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Find the compatible DXG-569V USB cable, DXG-569V AV cable, DXG-569V HDMI cable, or DXG-569V cord for your DXG DXG-569V.

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To find accessories for other DXG cameras and camcorders please see our DXG Camera Accessories page.

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Our SANYO SCP-3100 accessories include the compatible SANYO SCP-3100 USB Cable for your SANYO SCP-3100.

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To find accessories for other SANYO phones please see our SANYO Phone Accessories page.

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A Thank-You Note for June Dairy Month

Dairy farming is a complicated business with hundreds of moving pieces – and thousands of choices for a producer to make from brand of truck to breed of cow. Sales people seem to be constantly calling on your farm hoping you’ll try their offering.

At DCC Waterbeds, we appreciate every time you click on our website, every time you send us an email, every time you ask your neighbor how the DCC Waterbeds are working out, and every minute you spare to talk to us or one of our dealers. We know you have thousands of things do decide and another thousand things to do today, so thank you for taking a minute to learn about us.


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Various Artists

Initial release : 2010

This soundtrack compilation includes a Bob Dylan track that was co-written by Dylan and Robert Hunter.

  • Howlin' For My Baby - M. Ward
  • Evil (Is Going On) - Jace Everett & CC Adcock
  • Bad Blood - Beck
  • How To Become Clairvoyant - Robbie Robertson
  • Shake And Fingerpop - Junior Walker And The All Stars
  • Frenzy - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
  • Kiss Like Your Kiss - Lucinda Williams with Elvis Costello
  • Gasoline And Matches - Buddy & Julie Miller
  • You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp) - Chuck Prophet
  • You're Gonna Miss Me - The 13th Floor Elevators
  • Fresh Blood - Eels
  • The Forgotten People - Thievery Corporation
  • New World In My View - King Britt & Sister Gertrude Morgan
  • Beyond Here Lies Nothin' - Bob Dylan
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Beyond Here Lies Nothin' was originally released on;

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Global Citizenship Program

If you travel overseas or undertake study or work with an international focus while you’re studying at Deakin, our Global Citizenship Program (GCP) is for you.

The GCP is designed to help students identify and value the skills gained from international engagement. This enhances employability, career prospects and personal growth. Participation in the GCP can also lead to receiving a Global Citizenship Award, which can be a significant addition to your résumé. Join today, it's free!

Get more than just a degree

The Global Citizenship Program involves undertaking internationally focused activities and overseas study opportunities during your degree. Each activity or study opportunity you undertake will earn you points. Achieving 100 points will make you eligible for a Global Citizenship Award.

Global Citizenship Program activities include:

  • international study experiences
  • participation in internationally-focused units
  • seminars on international topics
  • international internships
  • international-centred volunteering
  • foreign language studies
  • peer mentoring
  • professional development programs.

Nothing quite prepares you for the impact a volunteering program like this has on your life.

Experience that your employers will love

An overseas experience is an investment in your future. Increasingly, employers say that candidates who present with international experience are highly attractive.

An international study experience shows an individual is independent, resilient, has initiative, and is adaptable to changing environments – all attributes employers want.

Undertaking international study is not just about experiencing the culture and excitement of a new place, but is now increasingly important in positioning graduates for future success.

What is a global citizen?

Deakin’s Global Citizenship Program is more than a chance to give your CV a competitive edge – it’s a chance to grow as a person and expand your world. Recipients of the Global Citizenship Award are people who:

  • Understand the economic, social, political, cultural and environmental relationships that exist between people and countries
  • Appreciate diversity and value different perspectives
  • Understand intercultural communication
  • Demonstrate critical thinking about global issues and challenges
  • Engage in local and global communities.

Studying overseas forced me to step outside my comfort zone. It helped me to grow as a person, and gain confidence. I made friendships that will last a lifetime. I think everyone should take a semester abroad. I'll never forget the great times I had.

Earning points towards your Global Citizenship Award

To apply for the Global Citizenship Award, you must earn a total of at least 100 points. The activities must be completed in the time of your Deakin degree.

In addition, you may prepare reflective pieces of writing on many of the activities you've participated in, and explore how they have contributed to your development as a global citizen.

Volunteering Points
Long-term global volunteering (4 months plus) 60
Global volunteering (over 4 weeks) 40
Volunteering (GCP with fundraising component) 40
Global volunteering (up to 4 weeks & no fundraising) 20
Deakin Abroad Peer Adviser Program (per trimester - maximum 2) 20
Volunteering (domestic with international focus - minimum 10 hours) 10
DUELI Leadership and Internship Program 10
CONNECT Program 10
Participation in the Deakin Abroad Buddy Program (1 trimester) 5

Internship Points
Long-term global internship (4 months plus) 60
Global internships (over 4 weeks) 40
Global internships (up to 4 weeks) 30
Australian internships (international students only) 20
Internship (domestic with international focus - up to 4 weeks) 20

Leadership Points
Leadership in an organisation or club with an international focus 10
Participation in an organisation or club with an international focus 5
Presentation/lecture or promotion on global study experience at Deakin or international partner 5

Study Points
Trimester Abroad program (at least 1 trimester) 60
In-country research (over 8 weeks) 40
Global study intensive (study tours/short-term programs 1-2 credit points) 30
Global conference or globally-focused domestic conference (2 days or longer) 20
Major project or thesis/essay with international focus as part of Deakin degree (at least 4,000 words) 10
Attendance at lecture or symposium with global focus (maximum 2) 10
Deakin unit with international focus (completion of 1 Deakin unit with an international focus for student studying a clearly 'non-international-focused course' who takes an 'international-focused elective') 5

Language Points
Long-term in-country language 60
Major language stream or diploma 40
DUELI Language school (international students only) 40
Sub-major language stream 20
Beginners language study (global or domestic) 10
Language tutor at the Global Conversation Lounge (capped at 40 points) 5

Contact us

The Global Citizenship Program
Email the Global Citizenship Program


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Granular Sub Base MOT Type 1 Jumbo Bag

Quick Find Code : 51806
  • Granular Sub Base MOT Type 1
  • 825-850kg
  • FREE Delivery Nation Wide

Each Additional: £49.99

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  • Product Information

    Granular Sub Base MOT Type 1  aggregate Jumbo Bag contain crushed concrete, meeting the requirement of the Department of Transport Specification for Highway Works, Clause 803. The ?SHW?. Type 1 can also be constructed of other hard inert materials, slag or rocks, such as Limestone, Granite or Gritsone. It Provides structural support under roads and buildings and can be used as a high quality fill or sub-base material, often in the construction of car parks, driveways and highways.

Granular Sub Base Mot Type 1 Jumbo Bag
Granular Sub Base MOT Type 1 Jumbo Bag

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Water Processed Decaf Coffee

Coffee is decaffeinated in order to get rid of its caffeine content. There is much ado about caffeine being the cause of trouble in people’s health. But coffee being what it is cannot be done away with. Multinationals have built and empire out of this beverage and they would definitely not like it if they were to shut down their business.

But how do down that drink with caffeine in it regularly and several times in a day? Decaffeinating it is the only way. That however does not ensure that there is no caffeine in the favorite drink of the world. We only remove a major bulk of it while some small amount still remains.

This amount however varies from coffee to coffee and it is to be understood that the amount may vary with each brand. The amount of caffeine that remains also depends on the decaffeination method used. Principally there are the CO2 method, Swiss water method and organic water method.

Water processed decaf method – the process

Since health is of priority and some people wouldn’t like anything chemical about their decaf coffee, coffee makers have come out with a decaffeination method that is all natural. During the decaffeination chemicals are used to strip to the coffee of its caffeine content. Coffee is water soluble. This quality of coffee is used to decaffeinate it.

The soluble material in coffee dissolves in the water and the rate depends on the temperature and the size of the coffee grinds. The unroasted coffee is completely submerged in water that is heated. This water containing soluble compounds is then passed through carbon filters to separate the aromatics from the compounds and the beans are then immersed in a tank with caffeine-free solution to reabsorb all that remains.

What coffee is decaf coffee?

Standards are followed in the decaffeination process and it is generally asked that decaf coffee should have less than 1% caffeine in it. But the market has coffee that may contain about 3% caffeine and the label should say so.

The decaf coffee may not taste the same any more. But then you can’t have the best of both worlds always. Companies try to retain as much as flavor and aroma of the coffee as possible.

Coffee and its ills

Those who suffer from sleeplessness due to caffeine may now take heart from the fact that they can drink coffee and yet not be subjected to wakeful hours.

But coffee is not all good either. It causes dehydration if taken in excess. Even if you drink decaf coffee, drink water in sufficient amount to prevent dehydration. While having coffee also have something to eat so that will slow down the absorption of alkaloids.

If you drink decaf in small amount and still suffer from symptoms that you thought were due to the caffeine content, you should consult the physician to find out if you aren’t psychosomatic?

