It was an evening to savour at the Olympic Stadium. At 20h00, the starting gun sounded for the final of the men's 800m – the cue for David Rudisha to claim centre stage. The Kenyan produced one of the most spectacular performances of the entire Games, leading from the start, then turning on the pace from the second lap, before sprinting into the finish to win gold in a new world record time of 1.40.91, an achievement that saw the stadium erupt into peals of thunderous applause from an appreciative crowd. Botswana's Nigel Amos crossed the line in second place in 1:41.73, a new junior world record, while Rudisha's team-mate Timothy Kitum claimed bronze in 1:42.53.
Rudisha was always going to be a hard act to follow, but if there was one man who was guaranteed to raise the decibel levels further still it was Usain Bolt. At 20h55 the Jamaican became the first sprinter in history to repeat the 100m-200m double at two editions of the Games. His time of 19.32 matched the one that Michael Johnson ran at Atlanta 1996 to set what was then a new record. And to complete a proud night for Jamaica, Bolt was joined on the podium by his two compatriots Yohan Blake (19.44) and Warren Weir (19.84) for a unique one-two-three.
In the women's javelin, the Czech Republic's Barbora Spotakova managed to retain her title thanks to a magnificent throw of 69.55m with her fourth attempt. She was flanked on the podium by German pair Christina Obergföll (65.16m) and Linda Stahl (64.91m).
There was an American one-two in the men's triple jump, as Christian Taylor produced a leap of 17.81m with his third attempt to take the gold, and was joined on the podium by compatriot Will Claye who also produced his best distance.17.62m, with his fourth effort. Italy's Fabrizio Donato took the bronze with a leap of 17.38m.
Beaten in a penalty shoot-out by Japan in the final of the 2011 Women's World Cup, the USA women's team exacted their revenge in the Olympic final, to take a third consecutive title, and the fourth in all. Carli Lloyd scored early in each half to hand the defending champions a 2-1 victory, with Japan's consolation goal coming from Yuki Ogimi just after the hour mark. That meant that the USA's women have won all but one of the titles since women's football was first introduced at Atlanta 1996... In the third-place match, Canada's Diana Matheson scored in the last minute of normal time to defeat France 1-0 and secure the bronze.
The US women's water polo team followed the lead of their footballing team-mates to claim a first ever gold, defeating Spain 8-5 thanks to five goals from Maggie Steffens and a superb performance from keeper Betsey Armstrong. Meanwhile, Australia eventually overcame Hungary 13-11 after extra time to clinch the bronze.
Great Britain's Nicola Adams will forever be remembered as women boxing's first Olympic champion. The flyweight (-51kg) contested the first of the three women's finals at the ExCeL, against China's Ren Cancan, securing a resounding 16-7 points victory. Next up, it was the turn of the lightweight category (-60kg), in which Ireland's Katie Taylor edged a tight contest with Sofya Ochigava of Russia by a score of 10-8.. Finally, in the middleweight category (-75kg), the 17-year old American Claressa Shields defeated an opponent almost twice her age, 33-year old Russian Nadezhda Torlopova, by an impressive 19-12 scoreline.
Having already contributed to gold for the host nation in the team dressage, Charlotte Dujardin, on her mount Valegro, turned on the style once again to wow the Greenwich Park public with her Grand Prix Freestyle routine which helped her clinch the individual title. The Netherlands' Adelinde Cornelissen (on Parzival) secured the silver, while Dujardin's team-mate, Laura Bechtolsheimer (on Mistral Hojris) added a bronze to the gold she had won in the team event.
Jade Jones made history by winning Great Britain's first ever taekwondo gold in the final of the women's 49-57kg competition. Nicknamed "the Headhunter" due to her penchant for delivering high kicks at her opponents, the Briton was too strong for China's Hou Yuzhou, earning a 6-4 victory to top the podium. She was joined by France's Marlène Harnois (silver) and Tseng Li-Cheng of Chinese Taipei (bronze). In the men's competition, Turkey's Servet Tazegül outfought Iran's Mohammed Bagheri Motamed 6-5 in the final of the 58-68kg weight category, leaving American Terrence Jennings and Afghanistan's Rohullah Nikpai to share the third step of the podium. Nikpai, who also won bronze at Beijing 2008, retained his status as the only Afghan medallist at the Olympic Games.
Just as she did as a 15-year old Olympic debutant at Beijing 2008, where she won both the synchronised high board (with Wang Xin) and the women's individual event, China's Chen Ruolin secured double diving gold in London. Having partnered Wang Hao to glory in the synchronised event, she then defended her title in the individual 10m platform to add to China's success at the Aquatics Centre. Chen top scored with each of her five dives in the final, just as she had done throughout the competition. Her consistently brilliant execution enabled her to take gold with an incredible total of 422.30, well clear of second-placed Brittany Broben of Australia, who notched 366.50 and bronze medallist Malaysia's Pandelela Rinong on 359.20.
Down on Horse Guards Parade, German duo Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann produced one of the upsets of the Games as they became the first ever European combo to win an Olympic beach volleyball tournament. In the final they took just over an hour to put pay to the ambitions of hot favourites Alison Cerutti and Emanuel Rego of Brazil by two sets to one Latvia's Martins Plavins and Janis Smedins claimed the bronze, overcoming Dutch duo Reinder Nummerdor and Richard Schuil by the same scoreline in the third-place.
Having competed in the 400m, 800m and 4x100m relay, Hungary's ÉvaRisztov switched from the pool to the majestic setting of the Hyde Park's Serpentine lake, in central London, for the women's 10km marathon. The versatile Hungarian, who a decade earlier had enjoyed considerable success over the shorter distances – winning six European titles in a variety of disciplines and three silvers at the 2003 Worlds in Barcelona, returned from a four-year absence in 2009 to reinvent herself as an open water specialist. And in London she surged to victory in the marathon in a time of 1h57:38.2, just four hundredths of a second ahead of USA's Haley Anderson, while Italy's Martina Grimaldi came in just over three seconds later, to claim bronze.
At the ExCeL, Saori Yoshida overcame Russia's Valeria Zholobova in two rounds to clinch the 48-55kg title in the women's freestyle wrestling, taking Japan's tally in the discipline to three out of a possible four gold medals. Colombia's Jackeline Renteria and Azerbaijani Yuliya Ratkevich each claimed a bronze. Russia fared better in the 63-72kg category, where Natalia Vorobieva secured the gold in categorical fashion, scoring a fall against her Bulgarian opponent. Kazakhstan's Guzel Manyurova and Spaniard Maider Unda completed the podium line-up.
German kayak duo Peter Kretschmer and Kurt Kuschela swept to victory in the final of the men's K-2 500m at Eton Dorney. They crossed the finish line almost two seconds ahead of Belarusian brothers Andrei and Aliaksandr Bahdanovich, who in turn finished well clear of third-placed Alexey Korovashkov and Ilya Pervukhin of Russia. The final of, the K-4 1000m was a much tighter affair, in which the Australian quartet of Tate Smith, Dave Smith, Murray Stewart and Jacob Clear clinched victory, a mere 5/100th of a second ahead of the Hungarian kayak, who in turn crossed the finish line with a fractional advantage over the Czech crew. The day after her victory in the women's K-4 500m, Hungary's Danuta Kozák went solo to claim her second gold in the K-1 1,500. She finished over a second ahead of Ukrainian Inna Osypenko, who in turn saw off South Africa's Bridgette Hartley in the battle for silver. The last final of the day saw German pair Franziska Weber and Tina Dietze win gold in the women's K-2,500m, fending off the challenge of Hungarian pair Katalin Kovacs and Nataša Dušev-Janić and Poland's Karolina Naja and Beata Mikolajczyk.
Spearheaded by Tina Charles and Dana Taurasi, the USA justified their favouritism in the women's basketball, with a comfortable 86-73 victory in their semi-final against Australia, to keep them on track for a fifth consecutive Olympic gold. While that result was fully expected, and extended their unbeaten run at the Games to an incredible 40 matches, France's 81-64 triumph over the much fancied Russians in the other semi, inspired by their captain Céline Dumerc, was a major surprise.


Should have given a "mascara alert." You are so magical Alyssa. That must be why my heart smiles when we're together. Could not be more proud of you.
Not because you overcame it.
I also suffer with depression and anxiety and panic attacks. I have been on medication for 22 years and it has very much improved my life and mindset. In 2016 my sister passed away. We were only 1 year and 4 months difference in age. We grew up at the same re and helped each through difficult times. I miss her madly. My mother passed last year, 2017. I was with her when she took her last breath. I cannot even begin to express how empty I feel inside. So many times I go to call her just to remember she is gone. My Heart breaks every day and I struggle to find peace . I don't know where to go from here or what to do with this love in my heart I gave to them my whole life. I'm so very lost…..
First, may I offer my deepest sympathies for your loss and the pain that has come with it? I can only imagine the utter heartache you feel right now.
Would you consider talking to a counselor? (I am a HUGE fan of counseling, and my life has been made better for having gone.) Also, many churches have a program called Grief Share that is phenomenal in walking folks through the pain of loss.
I know you feel lost; you deserve to be found and enjoy a vibrant, fulfilling life. Don't give up until it is yours!


