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Pensacola, FL – The Pensacola Chamber of Commerce named ProHealth as "Small Business of the Month" during the Gopher Club Breakfast held at New World Landing on Tuesday, April 2nd. Mother-daughter team, Vivian and Danette Krumel accepted the award together.
ProHealth, formerly known as Professional Health Examiners, is a locally-owned occupational testing company that was started by Vivian Krumel 27 years ago. ProHealth specializes in providing Northwest Florida with affordable health services, and offers low-cost lab work for people without health insurance or those who have high deductibles. Other services include DNA paternity testing, adult, travel and flu immunizations, occupational, drug and alcohol testing, respirator fit testing, DOT and employment physicals, tuberculosis screenings, and health fairs. Walk-ins are welcome for most services.
When Vivian's daughters, Danette Krumel and Debbie DuFour, saw a need for their ProHealth patients to also have access to healthcare professionals at a reasonable rate, ProHealth Medical Care was born. They opened the first location on 12th Avenue in December of 2010, and their second and third locations in Milton and Gulf Breeze in 2012. Many of ProHealth Medical Care's patients do not have health insurance. Others have high deductibles. Some even have health insurance, but simply enjoy the minimal wait time, quality care, and convenience that ProHealth Medical Care has to offer.
For more information about ProHealth, please visit www.prohealthfl.com or call a ProHealth office near you. Pensacola: 434-6168; Milton: 626-3430; Gulf Breeze: 677-0737; Ft. Walton Beach: 243-2900; Santa Rosa Beach: 267-0360; Crestview: 689-7592.
For more information about ProHealth Medical Care, please visitwww.prohealthfl.com or call a ProHealth Medical Care office near you. Pensacola: 549-3379; Gulf Breeze: 677-0737; Milton: 626-3430.


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ALRAY - Leader of Hamas political bureau, Khaled Meshal, said that Hamas has no information about three Israeli soldiers disappeared 11 days ago near Hebron in the southern West Bank.
In an interview with Al Jazeera television on Monday, Meshal said that Hamas has no information about the missing soldiers. The movement has nothing to prove or disprove about the missing soldiers.
He emphasized the right of Palestinians to free the detainees in Israeli prisons and that the occupation must pay the price for Palestinian suffering.
"The Israeli occupation does not need any justification to escalate their aggression against Palestinians. I rule out the possibility that their disappearance is an Israeli fabrication," he said.
He told the families of the three missing soldiers that "Netanyahu is ignoring the suffering of Palestinian people and prisoners. He is the reason behind your sons' loss.
Meshal denied the Israeli accusations that he gave the green light for any group to detain the Israelis. "The resistance knows its duty, and it does not wait for instructions to move", he added.
Denouncing the U.S biased Israel position, he emphasized that Israeli threats don't frighten Hamas.
He pointed out that the Palestinian national reconciliation agreement stressed the importance to work to release prisoners as a sacred national duty, and the right to use any means necessary to achieve their liberation.
He called on the Palestinian leadership to study and discuss an appropriate response to the ongoing Israeli aggressions against the Palestinian people.
Mashal said that the international community holds the responsibility of the continued Israeli aggressions against Palestinians and its repressive policies, pointing out that all delegations, he received, emphasized the justice of Palestinian cause.
Israeli army has launched a military campaign in the West Bank killing at least five Palestinians, detaining more than 500, and raiding more than 1,100 sites including homes, offices, and universities in hunt for three settlers who were missed last June, 12 in the West Bank city of Hebron. Yet, no clear evidence the three settlers were abducted as Israel claimed.

subset: commoncrawl


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Laura and I are in Bend, OR, on the current leg of our short road trip. We know our surrounding area, aside from my knowledge obtained from hourlong obsession sessions with summitpost.org. Therefore, today was a bit of a gamble/shot in the dark, but it paid off well.
We departed down the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway from Bend with the intention of driving towards the Three Sisters and Mount Bachelor. We passed by the Mount Bachelor ski areas and saw a turnoff for "Todd Lake"… and we figured…why not?
We drove a quarter mile down a gravelly road and ended up at a parking lot. Immediately upon exiting the car, we could hear rushing water coming from close to us. Being unprepared for a longer hike, we had no water, but we had a couple bottles and a filter…so we filtered. Duh. We walked up the wide dirt path for about 500 feet and came to a three way fork. The right fork seemed to go up a ridge (a must do in the future, I am thinking). We decided to take the center trail which would lead around the lake and back via the left trail.
Upon walking another 100′, we could see one of the most beautiful sights ever: A very large lake, surrounded by parts of meadows, and saddled beneath South Sister and Broken Top. The water was crystal clear with very little algae or growth. Laura had the camera and literally took hundreds of pictures.
We followed the easy, wide trail around the entire lake. The trail itself is very flat and easy to follow. The meadow about a mile and a half in had some soggy parts but was overall easy to navigate and trek through. We actually did it in flip flops (Laura) and Teva's (me).
To describe it anymore in words would be a disservice. Look at the pictures below and enjoy!
GPS Log: coming soon!
Time: 1:40 (we took our time)
Distance: 2.3 miles r/t
Elevation: minimal gain, its all above 6000′ though
Water consumed: minimal amount
Weather: light breeze, 65 and sunny
Getting there: take Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway west from Bend for 25 minutes, past Mt. Bachelor. Turn right onto the signed Todd Lake parking area. Park at the lot and display your Northwest Adventure Pass thing, America The Beautiful Pass, or pay $5 into the day use permit box.


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The small portion of Hillary Clinton's e-mails that survived her elaborate efforts at secrecy and have at long last been pried from her by court order don't contain any campaign-sinking "smoking gun," so far as we can tell, but there is plenty of fodder for ridicule. None of the late-night comedy shows are likely to avail themselves of it, but without any pesky network affiliations we simply can't resist the opportunity.
To begin, we note that Clinton's e-mails are at least as sloppily written as the average American's. This is to be expected, we suppose, given the severe damage that computers have done to the English language, and at this point we hold out no hope that the eventual Republican presidential nominee's inevitably released e-mails will prove any better, but we feel it worth noting nonetheless. We compose our own electronic correspondence with salutations that include the appropriate courtesy title, followed by a comma and an indentation, followed by sentences that begin with a capital letter and end with a period and have all the necessary punctuation in between, and each of the words are spelled out in their entirety and never substituted with an arabic numeral or indecipherable acronym or faddish abbreviation or cutesy "emoticon," and the sentences are arranged into paragraphs of related concepts, with indentation following, and it always ends with a formal "Sincerely" or chummy "Your pal," depending on the recipient, along with a properly indented e-signature, as well of the rest of the stuff we were taught back in school during the more rigorous pre-E days of letter-writing. So far as we can tell we are the last people in America to hew to such outdated traditions, but we are steadfastly manning the barricades in hopes that reinforcements of proper writing will eventually arrive, and in the meantime we're not going to let it go unmentioned that the presumptive next President of the United States is so gallingly illiterate. She was Secretary of State when typing this garble, after all, and one shudders to think what better-educated and more-illustrious predecessors such as John Quincy Adams and John Foster Dulles and Condoleezza Rice would have made of it.
Even those who aren't such sticklers for proper prose will be amused by the slapstick antics that the awful writing reveal. One long and convoluted exchange with constant sidekick and Muslim Brotherhood legatee Huma Abedin, who is also married to that former New York congressman who kept sending e-mailed pictures of underwear-clad private parts to various other women, demonstrates in a sort of "I Love Lucy" sketch that the presumptive next President of the United States does not know how to operate a fax machine. Another e-mail involved some unknown person who was "Twittering" in Clinton's name, with the concern seeming rather ambivalent because whoever it was getting a good number of followers yet receiving unenthusiastic reviews in Newsweek. Another involved a planned article in the Parade Magazine supplement that many newspapers still run, along with assurances from the author that "she will like it." Another was addressed to an underling who was asked to request that one of her underlings fetch Clinton some iced tea. The one that's been getting the biggest laughs in the conservative media has Clinton asking someone named Lona Valmoro and the aforementioned Abedin, in a missive with the subject heading of "Cabinet mtg," "I heard on the radio that there is a cabinet mtg this am. Is there? Can I go? If not, who are we sending?"
There's also lots of stuff from Sidney Blumenthal, which is also hilarious to anyone old enough to recall him as one of the sleazier operatives of the previous Clinton administration, which is saying something, and much of it is his advice that the Secretary of State not be modest in claiming credit for the Libya policy that has since plunged that nation into such utter chaos that an ambassador and three other Americans died in a terrorist attack there, and a filmmaker was falsely blamed and sent to prison for criticizing Islam, and the Islamic State has gained a significant foothold there, and of course with benefit of hindsight it's all something that the presumptive next President of the United States would prefer go unmentioned. It's not the kind of thing the late-night comedians will find amusing, but again we think it ought not go unmentioned.
— Bud Norman


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For a bit more time we dwell each day in darkness longer than light. Soon, little by little, the light returns. The sun doesn't clear the tall hemlocks until 9:15 am. It's below the trees by one pm, so the shadows begin to grow early in the afternoon. This time of year I'm reminded of a Hanukkah many years ago, when my friend Bruce visited and realized it was the first night of Hanukkah. He dug out a very large carrot, sculpted holes with a potato peeler, and we had our Menorah. It remains, many years later, one of the sweetest rituals of this time of year for me.
This prayer is also another ritual. My daughter Jenny & I would read Tasha Tudor's Christmas Book, and we'd be sure to read this aloud and think upon it and reflect. I'd like to share this prayer with you, from that book. May you have Joy. May you have Peace. May you be warm and safe.
Take Joy
I salute you! There is nothing
I can give you which you have not;
but there is much that, while I cannot give, you can take.
No heaven can come to us unless our hearts
find rest in it today.
Take Heaven.
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden
in this present instant.
Take Peace.
The gloom of the world is but a shadow;
behind it yet, within our reach, is joy.
Take Joy.
And so…I greet you with the prayer that for you,
now and forever, the day breaks, and the shadows flee away.
Written in a letter to a friend by Fra Giovanni.
Christmas Eve 1513 A.


