For the uninformed—and when I write historical articles I realise how deficient this country is in its own history—in the aftermath of the events of 1970, Dr Eric Williams decided to declare June 19th a public holiday from 1972. That was embraced by trade unionists and nationalists as one of the small victories they had won from their bitter struggles they had waged, and in some cases even jailed for.
If my memory serves me right, George Weekes, Winston Leonard, Clive Nunez and a few others were released from political detention, their second such incarceration since 1970, on the eve of that first Labour Day in 1972. So there will have been little time to muster a grand celebration in Fyzabad.
In any event, I was still in prison 26 months after being arrested, interestingly, on May 1st, 1970, the international workers' day and a public holiday that was removed from 1972. Some soldiers had actually begun serving their sentences while Rex Lassalle and I awaited a decision by the Privy Council on the State's appeal against the local Court of Appeal's unanimous ruling in our favour, quashing the conviction and sentences of the Court Martial.
That decision would come, again in our favour, on July 26th, 1972, and all the incarcerated soldiers freed on the two ensuing days. With my career as a professional army officer over at age 26, by early 1973 I accepted an invitation to lead an obscure, almost still-born union of sugar cane farmers (not workers). Within months, Winston Leonard and I had infused life into that union (ICFTU), and we proudly took our place arm-in-arm with giants like Weekes, Nunez, Joe Young and others in Fyzabad.
In case you are wondering, Basdeo Panday had not yet arrived: later in 1973, he would be invited by Rampartapsingh and other relics of the then deceased Bhadase Maharaj's sugar workers' union (ATSE&FWTU) to become its president-general.
But that's another intriguing story for another time.
By Labour Day 1974, which was a huge affair—it followed strikes by cane farmers (a first in local history), sugar workers and some oil workers—thousands of participants occupied more than a mile of marching space, militant, exuberant, wallowing in a demonstration of labour-power such as had not been seen since 1937.
The timing, too, could not have been better: the oil boom brought unexpected bounty to the national coffers, as did an even more surprising spike in sugar prices. Panday asked for a 100 percent increase in sugar workers' dog wages: he got it. The cane farmers' cry was "one cent per pound" for canes–$22.40 per long ton, up from a paltry $14. Williams gave us $24!! And oil workers would get a hefty increase by 1975.
Labour was booming, solidarity extended across demographic boundaries…those were heady days.
I remained faithful to Fyzabad because of its historical significance: it was at Bhola's yard, near Charlie King Junction, that the police tried to arrest Butler as he addressed striking oil workers—a fatal mistake that backfired badly. The people protected Butler, savaged Corporal Charlie King to death, and put the police in full flight.
The strikes would, within days, spread nationwide, from the wharves to the sugar plantations, cocoa estates to government employees. It crossed the race-divide and sharpened the class struggle. As the authorities hunted for Butler, he was hidden and protected by ordinary people of different races until he decided to surrender and face the consequences.
I knew little about those major events in our history until I ventured into Fyzabad in 1973, and frequently thereafter, certainly every Labour Day. I was lucky to meet several witnesses to the events of 1937 who were alive, kicking, even marching. They adopted me as a son, as a soldier of the never-ending struggle for rights of the oppressed.
For me, Fyzabad is the spiritual headquarters of labour, a workers' shrine if there is such. It is why I could never agree with unionists who march elsewhere on Labour Day. May Day is still international workers' day which can be celebrated anywhere.
I need add that I felt increasingly estranged from my comrades when they chose to invite politicians whose only creed is opportunism to pollute the platform at Fyzabad. Worse, they used labour's pulpit to endorse political parties that see the working classes only as election-fodder.
They seem not to have learnt lessons when they were abandoned after the politicians tasted power, when greed replaced need, when dignity was sacrificed on the altar personal aggrandisement.
I cry for the Fyzabad I knew many moons ago.
I remember the 1974 March when the police attacked and tear gassed those protesting. It was a telling moment in the Labour movement when grown men could be heard weeping over the radio station as Williams ordered the assault.
For those in the sugar industry, life would never be the same. I remember because it was a discussion in our class. Our teacher asked the question. If you were the police what would you do? Foolish me I suggested to tear gassed the protestors. When it happened my teacher gave me a look I'd never forget.
News went around the next day that Shah was the hero of the day, when the police tear gassed he grabbed Panday hand and pulled him over a wall to protect him from the police. Everyone knew that Shah was a trained Sand Hurst soldier and he was the baddest of the bad. He was our hero for that weeek!
Raffique Shah has been the object of much criticism and disagreement by many of us over the years, but no one can deny that his contributions to the nation as a soldier, activist and journalist have been outstanding.
He is truly a national hero.
Shah do you have a full history of those years you talk about in this message to us. In 1970, I was 20 years old barely interested in what took place. I know my grans and great grans will want to know as as far as I am concerned these events of those years changed life in Trinidad and Tobago immensely. I once knew Mike who never liked to go back there. Do you have a book of it, even if it is your version? If not it is time that you tell us your story. We need to understand particularly because the PNM and their associates do not want us to know the truth. The little I know tells me there were deep lies told to us.
There was nothing sinister about the racial composition of the Regiment, although it is true to say that the sons of PNM party card holders will have been given preferential treatment, and since the PNM's support base was mainly African, most of the recruits were African. It was a fact of life, too, that most Indian parents did not want their sons to join the Regiment. In my own case, for example, having graduated from Presentation College, Chaguanas, with a Cambridge School Certificate (Grade I), and not wanting to be a burden on my struggling sugar-worker-father, I opted to work rather than pursue "A" Levels. I also scouted around for some kind of scholarship in order to further my education. These were very few at the time, and competition for them was keen.
I had to break the news to my parents when I returned home. Both of them were distressed, but my father was especially disappointed. I imagine like most parents, and especially as a barely-literate Indian sugar worker who had seen his first son shine in college, he expected me to follow tradition and pursue one of established professions-law, medicine or some other form of tertiary education. But the army? What the hell wrong with this boy, he must have asked himself. And, yes, tears came to his eyes when he realised that I was determined to "join up". In fact, I had already signed the documents that made me government property!
I use the response of my parents to show how most Indian parents will have reacted to the thought of their sons joining the Regiment. It was partly a cultural thing (there was no halaal food there, and of course pork was served as a regular fare; the cooks, however, always catered for individuals' religious preferences), and partly the feeling that even if one's son did not pass his exams at secondary school, he did not deserve a "low" job like that of a soldier or a policeman. That thinking partly explained the paucity of Indians (indeed, of non-Africans) in the army. I need add that most non-Africans who were inclined to sign up for the Defence Force chose the Coast Guard over the Regiment.
I also need to point out that the handful of Indians who became soldiers were, in the main, good at their jobs. In fact, when I recall some of them-Ramlal, Seejattan, Ali, Maharaj, Ramnarine, Kalloo, Manmohan-I think that the army deliberately set out to choose the "baddest" Indians it could lay its hands on! Interestingly, though, race was never a problem for the few Indians in the army. I did not experience any form of discrimination from my brother officers or from the men I commanded. And that was not because Indians in the army were "creolised" (most retained their strong religious beliefs and stuck to their cultural practices). It was, I believe, because military life fosters among soldiers a bond that transcends race, religion, colour and class. A soldier learns early in training that ever so often the lives of his colleagues, in instances his entire platoon or company, depend on his proficiency as a soldier, on his alertness when, say, he is the sentry as his colleagues sleep.
The fact that upon seizure of the ammunition bunker, the rebel soldiers chose to free Rex and myself as their first act, partly answers the question. They had made up their minds that the army was in a mess (which it was), that they weren't going to be used as pawns by the Eric Williams government against the Black Power movement, and as such they were prepared to risk their everything. That should answer Theodore Lewis' puerile suggestion that Rex and I were two greenhorns who had no support and had no commitment to country, only to ourselves. Lewis, I guess, much like his Indian-racist counterparts and those of similar ilk who run their mouths (or computers) on people who have had the guts to stand up for their beliefs, is probably the kind of mouse who will never stand up for anything , far less risk his life for something he believes in. But if holding a group of some 300 rebel soldiers together in a revolt and under hostile fire was testimony of our leadership, keeping morale high among the 80-odd soldiers who were jailed for up to 27 months was an even greater test of our leadership skills that we passed with flying colours.
If we look back at the events of 1970 as comprising of two main components-the protest marches and the mutiny at Teteron-then it is easy to conclude that one was led by an Indian. As for the charges that I was a "creolised" Indian, let me tell the likes of Kamal Persad and Kumar Mahabir that I grew up in the Boccarro/Freeport/Chaguanas districts, where Indians were in the majority. I was among the few Muslim youths (yes, I was a Muslim until I discovered that my imam was fraud) who attended from "kathas" and "rotes" to one of the first nine-night "Yagnas" held in Freeport. I ate "mahanbhog", sang "bhajans", and was even the prime mover behind the "Boccarro Bhuya Saaj" (I played the harmonica and sang). Persad, who moved into my hometown after it was re-named "Beaucarro" (to give it a French tint, I suppose), can check my bona fides with Seechan Dookie or any of the older Ramlogans in the district. I also knew much about Islam as well (I laugh when I look at some jokers who parade as Muslims, but know little or nothing about the religion except wearing a "taj" and shouting "Allikum", which, incidentally, means nothing in Arabic!).
Mahabir, Persad and those who argue that Indians were not part of the 1970 revolution either do not know, or they deliberately ignore, the role of the sugar workers. NJAC's long march to Caroni drew positive "vibes" from the Indian sugar workers, who were still under the yoke of Bhadase, and who wanted to get rid of "Baba". They responded positively to NJAC's call to march to Port of Spain on April 21, the day on which Williams declared the State of Emergency. That was no coincidence. It was always Williams' will to keep Indians and Africans divided, not because he was racist, but because it served his political ambition well. And he found common cause with leaders like Bhadase, and later Panday. In 1970, though, he (Williams) saw that formula about to implode: if the sugar workers were allowed to march and link up with the urban Africans, the PNM (and the DLP!) was dead!
Why did Williams choose April 21 to impose a State of Emergency on the country? There was no coup planned for that date, nor did NJAC have anything special on the "protest calendar"-except, of course, the sugar workers' march to the city. He could have chosen the day after Basil Davis' massive funeral or any morning after a few buildings had been torched. Or he could have used the arson at the Texas building, in which three (I believe) Indian children died, and which I later learned was ordered by Bhadase to foment racial strife. But he didn't. He chose April 21. In the absence of evidence to suggest otherwise, it was clear that Indian-African unity, which was being forged from the bottom up, not imposed from a leadership that was looking for tokenism, had to be stopped at all costs. And if it took a State of Emergency, so what?
I now turn to the impact the events of 1970 had on the entire society. It is true, as Mahabir pointed out, that there were Indian associations, some of which produced periodicals, from as early as the first quarter of the 20th Century. But whatever happened to them? Why did the newspapers and magazines disappear? And besides the Maha Sabha, the Arya Samaaj and the Divine Life Society, how many of those Hindu groups that are popular today pre-date 1970? Ravi Ji's Hindu Prachar, Hans Hanoomansingh's NCIC and Harripersad Harrikissoon's Hindu Seva Sangh either came after '70, or saw their revival after the Black Power revolution. If, too, one examines the large number of Hindus (and Muslims) who had eschewed their religions before '70, who were proud to embrace Christianity and Western values, only to return to their roots after '70, one gets the picture I am trying to paint. I shall not go into name-calling, but if those who want to pronounce on this aspect of 1970 do their homework, they will come up with some startling public figures who went the Hindu-Christian-Hindu route.
The responses we received were overwhelming. In a matter of months, we had most of the cane farmers on our side. By 1974, when we won for them an increase from $11 a ton (I believe) to $22 a ton, they were grateful to the point where several "Yagnas" and other prayers of thanks were given to God. And Leonard and I were the honoured guests, complete with "malas". If, as Persad, Mahabir and others argue, we were "creolised" Indians, how come we were embraced by Indians, especially rural Hindus? Persad may recall (hopefully, his memory is not selective) that Mukhdar, an Indian newsletter put out by Ramdath Jagassar and himself, had, in one its issues, sung loud praises to Panday, Leonard and myself for the leadership we provided to the mainly Indian sugar workers and cane farmers. Could it be that we weren't "creolised" then, but afterwards? If that's their logic, then we must have been "true true" Indians in 1970!
Suffice it to say that the cane farmers reacted to us the way they did because of our involvement in the 1970 revolution. I was also one of the three most influential leaders of the ULF when it was formed in 1975/76, the others being Panday and George Weekes (Nizam Mohammed and Kelvin Ramnath were mere "recruits" then!). And I happened to be the one who straddled the race-corridor, in the sense that I was accepted by both Indians from the heartland and by Africans from the East-West corridor. Indeed, in the early part of the 1976 election campaign, I took on the responsibility of mobilising the North, and had the distinction of being the first Indian politician to go into the heart of John John and not meet with a violent response by diehard PNMites. While the ULF failed to win seats in the North, it did make significant inroads there, and the foundation was laid for a party of true national unity. Panday killed that in 1978 when he decided that what he wanted to be was the "Indian Chief", not a national leader. Which is why I laugh when, today, he shouts "national unity" from the rooftops.
To summarize, the sharp turn that Indian politics took after 1970 (the demise of the DLP) was a direct result of the events of 1970 and the personalities, both Indian and African, who emerged from that revolution. Many Africans in the North will tell you that if Makandal Daaga and NJAC, as well as Ray Robinson and his DAC, had joined with the ULF in 1976 (approaches were made to both parties), the PNM's life-span in government might have been much shorter. That process of healing the racial rifts that were artificially implanted into the society from the early 1960s was derailed by Panday, and, to a lesser extent, probably unwittingly, by Daaga and Robinson. Today, it is left to the likes of Sat Maharaj, Persad and Mahabir on the one hand, and Lewis, Cudjoe and Cro Cro on the other, to ensure that all the people of this rainbow society do not come together.
I enjoyed reading the articles and replies. Raffique was in the same class at Presentation. We actually sat next to each other.
I believe that Fyzabad was largely settled by people from the former Northwest Territories in Northern India. Many of these people left India at the port of Calcutta [Kolkotta]. Interestingly, many of these "Indentured Servants" originated from the city of Fyzabad, in what later became the United Provinces, i.e., Uttar Pradesh.
Are any of the folks able or willing to throw some more light on this, or point the Fyabad youth and students in the correct direction?