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Mercedes amplifies the electric van market with 250-mile, eight-seat EQV
By C.C. Weiss
Mercedes amplifies the electri...
The EQV debuts as a capable, 250-mile all-electric van for business and private use
The EQV becomes the second official member of the all-electric EQ production vehicle family
Mercedes gives its EQV a more singular front-end design than its ICE-powered V-Class vans, blending headlights and grille into one shape
The EQV rides on 18-in lightweight EQ wheels
Mercedes presented the EQV as a concept back in March, quickly following up with the production-ready version
Distinguishing points between the concept and production EQVs include the V-Class-derived bumper design and production wheels
The EQV powers up in around 10 hours using Mercedes' Wallbox Home
Inside, the MBUX infotainment system with voice control serves as a focal point of the cockpit
With the battery integrated away in the floor, the EQV offers a flexible, spacious cabin that can be set up in a variety of ways
An EQ-specific menu offers information about the electric drive and charging
The EQV is the first EQ-family van, but it follows the eSprinter and eVito vans to market
Mercedes hosted the world premiere of the EQV in Germany on Tuesday
The EQV will be manufactured in Vitoria, Spain, along with the V-Class and Vito vans
Mercedes-Benz EQV taillights
World premiere of the Mercedes-Benz EQV
Head of Mercedes eDrive Vans Benjamin Kaehler speaks at the EQV world premiere
The EQV has an estimated range of 253 miles and an estimated top speed of 99 mph
The charging port is integrated in the front-end, as part of the front-mounted electric drive
Mercedes EQV sketch
Mercedes-Benz EQV
Charging up the Mercedes EQV
If you would have guessed a few years ago which major German automaker would be first out of the gate to develop a ground-up electric passenger van, the obvious answer would have been Volkswagen. But Mercedes-Benz snuck in earlier this year with the Concept EQV and promised to ready it before year-end. The production EQV debuted this week makes good on that promise, offering zero emissions driving for up to 250 miles (405 km) per charge. It'll be available in two different wheelbase lengths with up to eight seats.
The EQV isn't Mercedes' first electric van, following the eSprinter and eVito commercial vans to market. It is, however, the first all-electric MPV that will count both commercial and private car buyers among its customers. It's also the first van and second member overall in the young EQ lineup, following the EQC SUV that debuted a year ago.
Available in both 202- and 211-in (514- and 537-cm) lengths, the EQV looks very much like it did as a Geneva Motor Show concept back in March. Up front, it shares the unified grille/headlamp layout with the Concept EQV and EQC, although the headlamp design has been toned down. The front bumper design has also been reworked to better assimilate into the greater V-Class line.
Save for 18-in EQ lightweight wheels in place of multi-colored concept wheels, the EQV's profile remains largely the same as the Concept. The rear-end gets cleaned up and badged for production but still includes triple-bar taillights.
The beating heart of the EQV is packaged around the front axle, a 201-hp motor driving the front wheels under power from the 90-kWh battery mounted in the floor. The EQV finds itself with a few extra miles of range over the Concept, offering a 253 miles (405 km) in a provisional estimate that still needs to be shored up into a proper brochure-ready spec. The EQV can dial the speedometer up to 99 mph (160 km/h).
When using a Mercedes-Benz Wallbox Home or a basic public charging station, the EQV battery charges in under 10 hours via the onboard water-cooled 11-kW charger. Those looking to quicken things on the move can wire up to a CCS-standard DC fast charger and leap from 10 to 80 percent full in about 45 minutes. The EQV will come with access to more than 300,000 charging stations in the Mercedes me Charge global network, including IONITY fast charging around Europe. Me Charge includes an integrated payment system with invoicing.
Between charges, the EQV's battery recuperation system helps to squeeze out every last mile. Recuperation strength is manually adjustable via a pair of steering column paddles, and an automatic adjustment mode compounds GPS data, road sign information and inputs from the radar and camera sensors to continuously adjust the recuperation level for the most efficient ride.
With the battery integrated into the floor, the EQV interior remains as open and flexible as you'd expect from a V-Class. The van will be offered in various configurations, including a six-seat businesslike configuration with vis-a-vis rear seating and two-bench family configuration with eight seats. The 10-in MBUX infotainment system includes voice control and a special EQ menu for EV-related content like charging current and energy flow statistics.
Sadly, as hard as we'll be crossing our fingers, it seems entirely implausible that Mercedes will expand the EQV lineup with a Marco Polo EQV camper van in time for this month's Düsseldorf Caravan Salon. We'll still be keeping our eyes open at Mercedes Düsseldorf booth, but more likely we'll get our first look at the EQV van at its public premiere next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The EQV will be manufactured alongside the V-Class and Vito vans in Vitoria, Spain.
AutomotiveVanVolkswagenNew Atlas Audio
C.C. Weiss
Chris joined the New Atlas team in 2011 and now serves as the automotive and campers editor, traveling extensively to gather the latest news on cars, outdoor sports gear and other innovations designed to help people experience and enjoy the greater world around them.
Gannet August 27, 2019 05:10 AM
Bring it on!! Very keen to be a green/grey nomad.
Small, slick French camper van is the bivy of van life
Mercedes stretches door to door with massive Hyperscreen
Sono Motors drives latest Sion solar EV prototype into CES 2021
GM's electrified delivery arm to launch e-vans and motorized pallets

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


At Peterhead Flowers we only use the freshest flowers in our beautiful hand tied bouquets, because we want everything we create to be of the highest standard possible. Our dedicated Florists in Peterhead create stunning hand tied bouquets for every occasion, whether it is a birthday, anniversary, congratulations, thank you or just to treat someone special. We have a wide range of flowers to choose from and pride ourselves on the variety we have available, so you are sure to find something that is perfect to suit your recipient and the occasion. Flowers Peterhead have a wonderful selection of different designs and styles on our website, but if you cannot find what you are looking for, or if you would like something a bit more personal and unique then we can make up a hand tied bouquet exactly to your specifications. You can decide the size, colour and variety of your flowers, and our expert Florists will be on hand to advise you of what flowers are in season. If your loved one has a favourite flower or colour then we can make up a hand tied bouquet to include these so that your recipient will know just how much you care. Our Peterhead Florists make everything to order so that it is fresh and vibrant, and they have a true passion for flowers and artistic flair that will shine through and really give your hand tied bouquet the WOW factor. To guarantee the amazing quality and freshness of all of our flowers we import them directly from their site of cultivation in Holland. Dutch flowers truly are the best available and we want to ensure that everything we make is exquisite and leaves our customers completely satisfied. By using the freshest flowers we can guarantee that our hand tied bouquets will last longer so that your recipient can enjoy their flowers for as long as possible.
Our customers are our top priority here at Peterhead Flowers and we want you to be delighted with everything that you order from us and with our service. We offer a delivery service so that you can send beautiful flowers to your friends and loved ones from the comfort of your own home. This service is fantastic if you are busy and do not have time to shop about for a gift; you can buy everything that you need to treat that special someone all from Peterhead Florists and we will deliver it straight to their door. We have a wide array of gifts that can be delivered with your flowers that will make the order extra special, or can even be sent by themselves. We have chocolates, balloons, teddies, champagnes and wines, gift sets and fruit baskets for your friends who are feeling under the weather, so you are sure to find something to suit the event or occasions perfectly and bring a smile to your recipients face. We deliver 6 days a week throughout the UK, and our delivery service even extends to 140 countries overseas so that you can celebrate with your friends no matter where they are. We want to make it as convenient as possible for you, so just supply us with an address and we will sort the rest. You can specify exactly where and when you wish your gifts to be delivered, so you can sit back and relax. We are also delighted to offer Same Day delivery, for those unexpected occasions or if you have forgotten to order in advance, all we ask is that you place the order before 3pm so that our wonderful florists in Peterhead have enough time to ensure your order receives the care and attention that it needs and to allow our delivery drivers plenty of time to deliver your gifts in a careful manner, so that your flowers and gifts are in top condition when they are received. If you would like to place an order with Peterhead Flowers or if you have any questions or queries then please do not hesitate to contact us via phone or email and one of our team will be happy to help in any way that they can.


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Tristach è un comune austriaco di 1 386 abitanti nel distretto di Lienz, in Tirolo. All'interno del territorio comunale si trova il Tristacher See, un piccolo lago.

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Comuni del distretto di Lienz

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


CaptoSensor is a wireless motion sensor for video games, virtual reality and smart devices that transforms intuitive human body movements into digital outputs or control commands.
CaptoSensor is part of CaptoGlove technology. It is the core of human body's movements detection and translate these movements into digital commands for smart devices. CaptoSensor can send inputs to connected devices (such as PCs, VR Headsets, Smart Home, Internet of Things, iOS/Android Phones and Tablets, etc) to interact and control them faster, more naturally and effectively.
The most popular uses for CaptoSensor are in combination with a CaptoGlove to enable onek's arm motion tracking to be used in video games, PCs, mobile phones, tablets and smart home devices, as well as a healthcare rehabilitation and professional training tool (for instance, to enable simulators to read and analyze user's movements). CaptoSensor can be potentially applied to any part of the body and thanks to the powerful CaptoGlove's Suite it can be customized for any kind of experience.
10 head connectors that can be used with CaptoGlove's finger sensors.
Advanced CaptoGlove Suite for multiple gestures assignment on each of the 10 DoF and finger movements.
CaptoSensor comes with a suite of customization software that is already avialable for PCs and will be available in March 2018 for iOS & Android. SDKs for Unity3D and Unreal 4 will also be available in January.


