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29 March, 2018
1. The Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mr Justin Saidi, Representative of the Minister of Education, Science and Technology;
2. The Chairman of the University of Malawi Council, Dr James Maida, and all Members of Council;
3. The University Registrar, Dr Wokomaatani Malunga and Principals of the four constituent Colleges of the University;
4. Chairpersons of all Public Universities;
5. The Chief Executive Officer, National Council of Higher Education;
6. Vice Chancellors and Representatives from other public and private universities;
7. Professors, Deans, Heads of Department and all Staff of UNIMA;
8. The Mayor, Councillor Christopher Jana, Zomba City Council;
9. Mr. Dyson Jangia, Chief Executive Officer, Zomba City Council;
10. Mr Emmanuel Bambe, District Commissioner, Zomba District;
11. The Alumni Motivational Speaker, Hon Ombudsman Martha Mwangonde;
12. The President and members of the University of Malawi Students Union;
13. Distinguished invited Guests;
14. Distinguished Graduands;
15. Ladies and Gentlemen.
Today, I am very delighted and honoured to stand before you and make some remarks on this great and auspicious occasion.
Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to His Excellency, Prof Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi and Chancellor of the University of Malawi for delegating me to preside over this Congregation. It is always a great and singular honour to represent His Excellency, the Chancellor.
Secondly, I wish also to join the Chairman in welcoming the representative of the Honouarble Minister of Education Science and Technology, the distinguished Alumnus who has delivered a motivational statement and all invited guests. Please feel free and enjoy the celebrations with the graduands, their families and all the larger University Community.
Ladies and Gentlemen
I would like to share some remarks under the theme: ''Growth of and Benchmarking in the University of Malawi.''
Growth of the University
The growth achievements are:
i. Nearly 75% operationalization of the Multiple- entry and exist Policy; the Polytechnic is leading in this aspect. The review of various academic programmes is being aligned to this policy direction;
ii. The new Executive of the University of Malawi Students Union will soon launch the 5-year Strategic Plan;
iii. Gender and ICT Policies have been approved by the Council and their operationalization is underway, and
iv. Internationalisation, Intellectual Property Rights and Affiliation Policies are at near completion stages for consideration by Senate in this financial year.
Teaching and Learning
i. Improvements in quality assurance systems including postgraduate and research administration- some of academic centres are reviewing the postgraduate rules and regulations to be compliant with institutional and international benchmarks;
ii. Auburn University of the USA has provided 2 servers, installed at Chancellor College to support e-learning module development across the 4 public universities. An MOU facilitated by our parent Ministry was signed on 14 February, 2018 in Blantyre. A national team which includes our staff is fully engaged in the development of a proposal to be submitted to the USAID. This is towards increasing access and employability amongst the youth;
iii. Rising presence of international students in 75% of the academic centres, and
v. Introduction of new and demand driven academic programmes.
Academic Scholarship and Research
i. Council's approval of Centre of Excellence on Ethics and Governance, and now being operationalized;
ii. Further and strengthened operationalisation of World Bank African Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Herbal Medicine at the College of Medicine. Those interested to purse postgraduate studies are encouraged to engage the Centre Director, Prof Adamson Muula. A sister centre in Ethiopia has announced invitations for programmes in Water Resources Management;
iii. A new ACE II Project on Internet of Things involving University of Rwanda and UNIMA at Chancellor College commenced project activities;
iv. Rising refereed publications in high impact journals and by Houses not on Beall's list;
v. Three academics (2 female and 1 male) being promoted to full professors; another set of candidates is being processed;
vi. Two young academics at Chancellor College: Drs Tiwonge Manda and Chomora Mikeka the RUFORUM-NCST young scientists awards for their research and or innovations, and
vii. Mr Mayamiko Nkoloma of the Polytechnic was the 2017 winner of the MBC Innovation Awards in the category of Science and Technology.
University-Industry Interface
i. Her Excellency's BEAM Trust provided equipment towards quality teaching, learning and students' experience in music in the Department of Fine and Performing Art at Chancellor College;
ii. FDH Bank, NICO Life and Standard Bank supporting the VC's Scholarship and Merit Awards. Old Mutual is sponsoring Endowment Chair (Actuarial Sciences). The Standard Bank communicated two weeks ago that they will double the investment;
iii. Affiliation of Nalikule College of Education with the University, and
iv. Senate Review of Nursing Programmes for Malawi College of Health Sciences.
Infrastructure Expansion and Improvements
i. Government through The Ministry of Education of Science and Technology facilitated the development of PPP Policy for Universities to benefit from infrastructure expansion. We are delighted that on Friday, 23 March, 2018 the SEST presided over the signing of contracts with two investors, Old Mutual, and M&M Development & Infrastructure to construct Students' Hostels in the public universities. We look forward to seeing real action in this direction in June, 2018;
ii. Visible and attractive expansion of infrastructure at Chancellor College, College of Medicine and The Polytechnic, funded by Government and its cooperating partners. We are delighted that there are discussions to include COM and KCN in the successor phase of the Higher Education Science and Technology (HEST) programme. This is most welcome and critical towards increased access to and quality of education across the University, and
iii. Rehabilitation and maintenance works across the University through the PSIP, we appeal to all users of these facilities to take good care for the present and future generations.
According to the Business Dictionary this is defined as 'a measurement of the quality of an organization's policies, products, programmes, strategies, etc., and their comparison with standard measurements, or similar measurements of its peers. The objectives of benchmarking are to (i) determine what and where improvements are called for, (ii) analyze how other organizations achieve their high performance levels, and (iii) use this information to improve performance.'
We wish therefore to thank His Excellency's Government for establishing the National Council for Higher Education under the Act of Parliament No. 15 of 2011, with the primary purpose of providing accreditation and quality assurance services in higher education institutions. Through operationalisation of quality assurance systems, nearly 75% of the Colleges have been visited and evaluated such that we have University programmes at two Colleges dully accredited. Through this effort, improvement plans have been shared with us and corrective actions being made. Further, based on this and external examiners' reports, we can seek PSIP funding for improving teaching and learning facilities including library resources and human capital development more convincingly. This is consistent with our individual and institutional compliance to the Quality Assurance and Enhancement Policy.
National benchmarking catalysed by the works of NCHE is expected to improve on our ranking in the higher education industry in the region and beyond. Ranking of universities is based on several parameters including:
i. Research quality and productivity.
ii. Quality of Teaching: domestic and international teaching quality assessments, student feedback, national student surveys and student-faculty ratios.
iii. Graduate employability related to surveys of employers.
iv. Facilities/University infrastructure such as sporting and medical facilities, number of students' societies.
v. Internationalization and Local Community Engagement.
vi. Innovation contributing to economy, society and culture.
vii. Access to scholarships and bursaries amongst the vulnerable disability access and gender balance.
viii. Environment: Stable and uninterrupted calendars to attracting and retaining international students and completion of studies within the basic cycle for academic programmes (3/4/5/6 years).
It is not surprising that NCHE has requested us to provide annual reports which give status according to its prescribed format and all the above included.
Under the current webometric rankings (The 2018 Ranking Web of Universities. January New Edition), we are at 89 having moved from 98. I see that both the public including Media and the academy are very interested in the matter and questions abound in the local higher education forum. I hope we will do the needful so that we join sister universities of Nairobi, Makerere, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Dar es Salaam, Botswana and Zambia which are at 7, 11, 19, 21, 32, 52 and 60 respectively. Adherence to the Quality Assurance and Enhancement; Research and Consultancy, and Postgraduate Policies remains therefore a strategic priority to this end.
Ladies and Gentlemen
This is the second graduation ceremony for the 2016/17 academic year and we showcase our contribution to the required and rising human capital needs consistent with the National Education Sector Plan and Malawi Growth Development Strategy III. These will support in earnest the five priority sectors: Agriculture, Water and Climate Change, Education and Skills Development, Energy, Industry and Tourism, Transport and ICT Infrastructure, and Health and Population. Today we rejoice and celebrate the graduation of 611 graduands, 43.4% of whom are ladies. This brings the total to 1298 graduates, representing nearly 50% of the 2016/17 graduate output. These graduands are in various disciplines including agricultural sciences, environmental science, built environment, engineering, education, medicine, nursing and social science. We will celebrate 8 distinctions and first class honours and 144 credits or second class upper. The parading of the former set and PhD candidates allows us to stand and stretch our feet and bodies.
Further, there are 71 higher degree (66 Masters and 5 Doctoral degrees) graduands including 27 female candidates in various disciplines. There are 29, 6, and 36 candidates from Chancellor College, College of Medicine and Bunda College of Agriculture, respectively. We will today celebrate 2 female PhD graduands. Congratulations to the Graduands for a job well-done.
Graduands let me urge you to reflect on a set of virtues in your journey as you join the world:
(i). Learning from success. Ensure you make good use of every success, do not dwell on failures. Remember that a few of your friends started missed the road and therefore are not here today.
(ii). Building value. Use the qualification to create value and make a difference in the community/world. It is essential that you keep what you are.
(iii). Following your heart. Keep and nurture your dream; reading widely and important literature such as Good to GREAT by Jim Collins will catalyze your growth and independence.
(iv). The higher degree graduates- demonstrate above water and quality thinking and leadership- I expect results as obtaining in the quote by Reed Markham:
''The communication style of leaders helps us distinguish great leaders from the wannabes. When facing a problem the great leader says, Let's find out, while the wannabe says that nobody knows. Great leaders communicate commitment while wannabe leaders make promises. Great leaders have the capacity to listen while wannabes can't wait for their turn to talk. Great leaders say there is a better way to do this, while wannabes say this is the way we have always done things around here. ''
PLEASE UTILISE the acquired knowledge and skills such as computer skills, demonstrating responsibility at work, team working, theoretical skills and the ability to acquire new knowledge required by most employers and for self-employment. Having completed Masters and PhD studies successfully, the University looks forward to your taking leadership and demonstrating high-level negotiation skills. I do hope that you will behave like Isaac Newton, who developed the concept of gravity upon simply and thoughtfully observing the fall of an apple.
It is very important therefore to know that: if you keep on learning from your successes, always striving to build the value and following your heart, your life in this world will be long, enriching, satisfying and above all rewarding. Ensure that diligence/hardwork, commitment, patriotism, integrity and professionalism characterize whatever you do. Never, ever lose your moral compass. This entails regularly engaging in self-conversation and being independent. It will be a lot easier to think entrepreneurial for personal growth!!! Further, please do not rush for quick promotions, recognition, high salary, and good benefits; these you will receive dependent on the type and quality of contribution that you will make to the Institution.
Let me now conclude by thanking
(i). UNIMA Council for its foresight and catalytic leadership, including high-level support to our welfare; the establishment of the Council's Committee on Staff and Students welfare has led to a win-win relation between the partners and hence increased peace and harmony. This is most applauded;
(ii). Parents, guardians and spouses of our graduands, for their unfailing support, without them most of the graduands would not have made it. Well done, parents, spouses and guardians;
(iii). All partners for providing both financial and technical support towards quality and relevant education in this great University;
(iv). The Alumni Community for coming forward to join hand with us and most of whom are fully engaged in the UNIMA Parents Association. The Motivation speeches which started last July add value to the personality of these and future graduands;
(v). All staff for the hard work and hence our celebrating today: You have attested with pride what Nelson Mandela said: ''Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do'', and
(vi). Our Senior Colleague, the University Registrar and his team for a very well organized congregation, the Choir, the Band, the Media and the public ululation which is always wonderful and pleasant.