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Sparkle Entertainment - 2 Ingham Court, Coningsby, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN4 4RD
The Sparkle Band are renowned world wide, they have played on cruise ships, concert venues, aircraft hangers and for all types of events and functions. They are currently recording an album together to be released later on in the year.
The Sparkle Band is made up Helen on piano/keyboards, Sonia on vocals and sax and John on vocals and guitar. Twin sisters Helen and Sonia have been performing together for years with Helen on piano and electric flute and Sonia on vocals. With the brilliant vocal voice of John now with them and his acoustic and electric guitar, the sparkle band now perform their own songs as well as classics from the 1950s right through to the present day.
Sweet Caroline
Does Your Mother Know
Love Today
I dont feel like dancing
Under The moon of love
Bright Eyes
Peggy Sue
When you tell me that you love me
Only the lonely
Under The boardwalk
I only want to be with you
Let me entertain you
What a feeling
Gimme Gimme GImee
Brown Eyed Girl
Oh Boy
Mustang Sally
Summertime blues
In the mood for dancing
The young ones
You're my world
Day dream believer
True Love Ways
Saturday Night at the movies
Dance the night away
I believe in a thing called love
Rocking all over the world
I'm a believer
Will you still love me tommorow
Dancing Queen
Runaround Sue
All I have to do is dream
C'mon everybody
American Idiot
It doesn't matter anymoe
Simply the Best


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I am pleased to announce our 2nd Annual Award to recognize the New York State AOH Division which best epitomizes this spirit of Charity. The award is created and presented in honor of Arnold "Arnie" Nagelhout long time NY State Board Member and Charities and Missions Director.
As part of our Motto, Charity is the heart of our Faith and Organization. As members of the New York State Ancient Order of Hibernians we're called to assist our parish's ministries and our community's endeavors by performing the Corporal Works of Mercy (to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, give drink to the thirsty, shelter to the homeless, tend the sick, visit those in prison, bury the dead, and give alms to the poor). Pope Francis recently said, "I am grateful to the many volunteers who offer their service in soup kitchens, giving food to those who are alone, in need of help, out of work or homeless. These meal centers and other works of mercy — such as visiting the sick and the imprisoned are examples of charity in action that promote a culture of giving, since those involved are motivated by love for God and inspired by Gospel wisdom."
These "Local" charitable activities are not being considered in lieu of our National AOH endeavors, but rather in addition to them. Both will be considered in the selection of the award recipient and both should be included in the application narrative.
Deadline for submitting nominations is July 1, 2018
When applying, a Division should submit a written narrative of their activities in the past submittal year (no more than 250 words). For the sake of this award, the year will be January 2017 through December 2017. They should also submit a copy of their Division's New York State Charities and Missions Annual Report for the same time frame. All award submittals must be mailed in by no later than July 1st 2018. The Trophy will be awarded at the NYS State Convention or at the State Testimonial Dinner, depending on the year.
As we intend this award to be ever changing to meet the changes in society, judging criteria will be agreed upon by the five judge panel while maintaining a focus on charity as defined by the Catholic Church.
In addition to the award, the NY State Board will make a $500 donation to the charity of the recipients' choice to a recognized charitable organization.
Respectfully Submitted,
Matt Buckley
Chair, Charities and Missions
3 Harvest Lane
West Islip, NY 11795
Barry Griffith
Deputy Charities and Missions


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The Sailing Stone
a short story series by Brian Hughes
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Thank you for your interest and participation in the TIDEWATCH! Please complete the Registration Form below to participate in Morning Care, After School Care and/or Drop-in Care.
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This week we discuss how varying up what pictures you do will actually help the one subject that you love to draw. The techniques you learn in drawing landscapes can actually help you with drawing portraits.
We also answer your questions on pastel paper – what is velour paper like? What subjects can you draw on black paper?


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It's not exactly hard to see why the Traveling Wilburys Collection on vinyl was priced as high as it was. In a nutshell, it's the deluxe CD/DVD edition, only larger… and without video.
The contents of the box, though, are pretty impressive. Both LP covers and labels are faithfully reproduced, the inner sleeves are now just one sheet inserts while the albums themselves are held in a more storage-friendly paper/poly sleeve. With the poster and postcards included, the set works. It may not be the biggest value for your dollar, but it makes for an excellent collector's piece.
But any vinyl pressing is only as good as the source music. While Volume One and Volume 3 are pretty solid sound wise, some of the bonus tracks have detectible tape flaws. The extended version of Handle With Care is particularly bad. Whatever the case, the bonus tracks are worth the price. There's a sizable improvement in the extended version of End of the Line.
The main exclusive here (for me anyway) is the remix of Not Alone Any More. Will most people shell out $75 for that feature? Probably not. But it's a nice soon-to-be rarity using different vocal takes from Roy Orbison while uncovering some nice instrumental parts.
I never really weighed in on the debate over vinyl vs. CD. And frankly, I'm holding off on it until I have the ability to rent a high-end turntable and capture these tracks in 24-bit digital on this PC. But, after I spent a considerable amount of time using my (not high-end premium nor bottom of the line) consumer turntable, running the audio thru a small professional-grade mixer/amp, digitizing it into a consumer (but not cheap) audio restoration program, then creating uncompressed audio files for the iPod, I still can't get satisfactory results sound-wise. So, for now, my stance on preferring remastered CDs stands. I'll hold out hope there will be some CD of these bonus tracks (whether promo or not) eventually.
Now, anyone is welcome to change my mind about vinyl. But when I hear the Traveling Wilburys on vinyl, I hear these songs as good quality recordings. But, whenI hear the remastered CDs, I hear these songs like they're happening in front of me. I understand the Vinyl + Analog = warmer, fuller & better versus the CD + Digital = thinner, weaker & shittier argument. But, making uncompressed audio files (stressing uncompressed here) from remastered CDs and listening to those files on an iPod is currently blowing the doors off of any vinyl I've ever heard. Again, if you have any suggestions on the right way to hear vinyl records properly, I'm all ears.


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The 12th successive Fancourt Heritage Classic Golf Tournament is scheduled to take place at the country's premier golf and leisure destination on the Garden Route between 24 and 28 September. Golfers will play on The Links, Outeniqua and Montagu golf courses.
The Links is Fancourt's prized golf course and scooped the top spot in the Golf Digest Top 100 Golf Courses rankings for 2014 and 2015 while all three of the Gary Player designed golf courses have been included in the list of South Africa's 20 finest courses for the last four consecutive rankings.
It's no wonder that Fancourt is an internationally sought-after golfing playground, with arguably some of the best facilities in the world, including a Club House, a top class Golf Academy and two Pro Shops.
The popular tournament was created to pay tribute to Heritage Day through the unifying means of sport. It will also celebrate South Africa's 20 years of democracy this year.
Now firmly entrenched as a highlight on the annual golfing calendar, the event offers a fantastic long weekend of golfing on three of the finest courses in Southern Africa, with glamorous social functions adding to the appeal.
Fancourt has tailored a great value 4-night package especially for participants in the three day tournament that includes all the bells and whistles. From just R7990 per person sharing, the Heritage Classic Package includes four nights' luxury accommodation at the Fancourt Resort Hotel and a delicious English breakfast each morning.
For non-golfers, the package includes a voucher to the value of R1 500 for pamper sessions at the Spa. Also included is the Welcome dinner and the Prize Giving function with outstanding entertainment. The Ryder Cup will be viewed in the Club Lounge each day as well.


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Tag Archives: blackberries
A Wonderful Time Of Year
It's summer! Wow, I've not posted on here in a while. Lots has been going on, but things have been slow on the fermentation front. Not a standstill, but not overly active either. Things progressing, a couple beer attempts, and at … Continue reading
Posted in Fermentation Log, Fruits and Vegetables, Jams and Jellies, news Tagged blackberries, blueberries, Irish Red Ale, pickles 1 Comment
February Is Upon Us
Why, what's the matter, That you have such a February face, So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness? – William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing No frost, no storm, not even cloudiness. Today was balmy for February, good for … Continue reading
Posted in Fermentation Log Tagged blackberries, blueberries, Country Wine, grapes, Mead, oak, peaches, Wine Leave a comment
Loving This Process…
The process I used making blackberry jam, the other day, that is. It works equally well on blueberry. Much better, in fact, than the process I used last year. My set's are turning out awesome, if not even too much. … Continue reading
Posted in Fermentation Log, Jams and Jellies Tagged basil, blackberries, blueberries, Country Wine, jam, Wine Leave a comment
A Productive Morning
…and a busy kitchen. First, I made two batches of blackberry jam, for a total of 21 jars – well, 20.5 at least. Then Sean and I made "Pick-Pocket", a pizza recipe from his "kids" cookbook. It was an excellent, if slightly … Continue reading
Posted in Jams and Jellies Tagged blackberries, jam Leave a comment
And She's Off
So, I helped drop Kim off at the airport today, with her team of ladies headed for Kenya. She'll be there for a few weeks, so it's just the kids and I here. For the next couple days, it's just … Continue reading
Posted in Fermentation Log, news Tagged blackberries, Country Wine, Wine Leave a comment


