text:
State of Green Business
How H&M, Marks & Spencer and Zara are fashioning change
Transforming an unsustainable global supply chain can seem daunting. As much as a single company may be committed to change, it's almost impossible to do it alone. There is a need for peers and competitors to become colleagues and mentors to enable all. Collective action possesses a raw power that enables us to imagine a different reality. And once that happens we put solutions squarely within the realm of the possible and probable.
That is exactly what happened last week in New York City as our environmental nonprofit Canopy, along with H&M, Inditex/Zara, Stella McCartney, Marks & Spencer and Eileen Fisher, welcomed representatives of 87 global fashion brands and retailers for a day-long summit to strategize conservation solutions for the world's endangered forests.
What's the link between forests and fashion? The immensely popular fabric rayon (otherwise known as viscose, modal or lyocell) has become a major driver of logging globally, with more than 120 million trees disappearing into the fabric annually.
"We know our customers want great, affordable fashion," said Giles Bolton, responsible sourcing director of Tesco, which works with CanopyStyle on sustainable viscose sourcing. "And they also want it without compromising on social and environmental standards."
The summit came on the eve of the third anniversary of the CanopyStyle initiative, which brings together global companies pledging to end the use of ancient and endangered forests in their stylish creations.
As noted last week by H&M's environmental sustainability business expert, Cecilia Strömblad Brännsten, "CanopyStyle is moving the dial faster than any other environmental issue that H&M or our industry is currently working on."
With a shared 2017 deadline to end the use of endangered forests in fabrics fast approaching, the campaign continues to gain strong momentum.
"Companies share the responsibility to create a shift in the global fiber supply and ensure it becomes free of ancient forests," said Mike Barry, Marks & Spencer director of Plan A. "We're embracing the CanopyStyle vision and are ready to work with our peers to create real change on the ground to ensure a future for threatened forests."
Here are five key reflections coming out of the Summit on our collective successes to date.
1. We're successful together
The power of collaboration is shifting the rayon supply chain at almost record pace. Three years since our public launch, CanopyStyle has 68 apparel brands and designers formally committed to eliminating their use of fabrics that contain endangered forests.
That, in turn, has translated to producers that represent 70 percent of global rayon production also working with Canopy to operationalize policies that will see them not source from the world's endangered forests, kick-start innovative solutions as well as build lasting conservation solutions for our forests. As an NGO, Canopy is cognizant of the business adage "the customer is always right," and that engaging viscose suppliers on our own would not have yielded the same response.
Last week, individual brands let us know that they find the courage to act by acting together. Some companies communicated that they are early followers, not leaders. There is plenty of room for both. The success to date is due to the commitment of many, and now is the time for new brands and retailers to add their voice to ensure change continues by developing endangered forest commitments. We welcome the participation of new partners.
2. As in Pilates, have a strong core
Every movement starts with a spark. And in this movement, the CanopyStyle Leaders' Working Group has set the fire of this industry-wide shift ablaze. H&M, Stella McCartney, Eileen Fisher, Marks & Spencer and Inditex/Zara already work closely with Canopy on strategic planning, implementing ideas, influencing forest conservation on the ground and setting the pace for the sector. With the support of this cadre of brands, Canopy has been able to catch the attention of viscose producers and motivate them to embark down a path of similarly ambitious environmental commitments.
Also foundational to having a strong core is ensuring that implementation is done with integrity. To that end, viscose producers are undertaking CanopyStyle verification audits with independent third party auditors. As those are completed over the coming months — Canopy will be in a position to identify a nominated list of suppliers, highlighting those that are verified as low risk of containing ancient and endangered forest fiber in their supply chain as well as identifying those players taking bold actions to drive conservation legacies on the ground and the production of next-gen fabric solutions.
3. Put a face to a place
The impacts of fabric production on indigenous communities and forest ecosystems can feel abstract for those us who live and work primarily in urban settings. Last week the powerful voice and story of Mandy Gull, deputy chief of the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi, came to the heart of downtown Manhattan. Gull lives in a remote part of North America's Boreal forest and is a tireless advocate for the protection of this landscape and her people. Not only is the Boreal one of the most important, intact forests remaining on the planet, it plays a vital role in mitigating climate change, provides copious fresh water and acts as the nursery for billions of birds every year.
The Boreal is also a landscape where it is anticipated we will see a significant increase in logging for rayon production over the coming decade. When Gull explained the impact of logging on her community, it put a face to the importance of our efforts. Connecting the complex rayon supply chain to a specific place and community, enabled brand representatives to see the just how big the price tag associated with sourcing can be and how well positioned they are to help advance change on the ground.
4. Builders need the right tools
When brands join CanopyStyle, they pledge to eliminate ancient and endangered forests from their fabrics, as well as commit to support the development of alternative fabric fibers and work with us to advance conservation solutions in forest hotspots around the world.
Canopy has developed systems and tools to support brand representatives, with several released last week. One such tool was The Hot Button Issue (PDF), a report ranking the world's largest viscose producers. This detailed report helps brands to be able to make the most informed decision about where to source rayon as well as track rayon producers' progress. Feedback from the Summit will also help Canopy in developing the next generation of tools and it became clear that public profile and communications about the issue and initiative will become a priority in 2017 and beyond.
5. No one wants to join the army of the glum
Recognizing that working on sustainability issues can bring with it a Twitter feed of depressing facts, we aspire to be clear on the context but focus on the solutions we can catalyze together. That's why building markets for next gen fabrics that support a circular economy and advancing conservation legacies in priority forest landscapes are key elements of our work with the fashion sector.
Whilst brands confront how to reverse the adverse impacts of their viscose supply chain, they also contribute to conservation legacies in Landscapes of Hope such as the Great Bear Rainforest and systemic solutions that will see textiles produced from waste fabrics. Contributing to life-affirming and pioneering solutions quickly overpowers 140 characters of gloom.
Likewise, fun and quirky awareness-raising initiatives such as Stella McCartney's deforestation videos engage people on serious issues without shutting them down. Envisioning the "Art of the Possible" and having fun with it is key to ensuring that the movement continues to build and that ultimately, being stylish doesn't have to cost the earth.


text:
My husband & I purchased a beautiful home in Pine Township in Fall of 2016, However, it really needed major design updates in the interior and some minor design color changes to the exterior. We didn'...Read More
I can't imagine having done this project without Steve. We built a new townhouse (the "Modern Townhouse" in DesignFive's photos), and Steve was instrumental at every stage from structural decisions, ...Read More
WE LOVE STEVE! He is an incredibly talented designer and we love working with him here at TH Trade. We highly recommend him for any of your design needs!Read More
I would give Steve six stars if I could! We needed his help in a hurry and he jumped in as if he had always been on the project. He helped us find a design that fit our style and fit seamlessly in...Read More
Steve did a fabulous job decorating our home. He helped us with everything from changing the island, and backsplash in our kitchen to wall colors, furnishings, carpeting, lighting, wall art, window t...Read More
Steve is the consummate professional. We contacted Steve when, at the end of a renovation project, we became paralyzed in our ability to make one more decision. We were in a time crunch, but Steve mad...Read More
We'd never worked with an interior designer before we met Steve. We were worried a designer would be overly opinionated, too expensive and make us feel like we had no taste! Steve was the opposite--...Read More
I've known Steve for years. He is so professional, and has always done an excellent job! He is diligent, hard working, and works well with a budget.Read More

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Events for December 9, 2018
Events Search and Views Navigation
2:00 pm
One Bad Apple
$18 – $23
Morpheus Theater Presents One Bad Apple December 7 - 15, 2018 A Pantomime by Charlotte Nixon Directed by Sean Anderson Her Majesty, the gorgeous – but oh so evil! – Queen, has tasked us with telling you that you really shouldn't miss this show. In fact, she demands that you, all of your family and... View ArticleFind out more »


text:
Open the Navigation Management window, which can be used to view the full current branch of the menu tree, and edit it.
Have a great question that came in response to an article on Dark Yellowing we put out: "I realize that this is outside the scope of your study, but I am curious to know if the egg tempera medium undergoes yellowing when it is placed in a dark invironment."
Any knowledge of dark yellowing being an issue in egg tempera? Curious minds want to know.Sarah SandsSenior Technical SpecialistGolden Artist Colors
Sarah there has not been a study focusing on the yellowing of egg tempera paints induced by dark aging to my knowledge. Here is hoping that some conservation scientist or graduate student will prove me wrong and comment. There was a study some years back using lead white bound in egg tempera as dosimeters for paintings in certain environments but that is about as close as I think it comes when we are specifically talking about dark aging: "Dosimetry of paintings: determination of the degree of chemical change in museum exposed test paintings (lead white tempera) by thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy" by Neil S. Cohen et al.You might check in with Michael Skalka at the NGA as I believe they might have many, many paint draw downs filed away in dark storage. Perhaps some are egg tempera?


text:
New public holiday for Johor
JOHOR BARU: From next year onwards, March 23 will be a public holiday in Johor to commemorate the coronation of its Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.
Taking place on Monday, the coronation will be the first in the state in 55 years.
The new public holiday will replace the one on Nov 22, which is in conjunction with Sultan Ibrahim's birthday, said state secretary Datuk Ismail Karim.
He said the change was made following a decree by the Ruler. "Starting this year, Nov 22 will no longer be a public holiday," he said at a press conference yesterday.
"I hope the private sector will follow the ruling."
Preparations for the coronation was in full swing yesterday and into the third day of full dress rehearsals to ensure that everything went according to plan.
Sultan Ibrahim, his royal consort Raja Zarith Sofiah Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah and their son Tunku Panglima Johor Tunku Abdul Rahman were present.
Raja Zarith wore a crown and blue silk cape, walking down the steps of Istana Besar with Sultan Ibrahim and Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Thousands of Johoreans will line the 7km road between Istana Bukit Serene and Istana Besar on the day of the coronation.
The historic event will be put on record by some 47 domestic and international media organisations, including National Geographic.
The public can also witness the ceremony on two giant screens at Dataran Bandaraya.


