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Do you check your bank account once a year? Of course not, that would be crazy. So then why do we only check on our employees once a year?
If people are an organization's most important asset, and your bank account is arguably your most important asset, why do we treat the two so differently?
Most organizations invest in employee engagement surveys, which is a great first step, but they're rarely done often enough.
The problem is, a year or every six months is too long of a time frame; way too much happens in between. Using one data point throughout the year is a silly way of making decisions for what you could be changing in your organization.
Unfortunately, many organizations still don't take engagement seriously, but the research has clearly shown that it matters.
Engaged employees are more productive, take less time off, make customers happier, etc. Measuring employee engagement can't be an afterthought anymore. It needs to occur much more frequently, and everyone needs to be on board.
First, let's define what a pulse survey is, then go through some of the benefits of pulse surveys, and some important tips to keep in mind.
Pulse Survey Definition
An employee pulse survey is a survey that is short, and very specific.
A pulse survey should be about 5-10 questions long, and be focused on a specific area for improvement.
Just like any other survey though, remember, if you're not ready to act, then don't bother. Acting on pulse surveys is even more important, because they happen so quickly. Since they're focused on a specific area for improvement, you should in theory be ready to act on that area.
Since the survey is so short, you can send it out every week. Try to vary the question each week, but keep in mind that some questions make sense to be asked over and over to measure trends over time.
For example, a question like "how happy are you at work this week" makes sense to be asked, in theory, every week to see if there are any changes.
Because these surveys are much shorter than a typical annual survey, you can expect a much higher participation rate.
Benefits Of Employee Pulse Surveys
There are so many benefits of using employee pulse surveys, all focused around having continuous feedback, and a constant pulse on the engagement levels of your team.
Here are a few of them.
Real-Time Insights
One of the obvious benefits of surveying more frequently is that you can have a more real-time view of the engagement levels across your teams.
If you conduct a survey once a year, and then wait a few months for the results to be compiled, you're only seeing a small snapshot of what's going on. Also, it might be too late to address the issue that was raised.
People's moods change often throughout the year, you need to be able to spot those trends and have a more accurate picture of what's going on in your team.
When an employee is upset, they want to be heard today, not in six months.
Employees Feel Listened To
When you create a culture where you're always asking for an employee's input, it makes them feel like they really matter.
Many employees feel almost insulted with the way annual surveys work.
Organizations collect feedback, take months to "analyze" the data, often don't do anything about it, and if they do do something about it it's months later. It sends the wrong message to your employees.
Your Employees Will Build Better Habits
This is a less obvious benefit, but still an incredibly powerful one.
By asking employees about things like their happiness, personal growth, and relationships at work, it allows them to reflect on these subjects more frequently.
As you continue to ask these questions, the habit of thinking about them will form, getting employees to be more mindful about their happiness, personal growth, and relationships at work.
Without even doing anything with the surveys, you're already taking the right steps to improve employee engagement.
Creates A Culture Of Continuous Improvement
A great benefit for you as a leader, is that you'll be more agile in your approach to improving your culture.
Instead of comparing your improvements year over year, you'll be able to look week over week, giving you a much richer data set to work with to spot trends.
Higher Survey Response Rates
Because of the quick and simple nature of pulse surveys, the response rate is much higher.
The survey fatigue of most surveys doesn't kick in, or at least doesn't kick in as easily.
For example, in Officevibe's employee survey software, our clients consistently see an 85% response rate, week after week.Do you want to have consistently high survey response rates too? Start your 14-day free trial of Officevibe today and start engaging your employees the right way.
Sample Pulse Survey Questions
My personal favorite example of questions to ask, are a combination of quantitative with qualitative. Assuming you're taking the one question a week approach, you can feel free to ask a qualitative follow up.
So for example:
On a scale from 0-10, how likely are you to recommend working at your company to a friend?
And then you can follow up with a qualitative question to get more details:
Is there anything holding you back from recommending {company} to your friends as a good place to work?
Here are a few other questions you can use:
- When something bad happens work, do you know who to ask for help?
- Do you clearly understand the company's core values?
- On a scale of 0 to 10, how happy are you at work?
- Do you have opportunities for growth?
- On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your work-life balance?
In case it helps, this article on The Art And Science Of Questionnaire Design explains how to create the perfect survey question.
Things To Keep In Mind With Pulse Surveys
Here are a few important things to keep in mind as you create and roll out pulse surveys.
Ensure Anonymity
It's important to make employees feel comfortable enough to answer honestly. Let them know that it's completely anonymous and that they can feel free to say whatever they want.
In a perfect world, you wouldn't need this, but being realistic, you should ensure anonymity.
Communicate Clearly
Remember, there is no such thing as too much communication.
Communicate with employees the purpose of the survey to ensure that there's no confusion on their part. This will also help with the quality of the responses and the participation rate.
Also, be very clear with them about what will be done with these survey results and when they can expect to see the results.
Make It Fun
The key thing to keep in mind is that you want a high response rate, because if no one is responding to your survey, it doesn't matter how often you do it.
One way that we've found works really well is to make the process as fun as possible.
For example, something as simple as using more lively wording in your answer choices instead of strongly agree/strongly disagree, or using illustrations to brighten up the page.
Share Your Results
Make sure the survey results are shared with every single employee in the company, no matter what level they're at.
Even if the results aren't very positive, it's important that everyone knows what's going on. Sharing the results shows that you trust them, and can help build high morale and connection between everyone.
Have You Tried Using Employee Pulse Surveys?
I'd be curious to hear your feedback on whether they've worked for you or not. If you haven't used them yet, is there anything holding you back from trying them?


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HA NOI (VNS) — Vietnamese fencers are aiming to win the first gold medals for the Viet Nam sports delegation at the coming 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Singapore next month.
They will be competing on June 3 before the event's opening ceremony kicks off on June 5.
"At the Singapore Games, fencing is one of the sports to be played the earliest. With careful preparation, we hope the Vietnamese fencers will gain four to five gold medals," Phung Le Quang, head of fencing section of the National Sports Administration said.
Nguyen Tien Nhat, who won a bronze medal in the men's individual epee in the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea last year, is expected to win a gold medal in the same discipline at the regional Games, Quang said.
Nhat, 25, won a berth to compete at the London 2012 Summer Olympics.
"Nhat's strong rival will be Lim Wei Wen, 30, from the host team, who also bagged a bronze in the Asian Games last year. With the advantage of youth, Nhat will try his best to seek gold," Quang said.
However, Nhat and his teammates will have to challenge themselves with strong rivals from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to reach their target.
In preparation for the Games, the epee team and the sabre team has trained in South Korea, while the foil team has practiced in China.
"In South Korea, there are many world class athletes, so we have the chance to gain experience and sharpen our skills. I am 30 years old now, and these Games may be my last," Nguyen Thi Le Dung said. "I will exert myself to gain the best results."
Dung, who took up the Olympic sport at the age of 16, is the most experienced and skilful of the Vietnamese women fencers who will be taking part at the Games.
Dung said she was eager to seize her opportunity in the women's individual sabre discipline that was not included at the 2009 Games in Laos and 2013 Games in Myanmar.
At the 2011 Games in Indonesia, Vietnamese women fencers won five gold medals thanks to Dung (individual sabre), Nguyen Thi Tuoi (individual foil), Tran Thi Len (individual epee), foil team and epee team.
Viet Nam will send 24 fencers who will be competing for 12 medal sets in the men's and women's individual and team sabre, foil and epee events in Singapore.
Viet Nam set a target to remain in the top three in the medal tally of the sporting festival, which is organised every two years. — VNS

