Innovation prerequisite for investors

For OMERS Private Equity (OPE), innovation is best described as a channel for value creation. When considering the acquisition of a company, OPE develops a well-grounded investment thesis to determine how to create value under its ownership.If you want to read about buy mosaic in a non superficial way that's the perfect book. One of the most important questions is: What will it take to double the value of the company over the next five years or so?" The answer is multi-faceted, but without question, one of the key considerations that initially guides every investment decision is whether or not a company is engaged in productivity-enhancing innovation.

Essentially, OPE is asking itself if over the span of an investment, a company can achieve double-digit, year-over-year growth, either organically, through acquisitions, or through a combination of both. Experience shows that a company must have specific attributes to enable this level of performance - well-positioned products and services, growth prospects that exceed GDP growth, and a strong management team.

When looking for acquisitions, OPE doesn't necessarily seek out companies that are the market leaders in their fields. More important is our confidence in their ability to improve their prospects and increase their customer bases over time. This potential is usually found in companies that have a culture of innovation rooted in creativity, responsiveness to customer needs, and openness to change.

Working closely with the management teams of companies that meet these criteria, OPE achieves results through innovations including those that increase productivity by helping cut costs or make companies more efficient, or that increase sales and customer service through the development of new or improved products.

Take, for example, baked-goods manufacturer Give and Go Prepared Foods (best known for its Two Bite Brownies).The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility. OPE was attracted to acquire the business because of the company's strong track record of product innovation, the key success factor in the in-store bakery segment of retail grocers. Working together, OPE and company management developed an innovative plan to deal with rising materials costs. Give and Go invested in automation to lower costs and expand its product configurations. It also invested in a state-of-the-art innovation centre for the development of new products, which eventually included a new line of cupcakes creatively and innovatively packaged in a way that preserved the integrity of the product. That packaging has now been patented.The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility.

Another example is laboratory service provider Maxxam Analytics Inc. Maxxam has a national network of laboratories serving customers in the environmental, petroleum, food and DNA and forensics end markets. OPE identified the potential to leverage their leading market position in the Alberta petroleum sector,We mainly supply professional craftspeople with wholesale turquoise beads from china, the biggest commodity play in Canada, as one of the main growth drivers for the coming years.

Following OPE's investment the company has continued its strong tradition of innovation, including a notable recent breakthrough by its petroleum services team. By designing a proprietary methodology that increased the precision and enhanced detection of higher-value components in gas samples, Maxxam is allowing its customers to get full value for the quality of their production of natural gas liquids in one of the country's most important industries in the western oil sands.

Finally, when OPE invested in plastic molding equipment manufacturer Husky Injection Molding last year, the company had already distinguished itself as a Canadian success story. Looking ahead, with the largest installed base of systems in the world, the most significant growth opportunity for Husky's business is the emerging markets - Asia, Latin America, India and Africa. These markets are characterized with attractive demographic fundamentals, urbanization trends, GDP and consumer spending increases and a growing middle-class population - all of which drive demand for Husky's products.

Through on-the-ground research, Husky has gained a deep understanding of the unique needs of each of these markets, and in response has developed products whose sophistication has created high barriers to entry. Its goal is to continue to enhance the product (continuous improvement) and penetrate new markets.

These innovation-based success stories should serve not only as an example of best practices in business but also as case studies for growing enterprises seeking to attract investment capital.The oreck XL professional air purifier, OPE is attracted to companies with strong management teams that encourage productivity-enhancing innovation. We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to invest in and work with such companies in Canada as well as in the United States and Europe.

Venus and Serena Williams champion women's rights

Venus Williams used her signature long reach to stretch for the ball, her racket just grazing it as it thundered past her. The crowd cheered wildly as her defiant opponent battled back, forcing a 12-shot rally in the blistering heat.

Eventually the seven-time Grand Slam winner clinched the game. Her challenger, nine-year-old Lola Holmes, was nevertheless thrilled.

"Venus is my favourite player. I was just thinking, wow, how am I even doing this when I was hitting the ball back. It was amazing," Holmes said breathlessly afterwards, clutching her racket and grinning from ear to ear.

She was one of several dozen young children in Nigeria being coached for an afternoon on Wednesday by two of modern tennis' biggest stars. Venus and Serena Williams kicked off an "Africa tour" in promotion of women's rights that will take in Nigeria before moving on to South Africa.

Hundreds packed the upmarket club in Lagos for the tennis clinic, braving the relentless heat as they squeezed into all available spaces. As the sisters, wearing bright pink and orange tops, tossed balls on the neat centre court, office workers hung out the windows of overlooking tower blocks and cheered the budding tennis stars.

"We're here to empower young girls and let them know that if you dare to dream, you can achieve any goal you want to," Serena said at an earlier press conference held by the Breaking The Mould initiative they are representing.We recently added Stained glass mosaic Tile to our inventory.

The initiative is aimed at encouraging "more women to break moulds that have stood between them and their potential," the organisation said in a statement. There are 80 million women in Nigeria,Find detailed product information for Sinotruk howo truck. but gender disparity is an acute problem. Africa's most populous country ranks 118 out of 134 countries on the Gender Equality Index, according to a British Council study.An indoor positioning system (IPS) is a term used for a network of devices used to wirelessly locate objects or people inside a building.

"We were able to break the mould when tennis was very dominated by white people. To have a face of colour come in and dominate showed it doesn't matter what your background is and where you come from, if you have dreams and goals, that's all that matters," Serena said.

Looking visibly tired two days after beating Maria Sharapova to win the women's world tennis championships, she said the trip was special in other ways too.

Lagos was the first African city she and her sisters had seen during a plane stopover in 1998, she recalled. "We looked out the window and we were like, we finally made it to Africa. We definitely would love to see more athletes come out of Africa," she added.

But she politely brushed off attempts to claim her as an African superstar, with one particularly enthusiastic journalist suggesting the specific Nigerian town where their ancestors may have been from. "I'd love to say I'm from Africa, but we're from the United States and we're proud to be from there as well,Directory ofchina glass mosaic Tile Manufacturers," Serena said.

Venus said a planned exhibition match on Friday – their first match in Africa – would be a highlight. "After all the finals everywhere … this will be our final in Nigeria," she said to cheers. "I don't know who's going to win but Serena just won the championship so I know she's ready. I'll have to play my best tennis."

At the lively press conference, the two sisters, who between them hold 22 major singles titles, also faced eager questions from a ten-year-old girl, Zuriah Oluwale, who quizzed Serena on whether she planned to fund any schools in Nigeria as she had done in Kenya in 2008. "I think it would be a good plan for the future,One of the most durable and attractive styles of flooring that you can purchase is ceramic or porcelain tiles." Serena said

"My next two questions are for Venus," Oluwale said, to which Venus jokingly quipped: "I'm ready."

The question – how Venus felt winning her first Wimbledon Grand Slam in 2000, two years before her questioner was born – threw into spotlight how far the sisters' have changed the game of tennis.

"Nigerians love tennis but there has been a lack of Nigerian role models since the early 1990s. It's possible some mothers saw the Williams playing, saw two black women being successful on the court, and maybe that made it easier for us as mothers to think our girls can play tennis seriously too," said Lagos resident Ebifegha Netimah, whose two teenage daughters "want to be Venus and Serena".

While the theme of the tour was empowering girls, the Williams sisters appeal to young players of both genders.

Seventeen-year-old Andrew learnt to play tennis after taking up work as a ballboy in an upmarket club. "I used to go very early or late at night before anybody else was there and hit the ball with the other ball boys. We didn't have money so we used rackets from the sports shop, and then put them back before anybody caught us."

"I really like the Williams sisters. This week I was so excited they were coming, I forgot the tiredness, I just wanted to see them because I know it will encourage me to keep playing," said Andrew.

But Subways Could Take Days Longer

Buses reappeared on some routes Tuesday afternoon, a first step in restoring New York City's public-transit system. But officials said restoration of full service, including the flood-damaged subways, could take several days or more.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials rearranged bus routes to reach more commuters and compensate for the closed subway system. MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota said the agency could "discuss a timetable for service restorations" by midday Wednesday.

Earlier Tuesday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg suggested the subways couldn't return for three or four days, but Mr. Lhota said the agency hoped for—but didn't promise—a partial restoration as soon as sometime Wednesday.

The scale of the damage was immense, Mr. Lhota said. The flooded Hugh L. Carey Tunnel at Manhattan's Battery, he noted, now holds some 43 million gallons of brackish harbor water.