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Bath and Shower

A Guide To Waterless Toilets

In numerous nations where crisp water is rare, the possibility of a can installation that flushes crisp drinking water would be unbelievable. But then in the United States, we flush a huge number of gallons of consumable dilute our stools each day. In the event that you are among the numerous eco-cognizant Americans who are doing the change to greener choices, at that point this manual for waterless latrine frameworks is only for you. There are a wide range of sorts of waterless toilets accessible available today. harneymfg.

For the reasons for this article, we will investigate one of the quickest developing patterns in elective waste administration: the fertilizing the soil dry can. Fertilizing the soil toilets are just a sort of can that transforms human waste into conventional manure, an earth like substance that is perfect, dry, and totally non-hostile. The most astonishing thing about such frameworks is that they are totally scentless, and made so by the utilization of extraordinary fans and venting frameworks that hold the units under a halfway vacuum at all circumstances, in this manner keeping any conceivable odor from entering the restroom.

While it is conceivable to buy treating the soil frameworks that utilization low flush toilets, the more typical kind of unit is the waterless fertilizing the soil latrine. These dry frameworks utilize no water or flushing fluid of any sort. Frequently, the measure of water spared by a dry can through the span of a couple of years will effortlessly exceed the underlying venture to buy a fertilizing the soil framework. The other essential cost saver is in decreased septic cost. In numerous U.S. regions, living arrangements are charged a sewer expense for each gallon of water utilized.

For instance, the charge for 1,000 gallons of water may be $25, however then on top of that, you may pay an extra $20 per 1,000 gallons of water as a sewer cost. The rationale behind this kind of charging framework is that if the water goes into your home, it needs to go out some place, as well, and the leaving area is for the most part by method for the city sewer. On account of a waterless latrine, along these lines, not exclusively do you spare cash on your water cost, however you save money on the sewer costs, too.

Read More

The Advantages Of Waterless Toilets

Visit voyagers and the individuals who are positioned abroad are exceptionally comfortable with the idea of a squat latrine. Others, however, may observe this to be an exceptionally abnormal washroom apparatus. As opposed to sitting up off the floor like a standard flush can, the hunching down latrine is fundamentally only an opening in the ground into which you urinate and crap. The main special case that you will discover is a “platform” squat can. This style is roughly an indistinguishable range from toilets found in America. Squat toilets are most much of the time found in Asia and Europe and pass by an assortment of names, for example, Iranian, Turkish, Eastern or Natural-Position toilets. However, they work similarly as a conventional one.

The principle distinction between a squat latrine and a flush one, other than the position of the installation, is the absence of tissue. To adjust for this, a bowl or can of water is put by the unit and you wash yourself as opposed to wipe. This can be exceptionally hard to get used to when you originated from a nation with flush toilets, however changes must be made in specific circumstances. The reason the hunching down can is so famous is that many trust it is cleaner and more secure than its situated partner. A few investigations have demonstrated that sitting on a latrine may prompt hemorrhoids. What’s more, it is trusted that stressing while situated amid a solid discharge can prompt diseases, for example, clogging, IBS, and colon tumor, among others.

The thinking for this is the stressing causes a considerable measure of weight on interior organs which prompts nerve harm in these organs. The harmed organs are then more defenseless to infection. Different concerns concentrate on the measure of fecal matter left amid a solid discharge delivered on a situated latrine. A few specialists trust that fecal matter left in the body can stagnate and prompt sickness too. However, worries about ailment additionally emerge from the utilization of a squat can. Individuals frequently don’t utilize the apparatus appropriately, or couldn’t care sufficiently less to hit the opening.

Read More

The Waterless Toilets

The vast majority don’t understand it, however it is not washing dishes or cleaning up that uses the most water amid the day. It is really the demonstration of flushing a can. More seasoned, less productive toilets work by disregarding three gallons of water through the pipes framework with each flush. As water assets turn out to be all the more rare, approaches to eliminate a portion of the water that is actually being “flushed away” are being looked for.

One technique step by step winding up plainly more mainstream is the utilization of a waterless, or treating the soil, can. These toilets are uncommon in urban communities and rural areas on account of the trouble in securing suitable building grants, however they are more typical in provincial zones. Fertilizing the soil toilets change over human waste into compost, which can be used as manure once it has been dealt with.

Waterless fertilizing the soil toilets (otherwise called natural toilets) are waterless frameworks which depend on the standards of treating the soil by mirco-life forms to decay human waste, paper and different materials. In this sort of framework, chambers or canisters are introduced underneath floor level. Additional natural matter, for example, wood shaving, paper or garden clippings, are added to make a perfect fertilizing the soil condition. Smaller scale life forms deteriorate the gathered material, with around seventy five percent being changed over to carbon dioxide and water vapor. Air drawn through the heap expels these gasses and helps the miniaturized scale life forms with the deterioration. Waterless fertilizing the soil toilets don’t treat squander water from showers, sinks and clothes washers, an extra framework is required for their treatment. A waterless latrine can extend in cost from as low as $400 to almost $3,000, contingent upon the sort and elements.

Read More

July 2017
« Jun


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 USNS Yuma Completes Acceptance Trials
USNS Yuma Completes Acceptance Trials
(Source: US Naval Sea Systems Command; issued Feb 06, 2017)
MOBILE, Ala. - The future USNS Yuma (EPF 8) successfully completed Acceptance Trials on Jan. 26 after two days of underway evaluation in the Gulf of Mexico.

The ship returned to the Austal USA shipyard after demonstrating the readiness of its equipment and system operations for the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey. By conducting numerous tests, both dockside and underway, surveyors were able to evaluate and determine that the ship met all criteria required for final acceptance.

"The EPF program continues to be a successful model of serial ship production," said Capt. Henry Stevens, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO), Ships. "The class continues to grow and advance the U.S. Navy, expanding U.S. presence across the maritime theater. I look forward to seeing EPF 8 deliver this year and the continued success of the program."

Expeditionary Fast Transports are versatile, non-combatant vessels designed to operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways. They provide increased operational flexibility for a wide range of activities including maneuver and sustainment, relief operations in small or damaged ports, flexible logistics support, or as the key enabler for rapid transport.

They are capable of interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, as well as on/off-loading vehicles such as a fully combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank. Each vessel includes a flight deck to support day and night aircraft launch and recovery operations. Yuma will have airline-style seating for 312 embarked forces with fixed berthing for 104.

As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft.

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"Modernize Your VCL App Today!" webinar recording and demos

Pawel Glowacki – It was fun to do the "Modernize Your VCL App Today!" webinar:-) During the session I have promised to make the recording and demos source code available. The recording is rather big (548MB) and can be downloaded from here and demos source code has been uploaded to the Embarcadero CodeCentral. mastapp. Original Delphi 7 BDE demo project MarineAdventures. Mastapp upgraded to Delphi XE7 with VCL styles and JumpList component StylingDemo1. Demo illustrating working with "StyledElements" property for customizing styled VCL controls. JumpListFiles. Demo of the new XE7 TJumpList component ...
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SAVE UP TO 30%! Ends 7/31/17. Shop Now!

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    Clean, contemporary designs draw attention to your brochures, magazines and literature. Each durable plastic unit includes 3 overlapping, crystal-clear pockets and a molded-in business card holder for added convenience.

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Grumpy: Hi Mouse, it has been a long time since we chatted. It has been a very full summer for me as I am sure it has been for you. So much to catch up on . . . → Read More: Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

Going Rogue: The Boehner-Netanyahu Subterfuge

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Behind the objections to the Iran framework is a new alliance of power politics.

. . . → Read More: Going Rogue: The Boehner-Netanyahu Subterfuge

The Boehner Invitation to Japan and His Current Visit to Saudi Arabia and Israel

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DDIn the mighty vigilance of the national news media to cover the important stories that shape our world, the events of war and peace, from battles to meetings, big diplomatic stories taking place in the open are sometimes missed.

For example, where in the world is House Speaker John Boehner? How is he spending the Congressional recess? Boehner organized a junket for himself and a few loyal House members on key foreign affairs, military, and defense committees. They hopped a plane and flew off to the Middle East.

But not before, on March 26th, the man third in line for the Presidency continued his international lyceum series by inviting Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to speak to a joint session of Congress on April 29th. Boehner’s office released this statement:

“As the United States continues to strengthen our ties with Japan, we look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Abe to the United States Capitol. His address will provide an opportunity for the American people to hear from one of our closest allies about ways we can expand our cooperation on economic and security priorities. That, of course, includes working together to open markets and encourage more economic growth through free trade. Prime Minister Abe will become the first Japanese leader to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress, and we are proud to host this historic event.”

The third in line is acting like a co-President for foreign policy. Boehner, ever the patriot, is fuzzy on the looming details of another important Abe speech later this year, Abe’s remarks in August about Japan’s role in World War II and the use by Japan of Asian women as sex slaves, as “comfort women” for its troop force. Abe has at times signaled he might revise an earlier apology by a former official. US veterans groups, including those concerned with prisoners of war, are demanding Abe clarify his views and his controversial earlier statements about Japan’s war role before he speaks to Congress.