text:
The strategy adopted by the Central Bank of Nigeria in dealing with abuses in the banking industry has continued to yield positive results especially in the areas of corporate governance and insider-related credits.Just as the indicted chief executive officers and directors are still being grilled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, those who did things right to escape the tortuous experience are doing much more to improve on the credibility of the industry.
News Section
CBN acknowledges positive improvement in insider-related credit
Fadama III, a success story - World Bank
The World Bank, on Monday, in Abuja described the implementation of the Fadama III programme in Nigeria as a success story.
The bank's Fadama Task Team Leader, Dr Abimbola Adubi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the programme had created job opportunities, boosted rural infrastructure and enhanced conflict resolution.
Banks tackle unethical practices
Towards this end, Committee of Chief Compliance Officers of Banks in Nigeria (CCCOBIN) is holding an international symposium for Nigerian bankers, which will focus on measures geared towards strengthening the sector.
CIBN, NES organise seminar on national budget
The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) are organising a public forum to review the 2010 national budget to ensure proper implementation.
Robbery: Banks in Okigwe on 5 days strike
NORMAL banking activities came to a halt on Monday, in Okigwe, Imo State, as workers in nine banks operating in the town embarked on a five-day warning strike to protest incessant armed robbery attacks on the banks.


text:
On January 23 the ACM Learning Center was conducting a webinar titled "Computing Professionalism: Do Good and Avoid Evil". It was presented by Don Gotterbarn, Director of the Software Engineering Ethics Research Institute and Chair of the ACM Committee on Professional Ethics. I've registered for this webinar, but then standard release happened to be on Thursday instead of Wednesday, I was not able to participate in real-time. However, the webinar was still available as a podcast, and I've listened to it the next day.
I found it incredibly interesting, and I am going to suggest to my squad to set up some time and watch it together. Here I am going to give a short summary of what it was about.
There are three levels of Ethics. First, it's a Civil ethic, common to all people. Then, there is a Professional Ethic, common to all professional – since they have more knowledge in their areas of expertise, they bare more responsibilities to protect non-professional from harm. And the for computing professional there is a Computing Professional Ethic.
Computing professional may do unethical things due to a number of reasons – first, there are actual criminals, who can commit crimes using their professional knowledge, and there are laws for that. Second, people may do something unethical due to the lack of professionalism (do not have enough knowledge), and that's why many states what to establish certification processes for computing professionals. Third – there are people who just do not care and not bother to think about the consequences of their actions.
Each computing professional should make sure (s)he acts in a professionally ethical way. The ACM Code of Ethics provides very detailed guidelines of what constitutes the professional conduct, and what are our responsibilities. I encourage everybody who consider themselves computing professionals to read it….
The presentation covers several development patters which seem to be purely technical, but may result in poor ethical choices, but I am not going to copy the whole presentation here :).
One thing I found particularly interesting, was a concept of reframing. Here is an example, which illustrates it. The city starts recycling program because of ethical considerations (it's good to recycle). Then turns out, recycling is profitable, and it's even better. But in a couple of years recycling becomes not profitable. By that time the frame changes, and the city cancels the program (business frame goals suppress the ethic frame goals)
There are many other interesting things in this presentation, especially when they talk about how we can decide, what is/will be ethical. So if you are an ACM member, and didn't see this podcast yet – please do so, and please show it to your fellow co-workers.


text: Botox is considered a staple in today's anti-aging treatments, but it is actually just one of several products utilizing a very mild form of the botulinum toxin—the same neurotoxic protein that causes life-threatening food poisoning in larger doses. Botox is actually a trade name but the term has been used to refer to products that use the toxin to correct wrinkling. The efficacy of Botox in smoothing out foreheads and laugh lines explains its popularity among men and women in their late 30s, 40s, 50s and even beyond. What is surprising is that Botox is also finding its way in the faces of women in their 20s. Continue reading


text:
Super Healthy Seeds and Grains
The healthy Seeds are very useful to the health because they consists of nutrients. Seeds are rich in fiber. When a seed germinates, plant grows out of it. Seeds serve several functions for the plants that produce them. The parts of the seed are embryo, endosperm and seed coat.Seeds contains various minerals, anti-oxidants and vitamins which are very much useful for the health.
Generally healthy seeds are classified into four types:
- Nuclear seed,
- Breeder seed,
- Foundation seed,
- Certified seed.
There are different types of healthy seeds which you can eat for a good health.
1.Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are a good source of vitamin B, magnesium, iron and protein. They also consists of essential fatty acids which helps in maintaining healthy blood vessels and also used for reducing unhealthy cholesterol in blood.
Pumpkin seeds are rich in healthy fats, fibers and anti oxidants which are useful to the heart. This seed consists of magnesium which helps in regularizing blood pressure levels.
The presence of high amounts of phyto-chemicals and anti oxidants will help to increase the immunity and reduce the possibility of viral infections. Pumpkin seed consists of cucurbit in that is responsible for hair growth. Pumpkin seeds help improve insulin regulation in diabetes and reduces oxidative stress. These seeds are rich in digestible protein that helps stabilize blood sugar levels.
2.Health Benefits of Pomegranate Seeds
Pomegranates seeds are rich in vitamin C and vitamin K. vitamin C helps in good immune system function, wound healing. It also enhance itron absorption. Vitamin K is important for maintaining strong healthy bones as well as proper blood clotting. Pomegranate seeds are rich in phyto chemicals and anti oxidants it is useful in healthy cell survival, induce cancer cell death and prevent tumor growth.
3.Health Benefits of Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are rich in healthy fats, proteins, fiber, phyto-chemicals, selenium, copper and magnesium. In sunflower seeds also contains vitamin E and vitamin C. Vitamin C also helps in preventing cardio vascular disease. This seeds are also useful in lowering the cholesterol compounds. It also helpful in digestion. It contains tryptophan that helps produce serotonin which is used for stress relief and cams the mind and to help to defeat depression.
4. Health Benefits of Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds contains proteins and fiber. These are also rich in amino acids, tryphtophan and methionine. The nature oils of sesame seed have been used in reduction of hypertension.it is used in improving the digestion. It also improves the oral health. One of the unusual organic compounds in sesame seeds called sesamol. This is useful in treatment of cancer. Sesame seeds are also useful in inflammation in joints, bones, muscles and thereby reducing the pain of arthritis. It also used in improving the bone health. It also helps in diabetes management.
5. Health Benefits of Flax Seeds
Flax Seeds consists of nutrients. Flax also contains lignans which are useful in protecting the cancer. Flax seeds has the ability to lower the cholesterol levels. It also has the ability to lower the blood pressure. It consists of more nutrients that are required by the body. It is also used in reducing the risk of heart attack and also very good for eye health.
6. Health benefits of Chia Seeds
Chia seeds contains, anti oxidants, proteins and minerals like magnesium, iron, zinc and calcium. The chia seeds are easy to digest and it consists of plenty of benefits. It promotes healthy skin, reduces the signs of ageing, helps in supporting digestive system and it is also very good for heart. Chia seeds also contains essential fatty acids vitamins A, B, E and D. it is also useful for bone health, it also helps in losing weight.
Have you read my Previous Article ??
Here we go ..Jaljeera -Healthy Ayurvedic Recipes


text:
We love StoriesBig Finish produce great full-cast audio drama for CD and download, featuring many popular television fantasy series.
Toby Hadoke's Who's Round 202
Toby Hadoke's ongoing archive of the TV history which is the Who's Round range gets a fresh addition today...
A man who surely exists on everybody's list of My Favourite Character Actors, this fellow has been a familiar, and much loved, face on our screens for many, many years. He's also one of that illustrious bunch who have appeared in Classic Who and Modern Who: he talks about both here, and there's a timely chat about elections (as this chat took place at around the time of the last one - blimey!), movies, policing space, being unloved by the BBC, and comedic successes and failures.
Nominated charity: The Dog's Trust
To listen to any of the other 201 interview podcasts that Toby has carried out so far in this entertaining range, simply visit the Toby Hadoke's Who's Round pages - where there's a complete list of guests - to get any of them as free downloads!
If you have any comments for Toby, drop him a note via firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Tasmanian freight firm Streeflands has been delivering everything required for a great breakfast since 1986 with Fuso trucks.
Newspapers, bread and juice are among the diverse products Streeflands delivers as part of its expanding operations in Tasmania and Victoria.
Rick and Theresa Streefland kicked off the business in 1986 and bought their first Fuso truck from Chris Saltmarsh at CJD Equipment. These days, their son Troy is in the driver's seat of the company and the family is still buying Fuso trucks from Chris and the team at CJD.
Early on, the Streeflands team decided that rather than chase general freight work, they would work with a select number of clients and give them a higher level of service.
It's a policy that has proven its worth throughout the decades.
Streeflands, which introduced an expansion program in 2008, now delivers for blue chip brands such as Coca-Cola Amatil, Cripps, Juicy Isle, Mauri and continues its long association with the News Corp Hobart Mercury newspaper.
Streeflands now runs a fleet of 50 vehicles including trucks, utes and vans and 14 of those are Fuso trucks, both Canter and Fighter.
The company has also inherited a range of older models when it has acquired other operations. Rather than ditch the older trucks, it keeps them on as standby vehicles which help Streeflands cover spikes in demand which can occur especially in the beverage market when the weather warms up.
Streeflands has one depot in Launceston and another at Latrobe, just outside Devonport, and also operates from client sites in Hobart and Melbourne.
Troy Streefland says the company has been able to rely on the Fuso trucks and the solid support from CJD Equipment.
"Dad's first truck was a Mitsubishi (Fuso) and he just kept buying them," he says.
"They are reliable and comfortable, the drivers really enjoy driving them and we know that CJD Equipment will always back us."
All of the Fuso trucks Streeflands currently run are manual, but Troy says the company will likely switch to AMT transmissions, including the quick-shifting dual clutch Duonic automated manual in Canter models, to make it easier for drivers in future.
He says good drivers are important, but adds that it is not all about how they operate the truck. For example, Cripps bread delivery drivers are also responsible for filling shop shelves with the product and ensuring any old stock is returned.
"We are placing more and more emphasis on customer service when we employ drivers these days," Troy says.
"Increasingly, it's not enough to simply be a good driver."
Home | News | Tech Tips | Photos | Videos | Articles | Regulations | About us | Links | Contact | Shop | Privacy & Disclaimer | © Roadtrains Australia 2014
At www.roadtrains.com.au we travel great distances into some of Australia's remotest and toughest regions to capture the heart of Australian trucking at its best, for our valued members and visitors. We'd just like to thank the many members and visitors who have made kind donations so we may continue to bring new pictures and movies to the website.
We use and review: KENWORTH TRUCKS, FREIGHTLINER TRUCKS, VOLVO TRUCKS, WESTERN STAR TRUCKS, MACK TRUCKS, STERLING TRUCKS, MERCEDES-BENZ TRUCKS, VINTAGE TRUCKS, NEW TRUCKS, ROADTRAIN INTERNATIONAL TRUCKS, IVECO TRUCKS, and TRACTOR ROAD TRAIN.