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Blood Assassin (Sentinels #2) by Alexandra Ivy
Synopsis: Out Of The Shadows
At six-foot-three and two-hundred-fifty pounds, Fane is a natural born guardian. A flawless mix of muscled perfection and steely precision, he has devoted years of his life to protecting a beautiful necromancer. But after she found love in the arms of another, Fane has been a warrior adrift. He swears allegiance only to the Sentinels. And no woman will ever rule his heart again. . .
Into The Fire
Not only a powerful psychic, Serra is that rare telepath who can connect to minds through objects. When the daughter of a high-blood businessman is kidnapped, Serra agrees to help. But when she stumbles onto a conspiracy involving secrets sects and ancient relics, her life is in mortal danger–and Fane is her only hope. Is the warrior willing to risk his body, his soul, and his heart, for Serra? Or will one last betrayal destroy them both?
Review: This one was better than book one by far! It was Serra and Fane's story and watching them in book one I hoped their book would be good and it was. It was delicious, filled with adventure, passion, a great plot line, a strong villain, and beautiful romance.
Fame has been fighting his love for Serra for years. He has loved her from afar always pushing her away when she would seek him out and flirt with him. She has loved Fane for years too but she has heard that he has plans to move back to Tibet and after her last confrontation with him and his cold indifference toward her she has had enough of throwing herself at a man who clearly doesn't want her. It takes her being forced to leave Valhalla under a spell to make Fane realize that he can't keep fighting fate. She is in danger and the thought of losing her makes him realize that he has wasted so much time trying to protect her from his dangerous life. He sets out to save her and win her, but has the years of pushing her away finally caused her to not trust him with her heart? Has he waited too long to give in to his love and desire for her?
Bas, as the supposed bad guy, was a nice touch to the plot line. He is a High Blood thought dead by the Mave when he has in fact built his own empire on power, greed, and on the selling of his and other High Blood's gifts. His daughter has been kidnapped and he must force Serra to use her psychic abilities to find her before he is forced to hand over a weapon of mass destruction to the kidnapper. He will do anything for his daughter, but he would rather not forsake the rest of the world to accomplish that goal.
The entire plot line, character interactions, all of it made for a great story.


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Wednesday, 21 June 2017 00:00
Famous Faces For Buffalo Chip's Legends Ride
The Legends Ride, a highlight of the annual Sturgis Rally, is a star-studded affair this year with well-known celebrity bikers joining in.
Tuesday, 21 February 2017 00:00
Doobie Brothers - Listen to the Music at the Buffalo Chip
Just as riders around the country, or even the world, make plans to head to the famous motorcycle rally at Sturgis later this year, the Buffalo Chip continues to book entertainment. The latest, the Doobie Brothers.


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"And Joseph wept when they spoke to him." (Gen 50:17)
Years after Joseph's brothers had been reunited with him, these men still feared his wrath. In Genesis 50, these grown men thought that now that their father was dead, that Joseph would finally exact revenge on them for what they had done to him all those many years ago.
Joseph had moved on and had lived in joy because he had sincerely forgiven them. They were still stuck in regret and fear. Forgiveness clears the plate and opens the door for reconciliation, joyful service, and fellowship, but only if we accept it.
"as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us." (Ps 103:12)


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Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, who turned 61 today, while speaking at a conclave recently, revealed as to why late Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray would call him – Roadkari – instead of Gadkari.
Gadkari, who is credited as the man behind the Mumbai-Pune Expressway while serving as the Maharashtra PWD minister from 1995 to 1999, during the conclave spoke about his passion for roads. Gadkari said, "I'm not an engineer. I don't have expertise in civil engineering. During my tenure (as the PWD minister) in Maharashtra, I developed an interest in roads. Roads are my passion. In fact, Balasaheb Thackeray used to call me 'Roadkari' because of my passion for roads."
Also read: Nitin Gadkari celebrates his 61st birthday with the inauguration of India's first 14-lane highway
Gadkari, during his conversation with journalist Rajdeep Sardesai at the conclave, also revealed how he became the Minister for Road Transport and Highways. Gadakri said, "PM Modi asked me as to which ministry I want and I told him that I want to take up road transport as I have done it before and will enjoy it. The PM told me that it is not a front-end department and it doesn't come in the top four or five ministeries. I said that I didn't have a problem with that."


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Boys Basketball – Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys' Sweet 16 Tournament at Rupp Arena – Quarter-Finals – CCHS vs Walton-Verona – Friday, March 8 at noon. Semi-Finals – Saturday, March 9 at 7:30pm. Finals – Sunday, March 10 at 2pm.
Ticket Information - There will be no advanced tickets sold at Campbell County High School for quarter-final, semi-final, or championship games. Discounted game tickets will be available to students and fans at the conclusion of each Campbell County game at ticket sales locations inside Rupp Arena for the next Campbell County game. This will be fans' only chance at discount price tickets. All tickets purchased online at KHSAA.org or at the ticket office the day of the game will be at regular price.


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Garik A. Siroyan
Associate Professor | Chair of Finances and Accounting
1994 - 1999: Yerevan State University, Faculty of Economics, Diploma of Higher Education, (honours degree),
1999 - 2001: Muster Studies, University of Macedonia: Economic and Social Sciences, Thessaloniki, Greece, M.A in Economics.
1999 - 2002: Post-Graduate studies, Yerevan State University, Faculty of Economics, Ph.D. in Economics.
Academic degree
2002: December Candidate of Economic Sciences (Ph.D. in Economics) "Migration Processes and their Social-Economic Consequences (the Case of Armenia)", 27.12.2002.
Professional experience
2017 - till today: "Investing Projects Implementation Unit Building up of Yerevan" CNCO, Sustainable Urban Development Investment Program, Institutional Specialist
2003 - till today: Yerevan State University, Faculty of Economics and Management, Chair of Finance and Accounting, Lecturer
2010 - till today: Yerevan State University Ijevan Branch, Faculty of Economics, Lecturer
2012 - 2016: Armenian Young Women's Association (AYWA) NGO, Project Manager
2008 - 2011: State Social Security Service, RA Ministry of Labor and Social Issues, Chief Auditor
2007 - 2008: State Social Insurance Fund of RA (01.01.2008 renamed to State Social Security Service, RA Ministry of Labor and Social Issues), Adviser to Head of Fund
2006 - 2007: S7 Airlines (Siberia Airlines), the representative office in Armenia, Flight Development Manager in Armenia and Diaspora
2003 - September 2005: "Armavia" Aircompany, Department of Commerce, Manager
Research Activities and Project Involvement
2012 - 2013 Academic Research, Funded by Academic Swiss Caucasus Net (ASCN), University of Fribourg "The Interrelation between Migration and Human Capital Reproduction", Research Team Leader
2010 - 2011 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GIZ (GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)) "Municipal and Economic Development in Armenia", Expert
2009: International Labor Organization (ILO), "Assessing the Business Environment for SME and Women's Entrepreneurship Development in Armenia", Expert
2006 - 2008: Central Bank of Armenia, Research Project, Project title: "The Labor Market Analysis of R.A.", Researcher
2005 - 2007: INTAS (EU) Research Projects and Networks, Ref.No: 04-79-7125, Senior Researcher, Kingston University (UK), University of Macedonia, Yerevan State University and Rostov State University.
2005 - 2006: Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs, "Armenian Youth National Report" – Expert.
Trainings and Certificates
2013: Certificate of Participation, ToT "Entrepreneurship", USAID, EDMC, Yerevan, Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia
2012 - 2013: Webinar, "Gender in Disaster Risk Reduction", OXFAM GB
2012: Training, Partnership and Project Cycle Management, OXFAM, Yerevan, Armenia
2007: Certificate, "Pension Reforms in Estonia", Center for Policy Studies PRAXIS, Tallinn, Estonia
2005: Trainer Certificate, "Start and Improve Your Business", International Labor Organization, Yerevan, Armenia.
Academic courses
Investment funds, Financial markets, Theory of Finance, Social Insurance and Social Security
Language skills
Armenian, Russian, English, Greek


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Hipster brief in beautiful red color. The hipsters are made of soft jacquard patterned mesh with comfortable elastic at the waist. Folded seam in the leg opening which gives a stylish silhouette with invisible edges.
Product Features
✓ Jacquard pattern
✓ Invisible
✓ Soft and nice material
✓ Scandinavian design
Material: 85% PA /15% EA
Size: S-XL


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- An insider's guide to Copenhagen and its hidden secrets and addresses
- An inspirational and practical guide to Copenhagen's finest and most interesting places, buildings, restaurants, shops, museums, galleries, neighbourhoods, gardens and cafes
- A new edition in Luster's successful and attractive series of city guides
- Photography by Tino van den Bergh
Where are the 5 best places in Copenhagen to experience New Nordic cuisine? What are the 5 best places to shop for Scandinavian furniture, fashion, and design? What is the city's hippest new cocktail bar? Where can you find the best nature trails and waterfront walks? Where are the city's small, independent cinemas? Which museums are best to visit on a rainy Danish day? What is Smørrebrød and where can I try it? What is Copenhagen's best artisanal coffee?


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Holiday Open House
November 12, 2017 @ 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Barbara's Floral is celebrating the Holidays!! Join them for their 32nd annual HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE on Sunday November 12, from 12-4pm! There will be a fabulous buffet and prize drawings every half hour! Be sure to grab your 2018 Barbara's Floral calendar! Meet the staff and see the extraordinary selection of floral bouquets and gifts for the holidays!!


