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by C. Edward Kelso
Ether & Ripple Doomed As Securities According to Regulation Expert
Former Obama administration financial regulator Gary Gensler believes cryptocurrencies such as ether and ripple appear as unregistered securities, and in current violation of the law. His comments carry considerable weight in the broader financial community. They also come after venture capitalists and lawyers invested in ether projects met secretly with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to head off such regulation. Spokespeople for both coins insist they're not securities.
Also read: Telegram Urges Paper Airplane Protest, Pussy Riot Activist Arrested
Ether and Ripple Might Be Securities
Former Obama CFTC head Gary Gensler told The New York Times, "I would be surprised if 10 years from now this isn't somewhere in the financial system in a meaningful way. But so much of the stuff that is being promoted now will not be around." The 'this' he's speaking of is cryptocurrencies, and as part of his appointment to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Mr. Gensler is weighing in on the phenomenon's future with regard to regulation.
In particular, he's focusing upon two of the most popular cryptos, ether and ripple, as potentially very susceptible to future designation as securities. Should that happen, many experts believe it would herald the decline of both. Securities regulation imposes a host of legal burdens upon registrants, and costs to comply are often prohibitive and burdensome.
"There is a strong case for both of them — but particularly Ripple — that they are noncompliant securities," he told Nathaniel Popper. Bitcoin and others like it are decentralized to such an extent as to not trigger regulation, he believes. That's not so clear in the cases of ether and ripple, both of which Mr. Gensler insists are in violation of securities law.
"2018 is going to be a very interesting time. Over 1,000 previously issued initial coin offerings, and over 100 exchanges that offer I.C.O.s, are going to need to sort out how to come into compliance with U.S. securities law," the Times quotes him as saying. Indeed, representatives with heavy financial interests in ether-related projects recently were discovered to have secretly pled their case to the SEC in hopes of heading off what some say is certain regulation. That's a potential problem for tens of billions of dollars in coins respectively when ether and ripple are combined.
Impact Not Good
Should such a designation be handed down, one of crypto's largest markets, the United States, would essentially be cut off, made against the law for trading ETH and XRP on exchanges. It's not too extreme to figure such a move would impact both coins' prices, and probably not in a good way.
Mr. Gensler, 60, was tapped by MIT's Media Lab and its Digital Currency Initiative, along with being a lecturer at its Sloan School of Management (with a blockchain emphasis) for his expertise in the financial sector. His views on the future of regulation carry heft simply because of his past experience in the Obama administration, and previous connections to Goldman Sachs as well as helping to finance the ill-fated Hillary Clinton run of 2016.
Asked for comment about Mr. Gensler's claims, the Ethereum Foundation answered how it "neither controls the supply of nor has the ability to issue Ether, and the quantity of Ether that the foundation holds (under 1 percent of all Ether) is already lower than that held by many other ecosystem participants," according to the Times. A Ripple spokesperson responded by insisting, "XRP does not give its owners an interest or stake in Ripple, and they are not paid dividends. XRP exists independent of Ripple, was created before the company and will exist after it."
Do you think ether and ripple should be regulated? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
CFTC, Digital Currency Initiative, ether, Ethereum Foundation, Gary Gensler, Hillary Clinton, MIT, N-News, Obama, Regulation, Ripple, SEC, Securities, US
Do you agree with us that Bitcoin is the best invention since sliced bread? Thought so. That's why we are building this online universe revolving around anything and everything Bitcoin. We have a store. And a forum. And a casino, a pool and real-time price statistics.
C. Edward Kelso
C. Edward Kelso has written hundreds of articles as a journalist covering a range of topics from international finance, regulation, to cryptocurrency philosophy, interviews with luminaries, and book reviews.
Report: Meta and Instagram Are Exploring an 'Early Stage' NFT Feature
Auditing Firms Claim Crypto.com Lost $15 Million in Incident as Users Report Suspicious Activity
NEWS | 2 days ago
Vinny Lingham Interview: Scaling, Securities and Bitcoin Extremism
Bitcoin Cash Proponents Prepare for the Largest Block Size Increase Ever


From the Self Help Graphics website.
As nonprofits grow or decide to scale up, they often face significant decisions about their physical space, including whether to buy or keep renting. NPQ has looked at this conundrum many times, and one of the most critical questions to be answered is about budget size and the amount of slack within the budget. Buildings impose fixed costs within your budget structure, and those can sometimes crowd out program and budget flexibility. Often, this is too great a risk, unless the building has an undeniable mission-centered rationale, which in this case it does.
Boccalero and printmakers Carlos Bueno, Antonio Ibañez, and Frank Hernández, among other artists, started the programs in 1970 with a used printing press behind the nuns' home. They moved three years later to a space donated by the Order of the Sisters of St. Francis in Boyle Heights. The archdiocese sold that property in 2011, and the nonprofit moved again and had to pay rent. They have moved three times since that garage beginning.
The organization's revenue for the fiscal year July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016 was $479,562. For the last ten years, the total revenue was $4,024,304, with an average of $365,846. That income has paid for programs and overhead, but there is no room for a mortgage on a southern California property.
In 2014, Self Help Graphics & Art approached the City Council and the Board of Supervisors with a plan to purchase space, hoping for financial backing and, with it, public support for the location. Los Angeles appraised the property, owned by the state of California, at $3.625 million. The nonprofit must have made a strong case, Councilman José Huizar, and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (under Supervisor Hilda Solis) voted in late 2017 to help the nonprofit purchase the building with a combined $1.28 million commitment.
Self Help secured $2.8 million to invest in the purchase through a $2.05 million loan from the California Community Foundation and a $250,000 loan from the Weingart Foundation, as well as two $250,000 grants from the California Community Foundation and former board member Zac Guevarra.
Now others can share the experience of past program participants like Arleny Vargas. She first attended a self-defense class before her junior year in Wellesley College and has taken a five-week workshop—Soy Artista, Spanish for "I'm an Artist"—that includes photography as well as stencil and silkscreen printing. The first in her family to attend college, Vargas is now a senior, working on a career in photography.
The organization assists the community in other ways. The printers used their skills to produce materials for the Women's March in 2017 and, this past September, placed a miniature printing station in the parking lot to make posters in English and Spanish to provide instructions for anyone stopped by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) was threatened.
There are many ways to help as midterm election day nears. Some are collective, but others simply require inspiration and an understanding of need.


