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The National Law Journal names Mayer Brown a finalist for "Chicago Litigation Department of the Year"
The National Law Journal names Mayer Brown a finalist for "Chicago Litigation Department of the...
Mayer Brown, a leading global law firm, has been named by The National Law Journal (NLJ) as a "Chicago Litigation Department of the Year" finalist. In its special report, the NLJ editorial team evaluated Chicago-based litigation practices on several criteria including notable wins, operations, headcounts, and revenues. (View the article).
"We are honored to be recognized by The National Law Journal for excellence based on our litigation capabilities in Chicago that have helped make us a go-to law firm for clients facing complex, high-stakes litigation across the globe," said Frederick Thomas, partner-in-charge of the Chicago office.
"The breadth of Mayer Brown's litigation disciplines sets us apart from our competitors— it's a great achievement to be recognized for the cutting-edge client matters our unique team of litigators handle—and for our overall impact on the legal industry and business world," said partner Andrew Marovitz, a co-leader of the global Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice.
Mayer Brown advises Astro Shapes on its acquisition by Monomoy Capital Partners
Seven Mayer Brown partners named 2020 "Top Lawyers" by Washingtonian
Mayer Brown partner Gina Parlovecchio named a 2021 "Notable Woman in Law" by Crain's New York Business
Mayer Brown represents CDPQ in $1 billion investment in Invenergy Renewables

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


April 8, 2017 Grandma Says:, Suspense/Thriller Leave a comment espionageFictionmurderseriesSuspenseterrorismthrillerWashington D.C.
If one reads enough thrillers, the themes become familiar: espionage, terrorism, governmental corruption, Russian mafia, special forces, stolen secrets, and so on. What differentiates these stories are the details and how the imminent threat to national security will be resolved. What also differentiates them is the main characters, the players who will solve the crime, stop the destruction, and foil the evil-doers. Character development—creating someone we feel we know and whose success we care about—becomes paramount if a story is going to keep us invested in the outcome.
In The Fix, David Baldacci gives us Amos Decker, a former football player with a tragic family history and a brain damaged by a sports injury that ended his career. As a result of the brain injury, he has a photographic memory and the ability to see auras, including colors that portend death, and he has lost his social skills. He's great at parsing the details and seeing what others don't see, but he's a challenge to work with and pretty hopeless at establishing relationships. His female partner, FBI agent Alex Jamison, is a former reporter who sometimes has second thoughts about her career change and obviously has feelings for Decker, even though he frustrates the heck out of her. Together they provide the right mix of skill and vulnerability, and when we add in DIA agent Harper Brown—an amazing woman in her own right—and a cast of suspects that keep us guessing as to who did what and why, we have a book that's hard to put down.
Baldacci is a prolific and accomplished author whose pacing, details, and storyline kept me absorbed from beginning to end. The Fix is the third book in the Amos Decker series, and having read it, I now want to go back and read the first two, Memory Man and The Guilty.
Grandma gives The Fix five stars.


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Four Season AL MarYah
24TH and 25TH JANUARY 2018
ABOUTUPCOMING TALKSPAST TALKSNEWSINTERVIEWSREGISTRATIONContact
ContactregistrationInterviewsNEWS
RegistrationEvent scheduleThe VenueUnfold
Past TalksUpcoming Talks
Art Select
Art Select is a unique initiative launched on the strength of a private passion of founder and owner Kanika Subberwal. It is today a successful international business module based on establishing alliances internationally with established and recognized entities, sharing the same values and together showcasing contemporary art and the culture, representing it in its best form.
It is the endeavor of the Art Select team to position itself as a valuable resource for a substantial range of quality art, to advise, consult, assist clients in understanding art as an investment, and the significance of building private and corporate collections.
Murdoch University
Murdoch University offers lifelong learning opportunities to fulfil dreams and achieve success, by delivering quality education to all our students, within a culture of care. Our mission is to extend knowledge, stimulate learning, and promote understanding, for the benefit of our global community. These values are an intrinsic part of the Murdoch University culture:
Equity and Social Justice
Global Responsibility
Murdoch's focus on quality will continue to build on our reputation for high quality teaching. Resources will be applied strategically towards achieving superior educational outcomes in our areas of strength. Valuing and developing our people is essential to long term success. Our capacity to achieve our goals is dependent on our ability to attract, develop, nurture and retain high quality academic and professional staff. Working together through interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork across the University will maximise our ability to succeed. Engagement with internal and external stakeholders, including our students, staff, alumni, industry, government and communities in which we live and work, will underpin all of our activities. Commercial and financial rigour will underpin the University's decision making at all levels of the organisation, and will help increase resources for pursuing strategic priorities.
Planet of Finance
"Planet of finance provides financial solutions for everyone. With professional members in 63 countries managing more than $13 trillion in Assets, Planet of finance is the largest digital marketplace dedicated to wealth management."
Art Dependence Magazine
ArtDependence Magazine is an international magazine covering all spheres of contemporary art, as well as modern and classical art. ArtDependence features the latest art news, highlighting interviews with today's most influential artists, galleries, curators, collectors, fair directors and individuals at the axis of the arts.
The magazine also covers series of articles and reviews on critical art events, new publications and other foremost happenings in the art world.
FLAG represents a growing number of selectively chosen Educated Elegant Entrepreneurial Experts with Emotional Enthusiasm & Ethics driven by the FLAGSPIRIT of share & team-up inspiring & uniting them around their values or the 7 E's
FLAG dreams to connect worldwide the people representing the 7 E's on a trusted platform allowing them to inspire & unite them around FLAG ACTS 4 GOOD
FLAG acts cross-border & sector worldwide with its selectively chosen Friends & Partners.on their digital platform connecting Deciders, Entrepreneurs, Families & Investors around ACTS 4 GOOD.
Apid
As a member of the International Federation of Interior Designers/Architects (IFI), APID is committed to advocate for the global advancement, best practices and the highest standards of the interior design community. Through its online platform and professional and educational events, APID aims to provide a networking platform between practitioners, industry, academia, government bodies and the media. APID's network outreach reaches to international associations where APID has established dual membership agreements with: China Council of International Interior Design, Beijing (CIID88), Philippines Council of Interior Design (PIID) and the British Council of Interior Design (BIID) Due to the rigorous process of APID's membership application, APID's online Resource Centre was established (https://www.apid.ae/partners-1) in order to refer the community to credible practitioners and industry partners. APID's members are local as well international and they consist of the following categories:
1. Professional membership: Sole traders
2. Companies: Design practices
3. Industry Suppliers, manufacturers and distributors
4. Institutions Universities
5. Students and student chapter
The Luxembourg Art Law and Art & Finance Association has been created to bring together the Art Law (ARTLAW) and Art & Finance (ARTFIN) key players such as – but not limited to – artists, art galleries, art experts and dealers, conservators, museum curators, restorers as well as investors, insurance companies, bankers, family offices, lawyers, fiduciaries, editorial houses, …
AIA Middle East
In 2010 the AIA Middle East Chapter was created to extend the services of the AIA (American Institute of Architects) to its members practicing in the MENA region, and uphold the high standard of design, education and professional practice among its members. The AIA Middle East aims to strengthen ties between AIA, regional architects and governments in the region. It provides a conduit for communication and support from AIA, American Associations and fellow overseas members, as well as offer a means for local recognition of credentials and professional experience.
AIA Middle East currently has nearly 500 members in the MENA. We have an active presence in the MENA region with representatives in MENA countries, promoting good practice and providing continuing education opportunities, lectures, conferences and an annual awards program. We seek local institutional and events partnerships to engage in the architecture and design dialogue in the region. We have student chapters at NAAB accredited universities, promoting joint activities.
The AIA is one of the oldest Architectural Institutes in the world. Founded in 1857 it represents over 90,000 professional architects around the world. It is the voice of its member architects and it's mission is to "elevate the standing of the profession" and "promote the scientific and practical perfection of its members".
ArtPremium
Visually engaging, intelligent, elegant and with no advertising, ArtPremium is a print magazine on contemporary art in English with a quarterly worldwide distribution. The magazine's principal objective is to deliver high-quality journalism emphasizing on the allure of images and the concision of texts. We engage artists, artistic directors, collectors, curators, and others alike in thought-provoking conversations on their fields of expertise.
Founded in 2003, ArtPremium's editor-in- chief, Corinne Timsit and Eric Bonici, publishing director, leads her diverse and dedicated editorial team to bring our audience a fresh perspective and journey into the contemporary art world.
ART AFRICA
ART AFRICA engages its audience in a world that is up for grabs, sometimes inspiring, sometimes rueful, but always connected to its key drive as an experiment in freedom, a change agent. Lured by the nascent emergence of a new humanism – a new idea of why we work together, what we can learn from each other – ART AFRICA seeks to broaden its platform and points of interface. Committed to the idea of Africa as the hub and matrix of a changing world, ART AFRICA recognizes the great importance of building connections. While the digital provides the means, ART AFRICA is about building people, building ideas, building cultures recreated through exchange; not forgetting its origins as a ground-breaking print publication.
ART AFRICA (formerly Art South Africa) was founded and first published in September 2002 by Brendon and Suzette Bell-Roberts. During that time they also owned the cutting edge and hugely influential Bell-Roberts Gallery. The publication has significantly contributed to the growth of visual arts and cultural sector of the economy and has recorded the development of the visual arts sector in Africa from 2002 to date. As an independent publication ART AFRICA has to date published 60 issues of original, commissioned content comprising over 4 000 000 words!
Wealth-X
The global leader in wealth information and insight, Wealth-X partners with leading prestige brands across the financial services, luxury, not-for- profit and higher-education industries to fuel strategic decision-making in sales, marketing and compliance.
We help our clients to better understand, connect, and do business with the wealthy.
Wealth-X has developed the world's most extensive collection of hand-curated dossiers on ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals and produces unparalleled high net worth (HNW) market research. Founded in 2010, with more than 150 staff across North America, Europe and Asia, Wealth-X works with over 500 clients providing them with unique data, analysis, and counsel to drive business success.
Art Price
Artprice.com, World Leader in Art Market Information, is your access to the most comprehensive art market databases:650,000 artists through a microscope; 30 million detailed auction results; prices and indices since 1962; 118 million images from 6,300 partner auction houses and upcoming auction information.
It is also a worldwide marketplace to sell & buy Fine Art, Design & Antique works.
Gervois magazine
Gervois magazine brings a new level of sophistication and artistic creativity to the world of luxury travel publications. This English-language quarterly travel publication has been founded by Pierre Gervois, the New York City based luxury travel influencer and magazine publisher. Gervois magazine is reinventing the essence of travel in the United States and tell true American stories. Distributed worldwide in 5,000+ luxury hotels and selected airlines, Gervois magazine is a source of inspiration for affluent and open minded millennial global travelers.
Family Office Magazine
Family Office Magazine is a widely distributed and visually stunning magazine that is a premier gateway to the ultra-wealthy Family Office and HNWI Community.
This is a great publication to reach the super rich Family Offices and High Net Worth Individuals - Some sample issues on their website
Their media Kit is here - www.ourmediakit.co.uk - Email them contact@familyofficeelite.com
Hedge Connection
Hedge Connection has grown to become the most widely recognized and innovative marketing solution for the hedge fund industry. Our online fund database is powered by Morningstar and provides investors with access to over 7,000 hedge funds, fund of funds and CTAs.
The Boardroom, our industry leading online community, is woven into the fabric of our fund database and facilitates relationship building, networking, and free-flow of information. Hedge Connection's online ecosystem is complemented by our premier one-on-one networking events. Since 2005, over 5,000 investors have participated in Hedge Connection related events, resulting in thousands of direct meetings for hedge fund managers.
Hedge Connection is built on a foundation of industry experience and guided by the core principles of integrity, partnership, and value. Our clients include hedge funds, fund of funds, family offices, endowments & trusts, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, private banks, advisors and service providers to the financial industry.
Hedge Connection is a recipient of a US patent for it's methodology of connecting hedge funds and investors online.
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Under The Patronage Of Her Royal Highness, Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife Of His Majesty The King Of Bahrain, President Of The Supreme Council For Woman
2ND ANNUAL UNFOLD ART XCHANGE
ART + FINTECH SUMMIT
7-9 March 2019 I MANAMA I BAHRAIN
© Artem Holdings FZ LLC
© Artem Holdings FZE