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Author: Dominique Ingram
Want to know exactly what factors go into determining the risk of a Sharestates deal? This determined risk helps to create an estimated percent for your gross annual ROI (return of investment); making the Risk Matrix one of the most important tools we use.
Underwriting a Real Estate Crowdfunding Deal
The Risk Matrix is applied to each and every Sharestates Real Estate Property. This matrix helps us to determine a grade for the property which will provide us with the estimated return that is given to the investors.
First, let's look at the Risk Matrix (best viewed in desktop):
As you can see on the left side of the matrix, there are nine categories from which we gather risk points. Assessment in each category will yield a risk point value. The sum of points in all nine categories will render the letter grade that you see in the risk rating section of the investment project summary.
- A credit score of 680 (0 points)
- Completed 8 previous projects in similar markets (1 point)
- A track record of $200 million (1 point)
- Our personal guarantee (hint: all of our approved borrowers will have our personal guarantee) (-1 point)
And if the property is…
- A value-add (2 points)
- In first lien (-1 point)
- A high occupancy (1 point)
- An LTV of 37% (1 point)
- Located in an Urban Market (1 point)
Then this property has a total of 5 points.
We can see that 5 points will give us a grade of A+. The baseline interest starts at 8%. There is 0% adjustment. If you were to invest in this property, your estimated gross annual ROI will be 8%. The higher the risk associated with the investment property, the higher your estimated ROI will be.
How did the idea for Sharestates come about? An Interview with Allen Shayanfekr
The big idea for Sharestates originally came out of a dinner conversation that I was having with my partners.
What problems did you set out to solve?
We wanted to create a platform where people could invest across the country in real estate assets without needing the local expertise. They would rely on the platform to provide all of the data necessary to make an informed decision, and we'd lower the investment size. We were talking about how fragmented the real estate market was, and we saw a couple of major issues.
- One, unless you had a local presence or experience in a particular market, you couldn't access deals there. Instead, you end up looking at other asset classes whether it be stocks, bonds, commodities, or currencies where you can easily go online and invest.
- Another major issue that we saw as a barrier to entry in real estate investing was the cost. Furthermore, in order to invest successfully, you needed to have an intimate understanding of real estate finance and how leverage works to properly structure deals.
Why did you settle on debt investing instead of equity?
As we started to build the business, we realized that debt was the preferred investment opportunity because it gave investors access to real estate without some of the risks associated with equity investments.
Early on in the business, we switched from an equity-based platform to a debt-based platform. We made that change for two reasons.
- First, it was easier to frame each loan, which ultimately made it easier for the individual investor to understand it.
- Second, it came with a fixed interest rate, so investors knew what they were going to get as opposed to a floating target return of fifteen to thirty percent depending on the performance of the property.
The debt product was easy to put a box around by clearly defining: the loan to value ratio, the borrower's credit score, how long they have they been in real estate, how many projects they completed, etc. When we put that box together, it's easy for institutional investors to check those items off and provide a discretionary commitment for loans that meet their criteria.
How does what you do compare to traditional hard money lending?
For our borrowers, the business that we were disrupting was what was traditionally known as the hard money lending market, which had historically been dominated by local mom and pop shop type of lenders. They were not very tech savvy, and in some cases, just a few people sitting in a room with paper files. They had zero sense of how to scale their borrowers' business.
We were able to build a technology platform for borrowers looking for hard money that streamlines the entire financing process. They can submit an application online or on their phone from a project site. They'll be able to see a live checklist of what they need to provide in order to get the loan cleared. We're building tools that help speed up the process for borrowers so that they can get a loan closed within ten days or less if necessary.
How did the JOBS act affect your business?
I had just completed my law degree with a concentration in securities law. The timing was perfect because President Obama had just put the Jobs Act in place which directed the SEC to create new rules around securities offerings that would ultimately allow us to create an exemption called Regulation D Rule 506 C. This new exemption allowed us to overcome a major hurdle that existed in the old regulations which were primarily related to public advertising and the number of investors that could accept an offering. The old rules wouldn't allow us to publicly market and solicit to investors for a particular investment product. The presence of an online investment platform is inherently marketing and soliciting, so without that change, we wouldn't have a business.
How did the business model evolve over time?
We officially launched in February of 2015, and from the onset, we realized the need to pivot with the marketplace. We started with a plan to build a syndication-based platform but ultimately had to be receptive to the market. We started by strictly offering equity investments to non-accredited investors through an exemption in the securities laws called Regulation A. We qualified with the SEC to offer Regulation A and launched it, but it failed to take-off. It wasn't a bad idea on paper, but we had zero credibility at that point in time. We were asking people to give us their money without a demonstrated track record of success.
We pivoted from non-accredited investors to accredited investors, from Regulation A to Regulation D. The Regulation A model required us to take every offering that we were doing through SEC qualification, which at the time was taking between eleven to twelve weeks. Given the fast-paced nature of real estate, it wasn't efficient. With Regulation D, we didn't have to go through the qualification process every time; we could send a notice filing to the SEC, instead.
How did Sharestates become profitable?
Unlike many of our peers in this space, we did not raise any capital to build the business. We funded the company ourselves and generated enough business to break even in just 13 months. After we broke even and were profitable, we've been reinvesting the profits to continue driving growth. The more loans we close, the more profitable we are, and we have been able to increase our staff. We continue growing the business with further technology development.
Why choose Sharestates over another marketplace lending platform?
For investors, it boils down to a couple of things.
- First, relative to other players in the space, we've had an almost spotless track record. We've had less than a two percent default rate on our total volume of loans originated, and we've had zero loss of principal to date.
- Aside from that track record, we also provide investors with a broader selection of loans to invest in across the country, in different asset classes, and phases of development. Other players in the space are focused either geographically, by asset class or by the phase of development. We offer our investors diversification across all of these different elements.
For borrowers, we offer a few competitive advantages over traditional hard money lenders.
- Our technology has automated processes that allow us to offer lower rates and quicker closings. We're also a one-stop shop for our borrowers. Local lenders have limited access to capital.
- Sharestates has so many different capital sources that there is no limit to what we can originate on a monthly basis. As long as you're a good borrower with the deal flow to support the loans, we will fund it for you.
- Additionally, we cover all asset classes for our borrowers: residential, multi-family, mixed-use, commercial assets, and ground-up construction. Over time, we grow with our developers.
Follow Allen on Linkedin and Twitter for more insight into Sharestates and real estate investing!
As we've written recently, the New York real estate market is competitive yet ripe with opportunity. Sharestates was founded in the New York metro area and has completed a lot of deals here. We've funded everything from ground-up new construction to residential fix-and-flip projects. Year-over-year, Sharestates deal activity has increased by 28% in New York during the period from January through September.
Sharestates Real Estate Activity in New York
- Sharestates has funded 694 New York loans to date for a total funded volume of $705,211,500
- 434 of the loans funded were for residential properties
- 6 of the loans funded were for mixed-use properties
- 155 of the loans funded were for multi-family properties
- 90 of the loans funded were for commercial properties
- 9 of the loans funded were for land deals
- Average loan size: $1,017,621.21
- Average loan to value (LTV): 67%
- Average renovation budget: $1,009,558
- Average after repair value (ARV): 54% or $2,807,890
Residential Project Success Stories
The first residential project presented below successfully underwent a renovation project covering four individual units. The borrower acquired the property with the intent to "fix and flip" the units. The borrower structured their loan to receive five individual draws of capital over the course of the renovation project which included demolition, flooring, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, windows, doors, cabinetry, tiles, bathroom fixtures and more.
- Appraised value: $1,300,000
- loan amount: $1,080,000
- After-repair value: $2,000,000
This residential property is located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. Bedford-Stuyvesant or "Bed-Stuy" is well known for its picturesque Victorian architecture, elegant brownstones and vibrant culture. The area is also noted for its proximity to many different New York City public transportation options which is ideal for commuters who work in the city's central business districts. According to StreetEasy, the median sale price in Bedford-Stuyvesant is $716,000 with an average of 84 days on the market and a median rent price of $2,300. Compared to other brownstone Brooklyn neighborhoods, such as Park Slope with a median recorded sales price of $1,405,000, Bed-Stuy contains many value-add opportunities for real estate developers.
Pre-construction exterior appearance
Post construction exterior appearance
Pre-construction interior bathroom unit
Post construction interior bathroom unit
Pre-construction interior kitchen unit
Post construction interior kitchen unit
The next project success story funded by Sharestates was a 1-unit residential real estate loan. The borrower acquired the property with the goal to "fix and flip" the house. The borrower received $64,000 and structured the loan to include four individual draws of capital over the course of the renovation project which included everything from siding, plumbing, electrical, heating, insulation, wood floors, cabinetry, ceramic tiles, bathroom accessories and more.
The single-family home is located in Hempstead, New York. Hempstead is the oldest and largest town of Nassau County in Long Island, New York. The Nassau County area is immediately east of New York City and has often been known as a white collar commuter area with an average commute of only 48 minutes by Long Island Railroad. According to Realtor.com the average list price for a home in Nassau County is $598,000 and the average days on the market total 112.
- Appraised value: $150,000
- Loan amount: $184,000
- After-repair value: $350,000
If you have a project that you would like to submit to Sharestates for consideration, click here. Sharestates is now funding loans in 46 states Nationwide.
Pre-construction appearance
Post construction appearance
Real estate market trends for the NY metropolitan area in the most recent quarter of 2018 are showing some very interesting movement. The overall market direction is deviating significantly in different areas, providing some great investment opportunities.
One of the standout pieces of data across Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Westchester, and Nassau is the inventory numbers. With the exception of Westchester and Nassau, the number of available properties for sale has increased in double-digit figures. This is a significant increase in supply that will provide a wider range of property types for investors to choose from. It also reduces the chances of bidding wars occurring, leading to more favorable price negotiations for buyers.
An interesting trend to look at with the above-mentioned increase in supply is the continuing decline in closed sales in Manhattan and Westchester, which were in the high double digits at 16.6% and 17.7% respectively. In most areas, the overall median prices are still close to or near record prices, with Queens showing the highest increase in year by year median prices of 11.6%. At the same time, Manhattan and Brooklyn have experienced a slight to a moderate decline of 1.9% and 7.5% respectively.
This summary data shows some uncertainty, especially in the higher-end markets, because of pending federal tax law changes as well as increasing lending rates. For a closer look at the trends in the most popular areas of New York, we have analyzed and broken down the data sets individually.
Median prices in the most expensive borough were down 7.5% year over year to $1.1m. The main underlying reason for this was a 19.2% decline in closing prices for new developments. Resale homes, on the other hand, remained very stable. This price decline in the new development market is also accompanied by a 36.7% decline in closed sales. The reason for this drastic decline is that legacy development contracts are drawing to a close with very few new ones coming on the market.
The number of closed sales were down across the board, with condo sales down over 20% and co-ops down over 13%. On the opposite side of the declining demand side is a significantly increasing supply with an inventory rise of 10.7%. This has resulted in an eight-year high inventory total.
The overall result is the lowest rate of bidding wars since 2012, which marks a great opportunity for investment as negotiations are more straightforward. Properties are now available in highly desirable areas which have been inaccessible for several years.
Unlike Manhattan, median price declines in Brooklyn have been relatively small at -1.9% to $984,000. With prices still about 50% higher than their pre-2008 crisis levels, this is still proving to be an extremely hot market. At the same time, there have been signs of a trend reversal. Total days on the market for all properties has increased by 14 days year over year. However, the majority of the increase has come since Q1 of this year with quite a large spike from 84 days to 107.
The number of total closed sales is down 5.7% while at the same time inventory numbers are up over 18.5%. This significant shift in the balance of supply and demand could lead to many opportunities to snap up properties in a very sought-after area.
Most of the above downward trend in sales and prices is seen in the multi-family market including condos and co-ops, while the single-family data is still holding stable to slightly increasing trends. For investors looking for single-family opportunities, the good news is that the supply side is up over 50%, meaning there is more availability in a larger range of prices.
Queens is the main NY borough that has shown a significant increase in median prices of 11.6% year over year to $629,000. These prices in all areas and across all property types are at or very close to record highs. The total number of listings is up 8.9% year over year, but what's more interesting is the 16% increase since Q1 alone. On the demand side, closed sales were down 6.5% year over year. However, in the last quarter, that trend has been reversing with a 3.6% increase in sales.
This shows that demand for properties across Queens is still very high with a moderate increase in available listings. While the increased number of properties is positive for buyers, the high demand is still making it difficult for investors to find great deals.
Practically all of the price rises are coming from single family homes as well as new developments, with condos and co-ops showing the largest declines in sales. From an investment point of view that would make the multi-unit properties a possible better opportunity.
Westchester County
The trends in Westchester County are somewhat unique when compared to the above boroughs. Prices are up 5% to $676,000 but the total number of closed sales are down 17.7% and inventory levels year over year have remained stable.
The main reason for the price increases in a negative demand and stable inventory environment comes from the fact that since Q1 2018 closed sales are up a huge 28.9%. That closer view of quarterly data says a lot about potential trends in this county.
Overall, prices are barely at pre-2008 crisis levels. However, it's also important to note that post-crisis prices in Westchester did not see the same fall as elsewhere. The majority of demand is still in the single-family home market where prices are rising compared to a slight drop in the price of condos. Total sales also remained significantly higher for single-family units.
While the overall level price stability of the past 10 years is not ideal from an investment perspective, Westchester remains a very popular place for young families to rent. This provides for a great rental market of young professionals.
Nassau County
The trend data for Nassau County is overall very similar to that of Long Island in general. Median prices for the more popular North Shore are up 7.7% while South Shore is up 3.4%. The interesting thing about these trends though is in the numbers since Q1. North Shore data shows that median sales prices since the first quarter are up 12.9%, which means that this area is significantly hotter.
With pre-2008 crisis prices only exceeded last year, current median prices of about $500,000 for the county as a whole are still very close to record levels. Year over year listings are up right around 5%, but again, since Q1 those figures have jumped to 35.9% for North Shore and 17.6% for South Shore. The accompanying increase in closed sales has maintained this upward trend in prices.
New York overall remains a market with huge potential in many areas. While places like Manhattan and Brooklyn are showing signs of some trend reversals, these are times where just the right type of investment can be found to improve a portfolio.
Data Sources:
- Manhattan: https://www.elliman.com/pdf/63978c27e625f9367e8bfd8f0e026d01cf805609
- Brooklyn: https://www.elliman.com/pdf/1819a33cf5a75996b141a6d0adbb0ce27753daa2
- Queens: https://www.elliman.com/pdf/c632c854e132373edefd7a8a3a2d27510683b84c
- Westchester: https://www.elliman.com/pdf/bf85ea1e1706a6984bd19af7b961d386fbbdba2c
- Nassau: https://www.elliman.com/pdf/ec806b6948ef91e1cd97749b8da02eb35d847c43
Sharestates has announced that the company will begin financing Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) in 46 states. NPLs, a vital component of the mortgage market, have traditionally only been available to investors with liquidity to purchase the note through institutional trading desks. Sharestates' NPL loan product now provides private real estate investors access to leverage, allowing for participation in the market and expanding their investment portfolios into this segment of the marketplace.
"As part of our mission and commitment to our community of real estate professionals, we are actively creating a streamlined financial participation matrix for borrowers and our buyers; starting prior to acquisition and evolving through the hold period of the asset(s)" said Sharestates Co-Founder and CEO, Allen Shayanfekr. "Our capital markets team has been working diligently to structure the right programs, covering all asset classes for borrowers, giving them the flexibility they need to grow their portfolio of holdings."
As we've written recently, the Atlanta real estate market continues to show strong signs of growth. Sharestates deal activity in the Atlanta metro area, in turn, has kept apace. Multi-family projects, in particular, have kept Sharestates busy in 2018 with 125% more Atlanta loan applications than the same time last year. Below, we've aggregated some of our internal loan statistics for the Atlanta metro area and highlighted a few recently funded success stories.
- Sharestates has closed 34 of those loans to date for a total funded volume of $76,465,000
- 33 of the Atlanta real estate loans funded by Sharestates were for multi-family properties
- The remaining loan was for a commercial storefront building
- Average loan size: $2,248,970
- Average loan to value (LTV): 69%
- Average renovation budget: $655,618
