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Oil price, Gulfsands, Longboat, Orcadian, Hurricane, Deltic, Europa. And finally…
Malcy2023-01-11T17:03:33+00:0011 January 2023|Categories: Daily Blog|Tags: Deltic Energy, Europa Oil & Gas, Gulfsands Petroleum, Hurricane Energy, Longboat Energy, Orcadian Energy|0 Comments
WTI (Feb) $74.63 +49c, Brent (Feb) $80.10 +45c, Diff -$5.47 +45c.
USNG (Feb) $3.63 -2.7c, UKNG (Feb) 171.27p -11.55p, TTF (Feb) €68.005 -€5.0.
Oil rallied a little after the World Bank cut its GDP forecast probably proving what most people think of its forecasting ability and today's big rises in stocks…
Gulfsands Petroleum
ILLEGAL OIL PRODUCTION IN NORTH-EAST SYRIA
This weekend marked six years since Gulfsands was informed that its Block 26 fields in North-East Syria, under force majeure in order to comply with UK sanctions, had been returned to significant and regular production – illegally. We now know that the perpetrators of this illicit production were, and continue to be, entities affiliated with the self-proclaimed Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (the "AANES"), Syrian Democratic Forces ("SDF") and Syrian Democratic Council ("SDC").
Since then, over 41 million barrels of oil have been stolen with a value of almost US$2.9 billion(*). These ongoing losses continue to be monitored and measured at www.gulfsands.com.
Gulfsands' Block 26 assets have been illegally produced at a rate of around 20,000 barrels of oil per day during this period, but this is just a small portion of the total theft in the region. It is widely reported that production in North-East Syria is currently estimated to be four times this amount, at around 80,000 barrels of oil per day (worth around US$7 million per day at today's prices).
The biggest travesty of all is that only a minimal amount of this value finds its way to benefit the Syrian people. OCHA reports that 14.6 million Syrians are in need of aid, 90% live below the poverty line and 80% are assessed to be food insecure. It is also estimated that there are more around 5.4 million people internally displaced within Syria and around 5.6 million Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries.
This illegal oil trade takes place on the black market, away from regulation and oversight, meaning prices are depressed and the potential for corruption is high. The majority of this oil therefore benefits illicit actors, not the Syrian people. This also leads to unsafe, unregulated, and hugely environmentally damaging oil field practices which also have a catastrophic effect on the health of local communities.
It is immensely frustrating and disappointing that several influential countries appear to turn a blind eye to this illicit production which contravenes international law, sovereignty, international sanctions and the principles of UNSCR 2254.
This is not just an issue in Syria, but illicit oil trade is a global issue – the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER) estimates illicit oil theft accounts for 5-7% of the global market for crude oil and petroleum fuel, valued at approximately US$133 billion each year. In some countries, including Syria, oil and gas is the main source of indigenous natural wealth. Illicit oil trade negatively impacts oil producing economies' energy security, valuable income (for its people), inward and outward investment, security and stability, and damages both the local environment and global environment (due to oil being produced using poor health, safety, security and environmental standards).
Gulfsands is pioneering a Humanitarian and Economic Stimulus initiative which would pave the way for international energy companies (which have all declared force majeure as result of international sanctions) to return to operations in North-East Syria, with allocated revenues from oil sales deposited in an internationally administered fund and disbursed to finance early recovery, humanitarian and economic stimulus projects across the country – in line with UNSCR's and for the benefit of all Syrian people who can, and should, benefit from their country's national resource endowment to build self-sustainability and resilience for the future. We call this initiative Project Hope.
With investment and expertise, we estimate that production in North-East Syria could be increased from 80,000 boepd to around 500,000 boepd and generate around US$20 billion per annum. This could fund hundreds of medical and educational facilities and economic initiatives as well as create thousands of jobs. To put this into context, the US Government's total funding available for the Syria humanitarian response in FY2021-22 was US$895 million (Source: USAID, "Complex Emergency Fact Sheet #7 FY22"- 6/10/2022), and the UK's FCDO total funding in Syria during the crisis from Feb 2012 to March 2022 was £1.6 billion (Source: UKAid Syria Crisis response Summary – July 2022).
Gulfsands continues to work with partners in the international community to raise the profile of this issue and generate support for this important Project Hope initiative.
If you are interested to hear more follow Gulfsands on in Linkedin and the Company's website at www.gulfsands.com.
Gulfsands continue to ask people to hear their case and act on it. This is posted on the anniversary of the sanctions complicity and it remains their intention to ensure that the Project Hope initiative is fully supported.
Longboat Energy
Longboat has announced the award of new licences under the Norwegian 2022 APA Licensing Round (Awards in Predefined Areas).
Licence 1182 S Block 35/10 – Lotus
Licence 1182 S (Company 30%) lies in the prolific Norwegian North Sea, 4kms southeast of the Company's recent significant Kveikje discovery where Longboat is a 10% equity partner.
The Lotus prospect comprises Paleocene injectite sandstones, characterised by excellent reservoir properties, with seismic amplitude support. The Lotus award allows Longboat to continue to build its presence in this prolific exploration and development area and exploit its deep knowledge of injectite reservoirs gained through the Kveikje discovery, which has porosities of 30%. Lotus is directly analogous to Kveikje.
Based on the Company's estimates, Lotus contains gross mean prospective resources of 27 mmboe* with further potential upside estimated at 44 mmboe*. The chance of success associated with the Lotus prospect is 56%* with the key risk being hydrocarbon retention.
If successful, Lotus is very likely to form part of an area cluster development together with Kveikje, and potentially several other recent discoveries in the area, through infrastructure associated with the nearby giant Troll field. The licence award will increase the attractiveness of Longboat's existing position in Kveikje.
The work programme consists of a firm exploration well within the initial two-year period. The license will be operated by DNO Norge AS (40%) and the other partner is Aker BP ASA (30%).
PL1100C Oswig South Extension
The PL1100 group has been successfully granted licence PL1100C (Company 20%) containing Oswig South, a potential southerly extension of the recent Oswig gas-condensate discovery. The Oswig South prospect is located at a shallower depth than Oswig, and is therefore expected to have better reservoir quality.
The Oswig South prospect has been significantly de-risked by the Oswig discovery and has the potential to double the size of the existing discovery.
The work programme is one year and consists of technical studies. The other partners in PL1100C are OMV (Norge) AS (40%, operator), WintershallDEA Norge AS (20%) and Source Energy AS (20%).
PL293 CS Kveikje Discovery Extensions
The Kveikje discovery partner group (Company 10%) has successfully been granted two additional extension areas to the original licence covering the upside potential of the high-quality oil discovery announced in April 2022.
Partners in licence PL293 CS are Equinor Energy AS (51%, operator), DNO Norge AS (29%), INPEX Idemitsu Norge AS (10%) and Longboat Energy Norge (10%).
Exploration Finance Facility ("EFF")
Longboat is also pleased to confirm it has now executed the amended facility documentation with its lending banks to increase its EFF to NOK 800 million (~£65 million) from NOK 600 million and extend the availability period to the end of 2024.
Helge Hammer, Chief Executive of Longboat, commented:
"We are pleased to have successfully been offered these additional, low-risk licences, which could add substantial value to two of our core areas where Longboat has already discovered significant volumes during 2022. We look forward to working with our partners to build on this success and add incremental volumes in these emerging development areas."
For Longboat these awards are important as they not only potentially add to the size and scale of existing discoveries but they also give the company the flexibility to restructure the portfolio and trade to its advantage. This means that they will be able trade up before the exploration comes in later in the year.
Orcadian has entered into a non-binding Heads of Agreement with Rapid Oil Production Ltd to dispose of its interests in the Company's non-core Crinan and Dandy discoveries.
· Rapid is progressing the development of the nearby Fyne field, with the intention of achieving FDP Approval in 2023, and could bring Crinan into production as part of the Fyne cluster in phase two or three of the field development. This could potentially be followed by a Dandy tie-back via Fyne.
· If this progresses to completion, Orcadian would receive a cash consideration of US$500,000 (US$100,000 on signature of a binding Sale and Purchase Agreement, and US$400,000 on Crinan FDP Approval) plus a royalty on oil and gas produced from the fields.
Steve Brown, Orcadian's CEO, commented:
"We are delighted to have reached an initial agreement with Rapid Oil, on the proposed disposal of these non-core assets. Rapid Oil are focussed on achieving a development plan approval for Fyne and Crinan and we believe they will be best placed to develop the Dandy fields through the same infrastructure. We look forward to converting these heads of terms into a binding agreement and will provide further updates as negotiations progress; and we look forward to potentially sharing in the cash flow from these discoveries if these fields are developed."
Hallvard Hasselknippe, Rapid Oil Production's CEO commented:
"We are pleased to add the potential of the Crinan and Dandy resources to our field development plan for the Fyne field, this adds approximately 7 MMbbl to our contingent resources. In particular Crinan will be a very cost efficient add-on as it can be drilled from the Fyne Central location."
This comes on the back of this announcement yesterday.
Management has completed an update of their estimate of technically recoverable resources for the Pilot field
· Technically recoverable resources have increased 18% to 97 MMbbl for a P50 case based upon a polymer flood development scheme
· Comprehensive geophysical interpretation and geological and dynamic reservoir modelling work completed with support from Axis and TRACS
· Upside resource estimate for Pilot alone is now 131 MMbbl.
Orcadian's estimate of Pilot field resources was audited in a CPR by Sproule in 2021 and was included in the Company's Admission Document. Sproule assigned 78.8 MMbbl of 2P reserves to the project, 1P reserves were 58.5 MMbbl and 3P reserves were 110.5 MMbbl.
Since listing Orcadian has licensed and, with support from Axis, interpreted newly reprocessed seismic data over Pilot, which resulted in an uplift to the developed area oil-in-place. TRACS then constructed a range of geological realisations and the Orcadian team ran multiple dynamic reservoir simulations to establish a new range of technically recoverable resources.
The multiple geological models were designed to incorporate the full range of heterogeneity that we see as possible across the Pilot field, and the new full-field reservoir models were then calibrated to the results of our polymer core flood experimental results. These models have been tested with a range of possibilities for multiple parameters and from that work the team have derived a statistical range of developed area recovery factors which is highly consistent with the range of recovery factors adopted by Sproule in the CPR. This convergence provides great confidence in the latest range of resource estimates as the estimates of recovery factor have been arrived at from two entirely different routes: a stochastic reservoir simulation approach (Orcadian management) and by comparison with analogue fields (Sproule).
