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How Hive sold more in Year 2 than Year 1 despite the "Indiepocalypse"
As a small 2-person team, we were able to sell more units of Hive in it's 2nd year after launch than we did in the 1st - despite living through the Indiepocalypse. I'll share what we did to achieve this and some other insights we learned along the way.
Sean Colombo
[Original Article]
As a small two-person team, we were able to sell more units of Hive in it's second year after launch than we did in the first - despite living through the "Indiepocalypse".
This experience flies right in the face of the conventional wisdom of the game sales cycle being mainly one giant launch spike followed by a death-taper-to-zero afterwards.
In this post, I'll endeavor to tell you what we did to achieve this, and to share some other insights we learned along the way.
BlueLine Game Studios is a small indie game studio - specializing in making digital versions of amazing board games. The studio consists of Sean Colombo (author of this post) and Geoff Brown. We're anywhere from 1 to 2 people fulltime; usually one fulltime, one part-time. Years ago, we built a successful web startup together, then 4 years ago we finally became professional game devs with BlueLine Game Studios. After first releasing Hive on Xbox 360, we pivoted and after many more months released Hive as our first title on Steam, just over 2 years ago. Since that time, we've also released Khet 2.0, Reversi, and Simply Chess. All of our Steam titles run on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Not all game developers will be able to benefit from what we've learned, but a very large number will.
In this flooded market caused by the Indiepocalypse, there are many great games that don't get nearly as famous as they should (eg: Escape Goat 2, Cannon Brawl, Duskers, Rymdkapsel). Making a great game is not sufficient for it to be successful, but it should be seen as mandatory. Fortunately, we knew when we licensed Hive that the gameplay of the board game was amazing. Our digital conversion seems to be satisfactory to the community and it is currently recommended by 95% of Steam users that review it. There are plenty of articles about how to make good games, and that's way outside the scope of this article, so we'll just take it as a pre-requisite.
Additionally, the gameplay should be something that has a lot of replay value (which is a large part of why boardgames are our strategy) and they need not to be "zeitgeisty". For example, this article wouldn't be very useful for a game about the 2016 American Presidential election, because it's unlikely it will perform well in 2017.
What We Learned!
Each paragraph is a different lesson. Subsume their knowledge!
Our single biggest learning was that the only marketing endeavor which drove significant sales spikes was Steam visibility. Significant visibility on Steam comes from several types of events: Early Access Launch, Full Launch, DLC Launches, Mac/Linux Launches, Seasonal Sales (Summer & Holiday), and manually created 1-2 week Discounts.
Another huge lesson was that almost all revenue comes from sales-spikes, there are a decent number of ways to cause these spikes, and we must continue to cause them in order to survive. As mentioned before, this contradicts the common assumption that games are very launch-centric and shows that Steam games can be run almost as a service. It's important to note that if we'd just given up on Hive after launch, our data would have looked like everyone else's showing that launch was important and the harsh realities of the Indiepocalypse crushed us after that. If we'd stopped investing in Hive after it's launch month, we'd have missed out on about 70% of the sales we've made so-far.
Solid games definitely don't have to die right after launch. Here's a chart showing all of the various spikes we were able to cause, and their affect on the running-total:
None of those spikes happened automatically. Every one of them was directly caused by things that we did. Later in the article there is a section which explains the various things we did to cause spikes.
We didn't do any paid advertising for Hive. We tried several different paid advertisement locations for another game and none of them ended up having a positive return-on-investment as far as we could tell.
I gave talks at the East Coast Game Conference in 2013 ("Turn Based AI") and 2015 ("Cryptography for Game Developers") and we also had a booth there in 2015. I also spoke on a couple of panels at PAX Dev 2013. This was a blast and I met a lot of really interesting people that I've learned a ton from. This didn't lead to direct sales spikes, but I still think it was extremely valuable. Sharing what we've learned also felt really fulfilling. Hopefully we'll be doing more conferences, talks, and panels in the future.
We almost entirely neglected press. This could be due to our background in consumer-websites, but after a very short period of posting links to the game on obvious places (facebook, twitter, etc.), we got sucked right back into bug-fixing and new features rather than contacting more press like we should have. We did get a little bit of press from indie reviewers & let's players. The only press we got from a big outlet was IndieGamerChick re-reviewing the Steam version (she'd reviewed the Xbox 360 version earlier). None of the press that we got caused a visible spike in our sales-data, but we think that's largely because we didn't do very much work to get press. The various reviews & videos are all greatly appreciated and they probably lead to some new fans trickling in over-time but just didn't cause a visible, instant spike in sales so they're challenging to measure. Learning how to get press is an area where I think we really need to improve.
What were we able to do to cause spikes?
DLC: Meh
The board game Hive has 3 expansion pieces. They each significantly change gameplay and took a while to make, so after we launched the game, we got into creating & releasing those as soon as we could finish them. Each launch resulted in more visibility on Steam and drove sales of the main game. Steam users all seem to hate DLC in a different way - I'm fairly convinced that there is no way to do DLC that users agree is the right way... they will always be mad - so it's always stressful. We lucked out since we're making a digital version of a board game that exists in stores (and has actual expansions) so we did a direct analog to that sales system. This means we had a system that at least we feel good about. Judging by the sales of the expansion pieces, I think people understood our reasoning overall, but if we got a lot of flack for this system, be aware that you're likely going to get a lot of complaints for your DLC regardless of what you do. It's just not something that gives players warm-fuzzies and we're in an industry where warm-fuzzies and happiness are a large part of what we're selling. Another caveat is that there is a bit of a limit on how many you can do, so this isn't a good strategy for getting a bunch of spikes over the long-term. We did the 3 expansions and that seems to be the limit of where it makes sense for our game (unless Gen42 Games releases new expansions for Hive in the future).
Mac & Linux Launches
After Hive, we've been launching all games with Mac & Linux from the get-go, but originally we didn't have the porting figured out. For Hive, we launched the Mac and Linux versions about four months after the full-launch of the game.
An interesting side-effect was that the game showed up in "New Releases" on Mac and Linux pages of Steam. This, coupled with a 20% off sale on the game (which matched our initial launch-week price), seemed to drive a fairly big week-long spike for the games. The launch-spike for games overall is usually much shorter, but as of summer 2014, it was taking a week for a game to get knocked off of the New Releases list on Mac. That list is probably also flooded by now (but less than for Windows), so your mileage may vary.
As you can see from the charts, not only did they cause spikes, but they ended up being an additional source of revenue equal to almost 12% of our total revenue for the 2 year period since Hive's initial Early Access launch.
Running sales gives you more visibility on Steam, and honestly many users have probably added your game to their wishlist and are just waiting for a sale.
Sale prices have become the norm on Steam. Due to international exchange rates and grouping of items into two-packs or Complete Packs (bundling the game with the expansions), it's a bit tricky to calculate a perfect representation of how cheaply things sell. However, in the United States a single copy of Hive is $9.99 and a two-pack ends up being ~$7.99 per copy, and if you get a single Complete pack it can get as high as $15.99 per copy. If you take all of the copies we sold and divide by the total revenue from these games (this excludes revenue from DLC that was sold separately), it ends up at at an average of $3.62 per copy.
Since we have so many different starting-prices, perhaps a more useful way to grasp the exact impact of sales prices is to see a histogram of volume of sales at given percentages of full-price. For example, this chart is showing that we sold about twice as many units at 75%-off (25% of full price) as we did at full-price. The chart doesn't show the total revenue, so since 100% is 4x the revenue-per-copy that 25% is, then we still made about twice as much money on full-priced copies as heavily discounted copies.
Side-note: There are sites like SteamDb that track the price-histories for games, so don't do any crazy 90% off experiments early on in your game's lifespan or users might hold off on buying your game, expecting it to go to that level again. If people expect to pay 20% off full-price at launch, then slowly get discounts over the following months then users will be motivated to buy now if they can. Hopefully they will only wait if they're price-sensitive enough that a few months are worth a few percent to them (we've all been there). This ends up working out pretty well for everyone.
Updates, updates, updates!
When updates are announced in conjunction with sales, they lead to more units. We often announced an update in the middle of a sale-week and saw a second peak. This also indicates to potential buyers that you're not just discounting an old, stale game, but are just selling a game that's both mature and still growing. Even when we're not doing sales, we do a quite a large amount of updates.
Bundles? Not yet!
Since this post is referring to how we sold more units in Year 2 than Year 1, many people might have assumed that the answer was one word: Bundles. In fact, we haven't done any bundles for Hive yet. Hive is a premium niche product and we'd love to see it in an appropriate bundle (such as a Humble Digital Tabletop Bundle) some day. In the meantime, all of our growth was done just based on selling it on Steam, the Humble Store, and via the Humble Widget. Pay-what-you-want for Hive sounds pretty enticing, huh? ;)
We put some of our other games in non-Humble Bundles a while ago. The revenue was negligible but dumping thousands of copies did a good job of beefing up the online communities so that there were always more people online.
Other Big Learnings
These weren't directly related to sales spikes, but we learned a thing or two...
Be responsive to the community!
I read every forum post for all of our games (even Simply Chess which took me about 10 hours per day right after launch) and respond to almost all of them. Being present (so that users know you care) and doing bug-fixes and forward development based on their suggestions ensures that you have a product that's actually going in the direction the market wants and it lets users know that you actually care about them even after you have their money.
As a caveat: I've never tried ignoring the community so I really don't have a scientific comparison to say that this has been more useful than doing the opposite (being a jerk and completely ignoring your users). Anecdotally though: several of our Steam Reviews have mentioned that part of what they liked about our games is that we're so responsive in the forums.
Full Launch > Early Access
Our Full Launch sold a lot more units than our Early Access launch which is the opposite of what I've been reading in a lot of places. This might be due to our lack of press - I've read that press view your Early Access launch as your only launch because your game is "old news" by the time it comes out. Another possibility is that this could just be because our Early Access launch was over 2 years ago and things may have changed since then. Your mileage may vary.
Keep grinding to build the online community
If your game has multiplayer, build the online community. If a player goes on and there is nobody to play against, they quickly abandon the lobby assuming "nobody is ever online" and then another person may come in 5 minutes later and think the same thing. This means that there is a specific tipping point where there is always someone to play with, which keeps both of those players online longer and when the next person comes in, they also see an active community and stay online playing. It is a really long arduous journey for an indie, but keep iterating until you pass that tipping point. We spent months of development on this before we started to see it pay off. We reworked the Online Game Menu Screen, wrote our own group-chat, etc. but it wasn't until we released Asynchronous games (which took a lot of work) that the online community really started thriving.
Other Small Factors
We're using the same engine for all of our games which subsidizes bug-fixing and new features.
If you have a thriving online community, it seems to raise the daily sales at full-price. Even though it's not a ton of sales, 5 sales per day for a month (between spikes) is much better than 1 sale per day for that month. It adds up.
We're fairly niche since we make turn based games. If you're not niche, you might get better results from PR and even more viral growth from an online community.
Some sources of error in the data: these stats were just from Steam. This ignores the Humble Store and Humble Widget sales just for simplicity of pre-processing all of the data to make these charts. Also, we mainly used units-sold rather than total revenue. The raw revenue was pretty flat Y1 vs Y2. There are a lot of different currencies so I presented the data as percentages-of-full-price in some spots. The actual amount earned per unit is much less clean due to the variance in currency conversions.
Change is constant. The Indiepocalypse isn't some big one-time shift in the industry. If you read The Ultimate History of Video Games (great book), you'll realize that change is extremely normal in game development. The entire market has been changing every couple of years since its creation. The fact that Steam has been a solid place to market your game for many years in a row is actually a fairly impressive amount of stability. Get used to change and continually run tests to figure out what the current state of the world is.
I'm so bad at marketing that somehow, I've gone this whole post without asking you to buy Hive! Please buy our game: Hive on Steam.
The indie dev market is (and has likely always been) crazy. Making a good game is absolutely mandatory for success but despite what you read, it is never enough on its own.
By running your own experiments, tracking metrics, and learning from the experiences of other developers (eg: reading what I've written above!) you can survive despite the challenges of the day. If you've found other ways to cause sales-spikes on Steam, please share them in the comments!
It's always the Indiepocalypse. The Indiepocalypse never changes.
ConsoleProduction