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Sorry folks, these dogs were indeed hot and we're now all out. Keep an eye out for the next giveaway…
It's Hot Dog Day tomorrow, so we've decided to give you a little treat. We've got 500 hot dog bundles up for grabs, each containing three hot dog essentials. Read on to find out more, and how to claim yours…
Each bundle includes a pack of Herta Classic Frankfurters, a pack of Ocado Hot Dog Rolls, and a bottle mild, American-style Heinz Yellow Mustard to finish off your hot dog with. The frankfurters can be cooked in any way from simmering to baking to barbecuing: the choice is yours.
Here's how to claim your bundle:
- Follow this link and add the three products to your trolley.
- Place an order worth £40 or more, for delivery by 5th August.
- Add the voucher code VOU8061642 as you check out.
- We'll deduct the cost for the first 500 customers to redeem it.
Sophie Carson, Buyer (and Hot Dog Top Dog)

subset: commoncrawl


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Bowtie Arch at Midday
How do you deal with harsh light? Do you pack up your camera and go hang out in the hotel? Or do you hike a few trails – exploring the area and looking for shots that work even when the light isn't "ideal"? Whatever that means. :)
You always hear about shooting during the golden hour – and that's great advice. But most serious photographers aren't setting up 30 minutes before sunset, and packing it in as soon as the sunset is over. Most of us are out there no matter the conditions – and we're doing our best to work with the light we have. Learning to handle the light is a huge part of photography. Maybe the most important part. ;)
I took this shot right in the middle of a hot, sunny day. Not a cloud in the sky. Brilliant blue overhead and blinding light bouncing off every surface. Exactly the kind of light that we are supposed to avoid. But that's actually what I wanted for this shot. I took the shot in the shade – just a few meters to each side, the face of the rock was brightly lit. But here – under a huge shelf of rock, the sandstone was cool and evenly lit. No harsh shadows. No blinding highlights. And to make things even better, the intense sunlight was bouncing all over the place – reflected light bounced and rebounded from every surface. And this is the result. The rich colors in the sandstone really stand out – and even the darkest shadows are getting some light.
I got in close to the stained rock in the foreground, and chose a composition that included the patterns and the arch itself – but none of the bright sunlit areas around me. The results is an abstract shot that shows off the incredible beauty of the location – with none of the distractions that black shadows and blown highlights would bring.


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This stamp pack is incredible! There are so many adorable baby animals to choose from, but I couldn't resist this sweet elephant. I
Good morning, Oddies! Alexis here with a fun little tutorial for you just in time for Easter! All you need is a fun Some Odd Girl cut file (I used the Hip Hop Hooray bunny cut file), at least two of your favorite patterned papers (I just used both sides of one page I felt was very springy) and some baker's twine. (I suggest the bamboo twine from the Odds & Ends shop, although for this project, I actually used some of the aqua that comes with every Clear Stamp order Kristy ships)
First I setup a card base with the cut file on the right side of the card (So that when it's folded, the bunny image will be centered) Then I made a slightly inset panel for the front, and another full size for the inside. If you're using two different sheets of patterned paper, you'll have to reverse the bunny cut file on the inside panel for it to work right, but since I used both sides of the same page, I just cut the same file twice and one was automatically mirrored.
Then you take the twine and start winding it back and forth on the backside of the card base cut file.
I put down some thin double sided tape first, and then as I progressed, I went over it with clear scotch tape to make sure it would hold. I kept the spacing fairly tight, so that when you see it from the front, it looks pretty cool and almost solid. I used the same colored twine throughout, but you could easily use several colors and make a kind of Ombre or rainbow with it.
Now, as you can see, you leave the back of the inside pretty messy, so that's where your reversed bunny cut file comes in handy. Just glue him on over your tape and twine edges and it's not only is the mess hidden, but it makes the inside of the card super cute.
For the outside, I put on my front inset panel with foam dots for depth and stamped it in the corner with a sentiment from Bunny Girl Gwen and added a couple enamel dots and BAM! Easy Easter card.
These would be really easy to setup assembly line style and maybe use some child labor…I mean, let your sweet children/grand children/small folk help tape the twine on the back of the bunny. I could also see this technique used for place cards for Easter dinner or on tags for Easter baskets!
Well, that's all from me for now, and don't forget that there is still time to load your project into our Linky Party on the right-hand side of the Some Odd Girl blog!
This stamp pack is incredible! There are so many adorable baby animals to choose from, but I couldn't resist this sweet elephant. I
I made a card this week that I'm super proud of. It's for one of my favorite people in the world, and her


text: MOVIES Martin Scorsese, Lars von Trier Team Up For 'The Five Obstructions' Remake (Cannes) 12:57 AM PDT 5/13/2011 by Scott Roxborough FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Project will see Von Trier deconstruct the film making process by forcing Scorsese to remake a film five times. CANNES - The creator of Antichrist and the helmer of Taxi Driver will collaborate on their next project. Danish director Lars von Trier and Oscar-winner Martin Scorsese are teaming up for a remake of The Five Obstructions, von Trier's 2003 documentary deconstructing the film making process. In the original Five Obstructions, von Trier challenged fellow Danish director Jorgen Leth to remake his 1967 short film The Perfect Human five times, each time giving him a set of strict rules, or obstructions, that he had to follow. In one version, no edit is allowed to last more than 12 frames, or about half a second. In another Leth has to shoot in a slum in Bombay. Another version is an anime. After each attempt, Leth and von Trier meet to discuss the results and von Trier gives Leth his next challenge. The project has echoes of the Dogme 95 movement, which von Trier co-founded. In Dogme, directors had to follow certain strict rules, including always using a handheld camera, never using artificial light and always shooting on location. It's unclear which of Scorcese's films will form the basis of the Five Obstructions remake. Possibilities include remakes of Scorsese's earlier shorts, such as The Big Shave (1968) or What's a Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This? (1963) or remakes of one of the many iconic scenes in Scorcese's feature length films. Earlier this year there had been speculation, denied by von Trier, that he was interested in remaking Scorsese's Taxi Driver, suggesting that iconic film could form the basis of this new project. TrustNordisk will handle international sales on the project. The new Five Obstructions will be done as co-production between Scorsese's Sikelia Productions and von Trier's documentary shingle Zentropa Real. Emma Tillinger Koskoff is production for Sikelia and Carsten Holst and Louise Vesth on behalf of Zentropa Real. Shooting is expected to start next year, after Scorsese finishes shooting on the Daniel Day-Lewis starrer Silence, set to begin early 2012. Scorcese's next film, the 3-D period drama Hugo Cabret starring Johnny Depp, Chloe Moretz and Jude Law hits theaters this November. Von Trier's Melancholia, featuring Kirsten Dunst, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Alexander Skarsgard, premieres in Competition in Cannes next week. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Scott Roxborough email@example.com sroxborough


