Instagram is one of the most in-demand skills for freelancers in 2018. You can read more about it in my post on Top 7 Digital Marketing Skills for Freelancers in 2018. And this is the reason why I decided to cover Instagram marketing skills the first in my 'How to Become a Top-rated Digital Marketing Freelancer' series.
I will list down the top 15 tips that will help you ace the Instagram game and deliver results to your client's projects like a pro! Please note that I am listing down the Instagram strategies that will help you drive growth and engagement for the Instagram accounts you'll be handling and that's why will skip the basics like setting up an account or the common terminologies. There are innumerable resources that can help you with the basics. It's the growth and engagement strategies that are difficult to find in one place!
Our competitors who we have to keep a track of in order to see the activity taking place on their page. Be thorough with your study of your competitors on Instagram. There's always a lot that we can learn and understand by following our competition. Social Insider is an awesome tool to keep track of your competitors' social media strategy. Things that you consider 'cool' may not necessarily resonate with your target audience. Your competitors who are doing good on Instagram should give you a reality check into things that may or may not be working with your audience.
The hashtags that you will be targeting in order to fuel your growth on Instagram.
I can't stress enough on the importance of defining your niche and target audience. You can provide value to your audience only if you understand your space well and don't have content that is all over the place!
You have a solid Instagram content strategy in place but it will bring you results only if your content quality is better than your competition and resonates with your target audience. Whether you are posting images or videos, keep in mind that its quality will decide your brand's image in your audience's minds. Invest in your content!
Starbucks is one of the most loved brands on Instagram.
Look around your competition, target hashtags and see the kind of content that is doing well there and ask yourself – can I compete with that?
High-quality content will bring results only if it adds genuine value to your target audience. Instagram, like other social media accounts, is getting saturated and it's not easy to get noticed. It requires a lot of time, effort, and planning. Be ready for that!
Quality over quantity – Always keep asking and answering this question – why am I on this platform? Your long-term vision for Instagram should form the base for all your activities on this platform.
Think about your audience while creating the content for them…What's in it for them? Is my content providing genuine value to them?
Review your and your competitors best performing posts and see what is working well with your audience.
Ask! Sometimes it's a good idea to dig a little deeper and ask your audience what kind of content they would like to see from you.
Experiment once in a while… It's god to push the envelope once in a while and do things out of your comfort zone. You never know, you may hit the jackpot!
Success on any of the social media platforms doesn't come easily and one of the key reasons for pages performing poorly is their lack of consistency. Look at any of the Top Instagram profiles and you will see that they post at an average of 1 or 2 times a day.
Posting every day will keep you connected with your target audience and also help you work the Instagram algorithm in your favor. Also, keep in mind, finding success on Instagram should be a part of your long-term strategy and not a one-off thing. Plan for your time and resources accordingly. Check out this cool image from CoScedule to reinforce this strategy and keep posting daily!
This is one data that you'll have to find out on your own! Though there's a lot of research on this topic and you will find a lot of people suggesting 11 am – 1 pm or evening 7 pm – 9 pm as the best times to post on Instagram, you can't really take this as a rule of thumb. This could be a good place to start from though, for beginners.
But as you gain more followers and engagement levels, dig into your Page Insights and look for key metrics like when the majority of your followers are online and the times when the engagement levels on your page is the highest.
Posting around these times can help you drive maximum (and timely) engagement to your posts, a key metric for the Instagram algorithm in 2018. The faster you get the likes and comments on your post, the better you will perform on the Instagram algorithm.
Remember: Timing your Instagram post correctly is as crucial as the content you put in the post!
While it's good for one's ego to have a huge following, the numbers mean little if they're just that – NUMBERS! Your main concern should be the connections and engagement levels with your audience. They should be interested in what you have to say and share with them.
Having a higher engagement rate on your posts does increase your chances of showing up in the top posts feed of the hashtags you are gunning for. As far as Instagram is concerned, it obviously wants to push forward the content that is more popular and engagement numbers is a good indication of popularity!
It is a good idea to do a spring cleaning of your followers once every week. I use Follower Assistant, an app to keep a check on accounts who don't follow me back and or have unfollowed me. You can also check out a few more tools and see what works the best for you. They will also help you weed out the fake/ghost followers out of your account.
Instagram now allows users to follow hashtags just like the way you follow other accounts. Adding relevant hashtags to your posts help you reach out to users in your target audience who may not have heard about you yet. As of now, Instagram allows you to use 30 hashtags per post. Go ahead and use all of them.
Using the right hashtag tactics on Instagram can get you more engagement and followers.
2. Following and engaging with the relevant hashtags in your niche can get you targeted followers.
If you want to keep your visibility high within your niche, it's a good idea to spend time following and engaging with the top performing hashtags in your niche. Follow, like and comment on the top performing posts within each hashtag you are targeting. Do this on a consistent basis, you will see a good jump in your follower numbers.
If you want to make it to the to posts slot on Instagram for specific hashtags, it's not enough to just add these hashtags to your post. What you also need to do is to interact with these hashtags in the Instagram feed. So once you've made a post on your account, go over to the feed for each of the hashtags you have used. You can choose any 5 good # that you've used in your post and start liking and commenting on these hashtags.
Of course, you don't want to spam the hell out of these hashtags, so don't go overboard. Just 3-4 likes and comments on each # should be enough. Make sure of one thing – do his immediately after you have made the post on your account. This will help you make it to the top posts within your targeted hashtags. And this should be your aim all the time with every post you do- make it to the list of top posts within each hashtag!
Pro Tip: You can use up to 30 hashtags per post. What's stopping you from using them?
Iconosquare – Track key insights like engagement and audience growth for your Instagram account. Will help you analyze and optimize your performance on Instagram. Most importantly, schedule your posts!
Hootsuite – Hootsuite is one of the most powerful scheduling tools for all of your social media channels, including Instagram. Definitely, one of the Top 3 for scheduling, managing engagement and tracking performance – all from a single dashboard.
Social Rank – Get valuable insights about your followers. Most valuable, most engaged, most followed or the best follower…This tool will find it all for you!
VSCO – The best out there to edit your photos…it has some pretty amazing filters! You can check out Snapseed too.
Canva – One stop shop for designing all your social media posts. It's so easy to use and gives amazing results. I don't think I can survive to be on social media without Canva!
Preview – Hashtag tools, editing tools, analytics, and editing….all in one place!
Prime – If you want to find out the best time to post from your IG account, this tool is a must-have!
Captions on Instagram are as important as your images! Writing a good caption can get the ball rolling in terms of getting higher engagement levels on your posts. It is one of the effective ways to get people to comment on your post. Comments drive engagement and as you are aware, higher your engagement levels, better are the chances of Instagram algorithm pushing your post up on people's feeds. Why would you want to miss out on a wonderful opportunity like this?
Instagram Stories have overtaken Snapchat stories by a huge margin. As we all know, stories were first brought in by Snapchat – a select collection of your Snaps that would play in the order you took them and would disappear after 24 hours.
Well, going by its popularity, the idea was picked by many, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Pro Tip: Do remember to add Hashtags and Geotags to your stories.
Tag a friend under the photo and ask the friend to follow that page.
As an added incentive, one can tag multiple people, each one under a different comment. Obviously, the one who tags more number of friends stands a higher chance of winning the giveaway.
You can also check out the Hashtag #TagToWin on Instagram to get a good idea about the kind of giveaways being run and also analyze the ones that are getting a lot of engagements for the brand.
Done in the right way, Influence marketing on Instagram is a great strategy to drive growth and engagement on your page.
Make sure to reach out to influencers who have healthy engagement levels rather than just looking at follower numbers. Numbers hold a significance only if they are engaging with the page. There is no point working with an influencer with thousands of followers but only a handful of likes and comments on their posts.
Look at the influencers popular in your niche. Who does your audience like to interact with the most? They may have a smaller follower base than the 'typical' influencers on Instagram, but if the audience loves them, associating with them should work for you.
Not sure how to go about it? This should help!
IGTV (you can get both in the native Instagram app and the new IGTV app) was launched in June 2018 to compete with the likes of Youtube and Snapchat, allowing one to post much longer videos than the 60 second limit on the standard Instagram posts.
Combine this with the appeal of storytelling, digital videos, authentic content – you have a real winner here. 80% of the content in the next few years is going to be consumed in the form of videos and IGTV gives you the perfect platform to share this content with your target audience.
Pro Tip: It's hot and new in the market. Whether it's your latest interview/ product demo/tutorials/webinars…do it here!
Capitalize on Stories and Live videos on Instagram. People love these stories and live videos and will help you connect with your audience at a deeper level and can work wonders towards creating an engaged and loyal follower base.
ASK!! What is the big deal in asking people to like, comment or answer the question you've posted on your page? Do it and you will be amazed by the results!
Do more of what your audience likes!
Instagram Engagement Tip – Ask and you shall receive!
Last, but not the least, be patient. Success on Instagram, like everything else in life does not come easily and you will have to work towards it. This work will also need to be consistent in order to build the momentum and maintain it. Keep an initial time frame of 6 months to a year. If you are following all of the steps well, the Instagram game is yours to win!
Put these 15 strategies to work for you and let me know if they are getting results for your clients. Would love to hear about your Instagram journey, so do leave your comments below. Also, if you would like my help in working on your Instagram strategy, you can write to me at tulika.kiran@freelancingwiz.com. I would be happy to help!
Also, check out the top-rated online digital marketing courses and skill yourself with the most in-demand courses!


