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Light up my life
Light up my life
Solar Lighting
Your garden can be beautiful at night, too! Solar lighting adds a whole new dimension to gardens in the evening.
Outdoor solar lights are easy to install and virtually maintenance free. Best of all, using them won't increase your electric bill.
Uses for outdoor solar lighting include pathway light sets, inset decking spots, wall-mounted lamps, freestanding lamp posts, and security lights.
Outdoor solar lighting systems use solar cells, which convert sunlight into electricity. The electricity is stored in batteries for use at night. Manufacturers most commonly use nickel cadmium, sealed lead acid, and lead acid batteries.
A solar lighting system will work well only as long as the solar cells receive the manufacturer's recommended hours of sunlight.
WHy a WATER FEATURES DESERVEs A PLACE IN YOUR GARDEN – (thinking this could also feature in Garden Geek section).
Here are the reasons why a water feature deserves a place in your garden.
Water features can vary from a contemporary water work of art to a traditional garden fountain, waterfall, rock pond or birdbath.
Water introduces serenity into your garden
Most people think that adding a water feature in their garden, e.g. fountain, is just a decorative piece. Little did they know that there is more to it than just as an accessory.
Not only can a fountain act as a natural humidifier, but it can also reduce noise while creating a calming sound. Introducing serenity into your garden.
Living in a noisy town or city? A fountain is perfect for your home if you live in a noisy area or if you're in the city. Feel closer to nature in your own back garden!
Size does matter! A water feature will make your garden look bigger.
Whatever size plot you've got make the most out of it by adding a water feature. It really will help to make it look bigger. Adding a focal point to your garden is the perfect trick if you want your garden area to appear larger than it really is.
Attract birds and wildlife to your garden
When there's a source of water available in your garden, you can expect birds, frogs and insects to visit your outdoor area. A water feature such as birdbath is an excellent way to attract these feathered creatures.
If you want to attract even more birds feed them! Read our Pet Shop guide on how to 'care for birds' in your garden.
Just imagine yourself enjoying the sound of nature and embracing the serene haven in your own back garden.
Water features are easy to maintain
Cleaning your water feature does not require too much strength, but it needs your attention regularly. Consistently keeping your fountain or a pond neat will minimise the build-up of algae.
Maintaining the cleanliness of a water feature is also necessary for preventing any blockages. You need to frequently clean and polish the stones or rocks, and gravel in your water piece as well.
Our top 10 plant choices for problem areas
Our top 10 plant choices for problem areas
Problem | Variety |
Planting Under Trees | Pachysandra |
Extremely Dry Areas | Sedum Family |
Heavy Shade | Liriope Muscarni |
North Facing Aspect | Hydrangea Petrolans |
Evergreen Climber | Traclespernum (Evergreen Jasmin) |
Fast Covering Climbers | Fallopia (Russian Vine or Mile a Minute) |
Seafront (Salt Spray Resistant) | Escallonia Family |
Rabbit and Deer Proof | Chosyia Family |
Very Quick Low Ground Cover for Banks or Open Ground | Cotoneaster Dammeri |
Intruder Deterrent | Pyracantha Family |
How to create a Green Roof
How to create a green roof
Green roofs are great for smartening up dull and boring arches, arbours, sheds or even a dog kennel!
Alpines are ideal for this as they do not need a huge amount of nutrients and most are fairly drought tolerant. In addition, Alpines do not need huge depths of soil so are perfect for your green roof.
To produce our green roof we constructed an extra frame around the existing roof about 3" deep to keep the growing media in place. We then lined the bottom of the frame with thin plywood and drilled several holes for drainage before attaching to the existing arbour roof.
We laid a thin layer of horticultural sand in the bottom followed by John Innes No. 2 compost.
We then planted up with a mixture of different Alpine leaf and flowers, textures and colours.
We finished it off with a layer of decorative alpine aggregate and watered in well.
After care:
Water only occasionally and deadhead any flowers which have gone over (if needed). In general, green roofs are fairly low maintenance.
The following alpine plants are particularly drought tolerant:-
Arabis, Delosperma, Thyme, Sedums, Sempervivens, Sisyrinchium, Silene, Lewisia.
Please ask a member of staff if you require further assistance or advice.
4 top tips for the perfect lawn
4 Top Tips for the Perfect Lawn
You might not know it, but your lawn pays you back for all the hard work you put into it – your lawn serves as a huge source of air conditioning for your garden, keeping it cool in the hot summer months.
It also releases oxygen and simultaneously captures dust, keeping you and your family healthy. To reap the benefits to the full, keep your lawn as healthy as possible with these handy tips.
1. Don't over-mow
Longer grass is healthier grass – by keeping your grass 7.5-10cm (3-4in) tall, you may reduce the number of weeds that germinate, as longer, stronger grass will out compete the weed seedlings. Keep the soil nice and cool, ensuring moisture is trapped and soil microbes are encouraged.
Check the cutting height of your mower. Never scalp a lawn too short. This will weaken the grass and leave the soil open to lawn moss invasion. If your lawn begins to suffer from lawn moss do not try to rake out the moss before it has been killed by a moss killer. This will only spread the spores and make matters worse. Apply a moss kill in spring or Autumn then rake out the moss two to three weeks after application, when it has dried and turned black.
Varying the length slightly throughout the seasons can help maximise your lawns health. It is recommended that at the beginning of the year to cut the grass with the blade height approximately 2.5-4cm (1-1.5in). In the summer months raise the blade height to 5cm (2in) or more. Then again, lower it back for the last cuttings of the year.
2. Make sure you use a sharp blade
To ensure you cut your lawn cleanly and evenly, make sure you use a sharp and balanced blade. A blunt blade will have the damaging effect of tearing the grass rather than cleanly cutting it, meaning the ends of the grass blades may turn yellow but will grow out leaving no lasting effect. To maintain a sharp blade, avoid mowing over any stones as much as possible, making sure to sharpen and balance your blade three times a year.
3. Don't overwater during dry spells
Even though brown blades suggest otherwise – the root of the grass can actually stay alive for months. Understandably, if you want to ensure a green lawn all summer, try to water heavily, on an infrequent basis. The aim is to encourage the roots to grow deep into the ground, and the best way to achieve this is to water deep. If the soil is hard below the roots then they are restricted, while the moisture further down will work its way up to dryer soil at the top.
Light sprinklings of water only feed the surface of the soil and the grass, which in turn promotes shallow root growth. In this instance the lawn will require more frequent watering.
Lawns that are on light sandy soil will drain more quickly, so may need more water than lawns growing on heavier clay soils. However, as a general rule, provide 2.5-5cm (1-2in) of water per week (whether this is via a watering can, sprinklers, or Mother Nature, applied at three-four day intervals. However, this does vary depending on the following factors: temperature, grass type, and soil condition. In terms of timing, first thing in the morning is the best time to water your lawn.
4. Weedkillers and fertilisers: timing is everything
There are a number of variables to take into account when applying gardening products to your lawn. These are mainly location, weed type, grass type, condition of soil, and grass type.
Firstly, a healthy lawn is the best defence against garden weeds. So, you're half way there if you've followed our guidelines so far! Next, it is advised to attack weeds in the early spring or summer – this way the weeds have yet had the chance to develop deep root systems or spread.
When applying a fertiliser, do so in early spring to encourage root growth. Apply a specific Autumn lawn fertiliser in the autumn months to help the lawn recover from the Summer wear, and prepare itself for a potentially harsh winter. While light feedings throughout the year help maintain a healthy growing lawn. Furthermore, as always, read the labels fully and take note of requirements and warnings.
Remember, it's not necessarily how hard you work – actually it's less about time than timing. The art is more 'how' and 'when' to achieve a perfect lawn.