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Six-figure War Command colt at Tattersalls
Trainer Hughie Morrison is set to take charge of a well-connected second-crop War Command colt who changed hands at this week's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Bred by Rockhart Trading Ltd and sold from Culworth Grounds Farm, he is out of half-sister to Lingfield Derby Trial winner Knight To Behold and Group 3 scorers Cosmo Meadow and Beauty O'Gwaun.
The colt sold for 100,000gns.


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Here you will find everything you want to know regarding the Real Estate market in the MetroWest area. Rachel Bodner, a Full Time Broker of Coldwell Banker is one of the Top Selling Agents in the area selling over 160 Homes from 2013-2017 with over 42 Sides in 2017. Rachel ranks in the top 2% of Coldwell Banker Agents Internationally & in the top 1% of all Real Estate Agents in the U.S. Rachel Bodner, a Featured Agent on HGTVs House Hunters has worked with hundreds of Buyers and Sellers since 2003. She continually wins numerous awards in both Sales and Customer Service and is a Certified Relocation Specialists (CRS), Accredited Buyers Agent (ABR) USAA "A" Team Member, Home Marketing Specialists (CHMS), New Homes Specialist (CNHS),and Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) to name a few.
Whether you are relocating to the area or moving to a new home within your town, Rachel Bodner will help you navigate through the ever-changing real estate market. Search the latest listings in towns such as Acton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Framingham, Hopkinton,Marlborough,Natick, Needham,Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, Wellesley,Weston and many others. (See Below). Find Antique Homes , New Construction or Single Family, Condos.Utilizing her expertise, market knowledge and well – honed negotiating skills, she works diligently to make the process smooth and less stressful while finding the home you have been searching for or selling your existing one.
Contact Rachel Bodner of Coldwell Banker at any time and see how she can help you to achieve your Real Estate goals!


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The title of this post was taken from the song Gone Too Soon by Chris Daughtry.
I was thinking the other day about how much I would love one last conversation with Mike. Our marriage wasn't perfect and we both had faults, but I desperately want to tell him how sorry I am for anything and everything I ever did to cause him pain. I want him to know how I replay those bitter moments over and over again and how I torture myself for not always being patient and understanding with him. Oh how easy it is to remember all the hard times and all the things I should have done. It's so much harder to remember all the things I did right. I just want him to hold me in his arms and tell me it's okay. I like to believe he is watching over us and there are times when I swear I feel him close by, but sometimes that's not good enough. I want more than that...I want more than I'll ever get and that leaves me feeling pretty empty some days.


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Board of Directors
Bill Burns - Chairman of the Board
Bill has spent his entire career in the healthcare sector, working for Beecham Pharmaceuticals and then with Roche Pharmaceuticals where he retired from his position of CEO, Pharma Division, at the end of 2009. He continues as a member of the Board of Roche and Chugai, the majority Roche-owned public company in Japan. Bill is also a non-executive Director on the Boards of Shire Pharmaceuticals and Biotie Therapeutics, and is Chairman of Masters Pharmaceuticals and of Okairos. He also chairs a funding committee for the Wellcome Trust.
Board Members
Ido Leffler
Ido Leffler is an entrepreneur, investor, and advisor. He is the co-founder of successful companies developed with a social mission, including Yoobi, Yes To Inc., Cheeky, Brandless, and Beach House Group. Ido is co-author of Get Big Fast and Do More Good: Start Your Business, Make It Huge, and Change the World, a guide to entrepreneurship and brand-building. He is an investor in and advisor for a wide variety of startups and established companies, and serves on the board of directors for Spark New Zealand. Ido was named by Fast Company as one of the most creative people in business and by Australian Unlimited as one of the top 50 Achieving Australians outside of Australia.
Julie Meyer
Julie Meyer is an entrepreneur, investor, business adviser, networking expert, broadcaster and business commentator. She is the founder and Chief Executive of Ariadne Capital and the Managing Partner of Ariadne Capital Entrepreneurs Fund (ACE). She is the founder of Entrepreneur Country and was the co-founder of First Tuesday which she sold in July 2000. Julie is also one of the two dragons on the BBC's Dragons' Den online and is a regular business and economics commentator in the media. She has won awards including the World Economic Forum Global Leader of Tomorrow, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and a place in The Wall Street Journal's 30 most influential women in Europe.
Peter Piot
Peter Piot, MD, PhD, is a microbiologist known for his research into Ebola and AIDS. He helped discover the Ebola virus in 1976 and led efforts to contain the first-ever recorded epidemic that same year. Peter is widely acknowledged as having provided the foundations of science's understanding of HIV infection in Africa. He was Assistant Director of the World Health Organization's Global Programme on HIV/AIDS, Executive Director of UNAIDS and Under Secretary General of the United Nations. Currently Peter is Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Professor of Global Health. He has authored 16 books and over 550 scientific articles.
Ambassador Josette Sheeran
Ambassador Josette Sheeran is a global economic and humanitarian diplomat and leader. Currently she serves as President and CEO of Asia Society and is the United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti. Previously, Josette was Vice Chair of the World Economic Forum and Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme. She also served as United States Under Secretary for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs, and as a deputy U.S. Trade Representative and Ambassador. She has represented the United States at high-level bilateral and multilateral meetings and has contributed as a member of numerous boards of directors. In 2011, Forbes named her the world's 30th most powerful woman and Foreign Policy has listed her among its top 100 global 'Twitterati'.