For Abe, Boehner’s invitation has intensified Japan’s domestic debate over the impending speech. Politicians and others want to revise Japan’s role in the world and reject the constitution put in place as a part of the peace.

Some Japanese conservatives now claim “charges” of  Japan’s forcible use of Asian women as sex slaves in wartime military brothels are “fabricated in South Korea.” Others say the Japanese constitution implemented after World War II deprives Japan of its sovereignty and military. Their view of World War II is that Japan fought a war of self-defense.

In his effort to tighten the stakes of the brinkmanship of embarrassment with President Obama, Speaker Boehner has raised added tensions for Prime Minister Abe in Asia, created protests by US veterans groups, increased the scrutiny Abe’s speech to Congress and his August remarks will be given by China, South Korea and other Asian countries, and stirred up domestic dissent by Japan’s conservatives who want former Japanese cabinet secretary Koon’s remarks of apology revised and will watch closely for how Abe positions Japan in relation to the US. Boehner’s invitation resonated in and outside of Japan and has the potential to reawaken historic animosities.

After extending another invitation to a foreign leader that has the potential to disturb the balance of power and diplomacy in Asia and within Japan’s domestic affairs and cause Japan’s external relations to suffer, Boehner exited the country for the Middle East.

Why is John Boehner traveling to the Middle East with a large Congressional delegation to meet with the Saudi foreign minister in Riyadh? Who cooked up this foreign visit in the middle of the legislative term while House Republicans are splintering into dysfunctional special interests, with chasms so wide that ordinary bills descend into dark holes from where they cannot be retrieved? Has Boehner become King? The Imperial Speaker? The white Dauphin? The white shadow President? Continue reading The Boehner Invitation to Japan and His Current Visit to Saudi Arabia and Israel

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The Netanyahu Confessional

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DDNetanyahu’s “shrift rift” turned into a confessional with all the hallmarks of dirty politics. First, no one accepts an invitation from a “family” member unless he or she is certain the head of the house approves. Certainly, a national leader does not accept an offer to speak that bypasses the equivalent office he or she holds, when to do so undermines and embarrasses the very relationship on which your security and progress is built. Would it be a “family” issue if President Obama thought it important enough to bypass Netanyahu and take his case directly to the Knesset?

Every dirty political move denies its errors and intent; Netanyahu is doing the same. Every dirty move claims it is demanded by a higher calling: safety, security, liberty, survival are righteous claims. The details of truth that lay in the balance are overlooked because of  the attention given to the dirty move—which is being carefully denied! Hence the cycle: it’s denied in order to deflect from the details of truth that disprove its claims.

Finally, the point of political dirt is disruption—and this Boehner/Netanyahu dust-up with Obama is as nasty as it gets—bypassing a head of state to address a national legislature is a collusion never witnessed in US history. (Not Britain, France, China, Russia, or any of the world’s 190+ nations have had the opportunity and disdain and disregard to do so!)

John Boehner is willing to risk our national security while embracing a war hawk who wants the US to be his pocketbook and national proxy; in Israel, some call him the Republican senator from Jerusalem, or is that Netanyahu?

Israeli bombing in Gaza, 2014.

Israeli bombing in Gaza, 2014.

Finally,the speech. In the South, we speak of “woulda, coulda, shoulda,” speech that engages in hot air and fantasy and traces lines of fear but in the end has no substance and leads to the same dead ends. It was sad to see the Prime Minister’s speech use the powerful images of threat, the history of his country and its survival and the “sturm und drang” of war for more “woulda, coulda, shoulda.”

So much of the controversy around this historic opportunity was old news. Old slights, grown uglier and menacing to US statecraft. Defiant anger coolly aimed toward Obama. Old warnings of nuclear threats on a horizon in a warmonger’s looking glass that skipped a myriad of details—including who is going to fight, or what happens next—or even what happens now?

Search English editions of Israel’s newspapers (, the JPost) and read what Boehner and he never admit: the spin machine is going full-bore, trumpeting Netanyahu’s popularity in the US as being at an all-time high, claiming the political tensions, inside and out of the US and Israel, are being exaggerated, touting his standing ovation by Republicans who had refused to fund their own national security in order to politically punish our President. Sheldon Adelson’s free daily newspaper Israel Hayom expanded its printing to a record press run.

Yet other news outlets ere pointing out that 188 generals and officials (including a former head of Mossad) thought his speech was self-serving and did not serve Israel well. And more than 3,000 ultra-orthodox Jews protested in New York City over Netanyahu’s claim that he speaks as an emissary for all Jews. Acknowledging him as a head of state, they opposed his covenant claim of speaking for Jews. Many carried signs saying, “We don’t need a bibi-sitter.” Continue reading The Netanyahu Confessional

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Race and the New Year

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DDLet us not forget: the year will end with the Republican Speaker of the House giving his full support to a closet racist in the House leadership, who will hold the number three position, as Majority Whip. The Speaker issued a preemptive statement, intended to tamp down the growing furor over a speech the yet-to-be sworn Whip made ten years ago to a white supremacist organization’s convention, the group founded by his buddy and fellow politician, the former KKK Grand Wizard from Louisiana, David Duke.

Now, one speech doesn’t make you a racist. But one lie will. The new Whip has exceeded his quota. His lying about his ties to Duke and his speech make him a repeat offender. His lies include pretending not to know what the organization stood for. Does any politician at any level accept an invitation to speak without reviewing the goals, mission and agenda of the group before which he will appear? But more, Duke says the man soon to be the third highest ranking member of the House leadership knew exactly what the group stood for and knew of his own ties to its founding. So who is lying? The former Grand Wizard or the soon-to-be sworn Majority Whip?

Having renounced ten years late the goals and mission of the organization he voluntarily appeared before, the incoming Whip claimed higher ground, as a father, Catholic and leader. Then he supports voting rights, equal pay, Obamacare and raising the minimum wage? Well, no—but as a good Louisiana politician from a small, solid red district, not for racial reasons, but to preserve cost benefits for businesses, public fiscal integrity and personal liberty.

It’s hard to see the defense of liberty as offensive, or to abhor fiscal integrity and concern for small business. Surely, these positive goals are common to the American Promise and have little to do with race or racism, the ugliness of  denying equal opportunity, restricting persons by color and ethnicity, and using the law for the economic advantage of a specific group.

There is the greatness of the Republican party: it has honed the most shameful of political practices into a narrative that omits race as it confesses its love of American’s greatest traditions: liberty, integrity, prosperity! Boehner often uses this narrative even as he adds an element of blame; but not this week: the Whip was absolved of all sins left unconfessed for ten years and felt the fresh splash of the Speaker’s absolution.

Those who heard the Speaker’s words witnessed what the writer Karoli (read her at Crooks and calls “flag-wrapped racism,” racism concealed by being buried in patriotic promises in which the actual implementation of ideas limits and restricts opportunities by race. Patriotic racism ignores cause and effect and overweighs the balance of gain and loss to the benefit of one race or group. It narrows participation rather than broadening the paths of opportunity.

By wrapping the presumptive Whip’s speech in the flag, issuing a proclamation of forgiveness, and extending the stiff right hand of political fellowship, Boehner is also saying race is no longer a game-changer; it is a forgivable indiscretion even when associations “accidentally” involve speaking to white supremacists, or when the indiscretions are discovered when they are ten years old—or whenever they are discovered—they can be overlooked if denied, and blame shifts to the whistle-blowers, media and political opponents for raising old news, moot issues, and the unfair practice of citing racial views and associations as a litmus test of character. Continue reading Race and the New Year

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Stormy Monday, 9/29/14

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StormyMondayA new round of baleful partisan bickering – business as usual, in other words – could get underway this week if the Obama Administration follows through on a trial balloon floated Friday by White House spokesman Josh Earnest. Earnest suggested a Senate confirmation vote to replace outgoing AG Eric Holder could be called in the upcoming lame duck session. If that doesn’t come to pass, I reckon it’ll take Republicans about three and a half minutes to find something else to be hyperbolically indignant about.

Deficit hawks will applaud the timing of this week’s visit to Washington by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In addition to an Oval Office summit focused on trade, energy and climate change, Modi is scheduled to have supper with the President and lunch with the Vice President, but he won’t be eating anything because he’s in the middle of a nine-day fast for Navratri, a religious festival honoring the goddess Durga. I don’t know if there’s some sort of penance aspect to Navratri, but I can’t think of any other reason why Modi will also be meeting with John Boehner. The Speaker’s office has commented that Modi will be offered “beverages.” Presumably, the PM’s polite “No, thank you” will be followed by a hearty “More for me, then” from Boehner, especially if the “beverages” have a measurable alcohol content.

