text:
Existential risk
Existential Risk Observatory: results and 2022 targets
by Otto5 min read14th Jan 20226 comments
Organization updatesEffective altruism messagingExistential risk
Results and experiences
Targets for 2022
In our introductory post from last August, we introduced our new organization the Existential Risk Observatory. Our aim is to reduce existential risk by informing the public debate. We expect this to lead to a significant increase of:
Talent available to reduce existential risk.
Funding available to reduce existential risk (both private and government budgets).
Institutes trying to reduce existential risk.
Priority for reducing existential risk, even among actors who are in principle aware of this risk already.
Diversity in the existential risk space, which should lead to more robust responses.
We acknowledge information hazards, but we think we can achieve a net positive effect by communicating responsibly about these risks, as established research institutes have done as well. This point is explained in more detail in our introductory post.
We also formulated a target in this post: increase the number of articles in major news outlets in the Netherlands about existential risk by 25%. Now, we are happy to say that we have achieved our target. In this post, we will share our results and experiences last year, what our targets are for the coming year, and why we have chosen these targets. As before, we are open to feedback, and also to share additional information, either on this forum or e.g. by email.
In 2021, there were seven articles published in national print media in the Netherlands about existential risk and AI without our intervention. We added two articles to this:
One in De Telegraaf (text in Dutch), the largest and oldest newspaper in the Netherlands.
One in Het Parool (text in Dutch), a leading Amsterdam-based newspaper.
We therefore achieved an increase in print media publications about existential risk of 29%, reaching our target.
These newspapers have a combined claimed readership of about 1.2 million, or about 12% of all Dutchmen between 20 and 65. About 540k of this is in print, the rest online. According to research, about 15-20% of readers change their opinion as a result of reading an op-ed. About half of these changes last over time. We therefore seem to have found an effective way to raise existential risk awareness in a general audience at scale, leading to the positive effects outlined above.
In our articles, we have had enough space to communicate the existential risk message in a relatively nuanced way, as opposed to what would be possible on social media. Also, the fact that the articles were published in print media, and one of them with an academic co-author from a locally known university, added credibility and weight to them.
We managed to get our existential risk op-eds published in roughly the following way:
Set up our organization (website, board, legal structure, etc.).
Form alliances with academics.
Hire a freelance PR person with journalistic experience.
Write op-eds with both of the above.
Write to journalists with an interest in the topic.
Submit, repeat if necessary.
We believe others with strong motivation and preferably some management experience, but not necessarily an academic background in existential risk or AI, can do the same in other countries. We are happy to give more advice about this, and you can always approach us by email.
Added to our work in traditional media, we have reached out to around 300k people through sponsored campaigns on social media as well. We have used these campaigns to increase the reach of our print articles, to inform people directly about existential risk, and to research which narrative worked best for this purpose. We tried a number of angles including AI, climate, pandemics, and personal impact. The results can be viewed here.
Additionally, we have organized the first Existential Risk Conference in Europe, with academics from e.g. CSER, FLI, Harvard University, and our local Groningen University, a climate NGO CEO, and a nuclear weapons activist.
With these results, we believe that we have proven that we can increase the societal debate significantly with our organization, and therefore we are now planning to scale up in the most impactful countries. According to us, for the Existential Risk Observatory in 2022, these are the Netherlands and the US. The Netherlands mainly because of local traction: we think the probability that we can achieve results, such as a significant increase in existential risk research, in the Netherlands, is for now significantly larger than anywhere else. Also, we can use the lessons we continue to learn in the Netherlands when scaling up internationally.
We chose the US as the first country to expand to, since it has large potential as a source of research funding, has one of the largest AGI research bases, we are relatively familiar with language and media landscape, and articles published here could have a global reach. The US may not be the most neglected, but the amount of articles about (AI) existential risk in print media is still small enough to be able to increase it by a significant percentage in the medium term.
We judged countries to expand to mainly by the criteria:
Necessity (for existential risk awareness to increase), and
Capacity (for us to operate, with a reasonable chance of success).
Our judgment on these criteria of the six countries we considered is summarized below.
Netherlands Germany France UK US China
Necessity Relatively low Medium Medium Low High High
Capacity Relatively high Medium Low Medium Medium Low
Necessity is mainly tied to GDP (since this could translate to research funding, either private or public) and regulatory relevance. Neglectedness and information hazard have also been included, but were not too dominant. Capacity is very organization-dependent. For us, it was determined mostly by in-house language skills, existing network, and familiarity with the local media and societal debate.
It would be great to raise awareness in many other countries, but because of our funding situation and focus, we do need to make hard choices. This underlines, in our opinion, how neglected existential risk communication still is.
At this moment, we are still heavily dependent on the founders for both work and funding. This is a key risk for us. To safeguard the long term stability of the organization, we therefore plan to acquire funding in the coming year. Also, we are at this moment funding-constrained for communication: more funding would enable us to increase awareness in more countries, and increase the chance of achieving positive outcomes.
For 2022, our targets are therefore to:
Publish at least three articles about existential risk in leading media in the Netherlands.
Publish at least three articles about existential risk in leading media in the US.
Receive funding for stability and future upscaling.
We think we have proven that a small organization such as the Existential Risk Observatory can influence a national debate about existential risks. Since we also believe existential risk communication to a general audience is strongly net positive, as outlined in more detail in our introductory post, we think we are creating a powerful tool in existential risk reduction. We are generating and showcasing this cool, but we don't aim to monopolize it.
We would therefore like the existential risk community to actively seek possibilities to raise general audience risk awareness. Also, we hope the community is willing to help us to succeed, primarily by giving us advice on how to best achieve our goal of increasing awareness. We are hopeful that informing the public debate together can meaningfully help to reduce existential risk!
Organization updates6Effective altruism messaging2Existential risk7
[-]Chris Leong1y
I think that EAs generally haven't pursued media outreach due to considerations such as covered in this post: What to know before talking with journalists about EA. Their worries seem to be mostly related to journalists misunderstanding or misrepresenting what was said, unfavorable quotes, or stories being fitted into a narrative.
I suppose Op-Eds manage to avoid most of these problems and add a lot of credibility to the field. I guess the main potential downside I can see is that we wouldn't want existential risk to become a buzzword that people start adding to all kinds of proposals that have nothing to do with x-risk. However, it seems unlikely that just a couple of articles would have this kind of effect. So overall, I think having at least a small amount of this kind of work is important as it does improve the credibility of the field.
[-]Otto1y
Thanks for that context and for your thoughts! We understand the worries that you mention, and as you say, op-eds are a good way to avoid those. Most (>90%) of the other mainstream media articles we've seen about existential risk (there's a few dozen) did not suffer from these issues either, fortunately.
Thanks for the update ! This seems like very interesting work and important work. READI did a large survey with some questions on attitudes towards existential risks as part of our SCRUB survey work. We haven't been able to write it up yet because of an embargo from our government partner, but I will reach out when we can because it might be an easy source of content.
Thank you for the heads up! We would love to have more information about general audience attitudes towards existential risk, especially related to AI and other novel tech. Particularly interesting for us would be research into which narratives work best. We've done some of this ourselves, but it would be interesting to see if our results match others'. So yes please let us know when you have this available!
Hey Otto,
We have 580 responses from international data collected during the SCRUB project (though these responses may not all be complete). We collected them in Waves 5&6. You can see the questionnaires used for each wave in the Word files in the linked folder. 'GCR_' are the relevant variables.
We also have 1400 domestic (Australian) responses. These are embargoed by our government partner. We can only get access by requesting the data for a paper (which we plan to do eventually). Let us know if you would be interested in collaborating on that. Let me know if you have any questions.
[-]Otto8mo
Enough happened to write a small update about the Existential Risk Observatory.
First, we made progress in our core business: informing the public debate. We have published two more op-eds (in Dutch, one with a co-author from FLI) in a reputable, large newspaper. Our pieces warn against existential risk, especially from AGI, and propose low-hanging fruit type of measures the Dutch government could take to reduce risk (e.g. extra AI safety research).
A change w.r.t. the previous update, is that we see serious, leading journalists become interested in the topic. One leading columnist has already written a column about AI existential risk in a leading newspaper. Another journalist is planning to write a major article about it. This same person proposed having a debate about AI xrisk at the leading debate center, which would be well-positioned to influence yet others, and he proposed to use his network for the purpose. This is definitely not yet a fully-fledged informed societal debate yet, but it does update our expectations in relevant ways:
The idea of op-eds translating into broader media attention is realistic.
That attention is generally constructive, and not derogatory.
Most of the informing takes place in a social, personal context.
From our experience, the process is really to inform leaders of the societal debate, who then inform others. We have for example organized an existential risk drink, where thought leaders, EAs, and journalists could talk to each other, which worked very well. Key figures should hear accurate existential risk information from different sides. Social proof is key. Being honest, sincere, coherent, and trying to receive as well as send, goes a long way, too.
Another update is that we will receive funding from the SFF and are in serious discussions with two other funds. We are really happy that this proves that our approach, reducing existential risk by informing the public debate, has backing in the existential risk community. We are still resource-constrained, but also massively manpower- and management-constrained. Our vision is a world where everyone is informed about existential risk. We cannot achieve this vision alone, but would like other institutes (new and existing) to join us in the communication effort. That we have received funding for informing the societal debate is evidence that others can, too. We are happy to share information about what we are doing and how others could do the same at talks, for example for local EA groups or at events.
Our targets for this year remain the same:
We will start working on next year's targets in Q4.


