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Branded Apps by Thanx: Revolutionizing the Loyalty Card App
April 5, 2016 by Margaret Link
Loyalty Card Apps for Data-Driven Brands
Companies are turning to branded loyalty card apps to create an amazing experience for their customers and with good reason — a branded app (when done correctly) is a powerful way to cement long-term customer loyalty and improve 1-to-1 communication with patrons.
See below for the complete press release
Let's get one thing straight – traditional loyalty card apps fail
Somehow, most brands that launch their own apps have trouble launching one that actually works. Extensive point-of-sale software integrations prevent brands from launching their own loyalty card app on any reasonable time frame, but that's not even the biggest issue. Simply put, the experience consumers have to endure to use traditional branded mobile loyalty card apps is preventing widespread adoption.
Here are somes examples of the types of traditional loyalty card apps failing in the market:
As a customer, here's what a business using QR codes is asking of me to experience their loyalty program:
Remember my phone/make sure it's charged.
Find my phone in the cavernous expanse of my purse
Pull out my phone in the middle of a transaction/meal/shopping experience
Navigate to the correct branded app
Find the camera/QR code within the app, adjust the brightness of my phone, make sure it's on portrait orientation, etc…
Scan/snap a picture… every time I visit! Nobody loves this experience. That's why you see QR code-based loyalty programs lose 60% of their customers in the first three months.
Check-ins are just as bad. The entire process is similar, except it's way easier for the consumer to cheat (e.g. checking in without making a purchase). This bad experience is why 25% of apps are used only once and then never used again.
Both check-in and QR code systems suffer from a dearth of data, arguably their worst sin. Without knowing how much a customer is spending, there's only so much intelligence a business can derive from their data.
Scanning Credit Card Receipts
Brands are asking their most loyal customers to upload a picture of their receipts to their phone — Every. Single. Time. They. Visit.
Does anyone know people who have ever done this? Do consumers even want printed receipts any more? This is why only 23% of downloaded apps are actually used on a regular basis."
In the age of apps and mobile engagement, digital communication IS customer service. Improving digital communication is a tactic brands cannot ignore.
Companies cannot afford to settle for low-quality apps and accept a bad customer experience
Every time a merchant erects hurdles in front of customers, they forfeit huge potential revenue (a 5% increase in customer retention can increase profitability up to 75%+, according to Bain). But, it's not just current customers who feel the negative effects of bad apps. Poor app ratings actively weaken a brand's online position.
Put bluntly, poor app store ratings can severely damage a brand. It says, "We don't really care about customer experience. We don't care about your time." This is a non-starter for customer acquisition in the modern age.
Thanx performed a survey of over 150 branded apps and found that their average rating was 2.9 stars. That poor rating would never be acceptable to businesses on a platform like Yelp, where a half-star difference in rating can account for a 40%+ increase in sales.
Here are just a few examples of real reviews from branded apps within the app store.
Source: Apple App Store
These are from real customers about real experiences. Bad app experiences don't just drive away repeat customers, they scare off first-time customers and actively hurt brands' reputations.
Merchants must protect their brand from low-quality apps
There are 3 standards merchants MUST consider before investing in a branded mobile app:
I.T. integration must be headache-free (or better yet, non-existent).
Customer experience must be effortless.
Data analysis is mandatory; data paralysis is unprofitable.
The Thanx Branded App makes loyalty effortless — for both consumers and merchants
Thanx has addressed these three core standards and made owning a loyalty card app profitable, brand-building, and effortless. Here's how we did it:
Eliminate the I.T. hassle
Thanx is and always will be strongly against implementing additional hardware, making customers scan their phones, forcing customers to type in their phone numbers and "check-ins" of any sort.
The Thanx Branded App requires no hardware installation — the entire experience works via card-linking, so both customers and merchants are spared the hassle of scanning phones against hardware.
Additionally, customers should be able to order however they want — in-store, online, in-app, on the phone — and the loyalty experience should remain the same.
Effortless customer experience = happy customers
Ultimately, a useful app needs to improve customers' lives.
Thanx Branded Apps require no additional action from consumers beyond signing up. In exchange for this, they receive rewards from their favorite businesses just by paying as they would normally. That's an app worth keeping on your phone.
Our merchants have made the decision to put time back into their customers' days, which is why they're seeing 5% same-store sales increases. There is no other branded app experience that comes close to this level of elegance and effortlessness.
Customer data is accessible and actionable
While a good customer loyalty program keeps customers coming back — a great customer loyalty program does that while collecting valuable data.
Merchants who have a branded app with Thanx are able to get valuable data in real-time, then deploy profitable "1-click" marketing campaigns automated by this data.
Since our Branded Apps are built on top of our award-winning retention marketing platform, our merchants get all the benefit of Thanx analytics and data science. This means they can launch campaigns with incredible results (e.g. Winback regularly nets our merchants 566% ROI).
There's no point in gathering great customer data unless you're going to use it, which is why we've made our data actionable.
Create true loyalty by building an incredible branded app experience
We're proud to have created the best loyalty experience on the market. Our merchants love that they're able to customize their app to fit their needs (with food ordering functionality, push messaging for product availability, and beyond… if you can dream it, our Silicon Valley engineers can build it).If you're curious to see the results our merchants get from building a loyalty program app through Thanx, take a look at our Branded App Case Study.
Full text of the press release below:
Thanx Launches Branded Mobile Apps for Restaurants and Retailers,
Touts 5% Same-Store Sales Increases
The Thanx Branded App gives multi-location businesses all the sophisticated mobile and retention marketing capabilities of a massive scale enterprise — at a fraction of the cost.
SAN FRANCISCO — April 5, 2016 — Thanx, the Sequoia-backed company that solves customer loyalty for multi-location merchants, today announced the public release of the Thanx Branded App. Building on five years of experience delivering data-driven retention marketing tools to restaurants and retailers, the new offering equips larger businesses with Thanx's complete suite of mobile marketing tools — complete in a fully-branded package. Featuring a 5-star rating guarantee, the Thanx Branded App offers a top-notch mobile experience and effortless consumer loyalty program at a fraction of the cost of traditional, enterprise-level loyalty solutions and custom mobile applications.
Thanx is rapidly launching Branded Apps for merchants in a wide-range of verticals all across the country. Some of the first partners — all live this week — include SusieCakes, a West Coast specialty bakery chain, Lou Malnati's, the Chicago-based deep-dish pizza legend, and 2nd Time Around, a Boston-based apparel and fashion curator with 40 boutiques across the East Coast.
"Over the last five years, Thanx has deployed industry-leading retention marketing and customer analytics tools for merchants all across the country. We are proud of single-handedly driving up to 5 percent annual same-store sales growth for merchants using Thanx. Now we are offering a fully-branded mobile application on iOS, Android, and mobile Web built on that same platform," said Zach Goldstein, founder and CEO of Thanx, who will announce the new Branded App offering live on stage at the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix.
"Some of the most discerning enterprise brands have wanted to engage their customers on mobile for a long time. But they weren't prepared to settle for a poor quality product, or force consumers through a loyalty experience that would be a hassle. Now — they don't have to. Our apps are developed entirely in-house by our elite San Francisco-located engineering team, and the Thanx loyalty experience is just as effortless for consumers as always."
Marketing That Drives Measurable Revenue
Along with the new Branded App product, Thanx revealed revenue growth metrics from its existing merchant partners, including a remarkable 49% success rate reactivating churned customers using the proprietary "Winback" product. Merchant partners who have activated Winback for a complete year report 1-3% same-store sales growth — directly attributable to Winback — and as much as 5% overall growth, stemming largely from 25-54% increases in visit frequency from loyal customers.
Merchants using the Thanx Branded App automatically capture and utilize customer marketing data in real time, and without any hassle. The loyalty technology requires no change to the way merchants process payments, as Thanx eliminates costly point-of-sale integrations and requires zero additional hardware to install. Customers pay as usual without hurdles like scanning barcodes, "checking in," or searching for plastic cards, and the app reports on progress toward rewards without ever having to leave a pocket or purse.
Beyond a custom loyalty offering, the Thanx Branded App offers mobile ordering integration with select providers and proprietary "1-Click" marketing campaigns, including:
VIP: Tailored mobile experience exclusively for highest-value customers.
Winback: Automated re-engagement for previously loyal customers with a personalized incentive to come back.
Integrated NPS and Feedback: Effortless surveys and feedback for 1-to-1 customer dialogues.
Thanxgiving: Targeted new customer acquisition with incentivized referrals from top customers to first-time visitors.
Merchants partnering with Thanx had this to say on their decisions to go with the Thanx Branded App:
"We evaluated a number of loyalty solutions on the market, but everything we looked at forced consumers to participate in extra steps. We didn't want to complicate the experience. Rewards should be easy and fun — and that's what Thanx delivers with our custom SusieFavors program," said Susan Sarich, founder and CEO of SusieCakes. "The app allows us to easily identify our most loyal guests, connect with them directly on their smartphones, and thoughtfully reward them for their support."
"We needed a world-class partner to take our decade-old loyalty program to the next level — and that's exactly what we found in Thanx," said Mindy Kaplan, Senior Director of Marketing at Lou Malnati's. "Previously, our customers had to carry around a plastic card — which most forgot to do. Now all they have to do is pay as usual and the Lou Malnati's app automatically informs them of their next reward. In addition, Thanx made it easy for them to quickly identify nearby locations and even order a pizza right from within the app."
"At 2nd Time Around, we are constantly searching for ways to connect and engage with our customers BETTER—across every touch point. And, through those interactions, learn more about the customer so we can simply serve them better. The Thanx Branded App connects us to our most loyal customers through direct one-to-one mobile communication," said Kristin Kohler Burrows, President and CEO of 2nd Time Around. "With the Thanx Branded App, we benefit from actionable data, on-demand push notifications, real-time Net Promoter Scores (NPS) tied to customer lifetime value, and detailed customer segmentation. It's important for us to know exactly how much money each customer spends and precisely how satisfied they are after each visit… and now we actually can."
To download the SusieCakes, Lou Malnati's, or 2nd Time Around applications, visit the iOS App Store or Google Play this week.
About Thanx
Thanx makes marketing effortless for multi-location merchants. Through the Thanx platform, merchants have access to real-time actionable customer data, allowing them to identify, engage and retain their best customers. Consumers shop as usual, accumulating personalized rewards at their favorite businesses via real-time notifications to their mobile phones – but without check-ins, loyalty cards, or other added steps at checkout. Effortless for both merchants and consumers, Thanx delivers immediate increases in revenue from existing customers. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, Thanx is backed by Sequoia Capital, SoftTech VC, and other elite Silicon Valley investors. For more information, visit thanx.com.


