text:
Elio With Watson, the virtual support assistant, transforms digital customer service
NetApp created the Elio With Watson™ virtual assistant, which uses IBM® Watson® Assistant technology on IBM Cloud™ to interact with customers through digital channels in real time. It delivers highly accurate answers four times faster than conventional inquiry methods, helping customers troubleshoot problems on any device, at any time.
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In its role as a data authority, NetApp wanted to derive more value from its own vast repository of system and customer-case data to deliver insight to customers through its digital support channels.
NetApp created the Elio With Watson virtual assistant to interact with customers through digital channels. Elio quickly understands customer questions to provide precise answers and troubleshoot issues.
4x faster answer provision
compared with conventional inquiry methods
Learns with each interaction
to continuously improve response accuracy and completeness
Delivers precise answers
through any digital channel, on any device, at any time
Business challenge story
Empowering customers with data
NetApp helps its customers become data visionaries. Companies understand that data is the lifeblood of their business, but they can only extract value from that data as quickly as their underlying infrastructure can manage it. That's why customer adoption of NetApp solutions for enabling a Data Fabric continues to grow at such an enormous rate.
NetApp demonstrates its strong commitment to empowering customers to change the world with data by continuously improving and enhancing both its products and services. The company's operational support services aim to help customers improve efficiency and quickly resolve issues to keep data flowing through their organizations. NetApp knows that its customers want to spend more time focusing on their own clientele, not on managing their infrastructure.
With the advent of AI for business, NetApp quickly saw the value in using that technology and its own deep knowledge base to create a more data-driven customer experience. NetApp wanted to derive more insight from its own vast repository of customer and system data and deliver its value through digital support channels. Ross Ackerman, Director of Digital Support Strategy at NetApp, explains. "We asked, 'What if we could quickly access and deliver consistent, accurate answers by analyzing not only the information about an individual customer's system but also all the questions that other customers have asked about that same system?'"
"Our digital support is a touchpoint with our customers. Sometimes it's the only time they spend interacting directly with NetApp," states Ackerman. "We should make those interactions fantastic. That means creating an interactive assistant that helps customers anytime via any channel. It must respond quickly with accurate answers and minimal effort on the customer's part, whether they are at their desk or on their mobile device in the middle of the night."
As part of its digital customer support transformation, NetApp decided to create a virtual assistant that could respond to customers 24 hours a day. To generate customer-focused interactions, the company needed an assistant that understood queries submitted in natural language, not just preset search terms. Not just another chatbot, it had to become deeply familiar with the ever-growing body of knowledge about NetApp products and services. Finally, the assistant would need initial training on, and ongoing learning from, the different types of issues and questions customers posed. In short, NetApp sought an AI-driven solution to empower its digital support assistant.
" Elio helps make what we know more accessible to our customers so that they can stay focused on their own digital transformations. "
— Ross Ackerman, Director of Digital Support Strategy, NetApp
Transforming customer support
Thanks to a rich history of successful partnerships and endeavors—for example, IBM Cloud runs on NetApp hardware—NetApp naturally turned to IBM to help create its AI digital assistant, which it named Elio. IBM Watson technology provides the edge that NetApp needed to set Elio apart from other chatbots and assistants.
"NetApp and IBM believe that AI is essential to helping companies harness data that is distributed, dynamic and diverse," said Bruce Anderson, Global Managing Director, Electronics Industry at IBM. "Combining Watson capabilities and NetApp's deep knowledge of data helps companies drive digital transformation with a transformative customer experience." Elio became an official With Watson Premier App in late 2017.
Elio With Watson uses Watson Assistant application programming interface (API) capabilities to interact with customers directly through multiple digital channels in real time. Customers can engage with Elio on the web, in a mobile app and from selected NetApp products, to get fast, consistent answers to their questions. If Elio cannot solve an issue, it connects the customer directly to the right NetApp technical support engineer—no more waiting for a phone call or navigating complex phone systems.
NetApp tapped its unmatched body of product and customer interaction knowledge as the source of wisdom for its customer experience transformation. "Elio helps bring the benefits of our being data-driven to our customers, making what we know more accessible to them so that they can stay focused on their own digital transformations," says Ackerman.
Through the Elio app and the natural language processing (NLP) technology behind the Watson Assistant API, NetApp can learn from customer interactions in near real-time. "We know what questions are being asked and what trends are occurring when a new product releases," says Ackerman. "We can correlate that with the telemetry data from the customer's NetApp products to gain a more detailed understanding of our customers and their needs."
To ensure that Elio continually provides the best customer experience, NetApp created a center of excellence (COE) to build and sustain the Elio solution. The company divided the COE into three primary, but somewhat overlapping, roles: explainers, trainers and sustainers.
Explainers help link the Watson technology to NetApp's business strategy. Explainers know and understand NetApp's challenges, goals and targets, and they look for an Watson API capability to help the Elio assistant address them.
Trainers work closely with the IBM Global Business Services® team to build the solution, construct a responsive user interface (UI), and develop an orchestration engine to optimize data flow. Global Business Services consultants also assisted and guided NetApp trainers as they taught the Watson API about NetApp. Trainers ensure that the Watson service understands the company's product information as well as data from and the insights learned about customer interactions.
Sustainers maintain the solution and add to the knowledge base that the Watson API uses to assist customers. As NetApp expands its products and offerings, sustainers help ensure that Elio stays up to speed so that it can continue to provide accurate and fast customer support.
Results story
Delivering AI insight
Elio has become an integral part of the NetApp digital customer experience strategy. Whether customers need to solve problems or simply want to learn more about their NetApp products and technologies, Elio can help them quickly and accurately find answers and information.
NetApp believes that customer support for a product is as important as the product itself. Elio possesses many qualities of an exemplary customer service representative:
Elio is fast. For example, Elio's average time to answer queries is four times faster than conventional inquiry methods.
Elio is accurate. Elio taps in to the company's product and customer-case data to deliver consistent, correct answers the first time. NetApp also collects and analyzes data from Elio's customer interactions to further improve responses.
Elio is quick to learn and easy to train. Thanks to the Watson Assistant API's self-learning AI technology, Elio continues to learn and refine its answers with each interaction. The company's COE sustainers will continue to train Elio.
Elio is responsive. If NetApp identifies new inquiry patterns or topics from customer questions, it can create new responses for the virtual assistant. As Ackerman notes: "We can get in front of the customer and guide them quickly. Because we already know the question they're going to ask, we can make sure the answer is already there, effectively solving the problem for the customer."
By combining Watson API capabilities with its own deep data experience, NetApp helps companies drive digital transformation through a personalized customer experience with Elio at its heart
NetApp provides a full range of hybrid cloud data services that simplify application and data management across cloud and on-premises environments to accelerate digital transformation. With help from NetApp and its partners, global organizations can unleash the full potential of their data to realize their own digital transformations. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, and incorporated in 1992, NetApp achieved USD 5.5 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2017. The company has 10,200 employees in three US locations and globally.
To learn more about the IBM solutions featured in this story, or IBM solutions for the electronics industry, please contact your IBM representative or IBM Business Partner, or visit the following websites:
IBM® Cloud™
IBM Electronics Industry
IBM Global Business Services®
IBM Watson® Assistant
With Watson™
View more client stories
Redbooks
IBV business insights
Federal and state contracts
Find a Business Partner
© Copyright IBM Corporation 2018. IBM Corporation, IBM Global Business Services, New Orchard Road, Armonk, NY 10504
Produced in the United States of America, March 2018.
IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com, Global Business Services, IBM Cloud, IBM Watson, and With Watson are trademarks of International Business Machines Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. A current list of IBM trademarks is available on the web at "Copyright and trademark information" at ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml.
This document is current as of the initial date of publication and may be changed by IBM at any time. Not all offerings are available in every country in which IBM operates.
The performance data and client examples cited are presented for illustrative purposes only. Actual performance results may vary depending on specific configurations and operating conditions. THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND ANY WARRANTY OR CONDITION OF NON-INFRINGEMENT. IBM products are warranted according to the terms and conditions of the agreements under which they are provided.


