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Whether it's for her clients or her colleagues, she has a unique way of making things happen and getting things done. Read where her energetic attitude has landed her.
Anila Rao
The Go-Getter
Joined Mu Sigma as a Business Analyst. Worked for one of the US's largest PC manufacturers to run their end to end B2B campaign management.
Promoted to Senior Business Analyst. Built strong technical capabilities providing customer centric insights for direct consumption by the Client's Sales and Marketing teams.
Promoted to Team Lead and singlehandedly managed a 10 member team generating the company over 1 M USD in yearly revenue.
Made a complete switch to an HR role to lead the department 'Enriching Life @ Work'. Responsible for employee engagement, internal communication & marketing. This was the year that made all the difference.
Joined Mu Sigma's leadership team as the youngest member at the age of 26. Responsible for strategy and operations at an organization level.
Joined the Sales team to lead the 30+ member team based out of India. Accountable for the company's growth achieved from on boarding new customers.
Q & A with Anila Rao
I am a sports person at heart. I have played 10 years of professional Table Tennis and am a National level player. Because of my sporting background I have a strong determination to win and that has trained my mind to never give up easily. Something that governs my core and makes me work hard every single day is to generate impact. Impact that is tangible; impact that can be felt. As much as I appreciate awards, recognition and titles, I can't satisfy my inner self unless I am convinced that I have created value. I believe in living in the moment, and my current aspiration is to do whatever it takes to contribute to the success of Mu Sigma. I think of this as my own company and I want my company to succeed. My role in leading the sales team has allowed me to be in a position where I can create direct impact to our growth.
Surreal. 6 years has gone by so fast - with the myriad opportunities, challenges, successes and failures. The highlight of this journey has been the various roles I have played across horizontals like, Decision Sciences, Employee Engagement, Marketing and Communication, Operations and now Sales. It's like a volley ball team where I have learnt to play at almost all positions. Now I can strategically place myself in a role that brings the greatest benefit to my company. Also through these years, I have never restricted myself just to my work. I have represented Mu Sigma in multiple sports tournaments winning titles for the company, participated in CSR activities, helped on multiple Org level initiatives, mentored new hires, worked with Marketing to create collateral, worked with Resource Management to set up systems. I truly believe, the more you do, the more you can do.
In many aspects like, keeping calm and thinking with a clear mind at almost all times, having an experimental mindset and trying out multiple solutions in a very short time, having an outcome based perspective on my actions, learning to structure and operationalize large systems. All of these have subconsciously helped me improve my daily life, my relationship with my family and friends, manage my home and my hobbies with equal gusto. Overall, Mu Sigma has made me a stronger version of myself. But truly the greatest influence Mu Sigma has had on me is the courage I have built to take on any challenge, no matter how big. My current role in Sales is a reflection of that. It has taught me to trust in my capabilities and have the belief that you will find a path, provided you work very hard.
I interpret Mu Sigma as a land of opportunities where age, gender, ethnicity, educational background etc. have no significance. What matters is your ability to grab and convert these opportunities and to let your work speak for itself.
In my role as a Decision Scientist, extracting value from a customer's journey for the right attribution to company activities and recommending the next best action from behavioral analysis. In my Employee Engagement stint, I ran the 'Bengaluru, Let's wish' campaign to utilize Mu Sigma's Decision Sciences capability to improve the city of Bengaluru. A city wide campaign which ended in presenting our best solution to the Deputy Commissioner of Police. While helping manage the operations of the company, I have strategized and operationalized two landmark initiatives – Changing the entire company's employee work timings and setting up the wellness center in our office premises. As for my current role in leading the Sales team based out of India, I think I am doing the unimaginable – driving international sales from Bengaluru without traveling.
I must admit! It was the first time I appeared on our Leadership Org chart. I will never forget that day in Nov 2016. I was thrilled to realize that I had created significant impact and value to deserve a place on that chart. I have kept a printout of that for memory.
I thoroughly enjoy being an intrapreneur at Mu Sigma. I have a couple of ideas in mind that I wish to bring alive, maybe being an entrepreneur will be my next calling.
Read about the journey of an engineer who went from synthesizing asprin in a laboratory to commingling complexities of the corporate world
Nihar Vakil
The back-bencher
Joined Mu Sigma as a Junior Associate in the September batch of the Columbus Program
Managed a sub-group with the world's largest telecom company with a team of 4
Promoted to Associate leading sub-groups at two separate accounts in the Dallas region
Accepted the role of Apprentice Engagement Manager responsible for the engagement with one of the world's premier Consumer Packaged Goods company
Q & A with Nihar Vakil
I never liked the classroom, but always loved learning. It took me a long time to realize this as well, and it wasn't until recently that I was forced to read, yet given the time and freedom to choose my subjects. I hold a degree in Chemical Engineering, yet what really defines me is my love for acoustic music – I play the piano, movies – I watch all things Bollywood, Martial Arts – I am a Brown Belt at Judo, and my Dog – Ranchhoddas the mischievous Golden. Having left home (Mumbai) when I was 17, I flew to the United States of America to lead the ultra-independent life I wanted to have, and that is exactly what the past 8 years have gone in building. Not one to follow the norm, I had my first paid job a year before I decided to move out, as a Production Manager in a startup theatre company which has now become a popular creative engine in India. Ever since, there has not been a time when I haven't been actively employed. Ultimately true to my Indian roots, I am still heavily emotionally attached to my family back in Mumbai and aspire to be back some day to run the family business.
Mu Sigma is my first full time engagement. I was hired directly from Ohio State University and chose to join for one very simple reason – I would get to visit India for an extended period of time. The balance between my two homes was something I was looking for, and I feel lucky to have found it. The Columbus Program, all its intricacies and quirks included, was a humbling albeit character building experience. Living a college lifestyle even after graduating, in a new space, surrounded by a special breed of humans – those who were comfortable in being uncomfortable, each with fresh attitudes and perspectives, was a journey unparalleled. My Mu Sigma journey has taken me from a Junior Associate to Associate to Apprentice Engagement Manager, working with multiple clients and across multiple projects. Doesn't feel like it will end here, either, because Mu Sigma is just so much fun to work in.
The company inherently does wonders to you because of the boldness of its character. It gives you the opportunity to observe and experience the real world first hand, from clients who are leaders from huge corporations. This influences you directly and heavily. Confidence that would otherwise stay dormant, now oozes in abundance. Business is all about people, and the types of different people you can encounter is equivalent to the earth's population. Mu Sigma has allowed me to have an unmatched number of interactions with various minds, and I am learning different ways of dealing with people in the process. The philosophy behind Mu Sigma is not one that should be limited to its walls. I can now say "I don't know" without any hesitation, because I know that I have all the resources available to me to learn.
Mu Sigma is young and scrappy. Mu Sigma is curious and restless.
One of the world's largest Consumer Packaged Goods companies wanted to get ahead of the market and identify various snacking trends much before they matured. They wanted to capitalize on those trends by being the first multinational to take them mainstream. Mu Sigma built an org-wide consumable tool that latches on to these trends from all over the globe and suggests how nascent or established they are in their life cycle. The tool also forecasts the length of the trend's life span. Outputs from this are currently being used to make decisions on multiple mergers and acquisitions.
At Mu Sigma, every experience is a mini roller coaster, but the one that vividly stands out for me is my first day in the Mu Sigma office in Bangalore – not knowing what to expect, we walk in escorted by a senior mentor to an open floor full of Mu Sigmans doing things that needed to get done. The energy was infectious.
Ice cream connoisseur.
Ambitious and challenging, yet a great learning, read about Justin's life changing experiences at Mu Sigma that shaped his dream
Justin Ryan Page
The Shot Caller
Joined Mu Sigma in early 2015 where I was part of the second full time Columbus program and spent 6 months in India. After completing my journey, I joined an engagement with a large retailer and e-commerce company
Began leading a new and larger team centered around supply chain management and optimization with the retail and ecommerce company, further expanding my experience and opening new learnings along the way
Promoted to Associate and led a team with another coworker of 17 offshore team members tackling merchandising and operations problems for the organization, ranging from immediate turn around requests as well as long term strategy
Promoted to Apprentice Engagement Manager and transferred to one of the world largest insurance providers to manage the engagement and lead all day to day project steps and activities
Q & A with Justin Ryan Page
A graduate of Rutgers University with a background in Supply Chain Management, I worked with two Fortune 500 companies prior to joining Mu Sigma. After leaving college, I realized that I wanted to continue solving problems, working with a large organization. My interest in learning new things and the opportunity to create change made Mu Sigma the ideal place for me to grow. The skills I have learnt and experiences I have had in my 3.5 years here have given me an edge over those I graduated with, as well as memories I will never forget.
Joining in February 2015, I had the opportunity to be a part of the second Columbus batch to stay in India. Since then, I had the opportunity to work with two clients: the largest retailer in the world and the largest healthcare insurance provider in the world. I have gained a wide set of skills and experiences across both eco-systems and gained industry knowledge that would take individuals decades to obtain.
The company has shown me what my true potential is. It has taught me to not be afraid of learning and taking on something I am not familiar with. It has also given me the opportunity to explore areas I would not have tried to learn about on my own. From leadership abilities to analytical and problem-solving skills, the company has shaped me into a completely new individual for the better.
Mu Sigma is the 21st century detective agency. We solve problems and find solutions. It's as simple as that.
I worked with a retail client on creating a Decision Board for them which dealt with futuristic and technological advances in its stores. The specialty of this project was the fact that it was envisioned by the CEO of the E-Commerce division, whose team went through our visualizations to make their decisions.