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Su Tangshi
The Endless Beauty of the Forbidden City
Standing in the heart of Beijing for over six centuries, the Forbidden City is a cultural beacon for the entire Chinese nation. Solemn, magnificent, and full of cultural significance, the Forbidden City represents the ups and downs of history with its graceful and elegant red. In the eyes of Su Tangshi, a photographer who focuses on ancient architecture, the beauty of the Imperial Palace can be found around every corner, even from seemingly normal perspectives, where views are formed by shadows, bricks, buildings, and colors without excessive decorations.
CAMERA: X1D II 50C
LENS: XCD 4/21
In the past, the palace was an imperial residence, a political center, an embodiment of supreme power, and a witness of radical change throughout history and time. Most of all, though, it is a gem of the nation's wisdom and culture. As one of the world's largest and most well-preserved palace complexes, the Forbidden City has been standing for more than 600 years. Today, it stands as [an example of] cultural heritage for the entire human race, inspiring awe in visitors from all over the world. It also has a new name: The Palace Museum.
At the end of 2013, I visited the Palace Museum by chance and have been mesmerized ever since. Over the past six years, I have traveled all the way from my hometown to Beijing, visiting the palace more than 40 times to capture it during all four seasons, compiling my images into a photography book titled Insight, a Different Palace Museum.
I never got tired of capturing the Palace Museum. My latest visit took place during the winter of 2019, and this time I brought along a Hasselblad X1D II 50C.
LENS: XCD 2,8/135
It is never easy to capture the best of the Palace Museum, especially considering how many visitors are often there. The palace remains a popular tourist destination all year long, and visits only decline slightly during winter, which is the best time for shooting. If you can ignore the biting cold of a winter morning in Beijing, arrive at the Palace Museum 40 minutes before opening and you will likely be the first visitor inside. To capture the palace and all its tranquility, you'll have to walk fast and be efficient with your shots before other visitors show up.
Setting Sun, Soft Flakes, and Red Walls
It is said that 'architecture is the container of light.' When winter comes, every building in the Forbidden City becomes a kaleidoscope, where sunlight shines in freely through the doors and windows. The Yueshi Building, which sits across from the performance stage of Changyin Pavilion, is so abundant with light that the opera characters drawn on the screen are clearly visible, just like watching an opera show through time and space. Get close to the window and press the shutter. A photo with lasting appeal is captured where the reflection of Changyin Pavilion is overlaid with the opera character.
In terms of light, winter is still the best time to photograph the Palace Museum, where oblique rays of sun shine throughout the day, creating stark contrasts between light and shadow, a perfect way to present the color and texture of any architectural structure.
Speaking of color, the most iconic one in the Forbidden City is red. Since it was selected as one of the theme colors of the Chinese imperial palace, red has carried on the royal solemnness and the weight of history for 600 years. The red coloring of the Forbidden City is deep, profound, saturated, but not overly bright, which is often difficult to accurately capture with a camera.
However, I was surprised by the first photo I shot with Hasselblad. It was unbelievable how precisely the camera records color. The elusive 'palace red' seemed to reveal its true colour through the Hasselblad lens and convey its subtle charms.
Medium format provides such a huge space for post-processing and adjustments don't lower the image quality. Colours are reproduced accurately enough with the Hasselblad camera to save time in post-production. It is a wise decision to capture the Place Museum in winter with Hasselblad, thanks to its superb imaging capabilities.
LENS: XCD 1,9/80
When it snows, the 'palace red' that usually dominates the scene becomes concealed in an overwhelming white. Covered with snow, the red walls and green tiles create a unique look for the Palace Museum.
Fine Views Everywhere
In addition to colour expression, details and space are also important aspects in ancient architecture photography. Considering this, I always carry multiple lenses for the trip.
Since most of the ancient architecture features a compact layout with buildings located quite close to each other, an ultra-wide lens like XCD 4/21 is enough to meet my needs. For interior details, XCD 1,9/80 helps create a soft bokeh, separating visitors from the background and highlighting the subject in the frame. In addition to all kinds of objects, the exterior decoration of the Palace Museum is also a unique aspect. To capture the upturned eaves high above the roof or the stone columns off in the distance, I would use the XCD 2,8/135 with X Converter 1,7.
You need to be thoroughly prepared in order to capture the dazzling architectural combinations.
A Narration of Seasons
The beauty of the Forbidden City not only lies in its ingenious architectural design and magnificent beauty, but also in the unique charm that each season brings.
Trees in the north are bare in winter, and those in the Palace Museum are no exception. Instead of feeling bleak, these skeletal trees are perfect decorations. Without luxuriant foliage blocking sights in the frame, the palace looks more solemn, with shadows cast sparsely on the walls.
A palace wall under the sky cut apart by dry branches sings a sad song of centuries-long vicissitudes.
From ornately decorated halls to stone carvings, from rare treasures to bare trees, the Forbidden City is an endless source of inspiration. As a cultural symbol of China, the Palace Museum embodies the ancient philosophy of 'the unity of man and nature' and the nation's spirit of 'inclusiveness and harmony without uniformity.' The beauty of the Forbidden City is so unique and immense that even those trying their best to understand it can only get a fleeting taste of its grandeur.
Whenever I take a stroll along the stone road in the Forbidden City with a camera in hand, I can always hear the stories whispered by those red walls about the past, the future, and everything in between.
About Su Tangshi
Su Tangshi is an ancient architecture photographer, member of the Chinese Photographers Society, member of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics, and the author of Ancient Architecture Photography Techniques and Practice, and Insight, a Different Palace Museum.
EXPERIENCE THE RICH COLOUR CAPTURE OF THE X SYSTEM
Discover the X1D II 50C
More Hasselblad stories
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Ottavio Giannella
THE EARTH AWAKENS
Photographer Ottavio Giannella flies with his X1D II 50C from Italy to Frankfurt and then on to Keflavík Airport in Iceland. He makes a 40-minute drive to the valley of the Reykjavík peninsula and a two-hour walk to his destination, the Fagradalsfjall eruption site.
Dayanita Singh
Books, Boxes, and Museums - Exhibits Reconstructed
On the 15th of October, Dayanita Singh was presented with the 2022 Hasselblad Award by the Hasselblad Foundation. Often referred to as "the Nobel Prize" in photography, the Hasselblad Award celebrates one artist's pioneering achievements in the photographic arts and their impact on the next generation of photographers. The Hasselblad Foundation highlights Singh's unique archival work, that not only documents the lives of archives but brings about a new way to interact and experience the art of photography.
Ali Rajabi
Pausing New York With the X2D
Every photographer knows about the Hasselblad brand, whether they're an amateur, enthusiast, or professional because the history of photography is on the shoulders of Hasselblad. For me, it's an investment in my career, to move to the next level. It's always important to have the right tools in the right moments to make great photographs.
Hans Strand
Iceland in Mesmerising 100MP Detail
For me as a photographer, the X2D is what a Stradivarius violin might be for a violinist. It's the ultimate camera.
Flora Borsi
Magical Realism With The X2D
The X2D is like a camera for painters. The pictures have the taste and technical background of a painting. I almost couldn't differentiate the two because it's just so perfect. This camera produces all the data I could ever use to convey the tales I want to tell with my pictures.
Heath Holden
Disappearing Doha
Discovering his new home of Doha, Qatar through the lens of street photography, Heath Holden explored the older and more traditional neighborhoods of the historical city.


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Elizabeth Cellier, ou Mme Cellier, ou «la sage-femme papiste», (?-?) est une sage-femme anglaise du  victime de l'anticatholicisme en Angleterre. Jugée pour trahison et acquittée en 1680 pour son implication présumée dans le complot contre le futur roi Jacques II, elle est connue pour ses pamphlets et sa lutte pour faire progresser le statut de la sage-femme.

Biographie
Aucune information n'a subsisté sur Elizabeth Cellier avant son mariage avec Peter Cellier, un Français, et sa conversion au catholicisme après la mort de son père et de son frère le même jour pendant la guerre civile. Dénoncée avec Lady Elizabeth Herbert, marquise de Powis, pour laquelle elle travaille dans le cadre de ses œuvres de charité, par Thomas Dangerfield, selon toute vraisemblance pour leur avoir retiré leur aide alors qu'il était en prison, elle est accusée de haute trahison contre le roi Jacques II. La preuve à charge est un document décrivant le complot que Dangerfield a caché dans un pot de cuisine chez Cellier. Le procès a lieu le 11 juin 1680 et elle est acquittée. Elle publie alors sa version des évènements dans un pamphlet : "La Malveillance vaincue, ou une brève description de l'accusation et de la libération d'Elizabeth Cellier".

La publication du pamphlet conduit non seulement à une longue série de brochures pour et contre elle, mais aussi à sa deuxième poursuite. On l'accuse de diffamation contre le roi et le ministère, car elle allègue que deux témoins dans l'affaire Edmund Berry Godfrey ont été torturés (dans le cas de Miles Prance, l'accusation est probablement vraie). Elle est  condamnée à payer une amende de  et à se tenir trois fois au pilori.

Pendant le règne de Jacques II, elle propose la fondation d'une association de sages-femmes qualifiées et d'un hôpital pour enfants trouvés.

Elle serait enterrée dans la Great Missenden Church dans le Buckinghamshire.

Publications

 "Malice Defeated; or a brief relation of the Accusation and Deliverance of Elizabeth Cellier", Elizabeth Cellier, Londres, 1680
 "A scheme for the Foundation of a Royal Hospital and raising a revenue of £5000 or £6000 a year by and for the maintenance of a Corporation of skilful midwives", Elizabeth Cellier, Londres, 1687, Harleian Miscellany (IV, 142) et Somers Tracts (II, 243)
 "To Dr. __, An answer to his Queries concerning the College of Midwives", Elizabeth Cellier, Londres, 1688.

Dans la littérature
Cellier a inspiré le roman historique "The Popish Midwife" d'Annelisa Christensen publié en 2016. Elle est également un personnage de "The Portingale" d'Alison Macleod, une biographie de la reine Catherine de Bragance.

