Neketaka is a location in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.
The great and ancient city of Neketaka (Serpent's Head) is so old that its foundations are said to predate the great Huana cataclysm of legend. It is the only existing Huana city that dates back to the ancient times, resettled after an ancient cataclysm called the old city to collapse deep into the caverns below the city. The tribe responsible, Kahanga, has rose to prominence as a result of the restoration and its intense efforts established the city as a major hub of commerce, diplomacy, and of course, intrigue.
In recent years, the native Huana population have been crowded by the arrival of Vailian and Rauataian colonists, traders, and soldiers. Both Rauatai and the Vailian Republics have carved out their own districts of the great city, where trade, defense, and other interests are represented. The Huana royalty reside on the peak of the mountain, with districts reserved for artisans, priests, foreign outposts, and laborer quarters situated along the slopes. The stone lanes, towering structures, and cleanly divided districts of Neketaka fly in the face of the Huana's traditionally tribal society, and many view the city as a dramatic shift in values. Despite its contradictions, the progress and prosperity that Neketaka has come to represent have inspired many an ambitious Huana to leave their village and embrace the city and its opportunities.
As of 2828 AI, the city has 124,000 inhabitants, predominantly island aumaua (57%), followed by ocean folk (18%), coastal aumaua (16%), savanna folk (5%), mountain dwarves (3%), and other races (1%). It is ruled as a limited monarchy by Queen Onekaza II and the Kahanga tribe. Principal gods are Hylea, Ondra, Magran, and Berath. The city is an economic powerhouse, exporting palm oil, rice, cocoa, pearls, teak, koiki fruit, and luminous adra, while importing wheat, cotton textiles, leather, silk, marble, svef, and whiteleaf.
The highest district in the city and home to the royal court of Queen Onekaza II and Prince Aruihi. Governance and diplomacy are centered in the district, together with estates owned by the wealthiest citizens of Neketaka.
So called after the mass of stairs left behind by the ancient Huana, the Sacred Stair is the temple district of Neketaka, housing temples dedicated to the major gods worshipped by the Huana and the new arrivals.
The heart of Rauataian operations in the Deadfire, the Brass Citadel is a modern fortification and the hub for all military operations in the region carved out of a section of coastal Neketaka. The kingdom uses it primarily as a central storehouse for keeping its sailor's fed, armed, and paid on the long campaign away from home, rather than an embassy.
In the higher reaches of Neketaka, slanting shanties and buildings of foreign design fall away to be replaced by colorful, open homes with wide wooden doors boasting intricate reliefs. Rather than pester you for a bit of coin or a bite of food, the children here try to sell you tickets to a play or extol the benefits of the public baths. Periki's Overlook is the artisan district of the city and an exemplar of this trend. Periki was an explorer and founder of the Watershapers Guild. Many of the modern teachings of watershaping stem from her research into ancient Huana society, which led to her posthumous renown and the subsequent naming of her home district in Neketaka as Periki's Overlook.
The commercial heart of the city, the docks of Queen's Berth and the surrounding district are the backbone of the bustling economy of Neketaka. The Vailian Trading Company has a strong presence in the district, including their main luminous adra mill. It's the result of the queen's decision to gift the district to the Republics when they first arrived at Neketaka. Although intended as a way to force the Republics to centralize their operations, allowing the Court to monitor their activities, common Huana instead saw it as the first of many concessions to dominant foreign powers.
Colloquially called the Gullet, the slums of Neketaka are home to both the Roparu caste of the city's Huana as well as myriad colorful and unsavory figures. Built in a great chasm at the heart of Neketaka, it is where much of the city's refuse, literal and figurative, comes to rest.
Somewhere beneath the Gullet is a loose confederation of thugs, thieves, black marketeers, and other seedy individuals. Known as Delver's Row, it's a place where most things can be found for the right price and word always travels quickly.
In the figurine encounter, someone offers you a magical figurine that summons beasts in encounters. You can determine that it's genuine with Arcana or Metaphysics 5 and follow the figure into the tunnel. Of course, this is an obvious trap and you're accosted by Principi thugs. If you inform the guards, you'll gain Minor Positive reputation with both Huana and Neketaka. However this will end the interaction.
Using Good 1 reputation with Principi sen Patrena, they'll back down and you can offer to pay them 2,000 for the figurine or force them to hand it over with a Watcher-only Intimidate 5 check - failing it will cause them to attack.
Otherwise you can try Diplomacy 8 and then pay them 2,000 to spare you, a watcher-only Intimidate 7 check to force them to give you the figurine, or flee using Athletics and Streetwise 7. Failing any these checks will start combat. You can blind them either as a Cipher, with the Watcher ability No Pity for the Lost, or with Tekehu's Chill Fog, rendering them Blind at the start of combat. The confrontation includes a thug called Daionne.
If you manage to convince them, or end up killing them - this will get you the Battered Dog Figurine.
Another encounter entails one of your crew running afoul of a local band of soldiers. You can sneak up on the commotion (Stealth 4) to learn what is happening. Once you approach openly, you will be told that your crew member puked all over the shoes of the band of soldiers, who are now making him pay. Your options here are to use a Druid class ability, give them 600 cp, use Diplomacy to negotiate peacefully (an apology suffices with Diplomacy 6), or attack (Intimidate reduces the significance of the reputation penalty you take). Leaving gives a minor boost to your Neketakan reputation, but drains ship morale.
You can also come across a home ablaze. Inspect it with Perception 12, then enter. As it turns out, this is just a cover up for a triple homicide. You can loot the bodies or search for spirits, or you can use Perception 15 to track the arsonists down. You can talk your way out of the confrontation or ATTACK.
Another can involve a pack of skuldr attacking a lone, ragged Huana girl. You can benevolently scream to her, cast a spell to slow the monsters or use Athletics 6 to draw the beasts' attention (both give Moderate positive), use Stealth 4 to get the drop on them, using the girl as bait, or leave her to her fate (cruel and unnecessary). Using magic you fight the group of skuldr and saving her lets you make choices to get the sword Griffin's Blade she fights with, you can turn down the gift as well.
You can come across a busy market square, and a line of Roparu waiting to fill buckets with cool water for themselves or their masters. You can talk to them and hear some reactivity to your reputations. Eventually, an ooze will arrive and you'll be able to witness a poor muckman trying to challenge the creature. Of course, you can help, using magic first for a Minor Positive and then attacking for a Moderate Positive reputation.
After completing Hasongo: You will meet Laethärn, the missing leader of the Dawnstars from the island, in the streets. Your answer to his doubts help determine the Dawnstar ending.
After completing The Shadow Under Neketaka: While travelling through the network of tunnels between The Brass Citadel and The Gullet, you come to a recently-collapsed tunnel, a group of laborers are working to fix it - but appear to be milling about. Speak to the workers to find that the collapse was caused by the tremors during the quest.
You can use a Watcher-only Intimidate 9 check to force them to get to work, a Watcher-only Religion 7 check to enlighten them, or offer to help the workers with either a Hammer and Chisel (taking 2 hours) or Might 15 (failing will cause a chunk of rock to fall free onto the characters head, causing the injury Concussion (-20 Will), and will force you to wait an hour for the path to clear).
Once clear, you will then be attacked by a bunch of Imps, Brine Imps, and a Cave Bat. Alternatively, with Streetwise 10 you can find an alternate route around the blockage, taking 3 hours and avoiding combat (failing this will waste 8 hours).
This page was last edited on 14 January 2019, at 15:18.