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30th Anniversary Cruise in Polynesia
* Subject to availability.
- Ponant's 30th anniversary cruise in the Southern Hemisphere, in the presence of Jean Emmanuel Sauvée*, CEO and Founder of PONANT.
- A unique itinerary that will sail via Wallis and Futuna, where the Ponant fleet is registered;
- Southern sea lagoons, white-sand beaches and lush vegetation – a picture postcard of paradise;
- Encounters with the locals and opportunities to discover Polynesian cultures during traditional ceremonies;
- Discovery of Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, Samoa, the Cook Islands and French Polynesia.
- Possibility of diving and/or snorkeling with an experienced instructor on board.
(*)Except in the event of force majeure.
- Staterooms & Suites
- Port of call & excursions
- Formalities
- Scuba diving
- Theme
- Guest(s) Lecturer(s)
- Pre/Post & Overlands
Staterooms & Suites
There are no staterooms available for booking. Please contact our cruise advisors.
In May 2011, l'Austral joined PONANT's fleet. This superb mega-yacht with 132 staterooms is the result of the expertise of the Italian Fincantieri shipyard and French sophistication, as interpreted by designer Jean-Philippe Nuel. L'Austral remains faithful to our philosophy - to create a unique atmosphere, a subtle blend of luxury, intimacy and well-being.
A sleek silhouette softened by elegantly smooth contours and large, arched windows opening up to the sea and the light: so many features come together to give L'Austral her distinctive shape. Precious materials, discreet elegance and a perfect balance between chic and casual, combine to make you feel as if you are on your own private yacht. A design blending tradition and innovation, where a nautical mood has been subtly recreated. A welcoming atmosphere of relaxed sophistication revolves around shades of grey, taupe, white and ivory enlivened by touches of cinnamon, caramel and tan.. So many personal touches create the spirit of a "private yacht."
You will encounter unique itineraries, calls inaccessible to large ships, chic and elegant yacht-like ambiance, refined and personalized service as well as gastronomic cuisine.
Port of call & excursions
Lautoka, Viti Levu IslandEmbarkation 24/09/2018 from 16H00 to 17H00 . Departure 24/09/2018 at 18H00 .
Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji. Located on the western side of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar City. Lautoka is the gateway to Fiji's "Sun coast" a land of abundant sunshine, azure skies and dramatic grass-covered peaks chequered with sugar-cane fields, rural villages and quaint market towns.
25 September 2018 – TaveuniArrival 25/09/2018 midday. Departure 25/09/2018 late afternoon.
Located to the east of Vanua Levu in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, Taveuni is the third-largest island in Fiji, also called the "garden-island" because of its abundant flora, which includes the delicate and rare Tagimoucia flower, characterised by its red and white petals. The island is like a lush tropical forest, with nature trails, deserted beaches, many waterfalls melting into the vegetation, such as the Bouma Falls, and the Namena Marine Reserve. The island is justifiably reputed for ecotourism and scuba diving.
26 September 2018 – Alofi IslandArrival 26/09/2018 midday. Departure 26/09/2018 evening.
Located in the South Pacific, the Wallis and Futuna archipelago is a real jewel of nature, a territory that remains very little-known in tourism. Home to rare bird species unique to Oceania, the territory is surrounded by incredibly clear waters that protect a great variety of fish, dolphins, tortoises and rays. Stroll along the magnificent beaches of Alofi and the coast road. Inland, the Villa Malia de Leava Church on Futuna is known for its annual celebrations of the Virgin Mary, the patron saint of the village. This important event is eagerly awaited by devotees, who give a hundred pigs as an offering for this big religious festival.
27 September 2018 – Mata Utu, Wallis IslandArrival 27/09/2018 early morning. Departure 27/09/2018.
A small town currently home to 1,100 inhabitants, Mata Utu is located on Wallis Island in the Wallis and Futuna archipelago. From afar, you will appreciate the colonial architecture of the Palace of the King; numerous traditional festivals are held in front of this building. Also discover the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, constructed in the 19th century and home to the seat of the Wallis and Futuna diocese. Be sure to take the unmissable walk along Lake Lalolao, which, at 82 metres deep, is certainly the most impressive of the crater lakes on Wallis. Mata Utu, a small corner of France lost in the Pacific, is also where the ships in the PONANT fleet are registered.
28 September 2018 – Mata Utu, Wallis IslandArrival 28/09/2018. Departure 28/09/2018 early morning.
A small town currently home to 1,100 inhabitants, Mata Utu is located on Wallis Island in the Wallis and Futuna archipelago. From afar, you will appreciate the colonial architecture of the Palace of the King; numerous traditional festivals are held in front of this building. Also discover the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, constructed in the 19th century and home to the seat of the Wallis and Futuna diocese. Be sure to take the unmissable walk along Lake Lalolao, which, at 82 metres deep, is certainly the most impressive of the crater lakes on Wallis. Mata Utu, a small corner of France lost in the Pacific, is also where the ships in the PONANT fleet are registered.
28 September 2018 – Faioa IslandArrival 28/09/2018 early morning. Departure 28/09/2018 midday.
Located in the south of Wallis Island, Faioa will charm you with its beautiful untouched landscapes. This coral islet is easily recognisable by its shape that resembles the letter W and offers wonderful white-sand beaches bordered by coconut trees and crystal-clear waters. This wild and inhabited area is conducive to relaxation and discovery: the seabed notably is home to an abundant and well-preserved fauna.
29 September 2018 – ApiaArrival 29/09/2018 mid morning. Departure 29/09/2018 early evening.
Not far from the Wallis and Futuna archipelago, your ship will set sail towards Apia, capital of Western Samoa. Located in the Pacific ring of fire, this destination remains little-known by tourists. You will be perpetually surrounded by turquoise blue lagoons and will spot waterfalls here and there in an intense green environment. Visit Apia Museum to discover the history of the region and then head for Mulinu'u, the territory's former ceremonial capital. As for the Palolo Deep Marine Reserve, it is home to magnificent underwater fauna and flora and attracts diving fans.
30 September 2018 – Crossing the International Date LineArrival 30/09/2018. Departure 30/09/2018.
Your itinerary enables you to cross the International Date Line. This imaginary line across the Earth's surface approximately follows the 180th meridian in the Pacific Ocean. Because of the roundness of the Earth and the necessity of having reference time meridians, we have to change dates when we cross this line. So if your ship is travelling west, you will need to add a day to the expected date; conversely, if travelling east, you will take away a day. This paradox, already noted by Magellan's crews during his circumnavigation, serves as dramatic motivation in several novels, including Jules Verne's famous Around the World in Eighty Days.
1 October 2018 – AitutakiArrival 01/10/2018 early morning. Departure 01/10/2018 late afternoon.
Aitutaki is a little island of 16 km², with a small fishing port with few motor boats, where a simple and peaceful life endures. During your visit, don't miss the opportunity to walk along this magnificent lagoon, reputed as one of the most beautiful and spectacular in the world. Snorkelling fans will discover the treasures of underwater life here. The island is specialised in the sale of black pearls and the production of coloured sarongs, as well as "tivaevae" — patchwork quilting and handiworks. This local manufacture has great value because of its careful artisanal fabrication, and the pieces made are generally offered at important occasions.
2 October 2018 – At seaArrival 02/10/2018. Departure 02/10/2018.
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship's upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
3 October 2018 – Bora Bora, Society IslandsArrival 03/10/2018 early morning. Departure 03/10/2018 late afternoon.
Paradisiacal atoll of the archipelago of the Leeward Islands, west of French Polynesia, mythical Bora Bora offers a natural spectacle of captivating beauty. You'll be won over as much by the white sandy beaches as by its famous lagoon, one of the most beautiful in the world, where colourful fish frolic in waters of incomparable turquoise. The island is covered with tropical vegetation, and dominated by the majestic outline of Mount Otemanu. A promenade through this volcanic landscape will enable you to discover a number of villages and meet local communities.
4 October 2018 – Sailing in Passe Paipai, TahaaArrival 04/10/2018. Departure 04/10/2018.
4 October 2018 – Motu Ceran, Society IslandsArrival 04/10/2018 mid morning. Departure 04/10/2018 early evening.
Located off the island of Tahaa, in the Leeward Islands, Motu Ceran is a small desert island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This small surface of emerged land is a real paradise. The décor of this little island, its coconut plantations and its beaches surrounded by a marvellous coral garden are a treat for the eyes. Don't hesitate to devote yourself to the joys of swimming or pure relaxation. An enchanted interlude in a unique setting.
5 October 2018 – Cook Bay, Moorea IslandArrival 05/10/2018 early morning. Departure 05/10/2018 late afternoon.
Lush, emerald vegetation contrasting with the limpid turquoise of the Ocean, charming wooden bungalows scattered along pristine beaches...The beauty of Moorea is sumptuous, unchanged since James Cook discovered the island in 1769. Edged with coral, this small island is renowned for its natural gardens of tropical flowers as well as for its pineapple plantations. Wander along the two bays that slice through the coral island, or head off to explore the Belvedere, which will offer you a breathtaking view over the majestic volcanic peaks of the island, such as Mount Rotui. Unless you would rather encounter the many Dolphins and Rays that swim gracefully in the lagoon. Total relaxation in the middle of a paradise lost, fragranced with Monoi.
5 October 2018 – Papeete, Tahiti IslandArrival 05/10/2018 evening. Departure 05/10/2018.
Capital of French Polynesia, the city of Papeete is on the north-west coast of the island of Tahiti. You'll find a relaxed atmosphere here,where urban buzz combines with the legendary laid-back Polynesian lifestyle. Culture is not lacking. You can enjoy sites narrating the history of the archipelago, including the colonial cathedral and the Maison de la reine Marau. The Vaipahi public gardens will win you over by their abundant plant-life. The large municipal market offers local specialities: fresh fruit, spices and all kinds of fish abound on their stalls.
Papeete, Tahiti IslandDisembarkation 06/10/2018 at 00H00 .
Capital of French Polynesia, the city of Papeete is on the north-west coast of the island of Tahiti. You'll find a relaxed atmosphere here,where urban buzz combines with the legendary laid-back Polynesian lifestyle. Culture is not lacking. You can enjoy sites narrating the history of the archipelago, including the colonial cathedral and the Maison de la reine Marau. The Vaipahi public gardens will win you over by their abundant plant-life. The large municipal market offers local specialities: fresh fruit, spices and all kinds of fish abound on their stalls.
The information below is current but subject to change at any time without advance notice from government authorities. Please consult your respective government agencies for visa and health information.
Passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond the completion of your trip. Passport must contain at least two completely clear, blank, unused visa pages for each visa required, not including any amendment pages. Visa pages with stains or ink from other pages in the passport are not usable. Guests who deviate from the scheduled embarkation or disembarkation port should research the foreign entry requirements for the port country. Due to government regulations, regrettably, Ponant will have to deny boarding to any guest who fails to obtain the appropriate travel documentation for this trip.
Warning about the use of drones: the use of drones aboard PONANT ships, whether they are sailing at sea, at a port of call or anchored, is strictly forbidden. The use of drones on land in the Arctic and Antarctic regions is also strictly forbidden by international polar regulations. In other regions, it may be possible to use drones on land if permission has been obtained from the relevant authorities of each country and each region travelled through, as well as a pilot's licence that should be obtained from your home country. Passengers are responsible for obtaining these permits; they should be able to present them at all times. Passengers who do not obtain these authorisations expose themselves to the risk of legal proceedings.
USA: Should your flight transit via the USA, a visa or ESTA may be required. Please contact USA consulate website for details. Kindly print out a copy of your ESTA and keep it with your passport.
In order to participate in diving sessions, guests must have with them a medical certificate less than 1 year old and their up to date dive book.
Scuba diving
Scuba diving
Fauna and flora of the Pacific Ocean
The fauna of the Pacific Ocean is very varied. During the various dives, divers can observe various species of benthic fauna such as napoleon fish, raccoon butterfly fish, and pelagic fauna such as manta rays, gray reef sharks, dolphin fish as well as endemic wildlife such as different soft corals.
Supervision of the dives
Your dives will be led by your PONANT instructor. He will take care of your safety and that all goes smoothly. On some diving sites, as in natural reserves or if the local regulations require it, a local guide will escort the diving.
Level required for scuba diving on this cruise
The minimum level required for scuba diving on this cruise is 1 star CMAS or the PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent). The certification card, the diving log book and a recent medical certificate (less than 12 months) must be presented at the beginning of the cruise to our main diving instructor.
Process of the dives (certified divers)
The instructor can dive with 4 certified divers at a time. The instructor reserves the right to check divers' ability for maximum safety. As we will dive in remote places, the dives will be done without decompression stop. A safety stop of 3 minutes at 5 metres will be mandatory. The depth that can be reached will depend on the certification of the divers:
- For those with PADI Open Water Diver certificate (or equivalent), the maximum depth can be up to 20 metres.
- If two PADI Advanced Open Water Divers (or equivalent) wish to dive together independently, they must have a briefing first. They must have dive computers and are allowed to go to a maximum depth of 20 metres.
Process of the initiation dives (novice divers)
Before your initiation dive, your instructor will show you the equipment and will explain to you how to communicate underwater using hand gestures and how to breathe through a regulator. Once in the water, equipped with your material, you will learn how to breathe through your regulator on the surface for a couple of minutes. When your instructor feels you are ready, he will immerse you in water for about 20 minutes to a depth of 6 metres maximum.
Duration of the dives
The diving activity lasts from 2 to 3 hours, which includes the journey to the diving site and the diving. This duration may vary according to the site, the level of divers, weather conditions and the number of participants. For experienced divers, the duration of dives varies between 35 and 60 minutes depending on the site, the diver's experience and consumption.
Supplied equipment
- Diving wetsuit
- Stabilising jacket
- Fins, mask and snorkel
- Regulator with octopus and pressure gauge
- Diving computer (for divers mastering their use)
Scuba diving activities on this cruise
(for certified divers)
(for beginners)
FIDJI ISLANDS - Taveuni
WALLIS AND FUTUNA – Alofi/Futuna
WALLIS AND FUTUNA – Mata'Utu
SAMOA – Apia
COOK ISLAND – Aitutaki
FRENCH POLYNESIA – Bora Bora
FRENCH POLYNESIA – Motu Ceran
French Polynesia – Moorea
These sites are indicative. The proposed diving excursions may be changed depending on weather and safety conditions and the number of divers.
Rates :
Price per person
- First dive:
- Introductory dive (1 dive): € 80
- Ponant Discovery Pack (2 dives): € 150
- Certified dive:
- Exploration (1 dive): € 80
- Excellence Package (3 dives): € 225
- Passion Package (6 dives): € 420
- Master Package (10 dives): € 650
At PONANT, we attach great importance to being able to express our gratitude to our clients. Like the exclusive PONANT YACHT CLUB offers, the loyalty cruises were created to thank the most loyal among them.
A unique programme
Board one of our ships to discover or rediscover the treasures of our world while enjoying an exceptional programme. Our Loyalty cruises are specially designed to bring you a new and enriching experience and you'll receive extra special attention.
In the company of high-profile guests, enjoy the pleasures of a private cruise with exclusive features:
- Gala dinners and cooking classes organised by renowned chefs,
- Conferences and round tables led by high-profile professionals and recognised specialists,
- Along with many other surprises, all in an idyllic setting…
An intimate atmosphere
True to its desire to cultivate the Yachting spirit, PONANT once again places the accent on intimacy for these private cruises. They are an opportunity to get together, socialise, and gather your opinions and comments about our products and services in a warm and relaxed atmosphere.
Guest(s) Lecturer(s)
Olivier de Kersauson
Olivier de Kersauson is a French sailor born in 1944. From 1967 to 1974 he sailed with the legendary Eric Tabarly on several of the latter's Pen Duick classics. He went on to have his own career on Kriter. In the eighties he embarked on a multi-hull adventure. In brief, 45 years as a professional sailor, with several Jules Verne Trophies under his belt. The sea holds no secrets for Olivier. From San Francisco to Osaka, Sydney to Tahiti, the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Horn, Australia, Atlantic and Indian Ocean, he has roamed the world's oceans and holds several world records to this day.
Language spoken: French
Photo credit: Pascal ROSTAIN
Possibility of withdrawal in case of force majeure.
Pre/Post & Overlands
After your cruise
06/10/2018 – Discover Tahiti (1 night)565.00 AU$ **
06/10/2018 – Soft adventure in Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa (6 nights)4680.00 AU$ **
Before your cruise
20/09/2018 – In the heart of a civilization rich in natural wonders ( 2 nights)1715.00 AU$ **
** Prices per person, based on double occupancy


