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1400W 24V Off Grid Kit 400W Wind Generator & 10*100W Solar Panel Hybrid System
ECO-WORTHY 's solar panel composed of the multi-crystal solar cell with an efficiency of over 17%. All ECO-WORTHY rigid solar panels are constructed using a tempered glass front, EVA pottant, and a PVF backing to provide maximum protection from the most severe environmental conditions. The entire laminate is framed in a heavy-duty anodized aluminum frame to provide structural strength and ease of installation. This translates to both more wattage per square foot and lowers mounting structure cost.
The wind turbine is a smart choice and affordable for remote homes and cabins in windy areas. Electricity produced by wind generation can be stored in batteries for household use when needed. Wind generators can be used alone, or they may be used as part of a hybrid system, in which their output is combined with that of photovoltaics. Hybrid systems are especially useful for winter backup of home systems where cloudy weather and windy conditions occur simultaneously.
Package Included
10 pcs
100W Monocrystalline Solar Panel
1 pc 400W Wind Turbine Generator
1 pc 1500W Off Grid Pure Sine Wave Inverter 12V to 110V /220V
1 pc Turbine Hybrid Controller Auto Work with 12V/24V
1 pair MC4 Connector with 5m(16.5ft) Wire
4 pairs Y MC4 PV Solar Cable Branch Connector
Please check the instruction of Wind-Solar Hybrid Controller Setting.pdf
100W Monocrystalline Solar Panel
- Easy installation with pre-drilled hole.
- By-Pass diode minimized the impact of shade.
- Waterproof IP-65 rated junction box: advanced water and dustproof level (complete protection against environmental particles and low-pressure water jets)
- Resistance to salt corrosion and humidity.
- Corrosion-resistant aluminum frame for extended outdoor use, allowing the panels to last for decades as well as withstand high winds (2400Pa) and snow loads (5400Pa).
- Lightweight anodized aluminum frame and reinforced safety and anti-reflection coated glass 3.2mm thick (tempered + patterned).
|Rated power
|Short circuit current (Isc)
|Working current (Iop)
|Output Tolerance
|Temperate coefficient of Isc
|(010+/- 0.01 )%/ ℃
|Temperate coefficient of Voc
|- (0.38 +/-0.01 )%/ ℃
|Temperate coefficient of power Voc
|Temperature range
|-40℃ to +80℃
|Heavy duty aluminum
|Kind of glass and its thickness
|Low Iron, high transparency tempered glass of 3.2mm
|SLA Battery Voltage
|Dimensions (L x W x H)mm
|1010mm*510mm*35 mm(39.8*20.1*1.4 In)
|25-year transferable power output warranty:
5-year/95% efficiency rate; 10-year/90% efficiency rate;
25-year/80% efficiency rate;
5-year material and workmanship warranty
1500W Off Grid Pure Sine Wave Inverter 12V to 110V /220V
- Pure sine wave.
- AC Direct Connect Terminal.
- AC receptacle that can be used with any separate splitter to provide even more outlets.
- Protection: Over-temperature protection, over load protection, AC output short circuit protection.
- Intelligent cooling.
- Auto-reset on most fault conditions.
- AC receptacle that can be used with any separate more split to provide even more outlets
- Fault work LED indicator.
|Output Volt
|Continuous Power
|Surge Power
|Pure sine wave
|AC Regulation
|Low & High 10%
|Non-load Consumption
|Usb Output
|DC Voltage
|Led display power & fail status
|Input Range
|Working Input
|Low Battery Alarm
|Low Battery Shut Down
|Over Voltage Shut Down
|Over Load Shut Down
|120W over 10 second
|Over Heating Shut Down
|Over Thermal
|Shut down the output
|Working Temperature
|Between -10℃ and +50℃
400W Wind Turbine Generator System
- Max daily output at 1.4KW. It also works when there is only wind power or solar power, getting hybrid or single power.
- High-performance Nylon fiber blades by precision molding injection.
- Low start-up/cut-in wind speed by unique electro-magnet design.
- Protect from over-speed by blade aerodynamic elasticity.
- High efficient and compact alternator With high-performance NdFeB permanent magnet.
- With a small moment generator of 0.08N.M for low start wind speed.
- Overspeed protection by special electrical design and aeroelastic blade.
- Hybrid controller for wind turbine and solar panel with PWM function 12V/24V.
- Aluminum housing design for the good heat sink, lightweight and tough environment.
|Electrical Specification
|Rated power
|Rated voltage
|Battery voltage
|Start-up wind speed
|Rated wind speed
|Maximum wind speed
|Rated rotate speed
|Battery capacity
|Control system
|Automatic fan dedicated controller
|Pure sine wave inverter
|Generator style
|Permanent-magento-phase A.C
|Fan blade quantity
|Wind leaf material
|Carbon fibre composite
|Rotor diameter
|Tower diameter
|Suggest more than 80 mm
|Altitude of towe
|Fan in the weight
|Pole diameter
|Out diameter 7.4cm inner diameter 5.3cm
|Packing specification
|Product Life
|15 years
|1 year
|Wind Controller Specification
|Rated voltage
|Rated wind generator capacity
|Wind generator braking voltage
|Wind generator recover voltage:
|Rated solar power
|Max. discharging current
|Battery overpressure protection
|16.5V/33V(Close the load output)
|Battery discharge protection
|10.7V/21.4V(Close the load output)
|Battery discharge recovery voltage
|12V/25V(Restore the load output )
|Quiescent power consumption
|Ambient temperature
|Dimensions(L x W x H):
|IP protection level
Working Prince
- There is wind, the wind turbine blade in the rotation, the kinetic energy of the wind is converted into mechanical energy, the spindle rotation to generate electricity.
- The controller will produce an alternating current into direct current put in the battery, achieve the goal for electric power.
- When the battery when completely filled, the controller is disconnected charging the current controller to uninstall state formation, to protect the battery will not overcharge.
- Inverter (only off-grid inverter should be applied here) main function is will have a low voltage DC wind generator, and battery storage of electrical energy is converted into ac 220V / 50 Hz alternating current (AC) to meet all kinds of household appliances use.
For the connection of the seven cables:
- Firstly, connect the positive poles of load, battery and solar panel to the red wire.
- Next, connect the negative pole of the load to the yellow wire of the controller.
- And then, connect the negative pole of the battery to the black wire of controller.
- Finally, connect the negative pole of the solar panel to the blue wire of the controller.
- The three-phase voltage input lines of the controller are respectively connected to the three-phase voltage output line (green line) of the wind power generator.
- After the wire connection, please wrap the joints in waterproof tape for preventing water from entering.
We can ship our products to almost every country and can offer a free shipping
service for most of them.
You will receive a confirmation e-mail after placing an order and another e-mail after your order has been shipped. The second one will contain the tracking information and some instructions on how to track your parcel.
Procession time can take between 1-3 working days time
The time it takes to prepare your item(s) to ship from our warehouse. This includes preparing your items, performing quality checks, and packing for shipment.
All items sold at ECO-WORTHY are guaranteed to be delivered in 60 days,And all orders shipped from the US, EU, UK,FR, ES, CA and AU warehouse are guaranteed to be delivered within 30 days
If you have not received your item(s) beyond this time, you are eligible for a full refund after we have conducted a postal investigation.
|Shipping from
|Shipping to
|Shipping time
|tracking information
|US warehourse
|3-5 working days
|CA warehourse
|3-5 working days
|EU warehourse
|3-7 working days
|UK warehourse
|3-7 working days
|AU warehourse
|3-7 working days
Freight: Larger Panels Kits must be shipped by freight ,the shipping
time is 5-14 working days .
Note: The shipping times mentioned above refer to the estimated times of business days that the shipment will take after an order has been shipped. Business days do not include Saturday/Sunday and any public holidays. These estimates are based on normal circumstances and are not a guarantee of delivery times. We are not responsible for the failures or delays in delivery resulting from any force majeure event, such as natural disaster, bad weather, war, and any other event beyond our direct control, such as public holidays and customs issues.
Full refunds are not available under the following circumstances:
1.Delays caused by the buyer providing incorrect or incomplete delivery information;
2 Delays in delivery caused by any force majeure incidents, such as natural disasters, bad weather, and war;
3.Any un-insured order that is lost or stolen;
4.Delays in delivery caused by any other beyond ECO-WORHTY's control, such as public holidays and Customs issues
Due to the unpredictable effects of COVID-19 on logistics and transportation, we are extending the guaranteed shipping time of orders placed after 2020.3.15 by 15-30 additional days. The extension will vary based on the order's destination, shipping method, and any lockdown/logistics restriction. Thank you for your understanding.
GUARANTEES & RETURE POLICY7 Days DOA Product Guarantee
If one or more of the items you received are damaged, different, or not working, you will be protected by this Guarantee. Please contact us for Return Material Authorization within 7 days of the order being received.After returning the product to the address provided by our customer service team, we can send you a new item free of charge (we will reimburse you the return shipping cost), or you can choose to receive a full refund.
30 Days No Reason Return
If you are not satisfied with your purchase and the product is still in brand new condition, we can arrange a partial refund,You will be responsible for paying the return shipping fees.
Please note that ECO-WORTHY will not accept returns with product modifications as it voids our warranty policy. Any modified products received will be returned to you at your expense.
Please be prepared with your invoice or the following information:
Order number
Proof of purchase
Video or photo of the faulty product (if applicable)
Mailing address
Contact telephone number
Please carefully follow our warranty process to minimize any delays:
1. Describe the problem with your item in detail: What happened? When? How? Please also state your full order number and product code (SKU number).
2. Tell us what steps you have already taken to resolve the issue.
3. Provide the item code indicated on the outer packaging.
4. Send a clear photo or video showing the defect(s); these should be taken under good lighting


