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Second place is not a bad place to be when July begins, as the season is at its midpoint. Now that there are two Wild Card clubs to qualify for the postseason, you’d think that no team in that position would want to ditch some of the players who helped them reach second place.

Well this year there is at least one second-place team that needs to wave the white flag, even though the schedule calls for early July. Because they are eleven games behind first-place Cleveland, the Twins have no chance of winning the AL Central.

Optimistic fans at Target Field might rebut the above statement, recalling that just last year the Twins finished second behind the Indians and still made the playoffs as a Wild Card team. The difference, of course, is that Minnesota was playing .500 ball last July, a pace that was enough to qualify for the second Wild Card.

The 2018 Twins, on the other hand, are currently ten games under .500 and possess the 10th worst record in the league. Three of the four teams that have played worse than Minnesota are in the same division, which is the only reason the Twins are in second place.

Given the poor record and the huge gap between them and the Indians, the Twins need to make a trade that will benefit them going forward. His best trade card would be veteran starter Lance Lynn, who is signed only this season.

His departure would not hurt Minnesota, as All Star ace Ervin Santana is expected to return from the disabled list this month. His presence will more than make up for the loss of Lynn, who is being watched by several contenders.

One of those potential business partners, and the most practical, is the closest geographically to Minnesota. In fact, the two teams share a broadcast network, the Fox Sports North cable station.

Milwaukee is currently at the top of the National League Central, but the defending champion Chicago Cubs are just a game away. To avoid a breakdown like last year, the Brewers may be looking for a veteran starter like Lance Lynn, especially since Brent Suter had to be pulled from his last start due to injury.

Lynn could bring in a Top Twenty prospect, maybe even number seven Lucas Erceg. Drafted into the second round in 2016, Erceg is a promising third baseman who is expected to hit the big leagues next year.

People in Minnesota might wonder why the Twins would go after third base, considering the most feared slugger on their list was an All-Star at that position last year. The answer, of course, is that Miguel Sano has no future in the hot corner, even if he surpasses his current offensive struggles while playing Single A Fort Myers.

It will most likely take over early in 2019, leaving the hot corner as a question mark. Certainly, utility infielder Eduardo Escobar has nobly replaced Sano’s absence this year, but the Twins need a long-term fix for that position.

Milwaukee is well placed at third with Travis Shaw, a left-handed hitter with plenty of power to solidify half the batting order. Even if the Brewers refuse to trade Erceg, they have a pair of promising receivers and pitchers among their top two dozen prospects. The Twins could use a young catcher or a young arm that is close to the majors.

Homer, Alaska is home to the best log inn, Chocolate Drop Inn, with a majestic view of Kachemak

Bahia, Kenai Mountain Range and four glaciers, along with “Chocolate Drop Mountain”. Built in 1993, the Chocolate Drop Inn is 8,000 square feet. foot wooden inn with 5 bedrooms and a family suite that includes private baths and entrances, queen size beds, televisions and telephones. Additionally, guests enjoy a recreation room, Jacuzzi and sauna, and sumptuous hot breakfasts featuring fresh seafood from the bay.

To get around scenic Homer, Alaska, Jeeps “R” Us Car Rentals are located at the Homer Airport Terminal and specialize in four-wheel drive vehicles.

While in Homer, enjoy some of the best fishing in Alaska for halibut, salmon, and trout. For the bird watcher, be sure to visit during the week of May 10-13, 2007 for the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival. More than 100,000 shorebirds pass through this region representing more than 25 species from as far away as Asia, Hawaii and South America.

Homer has long been known for its abundant bird species, which migrate through the area and create a surge of excitement for birding photographers around the world. Hundreds of species of migratory seabirds and waterfowl move through Homer annually providing incredible displays of flight, flash and color. Enjoy a day on the water with a guided bird watcher cruise and experience first-hand why Kachemak Bay is such a popular destination for bird watchers.

We recommend that you bring a backpack with suntan lotion, camera, binoculars, light rain gear, snacks, bottled water, gloves, hat, and first aid kit on your bird watching excursion.

Enjoy your stay at the Chocolate Drop Inn.

Here is a list of the top 5 of the 100 funniest films selected by the American Film Institute, Los Angeles, California in the year 2000. These 100 films are the funniest according to the AFI jury that prepared this list. The jury was made up of more than 1800 people, including actors, directors, writers, editors, film critics, cinematographers and historians.

