I wonder about things. This has been a long week, working early, class, family stuff, trying to finish up some Christmas presents… and not done. That's fine. They will be. I have been watching fairly sappy Christmas shows this evening and smiling, crying a little for missing my daughter yet happy about how wonderful she is. I miss her delightful laugh, the way she expresses herself, the beautiful woman she is growing into. I also miss some of the beautiful friends that I've made along the way and am grateful for them even though I don't stay in touch as well as I ought to.
Memories of past holidays keep creeping in – most very pleasant, a few that aren't. When I was very young we would go downtown (Washington, D.C.) to look at all the lights and moving holiday displays in the store windows. I remember being amazed at all the beauty and how magical it all seemed. I remember one Christmas, I was about seven or so, unwrapping that perfect present – a jewelry box with a turning ballerina and wind up music box. Mom had found the very last one. Each Christmas she would take each of us, individually, shopping for the rest of the family and a dinner out. It was such a treat! We made mincemeat pies, the much maligned yet required fruitcake (hers was pretty good!) and best of all, the gingerbread houses. We were rarely allowed candy so it was a double bonus.
Before I knew it, I was on my own. When my own children were young we would make gingerbread cake (and sometimes the houses) with whipped cream frosting for Jesus' birthday cake. Somewhere along the way, the tradition of Muddy Buddies got started – rice or corn cereal with peanut butter, butter, vanilla then coated with powdered sugar.
Now that Marci is grown and on her own and David is getting close I wonder how many more holiday seasons we'll be together or apart and how they will be spent. It's bittersweet. WRT's step-grandkids will be at his home for part of the day, I'm trying to talk him in to putting up the tree. He's not really feeling it this year any more than I am. It's been a difficult year all the way around but there have been great moments sprinkled throughout. He spent half the day putting yet another new strut in my car. He was able to find the entire strut/coil assembly complete with spacer that was only available by special order last year. This so rawks! He so rawks!!!! Freeway driving without bouncing around on ice and snow is a real blessing. I spent a while washing walls, floor boards, stair rails, doors, wow the kids made a mess of his house over the year+ they lived there. There's a lot more to be done but hey… there's time, right?
In knitting news…. I made a new fingerless glove pattern up. I'll try to get it written up and posted in the next week or two. Hopefully, there will be a new cowl pattern to go with it but don't want to get ahead of myself here.
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More deaths in Yemen violence
At least two killed in shelling in the city of Taiz following protests, taking the death toll in violence there to 17.
Protesters in Sanaa denounced violence in the southern Yemeni city of Taiz on Saturday [REUTERS]
At least two Yemenis were killed in a third day of shelling by government forces of the country's second city of Taiz, as sustained violence threatened to derail a fragile power-transfer deal.
State media said a ceasefire was reached in the afternoon after a call by Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, the vice-president, for an end to the fighting that has killed a total of 17 people, and a pullout of troops and casual fighters.
And the opposition warned it will not go ahead with forming a national unity government until a military commission is formed in line with a Gulf-brokered accord and the offensive on Taiz halted.
Governor Hammoud al-Sufi agreed with representatives of the Common Forum on a truce starting at 2pm (local time) in addition to withdrawing military units and gunmen according to mechanism to be agreed, Saba news agency said.
Residents said intermittent fighting could still be heard later on Saturday.
"A seven-storey building has been set on fire," Abdel-Jabbar Mahmnoud told the Reuters news agency by telephone from the al-Hasab district in
Taiz.
He said residents had fled shelling by government forces based at a security compound in the city.
Tens of thousands earlier defied the shelling to march in the city centre demanding that Saleh be put on trial.
Residents said government forces used artillery, tanks and rockets on Saturday in residential areas of Taiz, trapping about 3,000 families in the commercial hub some 200km south of the capital Sanaa. Opposition fighters responded with medium and light fire, they said.
Medics said two people were killed, one of them an activist shot by a sniper during the demonstration. The second was a bakery worker killed in front of his shop. Four people were also wounded, including one woman.
Gunmen backing anti-Saleh protesters control the centre of Taiz and most of its streets, while government forces have taken up position on hills within the city and on its outskirts.
Neighbourhoods pounded
Witnesses said forces loyal to Saleh pounded most neighbourhoods in Taiz on Saturday, while clashes raged in western parts of the city, including Al-Hasab, Beir Basha, Wadi al-Qadi and Al-Murur.
The bloodshed sparked recriminations between the government and parliamentary opposition, which signed the hard-won accord in Riyadh that had raised hopes of an end to 10 months of violence.
Prime minister-designate Mohammed Basindawa, chosen by the opposition to head a government of national unity under the power transfer agreement, has threatened to resign unless the loyalist offensive against Taiz stops.
And Mohammed Qahtan, opposition spokesperson, accused Saleh loyalists of blocking the formation of a key commission tasked with restructuring the security forces, many branches of which are under the command of Saleh's relatives.
Hadi late on Friday ordered the governor of Taiz to begin talks with the Common Forum opposition aimed at reaching a ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops and other fighters from the city.
Hadi now holds the constitutional powers of Saleh who last month in Riyadh signed the Gulf-brokered deal under which his powers were passed on to his deputy, although he remains honorary president for three months.
Qahtan told the AFP news agency on Saturday that Hadi's directives were not enough, calling again for the formation of the military commission as stipulated in the Riyadh agreement.
The opposition will not present its nominees for a national unity government until the commission is formed, he said.
Supplies blocked
Meanwhile, local residents took action to try to stem the flow of military supplies to pro-Saleh troops from regions surrounding Tiez, which lies 270km southwest of Sanaa.
In Al-Raheeda, 30km south of Taez, locals, including women and children, staged a sit-in on the main road obstructing a military convoy heading to Taez from the Anad base in Lahij, witnesses said.
Fresh protests also broke out in the capital Sanaa for Saleh to be put on trial, despite a Gulf-tailored peace deal which granted him immunity from prosecution.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Continuing Legal Education (CLE) in 2016
In April of 2016, Mr. Huf was honored to serve as Moderator of two different panel programs offered by the New York County Lawyers' Association (NYCLA). The first program was a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course concerning the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA/ the Act), the second offered Ethics Credit and concerned Attorney "Branding" & conforming with the Rules of Professional Responsibility.
The CLE panel on the FCPA discussed the increasingly broad and robust enforcement of the Act, and the implications for Corporations that do business internationally, as well as its responsible officers and the potential for individual liability/ culpability. The panelists not only discussed what to do in the event of an FCPA problem, but their thoughts on how to avoid such problems in the first place - now and in the future as the law evolves.
(Left to Right: Jason Huf; Jay G. Safer, Wollmuth, Maher & Deutsch; Glenn Jones, Law Offices of Glenn M. Jones; James McGovern, Hogan Lovells; Clara Flebus, Co-Chair, NYCLA Foreign & International Law Committee)
The Branding panel provided an overview of marketing methods and the why and how of establishing a "Brand" - the "dos and the don'ts". (Mr. Huf notes that he still has to establish a Youtube page for his firm, JHI!) The panel also discussed how to plan and execute a marketing program that does not run afoul of the Rules of Professional Responsibility and agreed that, in addition to being every attorney's responsibility, being Ethical should, in fact, be a fundamental part of an attorney's Brand.
The Rules of Professional Responsibility tend to follow changes in technology, and developing technologies are an important driver in the evolution of legal marketing programs. Accordingly, the panel also discussed trends and the direction the Rules of Ethics might possibly take, including recent recommendations by NYCLA, as rule-makers chase after these rapidly-developing technologies and the ethical implications of their use.
(Left to Right: Clara Flebus; Penn Dodson, AndersonDodson; Richard Brownell; James Q. Walker, Richards, Kibbe & Orbe, and Chairman of NYCLA's Committee on Professional Ethics; Stephen Perih, TransPerfect; Jason Huf)
As Co-Chairman of NYCLA's Foreign & International Law Committee, Mr. Huf proudly notes that NYCLA constantly offers interesting, relevant and forward-looking CLE programs and other valuable forums for continued learning on a regular basis; and, states that consumers of such programs can look forward to the steady provision of additional thoughtful and cost-effective programs now and in the future. For more information on NYCLA's CLE offerings, please visit www.nycla.org
Mr. Huf will, of course, continue to advise friends and colleagues of CLE programs and other speaking engagements wherein he is a participant in 2017 as the new year approaches.
Tags: Justice Gifts International Foreign Education US Corporate New York Act Law Middle East Commercial Legal JHI Company Professional Huf Media Lawyer Attorney Department Litigation NYCLA MENA Law Firm Overseas Companies FCPA Branding Advertising Marketing Social Ethics Lawyering Civic Association Image Responsibility Civil Criminal Federal Officers Corrupt Practices Bribe
N. Mandela and How the "Soprano State" Doesn't Work in Africa, Either
On the evening of September 22, 2016, Mr. Huf attended an event featuring Ndaba Mandela, Chairman & Co-Founder of the "Africa Rising" Foundation, and grandson of late South African President Nelson Mandela. Mr. Mandela was in New York during the Convening of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and spoke at the New York City Bar Association on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) vis-a-vis African states, particularly Goal # 16 (concerning Good Governance, Anti-Corruption and Rule of Law).
(Left to Right: Mr. Ndaba Mandela, Chairman & Co-Founder of the "Africa Rising" Foundation; and, Jason Huf)
Mr. Huf grew up in New Jersey, and has lived there for roughly half the sum total of his life thus far. He knows, first-hand, the economically and socially corrosive effects of political corruption, and the crippling effect a government that serves only to facilitate corruption can have on a state and the people who live in such a place.
That said, Mr. Huf limited himself to listening. After all, while lawyers may be at the bottom rung of the ladder among the governing class, lawyers are still part of the governing class. Mr. Huf thought it best to listen to - and learn from - someone who speaks for some of the people of the developing world who have been poorly served (and, often, downright exploited and oppressed) by those who govern their countries: "Far be it from me to tell him what he should want. He knows what he wants!", Mr. Huf later said of his interraction with Mr. Mandela.
More judges, better educational opportunities, and the like were offered up as being helpful tools in pursuit of SDG # 16. But, Mr. Mandela most strongly asserted that it was up to the people themselves, not judges appointed by corrupt dictators and oligarchs, to assert themselves and demand access to the clean water, medical treatment and other resources which are rightfully theirs.
He has a point - who would simply sit there watching their child die of a perfectly preventable disease and patiently wait for a UN team to swing by and, after some years, convince the multi-millionare colonel/ President of their otherwise poor country to suddenly have a change of heart and appoint honest judges and fly in doctors, food, agriculture & water treatment specialists instead of buying that third villa in Switzerland?
And, he makes that point with evident sincerity and passion, as one might expect given the heavy legacy he inherits from his iconic grandfather. The SDGs are ambitious and, if only because of that ambition, useful. But, absent people demanding responsibility for, and power over, their own futures, the progress that can be made toward the SDGs is likely somewhat limited.
Specifically, it does not seem possible to accomplish any of the SDGs without first making serious advances on SDG # 16, given the destructive and stifling effect bad governance and political corruption consistently have on factors necessary to achieve the other Sustainable Development Goals. Rule of Law is, quite simply, a must for any civilization to achieve real success, whether it be Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the Republic of South Africa, or New Jersey. And SDG # 16 is unlikely to be accomplished without the engagement of an affected population.
Mr. Huf expressed genuine pleasure over meeting Mr. Mandela and looks forward to similar opportunities as he tracks the progress of the SDGs at the UN as Representative (Observer) of a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), particularly as and when such may impact the "corporate responsibilities" of companies doing business internationally.
The evening with Mr. Mandela was organized by the New York City Bar Association's UN Committee, which invited the New York County Lawyers' Association's (NYCLA) Foreign & International Law Committee to co-sponsor the event. As Co-Chairman of NYCLA's Foreign & International Law Committee, Mr. Huf hopes the success of this event provides the basis for establishing a model of cooperation between committees of different bar associations on synergetic issues of importance to the legal community and society more broadly.
Tags: Justice NJ International Foreign Independent New Jersey Disease Africa Public Service Poverty Law Legal NY JHI NYC Judiciary Judges NYCLA Law Firm UN Sustainable Development Treaty Economic Social Mandela SDG UnitedNations Corporate Responsibility Good Governance Rule of Law Aid Developing World Global City Bar
Qatar's International Commercial Court
As Co-Chairman of the New York County Lawyers' Association's (NYCLA) Foreign & International Law Committee, Mr. Huf enjoys the occassional pleasure of hosting some rather interesting guests.
Just this past March, the Foreign & International Law Committee welcomed the Honorable Gerald Lebovits, Justice of the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan and Adjunct Professor of Law at Columbia, Fordham and NYU. Justice Lebovits provided a presentation covering the Qatar International Court and the time he spent in Doha teaching local attorneys there.
JHI has briefly covered Qatar's Bifurcated Legal System in an earlier piece and we refer you to it for some of the bare bones basics.
Justice Lebovits, in addition to describing his teaching experience in Doha, discussed the history of Qatar's International Court (the Court) for hearing commercial disputes, the caliber of its personnel, its procedures and costs. He also discussed some of the decisions already rendered by the Court, where he participated as one of its distinguished Judges.
(Left to right: Clara Flebus, Co-Chair, NYCLA Foreign & International Law Committee; Hon. Justice Gerald Lebovits; and, Jason Huf)
Justice Lebovits pointed out, at length, what he viewed to be the efficiency of the Court relative to Arbitration facilities elsewhere in the Gulf region. The speed, cost and fairness of the proceedings made the Court, from his perspective, an ideal solution for Dispute Resolution and wondered aloud why parties did not avail themselves of the use of the Court more often in the dispute resolution clauses of their agreements.
Mr. Huf agrees that, on paper and based on performance thus far, the Court is an attractive facility. However, the Court was founded relatively recently (2009), and as an active international practitioner who focuses on the region, Mr. Huf made the point that attorneys might be more receptive to the idea of recommending the use of the Court to their clients after more data is at hand (that is to say, after the Court has adjudicated more disputes). Of course, with attorneys perhaps hesitating to suggest that their client be something of a new legal system's "guinea pig", it may take some time before such additional data is generated.
That said, you would be hard-pressed to find a lawyer in New York City who is as knowledgeable of the inner workings of the Court and the procedures it employs than Justice Lebovits. His entire presentation – including his positive view of the Court's cost and time-effectiveness – was well-informed and compelling.
JHI invites you to research the Qatar International Commercial Court and Dispute Resolution Centre and draw your own conclusions:
www.qicdrc.com.qa
After all, as very good lawyers, aren't we always in search of the next "better idea"?
Tags: Justice International Foreign New York Gulf GCC Qatar Natural Gas Law Commercial Banking Legal NY JHI NYC USA Doha Arbitration Huf Litigation NYCLA Law Firm Investment FDI Court Gerald Lebovits Supreme Emir Construction Dispute Resolution Mediation Bifurcated System
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 & "Riyadh Day" at the UN
You are about to see a rapid-fire (for this space, anyway) succession of as yet unpublished updates covering a period from Spring 2016 to present. We will start with an initial discussion of Saudi Arabia's "Vision 2030", touted as the most sweeping series of reforms in the Kingdom's history.
In a nutshell, Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 is a collection of planned economic and social reforms designed to construct a "Post-Oil" Saudi Arabia, in line with globally-held concepts of Sustainable Development. King Salman has invested his son, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with broad, sweeping powers to enable him, his advisors and other subordinates to design and execute these reforms between now and the target date of 2030.
Within the stated goals of weaning the Kingdom (KSA) off of being an Oil-based economy and becoming an industrialized state, with greater Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), full employment for working-aged males, improved access to high-quality education, greater rights for women and a more liberal social structure generally, two items are immediately obvious: we are seeing Riyadh's intent to finalize the end the era wherein OPEC, the powerful cartel of oil-producing states, has been the world's definitive maker of oil policy; and, a rapid and intense military build-up intended to strengthen a block of states that includes the KSA, Egypt and the smaller Gulf States determined to withstand growing Iranian and Russian influence in the Gulf region following continued declining US influence and interest there and in the greater Middle East.
While JHI is not a policy think tank, we feel it is important to know the backdrop and overall purpose of any upcoming reforms.
Our principle concern is FDI, and the impact any reforms may have on the attractiveness of FDI in the KSA. This program is still young, so specific laws and regulations impacting FDI are not yet in effect. For the time being, there is nothing set in concrete that a law firm can dissect for the benefit of its clients.
Therefore, in our typical less-than-modest fashion, JHI offers some suggestions on how to make FDI in the KSA more attractive to potential investors:
1. The Corporate Income Tax should continue to be (gradually) lowered, and personal income tax should remain zero. Although declining oil revenues and their impact on the national government's budget needs to be addressed, increasing the number of companies investing in the KSA, rather than increasing the tax existing companies pay, seems the best way to address the current budget shortfalls giving rise to the KSA's national debt.
2. Saudization is seen, by and large, as a form of tax by potential foreign investors. The best way to address the employment crisis in the KSA is not by compelling investors to hire Saudi nationals, but by making the hiring of them more attractive. Foreign investors ordinarily love to avail themselves of a local workforce – after all, importing staff and finding housing for them is pretty darned expensive! Many such imported workers do not know the language or withstand the culture shock very well. Unfortunately, fairly or unfairly, the idea of hiring Saudis is generally considered unattractive, thus the current Saudization requirements. Rather than increase these requirements, education should be improved and made more accessible, and a sense of work ethic (rather than entitlement) needs to be instilled in the Kingdom's youth. And, the world needs to actually KNOW of the existence of such an educated, hard-working labor pool – numbering in the millions, and proud of real accomplishment at the workplace. Do this, and Saudization will no longer be necessary at all.
3. Make the process of obtaining a business license less burdensome and more efficient. Telling clients that it could take a minimum of six (6) months to obtain the necessary documentation before proceeding with business activity tends to be something of a turn-off for them. Additional agencies designed to steer and otherwise regulate foreign investment eases nothing and are simply additional "layers" of bureaucracy. Streamlining, rather than adding to, the process of licensing incoming businesses would be a productive step.
4. Women's rights, and human rights generally, should be broadened – and, can be without offending the Kingdom's religious sensibilities or its historical traditions. It is much easier, on multiple levels, for a company to invest in a country whose culture is not the focus of controversial discussions centered around notions of equality and individual human dignity. Additionally, it is essential that people throughout the Kingdom feel some sense of "ownership" in their country and their respective futures (see, 2. above). They need to feel that their rights are being protected by their government, not denied. This isn't a call for the overnight imposition of Jeffersonian democracy. Quite the contrary: JHI asserts that the keys to unlocking a more liberal social structure (without rocking the stability of the KSA) lay within the old tribal and other cultural traditions of the modern Kingdom.
5. The labor market, and the regulation of such, should be loosened, and greater rights should be provided to foreign "unskilled" laborers and household staff. As above (see, 4.), this is a matter of conscious for many potential investors, as well as foreign professional staff who visit the KSA.
6. Banking reform is a must. The KSA is one of the most – if not the most – "underbanked" markets on the face of the earth. While new banks and fresh capital and competition need to be allowed in, stronger regulation and monitoring needs to be in place, giving rise to stronger internal compliance programs. While banking needs to be more readily available in the KSA, companies and governments around the world also need to have more confidence in the country's banks.
7. For local and foreign companies alike, receivables can be something of a headache in the KSA. Its no secret that debt, and the collection of debt, can be problematic there. As the Kingdom undertakes judicial reform, it should continue to consider the importance of the confidence a company can have in the investment it makes in Saudi Arabia.
8. One of the most crucial assets in play when investing in any country is a company's intellectual property. Intellectual property protections and anti-piracy measures need to be greatly strengthened, and quickly. It is important for any company (say, you sell shampoo and find yourself competing with a counterfeit knock-off of your product – that's not good), but when looking to attract high-tech industries, especially, it is absolutely fundamental that such companies have confidence that intellectual property worth hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, of US dollars will not be stolen from them and effectively rendered next to worthless overnight.
These are eight basic principle points upon which JHI would like to see the building of any reform package affecting FDI in the KSA.
JHI will track any concrete steps within this subject, and Mr. Huf hopes to learn more when "Riyadh Day" (its actually a week of symposiums, workshops and other such meetings), sponsored by the KSA's High Commission for the Development of Riyadh, is held at the United Nations in New York at the end of September.
Tags: Foreign Education Oil Corporate Energy New York Gulf GCC KSA Law Legislation Middle East Commercial Banking Legal NY JHI Jeddah Saudi Arabia NYC Arab USA Kingdom Reform Judicial Tax Women's Rights Law Firm Investment FDI King Salman UN United Nations Post-Oil Sustainable Development Vision 2030 MbS Mohammed bin Salman Deputy Crown Prince Economic Social 2030 Riyadh Day Human Rights OPEC Labor Saudization
Bankruptcy Protection -- in the UAE... ???
In a somewhat pioneering step, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is close to finalizing an Insolvency Law modeled after Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Law.
The devil will be in the details, but here is what we've heard thus far:
Under the supervision of a UAE court, a distressed company that successfully files for such protection will be able to restructure its debt with outstanding creditors;
The law may include some degree of decriminalization of issuing dishonored, or "bounced", checks (cheques, for our British friends); and,
The overarching goal of this legislation is to improve the business environment by removing (or, at least, mitigating) some of the uncertainty of risk that may arise when investing in a country which may be rich with disposable income, but which is still "developing" - where the economy, laws and political system are still rapidly evolving.
The extent to which such protections would be available to companies with some element of foreign ownership remains unclear. However, if it is well done, this new Insolvency Law could prove to be a significant long-term development for the economy of the UAE, and (perhaps) the Gulf Cooperation Council region more generally.
With the election of a new Federal National Council, one might anticipate final passage of the new Insolvency Law soon. Perhaps. Inshallah. More to come...
Tags: Business Foreign US Corporate New York Gulf GCC Emirates UAE Law Abu Dhabi Dubai Commercial Banking Legal Company NYC Arab Law Firm Investment FDI Insolvency Insolvent Bankruptcy Chapter 11
Saudi Banking Market to Open Up?
During King Salman's recent visit to Washington, DC, members of the Saudi delegation issued several announcements concerning planned commercial reforms and other developments that could prove significant to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Saudi Arabia (KSA) as the Kingdom looks to broaden its economy at a time when low oil prices are projected to be the norm for the medium term. We will highlight some of the more significant announcements in this and subsequent notes.
While Saudi Arabia remains committed to continuing its current record-setting output of light sweet crude (one of the major factors contributing to low oil prices), the KSA is now facing projections of massive budget deficits and rapidly depleting cash reserves. Increased FDI, particularly from the United States, appears to be critical to the KSA's strategy for coping with the downsides of consistently low oil prices.
Reforms in the Arab world often begin with teasers that function as "trial balloons". This note will reference such a trial balloon floated by a Saudi official associated with the Deputy Crown Prince. In a closed door meeting with business leaders in DC, this official announced that the Kingdom is considering opening the Saudi banking market to permit entry of additional foreign banks - especially American ones - wishing to do business in the Kingdom. In additional to financing major projects, it is hoped that such banks would also cater to small businesses and individual depositors.
Even with the recent entry of a branch of a bank based in fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Member State Qatar, Saudi Arabia is still seen as, perhaps, the most "under-banked" market in the world. To attract additional FDI, which has been in slight decline in recent years, some see the entry of additional Foreign banks and the capital they bring as critical. Entry by foreign banks based elsewhere in the GCC has been helpful, but it will take the power of additional American and other western banks to take a more broad-based growth to the next level.
Not stated, but understood, in this announcement is Saudi Arabia's desire that western powers continue to see that they have a stake in the stability of the Kindgom vis-a-vis its continuing conflict with Iran and, increasingly, Russia.
Of course, the devil is in the details: What will be required to gain entry? And, once in the market, how secure is a bank's investment in the Kingom and how will such a bank be regulated and taxed? How might such a venture impact an investing bank's legal and regulatory position at home?
JHI will continue to track the flight path of this trial balloon and let you know where it lands...
Tags: International Foreign New York Gulf GCC Saudi KSA Law Middle East Arabia Commercial Banking Legal NY JHI Jeddah Shari'ah License Firm NYC USA Kingdom Reform Huf Sharia Western Province Hijaz Law Firm Finance Bank Banks Investment FDI Iran Capital Markets Conventional Financing Funding Central Bank Riyadh Oil Prices King Salman DC Prince Mohammed bin Salman SAGIA Direct
A Deal's a Deal. Right?
In the Middle East, the old joke among Western lawyers goes something like this: "First you negotiate the contract, then you close the contract. And then, you renegotiate the contract… "
All good jokes are rooted in the truth. While there certainly are some local parties in the Middle East who are committed to keeping their word and sticking to the deal they negotiated, there does exist this unfortunately common dynamic wherein the local party will test, stretch and even flat-out ignore the terms of an agreement they just executed. One might even lose money betting against a breach occurring before the ink dries.
And yet, throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, billions of (US) dollars worth of business is successfully transacted each and every year by and between foreign and local parties. How does that work?
It starts with understanding what local businessmen already know: going to court, dumping your local agent (or, colloquially speaking, your "sponsor"), etc, are usually your last best options. You can see your company effectively frozen out of the market if you make such a move without an almost perfect sense of deftness. And, even if eventually successful, should your company go this route, you have embarked on a long, aggravating and expensive disruption of business that will give rise to discussions that start with, "Why don't we just pull out of there?"
We will talk about arbitration clauses (and, the enforceability of them in GCC jurisdictions) in a subsequent posting. For now, you also need to understand that the local sponsor, or other local parties with whom your company does business, who busies himself with stretching the terms of your agreement is primarily (if not entirely) in the business of sponsoring foreign enterprises (or otherwise makes his money conducting business with foreign parties). Maintaining sponsorships or other replationships with foreign investors (and, protecting their reputations and pride) tend to be the top priorities of local companies. So, when such companies appear to breach their agreements, what do they hope to gain by playing around?
Usually, more money. And, usually, not much more. More often than not, you can settle the matter by amending a couple of terms and (slightly) goosing up their sponsorship "fee" (or, whatever other payment, profit or compensation they may be receiving).
What about the law of contracts? Why can't I look for a new sponsor and/ or seek judicial recourse?
Remember that the laws requiring you to obtain a sponsor in the first place are protectionist in nature. On an unofficial level, shopping around for more pliant for cooperative sponsors isn't designed to be easy.
Also, while consideration, reliance and other concepts are necessary to show a promise made in contract is enforceable under the laws of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), such is not the case to show the existence of an enforceable contract in Saudi Arabia (KSA). In the KSA, if you make a promise, you're stuck with it.
Isn't the other side stuck with it, too???
Well, in the Middle East, there is the law the way it is written, and the law the way its enforced. And, to further complicate things, that which is enforced is not always written, and that which is written is not always enforced. If you wind up in a KSA court, you may have a judge whose primary concern is sending a signal to his government, more than adjudicating a dispute between the parties before him. In the UAE, much may depend on whether the judge enjoyed his breakfast, or if he is miserable from a belly ache, as he reads your company's brief… (And, keep in mind, the UAE imports its judges from other countries – those judges tend to be mindful of who gave them their jobs.)
As to getting another sponsor, while the UAE and the individual Emirates therein may not employ "black lists" per se (as does the KSA), you should nonetheless do your best to avoid running afoul of bureaucrats at relevant ministries and other governmental offices who may have a cousin, friend, or other acquaintance who may just happen to be your soon-to-be former sponsor or other business partner/ associate. Business licenses have to be renewed every year, and your specific business may well depend on successfully bidding on government tenders; and, while Abu Dhabi and Dubai, for example, may look like big cities, they still very much operate as "small towns" on many different levels.
That's not to say successfully changing your sponsor and/ or winning a contractual dispute with a local party in the Middle East is impossible. Such has been known to happen in Abu Dhabi, and even in Jeddah (where arbitration clauses are less likely to be deemed enforceable by local courts, even though the KSA is a party to the New York Convention). Accordingly, you should protect yourself in the governing documentation the way you would in any other international agreement.
Have the standard choice of law, venue, and language clauses, as well an arbitration clause (which can be something of a contract unto itself) and, especially, a (carefully written) termination clause. If an American-based company (or, even if you are based in another Western country but have operations in the US), make sure the documentation includes language concerning your refusal to violate the provisions of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (over the last several years, the trend has been increasingly robust enforcement of the FCPA). American companies might also think to include a so-called "anti-boycott" clause in the agreement, given the on again/ off again enforcement of boycotts against Israel by some Arab states.
Although the general mood in the GCC seems to favor a direction wherein the laws are being changed to relax the hold local parties (especially those deemed "sponsors") have over foreign direct investment in their respective markets/ jurisdictions, it is usually best to try to renegotiate when a breach occurs. Such renegotiation should, generally speaking, settle upon a slight increase in the amount of earnings the local party derives from the deal.
Tags: Business Agent Foreign Corporate Distributor Gulf GCC Saudi KSA UAE Law Foreign Direct Investment Abu Dhabi Dubai Arabia Commercial Legal Jeddah Office License Contract Agreement Branch Arab LLC Franchise Arbitration Judicial Emirate Western Province Litigation Hijaz Free Zone FZE Clause Investment Sponsor Enforcement Enforce Agency FDI Joint Venture Breach
Mr. Huf Appointed Co-Chairman of Foreign & International Law Committee
Jun 5, 2014 12:33 PM
JHI is pleased to announce that the Firm's Founder and Principal has been awarded the honor of serving as Co-Chairman of the New York County Lawyers' Association's (NYCLA) Foreign & International Law Committee, effective June 1, 2014.
"This is an exciting time for the Foreign & International Law Committee, and NYCLA generally. Jay (Safer) and Jacqueline (Wolff) have done a terrific job as Co-Chairs of the Committee over the last several years, and we have some pretty big shoes to fill. It is an honor to follow them, and I will do my level best."
Continuing the tradition of hosting excellent guest speakers, and working with NYCLA to explore the offering of CLE programs designed for international practitioners, will be at the top of Mr. Huf's agenda.
Mr. Huf assumes the Co-Chairmanship of NYCLA's Foreign & International Law Committee with his distinguished colleague, Ms. Clara Flebus. They will serve together for the 2014-17 term.
Tags: Gas International Foreign Education Oil Corporate Energy New York GCC Saudi KSA UAE Qatar Bahrain Kuwait Law Abu Dhabi Dubai Middle East Arabia Commercial Banking Legal NY JHI Jeddah Shari'ah Jason Huf NYC Arab Doha Huf Sharia Co-Chairman Chair NYCLA New York County Lawyers' Association Public MENA Oman Hijaz Lawyers Association Committee


