So how are we doing in Wallingford’s District 9? Not too bad from the cross section of calls made.

A couple of students from Notre Dame High School in West Haven got in touch with me as the school requested that they choose a campaign to volunteer for in order to help a candidate campaign for the upcoming election.

As they put it to me, this is done “in hopes of gathering a better understanding for the electoral process. The school asks that we complete ten hours of campaign volunteer work. As a Wallingford resident, I've noticed many signs stating that you are running for Mayor, and my hope is to help you campaign. If you are interested, please considering responding and hopefully we can set up a possible schedule.”

So I got in touch with them to let them know I could use the help calling in the 9th District and they called as much of it as they could over the past three weeks as time allowed.

While the results are not “scientific” it was a wide cross sampling of the people they reached.  As one of the two students indicated in the email follow up to me:

”I've attached a folder that contains the survey results, the survey voting tally, and concerns that were mentioned during the survey process. I was quite surprised by the number of people that answered their phones, or rather the number that didn't. Regardless, It appears it's going to be a close race. You've done a fantastic job campaigning, good luck!”

Here is the data they were able to supply from the calls. Lots of room for error and a lot undecided but I am encouraged regardless. 

 

Friday Evening Sign Rally – RAIN OR SHINE (Looks to be more SHINE than rain)

Friday November 1 at 5PM

At the corner of Main and Center Streets. 

Join us to rally for the Democratic Candidates.

Please make every effort to attend! Bring your signs from your yards if you can (we will have some on hand).

Wallingford in a changing universe

As published in the Record Journal (page D03) on Sunday October 20, 2013 – by Jason Zandri

The one constant in the universe is change. The greatest danger a business, a municipality or an individual can succumb to is an irrational fear of the unknown.

The CEO of Borders Books embraced technology use as well as the changes in the business landscape of the corporation he led. What he lacked was the true understanding of the depth of the change. Believing that loss leaders like the Nook and Kindle readers, the hardware of his competitors which lose money on every sale, should be something his company should avoid, he made a bet on what he knew best – his historical customer base and what he believed they wanted. They would always want to hold a real book in their hand.

His knowledge and understanding of his customer base and decades of experience would help him and Borders Books weather their financial storm.

Today that corporation is gone because it resisted the direction of their market; they were unable to see the full scope of the future of their venerable business, and the choice of losing money on devices for sales of e-books was not prudent in the short term. Yet that lesson is a core teaching in business and economics – “give away the razor, sell the blades.”

There are times in all our lives when we become so set on how we’ve always done things that we believe there is no better way to do anything and that we have perfected our craft.

Then something in the landscape shifts and all things are not equal. The shift has already occurred in Wallingford’s landscape and as we continue to do the same things we’ve always done, they are becoming increasingly less effective.

Change is inevitable, predictable and beneficial – it is a wave that you can choose to ride on or be drowned under but it is a force that cannot be ignored because it brings the future, a future that will not just happen but one that we will create.

Wallingford has the ability to do more, with less, even in “these trying times,” as that statement ends up being relative; it just depends on how you want to go about it.

Are times today worse than they were in 2007 when things were still booming? I suppose if you are just looking at the early and mid-2000s.

There are times in our country’s history that make the boom of the early and mid-2000s look paltry just as there were times in the 30s that make today look like paradise.

We can better leverage technology to complete more tasks and move projects along; this has the effect to allow us to get started on the next task sooner.

We can offer more services that offset some costs – by going to e-payments and e-billing as options for those that want them, we save postage and handling costs and paperwork becomes reduced.

The less paperwork that people in the offices need to handle, the more they are freed to do other things; this becomes an increase in service for things that must be done manually.

Proper planning for future expenditures via cost analysis allows Wallingford to project what should be deferred for “down the road” as costs look to decline (certain hardware and some technology) and where costs will increase like labor-based jobs such as road paving that also have a petroleum cost in the materials used – both of which increase year over year making it more prudent to review the cost of doing that work now rather than later.

Being more open and providing more access into how and what local government is doing and making residents better aware of what is going on and letting them feel like they can be part of the process fosters and grows that sense of collectiveness and ownership.

This is our hometown; let’s create Wallingford’s future together.

Jason Zandri is the Democratic challenger for mayor of Wallingford.

