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Max About Town
This weekend: cars, motorcycles and dance
I recently watched a fascinating documentary about the Australian film industry's exploitation filmmakers, called "Not Quite Hollywood" and available for instant viewing on Netflix.
By Max Sparber
MinnPost photo by Max Sparber
Couchmobile at the Art Car Parade
I recently watched a fascinating documentary about the Australian film industry's exploitation filmmakers, called "Not Quite Hollywood" and available for instant viewing on Netflix. And if there is one thing that Australians did well, it was fetishize cars. With reckless abandon, they souped up already menacing-looking vehicles, set them out on local highways, and went as fast as they possibly could, filming the entire time. It's no surprise that Australians produced "Mad Max" and "The Road Warrior" — their attitude toward the automobile seems perfectly summed up by the character Nightrider from the former film, who roars across a post-Apocalyptic wasteland screaming, "I'm a fuel-injected suicide machine!"
In general, we Minnesotans aren't quite as strung out on speed. But we do like to muck with our cars, and we have our own festival dedicated to the results: the annual art car parade (which now also includes art bikes). Tomorrow at the Lake Harriet Bandshell, starting at 6 p.m., you'll be able to see what happens when you give a Minnesotan a vehicle, a lot of time, and too much imagination. The results are often quite funny — I remember an art car from a few years ago that was nothing but a wood-paneled station wagon with a baby carrier on its roof, rigged with a realistic baby doll that cried quite loudly. Another enterprising fellow rigged his sofa to drive around like an automobile, and, as this year's announcement mentions a couchmobile, he must be back, despite the fact that such a vehicle seems as suicidal as anything you might find roaming the Aussie outback.
If your taste is less for automobiles and more for motorcycles, well, Saturday has you covered as well, thanks to the Bearded Lady Sixth Annual Motorcycle Freak Show, starting at 2 p.m. at the 331 Club in Northeast Minneapolis. We can safely expect this to be an especially loud event, unless everybody has suddenly gone for those electric motorcycles that make no noise at all. If they have — well, there's still music aplenty, as the day's programming includes The Brass Kings, as well as two bands with names that sound exactly right for this sort of event: Rumble Seat Riot and Crank Shaft.
There's a film playing at the Walker that I haven't had a chance to see yet, but it sounds utterly fascinating: "Hampton Alexander," lensed by 19-year-old Timothy McKinney in 1972 and filmed in the Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul. The hour-long film tells the story of a Vietnam veteran on a mission of revenge. The film was, in part, a product of an organization called the Inner City Youth League, a Selby-Dale neighborhood organization that worked with at-risk kids. At that time, the neighborhood was reeling from the construction of I-94, which went right through Rondo, uprooting many of the residents; From descriptions of "Hampton Alexander," this sense of displacement runs through the film, which was itself displaced for quite a long time: It was discovered a few years back in the attic of the Youth League offices.
Finally, we're in an odd transitional period between the closing of the Southern Theater, which has long been home to many of Minnesota's most innovative dancers, and the opening of the Cowles Center in September. Fortunately, the annual "Momentum: New Dance Works," presented by the Walker Art Center in association with the Southern, is still on and still at the Southern. Tonight will feature Kenna Cottman and Mad King Thomas. Cottman specializes in West African dance and drumming, which she parallels with contemporary hip-hop dancing, while Mad King Thomas are hard to place in any specific genre of dance, instead inventing movement based around themes, or scenes, or particular ideas they want to explore.
With the opening of the Cowles Center, we're likely to see everybody discover something that should be a secret to nobody — that the Twin Cities are home to an extraordinarily vibrant and inventive dance community. This has, unfortunately, sometime seemed like an open secret, and even among patrons of dance, they've sometimes gravitated toward one or two companies and missed what the rest of the community has to offer. As many different companies will be sharing the Cowles Center space, we're probably going to see a new audience, one based around the center and is amenable to whatever is playing there, from ballet to contemporary choreography. I expect things will change quite a bit for the local dance community as a result. This makes this performance of "Momentum" particularly interesting — it may be one of our last chances to experience Twin Cities dance as it has been for the past decade or so, before the potentially transformative deluge of attention that often comes with the opening of a significant institution.
Three reasons why the new Orange Line is the best suburban transit project yet
More Max About Town articles

This weekend: cars, motorcycles and dance

By Max Sparber

July 22, 2011

MinnPost photo by Max Sparber

Couchmobile at the Art Car Parade

I recently watched a fascinating documentary about the Australian film industry's exploitation filmmakers, called "Not Quite Hollywood" and available for instant viewing on Netflix. And if there is one thing that Australians did well, it was fetishize cars. With reckless abandon, they souped up already menacing-looking vehicles, set them out on local highways, and went as fast as they possibly could, filming the entire time. It's no surprise that Australians produced "Mad Max" and "The Road Warrior" — their attitude toward the automobile seems perfectly summed up by the character Nightrider from the former film, who roars across a post-Apocalyptic wasteland screaming, "I'm a fuel-injected suicide machine!"

In general, we Minnesotans aren't quite as strung out on speed. But we do like to muck with our cars, and we have our own festival dedicated to the results: the annual art car parade (which now also includes art bikes). Tomorrow at the Lake Harriet Bandshell, starting at 6 p.m., you'll be able to see what happens when you give a Minnesotan a vehicle, a lot of time, and too much imagination. The results are often quite funny — I remember an art car from a few years ago that was nothing but a wood-paneled station wagon with a baby carrier on its roof, rigged with a realistic baby doll that cried quite loudly. Another enterprising fellow rigged his sofa to drive around like an automobile, and, as this year's announcement mentions a couchmobile, he must be back, despite the fact that such a vehicle seems as suicidal as anything you might find roaming the Aussie outback.

If your taste is less for automobiles and more for motorcycles, well, Saturday has you covered as well, thanks to the Bearded Lady Sixth Annual Motorcycle Freak Show, starting at 2 p.m. at the 331 Club in Northeast Minneapolis. We can safely expect this to be an especially loud event, unless everybody has suddenly gone for those electric motorcycles that make no noise at all. If they have — well, there's still music aplenty, as the day's programming includes The Brass Kings, as well as two bands with names that sound exactly right for this sort of event: Rumble Seat Riot and Crank Shaft.

There's a film playing at the Walker that I haven't had a chance to see yet, but it sounds utterly fascinating: "Hampton Alexander," lensed by 19-year-old Timothy McKinney in 1972 and filmed in the Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul. The hour-long film tells the story of a Vietnam veteran on a mission of revenge. The film was, in part, a product of an organization called the Inner City Youth League, a Selby-Dale neighborhood organization that worked with at-risk kids. At that time, the neighborhood was reeling from the construction of I-94, which went right through Rondo, uprooting many of the residents; From descriptions of "Hampton Alexander," this sense of displacement runs through the film, which was itself displaced for quite a long time: It was discovered a few years back in the attic of the Youth League offices.

Finally, we're in an odd transitional period between the closing of the Southern Theater, which has long been home to many of Minnesota's most innovative dancers, and the opening of the Cowles Center in September. Fortunately, the annual "Momentum: New Dance Works," presented by the Walker Art Center in association with the Southern, is still on and still at the Southern. Tonight will feature Kenna Cottman and Mad King Thomas. Cottman specializes in West African dance and drumming, which she parallels with contemporary hip-hop dancing, while Mad King Thomas are hard to place in any specific genre of dance, instead inventing movement based around themes, or scenes, or particular ideas they want to explore.

With the opening of the Cowles Center, we're likely to see everybody discover something that should be a secret to nobody — that the Twin Cities are home to an extraordinarily vibrant and inventive dance community. This has, unfortunately, sometime seemed like an open secret, and even among patrons of dance, they've sometimes gravitated toward one or two companies and missed what the rest of the community has to offer. As many different companies will be sharing the Cowles Center space, we're probably going to see a new audience, one based around the center and is amenable to whatever is playing there, from ballet to contemporary choreography. I expect things will change quite a bit for the local dance community as a result. This makes this performance of "Momentum" particularly interesting — it may be one of our last chances to experience Twin Cities dance as it has been for the past decade or so, before the potentially transformative deluge of attention that often comes with the opening of a significant institution.

This article first appeared on MinnPost and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.