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8 Family-Friendly Hikes Around the West
Don't miss these easy hikes in the Bay Area, Southern California, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona.
By Matt Villano Published May 29, 2018
Take in views of the San Francisco Bay from the popular Golden Gate Bridge pedestrian path.
Thai Tran / Shutterstock
Long summer days are the perfect opportunity to stuff a daypack with snacks, fill up some water bottles, and explore local trails as a clan. Here are eight of our favorite family-friendly hikes in the West.
One of the most iconic trails in San Francisco is the pedestrian sidewalk along the Golden Gate Bridge. From the south end of the bridge, the out-and-back tromp is about three and a half miles. Tote a picnic lunch to enjoy from Vista Point on the north end. Even on warm days, bring layers; strong winds can get downright chilly.
Just north of Santa Cruz, Wilder Ranch State Park is a great spot to spend an afternoon. The easy, two-and-a-half-mile loop that connects Old Cove Landing Trail to Ohlone Bluff Trail visits Wilder Beach, a preserve for the snowy plover shorebird. At 1 p.m. on weekends, rangers offer guided tours of the circa 1897-ranch buildings and introduce visitors to farm animals and local history.
Read More Beautiful Beginner Hikes in Northern California
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in La Jolla features stunning coastal views and summer wildflowers.
Aleksei Potov / Shutterstock
The best ocean views in Los Angeles are found on the Strand, a 22-mile paved path that winds its way past the Santa Monica Pier and through the sands of Santa Monica State Beach. Technically, it's for bicycles—the formal name is the Marvin Braude Bike Trail—but there's a special lane for walkers, too. Tip: Save little legs by bringing along a tike bike.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in La Jolla, north of San Diego, boasts maritime chaparral, the rare Torrey pine, and a lagoon that is a popular resting spot for migrating seabirds. The Guy Fleming Trail, an easy mile-long loop, offers scenic ocean vistas and wildflowers galore.
Oregon's Mount Hood is a striking backdrop to the peaceful Trillium Lake.
OLOS / Shutterstock
The views of Mount Hood are spectacular from the flat and easy two-mile trail that rings Trillium Lake, about an hour east of Portland. Along the way, boardwalks meander through cedar woods with spruce, fir, and hemlock, while spur trails lead right up to the boggy shores of the lake itself.
Portland's Forest Park is one of the country's largest urban parks, and the Lower Macleay Trail is a great introduction. An easy two-mile out-and-back stretch connects a handful of attractions, including a 242-foot fir tree and the mossy remains of a circa 1930s Works Progress Administration stone building.
Read More The West's Most Alluring Urban Hikes
While the hike to Silver Falls in Mount Rainier National Park is easier with older kids, the views are worthy of toting little ones for three miles.
Art Boardman / Shutterstock
The three-mile loop hike to Silver Falls in Mount Rainier National Park may be difficult for families with young kids, but the falls themselves are a sight to behold. Here, the Ohanapecosh River cascades over a series of ledges before plunging 40 feet into a deep blue pool. Bring rain gear; it's often misty.
Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest near North Bend is a hiker's paradise, and the 3.5-mile Lodge Lake Trail is one of the most popular in the region. The hike is relatively easy, winding through spruce forests and alongside creeks before ending at the eponymous lake. It's also dog-friendly.
Sunrise and sunset are the best times to hike to the top of this sandstone rock formation and take in the views.
Gregory E. Clifford / Shutterstock
Mind-boggling sandstone rock formations are the reward for the easy one-mile hike on Hole-in-the-Wall Trail in Papago Park outside Phoenix. From the top, kids can marvel at the views of Tempe through the perfectly eroded hole. Be sure to bring water; especially in summer, this short hike gets hot.
The duo of red rock walls and lush forests make West Fork Trail, located just north of Sedona in Oak Creek Canyon, memorable. Families enjoy out-and-back tromps on the first three miles of trail, a section that crosses the creek at several points. The route gets steep and treacherous from there.
Up Next 7 Beautiful Coastal Hikes in the West
Hiking in Mount Diablo State Park
Mount Diablo State Park lures hikers with diverse trails and stunning views.
Biking the Bay Bridge
A 4.4-mile path allows visitors to walk, jog, or cycle on the Bay Bridge.
Best Scenic Hikes in the East Bay
A small effort leads to big scenic payoffs in three East Bay regional parks.