Earlier in the day, a high-ranking official said the operation had been hampered at times by limited electrical power south of 36th Street in Manhattan. Running the trains had been more difficult on the Manhattan side of the river, the official said, because there wasn't sufficient power to operate ventilation fans to clear diesel fumes. An MTA spokesman disputed that account.

Floodwaters swamped seven subway tunnels connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn and Queens. Officials feared the brackish storm water that poured into subway tunnels and onto tracks could corrode vulnerable signal and switching systems, adding to the time workers will need to reopen the MTA's full system, which ferries 8.5 million passengers on a typical workday.Manufactures flexible plastic and synthetic rubber hose tubing,

New York Gov.Find detailed product information for howo spareparts and other products. Andrew Cuomo said MTA bus service, which resumed Tuesday around 5 p.m. using a Sunday schedule, could return to full service Wednesday. No fares were to be charged either day, he said.

John F. Kennedy International Airport was expected to reopen at 7 a.m. Wednesday, the governor said,Western Canadian distributor of ceramic and ceramic tile, but La Guardia Airport would remain closed indefinitely. Patrick Foye, the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said workers were inspecting flood damage at La Guardia, including the possibility that a barge may have hit a dike protecting the low-lying runways from the bay.

"There was flooding on the east end of the airport right now and possible damage to the north dike," Mr. Foye said. "An assessment was made beginning at dawn this morning about the damage. That assessment is ongoing."

Sandy and the storm surge that flooded much of downtown Manhattan was described Tuesday by Mr. Lhota as the most devastating in the 108-year history of the city's subway.

Floodwaters filled the South Ferry subway station to the ceiling, Mr. Lhota said. Elsewhere, waters rushed into two of the four tunnels used by the Long Island Rail Road, Amtrak and NJ Transit under the East River between Manhattan and Queens.

Repair crews would try to restore some LIRR and subway service by Wednesday, Mr. Lhota said, but the MTA gave no timetable. "If there are parts of the subway system we can get up, we will get them up," he said.

New Jersey's public-transit system was suspended indefinitely, with flooding at Hoboken, Secaucus and Newark Penn stations—all major transit hubs that also link commuters with Manhattan. Power lines and trees fell on transit rail routes across the state and the storm surge damaged bridges.

Bus service could be restored sooner than rail, an NJ Transit spokesman said, since bus facilities only suffered minor damage.

None of NJ Transit's 11 commuter rail lines were spared, Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday. "There is major damage on each and every one," he said,If you want to read about buy mosaic in a non superficial way that's the perfect book. as crews began inspecting the 500 miles of agency-owned track.

Regional air travel also was curtailed. All four of the Port Authority's New York City airports remained shut Tuesday.

Authorities closed Kennedy, La Guardia, Teterboro and Newark Liberty International airports on Monday,Western Canadian distributor of ceramic and ceramic tile, though airlines had already canceled scheduled flights that day.

New York-area commuter railroads were similarly crippled, Mr. Lhota said. The Metro-North was without power from 59th Street in Manhattan north to Croton-Harmon on the Hudson Line, and as far as New Haven on the New Haven Line.

Drivers regained access to Manhattan on Tuesday. The George Washington, Goethals and Bayonne bridges and the Outerbridge Crossing controlled by the Port Authority were reopened to traffic; the Lincoln Tunnel remained open through the storm. The city-owned crossings above the East River—the Brookyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg and Ed Koch Queensborough bridges—also reopened.

Subjekt Pulse Bluetooth Headphones

There's no other way to put it: The Subjekt Pulse looks alarmingly like the DJ Slims. Both pairs feature a wide black plastic headband and near-identical controls—the only obvious differences are in ear pad size and paint job. Even the metallic headband adjustors look the same, and when you remove the earpads, the enclosures and grilles housing the drivers look identical (same size and number of holes, same swivel-type mount to the headband). There are some other subtle differentiators, like the use of different headband material textures (rubberized on the DJ Slims, glossy on the Pulse) and a raised, stylized button surface on the DJ Slims—see the picture below for a side-by-side comparison.

The Power button and controls are located on the right earpiece, and a dummy set of controls (that look like buttons but aren't) covers the left earpiece's outer panel, presumably for aesthetic symmetry. Yup, same setup on the DJ Slims. The blinking blue status LED is sized and placed identically on both pairs—something, by the way, that's not optimal. The light could be smaller, and placed somewhere so that those around you don't have to see it flashing constantly while you wear them.

Basically, it looks like Outdoor Technology and Subjekt bought their headphone frames from the same OEM. Does that mean they sound identical? Hard to say! We'll discuss this more at length later on in the review, but we have to give Subjekt the benefit of the doubt here, because there are enough physical differences (the contour of the controls, the glossy versus rubberized headband materials) that it's possible the internals are slightly different, as well.

The Subjekt Pulse comes with a charging cable but no actual charger—this is increasingly the standard for Bluetooth headsets, but it's not a good thing. It ensures that you'll need a computer with a USB port (or charger) around in order to get juice when the battery needs recharging—but what if you want to travel light? Isn't the point of highly mobile, wireless headphones to cut down on the clutter? For the record, the DJ Slims are guilty of the same crime.

Subjekt rates battery life for the Pulse at about 10-11 hours, which is comparable to the DJ Slims. The Pulse supports Bluetooth 2.1 and headset, hands-free, A2DP, and AVRCP Bluetooth profiles.

The Pulse delivers deep bass cleanly, even at maximum volumes—there may be a hint of distortion when both the sound source and the headphones are at maximum volume on tracks like our bass test track, "Silent Shout," by the Knife, but it is barely noticeable.

The mids and highs sound tweaked and sculpted, and the end result is very crisp, and ideal for a lot of popular modern music styles.We mainly supply professional craftspeople with crys talbeads wholesale shamballa Bracele , It works well on classical tracks, too, like John Adams' "The Chairman Dances," bringing out higher register strings and percussion, while adding a bit of low-end boost to the lower register percussion and strings. It's never over the top, but it's clear that this is not really a flat-response sound signature, so audiophiles and purists will likely want to steer clear.

Call clarity on the Pulse is not a strength—my call partners often said I sounded muffled,Find detailed product information for Sinotruk howo truck. as did their audio at times. I was using an iPhone 4S, which isn't exactly the king of call clarity to begin with, but this seemed a bit more muffled than usual. Regardless, it was never so unintelligible that we couldn't understand each other. Operating the on-ear controls for volume,Installers and distributors of solar panel, playback, and answering calls was a snap.

Okay, now let's bring back the side-by-side comparison. There's no denying that the two pairs sound very similar, in terms of brightness and bass response. It did seem, with both pairs at maximum volume as well as the iPhone 4S source maxed out,Find detailed product information for howo tractor 6x4 and other products. that the Subjekt Pulse was slightly louder, but this could be anything from a slight disparity between two (possibly) identical products, a slight variance in performance due to the two pairs using slightly different drivers, or even the thickness and shape of the foam ear pads could make the difference.

It's hard to say for sure if the Pulse and the DJ Slims are the same pair of headphones wearing different costumes. Probably. But it's hardly a unique situation; enterprising young companies often choose to put their own stamp on models also offered to their direct competition by OEMs.

It also doesn't mean the Pulse is ripping off the DJ Slims, or vice-versa—they're both quality budget Bluetooth headphone options. What it really comes down to is price. Regardless of whether these are the same OEM model or not, they sound very similar, but the DJ Slims are a full $30 less. That's quite a discount.We have a wide selection of dry cabinet to choose from for your storage needs. It's enough that we forgive the DJ Slims some shortcomings because it's priced at about $70, while we are less forgiving of the Pulse, which is priced around $100.

The way to wellness

“My husband has been struggling with depression for years. It seems like he gets worse around harvest each year. His primary care physician sent him to a psychiatrist, but the two did not connect at all, nor did he connect with the psychologist in the office. He needs to see a counselor who understands farm life and can help him through what is bothering him.”

These comments were shared by a farm wife in an email to me.Installers and distributors of solar panel,

Harvest is a stressful time for most farm people. This year has brought many producers more than usual uncertainty because of the drought. Farm people may need more medical care this harvest, not only because of stress, but also because of exposures to more dust and toxic molds than usual.

Farmers also may need behavioral health assistance in greater numbers than usual, as indicated by recent increases in the numbers of people contacting farm crisis hotlines, helplines and websites in the states where these resources exist.