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Powerful bounce in sight for global economy
A vaccine should allow GDP in the US to exceed pre-pandemic readings by the end of next year but Australian growth won't be quite as strong.
Nathan SheetsContributor
Dec 1, 2020 – 8.12am
The past year has been one for the history books. The global economy has been contorted by a painful pandemic, unprecedented gyrations in production and spending, and remarkable stresses on households and business around the world.
In response, global monetary and fiscal policies have set new standards for boldness in an effort to counter the shock and scientists – in just a few months' time – appear to have successfully conjured up several effective vaccines.
Capping the year, global financial markets have somehow weathered the storm with surprising resilience. Indeed, the gravity-defying US equity market recently vaulted the Dow past 30,000 while the ASX had recouped its 2020 losses by late November.
With all this now in the rear view mirror, the current year is drawing to a close and it seems a good time to begin assessing the prospects for the global economy in 2021.
Such year-ahead exercises are fraught with challenges. But, in this case, the contours of the outlook seem more clear than usual, with two offsetting factors poised to shape economic performance.
First, during the early months of the year, many parts of the world will continue to wrestle with the coronavirus.
Second, as the year progresses, the liberating effects of the vaccine should allow us to begin the return to normal.
Taking these factors together, we expect 2021 will continue to pose challenges but, on the whole, it will be much less obstreperous than its predecessor.
Near-term growth to slow
With the northern hemisphere now in the jaws of what is traditionally flu season, coronavirus cases in many countries – including the US and Europe – have spiked, intensifying public health restrictions.
In response, growth across a broad set of economies is likely to slow during the next three or four months, perhaps even turning temporarily negative. This reduced momentum will weigh on the global economy in the months ahead, restraining the pace of global trade and demand for commodities.
Even so, the restrictions and economic declines will not be as severe as those last spring – households and firms have learned how to better balance consumption and production with necessary health precautions.
The high-flying Chinese economy is likely to continue to outperform. To date, China's recovery has been driven by a combination of substantial domestic stimulus and strong export growth – particularly of health products and electronics.
Whether China can become a full-blown engine of global growth next year will depend in large measure on the strength of the Chinese consumer sector, which to date has been the softest spot in China's recovery.
As the year progresses, however, the arrival and distribution of new vaccines should transform this narrative and allow a fully-fledged global recovery to take hold.
With the results from recent trials exceeding expectations, there is little doubt about the efficacy of the vaccines. The lingering questions concern the distribution of the vaccines around the world and willingness of the public to receive the shots.
Even so, we expect a critical mass of vaccinations will be completed in the US at some point next summer, with other developed markets finished by the end of next year. Given logistical constraints, distribution in emerging markets will likely stretch into 2022.
As the vaccinations proceed, the hardest-hit parts of the services sector are likely to rebound sharply. Whether they bounce all the way back to their pre-pandemic levels is an open question. For example, might demand for business travel and hotel rooms be down a notch as some meetings previously held physically become virtual?
In any event, the distribution of vaccines is likely to raise animal spirits as people breathe a sigh of relief, schools fully re-open, workers return to their jobs, and aggregate demand bounces back.
We expect inflationary pressures in the aftermath of the pandemic to remain subdued, as was the case before the pandemic. However, the sharp snapback in activity could bring with it some temporary shortages and bottlenecks, which might push inflation upward. Nevertheless, these price pressures are unlikely to persist.
China to lead
All told, China is leading the global recovery with its GDP already well above pre-pandemic levels, followed by the rest of emerging Asia.
From there comes the US, where the vaccine should allow GDP to exceed pre-pandemic readings by the end of next year.
Australia will lag the US slightly, given its comparatively soft third-quarter rebound, while Europe will lag further.
Of course, this push-and-pull dynamic between the virus and the vaccine will not be the only determinant of global performance. Importantly, central banks around the world will continue to provide exceptional stimulus until the storm has passed.
And, in the US, the Biden Administration will take office. Given the closely-divided Congress, major expenditure and tax initiatives are unlikely. But efforts to unwind the trade war, partner with allies, and strengthen multilateral institutions could be supportive for global growth.
The challenge for businesses and investors will be successfully navigating the potentially sharp transition in economic conditions, adequately hedging against stresses through the next several months as major economies struggle with the virus, while also remaining appropriately positioned for what promises to be a powerful bounce in global conditions thereafter.
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Nathan Sheets is chief economist and head of global macroeconomic research at PGIM Fixed Income.
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Drama writer-producer Wendy Calhoun has signed a multi-year overall deal with Warner Bros. Television. Under the pact, Calhoun will be developing and writing new series for broadcast, digital, and cable.
Calhoun most recently served as consulting producer on the first season of ABC's Grey's Anatomy spinoff Station 19. Her resume includes serving as writer/co-executive producer on the highly-rated first season of Fox's Empire and stints on ABC's Nashville and Revenge, FX's Justified and NBC's Life. She shared WGA Best New Series Award nominations for her work on Justified and Nashville.
Calhoun has developed projects for Netflix, FBC, 20th TV Studios, FX and ABC Signature. Additionally, she wrote and directed the virtual reality short, Left Behind, sponsored by Google, and served as the Narrative Consultant for Electronic Arts' Battlefield Hardline video game.
Calhoun, who has been an advocate for diversity and inclusion, is next producing an event for the Ghetto Film School and the WGAw Committee of Black Writers at Santa Monica College next month to encourage mentorships between professional writers, GFS Alumni, and SMC students. She is repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and UTA.


text:
Liu Xiong (劉雄, ?-?) was an official who lived during the Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was the father of Liu Hong and grandfather of the Shu Han warlord Liu Bei (Xuande). He was said to be a descendant of Liu Bang, the founder of Han dynasty.

Sources

 "Three Kingdoms, Volume Thirty-two, two books, two masters of the second biography": the male filial piety, the official to the East County Fan Ling.
 "Three Kingdoms · First Biography": " Han Jing Emperor Zhongshan Jing Wang Sheng also after. Victory son, Yuanshou six years in the county of Lucheng Pavilion Hou. Sitting on the gold lost, because of the family."