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"Zulim Bardast kerna bhi Qunah hai!
I am Fatima. Wife of Mohsin Abbas Haider & here is my story.
On 26th Nov 2018, I caught my husband cheating. When I confronted him, instead of being embarrassed he started Beating me. I was pregnant at that time! He pulled me from hair, dragged me on floor, kicked me several times, punched me on face & threw me on the wall.
I was brutally beaten by my husband. My caretaker! Traumatized me contacted a friend instead of family & was rushed to hospital. Doctor initially refused to do checkup as it was a police case. I needed some time to digest the shock & not file a complaint. I was able to get my ultra sound where the sight of relief was that my baby was not harmed!
Societal Pressure or my own confidence. I do not know what ..but I decided to make my marriage work for my own child.
On 20th May 2019 I was blessed with a beautiful boy. I had a surgery due to complication. While I was in operation theater in Lahore, my husband was in Karachi sleeping with his GF, Nazish Jehangir, an emerging model/actor. He later posts depressing statuses to get public attention.
My family stood with me but my better half chose not to.
Mohsin visited after 2 days of delivery just to take images and gain some publicity.
He did not bother to check on his son. It was only a drama for social appreciation.
On 17th July, I went to Mohsin's Home & asked him to take our son's responsibility where he started beating me again! He refused to do anything for his son!
Now I had Enough!
I am posting this to tell this to all girls! Look at me!
Societal Pressure or not but there is a limit to put a full stop! No 1 else will do it except us for ourselves.
I have no idea how I will raise my child on my own ...but I know Allah will help me!
I had enough of verbal & physical abuse. I had enough of Divorce threats! Enough!
Proves are attached.
Truth Told! Now I will see you in court Mr Mohsin!"
In the days following the release of this statement, Mohsin rebuked the claims and took to the media to clarify his side of the story. In a lengthy video press conference, Mohsin talks about how his marriage to Fatima was a forced marriage. He said it was clearly from the very start that they were not a good match for one another and that they were mentally incompatible. He spoke of how the couple never even lived together for the majority of their marriage and in the occasion that they were in the same town, he had been living in a separate complex to his wife. He went on to mention how manipulating and deceptive Fatima and her entire family were. He explained instances where Fatima supposedly would enter the house he was staying in and create a ruckus outside and force him to let her in. She apparently would extort her husband and cause herself physical harm in an attempt to threaten Mohsin to do as she willed. He spent the entire conference going through these instances and speaking of how conniving his in laws were. He went on to address the photos of a bruised and battered Fatima and explained that these were in fact, old photos and he encouraged her to put forward new, more recent photos; he neither confirmed nor denied the allegations that he abused her physically. Both parties went to the extent of holding and swearing on the Quran during their testimonies for the media and public. Pakistani celebrities were quick to offer support and encouragement to Fatima and condemned Mohsin, calling for justice. Many people began stepping forward as witnesses to the abuse and allegations. Mohsin was accused of having an extra-marital affair in Fatima's statement and the internet began a verbal assault on the woman involved. Whilst not much is clear yet regarding the details of why and how it happened, it is undeniable that the photos Fatima produced of her bruised and swollen face and hands are disturbing to say the least. Domestic violence is often brushed under the rug in our communities. Women are often encouraged to remain steadfast and patient during turbulent times. In times of difficulty, a women's silence is seen as honourable. This is absurd and really highlights the inter-generational misogyny that is inherent within our Pakistani culture. Women, despite being the matriarchs of most homes, are relegated to the sidelines and encouraged to remain silent in times of trouble so as not to break up the household. This culture of silencing women is producing generations of men that are entitled, and women who are fearful to speak their truths. Whilst Islam encourages women to leave unhealthy and violent homes and apply for divorce, culture warps that escape mechanism for women and tells them that they can't and shouldn't leave. It's disturbing to say the least. But as Pakistani all-rounder, Mahira Khan elaborated on recently, this issue can only be resolved by educating the younger masses. It involves talking about taboo issues like domestic violence and consent. Talking about misogyny and cultural manipulation of our faith. [embed]https://twitter.com/TheMahiraKhan/status/1152866028667514881[/embed] The allegations against Mohsin Abbas are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the #MeToo and #TimesUp movement that is slowly gaining momentum in Pakistan. Women are no longer being silenced to the same degree that they once were. Although the fact that these allegations are being made very public and matters that are normally between two families are out for the world to see, perhaps one positive implication for this is the fact that women all over Pakistan can now see that silence is not always the only option. Change, hopefully, is imminent.

subset: commoncrawl


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The New York City Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in locating the female in the attached photograph who resides within the confines of the 43rd Precinct in the Bronx.
Details are as follows.
Madiyah Dosunmu
292 Zerega Avenue, Apt. 2B
Bronx, NY 10473
Madiyah Dosunmu was last seen Saturday, April 11, 2020, at 1500 hours at her residence.
The missing is described as 15-year-old female, Black, approximately 5'5″, 185 lbs. with black hair.
She was last seen wearing a red jacket.
A photograph of the missing is attached and available at DCPI.
Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1–800–577–TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1–888–57–PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers' website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
All tips will be kept strictly confidential.


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What You Will Learn In SEND!
I just watched a 10-minute, flashy video on a new gap-year program being offered in Ohio. At the end, I had questions. What do they do? Are they a ministry? Do they just do community service and read books? I cringed at the thought of folks not knowing what SEND is. We went to great lengths to share SEND this year, along with having folks experience and do SEND.
I am super excited about explaining who we are, what we offer, and what we do. We are not a program but a process. We are a vehicle for 20-somethings to be trained in discipleship, ministry, and mission. We offer an alternate path to pursue God, find yourself, find your purpose, and be absorbed in Christian faith. If you are thinking about doing SEND, taking a gap year, or if you know of someone that SEND could benefit, here are bullet points to review when sharing what our dynamic ministry is all about! SEND participants will:


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From 2022, parents of students travelling on TTNG buses will be able to order a bus pass through the TTNG website rather than at school offices. This system will help us to better manage our network of 24 bus routes.
As the system is brand new, we can expect that there may be the occasional glitch and we ask for your cooperation in working these out. If you find an error or have a suggestion, please make contact with EasyBus.
For more information on the bus pass system, please click here.
To order a bus pass, please click here.


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Due to increasing propane prices, people of Brazil are returning to older customs of using firewood and charcoal as fuel for cooking. The result? Deforestation and illness caused by excessive smoke in the home. Joel Krehbiel, Moundridge, Kansas, is using his knowledge of engineering to aid Mennonite Central Committee in creating a new alternative energy source to reduce the problem. He is learning about and installing biodigesters; a container which stores methane from decomposing organic material. This methane is then used as cooking gas in the kitchen.
Krehbiel is a participant in MCC's SALT program, an acronym for Serving and Learning Together. SALT offers a one-year assignment to young adults who desire to serve internationally with MCC. Read More


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The top 5 nail art salons in Toronto
The nail art craze hit Toronto many moons ago but it's still going strong. Although many people forfeit the initial trend of detailed artwork in favour of more simplistic designs, nail art is very much alive and well. Whether you're looking to get your tips stamped with geometric patterns or something with a little more oomph, these places have got you covered.
Here are my picks for where to get nail art done in Toronto.
See also: The top 25 nail salons in Toronto by neighbourhood
Her Majesty's Pleasure
If you're a fan of creative manicures but don't want great works of art done on your tips, head to Her Majesty's Pleasure. The King West beauty bar does simple, but beautiful nail art. The staff here have mastered geometric designs and ombres, but can also do a quirkier looks like this watermelon mani.
Get Gelled
Get Gelled has really turned manicures into an art form. The staff here excels in detailed designs and are able to create miniature works of art on your tips. They've done everything from Charlie Brown to intricate tribal designs, so the sky's the limit.
Tips Nail Bar
Tips Nail Bar has some of the best nail artists in the city on its staff. Need proof? One of their manicurists, Naomi Misu, won the 2015 Canadian Nail Artist of the Year Award. The Vogue-worthy creations here range from minimalist chevron designs to Blue Jays-themed nail art.
Hard Rock Nails
Hard Rock Nails is the go-to spot for acrylic lovers. It's a "go big or go home" operation with manicurists mainly working with fake nails that extend inches beyond your fingertips. And that's not all -- they can adorn your newly lengthened nails with anything from hand-painted designs to sparkling jewels.
Naked Beauty Bar
Naked Beauty Bar caters to those that like their nail art on the minimalist side. The artists at this Dundas West salon excel in prints and can do anything from marbled designs to camo. If you want something a little more exciting, their geometric creations are also top notch.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this item included Pinky's Nails which has since closed. (23/11/15)
What did I miss? Add your favourite nail art salon to the comments..
Join the conversation Load comments


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Aldi to donate up to 400,000 meals to charities over the Easter holidays
Aldi is to donate almost 400,000 meals to people in need during the Easter school holidays.
As a founding member of Marcus Rashford's Child Food Poverty Taskforce, the supermarket's stores are working with local charities, community groups and foodbanks to donate surplus food.
Around 149 tonnes of food will be donated throughout the UK, with more than 250,000 meals going to causes that support families and children in need.
The move forms part of Aldi's commitment to donate 10 million meals across the UK in 2021 in partnership with community giving platform Neighbourly.
Mary Dunn, managing director of corporate responsibility at Aldi UK, said: "We're proud to support good causes across the country, helping them to provide meals to those in need over the Easter period.
"At a time when more people are experiencing financial hardship and food insecurity due to Covid-19, we are committed to doing what we can to donate more meals in 2021 than ever before."