text:
import * as firebase from 'firebase'

import { AUTH_ACTIONS } from 'actions/auth'

import config from 'config'

const map = (type, payload) => {
  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    switch (type) {
      case AUTH_ACTIONS.LOGIN:
        firebase.auth()
          .signInWithEmailAndPassword(payload.username, payload.password)
          .then(response => {
            resolve({
              username: response.email
            })
          })
          .catch(error => {
            reject(error)
          })

      default:
        return null
    }
  })
}

export default map

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
« Previous entry: Mathematical infinity at the beginning instead of - Next entry: The Point of Grace »
By Clearhat, Friday, April 16 2021 . Permalink
Consider the following sentence without any context, except that it was written in 1983: "Then I found it necessary to delve into various sources for information concerning quantum mechanics in order to be able to describe the nature and functioning of human consciousness." Think about it for a moment. Quantum mechanics and human consciousness? Now for some context: The person writing this sentence was working within a high level security clearance and had access to some very unusual research at the cutting edge of scientific inquiry -- information which would be hidden from the public review for at least a couple more decades. He is describing, in an introductory cover letter, the remarkable intellectual challenge he experienced during his investigation in order to write about some discoveries involving the mechanics of our two brain hemispheres (see illustration) and the astonishing implications of what happens when they work together properly, instead of being dominated by one side or the other, as is usually the case. In a single sentence, he combines "quantum mechanics" and "the nature and functioning of human consciousness" as if mind and matter were in the same world. If that's not enough, he later goes into astral projection, time travel, super intelligence -- a mixing of ideas we would normally assign to science fiction or woo-ey crackpots who throw together ideas like Jackson Pollack threw together his abstract paintings; flinging paint at a canvas randomly, without structural coherence. However, due to the resources he had available and the target audience, this author is not a crackpot nor a crazy conspiracy theorist. It was written within the US Army Intelligence and Security Command in the early 1980s. He is serious, and is being taken seriously. One of the reviewers of this paper (after it was declassified) called it "dense," which appears to be a bit of an understatement. It is more dense than it seems because it is so readable. There is a book's worth of information condensed into this brief 30-page paper. As FOIA and other releases have shown, more like an encylopedia worth of research and information in this area has happened since then, and apparently some of it is still classified. This was not, as the skeptics out there would have you believe, a free-love hippy "Men Staring at Goats" kind of project which can be easily dismissed as a fringe effort by an over-funded War Department which took too much LSD in the 70s and wrote about it in the 80s, but instead, it is the most accessible corner of a significant, yet hidden, series of interconnected research projects, and evidence indicates they are still actively researched and developed to this day.
Taking this seriously
There's a peculiar reason to take the paper seriously, as its intellectual clarity, scientific credibility, level-headed tone, and breadth and depth of material demand. It is the curious matter of a single page missing from its publication in 2003, when it was finally declassified. This single page the Central Intelligence Agency adamantly refuses to publish, even though there were numerous FOIA requests from many parties. In response to such requests, they pretend the page never existed, when it was obvious then, and certain now, that it does. Finally, an obscure research organization (mentioned in the paper) recently revealed that it had a full, unredacted copy of the same paper in its archives, which it had been sitting on for nearly four decades. Why wouldn't the CIA publish this missing page? And now that we have it, what is on this page that kept them from releasing it for 38 years, intending maybe forever? This is the stuff of which great fiction is written, but this part is all true. On the surface, the missing page is not much different from the other 30. Oh yes, there is already an article by Vice (which first published the missing page earlier this month) describing its contents in appropriately glowing terms. The Vice article is well worth reading; it pulls rich material out of this page, but... to this reader, their description doesn't quite get to the heart of the obvious question: "Why did the CIA feel the need to hide this particular page for four decades?" What is on this page worth hiding? Before we answer that, think about context for a moment: Wouldn't the fact of hiding a single page lend legitimacy to the whole paper's seemingly-bizarre propositions? Wouldn't this secrecy attract even more attention from fringe conspiracy theorists, and wouldn't some credible people -- who would normally not care -- look more deeply into the matter? We're to assume an intelligence agency understands things like the Streisand Effect well enough to calculate for these inevitable consequences, right? And aren't they required by law to respond to FOIA requests for missing pages that so obviously exist? And is anyone who made these decisions going to get in trouble for breaking the law now? So since they did do all this, there must be something they really don't want people to know, right? Yes, yes, and yes. Nevertheless, even with all that going on, you can see in comments to existing discussions of this paper -- both in its incomplete and its now-complete form -- on numerous websites, people calling it crazy and a waste of time, of no real consequence. Or, in other words, contradicting the importance clearly given by the CIA with a strikingly counter-intuitive: "Don't look here, there's nothing of value, people will call you crazy if you talk about this." So then, let's take the paper seriously simply because the CIA obviously has gone way out on a limb to virtue-signal (vice-signal?) everyone: "This paper is serious." In that vein, let's go back and read that introductory sentence from the lede above: "Then I found it necessary to delve into various sources for information concerning quantum mechanics in order to be able to describe the nature and functioning of human consciousness." Now that we made it this far into the conversation: It's not such a strange idea, after all. In fact, Erwin Schrödinger wrote about the interplay between quantum physics and human consciousness clear back in 1944, and his ideas were well known at the time. As witness of that fact, James Watson and Francis Crick took his little book What is Life? as inspiration for their search into the helical structure of DNA (see illustration). And they said so openly. If winning a Nobel Prize is a mark of respectible thinking, and the structure of DNA was predicted accurately ten years before discovery, maybe looking into the quantum mechanics of consciousness isn't as woo-ey as it may sound on the surface. This fact is obscure, but gaining some ground; I discovered it a couple years ago reading an article that came through my social media feed, so I know there are at least a few others out there who know it.
Bringing it out of obscurity
I confess, even though I know that relatively obscure reference (and a few more from writers like Bernardo Kastrup, who has been very rigorously publishing on this topic for the past decade), I'm not equipped to understand all this research paper's ideas. But I recognize that others are. To me, this paper is still a curiousity that goes way over my head. Nevertheless, I do have some desktop-publishing skills, enough to transform the "difficult-to-read" and "missing-pieces" and "blurry-scanned" and "badly cropped" documents available elsewhere into something more presentable. So I did. I spent an afternoon working on a more readable PDF, and here I'm making it available to all. As far as I know, I'm the first who is publishing a single, easy-to-read, PDF of the whole paper. I'm doing this with the intent that it will fall into the hands of others who will push this document out to still others, who will eventually get it into the hands of people who are equipped to dig in, and together, crowdsourcing this, we can all get to the bottom of this curious matter. But first...
Why is this particular page suppressed?
This is just my personal theory. Feel free to ignore this speculative section and jump to the end where the paper is posted. It appears the page was hidden for possibly multiple reasons, but the one that stands out to me is due to my own peculiar angle of research (obscure, and amateurish, but deserving mention since we're on the subject), and it is possibly the least obvious reason. It is the very clear description, within that missing page 25, of our culture's inherited way of organizing information -- which is very broken. In my little corner of the universe, I call this way of organizing information "binary thinking," or "zero-sum," or "excluded-middle," or "black-and-white," or "linear," or even simply: "categorical," depending on context. I have developed a particular flavor of dislike for the dominant way of thinking in the world, almost as much as American Indian Russell Means, who once famously put it this way: "For America to live, Europe must die." By "Europe" he means the same thing I mean with "binary thinking." I'm gradually teaching myself to be more ternary-minded, and by this I mean something a little deeper than the average "non-dualist" out there. To the truly ternary mind, "non-dualism" is still a binary way of doing things. The current fad with non-dualism is a step in the right direction, but it's still in the shallow, limited, end of a pool which gets very, very deep. "Limited" is a good adjective -- actually a neutral one, because it's a technically accurate description of what happens when binary logic limits possible outcomes to exactly two, forbidding all other options by the controversial Law of Excluded Middle. Most people are familiar with this binary property of modern computers, which famously operate using zeros and ones, but very few people are aware that computers can operate with more than two, and that transistors natively can handle far more options, but voltage is used to suppress their functional range to exactly two. Even fewer know that there was a remarkable computer system using ternary logic built in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 70s, or that computer scientists predict that we'll all be returning to ternary logic in the future because it natively has properties not easily available using binary logic.
That transition is already underway. For example, the limits of binary logic are already causing very real problems in hardware and software. The well-known Iota blockchain was recently designed using ternary logic. There are increasingly more implementations of ternary logic as this new wave of the future arrives, but the fundamental shift is at least a decade away at the current rate.
While it has certain merits, the "limited" binary mindset, when seen from within the larger, more coherent, ternary mindset, is quite simply, a structural impediment to thinking clearly. Over the years I have pieced together a maturing narrative around how this broken method of organizing information developed historically (it goes back to Aristotle), how it evolved over many centuries, and how its dominance has obscured subtle -- but important -- insights in many branches of study. My narrative is made more robust thanks to insights developed by great thinkers like Bernard Riemann, Nikolai Lobachevsky, C. S. Peirce, Jan Lukasiewicz, Alfred Korzybski, Viktor Frankl, Donald Knuth, René Girard, Robert Pirsig, D. G. Leahy, and others. The binary approach to knowledge obscures deep truths in ways nobody sees because nobody ever looks at the logic of their own thinking enough. If they did, they would realize that the foundation is not laid upon solid ground with pillars going to bedrock, as it seems. It's remarkably difficult to come to this realization because binary logic is embedded in language, and it's really hard to objectively see things which are embedded in your ability to frame what you see. For example, it's only a recent development in mathematics -- within the past century -- to find how deeply logic penetrates to the foundations of everything mathematical. But this was true all along. Likewise, the revolution that came with looking outside Euclidean geometry enabled Einstein's great discoveries within a few decades.
So from that peculiar birds-eye view on things, when I saw the following passage on the missing page 25 (linked to me via social media a few days ago), I recognized its importance immediately, and was delighted. Here is the passage, surprisingly innocuous at first:
35. Left Brain Limitations
Twentieth Century physics would seem to be revisiting insights belonging to mankind as far back as written records can take us: The only difference is that Twentieth Century physics is using a left brain, linear, quantitative style of reasoning to approach the same knowledge which the mystics of old apparently acquired in a holistic, intuitional, right brain style. As a tool in the hands of our left brain culture, Gateway would seem to be a promising method for achieving the intuitive, holistic type of interface with the universal hologram needed to provide the context that thinkers like Einstein have sought in their labors to discover a unified field theory in physics. For persons in our profession whose concerns revolve around strategic issues, tactical questions and matters of managerial form and system, access to a new world of intuitive perception and self reflection would seem to offer, in the long term, the means by which to know in a truly objective way. This is so because the self-imposed limitations to balanced perception and objective logic which our cultural and personal psychological subjectivity imposes when we use the strictly left brain thinking style could be offset by the holistic form of perception associated with altered states of consciousness. To the extent that we come to perceive ourselves fully in the context of that portion of the universal hologram which is the reflection of ourselves, to that extent we release ourselves from the prison of subjectivity.
Most people reading that paragraph will not catch the depth of what is being said. Yes, yes, we all know this left-brain right-brain stuff, right, nothing new here, right? Well, sorta. Did you see that it's saying we're all in a prison of subjectivity? Take that more seriously. Did you catch what I implied earlier by my reference to Alfred Korzybski, whose large masterpiece Science and Sanity also talks about a prison of subjectivity and how to become sane in an insane world? (His book is huge and was well-respected years ago but sadly it is not as well-known as it used to be, even though the key answers he points toward are quite simple, can be described in a few paragraphs, and revolutionize the art of communication in extraordinary ways.)
Knowing these things, I saw it immediately: Although the other sections are over my head, Section 35 of the hidden-for-38-years-page of this bizarre, rambling, possibly-crackpot, easily-ignored document overlaps neatly with my own theories. In fact, I have written similar paragraphs. Knowing how difficult it was for me to learn these things on my own leads me to wonder whether that the whole page was being suppressed because of this otherwise bland-looking paragraph.
I know, I know, I'm going too far: there are other, more striking references on this same page, for example, speaking of the Trinity and the Christian Holy Spirit and the Absolute and God and the merger of eastern and western religions -- these make a pretty big fish, well worth hiding, too; at least in some circles. But... most of these terms are referenced on other pages, some of them directly, others at least hinted at.
Section 35 stands alone, its point is not made elsewhere within the other 30 pages. Thus I think it's a big fish. You see, I've been searching for years for fragments like this, and I know how elusive they can be, and how the various fragments laying around are often not as deep as they seem. This one is deep. So, here is what I see: 1. Your mind is in a linear, quantitative prison, and 2. You can liberate it by studying and understanding what is being revealed in this 30-page paper. Take it seriously, instead of dismissing it as some would have you do. There's an implied point #3 here, but I'll leave it to your imagination to pull it out. Okay, I've said enough. I have a feeling that with the Vice article published earlier this month, the cat's out of the bag, making my speculative contribution here small, in comparison to where others are going with this material.
For those who came here for the PDF, here it is
The content of this PDF is already public domain and fair-use information, so feel free to spread it further, post it on your own blogs and write your own articles with better discussions than this one, if you will, and do NOT give me credit, please. Just pass it along. I've intentionally eliminated metadata in the PDF so that it can be distributed freely by anyone as if it were theirs. If you're grateful, you should know: The hard work of transcribing was done by the author of the Medium article, and the hard work of investigative journalism by the Vice articles (there are two articles, only the latest one is linked here). Give those guys credit, they deserve it. I'm just a guy who made a readable PDF out of existing material. With no further ado, here's the PDF, have at it:

