text:
In “Europe”, our largest segment, Lindt & Sprüngli achieved sales of CHF 2.33 billion and organic growth of 13.8%. Germany, France and the UK remain the strongest markets, with the UK seeing growth and significant gains in market share which went against the general market trend.
CHF 2.33 billion
Lindt & Sprüngli (Schweiz) AG
Sales including exports
(duty-free & distributors)
Lindt Switzerland, under which the sales of duty-free shops and distributors are also posted, increased its sales by 18.5% to CHF 354 million in 2021. One new retail customer merits particular mention: as of 2021, Lindt products have been on the shelves in all Migros stores. As a result, Lindt is the new number 1 chocolate brand in Switzerland. Lindt products are now on sale in the country’s two largest retailers, among them above all Lindor, the number 1 in the praliné segment. New flavor variants such as hazelnut and double chocolate, together with intensified social media activities, have contributed to the increase in Lindor’s market share. Excellence bars are still the market leader in the dark chocolate bar segment. Additionally, the launch of Lindt Squares has been a great success. This premium segment chocolate snack is designed to attract a younger target group. Switzerland introduced a marketing innovation with resounding success on the online channel: consumers had the opportunity to personalize the traditional Gold Bunny or an entire chocolate gift basket by adding a name. These and other activities supported Easter sales to reach a new all-time high. Our Lindt Shops recorded improved results despite at some locations we are still feeling the absence of tourists. The Lindt & Sprüngli Group responded to the encouraging increase in sales in Switzerland and in the European markets by expanding production capacity at the Olten site by 50%. Between 2021 and 2024, we will be investing CHF 74 million in the Lindt Cocoa Center, a clear commitment to Switzerland as a business location.
Details of our travel retail business sales and of sales via distributors can be found in the chapter “Duty-Free & Distributors”.
Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli GmbH
million EUR Sales
The German market achieved organic sales growth of 11.0% to EUR 692 million. Market share grew across the board in all product groups, with the result that Lindt is now number 1 in the praliné market for the first time. The products most in demand among German consumers were the Mini Pralinés, the popular Gold Bunny and the Lindor brand, which was also named top brand of the year 2021 by a jury of experts. The new “Hello Vegan” range, a product line made from purely plant-based ingredients, received further awards. In the German market, the brand Excellence again achieved increased growth, with “Excellence Cacao Pur” at the forefront. This new product, made from 100% cocoa fruit, outperformed almost all other Excellence bar variants on our own sales platforms. Together with our Lindt Master Chocolatier, we offered consumers a 60-minute webinar in which the Master – like a sommelier for wines – explained the flavor nuances and proposed perfect pairings with other foods. Besides other effects, this also contributed toward the positive growth exhibited by online retail. Looking at seasonal results, Easter and Christmas business went well thanks to a number of new products. For example, at Easter the Gold Bunny was also available in white chocolate with strawberry pieces.
Lindt & Sprüngli SAS
million EUR Sales
In the French market, Lindt & Sprüngli achieved sales of EUR 398 million, representing growth of 6.0%. This was mainly due to the general recovery of the market after the lockdowns, strong growth in sales of chocolate bars and the Christmas business. A variety of marketing activities and new product formats also played an important part. New packaging designs and advertising measures positioned the key brand Lindor – which had previously been seen primarily as a Christmas product – increasingly as an Easter gift. Despite challenging conditions, we succeeded to open two new bricks-and-mortar Lindt Shops in France. As a result, we now operate 25 own shops, where new exclusive products are offered. The new shop-in-shop initiative with our partner BHV Marais, a major Parisian department store, has taken the brand experience to a new level. For seven weeks, Lindt Master Chocolatiers showcased their art of chocolate on-site, directly linking the brand experience with the occasion to purchase. It was a great success: according to estimates, we had 1.8 million visitors, and the event was further leveraged on our social media channels.
Lindt & Sprüngli S.p.A.
Lindt & Sprüngli
million EUR Sales
In Italy, Lindt & Sprüngli achieved sales of EUR 260 million, which equates to significant organic growth of 30.9%. Lindt consolidated its position as market leader in the premium segment in Italy, recording growth in the key products Lindor and Excellence. Easter business, which in the previous year had been severely affected by the pandemic, saw a significant recovery. In the praliné segment, Lindor Double Chocolate was particularly well received, but sales of bar products also rose. Thanks to Lindor, Lindt & Sprüngli is now the market leader in the praliné segment for the first time and overall number 2 in the chocolate market in Italy.
The Lindt brand achieved a worldwide unique success in terms of TV coverage. In collaboration with the fast-growing television broadcaster TV8, we succeeded in getting the Lindt brand involved in two of the most important TV trends of recent years: cooking and casting shows. In the TV show “Maître Chocolatier – Talenti in sfida”, ten participants battled to join our Italian team as a “Lindt Master Chocolatier”. Over five episodes, the participants faced a variety of challenges on the theme of chocolate. The TV event was accompanied by a variety of promotional activities, such as a “Talent Show Celebration Box”, containing all the products that appeared in the program.
Our position in the Italian market region will change in the coming months. During the past financial year, we took over the retail shops of a former sales partner and integrated them into our own retail structure. This will give the brand increased visibility at prime locations. As announced in September, the Caffarel brand will be organizationally integrated within the Italian market organization. Its strong local roots will enable us to achieve synergies, releasing resources for other innovations.
UK & Ireland
Lindt & Sprüngli
million GBP Sales
In the past financial year, the markets in the UK and Ireland achieved sales of GBP 254 million, reflecting organic growth of 18.2%. In a modestly growing chocolate market, Lindt & Sprüngli outperformed the market in all categories and continues to be the fastest growing manufacturer, with significant market share gain in the UK and Ireland. This is due in particular to a reverse Brexit effect. Keeping our logistics processes running was a major challenge for our company last year. Thanks to sound preparation, however, we were able to ensure the uninterrupted supply of our products even after Brexit. At the same time, we managed the digital channels in the UK successfully and are therefore the market leader in online sales of chocolate. Thanks to strong growth of the Lindor brand and of various new products, Lindt became the second-largest supplier in the Easter and Christmas seasons.
Lindt & Sprüngli (España) S.A.
The Spanish and Portuguese markets generated organic sales growth of 8.3% in 2021, to which our successful business in Portugal made a major contribution. The Lindor product group, with its Dulce de Leche, Double Chocolate and Salted Caramel flavors, was a strong driver. Nuxor – for fans of hazelnut – succeeded in winning a lot of new fans, so Lindt was able to consolidate its number 2 position in the praliné segment. Alongside other new products, we launched Lindt’s new ice cream range. In addition, Lindt & Sprüngli has invested in its own sales infrastructure and opened two new shops, and therefore currently operates 21 own stores. Online sales have also grown across all channels, whether through our own e-shops, online marketplaces or online orders via bricks-and-mortar retail partners.
Rest of Europe
In the Austrian market, Lindt & Sprüngli achieved organic sales growth of 13.4%. Lindor products were also the major sales drivers here, making us the unrivalled market leader for pralinés and seasonal products and putting us in second place for chocolate bars. Lindt is one of the major growth drivers in the Austrian chocolate market and is continuing to gain market share. The “Hello Vegan” product range has been acclaimed as being particularly innovative and meets the Austrian strong demand for vegan chocolate. Within just a few weeks of its launch, “Hello Vegan” had already left its strongest rival in this category trailing behind it. Another trend is the sustained growth of the dark chocolate segment where we are also the clear market leader with Excellence. With Excellence Cacao Pur we will further be able to strengthen this position.
The Nordic market region (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland), which had already achieved a double-digit increase in the previous year, again recorded organic sales growth of 12.2%. In these pandemic times, this is a remarkable performance and is also reflected in increased market share. While Excellence has long been Sweden’s favorite brand in the premium bar category, Lindor is now – thanks to the launch of the new Double Chocolate flavor – closing in.
The Benelux market region was formed during the past financial year from the Netherlands, which was previously a separate region, and Belgium and Luxembourg, which are operated via distributors. In this region, Lindt & Sprüngli achieved organic sales growth of 28.8% and has thus slightly increased its market share. In this market region the Excellence brand is more significant than Lindor.
Central Eastern Europe
The Central Eastern Europe market region (Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) achieved organic growth of 25.4%. While starting from a relatively low base, sales from our own Lindt Shops grew particularly strongly, thanks to two newly opened shops and stronger online sales. Of the various products, Lindor was the clear sales driver.
Organic sales growth in Poland amounted to 20.4%. The overall market for chocolates is growing, with a focus on pralinés. Thanks to the newly launched Salted Caramel flavor, Lindt & Sprüngli benefited with Lindor. In terms of distribution channels, the market organization is seeing a shift towards small residential convenience stores and discounters and is adapting to this change in consumer needs.
Lindt & Sprüngli Russia achieved organic sales growth of 18.3%. Here, too, Lindor was the most important product in the retail segment. Excellent growth was achieved, thanks to robust growth in sales of Lindor, combined with the expansion of direct-to-customer activities with two new shops being opened in Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as the launch of the Lindt e-shop.

domain: food


text: This paper describes initial results of a methodology developed to locate new deforestation in the Amazon Tropical forest. It combines automatic classification of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (NOAA/AVHRR) satellite images and a Geographic Information System (GIS) data base. Full resolution and geometrically corrected AVHRR channel 3 (3.7 μm) images of different dates of the Amazon region are automatically compared in digital form. Places where changes in the original cover of the vegetation are detected between any two different images have their locations determined through a GIS. Initial tests in the north of the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, are presented indicating the possibility of using AVHRR imagery operationally to detect new deforestation. Results comparing deforestation in the AVHRR channel 3 with corresponding high resolution LANDSAT-Thematic Mapper (TM) images indicated 56.5% of AVHRR correct location for 221 polygons of deforestation with different sizes. 90% of correct locations was obtained for the 50 TM polygons with deforestation greater than 3.1 km2.