The author, an Australian lawyer working in Washington, writes that a brief has been lodged with the International Criminal Court, which gives 'every indication that Australian officials, over the course of successive governments, have knowingly enabled the commission of crimes against humanity' because of what has been done to asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru.
The author looks at some of the evidence, including how conditions are made deliberately brutal as a deterrent and how legal fictions and subterfuges underpin the regime.
By opening an examination into the alleged crimes against humanity on Nauru and Manus Island, the court could demonstrate that it is willing to investigate serious crimes, even when the alleged perpetrators are from a relatively powerful Western nation. And at a time when Western nations are grappling with the largest refugee crisis since World War II, overlooking allegations coming out of Nauru and Manus Island would risk normalizing Australia's abuse of refugees, setting a disturbing precedent for the rest of the world.
Earlier material from the author.


Humanitarianism is at once a broad dedication to and belief in the fundamental value of human life. Though lacking an agreed definition, this central ethics of humanitarianism crosses cultures and history. Humanitarianism is also a more specific reference to the (international/Western) crisis response that has evolved from the founding of the Red Cross and the first Geneva Convention over 150 years ago. As a systemic response to crisis, humanitarianism involves addressing the needs of people affected by conflict, natural disaster, epidemic and famine. In these crises, the focus of humanitarianism is, to varying degrees, placed upon basic or immediate needs of assistance and protection, as distinct from (though increasingly linked to) work more directly aimed at development, peace building, rule of law, etc.
Understanding what humanitarianism as a concept refers to, as well as the main challenges and criticisms faced by humanitarian actors, is covered by the Understanding the Humanitarian Ecosystem (UHE) certification (competency statements 1.1, 4.1, and 4.2).
What is humanitarian action to you?


text:
import { Injectable } from '@angular/core';
import * as firebase from 'firebase/app';
import { AngularFirestore, AngularFirestoreCollection, AngularFirestoreDocument } from 'angularfire2/firestore';
import { AgmCoreModule, MapsAPILoader, LatLngBounds, LatLng } from '@agm/core';
import { Observable } from 'rxjs/Observable';
import 'rxjs/add/operator/map';
import 'rxjs/add/observable/combineLatest';
import 'rxjs/add/operator/filter';
import { MarkerAGM } from '../models/marker-agm';
import { Subject } from 'rxjs/Subject';
import { BehaviorSubject } from 'rxjs/BehaviorSubject';
import { BirthplaceFilter } from '../models/birthplace-filter';
import { LatLngBoundsLiteral } from '@agm/core/services/google-maps-types';
import { Birthplace } from '../models/birthplace';
import { BirthplaceBoundsStream } from '../models/birthplace-bounds-stream';

declare var google: any;

@Injectable()
export class BirthplaceService {

  birthplaceCollection: AngularFirestoreCollection<Birthplace>;
  displayedBounds: LatLngBounds;

  birthplaceClickedSource = new Subject<string>();
  birthplaceClicked$ = this.birthplaceClickedSource.asObservable();

  private zoomOutSource = new Subject<void>();
  zoomOut$ = this.zoomOutSource.asObservable();

  filterChanged$: BehaviorSubject<BirthplaceBoundsStream>;
  filter: BirthplaceFilter;

  private carouselUpdated = new Subject<string>();
  carouselUpdated$ = this.carouselUpdated.asObservable();

  constructor(private db: AngularFirestore, private mapsAPILoader: MapsAPILoader) {

    this.birthplaceCollection = this.db.collection('birthplaces');

    this.filter = <BirthplaceFilter>{
      spital: true,
      geburtshaus: true
    }

    this.filterChanged$ = new BehaviorSubject<BirthplaceBoundsStream>({
      bounds: null,
      filter: this.filter
    })
  }

  getBirthplaces(): Observable<Birthplace[]> {
    return this.birthplaceCollection
      .snapshotChanges().map(actions => {
        return actions.map(a => {
          const data: Object = a.payload.doc.data();
          const id: string = a.payload.doc.id;
          return <Birthplace>{ id, ...data };
        });
      });
  }

  getBirthplacesFiltered = () => {
    return this.birthplaceCollection
      .snapshotChanges().map(snapshot => {
        return snapshot.map(item => {
          const data: Object = item.payload.doc.data();
          const id: string = item.payload.doc.id;
          return <Birthplace>{ id, ...data };
        })
          .filter(x => {
            return this.filter[x.type]
          });
      });
  }

  /** unfortunately, firebase firestore does not provide any geo-functionality nor does
   * it allow range-filters with more than two paramters. We therefore have to fetch all
   * birthplaces from firestore and cannot filter this on the backend. Yet. As soon as the
   * entity "geopoint" will be supported by firebase firestore, this will be corrected.
   */
  getBirhplacesOnMap(): Observable<Birthplace[]> {
    return this.filterChanged$.switchMap(filter =>
      this.getBirthplacesFiltered().map(items => items.filter(item => {
        let latLng: MarkerAGM = new MarkerAGM();
        latLng.constructor(item.lat, item.lng);
        return this.displayedBounds ? this.displayedBounds.contains(latLng) : false;
      })
      )
    );
  }

  getBirthplace(id: string): Observable<Birthplace> {
    var docRef: AngularFirestoreDocument<Birthplace> = this.birthplaceCollection.doc(id);
    return <Observable<Birthplace>>docRef.valueChanges();
  }

  updateFilter(filter: BirthplaceFilter): void {
    this.filter = filter ? filter : this.filter;
    this.filterChanged$.next({
      bounds: this.displayedBounds,
      filter: this.filter
    });
  }

  carouselDragged(cardId: string): void {
    this.carouselUpdated.next(cardId);
  }

  updateBounds(bounds: LatLngBounds): void {
    this.displayedBounds = bounds ? bounds : this.displayedBounds;
    this.filterChanged$.next({
      bounds: this.displayedBounds,
      filter: this.filter
    });
  }

  zoomToBirthplace(id): void {
    this.birthplaceClickedSource.next(id);
  }

  zoomOut(): void {
    this.zoomOutSource.next();
  }

  /** Firebase firestore does not allow any search functions as of yet.
   * The only alternative would be to set up an elastic-search service with synced
   * data from firestore, which would be out of scope for this project.
  */
  search(term: string): Observable<Birthplace[]> {
    return this.getBirthplacesFiltered().map(birthplaces =>
      birthplaces.filter(item =>
        item.name.toLowerCase().indexOf(term.toLowerCase()) > -1
      )
    );
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Ceratostylis scirpoides är en orkidéart som beskrevs av Rudolf Schlechter. Ceratostylis scirpoides ingår i släktet Ceratostylis och familjen orkidéer.

Artens utbredningsområde är Papua Nya Guinea. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Orkidéer
scirpoides

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
package org.blandsite;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.List;

import org.blandsite.PMF;

import com.google.api.server.spi.config.Api;
import com.google.api.server.spi.config.ApiMethod;
import com.google.api.server.spi.config.ApiNamespace;
import com.google.api.server.spi.config.Nullable;
import com.google.api.server.spi.response.CollectionResponse;
import com.google.appengine.api.datastore.Cursor;
import com.google.appengine.datanucleus.query.JDOCursorHelper;

import javax.jdo.Query;
import javax.inject.Named;
import javax.persistence.EntityExistsException;
import javax.persistence.EntityNotFoundException;
import javax.jdo.PersistenceManager;

@Api(name = "giftendpoint", namespace = @ApiNamespace(ownerDomain = "blandsite.org", ownerName = "blandsite.org", packagePath = ""))
public class GiftEndpoint {

	/**
	 * This method gets the entity having primary key id. It uses HTTP GET method.
	 *
	 * @param id the primary key of the java bean.
	 * @return The entity with primary key id.
	 */
	@ApiMethod(name = "getGift")
	public Gift getGift(@Named("id") String id, @Named("token") String token) {
		Gift gift = null;
		Token t=Token.validateToken(token);
		if (t != null) {
			PersistenceManager mgr = getPersistenceManager();
			try {
				Gift gt = mgr.getObjectById(Gift.class, id);
				if (gt.getUsername().equals(t.getUsername())) {
					gift=gt;
				}
			} finally {
				mgr.close();
			}
		}
		return gift;
	}

	@ApiMethod(name = "listGifts")
	public CollectionResponse<Gift> listGifts(
			@Named("token") String token,
			@Nullable @Named("cursor") String cursorString,
			@Nullable @Named("limit") Integer limit) {

		PersistenceManager mgr = null;
		Cursor cursor = null;
		List<Gift> execute = null;

		try {
			mgr = getPersistenceManager();

			Token t=Token.validateToken(token);
			if (t!=null) {

				Query query = mgr.newQuery(Gift.class);
				query.setFilter("username == usernameParam");
				query.setOrdering("ranking desc");
				query.declareParameters("String usernameParam");

				if (cursorString != null && cursorString != "") {
					cursor = Cursor.fromWebSafeString(cursorString);
					HashMap<String, Object> extensionMap = new HashMap<String, Object>();
					extensionMap.put(JDOCursorHelper.CURSOR_EXTENSION, cursor);
					query.setExtensions(extensionMap);
				}

				if (limit != null) {
					query.setRange(0, limit);
				}

				execute = (List<Gift>) query.execute(t.getUsername());
				cursor = JDOCursorHelper.getCursor(execute);
				if (cursor != null)
					cursorString = cursor.toWebSafeString();

