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Programmatic is Dead
By the7stars | Featured | No Comments
Programmatic is Dead. Long live Programmatic.
Or whatever we're gonna call it this year. Real-time data-led decisioning is obviously now behind pretty much every ad that get's booked, as are the technology solutions to connect to addressable media – 90% of 2020 display spend (£6.8B) is expected to be programmatic*, and ever more so in the evolving OOH and TV broadcasting landscape.
*eMarketer UK ad spending report 2019
As such, we thought we'd put together 7 quick viewpoints that (continue to be) high areas of interest;
Buying through a programmatic specialist team, or through technology, shouldn't reward with bonuses, increased margin, or anything else – it should be the soley based on the best solution for the campaign activation and optimisation.
Campaign deliverly should not be swayed by anything other than a campaign goal – client's are investing more and more now, and shouldn't have to question whether any other KPI is at play.
Client's should have an honest and open opinion, and agencies shouldn't take budget or campaigns just for the sake of it. Can this budget go direct to a publisher? Is there a way programmatic can work alongside a tradional buy? Is there a justifiable attribution towards channels? Will the creative just not work and need push back?
Fully integrated and holistic planning and buying
Data and technology is a tool, not a line on a plan – programmatic needs to stop being considered a budget.
Creative at the heart
Internet users should never see a bad ad! The behavioural impact of CTA, colour, branding, audio, emotions, etc, is undeniably highly important in a campaigns performance. Digital creative strategy, consultancy and solutions should sit on the same table as everything else to ensure that every ad is optimal for every user.
Data informed, not data led
Data is great, and with the right tools traders have more than enough to make every penny count. But there are other elements at play during a campaign that should always be considered, and used – trending news, weather, competitor offers, and obviously hundreds more. Sometimes the DSP goggles need to come off!
At the7stars, we provide 100% transparency across our programmatic campaign buys, running only on Ads.txt inventry, and recently IAB Gold Standard, and DSTG certified.
It's an obvious one this….but if a business can't offer transparency and agnosticism along the programmatic supply chain, to the best of their ability, then clients should always be asking questions.
Lightbox Loves: Is Other the New Mother?
By the7stars | Featured, Lightbox Loves | No Comments
In a world where a mother figure is defined less and less by biology and more by the values they embody, what is the future of motherhood?
Whilst Meghan Markle may be one of the most famous pregnant women at the moment, she embodies a very traditional, pristine image of 'being with child', while the future seems much more unruly. Waves of the new dawn of motherhood have been afoot for many years, with celebs regularly making an event of posting their bare all pregnancy pics. More recently, pregnancy and motherhood have taken a defiant turn. Notably, Slick Woods walked the 2018 Fenty show while having contractions, and Model Valaria Garcia strutted the runway wearing a breast pump in the same year. No longer is motherhood a distinct segment of a woman's life, and one be sanitised. The future says it will be in your face and unapologetic.1
On the other hand, while motherhood is increasingly being 'seen' in society, finally we are also moving away from it being every woman's raison d'être. Welcome to otherhood! For those gals and guys who actively choose not to have children, there is now a term that doesn't sound like it crept out of a tragic Victorian novel. Otherhood embodies those who do not have children because they have actively chosen other priorities, namely change and mobility. They appreciate the value of not needing to set down roots and live by linear lifestages, with the added benefit of keeping their carbon foot print low by not having kids.
For marketers, otherhooders are the favourite "Aunts" and "Uncles", who have money to spare and spend! To appeal to the group it's all about inclusivity, and normalising an often stigmatised lifestyle choice. Otherhooders are particularly attracted to brands that support their restless lifestyles such as the various 'rent a dog' platforms and flexible subscription services like Zipcar.2
Mums the Word: Representations of Mums & Motherhood in Advertising by Bridget Dalton, Sign Salad
The Otherhood by Jim Mott & Tom Kingham, BAMM
Lightbox Loves: Give a brand the mic
With all the power they yield and the influence they can have on our lives, should brands play a bigger role in paradigm shifting moments like Brexit?
Just to illustrate to you the immense wealth (and therefore, power) that these brands possess, research conducted by Business Insider revealed that Walmart had, "out-earned Belgium in 2017." In fact if Walmart were a country, then they'd be the 24th richest. Ludicrous, right? If that's not shocking enough, Volkswagen's revenue is greater than the GDP of Chile, equalling $276,264 million (2017) compared to Chile's GDP of $250,008 million (2016), and Chile is one of the most stable economies in South America, ahead of Argentina and Brazil. This depicts the sheer ability brands have to buy themselves a whole country (hypothetically speaking, of course) and still have some change left over. Such purchasing power brings with it some huge perks and usually a voice worth hearing.
Moreover, the cultural importance brands hold should not be overlooked. It wasn't long ago when Nike dared to go near the ever controversial Kaepernick with their "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything" campaign. Such bravery to embark on a heated situation like that showed the world that brands are willing to speak for people (no matter the repercussions) when the government didn't. And although this caused an uproar for some, it did something that politicians on their own have never been able to tap into; the ability to stand for a cause rather than just for themselves. To be first the cause, then to attract the believers.
Lastly, Brexit is a showcase in its unpredictable infancy of how brands react when they don't get what they want. We are still yet to leave the EU or to decide on a deal, and yet companies are pulling out of contracts and closing production in regions with untold consequences. For instance, Honda plans to shutdown their operations in Swindon – that's potentially 3,400 jobs and further thousands of unforetold indirect jobs, to be lost. We have already seen the impacts that such lost of jobs can have in a region. Can we afford to test this out, again and again? On the other hand, brands have the power and extra resources to aid in matters that fall short of government priority e.g. Patagonia donating $10 Million to the Trump Tax Savings for the aiding of green groups.
YouGov found that 52% of Brits think that companies should be able to express how they feel on a certain topic. 42% are also in favour of brands that are willing to get involved in social issues. Therefore, my question is: if brands had voiced their views on Brexit in the same way that politicians did, would you have voted differently? Or more compellingly, would the result of been different?
https://www.businessinsider.com/25-giant-companies-that-earn-more-than-entire-countries-2018-7?r=US&IR=T#walmarts-revenues-exceed-belgiums-gdp-25
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-28/patagonia-donates-10-million-trump-tax-savings-to-green-groups
What's Hot – March 2019 Edition
Lightbox Loves: Balance for Better
From June 2019 onwards, ads depicting men or women in stereotypical roles will be banned by the ASA. This rule change is intended to mitigate real-world harm that comes about as a result of gender inequality, such as the gender pay gap or male mental health issues[1].
With the new rules, Yorkie's "Not For Girls" ad campaign or Asda's Christmas ad showing a Mum rushing around whilst Dad puts his feet up, would not be allowed. The wider context of the rule will also ban ads aimed at new mothers that suggest looking attractive is necessary for their emotional wellbeing.
These new rules are in line with the direction many advertisers are already going down. Many of the old tropes don't cut it with consumers anymore. Since the "Beach Body Ready" outcry of 2015, the social media impact of having a controversial ad has been clear.
Though there is a question over whether ads could become too politically correct and whether potentially humorous scenarios would now be banned for fear of causing offence. For example the MoneySuperMarket ad, showing a group of men dancing in hot pants and heels, was not upheld by the ASA[2] as they "…thought most viewers would recognise the ad's intended take on humour." However with this new ruling coming into place, brands might not be as brave, in fear of their ads being removed or ridiculed in an environment of heightened sensitivity.
Going in the right direction is the current campaign from Mothercare[3], celebrating the beauty of real mothers. In the #BodyProudMums campaign, they have photographed 10 mothers in the weeks or months after birth. With no photoshopping, these images show all the lumps, bumps and scars that pregnancy and childbirth can cause and are intended to instil confidence and pride in new mums, whilst removing the pressure to "snap-back" to a previous size or shape.
With International Women's Day theme this year being "Balance for Better" [4], the day will be focussed on striving for a gender-balanced world. We expect to see many brands embracing these themes on 8th March and beyond.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/dec/14/uk-advertising-watchdog-to-crack-down-on-sexist-stereotypers
[2] https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/tv/here-10-most-complained-tv-14228705
[3] https://www.mothercare.com/blog/news-and-events/body-proud-mums.html
[4] https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
Lightbox Loves: Brexit means Brands
At the end of an exceptionally turbulent week in British politics, when divisions in parliament, reflecting the divisions of the UK as a whole, are shown at their most stark, we see very little cohesive vision of what the future holds. For many, this discord and lack of direction raises a spectre of very real and imminent chaos in their lives as geo-political shifts threaten short term access to medicine, food, and, for almost 4 million, the foundations of their lives in the UK.
As the chamber rang with the brays and shouts of MPs, a white coach pulled into Parliament square. On it was emblazoned the slogan 'Deal or no deal, our customers will save £187 million on roaming charges. Vote Three'. This stunt by the mobile provider is, of course, not the first foray by a brand into the maelstrom of Brexit. Most recently HSBC's We are not an island campaign appeared on billboards across the nation. The polarising ad was as divisive as the referendum campaign and, as a result of a Twitter backlash, HSBC downplayed the political message.
Three, in aping one of the most recognisable symbols of the referendum campaign activate a powerful association while offering a solution to an, albeit small, aspect of uncertainty. They also make the cheeky point that a fiscal promise on the side of a bus coming from a mobile provider, in the current climate, is actually worth more than a politician's promise. Brands have a net trust among the British public of 15%, far exceeding the net trust enjoyed by the government (-62%), the political system (-66%) and UK Political Parties (-72%). They can therefore offer a more respected voice than the country's leaders.