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The Chinese mobile giant, Huawei revealed that the company's Smartphone shipments this year have exceeded 200 million units, setting a new record. Huawei was bit in havoc in 2018, but it still has at least several reasons to be discussed about.
Series of P20 and Mate 20 performed well, which increased the shipping 16 million and 5 million units. It has placed the company as the world's second largest Smartphone maker after Samsung. On the other hand, the major sales came from the brand's mid-range Nova series including the recently launched Nova 4, which sold more than 65 million devices throughout the year.
The records also include retailing from the Honor brand, which positions itself as separate from Huawei but sits under the company's body. Huawei did not provide exact data, but it shows the "excellent performance" of Honor 10 and Honor View 10 is also the main factor for brand's success.
However, the company's performance is not surprising simply because it has a series of problems throughout the year, the flagship only played a part. In 2017, the company only stirred 153 million mobile phones but this year it has set yet an extra milestone.
"In the global smartphone market, Huawei has gone from being dismissed as a statistical 'other' to ranking among the Top 3 players in the world," The company said in its statement.
CEO of Huawei's consumer business group, Richard Yu said, the brand hopes to lead the way and pioneer in the new generation of the smartphone. It will maintain its standard to create values for the consumers and make Huawei a more superior global smartphone brand in future.
"Looking to the future, Huawei's consumer business will focus on the core concept of 'consumer-centric', and will dare to keep innovating, and make every effort to become a pioneer and leader in the next wave of the smartphone revolution," Richard Yu said.
Also Read: Amazon Annual Digital day sale discounts ebooks, comics, software, movies, and more
In recent months, the company's sales have not only been sold nationally, but also abroad. Despite US administration crackdown and increasing scrutiny from other national governments users can still avail the devices from almost all of major operating stores. It does illustrate Huawei's reliance on Western markets.

subset: commoncrawl


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Press Release: Victorians to dump recycling on parliament
On Tuesday 19 March at 8:30 am, hundreds of Victorians will gather at the steps of state parliament to say "if you send our recycling to landfill, we will bring it to you." Community members will put their weekly recycling on the steps of parliament to highlight government inaction on the issue and demand change.
High-quality photos of the action for use are AVAILABLE HERE, credit Julian Meehan
In recent weeks, the cracks in the Australian recycling system have been exposed. China ceased taking our recycling in July 2018, resulting in a major loss of market. Without markets to sell to, recycling companies are stockpiling, leading to dangerous conditions and possible fire hazards. Two major recycling locations were closed by the EPA on 21 February, and a third closed voluntarily shortly after, resulting in 27 councils around Melbourne sending recycling to landfill. Short term solutions have been found for some of these councils, but several are still having to resort to binning our recycling.Read more
Update on FoE's Radical Renovation
Its been a busy few weeks with work continuing on our meeting room makeover! The floors are sanded, the walls are painted, whiteboards are up and, and the meeting table moved back in.https://chuffed.org/project/radical-reno
Thanks to all the amazing folks who have given their time to make this project happen. Special mention to Andy and Dan who've spent many hours on the kitchen so far!
Chip in to the Radical Reno today and receive some great perks!
Read more
What can we learn from the Green New Deal?
A bold and ambitious plan to tackle climate change known as the Green New Deal is building momentum in the United States.
Its backers herald it as a visionary approach that could create jobs while cutting emissions—uniting environmentalists, racial justice campaigners, workers, and indigenous activists. While its detractors claim that it is aspirational and impractical, the idea is ruffling feathers among fossil fuel backers.
Friends of the Earth Melbourne invites community members from all walks of life to meet for a forum to discuss what the Green New Deal means for climate action here in Australia.
Thursday March 21.
Read more
North East Link Alternatives
Residents in Melbourne's north eastern suburbs face a huge lack of transport options, leading thousands of commuters to rely upon their cars as the only reliable choice.
We've got a plan for ways to tackle the traffic and trucks clogging up streets across the North East Suburbs.
By reallocating the $16.5 billion price tag of the North East Link to a number of the projects outlined below, tax payer money will improve transport options and air quality, help protect open space, and reduce the greenhouse impacts of Victoria's transport system.
Rethink the North East Link. Invest in public transport and safety.
Senate Submission: Water Amendment (Purchase Limit Repeal) Bill 2019
When the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement passed with bipartisan support in 2012 it was hailed as the greatest environmental policy in Australia's history. The plan was to restore the health of the Murray Darling river system by returning water to the rivers, allowing them to flow.
The recent fish kills in Menindee and scattered throughout the Basin have come as a shock to the public, while local communities have been crying for help for years.Read more
MEDIA RELEASE: EPA Props Up Fossil Fuels by Approving Community-Opposed Brown Coal Project in Latrobe Valley
Environment group Friends of the Earth has criticized the Environment Protection Authority's decision to approve a trial brown coal to hydrogen project in Latrobe Valley on the 14th of February as a costly distraction from action on climate change.
The project is led by the multinational corporation Kawasaki Heavy Industries. It would involve building a test plant to extract hydrogen from brown coal from the Loy Yang mine to be exported to Japan. This trial project requires the dredging of fragile ecosystems in Westernport (home to an internationally recognised biosphere and RAMSAR listed wetlands) to enable the export of the hydrogen from the Port of Hastings, and if it reached full scale the injecting of carbon-waste into the seabed off Ninety Mile Beach using unproven and risky technology.Read more
February News
Support FoE's RADICAL RENOVATION Fundraiser
Friends of Earth Melbourne urgently needs to raise $10,000 to complete much-needed upgrades to our community meeting space in Collingwood.
There are great gifts on offer when you support the 'RADICAL RENO' crowdfunder. We've got merch from some of FoE's favourite artists, Sam Wallman, UBToipa and Catherine Hearse, amazing gift packs from the FoE food Coop and Cafe, holiday house weekends, wine, and more!!
With $5000 we can finish stage one of the project: the floors, the walls, a new kitchen, and accessibility rails on the stairs.
With $10,000 we can finish all that *and* start stage 2: transforming the room with tech and functional upgrades, so that we can maximise the space for banner painting, prop making, fundraisers, campaign events and meetings for FoE collectives and the broader activist community.
Help keep the heart of Melbourne activism beating, and ensure we can continue to provide a free, community meeting space for many years to come!Read more
Friends of the Earth urges State Government to Test Vegetables for PFAS Chemicals
Environmental organisation Friends of the Earth (FoE), today raised concerns about PFAS (Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) contaminants which may be present on food grown with recycled water in the Werribee South area of Victoria.
A recent study "Investigating recycled water use as a diffuse source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) to groundwater in Melbourne, Australia" published in Science of the Total Environment 644 (2018) 1409–1417 has revealed that recycled and groundwater from the Werribee South Irrigation District are contaminated with PFAS chemicals.
The PFAS laden water is applied to vegetables grown in the area. The likely source of the contaminated water is sewerage treated at the Western Treatment Plant, however FoE also believes that groundwater contamination may have been caused by the nearby RAAF Base Williams, Point Cook (Victoria), where PFAS fire fighting foam was used for many years.Read more
Menindee to lose the last of their fish
The latest announcement by NSW Minister for Regional Water Niall Blair on the lower Darling has been dubbed a political stunt by Menindee locals.
This morning, NSW DPI began relocating the remaining fish that have survived the blue green algal blooms and fish kills the Wentworth weir pool and Narrandera Fisheries hatchery.
This announcement comes over a week after the third mass fish kill in the area with locals expecting another in the coming days as temperatures are expected to drop once again. On Tuesday, Murray Cod and thousands of bony bream were seen congregating at weir 32, unable to enter the fish ladder and stuck gasping for air.Read more
Electric Vehicles no silver bullet
Switching our cars and trucks to electric vehicles fails to address the broader social and environmental implications of car-centric cities.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are not the silver bullet transformation for our transport industry. The momentum for change in transport is building, and EVs might be part of the change. But simply championing a technical switch to EVs we will miss the greater opportunity of this problem. Focusing too strongly on EVs will lock in existing problems around congestion, health and the liveability of our cities.
Read more


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The strangest thing happened this morning while I was up cleaning, praying and listening to the word of God! I heard noises in our chimney so I went to wake my husband. I felt by the sound of the noises that I heard, it was a bird and it was. My husband tried to release him to go back up the chimney but the bird didn't want to go back the same way he came in so the only other way was down and out and down he came, soaring all over the house just as free has he could be. As my husband and I just watched him soaring around the house, the bird finally landed on our fireplace in front of our big mirror. We watched the bird actually stretching his neck to see himself in the big mirror. He did this 3 times before he began soaring through the house once more. We couldn't past up the chance of the children seeing this bird in our house before we would release him. We woke the children up just to see this because we knew this was a once-in-a-life-time event. When the children saw it, they was really amused by it! They just laughed and giggled at the actions of this bird. My 2 year old son Isaiah decides to communicate with his new found friend because he flew down to Isaiah's height. This is so cute how Isaiah is just talking to this bird!
This is the exact bird that's in our house (yes, even as I'm typing)
BUT…the time has come for us to release him back into the place God created for him, outside in the open skies.
It's kind of sad to see him go. But this is a outside bird and needs to be where he belongs therefore, I'm happy that we could release him unharmed first from our chimney and now back to where he belongs.
Well…We opened the door to release him but he won't go out and we've tried fanning him away but he just keep flying around. Well, it's time for our morning prayer & worship so we'll try again afterwards.Maybe he wants to pray & sing with us, so we'll give him that chance.
Well about 30 minutes after singing and prayer we must get birdie out and back to where he belongs. My husband opens the door and our children surround him so there's no where else for him to go but out. And there he goes, back in the trees in the sky.
Oh, my 9 year old son Zhai'kale has such a tender heart and he sheds a few tears after the birds exit.