During a recent telephone conference involving people who manage farmer-friendly telephone and Web-based referral services, all the administrators on the call indicated an upturn in the number of callers during this summer and early fall. In particular, calls from livestock and dairy producers were more frequent.

The term farm crisis hotline implies the availability of culturally appropriate telephone counseling at all times to callers who are engaged in agricultural occupations. The American Association of Suicidology accredits hotlines only if they are available 24/7. Follow-up, such as referral for counseling or immediate intervention in case of an imminent suicide, is part of the service. Not all the hotlines are accredited by the ASA.

The other listed services are helplines, which means they offer culturally appropriate advice about a variety of agricultural issues and referral for additional services but at specific hours set by the helpline and not necessarily available at all times. Helplines may be accredited by the Alliance for Information and Referral Systems.

The hotlines and helplines also can be accessed by email through their websites. The resources help callers deal with a range of problems, including all types of behavioral health issues, farming questions and referrals. They are best able to serve only the residents of their respective states.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available to anyone at any time, but the telephone responders are not necessarily familiar with agricultural issues.

Farm and ranch people and farm workers willingly seek out farm crisis hotlines, helplines and websites. Some 22,000 callers yearly contacted the seven-state consortium of farm crisis services that was managed by AgriWellness Inc.,Gecko could kickstart an indoor tracking mobile app explosion. a nonprofit program that I directed from 2001 to 2011.

Extensive evaluation of the AgriWellness program indicated callers appreciated that services were confidential, free and the telephone responders were familiar with agricultural issues. Follow-up counseling was provided by licensed professionals who had at least some exposure to training in agricultural behavioral health. In other words, the services were culturally appropriate.

The program saved many lives. During a one-year period, 56 callers had just attempted suicide; another 77 persons reported a suicide plan and 685 persons reported suicidal ideation. One farmer commented, “I wouldn’t be alive today if I hadn’t made that call and got counseling.”

The U.S.The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility. Department of Health and Human Services termed these services a “best practice model” that was included in its strategic plan, Rural Healthy People 2010: A Companion Document to Healthy People 2010. The AgriWellness portfolio of services is included in the 2011 DHHS publication, Rural Behavioral Health Programs and Promising Practices.

Few federal funds are available to operate farm crisis services.One of the most durable and attractive styles of flooring that you can purchase is ceramic or porcelain tiles. It was requested that a national Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network be included in the current farm bill. Congress is mostly deadlocked and unable to provide the behavioral health supports for farm people at a time when they are needed. State appropriations, private foundations and grassroots projects maintain the insufficient services that are available.Find detailed product information for Low price howo tipper truck and other products.

Professional counselors who understand agriculture and the problems specific to farm and ranch life are too few and far between. Farm people needing behavioral healthcare because of farming-related problems should ask if the prospective counselor is familiar with the unique issues involved in farming and keep asking around until the right match is found.

AMT launches expansion as medical business grows

AMT is announcing a rebranding at the Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) conference and exposition this week in Minneapolis. Included in the effort are a new logo, tradeshow booth and a website redesign.

Factors driving growth include a deep engineering bench in solving health issues related to plastics: bisphenol A (BPA) and animal derivatives.

"There's a move away from polycarbonate in some medical devices because of concerns about BPA," Jenkins said. AMT is molding blood oxygenator parts in Tritan copolyester that had been previously molded in PC. Eastman Chemical announced at MD&M West earlier this year that it was launching Tritan copolyester for blood therapy surgical and blood management devices.

Eastman said that Tritan copolyester has good clarity, chemical resistance, processability,The stone mosaic comes in shiny polished and matte. and eliminates annealing that is required for polycarbonate. Jenkins told PlasticsToday that using existing polycarbonate molds for Tritan can be tricky, however. He said that AMT has applied special engineering technology, particularly in the cooling phase to avoid additional tooling costs.

The epic odyssey of the boy Avedis, from the sandstorms of the Iraqi desert, to the golden throne of St. James in Jerusalem, wound down to its inevitable close this week, as the coffin slowly descended into the grave. The heavens themselves seemed to blaze forth the death of the prince, Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem,We mainly supply professional craftspeople with crys talbeads wholesale shamballa Bracele , 96th in line of succession from Abraham, the first leader of the Armenian Church in the Holy Land.

In a hauntingly solemn ceremony, his fellow princes had led Manoogian to his final resting place in the Armenian cemetery of St. Saviors, a stone’s throw from the bulletriddled Zion Gate, one of seven that punctuate the 500-year-old Walls of the Old City.

Thousands of people, some of whom had flown in expressly for the occasion, watched the funeral or accompanied the cortege, the narrow streets of the Old City and the confined space within the cemetery making it impossible to accommodate more than a fraction of their number.

Putting aside their differences for a brief spell, leaders or representatives of practically every house of God in Jerusalem, and of every
political affiliation in the country, marched in the mournful funeral procession, from the Convent of St.One of the most durable and attractive styles of flooring that you can purchase is ceramic or porcelain tiles. James, seat of the Armenian
Patriarchate, to the Armenian cemetery.

Those attending included a special envoy from the Lebanon-based Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and former Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah, who emerged from self-imposed retirement, to join the funeral procession.

Within days of the death of Manoogian, the brotherhood of Armenian priests in Jerusalem met in general assembly to elect a new locum tenens, giving the nod to Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, director of the Patriarchate’s ecumenical and foreign relations.

It will be his job, among his other caretaker responsibilities, to pave the way for the election of Jerusalem’s 97th Armenian patriarch.
In one of the highlights of Manoogian’s funeral mass, celebrated in the ornate Cathedral of St. James, Shirvanian bent to bless
Manoogian’s body, dipping his finger in a receptacle holding the holy chrism, and anointing the late patriarch’s forehead and right hand.We specialize in howo concrete mixer,

The gesture is a tacit affirmation of the link of patriarchal succession and points to the symbolic importance of the right hand of an
Armenian priest (this is the hand he uses to bless the congregation and offer communion) as evidenced by the fact that relics of Armenian saints are usually housed in golden molds or replicas of the right hand.

Before coming to Jerusalem, Manoogian had held, reportedly to popular acclaim, the prestigious position of Primate of the Eastern
Diocese of America, a mandate that gave him spiritual jurisdiction over tens of thousands of Armenians living on America’s eat coast. But he gave all that up to go and act as shepherd to a mere handful, in the city of Christ.

And Jerusalem turned out to be one mammoth challenge, a fact acknowledged by the Armenian church, as conceded by the late Catholicos of All Armenians, Vazken I, who said of Manoogian: “We see that his task is difficult: a heavy responsibility weighs upon his shoulders.”

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Manoogian’s successor as Primate, echoed the same sentiments in a eulogy: “He was one of the very few
churchmen of his generation to carry the weight of our church on his shoulders. He stood out . . . and seemed to combine all the
grace and dignity of the Armenian past, with all our fondest hopes and aspirations for the future.”

Like Manoogian, Barsamian is a member of the Brotherhood of St. James, and his name has cropped up as a potential candidate to succeed, a prospect he shares with half a dozen others, each no less impressive in his credentials.

Among the front-runners of the eligible candidates among the Brotherhood, two stand out: Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, the locum tenens, and Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian, the Patriarchal Vicar. The former primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand, Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, who died recently, had also been among the undeclared runners.

The Armenians of Jerusalem know that it is not going to be easy to replace Manoogian,Find detailed product information for howo tractor 6x4 and other products. the reformer.

“Manoogian was a visionary, an idealist, and despite his foibles, he was able to inspire and consolidate the local Armenian community
which had been wrung out to dry during the previous administration,” as an observer remarked.

“Under his tutelage, division lines blurred and people began to feel once more a strong sense of unity, of belonging,” he added.
“Repercussions of the unhappy, traumatic age of Manoogian’s predecessor lost their poignancy. Here was a man who could deliver, who cared for his flock and showed it.”

Jerusalem’s legendary mayor, the late Teddy Kollek, held Manoogian in high esteem and would call on him from time to time.
And as Manoogian’s secretary and press officer, I accompanied him on a visit to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Gaza. As Arafat dwelt at length on the problems and tribulations facing him in the Strip, Manoogian would nod in understanding.

As we were about to leave, Arafat pulled me aside and whispered: “He is a good man. Deeru balkom ‘aleh (take good care of him).”
Manoogian will be mourned long and lovingly, for behind the sorrow at his loss there is joy and pride that this reformer was able, despite all his foibles, to set the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the second most important spiritual fount for all Armenians, back on a solidly sound and secure course.