A request by the CMO of a large corporation, who needed an analysis to be done within 2 hours for presenting in a board meeting. Although it was very stressful and required a lot of work to be done in analysis and visualization, the reward and satisfaction of completing the ask was something I will never forget.
I would most likely be in Graduate school pursuing my PH.D. I have a passion for both teaching and learning, and would be taking strides to pursue options that would most likely lead to becoming a professor.
From working on prototypes to introducing Mu Sigma to prospective joinees, read how Mridula's energy and enthusiasm helped her experience a variety of roles in the company
Mridula Nair
The Explorer
Joined as a Trainee Decision Scientist and started working on a prototype with the pharmacy division of one of the world's largest retailers
Promoted to Decision Scientist and found an opportunity to work in the Founder's Office on a number of initiatives to enable quick turn-around times for projects in delivery
Worked on an initiative to incorporate problem solving in undergraduate education. In parallel, took on the responsibility of introducing Mu Sigma to prospective joinees for the campus hiring team
Moved to the Sales & Commercialization team as a strategic client partner undertaking generation of leads, interaction with senior executives from the Fortune 500 to help them jump on the Mu Sigma Problem Solving bandwagon
Q & A with Mridula Nair
An Electronics & Telecommunication engineer by education, I was keen on joining the Armed Forces after my undergraduation, but life decided to take a different turn altogether. I decided to join Mu Sigma. I have always tried to challenge myself in all sorts of ways, knowingly or unknowingly, and at Mu Sigma I have had multiple opportunities to do so through the different roles I have taken up. I didn't realise what my ambitions were until I attended a mock client call during my training period.
I realised I wanted to lead these calls and take on the challenge of convincing the stakeholder on the other end. So, from convincing a Fortune 500 client to adopt our solutions then, to convincing Fortune 500 companies to take on Mu Sigma as an analytics partner now, I have been able to test my abilities thoroughly, and continue to do so every day.
My journey started with long nights of trying to convert a pilot project for one of the world's largest retailers. After 2 months of perseverance, we succeeded in converting the project, which eventually grew to be one of the largest teams in the engagement. During this time, I was responsible for communicating with multiple stakeholders on the client's side while designing solutions with the team. In parallel, I decided to join the Mu Sigma dramatics club which I started leading in a short span of time, hosting and conducting multiple events.
I was a part of multiple initiatives in the Founder's office, but the one I worked extensively on was a project to integrate problem solving into India's education system. I would also use my time to introduce Mu Sigma to new and prospective joinees - fresh undergraduates and laterals alike. From there I decided to make the jump into the Sales team and take on a new challenge. Delivery, drama and so much more - my journey of 3 years has been an adventure so far!
I have always loved meeting new people - there is so much to learn! Here at Mu Sigma, I have had the fortune of meeting so many different kinds of people and have learnt so much from my interactions with them. The Mu Sigma ecosystem has been created such that these interactions are almost seamless, and that has allowed me to traverse through various roles and explore, something not many organizations would offer. Through the course of my 3-year tenure here, I have grown to be more confident and eager to face newer situations and challenges!
Mu Sigma is a cauldron of controlled chaos. It has its highs and lows, but is always bubbling with energy, exciting to watch, and even better to experience!
During my time working on shaping the curriculum for problem solving, I had to interact with a variety of people to understand their stake in the project. It entailed convincing universities to take on a project this ambitious, understanding parents' concerns to tailor the course keeping their priorities in mind and most importantly, interacting with children to understand their abilities, ambitions, and requirements. I never expected to do something of this sort in a corporate organisation, but Mu Sigma surprised me, and continues to do so.
I was mentoring young interns from 10th to 12th grade in my second year of Mu Sigma and it was a daunting task! Naturally, I was concerned how "my kids" would fare through it all. At the end of their two month internship, they presented their work in front of our entire leadership team, and were much appreciated! That moment was a testament to the potential success of the project I was working on.
I've been a student, a mentor, a lead, and here I felt like a mother duck. Who knew a company would make you feel that at 23?
Making a difference in the world - working with children or enabling them in some or the other way.


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Inside Microsoft's Increased Focus on Azure
IT pros know they can never stop learning. We know that, too. That's why CBT Nuggets provides a complete training platform for IT professionals at any level, and IT teams of any size. Learn more about CBT Nuggets Business Solutions.
Earlier this year, Microsoft made waves when it announced it was shifting gears. Its primary focus is now Azure, rather than Windows. It might seem perplexing because Windows is still popular among enterprise organizations.
Microsoft leadership bet its future on Azure. That's why a cloud platform, not an OS, now drives Microsoft.
Putting a bold vision into action
Satya Nadella is a 180-degree departure from his brash predecessor Steve Ballmer. While Ballmer would be sweating through his shirt screaming, Nadella has an "air of imperturbable capability." He's been described as thoughtful, inclusive and egoless. But he's every bit as competitive as Ballmer and their predecessor — Bill Gates.
Strategically and tactically, Nadella went all in on the cloud from his first day. His first company-wide email outlined a cloud-centric mission. A month after Nadella became CEO, Windows Azure was renamed Microsoft Azure. The subtle change symbolized a bold direction. Azure, not Windows, would drive Microsoft.
Windows is obviously still around. Very much so. Though, it's been transformed by the "cloud think" permeating all of Microsoft's traditional product offerings. There's now focus on seamless architecture from premise to cloud. Consider the Windows as a Service feature that launched in 2017.
Using the cloud, Microsoft now delivers product updates and new features several times a year. The traditional update cycle was semi-annual or longer. Other Microsoft legacy products such as Office 365 also use this model.
Nadella isn't afraid to go against tradition either to implement his vision. Long a staunch defender of proprietary software, Microsoft now embraces open source. Remember, Ballmer famously called Linux a "cancer." Nadella delivered another 180-degree turn. In 2014, he said, "Microsoft loves Linux. Twenty percent of Azure is already Linux. We will always have first-class support for Linux." As of Fall 2017, 40 percent of virtual machines in Azure ran Linux.
This once unlikely relationship signals Microsoft's embrace of the cloud. To provide customers with more flexibility, it needed open source in the fold. Proving Microsoft was more than Windows helped Azure appeal to more customers.
Banking on Azure as an enterprise cloud solution
From the get-go, Nadella positioned Azure as the cloud solution for the enterprise. During his first year as CEO, he touted Microsoft's data centers. He encouraged businesses to use them to store data, house software, and even handle big data.
And Microsoft invested accordingly in its data center infrastructure.
In Q1 2016, Microsoft increased its data center spend by 65 percent. The investment enabled it to meet the increasing business demand for cloud services. Today, Microsoft has 52 data center regions, more than any of its competitors.
Microsoft is banking on the versatility of Azure's hybrid cloud. Organizations need consistency across development environments, operating models, and technology stacks. A hybrid cloud provides that stability, allowing services and applications to run together.
More organizations are using hybrid clouds to drive business strategies. And for organizations using applications that don't translate well to the cloud, hybrid clouds are ideal.
Expect AI (artificial intelligence) to be the next big thing for Microsoft. Nadella believes converting data to AI will help businesses gain competitive advantages. Azure's advanced tech already uses AI and the IoT.
In a span of just four years, Nadella used Azure to turnaround Microsoft. That doesn't appear to be changing any time soon.
Learn how LittleFish built their organization around Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA certs. Discover more about CBT Nuggets Business Solutions.
Azure, not Windows, is driving Microsoft's strategy and revenue growth
Windows is no longer the powerhouse that drives Microsoft's growth. From organizational changes to recent acquisitions, Azure is at the forefront.
Earlier this year, Microsoft formed two new engineering teams: "Cloud + AI Platform" and "Experiences & Devices". The goal of these teams is to lead Microsoft's intelligent cloud and edge efforts.
These teams were formed by splitting apart the previous Windows and Devices group. Windows Server development also is now under the Cloud + AI Platform group. Under this realignment, legacy development teams are subservient to the cloud.
Earlier this month, Microsoft acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion. Such a move five years would've been unfathomable. GitHub is an open source software development platform. But times have changed under Nadella.
About 24 million people use GitHub, which features more than 80 million repositories. Owning GitHub strengthens Microsoft's relationship with open source. It's also really a shrewd brand ploy. The more Microsoft appeals to developers, the more likely developers will use Azure. Despite the initial backlash, the acquisition is sound logic given GitHub's wild popularity.
It appears Microsoft is finally free of the Windows stranglehold. Azure drives the decisions — even ones that don't provide direct or immediate financial gain. However, Microsoft can afford to play the long game. It's not like the cloud isn't paying off.
At the end of Q3 2017, Microsoft's commercial cloud annualized revenue was more than $20 billion. Microsoft relies on its enterprise savvy and established customer base to push Azure. For example, Azure integrates well with Windows Server. Legacy products like Windows Server are still widely used. It also doesn't hurt that Azure's interface is described as business friendly.
How does this shift affect Learners?
Microsoft's cloud-heavy strategy is causing significant changes to their organizational structure. But there won't be an immediate impact on IT professionals or end users. This is especially true when it comes to certification.
If you've already started, continue on your MCSA or MCSE paths. If you hold those certs, you should earn Azure certification. It would position you to help enterprises leverage Azure. As a result, you'd likely be in high demand.
Start first with Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA): Cloud Platform. Then move on to earning your Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) in Cloud Platform and Infrastructure. We also prepare learners for the MCSA: Cloud Platform certification exams with the Microsoft Azure 70-532 and Microsoft Azure 70-533 courses.
Microsoft placed more value on the cloud. Why shouldn't you? Adding more cloud to your skill set will help you keep up with the changing IT industry.