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Equalization director defends valuation practices for Davison Co.
The person in charge of valuing land and property in Davison County claimed Tuesday she's being "ridiculed" and compared the county's Board of Equalization process to "a boxing ring."...
By Marcus Traxler
The person in charge of valuing land and property in Davison County claimed Tuesday she's being "ridiculed" and compared the county's Board of Equalization process to "a boxing ring."
Kathy Goetsch made a presentation to the Davison County commissioners during their regular meeting, saying she thought the commissioners - who make up the county's Board of Equalization - were losing sight of the purpose of their duties in hearing appeals. It was at that time she defended her office's assessing practices.
Goetsch's primary complaint was centered around the arguments she had with Donald and Donna Tilberg, who live in Prosper Township, and have argued that the valuation on their 80 acres of land was too high because the land frequently floods. Goetsch and the Tilbergs went back and forth during the April 23 meeting for more than 45 minutes before the matter was tabled to Tuesday.
Matters were much calmer on Tuesday but Goetsch told the commission she still was upset.
"What's happened is that I've been put in a boxing arena with that appellant. I've already talked to them several times," she said. "When I'm sitting here and defending things - lately, I can't even speak - and that I'm unequalizing and that I'm not doing something that we need to be doing. I'm kind of being mocked. I end up defending the laws that I'm supposed to work for. I can't do that anymore. That's where I'm at. I can't do that anymore."
The commission had a few responses to Goetsch. Brenda Bode, the regular board's chairwoman, asked Goetsch if this was an appropriate use of her time.
"I thought we were going to be hearing from people with appeals," Bode asked. "Can we have a discussion about your job at another time?"
Goetsch said that she is not required to be on hand for the Board of Equalization hearings, and could just provide the data to the commissioners to have them handle. She said she's there as a courtesy to help everyone understand the process.
Commissioner John Claggett said that the commissioners are backing Goetsch and the office.
"I need your people here for clarity, not to question how you do your job," he said.
"It's important when there's an appeal, that whoever worked it up can show, 'Here's where I got the information and how I got where I got to with this,'" Commissioner Randy Reider added.
Goetsch, the county's equalization director since 2006, had a prepared presentation explaining how and why her office functions differently from a private appraiser or a real estate broker. She said her office has to use 3 to 5 years of sales comparisons for values, while those in real estate and those getting their home appraised can commonly use sales from the last 3 to 6 months. Sales have to be from Nov. 1 or earlier to be used for comparison on a property for the next year's value.
"We work for the county, and defend our values for the county," she said, as she brought a handful of her equalization staff to the meeting as well.
Goetsch also said that her office can't handpick sales to use for comparisons, or use a sale from a property recently as the sole reason to change a value. In addition to the county role, Goetsch also works for Crane Realty as a real estate broker.
"We have to treat everyone the same," Goetsch said. "Even if we're doing it incorrectly, as long as we're treating everyone the same, that's what matters."
Settling the land value dispute
Last week, the Tilbergs said that Goetsch and her office told them they needed soil maps from the Natural Resource Conservation Service to help make the case, but the Tilbergs said Goetsch wouldn't accept that information. Goetsch said that Donald Tilberg only wanted to argue with her.
"I told him I wasn't going to do that," she said last week. "I told him, 'I do not have time to argue with you today.'"
For his part, Tilberg said last week he was disappointed with how he was treated by Goetsch and her office, and asked the commission, "How long are we going to let a public official insult a private citizen like this?"
On Tuesday, using the county's GIS history since 2004, Goetsch said there were four years where the area appeared dry, and three years where it was wet. The Tilbergs were seeking an inundated status on part of their land to get a lower value, which Goetsch said needs to be documented three consecutive years.
The Tilberg matter was settled, with Goetsch providing additional photos she took April 24 and showing that there was standing water on the Tilberg land. She said 2018 aerial photos seemed to show water, as well, but left the decision to the commission.
She figured about 7.6 acres was affected - down from the 21.6 acres requested by the Tilbergs - and figured $146,910 would be the new value of the land with the flooding accounted for. That was a $11,315 decrease from the original $158,225 value.
The commission unanimously approved the lower valuation. The Tilbergs were told they would have to continue to apply for inundated status each year to continue getting the lower valuation.
"I think that reflects the condition (of the land)," Claggett said.
In other business, the commission took the following action:
• In another Board of Equalization matter, Claggett presented on behalf of First United Methodist Church, where he is on the church's Board of Trustees. He appealed the denial of the tax-exempt status of an apartment building adjacent to the church that was purchased Nov. 5, 2018, after the Nov. 1 valuation deadline for 2019. He argued that the building will be used for church purposes and in accordance to its mission, and that the church did not charge rent for the outgoing tenants living in the building after the church bought the property. With Claggett not participating in the vote, the board unanimously approved the tax-exempt status on the property.
• Heard a report from County Physical Plant Director Mark Ruml regarding March storm damage at the Davison County Fairgrounds to the building's gutters. Ruml said he received an estimate and the repair costs were figured to be $12,000. No action was taken Tuesday.
• Set the fee for a one-day malt beverage license permit at $200, after receiving a request for a rural wedding planned for this fall.
• Approved a request from Chief Deputy Sheriff Steve Harr to apply for grant funding for a seat belt enforcement grant of $7,500.
• Appointed Dave Anderson, of Mount Vernon, to replace Gary Stadlman on the Davison County Planning Commission. Stadlman resigned from his position in January.
Traxler is the assistant editor and sports editor for the Mitchell Republic. He's worked for the newspaper since 2014 and has covered a wide variety of topics. He can be reached at mtraxler@mitchellrepublic.com.


