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Why "All I Want for Christmas is You" is the Best Song Ever
Noah Kramer and Greg Petralia
Noah and I just like aggravating people. And we know that playing Christmas songs is very triggering for Osborn. So, naturally we play quite often "All I Want for Christmas is You"TM by Mariah Carey (because any other version is inferior- I'm looking at you Kidz Bop. [Well Kidz Bop never ceases to amaze me with how bad each progressive song gets, but that's a whole other article]).
As we get closer and closer to the Christmas season, Noah and I blast the song on both of our computers in class. Starting at different times to give off an echo effect to really let the song sink in and make you want to gouge your eyes out. But here's the thing, it never really gets to that point. Weird right? Like we will play the song constantly, non-stop for several hours, days, weeks. But Mariah Carey (not sponsored) never seems to get old. Noah and I always jam out to this sick bop kiddos. Especially when we get to the holiday season. That's when the whipping, dabbing, hip moves and beat-dropping hair flipping kicks in and we go all out over Mariah's amazing 90's vocals (still not sponsored). But really though, what is it about Mariah Carey's masterpiece "All I Want for Christmas is You"TM that never gets old? No matter the time of year.
The bells jingling at the beginning of the song ushers in the holiday joy. When Mariah comes in with the "I-iiiiiiii", it gives you a warm feeling in your fat jolly belly full of cookies and milk. When the beat picks up, it welcomes you into the Winter Wonderland that you are about to experience (something Wham's "Last Christmas" is unable to do). When you hit the chorus, you just can't help but just flop your hair (if applicable) with every single beat. She tells the story of how she won't even celebrate Christmas just to have her love there with her. Mariah's fantastic 90's vocals are so pure and joyful that all you want for Christmas is for Mariah to never stop singing this (well, now that I think about it-never stop listening to it. Sorry Mariah you just aren't cutting it anymore). 23 years strong, when Mariah hits that high note- oof, doesn't your heart just pour out. That's the most iconic part of the song. No other Christmas song hits a higher, more angelic note that brings in the Christmas joy and builds up the HYPE for Christmas (something that Madonna's "Santa Baby" fails to do).
Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" (no, we're not sponsored stop asking) is a wonderful masterpiece. "All I Want for Christmas is You" isn't even comparable to Beethoven, it's just that SUPREME. Finally after 23 years (23 too long if I do say so myself), it made the top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 List, where it belongs. On YouTube, the music video (uploaded in November 2009) reached 375 million views, and counting. 7,638 of those views were just Noah and I in the past 5 months. (Correction: 7,652 of those views are Noah and I. We just listened to it while writing this. And again and again and again. It's a never ending chain.)
Noah and I listen to this song pretty much any time of the year (not just to make Osborn crazy) because of how great of a song it is. It's wonderful. I don't want a lot for Christmas. There is just one thing I need. I don't care about the presents, underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you to listen to "All I Want for Christmas is You."™
(I promise we're not sponsored. But please do. YouTube ads aren't doing it for us anymore.)
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Harmonious Holidays


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Ease of access to the Christchurch coastline is one of the many reasons thousands of people visit every year. From Mudeford Quay in the west to Highcliffe Beach in the east, existing footpaths, promenades and tracks provide a safe and relatively level coastal route, however it cannot be classed as a direct route.
To achieve a direct route from Steamer Point wavewall to Highcliffe beach visitors are required to cross the open sandy frontage of Highcliffe Castle beach which restricts wheelchair users, young families with pushchairs and cyclists. They must must divert their route up along the clifftop by traversing Steamer Point Nature Reserve to the Highcliffe Castle grounds before descending via the zigzag footpath to bring them to the western end of Highcliffe Beach.
The proposal is therefore to provide a direct link between Steamer Point wavewall and the western end of Highcliffe Beach by constructing a raised boardwalk across Highcliffe Castle beach; thereby creating a 'non-stop' seafront access/cycleway along the 4.5km of Christchurch coastal vista. The boardwalk will be constructed with two 'branches' off the main route to facilitate wheelchair user access to the water's edge.
To get involved and have your say please download the scoping document from our Document Library to the right of this page (or from here) and complete the Quick Poll below.
Please also feel free to ask any questions about this project in the Your Questions section below, we will endeavour to answer them as soon as we can and your input will help shape the future content of this project page.
Please feel free to ask any questions about this project in this section, it will be visible to all other registered users who may also make a comment.
We will endeavour to answer your questions as soon as we can, and your input will help shape the future content of this project page.
Ask a question *Required
1. Allot of cash was spent at Gundimore Beach for the olympics and it was supposed to be a dingy park but as with Avon Beach is now just beach huts for the few, was it intended that the work done and money spent would result in what we have today, could this new investment go the same way? 2. The Highcliffe zig zag is another waste of money, are we suing the original designer and construction company for what is now 'out of use' in comparison to the Bournemouth zig zags which have lasted half a century! 3. The Avon Beach car park was until recently under control the 'Avon Beach Company' (ABC) and they happily took money from the public for years even though the car park was full of pot holes and no markings, the council then took back control and the tax payer had to pay for the site to be resurfaced and lines painted, did the ABC pay anything towards this? The ABC have been expanding and expanding, they even just had an application to spread upwards refused, can you assure us that none of this funding will in anyway be used to enhance areas under ABC management, they have had quite enough from the public purse unless they tell me otherwise. This question covers both the Boardwalk and Pathway improvements, I do not want to see beach huts appear on the 'Boardwalk' 2 years from now, nor do I want to see enhancements at Avon beach that will lead to even more expansion from ABC who now have additional coffee shops and bars on previous public paths/open spaces
mherby asked almost 4 years ago
Thank you for your comprehensive questions, I will try to answer them as best as I can:
The work to improve the access at Gundimore has made a positive benefit to our visitors who now enjoy the walk along the lower beach rather than along the sea wall, it is true that one of the intentions for improving that area was to potentially host an Olympic training camp in 2012 but the offer was not taken up. The beach huts which are now there provide a valuable source of income for the Council in order to maintain the wider beach area which everyone benefits from, however the Council has no plans to do anything similar at Highcliffe Castle Beach.
The Highcliffe zig-zag was constructed by an in-house team so the Council will not be pursuing a legal claim against them for obvious reasons. There are many factors which have led to the deterioration of the structure and these cannot easily be compared to similar structures in Bournemouth, to use your example. One of the primary differences is that the Highcliffe cliffs are protected under a geological SSSI for the Bartonian Clays, which are inherently unstable, so Christchurch does not have the same engineering solutions available to it as Bournemouth does.
The Avon Beach car park was taken back in-house by the Council which now receives the income that it generates, which has more than paid for the resurfacing work and line painting required. The rest of your questioning is rather off-topic for this Highcliffe Castle beach project, but we will be launching a new project page specifically for Avon Beach in the near future so please get involved with that page where a lot of your questions will be addressed.
Thank you for taking the time to engage with us, and have your say.
It's a brilliant idea and potentially a great facility. I agree with the idea of one handrail on the landward side only, and the ability to hop on/off at will. I also really like the idea of a cycle track on one side. I hope the branch-off's to the water don't go down too far as it will then disturb all those people dog walking on the beach itself, and also the uninterrupted view of the beach line, which is really quite special. Thank you for a great consultation!
PaulDJ asked almost 4 years ago
Thanks for your comments and suggestions Paul, we will certainly take everything into account if we look at the project further during the feasibility study phase.
We don't need access from other areas we need slopes to allow access to the beach from the car park at the Cliffhanger. It is impossible to get to the beach in a wheelchair or with walking limitations. Also very difficult with pushchars
Ann Phillipson asked almost 4 years ago
Thanks for your comments Ann, we certainly try to make our beaches as accessible as possible but we are very much limited by the geological SSSI designation which prohibits us from digging into the cliff line. With these restrictions in place we unfortunately cannot make the existing pathways less steep, however we are looking to install additional handrails and other features to make it easier for those with walking limitations to access our coastline.
Hi, was looking over the plans for the board walk, which I think is a great idea! But what I noticed was that you had a wish list for hand rails on one if not both sides? Please people don't shoot me down for this but I think it would better to go for the low timber version with no hand rails, that way you'll be able to step off on to the sand and around if you came to a bottle neck with other people walking towards you. Also if your pushing a buggy and want to stop halfway theres no problem stepping off. But try doing that with hand rails in the way, what a nightmare. It's just something to consider.
Dan asked almost 4 years ago
Thanks for your comments Dan, and you make a very good point in terms of handrails. There is always a trade-off between having a structure low enough to ground level so that a handrail isn't required, versus having a structure high enough that it won't get engulfed by sand. Our engineers will consider all aspects of the project and this will no doubt be a subject of much debate, and we agree with you that a low timber version close to the ground will be workable solution and have seen several examples in the Mediterranean area where this is used. Thanks again for getting involved in the project!
If a boardwalk is installed how can we be confident that this will not encourage the council to use it as an access route for any future proposals to install beach huts or similar?
Clifftop resident asked almost 4 years ago
Thank you for your question, and we can assure you that the beach boardwalk proposal has only been suggested as a way to make access to Highcliffe Castle beach easier for those who cannot deal with soft sand and shingle, which is the predominant material mix found there. We are encouraged to make our coastal sites accessible to all, however this must be balanced against the potential aesthetic impact that such structures can have which is why we are discussing the idea on this site and really value everyone's opinion.
I disagree with Ziggy, where shared space is subdivided, it is rarely respected by pedestrians, so people on bikes end up having to cross, better to share the entire width. The Poole to Southbourne seafront works just fine. I'd prefer to see handrails just on one side (landward), to make it easier for people to join/leave the boardwalk. Concerned about storm damage/sand movement, this beach, as the run offshore, has always changed shape each year.
Hadleyac asked almost 4 years ago
Thank you for getting involved in the discussion, and we will certainly take all views into account if this project gains a majority of support and is progressed further into the feasibility study phase. This will involve a more detailed questionnaire on this website where we will fully explore what our visitors think about it, and give a voice to their concerns. We will keep everyone who has registered an interest in the project updated as your collective input will be essential for us going forward.
If this boardwalk is to be used by both walkers and cyclists, is it proposed to have a line down the middle to indicate who goes where or will it be a free for all? Could it not be dangerous to pedestrians and especially small children to have cyclists speeding along here?
Ziggy asked almost 4 years ago
Thank you for your question, and that is certainly something that our engineers will have to take into account if the project is supported in principle. We have an additional fund available for a feasibility study to be carried out and all aspects of the project, including (and especially) user safety, will be considered in that process. However we are not going to commission that work until we know we have support for the project, so please take our Quick Poll and have your say.
Timber example
Polymer example
Why are we considering this idea?
What is this about?
Highcliffe Castle Beach Boardwalk - Proposal Document (1.51 MB) (pdf)
Creation of Scoping Report
Beach Boardwalk has finished this stage
Our Coastal Engineers have produced a report looking at various options for how a boardwalk could be delivered at Highcliffe Castle Beach, which is available for you to download in the section above
We have created a Quick Poll to ascertain initial support for developing this project further
Beach Boardwalk is currently at this stage
If the proposal is supported then our Coastal Engineers will prepare an in-depth feasibility study in May 2017, utilising the Coastal Revival Fund award allocated to this type of project
Launch of Quick Poll consultation on Highcliffe Castle Beach boardwalk proposal
Potential commencement of feasibility study developing proposal for a Highcliffe Castle Beach boardwalk
Gary Foyle
Community and Recreation Team Leader
Christchurch and East Dorset Councils
Email beaches@christchurchandeastdorset.gov.uk
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Perfume of the Lady in Black
Good Companions
By J. B. Priestley
Three unhappy characters, flee from their old lives to seek adventure on the open road. Fate brings them together and into the presence of a broken-down theatrical touring company. Throwing caution to the winds they save the group and set off on an unforgettable tour of the pavillions and provincial...
Footprints Of Faith
By Rodney Schofield
Between Love and Terror
By Steven Kayevich
Seven For A Secret
By Sue Evans
This is a romantic tale with a sinister twist. It centres around the life of Luke, an artist, who comes from a well to do but dysfunctional family and has endured a troubled past relationship with his unstable Mother.
La Debacle
By Emile Zola
La Debacle is the penultimate novel in Zola's great Rougon-Macquart cycle. A stirring account of profound friendship between two soldiers from opposite ends of the class divide during the Franco-Prussian War and the Commune of 1870-1.
Sin of Abbe Mouret
The Sin of Abbe Mouret is the fifth novel in Zola's Rougon-Macquart series. It follows Serge Mouret, a young priest, aspiring to perfect purity and sanctity. An illness leaves him with amnesia, and no longer knowing he is a priest, he falls in love with his nurse. Together they roam...
Fame is the Spur
By Howard Spring
Paperback Save £3.14 = £10.86
A novel of ambition, about a man who rises from the most humble of beginnings in Manchester and reaches the very top in politics.
Midnight Bell
By Jack Higgins
"The bell tolls at midnight as death requires it." But will it finally toll for Sean Dillon & company in the explosive new thriller of murder, terrorism and revenge from the Sunday Times bestselling author.
Polyglots
By William Gerhardie
The unforgettable tale of an eccentric Belgian family through the uncertain years after WW1 and the Russian Revolution.