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
"Winter sports can be a foundation for off-seasonal tourism in Nepal"
Jeevan Ram Shrestha
President,
Nepal Olympic Committee,
Why is it important for a country like Nepal to focus on the development of sports?
Sports is also an indicator of a country's societal and economic development. The performance of players in international competitions reflects the state of development. Nepal has not reached the stage where we can execute plans related to sports in well managed ways. Globalisation has also made impacts here, albeit slowly.
It needs policy level intervention to make sports commercial in the best sense. It should be one of the priorities of the government. We should create an environment where sportsmen and women can make a living from it in the long run.
Fostering a good sporting environment can help create a viable business atmosphere in the country. For instance, organising large sporting events has become an important way of promoting tourism the world over.
What are the priorities of NOC?
We are striving to unify Nepalis through sports. We are playing an active role in improving the quality of domestic sports so that Nepali sportsmen and womencanachieve impressive results in international tournaments.
NOC works to establish the core Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship in the country as we are the Nepal chapter of the International Olympic Committee. We provide support to various sports associations in Nepal in the areas of player management, strengthening the sporting authorities and developing sportsmanship and professionalism.
We provide policy level support to the associations to manage, develop and market their sporting events. We also coordinate with the government to organise official events like the South Asian Games and other regional games.
How is NOC providing support to sports associations and players?
We have been supporting 10 associations with the solidarity fund provided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) every four years. Each association is provided with Rs 800,000 under the fund to update themselves with new rules and regulations adopted internationally. They are selected on the basis of their potential and organisational functionality. NOC also provides financial support in the form of a Team Grant to the associations which can spend the moneyon training and player participation in international events. NOC receives funds from IOC and distributes the money on a programme basis.
What is NOC doing to enhance the skills of layers?
Our focus is on the capacity enhancement of elite athletes who have the potential to perform well in international tournaments. The players are recommended by respective associations. We crosscheck their backgrounds and the stats provided by associations. NOC supports players while coordinating with IOC in their training. We cover all related expenses of players while they are training or participating in events.
We also provide scholarships to athletes who are selected three years prior to any tournament. Such activities are important for the associations, players and coaches as they will not only benefit from the training but will also have the opportunity to transmit their newly developed skills among the sports community.
What percentage of the national budget is allocated for sports?
Annually, the sports sector receives 0.56 percent of the total budget. This is why we have to rely on foreign assistance. The budget is largely insufficient given the increasing popularity of different types of games among Nepalis in recent years.
The budget allocated by the government is primarily for purposes like training and catering to games at the grass root levels, whereas we also function to further enhance the talent which has already reacheda higher level.
How can we make Nepali sports commercially viable?
Sufficient infrastructure including up to date equipment and other facilities are necessary to build an inclusive environment for sports in the country. Sporting facilities should be available at community, school and college levels.
Regular tournaments need to be organised.We should look to introduce new types of sports. At present, we only have summer sports. Winter sports such as skiing can be introduced in suitable parts of the country.
We can explore opportunities in establishing winter sports as a foundation for off-seasonal tourism.
"A proper league structure is a must to take Nepali cricket to new heights"
Gyanendra Malla
Vice Captain,
Nepali National Cricket Team
How is the overall situation of sportspersons in the country? What are the major problems in cricket?
Financially, it is very difficult for cricketers who don't play international cricket to sustain in Nepal. Cricket leagues are not held on a regular basis in the country to engage the players and help them earn some money. Organising league games at the district and regional levels will be beneficial to the overall development of cricket in Nepal. Such tournaments will also help attract a lot of youths to the sport and also to explore hidden talents in the nooks and corners of the country. Not only cricket and football, the sports authorities concerned need to prioritise every sport. As the country is in the phase of transformation and the government is also positive towards sports, I am hopeful that players have a better future.
Nepal has been granted ODI status by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Do you think this will help the players financially? What should be the government's approach towards cricket?
We have been granted the ODI status only for four years. Of course, the ICC fund for the development of cricket in Nepal will increase. But it is the responsibility of the government and the cricket governing body to financially strengthen the players. The domestic league needs to be effective and strong rather than focusing only on the country's ODI status. It is not that we should focus less on international cricket, but the players and the whole team will be internationally competitive only when they play enough domestic competitions. Only 15-20 players will play ODI matches which will not benefit domestic players financially. We can take the example of the Indian Premier League (IPL) of India and National Basketball Association (NBA) of the United States. Both sporting tournaments are domestic leagues that support the players who don't play international games. So, a proper league structure is a must in order to take the Nepali cricket to new heights.
How are the domestic leagues like Everest Premiere League (EPL) and Dhangadhi Premiere League (DPL) contributing to the development of cricket in Nepal?
EPL and DPL were organised with big investments. The tournaments also attracted some international players sending some positive message about Nepali cricket in the global arena. Young cricketers learned a lot from the foreign cricketers.
The leagues also helped explore some hidden talents. The engagement of corporate houses made the tournaments more professional and the players also benefitted financially. EPL and DPL have proved that sporting events carry huge possibilities in Nepal. Such competitions can also help the country's tourism sector.
What challenges are there due to the lack of a regular domestic league?
There should be regular cricketing events across the country. Week-long tournaments have less impact on the enhancement of skills of the players. Having a regular domestic cricket league structure can be instrumental not only in the personal development of the cricketers but also can be helpful in terms of their income generation. Cricket accessories are also very expensive. Generally, it costs more than Rs 50,000 to buy a normal cricket kit. It costs almost Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 for a bat to play international matches. It is very difficult for Nepali players who don't play international cricket. They also have to support their families and invest in their career growth at the same time.
What should be the next step of the government and bodies like CAN to develop and commercialise cricket? Is the budget provided by the government sufficient for the development of cricket?
A collective effort from all stakeholders is necessary for the commercialisation of Nepali cricket. The private sector also has a big role to play. The private sector in India, for instance, has done a tremendous job for the development of Indian cricket over the years. Lately, the Nepali private sector has also shown a keen interest in the commercialisation of cricket. The introduction of tournaments like EPL and DPL are stepping stones in this regard.
Nevertheless, the government has to take the major responsibility in terms of investment and other facilities. Till date, there has been very minimal support from the government for the development of cricket. There is no proper infrastructure for sports such as stadiums. The government can also urge other sectors to invest in cricket. The money allocated annually in the national budget for the overall sports is very low. It is less than one percent of the budget. The amount gets even smaller when it is divided among different sports. We have the CAN as the central cricket body and there are also district and regional associations. The authorities need to work together for the development of cricket.
With Nepal gaining the ODI status, are there any chances of organising international matches here?
Cricket in Nepal is controlled by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) is currently suspended. So, there is a 50-50 chance for hosting international cricketing events in Nepal. We will have international matches after the suspension is lifted. We only have one international cricket ground and monsoon season is also round the corner. So, it might be quite difficult to host big matches at this time.
What is the salary of Nepali cricketers?
It's already been 16 months since cricket players have not received their salaries. The suspension of the central cricket authority is the main reason behind this. CAN has categorised cricket players into 'A', 'B', 'C' and 'D' grades. The monthly salary of category 'A' players is Rs 35,000, whereas 'B', 'C' and 'D' graded cricketers get Rs 25,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. The decision was made when CAN was the governing body of Nepali cricket. Earlier too, we didn't receive salary for a long time. But after the initiation of players, ICC provided salary when the CAN got suspended.
What is the situation of sponsorships in Nepali cricket?
Nepal Telecom (NT) had decided to sponsor the Nepali National Cricket Team with a significant amount. But the suspension of CAN led to the freezing of the sponsorship deal.
Meanwhile, the jersey of the national team is also sponsored by different brands. Similarly, cricket kits of some national players are sponsored by some companies. The start of league tournaments like EPL and DPL has marked a new era of sports sponsorship in Nepal. The interest shown by large corporate houses to sponsor the teams has been encouraging.
"EPL will grow much bigger in the next season"
Aamir Akhtar
Founder and Managing Director,
Everest Premiere League
What are the major accomplishments of Everest Premiere League (EPL)?
Being new, EPL is still a very domestic cricket league. Nevertheless,the positive aspect is that it can be taken globally as a brand. We have adopted international systems in EPL but with limitations and by understanding what Nepali cricket is. The league has been successful in terms of developing players and cricket and also for the owners of the teams as anintroduction to a new sports venture. Meanwhile, spectators got a chance to watch international players play. Looking at the parameters- more or less, we've hit the right button. So, EPL will be even bigger in the next season and will contribute to every possible sector in the growth of crickethere.
What was the idea behind introducing EPL?
EPL was needed by Nepali cricket. It came late to the country, but is not a new concept in sports. It could have been organised 5-6 years ago. As a former player, I personally felt the need for a domestic sporting platform not only to stimulate new talent but for the development of players andmaking their income and careers sustainable.Strengthening the game of cricket can make players feel that they have a secured career.
The league was organised at a time when the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) was suspended. What challenges did you face?
We did not think that CAN would face a prolonged suspension. We waited for six months for the suspension to be lifted,but unfortunatelyit did not happen. We turned tothe National Sports Council and they were very helpful and issued us a no objection letter. We sat down with all the stakeholders, including players, franchises and sponsorsand finally agreed on taking the responsibility to organise EPL even in the absence of CAN.
How can EPL contribute to the sports economy of Nepal?
We are working on a very innovative and extraordinary concept for EPL which I believe will be our trademark. If we can haveplayers who are internationally higher ranked and are regarded as icons playing in the matches, the possibility of attracting tourists from neighbouring countries is high. If tourists from India can afford to come to visit as religious pilgrims, they can certainly afford to come to watch cricket tournaments in Nepal too. India is a home to a vast number of cricket enthusiasts. So, EPL can be instrumental in attracting Indian tourists.
What benefits has EPL been adding to the development of cricket?
Any new tournament contributes in terms of the introduction or exposure of new players. For example, Rahul Poudel and Anil Sah from last year's EPL came into the limelight and people praised their talents. If such tournaments are organised every year, we can contribute one to two players to the national cricket team. The Talent Hunt Competition we have done can bring new talent to the Nepali cricketing scene as well.
How much employment did EPL generate in its last season?
A total of 90 players received satisfying salaries from the franchises to play in the tournament. Players also got the chance to showcase their talent. This also includes around 18 to 20 groundsmen, 12 umpires and numerous vendorsat the tournament. Many volunteers and cheer leaders also took part in the tournament.
Are there any plans on expanding the number of teams in the next season of EPL?
We don't have plans to expand team numbers for at least the next two years. It is primarily because we really want to focus on the quality of the matches.We had six teams in the previous leagues and the number will be increased to eight by 2020.
How does the sponsorship mechanism work in EPL?
Both EPL and the franchises have their own sponsors. More than 40 direct sponsors including that of leagues and franchises and many indirect sponsors via TV were engaged in the tournament. EPL isa sponsor-oriented and sponsor-friendly sports event in Nepal. Companies sponsor eventsonly if they observe any scope which would help their business. The participation of sponsors in EPL shows that the scope is huge in Nepal too.
How much was the broadcast and television rights? What was the profit from the tournament?
The television rightswere given to AP1 TV for Rs 5 million in cash and Rs 5 million insponsorships. The TV channel broadcasted our advertisements as a kind of sponsorship.We work under the central revenue system from which the money earned from tickets and TV broadcasts is equally distributed among the six franchises and EPL.
What are the expansion plans of EPL in the future?
We plan to bring more international players who have earned a name in the cricketing scene. As of now, the print media and television have played a role in promoting the league. In the days to come, we are trying to tie up with digital partners that can give justice to the brand by promoting it to the next level. We have plans for developing players along with the introduction of new talent. We have plans to launch a unique cricket innovation.
What challenges are you facing with the lack of stadiums?
Currently, the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground at Kirtipur is the only venue for organising cricketing events. This has long been a problem for the development of Nepali cricket. The ground does not have flood lights which makes it impossible to conduct matches in the evening. It is hard to maintain the pitches as we organise two games per day on average. We rented the stadium from the National Sports Council at Rs 25,000 per day. But the government didn't provide any service during the tournament. We had to maintain the pitchourselves. There is also a lack of proper dressing rooms, water, electricity and internet connection. The government should manage basic services when it rents out the ground.The government should focus on building more infrastructures for cricket and work on modernising the stadium at Kirtipur.
How does the player auction in EPL work?
We have had the same teams for the last two years. This will continue for the next three years. Franchises have a budget limitation of Rs one million and can pick up to ten players from the auction excluding iconic and international players.
"Better days ahead for Nepali football"
Sanjib Mishra
Former General Secretary and Spokesperson,
All Nepal Football Association (ANFA)
The dust of uncertainty seems to have settled in the ANFAcontroversy after the recently held election for the post of president. How do you think the association will now move ahead to uplift Nepali football?
The newly elected team will work passionately for the overall development of football in the country. We hopethat ANFA will continue the National League football competition which hasn't been organised for the last three years.
What are the reasons behind the abrupt stopof divisionleague competition?
The termination of the sponsorship contract with Redbull and the damages incurred by the Dashrath Stadium in the 2015 Earthquake are the two main reasons. Organising the league competition, which includes promotion and relegation of participating sports clubs, on a regular basis is instrumental to scaling up the capacity of both teams and individual players. The last few years haven't been satisfactory for Nepali football for a couple of reasons, such asthe halting of national-level league competitionsand issues in ANFA itself.
In the meantime, the existing infrastructure is not in a good enough condition for major league games. Similarly, most of the clubs are Kathmandu-based and ANFA presently lacks the capacity to organise leagues outside the capital. Dwindling financial resources have also added to the problems in the development of football.
How will ANFA make sure that division league games are organised regularly?
ANFA is now in a position to conduct league games on a regular basis as FIFA has recently approved the programme proposal submitted by Nepal. ANFA will get the annual budget amounting to Rs 750 million from the governing body of global football under the FIFA Forward programme. Out of the amount, Rs 600 million will be allocated for organising league competitions. After the successful ANFA election the issues will likely be resolved and one can be hopeful that Nepali football will see better times ahead. I have heard that the government and the National Sports Council have also decided to allocate Rs 6 million to organising the pending league competitions.
Whatare the infrastructures needed by ANFA to ensure national-level league games are organised on a regular basis?
At present, we have the Dashrath Stadium as the only venue where the football league games can be held.There should be at least two pitches for the purpose. If possible, alternative venues should also be arranged.
As the ANFA football pitch has hosted international matches in the past, it can be used for league games. But there is a problem in that the ground is relatively smaller and it doesn't have the capacity to host big crowds during the matches of major football clubs.
The lack of a proper football stadium is one problem among many hindering the development of Nepali football. Without such sporting venues we cannot invite foreign teams to play friendly matches. These types of matches can be important for our national team and clubs in terms of gaining experience and better skills. For instance, African countries have developed their football infrastructure noticeably, and as a result their players are gaining prominence in major European leagues.
What major obstacles do you think are there in the commercialisation of football in Nepal? What is needed to be done to remove the hurdles?
Nepal is not a huge market like many countries in Asia and elsewhere. But football has remained the most popular sport in the country so far. This is one of the driving factors of Nepali football despite all the problems. As I've mentioned earlier, lack of proper infrastructure is one major obstacle and problem. The four-year programme of football development should be prepared beforehand creating a clear picture for prospective investors, clubs and stakeholders.
How interested is the Nepaliprivate sector in terms of sponsorship and investment in football. How can the engagement of the private sector be increased?
The private sector has been showing its interest in sponsoring and investing in sports. However, football in Nepal is not up to the mark. Most of the national-level clubs have sponsors. But the clubs haven't benefitted from the sponsorships to the extent they should have. Lack of marketing has also been playing a role in this regard.
What is ANFA doing for the capacity enhancement and income increment of players?
ANFA had been supporting tournaments and facilitating national-level players in their trainings. The association has given continuity to grass root programmes as well as youth level and female football tournaments. The clubs also need to have their own plans and programmes to generate sustainable income. The ANFA affiliated clubs should first develop the concept of marketing. They need to understand the importance of merchandising in revenue generation.
The expectation of the clubs to pay their players with the money they receive from ANFA is not a good idea as it is not sustainable. They should work on increasing the fan base and develop their merchandising. Football clubs throughout the world generate income and become sustainable by selling merchandise like jerseys, t-shirts, mufflers and caps, among many other items.
Do the Nepali football clubs pay tax to the government?
Most of the clubs are still non-profit organisations. However, as the existing legal arrangements require them to have the Permanent Account Number (PAN), they should have been paying taxes accordingly.But the system of deducting taxes from the money provided to the players by the clubs has not been introduced yet.
Is the current budget size of Rs 80-85 million insufficient for ANFA? What are its financial resources?
FIFA provides Rs 500 million annually under the Financial Assistance Programme (FAB) to its 211 member countries including Nepal. Nepal has also started receiving RS 750 million under the FIFA Forward Programme which was approved recently by the global football governing body. Meanwhile, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also provides Rs250 million annually to ANFA.
What will the district level grassroots football programmes announced by ANFA include?
The programme has been introduced in order to decentralise the development of football. It also targets to increase the number of players. If we have the quantity, we can have the quality. There is a need to launch grassroots football programmes in every district to realise this aim in a true sense.


Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 4, 2019) - Contact Gold Corp. (TSXV: C) (the "Company" or "Contact Gold") is pleased to announce the terms of a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of up to 6,896,552 common shares of the Company ("Common Shares") at a price of $0.29 per Common Share (the "Offering Price") for gross proceeds of up to $2,000,000. The Offering Price represents an approximate 9.4% discount to the closing price of the Common Shares on February 1, 2019 (the "Current Market Price").
Each Common Share shall be accompanied by one right (a "Right") which shall entitle the holder thereof to a certain number of additional Common Shares upon conversion of the Right, with such number of additional Common Shares to be determined based on completion of the first of specific milestones as detailed in this release.
Net proceeds of the Offering are expected to be used to undertake further drilling at Contact Gold's Pony Creek project located in Elko County, Nevada, and for general working capital.
The Pony Creek project is located on Nevada's prolific Carlin Trend, immediately south of Gold Standard Venture's Railroad project and 20 km south of Newmont Mining's Rain and Emigrant gold mines. Pony Creek totals 107 km2 of prospective mineral tenure and hosts multiple Carlin Type gold occurrences, including the Bowl and West Zones, and multiple untested exploration targets.
In 2018 Contact Gold made a new gold discovery at Pony Creek's West Zone, with near surface oxide gold mineralization in drilling over a 2.3 kilometre strike length.
During 2019, the Company anticipates continuing exploration on the Pony Creek property. The Company plans to grow the new discovery at the West Zone, expand the footprint at North Zone and follow-up on the Pony Spur, Moleen and Elliott Dome targets.
Each Common Share shall be accompanied by one Right which shall automatically convert and entitle the holder thereof to additional Common Shares on the date which is the earlier of: (i) the closing of a public offering by the Company pursuant to a registration statement or offering statement filed with the United States Securities Exchange Commission (a "Qualified Offering") under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"); (ii) a change of control of the Company (a "Change of Control"); or (iii) the date which is one year following the Closing Date (the "Time Deadline").
Qualified Offering: In the event the Common Shares are offered at a price (the "Qualified Offering Price") which is greater than the Offering Price, each Right will entitle the holder thereof, for no additional consideration, to receive that number of additional Common Shares such that the effective price per Common Share in the Offering is equal to a 5% discount to the Offering Price. Alternatively, in the event the Qualified Offering Price is equal to or lower than the Offering Price, each Right will entitle the holder thereof, for no additional consideration, to receive that number of additional Common Shares such that the effective Offering Price is equal to a 10% discount to the Qualified Offering Price, provided that, in no circumstances, would the additional number of Common Shares issued result in an implied discount greater than that which is prescribed pursuant to the rules of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").
Change of Control: In the event of a transaction resulting in a change of control of the Company, each Right will entitle the holder thereof, for no additional consideration, to receive that number of additional Common Shares such that the effective price per Common Share is equal to a 5% discount to the Offering Price, provided that, in no circumstances, would the additional number of Common Shares issued result in an implied discount greater than that which is prescribed under the rules of the TSXV.
Time Deadline: In the event that the Rights are exercised at the Time Deadline each Right will entitle the holder thereof, for no additional consideration, to receive that number of additional Common Shares such that the effective Offering Price is equal to the maximum allowable discount prescribed pursuant to the rules of the TSXV.
Certain eligible persons may receive finder fees in connection with the Offering in the way of cash commission.
The offered securities have not been, nor will they be, registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, any person in the United States or any "U.S person", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. Offers and sales in the United States will be limited to institutional accredited investor. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
The securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a four month and one day statutory hold period and are deemed to be "restricted securities" under Rule 144 of the Securities Act, which generally requires a one-year hold period. Completion of the Offering is also subject to the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSXV.
Closing of the Offering is expected to occur as soon as possible.
Pony Creek is an early stage exploration property and does not contain any mineral resource estimates as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). There has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource estimate at Pony Creek. It is uncertain if further exploration will result in targets at Pony Creek being delineated as a mineral resource. There are no assurances that the geological similarities to projects mentioned herein (or documents referenced herein) operated by Gold Standard Ventures or Newmont, or any other project along the Carlin Trend, will result in the establishment of any resource estimates at any of the Company's property interests including Pony Creek, or that the Pony Creek can be advanced in a similar timeframe.
This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to the anticipated closing of the Offering, the anticipated participation of Waterton therein, the use of proceeds therefrom, the ability to complete a Qualified Offering and there timing thereof, the probability and timing thereof of a change of control, receipt of applicable regulatory approvals, and proposed exploration activities of the Company on the Pony Creek property and the results thereof.
These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include; receipt of applicable regulatory approvals; availability of financing; business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.