Afghanistan’s new President, Ashraf Ghani, will be sworn in Monday, while his former electoral nemesis Abdullah Abdullah will become the country’s first “chief executive officer.” The two take office just days after the Afghan government’s announcement that thousands of civil servants will have to wait for their paychecks this month because the cupboard is bare, a sure sign that Afghanistan is moving from failed state to red state, American-style. John Podesta leads the US delegation at the inauguration.

One of Ghani’s first orders of business, at least as far as the White House is concerned, is to sign the new “Bilateral Security Agreement,” which outgoing Afghan President Karzai had refused to ratify. The agreement would permit 12,000 US and NATO troops to remain in Afghanistan beyond 2014. To what end, ultimately, I’m afraid I have no idea.

Literature & Law of American Slavery, a free non-credit online course offered by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, begins Tuesday. I recommend this because the eight-week course is taught by John Matteson, a too-rare example of a white man whose thoughts on the relationship of slavery to today’s race relations, and particularly to institutionalized violence against African-Americans, are well worth careful consideration. Continue reading Stormy Monday, 9/29/14

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Stormy Monday, 7/14/14

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StormyMondayAfghanistan has begun an audit of all ballots cast in its infamous June 14 presidential runoff, following white-knuckle weekend negotiations in Kabul refereed by Secretary of State Kerry. The audit process is expected to take weeks. Despite supervision by an international team of monitors, further allegations of cheating and corruptions leveled by the Abdullah and/or Ghani factions won’t be even mildly surprising. It’s taken nearly 13 years, but we’ve finally succeeded in altering Afghanistan from a totalitarian theocracy into, well, Florida.

Kerry has now pivoted to meetings in Vienna aimed at salvaging negotiations over Iran’s nuclear ambitions ahead of next Sunday’s deadline for an accord. Happily, he was also able to make time for a photo op with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, to aver what “great friends” the two nations are, despite continuing fallout from revelations that one of the great friends has been spying on the other. Revelations notwithstanding, you can bet the spying has been mutual and will continue to be so, but probably a little more clandestine in future.

Perhaps Kerry can spare time for a trip to Ireland to quell another international crisis in the making. Garth Brooks, ready to hit the comeback trail, was booked to play five concerts at Dublin’s Croke Park later this month, but Dublin city council would only agree to grant permits for three, prompting the singer to cancel all of them. Disappointed fans have mounted protests, and Ticketmaster has now put a hold on refunds until Thursday, as negotiations between Brooks and the city continue.

Wednesday, the House Rules Committee sits down at 10:00 a.m. to mull over a draft resolution “providing for authority to initiate litigation for actions by the President inconsistent with his duties under the Constitution of the United States.” The resolution is crucial to the next phase of Speaker Boehner’s ongoing attempt to make himself into the most embarrassing Washington laughingstock since Wilbur Mills.

Also on Wednesday, teabagging Senator-wannabe Chris McDaniel will hold a press conference to announce his next moves, after claiming last week that he’s unearthed 8,300 “questionable ballots,” a number which – if accurate – would more than erase the 7,667-vote win by Thad Cochran in last month’s runoff. I’m no Jeane Dixon, but I’m pretty confident that his next moves will involve petulance, paranoia, hyperbolic accusations, and a whole crawfish boil full of lawsuits. Continue reading Stormy Monday, 7/14/14

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Stormy Monday, 5/5/14

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StormyMondayThe great John Conyers might not make it onto the primary ballot this year as he seeks a 26th term. Cathy Garrett, Wayne County’s Clerk, said late last week that signatures collected by two Detroit circulators are apparently invalid since the circulators are not registered voters or weren’t at the time they collected signatures, leaving the Congressman short of the required 1,000 signatures. Pursuant to a formal complaint from primary rival Horace Sheffield, a final ruling in the matter will be issued Wednesday, and Conyers could be forced to run this fall as a write-in candidate.

Evidently convinced that the millions of dollars and many thousands of person-hours already blown on brainless, redundant parallel committee hearings on the Benghazi pseudo-scandal were just not an egregious enough exercise in Congressional overreach and grandstanding, John Boehner announced last week that he will soon convene a select committee to conduct the mother of all pseudo-investigations. Hey, it’s an election year, and House Republicans have to be seen to be doing something so that they can avoid actually, you know, doing something. Or something. Watch for committee hopefuls to audition via the airwaves this week, eagerly showcasing their outrage.

Speaking of stale-dated nonsense, the House is expected this week to hold former IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress for her supposed role in the agency’s supposedly unfair treatment of conservative groups.

This week, the Senate takes up the Shaheen-Portman energy bill, which would do good things like stepping up conservation practices at federal agencies and providing training in energy-efficient technologies. Since the bill as authored apparently didn’t contain anything terrible, along came North Dakota Senator John Hoeven (a Republican) and Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu (who is almost one) to offer up an amendment which would mandate construction of the infamous Keystone XL Pipeline despite the State Department’s continuing review and a pending lawsuit over the pipeline’s proposed route. Continue reading Stormy Monday, 5/5/14

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Stormy Monday, 4/21/14

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StormyMondayAmong other heightened security precautions, helicopter flyovers were conducted over Boston as law enforcement officials scanned for signs of excessive radiation in advance of today’s marathon. If all goes well and the roughly 36,000 expected participants and many thousands of spectators remain safe, an added bonus is that Big Papi won’t have occasion to utter the F-word to a sold-out Fenway this year. Unless it’s regarding the inability of the Sox to play .500 ball through their first 19 games, of course.

Deadbeat Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy continues to host dozens of heavily armed nimrods who apparently believe the Bill of Rights somehow guarantees freedom from grazing fees, or something. Compounding the nimrod factor, Nevada Senator Dean Heller, a – surprise! – Republican, recently described Bundy’s flea-bitten mob of sycophants as “patriots” and is now demanding a Senate hearing into the brouhaha.

The President heads to Asia on Tuesday for an eight-day junket including stops in Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and the Philippines. He’ll likely tout the supposed benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the sprawling, dubious multilateral trade deal whose negotiations the Administration has admitted are currently at an impasse over a variety of issues. The trip was originally scheduled for last fall, but was postponed when Republicans decided to stamp their collective feet, hold their collective breath, and shut down the government.

Conveniently, perhaps too conveniently, the rescheduled trip comes on the heels of the Administration’s shocking refusal to respond to an online petition to deport Justin Bieber, a petition which garnered almost three times the signatures officially required to trigger a response. Really, Mr. President? Really? Continue reading Stormy Monday, 4/21/14

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Stormy Monday, 4/14/14

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StormyMondayYou’re no doubt delighted that your hardworking Congressional representatives have begun their desperately needed two-week break to recharge their batteries, get a little spring sun on their overwhelmingly white and male faces, and mull over “new” legislative ideas that haven’t a prayer of becoming law (which of course is, mostly, a good thing). On the brighter side, Virginia Democrat Jim Moran’s notion of adding a new housing stipend to Congressional remuneration appears to be a non-starter, so at least they’ll be lollygagging at their existing undeserved rate of pay.

Meanwhile, 2.4 million unemployed Americans will spend the same two weeks tearing their hair out over unpaid bills, wondering how they’re going to feed their kids, and continuing not to matter worth a damn to Republicans.

John Boehner kicked off his spring break today with a surprise visit to Afghanistan, accompanied by seven senior House Republicans. He’s expected to hug anyone in uniform he sees, lurch aimlessly around the streets of Kabul in search of happy hour, and top off the junket with a tear-stained tribute to whatever the hell it is American troops are supposed to be accomplishing there.

Following the Bureau of Land Management’s weekend return of 400 confiscated head of cattle back to deadbeat Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, the ludicrous confrontation between the government and Bundy’s creepy nitwit militia buddies appears to be over, at least until the BLM attempts to pursue other remedies against the scofflaw and the nitwits get all riled up again. Stay tuned.

Today and tomorrow in New York, China and the United States will hold talks on dealing with North Korea, followed by a third session in Washington on Thursday. While I have no expertise in international relations, it seems to me the two nations could do worse than shipping 400 head of cattle Kim Jong-un’s way for starters. It might at least buy a little time. Continue reading Stormy Monday, 4/14/14

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Concannon family hope nightmare is near end

John Concannon.
John Concannon.

The family of missing Derry man, John Concannon, was hopeful of waking from a 16 month nightmare yesterday as a post-mortem on human remains discovered on the border on Saturday sought to formally identify their lost loved one.

John’s brothers Leon Concheanainn and Michael Concannon said that while the formal identification process began on Monday following the retrieval of the remains on the Lenamore Road, the family are almost certain it’s him.

The 71-year-old, who suffered from dementia in his later years, was last seen getting off the Fernabbey bus on the Lenamore Road on November 10, 2015.

The human remains discovered by a member of the public on Saturday were just a few hundred yards from where he would have alighted after travelling on the Fernabbey bus from Foyle Street.

Tell-tale indications also suggest it’s almost certainly Mr. Concannon.

“It’s the same shirt he was wearing when he went missing and it’s also the same type of watch,” said his brother Michael.