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DREAMers to Take Part in 24-Hour "Hackathon" for Immigration Reform
In this June 1, 2013, photo provided by MigraHack, people participate in a three-day immigration themed hackathon in Chicago. MigraHack is the brainchild of journalist Claudia Nunez. A play on the Spanish word term for immigration, the hackathons seek to foster seek to foster the use of technology and open data in the immigration debate. (AP Photo/MigraHack)
Leaders from Silicon Valley technology giants such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Groupon and DropBox will join 20 DREAMers in a 24-hour "hackathon," or marathon coding session, in the name of comprehensive immigration reform.
The DREAMers, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, come from around the country, and will include four New Yorkers. They will be advised by tech leaders including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Dropbox co-founder Drew Houston and Groupon founder Andrew Mason, on how to come up with tech products that help promote immigration reform.
Patchogue resident and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipient Erick Orellana was brought here from Ecuador when he was three and has been taking computer science classes at Suffolk Community College. He is set to start at Stony Brook next spring.
"Ever since I can remember I was always interested in this – that's what I'm known for by my family and friends, everyone," Orellana told the New York Daily News.
Erick Orellana of PatchogueAlso from the area are Queens College graduate Jay Hu, who was born in China, and Roly Fentanes, who was brought from Mexico at age six.
The 20 DREAMers will be split into four groups and will take part in a 24-hour marathon coding session. One group's idea is a mobile app that lets users search for people in immigration detention, along with an online anti-deportation campaign. Another group plans to build a mobile app that will tell people who their representatives are in Washington, where those representatives stand on immigration reform and ways in which people can take action, either by signing a petition or sending a message to their representatives.
The hackathon comes as FWD.us tries to refocus attention on the issue of immigration reform, which has stalled in Washington. Zuckerberg's group is pushing to reform immigration policy and loosen restrictions on visas for skilled workers such as engineers and scientists.
"We hope that momentum coming from our hackathon — and the technology it creates — can help move immigration reform forward," FWD.us President Joe Green said in a blog post announcing the hackathon.
Below is a video courtesy of NBC Latino highlighting two of the hackathon's participants from Arizona.
Previous articleAfter the 1986 San Salvador Earthquake
Next articleNew Poll Shows Voters in Rep. Peter King's District Support Immigration Reform
Court of Appeals in New Orleans Hears Arguments on DACA Program for Undocumented Brought to U.S. As Children

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest popularity in the 1970s with artists like Emmylou Harris and the Eagles; continuing with cult status and occasional mainstream success to the present day.
Rock and roll has often been seen as a combination of rhythm and blues with country music, a fusion particularly evident in 1950s rockabilly, and there has been cross-pollination throughout the history of both genres, however, the term country-rock is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians of the late 1960s and early 1970s who began to record rock records using country themes, vocal styles and additional instrumentation, most characteristically pedal steel guitar.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_rock
Country Rock bands starting with 'T': 2 bands in database
Thirty Eight Special (United States) Three Little Country Boys (United States)
Country Rock artists starting with 'T': 20 artists in database
Billy Talbot Butch Trucks
Dallas Taylor Dan Toler
Dave Torbert David "Frankie" Toler
Derek Trucks Doug Thaler
Gary Taylor Jørgen Thomsen
Ken Tibbets Kerryn Tolhurst
Kyle Tullis Nils Tuxen
Richard Treece Roy O'Temro
Sean Tyla Tommy Talton
Wayne Talbert Wolfgang Timpe


EtonHouse is welcoming a new school into its family – Islander Pre-School. This spacious centre located on Sentosa Island is tucked away in a serene environment amidst lush greenery overseeing the Sentosa Golf course.
Offering an inquiry-based programme for children from 18 months to 6 years old, the campus is intentionally set up with children's holistic development in mind. The rooms are arranged according to various activity areas, including blocks, dramatic play, art, science, computer and language.
The curriculum is carefully planned to meet the needs of children, taking into consideration their age groups, interests and developmental levels. Within their daily schedule, children will enjoy countless planned and spontaneous educational experiences, and they will be encouraged to learn through play, both outdoors and indoors. They will engage in hands-on learning activities and also work in small groups, allowing the teachers to give individualized attention and develop the potential of each child. To help children develop a strong bilingual foundation, English and Chinese teachers will be in the classes throughout the day and expose them to both languages.
The teachers in Islander Pre-School have an educational background in early childhood development, and are encouraged to receive continual professional development through reading professional literature, conferences, workshops, dialogue with other early childhood educators.
Islander Pre-School offers a quality childcare programme that recognizes the importance of parental involvement. Parents would be kept updated on the progress of their children through emails, newsletters and personalized portfolios. Parent-teacher conferences happens every six months, but parents are welcome to arrange meetings and discussions with the teachers during the school term. There is a strong belief in ongoing collaboration to facilitate the continuity of experiences for each child so as to enhance the potential of meeting each child's needs.
There will be an Open House on 5 December, 930 – 1pm. If you are currently working on Sentosa Island, and would like to enrol your child, please register your interst here.