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Opinion|Yanis Varoufakis: How Europe Crushed Greece
Yanis Varoufakis: How Europe Crushed Greece
By Yanis Varoufakis
ATHENS — Since the beginning of Greece's financial crisis in 2010, two prime ministers have been swept from office after they were forced to adopt an unfeasible package of austerity measures in exchange for a bailout from the troika, as the eurozone authorities — the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund — are known. It pains me to watch the same fate befall a third prime minister, my friend and comrade Alexis Tsipras.
In July, when Mr. Tspiras was forced to capitulate to the troika's latest "program," it spelled the end of our government. It also caused a split in our party, Syriza, between those who reluctantly agreed to implement the program and the rest of us (approximately 40 Syriza members of Parliament, out of a total of 149) who did not. The general election set for Sept. 20 is a result of this crisis.
For my part, having resigned as finance minister over the troika's ruthless, humiliating imposition, I plan to sit this one out. I will not contest my parliamentary seat in a sad election that will not produce a Parliament capable of endorsing a realistic reform agenda for Greece.
Nor can I support the adoption of a troika program that everyone knows is destined to fail. There was a clear consensus, shared not only by myself and Mr. Tsipras, but also by Germany's finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, and officials at the International Monetary Fund, that the new bailout deal was not viable.
I will not, however, join those who think that exiting the eurozone, to bring about a major devaluation with a reintroduced drachma, is in itself a program for Greece's recovery.
The cause of this continuing trouble for Greece lies in the eurozone's existential crisis. The pioneers of the single currency, of whom Mr. Schäuble is the last active member, were undecided whether the euro should be modeled on the international gold standard of the interwar period or on a sovereign currency, like the dollar.
The gold standard relied on strict rules that were unenforceable during a crisis. In a severe downturn, these imposed the greatest burden on the worst-hit economies and thus made exit the only alternative to a humanitarian crisis. This is the reason that President Franklin D. Roosevelt took the United States off the gold standard in 1933, expanded the money supply and helped pull America out of the Depression.
A sovereign currency, or state money, demands a different, more flexible set of responses based on political union, as the French government and others have recently proposed. The great questions that Europe must answer are: What kind of political union do we want? And are we prepared to act quickly enough to prevent the fragmentation of the eurozone?
Alexis Tsipras's government fell after he was forced to accept the troika's latest program.CreditYannis Kolesidis/European Pressphoto Agency
Europe's indecision is a result of a deep rift between Berlin and Paris. Berlin has traditionally backed a rules-based eurozone in which every member state is responsible for its own finances, including bank bailouts, with political union limited to a fiscal overlord's possessing veto power over national budgets that violate the rules. Paris and Rome, cognizant that their deficit position would condemn them to a slow-burning recession under such a rules-based political union, see things differently.
It was in the context of this standoff that Mr. Schäuble felt that accepting an alternative plan for Greece's recovery, in place of the troika's program, would weaken Germany's hand vis-à-vis the French. Thus little Greece was crushed while the elephants tussled.
We had such a plan. In March, I undertook the task of compiling an alternative program for Greece's recovery, with advice from the economist Jeffrey Sachs and input from a host of experts, including the former American Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and the former British chancellor of the Exchequer Norman Lamont.
Our proposals began with a strategy for debt swaps to reduce the public debt's burden on state finances. This measure would allow for sustainable budget surpluses (net of debt and interest repayments) from 2018 onward. We set a target for those surpluses of no more than 2 percent of national income (the troika program's target is 3.5 percent). With less pressure on the government to depress demand in the economy by cutting public spending, the Greek economy would attract investors of productive capital.
As well as making this possible, the debt swaps would also render Greek sovereign debt eligible for the European Central Bank's quantitative easing program. This in turn would speed up Greece's return to the money markets, reducing its reliance on loans from European institutions.
To generate homegrown investment, we proposed a development bank to take over public assets from the state, collateralize them and so create an income stream for reinvestment. We also planned to set up a "bad bank" that would use financial engineering techniques to clear the Greek commercial banks' mountain of nonperforming loans. A series of other reforms, including a new, independent I.R.S.-like tax authority, rounded out our proposals.
The document was ready on May 11. Although I presented it to key European finance ministers, including Mr. Schäuble, as the Greek Finance Ministry's official plan, it never received the endorsement of our own prime minister. The reason? Because the troika made it abundantly clear to Mr. Tsipras that any such document would be seen as a hostile attempt to backtrack from the conditions of the troika's existing program. That program, of course, had made no provision for debt restructuring and therefore demanded cripplingly high budget surpluses.
The fact that few people ever got to hear about the Greek plan is a testament to the eurozone's deep failures of governance. If the "Athens Spring" — when the Greek people courageously rejected the catastrophic austerity conditions of the previous bailouts — has one lesson to teach, it is that Greece will recover only when the European Union makes the transition from "We the states" to "We the European people."
Across the Continent, people are fed up with a monetary union that is inefficient because it is so profoundly undemocratic. This is why the battle for rescuing Greece has now turned into a battle for Europe's integrity, soul, rationality and democracy. I plan to concentrate on helping set up a Pan-European political movement, inspired by the Athens Spring, that will work toward Europe's democratization.
Naturally, this will take years to bear fruit — years that Greece cannot afford. In the meantime, I shall continue to promote our plan for Greece's recovery as a true, viable alternative to the troika's impossible program.
Yanis Varoufakis, a former finance minister of Greece, is an outgoing member of Parliament for Syriza and a professor of economics at the University of Athens.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Slow Hunt Turns Epic With My First Seated Half & Quarter!!!
Re: Slow Hunt Turns Epic With My First Seated Half & Quarter!!!
Congrats, really nice trophy's. I think I would be talking to the owners about that drain pipe and see they have any idea where the fill dirt came from.
All the seated coins are still on my first to find list.
That's so awesome! I love the 1876 dates the CC mint just makes them that much sweeter. Congrats on your two Seated quarters!
Thanks Ron. I believe these coins were lost on this property and not brought in with fill. There was an older house that sat behind the one there now. I have found a shield, v and buffalo nickel along with Indians in other parts of the front yard.
Nice bucket listers Sooper Dave!
We still have a lot of snow on the ground in Fargo and are preparing for the spring flood.
Thanks Dave! I imagine you've had enough of cabin fever with the snow up that way and are ready to start hitting some parks. You may have to make a trip south to get in your fix. I hope spring gets there quick.
They are a cool design I got a EF cond 1854 with arrows also this fall to that was a huge surprise! but that site also gave up a beautiful capped bust dime for me to!
Great finds, Story and Pictures.
Way to go Dave! You have definitely paid your dues and I'm glad you nailed these amazing coins!


Here's a collection of resources to get you up to speed on Linux security.
Security is one of the most important considerations in any enterprise IT shop, and there are so many resources available it can be difficult to know where to start. Here, we've gathered a wealth of information to get you up to speed quickly.
Other Resources -- bookmark these pages!
Wireless security: Is WPA good enough?
Wireless LAN analyzers: The ultimate hacking tools?
Who's watching your wireless network?
Get expert advice about remote security. It's easy!
Protecting your Web servers: Is your security pukka?