“It’s obviously been very open-ended for the family for the past 16 months and with the loss of John’s son [Jonathan, who died suddenly, aged just 27, last June] occurring in the middle of that, it’s been very difficult,” he added.

Leon Concheanainn, who joined family members at the site of the discovery for most of Saturday, said: “He was found almost exactly on the border.

“He was about 800 yards up from the bus stop. They found him down in a wee stream.”

He blamed bad fortune for the fact that the body wasn’t discovered earlier.

Despite hundreds of man hours of searches and the use of dogs, not a trace of John was uncovered until the weekend.

Leon said the family was grateful to all the volunteers who offered support and assistance to the Concannon family over the past year and a half.

“We’d like to thank everybody who helped with all the searches. It’s been such a long time. I’m actually delighted he’s been found and hopefully it will give the whole family a bit of closure,” said Leon.

Michael is also hopeful the family can will finally enjoy some peace soon.

He also said he was mindful of other Derry families who have been stricken by family and that the Concannons were thinking particularly of the Glenn and Millar families at this time.

“It was like living a never-ending nightmare. My heart goes out to the Glenn family and, now unfortunately the Millar family as well, for what they’re going through at the moment. You only really know what they’re going through if you’ve gone through it yourself.

“The mind never rests. You rerun every scenario. Should I have checked here? Should I have done this? Should I have done that? With the help of God we’ll get him home now.”


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The Sanctifying Job

I once worked at a ministry where I was evaluated on both specific work goals and on five character traits. My annual review addressed how well I did on achieving certain production targets and whether or not I was perceived to be joyful and humble, among other virtues, in relating to my co-workers. I was doomed. It was one thing to be on time and on budget, but throw godly in the mix and something has to give! Best two out of three was my working theory.

In hindsight, I am tremendously grateful for that job.

As an unmarried adult, my job has been the crucible of personal sanctification. In any other context — say, Sunday church, a small group meeting, or a dinner with friends — I can generally tame my tongue long enough to look mature. But put me in the heat of deadlines, budget pressures, and colleagues who for some reason don’t read my mind, and my immaturity and selfishness overflow. In the ministry job, it came out in front of people who loved me and loved God enough to not let me slide. The pride that coursed under my impatience, critical spirit, complaining and blame-shifting was gently identified and challenged in the context of my work habits. It was evident that I craved ease in a hectic job, a fundamentally silly desire when you think about it.

Years later, I moved on to start my own film company — in the depths of the Great Recession, no less. If I had any notion that working at a ministry had tempered me, I was about to enter a whole new zone of temptation. The first year of being an entrepreneur was a blur of free-floating anxiety and base survival fears, punctuated by ecstatic moments of praise as the Lord answered my prayers for provision and guidance. My friends joked I was a reality show in the making. They were right.

The second year I stepped up to being a legit employer, W2 withholdings and all. Now I not only had to ensure my own survival, but that of others. All the lack that had been identified in my past came home to roost. As the old saying goes, “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” I might not have children, but I can still make sure “ain’t nobody happy” — from clients to vendors to employees. Worse, as an employer and manager, I have nobody to blame but myself for any unwise decisions.

Just after I became an employer, my pastor suggested that I write a book about women, work, and the gospel. I laughed hysterically (which was probably due to sleep deprivation). But unfortunately for me, God had my pastor’s back and soon it became clear this was a project I was to add to my overflowing plate. I’m still in the research and writing phase (assuming I don’t blow my deadline, the book will be released in January 2014), but I am more convinced than ever that this was a divinely appointed task.

I say this because my research led me to Martin Luther’s writings on vocation. Luther viewed our work as a co-labor of love with a gracious God who provides good gifts for his creation. Are we hungry? Jesus tells us to pray for our daily bread. So we ask our heavenly Father to give us the good gift of food. In the way God ordered his world, his image-bearers co-labor with him to grow the grain, bake the bread, deliver it to the stores, and sell it to hungry people. We receive our daily bread because dozens upon dozens of others were faithful in their labors, embodying answered prayers.

John 5:17 emphasized this co-labor perspective. In response to criticism that he healed a sick man on the Sabbath, Jesus said, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”  His work was to glorify his Father and help others. That’s love in action.

Previously I had viewed sanctification in the workplace as a test of maturity or, rather, a way to reveal the lack of it. Often I tried to squelch my pride and manage my sanctification through behavior modification: Never send an email in anger. Ask questions before declaring opinions. Articulate praise before offering criticism, etc. It was exhausting at times. But seeing my daily work as a co-labor of love? That had flown over my head. Love was for the private sphere of home, family, and church, not the rough-and-tumble of the marketplace.

As my false dichotomy crumbled, I realized love was a much better guide through the thicket of sanctification — on or off the job. Love was a motivation to do my tasks with excellence and faithfulness because my labor is part of God’s ongoing work. (Surely someone must be praying for a good documentary, right?)

Love, biblically defined, also redirects my on-the-job sin management efforts. Unplug 1 Corinthians 13:4–6 from the wedding context and reframe it for the office. It addresses every possible workplace context in two memorable sentences: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”

No matter our workplace temptations, conflicts or torturously long staff meetings, we have this incredible promise from verse 8: “Love never ends.” We have all we need to glorify God in the workplace.

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    Feb 2010

    Default Celebs on international drug abuse day!

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    We in talks with celebs on drug abuse day which was on 26th June...

    Drugs are a threat to people's life and efforts rooted in partnerships with the young, civil society, governments the and international community can help eradicate this malice.To create awareness about the damaging effect of illicit drugs the International day against drug abuse is celebrated. On the same we quizzed tellycelebs on what is their thinking on international drug abuse day...

    Ragini Khanna: Anything which harms the body is not good for longer run. Any which ways our environment and food is polluted enough for us.

    Vishal Karwal: Life in itself is a very big high. One should live life without intake of drugs. Drugs may provide you temporary high but causes depression in long run, most of the people take drugs in the beginning just for experience but it is a viscous circle. Say no to drugs and yes to healthy lifestyle.

    Karan Kundra: I have personally seen lives getting ruined because of drug abuse. The end of people who abuse drugs is very terrible and tragic. The worst part is you realize that you are ruining your life but can't help it beyond a stage. It is a worst thing stay away from it.

    Barun Sobti: Stay away from drugs.

    Angad Hasija: It is important to stay away from intake of drugs because once you start consuming it you get more addicted, which is injurious to health and life in turn.

    Iqbal Khan: Everything you do in life you should do in a limit, anything out of limit is injurious anyways. Staying away from drugs is preferable.

    Kunwar Amarjeet Singh: I believe that more than our government every individual should take fast and tough action against drug abuse and should also make a rule of on the spot punishment because then only people who supply drugs will be scared as Drugs is the only reason behind all the crimes.

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Imperial Beach

Imperial Beach California is a small coastal city that is found within the limits of San Diego County. It can easily be reached from Coronado Island, as it lies at the southerly base of the Silver Strand along Route 75. For those coming from downtown San Diego, a short drive on Interstate 5 will get you here, and you might be interested to know that Imperial Beach is the country’s most southwestern city. Tijuana, Mexico is just south of Imperial Beach California, so those enjoying a vacation to Imperial Beach can always cross the border if they want to see what Tijuana has to offer. While Imperial Beach developed quite a bad reputation for being seedy and dirty in recent decades, it is much cleaner these days, not to mention more family and tourist friendly.

Most people who plan a vacation to Imperial Beach come to enjoy the city’s 3.5 miles of beach, which is where the annual Sandcastles Event is held in the month of July. In 1989, the Imperial Beach Pier was added to the beach, and it stretches 1,853-feet into the Pacific Ocean. The Imperial Beach Pier is ideal for languid strolls and general sightseeing, and there is a restaurant at its far end for those who want to enjoy ocean views while dining. At the entrance of the Imperial Beach Pier is a Wyland sculpture, which helps to make the pier a featured Imperial Beach California attraction. Wyland, whose full name is Robert Wyland, is a famous marine life artist who began to gain notoriety in the 1970s. His works have inspired many to embrace conservation of the creatures that live in the world’s oceans, and today the Wyland company that bears his name creates works of art that are inspired by its founder. In addition to checking out the Wyland sculpture and grabbing a bite to eat at the restaurant, those heading to the Imperial Beach Pier can also try some pier fishing, which is free.

As for things to do on the beach during your vacation to Imperial Beach, you can go surfing, try some boogie boarding, or simply take a refreshing dip in the warm ocean waters. People have been surfing at Imperial Beach for decades, and it is just as popular as ever. So good is the surf here, that many California surfers who were preparing to head to Hawaii in the past would come here first to get some practice. If surfing isn’t your thing, then perhaps building sand castles or other sand sculptures might suit your fancy. The sand on the beach in Imperial Beach is considered by some to be the best sand in the country for sculpting, as is evidenced by the aforementioned sandcastle event. When you’re not spending time on the beach at Imperial Beach, you can hang out at the Imperial Beach Park, which features volleyball and basketball courts, a kid’s playground, and picnic areas. There are also public showers and restrooms at the park, which is found near the beach.