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Govt. ditches National Action Plan for mitigation of human-elephant conflict?
By Ifham Nizam
The Department of Wildlife Conservation is planning to go ahead with the construction of 1,500 km of electric fencing in the protected areas, sidelining recommendations by the National Action Plan for the Mitigation of Human-Elephant Conflict; it has also not submitted proposals to the Committee of Public Accounts (COPA) headed by Prof. Tissa Vitharana.
A Wildlife Department official, disturbed by this ad hoc decision, told The Island, "Multi stakeholders including the Irrigation Department, Agrarian Department and Wildlife experts cannot be sidelined," he stressed.
More than 100 elephants have been killed so far this year mostly due to electrocution, according to the Wildlife Department sources.
Wildlife Department's Media Director Hasini Sarathchandra, contacted for comment, said the department would complete 1,500 km electric fencing soon.
State Ministry Secretary Maj General Palitha Fernando has directed Wildlife Department Director General Chandana Sooriyabandara to proceed with the move.
Sources alleged that the National Action Plan for the Mitigation of Human-Elephant Conflict prepared on the instructions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had been pigeonholed at the Presidential Secretariat.
The action plan was prepared by a multi-stakeholder committee chaired by eminent Asian Elephant researcher and expert Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando and handed over to the government on December 17, 2020.
Govt. will ensure there are no shortages – PM
Owners of small cars driven round the bend due to non-availability of tyres
by PRIYAN DE SILVA
The Election Commission (EC) has expressed its disappointment at controversial statements made by some public officials about elections. It says some top government official, including the Director General of Government Information, are not familiar with the basic election laws and regulations laid down in the Constitution.
The EC says it may be due to his ignorance that the Director General of Government Information has issued the Special News Release, on 29 January, claiming that 'the gazette notification, with the signatures of the Chairman, and other members of the Election Commission, required for the commencement of the Local Government Election process, has not yet been sent to the Government Press for printing'. The EC has said such notices have to be signed and sent by the relevant Returning Officers in accordance with section 38 of the Local Authorities Election (Amendment Act) No 16 of 2017, and not by the members of the EC.
The EC has confirmed that the notices from the Returning Officers were sent to the Government Press on Monday (30).
The EC's Media release also points out that the DGI may be unaware that Article 104GG of the Constitution states that if any public official refuses or fails without a reasonable cause to comply with the Commission he or she has committed an offence.
Article 104GG of the Constitution says: (1) Any public officer, any employee of any public corporation, business or other undertaking vested in the Government under any other written law and any company registered or deemed to be registered under the Companies Act, No. 7 of 2007, in which the Government or any public corporation or local authority holds fifty percent or more of the shares of that company, who – (a) refuses or fails without a reasonable cause to cooperate with the Commission, to secure the enforcement of any law relating to the holding of an election or the conduct of a Referendum; or (b) fails without a reasonable cause to comply with any directions or guidelines issued by the Commission under sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (4) or sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (5), respectively, of Article 104B, shall be guilty of an offense and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand rupees or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both such fine and imprisonment."
AKD says no improvement at Sapugaskanda oil refinery since it went into production in 1969
The capacity of the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery (SOR) has not increased since it was established in 1969, National People's Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake says.
Speaking at a public rally recently he that in 1969, the SOR used the most advanced technology available at the time.
"CPC started construction in 1968 and SOR started operations, refining oil, on August 5th, 1969. During that time, the CPC could refine 50,000 MT of crude oil. 55 years later, the capacity remains the same. In 1969, the CPC started with the most advanced technology available at the time. Technology has improved now. We are still refining oil with 1969 technology," he said.
Dissanayake said that Sri Lanka built a fertiliser factory to use the byproducts of the refinery and, in 1982, a newspaper reported that 5000 MT of urea, produced by that factory, was exported to Pakistan. Today, that factory is closed.
"The CPC also had a nylon factory, as a subsidiary. We built our own nylon thread fish nets. By-products of the refinery were used as pesticides and insecticides for our pineapple and flower production. Those factories were closed, too. We had a candle industry from the by-products, we produced lubricant oil. It was sold to American Caltex. Refinery produced fuel for airplanes. It has the capacity to sell USD 1.4 million worth airplane fuel per day. We can buy crude oil, refine, and sell to ships. These are opportunities we must use to earn foreign currency. Recently this section of the CPC was privatized," he said.
The ruling class has failed to secure even the most important assets, he said. Agriculture, land, gems, ilmenite, our natural resources, so will these rulers protect what is left, he asked.
"They have absolutely no plan to build this country. Selling our resources, closing down factories and selling valuable machinery is what they know. Every government has taken part in the destruction of the refinery. This is why we need a change in the economy. We need to transform our economy. Only NPP can do that," he said.
The NPP leader said that the existing constitution concentrates too much power in the hands of the executive president. Sri Lanka has had this executive presidential system for 40 years and executive power was used against the people, repressing them.
"Our economy was destroyed. It has done no good to this country. One man cannot develop the country. Individuals have capacities and limitations. We need to unite our capabilities to govern this country. It's a collective effort and the NPP is the only party to undertake it. That's the point of difference. There are talented people from all fields like history, economy, mathematics, law and so on. There are lawyers, university academics and professionals. The government has to unite these capacities and talents to bring optimum results for the country. NPP will do that. For that we have to abolish executive presidency and rewrite the constitution vesting more powers in the Parliament. We will bring about this change," he said.
Dissanayake said an NPP administration will limit the number of Ministers to 18. He added that crossovers have distorted the democratic system and corrupted the political culture.
"People vote for them in one party but for money and positions they change political allegiance. This has become a public nuisance. Some MPs demand ransom to stay in the party. We will add a provision to the Constitution to ban crossing over," he said.
JVP: Where are President's influential foreign friends?
By Rathindra Kuruwita
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who assumed duties, claiming that he had very influential friends overseas, now claims he can hardly afford to pay government servants, National People's Power (NPP) MP Vijitha Herath says.
"If anything, things are worse than before. The government is afraid of the people and is trying to postpone elections," Herath said, adding that the March 09 local council election would mark the beginning of the end for the Ranil-Rajapaksa administration.
Herath said so addressing an NPP election rally recently.
"They will no longer be able to pretend that the people are with them. Not that they have any legitimacy, locally or internationally, but the level of their unpopularity will be seen on 10 March,, when the poll results are announced" he said.

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Animal relief in Japan
By Ten Doves | April 26, 2011
Gracious donors contributed special donations earmarked for animal relief in Japan. People around the world watching the relief efforts unfold don't often think about animal rescue, but if you watch closely to many TV reports, you will see dogs, cats and other domestic animals running loose in the rubble. Ten Doves located JEARS which stands…
Singer/Songwriter commemorates "Tragedy" song to Ten Doves
Many thanks go out to Danie Ferrusi, a musician from upstate New York. She has commemorated her original song "Tragedy" to Ten Doves for its Japan Relief efforts. You can click the left button on the media bar below to hear this moving song. Danie's home page is http://www.danieferrusi.net
600 shoes for Joplin tornado relief
Bravo to Hardcore Athletic shoe company based in Perryville, Missouri! They contacted Ten Doves with a generous offer to donate 600 pairs of new athletic shoes for tornado relief. Using our relationships, we connected them with Convoy of Hope, a charity that operates a fleet of tractor trailers also based in Missouri. Convoy of Hope…
Ten Doves Contributes $11,000 to World Vision for Japan Relief
Ten Doves Charity, based in McKinney, TX, contributed $11,000.00 today to World Vision earmarked for on-the-ground relief efforts in Japan. Stacy Lynne, Exec. Director of Ten Doves said "Our gracious givers wanted to help in a specific way, providing funds for on-the-ground relief in Japan. World Vision quickly mobilized people, food and supplies to the…
School in Richardson, TX makes 82 "get well" cards for children in Japan
Eighty two children from the Canyon Creek Elementary School in Richardson, TX made get well cards for children in Japan. Ten Doves forwarded to children in Japan to read and enjoy.
Baby Ella Fund
Ten Doves, a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization proudly announces the launch of its Baby Ella Education Fund for handicapped children in need. The fund was named for Ella Hollingsworth, a baby girl who was born with deformed arms, hands and one leg. Her father Mark's story, in his own words, is below. "In October of 2009…