Some Like It Hot (1959) – Ashton / Mirisch

Directed by: Billy Wilder

Starring: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon

Supporting Role Actors: George Raft, Joe E. Brown, Pat O’Brien, and Nehemiah Persoff.

Graphic:

Two musicians Joe and Jerry (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) witness a murder and when the gangster (George Raft) sees them, they run away. They decide to leave town and the only possible way was related to a group of girls heading to Florida. They dress like women and join them. While Joe and Jerry fall in love with “Sugar Kane” (Monroe), the most beautiful and important member of the band. She was a vocalist and ukulele player. Both Joe and Jerry try to impress her and win her affection while maintaining their costumes. The movie is very funny because of the mess they create themselves.

2.Tootsie (1982) -Columbia

Directed by: Sydney Pollack

Starring: Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange

Supporting Role Actors: Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Charles Durning, Bill Murray, Sydney Pollack, George Gaynes, Lynne Thigpen, and Geena Davis (her debut).

Graphic:

Michael Dorsey is approaching forty and is a perfectionist. People rarely want to work with him because sometimes he is very difficult to deal with. It is now that he learns of a premiere on the soap opera Southwest General Hospital. She disguises herself as ‘Dorothy Michaels’ and gets the job she thought would be cool for the time being and enough to pay the bills.

But to her dismay, she does so well in the role of a hospital administrator that she becomes a success. Also, in the real world, he falls in love with his co-star Jessica Lange. This movie is a bag of laughs. So, watch and enjoy this true success.

3. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Caring and Love the Bomb (1964) – Columbia

Directed by: Stanley Kubrick

STARRING: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Slim Pickens.

Graphic:

Kubrick’s dark comedy about the dropping of an American nuclear bomb on Russia centers on an American president, played by Sellers in one of his three roles, who must deal with a Soviet nuclear attack on the United States and his own maniacal staff. including Scott’s memorable General Turgidson. . It features a memorable triad of performances by Sellers (as US President, British officer, and deranged scientist) and Pickens’ wild ride in a missile. “Gentlemen, you cannot fight here! This is the War Room!”

4.Annie Hall (1977) – United Artists

Directed by: Woody Allen

Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts

Graphic:

Woody Allen, playing Alvy Singer, is a neurotic who likes and loves Annie (Diane Keaton). They also indulge in fantasizing about each other. But then they broke up because they thought they were so different. Annie Hall moves in with Paul Simon, playing Tony Lacey, a Hollywood record company executive. Alvy is constant and thinks he still loves her. He even convinces her to go back to him. Annie is not coming with him. Alvy leaves and returns home and writes a play about their relationship in which they end up happy together. Later they met, but as good friends. Now they both have different lovers. The movie ends with Alvy thinking about how we accept love in our life even though it has a very complex nature.

5 Duck Soup (1933) – Paramount

Directed by: Leo McCarey

Starring: Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo Marx; Margaret Dumont; Louis calhern

Graphic:

The film features the “Four Marx Brothers” (Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo). This movie was not a flop, but somehow it was a bit of a disappointment at the box office. Duck Soup was the last film the Marx Brothers and Paramount Pictures worked on together. They had some confrontations and decided to part ways after the movie ended. Despite these tensions, Duck Soup is still considered a masterpiece of the Marx Brothers.

Many of us baby boomers had active and social lives before the coronavirus pandemic abruptly disrupted our routines. With social distancing and quarantine to help slow the spread of the virus, it’s easy to feel lonely, isolated, and depressed. What can we do?

Just because we can’t be physically together doesn’t mean we can’t be safely connected and socializing, which isn’t too difficult thanks to technology. We can still have a little fun instead of wasting away here in Coronaville.

If you’re not up-to-date with the latest offers that help you virtually socialize, here are a few options:

* If you haven’t started using Zoom, it is quite amazing and allows you to host up to 100 people. Do we have a budget? They have a free plan that allows you an unlimited number of meetings as long as you keep each meeting no more than 40 minutes.

* Houseparty is a free app that allows eight people on a video call at a time. You’ll find fun activities to do with your friends once you’ve joined. For example, you can play games like entertainment trivia or play music.

* Marco Polo allows you to send messages that last only a few seconds. But unlike Snapchat, the app saves videos so you can have a conversation with your friend or a group of friends.

* Of course there is still Facetime, which can now host up to 32 people (if everyone has the latest iOS), Google Hangouts, and Skype.