Since the Border Field State Park, the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge, and the Tijuana River National Estuarine Sanctuary are all found near Imperial Beach, visitors to the city can enjoy some birdwatching and hiking on the side. When visiting the Border Field State Park, you can check out the park’s undeveloped beach, which is both scenic and relaxing. Shopping in nearby Tijuana and in downtown San Diego is also something that might interest you during your Imperial Beach trip, and there are plenty of restaurants in the area where you can treat yourself to a pleasurable dining experience

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Crytek: We're bringing our tech to Wii U

Crytek: We're bringing our tech to Wii U

By Rob Crossley and Will Freeman

June 13th 2011 at 3:44PM

CryEngine will also have 'deep support for Kinect'

CryEngine-built software is already close to fully running on Nintendo’s next-generation console, engine vendor Crytek has said.

“Crytek’s support for Wii U is definitely going to happen,” company CEO Cevat Yerli told Develop in a new interview to be published soon.

Yerli claimed that CryEngine's tech was close to fully running on Nintendo’s new system, though wouldn’t specify any details.

“We aren't showing it but we are pretty much running it already,” Yerli said.

The news comes days after Develop revealed that Crytek’s closest business rival, Epic Games, is also supporting Wii U with its high-end game engine.

Yerli suggested that Crytek will be taking a more aggressive business approach with CryEngine 3, which at the time of writing only supports PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 projects.

He said he wants CryEngine to eventually support “every platform that's a major player in the industry of gaming”.

“We are expanding in many ways, and some of that is more announced than others. Kinect is major driver for future platforms as well, so Kinect support is important. Having basic Kinect support in the CryEngine is one thing, but I'm talking about really supporting it deeply. CryEngine is going to have deep support.

“Then there are other efforts towards supporting mobile and tablets, which we can only say we are working on. How far we have gone and what we mean is something I can't say more about now.”

Nintendo turned heads at this year's E3 by unveiling an ambitions next-generation console that displays TV content on the system’s controller itself.

[Click here for Wii U – A visual tour]

However, throughout E3, Nintendo execs had dodged questions on the Wii U’s system specifics.

All the company’s execs at the event would onlyexplain  the console's horsepower in illustrative terms.


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90s Slang You Should Know

[dih-min-ish] /dɪˈmɪn ɪʃ/
verb (used with object)
to make or cause to seem smaller, less, less important, etc.; lessen; reduce.
Architecture. to give (a column) a form tapering inward from bottom to top.
Music. to make (an interval) smaller by a chromatic half step than the corresponding perfect or minor interval.
to detract from the authority, honor, stature, or reputation of; disparage.
verb (used without object)
to lessen; decrease.
Origin of diminish
late Middle English
1400-50; late Middle English; blend of diminuen (< Anglo-French diminuer < Medieval Latin dīminuere for Latin dēminuere to make smaller) and minishen minish
Related forms
diminishable, adjective
diminishment, noun
nondiminishing, adjective
prediminish, verb (used with object)
prediminishment, noun
undiminishable, adjective
undiminishableness, noun
undiminishably, adverb
undiminished, adjective
undiminishing, adjective
Synonym Study
5. See decrease. Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2017.
Cite This Source
Examples from the Web for diminishment
Contemporary Examples
Historical Examples
  • Although the light was decreasing, I could perceive no diminishment in the apparent speed of the sun.

    The House on the Borderland William Hope Hodgson
  • For an instant there was no diminishment of the pace; then the horses head came down, and Jacks feet again touched earth.

    Weatherby's Inning Ralph Henry Barbour
  • Not that this diminishment of her handwriting in any sense lessened the effect upon me of the sentiments it conveyed.

    Memoirs of a Midget Walter de la Mare
  • Its population suffered some diminishment in the next two years in spite of its position on the main highway of trade.

    A Man for the Ages Irving Bacheller
British Dictionary definitions for diminishment

to make or become smaller, fewer, or less
(transitive) (architect) to cause (a column, etc) to taper
(transitive) (music) to decrease (a minor or perfect interval) by a semitone
to belittle or be belittled; reduce in authority, status, etc; depreciate
Derived Forms
diminishable, adjective
diminishingly, adverb
diminishment, noun
Word Origin
C15: blend of diminuen to lessen (from Latin dēminuere to make smaller, from minuere to reduce) + archaic minish to lessen
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cite This Source
Word Origin and History for diminishment

early 15c., from merger of two obsolete verbs, diminue and minish. Diminue is from Old French diminuer "make small," from Latin diminuere "break into small pieces," variant of deminuere "lessen, diminish," from de- "completely" + minuere "make small" (see minus).

Minish is from Old French menuisier, from Latin minuere. Related: Diminished; diminishes; diminishing.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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90s Slang You Should Know

or Natascha

[nuh-tah-shuh] /nəˈtɑ ʃə/
a female given name, Russian form of Natalie. Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2017.
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Examples from the Web for Natasha
Contemporary Examples
Historical Examples
  • But Natasha stayed by her mother and glanced round as if looking for something.

    War and Peace Leo Tolstoy
  • When Natasha ran out of the drawing room she only went as far as the conservatory.

    War and Peace Leo Tolstoy
  • All this time Natasha sat silent, glancing up at him from under her brows.

    War and Peace Leo Tolstoy
  • At this Natasha dashed swiftly among the flower tubs and hid there.

    War and Peace Leo Tolstoy
  • Natasha kept pulling everyone by sleeve or dress, urging them to "look at Papa!"

    War and Peace Leo Tolstoy
Word Origin and History for Natasha

fem. proper name, from Russian pet form of Natalya (see Natalie).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Not a member? No problem! Now the dealership can open a WECU account for you*! and your Washington state dealership of choice—true one-stop shopping for your next vehicle!

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Coaching events calendar

What does motivation mean? What actually is it? People use the expression “I am really motivated” but what actually do they mean by that?

According to the dictionary, motivation means “enthusiasm to do something”. I reckon that’s a pretty good definition. But what actually is a motivated person, somebody you could call “motivated”?

They would probably come across as having lots of energy and drive and would be achieving things. They would probably be great people to be around as the positive energy and enthusiasm are usually contagious and instil motivation in others too.

But I think motivation is actually deeper than that. It’s more than a feeling of enthusiasm. It’s more than energy and excitement. It goes beyond those things.

Motivation means choosing to do some things you would rather not do. Some things that may be difficult, out of your comfort zone, challenging or new. That’s the difference that motivation makes, it pushes us that bit harder, to achieve that much more, to fly a little higher or shine a little brighter. By choosing to do some of those things you would rather not do, there is room for growth and improvement for learning and development. This is the place where courage, wisdom and confidence come from. This is the place where we start to find out what we are really made of. This is the place where you start to discover who you are and what you can do.

When I take on a new endurance challenge people sometimes ask me, “Why do you want to do that”? It is for the very reason that in the challenge the motivation to accomplish and succeed teaches me so much about myself; my abilities, my weaknesses, my strengths, my desires and  helps me find new previously hidden to me aspects of my character and personality.

To the innocent bystander it is just some ridiculous bike race in a muddy field. To me it is a rich journey of personal discovery, connecting with those difficult to reach places inside myself that actually hold real gold and precious resource to help me grow into a better person.


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The Rewards of Cloud Computing Integration

Lindsey Nelson

I know you have heard a lot about the “alleged” results of cloud computing, but as more and morecloud computing integration businesses actually try it we now have hard data.

Think of cloud computing like an entertainment system. It’s comprised of many different pieces, each working well by plugging into what you already have. But the wow factor only truly arrives when you have a fully integrated, end-to-end system, working together to produce the perfect movie night.

Cloud computing integration in business is no different.

Did you know 79% of senior business and IT executives expected “meaningful improvements as a result of cloud initiatives” in the areas of “innovation, speed, and efficiency of processes”? This statistic is from an Oxford Economics and SAP study covering the importance of the platform approach, the benefits of integration, and how some companies are managing the approach.

Why cloud computing integration is essential

Many executives and business people alike think that cloud computing is as simple as activating a service with a credit card. But integration provides key benefits that siloed subscriptions cannot.

What about having consistent data, where the massive stream of structure and unstructured, harmoniously coexists; accessible from everywhere at any time.  Wouldn’t you like to be like the near 60% of respondents who said they used the cloud for collaboration with partners, suppliers, and even customers? Getting their feedback and input in real time, enabling you to meet the demanding pace of the market.

The phrase, “nothing ventured, nothing gained,” didn’t come out of nowhere. However, I bet the rewards reaped from the venturous were double in value to those who remained on the already beaten path.