text:
Alternative history of West College
West College, as everyone knows is the oldest building on campus. What most people don't know that it was actually built by Ephraim Williams himself and small band of settlers in the year 1529. While most of the white men in the world at the time still thought North America was really India, he bravely sailed the Atlantic and wandered through the northeaster forests until he found an ideal valley for his planned Utopian society.
The building was built by hand. The construction consists mostly of bricks made by a more industrious tribe in an extensive system of quarries and kilns scattered throughout the area. with labor contracted out to various native tribes, with care taken that no one tribe did too much work and therefore gleaned the secret inner workings of what would become Ephraim's Castle. Designed as a settlement, capitol and fortress to allow the settlers and their descendants, heavily inter-bred with the local native populations to retreat to in times of emergency, as well as weather out the winters which would later pose such a problem for the founders of Amherst.
Of the Utopian society founded by Ephraim, little is really known apart from wild tales too strange for this impersonal media. However, it can be safely said that the society was self-sufficient, mostly harmonious and endured in the vision of Ephraim for many generations.
Things turned for the worse in 1605 when an immigrant, Jebediah Smith, from the recent settlements along the coasts. He entered the commune of Williams as a refugee, but within a few years had risen to a fairly powerful position in the informal council. From there he used all the influence he could muster to have his rivals embarassed or ostracized. He then began to implement his polygamous, totalitarian regime, renaming the valley to the Kingdom of Williamstown and instated himself as King for life. The other settlers and Indian citizens all initially were supportive, being sick of commune style leadership as well as attracted by the proposition of having lots of wives. (One of the first acts of King Jeb was to revoke the right of women to express their views in public). This system lasted for roughly 85 years, with King Jeb being succeeded by His 15th son Walkswithlimp, (the only one worthy of taking over, in the eyes of King Jeb). However, the reign of the Smith line came abruptly to an end in 1690 when a friendly alliance led by the Iroquois nation responded to abuses of human rights and invaded the Kingdom, killing all members of the royal family, and giving all other settlers the choice of becoming Iroquois or returning to the coastal settlements.
The building of West College remained standing, largely untouched by the settlers prospering and moving into the valley from the newly founded North Adams. At this time the building was named Fort Massachusetts and used to station a detachment of the militia. This detachment's second commander was a descendant of the original Ephraim Williams, also named Ephraim Williams.
En route with his regiment of Massachusetts militia to join the battle with the French and Indians at Lake George, the Colonel Ephraim had tarried long enough in Albany to write his last will and testament on July 22, 1755. In it he bequeathed his residuary estate, the Fort Massachusetts, for the founding and support of a free school in West Township, under the condition that the name of his ancestor Williams be reinstated.
On September 8, 1755, Colonel Williams was killed at the Battle of Lake George. On October 26, 1791, after many delays, fifteen scholars were admitted to the free school in Williamstown. Even with an existing building, the College, as is typical, took a long time to get things going.
The rest, as they say, is history. West College went from dorm, chapel, classrooms and offices, to fewer dorms, to no chapel, to no offices, etc. to arrive at the current but by no means final state of affairs (see above).
Retrieved from "https://wso.williams.edu/wiki/index.php?title=Alternative_history_of_West_College&oldid=21022"
This page was last edited on July 20, 2011, at 11:03.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
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Cellucor Alpha Amino Xtreme has been designed for next level competitors. Alpha Amino Xtreme will provide your body with the fuel to stay on top of your game so you can reach your full potential during your workout. Key Features: • Extreme energy for performance • Helps increase endurance • Promotes muscle growth • Reduces muscle soreness • Helps prevent muscle breakdown Alpha Amino Xtreme is a blend of caffeine, B vitamins and a clinically studied ingredient XCELICOR â?? this is what promotes long lasting and explosive energy for an intense impact on your workout.


text:
Youth Movement at CBS
The firm seeks more and younger viewers with its new CW network.
Sandy Brown
It may be many moons before the new CW network truly struts its stuff, but the game plan for the fifth broadcast network looks sound.
Corporate parents
(CBS) - Get CBS Corporation Class B Report
(TWX)
, along with
(TRB)
and its TV station group, moved last week to take their money-losing minor networks, the WB and UPN, out of their misery. In their place they trotted out the spanking new CW, betting that a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush leagues.
While some lip service will inevitably be paid to demographic appeal and niche viewership, audience aggregation is the name of the game across all media these days. Both networks were failing to put together full lineups of palatable fare, and as a result were incurring big losses. CBS, which has moved boldly in its first month as an independent company to break from the big media pack, sees an opportunity to grab some of the younger viewers who for so long eluded it.
The WB, which was always designed as a magnet for younger audiences, had a brush with splendor with hits such as "Dawson's Creek" and "Gilmore Girls" -- shows that launched a thousand teen-age Hollywood careers and helped turn Katie Holmes into a Scientologist. UPN's schtick has been to corral a diverse (read African-American) and mostly female base with shows like "America's Next Top Model" and "Everybody Hates Chris."
Combined, the two networks were losing an estimated $50 million to $75 million per year, thanks to high programming costs and weak ratings. New management is expected to save the best from each network and create a lineup that can rival the bigger networks' numbers.
While analysts doubt that saving the best shows from each network will lead to huge savings, there are significant backroom efficiencies to be enjoyed. "Overall programming costs could be slightly higher (presuming that the hit shows on both nets cost more than the ones that aren't doing as well), but could be somewhat offset by the fact the net will share some back office costs with CBS," Prudential's Kathy Styponias writes.
Filling two uneven network programming lineups and blending them into one could allow the new network to become lean where two were bloated with expenses. By handpicking the best of both networks and combining them into one schedule, a lot of dead-weight programming can be eliminated while saving the best -- making the new network potentially more competitive with CBS,
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NBC and
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Fox.
"The new network should improve profitability (i.e. reduce losses) by selecting the strongest affiliates, best programming and highest quality managers from each network," said Merrill Lynch's Jessica Reif Cohen in a report last week.
The move could achieve something else that few are talking about at the moment. It is a better vehicle through which CBS can distance itself from other networks in the ratings. CBS and ABC are very much TV's leaders right now, with a slight overall advantage going to CBS. The new CW could act as a spoiler for Fox, which also likes to play the diversity game, and potentially to Spanish-language juggernaut
(UVN)
. Univision just joined the big boys in the Nielsen Television Index in December and also claims fifth network status.
Leslie Moonves, the CEO of the new CBS, has wasted no time making growth-oriented moves, which he referred to in a presentation to analysts Thursday. He said the CW network will have "a lineup aimed at younger audiences, and a stronger economic model." Under the new network banner, Moonves said a once-money-shedding operation "will make a profit in its very first year. In short, we've turned a loser into a winner."
To its credit, the company, public for under a month, has so far been true to his word. Last week it rolled out a 14% bump in its quarterly dividend, to 16 cents, giving the stock a 2.6% yield that puts it ahead of media peers, according to CFO Fred Reynolds. He says that we haven't seen the last of dividend increases.
As expected, Moonves also said the company will explore the divestiture of Paramount Parks, which he says doesn't fit with the game plan. CBS would like to complete a sale by the second half of the year.
Television Production/DistributionInvestingMediaStocks


text:
Демешки — бывшая деревня в Починковском районе Смоленской области России.

Располагалась в центральной части области в 5 км к югу от Починка, в 3 км восточнее автодороги  Орёл — Витебск, на берегу реки Хмара. В 2 км юго-восточнее деревни находилась железнодорожная станция Энгельгардтовская на линии Смоленск — Рославль.

История
В годы Великой Отечественной войны деревня была оккупирована гитлеровскими войсками в июле 1941 года, освобождена в сентябре 1943 года.

С 28 декабря 2004 года входила в состав Шаталовского сельского поселения.

Деревня Демешки упразднена законом Смоленской области 26 ноября 2009 года.

Примечания

Исчезнувшие населённые пункты Починковского района Смоленской области
Населённые пункты, упразднённые в 2009 году

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
"""
Tests for runtime checks.
"""

import sys

from twisted.python.runtime import Platform, shortPythonVersion
from twisted.trial.unittest import TestCase

class PythonVersionTests(TestCase):
    """
    Tests the shortPythonVersion method.
    """

    def test_shortPythonVersion(self):
        """
        Verify if the Python version is returned correctly.
        """
        ver = shortPythonVersion().split('.')
        for i in range(3):
            self.assertEqual(int(ver[i]), sys.version_info[i])

class PlatformTests(TestCase):
    """
    Tests for the default L{Platform} initializer.
    """

    def test_isVistaConsistency(self):
        """
        Verify consistency of L{Platform.isVista}: it can only be C{True} if
        L{Platform.isWinNT} and L{Platform.isWindows} are C{True}.
        """
        platform = Platform()
        if platform.isVista():
            self.assertTrue(platform.isWinNT())
            self.assertTrue(platform.isWindows())
            self.assertFalse(platform.isMacOSX())

    def test_isMacOSXConsistency(self):
        """
        L{Platform.isMacOSX} can only return C{True} if L{Platform.getType}
        returns C{'posix'}.
        """
        platform = Platform()
        if platform.isMacOSX():
            self.assertEqual(platform.getType(), 'posix')

    def test_isLinuxConsistency(self):
        """
        L{Platform.isLinux} can only return C{True} if L{Platform.getType}
        returns C{'posix'} and L{sys.platform} starts with C{"linux"}.
        """
        platform = Platform()
        if platform.isLinux():
            self.assertTrue(sys.platform.startswith("linux"))

class ForeignPlatformTests(TestCase):
    """
    Tests for L{Platform} based overridden initializer values.
    """

    def test_getType(self):
        """
        If an operating system name is supplied to L{Platform}'s initializer,
        L{Platform.getType} returns the platform type which corresponds to that
        name.
        """
        self.assertEqual(Platform('nt').getType(), 'win32')
        self.assertEqual(Platform('ce').getType(), 'win32')
        self.assertEqual(Platform('posix').getType(), 'posix')
        self.assertEqual(Platform('java').getType(), 'java')

    def test_isMacOSX(self):
        """
        If a system platform name is supplied to L{Platform}'s initializer, it
        is used to determine the result of L{Platform.isMacOSX}, which returns
        C{True} for C{"darwin"}, C{False} otherwise.
        """
        self.assertTrue(Platform(None, 'darwin').isMacOSX())
        self.assertFalse(Platform(None, 'linux2').isMacOSX())
        self.assertFalse(Platform(None, 'win32').isMacOSX())

    def test_isLinux(self):
        """
        If a system platform name is supplied to L{Platform}'s initializer, it
        is used to determine the result of L{Platform.isLinux}, which returns
        C{True} for values beginning with C{"linux"}, C{False} otherwise.
        """
        self.assertFalse(Platform(None, 'darwin').isLinux())
        self.assertTrue(Platform(None, 'linux').isLinux())
        self.assertTrue(Platform(None, 'linux2').isLinux())
        self.assertTrue(Platform(None, 'linux3').isLinux())
        self.assertFalse(Platform(None, 'win32').isLinux())

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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These bow ties are really fantastic for weddings, proms, special occasions or simply for jazzing up an everyday outfit. They make fantastic and unique gifts too!