text:
Tokyo, Japan
This coming Tuesday in Tokyo we see the highly anticipated God's Left Bantamweight tournament kick off, with the quarter final bouts all taking place on the card, along with one other notable and interesting domestic match up.
On paper the best of the 3 quarter final bouts will see the unbeaten Jin Minamide (3-0, 3) taking on the once beaten Tetsu Araki (14-1-1, 2). Araki was is a former Japanese Youth champion and also fared pretty well in the 2015 Rookie of the Year. Although not a man with stellar amateur pedigree he has proven himself in the pros, with notable wins against the likes of Yuto Nakamura and Ryuto Owan. Minamide on the other hand was a top amateur, with over 40 amateur wins, and has been put on the fast track as a professional, with some quick wins including a very impressive one against Marjun Pantilgan. This is a really interesting match up, and one we're really looking forward to.
The winner of the Minamide Vs Araki bout will face off with either Kazuki Nakajima (6-0, 5) or Kenichi Watanabe (8-4-1, 4), who battle in the same half of the tournament. Nakajima, like Minamide, is a highly regarded prospect following a very good stint as an amateur, and will be regarded as one of the tournaments favourites. Watanabe on the other hand is a live under-dog though will looking for a career best win. Although Watanabe is the under-dog he has shared the ring with the likes of Hiroaki Teshigawara and Koki Eto, so has mixed with good company.
The remaining quarter final bout will see Gaku Aikawa (9-7-1, 3) battle against the all action Kenya Yamashita (13-5, 10). On paper this is the "lesser" quarter final, but in reality it's one of the more even bouts with both being flawed fighters who can upset better foes. On paper Yamashita is the favourite, but the aggressive youngster has taken a lot of punishment through his career and it's unclear what he has left to offer. Aikawa on the other hand has picked up losses recently but has shown an upset minded mentality and could well pick up an another upset win here. The winner of this bout will face Seiya Tsutsumi in the next round, with Tsutsumi getting a bye to the semi-finals.
One other bout of interest will see Shogo Yamaguchi (11-4-3, 6) take on the highly regarded Masanori Rikiishi (5-1, 3). Yamaguchi is a "win some, lose some" fighter but on his day he's a solid fighter who has scored a draw with Genki Maeda, went 8 pretty competitive rounds with Akihiro Kondo, and is far from a pushover. Rikiishi on the other hand is a highly regarded prospect solid wins over the likes of Genki Maeda and Kei Iwahara and will be strongly favoured here.
Rizal, Philippines
The most significant card this coming Sunday will come from Rizal where we get a world title eliminator as well as a card featuring a host of notable Filipino fighters, who are sadly taking on a number of over-matched foes.
The main bout is an IBF Minimumweight final eliminator with unbeaten Filipino sensation Mark Anthony Barriga (8-0, 1) battling against Colombian Gabriel Mendoza (29-5-2, 23). The talented Filipino has been waiting for an eliminator for some time, having seen various foes drop out, and will now be looking to dazzle as he takes on the limited but hard hitting Mendoza. As for Mendoza this will be his second bout since losing to Jose Argumedo in an IBF title fight, and although he's not world class he can hit hard and could test Barriga chin, if he can land on the slippery Filipino. Interestingly the winner of this will likely face Hiroto Kyoguchi later in the year, if Kyoguchi can retain his title against Vince Paras later this year
One of the most notable names on this show is recent world title challenger Genesis Servania (30-1, 13), who fights for the second time since his loss to Oscar Valdez. The talented Servania will be up against Indonesian journeyman Jason Butar Butar (27-23-1, 18), in what should really bee little more than a show case for Servania. Although a mismatch the bout will see Servania fight in the Philippines for the first time since February 2015.
Another very notable name in action is the enigmatic Marvin Sonsona (20-1-1, 15), who looks once again to kick start his frustrating career. The former WBO Super Flyweight champion hasn't fought since May 2015, when he struggled past Jonathan Arrellano. Whilst Sonsona is a genuine talent there is real question marks surrounding the Filipino and his desire to make the most of his skills. He'll be up against Arief Blader (23-27-2, 8) in what should be a really easy ring return, though we really don't know what Sonsona will turn up.
Also on this card are AJ Banal (35-2-1, 23), James Enterina (10-0-1, 4), Lolito Sonsona (21-2-4, 9) and Dave Apolinario (6-0, 4) among others.
Bulacan, Philippines
A second Filipino show will be held in Bulacan, and will be a much smaller show.
The most notable bout here will see Jose Roda Jr (3-1-1) take on Richard Morales (3-2, 2) in a bout scheduled for 6 rounds. Both men will come into this feeling confident of picking up the win and as a result this should make for an interesting contest, but we're not expecting anything in terms of high quality, at least compared to the other Filipino show which is much, much better than this card.
Yamaguchi, Japan
As well as the action in the Philippines there is also two shows in Japan, one of which is being held in Yamaguchi by Kanmon Japan.
The chief support bout on this card is a terrific match up as the unbeaten Kudura Kaneko (6-0, 4) takes on Change Hamashima (10-2-1, 4) in a rematch of their 2017 clash. In the first bout between these two Kaneko won a wide decision over 6 rounds but will be stepping up to the 8 round distance here. Interestingly this will be the first time either fighter has been scheduled in an 8 round bout, and should be a good test for the stamina of both men. Given how clearly Kaneko won the first bout however it's hard to see why these two are having rematch so soon after their first contest.
The main event of this card is fantastic on paper with Accel Sumiyoshi (10-4-2, 3) taking on Shogo Yamaguchi (11-3-2, 6). Since losing to Masayoshi Nakatani in an OPBF Lightweight title bout back on 2015 we've seen Sumiyoshi go 6-0-1 with notable wins over Tatsuya Yanagi, Allan Tanada, Naotoshoi Nakatani and Motoki Sasaki and really build himself a solid record at this level. As for the 24 year old Yamaguchi we've seen him begin to struggle. Yamaguchi went 9-0-1 (4) to begin his career but has since gone 2-3-2 and was stopped last year by Andy Hiraoka. Given the momentum in both men's careers it's hard to pick against Sumiyoshi, but it is a very good bout on paper.
Ibaragi, Japan
The second Japanese show is from Ibaragi, where the fans will get the chance to see a number of unbeaten men in action.
One of the unbeaten fighters is Fumiya Fuse (5-0, 1), who is scheduled to face off with an Indonesian visitor. Last year we saw Fuse claim the Rookie of the Year crown at Bantamweight, when he stopped Hiroki Tokuyama in the final, and he'll be looking to build on that success here as he kicks off his 2018 and looks to secure a 6th straight win.
The bout scheduled as the final bout on the card is all unbeaten contest as Hideaki Onuki (3-0) takes on Akihiko Kurita (2-0) in a bout scheduled for 4 round. This looks almost certain to go the distance but should still prove to be a very interesting and well matched bout between two fighters with similar records and similar experience.
Osaka, Japan
This coming Sunday is a busy day in Japan with 3 shows in the country, with 2 of those taking place in Osaka.
The most significant of those is a multi-title show from Muto promotions, with the card being headlined by OPBF Middleweight champion Koki Tyson (13-2-2, 11), who faces off with veteran Yasuyuki Akiyama (11-7-1, 8). The bout will see Tyson defending his OPBF title and also look to add the WBO Asia Pacific title, which is currently vacant but on the line for this bout. It's hard to see past a win for Tyson, given he holds almost every advantage, but the bout is likely to be the final one of Akiyama's career, and he will almost certainly give everything he has here.
A second OPBF title fight will see Bantamweight champion Mark John Yap (27-12, 13) seek his second defense, as he puts his title on the line against Japanese foe Seizo Kono (19-8-1, 12). The Japanese based Filipino champion will be making his second defense of the title, following his dramatic win over Kentaro Masuda, and knows that if he can continue on his current winning streak there is a chance he will be able to move towards a world title fight. For Kono the bout perhaps comes at the perfect time, with the Japanese man having won his last 4, and seemingly ended his blotchy form, which saw him going 2-5. Despite being on a bit of a run this is still a big ask for Kono.
In a rematch we'll see former multi-time world title challengers collide, as Hirofumi Mukai (14-5-3, 4) and Inthanon Sithchamuang (31-9-1, 19) battle for the WBO Asia Pacific Super Flyweight title, just as they did in November 2016. In their first meeting Mukai stopped the Thai in 3 rounds, but since then he has gone 1-1, beating a novice Thai and being stopped in a war with Rex Tso. As for Inthanon, he's fought once since losing to Mukai, also a win over a novice Thai. It's fair to say that Mukai will be favoured, given how easily he won the first contest between the two, but it'll be interesting to see what the Tso bout took out of him.
A second Japan Vs Thailand bout for a WBO Asia Pacific Flyweight title will see the once beaten Masahiro Sakamoto (10-1, 6) take on veteran former world champion Kwanthai Sithmorseng (50-4-1, 27). Aged 26 Sakamoto is just coming into his prime and the Flyweight will be looking to claim the biggest win of his career here. His only loss came in a bout for this very same title last year, when he suffered a very close loss to current WBO world champion Sho Kimura, and he will know that a win against Kwanthai could push him into the world title mix. As for Kwanthai, he's a long way removed from the man who claimed the WBA Minimumweight title in 2010. He has gone 19-4 since that win, but suffered 2 stoppages and only beaten very limited opposition. This should be a win for Sakamoto, but the question is really "how impressive does he look here?"
Osaka, Japan
A second show in Osaka will be promoted by Green Tsuda and although not a big card does have one of the day's most interesting contests on it, as well as the continued push of a man who has been matched hard through his career.
That hard matched man is Takayuki Okumoto (18-8-3, 8), who's record doesn't suggest anything special but he did recently challenge Japanese Super Flyweight champion Ryuichi Funai, and ran Eaktwan BTU Ruaviking close in 2016. The Japanese fighter will be up against a Thai foe here, and should, easily, pick up the win in the card's main event.
Arguably the most interesting match up of the day is a supporting contest between two once tipped amateur stars, both in need of a big win after recent set backs. In one corner will be Kazuki Tanaka (7-1, 5), a Green Tsuda man who was tipped as a star but was stopped last time out by Ryohei Takahashi. Like Tanaka we saw Hikaru Marugame (6-2-1, 4) turn professional with high expectations, having competed on the international stage in the amateurs, but with 2 losses and a draw in his last 4 bouts those expectations are quickly dying. A loss here for either man would likely spell the end of any hope of them becoming a notable name, and the bout really is a must win for both.
Aichi, Japan
A third card from Japan this coming Sunday is from Aichi, and is certainly one with an international feel, given the three most notable bouts all feature a visitor.
The main event sees former Japanese Light Middleweight title challenger Ryosuke Maruki (14-4-1, 9) take on Indonesia's Filipus Rangga (10-17, 1). The Japanese fighter looked like one to watch when he lost to Yuki Nonaka, with some suggesting just a tiny bit of seasoning was needed, and since then he has picked up two stoppage wins and looks like a genuine domestic contender, with a second title fight perhaps only a few bouts away. Rangga began his career 5-1 but since then has gone 5-16 and really is a very limited fighter on the domestic scene, and has fought at much higher weights. Not only is Rangga smaller, older, and less talented but he is also making his international debut. In all honesty Maruki should be disappointed if this goes beyond 6 rounds.
In an interesting support bout fans will see the pretty solid Shogo Yamaguchi (10-3-2, 5) take on domestically ranked Indonesian Lightweight Sam Puadi (7-8, 5). Yamaguchi has gone 1-3-1 in his last 5, though has faced the likes of Akihiro Kondo and Andy Hiraoka during that run, and really needs a win to kick start his once fledgling career. The visitor is 0-2 outside of Indonesia, including a loss earlier this year in Japan to Yuki Harada, though it's fair to say that the visitor will feel he has half a chance here against a very out of form Yamaguchi.
Also on this card will be a Heavyweight bout, as top ranked Japanese Heavyweight Kotatsu Takehara (13-11-3, 7) takes on Korean visitor Hoo Won Lee (4-3). The 39 year old Takehara is a 2 time Japanese title challenger and although he came up short in both bouts, to Kyotaro Fujimoto, he is a game fighter. Interestingly Takehara will be fighting for the first time since May 2016, when Japanese rules actually forbid him from fighting, and will surely be wanting to prove age is just a number. The 24 year old Korean visitor has age on his side, but the former Korean Heavyweight champion is stepping up in a big way here, and was stopped in a round back in June. If Takehara is half the fighter he was he should win, if he loses however it's got to be the end for him.
Seoul, South Korea
Fans in Korea will get their own title bout, as the unbeaten In Duck Seo (8-0-1, 5) takes on the limited Joong Kyung Lee (3-2) in a bout for the KBF Light Middleweight title. Seo is unbeaten, but could only a manage a draw last time out, in a very good match up against Dong Hee Kim down at 140lbs. As for Lee, who will be having his 6th bout of the year, this bout follows an 8 round loss to Moon Sung Choi and he will certainly be coming into this one looking to score a big domestic win.
Osaka, Japan
There isn't much action this coming Friday but there's enough to be a little bit excited about as we see boxing go to Hirataka city in Osaka.
The main event of the show will see former OPBF Bantamweight champion Yu Kawaguchi (26-8, 13) taking on Hideo Sakamoto (17-4-3, 5) in what looks like an excellent must win contest for both. Kawaguchi hasn't got a win of note since April 2015, when he won the OPBF title, but has since gone 3-2 losing the title to Takahiro Yamamoto in his first defense and losing a Japanese title fight last year. Sakamoto on the other hand has gone 1-3-1 in his last 5, after having had an 8 fight winning run with victories over Hiroki Shiino and Ryoichi Tamura. This could be a very good bout, or a sign that one, or both, men are faded forces.
In a supporting bout we'll see the heavy handed Ryota Yada (13-4, 11) take on a Thai foe as he looks to shake some rust before an October bout against Moon Hyun Yun (18-4-3, 3), in a Japanese title challenger decision bout.
A good looking support bout will see Genki Maeda (5-2, 2) take on Shogo Yamaguchi (10-3-1, 5). Whilst neither man has a big name or an impressive record they are actually well matched and have styles that should provide good action at this level, and this could be the bout of the night.
One other bout of note will see female prospect Fuka Komura (4-0, 2) look to continue her rise towards a Japanese female title fight, as she takes on Sarasa Ichimura (3-5-1). This will be Komura's third bout of the year though more notable is the fact it will be her first 6 rounder and could see her being forced to prove her stamina.
Tokyo, Japan
For a second day running Japanese fans in Tokyo get a huge show at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo.
The main event here sees Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue (12-0, 10) defending his WBO Super Flyweight title against Mexican born American based challenger Ricardo Rodriguez (16-3, 5. The bout will be Inoue's 5th defense of the title and it's likely to be his last with his team talking about vacating the title later in the year, ahead of his US debut. The pressure is on the youngster to shine here but Rodriguez is tough and has never been stopped, and will be looking to score a career defining victory here.
The other world title fight here will see IBF Light Flyweight champion Akira Yaegashi (25-5, 15) battle against interim champion Milan Melindo (35-2, 12). The bout is, on paper at the very least, the most interesting of the 6 world title fights taking place this coming weekend and it looks like a genuine 50-50 match up. Of the two fighters Yaegashi is the more proven and the more well known, but he's also the older man and the man with a lot more miles on the clock. Melindo, the less proven fighter, is probably the more technically sound fighter, but a win here would be the biggest of his career by some margin.
The biggest mismatch on this card will see the once beaten Ryo Matsumoto (19-1, 17) battle against Hendrik Barongsay (29-25-3, 18) in what is little more than a stay busy fight for Matsumoto. The talented Japanese youngster looked better than ever last time out, blowing out Hideo Sakamoto in less than 2 minutes, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Barongsay last a similar amount og time here.
One of the biggest names on the under-card is former multi-time world title challenger Satoshi Hosono (32-3-1, 21), who will take on Masashi Noguchi (12-6-1, 6) in an 8 rounder. This will be Hosono's first bout since losing in October to Jonathan Victor Barros in an IBF world title eliminator. Aged 33 this will probably be the start of Hosono's last run, and he really can't afford another set back. Noguchi is a former Japanese title challenger, who lost in December to Shuhei Tsuchiya, and is the naturally bigger man, but a win here would be his best to date.
In another notable under-card bout we'll see 2012 Olympic Bronze medal winner Satoshi Shimizu (2-0, 2) take on his first domestic opponent, Takuya Yamamoto (8-6, 4). The bout should be a straight forward win for Shimizu, though it's probably fair to say that his eyes are on the future and it's hard to imagine him not fighting for a domestic title before the end of 2017, especially given that he's now 31 and doesn't have much time to waste.