and connecting to mysql. After having looked in the forums, I realize that I may have to modify mysql-service.xml. But before I get there, I need to deploy my ear file which I have not been able to do so. My first instinct was to copy sv.ear to \jboss-3.0.0RC1_tomcat-4.0.3\server\default\deploy and execute \jboss-3.0.0RC1_tomcat-4.0.3\bin\run.bat. It does not pick sv.ear or generate any errors. Am I missing something obvious here?
You better upgrade directly to RC2 as datasource configuration have changed a bit between RC1 and RC2.
For the right files. You'll also need to modify conf/login-conf.
o Disable clustering: If you might ever run JBoss on your machine without a network, you want to do this.
- Create a subfolder %JBOSS_DIST\server\default\deployBackup.
- Move file %JBOSS_DIST%\server\default\deploy\cluster-service.xml away into %JBOSS_DIST%\server\default\deployBackup.
Even though my machine is on a network, removing this file let JBoss continue loading the ear files. Apparently if the cluster service generates any fault, it halts the server. I did not see any apparent error messages in the console when it was halting.
btw, is there a built version of RC2 that I can download?


Federal law allows informants, like those employed by the DEA, to engage in "otherwise illegal activity" including "trafficking in what would be considered as large quantities of controlled... I mean if you were an informant, then the DEA could certainly say you were not - so that you can still work for them Sam : Please note that if you need more information, you can use the Reply to Expert to Continue the Conversation.
An estimated 4,000 active confidential informants work for the DEA, according to an official 2005 report by the Department of Justice. The report tracked payments made to informants for an Office of the Inspector General (OIG) audit.
Judge Kessler directed the DEA to disclose both Chambers' criminal record and the dates and amounts he was paid. We assume that Chambers will now be dropped as a reliable informant; however, this decision may well give many defendants - who have already been convicted on the basis of Chambers' testimony - a chance to reopen their cases.


Faculty who are interested in being nominated for the Whiting Public Engagement Fellowship or Seed Grant may submit proposals to the Willson Center by March 29.
The Whiting Public Engagement Fellowship and Seed Grant programs are intended to celebrate and empower early-career faculty who embrace public engagement as part of the scholarly vocation. Both programs support ambitious projects infusing into public life the richness, profundity, and nuance that give the humanities their lasting value. The stage of a project will determine the relevant program.
The Public Engagement Fellowship ($50,000) is for projects far enough into development or xecution to present specific, compelling evidence that they will successfully engage the intended public. For the strongest Fellowship proposals, both the overall strategy and the practical plan to implement the project will be deeply developed, relationships with key collaborators will be in place, and connections with the intended public will have been cultivated.
The Public Engagement Seed Grant (up to $10,000) supports projects at a somewhat earlier stage of development than the Fellowship, before the nominee has been able to establish a specific track record of success for the proposed public-facing work. It is not, however, designed for projects starting entirely from scratch: nominees should have fleshed out a compelling vision, including a clear sense of whose collaboration will be required and the ultimate scope and outcomes.
Nomination and Guidelines: Partner schools are invited to nominate one humanities faculty for each of the two programs. See the guidelines for further details about both programs.
Eligibility: To be eligible for either program, nominees must be full-time humanities faculty at an accredited US institution of higher learning as of September 2019; they must be early-career, defined as pre-tenure, untenured, or have received tenure in the last five years. Full-time adjunct faculty at an equivalent career stage are eligible.
Identify the program (Fellowship or Seed Grant) relevant to your proposal and provide a summary of your public-facing project.
Speak to the complexities of public-facing work including realistic assessments of time and effort required of different participants.
Describe others who will participate in your public facing project (teachers, community leaders, designers, museums and historical sites, technologists, nonprofit organizations, curators, scholars in other disciplines, filmmakers, etc.).
Address the context of your project in terms of how much the public is likely to know about your topic and where within that topic its interests likely lie, and how that affects your starting point.
Specify the technical skills required for success and indicate how you either have mastered them or will collaborate with someone who has.
Faculty should submit their proposal and CV to Dr. Lloyd Winstead, Senior Associate Director at the Willson Center, at winstead@uga.edu by March 29. Faculty will be notified regarding selection in April.