- Average after repair value (ARV): 63% or $3,226,749
Commercial Project Success Story
The Sharestates commercial success story (pictured) was for a private loan in the Cascade Heights Commercial District. Cascade Heights is a southwest neighborhood of Atlanta with many amenities that Atlanta residents look for: proximity to downtown, parks, green space, and a rich cultural history that mirrors other desirable Atlanta neighborhoods. The subject property is a 1 story commercial building with 7 storefront units and a basement accessory unit for a total of 11,842 rentable square feet.
- As is value: $710,580
- Preliminary loan amount: $500,000
- Total loan amount: $840,000
- After-repair value: $1,302,730
The borrower previously acquired the subject property and will begin to renovate with a $340,000 budget that includes: sprinkler systems, plumbing, HVAC, interior finishes, electrical, masonry, exterior siding, roof structure, exterior lighting, landscaping, grease traps, windows and doors, and grading. The borrower intends to complete the rehab plans and stabilize the investment, then refinance with traditional financing to repay this loan.
Pre-renovation commercial loan in Atlanta
Post-renovation commercial loan in Atlanta
Multi-Family Project Success Story
The Sharestates multi-family success story (pictured) was for a loan in the Hunter Hills neighborhood of Fulton County, Atlanta. Hunter Hills is west of Downtown Atlanta and consists mostly of single-family residences. The neighborhood is only feet away from the west side of the new Atlanta Beltline that will connect nearly 45 neighborhoods via railroad. The subject property is a 63 unit multi-family apartment building with an office unit. The property sits on 2.1 acres of land and is 49,776 square feet in size.
- As is value: $2,260,000
- Loan amount: $1,880,000
- Total loan amount: $840,000
- After-repair value: $2,835,000
The borrower previously acquired the subject property and will begin to renovate with a $300,000 budget. The borrower intends to complete the rehab plans and stabilize the investment, then refinance with traditional financing to repay this loan. Pictured below are some of the completed renovations to date.
Below are some additional before and after renovation photos of a recently funded Atlanta loan. If you have a project that you would like to submit to Sharestates for consideration, please click here. Sharestates is now funding loans in 46 states Nationwide.
Pre-renovation multi-family exterior loan in Atlanta
Post-renovation multi-family exterior loan in Atlanta
Pre-renovation multi-family unit kitchen
Post-renovation multi-family unit kitchen
Pre-renovation multi-family unit bathroom
Post-renovation multi-family unit bathroom
Pre-renovation multi-family unit bedroom
Post-renovation multi-family unit bedroom
For investors looking to diversify their portfolios, the field of real estate presents a few unique strengths. Between its higher than average stability, high rate of appreciation, and reliable cash flow, the field of private lending has a lot to offer. It's a great time to invest, too; the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University has projected that, between 2015 and 2025, 13.6 million more households will be established. Some investors look to real estate as a way to supplement social security and secure reliable income for retirement. Even younger investors looking to build a stable foundation have plenty to gain from real estate investing. Stock markets are volatile and high-risk, and while rewards can be great, stock market investments lack the security of a solid real estate investment.
Many investors prefer to keep their hands relatively free of their real estate investments by using REIT mutual funds or crowdfunded real estate investments instead of digging into the private ownership and rental market. This allows them to keep their focus on other investments by reducing the load that real estate takes on their time. Throwing in on a real estate crowdfunding investment can be as simple as signing a check and writing yourself a note to remember when taxes roll around that year, but it needn't be that simple, either.
There are a few big changes that are about to happen in the real estate market, and private lenders should definitely be aware that these changes are happening and what these shifts in clientele will mean for the business. There are a few things to keep in mind from the JCHS study mentioned earlier. While renter households are expected to increase in the next few years, they aren't going to do so at the same pace they have in the past few years. New homeowners will almost double the number of new renter households that will be created over the next seven years. What's more, new minority households will outnumber new white households by one-third over that same time span.
Upcoming Millennial Home Buyers
The major demographic changes that approach for the pool of potential home buyers are notable, first, for their age. The millennial generation is approaching the home buying age over the next ten years, and many will be looking to move from their rental situations to something more permanent. Lenders need to be vigilant and innovative in their outreach to this new customer base, whether they're looking to fix-and-flip a house or put down roots.
Millennials' use of technology impacts how businesses are run, and the mortgage industry is no exception. If a lending company hasn't started tapping technology to learn about and reach their clientele, then they're going to lose out in the future. For instance, traditional mortgage lenders have been very slow to take advantage of services like eMortgage. Compare that to the performance of tech-savvy real estate crowdfunders, who have seen great success in the last five years with the aid of algorithms that provide online investment platforms and real estate lending. Even if private lenders don't have the kind of capital backing that venture capital-funded real estate crowdfunding platforms enjoy, they'll need to find ways to use technology to both attract and keep millennials who will expect to perform their transactions over smartphones and tablets.
A More Diverse Future for Private Lending
Many of the millennials entering the prime home-buying age range are Hispanic, Asian, African American, or of another non-white race or ethnicity. The Mortgage Bankers Association presented figures that, if race-specific household formation rates remain at 2014 levels, demographic changes alone would add 5.5 million Hispanic households and 2.4 million more African-American households. By 2024, the housing market will see a total additional 10 million minority households.
The Pew Research Center has indicated that Blacks and Hispanics face extra challenges in getting home loans in the past, but this presents a unique opportunity in the real estate financing market for private lenders. Many banks have gotten a bad reputation for higher rates of interest and bad lending practices in African-American communities, which means that many members of minority communities might look to alternative lending options when they look to purchase a home. As this buying market grows, those who present innovative and accessible options to these communities will find a loyal and large customer base.
A Booming Clientele
Between millennials and minorities, lenders have a host of opportunities, along with some challenges. However, the baby boomers are still having a big impact on the real estate market. They're getting older, of course, which means they'll be making decisions about assisted living, owning-versus-renting, and downsizing in the next few decades. Because that generation is so large, it'll have a massive impact on the private lending business.
For instance, if most boomers decide to age in place, that will mean the construction of new homes will need to be funded to meet demand since investors can't count on a pool of older houses that can be resold to new buyers. If they put their homes up for sale and become renters after retirement, though, the market might have a lot of older houses available, providing a lot of options to sell to a wider clientele. No matter what, private lenders will have to consider what must be done to attract boomers. Wherever they live, they'll be older clients, and so accessibility, maintenance and nearby amenities (such as grocery stores) will all be on the list of concerns.
Taking Action
As the market shifts, private lenders need to be ready to modify their strategies and adapt to its needs. It will be essential for lenders to use innovative methods for reaching an ever-changing demographic with lending products that meet their needs. What's more, they'll need to speak to savvy investors who understand how to capitalize on the shifting landscape of the real estate market. These trends can change quickly, and the future for housing growth will be bright in the coming years. Investors and lenders need to make sure they're ready for the boom.
When it comes to financing your investments, whether it be your real estate projects or your other business investments, your options are growing by the day. Business owners and project sponsors are no longer tied to the bank loan. In fact, with the number of marketplace lenders on the rise, there are plenty of real estate investment financing alternatives. Here are five that are easier to obtain, often present better terms for the borrower, and are effective in bettering your financial position.
5 Real Estate Investment Financing Alternatives to Bank Loans
- Cash out refinance – If you own real estate properties now, instead of taking out a bank loan for your next investment property, take one or more of your existing properties and refinance them, extracting any built up equity you have in those properties. This can be beneficial in a number of ways. For starters, you may be able to refinance at a lower rate, especially if you are combining to two existing mortgages into one. Secondly, you can take your equity from existing properties and acquire your new one, or lower your financing by using your equity as down payment on a new project.
- Hard money – Hard money lenders have their own criteria, but these make great loans for short-term projects. They are often high interest, so make sure you pay them back on time, but the benefit is you can fund a project using hard money, then refinance the project and pay your hard money loan back upon completion of the project. Hard money lenders usually fund projects they believe in without making the borrower jump through a lot of hoops.
- Get a partner – If you get the right partner, you get a lot more benefit than funding for your real estate project. You could get a valuable partner with experience that you don't have. A mentor who believes in your project and comes to the table with capital to see the project through the completion is a real estate investor's dream, but it's not just a dream. It does happen. Tap into your network.
- 1031 exchange – A 1031 exchange allows you to sell one property and purchase another one of equal or greater value as long as you follow a few simple rules. The big benefit to these exchanges is you can defer your capital gains on the sale of your investment property. Then you can take those gains and buy a bigger property that will provide you with bigger returns. This is a great option to bank lending if you are a rental property investor who wants to grow a portfolio while increasing passive income.
- Marketplace lending – Marketplace lending is another option. With this funding vehicle, you list your real estate project on a platform that allows individual and institutional investors an opportunity to invest in it. There are two types of investments that make this option good for the both the capital seeker and the funder. Equity-based investment allow real estate project sponsors an opportunity to fund a project while giving up some of the equity in that project to the investors. The benefit is you do not have to pay back a loan in the event your project does not succeed. Debt-based investments mean that investors lend you the money and you pay back the loan over time, which means you get to keep all the returns on the back end of the deal.
There are plenty of ways to finance a real estate deal in today's fast-moving market. Be sure to perform your due diligence on any lenders, funders, or platforms you intend to work with.
One recent trend in real estate is to convert religious houses of worship into residential spaces. In New York City alone, there are no less than 16 such conversions. But it's not just happening in New York. All around the world, churches, temples, and synagogues are being converted into houses, condos, co-ops, and apartment buildings. While there are challenges to converting religious worship centers into residential spaces, it's not as difficult as it seems. If this is where you'd like to take your real estate investing business, here are a few tips to help you think more clearly about these conversions.
Tips for Converting Religious Buildings Into Homes
The biggest concern in converting a church into a living space is the architecture. Many old churches are works of art on both the interior and the exterior. The typical home does not have a steeple, arches, vaulted ceilings, large stained glass windows, huge open spaces, and bell towers. These accouterments can make your church renovation a fun project, but they can also be a huge headache if you don't put together a carefully thought out plan. You may want to consult an architect to help you in the idea stage, and especially if you want some creative work-around ideas.
You'll want to be careful about renovating too much beyond the historical look of the building. For one thing, historical societies can be quite nit-picky, especially if the church is a registered historical place or sits in a neighborhood that has a particular historical significance. Plus, churches often have huge sentimental value to communities. Nearby residents could make your development difficult if you get too crazy with the changes.
Sanctuaries can often be vaulted, high open spaces with a lofty feel. Keeping that open space can make a home spectacular, but you lose a lot of living space. This is one of those areas where you'll have to balance aesthetics, practicality, and your budget.
On the other hand, lofts and mezzanine can create opportunities for an upstairs bedroom, den, or a second living space.
If the church has a kitchen, that will make your development easier, but if the building has been out of use for a long time, you may have to install new plumbing. The same goes for the bathrooms. Speaking of which, churches usually have two of them, and they may or may not be next to each other, but they don't typically include bathtubs or showers. You'll have to decide if you want to keep two bathrooms or combine them into one, and then decide where you'll add the tub and shower features that residential units long for. Large churches may have more facilities, especially if they have multiple wings.
The older the building the more renovating and updating you should plan to make. This is especially true if the building has been vacant for some time. Things run down, and if no one is there to maintain it, things can fall apart quickly. If the church is made of stone, stucco, or other heavy material, you'll have to make decisions about whether the material can be acquired to fix broken or rundown infrastructure, and if not, what is a reasonable work around?
One other thing that might get forgotten is zoning. You don't want to get half way through your renovation before you find out the property you are renovating is zoned commercial. You may have to seek a special use permit or ask for the property to be rezoned. Check your local zoning ordinances before you begin.
Religious buildings can be fun to work with, but you'll have to do a lot of planning to convert one into a residential living space. If you do, the rewards are incredible.
What is sustainable investing and how can it contribute to increased returns from your real estate investment projects? Pursuing green strategies can bring you tremendous investing rewards without considerable additional cost or complexity in your operations. Planning early for sustainable design allows green features to be integrated from the outset, reducing long-term operational and maintenance expenses. Here we will talk about energy efficiency, durability, reducing waste, and the health of people and the environment.
Energy and Water Efficiency
Sustainable investing and design brings with it reduced energy costs and lower bills. If you manage or own rental property, you know how much power and water tenants are apt to use. Installing low-flow water efficient fixtures can reduce use and expenses, while also doing a good thing for the environment by reducing the embodied energy involved in the transportation and treatment of water. If your leases leave expenses to the tenant, it will be a tremendous selling point that their utility cost will be reduced thanks to the sustainable features of your property. This also saves tenants from the need to install these features themselves, further adding value and appeal for the prospective tenants and buyers.
Energy efficient upgrades can immediately improve the value of your property. If your goal is to renovate the property and either refinance or resell the asset, green upgrades can add substantial appraised value by increasing the NOI through reduced expenses. The income approach utilized by appraisers will recognize this increased margin and yield a subsequently greater valuation. Units with sustainable features are in strong demand by buyers and earn a 5-9% premium, according to research by the National Association of Realtors. The additional upfront expense of sustainable features is offset by the savings earned during the pay-back period, the time required to recover the additional expense compared to conventional designs.
Sustainable Investing, Durability, and Reduced Waste
Maintenance is another sizable expense category that can benefit from sustainable strategies. Green products and materials generally last longer than conventional products and are designed to create less waste and employ less construction materials. When selecting product for your build or renovation, look for those that have longer life ratings. Consider this when you're shopping for paint, flooring, counters, appliances, and other products that frequently require maintenance and repair. Using higher quality materials upfront will reduce long-term expense and lead to greater tenant satisfaction.
Waste is a very important consideration that is often overlooked in the design process. How much does this waste impact the profitability of your projects? With the increasing costs of building materials, excessive construction waste can easily result in thousands of dollars of lost potential profit. The under-utilized resources also contribute to landfill proliferation and purposeless energy use and pollution created by the original production and subsequent removal of waste. Advanced framing and project management strategies can keep waste to under 10%, and allow significant additional capital to be allocated to sustainable design initiatives and high-quality builds.
Human and Environmental Health
Designing homes and business using green approaches supports human health. Using low VOC materials and designing for ergonomics and psychological well-being contributes to happier tenants, lower-turnover, and less risk of legal liability for injuries and health conditions resulting from toxic substances and hazardous conditions. People are very sensitive to temperature, lighting, layout, and views. Green rating organizations such as the U.S. Green Building Council encourage and reward designs that consider these human factors and provide innovative integrated solutions. What's more, is you'll also command a higher lease rate on your rental and better future resale value.
The health of the environment is also an important consideration that can influence your long-term revenues. When your project has a positive impact on the surrounding environment, it improves the quality of life for all in the ecosystem and community. Pragmatically, it leads to improved community appeal, lower medical expenses for local government, saved public funds that would otherwise be spent on remediation efforts, and enhanced social capital for conscientious developers. Strategies that support environmental health include providing natural habitat, using native vegetation, preventing storm water runoff, minimizing waste, using locally sourced and sustainably produced materials, and emphasizing public transportation within the community.
More Green by Going Green
The key point here is that employing green strategies and sustainable investing will provide benefits for people, the environment, and not least importantly, your bottom-line. All the strategies discussed will improve your profits in the long-run and help maintain goodwill for your organization within the community. When planned from the outset using integrative design, green building strategies require minimal additional expense, while providing significant long-term value. As real estate investors, we're always looking for new opportunities to improve the value and cash flow from our properties; green design presents an excellent solution that supports the financial success of the venture, occupant demand, and the environment.