				// Tight loop for fetching all entities from datastore and accomodate
				// for lazy fetch.
				for (Gift obj : execute)
					;
			}
		} finally {
			mgr.close();
		}

		return CollectionResponse.<Gift> builder().setItems(execute)
				.setNextPageToken(cursorString).build();
	}

	/**
	 * This inserts a new entity into App Engine datastore. If the entity already
	 * exists in the datastore, an exception is thrown.
	 * It uses HTTP POST method.
	 *
	 * @param gift the entity to be inserted.
	 * @return The inserted entity.
	 */
	@ApiMethod(name = "insertGift")
	public Gift insertGift(Gift gift, @Named("token") String token) {
		Token t=Token.validateToken(token);
		if (t != null) {

			PersistenceManager mgr = getPersistenceManager();
			try {
				if (containsGift(gift)) {
					throw new EntityExistsException("Object already exists");
				}
				// persist the gift so that we have a key
				//gift.setUsername(t.getUsername());
				mgr.makePersistent(gift);

				// add the gift to the user now that we have a key
				User u=mgr.getObjectById(User.class, t.getUsername());
				u.addGift(gift); // this also will now add the username to the gift so we have to persist both again

				// persist both objects again
				ArrayList a=new ArrayList();
				a.add(u);
				a.add(gift);
				mgr.makePersistentAll(a);
			} finally {
				mgr.close();
			}
		}
		return gift;
	}

	/**
	 * This method is used for updating an existing entity. If the entity does not
	 * exist in the datastore, an exception is thrown.
	 * It uses HTTP PUT method.
	 *
	 * @param gift the entity to be updated.
	 * @return The updated entity.
	 */
	@ApiMethod(name = "updateGift")
	public Gift updateGift(Gift gift, @Named("token") String token) {
		PersistenceManager mgr = getPersistenceManager();
		try {
			if (!containsGift(gift)) {
				throw new EntityNotFoundException("Object does not exist");
			}
			mgr.makePersistent(gift);
		} finally {
			mgr.close();
		}
		return gift;
	}

	/**
	 * This method removes the entity with primary key id.
	 * It uses HTTP DELETE method.
	 *
	 * @param id the primary key of the entity to be deleted.
	 */
	@ApiMethod(name = "removeGift")
	public void removeGift(@Named("id") String id, @Named("token") String token) {
		PersistenceManager mgr = getPersistenceManager();
		try {
			Gift gift = mgr.getObjectById(Gift.class, id);
			mgr.deletePersistent(gift);
		} finally {
			mgr.close();
		}
	}

	private boolean containsGift(Gift gift) {
		if (gift == null || gift.getKey() == null)  return false;
		PersistenceManager mgr = getPersistenceManager();
		boolean contains = true;
		try {
			mgr.getObjectById(Gift.class, gift.getKey());
		} catch (javax.jdo.JDOObjectNotFoundException ex) {
			contains = false;
		} finally {
			mgr.close();
		}
		return contains;
	}

	private static PersistenceManager getPersistenceManager() {
		return PMF.get().getPersistenceManager();
	}

}


Brewed by Lidia, our very own Barbara Good (of The Good Life fame). Goslar Dreaming radiates in the sun with its straw yellow haze, taking you by the hand to lead you through the gardens and allotments of lower Saxony in late spring. Sweet rhubarb, elderflower and a hint of lime zest tease the nostrils. Dig deeper and your palate is filled with a gently wine tart acidity, white florals and a stony mineral core. The mineral note flows right through til the finish of clean citrus pithiness and raw wheat.
What's the reason behind our brewer Lidia's idea of brewing a Rhubarb Gose?
Because she can't get enough of sour beer and veggies, of course!
Especially if the veggie's local, as is the rhubarb she used for this beer, that perfectly balances out its slight saltiness and the delicate coriander aroma. And because she also loves the Lactobacillus she used to sour it, she decided not to go for a kettle sour and keep them in the finished beer instead.
So, what are you dreaming about, on a rainy day in London, while you are waiting for summer? About California? Maybe. She was dreaming about the city that gifted us this style: Goslar. (No, It's not about Ryan Gosling). So, let's start tasting and start dreaming!


text:
Fri, May 6 @ 7:00 p.m.
The borders that define countries can result in humorous, absurd, or tragic consequences when defending them. At the end of this package, filmmaker Andrew Wainrib (Cohen on the Bridge: The Entebbe Rescue) will participate in a 15-minute Q and A.
Trapped behind enemy lines on France's western front in World War I, two New Zealand soldiers find a baby under her dead parents in a muddy ditch in France. One of them wants to save her; the other does not. Based on true events, Poppy was written by the great-grandson of one of these soldiers.…
Rabbit à la Berlin
Rabbit à la Berlin is the story of the thousands of wild rabbits that lived in the Death Zone of the Berlin Wall. It was as if the green belt between the two walls was designed for these animals. Full of untouched grass, the predators stayed behind the wall and the guards made sure no…
Each night the only border crossing between India and Pakistan on a 1000-km stretch becomes the sight of an extraordinary event. Thousands of people gather to witness the ritual closing of the border, after which the masses get as close as possible to the gate to greet their former neighbours. This daily ritual provides the…
Border guard Phil thinks his wife is cheating on him. When he's faced with a gaggle of ladies headed south for a weekend bachelorette party, his professional judgment appears to be slipping when he stops them from going through.
Cohen on the Bridge: The Entebbe Rescue
Filmmaker in Attendance: Andrew Wainrib. On June 27, 1976, Air France Flight 139 en route from Tel Aviv to Paris was hijacked by German and PFLP terrorists and taken to Entebbe, Uganda. Seven days later the hostages were rescued by Israeli special forces in one of the most brazen rescue operations in history. This 2d and…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
QurAlis
QurAlis is a biotechnology company developing treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Help us improve this page by adding information.
Visit our Writing Guide or this topic page for additional help.
QurAlis officially launches under a $42 million series A round with a focus on new therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and genetically related frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
QurAlis raises a $42,000,000 series A round.
QurAlis raises a $5,500,000 seed round from BioInnovation Capital.
QurAlis raises a $5,500,000 seed round from Amgen Ventures, BioInnovation Capital and MP Healthcare Venture Management.
QurAlis Raises $5.5 Million Seed Round
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181119005047/en/QurAlis-Raises-5.5-Million-Seed
Viva Biotech Successfully Held 2021 Partnership Summit -- Novel Drug 2021, the Persistence and Transformation of Start-up Founders
Viva Biotech Holdings
/PRNewswire/ -- March 2nd-6th, 2021, Viva Biotech successfully hosted the 2021 Partnership Summit. Over 300 attendees joined the Summit, including...
2 months after launch, QurAlis nabs early ALS compounds from Eli Lilly
Ben Adams
In May, startup QurAlis got a $42 million series A toward targeting the genetic causes of two rare diseases: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and genetically related frontotemporal dementia.
QurAlis nabs $42M funding round for ALS, frontotemporal dementia
QurAlis has officially launched under a $42 million series A round with a focus on new therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and genetically related frontotemporal dementia.
https://quralis.com/about-us/leadership/kasper-roet-phd/
quralis.com
Kasper Roet
100 Cambridge Park Drive, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02140, US
BioInnovation Capital
MP Healthcare Venture Management
Amgen Ventures
Viva Biotech
info@quralis.com
Series A round
Henry Ogolla
Passionate about reading and writing.
Kirill Pichugin
Kombain Mashina
Erin Scherfner
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Ольга Дрокина


Chiral Lens is a wall-mounted sculpture made from laminated dichroic glass and stainless steel tubes and cables attached to the east wall of the Physical Sciences Building. The lens was inspired by the artist's visit to the university's department of Physics and Astronomy in Nov 2008, when he learned that one of the underlying characteristics in particle physics is the balance of handed or "Chiral" particles that are inherent in the nature of atomic structure. King used this reference in the lens to have one half of the facets face South and the other that face North. The coating on the glass is the same but each facet looks different as the angles change. It is best viewed by walking the elevated walkways where the viewer sees one set of facets reflecting (yellow) and the other set transmitting (blue) color as one walks the spaces.