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Q: Pre-Boot BIOS Setup Power Setting/Warning Currently when I startup my Dell Latitude 5400 I receive this message:

Alert! You have attached an undersized 60W power adapter to your system, which is less than the recommended 90W power adapter. To continue operating at peak performance, your system may also draw power from the battery. The battery charges only when the power provided by the adapter is greater than the needs of your. Use a Dell 90W (or greater) power adapter to enable charging during peak system performance.
Note: This warning can be disabled in BIOS setup.

Now, I am using the 90W power supply that was provided with laptop from the factory, so I am not worried performance or battery charge state (never had an issue with the battery draining with the work I do).
I would like to focus on the last line "Note: This warning can be disabled in BIOS setup." I have been through the entire BIOS Setup menu and cannot find a setting or option that will disable this warning message.
Where can I find this setting/option?

A: According to the manual, you can find the option under POST Behavior. It is called Adapter Warnings and should be at the very top in this menu.
On my Dell Precision 5560, the menu is called Pre-boot Behavior, the option is the same.

You indicate you're using a docking station. If it is a USB-C docking station with passthrough charging, you need a bigger power supply. General rule of thumb with Dell is one step bigger. So if your notebook requires 65 Watts, you'd use a 90 W PSU on the dock. If it requires 90 W, 130 W. 130, 180. 180, 240.
It's also important to keep in mind that Dell uses proprietary USB Power Delivery extensions. Use a Dell dock, if at all possible.
Otherwise, you can always connect a PSU using the barrel plug, in addition to the docking station via USB-C.

A: A power supply may weaken over the years, depending on its starting quality.
It will not hold 90W forever.
If the warning is real, the power supply may be dying.
I absolutely recommend to work on fixing the problem,
perhaps by replacing the power supply, before this becomes a much
bigger problem than just a warning message.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Q: Back ground Image gets cut when full screen I am trying to create a full width background image.
The problem I am facing is when its full screen the bottom of the background image gets cut. And when I check the responsiveness the entire background image is shown.
How can I show the entire image when on full screen. Screen Resolution: 1366x768.
Here is the css used for background image:
body{
overflow:hidden;
background-image:url(img/background.jpg);
background-repeat:no-repeat;
background-size:cover;
background-position:inherit;
}

Full Screen
Responsiveness

A: use
css attribute
 background-size:100%; or background-size: cover;


Aregbsesola spoke at the presidential villa in Abuja saying that the protest of the PDP and some select senators, including Dino Melaye and Ben Bruce, "is nothing but a charade and an act of irresponsibility''.
In his words, "the party that was defeated in the election is already in the tribunal. So, I don't know what the protest is meant to do. It is a charade and an act of gross irresponsibility. After an election, the only option left for any responsible citizen is to go to the tribunal. If you are already in court and you are still doing a street protest, it is either you are not mentally stable or you need psychiatric attention".
Saraki had led members of PDP on Friday to press home their disagreement with the results of the 27 September governorship election in Osun state. They had engaged in a protest march to the Abuja headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police headquarters. They demanded that INEC declare PDP candidate Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the Osun election.