subset: commoncrawl


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MCE Social Capital recently structured two technical assistance facilities through interest rate savings for two of our Microfinance Institution (MFI) partners in Ecuador: Fundación Espoir and Insotec. In both cases, we are working together with Grameen Foundation in Ecuador (formerly known as Freedom from Hunger) to develop and implement the programs, which will focus on specific areas of improvement identified by the MFIs.
Fundación Espoir ("Espoir") is a socially focused MFI with a loan portfolio of over US$50mm and over 48,000 borrowers, 80% of whom are women and 74% of whom live in rural areas. In addition to its portfolio of individual and village banking loans, Espoir provides strong educational programs and health services to its borrowers, maintaining a firm commitment to its social mission — as part of Espoir's village banking program, group members receive health insurance, life insurance, access to a network of medical centers, and bi-weekly education sessions from loan officers on topics ranging from financial literacy to healthy living. MCE has been funding Espoir since 2006, when the MFI had a portfolio of less than US$5mm and support from only a few international lenders.
The technical assistance program for Espoir aims to strengthen and develop the organization's educational staff, who are responsible for training, monitoring, and accompanying Espoir's loan officers in the field to implement Espoir's education program and provide knowledge and guidance for borrowers. Nearly 50% of Espoir's portfolio is allocated to village banking, which includes bi-weekly education meetings in which borrowers are trained on a variety of topics. In an effort to continue strengthening this component of Espoir's operations, the technical assistance will enhance the knowledge and competency of the educational staff to facilitate these meetings and maximize their usefulness for borrowers.
This technical assistance program, which was launched in June 2018, will be carried out through in-person meetings as well as Grameen Foundation's e-learning platform. This includes a three-day, in-person workshop focused on core competencies for the educational staff, as well as forty hours of online training. The program also includes a follow-up component in Q1 2019, during which Grameen Foundation will join Espoir's educational staff to evaluate how their new techniques and learnings are being applied in practice, and to ensure the continuation of these new practices to maximize their benefit to Espoir's borrowers.
Instituto de Investigaciónes Socioeconomicas y Tecnologías ("Insotec"), one of the newest additions to MCE's Microfinance Institution (MFI) portfolio, was initially founded in 1980 as a technical assistance agency to support the political and economic role of small businesses in the Ecuadorian economy. Over the course of the following decade, Insotec recognized that its technical assistance clients could also benefit from financial assistance to develop and expand their businesses — thus, in the early 1990s, Insotec's microfinance portfolio was created. More than 25 years later, Insotec operates as an NGO and maintains a strong social focus that goes above and beyond the provision of credit. As of June 2018, Insotec managed a portfolio of US$43mm, reaching nearly 15,000 borrowers via 14 branches in the central Andean and coastal regions of Ecuador, complementing its loan products with a variety of insurance products and health and education services. 41% of Insotec's borrowers were women and 67% were rural.
The technical assistance program for Insotec will build and improve the organization's Social Performance Measurement and Client Protection by implementing SPI4, a social performance assessment tool used by financial service providers around the world. This process will improve Insotec's strategic decision-making processes by focusing on the social consideration of the client and developing a methodology to measure the social outcomes of the clients using appropriately designed indicators.
The SPI4 tool is divided into five distinct modules. In 2017, Insotec implemented modules 1-2, which focus on defining and monitoring an organization's social goals and ensuring board, management, and employee commitment to those goals. This year, by means of the interest rate savings structured by MCE, Insotec will implement modules 3-5.
Module 3: Design products, services, and delivery channels that meet clients' needs and preferences — this module will help Insotec gain a better understanding of its client base and ensure that its offerings are well-targeted and appropriate for their needs.
Module 4: Treat clients responsibly – this module will help Insotec ensure that its policies and practices meet the Smart Campaign principals of Client Protection, focusing on transparency, fair and respectful treatment of clients, mechanisms for complaint resolution, and the prevention of over-indebtedness.
Module 5: Treat employees responsibly – this module will help Insotec improve its human resources practices and maintain a supportive working environment with a focus on employee treatment, communication, training, and protection, as well as systems for monitoring employee satisfaction and turnover.
MCE is proud to support these two impactful organizations in Ecuador, and will continue to strengthen our relationship with Espoir and Insotec as these technical assistance programs are implemented.


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There was an interesting meeting over at the Finsbury Ward Partnership last week, where the topic under discussion was how local health services will be affected by the reforms approved by the government earlier this year. The meeting drew a range of local residents, voluntary organisations and doctors keen to hear what the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has been up to and what other delights might be in store for our health services. About 35 people attended.
A woman from Public Health set the stage, and we were told we were very lucky to have a whole group of people employed to examine this. Can it possibly be true that most other localities refrain from collecting public health statistics? Gathering information and disseminating it under the new regime will now be fully the responsibility of local councils, no longer shared with the NHS.
She ran through the differences in life expectancy in different parts of the borough, and the main diseases killing people. Heart disease, cancer and COPD top the list, with diabetes also common, and particularly so in the Clerkenwell part of Finsbury, where men have the shortest life expectancy in the whole of Islington, despite being slightly less 'deprived' according to census stats. These were very much presented as 'lifestyle' choices the poor make. The numbers of people with mental health issues is also on the rise, with Islington shown to be a leader in this category. The audience pointed out several other possible factors, like lack of open space, lack of greengrocers, and possibly even a GP to help keep track of their health. (More about this later.)
Cllr Janet Burgess (Executive member of the Cabinet for Health and Adult Social Care) then talked about the new Health and Wellbeing Board, which will be stocked with Cllrs, GPs and other health professionals, reps from HealthWatch, which locally will be the reconstitution of the current patients' rep body Link. Its purpose is to scrutinise the decisions of the CCG, and if an unresolvable dispute arises it can appeal to the National Commissioning Board (not the Secretary fo State for Health as in the past).
Next was what we were all waiting for: an explanation of how the local Clinical Commissioning Group will work. The CCG, working of course in close consultation with absolutely everyone, will commission (that is, buy in) all heath services except those which they don't. This includes the GPs themselves, prison health services – and something the presenter left out, maternity and early childhood services. There will be only one in Islington, so it will be essentially a neo-PCT, with less control over fewer services. We were shown a fairly simple chart showing the hierarchy of the NHS before the reforms and a much more complicated chart (even after fairly gross simplification) showing 7 tiers replacing the three which existed before, and nearly twice as many CCGs replacing the PCTs around the country. So much for simplifying bureaucratic structure.
The CCG will be buying in services from the hospitals and community service providers, and the speaker, a GP at City Road Practice who is Vice-Chair, emphised that the tenders would weighted for quality and experience (thus favouring those formed out of former NHS services) 'as much as' price. Veteran health campaigner Wendy Savage queried the claim that services would have to put out to competitive tender at all, in the wake of the judgement in Stroud last spring. In general there was much support for the use of legacy NHS services over for-profit private companies.
Former Bunhill councillor Joseph Trotter and others raised questions throughout the evening about the lack of GP coverage in his area, which is served by only one GP practice, where the Clerkenwell side of Finsbury has three. A GP from that practice noted the rather alarming fact that they are signing up 20-30 new patients a day. The new CCG, however, will not be commissioning GP services – the national NHS Commissioning Board will do this. This rather essential body is, however, still 'in the process' of formation, with a structure which can still only be guessed at.
For the last 20 minutes another member of the CCG gave a rather confusing talk about 'integrated care' – basically getting the different agencies talking to each other better and co-ordinate things between them so that the whole burden is not on the patient. No one could doubt this would be a Good Thing, and in fact it has been a stated goal of both the NHS and the Council for some years now, with seemingly little progress to judge from the stories which came from the audience. When asked how this programme was going to square the circle of competitive tendering vs co-operation between services, the speaker gave a rather technical answer involving targets and point scores. Hopefully the CCG will take their lead from the Stroud case and ignore the tendering process altogether. If nothing else it would save a lot of time for our already over-burdened doctors.
No doubt we're lucky that the local CCG seems more concerned with patient care than with promoting the hollow concept of 'choice'. We need to hold them to it. If you're concerned about health services in your area, join your practice's Patient Participation Group, and/or get in touch with Islington Link, which represents patients throughout Islington. If you want to keep track of how the changes are affecting the NHS – and action you can take about them – there's London Health Emergency and nationally Keep Our NHS Public.
By popular acclaim the next Finsbury Ward Partnership meeting will be about housing.
Filed under: Uncategorized |