Most of the posts so far in this series on the best online business tools have addressed marketing functions. A few have focused on areas outside of marketing (such as the best human resources, payroll, and employee scheduling tools, and the best accounting and finance tools) or on areas with crossover between marketing and other functional areas (e.g., file sharing and project management).
But there's virtually no business process, no matter how narrow, that can't be improved by technology—as demonstrated by the tools here.
Here are a dozen tools worth evaluating that cover business functions ranging from the common—word processing, spreadsheets, and business operations—to specific processes such as accepting online payments, shipping, package tracking, online fax and document management, copyright protection, and crowdfunding.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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INFINITE FORCES: A RUMINATION ON MEANING AND IMAGES IN A TIME OF POLITICAL GLUT, AND ALSO, RYAN MCLAUGHLIN'S PAINTINGS
RREALISM
Aug 3, 2017 · 6 min read
Ryan McLaughlin, Untitled (2017), oil on canvas on board, framed, 15 1/2 x 24 inches
Ryan McLaughlin's out-there paintings have a surprising way of invoking the unseen, puzzling the viewer, requiring the most out of perception.
I happened upon McLaughlin's Prius Wig exhibition by chance, catching glimpses of it through Adams and Ollman's windows on an aimless wander downtown. To me, Prius Wig is a tribute to imagination. It's a series of seven relatively small paintings that are meaningful despite and because of an abandonment of typical sense and convention. The work is handsome enough (though not too prettified) and off-the-cuff at a glance; with little material, and still less historical, these kinds of pictures reward longer looking.
On my first visit, I could only see the show from the sidewalk because the gallery was shut; as I walked off I got to wondering. Why paintings and why now? What's the use in fragmentation, and does art need to be so-called useful? There's definitely been useful, even necessary post-election or socially-conscious art that urges specific action (First 100 Days is exemplary of this, and so is Stolen Angels). But what else, I wonder, about our era might nonsense or the non-verbal have to offer? What else is there to see?
First seeing this show, I got the enormous sense that this work, and art absorption, entertains another side of life — the one that's independent of linguistic expressivity, and more specifically, Trump-era fear and the spectacle that we've all grown weary of hearing about at every turn. There's humor to be offered, but it's also not at all one-note. The atmospheres and figures of the paintings often seem gloomy or otherworldly, without any histrionics at all. They also go beyond the identities that images ordinarily might adhere to, and the forms the paintings assume make naming them (still-life or landscape) unnecessary. The paintings assert themselves as they are, and I found myself to be particularly unburdened by this during my visit. Category and resemblance can be so tiring.
One of McLaughlin's paintings (Untitled (2017)) shows a cave-painting-like bull — what's that doing there? And to quote Chico Marx, "why a duck" in the other one flanked by bodiless eyes of a similar style? The absurdist stripe isn't at all out of place here. The Prius Wig paintings bear amusing, various, apparently misplaced images and signs you want to decode, or just enjoy. There are, for instance, what look to be strewn kids toys and broken block letters in Untitled (2017) that, along with direct imagery reminiscent of childhood days, also have an occult sense. They look like the kind of figures that, when arranged just so, may or may not possess the power to unlock unforeseen passages or even whole worlds. Maybe too, like Lana Del Rey's presidential spell, they can even set certain like events into motion. In any case, such infinite forces (including the otherwise mundane or harebrained) give way to moments of vision.
Ryan McLaughlin, Untitled (2017), oil on linen on MDF, framed, 36 x 25 inches
There are the seemingly banal autumnal tropes like the Jack-o-Lantern, and fall leaves in one of two paintings aptly titled Demeter (2017). These elements are apparent vestiges of an ordinary world but they also contain what's not at all ordinary, symbolizing states of bounty ushered in by a tandem cosmos. As with all art, the relatable, when juxtaposed with the enigmatic conjures up different things for different people. This earthbound-cum-astrological isn't too faint or heavy-handed.
Prius Wig's paintings look visually indifferent to any specific time or subject; they exist outside of the 86,400-second news deluge of national policy blunders, economic desolation, and the rest of it. I mention these things because I think McLaughlin's work is free — it certainly is in these specific ways, and this can't be taken for granted.
McLaughlin's work isn't too obviously 'after' anyone in terms of specific lineage or even affinity either. Rather, each painting obeys its own in-the-moment logic of broken down, sometimes contradictory symbols and out of place icons, set against the illustrious Nowhereland of fat-over-lean, brushed or pushed oil on canvas — as in Demeter (2017). His painterly backdrops appear to transform over time, like a smoky mist that changes its form continually; they flirt at each glance and are worked up into aura, and they divest themselves of any possible likeness. And yet there's no air of privacy or forced grandeur. I'm attracted to the kind of nonsense that doesn't parade itself as important, meaningful statement. It occurs to me that maybe McLaughlin mocks such a parade, and maybe that's part of the point.
Ryan McLaughlin, Demeter (2017), oil on linen on board, framed, 23 1/4 x 15 inches
Depictions of the figured world can send all kinds of messages. The motif of the cross or plus sign is one such aspect. Why, in contrast to everything else here that is nonpictoral, leave such a heavy handed emblem so well-intact? I wondered the same when looking at the aforesaid duck, the flowers in Demeter, and the autumnal scene in the second Demeter, and am left with the notion that symbols set into enigmatic space allow for satisfyingly democratic, various experiences. I'd contrast this to something like, say, the skull or quill in vanitas, that of course say DEATH. These, instead, are saying, hinting, muttering, LIFE.
Ryan McLaughlin, Demeter (2017), oil on canvas on board, framed, 15 1/2 x 24 inches
Demeter (2017), I was told by the totally hospitable proprietor Amy Adams, came from a German advertisement. With McLaughlin's betrayal of the significance of words, the viewer is granted new participation. I had no idea the design was based on an ad, and because of that, I wondered awhile at what all these figures might "say." The beauty is, they can and will say nothing at all.
McLaughlin lives on the beach in Florida. This is information that, while interesting, even charming, doesn't help one to better see the paintings in some fact-based way — which I'm glad for. In Florida (2017), there's that easily discernible F-L, but the shady, cement-and-coal tones leave you with the strange and beautiful, gloomy impression you probably wouldn't get from a place that's so, postcard-worthy or whatever. This is more like a metaphysical, subjective impression of Florida — a place that's, after all, not all sunny in every sense.
As a casual viewer — a fan of art, thinking about and taking it in at variable intervals — it's valuable as the particular thing that's right in front of you, and in that it has as abundant a power as anything. It's in your life, as a friend of mine once told me, and a suitable vehicle to the kind of new experience that needs no goal or meaning.
It's in the occasions like these that differ from the ones we're rode roughshod over lately — often asking ourselves what kind of life is this? — that one is given the keen opportunity of seeing in new ways. McLaughlin's paintings remind me of Bill Berkson's statement that "surface is the great revealer." In their spacious, fractured vernacular, these pictures can take you anywhere you'd like, if you're open enough to the indulgence.
short reviews + occasional pieces by paul maziar
short reviews & occasional works @rrealism_ http://artsletters.org/writing