Darian likes to refer to "Yet Another Social Network." Seeing the growth among business acquaintances reminds me of a year or two ago, when a steady stream of folks discovery LinkedIn. Now everyone's joining Facebook, which makes for some interesting collisions of worlds. What am I supposed to make of the announcement that "[former president of the company I used to work for] added the Pillow Fight application?"
Harry Joiner got booted by Facebook after attempting to invite his 4,600 Gmail contacts to join. A good summary is on Huffington Post. I'd assume this'll hit main stream media early next week, first on Valleywag, and then into the Wall Street Journal. It does open up an interesting question; with the rise of Web 2.0 applications that encourage you to upload lots of information, what happens when they no longer want you? I rely on LinkedIn to keep in contact with a variety of people I used to work with...it's a bit scary to think about the established relationships that could have a significant amount of "static on the line" if free services of this type were cut off. Hopefully, Facebook will apologize, or they'll be looking at another "Jeff Jarvis/Dell" type incident.
All I did was follow the instructions on the Facebook UI to invite my current contact list to join. Facebook never informed me of a limit. My understanding is that technology writer Robert Scoble has 4200 Facebook contacts — and last week, Mr. Scoble described Facebook as "the new Rolodex" and hyped its click-to-call compatibility with the iPhone.
Moreover, Facebook's email address inhaler slurped up every single Gmail address I had on file — which just happened to be 4600 and change. Facebook even served up hundreds of photos of my contacts who were already members.
Honestly, it appeared to me as if everything was cool when I hit SEND. It was only when Facebook's customer service rep gave me the boot in a misspelled email that I realized that I had been "F'd"
If Facebook had given me a limit, I would have obeyed it. No problem. I am a member in excellent standing on several online communities and social networks.
Note to Shop.org members: Even as this thing continues to gather steam in the blogosphere, Facebook has remained quiet on the matter. A mistake. Moreover, Facebook customer service was incredibly resolute about the permanence of their decision -- even though they never gave me a Warning or an opportunity to atone for my actions.
It was like getting an instant death penalty for speeding on an unmarked highway.


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Minister on negative climate commentary: 'Give us a break'
Sylvester Phelan
Commentators criticising the Irish agricultural sector's efforts on climate change have been called on by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, to acknowledge the strides made so far by the sector to become more sustainable and avoid generating a negative reaction from "relentless negative commentary".
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the Tullamore Show in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, earlier today, Sunday, August 11, the minister said:
"I'd like to make a point very briefly about climate.
I do understand that the rural and the farming community is under relentless bombardment by all sides about the sustainability of our industry and I would make an appeal – give us a break.
"We do acknowledge that we have a role to play as an industry and as a community and as farming families; we know that each and every one of us have changes to make.
"But the relentless negative commentary is in danger of generating an adverse reaction.
"And I would say to the commentators, to the keyboard warriors and to the media, that this is an industry that globally is a leader in terms of its sustainability.
"We are up there, as good as many and better than most – and we acknowledge that we are required to change."
The minister said that Irish farmers and farm families are aware that changes can be made to improve sustainability.
We need to be acknowledged also, that it is in the Paris Accord, that we are part of the solution. We are part of feeding sustainably the growing global population, exporting as we do over 90% of what we produce.
The Paris Accord talks about sustainable food production, climate change and not compromising that sustainability.
"We can do more and we will do more in that regard – but we do need recognition for what it is that we have achieved already – in many respects as global leaders in what we do.
"Whilst we're not looking for a free pass, we do acknowledge that we have more to do – but so does every individual of the state and citizen of the globe in the context of meeting the challenge of our times to pass on the earth to the next generation in the best state that we possibly can.
"We are contributing significantly, and we deserve recognition for that, while acknowledging that we have more to do," the minister concluded.
Creed: 'Toxicity of relations' in beef industry cannot continue
Michael Creed Tullamore Show


Repeated calls are being made to commence a public inquiry into the Welsh NHS after spot checks had found that problems relating to medical mistreatment were discovered amongst 20 hospitals. The checks came after particular criticism over the care of elderly patients and mismanaged medication.
Mistreatment.com has specialist teams dealing with mistreatment and care relating to elderly patients and the problems that can sometimes arise, such as pressure sores, dehydration and incorrect medicine management.
The spot checks found that the management of medicine was a particularly poor area of medical mistreatment amongst the hospitals. If medicines are not managed properly, existing patient conditions can worsen, with existing illnesses and symptoms being exacerbated and mismanaged. Additionally, dealing with pressure ulcers for elderly patients must be timely where time is of the essence. Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Health Minister Mark Drakeford pointed out general care was good but that in "one area, that of medicine management, there are things we need to do to make sure medicines are properly stored; that security for medicines is improved."
Mr Drakeford had originally published a report after a troubling BBC Wales investigation in July 2013 which found failings in the care of Lilian Williams, 82, from Porthcawl, at two hospitals run by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (ABMU). Spot checks were then instigated after the new report was released.
In Thursday's report, Learning from Trusted To Care, the investigators said: "We did find areas for improvement with medicines management on wards throughout NHS Wales. The main issues we have found related to the safe and secure storage of medicines."


Use our Install tool to install this Extension. Navigate to "CUSTOMISE - Install extensions" in the ACP of your forum and search for phpBB.de - Move Message and click the install button.
Download the archive of the extension from here and unpack it. Copy then the entire contents of the archive to your phpBB forum to /ext/phpbbde/movemessage, maybe you need to remove "_master" from the extracted folder. Now go into the admin area of the forum and chose the tab Customize, in the area Manage extensions is you now the extension phpBB.de - Move Message displayed under the disable extensions. Click behind the extension on the link Enable to activate the extension. After you have confirmed the action the extension is available in your forum.
Go to "ACP" > "Customise" > "Extensions" and enable the "phpBB.de - Move Message" extension.