"We are very pleased with the results of this updated resource estimate. This is the culmination of eighteen months of work, which started with the interpretation of the newly reprocessed seismic from TGS. Since then, working with TRACS, we have constructed multiple geological realisations and tested our development plan taking into account both downside scenarios as well as the exciting upside possibilities.
"A thorough understanding of the reservoir and how it will perform is the foundation of any sound development plan. We are confident that this work has not only given us that understanding, but will also provide an excellent basis for potential farm-in partners to evaluate the Pilot development in the coming months."
These two announcements are positive for Orcadian as the key pilot development has had a decent upgrade in the resource estimate and they have disposed of a non-core asset albeit for a very modest amount.
Hurricane Energy
Hurricane has provided a trading and operational update ahead of its results for the year ended 31 December 2022. This information is unaudited, and subject to further review and adjustments. Also provided is an update on the ongoing formal sales process.
Trading Update
· Production and oil sales for the year ended 31 December 2022:
o Production: 3.1 MMbbls (average of 8,464 bopd)
o Oil sales: 3.2 MMbbls across 6 cargoes
· Operations
o Aoka Mizu FPSO uptime of 99% during 2022
· Key financials for the year ended 31 December 2022
o Revenue: $311 million (2021: $241 million)
o Average realised oil price: $97/bbl (2021: $67/bbl)
o Year-end net free cash(1): $122 million
1. Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, plus current financial trade and other receivables, current oil price derivatives, less current financial trade and other payables.
Lancaster Field Operations Update
The following table details production volumes, water cut and minimum flowing bottom hole pressure for the 205/21a-6 ("P6") well during December 2022.
December 2022 Lancaster Field Data
P7z(2)
Oil produced during the month (Mbbls)
Average oil rate (bopd)
Water produced during the month (Mbbls)
Average water cut(3)
Well gauge pressure (psia)(4)
2. The 205/21a-7z ("P7z") well was not on production during December 2022
3. Expressed as total water produced divided by total fluid (oil and water) production
4. Pressure reported is the monthly minimum from well downhole gauge
As of 9 January 2023, Lancaster was producing c.7,800 bopd from the P6 well alone with an associated water cut of c.51%.
The 32nd cargo of Lancaster oil, totalling approximately 544Mbbls, was lifted on 10 December 2022. This cargo was priced by reference to the average of the last five days of December 2022's Dated Brent quotes, being $81.0/bbl. The next cargo is anticipated to be lifted in mid-February 2023.
Financial Update
As of 31 December 2022, the Company had net free cash(1) of $122 million, including the revenue from the December 2022 lifting.
2023 Production Guidance
Management's production guidance for the full calendar year 2023 is 5,900 – 7,100 bopd. This assumes FPSO production planned uptime of 96.5% and production from the P6 well alone on artificial lift via ESP. Guidance also includes the impact of an annual maintenance shutdown, anticipated to occur during Q3 2023.
Formal Sales Process Update
Hurricane has conducted a thorough process to identify interest in the Company's assets. Hurricane invited participants in the formal sales process to submit indicative proposals by 7 January 2023. Hurricane has received multiple proposals from credible counterparties, which were fully compliant with the requirements of the FSP, as well as a number of less defined expressions of further interest. It should be noted that all of the proposals received were highly conditional and subject to further due diligence. In addition, each proposal contains a structured element requiring further clarification and assessment by Hurricane and its advisers
There can be no certainty as to the level of any offers resulting from the FSP, if any. Hurricane will provide further updates in due course.
Hurricane will provide an update on the proposed requisition of a general meeting of shareholders by Crystal Amber Fund Limited by close of business on 12 January 2023.
Antony Maris, Chief Executive Officer of Hurricane, commented:
"2022 has been highly eventful and highly successful. Working closely alongside our FPSO operator we have delivered superb uptime performance and produced towards the upper end of our annual production target. The field has now produced more than 15 million barrels and, with our deep understanding of the depletion dynamics of the field, we expect to continue this excellent performance in 2023.
This strong performance coupled with oil prices has allowed us to finish the year with a robust balance sheet, no debt and fully funded decommissioning liabilities. This, together with our experienced, committed and capable team and profitable ongoing production, provides an excellent platform to create future value for shareholders.
It was disappointing that despite the enormous efforts of our team, and extensive interactions over many months, we could not get the required comfort from the regulatory authorities to invest in additional production from Lancaster. However, alongside our operational activity, we have been active in the M&A market both through our own formal sales process and in seeking new assets for our own portfolio.
We continue our work on the FSP which we are focused on bringing to a successful conclusion, albeit there can be no certainty as to its outcome. We are pleased by the strong interest we have seen thus far.
This coming year brings its own challenges and we look to deliver both near term shareholder returns through either the successful outcome of the formal sale process or with a substantial capital return programme, as well as creating additional value for our shareholders."
As usual in recent Hurricane announcements the market is none the wiser after the event.
Deltic Energy
Deltic has announced that Shell, the Operator of exploration well 41/05a-2 on Licence P2252 (Shell 65%, Deltic 30%, ONE-Dyas 5% Working Interests), in the Southern North Sea has reported that gas has been encountered in the reservoir and has recommended to the Joint Venture that a full well testing programme be undertaken.
The JV has endorsed the Operator's recommendation to undertake a full well test to evaluate the commerciality of the Pensacola prospect and update the geological model.
Deltic will provide a drilling update announcement in respect of Pensacola on completion of well testing which is expected to take approximately 30 days.
Graham Swindells, Chief Executive of Deltic Energy, commented:
"We are very pleased to have encountered hydrocarbons in the Pensacola exploration well at this intermediate stage of well operations. We now look forward to working with the Operator on the well testing programme, and will update the market once that programme is completed."
Should this pan out as it looks like it might this is very good news for Deltic and its patient shareholders. If this is the case and the testing is successful the 40% gain today will be just the start of the rally…
Europa Oil & Gas
Europa has provided an operational update on its current activities and the outlook for 2023.
Onshore UK
Europa continues to benefit from the excellent performance of the Company's onshore UK producing assets, particularly the Wressle oilfield in the East Midlands (Europa working interest: 30%). The Company's total UK net production in December 2022 averaged over 300 bopd, and Europa anticipates an active year for Wressle, with a firm development well planned to be drilled for the Penistone horizon in H2 2023 (subject to necessary permits and consents) and preparation for a second Penistone well and Broughton North exploration well to be drilled in 2024. When the Penistone horizon comes online, expected in Q4 2023, the Board forecasts group production net to Europa of over 500 boepd. The production is complemented by the gas monetisation solutions planned for Wressle via a "Gas to Wire" system, forecast to be completed in Q2 2023, and a gas export pipeline, developed in parallel with the Penistone well, expected to be operational by Q4 2023. Both gas monetisation solutions will not only enhance production from the field and substantially increase revenues but will also eliminate routine flaring from the Wressle field.
The Company is also looking at optimising production operations at its Crosby Warren and West Firsby sites (Europa working interest: 100%), which continue to provide stable production of over 40 bopd.
Offshore UK
In conjunction with the Company's partner i3 Energy, in 2023 Europa will continue to explore options for the development of the Serenity oil field in the Outer Moray Firth area of the North Sea (Europa working interest: 25%). The discovered reserve would likely be developed as a subsea tie-back to Repsol Sinopec's Tain Field. The field could be a unitised development which would be highly material to Europa, with net production to Europa anticipated to be circa 1,000 bopd. Further updates will be provided as development discussions between the Serenity and Tain partners progress.
Europa has a 100% interest in licence FEL 4-19, which contains the significant Inishkea gas prospect. The Company has engaged Llamas and Bannister Energy Advisors Ltd to assist with a farm out process which will commence shortly (https://labenergyadvisors.com/). In the event of a successful discovery at Inishkea, Europa believes that the field alone has the potential to supply at least two thirds of the gas required for the 2 Gigawatts of new gas-fired power generation committed to in the Irish Government's updated Climate Action Plan. The adjacent producing Corrib gas field is one of the lowest carbon-intensity gases in Europe, much lower than UK imported gas, with a carbon emission intensity of 4.5 kilograms per boe, compared to 22 kilograms per boe for UK imported gas. The Board considers it to be probable that gas from Inishkea would be of similarly low carbon intensity.
The Company continues to assess new opportunities focussing on appraisal and development projects which provide significant value-accretion whilst minimising risk. This includes participating in the North Sea Transition Authority's 33rd licensing round, where the application period closes this week.
Europa is working to contribute to local energy security and the global transition to a low carbon economy whilst delivering value to stakeholders. The Company recognises that a wide range of Environmental, Social and Governance topics form the basis of how it conducts its business and operations. The Company will be building on the ESG foundations that have already been laid and during 2023 will set meaningful goals to help contribute towards the 2050 Net Zero target.
The Europa Board has approved a 2023 budget which includes net committed capex of £5.1 million across the asset base. The Company has a forecast net cash position of £4.6 million at 31 January 2023. In addition, it forecasts that it will generate £4.2 million in free cash flow during 2023 (pre-capex).
Simon Oddie, CEO of Europa, commented:
"We are very excited about the outlook for Europa as we enter 2023. The Wressle oilfield continues to outperform expectations and complements production from our operated assets at Crosby Warren and West Firsby and our interest in Whisby, to provide valuable cashflow to fund the ongoing development of our asset base. In addition, our existing cash balance and ongoing cashflow allows us to seek other opportunities, both onshore and offshore.
The Europa Board adopts a prudent approach, balancing the inherent risks associated with exploration, appraisal and development against the value creation of these upstream activities. The 2023 budget reflects this risk assessed value-driven approach and I look forward to updating the market on our progress throughout the year."
I have not yet caught up with EOG, my fault not theirs but it seems to me that it is leaning heavily on Wressle for its valuation although we don't share such positive views on Serenity…and that FEL- 19 is some way away.
Last night in the Haribo Cup the Addicks went to the Theatre of Dreams and despite losing 3-0 gave a good account for most of the match…And the Foxes couldnt keep up with the Magpies who went through to the semis 2-0.
Tonight Forest play Wolves and the noisy Neighbours are at the Saints.
And as David Beckham's 2nd son arrived at training for Brentford he asked the coach "what number shirt am I?
The coach said "wear four out there Romeo".