Cisco today announced, together with Sony Music Entertainment jointly promote efficient event management and new services for fans using information and communication technology (ICT).
Cisco today announced, together with Sony Music Entertainment agreed to jointly promote efficient event management and new services for fans using information and communication technology (ICT). As the new partnership's first wave of projects, Cisco's technology will support the Japanese female idol group Nogizaka46's national tour, which kicks off in July 2018, as well as several of the group's individual handshake events beginning in the middle of August 2018.
Conventionally, network environments at live events have relied on the support of the venues and on the event staff who normally communicate using the devices and the standard tools available at each venue. Because connectivity and performance vary markedly between venues, adequately ensuring and managing the overall quality of events can be challenging. In the absence of IT specialists on the event staff team, a system and scheme are often unavailable for controlling the network environment, which is an essential infrastructure element for live events alongside the lighting, sound, and power supply. This is the current situation surrounding live entertainment in Japan.
In the U.S. Cisco is a technology partner of the largest live entertainment company, Live Nation, and together they created new customer experiences and business models by connecting venues, artists, and fans via the network. Based on its record of experience and know-how in the U.S., Cisco will address the above challenges in Japan while enabling efficient event management and new services for fans using ICT, with a view to changing the entertainment business together with SME.
At Nogizaka46's Tokyo performance, live events will be held simultaneously at Meiji Jingu Stadium and Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium. In this unique setting, the event headquarters and staff rooms at both venues will be constantly connected by combining Cisco Webex DX, Cisco Webex Room, Cisco Webex Board, and Cisco's other intelligent and flexible video collaboration systems, which are designed to support diverse conference needs. This will help to ensure efficient live management in a two-venue environment, which will allow staff members to interact as if they were in the same meeting room.
In addition, Cisco's cloud-based network system Cisco Meraki will be used at the Tokyo performances and at subsequent regional performances. This will allow staff to easily configure and manage networks without the need to employ IT specialists on site while the high-quality WiFi service will facilitate smooth communication between staff members.
At the individual handshake events, a number of new services for fans will be offered. Using Cisco Webex Board's whiteboard function, fans at a venue can create handwritten messages for the group's members and the fans and members can exchange messages.
Following their collaboration on the Nogizaka46 Midsummer National Tour 2018, SME and Cisco will continue working together to deploy new initiatives using ICT in the entertainment business in Japan and also with international markets in mind.


text:
// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
// Licensed under the MIT License.
// Code generated by Microsoft (R) AutoRest Code Generator.

package com.azure.resourcemanager.authorization.fluent.models;

import com.azure.core.annotation.Fluent;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonAnyGetter;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonAnySetter;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonIgnore;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonProperty;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;

/** workbookChartAxisFormat. */
@Fluent
public final class MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartAxisFormat extends MicrosoftGraphEntity {
    /*
     * workbookChartFont
     */
    @JsonProperty(value = "font")
    private MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartFont font;

    /*
     * workbookChartLineFormat
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    private MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartLineFormat line;

    /*
     * workbookChartAxisFormat
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    /** Creates an instance of MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartAxisFormat class. */
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    /**
     * Get the font property: workbookChartFont.
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     * @return the font value.
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        return this.font;
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    /**
     * Set the font property: workbookChartFont.
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    public MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartAxisFormat withFont(MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartFont font) {
        this.font = font;
        return this;
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    /**
     * Get the line property: workbookChartLineFormat.
     *
     * @return the line value.
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    public MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartLineFormat line() {
        return this.line;
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    /**
     * Set the line property: workbookChartLineFormat.
     *
     * @param line the line value to set.
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    public MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartAxisFormat withLine(MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartLineFormat line) {
        this.line = line;
        return this;
    }

    /**
     * Get the additionalProperties property: workbookChartAxisFormat.
     *
     * @return the additionalProperties value.
     */
    @JsonAnyGetter
    public Map<String, Object> additionalProperties() {
        return this.additionalProperties;
    }

    /**
     * Set the additionalProperties property: workbookChartAxisFormat.
     *
     * @param additionalProperties the additionalProperties value to set.
     * @return the MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartAxisFormat object itself.
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    public MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartAxisFormat withAdditionalProperties(Map<String, Object> additionalProperties) {
        this.additionalProperties = additionalProperties;
        return this;
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    @JsonAnySetter
    void withAdditionalProperties(String key, Object value) {
        if (additionalProperties == null) {
            additionalProperties = new HashMap<>();
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        additionalProperties.put(key, value);
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    /** {@inheritDoc} */
    @Override
    public MicrosoftGraphWorkbookChartAxisFormat withId(String id) {
        super.withId(id);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     * Validates the instance.
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     * @throws IllegalArgumentException thrown if the instance is not valid.
     */
    @Override
    public void validate() {
        super.validate();
        if (font() != null) {
            font().validate();
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}


Having a goal is one thing, but having the tenacity to pursue your passions and live life to the fullest is what separates the dreamers from the doers. When Deena Landsman commits herself to something, you can bet that she's in it for the long run. Her career as one of the area's leading real estate agents is proof positive of this approach and she works diligently to ensure that her clients' needs are met on every level.
Whether her clients are looking for the ideal second home or want to maximize the return on their sale, Deena provides the insight and guidance that will help them make the most of their objectives. If a move is in your future, you owe it to yourself to work with a professional whose level of dedication to achieve your goals is unquestionable. That is what made Deena Landsman's reputation for Making Your Dreams a Reality as real as it gets. Call her today for a free consultation.
Click here to view information on select homes and real estate in Aventura, Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Sunny Isles Beach and other surrounding areas in South Florida.
"It was really a pleasure working with Deena Landsman. I found not only a realtor, I found a good friend! I needed a lot of help with finding and purchasing my new condominium because I am a foreigner from South America. Deena was extremely helpful and knowledgeable in all aspects of the transaction and her good advice helped us to buy the perfect home for my family."
"I strongly recommend Deena Landsman, professional realtor. I've known her for a long while and I have been impressed by her aim to serve and her honesty. She devotes herself to her job in a way that she cares more about her clients than about her personal interests.
I am sure I am not mistaken when I say that anyone interested in knowing or investing in real estate in Florida should not make any decision before meeting Deena. I speak from personal experience".
"Quiero recomendar ampliamente a la senora Deena Landsman profesional en el sector immobiliario. Persona a quien conozco de tiempo atras, Deena me ha impresionado por su vocacion de servicio y por su honradez, nunca antes habia conocido una persona que se entregue de tal manera que para ella es mucho mas importante ayudar al cliente que su propio interes personal.
Sin temor a equivocarme, a cualquier personal que este interesada en conocer o invertir en finca raiz en la florida le sugiero no hacer nada antes de consultar y conocer a Deena. Lo digo por experiencia propia".
"Deena is the most caring person I have met in the real estate business. She took the time to listen to my needs, and went above and beyond. She is very genuine. I would recommend Deena to my friends and family. Deena, you are the best! Thank you."
"Working with Deena was an absolute pleasure. She was always on top of every detail, her advice was excellent and her experience manifested itself with regard to a fair and prompt selling price. Needless to say, we were very, very pleased with her services."
"This was not your run-of-the-mill sale. It was more complicated than usual because the three owners of the property lived outside of the United States in three different countries. Deena put the deal together quickly and we closed within 30 days.
Deena communicated with us often by e-mail and phone. She kept us well informed, up to date and was very thorough throughout the entire process from listing to closing. Deena's professional manner, knowledge of the marketplace, and her attention to detail contributed to a smooth and successful close of this transaction.
We were all very happy with Deena and the service she provided from start to finish. We would hire her again when we want to buy or sell property in the area. I would highly recommend Deena to anyone who is looking for a fine realtor in South Florida who is honest, hardworking and dedicated."