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Mayor responds to Delay Repay announcement
Emerging evidence on vehicle supply chain highlights need for government review of Clean Air Plan
Process to put buses under public control formally begins
Greater Manchester aiming to be first city-region to deliver carbon neutral transport network
New safety standards for Greater Manchester's taxis move a step closer
A response from the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, to the Department for Transport's Delay Repay announcement.
Andy said: "Along with Leaders from across the North, I have continually called on the Government to introduce Delay Repay compensation for 15 minute delays so today's announcement is a welcome one.
"Compensation for delays of 15 to 29 minutes has been available to passengers in London and other parts of the country for some time and its introduction in the North is long overdue.
"Northern passengers have had to put up with seemingly endless misery and this move to ensure more passengers can access a greater level of compensation is the least they deserve.
"However the crisis on the North's railways has not gone away. The Transport Secretary has said that fixing rail services in the North is his number one priority. His Department must now turn that rhetoric in to a reality.
"Passengers should not be expected to accept delays, even with greater compensation. I repeat Transport for the North's call for a troubleshooter to bang heads together and get trains running properly across the North again. I hope we hear more on this from the Government today."
Article Published: 14/12/2018 13:53 PM


From 450 submissions, 30 short-listed designed and much deliberation, a jury has narrowed down the final six designs that have now been prototyped and will soon be available for testing as part of Vancouver's bike rack design contest.
The city launched the bike rack design contest in March. And in June the 30 short-listed designed were on display for public viewing and voting. A jury then narrowed the 30 designs down six finalists, including the People's Choice winner.
The six finalists — North Shore Mountains, Guard Bird, Chickadee-dee-dee, Petal Rack (People's Choice winner), Definitely Raining and Living Leaf — will be at four locations across the city next week.
The winning design will be announced later in the summer and installed around the city in the fall wherever new bike racks are needed.
For more information or to see the six finalist designs, visit vancouver.ca/bikerackdesign.


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Becoming Better Grownups: Rediscovering What Matters and Remembering How to Fly (Hardcover)
A New York Times-bestselling author looks for the meaning of a good life by seeking advice from the very young and the very old.
When his first book tour ended, Brad Montague missed hearing other people's stories so much that he launched what he dubbed a Listening Tour. First visiting elementary schools and later also nursing homes and retirement communities, he hoped to glean new wisdom as to how he might become a better grownup. Now, in this playful and buoyant book, he shares those insights with rest of us—timeless, often surprising lessons that bypass the head we're always stuck in, and go straight to the heart we sometimes forget.
Get Becoming Better Grownups: Rediscovering What Matters and Remembering How to Fly (Hardcover) by Brad Montague and other self-help books online at Fully Booked bookstore branches in the Philippines.
Each of the book's three sections begins with the illustrated story of "The Incredible Floating Girl." Brad weaves this story together with lessons of success, fear, regret, gratitude, love, happiness, and dreams to reveal the true reason we are here: to fly, and to help others fly.
Beautifully designed and featuring Montague's own whimsical 4-color illustrations that appeal to the kid in all of us, Becoming Better Grownups shares the purpose and meaning we can all discover merely by listening, and reveals that—in a world that seems increasingly childish—the secret to joy is in fact to become more childlike.
Brad Montague
"A fantastic, fanciful guide to becoming not only a happier adult but one who gives back and helps the next generation." - Library Journal, starred review
19 Books to Gift to Every Bookworm in Your Life This Christmas
First Few Pages: Becoming Better Grownups


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Gea Ledra Chinese cresteds
Litters:
Chinese crested dog:
History of the breed
Interesting articles:
The Chinese crested illustrated standard
A breeder's practical guide to minimize disease
Eye diseases in dogs
FOXI3 gene and canine ectodermal dysplasia
Heterochromia Iridis (blue eye)
HISTORY OF THE CHINESE CRESTED
- AN ANCIENT BREED -
The Chinese Crested is rumored to be descended from hairless dogs that were traded by sailors of many nationalities around the 17th and 18th Centuries. There is actually no historical evidence that the breed originated in China (or Africa), though hairless dogs have been recorded in many different parts of the world.
The only proven population of hairless dogs from that period were the 'pila dogs' of South America, a landrace of naturally hairless dogs that includes the modern-day Hairless Khala, Peruvian Hairless, and the Xoloitzcuintli, a 4,000 year-old breed kept by the Aztecs and Toltecs. Many Central and South American cultures revered (and ate) hairless dogs, believing they had healing properties. Many artifacts have been discovered depicting these dogs.
Because the main shipping routes of that era circled the entire globe, once the New World was discovered these pila dogs and pila-mixes were most likely transplanted by sailors to ports in many countries, leading to eventual confusion over their land of origin.
When examples of those hairless and semi-hairless dogs reached Europe in the 1800s, they gained a small following as curiosities, but were not seriously bred. The names given to these dogs varied widely, including 'African Hairless Terrier', 'Japanese Hairless', 'Mexican Crested' and many others. Eventually the name 'Chinese Crested' was settled on by breeders due to the belief at the time that there were no dogs native to the New World, and that all breeds found on that continent were simply imported from Asia. Despite the fact that modern archaeological and genetic findings have debunked that theory, the name remains.
The engraving below is of a Chinese Crested dog named Emperor who was shown in the UK in 1881. He looks virtually identical to dogs which are still seen to this day:
In the early 1900s, the respected Chihuahua breeder and judge Ida H. Garrett experimented with breeding Chinese Cresteds and wrote several articles about hairless dogs in general, but there was still no formal organization for the dogs and type varied widely. From 1920 to 1950, Ms. Garrett collaborated with a Ms. Debora Wood in collecting and promoting examples of Chinese Cresteds, but it wasn't until 1959 when Ms. Debora Wood created the Crest Haven Kennel and began to refine and develop the breed that an official breed standard was created.
It is believed that hairless Xolo-type dogs as well as various coated toy breeds were used as outcrosses in the early years, though Ms. Wood kept her stud books mostly private. However, it wasn't until Gypsy Rose Lee, a popular burlesque dancer and actress, also began promoting Chinese Cresteds that the general public began to take an interest in them. Crest Haven eventually incorporated Ms. Lee's dogs into it's own lines, and these two kennels were the foundation for every Chinese Crested alive today.
Ms. Wood also created the American Hairless Dog Club in 1959, which eventually became the American Chinese Crested Club (ACCC) in 1978. The breed was very rare and wasn't recognized by the AKC until 1991


The specialist corporate advisory and investment management unit of Galileo Capital Management, LGBT Capital, has formed a strategic alliance with philanthropic hedge fund, Galeforce Capital, offering a world-first focus on Impact Investing in the LGBT sector.
LGBT Capital and Galeforce Capital are confident that their collaboration will provide investors with a unique opportunity to maximize both financial and social returns in the LGBT sector. "We are proud to be working with Galeforce Capital and with such exciting projects. We believe the socially responsible angle to the LGBT orientated investment fund is very powerful and believe that Impact Investing is a strong force for change," said Paul Thompson, co-founder of LGBT Capital.
First among LGBT Capital's socially screened offerings is a private equity investment fund focused on social networking investment opportunities within the LGBT sector.
This specialist investment vehicle will focus on new media channels to connect with the LGBT consumer sub-sector and while the primary investment focus will be on creating attractive financial returns, the investments will also be vetted on 'Impact Investment' merits and managed to encourage social-enterprise and responsibility.
market, "End of the Rainbow: Increasing the Sustainability of LGBT Organizations through Social Enterprise," and launched Galeforce Capital the following year to respond to the potential of LGBT social enterprise.
promoted globally with the assistance of LGBT Capital and a global network of sponsors and supporting partners.
Winners of the competition will be selected by an international panel of judges and will receive a package of financing and business development support to plan for, start-up or expand their LGBT social enterprise.
LGBT Capital's principals Anders Jacobsen and Paul Thompson have over 40 years combined experience in the investment management sector with distinguished track records in global investment managers including Goldman Sachs, Prudential Financial, Inc., Fidelity, Bankers Trust and Chase Manhattan Bank as well as a unique knowledge of the LGBT sector.
Between them they have advised numerous mutual, private equity, venture capital and hedge funds on their establishment and launch, as well as provided growth and development strategies for existing hedge funds.
"The COHRED Group would like to announce the official launch of its first photo competition "Capturing Research and Innovation for Health, Equity and Development"!
This photo competition, held in the context of our upcoming Forum 2012, aims to bring to light innovative research projects and to illustrate their impact and value to people's lives, in real circumstances. Selected photographs, representing research and innovation for health, equity and development, will be showcased at Forum 2012 in Cape Town. These pictures will be used to illustrate ways in which research for health can be brought to the next level through appropriate policies and investments.
We invite you to send in your submissions before the 29th of February and to send the word out to your networks today!


I want to know in which scenario SAP system create repeated entries in VAPMA-sales index table for same material and same order.as in my scenario system had created a repeated entries in VAPMA for same material in sales order.so it looks like duplicate entries except there is difference in some of the primary keys.
Uhm... VAPMA is just an index table of VBAP/VBAK entries, so when you have different key fields that's when you'll see the "repeated" entries. When the key fields are different it's not a duplicate.