Khawateen Digest August 2011 Edition online. Monthly Khawateen is another most famous women digest of Pakistan. This digest promoting social romantic stories, moral reforming novels, serial novels, Afsane, novelettes, health and beauty tips, poetry, and other useful content of the most famous female writers of Urdu language.
Monthly Khawateen digest August 2011 edition is now available on Pakistan virtual library in high quality Pdf document format. Check out the following links to read online or download it in Pdf format to enjoy offline reading on your computer or android devices.


Truthfully, I used to have a love/hate relationship with pants. As in, love those pants, too bad they'll look awful on me. Well, over time I just simply learned, after stalking countless pairs, I had to just try them on becaue it's absolutely about the cut and fabric. Personally, I need a little stretch because I am very curvy and non-stretchy pants just don't work. Also, it's way more comfortable.
Top: old, similar here and here; pants: here; shoes: love these and these; clutch: Egypt; earrings: Ghana.


It is evolution towards the same type of adaptation amongst different groups of organisms. Ex. wing of an insect vs wing of a bird = analogous structures . Analogous structures = structures that have the same function but the way they are put together is different = different structures.
Structures that have the same function but the way they are put together is different = different structures.
it is evolution which has led to structures being adapted from an original body plan. Ex. forelimb of mammals = same bone pattern but each limb is specialized / adapted to the animal's way of life (human with grasping hand vs whale with flipper for swimming or bat with wing for flight) = homologous structures. Homologous structures = structures that have different functions but the same structure due to having a common ancestor.
Structures that have different functions but the same structure due to the organisms having a common ancestor.
Where one species gives rise to (evolves into) more than one other species.
Chapter 6: Meiosis, Sexual Reproduction & Embryo Development.
Chapter 4: Cell Organelles, DNA, Protein Synthesis and Mutations.