Facebook Sweepstakes! All this weekend Log on to 92.9 KjEE's facebook page to enter to win a pair of tickets to see No Doubt at the Gibson Amphitheatre December 4th 2012! You have until 2pm Tuesday, October 23rd 2012 to enter!
Adult - Fri-Sun, Holidays & Advance: $9.75Adult - Mon-Thur: $9.25Matinee (before 6pm): $7.25Child(age 2-12): $6.75Senior(age 60+): $6.75Bargain Tuesdays:Adults: $7.50Matinee (before 6pm): $5.50Child(2-12)/Senior(60+): $5.503D: Add $3.00 to all categories aboveSome Films May Be Excluded From Bargain Tuesday or Discount Pricing.
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Future Military
What does the Army do at the Prototype Integration Facility?
by Jonathan Strickland
Prototype Development
A collection of grenade and landmine replicas designed as training materials.
Courtesy U.S. Army
The PIF tends to be a reactive rather than proactive facility. That means that the PIF responds to requests from other Army departments and projects (the PIF's customers). The PIF has a very structured prototype development process. Here are the stages:
First, the customer must identify a specific need. For this process, we'll assume another Army department needs to be able to coordinate air traffic at a remote Army deployment in the field.
Next, the PIF and customer must define the requirement that will satisfy the need. In our example, the requirement could be a mobile unit that has the mechanical and electrical capacity to serve as an air traffic control facility.
The third step involves determining what resources the project will require. This includes factoring in personnel, physical materials and facility space. Sometimes this also means partnering with outside contractors. The PIF tends to contract out work for small component parts while PIF personnel concentrate on larger pieces of the project. In our example, the PIF might determine that it can produce a mobile air traffic control unit completely in house.
The fourth step is to develop a formal proposal. The proposal outlines the complete process of prototype development from design to fabrication. The PIF includes cost data and staff requirements in the proposal. For our example unit, the proposal would explain everything from the personnel involved in the project to the materials the PIF would use in fabrication to the expected completion date for the prototype.
Next, the project manager staffs the project with the appropriate personnel. Then the PIF team takes another look at the proposal. If the proposal meets the customer's needs and is feasible, the PIF prepares the proposal for the customer. If the project manager determines the proposal does not meet the customer's needs, the project reverts back to the previous step and the team concentrates on creating a new proposal. If the team leader determines the PIF can't meet the customer's requirement at all, the project ends. Let's assume in our example that the project team leader assigns PIF engineers and fabricators to the assignment with no conflicts.
The sixth step is presenting the proposal to the customer. In this step, the customer has the opportunity to reject the proposal in part or in full. The team may have to return to step 4 and create a new proposal or halt the project completely. But if the customer approves the proposal, the PIF can move into an actual design and fabrication process. For our example, we'll say the customer agrees with PIF's proposal.
The seventh stage is where all the physical work comes into play. The project receives funds from the customer and begins to produce results. Let's assume for our project that the team modifies an existing Humvee vehicle to create a mobile air traffic control unit. It now has a tower and communications array inside it.
Throughout the entire development process, quality assurance engineers make sure that the prototype meets both the customer's needs and all other regulatory requirements. After production, the PIF tests the prototype and compares it against the requirement the customer and team determined in step 2. We'll assume that our new mobile unit passes muster.
The PIF delivers the new prototype to the customer. The customer can deploy the new equipment immediately. Our mobile air traffic control unit boards the next transport out to the remote Army deployment, and soon the soldiers stationed there will have a new tool to use when coordinating air traffic in the field.
This process has more in common with commercial business operations than traditional Army operations. Reportedly, some Army departments and projects have had trouble adjusting to the way the PIF does business [source: Chronister]. But it's hard to argue with results -- the PIF can often produce a prototype much more quickly and for less cost than older procedures.
Next, we'll look at some of the prototypes that have come out of the PIF.
Hypersonic Missiles Fuel New Global Arms Race
What Are 'Low-yield' Nuclear Weapons?
Growing Movement of Scientists Pushes for Ban on Killer Robots
Successful Test Puts Military One Step Closer to Electromagnetic Rail Guns
Is It Time for the United States to Establish a Space Force?