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Home/Technology/Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ updated with improved GPS functionality: Details
Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ updated with improved GPS functionality: Details
Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ which launched in early 2017 to great acclaim received their latest update in May 2021. The company has now released another update for both smartphones. According to a report, the G95*FXXUCDVG4 firmware changelog says "GPS stability has been improved" and that's about it. That doesn't seem like enough to account for the 420MB download size, but if there are other fixes, they weren't significant enough to mention.
The update appears to be aimed at fixing a GPS-related bug, as the phone remains on Android 9 with an April 1, 2021 security patch, according to a report from GSM Arena. However, the handsets, which are now 5.5 years old, are well outside their scheduled software update window.
The GPS fix appears to be the same one sent to Galaxy J7 phones in Asia. The J7 hails from 2015. Moreover, these might not be the only older phones to be updated, GSM Arena reported.
According to a report from GalaxyClub, several other older phones are about to be updated, including the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S7, and Galaxy S9.
Like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, neither of these smartphones are on the official list of supported phones; the oldest S-series handset still receiving regular updates is 2019's Galaxy S10, which is on a quarterly schedule, while the Galaxy S10 Lite is still on the monthly schedule.
Samsung has extended support for its flagship smartphones to provide four major operating system updates and five years of security patches, but the company's new pledge only covers handsets launching in 2021 or later. Older devices, including the S10 series, and those of the Galaxy A and M series get 4 years of security updates, based on the company's update policy.
Nothing from Phone 2 will come to the US later this year, says CEO Carl Pei
Oppo Reno8 T 5G and Enco Air3 set to launch on February 3 in India
Twitter scrambles to introduce payment feature amid falling ad revenue: report


New Leaf Tree Services Inc and certified arborists Peter W. Madsen and Caleb R.C. White plant balled and burlapped, B & B, bare root, and potted trees, plants, and shrubs.
New Leaf Tree Services Inc serves Ancram 12502, Ancramdale 12503, Austerlitz 12017, Brainard 12024, Canaan 12029, Chatham 12037, Claverack 12513, Columbiaville 12050, Copake 12516, Copake Falls 12517, Coxsackie 12051, Craryville 12521, East Chatham 12060, Elizaville 12523, Germantown 12526, Ghent 12075, Hillsdale 12529, Hollowville 12530, Hudson 12534, Kinderhook 12106, Lebanon Springs 12125, Livingston 12541, Malden Bridge 12115, Mellenville 12544, Nassau 12123, New Lebanon 12125, Niverville 12130, North Chatham 12132, Old Chatham 12136, Palenville 12463, Philmont 12565, Spencertown 12165, Stephentown 12168, Stottville 12172, Stuyvesant 12173, Stuyvesant Falls 12174, Valatie 12184, West Copake 12593, East Nassau 12062, East Greenbush 12061, Castletown on Hudson 12033, Rensselaer 12144, Wynantskill 12198, West Sand Lake 12196, Averill Park 12018, NY State.
Correctly planting a tree is not as simple as digging a hole and putting something into the ground. There are many factors to be considered, which require extensive knowledge of what trees need to be successful and to grow. At New Leaf Tree Services Inc, we plant all our trees according to currently accepted planting standards as outlined in Principles and Practice of Planting Trees & Shrubs (1997, International Society of Arboriculture), and we take great care to ensure your transplanted trees are installed properly.
Carefully inspect new trees and shrubs for defects.
The planting hole must be between 3 and 5 times the diameter of the root ball, depending on soil conditions.
The root flair must be slightly above grade.
Soil must be loosely backfilled to avoid compaction.
New Leaf Tree Services Inc is a full service tree care company that specializes in quality tree pruning, tree removal, tree felling, tree cabling, tree and shrub planting, tree diagnosis and consultations, and special tree projects. New Leaf Tree Services Inc serves Ancram 12502, Ancramdale 12503, Austerlitz 12017, Brainard 12024, Canaan 12029, Chatham 12037, Claverack 12513, Columbiaville 12050, Copake 12516, Copake Falls 12517, Coxsackie 12051, Craryville 12521, East Chatham 12060, Elizaville 12523, Germantown 12526, Ghent 12075, Hillsdale 12529, Hollowville 12530, Hudson 12534, Kinderhook 12106, Lebanon Springs 12125, Livingston 12541, Malden Bridge 12115, Mellenville 12544, Nassau 12123, New Lebanon 12125, Niverville 12130, North Chatham 12132, Old Chatham 12136, Palenville 12463, Philmont 12565, Spencertown 12165, Stephentown 12168, Stottville 12172, Stuyvesant 12173, Stuyvesant Falls 12174, Valatie 12184, West Copake 12593, East Nassau 12062, East Greenbush 12061, Castletown on Hudson 12033, Rensselaer 12144, Wynantskill 12198, West Sand Lake 12196, Averill Park 12018, NY State. They feature two ISA certified arborist's on staff- Peter W. Madsen and Caleb R.C. White. They pride themselves on quality, attentive, and responsive tree care for the Hudson Valley.


Has anyone ever put you on the spot and inquired, "Why do Christians insist on trying to convert people?" Trust me, if it ever happens to you, you'll remember it.
Questions like these, no matter if its tone is one of cheekiness or just plain curiosity, really make you reflect on the overall purpose of evangelism. Should we be motivated by results—seeing more people go to heaven? That's important, right? Or maybe the reason for evangelism should simply be duty—being obedient to God's command to go and make disciples (Matthew 28). After all, the Great Commission isn't just a suggestion. What if our incentive is rewards—to one day hear God say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" and receive jewels in our heavenly crown? Sounds selfish, but it's biblical. Or, perhaps a better motive is that of love—love for God and love for people's souls, compelling us to share the good news.
While all of these are legitimate reasons to proclaim the gospel to people who don't know Jesus, they all seem incomplete. They kind of miss out on the big picture.
Scripture makes a really big deal about God's glory. So much so, that if you search for the word "glory" in the bible, you'll see it over 280 times. If quantity and repetition are indicative of importance, then God seems to care about his own glory a lot.
I used to be confused by the word "glory." Didn't it have something to do with the brightness of God's face or maybe something you shouted out at church if you agreed with the pastor? What did it mean to "glorify God?" If what the Westminster Catechism (by the way, it's pronounced "Cat-uh-kiz-um", and it has nothing to do with a dog show) said was true—that the chief end of man is to glorify God—then I knew I'd better get this figured out soon, or I'd mess up that whole "chief end" thing.
God's glory is chiefly about his reputation or honor. In scripture, the glory of God refers to the revelation of his being, his attributes, and his presence to humankind. You see, God's character—his nature, his personality—never changes. That truth is foundational to our faith: God doesn't change. But how people perceive God can and does change. And, by the things we say and do as followers of Christ, we can influence people (both nonbelievers and believers) and help change their perception of God. Basically, that's what it means for us to glorify God: to enhance his reputation.
It's really just as simple as that—to glorify God is to enhance his reputation. This is helpful to keep in mind as I consider sharing my faith. Because if I exist for God's glory, then glorifying God isn't just the main reason to share my faith—it's the main reason I'm alive. That's the big picture.


Marc Daniels provides a holiday pay scheme to our Temporary Employees. In this section you will find details of how this works and how your holiday pay is calculated.
Marc Daniels holiday pay scheme offers a maximum of 5.6 weeks or 28 days holiday pay per year. The amount of holiday pay you receive will depend upon your earnings.
Weekly Timesheet earnings multiplied by 12.07%.
Marc Daniels is not responsible for paying holiday pay to workers who work via a Limited Company. It is the Limited Companies responsibility to ensure their workers receive holiday pay. Please inform your consultant when you wish to take your holiday after agreeing the dates with your client, please do not record your holiday on your work timesheet.


This is the official web site of the LIFE+ project called "One deer, two Islands: conservation of Red Deer Cervus elaphus corsicanus in Sardinia and Corse" (founded by LIFE+ Nature and coded LIFE11 NAT/IT/00210).
This project deals with a partnership between Sardinia and Corsica realized by this governative agencies: Provincia del Medio Campidano (leader) - Ente Foreste della Sardegna - Parco Regionale della Corsica - Provincia Ogliastra - I.S.P.R.A.
Actions are scheduled through five-year (2012- 2018) and aim to improve the conservation status of endemic Red Deer (Cervus elaphus corsicanus).