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This Thunderbolt™ cable enables the connection of external devices like displays, card readers, external HDD enclosures etc. with Thunderbolt™ interface. The technology which is based on PCI Express supports a data transfer rate of up to 10 Gb/s and focuses on more flexibility and speed. Thus you can operate your devices with highest performance.
Posted by Marina on 31st Aug 2014
I saw a friend using a thunderbolt cable and I desired to have mine due to its amazing performance. Though she was using the black one I decided to choose this white one….I like white color. I use the cable on my card reader which has a thunderbolt interface. I got attracted to it since my friend told me it is made of PCI express technology which favors transfer of data up to 10 Gb/s at a time. This cable is swift and facilitates high performance of the card reader. The cable is fitted with an Intel chipset which I find so convenient for data transfer through dual channel that makes bidirectional transfer possible. Also I am a fun of videos and the cable works perfectly for me as it supports video and data as well. This cable meets my needs when doing official assignments and when entertaining myself with videos and songs as well. It is the best cable ever!


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Organizational Development….Training…Communications…Human Resources Development…Who are you?!
I enjoy what I do. In fact, probably more than anyone should ever be allowed by law to enjoy their career choice. And yet, I have come to one tremendous realization: the field that I am in is going through an identity crisis right now. Trainer, OD Professional, Human Performance Technologist, Learning and Development Specialist…which one is right? As a member of many discussion groups across the "interweb" I have found that there are many that share this sentiment and it brings to light the question of how many others feel the same way? How many operational members, including leadership, question what the OD field really is or does?
That's what I hope to clarify a bit here. I don't claim to have all of the answers, and I strongly encourage anyone who has opinions and thoughts on this topic to leave a comment! I'm sure that there are many different opinions and explanations, and I for one would love to hear as many as are available.
So what is this Organizational Development thing? Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/organization_development) defines it as follows: "Organization development (OD) is a planned, organization-wide effort to increase an organization's effectiveness and viability. Warren Bennis, has referred to OD as a response to change, a complex educational strategy intended to change the beliefs, attitudes, values, and structure of organizationso that they can better adapt to new technologies, marketing challenges, and the dizzying rate of change itself. OD is neither "anything done to better an organization" nor is it "the training function of the organization"; it is a partucular kind of change process designed to bring about a particular end result. OD can involve interventions in the organization's "processes", using behavioral science knowledge, as well as organizational reflection, system improvement, planning, and self-analysis."
At www.businessdictionary.com/definition/organizational-development-OD.html the definition is slightly different: "(The) Theory and practice of planned, systematic change in the attitudes, beliefs, and values of the employees through creation and reinforcement of long-term training programs. OD is action oriented. It starts with a careful organization-wide analysis of the current situation and of the future requirements, and employs techniques of behavioral sciences such as behavior modeling, sensitivity training, and transactional analysis. Its objective is to enable the organization in adapting better to the fast-changing external environment of new markets, regulations, and technologies." At http://www.odportal.com/OD/whatisod.htm we find the explanation as: "There is no single definition of 'Organizational Development.' If we were to break it into its parts we can discover one meaning: 'Organization' has come to mean the coming together of people and resources to form a unit. 'Development' in its simplest form suggests change and grwoth. So OD could be defined as 'the practice of changing people and organizations for positive growth.'" You can also find definitions at http://ezinearticles.com/?organizational-development-definition&id=3893262 and http://www.odnetwork.org/aboutod/credo.php that are somewhat similar.
Why do I give so many references here? To show that no matter what spin is placed on the definition, ultimately Organizational Development is about helping businesses and their people succeed and grow. This happens through a company's people, and the processes that they complete (administrative, physical, relational, communication, etc.) every day. As it is with any profession there are many things that can fit in to the overall category. The same can be said for OD. For example change management, communications, training, business evaluation and analysis…these are all functions of OD. One of the most common misconceptions is that training is, by itself, OD. Training is only one tool in the overall OD system. More recently I have become quite aware that a major piece of OD is the communication function, but again this is only one tool in the overall OD system in my opinion. Many businesses and leaders would probably group OD in with Human Resources, which is not all together incorrect. OD does, in fact, generally fall under the umbrella of Human Resources (if for no other reason than they work with a businesses human capital). There needs to be a differentiation between the "Personnel Department" aspects of handling the administrative functions of employees versus the many functions of OD.
So where does this leave the OD definition, much less the function? Well, no matter the title that you place on it, the purpose is still ultimately the same: to help organizations and their people succeed and grow!


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China Telecom backbone transmission network Lanzhou-Urumchi-Germu WDM system project
This project covers over 4000km from Lanzhou to Germu via Urumchi, extending across three provinces: Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiangmany areas have an abominable climate with severe wind and sands. Under such harsh natural conditions, FiberHome W1600 series DWDM equipment still ensures stable operation with excellent performance. Along the whole route of this project, super FEC technology is deployed to improve the quality of signal, and real-time system performance monitoring is implemented by using OPM spectral analysis function.
Qinzhou - Beihai - Haikou DWDM Project
- This project is a 40λ *2.5G DWDM transmission system project and it is about 420 KM long from Qinzhou to Beihai.
- It includes 4 stations and 6 OMT.
- In this project the span is longer than normal, especially between Beihai-Linggao the attenuation is about 51.7dB, we use our out-band FEC technology and Raman amplifier to overcome this problem.
Shanghai - Hangzhou 80λ *40G DWDM Project
- This project is a 80λ *40G DWDM transmission system project and it is about 231 KMand it is about 231 KM long from Shanghai to Hangzhou.
- It includes 5 stations and 2 OMT.
The equipment used is GDB(ZD)40000-01-80
- C band: 40 channels + L band: 40 channels
- The biggest capacity is 3.2Tb/s
- G.655 OFC; the biggest PMD coefficient: 0.036 ps/√km
- System OSNR: 25.8dB


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What Is an ABBYY FineReader Sprint?by Kammy Pow
Users might recognize ABBYY FineReader Sprint as the application that comes bundled with their scanners and which appears by default when the user first installs the software CD. This optical character recognition, or OCR, software is a perennial favorite among scanner manufacturers. This "light" version provides basic OCR functionality, and users can choose to upgrade to the professional edition of FineReader for additional capabilities.
ABBYY FineReader Sprint provides one-button or one-click scan and read functionality. By clicking on "Scan to Microsoft Word" or "Scan to searchable PDF," for example, users can convert the contents of physical documents to electronic formats that are compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel and Adobe Acrobat. The application also includes a feature called Innovative ADRT, which attempts to retain the formats and layouts of the original document, although poor document quality may affect the output. Options within the program allow users to improve the quality of a scanned document by altering the resolution, mode and brightness of a scan. ABBYY Screenshot Reader, an on-screen capture application, is part of the FineReader package.
OCR Technology
ABBYY FineReader Sprint employs ABBYY recognition technology to distinguish between characters and formatting elements in a scanned image. The program first analyzes the structure of the scanned image and divides the document into blocks of text, tables and other formatting elements. It identifies potential words and characters in the document, compares these against predefined data contained within the program and makes a decision on its context. Because ABBYY FineReader provides support for 36 languages, OCR can extend its recognition set to include comparisons to characters in these languages. Adaptive recognition technology processes and presents the content of digital images.
ABBYY FineReader Sprint is considered the "light" version of ABBYY's spectrum of OCR software, which includes the full-featured ABBYY FineReader Professional package for both Mac and Windows operating systems. ABBYY allows users to download free trial versions of the software, with scanning capacity for 15 pages and processing capacity for 50 pages total. In addition to FineReader Sprint and FineReader Professional, ABBYY offers a FineReader Express for the small business or home office user.
System Requirements
Current versions, as of publication date, of FineReader Sprint require that users operate Windows 2000 or higher on PCs or Mac OS X. Computers should reserve 250 megabytes of hard disk space for installation and maintain at least 512 megabytes of hard disk space for normal operations. The software supports a variety of document formats, including BMP, GIF, DCS and JPEG, for example.
Photo Credits
- Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images