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On the first of this month, the team at TalentCorp took a moment out of their busy lives to raise a glass to their achievements in the past 12 months, as 1 April 2012 marked exactly a year since the very first Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T) was handed to Edwin Raspe, one of the many expats seeking to continue their careers in Malaysia.
The RP-T is a 10-year, renewable work visa that allows highly-qualified expats the flexibility to work on a long-term basis in Malaysia. If foreigners have real talent to offer Malaysia, a RP-T allows them to remain in the country for a decade and work for various employers without having to re-apply for a pass, as is the practice with the Employment Pass (EP). Pass holders can bring their family with them, and their spouses are also allowed to work – a marked improvement from the normal EP and one of the many reasons that applications for the RP-T continue to flood in.
The RP-T began its life back in December 2010, when the Prime Minister announced that a 10-year pass was 'on the way'. In the three months that followed, TalentCorp was established and the team applied for the necessary policy approvals, set themselves up online and had started taking applications as April began.
A year on, the progress continues to be impressive. Already more than 560 applications have been approved, and many more will come as TalentCorp continue to work closely with the expat community and the government to find ways of liberalising the requirements and reviewing the application process.
Already, TalentCorp have managed to ease the condition that required an applicant to have 3 years continuous work experience in Malaysia. Applicants now only need to prove 3 years of cumulative work experience in the country; a far more achievable standard for the many expats whose work takes them all over the region. Another new announcement from TalentCorp is that the Residence Pass-Talent will be diversified to cater for a certain category of entrepreneurs.
While the RP-T is undoubtedly great for the long-term expats seeking work, it is also a fantastic chance for Malaysia to enhance its talent pool and aid the government in its visions of becoming a high income nation by 2020. Many of the approved applicants are highly-qualified talents finding employment in many of the National Key Economic Areas such as Business Services; Oil and Gas; Information and Communication Technology; Financial Services; and Education, to name but a few. These are all areas that the Economic Transformation Programme is pushing forward in order to boost the economy, and TalentCorp are proud to be doing their bit to support the country on its way to greatness.
But RP-T holders are not just numbers, they are people working for some of the top companies in the country – TalentCorp are engaged with such industry leaders as Petronas, Shell, Standard Chartered, IBM, Intel and Accenture – and all are delighted to get the chance to continue their careers in Malaysia.
"People ask me, 'why Malaysia?'" says Shareen Yee Joy, Director of CIMB and holder of a RP-T, "and I tell them it's the best place to be! I work for a multinational company, and simply by working with the local people I found myself drawn to Malaysia. There is so much culture here, and so much talent."
Raza Amin, a Managing Director for Trident Consultant Far East (O&G Sector) was delighted at the speed and ease of applying for his pass. "I must admit that it is very swift," he says. "I put my application together in a couple of days and it went through. It was quite painless!"
Another pass holder, Shirish Madhukar Kaner, a Senior Industrial Staff Engineer at Motorola who is working on the design of walkie-talkies at Motorola's Penang Design Centre, was also pleased with the ease of the application process and, more importantly, was thrilled to find that the country wanted to have him. "I'm very glad to receive RP-T status. I'm pleased to know that talent from other countries is respected and the local government wish to retain it."
The country's talent pool is increasing with every passing day, and TalentCorp are directly involved in helping enthusiastic, highly-qualified people from all backgrounds and industries share their skills with the local talent. There will be many more announcements to come from TalentCorp as they continue to ease the process for talented people to live and work in Malaysia.
For the latest updates from TalentCorp or to apply for a Residence Pass-Talent, visit www.talentcorp.com.my
Source: The Expat April 2012
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This article has been edited for ExpatGomalaysia.com
"ExpatGo welcomes and encourages comments, input, and divergent opinions. However, we kindly request that you use suitable language in your comments, and refrain from any sort of personal attack, hate speech, or disparaging rhetoric. Comments not in line with this are subject to removal from the site. "


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Air cargo stakeholder group Cargo iQ has named Lothar Moehle as its new executive director.
He brings over four decades of experience in the air cargo and logistics sectors, including senior positions at UPS and DB Schenker and was one of the founders of the organisation in 1997, when it was originally named Cargo 2000. He will begin his term on 1 January 2022.
Together with chair Henrik Ambak and vice-chair Kerstin Strauss Cargo iQ also announced its renewed vision for 2022.
It pledged to help members to achieve five key objectives, starting with 100% reporting, to ensure 'one version of the truth' from end to end of the Master Operating Plan (MOP).
It also aims for 100% reporting and full transparency, ensuring Cargo iQ processes are fully implemented as members' quality management systems, membership growth and retention, accelerating the development of new and revised processes and ensuring that members want to be involved and truly feel that the Cargo iQ processes are their own.
Cargo iQ will also push to recruit more small and medium-sized freight forwarders.
Lothar Moehle said: "Cargo iQ is one of the few organizations in the industry with all stakeholders working together on transparency, visibility and quality improvement, and I join the leadership team as we look to drive the organization in new directions, to achieve our ultimate goal of a quality-driven global supply chain."
"The last 18 months have taught us, more than ever, to embrace digitalization for a seamless and transparent supply chain. Collaboration is key to us achieving that as an industry, and Cargo iQ provides a vital platform to achieve that collaboration."


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Partnering up to win public sector contracts
9 Mar 2022
This is a guest blog by the team at Supply Change. Supply Change have partnered with SSE and Brewin Dolphin on the procurement readiness programme and their upcoming Social Procurement Festival gives social enterprises the opportunity to meet new buyers and learn about social procurement.
For many smaller social enterprises, competing for public sector contracts can be challenging, with larger scale contracts proving particularly difficult due to the limitations in resource capability and purchasing power. Increasingly however, a solution has been found in the form of social enterprise bidding partnerships, or consortia. By collaborating on bids, smaller organisations have the opportunity to deliver at scale, and are better able to compete with larger businesses.
There are other advantages to be gained when social enterprises team up with their peers. These include the ability to combine budgets, to learn and share complimentary skills, to improve service quality, and to reduce overhead costs. But consortia with other social enterprises also require additional time and resource commitments, and can include difficult compromises. While this should not be off putting for social entrepreneurs, these arrangements should be entered into with care. Here are a few things to consider when partnering up:
Setup options
There are two routes to forming a consortium: Lead Body and Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). The lead body option requires one organisation to work as the primary contractor, subcontracting out services to other members. This can be quicker to set up, with fewer overheads, but liability and control are unequally shared. SPV involves forming a new company, with member organisations acting as shareholders. The setup often takes longer, in terms of establishing policies and track-records, but SPVs usually offer members more flexibility and equality.
Partners are everything
The success or failure of a consortium generally rests on the clarity, viability and unity of the partnership. This means that choosing the right partners, and then getting the relationships right, is key. In particular, it is crucial that you are open and inquisitive about one another's businesses and backgrounds (financial stability, etc.), and that you take time to build strong relationships, share core values, and are clear from the offset about the goals and risks of the consortium.
Where to start
Networking with and learning about other social enterprises who might be suitable partners is an important first step towards forming a consortium. By building up a wider picture of peer organisations—their values, the way they work, the services they provide—and by establishing strong relationships, you can begin to select and approach potential partners. Although it can be difficult to find the time and space to build networks of this kind, there are key events which support this, such as this month's Social Procurement Festival.
Managing a consortium
In order to mitigate some of the risks, it's important to be proactive and clear in how you manage the partnership and your own enterprise. This should include receiving expert help when appropriate (legal counsel, brokers, etc.); clearly documenting the responsibilities of different members; and putting in place evaluation and monitoring processes. You should also take care not to neglect your own organisation in the meantime.
With all this in mind, setting up a consortium should be viewed as an exciting and relatively untapped opportunity for social enterprises and SMEs. So long as they're approached carefully and with due diligence, collaborations like these can offer organisations the opportunity to compete with larger businesses, and to expand their scope, skills and network. Consortiums should also encourage social enterprises to work more coherently as a sector, and to better define their shared values and aims as a movement.
Interested in building your network and meeting prospective partners? Sign up for the 2022 Social Procurement Festival (23rd-24th March) and use the code SSE22 for 20% off your ticket price. It's also a great opportunity to learn and share best practice for social enterprise procurement, social value activities and to network with social enterprise suppliers and committed buyers.