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VisionCorporate responsibility
Target Companies
KAS-TelineetValioravintoPuuha GroupAttidoDestacleanHydrolineFinelcompEsa KuokkaFlowplusImagon
N-Clean
Innovative hydraulic solutions for global equipment manufacturers – Hydroline challenges the industry giants, boosted by an investment from Juuri Partners
Hydroline
Hydroline Oy, a family company based in Siilinjärvi, Finland, supplies top-grade hydraulic solutions to global manufacturers of machinery and equipment. Now the company is seeking strong international growth with a boost from a multi-million-euro investment from Juuri Partners Ltd. The ultimate goal of the company is to make the world's best small-series production to meet the demanding needs of equipment manufacturers.
Hydroline Oy, a Finnish market leader in its field, creates and manufactures innovative hydraulic solutions for global industrial giants including Agco, Bronto Skylift, Cargotec, John Deere, Normet and Sandvik. The company specialises in hydraulic cylinders, and its products – cutting-edge technology used in moving machinery – are tailored to its highly demanding customer base. Hydroline Oy is now seeking strong international growth thanks to a major investment by private equity firm Juuri Partners, enabling it to grow internationally and to challenge the competitive status quo in the sector. The investment is a significant part of a financial arrangement worth a total of approximately EUR 20 million.
"We need additional capacity as the market is doing very well at the moment. Juuri Partners' investment will enable us to channel financing into our existing production plants and play a part in market consolidation. Increased capacity will also have a positive effect on employment," says Mikko Laakkonen, Hydroline's CEO.
The third-generation family company currently has approximately 250 employees, of which some 20 employees work at the factory established in Poland in 2014. The company's net sales in 2016 were EUR 36 million, and an increase of 20 per cent is forecasted for this year. Approximately 95 per cent of net sales go indirectly to exports.
The family remains the majority shareholder
Hydroline Oy is Juuri Partners' first industrial production investment. It also takes Juuri into a new order of magnitude in terms of size.
"This investment again highlights Juuri Partners' model of being a minority shareholder in its portfolio companies and a strategic partner for entrepreneurs. For Hydroline, it was very important for the family to retain its majority shareholding in the company following the transaction," says Anita Ojala from Juuri Partners. "The company has reached a very interesting stage on the cusp of major growth. Overall, the market is worth several billion euros, and high-end products like the solutions offered by Hydroline stand to take a large portion of this."
"Juuri Partners has a very similar philosophy to us when it comes to developing our operations. For us, it is important that Juuri believes in family companies and is used to working with them," says Jukka Laakkonen, Chairman of the Board of Hydroline. "In addition to financing, Juuri Partners will provide us with strategic expertise to help with our international expansion and the work of the Board of Directors."
Standing out through research and development
In 2017, Hydroline will celebrate its 55th year in business, and it has strong roots in the Kuopio region, where the company's headquarters are located. All of the company's research and development activities and a large proportion of its production take place at the production plant in Siilinjärvi.
Research and development is one of the company's strongest means of differentiation and also a source of pride. The majority of the global players in the sector manufacture high-volume products, while Hydroline specialises in producing solutions for the demanding high end of the market. The company works closely with its customers on research and development. In addition, it has ongoing development projects with universities and research institutes.
One of the newest additions to the product portfolio is Lifecycle Efficiency Online (LEO), a remotely-readable range of cylinders based on IoT technology. The IoT dimension enables proactive maintenance of devices used in extreme conditions, thereby avoiding expensive production stoppages.
Anita Ojala, partner, Juuri Partners Ltd, Tel: +358 40 826 2085, anita.ojala@juuripartners.fi
Mikko Laakkonen, CEO, Hydroline Oy, Tel: +358 40 505 1625, mikko.laakkonen@hydroline.fi
Jukka Laakkonen, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Hydroline Oy, Tel: +358 40 709 6117, jukka.laakkonen@hydroline.fi
Juuri Fund I LP is a Finnish private equity investment fund that finances established and profitable small and medium-sized enterprises in Finland. The fund is managed by Juuri Partners Ltd. Juuri Partners offers growth-focused companies a new business development and financing concept that combines active minority ownership, business operation support and debt financing. The fund is currently worth approximately EUR 80 million and has investments from several significant institutional investors from Finland.
Hydroline Oy, a family company, is Finland's leading specialist in designing, manufacturing and providing life cycle services for hydraulic cylinders intended for demanding applications. The company was founded in Kuopio, Finland in 1962, and it currently has approximately 250 employees. Hydroline's customers are the world's leading manufacturers of machinery and equipment in their industries. The company has two production plants, which are located in Siilinjärvi, Finland and Stargard, Poland. In 2016, the company's net sales were approximately EUR 36 million.
© 2019 Juuri Partners
Urho Kekkosen katu 7 B


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Military parade to commemorate 40-year Reunification Day
The Prime Minister has approved a programme on activities in Ho Chi Minh City, including a military parade, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the liberation of the southern region and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2015) .
Tuesday, December 02, 2014 10:31
A grand meeting will be held followed by military and civilian parades along Le Duan Street, in front of Thong Nhat Square. The events will be broadcast live on television nationwide.
The cerebration aims at honouring the historical significance of the April 30 victory, commemorating the individuals who sacrificed their lives for the country's liberation as well as highlighting the great achievements of the country in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular over the past four decades.-VNA
Appeal trial for ex-Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang resumes
The High-Level People's Court in Hanoi on January 21 reopened an appeal trial for the case that occurred at the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), Saigon Beer - Alcohol - Beverage JSC (Sabeco) and Ho Chi Minh City, causing a loss of over 2.7 trillion VND (119.25 million USD) for the State, despite the absence of defendant ex-Minister of MoIT Vu Huy Hoang.
Man imprisoned for anti-State propaganda, explosive storage
The People's Court of central Phu Yen province on January 21 sentenced a man to six and a half years in prison for distributing anti-State materials and illegally storing explosive materials.
Nearly 10,000 tonnes of rice aid proposed for the needy
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) has proposed the Prime Minister provide over 9,877 tonnes of rice in aid for needy households during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday and the between-crop period of early 2022.
RoK organisation presents computer lab to Hanoi students
The Global Civic Sharing (GCS) organisation of the Republic of Korea (RoK) on January 20 presented a computer lab worth 550 million VND (24,300 USD) to Lien Chau secondary school in Hanoi's Thanh Oai district, on the occasion of the 30th founding anniversary of the Vietnam-RoK diplomatic ties.
Top legislator's gifts delivered to policy beneficiaries, soldiers in Tay Ninh
Under the authorisation of National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, the delegation of NA deputies of the southern province of Tay Ninh delivered the NA Chairman's Lunar New Year gifts to 10 border check points set up during the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in three districts of Tan Bien, Chau Thanh and Ben Cau.