Brands will be able to smooth the transition in small ways for consumers. In contrast to HSBC, Three offers a tangible benefit to consumers. We can find a political message in it, from both sides of the division, but its primary purpose is to offer certainty; a valuable commodity at the moment.
EU Migration to and from the UK. Migration Observatory.ox.ac.uk. (Dec 2018)
HSBC says we are not an island campaign isn't about Brexit. The Drum. (Jan 2019)
The QT. the7stars. (Feb 2019)
Migration of the Millennials
Younger audiences are watching less TV than in 2018, it was revealed this month. The number of linear television adverts seen by 16-34 year olds has slumped by a fifth year-on-year, with Sky and Channel 4 most affected by the drop in commercial impacts.
The latest BARB data shows that both Sky and Channel 4's 16-34 impacts have dropped by 23% year-on-year, while ITV's has dropped by 7%. TV ad revenue has however remained fairly flat during this time period.
It is often reported that the increasingly popular subscription video-on-demand services are stealing their fair share of the younger audience, but what's interesting is that linear Sky and Channel 4 have been hit the hardest.
Sky's Premier League schedule in January is often diminished due to the live FA Cup fixtures on BT Sport and BBC, and this year also saw the loss of Celebrity Big Brother.
Channel 4's schedule at the beginning of 2019 was weighted towards public service broadcasting versus the same time in 2018 – and may have been affected by their position on the Sky TV Guide ("Electronic Programme Guide" or EPG) having been moved too.
Although we see this decline in linear 16-34s impacts, Thinkbox have demonstrated that when linear and broadcast video-on-demand are combined, reach amongst the audience now is roughly the same as a stand alone linear campaign ten years ago.
As Thinkbox's Matt Hill has argued, broadcaster VOD services are "now a necessity, not a luxury" – particularly for brands wanting to reach this younger audience.
Consumers are now willing to pay for content (provided it is good of course) and often sign up to more than one subscription service – although for the first time Apple TV has signed up some platforms to allow users to make one payment through the app to access multiple streaming sites.
Britbox meanwhile – another subscription service announced recently – will allow both ITV and BBC to keep hold of their own created content rather than sell them, as seen when ITV shot themselves in the foot with their sale of the ever popular Bodyguard to BBC and then Netflix.
Young audiences may be watching less linear TV but viewing of non-linear and catch-up content is higher than ever before. In fact, All 4 recorded its best ever viewing figures during March with 19.4m impressions in a single week. This was thanks to a schedule consisting of Leaving Neverland, Derry Girls, and Celebs Go Dating and far exceeded their previous record of 16.5m achieved during October 2018.
At a time of uncertainty in the economy and political environment, it is pleasing to see TV ad revenue remain stable.
For some time it has been difficult to target the younger 16-34 audience on linear television alone and some argue the growing popularity of paid-for and ad-free subscription services has provided another stumbling block to get in front of this hard-to-reach audience.
However the demand for high-quality video content is high and the use of broadcast video-on-demand among this age group is only increasing. With binge-worthy programmes such as Game of Thrones, Love Island and The Circle appearing back on our screens in a few months, the future's bright – the future's on-demand.
The Modern Family: Motherhood or 'Otherhood'?
The modern family is changing: childlessness in particular has nearly doubled in the last 30 years. A generation ago in the UK 11% of women aged 45 were childless, while today that has risen to one in five (18%).
Welcome to "Otherhood". The term was introduced by Melanie Notkin in her 2014 study of women who don't have children – either by choice or by circumstance, and more recently cultural insight agency BAMM conducted research looking into both women and men who have actively chosen not to have children.
Otherhood embodies those who do not have children because they have chosen other priorities: namely change and mobility. They appreciate the value of not needing to set down roots, with the added benefit of keeping their carbon footprint low by not having kids.
For marketers Otherhooders are the favourite "Aunts" and "Uncles" who have money to spare and to spend.
To appeal to the group it's all about inclusivity, and normalising an often stigmatised lifestyle choice. Otherhooders are particularly attracted to brands that support their restless lifestyles. Brands will need to cater to flexibility such as the various 'rent a dog' platforms and subscription services like Zipcar.
Otherhooders want to improve themselves and gather valuable life experiences – so brands have an opportunity to offer experience and learning as part of their service.
On the other hand motherhood is increasingly being 'seen' in society. Whilst Meghan Markle may be one of the most famous pregnant women at the moment, she embodies a very traditional, pristine image of being "with child", while the future seems much more unruly.
Waves of the new dawn of motherhood have been afoot for many years, with celebs regularly making an event of posting their bare-all pregnancy pics.
Cultural signals of pregnancy and motherhood have taken a defiant turn more recently. Notably, Slick Woods walked the 2018 Fenty show while having contractions, and model, Valaria Garcia, strutted the runway wearing a breast pump in the same year.
No longer is motherhood a distinct segment of a woman's life, and one be sanitised. The future says it will be in your face and unapologetic.
Brands should adapt to this new world – whether targeting this group specifically or not they should be sensitive to the understanding that a modern family no longer means two parents and 2.4 children.
For more from the Cultural Insights Forum on the make-up of the modern family, get in touch.
Watch It: Big TV Festival 2019
Following a successful debut last year, ITV, Channel 4, Sky and Thinkbox collaborated again to host The Big TV Festival, hosted by TV personalities Scarlett Moffatt and Jamie Laing.
Similar to last year 2019 saw a selection of the industry's rising stars, broadcasters, advertisers, creative powerhouses, analysts and commissioners taking up camp to discuss all things TV; from the best new shows through to a new generation of cars with TV screens instead of windows.
The major news of the festival came in the announcement of Britbox; the joint venture streaming service from the BBC and ITV aiming to be released in Q3 of this year.
According to ITV 43% of all online homes would be interested in having access to a service which focuses on the best of British content. Britbox will satisfy this need, featuring archive British TV shows and freshly commissioned programming.
Channel 4 is yet to team up in the joint venture – having them on board would certainly add scale to the proposition – however it remains to be seen whether the offer of the "Best of British" will be enough to entice consumers to sign up to yet another subscription service in a marketplace dominated by Amazon and Netflix that is growing evermore fragmented.
Plenty of quality new content was on show at the two-day event with each of the saleshouses providing previews into their most notable programming coming up in 2019.
ITV gave a sneak peak of the new series of The Voice Kids, which promises to be as much of a pull on the heartstrings as ever, while Channel 4 played a sequence from the Celebrity edition of their hit show SAS: Who Dares Wins.
However, the Golden Globe of the event goes to Sky and HBO and their new drama Chernobyl; the gritty and shocking portrayal of the human side of the natural disaster promises to be a stand out moment of the TV calendar.
Outside of the showreels, further highlights included Natalie Pinkham talking about the power of live sport – with the almost unbelievable stat that 97% of the UK population watched live sport in 2018.
Meanwhile Lorna Hawkin prophesised about the benefits of a growth mindset in relation to advertising effectiveness, and Thinkbox hosted a panel showcasing best-in-class TV campaigns.
Rory Sutherland also returned to the top of the bill; this time exploring the dangers of a model becoming a mindset and the pitfalls of rational versus emotional thinking in advertising.
With the pace that the video advertising market is changing it's imperative to have events like this in the calendar, both to inspire new thinking and stay ahead of the curve.
Roll on BTVF 2020.
Cast Away: Spotify Makes Its Move On Podcasts
Music-streaming service platform Spotify has this month announced the acquisition of yet another podcast platform. Following the buyout of Gimlet and Anchor earlier this year Spotify has now also acquired Parcast – an LA-based production studio specialising in true-crime – in a deal suggested to be worth $100 million.
By acquiring the companies – taking on popular true-crime podcast series such as Serial Killers and Unsolved Murders as well as the mystery scripted series Homecoming – Spotify hopes to compete with current leader Apple Podcasts. These purchased shows will sit alongside Spotify's original content and will be curated by the team that has built its Discover Weekly playlist feature.
It comes as no surprise that Spotify is attempting to open up its platform to the spoken word, especially following Ofcom's recent report that the amount of weekly listeners of podcasts has almost doubled in five years.
According to these latest figures nearly 6 million adults tune in to podcasts each week, including one in five of those aged 15-24. Interestingly this represents not just a shift in consumption but an increasing demand for audio content in general; almost all podcast listeners (96%) also listen to the radio.
For brands, podcast advertising provides an opportunity for them to tap into an engaged audience. This mobile-first audience can be targeted in a specific way (via cherry-picking podcasts for example) and yet ads can be delivered dynamically through real-time creative optimisation based on factors such as location or time of day.
This approach has unfortunately fallen into the digital approach of old, however, with marketers often asking all digital inventory to be measured on a CPA or traffic basis.
For many it is still a temptation to report digital metrics on a last-touch CPA basis. Most podcasts now feature an advert for a subscription or offer with a unique code to enter online – but this approach underestimates the power of podcast advertising and feels more in tune with ripping Big Mac vouchers out of the newspaper than providing an intelligent and attributable measure of effectiveness.
Recently there has been an increasing focus on advertisers integrating seamlessly into the content rather than buying standard airtime, for example with a sponsored series or a "host read" – having the talent themselves record the ads.
Spotify will do well to follow the lead of podcast platforms such as Acast by investing in high-quality production and keeping up with the growing demand for more interesting content.
However, unless they invest simultaneously in a system to measure brand effect and educate their clients and agencies on the same, they may well struggle to see a return.