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Sports fans who enjoy quality time on social media when they're not watching the action can breathe a sigh of relief heading into the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. For the first time ever, NBC will be airing its prime time Olympic coverage live in all U.S. time zones in an attempt to keep competition spoilers from hitting the internet before viewers on both coasts have been able to watch the events.
Fans complained about spoilers throughout Rio games
The 2016 Summer Olympics broke records across social media platforms with events and athletes "trending" nearly every night of the games.
Unfortunately, with the massive online interest came an inevitable problem: excited viewers posting results before competitions had finished airing across the country.
For the past several Olympics, Twitter has been filled with complaints and pleas asking both other fans and the media to post with caution:
I'm going to start calling the @Suntimes the OLYMPICS SPOILER TIMES
— Jen Sabella (@jensabella) February 14, 2014
Definitely appreciating the Olympic spoilers from folks on the east coast so I don't have to be burdened with anticipation or enjoyment.
— Zach Thaxton (@ZachThaxton) August 8, 2016
Dodging Olympics spoilers like pic.twitter.com/AGPydL5AUG
— Lakers 24/8 (@lakers24eight) August 17, 2016
NBC hopes that by airing the 2018 games live across all time zones, it will ease much of the frustration felt by sports fans during these past games.
In a statement about the coverage, Jim Bell, NBC's President of Olympics production and programming said that he feels the move will help the network better reach a demographic that is used to receiving information instantly from the media.
"That means social media won't be ahead of the action in any time zone," adding, "as a result, none of our viewers will have to wait for anything."
NBC to welcome new Olympics host in 2018
Along with the announcement of living programming throughout the games, NBC has announced a new host for its Olympic coverage.
Venerable sportscaster Bob Costas will not be returning to the Olympic anchor desk in PyeongChang, and instead NBC will be bringing Mike Tirico on board to fill that role.
While Costas has been the host of NBC's prime time Olympic coverage since 1992, at age 65 he has decided to take a step back from regular reporting coverage.
Tirico hosted NBC's daytime Olympic coverage at the Rio games in 2016, and came to the network after spending 25 years working at ESPN.
During the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, NBC's prime time broadcast will begin at 8 p.m. in the Eastern time zone/5 p.m. Pacific. Coverage will run from February 8 - 25, 2018, with the Olympic Opening Ceremony taking place on February 9.


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Part 2 of the 2-part AI Spoofing Detection Series
AI Spoofing Detection Architecture and Deployment
Our previous blog post, Designing and Deploying Cisco AI Spoofing Detection, Part 1: From Device to Behavioral Model, introduced a hybrid cloud/on-premises service that detects spoofing attacks using behavioral traffic models of endpoints. In that post, we discussed the motivation and the need for this service and the scope of its operation. We then provided an overview of our Machine Learning development and maintenance process. This post will detail the global architecture of Cisco AISD, the mode of operation, and how IT incorporates the results into its security workflow.
Since Cisco AISD is a security product, minimizing detection delay is of significant importance. With that in mind, several infrastructure choices were designed into the service. Most Cisco AI Analytics services use Spark as a processing engine. However, in Cisco AISD, we use an AWS Lambda function instead of Spark because the warmup time of a Lambda function is typically shorter, enabling a quicker generation of results and, therefore a shorter detection delay. While this design choice reduces the computational capacity of the process, that has not been a problem thanks to a custom-made caching strategy that reduces processing to only new data on each Lambda execution.
Global AI Spoofing Detection Architecture Overview
Cisco AISD is deployed on a Cisco DNA Center network controller using a hybrid architecture of an on-premises controller tethered to a cloud service. The service consists of on-premises processes as well as cloud-based components.
The on-premises components on the Cisco DNA Center controller perform several vital functions. On the outbound data path, the service continually receives and processes raw data captured from network devices, anonymizes customer PII, and exports it to cloud processes over a secure channel. On the inbound data path, it receives any new endpoint spoofing alerts generated by the Machine Learning algorithms in the cloud, deanonymizes any relevant customer PII, and triggers any Changes of Authorization (CoA) via Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) on affected endpoints.
The cloud components perform several key functions focused primarily on processing the high volume data flowing from all on-premises deployments and running Machine Learning inference. In particular, the evaluation and detection mechanism has three steps:
- Apache Airflow is the underlying orchestrator and scheduler to initiate compute functions. An Airflow DAG frequently enqueues computation requests for each active customer to a queuing service.
- As each computation request is dequeued, a corresponding serverless compute function is invoked. Using serverless functions enables us to control compute costs at scale. This is a highly efficient multi-step, compute-intensive, short-running function that performs an ETL step by reading raw anonymized customer data from data buckets and transforming them into a set of input feature vectors to be used for inference by our Machine Learning models for spoof detection. This compute function leverages some of cloud providers' common Function as a Service architecture.
- This function then also performs the model inference step on the feature vectors produced in the previous step, ultimately leading to the detection of spoofing attempts if they are present. If a spoof attempt is detected, the details of the finding are pushed to a database that is queried by the on-premises components of Cisco DNA Center and finally presented to administrators for action.
Figure 1 captures a high-level view of the Cisco AISD components. Two components, in particular, are central to the cloud inferencing functionality: the Scheduler and the serverless functions.
The Scheduler is an Airflow Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) responsible for triggering the serverless function executions on active Cisco AISD customer data. The DAG runs at high-frequency intervals pushing events into a queue and triggering the inference function executions. The DAG executions prepare all the metadata for the compute function. This includes determining customers with active flows, grouping compute batches based on telemetry volume, optimizing the compute process, etc. The inferencing function performs ETL operations, model inference, detection, and storage of spoofing alerts if any. This compute-intensive process implements much of the intelligence for spoof detection. As our ML models get retrained regularly, this architecture enables the quick rollout—or rollback if needed—of updated models without any change or impact on the service.
The inference function executions have a stable average runtime of approximately 9 seconds, as shown in Figure 2, which, as stipulated in the design, does not introduce any significant delay in detecting spoofing attempts.
Cisco AI Spoofing Detection in Action
In this blog post series, we described the internal design principles and processes of the Cisco AI Spoofing Detection service. However, from a network operator's point of view, all these internals are entirely transparent. To start using the hybrid on-premises/cloud-based spoofing detection system, Cisco DNA Center Admins need to enable the corresponding service and cloud data export in Cisco DNA Center System Settings for AI Analytics, as shown in Figure 3.
Once enabled, the on-prem component in the Cisco DNA Center starts to export relevant data to the cloud that hosts the spoof detection service. The cloud components automatically start the process for scheduling the model inference function runs, evaluating the ML spoofing detection models against incoming traffic, and raising alerts when spoofing attempts on a customer endpoint are detected. When the system detects spoofing, the Cisco DNA Center in the customer's network receives an alert with information. An example of such a detection is shown in Figure 4. In the Cisco DNA Center console, the network operator can set options to execute pre-defined containment actions for the endpoints marked as spoofed: shut down the port, flap the port, or re-authenticate the port from memory.
Protecting the Network from Spoofing Attacks with Cisco DNA Center
Cisco AI Spoofing Detection is one of the newest security benefits provided to Cisco DNA Center operators with a Cisco DNA Advantage license. To simplify managing complex networks, AI and ML capabilities are being woven throughout the Cisco network management ecosystem of controllers and network fabrics. Along with the new Cisco AISD, Cisco AI Network Analytics, Machine Reasoning Engine Workflows, Networking Chatbots, Group-Based Policy Analytics, and Trust Analytics are additional features that work together to simplify management and protect network endpoints.
AI and Machine Learning: A White Paper for Technical Decision Makers