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We would all wish to live the high life. However, not many of us can fit the bill. Despite our circumstances, there are a chosen few that have been able to make it in life, people that presently live in million-dollar homes. In the past, the rich preferred to live in gigantic houses, but with time, such preferences have gotten scaled down to small and perfected housing units. Expand the information about home builders click here .
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Unlike conventional houses, everything about a luxury custom home happens to be oversized. The interior finishes resemble something made in the future, items that only deep pockets can acquire. In a nutshell, luxury homes are highly customized to meet the expectations of a homeowner, meaning that you can never find two multi-million dollar homes made from the same cloth. Since all our dreams are valid, you should work hard towards building your luxury custom home.


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BUSINESS BRIEF: Wilmington's Locus Robotics Wins Award For Top Autonomous Mobile Robot Solution
Below is a press release from the Wilmington-based Locus Robotics:
WILMINGTON, MA — Locus Robotics, the leader in autonomous mobile robots (AMR) for fulfillment warehouses, has won the 2022 IFOY Award for its Autonomous Mobile Robot Solution in the Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV/AMR) category following a comprehensive, three-stage audit held over a 5-day period.
"Locus Robotics is honored to be chosen as a 2022 IFOY Award winner," said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. "The rigorous IFOY testing and evaluation process and the prestige of the award itself, validates the innovation and completeness of the Locus solution to deliver proven and cost-effective automation solutions for our customers around the world."
Now in its tenth year, the IFOY awards are considered the industry's premier award recognizing the year's best intralogistics products and solutions for their outstanding technical and strategic achievements. A total of 14 products from 12 companies were tested and evaluated during grueling IFOY Test Days, held in March at the Messe Dortmund exhibition center.
"The 10 years of the IFOY Award stand for 10 years of outstanding innovations," emphasized jury chair Anita Würmser. "In 2022, the finalists have once again presented top products in the competition that will shape the future of intralogistics in the long term."
"The IFOY Award represents the best of the world's most innovative logistics technologies," said Denis Niezgoda, Vice President, EMEA & APAC of Locus Robotics. "We're proud to have been selected for this prestigious award and to have competed alongside such an innovative group of nominees."
All finalists competed in a standardized, in-depth, three–stage audit that began on March 18th in Dortmund, Germany. The IFOY jury was comprised of 26 internationally recognized trade journalists and leading logistics media representing over 21 countries. Judges assessed each finalist across a range of key categories, including innovation value, technology, ergonomics and handling, safety, marketability, design, customer benefits, cost–effectiveness, and sustainability. In addition, for the third year in a row, numerous potential buyers were also on site during the Test Camp Intralogistics.
About Locus Robotics
Locus Robotics' revolutionary, multi–bot solution incorporates powerful and intelligent autonomous mobile robots that operate collaboratively with human workers to dramatically improve piece–handling productivity 2–3x, with less labor compared to traditional piece handling systems. Locus helps retailers, 3PLs and specialty warehouses efficiently meet – and exceed – the increasingly complex and demanding requirements of fulfillment environments. Easily integrating into existing warehouse infrastructures without disrupting workflows, Locus transforms productivity without transforming the warehouse.
About the IFOY Award
The International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year (IFOY AWARD) recognizes the year's best intralogistics products and system solutions. The aim of the organization is to document the performance capability and innovative drive of intralogistics, helping to boost competitiveness and raise the profile of the entire sector in the public arena. The winners of the IFOY AWARD are selected once a year by an independent jury of international trade journalists. The sponsor of the IFOY AWARD is the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Sector Association. IFOY partners are Messe Dortmund and the world´s leading forklift attachment manufacturer Cascade. The IFOY pallet partner is CHEP, the global market leader in pallet pooling. Logistics real estate partner is GARBE. The headquarters of the IFOY organization is in Ismaning, near Munich. The IFOY AWARD is under the patronage of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Posted in BusinessTagged IFOY Award, Locus Robotics
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Orthodox Monastery
Abbot Mark
Vocal Prayer
Hesychasm
Meditative Prayer
Fr. Thomas Colyandro
A Prayer for You: When You're Sick
With all of the fear and concern about COVID-19, we encourage you to pray for your recover
using this beautiful prayer below. Remember, the Lord never abandons us. He is with us until the end of days (Matthew 28:20).
"O Lord Jesus Christ our Savior, the Physician of our souls and bodies, Who didst become Man and suffer death on the cross for our salvation, and through Thy tender love and compassion didst heal all manner of sickness and affliction: do Thou, O Lord, visit me in my suffering, and grant me grace and strength to bear this sickness with which I am afflicted with Christian patience and submission to Thy will, trusting in Thy loving kindness and tender mercy. Bless, I pray Thee, the means used for my recovery, and those who administer them. I humbly pray Thee: look upon my weakness, and deal not with me according to my sins, but according to the multitude of Thy mercies. Have compassion on me, and let mercy and justice meet, and deliver me from the sickness and suffering I am experiencing. Grant that my sickness may be the means of my true repentance and amendment of my life according to Thy will, that I may spend the rest of my days in Thy love and fear; that my soul, being helped by Thy grace and sanctified by Thy Holy Sacraments, may be prepared for its transition to eternal life, and there, in the company of Thy blessed saints, may praise and glorify Thee, with Thine eternal Father, and life-giving Spirit. Amen."
- The Divine Liturgy Prayer Book, Narrow Path Bookstore, 2005, p. 124.
Bishop Longin's Nativity Greeting
Death, Faith, and Pure Light
God is Faithful to Us
Orthodox Monastery of the Mother of God, Joy of All Who Sorrow
The Monastery is exempt from federal income taxation under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3) and your charitable donations to the Monastery are tax deductible.
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in Nigeria, Thisday
NERC Gives Conditions for Electricity Tariff Increase
by admin August 27, 2020, 4:21 am 1.5k Views
Chairman of NERC, Prof. James Momoh
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Agency (NERC) said yesterday that there will be no arbitrary increase in the tariffs paid by Nigerians for electricity until certain conditions are met by Distribution Companies (Discos).
Chairman of the regulatory agency for the power sector, Prof. James Momoh, stated that the principles laid down by NERC would be strictly followed before any review would be effected.
Momoh spoke against the backdrop of reports that the NERC was set to begin implementation of a new tariff regime by September 1, after it was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, being a precondition for the release of a $750 million loan for the sector by the World Bank.
The regulator noted that due process will be strictly followed, including consultations with customers, increase in hours of supply per day, substantial metering of consumers and an overall improvement in quality of service.
Momoh said: "In response to media reports that there is an increase in tariffs for Nigerians, NERC wishes to clarify that tariff reviews going forward will only follow service-based principles.
"Under these service-based principles Discos will only be able to review tariff rates for customers when they consult with customers, commit to increasing the number of hours of supply per day and quality of service.
"In all cases, poor and vulnerable Nigerians will not experience any increase. In line with these expectations, Discos are directed to engage with their customers on a Service-Based Tariff structure".
NERC stressed that under the service based tariff structure, Discos can only review tariffs for customers under certain conditions, including that: "customers are consulted and communicated a guaranteed level of electricity service by the Discos based on hours of supply, customers are metered and no estimated billing through the strict enforcement of the capping regulation"
It added: "This means that unmetered customers will not experience any cost increase beyond what is chargeable to metered customers in the same area.
"Even under the above conditions, there will be no change in tariffs for the most vulnerable as tariffs for those consuming 50KW or less remain frozen. Customers receiving less than 12 hours of supply will also not experience any change in tariffs."
It said that apart from that, the president had directed that there should be a nationwide mass-metering program in an effort by the federal government to put a stop to estimated and arbitrary billing for electricity.
"He (president) has also approved a waiver of the import levy on meters, so that those that do not have meters can be supplied as early as possible at reasonable costs.
"The general public and all stakeholders in the power sector are by this the statement urged to disregard any reports of an arbitrary tariff increase affecting Nigerians" NERC said.
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Tariq Modood
Tariq Modood, MBE, FAcSS (born 1952) is a British Pakistani Professor of Sociology, Politics and Public Policy at the University of Bristol (1997– ). Modood is the founding Director of the Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship and one of the leading authorities on ethnic minorities in Britain. He was awarded an MBE for services to social sciences and ethnic relations in the 2001 New Year Honours list and elected to the Academy of Social Sciences in 2004.
Waseem Altaf Khawaja
There is much real beauty in Altaf's ghazals, along with a marvellous precocity of thought. He conveys the uncertainty of Kenyan life as well as its joys and fancies. His poetic collection "DIL KI ANKH" will win popularity because much of it is conventionally charming.
Ziauddin Sardar
Ziauddin Sardar (Urdu: ضیاء الدین سردار; born 31 October 1951, Pakistan) is a London-based scholar, writer, cultural critic and public intellectual who specialises in Muslim thought, the future of Islam, futures studies and science and cultural relations. Prospect magazine has named him as one of Britain's top 100 public intellectuals and The Independent newspaper calls him: 'Britain's own Muslim polymath'.
Rt. Rev'd. Dr. Michael Nazir-Ali, born in 1949, is the 106th Bishop of Rochester. Born and brought up in Pakistan, he holds both Pakistani and British citizenship. He read Economics, Islamic History and Sociology at the University of Karachi, and Theology at Fitzwilliam College and Ridley Hall, Cambridge.
Qaisra Shahraz
Qaisra Shahraz is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an award-winning novelist, playwright, education consultant and a college inspector. Born in Pakistan she has lived in Manchester since her childhood. She is a devoted parent of three sons. As well as being a strong, active member of the Pakistani community here in the UK, she has excellent links with Pakistan in various capacities.
Tariq Ali
Tariq Ali (Punjabi, Urdu: طارق علی; born 21 October 1943) is an English Pakistani writer, journalist, and filmmaker.