The La Salle County Board overwhelmingly expressed its opposition to "right to work" laws by passing a resolution with a 23 to 2 vote.
Before the meeting, a crowd gathered outside of the Ottawa Knights of Columbus in support of the resolution. The meeting started about 15 minutes late as supporters of the resolution were filing through security after holding signs outside the meeting.
Many of those labor union supporters, including some wearing green American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees shirts, packed the audience.
The law would give employees the right to decide whether or not to join or financially support a union.
La Salle County is located between Peoria and Chicago, including communities like Ottawa, La Salle, Mendota, Marseilles, and most of Streator. The Illinois River runs through the middle of La Salle County, flowing from east to west in that portion of the state.
The "right-to-work" laws that the La Salle County Board referenced in their resolution are what I like to call wage theft laws, as they allow non-union workers at unionized workplaces to effectively steal wages and other benefits negotiated by labor unions by not paying union dues or other types of fees. To put that another way, wage theft laws are the moral equivalent of shoplifting, and I'm glad that the La Salle County Board told Rauner that a majority of their members oppose his wage theft agenda.
Democratic Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan scheduled a vote in the state house on Republican Governor Bruce Rauner's wage theft agenda, and not a single member of the Illinois House of Representatives voted for the legislation, although most of the Republicans voted "present" instead of actually voting against it, presumably because they're too scared of actually taking a stance on whether or not they support driving down wages and busting unions or not.
Here's the official roll call on the legislation. The final tally was 0 Yeas, 72 Nays, 37 voting present, 7 not voting, and 2 excused absences. Democrats have 71 members in the 118-member house, the remaining 47 members are Republicans, and all of those who did not vote at all or had excused absences are Republicans, indicating a nearly party-line vote in which all or nearly all Democrats voted against it and the vast majority of the Republicans voted present.
To put it mildly, this is a massive victory for Illinois workers and a massive defeat for Rauner and his agenda to drive down wages, bust unions, and leave Illinois worse off than when he was sworn into office as governor. I hope the General Assembly remains a strong opponent of the Rauner agenda, as the Rauner agenda is something Illinoisans simply can't afford.
On Thursday, the Democratic-controlled Illinois House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on whether or not Illinois should become a right-to-work state, or what I like to call a wage theft state. In a wage theft state, non-union workers at unionized workplaces would be legally allowed to steal wages and other benefits negotiated by the union without paying union dues or some other form of payment. Republican Governor Bruce Rauner has publicly called for legislation allowing for local governments to enact local wage theft ordinances, which Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan believes would violate federal labor laws.
I strongly encourage members of the Illinois General Assembly to vote NO on the Bruce Rauner-Mike Madigan wage theft scheme.
While Madigan, the Democratic state house speaker, hasn't advocated for the passage of the legislation, the fact that he's scheduled a vote on wage theft is downright alarming. Wage theft legislation would do absolutely nothing to improve our state's economy or fix our state's fiscal problems. Instead, it would drive down wages, make workplaces less safe, create an even bigger burden on taxpayers, cost our state thousands of jobs, and severely hurt our state's economy. That's because when wages are driven down, workers have less to spend on groceries, gasoline, and other goods and services, resulting in both the state and the private sector making less revenue.
Bruce Rauner wants to put Illinois in the same league as third-world countries like Vietnam and Bangladesh, from an economic standpoint. Illinoisans simply can not afford Rauner's corporate agenda of driving down wages, busting unions, and destroying what little of our state's middle class remains.
I'm provisionally endorsing Jeff Smith's campaign for Chairperson of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW). Please note that my endorsement of Smith for DPW Chair is only a provisional endorsement and not a full endorsement at this time, since I'm only endorsing Smith provided that a potential candidate for DPW Chair, Lori Compas, does not enter the race for DPW Chair. If Compas runs for DPW Chair (which is not likely, since it's been a while since she stated that she was considering a run and hasn't said anything about whether or not she'll run since then), I will pull my endorsement of Smith and endorse Compas instead, while, if Compas does not run for DPW Chair, my provisional endorsement of Smith will automatically become a full endorsement of Smith.
Smith has some excellent ideas for reviving the currently moribund Democratic Party of Wisconsin, which is barely relevant in Wisconsin politics nowadays due to current DPW Chairman Mike Tate and others in the failed Democratic establishment badly mismanaging the state party, and making the party, whose list of former statewide elected officials includes people like Gaylord Nelson, Bill Proxmire, Pat Lucey, Tony Earl, and Russ Feingold, great once again. Some of Smith's ideas include more support for Wisconsin College Democrats chapters to help the party reach out to young voters more effectively, making the DPW's messaging more progressive, and making the DPW less dependent on political consultants who are more interested in getting payoffs from the party and its donors than doing anything to actually help Democratic candidates.
Mike Tate, who is not running for re-election for DPW Chair, is one of many individuals in the DPW who are responsible for the DPW being in so much disarray. Tate was the one who hand-picked corporate hack and Jim Doyle crony Mary Burke to run against Republican Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker last year, and, in the process, Tate single-handedly turned Burke, who tried to run for governor as a political outsider, into the ultimate political insider, which destroyed what little chance she had of defeating Walker. Sadly, that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Tate's mismanagement of the DPW.
While I'm not a Wisconsin resident (I live in Illinois, and we could certainly use better, more progressive Democratic leadership here, although trying to pry the Illinois Democratic Party out of the hands of Mike Madigan is nearly impossible), the election for Chairperson of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin has massive national implications, because Wisconsin could very well determine which party wins control the White House and the U.S. Senate in next year's elections. Of the candidates currently running, I believe that Jeff Smith is the best candidate for DPW Chair, and that's why I've provisionally endorsed Smith's campaign. This year's DPW Convention, which will select the next DPW Chair, will be held on June 5 & 6 at the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee, and DPW members who are selected as delegates to the state convention by their home county's Democratic Party chapter will be able to vote for DPW Chair.
Scott Manley, an official with the right-wing, pro-wage theft business group Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, claimed in a public hearing held by a Wisconsin State Senate committee that 300 of the WMC's 3,800 members responded to some sort of inquiry by the group as to whether or not they support right-to-work-for-less legislation, also known as wage theft legislation, and that 81% of them support the legislation.
81% of 300 members in a group that has 3,800 total members is, rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent, only 6.4% of the total membership of the group. Yes, you're reading that correctly…only 6.4% of the total membership of the main right-wing business organization in Wisconsin support the Wisconsin Republicans' wage theft bill.
0.81*300 = 243, meaning that 81% of 300 is 243.
243/3800 = 0.0639473684210526, meaning that 243 of 3,800 is 6.4%, when converted to a percentage and rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent.
To put that another way, one of the largest organizations that is pushing the Republican-controlled Wisconsin State Legislature to allow non-union workers to effectively steal wages and other benefits negotiated by a labor union without paying for those benefits in the form of union dues or fair-share fees with support from only 6.4% of its members. This is not lost on many Wisconsinites, in fact, Lori Compas, the executive director of the Wisconsin Business Alliance (WBA), the main progressive business organization in Wisconsin, called local chambers of commerce in seven Wisconsin State Senate districts that are represented by Republican state senators, the 1st (Frank Lasee), 2nd (Robert Cowles), 10th (Sheila Harsdorf), 11th (Stephen Nass, who ended the public hearing early over rumors that an Hispanic group in Wisconsin was going to exercise the group's First Amendment right to free speech in a public place), 13th (Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald), 23rd (Terry Moulton), and 29th (Jerry Petrowski, currently the only Republican state senator who intends to vote against the wage theft bill), and Compas could not find a single local chamber of commerce in those seven Wisconsin State Senate districts that was publicly willing to support the Wisconsin wage theft bill. Compas's piece on her findings, which she published to the WBA's website, is a fine example of investigative journalism. In fact, Compas's piece has been republished in full by Steve Hanson of the progressive blog Uppity Wisconsin and featured in an online article published by the Milwaukee-area alternative newspaper Shepherd Express.
Let me make this point 100% clear: Very few people and groups in the Wisconsin business community are advocating for wages to be driven down and unions to be busted, in fact, it appears to me that the only individuals and groups in the Wisconsin business community that are advocating for wages to be driven down and unions to be busted are those individuals and groups who have a considerable amount of political influence over the Republicans that control Wisconsin's state government.
On Monday, (Illinois Governor Bruce) Rauner drew fury from organized labor when he signed an executive order regarding union fees, saying its aim was to allow state workers to avoid paying so-called "fair-share" fees if they had opted out of joining a union.
Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger, a Republican recently appointed by Rauner, initially did not abide, raising the question of whether it's constitutional — without a court order — to withhold those fees and place them in an escrow account as Rauner had ordered.
The Illinois Attorney General's office said it wasn't constitutional.
The governor's executive order does not apply to other constitutional officers, according to Illinois Attorney General office chief of staff Ann Spillane.
Rauner has since circumvented the comptroller's office and is implementing the executive order through various state agencies that Rauner appoints the heads of.
While it's obvious to me that the only reason Munger is opposing Rauner's union-busting scheme is because she's up for election next year, and I'd never vote for a Republican for state comptroller, I'm glad to see Comptroller Munger opposing Governor Rauner's union-busting scheme and standing up for Illinois workers. Sadly, I'm 100% certain that Rauner is not done trying to crater an already weak Illinois economy.


The Tall Trees Hotel is a 4 star rated luxury property in Kerala. It is surrounded by a serene expanse of 66 acres alongside with the scenic view of the tea plantations. The resort is easily accessible as it is situated about 1.8 km from Munnar Bus Stand. One of the ultimate spa destinations, the luxurious hotel offers unmatched facilities like Ayurveda facilities, indoor game, outdoor activities like trekking, rock climbing and mock river crossing on request etc. The resort is in close proximity to the famous tourist spots like Mattupetty Lake, Kundala Dam and Old Munnar Lake etc. The resort is a heavenly abode for a perfect getaway in Kerala also called as god's own country.
The deluxe cottage is surely to take its guest on a luxury ride with Kerala style traditional decors and rustic flavours. The intelligently designed and equipped cottage is a treat to the senses as it is surrounded with splendid views of the lush green plantations. This cottage has separate living and dining spaces, with two private balconies. As much as the cottage is adorned with breathtaking view and interiors, it is also packed with all the necessary amenities like en-suite bathroom, running hot and cold water, telephone, colour television, iron with ironing board, refrigerator, newspaper, Wi-Fi internet connectivity etc.
The spacious cottage is one of its kind luxury accommodations of the resort with Kerala style traditional decors and rustic flavours. The cottage comes with two bedrooms each with a private balcony, one spacious living room and one dining room. It features luxurious en-suite bathrooms adding unmatchable staying experience in this type of cottage. Along with the tasteful decors, it offers best in class amenities like running hot and cold water, telephone, colour television, iron with ironing board, mini bar, newspaper, Wi-Fi internet connectivity etc. The maximum occupancy of the room is up to four adults. The room also allows extra bedding.
The restaurant specializes in a range of delightful options like authentic Kerala cuisine to North Indian and European specialties. The restaurant is designed with a glass roof top and a long balcony overlooking the beautiful plantations, hills and mountains offering a perfect blend of taste and ambience to its guests. Combining the finest of hospitality and traditional Kerala cuisines with culinary concepts from all over the world, the restaurant offers an exceptional dining experience.
Offering luxury in style, the resort brings the concept of beautiful settings for a meal in an open house restaurant consisting of thatched-roof open huts. The ultimate dining experience comes with facilities like barbeque and campfire. The closer to nature dining is a perfect idea to spend time with loved ones over a meal.


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Q: Pivot graph show only data based on cell colour I want to set up a pivot graph who only shows values based on the fill colour of the cell.
The graph should should the amount of cells with (e.g.) green, yellow, and red cells.
Can someone advise on how to go about that? I couldnt find a way to set a graph based on formatting as one does when filtering tables.
Thanks

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Building at Renowned Kiev Monastery Complex Catches Fire
By Webmaster on	 January 15, 2019 Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories
Source: The National Herald
A fireman works at the scene of a fire in a building in the Monastery of Caves in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday, Jan. 14, 2019. Fire has broken out in a building at the renowned Pechersk monastery complex in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, but is not endangering any significant buildings and there have been no reported injuries. (Ukrainian Emergency Situations Ministry Press Service Photo via AP)
MOSCOW (AP) — Fire has broken out in a building at the renowned Pechersk monastery complex in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, but is not endangering any significant buildings and there have been no reported injuries.
The fire broke out Monday afternoon on the second floor of the two-story building and spread to the roof. The cause of the fire was not immediately determined.
The building reportedly was undergoing renovation after being derelict.
Management of the monastery complex, which is famous for its extensive catacombs, is split between the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and the government. Church spokesman Archbishop Kliment said the building that caught fire was in the government-managed section, Russian news agencies reported.
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Die International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, abgekürzt ISAC (bis 2017: International Society of Chemotherapy – Infection and Cancer, abgekürzt ISC), ist eine wissenschaftliche Organisation, die sich mit allen Fragen der Behandlung von Infektionen und Krebs befasst.

Die Gesellschaft hat 22 Arbeitsgruppen (Stand 2021), die sich überwiegend mit mikrobiologischen und infektiologischen Fragestellungen beschäftigen.

Organisation
ISAC hat ihren Sitz in Großbritannien, ist dort registriert als PLC und hat den Status einer Charity Commission. In der ISAC sind 86 nationale und regionale wissenschaftliche Gesellschaften Mitglied, die insgesamt über 50.000 individuelle Mitglieder haben.