References

2nd-century Chinese people

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Best Start Up Loans
Compare the top 10 business loans for start ups and see which ones may be best for your new business.
Home Small Business Loans Start Up Loans
Contents (expand)
Jump to: UK Government Fleximize Clydesdale Enterprise Capital on Tap Virgin ClearFunder Lloyds RBS Yorkshire Bank CubeFunder Loans FAQs Other Finance Available
You may be surprised to learn that only 36% of the UK's small businesses use external financing. And this number is down from 44%, just 6 years ago.
Why? Quite possibly, it's because of the UK's current political landscape.
Brexit uncertainty has unfairly knocked business confidence. Today, many UK businesses are slowing growth just to stay debt-free. But with the strength of the pound bouncing back, start up loans are not to be feared. In fact, they are a great way for UK-based SMEs to fund future endeavours.
What Is A Start Up Loan?
If you're a young business looking to scale, finding the right financing options to support your growth can be tough. After all, acceleration usually takes significant funding, and if you're relying on retained profits, this finance can be hard or slow to come by.
That's where a start up loan comes in. By taking an injection of working capital from an external funder, a start up or young SME can invest in the operations and activities which will help grow their business. Plus, as long as a start up can evidence positive cash flow (or at least the potential for one), there are plenty of loan options, from traditional and alternative lenders.
Below are a list of 10 providers that could help supply a young start up with the building blocks of its future.
Top 10 UK Start Up And Loan Providers For 2020
UK Government Start Up Loan
Government-backed loan of between £500 and £25,000 for start ups.
Unsecured, personal loan (unlike the Government Business Loan).
Fixed interest rate of 6% per annum.
Repay over 1 to 5 years.
No application or early repayment fees.
Must be a UK-based business with under 24 months of trading history.
The UK government is providing young UK businesses with the chance of repayable funding. The loan is therefore targeted only at companies that have been trading for under two years. On top of the loan, the government will organise free mentoring for the company for 12 months which can really make a difference, particularly for those who lack trading experience. Additionally, the government will offer other resources for free, such as templates and guides which could help you gain funding in the future. The greatest benefit of this loan is that it is publicly funded. This means that no one is trying to catch you out — all loans are absolutely transparent, fair and easy to understand. Additionally, there is zero confusion around fees or the interest rate, as it will remain the same at 6%. What's more, one of the biggest hurdles to gaining funding is usually the application process. But here, the lender itself supports you in completing the application. A great option for new businesses.
Fleximize Business Loan
Borrow a maximum of two months revenue, up to £500,000 (which can be topped up after successful repayments).
Flexible repayments, with a borrowing term between 1 and 24 months (or 48 months for secured loans).
Rates start as low as 1.5% per month.
No hidden fees or penalties for early repayment.
Support and guidance from a dedicated relationship manager.
Must have at least 6 months trading history with a minimum turnover of £5,000.
Fleximize is a UK-based company which aim to support small, slightly less established businesses in getting finance. Understanding how difficult it can be to become eligible for a loan, Fleximize make the application process very straightforward. In fact, it's possible to receive funding just 48 hours after applying.
This level of service shows a strong understanding of the customer — most start ups encounter urgent problems that need urgent solutions. Fleximize is also very welcoming in its eligibility, as only 6 months of trading experience would likely block a start up from applying for most other small business loans on the market.
APR quotes are very specific to a company's situation, but with this comes great flexibility in both the application process and repayments (and there's no early repayment penalties). As a start up grows and proves itself regarding on-time repayments, more money can be secured and lengthier repayment terms can be negotiated.
Clydesdale Enterprise Finance Guarantee
Borrow between £25,000 and £1.2 million for your business.
Decide on a loan term between 1 and 10 years.
UK government-backed loan.
Must have an annual turnover of below £41 million.
Clydesdale is a huge commercial bank and is in the same group that owns Yorkshire Bank. An added benefit of gaining funding from such a large high-street bank is that you can attend physical meetings and visit a branch when necessary. This is of course impossible with online lenders, in which you rely on a hotline number to be active.
This loan is a little different from the rest, as it is backed by the UK government. This means that 75% of the loan is guaranteed by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. As a result, there is a 2% government premium on the outstanding balance of the loan (plus an arrangement fee). This funding is available to new start ups and may even be available if you are only at the stage of having a business proposition but 'have no security or lack sufficient security'. Businesses in public administration, national defence, insurance, coal and social security are excluded.
Capital on Tap Business Loan
Borrow a loan up to the value of £50,000.
Very little in terms of eligibility criteria: no minimum trading history or annual turnover listed on their site (although eligibility may be decided on a case-by-case basis).
Flexible repayment options.
No monthly or annual fees.
Fill in a 2-minute application and receive your decision very shortly after.
It's possible to receive funds as quickly as 10 minutes after applying.
Capital on Tap has lent a staggering £1 billion to small businesses in the UK. This is quite an impressive amount for an alternative lender, and goes some way to proving its credibility.
Capital on Tap takes fast applications to a whole new level with a 2 minute form to fill out, an instant decision, and the possibility of receiving the funding after just 10 minutes. With over 65,000 businesses funded, Capital on Tap has positioned itself as a backer of new ideas and provides strong customer service. Despite this, its team remains relatively small, so it's no surprise that it can empathise with start ups are really in need of.
Virgin Start Up Loan
Borrow between £500 and £25,000 per co-founder.
Borrow for a term between 1 and 5 years at a fixed rate of 6% per year.
Dedicated business guidance and helpline.
Have an experienced mentor that will work with you business.
Have access to exclusive offers within the Virgin Group.
The business must either be not yet trading or has been trading under two years.
Being approved of a Virgin Start Up Loan is worth more than the cash amount. Virgin understands that this money can add more value than tiding you over — it's about growing and scaling your company. This means that along with the capital, Virgin provides unprecedented levels of support for a lender, from mentors to a business helpline. There are even opportunities to meet specialists and receive promotional and marketing opportunities at Virgin StartUp (being featured on its website, for example).
The key unique selling point for this loan is that it is exclusively for fresh, new businesses. In fact, you don't even need to have started trading yet. And it isn't like Virgin are handing out insignificant loan amounts, either, as its average loan is £10,000.
ClearFunder Business Funding
Borrow between £10,000 and £100,000 for your start up company, with "all circumstances considered".
APR is available on request.
Make flexible repayments each working day, meaning you can pay more when cash flow is strong.
Any purpose for the loan is allowed.
One-off arrangement fee when you take out your loan.
No charge for early repayments.
All circumstances are considered on a case-by-case basis.
ClearFunder prides itself on taking every business into account, instead of having fixed requirements. All it asks is that the private company is based in England or Wales, and is not involved in insolvency or redundancy arrangements. Even those with very poor credit history can be considered, but will of course have to prove that they can meet the repayments.
Lloyds Fixed Rate Loan
Borrow between £1,000 and £50,000 for your start up company.
A competitive fixed 9.3% APR.
No arrangement fee when the loan is below £25,000.
Choose a term between 1 and 10 years.
Fixed monthly repayments with no early repayment fees.
Lloyds is a big hitter when it comes to commercial banks, and its size makes this competitive 9.3% APR possible.
Problem is: it will probably be difficult for a young start up to acquire this loan, despite the set-in-stone requirements being minimal. True, there is no specific trading history required. But, as with a lot of other big banks, it will most likely be a hindrance if the company is under 2 years old.
That being said, if you've got the time for what is often a lengthy application, it might be worth a shot. After all, being approved will mean benefitting from one of the best small business loans on the market.
Royal Bank of Scotland Small Business Loan
Borrow between £1,000 and £50,000.
Repayment terms can stretch between 1 and 10 years.
No arrangement or repayment fees.
Director personal guarantees may be required.
No specific trading history required and RBS has recently waived the need for businesses to have a minimum turnover of £2 million to apply.
RBS is another big commercial bank that has succeeded in creating a financial product that caters to start ups.
RBS's Small Business Loan is very accessible to start ups, as there's no minimum trading history stated in the T&Cs. It also appears that RBS has recently relaxed its turnover criteria; where once a turnover of £2 million or less was required to use a Small Business Loan, updated information on its website suggests this is no longer the case.
On one hand, it's great that RBS has business finance product which is open to so many. However, this accessibility is reflected in the relatively small amount of capital on offer. Nevertheless, up to £50,000 could be enough for many start ups to kick start their growth.
Additionally, with this loan you can benefit from the kind of APR that large banks are able to offer — around 51% of its customers are expected to receive an APR of 12.49%.
Yorkshire Bank Online Business Loan
Borrow between £10,000 and £150,000 across 12 to 60 months.
Apply in 10 minutes and receive a final decision within 48 hours.
No charge for lump sum repayments or early repayments.
The company must have at least 18 months trading history.
Yorkshire Bank is offering a fantastic loan, as it strikes a perfect combination between the alternative lenders and traditional lenders — getting the best of both worlds.
Yorkshire Bank is a large, northern bank and is a subsidiary of Clydesdale Bank. It is currently offering a low APR loan with transparent and simple repayments. This is what large banks do best, but Yorkshire is delivering it with a twist. This specific loan can be applied for online in just 10 minutes, and you will get a decision within 48 hours — just like an alternative lender.
The biggest drawback is the large £5 million annual turnover required, which may rule many young SMEs and start ups out.
CubeFunder Loans
Borrow between £5,000 and £100,000.
Fixed cost with no APR involved.
Very clear and fast process to funding.
Flexible minimum lending criteria; only 3 months of trading history necessary.
At least £4,000 monthly revenue is required.
CubeFunder is a UK-based alternative business lender, which focuses on providing a unique level of service.
CubeFunder lays out the application process into four clear steps, and aims to have much fewer rules and charges. Instead, CubeFunder offers substantial loans to very young start ups, with a minimum monthly revenue of £4,000+ and an acceptance of bad credit. The application process takes just a few days, and you will have to repay a fixed cost instead of an APR — this makes it difficult to pin down an estimate of what it will cost you, however.
You may also want to check out our guides to:
The best small business loans
The best merchant cash advance providers
Can I get a start up business loan for a home based business?
Being a home based business will not exclude you from being eligible for most business loans. Having an office or not is not important to most lenders, but having a UK address certainly is.
Can I pay wages with my start up loan?
Initially, the answer to this question is yes — you can use business loans to pay operating expenses. However, when applying for a loan, you may be asked where you intend to spend the funding. Some banks may not lend to those who need the money for cash flow; favouring those who will invest the capital in growth projects.
Do I need a business account to get approved for a start up loan?
Many loans require you to be a limited company, so loans from such companies will certainly want to fund the money into a business account. Some other loans such as Amigo loans, however, are personal loans (but intended for business use), so you may get away with having a personal current account.
Will it be secured or unsecured?
Most start up loans from alternative lenders are unsecured loans. This means that you will not need to put forward collateral. However, secured loans are certainly available, and much preferred by large commercial banks. Secured loans will also bargain you a better APR.
Can I still get a start up loan with bad credit?
Large commercial bank loans have a very high standard of creditworthiness, so a bad credit rating will likely rule you out of these loans. But this is why alternative lenders exist — to cater to borrowers with poor credit, and as a result, charge more in interest.
Other Types Of Finance Available To New Businesses And Start Ups:
Short Term Business Finance Providers
Short term business financing is similar to gaining a regular business loan, but with different reasons and repayments underpinning it.
Instead of growth projects — like investing in automation — short term business finance centres around working capital. Thus, funds are borrowed for under a year (but often much less) and are usually intended to just smooth cash flow. A prime example of this is when seasonal businesses need to see themselves into their next busy period (i.e. a Ski rental store closing during summer).
Government grants are usually awarded to start ups that can prove themselves to be innovative and contribute substantially and positively towards the economy. As a result, the government hands out funding which does not have to be paid back. These are more difficult to obtain, but once approved, it is essentially risk-free financing.
Peer to peer finance is a form of decentralised lending. Instead of receiving your loan from one entity (e.g. a bank or online lender), you typically receive it from an unknown lender/investor. This is organised by a middleman, who matches lenders with borrowers (based on risk profile and such). Peer to peer lending has grown exponentially over the last decade, and is proving to be real competition for even alternative loan providers.
Crowdfunding is a way to receive funding from a large amount of people that typically contribute small amounts. In return, they are usually offered first access to a start up's goods or service. This is a great method of raising funds, particularly for innovative companies that have the potential to gain buzzworthy attention.
Jump to: UK Government Loan Fleximize Clydesdale Enterprise Capital on Tap Virgin ClearFunder Lloyds RBS Yorkshire Bank CubeFunder Loans FAQs Other Finance Available


The Smartspace Hire Module allows module subscribers to manage hire items online and allows their customers to book and/or enquire about hire items.
This article enumerates the features and processes involved in managing hire bookings as administrators.
A separate document will be published on these settings soon.
A hire job can be created either by a user from the website or by an administrator.
When it is done by a website user, an email will get sent to the admin with the hire enquiry as well as a hire record being created.
You should add a person's record to your hire record to ensure that a delivery record can also be attached and that the account is assigned to that person.
In addition to a hire booking record, associated delivery and account records are created when booking.
You can also add other non hire items to the hire account by clicking the Add icon on this section's Title line.