THE KURDS: The untold story of the Kurds by a journalist who has followed their struggle for the last 15 years—from guerrilla safehouses in Syria and Lebanon, refugee tents in Iran, rebel bases in Turkey and, finally, in the corridors of power in the new Iraq.
• How the Administration failed to supply the Kurds (Saddam Hussein's nearest and most likely targets) with promised gas masks—raising speculation that it may have known before the war that Iraq had no WMD.
Kevin McKiernan has been a war correspondent for more than thirty years. He covered the Iraq war for ABC News, in both Kurdish and Arab areas. Prior to that, he co-produced the film, The Spirit of Crazy Horse for PBS Frontline and wrote and directed Good Kurds, Bad Kurds, the award-winning PBS documentary. McKiernan has published articles about and photographs of the Kurds in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Time and other publications. He lives in Santa Barbara, California.
Kevin McKiernan has reported on the Kurds of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria since 1991, but he began his career as a journalist in the 1970s covering armed confrontations by Native Americans. In The Kurds: A People in Search of Their Homeland he draws parallels—using examples of culture, language and genocide—between Native American history and the experience of the Kurds. With a population of more than twenty-five million, the Kurds are the largest ethnic group in the world without their own state, but until recently their long struggle for autonomy has received relatively little attention. Following World War I, the Kurds were promised a homeland, but the dream collapsed amid pressures of Turkish nationalism and the Allied realignment of the Middle East. For the remainder of the century, the story of the Kurds was one of almost constant conflict, as Middle East governments repressed Kurdish culture, language and politics, destroyed thousands of Kurdish villages, "disappeared" and even gassed the Kurds–often as the West provided military assistance or simply looked away.
Politically and ideologically diverse, the Kurds were never a "nation" in the modern sense, and their struggles for self-determination have been repeatedly betrayed by outside powers. And yet, in 1996, a Syrian Kurd would boldly inform the author that the Kurds "were a key to the stability of the Middle East"—prophetic words today, McKiernan writes, as the fallout from the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and other developments join to make Kurdish independence a likely, if not imminent, prospect.
McKiernan mixes Middle East history with personal narrative, as he comes face-to-face with Kurdish refugees in the mountains of Iraq and Iran, a hidden war in Turkey, guerrilla safe houses in Syria and Lebanon, backpacking trips behind army lines and scrapes with hostile soldiers and, finally, the discovery that his personal translator during the Iraq war was also a spy for Saddam Hussein. His complex portrait of the Kurds includes interviews with Jalal Talabani, the first Kurdish president of Iraq, members of the legendary Barzani family, and Abdullah Ocalan, the now-imprisoned leader of the long Kurdish uprising in Turkey. Interwoven throughout is the story of the author's charming and resilient driver who survived a terrorist attack in Iraq, and the American doctors who nursed him back to health.
McKiernan's coverage of the war in Iraq includes a visit to the camp of militants linked to al-Qaeda who were responsible for a series of suicide bombings in the Kurdish region, and he examines how U.S. preoccupation with toppling Saddam Hussein allowed many of these insurgents to escape to Iran, regroup and later turn their jihad against the American occupation. McKiernan also examines the role of journalists in the run-up to the war as he tells how his "scoop" about Iraqi scientists, obtained from Kurdish sources, came to be used in U.S. claims that Iraq possessed WMD.


