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By Steve Jones
John knew that he needed Paul.
Paul made John's dark, bluesy, and melancholy songs happier. He added more melody and harmony.
And likewise, John made Paul's optimistic and melodic songs deeper and more brooding.
That's what made Lennon/McCartney into the most successful songwriting duo in rock history. Together they wrote some of the biggest hits of their generation, and possibly of any generation ever. Their body of work is unrivaled.
Great companies embrace diversity. They understand that their Lennon's need McCartney's. A company of clones becomes boring and one-dimensional very quickly.
Companies that embrace diversity thrive in all kinds of ways:
- Different types of people bring different types of ideas. Great products are made better by people who see things from a different perspective. When an engineer and an artist collaborate, the results can be incredible. Some of the coolest products, like the iPod and iPhone, have emerged from that type of collaboration.
- Cultural diversity in a company reflects the cultural diversity of society, meaning companies can react smarter to opportunities and issues. Companies that reflect society will connect with customers who live and breathe that diversity on a daily basis.
- Some of the brightest minds exist outside of our usual sphere. When we look outside of our industry or outside of our borders for talent, we open our companies up to all kinds of different ways of doing things. Unfortunately, most companies never look beyond their current frame-of-reference for talent.
Does your company value it's Lennon's and McCartney's equally?
Does your brand embrace diversity?
Just like the greatest songwriting team of all-time was built on two very different people, great corporate cultures and great brands are built on a diversity of opinions and perspectives.


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The research conducted by American experience management software company Qualtrics around the middle of this year reveals that 95% of the respondents agree that brand actions during the pandemic impact trust. Eighty-eight percent said that the impact matters a lot to them.
The research was aimed at learning how consumers' preferences, behaviors, and expectations of the brands they engage with has shifted during the first six months of the pandemic in the Philippines.
Similar to Qualtrics' earlier study, the drivers of brand trust are consistent. Not taking advantage of a crisis to maximize profits remains the most important (41%), followed by maintaining reasonable pricing (40%), and taking care of customers (34%) and employees (23%).
IDC names leaders for APAC cloud data analytics platform in 2020
ABI Research says pandemic forces biometrics revenues drop 22% in 2020
"Being able to identify, understand, and respond to rapidly changing expectations is business-critical during the pandemic, and long after it," said Lisa Khatri, Research and Brand Experience lead for Qualtrics in the Asia Pacific and Japan. "The fact that preferences toward the message and the medium have changed and yet the importance of actions remains hugely important reveals brands cannot afford to stand still in how they engage consumers."
Where we start to see a shift is in communication preferences, and the messages people in the Philippines want to receive.
Updates on how brands are responding to the pandemic are joined by messages on safety and hygiene protocols as the top brand communications people want to receive right now. Information into products and services is down one place to the third most desired message, (50%), followed by sales and promotion emails (45%), and information on reward programs.
When it comes to the medium, while Facebook remains the most popular channel, people in the Philippines are increasingly choosing online media, email, and TV advertising for the preferred engagement platforms.
"As we move forward through the pandemic preferences and attitudes will continue to shift," Khatri said. "This is why it is hugely important businesses use technology like Qualtrics to have an 'always-on pulse' of consumer sentiment and behavior tracking. Insights delivered by Qualtrics help identify the lead indicators businesses need to design and deliver the brand communications and experiences people want, and which ultimately cultivate the trust needed to succeed."
Categories: Uncategorized

subset: commoncrawl


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HELYX-Coupled is an extension module for HELYX and ELEMENTS featuring the following solver components:
- Fully implicit, pressure-based, block-coupled solver for incompressible flow applications.
- Fully implicit, density-based, block-coupled solver for compressible flow applications in the sub-sonic, transonic and supersonic regimes.
The coupled solver technology in HELYX-Coupled has been extensively tested and validated to simulate a wide range of devices, including vehicle external aerodynamics, projectiles, turbomachinery, etc. The block-coupled approach provides considerable benefits over equivalent segregated solvers in terms of convergence speed and robustness, making this add-on a must when turnaround times are critical.


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The best time to plant lavender is in the Spring when the soil is warming up. Planting lavender in the Spring gives the roots time to establish in the warmer, dryer soils whereas planting in late Fall or Winter when the soil holds more moisture can increases the chances of root rot.
However lavenders can still be planted successfully in summer and late in to the Fall depending on your climate. To make sure your lavender thrives after planting you will need to follow a few best practices to reduce 'planting shock' as the lavender adjusts to its new home.
Keeping reading to learn these best practices and to find out what times of year you can plant lavenders in warmer and cooler climates.
Why Spring is the Best Time to Plant Lavender
Spring is the best time to plant lavender as the soil will be warming up but not baked hard like it can in summer.
The soil in early Spring will hold more moisture and the sun will not be as intense which will benefit the lavender after planting. Whilst it is true that lavender is a drought resistant plant that thrives in well draining sandy soils with full sun, a lavender that has just been planted will need moisture.
Lavenders are plants that thrive on neglect once they are established but newly planted lavenders require more attention so that they don't dehydrate as their roots are not established yet in the soil and therefore cannot draw up moisture as efficiently yet.
Spring planting will (in conjunction with the appropriate watering scheduale) will help to mitigate some of the effects of shock by planting in more favourable conditions, rather then the plant having to endure the stress of blazing sunshine and dryer soils whilst it settles into its new home.
Planting in the early spring means the lavender will have 2 or 3 months for the roots to adjust to the new environment so that it can become more resistant to drought before the summer and tap into moisture and nutrients in the soil.
Why you Should not Plant Lavender in Winter
Avoid planting lavender in the winter months regardless of climate. The growing season for lavenders is Spring, Summer and Fall (the warmer the climates the longer the growing season) and lavenders are in a dormant state over winter.
During this time it is best to leave them where they are (in a pot from the garden store for example) rather then plant the lavender in your garden or another pot as it will not be able to adjust to its new home. Not only that, lavenders do not like cold, wet soils as they are specifically adapted to live dry soils.
The biggest threat when planting lavender is root rot which is most prevalent in winter due to the fact that winter soils tend to hold more moisture and evaporation is much lower at this time of year thanks to less hours of sunshine and higher levels of rainfall.
When lavenders are planted during winter they will often sit in the soil with no opportunity to establish their roots and often the foliage will turn brown and the stems will droop with an unhealthy appearance (signs of stress).
For best results always plant lavender in the growing season rather then whilst the plant is in a dormant state with no chance to adjust to its new home.
Planting Times of Lavenders in Warm Climates
The warmer the climate you are in the later in the season you can plant lavender. Spring is still the best time of year to plant lavender but a warmer climate with lower rainfall will give you more flexibility when it comes to timing the planting of your lavender.
However when lavenders are planted in summer they will be more susceptible to drying out. Whilst lavender is resistant to drought it is somewhat more vulnerable in dry conditions after first planting.
However the drying effects of the summer will not necessarily prohibit the planting of lavender although it will require diligent watering in the first year.
Lavenders planted in the summer will require a generous watering straight after planting and it will need to be watered every two or three days for the three months, although this depends on other factors such as rainfall and intensity of heat. For more information read my article how often to water lavender.
You can plant lavender in the Fall successfully in warmer climates with mild Winters that do not experience freezing temperatures.
Fall planting in warm climates has the advantage of allowing the lavender to establish before the mild winter without having to experience transplant shock during the hottest time of year when it is vulnerable to the effects of heat.
However I would still recommend that you plant the lavender early in Fall to adjust to its new environment because lavenders in all climates will be dormant over winter.
Best Time to Plant Lavenders in Cold Climates
In cool temperate climates that experience frost in winter (up to USDA zone 5) the best time to plant lavender is in the Spring when you are sure that you have seen the last frost of winter.
Lavenders can be planted throughout the summer till early fall (around September) but the later you leave planting the less time the roots have to establish and there is more chance the lavender suffers root rot in the cold wet soil.
I recommend planting lavender in spring as this will give the plant the time to recover from any 'transplant shock' and it should be on track to produce a great display of flowers in the summer, however it is common for lavenders of all varieties in all climates, to give their best flower display in the second year after planting.
English lavenders tend to start flowering in June whereas French lavender blooms in the early spring.
If you are planting lavenders outdoors in cold climates it is important that you choose an English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) with popular varieties Hidcote or Munstead as these are the most cold hardy lavender that can tolerate frosts.
You can plant French and Spanish lavenders in cold climates, if they are in pots that you can take indoors for winter protection.
Planting Lavender and Reducing Transplant Shock
The Three most important factors for planting lavenders successfully without significant transplant shock are:
- Planting at right time of year
- The right soil mix
- The appropriate watering schedule
As discussed the best time of year for planting lavenders is in the spring, although they can be planted into the Fall if you are in a warm climates that does not experience frost in winter.
The optimal soil mix is very important. Lavender needs to be in low to medium fertility soil, that is quick draining. Add sand or gravel to the soil when you are planting lavender to ensure water will drain quickly and to balance the fertility of the soil so that it is ideal for lavenders. (For full instructions read my article which details how to compose the optimal soil mix for planting lavenders).
Watering lavender can be tricky as lavenders are drought resistant plants that are adapted to dry conditions and therefore do not require much water once they are established. However it is important to water lavender that has just been planted sufficiently while it adjusts to its new home.
Lavender will need to be watered straight after planting and once every 2/3 days for the first week and then every three days for the next 3 months if it is planted in spring or summer. Once the plant has begun to establish (after around 3 for 4 months you can scale back the watering to once every two weeks.
When you have just planted lavender the goal with watering is to keep the soil somewhat moist rather then wet, so if there has been rainfall or lots of overcast days without sunshine then you can skip watering for a few days so that the lavenders soil is not consistently wet which could lead to root rot.
I have a full guide on mitigating transplant shock after planting lavenders which should help you ensure that the lavender flowers and exudes its characteristic aroma well in its first year.
Key Takeaways:
- The best time to plant lavender is in the Spring as this will allow the lavenders roots to become established so that it can display its flowers in the Spring and Summer.
- Lavender can be successfully planted during the Spring, Summer and Fall. The warmer the climates the longer the lavenders growing season and the more time you have to plant it before winter. In colder climates it is best to plant the lavender early in the Spring or summer so that it has chance to prepare for winter.
- Make sure you plant the lavender at the right time of year, into well draining low to medium fertility soil, in full sun and water carefully in the first three months to reduce transplant shock, so the lavender can adjust to its new location and display its flowers in the Spring and Summer.