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HSH Nordbank provides $24.6 million financing for 37.9 MW PV project in Denmark
The German bank announced that it will finance a second solar park in the Scandinavian country. The PV plant will be located in the municipality of Vandel/Billund, in southern Denmark.
The Vandel 1 solar project is relying on inverters provided by the Taiwanese power electronics manufacturer Delta.
The German financial services provider HSH Nordbank announced it will finance part of the construction of a 37.9 MW PV plant in Vandel/Billund, in the Danish southern province of Jütland.
The company said it will provide €23 million ($24.6 million) in funds for the Vandel 2 project, which is being developed by local investment firm CM Finans. HSH Nordbank said the project is the second phase of a broader installation including the Vandel 1 project, which was completed by local renewable energy developer European Energy A/S in 2015.
HSH Nordbank has not said when construction on the Vandel 2 project will be launched, nor has it provided more technical or financial details about the plant. The company added, however, that it has also financed two unspecified smaller solar parks in Denmark in the past two months. "We hope that this transaction will be followed by several others," said the head of the company's energy division Lars Quandel.
The Vandel 1 project, which is currently Denmark's largest PV plant, was sold by European Energy A/S to a fund managed by Allianz Global Investors GmbH in December 2015. This project was financed by HSH Nordbandk with €64.5 million ($69.2 million).
The installation is comprised of 126 individual solar plants of 400 kW capacity, built on a former NATO military base and covering 108 hectares of undulating land. Taiwan-headquartered producer of power electronics Delta provided 1,008 of its string inverters for the project.
At the time, European Energy said the purchase price was not yet final and would depend upon a number of factors including the feed-in tariff rate which the plants will receive. The company noted that the final feed-in tariff for the projects may be higher than the base feed-in tariff, due to a specific tariff program.


Entering a Paw Paw drug rehab center is as simple as finding a center that satisfies your needs. This is where we can help you. Drug treatment programs offer individuals safe and efficient way to heal from addiction. We've connected to the best rehab facilities across the nation and we can help you get connected to the leading one local to the 61353 zip code.
Paying for a Paw Paw drug rehab center is much easier than you might think. You just need to ask if your local rehab facility will take your insurance. Then, follow that question up with more specifics.


text:
THE CONNECTOR IS A 34-MILE EXPRESSWAY
CONNECTING INTERSTATE 5 TO HIGHWAY 50
RELIEVING tRAFFIC CONGESTION | DRIVING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PRESERVING OUR REGION'S OPEN SPACE | IMPROVING ROADWAY SAFETY AND REGIONAL SECURITY
Relieving Traffic Congestion
The Connector Expressway will reduce more than 500,000 hours per year of time spent sitting in traffic. It will also save more than $9 million annually in travel time costs and lost productivity and result in reduced congested roadway travel by more than 38 million miles per year.
Preserving Our Region's
Open Space
The Connector Expressway is designed to preserve agricultural land in Sacramento County – maintaining working farmland and the supply of fresh, locally-grown food. The project will also create an interconnected preserve system to ensure the long-term viability of area plant and wildlife species as well as rural ranching operations through the South Sacramento Habitat Conservation Plan.
Driving Economic Development
The Connector Expressway will safely connect the region's communities to jobs, housing and a thriving marketplace. The more infrastructure we build, the easier it is for job centers to attract new employers and employees. The Connector Expressway will help attract businesses of all kinds, generating more than $1 billion in new economic output.
Improving Roadway Safety and
Regional Security
The Connector Expressway will improve safety by converting two-lane rural roads into a modern four-lane expressway. When completed, the Connector is projected to reduce the crash rate by nearly 40 percent. The Connector will also improve emergency response times for South Sacramento County and will provide an alternate route during critical emergencies.
The project's first phase includes construction of four continuous lanes from Interstate 5 and Highway 99 in Elk Grove to the new Silva Valley interchange at Highway 50 in El Dorado Hills, expanded at-grade intersections at all major access points, and a continuous path for pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians.
KAMMERER RD. (A1/A2)
The Connector JPA is partnering with the City of Elk Grove and County of Sacramento on the 6.5-mile Connector alignment between Interstate 5 and State Route 99, also known as the Kammerer Road Project. Environmental review is underway.
EAST ELK GROVE (B1/B2/B3)
The Connector JPA is partnering with the City of Elk Grove and County of Sacramento on the 4.3-mile Connector alignment between State Route 99 and Bond Road. The Grant Line Road interchange at State Route 99 and the Union Pacific Railroad grade separation projects are complete. Environmental review is complete and right of way acquisition is underway for improvements to Bradshaw Road.
Click here for more information.
SHELDON & WILTON (C)
The Connector JPA is partnering with the City of Elk Grove on the 2.7-mile Connector alignment between Bond Road and Calvine Road. Development of a precise roadway plan is underway and the project will include near-term intersection improvements.
SOUTH COUNTY & VINEYARD (D1)
The Connector alignment through the Vineyard area is 4.5 miles in length between Calvine Road and State Route 16 (Jackson Highway). Environmental review on this segment is anticipated to begin in mid-2020.
RANCHO CORDOVA (D2)
The Connector JPA is partnering with the City of Rancho Cordova and County of Sacramento on the 7.4-mile Connector alignment between Highway 16 (Jackson Highway) and White Rock Road. Environmental review is complete and right of way acquisition is underway.
FOLSOM & EL DORADO HILLS (D3/E1)
The Connector JPA is partnering with the City of Folsom, County of Sacramento, and the County of El Dorado on final engineering and environmental analysis for the 7.4-mile Connector alignment between Grant Line Road and Latrobe Road. Environmental review is complete and right of way acquisition is underway.
EDH TOWN CENTER & HWY 50 (E2/E3)
The Connector alignment through the El Dorado Hills is 1.4 miles in length between Latrobe Road and US Highway 50. The Silva Valley Parkway interchange at Highway 50 is complete. Environmental review of the Connector alignment near the El Dorado Hills town center is anticipated to begin in mid-2020.
10640 MATHER BLVD., SUITE 120
MATHER, CA 95655


text:
Suspension,Tires & Chassis
Washed the mold release off new tire, Wow!
FazerDude
I had a new tire put on the rear wheel of the EX500 today. My fiance is still in the first 1000 miles of riding, so I did not want to throw a new tire at her this soon, but it was down to the wear bars.
I decided to try to wash the mold release off, so I put it in the sink and made a bowl of steaming hot and very soapy water, about 2 cups of water with an ounce of Dawn in it. I put on dishwashing gloved and dipped a scotchbrite pad in the water, and proceeded to scrub the tire down.
I then rinsed it off with very hot water. I toweled it off and let it sit in the sun to dry off. After it was dry, it had no mold release left, only soft rubber. I took it for a ride and had none of that usual squirmy feel. I took the corners easily at first, then gradually got it down past my usual "normal" cornering. "Normal" as opposed to "spirited."
I was not able to make myself corner as low as I have before(about an 1/8" of chicken stripes were left on the old tire), but from what I understand, the tire still needs to be heat cycled a few times to give maximum traction, and I figured that it was doing well enough to handle better than normal riding conditions on a zero mile tire.
When I got back, there was no sign that the tire had scuffed in during the ride. It looked the same as after washing, so I guess it really did get the mold release off.
Wayne Bengston
Houston, TX
2004 EX500
2003 Concours
1986 Yamaha Fazer
i use goo-b-gone, just wipe it on, rub it in and wipe it off.
Both of you wasted your time, The tire manufactures do not use any form of mold release whatever. It would simply cost too much and slow the process. That's one of the hardest dying myths around. You just need to warm the tire to it's normal operating temp and wear off any bumps and it will be fine. Do you think the racers do anything else but heat the tire to it's opp. temp and then go out full bore.
I hate PMs if you want to contact me, find my email address.Look in the for sale section.
Well, I washed off whatever that slick stuff is on tires, that, when you lean the tire over for the first few miles, it makes the bike feel all squirelly. When I was done, the slick stuff was gone and there was just the rubber that I see after I've scrubbed a new tire in.
I also got none of the squirellyness that I've gotten on EVERY new tire for the past 20 years, as you lean it a bit further over with each turn.
I just took it out again and built up to an agressive lean, with only a few miles on the tires with none of that squirrellyness. That is something I've never experienced before.
Not a waste of time to me.
dragknee
there is a coating on most tires that is to prevent dry rot as the tire sits on the shelf at the shop. that stuff is as slick as snot.
take it easy for the first 100 miles or so... after that its pretty much worn off...
or you could go do some figure 8's in a parking lot for about 20 minutes.
jlmay
or a good burnout
It's true that there is no mold release used in the manufacture of tires. The oils in the compounds and heat in processing don't need it. What may happen is the installer using a rubber lube to mount the tire uses an excess that is left on the tire and is slippery. That can be washed off. Some commercially available tire mount lubes are like that. All that's needed is a soapy mixture on the bead only and it won't stay slippery to cause trouble. It's true that with a new tire, not mounted with thick and slow to dry rubber lube, we do nothing special at the track. Street compounds like Pilot Powers or Diablo Corsa are given maybe one or two warm up laps, depending on outside temperature, and GO. Race tires pre-heated with warmers are GO immediately.
One thing that I think may happen at times is a new tire's profile suddenly turns in MUCH easier than the worn and flatted old tire and the rider inadvertantly over does the lean at one of the first turns leaving the shop and gets a surprise from that, blames it on a slippery tire, and may even truly feel like that's what happened... but it isn't. But there is no mold release.
A get a brand new tire. It's never been installed before. It has a coating on it of some sort. I can feel that it is slicker than the rubber on the worn tire.
I wash the tire using scotchbrite and soapy water. I don't rub it enough to "sand" the tire, just enough to give it a good scrubbing. When I'm done, the tire now feels stickier than the old tire. I get it installed. I ride it a few miles. There is none of the squirellyness I've felt with every new tire I've ever bought. Even the ones I installed myself using no soap or other bead lube, because I didn't know any better.
A guy on the Concours site says he worked at Continental tire for 30 years and they called the stuff Mold Spray and that it is pure silicone. Maybe he's full of it. I don't know. But I do know that washing the tire completely eliminated whatever it was that made the tire slick in look and feel, as well as in the riding experience. For whatever reason that it worked, I'll continue to waste 10 minutes each time I buy a new tire.
ommyt69
FazerDude said:
As far a molding tires, I worked in a tire plant also and have no idea of any tire sprays used the tires come out of a steam mold and are slick just from the oils that are used in the compounds of the "rubber" , my thoughts is if you like to wash them before riding then don't worry about what everyone Else's oppions are ,as they say they are like a$$holes everyone has one ,and some act like one. for all I care someone could take nail clippers and cut all the "nubbies" off before riding if it makes them happy !
your not supposed to cut all the little nubs off before riding?!? :
I was just on the Dunlop site checking out some tire sizes for another bike and looky what I found. ;D
This copied and pasted directly from their site. Note the last sentence.
Note: When new tires are fitted, they should not be subjected to sudden acceleration, hard cornering, maximum power or braking for at least 100 miles. Failure to do so may result in loss of control and serious injury. The 100 mile run-in is required to adjust to the feel of new tires versus the worn tires.
That follows directly with the meat of my previous post. Other than sloppy application of tire mounting lube, there shouldn't be much else that really effects the new tire thing, evidenced by the way we hit the track with new rubber. I used to hear the same things but after having the "mold release" idea de-bunked at the track several years ago, this was the only other thing I could come up with that made sense. Funny to see it spelled out just that way at a manufacturer's site.
Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.
All I know is what I've been experiencing for 20 years, and what I did not experience this time.
MrSciTrek
When I got my new Bridgestones, and when we got new Goodyear Tripletreds for my wife's car... the tires all felt a little greasy/waxy. I asked the Goodyear guy about it (who knows how well trained/informed that any one guy is) and what would wash it off he said Coke: the acid washes off the slick stuff. I didn't try it... I just let the road clean them off... but they did feel slick on the road whatever the cause.
"I thought of the voices as... something a little different from aliens. I thought of them more like angels... It's really my subconscious talking, it was really that... I know that now."
 John Nash ("A Beautiful Mind") Nobel Prize http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/laureates/1994/
Dupont product seems to indicate that some mold release products are used and are slippery.
http://www2.dupont.com/Lubricants/en_US/news_events/article20060215.html
A Tire Rack webpage: http://www.tirerack.com/techpage-1/117.shtml
$th paragraph down says, "Before tires are cured, a release lubricant is often applied to prevent the tires from sticking in the mold. Unfortunately, some of the lubricant stays on the surface of the tires, and traction is reduced until it is worn away."
Advice is repeated here: http://www.tirerack.com/tires-techpage-1/5.shtml
MrSciTrek Jun 23, 2007
Ex-500.com - The home of the Kawasaki EX500 / Ninja 500R
A forum community dedicated to Kawasaki Ninja EX 500 sportbike owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about modifications, cafe racers, racing, classifieds, troubleshooting, accessories, maintenance, and more!
General Discussion Modifications & Upgrades Engine Troubleshooting Other Motorcycle Talk
Suzuki SV650 Riders Forum