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Muhàmmad Mal·la Khan fou kan de Kokand (1858-1861). Era fill de Murad Beg Khan i germanastre de Muhàmmad Khudayar Khan. Va pujar al poder després d'una revolta que va tenir el suport dels qara quirguisos i va derrotar Khudayar a la batalla de Samanchim i el va obligar a fugir al Kanat de Bukharà.

Va tenir un regnat descrit com benevolent dominat per la personalitat d'Alim Kul que va exercir en gran part el poder i no permetia a ningú acostar-se al kan.

El 1859 els russos van ocupar el fort Julek, que segons el governador general rus a Orenburg, Katenin, amenaçava Fort Perovski; el 1861 van construir al mateix lloc una nova fortalesa i van demolir la de Yani Kurgan. Més al nord havien ampliat gradualment el seu domini cap a l'àrea que ocupaven els kazakhs subjectes a Kokand, on ja havien ocupat els forts de Pishpek, Tokmak, i altres.

Al cap d'uns dos o tres anys de regnat fou assassinat pels notables uzbeks defraudats perquè la vigilància d'Alim Kul els impedia obtenir cap favor del kan; els conjurats estaven dirigits per Shadiman Khoja i van aprofitar que Alim Kul estava absent perquè havia anat a Andijan, d'on havia estat nomenat beg; van accedir a la seva cambra i el van matar mentre dormia.

Els conspiradors van posar al tron Shah Murad Khan, fill de Sarmasik (germà de Muhammad Khudayar Khan i germanastre de Muhammad Malla Khan) i per tant nebot dels dos darrers kans.

Referències

Kans de Kokand
Morts a l'Uzbekistan

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Car review: Bentley Continental GT
The new Bentley Continental GT is a potent mix of power, style and luxury
Damien Reid
It's been a long time coming, but thanks to
some co-development and co-operation from sister company Porsche, Bentley has released its first new Continental GT in 15 years.
Porsche's contribution is not immediately visible, but the new Continental rides on a modular platform shared by VW Group's front-engine with rear- or all- wheel drive combo cars and was first seen last year in the new Porsche Panamera. We will next see it pop up supporting the Bentley Flying Spur.
For now, it forms the benchmark for a truly remarkable Grand Touring coupé that's lighter, more luxurious, technically advanced and spacious than the model it replaces.
Under the hood resides a 626bhp, six-litre W12 twin-turbo engine that appears familiar but is very different from those used in previous Bentleys.
Having debuted in the Bentayga, this W12 motor has not only shed 30kg but has also been radically re-engineered with the front drive shafts punching through the sump
to make it fit into the smaller engine bay – coupled to a new ZF transmission.
Read: The Jaguar D-Type is reborn
It uses a new injection system comprising both port injection from the old car for more power with direct injection to ensure it meets new emission regulations.
The two turbos have also been upgraded to twin-scroll units and it features cylinder displacement which cuts out six- cylinders when cruising.
This helps the vehicle to achieve a stated 16 per cent better fuel economy with a range of 800km and even on our test of more than 600km through mountain passes and high-speed motorways, we saw better than 13L/100km average.
The transmission is an eight-speed ZF unit that uses Porsche's PDK double-clutch set up and was one of the reasons why the car's launch was postponed from late last year as engineers needed to give it a tweak to handle the engine's 900Nm of torque. On road, it provided rapid shifting that was close to seamless through its eight cogs.
The twin-scroll turbos eliminate all lag as the surge of power felt almost limitless and despite its portly 2,244kg, Bentley claims it will get to 100kph in 3.7 seconds and on to 333kph.
Read: Car review: Lamborghini Urus
Portly it may be, but in addition to the 30kg lost in the drivetrain weight, the new Conti has also dropped 80kgs through the use of aluminium and composites in the body. The combination of more power and less weight was immediately noticeable.
The Continental pointed into corners like no Bentley before and more like an Aston Martin Vantage or AMG GT. This was no doubt helped
by the 48-volt dynamic ride rear anti-roll suspension from Bentayga and its three-chamber air suspension, which gives
the driver more control in the stiffness versus comfort battle.
Read: Interview: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös
Stopping's not a problem either despite the fact the expensive carbon ceramic discs are no longer available. In their place are the biggest brakes used on a production car of 420mm, 10-piston units on the front and 380mm, four-piston discs on the back that are similar in spec to those used on the Lamborghini Urus, though the Lamborghini's are carbon ceramic.
Gone is the car's claim of being an all-wheel drive in the sense we knew it as the previous model had a fixed 60:40 split rear to front AWD system whereas the new car is effectively a rear-wheel drive with a clutch that gives torque on demand to the front wheels as needed.
The front axle has moved forward 135mm not only for better weight distribution but also to give it a more aggressive look, while the 110mm longer wheelbase and 50mm wider footprint gives the car its assertive stance without sacrificing height and headroom.
The inside is a radical departure from previous Bentleys and differs from Bentayga, feeling lighter and more spacious despite maintaining the Bentley hallmarks of timber, leather and chrome.
Ambient mood lighting includes razor thin LED strips across the dash and down the doors into the rear where it imitates the outside's coke- bottle hips.
Not content with just one timber veneer, buyers can specify two on the dash and doors, split by a chrome strip, while a new 12.3-inch nav screen is hidden behind a clever panel that rotates to show either a trio of analogue dials or continues the clean timber look.
A host of desperately needed driver aids such as a heads-up display, active lane assistance, traffic assistance, parking aids and reversing cameras are also included to bring the Continental GT into the modern era for the first time.
Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed
Car review: Audi RS3
Car Review: Bentley Continental GT V8 S
Car review: Lamborghini Urus
Car review: Porsche 911 Turbo
Car Review: Porsche Turbo 911 S
Review: Bentley Mulsanne
Review: Mercedes-Maybach S600