ISAC fungiert als Dachorganisation. Mitglieder aus Deutschland sind z. B. die Paul-Ehrlich-Gesellschaft für Chemotherapie e.V., die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Infektiologie (DGI) und Weitere.

Historie
Die Gesellschaft wurde 1961 anlässlich des zweiten International Symposium of Chemotherapy in Neapel gegründet und 1963 bei einem Treffen in Stuttgart also International Congress of Chemotherapy (ICC) geführt.

Das Jahr 2021 markiert das 100-Jährige bestehen der Organisation, welche ursprünglich auf einer Gründungsidee von Professor Helmut-Paul Kuemmerle basiert.

Kongresse
Alle zwei Jahre (in ungeraden Jahren) wird der International Congress of Chemotherapy (ICC) organisiert.

Fachzeitschriften
ISAC gibt zusammen mit dem Wissenschaftsverlag Elsevier zwei Fachzeitschriften heraus:

 International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, gegründet 1991
 Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, gegründet 2013

Auszeichnungen

ISAC vergibt mehrere Auszeichnungen, darunter die Höchste, den Hamao Umezawa Memorial Award, der 1979 gestiftet wurde und 1986 nach dem japanischen Mikrobiologen Hamao Umezawa benannt wurde, als Auszeichnung für herausragende Beiträge auf dem Gebiet der Chemotherapie. Mit der Auszeichnung wird ein Preisgeld in Höhe von 10.000 Schweizer Franken vergeben.