text:
Condensed-matter physics : physics through the 1990s
Panel on Condensed-Matter Physics, Physics Survey Committee, Board on Physics and Astronomy, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Resources, National Research Council.
Gravitation, cosmology, and cosmic-ray physics
Panel on Gravitation, Cosmology, and Cosmic-Ray Physics, Physics Survey Committee, Board on Physics and Astronomy, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Resources, National Research Council.
Plasmas and fluids
Panel on the Physics of Plasmas and Fluids, Physics Survey Committee, Board on Physics and Astronomy, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Resources, National Research Council.
Nuclear Physics Panel, Physics Survey Committee, Board on Physics and Astronomy, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Resources, National Research Council.
Physics Survey Committee, Board on Physics and Astronomy, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Resources, National Research Council.
Atomic, molecular, and optical physics
Panel on Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, Physics Survey Committee, Board on Physics and Astronomy, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Resources, National Research Council.
Elementary-particle physics
Elementary-Particle Physics Panel, Physics Survey Committee, Board on Physics and Astronomy, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Resources, National Research Council.
Gottfried, Kurt.
Concepts of particle physics
Kurt Gottfried, Victor F. Weisskopf.
Hill, Terrell L.
An introduction to statistical thermodynamics
Terrell L. Hill.
Gregorian, Roubik
Analog MOS Integrated Circuits for Signal Processing
Gregorian, Roubik.


text:
Club Focus: UCD Volleyball
By Andrew Dempsey | Oct 13 2019
Fintan Lawlor
After a summer of notable achievements, things are looking quite rosy for the UCD Volleyball Club. Situated within the enclave of the UCD Sports Centre, UCD Volleyball has established itself as one of the most exciting and engaging sports on campus.
To the unaware, Volleyball was first named as an Olympic Sport in the 1960's – prior to the 1964 Olympics that took place in Tokyo, Japan. The rules of the sport are extensive to say the least. Both teams consist of six players, but essentially the key to the game is as follows; a player on one of the teams begins a 'rally' by serving the ball from behind the back boundary line of the court, over the net, and into the receiving team's court. The receiving team must not let the ball be grounded within their court and the same practice is continued until a side wins the point.
A sport that has been gaining plenty of traction in recent years with the presence of the Olympics – Volleyball can be played both indoors and outdoors – but there has been a split between both the outdoor and indoor game in recent years. However, this is no such issue within the UCD Volleyball Club – with success coming the way of the club.
With plenty of success fuelling a feel-good factor around the club, the University Observer caught up with the club in recent days, where they explained why one should join forces with them; "People should take up Volleyball because it's a great sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. It can be played both indoor and outdoor or even on the beach.
"It's a fun way to burn calories as it improves your balance, reflexes and hand-eye coordination. It provides students with a strong team environment. Every player is important and holds a specific role. UCD Volleyball is very welcoming to all skill levels and provides a great space to learn and grow."
Sarah Escalante, a club member, added; "I personally chose to get involved with the UCD Volleyball Club because I was in first year and I was excited to join as many clubs as possible. I was more of a beginner as I only played for one year in Secondary School. I felt a sense of community within the Beginners training. I quickly began to see improvement in myself as well as creating a solid group of friends. Second year, I was involved in the student team and I continued to feel a sense of community which I hadn't experienced as I was mainly a tennis player which isn't really a team sport. Now, I'm in the final year of my course and I'm a part of the committee for a second year and I'm still loving the volleyball and constantly improving my skills.
"Our men's student team coach (Benny O'Regan) along with 7 players from our women's premier team (Miriam Gormally, Marie-Claire Sabogal, Regina Halpin, Fiona Lamont, Alex Graves, Orla Lynch and Emily Frazell), have all competed for Ireland internationally this year, whether it was the women's indoor European Championships in Luxembourg in May, the CEV Continental Cup Olympic Qualifier in Bettystown this past June, or the Small Nations Beach finals in Perth, Scotland. We're growing some talented players! Miriam and Marie-Claire also help coach the women's student team, imparting their years of wisdom."
Escalante concluded; "The main highlight of mine within the club was being recognised by the Bank of Ireland UCD Sports Awards with Club Event of the Year for hosting Intervarsity's 2018/2019 and our annual Blitz tournament. I was a part of the Events team who managed both tournaments. We ensured that the matches were on schedule and the players were happy and playing as much volleyball as possible."
With plenty of goings on at the minute with the UCD Volleyball club, it is no surprise to see many trying out the sport during Orientation Week and beyond. With indoor competition beginning soon – the 13th October to be exact – the club have been busy in recent weeks, represented on the international stage as recently as September 22nd. Seven competitors from the UCD Volleyball Club represented Ireland in Perth, Scotland – with success on the podium just escaping the talented stars in the United Kingdom.
There is plenty of exciting talent to watch out for in the club, with Alexandra Graves and Miriam Gormally both agonisingly missing out on a medal in Scotland recently while a whole host of other talented players such as Marie-Claire Sabogal, Regina Halpin, Fiona Lamont, Orla Lynch and Emily Frazell all gained recognition for their sterling effort. Should you wish to join the UCD Volleyball Club, you can contact them via their social media channels or by email (volleyball@ucd.ie).