Wallingford mayoral candidates file financial reports / upcoming fundraisers

Thank you everyone that has supported the campaign to date – while the donations have exceeded my expectations I am still in need of more so if you can come to the dinner and lunch fundraisers and have something to eat (with the cost of your meals as a donation) I would greatly appreciate it. (More on that at the end of this post).

In one filing period the Republican machine raised 60 percent of the totals we have since the start of the campaign.

As reported in the Record Journal story by Andrew Ragali – back in July Mayor Dickinson hadn’t started fundraising. As of Thursday October 10th (three months later) he had contributions totaling $17,623. Mayor Dickinson spent $6,802.89 during the three month reporting period, leaving him with $10,820.11 on hand. Dickinson spent $216.44 out of his own pocket, and as of Thursday, he had outstanding expenses of $263.

By the July reporting period we had recorded $10,107.20 on hand. Over these past three months we have been able to bring in $12,025.22 in additional contributions thanks to your support. I have just about $3,000 of my own money into the campaign and I plan to continue to personally fund about 10 percent of all the expenses. In the past three months, the campaign has spent $9,281.97, leaving us with $12,850.45. (I presently have about $1,595.60 in outstanding expenses).

In total, our campaign has brought in $28,294.79 to date; that is only possible because of all of you. Thank you.

As I mentioned – as much as I hate to keep going on about it, we need more help.

If you can make an additional donation please do so:

Donations:    Jason Zandri for Mayor Committee
                         c/o 23 Cardinal Drive
                         Wallingford CT 06492

I would much prefer that you come and make a donation, have some food, and spend some time with friends so rather than just considering cutting a check please think about possibly attending one or both of the upcoming fundraisers:

DINNER FUNDRAISER at the Wallingford Portuguese Club

51 SOUTH COLONY ROAD WALLINGFORD
SATURDAY OCTOBER 19, 2013 at 7PM

Pork Loin, Baked Chicken, Seafood Rice, Oven Roasted Potatoes, Salad and Rolls
Dessert and Cash Bar

Dinner cost - $25.00 donation
Please make all checks out to “Jason Zandri for Mayor Committee”

 

 

 

 

LUNCH FUNDRAISER at the Zandri’s Stillwood Inn

1074 SOUTH COLONY ROAD WALLINGFORD
SUNDAY OCTOBER 27, 2013 at 12:30PM

Scheduled Special Guest

Third District Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro

Lunch cost - $25.00 donation
Please make all checks out to “Jason Zandri for Mayor Committee”

 

Once again – thank you for all the help and support; I am going to get this done and it will because of the support from all of you.

Thank you

 

More voter support via Letters to the Record Journal

Since the screen shot above is a little difficult to read here is the text of that letter from Christopher Regan:

October 8^th, 2013

Jason Zandri via jason@zandri.net

Subject: My original submission to the Record Journal / Op-ed (unedited)

Editor: Jason Zandri's campaign slogan "Moving Wallingford Forward" is exactly why I endorsing him for Mayor in this community. As a CEO with a national business headquartered in Wallingford and also as a resident I was stunned at the lack of any type of economic development incentives for business for when I moved my organization into town. Eight years later -- Wallingford hasn't advanced forward in any appreciable means as far as business owners are concerned.  We are not close to Wallingford Center, although we appreciate the work and support the efforts to beautify our town and make frequenting downtown businesses an enjoyable experience.

Jason has proven to me that he has fiscal responsibility, wants to take advantages of integrating modern day solutions to receive efficiency gains, gives full thought about impact to the community, and solicits opinions using tools that the modern day business executive has as its disposal (email, blogging, social media, etc.) in order to effectively communicate with the people he works for.  I like the fact that I can talk to him every day any day or read his views and opinions openly and honestly.

We recently became frustrated with the town's lack of response to a residential street issue.  We reached out to the Mayor's office, to the Town Council at large, and to the Department of public works.  The only response we received was when Jason came out, on a weekend and on his own time, with a video camera and documented our issue.  It was only until then that we then received a call from public works informing us to what was going to be done.

I applaud his work in the past, for the fireworks fund, and for this town's forward momentum.