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Racing The Brits Are Out, So Is One Italian Team, but…the Russians Are Coming
The Brits Are Out, So Is One Italian Team, but…the Russians Are Coming
While others tell BMW Oracle Racing, "Thanks, but no thanks," regarding their dramatic remake of the America's Cup, Synergy team remains on course to become the first Russian team to contend for the Auld Mug.
101005_Logutenko
Synergy team manager Maxim Logutenko says the Russian team is interviewing design teams with catamaran experience to jump start a campaign for the 34th America's Cup. Courtesy Synergy Team
TeamOrigin's decision to not pursue a campaign for the 34th America's Cup is disheartening. Recent quotes from team principle Sir Keith Mills echo what many worry will be a majority opinion about BMW Oracle Racing's vision for sailing's grandest trophy: It's your sandbox, and you're entitled to make up the rules, but we just don't think this will fly. Good luck.
Another Louis Vuitton Trophy team that is unlikely to pursue an America's Cup campaign is Azzurra, though this anywhere near as surprising as TeamOrigin's decision to abort. Azzurra, while stocked with some potent Italian talent and backed by the world-renown Yacht Club Costa Smeralda on Sardinia, was essentially a pick-up team centered on Cup and Olympic vet Francesco Bruni. They had yet to invest in any significant design or technology assets.
Here's a statement from Riccardo Bonadeo, President of Consorzio Azzurra and Commodore of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, courtesy of the Azzurra PR team:
"Consorzio Azzurra is currently assessing the most viable strategy to ensure the continued growth and development of the team following the relaunch of the historic brand and our successful participation in the Louis Vuitton Trophy events of 2009 and 2010. While a range of international races and circuits are under examination, at the moment it would be difficult to foresee the [Yacht Club Costa Smeralda] participating in the 34th America's Cup. Together with the rest of the international sailing community, we sincerely hope that the new protocol will lead to a fair, innovative and successful edition of the event."
That's two down. But at least one other team is pushing forward. Last week, Maxim Logutenko, team manager for the Russian Synergy effort (currently in first at the TP 52 World Championships in Valencia, Spain), confirmed in an interview that the Synergy team is moving forward with its plan to be the first Russian team to contend for the America's Cup.
At the Louis Vuitton Trophy La Maddalena in May, the Synergy team—with ex-Desafío Español helmsman Karol Jablonski on the wheel, ex-Alinghi pitman Josh Belsky running the cockpit, and ex-Oracle afterguard Rod Dawson calling tactics, among others—came within a whisker of winning the event, taking a 2-0 lead on Team New Zealand in the finals before losing three straight races.
Maxim, what was Synergy's reaction to the announcement of the class for the 34th America's Cup?
Actually we were ready for such an announcement, which is why it was not news for us. We did a couple things to research the situation and this is why we were ready for this announcement. Probably we are happy. For us, it doesn't matter really. We don't have enough experience in construction and engineering of the of the big boats for the America's Cup, like the ACC version 5. We are talking now with a very good design team, which has excellent experience in catamaran building.
Russell Coutts said he felt this change would level the playing field for many teams without previous America's Cup experience. Has this change put your team on a more level footing?
How much input or dialogue did you have with either BMW Oracle Racing or Mascalzone Latino regarding the new class?
It was not really a dialogue, but BMW consulted with us on some things. Not really a dialogue but they were always asking us, what about these things, what about this, what do you think. It was quite a good process, quite fair.
So you feel your opinions ended up influencing the final protocol?
What does Synergy do now? How does your TP 52 and Louis Vuitton Trophy team transition to an AC72 catamaran campaign?
Actually we are ready to do this and we need to sort out the plan for the near future, the short-term plan. We just have to get the experience in multihulls, that's it.
Does the fact that BMW Oracle Racing has built a wing sail give them a significant advantage?
Yes, for sure they have an advantage. I think this experience, which will we get in the 45-foot catamarans with wingsail, we'll get some information and something to organize. We'll have some experience soon. And we are starting to talk with some airplane design teams in Russia. We'll get information from them as well.
What does this challenge mean for Russia? There was a half-baked challenge many years ago, but it never made it to the water.
All the Russian sailing community is proud and happy that we are going to do it. But the rest of the citizens don't know sailing well. One of the goals for us is to promote sailing and promote the America's Cup in Russia as well. We have sent a proposal to BMW Oracle to do one of the events in 2011 and 2012 in Sochi or St. Petersburg to promote the event and promote the team and promote sailing and the Cup in Russia. This is our goal as well.
Sochi is currently on the world map as the host of the 2014 Winter Olympics. But it's also a summer resort?
Big summer and winter destination; only 50 km from shoreside to the mountain. Excellent place to sail and ski as well.


I'm extremely grateful for the 1st time to receive The Versatile Blogger Award . Thank you to Arab Writer Chick who has a great blog about news events, book and movie reviews, poetry, short fiction, essays, tips on writing and a whole lot more. I value receiving the award, thank you Arab Writer Chick.
When I was younger I wanted to be an actor and a singer.
Montreal is one of my favourite cities. I lived there for 6 months.
I am not religious. I have my own personal relationship with God.
Thank you so much TW! I really appreciate the nomination. I'm so glad to know that the post has touched so many people's lives… Much joy and love!
Thanks very much for your kind and generous nomination and congratulations on your award. You have a great blog here and deserve all of the recognition that you receive.
Shark cage diving!!! Was it exciting as well as scary?
Pingback: A Blogger's Gift to A Blogger… – Lead.Learn.Live.


Columbia : University of Missouri Press, c2008.
Walton, Lester A., > 1882-1965.
African American journalists > New York (State) > New York > Biography.
Theater critics > New York (State) > New York > Biography.
African Americans > New York (State) > New York > Intellectual life > 20th century.
African Americans > Race identity > Case studies.
Memory > Social aspects > United States > Case studies.
Biography > Research > United States > Case studies.
United States > Race relations > Case studies.


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Thursday, July 12th, 2012
UNESCO Adds 20 Sites to the Global Network of Biosphere Reserves
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today added 20 new sites to its global list of biosphere reserves, bringing the total to 599 in 117 countries.
Biodiversity Survey Launched in Tibetan Forest
A group of researchers and photographers have started a 15-day biodiversity survey in the virgin forest of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The team will use cameras to record endangered species in Lulang Forest of Nyingchi prefecture in the southeast of Tibet, an area known for its rich biodiversity including all major vegetation of the
Building Global Collaboration for Biodiversity Intelligence
A landmark conference has agreed key priorities for harnessing the power of information technologies and social networks to understand better the workings of life on Earth, focussing on how biodiversity can continue to sustain human lives and livelihoods. The Global Biodiversity Informatics Conference (GBIC), gathering some 100 experts from around the world from 2-4 July,
Farm-forest Mix May Keep Species Diverse
To keep up with projected demand, farming output will need to double in the next few decades. This inconvenient fact is bad news for the environment as a whole, and biodiversity in particular. Large-scale, high-intensity agricultural production, scientists say, dramatically reduces variation between bird communities of different areas. But Stanford University scientists say there may
Sunday, June 24th, 2012
Climate warming causes cascading biodiversity loss as large predators and herbivores fall out
Global warming may cause more extinctions than predicted if scientists fail to account for interactions among species in their models, Yale and UConn researchers argue in Science. "Currently, most models predicting the effects of climate change treat species separately and focus only on climatic and environmental drivers," said Phoebe Zarnetske, the study's primary author and
Saturday, June 23rd, 2012
A New Vision for Harnessing Data About Life on Earth
Experts from around the world are preparing to address the urgent need to improve understanding of the complexities and patterns of global biodiversity. The Global Biodiversity Informatics Conference (GBIC) will convene 100 leading specialists in biodiversity science, informatics, conservation and policy in Copenhagen, Denmark from 2-4 July.
Thursday, June 21st, 2012
Looking for Solutions in the Fight to Preserve Biodiversity
For decades, conservation biologist Thomas Lovejoy has repeatedly warned — sometimes in dire terms — about the loss of biodiversity. But Lovejoy, who this week was awarded the prestigious Blue Planet Prize, remains an optimist. "There is no point in being unduly pessimistic, because that just guarantees all the bad things will happen," says Lovejoy,
Sea Level Rise hidden Impact on Biodiversity and Habitat Loss in Asia
A new scientific study published in Global Change Biology raises alarm bells about global climate change and the secondary impact of sea level rise on habitat loss and species biodiversity, especially in the Asian and Pacific regions. We already know that Climate change and habitat loss threaten biodiversity with the extinction rate underestimated and that
Thursday, June 14th, 2012
Citizen Scientists to Document Biodiversity with High-resolution Imagery
A high-resolution image of a palm tree in Brazil, which under close examination shows bees, wasps and flies feasting on nectars and pollens, was the top jury selection among the images captured during last December's Nearby Nature GigaBlitz. It's also an example of what organizers hope participants will produce for the next GigaBlitz, June 20-26.
Retention Forestry Now Sparing Trees and Benefitting Biodiversity Worldwide
The management practice known as retention forestry, which involves deliberately leaving selected trees standing when wood is harvested, has spread to forests over much of the world and is bringing broad benefits to conservation, according to an assessment published in the July 2012 issue of BioScience. The study, by an international group of researchers headed
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Helicopters and lifeboats battle worsening weather to find plane believed to be a Piper Malibu bound for Cardiff from France An air and sea search has been launched after a plane disappeared from radar over the English Channel. Rescue teams were scrambled to waters north of Alderney in the Channel Islands after the light aircraft vanished on Monday evening, Guernsey police said. Continue reading..