Références

Femme médecin britannique
Femme féministe britannique
Personnalité anglaise du XVIIe siècle
Personnalité féminine du XVIIe siècle


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Dissecting a Bank and the Ghost of 2008
If capitalism were a religion, it would not be too far-fetched to think of banks as its temples, with the likes of Jamie Dimon, Ben Bernanke and Christine Lagarde the high priests and priestesses that guide the masses and interpret the will of the gods to deliver humanity peace and prosperity.
Thankfully, at least for now, nobody is making us go to banks on Sunday (except perhaps if you are an investment banking analyst working on Wall Street). However, banks still play a crucial role in our lives (whether we know it or not), and this makes it somewhat surprising that the average person doesn't really have a good conception of how a bank actually works. One good example of this is that most people are blissfully unaware of the fact that the money they think the bank is safely keeping on their behalf in fact does not actually exist (more on that slightly disquieting but also amusing fact in my next blog).
Hence it is useful to provide a simple framework of how to think of a bank, and then use that to put the recent decade into context.
In its simplest form, banks exist on top of three fundamental foundations: trust and legitimacy, data and intelligence, and capital. Trust and legitimacy consists of the bank's brand and public image (a bank must look secure and trustworthy, hence all the fancy suits and imposing buildings), and all its regulatory licenses. Data and intelligence used to be comprised of the bank's employees and customer records, but in today's world are rapidly being complemented (and sometimes replaced) by databases and algorithms. Finally, capital consists of all the funds that the bank is entrusted with from its customers, depositors and investors.
On top of these three foundations, banks build their products and services which they channel to their customers via a distribution network.
A simple framework to think about banks: Better frameworks exist, but this is the only one that looks like a combination of a bank and temple.
When we look at banks through this lens, we can easily see how fundamentally disruptive the events of the last decade and the crisis of 2008 has been for banks.
Let's first consider the pillar of trust and legitimacy. With the onset of the 2008 financial crisis the trust and legitimacy pillar of the bank took a devastating one-two combo in the form of the trust and public image of banks being eroded severely as average citizens were being evicted from their homes, while the regulators also stepped in with new and restrictive regulations such as Dodd-Frank, not to mention multi-billion dollar fines.
As the pillar of trust and legitimacy was being shaken, there were meanwhile hitherto unprecedent changes taking place on the data & intelligence front. While in the past banks had relied on experienced loan officers and customer files with relatively straightforward data to make decisions, machines were increasingly stepping into the equation with powerful computers and complex algorithms creating an entirely new sort of decision science. And it was clearly not easy for banks to attract and nurture the kind of specialized talent needed to build those algorithms, especially given how scalable those technologies could be, and consequently how easy it could be to get funding from Silicon Valley for the top entrepreneurs and technologists.
Finally, the capital pillar came under attack from multiple directions: regulatory fines, higher capital requirements, more stringent KYC ("Know Your Customer") requirements that resulted in a ballooning back office headcount, not to mention big losses from loans underwritten prior to the financial crises all exposed considerable cracks in capital foundation of the mighty banks.
While this all sounds bad enough in its own right, 2008 also saw the advent of a development that would add to the malaise: the invention of the iPhone by Steve Jobs and the friendly folks at Apple. So while the big banking houses were having all three pillars of their core foundations shaken, the invention of the iPhone and mobile distribution saw the roof starting to leak as well. Whereas banks had relied mostly on their vast branch networks to distribute their products and services, the iPhone enabled millions of consumers to start conducting commerce on the go, all from the palm of their hand.
To illustrate the magnitude of this challenge for banks, just consider that one of the savviest and most envied tech companies of the time, Facebook, was itself caught off-guard by the advent of mobile and it took Zuckerberg & Company a year or two to fully appreciate and adapt to mobile distribution. If the folks behind the slogan "move fast and break things" took a year to get it right, just try to imagine how things looked from the perspective of a centuries old bank, in the midst of a crisis that was shaking its foundations, with regulators and media beating down its door.
A graphical illustration of a painful decade for banks
It is easy to see why the decade since the financial crisis has not been kind to banks. So, what should the banks have done? Or what can they do now? Obviously, there is a lot of firefighting happening to strengthen the foundation and fix the leaking roof, and thousands of bankers around the globe are keeping busy doing exactly that at this very moment. But to get out of the predicament banks find themselves in, there is one area that should provide a silver lining.
Banks need to get back to the core of why they exist, and that is to provide products and services to their customers. Products like credit cards were invented in a world where the nuclear families of the fifties and sixties were driving their '57 Chevy to the newly built shopping mall to buy new and exciting consumer products such as washing machines. But the world has moved on since then. New problems exist, and new products need to be invented to solve these problems. Banks would be the obvious players to invent these products, and if they want to thrive in the aftermath of the perfect storm of 2008, this is undoubtedly what they should focus on.
The other risk is that, if banks do not create these products, somebody else will. Looking at some of the most exciting new companies in London, one can see new products being developed at a formidable speed. Income streaming (helping workers access their earned wages real-time, and thus avoiding predatory lenders – e.g. Wagestream), income sharing agreements (enabling people to borrow for school or vocational training, and only pay back if they get a bigger salary and better job which incentivizes universities to offer more relevant and employment-friendly degrees), companies that give consumers power over their data while enabling them to monetize this data (e.g. Fidel API), and companies that solve the problems faced by the elderly in a world where many people may spend more time in retirement than working (e.g. Rest Less) are just some examples.
In summary, the conclusion is simple: innovate, or find yourself relegated to history. Now is the perfect time!
yusufozdalga	#Innovation	1 Comment 27th Jan 2020 5 Minutes
Data Privacy and the Meaning of the Universe
In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Deep Thought, the second greatest computer in the Universe of Time and Space is asked to answer The Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. In the improbable event that you have not read the book, I will not give away the answer here. But it does turn out (as is usually the case), that the question is actually more important than the answer: once people receive the answer (which takes Deep Thought 7.5 million years to calculate) they are unable to make any sense of it. Hence a new computer, which would be the only computer in the Universe more powerful than Deep Thought has to be built to tell people what the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything actually is. That computer needs an additional 10 million years to calculate the question, but in an act of supreme irony it is destroyed by an intergalactic bureaucratic species called the Vogons five minutes before it is about to reveal the Ultimate Question.
Since the Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics postulates the existence of myriads of parallel universes, I like to imagine that in one version of this same story, Deep Thought actually calculates the answer, but rather than revealing it, tells people that it is not able to share it because it would be in violation of the privacy laws of the Vogonian Union. After all, to calculate the answer, Deep Thought would need to be able to have access to all the personal data in the universe.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, Volume One in a Trilogy of Five
Interestingly, this is not too far from the situation we find ourselves in today. The vast amount of data currently in existence is being regulated by laws such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which states that private data may not be shared without user consent, and the Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) which states that consumers can demand their data be shared with whomever they want. Bureaucracy can be confusing, (and in the case of the Vogons, quite lethal) and it is easy to see how one could easily think that GDPR and PSD2 very much contradict one another.
Being a humble, (and in the grander scheme of things quite insignificant) member of the body called the EU, I actually do not see a contradiction between GDPR and PSD2. On the contrary, I see intelligent design at work. The way to resolve the contradiction between GDPR (a law that prohibits companies to share personal data without user consent) and PSD2 (a law that forces companies to share personal data if people demand it) is quite simple. The data belongs to the people that generate it. If they want to keep it secret, they can, or if they want to share it, they can also do that. Data is the cyber-gold of our times, and it belongs to we the people!
So far, so good, and this is all quite empowering and exciting. However, there is a small catch: the amounts of data being generated is growing exponentially! According to one recent estimate, over 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created every single day, and by 2020 it is estimated that 1.7MB of data will be created every second for every person on earth. And now the EU is saying that all 7 billion of us on this planet (or at least the half billion living in the EU) will be controlling the 1.7MB of incremental data that is being generated for each of us every second. Sounds great, but how exactly do we do that?
Well, for starters, I see two options. Either we sign away the right given to us by the government by blindly clicking the "I accept" button every time we land on a new page on the internet, implicitly accepting the implications of being too busy to read five pages of small print. Or, perhaps somebody, (a fintech superhero?) comes along that has managed to standardize and productize the way in which we can share and control our data. Thanks to the API-fication of data I have written about before, the standardization element has become orders of magnitude easier, where vast amounts of data can be shared and controlled via a standardized protocol.
So, the technology to standardize the data that is now being created at a rate of 1.7MB per second per person has been solved by APIs yet creating a framework that lets people easily decide what to do with their own data remains the bigger challenge. The pipes for exchanging, controlling, and sharing the data is there with APIs, but how do I as a simple consumer decide which data I share versus keep private? This is where productization, and companies like QED's recent investment Fidel API, come into the picture.
Fidel API founders Dev Subrata and Andre Elias: Helping people control their data
Fidel API enables consumers (we the people who like to buy things like a cup of tea) to share our data with organizations such as merchants and shopping malls (that sell us the tea) by connecting with payment networks and card issuers (the friendly folks that enable us to pay for said tea using a piece of plastic). Fidel enables these connections via its API, and the end result is that the millions of bytes of data per second that I generate is only shared if it is in my interest as a consumer. If the fact that I bought a sandwich at Heathrow Airport is going to trigger a discount at a tea shop in the same airport, only then is my data shared, and I instantly get a free cup of tea. And if you're not giving me a free cup of tea with my sandwich, you are not getting my data. It's all automatic, all programmatic, and all controlled by an API that follows my directions. After all, in a big and lonely universe, a nice cup of tea can be worth its weight in cyber-gold.
yusufozdalga	Data Privacy	Leave a comment 18th Dec 2019 18th Dec 2019 4 Minutes
Dumb Pipes, Smart Plumbers and API-fication of data
Speaking to my friends that work for some of the big multinational banks, a comment that I have heard on more than one occasion is that they do not want to become the "dumb pipes" on which the financial system runs. For those of you outside of fintech and banking circles, the argument goes something like this: "Banks are getting bigger and increasingly more regulated, open banking is yet another regulation that forces us to give access to our customer data, enabling others to build products on top of our infrastructure while we become the pipes of the financial system, leaving banks to do the plumbing while fintechs steal our customers and capture all the riches and glory."
