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11 Incredible Holiday Deals To Cure Winter Blues
11 incredible holidays to cure your winter blues
By Steph Marinkovic
We may have made it through so-called 'Blue Monday' (it fell on January 21 this year) but the winter doldrums could stick around for a while yet.
Luckily, we have the antidote: holiday deals and inspiration for the year ahead.
From vitamin D-boosting winter sun escapes to long-haul getaways you can start budgeting for now, these incredible package holiday and flight deals for 2019 will help stave off those winter blues for just a little longer.
*All deal pricing below is accurate as of January 24, 2019. Prices are subject to change. Deals are subject to the partners' T&Cs.
1. Cancun, Mexico
Make your 2019 a little more super and kick-start a year of exciting holidays with a week in sunny Cancun. Last-minute bargain hunters will find February fares as low as £650pp for seven nights, while those who prefer to stick out the winter at home can cash in on late-March deals for around £700pp for ten nights.
February and March might be bang in the middle of Cancun's peak season, but there's plenty of this Mexican resort city to go around. The calm waters of Playa Tortugas will fulfil your Caribbean sea-and-sand dreams, and if it's adventure you're after, head a little further afield to snorkel in a cenote - otherworldly swimming holes hidden in the nearby jungles of the Yucatán Peninsula.
2. Sri Lanka
A decade after its terrible civil war came to an end, Sri Lanka is finally edging its way back on to mainstream travel itineraries. And it's about time, too. This wonderful Indian Ocean island is absolutely packed with adventure, culture and history. Like the country's famous cricket team, it's a complete all-rounder.
For outdoorsy types, beaches perfect for surfing are easy to find, while lush rainforests are teeming with native wildlife – expect elephants, buffalo, exotic birds and, if you're super lucky, leopards. Culture cravers will find plenty in the colonial capital, Colombo, the tea estates of Nuwara Eliya and in Kandy – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sri Lanka is relatively small and easy to get around, too, so it's easy to sample a little bit of everything on two-week trip. The best time to visit depends on where you'll spend the bulk of your trip as rainy monsoon weather affects different parts of the island throughout the year. For a good compromise between price and weather, try April or September.
3. New York, USA
New York is a notoriously pricey city, but there are plenty of bargains to be had for early bookers.
For a bite of the Big Apple, try five nights in October or November. It will set you back about £600pp and booking ahead will give you enough time to sort out a budget for your stay. With such big-ticket attractions as the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, you may need it.
Alternatively, go all-in on your New York trip with a New Year's stay. Not only will you experience the iconic ball drop at midnight in Times Square, you'll have a holiday to stave off next year's winter blues. It always pays to be prepared, after all.
Save yourself some cash with our guide to all the free things you can do in New York.
4. Sardinia
For an Italian summer with a difference, look no further than Sardinia. The Mediterranean island is still wonderfully overlooked by the bulk of sun-seeking tourists – so the possibility of stumbling upon an untouched stretch of sand is still very much a possibility.
Hikers and history buffs alike will delight in exploring the ancient settlements, gorges, sinkholes and limestone peaks of the Supramonte mountain range and neighbouring Gennargentu National Park.
Those who prefer to spend their time by the sea, meanwhile, can find adventure among the hidden coves and grottos along the dramatic coastline. If it's white-sand beaches and five-star luxury you're after, the swanky Costa Smeralda to the north will hit the spot.
Sound like your cup of tea? Summertime flights to Sardinia from London are currently around the £100 mark!
5. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
There's really never a bad time to visit this classic Canary. It boasts 20C-plus days throughout the year and a fairly competitive resort scene means prices stay affordable no matter when you travel.
Book your holiday in the February and March off-season, though, and you'll see this Spanish favourite as the locals do: it's Carnival time! The colourful fiesta takes over island capital Santa Cruz from February 27 to March 10, 2019, with the main parade taking to the streets on March 5.
Despite the island-wide party, getaways this time of year some of the best value you'll find. Plus, you'll escape the UK's icy weather and won't have to share the beaches. It's a win-win.
6. Tokyo, Japan
Journey to the Japanese capital this spring to see a city in full bloom. A short-but-sweet cherry blossom season makes this already bustling city even more vibrant in late March and early April, so for a last-minute long-haul jaunt, you can't do better.
The cost of a return flight to Tokyo can come in under £500 per person for savvy bookers, but these can jump up closer to £700 for those who leave it last-minute.
But for culture alone it's more than worth the costs; there's wealth of unforgettable experiences all across Tokyo. Despite its ultramodern shell, the still embraces and celebrates its heritage – you'll find traditional tea houses and Shinto shrines among the pod hotels and contemporary museums.
There's a Disneyland, too, if you're have kids in tow.
7. Cyprus
Looking to lock in an escape over the May bank holidays? A trip to this Mediterranean favourite will give you something to look forward to. Couples can currently score seven-night stays across the south of the island for under £200pp, while families travelling early in the summer break will find deals averaging £300pp for seven nights.
It's a steal for this British holiday mainstay but if you're after something a little different, why not stray from the main resorts?
You'll find an entirely different vibe in the Turkish north of the island. There's unique mosques housed in old cathedrals, Turkish baths and bazaars galore. Inland, meanwhile, Cyprus is a hiker's dream. The Troodos Mountains are scribbled with trails and the wider Paphos Forest area will give you a taste of rural Cypriot life.
8. Dubai, UAE
Seaside escapes, city breaks and adventure getaways collide in Dubai. It's the ultimate adults' playground, boasting expansive golden-sand beaches, high-end shopping, thrilling theme parks, and an exciting food scene.
It also has the Arabian Desert on its doorstep, so adrenaline junkies won't be short of action. Try 'dune-bashing' – a 4WD high-speed drive across the sands – or, for a quieter, but no less impressive experience of Dubai's sweeping desert landscape, take a camel ride tour.
Luckily for those feeling a bit blue thanks to the weather, February and March make good times to visit. It's one of the cheapest times of the year, with the average package holiday costing an affordable £500pp. Plus, the weather is far more pleasant than the scorching summer months. Tempted?
9. Cape Verde
'Cold' isn't a word you can associate with Cape Verde. This archipelago off the coast of Africa even goes beyond the promises of the nearby Canary Islands, enjoying more sunny days each year and temperatures usually between 23C and 27C.
Sal and Boa Vista draw in most sun-seekers thanks to their range of resorts, but there's more to the islands than sun-lounger days by the pool. Boa Vista is home to a sizable population of loggerhead turtles, which make their anticipated appearance in between July and September and the interior dunes are perfect for a bit of 4x4 action.
Sal, meanwhile, offers aquatic exploration of a different kind; you can dive among lava caves and shipwrecks off the coast as well as float on the salt crater (Sal literally means 'salt' in Portuguese) of Pedra Lume.
10. Bulgaria
With Brexit inching ever closer, Brits are starting to look outside the Eurozone for cheap 2019 holidays. And Bulgaria is answering the call.
For sun-hungry travellers, Sunny Beach is the premiere resort in this Balkan beauty. However, the coastline boasts a whopping 13 Blue Flag Beaches so you're sure to find the a great stretch of sand wherever you choose.
Prefer to hit the slopes? Bulgaria has you covered, too. Bansko and Pamporovo are the two big-hitters with easy to intermediate slopes for all ages and abilities.
Adding to Bulgaria's impressive line-up of snow and sand is Plovdiv. The second city has been named one of two European Capitals of Culture this year (the other is Matera, Italy), meaning there's no better time to tick Bulgaria off your list.
11. Jordan
UNESCO-protected Petra in southern Jordan deserves a spot on any bucket list. The distinctive 'Rose City', so called due to the red sandstone of the area, has motivated poems, plays and films for decades and any new visitor is sure to leave feeling similarly inspired.
Towering tombs, treasuries and theatres are all hewn into the rock and the 1.2 kilometre gorge that leads you in, the grand Siq, is a fitting prologue to it all.
Aside from ancient wonders, a number of sandy valleys (wadi) punctuated with glimmering oases are worth seeking out, as is a dip in the Dead Sea. Temperatures soar in summer, so if you're after an adventurous getaway to Jordan in 2019, aim to travel in spring or autumn.
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These Cambodians brother and sister really stood out of the green rice field and I had to stop my horse and Kim the owner of the horses asked the boy if I could take a picture of them.
So I got off the horse, grabbed my camera, smiled to the kids and took a couple of shots.
And then the little girl suddenly started to cry.
I gave her a little bracelet to soothe her fear and it kind of worked but I know I really scared the baby and I felt terrible !
Was it my beard or because I am white or the camera ? According to Kim it must have been the first time she got all 3 components together but it also certainly was her first real photograph and I must have terrified her.
So for the rest of the ride I kind of skipped on many interesting photographs because I felt so ashamed I had made a baby girl cry and didn't feel like repeating again !


I teamed up with Erica Barnes, who is a mermaid, to have a delightful shoot down in La Jolla. Erica is an actress, singer, performer and she also is a Disney princess with Red Throne Events. They come to your party, sing and make you super happy. So she's a super talented lady. You can check out some of her work and see what she has coming up at Erica Barnes TM.
So, do you want to see a mermaid?
Not going to lie, but that was my favorite part. Sorry Erica!
© 2019 Katherine Rose Photography|ProPhoto Photo Theme Cambria by The Shoreline Collection | Designed with love by Seaside Creative.