Sad, EP and Alencar, N.X. and Viscardi, V and De Mello Costa, M. F. and Lessa, D.B. (2013) Cytology profile and age influence in the equine bronchoalveolar lavage in healthy and asymptomatic inflammatory airway disease. Ciência Rural , 43 (3). pp. 452-455.
This list was generated on Tue Apr 23 01:05:03 2019 NZST.


text:
National Guard troops to carry weapons at Biden inauguration
National Guard troops to carry weapons at Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20.Army secretary Ryan McCarthy ordered the move after a mobof Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol last week in a desperate attempt to overthrow the 2020 election results. .Days away from the inauguration, hundreds of National Guard troops were encamped inside the U.S. Capitol, some of them resting on the floors.As they slept, the House of Representatives took up an article of impeachment against Trump for his role in inciting the mob.Pentagon officials say they are deeply worried about the security of the inauguration, where Trump supporters have registered to stage more protests.About 15,000 uniformed troops were reportedly arriving in Washington from all over the country.Troops around the Capitol building will carry weapons.The military's Joint Chiefs of Staff sent an unusual message to the entire U.S. armed forces this week reminding them that their job was to support and defend the Constitution
National Politics | Updated Jan 13, 2021
By Helene Cooper and Adam Goldman, The New York Times
Hundreds of troops already guarding U.S. Capitol
National Guard troops flooding into Washington to secure the Capitol for Inauguration Day will be armed, the Army secretary, Ryan McCarthy, has decided, Defense Department officials said Tuesday.
The armed troops will be responsible for security around the Capitol building complex, the officials said.
» RELATED: FBI seeking public's help to identify rioters who sieged Capitol
As up to 15,000 troops continued to arrive in Washington from all over the country, Defense Department officials had been weighing whether to deploy them with arms. McCarthy has decided that at the very least those around the Capitol building will carry weapons, said the officials, who confirmed the decision on the condition of anonymity.
Hundreds of National Guard troops rest inside the U.S. Capitol Wednesday morning. They were stationed there to reinforce security in the wake of last week's violent insurrection by President Donald Trump's radicalized supporters that left five dead. The House of Representatives is pursuing an article of impeachment against Trump for his role in inciting the angry mob to storm Congress during proceedings to confirm Joe Biden's Electoral College victory.
Credit: J. Scott Applewhite
McCarthy's decision came after a meeting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California. Pelosi, according to congressional staff members, demanded that the Pentagon take a more muscular posture after a mob, egged on by President Trump last week, breached the Capitol.
» CAPITOL SIEGE: Florida attorney general linked to group that urged Capitol uprising
Pentagon officials say they are deeply worried about protests that are planned for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden next week. About 16 groups — some of them saying they will be armed and most of them made up of hard-line supporters of Mr. Trump — have registered to stage protests in Washington, officials said.
One Defense Department official said law enforcement agencies are planning for a range of outcomes, including a worse-case scenario in which people with firearms try to attack dignitaries, "suicide-type aircraft" try to fly into the capital's restricted airspace and even remote-controlled drones that could be used to attack the crowd.
» MORE: Facebook bans content pushing 'stop the steal' conspiracy
While those scenarios are among the more extreme, the officials said they were particularly worried about the possibility of multiple, violent confrontations, including with firearms, simultaneously flaring up around the inaugural dignitaries.
Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington sent a letter to Mr. Trump on Sunday asking for an emergency declaration to obtain additional funding for inauguration security.
"In light of the attack on the Capitol and intelligence suggesting further violence is likely during the inaugural period, my administration has re-evaluated our preparedness posture for the inauguration, including requesting the extension of D.C. National Guard support through Jan. 24, 2021," Bowser wrote.
» MORE: 2 Capitol Hill police officers accused of participating in riot
Defense Department officials said that the White House had signed off on the decision to arm some of the National Guard troops coming to Washington to provide security. Pentagon officials have underscored that the National Guard — not active-duty military troops — will be assigned to those duties.
Defense Department officials said that even the National Guard troops who were not directly supporting the Capitol complex, but were stationed elsewhere in the Washington area, would not be far from their weapons.
» RELATED: Big Tech shuts down Parler as CEO defends content on site
"We want our individuals to have the right to self-defense," Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said on Monday during a telephone news conference. "If senior leadership determines that that's the right posture to be in, then that is something we will do."
All the National Guard troops coming to Washington, he said, are bringing their weapons with them.
» MORE: Protester in Viking headdress ID'd as Trump supporter, not Antifa
The National Guard is expected to officially announce the arming of some of the troops Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. The decision is important because in the past, federal and local officials have shied away from militarizing the Capitol.
But the riots last week have brought into sharp focus the potential dangers that lawmakers and, potentially, the next president face from supporters of Trump, who has continued to falsely claim that he, not Biden, won the election.


What direction should your solar panels face? | West Coast Solar, Inc.
What direction should your solar panels face?
Most solar panels are installed on south-facing roofs (if the house has one), as this puts them in a position to receive the most direct sunlight over the course of a year. Because we live in the northern hemisphere, the sun tends to move across the southern portion of the sky, particularly in the winter months. But a new study released by the Pecan Street Research Institute states that solar panels that face west can produce more electricity during afternoon hours, when the grid is trying to meet peak demand.
The report analyzed the power output between June 1 and August 31, 2013, from 14 solar installations that were pointed west and 24 that were pointed south, all of which were located in Austin, Texas. They found that the 14 west-facing panel arrays generated 49 percent more electricity during peak demand hours. Becauise that is the time of day when electricity rates go up, the power produced is technically more valuable to the electric company.
Whether or not the utility actually pays more for power produced during those hours can vary. Not all companies change their net metering rebates based on demand. As Forbes Magazine notes, it may be beneficial for the electric company if more of its customers' solar panels are pointed west, but most utilities have not structured their rates to reflect this fact.
At West Coast Solar, we can design a Bay Area solar panel system for your home that provides the biggest financial benefit possible. We'll work with the structure of your home to construct a photovoltaic panel array that meets your energy needs and helps you save thousands of dollars on your electric bills. Contact us today to schedule a solar site analysis.


text:
Tourists on the submarine will descend to the wreck of the Titanic
March 19, 2017 IMMEconomics
The British travel Agency is going to organize an underwater trip to the wreck of the Titanic in 2018.
The dive will be carried out on the submarine with a capacity of nine people. The cost of the tour will amount to more than 105 thousand dollars per person, reports The Telegraph.
Watch the VIDEO: On the big screen again goes the Titanic
According to the organizers, tourists will join a research group that will travel to the wreckage of the Titanic for the first time since 2005. On Board the submarine trip participants will take a helicopter from the canadian city of St. John's in Newfoundland and Labrador. After that, the ship will sink to the bottom of the Atlantic ocean.
First tourists will help scientists, and then go on a tour of the wreck of the Titanic.
The submarine will be made of a titanium alloy and carbon fiber. Chairing the group will be an expert oceanologist.
Cruise liner "Titanic" sank in April 1912 collision with an iceberg. On Board the ship were more than two thousand people, most of them died.
Videohit: elephant in India stopped the truck to eat potatoes
Assistants trump's campaign headquarters repeatedly contacted the Russian intelligence
In Japan crashed rescue helicopter
Helsingin Sanomat (Finland): the Russian audience, Putin is elite
Moved universities of Ukraine
McCain harshly criticized trump for inaction in Syria
Russian economist told how much Russia is Crimea
"Oh, how ridiculous": the driver of the truck with yellow paint had an accident (video)
True stories with writer Alex Kurilko: the mystery of the "Golden key" or why Tolstoy turned educational tale in the survival manual.
Life in the "LC": unemployment and crime


text:
#include "RenderCore.h"
#include "Screen.h"
#include "CommandContext.h"
#include "DescriptorHeap.hpp"
#include "Fence.h"
#include "ThreadPool.hpp"
#include "DTimer.h"
#include "DebugLog.h"
#include <dxgidebug.h>
#include "FenceContext.h"

// 检验是否有HDR输出功能
#define CONDITIONALLY_ENABLE_HDR_OUTPUT 1

using namespace std;
using namespace Microsoft::WRL;
using namespace AnEngine::RenderCore::Resource;
using namespace AnEngine::RenderCore::Heap;
using namespace AnEngine::RenderCore::UI;
using namespace AnEngine::Debug;

namespace AnEngine::RenderCore
{
	ComPtr<IDXGIFactory4> r_dxgiFactory_cp;

	vector<unique_ptr<GraphicsCard>> r_graphicsCard;
	unique_ptr<UI::GraphicsCard2D> r_graphicsCard2D;
	ComPtr<IDXGISwapChain3> r_swapChain_cp = nullptr;
	Resource::ColorBuffer* r_displayPlane[r_SwapChainBufferCount_const];
	bool r_enableHDROutput = false;
	uint32_t r_frameIndex;
	uint64_t r_frameCount;

	//Fence* r_fenceForDisplayPlane;
	//ComPtr<ID3D12Fence> r_fence;
	//uint64_t r_fenceValueForDisplayPlane[r_SwapChainBufferCount_const];
	//HANDLE r_fenceEvent;

	// D2D

#ifdef _WIN32
	HWND r_hwnd;
#endif // _WIN32

	//bool rrrr_runningFlag;
	function<void(void)> R_GetGpuError = [=]()
	{
		var hr = r_graphicsCard[0]->GetDevice()->GetDeviceRemovedReason();
	};

	namespace CommonState
	{
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER commonToRenderTarget;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER renderTargetToCommon;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER commonToResolveDest;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER resolveDestToCommon;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER renderTargetToResolveDest;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER resolveSourceToRenderTarget;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER presentToRenderTarget;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER renderTargetToPresent;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER renderTarget2ResolveSource;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER commonToResolveSource;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER resolveSourceToCommon;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER depthWrite2PsResource;
		D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER psResource2DepthWrite;
	}

	void InitializeSwapChain(int width, int height, HWND hwnd, DXGI_FORMAT dxgiFormat = r_DefaultSwapChainFormat_const);
	void WaitForGpu();
	void CreateCommonState();

	void InitializeRender(HWND hwnd, int graphicCardCount, bool isStable)
	{
		r_hwnd = hwnd;
		uint32_t dxgiFactoryFlags = 0;
		// 开启Debug模式
		bool debugDxgi = false;
#if defined(DEBUG) || defined(_DEBUG)