Okay, let’s say you’re ready to go. Not sure how to virtually entertain? Or maybe you dread having conversations in virtual social settings? Here are some great ideas to help you:

Organize a virtual Happy Hour

Virtual happy hours can bring some normalcy and fun back into our lives while giving us something to look forward to during these difficult days. My husband and I were recently invited to one and were amazed at how relaxing this virtual social event can be. The host had everyone prepare their favorite drink and then share the recipe with the other guests. We also share tips on how to overcome the pandemic. One couple explained how they do their grocery shopping online through Instacart, which they hadn’t heard of before. Another explained that there was a secret “touch-up” filter in Zoom that helps you look your best (my vanity loved this tip!).

Do you need icebreakers? Start with a virtual registry to see how everyone is doing. What Netflix show are you bingeing on while quarantined? What movies or books would you recommend? What great podcast have you discovered? What new music have you come across? What exercise videos inspire you?

Or have guests take a virtual tour of the room they’re calling from and point out something fascinating. Perhaps it is a memory from another country, a childhood treasure or a manuscript of a book that they have begun to write. Once people have had a drink, they may be willing to share the most embarrassing garment they wear while in quarantine. Or share hidden talents. Can you touch your nose with your tongue or move your ears? That’s always good for a laugh! Do you want to put everyone in a good mood? Ask people what their first trip or vacation will be once everything is back to normal.

Make a training video with a friend in Zoom

Not inspired to exercise? Are you used to exercising in a group at the gym? There are many YouTube channels, like Fitness Blender, packed with free workouts at home. Invite a friend or two to join you on Zoom and click the screen share button. Websites like Orangetheory offer free daily workouts. Many fitness studios like Retro Fitness have also started live training classes for free on Facebook.

Enjoy virtual movie nights

You can also use Zoom’s screen sharing feature to watch a movie together with friends. Or try Netflix Party, an extension that allows multiple Netflix users to watch a show together from different locations. It syncs your video and has a group chat feature that allows you to exchange comments.

If that’s too much technology for you, agree to watch the same movie or show and use the phone, Skype, or FaceTime to discuss later.

Organize a virtual dinner with friends

Since restaurants have been banned, my husband and I volunteered to pick up some takeout from a local restaurant and drop it off at our friend’s door. We then hooked up with Zoom for a virtual dinner together, with a white tablecloth, flowers, and candles.

Do you prefer to cook at home? Invite guests to cook their favorite food on Zoom and share the recipe with others. You could even have a theme. Maybe everyone will dress up island style and make a Hawaiian chicken dish. Or dress up 70s style and make fondue. Bonus points if you match your Zoom background to the theme.

Have a virtual game night

Charades or Karaoke can work using Zoom or Houseparty. Two Truths and a Lie is another simple but entertaining game that will help everyone learn more about each other. Have your guests tell two true statements and one lie and have people guess which is which. Play for bragging rights to see who knows each other better.

Or maybe you’ve seen Instagram’s Social Distancing Bingo going around. Instead of letters and numbers, these bingo boards list the activities that people do while in quarantine. Items on the board can include “I stayed in my pajamas for two days in a row”, “I finished a puzzle”, “I had snacks all day”, “I Googled my symptoms”, “I baked for fun” or “I shopped at line”. You can leave a free space to wash your hands. You can find sample boards by searching for the hashtag #socialdistancingbingo on Instagram or by Googling “Social Distancing Bingo.” If you don’t want to play on Instagram, create your own bingo boards and text or email them to your friends, then virtually join in to play.

Did you know that you can play board games with friends online on the computer or in a mobile application? Digital versions of Boggle, Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, Risk, Uno, Scattergories, and Scrabble are available that can be played with friends. Or try Cluedo, an app that is a digital version of the classic mystery game Clue. While the board looks different, thanks to the 3D graphics, this adaptation remains mostly true to the board game version and is great for families.

One of the most important aspects of developing an entrepreneurial mindset is investing in ourselves. Most people refuse to invest in something good for themselves other than food (Americans tend to eat pizzas by truck and that is investing in ourselves the wrong way). What we have to do is really invest in ourselves, how to educate ourselves and grow in wisdom. Your education doesn’t stop when you leave college.

One thing that schools and universities don’t teach you is SUCCESS 101. It’s something that academic schools won’t teach you, but is developed internally. Developing the fundamental attitudes and the desire to succeed requires character, not a spontaneous decision or because it seems like a good idea.