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Unearthing entrepreneurial opportunities among youth vendors and hawkers: challenges and strategies
Isaac Kofi Biney1
Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship volume 8, Article number: 2 (2019) Cite this article
This paper explores entrepreneurial opportunities among youth engaged in vending and hawking on the streets of Accra, Ghana. It ascertains challenges faced and strategies adopted to address them. Street vending and hawking is assuming increasing dimension due to paucity of formal job opportunities in Ghana. Hawking and vending of newspapers, textbooks, toffees and fruits are informal entrepreneurship opportunities on our streets. The study sought for short to medium and long-term plans the youth have to innovate the entrepreneurial opportunities in trades engaged in. It used youth hawkers operating at Okponglo and Dzorwulu junctions. Fifteen (15) youth participated in the study. It is a qualitative study which adopted purposive and convenience sampling procedures in selecting the sample. Thematic, analytical, descriptive-narrative interpretivist approaches were adopted in presenting the results. Crossing roads, chasing moving vehicles, operating in the scorching sun and torrential rain impacted negatively their health. It also emerged that the youth have plans to innovate and grow businesses, but the high cost of credit is a barrier. Lack of collateral for credits came up. Government quasi-financial institutions and non-bank financial institutions should be proactive in providing financial, advisory and technical support to the youth to exploit entrepreneurial opportunities in Ghana.
The building of youth entrepreneurship mindset is currently receiving some attention in Ghana. This is probably because the public sector is unable to employ many young adults, who are willing to work, but lack job avenues. More so, many industries established in the 1960s in the communities have collapsed. Many energetic, but ambitious young adults are experiencing mass extensive unemployment, and poverty. As a result, many young people have moved from the rural communities to the national capital, Accra, for jobs which are largely non-existent. These difficulties confronting young adults in Ghana are manifesting themselves in increased vigilantism, hooliganism, armed robbery and wanton destruction of fertile arable lands and forest vegetation cover through 'galamsey' activities in our communities. In the midst of these seeming insurmountable difficulties, some of the adventurous young adults have taken to street vending and hawking, to make ends meet. They are engaged in one trade or the other, and this should be expected because the youth, according to Ghana Statistical Service (GSS 2017), constitutes about 48% of Ghana's population. This, perhaps, might have informed the Government of Ghana's policy strategies of 'One-district one-factory' and 'Planting for food and jobs'. Then again, Ghana, to The World Bank (cited in Baafi and Acheampong 2014), needs to create between six to seven million new jobs by 2030 to absorb people entering the world of work. The National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP) was created to support young enterprising people with credits to fund their enterprises. Does access to credits comes to the youth on time?
Many young informal entrepreneurs operating at Okponglo and Dzorwulu junctions in Accra hawk and vend in assorted products and services, including newspapers, textbooks, toffees, food and fruits. Some of them have only basic education, contrary to Scarborough (2012) observation that 'people with more education are more likely to start businesses than those with little education' (p. 16). The questions to ask are: What are the plans of the youth in the short, medium and long term in their trades? Do the young enterprising people have what it takes to drive businesses successfully? What is the role of education to the youth in managing their trades? These and many questions have to be answered, if the young enterprising informal people are to be successful in their trades. It does require that the young business people are supported to come up with realistic business plans, secure education and training for requisite knowledge and skills in business management. Lack of skills in managing businesses, perhaps, informed Adult Learning Australia to partner Commonwealth Learning, Australia, to design Adult Community Education project to address the needs of small enterprises that fit within small business limitations (Newton 2006). Castrechini (2017) is of the view that developing learning activities to raise awareness and power of students to be competent in innovating is the ultimate goal of contributing to entrepreneurship and self-employability. Thus, designing entrepreneurship education activities similar to Adult Learning Australia for the young enterprising business people in Ghana to develop growth mindset, as observed by Dweck (2008), is an approach to be adopted. This is important because when the young enterprising people become knowledgeable with skills in business management, they would register their businesses, identify sources of funding, keep account and promote their businesses in the short-, medium- to long-term basis through the appropriate media. This study seeks to ascertain the entrepreneurial opportunities of the youth in Ghana. It establishes that the youth can take advantage of entrepreneurial opportunities in Ghana, and build resilient enterprises in the short-, medium- to long-term periods through education. The researcher used vendors and hawkers at Okponglo and Dzorwulu junctions in Accra, engaged in one trade or the other, for this study.
The desire of the youth to go into entrepreneurship seems high in Ghana. Perhaps, the Government of Ghana interest in promoting the private sector, and promote entrepreneurship among the youth, could be a factor. Youth entrepreneurship programmes, including the $10-million National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP), National Youth Authority (NYA), Steps towards Employment and Productivity (STEP) and the Informal Youth Enterprise Development Programme (IYED) have been introduced. That notwithstanding, there is paucity of job opportunities in Ghana. This situation has compelled the youth to engage in one form of informal trade or the other to make a living. This is a laudable step taken by the youth; after all, the fruits of entrepreneurship include greater employment opportunities, increase in income, higher standard of living, improved communities and better quality of life of individuals. It is perceived that effective innovation of entrepreneurial opportunities will result in not only employment of the budding entrepreneurs but also affect positively economic growth, and generation of employment opportunities. The researcher, therefore, finds it worthwhile an effort to conduct a study to ascertain the short-, medium- and long-term plans the youth have in unearthing entrepreneurial opportunities in Ghana. The favourable business climate prevailing in Ghana could largely empower the youth to take informed decision in investing their investible resources in small enterprises. Provision of appropriate education appears key to the young entrepreneurs to plan and manage their enterprises to achieve their goals in life.
Currently in Ghana, the inflation situation is easing up and interest rate is improving, such that the young entrepreneurs with proper business plans can solicit funds from the banks with lower interest rate to grow their enterprises. The difficulty, however, is that the youth-led informal entrepreneurs are not investing in education to grow their enterprises. They lack financial literacy skills, management skills, business plans and knowledge of registering their businesses. It appears that there are no innovations infused into growing their operations. The young vendors and hawkers continue to run after moving vehicles in scorching sun and torrential rains. These challenges have arisen, probably, as a result of the difficulties observed, and must be addressed. The question then is: What challenges are limiting vendors and hawkers from growing their informal trades in the short-, medium- and long-term basis? It also sought for strategies adopted by the young entrepreneurs to surmount challenges facing them. The researcher next considers objectives undergirding the study.
The main objective of the study is to ascertain from vendors and hawkers entrepreneurial opportunities, challenges and strategies adopted to surmount challenges encountered. On the basis of the major issue raised, the specific objectives of this study are to:
Find out the benefits vendors and hawkers derive from informal trades engaged in.
Identify perceived challenges impeding vendors and hawkers from exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities in the short-, medium- and long-term basis.
Suggest educational programmes in addressing challenges in entrepreneurial activities.
Entrepreneurial opportunities in Ghana
Youth entrepreneurship is receiving some level of attention in Ghana. The reason, perhaps, is that the public sector is unable to employ the teeming unemployed young adults seeking employment which are largely non-existent. Hawking and vending has taking upward turn in Ghana, especially on the major highways in Accra. Entrepreneurial opportunities abound in Ghana; however, many people do not have the entrepreneurial eye to recognise unrecognised needs in communities, and fully exploit them. Entrepreneurs, by virtue of education, training, skills, attitudes and experiences, are able to recognise business opportunities and turn them into successful enterprises. This requires from the young entrepreneurs courage, character and faith. But what exactly is an opportunity as far as enterprise creation is concerned? Barringer and Ireland (2013) assert that 'an opportunity is a favourable set of circumstances that creates a need for a new products, service or business' (p. 69). Studies reveal that most entrepreneurial ventures started in one of two ways. One is externally stimulated, and the other businesses are internally created. Cordeiro (2007) and Barringer and Ireland (2013) assert that an entrepreneur recognises a problem or an opportunity gap and creates a business to fill it. Perhaps the young hawkers and vendors plying their trade at Okponglo and Dzorwulu junctions have identified needs of certain products and services people demand, and willing to procure. They thus built businesses around them. Assorted beverages, newspapers, handkerchiefs, toffees, plantain chips, fruits and books are sold at Okponglo and Dzorwulu junctions; two of the busiest junctions in Accra. The questions to ask include: Are there any benefits and challenges that confront the young entrepreneurs in their trades? Are there any prospects for the young entrepreneurs to build their enterprises in the short, medium and long term basis? If so, what strategies are to be adopted to succeed in the youth entrepreneurial drive?
Benefits of small informal enterprises
Research reveals that small enterprises bring benefits to the individuals, communities and economies, especially in the developing countries, including Ghana. Entrepreneurs tend to be happier, healthier and less likely to be divorced from their ventures than colleagues who worked for large firms (Murphy 2010). This means that entrepreneurship could be learned. Thus, the provision of appropriate entrepreneurial education would enable the budding business people to evaluate the entrepreneurial opportunity identified. Such entrepreneurs assess the resources required to turn the opportunity into benefits, acquire the needed resources to succeed in their ventures and manage the ventures and then enjoy the fruit of their labour. The economic prospects and growth being experienced in Ghana generates a growing demand for new needs, thus opening up opportunities for creating small ventures, and encourages the development of entrepreneurship. Construction work in Ghana is booming, and so is service industries, including the telecommunication sub-sector, media houses and the banking sector. These organisations are in good business, and the workers go to work early and close from work late. They buy food, newspapers and other items on the way to work making hawking and vending on these two junctions attractive trading posts to the youth. When properly planned, nurtured and supported by government institutions, the informal business people would grow their trades, legally register, licence and subject them to government labour regulations. By so doing, small entrepreneurs would improve not only their quality of life but that of others as well. As observed by Cordeiro (2007), small entrepreneurs are sensitive to the market, and continually innovate and develop new products. That in itself means that small entrepreneurs tend to be efficient in producing and delivering goods and services to the market for profit from short-, medium- to long-term basis. Although becoming an astute entrepreneur demands acquisition of certain critical skills set, yet it is more of a process, a belief and commitment. Displaying hard work, passion and creativity would eventually make entrepreneurs grow their ventures to employ many others, retain wealth locally, generate external wealth and distribute income more equally in the communities. As they work hard to formalise their ventures, they would become registered and start paying tolls, stamp duties and taxes to the government. Succeeding in this direction requires education and training, and that is exactly what the vendors and hawkers on our streets require to grow their trades in the short-, medium- and long-term basis. After all, the policies of government include the reduction of cost of borrowing credit, waiving of some nuisance taxes and the reduction of electricity and water tariffs. These strategies are aimed at empowering, particularly small entrepreneurs, to expand their operations to reduce the growing unemployment in Ghana.
Challenges of small informal enterprises
On challenges budding entrepreneurs encounter in managing their small enterprises seem huge, such that more than 70% of newly established enterprises, to Cordeiro (2007), tend to collapse in their first year. Even though operators of small informal enterprise have opportunities to develop a range of skills and knowledge in leadership, confidence and self-esteem, many of the youth-led small enterprise operators in Ghana seem to lack adequate education and training. To succeed, and equally become an astute entrepreneur requires continuing education and training, considering the dynamics and fast-pace changes taking place in enterprise management. Small informal enterprises tend to be labour intensive, and are designed to fill niches that have not been effectively serviced, yet it appears the operators' lack the experience, funds and influence needed to establish successful enterprises. Indeed, in certain economies, as Cordeiro (2007) observes, small informal enterprises which involve large numbers of youth are often co-operatively owned, and operated. After all, without employment opportunities, many young people find their talents being wasted, and resort to unhealthy social activities as being witnessed in Ghana, today. More so, the adventurous young informal operators in Ghana appear not to have established for themselves co-operative society, to build savings culture to support their businesses. Indeed, many of the youth-led informal enterprise operators seem to lack financial literacy to grow their enterprises successfully. As observed by Legodi and Kanjere (2015), the majority of people in the informal enterprise do not have skills that are needed in the formal employment sector, others are semi-literate and a small percentage has some level of qualification. In Ghana, many of the operators of the informal enterprises, particularly at Okponglo and Dzorwulu junctions, are found chasing vehicles, standing in the scorching sun and torrential rain at a high cost to their health and life.
Strategies to address challenges facing small informal enterprises
On strategies to save youth-led small enterprises from being squeezed out from their entrepreneurial capabilities by large enterprises, the operators have to plan for short-, medium- and long-term basis of their enterprises. The reality is that enterprise is employment alternative, hence the youth have to be assisted through training, education, guidance, advisory services and programmes to put their ideas into practice. By so doing, they would understand the dynamics of changes in enterprise management, and learn to exploit entrepreneurial opportunities at their disposal, intelligently. This calls on the operators of small enterprises to possess knowledge in market testing, personal experiences and business planning, not only in the short-term basis but also in the medium- to long-term basis. That also requires good educational level and enhanced problem-solving skills. Empowering the youth through education, training and appropriate credit facilities to drive small enterprises is another sure way of integrating and growing the economy of Ghana. When properly executed, more job opportunities would be exploited and created to absorb an ever-increasing youth bulge. Tax revenues would equally go up to make the economy of Ghana become buoyant and thriving. To Ryan (2006), the huge numbers of unemployed young people should be supported by what he describes 'Youth Credit Initiative' and 'Micro Credit Management System.' These initiatives have their variants in Ghana. The Government of Ghana should create supportive climate for entrepreneurs, including ensuring that the quasi-financial institutions provide services such as credit facilities and incentives to budding entrepreneurs. This is critical because helping to raise the self-confidence, commitment and aspirations of young entrepreneurs through financial, advisory and technical support services would aid them even if their enterprise fails. In any event, Gamieldien and Niekerk (2017) have made us understand that despite hardships associated with this vending [and hawking], street vendors adapt to social, political and economic challenges in their context. Young entrepreneurs should develop for themselves strategic thinking skills through learning informally from those who have gone before them, including taking advantage of role-models or mentors, to grow their enterprises. Training operators of youth-led small enterprises to dream dreams and have visions are significant in driving their ventures. The success of a visionary approach, as Kourdi (2015) observes, depends ultimately on pragmatism: the ability to achieve a vision by listening, acting and learning rather than adopting plans or rigid approaches.
Vendors and hawkers formed the sampling units and unit of analysis in the design. The study adopted qualitative approach in finding out from youth-led informal entrepreneurs whether they have been planning for their trades in the short to medium and long-term basis. Qualitative design was chosen primarily because the author sought to collect in-depth information from participants on their appreciation of their ventures and how to continuously educate themselves to address challenges they face in business. This is because, as they learn on and off the enterprises, their capacities are built to develop and deepen interest in entrepreneurial opportunities that comes their way. Qualitative research approach was adopted at every stage throughout the study. The aim of the study was not to statistically generalise the findings to populations, but to secure an in-depth meaning and understanding of the subject understudy on the informal ventures they engage themselves in. The author conducted this study to grasp subtle shades of meaning, experiences as the youth undertake their businesses, and for pulling together divergent information and views of 15 informal entrepreneurs on effective ways of building sustainable micro-enterprises for themselves. Purposive and convenience sampling procedures were sought in selecting the sample for the study. Purposively, the study was conducted at Okponglo and Dzorwulu junctions where many youth-led informal entrepreneurs, thus, vendors and hawkers, ply their trades. The vendors and hawkers were conveniently available and accessible to the researcher. Indeed, having discussed my intention and content of the study to the potential participants, they expressed their willingness to participate in the study. The fact really is that, in the midst of the busy traffic, commuters and motorists procure assorted products from the young informal entrepreneurs, as they do brisk business.