Siehe auch

 Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics (APUA)
 Chemotherapie

Weblinks
 Offizielle Website

Einzelnachweise

Onkologische Fachgesellschaft
Gegründet 1961
Verein (Vereinigtes Königreich)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Find cheap flights from Illinois to Madeira
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— Madeira
Jan 21 — Jan 281
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Top airlines flying from Illinois to Madeira
Scores according to KAYAK customer reviews
British AirwaysOverall score based on 23205 reviews
7.5Boarding
7.2Comfort
7.9Crew
6.9Entertainment
The flight was not full, there were some empty seats.
Read more about British Airways
The best thing was that the flight was not full. My 10y.o. was able to sleep over 3 seats. The timing was great too, the plane was leaving Chicago at 8:50 pm. That was a perfect schedule to settle down and go to sleep.
Cons: "Waited for over an hour for trams to retrieve us from the aircraft."
Cons: "Don't approach"
Pros: "Service was good on the plane"
Cons: "Thought I had purchased an optima coach, but was forced to pay $60 baggage fee. At checkin, asked for aisle seat, but agent had already assigned a middle seat. Then asked to change to an aisle seat, but she demanded $30 to change. Aftwr boarding was complete, there were at least 6 aisle seats empt"
Pros: "Friendly crew,"
Cons: "Nothing"
Pros: "Punctuality!"
Cons: "Delay , rebooked on fight. Had to wait 8 hours. I needed a wheelchair .. they put Erin a remote location with a rude assistant in charge of transfers for wheel chairs . She had none. Made me walk 15 minutes to find a place to take my meds. She couldn't care less."
Pros: "The crew was friendly. The boarding process was very organized."
Cons: "The seat and entertainment were terrible. The TV worked only in the last hour and the seat was not comfortable. No leg room, and the passenger in front of me wasn't considerate -- I couldn't move in my chain when his chair was down)."
Pros: "On time"
Cons: "Better more comfortable seats"
Pros: "Typical solid British Airways service."
Cons: "Delayd by 4 hours."
Cons: "Seat in row ahead was broken, causing it to recline too far and not correctly return upright"
Pros: "When we finally took off."
Cons: "Flight was delayed >3.5 hours because of an "electrical problem affecting in-flight entertainment system and 1st and Business Class seats. After powering down the aircraft c. 3 times at 11:15pm CT the electrical system miraculously worked as normal."
Pros: "Very comfortable"
Cons: "Good food"
Pros: "At least we were able to wait in the lounge."
Cons: "One of the jet bridges malfunctioned. Had to board >500 passengers via remaining bridge. An hour late departing."
Pros: "Priority boarding and bulkhead seating for family travelling with infant."
Cons: "My 'infant on lap' (23 months old) was too big for the airline-provided seat (weight limit 12.5kg, and he weighed 13kg)."
Pros: "Pilot was nice"
Cons: "The chaos boarding, unorganized crew, missing our transfer flight and not given options to book differently"
Cons: "The airline sent me on a wild goose chase through the airport only to end up back at the same counter. They then told me it was too late to check in. Do not book tickets with cheapoair-British Airlines said this releasesthem from all responsibilities and cheapoair will do nothing but send you to different people trying to sell you another flight. It was the worst experience every!"
Pros: "Food was decent and it was nice to have all drinks included (but after the first one you had to go to the galley to get a drink)."
Cons: "Definitely an older plane with very narrow seats and very little legroom compared to other long haul flights that I have been on. They only delivered drinks once and then if you wanted any more you had to climb over people and go to the galley to obtaining yourself. Plane was also very warm so it was hard to get comfortable and there was not much airflow to cool you off."
Pros: "The food, entertainment, and service was superb! Very easy to overlook how late the flight was. I appreciated the blanket and other items provided!"
Cons: "After a week, I still do not have my luggage. This is due to the flight being delayed 2 hours and I do not know why it was delayed. Because it was delayed, I missed my connecting flight."
Pros: "Good entertainment. More comfortable. The ride was smooth."
Cons: "Service. Having to ask for my food being skipped and also having food choices."
Cons: "Flight crew was just ok; nothing they did made me want to fly with British Airways again. Salad was good but the chicken nondescript."
Pros: "smooth flight"
Cons: "no dairy free food options"
Pros: "Everything was great! Good food and service. On time flight. No complaints!"
Cons: "no air vents over seats"
Pros: "Nothing"
Cons: "Fight was delayed 30 minutes so we missed our connecting flight to Madrid. We are stuck in London for the night, the food is not edible at the hotel they gave us and now we are stuck rearranging all of our future travel plans because we can't get to Madrid until tomorrow. This is our worst travel experience ever. We will never fly British Airways again."
Pros: "So glad you do not charge for a blanket like so many airline bed (Norwegian Air for example). Staff on BA tend to be professional and low key eg quiet on long haul evening flights. It allows passengers to sleep."
Cons: "I appreciate economy is the low end but now realise I should eat before boarding or bring my own food. Apart from the salad, it was inedible."
Pros: "Timeliness"
Cons: "Food and service could be better."
Pros: "Pilot friendly chat at gate"
Cons: "2 hours to offer food through the plane Slow inefficient payment process Bacon roll served with cold Centre - inadequately cooked after 2 attempts"
Pros: "The women at BA in Chicago O'Hare airport were awesome Christine, Carole, Diane & ankther one but I forgot the last lady's name. Very polite attentive and professional. We had a difficult situation & they helped us get through our problem with the less stress as possible!"
Cons: "Airplane food was a bit below average. Also there was not a good selection in music. I did not recognize 95% of the option of music to listen to."
Pros: "The check-in process at the airport in Chicago was efficient and the person who helped us was friendly"
Cons: "-I was unable to check-in online and I think it's because my name got messed up in the reservation system even though I entered it correctly -Compared to other airlines, BA does not stop by frequently to offer beverages. Food and beverage service provided by BA faded in comparison to what was provided by American Airlines on the way back. - Our flight was delayed due to weather, but we also sat in the plane for a long period of time with no explanation. -We appreciated that BA automatically re-booked us on another flight (although it was not the next flight), and provided 2 meal tickets for 10 euro each. There was no other compensation for the incurred delay (about 2.5 hours)"
Pros: "Entertainment system"
Cons: "The width of the seats in economy are so narrow they don't fit my back. I am not a fat person. 6 feet 170 lbs and fit. No legroom and the tray table is not deep enough to support the food tray. Breakfast after an 8 hour flight consisted of a Kellogg's snack bar in a wrapper. I am used to Southwest Airlines which allows more than one peanut bag so I took two breakfast bars and the stewardess scolded me and said only one and made me return my extra. Not everyone in my roll even took a bar. They treat you like dirt in coach."
Pros: "Flight attendants really are nice folks"
Cons: "1. Bought ticket via kayak chicago to prague, so I got outgoing trip on British airways but they codeshare it out to Aer Lingus. Unfortunately, these dumbos haven't figured out that no matter what the gyrations they do, I still want to be able to pick my seat beforehand. Nada. Not possible online. And forget calling aer lingus 800 number. called twice and was on hold for 30 min each time, they dont bother answering. 2. At airport, I was willing to pay extra for a good seat because of the issues above, so they said they would help me out. Ha - the manager who purportedly was helping me out gave me a seat up front next to a shrieking infant and behind a bassinet (he knew exactly what he was doing but didnt care). They really lie and think we're idiots. 3. Same thing for flight from dublin to prague. This time last row next to toliets Dont fly aer lingus if you dont book directly with them, same for british airways I looked at BA's website - they do let you book a seat in advance but you must pay something for every single seat. Crazy. There are no free seats"
Pros: "Got me there"
Cons: "Basic"
Pros: "New plane, very comfortable seating. The headphones in biz class were awesome, forgot I was on the plane. Overall best American Airlines flight and I do fly them a lot. Also liked the dual screens option."
Cons: "The seat control in the touch pad - not conveniently placed"
Pros: "NOTHING!"
Cons: "I had been waiting a few hours for my next connecting flight ant at about 8:00 pm (45 minutes before departure), they announce that our flight might be delayed do to mechanical problems on our plane. It took them 4 hours to fix it. Which was not too bad. What was bad is that they lied to us. Because I missed my connecting flight, they said that they would be waiting for us with our new flights and not to worry. When we arrived in London, we were scrambling to find out where to go. there was several families in front of me that missed their flights and they were having problems trying to re-book their flights. It took about 3/4 hours for me (one person) to re-book my London to Glasgow because I was stuck behind families. I was trying to explain one of BA employees that I (1 person) needed a flight to Glasgow. It was getting late and I was worried that I might miss the last flight of the day and would be stuck in London until the next day. She didn't like that I told her that and didn't want to help me. so it took me about 4 hours in line to get my flight and had to rush to get it. I had also purchased a window sit that I was not able to get. The guy that help me re-book my flight told me that I would have to call for that. Which I did now but the first phone # I called, the guy said that I had to call this other #. I called the # he gave me and a recording comes out that they are too backed up with calls and cannot help me to go to the website. At the website, they are asking for the flight # of the re-booked flight (I only have my original flight #'s on my email). I don't know what happened to the ticket they gave me to board the re-booked flight so I don't have it. I don't know where else to call about my refund and also think I deserve some kind of compensation for missing a day at both airports with horrible treatment and service. CAN YOU HELP ME ON HOW TO TALK TO A REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT MY REFUND AND SOME SORT OF COMPENSATION?"
Pros: "nothing-"
Cons: "I flew about 1 million miles and truly felt like a sardine- absolutely NO leg room and very archaic entertainment system. NEVER AGAIN !"
Cons: "Everything was great about this flight, except that I had a row of seats that would not allow the arm rest to go down. So even though I had 2 empty seats to my left I could not utilize them, which would have made the flight so much better. When asked I was told that the "curve" of the plane would not allow it. This should have been mentioned when I booked and chose those seats."
Cons: "The flight was 2.5 hours late."
Cons: "Worst flight ever! Crew very unprofessional. The plane was filthy and most seats did not recline. It was a night flight but they were unable to turn the lights off. We took off almost an hour later because they did not have ice nor snacks."
Pros: "Nice large plane that wasn't near capacity."
Cons: "Long delay with minimal compensation. Gave us a rebooked connection that we had near zero chance of making."
Cons: "It was extremely hot on the plane. for the first 30 minutes there was no ac available and there was little to no help from the staff. I asked for water to cool myself down and ov waited about ten minutes to get it after hitting my help button multiple times. The flight attendants may have been overwhelmed with the requests as there were many just like me who struggled so they came off very rude. The plane was also not updated at all - not personal entertainment and once again, no ac/air for people to control."
Pros: "Saved 5 hours by being changed to a non-stop for the same fee."
Cons: "Working with Iberia to get accessible seating took ten irritating phone calls."
Cons: "The flight was awful! Boarding was unorganized. Once on the plane, space was TIGHT! I have flown with Iberia before and had leg room and TVs behind the chairs. This was not like this. Seats were uncomfortable for an 8 hour flight, smelly, and flimsy. I have never been more uncomfortable. The crew were nice but one was very rude to a passenger snapping at him and all ignored a very drunk man on my flight as much as possible. This man was very disruptive for most of the flight singing, shaking seats, touching other passengers, and walking about the flight. I did not feel safe at all! The staff would tell him to sit down, walk away, and he would be instantly back up. Staff would see this and ignore. I had no idea what to do. I felt unsupported and unsafe. The flight had constant turbalence to go along with it. To the point that they canceled dinner. I wanted to kiss the ground when I got off the flight. This was absolutely miserable. I could not be more disappointed."
Pros: "A lot of people in close proximity. Very good service and food. It worked well."
Cons: "The flight was great but found out night before when I checked to confirm flights that ours were cancelled without notification. We booked through Kayak so not sure what happened. PANIC for sure but a great service provider spent an hour on the phone with me to make sure we made it."
Cons: "seats in World Traveller are the worst. I've never felt so painful sitting in an airplane seat. The curve of the seat makes it so that one must crane their neck the entire trip. The headrest sticks out a lot, further contributing to this problem. Anyone with half decent posture is going to have a bad time in these seats. I saw the club world seats while exiting the plane and wanted to cry,"
Pros: "I really liked how it was just one flight and no lay overs, the crew was very nice, and the food was good."
Cons: "It was very late and delayed."
Pros: "The crew was helpful and nice. The food was also nice. I had a gluten free meal and it was enjoyable."
Cons: "The plane itself was old there were no tvs on the seats so the "in flight entertainment" was awful. When you plugged headphones in there was an awful noise that prevented you from hearing anything from the movie/show. Considering this was a transatlantic flight, the plane should have been better. We were also delayed due to maintenance that needed to be done on the flight. Luckily London was my last stop so I was not late for anymore flights but a lot of people on the plane were. I was very disappointed and will be disappointed again if my return flight has the same issues."
Pros: "ORD -> MAD The flight was on time, it boarded on time, it took off only a few minutes late (you can blame that on incredibly crowded ORD). It landed, on time, to an empty terminal. The plane itself was new, very clean, and very well kept. The crew was friendly and spoke a wide variety of languages, including English, French, and of course Spanish. They had no issue with Latin American Spanish or European Spanish accents, which is a concern for some. Overall the flight got me to my destination on time, in one piece, and without breaking the bank."
Cons: "The seats, oh the dreaded seats. In economy class the seats are the most uncomfortable thing you can sit on for 8 hours. If they replaced them with plastic folding lawn chairs, you would have a better time. But that is what you get for flying coach."
Pros: "Arriving at my destination"
Cons: "BA goes out of its way to make travel a stressful chore not a pleasure. I arrived at Gatwick North in what I thought was plenty of time. It took forty minutes to do a bag drop. Not check in - I had already done that - more fool me. The flight itself was the usual uncomfortable affair; sit in an aisle seat and you are constantly barged by the cabin crew who take a particular pleasure in barging their way through with the bars. Food? Drink? The cheapest possible - poor quality and tasteless. Legroom is a joke. BA are an absolute disgrace. Back to Easyjet who at least don't pretend to be anything other than they are."
The ground staff is unhelpful. It is almost as if they don't want you to fly.
Actually getting my checked luggage back would have been nice
Pros: "The crew was attentive but only on the basic standard service."
Cons: "I truly love that there are very few travelers. Also, I went through a lot getting to have done a covid test in order to travel, no one asked for it! Also when filling the custom forms they could have been and explain that one paper form was enough for a whole family"
Pros: "The lady checking me in was nice"
Cons: "Items were stolen from my bag"
Cons: "Late as always"
Cons: "Maybe have one flight be on time. Train ground crew how to put on fuel."
Pros: "Good entertainment, great price"
Cons: "Had about 30 people on our flight that was taking another TAP connecting flight - missed the gate by less than two minutes - did not hold the plane when they could have"
Pros: "Fairly new plane with clean/comfortable seats"
Cons: "Bus transportation to the plane was delayed. People were uncomfortable having to stand in the bus for so long. Then the flight was delayed for 15 minutes due to airport traffic. As the only business class passenger i would have expected to be offered a drink then or even a bottle of water at my seat"
Pros: "It got us to our destination."
Cons: "Seats sucked. Screaming kids. Wouldn't let us bring our carry-on for the last leg: Lisbon to Barcelona even though there was room."
Pros: "Boarding efficiency although the ... see below. Loved the salmon wrap and cheese 'n' biscuits"
Cons: "flight was delayed at check in and on the tarmac - 40 minutes. No explanation for this"
Cons: "Ok, it's TAP, it's a bargain, but the "breakfast" was a pitiful piece of meat on a stale piece of bread"
Pros: "Food was ok"
Cons: "Worst accommodations for baggage on a international flight in my opinion.Pay for a bag is the best advice in my opinion this airline barley lets you bring anything with. Disgusting plane it was so dirty I took a shower after this flight and the amount of dust in the air was visible terrible"
Cons: "Real time information about departure and gate info for delayed flight would have been helpful"
Pros: "The crew was great."
Cons: "My baggage did not get delivered to the final destination, that could have been handled better."
Cons: "We were not able to board the plane. We left our morning flight from Madrid on time and arrived as expected. We hurried through the airport and went exactly where we were directed. Despite this, the gates closed on us while we were running to the gate. TAP sold us a service they could not provide."
Cons: "My luggage was lost for almost 2 weeks."
Pros: "Great crew and good seat with enough space."
Cons: "Overall is fine !!!"
Cons: "Avoid Lisbon airport and TAP Air Portugal at all costs. A 1 hour connection at the inefficient Lisbon airport resulted in a 9HOUR DELAY. MISERABLE. Air Portugal didn't allow adequate connection time."
Pros: "My eyes were closed and the crew passed by while serving food but did not wake me up. As a traveller I been woken up while food was served or food was kept on the seat tray."
Cons: "Overall the flight was good but I dont know why the crew was like that, and the flight seats ain't comfortable and were to close to each other. I legs wasnt comfortable"
Pros: "Really spacious, clean and comfortable"
Cons: "Good service but not top of the line "go out of their way" service"
Pros: "Nothing to like. Rude staff."
Pros: "Everything went according to the timetable, boarding was on-time and we even arrived a bit earlier than scheduled, so I can't really fault the service of the pilots, the cabin crew or the ground operations team. Food wasn't exactly stellar, but clearly a lot better than on most European flights operated by larger companies (Lufthansa, KLM, Air France etc.). The aircraft itself was clean and looked fairly new and well maintained"
Cons: "The seating was absolutely HORRENDOUS. Even though I'm nearly 6'3" (close to 1.90m), I generally never complain about seating space or legroom, even on low cost flights. This particular TAP aircraft, however, despite looking quite new, had some of the most cramped seating ever. Additionally, the trays were minuscule (you could barely place the entire food tray the service during the flight, let alone have another drink at the same time on the tray). Also, on the inbound flight (this was the return one), the seats were fitted with a very simple and clever tablet-holding mechanism, so you could easily watch something on your table while eating your food (from a similarly small tray table). The seat back pockets do not have any material/fabric on the sides, so stored items could easily slip out sideways from the pocket. Shame to have such a good in flight service and to be a punctual airline if you're going to carry your passengers cramped like cattle in seats 'rivalling' the ones on Ryanair flights on 4-hour long journeys."
Cons: "why do they sell their tickets when they know they can not make the connection? little time between the two flights compared to the functionality of the airport. never again TAP"
Pros: "Crew was nice and the plane was comfortable"
Cons: "Flight took off two hours late and we were not given frequent updates as to why the delay was taking longer than announced"
Pros: "The crew was personable and was kind at the transfer desk in Lisbon."
Cons: "No USB hole, flight was so delayed that I missed my connection. I like JetBlue better than TAP."
Pros: "Belam cake was lovely !"
Pros: "Food was good, but no champagne offered. The attendants were nice, though."
Cons: "It was not a business class at all. I was put in the same big bus together with econom class passengers. There was not supposed to be any business class in this airplane, since chairs are all the same and not comfortable. No entertainment of any kind at all. It's a waste of money."
Pros: "Very nice flight. Complimentary wine, meals and movies. We were in Economy Plus so the leg room was quite good."
Pros: "We had comfort seats and I liked that because of the space you have, 2 simple meals and they served water in between the meals I will fly TAP again"
Cons: "Entertainment is okay, poor sound, and the quality of the screen was so so,"
Cons: "Bags didn't arrive"
Pros: "The name on ticket had the wrong last name for second passenger and they were not helpful. Only solution was to purchase an additional ticket. Not part of my budget. Poor service from gotogate and TAP Portugal in Barcelona. Very upset and sad."
Pros: "No delays, food was good, crew was overall friendly."
Cons: "The A330 was old, seats weren't entirely in order, IFE was mediocre. Wasn't able to sleep well on the nine-hour overnight flight."
Cons: "The customer service I received was horrible horrible horrible especially from the check in counter the were very rude . After booking my flight on kayak I called TAP customer service just to make sure that everything was fine .I asked them about luggage they said I had 2 free and a carry on when I got to the airport said I had to pay for the 2 i said no told them that i called TAP they didn't wanna hear it i asked for the manager she I am the manager and you bought a discounted ticket and there's no luggage with this ticket only acarry on in a mean way if you want the you have to pay $90 for each I tried to call TAP can't get through them when they finally got through them the guy confirmed that I ve called it on the records but it said now it's too late to do anything I am already at the airport that I have to pay and contact them later. I wasted good hour and a half on this and I had to pay $180. After all that at the boarding gate they announced that they will call by zone .they called especial need called frequent flyers zone A never called zone B all they said last minute was this is the final call for flight #.... and I was right in front of them and guess who were the people making the announcement yep the same people at the check in counter"
Cons: "was delayed 2 hours"
Pros: "Flight was on time, crew very friendly, check in process easy"
Cons: "Seats are very unconfortable and the space limited. baggage policy isn't very clear; I had to pay 20 extra euros for a checked bag"
Pros: "The Magnum ice cream was a great touch."
Cons: "We thought that $35 per bag is a bit too much when other airlines are $25."
Pros: "Best all around airline I've been on!!!"
Pros: "Smooth and organized boarding process. Layover is a great option to explore lisbon."
Cons: "No food or entertainment"
Pros: "So accommodating!! Top of the line!"
Pros: "The flight was quick, boarding was easy and efficient."
Cons: "Flight attendants can be a bit nicer."
Pros: "I got a sandwich. Excellent flight attendants."
Cons: "Late flight, and my life flashed before my eyes on the landing."
Pros: "The plane arrived in Lisbon without falling out of the sky prematurely."
Cons: "The process of checking my bag was brutal. It took an hour and half of waiting in line because the staff's management of the flow of people was so chaotic. Finally, a staff member realized that certain passengers were at risk of missing their flight and invited those passengers (like me) to jump to the head of the line. Otherwise, no communication from the staff to the queue of anxious people."
Pros: "Crew very helpful and friendly"
Cons: "Slow boarding; food"
Pros: "Free blanket, pillow, headphones, and wine! Flight was on time, no one weighed or measured carry on bags."
Cons: "Tight seats for an international flight!"
Pros: "Staff couldn't have been more courteous."
Cons: "Little confusing at the gate but mainly due to poor PA system not the staff. Happens a lot at airports in my experience"
Pros: "Left on time. Served food and drinks. Friendly staff."
Cons: "Served food and drinks. Orange "juice" tasted awlful. Bland sandwich. Seats did not recline."
Pros: "Friendly service, with the exception of having to request a drink repeatedly (i finally gave up, got up and went to the back of the plane myself for water). Despite the tight connection times, made each flight and luggage came out quickly."
Cons: "The seats on the transatlantic flight were small and cramped. Lucky to have had an open seat next to me on the return. No entertainment on Lisbon/ Milan flights."
Pros: "very pleasant experience flying TAP. Baggage check was free, and for our international flight we had a top notch entertainment system in seat. Would definitely fly again!"
Pros: "Not much. Lunch"
Cons: "We paid to check the bag In and when we arrived the girl could not see this. We showed her clearly the paper then she charged ya and realised she had made a mistake but couldn't refund us. Terrible experience. Don't use the."
Pros: "Crew was welcoming and service was great!"
British Airways7.3
TAP AIR PORTUGAL7.2
Safety measures for airlines flying from Illinois to Madeira
Airlines flying from Illinois to Madeira have enacted additional safety measures and adjusted policies to better accommodate travelers. Policies vary by airline.
Daily cleaning, installation of cabin HEPA filters on flights from Illinois to Madeira
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Parantaka Chola II
Parantaka Chola II (r. 957 – 970 CE) was a Chola king who ruled for about twelve years. Also known by the name Madhurantakan Sundara Chola, he was the son of Arinjaya Chola and Kalyani, a princess from the clan of Vaidumbas. Parantaka II ascended the Chola throne despite the fact that Uttama Chola, the son of Gandaraditya, (the elder brother of Arinjaya) was alive and he had equal if not more claim to the Chola throne.
When Parantaka II became king, the Chola kingdom had shrunk to the size of a small principality. The Pandyas in the south had revived their fortunes and had defeated the Chola armies and occupied their ancestral lands.
During Parantaka II's reign, the foundations were laid for the success of the Chola Empire a generation later.
Pandyan War
Immediately after becoming the Chola king, Parantaka II's attention was directed towards the growing strength of the Pandyas in the south. Vira Pandya, having repulsed Gandaraditya's attempts to restore Chola supremacy in the Pandya country, was ruling as an independent potentate. The invading Chola army met the Pandyas at Chevur.
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Indian Express 07 Jul 2019
Vikram, who was in Chennai recently to promote his upcoming film Kadaram Kondan, had confirmed he is a part of Mani Ratnam's ambitious project, Ponniyin Selvan ... Advertising ... Rumour mills are abuzz that Aishwarya Rai could essay the role of princess Nandini and Vikram will play Aditya Karikalan, Sundara Chola's eldest son ... 0 Comment(s). Vikram ... news ... ....
In the heart & soil of Ponniyin Selvan
Ponniyin Selvan (or 'Son of the Cauvery', as the river forms the backdrop) is set in the 11th century Chola period and revolves around the power struggle between the ruling king Sundara Chozhan and his sons Aditya Karikalan and Arulmozhi (the famous Raja Raja Chozhan)....
Aishwarya Rai, Keerthy Suresh, Amala Paul – The leading ladies in Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan
International Business Times 07 May 2019
While Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is rumoured to be playing Pazhuvoor Princess Nandhini, Keerthy Suresh enacts the role of Kunthavai Naachiyaar, one of the queens in the Chola empire. Apart from them, the cast comprises of Amitabh Bachchan (Sundara Chozhar), Jayam Ravi ......
School children stumble upon ancient Chola and Pandya coins
The Times of India 26 Nov 2017
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Students collect Chola, Pandya period copper coins
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Before the Broadcaster and Precision Bass, Leo Fender was tinkering with speakers and amplifiers in a little shop in Fullerton, California. Fender and his company helped change the sound of popular music with an ever-innovative line of guitar and bass amplifiers. Through the '50s and into the post-'64 CBS era and beyond, the look of Fender amps evolved as new circuits and models were introduced and improved.
Fender amps with black tolex, black control panels, and silver grills started to appear on certain models in mid 1963. Now referred to as the "Blackface" style, this period of Fender amps is perhaps the most recognizable and replicated of all Fender amp designs. It was in this era that models like the Twin Reverb and the Vibrolux hit their peak, helping to define rock music along the way.