This book is not just about the penguins, it talks about the food chain and the cycle of life in Antarctica. From the penguins, to icebergs, to walruses and how these animals and the environment are interconnected. Lovely, lyrical book.
Another lovely book about the animals in the polar regions. I love the illustrations in this book and there are only a few texts, focusing more on what is illustrated rather than having too much to discuss.
Our first collection of Antarctica book from Usborne. I love that it contains real images (some are illustrations) and lots of information about the continent. I highly recommend this for older children (5 years and older).
PENGUINS MY FIRST DISCOVERY BOOKS.
A simple yet engaging book about penguins in Antarctica. We love the illustrations! Contains lots of helpful information about the lives and survival of the penguins that thrive in the coldest part of the world. Plus, the transparent pages definitely draws the interest of my 4 year old!
This book perfectly depicts the life in the arctic region: always dark. So yes, the pages show animals in the dark, what they do to survive during the dark winter days in the arctic. Just like in Here is Antarctica, the book presents the food chain and the cycle of life in the arctic. This is the reason why I got both books so that the boys and I can differentiate or relate the habitats in both polar regions.
I love this book! It's about animals in the arctic and their babies and what they like to do. Vito and I would mimic the animals' sound and actions as we read through the book. And I just discovered that we can actually sing the book to the tune of "Over in the Meadow".
For some additional inspiration this how Mavi studied the Arctic and Antarctic Regions when he was 4 years old, Study of the Polar Regions (Arctic and Antarctic Unit).