The Honda Super Cub or Honda Cub is a small motorcycle with a pressed steel frame and fitted with plastic leg guards. It is fitted with a four stroke single cylinder engine ranging in displacement from 49 to 124cc. It has been manufactured since 1958 with production surpassing 60 million in 2008, 87 million in 2014, and 100 million in 2017. The Super Cub is the biggest selling motor vehicle ever. It has been made in many versions include the C100, C50, C70, C90, C100EX and C70 Passport. The 100 millionth Super Cub was produced at Honda's Kumamoto Assembly Plant in 2018 which marked the 60th year of production.
To mark the anniversary Takara Tomy have introduced a 1:33 scale model as one of their new models of 2018. The model is diecast in Vietnam for China. This item is in the pocket money toy range where a new model is issued every third Saturday in the month and which features models common throughout Japan and its immediate neighbours.
Although this is slightly chunky so that it meets all the requirements of toy safety it captures the spirit of the original well.
The leg guards and frame are well painted and the saddle and rack are reasonably convincing.
The model is simplified with the levers and mirrors omitted but with a nice printed instrument.
Nice badge printing finishes off a pleasing model.


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Q: Varnish 3 not parsing regex pattern correctly I'm working on some code that generates PCRE patterns used to ban objects in varnish and having a problem with varnish telling me the pattern is invalid.
This is one of the patterns generated by my code
(?i)(((^| )page\-2[^ ]*($| )))

And this is what varnish is telling me
 0 Debug        - "REGEX: <missing )>"

13 RxRequest    c BAN
13 RxURL        c /
13 RxProtocol   c HTTP/1.1
13 RxHeader     c User-Agent: curl/7.34.0
13 RxHeader     c Accept: */*
13 RxHeader     c Host: www.test.local
13 RxHeader     c X-Tags: (?i)(((^| )page\-2[^ ]*($| )))

I've even tried simplifying the pattern during testing to this
page-2[^ ]
page\-2[^ ]

And I get this
 0 Debug        - "REGEX: <missing terminating ] for character class>"

A simple pattern like this works
page-2.*

I'm running varnish-3.0.2 revision cbf1284
The relevant VCL is
if (req.request == "BAN") {
    ban("obj.http.X-Tags ~ " + req.http.X-Tags);
    error 200 "Banned";
}

And, just so it's clear that the original pattern is valid

A: So apparently, as I accidentally discovered in my comment on the original question, varnish doesn't like space literals in regex.  The solution in this case is to replace the space literal with \s, which matches on any whitespace character, including spaces, tabs, and newlines.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Q: What does it mean when we can't put a particular variable as a basic variable in a LPP? Consider the LPP of minimizing $z = -2x_1 + x_2$ subject to
$$\begin{cases}
x_1 + 2x_2 \le 6, \\
3x_1 + 2x_2 \le 12, \\
x_1, x_2 \ge 0
\end{cases}$$
First I add slack variables $x_3, x_4$ which immediately puts the problem in canonical form:
$$\begin{bmatrix}
x_3 & 1 & 2 & 1 & 0 & 6 \\
x_4 & 3 & -2 & 0 & 1 & 12 \\
  z & -2 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0
\end{bmatrix}
$$
By Blend's rule, I should choose a pivot in the first column because the objective function has the coefficient $-2$ there, which is negative, so it can be minimized further.
Again by Blend's rule I should pivot the second row because the ratio $12/3$ is smaller than $6/1$.  So $3$ is my pivot.  After pivoting, I get
$$\begin{bmatrix}
x_3 & 0 & 4/3 & 1 & -1/3 & 2 \\
x_4 & 1 & 2/3 & 0 & 1/3 & 4 \\
  z & 0 & 7/3 & 0 & 2/3 & 8
\end{bmatrix}
$$
I cannot minimize further because all coefficients in the new form of the objective function are positive.  So $z = -8$ at $x_1 = 4, x_2 = 0, x_3 = 2, x_4 = 0$.  My final answer is $z = -8$ at $(4, 0)$ because $x_1$ and $x_2$ are my original variables.
So my basic solution is in terms of $x_3, x_1$.  I expected to get a basic solution in terms of $x_1$ and $x_2$.  Why didn't this happen and what does it mean?

A: There's no reason to expect that the final basic variables should be your original variables, unless you expect that the optimal values of all of the original variables should be non-zero. In your LP, the optimal solution happens to have $x_2=0$.
At the same time, there is one functional constraint that has positive slack (the optimal solution does not lie right on the constraint boundary), so the slack variable for that constraint is positive, i.e., basic.
Here is a plot of the feasible region for your LP (you have to imagine the $x_1,x_2\ge 0$ constraints). There are 4 corner-point feasible solutions: $(0,0)$, $(0,3)$, $(3,1.5)$, and $(4,0)$. LP theory tells us that each CPF solution should have at most two variables (including slack variables) that are non-zero. So, for $(4,0)$ there is one "regular" and one slack variable that is positive; for $(3,1.5)$ there are two regular and zero slack variables that are positive; etc.


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iFOLLOW: We expect details to be confirmed soon
Nigel Clibbens on the live streaming service
With fans expected to be excluded from attending games until at least the middle to end of October, chief executive Nigel Clibbens spoke about what could be a fantastic footy-fix lifeline – the live streaming service iFollow, which will provide a real-time way for supporters to watch their team in action.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Everybody has taken it on board
"We had an EFL meeting on Thursday and we think we've come up with an iFollow solution for League Two clubs," he said. "The situation has been really complicated because some clubs have been selling season tickets for a long time, and have sold them on the basis of fans being able to watch 23 games.
"Those clubs are looking to give season ticket holders free passes to watch matches on iFollow as some sort of compensation for the games they will now miss – remember that's because they've already sold their season tickets for a full quota of fixtures.
"For clubs like us, who haven't sold season tickets yet at all, if we had to give free passes to everybody it would mean that not only would we have missed out on the iFollow income, we would also have missed out on the season ticket income. I expect iFollow prices to be confirmed soon as well.
SEASON TICKETS: An update from the chief executive
"That's because we decided to delay selling season tickets until we could get a better idea of how many games our fans will actually get to see. Obviously that would have been a really bad option for us.
"Sense has prevailed, and we expect an announcement early next week which will mean for us, any fan who can't come to a game, whether they're a season ticket holder or not, will simply be able to buy a match pass on a game-by-game basis. The full details on that will come out next week."
"For the first time, Saturday fixtures will be available to be streamed in the UK," he confirmed. "That means fans who can't get into the stadium can still watch their team and support their club, and I think that's important for everybody.
"Whether we'll be able to stream games once fans are allowed back in stadiums is still uncertain. For us to expect to have season ticket holders in the ground, and have walk-up fans paying to come in, and streaming all going on at the same time for a Saturday fixture … I would suggest that just isn't going to happen.
"As soon as we get to some kind of certainty about how many fans can get into grounds, I don't think fans will then be able to rely on streaming Saturday fixtures. Even if there are no walk-up tickets available, streaming may not be available, because the priority has to be season ticket holders."
DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL: We'll see how it unfolds over the next few days
The back end of last week brought a sense that the Blues were hovering around the edges of some more January transfer window dealings, but the Covid-19 lockdown situation threw a spanner in the works...
EFL STATEMENT: Carlisle United
Carlisle United's next three Sky Bet League Two fixtures against Mansfield Town (Saturday 16 January), Leyton Orient (Tuesday 19 January) and Forest Green Rovers (Saturday 23 January) have been...