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Cookstown: a Town Centre Urban Design Strategy
23 April 2005 | blog, neighbourhood, place making, small towns, working with communities
We have been appointed by Cookstown District Council in Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, to produce an urban design strategy for the centre of this striking and unusual town. First impressions of Cookstown are positive. Members of our team who were not familiar with the town found it to be an interesting and attractive place with many positive features to build on.
Cookstown is a bustling place which has a distinct sense of going somewhere. The main street is a strong feature of the town and is a quite remarkable and memorable. We are aware that this was planned and laid out with some care and with considerable aspiration yet the quality of buildings and development fronting the street perhaps does not match the grandeur of the original concept. Nevertheless it is a valuable urban set-piece and provides a strong basis for programmes of improvement to buildings and to the sequence of spaces and public realm.
Town origins
The earliest records of a settlement in the Cookstown area go back to 1609 but the basic shape and form of present day Cookstown dates from 1736-1750 when William Stewart laid out the new town. His plan was for a main street running almost due north-south, for about a mile and a quarter. This street was to be another Sack¬ville Street, Dublin (now 0'Connell Street) which was widened and improved about that time to be 'the widest street in Ireland.'
Urban characteristics
This early example of town planning ensures that Cookstown is a highly distinctive place. First impressions of the town are positive: the long, broad and straight main street, laid out between two high points, is extremely memorable, albeit that the architectural quality and scale of the buildings which flank it are perhaps less so. The rhythmical arrangement of parking bays and street trees further emphasises the axial character of the street.
Another strong feature of the town is the grain pattern created by the long gardens running east and west from the rear of properties along the main street. In certain areas this has been eroded or has completely disappeared but where it remains, it creates a distinctive, unusually wide space between parallel streets.
The retail core, aligned predominantly along the main axis, is the heart of Cookstown. It is the busiest area in terms of pedestrian footfall and motor vehicle flow, and is therefore where most conflict arises between the needs of motorists and pedestrians. A first impression of the centre of the town might be that it is chaotic but while this may be so, the parking arrangements and the slow speed of traffic create a situation which benefits the pedestrian. Although the extended linear nature of the core shopping area may be inconvenient in some ways, generally, the experience of moving along the main street is easy and pleasant. Crossing from one side to the other is more difficult however, as the road is wide and often filled with traffic.
The entrance zones to the north and south of the retail core are important parts of the build up to the retail core. In these areas buildings gradually recede from the roadside, being replaced by hardstandings and gardens. These approaches have an interesting fringe character about them although more could be made of them through design guidance and a more consistent approach to landscaping and boundary treatments.
There are opportunities for improving Cookstown's core area in terms of additional development opportunities, mitigating the effects of traffic and reworking some of the public realm to create a more distinctive product rheough the Cookstown Urban Design Strategy.
Cookstown Proposals
Cookstown Photoset
DSC_4390w
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Westerns once dominated the Hollywood era, the European scene, and many aspects of the film world. However, many got overshadowed by the large excesses or similar types of films.
On this list, you won't see films by John Ford, Howard Hawks or Sergio Leone, but rather films that resemble a similar bravura and aesthetic for the western that can be greatly appreciated and just haven't as the years have gone by. Therefore, here are 10 under-appreciated great westerns from traditional, spaghetti, and recent.
Almost a decade before John Wayne rose to stardom after "Stagecoach," he starred in the film made by underrated director Raoul Walsh. Wayne leads settlers out west looking for a better life, but the scope of this western was tremendous, particularly in 1930.
The film itself was massive, shot on location across the west, hundreds of extras, and even shot on 70mm Grandeur film at the time. Despite all the production values, the film holds up for several reasons. It proves Wayne was a leading man; it's a man versus nature type of film, and a great western adventure. The film never dulls for drama or Wayne proving the kind of all-American tough guy cowboy he grew into being.
Take last act of the film: there is a chase of sorts in a large forest that can rival a scope of a film today. Not only because it was a real location and time when films weren't like that, but the actors actually endured the hardships of moving around in the west, making the film in 1929.
From the opening credits and scene where we Barbara Stanwyck dropped in black riding a white horse, leading men, all in the open west – you know you're getting something special. Some may consider it a feminist western or a pulpy B-movie western, but it's undeniably a Samuel Fuller film.
As the film plays out in a tight 80 minutes, we are strapped along for the ride as Stanwyck's Jessica Drummond tries to fight off a sheriff and Marshal who want to hang one of her posse. And what follows in pure Fuller with hard-cracked dialogue, a camera that roves with action, and never a dull moment. However, Stanwyck doesn't shy away from her feelings in this male-dominated genre and this leads to an explosive ending of a shootout that was hard to imagine when seeing it in 1957!
Fuller always made great westerns from "I Shot Jesse James" and "The Baron of Arizona," but somehow he encompassed so many western elements into one film and it's just so damn good.
Many redemptive westerns have been made about violent gunslingers, from "Gunfight of OK Corral" to "Unforgiven," but here we get Johnny Ringo, played by Gregory Peck, who wants no part of violence. He returns to the small town of Cayenne to live a peaceful life with the wife and son he left behind.
Henry King's film has everything you could want – a tight narrative that spans over the course of a couple of hours, stark black and white cinematography by Arthur Miller, and great performances all around from the naive and caring bartender Karl Malden and the sympathizing Marshal, Millard Mitchell. No beats are skipped and we come full circle with hot shot youngsters to the legend of Ringo.
Peck, the always great American hero, plays the supposed villain with the grace and understanding of his past. Take the scene when he calmly converses with the women of the town about what should be done to him, of course inconspicuously. He is truly trying to be redemptive about his old ways; despite not being bad in the film, they were all 'him or me' situations.
Miller's film came at the large popularity of the western at the beginning of the 1950s, so it can be understood why it was washed into the back minds of viewers. However, after an 85-minute viewing of this film, you'll feel differently.
Anthony Mann was no stranger to the western genre from his five collaborations with James Stewart and "The Furie," but his overlooked gem from 1957 as well might be his boldest. We see Henry Fonda as a former sheriff turned bounty hunter help naive sheriff Anthony Perkins in his town.
Anthony Mann loved the western visual as anyone else and he explored many areas of the west. However, despite great experiences in his filmography until this point, he went back to black and white, photographed by Loyal Griggs, and truly masters the mise-en-scene of each frame.
Every shot from this film contains so many elements from production design, dozens of extras picturesquely placed and moving in the background, and the entire town. No frame is wasted and they are all essential to the thought process of Fonda and Perkins.
Mann shows the morality, the grayness, the townsfolk, and the law in his film with such clarity due to his visual framework. It's possible the film got shuffled amongst Hollywood westerns at the height of their popularity, but it stands as one of Mann's very best.
Rounding out the third film from 1957, Budd Boetticher's film starring his go-to actor, Randolph Scott, is a lean, on the point, gritty western. With the trio of Boetticher, Scott, and winter Burt Kennedy, you simply can't go wrong in what the director labeled his 'C-movie westerns,' which meant he could do things and get away with it due to its low budget and minimal distribution.
The films explores Scott chasing down a trio of outlaws who kidnapped a rancher and his lady; however, Scott's character of Pat Brennan has another angle of vengeance of his mind. The film is in widescreen Technicolor at its best, and Boetticher makes the most of it as the film weaves the sandy west to the showdown encircled by trees.
And without going into further detail for spoilers, the film shows how the west truly was in its characters duality of self and the choices they've made. It's after the credits start to roll that we start to really appreciate Scott's conflicted performances and final actions in this hell of a ride, tense, western.