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Part I: Strategies for Business Listeners
The human brain is built for conversation, but we achieve better results when we think strategically about listening and make a few simple, deliberate choices that support our conversational goals.
Imagine yourself in a business conversation. Maybe you are the CEO of a Global 500 company meeting with your board of directors. Maybe you are a solo entrepreneur talking to your first big client about renewing your contract.
Whoever you are, whoever you talk with, the following steps can make you more effective in each conversation you have.
Step 1. Decide what your goals are for the conversation.
Step 2. Be aware of your options, and with your conversational goal in mind, deliberately choose whether to talk or to listen, to focus or clarify what you want to say, or to listen attentively.
Decide what your goals are for the conversation.
Skilled listeners think about their purposes for having a conversation and make their choices based upon those purposes. Valid business purposes for a conversation include:
To exchange information. In many conversations you will be talking about what someone needs, or is offering. You may also be trying to figure out whether someone else has complementary offerings or needs, for example, to figure out if one of you is a potential buyer and one a potential seller. Finally, part of the exchange of information is often about whether someone accurately understood what they heard.
To build working relationships. People who know and respect one another, and who have a good experience working together, often work together more effectively. Personal style can make an enormous difference. Developing and maintaining positive personal relationships can be one of the most important components of customer-supplier conversations, employer-employee conversations, networking conversations, team communication, and more.
To feel good. Having an enjoyable and/or productive conversation can make you feel valuable, respected, and even liked. As such, conversations can be a key component of having a good day or even a good job, and of being motivated and productive.
To make someone else feel good. Good conversations can have the same effect on others as they have on you. Whether or not you have a vested interest in someone's state of mind--such as a customer, co-worker, or supplier--you may find merit in giving someone this experience.
For every conversation, and for every choice you make in that conversation, remind yourself: my choices affect whether or not I best accomplish the purposes of this conversation.
Be aware of your choices.
At risk of stating the obvious, in conversations people generally take turns talking and listening. Effective listeners are fully conscious of making a decision each time they decide to talk or to let someone else talk. If you haven't already, you can develop this self-awareness and reap its benefits.
The following flow chart shows a series of choices that you face in conversation starting with the most basic: whether to talk or listen. Your mission is to identify, and support, your goals for having this particular conversation in the first place.
These choices repeat over and over as your conversation continues.


text: L&T has been the leading private sector company in the Indian Defence & Aerospace segment for more than two decades. L&T has manufactured various kinds of military mobile bridging systems for the Indian Army in partnership with DRDO. These bridges have wet & dry gap crossing capability for today's highly mobile combat forces and have been designed to carry heavy combat vehicles up to 70 ton (tracked) Military Load Class (MLC).