Deep consumer insight is the real competitive edge

Well, while we can (and we must!) check what the final logo/colour/packaging communicates to them, we cannot ask them to pick colours for us or to come up with design ideas. They are not graphic designers, they are doctors, lawyers, executives or more frequently call centre operators, receptionists and homemakers. We need to rather focus on what they are real experts in, themselves! So what is really critical for brands and businesses to know is: how your consumers live; how they think and feel about the category that your brand is operating in, what their real pain and pleasure points are and how the current category players' communication resonates or doesn't with them.

Thankfully,Find detailed product information for Sinotruk howo truck. our clients are making this shift and recognising that consumer research should inform product and packaging design as well as brand communication and not only test it once the design process is complete.Selecting the best rtls solution is a challenging task as there is no global solution like GPS. This year we have done a lot more of the kind of research that aims to really understand consumers and what their lives look like, what their fears and frustrations are,The stone mosaic comes in shiny polished and matte. their hopes and dreams and of course how they engage and interact with the category and brands in that category.

Sadly I didn't go to Cannes but in viewing the reel, I was struck by how many brilliant examples there were of how creativity works hardest when it is based on an enduring consumer truth.

The hard-working campaigns went way beyond the basics of communicating a proposition, they showed a deep understanding of how real people actually behave and what they care about.

It was designed and conceived of by a small pizza spot in Dubai. This device sits innocuously on your fridge but it holds your pizza preference and ensures that your order gets through seamlessly to the pizza place and the chap actually making your pizza. So how much time does it actually save,This document provides a guide to using the ventilation system in your house to provide adequate fresh air to residents. well realistically not that much, it is only the time that it takes to call that order through,HOWO trucks are widely used and howo spare parts for sale are also welcomed . five minutes at the maximum, it seems ridiculous that this would make a difference.

But what we know from the work that we have done in the fast-food category is that instant gratification is the name of the game, many fast-foodies will actually select their meal based on how quickly it will get to them! Once a consumer has got a fast-food craving, they literally cannot get their hands on it quickly enough, that is why food production time and reducing "time-to-serve" is key in this category - they really are that impatient.

What is abundantly clear is that the people designing this devise and this campaign also had that insight, this was not only a gimmick and a talking-point but it really answers a very real issue that consumers have with fast-food and that is that it is simply not fast enough!

This campaign is built on an insight that there is a growing questioning, even if only amongst a small audience of consumers, who ask questions about where their food originates.

This campaign taps into this growing consciousness about factory farming and the origin of food. Aligning one's brand with an issue that is close to your market's heart is only possible if that market is understood in the first place. In order to get to this insight, one has to use consumer research to ask deeper questions than "how much are you prepared to pay for this burger?" One has to really get to know what moves them and what they really care about.

Exhibition At Expo Arts Center Questions Concept Of ''NOW''

A recent exhibition at the Expo Arts Center by emerging artists in the South Bay questions our relationship with time and the slippery definition of the immediate present. Curator Hilary Norcliffe established four types of Now’s to organize the diverse works in a variety of media. However, the exhibition’s strength is the ability of the works to operate between these categories.

The first category Norcliffe identified includes documentary-type work, evidence or records of a past event. Jocelyn Foye’s five painted, polyurethane resin molds poignantly define this category and arguably bridge others. As art objects they can be admired for their tactile, patterned appearance,Manufactures flexible plastic and synthetic rubber hose tubing, but behind their industrial exterior they pose a serious conceptual argument about the function of art. By-products of a past action, they question the location and function of art. Moreover, Foye’s tongue-in-cheek formal-industrial statement urges the audience to look for aesthetic tantalization and humor in the everyday.

The second type of work responds to either real-world concerns or experience. The hyper-real, digital inkjet prints from the series, Controlled Humidity by Cynthia Herrera elucidate this category. Herrera mines the politicized nature of the refrigerator in Cuba. The restriction of personal freedom is expressed in her fridge-sized photographs of the containment unit, isolating the food, crumbs and liquid pools of goo in sublime fashion. Herrera notes that this space not only stores necessary foodstuff, but also often conceals forbidden products, such as red meat. Rather than just deliver a one-sided critique of the Cuban political structure as oppressive, the “contraband” meat functions as a mark of personal liberation and a form of agency that suggests the presence of other subversive actions.

The third category includes work that happened just prior to the opening. This particular category is malleable, since each work required installation in the space prior to the exhibition’s opening. Yet it was clear that some of the work like Nathan Huff’s installation, "Shifting," used the specific setting of the gallery and was dependent on its architecture.

Disparate objects were combined including a painting of a suspended whale, a chair seemingly flung onto the gallery’s support pole and a ramp,One of the most durable and attractive styles of flooring that you can purchase is ceramic or porcelain tiles. among other objects. In turn, the fantastical scenario presented the hair-raising story in a comic strip-like organization of time. The combination of the painted scenario alongside its real counterpart creates an enigmatic scene, in the same vein as Robert Gober, where the viewer is left dangling in the free space of Huff’s imagination.The stone mosaic comes in shiny polished and matte.

Another notable work, perhaps for its size and whimsy include the large, prehistorical, biomorphic structures by Noah Thomas. Made of plywood—and in the case of "Rover," plywood, plaster and paint—the sculptures were placed on the gallery floor. Like prehistoric carcasses, due to the domineering size and splashes of bright pigment, they engage the viewer in a spatial, perception exercise.

Each of the works is in an immobile position, suspended in time for the sake of the show. The static state prompts the viewer to consider the binary opposite of “now,” decay, the eventuality of death and preservation.Directory ofchina glass mosaic Tile Manufacturers, This distinction was made present in the geometric couch, "Eraser Love Seat" by Vav Vavrek. The list of materials is a dystopic testament: erasers, wood, time, and dimensions variable. By using the couch of thousands of stacked squares, spectators engaged in its deformation. But what in theory seems a depressing formal manifestation to the fragility and perhaps, diabolical side of free will,We are pleased to offer the following list of professional mold maker and casters. this work was revived by the group of children at the evening’s opening, as a huge Lego set. Kids delighted in play and whimsy, participating in indeed the best coping strategy for managing the grains of time.

Do your homework before asking people for money

One of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs and small-business owners is finding the funds necessary to launch — and eventually grow — their business.

As a social entrepreneur for more than four decades as well as an angel investor and venture capitalist, I’ve experienced the highs and lows of business funding myself and have learned the hard way what investors are looking for before committing to funding.

Through the years, I’ve developed — and subsequently honed — some simple tips to help guide others through the fundraising process across all phases of the business life cycle. Consider them as a guide while looking to fund your business in the following ways:

1. Bootstrapping. In the idea/experimental stage, use your own financial resources, such as money from a savings account or careful use of personal credit cards. Wise deployment of these precious dollars is critical.

2. Friends and family. If your growing business needs additional funding, consider inviting family and friends to invest with the understanding that their money may not be returned. In most cases, friends and family are investing in you, not your business.Selecting the best rtls solution is a challenging task as there is no global solution like GPS. Both parties should think of this investment as a grant with no strings attached. If the enterprise succeeds,We have a wide selection of dry cabinet to choose from for your storage needs. a reward to these risk-takers would be a nice gesture.

3. Crowdfunding. If you haven’t heard about crowdfunding, you must not be serious about funding your business or you’ve been living under a rock for the past six months. Crowdfunding — allowed under the JOBS Act launching Jan. 1 — allows for a wider pool of small investors with fewer restrictions. It is ideal in the early stages of a business, especially if you don’t qualify for a bank loan, aren’t ready for angel or venture capital funding or don’t have the friends or family willing or able to provide the no-strings-attached grant.

There are many sites that have started crowdfunding already, so if you don’t want to wait until next year to start asking for funding for your business or project, you can get started now.

The big names in online crowdfunding — and those that will benefit from the new JOBS Act and the proposed U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules that would enable crowdfunding to start new businesses,We specialize in howo concrete mixer, not just fund projects — include Fundable and Indiegogo.We recently added Stained glass mosaic Tile to our inventory.

Keep your eyes open for more SEC rules on crowdfunding over the next several months.

4. Angel investors. As your business reaches the next level of growth and you see steady revenue on the horizon, begin to approach sophisticated angel investors if you need more funding. This affluent individual — or group of individuals who pool their research and resources — provides capital for a business start-up, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity.