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*Credit is subject to status and application.
Triple Glazing Inveresk.The Advanced Group Windows are the highest regarded Double Glazing & Triple Glazing specialists within the UK.
Fitting Triple Glazed doors & windows in your home can prove to be one of the best investments you can make in both improving the price of your property in addition to making your home significantly more energy efficient. This particular investment can both make you money as well as help you save money giving you amazing value.
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The reality that we manufacture every one of our Double Glazed windows means that we can remain seriously competitive on price without compromise towards quality of the Double Glazed windows and doors we produce. Triple Glazing Inveresk. Double Glazed doors & windows choices incorporate all the common configurations including Casement Windows, Tilt & Turn, Sash Windows and Conservatories etc.
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Event Information
Date of race: Saturday, 12th of September 2015
Start and finish point: "AgnostosStratiotis" Square
Ρrize-age categories:
Participation Fee: None
Distance: 21.000 m
Time: 15:00
All the participants who finish the race will receive a certificate of participation and a medal.
The first three winners of the 21km race will get a Cup.
All the kids who take part in the race will receive a certificate of participation and a medal
Prizes: The first three winners will receive a Cup
Registration form: All athletes should be recruited 5 days before the race i.e. until 07/09/2015.
WARNING: All information provided in the registration form should be fully completed.
Insurance policy: A doctor and The Samaritans Group will be present throughout the whole event.All of the participants compete by their own responsibility
Water stations: there will be water at the finish lines:
1. "AgnostosStratiotis" square- " LikioEllinidon"
2. "AgnostosStratiotis" square- Hotel Pearl.
Race route: Marina – "AgnostosStratiotis "square


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Natalie's Wars
What's the gist of Natalie's Wars?
Natalie's Wars is the story of a woman who struggles through World War II on the homefront and then with a husband suffering from PTSD in the years after he returns from combat and capture in Europe. In 1942, Natalie Pisano hastily marries Bill Costello before he ships out to fight the war in Europe. While Bill suffers through horrific combat episodes and eventual capture, Natalie goes to work at a defense plant. Overcoming self-doubt and opposition, Natalie's uncanny ability to solve logistical problems leads to promotions from the tool sheds to trouble-shooter for the Director of Operations. But Natalie must grapple with the consequences of an affair, her father's involvement in a ration coupon forgery scheme, and her mother's revelation of a long-held secret that upends the family. When Bill returns, the worsening effects of his PTSD spiral into violent episodes that force Natalie to fight one more battle to save Bill and her family.
What inspired you to write this story?
I've always been fascinated by the lives of people whose lives change in dramatic and unexpected ways. In my first novel, Kevin, the protagonist in Sputnik Summer, is coming of age which is not remarkable in itself, but he witnesses a homicide and what he does in the aftermath changes his life. As I began to think of other projects, I realized that the lives of the people who lived through World War II and its aftermath were an incredibly rich store of characters and stories. I was born at the outset of World War II and grew up in the post-war years – largely unaware of the extraordinary, even momentous, events in the lives of people around me. They were simply there—family, friends, and neighbors – behaving in ways that seemed largely unremarkable to me. It wasn't until later that I began to appreciate the exceptional lives these people lived. Many were recent immigrants and had gone through the Great Depression. When World War II broke out, the young men went off for two, three, even four years, only connected to their families by infrequent v-mail. The young women were thrust into roles they hadn't anticipated and nothing had prepared them for. And when the veterans returned, many damaged in ways not fully understood, they (and their families) entered a post-war world dramatically changed from the one they'd left. I wanted to create characters who captured part of these extraordinary times and are, to paraphrase David Lodge, an amalgam of what I experienced, what I observed, what I read, and what I imagined.
Why Natalie?
Women like Natalie have been often idealized as heroic "Rosie-the-Riveters." I didn't set out to undermine this iconic view, but I imagined that many young women whose husbands, fiancés, and boyfriend had gone off to the service in World War II faced the kinds of challenges that beset Natalie – suddenly on their own, often working alongside men factories, and untethered from many traditional norms and roles. They led complicated lives. I also enjoyed the challenge of writing largely from a woman's point of view and imagining how her character dealt with these circumstances and challenges. After the war, Natalie faces the challenge of a husband psychologically damaged by his experiences in combat and as a POW. While these may not be typical, they do highlight the fact that the experiences of men (and women) who went through the war in the service or on the home front faced a post-war world that decidedly did not simply pick up where it left off in 1942. Even if not as radical as that experienced by Bill, those experiences in the service had to reshape the way they viewed themselves, their families, and the post-war world to which they returned. The GI Bill for example, provided millions of men the opportunity of a college education that changed their lives and would not have otherwise been something they would have expected before the war. Post-war prosperity was a boon – and a challenge. Millions of families like Natalie's were launched from traditional working class lives into a new and daunting middle class. New homes in suburbia, a car in every garage, white collar rather than factory jobs, frozen food, Tupperware, menus from women's magazines that were as much about how to live this middle class life as what new dishes to put on the table. These guide-books and artifacts of the new middle-class often put them at odds with the norms with which they grew up as well as those still prominent in the working class lives of their parents and some of their cohorts.
What about Bill?
Fortunately, Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome has become an important concern for Americans. But millions more men (and some women) experienced combat and related traumatic experiences in World War II than in America's late-twentieth century wars. My research indicated that contemporary Americans were probably more familiar with the term "shell shock" – an artifact of World War I – than less specific concepts of "battle fatigue" which seemed more applicable to survivors of the long term stress of service in a war zone than single traumatic events. Bill's "battle fatigue" ultimately has dramatic consequences, but I was taken by what might be the long-term impact of years of service in combat zones or simply divorced from normal civilian life. After the war, Bill returns psychologically damaged by his experiences in combat and as a POW. Even if not as radical as that experienced by Bill, those experiences in the service had to reshape the way they viewed themselves, their families, and the post-war world they returned to. The GI Bill for example, provided millions of men the opportunity of a college education that changed their lives and would not have otherwise been something they would have expected before the war.
What sources did you use in writing the novel?
As a researcher, delving into the background of the story was as much, sometimes more, satisfying than actually writing the story. Fortunately, I discovered a rich array of sources for Natalie's Wars. I relied on my memories of the lives of my family, their friends, neighbors, and others I observed in the years after World War II. It wasn't until years later that I realized what I thought, as a young person, were people whose unremarkable lives were shaped by extraordinary events and circumstances. In addition to these recollections of life after World War II, I was able to get access to diaries, letters, photographs and other documents from World War II and the years following. Some recorded oral histories were another important source of background material. In addition, the rich fiction and non-fiction literature, especially that focusing on the lives of women working in defense plants and otherwise involved on the home front, provided a wealth of background material. Newspapers and magazines from the war and post-war years were other important sources. The Watervliet Arsenal is the most important setting for the novel. John Snyder, Arsenal Public Affairs Officer gave me a copy of the excellent history of the Arsenal, Watervliet Arsenal: A History of America's Oldest Arsenal,8th edition, 2013 along with supplemental information and answers to specific questions about the Arsenal.
Is there a sequel to Natalie's Wars?
Yes. My first draft begins on New Year's Eve, 1949 and follows Natalie and other characters from Natalie's Wars into the first year of the 1950s, facing new challenges.
Natalie's Wars is available from Amazon.com in paperback – $14.95 or ebook – $4.99 as well as select local bookstores.
A teenager's testimony about a homicide rips apart an Adirondack resort town.
It's only a month into the summer of 1958, and 17-year old Kevin Boyle is already in trouble with an older girl. And a priest who's zeroing in on Communists and degenerate books in the library is way too interested in his sex life. When he thinks nothing else can go wrong he sees his best friend's brother shove a tourist to his death at a lakeside hangout. Or did he?
By the time the coroner's inquest comes around, half the town thinks he's caused the drop in tourism. The other half think he's mixed up with the suspect librarian, and his friends are sure he's sold out to the lawyer who's dangling a college scholarship and loan to his financially-strapped parents for the right testimony. Whatever Kevin says at the inquest will change his life.
Set in an Adirondack resort town, Sputnik Summer is a story of what happens when simmering tensions between tourists and the folks who rent to and wait on them every summer boil over. Dramatic events force characters to question whether they can trust their friends. What secrets could ruin their lives if revealed? What lies will they tell to get what they want?
Following is a recent interview with Paul Castellani.
Does Sputnik Summer have a theme?
I shy away from beginning a novel with a theme or a moral or a program in mind. Nonetheless, I've always been interested in people on the margins: people trying to move up; people trying to keep from falling back; and people caught in between. So, I think about characters and situations in which this struggle on the margins is central to the story. The protagonist in Sputnik Summer, Kevin Boyle, is seventeen years old, so he's coming of age – coping with the challenge of becoming an adult. He wants to move out of his small town. And in his desire for more excitement in his last summer in Hawk Cove, he leaves his college-bound friends behind and joins the town's faster crowd. Running a resort and having the stability of his father's teaching job puts Kevin's family a little farther up the ladder than many others in Hawk Cove, especially those who scrabble to get in the twenty weeks that qualify them for unemployment checks that will carry them through the winter. And in every resort town, there is an underlying tension between the "natives" who rent to, wait on – and often resent – the tourists who take over their town every summer. All of these are problems of being on the margins and moving from one situation to another – and they all spell trouble for Kevin.
Was there one thing that stimulated you to write this novel?
A tourist-townie baseball game that ended badly. I played on the townie side in a game not unlike the one in the novel. It was a one-off, not an annual event as in the novel, but it ended in an obscenity-laced fist fight between a kid I was palling around with and a tourist. There I was standing on the margin, the son of the owner of a cottage colony, watching my summer pal (whose single mother was a waitress) cursing the tourists, who were "demographically" closer to me than I was to my pal. I remember being confused, disconcerted. My pal was clearly out of line, but he was my pal. The memory ambushed me on and off for fifty years. Finally, I decided that there was the core of a novel in that time and that setting. I started Sputnik Summer "in the middle" with that pivotal episode and wrote up to it and then its aftermath.
The chapters of Sputnik Summer are days of the week: Sunday, July 13, for example. But you also have "headlines" and slogans for each day. Tell me more about this.
When I began to place the story in a time as well as a place, I realized that 1958 was a year with so many world-shaking events, I scarcely could imagine why so many think of the 1950s as a bland. Between May, 1958 and Labor Day: The Soviet Union launched its third Sputnik on a huge rocket with ICBM capability. The French Fourth Republic fell, and General Charles De Gaulle assumed power. Vice-President Nixon's motorcade was stoned in Venezuela. In May, 69 people were killed in one of several airline disasters that year. Communists scored big election gains in Italy and Finland. A civil war raged in Lebanon, and President Eisenhower sent in the Marines. Turkey invaded and occupied half of Cyrus. Governor Orville Faubus and President Eisenhower were battling in court over the integration of public schools in Little Rock. The Soviets pulled out of negotiations in Geneva over Atomic Bomb talks. The Iraq government was overthrown in a Nassar-backed coup. Castro's rebels were kidnapping Americans and on the verge of taking power in Cuba. And that was all before Labor Day.
Even though the characters in Sputnik Summer live in a small town in the Adirondacks and visit from surrounding cities, they are obviously aware of these events from newspapers, radios, and television news. I didn't want to shoe-horn these events into the story. So, the headers of each chapter are New York Times headlines from that date. I wanted them to create a tone, a sense, a feeling of the tenor of the times. I also wanted to capture some of the cultural history. Hula Hoops. Elvis. Father Knows Best. The Millionaire. The Beats. The Communist threat. Get rich schemes on matchbooks. Hot Rods. I picked up a number of popular magazines from 1958 and used quotes from them for sub-headings. Which Twin Has the Tony; See the USA in Your Chevrolet; Learn Accounting at Home.
What do you want readers to take away from Sputnik Summer?
First and foremost, I want them to feel they've read a good story. I try to make my characters as complex and engaging as possible, but for me telling a good story is the primary objective. Beyond that, I think the core problems of friendship, loyalty, deception, ambition, and deciding who you are going to become are timeless, and I hope I provide a unique and engaging perspective on them. And, I hope within the context of a good story, Sputnik Summer takes on the issues of sexual abuse, the place of gay people in society, and the tensions between the diverse groups in a resort town in 1958. What's the same? What's different? And I've attended many readings and book discussions where readers surprise the author with what they've taken away from the novel.
Sputnik Summer is available from your local bookseller, Amazon.com and North Country Books, Utica, NY 1-800-342-7409 ww.northcountrybooks.com