		ComPtr<ID3D12Debug> d3dDebugController;
		if (D3D12GetDebugInterface(IID_PPV_ARGS(&d3dDebugController)))
		{
			d3dDebugController->EnableDebugLayer();
			dxgiFactoryFlags |= DXGI_CREATE_FACTORY_DEBUG;
		}

		/*ComPtr<IDXGIInfoQueue> dxgiInfoQueue;
		if (SUCCEEDED(DXGIGetDebugInterface1(0, IID_PPV_ARGS(&dxgiInfoQueue))))
		{
			debugDxgi = true;

			ThrowIfFailed(CreateDXGIFactory2(DXGI_CREATE_FACTORY_DEBUG, IID_PPV_ARGS(&r_dxgiFactory_cp)));

			dxgiInfoQueue->SetBreakOnSeverity(DXGI_DEBUG_ALL, DXGI_INFO_QUEUE_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_ERROR, true);
			dxgiInfoQueue->SetBreakOnSeverity(DXGI_DEBUG_ALL, DXGI_INFO_QUEUE_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_CORRUPTION, true);
		}*/
#endif
		if (!debugDxgi)
		{
			ThrowIfFailed(CreateDXGIFactory1(IID_PPV_ARGS(r_dxgiFactory_cp.GetAddressOf())), R_GetGpuError);
		}

		while (graphicCardCount--)
		{
			GraphicsCard* aRender = new GraphicsCard();
			aRender->IsStable(isStable);
			aRender->Initialize(r_dxgiFactory_cp.Get(), true);
			r_graphicsCard.emplace_back(aRender);
		}
		r_graphicsCard2D.reset(new UI::GraphicsCard2D());
		r_graphicsCard2D->Initialize();
		DescriptorHeapAllocator::GetInstance();
		InitializeSwapChain(Screen::GetInstance()->Width(), Screen::GetInstance()->Height(), r_hwnd);

		CreateCommonState();

		r_frameCount = 0;
	}

	void InitializeSwapChain(int width, int height, HWND hwnd, DXGI_FORMAT dxgiFormat)
	{
		DXGI_SWAP_CHAIN_DESC1 swapChainDesc = {};
		swapChainDesc.BufferCount = r_SwapChainBufferCount_const;
		swapChainDesc.BufferUsage = DXGI_USAGE_RENDER_TARGET_OUTPUT;
		swapChainDesc.Flags = DXGI_SWAP_CHAIN_FLAG_ALLOW_MODE_SWITCH;
		swapChainDesc.Width = width;
		swapChainDesc.Height = height;
		swapChainDesc.Format = dxgiFormat;
		swapChainDesc.SwapEffect = DXGI_SWAP_EFFECT_FLIP_DISCARD;
		swapChainDesc.SampleDesc.Count = 1;
		swapChainDesc.SampleDesc.Quality = 0;
		swapChainDesc.Scaling = DXGI_SCALING_NONE;

		ComPtr<IDXGISwapChain1> swapChain1;
		//Private::r_dxgiFactory_cp->Create
		ThrowIfFailed(r_dxgiFactory_cp->CreateSwapChainForHwnd(r_graphicsCard[0]->GetCommandQueue(), hwnd, &swapChainDesc,
			nullptr, nullptr, swapChain1.GetAddressOf()));

#ifdef _WIN32
		r_dxgiFactory_cp->MakeWindowAssociation(hwnd, DXGI_MWA_NO_ALT_ENTER | DXGI_MWA_NO_WINDOW_CHANGES);
#endif // _WIN32

		ThrowIfFailed(swapChain1.As(&r_swapChain_cp));
#if !CONDITIONALLY_ENABLE_HDR_OUTPUT && defined(NTDDI_WIN10_RS2) && (NTDDI_VERSION >= NTDDI_WIN10_RS2)
		{
			IDXGISwapChain4* p_swapChain = static_cast<IDXGISwapChain4*>(r_swapChain_cp.Get());
			ComPtr<IDXGIOutput> cp_output;
			ComPtr<IDXGIOutput6> cp_output6;
			DXGI_OUTPUT_DESC1 outputDesc;
			uint32_t colorSpaceSupport;

			if (SUCCEEDED(p_swapChain->GetContainingOutput(&cp_output)) &&
				SUCCEEDED(cp_output.As(&cp_output6)) &&
				SUCCEEDED(cp_output6->GetDesc1(&outputDesc)) &&
				outputDesc.ColorSpace == DXGI_COLOR_SPACE_RGB_FULL_G2084_NONE_P2020 &&
				SUCCEEDED(p_swapChain->CheckColorSpaceSupport(DXGI_COLOR_SPACE_RGB_FULL_G2084_NONE_P2020, &colorSpaceSupport)) &&
				(colorSpaceSupport & DXGI_SWAP_CHAIN_COLOR_SPACE_SUPPORT_FLAG_PRESENT) &&
				SUCCEEDED(p_swapChain->SetColorSpace1(DXGI_COLOR_SPACE_RGB_FULL_G2084_NONE_P2020)))
			{
				r_enableHDROutput = true;
			}
		}
#endif

		for (uint32_t i = 0; i < r_SwapChainBufferCount_const; ++i)
		{
			ComPtr<ID3D12Resource> displayPlane;
			ThrowIfFailed(r_swapChain_cp->GetBuffer(i, IID_PPV_ARGS(&displayPlane)));
			r_displayPlane[i] = new ColorBuffer(L"Primary SwapChain Buffer", displayPlane.Detach(),
				DescriptorHeapAllocator::GetInstance()->Allocate(D3D12_DESCRIPTOR_HEAP_TYPE_RTV));

			// 2D平面
			D3D11_RESOURCE_FLAGS d3d11Flags = { D3D11_BIND_RENDER_TARGET };
			ThrowIfFailed(r_graphicsCard2D->GetDevice11On12()->CreateWrappedResource(r_displayPlane[i]->GetResource(),
				&d3d11Flags, D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RENDER_TARGET, D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_PRESENT,
				IID_PPV_ARGS(&r_graphicsCard2D->m_wrappedBackBuffers[i])));

			ComPtr<IDXGISurface> surface;
			ThrowIfFailed(r_graphicsCard2D->m_wrappedBackBuffers[i].As(&surface));
			ThrowIfFailed(r_graphicsCard2D->m_d2dContext->CreateBitmapFromDxgiSurface(surface.Get(),
				&r_graphicsCard2D->m_bitmapProperties, &r_graphicsCard2D->m_d2dRenderTarget[i]));
		}

		r_frameIndex = r_swapChain_cp->GetCurrentBackBufferIndex();
	}

	void CreateCommonState()
	{
		using namespace CommonState;
		commonToRenderTarget.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		commonToRenderTarget.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		commonToRenderTarget.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		commonToRenderTarget.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		commonToRenderTarget.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_COMMON;
		commonToRenderTarget.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RENDER_TARGET;

		renderTargetToCommon.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		renderTargetToCommon.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		renderTargetToCommon.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		renderTargetToCommon.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		renderTargetToCommon.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RENDER_TARGET;
		renderTargetToCommon.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_COMMON;

		commonToResolveDest.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		commonToResolveDest.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		commonToResolveDest.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		commonToResolveDest.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		commonToResolveDest.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_COMMON;
		commonToResolveDest.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RESOLVE_DEST;

		resolveDestToCommon.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		resolveDestToCommon.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		resolveDestToCommon.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		resolveDestToCommon.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		resolveDestToCommon.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RESOLVE_DEST;
		resolveDestToCommon.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_COMMON;

		renderTargetToResolveDest.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		renderTargetToResolveDest.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		renderTargetToResolveDest.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		renderTargetToResolveDest.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		renderTargetToResolveDest.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RENDER_TARGET;
		renderTargetToResolveDest.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RESOLVE_DEST;

		resolveSourceToRenderTarget.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		resolveSourceToRenderTarget.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		resolveSourceToRenderTarget.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		resolveSourceToRenderTarget.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		resolveSourceToRenderTarget.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RESOLVE_SOURCE;
		resolveSourceToRenderTarget.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RENDER_TARGET;

		presentToRenderTarget.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		presentToRenderTarget.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		presentToRenderTarget.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		presentToRenderTarget.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		presentToRenderTarget.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_PRESENT;
		presentToRenderTarget.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RENDER_TARGET;

		renderTargetToPresent.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		renderTargetToPresent.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		renderTargetToPresent.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		renderTargetToPresent.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		renderTargetToPresent.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RENDER_TARGET;
		renderTargetToPresent.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_PRESENT;

		renderTarget2ResolveSource.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		renderTarget2ResolveSource.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		renderTarget2ResolveSource.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		renderTarget2ResolveSource.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		renderTarget2ResolveSource.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RENDER_TARGET;
		renderTarget2ResolveSource.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RESOLVE_SOURCE;

		commonToResolveSource.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		commonToResolveSource.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		commonToResolveSource.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		commonToResolveSource.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		commonToResolveSource.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_COMMON;
		commonToResolveSource.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RESOLVE_SOURCE;

		resolveSourceToCommon.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		resolveSourceToCommon.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		resolveSourceToCommon.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		resolveSourceToCommon.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		resolveSourceToCommon.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_RESOLVE_SOURCE;
		resolveSourceToCommon.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_COMMON;

		depthWrite2PsResource.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		depthWrite2PsResource.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		depthWrite2PsResource.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		depthWrite2PsResource.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		depthWrite2PsResource.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_DEPTH_WRITE;
		depthWrite2PsResource.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_PIXEL_SHADER_RESOURCE;

		psResource2DepthWrite.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
		psResource2DepthWrite.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
		psResource2DepthWrite.Transition.pResource = nullptr;
		psResource2DepthWrite.Transition.Subresource = 0;
		psResource2DepthWrite.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_PIXEL_SHADER_RESOURCE;
		psResource2DepthWrite.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_DEPTH_WRITE;
	}

	void RenderColorBuffer(ColorBuffer* dstColorBuffer)
	{
		//var commandList = GraphicsCommandContext::GetInstance()->GetOne();
		//var commandAllocator = GraphicsCommandAllocator::GetInstance()->GetOne();
		var[commandList, commandAllocator] = GraphicsContext::GetOne();
		var iCommandList = commandList->GetCommandList();
		var iCommandAllocator = commandAllocator->GetAllocator();