Spirit-funded arts group DanceSyndrome has won 'Charity of the Year' at this year's E3 Business Awards.
Founded by dancer Jen Blackwell who has Down Syndrome, the charity provides creative and fun learning opportunities for anyone who wants to improve their physical health and personal wellbeing.
Spirit of 2012 have awarded £190,000 to DanceSyndrome to fund their continued provision of inclusive dance workshops and leadership training. These sessions allow disabled and non-disabled people to come together and enjoy dance sessions that cater for people of all ages and abilities.
To come away with a win meant proving an extraordinary commitment, and that is exactly what DanceSyndrome did.
The E3 Business Awards, which celebrate entrepreneurs and educators across the northwest, took place at the Macron Stadium in Bolton.
Speaking on behalf of organiser 1 Events Media, Managing Director Mubarak Chati said: "The E3 Awards have always been about more than just commercial success; they celebrate the impact that enterprise has on lives and communities across the northwest. DanceSyndrome is a fine example of that enterprising spirit and it's right that its commitment should be recognised.
"DanceSyndrome can be very proud of its achievement. Competition this year was exceptionally fierce; so much so that we felt we had to increase the number of shortlisted candidates in several categories. To come away with a win meant proving an extraordinary commitment, and that is exactly what DanceSyndrome did."
Click here for the DanceSyndrome website.


An approx. 7-year-old female leopard escaped a narrow brush with death after falling into a 50-foot-deep well in Pimpalgaon Rotha village in Parner range, Maharashtra. The animal was rescued by Wildlife SOS & the Forest Department and after mandatory observation, has been released back into the wild.
In an unexpected turn of events, an adult leopardess found itself on the verge of drowning in a 50-foot-deep open well in Pimpalgaon village on Monday. At around 9:00 am, residents of the village were startled by the panicked roars, echoing from deep within the open well. Fearing that the leopard may not survive much longer in the waist deep water, the villagers immediately alerted the forest department who in turn called Wildlife SOS team that manages the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center in Junnar.
A four-people team was immediately dispatched to the location. While the Wildlife SOS team drove nearly 80 kilometres to reach the location, a team of forest officers rushed to the village to assess the situation. With the help of the villagers, they lowered a platform into the well so that the terrified leopard could clamber onto the makeshift platform for temporary support.
Once the Wildlife SOS team arrived at the scene, a trap cage was lowered into the well, it's open door angled towards the leopard. Almost grateful for a dry spot to move onto, the leopard jumped into the cage and was quickly lifted out of the well. Meanwhile, the Forest Department managed the huge crowd of curious onlookers, to prevent any unnecessary panic or resultant mishaps.
Wildlife SOS (WSOS) is a non-profit charity established in 1998 with the primary objective of rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife in distress across India. We actively run wildlife and nature protection projects to promote conservation, combat poaching & illegal wildlife trade. We work in partnership with the Government and indigenous communities to create sustainable livelihoods for erstwhile poacher communities. The Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center was established in 2010 & houses over 20 elephants with elephant care facilities.
Previous Film Cabaret to have a digital premiere on ZEE5 on Jan 9th!


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Existentialism 2.0
Existentialism 2.0 (UNXD-403)
What does it mean to be responsible for oneself and to others in 2020 and beyond? How should we understand the dynamics of accelerated change at work in the world and a heightened level of stress, anxiety and conflict they produce?
Registration opens in MyAccess at 3 PM on Monday, November 30 for all seniors.
This course will first examine the radical conception of human freedom and responsibility articulated by Existentialist writers of the 20th century in response to the crisis of the two World Wars. It then goes on to propose a way of understanding cultural evolution that can help us understand the contemporary dynamics of change and conflict in a way that is both practically realistic and at the same time still consistent with a personal commitment to the dignity of human freedom and the responsibility imposes for one's own identity as a human being.
Dr. Francis J. Ambrosio is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University. He earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Fordham University, with a specialization in contemporary European philosophy. At Georgetown University, Professor Ambrosio received the 1998 Bunn Award for Faculty Excellence and the 2000 Dean's Award for Teaching. In 2009 he received the Dorothy Brown Award for Outstanding Teaching Achievement, given by the student body to the faculty member who has had the strongest impact on the students' university experience. Professor Ambrosio is widely published in scholarly journals, such as the International Philosophical Quarterly, American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly, and the Journal for the British Society for Phenomenology. He is the editor of the books Text and Teaching (1991) and The Question of Christian Philosophy Today(1999). In 1997, he published a study of the painting of Fra Angelico titled Fra Angelico at San Marco: The Place of Art. His most recent book, Dante and Derrida: Face to Face, was published in 2007. Professor Ambrosio teaches courses on Plato, Existentialism, hermeneutics, deconstruction, and Dante. In 2000, he founded the MyDante project at Georgetown University, which has been widely recognized as one of the most innovative and effective educational websites currently available in the field of humanities.
Visit MyAccess to Learn More