The unique history of the Timberland boot began back in 1952 when Nathan Swartz, a hardworking stitcher and gentleman from Boston, Massachusetts, owned part interest in the Abington Shoe Company. It was then that he developed the rich New England heritage flare of the Timberland Boot.
Timberland's brand has been rooted firmly in the rugged boot market since day one. The unique culture and product design is founded on their outdoor lifestyle—whether that's wooded trails or city streets. Thanks to the urban fashion culture in the 1980s, Timberland grew from being a great outdoors/worker boot to a good at home in the city street boot. While staying committed to quality, the brand began to expand the collection to include boat shoes, backpacks, travel accessories, casual classics and apparel.


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Q: ClassLoader does not find resource files following build I have been running into issues trying to direct the Java ClassLoader to retrieve JSON files from the test/resources directory following deployment.
public class TestFileUtil {
    private static final ClassLoader classLoader = TestFileUtil.class.getClassLoader();

    public static Map<String, Object> getJsonFileAsMap(String fileLocation) {

        try {
            return new ObjectMapper().readValue(getTestFile(fileLocation), HashMap.class);
        } catch (IOException e) {
            throw new RuntimeException("Error converting JSON file to a Map", e);
        }
    }

    private static File getTestFile(String fileLocation) {

        return new File(classLoader.getResource(fileLocation).getFile());
    }
}

The utility has no problems during local testing with Mockito like so:
public class LocalTest {

    @Before
    public void setUp() {
        Mockito.when(mockDataRetrievalService.getAssetJsonById(Mockito.any())).thenReturn(TestFileUtil.getJsonFileAsMap("test.json"));
    }
}

However this line throws a FileNotFound exception when building in our deployed environments.
When using a relative directory path "../../test.json", I am seeing FileNotFound exceptions in both environments.
Local directory structure:
test
| java
| |- project
| |  |- LocalTest
| |- util
| |  |- TestFileUtil.class
| resources
| |- test.json

After deployment:
test
| com
| | project
| | | dao
| | | | LocalTest
| | other project
| | | | util
| | | | | TestFileUtil.class
| | | | | test.json

Is there any special behavior or a required directory structure associated with using the ClassLoader in automated builds?

A: The problem most likely is this:
new File(classLoader.getResource(fileLocation).getFile());

The getFile() method of the URL class does not return a valid file name.  It just returns the path portion of the URL, which is not guaranteed to be a valid filename.  (The method name made sense when the URL class was introduced as part of Java 1.0, since nearly all URLs did in fact refer to physical files, either on the same machine or on a different machine.)
The argument to ClassLoader.getResource is not a filename.  It's a relative URL, whose base is each location in the ClassLoader's classpath.  If you want to read a resource bundled with your application, do not try to convert the resource URL to a file.  Read the URL as a URL instead:
public class TestFileUtil {
    private static final ClassLoader classLoader = TestFileUtil.class.getClassLoader();

    public static Map<String, Object> getJsonFileAsMap(String fileLocation) {

        try {
            return new ObjectMapper().readValue(getTestFile(fileLocation), HashMap.class);
        } catch (IOException e) {
            throw new RuntimeException("Error converting JSON file to a Map", e);
        }
    }