In-depth interview with 15 vendors and hawkers formed the main source of information for the study. The questions posed to the young informal entrepreneurs were entirely open-ended types. All interviews were informal and conversational in nature, which made it much possible for the researcher to inquire and probe further when participant's response call for follow-up questioning. This approach adopted made it possible for the researcher and participants to co-construct the narrative. This situation or position taken by the researcher and participants helped avoid the ethical problems associated with revealing more than the participants care to have revealed. The questions were grouped into three sections based on the three specific objectives raised. Section A was on benefits vendors and hawkers derive from their trades. The participants were asked some of the following questions: Were there any benefits derived from your trade? If yes, tell me. Would you say the benefits are good to impact positively on you? Section 2 which was on perceived challenges which impede vendors and hawkers from exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities, participants were asked: Do you have plans to explore other entrepreneurial opportunities? What challenges are presently facing you? What challenges are you likely to face between 3 to 5 years as you plan to expand your venture? Section 3 was on education strategies and programmes to address challenges in entrepreneurial activities. Participants were asked the following questions: What educational programmes do you think would help you in your business operation? What institutions should be providing the educational services? And finally, what other programmes and supports would help you take advantage of entrepreneurial opportunities you dream of? Thematic analysis was performed on the data following the steps recommended by Creswell (2012, 2013). The results of the study are presented next.
This section is divided into three main sections. The first section finds out, and also discusses, the benefits of small informal trades engaged in by vendors and hawkers. This is followed by perceived challenges vendors and hawkers encounter in exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities in the short-, medium- and long-term basis, and finally, education strategies and other programmes vendors and hawkers could adopt to address challenges facing their entrepreneurial activities.
Benefits vendors and hawkers derive from informal trades
The study identified varied benefits vendors and hawkers derive from their trades that kept them doing the business. When the participants were asked whether there were any benefits from their trades, they admitted in unison that they receive profits from the products and services they offer for sales. The finding confirms Cordeiro (2007) assertion that small entrepreneurs tend to be efficient in producing and delivering goods and services to the market for profit from short-, medium- to long-term basis. The vendors and hawkers added, however, that the profits are not fixed, but varies. It depends on the sales of the day. This is an apt way a participant puts it:
The profit margins we derive from our businesses keep varying. Business is good some days, and in some other days, it tends to be bad.
They added that their ventures afford them the opportunity to keep body and soul together. They further indicated that trades they engage in help them establish broad social networks, build contacts and relationships with notable persons. The revelation by the participants ties in well with observation made by Cordeiro (2007). He indicates that the ultimate goal of enterprise is not earning more money or having a better lifestyle; those are really only motivating strategies. The much more important thing is living a more abundant life, thus more social, more thoughtful, more proactive and more spiritually fulfilling life. The participants admitted that, in the short to medium term, good sales realised in their trades would help them expand and broaden the base of their businesses. When asked whether the benefits derived from their trades were good enough to impact positively on their lives, the participants were in the affirmative. They agreed that when sales for the day are good, they are able to embark on their daily savings. To conceive of embarking upon savings, in itself, speaks volumes. This, to the researcher, indicates that the vendors and hawkers have learned on the jobs they engage in, and it constitutes a sign of progress. Asked whether they find the future bright with the trades engaged in, this is one good way a vendor who dealt in car dash-board spray product expressed it:
I continue to see progress in my daily savings. I have not taken a loan from bank before in doing this business. I have been managing this business with my private savings.
Considering the confidence in which the participant expressed about his performance in the trade he engages in, the researcher cannot help but agree with Lazarus (cited Kanter 2006) that confidence and success are inextricably linked. The participant understands and has purpose in the trade he finds himself. Probed further whether the participants find the trades engaged in sustainable, they responded in unison. They however, added that they cannot stay home doing nothing with their lives. They asserted that, when they remain inactive at home, it would be costly financially and psychologically to them. They added that these small informal ventures they engage themselves in, with little planning, they could manage them and achieve much successes. The finding confirms Cordeiro's (2007) observation that success of one's business may depend on one's business plan. Asked whether they have plans to grow, expand and diversify their business, they responded in the affirmative. This is one apt way a newspaper vendor puts it:
My plan is to build my capacity and capital base in this business. By so doing, I can add many more news print to my trade. Currently, I deal in two newspapers, that is; Daily Graphic and Daily Guide. It is my hope that I can secure some credit and procures a container to carry out my business there.
The participants admitted that with appropriate financial and technical support from government, and other stakeholders, they would be able to expand their businesses in the medium- to long-term basis.
Challenges facing small informal enterprises
In terms of challenges that confront the participants in their businesses, the participants indicated that they are faced with huge, and sometimes, deadly challenges. They asserted that if you are not careful, you may be knocked down by an on-coming vehicle, since their business sometimes involve running after a vehicle to effect a change or collect the money of a product bought. The participants at Okponglo junction revealed that a week before the fieldwork, which was 19/01/2018, they lost one of their friends, through motor-vehicle accident, which occurred at the spot they ply their trade. They added that due to the hectic nature of the trade as they run after moving vehicles in the scorching sun and torrential rain, they usually fall sick, or are sent down by malaria. They admitted that they sometimes find it difficult treating themselves properly from the ailment due to meagre profit they make out of the trades they engage in. This is one best way a participant who trades in cocoa chocolate puts it:
The money we do business with is small, however, we manage it. Sometimes, when the business is good, we run to our suppliers to give us additional products to sell and then pay them after business.
This observation made by the participant ties in well with Abor and Quartey (2010) revelation that the small-scale businesses in Ghana lack requisite finance or credit to do their businesses. Throughout the interaction with the participants at both Okponglo and Dzorwulu junctions, they kept asserting that the issues lack of funds, motor-vehicle accidents and sicknesses, especially malaria, were frequently revealed by the participant as the major challenges in their trades. Lack of funds or credits for small businesses has been re-echoed by Todaro (1997) and Todaro and Smith (2009). They assert that commercial banks are not structured to handle small loan requirements with no collateral, and are therefore unwilling to finance small enterprises, especially in the informal sector.
Following the benefits derived by participants in their trades' vis-à-vis the challenges that face them, require that appropriate strategies instituted to surmount the difficulties encountered. When probed further on the challenges participants are likely to face in a short, medium to long term, thus between 2 and 3 years and measures to address them, the participants intimated that lack of credits or funds is their biggest worry. They believed that embarking upon, and building strong savings culture, would help them address their challenges. To spread savings culture, according to Bredin (2018) across your company, encourage your team to adopt money-saving habits. Bredin's observation demonstrates that building the savings culture as, or into a small informal business operation, is critical. This is because vendors and hawkers in our part of the world do not possess the collateral security which the financial institutions usually ask them to produce. Then again, considering the fact that their profit margins are small, and as they embark upon savings, they would build for themselves strong financial muscle and security to rely upon to do business seamlessly.
When asked what educational programmes could help them make progress in their trades, skills such as financial literacy, building of savings culture and acquisition of managerial talents came up of mentioning. This finding is in line with Abor and Quartey (2010) observation that lack of financial support and managerial talents are some of the major problems confronting entrepreneurs in Ghana. The researcher is also of the view that the provision of these critical education and financial skills revealed by the participants would go a long way in empowering them to start and grow their businesses beyond the limit of hawking, street vending, letter writing, knife sharpening, junk collecting to selling of dog chains. This is because the banks could use their savings as collateral, and then grant them loans, sometimes in the form of group loans, to expand their trades or informal businesses. After all, Callahan (cited in Drucker 2009) asserts that the company has to expand to give people promotional opportunities. I find this assertion significant to the extent that not until vendors and hawkers grow and expand their businesses, they cannot make any meaningful niche and impact in their market that they serve.
On what institutions should be providing such educational programmes to the young informal entrepreneurs, the participants indicated that they are willing to work with government institutions to build their managerial capacities, granted that they would be supported financially after training, to enable them to expand their businesses in the medium to long term. Institutions which came up of mentioning include National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP), National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI) and Macro-Finance and Small Loan Centre (MASLOC) to provide them financial, advisory and technical supports to grow their trades. The three governmental institutions mentioned are significant because they are involved in financing, training and granting of small to medium loans to the youth. To Depatem (2018), a young entrepreneur of 18 years won GH¢75,000.00, an equivalent US$15,625.00 for emerging as a winner of the maiden 'Presidential Pitch' competition, based on cutting-edge and innovative ideas and answers the budding entrepreneur provided in a context in Ghana. That, itself, reveals that the young informal entrepreneurs in Ghana have creative ideas, and what they need is the requisite funding, to get them put into action their laudable and creative ideas. When asked what other programmes and supports the participants think would help them take advantage of entrepreneurial opportunities they dream of in the long term, the participants sought for reliable soft loans and continuous advisory services to aid them expand and grow their trades. One of the participants aptly expressed it in this way:
Governmental and quasi-governmental institutions, financial institutions, and the private sector players should come on board and support us in our trades.
The paper explored operations of vendors and hawkers at Okponglo and Dzorwulu junctions in Accra, Ghana. The challenges the young informal entrepreneurs encounter, and the strategies adopted to surmount them, were also looked at. As an exploratory study, the findings made cannot be generalised. It is the firm conviction of the researcher that quantitative study is conducted to validate the findings made. The researcher, who is a lecturer and coordinator of Accra Learning Centre, School of Continuing and Distance Education (SCDE), University of Ghana, uses both Okponglo and Dzorwulu junctions to workplace at the Accra Learning Centre. He has been observing the operations and activities of the vendors and hawkers as they undertake their businesses, hence this important and insightful study. Considering the enormous challenges confronting today's youth, especially the problems of unemployment and poverty, thus make it necessary that conscious effort is made by governments, training organisations and financial institutions to provide diverse, but workable strategies to support the youth to grow their informal trades. Although laudable the 'One district, one factory' and 'Planting for food and jobs' policies of the government, the researcher is of the view that not all the youth in Ghana are interested to go into agriculture. More so, not all the youth would be absorbed by the factories when made operational. It thus becomes important that the young informal entrepreneurs who have ventured into trades to make ends meet are supported to grow and drive their entrepreneurial endeavours. By so doing, they would learn to surmount many of the challenges, including avoidable ailments, lack of credits, financial literacy skills and lack of managerial talents that confronts them in their entrepreneurial endeavours. This is significant, because as observed by Drucker (1993), entrepreneurial economy will [not] primarily remain that of an American phenomenon, and industrially developed countries, but that of [developing economies, including Ghana]. Commenting on South African situation of informal traders, Arenius et al. (2005, cited in Fundie et al., 2015) assert that informal traders have attracted increasing attention in recent years in light of concrete evidence of the importance of new business creation for economic growth and development. On the basis of these assertions, the researcher is of the view that every necessary support is to be provided to the youth into vending and hawking in Ghana, to make massive headway in their entrepreneurial drive.
In order to maximise profits from informal enterprises engaged by vendors and hawkers, it is recommended that, in the short term, the vendors and hawkers:
Should remain honest, sincere and trustworthy to their wholesalers who do business with them, such that they would reliably receive whatever quantities of products they vend and hawk.
Should, by demonstrating hard working capabilities in their trades, also build for themselves confidence and the 'can-do' spirit, such that they would not give up so easily to what they have decided to do.
In order to avoid many of the challenges vendors and hawkers face in their day-to-day activities, it is recommended that the informal entrepreneurs:
Should be extra careful even as they cross the roads to sell their products. Risky plays on the road should be avoided.
Should go to ply their trade early in the morning to avoid vending and hawking in the scorching sun and torrential rains. By so doing, they would escape from ailments, coupled with attendant financial expenses they could not bear.
It order to surmount many of the challenges vendors and hawkers face in their day-to-day operations, it is recommended that government agencies, including NBSSI, NEIP and MASLOC:
Should regularly organise and provide education, training and advisory services to the youth on informal entrepreneurship. In so doing, the youth would comprehend the management and leadership skills required to succeed in such ventures. Proper provision of such services would enable the youth gain further insight into their trades, and thus enter into partnerships, and also give new lease of life to their ventures.
Should continuously offer soft loans in the form of group lending, with flexible payment terms, to the youth. By so doing, repayment could be guaranteed by the group, to keep the youth firmly in their business operations.
Considering the findings and recommendations made, I suggest that further research could be conducted to validate some of the findings of the study. It is my hope, as a researcher, that a field study is designed to unpack motivational strategies which encourage the youth to become self-employed in the rural communities of Ghana. When this study is supported and the findings judiciously applied, it would help reduce the seemingly uncontrollable and uncoordinated internal migration of the youth from the regions to the national capital, Accra, for non-existent jobs. The researcher therefore concludes by stating that Ghana's entrepreneurship policy, which is currently being developed, is expedited to give full meaning to the field of entrepreneurship, and its significance to national development. Every effort should also be made by key stakeholders, in youth entrepreneurship, in devising strategies to reintegrate the young vendors and hawkers into the mainstream business environment. This is because their sheer numbers, which keeps increasing by the day, makes their operations appear chaotic at major junctions of the roads, particularly in Accra. Indeed, the youth in the rural Ghana are to be supported to create jobs for themselves, so as to make their respective communities more vibrant and sustainable.
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The author thanks the participants for first consenting, and actually participating in the study. I, again, thank my colleagues at Accra Learning Centre, for working hard at the assigned tasks and responsibilities at the Centre, as far as their work is concerned, such that I could make time enough time to undertake academic research to extend the frontiers of knowledge.
The author, who is a lecturer in a University of Ghana, Legon, in Ghana, and also a coordinator of Accra Learning Centre, funded the entire research on his own funds.
An In-depth interview guide was designed under the heading, 'Unearthing Entrepreneurial Opportunities among Youth Vendors and Hawkers: Challenges and Strategies', to collect data from the participants for the study. The said instrument is attached on a separate document.
University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
Isaac Kofi Biney
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The author designed, planned and put the paper or article together. The author read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to Isaac Kofi Biney.
Dr. Isaac Kofi Biney is a lecturer at School of Continuing and Distance Education (SCDE), College of Education, University of Ghana, Legon. He lectures at the Department of Adult Education and Human Resource Studies a number of courses at diploma, undergraduate and graduate levels, including Theories of Adult Learning, Community Development and Entrepreneurship. He is the Coordinator of Accra Learning Centre of SCDE. Dr. Biney received his B.Ed. (Foundations) degree (1999) from University of Cape Coast, his M.Phil. (Adult Education) degree (2003) and Ph.D (Adult Education) degree (2009) from University of Ghana, Legon. Dr. Biney also holds a certificate in Social Mobilisation for Health and Development (2008) from School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon. His research interests are in Adult Learning, Community Development and Entrepreneurship. 'Teacher Motivation and Learner's Interest: Perspectives of an Adult Educator' is Dr. Biney's first book. He also has over twenty (25) articles and book chapters to his credit. Some of the learned academic journals Dr. Biney has published in include PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning, Journal of Studies in Education, MIER Journal of Educational Studies, Trends and Practices (MJESTP), Journal of Community Development Practice, International Community Development Journal, Journal of Education, Development and Innovation (JEDI), GIMPA Journal of Leadership, Management and Administration, Tertiary Education Series, and International Journal of Lifelong Education. Dr. Biney has presented over 40 papers in international conferences and seminars.
The interest of the researcher for conducting this study is to inform policy direction on the need to develop entrepreneurship policy to really capture the entrepreneurial needs, plans, interest, development and supports for the youth, to create jobs for themselves since the formal sector of the economy is unable to employ them.
Biney, I.K. Unearthing entrepreneurial opportunities among youth vendors and hawkers: challenges and strategies. J Innov Entrep 8, 2 (2019) doi:10.1186/s13731-018-0099-y
Entrepreneurial opportunities
Youth vendors and hawkers