Also on the under-card is the re-re-scheduled meeting between talented youngster Andy Hiraoka (8-0, 5) and Shogo Yamaguchi (10-2-1, 5), who were originally meant to meet in the 2014 Rookie of the Year. The two were also meant to fight earlier this year. Sadly Hiraoka was forced to pull out of both the previous dates but will be looking to prove a point here. As for Yamaguchi he's going to be wanting to take his frustrations out on the younger man in what could be an under-card classic.
Okinawa, Japan
There will also be title action in Okinawa, albeit at a lower level as fans get an OPBF title fight.
That that OPBF title fight will see Japan's Seita Ogido (11-2-2, 3) battle unbeaten Filipino Edward Heno (10-0-4, 4) for the vacant Oriental Light Flyweight title. The title was vacated earlier this, by Ken Shiro ahead of his WBC world title fight with Ganigan Lopez, and the bout to crown a new champion does look like an interesting one. Ogido is seen as a promising youngster in Japan, and fought to a draw with the under-rated Jonathan Refugio earlier this year, suggesting there is talent there. Heno on the other hand is a bit of an unknown quantity, despite being unbeaten in 14 bouts, though he did impress last time out as he claimed the PBF title. This bout really could answer questions about both men.
The chief supporting bout here will see Masatoshi Kotani (20-2, 13) hunt an 11th straight win as he takes on Indonesian visitor Musa Letding (12-6-4, 6) in an 8 rounder. Kotani has been unbeaten since a 9th round stoppage loss to Filipino Cirilo Espino in 2012 and looks to have improved significantly since then. As for Letding he's 0-4 out side of Indonesia and will be looking for his first win on the road.
In another under-card bout we'll see the heavy handed Morihisa Iju (10-2, 8) battle against Masaya Kohama (6-5-1, 3). This bout will be Iju's third of the year, but will see him returning to the ring following a March loss to Ryo Kosaka and it's clear he'll be looking to avoid back-to-back defeats. Despite losing last time time out Iju should be favoured given that Kohama has been stopped in his last 3, with the most recent of those coming last July to Yohei Tobe.
Tarlac, Philippines
There will also be a small card in the Philippines. The card here is very poor overall but the main event does look interesting as Pedro Taduran (10-1, 7) and Philip Luis Cuerdo (9-3-1, 4) battle for the PBF Minimumweight title in a good looking 10 rounder. Coming in the once beaten Taduran has won his last 4 and has rebuilt well following his first loss however Cuerdo was stopped last time out, whilst leading on the score cards.
Tokyo, Japan
In late March we see Ohashi putting on their first show of 2017, and although it's not a huge show, like the FES cards, it is a solid Phoenix Battle card with a host of notable names in action.
In the main event we see the highly talented Ryo Matsumoto (18-1, 16) take on domestic rival Hideo Sakamoto (17-3-3, 5) in a really good match up. Matsumoto, who under-went serious surgery last year to solve a long term medical issue, will be looking to make a huge mark in 2017 but will have to over-come Sakamoto first. If the youngster wins then all signs point towards Matsumoto getting a world title fight before the end of 2017. Sakamoto might not be a big name but he is a very under-rated fighter with notable wins over Kazuyoshi Niki, Hiroki Shiino and Ryotaro Kawabata, but has suffered recent losses to Seio Kono and Kentaro Masuda in recent years.
In a major supporting bout we'll see the unbeaten Koki Inoue (6-0, 5) battle against Japanese ranked Mitsuyoshi Fujita (10-2, 3) in what should be a good test for Inoue. The unbeaten 24 year old only debuted in December 2015 but is one of the fastest rising fighters on the Japanese domestic scene and made a statement last year when he scored 5 wins, including a very impressive stoppage against Futoshi Usami. Fujita has suffered 2 losses, but has won 8 in a row since those back to back losses in 2013-2014. Although not as proven as Inoue he is experienced and has earned a Japanese ranking with wins against the likes of Yusuke Yamanouchi and Genki Maeda.
Another notable Ohashi gym fighter in action here is former world title challenger Ryuji Hara (21-2, 12), who faces domestic opponent Akiyoshi Kanazawa (14-6-4, 7). Hara scored two wins last year and looks to be rebuilding his career step by step following stoppage losses in 2014, to Kosei Tanaka, and in 2015, to Katsunari Takayama. This is a decent match up for for Hara, given he is rebuilding, but it's fair to say he needs to step up a bit later this year. Kanazawa has gone 3-4-1 in his last 8 though has been matched hard, and almost scored an upset last year over Kenichi Horikawa. Although limited Kanazawa will serve as a good test here.
A really interesting bout sees the unbeaten Andy Hiraoka (8-0, 5) finally battle with Shogo Yamaguchi (10-2-1, 5). Originally this bout was supposed to take place in December 2014, as the Rookie of the Year Lightweight final, but Hiraoka suffered an illness forcing him out of the bout. Since then Yamaguchi has gone 4-2, though has been matched hard with losses to Akihiro Kondo and Genki Maeda, whilst Hiraoka spent notable time training in the US and signed with Ohashi late last year.
Another interesting match up will see Quaye Peter (9-8-2, 5) take on recent Japanese title challenger Valentine Hosokawa (20-6-3, 9) in a very fan friendly match up. Both guys have lost their last two, and will be coming to impress here, but neither has performed badly in all honestly Hosokawa was very unlucky last time out against Hiroki Okada. Given the styles of both men and their need to score a win we suspect this will be a really exciting contest with both men knowing a win could net them a title shot later in the year.
Also on the card is former Japanese champion Seiichi Okada (19-6-1, 11), who battles against the limited but tough Kentaro Yamada (8-7-1, 6). Yamada has lost his last 6, but he has been in with a real who's who including Rikki Naito, Masayuki Ito and Yuki Ogata, and will certainly be looking at this bout as a chance to end that losing run.
May 28th-Pinoy Pride and Tanaka!
Negros Occidental, Philippines
The key show for fans of Asian fighters is in Negros Occidental where ALA will be putting on their next "Pinoy Pride" card.
In the main event fans will see long reigning Filipino world champion Donnie Nietes (37-1-4, 21) face off against former 2-time champion Raul Garcia (38-3-1, 23). Nietes, the current WBO Light Flyweight champion, defeated Garcia's twin brother, Ramon Garcia Hirales, back in 2011 and will be hoping to record a win over Raul too. For Raul it's a chance to become a 3-time champion and avenge one of his brother's losses.
The most interesting of the supporting bouts sees former world title challenger Arthur Villanueva (28-1, 14) face off against the chinny Juan Jimenez (22-9, 15) in a bout for the WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight. Despite being for an Asia Pacific title Jimenez is a Mexican so we're not sure how he qualifies for this title, however with 8 stoppage losses to his name it's hard to see him winning here.
In one of the other main supporting bouts former world title challenger Milan Melindo (33-2, 12) will be facing Maximino Flores (19-2, 13), who appears to have been a late fill in for Javier Mendoza. This bout will be an IBF Light Flyweight eliminator and the winner could find themselves taking a big step towards a world title fight later in the year.
In another supporting bout the promising Kevin Jake Cataraja (3-0, 2) will be up against Thai visitor Wanchai Nianghansa (5-7, 4). We have been impressed by Cataraja so far and expect this will be another straight forward win for the Filipino sensation, who is widely regarded by those in Filipino boxing circles as a future champion.
Aichi, Japan
In Japan fans get a small card but one with an interesting main event and a notable return to the ring for a recent Japanese title challenger.
The interesting main event sees former world champion Kosei Tanaka (6-0, 3) move up to Light Flyweight where he will face world ranked Filipino foe Rene Patilano (15-1-2, 7) in a very good looking 10 rounder. For Tanaka the bout is a chance to make a mark at a new weight class, and shake the shackles of the 105lb weight class that he claimed to be struggling massively with. As for Patilano the bout will serve as a huge chance to make a mark on the sport and boost his opportunity to get a world title fight of his own later in the year.
The aforementioned former Japanese title challenger is Yushi Tanaka (16-1-3, 10), who faces Yuta Sasaki (8-7-1, 1), in what is Tanaka's first bout since losing in that Japanese title bout to Kentaro Masuda. This should be an easy win for Tanaka but their may be lingering effects from his stoppage loss to Masuda.
Two other men looking to bounce back from a loss on this card will be Shogo Yamaguchi (9-1-1, 4), and Genki Maeda (2-1, 1), who face each other in an interesting looking Lightweight bout. Yamaguchi was beaten last time out by Akihiro Kondo, in a bout that saw Yamaguchi look like a promising fighter despite losing, whilst Maeda was stopped by Yoshimichi Matsumoto in a less impressive performance. This could be a very good one, or it could see Maeda made to look like a novice.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Their will also be action in Uzbekistan
In the main event hard hitting Russian Heavyweight hopeful Apti Davtaev (11-0-1, 11) will be facing Kazakh journeyman Talgat Dosanov (13-14-1, 6) in what looks like a total mismatch in favour of the heavy handed Russian hopeful.
A much more interesting bout will see Uzbek fighter Bahrom Payozov (23-5, 15) face Russian novice Alexander Kotov (3-0, 1). Kotov debuted in December and this is a huge step up in class for him, however a win here is somewhat expected. For Payozov, who has lost 3 of his last 5, the bout is a bit of a must win.
New South Wales, Australia
Once again we see Asian fighters travelling to Australia, this time however we have one genuinely competitive bout as Romnakit Boontree (8-0, 5) facing off against the once beaten Richard Smith (8-1, 3). The unbeaten Thai has shown genuine promise through his first 8 bouts and whilst this is a step up he does look like the sort of fighter who could go a long way, if he can win here in his first bout outside of Thailand.
Other Asian's on this card are Indonesian fighters Abbas Makki (1-4), who faces Michael Upton (4-1-1) and Maxi Nahak (6-11-2, 2), who faces Rocky Jerkic (14-0, 11), in bouts that are both likely to be won by the local favourites.
Tokyo, Japan
For a second day running the only Asian action is in Japan, though this time we do get a number of interesting looking match ups in what looks to be a solid domestic card from Ichiriki Promotions.
The main event will see former Japanese Lightweight champion Akihiro Kondo (23-6-1, 11) battle against the unbeaten Shogo Yamaguchi (9-0-1, 4) in what will be a step up for the unbeaten 22 year old. Aged 30 Kondo is best known for having a short reign as the Japanese national champion back in 2009-2010 though retired in 2013 before mounting a comeback in 2014, that has seen him go 4-3, with notable wins against Jimrex Jaca and Patomsuk Pathompothong. As for Yamaguchi he's on a 9 fight winning run following a draw on his debut, however this is a big step up with his best win to date coming against Shota Suito.
Another unbeaten fighter looking to extend his record is the touted Hikaru Marugame (5-0-1, 3) who looks to bounce back from a draw against Jonathan Baat. Marugame will be up against Reiya Abe (10-2, 5), a 2014 Rookie of the Year winner at Featherweight. Whilst Abe has suffered a couple of losses, with one of them coming a year ago to Shingo Kusano, he is still a very good fighter and should be regarded as a very live under-dog against Marugame, who has promises a lot but failed to really deliver on that promise so far.
Marugame's stable mate Naoto Uebayashi (8-1-1, 4) will also be in action, as he faces Naoaki Kumagai (7-3, 4), in another bout which looks to be well matched. Uebayashi was a former top amateur in Japan, and has fought internationally in the unpaid ranks, but has shown a somewhat shaky chin in the professional ranks, a chin that let him down last year against Giovanni Escaner. This will be Uebayashi's second bout since he was beaten by Escaner and he will be the favourite but Kumagai will come to fight and this could be another banana skin for Uebayashi.
In other bouts on this card Japanese ranked Yudai Arai (7-3-3, 3) will be battling Tatsuya Kaneko (7-11-3, 1) in what looks like a good match up whilst recent Japanese title challenger Taiki Minamoto (10-5, 9) takes on Yudai Tamagawa (8-6-1, 2) in what looks to be a must win for Minamoto given that he is 3-3 in his last 6.
November 1st-A new month kicks off!
Hiroshima, Japan
The most notable card of the day takes place in Hiroshima where we get the chance to see several ranked fighters.
The main event of the card is a 10 round contest between two OPBF ranked fighters. The lower ranked fighter is Japan's very own Koji Itagaki (15-9-2, 6) who likely to be viewed as the under-dog against the better ranked Filipino Michael Enriquez (11-3-1, 7). Coming into this one Itagaki is 3-4-1 though those 3 wins have come in his last 3 and he does hold notable wins over Palangpol CP Freshmart and Benezer Alolod. As for Enriquez he is 3-4 in his last 7 and is best known for his close and exciting loss, in March, to Rex Tso in what was a genuine FOTY contender. Given what we know of both fighters we have to favour the Filipino.
In a supporting bout we'll see recent OPBF title challenger Yuya Okazaki (11-8-1, 4) take on novice Noriaki Sato (2-1). This is a huge step up for Sato however a win could move him towards a title fight. For Okazaki this is his first bout since he was stopped by Keita Obara back in April.
Another supporting bout will see see the inform Tetsuya Morisada (6-3, 6) risk his Japanese ranking against Ryuji Ikeda (10-2-1, 6), who is looking to extend a 4 fight KO streak. On paper this looks like a bout where Ikeda should be favoured but Morisada would certainly feel that he deserves to be favoured given his ranking. Of the two men Ikeda has achieved more, winning the All Japan Rookie of the Year in 2013, but that was Lightweight whilst this bout will be closer to 140lbs which should favour Morisada.
Shizuoka, Japan
A second Japanese show takes place in Shizuoka.
The main event appears to be a mismatch as Yuya Miyagi (18-4-3, 7) takes on Tienchai Sor Kanitsorn (1-4, 1). Miyagi has gone 3-2-1 in his last 6 but should be far too good for Tienchai who has been stopped in his last 4 bouts, all of which have taken place in Japan.
The co-feature of the show sees the unbeaten Shogo Yamaguchi (8-0-1, 4) in a good looking bout against the light punching Shota Suito (10-4-1, 1). On paper it's hard to back Suito however his edge in experience could help here against the younger and less tested fighter.
Jakarta, Indonesia
As well as the Japanese action there will also be an Indonesian show.
In the main event fans will see veteran James Mokoginta (28-17-3, 15) battle against novice foe Marten Kisamlu (3-5) in a bout for the KTPI/IBPC Featherweight title. Mokoginta is the more well known of the two men and has fought a relative who's who of the Asian fight scene, including Daiki Kameda, Dennis Tubieron and Sod Kokietgym, though has yet to pick up a win of note on the international stage. As for Kisamlu he has never fought outside of Indonesia and in all honesty a win here would be his best, by far.
In the chief support bout fans will get an all-debutant bout between Aris Larabi (0-0) and Felix Babel (0-0). This is scheduled to go 6 rounds and could well be a well matched bout, though given what we know about Indonesian records we may well see this being a total mismatch.
August 21st-Contenders collide in Tokyo, Kompayak and Teerachai in action in Thailand!
To end a good week we get a brilliant flourish with several notable fighters, including two who are matched in a potential thriller.
Tokyo, Japan
Some fights looking mouth watering the second they are announced. Today we one such bout whilst the card features several other contests of note.
That bout in question will see former Japanese Super Featherweight champion Daiki Kaneko (21-4-3, 14) take on the big punching Masao Nakamura (19-3, 19). On paper this is as good as it gets for a fight fan. Kaneko is, by far, the more technically capable of the two men though is still pretty basic and relies more on his immense physical strength than his boxing ability. Nakamura on the other-hand is a venomous puncher dubbed the "KO King". Do not be surprised is this ends up being the fight of the month and absolute barn burner.
The key under-card bout here will see the once beaten Ryohei Takahashi (6-1-1) take on the once touted Kenji Kubo (5-3-1, 2). The fight is a brilliant match up between two young fighters each looking for a big win. On paper the bout is intriguing though it's made even more significant by the fact that Kubo has essentially said that he will walk away from the sport, at least for a while, if he loses here. Considering he began his career with a win over former world title challenger Nouldy Manakane this could be a very disappointing end to his career.
Another bout on this card will see Japanese ranked Shogo Yamaguchi (7-0-1, 4) battle against Keisuke Arima (8-10-1, 1) in an intriguing Bantamweight fight. This could be a good test for the 21 year old Yamaguchi who has won 7 in a row following a draw on debut mire than 2 years back. On paper this should be a mismatch but Arima has never been stopped and has regularly been a domestic gate keeper facing the likes of Yuhei Suzuki, Yuya Sugizaki and Kota Koike. It may look a mismatch on paper but this really could be an excellent test for the youngster.
Bangkok, Thailand
In Thailand fans will get the chance to see Teerachai Kratingdaenggym (30-0, 23) defending his PABA title against South African challenger Boitshepo Mandawe (14-6, 10). On paper this looks like an easy win for Teerachai however Mandawe has mixed with good company and could well test Teerachai. We don't imagine the Thai will lose but we hope he'll be tested here. Interestingly it's been mentioned that Teerachai may get a shot at the WBA interim title if he comes out on top here.
On a second Thai show dans will get the chance to see former WBC Light Flyweight champion Kompayak Porpramook (52-5, 37) battle against Filipino visitor Jopher Marayan (7-6-2, 3) in a bout for a WBA Asia title. This card will be aired on Thai TV 3SD whilst the other show will be on Thai Channel 7.
In Mexico we'll see American-Filipino novice Adam Fiel (6-0, 2) battle against Brayan Santillanes (3-3-2, 1) in what looks to be a mismatch.
(Image courtesy of boxmob.jp)
March 2020