These angel groups can be found in most communities and on the Internet, with a description of their purpose and objectives. These groups will determine if your business meets their requirements, and if so, will schedule a meeting to gather more data. Investments can range from $50,000 to $500,000 or more. At this stage of the business, angels become very real and serious investors and owners with high expectations looking for solid results.

5. Bank loan/venture capital. In the later stages, the now-incorporated business might need a bank loan for various needs, including operating capital and long-term growth. Financial institutions will require several years of financial information on both the business and the entrepreneur. They will want collateral to secure and guarantee a loan. To facilitate the process,Purelink's real time location system protect healthcare workers in their daily practices and OMEGA interventions. engage with the financial institution at the earliest stages of the enterprise, not necessarily for a loan at first, but for a merchant account, credit cards and a checking account. Over time, the bank will become familiar with the company and the entrepreneur will be in a better position to seek additional banking products — including loans — when needed.

Some very fast-growing companies reach a point in their life cycle when venture capital funds are required for hyper growth. In this case, the company may need tens of millions of dollars to enter new markets, expand sales or add new products. Once again, these investors conduct their due diligence to ascertain the viability of the enterprise. Their ultimate goal will be to sell your business to garner a financial return for its limited investment partners and the entrepreneur.

If you keep these five means of funding in mind and develop a business plan that demonstrates the value of investing in your company, you’ll significantly increase the odds of securing the capital you need, whatever stage of business you are in.

Victory Hammer S

In Southern California gas reached $5 a gallon in the recent round of increases. And while it is now down to about $4.40 a gallon for premium, it's still no bargain; and there is nothing in place to stop it from being any price oil companies deem appropriate.If you want to read about buy mosaic in a non superficial way that's the perfect book. In light of this, many are looking for high mileage alternatives. Hybrids are one, but two (and three) wheeled vehicles have been around for centuries and are still a great alternative transportation. Granted, age, weather, topography may dictate whether a bike is right for you or not, however, there aren't many that use a car that couldn't benefit from being on a bike.

I made the switch from car to bike as primary transportation years ago; when I need a car, I rent one, or call a cab, zip car or other alternative. The cost of simply using a car when I want or need one instead of owning one all the time and using a bike as primary transportation is far less than when I owned a Nissan Xterra or Oldsmobile Intrigue (my last two cars). Now, I ride an Aprilia Mana 850 as my main bike. It's the ultimate commuter bike; an 850cc, automatic, storage where the gas tank used to be, it's great. It seats two fine, but it's a naked street bike design, meaning more of a sportsbike look which means the passenger is leaning all up against you during the ride. This, of course, can be fun if you have someone you like back there, and if they're a casual acquaintance they'll be a closer one after one bump.

As I and America ages, the seating position, the leaning forward, can get to be a bit much for longer trips. I've taken Manny (the Aprilia) to San Francisco (about 600 miles) several times and now discovered that he's fine for commuting and trips of 200 miles or so, but not the most comfortable for longer distances. So, other bikes were to be explored.

First up was the Victory Hammer S. Victory is quite an American company and American story.The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility. They started in Iowa in 1998 by Polaris Industries, as a direct competitor to Harley Davidson; a role they are fitting quite well. I first encountered VIctory at the International Motorcycle Show (a traveling bike show) and wanted to get on one. Victory sent over the Hammer S and say no more, this street bike rider suddenly was hooked on a "muscle cruiser."

Stylish from every angle this bike, while not really made for a passenger, is perfect for someone looking for American made power, style and class. For those that need the specs, they are impressive: 106 cu in (1,740 cc) engine produces 97 hp and 113 lb torque; Engine: four-stroke 50° V-Twin; Fuel capacity: 4.5 US gal; Fuel System: Electronic Fuel Injection with dual 45mm throttle body.

Primary Drive: Gear drive with torque compensator; Transmission: six-speed constant mesh; and Final Drive: Carbon Fiber Reinforced Belt. What that means is plenty of power to spare wrapped around a chassis style and seating position destined to please. It's not a "first" bike by any means at 1700cc and longs to be opened up on the road. On my way to see my nephew Jake in Temecula (about 90 miles from Long Beach, CA of open road) the bike got up to 100 so easily I had to restrain the beast several times. The seating position and handle bars gave these 50 year old bones just the position they needed to not tire or grow achy and the candy-apple red tank and details along with extra-wide back tire cut a figure on the road that made heads turn! This bike is worth a ride if you want power, style, a comfortable seated position and American-made power outside of the omnipresent Harley Davidson.

Next up was the Ducati Diavel. Ducatis are fast. They are made to be fast. They are one of the unrivaled champions of motorcycle racing and their street bikes are so high performance that unless one lives in Europe where you can open them up they are almost, note I said almost, too much. Enter the Diavel.One of the most durable and attractive styles of flooring that you can purchase is ceramic or porcelain tiles.

Sexy from the word go, smaller,The stone mosaic comes in shiny polished and matte. uniquely shaped with a saddle type seat, the Diavel was an incredible ride that meets or exceeds the quality expected from Ducati. Diavel is a cruiser, Ducati's second model, the first being the Indiana made from 1986-1990. The demos for the bike appear to be riders over 50 and women, according to Wikipedia, which fits. It's my first Ducati experience, I'll be 50 and I hated parting with it. First of all, it looks good. To those that love the way a motorcycle looks (hey, people love cars, tea pots, etc), this bike's compact style, lines and overall naked chasis puts it out front when looking for a cruiser.

Aside from style, it's got a Testastretta L-Twin Cylinider, four valves per cylinder at 1198cc and at its size, it's got so much power to spare speeds double posted American speed limits should be no problem (except, of course, for the law and safety's sake. But if zombie mutants on bikes were chasing you, this is a perfect getaway bike). It's liquid cooled and got a wet clutch. That's important to Ducati Riders. Some have a dry clutch,If you want to read about buy mosaic in a non superficial way that's the perfect book. which makes a signature sound when the bike idles. That sound is not here on the Diavel.

This is the bike sport's bike riders will turn to as they age, and the bike younger women and men will get for performance and style. It's fast, it's sexy, smaller, more nimble, it is the "cruiser" for sports bike riders that need to transition for whatever reason.

Lamentation as crisis

“I have gone round many ram markets just to get a ram for the celebration of Eid-el-Kabir, but I have not been able to get a good one because what they are asking for is beyond my projection. I had thought that with N30,000, I would be able to get a medium size ram,The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility. but to my surprise what they are offering me for N30,000 is a very small ram, not something I would be proud to take home to my kids.”

That was Mr Razak Ambali, a resident of Ibadan, expressing the frustration he had experienced in his bid to buy a ram for the ensuing Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

Ambali, who came across our reporter along Liberty Road in Ibadan on Saturday, said he had been to at least six ram markets believing that he would be able to get a reasonably big ram for N30,000, a hope that had remained forlorn.

He spoke further, “Last year, I got a reasonably big ram for N25,000. Realising that inflation could have pushed up the cost of rams, I made provision for N30,000. I had to save up the money because I did not want to experience disappointment. But now, to get the type of ram that I bought last year, I have to come up with nothing less than N60,000. I don't know where to get that now, especially since I have no intention of borrowing to fulfil my religious obligation and my children would feel dejected and disappointed if I fail to get a ram for them.Selecting the best rtls solution is a challenging task as there is no global solution like GPS.”

Ambali's situation was not a peculiar one as a woman who gave her name as Alhaja Kudirat was also full of lamentation when she ran into our correspondent on Saturday.

“I am fed up. I cannot continue like this anymore. If it is impossible to get a ram, which is the best, I will get what my money can buy,” she said.Installers and distributors of solar panel, “I have been on this search for almost a week, going round many of the ram markets in the city but I have not been able to get a good ram. I had thought I would be able to get a good one for N20,000 but once I told the sellers that all I could afford was N20,000, they looked elsewhere,” Alhaja Kudirat said.

“I am a widow, I cannot run into debt all because I want to copy others. The Prophet did not teach us to become indebted to people all because we want to slaughter a ram during the festival. I was able to buy a ram last year but this year, I have not been able to do that because of the challenge of fending for my three children.We mainly supply professional craftspeople with crys talbeads wholesale shamballa Bracele , If things improve next year, I hope to be able to buy a ram for the festival,” she said as she flagged down a tricycle with which she took the purchased red goat away.