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AUTHORS
=======

Created By
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#. `shaunsephton <http://github.com/shaunsephton>`_

Contributors
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#. `3point2 <https://github.com/3point2>`_
#. `buchuki <http://github.com/buchuki>`_
#. `chr15m <http://github.com/chr15m>`_
#. `hedleyroos <https://github.com/hedleyroos>`_
#. `jeffh <https://github.com/jeffh>`_
#. `lihan <https://github.com/lihan>`_
#. `loop0 <http://github.com/loop0>`_
#. `mwcz <https://github.com/mwcz>`_
#. `tomwys <https://github.com/tomwys>`_
#. And others `<https://github.com/shaunsephton/django-ckeditor/graphs/contributors>`_

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Q: Finding the area of the region defined in polar coordinates by $0\leq\theta\leq\pi$ and $0\leq r\leq\theta^3$
Find the area of the region defined in polar coordinates by $0 \leq \theta \leq \pi$ and $0 \leq r \leq {\theta}^3$.

I tried using the formula
$$A = \int_{0}^{\pi} \frac{1}{2} r(\theta)^2 d\theta$$
However, I don't know which value I should use for $r(\theta)$. I tried using ${\theta}^3$ but it marked it wrong. Here is my work:
$$A = \frac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{\pi} {\theta}^3 d\theta$$
$$A = \left(\frac{1}{2}\right) \left(\frac{1}{4}\right) \theta^4 \Big\rvert_{0}^{\pi}$$
$$A = \frac{1}{8}(\pi)^4$$
What value should I use for $r(\theta)$? What am I missing?

A: The area is
$$\int \int rdrd\theta=$$
$$\int_0^{\pi}(\int_0^{\theta^3}rdr)d\theta=$$
$$\int_0^{\pi}\Bigl[\frac{r^2}{2}\Bigr]_0^{\theta^3}d\theta=$$
$$\frac 12\int_0^{\pi}\theta^6d\theta=$$
$$\frac{\pi^7}{14}$$

A: $$\large A=\int_0^\pi\int_0^{\theta^3}rdrd\theta=\int_0^\pi\frac12r^2\Big|_0^{\theta^3}d\theta=\int_0^\pi\frac12\theta^\color{red}6d\theta$$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Atmospheric CO2 emissions are being absorbed at an unprecedented rate by the global and coastal oceans, shifting the baseline pCO2, and inducing anthropogenic ocean acidification (OA). Recent studies have highlighted the potential benefits of near-shore vegetated habitats, such as seagrass beds as carbon sinks, potentially mitigating the effects of OA for vulnerable calcifying organisms. Seagrasses are capable of raising seawater pH and CaCO3 saturation state during times of high photosynthetic activity; however, the converse occurs during periods of dark respiration, resulting in a cyclical pattern of high and low pH and saturation state. A better understanding of diurnal seagrass induced carbonate system variability is needed to determine whether seagrass beds act as refugia from OA, and if individual species differentially affect the carbonate system.
We conducted experiments to compare the effects of the native Zostera marina and non-native Zostera japonica on the carbonate system. Leaf clippings were incubated at five different light intensities (including dark) and pCO2 levels, representing the range of light and pCO2 in a given day. Induced changes in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) via photosynthesis and respiration were measured as well as pH and alkalinity. As irradiance and concentration of bio-available inorganic carbon are the two main drivers of photosynthetic activity, our measurements of the short-term response of photosynthesis to a spectrum of pCO2 and irradiance intensity can predict the diurnal fluctuation of pH and DIC for both species. This lab study provides a mechanistic background for building complex models based on field monitoring of carbonate chemistry in seagrass communities by comparing and integrating our results with in situ measurements. Interpretation of our findings will be placed in the context of short-term seagrass response to the spatiotemporal variability of pCO2 with respect to the progression of ocean acidification.


The stylish looking custom Cable Beanie really is a head turner.
The personalised Cable Beanie's stretchy knit construction prioritises both comfort as well as fashion. This uncuffed cap will stretch to fit most wearers, yet still retain a snug and warm fit. The hat's dense cable stitchery adds to its durability, making it perfect to bring on outdoor excursions as well as to more casual events. This headgear is ideal for wearers on the go, since it is so easy to wash and store. The custom Cable Beanie comes in a range of neutral shades as well as more trendy hues, including: black, brown, Heather charcoal, Heather grey, khaki, navy, olive, red, royal, and white.
This versatile hat can be adapted for your promotional needs by the addition of your very own design or insignia. Our embroidered Cable Beanie can accommodate designs rendered in up to 5,000 stitches (or more depending on your artwork), with adjustments for more complex graphics. With our branded Cable Beanie, you will have a functional and stylish way to show off your brand, and help your marketing event one for all seasons.
If you enjoy the Cable Beanie, we highly suggest you also take a look at our promotional Plaid Caps. These promotional head gears are perfect for staying stylish in the city. Have a good look at the custom Six Panel Plaid Square Cap for a good example for Cable Beanies. And speaking of city life, next time you make an event in town, might as well add some of our promotional balloons to your events. The printed Metallic Silver Balloons is a great match to our concrete jungle lifestyle theme.
1300 008 300 is the number to call if you have questions. Or better yet, how about you hop on that chat box and send us a message?


Kudat or also known as the Tip of Borneo is located on the upper north of the Malaysian state of Sabah. Kudat make up a large number of the Rungus ethnic and also acts as a major centre for the Rungus community. Many visitors may not know this but Kudat also owns a mini airport or better known as a STOLport that caters the communities from the Kudat district to travel to Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.