text:
Moving Up with the Majolas
Zimkhitha Mlanzeli and Katherine Eve
Tracey Nevill
Life AdviceHuman DramaFinance
There was a knock on the door and Ma Ruby came rushing in, carrying Baba's suit. Baba and Busi were practising interviewing at the kitchen table. Lerato and Samke were looking at pictures of cars in a magazine.
"Mr Majola, tell me about a time or a situation at work when you had to deal with a worker who wasn't performing. How did you handle it?" Busi said, lowering her voice and sounding gruff. Everybody couldn't help but laugh.
Baba thought for a moment and then a smile crept up on his face.
"This young man, Zweli, was always drunk on Mondays. He would show up at work smelling of alcohol – if he came to work at all. He was a good worker with skills. But he just was like the youth of today – lazy, and with no ambition or care for the future."
"Okay, so this Zweli. What had he done?" Busi cleared her throat and tried to look stern.
"He came in to work on Monday, drunk. I was foreman so I was in charge. When I told him to leave he started cursing me. He shouted at me about how I was old and jealous of his talent. He said he was the most qualified person there. He told me he had gone to school and should be foreman. Me and Majola – another Majola, funny man – we were escorting him off the site when he punched me."
"Yho, he did? And what did you do Mr Majola? How did you resolve that conflict?" Busi sounded shocked, but she tried to stifle a laugh. Interviews were a serious business.
"What do you think I did? I had to teach him a lesson. I couldn't let him do that in front of other employees. What if they disrespected me too? So, I took a piece of pipe ngamngena ngayo …"
"Angizwa, I'm sorry? You hit him?"
"Hayi! I didn't need to! The boy got such a fright he ran away."
"Well Baba, at least you didn't hit him. But don't tell that story!" Lerato jumped in.
"Hawu, angithi. You asked me what I did and I'm telling you."
"Yes Baba, but …" Busi was laughing. She couldn't get the picture out of her mind.
"Bona, it resolved the issue. The boy came back the next day sober and was never drunk at work again. Problem solved. He respects me now and we're good friends."
Ma Ruby handed Baba his suit. He went to the bedroom to try it on, leaving everyone in stitches.
When he emerged wearing the suit everyone admired him. Lerato took out her phone and started taking pictures of him.
"You look handsome, Baba," Busi said.
"At least if they don't like your answers, they'll hire you because you look good in a suit," Ma Ruby said, chuckling.
"Come everyone, get in the picture with Baba," Lerato ordered.
"Cha, I'm not good for a photo right now. Look at my apron," Ma Ruby protested.
"Take it off Ma. You made this happen. Go next to Baba. Isn't he handsome?"
Lerato had her way and the family took photos with Baba. Just then, Bra Mike walked in, without even knocking.
"Oh, you do Insta-time without me?" he said. He went to stand next to Ma Ruby.
"Hai maan!" Ma Ruby swatted off his hand, which had found its way around her waist.
"I'm going to change," Baba said and left them posing for a photo.
"Where did you get the money for a new suit?" Ma Ruby asked Bra Mike.
"I told you Sweet Chicken. Stick with me and I'll show you the world. Are you ready for our date?"
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me where you got the money from."
"Hawu, Ruby. You don't need to know everything. Back in the day a woman wouldn't ask how a man got his money," he said.
Ma Ruby gave him the deadliest look and turned to pick up her apron. Baba came back in his casual clothes.
"Makhi, good luck kusasa." She bid Baba farewell and headed for the door, stopping to give Khwezi a lollipop on her way out.
"Yima, okay ke," Bra Mike called after Ma Ruby. "I played a horse. It won. I did it for you, so I can treat you nice-nice after the bioskop tonight," Bra Mike said, following Ma Ruby out, leaving the girls laughing that he still called the cinema a 'bioskop'.
Baba had to wait two whole days after the interview before the call came saying he had got the job. The employers wanted him to come in, sign the contract, and start immediately. Lerato advised him to wait and first meet her in the centre, so she could go through the contract with him before he signed it.
Baba was grateful because half the language in there he didn't understand. She explained it over coffee. She read through all the points in the contract with him, explaining anything he didn't understand.
The next morning Baba, dressed in workman pants, a formal shirt and work boots, set off to the centre. Samke had helped him pack his lunch as his cast was still a hinderance. He couldn't wait to have it off as the itching was becoming unbearable.
"Good luck Baba," Samke gave him a hug, something she hadn't done since she was a little girl. She was proud of him. They all were.
"Wena, what are you doing today?" Baba asked.
"Sorting out my orders and checking out my stock," she said, walking to fetch her appointment book from the lounge table. "I've got more bookings for hair."
"Kulungile, sala kahle," Baba said his goodbyes and left.
Just a minute or two after he left there was a knock on the door. Samke opened it with a smile, thinking it was Baba back. But there was a man she didn't know. He wasn't smiling at all.
"Sawubona, Samke," he greeted her, as though he knew her.
"Sawubona," Samke greeted. She thought he might be one of Baba's friends.
"I'm a friend of your father. My name is Ngobese," the man said.
"Baba just left for work. Can I take a message for him?"
"Cha, I came to see you. Can I come in?"
Samke stepped aside, but left the door open. She showed him to the couch and offered tea. The man refused, saying he wasn't staying.
"I met uBaba wakho at Ma Ruby's stokvel," he explained. "I heard from him that you are renting the new container on Main Road for your hair salon – the blue one."
Samke felt her stomach sink. Why had she told uBaba about the shop? She had promised herself she wouldn't tell any of them until she was ready. But she had wanted him to be proud of her, so she had told him before he left for stokvel. She should have kept her mouth shut.
"I'm an event manager and stylist," she said, trying to sound confident.
"Your Baba told me you're a business woman. I admire that in a young person." The man wasn't smiling, but his demeanour was warm. "Lalela Samke, I would like you to give me that space for my business."
"But I just told you Baba. I am going to use it for my business."
"Have you ever owned a business? Do you know how to run one? It's not as easy as it looks," the man warned.
"I know, but mine will work."
"How will you pay for the space?"
"The business will pay. I have clients." Samke was starting to get annoyed.
"And what happens when clients dry up, even temporarily, and there's no money to float the business? What will you do then?"
"I'll manage. Thank you for your concern."
"It's not just my concern. It's Majola's too, for you, for your little one." He smiled for the first time at Khwezi.
This man was just trying to scare her. Samke was not going to give him her space.
"Bona, I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm just letting you know that it's difficult. How will you pay for the next month's rent? The business will drain money from you at least for the first year or so. Can you handle that?"
Her phone beeped and she looked at it quickly. It was a client, cancelling their appointment for tomorrow. This was not good.
"Mnumzane, Mr, I can't give you the space. I need it for the business."
"I know a friend who can help you with a space. He's a barber and has a cute little spot down Main Road. It's not far from the rank. His name is Josiah."
"I know his shop," Samke said.
"I can talk to him and he can rent you out a chair. It'll be cheaper than what you'll pay to rent the container."
Samke was quiet. Josiah was well-known, and if she had a chair in his shop that would mean regular customers. And when she wasn't doing hair, she would be doing her events.
"Think about it, but don't take too long. I need to sort out things myself. But think about it."
The man got up and tickled Khwezi under his chin to make him laugh. Then he left.
Samke needed to make some tough decisions. What the man said was sensible. She had heard this from every business person she had talked to – even Ma Ruby. But how could she just give up her shop when she was just getting started? No, she had to fight. She had to try, for Khwezi.
< previousintronext >
Thank you to Momentum Metropolitan Foundation for their sponsorship of this story, info sections, course, and competition which ended on 22 November 2019.
Disclaimer: The calculations and case studies in this publication are produced for illustration, informational and educational purposes only. The calculation/s are not intended to be used as financial or legal advice. The FunDza Literacy Trust and Momentum Metropolitan Group Ltd do not guarantee the correctness thereof, nor will either party accept any responsibility for any losses or damages resulting from reliance thereon. It is recommended to always seek professional advice from a reputable financial advisor when dealing with financial and budget matters.
One of the lessons learned is that you have to prepare for an interview, go through possible interview questions. Secondly, it is important to read with understanding the contract before signing the contract. Lastly, it is important to know that when owning a business you will have to make tough calls regarding your business in some stages.
Percy Dube · 2 months ago
Samke really need to think this through, Ma Ruby was right to mention that question, what if suddenly you don't make money what then? Samke should consider giving up the container and allow herself to start small and grow in a long term until has more clients and she is financially stable!
Abbey · 2 months ago
The man his right. Samke needs to start from the bottom and work her way up.
Seruwe · 2 months ago
I think this man was right so Samke must take his advice
Ketlogetswe · 2 months ago
Rentals can cripple the business to the ground so its advisable to cater for affordable rents
malvindb · 2 months ago