Foreign direct investment is a key component of the global financial system, helping to stimulate growth and competitiveness. Indeed, there is a strong relationship between levels of foreign investment and the strength of a country's economic growth. Large inflows of foreign investment are needed for a country to achieve sustainably high levels of economic growth. As the global economy has continued to expand over the course of the last few decades, foreign investment has become ever more important.


text:
It's Irie
Cruising the World - The Way It Is
Irie SOLD
Buy My Sailing Memoir "Plunge"
Butane Bound - Keeping the Cooking Going
Mark and I have one propane bottle on Irie. It is an American-style bottle, the horizontal version (which adds to the filling difficulties), because a vertical tank didn't fit anywhere on the boat. We also have a couple of small, green camping gas bottles as a spare, in case we run out of propane in a remote area. For years in the Caribbean, it was never a problem to only have one cooking gas bottle or to have it filled onshore. With our special adapter, everywhere we turned the bottle in, it came back full, for a reasonable price. Our 20 pound tank would last between four and five months of normal use, meaning one cooked meal a day (dinner), some bread baking and once a week or so a cheap meal ashore. Not drinking tea or coffee conserves gas, but being in nice anchorages with not much going on, led to lots of baking and producing special meals. Now that we have to be even more self-sufficient and eating ashore is unaffordable, it is safe to say that we can live at least three months off a full propane tank, or better, butane tank, since that is what is used in these areas.
In the San Blas islands, we learned firsthand about the gravity fill method for our tank. It was extremely slow and we had to come up with a way to make it work for our difficult tank, to keep the pin pushed in while the gas ran from a local tank into ours, without having enough pressure from the usual filling station. But, it worked. Every time. We made it to the Galapagos islands with our last fill from there and then in Santa Cruz, the main town of that marvelous island group in the Pacific, we had our propane tank filled up again. Before arriving in French Polynesia, we ordered our own equipment (hose, fitting for the American tank) to gravity fill the tank ourselves in the future. All we still needed was a small fitting to attach to the local French Polynesian tanks…
Once we arrived in the Gambier islands and two months into our available cooking gas, we immediately inquired about the fitting we needed, only to find out that nobody sold – or even had – anything like that in Rikitea, the only real town. They had regulators, but that would not do the trick. Hmmm… Not yet desperate, we cooked along for another month and when an opportunity arose to split some expensive butane gas with two other cruisers, we returned to Rikitea to join the gravity fill party. With the help of our American fitting and hose and a borrowed "French" fitting, three sailboats had gas again. The whole ordeal took about three hours and our tank was only about ¾ full after we finished.
The chase for our own local fitting continued – unsuccessfully – in Fatu Hiva, the Marquesas. Luckily, we had enough butane to make it to Atuona, the "capital" of the southern Marquesas, where we expected to find what we needed. Nope! The hardware store was "out of" them, but they "could be" on the next cargo ship into town, the Aranui III, three days later - make it four to get everything stocked in the stores… That was the reason Mark and I stayed over a week in the murky waters of the inconveniently located bay around a peninsula from Atuona, struggling with two anchors and rainy weather. The Aranui arrived… without gas bottle fittings. Over two months into this ¾ (we thought) filled bottle, a solution needed to come up soon.
The (temporary) solution arrived in the form of cruising friends who were in Tahiti and asked us whether we needed anything from the big city. After seven months of leaving Panama City, provisioning and marine store "headquarters", we could use a whole lot of things by now, but what we really needed – you guessed it - was one of those French fittings. Surely, they would have them in Pape'ete, the country's bustling capital! Instead, our friends sent us their self-assembled gas bottle hose, which we could borrow until they joined us in the Marquesas. Luckily for us, the package showed up after only ten days, and we managed to pick it up in Atuona shortly after. Exactly five days later, back in an uninhabited bay in Tahuata, we ran out of cooking gas. Our tank was totally empty.
One night, Ursula cooked for us and we had a wonderful dinner on SV Kril; the following night, we used one of our spare gas bottles and then it was time to move anchorages. We sailed to Hanatefau, a quiet bay close to the village of Hapatoni, where we expected to find a butane tank to fill ours. A quick chat with our neighbors revealed that there was no butane and not much of anything in Hapatoni. Darn! In the past, we had visited Vaitahu by dinghy, where we had seen racks of butane bottles in front of the two grocery stores. This town was located between our recent and our previous anchorage, a distance doable by dinghy. We decided to go for it, rechecking a few times whether we packed all the tools and materials necessary for a gravity fill on shore and braving the ocean for 1,5 miles.
It was Friday afternoon, almost weekend, a little bit of a risky time to do what we had set out for. The biggest supermarket was open. I asked about the butane tanks, and how much the gas cost. Mark started to set up our tank and the fittings. Then, the woman – who was smoking – yelled over… they did not have any butane anymore. All the tanks in the rack were empty. Our only other chance was the second little store in town. It was closed. It was 2pm already. It would open soon… Half an hour later, the proprietor decided to return after an elongated lunch break. But, she was out of butane as well. As a matter of fact, there was no butane to be found in the whole village, or the whole island. That's when we learned that the locals reserve their tanks for whenever the cargo ship – the Taporo - arrived.
We really did not want to motor back to Atuona. We had a problem… We returned to the first store (maybe the woman wasn't sure she was out of butane bottles?) and I pleaded with her, explaining our predicament and hoping for a solution. That's when she went into the bakery section of the store and unhooked her own butane bottle from a stove. She didn't know how much gas was left in it, but we were welcome to transport the contents into our own bottle. Worried about any danger so close to her store, she urged a customer to drop us off at the jetty with all our tanks and equipment. On some steps in the shade, we installed the two tanks and ourselves and started the excruciatingly slow and tedious process of filling our stubborn tank. After a few tries we had the gas flowing at a gracious speed of a few drops per minute. While being eaten alive by mosquitoes and nonos, we waited and waited, hoping that the store would not close before we were done. Two and a half hours later, the local tank was empty and our tank felt about half full….
Upon returning her bottle to the store and wanting to give her money for the gas, the friendly owner refused any payment. I made sure to buy some over-priced items before joining Mark back at our dinghy. With a little sense of accomplishment – trying not to think about having to go through this whole ordeal again in less than two months – we slowly motored back to Irie, while the sun was setting at the horizon. How enjoyable it was to cook, and especially eat, a super tasty meal – using all three burners – that evening!
Tahuata's south coast at sunset
On the way back home with half a butane tank
Sunset from Hanatefau - Home before dark!
Posted by Liesbet
Labels: availability, chores, dinghy ride, filling, friendly, gravity fill, independent, Marquesas, people, propane, Tahuata, Vaitahu
Mike Boyd said...
Glad you guys didn't have to resort to rubbing two sticks together on the beach to cook dinner. :-)
Learned something new today...didn't realize that propane and butane were mostly interchangeable. Did you have to make any modifications to get butane to work (change in burners/regulators)?
The Houston Family said...
Nice story, well told. Our Butane story is boring compared to yours! Good on you for taking the time to do French Poly right. http://www.sailblogs.com/member/eauvivecrossing/?xjMsgID=56733
Liesbet said...
We actually met a St. Maarten boat with youngsters on it who ran out of propane. Because there is no way to fill tanks in Atuona, they resorted to finding wood on shore and using it to cook on their grill, until they would reach Nuku Hiva, where there is supposed to be someone who can fill gas tanks.
If your boat has a propane system, you can use it for butane without making any changes. This does not work the other way around. If we were to go back to colder climes (freezing temperatures), we would have to switch back to propane, since butane can freeze. Also, butane burns quicker and at lower heat than propane, so we go through our tanks a bit faster, but nothing too inconvenient, though.
We wouldn't mind making a fire on the beach, but we would mind all the bugs that come with beach locations! :-) Thanks for the support!
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New Blog: Roaming About - A Life Less Ordinary
Since November 2015, Mark and I have a new website to chronicle our current house and pet sitting adventures, camper van travels and alternative lifestyle. Check it out here.
Stories and photographs on this blog are copyright-protected © Liesbet Collaert
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For many more pictures about our past adventures, check out our photo website here.
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Read an interview with Liesbet here.
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SY Juffa
Lisa Dorenfest (SV Amandla)
SY Wandering Star
SY Pitufa
SY Alianna
SV Gudrun
SY Irony
SV Reach
Irie is a Fountaine Pajot Tobago, a 35 foot catamaran with a beam of about 19 feet. She was born in France in 1998, and spent her childhood in the Caribbean, before arriving in Maryland, USA.
Irie used to be called Big Trouble, a name she didn't like. From the moment she received her new name, she became a happy girl again, feeling healthy and almost as good as new. Just like everybody else she has her own problems and we keep working on that never ending project list. After sailing thousands of miles, we are still very happy with her and wouldn't want any other boat. For over seven years now, she performed as our house, transportation device and office! But, as of November 2014, Mark and I are ready for new adventures, so Irie can be yours! We have put her up for sale. For more information, check out my blog about our decision or the full listing.
"Irie" means "all good" in Jamaican (Creole). "Irie, mon!" We hope our lives remain irie, and yours as well.
It's Liesbet
Liesbet is a freelance writer and lifetime adventurer from Belgium. Her biggest passion is traveling, and... trying new things. That's how she ended up with Mark, and on this boat. She's flexible, adventurous and easy-going; a must for her kind of life. Some people call her "crazy", but let's just stick with "different".
She adored Kali and Darwin, and actually likes all animals, except mosquitoes, the only creatures she can kill. There's not much that she really hates, other than cruelty, hypocrisy, helplessness and injustice in general. She's still excited about seeing new places, writing about them and hanging out with dolphins, and other wildlife.
Living on a tight budget has been her lifetime commitment in order to travel "forever". To create that budget, she writes, translates (Dutch-English), proofreads, and -if really really really needed- does manual labor.
For more info about Liesbet's articles, click here.
It's Mark
Mark was born in Connecticut, but grew up in upstate New York. He lived in Massachusetts, before moving to California, his favorite state. After living "the American dream" for ten years, he decided it wasn't his thing. After meeting Liesbet in December 2004, he started to travel indefinitely, first by camper, then by sailboat.
He hates ignorance, traffic, and bad customer service. The things he likes are being single-focused, hiking, listening to good music, and just chilling. His biggest passion is sailing, and that's what he is doing right now, full time.
Just so he would never have a spare moment of time anymore, he came up with a great idea to provide WiFi on boats in April 2009. With the help of Liesbet, he invented and developed The Wirie, a marine WiFi system, which grew to be a real business with a partner in the United States and is still expanding with Tim's help.
After a year of full time commitment and very hard work in 2014, he developed a new line of The Wirie products, combining WiFi and cell technologies. The Wirie pro was released in January 2015.
It's Kali
Our girl was an Australian Shepherd mix, with a fluffy tail and a cute face. She survived an awful disease as a puppy, and used that strength throughout her whole life.
Kali was obsessed with tennis balls. She loved human food, but was not allowed to have any. Except on her birthday, when a deliciously cooked steak awaited her. She liked to sniff and stroll around, doing her thing, knowing that we were around. She loved rolling in the grass, but what she liked most was being in the water. She could literally wade in it for hours, wagging her tail, pawing rocks or digging for imaginary things, occasionally sticking her whole face under the water surface, and telling us how much she liked doing this. She was terrified of thunderstorms and fireworks, or everything producing a loud boom. She also didn't like fake grass.
Kali and her unrelated "brother" Darwin were well-traveled puppies, and of all the Central American countries, they liked Mexico , Belize, and Costa Rica the best. Why? There are lots of beaches, calm water, and no leash law! While cruising on Irie, they loved the Bahamas the most.
Tragedy struck just when we were ready to explore and have fun in the "real Caribbean". Kali died unexpectedly in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on December 26th, 2008. To understand what happened, read the blog "Goodbye, Sweet Girl" of January 2009 (http://www.itsirie.com/2009/01/goodbye-sweet-girl.html). We still miss her very much and think about our special girl every day.
It's Darwin
Darwin was also an Australian Shepherd mix, with a pretty tail, and handsome face. He was very playful, a little dumb sometimes (in a doggie way), but knew darn well how to steal your heart. He was so funny, rolling over in the grass, being eager to do tricks, making funny noises and looking very innocent. He had a way of getting comfortable wherever he laid down, ideally resting his head on one thing or another, from somebody's lap to the table.
Darwin hated to get his toes wet, especially after it rained on the grass. He also didn't like to be rinsed off, have his nails clipped or get a brushing. He loved to annoy his sister Kali, nipping her or grabbing her leg to get her to play. He liked being chased by other dogs, retrieving toys from the air, water, and floor, digging holes in the sand, swimming, "hipping" you with his wet butt, licking good smelling air, eating treats, and wagging his tail. But, most of all he loved to be with us, whatever we did or wherever we were. He was a happy boy!
On December 1st, 2010, not even two years after we lost Kali, disaster struck again in our small, but happy family. Darwin had been diagnosed with malignant tumors in the US and died two days later. We were just heading back to our life on Irie in the Caribbean after a three month break. A boat and life without dogs. We still cannot grasp or belief it. Our hearts will always ache because of this tremendous loss. For the story about Darwin's last days, read the blog "Darwin: Our Bestest Boy"of December 2010 (http://www.itsirie.com/2010/12/darwin-our-bestest-boy.html).
Efficiency in Atuona
First Visit to Tahuata, Marquesas - Pictures
Sea Life in Hanamoenoa Bay, Tahuata (Marquesas)
A Stop in "the City" – Atuona in Hiva Oa, Marquesas
Around Fatu Hiva, Marquesas
Fatu Hiva in Pictures - Part 2
© Liesbet Collaert 2021