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The Future of Augmented Reality, Featuring Coachella and Eminem
So Eminem is probably not the first person you think of when you think of a technology industry leader. Some music gurus may have even questioned his presence at this years Coachella. But with a stunning performance that featured augmented reality, a lot of opinions have changed.
Eminem & Augmented Reality
Prior to his set at Coachella, concert-goers had the option to download the Eminem Augmented app. This app allowed users to see additional augmented visuals surrounding the stage. The visuals will also be used at Eminem's upcoming US and European tours.
Virtual reality isolates the user to a new alternate reality. AR, on the other hand, is a more communal, sociable technology. This is because of the way it layers on top of the existing world around you. CEO of Eminem's record label said: "We figured, if the phones are going to be there and people are going to be putting them up in the air and looking at them anyway, why don't we provide a way to maybe change the way they're perceiving the show."
In reviewing footage from the show, users can see just how powerful that augmented layer can be. This larger than life feature added an unforeseen layer of immersion suitable for many industries. Adding a digital layer to live experiences may just be the future for many industries, including music, fashion, and even retail.
Future of E-Commerce
With the recent growth of e-commerce, we're noticing the industry take a shift towards a younger consumer. With higher expectations, it has become vital for brands to develop strategies that keep this younger demographic engaged. Most of these strategies bring a digital layer to reality, which keeps younger customers interested. Thus far we have seen companies like Zara, Outdoor Voices and Gucci experiment with AR technology to trigger small experiences on mobile.
The Coachella Experience
Only the attendees of Coachella were able to accessEminem's cool use of AR as the experience was time-stamped and geotagged. They could only be seen within a few hundred yards from the stage.
The app also provided access to some other exclusive AR content, including a humorous 'Mom's Spaghetti' interface that used image recognition to identify the festival's universal food containers and layered graphics over it.
According to Rich Lee, creative director of Drive Studios who developed the experience, the app is an initial step that could signify a new portal to connect with music fans.
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Fitness and health guru, Marie Gutierrez, loves spending time outside with her fur babies, Ember and Fern. From long walks on the beach to runs around the block with her pups, Marie loves helping people get fit and stay fit. As the top health coach at her local gym, Marie focuses on eating healthy and finding new and unique ways to stay fit no matter what the season.