Discussion in 'New Member Introductions' started by imfowl, Dec 17, 2008.
Just glad to find byc. I am always looking for new info on something about my chickens. Also have 2 crested ducks.
You're in the right place for info on chickens, among other things. Enjoy.


You may qualify for assistance to help cover the costs of assisted living. If you are a United States veteran or surviving spouse of a veteran, you may qualify for the Aid & Attendance Program and receive monthly benefits to help cover the costs of assisted living care. This benefit is not dependent upon service-related injuries for compensation. It allows for Veterans and surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person to assist in day-today activities to receive additional monetary compensation and care in an assisted living facility also qualifies. Additionally this is a tax-free benefit that most veterans needing assistance qualify for.
What is the Aid & Attendance Benefit?
Aid & Attendance is a Federal benefit that was added onto a need-based pension offered through The Department of Veteran Affairs. It provides benefits for veterans and surviving spouses who need assistance with their activities of daily living and meet specific requirements. Care provided in an assisting living facility qualifies.
What are the benefits of Aid & Attendance?
How do you qualify for the Aid & Attendance Benefit?
The Veteran's Administration offers pension benefits to Veterans (or Surviving Spouses of Veterans) under two circumstances.
1. If the Veteran: received discharge from service under any condition other than dishonorable, served at least 90 days of active military service 1 day of which was during a war-time period, AND (or Surviving Spouse) is age 65 or older.
*Figures are from the Veteran's Administration as of 12/01/12. Please contact the VA to verify current Aid and Attendance monthly payments.


DogsLife · Competitions · 2x Kehena Black Cable Sweater to GIVE AWAY!
2x Kehena Black Cable Sweater to GIVE AWAY!
Every 'paw'son needs that staple black sweater they can wear on special occasions or just out to lunch with fur-iends. New to the miyow & barkley winter range is this snugly 'Kehena Sweater'(named after a black sand beach in Hawaii). The unisex sweater is hand made in a luxurious thick 'man made wool', with a signature cable design on the back. The first of the range features a turtle neck that can be rolled down or left up for extra warmth.
Miyow & Barkley knits are designed to allow both male and female 'paw'sons to use the bathroom conveniently. Sizes are from XS to XXL.
Dogs Life has two Kehena Sweaters to give away. Just let us know what size you would like!
47 Responses to 2x Kehena Black Cable Sweater to GIVE AWAY!
So my baby wont be fureezing as i got her hair cut and now we are having a cold snap…..oops!
But my cold tiles weren't a Winter God send!
So I'd love to win!
Gosh they're so cute! Small please.
My dog loves to dress up, … so he can strut the CATwalk!
Severe anxiety means Cooper walks at night when less people are around. The downside is its so cold! He would really appreciate a Kehena Sweater!
On this little Cavvie, who is so gentle and sweet a stylish Kehena and a Melbourne Winter would beat !
A kehena sweater from the Miyow and Barkley range, how chic! my dogs would fight over who gets to wear such elegance first. Size medium please.
Classic Kehena Black Cable Sweater, is just the perfect gift for darling Gypsy who always likes to look her best. XS Please.
My baby staffy, Tasman is always sitting on our ducted heating or snuggling under blankets because he's cold, so a warm sweater would be perfect.
Poppy would do the Kehena Black Cable Sweater proud as they both are perfect.
as its cute and beneficial and would make feel a bit better knowing he's at least warmer with a bit style.
Our Jack Russell Milo would love to win a comfy sweater, very useful for keeping Jack Russell tummies warm in winter!
Dotty my Jack Russell + is a fashionable pooch and would rock this sweater while out on walks!
Cyndi (the lemon beagle) has patchy fur that she is rather sensitive about and would appreciate a lovely jumper for increased warmth, style and confidence.
This Kehena Black Cable is so stylish and cute . I love design and color. It would keep our Cassie warm and beautiful with Kehena Black Cable in cold weather. She would be the best stylish pet on the street.
PS Small size please if I win. Thanks!
I have just adopted a 6 year old Shih Tzu which previous owner clipped during winter. Would love my poor baby to stay warm without heater having to be on all night!
My little pug gets very cold in the winter! This would help keep him warm but still get his exercise to keep fit and healthy!
My Sooty or Piper would love this sweater as they really love to look stylish. In size small please.
My little cocker has been rescued from a puppy farm and hasn't known the warmth and comfort of jumpers before.
So I need some new ones please!
My Tobie would love this sweater. He loves his outfits and gets excited when we put one on him.
My little Toy Poodle gets really cold, what I have purchased for her is not warm enough, please let her win a wonderful warm sweater.
My dog hates being cold and this is perfect and at the same stylish for my dog to stay warm.
To keep her ageing body warm, and to look her very best in this seasons knitwear.
My poor little fur baby recently had a trim, her warm, woolly coat is no longer, shes in desperate need of an artificial one!
I have a longhair chihuhua who has alopicia so she has many bald spots and she has a vast array of coats, this would be lovely for her!
My little puppy princess Bella gets cold so easily because she is a short-haired mini foxie cross. I don't her to shiver.


Nanotechnologies are now being applied to health monitoring. Until recently, there has been little research into how to use nanotechnology and sensors in health monitoring. Nanotechnology Enabled In Situ Sensors for Monitoring Health summarizes the research efforts to design sensors based on nanotechnology that can be placed into the body to monitor health. Nanotechnology is being used at an unprecedented pace to both diagnose and treat diseases, rather than conventional approaches that diagnose and treat diseases in a different manner.