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Main » 2021 » November » 9 » Philip Morris International Announces Stamford Central Business District as Location of New Corporate Headquarters
Philip Morris International Announces Stamford Central Business District as Location of New Corporate Headquarters
Anticipated opening in summer 2022 will bring some 200 jobs to Connecticut and a state-of-the-art innovation center, among other benefits to the state
NEW YORK-Monday 8 November 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]
(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Philip Morris International (PMI) (NYSE:PM) today announced that its new corporate headquarters will be located in the heart of Stamford, Connecticut, and is expected to open in summer 2022. The move is a notable component of PMI's transformation to a smoke-free company and—with the support of Gov. Ned Lamont (D) and the company's leadership—will initially bring approximately 200 jobs to help fuel the state's continued economic growth. The total economic impact of these jobs is expected to be approximately $50 million in 2022.
"Connecticut's position as a leader in innovation and forward thinking, paired with a commitment to open-minded civil discourse, allows us to foster an even stronger company culture. PMI will continue to attract an educated workforce, becoming an integral part of the local community and a source of pride for the state," said Deepak Mishra, President of the Americas Region at PMI.
"We are making rapid progress toward our smoke-free future," continued Mishra, "and our new base in Connecticut is more than just an office building—it will be a full campus with a state-of-the-art innovation facility that will help accelerate our transformation." State officials recognize that PMI is a company with a new purpose and bright future. We are proud that we will be able to call Connecticut home."
The new 71,484 square foot headquarters will be located at 677 Washington Boulevard in the heart of Stamford's central business district, steps away from the Stamford Transportation Center and the entrance to I-95, making it easily accessible. The office will open as home to the PMI Americas region and other corporate functions. PMI's Operations Center will remain in Lausanne, Switzerland, to continue to support the business across the globe. The company employs a worldwide workforce of more than 71,000.
"The decision by PMI to locate its corporate headquarters in downtown Stamford is validation that our economic recovery in Connecticut is in full swing, and we are continuing to see meaningful growth in one of our fastest growing cities," said Governor Ned Lamont. "We are looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship with PMI and it is clear they are focused on maintaining a strong partnership with the State of Connecticut for the foreseeable future."
The Connecticut location will offer employees a better range of commuting and living options following the paradigm shift caused by COVID-19. The headquarters will be aligned with PMI's science- and technology-focused transformation, using state-of-the-art innovation to accommodate remote work and ensure that employees have an inspiring and comfortable workplace.
"We are excited that our new location will offer employees and their families a wide range of living options, from the suburbs of Fairfield County to the rural areas of Litchfield County, while also having the advantages of easy access to the New York metropolitan area. More encouraging are the pioneering and community-minded populace, an excellent school system and healthcare facilities, and ample recreational and green space," said Charles Bendotti, Senior Vice President of People and Culture at PMI.
PMI will take possession on March 1, 2022, with the goal of having the office operational by mid-to-late summer 2022.
PMI is widely recognized as a top employer and a leader in gender equity, equitable pay, and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) measures. Recognitions include:
- The first international company to achieve global EQUAL-SALARY certification
- Included in the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index
- Certified Global Top Employer for five consecutive years by the Top Employers Institute
- Ranked on CDP's A List for climate change for seven years in a row
- Included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America
- Awarded CDP's "triple A" score in 2020 for efforts to combat climate change and the protection of forests and water security
Since 2016, PMI has undergone a major business transformation, moving away from cigarettes and other combustible tobacco products in favor of smoke-free alternatives that, while not risk-free, are scientifically substantiated to be a better choice than continued smoking. PMI is committed to a smoke-free future, and its noncombustible products already accounted for nearly 30% of net revenues in the third quarter of 2021. Building on this progress, the company has accelerated its ambitions, now aiming to be a majority smoke-free company in terms of net revenues by the end of 2025.
The potential public health impact of PMI's scientifically substantiated smoke-free products is increasingly being recognized by governments and public health authorities. For instance, in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued marketing authorizations for IQOS, PMI's electronically heated tobacco system. In July 2020, the FDA authorized the IQOS 2.4 system as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP), concluding that issuing exposure modification orders for the system is "appropriate to promote the public health" and is "expected to benefit the health of the population as a whole." The agency is now conducting a scientific review of the company's MRTP application for the IQOS 3 system, which was authorized for sale in the U.S. in December 2020.
Globally, as of September 30, 2021, an estimated 14.9 million adults have switched to IQOS and stopped smoking.
Note to editor:
In the U.S., Altria Group, Inc. has a license to market IQOS.
Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future
Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company, its shareholders, and other stakeholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, as well as smoke-free products, associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the U.S. In addition, versions of PMI's IQOS Platform 1 device and consumables have received marketing authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway; the FDA has also authorized the marketing of a version of IQOS and its consumables as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP), finding that an exposure modification order for these products is appropriate to promote the public health. PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities, and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. PMI's smoke-free product portfolio includes heat-not-burn products, nicotine-containing vapor products, and oral nicotine products. As of September 30, 2021, PMI's smoke-free products are available for sale in 70 markets in key cities or nationwide, and PMI estimates that approximately 14.9 million adults around the world have already switched to IQOS and stopped smoking. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.
Philip Morris International
Corey Henry
Corey.henry@pmi.com
Permalink : https://www.aetoswire.com/news/philip-morris-international-announces-stamford-central-business-district-as-location-of-new-corporate-headquarters/en