Disney is known for hiding little surprises throughout their movies. It has become a habit of mine to search for these Easter Eggs every time I watch. Christopher Robin was packed full of fun Easter Eggs that brought back memories of the original films and ones that reminded me of other fandoms (and Disney IP) that I love. Gather up your plush friends and let's find those eggs!
Spoilers ahead if you haven't watched Christopher Robin yet.
Just like our favorite Winnie the Pooh movies, Christopher Robin begins with the pages of a storybook. It changes chapter titles, tells a bit of story, and moves us towards the beginning of the conflict we find Christopher in.
In real life, Christopher Robin went to one as well.
Winnie sings his workout song and Tigger sings about The Wonderful Thing about Tiggers! In the background of most scenes you can here orchestral versions of Winnie the Pooh and other classic pieces from the Sherman brothers.
Not only did the Disney legend write 3 new songs for this film, but he also makes a brief cameo at the end. As a die hard Disney fan, I squealed a bit when I saw him.
At the end of the film, Madeline is out playing with her new friends in the 100 Acre Wood in an outfit that reflects that of her father as a child.
The red balloon has been seen in several versions of Winnie the Pooh, even taking on a persona in some. In Christopher Robin, the balloon symbolizes simple happiness and joy.
Heartbreaking. Why is it so hard to hear Pooh say these words?
Each of our favorite forest friends say some of their most iconic lines. From oh d-d-dear, to T-I-double- G-ER! Pooh has a rumbly in his tumbly and we all have hearts that melted.
Who else fought in WW2? Captain America. Not only did Cap fight in WW2, but Haley Atwell a.k.a. Peggy Carter did as well. We know that Peggy later married a man whom Cap saved. Hayley's Evelyn Robin is married to Christopher Robin. Spoiler: Christopher survived the war.
When Madeline Robin finally shows how upset she is with her father, she knocks her toys onto the floor. Her mother, picks them up, and one of them happens to look like Captain America. A stretch? Maybe. But since it was Hayley who picked him up and not another character, I say the chances are high it was indeed Steve Rogers.
Ewan McGregor has played several other high profile roles, including Obi-Wan Kenobi. It just so happens that Oliver Ford Davies, old man Winslow, was also in the Star Wars prequels as Sio Bibble.
Another familiar Disney franchise face showed up. Mackenzie Crook, plays the pirate Ragetti in the Pirates of the Caribbean.
This could be a nod to a possible Dalmatian film in the works. But towards the end we see someone walking a dalmatian in London. 101 Dalmatians is based in London and could take place during the time frame of Christopher Robin. I don't think it is a stretch because choosing a dalmatian over any other type of dog definitely seems on purpose.
The Disney Castle in the beginning logo looks hand drawn and in similar fashion to the original drawings of Pooh and his friends.
At the end of the film during the credits, we can see Winnie and the gang lounging in beach chairs, enjoying life. Snow Dogs also has a scene like this with the dogs.
Christopher Robin Extended Sneak Peek Reaction!
Free Christopher Robin Coloring Pages!
Christopher Robin is in theaters everywhere!
I never would have caught some of those!!!
How awesome! I am a huge Winnie The Pooh fan and learning about all of these hidden gems just has me extra excited to see this movie.
So many cool pieces of information. I love Boarding Schools and think it's very cool it's featured and Christopher Robin also attended one.
I would love to see this movie. With school starting back I have not had the chance to see this movie. I look forward to discovering these Easter eggs.
You missed the nod to Snow Dogs, the gang lounging in the bright beach chairs at the end!
A good friend of mine went to go see this movie last week and she said it was awesome. I will have to take my kids to go see it!
Love the potential Marvel tie-in. Will have to see it for myself if Captain America does play a hidden role!
Also caught that glimpse of what is surely a Captain America action figure.
I have no idea why I didn't recognize Obi-Wan… because he's such a good actor?
The 12th Doctor as Rabbit… I can't even… maybe that's why the "door" was in weird places… is that the hum of a tardis I hear?
In regards to the 101 dalmations nod or Easter egg… It is definitely Anita… In the movie the woman is walking a dalmation and on top of that the color of the dress in Christopher Robin is the same color as the one in the Disney movie when she meets Roger. Hopefully it is to be a live action.
did you guy's forget when Madeline wants her father to read a book she wanted him to read her Treasure island ? That is or was an attraction at the Disney parks..


Jeweller and watchmaker for 14 generations, the last independant and family owned french jewellery House is creating made to measure jewels in its own workshop at 9, rue de la Paix.
Mellerio is the oldest jewellery House in the world. It was created in 1515 et settled in the place Vendôme area the first in 1815 at 9, rue de la Paix.
Every queen of France and Europe has been a client of the House since Marie-Antoinette. Everyday, the Mellerio family still makes true the passion and the excellence of its knowhow in its own workshop. Today, Mellerio is jeweller (made to measure jewels), silversmith (precious objects, trophies, academician swords), and since 1993, has been a watch maker.


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Q: In Excel 2013 how can you make every distinct number value have a matching distinct colour? I have a table of computed numbers in excel (different every time it is computed), for example:
   A B C D E
1. 9 8 9 9 1
2. 7 1 1 1 9
3. 1 6 5 2 9
4. 6 6 3 2 2
5. 3 3 2 3 7

In the example I have used a small collection of low value numbers but in reality it could be a very large collection or very low value or high value numbers (like -52353223 or +496058).
I wish to highlight (cell background colour preferably) all distinct values with a matching distinct colour.  For example, all 9's would be red, all 8's would be blue, and all 7's would be green, and so on and so forth.
I've tried conditional formatting, but this isn't useful because it doesn't make a big enough difference between the colours for similar values.  It also isn't an option to manually find/replace numbers with formatting either - it has to be done automatically.
Does Excel have a way to do this built in, or will it requite a VBA script or some other method?
Thank you!


Thank you for your vigorous and at times feisty feedback. I do try and answer each and every one of your comments. This has become a little tricky with the number of responses, but if you go to the trouble of writing, then the least I can do is to respond. So if you don't get a response within a few days; send me a reminder.
I simply delight in the KISS principle (Keep it Simple Stupid). Probably because I end up doing everything in a rather convoluted way (just ask one of my colleagues how I put up a hi-tech tent one night with the rain pouring down; much to the accelerating chagrin of my dearly beloved shivering in the howling elements) and am always pleasurably surprised when there is a simpler, quicker approach. Steve Jobs of Apple Corporation offers some seeds of wisdom - always worth taking and ploughing into your firm's (hopefully) fertile fields when talking engineering innovation. Bear in mind that engineering innovation doesn't mean massive groundbreaking designs; but often simple improvements such as a better way to solder or weld or handle a cable loom or deal with a vexing issue of safety. Tiny improvements perhaps, but overall enormously important to a business, especially when everyone is thinking innovation and incrementally improving things.
1. Focus on the user not on the technology when designing the product. Simplicity and ease of use and some elegant styling are the name of the game; not super clever, whizzbang electronics which we often love to engage in as engineers. Apply the KISS principle. The very simple and easy to use Skype was distilled from complex and arcane internet telephony. I believe this is often the most important lesson.
2. Innovation must be encouraged from both within and without your firm. The trick is to align your ideas with technologies that exist outside. The phenomenally successful iPod was invented by an outside consultant for Apple Corporation and was quickly and effectively linked in with in-house technologies and talent. This is often referred to as "network innovation". Engineers must not think something invented internally is better because of its familiarity. Grab safety ideas that you read about and apply them to your firm's applications. A new technique of wiring a switchboard -that you noticed at a neighbouring firm - which saves 30% of the time can be customised to your processes with enormous success, provided it is idiotproof and easy for the users.
3. Ignore the cacophony of the market when your instinct insists otherwise. Sometimes the market guffaws with horror at some designs; but one should persist with one's instinct if there is another untapped and quiet market which you are targetting with this new product. Nintendo invented the motion-controlled video game console called the Wii which targetted non-gamers which were a far greater market. We developed a data communications course 15 years ago which was of no interest to the traditional telecomms market ( as they had all been there, done that"); but when fieldbus and Ethernet arrived in the industrial market we ended up with 150,000 attending this course.
4. Fail, but persist. When an idea fails because of a lack of interest from the market; think through the issues carefully and perhaps redesign and relaunch a modified version. The Macintosh computer originated from the ashes of the failed Lisa computer. And was ferociously successful.
Steve Jobs remarked a decade ago - before his phenomenal innovativeness turned Apple's fortunes - "Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have. When Apple came up with the Mac, IBM was spending at least 100 times more on R&D. It's not about money. It's about the people you have, how you're led, and how much you 'get it'". So true and inspirational.
Thanks to the inimitable Economist and Apple for their thoughts.


At this year's 18th annual eHealthcare Leadership Awards, our clients stole the night, coming away with 11 awards ranging from Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Distinctive Honors in several decisive wins.
As an event that first began in 1999, this year's eHealthcare Leadership Awards featured more than 200 organizations who have received notable recognition for their websites and digital communications.
Drawing nearly 1,000 entries every year, the competition for these awards is correspondingly high. We're thrilled that Scorpion was one of the most represented agencies working with healthcare clients at this year's event.
Scoring wins in multiple categories within Best Site Design and Best Overall Internet Site, these accolades represent a new standard of web excellence for our clients, serving to improve their online perception and brand overall.
At Scorpion, we take pride in the work we do with our healthcare clients. These moments denote our ability to not only provide award-winning web designs for our clients, but to improve their online outreach and ultimately stimulate growth within their businesses.
Here at Scorpion, offering award-winning service and web-design isn't a lofty goal—it's a fundamental requirement for the advancement of our client's goals. We provide digital marketing expertise within the legal, healthcare, medical, home service, and franchise fields, and continue to push technology and innovation to bring all of our client's stability and success in an increasingly digital space.
Whether it's website design, search engine optimization (SEO), online advertising, reputation monitoring, marketing strategy, or video production, Scorpion is a full-service marketing agency equipped with the experience to make your vision for your business a reality.
Contact us today and learn how what an award-winning website can mean for you.