While I cannot speak on behalf of big banks, looking back at history I am not sure that being the piping is such a bad thing. In fact, going back no further than the start of the last century, we can see that just like today's headlines are dominated by the monopolistic power of big tech, the most pressing business issues in the early 1900s were around the dominance of the big "robber barons" that literally controlled the rails and piping of the emerging modern economy.
The first example that comes to mind is usually John D. Rockefeller, widely regarded as the wealthiest American of all time, (and possibly the richest person in human history) with his wealth worth nearly 2% of the US GDP at its peak. And while controlling 90% of the US oil and kerosene market in one of the most infamous monopolies of history was the key in paving his way to such riches, Rockefeller was equally focused on controlling the pipes through which this oil would flow. The first pipeline to carry oil was pioneered in 1863 by Samuel Van Sycle (the importance of this quickly became apparent to the Teamsters union who proceeded to try and destroy the pipeline which would take away their jobs) and it was not long after that in 1872 that Rockefeller had already bought United Pipe Lines, and by 1876 Rockefeller already controlled half of all the pipelines in the United States.
John D. Rockefeller: A smart plumber with a smart moustache.
So Rockefeller certainly did not think of pipes as being "dumb" and neither did some of the other robber barons of the gilded age. In fact, when Rockefeller moved to New York in 1884, his 54th street residence was next to the mansion of William Henry Vanderbilt, whose father Cornelius had built up a vast family fortune with their railroad empire (not quite at 2% of GDP, but close).
There are clearly analogies here for our data driven economy almost two centuries later, and I am not just talking about the odd similarity between the oversized moustaches sported by the robber barons and Super Mario, the smart plumber of the digital age. The twenty-first century economy runs on data, and those who control the rails and pipes on which data flows can exert huge profits and influence. Whereas oil was referred to as the "black gold" of the gilded age, data is now the "cyber gold" of the information age. The importance of this is very clear in everything from Angela Merkel's focus on how Europe is lagging behind the US and China on data platforms, to the fact that Mark Zuckerberg is making increasingly frequent trips to Capitol Hill. It is worth noting that over the last couple of centuries Zuck seems to have replaced the moustache with a hoodie, but the lack of gender diversity has not changed as dramatically as fashion has in the top billionaire ranks.
So how does this relate to the world of fintech and banking? For one thing, if I were a bank, I would be much more worried about not being the pipes versus vice versa. And rather than worrying about customers controlling (and being able to grant access to) their bank data with fintechs building new and innovative products using that access, I would worry about big tech companies such as Google or Tencent becoming the new pipes that power financial transactions.
The other lesson that banks today can glean from Rockefeller's playbook was that in addition to his focus on using the pipes to gain a competitive advantage, one of his other business strategies was to standardise the kerosene and oil that he sold. (He did not name his company Standard Oil for nothing!) In fact, the combination of owning the pipes and gaining huge economies of scale resulted in the price of kerosene dropping by nearly 80% over the life of his company, while the standardisation resulted in improving the quality of the kerosene.
Standardisation has huge benefits, and just like the advent of containerisation dropped costs in logistics (moving the same amount of break-bulk freight in a container is about 20 times less expensive than conventional means), the advent of APIs today enables data to connect faster and orders of magnitude cheaper. In fact this sort of API-fication of data transmission is a leading driver of newly emerging fintech businesses such as Railsbank and Fidel API, both innovative companies founded in London with a global reach, and both very much happy to be the pipes that drive the innovation of other fintechs.
Bringing together banking and pipes in a final anecdote, I'd like to share a story that used to circulate in New York some years ago. In this story, a wealthy banker from Manhattan is organising a big party in his Hamptons weekend house, and hours before the guests are due to arrive, the plumbing in the house breaks down, flooding all the bathrooms. Desperate to get it fixed quickly, the banker calls a plumber who shows up immediately but gives him an astronomical quote to fix the pipes in short order. Shocked, the banker tells the plumber, "I am a banker and even I don't make this kind of money!" To which the plumber replies, "I know, I used to work on Wall Street as well, but I decided to become a plumber."
yusufozdalga	Uncategorized	Leave a comment 15th Nov 2019 4 Minutes
Accountants vs. Robots: Fintech superheroes to the rescue
One does not have to browse for too long in today's news headlines before encountering a story about how machines are replacing a lot of the jobs that used to be done by humans. These stories usually come with dramatic headlines, and for an avid reader of science fiction such as myself, it feels like the next step may actually be Isaac Asimov's vision of humans starting to develop romantic relationships with robots, or robots taking over the task of raising and nurturing our children (arguably some parents have already started taking this leap with iPads).
While it is hard to predict when the first romantic relationship between a human being and a machine may occur (for the record, in a story that he wrote in 1953 Asimov predicted that the first self-driving car would be created in 2015, and romantic relationships were just a few decades behind – so watch out!) it is clear that machines have already started to take over a lot of the jobs that people took for granted, and this has clearly caused a profound level of stress in people that are being replaced by efficient (and more effective!) machines.
As an investor in technology driven companies, I have to admit that this triggers two conflicting emotions in me: On the one hand, it is impossible not to worry about all the disruption that society will be going through with this tsunami of technological change, while on the other hand one gets quite excited about all the new possibilities that the new technology enables.
So, will we ever be able to constructively deal with our own creations becoming better than us at what we do? In an attempt to gain some insight, I decided to read a book that I thought would be relevant in this context: "Deep Thinking" by Garry Kasparov, which is a first-hand account of how the then reigning world chess champion Kasparov came to terms with being beaten by a chess playing. With the whole world watching intently, Kasparov was decisively crushed by IBM's Deep Blue in 1997, and thus became one of the most well documented case studies of machines trumping humans.
Based on Kasparov's public statements after the match, as well as the general media coverage back then, it would be all too easy to conclude that Kasparov did not take the defeat very well!
Kasparov on losing to Deep Blue: "I was really angry and I couldn't help comparing [a particular move in game 2] with Maradona's Hand of God"
However, with the benefit of twenty-two years of hindsight, it is amazing to see how Kasparov has come to terms with his loss. Everybody should certainly read his book to find out for themselves, but one key insight that stands out is that humans can actually partner with machines to beat computers at their own game. In his book, Kasparov has some rare tidbits, one of which includes Kasparov's Rule: Weak Human + Computer + Strong Process is better than Strong Human + Computer + Weak Process. In other words, we as humans can beat just about anyone as long as we know how to employ data crunching computers on the one hand and smartly designed processes on the other hand.
So how does this all relate to the world of finance and fintech? While Kasparov was a very publicized example, it turns out he was merely the canary in the coal mine, as what happened to him soon started happening to others. Brokers, traders, accountants and all sorts of finance professionals started being impacted, not to mention other industries such as travel agencies and organized retailers. The accounting example in particular is interesting for us at QED, since we believe that there is great opportunity in the midst of all this disruption in an area we know particularly well: small business lending.
Just as Kasparov was able to see the silver lining for the world of chess in his defeat, cloud accounting software and bookkeeping automation has opened up new horizons for the accountants of the world. Rather than seeing a job being taken away, they can now see it as an opportunity to start focusing on how to devote their energies on advising their business clients on other important finance related questions beyond just balancing the books. Obviously, the most important such question is to how to grow their business, which in many cases relates to funding, something that is not always easily accessible for a small business.
Capitalise cofounders Paul Surtees and Ollie Maitland: Turning accountants into fintech superheroes.
One of our investments in particular, a London based fintech startup called Capitalise, has tackled this opportunity head-on, by creating a platform that connects the hundred thousand plus accountants in the UK with finance providers, hence enabling these accountants to do what community bank branch managers used to do fifty years ago – advise entrepreneurs how to fund and grow their business. And the timing could not have been better! As bookkeeping was being automated, thousands of bank branches were shutting down, leaving their small and medium sized business clients with nobody to talk to on important questions like what kind of funding solution to use to finance the future growth of their business.
Hence Capitalise takes the challenge created by what seems like a disruption and turns it into a win-win-win solution: Accountants can focus on providing higher value-added corporate finance advisory solutions while machines do the bookkeeping, the small businesses that had nobody to talk to about growth & funding (with neighborhood bank branches closing down) can now talk face to face with their trusted accountants, and all the alternative finance providers and banks that have less branches or a reduced physical presence can now access thousands of small businesses via trusted accountants that help create positively selected loans (i.e. much less risky loans – it turns out Capitalise accountants consistently create loans with much better credit quality). And while doing all this, Capitalise is certainly adhering to Kasparov's Rule, utilizing smarter processes as mentioned above.
So here is yet another example of how one technology platform can help mitigate some of the disruption that other technologies are creating. While an automated bookkeeping software can only tell you how much money you spent exactly last month, a human accountant, supported by Capitalise's platform, can actually help a business owner ask the right question: What kind of financing is right for my business?
To take a quote from Pablo Picasso that Kasparov also references in his book: "Computers are useless. They can only give you answers." Only truly empathetic and intelligent beings know which ones are the right questions to ask.
yusufozdalga	Uncategorized	2 Comments 25th Oct 2019 4 Minutes
Why QED Chose to Invest in London
This summer marked the second anniversary since I joined QED Investors to open up our London office. In those two years we have already created or invested in six UK companies that are all growing rapidly. Those of you on top of current events will have noticed that our decision must have been made after the by now infamous 2016 Brexit vote (and, yes, I was able to hold on until the third sentence of this article to mention the B-word).
So why did one of the leading fintech funds in the US and Lat Am, having invested in six out of the top ten fintech unicorns in America, choose to open an office in the UK in the midst of all the Brexit noise and drama? While answers to questions such as this are always subjective and open to interpretation, as the head of our UK office, my view is that there is a set of obvious answers to this question that are underpinned by more fundamental reasons.
In terms of the more obvious answers, first and foremost, London is geographically connected to the rest of the world in a unique manner. Sitting in London, one is simultaneously a manageable flight away from Mumbai, San Francisco, and Sao Paolo. More importantly, it is possible to have a video conference call with any of the aforementioned cities within the span of the same business day. This is the classic time zone advantage that is often attributed to London.