Christopher J. Regan

President & CEO

Caucuses will fill November ballot

As published in the Record Journal Friday July 12, 2013

By Andrew Ragali
Record-Journal staff        
aragali@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2224       
Twitter:@AndyRagz

WALLINGFORD — Candidates for mayor, Town Council and Board of Education will be endorsed at party caucuses Wednesday night.

At 7 p.m., the Democratic Town Committee will meet on the second floor of 350 Center St, said committee Chairman Vinnie Avallone. The Republican Town Committee will meet at the same time at Dag Hammarskjold Middle School on Pond Hill Road, said Chairman Bob Prentice.

Six Democrats, including two incumbents — Nick Economopoulos and John Sullivan — have announced that they are running for the council next term, Avallone said. Jason Zandri will give up his council seat to run for mayor. Other council candidates include former councilor and mayoral candidate Vinnie Testa, as well as Debbie Reynolds, Dana Camp and Larry Russo. Avallone said the four current Democrats on the Board of Education will seek endorsement, as will newcomer Patricia Mills.

Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr., a Republican, has announced he will seek re-election. Prentice said Republicans will end up running seven candidates for Town Council. With the exception of Rosemary Rascati, who has announced she will not seek reelection, all the incumbents will run. In addition, former Councilor Ray Rys and current Board of Education member Christine Mansfield will be seeking council seats, Prentice said. The four Republican Board of Education incumbents, minus Mansfield, will seek re-election, he said, adding that the committee is still looking to add two candidates to the Board of Education ticket.

“It’s not official till the caucus is over,” Prentice said.

On the Republican side, a single ballot is normally cast to endorse the entire slate of candidates during the caucus, Prentice said.

Since only six Democrats are seeking council seats, that can happen, on the Democratic side as well, Avallone said. The alternative would be for a nomination and vote for each candidate, he added.

Candidates must file financial registration with the town clerk’s office by 4 p.m. July 29, said Town Clerk Barbara Thompson. This paperwork includes reports on campaign finances. Candidates must file with the office “even if they’re not going to raise money,” Thompson said. If they don’t file in time, they will be subject to a $100 fine, she said.

As of Thursday, Zandri, Dickinson, Camp and Rys have filed paperwork with the office. Zandri is the only candidate to have raised money for his campaign so far.

Zandri has raised $14,335, with $10,107 still unspent. According to paperwork filed with the town clerk’s office, Zandri has spent his campaign money on office supplies. He also spent $200 on three occasions for the services of What’s Next, a political consulting firm based in Wethersfield. Zandri said the firm is developing walking routes so he can efficiently campaign door-to-door, because “you need to knock on the right door,” he said. Zandri also spent $980 in campaign money for the services of The Vinci Group, a Manchester consulting firm that organizes fundraisers, Zandri said, including the July 24 event at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn on South Colony Road. The event will be hosted by local state Reps. Mary Mushinsky and Mary Fritz. Lt Gov. Nancy Wyman will be a special guest at the event, Zandri said.

“It’s generating a lot of interest at the state level, too,” Avallone said of Zandri’s campaign. “There’s a lot of energy.”

Zandri said he has already begun his door-to-door campaigning. Support so far has been positive, he said, with the only negative being that people are upset he won’t be a town councilor anymore.

Dickinson said he will look to begin fundraising in the coming weeks.

“It’s putting the plans together,” he said. “I can’t do a lot of door-to-door, but I try to do some.”

A lot of the work is behind the scenes putting literature and mailings together.

“That’s what most of the campaign money goes into,” he said, adding that there is a lot of assistance from the Republican Town Committee, as well as non-committee members in town.

Prentice said Dickinson’s run for mayor is “usually a pretty simple campaign.”

“He never takes any credit for anything, he said. “That’s what kills me.”

Both mayoral candidates said they support their parties’ Town Council and Board of Education candidates, and view them as teammates in the race for mayor.

Thompson said Prentice and Avallone must file their certificate of endorsement with her office by July 24. This paperwork officially lists whom each party endorses. Throughout the state, all candidates for election must be endorsed between July 16 and July 23.

Enjoying more Record Journal political humor on a Sunday morning

As published in the Record Journal Sunday January 20, 2013

Republican for Zandri – awesome

One by one I’ll work on them and capture who I can as I go.