Want to welcome the upcoming Chinese New Year with a little treasure? Well, it's your lucky year, you're getting a big treasure instead! "A Lifetime Treasure", to be exact. The comedy movie is hitting the big screen on 5 February in Malaysia (though Singapore will have to wait till Valentine's Day for this one). It follows a retired doctor, Master (Andrew Lam), who runs a peaceful elderly home with help from his long-time nurse, Ching (Ivana Wong). Within the walls of this home lives five retirees: Teddy (Teddy Robin), a former professional pickpocket; Fatty Crab (Sammo Hung), an ex-detective; Uncle Lung (Leung Siu Lung), a former British secret service spy; Richard (Richard Ng), an ex-professional swimmer who is still grieving his son's death at sea a few years back; and Wai (Tien Niu), a retired singer. Their peace doesn't last long, however. Find out why when the movie plays in cinemas soon!
Sammo Hung seen here as Fatty Crab, a smart wheelchair-bound former detective.
Lam Suet definitely fits the role as Master's old friend, the gangster Marvin.
Tien Niu plays the retired, but still elegant, Chinese opera actress Wai.


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 Calamocrinus diomedae Agassiz, 1890

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How one's personal information is gathered and exploited as we go about our daily lives, is the subject of this prototype iOS game for the BBC. Working with digital innovation company Chromatrope and game design studio Matheson Marcault, we devised an episodic game that put you in the position of an intern at a data analytics company.
In the game, it is your job to choose what user data to collect and sell, in order to maximise the monatery value of your userbase to your employer's clients. As you make choices in the game, you slowly learn how different corporations use what they know about you in your daily life, as you use social networks, store cards, photo sharing sites, and more.
I designed the overall interface, and narrative interaction of the game. Choices are made through a simple messenger-style interface, as the story is delivered to you via messages from your colleagues. Your progress in the game is shown via a leaderboard and stocks-style representation of your userbase's value.
This was a closed prototype for the BBC, but hopefully it will be released on the App Store at some point in the future.


To get workplace diversity and inclusion right, you need to build a culture where everyone feels valued and heard.
Under your HR team's leadership, your company has recruited a diverse workforce that includes a range of ages, ethnicities, religions and worldviews. Identifying and hiring people with such diverse backgrounds and characteristics is an achievement that you reflect on with pride. So now you can check off the diversity and inclusion (D&I) box on your to-do list for building a great workplace … right?
Not so fast. Diversity is only half of the D&I picture. Creating a culture where people are respected and appreciated requires another level of effort that may not be getting the investment it needs.
Think of diversity as being similar to selecting people for a chorus who have different musical backgrounds, vocal ranges and abilities. The inclusion piece of D&I means making sure that those different voices are heard and valued and that they contribute to the performance.
When employees who are different from their colleagues are allowed to flourish, the company benefits from their ideas, skills and engagement, according to SHRM/Economist Intelligence Unit research. The retention rate of those workers also rises.
To that end, here are six practical strategies for creating an inclusive environment.
Your organization's executives and managers will be instrumental to your D&I efforts. "At the end of the day, it's the leader who's on the front line with our employees," says Dianne Campbell, vice president of global diversity and inclusion at American Express in Washington, D.C. "It's the experience that the leader is creating that is going to make or break" your D&I initiatives.
This year, Amex is rolling out mandatory training for people at the vice president level and above. It will start with the basics—what inclusion is and why it is important. Small groups will discuss strategies to foster it in the company.
At global pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck & Co. Inc., bosses at every level undergo training in unconscious bias, which occurs when individuals make judgments about people based on gender, race or other factors without realizing they're doing it. The training helps make people aware of this form of bias and drives home the importance of modeling inclusive behavior—such as engaging in active listening and encouraging different points of view—in meetings, performance reviews and other interactions.
The company's global D&I team periodically evaluates its professional development offerings to ensure that managers have opportunities to learn how to better manage diverse workgroups. Members talk about how to deal with real-life scenarios that people managers face, such as supervising an employee who needs an accommodation for a disability or a worker who is a single parent with challenging child care issues.
"We look at the opportunities where people managers are making decisions about employees and integrate a D&I filter into those opportunities to ensure we are making decisions appropriately," says Celeste R. Warren, vice president, HR and global diversity and inclusion center of excellence at the Upper Gwynedd, Pa.
Leaders at Merck are also expected to demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and, importantly, to be responsible for the environment in their respective departments. Ongoing feedback from their own managers helps to hold them accountable, as does tying the goal to their performance evaluations.
"Leaders—especially middle managers—must be held accountable for results," says Erin L. Thomas, a diversity researcher and a partner at Paradigm, a D&I consulting firm based in San Francisco. That means structuring meetings, allocating resources and using language that advances inclusion. "Employees need to see that inclusive behavior is a core competency.
Consider forming a council comprising a dedicated group of eight to 12 influential leaders who are one or two levels below the CEO. Carefully select them for their passion and commitment to inclusion.
"You need people who are going to make the time to roll up their sleeves" and do the work, says Jennifer Brown, author of Inclusion: Diversity, the New Workplace & the Will to Change (Purpose Driven Publishing, 2017) and president and CEO of Jennifer Brown Consulting in New York City. They need to be "a channel for communication" between the rank and file and the C-suite, and that includes advocating for inclusiveness in discussions with top executives when necessary.
Ideally, councils should be involved in goal-setting around hiring, retaining and advancing a diverse workforce and in addressing any employee engagement problems among underrepresented employee groups, Brown says. Most councils meet quarterly to review organizational feedback, troubleshoot challenges, and, most importantly, carry messages about their work to their senior peers and the C-suite, she says.
The councils should be as diverse as possible, with members representing not only different ethnicities and genders but also different business functions and geographic locations, for example, even if that means tapping individuals one or two grade levels below the C-suite. If this is difficult due to the lack of diversity in the top levels of your organization, make sure council members learn about your company's diversity strategy from HR, the D&I team, and their colleagues in employee resource groups (ERGs) or business resource groups (BRGs). In this scenario, the pressing reality of the lack of diversity in top positions will also become a stark reminder that change is needed.
An inclusion council is different from ERGs and BRGs, which are sponsored by individual executives and typically serve as grassroots diversity business networks, usually for mid- and junior-level workers who share common backgrounds. ERGs and BRGs might be made up of veterans; new parents; or members of an ethnic, racial or gender-based group. They are a good D&I tool and provide a safe place for people to express themselves. Sometimes discussions that arise in these groups can even provide an early warning of issues bubbling up within the company.
The onus for inclusiveness, however, should not fall on the underrepresented members of your workforce, whether they be women, people of color or members of other minority groups. Those individuals often don't have the power or influence to bring about change, Brown says. That's where inclusion councils can take up the cause.
Make sure company leaders understand that inclusion is about ensuring that everyone's voice is heard, opinions are considered and value to the team is evident.
Train managers—and hold them accountable—to show that inclusivity is a core competency.
Form an inclusion council with genuine influence and power.
Value differences and create an environment where people can feel comfortable bringing their "full selves" to work.
Identify underrepresented groups' needs, and give them necessary support and resources.
Provide workers with a safe space to voice their concerns.
Benchmark key aspects of your organization's culture—and understand the employee experience—before making changes to promote inclusivity.
Remember that daily interactions are the most telling sign of whether or not your company has an inclusive culture.
One of the most important ways to show employees that you respect their backgrounds and traditions is to invite them to share those in the workplace. For example, the HR team at Bak USA, a manufacturer of mobile computers based in Buffalo, N.Y., holds potluck parties to celebrate the 14 nationalities represented among its 100 employees. Many employees are new to the U.S., and the events are a way to showcase the foods of their home countries, says Eva Bak, vice president of people.
A meditation or prayer room. The need for a reflection space came to Bak's attention after she started giving up her office for 15 minutes every Friday so Muslim employees could use it to pray. It wasn't an inconvenience to her, she says, and the gesture meant so much to those individuals. Creating a permanent space, however, provided "that inclusion piece where people felt they could bring their 'full selves' to work," she says.
An enhanced HR presence for more-isolated employees. The company created a small HR office to serve production team employees who work on a different floor than the HR team and who often work different hours from the rest of the organization. It's also a place where those workers can have private conversations with their managers.
Last September at Merck, the company observed its second annual Global Diversity & Inclusion Experience month. It celebrated the differences among its 69,000 employees in more than 140 countries and offered presentations to employees about how D&I influences Merck's culture and business performance.
To better understand their workers' experience, HR at American Express fields employee surveys and convenes focus groups to drill down on engagement and inclusion issues. Conduct a comprehensive assessment of your organization's demographics and people processes to develop specific strategies to promote inclusiveness, Campbell advises.
The company used to hold a separate holiday party for its production team to accommodate their nontraditional work hours. However, a response to an employee survey pointed out that the practice seemed to silo that department from the rest of the organization. Although only one person expressed this concern, the HR department thought the point had merit and now holds one celebration for everyone.
An employee's daily experiences with co-workers are more telling about a workplace's inclusiveness than anything else.
Distribute meeting materials in advance and share questions to be discussed. This is helpful for workers for whom English is a second language and for introverted employees who function better when they are given time to process information before reacting to it.
Reach out to teleworkers. Make sure you have the right technology for virtual meeting participants to have a meaningful experience. Welcome them to the meeting, ask them questions and pause to be sure they are given the opportunity to take part in the conversation.
Rotate meeting times if you have remote workers in different time zones.
Give credit where it's due. When someone is recognized for an idea that someone else put forward earlier in the meeting, point out who shared the idea originally.
Be conscious of your communication style. Don't assume you know more than others by explaining concepts they may already understand—a behavior sometimes referred to as "mansplaining" when done by men to women.
Promote active debate and be courteous. If one colleague interrupts another, call attention to it to underscore the importance of letting everyone be heard.
Creating an inclusive mindset is not a linear process, Guillory says. It will take time and a consistent effort. "There will be stops and starts" along the way, he says.
"Cultivating inclusion is an evolving process with constantly moving targets. You're never done," Thomas points out. "A company's goals and tactics must evolve along with the needs of current and potential talent.
Establish and clearly communicate specific, measurable and time-bound goals as you would with any other strategic aim. At one organization where Thomas worked, the employer took great care to quantify engagement within its BRGs. After 11 months of "high-touch management" from Thomas' team, BRG members reported double-digit increases across 12 measures of engagement.
Conduct a full audit of your people processes—from recruiting and hiring to developing and retaining employees. Couple the data with engagement and other workforce survey data to gain a full measure of your climate.
Identify any shortcomings and measurable discrepancies around inclusiveness in your organization.
Instill rigor into inclusion strategies with data-driven plans, and measure the results.
What are our inclusion goals?
What are the reasons for those goals?
How do we quantify inclusion?
How will inclusion impact our mission, brand or bottom line?
Kathy Gurchiek is an associate editor on SHRM's online news team.