The moment someone stops learning, they stop growing. There is no such thing as staying where you are. Because the world is constantly moving forward, anything that does not follow its direction will be left behind. Unfortunately, this is what happens to people who drop out of college. They stop growing, therefore, they begin to degrade. Their minds atrophy and they lose the desire to learn.

Investing in ourselves also means that we learn new ways to acquire wealth. As your wealth grows, you will have more options to grow. Learning to develop your wealth requires a certain attitude that most people have when they were young, but they lose their sleep when people tell them to stop. They settle for mediocre lives and abandon the pursuit of success the moment they stop investing in them.

How do you develop the right mindset and attitude? Does it require a lot of changes?

Yes and no. Change is necessary, but not impossible.

The first thing to do is be open to new teachings. It is like a cup of tea. When a cup is full of water, nothing can be poured. It will not enter and overflow. So what do we do if we need new water? First, just empty the cup by pouring the muddy water, only then will you have the ability to learn new things.

The next thing to do is learn from a mentor or a successful person. We need a guide and a direction. Someone we can look up to and follow. Don’t learn from negative people. Your beer friends may be your lifelong friends, but they won’t get you anywhere. Following their advice is suicidal. If you get sick, you prefer to see a doctor and not an auto mechanic. In fact, you would like to see the best doctor there is! Not a crack doctor without any credibility.

The last attitude you need to develop is to develop a habit of action. You can learn from all the gurus, read all the books, and attend all the seminars, but if you don’t take action, massive action, you’ll be even worse when you’re just starting out: full of motivation, but no direction (leading to a lot of frustration). Although that’s the hardest part, it actually gets easier when you actually start.

Don’t think twice, invest in yourself today!

Looking for a way to create an interesting background for your mixed media art? You must first decide your general theme. Do you want a rustic and natural look or does your art need a bright and colorful background? Here are some ideas.

Corrugated cardboard. You can add a wonderful, natural look to your art by using corrugated cardboard. Remove some of the paper from the cardboard so the wavy lines can be seen. This is a good way to recycle some of the cardboard that you have been saving.

Old textbook or songbook pages. You can find old books at library sales, yard sales, and thrift stores at very low cost. Pages can be ripped, sanded, tea stained, painted with watercolors, and used to create wonderful backgrounds.

Textured fabric. I like to use fabrics like burlap, denim, or muslin to add texture to my mixed media backgrounds.

Modeling paste. You can create many great dimensional textures for your art using modeling paste and stencils or other elements like plastic mesh. If you don’t want to buy the pasta, you can make your own. There are a variety of modeling clay recipes online.

Paper napkins. Paper napkins are available in a wide range of patterns, designs and colors and offer an inexpensive way to decorate almost any surface. You can decoupage the entire napkin on your background or cut out certain parts to enhance or act as a focal point in your art.

Technical creak. This is a good technique to use when you want to add an aged and weathered effect to your art. The basic idea is to apply paint to the surface and after it is dry, apply a coat of white glue or crackling medium and cover it with a paint that contrasts with the color of the first coat.

Foil. Add texture to the foil by crumpling it and then smoothing it out by hand. It can be colored with alcohol ink, nail polish or permanent markers.

Shelf lining. I like to buy shelf liners at the dollar store to use as a background in my art. I will often spray paint it before use. Note: I usually spray paint over newspapers, which leaves a beautiful design that can be used as a background in other projects.

There is no shortage of materials that you can use to create your mixed media backgrounds. Decide what type of art to create and choose colors and textures that complement your finished piece.

Leveling kits pretty much avoid the limelight when it comes to 4×4 and off-road parts, but this certainly shouldn’t suggest that a leveling kit isn’t an essential piece of hardware.

In fact, with gas prices so high these days, many truck, Jeep and SUV owners are looking for ways to save gas and lessen the impact on their wallet. This is where leveling kits come in.

Even if you don’t guess it, a leveling kit can have a decent impact on your fuel economy figures, and knowing how it can affect your suspension system can save you a lot on fuel and maintenance costs.

How a leveling kit affects fuel economy

When we talk about how a leveling kit affects gas mileage, it should be noted that we are advocating common sense in terms of saving gas. In other words, optimizing gas mileage from a trim kits perspective will not produce a massive jump in MPG figures.

Rather, the leveling kit is one of many pieces of equipment that affects gas mileage for a longer period of time, or contributes as one of the many improvements you can make to your vehicle to improve mileage in the short term.