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Category: lgzpplhv
Port Jefferson Station Crash Driver Ticketed
admin lgzpplhv December 18, 2020
Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York A driver was summonsed after he was involved in a crash that seriously injured a motorcyclist in the biker's hometown of Port Jefferson Station on Monday evening, Suffolk County police said.Matthew Bock, 21, was riding a Yamaha southbound on Route 112 when he collided with a Toyota Camry driven by 66-year-old Anthony Tufariello of Copiague, who was making a left turn onto Sagamore Hills Drive at 9:15 p.m., police said.Bock was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries.Tufariello was not injured but he was issued a ticket for driving with an expired registration.Sixth Squad detectives impounded both vehicles for safety checks, are continuing the investigation and ask anyone with information about the crash to contact them at 631-854-8652. read more
Don't let 2018 go to the dogs
28SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr,John Vardallas John A. Vardallas CAE, CUDE is Founder/CEO of The AmericanBoomeR Group, a Madison, Wisconsin based speaking/consulting firm. He is also Senior Faculty Advisor/Project Evaluator for SCMS and … Web: www.theamericanboomer.com Details According to the Chinese Calendar 2018 is the Year of the DOG. The dog represents loyalty and generosity. The dog is an ethical and idealistic sign and the year which takes his name will make grow the grade of social awareness. So happiness and prosperity trends with the improving economy will be a harbinger for credit union leadership as we head into the New Year.With recent political, economic and regulatory changes to the American landscape, the new year bodes well for exceptional opportunity which credit unions should take full advantage. Overall many aspects of these changes have caused many of us to shift and use more new technology and innovation in dealing with our financial situations and engagement in serving members.There is good news these days. The stock market is at an all-time high and there is an upward GDP trend. Overall US credit union membership has hit 106 million plus. Loan growth is increasing. Net interest margins and operating expenses are improving. Inflation is relatively flat and the housing market is recovering. Regulation is loosening and the national unemployment rate is the lowest in decades.2018 is the year for credit unions to really continue to step up and help members respond to new changes and challenges (student debt/rising interest rates/cyber security issues) to improve and add comfort to their financial lifestyle.I would offer these "Super 8 in 18" suggestions for setting a course to prosper in the New Year:Work the Back Yard. Focus on deepening relationships (more wallet share) with your current members. Get closer and really get to know your members. Offer one stop financial services shopping and don't make your members jump through whoop s to do business. Continue to engage in community socially responsible causes showing the credit union difference.Review your Fee structures for market place adjustments. I am not suggesting we gouge our members, only that we alter fees based on the local marketplace. We still will be the best deal in town.Have a Collaboration, Partnership, Alliance and Merger Policy/Strategy.Train staff to cross serve/sell and wow members at every touch point opportunity 7x24x365. Embrace being a "Member- Centric" CU. All staff, volunteers, vendors and members should be advocates for your credit union.Use Good On-Boarding practices to Reconnect and Engage current and new members by offering incentives–(Buy local Groupon/ miles/reward programs/prepaid cards/cash back/free credit scores/reports) and concierge services to empower them to connect. Give members real reasons for being a member, not just a customer. Membership should have its privileges. Offer Certificate of Member Ownership/Toll Free 800 Member Care number.Embrace Innovation: Mobile/Tablet Technology and Social Media. Be Appilicious–Utilize innovative ideas to create "Apps for This and That" especially for Hispanic Members! Teach members to serve themselves via technology. A CU Alexa will join the Apple watch coming to members households and vehicles.Offer Suite of Services to help Different Demographic Members. Tax/Legal (Wills) Services/End of Life (Burial) loans/Long term Care for senior members. Look for Non-traditional/Lifestyle Products/Services that your members could really benefit. Set up Retirement Service Center programs to help boomers fund their Golden Years (Direct deposit SS Checks/Debit Card).Reach out to young adults and women via Micro Lending and Small Business Services.Stop asking Gen XYZ why they do that? Make it a strategic imperative to appeal to and attract more Youth and Young Adults. The under 30 Demographic is your next generation of lending business and lifelong members for your credit union. Find ways to help them ease their burden of student debt and offer financial counseling/programs.This is the time to not only to survive in the future but to thrive! Reach out and develop a different optimistic strategic mind set about growth focusing on maintaining our differentiation–why we do what we do versus what we do in our communities will distinguish us from the rest and help us prosper.Our Credit unions will need to step up, promote our purpose and focus on our commitment to members to stay ahead and not let this opportunistic financial services marketplace go to the dogs.Happy New Year! read more
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry a candidate to replace Quique Setien at Barcelona
admin lgzpplhv October 18, 2020
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry a candidate to replace Quique Setien at Barcelona Advertisement Thierry Henry is currently the head coach of Montreal Impact (Picture: Getty)Barcelona have added Thierry Henry to their shortlist of contenders to succeed doomed head coach Quique Setien.The 61-year-old's turbulent eight month reign is almost certain to come to an end in the next 48 hours with Barcelona set to hold an emergency board meeting on Monday following Friday night's humiliating 8-2 defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Maurici Pochettino is said to be the leading candidate, but his affiliation with Barcelona's local rivals Espanyol means he is far from a unanimous choice. The former Tottenham boss has recently backtracked on comments he made 18 months ago, ruling out the possibility of managing Barcelona but he is far from a shoo-in for the job.AdvertisementAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTRonald Koeman, a former Barcelona player who has recently recovered from heart surgery, is under consideration, as is Max Allegri who has enjoyed a year-long sabbatical after leaving Juventus last summer. Quique Setien is set to be sacked by Barcelona (Picture: Getty)Legendary captain Xavi has regularly been linked with a return to the club but he is likely to resist the temptation of making an emotional return and remain at Al Sadd but his former team-mate Henry could be sounded out according to Sport. The Arsenal legend endured a wretched start to his managerial career, sacked after just six months with Monaco and is currently the head coach of MLS side Montreal Impact.Whoever takes the job, however, will be inheriting a dispirited side in disarray following a record breaking defeat, after which Gerard Pique conceded he may have played his final game for the club.He said: 'Fresh blood is needed. We've have hit rock bottom now. We all need to reflect and see what's best for Barca.'Coaches and players follow one another, but it has been several years since we have been able to be competitive on a European level.More: Arsenal FCArsenal flop Denis Suarez delivers verdict on Thomas Partey and Lucas Torreira movesThomas Partey debut? Ian Wright picks his Arsenal starting XI vs Manchester CityArsene Wenger explains why Mikel Arteta is 'lucky' to be managing Arsenal'We all have to think internally and decide what is best for the club, for Barca. Tonight was unacceptable for Barcelona.'It's very hard to take but I hope it will be useful for something, for us to all think about it.'The club needs changes. And I'm not talking at the level of the coach or the players, but structurally the club needs changes of all kinds.'We must bring in new blood to change this dynamic, and if necessary, I would be the first to leave.'MORE: Video captures a broken Lionel Messi inside Barcelona dressing room against Bayern MunichMORE: Lionel Messi will consider quitting Barcelona after Bayern Munich embarrassment, believes Rio FerdinandFollow Metro Sport across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.For more stories like this, check our sport page. Advertisement Comment Metro Sport ReporterSaturday 15 Aug 2020 7:32 pmShare this article via facebookShare this article via twitterShare this article via messengerShare this with Share this article via emailShare this article via flipboardCopy link239Shares read more
Emerging markets wipe out returns at Switzerland's Publica
admin lgzpplhv September 29, 2020
It also manages a separate CHF4bn portfolio for seven closed pension funds with no active members.In this portfolio, the share of domestic bonds stood at 36% – twice as high as in the larger portfolio.A 2.9% return on domestic bonds helped the performance reach a positive 2.1% for 2015 for the retiree portfolio.This return was further aided by a large exposure to domestic real estate, which, at 20%, was almost three times that of the open portfolio.According to Publica, domestic real estate was the best-performing asset class in 2015 at 6.3%.The pension fund noted that, despite last year's loss, it has still outperformed its benchmarks, Pictet's BVG indices, by 20bps between 2000 and 2015, with a 2.9% average return.Meanwhile, Swiss companies saw their pension funding decline over the last year as discount rates fell and returns were only just positive, according to the quarterly Willis Towers Watson Swiss Pension Finance Watch.Year on year, funding levels came down from 96.5% to 94.8% after an even lower drop at the end of September to 92.4%.According to Willis Towers Watson, the fact the discount rate remained steady in the last quarter helped prevent a further decline in the funding level.This development was aided by the fact that the overall average return in Swiss company pension funds stood at approximately 1% at year-end.The consultancy's calculations are based on the returns of Pictet's BVG-40 pension index with a 40% equity exposure.Other Pictet BVG indices with different underlying asset allocations estimated a much lower return for 2015 at less than 0.5%. Publica, Switzerland's largest public pension fund, has reported a 2.5% loss on its open portfolio for 2015.In a statement, it cited the negative impact of a 14% exposure to emerging market debt and equities, with director Dieter Stohler also pointing out that emerging market currencies devalued by approximately 11% against the Swiss franc over the period.He said the fund's decision, however, to hedge developed-markets fully had boosted Publica's overall return by 130 basis points.Publica manages the open portfolio – by far the largest component of the scheme, with more than CHF32bn (€26bn) in assets – on behalf of 14 other pension funds, including its own. read more
Elderly cousins undergo joint euthanasia for fear of being separated
The Telegraph 2 February 2015Two elderly Scottish cousins who relied on each other to get by have undergone joint euthanasia because they feared being put in separate care homes.Stuart Henderson, 86, and Phyllis McConachie, 89, took their lives together in a Swiss clinic in November last year. Neither was terminally ill.The pair had lived together for 40 years and managed to look after each other in a sheltered housing complex.But, with Ms McConachie having injured her hip in a fall and with Mr Henderson's onset dementia, the cousins worried they would be sent to different homes and separated.Their joint deaths have sparked outrage among anti-euthanasia campaigners, who have described their case as "the ultimate abandonment" due to a lack of patient-centred care in the UK.Mr Henderson and Ms McConachie travelled to Eternal Spirit – an assisted-dying organisation in Basel, Switzerland – where they were given lethal medication.They died holding hands on Nov 10.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/11382849/Elderly-cousins-undergo-joint-euthanasia-for-fear-of-being-separated.html read more
Mason Parris Advances To Wrestling State Finals
Mason Parris of Lawrenceburg has advanced to The Wrestling State Finals (220 #) with two victories. Mason will defend his State Crown against Corbin Maddox of Daleville tonight at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.Andrew Negangard of East Central will wrestle for 5th Place in (152#). Jake Ruberg of Lawrenceburg will battle for 7th Place in (170 #).Way to go area Grapplers!
Bolger keeps his Focus
Press Association The Aidan O'Brien-trained Michaelmas was sent off an easy-to-back 11-10 favourite for a seven-runner race made up of unraced juveniles and looked likely to collect when travelling strongly at the top of the home straight. However, Focus On Venice knuckled down to his task admirably under Kevin Manning and with Michaelmas running green once coming under pressure, Jim Bolger's youngster passed the post a head to the good. Focus On Venice resisted the late thrust of Michaelmas to claim the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Leopardstown. Bolger said: "Kevin said it was very hard to keep straight with the wind – they are difficult conditions today, but he does seem to handle soft ground. "We'll be stepping him up to seven furlongs and he's a horse I can see going on to better things." read more
Pardew delight as Puncheon stays on
Warnock had fallen out with Puncheon publicly after criticising the pacy midfielder's missed penalty against Tottenham. Puncheon was all set to leave Palace in January, only for Warnock to be sacked in December and Pardew to subsequently take over after parting company with Newcastle. Pardew worked with Puncheon at Southampton, and admitted his delight that the 28-year-old had completed new Palace terms. "I don't think he needs to repay anyone really," said Pardew. "He came here and the mood was right for him and the club, but I think he's found a home here, and a leadership. "You musn't underestimate the influence he has over young players here. "Our academy, and I don't have a problem saying it, is 80 per cent black. "We need some black players here setting the right example. "And Jason Puncheon, he's fantastic, and they need to look up to him and see that you can reach the heights of the Premier League here." Pardew hailed Puncheon as Palace's top-performing player since he assumed the manager's role in January. "Since I came in halfway through the season, Jason Puncheon has been the best player," said Pardew. "He's orchestrated our play, we've added and I've given him more responsibility than he's ever had, in terms of a central role. "And he's answered all those questions. "And he's now made himself the intelligence of the team. "He's very influential and very important." Palace face Liverpool on Saturday, in Steven Gerrard's final Anfield bow before joining LA Galaxy in the summer. Pardew was West Ham manager when Gerrard's last-gasp long-range strike denied the Hammers FA Cup glory in the 2006 final. Liverpool salvaged a 3-3 draw at the death and went on to lift the cup on penalties, and Pardew still recalls Gerrard offering words of consolation before launching the celebrations. Pardew hailed Gerrard's "mystique" that will cement his place in Anfield folkore. "I heard he said his best goal was the cup final goal against West Ham, for the equaliser," said Pardew. "Nigel Reo-Coker just dropped off him at the death, and Steven smashed it into the bottom corner. "He's done that consistently throughout his career, come up with an inspirational moment for Liverpool, and that's why he's loved. "And that's why he has that tremendous mystique to his playing career. "He came up and consoled me after the cup final rather than celebrate, so that just shows the measure of the man." Pardew also tipped former club Newcastle to beat the drop, backing under-fire boss John Carver to ease the Magpies to safety in their final two Premier League clashes. "No I don't think they'll go down," said Pardew. "If someone had said to me when I left that with two games to go they couldn't finish above us, I would have said you were completely mad. "It's a strange scenario where they find themselves, and now the starting XI must produce at QPR, and they must produce at West Ham. "I've great confidence that they will, they've been through a few wars, so they are battle-weary and battle-ready, and hopefully they can show the fight in them to get over the line." Press Association Palace boss Pardew has revealed former Southampton winger Puncheon has signed a four-year contract extension with the Croydon club. Defender Damien Delaney has also completed a one-year contract extension, as Palace start the process of retaining in-form stars like Puncheon, and in-demand Yannick Bolasie. Alan Pardew believes Jason Puncheon committing his long-term future to Crystal Palace will convince other top stars to stay on at Selhurst Park. Pardew has already slapped a £60million price tag on Democratic Republic of Congo winger Bolasie this term, and now believes Puncheon's loyalty will help keep his squad together. "Yes it does help keep other players at the club," said Pardew, after Puncheon committed to Palace until June 2019. "You need to keep your best technical players. "The level we are at, in terms of that 10 or 15 clubs below the very top teams, it's difficult to get players of Punch's ability. "So it's very important for us to secure him, I'm very pleased about it. "He can play a number of roles and we can look forward to seeing more of him next year." Puncheon flourished under Tony Pulis as Palace pulled away from a relegation fight to finish 11th last term, before the arrival of Neil Warnock threatened his future at the club at the start of the current campaign. Pulis walked out on the eve of the season after rows about transfer policy, with Warnock returning to Palace in a stop-gap capacity. read more
Remi Garde's backroom staff are in demand at Lyon
Ex-Lyon boss Garde has been heavily linked with the managerial vacancy at Villa Park but is reportedly keen to take with him two members of his old backroom staff. Those coaches, Bruno Genesio and Gerald Baticle, are still working at Lyon and the Ligue 1 club have said they will not be allowed to leave. Captain Micah Richards admits the next manager, whoever it is, must make an instant impact to turn around the club's season. Richards told Sky Sports News: "The manager who comes in needs to be able to get us going straight away. "We haven't got any time to settle in or blend in. We need to get going from the start. Whoever it is, whether it is Garde, lets hope they can do that. "If they speak French obviously it is going to be easier for them (the French players) to understand how they want to play. Let's hope he speaks just as good English as French because we're in England. When I went to Fiorentina I had to learn Italian and I had to try to adapt." Press Association Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas told Le Progres: "Remi, I hope, will go to Aston Villa, he deserves a big English club. "But an assistant under contract cannot leave. And anyway, a deputy cannot ask that." Villa are searching for their third manager in eight months after sacking Tim Sherwood on Sunday. Sherwood paid the price for a poor start to the season in which Villa won just one of their opening 10 Barclays Premier League games. They are bottom of the table and four points from the safety line ahead of Monday's trip to Tottenham. Garde, a former Arsenal midfielder, has emerged as the front-runner for the position this week. The initial favourites, David Moyes and Brendan Rodgers, have drifted in the betting while there does not appear to have been significant movement concerning another potential candidate, former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson in recent days. Former Sunderland manager Gus Poyet is now out of the reckoning having agreed to take over at AEK Athens. Aston Villa's hopes of bringing in Remi Garde as their next manager may have been hampered by the Frenchman's former club Lyon. read more
Martinez deserves credit for Belgium's World Cup success: Chadli
Moscow, July 9: Belgium winger Nacer Chadli has said Spanish coach Roberto Martinez deserved credit for the team's success at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.Under Martinez, Belgium won Group G ahead of England and impressively rallied back from a 0-2 deficit against Japan to make it a 3-2 win before defeating Brazil 2-1 in the quarterfinals, reports Efe."Roberto Martinez started with a small club (Wigan), he did a very good job and went to Everton, and with his experience, style and way of thinking, we are here today, it's because of him," Chadli said in a press conference on Sunday ahead of the semifinal clash against France.Chadli said defeating Brazil gave the team a big boost, but confirmed the team would not get caught up in the hype."The enthusiasm in Belgium after the Brazil-Belgium clash is just wonderful. But we have to be with our feet on the ground now," the West Bromwich Albion player said."If you can beat Brazil, you do not have to fear anyone. We respect everybody, but if we play with fear we will not be able to beat France," Chadli said.Chadli praised France, calling it a team of high quality that masters the counter attack and paying special tribute to Kylian Mbappe."Apart from (Argentine star Lionel) Messi, I have not seen (players) doing things like what Mbappe does at his age, but yet there is no anti-Mbappe plan as we have not spoken yet about how we are going to play," Chadli said. IANS read more
For 16 years, FLA has worked to help impaired lawyers
A year after the attacks
Aronovitz reports on All Bar Conference, MJP, court funding
Young lawyers want to revamp PWP program


