompletedWithValueOfFalse()
        {
            var task = TaskConstants.BooleanFalse;
            Assert.IsTrue(task.IsCompleted);
            Assert.IsFalse(task.Result);
        }

        [Test]
        public void BooleanFalse_IsCached()
        {
            var task1 = TaskConstants.BooleanFalse;
            var task2 = TaskConstants.BooleanFalse;
            Assert.AreSame(task1, task2);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Int32Zero_IsCompletedWithValueOfZero()
        {
            var task = TaskConstants.Int32Zero;
            Assert.IsTrue(task.IsCompleted);
            Assert.AreEqual(0, task.Result);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Int32Zero_IsCached()
        {
            var task1 = TaskConstants.Int32Zero;
            var task2 = TaskConstants.Int32Zero;
            Assert.AreSame(task1, task2);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Int32NegativeOne_IsCompletedWithValueOfNegativeOne()
        {
            var task = TaskConstants.Int32NegativeOne;
            Assert.IsTrue(task.IsCompleted);
            Assert.AreEqual(-1, task.Result);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Int32NegativeOne_IsCached()
        {
            var task1 = TaskConstants.Int32NegativeOne;
            var task2 = TaskConstants.Int32NegativeOne;
            Assert.AreSame(task1, task2);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Completed_IsCompleted()
        {
            var task = TaskConstants.Completed;
            Assert.IsTrue(task.IsCompleted);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Completed_IsCached()
        {
            var task1 = TaskConstants.Completed;
            var task2 = TaskConstants.Completed;
            Assert.AreSame(task1, task2);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Canceled_IsCanceled()
        {
            var task = TaskConstants.Canceled;
            Assert.IsTrue(task.IsCanceled);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Canceled_IsCached()
        {
            var task1 = TaskConstants.Canceled;
            var task2 = TaskConstants.Canceled;
            Assert.AreSame(task1, task2);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Never_NeverCompletes()
        {
            var task = TaskConstants.Never;
            task.ContinueWith(_ => { Assert.Fail("TaskConstants.Never completed."); });
        }

        [Test]
        public void Never_IsCached()
        {
            var task1 = TaskConstants.Never;
            var task2 = TaskConstants.Never;
            Assert.AreSame(task1, task2);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Default_ReferenceType_IsCompletedWithValueOfNull()
        {
            var task = TaskConstants<object>.Default;
            Assert.IsTrue(task.IsCompleted);
            Assert.IsNull(task.Result);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Default_ValueType_IsCompletedWithValueOfZero()
        {
            var task = TaskConstants<byte>.Default;
            Assert.IsTrue(task.IsCompleted);
            Assert.AreEqual(0, task.Result);
        }

        [Test]
        public void Default_IsCached()
        {
            var task1 = TaskConstants<object>.Default;
            var task2 = TaskConstants<object>.Default;
            Assert.AreSame(task1, task2);
        }

        [Test]
        public void NeverOfT_NeverCompletes()
        {
            var task = TaskConstants<object>.Never;
            task.ContinueWith(_ => { Assert.Fail("TaskConstants<object>.Never completed."); });
        }