In any case, in this document, we’ll look at the ways that a leveling kit, or the lack of one, can affect your fuel economy.

Leveling Lift Kits Overview

Vehicle customization is one of the most exciting parts of owning a 4×4 vehicle; however, modifying your trip can often be a complicated task that can lead to a wide range of unforeseen side effects.

One particular problem that commonly plagues 4×4 enthusiasts is suspension sag. Depending on the type of vehicle you own and the lift kit you add, customization can sometimes cause a vehicle to travel with an uneven posture; that is, one end travels lower than the other.

Sometimes other factors can play a role as well. Even if you do a perfectly level suspension installation, additional items like heavy duty front bumpers and winches can sometimes weigh on the front.

In addition to being simply unsightly, uneven posture can also affect long-term performance. It puts more pressure on the suspension and can also cause tires to wear out faster or go flat more easily.

Leveling kits are the perfect solution to eliminate sagging as they are fairly easy to install and allow you to add those precious extra inches to level your ride. A few inches may not sound like a lot, but you’ll be surprised at what a big difference a leveling kit can make.

Tire wear management

It is common knowledge that front tires wear out faster and go flat more easily than rear tires, simply due to the added movement and stress that steering causes. Now add the front end sag and your front tires will wear out even faster.

Nothing affects on- and off-road performance as much as uneven tires, not to mention gas mileage. In fact, under-inflated tires are a leading cause of lost fuel economy for commuters and off-road enthusiasts alike.

Add a leveling kit and all of a sudden your tires are offering life and performance like they should. Leveling kits can extend tire life and reduce deflation, allowing you to maximize fuel economy and also get much better long-term tread life.

A complete review

What’s the point of owning a truck or utility vehicle if you’re not putting it to work?

Using your 4×4 vehicle for towing, hauling loads, and other construction applications is common practice among truck, Jeep, and SUV owners. But putting your vehicle under great pressure is another factor that affects mileage and performance.

Introduce block kits or leveling kits that raise the rear of a vehicle. A set of blocks can help offset the weight or extra load on the rear of your vehicle, reducing stress and allowing for more efficient overall performance.

A vehicle with a raised rear end offers less drag when towing or hauling, and more overall stability for those really tough jobs, ultimately resulting in long-term improvements in gas mileage.

A matter of inches

In the end, a few inches can make a big difference in improving or hindering your fuel economy.

Leveling kits are just one of many ways to ensure that you are getting the best MPG possible with your vehicle and, together with a leveling kit, the right combination of components can go a long way towards improving your gas mileage. .

In Sri Lanka, a national government was formed in the 20th century for political independence. In 1948, after peace negotiations, independence was granted. The Tamil Tiger movement was closed at the end of 2009. Therefore, it is now completely safe to visit the country.

However, what worries the country is the fact that it is an attraction for tourists. The reason is that the country has an incomparable culture and landscapes. Apart from the ruins of the Buddhist, Islamic and Hindu kingdoms, flora and fauna, the country has one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Therefore, they are quite attractive to visit and see.

In Sri Lanka, you can find a noisy capital, seaside towns, spectacular beaches, beautiful plants, large Buddhist temples and statues. In fact, there is a lot to see in the country. In this article, we will find out how you can get an eVisa for Sri Lanka so that you can go there on a tour. Keep reading to know more.

How to bring eVisa to Sri Lanka

A few years ago, tourists received the visa upon arrival in the country. Therefore, the entrance was quite cumbersome and difficult for tourists. However, the government has started offering eVisa to tourists. The great thing about this is that the visa can be processed online, which creates an eTA. And you can request it without worries.

According to the official website, anyone around the world can apply for an eVisa as long as they are connected to the Internet. Actually, the ETA is a government authorization for a short visit to the country. In addition, it is issued electronically.

Apart from this, tourists apply online and the application is processed and approved by the authorities. Once approval is granted, the notification is sent via email. Sending the application takes no more than 5 minutes. All you need to do is obtain the required documents. There is no need to contact any travel company as the entire process is completed online.

Requirements

Depending on what you plan to do in Sri Lanka, the price of the visa may vary. The lowest cost can be around $ 50. So the first requirement is to obtain a passport that has a validity period of 8 months. Generally, the procedure is quite simple. Unlike the normal visa, obtaining an eVisa is not difficult at all. The requirements are quite simple and the whole process takes no more than a few minutes as long as your documents are valid.