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Woodcut Barrel Rested Gin: Your G&T's New Best Friend
by Theresa Christine Johnson on 01/02/2017 | 2 Minute Read
Your G&T's just got way better. Fresh Bread Design developed the packaging design for Woodcut Barrel Rested Gin, a new spirit from Temple Distilling. The label is perfect parts elegant and mysterious with ornate details that truly add character to the gin.
"Woodcut Barrel Rested Gin needed to maintain a family resemblance to the award winning Chapter One gins Temple Distilling has been creating the past year, while showcasing the warmth several months in a bourbon barrel will bring. We know this is a top shelf product that will be a staple for craft cocktails so we crafted hand lettered typography and elegant custom scrollwork inspired by vintage woodcuts."
"We made very subtle changes to the original Chapter One dieline to continue brand recognition while still differentiating this as a different product on the shelf. Too many embellishments can be overkill but we took the risk of using high build screen varnishes, embossing and lots of gold foil. We paid special attention to balancing these embellishments to create a sense of harmony, rather than conflict, and increase the tactile experience. The result is a label that doesn't just look great, it feels great as well."
Designed by: Fresh Bread Design
Client: Temple Distilling
Printer: Labels West Inc.
Photographer: Josh VonJentzen
Country: United States
City: Seattle, WA


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LOL: Comedienne Margaret Cho and American rapper/DJ Princess Superstar have paired up for this awesome video celebrating the efficiency of their butts rather than focusing on their sizes. With all the attention on girls' butts these days, the hilarious ladies decided to create a music video/skit to point out how truly ridiculous it is to obsess over booties the way our current culture does.
"If I can't have a big butt than I can least have—a big colon!" they say in the video. Put to a catchy hip-hop beat, these two rap out their proficiency in pooping and ponder the question of just how good Nicki Minaj's butt would look after 10 chimichangas…
Image from Twitter


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This post was co-authored by Jerry Pinataro, Senior HR Consultant, and Regina Walters, Consulting CFO.
As COVID-19 spreads within the U.S. borders, companies are taking immediate action to protect their employees and sustain business operations as much as possible. Being proactive and planful is the best policy and so much is unknown with a virus like this that you must move quickly, communicate often, and act with transparency. As business leaders, the responsibility of protecting employees, customers, and the business sits on your shoulders. Below are best practices and considerations that will not only help you weather the virus, but also have a lasting impact on your business success.
HR Preparedness
Revisit Your Sick Pay Policy
When was the last time your company reviewed or updated your sick pay policy? If you had to think hard to remember, it has probably been too long. Sick pay is not only beneficial for employees who need to take days off for illness, but it can also be a great recruiting tool. Can having a strong sick pay policy keep your company healthier? Absolutely. In fact, 9 out of 10 employees admitted going to work sick, according to new research from Robert Half. Having a sick pay policy that employees are comfortable using will encourage sick employees to stay home to recover instead of coming to the office where they can spread illness to the rest of your employees.
Develop the Right Culture
It is one thing to say you have a great sick pay policy, but it is an entirely different thing for employees to feel comfortable using that time. We have all worked for a company that had a sick pay policy on paper, but when employees tried using it, they were given a hard time by managers and co-workers or harassed for doctor's notes to prove they were sick. This is where company culture and having employees who are comfortable using their sick time comes into play. When employees feel supported to use their needed accrued sick time, they are much less likely to go to work sick, which greatly reduces the chance of illness spreading.
Ability for Work Remotely
Today, it is possible for most employees to work from anywhere with reliable internet. Having a remote working policy for your employees will not only improve morale and enhance recruiting potential, but it can also help keep your workplace healthier. When employees have the option to "work from home," they are much less likely to come into work sick. Even if you don't usually have a remote workplace, how fast can you transition to one? Does your company provide your employees with the tools, technology, and access to work from anywhere? Can you limit in-office work to essential staff and stagger shifts? Can you provide them with their own workspace, even if you have an open office today? In many countries, employees have been on lockdown in their homes only allowed to leave once every couple of days or only once per week. This is an extreme example, but what if your employees could not come into work? What if they were stuck on a cruise ship or in quarantine for weeks on end? If your company is set up for remote work or can quickly shift to enable it, you have a better chance of keeping your business running. If you are in manufacturing or any industry where your employees cannot work remotely, you may have to look at alternatives to keep your employees and customers safe, including temporary shutdowns. Even in China, where the virus began, manufacturing is beginning to ramp back up as employees are coming back to work. If you do have to shut down temporarily, you need to have protocols for doing so as well as a "return to work" requirement before you can reopen. This will include ensuring that work areas are disinfected and potentially providing protective gear to help reduce risks.
Keep Your Office Clean
There are "levels" of clean. When was the last time you met with your janitorial staff or cleaning company? Plan a meeting with them and review what products they use; are they using appropriate disinfectants? Have them walk you through a typical cleaning routine to ensure its thoroughness. You may be surprised how much or how little is being cleaned. With stores either running out or limiting purchases of items like hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes, how does your supply closet look? Whether it is the common cold, flu, or coronavirus, all workplaces should have the right supplies to keep their workspaces clean and healthy. That might mean each employee has hand sanitizer at their desk or ask employees to keep their work area clean with disinfecting wipes. These little prevention measures can pay off in a big way when it comes to having a healthy team.
Set Travel Restrictions
At the time of this publication, many major employers have already put travel bans in place through April, including quarantining employees for two weeks after personal travel. This is a huge move for organizations to make to ensure that their employees stay healthy and their business stays strong. If you have not already done so, consider restricting travel for your company until further notice to mitigate employee exposure to coronavirus. If, for some reason, you have employees that must go on a work-related trip, do you have training in place for your employees on travel best practices to keep them as safe as possible? Can you provide your employees with masks and hand sanitizer while they are traveling? Consider developing a policy with training on safe travel practices. This is an excellent time for companies to review and understand your liability insurance, including CGL, D&O, E&O, and Workers' Compensation Coverage. It is essential to know what types of coverage you have before sending employees on a work-related trip.
Update Communications Lists
When did you last update your employee roster and contact information? Is your protocol to gather contact information during onboarding and then update annually? A lot can change in a year. You should review your employee roster and make sure that you have current and accurate ways of contacting employees and notifying them outside of work. That means having good personal cell phone numbers and emails for all employees. Also, implement a system where the company can send out mass text messages to all employees to notify them of changing work conditions or emergencies. There are many text messaging options available from the simplicity of group texts for smaller organizations to a mass text message system provider like Text Magic.
Know the HIPPA Rules
What about HIPPA? As an employer, can you ask or share employee information with anyone necessary to prevent or lessen the health risk? According to Ford Harrison Global HR Lawyers, yes, you can. "The ultimate result is that most employers will not fall under HIPAA. But be aware that there may be other state or federal rules that apply. Fortunately, in an outbreak of an infectious disease such as coronavirus, HIPAA-covered employers will have the same freedom as HIPAA-excluded employers to share employee information with anyone as necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health and safety of a person or the public–consistent with applicable law. Thus, an employer may disclose an employee's health information to anyone in a position to prevent or lessen the serious and imminent threat, including family, friends, co-workers, caregivers, and law enforcement, without an employee's permission."
For additional information about keeping your employees, customers, and workplace safe, visit the World Health Organization's Guidelines for Getting Your Workplace Ready for COVID-19.
Financial Preparedness
Diversify Your Global Market
If your company relies on supplies, components, or products from the global market you need to have a contingency plan. If your business is relying on one factory in China for all products or components, more than likely, you are in a tight spot already. It doesn't matter if it is the coronavirus or a natural disaster that hits your supplier; you must have a contingency plan. If possible, establish a diversified supply chain from different suppliers in different countries. It is always a good idea to have a back-up domestic supplier lined up for times like this. Even if the domestic supplier may cost more, it may be better to pay more for a domestic product than to have no product at all. Diversification also applies to where you sell your products. If your lead sales channel is in an impacted area, you will need to prepare for a decrease in sales of your products there as well. As events are canceled and areas are self-quarantining, retailers will have to adjust for both reduced business and then pent-up demand following the crisis. And as distribution channels are interrupted, suppliers will have to prepare for holds on inventory.
Revise Your Forecasts
With the disruptions we're already experiencing and predicted interruptions in supply chains, travel, events, advertising, and retail purchases, companies need to begin evaluating the direct and indirect impact of the coronavirus to their line(s) of business and the industries they serve. The coronavirus is so fluid, the path of the virus is unknown. Executives need to revise forecasts daily based on where cases are confirmed as the virus spreads and as it dissipates. How are the significant changes going to impact your business, both short-term and long-term? Look at worst- and best-case scenarios and plan for the financial impact.
Adjust Your Financial Focus
There are several initiatives that you should be addressing now on the financial front to help prepare your organization for what will be coming in the short term.
- Revenue Recognition – How is this going to impact the way your business currently accounts for revenue on the financials?
- What are the implications on assets and liabilities?
- How do you provide risk disclosures when it's still unknown, including meeting GAAP and SEC requirements?
- If you provide risk disclosures based on the unknown, how exposed are you to future lawsuits if the outcomes were not favorable to the company?
- What type of business disruption insurance do you have?
- How is this going to impact your cash forecast?
Have an Operational Back-Up Plan
Companies must plan to ensure day-to-day functions and operations are covered, including those in the finance and accounting department. Is your accounting team cross-trained? Are other employees cross-trained? Can you do payroll remotely? Do you have the ability to pay bills without coming into the office? In addition, you may want to look at how you can lower overhead overall.
Provide a Cybersecurity Refresher
Cyber criminals use current events and company distractions to their advantage. Phishing scams with coronavirus themes have increased. Utilize this time to provide a refresher for your employees around your policies and situations where they should be on high alert. Also, how are you protecting your systems if you move all employees to remote access? Are their home networks secure? Do you have secure VPN options for your employees? Are remote computers property protected with the latest virus software?
For additional resources around preparing your business, visit McKinsey's report on COVID-19: Implications for Business.
In the current fluid global business environment, the future of your business changes daily. vcfo is your partner through all stages of your business life cycle, in good and challenging times. As such, we have compiled a resource page with critical information to help you best navigate this crisis.
Please give us a call or work directly with your current vcfo consultant for support and business recommendations during the coming months.