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Aquaculture & the Environment
All human activities – from walking through a field to building a skyscraper – have an impact on the environment. Aquaculture is no exception. However, modern U.S. aquaculture is far more advanced that both historic practices and practices in many parts of the world. U.S. regulators and aquaculture practitioners have learned a great deal – from past mistakes and through aggressive research – about how to harmonize aquaculture with the marine environment.
This series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) addresses commonly asked questions about the relationship between aquaculture and the environment. We discuss U.S. laws and regulations that exist to protect the marine environment as well as specific questions that often are raised about aquaculture's potential impact. If you have a question or concern that is not addressed here, contact us.
1. What does aquaculture do to protect the environment?
2. What laws and regulations exist to protect the environment?
3. What environmental factors are evaluated before a farm is permitted and established in marine waters?
4. Are drugs and chemicals used in aquaculture?
5. What causes disease in fish?
6. What is done to reduce diseases in farmed fish?
7. What is done to prevent sea lice and other parasites on finfish farms and to minimize impacts on wild fish populations?
8. What is nutrient discharge and why is it a challenge for finfish aquaculture?
9. What is done to minimize the impact of fish escapes from aquaculture on wild populations?
10. What about the potential genetic interaction between farmed and wild fish?
11. What do aquaculture net-pen operators do to prevent interaction with marine mammals?
12. Is farmed salmon injected with dye?
In the United States, aquaculture is regulated under stringent federal and state laws and regulations that protect the environment. Through lessons learned over time and by engaging in aggressive research, aquaculture operators have developed commonly-accepted "best management practices" to minimize impacts. Aquaculture operators are aware that it is in their financial interest to maintain a healthy environment for the fish and shellfish they are growing. Here is a report by the National Ocean Service analyzing and addressing the environmental concerns and recommendations related to cage culture of marine finfish around the world.
In some cases – like shellfish and seaweed farming – aquaculture contributes to environmental health by sequestering nutrients and cleaning up the water. Shellfish Aquaculture and the Environment , a book covering all aspects of shellfish aquaculture, details the role of shellfish farms in provision of ecosystem goods and services. The Executive Summary can be accessed through Connecticut Sea Grant here. In addition to adhering to environmental (and food safety laws), aquaculture operators work with state and federal regulators to continually monitor potential impacts.
Aquaculture operators in the United States must abide by a comprehensive suite of environmental regulations, which differ depending on the type of operation. For operations in marine waters, federal regulations address environmental issues including diseases, discharge, structures, the protection of threatened and endangered species, seafood safety, use of medication, feed ingredients, marine mammal protection, fish habitat, and consistency with state regulations, among others. Further state and local regulations address these and other issues. For a table listing most federal statutory authorities for regulation of marine aquaculture, click here.
For an aquaculture site to be permitted, the operation must show that it will maintain a healthy environment for wild animals in the environment, the animals on the farm, and the surrounding habitat. Many environmental factors are evaluated before a farm is permitted and continue to be monitored while the farm is in operation. Such factors include nutrient discharge, protection against escapes of farmed animals, protocols for maintaining fish health, potential impacts to the benthic environment, and many others.
Rarely. Because of the success of vaccines to prevent some diseases in farmed fish, the use of antibiotics and other drugs has been reduced dramatically. While good management practices and vaccines alone are usually enough to prevent or control disease, a farmer may, in consultation with a licensed veterinarian, use a limited number of aquatic animal drugs including antibiotics, in the case where they have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat specific conditions. In fact, only three antibiotics have been approved for limited use in aquaculture. Drug use in fish is subject to strict application requirements. Before a drug is approved for use, FDA requires that it be demonstrated effective, safe for the environment, and safe for humans who consume the treated product. Go to the FDA 'Fish Drug' Q&A.
Disease can be caused by a number of factors, alone or in combination, which act to weaken the immune system of the animal. Factors may include pathogenic micro-organisms, parasites, environmental influences, aquaculture conditions, and poor nourishment.
6. What is done to reduce diseases in farmed fish and shellfish?
Fish and shellfish farmers—as well as state and federal regulatory agencies—take many precautions to prevent infection and transmission of pathogens and parasites (which are the agents that cause disease). At commercial hatcheries, juveniles are reared under carefully controlled conditions to prevent the introduction of disease-causing agents from outside sources. Before fish or shellfish are transferred to farm sites or released into the wild, veterinarians and other aquatic health professionals evaluate them to ensure that they are free of pathogens or parasites. Most states also have regulations requiring fish and shellfish to be screened before they are transferred to another site or released into the wild.
Farmed fish are vaccinated against some of the diseases that have caused problems in the past. Antibiotics are rarely used and, if required, their use is strictly regulated and always under the supervision of a veterinarian.
At NOAA's Manchester lab in Washington State, fish do not need antibiotics (the lab grows salmon, sablefish, lingcod, and rockfish, among others) because the fish are vaccinated against known pathogens. Antibiotics can be used on special occasions to treat injuries received when wild fish are captured to be used as brood stock.
Parasites are a fact of life with all forms of animal production, but their presence does not normally cause disease. The potential harmful effects of parasites can be minimized significantly by following good practices. The parasite of greatest concern to salmon farmers is sea lice. Historically, sea lice occasionally have been a problem for farmed salmon in the State of Maine – where they exist naturally in the wild. Maine has made great strides in minimizing the incidence of sea lice by reducing stocking density, rotating pens among distant locations, and letting sites lie fallow between harvests.
When further treatment is necessary, fish are treated with hydrogen peroxide (which breaks down into water and oxygen) as the first choice and with another compound (similar to that used to de-worm dogs and cats) as a second choice, only as needed. In the latter case, the fish are moved from their holding structure to a boat with a tank on it; then the fish are treated and replaced in to the structure. Strict protocols ensure that there is no residual compound in the fish tissue at the time of harvest. Recently, researchers at University of Maine may have found a way to reduce the spread of sea lice by cultivating local blue mussels alongside salmon farms. Research in Norway has found that "cleaner" fish (wrass) effectively eat off the parasites from salmon.
Sea lice are not a problem in Washington State due to the lower salinity of the water. However, there is a gill parasite in Washington that fish farmers treat with a freshwater bath. Typically, this is done once a year.
Nutrient discharge from fish farming operations is organic and comes from two sources – fish excrement and uneaten feed that drifts into the water column. Both types of discharge contain nitrogen and phosphorus – which are biodegradable. Excretion from farmed fish, like that of wild fish, tends to degrade rapidly and is helped by proper siting of farms. Arguments are made that waste from fish farms may foul the area under the farm, making it unsuitable for native organisms. However, this is not the case in the United States, where decades of experience have led to effective management plans, proper siting, and regulatory regimes that ensure minimum impacts to the benthic environment. Some fish farms, such as salmon farms in Maine, fallow between crops to allow the benthos to recover. A review of the effects of cage aquaculture on the marine environment can be found here.
From both regulatory and financial perspectives, strong incentives exist to minimize feed waste. In some finfish operations, feed represents up to 75% of the operating costs. Because of the cost of feed and the awareness of the environmental impact of overfeeding, farmers carefully manage feed delivery so as to maximize the growth and well-being of the fish without resulting in wasteful and contaminating excess.
Where does the discharge from fish cages go? In open ocean waters, the wastes are dispersed in the sea and assimilated and recycled by marine bacteria and other organisms. What was considered a waste is converted into fertilizer and food for algae and seaweed, mollusks, worms, crabs, and other fish.
Salmon farms are managed to preserve species diversity and abundance. In both Maine and Washington, salmon farms are required to produce "no net enrichment" of bottom sediments. In Maine, the measure is a change in the benthic community; in Washington, it is determined by chemical analysis. Both states require recurring benthic video surveys. Maine manages net pen farms by alternating, or "fallowing" sites; Washington by locating the farms in high current areas over seafloor made of sand, cobble and small rocks.
9. What is done to minimize the impact of fish escapes on wild populations?
There are two ways that aquaculture fish enter the marine environment – intentionally and unintentionally. Read more about intentional releases of hatchery fish on our stock enhancement page.
Advanced containment systems and improved management practices – including fish handling in hatcheries and farm management – have dramatically reduced escapes from U.S. fish farms in the last 10 years. Advances in cage design and technology include stronger net material and improved mooring components. 'Best Management Practices' include the use of underwater cameras to monitor and inspect cages and divers to perform hands-on inspections and maintenance. If fish do escape, impacts to the genetic diversity of wild fish are minimized by selecting founding hatchery broodstock from local wild fish so the genetic make-up is similar.
Typically domesticated fish that are raised in captivity are poor performers in the wild and few of them are able to reproduce. However, researchers are now working on methods to make cultured fish sterile so that, if they did escape, they would not be able to breed with their wild cousins. Further domestication also reduces competitiveness in the wild.
U.S. federal and state permits require containment management systems at all marine sites and enforce these measures through regular inspections and audits. Equipment and husbandry will continue to evolve and improve as operators test new designs and materials.
10. What about the potential genetic interaction between farmed animals and wild fish and shellfish?
Genetic interaction between farmed and wild fish and shellfish is another concern related to seafood aquaculture. Based on years of research and testing, experts are finding that there are many ways to mitigate this risk. A primary approach is to farm species with genetics similar to -- or very different from -- local wild stocks, depending on the situation. Aquaculture operators – consistent with federal and state regulatory requirements – reduce the impact of potential cross-breeding through broodstock management, including the use of stocks that are genetically compatible with wild populations. This is true for hatchery operators for both finfish (for example, salmon and redfish), and shellfish (for example, oysters).
Genetic impacts to wild stocks also are minimized through other strategies:
Domestication – farmed fish are highly domesticated and do not fare well in the wild. Hence, the potential for mating and competition with wild stocks is minimized.
Containment – for netpen aquaculture, advances in cage design are continually decreasing the likelihood of escapes.
Sterility – for shellfish aquaculture, hatchery practices including manipulation at the larval stage produce bivalves that are reproductively sterile.
The salmon farming industry in Maine follows genetic guidelines for farmed salmon production that mandate the use of local North American stocks that are genetically similar to wild populations, thus reducing the genetic effects from potential interbreeding with wild populations. Scientists also are looking at the use of sterile hatchery fish to minimize the likelihood that any escapes will reproduce in the wild.
The primary deterrent is the use of predator nets. These nets are hung outside of the net-pens and are made of a large, strong mesh that the predator cannot bite through. Bull rails (knee high fences developed by marine mammal biologists to keep sea lions off of docks) are also used to discourage marine mammals from getting onto net pen structures. In extreme cases an electric fence is added to the bull rails.
The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) prohibits the intentional shooting of marine mammals in commercial fishing operations, which includes aquaculture farms.
No. In the wild, salmon consume tiny shellfish that contain natural pigments called carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants and precursors of vitamin A. These carotenoids, specifically astaxanthin and canthaxanthin, give salmon flesh its distinctive pigment. Farmed salmon diets are supplemented with natural and/or synthetic astaxanthin similar to the pigment that salmon get in the wild. Both natural and synthetic astaxanthin are processed and absorbed by wild and farmed fish in exactly the same manner. Carotenoids are good for human health and are used in a wide variety of applications, including as dietary supplements.
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View the Archives
Featured Websites and Technical Papers
Environmental Performance of Marine Net Pens in the US
Marine Cage Culture and the Environment: Twenty-first Century Science Informing a Sustainable Industry
Mariculture in the Strait of Juan de Fuca
NOAA-sponsored technical report addressing the beneficial, floating reef effects of net pen aquaculture