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Donor-advised funds allow you to support the causes you care about, and teach future generations about the importance of giving back. These funds are an efficient and meaningful vehicle for your philanthropy, and they provide a great way to be actively involved in deciding what causes and organizations will receive your support. They operate much like private foundations – except there is no mandated five percent distribution, and the Foundation handles all administrative details from record-keeping to accounting, investment, and grant-making activities. A donor-advised fund allows you to give your cash or marketable securities at a time that is advantageous for tax purposes, allowing you to decide what you would like to support at your convenience.
Quick Facts
- Minimum initial gift: $10,000+
- Fund balance to maintain: $10,000
- Additional gifts: any size
- Minimum grant: $250
- Annual administration fee: 1% first $1 million, $300 minimum annual fee
- Time to set up fund: Less than one week
- Quick and easy set-up with no start up fees
- Highest level of tax benefits
- Complex gifts accepted
- Anonymity & multi-generational giving options
- Access to staff expertise on community issues, needs, and programs
- Unlimited grants to publicly-supported charities
- Secure online account access
- Access to fundholder-only events at the Foundation
- Opportunities to co-invest with other fundholders on donor led initiatives and Giving Together
To print a summary of this page, click here.
Interested in setting up a fund?
Ken BaroffVice President of Donor Development
Phone 919.474.8370 ext:4001
Email [email protected]


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With this dream in place, a wide range of entrepreneurs headed to the marketplace, with venture capital groups providing lots of funding. Companies such as Konarka Technologies and Solyndra received millions of dollars in funding, from venture capital firms and/or the government, and built production-scale operations to manufacture their products. Researchers worked on thin-film technologies ranging from organic photovoltaics (OPV) to copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), among others.
As we know now, these companies, and many others with them, never succeeded commercially. Many went out
Continue reading this story and get 24/7 access to The Independent Global Source for the Flexible and Printed Electronics Industry. for FREE
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Senator Dinniman has been a leader for communities, families and taxpayers throughout more than 30 years of public service inPennsylvania.
That dedication and leadership led to his 2006 election and 2008 and 2012 reelections to the Pennsylvania Senate, representing Chester County in Pennsylvania's 19th District.
Before being elected state Senator, Dinniman was elected to four terms as Chester County Commissioner (from 1992 to 2006), making him the longest-serving commissioner in county history. During that time, he made a name as a visionary and a voice for the people by incorporating local values into action and taking on some of the region's toughest challenges.
Dinniman's work directly resulted in the founding of the Chester County Gleaning Program (now the Chester County Food Bank) and the Safe Harbor Homeless Shelter, programs that assist some of society's most vulnerable members.
His commitment to fiscal responsibility and economic prosperity resulted in a period of low taxes and sustained growth for both large and small businesses in the area. Dinniman has had a special concern for the development and success of the bioscience and pharmaceutical fields, encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation.
Dinniman championed investments in open space and efforts to protect our natural treasures and environmental resources. He served as one of the principal architects of Landscapes, the county's award-winning open space plan, while consistently standing up for individual property rights and against eminent domain.
Before serving as county commissioner, Senator Dinniman served on the Downingtown Area School Board, the West Whiteland Municipal Authority and the Board of the Chester County Conservation District.
In the Senate, Dinniman serves as minority chairman of the Education Committee and is a member of the following committees:
- Agriculture and Rural Affairs
- Environmental Resources and Energy
- Public Health and Welfare
- State Government
- Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness
He is an active member of the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority and the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee. He also serves on the state Board of Education, the Education Commission of the States, the state Public School Building Authority and the Pennsylvania Higher Educational Facilities Authority. Dinniman resides in West Whiteland Township with his wife, Margo. Together they have a daughter, Alexis. The Dinniman family has also adopted a rescue poodle named Jagger.
Follow Andy
Dinniman Endorsed by FARMER – Pa. Farm Bureau
The bipartisan organization named Andy a 2016 "Friend of Agriculture" based on his voting record on agricultural issues, his personal philosophy, and his relationship with local farmers and the Chester-Delaware County Farm Bureau.read more
Dinniman Endorsed by Pa. Coalition of Taxpayer Associations
In addition to voting for property tax elimination and supporting real property tax reform, Dinniman has championed a number of issues to streamline government, end perks, cut wasteful spending, and reduce educational costs.read more
Andy's New TV Commercials
You may have seen Andy's New TV commercials while catching up on your favorite shows in the past few weeks. The voices of Chester County speak for themselves and the answer is clear. This November 8th, Who do you want leading Chester County?read more
Share Your Feedback or Get Involved
Contact Info
Dinniman for Senate
717 Constitution Drive
Suite 107
Exton, PA 19341


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Recent Posts
December 06, 2015
3D Printing Day at FabLab Nordvest
On the 3rd of December it was global 3D printing day, a concept by 3D Hubs, where people all over organize smaller events for the public.
October 25, 2015
Robot Lab at Gladsaxe Library
Yesterday I was helping out at a small robot building workshop for kids at one of the local libraries, and I made this little video with a few impressions and some of the awesome robots that was made.
June 04, 2015
MakerCity Festival 2015
This past weekend I was at the MakerCity Festival in Odense, Denmark and shot a bit of video of the different exhibits and workshop areas.
September 01, 2014
Made Celebration 2014
This past weekend I was at the Made Celebration in Roskilde, Denmark and shot a bit of video of the different exhibits and workshop areas.
September 10, 2013
Looking forward to World Maker Faire 2013
World Maker Faire in Queens, New York is September 21st and 22nd, 2013. While we are waiting for the faire to open, I have put together this video with a taste of what to expect. It's all shot last year.