Here it is important to note that the requirements must be properly met. Apart from this, you must obtain the eVisa at least 30 days before leaving for Australia.

Simply put, if you are looking to apply for an eVisa for Australia, we suggest that you follow the advice given in this article. This will help you start the process more easily and you can visit the country as soon as you want.

There is no arguing that streaming movies, shows, and music is extremely convenient for the average user, but is it really worth it? Being an author and recording artist, I’m not a huge fan of streaming services as they only pay royalty pennies for any music composition they stream. This is not profitable for the average musician who used to earn dollars selling CDs. Streaming services like HULU, NETFLIX, and AMAZON garnered hundreds of new subscribers last year, mostly due to the pandemic that we are still fighting. Disney and Discovery recently launched their own streaming services. Major Hollywood production companies reported that they would release new streaming movies at the same time in theaters.

But what about local cinemas? If someone could see a new theatrical release on their tablets or smartphones, why would you want to go to the local cinema? This could undoubtedly harm the theater industry. I am totally in favor of supporting local businesses, especially for that BIG SCREEN experience. Obviously now is not the time to mingle with crowds of people until we fight this dreaded virus, but what happens when it is over? Will we really go back to normal or will we continue to isolate ourselves at home with our IOS devices?

I recently read an interesting article online that said that Blu-ray was dead and that Samsung killed it. The article mentioned that Samsung announced in February 2019 that it would no longer produce new 1080p or 4K Blu-ray players. The editorial went on to mention that Blu-ray was becoming obsolete in a similar way to HD discs, VHS tapes, and Laserdiscs. 4K Blu-ray offered us the best picture and sound quality for home theater. Soon, we will not have anything tangible in the form of music, movies, or literary articles to pass on to our children. Ah, the good old days of having a REAL BOOK, CD, DVD, Blu-ray disc, tape or LP record in your hands … will soon be gone forever. This is a large part of our culture that we must not miss.

Streaming has its downs. For example, I am not crazy to accept another bill. Streaming services may start out cheap, but like anything else, prices will eventually go up as new subscribers enter the game. Throwing another wrench into the service is the question of, what happens when the cable goes out during a big storm? Also, what if you are in a low-strip reception area, such as being underground on a subway train or in a tunnel? There goes your music or your movie. Unless you have pre-recorded media or downloaded files, you won’t have any entertainment … bummer.

For my part, I pride myself on having a home theater with a projection system and a large selection of movies and shows in various formats, such as 16mm movies, Blu-ray discs, and DVDs. I still like going to the movies, especially watching a horror or suspense movie with my daughter. I miss going to the theater or the local restaurant. We must all be diligent to conquer COVID-19 and get back to normal.

As for broadcasting, it has become a very important part of our lives; well, for most of us. Unfortunately, not all titles are available for streaming. Some classics and especially indie movies have not been added yet. Also, keep in mind that since almost everything on the Internet is compressed, you will not get the same quality as a CD or Blu-ray disc; And forget about 4K, especially projected on a big screen in the home theater. That is not going to happen with the broadcast. You should also keep in mind that HD video streaming is only as good as your high-speed internet service. However, for those of you who have little storage space in your home, streaming may be to your advantage.

Panera Bread has an opportunity for growth within a challenging industry in two key areas: increasing sales of specialty drinks and opening international locations, which will allow the company to spread its mission of fresh bread for everyone while increasing sales. results for shareholders. By using many frameworks to think about and project the financial estimates of the company, we can empirically show that these two strategies will be beneficial to the client.

Use Historically High Margins on Specialty Beverages to Drive Final Growth

While Panera’s core business revolves around fresh bread, the style of the locations suggests that there is substantial revenue from the sale of coffee and related beverages, similar to Starbucks. Regarding the coffee market, the estimated real growth is 2.7% or approximately 5.7% given an inflation rate of 3%, while the number of establishments, the real coffee shops, is expected to grow only one 1.6%, which means that, on average, each store will see an increase. revenues, due in part to a 3.5% growth in domestic demand (See Appendix A). Additionally, profit on specialty beverages is estimated at 19.8%, much higher than Panera’s 6.4% profit margin. This means that increasing sales of specialty beverages will have a positive impact on Panera’s results; clearly, the industry is growing and it is a good industry for Panera. According to the Buffalo Wild Wings franchise disclosure document, more than 40% of revenue is generated through the sale of alcoholic beverages and specials. If Panera could generate this level of sales with a profit margin of 19.3%, its bottom line would increase by almost 7.8% to 14.2%, abnormally high for the restaurant industry (which averages margins of 4 -5%). Although this level of profit margin is likely not sustainable, the short-term increase in profit margin will help Panera expand its operations internationally to capture economies of scale with its suppliers.