“MOVING WALLINGFORD FORWARD” 

Campaign Meeting – scheduled for Wednesday January 9, 2013 at 7:30PM

Welcome to 2013 everyone. We hope you had a great holiday and New Year’s.

We will be having a planning meeting to kick off the 2013 Mayoral campaign and to extend the invitation publicly to anyone that wants to sit in to listen or offer their input.

It will be held on Wednesday January 9, 2013 at 7:30PM at the Law Offices of Vincent Avallone,130 North Main Street in Wallingford.

The plan for this meeting is to discuss topics for Wallingford – the things on peoples’ minds that they want to see for Wallingford in the future. There are some things we do well and we expect to hear “let’s keep doing them” as much as we expect to hear “we should do this – we don’t currently” as well as “we could improve upon this process.”

The only way we can set forth to see these things through for the people is to hear from them how they are important and to put together the plan to execute and see them through.

Additionally we will want to discuss the upcoming fundraiser for the campaign – planned for Wednesday March 6, 2013 at 6:30PM at Gouveia Vineyards 1339 Whirlwind Hill Rd, Wallingford; we will need volunteers for the event for items such as planning the event as well as selling tickets.

If at anytime you’d like to get a hold of me for additional information or follow email is generally best; feel free to drop me a note at Jason@Zandri.net (Please put in a meaningful subject so the spam filter doesn’t swallow it up “Wallingford - [TOPIC]” is an offered suggestion).

Once again – this meeting is open to one and all and we hope to see you there.

Zandri vs. Dickinson: ‘Unstoppable’ taking on the ‘immovable’?

As published in the Record Journal Monday December 3, 2012

By Laurie Rich Salerno
Record-Journal staff
lsalerno@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2235
Twitter:@LaurieSalernoRJ

WALLINGFORD — Many have tried, and a few have even come close. But since 1984, Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. has been the unbeatable man — or in Democrat Jason Zandri’s terms, “an immovable object” in the mayor’s office.

Zandri is the latest in a long line of Democrats—including his own father, Geno Zandri — in three decades to announce he would take on Dickinson, a Republican. As the 43-year-old town councilor declared his intentions at a Democratic Town Committee meeting Wednesday, he posited himself as the “unstoppable force,” referring to the classic physics paradox, to take on the 64 year-old mayor in 2013.

Local Democratic officials believe he’s the first candidate in a while to have the goods to do so, but Republicans think Zandri is banging an old drum with his focus on bringing the Internet to Town Hall. Democrats counter that his ideas go well beyond just technology, and his energy is unflagging.

“I am so excited about Jason’s campaign and candidacy for mayor that for the first time since I left the council in the 1990s the thought has occurred to me to run for that position again,” Peter Gouveia, the Democratic Town Committee vice chairman, said Friday. Gouveia is a former town councilman and was narrowly defeated in two runs for mayor against Dickinson, in 1987 and 1991.

Gouveia said he was impressed by Zandri’s dedication and drive, as did Democratic Town Chairman Vincent Avallone, using the example of Zandri’s push to raise tens of thousands of dollars each year to put on the town fireworks after Dickinson cut them from the town’s Fourth of July celebration.

“I think a perfect example is the fireworks. Nobody thought that anybody could raise $30,000 — and he did it,” Avallone said.

Avallone said that same drive is what has been pushing Zandri to question town department practices in replacing ornamental streetlights in town. Zandri has said he doesn’t believe town protocol was followed when the Electric Division sent 39 streetlights to a scrap metal contractor. The town could have refurbished and kept the lights or recouped much more from selling them, but officials didn’t check to see what all their options were, he said.

Zandri did that check and presented a PowerPoint and video presentation at Tuesday night’s Town Council meeting that juxtaposed statements utilities officials had made at a prior meeting about there not being replacement parts for the lights with those of a staff member from Penn Globe, a company in North Branford that manufactures and refurbishes lights, who said there indeed were parts available.

“It wasn’t to embarrass anybody. The reason was to show that the town could be run more efficiently,” Avallone said. “He’s not comfortable with the status quo.”

Republican Town Chairman Bob Prentice echoed other town Republicans in characterizing Zandri’s interest as micro-managing the town departments.

“I’m not sure where Jason’s coming from with this electric pole thing, whether he’s trying to be an expert with everything that happens in town. That’s why we hire people to do the job. It’d be like the governor coming to run the projects that I do,” said Prentice, who is a project manager with the state.