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"Our attorneys have experience in a number of fields, which means we're probably capable of helping you no matter your legal needs."
Looking for right the attorney ? Start Here & End Here.
At the Cochran Firm Dallas, we offer a wide range of legal services to our clients. We believe that everyone deserves skilled, committed legal representation, and that's just what we provide. Our attorneys have experience in a number of fields, which means we're probably capable of helping you no matter your legal needs.
Our firm's founder, Johnnie Cochran, was committed to the American legal system and worked tirelessly his whole life to improve it so that it served everyone, no matter their racial or economic status. We continue that work today. If you live in Texas and you need skilled legal representation, please call the Cochran Firm Dallas at 1-800-843-3476 for a free initial consultation.
Personal Injury
The personal injury attorneys at the Cochran Firm Dallas have seen how someone's negligence and misconduct can affect another person's life. The tragic reality is that you can do everything right only to find yourself with mounting hospital bills and severe pain as a result of another person's mistakes.We don't think that's right. Our personal injury attorneys have decades of experience helping the people of the Dallas area pursue justice and compensation for their injuries.You shouldn't have to suffer in silence.
If you've been hurt by another person's negligence or misconduct and you need a skilled personal injury attorney in the Dallas, Texas area, please call the Cochran Firm Dallas at 1-800-843-3476 for a free initial consultation.
Types of Personal Injury Cases
We talk about "personal injury law" as if it's one large, uniform area of practice, but the reality is there are a lot of different kinds of cases that fall under the personal injury umbrella. All of these cases come with their own unique standards and procedures.That's why it's so important for you to find a personal injury attorney who has experience with the specific type of case that is relevant to you. At the Cochran Firm Dallas, our personal injury attorneys have handled:
- Auto accidents
- Truck accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Defective products
- Wrongful death
If your case doesn't seem to fall under any of these categories, that doesn't mean we don't handle it. We offer free consultations to all prospective clients, so you have nothing to lose by speaking with our personal injury attorneys.
Criminal Defense
When you've been accused of a crime, the consequences are serious. You could be looking at fines that run into the tens of thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours of community service, years in jail and, in murder cases, the death penalty.
As a result, it's obviously vital that you choose a criminal defense attorney in Dallas you can trust. A criminal defense attorney with years of experience in the court system. A criminal defense attorney who understands the importance of your case and will fight for you with great passion.
At the Cochran Firm Dallas, we are those criminal defense attorneys. Our firm's founder, Johnnie Cochran, believed that every defendant deserved the best possible defense, and we uphold that legacy today.
If you live in the Dallas, Texas area and you need a skilled criminal defense attorney to represent you, please call the Cochran Firm Dallas at 1-800-843-3476 for a free initial consultation.
Types of Criminal Defense Cases We Handle
At the Cochran Firm, our criminal defense attorneys are equipped to handle a broad range of criminal matters. Those include violent crimes, such as:
- Murder
- Assault and battery
- Domestic violence
- Theft and armed robbery
We also represent clients who have been accused of drug-related crimes, including:
- Drunk driving
- Possession
- Drug transportation
Finally, our criminal defense attorneys also have experience with white collar offenses such as:
- Fraud
- Embezzlement
- Computer crimes
- RICO/Racketeering
If you don't see your specific case type listed, that doesn't mean we can't handle it. We offer free consultations to all prospective clients, so there's no harm in speaking to one of our criminal defense attorneys.
And you may gain your life back.
We handle cases in both federal and state courts, and we understand the unique procedures and requirements of the different court systems. Our criminal defense attorneys are experienced with the Dallas-area court system and can make sure you understand the process.
Your trial is no place for you to be represented by a criminal defense attorney you don't trust. You can trust us.
If you live in the Dallas, Texas area and you've been accused of a crime, our criminal defense attorneys can help. Please contact the Cochran Firm Dallas today for a free consultation.
Auto Accidents
We all have certain obligations to each other when we're driving. We have to share the road safely and courteously; otherwise, the crowded Dallas streets would become chaotic. Unfortunately, while most people obey the rules of the road and drive safely, too many do not.
That's where our auto accident attorneys come in. If you've been hurt in an auto accident as a result of someone else's negligence or misconduct, our personal injury attorneys can help.
Our auto accident attorneys can help you pursue justice and compensation for your injuries.
If you're a resident of the Dallas, Texas area and you need a skilled auto accident attorney, please call the Cochran Firm Dallas at 1-800-843-3476 for a free initial consultation.
Common Causes of Accidents
The basic cause of most cases our auto accident attorneys handle is negligence. One driver simply doesn't follow the appropriate rule and violates standard procedure, and you get hurt. This is unacceptable, and we don't think you should have to suffer in silence.
Our auto accident attorneys have handled cases caused by:
- Distracted driving (especially driving while texting)
- Drunk driving
- Aggressive driving
- Insufficient attention to the road
- Unwillingness to adjust to road or weather conditions
- Dangerous roadways
- Defective vehicles
We know what to look for when handling your case. Our auto accident attorneys will investigate your crash to determine the cause; we'll examine police reports, closely look over the scene of the accident, interview witnesses and speak to medical experts.
Having determined the cause, our Dallas auto accident attorneys understand how to make a compelling case in front of a jury or how to negotiate with the other side in the case.
No auto accident attorney can promise you a specific monetary settlement or award, and the specific compensation to which you are entitled will be determined by the precise circumstances of your accident.
However, we can usually pursue compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Funeral expenses (in wrongful death cases)
Our auto accident attorneys will explain the process to you at your free initial consultation and tell you what to expect.
If you live in the Dallas, Texas area and you've been hurt by someone else's negligence, our auto accident attorneys can help. Please contact the Cochran Firm Dallas today for a free consultation.
Defective Products
When you buy a product, you have a right to expect that the product was competently and safely designed and manufactured. Manufacturers have an obligation to create products that work as advertised and do not put customers in danger.
However, too many companies fail to meet this obligation. Whatever the cause of their mistake, the result is too often an innocent person getting hurt. The defective products attorneys at the Cochran Firm Dallas stand ready to help if you've been hurt by a manufacturer's errors.
Our personal injury attorneys have years of experience with defective products litigation.
If you live in the Dallas, Texas area and you need an experienced defective products attorney, please call the Cochran Firm Dallas at 1-800-843-3476 for a free initial consultation.
Types of Defective Products
Many kinds of products can prove dangerous if designed or manufactured poorly. However, our defective products attorneys have seen a number of common cases. They include:
- Defective vehicles
- Defective drugs
- Defective medical devices
- Defective toys
- Defective furniture
If you don't see a category that seems to fit your product, don't worry. We offer free initial consultations to all prospective clients. Speaking with us about your case costs nothing and might help you receive the justice you deserve for your injuries.
How our Defective Products Attorneys Can Help
The companies that manufactured or designed the product that injured you will often try to argue that you were responsible for your injury. They will put experts on the stand to argue that the products were well-designed and well-made and claim that your own mistakes caused the injury.
At the Cochran Firm Dallas, we know how to win defective products cases. We have years of experience with these claims and understand what to expect.
Our defective products attorneys can help by:
- Evaluating your claim to determine if you have a case
- Investigating to determine the cause of your injury
- Lining up expert witnesses to testify to mistakes in the product's design or manufacture
- Finding medical experts who can testify to your injuries
Our attorneys are experienced in the court room and the negotiating room. We'll fight for you and represent your interests.
If you've been hurt by a defective product in the Dallas, Texas area, please contact the Cochran Firm Dallas today for a free consultation.
One way workers are taken advantage of is through a pervasive hostile environment in the workplace. This can occur in many ways. Often, the employer, supervisor, or co-worker does or says things that makes you, the victim, feel uncomfortable because of his or her sex, race, or religion. Hostile environment sexual harassment in the workplace does not need to include a demand for an exchange of sex for a job benefit. It is the creation of an "uncomfortable environment."
This creation of an uncomfortable environment occurs in many ways. It could be people you work with telling sexual stories or racist jokes around you, after you have told them this bothers you, after the employer knows, yet nothing is done to stop it. It could be working for someone who uses sex as a term of employment, or makes you uncomfortable by putting their hands on you and commenting on your physical attributes. It could be some people referring to you as a terrorist just because of how you look, or your religion.
Wages & Hours Laws
Employers are required to pay a minimum hourly wage, and overtime wages for hours worked in excess of 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. Some employees are "exempt" from the overtime requirements if certain criteria are met. Employers are also required to provide employees adequate rest periods and meal breaks. The Labor Laws also provide other protections to employees. It's also illegal for an employer to discharge an employee in retaliation for the employee's assertion of his or her rights to fair wages, hours and conditions of employment.
Any individual employee whose rights are violated may sue to recover damages for his or her loss. When an employer of hundreds or thousands of employees violates the labor laws with respect to their entire work force or a sizable portion thereof, an aggrieved employee may bring a class action for the benefit of all similarly situated employees to recover all unpaid wages, penalties, interest and costs of suit.
Employers' abusive violation of these labor laws inflict constant and recurring injuries on workers and their families. Employers willingly violate the law because they are able to get away with it most of the time, resulting in substantial savings in the cost of doing business and lucrative profits. Individuals' lives are devastated by the callous pursuit of profits at any cost. The Cochran Firm seeks to end Employers' widespread, unlawful and largely unrestrained abuse of workers by endeavoring to hold Employers accountable for their violation of the wage and hours laws.
Whistle Blower Termination
It is against public policy (and therefore illegal) for an Employer to discharge an employee in retaliation for the employee's protected activity in the interest of public policy. Generally, "protected activity" falls into four categories: (1) refusing to violate a statute; (2) performing a statutory obligation (3) exercising a statutory right or privilege; and (4) reporting an alleged violation of a statute of public importance, commonly know as "blowing the whistle."
"Whistle blowing" is, perhaps, the most well known form of protected activity: E.g., reporting the employer's violation of workplace safety laws to OSHA; reporting the employer's insider trading to the SEC; reporting the employer's tax violations to the IRS; reporting the employer's insurance fraud or MediCare fraud to appropriate authorities, etc.
An employee does not have to actually "blow the whistle" to be protected. Simply refusing to participate in illegal conduct is protected. Thus, it would be unlawful for an employer to discharge an employee because they refuse to engage in violations of workplace safety laws, insider trading, tax law violations, insurance fraud, etc.
Likewise, employees are protected when they engage in legally sanctioned conduct, such as making a workers compensation claim, filing a complaint with the labor department about wages and hours violations, filing a complaint with the EEOC about sexual harassment or discrimination, labor union activity, etc.
It's hard enough to deal with the day-to-day stress of work. No one should lose their job because they are honest and law biding. The Cochran Firm is committed to making employers who break the law pay for the damage they cause to hard-working, honest people.
Disability Discrimination
Under the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), an employer must provide a "reasonable accommodation" to an employee with a disability if the accommodation makes it possible for the employee to perform the essential functions of his or her job. When an employee with a disability requests an accommodation of their disability, the employer must engage in an interactive process with the employee in good faith to determine if and what reasonable accommodation can be made so the employee can continue doing their job. Failure to so engage in the interactive process and failure to provide a reasonable accommodation is a violation of a disabled persons civil rights. Additionally, these violations are typically committed in conjunction with the termination of the disabled employee's employment.
The loss of a job is a serious set back for most people. For a person with a disability it can be tremendously devastating. Finding a new job can often be an almost insurmountable challenge when prospective employers know of your disability.
At the Cochran Firm we truly care about the well-being of all individuals and discrimination against the disabled is particularly egregious. Every human being deserves to be treated with dignity, respect and fairness. We proudly represent the disabled in pursuit of justice and equal opportunities the law provides when such injustices occur.
Hostile Work Environment
It is against State and Federal law for an employer, supervisor or co-worker to harass an employee on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, or sexual orientation. Sexual harassment or any other protected status harassment violates civil rights. The Cochran Firm is committed to fight for victims' rights, to hold perpetrators accountable, and to make the workplace better.
It is against State and Federal law for an employer, supervisor or co-worker to harass an employee on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, or sexual orientation. Sexual harassment or any other protected status harassment violates civil rights. The Cochran Firm is committed to fight for victims' rights, to hold perpetrators accountable, and to make the workplace better.