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Miguel von Hafe Pérez
Text that accompanied the exhibition Luísa's Wedding at Galeria Fernando Santos, in April 2018.
By Galeria Fernando Santos
Luísa's Wedding is an emancipated, fluid exhibition in which pleasure assumes a political sense of becoming. In these paintings, in which bodies gravitate freely, the underlying canon is the happiness of the encounter, of touch, cross-breeding and dilution of boundaries between genres. The pleasure of taking a break in the existential interval of the rational determinism of supposed economic and social effectiveness. Art as the possibility of opening up significant parentheses in the expected run of events.
The exhibition is divided into two core nuclei, in function of the exhibition space's different lighting environments. Encaustic paintings of medium- and large-scale dimensions are shown in the main rooms, with two panels of drawings in the side rooms. The paintings on raw cotton are crossed by a transparency that contributes to their reiterated watery state. Encaustic painting involves heating the wax as a binder and the warm colours seem to respond powerfully to this process, suggesting an execution which is intuitive, rather than being compositionally structured, corresponding to the need to work quickly because of the relatively short drying times. In the drawings, by contrast, we don't detect the transparency effect of the raw cotton. The colours are colder, and the compositions are simpler and fragmentary. In this back-and-forth movement between ecstasy and distension, the works establish an indeterminate fabrication across time and space - an erratic magma of the here-and-now, as a vital flow in the pursuit of pure happiness.
Priscila Fernandes (Coimbra, 1981) is a Portuguese artist based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. She has a consistent international career and currently teaches in the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam.
Through in-depth analysis of systems of representation, education and society in the modern world, she uses a wide spectrum of media - such as video, installation, photography and drawing - to map a personal vision that reveals the structure beneath models of conviviality, work and behaviour. Commencing with historical narratives (e.g. those proposed by modernist painters or teachers) or fictional narratives (in which utopias serve as metaphor for fleeing from conventional ideas), she establishes unexpected parallels between play and work structures, between learning and social conditioning.
Using these practices and methods, she has already won considerable national and international recognition (including the EDP New Artists Award in 2011 or participation in the São Paulo Biennale in 2016). However this new exhibition - Luisa's Wedding – marks a turning point in her career. Although formally conceived using the traditional disciplines of painting and drawing, the exhibition refers to a recurring conceptual matrix that underpins much of her work: a malleable visual language is used to express a specific propositional reality. The resulting tension informs the perceptive games, colour and composition which are thus historically and socially conditioned.
Conversations between Priscila Fernandes and Sjoerd Westbroek
Priscila Fernandes and Sjoerd Westbroek
Excerpt of the Dolf Henkes publication. Priscila Fernandes spoke with fellow-artist Sjoerd Westbroek about the function of leisure in modern society, the difficulty of escaping our ideology of productivity, and her own search for freedom by means of light, colour, film and painting with fluid beeswax.
Download print version
By TENT. Rotterdam
I meet Priscila in her studio in Rotterdam. It is a congenial environment for a conversation; the workspace reflects the thinking of the maker. Cautious starts sit alongside crystallised images, in a manner seemingly ready for exhibition. Possible topics for discussion are literally for the taking.
Sjoerd: Your practice seems very diverse, there's painting, video, photographic prints, a book. Of course, as an artist, you are at liberty to work in any appropriate medium to express certain ideas. Could say more about how this works for you?
Priscila: For me, there's a clear line running through all my works. The subjects I deal with arise usually out of a personal conflict, such as not understand- ing why I am so strongly informed by a modernist tradition. Why did I learn to do things in a certain way? Why is it so difficult to truly play freely?
Sjoerd: When did you know that 'Cuckoo Land', originally commissioned for the São Paulo Biennial, had to become a film?
Priscila: The film started to materialise during a visit to São Paulo's Ibirapuera Park. I spent a week there, observing people using it for their leisure ac- tivities, thinking I would produce a work back home based on my field notes. However, being there made me understand I could merge different per- spectives by working with the park itself. It became a playing field onto which I could project my ideas. Ibirapuera includes the Biennial pavilion and several museums. So this vibrant park is a meeting point for various communities and leisure activities, but it's also dedicated to the experience of art. By shooting a film in the park, I could reflect on how we engage with this architecture of leisure.
Sjoerd: In the film we see many bodies moving about. And there's you, dancing...
Priscila: And the camera circling around me.
Sjoerd: There are lazy bodies, resting in a ham- mock or by the water. And many people are using the park to work on their bodies, jogging, doing yoga, exercising in an open-air gym. A striking mo- ment is when we hear some of them express their aspirations during their workouts, like a self-em- powering mantra: I want to become the boss! I am going to be the director! Could you elaborate on the role these activities play in your film?
Priscila: These are activities we usually consider as part of our leisure time. But they can also be understood as activities that promote self-discipline and self-improvement. I found it interesting how leisure can be a mirror that reflects the way we are expected to perform in professional working environments but also in many aspects of our daily lives. If you study leisure, you see how much it is part of an ethics of work and serves to fulfil a desire to be productive. But I also want to counter this logic by considering laziness and idleness as subversive acts. In the film, I connect the bodies in the park with cultural or mythical representations. For example, the children playing in the park evoke Cockaigne, the imaginary land of plenty where trees are made of candy and you can sleep all day. There is also my own body behind the camera, getting mesmerised and distracted by the architectural forms or the interplay between sunlight and greenery.
Sjoerd: Are you also thinking about the viewer's body?
Priscila: Yes, I have developed an installation for this film, where the exhibition space is filled with beach chairs. Hopefully, these chairs will not perform as an allegory of leisure but will actually invite the viewer to use them. It would be nice if the viewers' bodies could mirror moments in the film.
Sjoerd: There are other projects in which you depict bodies at leisure. For example, in encaustic paintings made with pigments dissolved in heated wax. This technique gives the paintings a translucent quality, so the figures seem to bathe – maybe almost dissolve – in light and bright colours. Their atmosphere seems celebratory.
Priscila: I'm glad to hear that. I made these paintings inspired by a friend's wedding party, as a celebration of free time and being together with friends – being in a situation where you share love. It is a celebration, but I also see this as a moment of emancipation, of understanding there are other ways of being. I try to capture a state of ecstasy, where you somehow transcend, lose gravity. But I'm also working on another series, 'Free. To Do Whatever We', which is more about trying to break with my own modernist hang-up of always trying to make something meaningful and productive. I wanted to explore a certain playfulness.
Sjoerd: Do you mean that you don't depict freedom in these new paintings, but instead try to enact it?
Priscila: Yes and no. I like the idea that as artists we should allow ourselves to feel more of the enjoy- ment of just doing things. I think there is a moment of liberation if you avoid focusing on a predefined outcome. It's not about working differently, but about being differently. But I still find it difficult to let go. Those paintings, for example, are based on a series of sketches made during my holidays – and that's as close to freedom as I could get. Since then, I've been thinking about what could it mean if I saw myself more as a hobbyist or an amateur with aspirations.
Sjoerd: The etymology of the word amateur is interesting: someone motivated by love. It starts with an affective investment in the activity of making something, and the result maybe expresses this affective relationship.
Priscila: Perhaps we become better people if the priorities we set when choosing the labour we en- gage in are based on affection and pleasure. That's why I see a societal and even political potential in free time. Sure, action is often necessary to enforce political change: going on a strike or protesting is often the only way of fighting against unjust aspects of how we organise work in our society. But I also like to think that free time, liberated from implicit assumptions around productivity, could help new forms of human subjectivity emerge. This is why I find the discussion about universal basic income interesting.
Sjoerd: The premise of universal basic income is that rather than producing laziness, it unleashes creativity and allows working on new forms of community. If we see utopia as a new way of organising society that abolishes fragmentation, then perhaps a society where everyone has a basic income is a con- temporary utopia. Can we connect this back to the body as a medium? We are trained in certain ways, and learning is bodily too, so how do we unlearn
our habits? How do you cultivate freedom? Is using encaustic painting also a means for you to create conditions to cultivate a certain amateurism, to give up a bit of control?
Priscila: That depends on what you mean by giving up control. With encaustic, I go to great lengths to overcome the medium's inherent limitations: for example, by making a heat table to keep the wax liquid. Initially, working with encaustic was a con- ceptual decision based on its visceral potential for transparency and light, to evoke a sense of heat and fluidity. This, however, creates a space for a process that is open-ended to a certain degree. Something similar happens in my 'Other Futures' series, where I paint directly into photo negatives after exposing them. In this case, I am working, quite literally, in the dark. Time is needed to learn how to predict what the outcome may be. That's what I do: I repeat the process over and over to overcome gaps in my skills and knowledge. Once printed, it takes time to learn to appreciate the image.
Sjoerd: So does this produce an opportunity for an encounter with something new, a moment of not knowing how to deal with what you are seeing?
Priscila: The best images are the ones that I don't like at first, and the images I eventually discard are the ones that I immediately like. It's important to give things time.
Sjoerd: That's something I recognise from the process of drawing. The idea of being 'out of the habit' is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Being 'out of the habit' as being not yet familiarised with something, paired with a slight awkwardness. I think that's an interesting place to be. It's very much about your own position. First, you think: hmm, what have I made now? Then, later, you realise it's interesting because it can't be pinned down. There's something in the image that makes you gravitate back toward it.
Priscila: Something that makes you doubt.
Sjoerd: You started by mentioning the difficulty of playing freely, but you do seem to play a lot.
Priscila: When I started working with play as a subject, I knew I was fooling myself by just trying to be more playful in the studio. It was precisely because of this that I started to consider the pres- ent-day role of play and how it is instrumentalised in our working lives. There are very few moments in which we can actually play, because you can only truly play if you don't expect to gain anything from it. But are you ever in that position as a viewer, an artist, a worker, or, for that matter, a citizen? Can we consider different ways of operating that are not based primarily on productivity? I feel there is something extremely empowering and liberating in imagining a future where activities such as play and leisure allow us to rethink labour in terms of affec- tion and love. Perhaps I can get there, perhaps with a bit more of self-improvement and self-discipline.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home/ Focus/ A cashless dividend: Indian digital payments spike over virus fears