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Home » Beauty in Small Packages
Beauty in Small Packages
Cathleen McGuigan
The Dallas-based architect Frank Welch recently sent me his just-published memoir, On Becoming an Architect. In the book, he describes how he, as an inquisitive, artistic young boy growing up in Sherman, Texas, during the Depression, became a critically acclaimed modernist whose distinguished career was cemented by one extraordinary project.
The seminal building wasn't grandiose: it was a simple pavilion. A shelter set on a rocky rise on a ranch in West Texas, it opened to magnificent views across the rugged landscape. The client didn't want plumbing or electricity'just a big fireplace and a spot to have lunch or to camp. Welch writes that he struggled to resist making a statement of 'self-conscious forms.' 'Think simple,' he kept telling himself. He looked to the land, using stone from the ranch and weathered oil-rig timbers for beams. The basic structure was a box, embraced by wood walls that could slide open on outrigger tracks in good weather or become a cozy enclosure when cold winds blew. And there were particulars about the local conditions: 'To protect against snakes, I lifted the box off the ground,' he notes. Grounded in stone yet appearing, with a cantilevered deck, to float, 'the Birthday,' as the shelter was called, was a poetic expression of modern design, tied deeply to its place. After it was completed in the 1970s, it was widely published and celebrated: in 1997, the Texas Society of Architects made the unusual decision to bestow the Twenty-five Year Award on two projects, Welch's pavilion sharing the honors with Louis Kahn's Kimbell Museum.
This month, RECORD too celebrates pavilions'a modest building type with a big capacity for lyricism and ingenuity. Picture what it might be like to work inside a glass-sided study carrel on the grounds of the American Academy in Berlin, underneath the innovative tent-like roof of Barkow Leibinger's pavilion. Think of having a snack in the new San Francisco caf' by Mark Cavagnero Associates, next to Renzo Piano's California Academy of Sciences, which inspired its graceful design. The new Australian pavilion for the Venice Biennale, by Denton Corker Marshall, with its opaque, dark granite cladding, is a surprising yet elegant solution for a gallery space. And in Japan, two pavilions in a cemetery'one a community hall, the other a chapel'by Hiroshi Nakamura exploit dramatic geometric forms and exquisite craftsmanship to create serene spaces linked to light and nature.
In addition, this month's issue features two spectacular cultural projects by Rem Koolhaas and his firm, OMA. Koolhaas has long been one of the most compelling'and quirkiest'commentators on the global architecture scene, in both his words and his designs. The Prada Foundation in Milan and the Garage Museum in Moscow reflect in varying ways his evolving ideas about preservation and adaptive reuse. Where Koolhaas has questioned the obsession with preserving historic architecture in the past, he now has elevated some fairly humdrum old buildings through stunning transformations for viewing art. The Garage had a former life as a 1960s-era industrial-scale Soviet cafeteria that could feed 1,200 comrades at a single seating. OMA has sheathed the tough concrete structure in a polycarbonate shell'not a pricey material but one that imparts a shimmery glamour to a proletarian edifice. The Prada Foundation was created out of a century-old distillery complex, with new construction alongside renovated buildings. In one dramatic move, Koolhaas decided to coat a small, formerly dilapidated building entirely in gold leaf, remarking that the material turned out to be 'a surprisingly effective way to distribute aura around the site.'
A number of years ago, I asked Koolhaas in an interview if he sought to instill beauty into a particular design. The word made him squirm'beauty, he insisted, was merely a by-product. Really? It may be only skin deep, but let's face it'the gold is simply beautiful.
We hope you revel in the beauty of the projects featured this month. Or, at least, enjoy the aura.
Recent Articles by Cathleen McGuigan
December 2021 Editor's Letter: Promise the World
November 2021 Editor's Letter: Beyond the Ivory Tower
Cathleen McGuigan is editor-in-chief of Architectural Record. She is responsible for leading the award-winning editorial team to deliver thorough coverage of news, projects, and practice issues to architects, design professionals, and building product manufacturers. Her broad experience as an editor, journalist, and critic provides strong leadership for this integrated print and digital portfolio, as well as strikingly relevant professional and cultural content for readers across the globe. Cathleen joined RECORD in 2011. Previously an architecture critic and arts editor at Newsweek, she has more than three decades of cultural journalism experience. Cathleen's work has also been published in The New York Times Magazine, Smithsonian, Harper's Bazaar, and Rolling Stone. A Michigan native, she serves on several design juries and is a former adjunct professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.
How We Live, Now and in the Future
BIM for Design Firms: Data Rich Architecture at Small and Medium Scales
John Yeon Architectur: Building in the Pacific Northwest


This Wildlife Centre is looking for dedicated and passionate volunteers for their busy wildlife rehab program. Join this exiting opportunity and gain professional skills in wildlife care and management.
Known as the Warm Heart of Africa for its stunning landscapes and friendly, peaceful people, Malawi is also blessed with diverse and abundant wildlife. But as one of the poorest countries in the world with a fast growing population, natural resources are also under immense pressure. Deforestation and wildlife crime, especially the bushmeat, pet and ivory trades, are threatening the survival of both wild animals and the habitats they call home.
This Wildlife Centre is looking for dedicated and passionate volunteers for their busy wildlife rehab program.
This is Malawi's only wildlife sanctuary and the first 'people and wildlife' centre in the world to work hand in hand with local communities to conserve wildlife, so it is a very unique opportunity for volunteers, and there are a number of projects that you can get involved in.
Volunteer projects range from animal care assistant, vet assistant, rehabilitation and release assistant, education and community support, centre support, marketing and those interested in conservation or ecology.
Work alongside our animal carers to offer our orphans the best possible care that they deserve…cleaning, feeding, handrearing baby orphans and providing enrichment to those that need it.
Work alongside our vet to help conduct full health checks on all new arrivals and perform regular vaccinations and check-ups on all the animals at the Centre.
Giving guided tours, helping create conservation based educational activities, working on new signage or helping out at the Wild Kidz Holiday Camps.
Working with the community outreach manager. We have several ongoing community programmes including such projects as our 'Green and Clean' programme where we are working with our local communities to plant sustainable wood lots and vegetable gardens, and providing training to encourage sustainable living and the use of alternative fuels and discouraging negative practices such as sand mining and deforestation.
If you´re interested in conservation management, we have several ecological surveys and mammal censuses and an important afforestation project we would love your support on.
Anyone with experience in website updates, pr, events, photography or documentary making would be more than welcome.
The Centre employs over 30 dedicated local staff with a management team that also includes highly qualified international wildlife and education experts. International volunteers are also crucial to the smooth running of the project in terms of hard work, new ideas and skills transfer.
Ever fancied waking up to the sound of a lion roaring or be able to see monkeys play from your bedroom window? In our volunteer accommodation you can!
Volunteers stay together in our Volunteer House, which is within the heart of the wildlife centre and surrounded by our animals. This allows you to be close to the action and, alongside having the benefits of being within the centre of a capital city, experience the wild side of Africa. The House has mixed dorm-style accommodation with a kitchen, living area, bathroom and an attractive garden area for al-fresco eating and relaxing in the evenings.
Prices for longer stays are available on request.
Of course, if you have any further questions please get in touch.
Orientation and training in all relevant departments and full support and assistance from the Volunteer Coordinator throughout your stay.
Additional excursions, nights out, souvenirs and personal expenses such as soft drinks, beers and snacks.
To fly to Lilongwe, check out Kenya Airways, Ethiopia Airways and South African Airways. We will arrange for your transfers from the airport to the Centre.
Whilst relevant skills and past experience are very helpful, it is those with enthusiasm, flexibility and a good work ethic that leave the biggest mark and get to go home with the greatest sense of achievement.
I understand a financial contribution is required to participate in this programme.


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Kenya tourism directory
PARKS, RESERVES & CONSERVANCIES
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THE INDIAN OCEAN
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Lake Nakuru: the rift valley at its finest
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Entitled 'the greatest bird spectacle on earth' thanks to the millions of fuchsia-pink flamingo that flock to its waters, the sky mirrored waters of Lake Nakuru yield some of the most evocative photo opportunities in Africa.
Flamingos and more
Lake Nakuru, in Kenya's Great Rift Valley, is famous for the 1.5 million-strong population of Lesser Flamingo that gathers on its shores. Lake Nakuru National Park is, however, also an incredible safari destination - small in size, but massive in terms of wildlife.
As Kenya's first and largest rhino sanctuary, sightings of both black and white rhinos are almost guaranteed. While plentiful hippo, waterbuck, warthog, zebra, gazelle, and buffalo graze the shoreline. Echoing to the haunting cries of the magnificent fish eagles, this is also the park in which you have the best chance of seeing a leopard.
Ideal for game drives, the park offers towering cliffs, cool acacia groves, ancient euphorbia forests, and two picturesque circular routes that take in the prime viewing points of Baboon Cliff, Hippo Point, Pelican Point, and Lion Hill. An ornithologist's paradise, the park boasts 450 bird species.
Lake Nakuru is ideally situated as a safari hub. It is within easy reach of the Aberdare National Park, Hell's Gate National Park, and the nearby lakes of Naivasha and Elementeita.
Location: Lake Nakuru is 160 km north-west of Nairobi. Its main gate is immediately adjacent to the city of Nakuru.
Accommodation: There are a number of classic safari lodges in the park as well as self-catering cottages and several glorious campsites. Further accommodation options exist just outside the park's boundaries and in Nakuru town.
Getting there: The park is easily accessed and traversed by road and has its own landing strip.
Lake Nakuru tours
'Simba' means 'lion' in Swahili. A budget safari that delivers optimum variety in the minimum time without…
FROM $1147 pp
For those with limited time looking for a value-added safari that highlights Kenya's most famous sights, this…
FROM $778 pp
This exclusive flying safari showcases some of Kenya's most famous and most diverse wilderness areas, while travelling…
Lake Nakuru features
There are some places on earth that are so unique and culturally significant that the nations of the world have come together to protect them for generations to come. These places are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, listed and protected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Proudly protecting seven of mankind's…
Why are Flamingos pink?
Well, actually, they're not. Strange but true: flamingos are born grey and their feathers only turn pink as they eat their preferred diet of the blue-green algae, Spirulina, which contains a natural pink dye called canthaxanthin. Consequently, flamingos kept in zoos turn from pink to grey, unless they have synthetic canthaxanthin added to their diets….
Lake Naivasha – the place of rough water
A freshwater lake, the highest of the string of lakes that glitter down the vast trench of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha is infamous for its rapidly shifting moods. One minute serene and calm, the next it will be whipped by swirling winds and shadowed by storm clouds. Hence its name, which means 'the…
What to see and do around Lake Nakuru
In this feature we discover some of the things to see and do around Lake Nakuru, outside the National Park. Close to the Lake there are a number of interesting prehistoric sites and also one of the world's largest volcanic calderas. Hyrax Hill Overlooking the lake, just 3.5kms out of Nakuru town heading in the…
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Did you know that some of our favorite movies were first books? Did you know that some kids love movies so much all they want to do is write, direct, or star in movies when they grow up? Come hear some stories about kids who love movies and stories that ARE movies you can watch with your parents at home.