domain: geography


text:
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Black Devil skull rounded horned ring. The skull symbolism is the attachment of symbolic meaning to the human skull. The most common symbolic use of the skull is as a representation of death and mortality. Our present society predominantly associates skulls with death and evil.
Metals Type: Stainless Steel

domain: artistic


VARIABLES & DATA TYPES
This activity aims to familiarize participants with the concept of variables and data types in Arduino programming. The objective is to help participants understand how to declare, initialize, and use variables of different data types in Arduino sketches effectively.
View and Download:
Press the buttons below to view this lesson online in PDF and Presentation formats. All the lessons and guides in the WeDo 2.0 zone now contains Robots Got Talents SALLI-Audio Support System, for the audio system to operate properly make sure that your device is signed into Google Drive.
Copyright © 2019-2020 by Robots Got Talents. All rights reserved. LEGO and MINDSTORMS are registered trademarks of The LEGO Group, RoboMind is a registered trademarks of Research Kitchen, MIT APP INVENTOR is a registered trademarks of Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Robots Got Talents is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by any of the above organizations. Not all the data in books/ courses are owned or made by Robots Got Talents, resources are available in the Resources Webpage


Most structural frame models are analyzed in two dimensions (2D), for a variety of legitimate reasons.
But sometimes, you have to go to three dimensions (3D). And the most confusing thing about making that jump in OpenSees is the geometric transformation and its “vector in the x-z plane”.
Instead of going into the details of the geometric transformation in 3D, which is explained in a previous post, this post shows how to bend a simple beam about its strong and weak axes in 3D, like this post did for simple 2D beams.
Consider the simple span shown below. There is a concentrated moment at one end and the section is bent about its strong axis (section z-axis).
To bend the beam about its strong axis, we define the vector in the x-z plane as
import openseespy.opensees as ops L = 240.0 E = 29000.0 v = 0.3 G = 0.5*E/(1+v) A = 20.0 Iz = 1400.0 Iy = 600.0 J = 2000.0 M = 3000.0 ops.wipe() ops.model('basic','-ndm',3,'-ndf',6) ops.node(1,0,0,0); ops.fix(1,1,1,1,1,0,0) ops.node(2,L,0,0); ops.fix(2,1,1,1,0,0,0) ops.geomTransf('Linear',12, 0,1,0) ops.element('elasticBeamColumn',1,1,2,A,E,G,J,Iy,Iz,12) ops.timeSeries('Constant',23) ops.pattern('Plain',1,23) ops.load(2,0,0,0,0,0,M) ops.analysis('Static') ops.analyze(1) ops.reactions()
Note that the rotation about the global X-axis is fixed in order to prevent rigid body spinning. This boundary condition is necessary for this simple span, but generally not necessary for larger frame models.
At any rate, compare the vertical reactions (global Y-direction) to the equilibrium solution M/L. Also compare the nodal rotations (about global Z-axis) to the known solutions ML/(3EIz) and ML/(6EIz).
[1,0,1] as the vector in the x-z plane will work too. Try it out.
Now, suppose we want to keep the loading the same (moment about the global Z-axis), but bend the beam about its weak axis (section y-axis), i.e., lay the beam down and employ the “flat use” factor in wood design.
The wrong way to modify the script is to swap
Iy in the element definition–you’re changing the element.
The right way is to use the geometric transformation to “rotate” or “spin” the element about its local x-axis.
To this end, you can define the vector in the x-z plane as
That’s the only part of the model definition you need to change. You should get the same reactions, M/L, in the global Y-direction and the rotations about the global Z-axis should now be ML/(3EIy) and ML/(6EIy).
You can get the same result using
[1,-1,0] as the vector in the x-z plane.


text:
Did you miss Chapter One?
Did you miss Chapter Two?
Did you miss part one of Chapter Three?
Chapter Three Continued…
“We’re not celebrities,” I said “Not like that. I mean, he wasn’t
kidnapped by the paparazzi or anything,” I said.
Sergio made me walk through the events of the previous night one
more time. I knew the drill. He was listening for inconsistencies in my
The walkie-talkie on his shoulder holster beeped, a burst of
Spanish firing across the wire. I sprang off the bench.
Sergio listened, a grim look on his face.
“What is it? Did they find him?” I asked.
Sergio frowned as he listened, giving me an almost imperceptible
shake of the head.
Anxiety clawed at my chest. “What then?” I asked.
Sergio stood and walked away from the table, speaking rapidly
into the walkie-talkie. My heart raced and I felt like I was about to
come out of my skin. Even though I couldn’t understand Sergio’s
words, I could tell by the tone of his voice something was desperately
I rushed to the tent and called Becca’s name. She popped her
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“How good is your Spanish?”
She glanced toward Sergio and frowned. She shook her head after
a moment. “He’s talking too fast.”
I buried my head in my hands, the uncertainty taking a toll.
“Damn, he’s hot though, huh?” Becca asked.
“I hadn’t noticed” I lied.
She snorted. “Please. I know this is a tough time for you Georgia,
but anyone with a pulse can see the guy’s gorgeous.”
“Go for it,” I said.
Becca said, “You know I’m sworn off men, at least for the time
being. Plus, what kind of a jerk would it make me?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“He’s trying to locate Scott. I don’t want to be the one to distract
him.” She batted her eyelashes at me.
We giggled. My shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, then I immedi‐
ately felt guilty. Scott was missing, what the hell was I doing, laughing
and yukking it up with Becca? Sergio turned around toward us.
“We have a situation, I need to leave you two ladies. Please call me
if you have any more information.”
“Wait, what? What situation?” I asked.
“I need to go check in with my team,” he said.
“What’s going on?” Becca asked.
He ignored our questions. He handed us a card and turned
without speaking. Becca and I shared a look. We’d follow him, wher‐
ever he was going. The search-and-rescue team hadn’t been gone that
long, they couldn’t be that far away.
Sergio hiked down the dirt trail toward the river, but took a left
instead of a right where Parker and I had fallen from the cliff the
night before. He walked with purpose, as if he had intimate knowl‐
edge of the trails. We kept our distance and followed him in silence.
The trail descended into a small canyon, the ground becoming slick
and muddy. I could hear the sound of running water up ahead. Sergio
ducked through some bushes, stepping over fallen branches and
avoiding protruding shrubs.
Despite last night’s freezing temperatures, the day was heating up
and sweat dripped off my brow as I struggled to keep my footing. In
the distance, the dogs were growling and barking. Montserrat’s voice
“Aquí!” she called.
Sergio moved forward, his gait steady and even. The trail gave way
to a small clearing that was bordered with several rocks large enough
to sit on. There was something in the ground, hidden near the bushes;
something large, like a heap.
My heart lurched and I took off in a mad dash. A scream echoed
through the canyon that I hardly recognized as my own.
Dear God, no, no, please don’t be Scott.
I ran so hard I collided into a bush and then Sergio in my attempt
to get to the body. Sergio grabbed me and said “Eh, eh, it’s okay,
His hand was on my head, pressing it to his shoulder, trying to
keep me from seeing the corpse that had already been burned into my
It was a woman. Her body was partially obscured by the bushes,
but I could make out dark long hair and a polka-dot skirt that seemed
gruesomely out of place.
Equal parts relief and distress coursed through my body. A
I was both elated and disappointed with myself at the same time.
How could I be happy over finding a dead body? But the singular
thought reverberating through my head was that Scott was still alive.
Montserrat was blocking Becca from coming any farther. But one
glance at my friend and I knew she’d surmised the same thing as I
had: The body was not Scott. Tears were streaming down my face
and I pushed away from Sergio.
“It’s not him,” I said.
“I know,” he said. “The dogs followed his scent up the road.”
He jutted his chin toward the hillside, where there was a narrow
“The scent has disappeared from there,” Sergio said.
The weight of what he was suggesting hit me suddenly.
“Scott didn’t harm this woman!” I protested.
Montserrat came to my side. ”Please, miss, we don’t know the
circumstances yet. Please go back to camp.”
The dogs were growling miserably at the woman’s body and hasti‐
ly unearthed something.
“Que es?” Sergio demanded.
“Un reloj,” Montserrat said. Next to the woman was a watch.
Seeing it, my mouth went dry and my stomach dropped.
It was undeniably Scott’s sports watch. Becca flashed me a look.
“Is that your boyfriend’s watch?” Sergio asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Lots of people have watches like that.”
“Yeah,” Becca said, “they sell them everywhere in the U.S.”
Montserrat and Sergio said something to each other, again in
rapid-fire Spanish, their exchange ending with Montserrat turning to
us and saying in short, clipped English, “Ladies, let me take you back
to camp. Please.”
Sergio was on his walkie-talkie to another team, presumably the
crime scene team. Would they run a DNA scan on Scott’s watch? Did
they even do that in Spain? Or was the fact that a dog growled at a
watch enough to try to convict him? God help us.
Montserrat walked Becca and me back to camp. When we got
there, the cast and crew were huddled around the picnic table gossip‐
ing. They grew quiet as they watched us approach, the silence
“I’ll need your passports,” Montserrat said.
“Our passports? For what?” Becca asked.
“You and your friends”—she indicated the cast and crew—“will not
be allowed to leave Spain until we clear up the matter of the woman.”
“Oh, my goodness,” Becca said, pressing a hand to her forehead. I
knew what she must have been thinking, about the production sched‐
ules and the cost. Strange that it was the furthest thing from my mind.
I ran into my tent. They could have my passport because there was
no way I was leaving Spain without Scott. I rummaged through my
bag, immediately finding it. I dug through his gear. First through his
duffel, then his sleeping bag, then finally through mine again.
Where was Scott’s passport? Why wasn’t it in our tent? Did he
have it with him? Who went for a midnight stroll in the woods and
took his passport? For what? Just in case . . . of what? I battled the
sinking pit in my stomach. Emerging from the tent, I handed my pass‐
port over to Montserrat. She took it from me, still engaged in conver‐
sation with Becca.
I grabbed Montserrat’s arm. “Please, please keep looking for him.”
“We will keep looking for him, yes,” she said.
The unspoken implication hung between us; of course, they would
keep looking for him.
He was now a suspect in a murder investigation.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”I couldn’t stop reading!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”Fast-paced and fun. I love these mysteires!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”Diana Orgain is my new favorite author!”
Share the love!