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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13 Random and Geeky Facts About Spooky Moms
Comic Books Crosspost Entertainment Featured TV and Movies
October 8, 2022 October 7, 2022 Lisa Tate
A parent's job is never ending and infinitely valuable, and moms come in all types. Yet, around October, when the haunting season is approaching, it is the spooky moms who get all the attention.
Last year we celebrated some wonderfully spooky women as part of a look at horror and sci-fi hosts, and now it is time to look at some spooky and epic matriarchs!
This fall, we see two of the most famous "spooky moms" get another new reboot in the form of Morticia Addams and Lily Munster. In celebration of moms everywhere, here are 13 random and geeky facts about some of the most famous spooky moms.
1. There have been several actresses playing both Morticia Addams and Lily Munster over the years in live and animated form, but who has had more? Morticia! Portrayed in the original series by Carolyn Jones, she has had eight: Anjelica Huston, Ellie Harvie, Nancy Linari, Daryl Hannah, Charlize Theron, and Janet Waldo, as well as the newest for the upcoming series Wednesday, Catherine Zeta-Jones.
2. Lily isn't too far behind Morticia with six different actresses from the original series actress Yvonne De Carlo to the latest movie Lily, Sheri Moon Zombie. Other Lilys were Portia de Rossi, Lee Meriwether, Veronica Hamel, and Ann Magnuson.
3. The name Morticia Addams is such an instantly recognizable name, but if you're a fan of the original series, you'll know her maiden name was Morticia Frump, and she has a flower child sister Ophelia (also played by Carolyn Jones). Her own mom's name was Hester Frump, played by the Wicked Witch of the West herself, Margaret Hamilton. In the series, by the way, Fester is Morticia's mom's brother and Grandmama is Gomez's mom. This is different from the family tree in the hit movie versions where Fester and Gomez are brothers and Grandmama is Morticia's mom.
4. Lily Munster wasn't always Lily. She was originally named "Phoebe" and portrayed by Joan Marshall in an unaired pilot. It was decided the character was too much like Morticia Addams and a change was made. According to Mental Floss, the cast took a little time to warm up to De Carlo but were won over by her comedic timing.
Here's the original pilot intro… and thank goodness they changed the theme song as well:
5. Samantha Stevens (Elizabeth Montgomery) of the sitcom Bewitched was the anchor of the Stevens house, trying to blend in with regular suburban life. This was despite her being a powerful witch and having a very eccentric magical family. She and her mother, Endora, were actually named loosely from the biblical first Book of Samuel, where Saul consults a "Witch of Endor." Samuel became "Samantha" and Endor became "Endora." The connection stops there. The series ran for eight seasons from 1964 to 1972 and spawned both a spinoff and a more recent movie reboot.
6. One very famous horror mom is the basis of one of the creepiest, most famous scary reveals in horror movie history, the "Mother" of Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Who played her? Anthony Perkins, of course. The long-dead "Mother" is taking over Norman's personality more and more in the film. You can even hear him yell, very faintly under the loud music "I AM NORMA BATES" (at the 1:17 mark) as he entered the cellar in this famous, grisly scene:
7. We learn a little more about Norman's unsettling relationship with his mother (Vera Farmiga) in the twisted A&E series Bates Motel, which ran five seasons from 2013 to 2017. Mother is so important in this series, set in the modern day, fans will notice the Bate Motel's wi-fi password is MOTHER.
8. Today, even those who have never seen a Friday the 13th film know the look of psycho killer Jason Voorhees as much as they know the Halloween franchise's Michael Myers. Don't forget, however, the original film's main baddie wasn't Jason at all. (We don't see the iconic look of Jason in the hockey mask until the third film.) It was his mom, Pamela. Pamela is a bit unhinged, but she did survive an abusive marriage and was very protective of her son, Jason. If you want a good back story on Mother Voorhees, Wildstorm comics created the two-part series Friday the 13th: Pamela's Tale, by Marc Andreyko and Shawn Moll, in 2007.
The two-part comic 'Pamela's Tale' gives a dark backstory to the original 'Friday the 13th' killer. Images © Wildstorm Comics.
9. Molly Weasley (Julie Walters) is one of the coolest, fan-favorite characters in the Harry Potter movies, but readers know there is so much more to this magical mom in the books. She was a bit of a rebel and a rule-breaker in her school years, and she and Arthur eloped during the first Wizarding War. She is also the one responsible, in both the book and movie, for taking out the hard-to-kill villain Bellatrix Lestrange. But everyone already knew that.
10. Ms. Squibbles, the sweet-natured monster mom in Monsters University, revealed herself to be a death metal fan as she told the college boys she would be in the car "listening to her tunes" as they snuck into the Monsters Inc. building. The song she is listening to is an actual metal song, "Island" by Mastodon from their album Leviathan. No, you can't find it on the movie's soundtrack.
11. Not all spooky moms are loving parents. Take, for example, the abusively protective Margaret White from Steven King's Carrie. The book has had many screen versions and a short-lived stage adaptation, but the in the famous 1976 Brian De Palma film, Piper Laurie portrayed Margaret. According to an article on NPR, Laurie said the role was so extreme she thought the movie was a comic "send-up" when she first read the script.
12. One of the most iconic spooky and protective moms wasn't even from this planet, she was the Alien Queen in James Cameron's Aliens (the sequel to Alien) just trying to keep her babies safe. She is a sizable sci-fi monster mom, too. According to various fan sites, this Xenomorph mom stands 14'9″ tall (4.5m), can run about 50 to 60 mph, and weighs about 10 tons. Do not mess with this mom!
13. There are plenty of spooky moms out there, but for the sake of space, here is just one "other" mother: the Beldam from Neil Gaiman's book and movie Coraline. She is called the "Other Mother" by Coraline Jones, for she is disguised as her own, seemingly better, mother at first, before revealing her evil skeletal spider form. Gaiman said he was inspired for this story because his daughter wanted to read stories of little girls with witches pretending to be their moms. He couldn't find any books about it, so he created one. It took him ten years to write, due to other obligations, but we're glad he finished it.
What about the Beldam's origins? Well, "beldam" can mean "witch," but there is more to it. The creepy origin site A Bit Frank has some interesting insights:
Whether loving or lurking, strange or superhuman, moms are an important part of the season, in books, movies, and spooky-ooky pop culture everywhere.
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text:
package kalang.compiler.ast;
import kalang.compiler.core.Type;
/**
 *
 * @author Kason Yang
 */
public class ArithmeticBinaryExpr extends BinaryExpr{