It is our pleasure to present to you this page www on our town, a health resort. We are surę that after reading what we have to offer, you will want to visit Szczawnica, whether for health reasons or simply to relax, taking advantage of its unique microclimate and the beautiful countryside, as well as the wide variety of healing minerał waters and medical care we can offer. The area is blessed with many architectural treasures and interesting walks along marked trails, but our piece de resistance must surely be the matchless river rafting experience down the Dunajec Gorge.
Administratively Poland is divided into 16 provinces. One of them is the Małopolskie Province, situ.ated in the southern part of the country, in the area of the upper River Vistula basin - a region with long and rich history interwoven with the native history, a land of priceless monuments of art and an ebullient tourist and economic region.
The Małopolskie Province borders on the Śląskie Province in the west, the Świętokrzyskie Province in the north, the Podkarpackie Province in the east and the Republic of Slovakia in the south. The present Małopolskie Province is divided into 19 land and 3 town districts and into 182 comrnunes. Its area covers 15 144 km2 and is inhabited by over 3.2 min persons, over 50% of which live in 55 towns. The biggest of them are Kraków, Tarnów, Gorlice, Oświęcim and Nowy Sącz.
Kraków is the capital of the region. The former capital of Poland, the residential town of the kings, their coronation and burial place, at present is still the spiritual, artistic and intellectual capital of Poland.
The grounds within the Małopolskie Province area are characterised by great geographical variety from valleys, limestone upland strips, the woody and hilly Beskidy and Pieniny Mountains to the highest Tatra Mountains.
In the province, 6 national parks and 80 nature reserves are established and open to visitors.


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AIR uses a tailored and comprehensive approach to apply rigorous evaluation methods to measure impact and guide the continuous improvement of programs. We leverage our methodological and content expertise to design and conduct rigorous but flexible R&D and evaluations that generate actionable results quickly.
We match the appropriate experimental methodology to the complexity of real interventions, in the fields of education, workforce, health, and more. Developers and users of interventions, products, and strategies need high-quality and timely information about what is and is not working, and information about what can be improved and how. The type of information needed will vary depending on the stage of development of the strategy, approach or intervention.
Our experts use rigorous research methods appropriate for each stage of development. Experiments can be used to select the best presentation of the intervention materials in the usability stage or to support iterative R&D in an effort to "optimize" programs. Small-scale, fast-turnaround experiments can generate early evidence of program efficacy, and large-scale experiments can document program effectiveness.
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Jessica Heppen specializes in research methods and the application of innovative, rigorous designs to address complex problems in education and related fields. Jessica has particular expertise in studying educational technologies and has also conducted research on a wide range of issues, policies, and interventions related to effective teaching and professional development, high school improvement, and dropout prevention. Her current emphasis is on designing rapid-cycle studies for rigorous and thoughtful R&D, with a goal of enhancing promising practices and strategies and improving critical outcomes.
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I am hoarder when it comes to scarves and stoles. Open my closet and you will be astounded at the number of colours and styles I have. The simple reason why I love them is their beautiful ability to transform any outfit into something sophisticated and chic.
I am always prowling the internet to look for newer brands that crop up with an enviable collection of stoles. Iralzo is the latest brand that I have a huge crush on!
We are a sheer and a forward thinking accessories and clothing and accessories brand. Here at Iralzo we inspire…we create…we design something new every day. We have on-board an optimum selection of apparels and accessories keeping in mind all of the latest trends in the world of fashion.
The first one is a Stole cape, the second one is a gorgeous French knot and the third one is my Waterfall look.
I loved the Twister look the best. Not only does it look pretty but it keeps you warm during the winters, too.
I have also tried the two classic looks that we tend to wear quite regularly.
Amazing post! I really love scarves!
Lovely stole ? and I really liked ur creativity ?