text:
Whitney Grant looked down the narrow path between two long lines of people. Blocking her view were wide-open palms gently waving and waiting for her. She ran down the high-five gauntlet, slapping hands, getting and giving high-fives and connecting with other participants at last year's FIGMENT Jackson, an arts event heavy on participation. It was exhilarating. "I think I went through twice," Grant said.
Just a few minutes later, almost in the time it took the participants to gather and create the gauntlet, the lines dissipated and left no trace.
Grant is an organizer of this year's FIGMENT Jackson event April 28 and 29 in the Midtown Arts District. The free event pulled in more than 1,300 last year at the old Coke plant on Highway 80.
"It was a variety of experiences. We had everything," she said. "It was two days of wandering and having unexpected experiences."
The event is free, a point Grant stresses. "Even if we charge $1 to get in, that would exclude someone," she said. FIGMENT has no corporate sponsors, and no artists are allowed to sell art at the event. The concept is inclusion and noncommercial celebration. It's not a cold gallery of submissions to look at.
"The idea is (that) everyone is an artist," Grant said. "It's not an evaluation of art; it's not art just hanging on walls."
Last year, little children played in a plastic wading pool filled with flower petals instead of water. Journals and notebooks and pens and pencils dangled from tree branches inviting passersby to stop and write a note about dreams and wishes. With each new crawling participant or curious poker, a large modernistic monkey-bars structure created new light shows and musical tunes.
FIGMENT is not just for children, but you will want to play like a child. Interactive means more than observing others who create.
"It's kind of like a potluck art party," Grant said. "It's really the most grassroots thing I've ever been a part of."
FIGMENT is a multi-city arts festival that started in New York City. Now, the festival happens in Detroit and Boston as well as Jackson. David Koren, FIGMENT project executive producer and founder, calls it participatory art in the public realm.
Artists will have booths with activities everyone can take part in. Grant and the other organizers set up the place, date and time, and they help applicants with the basic needs for each interactive idea. Some will need access to power, like the monkey-bar sized musical instrument from last year's event.
FIGMENT will block off Wilson Street for several outdoor projects, but expect many indoor installations as well. When Grant talked to the Jackson Free Press, she was still expecting more entries and couldn't describe any new projects. The organizers approve most projects, making suggestions on how to make some even more interactive. They accept just about any idea, as long as it isn't dangerous.
Planning the logistics and support for FIGMENT has been time intensive. The first meeting for this year's event was held in October. One of the big jobs is writing grants to pay for the free-to-the-public events. Even though the organizers charge nothing, some necessities still cost money. The organizers also have to consider the cost of security, insurance and some legal paperwork. Some professionals donate their services to the cause.
"Everything is done on a volunteer basis," Grant said. Every Wednesday for the past couple of months, the core team of volunteers has met on site in Midtown. FIGMENT organizers provide the infrastructure.
One of the largest challenges FIGMENT Jackson organizers face is getting the word out. "It's difficult. We have some money left over from last year that we are using for advertising," Grant said.
FIGMENT Jackson chose Midtown as its focus this year to make something positive happen where it's not the norm.
"We want people to come and be ready to unleash their creative side," Grant said. "Drop your inhibitions and enjoy yourself."
FIGMENT Jackson 2012 is Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29, in the Midtown Arts District. FIGMENT Jackson's central node is at the North Midtown Arts Center (121 Millsaps Ave.) And will expand into Millsaps Avenue, Wilson Street and McTyere Avenue as necessary. North Midtown is located south of Woodrow Wilson, west of Millsaps College, east of Mill Street and north of Fortification Street. Hours are noon to dark Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Free. Visit http://jackson.figmentproject.org.
Previous Comments
- 167666
- Comment
i'll be conducting the Midtown FIGMENT Debris Organization so stop by and lend a hand collecting or organizing!
- Author
- daniel johnson
- Date
More like this story
More stories by this author
COVID-19 has closed down the main sources of the JFP's revenue -- concerts, festivals, fundraisers, restaurants and bars. If everyone reading this article gives $5 or more, we should be able to continue publishing through the crisis. Please pay what you can to keep us reporting and publishing.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.comments powered by Disqus