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Author: Seperis
Series: Down to Agincourt, Book 3
Codes: Dean/Castiel
Rating: R
Summary: You're not a drop of infinity, none of you are; you are its creators.
Author Notes: Thanks to nrrrdygrrrl and obscureraison for beta services, with advice from lillian13, scynneh, and norabombay.
Thanks to bratfarrar for the series name and summary from her sonnet Harry Takes the Field.
Spoilers: Seasons 5, 6, and 7
Series Links:
AO3 - Down to Agincourt
Book 1: Map of the World
Book 2: It's the Stars That Lie
Story Links:
AO3 - All, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
DW - Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3


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I read once that it's bad netiquette to apologize for one's blogging hiatus. So I won't apologize, I will only assure you that I'm still here and I'm knitting with more fervour than I have in years. So much so, that I haven't really given myself time to blog about it.
I have finished three things since you last heard from me, but I'll tell you more about those in individual blog posts. Soon!
But I also have quite a few things on the needles right now, projects both new and old. I'm working on a lovely lace shawl that I hope to finish in time for me to wear at a party in June. I'm also working on a pair of mittens to accompany a recently finished hat (more about that in an upcoming post). I've practically fished the red cardigan I've been working on since 2012, all the knitting and blocking is done, all I have left to do is to put the pieces together. I've also finished one sock. Don't worry, I will complete the pair, but so many other things (and yarns!) have caught my attention recently.
Here are some pictures:
I seem to be finding inspiration in so many things right now. I'm constantly finding new and inspiring knitters online that can't stop myself from following on Instagram and Ravelry. I've bought some new knitting books that make me want to create, create! I'm also attending a sewing class and I'm currently working on a summer dress. Sewing! I want to sew dresses! A whole bunch of them! Even though I am an Autumn/Winter person, I'm absolutely in love with spring right now. I don't want it to end, I'm not yet ready for summer! But in that same moment I long for summer, walking barefoot in the grass, cotton dresses, neverending daylight and misty mornings.
One of my favourite knitters and designers right now is Viffla. She has knit an amazing number of lovely cardigans, and designed a few as well. She has such a natural style and confidence in everything she does and it inspires me tremendously.
I also find great inspiration in one of my dear friends, Erika, whom you can find at her blog and her web page (both in Swedish). Her creations, photos and stories about her life on the island Gotland always inspires me in so many ways.
I hope that you also feel inspired and that you have the time create all those things you long for.


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This year for Christmas I made a list of what would be nice to get:
1.) a big RED scarf.
2.) A vintage bike – with a cute little basket.
3.) A working sewing machine would be nice.
4.) Those Toms – Those Toms… (swoon)
5.) A big brown- semi-plain Coach purse.. Maybe?What's on your Christmas wishlist??


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Coombe Farmhouse
Situated in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the Tamar Valley, Coombe Farmhouse is partly 16th Century property made of stone and timber. It is unique and the oldest house in the area. There are many unusual features including granite carvings, open fireplaces, stream in the 1/3 acre garden, conservatory and large farm kitchen / dining room with aga. This is a place that is really lovely at different times of the year - indeed it is quite magical at Christmas as well as in the warmer months.
With views across the valley towards Dartmoor, there are many walks in the surrounding area and it is within an hour away from the beaches of both Cornish coasts. Close by is the lovely Devon market town of Tavistock on the edge of the moor. There are a number of excellent restaurants in the area, opportunities for canoeing, horseriding, fishing etc and the beautiful Elizabethan National Trust property of Cothele is very close by. There is a local train to Plymouth with excellent connections (rail and air) to London.
About the location
The Tamar Valley is an area of Outstanding Beauty. The village of Gunnislake was at one time a mining community and there are now wonderful walks and cycle trails along the river and past the old mines. The valley lies between the counties of Cornwall and Devon and is in some ways a hidden valley; much of the summer tourist traffic passes us by on the two main routes to the north and south of us (25 mins away). Being so close to Devon means that Dartmoor is a very short drive away and the beaches of both coasts are easily accessible within an hour. And whilst the area is lovely to explore the house itself and the much loved garden are an attraction in themselves. Our home is not for those who like `easy wipe` order- it is beautiful, unique and quirky; no two rooms or even two stairs on either staircase are the same size. Some walls are four feet thick and there are granite carvings over doorways and fireplaces. If you like old buildings you will love it here. The city of Plymouth (sailing, boat trips, Art Deco Lido, theatres, galleries) is fourty minutes away by car and a lovely local train can also take you there. Exeter and Truro are about an hour away. Eden Project is 40 minutes. If you enjoy 'wild swimming' there are places close by.
Type of swap
- Home Exchange
Conditions of exchange
- Non smokers only
- Pets welcome
- Children welcome
- Garage / Parking
- Internet
- Garden
- Washer / Drier
- Car exchange offered
- Use of bike
- Shopping facilities
- Fishing
- Rock climbing
- Local restaurants
- Art galleries
- Horse Riding
- Museums
- Tennis
- Theatre
- Car recommended
- Golf
- Boating
- Walking
Closest airport: Exeter or Newquay
Nearest city: Plymouth
Property type: House
Location type: Rural
Gunnislake (HE23688)
Cornwall, England
- 5 bed (sleeps 8) 2 bath
Preferred destinations
- Open to offers
- Europe
- North Africa
Dates available
Swap duration: 2 - 3 weeks
Meet the member
Membership expiry date: 15 Jun 2020


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City of Commerce City, COHome
Police Reform
The Commerce City Police Department is committed to changing the culture of the department to improve public safety for the entire community.
In 2013 the department collectively created and adopted a new mission, vision and values to guide its work.
The department requested assistance from the Department of Justice Collaborative Reform in 2016 as part of their overall reform efforts to earn and uphold the public's trust. This is objective assessment will provide the department with a long-term strategy, assessing internal operations, policies, procedures, community engagement and partnerships.
Part of the reform, started with the implementation of body worn cameras. On June 29, 2016, every Commerce City police officer in the field began wearing body cameras as part of their job.
Body cameras promote greater transparency and accountability by accurately capturing contacts between members of the department and the public, increasing public and officer safety during such contacts, and supporting the department's mission to uphold the public's trust. Body cameras are shown to significantly reduce use-of-force incidents and citizens' complaints. Camera footage allows police to have more complete documentation for every incident.
The department has also implemented the Citizens Public Safety Advisory Board, refined their community policing approach, and obtained a digital evidence management system that improves transparency and documentation.
In 2017, the department implemented the You Have Options Program, which allows victims of sexual assault to take control over the investigative process.