Flowers? Candy? Boring! Surprise mom with one of these awesome tech-centric gifts this year.
Mom's special day is right around the corner. You're not really going to give her flowers or candy again this year, are you?
It's not too late to surprise her with the gift of technology, instead. Here are six memorable products she's sure to appreciate.
The Pro Voice wireless headphones from 66 Audio not only sound great, mom can use them to summon Alexa anytime she's wearing them—even if she doesn't have an Echo smart speaker. They're an on-ear design with a band that rests on top of the ears and wraps around the back of the head. A tight fit ensures they won't fall off, even while exercising.
There's Bluetooth—and aptX—support, so mom can pair these cans with her smartphone and make phone calls in addition to playing music. She can use the MotionControl app to choose from various EQ presets—Jazz, Rock, Rap, and others—or create her own custom presets. The Pro Voice fold up to fit into a very small case, making them easy to stash in a pocket or bag.
I've tried plenty of high-tech gadgets that claim to rapidly chill beverages, but this simple device beats them all. The HyperChiller consists of two stainless steel chambers that fit inside of each other and then inside a plastic cylinder. You pour water into the inner and outer chambers and then toss it in the freezer overnight.
When mom wants to instantly chill a beverage—from piping hot coffee to room-temperature white wine—she need only pour into it into the HyperChiller, swirl it around for a minute or two, and pour into a glass. It's as great for iced coffee as it is chilling beverages like wine or whisky that you don't want to dilute with ice. The ice lasts long enough for about two servings, then you rinse it clean and toss it back in the freezer for the next time.
You can use the Spot to make voice calls to other Echos and contacts who have the Alexa app installed on their smartphone, and a built-in camera lets you make video calls to friends and family who also have display-equipped Echos.
If mom doesn't care about the video features, the Echo Dot and Google Home Mini are equally great for many other tasks, including smart home control. And if she's a music buff, the Sonos One is a fantastic foundation for a multi-room audio system. It has Alexa built in, and support for Google Assistant is on the way.
Help mom relax with this high-tech aromatherapy device. The Aera Smart Diffuser emits bursts of fragrance in a dry vapor that won't stain drapes or furniture. She can program the device on her smartphone so that it operates on demand, on a schedule that the scent isn't wasted on an empty house, or on demand via Alexa. The amount of product released can be adjusted on a scale of 1 to 10 according to the size of the room it's operating in.
The Aera's secret is the size of the droplets it releases into the air: Measuring about one micron each, the company says 125,000 Aera droplets can fit in just one droplet from the typical aerosol source. This tiny size helps the aromas thoroughly disperse throughout the room. Sets of three fragrance samples costs $39 each, while full-sized capsules—which can last for months, depending on how frequently they're used—cost $49 each.
The importance of medication adherence can't be overemphasized, but it's all too easy to for busy moms—and grandmas—to forget. The PillDrill is a great tool for anyone taking prescription meds, and if you're helping an elderly mom to stay out of nursing home, it enables you help her comply with her prescription regimen.
The system consists of a Wi-Fi-connected hub and several components with embedded RFID tags. The hub, smartphone app, and/or SMS messages remind you when medications should be taken and records when they're consumed—and notifies if doses are missed, maintaining an ongoing history. You can read our in-depth review here.
Like a mechanical alchemist, the SodaStream Aqua Fizz can convert ordinary tap water into delicious sparkling water in just 30 seconds. Mom simply fills the one-liter glass carafe, places it in the mechanism, and pushes the button on top a few times to infuse it with carbon dioxide from a pressurized canister. It doesn't need to be plugged in, and its 6.25-inch-wide by 10.5-inch-deep footprint doesn't take up a lot of counter space.
She can add a little flavor with fruit-based concentrates—just a teaspoon is enough to infuse a bottle (post carbonation) with raspberry, lemon, or more than 60 other flavors without adding any sugar or calories. You can also make homemade tonic water for cocktails.
To my taste buds, the results are indistinguishable from the sparkling water you buy in the store, and the carbonation adds a mineral essence to plain water when it's not otherwise flavored. The kit we reviewed came with two one-liter bottles—each sufficient for roughly two glasses of water—and one cylinder of CO2 that's good for 60 liters of water. Exchange CO2 cylinders cost $30 each (bring your empty to an authorized retailer), or you can arrange for an exchange service with free delivery in limited areas.


Elizabeth I & Her People is an exhibition that's full of portraits from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
The Elizabethan period lasted over 40 years and was full of amazing achievements in architecture, trade and exploring the world!
This exhibition features loads of portraits of Queen Elizabeth I and the people under her reign who made these great achievements.
On display are paintings of explorers, the Queen's courtiers and soldiers, as well as less well known Elizabethans like butchers, goldsmiths and writers.
To go along, just click here to find out more and book tickets!


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I'm closing on a week off of work that I took for myself as a birthday gift this year. I just celebrated 35 and it feels like a milestone. I touched on it in my Instagram post on my birthday, but there's been a lot going on behind the scenes for me. At 35, there are a lot of big checkmarks that I am proud of in this life, but there are still things that I want to work on too.
1. I am humbled by the amount of things I did not get done. I worked at this little business an average of 8 hours each day and the to-do list I set for myself at the beginning of the week is only half accomplished. This is not because of slacking, or distraction, it is genuinely because things take time, period.
2. I really could do this full time. Five days of this established a small routine. I went to bed about an hour earlier than normal and got up an hour later than normal, and didn't require any daytime naps to get through. Mornings were usually spent sketching or painting and afternoons on business development. If I could do this full time, I would schedule in an afternoon once or twice a week in a cafe to change it up, but really my space was quite adequate to get things done.
3. I am surprised at how little time I actually spent painting. I read and hear other full time illustrators say this – but the bulk of the work is not about doing your craft. It's learning new skills, marketing yourself, prepping Etsy products and learning SEO, things like that.
4. I could probably become a hermit quite easily if I didn't focus on getting out. I went for daily walks and one day pulled out my bicycle and rode over to a cafe for a few hours. I had the oddest feeling of emerging into the world while doing it. After several days cocooned into my safe space, it felt vulnerable to be out and in the world again.
5. Two days in I bit the bullet and spent several hundred dollars on an Etsy SEO course. There was so much information in it that I'm still feeling a little overwhelmed. But I'm drinking the Koolaid here. There are people on Etsy clearing and I mean CLEARING six figures each year. The most comforting thing I hear them say is "I'm just a girl who wanted more – and if I can do it, so can you." I have been that person in other areas of my life. I have done things I didn't think I could do. In capoeira in particular – I NEVER thought I would get to where I am with it. I simply fell in love with the process and the rest of it unfolded over time. I don't believe there are any real shortcuts to the things you want in life, you can only get started, fall in love with the process and keep at it. Day after day. Remember your why, do it for you and just keep going.
I have mentioned my day job a little before and without saying where I work, I'll expand on it now. I have an amazing job. Even within the organization I am lucky to work for it is a sought after job. 35 hour weeks, amazing pay, telework every second day, every second Monday off and four weeks of paid holidays each year. I know. You would be hard pressed to find anything better.
But guess what? I. Want. More.
I want to keep working at this Etsy business, at this painting, and teaching it. At getting my prints into more retailers for sale. And I want to be the girl who surprises EVEN HERSELF and quits her amazing day job to paint full time. I hope I get to look back at this post in five years and say – check it out. The roadmap. It started that week.
We get one life. It's easy to fall into cliche here, or to fall back on inspirational quotes – which I personally LOVE by the way – but the truth is we get one life. What do you want out of yours? I have my list of priorities and dreams. It's also nice learning over time what I don't want – my want's and don't wants complement each other rather nicely I must say.
But time is short. Even now, the days fly by. The years check themselves off. I sure hope the best days of my life haven't happened yet – because I am working NOW to create them. Watch me go.
This entry was posted on Monday, October 29th, 2018 at 2:00 pm.	It is filed under General Musings, Home and tagged with don'tkeepyourdayjob, life goals, yyc blogs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.