Not a CBT Nuggets subscriber? Start your free week now.
CBT Nuggets has everything you need to learn new IT skills and advance your career — unlimited video training and Practice Exams, Virtual Labs, validated learning with in-video Quizzes, Accountability Coaching, and access to our exclusive community of IT professionals.
Learn more about the CBT Nuggets Learning Experience.


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This post is sponsored by Panasonic – check out their awesome waterproof camera range (shooting in 4k underwater looks INCREDIBLE).
My photography has improved a lot over the years of blogging – but my philosophy on taking photos for my blog hasn't really changed all that much. I'm inherently lazy when it comes to taking photos for my blog because it's not the part I enjoy. I love the wordy bit but know I need at least one photo to grab people's attention.
Sure, I can put together a half-decent flatlay and make the necessary Photoshop tweaks to make it look a bit more ~appealing~, but compared to the more established blogger who has a top-notch DSLR and actual real natural light coming into their home, my photos are pretty average.
But y'know what, that's OK. Photos don't need to be perfect to get people to read your blog. So if you're lazy like me and would rather hone their writing skills than learn about ISO and apertures, then here are some nifty tricks for you.
Pick the time of day carefully
This is easier said than done, especially at this time of year and if you work full time. Try batch taking photos at the weekend, or taking a camera out with you on your way to work and finding somewhere to take some natural snaps.
Obviously, it depends on what you're taking a photo of as to how possible this is, but you could always take photos out in your garden on a weekend morning to make the most of natural light without having to get up earlier in the morning to do it before work.
Use a point and shoot
Learning the ins and outs of a DSLR is time-consuming, and not lazy person certified.
Instead, get a compact point and shoot which does all the hard work for you, and also doesn't weigh a tonne which means you're more likely to take it out day to day. You could also use your phone if you're not going to be shooting in low lighting.
Get wallpaper samples
Need a background for your flatlays? Get wallpaper samples for a quick, cost-effective way of getting a photo for your blog post.
I own a roll of plain white wallpaper I picked up from Wilko for about a fiver, and I mix up the background occasionally by adding some wrapping paper from Paperchase or Etsy. Make sure to opt for matte papers to prevent glare!
Make the most of Photoshop
Anyone who is decent at Photoshop can tell the vast majority of my photos have been edited. There's nowt wrong with editing your photos though.
I edit mine to try and reduce shadow and help colours "pop". The tools I use the most are brightness and contrast, levels, curves and the quick selection tool to select areas if I need to just edit parts of the photo. That last one is a lifesaver if you have a white background which has come out grey, and you just want to lighten it slightly rather than lighten every item in the image. It can get a bit fiddly…but practice makes passable!
Take photos from multiple angles
I know, that sounds like ~more work~ which is not what you want, but it will pay off when you come to going through your snaps and choosing the right one(s) to use. If you take 20 photos of the same thing, at the same angle you'll have 20 of the same mistake. Take photos from multiple angles, and you'll find the one where the light hit just right and the shadow was as minimal as possible.
While many things can be tweaked in Photoshop, it's best to have some options to work with as you'll otherwise end up having to create the flatlay/set up all over again because none of the photos came out right.
So there we have it – a few photography tips for lazy people like me who really just wish that photos would take themselves and be bloody beautiful with no editing required. But hey, we live in an imperfect world so hopefully these tips will help taking photos feel less like a chore!
Are you lazy when it comes to taking blog photos, or is it your favourite bit? Any extra tips would be greatly appreciated down in the comments!


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The Outdoor Living Industry has seen tremendous growth in the last 15 years, hitting its stride in 2018. Here in the Southwest, the idea of creating an outdoor room appeals to people across all generations. We have a natural appreciation for the outdoors. Creating beautiful backyard spaces is no longer an afterthought, especially when it comes to newer homes.
Bringing Home Outdoors is a concept that is exciting, but can be a bit intimidating if you are attempting to design an area on your own. Keep in mind that your outdoor room is YOURS! It can be grand and luxurious, or small and comfortable. Spend a little time in your outdoor area visualizing how you will use the space. Do you want to expand the area, perhaps create more shade with an overhead awning or pergola, or even motorized sun shades? In considering the outdoor kitchen, which is often the focus of any outdoor living area, what — and how — do you like to cook? A grill, charcoal or gas, side burner, storage drawers and doors, refrigerator, and even ice makers are just some of the many options to choose from for the perfect outdoor cooking experience.
Do you see yourself entertaining often? Will your guests be primarily adults, or will families with children be the focus? Do you have room for additional seating, or would a bar with built-in seating better accommodate your guests? What about including a fire or water feature? Firepits and outdoor fireplaces provide ambience, and function as heat for cool fall evenings. Including a misting system to help cool things on warm summer nights is inexpensive and will be an invitation to stay outside a bit longer. Perhaps including a television, stereo, and a surround-sound system is a must for your group – think of all those games you want to enjoy watching with friends!
To truly capture the essence of Outdoor Living, take your ideas to a professional. It's important to have someone come and assess your area, making sure that electrical, water, and gas utilities are available or can be brought in properly. It's always a good idea to get a professional opinion on the layout and functionality of your area. Make sure you hire contractors who are licensed and insured – ask to see their credentials. Consider using the contractor who does it all, or use multiple trade specialists for the different aspects of your project. Get a few bids for your project, but make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Remember that a business that has been around for a number of years, specializing in a particular trade, may be a bit more expensive than the guy creating and building out of his garage. There's value in experience, and satisfied customers may have to pay a bit more to be assured of quality workmanship and warrantied work. Look for outdoor kitchen components that are meant to last – it's expensive to have to remodel an island if your grill needs to be replaced.
Being outdoors invigorates us, pulling us out of the craziness of life. It helps us find balance and lifts our spirit. Just as we find refuge inside our homes, we can find joy and purpose in outdoor living – and it can be in the convenience of our own backyard. Investing in a professionally designed and built outdoor living area adds value to your home and your life.
You can find BBQ Hut at 390 North Mall Drive, Suite D, St. George, Utah. Visit their website at www.bbqhututah.com or give them a call (435) 673-3939.


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Ecousable, Inc. invents, produces and markets reusable eco-friendly products that are fashionable and affordable for everyone. Our company's product line is founded on its desire to save our natural resources in an ecologically, environmentally and economical way. The two flagship products, Water Wrapz™ (a removable and reusable band to identify your water bottle) and EcoUsable bottles (Stainless Steel bottle that are 100% recyclable) reduce the amount of plastic water bottles one uses, while saving money everyday. The Company will also offer other planet-friendly products manufactured by sustainable companies looking to make a difference in the world. Our mission is to be the premiere online source for eco-shopping, offering reusable eco-friendly products, to reduce the carbon footprint for the future generations.
I was given the opportunity to review a set of EcoUsable water bottles. I was sent:
1- 10oz Water Bottle
2 – 16oz Water Bottles
1- 25oz Echo2 Filtered Water Bottle
1 – 25oz Big Dipper Water Bottle
1 – 33oz Water Bottle
Plus a few accessories, such as a sport top, Water Wrap, and bottle strap.
Standard bottle features include:
BPA Free, Aluminium Free, non-leaching and no liner required!
Sustainable, reusable, and recyclable
Half-turn loop top for easy access to your drink on all non-filtered bottles; fewer threads mean less chance of bacterial growth.
Easy to clean and fits ice cubes
Convenient carabeener clip standard on every bottle
Made from 304 food grade stainless steel
I was excited to received so many and I knew exactly how and where to use them – mainly the Big Dipper and the Echo2 Filtered Bottle. I wanted to use the Echo2 Bottle with my kids. I always want to make sure I have clean water for them, so that one went into my diaper bag. The Big Dipper went to my husband and the 33oz was all mine! I am such a big water drinker that the 33oz was perfect! My husband was very happy to get the Big Dipper since he goes to the gym all of the time.
One thing I realized right away – I can use less plastic by buying water jugs instead of the pallets we usually get. I can also save money that way, even more if we decide to go with a water cooler and filling my EcoUsable bottles. Plus EcoUsable Water Bottles are BPA-free, so they are safe than standard plastic water bottles. Nice!! I am very happy with the stainless steel construction of the EcoUsable bottles. To have reusable, easy to clean vessel is a great way to reduce the size on my family's carbon footprint.
I did run a little taste-test with the Filtered Water Bottle. My husband can usually tell the difference between tap water and bottled water, and I am happy to say the filtered water tasted better according to him!
Using sustainable, reusable, and recyclable products is a great way to help the environment. And EcoUsable products would be a great option for making this world a little better for our future generations!
EcoUsable is sold online as well as in over 1500 stores nationwide! And EcoUsable has generously offered a 10% discount for online purchases! Use code ECO10 at checkout!
One lucky reader will win a purple 16oz EcoUsable Water Bottle and Sport Top!
Mandatory entry – Visit EcoUsable on Facebook and "like" them! Write on their wall that Mommy Wants Freebies sent you and how you can help make the world ecologically better! It could be how you would use EcoUsable products, or something small that you do right now. I use reusable shopping bags and now reusable EcoUsable Water Bottles! Be sure to comment back here afterward so that your entry counts!
Extra Entries!
One entry each (leave a separate comment for each entry!):
Follow Mommy Wants Freebies! via Google Connect (right side of page) – 5 ENTRIES!