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Our range of shelving systems can deal with practically any manually loaded storage requirement you could think of. From offices, commercial environments, schools, libraries and medical centres, to stockrooms and shop floors – our shelving systems are varied and versatile enough to be used in a vast range of workplaces.
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Publishers say 2017 World Book Fair a profitable affair1 min read . Updated: 15 Jan 2017, 04:35 PM IST
Penguin India saw a hike of nearly 20% in business from last year's fair
Penguin India saw a hike of nearly 20% in business from last year's fair
New Delhi: As the New Delhi World Book Fair comes to a close on Sunday, the nine-day long event was an "excellent" experience with leading publishing houses making significant profit on sales compared to previous years.
Vimal Kumar, General Manager at Speaking Tiger said they had "unexpected sales", despite facing several technical glitches in the aftermath of demonetisation. "Due to demonetisation we faced several problems since many a times card machines didn't work due to lack of signals. But, it has been an excellent experience, rather unexpected sales for Speaking Tiger. Our sales have almost doubled this year," he said.
Some of the top sellers at the stall included 'Himalaya: Adventures, Meditations, Life' edited by Ruskin Bond and Namita Gokhale, and 'Murderer in Mahim' by Jerry Pinto among others. For Penguin India, which saw a hike of nearly 20% in business from last year's fair, the event being moved ahead by a month from the usual February, has worked favourably.
"The book fair used to be held in February until a couple of years ago and this move into January has actually helped the sales due to extended winter break in schools, festivals, etc. There is a carnival like atmosphere at the Pragati Maidan," Nandan Jha, vice president, Product and Sales at Penguin Random House India, said.
All time children favourites like 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid', Roald Dahl, 'Tintin Series' and Sudha Murty, books by Salman Rushdie, classics, and books by Bollywood celebrities including Karan Johar's autobiography, 'An Unsuitable Boy' and Twinkle Khanna's 'Mrs Funnybones' were major business makers for the publishing house.
Other top sellers included books by Devdutt Pattanaik, Y Cassandra Clare, Elif Shafak, Elon Musk, 'The Fault in Our Stars', 'Inner Engineering' and Paulo Coelho's 'The Spy'. Harper Collins also asserted that the turnout was better compared to last year with titles by Paulo Coelho, Agatha Christie, Nadia Hasmi and Sidney Sheldon fetching impressive business and customers keeping credit/debit cards handy.
"There has been a good turnout in comparison to last year. The sales have increased around 15% this year for us. Popular international titles have been a major draw. "Even Khushwant Singh, Arvind Adiga and Rishi Kapoor's 'Khulam Khulla' were in large demand. We didn't see any effect of demonetisation since people easily did digital payments," Vikas Sharma, Head of Key Accounts at Harper Collins, said.


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Alaska Licensed Practical Nurse: 30 Hours Needed
Alaska Licensed Practical Nurses must complete two of the following methods of maintaining continuing competency (Article 6 of 12 AAC) in order to have their license renewed or registered.
- (a) 30 contact hours of continuing education prescribed under 12 AAC 44.610
- (b) 30 hours of participation in professional activities prescribed under 12 AAC 44.620
- (c) 320 hours of employment prescribed under 12 AAC 44.630
In lieu of meeting the above requirements, licensees may qualify for alternative methods of continuing competency pursuant 12 AAC 44.640.
Licensed Practical Nurses renew every even year on November 30th. The requirements specific to licensure and renewal based on the details listed above can be found at Alaska Board of Nursing website.
Steps To Complete
- Complete required continuing education hours.
- Complete renewal information and application and pay your appropriate renewal fee for desired license status by mail or online.
More Information
Courses must be approved or offered by one of the following:
- Alaska Board of Nursing
- The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
- Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)—course with a "P" designation or identification number
- A national nursing organization
For more information, contact the Alaska Board of Nursing.
Click the course card to the left to access a customized course search specific to Alaska LPNs. If you have any questions, use the chat icon in the bottom corner of your screen or check out support.mytablemesa.com.


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Happy New Year, lovelies!
This is a brand new START for a BRAND new year.
2012 was FULL of some of the greatest memories ever - with friends, family, and the love of my life. As I look back, I smile. I smile at the moments I was able to live and happy I caught everything on my camera. People freak out how much I take photos, yes I'm a photographer, BUT even when I'm not "working" I am non stop taking photos. Why? Because I want to remember everything. I want to be able to look back one day and see life through my photos. I want my future kids to see the life I lived and know I enjoyed it to the fullest. This year - I want to take even MORE photos. One day, photos are the only things we will have. Sure the memories will forever be in our mind, but to have the memories in your hands takes you back to that moment as if it just happened yesterday!
My favorite moment of 2012:
Moving into our 1st home together with the man of my dreams.
Getting that phone call, crying my eyes out, hugging him like it was the last day I was ever going to see him, realizing this was the beginning of a adventure together and realizing in that very moment, I was more happy than I could ever imagine..& I still am. I will forever love that day. And I have the photos to prove it, hundreds of them!
The list can go on from my favorite moments of 2012 - and I'm actually planning on making a list of all my "favorites" from 2012 and put them in my scrapbook of life.
This new year is going to be fantastic.
I'm a very optimistic person and it has doubled for this new year. You can't have a positive life without a positive mindset. I see life as an adventure. Even when there are those curve balls life throws at you, I feel those curve balls help us grow as individuals and help us understand life a little more. I'm excited to see what this new year has in store for me, my friends, my family and my relationship with the man I love.
I have had some of the hands down coolest opportunities ever, all thanks to this little blog! And I plan to dedicate more time to my blog and see what this new year will bring to me.
I have new goals for this new year and I'm determined to work hard on everything that I want to accomplish. I believe we are capable of achieving anything and everything we set our minds to.
I hope this new year brings nothing but adventures, love, and happiness for all you girls. Go after everything you want in life and always remember you are worth everything in the world. It is up to us to live the life we have always imagined.
Natasha Marie
email: firstname.lastname@example.com
instagram: purechaos_xo
twitter: xoxoPureChaos


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These journals were created by the Fort Worth Modern Quilt Guild to raise funds for programming and for us to have a cool notebook! Libs Elliott created the artwork for the covers. Each spiral bound book is 100 pages of graph paper with a hard back cover and a clear plastic protect cover on the front.
Two colors are available: Red/Pink and Blue/Green


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Ten Things You Plan on Doing this SummerMonday, May 24th, 2004
Summer is just around the corner, and a lot of you are already feeling the heat! Just like New Year's, I always have resolutions to do things during the summer, like go on trips, get things done, hang out with certain friends, etc.
Here's my list…
1) Move from Long Beach to Chicago
2) Find a house
3) Go to the beach one more time in California
4) See an outdoor concert
5) Host a party in my own home
6) Get a new printer
7) Practice my photography skills around Chicago
8) Get a raise
9) Some the summer blockbuster movies
10) Finish doing my site galleries
Next Week: Ten Favorite Drinks


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Aereo lets you play live, broadcast television anywhere. On your phone. On your tablet. On your computer. On your web-connected television. No cable required.
With Aereo, you can watch all the broadcast networks, and the shows you love. Live sports, news, kids shows and more. Over 250 original shows each week. And Aereo also gives you a cloud-based "Anywhere DVR" so you can program your recordings remotely, and then watch on your own time.
Best of all, there is no equipment to buy. Nothing to set up. No settings to change. No software to upload.
All you need is Aereo.
Request an invitation at aereo.com