So it is time to expand your online business into the mobile marketplace. That makes sense. Just about every business in the world can benefit from more exposure. And it is not just mobile apps are "trendy." Sure, that could help but more people use mobile devices to access the internet than they do computers.
Of course, simply knowing that you could benefit from a mobile app is just the first step. You also have to know how to build one properly, or you have to know what you want and then hire someone who knows how to build one properly. The better you can be at anticipating what your potential audience might be looking for in mobile interaction, the more successful your app will be.
No matter what you are selling or marketing you need a user friendly interface. If you ask tech giant Google, at least 50 percent of mobile users say that mobile sites are easier to use than desktop sites; at least 31 percent say they actually prefer mobile websites over full websites. Obviously, this is because mobile sites are simpler and distilled down to only the most pertinent information.
The simpler you can make this interface, the better you can communicate your vision statement, and the easier it will be for customers to get the information they need; and, hopefully, the more likely it will be they will find what they came for.
A massive 46 percent of mobile users testify that mobile app pages load faster than mobile web pages. Now, this may or may not be true, but they argue it anyway; and you can use that to your advantage. After all, 47 percent of users also would say that they actually prefer mobile apps over even the mobile web to get relevant information on the go (think, for example, banking apps).
While consumers want quick and relevant information, that information must also be delivered through high-quality content. This is more than just pretty words or pretty pictures—you need a combination of both—but it helps if you provide additional services or incentives.