        [Test]
        public void NeverOfT_IsCached()
        {
            var task1 = TaskConstants<object>.Never;
            var task2 = TaskConstants<object>.Never;
            Assert.AreSame(task1, task2);
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanceledOfT_IsCanceled()
        {
            var task = TaskConstants<object>.Canceled;
            Assert.IsTrue(task.IsCanceled);
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanceledOfT_IsCached()
        {
            var task1 = TaskConstants<object>.Canceled;
            var task2 = TaskConstants<object>.Canceled;
            Assert.AreSame(task1, task2);
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Home In-the-Issue The new HVS Ana'Rock'?
Mandeep Lamba has taken over as the President of HVS ANAROCK South Asia. He discusses about his new job role, how he is planning to grow the brand in India, and how different the new association is from the previous one!
How different is the new association from the previous one?
In terms of structure, it's a JV, but of course, both the partners are extremely strong. ANAROCK is a substantial real estate consulting company and HVS is a global leader. So, with the two companies coming together, there couldn't be a better merger of opportunities in the real estate and the hospitality sector, and that's why it's going to be different from the previous venture. The strength of the two companies merged together is going to be substantial. The earlier joint venture was between HVS and an individual in his own capacity. This one from that perspective makes it look very different because both the companies are extremely solid in their own space.
Tell us about your new role at HVS ANAROCK.
I have taken over as the President of HVS ANAROCK (South Asia). ANAROCK Property Consultants has recently partnered with HVS, and as a new business vertical of the ANAROCK Group, HVS ANAROCK will focus on brokerage, feasibility studies, operator searches, appraisals, executive search, and other hospitality sector consulting and advisory services throughout South Asia. My new role is to take over, help build, and grow what has already been an iconic brand in India. Also, my role is like any other CEO who leads a company – grow the brand in India. HVS is well-known in the country and has one of the best equities in terms of its branding. ANAROCK is relatively new in the real estate consulting and advisory space but has had a substantial growth story in the last two years. Its listed among the top 50 real estate companies in India. My job is to bring together the strength of both these companies and take HVS to a much higher level and become the undisputed leader in the hospitality consulting world.
What kind of hospitality trends do you foresee for 2019?
WHAT IS ANAROCK ALL ABOUT?
ANAROCK Property Consultants has partnered with HVS and as a new business vertical of the ANAROCK Group, HVS ANAROCK will focus on brokerage feasibility studies, operator searches, appraisals, executive search and other hospitality sector consulting and advisory services throughout South Asia. HVS ANAROCK is targeting a concentric outward growth into the hottest South Asian markets from here. HVS India has had more than two decades of exposure in the country, and ANAROCK is India's fastest-growing full-deck real estate services company. By partnering with ANAROCK, HVS will leverage ANAROCK's proprietary real estate funding platform to increase HVS India's revenues by up to 75 per cent over the next two years.
How different will Hotelivate's functioning be from what it was under the HVS banner?
Hotelivate is a new-age hospitality consulting firm with a focused, empathetic, and innovative approach. What sets us apart from other consulting firms operating in the region, including HVS, is that we offer lifecycle consulting – advising the client right from the inception of a project to its opening, and eventually its divestment. It eliminates the need for several different advisors, with a single firm serving as a one-stop shop for all of the client's needs concerning that project. Presently, there is no 'dedicated' hospitality firm offering lifecycle consulting in this part of the world.
cookie-cutter outcomes. Our proprietary models for analyses are dynamic and take into consideration the several local factors that influence investment decisions. We have also embraced technology with both hands for internal efficiencies as well as to provide better insights to our clients.
What advantages does operating under a new name offer?


It's no secret that we are a fan of investing in the bricks and mortar of your venue and for the past 10 years, DWS have supported and applied our proven car parking formula to many of the State's successful clubs and pubs.
While it could be deemed a little dramatic, any reference to the great 'carpark crisis' is met with a knowing smile and a nod of defeat from venue managers. It has been over 10 years since two major clubs, Southport Workers Club (now known as CSI) and Maroochydore RSL, pioneered the development of multi-storey car parking. What is exciting however, is that we are seeing some traction in the marketplace with multimillion dollar carpark constructions currently underway or in planning stages for many clubs and pubs throughout Queensland and abroad.
Over a decade ago, the team at DWS analysed the parking needs of the average gaming venue in Queensland and developed a benchmark system to effectively answer the question; how many carparks do we need to grow our business?
The car parking benchmarks were calculated to assist venues in ensuring they did not overcapitalise on their operations, if there were insufficient car parking spaces for patrons to support it. Regrettably, there are still some venues who have invested in their facilities beyond the capacity of their carpark.
For a venue to maximise its trading opportunities with the below facilities it would require approximately 40 staff to operate. Based on our formula, it could be argued that 300 carparks would be required to sufficiently capitalise on potential growth.
This average venue has a patron capacity of 600, including staff. Observation would indicate that it would be reasonably conservative to assume that two people arrive at the club per vehicle on average. This would mean the number of vehicles spaces required to maximise the club's facilities would be 300 (3 per gaming machine).
There is also evidence, particularly from retail shopping centres, that patrons are reluctant to park in full carparks. As a result, it could be argued that you should account for additional 'free space' in order for the carpark to be totally efficient and for patrons to feel confident that they will get a carpark when they go to your venue.
The impact of insufficient parking facilities has been identified by many venues, particularly those with function or sporting facilities available. When large functions or sporting events are held, there is a significant reduction in the venue's principal revenue area of for gaming.
Generally speaking, functions and sporting events tend to provide less bottom line impact compared to the offset required for lost trade in gaming.
It is no accident that the majority of successful clubs have a higher ratio of parking bays per gaming machine, for example Caboolture Sports Club, Easts Leagues Club, Southport Sharks Sporting Club, Carina Leagues Club, Maroochy RSL and Kedron-Wavell RSL Club, just to mention a few.
The huge impacts of ample car parking facilities are becoming a reality for some venues at the forefront of development. Venues are beginning to rev their engines as the parking revolution commences with major developments and planning projects underway already across Australia.
Kedron Wavell RSL Club has been the beneficiary over many years of substantial parking facilities.
Does more parks = more revenue, or is there more to it?
There is no doubt that ample parking facilities is a key competitive element in driving revenues, and there are many venues discussing or planning multi-storey carparks or acquiring additional land for parking.
However, the carpark revolution must not be limited to just additional car parking spaces but also realising that customers are looking for quality parking offerings with ease of access and covered spaces. As many of the major shopping centres have realised, covered parking that is well laid out, clean, clearly signed and well-lit is a significant competitive advantage.
It's well known that the core market of clubs include female patrons aged 45yrs+, where significant carpark lighting is paramount in ensuring safety of these patrons. Carina Leagues Club have taken their parking game to the next level by installing speakers throughout their covered carpark playing music and promotional messages to engage and welcome their patrons from the minute they arrive until they leave.
What does this mean for venues?
In many of the venue strategic planning workshops DWS have conducted in the last three years, increasing parking facilities has been a number one strategy of those progressive venues, which in many cases has required real estate acquisition. However, there are challenges for some venues that are landlocked and may have to consider relocation to be competitive.
Do we have sufficient parking to support our existing facilities?
If not, what should we do first?
DWS has conducted Financial Feasibility Studies on the development of additional parking for venues, particularly as opposed to answering the question around renovating or extending facilities.
For Committees/Boards to ensure they meet their fiduciary obligations, an independent evaluation of any renovation, extension or carpark construction projects should be obtained, before getting behind the wheel. In many cases, this independent analysis is a requirement for the banking and funding institutions involved and the basis of any well planned capital project.
Contact us to discuss the feasibility of your next expansion project on (07) 3878 9355 or info@dws.net.au.