Preparing for cloud computing integration

Although it may sound easier to let someone handle connecting your disparate clouds, the top cloud business leaders don’t put their integration into third party hands. According to the survey, almost 70% of cloud leaders who responded have a dedicated team focused on the integration and above 60% of them have purchased integration tools. The leaders prepare for this undertaking meticulously and manage the process carefully.

Before you take it on, keep these things in mind

  • You must have an onboard IT team who has a solid foundation and understanding of the technology
  • Understand what the use cases for cloud are, and build your platform around that. Leaving room for the only imaginable capabilities. You never know when they’ll become a reality
  • Ensure your customers and partners can access your platform everywhere. By making ease of access a priority, users will adopt and your investment will not be for nothing

For more information, check out the full white paper and survey results here.

About Lindsey Nelson

Lindsey Nelson currently supports Content and Enablement at SAP. Prior to her current role, she was responsible for Thought Leadership Content Strategy and Pull Marketing Strategy at SAP.

Innovation Without Boundaries: Why The Cloud Matters

Michael Haws

Is it possible to innovate without boundaries?

Of course – if you are using the cloud. An actual cloud doesn’t have any boundaries. It’s fluid. But more important, it can provide the much-needed precipitation that brings nature to life. So it is with cloud technology – but it’s your ideas that can grow and transform your business.USA --- Clouds, Heaven --- Image by © Ocean/Corbis

Running your business in the cloud is no longer just a consideration during a typical use-case exercise. Business executives are now faced with making decisions on solutions that go beyond previous limitations with cloud computing. Selecting the latest tools to address a business process gap is now less about features and more about functionality.

It doesn’t matter whether your organization is experienced with cloud solutions or new to the concept. Cloud technology is quickly becoming a core part of addressing the needs of a growing business.

5 considerations when planning your journey to the cloud

How can your organization define its successful path to the cloud? Here are five things you should consider when investigating whether a move to the cloud is right for you.

1. Understanding the cloud is great, but putting it into action is another thing.

For most CIOs, putting a cloud strategy on paper is new territory. Cloud computing is taking on new realms: Pure managed services to software-as-a-service (SaaS). Just as legacy computing had different flavors, so does cloud technology.

2. There is more than one way to innovate in the cloud.

Alignment with an open cloud reference architecture can help your CIO deliver on the promises of the cloud while using a stair-step approach to cloud adoption – from on-premise to hybrid to full cloud computing. Some companies find their own path by constantly reevaluating their needs and shifting their focus when necessary – making the move from running a data center to delivering real value to stakeholders, for example.

3. The cloud can help accelerate processes and lower cost.

By recognizing unprecedented growth, your organization can embark on a path to significant transformation that powers greater agility and competitiveness. Choose a solution set that best meets your needs, and implement and support it moving forward. By leveraging the cloud to support the chosen solution, ongoing maintenance, training, and system issues becomes the cloud provider’s responsibility. And for you, this offers the freedom to focus on the core business.

4. You can lock down your infrastructure and ensure more efficient processes.

Do you use a traditional reporting engine against a large relational database to generate a sequential batched report to close your books at quarter’s end? If so, you’re not alone. Sure, a new solution with new technology may be an obvious improvement. But how valuable to your board will you become when you reduce the financial closing process by 1–3 days? That’s the beauty of the cloud: You can accelerate the deployment of your chosen solution and realize ROI quickly – even before the next full reporting period.

5. The cloud opens the door to new opportunity in a secure environment.

For many companies, moving to the cloud may seem impossible due to the time and effort needed to train workers and hire resources with the right skill sets. Plus, if you are a startup in a rural location, it may not be as easy to attract the right talent as it is for your Silicon Valley counterparts. The cloud allows your business to secure your infrastructure as well as recruit and onboard those hard-to-find resources by applying a managed services contract to run your cloud model

The cloud means many things to different people. What’s your path?

With SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud service, you can navigate the best path to building, running, and operating your own cloud when running critical business processes. Find out how SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud can deliver the speed and resources necessary to quickly validate and realize solid ROI.

Check out the video below or visit us at

Connect with us on Twitter: @SAPServices

Michael Haws

About Michael Haws

Michael Haws is the Vice President of HANA Enterprise Cloud at SAP. His specialties include Enterprise Resource Planning Software & Services, Onshore, Nearshore, Offshore--Application, Infrastructure and Business Process Outsourcing.

Consumers And Providers: Two Halves Of The Hybrid Cloud Equation

Marty McCormick

Long gone are the days of CIOs and IT managers freely spending money to move their 02 Jun 2012 --- Young creatives having lunch and conversation. --- Image by © Hero/Corbisexisting systems to the cloud without any real business justification just to be part of the latest hype. As cloud deployments are becoming more prevalent, IT leaders are now tasked with proving the tangible benefits of adopting a cloud strategy from an operational, efficiency, and cost perspective. At the same time, they must balance their end users’ increasing demand for access to more data from an ever-expanding list of public cloud sources.

Lately, public cloud systems have become part of IT landscapes both in the form of multi-tenant systems, such as software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings and data consumption applications such as Twitter. Along with the integration of applications and data outside of the corporate domain, new architectures have been spawned, requiring real-time and seamless integration points.  As shown in the figure below, these hybrid clouds – loosely defined as the integration of data from systems in both public and private clouds in a unified fashion – are the foundation of this new IT architecture.

Not only has the hybrid cloud changed a company’s approach to deploying new software, but it has also changed the way software is developed and sold from a provider’s perspective.

The provider perspective: Unifying development and operations

Thanks to the hybrid cloud approach, system administrators and developers are sitting side by side in an agile development model known as Development and Operations (DevOps). By increasing collaboration, communication, innovation, and problem resolution, development teams can closely collaborate with system administrators and provide a continuous feedback loop of both sides of the agile methodology.

For example, operations teams can provide feedback on reported software bugs, software support issues, and new feature requests to development teams in real time. Likewise, development teams develop and test new applications with support and maintainability as a key pillar in design.
After seeing the advantages realized by cloud providers that have embraced this approach long ago, other companies that have traditionally separated these two areas are now adopting the DevOps model.

The consumer perspective: Moving to the cloud on its own terms

From the standpoint of the corporate consumer, hybrid cloud deployments bring a number of advantages to an IT organization. Specifically, the hybrid approach allows companies to move some application functionality to the cloud at their own pace.
Many applications naturally lend themselves to public cloud domains given their application and data requirements. For most companies, HR, indirect procurement, travel, and CRM systems are the first to be deployed in a public cloud. This approach eliminates the requirement for building and operating these applications in house while allowing IT areas to take advantage of new features and technologies much faster.

However, there is one challenge consumers need to overcome: The lack of capabilities needed to extend these applications and meet business requirements when the standard offering is often insufficient. Unfortunately, this tempts organizations to create extensive custom applications that replicate information across a variety of systems to meet end user requirements. This development work can offset the cost benefits of the initial cloud application, especially when you consider the upgrades and support required to maintain the application.

What this all means to everyone involved in the hybrid cloud

Given these two perspectives, on-premise software providers are transforming themselves so they can meet the ever-evolving demands of today’s information consumer. In particular, they are preparing for these unique challenges facing customers and creating a smooth journey to a hybrid cloud.

Take SAP, for example. By adopting a DevOps model to break down a huge internal barrier and allowing tighter collaboration, the company has delivered a simpler approach to hybrid cloud deployments through the SAP HANA Cloud Platform for extending applications and SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud for hosting solutions.

Find out how these two innovations can help you implement a robust and secure hybrid cloud solution:
SAP HANA Cloud Platform
SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud

Marty McCormick

About Marty McCormick

Marty McCormick is the Lead Technical Architect, Managed Cloud Delivery, at SAP. He is experienced in a wide range of SAP solutions, including SAP Netweaver SAP Portal, SAP CRM, SAP SRM, SAP MDM, SAP BI, and SAP ERP.

Running Future Cities on Blockchain

Dan Wellers , Raimund Gross and Ulrich Scholl

Building on the Blockchain Framework

Some experts say these seemingly far-future speculations about the possibilities of combining technologies using blockchain are actually both inevitable and imminent:

Democratizing design and manufacturing by enabling individuals and small businesses to buy, sell, share, and digitally remix products affordably while protecting intellectual property rights.
Decentralizing warehousing and logistics by combining autonomous vehicles, 3D printers, and smart contracts to optimize delivery of products and materials, and even to create them on site as needed.
Distributing commerce by mixing virtual reality, 3D scanning and printing, self-driving vehicles, and artificial intelligence into immersive, personalized, on-demand shopping experiences that still protect buyers’ personal and proprietary data.

The City of the Future

Imagine that every agency, building, office, residence, and piece of infrastructure has an entry on a blockchain used as a city’s digital ledger. This “digital twin” could transform the delivery of city services.