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A record number of small businesses faced downsizing or closure throughout the end of 2017, as sluggish demand and rising operating costs batter the industry.
According to a new survey published by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), 14 per cent of small businesses are now expecting to scale down or stop trading, with retailers among the least optimistic.
A further 75 per cent reported rising operating costs over the first three quarters of 2017, while the FSB's confidence index dropped into negative territory for the second time in five years.
Inflation and wavering consumer demand have meant 41 per cent of small businesses surveyed reported a fall in profits.
Nearly a third of companies expect their performance to continue its downward trend into the next quarter.
"While the swift agreement of a transitional arrangement and an ambitious free trade agreement with the EU are absolutely critical, it's spiralling costs, weak growth and flagging consumer demand at home that are front of mind for small firms day to day," FSB chairman Mike Cherry said.
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Growing Blueberries - When and How to Grow Blueberries In Your Garden
Fresh Blueberries
Blueberries have gained a lot of favor recently as a health food that is high in antioxidants. Nonetheless, they are a delicious treat and like most fruits, they always taste better when fresh from the garden. But how do you grow your own blueberries?
Blueberries grow on bushes that bear fruit for several years, so it can be a worthwhile investment of your time, money and efforts. You should also know that it takes a couple of years for blueberries to start producing depending on the variety you plant, unlike it's well-known companion strawberries.
Spotlight On Blueberries
Types of Blueberry Bushes and Their Hardy Zone
The first step in growing blueberries is to identify the type of blueberry bush that will grow best in your area. You need to make sure that the bush is suited to your hardiness zone. There are four basic target varieties of blueberries.
Highbush: This is the most common commercially grown type of bush and can grow over six feet tall. It produces larger fruit than some other varieties, is hardy up to zone 4, and can be grown in much of the south as well.
Half High Blueberries: Not quite as tall as the highbush, but are hardy as far north as zone 3. Somewhat smaller fruit than highbush as well.
Lowbush Blueberries: These are not as erect as the other varieties, growing up to 18 inches in height. They spread in growth through runners, acting like a groundcover and not as much as bushes. Hardy to zone 3, but does not do well in the south, these are much more a northern variety.
Rabbiteye blueberries: These are better for the south and are native to parts of the Southeast. These are the tallest variety of all and are hardy in zones 7 through 9.
Preparing the Soil to Grow Blueberries
Blueberries are related to azaleas and rhododendrons, and like very acidic soil similar to their plant cousins. The best soil pH would be about 4.5. They require some soil preparation, with a good first step mixing in a few bushels of peat moss. After that, test the soil again, and add sulfur to get the pH to the targeted range. It is best to use a soil gauge to check the proper soil levels.
Most blueberry plants have fairly shallow roots and since they will be in place for years the preparation of the soil is critical. The best is a loamy mix, consisting of 4-7% organic matter like compost. If the combination of acidity and drainage is not feasible you may want to consider raised garden beds.
Planting Blueberries Together
When to Plant Blueberry Bushes
How many bushes should you plant? That, of course, will vary with the size of the family you want to feed, but four to six bushes can service an average family. The spacing should be five to six feet for the large varieties, and maybe three feet for the lowbush blueberries.
Wait to plant until after the last frost date. When you are planting, dig a hole about 18 inches deep and 18 inches in diameter, which will accommodate plants grown in containers quite easily. As you pack the soil in around the root ball, cover the stem slightly. This will encourage runner development.
Care of Blueberry Bushes
These bushes need at least one or two inches of water per week. Keep in mind that tap water can affect the pH and mineral content of the soil so when possible use rainwater. To help retain water and reduce watering needs a two-to-four inch layer of organic mulch is recommended. This will naturally help suppress the weeds as well.
Use a fertilizer that won't increase the pH of the soil. It's also best to avoid concentrated fertilizers, since it is easy to damage the roots of your bushes if these aren't properly diluted. Organic fertilizers like soybean or cottonseed meal work very well, or you might use an organic azalea fertilizer as they are formulated to maintain a lower soil pH.
Blueberry bushes will likely not blossom until their second year, and many suggest removing any blossoms the first year to encourage stronger root systems and improve the long term yields of the bushes.
Controlling BIrds and Other Pests
Birds are the most common pest problem with blueberries. The simplest solution to controlling birds is bird netting. Just remember that when you put up bird netting, the birds can land on the ground and walk under it unless you secure it to the ground around the bushes. Sometimes you may have problems with rabbits or other small rodents. An effective solution there is to put a small chicken wire fence around your blueberries.
Another solution is to use a motion activated sprinkler.
Pruning Blueberry Bushes
You probably won't need to prune your blueberry bushes for the first three years. Again, removing blossoms in the first year to stimulate strong new growth is encouraged. When the time comes to prune, do it in in the early spring on dormant plants. Thin out the dead and weak growth, and be sure to open up the middle of the plant to allow light and air to the center of the plant. Remember the blossoms bud out of two year old or older growth. Finally, when you have fruit set, like any fruit tree or bush, it's important to thin it out as if too many berries are on the bush they will not develop adequately.
Harvesting Blueberries
Harvesting blueberries can be done by shaking the bush. Place a container, screen or towel under the bush. When they are ripe, they will simply fall out into your chosen vessel. Or, if you are harvesting wild blueberries, it is more than likely you will want to hand-pick the berries from the bush.
There is nothing like a handful of fresh berries to go plop on your breakfast cereal, bowl of ice cream or just plain pop them in your mouth! Blueberries are an excellent food for lower your cholesterol.
thanx john
iv got 0ne blueberry bush it 2 this year in i was told to take flowers off the bush so next year i will get a better crop one thing i did notice was when i was taking the flowers off the flower them selfs were brown and in side there was no berry i have black currents as well and when there flowers come on you could see a berry starting to form after flower was on for so long but blueberry nothing so i took old and new flowers off so the bush gets better for next year hoping fingers crossed what you think john
Very enjoyable and informative article. I actually got a small crop this year from two blueberry plants in containers on the porch. Over the past two weeks there have been about one quart of berries ripen. It was great picking a handful each day then storing them in the freezer for use in recipes.
I have 4 or 5 year old blueberry bushes that every year set on small, hard, green berries. Tissues berries never ripen into fruit. Last year, the berries did actually turn blue, but they never grew large enough to pickl. Any ideas on what I need to do?
hi hub my blueberrys are in pots it my second year round i did not get eny fruit first year so this year hoping i do could you tell me when fruit comes on the bush thanx hub
Can I plan blueberry in South Viet Nam ?
Whoohooo to Blueberries !!!
I think I'm gonna buy some and plant them in pots.
What do you think of the little giant blueberries? If you haven't heard of them they are offered at http://littlegiantblueberry.com. I was wondering if you think this is a good deal or if $10 for three plants is so cheap that they have to be crap?
If you have trouble with rodents eating them, just use repellents. I use DeFence for my garden and now don't have any problems with rabbits or deer. And it's cheap too. I got mine for $12 at my local lawn & garden store. I'm getting my next bottle online though. You get 10% off if you sign up for the e-newsletter.
Here's the stuff I'm talking about:
I have planted 3 different blueberry bushes and planted them in 1/2 wine barrels. I followed the soil recommendations, but the companies instructions recommended cutting back the initial branches after planting to encourage root browth. I did that after 3 days in the soil, but we have had a frost since planting and I am worried they have died. How do I tell?
Nice article. It's good to see encouragement for growing fruit. One of my recent blog entries suggested blueberries: http://www.smallkitchengarden.net/small-kitchen-ga... I'm going to add a link so my readers can learn more about it from your hub page.
Thanks for th eadditonal info John,
My littlest one and I planted a highbush seedling this past winter and almost immediately it flowered and now has set five little fruit. I have warned everyone not to touch them and that I will destribute them when they ripen.....or else!
Craig Rees Cowden
Oh, you made me hungry for blueberries. They are soo yummy!