Is This the Ecommerce Platform of the Future?
If you're a regular reader of "How to Win at Ecommerce" then you'll have read about the many different ecommerce platforms that are out there on the market, how to choose between them, and how and when to replatform as your online retail business grows. As you start out, your platform just needs to give you a website and tell you when an order has come in. The rest you can do yourself, while you work out exactly how successful you're going to be, and how quickly you're going to get there.
But by the time you have to cater to thousands of orders a day, like Net-a-Porter, the technology that you base your store on becomes rather more vital. Suddenly you're thinking not just of having a website, but of what kind of functionality it needs to have. What specific structure and design you want, that matches your brand perfectly. How it plugs into stock management, order management and overall enterprise resource planning. How it informs and guides both merchandising and buying decisions. And much, much more on top of this. You start your search for the ultimate ecommerce platform.
So since it's almost Christmas, let's dream for a bit. If we could have anything we wanted, what kind of ecommerce platform would we ask Santa to bring us?
Well firstly, one where the content is fully, completely, totally dynamic. And I don't just mean that you can have popups that give you offers, or that you have a cross-sell box with product recommendations. I mean that the platform is built in such a way that there is no specific set structure at all. Some people like to see lots of products, some people like to see fewer. Each has their own preference for what order to see them in, and each has a different path through the customer lifecycle. So instead of trying to "fix it" using overlaid technology, why don't we ask for a platform that shows people exactly what they want to see, at the time that they want to see it. Google has done this pretty perfectly for search engine results. Amazon has done this pretty perfectly for online retail. Why can't the rest of us have that?
What would we build into this fully dynamic platform? We'd start with automatic understanding of the customer lifecycle. Acquiring customers, activating them, and then retaining them – all of these require very different approaches. So we need to know what stage each customer is in, and then what to show them to take them to the next step. The data is there – we can tell where each customer has come from, how many times they have visited, and what they've been looking at. If they're still at the activation stage, then we need to woo them, carefully, with amazing products that they'd be interested in, and wouldn't be afraid of buying. Once they've bought, we can subtly remind them of their great experience, and suggest others to buy – but not through a box that makes it obvious that we're trying to upsell them. How much better would this be if the upsells were just part of the continuing browsing experience? And finally, we would send them individually personalised e-mails, either if they leave the site without buying something, or to thank them for their purchase and suggest some further steps like leaving a review, sharing or even buying some more.
So fully dynamic content, and automated customer lifecycle marketing – built directly into the platform. Sounds great. Can we do better? I think we can. What if we plug in visibility, stock and profitability analysis. Now we aren't just optimising for the customer, but we're optimising for the business itself. Lots of stock of a high-margin product? Then let's make sure that it gets more visibility so we sell. Already running out of a product that we can't re-order? Then let's stop showing it as we're wasting valuable screen real estate. Is there a specific group of customers that only ever buy low-margin products? Let's stop showing them those, and if they don't buy high-margin ones, then cut the spend on the marketing channel that drives them to our site and focus on the hero customers instead.
This all sounds too good to be true, right? So is it actually possible? Well absolutely. The technology for all of this exists. Content this dynamic can be presented and optimised using the same technique currently used by specific A/B testing tools. It's called the Multi-Arm Bandit, and it means that different options are shown to different people, and over time the ones that are most successful end up being shown more often than the ones that aren't. Even if trends change and different options become more successful, the Bandit is able to keep on top of this. Customer lifecycle marketing, and visibility, stock and profitability analysis is available right now through analytics tools that plug into your ecommerce platform. There's only one reason that this super-platform doesn't exist right now, and that's the fact that the latest, most cutting-edge large-scale ecommerce platforms, have all been around for almost a decade.