Moreover, London is also culturally connected: From sports (think football or tennis) to literature (Shakespeare!), the UK is connected to the rest of the world in a number of complex and subtle manners. One just has to walk the streets of Soho, Piccadilly, or Mayfair to witness this. On any given street corner, you can find people from Argentina to Zimbabwe talking to each other about and exchanging ideas in English, the Lingua Franca of the modern world.
Secondly, from a VC perspective, the crucial ingredients that a venture capital ecosystem needs are all present in London in spades: Access to ideas, capital, talent, and markets are all available more so than any other European capital. All these classic reasons that make London a natural destination is also supported by economic facts. More venture capital was deployed in the UK than in any other European country in 2018, London is the largest foreign exchange trading market in the world, etc.
However, beyond these more traditional answers there are more fundamental reasons that have catapulted London to the position it occupies today. After all, from the perspective of Marcus Aurelius close to two millennia ago, London would hardly have seemed a central and connected place as he was travelling from Rome to Cairo to meet Cleopatra. So, what are the reasons that made London so central to the modern world over the subsequent centuries, and how do they relate to venture capital?
While I am no historian, I did receive a masters degree from the University of Chicago, and in my own humble view, the first fundamental factor that set (and continues to set) the UK apart is the value it places on individual freedom and enterprise. This has resulted in a legal and regulatory system that is market friendly, while valuing intellectual property and innovation as well as free speech and thought. It is also closely intertwined with a long history of stability: The United Kingdom is one of the few countries in the world that have had continuous democratic governance over several centuries.
The second, and equally important reason is tolerance. This is in part driven by the centuries of experience the UK has in successfully integrating diverse cultures and has yielded big dividends today in terms of diversity and a society that values mutual respect. While I have witnessed successful and well-educated expat friends of mine living in other European capitals facing difficulties renting accommodation on account of what appears to have been nothing other than their names (incidentally Shakespeare's Juliet has an appropriate quote about this), the tolerance and acceptance of London has stood out in contrast. And tolerance in the UK extends to everyone, including the non-digitally native workers that feel frustrated at having been left behind a rapidly evolving world. The UK clearly realizes that to have a well-functioning society, the needs and constraints of everybody have to be represented and balanced, which is a complex and ongoing process.
Pictures from QED's recent reception that took place in Soho, London
The third fundamental reason is that, the combination of tolerance and individual freedom has consequently resulted in the UK being able to attract and nurture creative communities in areas as diverse as technology, art, science, and media. Balancing creativity in areas as diverse as arts and Artificial Intelligence is not easy. And of course, it is this creativity that makes London and the UK fundamentally attractive for venture capital. It attracts the right kind of people and capital from across the globe, resulting a vibrant ecosystem.
While those are the reasons that have made London an attractive destination, last but certainly not least, one should also mention that the founder of QED, Nigel Morris is a Londoner (I know, I probably should have mentioned this at the beginning). While he moved to the US thirty-five years ago and co-founded Capital One which is now a top-ten publicly listed US bank, he still maintains a pied-a-terre in London as well as season tickets to Tottenham Hotspur (and he was willing to share said tickets with yours truly until I professed my support for a rival club in SW6). So I suppose in the end, determining why QED came to London is a classic example of historical analysis: big historical forces juxtaposed with the vision and values of individual actors. All I can say is that I am happy to be where I am, and excited about the future, both for London and the community of creators that call it home.
yusufozdalga	Uncategorized	2 Comments 24th Sep 2019 24th Sep 2019 4 Minutes
Technology and financial inclusion: Wagestream as a case study
Being a venture capital investor in the fintech space, I see amazing ideas and innovations on what feels like a daily basis. As these ideas gain traction and mature, the successful ones make it into the mainstream, enabling the wider society to experience the power of this innovation, albeit probably not at a pace that feels like the world of finance is changing on a daily basis (which, incidentally, it is).
While the pace of innovation and change is only getting faster, it is important to take a moment to slow down to think about our values, and how they impact the change that is happening around us. Our values as investors, entrepreneurs, consumers, and citizens will clearly impact the world we leave behind for our children, and some of the value judgments we have to make often involve difficult tradeoffs. I will explore some of the more difficult choices in future blog posts, but today I wanted to start somewhere easy, in a place where I hope we can all agree: More financial inclusion is better.
Neither finance nor new technologies are necessarily inclusive or exclusive by design. Rather, it is how we use them as a society that determines the ultimate utility of a technology. A brick can be used to build an exclusive wall, but it can also be used to build an inclusive plaza that is open to all, or a brick road that connects people.
Today, lots of people are excluded from the immense wealth and prosperity that is being created in the world. And the list of people impacted is vast: Women, minorities, the elderly, the financially disadvantaged, immigrants, members of certain religions, nationalities or racial backgrounds have all been excluded from access to wealth and prosperity during the course of history, and still find themselves in this position today.
No one person or organization can solve all the problems in the world. However, they can tackle one problem at a time, gradually improving the world for the better. In this spirit, today I want to highlight one specific example that I happen to know very well: Wagestream.
As QED we were in a unique (and very fortunate) position with Wagestream in that not only were we the first backers of its cofounders Peter Briffett and Portman Wills, but given our unique hands-on and entrepreneur first investment style, we were also effectively a cofounder with them, helping them build the vision and the business from day one.
The initial Wagestream proposition was simple. If somebody is working hard, has earned their pay, but have not yet been paid, that person should not have to go to a payday lender to meet an unexpected expense – they should be able to access their already earned wages! And just after a year since inception, that is what Wagestream has become today – a way for workers to access their already earned wages.
Now this does not mean that lending is bad, or that Wagestream can solve all the problems of the world. For example, if the unexpected cash need the person has come up against is greater than their disposable income, or the money they have earned in that month is not enough to cover their needs, they may need a lending solution. And in those cases, responsible lenders are needed (more on that in a future blog post).
But if the money that the person needs is less than their disposable income, and if they have already earned that money, they clearly should not go to a payday lender that will charge them more than 10x.
When you consider that close to 60% of workers in the UK (and the ratio is similar in the US) cannot meet an unexpected expense of GBP 200 before their paycheck, one clearly sees how something that at first may seem like a niche actually becomes a very big opportunity for a better solution that impacts the majority of the working people in the UK.
But why did this solution not exist before? And why are the other alternatives so expensive? The answer lies in how the founders leveraged new technologies and a superior product structure that is fully integrated with employers. We will examine each one in more detail below, as this is indeed a great case study in how technology can create more financial inclusion.
First and foremost, Wagestream used both new and existing technologies to create cost efficiencies and product differentiation in a number of different ways. One element of this was new payments technologies such as virtual bank ledgers and API banking, which is an area we had been watching closely as QED for some time. As a result, we were able to help the founders design and connect to a back-end banking infrastructure that leveraged some of the fastest, cheapest, and most secure solutions in the market. Whereas before there would have been a cumbersome process, requiring customers to actually switch their bank accounts, or Wagestream requiring access to existing accounts, using virtual ledgers and API banking we were able to create a cheaper and frictionless solution.
The Wagestream team celebrating a recent funding round
It also really helped that we launched the product in the UK, which is very much on the cutting edge of payments innovation, with new products such as faster payments readily available. Faster payments is not only fast (effectively instant) as the name implies, it is also much cheaper to its predecessor products in the payments space.
The end result was a state of the art back end technology, which when combined with the automation of most operational processes, resulted in Wagestream being able to operate faster and cheaper than any similar company that had ever come before it.
These dynamics make Wagestream's income streaming categorically different from payday lenders who have to work in an entirely different manner – they have to process each payday loan separately, onboard each customer separately, and in many cases with less automation. In addition to this cost disadvantage, a payday loan is indeed a loan, which means in addition to having to charge a high rate because of its cost disadvantage, payday lenders actually go after customers that do not pay them back, whereas Wagestream is 100% non-recourse – but that leads us to the product structure, and more on that below.
The second element that differentiates Wagestream is indeed its innovative product structure. The key differentiators here lay in the tight integration with the employers and the fact that Wagestream is fundamentally a payments product as opposed to a credit product.
With regards to the employers, Wagestream is able to achieve a very high level of integration with both the time keeping (rota) and payroll systems. Going back to the point on technological shifts, this is also made much easier with the rapid spread of cloud accounting, which is driving a lot of change in the world of fintech. As a result, Wagestream is able to see exactly the moment at which a worker has completed a shift. Combining this with its automated back end infrastructure described above, Wagestream is able to help the employer stream a pre-determined portion of that wage to the worker that completed his or her shift, who thus gets access to that portion of their earnings instantly. Whereas previously it would have been very difficult (and expensive) for an employer to process a portion of the payroll for a subset of the workers, Wagestream has effectively automated the entire process, and it all happens at the click of a button.
And with regards to the payments vs. credit nature of the product, the main thing to note is that since Wagestream is designed more as a payments product, there is no credit risk (the employee has already earned the money), and hence also no recourse whatsoever to the worker that is using the product. The only risk that Wagestream really takes is either one of payments or payroll fraud (which, given the tight employer integration is difficult), or a counterparty risk that the employer will not be able to process payroll at the end of the month. And given that even companies that enter insolvency make their payroll as a first order priority, this risk, while real, is very low.
Moreover, when compared to a product such as payday loans which in fact have very significant credit losses, the benefits of being more on the payments side become clear. Just consider that in any lending product there is an inherent level of cross-subsidization: The people that pay back their loan have to "subsidize" the lender for the losses incurred by those that did not pay back their loan. This simply does not exist with Wagestream where the concept of consumer credit risk has been eliminated.
Most importantly though, the great thing about this product design is that it is inclusive to the maximum. There is no credit underwriting of the employee, or in other words no workers that fail to get access to this because they may have a bad credit score or have had difficulties in the past. As long as their employer is a Wagestream partner they can use the product, and when that unexpected cash need arises they can access their already earned wages instead of going to a payday lender. So here it is then, technology enabling better financial inclusion – Quod Erat Demonstrandum.
yusufozdalga	Financial Inclusion	3 Comments 10th Jun 2019 12th Jun 2019 6 Minutes