Can't we just make Tom Hanks the King of the World so we can all live happily ever after? What made Hanks' rendition of the Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Pop rap so impressive was that he wasn't even prepared to launch into it again. But even so, he didn't need any help or cues to make the individual that requested the duet's millennium by singing it alongside him. Not even Ron Howard dancing behind the duo like a fool could take the shine off the clip.
We even got a little movie trivia from Tom Hanks after the performance, too. Hanks, who received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor In A Leading Role for his performance as Josh Baskin in Big, admitted that he used the Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Pop rap as a way of Josh and Billy Kopecki (Jared Rushton) reconnecting after learning it from his son, who'd been taught it at summer camp that year.
You can relive the famous scene from Big, which is probably only outdone by Hanks and Robert Loggia's Mr. MacMillan dancing on the piano at FAO Schwartz, by watching it again below. It will warm even the coldest of hearts.
Tom Hanks is always willing to perform Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Pop whenever the opportunity arises. In fact, YouTube is littered with Hanks performing it alongside James Corden and with British comedian Jonathan Ross, too. Of course, none of them really come close to the original, but just seeing Hanks revel in dropping the rap at the drop of a hat is downright delightful.
Tom Hanks is currently in full-on promotional mode as he looks to tell the world that Inferno, his latest effort as Robert Langdon in The Da Vinci Code series, is due out in cinemas imminently. In fact, Tom Hanks spent Saturday night killing it on Saturday Night Live, while he'll be on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert tonight, too. You'll get to see if all the publicity and promotional work is worth it when Inferno is released this coming Friday.


The Sunstar Onyx Cremation Urn in small is made from natural pure onyx which is hand turned on a lathe and polished to perfection. There will never be two marble urns which look identical to one another. Color variations are normal by marble urns.
"I ordered a ceramic urn with a howling wolves scene; I was very amazed at how it really did not look cheap. I wanted something nice for my husband and I feel I got it. Also, I requested 24hr delivery and the delivery was very prompt. The web site was very informative as well as good variety of different styles of urns."


text:
Last updated: 07:23 PM ET, Wed October 26 2016
Discover 2016's Best, Worst Foodie Cities In The Nation
Destination & Tourism	Gabe Zaldivar October 11, 2016
Pack your bibs and throw your caloric caution to the wind, because we have a road trip in mind with some of the best foodie cities in America.
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WalletHub was nice enough to shave off a great deal of time in finding the best and worst cities regarding food.
Its list is the veritable bucket list of travel chow downs. The link above is a ranking of 150 U.S. cities based on various food-centric criteria such as affordability, diversity of restaurants, accessibility and the overall quality of food.
You can glean a great deal more on its methodology at this link. But we should get to the list, which features the following winners.
Here is WalletHub's best foodie cities of 2016:
No. 1 – Orlando, Florida
No. 2 – Portland, Oregon
No. 3 – Miami, Florida
No. 4 – Tampa, Florida
No. 5 – San Francisco, California
No. 6. – Cincinnati, Ohio
No. 7 – St. Louis, Missouri
No. 8 – Salt Lake City, Utah
No. 9 – Richmond, Virginia
No. 10 – Seattle, Washington
Florida is well represented with three cities taking the top five of the list, which means you should prepare a Florida road trip and bring the antacids while you're at it.
READ MORE: Introducing TravelPulse Radio, the New Voice of the Informed Traveler
The list is sure to cause quite the quarrel from people who enjoy their food. New Orleans, replete with amazing options is No. 34 on the list, preceded by towns such as Reno and Cleveland.
Los Angeles, home to remarkably diverse fare over a wide swath of the city falls to No. 53 on the list after Modesto.
Nothing against Modesto, but you will more than likely find more earth-shattering dishes in Los Angeles than you will within its limits. Trois Mec, Animal and Langer's to name just a few.
So the list is wonderful way to get the discussion started on where to find great food and enough of it to mandate travel.
WalletHub also broke down various categories to specify your hunger for data. For example, Miami houses the most restaurants per capita while San Francisco boasts the most breweries and wineries per capita.
Sadly, there were some losers in this fine trove of tasty ventures. WalletHub measured and weighed the likes of Grand Prairie (Texas), Moreno Valley (California) and North Las Vegas (Nevada) and found them all wanting.
These made up the bottom of the top 150. Thankfully, as the list proves, delicious meals are never that far away.
Follow @gabezal
For more Destination & Tourism News
More by Gabe Zaldivar
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St. Lucia's Winter Promo Offers Huge Discounts on Resorts and Attractions


이 코드 예제에서는 사용 하 여는 DragOver 이벤트입니다.This code excerpt demonstrates using the DragOver event. 참조 된 DoDragDrop 전체 코드 예제에 대 한 메서드.See the DoDragDrop method for the complete code example.
DragOver 이벤트는 끌어서 놓기 작업 중 컨트롤의 범위 내에서 마우스 커서를 이동 하면 발생 합니다.The DragOver event is raised when the mouse cursor moves within the bounds of the control during a drag-and-drop operation.
경우 값 DragAction 값이 Continue의 DragOver 이벤트는 작업을 계속 하려면 및 GiveFeedback 적절 한 시각적 피드백이 설정 될 수 있도록 새로운 효과 사용 하 여 이벤트가 발생 합니다.If the value of DragAction value is Continue, the DragOver event is raised to continue the operation and the GiveFeedback event is raised with the new effect so appropriate visual feedback can be set. 유효한 끌어서 놓기 작업 결과 목록에 대한 자세한 내용은 DragDropEffects 열거형을 참조하십시오.For a list of valid drop effects, see the DragDropEffects enumeration.


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Home News Star Quality: Laasya's incredible musical talent
Star Quality: Laasya's incredible musical talent
Having already played beautifully at the Headteacher's conference, Laasya from Park View Primary Academy has now begun thrilling audiences with her own episode on a popular children's TV show.
Laasya has the ability to memorise music just by listening to it, allowing her to play it. This is an outstanding talent and Laasya has been previously invited to the 'Top 100 Global Child Prodigy 2020' awards in India, after officials noticed her talent.
She recorded her first world record in 2017 aged four, after memorising and playing 50 xylophone songs in under 25 minutes. Just eight months later she achieved a second for memorising 85 songs and playing them on a piano in just 35 minutes.
"Just because it doesn't make sense right away, doesn't mean you have to quit"
Laaysa
View on Park View Primary Academy website


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Browse: Home / Galz
Zimbabwe update: Stigma, HIV and its new president
admin76crimes / February 9, 2018
Will Zimbabwe ever repeal its anti-LGBT law? It's less improbable than previously, when longtime President Robert Mugabe railed…
Tally of LGBTI rights, wrongs in 29 sub-Saharan countries
admin76crimes / May 3, 2016
Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa have made progress in recognizing the human rights of LGBTI people, but much…
Homophobic Zimbabwe obstructs anti-Aids workshop
admin76crimes / November 30, 2015
Zimbabwe officials disrupted a workshop for people most at risk of HIV infections over the weekend, seizing documents…
LGBTI briefs: Stigma and HIV in Africa, India, Russia
admin76crimes / August 28, 2015
News briefs about LGBTI-related health issues in countries with anti-gay laws, excerpted with slight modifications from UNAIDS's Equal…
Buoyed by Supreme Court, will U.S. church help LGBT Africans?
admin76crimes / June 26, 2015
On the same day when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that all states must recognize same-sex marriages, the…
HIV-positive straight ally in Zimbabwe wins Kato Award
admin76crimes / February 19, 2015
Zimbabwean women's and LGBTI rights activist Martha Tholanah is the winner of this year's David Kato Vision &…
35 injured in anti-gay attack in Zimbabwe
admin76crimes / December 22, 2014
The New Zimbabwe newspaper reported today: Armed men left 35 people injured after they stormed a gay party…
Zimbabwe: Preacher, don't spew anti-gay bias
admin76crimes / April 1, 2014
Activists in Zimbabwe are challenging a popular local preacher's description of homosexuals as mentally ill, including homosexual "politicians,…
Zimbabwe police again raid LGBT rights meeting
admin76crimes / March 12, 2014
Police in Zimbabwe today stormed a local hotel where human rights defenders were attending a media training workshop…
Zimbabwe: Mugabe seeks life in prison for homosexuals
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has resume his verbal attacks on LGBT people, promising that he will make…


Activate your 2005-2013 BMW or Mini vehicle with this iDataStart ADS-BM1 kit that features keyless immobilizer bypass and adds remote-start capability to your vehicle's key fob. Support for DroneMobile (not included) enables mobile phone starting.
InstallationProfessional installation is strongly recommended for this product.Additional parts and labor are usually required.NOTE: cost of additional parts and labor typically ranges from $10 to $300, depending upon vehicle make and model - please contact your local Best Buy store for exact pricing.
Including 2012-2013 X1 SUV/crossover automatic (with and without Comfort Keyless Access) and 2010-2013 1 Series 4-door hatchback automatic and more.
Also compatible with BMW 2010-2013 X5 M and X6 M SUV/crossover automatic (with and without Comfort Keyless Access) and 2009-2013 Z4 roadster automatic (with and without Comfort Keyless Access) and more.
Also compatible with BMW 2008-2013 1 Series coupe 2-door automatic (with and without Comfort Keyless Access), 2008-2013 M3 coupe 2-door automatic (with and without Comfort Keyless Access) and 2007-2010 M5 Estate/Wagon automatic and more.
Also compatible with Mini 2013 Paceman hatchback 4-cyl. automatic (with and without Comfort Keyless Access) and 2012-2013 coupe/roadster 2-door hatchback 4-cyl. automatic (with and without Comfort Keyless Access) and more.
Also compatible with Mini 2011-2013 Countryman hatchback 4-cyl. automatic (with and without Comfort Keyless Access) and 2008-2013 Clubman hatchback 4-cyl. automatic (with and without Comfort Keyless Access) and more.
Features keyless immobilizer bypass and allows you to start your vehicle from afar using your vehicle's factory key fob.
Along with a protective coating offer durability.
So you can use your compatible mobile phone to start your vehicle and for telematics and GPS tracking.
For long-range and 2-way remote start with keyless entry.
Works very well!! Much less expensive than the factory remote.