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Home / Company / Investor Relations / News
UPDATE: ZAGG Reports 2017 Third Quarter and Nine Months Results; Company Raises 2017 Outlook
Company Release - 11/1/2017 5:51 PM ET
SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A release issued earlier today by ZAGG Inc. (Nasdaq:ZAGG) has been updated to include financial statements. The updated release follows:
ZAGG Inc (Nasdaq:ZAGG), a leading global mobile lifestyle company, today announced financial results for the third quarter and nine months ending September 30, 2017.
Third Quarter Highlights (Comparisons versus third quarter 2016)
Net sales of $134.4 million, an 8% increase compared to $124.7 million
Gross margin of 36% compared to 35%
Net income of $9.8 million compared to a net loss of ($7.1) million
Adjusted EBITDA of $22.4 million compared to $17.8 million
Year-to-Date Highlights (Comparisons versus nine months 2016)
Net sales of $342.6 million, a 19% increase compared to $286.9 million
Net income of $7.0 million compared to a net loss of ($11.4) million
Increases 2017 Full Year Outlook
Net sales in the range of $500.0 million to $520.0 million, an increase from the previous guidance range of $470.0 million to $500.0 million
Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $75.0 million to $78.0 million, an increase from the previous guidance range of $71.0 million to $75.0 million.
"Our business performed extremely well across the board during the third quarter," commented Randy Hales, President and Chief Executive Officer. "With two of the strongest brands in the mobile lifestyle category – InvisibleShield and mophie – combined with an enhanced operating structure, we've created a powerful platform that is generating record revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. In addition to our strong year-to-date results, we believe the Company has a long runway for growth evidenced by our increased guidance for 2017. Our optimism extends from our core product lines to our recently introduced wireless charging pad that supports Apple's new iPhones. I am confident that the Company is well positioned to capitalize on the many opportunities that lie ahead and will deliver increased value to our shareholders for years to come."
Third Quarter Results
(in millions, except per share amounts) September 30, 2017 September 30, 2016
Net Sales $134.4 $124.7
Gross Profit (Gross Profit %) $48.4 (36%) $43.1 (35%)
Net Income (Loss) $9.8 ($7.1)
Earnings (Loss) per Diluted Share $0.34 ($0.25)
Adjusted EBITDA (Margin %) $22.4 (17%) $17.8 (14%)
Net sales for the third quarter increased by 8% to $134.4 million, compared to $124.7 million in 2016. The increase in sales was due primarily to (1) increased sales of screen protection products in key wireless and retail accounts, particularly in international markets, and (2) the launch of the mophie wireless charging pad.
Gross profit was $48.4 million, or 36% of net sales, compared to $43.1 million, or 35% of net sales in 2016. The 140 basis point improvement in gross margin was driven primarily by the mix of screen protection products, our highest margin product category, which increased during the three months ended September 30, 2017, to approximately 57% of net sales compared to approximately 52% of net sales during the three months ended September 30, 2016.
Net income was $9.8 million, compared to a net loss of ($7.1) million in 2016. Earnings per share was $0.34, on 28.4 million shares, compared to a loss per share of ($0.25), on 28.1 million shares.
Adjusted EBITDA was $22.4 million compared to $17.8 million.
Year-to-Date Results
Gross Profit (Gross Profit %) $112.8 (33%) $97.7 (34%)
Net Income (Loss) $7.0 ($11.4)
Earnings (Loss) per Share $0.25 ($0.41 )
2017 Year-to-Date Results
Net sales for 2017 increased 19% to $342.6 million, compared $286.9 million in 2016. The increase in sales was due primarily to (1) increased sales of screen protection for new device releases during the current year, (2) higher sales of power management and power case products, and (3) a full nine months of mophie sales in 2017, compared to only seven months of mophie sales in 2016 (acquisition occurred on March 2, 2016).
Gross profit increased to $112.8 million, or 33% of net sales, compared to $97.7 million, or 34% of net sales. The decrease in gross profit margin was primarily attributable to (1) a full nine months of mophie operations in 2017, compared to only seven months of mophie operations in 2016, which are at lower gross profit margins than the corporate average, and (2) lower gross profit margin on curved glass for the Samsung Galaxy S8, compared to historical gross margins on non-curved glass products. These items were partially offset by amortization expense from the acquisition-related fair value inventory write-up in 2016, which did not recur in 2017.
Net income was $7.0 million, compared to a net loss of ($11.4) million in 2016. Earnings per share was $0.25, on 28.3 million shares, compared to a loss per share of ($0.41), on 28.0 million shares.
Adjusted EBITDA was $37.2 million compared to $33.5 million for the consolidated business in 2016.
2017 Business Outlook
The Company increased the annual guidance for 2017 as follows:
Net sales of $500.0 to $520.0 million
Gross margin in the low to mid 30 percent range
Adjusted EBITDA of $75.0 to $78.0 million
Annual effective tax rate of approximately 35%
The Company is unable to provide guidance for net income (loss), and reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss), as the closest corresponding U.S. GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable efforts on a forward-looking basis due to the variability and complexity with respect to charges excluded from this non-GAAP measure. In particular, these complexities include the measures and effects of stock based compensation expense that are directly impacted by unpredictable fluctuations in our share price, and our tax expense that is directly impacted by our taxable income. We expect the variability of these charges could have a significant, and potentially unpredictable, impact on our future U.S. GAAP results.
A conference call will be held today, November 1, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. EST to review these results. Interested parties may access via the Internet on the Company's website at: investors.zagg.com.
About Non-GAAP Financial Information
Readers are cautioned that Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation expense, other income (expense), mophie transaction costs, mophie fair value inventory write-up related to acquisition, mophie restructuring charges, mophie employee retention bonus, and impairment of intangible asset) is not a financial measure under US generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). In addition, this financial information should not be construed as an alternative to any other measure of performance determined in accordance with GAAP, or as an indicator of operating performance, liquidity or cash flows generated by operating, investing and financing activities, as there may be significant factors or trends that it fails to address. We present Adjusted EBITDA because we believe that it is helpful to some investors as a measure of performance. We caution readers that non-GAAP financial information, by its nature, departs from traditional accounting conventions. Accordingly, its use can make it difficult to compare current results with results from other reporting periods and with the financial results of other companies.
In addition to the historical information contained in this press release, this release contains (and oral communications made by ZAGG may contain) statements that relate to future events and expectations and, as such, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, outlook, assumptions, or future events or performance, often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "projects," "targets," or similar expressions, are not statements of historical facts and may be forward-looking. Readers are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
In addition to any assumptions and other factors and matters referred to specifically in connection with such forward-looking statements, factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements include the following: (a) the ability to design, produce, and distribute the creative product solutions required to retain existing customers and to attract new customers; (b) building and maintaining marketing and distribution functions sufficient to gain meaningful international market share for ZAGG's products; (c) the ability to respond quickly with appropriate products after the adoption and introduction of new mobile devices by major manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, and Google; (d) changes or delays in announced launch schedules for (or recalls or withdrawals of) new mobile devices by major manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, and Google; (e) the ability to successfully integrate new operations or acquisitions, specifically including mophie inc., (f) the impact of inconsistent quality or reliability of new product offerings; (g) the impact of lower profit margins in certain new and existing product categories, including certain mophie products; (h) the impacts of changes in economic conditions, including on customer demand; (i) managing inventory in light of constantly shifting consumer demand; (j) the failure of information systems or technology solutions or the failure to secure information system data, failure to comply with privacy laws, security breaches, or the effect on the company from cyber-attacks, terrorist incidents, or the threat of terrorist incidents; and (k) adoption of or changes in accounting policies, principles, or estimates. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all such factors, nor can it assess the impact of any such factor on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Readers should also review the risks and uncertainties listed in ZAGG's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports the company files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including (but not limited to) Item 1A - "Risk Factors" in the Form 10-K and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the risks described therein from time to time. ZAGG disclaims any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether in response to new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
About ZAGG Inc
ZAGG Inc (NASDAQ:ZAGG) is a global leader in accessories and technologies that empower mobile lifestyles. The Company has an award-winning product portfolio that includes screen protection, mobile keyboards, power management solutions, social tech, and personal audio sold under the ZAGG®, mophie®, InvisibleShield®, and IFROGZ® brands. ZAGG has operations in the United States, Ireland, and China. ZAGG products are available worldwide, and can be found at leading retailers including Best Buy, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Walmart, Target, Walgreens and Amazon.com. For more information, please visit the company's websites at www.zagg.com and www.mophie.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ICR Inc.
Brendon Frey
brendon.frey@icrinc.com
ZAGG Inc
Jeff DuBois
jeff.dubois@ZAGG.com
The Brand Amp
Katie Kotarak
katie@thebrandamp.com
ZAGG INC AND SUBSIDIARIES
(in thousands, except par value)
September 30, December 31,
Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $1,221 in 2017 and $824 in 2016 96,830 83,835
Inventories 72,005 72,769
Income tax receivable 138 2,814
Total current assets 183,898 174,436
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $20,950 in 2017 and $18,371 in 2016 15,066 17,755
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $63,596 in 2017 and $55,298 in 2016 42,286 53,362
Deferred income tax assets 44,652 50,363
Accounts payable $ 82,742 $ 85,022
Accrued liabilities 23,825 22,216
Sales returns liability 29,342 28,373
Accrued wages and wage related expenses 5,649 6,169
Deferred revenue 214 273
Line of credit 16,264 31,307
Current portion of long-term debt, net of deferred loan costs of $65 in 2017 and 2016 6,185 10,484
Total current liabilities 164,221 183,844
Noncurrent portion of long-term debt, net of deferred loan costs of $92 in 2017 and $141 in 2016 9,283 9,623
Total liabilities 173,504 193,467
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 100,000 shares authorized;
34,057 and 33,840 shares issued in 2017 and 2016, respectively $ 34 $ 34
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (944 ) (2,114 )
Treasury stock, 6,065 and 5,831 common shares in 2017 and 2016 respectively, at cost (37,636 ) (36,145 )
Retained earnings 69,745 62,705
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
September 30, September 30, September 30, September 30,
Net sales $ 134,398 $ 124,662 $ 342,571 $ 286,928
Cost of sales 86,006 81,516 229,749 189,180
Gross profit 48,392 43,146 112,822 97,748
Advertising and marketing 2,627 3,389 7,703 8,578
Selling, general and administrative 26,720 25,607 78,727 70,243
Loss on disputed mophie purchase price - 24,317 - 24,317
Transaction costs 96 145 611 2,467
Impairment of intangible asset - - 1,959 -
Amortization of long-lived intangibles 3,014 2,398 9,040 9,909
Total operating expenses 32,457 55,856 98,040 115,514
Income (loss) from operations 15,935 (12,710 ) 14,782 (17,766 )
Interest expense (417 ) (575 ) (1,527 ) (1,367 )
Other income (expense) 18 (81 ) 67 (272 )
Total other expense (399 ) (656 ) (1,460 ) (1,639 )
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes 15,536 (13,366 ) 13,322 (19,405 )
Income tax (provision) benefit (5,760 ) 6,261 (6,281 ) 7,963
Net income (loss) $ 9,776 $ (7,105 ) $ 7,041 $ (11,442 )
Basic earnings (loss) per share $ 0.35 $ (0.25 ) $ 0.25 $ (0.41 )
Diluted earnings (loss) per share $ 0.34 $ (0.25 ) $ 0.25 $ (0.41 )
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INFORMATION TO GAAP
Unaudited Supplemental Data
The following is not a financial measure under generally accepted accounting principals (GAAP). In addition, this should not be construed as an alternative to any other measures of performance determined in accordance with GAAP, or as an indicator of our operating performance, liquidity or cash flows generated by operating, investing and financing activities as there may be significant factors or trends that it fails to address. We present this financial information because we believe that it is helpful to some investors as a measure of our operations. We caution investors that non-GAAP financial information, by its nature, departs from traditional accounting conventions; accordingly, its use can make it difficult to compare our results with our results from other reporting periods and with the results of other companies.
Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation Three months ended Nine months ended
Net income (loss) in accordance with GAAP $ 9,776 $ (7,105 ) $ 7,041 $ (11,442 )
a. Stock based compensation expense 899 1,386 2,535 3,679
b. Depreciation and amortization 5,486 4,989 16,505 16,484
c. Other (income) expense 399 656 1,460 1,639
d. Impairment of intangible asset - - 1,959 -
e. mophie transaction costs 96 145 611 2,467
f. mophie fair value inventory write-up related to acquisition - (739 ) - 2,586
g. mophie restructuring charges - 138 437 1,201
h. mophie employee retention bonus - 300 346 500
i. Loss on disputed mophie purchase price - 24,317 - 24,317
j. Income tax benefit 5,760 (6,261 ) 6,281 (7,963 )
Adjusted EBITDA $ 22,416 $ 17,826 $ 37,175 $ 33,468
Source: ZAGG Inc