Grab my button and tell me where I can find it – 3 ENTRIES
Blog about this giveaway! Be sure to leave your blog URL – 3 ENTRIES
Subscribe to Mommy Wants Freebies! via email (right side of page) and be in-the-know with every giveaway and freebie! – 2 ENTRIES
Like Mommy Wants Freebies! on Facebook – if you would like, leave a comment and say hi! – 1 ENTRY
Follow EcoUsable on Twitter! – 1 ENTRY
Follow Mommy Wants Freebies! on Twitter! – 1 ENTRY
Tweet: RT WIN! @ecousable #giveaway with @mommywantsfree Mommy Wants Freebies! Ends 07/20! http://www.mommywantsfreebies.com – you can do this once daily! 1 ENTRY PER TWEET
Vote for Mommy Wants Freebies for Top Mommy Blogs – you can do this once daily! 1 ENTRY PER VOTE
Please make sure you leave your email address in each comment (unless it is in your profile)! I really want to be able to contact the winner!
Giveaway ends Monday 07/26 at 11:59pm PST! Winner will be determined via random.org and must respond to my email within 48 hours with shipping info!
Good Luck!


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Privacy Officer
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$140,340.00 -140,340.00/year*
Whitehouse Station , NJ
51 School Rd
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Description Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurer. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. The company is distinguished by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength, underwriting excellence, superior claims handling expertise and local operations globally. Chubb seeks an experienced privacy attorney for the role of Privacy Officer, North America. This individual will report directly to the North America General Counsel and will report on a matrix basis to the Global Chief Privacy Officer .The Privacy Officer, North America will lead the privacy function in North America in close coordination with the North America General Counsel and the Global Chief Privacy Officer. The Privacy Officer, North America is responsible for overseeing ongoing activities related to the development, implementation, maintenance and adherence to the organization's policies and procedures covering privacy in accordance with applicable laws as they relate to and impact North America. Job responsibilities include: Providing advice to facilitate compliance with applicable laws regulating the use and protection of personal information including GLBA, FCRA, HIPAA, state insurance laws, international laws and the company's policies. Developing and implementing privacy training and awareness campaigns. Working to develop relationships with regulators and other government officials responsible for privacy and data security issues. Working with government affairs, legal counsel and other related parties to represent the organization's information privacy interests with external parties, including government bodies, which undertake to adopt or amend privacy legislation, regulation or standard. Performing privacy impact assessments and participating in privacy audits and regulatory examinations Working with corporate partners and incident response teams to prepare and respond to data security incidents including advice on compliance with state, federal and international notification laws. Working with legal counsel and management, key departments and committees to ensure the organization has and maintains appropriate privacy and confidentiality consent, authorization forms and information notices and materials reflecting current organization and legal practices and requirements. Providing advice on privacy issues associated with the use of personal information for analytics, digital and other initiatives. Working with third party risk management staff on privacy and information security controls including assisting in the drafting and negotiation of third party service provider contracts and assessments. Providing advice on privacy and information security legislative, regulatory and case law developments and facilitating the implementation of compliance initiatives. Qualifications: J.D. with at least 10 years of experience in a law firm or an in-house corporate law department with emphasis on privacy law. Certified Information Privacy Professional Designation preferred. Financial services/insurance industry experiencepreferred. Strong knowledge of federal and state information security and privacy laws, regulations and regulatory guidelines including GLBA, FCRA, HIPAA, state insurance privacy laws and state breach notification laws. Strong knowledge of international privacy and information security laws and regulations. Experience with digital privacy issues in the online and mobile environment. Experience with third party service provider privacy and information security issues in business transactions and contracts. Strong collaborative, writing, analytical and communication skills. Chubb offers a competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits package including life, health and dental, vision, a generous retirement savings plan, disability coverage, stock purchase plan, flexible spending accounts, tuition reimbursement, and business casual dress. Chubb is an equal opportunity employer and our employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, disability, handicap, marital status or any other status or condition protected by Federal and/or State laws, except where bona fide occupational qualifications apply. Whitehouse Station - A Whitehouse Station 08889-1600 Legal Travel - Yes, 25 % of the Time Job Posting - Mar 6, 2019, 3:27:38 AMSalary Range: NAMinimum Qualification11 - 15 years
Associated topics: company, compliance, compliance department, compliance office, corporate attorney, counsel, court, legal affairs, llp, market
* The salary listed in the header is an estimate based on salary data for similar jobs in the same area. Salary or compensation data found in the job description is accurate.
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text:
Marist graduate Kristina Danella was named women's basketball head coach at San Francisco State University on Monday. She went 18-10 at Urbana in 2013-14, and 65-25 in the last three seasons at Caldwell. She was 25-6 this season, guiding Caldwell to its first NCAA Div. II tourney appearance and was named the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference coach of the year.
Danella played two seasons at Marist (2011-13) after transferring from Massachusetts. She played in two NCAA Div. I tournaments with the Red Foxes. As a senior, she won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Sixth Man of the Year award, led the MAAC in 3-point shooting (.410), ranked 12th nationally in free throw shooting (.887) and averaged nine points and four rebounds.
"I am honored and pleased to be named the next head women's basketball coach at San Francisco State," Danella said. "I want to thank President Wong, director of athletics Charles Guthrie and the search committee for the opportunity to join this amazing community. Charles is relentless in his efforts to surpass all expectations at San Francisco State. Under his leadership, the decision to become a Gator was not only an easy choice but the right one for my family and me. I will work tirelessly to create a culture of excellence in everything that we do. I am more than thrilled to call San Francisco State my new home."
"Kristina is a rising star with a competitive spirit," Guthrie said. "She has turned two different programs completely around from not winning to winning. She has made postseason appearances multiple times as a head coach and student athlete, and she has an overall winning record everywhere she has coached in women's basketball. We were highland impressed with her in-depth tactical knowledge of women's basketball, organizational structure, energy, ability to connect with the student athletes on and off the court and her California networks."
San Francisco State was 4-23 last season.
Danella is one of at least 18 former players who were coached by Marist head coach Brian Giorgis who went into the coaching ranks. Here is a link to a July 2012 story about Giorgis' extensive coaching tree.
An update to that 2012 story has Stephanie Del Preore as head coach at Long Island University, and Nikki Flores and Emily Stallings as assistants at American University, under former Giorgis assistant Megan Gebbia. Erin (Leger) Doughty is married now and still on Giorgis' bench. Alisa Kresge left Marist in June 2016 to become associate head coach at the University of Vermont.


text:
Since Doug Elkins created "Fräulein Maria," his witty, charming homage to "The Sound of Music," three years ago, it has become a cultish annual ritual for certain dancegoers. By force of circumstance, the cult has remained contained: "Fräulein" had its premiere on the tiny stage of Joe's Pub, which holds commensurately small audiences. And there was something (indeed, much) to be said for watching this marvelously entertaining piece up close, martini in hand. (Of course, no on-duty reviewer for The New York Times has ever done the martini part.)
But this year "Fräulein Maria" has moved to the comparatively large stage of Dance Theater Workshop. On Friday half the audience seemed to be regulars, discussing whether they liked the change to a bigger stage, or whom they preferred in certain roles.
You can understand why "Fräulein Maria" inspires such fondness. It is a mini-masterpiece of a certain kind, encompassing everything that is brilliant about Mr. Elkins's choreography: his skillful craftsmanship; his musicality and timing; the effortless melding of every kind of dance technique you can think of, mediated by his own inimitable, highly coordinated physical style.
That style makes breaking and ballet look like obvious bedfellows; feeds popping and voguing into formal line and structure; quotes Balanchine's "Apollo" alongside the many-armed images of Hindu deities; juxtaposes Martha Graham and José Limón, Isadora Duncan and step dance.
But Mr. Elkins isn't all choreographic dazzle, and these juxtapositions never seem arbitrary (although they can be arch). He also knows how to touch on deeper emotional truths through movement. The way his nuns (dressed in black hoodies) form beautifully patterned lines during the liturgical opening to "Alleluia"; his dance for three Marias (one played by a man) and their Captain von Trapp to "Something Good"; and most of all, his own superb, moving solo to "Climb Every Mountain": all these respond to something essential about the music and the lyrics, and are often funny too.Continue reading the main story
On the larger stage Mr. Elkins has been able to expand these and the other dances into fuller versions of the original, making even more explicit how structurally clever and choreographically ingenious he can be. (The clearest example of this is "Do Re Mi," turned into a brilliant lesson in dance composition.)
Yet the bigger theater also exposes problems in "Fräulein Maria": the transitions between sections can be sketchy; the stage looks a little bare (though the opening section, with its elementary-school mountain peaks formed by fabric, is still a delight). But these aren't serious obstacles to the sheer pleasure provided by this piece and its wonderful dancers.
"Can I take my whole class?" a child asked after the performance. Quite.Continue reading the main story


text:
Sunday, December 29, 2013
When we go anywhere, it is quite difficult to find things that we really want. Last week,we went shopping at the market in Bangkok and at the night market in Chiengmai and Chieng Rai. I actually want to buy the sewing accessories,threads, yarns or other things related to embroidery.But it was quite frustrated because I could not spot any of those items..maybe the place was too big or located at the other end of the place..also,the participants were from different interest..I love sewing items but our friends like bags, clothes,shoes and other unique handicrafts.I imagined that one day I would go with my common interest friends and we can focus on the things that we love doing...sewing kits, embroideries, crochet, cotton cloth etc. I did only once came across a shop selling cotton material with so many choices but alas.. they were all rushing to visit the Umbrella Making Factory..no time to buy! so Zila jom!