Believe in God's power to save.
Believe in God's power to strengthen.
Believe in God's power to protect.
Believe in God's power to provide.
Behave in your daily life.
Behave in your witness before the world.
Behave in your church fellowship.
Beware of the deceptions of men.
Beware of the snare of the devil.
Beware of your own self.
Belong to a local church.
You can listen to the sermon here or by clicking on the audio player below.
This entry was posted on January 6, 2009 at 11:02 am	and is filed under Bits & Bytes, Prayer, Servanthood. Tagged: Aaron, Amelek, Baptist Sermon, Faith, God, Happiness, Hur, Jesus, John 13:15-17, Joshua, Moses, New Year, Salvation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


text:
require 'nrepl/session'
require 'socket'
require 'timeout'

module NREPL

  DEFAULT_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT = 60

  def self.start_and_connect host = '127.0.0.1', port
    pid = start(host, port)
    wait_until_ready(pid)
    wait_until_available(host, port, DEFAULT_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT)
    session = connect(host, port)

    set_pid_msg = {
      'op' => 'eval',
      'code' => "(def user/lein-gid #{pid})"
    }
    session.op(set_pid_msg)

    # TODO: Implement some kind of clearing mechanism
    #session.clear!
    session
  end

  def self.disconnect_and_stop session

    get_pid_msg = {
      'op' => 'eval',
      'code' => "user/lein-gid"
    }

    resp = session.op(get_pid_msg)
    session.close
    stop(resp.first.to_i)
    true
  end

  def self.connect host = '127.0.0.1', port
    Session.new host, port
  end

  def self.wait_until_available host = '127.0.0.1', port, seconds
    Timeout::timeout(seconds) do
      sleep(1) until port_open? host, port
      return true
    end
    return false
  end

  def self.port_open? host, port
    begin
      TCPSocket.new(host, port).close
      true
    rescue Errno::ECONNREFUSED, Errno::EHOSTUNREACH
      false
    end
  end

  def self.start host = '127.0.0.1', port
    # Start a new nREPL process
    cmd = %x[which lein].rstrip
    cmd = '/usr/local/bin/lein' if cmd.empty?

    argv = []
    argv << 'trampoline' if File.exist?('project.clj')
    argv += ['repl', ':headless']
    argv += [':host', host.to_s] if host
    argv += [':port', port.to_s] if port

    pid = fork do
      exec cmd, *argv
    end

    Process.setpgid(pid, pid)
    pid
  end

  def self.wait_until_ready pid
    pid_waiter = Thread.new { Process.wait(pid) }
    sleep(1) while pid_waiter.status == 'run'
    if pid_waiter.status == 'sleep'
      return pid_waiter
    else
      raise "Process #{pid} killed, crashed or aborted."
    end
  end

  def self.stop gid
    unless gid == 0
      Process.kill('SIGTERM', -gid)
    end
  end

end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


As most of you know, I gave birth 3 weeks ago to a beautiful baby boy and since then, the blogging (and as a matter of fact, any type of activity other that breast feeding and trying to sleep!) has been very slow. And since December 29, my hours of rest can almost be counted on my two hands' fingers… So it seemed right to come back on Flodeau with French designer Clément Brazille's new stylish and elegant project celebrating the art of coffee tasting. Because, yes, these days, I abide by the rule: "but first, coffee"!
Service de Dégustation is a white Porcelaine de Limoges coffee set composed of a tray and 3 cups for expresso, cappuccino and latte. The pretty star-sculpted and carved detail makes all the difference.
Made in collaboration with Frédéric Saulou et Agnès Réjasse.


Chantelle Houghton has spoken for the first time about her baby daughter in her column for New! magazine.
The new mum, who gave birth to her first child with fiancé Alex Reid on Father's Day, said she's so happy her daughter has arrived and that "she's so beautiful".
"I'm so happy and excited my baby is finally here!" Chantelle said.
"At that point the doctor actually decided against giving me an internal examination because she didn't want me to freak out if she had to tell me that my cervix was opening!" Chantelle said.
Overjoyed new dad Alex took to Twitter on Sunday to share news of their baby's arrival.
Chantelle has confirmed the baby's surname, although there's no word yet on the baby's first name. What do you think it might be?