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7,126m / 23,379ft
4 - 5 Hours
Hotel + Lodge + Camp
Peak Name
Mt. Himlung Himal
33 Days
South West Route
NE of Annapurna Range
Trip Overview
Manaslu Region offers another surprise to the trekkers in the form of Mt. Himlung. Mt. Himlung lies to the northeast of Annapurna Range with an aspiring height of 7,126m. This Mountain lies in a secluded area of Nepal and Tibet borders. Unlike any other 7000ers, Mt. Himlung is quite easy considering the technical aspects. Voyage to Himlung follows the Annapurna route to Koto and from Koto to Nar-Phu Gaun. The track from Nar-Phu Gaun to Manang is recently opened and this track offers great deals of tall peaks and passes; also, you get greeted by glaciers, gullies, springs, and remote villages nearby exhibit tremendous culture with breathtaking views of Api Hima, Kappa Chuli Peak, Nandadevi, and many more.
The base camp of Mt. Himlung is set at the height of 4900m. The three higher camps are established at the heights of 5,450m, 6,000m, and 6,350m respectively. The last part of the pinnacle includes a steep and icy way to the summit. Generally, it takes ten to fifteen days to conquer Himlung Peak and back to the base camp. After being opened to climbers in 1992, it was first ascended by the Japanese team in the same year. Only a few teams have succeeded in the successful climb to date. Among these one team was Japanese and the rest were from other countries. Although being easy as compared to other peaks, ascending Himlung Peak requires a high fitness level. Himlung Himal is a splendid peak in isolation with an awesome exploration trek to the top.
Every year Seven Summit Treks organize a large number of successive expeditions of Mt. Himlung.
Day 1
Arrival in Kathmandu (1400m) & Transfer to the HotelBreakfastHotel
Day 2
Rest in Kathmandu, Expedition Briefing and PreparingB/DHotel
Day 3
Drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar (760m)B/L/DLodge
Day 4
Drive from Besisahar to Koto (2600m)B/L/DLodge
Day 5
Trek from Koto to Meta (3560m)B/L/DTent
Day 6
Trek from Meta to Kyang (3840m)B/L/DTent
Day 7
Trek from Kyang to Phu Gaun(3900m)B/L/DTent
Day 8
Acclimatization at Phu Gaun (rest day)B/L/DTent
Day 9
Trek from Trek from Phu Gaun to Himlung base camp (4900m)B/L/DTent
Day 10-21
Rotation: [Basecamp – Rotation (Camp I and Camp II) – Basecamp]Full BoardTent
Day 22-26
Summit Push: [Base Camp – Himlung Summit (7,126m) – Basecamp]Full BoardTent
Day 27
Trek from Base Camp to Phu GaunB/L/DTent
Day 28
Trek from Phu Gaun to Meta (3,560m)B/L/DTent
Day 29
Trek from Meta to Koto (2,600m)B/L/DLodge
Day 30
Drive from Koto to Besisahar (760m)B/L/DLodge
Day 31
Drive from Besi Sahar to Kathmandu & transfer to the hotelB/LHotel
Day 32
Leisure day in Kathmandu CityB/DHotel
Day 33
Transfer to International Airport for final departureBreakfast
Cost Includes
- ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE : Airport - Hotel transfers – Airport (Pick Up and Drop), by private vehicle.
- HOTEL ACCOMMODATION IN KATHMANDU : 4 nights hotel in Kathmandu (4-star category) - single room on bed and breakfast plan.
- WELCOME DINNER : One Welcome Dinner in a tourist standard restaurant in Kathmandu with Office's Staff.
- CARGO CLEARANCE : Assistance for cargo clearance in Nepal's Customs, clearance cost is subject to a charge.
- PERMITS : Expedition Royalty and a permit fee of Nepal Government to climb Himlung Himal, Conservation area entry permit and fee.
- RESTRICTED AREA PERMIT : Restricted area permit fee.
- LIAISON OFFICER : 1 Government Liaison officer with full equipment, salary, and accommodation.
- GARBAGE MANAGEMENT : Stool Shipment Transfer & Garbage Deposit fees.
- INSURANCE : Medical & Emergency rescue Insurance for all involved Nepalese staff during the trek and expedition.
- MAP : Trekking and Expedition map.
- DUFFLE BAG : One Seven Summit Treks' Duffle Bag.
- MEMBER TRANSPORTATION : - Drive from Kathmandu – Besi Shashar Koto and while returning, Koto – Besi Shahar – Kathmandu by a tourist jeep, as per itinerary.
- EXPEDITION STUFFS TRANSPORTATION : All necessary expedition equipment transportation for all Members and Staff from Kathmandu to Koto (by jeep) and Base camp (by Porters / Mules) – While returning: Base camp to Koto (by porters/mule) and Koto to Kathmandu (by Jeep).
- MEMBER LUGGAGE : Up to 60 Kg per member for personal baggage during the trek to be carried by porters or Yaks.
- FOOD AND LODGING : 3 meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner; including tea and coffee) along with accessible accommodation at Hotel/Lodge during the trek and at the Basecamp. Hygienic and fresh green vegetables, fresh meat, fruits, and soft drinks will be served during the entire expedition using helicopter flights. Well-managed base camp set up for members & Staff.
- PORTER : Porters per member up to the Base camp and from the Basecamp (both ways).
- CAMPING EQUIPMENT : All Necessary equipment for Camping during the trek.
- BASE CAMP STAFF : Experienced and well-trained Base Camp Cook & kitchen Helpers as required.
- STAFF SALARY AND ALLOWANCE : All Nepalese staff & porter's daily wages, salary, equipment, food & clothing.
- BASE CAMP TENT : Each member will have an individual tent (4 men tent) in Base Camp.
- BASE CAMP EQUIPMENT : Single Tent, foam mattresses and pillow per member, 1 Dinning Tent, 1 Kitchen Tent, 1 Communication tent, 1 Toilet & 1 Shower Tent, 1 Staffs Tent, 1 Tent for Nepalese base camp staffs, Store tents, Tables & chairs & all necessary cooking gears.
- HEATER : Heater at base camp in each Dining and other necessary camps.
- SOLAR/GENERATOR/LIGHT : 1 Solar panel and Generator for lights at base camp, battery charge, for laptop and other electronic devices.
- TRAINING : Oxygen, Mask Regulator, Ice wall, and gear training at basecamp by Sherpa Guide.
- HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING SHERPA : 1 veteran and government-licensed climbing Sherpa per member (1 Member: 1 Sherpa), during the entire climb from Basecamp to the summit and back, and on each rotation.
- ASSISTANCE : Climbing Sherpa to assist in carrying your gear to the high camps.
- CLIMBING SHERPA SALARY & ALLOWANCE : Climbing Sherpa Salary, Equipment, Food, and Clothing.
- BONUS : Carry Bonus of Sherpas and Route Fixing Charges.
- OXYGEN BOTTLE (O2) : Oxygen bottles will be in stock at base camp in case of an emergency (with an appropriate charge).
- OXYGEN MASK & REGULATOR : 1 Set of Summit Oxygen masks will be in base camp in case of an emergency.
- HIGH CAMP SERVICE (INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOGISTICS) : High Altitude Tent, Necessary cooking EPI gas, cooking pot, High food for a member, Sherpa, and other crews at (C1) (C2) and (C3). Group climbing gears, and fixed and dynamic rope during the climbing period as required.
- HIGH ALTITUDE TENT : Members will share tents in high camps (2 members: 1 tent).
- ROPE FIXING TEAM : The team of experienced Sherpas will fix the rope and the route.
- SATELLITE PHONE : Satellite Phone for emergency communication carried by Sherpa, also available for members with an appropriate charge.
- WALKIE-TALKIE : Walkie–Talkie for communicating from Base Camp to Mountain and Mountain to Base Camp.
- PERMIT : Walkie-talkie permit for all members and staff.
- WEATHER FORECAST : Weather forecast report during the entire expedition.
- MEDICAL KIT : Comprehensive Medical kit for members and staff.
- CERTIFICATE : Himlung Himal climbing certificate issued by MoCTCA (after climbing Himlung successfully).
Cost Excludes
- AIR FARE : International flight airfare (from and to Kathmandu).
- NEPAL ENTRY VISA FEE : Nepalese Visa fee is $ 125 USD for 90 Days.
- LUNCH & DINNER : Lunch & dinner during the stay in Kathmandu (also in case of early return from Trekking / Expedition than the scheduled itinerary).
- EXTRA NIGHTS IN KATHMANDU : Extra nights' accommodation in Kathmandu. In case of early arrival or late departure, early return from Trekking / Expedition, domestic flight cancellation (due to any other reason) than the scheduled itinerary.
- INSURANCE POLICY : Insurance covering both medical and high-altitude evacuation costs (for the trip cancellation, interruption, high altitude rescue & air evacuation, medical treatment, repatriation, etc.) *Mandatory
- PERSONAL EXPENSES : Telephone Calls, Internet, Toiletries, battery recharge, hot shower, laundry, soft drinks, beers, and any Alcoholic beverages (during the trek and in Kathmandu but we will have soft drinks for members at base camp).
- PERSONAL CLIMBING EQUIPMENT : Clothing, Packing Items, Bags, Personal Medical Kit, and all kinds of Personal Trekking / Climbing Gear.
- TOILETRIES : Soaps, shampoos, toilet and tissue papers, toothpaste, and other items used to keep yourself clean.
- FILMING : Special Filming, Camera, and Drone permit fee.
- INTERNET SERVICE : Not included during the trek and the expedition.
- SUMMIT BONUS : Summit bonus for climbing Sherpa- Minimum 1200 USD.
- TIPS : Calculate some tips for Basecamp and high camp staff – Minimum 350 USD.
- EXTRA : Any other services or activities, which are not mentioned in the itinerary and other items not listed in the "Cost Includes" section.
Fixed Dates
|Group Size
34 Days
Start Date- 2022-10-06
End Date-2022-11-08
|Booking Open
|Group Size 15
|Inquire Now Book Now
34 Days
Start Date- 2022-10-06
End Date-2022-11-08
|Booking Open
|Group Size 15
|Inquire Now Book Now