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Just to share my experience of having a trip to Thailand. Last week, my colleagues and I went to Thailand for a holiday. We went to visit Bangkok, Chieng Mai,Chieng Rai, border of Myanmar, boating to Laos and also a border town to Cambodia.Instead of all the dispute in Bangkok, we enjoyed ourselves very much.We went by bus and the journey was very very far from the south of Thailand to the border of Myanmar at the town of Mea Sai.All of us were like in a fridge as the temperature for that night was minus 0. During the day , it was about 12 degrees. That night in Mae sai, we pampered ourselves doing body massage..how nice.On the way there we stopped at the Hotspring,we were engrossed by the precious stones sold like rubies,jade and others. I bought one ruby ring and a jade stone.In Laos, as a souvenir I bought the traditional handmade cloth ( I will make it a table runner). I thought Thailand is a backward country but it is otherwise..they are so well develop without leaving their rich cultural heritage . I did not forget to go shopping at the huge Chattuchak market in Bangkok.It is so big that we did not have enough time to visit all the sections. Everything on earth were sold including the fried coakcroaches to the fried big fat maggots..eah! I was particularly searching for my sewing accessories but never found any ( maybe it is somewhere else in the other part of the market).I did buy the handmade cotton sewing box for my sewing kits.On the last day we went to Aryanpratet, the biggest market place in Thailand which is situated near Cambodia. Also it is very big that we should go there for a day not only just a few hours. The price is dead cheap.Actually, I do not know what to tell as to share with all dear friends..a lot of experience!..the wonderful landscape, clean toilets, tasty Tom Yam with very big prawns..and of course the famous Thai Silk.
Monday, December 9, 2013
As I have ordered the Turkey yarns online from Benangkait, I started crochet a cardigan for me..not really cardigan but just like a vest.If I want to make a cardigan (longsleeves)I will have to use more than 4 yarns whereas I only got 4 ( ehemm..the price is also another factor!).What a mistake I have made was that I ordered 4 different wonderful colourful yarns ( I love all the colours).. meaning I have to make my vest so stripy colourful..can I wear that? Will I look like a clown? No matter what people say or react, I will wear it for my own satisfaction of crochetting my own cardigan for the first time. Now, I nearly finish it..I just made it with no sleeves as I do not have enough yarns and furthermore I wonder if I will be able to finish it. After this I should buy only yarns of the same colour and not not to be greedy to purchase all the colours.I also will try to do baby booties or children's cardigan. I never say goodbye to my beads embroidery and thread handmade embroidery yet, but just to refresh my schooldays talent. Happy crochetting and bear with my chat.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Next week I am going for a trip to Bangkok. It was organised by the Girl Guides Society We are going to Chiengmai and Krabi too. During the trip I hope I will find many things in accordance to my interest or hobby of sewing beads, crochet and embroidery. I wish I can buy threads, yarns, materials and so forth.Also I would buy anything artistic, rare or unique especially handmade items. But, I know, if we travel in group it is quite hard to follow our needs or interest.I think in Thailand we can get a lot of embroidered things like in China..I also hope to enjoy the Thai cuisine..delicious Tom Yam!
Monday, November 25, 2013
While waiting for my son to see the dentist (happen to be her sister)this morning, I went into the nearby shop, Elyza's shop. At the first impression, I like the setting very much..more of country look, full of flowery items such as the tablecloth,cushions,curtains,patchwork blankets and so forth.I love the basket made of rattan which had been decorated with lace and cotton lining.I thought of buying for my crochet basket ( I remembered the incident where I saw a lady doing her crochet or knitting on the train in Germany, and I like her basket very much!).Alas..I got not enough money (just don't want to ask from hubby)as the price is too beautiful. At least I got the idea to decorate my shop too, Galeri Manik.Also I should show my embroidery items or beads embroidery to the shop owner so that we have a link in business (o.k it is only in my mind).
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Wonderful Yarns arrived
Yesterday, I recieved my order,the wonderful beautiful yarns for my crochet.Lately, besides busy with beads embroidery and thread embroidery, my long almost forgotten passion of crochet comes back into my craft world again.I ordered 4 balls of colourful yarns and the hook(but the hook is quite big as I like to use smaller one).I started browsing my old (everything old eh!)crochet books. What should I do with it? I think I should make a cardigan for me (which I never ever finish one..I did start but seemed to end up hanging in the plastic bag!) This time I really determine to make one for me as I was so crazy with the yarns..nice, nice.I will start tomorrow.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Last few days, I ordered 4 yarns and 1 crochet hook online from Puan Aiza. The yarns were imported from Turkey. The yarns are so beautiful and colourful. As usual I think I will love it so much that I feel very 'difficult' or 'sayang' to use it..Just like one of my friends who always refuse to use it whenever she got new yarns. She put it on the table to be seen and adore it.Maybe,those who are not in our shoes will think it is quite funny,yet it is a reality.Now, I am waiting for the yarns to be delivered to my door.Hopefully, I can get it soon or tomorrow.While doing crochet, I still do not forget to do my thread and beads embroidery. I have to embroider 4 more dresses.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Last month, I went to Kuala Lumpur and I went to Melawati to buy Cotton cloth. Before that we searched in the internet for the Comel Cotton Shop. On reaching there, we quickly went into the shop and started choosing the beautiful pieces.I chose 10 pieces because I was afraid if I bought more then it might not be sold and just wasting money. Actually, I made a wrong decision because all were sold out like hot cakes. If only I knew, I would buy 100 pieces! That's why, we should not underestimate things or market. Maybe I belong to the not so ambitious lot. Next time, I should not be afraid to buy more.The designs were all nice and meaning not even one for me.The plain cotton (no motifs)are just beautiful to be embroidered whether beads or thread embroidery.I am really crazy over cotton clothes or dress as it is cool in our humid hot climate. They bought from me,asked others to sew, then it came back to me for embroidery.This means another business starts!And lastly, we realized that we actually entered a wrong shop, not Comel Shop..how careless we were.We had a good laugh.
Friday, November 1, 2013
I just bought 12 empty T-shirts (meaning no-design ye!).I would like to sew handmade embroidery on them. I think they will look nice. Hopefully,all my dear blogger friends will have the idea to try it. Besides thread embroidery,you can also make unique beas embroidery on your kids shirt.Besides, you can make a difference using colurful felt with creative design.For girls,flower designs are their favourite and as for boys you can choose ball or car design. Surely, soon you will be chased after for the order.The unique embroidery on T-shirt must be something different.At least the idea is there but I still did not start ..wait for a fine holiday.I am sure you can start before I do.Just to share ideas.happy sewing.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Yesterday I went to my daughter's house.Just lazy to drive, my hubby bought bus tickets for four of us.The journey took about five hours. So, what should I do on the bus? Just sleep and see the scenery? How unproductive I am! Before I boarded the bus,I quickly sneaked away to a shop selling crochet yarns and hook.Yes, I have to do something.I started crochetting a handphone case.I combined two colours of cream and maroon. I hope it would turn out nice.I think I have given all my dear friends a tip how to fulfill time beneficially rather than sleep or staring blankly doing nothing.At least you can sell it or make it as a birthday gift and for sure you can make her/him happy thus at the same time tighten the relationship. Moral of the story is do not ever waste your time as TIME IS GOLD.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Nowadays, most women are just too busy to go out to buy things, Now, they can easily buy everything on globe by just clicking the keys on the internet or do online shopping.They need not spend hours under the hot sun or squizzing among the shoppers. So now we can shop through the AMAZON.COM.Those who like to buy the sewing accessories can order and the items will be delivered to your doorstep.So, you are welcome to shop at your fingertips.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Today 17th October, 2013, we had a really nice time at Galeri Manik. Zila came down from her hometown,Kuala Krai. She came to teach Ming, a Chinese lady, how to sew bags.She managed to finish two bags within one day..how patient she was. And of course the bags were wonderful, a Hexagon and a Wave bag.I was quite tense up as she began to unload her fantastic imported designer materials and the Venus sewing threads. I had to behave myself because I loved all the nice materials.I bought 3 yards of different designs.There were at least 3 big plastic boxes of such items abd sewing kits or accessories.And not to forget,we also made crochet. Zila was happy to be able to make the crocheted flowers.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Last month I attended a motivation Seminar by one of the famous Malaysian business tycoons, Dr Azizan Osman. His favourite quote is 'if you want to be excellent, you must always equipped yourself by learning..you must learn from a mentor in your field of interest'. I think I should go and see my mentor too to learn my beads embroidery (high level), handmade thread embroidery,quilting, patchwork, crochet and many others.S many things that I need to upskill. I know I have the basic knowledge but I think it is not enough, I want to make myself the MENTOR too. Be the best in everything you do. I need to see Zila Kassim to coach me in making handmade bags, learning how to sew machine embroidery(the last time I learned from her was last year,and I never open the machine until today!!).Maybe I have to go to learn advance bead embroidery from sifu Rozita Jaafar or go to Cottage Patch beside Ampang Point to master patchwork.Everything I want to do during this coming school holiday!Not only that but you have to buy many books to get more ideas for your projects.Let us improve ourselves as time waits for no one.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
For your coming Hari Raya Aidil Adha,why not you just try to buy or sew plain cotton kurung of various choices of colours. Then, try to choose simple design and sew embroideries. I am sure you will look gorgeos and unique on that special day. If later you want to go to the kenduri or wedding ceremony,certainly you will look different from others.You may choose soft pastel or shocking colours material.You can mix the more expensive DMC thread (6 colours in a skein)and the cheaper Venus embroidery thread. I ask you to mix as to save your budget or be more economical.Wishing you happy raya and happy sewing too.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Sometimes we need to pamper ourselves..do you agree? After being so busy with work, house chores, e-filing, e-profile, facebook, blogging...and other thousands of activities..we need to go out to somewhere far from hustle and bustle..last weekend my family and I made a short and sweet trip to Cameron Highlands, just to rest our mind. We rented an apartment and we cooked our own meal..we enjoyed the fresh strawberries, the fresh vegetables...and we had a nice time strolling at the night market. As usual I used my time to see all the handicrafts and souvenirs like cushions, bags,keychains and others..so besides enjoying the vacation, I still learn something for my craftworks...yes! instead I also hooked on the wonderful species of cactus ( I bought some cactus and roses)..and sure enough we can get ideas everywhere besides refresh our mood..( I can sew embroidery with CACTUS motifs too!).