    public ArithmeticBinaryExpr(ExprNode expr1, ExprNode expr2, String operation) {
        super(expr1, expr2, operation);
    }

    @Override
    public Type getType() {
        return getType(getExpr1());
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The world community recognized the increased Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiations on the Earth surface owing to depletion of ozone layer is a cause of concern as it affects human health and eco-systems. This led to the signing of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer on 22nd March, 1985 and subsequently the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer on 16th September, 1987 to protect the ozone layer.
The United Nations General Assembly, in December, 1994, adopted resolution 49/114, which proclaims 16th September as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer to commemorate the date on which Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed on 16th September, 1987.
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is universally recognized as the most successful environmental treaty in history. In more than 25 years of its operation, extraordinary international cooperation led to phase-out of several Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs).One of the key factors in this successful achievement was that the developed countries acknowledged their historic responsibility for production, consumption and emissions of ODSs that had led to the ozone hole. The developing countries took on commitments for phase-out of ODSs. Such common but differentiated responsibilities led to the success of the Montreal Protocol which can now serve as an example of excellent international cooperation for addressing other environmental challenges.
India became a Party to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer as early as on 18th March,1991 and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer on 19th June, 1992 and has ratified all the amendments to the Montreal Protocol.
Since then, India has played a key role in negotiation of the Protocol and implementation of phase-out of ODSs as per the Montreal Protocol schedule by adopting various policy measures, including National Awareness Campaign.Awareness of Ozone issues is the key to promote switching over to non-ODS technologies in the industry.In accordance with the UN resolution, the Ozone Cell, Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Government of India has been celebrating the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer since 1995 at National and State levels.
The Ozone Cell, MoEF, Government of India celebrated the International Ozone Day on 14th September, 2013. The Theme for the 19th International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer for the year 2013 was : "A healthy atmosphere, the Future We Want ". This year's theme is befitting to the celebrations. The control measures, implemented under the Montreal Protocol, have avoided millions of cases of fatal skin cancer and eye cataracts. The Montreal Protocol has been hailed as a prime example of successful international cooperation to protect the global commons.
(a) Publication of booklet Titled "The Montreal Protocol : India's Success Story" highlighting the initiatives undertaken and achievements made by the Ozone Cell, MoEF, Government of India, on implementation of the Montreal Protocol in India.
(c) Telecasting of a video film on the Montreal Protocol and Ozone Layer by the Doordarshan.
(d) Painting, Poster, Slogan Writing competitions for school children.
The winners of the competitions in various categories were presented awards comprising of cash award, mementoes and merit certificates at the function organized on the occasion of the 19th International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.


text:
MLB playoffs 2015: Jacob deGrom, David Wright lead Mets to 1st playoff win since '06
Jacob deGrom tossed seven scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts Friday to help the Mets beat the Dodgers 3-1 in Game 1 of their National League Division Series.
DeGrom's strikeouts tied Tom Seaver's single-game franchise postseason record set in Game 1 of the 1973 NLCS against the Reds. It's also the first time a pitcher has struck out 13 batters and surrendered zero runs in his postseason debut since Tim Lincecum in 2010.
MORE: Best NLDS photos | Starters combine to make postseason history
Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy opened the scoring with a solo home run in the fourth inning. David Wright added insurance in the seventh inning with a two-run, bases-loaded single against reliever Pedro Baez.
MLB playoffs 2015: Best photos from the National League Division Series
Adrian Gonzalez gave the home fans something to cheer about when he drove in Howie Kendrick in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Mets closer Jeurys Familia retired Justin Turner on lineout to first to end the inning. Familia then retired the side in order in the ninth for the four-out save.
MORE: MLB postseason schedule | Top 10 Mets postseason moments
This was the Mets' first playoff win since 2006 - the last year they were in the postseason.
Score: Mets 3, Dodgers 1
Hero: Wright delivered a two-run single in the top of the seventh inning to give the Mets a 3-0 lead. It was Wright's first bases-loaded hit in the seventh inning or later since a walk-off single against Jonathan Papelbon in 2012. It also gave him eight RBIs in 11 postseason starts.
Goat: Clayton Kershaw. Whether he deserves it or not, the three-time Cy Young winner and reigning NL MVP will take the brunt of the blame for getting outdueled by deGrom. On one end, Kershaw has allowed three or more runs in his last four postseason starts, but he also struck out 11 batters and gave up just four hits in 6 2/3 innings pitched. Still, the Dodgers expect more from their ace.
Takeaway: The Mets boast one of the deepest and most talented pitching staffs in baseball, so falling behind in a five-game series isn't what Los Angeles was looking for. The Dodgers lacked continuity in their lineup throughout most of the regular season due to injuries and inconsistent play, but someone needs to step up and lead this offense if they're going to make a comeback.
What's next: Game 2 Saturday at 9:10 p.m. ET on TBS - Dodgers Cy Young hopeful Zack Greinke (19-3, 1.66 ERA) faces off against Mets rookie sensation Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 3.24 ERA).