domain: literature


text: Stem cells are proliferative and can develop into other types of specific organ cell. They are responsible for the embryo’s ability to develop normally and enable the human body to heal wounds, grow and replace cells lost daily through wear and tear or disease. There are different types of stem cell, with mesenchymal cells (MSCs) having been identified as the most useful in adults. Clinical studies have shown that infusions of mesenchymal cells can induce healing, without any noted side effects or increased cancer risk. Mesenchymal cells can be extracted from embryos or adult human tissue, including bone marrow, fat and skin. MSCs can also be isolated from orofacial tissue including dental pulp, immature teeth within gums and the periodontal ligament. Bone marrow or dental-origin MSCs have the additional advantage of possessing immunosuppressive properties, which makes them less likely to be rejected and more efficacious for tissue repair. There have been a number of clinical studies of orofacial-source MSC transplantations in small and large animals and humans, which demonstrate their ability to differentiate into the different types of periodontal tissue, including bone, ligament and cementum. However, as Ouchi says: ‘In cases of severe periodontal disease, the periodontal ligament has been eroded and many of the other orofacial sources of MSCs can be degraded. Also, this approach requires a separate operation to extract a tiny proportion of MSCs, which must be cultured and processed prior to reinjection at the sites of damage, or a more intrusive operation to extract bone marrow.’ Ouchi explains: ‘In order to avoid separate surgical operations and to produce a large amount of MSCs in a cost-effective manner, we wanted to find a way of inducing appropriate MSCs for periodontal repair, from adult-sourced induced pluripotent stem cells, following established protocols.’ He adds: ‘We have shown in earlier work that the MSCs most potent for dental tissue regeneration express specific markers, particularly for low affinity nerve growth factor receptor (LNGFR).’ By following the work of other research groups, the team isolated and purified batches of MSCs, but it was found that these were very heterogenous, with few expressing the LNGFR marker. Ouchi and his team considered that they needed to go back to basics and think about the embryonic origins of orofacial MSCs and how iPS cells could be induced to follow this specific developmental pattern.


text:
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. Feb. 1, 2011
Aug. 2010 Japan
"Beyond our ongoing initiatives to improve the Buy.com website through features such as competitive pricing and video product reviews, we’ve made significant customer service improvements over the past year," said Neel Grover, CEO and president of Buy.com. "We’re committed to continuously enhancing the online shopping experience and honored that the BBB has recognized our efforts."
The Council of Better Business Bureaus assigns letter grade ratings ranging from F to A+, based on more than a dozen different categories, including length of operation, government actions against the business, overall complaint history, advertising issues and more.
June 1997 Aliso Viejo, Calif. Japan
Buy.com® and The Internet Superstore™ are trademarks of Buy.com Inc.

domain: news


text:
VIDEO: Backstage With Rob, Kristen & Taylor on Oprah Set!
For those of you who are counting down the minutes until the Twilight Special on The Oprah Winfrey Show this afternoon, here is another little teaser of Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner having some fun backstage!
In this funny backstage clip, Rob, Kristen and Taylor talk about spooning and getting intimate in scenes!
OK! VIDEO: NEW ECLIPSE CLIP OF DAKOTA FANNING & THE VOLTURI!
- Oprah Winfrey Spills On Whether Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Should Attend King Charles' Coronation
- Kim Kardashian Shares Selfie With Oprah Winfrey & Jennifer Lopez After Reality Star Slammed For Cropping Singer Out Of Original Photo
- Prince Harry Received Text From Prince William About Bombshell Oprah Interview While Cameras Were Rolling On 'Harry & Meghan'
They also divulge some of their favorite places to travel!

domain: celebrity


text:
Indiana seven-year-old Terry Miles is writing a book about gun violence and with help from his teacher Ball State University student Brittany Cain. The work will be self-published published as an eBook.
The Shot Heard Around the Town: A Story About How One Boy Can Change the World stems from a letter that Miles wrote to the mayor of Muncie telling about gun violence in his neighborhood. He wrote: “Dear Mayor, I have a problem. I have been hearing gunshots in my neighborhood. Can you make them stop?” which ran in The Star Press. You can watch a news report about Miles here.
As part of a class project, Cain wants to help Miles publish the eBook through Kids at Heart Publishing company, a self-publishing services company that helps self-published authors publish and promote their books for a fee. Miles is currently seeking donations to help fund the project. Huffer Memorial Children’s Center is accepting donations on his behalf. (Via The Star Press).

domain: library


text:
G’day! My name is Paul Reed.
I’m a professional builder with a diverse career, working with some of the best architects, designers and building industry partners. My mission is to help people who want to build energy-efficient homes with lower living costs.
DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A TRULY UNIQUE, ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME?
I design and build homes for New Zealand conditions that save energy – yet are warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
There’s ‘no one size fits all answer’ – because every site, home, and building budget is unique. The common solution I deliver to my clients is significantly lower home running costs and higher comfort and convenience for families.
7 REASONS TO SWITCH TO ‘ENERGY SAVER HOMES’
- 1. Energy Effectiveness – Energy Saver Homes will design your heating system to match the insulation levels and the level of comfort that you require. While this sounds obvious, quite simply, it is usually not done.
- 2. Energy Efficient – Energy Save Homes will fit your home to your lifestyle and to your local climate. This is one big step towards having the year-round comfort that every new home should have.
- 3. Keep it natural, keep it healthy – Energy Saver Homes are designed and built utilizing passive solar techniques and natural ventilation features to keep you healthy and comfortable.
- 4. An energy efficient “future proof” home that is practical with modern technology – Energy Saver Homes have a modern and contemporary approach to design and one that fits your needs. We are happy to advise and to take on board your own personal style!
- 5. It won’t cost the earth to use quality design and a qualified Master Builder – Energy Saver Homes will design and build your new home to the environmentally friendly NZGBC Homestar standards and provide you with a Master-Build Guarantee.
- 6. Knowledge Guarantee – 35 years of knowledge which is amongst the very best available and spans both the commercial and residential sector. Continued learning and industry training through organisations such as the NZ Institute of Building.
- 7. Our 5 Point Guarantee – Peace of mind when making the choice to build a warmer & more comfortable home that uses less energy. (see below).
My 5 Point Guarantee
- 1. I will design and build you a home where low running costs, comfort and convenience are standard and integrated features.
- 2. No BS – systems and components that work because they complement each other.
- 3. No over-complicated systems or technology to artificially control your environment. Passive Solar Design (not Passive Haus) is a base starting point.
- 4. Good communication. Quick responses plus a world-class interactive cloud, so you can keep in touch 24 hours a day.
- 5. Completion on schedule with regular updates, in plain English that you can understand.

domain: design


If you have one Google Home speaker at your house but want to have a multi-room speaker set-up, you now don’t need to buy a Google Home for each of your rooms. If you have Bluetooth speakers lying around or if you find it cheaper to get new ones from other brands, you can now connect them and control them from your main Google Home speaker. While you still have to talk to your main device, it’s still pretty convenient to be able to connect all the other Bluetooth ones.
Setting up doesn’t seem to be that complicated on paper. Just open the Google Home app on your smartphone, go to the device settings, and just follow the pairing instructions. If the Bluetooth speaker is compatible, it will show up there and you just have to pair it. Then just say “Hey Google, play my morning playlist” or “Ok Google, turn up the volume” and your Bluetooth speaker should be able to follow the commands.
If you have several speakers in other rooms, just add it to a group in your Google Home app and it should be able to function multi-room. So if you’re listening to a podcast while tinkering around your house, it should be able to follow you around as long as all the Bluetooth speakers are connected.
If you need to ask questions like your usual queries, weather updates, etc, you’ll still have to talk to your main Google Home device and not the connected Bluetooth speakers.
March 29, 2018 at 03:05AM


text:
Spotify Key Features:
- Listen free. On mobile, you’ll hear artis/ts, albums and playlists in shuffle mode. Or choose a ready-made playlist to fit your mood. On tablet and computer, you’ll play any song, any time.
- Discover music you’ll love. Spotify is the best place to get music. Your Discover page will constantly suggest new music for you, supported what you’re taking note of. Your next favourite songs are waiting.
- Music brings us together. That’s why Spotify is so social. Share music on Spotify, Facebook, Twitter, your blog, anywhere. you’ll also meet up with to the buddies, artists and trendsetters who turn you on to great music. determine what they’re taking note of immediately.
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domain: entertainment


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domain: economics


text:
The Madras High Court yesterday (29 June) passed an interim order on a petition filed by an advocate, M Purushothaman. According to the Deccan Chronicle, the petition sought to make the Court pass directions to CBSE schools to ‘purchase only books published by NCERT and to prescribe syllabus of NCERT’.
In its order, the Court also instructed the Centre to ask state governments to reduce the weight of school bags and not give homework to students of grade I and II. According to the report, ‘state governments were asked to ensure that weight of the satchels shall not be more than 10 per cent of the weight of the child.’
With regard to homework, there was a counter affidavit filed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) which said that “there is no homework up to class II and (homework can be given) two hours a week from class III.” In effect, this means that no CBSE-affiliated school can give students homework up to class II.
While the consequences of the order can be discussed and debated, the question of judicial overreach that it raises cannot be overlooked. In an ideal scenario, education policy of schools of a country should be decided by schools, and if the state has to play a part in it, it should be through the Ministry of HRD. Judiciary passing orders on homework of students is a worrying development. Once the judiciary takes it upon itself to decide the quantum of homework of children, where does it stop?
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.