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Derm.ing Solutions
Consultant & Manufacturer of Skin Care Products for Skin Experts and Professionals.
Skincare Brand | E-Commerce Website | 2019
Scope of Work
A clean, responsive e-commerce website with quick links for easy access to all categories and products. A simple, easy to follow regimen-based product sets were created to guide customers into following a consistent skincare routine using the products offered by the brand. The website also creates credibility into attracting referral partners, direct sellers, and stall franchise owners.
Website Design & Development Visual Branding & Identity
Search Engine Optimization Online Marketing
Google Analytics


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Australian brokers are well known for their diversities in service and portfolio ranges; some of them operate as a discount broker or active broker. At the same time, some of them provide full-fledged trading platforms like MT4 or MT5 etc.
Now before we start our journey towards best Australian brokers, let us first get a brief look of the Australian stock markets.
The Australian stock exchange is named as ASX, and it is among the top 12 largest brokers by market capitalisation.
Due to technological development and the outreach of the Internet, it has become easy for trading entities online on a real-time basis.
Latest online platform and plethora of stockbrokers make it difficult for an ordinary trader to identify the best for his needs according to facilities provided by them like trading platform, spreads, leverages, market capitalisation, brokerage, tradable instruments etc.
Table of Contents
- 1 Best Australian Brokers 2020 to Choose
Best Australian Brokers 2020 to Choose
So in this article, we have researched and found out the best five brokers in Australia to provide aid to your trading practices:
- HFTrading;
- eToro
- SwissQuote
- SaxoBank
- CMC Markets
Check them out below.
1.HFTrading – A Leading CFD Financial Platform
HF Trading was established in 2019, only allowing its account opening process with a minimum deposit of $250.
It is headquarters in New Zealand, and it provides its services in Australia too. Although it is new, it is gaining momentum among its investors because of its MetaTrader 4 platform, its tight spreads and its leverages up to 400.
Highlights of this broker are listed below: –
- Working Platform– It offers its services through MT4 over the counter via computers and mobiles whether it may be iOS or an android.
- Available tradable instruments– It provides all types of tradable instruments like 350+ CFDs, cryptocurrencies, commodities, forex, shares, indices and metals with the help of its three account types as silver, gold and platinum.
- Authorization– it is tabularised by the New Zealand Financial Markets Authority (FMA), and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Pros of using HFTrading–
- Free educational resources are available.
- Regulated by ASIC and FMA.
- Latest trading platform MT4
- A demo account is available.
Cons of using HFTrading–
- Does not provide an economic calendar and earning calendar.
- Video tutorials are significantly less.
- Limited resources are available for research of traders.
- They do not accept US clients.
Conclusion:- These five brokers are suitable for all types of brokers raring to grow wings and want to fly in an array of commercial markets for investments and making a profitable income. HFTrading broker stands out from the lot due to its services, a number of assets and instruments. It has more than two regulating bodies, which is not common and builds the confidence of a trader, who wants to trade with it.
The broker is ranked among the top in our top 5 brokers in Australia list. It is because of their ease of accessing their platforms even for the beginners.
The best thing in eToro is that it does not charge anything on stocks and ETF trades; however, on CFDs, it charges significantly.
The headquarter of this broker is situated in Israel. It is licensed to operate in Australia and the UK. The regulating authority for both the countries is the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), respectively.
Highlights of this broker are listed below: –
- Operating platform – They provide a very user-friendly platform. eToro platform employs a social media like user interface where a trader can communicate with its fellow trader and also, he can copy the strategies of good performing traders.
He can get advice by top performers on choosing the most profitable instrument.
- Available tradable instruments: – They offer a range of tradable instruments like ETF, stocks, cryptocurrencies, CFDs, commodities and indices.
One can easily choose his niche and start trading.
- Brokerage on ETFs and stocks rage and commission charges – As described earlier, eToro does not charge anything on ETFs, and individual stocks but it charge variable spread for every trade that one place as the spread is the difference between the charges a buyer is willing to pay and the money that a seller receive on delivery of his entity.
So, one should choose that tradable instrument which has less spread.
- Authorization– This broker has earned trust by working in Australia and the UK. In both of the country, it is regulated by their central exchange regulators like in Australia it is regulated by Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) and in the UK it is regulated by Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Pros of using eToro–
- Opening an account with eToro feels like opening a social media account; hence it is a very simple process.
- Variety of tradable instruments are available like ETF, shares, financial derivatives, currency pairs etc.
- Their social media like the platform is quite helpful for new traders as they can copy the top-performing player's portfolio and manage accordingly.
- A plethora of education material is available to get the acquaintance of trading and investment; they include videos and books.
- It provides margin trading up to 400 times.
- They offer pro-charts for in-depth analysis of the market.
Cons of using eToro–
- The education material is concentrated on how to use the platform rather than on how to trade in different instruments.
- There are minimum deposit and withdrawal fee associated in these accounts.
3.SwissQuote – Trade Markets with the Swiss Leader in Online Banking
This broker provides specialised services to the clients who have a high net worth. It mainly deals in asset managing or investing for the long term. SwissQuote is favourable among those who have a lot of assets and need plans for investing. This broker is backed by an Investment Bank SwissQuote SA hence its capital support is magnificent.
Although its headquarters is located in Switzerland yet it provides its services globally from the Middle East to Europe, Malta to Asia and Australia etc.
Highlights of this broker are listed below: –
- Working Platform – They are famous for their specialised services and seek those customers who can pay them more than market prices for managing their assets and investments.
This broker works in offshore banking and Robo-Advisory services that is software for providing an automatic method of wealth management solutions.
- Available tradable instruments — – This broker consists of its two branches one branch is located in Switzerland and provides facilities to trade in stocks, funds, options, and futures and the other branch is located in the UK offers only CFD and forex trades.
- Brokerage and commission charges – They charge zero dollars for the Expat accounts, i.e. the basic accounts while the charges on the corporate account and trust accounts are very high like USD 1200 and USD 2000 respectively.
Now for every ETF and stock trade, they charge a 0.25% fee while on bonds their charges go a little higher with 0.30% fee.
Trade commission on foreign currency, options and futures also vary depending on the country or the region one trade from. For example, they charge zero dollars for their clients from the UK and Switzerland.
- Authorization– It is regularised by the UK's FCA (Financial Conduct Authority); hence clients can make their trades with a peace of mind.
Pros of using SwissQuote–
- As this broker is backed up by an investment bank hence its credibility in the market is maximum.
- Its online platform can be accessed in many different languages.
- There is a relief for inactive traders as it does not charge anything on inactivity.
- They offer demo accounts for beginners.
- They provide a full library of e-learning stuff related to trading and investing.
- Specialised services are available like Robo-advisory and portfolio management.
Cons of using SwissQuote–
- They only operate on weekdays. And that too during office hours.
- Their user interface may seem to be a little bit confusing for beginners.
- They charge a good fee for accessing their research materials.
- They provide spreads that are above marker and their commission is a lot more than ordinary market rates.
4.SaxoBank – Stock Broker Australia
This broker is considered best for professional brokers. As this trader is also backed up by Saxo Bank, hence it has proven itself a safe custodian of an investor's money.
The broker was established in 1992 and has achieved its trust value among Australian customers. It works in 15 different country languages and holds a client's capital that is more than $ 17 billion.
Highlights of this broker are listed below: –
Highlights of this broker are listed below:
- Working Platform – Talking about its working platform than it has a vast experience of the finance industry and hence it Is suitable for the brokers who have more concerns about the safety of their money stacked.
This broker is in good books of clients regarding their trading platforms available for their clients. And the management of money is well regulated with the help of various orders like stop-loss etc.
They also provide a lot of featured tools like charts, orders, and statistical tools to analyze the market fluctuations.
- Available tradable instruments — – They offer 19000 plus stocks and CFDs. They also provide a wide range of leveraged products from a range starting from forex to commodities and cryptocurrencies.
- Brokerage and commission charges – The minimum deposit amount required to open an account with them is USD $ 3000 which can look far more expensive than its competitor but on the other hand, it provides safety to your money.
The per transaction charges are also high up to $6.99 for each transaction, and the costs are somewhat country-specific too. Like they charge $3 for us clients who trade in ETFs and for their Australian clients they charge %6.99 for dealing in Australian stocks.
- Authorization– It is regulated by ASIC.
Pros of using SaxoBank–
- Twenty-five years of working experience in the finance industry.
- Authorised by ASIC
- They do not charge a withdrawal fee.
- Their trading interface is good and user friendly.
- Trading in international shares is available at different prices.
- A demo account is available.
- eLearning repository is available for its clients.
- A large number of tradable instruments are present.
Cons of using SaxoBank–
- This broker charges the inactivity fee.
- Their minimum deposit fee is higher than the market average.
- Their identity check process takes a long time before account opening.
5.CMC Markets – Forex Trading Australia
CMC market is run by its two subsidiaries named as CMC Markets Asia Pacific Pvt Ltd and CMC Market stockbroking Limited. Both of them is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
This broker provides its Australian clients with best online tools at an affordable price like charts and learning repositories.
It is a versatile broker as it provides the facility to trade internationally for its Australian clients on different tradable instruments whether it may vary by ETO or shares or commodities and indices etc.
Highlights of this broker are listed below: –
- Working Platform– with the advanced technology they work for both ASX and in international markets too.
- Available tradable instruments– Their tradable instruments range is very good as they provide a lot of tradable entities whether it may be forex, stocks, ETO, CFDs, indices or commodities. One can easily choose one or more than one product to trade in to increase its portfolio.
- Brokerage and commission charges– This trader is best for casual traders as they trade less than ten times a month; hence their per trade cost ranges from 0.1 dollars per trade to $11 per trade.
- Authorization– It is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Pros of using CMC Markets–
- A brokerage fee is less compared to its competitors.
- The user interface of the platform is much appreciated.
- They charge very low for traders who trade casually.
- This is the number one CFD spread betting broker in Australia.
Cons of using CMC Markets–
- This broker charges the inactivity fee.
- Customer support is lacking.