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Norwegian Pearl Cruise Review
We started planning this trip over a year ago, and decided to stick with Norwegian for our trip to Alaska on the Pearl. I have read on several occasions that the Pearl was old, dated and needed an upgrade. I thought it was marvelous. simply amazing ! We flew into Seattle on the Friday, two days before we sailed out. For the next 2 days we hit Pike Place, the Seattle Wheel, and had some magnificent seafood. We both really liked Seattle, and being from the east coast it was more special for us to go somewhere new. The morning of embarkation, we went with an open mind, after being on 4 cruises before and all of them from Manhattan, we based our experience on those past trips. Needless to say New York needs to take some lessons from Seattle on how to talk to people and how to treat people. Don't get me wrong I love New York, I like less than 2 hours from Manhattan, but the cruise terminal needs to learn how to speak to people. I found the workers in the Seattle terminal, nice to talk to, polite, friendly and offering us water just in case we had a long wait. We were given a 10:00 - 10:30 time to arrive, as we did. We breezed through the terminal, and by 11:00 am were on the ship at the buffet, which was splendid. Our cabin was better then imagined, we had cabin 10168 mini suite aft balcony. It had a lounge chair and 2 regular chairs. The balcony is much bigger then the Breakaway. We spent a lot of time out there admiring the scenery from Seattle to Alaska, then to Victoria. Pictures don't do the scenrey in Alaska enough justice. absolutley stunning. Our cabin was clean, spotless. We seldom saw our steward, which was fine but he kept our cabin, clean, delivered us clean towels, made towel animals. No complaints there. We never had to go look for him for anything. We had the Dining package and the beverage package. We ate Cagney's 2 nights and Moderno's 2 nights, then did the buffet another night. We had lunch in Indigo, one of the main dining rooms on the Pearl, which was very good. I had country chicken, and my wife had poached Salmon, both meals were delicious. In Cagney's I had Filet Mignon both night and my wife had a Filet one night and Ribeye the next night there. Cagney's is old reliable for us, never had a bad meal there. After dinner one night we went to the legends show, which was very good, not too long, not too short. I think each entertainer did close to 25 minutes each, which consisted of Elton, Madonna, and Michael Jackson. The first port we arrived is was Juneau, the ship docked at the furthest point fron the center of town, my only complaint. We had to get on shuttle buses to get to the middle of town. We picked to do a whale watch and Mendenhall Glacier on our own. We booked them though Juneau Tours and Whale Watch. We were gone most of the time we were allowed in Juneau, there really wasn't much more time. We didn't get a chance to do the Mount Roberts Tram, after we got back from from our Whale watch, we stopped in Tracey's Crab Shack. The Alaskan King Crab Legs are out of this world ! we finished that and poked around some of the shops before taking the shuttle back to the ship. Next stop was Skagway, we booked the White Pass Railroad Train through NCL. It was amazing, the scenery is so breathtaking. There was still snow up on top and a lot of it too. The morning temps were cool, but by the end of the train ride temps were in the low 60's. They said to bundle up and dress in layers, I worse shorts every day in Alaska. We got off the train and had lunch in the Red Dog Saloon, which is a haunted brothel with great food. Our next port was Ketchikan, it was another cool morning mistly light rain in the morning. We poked around some shops, then made it to Creek Street, to visit more shops. We only had a few hours in Ketchikan, which was fine. We left at 1:30 and had to get back on the ship by 1:00. Our last port was Victoria, British Columbia which was beautiful. We pulled in at 6:00 pm, and were off by 6:30. We jumped in a cab and I wanted to go for a drink to a place called The Bard and Banker. a really great bar in Victoria, we had a few drinks, walked around town and did some shopping before heading back to the ship in another taxi. Everybody says there isn't enough time in that port, I tend to agree with them, I would have loved a whole day in Victoria. Let me just say Glacier Bay is absolutley beautiful ! Go see it before it is totaly gone. We saw whales, seals, big chunks of ice floating in the water. All in all it was a brilliant trip aboard the Norwegian Pearl, after eading about how it was run down and needs spruced up, food was awfull,, it's all wrong ! DON'T JUDGE BY SOMEONE ELSES COMPLAINTS. You can't please everybody and and some people you can never please. I've been on the Gem, and the Breakaway. The Pearl is a smalled ship that the Breakaway which I like better now, the newer larger ships have more people, and takes forever to get a drink, longer lines to get off or on the ship. To me smaller ships are the way to go. I know the Norwegian Bliss is going to be going to Alaska, I wouldn't do it, because 1, it's too big, 2 more people, 3 I don't think it will be able to get as close to the Glaciers as a smalled ship will, but this is how cruise people make their money. Bigger is not always better.
Amazing Alaskan Adventure
Norwegian Pearl Cruise Review by Jiml60
Sail Date: May 2018
Destination: Alaska
Cabin Type: Aft-Facing Balcony
10168 Mini Suite Aft Balcony
The is a view of the balcony
Nice view of the back of the ship
10168 mini suite cabin, plenty of room
Glacier Bay from our Blacony
Mendehall Glacier
Glacier Bay, no need to run up front, less wind and a lot warmer in back
You can't beat this view
Balcony and Seattle waterfront
Norwegian Pearl docked in Skagway
Pike Place in Seattle
Tracy's Crab Shack
Inside Passage
Mini suite Aft Balcony
Red Onion Saloon
The Pearl Atrium
Bald Eagle in Juneau
Enter a short description of why this image is inappropriate
We started planning this trip over a year ago, and decided to stick with Norwegian for our trip to Alaska on the Pearl. I have read on several occasions that the Pearl was old, dated and needed an upgrade. I thought it was marvelous. simply amazing ! We flew into Seattle on the Friday, two days before we sailed out. For the next 2 days we hit Pike Place, the Seattle Wheel, and had some magnificent seafood. We both really liked Seattle, and being from the east coast it was more special for us to go somewhere new.
The morning of embarkation, we went with an open mind, after being on 4 cruises before and all of them from Manhattan, we based our experience on those past trips. Needless to say New York needs to take some lessons from Seattle on how to talk to people and how to treat people. Don't get me wrong I love New York, I like less than 2 hours from Manhattan, but the cruise terminal needs to learn how to speak to people. I found the workers in the Seattle terminal, nice to talk to, polite, friendly and offering us water just in case we had a long wait. We were given a 10:00 - 10:30 time to arrive, as we did. We breezed through the terminal, and by 11:00 am were on the ship at the buffet, which was splendid.
Our cabin was better then imagined, we had cabin 10168 mini suite aft balcony. It had a lounge chair and 2 regular chairs. The balcony is much bigger then the Breakaway. We spent a lot of time out there admiring the scenery from Seattle to Alaska, then to Victoria. Pictures don't do the scenrey in Alaska enough justice. absolutley stunning. Our cabin was clean, spotless. We seldom saw our steward, which was fine but he kept our cabin, clean, delivered us clean towels, made towel animals. No complaints there. We never had to go look for him for anything.
We had the Dining package and the beverage package. We ate Cagney's 2 nights and Moderno's 2 nights, then did the buffet another night. We had lunch in Indigo, one of the main dining rooms on the Pearl, which was very good. I had country chicken, and my wife had poached Salmon, both meals were delicious. In Cagney's I had Filet Mignon both night and my wife had a Filet one night and Ribeye the next night there. Cagney's is old reliable for us, never had a bad meal there.
After dinner one night we went to the legends show, which was very good, not too long, not too short. I think each entertainer did close to 25 minutes each, which consisted of Elton, Madonna, and Michael Jackson.
The first port we arrived is was Juneau, the ship docked at the furthest point fron the center of town, my only complaint. We had to get on shuttle buses to get to the middle of town. We picked to do a whale watch and Mendenhall Glacier on our own. We booked them though Juneau Tours and Whale Watch. We were gone most of the time we were allowed in Juneau, there really wasn't much more time. We didn't get a chance to do the Mount Roberts Tram, after we got back from from our Whale watch, we stopped in Tracey's Crab Shack. The Alaskan King Crab Legs are out of this world ! we finished that and poked around some of the shops before taking the shuttle back to the ship. Next stop was Skagway, we booked the White Pass Railroad Train through NCL. It was amazing, the scenery is so breathtaking. There was still snow up on top and a lot of it too. The morning temps were cool, but by the end of the train ride temps were in the low 60's. They said to bundle up and dress in layers, I worse shorts every day in Alaska. We got off the train and had lunch in the Red Dog Saloon, which is a haunted brothel with great food. Our next port was Ketchikan, it was another cool morning mistly light rain in the morning. We poked around some shops, then made it to Creek Street, to visit more shops. We only had a few hours in Ketchikan, which was fine. We left at 1:30 and had to get back on the ship by 1:00. Our last port was Victoria, British Columbia which was beautiful. We pulled in at 6:00 pm, and were off by 6:30. We jumped in a cab and I wanted to go for a drink to a place called The Bard and Banker. a really great bar in Victoria, we had a few drinks, walked around town and did some shopping before heading back to the ship in another taxi. Everybody says there isn't enough time in that port, I tend to agree with them, I would have loved a whole day in Victoria. Let me just say Glacier Bay is absolutley beautiful ! Go see it before it is totaly gone. We saw whales, seals, big chunks of ice floating in the water.
All in all it was a brilliant trip aboard the Norwegian Pearl, after eading about how it was run down and needs spruced up, food was awfull,, it's all wrong ! DON'T JUDGE BY SOMEONE ELSES COMPLAINTS. You can't please everybody and and some people you can never please. I've been on the Gem, and the Breakaway. The Pearl is a smalled ship that the Breakaway which I like better now, the newer larger ships have more people, and takes forever to get a drink, longer lines to get off or on the ship. To me smaller ships are the way to go. I know the Norwegian Bliss is going to be going to Alaska, I wouldn't do it, because 1, it's too big, 2 more people, 3 I don't think it will be able to get as close to the Glaciers as a smalled ship will, but this is how cruise people make their money. Bigger is not always better.
Read more Norwegian Pearl Reviews
Read Cruise Critic's Norwegian Pearl Review
Jiml60's Full Rating Summary
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Aft-Facing Balcony
Cabin B1 10168
The cabin was perfect, absolutley loved that larger balcony. It had a lounge chairs as well as 2 deck chairs and a table. We spent so much time in the balcony, I managed to take well over 1000 pictures. This is a perfect balcony for Alaska, the scenery is constanlty changing. You only have 2 floors to The Great Outdoors, which was very convenient. I loved getting up in the morning and taking a cup of coffee out on the balcony, it was so peacefull.
Deck 10 Inside Cabins, Balcony Cabins, Suite Cabins
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We loved seeing Glacier, the glaciers were stunning, and got to see some calving
View All 749 Glacier Bay Cruise Port Reviews
View Cruise Critic's Glacier Bay Cruise Port Review
We had somewhat of a restful day in Ketchikan, just walked around town, did some shipping and went to Creek Street
View All 1,789 Ketchikan Cruise Port Reviews
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We did the train ride, which was a really great way to soak in the scenery on land.
View All 1,129 Skagway Cruise Port Reviews
View Cruise Critic's Skagway Cruise Port Review
We hopped in a taxi and went to The Bard and Banker, a nice Scottish pub with great food and drink. Then walked around Victoria, do some shopping, and then took the taxi back to the ship
View All 1,319 Victoria Cruise Port Reviews
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Jiml60
More Norwegian Pearl Reviews
Just an average cruise
Classy Ship, Had Lots of Fun!
Great smaller ship with a nice atmosphere
First Time Cruiser Sold For the Cruising Lifestyle