A cashless dividend: Indian digital payments spike over virus fears
The COVID-19 pandemic has given a body blow to the Indian economy. Its effect was worse in various sectors. Despite the decline in transactions that RBI has recorded after the outbreak of coronavirus, the online payment transactions have become popular in the economic ecosystem. Hence, the digital payments space will also get a boost once the recovery starts.
Anushruti Singh July 17, 2020
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Tags: digital paymentsdigital transactionsIndian startups
The COVID-19 pandemic has given a body blow to the Indian economy. Its effect was worse in sectors such as travel, hospitality, retail, and entertainment. Hence, it is no surprise that digital payments methods for goods and services such as cards, wallets, UPI etc have witnessed a steep fall since the lockdown started.
It is predicted that many commercial establishments (pertaining to retail and entertainment etc) will probably not survive after the end of pandemic. According to the monthly bulletins by RBI, the digital payments in April and paper based payments dropped to 46 per cent which is worth Rs 84.1 trillion, from Rs 156.5 trillion in March.
The total payment transactions in volume, slumped 22 per cent to 2.38 billion, from 3.07 billion in March. Needless to say digital payment transactions both in volume and value contracted in April. In value, payments dropped 45 per cent to Rs 82.46 trillion from Rs 150.85 trillion. In terms of volume, the drop was 21 per cent to 2.36 billion from 3 billion.
Another research forum, Worldline India states that overall the volume and value of digital transactions in Q1 2020 dipped by 10 per cent and 12 per cent respectively as compared to Q1 2019. In addition to this, transactions with merchants nosedived in Q2 as a result of extended lockdown periods.
State of Card Payments and ATM Transactions in Retail
Retail sector saw a massive dip in operations during lockdown which lead to a significant decrease in shopping. Thus, retail payments sunk to a low of 45 per cent which is worth Rs 19.66 trillion from Rs 36.03 trillion.
In terms of volume, retail payments dropped to 2.37 billion from 3.06 billion. Similarly, being an indispensable part of retail economy, card transactions through debit and credit cards also witnessed a dip. It registered a decrease of 57 per cent to Rs 49,807 crore in April, from Rs 1.15 trillion in March in volume.
Similarly, cash withdrawals also halved in April because of deserted ATMs. In comparison to March (that accounted for almost Rs 2.51 trillion), cash withdrawals accounted for Rs 1.27 trillion in April. In volume terms, the cash withdrawal from ATMs was 286.6 million in April as compared to a hefty 547.1 million in the previous month.
The number of transactions through ATMs using debit cards also fell nearly to half with a withdrawal of 285.2 million in April, as compared to 544.1 million in the preceding month. According to RBI data, there was a slight increase in number of cards which includes both debit and credit cards.
There were more than 886.8 million cards in April, including 57.3 million credit cards and 829.4 million debit cards. The total number of cards in March was about 886.3 million. In addition to this, there were 234,000 ATMs and 5.08 million point-of-sale (PoS) terminals.
Online Payment Becoming a Popular Mode of Payment
Despite the decline in transactions that RBI has recorded after the outbreak of coronavirus, the online payment transactions have become popular in the economic ecosystem. Hence, the digital payments space will also get a boost once the recovery starts.
A report '101 Days of COVID-19 Era: Impact on Digital Payments' released by Razorpay in first week of July, confirms the trend. It states that digital payment transactions have rebounded by 23 per cent in June 2020. The report states, "The overall digital transactions declined by 12 per cent in the last 101 days, compared to a 30 per cent drop in the first 30 days of lockdown."
Commenting on rebounding of digital payment transactions Harshil Mathur, CEO and co-founder of Razorpay asserts, "The digital payments industry couldn't escape the pandemic crisis; we witnessed a dip of 30 per cent in online payments since the lockdown began. Now seeing a rebound of 23 per cent over the last 30 days is a sign of gradual revival of the digital economy."
Mathur believes that there is an increased demand for digital payments in tier 2 and 3 cities. Covid-19 has definitely propelled the trend to overthrow cash to the extent which even demonetization could not impact. Surprisingly, Indians have now become more comfortable paying for services without cash.
Rise of Digital Payment Industry
Clearly, COVID-19 has set up a right trajectory for digital payment industry. According to a KPMG last year's report on digital payment, the online payment industry is growing at the CAGR of 12.7 per cent.  A report by Statista tells that India was flushed with around 375 digital payment fintech startups in 2019.
RBI recorded a surge in cash withdrawal volumes at PoS machines. It increased in April to 4.08 million, from 3.36 million in March. This increase in terms of value, stood at Rs 111 crore, compared with Rs 110 crore in March. Similarly, the number of transactions at micro ATMs using Aadhaar-enabled payment system doubled to 87.55 million in April, from 34.49 million.
Meanwhile RBI is also urging people to adopt online payment modes as a measure to contain the virus. This has pushed firms, MSMEs, gig workers, and unbanked to jump into the bandwagon of becoming equipped with digital platforms just to transact cashless anywhere and anytime.
Sectors that Added value
The wrath of COVID-19 forced various sectors to shut down their operations for meanwhile. Thus, businesses adopted for digital solutions for an overall growth of their operations while others opted for this paradigm shift to stay ahead of others.
According to the Razorpay report, the online education sector grew by 23 per cent during the 101 days of lockdown (March 24-July 2), as extended lockdown led to a rise in demand for online courses.
Medical services accelerated as online consultations and purchases increased by 20 per cent. To ensure health and safety from COVID-19, Indians opted to stay indoors and paid bills online. This contributed to the growth of utilities sector by 163 per cent.
Other finding reveals that due to stress in income across households, consumer payment behaviour has changed. Paylater, Cardless-EMI, and EMI have become preferred payment modes with a growth of 290 per cent, 178 per cent and 125 per cent respectively. Further, when it came to payment methods UPI continued to be the preferred mode.
It grew by 43 per cent, cards by 40 per cent and net banking by 10 per cent. Mobile wallet transactions grew in first 30 days of lockdown, particularly in tier-2 cities. This was due to spike in the popularity of AmazonPay, JioMoney and Paytm. It was also due to increased contribution towards PM Cares fund and cash back offers.
Rise of Digital Payment Startups
Small and medium businesses and consumers have realised the frustration involved in handling cash after experiencing seamlessness of digital payments. This has provided a much need push to fintech firms.
Sensing the opportunity, digital payment startups have been proactively working to create a landmark on their own. One such fintech startup is Zaggle which offers pre-paid cards, products, and solutions for their enterprise customers.
The firm has lately seen a remarkable jump of 600 per cent with more than 7,00,000 users of their virtual cards. Raj N Phani, Founder and Chairman, Zaggle tells SMEFutures.com, "The crisis has forced people and businesses to adopt digital platforms, discover new effective fintech products, and adapt to a new normal of digital life in compulsion."
He further adds, "This shift in digital demand is one of the major opportunities for all fintech start-ups. They will now play an important role as a mediator and as a technology facilitator to all those who have been trying to shift their traditional operations to a technological platform."
Sensing the sustainability of the virtual cards, Phani speaks to SME Futures  on the big plans of his firm. He says, "Zaggle is witnessing good growth in virtual cards business. We will soon be launching an open banking platform and free API along with the banking system. This Open Banking Platform will help corporates in all transactions and bid in the real-time for loans."
Zaggle, recently has commenced its overseas operation in Canada in the month of May and is looking for expansion in London. Another digital payment player SpiderG, views this situation as a catalyst for the growth of digital payment start-ups. Both CEO Ashwani Rathore and Co-founder Harshal Ingle feel that current scenario supports the growth of digital payment platforms in every way.
Presenting his views about this, Rathore says, "Digital payment platforms are witnessing a sharp jump in the number of users as cash transactions across the country see a steep decline. Fintechs will innovate more now to bring a revolution of contactless transactions. With consumers shifting to digital channels, every business will try to embrace digital practices into their processes including micro-entrepreneurs such as newspaper vendors, milk vendors etc."
SpiderG is an on-time payment collection and one-click payment disbursement app for paying salaries, utility bills, and expenses for micro-businesses. Consumers can send reminders, perform follow-up, and automate recurring e-bills to their customers for payment through this app.
On the crisis led performance, Rathore adds, "We have been faring well with about 15,000 micro-merchants so far and a presence in more than 50 cities. With an existence in more than 17 states, we produce nearly 7,00,000 recurring invoices monthly and cater to more than 15 micro-business segments that use our services."
The firm has recently launched a micro-payment portal, a shopping website, and an appointment website for micro-businesses to give a boost to their digital presence according to their needs.
They are integrating with various banks to provide innovative payment features and building their own technology stack for digital lending to meet the short-term capital needs of customers. Talking about immediate goals, SpiderG aims to have 100,000 micro businesses on board and 10 million recurring invoices by March 2021.
In the similar vein, XPay.Life, a NPCI-approved multi-utility bill payment platform has clocked revenue of Rs. 3 crore in May with more than 60,000 transactions. The firm noted that most of these transactions were made towards the payment of electricity bills. Among other categories, transactions worth Rs 23 lakhs were generated from mobile vans which were deployed in remote areas of Jharkhand to dispense cash.
Commenting on the surge in digital payment transactions Rohit Kumar, Founder and CEO, XPay.Life opines, "We have partnered with NPCI to bring the benefits of digital payments to the unbanked pockets of our country and thereby work towards our mission of financial inclusion. As lockdown restrictions for essential services were lifted in non-infected zones, 73,000 users were registered with transactions clocking up to Rs 5.4 million."
Cash Versus Cashless Economy
Cash economy is deeply embedded into the payment systems of our country. Therefore, even merchants are reluctant to choose cashless payment options. Despite this, efforts to encourage digital methods after demonetisation have worked wonders.
According to a recent study of RBI, the demand for high value denominated currency over past five years has outpaced low value denominated currency. This again indicates that 'cash is increasingly used as a store of value and less for making payments.'
However, the rate of increased cash-in-circulation (CIC) clearly indicates a perceptible shift from cash. The study further tells that the value of cash withdrawals at ATMs to GDP is constant at around 17 per cent.
This rate was 15 per cent during the demonetisation period. The value of digital payments to GDP increased from 660 per cent in 2014-15 to 862 per cent in 2018-19. It clearly elaborates the shift of consumers from traditional to digital payments in India. However, India still needs to create an ecosystem to bring unbanked population under digital India.
According to Mathur of Razorpay, revolutionary innovations in payment systems can only pave the pathway for a new digital India. He concludes, "Digitisation needs to be clubbed with intelligent innovations in financial transactions focussed on improving customer experience. If fintech firms and banks re-examine their business models and choose to work together, I believe, we are likely to come out stronger after this crisis."