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A specialized course under Architecture and Building stream
About the Course – Interior Design / Decoration
Interior designing is a critical practice that transforms social, cultural, technological, and environmental conditions in the 21st century. It celebrates the dynamic relations between people and the surrounding environment. This course will challenge your assumptions and perspectives about interior design. You will be able to think and operate like a designer, and of course you will be benefitted by the ideas and experience of distinguished design practitioners. You will build design skills by responding to a range of design briefs, from the conceptual to real-life situations. You will be given access to technical and communication tools such as Rhino, Revit, 3D imaging, hand-drawing, film production, and model making. An opportunity to travel and engage with industry through workshops and projects will enable you to respond to complex design challenges.
Career Prospect
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A degree in Interior Design will qualify you to work as Interior designers, landscape architects, architects, industrial designers, graphic designers Architect, Architectural technologist, Estates manager, Furniture designer, Product designer, Stylist, Textile designer etc.
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The courses are generally provided at Foundation, Diploma, Bachelor (UG), and Master (PG) levels.
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Avilon – Free Bootstrap HTML Responsive Landing Page Template for High Converting Squeeze Pages
Avilon is a one page free Bootstrap 4 landing page template, provides an incredible way to develop websites for successful promotions. It's fully editable and has a creative interface. The impeccable layout of Avilon is up to the modern design trend and it could be a wise choice for achieving success online. Moreover, it includes an off-canvas menu for improving the mobile browsing experience.
About Avilon
Avilon is the perfect equipment to craft a landing website for Android and iOS apps, desktop software, digital goods, and such other services which need much care and attention. This template is ready to enhance the conversion of your product through the intuitive and sophisticated design. Smoother animation on scrolling, Font Awesome icons, as well as beautifully aligned multiple sections – Avilon offers all, just to make sure the enhanced quality of your website. Add images, features of the products and the right link for Call To Action. You can make a splash page for online marketing like Unbounce.
Setting the price plan will help your users to choose the right plan, which you can easily make on Pricing Table. The well-commented markup is a great benefit to editing the whole website template with flexibility. Furthermore, Avilon has contact form with custom JavaScrtipt validation and responsive slide-in drawer menu on mobile. The drop-down menu is built with Superfish Menu Plugin.
A Template for Comfort
Avilon will allow you to promote your digital products or online services on a single page website where your users get the relevant information swiftly. The user-friendly typography is based on Google Fonts where they used Montserrat for Headlines and subheadings and Open Sans for regular text. Gradinets in color and icons will simply draw the attention of users.
If you plan on making an app landing page for App Store or Google Play applications, Avilon will support you all the way. This item fulfills the requirements of proficient responsive landing page templates. Escalate the sales of your startup with this welcome page template and offer the users your newsletter via email subscription. Choosing a free Bootstrap template can alleviate your struggle of finding the right vehicle to proceed. Hence, Avilon is a wonderful product among free landing page templates. For more landing page templates free download, you can visit our site.
- One Page Navigation
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In The Box:
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If you like this Bootstrap 4 landing page template, you might love other free HTML5 templates we offer.
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by Jimmie Y. Lustig 6 years ago
I think for developing websites, it is excellent !!!!!
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Amazing bootstrap template ever I have seen.
theme installation failed. stylr.css file missing
Thank you for reaching out.
If you are trying to install it into WordPress or any other CSS then it will not work because these themes are only HTML templates.
theme installation failed. stylr.css file missing
Thank you for reaching out.
If you are trying to install it into WordPress or any other CSS then it will not work because these themes are only HTML templates.
And link for me, please! the link from this site don't works, it's not coming on e-mail(((((
thanks for your theme!!!
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Link sent. Check your mail, please.
i didn't get any download link. Please sent the link.
Thanks for choosing this awesome template. Sent the download link.
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Avilon – Free Bootstrap HTML Responsive Landing Page Template for High Converting Squeeze Pages
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This article introduces Descript, a revolutionary audio and transcription program that makes it easy to edit audio files and convert them into text. Perfect for podcasters, journalists and anyone else working with audio content – in this piece we will explore Descript's many features to show how they can streamline audio editing and transcription processes! Let's get started!
Summary Descript
Descript is an audio and video editing tool designed to easily edit, transcribe, and collaborate on their multimedia content. Descript's intuitive interface, advanced features such as automatic transcription and waveform edit capabilities, as well as seamless collaborative features make it easy to create professional-grade multi-media! Perfect for podcasters, video producers and content creators. Descript can help you with editing an episode, creating tutorial videos or transcribing interview.
How Descript Impacts Audio Creation
Descript is an indispensable audio industry tool that assists with transcribing audio and video files into text format, offering accurate and efficient means of editing audio and video content with text editing features such as cut-and-pasting segments, changing levels and levels and adding background music and sound effects. Descript also provides closed captioning/subtitles for those with hearing disabilities. Descript simplifies audio editing and improves quality. This cannot be stressed enough.
Article Purpose
The purpose of this article is to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of Descript, and its relevance today in the digital age. Descript is a software tool that makes editing audio and video content simple, making it essential for content creators and podcasters. This article will give an introduction to Descript, its features, advantages over competing editing tools available on the market as well as tips on getting started using this powerful software tool.
What is Descript?
Descript is an audio and video editing software designed to take away the strain of editing. It features an AI-powered transcription service which automatically generates text-based transcripts of audio or video files. Editing content has never been easier with an interactive transcript as you can quickly search for specific words or phrases and make changes directly in it. Descript offers an assortment of editing features, such as cutting and rearranging content, adding music/sound effects/filters/effects and applying them to audio or video. Descript is a must-have tool for podcasters, filmmakers and content creators who want to optimize their editing workflow in order to create high-quality output within a short time.
Descript is a new software for editing audio and video that simplifies and accelerates the creation of multimedia content. Descript allows users the ability to edit audio and video files, transcribe them, add text changes to original media files, and apply those changes back. They can also add audio effects, music, or other audio elements to content creation processes. Descript is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to create high-quality multimedia content while saving time and energy.
What Descript Does
Descript is an audio and video editing tool that makes transcription, editing and collaboration on multimedia projects effortless. Upload audio/video files to be transcribed in just minutes, then edit text to remove unwanted material, add captions, or even change spoken word – great for both beginners and professionals – podcasters as well as video editors! Descript's user-friendly interface and powerful features make it an all-in one editing solution. It saves time and effort.
Key aspects of Descript
Descript is a powerful audio editing tool that has many features to simplify the process of editing audio files. Descript allows you to edit audio files as they are converted into text, while the audio version will adjust automatically. Record, import, and export audio files of various formats with ease; use AI voice editing features to alter tone and pitch of recordings; collaborate on projects with others – everything you need for success is here. Descript is an all-in-one audio editing software solution suitable for podcasters, content creators, and audio enthusiasts looking for comprehensive editing software. If this sounds interesting to you then Descript might just be worth checking out!
Descript offers a number of advantages to organizations that are looking to minimize overhead costs and maximize profits.
Descript provides fast and accurate transcription for audio/video content. This feature can save a great deal of time and effort, especially for those needing to create transcripts for interviews, podcasts or other forms of content creation. Descript provides a variety of editing tools to help users quickly edit audio and video recordings. Furthermore, Descript makes collaboration easy between team members as files are safely shared – overall making Descript an efficient way to streamline audio/video editing and produce high-quality content creation.
Descript is an incredible tool that will save both time and effort when it comes to editing audio or creating podcasts. Descript's advanced features make it easy to edit audio files and create podcasts. Descript has advanced features that allow you to easily transcribe audio files into text while editing them. You can also mix/master the files. Outsourcing podcast production allows you to focus more on creating amazing content and less on the technicalities. Descript facilitates collaboration so that team members and co-hosts are able to work seamlessly together in order to produce high-quality podcasts. Descript, in summary, is an essential tool for anyone looking to streamline the podcast production process and create audio content.
Audio editing made seamless
Descript provides a hassle-free audio editing experience, perfect for podcasters, filmmakers, and content creators alike. Users can quickly edit audio files by editing text; any unwanted words or phrases in text will have their audio automatically edited accordingly, saving time and effort manually editing audio files. In addition to this feature, Descript provides advanced features like noise reduction, leveling, and audio effects which enhance editing experiences even further – creating an effortless editing experience! Descript's user-friendly platform makes audio editing a breeze.
Collaboration is a must
Descript can be a great way to encourage team collaboration, especially when working on audio and video projects that require real-time editing. Through Descript, team members can easily share their work, give and receive feedback in real time and make edits without emailing large files back and forth, saving both time and frustration in project completion while improving communication resulting in faster project completion times and enhanced communication resulting in quicker project completions and increased communication resulting in faster project completion times and increased communication. Descript is a great tool for teams that value teamwork and want to be more efficient in their collaborations and operations.
Reduce errors and mistakes
Descript is an advanced technology designed to reduce errors and mistakes across many fields, such as transcription, podcast editing and video production. Descript allows audio and video to be edited and altered without the risk of human error. Its software detects errors and mistakes in grammar, tone, and background noise. Descript is a great choice for those who want to minimize mistakes in their content creation process.
Who could benefit from Descript?
Descript is an audio and video editing software designed for all sorts of users, from podcasters and YouTubers to content creators, journalists, video editors and journalists. Descript offers a simple and intuitive platform for editing audio files and videos. It also includes features such as automated editing, collaboration tools and transcription. Descript is a tool that can be used by both beginners and professionals.
Podcasters are content creators who create audio programs for download or streaming online, often covering news and politics as well as pop culture or personal stories. One tool many podcasters utilize is Descript, an audio editing software which makes editing recordings simple as well as creating transcripts and captions for their episodes. Podcasters can easily remove unwanted audio parts from recordings, add sound effects and music to episodes, as well generate captions. Descript is a great tool for podcasters, whether they are seasoned pros or newbies. It will come in handy every time you edit recordings!
Audio editors are a vital part of any sound recording. They allow you to edit and manipulate files in order to get the sound that you want. Descript is a popular audio editor that allows users to edit audio using text. Users can remove unwanted parts or add effects, or even alter narration.
Transcribers are professionals who listen to audio recordings and convert them into written documents for various industries such as media, legal and healthcare. Modern transcribers utilize advanced tools like Descript to efficiently transcribe audio files and add captions to videos with captioning software like Descript. Descript's artificial intelligence recognizes speech patterns, and converts them to text for transcription. This saves transcribers time and effort because they can handle this laborious process themselves. Transcribers who are successful in their career need to have excellent listening skills as well as attention to detail and typing speed.
Content Creators
Content creators are individuals or teams responsible for producing engaging and informative content such as videos, podcasts, blog posts and social media posts that engage and inform their target audiences. Content creators utilize various tools and software to enhance their creations and make them more appealing to their target audiences; one popular example today being Descript – an audio/video editing software which allows creators to edit, transcribe and caption their videos seamlessly – saving both time and effort while producing high-quality and engaging work that resonates with their target audiences.
Descript is a powerful editing tool for audio and video. It makes the process of editing content easy and fast. Simply upload your audio or video file to Descript and edit your text by simply highlighting and making edits directly in Descript. Furthermore, Descript features an automated transcription feature which automatically converts all your audio or video into text–saving you time and effort when it comes to editing content quickly and efficiently. Overall, Descript is an indispensable resource for quickly creating high-quality audio or video content quickly and effortlessly!
Opening an Account
Setting up an account with Descript is easy and straightforward. Simply visit their website, click "Sign Up," enter your name, email address, password, and then click on "Create Account"; all this information will then be processed automatically for you! Descript accounts give you access to powerful tools to edit audio and video content, collaborate with others to share work, as well as many other features. Sign up today to create amazing content!
Uploading audio files has never been simpler with Descript. This revolutionary software allows you to create, edit, and share audio files without any stress. To upload an audio file simply open Descript and click "Upload." Select your audio file and add any necessary metadata, such as title or descriptions tags. Once uploaded, you can edit directly using its intuitive interface. Whether you are an experienced podcaster looking to share their work or an amateur creator hoping to show the world their audio creations Descript makes sharing easy and stress-free!
Descript is a software program for editing audio files.
Descript is an audio editor that allows you to edit audio with text editors. Descript uses advanced technology to automatically transcribing your audio. This makes editing audio with its text editor easier than ever. Cut and paste parts of transcript or record new audio to fill gaps as easily as using regular software tools such as Descript. Other features such as background noise removal, volume leveling and audio effects enhance its quality; perfect for podcasters, journalists or musicians looking for seamless editing experiences that save both time and effort!
Exporting audio files is an integral step in podcasting or audio production processes, and Descript makes this simple with its user-friendly export menus for MP3, WAV and AIFF files. Once your project is edited and ready for exporting, simply navigate to Descript's export menu and choose your format – plus enjoy customizable settings such as bit rate, sample rate and channel configuration! Descript allows you to easily share audio files with clients, colleagues or upload them onto podcast hosting platforms.
In conclusion, it is essential to remember the power of descriptive language when writing. No matter whether it be fiction, non-fiction or email communications – using descriptive language will greatly accentuate its impact. Don't undervalue the positive effects of descriptive words when you sit down to write. Remember this the next time you write to draw in your audience.
Evaluation of the Advantages of Descript
Descript is an innovative audio and video editing software with numerous benefits for content producers. Descript offers advanced features such as transcription, text editing and voice cloning, which allow users to edit audio/videos quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, its intuitive interface makes editing files effortless even for beginners while its AI features ensure accurate results with precision editing of files. Ultimately Descript is an indispensable resource for anyone seeking to produce top-quality audio/video content efficiently.
Conclusion and Suggestions for Advancing
Descript is a great tool for creating and editing audio and video. With its user-friendly interface and powerful editing tools, it's ideal for both novices and professionals. Descript's standout feature is its fast transcription of audio/video files quickly and accurately; also being able to edit it like editing documents is truly remarkable. I strongly suggest Descript for any individual looking for user-friendly audio/video editing software.
Begin now to experiment with Descript without delay!
Are you tired of manually editing long audio and video files manually? Descript is the answer! This powerful tool enables you to edit audio and video files with ease thanks to features like automatic transcription, multi-track editing and collaboration features – perfect for podcasters, YouTubers and anyone working with audio. Descript is a powerful tool that can make a difference. Try it today to see what we mean.
[sspostsincat category="Descript"]