		ThrowIfFailed(iCommandAllocator->Reset());
		ThrowIfFailed(iCommandList->Reset(iCommandAllocator, nullptr));

		var commonToRenderTarget = CommonState::commonToRenderTarget;
		var renderTargetToCommon = CommonState::renderTargetToResolveDest;
		commonToRenderTarget.Transition.pResource = dstColorBuffer->GetResource();
		renderTargetToCommon.Transition.pResource = dstColorBuffer->GetResource();

		//iList->ResourceBarrier(1, &commonToRenderTarget);
		//var clearColorTemp = dstColorBuffer->GetClearColor();
		float clearColor[4] = { 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.2f, 1.0f };
		iCommandList->ClearRenderTargetView(dstColorBuffer->GetRtv(), clearColor, 0, nullptr);
		iCommandList->Close();
		ID3D12CommandList* ppcommandList[] = { iCommandList };
		r_graphicsCard[0]->GetCommandQueue()->ExecuteCommandLists(_countof(ppcommandList), ppcommandList);

		GraphicsContext::Push(commandList, commandAllocator);
	}

	void BlendBuffer(GpuResource* srcBuffer)
	{
		uint32_t frameIndex = r_frameIndex;
		var frame = r_displayPlane[frameIndex]->GetResource();

		var[commandList, commandAllocator] = GraphicsContext::GetOne();
		var iList = commandList->GetCommandList();
		var iCommandAllocator = commandAllocator->GetAllocator();

		ThrowIfFailed(iCommandAllocator->Reset());
		ThrowIfFailed(iList->Reset(iCommandAllocator, nullptr));

		var commonToResolveSrc = CommonState::commonToResolveSource;
		var commonToResolveDst = CommonState::commonToResolveDest;
		var resolveSrcToCommon = CommonState::resolveSourceToCommon;
		var resolveDstToCommon = CommonState::resolveDestToCommon;
		commonToResolveSrc.Transition.pResource = srcBuffer->GetResource();
		commonToResolveDst.Transition.pResource = frame;
		resolveSrcToCommon.Transition.pResource = srcBuffer->GetResource();
		resolveDstToCommon.Transition.pResource = frame;
		var barrier1 = { commonToResolveSrc, commonToResolveDst };
		var barrier2 = { resolveSrcToCommon ,resolveDstToCommon };

		iList->ResourceBarrier(barrier1.size(), barrier1.begin());
		float color[4] = { 0, 0, 0, 1 };
		iList->ClearRenderTargetView(r_displayPlane[frameIndex]->GetRtv(), color, 0, nullptr);
		iList->ResolveSubresource(frame, 0, srcBuffer->GetResource(), 0, DXGI_FORMAT_R8G8B8A8_UNORM);
		iList->ResourceBarrier(barrier2.size(), barrier2.begin());

		ThrowIfFailed(iList->Close(), R_GetGpuError);
#ifdef _DEBUG
		if (frameIndex != r_frameIndex)
		{
			throw exception();
		}
#endif // _DEBUG

		GraphicsContext::Push(commandList, commandAllocator);
	}

	void R_Present()
	{
		ThrowIfFailed(r_swapChain_cp->Present(0, 0), R_GetGpuError);
		r_frameIndex = r_swapChain_cp->GetCurrentBackBufferIndex();
		WaitForGpu();
	}

	void WaitForGpu()
	{
		var[fence] = FenceContext::Instance()->GetOne();
		var iFence = fence->GetFence();
		uint64_t fenceValue = fence->GetFenceValue();
		fenceValue++;
		r_graphicsCard[0]->GetCommandQueue()->Signal(iFence, fenceValue);
		fence->WaitForValue(fenceValue);
	}

}
namespace AnEngine::RenderCore
{
	GraphicsDevice::GraphicsDevice()
	{
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Experts Aren't Giving Trump's Education Policy a Vote of Confidence
Posted to Politics September 09, 2016 by Graham Vyse
Donald Trump's education policy speech continued to draw reaction from experts on Friday, with responses ranging from highly qualified support on the right to outright contempt on the left.
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, spoke Thursday at a charter school in Cleveland, where he pledged $20 billion in federal school choice grants if he wins the White House. The money would come in the form of block grants to states.
Superficially, these policies should appeal to conservatives. Writing Friday for Education Week, American Enterprise Institute scholar Rick Hess was pleased to hear what little substance Trump offered. However, he wrote, "there's no point in putting a lot of stock in his speeches and utterances. Trump says stuff. It's mostly performance art. He's changed his mind many times on questions big and small."
Hess's commentary got tougher from there. "A speech like this is where Trump's lack of thoughtfulness or a meaningful policy operation really comes into play," he wrote. "If a Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, or John Kasich gave this speech, I'd have some confidence that they'd thought about what this would really look like. With Trump, it's hard to have any such confidence."
Ultimately, the scholar concluded that Trump's education policy could hinge hugely on his appointments in this policy area.
Reaction to Trump's speech on the left, meanwhile, was strongly negative.
"Unrestricted block grants have been a longstanding dream of Republicans as a way to advance school choice and the free market that will magically 'save' all children everywhere," Diane Ravitch, an education historian and research professor at New York University, wrote on her personal blog. "The absence of any evidence for the superiority of charter schools, online schools, and vouchers is irrelevant."
American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten issued an even more outraged statement:
As far as we can tell, Trump never bothered talking to educators to find out what support they need in order to give every kid a great education. Instead, he shows his usual obeisance to the idea of making public education a market rather than a public trust, to blaming rather than respecting educators, and to ideas that have failed to help children everywhere they've been tried but instead, in their wake, have hurt kids by leaving public schools destabilized and their budgets drained.
As InsideSources previously reported, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has the enthusiastic support of teacher's unions. She is planning a break from President Barack Obama on education policy, voicing greater skepticism of teacher evaluations based on test scores and charter schools.
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Graham Vyse
Graham Vyse is a reporter for InsideSources. He was previously a staff writer for Washington, D.C.'s Current Newspapers, where he appeared on "The Fix's 2015 list of best state political reporters" in the Washington Post. His work has also been published by the Post, Slate, and NBC News. Born and raised in Rhode Island, Graham received a master's degree in journalism and public affairs from American University in 2013. He was awarded a Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship at the National Press Foundation in 2015.