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Dennis Slagle will take up his new position as president and CEO of Mack Trucks on April 1.
LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. — Mack Trucks has announced that Dennis R. Slagle will succeed Paul L. Vikner as president and CEO of the company effective April 1.
Slagle, 53, has served since 2003 as president and CEO of Volvo Construction Equipment North America, headquartered in Asheville, N.C. He has more than 25 years of experience in the North American construction equipment industry including serving as president of L.B. Smith, Volvo Construction Equipment’s largest North American dealer at the time. Slagle will be based at Mack’s headquarters in Allentown, Pa.
Vikner, who has served as president and CEO since 2001, will become vice-chairman of the Mack board of directors. He will also continue to represent both Mack and its parent company, the Volvo Group, in their work with various federal government entities and industry organizations affecting the Volvo Group’s North American truck operations.
Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry. All posts by Truck News


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It is Christmas time and even though you might be dying to get something new, we highly suggest to have a look in your closet first. In a journey to be more sustainable, one of the easiest ways to begin is appreciate the things you have again. We all desire to something new, but do we really need it? With a fun DIY, crazy make-up look or a creative look at your wardrobe, you can easily create something new and sparkly this Christmas without buying it!
Let’s begin with rich fabrics. You may already have a satin shirt that would actually fit perfect on those woolen trousers or sequin skirt (which is a good investment as well because if you have one, you have something sparkly to wear for the rest of your life). If you have a satin shirt you know that you will have it for years. In this way it is a better choice than a cheap polyester shirt, so if you go purchasing something new then go for quality.
A more fun way to make a funky outfit, is to DIY it! Gemstones, tulle, feathers, ribbons, pompoms: you name it! All great and easy tools to Gove your outfit a touch it needs within a few seconds. If you are not so creative, then think creative. Funky socks are a great way to spice up your shoe game this season! In this way you don’t have to buy new shoes, you just give them a new dimension with a simple touch!
Another great way to spice up your Christmas (or NYE) outfit, is with statement jewelry. Make it yourself or invest in a good fair made pair, like the jewelry from Je Suis Flore. Also an investment you will enjoy for years!
GLITTER HAIR AND MAKE-UP
At last, not to forget, the glitter make-up and hairdos. You don’t have to be a pro to create a perfect red lip or sparkly eyeliner. For a good hairdo like the ones above you might need a little help but hey, it’s Christmas so plenty of time to create beautiful hair with your mom, sister or best friend!
Interested in more sustainable articles? Check this page and be inspired every Tuesday and Thursday at 5pm!

domain: hobby


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The Anniversary of the onset of the Mexican Revolution War is celebrated every year on November 20; started in 1910, it was a complicated conflict, which involved not only the deposition of a “long-term president” (read: dictator), but several conspiracies that led to a cruel civil war, with the rise and fall of many political and military characters for more than a decade, even after the promulgation on the Constitution of 1917.
One of the most prominent figures was Francisco “Pancho” Villa, born in 1878 in Río Grande, in the Mexican state of Durango with the name of José Doroteo Arango Arámbula. After killing a man to defend his sister’s honour, he lived as a fugitive and bandit until the onset of the Mexican Revolution War. He joined the forces against long-term president Porfirio Díaz Mori, who had his opponent Francisco I. Madero incarcerated in 1910, an act of fraudulent interference with the presidential election. Madero escaped and called the nation to revolt with the motto:“Sufragio efectivo, no reelección” – “Effective Suffrage, No Re-election”, forming his army called the División del Norte (Northern Division). Arango, along with Pascual Orozco and Victoriano Huerta, were instrumental in the success of this call for democracy, and Porfirio DÍaz was deposed in a matter of months, with Madero taking the presidency after a legitimate election. However, conservative forces conspired against the new government, and Madero’s moderate policies infuriated even former supporters, who had been promised extensive work and land reforms. Emiliano Zapata started a rebellion in the South; in the north, Arango remained loyal, but Pascual Orozco did not, and Victoriano Huerta led a coup d’état against Madero and had him assassinated, along with his vice-president José María Pino Suárez.
This cowardly act triggered a great dudgeon, with the explosion of a second stage in the Revolution War: Orozco joined Huerta, but Zapata continued his fight, now against the government of Huerta; Arango (who changed his name to Pancho Villa at some point during the war), always loyal to Madero, took over the lead of the Northern Division and joined Venustiano Carranza, who had been appointed by Madero as governor of the Northern state of Coahuila. Huerta was ousted in 1914, and Venustiano Carranza, as a legitimate governor, could have acted as interim president; Carranza declined because he wanted to run for president in the next elections, so he ruled in an “extra-legal” state, which was not approved by his generals Pancho Villa and Alvaro Obregón. Obregón remained loyal to Carranza, but Villa and Zapata made an alliance against him. Villa was defeated in the North and Zapata was forced to utilize guerrilla-style fight in the south (the so-called Zapatista movement). With the promulgation of a new Mexican Constitution of 1917, Carranza was elected president; the constitution was a strong beacon of reform and democracy, but Carranza failed to carry on its principles, and instead, went after Zapata and Villa, getting the first murdered in 1919, and forcing Villa to retreat to the North again.
Other prominent figures were in conflict with Carranza’s parting from the revolution and constitutional principles, particularly generals Alvaro Obregón, Plutarco Elías Calles, and Adolfo de la Huerta, and by the end of his term in 1920, Carranza was engaged in an active fight that finished with the deposition of his faction, and his death. De la Huerta acted as interim president, focusing on ending confrontations, and pardoning Mexicans in exile and Carranza supporters alike. De la Huerta negotiated with Pancho Villa, granting him and his followers a villa in the state of Chihuahua with the condition of retiring from politics and the military for life. Alvaro Obregón became president in 1920, and at the end of his term, he was still feeling threatened by Villa; although never proven, he probably was behind Villa’s assassination in 1923. Elías Calles succeeded Obregón, then founding the PNR (National Revolutionary Party), in 1929; the party was renamed the PRM (Party of the Mexican Revolution) and eventually became the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) in 1946. The PRI remained in power for 71 years, until the turn of the millennium, in 2000.
Pancho Villa was buried in Chihuahua, and in 1976, his remains were reburied in the Monument to the Mexican Revolution, in Mexico City:
Throughout his life, Pancho Villa also: 1) became governor of the state of Chihuahua (1913-1914); 2) had a contract to appear, along with his Northern Division army, in Hollywood news reels about the Mexican war (1914), and hence, the many photos of him in action, often riding his horse (as in the photo at the top of this post), for which he was called the Centauro del Norte – Centaur of the North; 3) gave numerous interviews, most famously to American journalist John Reed; 4) attacked an American detachment of the 13th Cavalry Regiment, in Columbus, New Mexico, in 1916, and subsequently was hunted unsuccessfully by the US army; 5) rarely drank alcohol, but enjoyed strawberry beverages; 6) is known for having married several women, and having children in and outside of wedlock. Below is a photo of Pancho Villa with Luz Corral, whom he married in 1911:
Photos of Pancho Villa in this post: Taken by my sister and my brother in-law in August 2022, from photographs displayed at the Museo General Francisco Villa (Av. 5 de Febrero, Zaragoza y Bruno Martinez, Durango.)
6 thoughts on “History Tidbit – A Revolution War Story”
If memory serves me, both Eisenhower and Patton were members of the Pershing group that was chasing Villa in the north.
Yes, I believe you are right.
I tend to think of the war for independence (ending 1821) as a revolution. This war seems much more like a civil war of sorts. As always, I enjoy the history lessons!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, semantics, perhaps. I guess it is called the Revolution War because it really changed the course of modern Mexico in revolutionary ways.
LikeLiked by 1 person

domain: politics


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Families will find kid-friendly activities in Alcudia, and visitors give high marks for the beaches and top-notch restaurants. This city also attracts tourists with its sporting events and spas. Top sights in the city include Alcudia Beach, Hidropark and Alcudia Port.
- There are 709 hotels and other accommodation options in Alcudia
- The closest major airport is in Palma de Mallorca (PMI), 29.6 mi (47.6 km) from the city centre
Sightseeing and Staying in Alcudia
Cultural venues in the city include Pollentia Monographic Museum, Sa Bassa Blanca Museum and Auditori d'Alcudia. The city is notable for landmarks like Xara Gate, Roman Remains of Pollentia and San Jaume Church. The city's natural setting is picturesque, including the beaches and these places to visit: Alcudia Beach, Playa de Sant Joan and Bahia de Pollensa.
In Puerto de Pollensa, you can choose from 709 hotels and other accommodation choices so you can easily plan your holiday getaway at an affordable rate. Here are top ranked ones based on our user reviews:
- FORUM Boutique hotel & spa - This 4-star hotel features a full-service spa, free breakfast and an outdoor pool. It's a favourite with Expedia travellers for its dining options and breakfast.
- Cas Ferrer Nou Hotelet - Our customers like the breakfast and helpful staff at this guesthouse. With a stay at this 4-star guesthouse, guests can enjoy access to free breakfast and free parking, along with free WiFi.
- Hotel Can Mostatxins - This 4-star hotel features a restaurant, an outdoor pool and free WiFi. Expedia customers like its dining options and overall value.
Other top sights in Alcudia include Hidropark and Alcudia Port. Popular places to see outside the city include Playa de Muro, located 5 mi (8 km) from the city centre, and Pollensa Port, which is 4.2 mi (6.8 km) away.
Dressing for Alcudia
- Between January and March, daytime temperatures average 18°C, whilst night-time temperatures stay around 4°C
- From April to June, the average is 30°C during the day and 6°C at night
- July to September sees average temperatures of 32°C during the day and 15°C at night
- Between October and December, you can expect 26°C as the daytime average and 5°C as the night-time average
- Average annual rainfall for Alcudia is 479.30 millimetres
- July and August are usually the hottest months averaging 31°C, while January and February are usually the coldest with an average temperature of 5°C