BioMed Realty Trust, Inc. is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) that commenced operations following its initial public offering in August 2004. BioMed Realty is an entrepreneurial company focused on Providing Real Estate to the Life Science Industry®. With over $5.0 billion invested in state-of-the-art research facilities, we have assembled a world-class portfolio of life science buildings concentrated in the seven core U.S. life science markets of Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, Maryland, New York/New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Seattle. We currently own or have interests in properties comprising approximately 13.1 million rentable square feet. BioMed Realty's best-in-class group of professionals bring the unique skills and specialized expertise in life science and biotech real estate, finance, development, construction, property management and law. Our real estate team has the ability to identify properties in locations that provide life science organizations with access to the partners, people and resources that they need to grow. Our development professionals have the deep technical expertise to enhance these properties, translating life science user requirements into the appropriate physical infrastructure, including chemistry, biology and specialty use laboratory environments. BioMed Realty property management team possesses the wide-ranging skills required to operate and manage our facilities to provide the best research and working environments for our tenants.


In a Tony Wiliams interview I read a long time ago, he was talking about how he learned to play. He latterly copied giants such as Max Roach, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, and a few others one by one. He copied down to how they walk, ware exact the same hat, smoke the exact same cigar (he was 10, however). By the time he copied the 5th drummer on the list, he realized he earned his own style.
Tony Williams' way is the easiest in my opinion. But in my case, Miles is my God and I even don't try to study him but just warship him instead. When I started to get serious about studying jazz, I listened to Miles' 1964 Lincoln Center recordings for one year, over and over, tried to memorize everything what's on that two disk set.
I then had quite a few idols, not at once, but one by one. For performance, there were Wes Montgomery, George Garzone, Pat Metheny and Michael Brecker. I transcribed them in my early days a lot. For composition, George Russell, Thad Jones and György Ligeti.
Unless you are a genius and can play absolutely anything by ear, not to mention photographic memory to memorize everything in one path as Wes Montgomery did, you need certain theoretical skills.
You must be able to see the 3rd and the 7th of the chord instantly. They are, especially the 3rd is, the note that characterize the chord.
← What is avoid note?


text:
Q: Meaning of Class count metrics We are working on a bigger project with Ruby on Rails. As you might know, Rails works with MVC pattern and typically enforces the following class types for Domain objects:

*

*Controllers (+ Helpers)

*Models

*Views (e.g. erb)

*Serializers

*Mailers

We experienced - like many other teams - that this is not feasible for bigger, long-running projects.
So in our current project, we added some layers, so we typically have

*

*Controllers (+ Helpers)

*Policies (access control per controller)

*Presenters (a.k.a ViewModel)

*Forms (containing all attributes available in an HTML form)

*Views

*Models

*Queries (static ActiveRecord queries)

*Serializers

*Mailers

*Services (Domain Service which extracts business code from controller)

It is much more testable, maintainable and understandable.
However, our boss disagrees with "These are too many classes".
As he is typically a proficient architect (doing consulting), I don't want to simply reject this response. However, his time as active Java developer are gone and he often explains such sentences with his improved "gut feeling".
Of course, there are metrics that count classes - but is there a general approach to classify something like 'Classes per Domain object' or 'Class per Business case', which can be taken for an argument?

A: I have never heard of a rule or best practice which limits a number of classes per project, domain or whatever. One should create as many classes as he REALLY needs. The key word here is "REALLY" because quite often developers over complicate things and create unnecessary classes, layers or even tiers. Without the details about your project I suggest you do the following:

*

*Ask your boss to elaborate on the "Too many classes" phrase. Ask for his concerns. If he is a good architect and a team member he understands his responsibility of coaching people.

*Make sure you clearly explained to him why you needed those classes. Provide examples.

*If your boss is stubborn, his best days as a developer are gone and he just wants to show his significance, remind him about his responsibility for a successful project. For example, tell him he is an architect and a person who makes the final decision and you will follow it because he is the one who is responsible for the project success but on the other hand it's your responsibility to be proactive and express any concerns you have to help your boss make the right decision. This should make your boss think again as he doesn't want to fail the project because of his "gut feeling".

Hope it helps!


Got to interview Cheryl Ladd about her new movie The Perfect Wave. We also talked about Charlie's Angels, Charmed, her almost being on the TV show Family and more. Check it out below.
Scott Eastwood – son of screen legend Clint Eastwood – delivers a breakthrough performance as Ian McCormack, a rebellious young surfer who impulsively decides to leave home and travel the world's most exotic surf spots. But living in the moment can have its thrills – including a romance with beautiful kindred soul Annabel (Rachel Hendrix of October Baby) – as well as its sacrifices. And following a horrific accident and near-death experience on the Island of Mauritius, Ian receives a glimpse into eternity that will change his life forever. Patrick Lyster ("Black Sails") and Cheryl Ladd ("Charlie's Angels") co-star in this inspirational true story about the power of faith, the love of family, and one man's search for THE PERFECT WAVE. In stores and on demand on Tuesday, September 16.