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Minecraft Gets New Nvidia Ray Tracing Technology
Alyssa Greenberg
Minecraft is the kind of game in which the quality of graphics is the last thing that matters. However, it's a polygon for various experiments with graphic engines and new visual technologies. The leading video chip maker Nvidia thinks that its new ray tracing technology could change the future of the popular franchise.
Nvidia and Mojang entered into a partnership to change the way gamers see Minecraft. With the new mode installed, it looks much more realistic. If you have one of Nvidia's RTX graphics cards, you will be able to try the innovative update first when it comes out.
The New Look at Lighting
Ray tracing technology doesn't change the way the original game looks. You will see the same rough voxel blocks with large pixel textures on them, as well as the primitive physics of objects. Instead, ray tracing makes the light spread around like in real life. The new algorithm can emulate realistic reflective properties of objects. It means that beams of light reflect from surfaces like you'd expect them to in real life. The direction of rays determines the brightness of surfaces and the depth of shade.
The rendering of colors has also changed. The physical process of specular reflectivity makes the light of any color reflect on surrounding surfaces if real-time conditions and camera position allow that. Even opaque textures support this process.
Ray tracing requires a lot of power for stable performance. That's where the latest RTX chipsets can unleash their real potential. Nvidia announced that the RTX chip wouldn't be the only-one platform to play the new Minecraft. Microsoft confirmed that the 2020 Project Scarlet Xbox console would support ray tracing too. Other manufacturers will surely implement compatibility too because it's going to be a revolution for the entire industry.
The difference is so amazing that you will notice from the very first second. Light beams behave exactly like they do outside the window. The good old torches don't just cover the room with simple light. The fire glows and transforms depending on the distance. Now the game has all grades of shade as well. This allows the engine to render hyper-realistic scenes.
When you enter the starting area, the "wow" effect is incredibly strong. It feels like you can touch the rays of light and feel them with the square skin of the character. Now the game supports all types of reflections too. Ray tracing can tell water from glass and emulate reflections of objects taking all laws of optics into account. The original game has nothing to set against. If you still didn't catch the difference, look at how the game looks if we turn ray tracing off.
Is It Playable?
Due to RTX's unique architecture and perfect optimization of the update, it runs perfectly well. It shows persistent framerate without drops below 30fps, which is more than enough for smooth play. There are, however, some technical issues. Early builds crash quite often, when you try to do something ordinary. For example, simple fishing and some rare building blocks can cause the game to crash all of a sudden.
That's a huge problem if you build something complex and forget to save in advance. Even if the auto-save option is on, it doesn't work often enough to save you from frustration. That's why we recommend you to press F5 more often to avoid losing progress with the new mode on. There's not much chance to see such bugs in the official release version, but we couldn't keep that in secret.
Time to Pay?
In their reply to Polygon, Microsoft confirmed that the Minecraft RTX update would be free. It'll be available for all owners of the official Windows 10 edition of the game. As for the Nvidia RTX graphics card, it will cost you a small fortune. Solutions by other hardware developers like AMD will also support the feature, but it's impossible to say how good the performance will be.
But don't hurry to blame Mojang for such a demanding update. Before entering a partnership with Nvidia, the company announced plans to release a massive graphics update pack. The developer was pushed to shelve the project because it required much more hardware power than Minecraft RTX.
Let's Wait a Bit
Minecraft RTX is a huge step forward for the franchise that couldn't boast of realism. It used to be famous for the total simplicity of gameplay and visuals, but fans always dreamed about a change. Since 2011, Mojang has sold over 176 million copies of the game without changing its look at all. Now it seems that you can give up third-party texture packs and enjoy the renovated Minecraft.
Although the demo of the update is quite playable already, the release date is still unknown. Microsoft scheduled it for 2020, so we have nothing to do but wait. If you can't play on your current console or PC, there is good news for you too. In early 2020, Microsoft will release Minecraft Dungeons. It won't be so demanding for hardware. You'll be able to install it on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch as well.
Some Reddit rumors say that Minecraft RTX may even appear to be the release of Minecraft 2 instead of an alone-standing experimental mode. Do you wait for Minecraft RTX as much as we do? Don't forget to share the article with other fans of the game to share the good news!
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Q: Download all links in a .json file with Python I have a .json file with hundreds of links in it.  How do I download them all with a Python script?
is this how I start?
import urllib
from urllib.request import urlopen
import json
import uuid

with open('db.json') as data:
    data = json.load(data)

A: To download the JSON data, iterate over JSON field and getting name and image link, you can do like this :
import requests

url = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tsuhgi/champion-spell-info-builder/master/db.json"
data = requests.get(url).json()

for key in data:
    print("name {} | link {}".format(data[key]["name"], data[key]["img"]))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


A portrait of the late chairman Mao Zedong partly covered by an advertisement for an American credit card company at a vendor's stand at a Beijing market.
By Hu Shuli, a Caixin staff reporter. This editorial was first published in Caixin.
China's securities law is to undergo a comprehensive revision almost a decade after the last major overhaul. Public consultation is due to start in the first half of next year, following recent comments from officials, scholars, and market participants.
The first national law of its kind was introduced in 1999—almost a decade after the establishment of the country's first bourse, the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1990—and sought to create greater uniformity in the rapidly expanding securities market.
The law, which protects investor rights in shares and bonds, has undergone amendments major and minor over the years. Yet too much government regulation, or "financial repression," remains.
The law certainly needs a systematic overhaul. As the government streamlines administration, delegates powers to lower levels, and deepens reform, the changes must also help redefine the functions of government and the market.
Calls to amend the law have been heard for some time. Opinions are divided over changes, in particular whether securities regulators should move from an approval-based system of initial public offerings, which can involve rounds of reviews lasting many years before permission is given, to a registration-based system—widely adopted in developed economies—where companies and investors set the scale, valuation, and timing of new share offerings.
The problem with the current system is that China's capital market has developed much more slowly than the economy and has thus impeded the nation's development. This is why it is now vital to solve the core problems of China's capital markets.
In essence, the new amendments will allow for greater market autonomy and improved market mechanisms. The relationship between the regulator and the market also demands attention.
Regulatory powers can be a positive force protecting the market; unfortunately, they can also be used as rent-seeking tools. So, we must consider how such powers are distributed, and provide adequate checks and balances. Registration rights will continue to be a key issue and this must be handled with care, given the excessive concentration of power in the China Securities Regulatory Commission at present.
The allocation of powers and checks and balances also affects more than just the securities regulatory authorities, so it is important to ensure supervisory roles are separated and promote the coordination of securities-related business between government departments.
Before a consensus is reached, changes must of course reflect market realities. For instance, major shareholders often ignore the interests of other shareholders, and there have been many cases of insider trading. Yet important mechanisms for protecting investors still lag behind.
For quite a while now, there have been problems with the standard and development of the country's securities markets. This is apparent in the relationship between small investors and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). While small investors' rights and interests need to be protected, SMEs also require more efficient capital markets to be able to develop fully. Thus, a balance is needed.
Accountability must be addressed, too, including both through the regulatory commission's administrative penalties and also mechanisms for civil and criminal litigation. Rules relating to the disclosure of sensitive information are regularly flouted, and regulators have all too often proved ineffectual. Also, few legal channels exist to protect civil rights.
Market players and legal experts have continued to call for an end to certain preconditions, such as one that means that securities-related litigation can only be heard in civil courts after the regulatory body makes a decision. Authorities' response to this will be a true litmus test of whether they are sincere about wanting to protect investor rights.
The amended law must also foster a multi-level capital market, where IPOs and private placements are separated, with their own investor groups, regulatory standards, and appropriate levels of liquidity.
When raising funds in IPOs, rules about information disclosure ought to be coupled with sound regulations. However, where possible, the market should be allowed to play a decisive role.
The capital market has grown rapidly in the past 20 years, but its breadth and allocation of resources are hardly satisfactory.
The latest revision offers a major opportunity to liberalize the market and the rule of law. Starting today, the preparations, discussions, and eventual implementation of the changes will contribute to the upgrading and maturing of China's capital market, and will be closely linked to reforms in other areas, both today and in the future.
While we should tread carefully, we must also keep our eyes firmly on the horizon.