text:
Business News›severe disease
Omicron wave may cut future severity of COVID-19 disease, says new study
The researchers from Africa Health Research Institute observed in samples from 23 people infected with Omicron in November and December that the variant escapes neutralising immunity elicited by Delta infection.
US sees highest rate of children Covid hospitalisations
The country is averaging 893 new hospital admissions each day for children 17 years and under, a record high since the CDC started to track the number from August 2020, Xinhua news agency reported.
S.African study suggests Omicron less severe even for unvaccinated
Unvaccinated people infected with the Omicron variant of coronavirus may be less prone to severe illness and requiring hospital care or dying than was the case with previous variants, a South African study showed on Friday.
Delta Airlines loses $408 million; 8,000 employees hit with Covid 19 infection
Delta expects omicron infections to peak over the next few days and then decline rapidly as it has in South Africa and - more slowly - in the United Kingdom. Omicron has halted a long, slow rise in travel and thrown it into reverse. So far in January, the number of people flying in the U.S. is down 20% from same month in 2019 - worse than the 16% declines in November and December.
For some emerging economies, new Covid wave spawns new thinking
One of the emerging economies includes India where the immunization rate is about 45%, antibody surveys suggest that most of the population has already had Covid in the past, which experts believe could lessen the impact of the coming wave.
Omicron may be less severe in young and old, but not 'mild': WHO chiefThe more infectious Omicron variant of COVID-19 appears to produce less severe disease than the globally dominant Delta strain, but it should not be categorised as "mild", the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.
Health insurance for senior citizens: How to pick the best insurance policyCommon comorbidities like diabetes or blood pressure are covered by a good number of senior citizen special polices.
Know cost of diagnosis, treatment for kidney diseases to ensure financial readinessIn the second part of this new series on major illnesses in India, ET Wealth tells you the cost of diagnosis and treatment for common kidney diseases, so that you can ensure adequate insurance and financial readiness.
Studies suggest why Omicron is less severe: It spares the lungsPrevious research had shown that some of these mutations enabled coronaviruses to grab onto cells more tightly. Others allowed the virus to evade antibodies, which serve as an early line of defense against infection. But how the new variant might behave inside of the body was a mystery.
Remdesivir to be used in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19: Health ministryThe Tocilizumab drug may be considered for use in the presence of severe disease (preferably within 24 to 48 hours of onset of severe disease/ICU admission), according to the guidelines.
U.S. to lift travel curbs on eight African countries: White HouseTop infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Monday that lifting the restrictions was likely "because we have enough infection in our own country... We're letting in people from other countries that have as much or more infection than the southern African countries."
Delhi govt taking several measures to tackle possible third Covid waveDelhi was hit by a brutal second wave of the pandemic in April-May, which claimed a massive number of lives daily, and a shortage of oxygen supply at various city hospitals had added to the woes of people.
Lower risk of hospitalisation with Omicron versus Delta, days studyThe new study, which has not been peer-reviewed, sought to assess the severity of disease by comparing data about Omicron infections in October and November with data about Delta infections between April and November, all in South Africa. The analysis was carried out by a group of scientists from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and major universities.
Omicron severity question answered in 3-4 weeks, WHO official says"There is no doubt that Europe is once again the epicentre of the global pandemic," said Kluge, the WHO Regional Director for Europe, adding that infections were up 40% from a year ago and Omicron was now taking over. "Yes, I'm very concerned, but there is no reason for panic," he said.
Contracted the flu? New study says you have 70% higher risk of Parkinson’s 10 years laterPeople who contracted flu had a 90% higher chances of Parkinson’s 15 years later.
Omicron numbers doubling in 1.5-3 days in some areas: WHOOmicron is spreading rapidly in countries with high levels of population immunity, but it is unclear if this is due to the virus' ability to evade immunity, its inherent increased transmissibility or a combination of both, the WHO said in an update.
Don't panic but be alert, omicron causes less severe disease than delta: AIIMS doctor"It is seen that Omicron's Transmissibility is quite high as compared to Delta variant but with all the evidence we have right now, It is not causing that severe disease as compared to the delta," Dr Puneet Misra, Professor of Community Medicine at AIIMS said.
Omicron infects 70 times faster but may cause less severe disease: StudyThe researchers from University of Hong Kong found that Omicron infects and multiplies 70 times faster than the Delta variant and original SARS-CoV-2 in human bronchus, which may explain why it may transmit faster between humans than previous variants.
Omicron spreading at unprecedented rate; wrong to think it is causing mild disease: WHO"The emergence of Omicron has prompted some countries to roll out COVID-19 booster programmes for their entire adult populations, even while we lack evidence for the effectiveness of boosters against this variant," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also told an online briefing.
A variant of concern: What you need to know about OmicronThe number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa. In 4-6 weeks’ time, it will be spreading to all countries across the globe and is likely to be the dominant variant.
Omicron: evidence shows it evades immunity from earlier infection more than other variantsSouth African scientists first announced that they had identified a new variant on November 25, 2021. Since then, cases of COVID have increased exponentially and South Africa has entered a fourth wave.
How can I protect myself from the new omicron variant?For all the attention omicron is getting, the overwhelming cause of infections and deaths in many places remains the extra-contagious delta variant.
South African expert says vaccines likely effective vs severe COVID-19 from variantProfessor Salim Abdool Karim added at a news conference that it was too early to say whether Omicron led to more severe clinical symptoms than previous variants.
Not yet clear if Omicron more transmissible, causes severe disease, says WHO"There is currently no information to suggest that symptoms associated with Omicron are different from those from other variants," the WHO said,
Covid booster dose effective in reducing severe disease outcomes: Lancet studyIt is the first to estimate the effectiveness of a third dose of Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine against severe outcomes with adjustment for various possible confounders, including comorbidities and behavioural factors. A recent clinical trial conducted by BioNTech included a smaller sample size and did not estimate the third-dose's effects for more severe outcomes.
COVID: New antibody treatment could offer up to 18 months' protection against severe diseaseThe treatment contains antibodies, which are usually produced naturally in response to a COVID infection or vaccination. They work by recognising specific parts of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID – and either attack these directly or bind to them to stop the virus from working and flag it for destruction by other parts of the immune system.
Covid vaccine boosters not "appropriate" at this stage: Lancet studyAccording to the study, even if some gain can ultimately be obtained from booster doses, it will not outweigh the benefits of providing initial protection to those who are still unvaccinated.Load More
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domain: biology


- Highway department to award $3 million to UCA Updated: Aug-27-15 9:28 am
CONWAY, Arkansas - The University of Central Arkansas is receiving a $3 million award to create an endowed faculty position that will focus on the trucking industry.
- Hendrix College receives biggest donation in school history Updated: Aug-26-15 1:14 pm
CONWAY, Arkansas - Hendrix College has received a $26 million donation, the largest gift in the school's history.
- Arkansas boy, 14, pleads not guilty in death of guardians Updated: Aug-25-15 1:41 pm
CONWAY, Arkansas - A 14-year-old boy from central Arkansas pleaded not guilty Tuesday to two counts of capital murder in the July 21 shooting deaths of a couple who raised him as their grandson.
- Restaurant on Central Arkansas campus plans to sell alcohol Updated: Aug-22-15 2:08 pm
CONWAY, Arkansas - The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees has approved a lease for an on-campus restaurant that plans to sell alcohol.
- Prosecutors, defense argue killings suspect's court attire Updated: Aug-21-15 3:28 pm
CONWAY, Arkansas - Prosecutors and defense lawyers cannot agree on whether a 14-year-old boy charged with capital murder should be in street clothes or jail attire when he appears in court next week.
- HIV positive man arrested for rape of teenager in Conway Updated: Aug-14-15 3:08 pm
CONWAY, Arkansas - Police in Conway say a 27-year-old man who acknowledged having tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS has been arrested on a complaint that he raped a teenager.
- Son of Arkansas governor involved in auto accident in Conway Updated: Aug-14-15 10:23 am
CONWAY, Arkansas - A son of Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson was involved in a two-vehicle auto accident in Conway.
- Truck belonging to missing Vilonia man is found Updated: Aug-13-15 10:46 am
VILONIA, Arkansas - Arkansas State Police say the pickup truck belonging to a missing Vilonia man has been found, but the man and his all-terrain vehicle remain missing.
- Bridge work to cause Interstate 40 lane closures in Conway Updated: Aug-13-15 7:59 am
CONWAY, Arkansas - Construction of a bridge over Interstate 40 in Conway will require the closing of lanes of the interstate.
- 14-year-old in Arkansas charged with killing grandparents Updated: Aug-07-15 8:46 pm
CONWAY, Arkansas - A 14-year-old boy shot and killed his grandparents during a robbery-and-murder scheme hatched while he and two other friends were held in an Arkansas juvenile jail, police and prosecutors said Friday.
- Court hearing set for teen arrested in grandparents' deaths Updated: Aug-04-15 4:55 pm
CONWAY, Arkansas - A judge has scheduled an Aug. 25 hearing for a central Arkansas teenager arrested in connection with his grandparents' deaths.