text:
Puttering around the World
Golf & Travel
Quick Pars
Golf in Europe
Golf in Turkey
Golf in Asia
Golf in Hong Kong
Golf in Taiwan
Golf in Indonesia
Golf in Malaysia
Golf in North America
Golf in Oregon
Golf in California
Golf in Oceania
Golf in New Zealand
Golf in Australia
Traveling around the World full-time with Golf Clubs
The Grampians National Park
Post author:Menekse Humphrey
Post last modified:November 28, 2022
Victoria is the second smallest state in Australia and was of interest to us for three main reasons: the Sandbelt golf courses, Melbourne, and the Great Ocean Road. We had a lot of time in Victoria which gave us the opportunity to see more than we had planned. Of course, one of the coolest cities in Australia is Victoria. Melbourne! We spent some time at the beginning of our Australia trip and pre-COVID in this fantastic and vibrant city that is also known for its coffee culture. We also visited Philip Island, Wilsons Promontory, the Bellarine Peninsula, and – an absolute must when in Australia – the Great Ocean Road! But we soon realized that the Grampians National Park is also definitely worth a visit!
Grampians National Park
When we first heard that the border to South Australia would remain closed for at least another three months, we were more than frustrated. We had already seen everything that we wanted to see in Victoria. In addition, it was cold and rainy, we were missing our families, and our savings for our world trip was becoming smaller and smaller. We wondered if we should return back to Germany. But then what? After all, we still had a few golf courses, Kangaroo Island and Perth on our bucket list! We went back and forth for a whole weekend about what we should do. And we decided to travel within Victoria for a month and then see where we stood. We still hadn't ticked off a "must" yet, so we decided to tackle that. The Grampians National Park!
Our Journey to Grampians National Park
First, we spent three nights at Lake Colac. During those three nights, we didn't even move; after the many lockdowns, we needed that time for ourselves. Time for our thoughts. And time to read a book, listen to music, and try to make plans. The lake was an excellent fit for this. The Meredith Park campground in the north of the lake is free, has very clean restrooms, and has picnic tables and fire pits. It is definitely one of the campsites we recommend! We only drove 1.5 hours, with a short stop in Colac where we stocked up on our food supplies. We didn't get far, but we like to travel stress-free and to be able to stop wherever we want.
With the intention of seeing the Grampians, we continued on. We visited the cute town of Ararat for a day and drove up to the One Hill Tree platform, which offered spectacular views of the Grampians. We were lucky because it was a clear day and we could see the impressive mountain ranges beautifully.
Before entering the Grampians National Park, which is known as "Gariwerd" in the local Aboriginal language, you can visit Bunjil's Shelter. We really wanted to see as many Aboriginal rock paintings as we could, so of course, we stopped.
Tip: before you reach the parking lot of Bunjil's Shelter, there is a single campsite on the right. It is allowed to camp here. It is free and has a fire pit and a picnic table. There is an outhouse just 100 meters away. An absolutely gorgeous quiet sleeping place in the middle of untouched nature! We saw native Eastern Grey Kangaroos here.
Parked up at the Bunjil Shelter
Aboriginal Rock Painting Excursion
If you're like us and interested in Aboriginal history, be sure to check out the rock paintings at the Grampians. We were in awe at the Aboriginal rock art in Kakadu National Park and in the Flinders Ranges. But the rock paintings in the Grampians were our first in Victoria. It was only while looking at the sites, that we learned that the Gariwerd Mountains (the Grampians) are at the heart of Aboriginal culture in Victoria. Nowhere in southern Australia can you find more rock paintings than in this area! However, only five of them are accessible. These are Bunjil's Shelter, Gulgurn Manja Shelter, Ngamadjidj Shelter, Billimina Shelter, and Manja Shelter.
Bunjil's Shelter
Bunjil's Shelter is located close to Stawell and was our first stop. From the parking lot, you arrive at the fenced shelter, or cave, in a few minutes. The short walk there is framed with large boulders, which alone are a sight in themselves.
The rocky path to Bunjil s Shelter
Bunjil s Shelter
The first Aboriginal population in the Grampians painted a picture of Bunjil. Bunjil translates as a wedge-tailed eagle. In a Dreamtime story, Bunjil is known as the creator of everything. After completing his work, he turned into an eagle and still flies today. The shelter painting of Bunjil is depicted with two dingoes, his helpers. The age of painting is unfortunately unknown.
Bunjil and his Dingos
Gulgurn Manja Shelter
Via gravel roads, you reach the Hollow Mt. car park, located in the northern part of the Grampians. From here you reach the Gulgurn Manja Shelter. The easily walkable and short path (about 1 km) to the rock painting is scenic. The beauty really opens to you when you stand in front of the rocks, which are surrounded by countless colorful plants, and endless views of the country.
Path to the Gulgurn Manja Shelter
Beautiful views at Gulgurn Manja Shelter
Gulgurn Manja translates as "hands of young people". The paintings show exactly that; many young hands of several generations are painted, but curiously only the right hand. The footprints of emus are also recognizable. Unfortunately, the meaning is unknown. However, we learned that Dreamtime stories are passed on from generation to generation in Aboriginal culture, and the knowledge resides within the community.
Gulgurn Manja Shelter Rock Paintings
Emu Tracks at Gulgurn Manja Shelter
Ngamadjidj Shelter
At Stapylton Campground there is another rock painting in the Ngamadjidj Shelter. You walk just 300 meters to this outstanding art. White figures are depicted, which is why Ngamadjidj Shelter is also called the "Cave of Ghosts". The unique feature of Ngamadjidj is that it was painted using white clay rather than the usual red pigments. Unfortunately, the age and meaning of the painting are also unknown.
Ngamadjidj Shelter White Rock Paintings
Billimina Shelter
The Billimina Shelter is accessible from the Buandik picnic area. A path, which in places is overgrown with ferns and other plants, leads to the Aboriginal shelter, 1.1 km away. This trail takes about 40 minutes and brings you to the Billimina Shelter, an overhanging rock that is covered with countless rock art. The rock paintings show thousands of horizontal, red-colored strokes. It is believed that the strokes represent the number of days spent here or the meetings that took place here. You can also see stick figures, which we found particularly exciting.
James admiring the Bilimina Rock Paintings
Bilimina Shelter
More Paintings at the Bilimina Shelter
On the way to the Billimina Shelter, there is a turnoff that leads to the Buandik waterfall.
Buandik Waterfall
Tip: After this short hike, enjoy a picnic at the tables by the parking lot. If you're lucky – like we were – you'll see kangaroos hopping by while you're eating.
The Buandik campsite is conveniently located shortly before the Buandik car park.
Citizen of the Grampians
Manja Shelter
Located a few minutes drive from the Billimina Shelter is the Manja Shelter.
The path to the Manja Shelter
Beautiful walk to the Manja Shelter
We found the Manjil Shelter to be very special, as it shows several hand paintings. First, the hand was placed on the rock and red Ochre color was put in the mouth. The Ochre was then blown onto the hand. This is how the hand paintings were made. You can also see stick figures and animal tracks at Manjil Shelter.
Rock Paintings at the Manja Shelter
Red Ochre Paintings at Manja Shelter
Manja Shelter Grampians National Park
Halls Gap – the Gateway to the Grampians
After spending the night at Bunjil's Shelter, we drove to the Grampians National Park; Halls Gap to be precise. Halls Gap is a small touristy town, with several campgrounds, ice cream parlors, and other shops. We equip ourselves with tourist guides that pick up at the Halls Gap Information Center. From there, it only takes a few minutes to drive to the Wonderland car park, where most of the hikes begin.
Having a snack at the Wonderland parking lot
Tip: In the information center you can treat yourself to a hot shower for only $3.
After studying the map that we received from the Info Center, we decide to do the Pinnacle and Balcony hikes in the next few days.
For our overnight stay, we opt for the free campsite Plantation. The campsite is reached via a gravel road about 12 km outside of Halls Gap.
The way to the free campground Plantation in the Grampians National Park
It has outhouse toilets and bucket showers. There are no trash cans or kitchens, but this simple place to stay has everything we need. Even internet reception!
Plantation Campground
Coffee at the Plantation Campground
Shower and Toilets at the Plantation Campground
Bucket Shower at the Plantation Campground
Our Pinnacle Hike
Enthusiastically, we started our first hike in the Grampians. As always when we decide to do a hike, we were little prepared but were full of zest for action. The first few meters led us over stone rocks, pierced by bushes. Just steps from the car park, the views were already spectacular. Towering rock walls piled up darkly next to us.
The start of our Pinnacles Walk
Amazed, we walked on, continuing uphill. After a while, we heard voices from other hikers, but they sounded far away. We also couldn't see any more yellow signposts that marked our route. The narrow path that we were on didn't seem like the path at the beginning. Did we take a wrong turn somewhere? Were we already lost?
Are we on the right path?
Of course, we must have gone the wrong way. We had to turn back because the bushes became more and more impenetrable, and the stone path became steeper and more dangerous. We turned around and found the right path that led us first to the Grand Canyon. There must have been a rockslide recently because the way down to the Grand Canyon was unfortunately closed.
Unfortunately, the Grand Canyon was closed
We kept walking and I knew immediately that this steep path would give me sore muscles in my shins. And I was already thirsty! We had actually forgotten our water back in our campervan! When we arrived at the parking lot, we were so excited about what was to come that we had packed our camera, but nothing else. When we saw Bridal Veils Falls, this was just the perfect place for a refreshment. We didn't drink the water but washed our faces, which was extremely refreshing.
Refreshing Bridal Veil Waterfall
Bridal Veil Falls at the Pinnacles Walk
A Long Hike
Sitting around in lockdown had not done us so well in terms of fitness, and we were already a little tired. But we were halfway to the summit. Or so we thought! We approached a couple on their way down the hike, so we stopped to chat. We learned that we still had a bit of a walk until halfway. As we walked on, I noticed that the initial enthusiasm that both of us had was beginning to wane. We walked and walked, and the path went on and on uphill. We reached a relatively flat area, and we could see the mountains and the valley below us.
Pinnacle Hike at the Grampians National Park
How beautiful it was! We could hear birds chirping and saw pretty yellow flowers blooming. We decided to sit here for a while and soak up everything on our way back. But for now, however, we had one goal in mind: the Pinnacle Lookout! We continued until we saw a sign. Silent Street!
The path narrowed drastically. In front of us, a dark corridor opened up. To our immediate left and right, dark rock walls towered up like skyscrapers next to the path.
Silent Street
Adventurer James
Playing along
In the beginning, we felt a bit queasy and had mixed feelings. But only seconds later, we found Silent Street was the best thing about this hike! We had never seen anything like it before. In the end, a vertical wooden staircase led us out of Silent Street, and it was only a few more minutes until we made it to our destination.
Going through the Silent Street
Walking in between the rocks
What a fun walk
The Pinnacle Lookout
We had made it to the Pinnacle Lookout! Our reward was a breathtaking view of the land below us, and a lake that lay dark blue in the distance.
Happy at the Pinnacle Lookout
The platform itself was built in such a way that you have virtually nothing underneath you. For me and my fear of heights, this was another test of courage, which I fortunately mastered. After all, I hadn't walked all the way up here and then not taken the last few steps onto the lookout! The breathtaking view was worth every step!
We made it to the Pinnacle Lookout
At the Pinnacle Lookout
Enjoying the Views at the Pinnacles
Happy with our achievement, we started our descent. We took a few more photos in Silent Street and listened to the beautiful sound of the birds singing as they accompanied us on our way back down. As expected, the descent was much easier and faster, even if our knees made themselves felt.
On the way back from the Pinnacle Lookout
But our decision was clear. We loved the Pinnacle Lookout hike, and even though everything hurt, we decided that tomorrow we would do our next difficult hike, The Balconies!
What a fantastic day at the Pinnacle Walk in the Grampians
The Balconies
As predicted, the next morning we woke to sore legs. Sore everything actually! We realized that the hike up to The Pinnacles was much more strenuous than walking 18 holes of golf! But we didn't want to admit to ourselves that we were suffering a little, so we set out to do our second hike: The Balconies. Powered with breakfast and coffee, we drove to the Reed parking lot and started right away. After just a few meters, we realized that this hike was nothing compared to the Pinnacles! Rather, it was a nice gentle walk in the sunshine! We walked one kilometer along the orange sandy path to the viewing platform.
Nice stroll at the Balconies
One of the Lookouts at the Balconies
Even though the way to The Balconies seemed easy compared to the previous day, the view was again absolutely spectacular! We just stood there soaking in the beautiful landscape until it was time to go back.
Views from the Balconies
Beautiful nature at the Balconies
We made it to the Balconies
MacKenzie Falls
The hike to The Balconies didn't take long. We spent over three hours in The Pinnacles, but only one hour at The Balconies. It took us about half an hour for the round trip, and we spent another half hour enjoying the view. So, we decided to go to the MacKenzie Falls. The drive from the Balconies took about twenty minutes.
There were several viewpoints at the MacKenzie Falls. We first walked to Cranage's Lookout, then to the Broken Falls Lookout.
Lookouts at the Mackenzie Falls
As we were there, we saw a sign that said that we could walk down to the pool of the waterfall. Warning, it read, 260 strenuous steps! Why not, we thought and started our descent. After all, we walked The Pinnacle Lookout way, and we were feeling like serious hikers! After a few minutes, we saw a family returning up the track. They were sweating and breathlessly joked "Enjoy the way down!" We knew exactly what they meant!
A looooong way down to the Pool of the Mackenzie Falls
Once at the bottom, a surprise was awaiting us. We saw a rainbow at the waterfall! It was beautiful to look at. We couldn't take our eyes off it and stayed for quite a while. Reluctantly, we started our way back up, which we managed slowly, and with many breaks.
Rainbow at the Mackenzie Falls
Beautiful looking rainbow at the Mackenzie Falls
Making our way back up
Some Additional Hikes
There are definitely many more hikes you can do in the Grampians. Another hike that was recommended to us is Mt. Hollow. It is said to be one of the most beautiful hikes in the Grampians. The National Park is also known for its great rock climbing.
As you can see, there is something for everyone and we highly recommend a trip to the Grampians National Park. Although we are not the biggest hikers, we really enjoyed our time in the Grampians, and don't rule out returning and tackling one or more of the other hikes!
Pinnacles Lookout Hike
Summary Links
Wilsons Promontory
Bellarine Peninsula
18 holes golf – Quick Pars
The best sights in Torquay
Philip Island
Sightseeing in Melbourne
Coffee culture in Melbourne
Admiring Rock Paintings at the Grampians National Park
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JEN WURSTHORN 10 Nov 2021 Reply
Thank you for taking us on such a beautiful journey and sharing amazing pictures and facial expressions with us. Feels like I am there with you..
Puttering around the World 15 Dec 2021 Reply
Thank you so much Jen! We had to take the pictures of our facial expressions just for you 😉
Thank you for traveling with us!
James and Menekse
Copyright 2023-Puttering around the World