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City of Salem Christmas Outdoor Home Decorating Contest
First place winner of the 2013 City of Salem Christmas Outdoor Home Decorating Contest is Brian Albertson. He resides on East Market Street in Salem and is shown with Lisa Hoskins as she presents a check to Mr. Albertson. The second place winner was Reagan Wade-Swift. Their home is on South Harrison Street and were unable attend the presentation.
Doug and Lisa Hoskins of H & H Tree Service and Stump Removal, sponsor the contest each year.


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LookoutLookout cuts down deployment time by 10x using Spinnaker.
"With Armory's Platform we've reduced years of accumulated tech debt, enabling us to deploy 10x faster and significantly increase developer efficiency"
Lookout is a market leader in mobile security located in San Francisco, California. With 125 million registered mobile devices fueling a dataset of virtually all the mobile code in the world, Lookout uses machine learning to predict and stop mobile attacks before they do harm.
Lookout bases all its infrastructure on Amazon Web Services employing more than 2500 VMs for managing 120+ services responsible for securing millions of mobile users.
We talked with Brandon Leach who is the Sr. Manager of Platform Engineering at Lookout to get more details on how Spinnaker is managing deployments across the company.
Brandon spearheaded the migration to Spinnaker, succeeding in centralizing all legacy deployment practices into a single tool. Brandon was also the lead of Lookout's transition from an on-premises datacenter to public cloud (AWS).
Spinnaker at Lookout at a glance
|Armory's Platform migration period
|1 month for the first service that served as POC
|Armory's Platform replaced
|Chef, Terraform, Boto, Rundeck, Capistrano, Elastic Beanstalk
|Engineers using Spinnaker
|Applications deployed with Armory's Platform
|Manual creation (before)/ Foremast (now)
|Running platform
|Amazon Web Services
The pain of a legacy fragmented deployment process
Before standardizing on Spinnaker, Lookout has made many attempts at building their own custom in house deployment tooling. There were many generations of tooling being used at the same time within the company. This fragmentation was the result of an ongoing effort to build the perfect continuous delivery platform by multiple internal teams.
|Continuous delivery attempt 1
|Continuous delivery attempt 2
|Continuous delivery attempt 3
|Gradle/Elastic Beanstalk
|Continuous delivery attempt 4
|Continuous delivery attempt 5
Every combination was tried with mixed level of success. It was obvious that no single tool could do what Lookout wanted and therefore most deployment methods were pieces of glue code connecting the various technologies together.
It soon became apparent that the deployment tools prevented Lookout from delivering new features with speed and quality. With so many tools the lack of standardization was a big bottleneck for future development.
- Deploying a service to production involved many manual (error prone steps) which was time consuming and error prone.
- On-boarding a new developer on how production deployments work took 3+ days (!!!)
- A lot of infrastructure code was duplicated making maintenance very difficult
The problem of multiple deployment methodologies was further exacerbated by teams abandoning tools when they were no longer "championed" by a developer (i.e. when he/she left the company). Extending the tools or accommodating them for new services became an impossible scenario as all deployment models were in different maturity states.
"Before Spinnaker we had multiple deployment solutions, cobbled together from open source tools each with its own flows and shortcomings."
To solve the Continuous Delivery problem inside Lookout, it was decided to treat CI/CD as another product by itself. Brandon was part of a dedicated engineering team with the purpose of preparing a unified deployment model for all teams which would allow the company to innovate rather than battling with multiple tools at the same time.
The first task for fixing CD in Lookout was to find a single tool that:
- is cloud native and supports immutable infrastructure pattern
- is based on off the self software (and not custom glue code)
- has enterprise level support by a dedicated company
- is already used in production by several leading companies.
Brandon had previous experience with Asgard (the Spinnaker precursor from Netflix) making Spinnaker the natural choice of a single deployment solution within the company.
Deployments with Armory's Platform
One of the biggest advantages of Spinnaker is the ability to consolidate all existing practices into one single tool. All the features (blue/green deployments and canaries) that Lookout wanted were already offered by Armory's Platform with zero extra development.
"We used Spinnaker to replace 5 fragmented deployment methods."
To facilitate this migration of 5 deployment models into one, Lookout created a Spinnaker adoption program with the help of Armory.
Before the Spinnaker migration started, the following success metrics were defined:
- Velocity - time it takes to deploy an application
- Throughput - number of deploys for a specified time period
- Reliability - number of defects that reach production
The first service that used Spinnaker served as the proof of concept (POC) that convinced Lookout for the merits of a unified deployment tool. Brandon started with a POC for an application that was actually used in production. Within one month the deployment solution for that service was changed to Spinnaker.
After demonstrating the results of the POC, the business green lighted the migration of more services to Spinnaker. Brandon expanded Spinnaker use expanded to 5 more services (beta phase) and Armory helped support this effort by providing day-to-day support to Lookout developers, along with extensive documentation and training resources.
"We went from nothing to a POC really fast with the help of Armory."
To complete the Spinnaker migration, a great deal of effort was also spent integrating automated tests in the deployment pipelines. Automated tests are crucial for validating deployments and making sure that known bugs (i.e. regressions) do not reach production.
"Spinnaker is now the foundation of all CI/CD within Lookout."
There is now a program at Lookout to migrate all services to Spinnaker by the end of Q1 2018. Most service owners are migrating to Spinnaker with little to no help. Since Spinnaker has layed the foundation for CD at Lookout Brandon's team is now focusing on automating the creation of new services using Spinnaker.
Armory has played a crucial part in the Spinnaker migration process from day one. Armory looked at the existing methodologies used in Lookout in order to help with both the original prototype and the beta phase.
Even after the end of the POC, Armory still develops extensions for Spinnaker needed by Lookout such as automated canaries and Approved Pipelines.
Results from using Armory's Platform
The advantages of using Spinnaker were evident even after a small number of services were migrated to the new deployment paradigm.
- Number of steps to deploy in production was cut down from 25 to 1-3
- Time to deploy from staging to production was reduced from 1 hour to less than 5 minutes
- Training needed for a new developer to deploy into production was now 30 minutes instead of 3 days.
The most important metric is of course the attitude of developers when it comes to deployments. What used to be a big pain point for Lookout is now a standardized unified solution instead of a spaghetti of custom glue code.
"In the two-and-a-half years, I've been at Lookout, deploying services has always been a significant challenge. Spinnaker has, far and away, provided the smoothest experience yet."
The combination of the Spinnaker web interface with the automatic creation of deployment pipelines makes it easy for Lookout developers to operate at cloud speed without the technical issues of the past.
Next Steps with Armory's Platform
As Lookout's Engineering team has now standardized on Spinnaker, they are looking to advance to Stage 5 of the software delivery evolution and further reduce time it takes to deliver business value. Working with Armory, Lookout is now advancing towards continuous deployment by leveraging Armory's Platform's advanced features, including:
- Barometer: http://docs.armory.io/user-guides/barometer/
- Certified Pipelines: http://blog.armory.io/introducing-armory-certified-pipelines/
- SLA Dashboard: http://blog.armory.io/enabling-sla-measurement-with-armory-spinnaker/
- Automated Load Testing: http://blog.armory.io/automate-load-testing-armory-spinnaker/
About Armory
Armory helps software teams ship better software, faster. The Core of our Platform is powered by Armory's enterprise distribution of Spinnaker, the open-source continuous delivery platform created by Netflix and Google. Armory's Platform enables you to increase your company's safety and velocity, decrease your "time to value", make your engineering teams more efficient, and minimize the blockers that slow your application teams down.


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These services are administered by either a registered nurse or doctor after a thorough medical consultation to determine suitability and best practice. All products are Therapeutic Goods Administration approved (TGA).
Intravenous (IV) Vitamin Drips deliver vitamins, minerals and amino acids directly to the body for maximum absorption. This allows the nutrients to flood your body and nourish itself at the cellular level. By using this method we can safely deliver larger doses that would not otherwise be tolerated orally.
IV vitamin drips can be used both proactively to maintain optimum wellness and also to treat acute and chronic conditions.
Some of the Vitamins and Minerals we administer:
- Vitamin C
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- B Vitamins


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Find Cheap Flights from Oakland (OAK) to Hawaii
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