text:
Family, Marriage and Loyalty
I had a conversation with a friend that got me reflecting on how we view marriage and family and how our perceptions affect the people around us and account for the success of marriages. These concepts have experienced some changes over the years but the main precepts have been retained. How we try to make sense of these or negotiate their terms is what makes the difference.
In this part of the continent, it is common to hear people say marriage is between two families and not two people. Some have taken this literally while others think it is just a metaphor for the roles both families are expected to play in making the atmosphere conducive, especially for the couple. So, I was shocked when my friend shared his views on family, marriage and loyalty because he takes neither of the two trajectories:
"My wife and kids are [going to be] part of my family… My kids by birth and my wife by adoption. So if she can't find space in the family that already is [the family he was born into] by making sure she is adopted, then wetti be my problem dey [then how is that my problem]?
She is an adult and has her own family. It's not my wish that she considers me before her family because I will never consider her before my family, period."
What bothered me most about my friend was the fact that he was consciously creating this precarious foundation for his marriage. He was very serious about it and very selfish and inconsiderate as well. I couldn't help but wonder how honest he was going to be about this to the woman he gets married to.
Some years ago, I read Steve Harvey's Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man; this conversation made me reread the Mama's Boys chapter. It talks about men who are too attached to their mothers and are controlled by them and its effects on their immediate families and romantic relationships. This extends to men who seek validation and approval from their birth family even when it comes to personal issues like relationships and marriage. It also applies to men who are too attached to their families or any family member to the point where it weighs on their romantic relationships and their immediate families.
We come from a culture where people are encouraged to get married especially when they reach a certain age or make some money or are financially stable. This prevails in many cultures, especially those that are deeply rooted in tradition. In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, it's even described as a universal truth: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife".
Despite the importance placed on marriage and the spotlight put on its necessity, I think not everyone is cut out for marriage or willing to make the necessary adjustments towards that objective. My friend is an example of such people and his rigid idea of a family even makes things more complicated. Here is why I say so. Even though Steve Harvey says setting standards can change "the boy" to a "man" because a man who loves his wife/woman will respect her, put her and their children first, do what makes her happy and do what works for them, this takes a lot of energy and patience, especially in a case where they are already married and have children.
When I shared my conversation with a number of people (men), there were a couple of reactions I got from both married and single men but the one I'm going to share with you, caught my attention the most. It is a combination of a lecture, advice and a wake-up call.
N. Teh's Reaction and Commentaries
That's someone who has built up his philosophy of marriage in order to justify his actions, decisions and behavior. From his philosophy:
It sounds like he was a family (alone), then he adopted his wife. Wrong!
It sounds like his wife was adopted into his family, as in the family of his parents and grandparents.
This is wrong and delusional because:
A family is a unit, Civics 101, and a man and wife are the two organs or parts that make up that unit. In effect "his family" is he and his wife, irrespective of whether there are children or not.
Each time this unit is created there's a move from the previous unit (your parents' home or family). They become secondary, external in a sense and the newly formed becomes the primary family. Even the Bible says a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife.
Now judicially, this too is true. Except for a will, a man's successor is his wife by law. Followed by his Children under the wife though till they are adults. Not his parents or extended family.
Traditionally, when you marry and build a house, that becomes your compound. Without that union, no man can have a "compound" and it is impossible to have a compound in a compound as in marrying and staying with your parents.
Inasmuch as all (important) relationships deserve loyalty, attention and commitment, not all deserve the same amount of each. There are different situations and contexts which may need us to be flexible and attend to the needs of one over the other or share our attention. Finding that balance is essential for any healthy relationship. Ideally, your wife and children should be your number one priority.
Category: Lifestyle & HobbyBy admin December 25, 2021 1 Comment
Tags: blogfamilyRelationshipYoung
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HomeIndia Business News
Business News | Adani Green Energy records a 9% increase in solar power and a 47% increase in wind power sales during the third quarter
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India]Jan 23 (ANI) — Adani Green Energy on Monday posted a 9 percent increase in the sale of its solar portfolio to 2.507 million units for the quarter ending December 2022, up from 2.3 billion units.
The renewable energy company said this increase in power sales was supported by 150 MW commissioned in Rajasthan in November 2022 and a 140 basis point improvement in capacity utilization factor (CUF).
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In the solar portfolio, the availability of the plant was 99.8% in the revised quarter compared to 99.4% in the same period of the previous year. The availability of the network was 99.6 percent, while in the same period of the previous year it was 99.3 percent.
It also said that the capacity utilization factor was 23.3 percent in the revised quarter, while it was 21.9 percent in the same period a year earlier.
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The company said its improved CUF performance was supported by a 40 bps improvement in plant availability, a 30 bps improvement in grid availability and better solar irradiation.
In the wind power portfolio, the company posted a 47 percent increase in its power sales to 300 million units for the revised quarter, up from 204 million units in the corresponding quarter of the prior year.
In a statement shared with the exchanges, the company said its power sales increased due to increasing its capacity from 497 MW to 971 MW in the prior-year period.
In wind power, its plant availability was 92.7 percent in the revised quarter, while in the corresponding quarter of the prior year it was 96.9 percent. The availability of its network was 88.2%, compared to 99.9% in the same period of the previous year.
The CUF return under the wind portfolio was 14 percent in the revised quarter, while it was 18.6 percent in the same period a year earlier.
The company said that the reduction in CUF is mainly due to a one-time interruption in the transmission line of the 150 MW plant in Gujarat, which has now been fully restored.
The impact of this event during the quarter is expected to be 0.1 percent of the expected annual generation of overall operating capacity. (AND ME)
(This is an auto-generated, raw story from the syndicated news feed, the body of the content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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The Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Law