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On this full-day Sintra off-road tour, you'll start by driving through the mountain range of Sintra that will lead you directly to the most unique landscapes and the most popular palace, in Portugal: Pena National Palace, built in the 19th century by Kind consort Ferdinand II of Portugal.
Sintra is a beautiful village elected by the Portuguese royal family to spend summer vacations. Its unique climate and landscape has made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You'll have time to visit the historic center of Sintra followed by a drive through the mountain range to discover more about Sintra's natural park. We'll end the tour at Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe.
Our tours are always private (just you and our guide/driver).
The tour highlights are just suggestions of places to visit. The tour itinerary will be designed according to your preferences and the tour length.
Our local guide will pick you up at your hotel, airport, cruise terminal or other meeting point.
Our guide/driver will drive you during your tour, sharing stories and curiosities about the places you'll visit as well as its historic context. Since our guide is also the driver, and in order to provide you great tour, it's possible that the guide won't always join you on your visits to the inside of the monuments. Find out why.
A charming village, located in a Natural Park with castles and grand mansions used as summer houses for the Portuguese royalty. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site and owing to its beauty is one of the most visited sites in Portugal.
While taking a brief tour through the historic centre, you'll find yourself surrounded by old houses that have been converted into small shops, selling local products and handicrafts, and bakeries.
A summer palace constructed in the 19th Century by King consort Ferdinand II of Portugal. He turned a 16th Century monastery ruins into one of the most eclectic palaces in Europe by blending different types of Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance elements to it. Around the palace he created a park where he planted different exotic species of trees from all over the world. An astonishing fairytale palace located on one of the highest peaks of the Sintra mountain range.
The Park is located on the western side and it holds more than 200 species of vertebrates: 33 mammal species, more than 160 bird species, 12 amphibian species, 20 reptilian species and 9 sweet water fish species. Throughout the day we'll stop at the best spots, such as Peninha sanctuary and the memorial dedicated to the firefighters, from where you have breathtaking landscapes.
A tourism highlight, especially when the sea is rough and from where you can enjoy magnificent sunsets.
Considered one of the most beautiful beach of the region of Lisbon was the place of a James Bond movie: 'On her majesty's Secret Service'.
One of the most surprising and mysterious of all Sintra's monuments. A magical place located on the outskirts of the village. Built in the 20th century, by Carvalho Monteiro a man with a vast culture and a great philanthropist.
The Moors Castle is a fortification built with granite blocks in the 10th century after the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. The outer wall has a pathway from which you can admire a beautiful view to the village, the National Palace of Sintra, the Pena Palace, the natural park and the Atlantic Ocean.
Viúva Gomes is an 19th century cellar located in Almoçageme. The wine it's produced in the region of Colares, a demarcated wine-growing region defined in 1908, characterized by its dunes and sandy soils located on the coastline of Sintra, between the hills and the Atlantic Ocean.
Cascais is a former fishing village, which has been able to maintain its traditions over the centuries combining them with the aristocratic life.
Frequented by European royal families and celebrities it has an undeniable charm with its luxury hotels and iconic casino.
Road along the Atlantic Ocean, with sand beaches and 17th century Forts.
Design your tour
Tell us what you want and we will prepare a tailor-made tour based on your specific interests and needs.
Every client is a friend to us and we always try to achieve 100% satisfaction of our clients, exceeding their expectations. Our concept is based on quality, professionalism and hospitality.