    private static URL getTestFile(String fileLocation) {

        return classLoader.getResource(fileLocation);
    }
}

If you want to read a file that is not part of your application, don't use getResource at all.  Just create a File instance.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Easy Employee Onboarding Guide for Small Business Owners
(or "How to Build the Perfect Worker")
Julia Layton
Whether you're a rookie in the world of hiring employees or you just want to know how to do it better, a proper onboarding program can do wonders for you and your business.
To help, we've brought in the experts (five of them, in fact) to run through the what, the why and the how of setting up the perfect onboarding plan for you. And in the end, you'll learn how to turn your new hire into your best hire ever.
But What Is Onboarding?
Onboarding is the process of bringing a new employee into the fold. Using both old- and new-fashioned psychology, it helps increase the odds a new hire will succeed and stick around. In a 2015-2016 Gallup poll, 88% of US employees said their employers weren't that great at it.
In related news, 40% of survey respondents weren't entirely clear what their employers expected of them, two-thirds weren't all that engaged in their work, and about half were looking for something better.
Key Stats from Gallup's State of the American Workplace Report
Why Onboarding Matters to Your Business
It's not 1957. Employees aren't sticking around for a pension and a gold watch.
"These days, the job market is becoming increasingly competitive, with many employees constantly seeking to jump or change jobs if other opportunities and perks are available," writes psychology researcher Bethany Lanvins-Merillat.
"The time and resources necessary to invest in finding the right fit for your organization may be quickly lost if the employee is not strategically and astutely incorporated into their new role and office culture," writes Lanvins-Merillat in an email.
One recent study by the Aberdeen Group found that companies with the best onboarding processes retained 91% of their new hires at one year, and those with the worst retained 30%.
And each time someone leaves, you pay an average of six to nine months of the lost employee's salary to recruit and train someone new, according to an estimate by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Beth Cabrera, an executive vice president at KNF&T Staffing Resources, calls onboarding "the first stage of a corporate retention program."
Elements of Good Onboarding
"Many companies see onboarding as the first day or first week," writes Cabrera in an email, "but onboarding should be a program that continues through the first six months at a minimum, and ideally for a full year."
A good plan incorporates smart long-term goals, milestones and regular progress reviews. But first, it incorporates setting up the new hire's phone before they arrive so they're not standing there like a fool while someone runs to find one.
"I cannot emphasize enough that not having the basics in place when an employee walks in the door is … an immediate detriment to retaining that employee," writes Cabrera.
"The tone for an employee's entire tenure of employment can be set by how successful they feel on their first day on the job," Cabrera explains.
"Having a phone that doesn't work or a computer that isn't set up for their access can make them feel less than valued," she writes, "or as if they have joined a company that is disorganized."
There should be a fully functioning, ready-to-work desk, chair, phone, computer, complete set of passwords and any access they may need, all before they step through the door. Of course a personalized coffee mug in the break room wouldn't hurt, either.
Now, the SHRM breaks onboarding down to the four C's:
An onboarding process should fully address all four. Yet, according to the SHRM, only 20% do.
Compliance, the Spoke in the Wheel of Onboarding
Everyone does compliance, often called "orientation." It's required. W-2s and handbooks have to happen, and they often have to happen by the end of Day 1.
But as far as onboarding is concerned, it's an outrage.
Onboarding actually hopes you'll get the stupid signatures beforehand and send a link to the employee handbook, because it is not helping your first impression.
"Seriously consider automating the orientation part of onboarding," advises Tracie Sponenberg, an SHRM HR Disciplines Special Expertise Panelist and Senior Vice President of HR at The Granite Group.
"[W]e did this a few years ago," says Sponenberg, "which allowed us to have all new hire paperwork completed online, so we could focus onboarding on our company and culture."
Use technology to streamline the process. Get signatures electronically. Post all policies, calendars, requirements, benefits, legal forms, hierarchies, procedures and training manuals in a handy online portal the new hire can access any time.
It doesn't just save time. The poor kid needs to know what's going on, and no one remembers what you tell them about their benefits on Day 1—no one.
Clarification So Clear, Birds'll Fly Right into It
Generally speaking, you want to limit the number of times a new employee has to say things like:
How do I… ?
Who do I… ?
When should I…
Am I supposed to… ?
"Companies often don't prepare employees well enough for the expectation of what their job is," Sponenberg writes, "and how it is connected to the company."
When you don't put in the effort to be entirely clear about your new employee's role, you're just screaming, "We don't actually care if you succeed!" And then they don't.
According to Susan Heathfield, HR expert at The Balance, "There is a certain body of information that employees across all jobs need to know."
An onboarding process should convey, clearly, comprehensively and accurately:
The exact nature of the new hire's role and responsibilities
The goals of the company and where the new hire fits into them
Steps of all workflow procedures affecting the new hire and who manages them
What's coming down the pike and how the new hire will contribute to it
This is all time-sensitive. You want to "bring a new employee up to speed about their job and the culture or environment of the organization they have joined as quickly as possible so that they can begin quickly to make a contribution," writes Heathfield in an email.
A Culture Worth Braggin' about
Your company has a culture – a unique environment, customs, and shared knowledge. New employees won't feel like they belong until they know it. Feel it. Live it. Part of onboarding is speeding up that whole process.
You're basically looking at a culture-immersion program:
Make sure new hires know office hours, garage codes, and dress codes before they start.
Give a tour of the office, including who sits where and what they do.
Notify the new hire specifically of all company events, formal and informal.
If the company doesn't freak out when someone is five minutes late, make that known.
If Design is big on high fives, the newbie gets a high five.
If a new hire shows up on Casual Friday in a suit, you've failed. You've also failed if the new hire:
Doesn't know which entrance to use
Can't find the bathroom
Doesn't know you can track PTO online
Never got the code to the parking garage
Has ever said, "Oh, there was a company mini-golf tournament?"
Making a Connection That Really Gets the Sparks Flying
A lot of this is empathy. Being the new hire is like going to a party where you know nobody, but all day, five days a week, and generally without wine. Oh, and you're working.
In terms of productivity and retention, the faster a new employee gets through this particular phase, the better. According to Granite Group SVP of human resources Tracie Sponenberg, it's onboarding's first concern.
"The most critical part of the onboarding process is connecting the new employee to the company," Sponenberg writes.
"You want to engage them immediately … At my last company, we took all new employees out to lunch on their first day. That allowed some time to get to know them on a personal level, and set the connection from the beginning," she writes.
The idea is to create opportunities for new hires to form relationships. What that looks like depends on the company. Sponenberg says ADP has onboarding tools with a social component ,"so employees can 'meet' coworkers if they work virtually, or even if they are in an office, before they arrive."
And a lot of companies assign mentors. KNF&T's Beth Cabrera advises against assigning a manager or supervisor.
"[T]hey need to have a resource … they can approach regarding concerns or questions that they might not want to take to their boss," she writes. "This can help you retain an employee who may start to flounder or become disengaged simply because they are unsure of how to take the next steps."
The SHRM calls it a "buddy." You can even let your new hire pick.
Preferably, the new hire will have a buddy by the end of the first week, but definitely by the end of the first month.
Finding Your Perfect Onboard
It's a lot to lay out. You can hire a consultant to build you an onboarding plan, or you can, as psychology researcher Bethany Lanvins-Merillat puts it, "Research, research, research."
"There is a plethora of amazing research in the organizational psychology, business management and behavioral science literature," writes Lanvinss-Merillat, who has studied industrial and organizational psychology.
After reading up, Lanvins-Merillat writes in an email, "Talk to your employees."
People who have gone through your onboarding process, preferably recently, can tell you what you did wrong. And probably what you should have done. (And you know what really got their goat…)
Just don't turn onboarding into a checklist, advises renowned emotional intelligence expert Harvey Deutschendorf.
"One of the biggest mistakes a company can make," Deutschendorf writes in an email, "is not taking the time and effort to come up with customized onboarding plans."
If the goal is to make the new employee feel welcome, valued and fully equipped to succeed, you should probably take the actual new employee into account. Make "an effort to learn as much as possible about new employees," writes Deutschendorf, "and [use] this information to make them feel welcome."
Make your onboarding plan adaptable, and do human testing before use. And not just on people who work for or with you.
"If possible," Deutschendorf writes, "obtain third party unbiased feedback on the plan from people outside of the organization who have no stake in the outcome."
Because onboarding counts. About eight months' salary worth.
Do Something. Anything.
To researcher Lanvins-Merillat, onboarding comes down to protecting an investment.
"At the end of the day, each employee is an incredibly valuable resource," she writes, "and if you only do a halfway job of onboarding, all the time and energy you spent recruiting and training … will be lost, especially if they're poached by another company a few years down the line."
Lanvins-Merillat believes the only real mistake you can make in onboarding is "not doing it. Period."
Not that you can't fall short, writes Lanvins-Merillat, "but you would have to work hard to create a process that alienates the employee" more than doing nothing.
And were you to manage that, she adds, "They should leave."
All Aboard the Onboarding Welcome Wagon
Hopefully after reading this you've gained a stronger understanding of the importance of a good onboarding program. Because, honestly, it could be the difference between keeping and losing a great hire. And if they leave, the cost to replace them can certainly be a lot to handle, and you have to start all over again.
So spend some time developing a program that does your company justice and le's your new employee show you what they've got and where it'll fit in. And always, always remember the value of those four C's.
Special thanks to Susan Heathfieldt, HR expert at The Balance; Bethany Lanvins-Merillat, health researcher; Harvey Deutschendorf, emotional intelligence expert; Tracie Sponenberg, SVP of HR for The Granite Group; and Beth Cabrera, EVP at KNF&T Staffing Resources, for their generous help with this article.
TrustedChoice.com Article | Reviewed by Tracie Sponenberg
Susan Heathfield, HR expert at The Balance (https://www.thebalancecareers.com/susan-m-heathfield-1916605)
Bethany Lanvins-Merillat, health researcher (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethany-merillat-427914b7/)
Harvey Deutschendorf, emotional-intelligence expert (http://www.theotherkindofsmart.com/)
Tracie Sponenberg, SVP of HR for The Granite Group (https://blog.shrm.org/author/1251)
Beth Cabrera, EVP at KNF&T Staffing Resources (https://www.knft.com/team-member/)
http://deliberatepractice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Onboarding-2013.pdf
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/235121/why-onboarding-experience-key-retention.aspx
https://news.gallup.com/reports/199961/7.aspx?utm_source=SOAW&utm_campaign=StateofAmericanWorkplace&utm_medium=2013SOAWreport
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/05/15/creative-onboarding-strategies-to-set-your-new-hire-up-for-success/#28a43d1c57fd
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-onboarding-positive-new-employee-experience-1918830
https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/new-employee-onboarding-guide.aspx
https://www.shrm.org/foundation/ourwork/initiatives/resources-from-past-initiatives/Documents/Onboarding%20New%20Employees.pdf
How to Successfully Start a Brewery
How to Start a Web Design Business
How to Start a Bar