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Toronto-based Marquest Asset Management Inc. is acquiring all outstanding shares of Scotia Management Cos. Administration Inc. (SMCA) from Scotia Capital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of Nova Scotia, the firms announced in a joint statement.
SMCA manages and provides an array of investment products to retail investors and had net assets under management of more than $678 million as of June 1.
After the transaction closes, SMCA will remain a separate entity. The firms predict the transaction will not affect the day-to-day affairs of the funds that SMCA manages as a dedicated management group will continue to operate SMCA following the closing. Unitholders are not required to take any action.
This transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is not material to Scotiabank.
Photo copyright: macgyverhh/123RF


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With the draft just ending and July 1's free agency period just around the corner, teams are very busy addressing their team and figuring out how they can strengthen them. Some teams will be taking big shots at the large and talented free agent crop while other teams will be looking for role players to fill in open spots. Here are the latest rumors going around the league:
- The Senators may be the frontrunner for Rick Nash. Their latest offer to Columbus included Ben Bishop, Nick Foligno, and Mika Zibanejad.
- The San Jose Sharks have put together an offer for Nash that included Ryan Clowe, Joe Pavelski, Jason Demers, and a 1st round draft pick, but that trade is unlikely to go through.
- The Rangers have hit a wall with Columbus on Rick Nash because of what GM Glen Sather calls "laughable demands".
- New Jersey may make a play at Rick Nash, depending on if they are able to resign UFA forward Zach Parise and how much the potential deal would cost them.
- Expect New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, among others to make offers towards Zach Parise. Minnesota may be the favorite as of now as he was born and raised in Minnesota and his family is in the area.
- Ducks Bobby Ryan recently voiced his disappointment on how the ownership has treated him and wants to be traded out of Anaheim.
- Philadelphia seems like the most likely target for Ryan. The Flyers would have to give up defenseman Brandon Coburn in the deal.
- Penguins GM Ray Shero believes he can sign UFA defenseman Ryan Suter. Shero has a connection with him as he was the assistant GM in Nashville for 8 seasons.
- To make room on the roster for Suter, Ray Shero has been shopping defenseman Paul Martin.
- The Canucks have been shopping Roberto Luongo in favor of Cory Schneider starting in net. Toronto was an early favorite but it is rumored Luongo has refused to waive his NTC for the them or Chicago. He would lift it to go back to the Florida Panthers.
- The Coyotes may be shopping defenseman Keith Yandle for a center. The New York Rangers are very interested and Brandon Dubinsky would be available.
- St. Louis and Tampa Bay would also be interested in trading for Yandle if the price is right.
- St. Louis has been having contract negotiations going on with RFA forwards T.J. Oshie and David Perron. They are hoping to have the deal done soon.
- St. Louis along with Vancouver have interest in Florida defenseman Jason Garrison.
- Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman is a big fan of Dan Boyle's game and might try to bring him back to Tampa. Boyle was a part of the Lightning's 2004 Stanley Cup run and would likely waive his NTC to come back to the city he loved.
- Pittsburgh may also be interested in Boyle.
- Jet's UFA goaltender Chris Mason wants a multi-year deal to remain in Winnipeg but doesn't believe it'll get done before July 1.
- Ondrej Pavelec, Jet's RFA goaltender, is looking for a new deal. The Jet's have offered around $3M per season, but Pavelec is looking for around $4M. SKA-St.Petersburg of the KHL has offered him a deal of $5M per season.
- Lubomir Visnovsky, who was acquired by the Islanders at the trade deadline, has spoken to HC Slovan Bratislava of the KHL but no contract has been offered yet.
- Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas has waived his NTC so the team can trade him, but he already said he was going to take the season off. Unless the price is extremely low, don't expect Thomas to be traded for obvious reasons.
- Boston might make a run for the Flame's Jay Bouwmeester.
- It is unlikely that Detroit will resign UFA forward Jiri Hudler. They may try to trade his rights before July 1.
- The Montreal Canadiens are quietly shopping defenseman P.K. Subban.
- The Edmonton Oilers are expected to offer Jaromir Jagr a deal. He would play the role of mentoring the Oiler's young core.
More to Come..
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Stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality in the United States and other industrialized countries. This chapter discusses important issues that arise in the enumeration of stroke and how differences betweens studies can often be explained by differences in diagnostic or case definition criteria. It describes geographic variations in stroke incidence and mortality, and summarizes a vast literature on stroke risk factors. The chapter is split into two primary sections: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke and, for each stroke type, non-modifiable risk factors (i.e., genetics, age, sex, race/ethnicity) and modifiable risk factors (smoking, diet, physical activity, hypertension) are discussed. Based on the estimated prevalence of risk factors and their attributable risk for stroke in the United States, it is estimated that a significant proportion of strokes could be prevented through the control of modifiable stroke risk factors. Therefore, part of the chapter is devoted to the design of studies of primary and secondary prevention, and to studies identifying predictors of stroke recurrence.
Keywords: stroke mortality, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, modifiable risk factors, genetics, primary prevention, secondary prevention
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Chichester Transmission and Solar Project
Contact Details
|Linus O'Brien
+61 8 9365 7556
Locations: WA Australia (Onshore)
Project Status: In progress
Project Owner DOWNER UTILITIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
Project Details
The Chichester Transmission and Solar Project (EPC) is being delivered by Downer Utilities for Alinta Energy.
The project is approximately 100 km north of Newman in Western Australia, within the East Pilbara Shire Council area.
It comprises a utility-scale 60MW solar farm, new substation at FMG Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak Mine sites, and substation expansion at Roy Hill Mine.
The project will connect to the 220kV Roy Hill to Cloudbreak power transmission line. The proposed solar PV field will occupy ~150 ha & consist of ~150,000 panels mounted on a single axis tracking system. The transmission line will include 60 km of transmission infrastructure.SHOW LESS