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About us
From the Baltic to the Adriatic, across 24 languages, 28 countries and over 490 million people, GOPA Com. is Communicating Europe.
Headquartered at the heart of the European Union in Brussels, GOPA Com. provides innovative communication solutions to governmental institutions and organisations. GOPA Com. combines the benefits of a flexible and highly-focused communications agency with the human, financial and technical resources of one of Germany's largest consultancy companies. The agency puts its broad understanding of the European political context to good use in providing effective and innovative solutions to achieve the unique communication goals of its clients.
GOPA Com. develops and implements bespoke communication strategies and offers an individual service to its clients. The company is a reliable partner of the European Commission, the European Parliament, EU agencies and non-EU institutions, supporting the European Union in achieving its goals and ensuring that these are effectively communicated to citizens and stakeholders across Europe and worldwide.
Over four years, GOPA Com. has developed its relationship with DG MARE through the organisation of workshops and events. Numerous events have been implemented throughout the EU, in coastal cities such as Funchal, Gijon, Dublin and elsewhere, bringing together regional stakeholders to contribute to the on-going dialogue on new maritime and fisheries-related policies.
The aim of this framework contract has not only centred on an exchange of experience, expertise and best practice among stakeholders but has also focused on the wide-scale dissemination of information about new policies and initiatives.
In June 2014, GOPA Com. was awarded a major contract by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) based in Alicante, Spain. In implementing this contract, our agency will rely on its design and organisational experience to arrange a number of events on behalf of EUIPO and to conduct post-event evaluations to gauge their effectiveness.
EUIPO organises an estimated 17 000 events per year and GOPA Com. will be in charge of coordinating a large number of these meetings, seminars, conferences, exhibitions and other related activities.
After a period of five years of fruitful and productive collaboration, GOPA Com. has been awarded with the continuation of the GSA Communications contract, yet again. The European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA) is the EU Agency responsible for key aspects of the two European satellite navigation programmes EGNOS and Galileo. It manages the service provision, operation, maintenance evolution and security of both systems with the aim of maximizing their economic, social and public benefit.
GOPA Com. was chosen to bring increased visibility and boost the excellent profile of the Agency in the Czech Republic and abroad. Find out more about the GSA here.
Copernicus is the EU's Earth Observation and Monitoring Programme. It collects environmental data from satellites and sensors on Earth to deliver the information in a full, free and open way. Copernicus contributes to making the EU a stronger world player in terms of its role in economic development, digital economy and security. GOPA Com. supports and boosts Copernicus' communication activities with the long-term aim of increasing the visibility of the programme and its work across Europe. So far, our agency has updated the visual identity, prepared material for the uptake of the programme like icons, presentations and factsheets, and provided support in conferences and informative sessions taking place in different EU countries.
GOPA Com. is in charge of developing, managing and promoting the Eltis urban mobility observatory portal, thereby supporting the creation of new urban transport systems that use less energy and produce fewer emissions, while improving the competitiveness of urban areas and the mobility and quality of life of city-dwellers.
National multipliers, local authority and local council representatives and local transport and planning professionals are mobilised to instil a sense of community and foster best practice on innovation and technology transfer.
Smart Cities
Radical, new, pioneering and ambitious measures are needed to fight climate change. The Smart Cities initiative aims at promoting the development and application of innovative measures and low-carbon technologies to improve energy efficiency and traffic management at local level. The Platform is one of the two governance bodies of the Smart Cities and Communities European Innovation Partnership (EIP).
GOPA Com. was responsible for setting up and running the Stakeholder Platform with representatives from city authorities, energy agencies, industry, the research community, and civil society associations. The Platform provides crucial input into the initiative, by developing work programmes to promote technological innovation, proposing up-take measures, and organising the exchange of knowledge and best practice. The project ended in February 2014.
The Commission's Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO) is responsible for designing European international cooperation and development policy and delivering aid throughout the world. DEVCO's actions have achieved tremendous success, but citizen awareness of these actions is only as good as the communication campaigns that make it happen.
To raise awareness and promote the valuable contribution of this international body, GOPA Com. has provided expertise in campaigns, video production, report publications, informational events and much more.
Joinup is a collaborative platform created by the European Commission. It offers various services that allow eGovernment professionals in both the public and private sectors to share their experience and best practices with eachother and to support them to find, choose, re-use, develop and implement interoperability solutions.
GOPA Com. supports Joinup by managing their online communities, organising eGovernment-themed workshops, writing news publications and case studies and managing promotional and social media activities to inform and engage eGovernment professionals.
GOPA Com. has organised DG ECFIN events over a four-year period. These extremely high-profile events required the elaboration of event concepts, followed by management, production, design and logistics, accompanied by support in defining the content of the event and in conducting promotional activities.
During this period, GOPA Com. put its expertise to good use in organising DG ECFIN events such as the annual Brussels Economic Forum (2012, 2013 and 2014), the SME Summit (Women Entrepreneurship) and the Transatlantic Economic Interdependence and Policy Challenges conference, in association with the Federal Reserve of New York.
GOPA Com. was in charge of overall project management and outreach activities including the development of the ERKC web portal, which acts as a main focal point for the dissemination of information on energy research across Europe. In addition to making the results of European energy research widely available, GOPA Com. developed innovative communication and network management solutions to ensure high visibility for the project across borders and sectors.
The overall objective of the EDULINK programme is to foster capacity building and regional integration in higher education through institutional networking. EDULINK II is designed to expand and enhance these achievements by pursuing improvements in the effectiveness, management, and visibility of higher education institutions (HEI) in the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) region and ensuring their competitiveness in the global environment. In this new phase the programme focuses on two thematic areas, identified as priorities in the development policy agreed between the EU and the ACP Group of States: 'Energy access and efficiency' and 'Agriculture and food security'.
Under this new phase the Technical Assistance Unit manages 47 projects, involving 101 HEI in 43 ACP states across the six geographic regions of the ACP Group of States, plus 50 HEI from 13 European Union countries. In total, the Technical Assistance Unit manages € 22.5 million in the form of grants to programme beneficiaries.
The European Defence Agency deals with highly sensitive and confidential political, security and defence issues, so the challenge is to communicate its mission to the wider public within the bounds of its mandate using the available resources. GOPA Com. was chosen to advise EDA on how to translate sensitive information into clear-cut messages reflecting the responsibility of the organisation.
The Agency's website was totally revamped and now acts as the primary source of information on the GSA and its main tool to disseminate the results of projects in which they are involved. Events were also organised and information material produced to achieve the Agency's communication objectivities. Audio-visual support through the production of several videos was also crucial to this effort.
The Strategic Energy Technologies Information System (SETIS) collects and validates scientific information on low-carbon energy technologies, from wind power generation to biofuels for the transport sector, in support of the European Commission's Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan). The main tool to disseminate these outputs is the SETIS website, where GOPA Com. is in charge of the technical and content management.
The goal of our strategic, editorial and design mission is to provide information and data exchange on low-carbon energy technologies and capacities for innovation between the European Commission, Member States, the research community, international organisations and other energy sector stakeholders.
GOPA Com. coordinated the development of a communication strategy for EURES, the European employment service set up to encourage job mobility within the EU. This was and still is a politically sensitive issue of significant importance in the current economic climate. Therefore an understanding of the complexities of the EU and national policy environment was required. Projects ranged from strategy and visual identity development to web activities and audio-visual productions.
Media trips
European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
Since August 2017, GOPA Com. is organising press trips for the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. As part of the efforts to showcase the value of humanitarian aid, the European Commission is offering journalists tailored press visits. These visits cover difficult to reach regions and conflict areas to see the humanitarian situation, needs and what assistance is being delivered to populations who have fallen off the radar of the international community.
Till now our team organised tailored press trips to highlight ECHO's humanitarian assistance in the following destinations: Iraq, Ukraine, Jordan, Uganda, Egypt, Philippines, Greece, Dominican Republic, Niger, Turkey and Souther and Eastern Chad, . Civil protection media trips took place in 2018 in Austria and Romania. Curious to see our impressions? Have a peek at our Flickr account.
2019 Media trips:
The calendar with new media trips will be posted soon, please keep visiting this page for updates.
Communication strategy
Communication isn't about speaking your message, but ensuring your message is heard. A well-structured plan is crucial if your message is to reach its target audience.
At GOPA Com. you have access to a team that not only understands your story, but has all the resources needed to effectively communicate it. To facilitate timely and effective communications, we pull from our wide network of experts to create content teams that understand our clients, allowing us to provide professional services across multiple sectors and sculpt individual communications plans tailored to our clients' needs.
- Public and media relations
- Stakeholder engagement
- Key message development
- Impact assessment
- Fostering dialogue
- Risk mitigation
Editorial Services
The GOPA Com. editorial department has at its disposal an extensive network of international editors, journalists and researchers, which enables it to produce high-quality publications on a wide range of topics. Access to a pool of experienced translators means that your publications can be written for the audience in a specific region and produced in all EU languages.
- Reports and studies
- Desk and field research
- High-level interviews
- Policy brochures
- Magazines
- Manuals
- Copy-writing
our EXPERTISE
Event Management
The GOPA Com. event team underpins the relationship between the client and its target audience by hosting memorable events. Engaging the audience through new and efficient communication channels constitutes the core of our work ethic. Our adaptability in using the latest technologies during our events means that we are able to translate our clients' needs into unforgettable experiences that resonate with their target audiences.
- Conferences and workshops
- PR campaigns
- Seminars
- Media relations
- Logistics
- Location support
Creative Design
Design plays a major part in conveying complex messages to international audiences. Our art studio works closely with our communications strategists to determine the best medium to convey the client's message to its target audience. Once this has been done, our graphic team uses progressive techniques and creative solutions to package and deliver this message, combining powerful visuals with an inherent aesthetic quality.
- Online / print design
- Branding
- Identity
- Impactful aesthetics
- Bespoke productions
- Research and innovation management
Web Services
We effectively plan, design and launch tailor-made digital solutions to effectively communicate our clients' core messages via multiple digital channels. From website design to the production of audio-visual materials, there is a wide portfolio of tools available to help attract, engage and retain a target audience. Effective post-launch metrics make it possible to constantly optimise the web presence of our clients and keep their message current.
- Web solutions
- Maintenance
- Applications
- Metrics
- Testing and upgrading
- Search engine optimisation (SEO)
Online Promotions
We develop comprehensive strategies to manage the sharing of information across multiple media. Our expertise stretches from traditional print and broadcast media to the continually evolving environment of online media. You can take advantage of this breadth of expertise to optimise your media presence and leverage the potential of social media, ensuring the widest possible audience for your message.
- Social media strategy
- Online marketing and advertising
- Outreach campaigns
- Newsletters
- Community building
Audio-visual Production
The renowned Hollywood producer Darryl Zanuck famously said that "success in movies boils down to three things: story, story, story." This is also a rule by which the GOPA Com. audio-visual production team lives. This means that defining the concept of the videos we produce is crucial before any production work begins. We carry out an in-depth analysis of the intended target group and its media consumption behavior, so as to identify the best audio-visual solution to reach them.
The audiovisual production team offers a wide range of products, from advertisements to short films. We constantly monitor new trends in the audiovisual industry and are not afraid to suggest bold solutions. By working with top-class directors, producers and musicians throughout the EU, we ensure that our video output exceeds our clients' expectations and is a cost-effective means of getting the intended message to its target audience.
- Clips
- Live action
- Animations
- Teasers
- Event coverage
- Educational videos
GOPA Comunicación
GOPA Comunicación is GOPA Com.'s sister company in Alicante, Spain, which, on top of supporting us in the implementation of the Framework Contract for Events Management with the EUIPO, also scouts the best professionals in the region with relevant expertise, thus adding to GOPA Com.'s resources, and also building a regional presence.
Expertise includes:
- Internal & external communication / Estrategia de comunicación: externa e interna
- Events / Eventos
- Graphic design / Diseño gráfico
- Audiovisual production / Producción audiovisual
- Online and offline promotion / Promoción online y offline
- Web
Privacy Policy
This Website is operated by GOPA COM. S.A. (hereafter in this text often abbreviated as GOPA or "we") as described in our imprint. We place high priority on the protection of your personal data and treat your privacy in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union and the applicable national legislation on personal data protection.
Terminology used in this privacy policy
Our personal data processing activities are governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679).
'Personal data' is any information that can be used to identify you, including your name, e-mail address, IP address, or any other data that could reveal your physical, physiological, generic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity.
For the purpose of the GDPRs, we are the 'Data Controller' of all personal data obtained by us as set out in this Policy, because we ultimately determine how your personal data will be handled by us or our sub-contractors, who would be our 'Data Processors'.
If we handle your personal data then you are a 'Data Subject'. This means you have certain rights under the GDPR in relation to how your personal data is processed, which are set out in this privacy policy.
Name and address of the data controller
The responsible controller of your personal data is
Woluwe Gate
Boulevard de la Woluwe 2
B-1150 Brussels
Internet: www.gopacom.eu
For further information on the controller please refer to the imprint of this website.
Data protection officer
You as data subject may, at any time, contact our Data Protection Officer directly with all questions and suggestions concerning data protection. The contact data of our Data Protection Officer is
Data Protection Officer
Woluwe Gate
Boulevard de la Woluwe 2
B-1150 Brussels
Personal data on this website
It is possible for you to use this website without providing your personal data. Whenever we collect personal data you will be asked for consent, and you will be again informed about your rights in terms of protection of your personal data. We will only process your personal data in accordance with notices set out in this Policy, or as provided to you at the time we collect your personal data (if necessary for the intended processing).
The element of this website which involves collecting of personal data from you are email contact addresses. The user of this website can use the general company email address or the other email addresses presented to get in contact with the respective staff. In this case we will store the personal data transmitted by this email. The data are used exclusively for processing the conversation with you (purpose) and are not transmitted to any third party.
Besides the data collected through these web forms, we store your current IP address, a few cookies, and some usage statistics in order to enhance the security and usability of this website. You can find more details on this functionality and the respective treatment of your personal data further below under the header Data collected for technical purposes.
Legal basis for data processing
The legal basis for the processing of data is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR in case the user has given his consent to the processing.
The legal basis for the processing of personal data in the course of sending an email is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. If the e-mail contact aims at the conclusion of a contract, then additional legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR.
Rights of the data subject in terms of data protection
You have the following rights in relation to your personal data:
- Right to confirmation - you can ask us to confirm whether we are processing personal data concerning you.
- The right to be informed - this is information on the personal data we are processing and the purpose for which we are processing them.
- The right of access - you have the right to be provided with copies of your personal data that we are processing.
- The right to rectification - if you think the personal data that we hold on you is inaccurate or incomplete you can request us to correct this.
- The right to erasure - if you want us to delete the personal data we are holding for you then you can request us to do so.
- The right to restrict processing - if you oppose the way how we are processing your personal data then you have the right to inform us accordingly and we will restrict the processing on the basis of your right.
- The right to data portability - if you want us to forward your personal data to a different organisation or person then you have the right to inform us and we will transfer your personal data respectively (without adversely affecting the rights of others).
- The right to withdraw your consent - you can withdraw your previously given consent to the processing of your personal data at any time by contacting us using the contact form provided.
If you want to exercise one or more of these rights, please contact one of our staff. You can request your rights free of charge unless your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive or excessive. Alternatively, in these circumstances we may refuse to comply with your request. In accordance with the GDPR, we will try to respond to all legitimate requests within one month. Occasionally it may take us longer than a month if your request is particularly complex or you have made a number of requests. In this case, we will notify you and keep you updated.
In addition to the above rights, as a data subject you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority within the European Union. Please note that you can use whichever local data protection authority within the EEA that is most convenient for you.
Transfer of personal data
We are not transmitting any personal data collected from you through emails to any other third party on a regular basis, in particular not to third parties established outside the European Union or outside the European Economic Area (EEA). If you contact our staff during their potential business trips outside the EU, the staff is receiving your email through a secure connection, so that your data is not transmitted to a third party, but remains within the sphere of influence of our company.
If we are forwarding or copying a message that we have received by email to persons outside our company, we will first ask you for your consent to do so, unless you have informed us explicitly about your consent already when you were writing your email to us.
Automated decision making and profiling
As a responsible company, we neither use automatic decision-making nor profiling.
Data collected for technical purposes
a) Cookies
We are using cookies to help us make your use of the website better. Cookies are small text files placed on your computer by websites that you visit. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently. We are using functional cookies to support your Internet browser in generating our web pages, which is essential to the running of the website but does not contain any personal data.
You may, at any time, prevent the setting of cookies by our website by means of a corresponding setting in your Internet browser and, thus, permanently deny the setting of cookies. Furthermore, you can delete cookies already set at any time via an Internet browser or other software programs. If you deactivate the setting of cookies in your Internet browser not all functions of our website may be entirely usable.
Data protection with regard to web services used on this website
Google Analytics
We are using the web analytics service Google Analytics on our website. The purpose of the Google Analytics component is to analyse the traffic on our website and to use this information for improving the usability of our website. Legal basis for using Google Analytics is Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. a GDPR. The operator of the Google Analytics component is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043-1351, United States of America (USA). Google uses the collected data and information, inter alia, to evaluate the use of our website and to provide online reports, which show the activities on our websites, and to provide other services concerning the use of our Internet site for us. This includes, inter alia, data about the website from which a visitor has come, which sub-pages of our website are visited, or how often and for what duration a sub-page is viewed. Google Analytics is using a cookie that enables Google to analyse the use of our website. The cookie is used to store personal information, such as your access time and the frequency of your visits to our website. With each visit to our Internet site, such data will be transmitted to Google in the United States of America where they are stored by Google. Google may pass these personal data collected to third parties.
You may prevent the setting of the Google Analytics cookie by our website at any time by means of a corresponding setting in your Internet browser and, thus, permanently deny the setting of this cookie. In addition, cookies already in use by Google Analytics may be deleted at any time via a web browser or other software programs.
Further information and the applicable data protection provisions of Google may be found at https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/ and http://www.google.com/analytics/terms/us.html. Google Analytics is further explained here: https://www.google.com/analytics/.
Deleting personal data
We delete your personal data on a regular basis in accordance with the requirements of the GDPR.
If you have contacted us through email, we are deleting your personal data as soon as the relevant communication with you is concluded, unless (i) you have provided us with separate consent to store your personal data longer, (ii) we still need your personal data to fulfil a contractual obligation, or (iii) statutory retention obligations require us to retain your personal data for a longer period.
The session cookies stored while you were using our website will be deleted when your browsing session ends. The IP addresses logged on our server will be deleted after one month.
Changes to this Policy
As and when necessary, changes to this privacy policy will be published on our website. Where changes are significant, we may also email you and where required by law, we will obtain your consent to these changes.
Compliance & integrity
As a member of GOPA Consulting Group, GOPA Com. shares the ethical values of integrity and compliance, stipulated in the Group's Code of Ethics. If ever a staff member, business/project partner or other individual considers that the principles of this Code are not being upheld, they have the right to raise this with the independent Compliance Officer, specifically designated for reviewing compliance with this Code ( ). Any information provided will be handled with strict confidentiality.
The principles underlying GOPA Com.'s collaboration with business partners are integrity, fairness, transparency and partnership.
Our Code of conduct for Business Partners is available here.