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The reorganization of the kitchen.
Escoffier rejected what he called the "general confusion" of the old menus, in which sheer quantity seemed to be the most important factor. Instead, he called for order and diversity and emphasized the careful selection of one or two dishes per course, dishes that followed one another harmoniously and delighted the taste with their delicacy and simplicity.
Escoffier's books and recipes are still important reference works for professional chefs. The basic cooking methods and preparations we study today are based on Escoffier's work. His book Le Guide Culinaire, which is still widely used, arranges recipes in a simple system based on main ingredient and cooking method, greatly simplifying the more complex system handed down from Carême.
Learning classical cooking, according to Escoffier, begins with learning a relatively few basic procedures and understanding basic ingredients. Escoffier's second major achievement, the reorganization of the kitchen, resulted in a streamlined workplace that was better suited to turning out the simplified dishes and menus he instituted.
The system of organization he established is still in use today, especially in large hotels and full-service restaurants. One of the world's most expensive cookbooks ever sold is a rare first edition version of to "A Guide to Modern Cookery", written by Auguste Escoffier, the French chef, restaurateur and culinary writer whose statue is in France. This book sold for $5,124, and bore the author's signature and an inscription to Sarah Morgan who worked at the Cavendish Hotel.


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Valtteri Bottas wins Turkish Grand Prix
Valtteri Bottas produced a thrilling victory in the Turkish Grand Prix on a slippery track, as Max Verstappen took second to retake the championship lead. Rival Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, after a contentious late pit stop dropped him down from third.
Having returned to the calendar last season after a nine-year absence, the shores of the Bosphorus gave a fantastic Turkish Grand Prix this weekend. Located in the Tuzla district of the iconic and historic city of Istanbul, the 5.338km Istanbul Park circuit provides a demanding test for both car and driver, in particular the multi-apex turn eight, whilst its anti-clockwise layout also adds to the challenge.
Williams Racing suffered disappointment as George Russell finished 15th and Nicholas Latifi 17th. Both started on the intermediate tyre, and ran a one-stop race, switching to a fresh set of the intermediate tyres.
Today's race was dominated by the track condition, which stayed damp for the duration. Like everyone else, we tried to make the intermediate tyre last until the track was ready for slicks, however, once it became apparent that this wasn't going to happen, we were all faced with the decision of whether or not to fit a new intermediate. As Ocon and Ricciardo demonstrated, pitting early or not at all made little difference to finishing position, with only the fast cars that started out of position really making progress.
George and Nicholas both lost ground in the opening laps, with George losing positions after fighting with Ocon and having Alonso spin in front of him, and Nicholas himself spinning. Both recovered well and showed reasonable pace at times whilst also managing the tyres.
The season continues in two weeks in Austin and we are looking forward to getting back to Texas for the first time since 2019.
It was definitely not an easy race today. The first 10 laps or so felt pretty good but as the intermediate tyre started to wear down on the dry line it became increasingly difficult. The conditions were quite unique as, even though that dry line was appearing, because of the cloud cover and the temperature it wasn't close to switching over to the slicks. We can definitely learn something from today though as, even though we didn't quite have the pace we would have hoped for, it was very difficult for everybody to manage.
My race came undone by spinning on the opening lap and from then on, I was too far back to try and recover the ground I had lost. I also lost quite a lot of time trying to pass the two Haas cars of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin. However, it was my first full Grand Prix in the wet and that was a good experience. Obviously, it was not the result we wanted but our pace was good at times. I tried to make up the time I had lost but in conditions like these you have to be very reserved with how you push. That's part of the learning so there are still positives to take from today, but it is frustrating as you still want a positive outcome.
Track: Istanbul Park, Turkey Weather: Overcast, damp but drying
Lap Length: 5.338 km / 3.317 miles Temperature: Air: 15 -16°C Track: 17-18°C
Pos Driver Team
Time/Gap (Fastest Lap)
Tyre Changes
1. V. Bottas Mercedes-AMG Petronas
1:31:04.103 (1:30.432)
2. M. Verstappen Red Bull Racing Honda
+14.584 (1:32.759)
3. S. Perez Red Bull Racing Honda
+33.471
(1:32.459)
15. G. Russell, FW43B-04 Williams Racing
+1 Lap
17. N. Latifi, FW43B-02 Williams Racing


To understand the mechanisms linked to accelerated hair loss( or alopecia), it is interesting to look at the anatomy and physiology of the hair. The rod is the visible part of the hair; it is composed of three tubular layers nested inside one another.
The medullary canal consists of marrow forming a central, hollow tunnel made of loose cells. The cortex is a thicker portion; it is the body of the hair fiber, giving the hair its strength and elasticity. Cortex cells produce melanin, responsible for the color of the hair.
The cuticle consists of a bark-like waterproof coating that envelopes the cortex in a layer of 6 to 10 adjacent cells arranged like tiles. When hair is bleached, the process causes a destruction of that layer.
The root is the living part of the hair. Implanted into the scalp, the root is contained in a cavity called the hair follicle. It is covered with epithelial ducts and has a bulb at its lower end; the bulb is innervated and irrigated by blood capillaries.
Hair grows for 2-5 years (anagen phase), then prepares for a 2-3 week period of rest and repairs (catagen), and finally it rests in the third phase (telogen phase). In the telogen phase, the follicle is dormant; at the end of this period of 6-7 months, the hair falls out and is replaced by a new one.
Alopecia, or accelerated hair loss, leads to baldness. Androgenetic alopecia is the most common one and affects 70% of men, among whom 20% are still in their twenties. There are other types of alopecia, including acute alopecia generated by stress or chemotherapy, localized alopecia caused by skin problems, and congenital or areata alopecia, which seems to have an auto-immune origin.
Minoxidil or 6-piperine-1-ylpyrimidine-2,4-diamine 3-oxide, is a topical vasodilator drug, and leads to a reduction and often a cessation of hair loss. Some patients even experience regrowth. The molecule opens potassium channels, causing hyperpolarization of cell membranes. The mechanism by which the drug acts on hair loss is not completely understood. Orally, it is used as a remedy against hypertension. One of the best known brands is Rogaine; generic equivalents, while less expensive, can induce the same effects. Side effects are rare and often negligible; the most common is itching of the scalp. Minoxidil is sold in concentrations of 2 and 5%. In trials, better results were obtained with a 5% solution.
Finasteride, N-(1,1-dimethylethyl) -3-oxo(5α, 17β)-4-azaandrost ene-1-carboxamide-17, sold under the brands Proscar or Propécia, is taken orally. This drug is an inhibitor of 5-alpha reductase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is the active form of testosterone. DHT is responsible for hair loss in androgenic alopecia. The drug is relatively effective, but has side effects such as reduced libido and in some cases causes impotence. The drug, also used for problems related to an abnormal growth of the prostate or prostatic hyperplasia, was removed by some states for generating dramatic side effects in some patients.
The follicular unit consists of a set of hair roots which are generally grouped by numbers of 1,2,3 or 4. Follicular units are taken from the back of the skull or the occipital area. In cases of androgenic alopecia these hairs never fall because they are resistant to DHT. The transplanted hair will maintain this property and will remain permanently. Grafts usually fall, mostly within two weeks following the implantation; however, the follicles remain intact. The hair grows back in 3 months, but the end result will be fully appreciated after a period of 8-12 months.
next post: Affordable hair transplants: hair transplants in the UK, prices to pull your hair out!