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Art After Hours 2019
ART AFTER HOURS - Disaster and Japanese Art: Noi Sawaragi Lecture
Art After Hours: Mauvais Sang Screening + Li Chi Tak in Conversation
Art After Hours: Sarah Morris: No Inside Outside (ASAP Keynote Lecture)
Art After Hours: Screening and Talk | Rehearsing the Museum
"Yesterday Once More" Film Premiere and Talk
Yuk Hui: Book Launch
Art After Hours: Influenzers 你我相隔(多麼遠) Performative Workshop with Enoch Cheng and curator talk with Ying Kwok
Bitten: Inside the Mosquito World
Screening of "Prison Architect" by Cao Fei with the artist present and followed by a Q&A session
Art After Hours: Influenzers 你我相隔 (多麼遠) Performative Workshop with Enoch Cheng
Art After Hours: "Come to me, Paradise" Film Screening and Conversation with Artist Stephanie Comilang
Travelling Book: "14 Years Old & World & Border" Book Launch & Reading Event
Art After Hours: "The Witching Hour" Panel
Art After Hours: The Violence of Gender (From a Hong Kong perspective) Panel
[Art After Hours] Artist's Choice: "Night of the Living Dead" and in Conversation with Angela Su
Art After Hours: Zhong Kui and the Reform of Hell—A Puppet Show by eteam
22 - 23 Feb, 2019
Art After Hours: Karaoke Court by Jack Tan
Art After Hours: Contagion and Hygiene panel
Art After Hours: Hong Kong Visions with Contemporary Musiking Hong Kong
Art After Hours: The Great Every Pandiculate Dinner Party
2:30pm-4pm
The mosquito is an intriguing insect. It has been labelled the 'world's most dangerous animal', but how much do we know about mosquitoes and how much should we know? The success of the mosquito lies in its adaptation to a wide variety of environments, especially warm climates. Indeed, many species are found across Hong Kong and the wider region. Today, mosquito-borne diseases including Dengue fever, Zika, malaria and Japanese Encephalitis are widespread and on the rise across Asia.
Why do mosquitoes exist and how have they impacted society? How should we deal with the mosquito as an irritant and a disease carrier? This engaging workshop will open up the mysterious world of the mosquito. It will explore how and why the mosquito gained visibility as a threat and has fluctuated between nuisance and menace over time. It will examine the complex interactions between mosquitoes, humans, disease, and environment, and consider the role of the mosquito in disease transmission. The discussion will further challenge common perceptions of mosquitoes: from their biology, to their representation in the media and in art, to their global health impact.
The workshop will also show how mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria have shaped Hong Kong's history, while Dengue and Zika viruses present new threats and challenges. The workshop is open to the public and will feature fun mosquito related activities for younger members of the audience.
Ria Sinha
Ria Sinha is Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for the Humanities and Medicine at the University of Hong Kong. She trained in biology and parasitology at King's College London and gained a PhD from Imperial College London in collaboration with the Malaria Research Group at Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) in the Netherlands. Dr. Sinha's current research focuses primarily on vector-borne diseases and the deployment of anti-disease technologies in the field. She is interested in the variables that shape disease ecologies and in the socio-political processes that influence the development and implementation of novel biomedical strategies. Among other projects, she is currently completing a history of malaria in Hong Kong.
Open Call: Hong Kong Art Exhibition at Tai Kwun Contemporary


Our research shows that nearly 30% of recruiters won't look at your CV unless a covering letter impresses first. It's not about duplicating your CV, it's about providing a clear and compelling reason to read it. Whether your covering letter is tailored for a specific job or a speculative approach we'll make sure your CV and letter work in perfect tandem.
If you purchase a covering letter with either of our professional CV writing services you can get up to a 40% discount. For further details please see our High Impact CV for students/graduates or the Immediate Impression CV service for experienced job seekers.