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Search for: "HENRY v. LOUISIANA" Results 1 - 20 of 129
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Fifth Circuit Reverses Lower Court Denial of Motion To Strike Under La. Anti-Slapp Statute In Defamation Case
15 May 2009, 8:38 am
In Henry v. [read post]
21 Jun 2017, 5:10 pm
12 Apr 2019, 5:33 am
3 Dec 2007, 8:48 am
More on Snyder v. [read post]
29 Jan 2016, 11:26 am
In 1963 Henry Montgomery was a 17 year old living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. [read post]
25 Jan 2016, 8:42 am
The case involves Henry Montgomery, convicted in 1963 of murdering a deputy sheriff at the... [read post]
A year after denial, Henry Montgomery (of Montgomery v. Louisiana) to get parole reconsideration by parole board
28 Jan 2019, 8:46 am
11 Nov 2015, 10:47 am
Louisiana: Retroactive Application of Miller v. [read post]
23 Mar 2015, 1:12 pm
In Montgomery v Louisiana [docket], the court was asked [cert. petition, PDF] to determine whether, in light of Miller v. [read post]
14 Oct 2015, 6:46 am
Louisiana [transcript, PDF] the court heard arguments on whether [SCOTUSblog backgrounder] the court's 2012 decision in Miller v. [read post]
16 Jul 2020, 6:26 am
In the 2018 case, Murphy v. [read post]
17 Jun 2012, 6:35 pm
Henry Trueba, Plyler v. [read post]
18 Feb 2018, 8:07 pm
Noting that Henry Montgomery (and many other juve LWOPers) are still awaiting impact from Montgomery
16 May 2016, 7:00 am
25 Apr 2019, 4:00 am
In November, 2011, Henry Moore, Jr. visited the Murphy Oil gas station and convenience store in Hammond, Louisiana. [read post]
21 Jun 2016, 9:01 pm
Louisiana that Miller v. [read post]
19 Mar 2018, 4:42 am
Henry; Mila Kitt; Beverly J. [read post]
23 Feb 2016, 9:23 am
Louisiana and Miller v. [read post]
14 Sep 2015, 12:11 pm
In March, the Justices agreed to hear the appeal of Henry Montgomery of Baton Rouge, who is seeking retroactive application of the Court's decision in Miller v. [read post]
Supreme Court's Ruling That Juvenile Sentences of Life Without Parole are Unconstitutional can be Applied Retroactively, Opening the Possibility of Release for Numerous Adults Who Received Mandatory Life Without Parole Sentences as Juveniles
17 Feb 2016, 6:06 am
In 1963, just two weeks after his 17th birthday, Henry Montgomery killed Charles Hunt, a Louisiana deputy sheriff. [read post]


text: In anticipation of his upcoming Predictive Analytics World for Workforce conference presentation, Real World Lessons in Predicting Employee Retention and Engagement, we interviewed Mike Rosenbaum, Founder and CEO at Arena. View the Q-and-A below to see how Mike Rosenbaum has incorporated predictive analytics into the workforce at Arena. Also, glimpse what's in store for the new PAW Workforce conference,


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Beth McCarthy
About The Teacher
Yoga Therapist, Viniyoga Teacher, Author and Certified Retreat Leader
Colorado Springs'only certified Structural Yoga Therapist and author of Women's Awakening Joy. Beth will lead this overnight retreat designed to inspire and rejuvenate the whole you. read more about Beth at www.healingthroughyoga.net
Beth is MPEC's favorite yoga retreat leader and has lead multiple retreats throughout the seasons. Her warm and welcoming style along with her "structural yoga therapy" background makes anyone coming to the retreats feel really safe and supported in their persona body needs. Beth oozes inspiration by the way she leads classes and by strong leadership skills.Source: hikeandlearn.secure.retreat.guru