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Tom Brusky presents The Polka Pontoon - A Polka CD in the format of a 1 hour Radio Show infused with Dry Humor like you have never heard before!
Lush - Memories of Marion - 30 Marion Lush Hits for the very first time on CD!
Blazonczyk, Eddie - Holiday Favorites
Blazonczyk, Eddie - Award-Winning Polkas - 2 CDs
Home Customer Service My Account Shopping Policies Privacy Policy Terms of Use


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Delores 'Dee' Emerson Webb Garrette
Delores 'Dee' Emerson Webb Garrette, 65, of Lebanon, Tennessee, passed away on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at Smith County Health and Rehabilitation after a battle with Alzheimer's.
Dee was born on December 8, 1954 to the late Harold Dwayne Emerson and Lolita 'Lee' Wood Emerson in Maryland. Dee graduated from Puyallup Valley Highschool in Puyallup, Washington and attended Wilson County Technical College in Wilson, North Carolina.
Dee was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother who had a fierce love for her family. She enjoyed reading her romance novels, gardening with her husband, and working on crafts. Dee was an avid dog lover and candy connoisseur. She was a remarkable woman who never met a stranger and was always willing to help those in need. She delighted in the holidays, especially Christmas. She was a member of First Church of Nazarene and took pleasure in spending time with her church family when possible.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her sister Diane Marie Thorsen, her former husband, Marion Wesley Webb, and her beloved dog, Angel Girl.
Left to honor Dee and remember her love are her husband, Ernest Garrette; daughter, Theresa Maire (Jerome) White; grandchildren, Seth Emerson Kent, Michaela Shai (Benjamin) Wilcox, D'Ariel Narissa Emerson-Webb, Wesley Jason Bishop; great-grandchildren, Kennedy Reece Wilcox, Carter Shane Wilcox; brothers, Robert Dean Norris, Dwayne Eugene Norris; sisters, Debra K. Emerson (Howard) Blosser, Darlene Inez Williams, Donna Greiwe, Patty Wulff; along with many nieces, nephews and great-nieces/nephews.
The family requests that all flowers and notes are sent to First Church of Nazarene, Lebanon, Tennessee. There will be a celebration of life on Saturday, October 31, 2020 at 11am at First Church of Nazarene in Lebanon, Tennessee.


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Campus Community
January 26, 2021
Due to campus quarantine restrictions at the beginning of Winter Quarter, Masses at the Chapel will resume on Monday, Feb. 8. All students, staff, alumni and friends of SU are welcome to join Campus Ministry for virtual prayer gatherings on Zoom on Sundays at 5:30 p.m. for Sunday Word and Worship starting January 10, 2021.
Students returning to campus must abide by Seattle University quarantine and testing requirements, as outlined in this campus announcement. Once they resume, Masses will be held at 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 4 p.m. on Sundays, with pre-registration required on ConnectSU by 4 p.m. the previous day. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the gathering is limited to 25 persons, pre-registration is required and attendance is restricted to current students, staff and faculty only. No visitors, guests or non-affiliates are permitted to attend.
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Good News for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) which translates to a thousand fold greater news for the country.
During the House of Representatives committee hearing on 2021 proposed budget of Department of National Defense (DND), the Philippine Air Force (PAF) chief Lieutenant General Allen Paredes said that President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the acquisition of five new C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft.
"The President has directed in May this year that the Air Force, the DND and DBM, acquire five C-130Js, the newer model," Lieutenant General Paredes said.
|(photo credit to owner)
"We are of the opinion that this would be enough to serve, specially our mandate to be able to transport one rapidly deployable battalion at one stroke and this would also be consistent with the historical demands of like for example typhoon Yolanda when we had to carry in personnel, equipment, and supplies," he added.
The PAF chief explains that the C-130J acquisition project worth 37 billion pesos is included in the proposed unfunded tier 2 priority projects of DND-AFP.
"The proponent is willing to – we can have a financing agreement. What they need is 15% down payment or about 5.5 billion for the first year, hopefully for 2021," Paredes said.
He also said that currently, PAF has "a total of 4 C-130s, only 2 are operational, the other 2 are undergoing scheduled maintenance, one in Portugal and one in Cebu."
Are you looking for a food business that you can start immediately?,safely inside the comforts of your home?
Possible through Online Stores - all of which are done thru the internet with the use of your computer or mobile phones.
Sa nawalan ng trabaho, gusto mag negosyo ngaun may pandemya, at lalong lalo na kung OFW ka!
Ask me how, leave me a message in https://www.facebook.com/siomai.online0212/
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By Karen McColl
With climate change and a plethora of other environmental issues looming at the forefront of our minds these days, it's nice to have an occasion to have fun and celebrate the earth for all its goodness.
What a better way to do this than to take part in annual Earth day festivities! Activities on Sunday organized by the North Columbia Environmental Society (NCES) and local businesses served to remind us to stay connected with the earth and to get excited about the arrival of spring.
After taking in a free earth day vinyasa yoga class at Taproot yoga centre, one merely had to skip over to Grizzly Plaza to enjoy several family-friendly activities organized by the NCES.
Seed planting, wooden sturgeon painting, birdfeeder making, mural painting, and a seed and book exchange kept young people busy and artful. Several volunteers and many Brownies and Sparks from the Girl Guides Association spread out on a litter pick up. Music provided by Blind Spot in the afternoon ensured a steady trickle of individuals and families stopping by Grizzly Plaza to enjoy the festivities and community atmosphere in the warm sunshine.
A salmon and sturgeon themed mural which was near completion at the end of the day will hang on the wall outside Castle Joe Books with the addition of some of the painted wooden sturgeon. The rest of the 180 sturgeons will be put along the fence in Centennial Park near the river.
NCES Environmental coordinator Hailey Ross, chief organizer of the Grizzly Plaza activities, came up with the idea of using the sturgeon as the icon of the Earth Week 2010 Festivities.
"Sturgeons are cool," said Ross explaining some of the littler known facts about sturgeon. Sturgeons are the largest freshwater fish in Canada and can reach over six metres in length –similar to the length of a great white shark! At over six hundred kilograms, they certainly are cool, but what's more is that they are also a species at risk, meaning that their populations have been threatened, due mostly to habitat loss.
Sturgeons are native to the Columbia River, and a sturgeon release involving local first nations groups took place on Friday morning, coinciding with Earth Week festivities.
The idea of the painted sturgeons is to create more awareness of what is in our rivers and to increase environmental stewardship and responsibility.
Check out the pictures below of this year's Earth Day celebrations.


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Photography by Emma Guliani (Instagram: @em_uhhhhh)On Sunday, June 5, 2022, Apicha Community Health Center marched with other community-based organizations in the annual Queens Pride Parade. Leading Apicha's group was our beloved Chief Executive Officer, Therese R. Rodriguez. We had a blast celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in Queens!
In our continuous efforts to make health care accessible, our staff and volunteers distributed hundreds of free health items, including first aid kits, sunscreens, hand sanitizers, and more.
Additionally, our clinic staff administered free health screenings including dental screenings and HIV & STI testing. Our staff also passed out information about the various free and affordable health services Apicha CHC offers.
Thank you to all who came out to the Queens Pride celebration to support us!
Photography by Emma Guliani (Instagram: @em_uhhhhh)
Visit Our Table at NYC Pride
Apicha CHC is also excited to be returning to this year's NYC Pride Festival in Manhattan on Sunday, June 26! Visit our table at Union Square (14th Street and University Place) to learn more about our services.
To find out more about our community events for Pride and other initiatives, visit our Events Page.