Search industry headlines for insight and rearrange menu locations

Visually, the design of a Starbuck’s, Dunkin ‘Donuts or Caribou Coffee is much more fluid than that of Panera Bread with respect to the place of order of the coffee. This analysis relies heavily on the Eden Prairie Mall and Downtown Minneapolis Nicollet Mall locations. Customer flow for Eden Prairie and Downtown is awkward; the customer must enter the store, go through the bakery and coffee areas, and then order at the cash registers. The problem is that the coffee menus are located above the bakery items, not in view of the customer at the time of ordering. When the customer is ready to order, they have forgotten which drink to order; Also, the drinks have a creative name, which is positive for the brand identity, but uncomfortable for the average male customer to order. At a minimum, coffee and specialty beverages must undergo the following changes:

Move menus to the same wall as food menus to make sure customers know what coffee is on offer when ordering.

Place bakery display cases closer to cash registers to attract more impulse purchases

Eliminate queue markers during off-peak hours, especially in front of bakery display cases

Increase specialty beverage offerings, including alcoholic beverage research, to attract cafeteria regulars to Panera.

By focusing on combining cafeteria design with a cafeteria atmosphere, Panera can become a “chill out” place, as well as a prime spot for both lunch and dinner. In addition, this change can be brought to international markets where coffee environments predominate, such as those in France.

Expand internationally to build a brand image and diversify economic risks

Since Panera is looking for Canadian locations, it is safe to assume that the international fresh bread market is growing. In fact, the international market breakdown of the industry’s revenue can be found in Appendix B. Clearly, the European market is a large market for fresh bread. However, IBIS World estimates that 135,000 bakeries operate in Europe, which means that the market is fragmented. A brand with a large marketing budget behind it could quickly enter the market and take a key position (See Appendix C). Since the culture and preferences of European customers may differ from those of the United States, it would be best to test new products in Canada prior to the overseas launch of the Panera brand. An interesting facet of the European market is the strong relationship between industrial milling and agricultural companies and industrial bakeries. The largest bakeries belong to the largest agricultural and milling companies in the UK, Sweden and Austria. This can cause supply chain problems in these countries, although Panera could pursue a partnership or joint venture approach for these markets.

Leverage existing assets to increase shareholder returns and expand

According to Panera’s 2009 10-K, the company had an interest coverage ratio of 200.9x, with an EBIT of $ 140 million and interest payments of $ 700k. Also, the distance to default, a key metric for debt risk, is quite large (the bigger the better) as Panera’s available cash is $ 77.1 million and the debt / equity ratio is 0. , 0%. Retained earnings and total equity are $ 346 million and $ 495 million, respectively. This suggests a large cushion prior to debt default in an extreme situation. In Appendix D, the big difference between Panera and its rivals in terms of debt burden is clearly seen. Given that Panera has $ 153.2 million in FCF, it is safe to assume that Panera could issue at least 1.0x FCF, although a sure debt load for a company can be as low as 2x EBITDA, or $ 400 million in debt. With an average coffee costing $ 1.6 million, Panera could finance its brand expansion into approximately 250 corporate locations internationally. As seen in Appendix E, Panera would be in the top three of its main competition with these new locations.

As with all public companies, Panera must return value to its shareholders without ignoring the broader range of stakeholders with whom it interacts. FactSet estimates Panera’s sales growth in 2010 at 10.4% with EPS of $ 3.41 per share, an increase of 20.6% over 2009. Our proposed strategy would benefit the company both in the short as long term. In the short term, sales would increase and the profit margin would increase by 500 bps to 770 bps based on sales of specialty beverages. If the international expansion plan is followed, Panera would see sales growth in 2011 beyond the estimated 10.3% and EPS well beyond the projected $ 3.98. Although increased debt may force management to pay more attention to the company’s cash flow, the increased leverage will allow Panera to substantially increase its ROE. If Panera wishes to remain competitive, it must use its economies of scale to grow faster than the competition and continually innovate, becoming the “fast follower” by utilizing the innovations of the adjacent industry in its coffee atmosphere.

The annexes can be found on the Liekos Group website.