saturation point
After the Hari Raya festival, after completing all the customers' beads and handmade thread embroidery... I come to the state of saturation where now it takes time to start the new projects of sewing again. How I got my stiff shoulders (maybe caused by too much sewing activities!) and got a jab to minimize the pain.However painful I am , I still find satisfaction in doing it..how I can develop my creativity and sew with love... and see other people beautiful.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
At Budapest , Hungary, we went river cruise along Danube River. The scenery was magnificient. What I want to share here is while boarding the purple cruise, I was stunned at the handmade embroideries on the tablecloths, framed pictures, the chairbacks and so on used for decoration. That means they indirectly promote their Hungarian embroideries for tourists everywhere...what a clever idea. As for me, I began to think that I must do this, I must do that...it's high time for us to follow the positive idea!
Monday, September 9, 2013
On visiting Czech Republic during the last term holiday (June), I went to the stall selling beads at Prague. Of course I was difficult to make a choice as all beads are unique and rare. I bought some to be used when doing my beads embroidery..but you know, I used sparingly as it is different from the Japanese beads that I used before. The colours are also different..and after using it for quite sometime or when the embroidered clothes is worn out, I wish to unpick and recycle on another new clothes! What an economical species we are!..
On visiting Vienna, Hungary, still very early in the morning, we were already waiting at the market selling all sorts of handmade embroideries,,,as usual my son kept on reminding me,"mum, this is your dangerous zone!".Heppp..."cant't you just keep quiet, I need to pamper myself". After that, we went to the underground shop and la..la..la another dangerous zone..all beautiful items sold!..you can just see the pictures below to see how crazy I was.
On visiting Vienna, Hungary, still very early in the morning, we were already waiting at the market selling all sorts of handmade embroideries,,,as usual my son kept on reminding me,"mum, this is your dangerous zone!".Heppp..."cant't you just keep quiet, I need to pamper myself". After that, we went to the underground shop and la..la..la another dangerous zone..all beautiful items sold!..you can just see the pictures below to see how crazy I was.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Wonderful embroidery from Hungary
Early this week I went to Budapest in Hungary( I went to visit my daughter who is studying in Czech Republic).I would like to share my craziness over the wonderful handmade embroidery that I came across at the market there..I was stunned by the creative colourful embroidery..tablecloths,cushions,bags,pillows,..and many other collections.I just bought some as a sample to be displayed at my shop 'GALERI MANIK'. Anybody interested to see just welcome to my shop.I will frame some of them as a source of inspiration (..easy to copy the nice design)or just for me to admire ..sure, I will upload here soon. We did spent half of the day at the market place.If you happen to go there, sure you will enjoy it.I also love the yarns for my crochet..and I was mad at the beads too as it is quite different from the beads from Japan.
Friday, April 12, 2013
So long I have not update my blog.I was quite busy lately and always busy..Last month, I taught 2 ladies to sew Sulam Benang or Hand Thread Embroidery.They were so interested to learn how to embroider. It is nice and LOOKS EASY.After 4 times of attending class,one of the ladies brought a kurung and asked me to sew for her.I asked 'you have learnt the skill,why do you ask me to sew, you should try yourself'..She just grinned and said 'I am afraid if I would spoil my expensive dress, now I know why..it is not a matter of skill to sew embroidery but we must also creative to match the colour of threads, to design a perfect design that looks realistic with the curve and not 'KERAS or KAKU'. Actually, it is OK as long as you always practise it and be confident to apply all the skills learnt.So Happy Sewing for this coming RAYA.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Thursday, March 7, 2013
practice makes perfect
A few of my customers become my 'students' for thread hand embroidery and also beads embroidery class..On attending the class, they thought that it is easy to sew the embroidery..(of course it is not that difficult).on the first try of sewing..ha ha it is not as expected!To have the skill to hold the needle,thread and cloth..everything must be syncronized well..another thing is to make the embroidery beautiful,lively,beautiful choice of colours,the flow,the nice design and so on..again we must be patient to master the skill..try and error..if we are not satisfied, just unpick and do it again.When we look at people sewing, it seems as easy as ABC.I believe,it takes time to produce a nice piece of embroidery. That is why our old saying says ' practice makes perfect'..So my dear friens,happy sewing.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
cheaper price
Again my beloved customer came in and said 'the other shop offers better price'..'I can get more crystals with cheaper price'..so if you were me, what would you feel or say?.Sometimes, it is sarcastic to say'..so,you can go and buy there!'.But according to bussiness mentor, we should not say such unprofessional answer..I think most shop owners will face the same situation..BE PATIENT.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
today, my new customer came to my shop.She showed me three voile 'tudung' or headcover and asked me to sew beads on the front partof it. At that time , she wore the one as a sample.it is unique as I have never seen other ladies wearing it.Actually , I never thought of that..it is beautiful! sometimes, our customer did contribute brilliant ideas for me in sewing beads embroidery..yes, another free idea.Tq my dear customer.I hope to do it on mine too.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
When I was teaching in my class,I saw a plain pencil case made of rough material. I asked the girl'where did you buy it?'.She told me that she bought it at a supermarket.Do you know why I asked her? I have something in my mind..I can turn it to a unique piece of work..you can put felt craft to make it beautiful..you can put unique colourful buttons, beads or sew embroideries. I am sure it will become beautiful..the cheap plain pencil case will become great or at least different from others. If you make it for your kids,I am sure you will get the order from their classmates soon..and do not forget to put their names too.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Do you want to go to any occasion that you do not have time to sew beads to beautify your dress? Here, I would like to suggest you to sew beautiful colourful French Laces on your 'kurung'and scatter some pearl beads or crystals..instead you can choose the opposite colours such as red lace on black material or vice versa. You can always try pink lace on green material..I am sure it will be nice.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Do you like to sew bags on your own? Where did you buy the bag handle? Some people like to make their own bag handle from the material itself,or they can easily buy the cotton webbing at the craft shop, Also,there are various types of bag handle from rattan,plastic, fibre or wood, .. anyhow, it is not that easy to find such handle..so come and get it at my shop Galeri Manik..for handmade bag lovers, happy sewing. I saw my friend,Sue made the bag from 'batik sarung'cloth..it's beautiful..just add further embellishments of beads..it will be unique for sure.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
XL,XXL or XXXL BLOUSES
Most of the beautiful blouses sold at the market are mostly for those S,M and L sizes.At my age and most of my colleagues too, would prefer bigger one of XL,XXL and even XXXL (actually, the truth is not prefer but HAVE to!).So,they are quite limited to choose from( not for pregnant ladies'fashion eh?)..if we like it, hmm.. no size.To overcome this, my friend and I decided to attend a sewing class for sewing big extra large blouses.I think it is high time for us to produce it to cater their needs.May be we can sew handmade thread embroidery or beads to make it beautiful..we can make from soft-coloured cotton..I think it will be nice.Any suggestion from you,friend? or any order?(just kidding)
Monday, January 14, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
Beautiful Beaded Sandals
Good morning my dear blog visitors..As usual I am always eager to tell you my recent beads project.Just to share ideas..sharing is caring. Recently, I bought a pair of sandals, so I modified it so that it is unique.You want to know how? I sew beads, crystals and pearls on top of it..then you will look different! You can put colourful beads by sewing to the canvas or the ribbons on it.I am sure your business begins now..sure your friend will like it too. So,better start taking orders now.Actually, I take this idea from Malacca where the Nyonya sandals are usually sewn with beads.
Longing for Advertorials
As a Nuffnanger, how I wish to be chosen as Advertorials..I know,there will be so many competitors among bloggers..I hope I am eligible for advertorials.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
In 1986, I went to Birmingham to visit my hubby who's attending a course there..While visiting several places,I did not forget to go to the market. I was so fascinated by the wonderful laces!There are variety of them and mostly white in colour.The wide one was gorgeous that I can make so many things like pillow, cushions,table runner and so on. Besides laces, there were also ready-made laced curtains..the frills were lacey.But..unfortunately, I did not have much cash then (I did buy some, anyway..). Money need to be distributed accordingly..so many things to consider..branded lipstick,Clark shoes, Bally shoes,Christian Dior (seemed quite cheap there)and also Royal Alberts..not that I bought everything..just to share with you what I saw.I know, my friend overthere will also be like me.LADIES ARE LADIES ..anybody wants to go can 'KIRIM'.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Thank you to Nuffnang for accepting me to be in the Glitterati group. At first I thought it was impossible for me to reach such status. I was so happy to see the package specially offered to Glitterati members, it's amazing!..when I heard of Glitterati I always associate the word with something glittering..am I right? So here, I relate it with my humble blog about beads, crystals which are also glittering on ladies'dress or kurung..and often will be praised by others too.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
My sister went to Vietnam last year and she bought a few long dress or 'Jubah'. I wonder how they are so advance to know the current taste of Malaysians especially the Muslim ladies. Now,it is popular with beads embroidery on it.bling..bling.it facinates me where the cost is quite cheap.Though the quality of the beads is not satisfactory,the idea and design is just ok..very creative.I think they (Vietnamese) are clever people who always study the fashion trends including the intricate 'Tudung' or the headcover..the embroidery is so fine.We are always the buyers..why can't we make our own? .