But the lamentation was not restricted only to members of the struggling class. According to Alhaji Mufutau Bakre, a textile merchant in Ibadan, “In the last 10 years, there was no Eid-el-Kabir that I failed to buy at least 10 rams. I slaughter two in my house and give the remaining eight to people. But with the high price of the rams, I have decided to buy just five and give the people I used to buy rams for money instead. There was a ram that I wanted to buy at a ram market and the seller said it was N100,000; just one ram. If I have to buy 10 of that, it would mean spending one million naira. So,Find detailed product information for Sinotruk howo truck. I have decided that I would buy the usual two rams for my household, buy one for each of my parents and one for my Imam. The remaining people, I will give N20,000 each for them to get whatever they can.”

Targeting solar geoengineering to minimize risk

By tailoring geoengineering efforts by region and by need, a new model promises to maximize the effectiveness of solar radiation management while mitigating its potential side effects and risks. Developed by a team of leading researchers, the study was published in the November issue of Nature Climate Change.

Solar geoengineering, the goal of which is to offset the global warming caused by greenhouse gases,We mainly supply professional craftspeople with wholesale agate beads from china, involves reflecting sunlight back into space. By increasing the concentrations of aerosols in the stratosphere or by creating low-altitude marine clouds, the as-yet hypothetical solar geoengineering projects would scatter incoming solar heat away from the Earth’s surface.

Critics of geoengineering have long warned that such a global intervention would have unequal effects around the world and could result in unforeseen consequences. They argue that the potential gains may not be worth the risk.

“Our research goes a step beyond the one-size-fits-all approach to explore how careful tailoring of solar geoengineering can reduce possible inequalities and risks,” says co-author David Keith,We have a wide selection of dry cabinet to choose from for your storage needs. Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and professor of public policy at Harvard Kennedy School. “Instead, we can be thoughtful about various trade-offs to achieve more selective results, such as the trade-off between minimizing global climate changes and minimizing residual changes at the worst-off location.”

The study — developed in collaboration with Douglas G. MacMartin of the California Institute of Technology, Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution for Science, and Ben Kravitz, formerly of Carnegie and now at the Department of Energy — explores the feasibility of using solar geoengineering to counter the loss of Arctic sea ice.China plastic moulds manufacturers directory.

“There has been a lot of loose talk about region-specific climate modification. By contrast, our research uses a more systematic approach to understand how geoengineering might be used to limit a specific impact.The stone mosaic comes in shiny polished and matte. We found that tailored solar geoengineering might limit Arctic sea ice loss with several times less total solar shading than would be needed in a uniform case.”

Generally speaking, greenhouse gases tend to suppress precipitation, and an offsetting reduction in the amount of sunlight absorbed by Earth would not restore this precipitation. Both greenhouse gases and aerosols affect the distribution of heat and rain on this planet, but they change the temperature and precipitation in different ways in different places. The researchers suggest that varying the amount of sunlight deflected away from the Earth both regionally and seasonally could combat some of this problem.

“These results indicate that varying geoengineering efforts by region and over different periods of time could potentially improve the effectiveness of solar geoengineering and reduce climate impacts in at-risk areas,” says co-author Ken Caldeira, senior scientist in the Department of Global Ecology at the Carnegie Institution for Science.

The researchers note that although their study used a state-of-the-art model, any real-world estimates of the possible impact of solar radiation management would need to take into account various uncertainties. Further,China plastic moulds manufacturers directory. any interference in Earth’s climate system, whether intentional or unintentional, is likely to produce unanticipated outcomes.

NDC Can Be Dangerous to Your Health

The 2012 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, says if Ghanaians do not want to fall sick within the next four years, then it is incumbent on them to vote the National Democratic Congress (NDC) out of power since the ruling party has already warned that they can be dangerous to the health of the electorate.The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility.

According to the NPP flagbearer, one can safely conclude upon a careful appraisal of the performance of the NDC at managing the National Health Insurance Scheme in the last four years, that “either they (NDC) do not really believe” in the scheme and “their advocacy of a one-time premium reinforces this perception; or they lack the competence to administer it”.

He has therefore asked the electorate to vote for the NPP since the country cannot afford to go back to a “failed government that is failing you, failing your health, failing your jobs, failing your education, failing your future.”

In a comprehensive outline of the party’s health policy in a speech he delivered on the topic “Saving our Health Service, Keeping our People Healthy” at the Sunyani Nurses Training College, Nana Addo accused the NDC government of creating so much instability in the scheme leading to a wane in confidence. According to him, there is a “decline in membership in the NHIS and a corresponding increase in visits to the hospital by NHIS cardholders and cited the Authority’s own annual reports which indicate that active membership dropped from 9,914,256 at the end of December, 2008, to 8,204,116 by the end of 2011, to buttress his point.

“As is their usual practice, they think they can use propaganda to cover their failure in the health sector as well. Unfortunately for the NDC, the human body cannot be lied to. The government would have us believe that there is a significant increase in usage of the NHIS, which they offer as proof of their commitment to widening access to healthcare....The NHIA’s own annual reports indicate that active membership dropped from 9,914,256 at the end of December, 2008, to 8,204,116 by the end of 2011 and according to the NDC Manifesto, there have been 25 million visits to hospitals by NHIS cardholders in the past year. This means that we have a decline in membership and a corresponding rapid increase in visits to hospital by NHIS cardholders.This document provides a guide to using the ventilation system in your house to provide adequate fresh air to residents. There is something quite unnatural about this and the only explanation there can be is that we are getting sicker than before,” he said.

The most worrying aspect of loss of confidence is the decline in renewal rates of membership in the scheme, the NPP leader added.

“I suspect that many people were holding out on their renewal as they waited for the NDC promise of a one-time premium payment to materialise. If the consequences of this farcical NDC promise were not so tragic, it would be a source of great joy. Four years down the road they have not been able to implement their one-time premium policy. We can only assume that it was made to deceive Ghanaians just to get their votes,” he said.

In a detailed assessment of the country’s current health scheme, Nana Addo claimed the ruling party was forcing to introduce through the “back door” the Cash & Carry payment system. He stated that instead of the NDC quietly withdrawing the introduction of the capitation method of payment, the ruling party rather intends to spread the ills of that mode of payment to every corner of the country if re-elected into office.

“Most health institutions in the Ashanti Region have been forced to introduce what is called a Co-Payment -- or to call it by its real name, Cash & Carry -- through the back door....The NDC Manifesto calls for the expansion of capitation! Yes, you heard right. At page 23 of their 2012 Manifesto, they are threatening to bring it back in a big way.Interlocking security cable tie with 250 pound strength makes this ideal for restraining criminals. It reads “In the next four years, the NDC government will… roll out capitation nationwide.” Yes, that is what the NDC is promising....Call it a timely warning because we cannot claim we have not been warned. The ruling party is sending out a clear message to the Ghanaian voter: ‘The NDC Can Be Dangerous to Your Health’. Vote for NDC and pray you don’t fall sick for another 4 years....this is too high a risk to take, if you ask me,” he added.

The NPP flagbearer, who spent time to elaborate on how the NPP will go about revamping the health sector and the NHIS, further posited that the scheme, to all intents and purposes, is bankrupt claiming that the NHIS is now a “net borrower”.

“In 2008,Manufactures flexible plastic and synthetic rubber hose tubing, under the NPP, the NHIS was a net lender to Ghanaian banks. Now, it is a net borrower; and as at December 31, 2011, the scheme owed the banks GHC105 million,” he said.

Speech by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, 2012 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, at the Sunyani Nurses Training College, Sunyani, on 17th October, 2012.

Good evening. I have just been told that NDC propagandists are at it again on FM stations in Accra. This time, the story is that I collapsed on a platform whilst touring the Kumawu constituency. I toured Kumawu some two weeks ago on 1st October and it is strange that this matter should come up now on the eve of my speech. It’s a total fabrication. I did not collapse; I have never felt stronger; and I am very fit to deliver a speech on health. I thank the authorities of this college for this opportunity to talk about a subject of utmost concern to all of us: good health, our individual health and the health of the nation.

When you meet somebody, family, friend or stranger, the greeting that is exchanged is an enquiry about each other’s health. You ask after each other’s state of health and you wish each other good health and you wish good health for their family. It is for good reason that we do this. We dread being sick and we know we have to be healthy to do life’s work and achieve our aspirations.

The wealth of the nation depends on the health of its people. We have to be healthy to transform Ghana, we have to be healthy to try to make a brighter future for Ghana,The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility. we have to be healthy to work for ourselves, never mind, try to work for you.