text:
© Niagara County Community College | All rights reserved.
3111 Saunders Settlement Rd. | Sanborn, NY 14132 | 716.614.6222
Connect with us:
Web-based accessibility information.
General Inquiries: Web Feedback.
By registering for courses at Niagara County Community College (the "College"), I understand that:
I, _________________________ (insert name), have read and understand the terms of the Financial Obligation Agreement and accept financial responsibility for all charges incurred by me during the (insert indicated semester).


text:
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said in its recent 2015 Nuclear Technology Roadmap that global nuclear power capacity should double by 2050 to help stem global warming.
The International Energy Agency and the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency prepared the analysis.
The roadmap looks at trends, and analysts said current energy use and supply levels are unsustainable. The energy agencies said nuclear energy can fill the void as other sources fall short, adding that nuclear energy can lower greenhouse gas emissions and provide power levels comparable to electricity.
The agencies' scenario is a mix of nuclear and electric energy. The 2050 carbon-limited program would see 40,000 TWh, with 930 GWe of nuclear power providing 17 percent of electricity. The agencies said the annual nuclear plant connection rates must increase to more than 20 GWe. The current output is 5 GWe.


text:
OurDailyChallenge "Health & Fitness"
Never been inside this facility. Don't expect to. Good health and fitness starts with what passes your gums and you don't need favcy equipment to get your excercise. At least thats what I believe. FWIW
Posted by Light Collector on 2011-11-14 21:19:15
Tagged: , OurDailyChallenge , Health & Fitness , sign , three


text:
preparing soil for a vegtable garden
Hi there, 1) I wanted to know if I need to mix my soil (the ground)I'm preparing to plant some veggies and herbs in with anything else but compost ? say manure for example? 2) If I plant in in a pot or raised bed, then what is the best to fill it with. 3)Summer here is very hot (95-100 degrees average) and mostly dry. will Mulch or wood chips help? at what point do I add it ? Thank you for your time and knowledge. E.
When starting a new bed, a soil test is recommended. The best tests are done by your state cooperative extension service. It will tell you if there are deficiencies and what to do to correct them, what your pH is and whether you have clay, sand, silt or loam. You'll be glad to hear that there is no need for the backyard gardener to dig amendments into the soil. Plant your beds, put 2 inches of compost on top and then 2-3 inches of a loose mulch like wood chips. Don't let the compost and mulch touch plant stems. Veggies require fertilization of some sort. Usually a generic balanced fertilizer is fine; follow instructions. Tomatoes and corn are particularly heavy feeders. Basil will grow fine in regular garden soil but woody herbs like lavender and sage require soil that drains quickly and is rather sandy. In containers, don't use any regular garden soil. Buy potting mix in a bag: these have no soil in them even though we call it potting soil. Usually, it has peat moss, perlite, compost and "forest products". Always use pots that have drainage holes and raise them up on bricks, sticks or specially made "pot feet" to ensure good drainage and allow some air into the roots. You can grow almost anything in pots. They need watering more frequently than in-ground plants. If you are in an area with summer thunderstorms, you may want to make your containers wind proof. A brick in the bottom of a large container, especially anything tall like tomatoes helps prevent toppling over. You can put all your pots in a box you've constructed and weighed-down or nailed into place. Inexpensive styrofoam like container are available. They may offer roots greater protection from the heat of direct sunlight than black plastic pots. You might front your pots with hay or wrap burlap around the whole lot of them to cast shade on the roots. Terra cotta is a popular choice but it dries out quickly. Painting them a light color will decrease moisture loss. Check with your state co-op extension service: they will have planting / grow times for veggies and which do well in your climate.
You must be logged into your account to answer a question.
If you don't have an account sign up for an account now.