25 Rue Yvette Sourdois Route de Maumusson, 32400, Viella, Gers, Midi Pyrenees.
Looking at a map of France. Locate Pau, in the far south west, just north of the Pyrénées mountains. We are slightly north of that !
Assuming you are coming from the north, on the N124, follow signs for Pau at the first roundabout as you come into Aire sur l'Adour. Cross over the river. Immediately after crossing the river, turn left (D22) towards Lembeye. Continue for approx 16km where the road forks. Take left fork, signposted viella. Turn left into the village. Once in Viella, pass the bar and shops and take a right at the mini roundabout towards Maumusson. Viella Vacances is about 400M passed the church on your left.


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Proposal would create tribal national park out of Pine Ridge lands
By Wayne Ortman
Sioux Falls, South Dakota (AP) September 2010
Thousands of acres taken from the Oglala Sioux Tribe nearly 70 years ago would be returned and managed as a tribal national park under a proposal from the National Park Service.
The change involves the 208 square-mile South Unit that's part of Badlands National Park in southwest South Dakota.
In 1942, the U.S. government's War Department took what is now the South Unit from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to establish a practice bombing range that was used until the 1960s. The land was later returned to the tribe as government-held trust land to be managed by the Park Service as part of Badlands National Park.
Giving the tribe responsibility for the land is the preferred option from four management alternatives for the South Unit. It would be the first tribal national park in the nation and require congressional approval, said Steve Thede, deputy superintendent of Badlands National Park.
"We're setting precedence, kind of a scary place but kind of an exciting place to be too," said Thede.
The 133,300-acre South Unit and the more heavily visited 109,456-acre North Unit within Badlands National Park are now managed by the National Park Service.
Birgil Kills Straight, executive director of the Oglala Sioux Parks and Recreation Authority, said full conversion to tribal management would take several years.
He said a tribal national park would complement a Lakota Heritage and Education Center being built by the tribe and tie in with a proposed scenic byway through the reservation to the Crazy Horse Monument being carved in the Black Hills.
The new management plan and accompanying environmental impact statement for the South Unit are subject to a 60-day comment period that will include five public meetings in South Dakota Sept. 14-16 and one in Washington, D.C., in October.
The preferred alternative could be adjusted or changed altogether, based on the comment period, Thede said.
"One of the things with this plan is we've done so many public meetings – 18 listening sessions and some other things – that we think we've got a pretty good handle on what the public wants.
"So I'd say the odds of that (major changes) are slim, but it's completely open and that's what the process is all about – doing what the public wants us to do."
At least 95 percent of the facilities for visitor use and park management are located in the North Unit, which is connected to Interstate 90 and draws more than 900,000 visitors annually.
The South Unit draws around 9,500 visitors annually and is operating this fiscal year on a $166,000 budget. The full park's operating budget is $4.6 million, according to the National Park Service.
Hundreds of Indian families were forced off the land in the 1940s. Some considered it their contribution to the war effort, while descendants of some families believe the land should be returned to them, Kills Straight said.
"There is overwhelming support for it among tribal members," Kills Straight said of the tribal park. `There are some people who question it, but we've answered most of the questions in the public meetings."
"We can't change history," said the NPS' Thede, "but this is an opportunity to revisit the decisions that were made and maybe do a little better this time around.
http://www.nps.gov/badl


the organization map local copy may need to be updated.
command serves at least the following two purposes.
until the complete organizational map has been constructed.
device) is required to answer the postulated question.
or may not represent the opinions of my management and/or my employer.
some questions / issues which I've stumbled across recently.
retrieve the zone information for a given LBA.
_not_ the starting LBA of a zone.
can use REPORT ZONES with a non-zero LBA.
I've measured several _minutes_ to retrieve the full zone information.
knowledge of the zone layout?
information the LBA is contained in.


Oliver Twist. Charles Dickens. EPUB, PDF, FB2 / Ч. Диккенс. Оливер Твист. На английском | Free eLibrary "Original"
Oliver Twist, subtitlеd The Parish Boy's Progress, is thе second novеl by English аuthor Charles Dickens.
Thе story is about аn orphan, Oliver Twist, whо endures а miserable existence in а workhouse аnd then is placed with аn undertaker.
Hе escapes and travеls to London whеre he meets the Artful Dodgеr, leadеr of a gang of juvеnilе pickpockets.
Naïvеly unaware of thеir unlawful activitiеs, Oliver is lеd to the lair of their еlderly criminal trainеr Fаgin.


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text:
Q: Sort text in second column based on values in first column in python i would like to separate the text in different rows based on the values of the first number. So:
Harry went to School 100
Mary sold goods 50
Sick man

using the provided information below:
number  text
1   Harry
1   Went
1   to
1   School
1   100
2   Mary
2   sold
2   goods
2   50
3   Sick
3   Man

for i in xrange(0, len(df['number'])-1):
    if df['number'][i+1] == df['number'][i]:
          # append text (e.g Harry went to school 100)
    else:
          # new row (Mary sold goods 50)

A: You can use groupby,
for name,group in df.groupby(df['number']):
    print ' '.join([i for i in group['text']])

Result
Harry Went to School 100
Mary sold goods 50
Sick Man

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Civey, a startup we are supporting from the very beginning with user acquisition strategy, marketing, partnerships and frontend development has just received €1.2 mio funding from the IBB. Until the Open Beta starts in summer be sure to check out the blog with interesting insights around algorithms, survey science and tidbits in the realm of civic-tech.
Born in Vienna, living in Berlin. Founder/CEO of appstretto. Over 15 years of experience in the digital world. Adventurous, bold & passionate.


Sunday's Global Citizen Festival, attended by tens of thousands of people at Johannesburg's FNB Stadium, was memorable for both good and bad reasons: spectacular performances from local and international artists were followed by a breakdown of security and logistics after the show. But what was intended to be a charity event also had an intriguing political dimension which bears further examination.
Roughly six hours into the Global Citizen Festival, something unexpected happened.
On stage appeared Patrice Motsepe, the billionaire patron of his eponymous foundation. Since the Motsepe Foundation appeared to be picking up at least some of the tab for the event – its branding was splashed around the stadium – Motsepe received a warm welcome from the crowd.
Motsepe proceeded to call up on stage the following cast of characters: the "King of the Zulu nation", religious leaders from the Zion Christian Church and the NG Kerk, Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi, and representatives from both white and black South African farmers' organisations.
Each was given roughly 20 seconds' microphone time to express general sentiments of goodwill.
To this end, he said, the Motsepe Foundation was committing R3.5-billion to the cause of land reform.
The audience clapped enthusiastically, though at this point a certain degree of donation fatigue appeared to have settled. Since 14:00, every hour at the festival had seen a new announcement hailing a new astronomical sum of money being donated by either corporates or governments to address African challenges.
Shortly afterwards, Beyoncé and Jay-Z would take the stage to perform a dazzling, unforgettable set. Thereafter, festivalgoers leaving the FNB Stadium would be subjected to conditions of chaos affecting transport arrangements that would leave a good number as the victims of crime.
All in all, it's fair to say that Motsepe's announcement was probably top of nobody's mind on Monday morning.
Yet it's worth dwelling on for a moment, for what it suggests about the curious interplay of government, the private sector and philanthropists in South Africa.
Consider the characters that Motsepe brought on stage to represent the multisectoral nature of his land reform intervention. Churchmen; Zulu royalty; a representative of South African workers, and two people standing in for white and black farmers.
Notably absent: politicians. Or anyone representing the South African government.
The tone of the day was indeed determinedly apolitical, but to discuss a key piece of government policy without involving government is surely a conscious choice. Earlier in the day, when the US government had committed a staggering $16-billion to HIV treatment in South Africa over two years*, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi had appeared on stage to acknowledge the largesse and pledge government support.
For Motsepe's land announcement, by contrast, no Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform was on hand to acknowledge the "partnership".
It's not clear what the Motsepe Foundation intends to do with the R3.5-billion it is putting towards land reform; its website is currently silent on the matter. It's fair to assume, however, that funds of that magnitude are intended either to buy and distribute land, or to give financial support to emerging farmers, or some combination of the two.
Many South Africans will doubtless welcome Motsepe's intervention, whatever form it takes. Indeed, Patrice Motsepe is currently enjoying a moment of popularity in South Africa.
Though his philanthropy is nothing new, this weekend saw many expressions of gratitude on social media for the fact that Motsepe is seen to be almost single-handedly responsible for bringing four enormously popular cultural figures to the country this year: footballer Lionel Messi, former US president Barack Obama, and Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
In this way, Motsepe has cemented his reputation as South Africa's unofficial Minister of Fun, or perhaps a national Fairy Godfather of sorts.
But the intervention into the land issue is a different kettle of fish. The other causes tackled by the Global Citizen Project were unambiguous staples of global development: health, education, gender equality, and so on.
Land reform in South Africa currently is different. While it's possible to make a compelling case for the argument that land reform is an inextricable aspect of economic justice for South Africa, there's no denying the fact that it is a hot-button issue over which the ruling party has revealed itself to be somewhat conflicted and dithering in tackling.
Johannesburg's iteration of the Global Citizen Festival was broadcast internationally, and Motsepe may have seized the opportunity of a moment of global attention to try to transmit the message to international investors – via his multiracial stage cast – that South Africa is bent on dealing with the issue in a manner that will not damage the country's precarious social cohesion.
But that is a message which is surely the responsibility of government to transmit, rather than a private citizen – however well-connected he may be politically.
Motsepe's actions on Sunday will fuel rumours that the billionaire harbours aspirations of a future presidential run, however scant the other evidence to support such a notion. If his intentions are purely philanthropic, however, it raises questions about the current administration's idea of "public-private partnerships", a concept which President Ramaphosa's government has been eagerly pushing.
When President Ramaphosa appeared on stage on Sunday – after an introduction by Oprah Winfrey which established his credentials in the eyes of the world by stressing that Ramaphosa had been Nelson Mandela's chosen successor – he had the air of an inessential bit player on a day which had seen massive sums pledged to aid South Africa's development.
As mentioned, the amounts of money promised to South Africa in commitments from foreign governments and big corporates were eye-watering.
From Vodacom: almost R500-million to fight gender-based violence, improve sanitation in schools and enhance digital literacy.
From Procter & Gamble: around R410-million over three years to support women-owned businesses.
From the US government, via the United States President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR): R16-billion over two years to fund HIV treatment.
From the Global Fund: almost R5,3-billion over three years towards HIV prevention.
Those are just a few examples of the millions that will be flowing to South African coffers in the near future to support basic development targets.
Most of the money will be spent on funding things that should be part of the government's essential mandate: ensuring that kids don't die in pit latrines in schools, for instance, and ensuring that people living with Aids have access to the drugs they need.
And while ordinary South Africans may be grateful for the injection of these external funds, if it results in a higher quality of basic services, it's worth remembering that money itself has never been South Africa's greatest challenge. Indeed, most state spending already goes on health and education, with a report in 2017 finding that South Africa spends a higher proportion of its budget on education than the US, the UK and Germany.
It does so with poorer educational results than a country like Kenya, which spends about 7% less.
Those who have followed the virtual collapse of the Limpopo health system as a result of corruption and mismanagement, meanwhile, may shiver to consider the potential misuse of the new billions flowing in to fund Aids treatment.
Even if all the money goes to the causes for which it is intended, however, it is still a stark indictment of South African governance that the fulfilling of its citizens' most basic needs should be effectively outsourced to foreign governments and transnational mega-corporations – the latter not known for condition-free benevolence – 24 years after democracy.