To sun-charge water, place fresh drinkable water into a clear glass container. The maximum recommended container size is one gallon. Using smaller and/or broader containers provide more surface area for the sunlight to directly contact, thus quickening the charging process.
Cover the clear glass container with a clear glass lid. Do not use plastic, since plastic has been found to leech harmful chemicals into liquid and air.
Place the container in direct sunlight, outside on bare earth. Do not place the container on grass, since grass will prevent charging. If bare earth is not availble, choose a suitable material other than grass (sand, rock, cement, etc).
Leave the container outside for a minimum of 5 hours. Depending on the season and planetary location, a container of water will be fully sun-charged between 5 and 8 hours. Leaving the container in the direct sunlight longer than 8 hours will not harm it.
Do not leave the container of water outside over night. Doing so will quickly drain the water of its charge. In addition, no studies have been done to measure the effects of moon-charged water. Moon-charging water is not recommended, since the moon produces no light of its own and has been shown to adversly affect some humans (lunacy).
Drink the sun-charged water immediatly after it has been fully charged. Sun-charged water may be stored for up to 24 hours. After which time, it should be re-charged in the sunlight. There is no need to refrigerate this water. Science has shown that room-temperature drinking water is the most beneficial temperature.
In addition to drinking sun-charged water, this water can be applied directly to the skin through self-massage, soaks, or compresses. Sun-charged water is also helpful when used as an eye-wash.
Always have a container of water being sun-charged outside. This will allow for a continuous supply of sun-charged water ready for use.
During winter months, to avoid freezing and cracking the glass containers, place the container inside the home on a windowsill that gathers the most direct sunlight.
Use sun-charged water for house plants and pets.
Avoid the use of colored glass containers. At this time, color therapy has not effectively standardized the relationships between different colors and localized areas of the human body. It is safest to use clear glass that gathers white light, itself containing all the colors in the rainbow.
This entry was posted on Monday, March 19th, 2018 at 5:25 am	and is filed under Instructions.
Can you sun gaze twice a day in order to make up for the days you cannot (ie.cloudy or rainy days)?
The HRM 'protocols' were created to ensure the safety of the gazer. You can gaze as often as you like as long as your eyes are comfortable doing so.
So I'm curious. Why does grass stop the charging and yet a windowsill made of wood, bricks, paint, glass is perfectly ok?
Grass absorbs the sun's energy and the earth's energy into itself to grow. When we stand on the grass to sun gaze, we are not directly connecting to the earth's energy. When we place sun-charged water on top of the grass, the grass will absorb some of the water's energy into itself. It is best to place the water outside of one's home to sun charge. Placing sun charged water behind window glass or a wall is not as effective. These materials reduce or block the sun's light. Shine on!
I would cover the water with something clear, like saran wrap and rubber band to prevent bugs. Supposedly the soil is suppose to be best to place the glass on (when outside). If in window sill in winter months, you could place a short pot with soil in it in the window sill to so you can still place your glass on the soil. A friend suggested I use distilled water for this, but I don't like using bottled water cause don't trust it, as it's stored in warm trucks in plastic bottles, I drink well water here, but I could boil it if that would be better. I'm getting ready to have my well tested again. What do you suggest.
So place glass container without lid, outside for 8 hours or more, in direct sunlight, then drink whenever. Did I miss anything?
It is best to drink the water within a 1 day period. Once the water is removed from the direct sunlight it will slowly begin to lose it's charge.
Sun-charged water can be drank regularly for the entirety of a person's life. Sun-charging water increases the energy that the body receives.
I dont know or rather want yo know how long one should take this sun-charge drinking water?
Is this water an effective remedy for cancer patients.
You may contact HRM through his website http://solarhealing.com/.
I am not HRM. My answer is that sun charged water provides the physical body with more energy. This additional energy can help the body to heal itself. For a person experiencing cancer, I would recommend that more practices be completed – including sun bathing, sun gazing as taught by HRM, barefoot walking, and following the dietary program taught by Dr Johanna Budwig. Dr Budwig's protocol uses very specific foods and sun bathing to help the body's cells store more solar energy. Dr Budwig's program has been extensively studied and proven to have one of the highest success rates for curing cancer.
If anyone is suffering with cancer, I would strongly recommend that they purchase this book [http://amzn.to/2s7F9h3] and this DVD [http://amzn.to/2smLV6U] to learn the Dr Johanna Budwig method for curing cancer. I would also recommend that they practice safe sun bathing, safe sun gazing, barefoot walking and standing on the earth barefoot, and self-healing meditation like this video teaches.
May you all have freedom from illness and suffering. Shine on!
1.If water is pure yin, and the sun is cosmic yang, then is the ground charging really necessary for the water?…I know it's necessary in actual gazing (barefoot that is), you're providing an "open circuit" for the yang to run so your eyes don't get burned, and your feet is soaking up the yin from earth to mix with the sun yang to provide that "energy" for the soul…It just seems redundant for a substance that's pure yin itself, to have to get even more yin from earth to charge…Its exposure to pure yang itself should suffice to convert it into "fuel"….
It "re-concentrates" the suns light energy that is probably diffused as it rains down on us, and since the water has memory based on "time," I immediately drink it after…I use a white ceramic glass and blast it again before I drink it….It feels absolutely amazing and this after less than 3 minutes of my time…..
Not too long ago I wrote a comment calling into question whether or not the water needed to be on the ground..Today I saw an interesting TTalks on "water's fourth state"…Very interesting, and I think it implies that water being charged on the ground would be most effective…Interesting claims about infra red light being the most effective as well..
Thank you Michael for sharing your thoughts and insights. Can you post a link to the TTalk webpage?
Can we sun charge water in a steel container? And also can we do it when the uv index is high or only when it is low?
Hrm sir se kese contact ho sakta h plzzz batayiye..
I'm confused at to why the glass container must be placed on bare earth?
The glass acts as a barrier between the water and earth, so this step in the process seems a little pointless.
What about the fact that when you charge it inside the home, it is not connected to the ground? I've been leaving it on my wooden deck everyday for the last 3 years. Are you saying that's not effective at all? Also, HRM says not to stand on cement, slate, and perhaps rock (don't remember for sure), so why would we put the water on it? Is the way I was doing it bad to drink or just not as good? Also, does sunlight structure the water? I've found conflicting answers on this question. Thank you!
The more direct the contact with the sunlight the stronger the stored energy will be. Sunlight entering the water will store solar energy, even if the bottle is not in direct contact with the earth.
Thank you for your response. What about tightening the lid? I read somewhere that the pressure that creates reduces the charging. Is there any truth to this? The water seems to charge more when I place an uncapped glass of water in the sun as opposed to a glass bottle that is tightly capped. Would loosening the cap help? How much should it be loosened?
It is true that the lower the atmospheric pressure surrounding the water, the lower the boiling point and the greater the amount of energy water is holding. Hot water holds more energy than cold water. With this in mind, the amount of pressure caused by placing a lid on a container of water has a very minimal increase on the amount of energy water can hold because the pressure created by the lid is minimal. Placing a lid on water will actually increase the amount of energy in the water because as the sunlight increases the water temperature the lid prevent the escape of water vapor and heat.
– Celtic Sea Salt https://amzn.to/2OMdL3R This is the larger salt crystal size which is less expensive and will act the same as the finer ground salt (more expensive) because the salt will dissolve in water.
– Himalayan Sea Salt https://amzn.to/2AQrNyO Again, it is not necessary to use fine ground sea salt for drinking water.
** Instructions: Add anywhere from 1/4 tsp to 1 full tsp into a gallon of drinking water before sun-charging. The minerals in the salt will help the water to hold more solar energy.
– Concentrace https://amzn.to/2ncTEPO This can also be used. It is more expensive than sea salt.
Can I use a stainless steel lid, or is only a glass lid suitable?
I've noticed a huge difference between leaving it on the dirt and leaving it on a wooden ledge. If not grounded, will the water be more positively charged than if it is grounded? Couldn't this cause inflammation in the body?
I can't find a clear glass lid for a gallon jug what should I use instead or can I use a metal mesh screen for the top.
You can use a cork lid and rest it on top of the glass bottle. Or you can find a cork that fits into the glass bottle opening. The bottle oes not need to be sealed tightly, just covered so that the water remains free from airborne contaminants.