Wednesday I reviewed Invisible Ink by Brian McDonald. In it, he mentions the The Seven Easy Steps to a Better Story.
I've already written a series on plot, but I do want to mention these seven steps for two reasons. One, because I have heard them before, but not explained to the extent that McDonald does. Two, because this system works for stories of any length. He heard the steps from a writer named Matt Smith (no, not the Doctor), who heard it from Joe Guppy. And now I'm sharing it with you.
The story people at Pixar use this method, probably because McDonald uses this method and is a consultant to Pixar. I've seen these seven steps written a bit differently. Some change #7 to "And the morale of the story is ________________." Personally, I don't like that method. If your story has a point—a morale, theme, or big idea—that point needs to be introduced in the beginning and dramatized throughout the story. If it comes as an afterthought, you may as well leave it out completely, because it will sound preachy if slapped at the end.
"Once upon a time" and "And every day" are Act One, the beginning.
"Until one day" is the inciting incident.
Then there is a series of cause-and-effects that make up Act Two, the middle.
"Until finally" is the climax.
"And ever since that day" is the dénouement or resolution. These last two are the ending.
"Once upon a time" is C1, the captivation.
"And every day" is the opening.
"Until one day" is C2, the change.
"And because of that" is everything between C2 to C5, the Collapse.
"And because of that" is everything between C5 to C8.
"Until finally" is C8, the culmination.
"And ever since that day" is the resolution.
Want more instruction on The Seven Easy Steps to a Better Story? Be sure to check out Invisible Ink by Brian McDonald.


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Savita Iyer-Ahrestani interviewed James Brewer to highlight the inaugural Association of African American Financial Advisors (Quad-A) Conference. He discusses the promise and challenges faced by African American financial advisors.
Cited in Forbes, Is Hobby Lobby Hypocritical Or Just Complying With U.S. Pension Law?
Jeffrey Brown cites "Envision 401(k) Advisors suggests on their website that "best practice" for firms that want to screen investments based on social or other factors is to offer a non-restricted choice in each asset class for which the plan is offering a restricted choice." The citation links to the Envision 401k Advisors blog "Can ESG investing fulfill retirement happiness?"
ERISA 3(38) managers are licensed to work as a fiduciary for their clients, who are typically small-business owners. They can take on nearly all the risk and liability of choosing the best investments for a client's retirement plan.


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PSNI PVP Update: Christie
By Katie Makal (AV Network) 18 July 2020
During the 2020 PSNI Global Evolve Marketing Summit, we sat down with the organization's Preferred Vendor Partners to hear about their latest offerings for integrators.
Interview with Arlonna Seymour, Senior Director, Corporate Marketing, Christie.
AVN: Tell us about your latest product.
ARLONNA SEYMOUR: Recently launched in June 2020, the new Christie Griffyn 4K32-RGB, combines Christie's superior electronics, our proprietary RGB laser illumination architecture with integrated cooling and a sealed optical path for reliable illumination performance creating capabilities that will impress you.
Christie Griffyn 4K32-RGB Pure Laser Projector (Image credit: Christie)
Ready to illuminate any surface with 34,000 lumens while operating at less than 50dB at full brightness, we designed and built this highly advanced projector for demanding large venue applications on the ground or in the air.
AVN: What resources are available to your integrators to market their business?
AS: We're committed to collaborating with our partners and providing the tools that are needed to achieve profitable revenue growth. Our Christie Partner Program is a significant investment that demonstrates our continuing commitment to our integrators, which includes the tools and resources that can help them develop their business, communicate with their customers to build strong relationships, market Christie products, and access technical support.
For more details on the above programs, please contact Sandy Knoll at sandy.knoll@christiedigital.com or your Christie sales representative.
AVN: How can integrators partner with you on case studies?
AS: We're constantly adding new customer stories to our website that illustrate how people are using Christie solutions. Our customer stories make great sales tools and are available on our website, in PDF format, and shared via our social media channels. Do you have an interesting application story to share? Please contact your Christie territory sales manager. All we require is the end user contact information, a brief list of Christie products included in the installation, and we'll take it from there. We'll contact the end user, get permissions to publish a story, and, finally, draft the story and promote it!
AVN: What is the number one thing integrators can do to market their business?
AS: The most important thing an integrator can do is understand the customer's pain point. Once you understand the problem—while truly knowing your company's value proposition—integrators can then determine how they can help be part of the solution. It's at that point when a marketing strategy and all the tactics that support it can be developed and executed on.
AVN: How is your company dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic?
AS: During the pandemic, Christie has been open for business, just not as usual. As the world experiences this unprecedented global pandemic, we do what we have always done in our 90 years: adapt and move forward together.
We provide innovative AV solutions for 24/7 essential services. Every day, all over the world, our integrated control room solutions give decision-makers on the front lines—from the highest levels of government and national broadcast communications to law enforcement command centers and first responders—quick access to the information they need to make critical decisions.
It's why keeping our manufacturing facilities open and our production lines running in both Kitchener, ON, and Shenzhen, China, are so important despite lockdowns in many of the countries we do business.
We continue to both meet production demands and focus on the health and well-being of Christie people and their families. All Christie employees around the world with the ability to work remotely are doing so until we're back to business as usual. We're planning for a full return to work when it's safe to do so by ensuring we equip all our offices and facilities with enhanced sanitation protocols, personal protective equipment (PPE), and social distancing best practices.
For more information on the PSNI Global Alliance, visit psni.org.


Most of us think that it's quite easy to teach a dog to stop an undesirable action with a "No" command. However, this is not the case, and as practice shows, it is much easier to train a dog to do something on a command than not to do something.
Getting a small four-footed friend is undoubtedly a joyful event for every owner. It's funny to watch how the puppy grows and develops. He explores the world around him just like a small child - sniffing, licks, and of course, tries everything with its teeth.
The dog (puppy) can experience strong emotional discomfort from different situations.