text:
The Justin Men's 10 in. Roper Boot is tough and reliable.
- Single stitched welt
- Leather outsole
- J-Flex Flexible Comfort System with Removable Orthotic Insert
- Handcrafted in the USA
- 4 lb.
- Remove loose dirt with a soft brush or rag
- Treat with water & stain protector when new
- Keep free of mud and drying elements
Note: This product may require up to 2 additional days for order processing prior to shipping


text:
The AirWire Ecosystem – Major Updates Incoming!
Our original sending and receiving technology was (and still is) unmatched in its ingenuity and functionality. The protocols developed have served as strong foundations for AirWire's platform. This foundation was crucial as we added layer upon layer of functionality and built out an entire enterprise of features that would one day facilitate our goal of mass adoption.
We are nearing the anniversary of AirWire's release and the time has come to usher in the high-impact platform we've all been waiting for! For the next six weeks, we will be releasing a suite of features, updates, partnerships, and new portals. The breadth and scope of these releases are unrivaled in the history of AirWire. For both companies and individuals, WIRE will be a necessity as a currency and/or fee settlement mechanism to deploy and utilize key operational features inside AirWire's ecosystem. The following is a list of upcoming releases:
Earn Portal
Airdrops, bounties, polls, trivia, and more!
With the Earn portal, AirWire community members will enjoy multiple opportunities to acquire a variety of coins and tokens from cryptocurrency projects we've partnered with. Businesses, social media influencers, and individuals can set up reward opportunities for everyone in the ecosystem inside the Earn portal. There is no better way to engage and grow your influence and network! Referrals for new platform users are the best in the industry. Simply drop in multiple friend's phone numbers, emails, or Twitter handles, and both parties are rewarded with WIRE and partner tokens when the referee registers on AirWire. WIRE tokens will be required as the fee settlement for all opportunities deployed by our partners inside the Earn portal.
iOS and Android Apps
AirWire will be releasing phase 1 of a 5-phase roadmap for developing our premier cryptocurrency app which will encompass all of our current and future technology.
Initial features include:
- Swiftx for faster transactions
- Bip38 encryption of private keys
- Node-Changing feature for enhanced network connections
- Wallet backup capabilities for added security
- Built in QR scanner to instantly copy addresses into your address book
With these mobile applications, we can combine wallet functionality with future functionality such as social media, merchant services, and a host of other consumer services.
Coin Listing Portal
What better way to bring in more projects and more communities than a coin listing? Not every quality coin is funded by Tim Draper or advised by Vitalik Buterin. However, there are great coins with great communities that are severely underfunded or underrated. We want to shine a light on these projects by bringing them into our ecosystem. Not only can we list coins on our platform—which gives them technology they don't currently have—but they'll be able to tap into resources like our Earn and Advertising portals to grow and educate a wider user-base. AirWire will adhere to a strict vetting process to ensure high quality projects and select a few cryptocurrencies per month for the Coin Listing portal. Each project will have a pre-designated WIRE token goal to meet. This goal can be met with "donations" from the company, their community, AirWire's community, and anyone else who wants to participate. From the incoming project's perspective, the most beneficial aspect of these donations is that the WIRE amount is credited to them to grow their network. AirWire will set up a WIRE token treasury for each company to draw from for payment of all fees incurred while utilizing the platform.
Advertising Portal
With the new Advertising portal, companies and individuals, inside and outside of blockchain, will be able to run advertisements through the AirWire platform.
AirWire is becoming a bustling metropolis of partners and functionality. It is only natural that our user-base becomes increasingly attractive to advertisers. Advertisements are permission based meaning each user will only interact with the ads they have chosen. AirWire will not operate this portal by the traditional business model, where only the companies benefit. Just like the Earn portal, users who choose to engage these advertisements will be rewarded with coins for doing so by the participating advertisement companies.
For a company looking to efficiently spend their marketing budget, AirWire will be an obvious solution. Companies will embed a video into the AirWire platform. Users can only claim rewards after they've watched 100% of the video. From a marketing standpoint, this is nothing like Facebook and YouTube, who take your marketing dollars with no guarantee anyone will view your advertisement (and no way to validate the way blockchain technology can!). WIRE will be utilized as a requirement for fees and rewards inside the Advertising portal.
New Partnerships
AirWire will be releasing announcements for many new partnerships over the coming weeks. We have been working on dynamic integrations where AirWire will have connectivity and functionality on partner's websites and apps.
Website Updates
AirWire is updating our website with a sleek redesign to showcase the many new features we have developed. We aren't, and never intended to be, just a sending and receiving platform. With all the new updates, we want to make sure our community and potential future partnerships aren't left guessing what their options are.
Marketplace Portal
Lastly, we would like to announce another portal, currently under development; the Marketplace portal. The Marketplace will offer products and services from AirWire, our partners, and affiliates that can be purchased using any cryptocurrency listed on our platform! AirWire will be engaging non-crypto companies to accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment to rapidly expand this ecosystem. First will be a store to convert any gift card to cryptocurrency.
While the entire industry has been trudging through this so-called "Crypto Winter," AirWire has kept its head down and focused on constant development of new and amazing features. The sun is coming out and the AirWire thaw is underway!
Get started at https://airwire.io
Daniel Wagner
Daniel Wagner is a father of four, writer, creator, political/philosophical commentator, blockchain enthusiast, and crypto-communicator. He is the Director of Marketing for AirWire, educating noobs about the blockchain industry since 2015. You can contact him at [email protected]


text:
Peach Moonstone Floating Lotus Bracelet
- 100% Secure shopping
- FREE DELIVERY over £70 in UK mainland
- Made in the UK
- Allergen Free Jewellery - AnchorCert Protected. Click here.
Cute, yet powerful bracelet. The Floating Lotus Bracelet combines 925 sterling silver and peach moonstone to bring sensitivity and intuition together with hidden beauty and purity.
Paired naturally with the Sacral Chakra Bracelet, it brings to life your creative and emotional side.
Add to your existing ChloBo collection to get a true boho-look or gift to a friend as a symbol of love.
Our jewellery is hallmarked in the UK at the Assay Office, fulfilling the requirements established by law on Precious Metals. This is a guarantee of the purity and quality of the metals used.
Any accidental damage/breakage can be repaired at a small charge. Faulty products will be repaired under your 12 month warranty - valid only with warranty card & proof of purchase. For more info please click here.
All of our pieces are lovingly created using 925 Sterling Silver, Gold Plating, Rose Gold Plating & Semi-Precious Stones. These Stones are natural and therefore unique so from time to time may vary in size, tone and finish. Small imperfections or 'beauty spots', as we like to call them, are inherent and add character and individuality to the Stone.
In order to prolong the beauty and lustre we recommend that your ChloBo piece should avoid contact with perfume, false tan, lotions, chlorine etc. Please handle with care and if required gently clean the Silver with a polishing cloth.
Take care of your ChloBo piece and it will love you back for years to come! For more information click here.
Need a size alteration? If you would like a bracelet to be resized to a larger size please call our customer service team on 01244 470244 or email email@example.com immediately after making the purchase with the size you require in centimetres, your order number and the name of the bracelet you would like resizing. The charge to resize your new bracelet is £5. Please see our FAQ page for more information and costings.
|925 Sterling Silver
All UK mainland orders are FREE delivery when over £70.
All mainland UK deliveries will be made via Parcel Force and Royal Mail, other UK destinations (Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man etc) will be delivered by Parcel Force.
We endeavour to dispatch your order as quickly as possibly but please do allow up to 5 business days for standard UK delivery, particularly as all our items are handmade to order. If you have ordered with Next Day Delivery before 1pm Mon-Fri, your order will be with you the next working day.
You may check the status of your order and shipment either online or by contacting our Customer Support Centre, please email: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Deliveries will be made between 9-5 Monday – Friday and must be signed for.
Please allow for 10 working days for delivery during Black Friday, Christmas and Sale periods.
ChloBo promise to refund any items you are not completely happy with, provided they are returned to us in a saleable condition within 14 Days of receipt. All refunds will be credited back to your original method of payment. For more info please click here.
Please note: For hygiene reasons we cannot accept returns or refund on any earrings.


text:
One couldn't have missed seeing actor Sandeepa Dhar's dance covers on YouTube and Instagram. From Kamariya to Tu Ne O Rangeele and Chalti Hai Kya 9 se 12, the actor has done justice in such a way that it's hard to take your eyes off her as she dances on the tunes of these Bollywood songs. "I love to dance and this is a fun thing we did which turned out to go viral," adds Dhar who learns the choreography in an hour and then shoots the song. When we spoke to her, she spoke to us about her fitness and beauty secrets. Here are excerpts from her candid conversation.
Talking about food, is following a diet a crucial part of your fitness? How do you follow?
I do MMA. Martial arts I got addicted due to a movie that trained me in it. I go for it thrice a week. I also love yoga. If you want to stay fit, do 108 Surya Namaskar a day and that's enough. Start with ten and then keep increasing it. I make sure of doing them everyday. When it comes to my eating habits, I don't eat anything before working out. My mornings start with a glass of water and then for breakfast I have a bowl of fruits or green smoothie or avocado and egg. I eat everything, I'm a foodie but don't go to extremes.
When it comes to beauty treatments, do you go for home remedies?
Are there few things you can share with the readers? I'm a very basic person and usually opt for natural things. Going overboard is not my style. In terms of beauty my favourite is egg white mask. Take one egg white and beat it, leave it for 30 minutes and wash it off. Do this every 10 days to keep your skin tightened. I also swear by organic coconut oil. It's the best night cream and makeup remover. It has done wonders for me. You can apply it on your face in the night and see magic in a month.