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Grand Prix For Good
Select Award Branded Content & Entertainment Creative Effectiveness Design Digital Direct Film Film Craft Grand Prix For Good Healthcare Innovation Integrated Media Mobile Outdoor PR Print Print & Poster Craft Promo & Activation Radio Special Awards Young Spikes
MILLK
Title MILLK
Client MILLK
Product/Service CAFE, SPA, PLAY
Category A01. 360 Brand & Identity Experience
Entrant UMBRELLA DESIGN Mumbai, INDIA
Entrant Company UMBRELLA DESIGN Mumbai, INDIA
Advertising Agency UMBRELLA DESIGN Mumbai, INDIA
Millk needed a single visual identity that covered both the branding of the center, and the interiors as well. The challenge was to make it playful and energetic enough for a child, yet relaxing and sophisticated enough for an adult. Two seemingly divergent target group would have to be satisfied with one solution.
Millk is a brand new play and leisure centre with a unique offering. It houses services that cater to both children and adults. While the children are busy at the large play gym and attached cafe, the parents were free to relax at a separate cafe, spa and other services that let them unwind. All these offering were housed under a single roof.
The visual identity sprang to life from a single block. A block represents a pixel on a screen, a building block for great things, or just a simple toy in a child's hands. It can be used to create anything, and can be relevant to children and adults alike. The logo was the first element to be created using blocks, which gave way to a stunning facade made of 13,632 stainless steel plates that looked like blocks. From the stationery to the flooring, every element of Millk's identity was crafted from these seemingly simple blocks.
The result was a unified visual identity that was at once cohesive and vibrant. Both adults and children have taken to it with gusto. Millk's interiors have received excellent reviews on online restaurant review sites in India. One reviewer wrote, "It looks awesome. I mean everything about the decor of this place is exemplary. It's like this fusion of modern meets child." Needless to say, Millk launched to an amazing reception, and is now one of the most frequented spots in the area.
Umbrella Team Umbrella Design


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Healing Spiritual Wounds: A Talk With Author Rev. Carol Howard Merritt
Thursday, March 2nd 2017, 7:00pm
Headlines about the church are dominated by the crises within it, from sexism to homophobia to intolerance. These stories reveal what some people already knew: the church isn't always holy. Author, speaker, and Presbyterian minister Carol Howard Merritt has seen it firsthand. Raised as a conservative Christian, Merritt found that the kind of religious institutions she grew up in had the potential to create healing but also isolation and deep suffering. "People have suffered religious abuse," she writes, "which can be different from physical injury or psychological trauma." She observes that...
From Labor to Reward: An Evening with Rev. Dr. Martha C. Taylor at SFTS
Thursday, February 23rd 2017, 7:00pm
Join author Rev. Dr. Martha C. Taylor – who has served as both SFTS and GTU adjunct professor -- for an evening at SFTS discussing her newest book, From Labor to Reward. This groundbreaking book fills a huge void in American religious history, black religious history, and traditions of the black church. Until now, no other book has chronicled the rich religious experiences of black church beginnings in the Bay Area. Martha C. Taylor provides penetrating insight into the early makings of the black church in the Bay Area. With attention to detail, Taylor captures the joys,...
SFTS | San Francisco Theological SeminaryMartha C. Taylor
Climate Karma: Buddhist Responses to Climate Change
By Taigen Dan Leighton from Currents Fall 2014 Buddhist spiritual teachings offer rich paradigms for seeing our deep interconnectedness and integration with the natural world. These can serve as encouraging bases for responding to climate change and indeed to all environmental concerns. Numerous Buddhist scriptures express the sacred element found in all reality, understanding nature itself as a vital agent of liberation and healing. In this view, even supposedly nonsentient beings such as trees, flowers, and ponds have the capacity to expound the teaching of reality. The thirteenth...
CurrentsFall 2014BuddhismTaigen Dan LeightonDogenZenclimate changeJoanna Macy
Bearing Witness to Suffering and Hope
Spotlighting Dr. William O'Neill, SJ Recipient of the GTU's 2014 Sarlo Excellence in Teaching Award By Doug Davidson from Currents Fall 2014 What does it mean to do theology as a way of bearing witness to the suffering and passion of our world? This critical question has driven the work of Dr. William O'Neill, SJ, throughout more than a quarter century on the faculty of the GTU and the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University. Dr. O'Neill's dedication to rigorous theological scholarship that is firmly grounded in struggle and hope is a primary reason...
CurrentsFall 2014Doug DavidsonWilliam O'NeillJST-SCU | Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara UniversityRwandaSouth AfricaSarlo AwardMunir Jiwa
Womanist Reflections: Remembering Fannie Lou Hamer
Saturday, May 10th 2014
Please join the GTU community on May 10th for a one-day journey of reflection and prayer fellowship and scholarship remembering the work and legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer. This conference will provide opportunity to explore the theological and socio-political depths of Womanist theory and practice from different perspectives utlizing various modes. This all day conference is free! Sponsored by SFTS CPE and Spirituality programs, it will include worship, presentations, plenaries, workshops and lunch!! As one of the guest presenters, I will present a workshop entitled "Embodied...
SFTS | San Francisco Theological Seminarywomanistfeministafrican-american
Fall 2014 Presidents Column
from Currents Fall 2014 The founding documents of the Graduate Theological Union describe a mission that is both ecumenical and interfaith. For more than five decades, we have lived into that mission, but today our foot is definitely on the accelerator. We are currently offering our first courses on Hindu sacred texts and Hindu comparative ethics; we hope to offer our first courses in Sikh Studies as soon as next year. The purpose of these new initiatives is to increase the representation at the GTU table of all of the major religious traditions of the world, so that scholar-practitioners...
newsRiess PotterveldCurrentsFall 2014InterreligiousLanier GrahamCIS | Center for Islamic Studies
The James A. Noel Symposium: Black Religion, Materiality, and the Atlantic World
Friday, September 30th 2016, 9:00am
Please join friends, colleagues, and former students of the late Rev. Dr. James A. Noel, Ph.D. for an academic symposium discussing the four key issues of the African-American experience that shaped his work. Dr. Noel was a highly respected member of the San Francisco Theological Seminary faculty as the H. Eugene Farlough Chair of African American Christianity, Professor of American Religion, and Convener of the Graduate Theological Union's Black Church/Africana Studies Certificate Program. For 28 years, Dr. Noel graced SFTS and the GTU with inspiration and loving mentorship....
SFTS | San Francisco Theological SeminaryJames NoelBCARS | Black Church/Africana Religious Studies
GTU Donor Spotlight: Mary Jo Potter
from Currents Fall 2014 Mary Jo Potter has served on the Graduate Theological Union's board of trustees since 2008, and has been a faithful supporter of both the GTU Annual Fund and the GTU Endowment for more than a decade. She has more than 25 years of work experience in the healthcare, technology, and professional services industries. We recently asked Mary Jo to tell us a little bit more about herself, and why she donates both her time and money to the Graduate Theological Union. Mary Jo was raised Roman Catholic in a small suburb northwest of Chicago. One of her neighbors was...
CurrentsFall 2014Mary Jo PotterInterfaithdonorBoard of Trustees
Life Interrupted: Public Theology for a Planet in Peril
by Laurie Zoloth from Currents Fall 2014 The monsoon rains come every summer and only rarely, in the past, would the rains overwhelm the villages. "But now the terrible floods come every year," says the Kashmiri farmer. Look at the picture of the dry lakebed, result of the worse drought ever. "It's the hottest year on record," says the California rancher. "We are fighting the fires like it is a war." Three thousand miles away, a Brooklyn carpenter laments: "Here's the line that marks the flooded zone." The signs are everywhere. The world is changing. It is happening now. A...
CurrentsFall 2014Laurie Zolothclimate changesocial justiceAAR | American Academy of ReligionbioethicsBiblical StudiesJewish Studies
SFTS Center for Innovation in Ministry Lauch
Thursday, October 16th 2014
Join San Francisco Theological Seminary's new Center for Innovation in Ministry for a two-day symposium that will lead us to explore the following question: How can we leverage the power of games to tackle the issues of poverty, hunger, and violence? Keynote speaker Jane McGonigal, a game designer and researcher for the Institute for the Future, along with a variety of respondents, will help ministry leaders explore innovation in their ministry contexts. Please go to www.sfts.edu/CenterLaunch for more information. San Francisco Theological Seminary, ...
SFTS Labyrinth Moon Walk
Gaze at the stars and enjoy beautiful views of Mt. Tamalpais while walking the labyrinth, a contemplative exercise that focuses the mind and renews the spirit. Enjoy quiet string music by Daniel Berkman on kora. Refreshments provided. Our next Labyrinth Moon Walk will be Thursday, August 27, from 8:30 to 10 p.m. San Francisco Theological Seminary. 105 Seminary Road, San Anselmo. The event is free. Download flyer or Click here for more information.
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