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Being bored can kill you, study finds
A study that examined more than 7,000 people links boredom with bad habits and early death.
By Lesley Ciarula Taylor
Fri., Feb. 12, 2010timer1 min. read
It is possible to be bored to death, new research has found.
In fact, two public health professors at the University College London discovered people who are very bored had a 37 per cent higher chance of dying than people who figured out how to keep their minds engaged.
Boredom is more a symptom than a cause of death, Drs. Annie Britton and Martin Shipley said in their study, published this week in the International Journal of Epidemiology. People who were bored also were likely to hold down menial jobs, get little exercise, feel unhappy and unmotivated, and to smoke, drink or do drugs.
Setting off "in a rare moment of idleness one day," the researchers crunched numbers from a 1985-88 questionnaire filled out by 7,524 civil servants aged 35 to 55 in London.
The results were compared with mortality rates as of April 2009.
"We found that those who report quite a lot or a great deal of boredom are more likely to be younger, to be women, to rate their health worse, to be in low employment grades and to report lower physical activity."
The civil servants were asked, three years apart, about their level of boredom. The ones who were bored in 1985 and still bored in 1988 were at greatest risk, the study said. The likely cause of death was cardiovascular disease.
"We conclude that those who report being bored are more likely to die than those who are not bored."
The least bored people surveyed were age 50 to 55 males with average or better health, top-level jobs and who engaged in vigorous physical activity.
Although there might not be much a person can do about their job status, the researchers said, "finding renewed interest in social and physical activities may alleviate boredom and improve health, thus reducing the risk of being bored to death."
Chocolate may cut stroke risk, St. Mike's neurologist finds
The great parts of aging
Fitness enthusiasts: How to prevent stress fractures