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To order a copy of any of our beautiful annual coffee table photo books, please visit: Powderhorn365, The Books.
Disclaimer: Photos on this website are not representative of any endorsement or promotion of any person, business, political party, religion, or government entity by Powderhorn365.
"Round the bend"
Ice skaters in the park
"0 degrees, but it feels like -12!"
It's February 11th and finally feels like a Minnesota winter. Cold! Here is a true Minnesotan, bundled up with his bicycle, waiting at Chicago & 31st for his very late bus.
"The Lady on Lake Street"


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SAN FRANCISCO -- Brett Favre, in an effort to assure his Vikings teammates he was fully committed to playing a 20th NFL season despite missing training camp, stood and addressed them and most of the team's coaching staff twice in two days after returning to Eden Prarie, Minn., on Tuesday.
Favre, in an afternoon interview with ESPN before his preseason debut against the 49ers on Sunday night, said he first spoke to the team on Wednesday at the urging of coach Brad Childress.
The next day, Favre and other team leaders convened in another full-squad meeting so the quarterback could address a report that his relationship with Childress was failing and that it was among the reasons he nearly retired.
Favre indicated that one of the points he and others stressed was that players needed to keep certain issues within the team, saying, "If something is being said in here -- by whoever, it's got to stop. It's hard enough to win as it is. Success does crazy things. So we had a good meeting."
There was tension between Favre and Childress last December when the coach attempted to remove his starting quarterback during a loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Sources told ESPN at the time that Childress had made similar attempts in at least one other game, and that Favre was irritated about the issue. Sources also maintained that Favre was unhappy that Childress was too controlling in game planning and attempted to limit Favre's audibles at the line of scrimmage.
"That article, like the schism thing, brought us together last year," Fave said. "It really did because it wasn't true. I don't know if someone out there is planting seeds or what but we wanted to nip it in the bud."
The second meeting happened the same day receiver Percy Harvin collapsed on the field and was taken to a local hospital, where he remained overnight.
Favre said Childress was not involved in the meeting as the coach was at the hospital with Harvin, but Favre called Childress to explain what he said to the rest of the team.
"He didn't need to be there because he's getting beat up and he doesn't deserve it," Favre said.
In his 53 weeks since first joining the Vikings, Favre has spoken to the full team three times, something he says he almost never did in 16 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and one with the New York Jets.
His speech to them Wednesday was similar in tone and content to one Childress had him deliver just before the regular-season opener a year ago.
"I did feel -- more so than last year, believe it or not -- I needed them to know I'm all in," Favre said. "Not that they didn't know. I think they did just from me being there. And that was kind of the mantra from all of those guys: 'We knew if we got you here, we were going to get you and you'd be all in. It was getting your [butt] here that is the problem.'
"The hardest part for me is leaving Hattiesburg and the tranquility and that stuff, leaving that. But when I left it, I knew it was nose to the grindstone for five months now."
Favre endured a horrific beating in the NFC Championship Game loss to the New Orleans Saints, limping off with a bruised thigh and an ankle injury that required surgery before he could play again in 2010. That pain and the mental trauma of throwing a game-turning interception on his final pass of what was the best statistical season of his career created doubt about his willingness to do it all again.
"I can't expect people to understand my decision-making process but the feeling I had after that game, I wouldn't wish that feeling upon anyone,'' he said. "As great as the season was -- and it will go down as one of my all-time favorites -- it ranks right up there if you consider all the things, coming to a new team, showing up late and the chemistry -- but after that loss, seeing the faces, knowing how I felt and how hard it is to get in that position, walking across that field to the bus, I said, 'I never want to have this feeling again.' "
Favre, Adrian Peterson and the other healthy Vikings starters are scheduled to play as much as the entire first quarter Sunday against the 49ers. Favre said he is 11 pounds heavier than last year but his waist is smaller. Favre said he has not been eating red meat or desserts and drinks only water.
"After the second day of practice, it was like I'd never left," he said.
But in addition to some expected soreness in his groin and hamstrings, Favre is suffering the effects of a sinus infection that is being treated with steroids and other prescription medication.
"It feels like my head is 40 feet under water," he said.
Ed Werder is an NFL reporter for ESPN.


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Gordon Parks was a serious man. His claim to greatness as a photographer and essayist rests on the work that he did for Life magazine, between 1948 and 1971, on some of the most pressing issues facing the nation and the world, especially poverty and racial injustice.
But Parks had many sides, just like the magazine he worked for. He loved the trappings of his success -- the salary that catapulted him out of poverty and into the upper middle class, the travel, the nearly unlimited expense account, the sharp clothes, the smart cars... He earned all of this by giving his editors what they wanted -- great pictures of hard news on one day, fluffy frivolities the next.
It's unlikely that Parks ever did anything fluffier than "Wow, Quel Babes!," a giddy look at the lives of American teenagers in Paris.
Life, 7 January 1952, pp. 70-71. [Click on any image to see a much larger version.]
The photos that Parks made to accompany the story are polished, if unexceptional. As his editors would have wanted, he captured the Paris of the American imagination -- a streetcar in front of the Arc de Triomphe, a sidewalk cafe on the Champs-Élysées, a jazz club on the Left Bank... At the same time, he managed to suggest that readers were being given an intimate peek into the private lives of the American teens. It's a glimpse of a pro at work.
Life, 7 January 1952, pp. 72-73.
It's hard to know what to make of the text. The basic point is to reassure readers that Paris hasn't corrupted our kids by turning them into young Frenchmen and -women. (Notice the footballs and cowboys boots in Parks' photos.) Having moved to the city with parents whose careers required them to be there...
These exuberant young Americans are living against a background that ordinary U.S. tourists ransom their life savings to see. ...They love the adventure. But they still prefer their own way of life. ...Neither boys nor girls think much of frogs' legs, but they know every place in Paris that makes hamburgers and hot dogs and, while having a snack at a sidewalk cafe, are inclined to dream of the corner drugstore.
Life, 7 January 1952, pp. 74-75.
The Horrible Six (above) were the "best known" clique among the American girls in Paris. They had "a strict code of dress. Sweater must be worn loosely, not snugly. One strand of pearls is all right, more are banned." The "Lemon Squeeze" was their monthly self-improvement session.
By every girl's admission, the goal is to keep the dates coming in Paris, build charm for college years in the U.S. and ultimately lead to a nice, home-grown marriage to the right man. Right now the girls don't think that he'll be a Frenchman.
It seems to me that whoever wrote this story didn't take any of this very seriously. (Unlike the photos, no credit is given.) Life's staffers were a sophisticated bunch, as anyone who's read Parks' accounts of his Paris years will know. And being posted to the Paris bureau was a coveted assignment.
It's true that Life's owner and founder, Henry Luce, was well known for his celebration of The American Century and that his magazines tended to extol American virtues and promote American interests. But Life's photographers and writers were grown-up men and women with ideas of their own. "Wow, Quel Babes!" reads like an exercise in self-parody, and I'd like to think that at least a few of Life's readers were in on the joke 61 years ago.
Gordon Parks/Life: Jam Session in the shadowy cellar of Vieux Colombier attracts a crowds of Americans (foreground). Their compatriot, clarinetist Mezz Mezzrow (left), is the big attraction. On such forays, the boys save money by dividing a bottle of champagne eight ways. In Paris, American teens ignore Eckstine and Sinatra records as démodé. Prefer French crooners Charles Trenet and Yves Montand. They have a favorite French tune, Fou de Vous (Crazy About You).
There's another little joke embedded in the story. Ex-pat American jazz musician "Mezz" Mezzrow was the antithesis of white, middle-class American values. (He's the younger man playing clarinet above and in the magazine on page 72.) He was a fine clarinetist, but he's better known for being one of the most prolific marijuana dealers on the jazz scene and for marrying an African-American woman, moving to Harlem, and declaring himself a "voluntary Negro." He's one of my heroes. At the time, he was a well known figure. Parks, his writer, and many readers would have known all about him, and might even have read his autobiography, which was published in 1946. (It's called Really the Blues, and it's a hoot.)
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If we take "Wow, Quel Babes!" at face value, we come away thinking that our American teenagers didn't like Paris. Parks, on the other hand, loved it.
Parks, like so many other African-Americans -- writers, artists, musicians, cabbies, and cooks -- found freedom in Paris. Freedom from the burden of race. It was a transforming experience. This is how he put it in one of his memoirs, Voices in the Mirror: An Autobiography:
I needed Paris. It was a feast, a grand carnival of imagery, and immediately everything there seemed to offer sublimation to those inner desires that had for so long been hampered by racism back in America. For the first time in my life I was relaxing from tension and pressure. My thoughts, continually rampaging against racial conditions, were suddenly becoming as peaceful as snowflakes. Slowly a curtain was dropping between me and those soiled years.
Paris became my beautiful mistress, seducing me with Bach, Mozart and Brahms, Proust, Sartre, Camus and others I hadn't bothered to stop and listen to.
I was moving through centuries of history, and not unaware of the possibility of its help in shaping my future. Being a part of it was like feeling at once young and old.


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Scholar Fest
Assumption High School will host its inaugural Scholar Fest Symposium Monday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Humana Foundation Performing and Fine Arts Center, 2170 Tyler Lane. The symposium's theme will focus on "The Human Effect." Topics that will be discussed include: "Art as Propaganda during the French Revolution," "An Examination of Alternative Fuels" and "Modern Media Culture: Effects on Ongoing Psychological Development Regarding Gender and Race Expectations in Females."
A news release from the school noted that six students from Assumption have been involved "in this independent research project piloted at the school called the Scholar's Thesis Project." Each student has worked with a teacher advisor, a community mentor and the project's director to complete research on a selected topic of interest, the release said. Each of these six students will develop a high school thesis and present that thesis at the symposium.
The event is free and open to the public. To reserve a seat, call 458-9551.
ACT/SAT prep
The Office of Multicultural Ministry's Catholic Enrichment Center will offer SAT/ACT prep sessions on Saturdays from Sept. 15 to Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon at the center, 3146 West Broadway. The cost is $25 for the six-week session.
Contact the Catholic Enrichment Center at 776-0262 for additional information or to register.
Autism walk
Liam Egan, a fifth grader at Holy Trinity School, will participate in the seventh annual Families for Effective Autism Treatment (FEAT) of Louisville Outrunning Autism 5K Sept. 22 at Westport Village.
Egan said he decided to participate in the walk and raise money for FEAT because he was inspired by two boys he knows who have autism.
To date, the 11-year old has raised more than $1,250. To learn more about the Autism Walk or to sponsor a participant visit www.feat5k.com.
Fall play
St. Xavier High School's Drama Department will present Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." All performances will be held in the school's Brown-Forman Cultural Arts Center. Show dates and times are as follows: Sept. 15, 19, 20 and 22 at 7 p.m.; and Sept. 16 and 22 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students, children and senior citizens. Tickets can be purchased online at www.saintx.com/drama or at the box office one hour prior to the show.
Tutoring program
The Catholic Enrichment Center is offering after school tutoring for students in kindergarten through 12th grade from now through May 17, 2013. The tutoring sessions are offered at the center, 3146 West Broadway, Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $10 per month.
Areas of focus will be math, English, reading and science. Healthy snacks will be provided.
Contact the Catholic Enrichment Center at 776-0262 for additional information or to register.