text:
ANDREW LADD #16
BORN: December 12, 1985
BIRTHPLACE: Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada
DRAFTED BY: CAR
SIGNING TEAM: New York Islanders
2016-17 NMC $5,500,000 $5,500,000 $0 $7,000,000 $1,000,000 $8,000,000 $8,000,000
2018-19 NTC $5,500,000 $5,500,000 $0 $5,000,000 $1,000,000 $6,000,000 $6,000,000
2020-21 Modified NTC $5,500,000 $5,500,000 $0 $3,000,000 $1,000,000 $4,000,000 $4,000,000
TOTAL $38,500,000 $38,500,000 $0 $31,500,000 $7,000,000 $38,500,000 $38,500,000
CLAUSE DETAILS: Modified NTC: Starting 2020-21, Submits a list of 15 teams he can not be traded to
SIGNING TEAM: Carolina Hurricanes
SIGNING DATE: September 27, 2005
2005-06 $984,200 $1,834,200 $850,000 $295,300 $688,900 $984,200 $70,300
2007-08 $984,200 $1,834,200 $850,000 $0 $984,200 $984,200 $70,300
SIGNING TEAM: Chicago Blackhawks
SIGNING DATE: June 23, 2008
TOTAL $3,100,000 $3,100,000 $0 $0 $3,100,000 $3,100,000 $3,100,000
LENGTH: 1 YEAR
SIGNING TEAM: Atlanta Thrashers
2013-14 Modified NTC $4,400,000 $4,400,000 $0 $500,000 $4,000,000 $4,500,000 $4,500,000
CLAUSE DETAILS: Modified NTC details unknown
CLAUSE SOURCE: CapGeek
This contract was involved in a retained salary transaction
2019-20 New York Islanders NHL 1 0 0 0 0 0 |
Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 32 11 3 14 -11 10 |
2000-01 Okanagan Chiefs Midget 6 4 8 12 - 10 |
Port Coquitlam Midget A1 Midget 50 50 41 91 - 49 |
2001-02 Vancouver Giants WHL 1 0 0 0 0 0 |
Port Moody Panthers PIJHL 42 15 22 37 - 49 |
2002-03 Coquitlam Express BCHL 58 15 40 55 - 61 |
2003-04 Calgary Hitmen WHL 71 30 45 75 39 119 | PLAYOFFS 7 1 6 7 4 10
2004-05 Canada U20 WJC-20 6 3 4 7 11 2 |
Calgary Hitmen WHL 65 19 26 45 16 167 | PLAYOFFS 12 7 4 11 -1 18
WHL All-Stars CHL Challenge 2 2 2 4 - 4 |
2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 29 6 5 11 0 4 | PLAYOFFS 17 2 3 5 0 4
Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 25 11 8 19 -9 28 |
2006-07 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 65 11 10 21 1 46 |
2007-08 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 20 5 7 12 4 4 |
Carolina Hurricanes NHL 43 9 9 18 9 31 |
Albany River Rats AHL 2 1 0 1 -2 4 |
2008-09 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 82 15 34 49 26 28 | PLAYOFFS 17 3 1 4 3 12
2009-10 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 82 17 21 38 2 67 | PLAYOFFS 19 3 3 6 4 12
Chicago Blackhawks Victoria Cup 1 0 0 0 0 0 |
2010-11 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 81 29 30 59 -10 39 |
Canada WC 7 0 0 0 0 2 |
2011-12 Winnipeg Jets NHL 82 28 22 50 -8 64 |
2012-13 Winnipeg Jets NHL 48 18 28 46 10 22 |
2013-14 Winnipeg Jets NHL 78 23 31 54 8 57 |
2014-15 Winnipeg Jets NHL 81 24 38 62 9 72 | PLAYOFFS 4 0 1 1 -3 4
2015-16 Winnipeg Jets NHL 59 17 17 34 -10 39 |
Chicago Blackhawks NHL 19 8 4 12 -3 6 | PLAYOFFS 7 1 1 2 -1 16
2016-17 New York Islanders NHL 78 23 8 31 -14 45 |
2017-18 New York Islanders NHL 73 12 17 29 11 24 |
2018-19 New York Islanders NHL 26 3 8 11 3 16 |
Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 2 1 4 5 5 2 |
NHL TOTAL NHL 947 248 289 537 38 564 | PLAYOFFS 64 9 9 18 3 48