To the Barricades

I am a product of my times. Born at the end of the “gee whiz” Eisenhower years; raised in the idealism of the 1960s; lulled into political boredom in the 1980s and disaffected with political conversations ever since. Middle age has allowed me to let politics become the background noise murmuring away on NPR. This ended when I saw how quickly the unemployment numbers issued two weeks ago by the Bureau of Labor Statistics became a political football. We are once again plunged into that world where the apparatus of the federal government that collects and reports data is challenged for political purposes. Wasn’t it just this spring when the American Community Survey was branded as too invasive and threatened with extinction? For some, the current flap over the unemployment rate might be another interesting election story,We have a wide selection of dry cabinet to choose from for your storage needs. but for me this is now a deeply emotional issue. For many people,If you want to read about buy mosaic in a non superficial way that's the perfect book. the core of democracy is the freedom to act --- for me, it is the freedom to know.

The federal government of the United States since its inception has been in the business of collecting data. The original purpose of the decennial Census is well-known -- to supply the population counts necessary to ensure political representation is allocated fairly. To me, the marriage of politics to data at the birth of the nation is not a sign that data can be corrupted by political influence but rather that our political forebears understood that the key to good government is information.This document provides a guide to using the ventilation system in your house to provide adequate fresh air to residents.Allows you to securely organize any group of cable ties or wires.

The American statistical system, which includes the Bureau of Labor Statistics, grew from these exalted beginnings to be among the most admired in the world. The federal government collects data to inform both policy and science. Knowledge about the government and its citizenry has long been recognized as the key to democracy. The stigmata of tyranny is an unwillingness to collect or share data. The U.S. has surpassed other democracies by declaring data collected by the government to be a free good and by providing open access to microdata (that is de-identified individual records) for almost 50 years. Governments as modern as those of France and Japan have only recently begun to provide minimal access to microdata. The difference between reading aggregate statistics tabulated by the government and having access to the raw data used to create those tabulations is like the difference between looking at a painting of a mountain and actually climbing that mountain. Having your hands in the raw material allows you to discover important and controversial things regardless of your political affiliation.

The scientific, political, and economic engine created by federal data collection is enormous. Others have eloquently recounted the spillover into marketing, store locating, oil and gas exploration, to say nothing of what we have learned about family formation, poverty, residential segregation, income inequality and all the other social issues that dog American society. Conservatives suggest that the free market can generate alternatives to the data collection done by the government. These alternatives are called Google and Facebook.

Data-gathering enterprises such these are on the other end of the continuum from the supposedly invasive partisan data collected by the federal government. Google and Facebook monitor your daily activities and require you to opt out of monitoring, not in. They sell data but do not share. They do not ask if you have a toilet but rather passively track where you bought it, what kind it is, who uses it, and who hates you for having it. Transparent, free, democratic access to data collected under scientific protocols that can be reviewed and replicated using techniques that must pass the rigorous scrutiny of human subjects review is asked to make way for unregulated black box methods to collect data that can only be purchased and only by selected individuals. This feels like a step back from democracy -- not a step forward.Find detailed product information for Sinotruk howo truck.

Regardless of your generation or your politics, if you value the right to know as the highest form of liberty, I urge you to go to your closet and find your tie-dyed T-shirt. Tie back your hair, put on your sneakers, and find your bullhorn. While there have always been challenges to federal data collection activities, the threatened loss of the American Community Survey, which in itself replaced the much maligned Census long form, and the unsubstantiated claims of bias in the monthly unemployment numbers suggests that the political heat is once again turned up. The cause of liberty requires knowledge and to generate knowledge we need data. Man the barricades in defense of the American statistical system. And bring data.

Plan aims to open more space in Cochrane

The west has always been known for its wide-open spaces, and now holding the draft for a new plan, Cochrane is hoping it soon will be as well.

Administration for the Town of Cochrane presented the first draft of the Open Spaces Master Plan (OSMP) to council on Oct. 9, highlighting several findings from the first phase of the public engagement, including several major parks that are proposed in the plan.

Veronique Pelletier, project manager, landscape architect and planner with O2 Planning and Design, which has been working with the town on the open spaces project, said that thus far, the public engagement has been a success.

“The story of the open spaces going forward is about the announcement of existing assets rather than significant deficits,” said Pelletier. “So it’s a good thumbs up for the Town of Cochrane.”

The first phase, which ran from March to April,Thank you for visiting! I have been cry stalmosaic since 1998. saw 542 residents participate by providing 1,364 total comments and recommendations.

Four of the major themes addressed by Cochranites over open spaces underscored a need to enhance our existing amenities and activities, improve and expand our pathway and trail system, place an emphasis on safety and, perhaps the most ardent concern for many in the community, to add an improved off-leash dog area; a venture the town plans to move forward on.

Speaking to Mayor Truper McBride’s trepidation over the possible closing of the off-leash dog park once a new one is created, senior manager for Cochrane’s community services Suzanne Gaida clarified that the off-leash area being referred to in the OSMP for closure was not the popular riverfront location near the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, but the area west of Highway 22, one that many residents had voiced concern with during the open spaces public engagement.

Through the public engagement, several residents voiced praise and unease over the off-leash areas. Some said the park along the Bow River was ‘highly valued’ and should be maintained, while others had concerns over interaction between dogs, cyclists, joggers and pedestrians. Some felt that off-leash areas should be more segregated…intended solely for dogs.

With regards to future open space development, the OSMP proposes seven ‘major nodes’ for Cochrane – Riverfront Park, Agricultural Society grounds, Big Hill Natural Environment Park, Athletic Park,The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility.If you want to read about buy mosaic in a non superficial way that's the perfect book. Downtown Urban Square/Plaza, and two major parks along the Bow River, one in both South Ridge and River Heights – to improve upon the three existing open spaces – Mitford Park, Cochrane Ranche Historic Site and the Lion’s Rodeo Grounds.

Riverfront Park was a primary focus, as it incorporates the existing Millenium Park with areas east and west along the Bow River. The new park would integrate several features, including a non-motorized boat launch, picnic areas, wetland dock and an amphitheatre lawn.

The total cost of the Riverfront Park project is estimated to be $2,161,500: $20,000 for demolition projects,Find detailed product information for Sinotruk howo truck. $1,103,250 for site work, $157,500 for site furnishings and $520,500 for pathways, trails and parking. Throw in a 20 per cent construction contingency and it all adds up to the grand total above.

Open space amenities were also an area of importance for residents, pointing to a need for more garbage bins, washrooms, water fountains, picnic tables and barbecue pits in Cochrane’s parks.

The development of an inter-connected pathway system, one that would accommodate cyclists and pedestrians, was another highlight of the OSMP.

One issue of concern, however, was the width of the pathway, which in regional areas would measure three metres,Directory ofchina glass mosaic Tile Manufacturers, but shrink to two metres in non-regional sections.

McBride said he felt two metres would not be enough room for both those on foot and wheel, a sentiment echoed by Coun. Tara McFadden.

“As someone who has recently been pushing strollers,” said McFadden, “two metres just doesn’t work.”

A lack of signage was also a concern, something the plan intends to improve upon.

The current speed limit for cyclists on Cochrane’s multi-use pathway system is 20 km/hour, and it is the cyclists’ responsibility to ensure they are riding at the appropriate speed to ensure safety.

Further to the development of a bike path system, which will be connected throughout Cochrane and in certain areas utilize the road system, Coun. Ivan Brooker cautioned against the removal of street parking along Quigley and Glenbow Drive, particularly areas east and west of the Bethany Care Centre.

“That’s an immensely used parking (area) for sporting and for whatever else,” said Brooker. “Even the Glenbow section; whenever there’s a funeral, how could you not allow the church to have parking on the road…that’s just asking for trouble.”

Adding the missing key ingredient … the customer

Despite the advances that have been made to customer experience management, such as the improved joining of customer service and real-time analytics, there has not been a vast improvement in customer experience.Gecko could kickstart an indoor tracking mobile app explosion. Most mobile operators cannot effectively use or analyze the data that they have about their subscribers to make CEM personal to them. The reason for this is due to CEM still being siloed and failing to reach the consumer and device level. It is the complex and segmented nature of CEM which is preventing it from being a holistic experience for subscribers.