Saturday, January 5, 2013
It was quite funny as I was blogging at 12 o'clock midnight. When I checked the blog's statistics for the Nuffnang performance and earning, it was stated zero. So, I was blaming my husband for making the mess with my blog that turns zero. I was so frustrated and kept on thinking why? Thanks God for giving me the brain to be able to think rationally. Do you know why? It was stated zero because IT WAS already A NEW DAY!SO NO VISITORS AND EARNING YET. We had a good laugh.And for this year 2013, I would like to increase my income and at least a step better or richer.I want to make further plans in sewing projects,more beads and embroidery or 'jahit sulam',more crochet...I would go to sewing classes like sewing dress and so on.
Amazon Affiliate
Yesterday I received an e-mail from somebody offering me to be an Amazon Affiliate. I did read about joining 'Affiliate' to get cash through advertising.In this case , I can advertise Amazon 'business'in my blog. If anybody click or order things from the advertisement,I will be paid by the company.Though, it seems positive, I do not know how to manage it (lack of knowledge again!). If I know how to go about it, I would certainly advertise on selling books especially books on craft, embroidery, quilting, sewing, patchwork,crocheting and so forth.I think many ladies overthere who are intersted to buy those books including me.And I also will get money without working !..anyway..That's only my sweet dream eh?
Friday, January 4, 2013
My Nuffnang Experience
When I started blogging last year, I always came across the word 'nuffnang'.What does it mean?I just asked my friends and google to get more info.So I got the general idea.I started to follow step by step on how to register as a member.Tarra!! I got it. From that point, I did not know how to proceed..so I just left and ignored it for almost a year. From reading, I got some info to put an advertisement..Oh Goshh! The HTML!I just know nothing..I kept on trying..and lastly I was stuck on how to copy and paste in between contents..I tried to post 'tickets'to Nuffnang telling 'there is no ads on my blog'.I know this must be due to technical error ( I think so..wink).Then I SOS my daughter..help Mama to continue..lastly I got it!..I am so happy.Hopefully, I will get the benefit of CPC, BE etc as well as to share my blog 'beautiful beads and handmade embroidery'with the Nuffnangers.Ladies, welcome to view my blog too.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Nuffnang dan Rezeki | Namee Roslan
Nuffnang dan Rezeki | Namee RoslanI baru jumpa blog namee..masih blurr..apa tu BE.lepas kita daftar iklan nuffnang tu keluar terus ke atau tunggu beberapa hari..mari tengok blog saya ok ke camni..saya pakai hentam je x tau cara cammana nak letak iklan tu kat blog
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Hand Made books/magazine
Last few days I went to Popular Bookstore,and I went to my favourite corner..Chinese books! Sometimes the Chinese in the shop would look at me when I browsed through the Hand Made magazine(the title of the magazine is 'Hand Made). maybe they wonder whether I can read (as I am Malay). The price offered is reasonable, just RM15 for the old outdated magazine..it is ok because the content is never out of date. My dear friends,it is really interesting though you do not know how to read Mandarin! It provides many patterns such as bags etc.We can follow the steps to sew the bags..I am sure you can do it easily..happy sewing
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Looking for your next challenge? Find out more about our new Associate Editor position, click here.
Socio-economic rights as set out in the 1976 International Covenant now feature in Scottish legislation in the context of land reform. This article considers how they might be recognised in the law
Law firms are data controllers for the purposes of the GDPR, in force from 25 May, but will also have many dealings with data processors. Who are they and what new obligations will they come under?
In the wake of the Carillion liquidation, this briefing offers a top 10 list of issues for employers, professionals and the supply chain to consider in the event of main contractor insolvency
A leading expert explains the advantages of employee ownership and the growing interest in the subject, shown at a recent event in Scotland at which he spoke
A solicitor and mediator believes Scotland would benefit from having a Mediation Act such as that recently passed in the Irish Republic
Your reference guide to material published in the paper issues for 2017
This month's selection of leisure reading, chosen by the Journal's book review editor
The new domestic abuse law received cross-party support, but while legislation in this area was necessary, does it go too far in not setting thresholds for what behaviour should be criminalised?
Review of Cretney and Lush on Lasting and Enduring Powers of Attorney
Non-solicitor member of Council Susan Carter is involved with the financial benchmarking survey; this year's survey opens this month
The patchwork of legislation regulating the profession has too many holes. The Society has submitted proposals to the independent review that we believe would help make our legal services world class
Registers of Scotland page: regulations to facilitate new digital services; ScotLIS addition
Collected news of new appointments and practice changes
The new arrest law has been the catalyst for renewed pressure on the police station duty scheme and the wider legal aid system – but little is likely to change ahead of the independent review report
A briefing on the new arrest law, its effect on police station procedures and the strains imposed on legal aid practitioners
In association with Insight Legal: don't tie yourself into long-term deals
The Scottish Law Commission's recent report contains radical proposals in this area of law. Its chairman outlines the need for reform and explains the thinking behind some key recommendations
Is the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland appointing the best candidates to the bench? One practitioner thinks its procedures could be improved, to cut down on some inappropriate selections
Trusts have increasingly become subject to compliance legislation in recent times, requiring great care by trustees. This article highlights the principal regimes and where they differ
In association with The Cashroom: The Cashroom is marking the 10th anniversary of its innovative outsourced services to legal firms. What has it achieved in that time, and what is it looking forward to?
Latest criminal cases, including Moorov doctrine; sentencing: bail curfew; withdrawal of guilty plea; dockets; non-harassment orders; sex offender registration; sentencing: firearms; consent defence
Employment briefing: the news regarding the President's Club charity event, coinciding with the Fawcett Society's Sex Discrimination Law Review, emphasises the deep seated issues the report raises
Family law briefing: a post-cohabitation capital payment award has been made in a case where both parties had substantial means, on findings that there were disadvantages to be compensated
Human rights briefing: the European Court of Human Rights has determined that covert surveillance of employees in the workplace constitutes a breach of privacy rights
Pension briefing: a decision on liabilities to the Scottish Solicitors Staff Pension Fund has clarified some issues regarding transmission, while leaving other points for future debate
Report relating to Torquil MacLeod
Applications for 2018 grant/scholarship invited
The three-year anniversary of land and buildings transaction tax on 1 April 2018 means that non-residential tenants begin to come under an obligation to submit periodic lease review returns
Handling all the legal-related work of First Milk, this month's in-house interviewee has the interests of many individual farmers as part of his job
Award to Andrew Robertson, former senior partner of TC Young
Recent EU developments: new rules giving tax authorities access to data about companies and trusts are now in force
The SPA can help if you struggle for CPD
Recent work of the Society's policy committees, including Brexit; Offensive Behaviour etc (Repeal) Bill; court fees; Competition & Markets Authority
The Word of Gold: saving expense sounds less exciting than boosting turnover, but done well, there's nothing dull about its effect on profits
The Law Society of Scotland has presented its recommendations for reform to the independent review of legal services regulation. Here it summarises its approach and its main recommendations
Solicitors' firms should look out for the 2018 financial benchmarking survey, which launches this month
The Criminal Finances Act 2017 introduces a new corporate offence of failing to prevent tax evasion. This Lockton article explains details of the offence, the defence and what firms should do now
Advice column: I'm unhappy in my current role but I'm fearful of accepting a temporary contract elsewhere
What is the Society doing in response to accounts of sexual harassment within the solicitor profession? Here it offers some advice for firms, and individuals
Professional Practice advice: when to retain old principal wills; and what to do with residual client balances
19 February 18
by Lord Pentland
In today's society the law of defamation has assumed increasing importance for many of us: the media, publishers, broadcasters, writers, journalists, politicians, the legal profession, technology companies, and the public – especially as users of the internet and social media.
However, Scots law on defamation is badly in need of reform so that it is fit for the age of modern mass communication. Most of the current law was developed by judicial decisions in the 19th and early 20th centuries – the most prolific period for defamation actions in Scotland. The principles and rules established in that bygone era now need to be modernised. The law has become increasingly antiquated, inaccessible and difficult to advise on.
In December 2017 the Scottish Law Commission published its Report on Defamation (Scot Law Com No 248), together with a draft bill which aims to put defamation law in Scotland onto a modern footing. This is the most ambitious and far-reaching attempt to reform defamation law in Scottish legal history. In all we make 49 recommendations; they are based on comparative legal analysis and extensive consultation (both on our earlier Discussion Paper on Defamation (Discussion Paper No 161) and on a working draft of the bill).
If enacted, our proposals have the potential to reinvigorate this area of the law to make it fit for purpose. Most of the key principles will be set out in a modern, accessible statute. Practitioners and the public will no longer have to search for the law across a complex landscape of elderly and sometimes inconsistent case law and scattered statutory provisions.
Defamation law must strike the right balance between two fundamental rights that sometimes pull in opposing directions: freedom of expression and protection of reputation. We value freedom of speech, but at the same time want to ensure that reputations are protected from being falsely smeared. The law of defamation has a pivotal part to play in safeguarding both these rights. It is important that independent journalism can thrive so that powerful interests are properly held to account; at the same time the law must allow those who are falsely accused of wrongdoing to restore their reputations swiftly and at reasonable cost, if necessary through the courts.