I welcome the Minister of State's indication that he will review the example of ongoing bad practice that I outlined, which is not a minor example, in the light of this legislation. There are also other examples.
I return to my simple question. The Minister of State seems to agree with the intent of the amendment. Why is it not agreed in wording? It does not have any financial or other implications but rather sets out a broad policy approach with which he seems to agree. I hope he reconsiders and accepts the amendment.


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4th of August, 2016 | VIDEO
FULL HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO: 2016 Puerto Portals Sailing Week
Quantum Racing, steered by owner Doug DeVos, made it three in a row when they won the 52 SUPER SERIES' Puerto Portals Sailing Week. Adding to 2016 regatta titles in May in Scarlino Tuscany, and earlier in July in Porto Cervo, Quantum Racing increased their overall lead at the top of the 52 SUPER SERIES season standings. Vladimir Liubomirov's Bronenosec sailed to their best result yet since joining the 52 SUPER SERIES last year. Underlining just how close racing was during the week, the Russian team's second overall was decided on tie-break with Azzurra.
It was the first time this season that Quantum Racing led the regatta from the first day to the last day, even if at the end of the first two days of racing they were tied at the top with Bronenosec and then Azzurra.
The winning pattern for Quantum Racing shares the same characteristics as their two previous triumphs, consistency over the entire race programme proving the deciding factor. Both Bronenosec and Quantum won four races apiece over the ten races sailed. Other race winners were Azzurra and Provezza. But the regatta winner's aggregate score contained no race finish worse than one fifth place while Bronenosec carried two eighth places.
Midweek, Quantum won a tricky coastal race, passing early leader Gladiator when the breeze shifted close to the land and sealed the regatta title with a race to spare.
Puerto Portals played fantastic and expert hosts to the 52 SUPER SERIES, the ten strong TP52 fleet playing a central role in their summer celebrations for their 30th anniversary since the Marina was built.
Puerto Portals Sailing Week Race Programme
Sunday, July 24th: Official practice race(s) from 13:00
Monday, July 25th: Windward-leeward Races (13:00)
Tuesday, July 26th: Windward-leeward Races (13:00)
Wednesday, July 27th: WL & Coastal Race (13:00)
Thursday, July 28th: Windward-leeward Races (13:00)
Friday July 29th: Windward-leeward Races (13:00)
Follow the 52 SUPER SERIES on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/52SuperSeries/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/52superseries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/52superseries/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/52SuperSeries
Watch any of the 10 2016 Puerto Portals Sailing Week races again via state-of-the-art Virtual Eye technology, or download the Official 52 SUPER SERIES App on iOS or Android.
The Official 52 SUPER SERIES App is the ultimate companion to the 2016 52 SUPER SERIES, delivering live event tracking, real-time results and full race information straight to your mobile device as it happens as well as race summaries and replays.
News Overview HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO: Puerto Portals Day 5 Sustainability Video: Keeping our Oceans Clean
Azzurra Bronenosec Gazprom Puerto Portals Sailing Week Quantum Racing
Barcelona Will Host 2023 Rolex TP52 World Championship
Logistics partners Peters & May extend successful 52 SUPER SERIES collaboration for a further three years
4th of November, 2022
St Tropez, France will host season opener for five regatta 52 SUPER SERIES 2023 season
2nd of November, 2022
29th of October, 2022
Quantum Racing write history with fifth 52 SUPER SERIES title as the world's leading grand prix monohull circuit celebrates ten years.
Double advantage to Quantum Racing as light winds Saturday showdown beckons
52 SUPER SERIES Facts
2022 is the tenth anniversary year of the 52 SUPER SERIES which was founded in Barcelona, May 2012 when five boats raced.
When Sled won the 2021 title they became only the third team to win the overall series title along with Quantum Racing and Azzurra. Quantum won in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018, and Azzurra were winners in 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Nine new boats were built for the 2018 52 SUPER SERIES by two design studios, Botin Partners & Judel Vrolijk.
At the end of the 2021 season just three points separated the top three teams.
TP52 team owners are most often business owners leaders from a variety of backgrounds from engineering to tech to finance and sales.
The TP52 class really started out in the USA aorund 2000-1 for the Transpac Race from Los Angeles to Hawaii - hence TP52. The class came to Europe and the Med in 2005.
An average of nine or ten TP52 crews will take part during 2022, representing seven different nations: Italy, USA, Great Britain, Thailand, Turkey, South Africa, Germany. Russia remain banned in line with World Sailing's policy.
It takes an average of 2-3 seconds to hoist a TP52 spinnaker to the top of the 22-metre mast.
Sailors from over 15 nations are represented onboard the 52 SUPER SERIES fleet in 2022.
TP52s are boats built under a box rule, meaning that each boat must fit within a set of measurement parameters defined by the class rule.
Downwind in a strong breeze TP52's can sail at well over 20 knots, which is why the owners and teams just have so much fun racing them!
Over 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year. We're working hard to minimise our impact on the environment.