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Yolanda Batten-Simmens
Yolanda Batten-Simmens, 91, formerly of Penns Grove, NJ, peacefully passed away in her new chosen home of New Bern, NC on February 28, 2021 with her son and daughter-in-law and best buddy, Gizzie, lovingly by her side. Yolanda was born in Penns Grove, NJ, attended Penns Grove High School and was the youngest of ten children. At the tender age of 4, she stood on a box to bunch asparagus along with family members who worked on the local farms. Later, as a teenager, she worked at the Riverview Beach Park selling tickets for rides and amusements. She had worked in many different capacities throughout her adult life from packing glassware at Anchor-Hocking as a teenager to clerking for various business entities. She loved the personal interactions of working with the public as she was normally a very shy person. She always had such a wonderful work ethic that her former bosses never wanted her to leave their employ. Yolanda was a voracious reader of books but suffered poor vision in later years. She became totally captivated by the fact that she could read any book with the assistance of the Kindle, adjusting the size and print to her needs effortlessly. Also, as many can attest, she was the consummate shopper of clothes, jewelry, shoes, etc. She took great care with her appearance and when she dressed, her ensemble was impeccably matched, head to toe. In recent years, she had moved to a new home in New Bern, North Carolina with her son and daughter-in-law and Gizzie. She fell in love with North Carolina and readily adopted their bird, the Cardinal, as her favorite and was always enthralled whenever one would come to visit her. She is survived by her son, Michael and his wife, Bobbie. By her grandchildren: Laura Healy and her husband, Patrick; Michael Batten and his wife, Bethany; Nicole Miller and her husband, Mike; and Lisa McConnell. By her great grandchildren: Cassidy Batten; Ashlin, Ella, Addie McConnell; Jacob, Eli Miller; Lola Healy (granddog) and Gizzie Batten (soulmate.) She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and other countless family and friends that she held close to her heart. She is preceded in death by her son, James Andrew Batten (Jimmy); and by her former husbands: Bobby Simmens and Michael Batten, Sr. A memorial visitation will be held on Friday night, May 21, 2021 from 6 to 8 PM at Adams Funeral Home, 64 Broad Street, Woodstown, NJ 08098 with a chance for friends and family to celebrate and reflect on Yolanda's life at 7 PM. There will be a graveside committal service at 11 AM on Saturday, May 22, 2021 at Riverview Cemetery in Penns Grove, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made in Yolanda's memory to The Seeing Eye, Inc., 1 Seeing Eye Way, Morristown, NJ 07960.
Yolanda Batten-Simmens, 91, formerly of Penns Grove, NJ, peacefully passed away in her new chosen home of New Bern, NC on February 28, 2021 with her son and daughter-in-law and best buddy, Gizzie, lovingly by her side. Yolanda was born in Penns... View Obituary & Service Information
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UK hotels see pre-downturn RevPAR levels
Hotels in eight out of 12 UK cities recorded RevPAR beyond pre-downturn levels, with the remaining four cities almost reaching these levels, according to the latest Hotel Bulletin from HVS, Zolfo Cooper and AM:PM for Q2 2014
Hotel performance in London and the regions has continued to improve in Q2 2014 with average RevPAR increasing 10 percent year-on-year.
For the third consecutive quarter, all the cities reviewed recorded RevPAR growth. London saw a rise of 4 percent year-on-year with hotels outside the capital seeing an 11 percent rise. Growth was driven by average room rate improvement in all cities except Newcastle.
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Belfast recorded the highest year-on-year RevPAR improvement (28 percent), with Leeds at 16 percent and Glasgow at 12 percent. Hotels in Aberdeen, Bath, Edinburgh and London are now trading in excess of 2008 RevPAR levels, with those in Belfast, Birmingham, Liverpool and Newcastle trading at pre-downturn levels.
In a statement, Tim Smith, director, HVS London, said that the benchmark was a cause for optimism and would give "certain hoteliers the confidence to invest time and money in expansion." Rate-driven growth is likely to result in profitability improvement, he added. "Consistent and strong growth is encouraging and is also likely to leave investors in a confident mood."
In the first half of this year, some £1.9 billion-worth of hotel transactions have been completed, over £411 million of these were in Q2. The quarter saw year-on-year transaction levels rise by over £250 million.
Single-asset transactions have dominated the deals completed this year, although further portfolio transactions are anticipated over the next six months.
The Hotel Bulletin includes a special focus on Edinburgh in the run-up to the Scottish referendum. It says that while observers believe investors may have been put off by the uncertainty surrounding the Scottish economy, there is no noticeable sign of hotel investment slowing down.
"If Scotland does become independent the city may indeed benefit from the influx of professionals advising on structural change, which would increase demand for hotel accomodation in the short-to-medium term," added Smith.
Accor launches €300m buyback
Accor launched a €300m share buyback as part of its plans to return €1bn to shareholders over the next 24 months.
by Katherine Doggrell Jan 21, 2020 6:46am
Spain, Portugal 'not reached peak'
Hotel investment in Spain and Portugal has not yet reached its peak, with the appetite for urban hotels expected to grow this year.
Investors warm to resorts
The recent spate of deals involving resorts has drawn investors to the sector, with groups such as Blackstone looking to build platforms.