text:
It was time to try and make a pom pom, I've seen those awesome fluffy ones and in fact have a cool black one on my keyring – makes it alot easier to find my keys! Recently I made a striped grey and blue sparkly beanie and I wanted to attach one of those fluffy pom poms. Unfortunately I couldn't source one quick enough so instead found a pattern on how to make a similar one (on ravely.com)
This particular pom pom is made with fluffy yarn and not just normal yarn, its made in rounds and filled with stuffing before sewing it onto the beanie.
The yarn I used is called Moroka and boy what a nightmare it is to crochet with, you cannot see your stitches!! Instead you have to go by feel, half way through pictured above, it looks like a birds nest!! My first attempt was a failure, but I had another go and I still had trouble but in the end I got a pom pom that was round – no perfect – but round lol.
Hooray!! Then I sewed it onto my beanie, wish you could see the sparkles in both the grey and the blue, shame the photograph loses that …
I showed my daughter and she has claimed the beanie, she's still wearing it at this very moment!!! I have a couple of handmade beanies available for sale in a variety of colours, you can check them out on HolleyRyanArt


text:
April 4, 2020 - Latest: What has happened to markets this year? by Darius McDermott
1st June 2012
Sixty years of shares succes
Media coverage of the Diamond Jubilee points out just how much has changed since the Queen ascended the throne in 1952. We've moved from a world where only a minority of homes had a phone – and then often a "party line" shared with neighbours so you could listen in to next door's conversations – to one where almost everyone has access to so many phones they can't remember their own numbers.
The smartphone has substantially more computing power than a 1952 mainframe – and as economist Graham Kitchen at Henderson Global Investors writes "it was only around five years before Elizabeth became queen that IBM president Thomas J Watson allegedly said that he thought there was a world market for about five computers."
Technology, globalisation and the move from a labour force based on brawn to one based on brains have turned UK 2012 into a nation that would have seemed science fiction to an age where the few who bought television sets had to find nearly £2,000 in today's money for a tiny black and white screen with one channel broadcasting a few hours a day.
Equities are the royalty of asset classes
But investors have been able to count on one unchanging factor over the period – the long term superiority of equity investment. There have been some very bumpy periods along the way but shares have outstripped other assets over the sixty years – and they have done well in every discrete decade starting in 1952. Buying a diversified portfolio of UK shares in 1952, 1962, 1972 and so on would have proved a good idea ten years later.
For those who kept the faith, £1,000 (the price of ten or so 1952 television receivers) would now be worth around £1m – provided they had re-invested the income. That £1m will now buy around 3,000 mid-range TV sets. And despite bonds performing well over the past decade, they would have been a disaster over the 60 years, often falling behind rising prices.
There is no doubt that globalisation and the subsequent shift to a service led economy along with technological advances have changed the way that Britons and people around the world live on a day-to-day basis.
From horse and cart to web 2.0
Milk and coal were still often delivered by horse and cart. More than a third of homes had no fixed bath. Only a minority of homes had a car. The fridge was a luxury item, the washing machine a rarity.
Certainly living standards have improved. When the Queen ascended the throne, there were no credit cards, no cash machines, most were paid weekly in cash, few had bank accounts, and financial services were limited to a man (never a woman) collecting (pre-decimal) pennies a week for life cover.
And few, very few, invested in the stock market. But those who did ended up with a huge gains even when adjusted for the inflation which, over the sixty years, has practically turned pennies into pounds.
Figures from the annual Barclays Capital Gilt Equity Study – it tracks asset prices back to the Edwardian period – show that equities did very well indeed over the Queen's reign. They survived the massive bear market in the early 1970s when the UK index fell by nearly two-thirds (more than in the depths of the 2008 aftermath) and, despite the FTSE100 Index going nowhere over the past decade or so, even the period since the Queen's Golden Jubilee has been satisfactory (admittedly not scintillating) once dividends are added back in.
A £1,000 investment into a fund of shares at the start of 1952 with all the dividends ploughed back into new shares would have – at January 1, 2012 – £1,043,000, although it may have fallen back a little since. This figure assumes basic rate taxes on dividends but ignores any capital taxes as well as transaction or fund management fees.
Dividends the key to long term growth
With dividend re-investment, every decade of the Queen's reign has been a winner – each of the first three ten year periods saw the value of the Barclays Capital portfolio (effectively an index tracker) multiply around three times, the 1980s notched up a fivefold gain before the pace slowed.
However, if the portfolio owner had spent the dividends, the Barclays statistics show the £1,000 portfolio in 1952 would only be worth £82,000 at the start of 2012. That is still more than three times ahead of inflation.
Price changes have created an unrecognisable world for anyone returning from a sixty year sleep. Many schoolchildren were presented with a commemorative "crown" for the Queen's coronation in 1953. A crown was a pre-decimal five shillings – 25p. Although there was not so much to buy in the shops, that crown could purchase a lot – two months' worth of newspapers or 24 letter stamps or five pints of beer in a pub.
The jubilee equivalent is a £5 coin – 20 times as much. But that five pounds will buy less than the five shillings of 60 years ago. While prices stayed much the same during the reign of Queen Victoria, who also celebrated a Diamond Jubilee, figures from Barclays show that a basket of goods worth £100 in 1952 would now cost £2,500 or 25 times as much. What cost just under 10d (4p) then is now £1.
Inflation was moderate in the 1950s and 1960s, took off like a rocket in the 1970s with prices rising almost fourfold, but returned to more manageable proportions by the 1990s.
The inflation basket constituents have changed. Food was far more important, with basics such as lard and bread, leisure less so, but dominated by cinema tickets and the pub. Electronics, wine, and foreign holidays were practically unheard of.
Home ownership soars – then sinks
And owning a home was still for a minority but one that was due to grow quickly. Home buyers in 1952 were already complaining about house prices – a London suburban semi that cost £600 before the second world war had become £2,400 or so – some four times as much. In good condition, that property might now sell for £300,000 or 125 times as much. Property prices depe
nd on location but the vast majority have beaten inflation several times over – in this case five-fold. Over the UK as a whole, according to figures from The Halifax bank, they have trebled in real terms, with the gains falling back since 2007. These figures show how power in the economy has centralised in the London area.
Two lavatories are better than none
A major difficulty in analysing property prices, however, is that our homes have changed. We have central heating, not open fires; almost all homes have bathrooms and inside lavatories; now 41% of homes have more than one loo against virtually none in 1952. We proportionally build more flats and detached houses and fewer semis than in 1952 – in fact, we build fewer properties each year.
And they are smaller, reflecting in part the trend to smaller households.
Owner occupation, the Halifax calculates, has risen doubled to 66% – down from 70% a decade ago. And it is harder to buy now. In the first decade of the Queen's reign, the average house cost 3.5 times the typical salary; over the past decade the ratio increased to 4.8.
But many things have not changed. The UK has a rocky economic outlook – just as it did in 1952 and at many points since. Henderson Global Investors point out: "If we look back to 1897, when Queen Victoria was celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, there are some striking similarities in where investors were putting their money compared to the investor of today. In both 1897 and 2012, the primary focus of investors in the UK was in infrastructure and the emerging markets." Latin America was the focus of railway and other investment. Perhaps, the more we think we are different, the more we are the same.
More on Mindful Money:
Can the financial system be fixed? The Philosopher vs the Trader
Burying bad news on a bank holiday
To receive our free daily newsletter sign up here.


text:
NADO VIP Card
Eligible Card Holders
You can be a NADO VIP Card holder if you are:
• a service user of NADO or a service user's carer
• or an employee or volunteer of NADO
Your Benefits
1. NADO VIP Cardholders may from time to time received discounts from various participating businesses.
2. All participating businesses will be listed on NADO's website for easy reference.
3. As a NADO VIP Card holder, you will receive email or text notifications advising of any supplier changes including new businesses partnering with NADO, along with any specials as provided by the participating business.
Terms and Conditions
1. NADO's VIP Card is a FREE program designed to support all of our people.
2. The NADO VIP Card is not a rewards program.
3. There are no fees to join. You will be entitled to receive a NADO VIP Card when you are eligible according to our terms and conditions. Limit of one card per membership.
4. The NADO VIP Card is issued for your personal use only. You must not lend or share your card at any time, for any reason.
5. Being a NADO VIP Cardholder does not give you right of entry to all participating businesses, nor does it constitute the membership of any participating businesses.
6. Discounts may not apply in conjunction with other offers, promotions, specials, discounts etc. This will be at the discretion of the individual business and is not the responsibility of NADO.
7. The discount amount or a value proposition may vary from business to business.
8. You must promptly notify us of any changes in your details, of any lost, stolen or any unauthorised use of the card.
9. It is not NADO's responsibility to uphold any discounts advised to us. We do ask that you notify us if you have any problems, so NADO is able to investigate.
10. The NADO VIP Card is the property of NADO, therefore should you no longer be associated with NADO, the card is to be returned to head office.
1. Information about you, including information about your membership, will be held by NADO Inc. This information is collected by us for the purpose of operating your NADO membership and VIP Card.
28 Gidley Street, St Marys NSW 2760


text:
This weekend, Tyler Perry releases his latest comedy Nobody's Fool, which hits theaters this weekend. The film features the always-hilarious Tiffany Haddish doing her thing alongside the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Tika Sumpter, Omari Hardwick, and Amber Riley, who calls this a "feel good movie." Recently, the team over at Fuse got to sit down with Perry and his talented cast to discuss what makes this film so special.
Perry says that Tiffany's character Tanya was written with Tiffany in mind. "It's easy for me to write for [Tiffany]." Perry explains, "because this is just like writing for Madea if Madea were 30 years old." With word of Madea's impending retirement on the way, maybe this is the perfect time for Tiffany to be Perry's new muse. "She's saying everything Madea would say," Perry continues, "just in a rated R way." During their interview, Tiffany did speak on making a coffee table book of all of the, ahem, "vitamin D pics" that she gets on the regular, so that makes sense.
Goldberg, who took on the name "Whoda" on set, seems to have guided the younger cast during production. "She's our fairy-mama," Sumpter shared. One of the few EGOTs out there not only helped her co-stars but as happy to portray a black woman working in the marijuana business on-screen.
For the broad spectrum that black films (and black filmmakers) have occupied in 2018, it's great to see a fun, feel-good romcom emerge on-screen alongside Tiffany's hilarity. You can check out the full video from the Nobody's Fool press interviews up above, and be sure to check out the film, which is in theaters now.


text:
Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd (Review)
Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime.… Read More Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd (Review)