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05:10 Friday 12th December 2008: Sailaway (my crew for the first part of the race) and I arrive at Twofold Bay Eden. We park the car with trailer for an easy get away for Luis when more crews arrive. We walk down to the beach and find only Spud & Dog and their crews are on there. It is still dark but a beautiful morning; not cold but also not hot, perfect for running. People start arriving and the nervous talk starts with lots of hand shaking and comments like "have a great race mate" or "see you at the end" meaning I can not run as fast as you and will not see you for the whole race.
For some runners this is the second or even fourth time on this start line, but for others it is the first time. I was in their shoes last year, all nervous and not sure if I was up to the task ahead. Well I was last year and I think "this year is a different race so don't count your chickens before they hatch". It sure ended up being a totally different race to 2007. Paul and Diane turn up and lots of photos are being taken and suddenly we are off running up the beach to the car park.
It is so nice that all we have is a three, two, one count down and a go. I slot in behind Milov and in front of Tim (for about 30 seconds). We get to the road and jog across the bridge and Tim and Jo go off into the distance like it's a 10km race. I just jog slowly, it is a long way. I get to the first hill and start walking and Kerry catches me up we have bit of a chat. It went like this (sort of):
"Hi I'm Kevin or Brick"
"Hi I'm Kerrie. Martin (Martin Fryer) told me I would most likely run a similar pace to you."
This gives me a bit of a boost thinking people like Martin looked at my splits from the previous year.
Actually far too many people mentioned that I had target on my back for this year's race which worried me a bit at the start. Why (you might ask)? Well after last years perfect race I had started 2008 with C2K as my target race. It's only my second year doing ultras and I was hoping to do a little bit better than last year. Maybe sub 35 hrs and if a perfect race, sub 34hrs was my target. Basically all of 2008 had something go wrong which did not give me much confidence and 13 days before I had a bad stomach flu or some thing that knocked me around a lot. Sorry, I digress.
Where were we?....Kerry and I are walking up quite a steep hill and Trout catches up. I tell him to walk the hills as it is a long way so he slows down and walks with me. Trout has asked me a few questions over the last few months which I was happy to help him out with. This in my mind is one of the best parts of Ultra running - the camaraderie between runners is amazing. Never in any sports I have done is it such an integral part that everybody helps each other out. From the fast guys who win races down to the back of the pack people , it is all one happy family. Sorry, I digress again.
We all happily walk up the hills and jog the rest until we come out onto the road at 3.9kms and meet our crews for the first of many times. Sailaway asks me if I want anything. I say "No I am okay, see you in 4-5kms" and I keep running. Milov is pulling away from me which was expected as he is a stronger runner than me - so I am happy and myself, Kerry & Trout run together for a while, chatting. We get to a small hill and I walk again but Kerry keeps running and Trout walks with me. Kerry is gone as she speeds up and passes Milov who is still in sight. I am just running my race and concentrating on what I need to do for the next day and a half. Trout checks with me that it is okay for him to tag along for while, which is fine because company is always nice.
Trout has big crew of 4 people. I get to meet them all over the next few hours. The weather is perfect as we run along. Every 4-5kms we meet up with Sailaway and get food & drink. Everything is going well. Trout's crew are getting a bit toey just passing him food and drink so they keep joining us for a run or ride. First it was Craig running and then Rosey on the bike. Later we also had Chad (I think he is Craig's son) - a nice kid, about 11 years old.
Anyways, we just keep going along like this for a while which is perfect, and get to the Marathon point at 4:30, feeling comfortable. It is great - right on target for a sub 34hr, but still with a long way to go. The next big checkpoint is 50kms and we get to this point in 5:21. Cool, everything is still feeling nice and easy, so I am very happy so far, counting chickens and all that stuff. Next are the mannequins in the field. This is not a timing mark - just a special place for me. Last year my crew (Luis, Colin & John) all nuded up with the mannequins. I wasn't expecting to see Colin & John, so knew it wouldn't be the same.
We go around the corner and see the mannequins and I see Colin naked in the field and then Luis and then I blink and spot Santa in a red G string... no it's John. This makes my day and I laugh out loud same as last year and we carry on running. We run for what seems an age, with no sign of my crew. Trout gets food/water from his crew but mine are no where to be seen. I did get some water and sweets at this point from his crew which was good as I was getting a bit low. Later I found out that the guys waited in the mannequin field for Horrie and scared the crap out of all runners between myself and Horrie (females and males alike). Just like last year, great fun.
Next target mark for me is the top of Big Jack mountain - 63.5kms. A few kms down the road I am told that somebody is catching us quickly. I don't even look back. It's still a long way to go and there are some very fast people ahead as well as behind me. About 2kms later Whippet catches up and says he is surprised he has caught us up so soon. I'm not - he is so fit I was expecting him to catch and pass me. Whippet is about 25 minutes ahead of Tim so his crew will have a hard time of it if they do not get close together. Whippet says he is going to stop at the bottom of Big Jack and wait for him. These guys race together a lot which is cool. Such a friendship is a rare find.
Trout and I get the bottom of Big Jack Mountain and just keep going. There are lots of crews at the bottom but neither mine or Trout's, so we just start walking up Big Jack. This is one hell of a hill, about 7kms long and as we start going up it starts raining again. This time it's only light rain - last year it was thunder & lightning and only lasted 15 minutes. This year it lasts hours. But onwards and upwards was my thought.
We get to the top of Big Jack mountain and just keep going, with both Trout's and my crews stopping about every 4-5 kms. Everything is still going well. During our walk up Big Jack we caught up to Milov. So now there is three - "The three amigos" I think, but do not say anything to the others. I just have an inward laugh. Actually I think Rosey caught me laughing because she looked at me a bit weird just after that.
We get to the Monarao Highway and Milov is pulling away again. I tell Trout to go with him as they are both stronger runners than me, so off he goes and I just run along by myself for while with cars and trucks thundering by - their drivers most likely wondering what these mad people are doing, running in the rain all the way out here.
I fell into some kind of zen state at this point because I really can't remember much of the road running, I just did it. The next thing I remember is I am running on a side road and I have passed Kim Cook, Lachlan Fraser, Trout and Milov. I don't remember passing them nor at what distance it happened. My next timing marker is the 100km mark and I am using my Garmin, but it seemed like a long time coming. At least I could see somebody ahead - it was Kerry. Just as I passed the big dead tree which marks the 102km mark my Garmin says 100 on the dot. I reset my Garmin so as not to lose data, and start it again (technical reasons). I am still eating and drinking well and slowly catch Kerry. I'm not sure at what time or distance I pass Kerry, but I did, and my crew tell me I am in 5th position. I am really surprised, I was not expecting to get that close to the front of the field and then I remind myself about chickens and counting again. "OK Kevin pull your head in, still a long way to go".
The next big target in my mind is Dalgety at 147kms so I just keep on going. At some point Luis got on the bike and started riding with me again. The time and distance was not recorded in my mind. This zen running is really cool - kilometres just go by and do not hurt - nor do I even need to think about them at all. Milov told me about this state of running but I do not think I have ever been in it before. Again, I think it is cool.
We get into Dalgety and I had forgotten that we had medical check so when a guy walks up to Luis and I and starts asking questions, it takes me while to work out what is happening, but eventually I do (This took only seconds, by the way, but in mind it took a while). So I get asked how I am feeling - "Fine". I get asked to rate how I feel as a number between 0-10 - "6 or 7". The Doctor tells me most people in front have said a similar number, "Cool", I think "everybody ahead is feeling good." I really did think this, by the way - I really wanted everybody to have a great race ahead or behind, it comes from the comradery stuff mentioned before.
After no time at all we are off past Dalgety and in the high country. Dalgety really marks arriving in the high country for me. The night is perfect - not cold or hot - just perfect, and I still feel great. Amazing, having already covered about 150kms. My next target is the roundabout. I reached it last year in just under 25 hrs. Last year this was also my really bad patch where I was feeling low on energy an walking very slow. This year I kept eating and drinking. Not eating enough as far as my crew were thinking, but I did remind Luis that the coke & water was extra energy and was still going down well. We arrived at the roundabout one hour and 40 minutes faster than last year, so it was still dark. I crossed the road and got onto the bike path. Last year John was with me at this point, I think, so Luis did not have a clue which way to go. I kind of remembered, so off we went. Luckily I did remember going through the caravan park and we get back to the road and see a sign that says 38kms to Charlotte Pass - at least that is what I remember.
This has got to be the longest 38kms in the world for sure. I start walking because it is up hill with a slight head wind, but nothing major. We have only gone a couple of kms and we see Blue Dog's campervan at the side of the road. As we get closer Sarge gets out. I say hi and just keep walking on past and think nothing more about it except the crew needed a sleep as it is a long race for runners and crew alike. Colin stops and has a chat with Sarge and then catches up to me and tells me I am now in 4th spot. I look at him with disbelief and ask him is Wayne inside, he tells me "no he is about 500 meters behind you".
Again I never look back, I just don't like to. Dog catches me within about 1km and says he will walk with me for a while. This only lasts about 750 meters as he and Sarge slowly pull away. Colin asks me if I am going to race him, I say "I am just doing my thing if I catch him then I do but I'm not chasing him". I would like to say at this point I never expected to see anybody from in front of me - just maybe some people passing me from behind. At this point I am getting a bit paranoid about how far back Milov is - will he catch me? And if so, when? Bernie went back to Jindabyne to get some supplies so would have this info as she passed us which was good. When Bernie eventually went past me, she told me Milov was about 6kms back. I think "okay, keep walking and jogging when possible and you will be okay but you need to jog the flats and down hills". This was not to be.
The closer we got to Charlotte Pass, the stronger the wind was - getting to the point that even going down you needed to fight against the wind. My crew had already started talking about the race maybe stopping at Charlotte Pass, they asked me how I felt about that idea. I was okay with it, if it was for a good reason like safety. Not much further and the rain and wind picked up and it got a lot colder. The weather changed within about a 1km stretch.
Paul and Diane came by and told us it got a lot worse higher up, and the race was finishing at Charlotte Pass - 18km short of the original distance. It was simply not safe to go to the summit and the Strezleki monument. As I said, I was okay with the decision. I did try to do some jogging down some hills but it was useless against the wind so I just walked as fast as I could. I was nearly blown off my feet at Smiggins Holes, which worried me a bit, but I had been in worse conditions on mountains and out at sea so thought it was okay, if a bit uncomfortable. By the time I got to Perisher Village, only 1.6kms after Smiggins Holes, you needed to fight for every step. I was being blown back 4-5 steps at times and sideways 2-3 steps.
This was crazy stuff and it was so cold. The wind was so strong that Colin and I had to shout at each other to be heard. The rain had changed to horizontal sleet. I was getting cold so decided to stop and put another layer on underneath my rain jacket. I also put a woollen balaclava on to keep my face warm, but my legs still felt okay with just shorts on (Go figure?). I got about another 300 meters and the ice in the rain got worse and so did the wind and I stopped feeling okay. My legs felt like ice and I stopped John in the car and put my over pants on.
What a difference - I was warm again instantly. Colin stayed with me from this point on which is amazing as it was freezing cold, wet, windy and he just walked in it all the way with me. The guys who had finished ahead of me had started coming off the mountain and they all stopped and gave encouragement to keep going which is great support from some amazing athletes. For the last, I guess, 15kms to go we had changed to John and Luis going 1 km ahead and giving us cups of tea and chocolate as I asked for it. The visibility was down to about 10-12 metrss but eventually we could see the Charlotte Pass hotel sign. Colin told me it was only another 1.5kms to go and I was hoping for it to be about 500 meters. I could not remember from last year. It ended up being about 1km, we could see cars and then two figures in the car park we just kept walking and suddenly the two guys started dancing a jig. What the fuck? it was bloody freezing blowing an absolute hooley with gusts of wind over 100kms per hour, and raining like there was no tomorrow - and I had two tall guys doing a jig in a car park in front of me. It blew my mind guys - I will never forget it. We walked through the car park and got to the witches hats which marked the end of an absolutely incredible journey with some great mates.
4th in 35:27 last year and 5th in 30:41 this year. I cannot tell you how happy I am. This years race was so different to last year, you cannot compare the two but I still think that C2K is the hardest race I have ever done and hope to keep coming back to at least finish. I am sure we will get lots more starters in the next few years which will make this race the iconic race it should be.
To all runners & crew who started this great adventure of C2K 2008, I raise a glass to you all. The determination needed just to get to the start line is hard enough never mind the finish line and with the weather that was thrown at us all, it was amazing to see so many finishers and all with big smiles.
My crew, what can I say? Two years in a row you have put up with me and looked after me over the C2K course. For those two years I owe all three of you so much. It is so good to have such good friends. This year you went above and beyond the call of duty to get me over the line with the atrocious conditions on the mountain. The only people that can truly understand what the weather really was like are crews and runners who went through it - not many people can portray in writing what it was like.
I need to give another great big hug to my close friends Paul and Diane. You make this race what it is and I am sure all of the runners and crew appreciate all of your efforts. From thinking up the idea, to running it as a fatass race, to running it as an official race. I know that so much of both of you goes into making this race better and better each year. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
See you all in 2009 at Eden.