The golf season already is two months old, but the 2016 season really gets under way this weekend with the Masters.
The first round of golf's first major officially tees off Thursday morning at Augusta National, but there's work to be done before the ceremonial start. We're talking about the par 3 tournament, of course.
The annual light-hearted event gives the field a chance to ease into the week while having a little fun with family and friends. And for golf fans, it's a chance to get a little taste of the historic tournament before Thursday's opening round.
ESPN again will broadcast the tournament, and you also can watch online. Find out how below.
When: Wednesday, April 6, at 3 p.m. ET.


-WHAT A PRECIOUS AND WONDROUS OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO US! CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT HAS JUST BEEN STATED? WE HAVE BECOME SHARERS IN THE VERY NATURE OF GOD! This means that we are partakers and participators in all that God is. This is good news. This is VERY GOOD NEWS! This is our hope, and is in fact our only hope! It is the hope that we have been, are being, and will be saved from the nature that we were born with. This is our salvation!


Wow… I can't believe 2014 is coming to an end. It's truly been a great year!
But before we look forward to 2015, I thought I'd get a little nostalgic on you and celebrate my top 10 favorite blog posts for 2014… Enjoy!
I'm not sure when Christmas in July became a thing, but I'm cool with it. Christmas is my FAVORITE holiday so I see no issues getting into the spirit in the middle of summer.
On that note, I realized that I never shared our first official family photo-shoot we did for our Christmas cards this past year. So here you go… enjoy!
All photos by my sister, Megan Williams (thanks, sis!).


Are you paranoid about your data? Have you ever misplaced (read lost) your pen drive? Is software encryption not good enough for you? If you answered yes to these questions, then have we got the device for you!
A Russian designer felt that his data wasn't secure so he drafted up a design in AutoCAD and came up with this device. It adds a layer of physical security to a regular pen drive by adding a five wheel combination lock to it. Specifics are scarce but we believe the device was laser-cut from the design and is made of brass.
Not only does the device look cool, but it appears to be secure as well. We've lost our fair share of pen drives over the years, but we imagine that with such a device, if nothing else, our data WILL be secure.


An artist has created this picture showing a distant star system. The blue planet is called HD 189733, it is an enormous gas giant over 100 times bigger than Earth! It orbits so close to its star that temperatures in its atmosphere reach over 1000°C! And the star is actually roasting away huge amounts of the planet's air – up to 600 million kilograms every second!


I remember ordering my first box of different flavours of tea a few years back and finding chamomile in it. It was an orange bag, with a soothing and soft fragrance that influenced the soul more than the tongue. I was a fan of the tea then and I am a fan of the same flavour and benefits of chamomile tea today.
Chamomile tea has a smooth texture and a smoother flavour. It has a rich taste profile and when it comes to benefits, it delivers more than you expect. It has always been associated with inner peace but benefits of chamomile tea extend to other horizons as well. Let's explore.
Chamomile tea has ingredients that reduce stress and break spells of anxiety. It soothes the mind, relaxes the body and improves the mood.
Chamomile tea releases hormones in the body that reduce stress and as a result you feel happier and better. These feelings make you feel lighter and sleep better.
Consuming chamomile tea on a regular basis increases the body's resistance and ability to fight against diseases like common cold and fly. It also benefits conditions like chest congestion and sinus.
You will be surprised to know that chamomile has been used by Egyptians and Greeks in the ancient times to treat wounds and skin conditions. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties which can help in conditions like eczema.
Ulcers are dreadful and if you suffer from one, you know what I am talking about. Consuming chamomile tea regularly helps in reducing pain induced due to an ulcer in the stomach.
Chamomile tea has strong anti-inflammatory properties which treat stomach cramps effectively and also help in intestinal cramps. In fact, any bowel problem can be cured with a cup of chamomile tea.
Chamomile tea acts as a natural skin bleaching agent. Chamomile is full of antioxidants which boost the glow of the skin and lighten the complexion.
If acne loves your skin, it's time to fall in love with chamomile tea. Chamomile tea helps in treating the fade spots and eliminate acne scars and even stop acne from appearing on the skin.
Antioxidant properties of the chamomile tea can sooth and treat the sun burns with high effectiveness. Dip a towel in brewed chamomile tea and apply it on the sun burnt area.
After you have used the chamomile tea bags, place them under your eyes on the dark spots and watch those dark circles fade away.
Drinking chamomile tea regularly can also take care of dandruff problem. It soothes the scalp and promotes a healthy head.
Using chamomile tea as the final hair cleanser after the hair wash imparts a beautiful golden glow to the hair. People with blonde hair can make the most of it. Mixing chamomile tea is henna will give dark hair a natural highlight.
Benefits of chamomile tea are endless. However, like any other thing, there are a few reasons why you should not be consuming chamomile tea.
Chamomile belongs to the daisy family of flowers and if you are allergic to this family, it will be in your interest if you do not consume chamomile tea. In fact, you should avoid chamomile if you are allergic to chrysanthemum, daisy or marigold.
If you are scheduled to undergo a surgery in next two weeks, you should stop drinking chamomile tea. Chamomile tea has coumarin which is a blood thinner and can make things hard for your doctor.
While the connection between pregnancy and chamomile is still under observation, it is good to avoid chamomile tea during pregnancy until studies prove otherwise. In case you wish to consume chamomile while pregnant, consult with your doctor before consuming it.
I never knew about this…but I am glad you shared about this…thanks a lot…I am sure I will try this now !
Thanks for the info. It seems like a real healthy drink and good substitute of tea.