Training is a serious part of life. The famous person songstress briefly disappeared from social media last yr earlier than roaring back with the launch of new album Fame, which bought two million copies worldwide in its opening week. This Song Dynasty (960-1279) painting, entitled the "Evening Revels of Han Xizai," shows Chinese musicians entertaining guests at a party in a 10th-century family.
The research of Western art music is increasingly frequent exterior of North America and Europe, such because the Indonesian Institute of the Arts in Yogyakarta , Indonesia , or the classical music packages that are obtainable in Asian international locations resembling South Korea, Japan, and China.
Pretend books are also utilized in jazz; they could encompass lead sheets or simply chord charts, which permit rhythm section members to improvise an accompaniment half to jazz songs. In this, as in other introductory music know-how lessons at MIT, the sound that fills the room is lively, if not precisely melodic.
From our humble beginnings in Bethesda, Maryland, to becoming a nationwide music retailer chain, Music & Arts is a one-cease-store for students, dad and mom, and educators alike. The band delivered a rousing 19-music set — and a gibe in regards to the Patriots' loss.
You too can check out the listing of present finest sellers in any class or kind them by customer score to see what s most popular with different music fans There are even can t-miss deals that let you get extra music for less cash by discovering older releases from your favorite artists at discount costs.


This project looks at how to combine the immense strength of carbon fibre, with the design versatility of 3-d printing. The reinforcing methods described here are quite simple and require no equipment or experience.
Unidirectional carbon epoxy is one of the strongest structural materials, and has a tensile strength of about 150Kg per sq mm.
To reinforce a part, first identify the load-paths, then design grooves or lugs to guide the fibres correctly. Carbon is extremely strong and rigid, but will just snap if overloaded. Aramid (Kevlar) is nearly as strong in tension, has low rigidity, and is much more durable.
The small truss tested a method most useful for model aircraft wing spars. It was easy to make and failed at 120kg when supported to prevent it buckling sideways.
The pulley block body was reinforced with aramid fibre for durability. Note the small hooks to hold the fibre in the slot, and that the fibre was moulded directly onto the waxed pin. It weighs just 7gm, and i eventually broke it using the force of a car jack at about 1200kg!
The 25mm tee joint was amazing, it felt light and flimsy but proved to be stronger than the aluminium tube when tested. The PLA crumbled quite easily, but the carbon held. I was happy with my first attempt, the grooves for the four pairs of crossed fibres are just 1.5 x 4mm, I would want a lot more carbon if it was holding my bike-frame together.
This fully printed tee joint was challenging to design and print (the overhangs were just OK), and would have been better using soluble PVA. I show a photo using hook-rings which are fixed to the actual tube or waxed rod, the fibre is wound around, then the ring and carbon is trimmed off. I haven't tested this, you could lay a lot more carbon, but it may not be well placed at the joint. I also show a winding boss, which is the same as part of the whole tee, but printed from the other side and fixed to the tube.
Spend a lot of time experimenting with thick cotton or string to learn how to wind the fibres and make sure they are in the right place.
You can get started for $50 to $100 by buying the carbon and aramid 'tow' and epoxy resin. I used 6k (6,000 fibres) carbon tow, 12k would be ok. I used West 105 laminating resin with the slow 206 hardener. The small dispensing pumps are ok but I use scales for small quantities. Also buy artists brushes, plastic cups, gloves, acetone for cleaning and furniture wax for releasing.
Epoxy must be measured and mixed carefully, and cured for 24-36 hours in a warm place. Read the instructions! Small jobs can be wetted out with a brush, but I made a wetting rig with printed disposable guides which worked well and prevented the carbon from fraying.
I hope your super-strength parts work well!