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WATCH: Ignoring history, Palestinians claim Jerusalem was always Arab
As Likud siphons its votes, Yemina's leader accuses Netanyahu of seeking to crush religious Zionism
Yemina leader Ayelet Shaked (Flash90)
(Flash90)
WhatsApp Email https://worldisraelnews.com/as-likud-siphons-its-votes-yeminas-leader-accuses-netanyahu-of-seeking-to-crush-religious-zionism/
Netanyahu "wants, it seems, to eradicate religious Zionism and also the ideological right," she said.
By World Israel News Staff
"The prime minister is on an unprecedented attack against us, on the Right. In fact, he wants, it seems, to eradicate religious Zionism and also the ideological right," Yemina party Chairman Ayelet Shaked told Ynet on Sunday.
Shaked was referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategy of drawing votes away from her party to the Likud by appealing to her right-wing base.
Among such moves during the campaign, Netanyahu promised that no Jewish settlements would be uprooted, visited Hebron, site of the Cave of the Patriarchs, and most recently announced that he would annex the Jordan Valley and "all Jewish settlements."
Shaked told Ynet that Netanyahu had done nothing to advance Jewish building in Hebron, even though she had paved the way for the construction of new Jewish housing in a "wholesale market" in the city which only required his approval to move forward.
She also said that the prime minister's Jordan Valley announcement hid the negative parts of the "deal of the century," Trump's Mideast peace plan set to be revealed immediately after Israel's elections on Tuesday.
She showed a map which she said was Trump's plan. Shaked said it called for most of Judea and Samaria to become part of a new State of Palestine. Shaked said only a strong ideological right-wing faction within the next government could prevent a Palestinian state from forming. (The Likud has denied that the map is accurate.)
Shaked told Ynet that Netanyahu may already be planning to form a "left-wing government under his leadership."
"It certainly makes sense, otherwise there is no explanation for this unprecedented attack on us," Shaked said, noting that Netanyahu employed the same strategy of taking votes from smaller, right-wing parties in the last elections. The result was that her party didn't pass the electoral threshold, she said.
"He is making a big mistake. He made the same mistake in the previous elections, and because of this he failed to form a government" in April, Shaked said.
Ayelet Shakeddeal of the centuryLikudYemina
I found a very interesting article on World Israel News! Click to read this: --> https://worldisraelnews.com/as-likud-siphons-its-votes-yeminas-leader-accuses-netanyahu-of-seeking-to-crush-religious-zionism/


DURBAN – That one was for the Beast! So said delighted Sharks coach Robert du Preez after his charges had decimated the Lions 42-5 on Friday night with a sublime Super Rugby performance.
Tendai Mtawarira was celebrating his record-breaking 157th Super Rugby cap and Du Preez said the players wanted to ensure the big fellow had a night to remember.
The Lions had no answer to the supercharged Sharks. And it was one-way traffic pretty much from first whistle to last. Du Preez, though, stopped short of calling it a complete performance.
"No performance is ever complete but that was a pretty good one," he grinned. "It has been a long time coming for the boys, and they are very happy indeed that we finally got it together because the hard work has been going in." Du Preez said the foundation for the Sharks' slick performance on Friday was laid by the players getting the basics spot on.
With the forwards doing the hard yards, the Sharks backs shone, notably the sublime Curwin Bosch and Makazole Mapimpi, and centres Andre Esterhuizen and Lukhanyo Am.
Du Preez, though, did not want to single out individuals on a night when it was all about the team.


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Articles Posts
A Donald Trump Guide: The Good, The Bad... and The Hair
Welcome to the morning after the first GOP debates. The #kidstable, #happyhour debate was owned lock, stock and shotgun barrel by Carly Fiorina. The 'main course' GOP debate? A number of polls have Trump dominating.
Donald Trump, the good:
Credit where credit is due: Trump is entertaining. He's not afraid to point out flaws, either in policy or in his fellow candidates, and name-calling comes second nature. That Rosie O'donnell joke? Gold, Jerry.
Donald Trump also loves America, and as a business man, he can both see where a problem exists and comes up with a way to deal with it. He finds ways to make his ideas work, because his work matters to him.
Donald Trump, the bad:
But as a both Carly Fiorina and moderator Megan Kelly pointed out, Trump has donated to the Clintons. Last night at the GOP debate, Trump claimed he donated to the Clintons because he wanted the Clintons to attend his wedding... uh, why? If you're going to pay a Clinton for a wedding, shouldn't it be to keep Hillary away? Like, "Here's $100,000 you wanted. Please keep the parachute-panted suit at home."
Ah, memories. Good times. Image source.
Trump likes to switch parties and has identified as a democrat. Trump would probably tell you, if you asked, he switches parties depending on who's in office, in order to be politcally expedient. He's what progressives might call "party-fluid." Question is, what party will he decide to be on any given day in the oval office?
He's also very open about the fact that he's tried to buy and sell politicians in the past. He said as much last night. So much so, that he declared himself the ultimate politician, claiming "I have more political experience than anybody."
Also worth noting, Trump thinks single-payer healthcare works in Canada. But...it doesn't.
This was just the first debate. How will Trump perform in future debates? He'll likely be just as entertaining and brash, but jury's still out on whether his answers will be conservative or progressive.


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Home » News » Stocks » Dividend Stocks
Canadian Investors: Where to Put $100 Right Now
Canadians with limited capital can put their money to work by purchasing TSX stocks. If you only have $100, the top investment choices right now are Whitecap Resources (TSX:WCP) and small-caps Stingray Group (TSX:RAY.A), and Exco Technologies Limited (TSX:XTC). These three stocks are not top performers in 2022 but are generous dividend payers.
Whitecap Resources is not a high-flyer in the red-hot energy sector, but it's beating the broader market. At $9.37 per share, the year-to-date gain is 28%. The 4.7% dividend yield is likewise attractive. Moreover, the energy stock belongs to a select group that pays monthly dividends.
The $5.87 billion oil-weighted growth company has a low-decline light asset base that is considered both growth and cash generation engines. Like most Canadian energy firms, Whitecap benefits from the favourable pricing environment. In the first half of 2022, petroleum and natural gas revenues climbed 113% to $2.26 billion versus Q2 2022.
During the same stretch of time, funds flow increased 160% year-over-year to $1.18 billion. The most striking figure was the net income of $1.03 billion, which represents a 2,605% increase from a year ago. In Q2 2022, Whitecap's dividend payments reached $56 million or 94% higher (per share basis) compared to the same quarter in 2021.
You can also expect Whitecap's funds flow profile to significantly improve once it completes the $1.9 billion deal to acquire XTO Energy Canada. According to management, the asset will generate significant free funds flow, resulting in free funds flow per share accretion of 20% in 2023 and 2024.
Production should also grow between 50,000 and 60,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) over the next three to five years.
Stingray is a $467 million music, media, and technology company that distributes audio and video music brands globally. Its President, co-founder, and CEO, Eric Boyko, said the overall business continued to gain momentum in Q1 fiscal 2023. In the three months ended June 30, 2022, revenue increased 21.6% to $78.13 million versus Q1 fiscal 2022.
Notably, net income soared 123.7% year-over-year to $9.4 million. Boyko cites the strength of newly acquired InStore Audio Network (ISAN) and improved radio sales for the impressive top-line growth. The communications services stock is down -21% ($5.35 per share) but pays a lucrative 5.61% dividend.
Exco Technologies supplies innovative technologies in the diecast, extrusion, and automotive industries. The $312 million company has a presence in nine countries and services a diverse, broad customer base. In Q2 2022, sales increased 12% to $129.25 million versus Q2 2021, although net income dipped 36% year-over-year to $5.56 million.
Nevertheless, its President and CEO, Darren Kirk, said, "Our results demonstrate Exco's ability to navigate through very challenging market conditions." He adds that the company is benefiting from the electric vehicle (EV) revolution and worldwide movement towards reducing emissions.
Management maintains a favourable outlook across all its business segments in the medium term, notwithstanding the current macro-economic challenges. The industrial stock trades at $8.10 per share (-19% year-to-date) and pays a hefty 5.19% dividend.
These three stocks are not only low-priced dividend stocks, they're also value stocks. You would not be wasting $100 on them. Â Â Â Â
The post Canadian Investors: Where to Put $100 Right Now appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.
Should You Invest $1,000 In Stingray Group Inc.?
Before you consider Stingray Group Inc., you'll want to hear this.
Our market-beating analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy in September 2022 … and Stingray Group Inc. wasn't on the list.
Should You Buy Whitecap Resources Stock for its 4.75% Dividend Yield?
3 TSX Stocks You Can Still Buy for Under $20 a Share
Got $250? Here Are 3 Smart Stocks to Buy Now
3 Top Energy TSX Stocks That Offer High Monthly Passive Income
Want Monthly Passive Income? These TSX Dividend Stocks Are for You
Fool contributor Christopher Liew has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends EXCO TECH and Stingray Digital Group Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Report: S&P 500 back at 4,625 this ...
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FTX Owes Money to Netflix, Binance, Wall Street Journal, Filing Shows


Unfortunately we will have to cancel practice for Wednesday, May 1. However, we will still plan on holding practice on Friday! Watch the website on Thursday/Friday for confirmation.
Also, there have been some issues with getting a facility for this weekend's meet. It is planned for Sunday, May 5th. However, we are not certain where it will take place. We will keep you posted!