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5 Superfoods For Better Health2015-05-28
Silica helps utilize some nutrients such as Boron, copper, manganese and magnesium. Vitamin E can help reduce the risk of a heart attack. To wash your face with soap-free cleaner, first dampen your face with tepid water. manganese uses The USA is one uses of manganese the biggest countries in the world, but like any other state it has also chosen to mint gold coins, for commercial purposes. Many of these coins are very old while others have only been minted in the past years as bullion for investors and collectors. Over the years 32 shipwrecks have occurred in this area of Lake Superior, most happening in the month of November between the years 1860 and 1926. Passengers will be able to view 3 shipwrecks, with the boat passing over each, 3-4 times. Wrecks that will be viewed are the Bermuda, an intact iron-ore carrier from 1870, the Herman H.Hettler, a steamship that went off course in 1926 during a storm and struck a reef and an anonymous pre-Civil War Scow Schooner. There are ways that you can do to achieve your own DIY colon cleanse how to do this depends on knowing the right foods that have the most powerful impact on manganese oxide the bowel without causing the nasty cramps and diarrhea commonly in association with laxatives. You are able to purchase the valuable manganese metal by way of gold coins. Gold coins tend to appreciate in two ways - first as the price of gold rises, the underlying gold within the coins makes the price of the coins go up. And secondly , coins are collectors items and over time will appreciate because of their collection value. Superfoods are great for weight loss and overall health management. So whether your on a fat loss program or just looking to have an overall good level of health then introducing superfoods to your diet is the way forward. With wispy, feathery leaves, dill is a very good source of iron, as well as a good source of calcium and manganese. A relative of parsley, dill has been shown to help soothe gassy stomachs. Even the Emperor Charlemagne recognized its benefits and placed it on his banquet tables as an aid to guests who overindulged. It's a well-traveled herb, popular in Scandinavian, Arabic, Asian, and Russian cuisines. Dill's versatility lends a fresh taste to many dishes, and is especially good with seafood. You will tell me that this is not a typical spring vegetable. In fact, depending on where you live, you can buy it from February onwards until June or even July. However, it's best season is Spring. Tar and Oil. A commercial tar and oil remover works well to clean off these stains, or you can make your own using two parts of diatomaceous earth and one part of kerosene. Wearing gloves and protective eye wear, spread the poultice at a thickness of around a quarter-of-an-inch on the stain and allow it to stand for twelve hours. Cover the poultice and stain with plastic during the leave-on period. Allow poultice to dry completely, and then sweep it away. Follow this stain removal with steam cleaning to get rid of the oil stain entirely. manganese metal company