text:
Floor plan extraction from digital building models
Room: Auditorium B
Academic Track 🎓
Sunday, 14:05
Duration: 5 minutes (plus Q&A)
short paper - pdf
video on media.ccc.de
Helga Tauscher
Subhashini Krishnakumar
As part of a larger endeavour to make floor plan representations from building models available for indoor map and navigation services, we study the integration of IFC and OSM.
Introduction, background, motivation
Official geo data is increasingly published not only in the form of 2D maps, but also in 3D, mainly as city models in CityGML. Usually the outer shell of buildings is captured in such models, but they may also involve more intricate detail. Even more detailed building models are generated during the planning process for new buildings and renovations. These are nowadays produced in digital form, archived in as-built phase by owners and operators for the life time of a building and, in the future, may even be required to be submitted for building permits.
At the same time there is an increasing public interest in detailed information about public and semi-public interior spaces, for example about their accessibility, localization of barriers or targets (e.g. contact persons in public administration, shops in malls, booths on fairs, markets or larger info events, departments or hospital wards) or resources (e.g. books in libraries, charging stations, fire equipment or defibrillators) or to get a first impression in advance (e.g. virtual open day). The interest and the points of interest may be temporary or permanent.
Since the context of creating and capturing geo data and building data is fundamentally different, there is hardly any integration. Indoor data for maps and navigation models is manually captured or at best derived in undocumented multi-step semi-automatic workflows.
Aim and purpose of the study
The project "Level Out" sets out to develop automated methods and services to make detailed indoor data from digital building models selectively available for the population of city models, map and navigation services (in the form of 2,5 D floorplans).
Towards this end, we are developing a platform to check building models whether they are suitable and contain required data, extract selected and simplified indoor data and convert it into various formats: CityGML LOD0 (Indoor), IndoorGML and OSM Indoor. As input we rely on data in the format IFC (Industry Foundation Classes), the most widespread standard format for digital building models. Indoor OSM, in particular geometry with Simple Indoor Tagging, is one of the various extraction targets. The data created may not be directly fed into OpenStreetMap, but serve as a viable base for further mapping.
There are already older solutions, e.g. BIMServerOsmSerializer (<https://github.com/BIMDataHub/BIMServerOsmSerializer>), which are only built for a version of IFC, which has been a long time standard version, but currently approaches towards its end of life: IFC2x3. There are also solutions under active development, e.g. the JOSM plugin "Indoor Helper" (<https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/JOSM/Plugins/indoorhelper>), which, however, lack some general approach on the IFC side and coverage of the heterogeneous options to represent geometry in the IFC schema. With this research and development we aim to provide a workflow and software to systematically access floorplan data in IFC.
We start from both ends of integration by looking at the detailed structures of the source and target models in parallel.
From the group of target models, we derive a common model, which will have, at best, near-trivial mappings to OSM Indoor, CityGML, IndoorGML. Although not strictly necessary for the IFC-to-OSM conversion case or any other bilateral integration, the intermediate model will not only allow to tackle integration of IFC with multiple targets besides OSM, but also integration of OSM with multiple sources besides IFC.
Next, we identify relevant information in the source model. IFC exposes a wide variety of geometry modelling constructions from CAD software, mainly following the modelling paradigm of constructive solid geometry (CSG). So far, we found the following principle representation options:
a) Direct floorplan representation in 2.5D: Here we have 2D representations located in 3D space, usually located at the level of the floor finish for a particular storey. There are two versions to be distinguished: space boundaries versus abstract representations of space-defining elements.
b) Extraction from CSG: Spaces (as well as constructive elements) are often represented as solids resulting from extrusion of a planar shape. If extruded in z-direction, the base shape can be extracted and used as 2.5-D representation.
c) Projection onto floor level: If the geometry is not in CSG-form with extrusions, but in BREP (boundary representation), then projection followed by a simplification of the projection result is a possible way to extract.
In addition to the geometric elements, there are semantic elements connected to the geometry that are connected themselves and can be used to charge the geometric model elements with meaning. Depending on the geometry extraction method, correlation and consideration of semantic elements is more evident or complicated - hence possible to different degrees. The paper will discuss these implications.
After identification of the relevant entities, we are developing a three stage process for the actual population of target models from IFC.
Building model enrichment: Information that can be represented in IFC will be played back to the building model instead of being promoted to the generic model only.
Building to intermedite model: This essential step is coved with a flexible rule-based mapping.
Intermediate model to target models: Following a careful design of the generic model, this step should be simple.
We are testing the processes with data from public buildings, two sets of university campus buildings as well as one newly built municipal administration centre. From assessment of the original building data, we will also develop modelling and export guidelines for BIM software. As far as possible, the demo data will be made available publicly as open data. More important, the conversion procedures will be published open source and a respective conversion service will be offered online.
In summary, our work provides practical benefit in terms of tools to support the mapping process as well as a scientific contribution in terms of spatial data integration and expert involvement via domain-specific languages.
The practical benefit of the conversion seems obvious: Building owners can publish data of their publicly accessible spaces to help with volunteer mapping work. In the future we will also tackle update, checking and comparison with existing OSM indoor data.
Scientific contributions are also made in different ways: First, an application scenario for the OGC Indoor Feature Model is provided and - interesting for the audience of this conference - evaluation of how OSM data fits with the generalized model. Further, we explore methods for flexible data integration with domain specialist and expert community involvement. Finally, but beyond the scope of this conference, the applicability of integration methods for bidirectional integration with multiple sources and targets via intermediary formats is evaluated.
Call for Participation Call for Academic Abstracts Call for Posters Call for Lightning Talks Travel Grant Programme Code of conduct Programme Posters Proceedings of the Academic Track Tickets Venue Social Event Twitter Youtube Telegram GitHub OSM blog Wiki page
sotm@openstreetmap.org - Imprint


text:
Opioid painkiller prescribing varies widely among states
Where you live makes a difference
Embargoed Until: Tuesday, July 1, 2014, 1:00 p.m. ET
Contact: Media Relations
pdf icon[PDF]
Health care providers in some states prescribed far more painkillers than those in other states.
Entire Infographicpdf icon
Health care providers wrote 259 million prescriptions for opioid painkillers in 2012 – many more in some states than in others – according to a Vital Signs report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that highlights the danger of overdose. The report also has an example of a state that reversed its overdose trend.
Health care providers in the highest prescribing state, Alabama, wrote almost three times as many of these prescriptions per person as those in the lowest prescribing state, Hawaii. Most of the highest prescribing states were in the South. Previous research has shown that regional variation in use of prescriptions cannot be explained by the underlying health status of the population.
The Vital Signs report also contains a study highlighting the success of Florida in reversing prescription drug overdose trends. Results showed that after statewide legislative and enforcement actions in 2010 and 2011, the death rate from prescription drug overdose decreased 23 percent between 2010 and 2012. Florida officials had taken these actions in response to a 28 percent increase in the drug overdose death rate over the preceding years (2006-2010).
Declines in death rates in Florida for specific prescription painkillers (oxycodone, methadone, and hydrocodone) and sedatives paralleled declines in prescribing rates for those drugs. This report was based on Florida Medical Examiners Commission data from 2006 to 2012 and IMS Health National Prescription Audit data from 2008 to 2012.
"Prescription drug overdose is epidemic in the United States. All too often, and in far too many communities, the treatment is becoming the problem," said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. "Overdose rates are higher where these drugs are prescribed more frequently. States and practices where prescribing rates are highest need to take a particularly hard look at ways to reduce the inappropriate prescription of these dangerous drugs."
For this Vital Signs report, CDC analyzed 2012 prescribing data collected from retail pharmacies in the United States by a commercial vendor. CDC calculated prescribing rates by state for various types of opioid painkillers.
Key findings include:
Southern states – Alabama, Tennessee, and West Virginia in particular – had the most painkiller prescriptions per person.
The Northeast, especially Maine and New Hampshire, had the most prescriptions per person for long-acting/extended-release painkillers and for high-dose painkillers.
State variation was the greatest for oxymorphone (a specific type of painkiller), among all prescription painkillers. Nearly 22 times as many prescriptions were written for oxymorphone in Tennessee as were written in Minnesota.
"We know we can do better. State variation in prescribing shows us that the overprescribing of opioids can be reduced safely and feasibly," said Daniel M. Sosin, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P., acting director of CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. "Improving how opioids are prescribed will help us prevent the 46 prescription painkiller overdose deaths that occur each day in the United States."
Previous research has shown that state variation does not necessarily translate to better health outcomes or patient satisfaction. In fact, high rates of use might produce worse outcomes.
Steps that states can take to address the overprescribing of painkillers include:
Considering ways to increase use of prescription drug monitoring programs, which are state-run databases that track prescriptions for painkillers and can help find problems in overprescribing. Impact of these programs is greater when they make data available in real time, are universal (used by all prescribers for all prescriptions for all controlled substances), and are actively managed (for example, send alerts to prescribers when problems are identified).
Considering policy options, including laws and regulation, relating to pain clinics to reduce prescribing practices that are risky to patients.
Evaluating their own data and programs and considering ways to assess their Medicaid, workers' compensation programs, and other state-run health plans to detect and address inappropriate prescribing of painkillers.
Identifying opportunities to increase access to substance abuse treatment and considering expanding first responder access to naloxone, a drug used when people overdose.
CDC's Injury Center works to protect the safety of everyone, every day. For more information about prescription drug overdoses, please visit www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/overdose.
Vital Signs is a CDC report that appears on the first Tuesday of the month as part of the CDC journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, or MMWR. The report provides the latest data and information on key health indicators. These are cancer prevention, obesity, tobacco use, motor vehicle passenger safety, prescription drug overdose, HIV/AIDS, alcohol use, health care–associated infections, cardiovascular health, teen pregnancy, food safety and viral hepatitis.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESexternal icon
Page last reviewed: July 1, 2014
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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It's been a few weeks and I'm just now sitting down to write about our 10-year-anniversary trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. To be fair, the past few weeks have been CRAZY. Paul took off for Tanzania (he's gone for almost a month!) the day after we returned from Vietnam, which was also the start of my last week of school.
So yeah! We went to Vietnam for our anniversary! Paul surprised me by purchasing tickets and planning the trip. The intention was to keep the destination a secret until we arrived at the airport (!) but I accidentally ruined the surprise (as usual) about a week before. Nonetheless, I was blown away by Paul's thoughtful planning.
Paul picked Vietnam because he had just read one of my favorite books, Graham Greene's The Quiet American. Paul ended up booking a room at Hotel Continental Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City's oldest hotel, where Greene actually wrote the book. I've never been on a "literary" trip before and it was pretty thrilling to hunt down locations from the book.
We stayed at the Hotel Continental Saigon, where Graham Greene wrote The Quiet American and where a good bit of the book is set.
Of course, being in Vietnam was also sobering. It was hard not to think about the Vietnam/American War with every step we took. It's chilling to see how easily we rewrite history for our own benefit and terribly frightening to think that this dehumanization of the "other" is something that humans have always done and continue to do.
We found Ho Chi Minh City extremely charming and picturesque. The architecture is a fascinating mix of new and old. There are red flags, yellow stars, and pictures of Ho Chi Minh everywhere. Hotel Continental is located right at the heart of the historic city and we spent many hours wandering the neighboring streets and stopping for coffee every couple of blocks.
Coffee! Vietnam is chock-full of cafes! And — even better — the home of so many "secret" cafes! We went to a number of cafes and restaurants that required walking through dark alleys and climbing flights of stairs in what look like residential buildings.
A little hint to let us know we're on the right track, three flights in on our journey through a dark residential building.
Vietnam is one of the leading global producers of coffee beans and the local culture certainly reflects that. We picked up a coffee dripper (my favorite kind of souvenir — local coffee gear!) and had our share of super strong coffee + sweetened condensed milk.
All of those lit spots are cafes and boutiques. We picked a cafe on the 8th floor--it was quite an adventure to get there (a walk down a dark corridor then 8 flights of stairs through a residential area).
The food was, of course, incredible. We ate and ate and ate and EVERYTHING was good.
I had three bowls of noodles for breakfast one morning.
All-in-all, we loved Ho Chi Minh City. It made for a fantastic weekend trip and we can't wait to go back for a longer visit.
Paul: Sorry, I didn't mean to touch you.