"Want the Asian Market?" A detailed guide on how Singapore can play a key strategic role for ambitious Finnish companies. - The Hieno!
"Want the Asian Market?" A detailed guide on how Singapore can play a key strategic role for ambitious Finnish companies.
TODAY I HAVE TIME! BECAUSE IT IS NEW YEAR'S EVE! So I can finally work on a new business series that has been in my heart for a long time.
This series is written specially for ambitious Finns/ businesses in Finland which are thinking about expanding into the Asian market, which is infinitely bigger than the 5 million population in Finland. Asia however, is an extremely diverse region, so I can understand the high risk involved when people simply don't know the market. It takes guts, honestly, to expand into a region or a country which has a culture so different from yours, in an era where the highest growth is concentrated in Asia!
Recently, a lot of high profile folks interested in the expansion into the Asian market added me on FaceBook and linkedin. I also had the huge privilege of having very brilliant discussions with some Finnish business leaders, genius classmates, and foreigners who ARE actually ambitious and feeling frustrated with the current system in Finland.
No matter how good a business idea you have, you need a bigger market than 5mil. It's simply the law of numbers. And the situation gets even worse in light of the planned austerity measures and prolonged recession in Finland.
SO–This post is for ambitious people/businesses of any size in Finland which want to expand their operations into Singapore and eventually Asia. This post is NOT for companies contented with status quo.
I am writing this post for entrepreneurs in Finland who want to consider the possibility of expanding their companies abroad to get more business and revenue. I feel every bit of their struggle in Finland which has been in a prolonged economic slump since 2008 and I want to assist this enterprising community in Finland in every possible way. You can expand into Asia AND do your part to do publicity for the Finnish brand; you can generate tons of value if you are an ambitious entrepreneur!
Am I qualified to write this post?
Well, somehow yes–but I will encourage you to doubt me freely. At the end of this post, IF you can even for a moment consider reaching out to the relevant Singaporean government agencies that I'd listed, IF for a moment you can feel some hope and receive some courage, I would regard this post as a success.
To deal with your doubts, I will also include professional Singaporean agencies for you to consult and they are perfectly qualified. These services are also free as they are paid for by the Singaporean government. Singapore is not ranked No.#1 for the world's most business friendly city for nothing. There are also private consultancies which charge for consultation, but I'd encourage you to approach the efficient and professional civil servants at the relevant Singaporean agencies first, since the Singaporean taxpayers already paid for their services for you (Links at bottom).
Also, I'd been through the process and have quite some networks in Singapore, so I know exactly how to register a business in Singapore, how to get it running, what grants are available and who YOU can turn to. This is because I have a registered social media consultancy firm in Singapore, which is doing not-bad. Here's IKIGUIDE, our content marketing arm.
So if you are really confident about your innovative Finnish product/service and YOU would like a bigger market–contact those friendly business consultants and they will strategize with you and inform you about how the Singaporean government can support your expansion plans.
The last time I checked, Marimekko is already in Singapore and is managed by an excellent PR firm in SG. They're doing pretty well with quite some high-profile local celebrity endorsement!
What is the possible significance of Singapore to a Finnish firm which wants the Asian market?
Usually foreign companies use Singapore as a stepping stone/ hub to Asia.
A very common strategy is as follow: Set up your company in business-friendly Singapore first, and then use Singapore as a base for expansion to bigger markets such as China, India, and ASEAN.
Okay let's step back to think for a while. Why don't companies in Finland expand to China directly? After all, the distance from Finland to China as compared to Finland and Singapore is shorter. Why is Singapore needed, and how is Singapore relevant?
The reason is very simple: Singapore can bridge the language and culture gap. The language and culture gap is PRECISELY why the potential of the Chinese market is underutilized in Finland currently. This is why sometimes Finns might even come across as racists to Asian folks. And THIS is where expansion to Singapore can help as part of the strategic plan to expand to Asia.
Let me share with you an anecdote of a cultural difference which really creates tension for everybody. When I was at the Helsinki airport this September, I realised that there weren't any Chinese translators at the customs. ZERO!!!
Then, I met two very distressed Chinese tourists who were stuck at the customs, and the frowny Finnish custom officer was disapproving their suspicious travel documents. To be honest, the Chinese tourists might indeed come across as somewhat suspicious as their invitation expired by 3 weeks, and they actually told me that they are going to Norway by BOAT one day after arrival to Helsinki–so even I felt a bit suspicious.
Yet this experience frankly made me a bit disgusted–I started doubting the sincerity of Finns when they said they wanted to do business with China. Hello?! Chinese tourists is now Helsinki's no. 1 largest tourist group, with Russians ranking 2nd. How can there not be Chinese translators at an AIRPORT? Where is the sincerity in doing the business with Chinese folks??!
To Finnish folks— China/Chinese folks might come across as suspicious due to the huge culture gap. Chinese folks are great at doing business everywhere, due to Chinese philosophy. Chinese folks love elites, and they are okay with being really filthy rich (a.k.a no such thing as equality or maybe even taking refugees in). And coupled with all the fakes–fake luxury goods, fake eggs, fake this, fake that–come'on, it might have really seemed very very suspicious to the Finn. And–OH NO there are "no" human rights and "no" freedom of speech in China! So to a Finn, that might REALLY be infinitely suspicious! So you see, the ideological differences between Finnish and Chinese folks are huge.
Now to Chinese folks— Finnish folks might come across as disrespectful. The logic is as follows: Seriously, you DO NOT go to China directly to do business, with ZERO love/knowledge for the culture. Chinese culture is super rich and vibrant, and honestly, no form of translation does justice to how beautiful the Chinese language and culture is! Personally I was from a rather prestigious bilingual English-Chinese high school in Singapore, and I did Chinese philosophy, literature and culture studies for 6 years. The Chinese culture is indirect, and any sustainable business relationships with Chinese folks take years to build.
In addition, I think Finns tend to assume that the Chinese market is cheap. To enter the Chinese market, you gotta be prepared to have a huge marketing budget, which means you need a lot of money. To understand more, please read this excellent piece of analysis written by my genius Chinese classmate. So if you have no money at this point in time, just forget about expansion to China directly, because you'd fail and you'd be seen as extremely disrespectful.
As a Finnish firm, go to Singapore, hire Singaporean-Chinese (70% of the SG population) or China-Chinese folks (We have a lot of China-Chinese friends working as permanent residents in Singapore too), and from there expand to China.
The key idea here is that being effectively bilingual, Singaporeans can work as effective bridges of culture. So, we can understand how a Finn would think, and how a Chinese would think.
So far as I'd observed, this model totally works for service industries, such as foreign education and events in Singapore. So, since most Finns think that Finland is truly top in global education, then Singapore would be a rational choice for expansion to Asia, because Asians in general spend a lot on education.
If you want the Indian market, basically repeat the same method with a Singaporean-Indian or India-Indians. They are easy to find and hire in Singapore, if you have a headquarters or some sort there.
So effectively, the Finnish firm would have prevented group-think IF the company has some sort of a intermediary. Singapore can provide that. In addition, our working language is English, since we are an ex-British colony. English is taught to every kid from kindergarten and nursery.
It's quite easy to register a company in Singapore, of any size. Basically registration can be done online at ACRA and it takes a grand total of 1 day. For PTE registration, the cost is SGD300/200+Euros for a year, subjected to annual renewal. LLP and sole proprietorship are cheaper.
For bank accounts in Singapore, you'd need a physical office address. But a bank account is easy to set up in Singapore after obtaining the address too, within one week. There are a lot of commercial banks in Singapore–at least five.
For all new startups in Singapore, you get tax-free for 3 years for revenue under certain amounts. This is part of the Singaporean government way of encouraging the growth of startups in Singapore. What you need to take note of is your declared year of accounting–but if you register as a private limited (PTE) then you'd need a certified accountant to do your accounting.
I think highly-educated labor in Singapore is easy to find, and the overall wages and corporate tax rate are significantly lower than in Finland. But employers need to pay this thing called the Central Provision Fund (CPF) to employees, something like the pension, which is 17%.
Also, the Singaporean government is super generous with the business grants, provided you qualify and don't mind doing the paperwork. Some grants popular with foreign-owned, Singapore-registered companies are the Productivity and Innovation Credit scheme (PIC) and the Innovation and Capability Voucher (ICV). Apparently it's easy to qualify for them too. For a complete list of 100+ grants available to startups based in Singapore, click here. Personally, I'd had local and foreign friends who started successful companies that received more than > SGD100,000/ 60,000Euros of grants from the Singaporean government. Yes, the Singaporean government is THAT generous to locals and foreigners alike that it's sometimes hard to believe.
A caveat really is the paperwork sometimes though, but if you don't mind the paperwork, I personally do think it's easy to do business in Singapore. People are in general quite stressed, so if you are an innovative firm selling really smart lifestyle products it'd sell. Also, if you are a B2B firm selling some high-tech machines or technology, most likely you would be super welcomed in Singapore as well, because we want more innovation in our economy.
So my view is that expanding first to Singapore actually decreases your overall risk in expanding to Asia, because there is less of a language/culture gap. So if you are relatively risk-averse BUT ambitious, Singapore is a good option to consider for expansion into Asia, BECAUSE you will also get strong government support. We have quite good business infrastructure in terms of banking, transportation and skilled labour, so to me if you have a reasonable business plan, you can "test out" in Singapore since it's relatively cheaper as compared to other regional regions. In addition, the Singapore government is very strict on corruption, so with stable politics, the business and investment environment locally is stable and predictable.
For small and medium size enterprises registered in Singapore (which can be done by ANYBODY), click here.
Just email the relevant agencies: Singapore is famous for efficiency, so you'd definitely get a reply from a person who can advise you on what to do next, and how to go about setting up a business by referring you to directed links and website. This is unlike the Finnish method where basically sometimes people don't even reply emails. Also, if they do refer you to a governmental website, those websites are usually very detailed.
Now thing is, the Singapore business environment has English language as a working language, so there is no barrier to communication as long as you speak reasonable English (which most business Finnish folks do). So whenever they say "Singapore-based" companies, it does not mean "companies run by Singaporeans", BUT "companies based in Singapore". So you as a foreigner can use this to your advantage.
Yea, that's the end of part I. But honestly, if you are a Finnish firm considering expansion to Asia, I'd encourage you to just take the first step to email the relevant Singapore government agencies I'd listed in the above. They'd reply with more information and consultants are actually really friendly–and it's free, so you have nothing to lose!


This weekend the Me-Mover team went to a physiotherapy convention in Odense, Denmark. The Danske Fysioterapeuters Fagkongres was a great way to connect with professionals in the field. We got some great feedback from physiotherapists, and also had the chance to introduce a lot of new people to the Me-Mover FIT.
One of these people was an elderly lady who suffered from "foot drop" and had to use a cane. It was great seeing her master the Me-Mover in a couple of minutes, leaving her cane behind!
The Me-Mover is truly lower impact than walking, and a great way for people to get around when otherwise they couldn't.
Our man-of-many-talents, Khoa, took photographs of the event – have a look!
Lots of new Me-Movers on show! Which is your favourite?
Close up of the new blue Me-Mover – so shiny!
It is all about balance! Don't worry – you wont fall when stationary.
Liked this post? why not read about our trip to the Inspire Convention in 2017?
Dette indlæg var udgivet Events,Health,News og tagged event,health,Me-Mover,medical,physio,physiotherapy.


We've a few requests for something animal friendly; why should what you eat exclude you from enjoying the leather and harness scene?
That's why we've spent a lot of time making something extra special for the vegans and vegetarians out there: Vegan Leatherwear. The 'leather' is actually Cork. Yes: Cork – exactly like what keeps your Prosecco and Pinot Grigio fresh.
The Cork comes from Portugal, and is completely animal-product free. There are a number of different colours and effects we can use to produce Vegan products, but for for the moment, we're showing plain black.
Because of the nature of working with sheet cork, the best design is our 'one-size' adjustable harness, with side release clips. See the pictures below, and let us know what your think.