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The future of NATO – an alliance under strain?
Written by Angus Parker
Published in Geopolitics
Angus Parker questions how NATO can remain relevant in the 21st century
On 4 April 1949, a group of nations, still recovering from the shock of the Second World War, came together to sign the North Atlantic Treaty resulting in the birth of NATO – the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Twelve nations signed a pledge to protect and defend each other, resolving to: 'unite their efforts for collective defence and the preservation of peace and security.' However, over the intervening seven decades, the political winds have carved a very different geopolitical landscape. The threat of an explicit attack or invasion by an outside power has morphed into a multiplicity of 21st century challenges which are more complex and multifaceted.
When NATO was established in 1949, the purpose was embedded in Cold War strategies to contain and deter the expansion of the Soviet Union. After 1989 it then shifted its attention to facilitate the integration of Eastern and Central European countries into Western democracies, before transforming into a platform for joint US-European interventions in the Balkans and Afghanistan. In the past decade, with Russian policies towards Georgia and Ukraine at the fore, NATO has begun to shift focus back to its original remit of protecting European territory from a Russian state that increasingly appears to see security in geographical terms.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the nature and extent of NATO's operations and mandate have diversified significantly. The alliance has shifted from a mono-focussed organisation to one that has to deal with multiple strategic fronts simultaneously. These include a return to collective defence in Central and Eastern Europe, dealing with issues affecting its southern flank in the Mediterranean and North African region and, perhaps most significantly, addressing the initiations of hybrid warfare and novel forms of attack. The missiles and tanks of yesteryear have been supplanted by targeted infrastructural attacks and cyber operations designed to destabilise the operations of entire countries. As Camille Grand, assistant secretary general for defence investment at NATO outlined in a recent speech: 'NATO faces the most unpredictable security situation in many years.'
The admission of new members has also led some to question whether NATO is now too big to be effective. At its outset, NATO had a distinct, core membership as well as a clear purpose: 'To promote stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area…and unite their efforts for collective defence and for the preservation of peace and security.' While enlargement may have been politically astute in promoting democracy across Central and Eastern Europe, strategically it may prove less wise. The admission of new members expanded the alliance from a group of 15/16 nations to one of 30 nations which has taken on commitments and responsibilities which it is increasingly struggling to honour in a military sense.
Trump has made it clear that he is not prepared to foot NATO's defence bill
Added to this, internal tensions have begun to rise – most notably over the issue of burden sharing in relation to the defensive demands of NATO. The US has continually been the nation that bears the greatest burden in this regard. This imbalance has long been an issue of dispute which was seemingly addressed at the NATO summit in Wales in 2014 when all members pledged to move towards spending two per cent of GDP on defence. However, there are indications to suggest that these targets are not being realised in many countries and President Trump has been particularly outspoken over the issue, going as far as to label NATO 'obsolete' in a speech last year. The US President's transactional approach to foreign policy has led him to question what NATO is providing for the United States.
This apparent ambivalence has in turn raised concerns in Europe – most explicitly from Emmanuel Macron. The French President warned last year that NATO is in danger of becoming 'strategically brain-dead' as he looks to push for a more united European defence force. His comments were, in part, politically motivated – a form of discursive sparring in response to both Trump's NATO remarks as well as the American President's decision to withdraw US forces from north-east Syria without consulting European allies beforehand – a move which President Macron is said to have discovered through Twitter.
However, President Trump's rhetoric has certainly shattered any illusions in Europe that the United States is prepared to endlessly provide the bulk of funding and resources for an alliance which, currently, is focussed mainly on European defence issues. The lack of political consensus among NATO's allies makes it easier for Russia to potentially re-establish influence in Eastern Europe. It has also raised concerns over the sustainability and future of the North Atlantic alliance.
The debate over the future of NATO is not new. When the alliance marked its 40th, 50th and 60th anniversaries, concerns were raised over its sustainability. At the same time, supporters of the alliance extolled the relevance and virtues of NATO in maintaining and upholding unity. The multipolar nature of geopolitics and global relations in the 21st century present a situation in which cooperation through alliances such as NATO are both increasingly necessary, yet simultaneously increasingly difficult to maintain. In that regard, NATO's relevance will rely on its ability to react to growing tensions, adapt to a multipolar world and modernise to combat new threats.
In relation to reacting to growing tensions, the issue of burden sharing is clearly the most galling for the current American administration. Yet, despite President Trump's comments, things are changing. An additional $100 billion was invested in defence between 2016 and 2020. NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, said in November that: 'the majority of Allies have plans in place on how to meet that [two per cent] guideline by 2024.' The EU has also launched a series of initiatives which appear to put resources and structures behind defence aspirations. From the European Intervention Initiative, which aims to foster a common strategic culture on power projection and mission planning, to a European Defence Fund with initial funding of €13 billion, to the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) which has 34 multinational projects – it seems that European attitudes towards collective defence are developing.
NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg
Aside from burden sharing, the increasingly multipolar world is an equally important area of consideration. Since the alliance was established, the world has shifted from one in which two major powers dominated geopolitical events to an arena with a plethora of state and non-state actors. With the emergence of nations, most notably China, as global powers, Dr Jamie Shea, official spokesperson for NATO during the Kosovo War and a member of the International Staff for 38 years, has suggested that the alliance should look to: 'develop a diversity of partnerships to manage the complexity of the modern world.'
The military and political capabilities of NATO, in relation to defence, crisis management and crisis response are extremely valuable and, as Dr Shea notes in an article for NATO review, one of NATO's biggest success stories since the end of the Cold War has been the structured partnerships that have been established with 40 other countries. These established relationships could be supplemented and improved with similar connections with other international bodies, individual countries as well as the private sector with the aim of providing further stability in relation to NATO's future.
The final key issue is the changing nature of threats and emerging risks in the 21st century. NATO's Article 5 states that: 'The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all.' This has been heralded as an unprecedented agreement of collective security and has only had to be invoked once following the attacks of 11 September 2001. The issue currently is that 'armed attacks' are based predominantly on conventional military attacks and do not include the hybrid warfare that has emerged over the past few decades. Rachel Ellehuus, deputy director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, argues that this is a cause for concern. In an article for CSIS she wrote that NATO should formally expand its definition of deterrence 'to include non-military, whole-of-government, and whole-of-society tools, to address so called "gray-zone" threats that fall below the level of armed conflict'.
NATO will have to withstand the forces apparently pushing the US and Europe further apart
The threats of the 21st century would have been unimaginable in 1949 and, consequently, modernising the treaty is perhaps more prescient than it has ever been. Maintaining loyalty to the text of the original treaty could be particularly risky if the depth and breadth of threats continue to expand. Despite the changes that might be required, NATO has been one of the most successful military alliances in history and, over 70 years, has upheld and promoted peace and democracy across a great swathe of the northern hemisphere.
As an organisation that operates through, and relies upon, consensus, questions over unity are particularly pertinent – NATO will have to withstand the forces apparently pushing the US and Europe further apart. In comments about NATO's future, Camille Grand concluded that: 'NATO's relevance in 10 years will rely on its ability to continue to react, adapt, modernize and reflect the common interests of the allies.' As the alliance enters its eighth decade, it appears that adaption has become ever more important to ensure that the alliance continues to be effective.
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Fibre Structure states that each and every fibre from their manufacturing (man-made fibres) or during development (natural fibres) creates and develops its own and specialized structure. It might be the chemical structure, crystalline structure, amorphous structure and/or morphology. This structure can be modified during processing. The structure equally influences the processing conditions as well as the properties of the fibre. With this background, the present book deals with different fibres and their structures. Different aspects of structure are dealt separately in a concise and compact manner. This will serve as a reference for researchers, technologists as well as professionals as a reference book to know about the structure of different fibres and their measurement.