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Under the patronage of the Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and the Arts and in cooperation with the European Liaison Office of the German Research Organisations (KoWi) and GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, participants will be offered insights from MSCA experts and successful MSCA applicants who will share their experiences.
In 2021, further opportunities will open up even after this MSCA call. Due to the popularity and over-subscription of the Marie-Skłodowska-Curie programme, many high quality proposals will very likely not receive EU funding. But researchers submitting excellent proposals have the chance to be awarded the prestigious "Seal of excellence" by the Commission. To attract talents to the state of Hessen the Hessian Ministry for Research and the Arts offers a promising avenue for holders of a MSCA Seal of Excellence: If an application is not selected for funding by the EU, but is awarded with a Seal of Excellence, MSCA hosts in Hessia can apply for the Hessian MSCA fellowship. Upon application and within the available budget the state of Hessia has opened a new fellowship programme covering the cost of the incoming MSCA research grant! Researchers submitting their application through an institution based in Hessen can apply.
Do not miss the opportunity to learn more about the new MSCA call and register for the event:


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Home >> Back to Double Glazed Windows
Mrs Brophy of Denton Burn needed her bay windows renewed. She contacted Dave who recommended Kommerling frames with Planitherm EnergiMax glass units. Dave renewed the bays and even painted the internal wooden cills. Mrs Brophy commented on the warmth and sound insulation as being excellent.
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Each frame uses authentic US Postal stamps surrounded by a brief write-up and printed art, which embrace the subject or occupation.
Free Gift Included with All Orders! Click Here
A Perfect Gift
- Great for Birthdays, Retirements, Graduations, Achievements, Holidays, Or just to say thank you.
- Even great for your personal collection.
Ready To Hang
- Framed in a rich mahogany colored polystyrene frame.
- Double matted with a top mat and a hint of burgundy for the bottom mat.
- Complete with acrylic glass, a dust cover for the back, a sawtooth hanger and protective wall bumpers.
Unique Framed Gifts uses real United States Postal Service stamps surrounded by printed words that embrace the subject and enhance the work while surrounded by a hunter green top mat and a hint of burgundy for the bottom mat. The mahogany colored polystyrene frame comes ready to hang for all to view in an office, den, school or nearly anywhere. A truly unique and perfect gift created for the person, company or organization passionate about the story they closely relate to, while appreciating quality work by dedicated American art framers. Each stamp is pulled by hand and mounted onto the print with a spray glue mount, since most stamps are canceled no two stamps are exactly the same and the product you receive may vary slightly from the product image.
A Glimpse Of The Past Through The Pathologist Collection - A dictionary defines a pathologist as: a doctor specializing in identifying diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope. Some recognized pathologists have been celebrated on postage stamps. Louis Pasteur, though technically not a doctor, devoted his life to solving practical problems of industry, agriculture and medicine. A local distiller asked for help in controlling the making of alcohol by fermenting beet sugar, and Pasteur discovered fermentation, putrefaction, infection and souring are all caused by living microbes or germs. Pasteurization revolutionized the dairy industry, food processing, and led to cures for a silk worm disease and the concept of immunization for anthrax and rabies. The basis was laid for the field of pathology and the study of cell changes, with the use of microscopes and new instrumentation. Walter Reed was a 49 year old major in the US Army Medical Corps appointed director of a Commission tasked with finding the cause of alarming casualties in the Spanish American War in Cuba, Yellow Fever. The initial approach, a strictly orthodox bacteriological search for the causative organism, proved ineffective. An interview with a 77 year old Cuban who had spent 20 years on his theory that a certain mosquito transmitted the disease revealed a new direction of investigation. Complete control of the disease followed saving countless lives and enabled the building of the Panama Canal. The Pathologist's skill is identifying dieases by tissue study using microscopes and knowledge of diseases. Pathologists!


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Similar to iFlight, GEPRC is also planing to release their own 4K enabled micro brushless Whoop. Featuring dual-lens Caddx Tarsier camera, the GEPRC CinePro 4K is capable to record Ultra HD videos on-board while it provides ultra-low latency.
The CinePro 4K quadcopter will be offered by GepRC in two variants. While the "Basic" edition comes with STABLE V2 F405 flight controller and 30A ESC, the more powerful "Advanced" is paired with the STABLE PRO F722 DUAL Gyro flight controller and 35A ESC. Both will be available in BNF and PNP versions. You can opt for FrSky R-XSR or XM+ radio receiver.
Thanks to the large Whoop alike blade protectors, it can be used for outdoor as well as for indoor flights.
GEPRC CinePro 4K core features
- GEP-CX2 carbon fiver frame kit (including Whoop alike blade guards);
- STABLE PRO F7 or STABLE V2 F405 flight controller (Advanced/Basic);
- 35A or 30A speed controller (Advanced/Basic);
- GEP-GR1105 5000KV brushless motors;
- 2 inch 4-blade propellers (DalProp Q2035 or EMAX AVAN 2″);
- Dual-lens 1200TVL/4K FPV camera;
- On-board 4K@30fps, 2.7K@60fps, 1080P@90fps video recording;
- 5.8G/48CH video transmitter (0/25/100/200/400/500mW VTX power);
- Tail lights for eye-catching night flights;
- 4S LIPO battery compatible (450-650mAh recommended).
While the upcoming iFlight Cinebee 4K drone is 2s/3s LIPO rated, this GEPRC CinePro 4K claims to be 4s LIPO compatible. Taking into considerations that is equipped with high efficiency GEP-GR1105 5000KV motors, I'm expecting some insane top speed. According to the advertised specs, with a 4S/650mAh battery you can have about 4 minutes of flight time.


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KYIV -- Ukraine's Prosecutor-General Ruslan Ryaboshapka says the prosecutor who led investigations into a local natural-gas company where Joe Biden's son served on the board will be fired.
Former U.S. Vice President Biden and his son Hunter have been central figures in the impeachment inquiry into U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ryaboshapka told Current Time on November 13 that Kostyantyn Kulyk will be fired because he had failed to take a professional exam that the Prosecutor-General's Office has required as part of an effort to remake the law enforcement body.
"According to the current law, we have no other choice but to say goodbye" to Kulyk, the deputy head of the office's Department of International Legal Cooperation, Ryaboshapka said.
Kulyk had sought to recover billions of dollars' worth of assets that former President Viktor Yanukovych and his inner circle, including Mykola Zlochevskiy, allegedly stole from the state.
Zlochevskiy is the owner of the Burisma Group, the nation's largest privately-owned natural gas producer.
Burisma received many of its gas exploration and production licenses when Zlochevskiy headed the Ministry of Ecology in Yanukovych's government.
Hunter Biden joined Burisma's board in April 2014 after Yanukovych and Zlochevskiy had fled the country. The state launched an investigation into the company that year.
Joe Biden was overseeing Ukraine policy during the administration of then-President Barack Obama. Trump has accused him of pressuring officials in Kyiv to fire a former prosecutor-general to halt investigations into Burisma.
George Kent, the top Ukraine official at the State Department, dismissed Trump's claim during his impeachment testimony on November 13.
Burisma Cases
Ryaboshapka said there were 13 to 14 cases opened on Zlochevskiy and at least "one big case on Burisma."
When asked if Hunter Biden features in any ongoing cases into Zlochevskiy or Burisma, Ryaboshapka said he doesn't know because there are thousands of files to sift through, adding that the prosecutor's office is conducting an audit of the cases.
When pressed again in what form theoretically could Hunter Biden feature in the cases, Ryaboshapka said: "In any [form] an investigating prosecutor's imagination allows."
He insisted there has been no pressure exerted on him regarding the investigation of Burisma's activities, adding that many months are needed to fully investigate the case.
"I do not feel any pressure either from our president or foreign political figures. In general, I am free to do everything that I think is proper and corresponds with the law, but not anything that somebody else wants," the prosecutor-general said.
Rudy Giuliani, Trump's personal lawyer who has been investigating the Bidens, has acknowledged meeting Kulyk and his former superior, then-Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko, to discuss corruption allegations against the former vice president.
Kulyk in 2018 compiled a seven-page, English-language dossier on the Bidens that accused Hunter Biden of corruption. He circulated the document, which also accused U.S. diplomats of covering up for crimes allegedly committed by the Bidens.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch suggested Kulyk's dossier, or its key points, had reached the upper echelons of the U.S. government and that she was abruptly recalled from Kyiv based on "unfounded and false claims by people with clearly questionable motives."
Kulyk was transferred from the Military Prosecutor's Office to his current role during a corruption trial in which he was accused of illegal enrichment for leading a lavish lifestyle.
The trial never reached a conclusion because the Supreme Court abolished the illegal enrichment law at the time.
The House of Representatives' inquiry, which could lead to Trump's impeachment, is looking at whether Trump sought to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to open an investigation into White House contender Joe Biden and his son by withholding military aid to the country.
Ryaboshapka said that U.S. law enforcement bodies could do their own investigation because they "have no less information than we have."
"In principle, if they wished, they could conduct the very same investigation [into Burisma and Hunter Biden], and in no lower quality than we are conducting."


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Yesterday I wrote about a poll conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan that found people were interested in flying cars if they were autonomous, shared and electric. As soon as I posted that, I found an email in my inbox saying that ChargePoint and Uber Elevate, among others at the recent conference on flying vehicles, had partnered to prepare for just that exact scenario.
ChargePoint announced the Express Plus charging platform at CES 2017, which allows for faster, more powerful charging and modularity. That means that owners of the stations can expand their charging options as they need to — which includes charging electric flying cars. The latest estimates say that it will take a minimum of 300 kW to charge a flying car 25 percent in 5 minutes, or 25–90 percent in 15 minutes. ChargePoint's Express Plus stations can deliver up to 400 kW per port right now, so operators could add a station for flying vehicles in the future without ripping out infrastructure that's already in place.
ChargePoint already knows that charging quickly generates a lot of heat, which is why it developed liquid-cooled hoses for its Express Plus stations. But charging a flying vehicle would likely require extended cooling, even around the battery pack itself during fast charging. The vehicle needs to be able to ascend to altitude within about 90 seconds, and the batteries need to be cool enough to take that strain.