As a customer of Eden.co.uk Christian Bookshop I wondered whether you would like to receive a pack of £3 Gift Vouchers to give out to your congregation at [name of church]?
We have 5,000 x £3 gift vouchers to give away and would be happy to send you a few packs if you think it would encourage your congregation to read and/or share more Christian literature, music or resources.
It's a great idea that could certainly generate significant sales for Eden, but will do little to help generate footfall in local Christian bookshops — unless we rise to the challenge as I have done at LST: We will accept Eden's £3 Gift Vouchers. Ultimately it's our call: do we allow Eden to dominate the market or do we seize the day? Any other suggestions out there?
As someone who's had this offer in their inbox, I won't be taking it up. Unless the vouchers are transferable at all bookstores, they're more likely to undermine use of our local Christian bookstore here in Yeovil. It's a great resource to the local church and I wouldn't want to lose it.
In places where there's no access to local Christian bookshops, it might come in more useful.
I'm with you and would be willing to accept their voucher in my store and will certainly be letting local churches know so – of course I have already started my own Church & Community Partnership Scheme which at one point in my blurb I referred to as an 'an affiliate scheme but in person and in shop'.
You are right to say we must step up to the challenge, we have to be willing to bite the bullet and step up to the mark, to make the change happen we have to take action.
I admit I have used Eden a time or two myelf and so am on their mailing list and have noted the sales and offers coming through, it is true to say it is a hard time for us all.
As you know I had issues with Edens rhetoric and back then challenged them to not reduce prices and see how much really was service over price – I think then the truth would tell.
One thing though, and though I do agree with John's points and very much so, I do ask one question, is it ultimately fair to blame Eden for the local communities lack of foresight?
I do agree I would like Eden and indeed Biblica to truly work with us and not against us etc to place the emphasis on using local if at all possible, and to not entice our local customers with incentives like this that are probably funded by grants we have no recourse to, or charitable money and donor bases' we again have no recourse to.
In return I will direct customers to them through affiliate partnerships with them (for instance such as phil does on the main site!), and if they set the affiliate up in such a way as to enable me to gain a little then I would order through them for the hard to find stuff that I sometimes can't get elsewhere as well.
We could have a nice symbiotic relationship – hey guys talk to me, really!
But I do admit that there is an element (if we ignore the incentivising tactics!) in which it is unfair to blame them for our local communities going to them instead of us – and that's an education issue we need to work on.
Perhaps something we need to work together on better as christian bricks & mortar stores, calling in the networks we know as a collective body as well as individually & locally, building on this and really looking at the educating of the local communities together and apart. Support your local bookshop with a Christian twist, promotions, branding and good packages and letters, worth the thought perhaps?
I responded to the post on my blog.
Thanks Ian – good points all; in particular, to be viable, our shops must be places where people want to come, not feel duty-bound to. Link to yours added.
Ian – I agree with most of your blog post, except this isn't an offer we've made to all our customers. Phil has published a private email sent to some carefully selected customers with David being one of them. I'd have preferred him not to publish a private email on his blog post but he knew that when he wrote it.
Melanie – You know that trust and respect are key to working more closely together. As newcomers to the trade (well, 2004) we've had to work at it with suppliers and publishers. Likewise, we have built relationships with quite a few booksellers who now ask us for advice on IT/web/finance/trade issues/supply/order routing etc. We are more than happy to be open and share know-how with them because we know they won't "go public" with everything they know about us.
I agree trust and respect are key, I believe in times past I have proven this degree of respect in Edens case by defending you a time or two and pointing out the internet is not always our enemy and the problem, though yes I have questioned some of the rhetoric you have past used and given the justifications why I do so.
Seems fair as trust and respect do include an element of accounting too.
However I do also believe that trust and respect have to be earned and are not a given (that may be what you are saying I think). Honesty and integrity though are and should be just a given and simple fact of being a Christian I think.
So given that can I get your email addy please as if people dont want things to 'go public' then it helps to have a method of personal and direct contact, especially when you are making what seems to be unfounded and pretty rude inferences about someone you have had no relationship with prior to this, unless of course you know something I don't about me, in which case please do tell.
Oh and just a few slight points – I wouldn't have said 2004 made you a newcomer, business studies show 50% of businesses fail in the first year and a lot more by year 3, so being in your 5th year would seem to make you rather more established than a newcomer.
I just thought it might be nice if we could work together in a mutually beneficial way – and by we I expect I was thinking of a corporate bricks n mortars shops/Christian Internet Shop thing as much as just me.
Anyway just in case you, or others, ever want to email me I can be got at unicorntreebooks at aol dot com. or you can try me at http://www.facebook.com/MelanieCarroll.UnicornTree.
As explained by email I was not directing any criticism towards you. The paragraph was addressed to you because it was your post that called for closer working together and my comment was relevant to your post.
As replied in an email back to you sent earlier today thanks for that clarification and fair enough.
Still hoping, as I said in the post and email, for some sort of closer working together that might be feasible, as I see John is too.
Talking tangentially, If the blog is good for anything it's for getting us all talking, communicating and thinking – and I reckon if nothing else then that's got to be a good thing surely?
Anyway thanks Gareth for the response, it is appreciated.
Oh well. I normally receive promotional emails from Eden, but I'm obviously not one of their 'carefully selected' customers- I didn't get offered 5,000 vouchers for my Scottish megachurch……that would have been about one for each member…. I'm not sure whether I should be slightly, or perhaps even deeply offended!
More seriously, one of our Trustees, who did receieve the email, passed it on for my information, so I'm interested to see the responses.
1. I don't think there is any justification for the sense of aggrievement that comes through above. I saw nothing in the email that indicated the promotion was a limited, or a 'private' promotion. And the nature of email is that it is going to be public, whether we like it or not…..! Such is life.
2. I do wonder if we are perhaps being a bit unrealistic to expect companies, internet or otherwise, not to run promotions appropriate to their business. If we follow some of the discussions to their conclusion, then either A) as a trade, we will need to start 'price fixing' to avoid one company undercutting another or B) we should all amalgamate to become United Christian Bookshops (oh bother- someone already trades as UCB….!) to enable a totally even playing field. And I don't think option A is legal, and I'm pretty sure neither Biblica (especially at present) or even Eden would be keen to do option B!
3. Similarly, we can't expect Eden to 'clear' their promotions with some central body beforehand, nor should anyone be upset because they are working hard at their business or marketing. My first response when looking at the forwarded email was 'Wow- what a good idea- I wonder if I could do something like that!'. And imitation, as they say, is the sincerest form of flattery.
4. In fact (on reflection!) I realised that we have, already, been doing similar in our much smaller way by giving customers at special events 'targetted' discount vouchers. So young peoples events have had 15% off any CD, etc. And the 'take up' rate has been devastatingly low, I have to say. So it would be interesting to hear what kind of response Eden get. I've persisted because I think the 'feelgood' factor far outweighs the cost of producing the bit of paper, even if the return is very low.
5. All of us in the little independent corner bookshops will naturally cast nervous glances over our shoulder at the out-of-town/internet megastores that can put us out of business by (primarily)a thousand price cuts. (BTW- anyone heard any more about Malcolm Stockdale's planned 'direct to church' operation that caused some concern on these webpages some months ago?!) There is are many alarm bells ringing in the trade just now, and this is just another one that says the trade is adjusting and re-aligning. But those who have mentioned (as Ian does) the importance of the customer relationships recognise the one tool that we have that emails can't compete with. Customers do want a relationship, and even the fact that Eden have taken this approach should come as a wake up call to 'the High Street shops' to work harder at this one thing that we can do that the internet can't. Yesterday, we had a church leader in the shop who wanted to discuss setting up a study programme for young people in his church. And a customer on the phone who couldn't make head or tail of the variety of kids books on offer on Wesley Owen's (or our!)website, and could they please come down on Saturday and have a look?
Take courage. There are still customers out there, both for Eden and ourselves. And, perhaps if I prayed a bit harder, and that revival we long for came, there would be more customers knocking at our doors, and clicking at our websites, more than we could possibly ask or imagine.
Simply to clarify: I'm not for one moment suggesting that Eden shouldn't do things like this or that they should 'clear' things with some hypothetical central agency. Not at all: like you, I thought great idea, wish I'd thought of it first!
Then I figured, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em — hence my decision to announce that we'll accept the Eden vouchers at LST.
I feel that others (especially Andrew in his lucid & thorough style) have dealt with the vouchers issue and I don't really have anything to add to that. But Since my comments from a year ago have been resurrected, I feel I had better contribute to this post! On looking at what I wrote in the light of day after a year I would say it is definitely a little overstated – comparing Eden to Wal-Mart was perhaps a somewhat strained comparison! It was, however, as Phil has pointed out, a response to what appeared to me at the time to be a deliberate attempt by Eden to set themselves over against the local Christian bookshop … 'customers say they now shop with Eden.co.uk instead of their local Christian Bookshop'. This incensed me at the time; hence the rather intemperate response!
I have no problems with internet booksellers per se; this is a fact of life now; I long ago discovered that the internet was not my enemy but a powerful tool to be harnessed to improve our business. Amazon.co,uk's database has been and remains one of my best allies in finding titles for customers. I use Eden.co.uk's site as well sometimes. My belief, however, and the point I was trying to make in that rather overblown post, was that if internet booksellers deliberately set themselves in opposition to local shops in order to try and grab as much market share as possible without thinking through the consequences, they are ultimately contributing to the impoverishment of our business as a whole. Look for example at the (to my mind) cynical and perverse ad campaign that dixons.co.uk are running at the moment – they suggest that consumers who want to buy a new TV go to a department store, get the assistant to show them all the models and explain their features so that they can make an informed decision as to what they want; then, go home and buy it (cheaper) online at dixons.co.uk! Of course logic dictates that if this campaign was successful enough, it would end up putting the department stores out of business, and the consumer would end up with no nice young man to help them, just the miserable dixons.co.uk. Is that really what we want?
I would like to suggest again that it is the more vulnerable who will eventually suffer if the local bookshops go; the elderly lady who wants to buy a few Christmas cards, the learning disabled man who comes in to talk to us and to buy a bookmark from time to time, the immigrant with a few words of English who wants a bible in his own language. And to be honest … how many of those who generally buy online like to slip into a bookshop from time to time to browse, to compare, to feel that bible in their hands, the weight, the texture; to check out the print size?
Ultimately I believe we have to think of 'as well as' rather than 'instead of'. Can a way forward be found so that internet-only booksellers and local bookshops can build on one another's strengths, and develop a industry that is both healthily competitive and yet dynamically co-operative as well?
Is this just a theoritcal fear – that an online store will do the sort of marketing we see in the Dixons ad? Or is it more basic than that – if an internet store markets to churches in your area, are they doing this?
If that is the case then that is the same as saying to on-line retailers that they shouldn't market. If a customer who was shopping with a bricks-and-mortar store switches to an online store, surely it is better to ask what it is that made them switch, and try and meet that need to bring them back. There are things a bricks-and-mortar store can do that on-line ones cannot.
Gareth is correct – price is not the only factor. I am sat in a cafe in Grasmere as we speak – they are selling wonderful sticky toffee pudding here at about £10 for a family take away portion. The same product can be bought a few miles away at a supermarket at half the price. But, the tourists (mainly Japanese and American at this time of year) who are buying it are not doing it for the price – it is the experience, the immediacy, the friendliness, the sense of community of staying in a cottage in this village and buying your dessert from a local shop and taking it home. But, you can see adverts for Asda & Morrisons around and about (including inside the free papers that get delivered to the cottages and on the TV).
There are many intangibles that make it work that also apply to RL retailing.
One great example of improving the experience is Mr B's Emporium. This bookshop in Bath recently won the Independent Bookshop of the Year. I believe there's a branch of Waterstones close by but they've differentiated themselves in-store and on the web and customers love the experience.
I love Mr B's & their doggy is lovely!
I have 2 Waterstones either side of me, each less than a 1 minute walk, there is also a WHSmith next to one Waterstones. Then there is both a Works & a Publishers Warehouse less than a 2 minute walk from me.
Of course the thing to say here is they are all secular and when it comes to the Christian side I mostly have the market on that one in Lincoln – though not completely as a few of the larger churches have their own bookstalls that are serviced directly by wholesalers and publishers, though of course within a 20/30 minute drive of me there are at least 3 other Christian bookshops as well.
And thats not including the growing supermarkets arena – Asda, Asda Home, Morrison, Sainsbury, Co-op and 2 Tesco's all selling v. cheap books etc, and in lincoln out of town means less than a 5/10 minute walk for 5 of them and a 10 minute drive for the other 2.
And that's before we even get into the arena of Online Shops.
It is true we must make our shops places people want to go to – but lets not be naive, getting into a town centre is not fun and at £7.50 for parking (yes I kid you not!) many people are put off the trip and figure carriage viable – of course thats then up to me to comp. if I want to keep them onside and coming to me rather than someone else.
But Grassmere is a bit different to your average town centre, and visitors/tourists different to dwellers.
And the truth is that though we may have some advantages we also have some disadvantages too (I point to the paragraph above let alone any other fixed/higher costs or eligibility issues), but then that is the choice we make when choosing how we want to serve and witness.
I don't think John or anyone is saying not to market – but I do think he has a point about the idea of impoverishment and about looking at ways we can all work for the betterment of the whole.
I honestly believe there is a place for us all.
The question we should always ask ourselves though is what is our end goal and why are we doing what we are doing? – and we need to weigh this surely against the community principles we are bound to under the word 'Christian', well either that or just be honest about it and say we are not really christian businesses but are secular and using christian not as a mission but rather as a tool – and at that point I can think of a bible story or two that makes me squirmy in consideration thereof.
I freely admit that I am a secular bookseller as 2/3rds of my shop is secular, the christian bit is my labour of love and mission, my vocation if you will, and also my personal act of commitment to the Christian & religious community in Lincoln – to this end I aim to make it the best it can be to serve it's purpose of equipping and outreaching into my local community and there's nothing wrong with that so long as I remain honest about it.
I need that 1/3rd to make it's money as otherwise I can't survive as a whole.
I willingly admit I would like it to grow – I am still committed to wanting to be able to plow back into my area and community and be able to reach a point at which I can begin to take on staff and provide employment and gain for others in my community.
I want to be able to give more than I already tithe and I want to reach out to more charities, local and national.
These are my hopes and the reason I do what I do, this is the reason my marketing endeavours are not just about persuading more customers to use me (though I admit that is of course what they are about) but are also about long term contribution to the churches and communities around me and not just short term gain for them and my business.
Do I knock any of the others for their marketing styles – no, thats a question for them to make and it's a decision for me as to how to respond, whether to match or pass, compete or concede.
However I do call us to question our actions and understanding of being Christian and what that really means.
If that upsets or offends then I am sorry – I'm not judging because at the end of the day I don't know the individual situations, I do though ask the question as I do believe we all should constantly be called to assess and reassess, it's part of being a community and one of the family of believers.
ps Phil, can I assume therefore that when you are out shopping and can see the assistant is serving on the phone that you don't go up to the till point?
Cause my customers do come up to the till whilst I'm serving on the phone and I think it would be pretty rude to hang up on the customer to serve the one just come to the till. (and yes we get a lot of phone customers due to the parking issues mentioned above amongst other things).
By the same token it's annoying for the one at the till point to wait for the customer on the phone – better I think to make eye contact, smile and mouth hello, sorry, wink and run the sale through for counter customer whilst still serving the customer on the phone where possible. That way it is my hope both the customers get good service and the personal touch without too long a wait or being ignored.
On the marketing front — as you say, the question is why we're doing it. If we set out to grow our own market share when we happen to already be in a very successful position, and when we know full well that in doing so we're likely to be taking business from other companies that aren't doing so well, then we need to be challenged.
To my way of thinking, the Christian ethos — the way of Christ — calls us to break free from the cut and thrust of competition and move towards cooperation and mutual support: to rise above our evolutionary heritage with its fight for the survival of the fittest and enter the new creation. So, for example, if a customer calls me from elsewhere in the country I'll happily refer them to their local Christian bookshop — all part of my thinking in setting up UKCBD.


text:
Q: What's the career path for a developer who doesn't like management? If you're developer (Senior or Lead Developer) and you'd rather stay with code/design than pursue a management career, what are the available career paths at your company, or any you've heard of? How far can you go?
Is it possible to continue being a geek until you bite the dust or is that too naive?
Are people like Uncle Bob for example still considered developers, as they claim?