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Kevin Chavous on the Promise & Potential of Quality School Choice Options
This week on "The Learning Curve," Cara and Gerard are joined by Kevin Chavous, President of Academics, Policy, and Schools of K12, Inc. about how to promote quality education options that meet the diverse needs of all kids.
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Kevin Chavous, Keynote, "No More Know Nothing Laws: School Choice in Massachusetts"
The Pioneer Institute presents "No More Know Nothing Laws:…
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No More Know Nothing Laws: School Choice in Massachusetts
Pioneer Institute hosts event with national education reform experts Kevin Chavous and Jay Greene, releases new research on Catholic and Jewish Schools
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png 0 0 Editorial Staff https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Editorial Staff2012-03-15 12:12:362019-07-17 16:35:30No More Know Nothing Laws: School Choice in Massachusetts
Worcester Telegram and Gazette: Black history — blacked out
Until state education leaders reinstate the MCAS history requirement, students won't know important chapters in black — and Massachusetts — history.
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Home News Briefs Aptos, ex-Epicor Retail Solutions, launches as independent company
Aptos, ex-Epicor Retail Solutions, launches as independent company
Aptos Inc., the former Epicor Retail Solutions, launched Wednesday as independent company and new brand. In May, Epicor Software said it would spin-off its Retail Solutions business into a separate, privately-held company. Noel Goggin, formerly EVP and GM of Epicor Retail Solutions, is CEO of Aptos. Both Aptos and Epicor are backed by Apax Partners.
MONTREAL, QC–(Marketwired – Jun 17, 2015) – Aptos, Inc., formerly Epicor Retail Solutions, today announced its official launch as an independent company and new brand, following its spin-off from Epicor Software Corporation. Leveraging years of experience as a leading provider of technology and professional solutions for retailers, the new company will focus on "engaging customers differently" by delivering a singular commerce platform for seamless customer experiences.
This mission positions Aptos to meet a growing need expressed by retailers: to unify and streamline complex omni-channel environments and operations, and to deliver exceptional, consistent experiences to their customers no matter when, where, and how they choose to shop. The company will fulfill this mission with a suite of integrated end-to-end solutions to optimize customer engagement, store and digital commerce operations, merchandise and inventory management; enterprise order management, and data analytics.
A Market and Cloud Leader
Aptos delivers all these solutions via the Cloud to optimize efficiency and cost management. This includes stand-alone cloud-based POS, a sector for which Aptos (as Epicor Retail) has been recognized as the market leader in North America by IHL Group and Boston Retail Partners. On-premises solutions are also available for retailers who prefer traditional implementations.
Currently, Aptos has 122,000 stores live on its platform. Additionally, more than 100 web sites generating well over $1 billion in web orders are managed and fulfilled on Aptos solutions. The company has helped more than 500 retail brands generate over $523 billion in annual revenues to date.
Noel Goggin, formerly executive vice president and general manager of Epicor Retail Solutions, will serve as chief executive officer for Aptos. "There has never been a more exciting time to be in the retail industry," said Goggin. "There's an incredible urgency for transformation and innovation, and Aptos is uniquely positioned to help retailers succeed in today's fast-paced global retailing environment. Personalized, seamless customer experiences are the ultimate proof of a retailer's ability to do everything else right, and a singular commerce platform is the only real way to make that happen."
Aptos board member and Epicor Software Chairman of the Board Jason Wright of Apax Partners, a global private equity firm with focus areas in technology and retail, said, "We have been deeply involved with Aptos since its heritage as Epicor Retail Solutions. We are confident that the company can deliver even more customer value going forward as a focused, independent entity."
Aptos' focus on singular commerce addresses the changing dynamics of retailing that are being driven by the rising expectations of today's consumers, who are increasingly empowered by technology, information and shopping options.
To meet these expectations, retailers must engage customers differently — with deep knowledge of who they are, what they want and how they shop, and the ability to respond quickly, efficiently, and profitably. Goggin believes that these goals are unattainable with fractured and disconnected systems for ordering, distributing, selling and replenishing merchandise, and which impede retailers' understanding of customers and their preferences and needs.
Aptos solutions solve this critical issue by unifying omni-channel retail enterprises through what it calls "The Power of One": The ability to deliver solutions that enable one view and effective, consolidated management of a retailer's brand, customers, experiences, inventory, orders, and information.
Engaging Its Own Customers Differently
Aptos is also applying its core engagement focus to its relationships with its own customers. The company is committed to delivering products and services that are informed by a deep understanding of each client's needs, and to supporting long-term partnerships to foster shared success.
This approach is another way Aptos aspires to be a "different" kind of company, says Goggin, who explains the company's commitment to customer satisfaction. "We believe in collaborating with customers on a level that goes far beyond where other vendors are prepared to go. When customers do business with Aptos, every Aptos employee invests in their success. Our employees' compensations are tied directly to the Net Promoter Score (NPS) we receive from our clients, and are reduced if specific NPS targets are not met."
An Agent of Change
One additional element shaping the Aptos company culture, says Goggin, is its dedication to supporting community-minded causes — both within the neighborhoods where its employees and customers work and live, as well as in distant geographies. "We aspire to be an agent of positive change, both in the realm of retail and in the world at large. There is a very palpable community element in our company DNA," said Goggin, citing the company's most recent donation to the Retail Orphan Initiative (RetailROI), as part of its long-standing partnership with the non-profit.
"Behind the economic engine that is the retail sector is a community of people engaging with people," said Goggin. "Our goal is to establish long-term satisfying relationships with our retailer customers that are built on value and trust — so that they can do the same with their customers — the people they serve. And at the end of the day, we want to give back and share our success in doing this with those in need. When we accomplish all this, we can truly call ourselves a successful company."
Aptos: Engaging Customers Differently
In an era of virtually limitless choice, sustained competitive advantage only comes to retailers who engage customers differently — by truly understanding who they are, what they want and why they buy. At Aptos, we too, believe that engaging customers differently is critical to our success. We are committed to a deep understanding of each of our clients, to fulfilling their needs with the retail industry's most comprehensive omni-channel solutions, and to fostering long-term relationships built on tangible value and trust. More than 500 retail brands rely upon our Singular Commerce platform to deliver every shopper a personalized, empowered and seamless experience…no matter when, where or how they shop. Learn more:www.aptos.com.
Follow Aptos on Twitter @Aptos_Retail
Aptos, the Aptos logo and "Singular Commerce. Seamless Experiences" are trademarks of Aptos, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. The product and service offerings depicted in this document are produced by Aptos, Inc.
Epicor is a trademark of Epicor Software Corporation, registered in the United States and certain other countries.


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hostels247 > Hostels > REUNION
Country Reunion – An Island of Volcanoes
The active, covered volcanoes; dense forests, numerous waterfalls, serene beaches, adventure sports and water sports define the country Reunion. Known for its three cirques, Reunion was formed by the erosion of volcanic eruptions of - Piton des Neiges - one of the most active volcanoes in the country. Surrounded by the Great Indian Ocean, Madagascar and Mauritius, it is renowned for its bio diversity (flora, fauna and bird species) specially the native Panther chameleon. Due to the presence of rich coral reefs, the west coast of Reunion harbors sea turtles, sea urchins, parrot fish and conger eels.
Beach resorts, star hotels, business hotels and budget hotels are widely available in cities like St Denis, St Gilles les Bains and St Leu. The island hotels have the exclusive facility of water sports apart from restaurants and casinos. The two star hotels in Salaize, Hell-bourg and Cilaos offer economic accommodation with game rooms and pool.
Reunion was firstly conquered by the Arab Sailors in 11th century who called it the 'Island of Destruction' due to the volcanoes found here. In 1635, the island attracted Portuguese who named it Saint Apollonia. The island got its name 'Reunion' in 1793 by the ruling French dynasty. In 1801, Reunion got its name 'Lle Bonaparte' kept after the great emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. The Royal Navy annexed the island in 1810, restoring its old name 'Bourbon'.
Once again, in 1815, the island became a French province. It retained its identity as 'Bourbon' till the French Revolution of 1848, when it was again named 'Reunion'. Till 1942, the island was controlled by the Vichy Regime. Reunion got independence immediately after the World War II in 1942.
The island of Reunion has plethora of tourist destinations. If somebody is interested in spending time on beaches, enjoying swimming or snorkelling, deep-sea fishing in the charter boats; he should head towards St Gilles les Bain. The glistening golden sand and 20 kilometers long lagoon are the special attractions of St Gilles les Bain.
Hell-bourg, a scenic mountain village of Reunion welcomes tourists with its eye catching gardens and buildings boasting Creole architecture. Cilaos is famous for its fine embroidery work and Irene Accott Thermal Centre which offers curative thermal baths. The capital city St. Denis is home to a number of historical museums, beautiful gardens and art galleries.
Piton de la Fournaise, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, is a must see. Piton des Neiges (3070 meters) is the favorite spot of hikers and wildlife aficionados with 200 plus plant species and countless animal species. Salazie with numerous valleys and waterfalls tempts the travelers for canoeing. The east coast towns are popular among the tourists for their sugar cane and vanilla fields, landmark architecture, waterfalls and dense forests.
Frequent flights are available for the major destinations of the country and outside from the Roland Garros Airport. Ferry service is also there, operated from Mauritius, the island nearest to Reunion.
Places of Entertainment
For water sport lovers, St Leu is an ideal surfing centre. Cilaos is also popular as a trekking and hiking destination. Scuba divers can find a perfect refuge at St Gilles les Bains. The other adventure sports worth a try are rafting, canoeing, skydiving, hang gliding, paragliding, kayaking and mountain biking.
The restaurants and eating joints of St Denis offer a range of cuisines varying from Creole, French, Chinese, Indian and Italian to the indigenous seafood cuisine. At Cilaos, tourists can pick their favorite French vine or enjoy a local dish with home grown lentil, spices, fruits and vegetables as major ingredients. The music lovers can hear original folk music of Reunion in bistros/cafes.
Many of the bungalows, villas and flats are available on rent, which are economic and comfortable with facilities like bed, washroom, washing machine, dryer, full/partial kitchen and swimming pool (optional). Mountain Houses (Gites) are also available for the tourists.
Language(s) Spoken
French is the only language recognized officially in Reunion. The other languages include Reunion Creole, Chinese (Hakka, Cantonese and Mandarin) Tamil, Gujarati, Arabic and Urdu.
Initially the French Franc, the official currency now, is Euro, since 2002. The currency exchange is offered by almost all the hotels and banks. Currency exchange rates can be known from the news or a news paper.
Group accommodation in Reunion | Cheap hostels & budget hotels
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