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Photo Credit: Shane Suban
You are definitely a triple threat, you sing, dance, and act. What inspired you to pursue all these amazing things?
My Dad is a musician and guitar teacher so he taught me guitar and piano when I was little, and my Mom was a singer-songwriter who inspired me to sing and write songs. Watching Will Smith and Zak Efron act when I was little inspired me to start acting. And when I was 13, I became curious about how a song is made so I started taking college level music production classes and started learning more about the technical aspects of music. I did competitive dance when I was little but now I focus more on music and acting. But I think tap dancing in particular has made me a better musical producer in terms of rhythm and drums.
What artists do you look up to right now?
As far as music, Xxxtentacion is my biggest influence and meeting him after one of his concerts really changed my life and made me decide to really pursue my music career. I look up to so many Artists that I can't name them all, but a few would be Bazzi, Charlie Puth, Post Malone, Labrinth, The Wallows, Justin Bieber, Yungblud, Roy Blair, The 1975, and GOLDN. As far as actors that I look up to now, I would say Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Dylan Minnette, Will Smith, Zac Efron, and Seth Rogen for sure!
What kind of music are you listening to at the moment?
Well, I listen to a lot of Pop, hip-hop/R&B, alternative/indie music, jazz, some oldies, Latin, and EDM. I like being inspired by a lot of genres to help my music sound more unique.
What kind of music are you leaning towards for your music career?
Since I was inspired by X, I like not sticking to one specific genre, but I would say in general I'm more Pop.
Any fun things in the works for your music career?
I just released my new song "Wave" and I have a new song coming out in three weeks that is a mix of Pop and Urbano Latino music that was inspired by some of my heritage.
Can you tell us how you got into dance?
I literally was driving by a dance school and told my Mom that I wanted to stop by and check it out. Tap dancing was my favorite style of dance but I wasn't too great at ballet. I definitely want to get better at Hip-hop.
Do you look up to anyone in the dance world?
Yes, I used to watch So you Think You can Dance and loved Twitch and all the great dancers on the show.
What's your favorite style of dance?
Hip-hop is pretty sick.
Your also making a name for yourself in the acting world!! What's been your favorite role to play? & Why?
I played the role of a homeless kid in a little apocalyptic Indie film called Sekund and it was my favorite role because I loved my cast members.
Are there any other acting projects in the works you can tell us about?
None that I can talk about.
You have also made a name for yourself in the social media world. Why do you think social media is so important for teen artists today?
I think having a presence on social media is a good way to connect with people. Being positive and relatable on social media helps people to not feel as alone and encourages them to express themselves. I know for myself that watching a few influencers who were really themselves help me realize the importance of being an individual in a society where being different and creative is looked down upon.
What are your friends and parents thoughts on your career in singing and acting?
I think that I have a really good support team with my friends and family. My parents are very supportive; I wouldn't be in LA or be a musician without them, and I think it's very important to be surrounded by people who believe in you in an industry full of rejection.
Overall, how has this whole acting and singing career experience been for you?
I've learned how to be there for myself and not need anyone else's approval or validation. I think it's made me grow up faster and become more mature. But most importantly it has been invigorating to go for my dreams in life. I've had to make sacrifices and practice countless hours and give up on a normal high school life to graduate early in order to pursue by career.
Do you have any advice for anyone trying to make it as a singer or actor?
Yeah, everything takes time and a lot of patience so don't give up. Never stop perfecting your skills because we are always learning and to succeed you have to keep growing.
Do you have any other talents other than singing and acting?
I'd say song writing and music producing are two of my talents. As a singer-songwriter who produces my own music I've had to learn so much about production, audio engineering, mixing and mastering and writing. I also have started getting into screen writing and I'm not too terrible at cooking either haha.
What 5 words would you use to describe yourself?
Oh that's a hard one. I don't like commentating on attributes of my personality but since you asked, off the top of my head, I'd say: honest, hardworking, creative, unique, and trustworthy.
Do you have any last things you want to tell your fans?
I just so appreciate everyone who takes the time to support me in anyway. I will try my best not to disappoint any of you, and I love you all.
Thanks for taking the time to do this interview!
Of course, thanks so much! I appreciate it a lot! Feel free to follow me @harrisoncone on Instagram, Spotify, Apple Music, and Snapchat.