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Talking Point: Should The Last of Us Cash in on the Battle Royale Craze?
Boots on the Battlegrounds
by Sammy Barker Fri 4th Aug 2017
You may have heard of a little game called PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. It's coming to the PlayStation 4 eventually, but is in Early Access at the moment, and Sony doesn't really support that. Nevertheless, it's already amassed over six million sales on the PC – and is currently the most played non-Valve title on Steam. In other words, it's a pretty bloody big deal.
The battle royale genre is nothing new, of course. Brendan Greene – the real-world name of Internet alias PlayerUnknown – kickstarted the format with an ARMA 2 mod, and later worked as a consultant on H1Z1: King of the Kill. While there are nuances between the different games, the overall premise is that you're dropped into a shrinking multiplayer map, where you must scavenge for resources in order to become the last player standing. It's basically The Hunger Games.
And it seems ready made for The Last of Us' universe, don't you think? We've been talking about this at Push Square Towers for weeks, and we think Sony's leaving money on the table if it doesn't actively investigate the possibility of creating something like this. Think about it: the series already has all of the elements needed for a kick-ass battle royale mode.
You'd play as an unnamed survivor stranded in any one of the game's urban locations. You'd be able to gang up with other survivors if you so decide or go it solo, looting buildings for materials that can be used to craft combat equipment or medical supplies. Clickers could be used as a means to eventually funnel all players into the same location – as well as deadly fungal gases and the like. Are you catching our drift here?
Console hardware would probably limit the scale of the game – it'd likely have a much smaller player count than PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' 100-person battles – but we reckon that The Last of Us has all of the ingredients to make the formula work on the PS4, and all with a brand that people recognise and love.
Because let's not forget, the multiplayer in the original The Last of Us was anything but throwaway. In fact so good were the tense firefights of the SOCOM-esque Factions mode that we want that to return in The Last of Us: Part II, and we'd recommend that if Sony were to ever make a battle royale type spin-off, it'd work best as a standalone game. The platform holder's been very experimental with pricing this generation, so we reckon a $29.99 multiplayer-only title could work.
But does Naughty Dog have enough resources to do it, or would it need to be farmed out to an external studio? And could a series that's perhaps best known for its single player story really work as a standalone competitive multiplayer game? These are all questions that we hope Sony's asking, because there's clear mileage in this concept. All that's left to ask is: would you play it?
Do you agree that The Last of Us universe is perfect for the burgeoning battle royale genre? Would you play a game like this, and do you think it could work as a standalone product? Stab us in the back in the comments section below.
Should The Last of Us cash in on the battle royale craze? (61 votes)
Yes, it's a perfect fit for the franchise
It makes sense, but I'm not a fan of copy cats
Hmm, I'd need to see it in action
No, The Last of Us is a single player series
The Last of Us: Part II (PS4)
Fri 4th Aug 2017
I kind of hope not. After seeing what GTA: Online has done to the prospects of any single-player GTA story, I'd hate for Naughty Dog to go down that route.
I'm sure they could make it fun and it'd be a success but I just feel I'm always gonna be a primarily single-player gamer.
@roe What if it was guaranteed to be a spin-off that didn't affect Naughty Dog's single player work at all? (Could even be made by a different developer, with support from Naughty Dog, for example.)
JoeBlogs
As long as the single player campaign doesn't suffer in any way, why not do it?
@get2sammyb of course that'd be fine, and I'd likely even pick it up myself. It's a fine idea for a game, I just hope it doesn't effect any single-player. I haven't played any PUBG but it sounds like it's really promising
DerMeister
I'm option #2. It sounds like a good fit, but if this is just another gaming fad, I'd rather Last of Us stand on it's own. Granted, this is just multiplayer, but it should be above the developers to capitalize on a trend.
It sounds weird, since zombies are a thing in the game, but that's more a backdrop than anything. I'm really impressed with how much this game sticks out among the crazy amount of zombie games. In fact, it feels almost wrong to call it that.
BAMozzy
Personally, I haven't been a big fan of Naughty Dogs Multi-player. I lost interest very quickly in all the Uncharted ones (when they added that) and did give each a try but never grabbed my attention as much as other MP games. The Uncharted ones had a few 'interesting' takes on some modes with the added bonus of 'treasure' to grab. I do prefer 3rd Person Horde style modes though to actual competitive MP. Gears of War is a classic example too as I tended to gravitate more to the Horde modes over the MP.
I certainly wouldn't be buying a Naughty Dog game for its MP. I couldn't care less in truth if they never added another MP to their games. That being said, I would still give it a go IF I can be bothered after beating the campaign but I would be more inclined to try it if they had a 'horde' mode rather than a 'Battle Royale'. As an Xbox owner, I could have earlier access to the game when it gets a release on that platform later on this year. However, I can't see myself purchasing it...
PaperyWhiteBoy
I know it's a small and essentially irrelevant thing, but I can't help being wound up by the mention of Battle Royale in the sub-header only for the concept then to be compared to Hunger Games, a BR rip-off. /grumblebyguywhocarestoomuchaboutthewrongthings
Ash_uk1
Better to make there own state of decay instead. Better fit I think
Paranoimia
For me, it doesn't fit with the theme of the game. I loved TLOU, but never got into the multi-player... it felt like a different game/world.
The game is about stealth and conserving ammo and resources, avoiding conflict where possible. To then be fighting running battles didn't feel right. A 'battle royale' would seem even more out of place.
itshoggie
If not at launch it would make a great expansion
@PaperyWhiteBoy Just wanted to make the concept clear to everyone.
@Paranoimia I strongly disagree. The multiplayer in The Last of Us had the same resources limitations, and the same would be true of a battle royale type game.
@get2sammyb Yeah, it had the same limitations, but the whole vibe of the game felt different. You go from sneaking around to... well... not. I found it a bit jarring, and to be honest, I never touched it after initially trying it out.
But to be fair, that's what pretty much all online competitive games degenerate into, which is why I rarely bother with any of them, and prefer co-op modes.
Bad-MuthaAdebisi
Nope, I'd still try it though
leucocyte
the last of us' multiplayer was pretty good, but it really only clicked with me on PS4. not sure i'd pick it over a more traditional multiplayer like battlefield or killzone, but i'd give it a go if it came packaged with the campaign. probably wouldn't buy it as a standalone game. uncharted's multiplayer was decent (especially since they're in 3rd person), but the co-op modes in 3 and 4 worked better than the competitive ones imo.
Eternallover21
@BAMozzy
The last of us multiplayer is certainly not Uncharted. I learned this between TLOU and UC4. I was very disappointed with the Uncharted take on multiplayer.
As for TLOU take I play occasionally still after a. Binging first year and half. Very tense fights and situations compared to UC's running all over the place like a monkey man
@Eternallover21 I couldn't care less if its not the same as Uncharted's. The video's I watched didn't exactly look much different in essence and actually appealed less because of some of the interesting ways they incorporated aspects of the Single Player into the Uncharted MP. I never felt compelled to even load up the MP on either the PS3 or PS4 versions of TLoU.
As stated, I also don't particularly enjoy 3rd Person MP's - at least none of the ones I have. I think First Person works much better for MP.
Sat 5th Aug 2017
@Paranoimia
I encounter sneaky players all the time. Although it is harder to pull off in the multiplayer, it is very satisfying to get shiv executions or bow kills without anyone realizing where the fire is coming from
Also players that are too loud usually die first. Your noise levels can. E seen on the map
ReigningSemtex
It's basically The Hunger Games
And here was me thinking that it was basically Battle Royale 😂
The Last of Us Remastered PS4
The Last of Us: Part II PS4


Seasoning is by far one of the most important things when it comes to food.
A couple years back I connected with the Vancouver Island Salt Co. to discover what Canada's first sea salt harvestry was doing, sample their product and help spread the word on their product.
Vancouver Island Salt Co. takes pride in offering handcrafted artisan salts, harvested with care from the cold, clear waters of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.
Helmed by former chef and founder Andrew Shepherd, salts are lovingly created products that are a happy harmony of mother nature and the tides, patient harvesting work and artisanal craftsmanship.
Their unrefined salt products include the first Canadian fleur de sel, pure sea salt, smoked sea salt and seasonal sea salt flavour infusions, available through your local food purveyors and quality grocers.
I am a big fan of their fleur de sel to finish my plates and love their smoked sea salt on grilled meats.
Please head over to their website to learn more.