A: I am going to go out on a limb here and say something that is not likely to be the answer you want to hear, but if you don't like management, your career path is going to be very limited. If what you like to do is code, and if you are really good at it, and you don't want to stop, then your career path is on a single trajectory: software engineer and then senior software engineer.
If others recognize how good you are then their inclination will tend towards putting you in a position where you can transmit your experience to others. In other words, they will want you to manage and/or direct. It is hard to take on that added responsibility without taking on some form of management. If you are an architect and responsible for a system's design, and if you want that design to be successfully implemented, you will need to lead and manage others. If you become a founder of a start-up and you become successful, then chances are at some point you will need to hire someone to help, and then you will need to manage them. If you become a CTO then there is no way in hell you will be able to not manage.
That being said, I don't think this question can be answered without understanding what it is about management you don't like. Do you not like managing personnel? Do you not like the idea of coding not being your primary responsibility? Do you not like the burden of responsibility for something's success?
The answer to that underlying question will help point you in the right direction. Or to put in another way, a way we should all be thinking about the work we do, is this: what does your ideal job look like? Forget about titles for a second, forget about the company you work for, just focus on your day-to-day life, and those things that will make you truly happy and thrive. Then work to create that position at the place you work, or at a company you build yourself.

A: Probably something like this:
Jr Developer -> Developer -> Sr Developer / Team Leader / Lead Developer -> Software Architect

A: Contracting. There's far more money in freelance work.

A: There are several paths I've seen taken:

*

*Product Manager

*Requirements Analyst

*Architect

*Team Lead

*Configuration Manager

*Technical Writer

*Start-up Founder

*Grant Writer

A: Depends on the company.  A lot of companies offer two paths for advancing developers: technical and management.  If you prefer technical, you move slowly up the pay grade, developing valuable dev skills, but sticking with development- you become a guru.  It's less money than going management, but if you want to hack 'till you die, it's the way to go.

A: If you work for a small company being a developer may be the highest role unless you start your own company. You will then become a Developer/Director. Don't worry too much about reaching the highest technical role in a company. Just do what makes you happy.

A: Depends on the sort of company you work for.
Many companies don't value talented, experienced developers as highly as managers, and will never reward them to the same level <- This is not the sort of company people like you should be working for.
Other (usually more tech-focused) companies will value their developers more, and staying in technology should not limit your career in terms of reward and status <- you probably want to work for this sort of company.
If you have a bit of entrepreneurial spirit you could also start your own company - then you'd be the boss.

A: If you work for the right kind of company then there should be no limit to being a developer as long as you are really good at it.  Management is actually one of the easiest ways to climb the career ladder if you are less technically proficient.  I have seen this very often in the world of software development.
So I think that if you want to live in the code world but get to the top of the tree, you need to make sure you work for the right company - if you are good enough for long enough, they will make a position for you - ultimately you may end up being a decision maker (but not a manager) due to your vast experience.  I have seen developers move into Senior Vice President roles without having anyone to manage, but due to their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm.
Also, it may sound obvious but you should speak to your boss about what your career advancement options are - you may be surprised.  It helps if you think about some potential job titles that do not exist in your company and you can ask your boss if you can work towards changing to that - something like "Head of Code Quality" or essentially a title which hints at more than just a developer even though you may still just be a developer - this will make you stand out when it comes to future promotions or even pay reviews.  You have to remember that there are less jobs at the top, so you need to stand out.  A lot of people say a job title means very little, but that's not true - it can make your career if you choose your own - doing this simple act also shows some ambition.

A: At my company, the management and individual contributor tracks are separate and mostly parallel.  Individual contributors can rise very high in the company (up to Technical Fellow) without being a people manager.  It helps to partially avoid the Peter Principle, though never completely.

A: Although Architect seems to have negative connotations, I think that's the technical equivalent of moving to management.

A: FWIW, Microsoft (like other large companies, I'm sure) has career paths for non-managers that go to VP equivalent levels (Distinghished Engineer and Technical Fellow). MS is really big on showing a career path for non-managers.

A: Texas Instruments had a dual ladder when I was there.

*

*Engineer Associate

*Engineer

*Senior Engineer

*---- from here on, you had to be nominated in by someone already higher up

*Member of the Group Technical Staff

*Senior Member of the Technical Staff

*(maybe) Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff

*TI Fellow

*TI Senior Fellow

*TI Principal Fellow (there was only one of these in the company,
as far as I know)

A: there are many titles that are found in a programmers path if he stick to technical career, such as

*

*Lead Developer / Lead Development Engineer.

*Team Leader.

*Solution Architect (focused on system design and integration, etc.).

*CTO (Chief technology Officer) .. this is totally technical but with a spice of being top technical person in the Organization.

A: If you don't like management you should get in to management to change things and make it acceptable to like-minded individuals.

A: Always remember that you can take another path and become a software consultant.. You can also work on other projects in parallel like writing some books or working in a blog...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The recent severe hailstorms in Gauteng, which have damaged both buildings and vehicles, highlights the importance of having the correct insurance cover in place to protect consumers and businesses against costly damages. Zakes Sondiyazi, Motor Manager at the South African Insurance Association (SAIA), says that consumers are not always aware whether their insurance policies cover the damages which can be caused by extreme weather conditions.
He says it is therefore crucial for consumers to read their policies carefully and understand the implications of the terms and clauses. On the other hand, it is also the responsibility of the insurer to help the insured understand the policy by explaining the fine print in layman's terms, he adds.


#Seafarers - Over three million seafarers, both men and women live in the twilight world of big shipping according to the Seamens Christian Friend Service (SCFS).
Seafarers are responsible for most of the goods you will of had acquired over the Christmas season. It's a lonely life and as such they don't get to spend Christmas with their family.
Crews roam the world's oceans for up to 12 months at a time. They come from more than 100 different nations and speak dozens of language. For most of them accessing the internet is synonym of keeping in touch with the family.
This year, SEA-Tech Evolution Ltd, an Irish IT company established in 2007, worked with the Port of Cork, Port of Waterford and Rosslare at improving crew welfare. The company take this service very seriously but it is sometimes hard to convince the shipping industry of the benefits of decent internet connectivity.
Commenting on the benefits of such technology, Arnaud (R.no) Disant, Engineer (CTO) at SEA-Tech and Lecturer at National Maritime College of Ireland, said you know you've done something good this year when you see a smile on the face of a man that truly values your work.


REDMOND, Wash. - Oct. 31, 2017 - PRLog -- Dynamic Systems Inc. announces an update to the SIMBA™ Production and Inventory Traceabilty System that includes the ability to track lots to the specific case, including mixed and commingled product for a low monthly cost.
About SIMBA™ from Dynamic Systems The SIMBA™ system from Dynamic Systems resides on the production floor and automates data collection as the product is processed and packed. The solution uses fast, accurate barcode technology to record details such as product attributes, pack dates, inventory locations and shipping details. SIMBA™ provides Real-time Traceability and Production details that help companies respond quickly to changing conditions and manage recalls for the least impact on the bottom line.
SIMBA™ Offers Full Traceability Solution at a Low Monthly Lease Cost. Now packers, shippers, and growers can have a barcode tracking system for about $350- $500 / month. The system includes software, hardware, training, labels, and support. Hardware choices include tablets, touchscreens, scanners, and custom labels specific to your operation. While other systems track whole lots and the date they are packed and/or shipped, SIMBA tracks lots into the box, no matter how many lots are packed within one container. The system is able to do this because it tracks cases and what is in them rather than lots and the # of pounds in the lot. Each case is given a serial number, and as product is packed, the lots are recorded into that case.
Many Produce Packers need the ability to track back to the lot number for quality, audit and recall purposes. The ability to identify which lots are in which case results in proof of origin for branding and quality purposes. Companies concerned about the quality of their brand want to track all product to the source. Other companies want to save money during a recall by being able to identify the specific cartons that contain the contaminated product. SIMBA's audit reports make all of that possible with the press of a button.
"We are excited about our ability to offer a affordable system and to answer one of the more complex issues of traceability in the industry," states Leif Anderson, Director of Sales and Services for Dynamic Systems. "Mixed and commingled lots can now be uniquely identified using SIMBA™."


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Renee is a true Austinite . She graduated from Aveda Institute Austin in 2011. She pursued her career at an Aveda Salon while taking Aveda advanced color and cutting classes as well as being certified in Brazillian Blowout. Her passion has always been hair from updos to coloring to achieving the clients needs, she not only wants you to look amazing but to feel it as well. She looks forward to showing off her skills here at Wild Orchid.