One of the key recommendations in our report is that where a statement has not caused serious harm to reputation, there should be no right to sue. This has been the position in England & Wales since the Defamation Act 2013. Most of the respondents to our consultation supported the introduction of such a provision in Scotland. They pointed to evidence that the new threshold test in the 2013 Act has worked well; it has incentivised the prompt correction of defamatory statements and has not proved to be an unfair obstacle to justice.
Having considered the issue carefully, we concluded that there should be no right to bring defamation proceedings unless serious harm to reputation has been caused or is likely to be caused (or "serious financial loss" in the case of non-natural persons primarily trading for profit). We believe it is important to prevent defamation actions (or the threat of such actions) being used as a weapon to try to silence unwelcome but justified criticism. The introduction of a serious harm threshold will allow the courts to strike out trivial or vexatious claims at an early stage. The test adds usefully to the emerging notion of an abuse of process jurisdiction in the Scottish courts. We think that the serious harm test will serve to promote freedom of expression. It is difficult to see a justification for allowing claimants to sue for damage to reputation that is less than serious.
We do not believe that the introduction of such a test in Scotland will have the effect of driving defamation actions south of the border, as some have suggested. In this connection it is interesting to note that a High Court judge in England recently held that Scotland was the more appropriate forum for a defamation action raised in London, and in doing so commended our "highly respected judicial system" (see Kennedy v National Trust for Scotland [2017] EWHC 3368 (QB), at para 79). As Campbell Deane acknowledged in his article opposing this proposal (Opinion, Journal, October 2017), the cost of litigation is considerably lower in Scotland than in London. The Scottish Government's recent proposal to allow solicitors to enter into damages-based feeing agreements in civil litigation may assist in this connection (see the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Bill). The Scottish courts will be able to consider and take account of English case law in deciding how to apply the serious harm test in practice. In England & Wales, the Court of Appeal recently made clear in the case of Lachaux v AOL (UK) Ltd [2017] EWCA 1334 that expensive and elaborate preliminary procedure on the question of serious harm was not necessary; the issue would usually be capable of being decided on a pragmatic basis by a process of inference based on an analysis of the statement complained of. In most cases, it will be straightforward to decide whether a statement has caused or is likely to cause serious harm to reputation. Access to justice will not be impaired.
Elsewhere in our report we recommend that some old rules of Scots law should be swept away. For example, we think it should no longer be possible to sue where a defamatory statement is made only to the person who is the subject of it – in that case there cannot realistically be any damage to reputation.
We also recommend that Scots law should explicitly recognise a defence of publication on a matter of public interest. This is important for investigative journalism. There have been few cases on this issue in the Scottish courts. We consider that there is much to be gained, in terms of clarity and accessibility, by having the principle set out in a modern statutory provision.
Under the present law a person can allow three years to elapse before suing for defamation. We think this is too long. Where there has been genuine damage to reputation this should become clear quickly. So, we recommend that the three-year time limit should be reduced to one year.
We also propose that there should be a new "single publication" rule; this means that the time limit for bringing a claim will not start afresh each time the same statement is downloaded by a new search on the internet.
As far as the liability of internet intermediaries (such as search engines and operators of web pages and social media sites) is concerned, the ideal solution would be a UK-wide review of the law in the light of technological developments: the internet does not recognise national borders, and information flows freely across jurisdictions. In the meantime, our aim is to ensure that the Scottish courts have the right tools effectively to tackle defamation on the internet. Our consultation showed that what most claimants want is to have defamatory material quickly taken down. We believe that the law should make this its priority and move away from strained and artificial reliance on outmoded concepts developed more than 100 years ago, such as the idea that everyone who repeats a statement should automatically be regarded as a new publisher of the statement.
We therefore recommend that it should be possible to bring proceedings only against the original author, editor or publisher of a statement and not against secondary publishers. The courts should, however, have stronger and clearer powers to order the removal of defamatory material from the internet, and they should be empowered to make such orders quickly where the circumstances justify this. We recommend that such "take-down" orders should be available against persons who are not parties to the proceedings. To some, these proposals may seem radical, but we believe that the law must be reconfigured so that it is workable in modern conditions.
The report recommends many other reforms including:
It is now up to the Scottish Government to decide whether to implement the recommendations in our report by pursuing legislation in the Scottish Parliament. By doing so it will put Scots law on a modern footing and on a par with best international practice.


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The Sufi Path is a process of amanesis (remembrance, realization). In pre-eternity, God asked the spirits: Alastu bi Rabikum (Am I not your Lord)? When we come into this material existence, we forget about pre-eternity and the task of life is to remember our way back to the truth concerning the nature of our essential relationship with God. This process of remembering or recollecting is known as amanesis.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
2 comments:
Salaam, Anab,
You are a true spiritual (peaceful and non-violent) warrior, in my opinion. Of course, I'm biased.
This article is the first I've seen about terrorism from a spiritual AND psychological point of view. And that doesn't suprise me, coming from you. There has been much written about this unpleasant topic from a political science point of view, but beneath all other reasons, valid as they may be, there is always the spiritual -- or in the case of people who prefer the "tools of violence" to the "tools of faith," -- the cause is a lack of spirituality, as opposed to religion. After all, we are spiritual beings trying to live in a physical world. So how could it be anything but a spiritual cause for all of the difficulties human beings experience?
I guess that's a topic for another day -- perhaps when you have some time -- or perhaps you've already written something about this, too. :)
Peace and blessings,
- Immortal Beloved said...
It seems you've been hit by blogger spam. Blogger now has a way you can keep spambots from posting spam under your comments. Just go to your settings, under comments, and select word verification. In one day alone I got five spams on my blog.


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By Lamija Grbic Images of a poverty-stricken Africa have long permeated the Western mindset. Africa is often thought of as a monolithic whole devoid of economic potential and constantly plagued by social and political turmoil. The instinctive reaction to this conception of the continent is to regard it as inherently helpless. As a result of this notion, the foreign policy of many Western nations has been to inundate African nations with aid monies. These funds have taken the form of concessional loans and grants.[1] Yet as economist Dambisa Moyo argues, the inflow of foreign aid has only served to perpetuate Africa's economic and political struggles. The problematic "solution" of foreign aid is not only associated with negative economic and political outcomes for African nations, but also reveals the flawed thinking of developed nations when it comes to the African continent.
Africa has received $1 trillion USD in aid over the past fifty years.[2] The rationale behind this trend has been to jumpstart underdeveloped economies and contribute to their infrastructure. While aid in the form of grants and concessional loans has reached sizable amounts, it has resulted in little benefits to recipient nations. In many ways, foreign aid seems to have fortified the barriers to economic and political stability for African countries. Inability to repay loans creates debt and often encourages governments to take out additional loans.[3] This cyclical pattern of debt is not the only pitfall associated with mass foreign aid inflows.
Another challenge involves ensuring that funds are allocated properly. As Moyo indicates, poor governmental accountability due to corruption and weak political institutions often results in funds flowing into private pockets. This trend is detrimental to the integrity of public office, as the ease with which foreign funds are diverted to corrupt leaders only encourages self-serving individuals to seek positions in government. [4] A recent United Kingdom study reports that $192 billion USD is taken from African nations by multinational companies for every $134 billion USD which is received by these nations in the form of aid.[5]
Foreign aid has proven to be a poor solution to supporting long-term development in Africa. In order for alternative solutions to produce positive outcomes, it is imperative that Western nations rid themselves of their paternalistic attitudes and validate African nations as important players in the global, economic arena. One such alternative solution involves taking advantage of the international capital markets.[6] By issuing bonds, a nation's government is able to demonstrate initiative while still procuring the funds necessary to conduct its affairs. More importantly, attracting lenders requires sound credibility ratings. A country which chooses to deny foreign aid and pursue international bonds can gain such credibility and open new opportunities for itself in the capital markets.[7]
One of the key goals for African nations in the next fifteen years is job creation. This typically involves a shift from agricultural to industrial or manufacturing-based work.[8] On a microeconomic level, stimulating the labor force implies establishing a secure relationship between individuals and banks. The Grameen Bank accommodates the needs of low-income individuals wishing to take out loans. For instance, rather than using an individual's home or land as collateral, lender accountability is maintained through small groups. Because receiving loans is contingent upon other lenders in the group having successfully repaid their own loans, the Grameen Bank is able to reconcile the high-risk nature of lending to individuals with little wealth.[9]
The fundamental flaw of aid is the tacit assumption that the destinies of African nations are not and cannot be in their own hands. By pursuing funds through international capital markets, these nations can demonstrate the desire for investors rather than "saviors" who are too far removed from the issues to be able to fully understand their role in their continuation. In addition, innovative banking practices which are sensitive to the clientele they serve are critical in forging economic confidence. Ultimately, it is up to African nations to take a more active role in their own development. If foreign countries truly wish to help in this endeavor, they must recognize that the business of development should be conducted on Africa's terms.
[1] Moyo, Dambisa. Dead Aid: Why Aid is Not Working and How There is a Better Way for Africa. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2009.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Sharples, Natalie, Tim Jones, and Catherine Martin. "Honest Accounts? The True Story of Africa's Billion Dollar Losses." July 2014. Accessed December 2014. http://www.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/honest-accounts_final-version.pdf.
[6] Moyo, Dead Aid.
[7] Ibid
[8] Kharas, Homi, and Julie Biau. "Africa Looks Forward to the Post-2015 Development Agenda." The Brookings Institution. December 2015. Accessed January 2015. http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Research/Files/Reports/2015/01/foresight%20africa/africa%20post%202015%20development%20agenda%20kharas.pdf
[9] Moyo, Dead Aid.