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Jun 17, 2014, 8:45 PM EDT
The domino effect from Orlando Antigua’s move to South Florida has continued, six weeks after the longtime Kentucky coach was hired to replace Stan Heath.
On Monday night, Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon hired UMass assistant Marlon ‘Smoke’ Williamson to replace Barry ‘Slice’ Rohrssen on his staff, according to a report from Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. Rohrssen was introduced as the newest Kentucky assistant on May 1. Antigua left Lexington and accepted the job at South Florida on March 31.
Williamson spent two years at UMass under head coach Derek Kellogg. Before his stint in Amherst, Williamson worked for the Detroit-based grassroots program, The Family.
Pittsburgh finished 26-10 (11-7 ACC) and reached the Round of 32 in the NCAA tournament.
- UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion flooded after water main break on Sunset Boulevard (PHOTOS/VIDEOS) 0
- John Calipari’s return to Kentucky ‘solely’ due to loyalty to his players 0
- The other side of the July live period: Recruits continue to strive for attention and offers 0
- Seven takeaways from AAU Nationals and Super Showcase 0
- Seven takeaways from Las Vegas for the final AAU weekend of 2014 0
- One college coach’s unique connection to the Peach Jam 0
- July Live Period Week Three Superlatives 0
- Marcus Foster still hasn’t forgotten, or forgiven, those pulled scholarships (3)
- Two surprises after first cuts at Team USA U17 trials (3)
- Top 15 recruit Antonio Blakeney has made the ‘jump’ — literally — to elite status (2)
- The latest allegations against Doug Wojcik involve a physical confrontation (2)
- Coach K: ‘I do not see an end of my road in my college coaching’ (1)


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Portrait of a Lady Posters
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text:
I just started Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout (I'm only on the first chapter). I am thinking that I will like it because I loved the Lux series and the Dark Elements series. I am planning on reading a lot this week to catch up on my Goodreads reading challenge goal. What are you reading?
Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices, #1
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, SciFi, Romance
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date Published: August 31, 2010
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.
The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them…
Can I give a book 6 stars? If I could, I would give every book in this series 6 stars. I loved everything about this book. First off, I definitely have a soft spot for Tessa after everything she’s been through. Then we have Will and Jem. I swear, Cassandra Clare is one of the best at coming up with swoon-worthy characters. Jem and Will are such complex, amazing characters. Next, we have everyone else at the institute: Charlotte, Henry, Jessamine, Sophie, and all of the others. Every single one of them have such well thought-out backstories, it truly is amazing.
Then we have the plot. There were so many different things happening at once
And can we just talk about how creepy the clockwork creatures are? EXTREMELY CREEPY. I finished Clockwork Angel very quick and immediately started Clockwork Prince.
Buy Clockwork Angel:
Today I am participating in a weekly bookish meme called Top Ten Tuesday. The topic is: Ten Books I Loved Less/More than I Thought I Would.
1. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Average Goodreads rating: 4.02 stars
My rating: 2 stars
2. What Light by Jay Asher
Average Goodreads rating: 3.56 stars
My rating: 5 stars
3. Fallen by Lauren Kate
Average Goodreads rating: 3.74 stars
My rating: 2 stars
4. The Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I gave every one of these books 5 stars. This is what the averages were on Goodreads:
Obsidian: 4.24 stars
Onyx: 4.34 stars
Opal: 4.35 stars
Origin: 4.44 stars
Opposition: 4.44 stars
5. Roseblood by A.G. Howard
Average Goodreads rating: 3.49
My rating: N/A
6. The Dark Elements series by Jennifer L. Armentrout
This is pretty much the same thing as the Lux series. I gave these books very high ratings. Here are the average Goodreads ratings:
White Hot Kiss: 4.28 stars
Stone Cold Touch: 4.40 stars
Every Last Breath: 4.31 stars
7. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
This is the same as the Lux series and the Dark Elements series. I gave these books five stars. Here are the average Goodreads ratings:
Clockwork Angel: 4.33 stars
Clockwork Prince: 4.47 stars
Clockwork Princess: 4.59 stars
8. Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst
Average Goodreads rating: 3.68 stars
My rating: N/A
I know this is kind of cheating but these are all of the books I could think of that I liked more or less than other people.
I felt like doing some tags (and I mean a LOT of tags) so, I thought, why not combine a bunch into one post? So, without further ado, enjoy!
My Life in Books Tag
1. Find a book for each of your initials
S- Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout
T- Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare
H- Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
2. Count your age along your bookshelf: What book is it?
Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout
3. Pick a book set in your city/country.
The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout is set near where I live.
4. Pick a book that represents a destination you'd love to travel to.
The Infernal Devices trilogy takes place in London. I would love to visit London someday.
5. Pick a book that is your favorite color.
My favorite color is red and it turns out there aren't many red books. One book that is red is Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.
6. Which book do you have the fondest memories of?
I'd have to say the Lux series because it is my absolute favorite series.
7. Which book did you have the most difficulty reading?
I have tried over and over again to get into Throne of Glass and I haven't been able to. I still haven't gotten into it but I really want to.
8. Which book in your TBR pile will give you the biggest accomplishment when you finish it?
I would have to say Throne of Glass because I've been trying to read it for a while now.
The Aesthetically Pleasing Book Tag
1. Best color combo on a book cover
I love the color combination of The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
2. Best typography/font on a book cover
I think that the font on Cinder by Marissa Meyer is so unique and wonderful.
3. Best simple cover
I don't really know if this counts as simple, but the Dark Elements series has amazing covers!
4. Best endpages
OHMYGOD the endpages of The Shadowhunter's Codex are absolutely GORGEOUS!!!
5. Best map
The only book that has a map I really like is the books in the Mortal Instruments series.
6. Best naked hardback
Again, The Shadowhunter's Codex is beautiful.
7. Best backcover
None of my books really have nice backcovers so I am just going to skip this question. :)
8. Best chapter headers
I love the headers on the chapters of Roseblood by A.G. Howard.
9. Best illustrations
No books that I can think of have illustrations.
10. Best spine
The Mortal Instruments' spines are phenomenal.
11. Favorite cover on your shelves
Some people don't like the new covers, but my favorite is Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare.
You're Not Good Enough Book Tag
1. You only have one more spot on your Spelling Bee team, who would you pick to complete your team?
Daemon Black (Lux) OR America Singer (The Selection)
I would pick Daemon because the Luxen are very advanced so I feel like he'd be good at something like a spelling bee.
2. Both characters want to kil you, which one would you kill first so you have a better chance of surviving?
Katy Swartz (Lux) OR Will Herondale (TID)
Gosh, this is hard. You know what? I would let them kill me because I love them both so much and I could never kill either of them.
3. You're on the Bachelor/Bachelorette and you're down to these two characters, which one are you going to give your rose to?
Damon Salvatore (TVD) OR Simon Lewis (TMI)
I would choose Damon. I don't really have a reason but I love Damon.
4. You've been chosen for the Hunger Games, who would most likely volunteer in your place?
Clary Fray (TMI) OR Ash Thompson (Lux)
I would rely on Clary to volunteer for me because why would Ash volunteer or me? lol.
5. You're stranded on an island. Which character would you sacrifice to engage in cannibalism?
Lissa Dragomir (Vampire Academy) OR Magnus Bane (TMI)
Again, I love these characters too much to kill them.
6. You are the next superhero. Who is your sidekick?
Alec Lightwood (TMI) OR Dimitri Belikov (Vampire Academy)?
BOTH! They would both be amazing sidekicks.
7. Who would you fire for a lack of communication skills?
Andrew Thompson (Lux) OR Jem Carstairs (TID)?
I would fire Andrew because, let's face it, he has no communication skills.
8. You've just finished a book in which your favorite character, who is most likely to comfort you?
Jace Wayland (TMI) OR Sebastian Morgenstern (TMI)?
9. Who would most likely be part of the popular clique?
Adam Thompson (Lux) OR Dee Black (Lux)?
10. Who would forget your birthday?
Christian Ozera (Vampire Academy) OR Isabelle Lightwood (TMI)
Again, neither. :)
11. Who would be a booktube star?
Augustus Waters (TFIOS) OR Tessa Gray (TID)
12. Who would you invite to a sleepover?
Rose Hathaway (Vampire Academy) OR Kaidan Rowe (Sweet Evil)
Rose would be an amazing sleepover buddy!
13. You're pregnant. Who is the father/mother?
Maxon Schreave (The Selection) OR Stefan Salvatore (TVD)
14. Who wouldn't reply to a text?
Anna Whitt (Sweet Evil) OR Dawson Black (Lux)
Neither. They are both too nice.
15. Who replaced your mother?
Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games) OR Adrian Ivashkov (Vampire Academy)
Title: Lose Me
Author: M.C. Frank
Date Published: April 11, 2017
"Today is not the day I die."
Ari starts her every day with this thought.
It can't be that hard to keep that promise to herself,
Weston Spencer is a British actor, the hot new celebrity
everyone's talking about. After wrapping up his hit TV show,
THE WATER WARS, the one that made girls all over the planet
swoon at a glimpse of his dirty blonde hair and emerald eyes,
he comes to a little Greek island to film FIRST SENTENCES,
a modern Pride and Prejudice adaptation.
But on the day before shooting starts,
he is introduced to an unconventional girl
in an unconventional way.
Her name is Ari Demos and she's a half Greek stunt girl,
with a dark secret no one knows
-she's even trying to deny it herself.
Wes dismisses her as too unimportant
when he first meets her, but. . .
Turns out she isn't unimportant.
In fact, quite the opposite.
I need more. I am not ready to let Wes and Ari go. I got so addicted to this book and now that I've finished it, I don't know what to do. I just finished it like 10 minutes ago and I had to write this review now because I loved it so much. This book is now in my top 10 favorite books.
Lose Me is so powerful and amazing. I loved everything about it. Wes and Ari are literally the most adorable couple. I really need more of them. This book will make you laugh and cry (both of joy and sadness).
Lose Me is fantastic and phenomenal and I highly recommend you read it. Oh, and did I mention that I loved it? :)
Title: The Extraordinary Journey of Vivianne Marshall
Author: Shannon Kirk
Publisher: Reputation Books
Date Published: September 6, 2016
What if you could choose your heaven now? Go on a celestial shopping trip of sorts? Thirty-five-year-old Vivienne does just that, as she lies dying in the ICU; a fatal walk into the path of a truck. In her final week of life, Vivienne treks through the Heavens of a priest, a best friend, a homeless child, and a lover who never was. Vivienne’s guardian angel, Noah, who may just be her soul mate, escorts her through selections of Heavens and through the confusion Vivienne experiences as she flounders between a doubt of life and the certainty of death. Although her visits to varied afterlives provide peace and beauty, choosing proves not so easy: Vivienne’s love for her young son and her earthly father pull her from her colorful journey—and from her divine love of Noah.
The nature of love, the variety and magic of life, unending hope, and the importance of saying goodbye are central to this uplifting tale.
This is the perfect book to curl up with some tea or coffee and a blanket and read on a cold winter day. It is an amazing story of love. This book tells the story of Vivianne. She is laying in the hospital dying, and sees a lot of people. Maybe most importantly, she sees Noah.
It's really hard to say a lot about this book without spoiling the best parts. So, I am going to just leave it at this: I really enjoyed reading this book. If you are looking for a book filled with love, this is the one for you.
Buy this book:
The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Goodreads 2021: 3/20