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Hercules Wrestling with Achelous in the form of a Bull N090613
APSLEY HOUSE, London. "Hercules Wrestling with Achelous in the form of a Bull" after RUBENS. WM 1597-1948. After treatment.
4.1 Scientific approaches
Even after many years of research, the phenomenon of hibernation continues to be a mystery to scientists. Despite coming nearer to an understanding of how and why it happens, some fundamental questions remain unanswered. Is there a genetic basis underlying the evolutionary predisposition of animals to hibernate, given its occurrence in many groups of vertebrates and invertebrates? Is the problem of metabolic adaptation in cells separate from thermal regulation which occurs throughout the orga
Tweeted from @geograph_bi in June 2015
Author(s): Robin Stott
Mac Barnett: 2011 National Book Festival
Mac Barnett appears at the 2011 National Book Festival. Speaker Biography: Mac Barnett is the author of several picture books, including "Mustache!," "Oh No! Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World" and "Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem." He also writes the Brixton Brothers series of mysteries. Although he often neglects shaving, he has never worn a mustache.
5.1 More information about modelling techniques
The four remaining diagramming techniques are described in separate sections below, which you should now study:
Diagramming Technique
Use case modelling Use Cases and Activity Diagrams
Activity diagrams Use Cases and Activity Diagrams
Entity–relationsh
3.3 Strawson: Section V
Click to open Peter Strawson's article 'Freedom and Resentment'.
Complexity, Emergence and God
Research seminar given by Prof. Barbara Drossel
There are more than 800 courses on OpenLearn for you to choose from on
Energy resources: Coal
During the Industrial Revolution half of the world's coal came from Britain. We still rely heavily on it today to meet our energy needs, but now we import more than we produce. Burning it introduces large amounts of gases into the atmosphere that harm the environment in a variety of ways. In this free course, Energy resources: Coal, it will become apparent that the most appealing quality of coal is that there is plenty of it. Author(s): Creator not set
Until now, we have discussed DNA primarily as a double helix, but in its natural state within the cell it is found packaged as a complex mixture with many different proteins and other components. You have already seen examples of proteins with specific roles to play, such as topoisomerases and the proteins with various DNA binding domains, but in this section we will turn our attention to the proteins that serve to pack and organise the DNA into what we call chromatin.
The packaging of
1.4 Broadly typical phases of PhD research
A modern PhD can be viewed as having three key phases (very roughly, but not strictly, corresponding to the three years of a full-time degree), each of which contributes a necessary element of mastery:
Orientation – mastering the literature and formulating a research problem and plan.
Intensive research – gathering the evidence to support the thesis, whether empirical or theoretical.
Entering t
2.3 The impact of Katrina on New Orleans
Below are four extracts from different commentators reflecting on the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans.
In what ways do they offer contrasting interpretatio
2.2 Using A. tumefaciens to genetically modify plant cells
Genetic engineers have capitalised on the fact that part of the DNA from the Ti plasmid of A. tumefaciens is integrated into the plant genome during the infection process. Ti plasmids can be isolated and a foreign gene spliced in at an appropriate point, making it possible to transfer the novel gene into the plant.
5.2.1 Providing evaluative feedback
One of the roles of a leader is to provide group members with feedback on their performance. This is often an uncomfortable process for both the leader and the recipient. The main reason for this is a failure by both parties adequately to distinguish between the individual and what is being evaluated. When criticism is carelessly given, it is easy for the recipient to take it as an attack on his or her self-esteem. The result is that the recipient resists the feedback and responds in a defens
6.2.4 The speed and direction of the Earth's motion
The first significant claim to have detected the motion of the Earth relative to the 'frame of isotropic 3 K radiation' came in 1977 from a group at Berkeley, California. They concluded that the Earth is moving at a speed of (390 ± 60) km s−1, in a direction towards the constellation Leo, relative to a frame in which the 3 K radiation is isotropic. Their conclusion resulted from observations of a variation of intensity with angle of the form predicted by Equation 14, which w
GLS 2010 highlights
Highlights of London Business School's Global Leadership Summit 2010, held on 5 July. The theme was emerging markets: "New Frontiers: Expansion, Opportunity and Innovation."
{Suresh 269} Most useful sentences
Master Your Vocabulary. Take a look at: Vocabulary Quiz - Hindi->English; Picture->Hindi; Recording->Hindi; and more!Vocabulary List - Easy to study list with pictures and recordings for some words{Suresh 269} Most... Related posts:
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Course image: Author(s): The Open University
4.2 Social and political justice
A particularly important set of debates arises in relation to different notions of distributive justice. Do notions of distributive justice apply to the rights of individuals and the acts that they commit, or do they also apply to states of affairs, to the pattern of the results arising from those actions? In the former case, an outcome is just or unjust if it arises from just or unjust actions; whereas in the latter, the principles of justice apply to the pattern of outcomes. This latter not
The "Varsity Blues" scandal uncovered by the U.S. Department of Justice shines a harsh light on the entitlement and systemic racism that pervades the college admissions process.
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What was the first movie theater?
While streaming services are now becoming an option nowadays, they cannot match the feeling that movie theaters foster. From spending time with your entire family or a big group of friends to the preshow fun, unmatched sound and visual presentations, movie-going culture, and even the popcorn, movie theaters simply provide the ultimate experience.
But have you ever wondered where and where it all started? With nearly 200,000 cinema screens worldwide, what was actually the first movie theater? Well, keep rolling as in this article we'll discover more about Nickelodeon, the first-ever motion picture theater in the world.
The First Nickelodeon Opens
On the 19th of June 1905, nearly 500 people gathered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the opening of the world's first theater exclusively built for showing motion pictures – the nickelodeon. It was established by Harry Davis, a vaudeville impresario who envisioned creating a theater solely intended for the shadows.
David purchased a cinematograph or an early motion-picture projector from a Frenchman known as Lumiere. He set up the small, simple theater in a converted storefront situated on Smithfield Street's west side in downtown Pittsburgh. It housed almost a hundred seats with a piano, all fronting the framed screen. Each moviegoer was charged five cents for admission.
The name nickelodeon was derived from the name of the U.S. five-cent coin, nickel, and from the Greek term for theater, "odeion." Though the nickelodeon wasn't the first theater to screen films, it was the first one dedicated to showcasing moving picture spectacles.
The Proliferation
The operation of the first nickelodeon found massive success and the five-cent theater concept soon proliferated after many other businessmen imitated them, as well as the name itself. From 1907 to 1908, it was estimated that there were about 8,000 nickelodeons in the country, and by 1910, there were about 10,000 with millions of Americans watching in these theaters per week.
Larger nickelodeons soon arrived, with other converted storefronts offering seats up to less than 200 people. Moviegoers sat on hard wooden seats, while the screen was suspended on the back wall. Even larger nickeledeons had a capacity for more than 1,000 people. The piano (and perhaps a drum set) was situated beside or below the framed screen.
In 1907, Louis B. Mayer, Canadian-American film producer and co-founder of MGM studios, renovated and converted the Gem Theater in Massachusetts into a nickelodeon, renaming it as Orpheum Theater. Other notable personalities who owned nickelodeons include William Fox and the Skouras Brothers.
Nickelodeons' continual screenings of one- and two-reel films, lasting from 10 minutes to 15 minutes to an hour, all with a piano accompaniment. One of the first films in Davis' nickelodeon was "The Great Train Robbery."
It was a 10-minute thriller made by Edwin S. Porter, revolving on a train holdup by a gang of outlaws who were then eventually defeated by a group of locals. Its final scene was iconic, with actor George Barnes, playing the bandit, pointing and shooting his pistol point-blank directly into the camera. Thus, leaving the audience was surely startled and terrified.
To compete with the vaudeville house, nickelodeons also showed films in other varieties of subjects and styles, ranging from actualities (early documentary films), scenics, short narratives, sporting events, comedies, problem plays, stop action flicks, illustrated songs, and other features.
Some of the titles shown in nickelodeons include: "Catch the Kid" (comedy), "The Fatal Hand" (drama), "Roof to Cellar" (comedy), "The Romany's Revenge," (drama), "Sailor's Return" (drama), "Wizard's World" (comedy), and "Johnny's Run" (comedy), "Knight-Errant" (old historical drama).
Indeed, nickelodeons were a massive hit, being able to change the leisure time-habits of a huge chunk of the American people. Practices in film distribution and types of films made were also dramatically transformed. Businesses called "film exchanges" were established. They would purchase films from the producers or manufacturers, which they would later rent out to the theaters. As such, exhibitors had the luxury to screen different films, making the audience return with always something "new" to look forward to.
Later on, longer films also became more preferred. It stirred up fierce competition between film production outfits to create better, more intricate and longer films that would stand out from the others. Longer films were also considered these times' money-making flicks, as exhibitors from theaters also desired these types of films.
Such pressure forced directors to bring out their more artistic innovations to engage and please the audiences. Actualities, which were usually short, were also soon replaced by longer, easier-to-make fictional films that soon became the standard. All these developments enabled nickelodeons to proliferate in the country.
From 1905 to 1913, nickelodeons were incredibly successful. What's ironic is that what made them grow rapidly is what also caused their demise. With the advent of longer and better films, attendance also increased swiftly, bringing the need for even larger moviehouses and auditoriums.
As feature films also arrived, cities had built more comfy, modern movie theaters for the public, rendering the unrefined, ill-ventilated nickelodeon's outdated. By the 1920s, the trend was already building furnished and lavish movie theaters, characterized by gaudy exteriors and rousing displays in Middle Eastern, Asian, or art deco style and architectures.
Though the life of the nickelodeons was cut short, there's no doubt about the massive contribution and influence it brought to the film industry. Prior to their arrival, only middle-class people were able to afford to watch vaudeville for a whole quarter. With the nickelodeons, the common people had the chance to see entertainment by only costing a nickel.
Of course, their rapid growth in the number of nickelodeons also sparked the need for more films. Soon, they also require longer and better quality, which elevated the creative prowess of filmmakers and the overall standard of cinema. Their eventual fall also led to even something great. As renowned film historian Charles Musser put it, it's from the nickelodeons where modern cinema began.
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Home » What's Needed: A Refresh or a Total Rebrand?
What's Needed: A Refresh or a Total Rebrand?
When sales hit a standstill, retail brands need to assess their options.
David Lemley
So many retailers are at a standstill. They often blame it on a sluggish economy. However, is that really the problem? Consumers are spending: Maybe they're more judicious about it, but they are buying. If they are buying less than they used to in some retail stores because of choice, not finances, that's a problem. It usually boils down to a number of maladies: a brand set adrift, a loss of relevance, less-than-delightful customer encounters, experiences that don't match up to the hype created by marketing campaigns — or a little to a lot of each.
When this happens, retailers sometimes opt to do nothing, thinking they can ride out the situation; others decide to rebrand. Both of these choices are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Doing nothing is never a good idea. Any retail brand that is in a holding pattern or losing ground needs help; problems don't go away by themselves, and remedial action is necessary. However, doing a total rebrand may be unnecessary and might do more harm than good. Revitalization just might be the answer.
There are assets associated with retail brands, especially those with heritage, that have value and shouldn't be discarded. By doing consumer research to assess equitable assets, retailers that have gone adrift can be returned to reinforced core brand values and be made more responsive to customers' needs and current trends. Discarding assets that customers value is a terrible idea. Rather, it's important to leverage them as the starting point to rebuild. This is what a brand refresh or revitalization is all about.
It's never wise to throw the baby out with the bath water, but sometimes the retail brand has so little value left that it has to undergo a total rebrand, or it will go out of business. We all know of retailers that have lost focus of their brands along with any relevance. Some have tried to revitalize or rebrand with excellent results, while others have had dismal to catastrophic results. Ann Taylor succeeded, but Sears has not.
>RETAIL REFRESHES AND REBRANDS
First, let's acknowledge that some retailers remain rooted and true to their brands. They're in tune with their customers, delivering strong brand experiences, anticipating customer trends and staying ahead of the competition so they remain viable. They are constantly tweaking their brands in a smooth and consistent manner so that major overhauls are unnecessary. These retailers constantly think about helping consumers live their lives better. Their values speak to their customers' values. New product offerings and services keep pace with the customer; they're relevant. More than anything, they consistently deliver on their brand promises. As a result, their customers are more than loyal: They're brand zealots. They can't imagine a world without their favorite retailer. Think of Nordstrom, IKEA, Whole Foods and H&M. Their successes speak for themselves.
>A REFRESH AND A WRECK
Other retailers, once dominant among their constituents, have lost their way. The Mass.-based retailer Talbots has made its share of mistakes in recent years in its attempts to revitalize its brand. Firmly branded for decades as a retailer for women over the age of 35, Talbots decided to expand its retail footprint to include apparel stores for men and children, as well as apparel for these demographics in its catalogs. After trying to make it happen for a few years, the retailer closed these divisions out.
"When brands hit a standstill with consumers, it usually boils down to a number of maladies: a brand set adrift, a loss of relevance, less-than-delightful customer encounters, experiences that don't match up to the hype created by marketing campaigns — or a little to a lot of each."
Talbots had always been perceived as a retailer providing updated classic apparel to mature women. The retailer's decision to revitalize the brand by trying to cater to a younger clientele made no sense. Younger women, who have plenty of age-appropriate options, couldn't envision shopping at Talbots. Yet, younger clothing styles appeared, mixed in with apparel for its mainstay customer, alienating the mature women who had always turned to Talbots. To make matters worse, cheaply made, ill-fitting apparel replaced high-quality, timeless clothing styles that correctly fit. Instead of making itself relevant to the next generation of women 35 and over, the retailer went after an audience it couldn't hope to win. Bloggers have discussed uneven customer experiences within Talbots' retail stores; some have been strong, and others quite disappointing. Adding to that, the retailer's website continues to present problems with frequency when customers try to make online purchases. With major disconnects and issues at every customer touch point, Talbots may not be around much longer.
On the other hand, when Seattle-based co-op REI needed help, it was understood that the retailer had extremely loyal members, and the brand had equitable assets. At 70-plus years old, REI was failing to attract younger customers, which an outdoor retailer must of course do. REI called on retail brand design experts to research its problems and address them in a comprehensive, 360-degree manner. REI's brand was revitalized with a new brand identity and positioning, visual branding system and customer acquisition strategy. The logo was updated along with store planning, exterior trade dress, packaging, apparel- and gear-marking systems, and the brand standards manual. Nothing was left untouched. Most importantly, with top-level executive cooperation, internal branding initiatives including employee training and an employee rewards program were instituted. Customer-facing initiatives included a new member loyalty program, improved catalog program, REI gift card program and bank card marketing strategy. Nothing was skin-deep about this brand revitalization. The result was a marked growth in new customers and sales and a 200-percent profit increase without alienating its established customer base.
>REBRANDING HIT AND MISS
Radio Shack is a perfect example of a retailer that clearly misdiagnosed its problems and responded to them with the wrong solution. The brand had not kept pace with the customer. Losing business to competitors that offered trendy tech products and a better experience made the brand look old and tired. In 2009, the retailer decided to rebrand. Unfortunately, it wasn't well thought out or executed, and it didn't seem to be well researched. The retailer changed its branding from "Radio Shack" to simply "The Shack" (which sounds like a teen hangout for rave parties). As bad as that was, the name change was clearly a marketing gimmick, because the brand identity and store names remained the same. Merchandise assortments remained largely the same, except for an expanded supply of cell phones that consumers could just as well purchase at Walmart. That didn't do anything to change the retailer's image into the hip and cool identity "The Shack" was meant to convey. The core in-store shopping experience didn't change for the customer; it didn't match the hype.
This whole exercise was superficial, doing nothing to revamp Radio Shack to entice new customers, though it did alienate existing ones. Simply put, there was nothing authentic or believable about this rebranding effort, so it failed abysmally. The whole thing was a farce, and consumers knew it. They also knew that if they wanted innovative tech products, a memorable experience and an aligned brand, the Apple store was the place to go.
Instead of promising a total rebrand, which it did not execute, Radio Shack would have been wise to bring in experts to assess whether a refresh or a rebrand was in order and then make certain every aspect of the brand was brought into alignment. By updating its core offerings with some exciting proprietary choices to reflect its customers' current needs and delivering on its brand promise with great customer experiences, Radio Shack might have started to turn things around.
Target undertook a total rebranding effort in the late 1990s with very different results. The retailer had been branded as a discounter, competing directly with Walmart and Kmart on price. The Target executives recognized they couldn't beat Walmart at that game; it was time to reposition, rebrand and own unique positioning. The turnaround was dramatic. "Cheap chic" resonated with fashion-conscious consumers. "Tar-zhay" became a haunt for middle-class and affluent consumers who touted the fact they could purchase Michael Graves-designed teakettles and Isaac Mizrahi fashions at bargain pricing.
Stores' environments became reflective of the new Target attitude. Advertising employed Andy Warhol-like pop culture photography and splashes of color, and yes, the Campbell soup can was celebrated in ads. "Only available at Target" apparel from noted fashion designers supports the retail image. Unique licensing deals and limited-time offerings are relevant to trends and impress on consumers that Target is far from staid; this is a retailer that's on the move with plenty of newsworthy, changing merchandise.
Successful retailers have made the consumer the core of their strategies. They've gone after ownable positioning and remained true to their core brands. They've worked to deliver on brand promises every day. Many of them have done it with help. A refresh or rebranding is a major undertaking, and no aspect of the brand can be left untouched. By working collaboratively with the brand executives, experts that objectively conduct brand and consumer research without bias and present sound, comprehensive strategies can make a big difference in the outcome.
Without a 360-degree redesign, a refresh or rebrand is doomed to failure. It will not only fail to be effective, but also it will expedite the demise of the retail brand since consumers will be presented with a marketing proposition that isn't authentic, makes no sense and does more harm than good. Executed poorly, a refresh or rebranding causes confusion among existing customers and fails to woo new ones. Marketing gimmicks are superficial, and retailers who think they can turn things around in this manner are simply deluding themselves. Just remember: Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
Recent Articles by David Lemley
Redesigning the Packaging Playbook
Disposable Diapers Raised My Consciousness
Packaging for Sports and Outdoor Merchandise Needs to be Grand
Delivering Brand Promises
David Lemley is president and chief troublemaker of Retail Voodoo (www.retail-voodoo.com), where he sets the standard for all research, brand positioning and design development for the firm. Lemley's visioning diagnostics, research analyses, consensus-building tools and strong design chops have helped many companies, including REI, Starbucks, Sur la Table, The Home Depot and Nike, to achieve brand goals. As an author and speaker, Lemley has contributed thought leadership articles to trade and marketing publications, and, when not working with clients or building impossible Lego structures with his family, he teaches packaging design and brand development classes once per year.
Beloved and Dominant Brands...