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Chamber Music Raleigh (originally Raleigh Chamber Music Guild) has been a critical institution bringing the best in chamber music to our area for over seventy years. The usual format has been to have two series: Sights and Sounds, featuring (reasonably) local musicians and held at the NC Museum of Art, and the Master's Series, bringing in world-class chamber groups and soloists from across the country and beyond.
This year, facing budgetary constraints, the Master's Series contracted to this one visit by the Sphinx Virtuosi, and was to be held on Sunday October 9 at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church. However, Hurricane Matthew caused a power outage at the church, and as concerts are no longer given by candlelight (although the thought is an attractive one), it had to be cancelled.
Thankfully, there remained a free concert scheduled for Monday October 10 at Saint Ambrose Episcopal Church. Please note that the ticketed concert on Sunday was to be an important financial boost to Chamber Music Raleigh; it would be most fitting for readers to consider a contribution to help out in this difficult time.
Saint Ambrose, which is an African-American church, was a fitting venue for the Sphinx Virtuosi. The group forms each fall as 18 of the alumni of the Sphinx Competition. This contest is held in Detroit, and is open to Black and Latino students who are Classical string players. This is quite a serious competition, with a first prize of $50,000 and solo appearances with major orchestras, with additional prize money for runners-up. The prize has the goal of recognizing Classical music talent in the Black and Latino communities, which are severely underrepresented in the field.
The core of the Sphinx Virtuosi is the Catalyst Quartet; these four players serve as section leaders to the full ensemble, which has four each of violins I and II, violas, and cellos, with two double basses. Some of the performers are still in training at various conservatories and universities, while others have started their careers. All are still quite young, and this is very much in evidence in the vigor they show on stage. The Virtuosi bring their concerts to venues where they can reach minority audiences who might not otherwise see much to identify with in the European-East Asian dominated Classical music scene. That was certainly the case in this concert.
The program was somewhat shorter than the Sunday concert would have been, coming in at about an hour, with seven brief selections. The full ensemble performed only in the first two and in the finale. All the composers were Latino – Astor Piazzola, Javier Álvarez, Cesar Espejo, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Osvaldo Golijov, and Alberto Ginastera.
The first work was "Libertango" by Piazzola, arranged by Thomas Kalb for the full ensemble. This was an enthusiastic opener, especially shown by the first bassist who really had a dazzling technique to display.
The second piece was "Metro Chabacano" by Alvarez, a Mexican composer who used more involved rhythms than in the opening tango. There certainly were whiffs of urban sophistication here to contrast with the Argentinian dance it followed.
Third was a solo violin work, "Prelude Iberique," by the Spanish composer Cesar Espejo. This was a bravura performance by Hannah White, a stunning young violinist who has won a drawer full of awards, and plays a Stradivarius on loan from the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation. The composition was designed to be a showcase for technique, and not a profound exploration of spirituality or whatnot. However, it showed what this brilliant musician can do to good effect. I'm sure we will be hearing much more from White over the next few decades.
After three up-tempo and high-volume selections, there was the one lyrical piece on the program; Bachianas Brasileiras no. 5, "Aria," a work familiar to many from its frequent performances, broadcasts, and use in movies and so forth. This was an arrangement by the Catalyst Quartet for string quartet. They played it well, but I'm sure many ears were more accustomed to the lush sounds from a full string orchestra, backing up whatever solo instrument or singer that arrangement called for. (One is an an excellent version for musical saw and string trio.) This transitioned without break into the very lively "La muerte del Angel" by Piazzolla, again arranged by the Catalyst Quartet, which included a whistle and some very active playing.
Sixth on the program was "Last Round for Two String Quartets and Double Bass" by Golijov. This was the most contemporary in style of the pieces on this concert, highly dissonant, fast, and aggressive.
To round out the evening, we had "Finale Furioso" from Concerto per corde, Op. 33, by Ginastera. As reflected in the title, this was decidedly up-tempo and designed to send things off on a high note. This was with the full ensemble.
All in all, it was an enjoyable if relatively short concert given to a receptive and grateful audience. Let's hope there is more of this kind of thing in the future. But above all, let us make sure and support Chamber Music Raleigh right now.


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Austria - Perpetual Professions
Vienna, Austria - August 2018 - On August 18, in the Church of Don Bosco in Vienna, the perpetual professions of Salesians Alexander Held of Austria, Cosmas Okafor and Bonaventure Ughonu of Nigeria were celebrated. Fr Petrus Obermüller, Superior of the Province of Austria, presided over the celebration in the presence of Fr Krysztof Nizniak, economer of the province of Anglophone West Africa (AFW).
- Austria - Salesian Youth Movement celebrates 30 years of "Confronto"
- Austria - 25 years of Salesian missionary volunteer service
- Austria - Salesian Forum 2018
- Austria - 12 August, International Youth Day: young people need a future
- Austria - 15 volunteers on missions for children and young people
- Germany - Priestly Ordinations of three Salesians
- Austria – To open perspectives for future of young refugees
- Austria - Presentation of the "Love" documentary


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About Us
Our Purpose
Located in San Diego, California, Premier Wealth always sees the bright side, and our job is to bring that light back to you. Many of our clients come to us feeling anxious or overwhelmed with their finances and long-term planning, and our greatest joy is being able to quell those fears for you. We recognize that you may encounter challenges along the way, so we strive to anticipate and address those situations as they occur. We want to keep you on track toward a meaningful and purpose-driven future.
Our Team Approach
Over the years, we have found that a team approach can effectively help clients who have various needs as they maneuver through a complex world. That is why we choose to use teamwork to its fullest potential, offering you the thoughts and opinions from several sources. Since no one strategy fits everyone, you need to get advice from experts with diverse backgrounds, education, and experience. This way, you receive undivided attention—from planning to execution to follow-up.