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Home » Research » Growth, Macro, Trade, and Economic Policy » Trade » Studies
Study on India's Trade Preference Scheme for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Africa
This study aims to provide a simulation analysis of the trade preference scheme specified by India to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Africa on the basis of plausible alternative scenarios for an enhanced and expanded duty-free scheme, and to produce a report, written in a style accessible to a non-technical audience, with appropriate recommendations.
Enhancing the Scope and Quality of Indian FDI Statistics
This study is targeted at bringing the focus of high-level policy attention on the urgent need to revamp India's FDI statistical system for an accurate view of Foreign Direct Investment inflows a / outflows and their impact.
Study of the Impact of Parallel Imports of Books, Films/ Music, and Software on the Indian Economy with Special Reference to Students
The Indian Copyright Act (1957) prohibits parallel imports of books, films/music and software. The copyright (Amendment) Bill 2010 seeks to insert the following proviso to section 2 of the IPA (1957): "provided that a copy of a work published in any country outside India with the permission of the author of the work and imported from that country into India shall not be deemed to be an infringing copy". The study undertook cost-benefit analysis for producers and consumers of these products as a consequence of parallel imports being allowed in India.
South Asian Perspective on South-South Cooperation
The key objectives of this study are to bring about conceptual clarity by demystifying South-South Cooperation (SSC) in terms of its context, objectives, scope and policy framework. The study will explore the practicalities of SSC in South Asia by assessing their modalities and instruments and their effectiveness. Specific experiences of SSC through empirical evidence and case studies will be revisited and will consider how existing cooperation frameworks support learn from and build on these experiences. Another important aspect of the study is to contribute to the first Ministerial meeting of the Global Partnership on Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) in Mexico.


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#46 - Who Killed Freddie Mills? Part One Murder Mile UK True Crime
On Sunday 25th July 1965, in Goslett Yard in Soho; world champion light-heavyweight boxer, film star and club-owner Freddie Mills was found dead, shot in the head. But was it a suicide, or murder? This is part one of a two-part episode.
Nominated one of the BEST BRITISH TRUE CRIME PODCASTS of 2018, Murder Mile is a true-crime podcast and audio-guided walk of 300+ untold, unsolved and long-forgotten murder cases, all set within one square mile of the West End. Each episode is accompanied by photos, videos and an interactive murder map, so that no matter where you're listening to this podcast, you'll feel like you're actually there. https://www.murdermiletours.com/podcast.html
Murder Mile is researched, written and performed by Michael J Buchanan-Dunne of Murder Mile Walks with music written and performed by Erik Stein and Jon Boux of Cult With No Name with additional music by Kai Engel, Josh Woodward, Philip Weigl, Steve Combs and Seclorance, as used under the Creative Commons License 4.0 (Attribution) via Free Music Archive. A full listing of tracks used and sources for each episode is listed here.
Warning: Murder Mile contains graphic descriptions of murder as well as very realistic sounds which some listeners may find shocking. Thank you and enjoy the episode.
Murder Mile Discussion Group
For a transcript of each episode, click here.
If you'd like to sign-up for exclusive Murder Mile content, check out our Patreon Page by CLICKING HERE.
And for OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE, please visit the Murder Mile Shop. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy
Michael J Buchanan-Dunne
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A Vision from Our Youth: We Built this City!
Poised yet enthusiastic, the newly elected mayor steps up to the podium and addresses the crowd gathered for Seaside City's ribbon cutting ceremony. After days of tireless exploring, brainstorming, developing, lots of fun, and a little campaigning, she promises to keep the city clean with "garbage cans and recycling bins on every block," along with two free cookies when visiting camp.
Mayor Charlie Harrod, age 10, has just completed the City Builders summer camp. The program is jointly sponsored by the Museum of History, the Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association (HONNA), Pinellas County Schools, and St. Petersburg Preservation, and is now in its third year. In the span of just one week, she along with a group of other creative 9-13-year-olds, toured the city by car and on foot; learned about the history, art, and architecture of St. Pete; heard from prominent city officials; and created their very own city, ground up from cardboard boxes, construction paper, and various other items allowing their creativity to flourish.
The remainder of the week was similarly dynamic. They went to City Hall and heard City Councilwoman Lisa Wheeler-Bowman discuss the important public buildings. Sports and leisure visits included the historic shuffleboard by Christine Page. A lesson in the tourist industry took place at the Vinoy, paired with a discussion led by Derek Donnelly, one of the founders of the St. Pete Mural scene. On the final day, they heard about the importance of recycling from City Councilwoman Darden Rice and were given a miniature recycling bin.
"In today's age, so much of what kids do is online. Here, we basically say, 'Let's put it all away', and it has worked. In this program, they get to see something from start to completion," Mormino says. After each tour and speaker visit, Jenna Tice gathered the group to review the highlights of the day. She summarizes their thoughts in bright-colored markers on a paper tablet and easel.
Tice teaches 5th grade math and science at Belleair Elementary. She explains, "I ask questions to help guide them, and they take it from there. They each have a stake in the city." Tice has also been involved all three years. "It's great – a break from the rigors of teaching during the school year. It's artistic and creative. I love this camp!" The kids adore Jenna. Working on finishing touches on the city, Leland Kilborn asks Tice where he should put the remaining solar panels. She responds, "Let's take a look, which buildings do you think need solar panels?" He runs off and locates buildings and decides on a few. Mission accomplished.
Sprinkled across Seaside City are highlights of what the kids saw or heard during the week. Each year, the kids integrate new concepts. Reed comments, "They feed off of each others' ideas. This is the first year we've had wind power; the first year with solar panels on the buildings. From year to year, none of the cities are the same. It's like a puzzle they have to organize, with the layout underneath." Seaside City is replete with a hospital, schools, arcade, amphitheater, and veterinarian. They also designed the city with the majority of residences located along the water.
Mormino notes, "We try to get them to think about different modes of transportation. Each year, I'm always amazed at the different kinds of techniques they use." She points to the airport and the clever pipe-cleaner Segway design. Last year, the group decided on a train station.
Mid-week, the group visited City Hall and decided their city needed a mayor. Charlie explains, "We had a speech we did, and then everybody voted for somebody, but we couldn't vote for ourselves." Her theme? "I promised that there would be no more littering, so our city would be all clean!" And so she was elected mayor. But it takes more than just a mayor to run this city. Seaside City has its directors for zoning, power, parks and recreation, and even an art curator.
A veteran of the City Builders Camp, Sam Phrasavath, is in his second year. At 12, he is also the oldest in the group, and helps keep the others grounded and focused. "All of us decided on the buildings we needed, as a group, and I made some buildings that needed to keep this city running… buildings a proper city would need. He created the post office (a favorite), museum, condominiums, and a recycling building. His post office was thoughtfully designed using two buildings to sort the flow incoming and outgoing mail.
"My role in the city is as art curator. I place art all around the city. Art in the city makes it more vibrant and gives it a story. Gives it character. I made murals on the coffee shop, post office, and arcade." When asked if he might pursue a field in the arts when he gets older, he replied, "I don't know what to do when I grow up, but I really like art." He has some time to decide as he will be entering the 7th grade at Thurgood Marshall.
The week concluded with the unveiling of their city. After introductions by Mayor Charlie Harrod, each member of the city builder team spoke.
Mormino adds, "It makes them realize a sense of place, a sense of what kinds of things you want your city to represent. We know our city is very important, but we also want our city to represent the future. I'm very proud of them – it makes them focus." After the ribbon is cut, the kids teeming with excitement, run to their parents and eagerly show them Seaside City. They carefully point out each of their contributions. This group of young, smart, and creative minds, brings the possibilities for our city to new heights!