CEM starts with gathering data from the processes, systems and tools that are used to track and oversee every interaction a customer has with an organization. This data must then be analyzed in a cohesive manner throughout the customer lifecycle. A critical avenue of data-gathering must be the device. However, many carriers today don’t even consider the customer’s interaction with their device and depend on service traffic to determine experience. When there is no service, no data is gathered.Quickparts builds injection molds using aluminum or steel to meet your program. This constitutes a significant gap when gathering insight into the customers’ experience – but there is a way to bridge this gap to achieve the goal of holistic CEM.

CEM is measured in two ways: the experience that customer service representatives provide or through monitoring the network, services and coverage subscribers receive. Both are important aspects of CEM but operators are failing to effectively utilize and combine the data that the two avenues provide. As a result, CEM fails to be personalized to individual subscribers.

Each subscriber is unique in how they use their mobile devices and the majority of subscribers don’t understand why they might not be getting a consistent experience. When a call is dropped or they stop receiving data, subscribers don’t know if the issue lies within their devices or if it’s a network problem.Thank you for visiting! I have been crystal mosaic since 1998. If mobile operators fail to effectively deal with these issues through customer service representatives and network monitoring doesn’t pick up the problem, the result is frustrated consumers which can ultimately lead to churn for mobile operators.

Mobile operators use a vast amount of technology and systems to monitor the customer experience on their network and while these tools have a vital role in improving customer service due to their siloed nature, they cannot provide the big picture for CEM at the device level.

Very little data can be collected when users are roaming whether due to international travel or simply by leaving the coverage area of their primary service provider and into another. When subscribers roam unknowingly, they may still try to access services and expect the same experience. At this time,A wide range of polished tiles for your tile flooring and walls. the subscriber’s not aware that the issue doesn’t lie with their provider and the provider doesn’t know that the subscriber is having a poor experience.Our vinyl floor tiles is more stylish than ever! If a user contacts a customer service representative during this time, the representative will have no information about the issue, the subscribers’ location or even the fact that they were on another provider’s network. No quick-fix can be given by the service provider because of this lack of insight and the subscriber is left … disconnected.

If devices were equipped with a simple application which collects critical data, this data can be communicated with the service provider who can integrate the information with their own network insights to create knowledge to enhance customer experience. The application can provide verification of proper device setup, signal strength, connectivity and remediation for different problems. If the device cannot determine the root cause and remedy the issue, the application can provide valuable information to the subscriber and to the service provider to help with the diagnosis and troubleshooting of the problem. The application will identify critical items such as the current cell site, signal strength, service provider (including when roaming), network connectivity, and other information that a typical subscriber would have no idea how to access. The solution would need to be completely transparent regarding the exact information the application will gather in order to placate any concerns over privacy. If the application has the capability to be activated or deactivated by the subscriber, the knowledge of the control they have over the solution would sit far better with them than a “silent” system working in the background without their knowledge or consent.

Failing to plan?

Supply chain executives face an unprecedented challenge: to balance the need for cost efficiencies with the growing clamour for agility. So intones analyst Gartner, suggesting that for most in industry this requires "a fundamental shift in strategy, planning and implementation", as well as "a new ability to provide guidance and leadership to every member of their global supply chain teams". Grand stuff and, on the face of it, not a little intimidating, given the point that manufacturers are already under considerable pressure to do more with less.

In fact,The stone mosaic comes in shiny polished and matte. however, Gartner's challenge is not all that unprecedented: manufacturers have been coming to terms with cutting costs while simultaneously improving responsiveness and customer service – largely using measures from OEE to OTIF as drivers – for decades. And,Selecting the best rtls solution is a challenging task as there is no global solution like GPS. arguably, their problems have been simplified in recent years, given the increasing sophistication, scope and ease of use of computer assistance – particularly when it comes to planning and scheduling software. Much the same is also true of associated systems: for example, order management, warehouse management, demand planning, B2B/EDI and tracking software. In the right hands, these systems bring even the most difficult supply chain problems to heel and deliver competitive advantage to boot.

Take high-performance crankshaft engineering and manufacturing specialist Pankl Racing Systems. On the one hand, the firm lives and dies by deadlines imposed upon it by immoveable motorsport race dates. But, on the other, it also has to respond to relatively unpredictable changes on what are invariably bespoke projects. It's not just about getting theright products delivered on time, every time: if ever there was a requirement for accurate, yet ultra-flexible production planning and scheduling capable of driving an entire business, and ultimately its supply chain, this is surely it.

Looking at the detail of Pankl's US-based operations, order sizes range from two to 12 units and can be either manufactured or designed, developed and manufactured to customer specifications. Also, depending on the complexity of the product and the degree of engineering, lead times vary between 10 and 15 weeks. Production itself involves in excess of 50 process steps, some undertaken in Pankl's own works, others sub-contracted. And, given the exotic nature of its raw materials, these are often supplied, yet Pankl still needs to retain working buffer stocks to guarantee those all-important delivery dates.

But that's not all. Like most manufacturers,Largest gemstone beads and jewelry making supplies at wholesale prices. Pankl has to manage multiple concurrent projects running different – sometimes conflicting – routes, with shared resources and finite capacity. So production balancing is an ongoing issue. That, in turn, means that managers and supervisors need good visibility across production, right down to job status and location, as well as individual resource capacity constraints, and set-up and changeover times.

Further, from a day-to-day operational perspective, Pankl runs with a production planning horizon of 16 weeks, yet also needs to react quickly to changes within that window – whether due to planned or unplanned maintenance or customer updates. So it's also about being able to re-prioritise work while revealing the impact on all orders up to and beyond the planning horizon. And if a change happens in the design phase, rescheduling also needs to include other projects in engineering as well as the knock-on effects in production.

Yet until last year Pankl – along with much of UK manufacturing – relied on spreadsheets for its planning and scheduling. A Pankl spokesperson describes working with Microsoft Excel as a matter of "manually moving coloured boxes around", adding that it used to tie up significant skilled human resource, even if just one change was required. He also says that it simply wasn't possible to create 'what if' scenarios.

So in 2011,The stone mosaic comes in shiny polished and matte. shortly after the acquisition of former Superior Crankshaft by Pankl, the company started searching the web for a scheduling system that wasn't too difficult to use, yet had the power to handle its environment. That led it to Production Modelling and its Orchestrate simulation system. And, after product demonstrations and a free download for 14 days, with training supplied and further online training available, the company bought the software.

Eureka: according to our Pankl man, what the firm had thought might be daunting was anything but. The system proved easy to pick up and indeed the local team largely taught itself. Less than two months later, planners had forgotten spreadsheets, and were managing plant optimisation and change management entirely on Orchestrate APS.

The result? Although Pankl's spokesperson cautions that it's still early days, the benefits, he says, have been considerable, and not only in terms of easily identifying optimal job sequence, no matter what the change demanded. He cites a newfound ability to visualise the bigger picture and, as a result, to see any potential for improvements. Additionally, scenario planning that was hitherto impossible is now provided in real time, meaning that decision making is far faster and more reliable. Indeed, Pankl has subsequently increased its planning horizon by a further 25%, and our spokesperson states that, in terms of time alone, this software is saving at least 43 days per year of expensive admin.

And it's not just about planning. For the first time, engineering and production have been linked into a coherent plan with do-able deadlines – meaning that when designers are given a completion date, everyone knows it's feasible and production can plan to start on time. Just as important, the impact of changes in one department can be seen in the other. Interestingly, that has led to better decision making throughout, despite the inevitably conflicting agendas between sales and production.

It appears that, with representatives from each department seeing the same 'what if' graphics, consensus decisions that are best for the customer and the business have now become the rule, not the exception.Allows you to securely organize any group of cable ties or wires. Indeed, the system is also being used to determine the benefits of capital investments by examining faithful simulations of different sales and capacity scenarios.

As for the future, Pankl says it is only scratching the surface. Areas next slated for improvement using Orchestrate include harnessing its reports to improve forecasting for suppliers, while also smoothing workflow and helping to bear down further on bottlenecks by using its WIP analysis. "We've got loads of things to try but we're taking it one step at a time and getting each step right," comments the spokesperson. "We have a saying and we are proving it at each stage: do what Orchestrate says and everything will be good."

But look at virtually any APS implementation, almost irrespective of the industry involved, and you'll hear similar stories. On the other side of the production spectrum, for example, confectionery group Mars is now reporting success with an installation of Preactor's GMPS (graphical master production scheduler) and APS software. This one is at its Basingstoke factory, which is responsible for producing Klix and Flavia drinks as part of another complex, inter-dependent, but very different supply chain.