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The term 'CBD' is fast-becoming the talk of the town. But what exactly is CBD? CBD or cannabidiol is one of the many Phytocannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. You may have heard of cannabis or what is more popularly known as marijuana. What you may not be aware of is that the hemp plant belongs to the same family. Although the hemp leaves have the same potency as marijuana, its stem and seeds have a lesser content of THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is the cannabinoid in the cannabis plant that leads to a state of euphoria if consumed.
CBD, on the other hand, is safe to use and therefore is legal in the UK. The laws in the UK allow for the cultivation of the hemp plant but only for industrial use. CBD oil has several medicinal and therapeutic benefits. Many people are moving to the use of CBD based products as a replacement for several prescription drugs. Kanadrops CBD oil is one such product that promises high-quality and a safer resolution to many of your health problems.
About Kanadrops CBD Oil
In the 1940s, as scientists researched the cannabis plant, they discovered CBD among the 113 compounds that made up the plant. With continued research, experts found that CBD provides a symptomatic solution with numerous physical, neurological, and psychological benefits. CBD could help relieve anxiety, hypertension, and chronic aches. It could help those with sleep disorders and insomnia to sleep peacefully through the night. It could even aid those with cardiovascular diseases among its several advantages.
Keeping in mind these benefits, Innerva Ltd started the manufacturing of Kanadrops CBD Oil. The makers use an advanced triple filtration process to ensure that the CBD oil is free from any psychoactive compounds such as THC. Thus, this oil, made in the UK, keeps the medicinal values of CBD intact and eliminates all other unnecessary, harmful compounds. You can use Kanadrops CBD Oil and change the way you live.
How Does The CBD Oil Work?
To understand how Kanadrops CBD Oil works, you must first understand the ECS in your body. The ECS or Endocannabinoid System was discovered when researchers wanted to understand the reason why CBD was so effective in the human body. Basically, ECS is what controls most of the functions in your body.
Your body produces its own cannabinoids, which then bind to receptors and solve problems in your body. These endocannabinoids are responsible for regulating inflammation, pain, anxiety, sleep disorders, and other such health problems. Whenever your body is under stress from such issues, it produces its own endocannabinoids to aid in solving the problem.
So, why do you need Kanadrops CBD Oil? The primary function of CBD oil is to enhance the performance of ECS. Your body's ECS does not always produce enough endocannabinoids and hence, requires external support. CBD Oil triggers a positive stress and inflammatory response in you and gives an extra aid to your existing ECS. Kanadrops CBD Oil can, therefore, assist in reducing chronic aches, inflammation, anxiety, insomnia, joint rigidity, and more.
How To Use Kanadrops CBD Oil?
The makers of Kanadrops CBD Oil have made sure that you can use this oil straightforwardly and conveniently. So, you will receive this oil in a bottle fitted with a dropper. For the oil to work in the fastest possible way, it uses the sublingual delivery system, which means that you have to place the required dosage of drops under your tongue for the oil to get absorbed quickly into your bloodstream.
Once you place the Kanadrops CBD Oil under your tongue, wait for about 15 seconds before taking a gulp. You will see that the oil takes effect within a couple of minutes and relieves you of your health problem. You can either follow the instruction provided regarding the correct dose or consult your physician about it. You can start by consuming smaller doses at first and see how effective it is before gradually increasing the dosage.
Is It Safe To Use This CBD Oil?
The UK government has strict regulations when it comes to CBD oil production and sale. So, you can be assured that Kanadrops CBD Oil is extremely safe for you to use. The hemp plant undergoes a triple filtration process wherein all the compounds which are unnecessary or harmful are thoroughly eliminated. The process ensures that only the therapeutic values of the CBD compound are retained and made into a flavourful oil fit for your consumption.
Is The Oil Addictive?
Since CBD oil is extracted from the hemp plant, your concern for Kanadrops CBD Oil being an addictive product is valid. However, this CBD oil is a broad-spectrum extract, which means that the oil has been refined to ensure that psychoactive elements such as THC are entirely eradicated from it.
THC is the reason why people experience a state of euphoria when they consume marijuana or hemp plants and may get addicted to it. But with THC eliminated, Kanadrops CBD Oil becomes exceptionally safe and non-addictive. You can use it without worrying about getting habituated to it.
Benefits of Kanadrops CBD Oil
- Chronic pain, such as arthritis and joint aches, can be troublesome with age. Kanadrops CBD Oil can assist you in reducing this pain, and with regular use, the aches become negligible.
- This CBD oil can aid your joints and muscles and return your flexibility and mobility. You can move around with ease and effectively perform your day-to-day tasks.
- Millions of people in the UK suffer from anxiety and stress, and they may not always understand the reason for it. Kanadrops CBD Oil can aid in relaxing you and lessening your anxiety and stress levels.
- A disturbed sleep cycle affects the way you perform, whether at work or at home. This CBD oil can help you get a good night's sleep, so you wake up refreshed and ready to face the day with a new zeal. If you are an insomniac, you should try Kanadrops CBD Oil and sleep like a baby.
- At times you may feel like your mind is fogged up, and you are unable to think with precision and clarity. An unclear mind can also result in a lack of focus and a block in your thought process. Kanadrops CBD Oil can help you with all these cognition-related issues. A few drops will instantly heighten your attention and allow you to think in your full capacity.
Does The Oil Have Any Side-effects?
Kanadrops CBD Oil is lab-tested to ensure that it optimally benefits you without causing any harm. It, therefore, has no known side-effects. However, it is advisable to consult a doctor before using it. If you feel like the oil is having an adverse effect on you, then stop using it for a couple of days. This way, you can find out for sure if it is the side-effect of the oil or something else.
Purchase And Price
You can purchase Kanadrops CBD Oil from its official website, which is offering the bottles at substantially discounted rates. One bottle of Kanadrops will easily last you for a month.
- The price for a single bottle is £64.99 plus a shipping and handling charge of £4.95.
- The company is offering an additional free bottle on the purchase of 2 bottles. The cost of this package is £149.97, which means that each bottle will cost you £49.99. There are no shipping and handling charges involved in this package.
- If you buy three bottles of Kanadrops CBD Oil, then you will receive two extra bottles free of cost.
- The price of this five-month package is £199.95. So, each container, in this case, is priced at £39.99 and has no shipping and handling charges.
Money-back Guarantee And Refund Policy
At present, Innerva Ltd does not offer any money-back guarantee. You can, however, return your unopened and unused bottles within 30 days from the date of purchase for a refund. The refund will be issued to you after deducting the restocking fees from it. You can contact their customer support to assist you with the returns and refund policy.
- How soon will I see the effect of the oil?
Kanadrops CBD Oil is to be taken in a sublingual method for quick absorption. Once you place the drops under your tongue, the CBD gets absorbed into your bloodstream almost immediately. So, you should be able to feel the oil taking effect within minutes.
However, remember that each individual body is different from the other. So, it may take longer for some people to feel the impact while in others, the oil may work faster.
- Who is Kanadrops CBD Oil meant for?
Kanadrops CBD Oil can be used by both men and women who are above 18 years of age. If you suffer from anxiety, depression, reduced sleep, lack of focus, or other such issues, then this oil is meant for you.
- Kanadrops CBD Oil is legal all over the UK. You can use these drops without having to worry about its lawful use.
- You don't need a prescription to buy this CBD oil. If you are above 18 years of age, you can purchase this product online.
- Kanadrops CBD Oil uses broad-spectrum CBD. This means that the CBD oil is refined, and other unnecessary compounds are filtered out of it.
- This CBD oil is non-psychoactive as it is free from any THC. Consuming Kanadrops CBD Oil will not give you a 'high.'
- The oil is flavored, so it doesn't leave a bad taste in your mouth.
- Kanadrops CBD Oil is lab-tested for its medicinal values and safety. It has no side-effects and can be a suitable substitute for over-the-counter drugs.
- The product is only available online and on the official website. There are no retail stores that sell Kanadrops CBD Oil, currently.
- They do not have any money-back guarantee.
Customer Testimonials
About six months ago, my arthritis decided to become active. I was miserable and resorted to popping in pills to relieve me of the pain. I was made aware by a friend of the possible side-effects of these pills over prolonged use. So, my daughter started a search on the internet to find natural ways to reduce chronic aches.
That is when she came across Kanadrops CBD Oil. We immediately purchased a bottle and started using it. This oil has been an excellent and instant solution to my pain. I can move around freely without feeling the aches in my joints. It is a truly brilliant product.
– Richard Hill, 64, Brampton
I had been taking pills for an anxiety disorder for almost a year. My therapist and I were trying to find a more comfortable and more natural way for me to deal with my issues. So, when she offered me a solution in the form of Kanadrops CBD Oil, I jumped to it.
The drops are the best thing that has happened to me. I feel so much more relaxed, and without the side-effects of the pills, I was popping. I feel healthy energy flowing through my body. I would recommend this to everyone going through their own anxiety problems.
– Madeleine Pearson, 42, Seacroft
You might be among the many residents who are trying to find natural ways to live their lives. For those of you who hate to pop pills, Kanadrops CBD Oil is an all-natural solution for living a healthier life. This CBD oil is lab-tested and is safe to use regularly. With a sublingual delivery system, it is also the quickest way for you to find relief to several of your problems.
Kanadrops CBD Oil can help you with a number of neurological, physical, and psychological troubles. Chronic pains, anxiety, depression, insomnia, stress, cognitive functioning, cardiovascular disorders are a few of the many health problems that you can fight with this oil. This oil can be an exceptionally effective replacement for prescription medicines.


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24 Sep Technology Opens Doors to Private Flood Insurance
Technology Opening the Doors to Private Flood Insurance
By: Adam M. Matheny
Tech & Insurance Combine
When most of us tend to think of technology with regard to the insurance industry, we tend to think of it in terms of the latest vehicle monitoring devices or perhaps self-driving cars. However, while it might not receive the same high-level of attention, the use of technology in helping to create new flood models is expected to make major changes in the flood insurance market.
Although the NFIP is still the largest issuer of flood insurance in the country, experts say that 85 percent of homeowners are still not covered by flood insurance. This represents a major opportunity for private insurance companies to step in.
Over 40 Years
For over forty years, FEMA has been responsible for developing flood risk maps across the entire country. The maps cover approximately 98% of the US population and are used for several purposes including flood risk assessment. The maps are also used to determine flood insurance rates. Although FEMA has put a lot of time and effort into developing these maps, they do not cover issues such as the frequency of flooding outside of the designated flood zones, risk accumulation metrics, or how much loss the NFIP has experienced.
Private insurers have shied away from these maps due to their lack of information and accuracy. Issues such as the highly localized nature of flooding and the fact that flood damage can vary from one home to another based on topography, the type of soil, land use, and the type flood prevention methods in use. The mapping resources available to FEMA have made it virtually impossible for any type of accuracy.
Understanding Floods
On the whole, we have understood the key concepts of flooding, it has only been in the last few years that we have had access to computing power and high-resolution data. This has made it possible for us to create more realistic flood models. We already know that providing the water is flowing downriver, it is relatively easy to model. But what about when the water crests and flows over or breaks down levees?
Thanks to the latest advances in technology, it is now possible to accurately simulate what happens when rivers overflow and the water no longer flows in one direction. This process has allowed us to create more accurate flood models and maps. The ability to map changes in topography far more accurately. We now have access to vital information including land use and more that make it much easier to determine flood risks.
Improved Computing Power
Modern computing power makes it possible to physically model how flood waters will behave at resolutions that only just a few years ago were impossible. These major advancements also make it possible to determine flood areas more accurately. For example, instead of rating only 100- and 500-year flood zones, it is now possible to delineate say, 40-year flood zones. Thus those homes within the 40-year flood zone would have a higher risk than the rest of the homes in the 100-year flood zone.
But more than this, the new modeling technology also makes it possible to more accurately determine earthquake and hurricane risks. Thus, the new technology makes it possible for insurance companies to determine potential annual losses, create frequency curves that cover risks, and make it possible for insurers to maintain control of their flood risks.
In essence, the new models make it possible for insurers to understand flood risks and underwrite them with new confidence. Although these models may be relatively new, many private insurers believe they will make it possible for them to provide their customers with better services and provide coverage for their customers at prices that are lower than those offered by the NFIP.