Uwira and Kilkanen have risen from metal works to engineering companies that carry out projects globally. We have together been developing activities purposefully for years. Both companies focus on challenging welding, piping, and machining projects.


Ehlers's presentation will be informed not only by his tenure in both the state and federal legislature - where his emphases include K-12 science education--but also by his background as the first research physicist to serve in Congress. He holds a doctorate in nuclear physics and taught and conducted research at both the University of California at Berkeley and Calvin College for several years.
The lecture has been scheduled by the Natural and Applied Sciences Division at Hope in conjunction with the academic-year commemoration of the 100-year anniversary of the formal creation of the departments of chemistry and physics at the college. Although Hope had developed its first classroom laboratory in 1867, the two departments became independent programs in 1909.
Ehlers was sworn in on Jan. 6, 2009, to serve his eighth full term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was first elected to the 103rd Congress in a special election on Dec. 7, 1993.
As a member of the 111th Congress, Ehlers serves on three standing House committees. He has served on the Science and Technology Committee (previously known as the House Science Committee) and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee since his arrival in Washington, and joined the Education and Labor Committee in 1999.
During his tenure on the Science and Technology Committee, he oversaw in 1998 the writing of the nation's first major statement on science policy since 1945. He also co-chairs the STEM Ed Caucus, which is dedicated to improving the nation's K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. He introduced the resolution that led to the designation of National Computer Science Education Week, which debuted Dec. 6-12, 2009.
On the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Ehlers has led efforts to secure a fair funding formula and more dollars for Michigan's roads, highways, and transit systems. In the 107th Congress, Ehlers led the development of the Great Lakes Legacy Act, which authorized spending $270 million over five years to clean up sediments in the Great Lakes.
As a member of the Education and Labor (previously the Education and the Workforce) Committee, he blends his efforts with the Science Committee on improving math and science education.
Ehlers was previously on the House Administration Committee from 1995 to 2008, serving as Ranking Republican and Chairman. During his tenure on the committee, he was instrumental in the effort to connect the House of Representatives with the Internet and the creation of the Library of Congress' Thomas website, which allows anyone to look up legislation being considered by Congress, laws that have been passed and other information about Congress.
Prior to Congress, Ehlers served a total of 11 years in the Michigan Legislature, with just over two years in the House and nine years in the Senate, where he finished his tenure as President Pro-Tem. He also served eight years on the Kent County Board of Commissioners, including three years as chairman.
After three years of studying at Calvin College, Ehlers transferred and received his undergraduate degree in physics and his Ph.D. in nuclear physics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1960. After six years teaching and research at Berkeley, he moved back to Grand Rapids to Calvin College in 1966 where he taught physics for 16 years and later served as chairman of the Physics Department. During his tenure at Calvin, Ehlers also served as a volunteer science advisor to then-Congressman Gerald R. Ford.
He is married to Johanna (Jo) Meulink and is the father of four adult children and the grandfather of four. He and his wife reside in Grand Rapids.


text:
< Back to News & Media
NSW Labor's rooftop solar policy to cut emissions and help reduce electricity bills
SYDNEY, Feb 9, 2019 - NSW Labor's plan to provide 500,000 households with $2,200 to install solar panels, will help ease the pressure on New South Wales' ageing and unreliable coal-fired generators, while also lowering pollution and power prices.
Opposition Leader Michael Daley announced the policy in Western Sydney this morning, saying it would save families up to $1000 a year.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific Campaigner, Holly Dawson, said the policy reflected the widespread community appetite for clean energy commitments.
"This policy will provide clean energy for everyday people who want to take back control of their electricity bills, while reducing the pollution that causes climate change – it's a fantastic initiative."
"It's great to see Labor finally come to the table on this important issue. Now it is time to see similar leadership from the Liberal Party. Gladys Berejiklian has had eight years and she still hasn't come up with a policy," Ms Dawson said.
The scheme will be capped at 500,000 households over ten years. Eligible homes must be owner-occupied and the scheme is restricted to families on a combined income of less than $180,000 per year.
Ms Dawson said there was now a need to allow renters to access rooftop solar and to support industrial scale renewable projects.
"People who rent deserve to be able to access clean and cheap energy too. That's why we are calling on the next New South Wales government to introduce a solar rebate to help families that are renting, to access solar panels – or help those who already have solar to install battery storage.
"It's critical that the next New South Wales government outline how it will ensure the state's economy is powered by affordable and reliable technology far into the future, by outlining plans for significant increases in larger wind and solar farms."
Climate advocacy groups including Greenpeace, the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, and Solar Citizens, are calling on all parties contesting the NSW election to ensure:
The NSW Government tenders for at least 4000 MW of large-scale clean power, along with large-scale battery storage;
All government operations are powered with 100 percent renewable energy, including schools and public hospitals during the next government (2019-2023);
Every household (including low-income and rental properties) can access solar power within 10 years by introducing a Solar For All Rebate and helping families with solar install batteries;
Doubling New South Wales' energy productivity by 2030 by investing in a range of energy efficiency programs; and
Legislate for net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, and ensure all government decisions consider the impact of policies on climate change.
Greenpeace activists attend NSW Labor's Premiers' Dinner with climate message
For interviews:
Greenpeace Australia Pacific Communications Campaigner, Martin Zavan


Circulating among five servers located in Los Angeles, Windhoek, Dar es Salaam, Mumbai (Bombay) and Bishkek is a signal2 that, depending on the extent and state of the respective networks and lines connecting them, requires different lengths of time to travel the respective distances. The measured time intervals that the signal needs to get from one server to the next are correlated with the actual geographical distances and transferred by a Java applet onto a world map. The result is a real-time metric distortion of the map, which is updated after every cycle of the ping signal.
The cartographic registration of global geological, political or economic conditions has always been a part of the making of maps which, as positional and organizational models of spatial relationships and power structures, have also constituted a drawing board of history and international politics. As models that still function in this way, world maps store and link global data to worldviews. In this sense, they perform multiple functions ranging from representation to "utopometric" design. Seen from this perspective, maps reflect the process of progressive globalization that is currently undergoing a reordering in the form of the telematic mediatization and technical acceleration of spatial and temporal relationships. In this process, the structural knowledge of relations, balances of power, and linkages becomes more decisive than that of actual distances, whereby the interest in geographical locations replaces interest in dynamics, transformations and reciprocities.
A conventional Mercator projection of the earth was chosen as the point of departure for the "Biophily Warp Map". In the Mercator projection, straight paths on the map correspond to curved or circuitous routes in the geography of the real world; on the other hand, the "Warp Map" gives rise to "Internet- metric" distortions due to differences in network dimensions and server structures that, in turn, illustrate political, technological, and economic conditions.
Biophily (a messy artificial word meaning the love of life, biology and philosophy) is dedicated to research into an inverse concept of nature and reflected human images, and deals with obsessions of a techno-culture in which the "love of life" becomes hypertrophied and perverted. The doublings of space and body via Internet geography and biotechnology as well as their cultural and social interdependencies are the focus of projects carried out in conjunction with Biophily. Dar es Salaam, Windhoek, Los Angeles, Mumbai and Bishkek were selected as reference points for the symbolic map of Biophily and visited between 1994 and 1999.
Travelling along as an integral part of the ping signal is the Buddhist formula "Om Mani Padme Hum," which, via the globe-spanning data network, metaphorically turns the world into a prayer wheel of globalization.