Though it was not his sole focus, Zandri did address technology in his announcement Wednesday, saying he’d bring the Internet, email and affiliated services to all departments in Town Hall for less than $20,000 a year and institute direct deposit for employee paychecks.

Though prior Democratic candidates, like Vincent Testa, who lost to Dickinson for the second time in 2011, have talked about bringing Internet access to Town Hall— the difference this time is that Zandri, a systems analyst at Bloomberg in New York City, is an information technology professional, Avallone said.

“What Jason’s going to concentrate on is giving specific examples of what technology’s going to do,” Avallone said Friday.

Prentice said the focus by Democrats on technology in Town Hall is old news.

“For at least 10 or 15 years everybody’s talked about new technology — and guess what, we’ve gotten by without added technology,” Prentice said.

Town Councilor John Le-Tourneau, a Republican, agreed that Dickinson is often painted as less computer friendly than he really is, and he said the mayor’s lean approach to technology is often a cost-saving measure.

“It’s not like there’s no technology. There is. Can there be more? Yes, I agree with that, but not every employee needs a screen on their desk,” said LeTourneau. “The mayor — it’s not like he just shuts it down completely, it’s where he thinks it should be.”

As for Zandri’s prospects, the fellow councilor said he thought Dickinson — though he hasn’t yet announced his own bid for the seat — would likely stay in Town Hall after the 2013 election.

“I’m just pretty confident that the mayor will be mayor again. Jason’s a nice guy, he’s a good councilor, but I think he’s more of a fit for the council,” LeTourneau said.

Avallone believes Zandri has a real shot.

“Everybody knows it’s not an easy task, quite frankly,” Avallone said. “This is not a battle against the mayor to defeat Mayor Dickinson. This is not like a personal thing. Jason feels that he’s got better ideas — and I concur — that will make this town better.”

REMINDER–LAST DAY TO WATCH Jason Zandri on ‘Citizen Mike’

Town Councilor Jason Zandri appears on the next edition of the “Citizen Mike” public access show.

Zandri, a candidate for mayor, is interviewed by host Mike Brodinsky and Record-Journal Executive Editor Ralph Tomaselli. Topics discussed include the recent flap over the disposal of light poles, and his decision to run for mayor.

The show airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. on cable channel 19.
Shows can also be viewed on demand at wpaa.tv.

This is the final airing on WPAA; after this evening the episode will be available on demand at WPAA TV.

Comments or suggestions can be sent to citizenmiketv@gmail.com.

Jason Zandri on ‘Citizen Mike’

As published in the Record Journal Sunday December 2, 2012

WALLINGFORD — Town Councilor Jason Zandri appears on the next edition of the “Citizen Mike” public access show.

Zandri, a candidate for mayor, is interviewed by host Mike Brodinsky and Record-Journal Executive Editor Ralph Tomaselli. Topics discussed include the recent flap over the disposal of light poles, and his decision to run for mayor.

The show airs Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 9 p.m. on cable channel 19.

Shows can also be viewed on demand at wpaa.tv.

Comments or suggestions can be sent to citizenmiketv@gmail.com.

Response to a letter to the editor in Monday’s Record Journal titled “Good Service”

Here is the letter as published and written by it’s author:

Editor: As a technology coordinator, I realize that there may be some areas where improved technology may be helpful in Wallingford, such as the direct deposit of paychecks as a convenience to employees.

However, after just going through the series of options, clicking buttons and listening to messages while on hold for the Social Security office in Meriden, I can truly appreciate the ability to call into the Wallingford Town Offices and be answered by a real human being who is ready to answer my questions. Some people may call the telephone an antiquated device, but I call this good service for the residents of Wallingford. Let’s not change what isn’t broken. MARY BETH APPLEGATE, WALLINGFORD

I couldn’t agree more with “let’s not change what isn’t broken”.

I would not want to institute a menu tree system into Town Hall; everyone (generally) dials directly into the department they are looking for or they get transferred when they reach the wrong office.

What I would want to add (not really a change per se but rather an add on in the service) would be voicemail.

While some departments and offices have it, others do not.

They all should.