It's not that he doesn't enjoy my lunches it's just an "inconvience" to him. Buying lunch it's warm all the time right away. He doesn't have to wait for the microwave at work. Although, he could eat lunches cold and he really doesn't like sandwiches.
But he never wants to talk about money EVER!!! And he needs to know that even though he needs tools for work (he's a mechanic) he needs to know how much he has to spend on tools a month and not start a tab with the Snap-On truck 27% (in Canada anyway) interest on that tab is killing us.
I do know that he was never taught about finances by his parents. His parents are quite muddy with money and I don't want to have to be a mother to him and give him an allowance. I should be able to tell him and ask him what is acceptable and maybe set aside an amount of money every month and say that's what WE can afford in the way of tools and then the rest goes to everything else.
His tool buying has stopped us from being able to save anything and at this moment our boys have started to take on his spending as that's how life is and mommy is just a penny pincher. How aggeravting that is. So now his influencing the boys and making it hard for us to get ahead.
This is such a hard problem. In our marriage I always heard about how his mother kept the house so wonderfully clean, she always put her husband first, she always gave without asking for anything, and the bills were always paid. Well, his mother had five daughters to help with the housework. She remarried when her kids were teens so I expect that she was just being a newlywed. When I gave our kids chores he took them away, said his kids didn't need to help me keep the house clean. He took all the credit for the good things and gave me the blame for all the bad stuff including the financial troubles. Anyone want to guess why we're divorced? Oh, by the way since the divorce nothing has changed for him but I've got checking and savings accounts plus was approved for a credit card ($200 limit, paid in full every month). All of my bills are paid. He's got one savings account (can't have checking due to owed money for closed account), no credit card, and his credit score is in the pits. And he still thinks he can buy a house in the next couple of years.
Tell your husband that both of you need to sit down and talk about things. Leave the kids with someone else for a few hours. Or if the kids are old enough start talking with them. Try starting with the basics like this is our income for the month and we have to pay these bills (rent, mortgage, car insurance) and we need money for these things (groceries, gas, lunch money). My kids didn't get it until I showed them my expected monthly income then subtracted all the bills and other things. And I also compared the leftover bit with things they can relate to such as how many rented movies or video games it would cover.
I completely feel everyone's frustration on this point. It's *very* difficult to work towards financial stability if you're the only one who apparently has that goal. If anyone knows the key to convincing spouses that it's a good idea to pay down debt, save for the future, and live within a budget, please share.
There's a book I know of called "How to Debt Proof Your Kids" that might give some more pointers on raising kids with some kind of financial literacy.
My biggest problem is their dad still takes no responsibility. He's facing the possibility of being evicted. his solution is to move in with us for a few weeks. Didn't want to get into an argument in front of the kids but he's not moving in with me. It helps that I rent 2nd floor apartment and my parents are in the 1st floor apartment. they also don't want him living here.
After the divorce I was homeless for about five months but was able to live in a motel room. No fridge but I could have a microwave and a cooler kept stuff cold. My mom works in a restaurant and she gave me ice from there. State agencies give you more help if you're homeless (place with no kitchen really helps). So yeah I do feel sympathy for the ex but after nearly four years of freedom I really don't want him around any more.
I've been reading all the questions and suggestions that have been going on recently and I have tried to get my significant other to do the same.
At this moment we are about $50,000 in total debt. Although two pieces of debt are low interest and the hishest balances I'm not that worried about it. I have my significant others income directly being deposited into my account because of the fact nothing would get paid otherwise.
As much as I try to include my other in the financial decisions he just doesn't want to hear it as it "gives him a headache" (in my opinion he's being a baby) I'm the one who budgets and he's the one that is trying to spend the money that we don't have.
How in the world am I suppose to have his participation when he can't even sit down to look at a budget that I have made so that he knows how much money we have?
Any ideas? I really hate that he calls me his personal financial planner after I went to school for accounting and personal finance. He would spend the debt payments if he had access to my debit card. And he begs for money for lunch right after I made him lunch. Last time he needed money he even took a $500 loan at whoneeds500.com – can you believe it?
He calls you that because in a sense, you ARE being his finance advisor and even controlling the income/outgo.
Remind this guy there is no free lunch If you choose to make his lunch, simply point to the lunch on the counter as he sticks his hand out wanting money for lunch (That's insulting if you make him a lunch but he'd rather buy one, eh?). If he balks and says he doesn't like the lunches you make, offer him a guided tour of the kitchen and let him make his own. Guys do that a lot I think, because in many cases, we let them.
Maybe you two could sit down and figure out what you're both happy (or unhappy) with. Everyone needs their dignity, and it sounds from your letter like your dear spouse has given up some of his. At least, you seem to view it that way, hence "he begs for lunch money".
Even if you handle the bills and finances, he should be in on your decisions. In a way, it's good that he recognizes that you are better at keeping track of this stuff. Trust me. 🙂 My spouse fights me all the way, despite the fact that I have at least some clue as to how to deal with personal finances. Anyway, your husband might be fine with both of you having an "allowance" of some kind for spending money, while you take care of the bigger financial picture.
It may give him a headache – heck, it gives all of us a headache! – but I think it really is necessary that both of you discuss things and come to an agreement.
In the meantime, remember to be grateful that he's working, willing to hand over the financial upkeep to you, and recognizes that that's not his strength. You've got a good foundation there.
Okay, I'll stop rattling on now. Your message struck close to home for me so I had a lot to say. Good luck!
I'm glad you posted about this. I'd been wanting to see it so I did a Google search and found it on Google videos. My husband and I just watched it. None of it really surprised me. But man, the parts about hose women whose college student kids committed suicide over credit card debt just about did me in. I have a son who got credit cards right out of high school. Before he knew it, he was about $8000 in debt. He hasn't paid it off but he isn't depressed about it, either. He's managing it but slowly, very slowly. I need to send him the url for Maxed Out.
Everyone should watch that. And the lady who went missing too… It was very sad they found her the way they did….
I've never seen this clip or movie or whatever it entails. Needless to say I've actually told a credit card company that wanted me to sign up for a card that it can cause suicide. People get so far in debt they think it's their only way out. They have a insurance policy for the beneficiaries, but I'd rather have the person instead of the money any day. It saddens me to think that finances can kill. I'm sure it can cause high blood pressure and heart attacks just as well.
In this day and age with so many places closing, it's hard to even keep a roof over your head let alone any luxuries.
I know exactly how you feel! We married and started a family early and had 3 kids by the time we were married 10 years.
We were independent from the start, living in towns far from any close relatives. I saved a little $$s in a 401K (about 6K in 3 years) and we bought our first home. The only way I could save that money was to have it automatically taken out of my check so I never saw it. So that's how we bought our first home.
Now after 25 years and a divorce 🙁 I look back and realize that we made a lot of money but working and having kids at a young age and having to pay for child care is costly. I remember lamenting that I didn't have any really nice furniture and I shopped for clothes at thrift stores and yard sales. We also invested heavily in the kids sports, travelling extensively as part of elite club teams.
Cha ching. It all adds up. And the debt!! Well that's always been in the picture. We paid off credit cards three times using our home equity only to run them back up. Now that I'm dealing with half the income, there's no hiding from it. I have to turn and face the debt and careless spending monster headon and just stop the madness. I feel encouraged and optimistic about the future, and feel that I'll be in control of the finances. I think the key is learning to live within your means and not spend more than you make. As the kids grow up and leave home, AND you remain debt free, there'll be less stress on the marriage and more $$s in the bank.
As far as buying stuff, I'll never buy furniture, cars or any other similar big ticket item new again. It takes some work to find, but there are bargains out there to be had on beautiful possessions and in the future I'm committed to staying away from "payment plans" by finding these deals.
One way to think of how much you pay for things, is to divide the cost of the item by the amount of money you get paid on an hourly basis. Then, you realize how many hours you work just for that particular item.
When you realize that if you make $10 an hour and you just have to have a new pair of Jordan sneakers at $250 a pair, you worked 25 hours or just over 3 typical workdays just for those shoes.
P.S. I use these as an example, as I saw people on the news recently sitting outside stores waiting for them to go on sale for that price. His newest ones.
I just thought of something. Near where I live is a second-hand store. It's connected to a pawn shop. People who need money sell their furniture and appliances to this place and they clean it up a bit then put it up for sale. They also go to auctions. Have you tried auctions? My dad's bought a lovely couch at an estate auction (elderly man moving out after wife's death) for only a dollar. Nice couch just nobody wanted it. Sure, it's used but quite often furniture goes cheap in auctions unless two or more people really want a particular thing.
How does your dad know when these auctions occur? I've tried to find out about them in my area but have had little luck.
My dad gets flyers in the mail. Often they're listed in newspapers. Look for auctioneers in the phone book. Call them up and ask if they have any sales coming up. I bet they'd give you all kinds of info because they get paid a percentage of the sales. To register to bid you've got to provide ID and I think most places use your address to mail you flyers about upcoming sales. Sometimes we've gone into restaurants or stores and they've had flyers up by the register or posted on a bulletin board. Hope this helps.
Recently I heard a man asking Dave Ramsey how to get sofas while paying off debt.
Apparently the man asking had sofas that were falling apart. Dave told the caller to hit garage sales in the upscale neighborhoods in his city – and to get a very high quality sofa that way for a few hundred dollars.
I usually find auctions in the local newspaper. In the summer they are listed with the garage sales. The estates sells are usually the best, they sell everything from a lawnmower to the house itself! Good luck!
I must say, I was thinking something similar about our own home not so long ago. I really, really, really want to furnish our home in my own style and decor. I want to go the the furniture stores and just pick & choose items of my very own.
We have a lot of furniture in our home, but pretty much all of it was somewhere else before it was here. If that makes sense. My husband's grandparents sofa and chair are in our living room. They are the only pieces I am seriously considering keeping – although they will be reupholstered and restuffed.
My primary hold up is that now that we have decided to tackle our debts in earnest once and for all, I refuse to finance furnishings for our home. We will save up and pay cash for them or do without until our debts are much, much, much, much smaller than they are. I watch HGTV, pour over catalogs and gather ideas. Some of them are up on the wall. I want to make this house our home without creating more debt.
I understand your frustration, believe me.
I am considering going to visit the local hotel liquidation places in search of a couple of pieces sometime this year, depending on how much we save up. Whatever happens, I refuse to finance the items at loanshark rates, through some furniture store, or on credit cards. It would be terrific if I could find some bored very classy person who is just plain bored with their decor willing to give it all to us so they can redecorate with the latest and greatest. Does that ever happen?????
Most of my furniture and even dishes came from the contents of abandoned storage units. My dad buys these lots a couple times a year. it's good stuff usually and you can't beat the price. He paid $50 for one unit that actually held stuff from three separate units. We got a gorgeous china hutch, six desks, three dressers, two couches, two kitchen tables (no chairs), tons of dishes and pots and pans, TVs, TV stand, two entertainment centers, a foot stool, two kitchen cabinets, and lots more decorative household items. I've also bought a great glide rocker from a yard sale for $5. My computer came from my ex, he bought a fancy new computer last year and gave me the old computer, which he'd bought new the year before.
And my income for 2007 wasn't much over $14,000. When my kids complain about the used furniture i pull out ads for local stores or get on the internet and show them how much things cost. Then I put that price into things they can understand like buying this item for $400 is equal to buying ten $39.95 video games. Last year i took a composition class and did a report on the cost of nursing home care and compared the annual cost to how many years of my income it would cost. (One year for my grandma would have cost 8 years of my total income.) This comparison had a bigger impact on both me and my classmates.
Remember, what you're doing is teaching your kids by example. You want your kids to grow up being responsible with their money, not being careless and getting into debt.
I also had another thought. When I moved into my house from a one-bedroom apartment 2 years ago, I found brand new furniture at bargain prices by going to a Raymour & Flanigan Clearance Center near me. I wouldn't have known about them except for the fact that their outlet store is right near where I live.
Basically their furniture is either damaged or discontinued. I got some of both. Living room couch said it was damaged, but after 2 years, I can't find any! I've had my bedroom set for 30 years, so I did get a new one there as well. It was a fairy tale set, something I would have gone crazy over as a teenager … but still appropriate for an adult. Armoir, dresser, vanity, and bed. Now, this set is most definitely damaged. You can see nicks, and in some spots, a few gouges. If I were handy, or could afford to hire someone who was, those spots could easily be fixed by someone who works with wood.
I also got an enormous wood desk for my computer … this item has the largest amount of damage, but after using it for 2 years now, I hardly notice it, because none of the damages get in my way at all.
I bargained them down from their original clearance price after looking at all the damaged spots … someone who's good at bargaining could have probably done even better than I did.
I don't feel at all embarrassed by the damaged spots – in fact, family and friends applaud me for finding new pieces at fractions of the original cost. These days, I think most people tend to admire any good method for saving money!
Anyway, you may have already considered this option, or even have done it yourself, but just in case my own experience could be helpful to you, I thought I'd share it.
I'm not sure if everyone on this group realizes you don't have to pay ANYTHING for items for your home or clothes if you use freecycle. I'm a group owner and moderator for a Freeycle group in CT. This is a nationwide group that tries to recycle things people no longer want or need so it doesn't go to the landfills or dumps. It's not junk. Really nice stuff some times. People truly have the helping others mentality. What goes around comes around. Just go to freecycle.org and find your state, then closest town that has freecycle. You can be on many groups. Please read the rules for each group though. Usually your on moderation until you post correctly. You can NOT ask for money for any item. I've received clothing, file cabinets, toys, clothing, baskets, dishes, etc… all for free. Your post is either a WANTED or OFFER.
We give things all the time away on freecycle. My daughters given full bags of diapers because her daughter outgrew the size and numerous baby clothes and toys.
On another note, the freecycle groups also have "cafe" groups where you can chit chat, some of the cafe's allow selling items, announcements of yard sales etc. Just don't ask for an item and sell it at a yard sale. The person who gave it to you just might show up at the yardsale. LOL.
I hope this helps. Remember do NOT buy anything for your home, clothes, furniture, toys etc because you CAN get it for FREE. The money you would save could go towards your bills. Good luck!
My husband and I started off with hand me downs for the first few years. Then every time we got our tax returns we'd get some furniture a little at a time. We still don't have anything fancy though. I'm not the type to pay a lot for stuff no matter how much money we have to spend.
Have you tried your hand at arts & crafts? You have probably seen tv programs, magazines, websites, etc. that show you in detail how to renovate furniture, paint, and decorate on a small budget by making a lot of things yourself. I have friends who have done gorgeous decorating by stripping and refinishing old furniture themselves, making their own curtains, etc. In addition, I've found that what's really nice about do-it-yourself home decorating, is that your home will be completely uniquely you.
others homes when they have big TVs, nice furnishings, and a gorgeous home. I was always brought up that those things weren't important but it gets tiresome not having them.
In my case, it's simple. They were lucky enough to get high paying jobs that I never got. I worked for one employer for 25 years and my loyalty was rewarded with low wages and no retirement. Now after 25 years of teaching at the University of San Francisco part time, I earn the whopping sum of $24,000 a year. Meanwhile a guy I know with no college education is making $90,000. He's obnoxious about it and I don't know how he stays employed as he is such a loud mouth.
Hang in there. Hopefully better days are around the corner for both of us. Best wishes.
Re: No assets – please help!
I'm living on old furniture and painted concrete floors. I run some paint over the worst spots every six month or a year, have washable bath mats. I can't get new flooring or tiles until I have paid off a lot of my debt.
Headboards: Go to a notions/crafts store get One 8″-12″ diameter ring, can be wood or metal. Hang the ring about 2′ above your bed. Running sheer coloured or white fabric through and around the ring, to leave about 6′ hanging', then, with thumbtacks, affix the bottom of the fabric splayed out behind the bed itself. if you want, 2 small artificial nosegays can be stuck to the wall at say the mid-point above your pillows.
Hitting the thrift store for a small dinette set and later, getting some fun paint and metallic pens etc, you can dress these things up. Hey, we call it all 'Retro' now!
If you lived close to me, *I* have a table and chairs you could have. Nothing wrong with 'hand me downs' call it recycling ! In our 'disposable society' many decent, good pieces are simply turfed out and they would so be loved and cared about by others.
But, Shay, one more thing if I may, many folks with all those nice things do NOT have a happy family. Their kids are usually left to their own, both parents working and there's really not a lot of happiness in those nice places. Look at what you DO have, embrace them all hard and realize you may in fact be richer than many. I do have some nice things, but no mom and dad, no sisters or brothers, no kids. Just me, my fella and five dogs. Those dogs bring me a lot of joy. Your endeavors to trash the debt will hold many rewards for you in due time.
No assets – please help!
I've been married 10+ years w/3 children. We rent and have no "good" furniture. We eat off of a card table and fold up chairs. We have a free stained couch. Our mattress is 12+ years old. We have no headboards and the dressers are hand me downs. We have old do it yourself put together desks, dressers, and entertainment center. There isn't one thing in our house that I would consider a nice piece of furniture. You would think we made terrible money, but we make six figures! We are working very hard to pay off our debt and not use credit cards.
In addition, when I look at the things we do have, I can hardly find one thing that we actually bought ourselves. Christmas presents, birthdays, and wedding gifts are what surround me. Our families are generous, but when I realize all we've ever bought were a toaster oven and computer equipment, it frustrates me.
How do others budget and purchase things for their home? What priority is this in your life? Do you have a special category for home furnishings, household items and furniture?
In the past I would have just thought about putting it on a credit card, but no more. I just don't know how to pay off debt and somehow make our surroundings more pleasing and not embarrassing.
My hubby and I have been married almost 10 years. We just bought our home last summer. Before that, we rented apartments (ugh).
ALL of my furniture has been purchased (with cash) from thrift stores, garage sales or off of Craig's List. You'd be amazed at what you can find.
Just a couple weeks ago, I got a nearly new sectional with two recliners – that have built in massage – and a queen size hide a bed off of Craig's List My cost? ZERO! Some woman had bought it then didn't like it so she bought something else. The power of credit cards, I'm guessing. So, instead of selling the set she didn't like, she gave it away.
My dining room table – a beautiful oak set with tile inlay on the top came from Craig's List. $75.
All my furnishings are like that right down to the curtains. In fact, I don t think I've bought anything new for my house now that I think about it. Yet, everyone that comes over comments on how beautiful it is.
It takes time to do it this way. But, start looking and thinking previously owned.