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Emerge Education, a London-based investment firm focused on edtech, is building a technology portfolio to tackle the growing hole in contemporary work-centred skills – and is attracting a "dream team" of global investors in the process.
Emerge Education, a London-based investment firm focused on edtech, is building a technology portfolio to tackle the growing hole in contemporary work-centred skills – and is attracting a "dream team" of global investors in the process.
These include US education industry giants Dan Sommer and Rob Cohen, UK education leaders Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Assessment, the higher and further education technology body Jisc, Nesta, as well as Brazilian higher education group Grupo Tiradentes.
"I have seen some very interesting startups coming out of Europe recently"
Dan Sommer, founder of Trilogy Education (acquired by 2U for $750 million) and Rob Cohen, founding CFO of 2U, and early-stage Advisor/investor in Trilogy, have joined the backers of Emerge Education's investment fund, which looks beyond the limited edtech market to the large and growing $8.5tn (by 2030) work skills market.
According to the investors, automation and globalisation, arguably coupled with a lack of innovation in existing educational institutions, are creating a worldwide talent supply shortage and a demand for new, tech-based forms of education, training and lifelong learning, at scale.
"I have seen some very interesting startups coming out of Europe recently. At 10x, we are always looking at global education trends which made an investment in Emerge a natural fit," said Sommer, who now runs investment firm 10x Impact.
"This investment enables Cambridge University Press and our colleagues at Cambridge Assessment to stay close to digital innovators in a time of rapid change," added Cambridge University Press CEO, Peter Philips.
The new fund is initially making £250,000 investments in 20-25 pre-seed and seed companies in Europe, with the ability to increase its exposure to £1m per company in later rounds.
Its startups all meet a rapidly growing demand from customers and companies by delivering access to skills training and education that is flexible, massively scalable and aligned to industry needs.
The fund is underpinned by Emerge's unique market expertise, experience and insight, building on five solid years of investing in education founders through an investment syndicate led by Jan Lynn-Matern and Nic Newman.
Its previous 55 investments have attracted over £100m in funding from VCs such as Local Globe, Stride, Project A, Rethink Education, Learn Capital and Reach Capital. The fund's existing portfolio includes Unibuddy, Aula, Fourth Rev and Sales Impact Academy.
A key feature of Emerge Education's successful approach is bringing together investors, strategic partners and a network of key education and industry decision-makers.
Emerge's founder Jan Lynn-Matern said: "Unlike other funds, 50% of our team is fully focused on nurturing our network and extracting valuable insights from the most important groups of customers and partners our portfolio companies serve. In return, we act as an innovation radar for this network.
"Over 20 of these network members have invested in our fund."
"50% of our team is fully focused on nurturing our network and extracting valuable insights"
Nic Newman, who co-founded and exited 300-person tech company TigerSpike prior to joining Emerge, said: "We're extremely passionate about the education sector and the impact that our companies can create to help people lead more fulfilled lives.
"It's a great investment case. We've succeeded in finding the sectors where you can really make excellent ROI and create a significant impact."
Emerge Education welcomes inquiries from new investors and startup founders.
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'SDF' plays the card of ISIS hostages held in their prisons, and draws the attention that they can escape and threatens to release them, every time it's under political or military pressure, especially during the Turkish intervention in Sari Kani and Tell Abiad. SDF is constantly calling for more international financial and political support, and for an international trial for the foreign elements, Arab and local ISIS leaders, amid its criticism of countries that have refused to receive their citizens who were held in those prisons.
Poor Medical Conditions Confuse "SDF"
Following the defeat of ISIS in the battle of the Baghouz, "SDF" managed to capture large numbers of ISIS fighters, and placed them in their own camps and detention centers. Our team in 'Daraj' tried to obtain information from various sources within SDF, but there has been no positive response. However, a media source pointed that "SDF" owns three special prisons for ISIS elements distributed among Dêrik―Al-Malikiyah―Qamishli, and Hasakah, in addition to the presence of other elements in different detention centers and camps such as; Al-Hawl and Ain Issa camps in Ar-Raqqah Governorate, and these include 44 various Arab and foreign nationalities, amid tight security. Such overcrowded camps and detention centers can spell a humanitarian catastrophe, if the coronavirus reaches any of them. The International Rescue Committee issued a statement released earlier, warning that "The UN's inability to provide cross-border medical supplies will affect the ability of humanitarian organizations to meet the health-care needs of those in the camps, especially in "Al-Hawl Camp" that holds the families of ISIS fighters, and has a population density of 37,570 per square kilometer." With the WHO's willingness to send 60 ventilators to the local government health authority in northeastern Syria, and considering the poor medical conditions in the region, the authorities of "SDF" are expected to have addressed the international coalition or even the UN to assist them as well, which is explained by the international coalition's medical supplies and equipment offers―that amount to $1,200,000―to "SDF" to combat the 'coronavirus'. Our team at 'Daraj' reviewed the figures that reveal the vulnerability of the medical conditions in the Kurdish Region, with a maximum of 36 oxygen masks in hospitals and medical centers that belong to the Syrian regime such as the national hospital in Qamishli and Hasakah. Moreover, it is estimated that the number of oxygen devices in Rojava―The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria―is only 20; then there's nine large quarantine centers that were chosen for the whole region in northeastern Syria. However, the International Rescue Committee said that two out of three of the chosen hospitals are not equipped at all.
The 'Coronavirus' Undermines Principal Political Cards
The pandemic has caused confusion, shuffled the cards, and threatened the principal political pressure tactic of the "SDF" which is used against Turkey, the Syrian regime and the international community, especially at a time when ISIS itself seeks to make the Syrian file actors believe that it still exists, and that it can conduct several operations, such as bombings or assassinations.
Maen Talla―a researcher in Omran Center For Strategic Studies―divides the current situation between "SDF" and "ISIS" under Coronavirus into two overlapping actions and tells a Daraj: "The limited activity of the remaining ISIS cells, which the organization is striving to amplify―through its information bulletin and through some of the security operations that are being carried out along Iraq and Syria―has started to become clear. However, its goal in the era of the 'Coronavirus', is to take advantage of the political and security environment that local, regional, and international actors have created to combat the virus, using the remaining tools to show that ISIS has come back to life, which will re-establish, according to ISIS' imagination, the organizational lines that are now in the transition phase after the decisive military strike. The main title of this phase is restoring the "idea and organization" by using the circumstances in favor of creating a chaotic security environment that helps ISIS to come back to life and reorganize ―like capturing and executing elements of some protection units in the countryside of Hasakah, or the bombings that took place in Al-Tabqah city, or its military operations in the Syrian Desert, according to ISIS releases― in order to send a message to the world declaring that it is still there."
Besides the security and financial pressures arising from the frequent arrests of those elements, SDF also mentions large numbers of internees and their families, reaching 11,000 people. This number requires millions of Syrian liras to afford their daily needs. Self-management may seek a way out in terms of the large number of arrested elements by releasing some of them, national reconciliation or other ways, whereas international organizations and the UN refuse to support or finance the camps and prisons. Some speak about the singling out of self-administration by ruling alone, and how it cannot obtain any political recognition from any party, including the Syrian regime itself, which plays a major role in preventing the entry of UNDP organizations into refugee camps, especially the "ISIS" families, or prisons.
The pandemic has caused confusion, shuffled the cards, and threatened the principal political pressure tactic of the "SDF" which is used against Turkey, the Syrian regime and the international community.
According to Talla, "SDF" aims to use the "coronavirus" epidemic to gain more global support. "The Corona crisis will create a new rich investment for "SDF" to gain more support from the west against "ISIS"," adding, "an aim of which initial indicators began to appear as the SDF tried to exaggerate "ISIS"s' performative actions, taking advantage of the rebellion and escape attempts by some ISIS elements in the "Senaa" prison in the Geweran neighborhood in the Hasaka district". Mayles Caggins, spokesman of the coalition, indicated that none of the prominent ISIS elements are detained in this prison.
This indicates SDF's exaggeration of the issue of the ISIS internees and the way in which they raised it specifically at that time, using it as a political-security factor. This exaggeration is reflected in SDF's fear of the coalition's retreat in Iraq and its potential extension to Syria, by decreasing the number of soldiers or a possible re-deployment in the east of the Euphrates. "As prisons are overcrowded with internees, coronavirus will easily spread if one prisoner is infected. Generally, whatever the scenario SDF fears in case coronavirus hits the prisons where ISIS elements are, they will lose an important political factor that used to support them with the US on one hand, and helped them with their internal political statement that is used to skip the representative legitimacy inquiries on the other hand. In all cases, prisons' protection is SDF's most important security and governance challenge, and represents a measure of their precautionary policies. However strong the political factors that SDF attempts to invest in, they will always reflect an exaggeration due to their fear of supporters' retreat (who responded by supporting the sector with 1.2 million dollars). ISIS which used to try hard to create spiritual and propaganda effects is no more the same. All ISIS is capable of now in the self-management areas arises only as the result of poor security governance".
On the other hand, the media source does not regard the SDF's loss as a high probability, saying "assuming that coronavirus broke out in prisons and resulted in the deaths of many internees, however, their countries will be forced to receive their bodies; the bond between SDF and the coalition is strong and requires no new investments".
Observers think that SDF, through their claims, aims to erect a court in the Kurdish district to win political gains due to the financing, judicial teams and international decisions the court requires. SDF may also gain a political and global validation of their self-management and affiliate institutions, as they are banned from attending any international event related to Syria's future.