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In today's throwaway society we are undeniably accustomed to living a life with copious amounts of garbage, and an undesirable attitude that pretty much everything is easily disposable. Planned obsolescence is no myth; items are specifically given a use-by date in order to encourage users to toss them, and buy something new. Keeping this in mind, it is no wonder that our landfills are full, our waterways are polluted, and our environment is suffering.
But what can one do to change this destructive pattern? Recycling and repurposing can breathe new life into items deemed to be junk or garbage. From reusing furniture, to refurbishing old and underused items, there are plenty of ways we can become more sustainable and eco-friendly.
So today on homify we've rounded up some of the most inventive and remarkable repurposed pallet furniture, to provide a little inspiration for your next DIY project. Check out the images below, and tackle your next project with confidence and style!
First up, and possibly not suitable for the amateur DIYer, this hanging bed is unbelievably eye catching. Suspended from four ceiling-mounted ropes, you are guaranteed to sleep like a king or queen in this intriguing and remarkable bedroom design.
Simple, chic and practical; this outdoor seat perfectly embodies the brilliance of pallet furniture. Topped with an array of comfy cushions, this shabby chic-style creation is the ideal spot to read a book or lounge with friends.
Pull those pallets apart and utilise the recycled timber to create something truly special. This matching set might take a little ingenuity, but the results are priceless!
If you need some help, or simply a few tips to decorate your home with style, chat to an interior designer via homify, and refresh your dwelling with confidence.
Another outdoor seating set, these pallets have been repurposed as two sofas and a table. Shabby chic style at its best, these pieces are sure to delight and intrigue.
For maximum efficiency, why not add some wheels to the base of your pallet? Here the resulting item is wonderfully rustic, and would look perfect in a range of interior settings.
Mount your pallets to a clear wall and utilise their shape and form to create a stylish green wall. Ideal for balconies, this is sure to bring energy and verve to your outdoor (or indoor) space.
Our next piece is a wonderful dining table that wouldn't look out of place in a coastal-themed home. Whitewashed to give a sense of freshness to the recycled timber, this piece is beautifully simple, and a great solution when repurposing a pallet.
If you want to give your repurposed pallets a little sophistication, why not paint them black? This example shows how brilliantly they can work as outdoor furniture, adding a sense of style and trendiness to the terrace.
As well as the aforementioned green wall, this slightly smaller example is a great idea when planting herbs and spices on your balcony, or even in your kitchen.
Finally we take a look at one of the finest pieces of pallet furniture we have seen. Two pallets have been joined, sanded and stained, then topped with a piece of glass to offer maximum efficiency.
What did you think of those pieces of pallet furniture? If you would like to learn more about home sustainability, check out: 8 handy tricks to reduce your energy consumption!