text:
|rakshas||Date: Saturday, 09-February-2013, 3:51 AM | Message # 1|
-- dragon lord--
Group: untoten mage
|Lack of essential services, faulty ventilators and unhygienic conditions led to the death of more than 8,200 children at the Safdarjung Hospital in the past five years, an RTI reply from the hospital has revealed. Taking note of a complaint based on the reply, the National Human Rights |
Commission on Friday issued notices to the secretary, union ministry of health and family welfare, and the medical superintendent of Safdarjung asking them to respond within four weeks.
Medical superintendent of Safdarjung Dr BD Athani, however, said he was yet to receive a copy of the report.
Activist RH Bansal, who had filed the RTI application, told HT, “Of the 18 ventilators assigned for children only five worked. From faulty ventilators to unhygienic conditions to acute shortage of essential services, the hospital authorities ignored everything.” Dubbing it a serious issue of human rights violation, he appealed to the NHRC to intervene.
Read more/full article/source - http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-n....11.aspx


text:
Looks like Lakshmi Rai is making the most of her time shooting for Chiru 150. The young actress who was a sudden entry on to the sets is having a whale of a time and has applauded her dress designer Sushmita for her styling.
Lakshmi took to her Twitter page and appreciated Chiru’s daughter for her efforts. Lawrence master is composing the songs in the film which is directed by V V Vinayak.
Devi Sri prasad composes the music and Ram Charan is the producer.
— RAAI LAXMI (@iamlakshmirai) October 14, 2016
- Storyline locked for Mahesh-Rajamouli film?
- RRR shoot underway – Interesting details here
- Ex-boyfriend opens up about Akshara Haasan’s private pics leak
- After AAA, Ileana returns to Bollywood
- 2.0 to have a free run with less competition


text:
LETTERS; PUBLIC BROADCASTING: A Station's Defense
Published: March 9, 2008
To the Editor:
Re ''Is PBS Still Necessary?'' by Charles McGrath [Feb. 17]:
In cherry-picking through the TV schedule to make his point, Mr. McGrath misses the range and depth of WNET's programming. From science and history to culture and public affairs, WNET has been at the forefront of creating and broadcasting some of PBS's finest programs.
Mr. McGrath may not be aware that we've just shown the premiere of a new season of ''Expos?' the only series on American television devoted to investigative reporting. We've also just started ''Reel 13,'' a weekly series that lets viewers submit and pick short films and that showcases quality independent feature films. And in a unique collaboration with ABC News, WNET just brought the New York Philharmonic's historic concert from North Korea to PBS.
I think Mr. McGrath would be hard pressed to name one other television outlet that is doing this kind of work.
What WNET offers its community -- and all America -- is unique, relevant, and, yes, necessary.
The writer is the president and chief executive of WNET, Channel 13, in New York.


text:
Disney Casting For Movie Extras In Portland!
You can ‘audition’ by email!
By kncipat on June 26, 2018
If you don’t mind a long drive, or short flight to Portland…you could find yourself in a Disney movie!
People of all ages and ethnicities are needed. No experience is necessary.
Filming in the Portland area will take place from July 27 to September 8.
Casting is being handled by Grant Wilfley Casting, Inc. The company will be opening an office in Clackamas.
An open casting call will be held on July 8 in Portland from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel located at 1000 NE Multnomah St.”
You can also apply by email, more info on how to do that here.”


text:
Ever since Donald Trump has gotten elected, Americans are looking forward to him to make America Great Again. However, some are expecting a little more than that and expect him to make ‘America Great Britain Again.’ Sounds strange, right? But not strange for Photoshop graphic designer Michal Krauthamer, who is totally determined in making this dream a reality.
He said, ‘It’s not about politics. It’s about the magic of Photoshop and making you laugh.’ See the pictures below and you’ll see how much closer he is in making this dream a reality and don’t forget to laugh out loud while you’re at it.


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In any other jurisdiction, there are cold case reviews on a regular basis. Even the PSNI is embracing this idea , with the recent activity over the death of Inga Maria Hauser, found dead in April 1988.
As someone said , recently, sad as it is, why her?
The answer of course is that the huge lump of Troubles deaths involve the state and the vast store of documents, implicating it. There are stores in Sprucefield, Seapark and Thiepval, where the army sits on a million copies. The state, in the form of Hamilton, Harris and the faceless people of MI5 will keep the lid on, as best they can.
All the citizen can do is keep probing.
What is additionally disappointing is that the new leaders appear to have gone to Spooks Academy.
Consider the letter written by the deputy director of the PPS in the case of Seamus Ludlow. His understanding of hearsay would shame a first year law student. How did he become deputy director and regurgitate all the lines of the state? Can you guess? Let’s hope he gets well spanked in the High Court.
As part of the week to mark twenty eight years since the murders of my parents, I am posting a secret document, giving an insight into how the state worked.
There will be other posts in this anniversary week.

domain: law


text:
It may be tempting to skip that dental cleaning and checkup – you already have plenty to do, you don’t seem to be having any problems, and your teeth seem clean enough, right? However, there are many good reasons why you shouldn’t skip that dental cleaning and exam!
What happens during a dental exam?
It takes about 6 months for plaque to start building up on teeth – and once it starts building up, it can lead to damage to teeth and eventually gum disease. That’s why a good, thorough cleaning every 6 months is important to remove any plaque. If it isn’t removed in time, plaque calcifies into something called “calculus,” also known as “tartar.” Calculus can’t be removed at home – it takes professional dental tools and professional know-how to get rid of it.
But cleaning teeth is just one part of your dental checkup. It may be time for you to get some dental x-rays, which your dentist will use to make sure that you don’t have tooth decay or other problems underneath the gum line and will also be used to make sure you don’t have even more serious problems, such as cysts, tumors, or bone loss. Your dentist will also check your gums to make sure they are healthy and show no signs of gum disease. He or she will check your neck, gums, throat, and tongue for any signs of cancer. And, any dental prosthetics you may have, such as veneers, bridges, or cavity fillings, will be checked to make sure they are in good condition.
A dental exam is also a great opportunity to discuss with your dentist any concerns you might have or to ask questions about procedures such as full mouth reconstruction.
Your dental checkup is a quick, easy way to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy and problem-free. Problems with your oral health won’t get better on their own, and in time they can cause other, more serious issues. If it is time for a good cleaning, or if you are noticing pain or problems, Hampton Dental Associates in Milwaukee can help. Call (414) 464-9021 for an appointment today!

domain: health


Todd Coolman, Bruce Barth & Peter Bernstein
Veteran bassist Todd Coolman has engaged a high-power trio that features pianist Bruce Barth and guitarist Peter Bernstein. Join them for an evening of swinging trio.
Doors at 7:30 PM
Shows at 8 PM and 9:30 PM.
$25 - listening room reserved seats. $20 bar/lounge
To reserve a seat in the listening room, click on the link below. This is per set. However, if there is space you will be invited to stay.