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Having a functional and beautiful garden or outdoor space can really improve the summer months, but if your outdoor space is looking a bit cluttered and unloved, here are a few tips to reinvigorate the space without delving into your flower beds. Follow these simple and easy tips on how to make your garden a more usable space so you can make the most of those sunny days.
Getting Started
Half of the hassle when it comes to garden and outdoor improvements is making yourself start. Why not call a charity and schedule an appointment for pick-up or drop-off. There's nothing like a looming deadline to help get you motivated when it comes to organization.
Don't fall into the trap of cluttering your outdoor spaces. In fact, de--cluttering is imperative to a tidy, functional garden. Why not try ridding your yard of any unnecessary clutter by putting everything you think you don't use in a box. If you still haven't used it after a few weeks, bin it or give it to charity.
Multi-Task Garden Furniture
Solve two outdoor problems at the same time- a lack of seating and a lack of storage. You can invest in a reasonably priced garden furniture set from retailers like Tesco, or transform some old wooden chests by re-purposing them into stylish, storage-savvy seats? Start by painting the wooden chests with long-lasting, outdoor paint. Scatter the chests with waterproof cushions and you'll have a pocket-friendly, sturdy and comfortable seat that will also provide storage for all of your garden party necessities!
BBQ Station
A lattice panel is more than just a pretty backdrop. When hung near a BBQ, it is perfect for hanging brushes, pot holders, and more. If you don't have a lattice panel in your garden, fear not! You can keep a bucketful of long-handled grill tools from toppling over using a simple tin or decorative bucket. This is a great way to keep all your BBQ utensils easily accessible and in one place.
Stand-Up Storage
Keeping your grill area tidy and organized is key to barbequing success. Say goodbye to burnt bangers and blackened burgers by filing away your summer staples. Use a metal mail sorter to store cutting boards, pizza peels, and cooling racks for ready for easy access. Most households will have one tucked away unused in a cupboard, so why not dig yours out and use it as handy outdoor storage. This way, you won't find your feast sizzling to a cinder while you search high and low for equipment.
Follow these simple tips and you'll be well on your way to a happy, tidy and organized home and garden this summer.
- About the Ladybug
- Travel like the Wind
- Home Grown
- Lucky Fun
- No Gas Needed
Essential tips for getting your garden ready for Summer
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São Paulo's Little-Known Orchestral Treasure
The São Paulo Symphony is very heavily supported by the municipal government of São Paulo. I believe that they and the people of São Paulo consider the orchestra to be one of their civic treasures. Because of heavy government support, the ticket prices can be kept reasonable, and that is why the concerts are over 90 percent sold. I attended the opening night of their 2009 season--São Paulo is south of the Equator, so their season is the opposite of the American and European season; it begins in March and ends in December--and the program was totally sold out for all three nights. Yan Pascal Tortelier conducted Elgar's "Enigma" Variations and Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony (which he blessedly performed without cuts, proving what a wonderful piece it is as Rachmaninoff wrote it).
The São Paulo Symphony has gone through some dramatic changes recently, including the departure of their longtime music director. Tortelier has agreed to be their principal conductor for the next two years while the orchestra searches for a permanent music director. They are re-examining their governance structure, with an extremely intelligent and dedicated board and management team, so that they can operate as effectively as possible. In order to learn from models in America and Europe, they have engaged me and Timothy Walker, chief executive and artistic director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, to guide them and provide information about orchestral structure elsewhere.
What's so attractive and engaging about this organization is everyone's enthusiasm and desire to create something very special in São Paulo. Example: Tortelier decided to give the musicians a break in one of the rehearsal days for this opening concert, so he started rehearsal an hour late, telling them the day before that they could all "sleep in" for an extra hour. At that shortened rehearsal, as the clock indicated the end, he said "I wish I had five or ten more minutes to really finish up our work." The orchestra said "well of course you do--you started an hour late!" It is hard to imagine an American orchestra "giving" that ten minutes spontaneously!
So it is with the management and the board as well: every question they ask, every avenue they explore, is aimed at being the best. The organization has an academy to train young musicians, and it has a publishing arm that is creating critical editions of previously unpublished Brazilian music. The orchestra then performs and often records that music, and brings it on tour. They understand that a major role for them is to introduce Brazilian symphonic compositions to the world through touring and recording.
Now, if they had all the right philosophies and attitudes but didn't make music at a high level, it wouldn't matter so much. But the quality of the orchestra is superb. You know that you have attended a wonderful concert when the music keeps playing in your head two, three, even four days later--and that is what happened with the Rachmaninoff. The string tone was gorgeous, the balances and blend of sections were ideal (a factor of the musicians, the conductor, and the hall), and the orchestra played as if it actually listens to itself, with the musicians interacting musically with each other. The overall performance of the Rachmaninoff was one of the most satisfying I've ever heard of that piece.
This is an orchestral organization that thinks about itself, about its role and place in Brazilian society and in São Paulo as well as in the larger world of music. It seems to gear everything it does to performing every part of that role as well as possible. Perhaps that's why I find them so captivating. Should you find yourself in São Paulo, whether on a business trip or on vacation, go see and hear this orchestra. I guarantee that you will be shocked (in a good way) at its quality, and the quality of its remarkable concert hall. You will be as captivated as I am.
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I cannot applaud Mr. Fogel enough for bringing up some truly remarkable musical goods from South America. Bravo! I'd just would like to correct a small pen slip that may difficult people's future searches--Camargo's name is Mozart Camargo Guarnieri.
Well said Mr. Fogel, great words about OSESP, an even better was your reply about Mr. Etzel´s comment.
I had the honor of working with OSESP as part of my summer internship in 2003. Everything from the administration to the hall, to the musicians is run incredibly well. They are the by far the leaders when it comes to orchestra management in South America and certainly within Brazil.
Thanks for this great article Henry! Makes me proud of my native city and it's a also wonderful case study for other orchestras in Latin America and beyond.
-Fred Gouveia
Carlos Gomes Prize 2008
The most important prize went to Maestro John Neschling, ex-Artistic Director and ex-Chief Conductor of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra, . With this prize, the musical media pays justice to the most important Brazilian music personality, as John Neschling was the lieder of the most significant musical-cultural enterprise of Brazil in the last years which was the construction of Sala São Paulo and the restructuring of the Osesp (São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra."Concerto, Guia Musical de Música Erudita - Junho 2009"
I think it is just fair to mention the name of John Neschling without who we, Paulistas, would never have had such an incredible orchestra. Important also, because with the success of OSESP, orchestras throughout the country realized that they could emulate his example and the musical scene in Brazil has changed for ever. Just as in opera, it was "before Callas" and "after Callas", here is "before Neschling" and "after Neschling". The work of Neschling is similar with that of Simon Rattle with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
I had the privilege of performing in that concert hall when I was a member of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas in the summer of 2003. It's a magnificent building and our concert there was one of the highlights of the tour.
Very good but you only forgot to mention the name of the responsible for the rebirth of the São Paulo Orchestra, 12 years ago. Perhaps it has become polically incorrect to mention his name in connection with his Creation. Without him, the above article simply would not have been written. I very much doubt you´d write such an article 15 years ago. The music director and artistic director John Neschling,creator and responsible for everything you wrote above, was dismissed by email, while on holiday, in January of this year, despite a two-year clause in his contract. You should be better informed.
Because I believe that this blog should be an open forum, I have approved M. Etzel's comment to appear here. Because I have done some consulting for the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra, I well aware of its history and of facts surrounding the situation to which he refers. It would be inappropriate for me to comment because of that relationship, other than to say that no one person is ever "responsible for everything" in the creation of an orchestra, and the situation is significantly more complex than outlined by M. Etzel.