text:
White House Supports vertical takeoff and landing Aircraft, Autonomy in R&D Priorities Memo
The White House gave a nod to the rapid development of electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) in an executive memo discussing the administration's research and development budget priorities, sent to executive department and agency heads on August 30, 2019.
The nine-page document provides guidance for research and development priorities in areas ranging from advanced military capabilities and critical infrastructure resilience to "advanced communication networks and autonomy," the section under which eVTOLs are mentioned, as well as autonomous vehicles and civil supersonic aircraft.
The memo states (emphasis added):
"Departments and agencies should support the development and deployment of advanced communications networks by prioritizing R&D consistent with the National Spectrum R&D Strategy. They should prioritize R&D to lower barriers to the deployment of surface, air, and marine autonomous vehicles with a focus on developing operating standards, integration approaches, traffic management systems, and defense/security operations. Departments and agencies should prioritize R&D that enables electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing and civil supersonic aircraft, including for type certification, the creation of over-land supersonic flight noise standards, and low-sonic-boom aircraft research."
Joseph Van Valen, senior policy advisor for advanced transportation at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), confirmed that support for VTOLs are a "new addition" to the administration's fiscal year 2021 priorities for advanced transportation R&D.
"The Administration believes that unique and innovative eVTOL designs have the potential to revolutionize the future of transportation," Van Valen told Avionics. "We at OSTP look forward to working across the Federal government to develop an eVTOL regulatory framework that prioritizes safety and promotes innovation."
However, it's not immediately clear what impact the memo might have on government activity. A spokesperson for NASA's aeronautics research division confirmed that the issued guidance has not and is not likely to result in any funding changes or new programs regarding airspace traffic management, unmanned aircraft or eVTOLs.
"The language and topics in this memo are in line with and reinforce NASA's current research portfolio and priorities," the spokesperson told Avionics. "[NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate] is leveraging technologies within its Air Traffic Management – Exploration (ATM-X), - System Wide Safety (SWS), Airspace Technology Demonstration (ATD), Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM), Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the National Airspace System (UAS-NAS), Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology (RVLT), and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Grand Challenge projects. This work is underway at all four of the agency's aero centers."
Advocates for eVTOL aircraft will likely be pleased to see explicit support from the highest levels of the U.S. government, but it remains to be seen whether this guidance will result in increased R&D funding or if the White House is simply playing catch-up to existing efforts.
Mike Hirschberg, executive director of the Vertical Flight Society, says his organization and other industry associations have recommended the White House support eVTOL-related funding and he is encouraged by the administration's recognition of the capabilities promised by the technology, but wants to see the administration support more "real investments" in tech development.
"NASA and the Department of Transportation have committed some resources towards eVTOL/urban air mobility over the past several years, but more is needed to speed this revolutionary capability to the public benefit," Hirschberg said.
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) is enthusiastic about the administration's prioritization of supersonic air travel and eVTOL aircraft, with David Silver, AIA's vice president for civil aviation, pointing to programs like Nasa's X-59 supersonic aircraft program, UAM Grand Challenge and FAA's UAS IPP as "examples of great work already being done to generate important data and address some of the challenges industry will face in bringing these technologies to market."
"As we move forward, government must ensure that that we continue to prioritize funding for these sort of technologies – especially as others such as Europe and China are investing significant sums to gain an advantage in these areas," Silver said.
Baby shark VTOL 250 Fixed wing KIT air frame for UAV building
KIT frame material: carbon fiber Composites
Wingspan: 2.5m
Frame Weight: 2.68kg
Fuselage:Composites
Total Weight: 5.5kg(without battery)
Max Take-off Weight: 12kg
Max Payload: 6.5kg(including battery)
Max Flight Time: 2.5 hours
Max Speed: 100km/h
PREVIOUS:What is VTOL NEXT:Advantages and disadvantages of harrier vtol fighters


text:
Adele breaks another record with second-week US sales
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES- Adele's album "25" has broken another record, selling more than one million albums in the United States in its second week after a massive debut, a tracking service said Sunday.
By sustaining huge success for a second week, the British singer becomes the first artist to sell more than one million albums in two separate weeks since at least 1991, when Nielsen Music began systematic data.
"25" sold 1.1 million albums in the week through Thursday, bringing to 4.49 million copies the total US sales since it came out on November 20, Nielsen Music said.
Sales could still go much higher, considering the holiday shopping season and Adele's past performance.
Her previous album, "21," has sold more than 11 million copies in the United States since its release in 2011, topping year-end charts for two consecutive years.
"25" has also broken records in Adele's native Britain, selling more than one million copies in 10 days -- the fastest album to reach that feat.
The album, led by the blockbuster single "Hello," is like much of Adele's earlier work a collection of emotionally intense ballads with themes of heartache and childhood nostalgia.
Her success is all the more striking as album sales as a whole have dropped markedly since the rise of online music two decades ago.
Unusually for a pop star in the current era, Adele has not made "25" available on streaming services such as Spotify and invests less time than many of her peers in social media interaction.
With the record sales, Adele alone is helping boost sales for the recorded music industry.
Offering a more detailed glance at her first week, Nielsen Music said that "25" accounted for 37.7 percent of all album sales in the United States, in a month that saw new releases from other big pop names including Justin Bieber and One Direction.
The sales were nearly evenly divided between physical and digital, with Adele putting "25" for purchase on iTunes despite her boycott of streaming.
Monday, December 7th 2015


A Large Evil Corporation do exactly what you may suspect, steal candy from babies and worship the almighty dollar. However, in the plus column, they do produce wonderful animations! I was alerted to their work, like many, through their superb Cornetto… Evil Vinyl designs. Something that started as a fun homage quickly began attracting a lot of attention. After the huge positive response and endless questions such as, "These are awesome, where can I buy them?" the Evil Corp. recently announced they have partnered with toy company Funko, to capitalise on their success.
Gemma Correll is a UK based illustrator, know for her guileless style. A style that has garnered her over 236,000 followers on facebook, and clients including Hallmark, The New York Times, Chronicle Books and The Observer. Correll has also published four books to date, her latest being, A Pug's Guide to Dating.
Presenting Kyle Smart. Part-time tutor at Bristol UWE, member of the Drawn In Bristol collective, and full time freelance Illustrator. Predominately working in editorial illustration, he creates images for magazines and book covers. Some of his previous clients include Variety Magazine, Readers Digest, NoBrow Press, The Wall Street Journal, and Computer Arts.
Englishman Brian Bolland born on March 26th, 1951 has made a lasting impact as a comic book artist.
Mancunian Ed J Brown is an illustrator with some fantastic hand-drawn type skills. His humour comes through in his work, which is pumped with bold colours and jagged lines. Pretty exciting stuff.


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So Christmas is fast approaching and in the workshop I have various jobs.
various repairs too. So I'm pretty busy for the next 5 weeks.
I don't want to be on the Naughty Santa List !!
Cabinet Maker, Furniture Repairs and Restoration and Repolishing.
cabinets and a chest in black lacquer with a very high gloss finish.
bespoke Natural Edge Frames and 1 longbow to make.
Followed by an 8ft by 8ft wardrobe in a white satin finish.
So busy busy busy for me, just the way I like it.
a sideboard too. Along with some other repair jobs.
call me at Graham White Furniture on 01205 870233.
sale too in our shop.
and we can give you a quote.
So spring has sprung and the better weather should be just around the corner.
Please check out our online shop and see the selection of frames we have.
Picture Frames and Mirror Frames too.
Any furniture enquires please call me on 01205 870233.
and a kiln stack wouldn't go amiss.
using the details on the site.
along with 3 bows for fellow archers I shoot with.
Its great to see so many people wanting to shot Longbow and with my bows !!!
a theme in a guest bedroom.
that need to be sanded and polished.
These will then go on sale in our Online Shop and our Ebay Shop too.
For all your restoration and furniture needs in Lincolnshire.
So we've had the warmest day so far !! And yes it certainly was.
chairs and wooden garden furniture.
Call me for any Cabinet Making needs too.
Our latest job in the workshop is Stripping and Repolishing a Baby Grand Piano.
restoration by Graham White Furniture.
scratches, water, heat marks and you think the Varnish, Wax, French Polish or Lacquer needs restoring call us.
finish, that brings most pieces back to life. Like the first day you bought it.
What a beautiful morning here in Old Leake, Lincolnshire.
once the top has been restored.
beautiful memory for the special couple.