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Composite ind. CHANGE TOPIC
Home » Composite industry » News » Michelman wins award for water-based composite bonding range
Michelman wins award for water-based composite bonding range
4 July 2014 | Mark Holmes
Mr. John Homoelle, Michelman's Director of New Technology and Regulatory Affairs accepted the award in the New Product Development/Innovation category.
The award was based on Michelman's introduction of a family of water-based products for use in food packaging and composite parts manufacturing applications. Using technology licensed from Dow Chemical, Michelman has developed and introduced a series of new products using water-based polymers that are more environmentally friendly, non-flammable, and that can be applied in smaller, more precise amounts.
According to Mr. Homoelle: "These water based solutions eliminate the need for hazardous solvents in a range of applications such as bonding composite automotive parts and sealing food packaging. Using all techniqies, we have commercialised about 150 new products in the past three years across all of our business units and have developed a process to identify key success factors before we start on a new product."
Interview with Steven Bassetti
Reinforced Plastics spoke with Steven Bassetti from Michelman about its fiber technologies and the current trends in the composite industry.
Degradable glass fiber polymer wins innovation award
Finland-based Arctic Biomaterials has won a bio-based material of the year innovation award.
Award for Michelman director
Michelman has named John B Homoelle as the first recipient of an award for outstanding technical contributions.


As one of the leading manufacturers of entire range of Hot Rolled HT & MS Structural Steel, it complies with various international standards and specifications. Established in 2007 by the erstwhile promoters with a production capacity of 80000 MT per annum, the Nagpur plant is a relatively new plant in our fold. Spread across a massive 32,000 sq. meter of plot of land at MIDC, Butibori, Nagpur, this plant is engaged in manufacturing of Structural Steel for Transmission Line.
In 2011, as a part of strategic growth, we acquired this plant to cater to growing demands of Structural Steel demands in Central India.
We use most modern testing facilities including Spectrometer and Universal Testing Machine to ensure quality.