I can't even think about this book without hearing the music from Hayao Miyazaki's animated film. This book as been sitting on my shelf since I bought it after Margo and I watched the movie and she informed me it was actually a book. And since I love the movie and I love Margo, I finally decided to read it. Also, it won the poll, but I swear that wasn't a big influence.
The book slowed down quite a bit after the first quarter. I was interested in the beginning, but once Sophie reaches the castle, it gets pointless for a few chapters. Then, we start to see hints of where the story is going, and it starts getting good again. The movie does a much better job of filling out the characters (especially Howl) and also skips over all the terribly boring bits. The book, on the other hand, explains the missing wizard and prince better. Well, I shouldn't say "better" since aside from one sentence said by a character who isn't even given screen-time, the movie doesn't explain it at all.
Now that I sound like I hate the book, let me say it was a good read! Sophie is a strong female, who doesn't take any orders from anyone. Love and romance don't distract her (unlike many other books) and in the end, she saves the day just by being her–she doesn't need magical powers or a super knight to scoop her out of danger. I really liked this, and I think young girls should read more stuff like this. If you can power through the dry bits, then I highly suggest you pick up a copy (and grab one for a pre-teen too).
This card comes from a woman in Arizona. I love the colors of the sky, especially when they are contrasted with the silhouettes of the cacti. This rivals the beauty that is the NYC sunset, that's for sure.
I've been fiddling with the site for hours now. It's completely feeding into my obsessive need to hold onto Harry Potter and know everything there is to know about the world. Goodness. Anyway, I just arrived at Hogwarts and I feel like I should blog about the moment when my life might change. I've always hovered between a Ravenclaw and Slytherin–but which will I be shuffled into? I do hope it's the house of the nerds. I've always self-sorted myself with the eagles.
The site is suffering under the extreme traffic, so I'm waiting to be let back into the site. Maybe I'll paint my nails while I wait. To the polish!
And I'm back–this is it. A message from J. K. herself has confirmed the fact that I am indeed about to be sorted. Wish me luck! Okay, just kidding. I got kicked out again. Okay–one hand done. Still kicked out. I went with red if you were wondering. OH GOD, I'M IN! EXCUSE ME A MOMENT!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I'VE BEEN SORTED ONCE AND FOR ALL!
Oh my goodness, I haven't been this excited in such a long time!
I'm glad I documented this moment. Squeeee! Thank you J. K. Rowling! You've done it again! You've turned me into a kid, brimming with the purest joy as I wait to keep reading!
Now that I am so giddy I can barely focus on one thing for more than two minutes, I think I need to walk around the apartment and scream about my triumph to strangers while contemplating the best way to redecorate my living room with Ravenclaw items. Thanks for sharing my nerdtastic moment with me!
This volume picks up immediately where the first one leaves off. We're tossed into the action while Emily and Navin do everything they can to save their mother as well as one another. We see more of the world and get more backstory, which I really enjoyed. I love that the stone is not pinned as a completely good or bad source of power–it's always going to be a struggle and Emily is given the burden of deciding just about everything in regards to the stone. She's forced to make grown-up decisions all the time.
We get to meet new characters in this volume, and they only add more to the storyline. Like I stated in my review of volume one, Kibuishi is really good at creating characters. You quickly become invested in their story and their survival. Plus, the art is great.
Without giving anything away: If you liked the first volume, you're going to love this one. I had a ton of my questions answered and even more have bubbled up to the surface. I can't WAIT to read volume three.
This week I lost .4 pounds, bringing my total to an even 71. Not too shabby. I've been running all around the city, which makes me happy–exploring and discovering is more fun than I ever imagined. I've been cooking every day (tonight I had fresh flounder) and man, it feels great!
As you probably guessed, this card came all the way from China. I love it so much, I stuck it on the wall next to my bed.
Sometimes being on your own is a bit lonely. I'm used to being greeted every day by families and coworkers that care about me, and for the past two weeks, that hasn't been the case. A friend (Zoe) shared a site with me that let's me get a smile just for giving one! You'll need a webcam and the internet to use this site (though if you're reading this post, you're half-way there). Click here for smiles!
Best smile ever? I think so. Night completely made? Yep.
Enjoy! Feel free to share your smiles!
I didn't realize that this series was written and illustrated by the awesome guy who is responsible for Flight until I saw the cover and recognized the artwork. Naturally, I picked it up immediately. It's a story focusing on two siblings (and their mom) who move to a new house and get transported to another world. I'm beginning to notice a trend in the stories I read and the movies I watch. People always get teleported placed after a move. Lesson? If you're not interested in adventures, never leave your house.
Anyway, back to the graphic novel. I really enjoyed it! I love stories where kids, especially siblings, have to rescue adults. I also like that the main problem solver is a female and she's flawed enough to need help without being the kind of loser damsel-in-distress I dislike so much. I love the characters of this volume, and the ending does a great job of setting things up for the next volume.
If you love fantasy stories with a strong, realistic female lead and a bag of cool, interesting characters, then I highly recommend reading this one. You won't be disappointed!


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Blue & White, Underglaze Copper-Red & Imari
Chinese porcelain blue and white and underglaze copper-red basin painted on the interior with a large praying mantis on rockwork, beneath branches of prunus with a butterfly in flight above large leaves painted with a light blue wash, bamboo and daisy, all encircled within a double ring, the cavetto painted with flowering chrysanthemum and peony beneath prunus branches on the flat everted rim, the underside supported by a wide foot rim.
14 1/4 inches, 36.2 cm diameter.
Early Kangxi, circa 1670-1673.
Purchased from Marchant, London, 28th May 1985.
Sold by Christie's, New York, in their auction An Era of Inspiration, 17th Century Chinese Porcelains from the Collection of Julia and John Curtis, 16th March 2015, lot. 3580.
A similar basin, in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art at the British Museum, with figural decoration and an inscription on the base 'made in the Xinhai year of the Kangxi reign (1671) for the Hall of Chinese Concord', is illustrated by Rosemary Scott in Elegant Form and Harmonious Decoration: Four Dynasties of Jingdezhen Porcelain, 1992, no. 110, p. 105, collection no. PDF 653; another with figural decoration, is illustrated in Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (III), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2000, no. 191, p. 209; a further example, purchased for Gordon Morrill at Sotheby's, London, in their auction Fine Chinese Ceramics, Archaic Bronzes and Works of Art, 27th November 1973, lot. 272, was later sold by Bluett's in June 1986 and is now in the Museum of Far Eastern Art, Stockholm, illustrated in colour by Roy Davids & Dominic Jellinek in Provenance, Collectors, Dealers & Scholars: Chinese Ceramics in Britain & America, pl. 117, p. 331; another painted with landscape from the Butler Family Collection, is illustrated by Antony White, Chen Xiejun & Wang Qingzheng in Seventeenth Century Jingdezhen Porcelain from the Shanghai Museum and the Butler Collections, 75, pp. 224-225.


THOMPSON, Connecticut (June 5, 2017) -Tanner Foust put the Rockstar Energy Drink Volkswagen Beetle on the top of the podium on Saturday, scoring a perfect first day of this weekend's Global Rallycross New England doubleheader.
Foust qualified on top of the leaderboard and won every heat on his way to the overall victory in Round 3.
It was a podium return for the driver this season. He finished second at the Memphis season opener in late April.
Conditions changed constantly as the series' 600-horsepower, all-wheel drive machines tore into it with every lap.
The driver's motorsport experience includes rally, rallycross and drifting, as well as sports car, open-wheel and off-road competition. He is a two-time champion in both Global Rallycross and Formula Drift. "I'm fortunate to have a real mix of competition experience and that definitely helped to read the conditions and find the pace in New England," he said.
On Sunday, the second day of racing started much like the first for Foust. He was the fastest in qualifying and took wins in every heat and semifinal race to line up on pole position for the main event.
When the lights went green for the final, he darted off the line and quickly built a lead. By Lap 7, he was more than four seconds ahead of the rest of the field and it looked promising that the two-time series champion would make it a weekend sweep.
But, while negotiating the roughest dirt section on the track, he struck a hole and broke a wheel, causing him to spin into a tire barrier and ending his day.
Foust remains second in the points, behind teammate Scott Speed.
The next stop for the Global Rallycross Championship series is set for the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa June 17-18. Full coverage of every round of Global Rallycross Championship action airs live on NBC.
Rallycross championship (2015). To share in the Andretti story, please visit online at AndrettiAutosport.com and follow along on Twitter via @FollowAndretti.


榮華旅行社 - 歡迎光臨! Fortune Travel Welcome!
Fortune Travel Ltd (est. 1996), is an ATOL and International Air Transport Association fully bond holder. Consolidator agent for Eva Air and China Airlines. Our agency has a reputation of being reliable and offers good quality services. We specialise in travel to Far East Asia destinations, U.S.A and Europe with all different major airlines. With our experienced and efficient staff, we can provide a service in several languages: English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Chaozhou, and Vietnamese etc. With our competitive pricing, we provide special fares for students ISIC cardholders. All fares are seasonally determined.


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May you find great value in these Honor quotes and sayings.
Who sows virtue reaps honor.
Reputation is what other people know about you.
Honor is what you know about yourself.
cannot be trusted in large ones either.
We should distrust any enterprise that requires new clothes.
but in the end; there it is.
March to the beat of your own drum.
everything he does becomes tainted.
he will lose his reverence for all of life.
contain within themselves the seeds of their own corruption.
as great as your dominant aspiration.
When one has nothing to lose, one becomes courageous.
there is something we can still cling to.
however measured or far away.
or even how they treat people we care for.
There has to be a chance that we can find love.
but what they become by it.
a clear conscience that harbors no insincerity.
are those who will have sought and found how to serve.
Never bend your head. Always hold it high.
Look the world straight in the eye.
What each must seek in his life never was on land or sea.
have been experienced by anyone else.
is trust, and trust is based on integrity.
is because they see the mud at the bottom of our eye.
even if the state demands it.
deserves your love and affection.
the lowest common denominator of human achievement.
which is living with the results of other people's thinking.
drown out your own inner voice.
to follow your heart and intuition.
we must lose our fear of being wrong.
is to try to cheer someone else up.
Thank you for visiting: Wise Quotes about Honor.


Sensibility and practicality define the 2018 Nissan Frontier. With less than 20,000 miles on the odometer, this truck refuses to compromise! Under the hood you'll find a 6 cylinder engine with more than 250 horsepower, providing a smooth and predictable driving experience. Four wheel drive allows you to go places you've only imagined. Nissan prioritized fit and finish as evidenced by: a rear step bumper, heated seats, air conditioning, skid plates, an overhead console, a bedliner, and power windows. Premium sound drives 10 speakers, providing you and your passengers a sensational audio experience. Passenger security is always assured thanks to various safety features, such as: dual front impact airbags, front side impact airbags, traction control, anti-whiplash front head restraints, a panic alarm, and 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS. With electronic stability control supplementing mechanical systems, you'll maintain precise command of the roadway. Our sales reps are extremely helpful & knowledgeable. They'll work with you to find the right vehicle at a price you can afford. Stop in and take a test drive!


Manufactured in Europe to demanding standards. Short pile roller for use with gloss and solid emulsion paints on smooth surfaces.
MOPILE Short pile roller for use with gloss and solid emulsion paints on smooth surfaces.