Mitzi (Dallas, TX), 262 pounds, is a 53-year-old woman who takes care of everyone but herself. When the only man she ever loved left her for their neighbor, she buried her sorrows in food and material things. As a result, Mitzi became a hoarder and hasn't let anyone into her home in more than eight years.


We cannot just help but admire the level of success that has been achieved by American actor, TV writer, and producer Patrick Labyorteaux. Nothing is known about his biological roots but he was a child afflicted by malnutrition in the children's shelter where he was already confirmed unadoptable by the social workers before his adoptive parents decided to accept him.
Patrick grew up as a privileged child of the Labyorteaux family and today, he is famous as an entertainer. He made his acting debut on the set of Mame in 1974 but he is best recognized for projects like Little House on the Prairie – an NBC series where he portrayed the character of Andrew "Andy" Garvey. He spent almost four years on the series – from 1977 to 1981. He is also known for the CBS series popularly known as JAG where he was cast in the role of Lt. Cmdr. Bud Roberts – a role which occupied him for over ten years from 1995 to 2005, NCIS which came as the spin-off of JAG gave him a reprisal in three episodes.
Patrick Labyorteaux has appeared as a guest actor in TV shows like Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Starsky & Hutch, The Love Boat, 21 Jump Street, Ghost Whisperer, Living Single, iCarly and Yes, Dear. His movie projects include; Summer School – a comic movie which cast him in the lead role of Kevin Winchester – a football player, it was released in 1987. He arrived as Ram Sweeney in the 1989 cult movie known as Heathers. In addition to his acting roles, he has lent his voice to animated productions like Godzilla: The Series as well as Spider-Man: The Animated Series.
His biological parents are unknown but records have it that he was born in LA California on the 22nd of July 1965. He is the adoptive child of actress Frances Mae "Frankie" Labyorteaux who used the stage name of Frances Marshall, his adoptive father's name is Ronald "Ron" Labyorteaux. We don't have the details of his personal life before adoption but the little available information says that he was adopted when he was nine months old and named Patrick Francis Labyorteaux.
According to his adoptive mother, he had a case of malnutrition and the social workers had already labeled him unadoptable when she met him for the first time. Patrick Labyorteaux soon became a brother to Matthew Labyorteaux who was also adopted into the family at 10 months old. A sister named Jane Labyorteaux joined the family a while later but the details of her adoption are not known. Both Matthew and Jane are also artists in the entertainment industry.
Patrick spent his formative years in Los Angeles and attended school there. Together with his brother Matthew, he founded Rescue Funds – a charity with its main focus on helping runaways. Their fundraising project for youth shelters across the US came to $11 million.
In addition to his job as a competent TV writer and producer, Patrick's prowess as an actor has gained substantial recognition. He has amassed a lot of wealth from his outstanding work in the world of entertainment and is living a lavish life at the moment. Although his net worth is said to be under review, a source has it pegged at $1 million while another source took it as high as $18 million. Important to note that his film titled 3 Ninja which was released in 1992 with the production cost of $6 million, grossed at a whopping $29 million in box collection.
The actor has been in an enduring marriage since 1998, his spouse is TV producer Tina Albanese. The duo tied the nuptial knot on the 3rd of October 1998 and their union has lasted for over two decades and still counting. They made their engagement official after dating secretly for a couple of years. The couple is blessed with a son named Jeau Bennett Labyorteaux who came into the world at Cedars Sinai Medical Center LA, on the 11th of July 2001.
Patrick and Tina first met on the set of the television show titled JAG where he was cast as Bud Roberts and Tina came in as associate producer. Along with his wife Tina, he wrote and created the 2012 See Dad Run – the Nick at Nite original series with Scott Baio in the leading role. The couple also sufficed as the executive producers on the series which lasted for 55 episodes – three seasons.
Patrick Labyorteaux's height is listed as 5 feet 11 inches, approximately 180cm. There is no information on the details of his other body measurements but from what is obvious, his hair is grey in color and his eyes are light brown.


text:
Q: Multiple inheritance, How to avoid manual inherence by copy past and maintenance? My  WCF Web Service library expose 2 services on differents endpoints:
public interface ICommons
{
    string Common();
}

public interface IFooA : ICommons
{
    string SayFooA();
}

public interface IFooB : ICommons
{
    string SayFooB();
}

And their respectives implementations:
public class Commons : ICommons
{
    public string Common() => "Common";
}
public class A : Commons, IFooA
{
    public string SayFooA() => "FooA";
}

public class B : Commons, IFooB
{
    public string SayFooB() => "FooB";
}

I wanted to have a 4th interface, a test one that will expose all methods in order to test them with out any reference juggling.
And I can define it like :
public interface I_A_B : IFooA, IFooB
{
}

But the issue is on the implementation on this contract. I wanted to use base class inheritance in order to be sue that I use the same implementation without copy past and maintenance.
Just like class A use class Commons, and any change in the implementation of Commons will be inherited in A.
public class A : Commons, IFooA

But multiple inherance is impossible  (ref msdn Why doesn't C# support multiple inheritance?)
, so the following line cause error.
public class A_B : A, B, I_A_B

How can I have an implementation of interface I_A_B : IFooA, IFooB that use the most of class A : Commons, IFooA and class B : Commons, IFooB with the minimum code copy past?

A: While Composition over Inheritance can solve your problem, and the community favors such ways of writing code, it could lead to repeating yourself when it does not make sense to re-write functionality. Check drawbacks section in wikipedia
So if you want to test using such a class, then it makes sense to me that such an implementation should be something you need. If an interface like this does not make sense to implement, then why test it in the first place?
If it does, then I'm sure you have some class implementing it already. If we are talking about unit testing, then make sure that you test each method individiually for each class.
A real life examply would be
public class A : Commons, IFooA
public class B : A, IFooB

And now you have an example of how such a case would be implemented.
Of course, if your case is indeed one of composition and you are not at one of the caveats of Composition over Inheritance, go ahead and do it that way. It makes more sense from a DI perspective as well.

A: One such way to expose such a WCF interface (as suggested above in the comments) would be to have:
public class A_B : I_A_B {

    [Import]
    public IFooA A {get; set;}

    [Import]
    public IFooB B {get; set;}

    public string SayFooA() => A.SayFooA();
    public string SayFooB() => B.SayFooB();

...

implementing the IFooA methods through A, and the IFooB methods through B. Of course, as your link suggests, you have to manually decide which implementation will call the "Common" method.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Are there APIs to access the server's YANG datastore by other applications?
The DB-API subsystem provides a special datastore editing interface for subsystems to access the YANG-based data controlled by the main server. It can be used by network management components within the device that operate in addition to the netconfd-pro server.
The DB-API service provides the ability for a subsystem to send a configuration edit to the main server. The YControl protocol is used to manage the connection and communication with the main server.
For more information see Section 11 "DB-API Subsystem" in the YumaPro SDK Developer Manual.


Imagine you are driving downtown in the middle of the night. Rows of red lights shine ahead. Traffic is thin, almost non-existent, and you wish you could turn all the red lights green and arrive home earlier. What if you could pull your phone out, automatically connect to the nearby lights, and turn them green?
That's precisely what a team at the University of Messina, Italy, tried to do. "It worked. It was very precise in real time, but there are so many rules, laws, and regulations to comply with before even being considered for actual usage in the streets," said Giovanni Merlino, research fellow in the Department of Engineering, University of Messina. Merlino delivered a talk about his team's work at the Boston OpenStack Summit 2017.
Messina is one of the largest cities on the island of Sicily and is home to more than 300,000 inhabitants. A city that size has its own set of civil challenges – environmental pollution, wear and tear on roads, safety and security of citizens, traffic monitoring and optimization, and potholes.
The modern way of solving these problems is by building an infrastructure that collects data through Internet of Things (IoT) devices spread across the city. That data is then analyzed to find the solutions to different problems. Take, for example, potholes. If sensors installed in vehicles or on mobile devices carried by people with the appropriate app can notify the municipality of the pothole locations, these potholes could be fixed. If the city can monitor the air, acoustic pressure, brightness, humidity, and other environmental aspects, officials could improve the quality of life.
Traditionally, solutions to these problems start with municipalities; however, they don't usually have the resources or incentives to invest in IT to find solutions. SmartMe.IO, an academic spin-off born out of a team of researchers from the Mobile and Distributed Systems Lab (MDSLab) at the University of Messina, tries to change that by coming up with vendor-neutral, open source solutions that can help a city "on a shoestring budget."
SmartMe.IO kick-started a smart city-related crowdfunded project  aimed at encouraging "a conversation with the municipality of Messina in order to spur the creation of a novel virtual ecosystem based upon the paradigm of the Internet of Things."
This SmartMe.IO initiative started with some prototypes that used Arduino-based sensors to collect environmental data, such as humidity, brightness, and carbon dioxide level. However, they didn't want it to remain a research project. They wanted to expand and scale it out so that it could serve people beyond the city of Messina. The team ran a successful crowdfunding project to grow the project.
In a nutshell, the SmartMe.IO project has three core components: IoT or edge devices scattered across the city to collect different kinds of data, an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform to collect and process the data, and data processing to offer more refined services to the city and other stakeholders.
The SmartMe.IO team created a fully open source framework called Stack4Things, which is a complete solution to manage the fleet of IoT devices remotely. The framework has two agents: one for the server side and one for edge devices. The server/cloud-side agent is called IoTronic , and the node-side (IoT edge device) agent is called Lightning-Rod.
IoTronic is an IoT resource management service for OpenStack Cloud, traditionally known for hyperscale cloud computing and massive infrastructure. SmartMe.IO wanted to build an IaaS-oriented solution for these IoT devices, an infrastructure that can be scaled on the basis of demand. At the same time, they wanted to expand the scope of OpenStack beyond the data center, toward the management of sensing and actuation resources. Initially, the software was written in Node.js, but the researchers have been porting it to Python to make it OpenStack compliant. The cloud currently runs in the University data center.
On the client side, Lightning-Rod runs on edge devices powered by single-board computers like Raspberry Pi, running a customized version of the OpenWrt/LEDE flavor of Linux developed in-house, an environment common to all the supported SmartMe.IO edge devices. These edge devices are called Arancino and are armed with a wide range of commodity sensors to collect different kinds of data. The University once hosted one of the Arduino labs. As the lab was shut down, the university absorbed the human expertise from the lab, bringing valuable resources to the SmartMe.IO team that enabled them to work on Arancino. More than 100+ IoT devices spread across the city are actively collecting valuable data.
In addition to the physical boxes on the map are virtual boxes, which represent points of interest that could be either landmarks or most-clicked areas. These areas won't have any physical boxes installed.
"The virtual box would then be just flagged/labeled/colored differently to let the user know data is extrapolated/predicted, but not actually sampled. The predictive engine analyzes and correlates time series from neighboring boxes (say, four or more surrounding the location of the virtual one) and predicts expected values of homogeneous metrics (say, humidity values from four neighboring humidity sensors), or even heterogeneous ones (say, temperature values from a mix of neighboring and/or co-located humidity/brightness sensors). Use cases [include] faulty sensors (incomplete time series) [and] sparsely covered areas," said Merlino.