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Celebrity Big Brother will be kicking out one more 'famous' face tonight as the latest eviction is hosted by Brian Dowling at the Elstree compound.
But who will be joining Cheryl Fergison and Jasmine Lennard and get the boot from the Channel 5 show?
Lingerie model Danica Thrall and Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino have been having angry bust-ups in the house and both face a possible exit tonight.
Daily Mail pin-up Samantha Brick and glamour model Rhian Sugden are also up for the chop this evening.
Thrall and Sugden are the bookies' favourite for the axe. Both of the glamour girls have odds of 11/8 with Paddy Power, ahead of Samantha at 10/3. The Situation appears to be safe with odds of 20/1.
Who do you think should be evicted? Let us know below!


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Myanmar animation firm Joosk secures funding in Nest Tech-led round
Burmese fitness platform Flexible Pass has secured funding from Nest Tech
Burmese fitness app Flexible Pass gets 6-digit Pre-Series A funding, focussing on new products and category
Singapore-based mobile football game TrophyRoom raises US$554K in seed funding, aiming global launch
Singapore edtech startup Kalpha secures investment from Vietnam's Nest Tech
Nest Tech gets piece of Waitrr's pie with investment in F&B tech startup's pre-Series A round
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Nest Tech invests in internet and mobile start-ups across many sectors,
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We have premises in Ho Chi Minh City with a café and office space to
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Nest Tech is a venture capital firm that invests in and
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growth stages, focusing on the fast growing markets of
South East Asia.


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Over the years I have witnessed a few vigorous debates where the point of contention was over whether the practice of law is a business or a profession. In fact, on one or two occasions I have been pulled into the thick of it. When this happens I am sometimes taken aback by the positions some lawyers take.
There are those who really do find the notion of equating the practice of law in any way, shape, or form with the running of a business as an extremely offensive position. In the opposite corner stands the attorney who is in it solely for the money and views the very existence of our rules of professional conduct as a personal affront. I tend to take the middle ground. After all, if a lawyer fails to find financial success in his or her practice, the privilege of being able to practice in this honored profession will not be long lived.
In the past I would often walk away from these debates simply shaking my head because I failed to see their true value. Today, however, and to my great surprise, I'm starting to believe lawyers should not only have this debate but we should elevate it and take it center stage if you will. Why? Because tremendous change is afoot. Non attorneys are moving into various service sectors that have traditionally been the exclusive purview of lawyers; legal services are being commoditized at an ever increasing rate; and computers are about to take the place of legal support staff and even attorneys to some degree. This is not meant to be a siren call. It is what it is. Change in and of itself is neither good nor bad. But here's my concern. Those who embrace the business side of the debate are running rickshaw over those who view law as an honored profession simply due to their success in driving such change; and in light of the pace of this change, I feel a need to ask this question. Is there a cost to all this, and if so, is the cost worth it?
As you reflect upon the costs involved, allow me to share a few thoughts. Nonlawyers who deliver services in the legal services sector are not subject to the regulations licensed attorneys are. From a societal perspective, is this a positive or negative? Of course, how can the rapid commoditization of legal services not have an impact on how the general public views lawyers and their role in society today? And finally, as I think about the long-term ramifications of computers replacing the human element in the practice of law, my head starts to hurt. Can software even be programed to be a professional? Heck if I know and I suspect few will care.
Look, I get it. Change is a constant and there really are some incredibly successful legal service business models that are meeting very real and legitimate legal needs. Honestly, I applaud many of the entrepreneurs who have proved to be so adept in doing so. In my humble opinion, however, I fear our profession may be losing its identity in the process and I'm not convinced we shouldn't be worried about this cost.
I suspect there will never be a great debate within our profession about the value of professionalism in the practice of law, but there sure should be. A comment that I have heard in every corner of the US during all my years traveling for ALPS and from more longtime lawyers than I can remember, is some variation of:
"I'm so thankful to be at this point in my career. If I was just starting out, I don't think I could do it because the practice just isn't fulfilling anymore."
Every one of these individuals was expressing regret. Regret that something has been lost. I am positing that what has been lost might be our sense of professionalism.
As I see it, society no longer seems to view lawyers as practitioners of an honored profession. Why? Is it because the debate has been lost before it even got started? Is it because so few seem willing to take up the cause? It's not for me to say. What I can say, however, is this. Whether we like it or not, each of us has a role to play in how the changes to our profession will continue to evolve because even a passive do nothing response has a consequence. So while the great debate may never occur, there is no reason why each of us can't have our own personal debate because I have come to believe in its value. Perhaps if enough of us do, we will find a way to preserve the integrity and reputation of the legal profession together. Is it worth it? You tell me.
All opinions, advice, and experiences of guest bloggers/columnists are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, practices or experiences of Solo Practice University®.


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Gay bars and clubs in London - gay bars - gay clubs - gay London - gay soho - gay vauxhall - Pubs and Bars - Going Out - London Evening Standard
London Evening Standard 2013-06-25: The Joiners Arms, Shoreditch Nicknamed "The Juaners" thanks to a recent armada of Spanish regulars, this pub is one long bar and a very sticky, roomy dancefloor. Pints are £3 during the day and dim lights, italo disco on the speakers and gaudy wall murals make it a strangely intimate venue for an early evening date. If you're up for a big night, arrive at around 10pm to beat the queues and hefty entrance fee. Expect men in chaps (and nothing else), trendies and twinks bopping to techno, R&B and pop. Tuesdays' karaoke night is not to be missed. 116-118 Hackney Road, E2 7QL, joinersshoreditch.com..


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Now- I know what you're thinking: Sadie already created a sewing caddy once before. And you're right…I still use it all the time, and the pins are safely tucked away from my cat, Cottonball. BUT…when I found this valet box or jewelry box at the thrift store, I knew right away it would perfectly upcycled into a sewing box.Read more ›
Sewing Box by Upcycling a Valet Box or Jewelry Box
November 10, 2016 · By · 41 Comments


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[Interview] Murtaza Versi, CEO, Noesis Strategic Institute, Tanzania
Murtaza Versi is founder, CEO and business coach of Noesis Strategic Institute, a resource that helps service organizations in Africa to achieve higher levels of performance, developments and profits.
His interview with Africa Business Communities:
Would you please introduce Noesis Strategic Institute?
Noesis Strategic Institute is a premier consultancy and training institute, providing superior quality programs across Africa's service industry workforce. As a company, we continuously add to our "toolbox" new ideas, skills and approaches from all over the globe, so that we can deliver leading‐edge programs and value‐added solutions to our customers.
We learn from the best so we offer the same to our clients. Our philosophy is simple; we build champions within an organization so they can teach others, internally, to do the same. And we do this with one goal in mind: to deliver tangible, profitable results.
In today's competitive marketplace, with rapidly‐changing technologies and growing consumer demands, the best way for businesses to succeed is to adopt a mindset of growth and learning.
In which industries does Noesis Strategic Institute operate and who are your clients?
We help service organizations in Africa, elevate, empower and sharpen the workforce by building a cohesive system to achieve business success.
What are the USP's of your business?
Africa is our home ground. Change management is our expertise. We embed capacity in your people to be cohesive, customer focused and deliver success.
We believe in building capacity within the organization through champions. Behaviors and attitudes cannot only be changed through training, it has to be observed, and we teach the champions how to do exactly that.
We have a range of products and programs which are global, and we bring local context to the programs.
Why did you start Noesis Strategic Institute?
Africans in totality are very hospitable and every individual is a gem that becomes more valuable with polishing. Developing the necessary skills, attitudes and behaviors at every level of an organization are essential ingredients for success.
This is what we strive for at Noesis every day.
What did you do before starting Noesis Strategic Institute?
My background has been in the leading multinational service-based companies operating in Tanzania, such as Ethiopian Airlines, KLM and Precision Air.
What can be done by entrepreneurs and government to stimulate the business environment in Tanzania?
In any industry, Customer Service strategy is a crucial aspect of differentiating one company or Government from another; service style is something that cannot be copied. It takes leadership to create the culture and an environment of service delivery for long term sustainability.
If companies or governments focus on the culture of customer service, then innovation and marketing becomes part and parcel of the culture. If leadership believes and walks the customer service approach, creates a culture in the organization or government, they will benefit in a variety of ways:
- Word of mouth advertising
- More FDI's in this case for governments
- Growth year after year
- Globally competitive
- Staff retention because they are happy to be part of a successful company
What can you say about the targets, plans and ambitions of Noesis Strategic Institute for the next few years?
Our target for the next five years is to create a Customer Service driven continent, and we will be able to establish this by creating a Pan-African consulting group which will bring together locals that are passionate in driving the customer service and emotionally aware, ethical and authentic leadership programs in the continent. We have already begun to establish partnership in South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Namibia. We are now embarking on establishing ourselves in the other parts African continent.
Which African countries do you predict will perform best in 2016?
I'll say Ethiopia and Tanzania, and I'll give my reasons. In the case of Ethiopia, with the population of around 96.5 million people, and according to World Bank statistics of a growth rate of 10.8% in the period of 2004-2014, this country is expected to see strong growth because of its Agriculture policy, and also having a strong national airline which promotes global traffic. Furthermore, the building of its cargo fleet will help establish exports of various commodities including the best coffee produce.
The new government in Tanzania has made a task out of curbing corruption and improving revenue collection. They're also working to speed up the process for investment and service delivery, which will help in the growth process. A recent development in the construction of oil pipeline from Uganda to Tanga port in Tanzania worth 4bn USD is an example of what can be achieved. Also the using of locally extracted gas to generate energy will assist in reducing costs of doing business. Generally it's the Leadership and improved policies of the country that will drive its economic growth.
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