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Voting closes Wednesday, April 24th, at 9:00PM EST.
~1,570 words, R-rated, Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan, established relationship. Much thanks to trobadora for beta. No spoilers.
With the help of flamebyrd's fantastic bookmarklet I went ahead and pulled all the Guardian fic listed as being in English off AO3 into one single spreadsheet, then manually weeded out all the non-English stories that had ended up in that list.
The curated list currently has 601 stories ranging from 100 to over 90,000 words, for a total wordcount of 2,662,170!
I recommend that those who want to use the spreadsheet go to File > Make a Copy, which should create a copy on your own Google Drive that can be filtered, sorted and edited.
As for updates, I will try to stop by with a new version in a while, but if anyone else feels that they'd like to do more regular upkeep then please do! The spreadsheet is absolutely free to use in any way, including reposting in an edited format.
Requests are now revealed, sorted by fandoms. If you've already signed up, you can continue editing until sign ups closed, but now people can see those requests.
Sign ups close on April 30th at 11:59 pm, Eastern Time. How to sign up.
Not Prime Time, is a gen, het, femslash, and slash multifandom secret fiction exchange for medium sized fandoms, including any RPF fandoms with under 20,000 fics.
Sign ups for Not Prime Time are currently open from now until April 30th. Here are the instructions on how to sign up, with nominated fandoms and characters/relationships for the exchange using this tag set. There are plenty of fandoms within the tag set that are also Yuletide eligible.
Requests will be revealed in an hour.
If you're still editing, you'll have an hour before everyone else can see your requests and links to your Dear Prime Time Player letters.


Weekly tech-related pop culture podcast featuring a millennial and a Gen X-er. With some (OK, a lot of) tangents, a bit of trivia, and a lot of knowledge between us.
Who's the best Batman of all time?
With "Wonder Woman" now in theaters, we figured we'd debate the merits of every filmic version of Batman. Don't worry, we threw in some in-depth talk about Tommy Lee Jones and what a waste of him that Two-Face was.


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91. MAD – IR – WEEK 19
November 8, 2019 sleepyclassesNo Comments
Q. Ever since independence, India has continued to underscore its internationalism. India should work with other countries and organisations to fashion mutually advantageous outcomes. Critically comment. India has been an active member of the international community, participating in a range of global organisations, and its engagement with other states has played out as part of India's…
90. MAD – ENVIRONMENT – WEEK 19
Q. What is ozone pollution? Examine its causes and effects. INTRODUCTION Ozone is a gas composed of three atoms of oxygen (O3). Ozone occurs both in the Earth's upper atmosphere and at ground level. Ozone can be good or bad, depending on where it is found. Ground-level or "bad" ozone is not emitted directly into…
89. MAD – EONOMY – WEEK 19
Q. In the light of recent troubles witnessed by banks like PMC Bank, what should be done to make banking more reliable for consumers? In the light of now-troubled Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank (PMC Bank), various important steps need to be taken so as to guarantee and assure the customers of the safety of…
88. MAD – POLITY – WEEK 19
Q. The 103rd Constitution Amendment Act (124th Amendment Bill) amends article 15 to add (6) which provides a 10% reservation for the economically weaker section in education institutions- aided and unaided, except minority institutions. Such a reservation by the executive was struck down during the Indira Sawhney judgment. The reservation of up to 10% for…
87. MAD – HISTORY – WEEK 19
Q. Write a note on the Amravati School of Art. Amravati sculpture flourished in the Andhra region from about the 2nd century BCE to the end of the 3rd century CE, during the rule of the Satavahanas, and later Ikshvaku, dynasties. It is known for its superb reliefs, which are among the world's finest examples…
86. MAD – GEOGRAPHY – WEEK 19
Q. Comment on the various Pros and Cons of River interlinking projects in India. Ans – INTRODUCTION The Indian Rivers Inter-link is a proposed large-scale civil engineering project that aims to effectively manage water resources in India by linking Indian rivers by a network of reservoirs and canals and so reduce persistent floods in some…
85. MAD – SCIENCE – WEEK 18
Q. What steps are required to ensure a top-50 rank for India in Global Innovation Index by 2022? Recognising the crucial role of technology and innovation in economic development, India's policymakers have taken several initiatives to promote science, technology, and innovation such as National Innovation Foundation, Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Policy and Atal Innovation…
Q. Discuss the reasons for ever-increasing India's water crisis. Suggest remedial measures for the same. A recent NITI aayog report has said that India is facing its worst water crisis in history. This is predicted despite average annual rainfall in India is way more than the global average. With nearly 50 percent of India grappling…
83. MAD – ECONOMY – WEEK 18
Vertical Farming This innovative system of farming involves growing plants in containers stacked on shelves attached to walls or hung from vertically inclined frames or pillars, allowing enough space for the plants to grow to their full height and the light to reach each plant. Growing crop plants on rooftops, balconies and other portions of…
Q. "Accountability of the executive to the legislature, in Westminster forms of Government is arithmetically driven". Examine-in the Indian context. Accountability means being held to account, scrutinised, and being required to give an account or explanation. The Westminster model of parliamentary government is usually described as government through Parliament rather than government by Parliament, Parliamentary…
PRIYOM DEY on 75. Karl Marx – Introduction- Lecture 66 (PDF Attached)
Dr.sapna shrivastav on Q. Define Money laundering? Discuss the various measures the government in undertaking to cube this menace.
Manpreet Singh on 75. Karl Marx – Introduction- Lecture 66 (PDF Attached)
Manish Kumar Chauhan on Do you think appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) who will be above the three Service Chiefs will bring in jointness and tri-service integration? Critically comment.
Abhay Upadhyay on Do you think appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) who will be above the three Service Chiefs will bring in jointness and tri-service integration? Critically comment.
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Rice to release new prints, discuss creating with pastels and oils
By shaun.lambert@c... ()
Thursday, July 5, 2018 - 3:59pm
Rice's new pastel, 'A Moment in Time,' will be released in print Saturday, July 7, at 11 a.m., along with prints of her oil 'Wild Horses.' Rice will use the paintings and others to demonstrate the differences between pastels and oils in creating luminescent beach scenes.
Artist Ellen Rice will debut two very different new paintings of the ocean in print at her gallery in Ocean View this Saturday, July 7, and use the pieces to show the differences between pastels and oils when painting the ocean.
Rice's talks and open discussion periods will be hourly from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m. Light summer refreshments will be served in the morning hours, and wine and cheese starting at 1 p.m.
"A Moment in Time," a quiet evening scene with glowing skies and water created by Rice in pastels, and "Wild Horses," an oil depicting large waves breaking on the Bethany shore, will be released at 11 a.m., with introductory prices on each of the signed, numbered limited-edition fine art giclée reproductions. A handful of small proofs will also be available.
"There are both different and similar techniques I utilize when painting with oils and with pastels," said Rice. "There are pluses and minuses to each medium. Oils are more durable, but there are special effects you can get with pastels that you can't get with any other mediums."
Rice's new "A Moment in Time" pastel is her first pastel in about 10 years, though the artist is a prolific painter. "I put away my pastels because of the mess they make and the fact that when working with them you're breathing in toxic dust, but I was inspired to paint this one scene, and it cried out for the softness and luminescence pastels can achieve, so I got them out again."
Rice will show a number of works done in each medium on Saturday to demonstrate the mediums' differences. Everyone attending can ask questions. They can also relate to other mediums Rice has used over the 50-some years she's been painting professionally along the coast of Delaware.
Rice has been voted "Best Artist Delaware" by readers of two publications, was PNC Bank's 2014 Artist of the Year and is the recipient of numerous other awards and accolades. Her gallery was named "One of the 10 Must-See Galleries and Museums in Delaware" by the international cultural review group The Culture Trip last year.
The Ellen Rice Gallery is located one block west of the building where it opened in 1999. The address is 111 Atlantic Avenue, Ocean View. The gallery can be reached by phone at (302) 539-3405, and its website is at www.ellenrice.gallery. For more information, call, visit the site or stop in during regular gallery hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Beyond this weekend, the artist is in the gallery on Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m., Tuesdays from 3 to 5 p.m., daily at different times and by appointment.


With spring training set to begin in the next few days, we're starting to see projections and predictions trickle in here on the good ol' internet.
On Friday, we saw the first sports book release its over/under win totals for all 30 teams: the Atlantis in Reno, Nevada. Now, this doesn't mean all sportsbooks will have the same numbers -- in fact, most will wait to see how these initial win totals track before posting their own numbers -- but it's a good bet (see what I did there) that everyone will be in the same ballpark.
Now, in order to help you more easily search -- I gotta take care you guys! -- let's bunch them up by division.
As a reminder, these aren't predictions by the sportsbooks for a final win total. They are attempts to predict where the betting dollars will fall in hopes of getting a near-equal amount of action on both the overs and the unders, so the casinos don't take massive losses. On that note, the Atlantis sets a relatively low maximum wager limit so that it can re-assess its number after each bet and not be on the hook for a massive amount on any initial side.
Think your favorite team's over/under is too low? Don't get mad. Go bet the over!
Related: My third annual over/under picks and competition results from last year will be posted here in the next few weeks. We had a ton of participation last season, so I'm looking forward to tabulating the winners.