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Fisher Phillips Houston
Fisher Phillips Nearly Doubles the Size of its Houston Office in Just Six Months
Morgan Sanders
Collin G. Warren and Pamela D. Williams Join the Firm as Partners
Fisher Phillips announced today it has nearly doubled the number of attorneys in its Houston office in just six months with the addition of Collin G. Warren and Pamela D. Williams as partners and Ehsan Tabesh as an associate, bringing the total number of Houston attorneys to 11. The national management-side labor and employment law firm plans to continue expanding in Texas and solidify its position as a leading law firm for employers in the state. Currently, the firm has three Texas offices, located in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio.
"The recent additions of two new partners and an associate reflect our commitment to strengthen the firm's presence in Houston and attract distinguished lawyers to the firm," said Stephen J. Roppolo, managing partner of the firm's Houston and San Antonio offices. "We are dedicated to recruiting superior talent who will benefit our firm and our clients. Collin's outstanding record in workplace safety matters and in employment litigation, combined with Pamela's extensive experience handling complex litigation, class actions and non-compete agreements, will do just that."
Warren comes to Fisher Phillips with 15 years of legal experience defending clients in matters ranging from workplace safety and general labor and employment disputes to complex commercial litigation. He has successfully represented employers in state and local courts, as well as in front of government agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). He also has achieved success in representing employers in arbitration, workers' compensation and non-subscriber claims. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University and his law degree from South Texas College of Law. He has been recognized on the list of "Texas Rising Stars" by Texas Super Lawyers and as one of "Houston's Top Lawyers" by Texas Magazine. He is licensed to practice in Texas.
Williams brings to the firm extensive experience acquired during her 24 years practicing law. She is board certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, frequently handling complex litigation and class actions. Williams' vast experience in matters involving non-compete agreements, age and sex discrimination, disability accommodations, and wage and hour practices has made her a highly sought-after attorney. She has represented clients in a wide-range of sectors, including government entities, health care organizations, retailers and manufacturers in local and state courts, as well as before federal agencies. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Vassar College and her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center, and she is licensed to practice in Texas.
Tabesh comes to Fisher Phillips with five years' legal experience. He has represented employers in all aspects of labor and employment matters in state and federal courts, before federal agencies and in arbitration involving employment and complex commercial disputes. In addition, Tabesh is well-versed in matters of class action litigation. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota and his law degree from the University of Virginia. He is licensed to practice in Texas, California and Washington DC.
About Fisher Phillips (www.fisherphillips.com)
Fisher Phillips attorneys are ready to help you take a stand: in court, with employees and unions, or with competitors. Fisher Phillips has the experience and resolve to back you up. That's why some of the savviest employers come to the firm to handle their toughest labor and employment cases.
The firm has more than 350 attorneys in 33 offices. The offices are in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbia, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Gulfport, Houston, Irvine, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington, D.C.
www.fisherphillips.com


I'm sure the weather this weekend dampened more than a few events.
And according to a news release about the Rocky Mountain Rally, the weather provided a challenge for both competitors and organizers.
Thirty cars from across Canada and the United States started the event Friday afternoon, with only mechanical issues sidelining cars.
Quebec driverAntoine L'Estage with co-driver Nathalie Richard took the overall spot in the event. Subaru Canada driver Pat Richard and co-driver Alan Ockwell securing second with a narrow margin over series leader Bruno Carré and his co-driver Yvan Joyal.
Antoine L'Estage and Nathalie Richard, Mitsubishi EVO X, 2010 Rocky Mountain Rally winners, photo by Shawn Bishop.


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Steven Glenwood MacLean  (born  December 14, 1954) is a Canadian astronaut. He was the president of the Canadian Space Agency, from September 1, 2008, to February 1, 2013.

He was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and is married to Nadine Wielgopolski of Hull, Quebec. They have three children. He enjoys hiking, canoeing, flying, parachuting and gymnastics. In 2013 he returned to physics research as an associate member of the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) at the University of Waterloo.

Personal
MacLean attended Merivale High School in Nepean, Ontario. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 1977 and a doctorate in physics in 1983 from York University in Toronto. In 1977, he received the President's Award at York University (Murray G. Ross Award).  He is a recipient of a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council post graduate scholarship in 1980, two Ontario graduate scholarships, one in 1981 and the other in 1982, and a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council postdoctoral fellowship in 1983.

He is an honorary fellow of Norman Bethune College at York University and president of the board of directors for the Mont Megantic Observatory project.

From 1974 to 1976, MacLean worked in sports administration and public relations at York University. From 1976 to 1977, he was a member of the Canadian National Gymnastics Team. He taught part-time at York University from 1980 to 1983. In 1983, he became a visiting scholar at Stanford University under Nobel Laureate Arthur Leonard Schawlow. He is a laser-physicist, and his research has included work on electro-optics, laser-induced fluorescence of particles and crystals and multi-photon laser spectroscopy.

From October 22 to November 1, 1992, MacLean flew onboard Space Shuttle Columbia as a payload specialist for Mission STS-52. During this mission, he performed a set of seven experiments known as CANEX-2, which included an evaluation of the Space Vision System.

MacLean served as a mission specialist on STS-115, which launched on September 9, 2006, and returned on September 21, 2006. He became the first Canadian to operate the robotic arm Canadarm2. On September 13, he performed his first spacewalk, a 7-hour EVA to activate the solar panels on the P3/4 truss – the second Canadian to do so, after Chris Hadfield.

Honours
In 1994, he received an honorary doctorate from the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean in Quebec, York University, Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. In September 2006, Steve MacLean Public School was opened in Ottawa, named after him. In 2010 he visited the school on the occasion of the principal's retirement.
MacLean was chosen as one of the first six astronauts in December 1983. He began to do training in February 1984. From 1987 to 1993 MacLean worked as a program manager for CSVS. MacLean was the chief science advisor for the International Space Station from 1993 to 1994. He was also program manager for the Advanced Space Vision System in 1987 to 1993. MacLean is an honorary Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

References

External links
 Canadian Space Agency President's biography
 NASA astronaut biography
 Spacefacts biography of Steven MacLean

1954 births
Canadian astronauts
Living people
People from Ottawa
Presidents of the Canadian Space Agency
Academic staff of the University of Toronto
York University alumni
Royal Military College Saint-Jean people
Royal Canadian Geographical Society fellows
Space Shuttle program astronauts
Spacewalkers


Volcom Hawkens tee. Volcom logo graphic screened at left chest with larger version screened on back. Short sleeve. Crew neck. 100% cotton. Machine wash. Imported.
Nice thick material and fits true to size! Going to see if they have anymore colors in this style to order since its one of my son's favorite shirts now.


Pre-Registration: Mail in registration - should be postmarked by February 28.
Online / Late Registration: Online Registration until midnight Thursday, March 1. Packet pick-up and late registration available on Saturday, March 2 starting at 8 AM at LaPoint-Krebs House and Museum.
Post-Race: Food, beverages, and awards after the race.


Bazhong (Chinese: 巴中; pinyin: Bāzhōng; literally: "centre of Ba") is a prefecture-level city in north-eastern Sichuan province, China. Its population was 3,284,000at the 2013 census whom 1,126,790 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made up of Bazhou urban district.
Bazhong was made a prefecture-level city in 1993. Its history, however, goes back much further. During the Xia and Shang Dynasties, it was purportedly a vassal territory of the Liang State. In the Spring and Autumn period, it was called Bazi (巴子). In the Qin and Western Han dynasties it was called Ba County (巴郡). In the Eastern Han Dynasty around the year 100 AD it was changed to Hanchang County (漢昌縣). One hundred years later it reverted to Baxi County (巴西). Since then, it has usually either been called Liang County (梁郡) or Yi County (益州).
Bazhong is located at the southern end of the Daba Mountains, and borders Shaanxi province in the north, Dazhou to the east, Nanchong to the south, and Guangyuan to the west. Its area is 12,301 square kilometres (4,749 sq mi). The area is mountainous with elevations ranging from 208.3 to 2,507 metres (683 to 8,225 ft) above sea level.
Bazhong has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) and is largely mild and humid, with four distinct seasons. Winter is short, mild, and foggy, though actual precipitation is low. January averages 5.8 °C (42.4 °F), and while frost may occur, snow is rare. Summers are long, hot and humid, with highs often reaching 33 °C (91 °F). The daily average in July and August is around 27 °C (81 °F), with August being slightly warmer. Spring is warm and temperatures rise quickly but unstably, and hail is common. Rainfall is light in winter and can be heavy in summer, and more than 70% of the annual total occurs from May to September. The annual frost-free period lasts from 260 to 280 days.
Dabashan mountain belongs to the qinling branch,over hundreds of miles,landform of sun,the vast sea of clouds,Virgin forest coanopy, dangerous rock cliffs,gorge waterfalls.deep and beautiful,mountain wild fruit,rare animals,all everything.
Bazhong has 2 cities, 3 counties, 188 township, and 2,354 villages. The population is 3,284,000(2013) with 455,000 of that urban.
The city's GDP accounted for approximately 1.9% of Sichuan and ranked 19th in the province. But in 2013,Bazhong's GDP reached RMB 41.594 billion, representing a rise of 10.7%.