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If you travel frequently, chances are you've been there. You're running through the airport because you're
If you travel frequently, chances are you've been there. You're running through the airport because you're going to be late to your meeting or event, partially because you had trouble getting through security. You get to the luggage claim, ready to grab your bag and run off so that you can make it to your important function just on time. But you can't find it. After an extensive search, you finally locate it and rush off to whatever it was you're late for.
It's a familiar situation. If you haven't experienced it yourself, you probably have at least heard someone tell a story about it happening to them. No one's really come up with a reliable solution to these kinds of airport troubles yet. But what if I told you that your suitcase could help solve them for you?
That's the goal of the various startups and more established companies in the smart luggage game. These innovators create suitcases and carry-on bags that have a bunch of high-tech features designed to make travel easier.
The features include things like location tracking so that your bag doesn't get lost or stolen, integrated scales to help your luggage stay within weight limits and batteries with USB ports to charge your electronics. There are now a number of smart luggage options on the market, so here's a list of all the best high-tech luggage for your next trip.
Away offers four different sizes of their signature suitcase. There are two carry-ons. One measures 21.7" x 13.7" x 9" and weighs seven pounds. The other is 22.7" x 14.7" x 9.6." Both of them fit into the carry-on size requirements for major airlines. There's also a medium 25" x 17.5" x 10.5" checked bag and a large 28" x 19.5" x 12" checked bag. The bags have a simple but smart plain black design. The build leaves a little bit to be desired though and the bag tends to wobble as you roll it around. The shell is designed to be flexible so that it doesn't break. It bends quite a lot, which might actually cause problems if you're carrying anything exceedingly fragile.
Away's carry-on features a 10,000 mAh battery with two USB charging ports – one for regular charging and one that's more high-powered for faster charging. As far as tech goes, that's all that Away offers. The checked bag doesn't include any smart features. The bags do feature a TSA-approved combinations lock and several zippered compartments, a removable laundry bag and a compression system to help you pack compactly. The different sized bags also fit in each other for easy storage after your trip.
The smallest carry-on costs $225, and the bigger version's price bumps up to $245. The medium checked bag will costs you $275 and the large costs $295. Away offers some of the most affordable smart luggage available, but you do sacrifice some features including the integrated scale and location tracking. However, if you're looking for a solid suitcase with just a splash of tech, Away fits the bill.
Raden is one of the biggest players in the smart luggage game – and for good reason. Their carry-on and checked bag offerings look sleek but also just like regular suitcases and come in seven different colors, so that you can customize your bags to fit your personal style. They feature a sturdy polycarbonate shell to help them withstand the wear and tear of travel. At 28" x 21" x 13," the checked bag weighs about 13 pounds. The carry-on comes in at seven pounds and measures 22" x 19" x 14."
Raden's products come with all of the main features that smart luggage tends to offer. There's a 7,800 milliamp hour (mAh) battery, which the company says can provide up to four full phone charges. There's also a built-in scale to help you make sure you don't overpack. The bags also come equipped with location awareness, so that you can track your stuff's location with Raden's companion app. To top it all off, there's a TSA-approved lock and waterproof zippers.
The 28" check bag goes for $395, and you can get your hands on the carry-on for $295. If you decide to go for the set, you can save a few bucks and just pay $595 for the two of them.
Bluesmart, whose 2014 Indiegogo campaign raised over $2 million, bills itself as the world's first smart carry-on. The company followed up its original Bluesmart One case with the Bluesmart Black Edition, which is similar but with a few upgrades, mostly centered around the materials it's made of. The case's Makrolon body and shell are more weather resistant and durable. The Bluesmart Black Edition measures 22" x 14" x 9," the standard size for major airlines. It weighs 9.4 pounds.
Bluesmart's Black Edition has all the same technology as the Bluesmart One – built-in charging, location awareness, an integrated scale and a remote lock. The suitcase has a 10,4000 mAh power bank that the company says can recharge a phone five to six times on one charge. The remote lock feature is somewhat unique. If you get out of range of your suitcase, it will automatically lock, and it will stay locked until you open it through the app. The lock is also TSA approved.
The Bluesmart Black Edition goes for $599 on the company's website. If you want a slightly cheaper version, you can opt for the Bluesmart One for $449.
Horizn offers a large variety of models, ranging from cabin-sized trolleys to check-in ones. All of these offer a pleasant, bold aesthetic with well-defined features. There is a DJ Trolley model that measures 8.7"x17.9"x18.9" and weighs 12 pounds, several Cabin Trolley models that measure 15.7"x21.7"x7.9" and weigh around 7.5 pounds. They both feature German polycarbonate hard shells, while the Cabin Trolley features a 360° ultra-durable, aerospace-tested polycarbonate hard shell. Most of the models come in different colors, with the Cabin Trolley Model H2 boasting bright colors such as Infra Red or Electric Blue.
Every Horizn smart luggage trolley features a TSA-approved lock, an inbuilt 10,000 mAh removable battery with 2 USB ports and silent Japanese 360° spinner wheels. The DJ trolley has multiple compartments for digital equipment, and a nylon front pocket. Customers can opt for GPS tracking at an additional cost, or for a smart card that notifies you whenever your luggage, wallet or handbag has gotten more than 30 meters away from you.
The Cabin Trolley Model H2 is the cheapest smart luggage available, starting at 200 euros, while its Model M counterpart costs 300 euros. The Check-In Model H2 costs 250 euros, and the DJ trolley costs 500 euros. If you're not sure about your purchase, Horizn offers a 100-day risk-free trial, meaning that you can return any model within 100 days of your purchase, no questions asked.
This Kickstarter-funded company's claim to fame is that its bags collapse to under three inches even with its aircraft grade aluminum frame and polycarbonate shell. The case has a sturdy build and a no-frills, functional-looking black exterior. The design isn't quite as sleek as some of its competitors, but it's quite durable and practical. The company offers a 90-liter checked bag that weighs 10 pounds and measures 29" x 18" x 12." The carry-on version comes in at eight pounds and measures 22" x 14" x 8."
As far as smart features go, Néit's bags are a bit lacking, although the company says it is adding location tracking soon. For now, the features are mostly low-tech and include a waterproof exterior, a TSA-approved lock and, of course, the ability to collapse for easy storage and enhanced maneuverability. Once the company launches the location-tracking feature, its bags will become truly smart. There's also a companion app that allows you to track the bag, as well as find hotels, flights and other travel accommodations.
Néit's prices are quite reasonable compared to some of its competitors. but you do have to sacrifice a few of the high-tech features. The luggage is high quality however. The checked version will run you $295, the cabin size costs $245, and you can nab the two as a set for $495.
Planet Traveler says that it "set out to design the most fashionable smart luggage in the world." Its suitcases are pretty slick, and they offer some cool tech features as well. The company offers an eight pound bag that's 21.5" x 7.5" x 13.5." It's eleven-pound bag measures 29" x 11.5" x 21." The case comes in four styles – polished silver, polished black, stealth black and raw carbon fiber texture.
The lock on the Planet Traveler Space Case helps set it apart from the competition. You can unlock your case by placing your finger on its fingerprint scanner or through the companion app. The app also features location tracking and a proximity alert that will let you know if your bag enters or leaves your immediate area. You can even arm your case so that the case itself issues an audible alarm if it leaves your vicinity. There's also a Bluetooth-connected scale and a Bluetooth-connected speaker system integrated into the suitcase. It features a 12,000 mAh battery with three USB charging ports.
The extra features that aren't available on some other bags bump the price of the Planet Traveler Space Case up a bit. The small case costs $750, and the larger version is priced at $950. You can get the two cases as a set for $1,660. It's a bit of a hefty price for luggage but if you want a bag that's truly decked out with tech, this might be the right choice for you.
What sets Trunkster's smart suitcase apart from other smart luggage is the way you open it. Instead of a zipper or a latch, it features a rolltop door that brings to mind a miniature garage door that allows you to quickly and easily access your stuff. The bag weighs 10.3 pounds, measures 22" x 14" x 9″ and has 43 liters of packing space. Rather than having the separate compartment inside, the inside of the bag is just one big open space, which could be a positive or a negative depending on your packing style.
Trunkster's smart bag features a 10,400 mAh power bank that is designed to be easy to remove and upgrade with another, more powerful battery. You can use the bag's two USB ports to charge your devices. The case also features a built-in digital scale with a display on the bag itself. You also get GSM location tracking that integrates with Trunkster's app, but it's only free for one year. The bag's durable outer shell is also water resistant, and the handle is easy to use and retract. One downside is that it doesn't come with a lock.
At $295, the Trunkster is more affordable than some other smart luggage offerings. If you want to keep the tracking service after a year, it will cost you $5 for one month, $20 for six months or $30 for a year.
First off, what makes the Modobag exciting is the fact that it doubles as a motor scooter – but more on that later. As for the bag's specs, it measures 22" x 14" x 9" and is, understandably, the heaviest smart suitcase on this list at 20 pounds. It has a lightweight aluminum frame and high strength ballistic nylon shell that allows it to be both light and durable enough to transport a person.
The Modobag has a 200-watt electric motor that can reach speeds of up to eight miles an hour and run for up to six miles. The company's website points out that the top speed of the bag is three times the normal walking speed. It also includes a dual braking system to help you avoid airport fender benders and a touch-control dashboard. The bag features two USB charging ports and will recharge in under an hour. You also have the option of adding a GPRS/GSM location tracking system that works with the optional companion app.
You can buy the Modobag on Indiegogo for $1095 plus an additional $69 if you want the tracking capability. The company's fundraising campaign was successful and delivery is estimated for May 2017.
The Barracuda measures 22" x 14" x 9" and weighs 8.7 pounds. It can, however, collapse to 22" x 15" x 4.5." The bag has a more casual look than some of the other smart bags and is made of Bayer Makrolon Polycarbonate Ballistic Nylon and Aircraft Grade Aluminum. Unfortunately, the design of the bag isn't flawless and the craftsmanship is not quite as impressive of some other smart suitcases. Zippers frequently get stuck and some of the features aren't particularly easy to use.
The Barracuda emphasizes convenience with its collapsible laptop tray and two cup holders, which will help make your time waiting for your flight a little more enjoyable. The bag also includes a 10,000 mAh battery and a USB charger. The battery is removable, and you have to take it out of the bag in order to charge it. It also features a digital scale. Location tracking isn't standard but you can opt to add in the feature. Additionally, the bag's exterior is waterproofed. The Barracuda also has some neat features that help you store it. It comes with a bag that fits the suitcase once you collapse it, which you can hang in your closet.
You can purchase the Barracuda on the company's website for $349 or get two for $299 a bag. If you want luggage for the whole family, you can get four for $273 per bag. If you'd like to add location tracking, you can purchase a Lugloc luggage tracker from Barracuda for $50, which is cheaper than such a system usually costs.
Traxpack just finished up a successful Kickstarter campaign for its smart luggage offering, which focuses on easy maneuverability in addition to tech features. The case weights eight pounds and measures 22" x 14" x 9." The hard shell exterior is a smooth-looking black with a few colorful accents.
What sets Traxpack apart is its focus on maneuverability. It has tracks like those on a tank on the side of the bag so that you can easily roll it upstairs. The handle also tilts, so that you can comfortably pull it at different angles. For added convenience, it includes a mobile device stand, so that you can comfortably use a tablet or other device while waiting in the airport. The way that Traxpack handles its smart features is unique as well. The company allows you to pick and choose which ones you want when you check out on their website. Your options are a GPS tracking system and a proximity sensor, a built-in scale, a TSA-approved lock and packing cubes.
Price, of course, varies depending on how many of the features you want. Full functionality costs a little under $300, and the bare bones case costs $139.99.
Another recent graduate of a crowdfunding campaign, Ready Travel expects to start shipping its smart luggage around June 2017. Ready Travel makes perhaps the most stylish of the smart suitcases, but it's made with aircraft grade aluminum and 100% polycarbonate shell so it's durable as well. It's also scratch and water resistant, so you don't have to worry too much about it getting damaged during travel. The case weighs a little over eight pounds and measures 21″ x 14″ x 9."
The Ready Travel bag features all of the major smart features available on many smart suitcases. It has an integrated scale, tracking capabilities, proximity alerts that let you know if your bag leaves your vicinity and USB charging ports. It's designed to for use with a battery but one doesn't come standard. The company does offer a 10,000m mAh battery for a reasonable price though. It also has a TSA-approved lock and a cup holder. Instead of using a zipper, the bag utilizes latches on the side of the case.
Although the retail price for the Ready Travel bag is $339, if you order off of Indiegogo, you can get the bag for $199. If you order a battery with your bag, you'll pay an extra $19 for a charger that the website says has a retail value of $39.
UPDATE: Ready announced in August 2017 on their Indiegogo Page, that they have ran out of money and won't be able to proceed with the mass manufacturing of their Smart Luggage range. This unfortunately leaves all backers out of Pocket.
E-CASE just started its Kickstarter campaign and has already surpassed its goal – a good sign for the startup. The campaign is scheduled to end on May 22, 2017. The E-CASE comes in three sizes. There's a carry-on that's 22" x 14" x 18," a smaller checked bag that measures 26.5" x 18.5" x 10.5" and a larger check bag that's 31.5" x 21" x 12." It comes in black, navy blue, rose gold, mint, and teal but the company says that you can message them if you want a different color.
The E-CASE team emphasizes the fact that it uses a combination of real GPS, GSM, WiFi, and Bluetooth signals for its tracking. GSM-based positioning, the company says, must be disabled during the flight to conform to airline regulations. Upon landing, you only get a one-time notification that tells you just that it arrived at the airport. Because of its use of GPS, E-CASE says that its tracking is more accurate. The suitcase also includes proximity alerts, a built-in scale, a lock that can be opened by fingerprint, through the app or by SMS, a removable 12,000 mAh battery that lasts 10 days and USB ports. E-CASE also guarantees that its luggage is TSA compliant.
According to the Kickstarter page, the retail cost of the carry-on is $489, the small checked bag goes for $549 retail, and the large version's retail cost is $609. You can however currently get one for pledges of $269, $289 and $349 respectively. The cases come with two free years of the GSM portion of the tracking service. After your two free years, the service costs $9.99 annually.
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The smart luggage industry is still young, but there are already a fair number of players in the game. Startups, often beginning their journey with crowdfunding, are dominating the smart luggage field. More startups are likely to pop up in the near future as well as competing products from big, established brands.
For now, these 10 leaders in the smart luggage industry are offering the best-connected luggage on the market. It remains to be seen, although the signs point to it happening, whether or not smart luggage will change the face of travel.
As our editor-in-chief, Daniel is at the helm of our smart tech commentary ship. He is fascinated by this new direction that the tech industry — and really all industry — is taking, and understands the potential, the power, and the promise of putting capital funding in the hands of the public.
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