Moving Wallingford forward – it’s what I am all about. Keeping things working that are already working and improving those services with efficiencies and cost savings.

That and adding services where they do not exist today that improve on this.

Town Councilor Jason Zandri appears on the next edition of the “Citizen Mike”

Councilor is guest on ‘Citizen Mike’

WALLINGFORD — Town Councilor Jason Zandri appears on the next edition of the “Citizen Mike” public access show.

Zandri, a candidate for mayor, is interviewed by host Mike Brodinsky and Record-Journal Executive Editor Ralph Tomaselli. Topics discussed include the recent flap over the disposal of light poles and his decision to run for mayor.

The show airs tonight, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 9 p.m. and Friday at 6:30 p.m. on Comcast cable channel 19.

Shows can also be viewed on demand at wpaa.tv.

Comments or suggestions can be sent to citizenmiketv@gmail.com.

Jason Zandri running for mayor of Wallingford

As published online via MyRecordJournal.com Wednesday November 28, 2012

By Laurie Rich Salerno
Record-Journal staff
lsalerno@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2235
Twitter:@LaurieSalernoRJ

WALLINGFORD — Town Councilor Jason Zandri announced his candidacy for mayor at Wednesday night’s Democratic Town Committee meeting, positing himself as the man who would wire Town Hall.

The 43-year-old Democrat held up a stack of 60 letters during his speech, saying it was the correspondence he had received from Town Hall in just four months of being on the council.

“You’ve got to take this and triple it — 180 pieces of correspondence times nine councilors and I’m sure there’s other people,” Zandri told a large crowd that included his wife, four children and other family members. “Talk about money wasted ... it’s not just the postage, it’s the paper, it’s the time to put it into the envelopes and mail them. It’s all waste — this stuff can all be done online.”

Zandri, a systems analyst at Bloomberg in New York City, is aiming to run against 31-year incumbent Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. in the 2013 municipal election. Dickinson, a Republican, has not yet announced his own run for the seat, and generally waits to do so until the spring before the election.

The 64-year-old mayor is widely known for being opposed to Internet access in much of Town Hall, limiting access to a few departments, with many departments relying on fax machines and phones for communication.

On Wednesday night, Zandri said it would cost less than $20,000 a year to give every department head in Town Hall email and Internet access, and that would be a top priority for him if he became mayor.

He talked about the lack of Internet access making it difficult to do basic office functions like scheduling — how it’s taken two months to try to find a date for the Town Council and Planning and Zoning Commission to meet to discuss the downtown Incentive Housing Zone, largely because of scheduling difficulties.

“If we had a system in Town Hall like an online presence like email and calendaring, the Town Council secretary could look at the first availability for all members and book the night. Done, no emails, no phone calls,” Zandri said.

He also championed direct deposit for town employees, something they do not have. Dickinson has said that direct deposit wouldn’t save money because pay stubs still need to be sent to employees and that not enough town unions have mentioned it as a priority at the bargaining table.

“I haven’t got a pay stub mailed to me in 15 years,” Zandri said. He also discussed changing Town Hall hours to accommodate residents, and questioned land purchases and the climate of town departments.

Zandri is serving his freshman term as a town councilor. He was elected in November 2011. Born and raised in town, Zandri commutes daily to New York by train for his job. His father, Geno Zandri, a 10-year town councilor, made an unsuccessful run for mayor in 1999.

Fellow Town Councilor Democrat Nicholas Economopoulos stepped out of the race following Zandri’s announcement. Econompoulos had announced his own interest in running for mayor last November.

“I not only endorse this, but I am thrilled. I will give 100 percent of my support to Jason. You have boundless energy,” Economopoulos said.

Others in the room supported Zandri and mentioned his energy, though the committee will not officially endorse a candidate until after its convention next year.

“While there’s not an official endorsement here, I think the support here is overwhelming,” Democratic Town Chairman Vincent Avallone said.

When asked Wednesday afternoon to comment on rumors Zandri would announce his candidacy that evening, Dickinson said the competition would be healthy.

"It's healthy for the town to have choice and different ideas. That's what we want for election time," Dickinson said Wednesday,

Dickinson said he wouldn't announce his own candidacy decision until after the town's budget is passed in spring.

"We still have the budget to do — that's pretty time consuming," Dickinson said.