The setting up of Foreign Banks in India has been started during 1850s by Britishers and the oldest among them were Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC which started their operations in India in 1858 and 1853 respectively. Foreign Bank is a bank of some other country which invests in India by opening its office here and grows its customer base. Currently, the Standard Chartered Bank is the largest among all the foreign banks present in India having around 100 branches in all major cities of India. .
Foreign banks have introduced many latest technologies and innovations in our banking system in India that have made the functioning very customer friendly and smooth. They have helped our banking system to become more competitive and more efficient. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the regulator of these banks and makes all the policies related to their operations in India. Currently India has total 46 foreign banks in India.
Find IFSC codes, SWIFT codes, MICR codes and all branches of foreign banks in India. You can also find IFSC, SWIFT, MICR code for any branch of any bank to make a NEFT payment or RTGS payment. Also, find ATM and branch location near by you with branch contact information.
You can explore more about their branches, IFSC, MICR code etc with the help of different links given below, list of foreign banks in India IFSC, MICR codes. All foreign banks operating branches in different states of india. Currently total 325 branches are present in India.


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Dinglederper
Home/Celebrities/Who is Dinglederper? Wiki, age, boyfriend, net worth, family, Bio
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Who is Dinglederper? Wiki, age, boyfriend, net worth, family, Bio
1 Who is Dinglederper?
2 The Riches of Dinglederper
3 Early Life and Online Beginnings
4 Online Content
5 Streaming and Other Projects
6 Personal Life and Social Media
Who is Dinglederper?
Tory Weeks was born on 18 August 1994, in New Jersey, USA. She is a YouTube personality, social media star, Twitch streamer, and model, best known for initially gaining a huge amount of fame through her YouTube channel under her pseudonym Dinglederper, on which she posts videos on games such as "Forntnite: Battle Royale".
Live on twitch!
A post shared by TORY TORY (@dinglederper) on Jul 17, 2019 at 11:26am PDT
The Riches of Dinglederper
How rich is Dinglederper? As of mid-2019, sources inform us of a net worth that is over $250,000, earned through success in her various online endeavors. Her online fame has gained her numerous opportunities, including sponsorships and partnerships with several high profile companies. As she continues her career, it is expected that her wealth will also continue to increase.
Early Life and Online Beginnings
There is very limited information about Dinglederper's life before her rise to fame online as she has not shared a lot of detail regarding her family, childhood, and education. At a young age she played a lot of video games, and developed a strong affinity with them. While attending college, she decided that she would try uploading her own content through YouTube, as it was becoming a great platform for gamers like her to earn income.
Content creators can earn income on YouTube through advertising revenue provided by the Google AdSense program. The website has become highly popular, and is one of the biggest sources of online videos on the internet. Its fame has even attracted corporations and companies who have also invested in a presence on the website, for exposure as well as additional income. Some of the videos which can be seen on the website include video clips, movie trailers, live streams, educational videos, and many more. The website was founded by three former PayPal employees, before it was bought by Google for $1.65 billion.
When Dingle's channel started, she posted various types of videos without much of a focus, including of her dancing and also playing the game "Starcraft". Eventually her popularity grew as she began playing the game "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" (CS: GO). It is an online multi-player first-person shooter developed by Valve Corporation, and the fourth in the "Counter-Strike" series. The game has players join a team of terrorists or counter-terrorists, each with its own goal of either eliminating the team or completing separate objectives. They do so for a series of rounds until one is declared the winner.
Living with a german shepherd….. pic.twitter.com/b9EcUismsx
— dinglederper (@Dinglederper) July 17, 2019
The game has received a lot of positive reviews for its gameplay, and faithfulness to its predecessors. It has drawn in at least 11 million players on a monthly basis, with the game recently switching to a free-to-play model. Eventually, as her interest in the game died down, she decided to do more vlog content, but she also played a lot of other video games, including "Grand Theft Auto V" and "League of Legends".
Streaming and Other Projects
Eventually Dinglederper decided to pursue another lucrative means of online income, which is highly popular among gamers and gaming YouTube personalities. She began streaming on the website Twitch, which is one of the most popular streaming platforms online, and the hub of eSports competition broadcasts. Recently, the platform has been implementing chatting streams or in-real-life streams which she has also taken advantage of. The website has over a million average in concurrent users, while 15 million use the website on a daily basis. They also have over 2.2 million broadcasters active on it monthly.
In recent months, she's been playing a lot of the video game "Fortnite Battle Royale", which was released by Epic Games in 2017. Like most games of the battle royale genre, 100 players land on an island, try to obtain items to fight other players, and so become the last person standing. It was created as a spin-off of "Fornite: Save the World" and as a response to the increasing popularity of the battle royale genre. It has become a successful endeavor for the developers, drawing in over 125 million players in less than a year, and bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars each month.
Personal Life and Social Media
For her personal life, it is known that Dinglederper was previously in a relationship with James Varga, also known as PhantomL0rd. The two often collaborated on content together during their relationship. Since then, she has not been reported as dating anyone new, with no sign of her having a relationship on social media. According to her, she mainly resides in Las Vegas, though at times visits her home town in New Jersey. She is a dog lover, and owns three dogs, and also loves spending time outdoors, often travelling to resorts, beaches, parties, and other events.
In St Thomas this week ! 🙂 hope you guys are having a great summer so far and surrounding yourself with positive people.
Posted by Dinglederper on Saturday, June 24, 2017
Similar to numerous YouTube and Twitch personalities, she is highly active online through accounts on social media. She has an account on Instagram on which she has over 112,000 followers, and uses the platform to post personal photos, showcasing a bit of her lifestyle. She enjoys wearing clothes that showcase her body as she spends a lot of time developing it at the gym. She has a Twitter account which she uses to share updates with her followers and promote her streaming content, as well as to promote several advocacies she supports. She has 231 patrons on the website Patreon, a subscription service which allows her to gain support from fans directly, with her providing exclusive content for them.
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William Hutchinson Murray (18 March 1913 – 19 March 1996) was a mountain climber and Scottish author.
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!"
Concerning all acts of initiative and creation there is one elementary truth — that the moment one definitely commits oneself then divine providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred and which no man could have dreamed would have come their way.


This is an important book for any family who has a child. Water safety is a necessary precaution as any family who has lost a child to drowning well knows. Written by a mother who lost her precious daughter, Vahnessa Estien, tells of her son Michael's journey of learning to swim. Not an easy thing for a young child. But Michael perseveres and learns the rewards of feeling safe in the water and what fun he can have.
Thank you Parents ! Just Swim has been named Best Swim Instruction in Broward County!
A couple of weeks after Vahnessa Estien's two young sons began swim classes, she revealed to instructor Jeff Gershe a secret that drove them both to tears: Her daughter Soleila drowned in a pool when she was just 2.
"We had the good fortune to have two more children," said Estien, 34, of Hollywood. "So I told Jeff, we are doing what I should have done with my daughter. I don't want history to repeat itself."
Neither does Toni Rodriquez, who lost her 1-year-old daughter to drowning in 2011.
"You don't want to walk my journey," Rodriquez said. She also has two children taking classes at Gershe's Just Swim in Cooper City.
The two mothers who both know a profound sense of loss are sharing their stories of grief as the Memorial Day weekend signals the start of swimming season.
We are excited to start our Spring Session on March 28th. This will be an 11 week Session. We will be offering all levels of classes. Parent and tot classes are also available and are filling up quickly. Please contact us today to help schedule your class.
Just Swim is honored to be part of the Safer3 Water Safety Foundation's Public Service Announcement Videos. These videos will be seen in doctors' offices, medical clinics , and hospitals throughout the U.S. These videos urge viewers to focus on the three common elements of drowning: water, people, and response. Families our Just Swim Swim School participated in the making of these water safety videos. We thank our families that helped in the making of these important videos. We hope by educating the public in water safety we can make everyone SafeR in and around the water. This video focuses on creating a safer water experience while in pools & spas.
Our Spring Session for 2015 will begin March 31st and swim for 9 weeks.
Open enrollment will begin March 16th. If you are currently not in classes, register now to be added to our wait list for scheduling opportunities for the Spring Session. Class will fill up quickly. Current swimmers now have the opportunity for auto-re-enrollment. Contact us for details.
The Boy Who Could Swim Book Launch Event.
A wonderful evening and opportunity to learn more about the book, and gathering with other children's book lovers and enjoy complimentary Hors' Doeuvres and entertainment. Book signing to immediately follow.
Join us as we celebrate the release of Vahnessa's first book. We look forward to seeing you there!
This is an important book for any family who has a child. Water safety is a necessary precaution as any family who has lost a child to drowning well knows. Written by a mother who lost her precious daughter, Vahnessa Estien, tells of her son Michael's journey of learning to swim. Not an easy thing for a young child. But Michael perseveres and learns the rewards of feeling safe in the water and what fun he can have.
Just Swim has been named Best Swim Instruction in Broward County!
A couple of weeks after Vahnessa Estien's two young sons began swim classes, she revealed to instructor Jeff Gershe a secret that drove them both to tears: Her daughter Soleila drowned in a pool when she was just 2.
"You don't want to walk my journey," Rodriquez said. She also has two children taking classes at Gershe's Just Swim in Cooper City.
© 2019 Just Swim Swim School.


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Bangladesh's first official visa application center launched in Kolkata
Own representative, Dhaka, December 15: The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata has announced to launch the first Official Visa Application Center (VAC) in Kolkata soon to mark the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the glorious year of digitalisation in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh's first official visa application center launched in Kolkata Wed, Dec 15 2021