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May 13th, 2014
CNN's Nima Elbagir reports: Nigerians take security into their own hands
In an exclusive report, CNN's Nima Elgabir (@nimaCNN) followed residents of Chibok, Nigeria, as they went on a night patrol in the absence of security in the region.
Elbagir speaks with an eyewitness to the night Hoko Baram kidnapped 200+ schoolgirls, who recounts, " And it was very dark. But the sound of gunshots, explosions everywhere. We have to run into the bushes for our lives. So it was a horrifying night." He continued, "Fear is all over. Fear is everywhere."


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This is a WordPress site I customized in tandem with the owner using the Anona – Pest Control WordPress Theme from Theme Forest. This theme features Slider Revolution, Visual Composer, and Beaver Builder. I also customized this theme to the client's specifications and I am still available to the client for website maintenance and improvements. I also handled the graphic design required by the owner, including logo design. This site can be viewed at http://WildlifeRemovalSpecialist.org. I completed this project in June 2017 and occasionally update the site as requested.
Looking for a WordPress developer to work on your site? Contact me here to get started!


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Category Archives for "Hilka"
Hilka PTCDD14 14.4 V Cordless Drill Driver UK ReviewThis is our Hilka PTCDD14 14.4 V Cordless Drill Driver review. This one made it on to our list for the best cordless drills in the UK costing under £50 There is nothing that fancy about this drill, but that is not that important for some users. All they […]Continue Reading


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A dream again.
You know who you are,
when you can't walk out the door.
When life spins and lunges
at you, you know who you are.
Crank up the action and build
a distraction, somehow -
you'll know who you are
when the world starts to tumble,
an archway, crashing about
broken arms - wildly pushing
at the pillars.
Deliver the message,
the knowledge, evolving
who you really are.
Revolting medicine,
madness, rejection, a forced
injection of reason, derision
to all avenues of outwardly
marching your ideals ..
torn from fine veils
of deceit, layered with
brash lashings of
self indulgence,
falling at your feet.
He loves you.
Walk over your own
incomprehension of defeat,
and lay down with those
who are fallen, broken,
backed around you.
Embrace him and lift him,
by allowing his gentle heart to lift
the heavy spirits that harbour
their cold-as-stone arms
around quicksand shores,
rushing off into the crashing
horses of the sea at night.
A word back to the world;
you are leaving.
The interlocking rings,
drawn across your heart of darkness
the arrow of love points down to where
everything always started from.
Step up afresh with new
colour in your shared flames,
a dream again.
by Gareth Rosser


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SMITH, Eli 1856-1933
Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 9/15/2015 at 07:46:18
Word was received Saturday night of the death of Eli Smith, who lives at Whitten. Funeral services were held at the Ivester church Tuesday.
--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 2 November 1933, pg 3
Grundy Obituaries maintained by Tammy D. Mount.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen


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Is pursuing Hillary Clinton on Benghazi worth 4.6 Million dollars? The Federal government is on a path of shutdown with just a temporary budget in place but our legislators are spending millions on an issue that has been (we thought) over. This money would be better spent on National infrastructure. These are the people we elected to take care of our business but as usual politics take over. Our legislators have taken leave of their senses in this matter while espousing this pursuit in our names. It does not matter what individual voters think of Hillary Clinton but it should matter what our legislators are doing with our tax money (supposedly on our behalf yet not asking us if we agree). There are American citizens on the brink of starvation and homeless but we can spend money on preventing the run of Hillary Clinton for the Presidency. If the Legislators believe this is the correct way to spend tax dollars then why is it that we can't fund Planned Parenthood for the health of Women? This Planned Parenthood issue is based largely on fictionalized and invented information. It utterly amazing that we have continued to elect these clowns time after time when they have lied to us time after time. Shouldn't we spend some money to get at the truth of what they are really doing for us or better said – to us?
politics et al.


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The power of the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo comes directly from our use of the ScreenPad Plus. We had the opportunity to try it for a few hours and although our first feeling was that it was an unnecessary addition, the truth is that little by little we began to send more applications and feel comfortable with it.
Having tried the Apple TouchBar, in this case the solution goes several steps further. Not only is it a direct access or additional menus, it is the possibility to have entire applications. Perhaps not to watch videos or read, but to have a text support, a calculator, an excel or any help. To give you an idea, the use we can give the ScreenPad Plus would be equivalent to a small external monitor connected.
The main tool to control this secondary screen is the dedicated ASUS application. From it, to which we will accede sliding from the left, we have a series of direct accesses, access to the multitask of Windows, additional adjustments and a screen to save concrete configurations and to be able to show them in the secondary screen of fast form.
The initial configuration is not exactly the most intuitive and comfortable, although after using it for a while you do begin to understand how it works and we are learning the various tricks and mechanisms.
The addition of the ScreenPad Plus has not seemed to us to harm the experience of the laptop and yet we have used it more than we could think. One of those additions that you get used to could end up becoming a real help.
The ScreenPad Plus fits up to 3 applications and can be adapted in size. Also note that it is compatible with all Windows applications. In the end what we have is a window resize, as we would normally do.
From the ScreenPad settings we can modify the brightness of the screen, change the wallpaper and activate the menu that allows us to pass applications from one to another. Although really being the two touch screens, it is easy to drag an application from one screen to another. The tactile sensitivity can be improved, but the gesture is simple.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo incorporates specialized applications for chatting and office automation. They are inside the dedicated application and will help us to have the list of friends when we talk or for example the text editing tools when we are in Office.
ASUS has also announced that developers will be able to adapt their applications to ScreenPad. As always this is the real battleground, but we would not be surprised if other brands sign up to this trend and then we do see more applications take advantage of the double screen in all its splendor.
In addition to this dual-screen combination in which the second can act as a mirror or additional screen, ASUS has also planned to expand the possibilities by working with developers. This is really where we can have a real improvement in multitasking, although it depends on your alliance with third parties to achieve it.
At the moment they have announced that Corel Draw will be compatible with ScreenPad Plus. What do you mean? Basically, instead of splitting the screen, Corel Draw will be able to display the main image on the OLED screen while the controls stay on the secondary. We haven't had a chance to try it out in the first person, but it was announced during the presentation.
During the test we were able to use the ScreenPad to play the piano, to have an open PDF as we wrote, to be able to control Spotify while reading a web page or to have the calendar open while looking for how to organize an agenda. It's not difficult to imagine situations where this secondary screen is useful to us and when it comes to controlling it we are given a solid enough experience so that its presence is not problematic.
We would have liked the quality of the secondary screen to be slightly higher and the touch sensitivity to switch from one to the other to be higher, but in general this ScreenPad is an interesting addition that can differentiate this ZenBook Pro Duo from other high-end laptops. With the only exception to that weight gain that might be enough to push back some users.
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo, the opinion
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo is a risky notebook, but also a serious commitment to look to the future of the sector. We have high quality finishes, an excellent screen and a layout of the keyboard, trackpad and the secondary screen itself that we thought was right. It's still too early to determine aspects such as sound, battery or performance, but the initial sensations are very good. This is important because it will probably not be an economic device, at least in its Pro version that will be around 3,000 euros.
The bet of ASUS with its ZenBook Pro Duo is not unreasonable. After a few hours we do imagine that this ScreenPad Plus can be a breakthrough when it comes to using the laptop. What accompanied by good finishes and specifications, make the ZenBook Pro Duo one of the devices to consider in the future.
ASUS has announced that it will be available after the summer at prices that will depend on the market and the configuration chosen, but have not yet been announced.
Last year ASUS surprised us with its interaction with the dual display, but this 2019 have clearly gone further. What could be considered as a test, here is transformed into a differential element that will foreseeably mark the development of ASUS in laptops over the next few years. We will see how the market responds to this secondary screen, but after having tested it for a few hours we would not mind the idea being implemented.
It is possible that the implementation could be improved, but ASUS should be rewarded for pointing towards the future, offering a fairly solid experience to be a first generation and above all surrounding it with a device as solid and well-finished as this ZenBook Pro Duo. An interesting laptop for those looking for good screen, great connectivity and a cutting-edge design.