For example:

  • Property owners could easily monetize assets by renting rooms, selling solar power back to the grid, and more.
  • Utilities could use customer data and AIs to make energy-saving recommendations, and smart contracts to automatically adjust power usage for greater efficiency.
  • Embedded sensors could sense problems (like a water main break) and alert an AI to send a technician with the right parts, tools, and training.
  • Autonomous vehicles could route themselves to open parking spaces or charging stations, and pay for services safely and automatically.
  • Cities could improve traffic monitoring and routing, saving commuters’ time and fuel while increasing productivity.

Every interaction would be transparent and verifiable, providing more data to analyze for future improvements.

Welcome to the Next Industrial Revolution

When exponential technologies intersect and combine, transformation happens on a massive scale. It’s time to start thinking through outcomes in a disciplined, proactive way to prepare for a future we’re only just beginning to imagine.

Download the executive brief Running Future Cities on Blockchain.

Read the full article Pulling Cities Into The Future With Blockchain

About Dan Wellers

Dan Wellers is founder and leader of Digital Futures at SAP, a strategic insights and thought leadership discipline that explores how digital technologies drive exponential change in business and society.

Raimund Gross

About Raimund Gross

Raimund Gross is a solution architect and futurist at SAP Innovation Center Network, where he evaluates emerging technologies and trends to address the challenges of businesses arising from digitization. He is currently evaluating the impact of blockchain for SAP and our enterprise customers.

Ulrich Scholl

About Ulrich Scholl

Ulrich Scholl is Vice President of Industry Cloud and Custom Development at SAP. In this role, Ulrich discovers and implements best practices to help further the understanding and adoption of the SAP portfolio of industry cloud innovations.

Are AI And Machine Learning Killing Analytics As We Know It?

Joerg Koesters

According to IDC, artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to become pervasive across customer journeys, supply networks, merchandizing, and marketing and commerce because it provides better insights to optimize retail execution. For example, in the next two years:

  • 40% of digital transformation initiatives will be supported by cognitive computing and AI capabilities to provide critical, on-time insights for new operating and monetization models.
  • 30% of major retailers will adopt a retail omnichannel commerce platform that integrates a data analytics layer that centrally orchestrates omnichannel capabilities.

One thing is clear: new analytic technologies are expected to radically change analytics – and retail – as we know them.

AI and machine learning defined in the context of retail

AI is defined broadly as the ability of computers to mimic human thinking and logic. Machine learning is a subset of AI that focuses on how computers can learn from data without being programmed through the use of algorithms that adapt to change; in other words, they can “learn” continuously in response to new data. We’re seeing these breakthroughs now because of massive improvements in hardware (for example, GPUs and multicore processing) that can handle Big Data volumes and run deep learning algorithms needed to analyze and learn from the data.

Ivano Ortis, vice president at IDC, recently shared with me how he believes, “Artificial intelligence will take analytics to the next level and will be the foundation for retail innovation, as reported by one out of every two retailers globally. AI enables scale, automation, and unprecedented precision and will drive customer experience innovation when applied to both hyper micro customer segmentation and contextual interaction.”

Given the capabilities of AI and machine learning, it’s easy to see how they can be powerful tools for retailers. Now computers can read and listen to data, understand and learn from it, and instantly and accurately recommend the next best action without having to be explicitly programmed. This is a boon for retailers seeking to accurately predict demand, anticipate customer behavior, and optimize and personalize customer experiences.

For example, it can be used to automate:

  • Personalized product recommendations based on data about each customer’s unique interests and buying propensity
  • The selection of additional upsell and cross-sell options that drive greater customer value
  • Chat bots that can drive intelligent and meaningful engagement with customers
  • Recommendations on additional services and offerings based on past and current buying data and customer data
  • Planogram analyses, which support in-store merchandizing by telling people what’s missing, comparing sales to shelf space, and accelerating shelf replenishment by automating reorders
  • Pricing engines used to make tailored, situational pricing decisions

Particularly in the United States, retailers are already able to collect large volumes of transaction-based and behavioral data from their customers. And as data volumes grow and processing power improves, machine learning becomes increasingly applicable in a wider range of retail areas to further optimize business processes and drive more impactful personalized and contextual consumer experiences and products.

The transformation of retail has already begun

The impacts of AI and machine learning are already being felt. For example:

  • Retailers are predicting demand with machine learning in combination with IoT technologies to optimize store businesses and relieve workforces
  • Advertisements are being personalized based on in-store camera detections and taking over semi-manual clienteling tasks of store employees
  • Retailers can monitor wait times in checkout lines to understand store traffic and merchandising effectiveness at the individual store level – and then tailor assortments and store layouts to maximize basket size, satisfaction, and sell through
  • Systems can now recognize and predict customer behavior and improve employee productivity by turning scheduled tasks into on-demand activities
  • Camera systems can detect the “fresh” status of perishable products before onsite employees can
  • Brick-and-mortar stores are automating operational tasks, such as setting shelf pricing, determining product assortments and mixes, and optimizing trade promotions
  • In-store apps can tell how long a customer has been in a certain aisle and deliver targeted offers and recommendations (via his or her mobile device) based on data about data about personal consumption histories and preferences

A recent McKinsey study provided examples that quantify the potential value of these technologies in transforming how retailers operate and compete. For example:

  • U.S. retailer supply chain operations that have adopted data and analytics have seen up to a 19% increase in operating margin over the last five years. Using data and analytics to improve merchandising, including pricing, assortment, and placement optimization, is leading to an additional 16% in operating margin improvement.
  • Personalizing advertising is one of the strongest use cases for machine learning today. Additional retail use cases with high potential include optimizing pricing, routing, and scheduling based on real-time data in travel and logistics, as well as optimizing merchandising strategies.

Exploiting the full value of data

Thin margins (especially in the grocery sector) and pressure from industry-leading early adopters such as Amazon and Walmart have created strong incentives to put customer data to work to improve everything from cross-selling additional products to reducing costs throughout the entire value chain. But McKinsey has assessed that the U.S. retail sector has realized only 30-40% of the potential margin improvements and productivity growth its analysts envisioned in 2011 – and a large share of the value of this growth has gone to consumers through lower prices. So thus far, only a fraction of the potential value from AI and machine learning has been realized.

According to Forbes, U.S. retailers have the potential to see a 60%+ increase in net margin and 0.5–1.0% annual productivity growth. But there are major barriers to realizing this value, including lack of analytical talent and siloed data within companies.

This is where machine learning and analytics kick in. AI and machine learning can help scale the repetitive analytics tasks required to drive leverage of the available data. When deployed on a companywide, real-time analytics platform, they can become the single source of truth that all enterprise functions rely on to make better decisions.

How will this change analytics?

So how will AI and machine learning change retail analytics? We expect that AI and machine learning will not kill analytics as we know it, but rather give it a new and even more impactful role in driving the future of retail. For example, we anticipate that:

  • Retailers will include machine learning algorithms as an additional factor in analyzing and  monitoring business outcomes in relation to machine learning algorithms
  • They will use AI and machine learning to sharpen analytic algorithms, detect more early warning signals, anticipate trends, and have accurate answers before competitors do
  • Analytics will happen in real time and act as the glue between all areas of the business
  • Analytics will increasingly focus on analyzing manufacturing machine behavior, not just business and consumer behavior

Ivano Ortis at IDC authored a recent report, “Why Retail Analytics are a Foundation for Retail Profits,” in which he provides further insights on this topic. He notes how retail leaders will use new kinds of analytics to drive greater profitability, further differentiate the customer experience, and compete more effectively, “In conclusion, commerce and technology will converge, enabling retailers to achieve short-term ROI objectives while discovering untapped demand. But implementing analytics will require coordination across key management roles and business processes up and down each retail organization. Early adopters are realizing demonstrably significant value from their initiatives – double-digit improvements in margins, same-store and e-commerce revenue, inventory positions and sell-through, and core marketing metrics. A huge opportunity awaits.”

So how do you see your retail business adopting advanced analytics like AI and machine learning? I encourage you to read IDC’s report in detail, as it provides valuable insights to help you invest in – and apply – new kinds of analytics that will be essential to profitable growth.

For more information, download IDC’s “Why Retail Analytics are a Foundation for Retail Profits.

About Joerg Koesters

Joerg Koesters is the Head of Retail Marketing and Communication at SAP. He is a Technology Marketing executive with 20 years of experience in Marketing, Sales and Consulting, Joerg has deep knowledge in retail and consumer products having worked both in the industry and in the technology sector.


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Howard joins period drama 'The Help'

Bryce Dallas Howard signs to co-star in upcoming period drama The Help.

Bryce Dallas Howard has landed a lead role in upcoming drama The Help, reports Deadline.

The DreamWorks movie is based on Kathryn Stockett's bestselling novel of the same name.

The plot centres on a maid who breaks etiquette and speaks candidly about her experiences in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi.

Howard will play an antagonistic busybody named Hilly Holbrook, described as a beehive hairdo-wearing woman who is cruel to the maids.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The 29-year-old joins Emma Stone and Viola Davis in the film, directed by Tate Taylor.

Filming is expected to begin in July.

Howard will also play the role of Victoria in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

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