E. Develop a hypothesis based on the outcome of the various controlled actions and the system's reactions.
B. In Avaya Session Border Controller for Enterprise (SBCE) GUI, navigate to Global Profiles > Server Configuration > Edit the Session Manager server entry to set "Overwrite Domain Name."


The MoU builds on the shared commitment of the IOI and WMU in supporting implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 focused on sustainable oceans as well as the vital role of education and capacity building in support of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The MoU fosters the development of collaborative and reciprocal activities in the fields of ocean sustainability, ocean governance, the implementation of the sustainable development goal for the oceans, and the science-law-policy interface. Collaboration in research, training opportunities and capacity-building initiatives and in the delivery of conferences, seminars, workshops and joint publications on matters of common interest will contribute to the achievement of these objectives.


text:
Research In Motion to unveil new BlackBerry devices
Research In Motion (TSX:RIM) made another step towards the release of its new BlackBerry smartphones on Monday, announcing that it plans to unveil the devices and its new operating system on Jan. 30.
The launch date provides a little more certainty for those who were skeptical that another BlackBerry would ever see the light of day, but it still doesn't confirm when customers will be able to buy the new touchscreen and keypad versions at stores.
"We're not going to talk about availability yet," said company spokeswoman Crystal Roberts in a telephone interview.
Instead, RIM is planning to use the late January date as a platform to showcase the make-or-break device with simultaneous events in multiple countries, though its still uncertain exactly which countries will be the first to get a peek.
The hotly-anticipated launch could mimic the style that technology giant Apple Inc. has made famous in recent years, with its CEO showing off new devices on a stage surrounded by a rapturous crowd of eager users.
Given that the BlackBerry launch will be held in multiple countries at the same time, it's unclear at this point in which city or cities RIM's chief executive Thorsten Heins will appear.
Shares of RIM were higher Monday afternoon, up 23 cents at $8.79 on the Toronto Stock Exchange, but the gain was only about half that made earlier in the session, shortly after the company issued the announcement.
The minimal stock movement suggests traders were little surprised by the announcement, since the launch date was in line with expectations, said Bill Kreher, a technology analyst with financial services firm Edward Jones.
"Given recent missteps and delays we believe this removes some uncertainty around the timing these devices make it to market," he said, noting that the phones are likely to hit shelves in late February or March.
"I'm still skeptical regarding that moment of truth when consumers are faced with multiple devices, that they'll actually purchase a BlackBerry 10."
RIM has outlined that it plans to launch the new smartphones with grassroots and viral marketing campaigns that lean heavily on recruiting loyal BlackBerry users and former users who have switched to competitors' devices, like the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S3, but would consider coming back to the BlackBerry.
But analysts say that will only get the company so far in its launch.
"The company is playing catch up, they do not have the ecosystem of other devices," Kreher said, noting the prominence of apps stores from Apple's iTunes store and Google.
"With their branding waning over the last few years, we think marketing will help but a hit product is what will allow RIM to succeed long term."
Last week, the company gave Canadian politicians and their staff to a sneak preview of the yet-to-be-released devices, while it also won U.S. security clearance for the BlackBerry 10 platform.
"They're trying to thread the needle between big announcements and releases from their most serious competitors," said Charter Equity analyst Edward Snyder.
"Gaining (market) share back is going to be very expensive and it's going to be time consuming."
Snyder noted that several factors are working against RIM, including that the launch will miss this year's lucrative holiday season and debut in the first half of next year, a much slower sales period for smart phones. He said RIM will also unveil the new phones around the same time as the rumoured date for the new Samsung Galaxy S4 device, which could steal thunder from the BlackBerry.
Cormark Securities analyst Richard Tse maintains his "Buy" rating on RIM's stock, saying that he believes the new operating system may be better than many people expect.
Earlier this month, the company announced that its operating system went into testing stages with 50 phone carriers around the world, marking a significant milestone in getting the devices to market.
RIM president and CEO Thorsten Heins said that in building BlackBerry 10, the company set out to create "a truly unique mobile computing experience."
"Our team has been working tirelessly to bring our customers innovative features combined with a best in class browser, a rich application ecosystem, and cutting-edge multimedia capabilities," Heins said in announcing the launch date.
Among other things, the BlackBerry 10 will offer a large catalogue of applications from games to lifestyle and multimedia apps, as well as applications designed for business and enterprise use.
The company says the feature it calls BlackBerry Flow allows seamless navigation across open applications. All messages, notifications, feeds, and calendar events come into what is called the BlackBerry hub. With a simple gesture, users can peek into the hub at any time, regardless of what they are doing with the device.
The new smartphones will also have a function that adapts to how the user types to allow faster and more accurate typing.
And RIM says a feature called BlackBerry Balance will keep personal apps and information separate from work data, but the user will be able to switch back and forth.
Hobby gone wild' urban winery wins awards
Fear of bats unnecessary despite rabies death
Bats are beneficial, says Kerry Wood Nature Centre in Red Deer
EDMONTON — Alberta health officials are declaring a provincewide outbreak of syphilis…


From 11 to 13 February meet IEC Telecom team at the Egypt Petroleum Show 2019, North Africa and the Mediterranean's oil and gas exhibition and conference, in Cairo, Egypt. We are joining 20,000 attendees from local & international businesses to identify opportunities, future projects requirements, and strategic priorities to gain insights into the wider North African oil and gas sector.
The energy industry operates in remote environments where telecommunication infrastructures are often unreliable or unavailable. With oil prices recovering from the 2014 crash and investments in alternative renewable energy sources continuing to gain momentum, oil and gas companies need to innovate to stay competitive and keep the fuel flowing. The processes of locating, estimating and producing oil and gas are now driven by the real-time collection and analysis of data from the oilfield. A reliable and seamless communication onsite is absolutely critical to achieving the efficiencies organisations need to reap maximum profit.
"IEC Telecom understands the specific needs of the energy sector and continues to be instrumental in transforming the digital oil field landscape. Whether it is an integrated communications system that maintains connectivity in remote locations or telemedicine for the staff, IEC Telecom solutions aim to increase operational efficiency while reducing communication costs," says Alaa Alsadi, Regional Sales Manager, IEC Telecom.
To schedule a meeting with our representative at Egypt Petroleum Show, please contact marketing@iec-telecom.com. See you in Cairo!


text:
Musician and Activist
If you harbor any old-fashioned stereotypes about what a leader looks like, put them aside, because Chance the Rapper is about to bust every one of them. In a music industry dependent on album sales and exclusive artist deals, 23-year-old Chance—born Chancellor Bennett—stays independent, releasing streaming-only mixtapes. This year, the rapper and author of infectiously uplifting, Christian-infused rhymes set a new template for the music industry when his mixtape Coloring Book became the first streaming-only recording to win a Grammy (in fact, it won three).
Chance is also a political force as an anti-violence campaigner in his hometown of Chicago, and he may only be getting started. His latest salvo: A $1 million donation to Chicago Public Schools, after he called Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner to task for what Chance called Rauner's neglect of educational funding. The cash will go towards arts and after-school programming —and even set off a chain reaction, with Seattle Seahawk Michael Bennett inspired to donate his endorsement money to worthy causes.
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At Acubody we carry out a considerable amount of sports therapy in London as well as myofascial release. Sportsmen and women come to us for a London sports massage or myofascial release in order to relieve pain after a sports injury, which is frequently the result of muscle tension and trigger points. A trigger point is where a muscle is under tension but causes a pain somewhere else in the body. This is sometimes called a reflected pain.
A sports massage is based on Swedish massage in combination with other techniques and is a deep form of massage using long gliding strokes in the direction of blood returning to the heart which has the effect of increasing oxygen levels in the blood. In addition, sports massage can improve lymph fluid and this has the effect of removing uric acid and lactic acid from the muscles which are both formed as a result of undertaking exercise.
For this reason, a sports massage is not just for people who take part in sports. It can be an equally effective treatment for people suffering from muscle tension and soreness after doing everyday things like gardening, DIY, walking long distances carrying a heavy load, or building a wall, where the repetitive use of muscles comes into play. A sports massage speeds up recovery time and reduces pain. The effects are usually not immediately noticeable, but after 24 hours there is a greatly improved overall feeling of wellbeing.
We also provide sports massage for sportsmen and women before taking part in an event. In this case the strokes that we use are more gentle because a deep massage can make the limbs feel heavy. This type of massage increases circulation and oxygen levels and helps to tone up the muscles. Of course, a massage relaxes the whole body and releases stress which is also a very great benefit before taking part in sporting activity.
In addition, we often use acupuncture for sports injury at Acubody. Acupuncture was developed in China, but in the last four decades has spread considerably to the West. The Chinese believe that there is a flow of energy in the body which they call qi and if that flow becomes out of balance ill health can result. The energy flows through acupuncture channels and by inserting needles into these channels at specific points (there are over 300 of them) this flow can be corrected and restored into balance once more.