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For Coca-Cola Co.'s defined contribution plan participants, things don't always go better with Coke.
Participants in the Atlanta-based company's $2.4 billion defined contribution plan have seen the paper value of their employer stock holdings drop by 19%, or $419 million.
That's because 92% of the plan's assets are in company stock; as of Nov. 10, Coke stock had dropped to 721/16, down from its 52-week high of 8815/16.
Similarly, at Rockwell International Corp., Pittsburgh, 66% of the $4.5 billion defined contribution plan's assets are in company stock, which on Nov. 10 was down 25% from its 52-week-high of 615/8 That means employees suffered a paper loss of $743 million on their holdings.
The stock of PPG Industries Inc., also in Pittsburgh, was down 24% from its 52-week-high of 765/8 and 67% of its $2.6 billion defined contribution plan assets are in PPG stock. This resulted in a paper loss of $425 million.
Participants in the $1.8 billion defined contribution plan of Kimberly-Clark Corp., Dallas, experienced a paper loss of $233 million; 77% of plan assets are in company stock that, as of Nov. 10, was down 17% from its 52-week high 597/16.
It is mainly large companies that match their employee contributions with company stock and offer defined contribution plan participants the choice of investing in company stock. Of the 626 corporate funds in Pensions & Investments' 1997 survey of the nation's 1,000 largest employee benefit plans, 108 sponsoring com- panies have more than 50% of their defined contribution plan assets in their own stock and 46 have more than 30% of the assets of their defined contribution plans in company stock.
Officials at most of these companies don't want to say too much about the effect of the stock market volatility on their defined contribution plans' company stock holdings.
Coca-Cola spokesman Bill Hensel said, "Coke stock has been a tremendous performer. Employees who work here and have worked here see a lot of benefits in owning company stock."
Scott Mechling, manager-pension assets management, Rockwell International, would say only that, "We're trying to get the Rockwell stock (price) back up."
At Kimberly-Clark, A.J. Sinha, manager of finance, said: "We are not encouraging or discouraging employees (to buy company stock).
"We have quite a wide range of choice for our employees," with several mutual funds offered in the 401(k) plan portion of its defined contribution plan.
Although the stock market dip that began in the summer seems to have been a short-lived correction, the issue of what would happen if a long-term bear market took hold is important.
Participants in defined contribution plans who own a lot of company stock "could be in double jeopardy" in a long-term bear market, said Stacy Schaus, principal at Hewitt Associates, Lincolnshire, Ill. If a recession accompanied the bear market, employees "could lose their (jobs) and if the company stock they're so heavily invested in is down, and they need to dip into those assets, which would incur a tax penalty," the financial consequences could be serious.
"All in all, it's not a pretty picture," she added.
Not everyone agrees. "We would view a sustained bear market as a buying opportunity for our stock," said Neil Darling, manager of investment analysis at Chevron Corp., San Francisco. In the company's $7.4 billion defined contribution plans -- which include profit-sharing, leveraged ESOP and 401(k) plans -- 85% of the assets are in Chevron stock, which is down 9% from its 52-week-high of 903/16.
Indeed, at many companies that include their stock as a choice in the 401(k) plan portion of their defined contribution plans, employees often buy more when the price goes down.
"Employees seem to buy more of their company's stock when the market goes down because they think it's cheap," even as they sell other stocks, said Shlomo Benartzi, an accounting professor at the University of California-Los Angeles. As a consequence, "they end up with a less diversified portfolio."
There is an unusual phenomenon, according to Mr. Benartzi, in which company employees "don't think of their company's stock the way they think of other stocks. They seem to think it can't go down. Company stock is perceived as safer than a diversified portfolio of lots of stocks."
Many employees who think this way end up with portfolios that are invested 40% in company stock, 30% in other stocks and 30% in bonds, Mr. Benartzi said.
Studies showing 401(k) plan participants with their assets split 60-40 between stocks and bonds are misleading, he said.
In reality, plans without company stock generally are invested 50-50 in stocks and bonds. Those with company stock generally have a 70% equity and 30% bond exposure.
The large company stock exposure concerns Mr. Benartzi, who worries employees may end up with a large exposure to a single security in the midst of a bear market.
The recent market drop probably will cause changes in 401(k) plans that are heavily invested in company stock, said Adele Heller, a consultant with BARRA RogersCasey, Darien, Conn.
"Diversification is becoming important again," she said.
In addition, in instances where a company is matching 401(k) plan contributions with company stock, she expects efforts will be made to allow employees to move their assets out of the company stock within a year of its contribution. Current restrictions vary. Some companies allow employees to move their matching stock to other investments right away, but many require them to wait from one to three years or until they reach a certain age, generally beginning at age 45, according to Ms. Heller.
"I think there is already pressure on companies to make their matching contributions in cash," said Ms. Heller, who expects more companies to do start doing it.
However, there is also the belief that investment in company stock -- especially with large companies -- should be looked on as a long-term investment and not evaluated in terms of short-term stock market volatility.
"These are long-term plans and if company stock is issued it is because of a long-term asset allocation strategy," said David Wray, executive director of the Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America, Chicago.
"A company stock decision should never be made in light of market volatility. These are long-term programs and (investors) should never respond to market volatility."
Mr. Wray pointed out it is mainly large companies that have large holdings of company stock in their 401(k) plans. "These large companies have had an enormously successful track record. (At most companies) where company stock is concentrated (in 401(k) plans) the participants have done very well," he said.
The 401(k) Council advocates the use of company stock in 401(k) plans "in the right circumstances," Mr. Wray said. "I think it's very much an individual decision. In some companies it makes sense."


02/07/2021 – Sustainable waterproof technology — auf Deutsch lesen
Helly Hansen releases Lifa Infinity
Helly Hansen launches new Lifa technology: Lifa Infinity – with recycled outer fabric and a PFC-free coating for outdoor clothing.
For Spring/Summer 2021, the new Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket offers lightweight comfort and protection featuring the brand’s responsible professional grade waterproof/breathable Lifa Infinity technology without any added PFCs.
The Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket
Using LIFA technology, a proprietary Helly Hansen fiber that is lightweight and hydrophobic, the Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket is constructed with a fully waterproof/breathable Lifa Infinity membrane, which is achieved without the use of chemicals.
In addition to the revolutionary membrane, the 3L jacket is built with a recycled face fabric and a PFC-free durable water repellent treatment, delivering the extreme waterproofness and breathability of Helly Tech Professional construction. With Lifa Infinity, part of the brand’s most innovative and sustainable waterproof/breathable technology to date, the Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket offers responsible and superior professional grade performance.
The jacket is also compatible for layering and features a lightweight, articulated construction for a better fit and optimal comfort. Additional features include a helmet and backpack compatible construction, large front pockets with double pullers for maximum and easy-to-access storage, an adjustable hood and a Recco reflector for added safety, enabling the wearer to be searchable to rescuers.
Philip Tavell, Managing Director at Helly Hansen:
“We wanted to design a responsible jacket specifically made for the core performance-driven mountaineers. With the Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket, we’re excited to introduce the next level of responsible waterproof/breathable technology, in a lightweight, PFC-free, comfortable and compatible jacket that delivers on professional grade performance.”
Available in both men’s and women’s specific styles, the Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket can be paired with the Verglas Infinity Shell Pant.
- Helly Hansen is a leader in technical sailing and performance ski apparel, as well as premium workwear. Helly Hansen’s outerwear, base layers, sportswear and footwear are sold in more than 40 countries.
- Professional insight and feedback have been at the center of Helly Hansen’s development and design process for over 140 years. The Norwegian-based brand works closely with professionals to push their innovation forward with gear that delivers the highest level of performance and protection.


If you went to Atlanta, GA this past weekend then you might know a new thing or two about escorts. Having spent my fair share of time in Buckhead, I know just how crazy it can get. With more than 75,000 flocking to the ATL for some primetime NFL action, that creates a lot of hype and excitement for some industries, one being the escorting industry.
Escorts Capitalize On Super Bowl Fans
Apparently, fans in Atlanta had to deal with the wrath of these annoying sex workers taking advantage of them. There were apparently escorts that infiltrated Atlanta all in hopes of taking some of that NFL cash over the weekend.
One website in particular called AdultLook (learn more here) had apparently been open about offering NFL fans the opportunity to spend a night with the “woman that you’ve always dreamed about.”
These women were supposedly harassing and offering lonely men an experience that they’d never forget and all for a price between $80 and $800 depending on the girl and services requested. Some of the women were self-described as being “independent,” “weed-friendly,” and with “super nice” boobies.
These women presented themselves as females willing to offer the ultimate fantasy for any man that wanted that and more. The escorts were offering strange services such as domination, role playing, foot fetish, and sensual massages.
Some of the women were posing as bucket list items that you’ll never forget and promising to deliver what they claimed to be exotic erotic” massages.
What Patriot fans and Rams fans did not know was that these girls are more trouble than they are worth. They’ll rob you blind, rush things, and do anything that they can to get your cold hard cash.
Over the weekend, more than 800 escorts had posted classified ads offering call girl services on just one site, Adultlook.com. Some of these women went the legit route and they attempted to get a license to work at one of the local strip clubs.
Due to the number of permit applications, the License and Permit Office of Atlanta actually ran out of ink to print the applications.
Super Bowl 53 took place at the Mercedes Benz Center and tens of thousands visited the Magic City strip club as well as the Blue Flame club. These women likely made out like bandits given that they were able to overcharge a lot of fans that were willing to pay a premium price just to say they hooked up with an escort.
Here’s the thing, with escorts comes law enforcement. The ATL undercover task force was in full effect I’m sure and I’ll be shocked if they didn’t make some arrests of unruly fans making bad choices hiring hookers from the shady AdulLook.com website. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. There’s absolutely no reason to hire a hooker, especially during the Super Bowl Weekend.
How many times have I told you this? SO MANY!
Do yourself a favor and stay away from these girls. They don’t want anything but your money and perhaps to pass along a lifelong disease. Use Tinder, Bumble, or some sex app, just don’t hire a hooker.
I guess that this type of thing is going to be even worse next year for the Super Bowl. The reason is, it’s taking place in Miami, FL and it’s perhaps the most notorious place in the world for escorts and pimps. Truth be told, it’s really not safe for anyone, not even the girls. Escorts have been shot for “giving bad brain” and it happens more than you think. Remember, Miami is an international hub with the finest strip clubs in America. Get ready because Tootsie’s nightclub and the rest of the 305 will be wild.