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It is encouraging to see some of the specific quota reductions made for U.S. exports laid out in the TPP, as increasing our country's exports can help protect domestic T&A manufacturers. However, since other countries' T&A goods are becoming increasingly attractive to the U.S. due to other policies created through TPP, I am curious to see if our increased exports will be trumped by an even higher increase in imports. It is also interesting to note how this fact sheet calls TPP a "balanced deal," as this was most likely created in a political context by a group that wishes to gain greater public support for TPP. But as we know, TPP will always come with winners and losers and can never be truly "balanced" and benefit everyone at the same time.
Excellent comment! PS: distinguish tariff with quota. Tariff is a kind of tax which makes imports more expensive whereas quota is a kind of quantitative restriction on imports. Quota on textile and apparel has been removed on Jan 1, 2015 because of the Agreement on Textile and Clothing.
It is good news that the US will be playing such an important role in the T&A industry. This will hopefully provide more jobs for this growing industry in our country and help businesses grow. I was very surprised to read that the US is the fourth largest textile exporter in the world, while being the largest importer in the world. Hopefully imports can reduce with this new TPP.
recall the nature of textile manfaucturing and the stage of developmtent theory we mentioned in the class–this is why the U.S. remains a leading textile manfuacturer and exporter in the world. Almost all countries can produce apparel, but only a few can make high quality textiles.
on the other hand, imports will only increase after the implementation of TPP. promoting exports does not necessarily mean a reduction of imports, especially given the nature of today's global supply chain.
The TPP is proposed as a seemingly "balanced" deal for the U.S. T&A industry. As previously commented, we know that this is not true – the deal like any other will come with winners and losers. The TPP will present new export opportunities for the U.S. in the Vietnamese and Japanese T&A markets, but staying true to its reputation as the largest importer of T&A products in the world, won't the we also likely see an increase in imports to the U.S.? Which would likely outweigh the new export ventures.
I think it is very interesting that Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and New Zealand are cutting back so much on the taxes of imports and exports to the United States. These countries have stated to cut back 50 to 99 percent of these taxes to the United States immediately up until the next seven years depending on which country it is. These promises make such a great impact on the U.S. textile and apparel industry in the years to come. It is definitely beneficial for the United States to receive such generosity from these country's. The TPP recognizes America as the fourth largest exporting countries, therefore this will definitely help the United States in terms of costs and efficient ways of conducting trade. This is very advantageous to the United States and increases the relationships internationally that these countries have with one another. Another important factor to note is that since the U.S. is one of the leading exporters, getting these costs removed will increase the chances of trading even more.
good thinking! this reflects the nature of TPP–it is a comprehensive free trade agreement which involves many sectors (T&A is one of them). Vietnam, Malaysia and New Zealand are willing to have a deep cut of their tariff on some T&A products, probably because they get something in return from the US in some other sectors/areas. Trade policymaking is always an art of balancing.
I think the fact that the US is the largest textile importer but only the 4th largest textile exporter just shows how drastic the difference is between imports and exports in the US. We constantly hear that US needs more jobs at home for the T&A industry but these statistics really get the point across. The fact that only 372,300 T&A jobs remain in the US is shocking compared to the 318.9 million people who live in the United States. Hopefully, the TPP will help the US create more jobs or at least prevent the deterioration of the current jobs.
very good! happy to see you start critically reading (and analyzing) these numbers!
The first thing that stood out to me here is the potential regarding Vietnam. I cannot remember where it was (either case study readings or another article on here), but somewhere mentioned that TPP partners such as Vietnam would be significantly more likely to obtain materials that it mentions from Japan rather than the US. This leads me to question a lot of these facts and wonder what the other side to these facts are. While these facts and statistics may be true, they do not necessarily take into consideration different countries' preferences, attitudes, etc. that could largely impact the way things ultimately play out.
While I believe that it is good news that the United Sates will play such a large and important role in the textile and apparel industry, I believe that it should not be overlooked that while we are the largest textile importer, we are only the 4th largest textile exporter. Keeping to the concept of comparative and competitive advantage, it is not advantageous for the US to attempt to increase their T&A exports in order to compete within the global market; however, I do believe that as the industry attempts to expand, more jobs and opportunities will be created. Hopefully, with new jobs being generated, the 372,300 T&A jobs which currently exist will drastically increase, although it will never have the ability to compete with the foreign, commonly outsourced countries- we can not compete with their wage rates, and have far too many factory/manufacturing regulations to produce the products that companies are looking for in order to remain competitive in the industry.
good thinking (especially applying concepts/theories learnt in the class). I remember 2 years ago US was still the 3rd largest exporter and then was overpassed by India. This reflects industry dynamics. However, for certain products (such as high-end technical textiles), US textile industry is doing very well. US based companies will continue to explore niche market opportunities rather than compete on volumes.
The report shows that TTP seems to be heavily weighed in the US's favor, possibly allowing them to gain rank for largest exporter. This growth could help grow jobs in the US T&A industry. Yet simultaneously as the world's largest importer, partnered countries who are reducing or eliminating tariff on US goods could benefit from this agreement as well. They will be able to export their goods to partnered countries in exchange for reduced tariffs, and focus their manufacturing efforts on creating goods that give them a comparative advantage.
After reading the various case studies this semester about the US declining in T & A jobs and losing business exporting, this is great to hear. The TPP creating these opportunities for our country along with Japan and Vietnam demonstrates truly how important and effective the partnership is in uniting our world through textiles. The US being the 4th largest exporter in the world is surprising to hear considering our last case study focused on the rapid decline of our exports. The fact that there are only 372,300 T&A jobs in the US is also shocking compared to the vast amount of people in the United States. I still believe there can be great improvement in creating more jobs within the country, but the TPP creating these opportunities is still a great contribution to that goal.
I find that these developing countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and Japan cutting back on some of their taxes could change the benefits and reasoning behind the TPP. This gives us more money to save on the textile exports from these countries. However, allowing these countries to import to the U.S. duty-free still poses as a threat to the U.S. as the fourth leading textile exporter in the world. If we start taking advantage of importing from other countries, then we are taking away from the economic benefit we could have from exporting. I think it will only cause us to decline in the ranks of global textile exporters.
I am very curious as to how this will effect the future of the US textile industry and how the American public will react the the TPP. Despite regulations and embracing the "yarn forward" aspect, I am wondering if there will be any effect on our economy and jobs. We are the fourth largest exporter of T&A in the world and I would like to see if post-TPP this increases or decreases our number. I would also like to see what other countries involved will gain in eliminating their import taxes on US imports.
You get the point. Personally, I think TPP will have an impact. I am not very confident about those yarn and fabric manufacturers which currently supply apparel factories in central America. Vietnam will take away many businesses. This is why you see even in the report, DOC emphasizes technical textiles. Somehow TPP will accelerate restructuring of the US textile industry.
One thing about TPP that I picked up on in this article and in our case study is that they say describe the deals for the countries as balanced. I do not agree with that phrasing at all. As you know, the countries involved with TPP all were given certain regulations and policies to follow, including the US. Originally there was a quota reduction on the US that was meant to increase our country's exports and help protect domestic T&A manufacturers. At the same time, other countries' T&A goods were being looked at by the US because of their policies set by TPP, which may affect our exports if we choose to increase our imports. Now, the quota has been removed, so I am wonder what effect will this have on how much the US imports and exports and from where? This goes back to my opening statement of TPP saying the deals are balanced. Importing and exporting is a business with a lot of money to be made, in all situations where this is the case, nothing is balanced because in order for someone to be successful, someone else has to be unsuccessful.
I think this agreement could be very good for United States textile producers. Lowering and in some cases eliminating tariffs on textile exports will most likely lead to an increased number of exports. I think this will also lead to a higher number of apparel imports. Countries such as Vietnam are quickly becoming a larger source of apparel manufacturing. While these deal may not be good for apparel manufacturers in the United States it will be better if countries such as Vietnam are using U.S. made textiles.
I feel that these statistics really highlight the of US apparel and textile imports in to their exports. The US is the largest apparel and textile importer, however they are the fourth largest exporter. And with the decrease and/or elimination of tariffs, the US will only import more because of the cost benefits. It is important that we focus on increasing textile and apparel jobs in the US because there are only 372,300 left in manufacturing jobs in the US. This is an extremely small number in relation to the rest of the world and the large scale of the industry, however, it is also important to consider the comparative advantage that third world countries have over the US considering their cheaper labor costs. The US is an industrialized economy and the jobs available have progressed as the people have progressed. The US should focus on manufacturing products that require more capital and higher knowledge such as technology surrounding the textile industry. Additionally, their textile industry will highly benefit from the reduced tariffs.


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Largest charities create more than 500 apprenticeships with levy funding
09 May 2019 News
The 20 largest charities in the UK have supported more than 500 members of staff using money from the government's apprenticeship levy, according to new research.
Charity Finance magazine asked the 20 largest UK charities how they had made use of the controversial apprenticeship levy since its introduction in 2017.
All 20 said they had put plans in place to utilise the levy, except the United Church Schools Trust, which did not disclose any information.
The 11 charities that said how many apprentices they had trained said they had supported 553 members of staff between them using money from the levy.
Nuffield Health accounted for the greatest proportion of these, saying it put 225 employees through apprenticeships schemes in 2018.
Barnardo's, meanwhile, recently celebrated creating 100 apprenticeship places for young people and staff in the first two years of the levy.
Cost to the sector
Many in the charity sector have expressed concern about whether they would be able to withdraw the money they pay into the apprenticeship levy.
The levy requires all organisations with a staff payroll of more than £3m to pay 0.5 per cent of their total wage bill to the government.
In turn, the government provides £15,000 to the employer to offset the cost of implementing the scheme.
The money the organisation pays goes into a separate fund, which can only be spent on apprenticeship training and assessment for apprentices that work at least 50 per cent of the time in England.
The five charities that gave figures said they had paid a combined more than £2.5m into the levy.
National Trust was the largest of these, paying a bill of £1m each year. The charity said it had so far made use of £140,000 of this, which it expected to rise to £334,000 in future.
MHA said the levy costs the charity "more than £500,000 a year" while British Heart Foundation said there was the same amount in its levy fund.
RNLI said levy costs it £300,000 a year while Save the Children said there was £339,000 in its levy fund.
Unpopular scheme
The apprenticeship levy has been an unpopular scheme with the private sector as well, with scepticism over how well used it has been since its introduction in April 2017.
In a parliamentary answer last month, skills minister Anne Milton revealed that between May 2017 and the end of January 2019, levy-paying employers had utilised £601m of the £3.9bn funds made available to them to pay for apprenticeship training in England.
This amounts to 15 per cent of total funds entering employers' accounts in the same period.
Subscribers to Charity Finance magazine can read the full apprenticeship levy research here.
Civil Society Media's Charity Finance Week takes place in October and this year the theme is Accounts and Accountability. Find out more about the events taking place.
Charities can share more apprenticeship levy funds with one another
03 Oct 2018 News
The best of a bad situation: Charities make use of apprenticeship levy
03 Jul 2017 In-depth
More than 1,000 charities likely to be affected by apprenticeship levy costing the sector £70m
Governance & regulation 3121
Staff 404
Rob Preston
IT for Finance Directors - Are charities investing sufficiently for digital maturity?
Developing a strategy for financial sustainability