text:
U.K.'s Billionaire Issa Brothers May Merge Asda and EG Group
Scott Deveau,
Ruth David &
Dinesh Nair
9:07 PM IST, 26 Nov 2021 8:58 PM IST, 28 Nov 2021 9:07 PM IST, 26 Nov 2021 8:58 PM IST, 28 Nov 2021
(Bloomberg) --
Britain's billionaire Issa brothers are considering merging U.K. grocer Asda Group with EG Group, their international chain of gas stations and convenience stores, people with knowledge of the matter said.
The Issas are studying a range of strategic alternatives for EG Group, which they own together with buyout firm TDR Capital, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. A merger with Asda could value the combined business at around $35 billion including debt, one of the people said.
TDR and the Issas agreed last year to acquire control of Asda, in a deal valuing Britain's third-largest grocer at 6.8 billion pounds ($9.1 billion). The acquisition was completed in February. They own the business separately from EG Group, and Asda's former parent Walmart Inc. still holds a minority stake in the supermarket chain.
A deal would give EG Group greater bargaining power with suppliers and further scale to compete with companies like Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the $40 billion owner of the Circle K convenience store chain. EG Group's strategy of expanding globally through acquisitions has seen it go head-to-head with the Canadian firm in the bidding for some assets.
Dealmaking Push
Asda and EG Group have been stepping up their cooperation in recent months, drawing up plans to expand foodservice at Asda locations and roll out "Asda On the Move" convenience stores across EG Group filling stations. Combining the two companies would create a sprawling retail operation with a range of store formats from small outlets offering takeaway to large supermarkets.
There are a number of hurdles to a potential merger with Asda, and EG Group's owners could decide to pursue other options for the business, the people said. They have also been weighing other options including a sale of their Australian assets or a public listing of the global gas station operations, the people said.
EG Group is led by Mohsin and Zuber Issa, who started with a single filling station in Blackburn, an old cotton mill town in northern England. It's grown rapidly through a series of debt-funded acquisitions in the past few years to become one of the world's largest independent gas-station and convenience-store chains.
The company now has around 6,000 sites spread across countries including the U.K., U.S., France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia, according to TDR's website. EG Group has about 7 billion pounds equivalent of total borrowings, while Asda has 4.35 billion pounds of bonds and loans outstanding, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
In 2018, EG Group purchased Kroger Co.'s U.S. convenience store business for $2.15 billion. The next year, it bought Cumberland Farms, gaining 600 locations in a deal that made it the fifth-largest independent convenience-store operator in the U.S.
Fast-Food Outlets
EG Group has placed more focus on the higher-margin convenience store side of its operations, along with takeaway food, as the volume of fuel sales declines globally. It has partnerships with brands including Burger King, KFC, Starbucks and Subway to run franchises at its gas stations.
Other companies have also been pursuing deals in the space. Seven & i Holdings Co., the Japanese company that controls 7-Eleven, completed its $21 billion purchase of Marathon Petroleum Corp.'s Speedway gas stations in May.
Deliberations are ongoing, and there's no certainty they will lead to a transaction, the people said. A spokesperson for TDR declined to comment, while representatives for EG Group and Walmart didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
EG Group's 700 million euros ($791 million) of notes due October 2025 fell 0.7 cents on the euro Friday to 101.6 cents, according to Bloomberg data. Asda's 500 million pounds of bonds maturing in February 2027 fell 1.1 pence on the pound to 91.6 pence.
EG Group has separately been exploring a potential divestment of its Australian unit after receiving interest from potential buyers, the people said. A sale of the business could fetch more than $2 billion, one of the people said.
The company spent A$1.73 billion ($1.2 billion) to acquire 540 Australian fuel convenience sites from Woolworths Group Ltd. in 2019.


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