We recently sweetened up the … Annual Account. Previously we offered an 8.7% (12mo for the price of 11) discount. Now we're adding a DN T-Shirt and a few other items as well (see video below). Plus, we're providing a 3-month coupon that can either extend your existing subscription, or can be shared with a colleague so that they can join and participate on DN for 3-months at no cost.
Monthly subscribers can upgrade here.


Fred Spaven is not your average classic bike restorer. True, he does commute to work on a BSA Bantam, and his shared workshop contains various British and early Japanese bikes as well as Frazer Nash parts and (when I visited) an ex-Jochen Rindt F1 project. But the Cambridge engineering graduate is young and wants to do something about climate change.
That's when the inspiration for an electric conversion took hold. Fred found secondhand Nissan Leaf batteries were the cheapest way to do it – over 350,000 Leafs have been built so far, so the batteries are cheapish and available. Better still, they come as self-contained boxes about the size of a laptop, so they can be stacked. It took a lot of research to find a suitable controller and battery management system, and he settled on a Saietta brushed DC motor. It was also important to him that the conversion was reversible, so he designed a subframe which would fit the existing engine mounts.
That's right, you can relax, because no classics were harmed in the making of the 'Charging Bullet' as Fred calls it. Re-converting to the original four-stroke single would be relatively straightforward. Two big alloy plates were cut to accommodate the twelve Leaf lithium-ion batteries, stacked in the big steel box which sits in the engine bay. Together, they add up to 6Kwh, and to put that in perspective, a typical electric moped has around 2Kwh, while a Zero offers 14.4Kwh.
By the summer of 2018 the Charging Bullet had covered a few hundred test miles around Herefordshire, part of the borderland between England and Wales. In November he rode Britain's 'end to end', 1400 miles from Lands End to John o' Groats, partly to prove the concept, partly so that filmmaker Finn Varney could document the trip. In short, it all appeared to work, but is the electric Enfield a practical proposition or just an interesting one-off?
Climbing aboard the Charging Bullet feels very familiar, with the same classic upright riding position as a standard Bullet, similar weight to the petrol-powered original, and even the view from the seat has barely changed, complete with headlight nacelle and single speedo. Only a couple of LED warning lights, plus a charge-meter in place of the ammeter, suggest that something is different.
This is confirmed on startup, because there's no kickstart. Instead, you turn the key on the left-hand side, there's a loud click, a green LED lights up, and you're good to go. Twist the grip and the e-Bullet takes off silently but slowly. At 20mph it reaches its stride, and acceleration improves as the speed builds – overall I'd say it was quicker than a 350cc Bullet, though when crossing a couple of busier roads I would have liked smarter acceleration from zero. Of course, being electric, it's all completely smooth and seamless, not to mention silent. There's a very faint whine from the motor and a gentle rustling from the chain but that's it, and once over 30mph, all you get is wind noise. What you miss in the sound of a thumping four-stroke single, you gain in being able to hear what's going on around you, especially in traffic.
The power delivery works well around town: performance was enough for mid-town traffic, and is very controllable, with the smoothest, most gentle of pick-ups from less than walking pace. The Bullet is a small, slim bike by modern standards, so it's easy to filter through traffic. With such easy power delivery, this would make be a great learner's bike, and by the same token, the low speeds power delivery would make this a decent trials bike. Out of town, the e-Bullet accelerates up to an indicated 55mph, though it felt slightly faster, and it's happy to cruise at 40-50mph. This was the right speed for the Herefordshire lanes and quiet roads I was riding on, and it was all very restful. An adrenal-booster this is not.
Electric motors have very little engine braking, but the Bullet does have regenerative braking, which switched the motor into a generator, directing braking energy into the batteries by drawing current to slow down. While taht sounds like a path to perpetual motion, in practice regenerative braking replaces only a fraction of the energy of forward motion, adding 5-10% to the total range in hilly country. I'd have preferred this bike's system to work through the rear brake pedal or reversible twistgrip, than the separate 'regen' button installed.
If you like Royal Enfield Bullets, this one handles like all the others. At around 180kg, it weighs about the same as the 350cc original, and weight distribution isn't much different either. That translates into good steering and secure handling on its Avon tires, with no twitching, wallowing or other unpleasant stuff. The drum brakes are pure '60s classic, which means you get a progressive but not very strong rear brake and an OK front. It's also worth reminding yourself there's no big four-stroke single engine braking.
As with any battery-powered device, the crucial question is, how far can I ride? Fred reckons on a realistic range of 40-50miles, and after I'd ridden 31 miles over a real mix of urban and open roads, the state of charge meter was showing just over 25% battery left. So 40 miles to flat looks realistic, and more for urban use. That's not far, but realistically enough for commuting or Sunday pleasure rides. And remember, Fred has ridden this bike from Lands End to John 'O Groats: all over the world, the network of charging points is growing fast, and it's getting easier every year to make long trips on e-bikes. A full charge takes four hours on a standard charger, or two hours on a faster one. So you can't cover 300 miles a day, but for commuting, or the typical classic bike ride of 30 miles to a pub and topping-up the battery over a leisurely lunch, it would do. In the UK a full recharge costs about £1 at domestic rates, so the e-Bullet would also be cheap to run – it's giving the equivalent of 350mpg.
I liked the Charging Bullet. It's very well engineered, works well and would make a practical classic commuter, though if you want a turn-key conversion it's certainly not cheap. With the big squared-off boxes it looks a bit like prototype rather than a production bike: a period fairing or false fuel tank covering the boxes would go a long way to improve the looks. Then again, the bike isn't pretending to be something it's not. Otherwise, an electric classic could well be the way to keep riding old bikes, especially in cities which are increasingly likely to ban ICE cars and bikes in the not too distant future. The Charging Bullet is one option for future-proofing our heritage.
Fred Spaven is now offering the Charging Bullet as a conversion to customer bikes, at around £7000. A more affordable option is a kit of parts which owners can fit themselves. 'I would supply the subframe, adaptor plate, plus boxes for the batteries and electronics,' says Fred, 'and tell customers where they can buy the motor, batteries, controller and so on. Then I'd offer as much advice as they need to put it together.' He stresses that there's no cutting and shutting of the original bike, and that it's completely reversible.
Is it missing the point?
Surely the whole point of a bike like the Bullet is the visceral feel of its thumping petrol-powered single and the way you interact with it via the clutch, four-speed gearbox and twistgrip. Next to that, some would say, the electric version has lost its four-stroke soul. As the owner of a diesel-powered Bullet, I can understand that, and the Charging Bullet, seamless and silent as it is, does lack the ICE sounds, smell and feel that we all love.
But look at the way the world's going. Many countries have pledged to ban new ICE sales within the next 10-20 years. Major cities are looking to ban their use altogether, and with the overwhelming scientific evidence on urban air quality and global climate change, that's hard to argue against. There's no doubt that as mainstream ICE use tails off, we'll be able to carry on using our old classics, albeit with restrictions on fuel, mileage and where we can ride them. In that scenario, the Charging Bullet offers the chance to carry on riding an old bike as much as you want.
I know Fred well and he is one of the nicest guys and best engineers I have met.
I wish him every luck with all his projects and for anyone looking for a guys that understands old machinery and new technology then look no further – Fred is the real deal.
I am glad he is getting some recognition for all of his hard work.


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Varsity cheer wins banana
Lauren Lee, Graphics Editor
A typical award is usually a trophy or a medal; but, for the cheer team, their best award this summer was a large banana. Deemed the banana award, this giant inflatable banana was the epitome of spirit, including the signatures of its recipients to be passed down for years to come.
From dancing to tumbling to chants, the varsity cheer team learned new transitions and tumbling tricks, and won three distinct camp awards.
The varsity cheer team headed to Camp Champs from July 14 – 16 at UCF near the CFE arena along with 25 other teams from across the state.
Camp Champs had a distinct focus on spirit and transitional techniques. Through the camp, the team cheered for other teams as they did stunts for evaluations and competed in other spirit activities, like "Betsy," an introductory game much like duck duck goose.
The cheer team was placed in the elite skill level with a private coach and put together a routine that included dancing, standing back tucks, and a pyramid; the team also learned to advance their transitions throughout practice. Much unlike other competitions, this one did not focus on the scores.
The team won the division award for large varsity, along with two other awards: the banana award and the leadership award.
"We won the banana award on the second day. It was a blow up inflatable banana, which we all got to sign but we couldn't keep it," senior Amanda Moberg said.
The leadership award, which was awarded by other schools, meant that if the cheerleaders were not on their own team, they would choose to be on Hagerty's team.
"After such a successful year, it will be hard to top that this season," Coach Kim Hackman said. "But I think the team definitely improved at the camp from all the hard workers on the team."


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