CFP's Osoyoos packing facilities receive fruit (including cherries, stone fruit, pears, and apples) in bulk from Okanagan-based growers and sort it for quality and size before packaging it for shipment to our domestic and international customers. Safe and efficient produce receiving and staging, as well as keeping the production line fed are important parts of ensuring the quality of produce for our customers.
• Perform daily basic maintenance on propane and electric forklifts.
• Ensure pre-shift forklift equipment checklists are completed.
• Accurate maintenance of shipping and receiving information, using software programs to log fruit bins and pallets into and out of the facility.
• Safe operation of the bin hydro-cooler and accurate use of temperature recorders to ensure quality specifications are maintained.
• Report any quality, maintenance, and safety issues to Manager or Supervisor.
Work is conducted indoors and outdoors at a fruit processing plant environment and can be subject to extreme temperature conditions. This position may be required to work on weekends. Positions are seasonal, with limited days off and extended hours as necessary through peak months (i.e. June through October).


The term "HTML 5" isn't new to the majority of people who use and or design / develop website templates, it started to raise its head and became a buzzword in 2010.
You ask yourself what has this got to do with the new forthcoming section of this website, well, a lot. In creating a new so-called "HTML 5" template section we start a new era on our website.
We have been waiting for browser developers to update their support for HTML 5 mark-up so as to offer free HTML 5 templates from our site. Browser support is now becoming more acceptable, meaning more and more code elements are supported.
Due to the mass on changes and introduction of new elements to the HTML5 code mark-up we will slowly introduce them to our templates in time. As stated already, not all elements are currently supported (as of this documents publishing date) but they will be added to the new templates.
We will continue to add XHTML templates to our standard free website templates section as they will be support for years to come.
To start with we will be adding basic HTML 5 templates to the new section, no in-depth steep learning curve will be needed to modify the individual templates. The source code will be our high standard, clean, well structured and easy to modify mark-up.
It is possible to create bespoke Form elements that are assisted via JavaScipt or pre-define data to be stored on an end-users PC either in a session or using the localstorage object. These elements wont be touched in our templates.
Another reason is the simplest - our templates are used by such a wide range of people that it simply isn't possible to modify a template to suit everyone who uses it, all users have their own use and needs - as an example, one basic form doesn't work for all, elements need to be added or removed.
We will start to add new templates to the website shortly, but as stated they will be basic. In time we will add more sophisticated HTML 5 templates, both in design and source code mark-up. For help with our HTML 5 web templates, documents will be created in our "Template Support" area.


Professional Academy - Management Advice - Employees as part of the supply chain?
Management Advice - Employees as part of the supply chain?
High-skilled service sectors were hit hard by the recession and the lack of stability in its wake has done little to revive confidence. Companies downsized and jobs were lost. Competition to retain customers, as well as careers, became fierce, particularly under strangling budget constraints (not to mention the rising costs of Compliance within the Finance sector).
In the "buyers' market", where customers have a greater level of influence on high-skilled service firms but also where high-skilled service firms have a greater level of power over their staff, tenure has increased. In 2011 job satisfaction across the entire industry was at an all-time low and recent studies suggest that 50% of skilled professionals will seek employment elsewhere within the services sectors given the right conditions.
Accordingly, it is predicted that employee turnover is set to dramatically increase once the economy begins to finally settle, and then strengthen upon a foundation of real, as opposed to pseudo, confidence, with dis-satisfied high-skilled services talent looking to jump ship to a competitor.
The psychological impact of the strengthening of the economy combined with the appreciated increasing value of employees in the service sectors, where the quality of products being offered is a direct reflection on the capability of the staff member, and where the baseline in customer expectations has shifted during the recession, will result in greater employee bargaining power.
With an increase in employee leverage for influence, "sellers' market" conditions, where employees have a greater degree of control and choice over the selling of their time and expertise to their, or prospective, employers, will arise; the management of employee-employer relationships has the danger of then becoming akin to supply chain management.
To establish competitive advantage as a result of this macro-environmental shift, it may be considered diligent for firms to make efforts towards positioning themselves as an employer of choice in order to attract the migrating talent from competing outfits, whilst ensuring that existing talent is thoroughly engaged. Adopting best engagement practices will increase job satisfaction and encourage the alignment of employees' appreciation of the corporate brand with that of the brand promise that is made to a firm's customers.
Ultimately, such an approach will result in a superior product from that of a firm's competitors, superior knowledge of the market and business practices, a superior network of contacts, lower cost operations which could be passed on to customers, and a perceived advantage in the eyes of the customer of doing business with a firm that attracts and retains top talent.
To achieve this objective, marketing department will have to be more closely aligned with that of Human Resources. Many firms already do this well and the end result is a strengthening of the brand both within and externally. Depth research into what employees value is a good starting point in order for firms to best shape their offering as an employer. Leaders and marketers alike could then spend an increasing amount of 'quality time' with their staff, and a return on investment of this time would be seen through the reinforcement of a firm's relationships with their employees, creating a more motivated, happy, skilled and engaged workforce, and a sterling reputation in the eyes of the customers.
If you would like to enhance your knowledge of management and leadership (which Joe actually did recently) then why not join us on a CMI Management & Leadership qualification? You can find out more about our Management & Leadership courses by downloading our latest CMI prospectus or contacting one of our qualification advisors today.


All of our Patent Attorneys, in addition to a science degree, have industry or research experience. This means that we are able to understand the technical significance of your invention and the surrounding technology landscape to get you the best protection possible. All of the Attorneys at Dummett Copp are fully qualified and have at least five years experience, meaning that your Intellectual Property will always be handled by an experienced pair of hands.
We are able to manage your patent needs throughout the world. All of Dummett Copp's Attorneys are qualified to represent you before the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO), the European Patent Office (EPO) and the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO). We are also able to provide patent services in countries all over the world through the network of foreign agents, with whom we have an established relationship.
We understand that the services of a Patent Attorney should encompass more than just drafting and filing patent applications, and we pride ourselves on going that extra mile to truly understand your business needs and being flexible in our approach to managing your IP portfolio.


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Lena D. Waithe (geboren am 17. Mai 1984 in Chicago, Vereinigte Staaten) ist eine amerikanische Drehbuchautorin, Schauspielerin und Filmproduzentin, die durch ihre Rolle in der Netflixserie Master of None Bekanntheit erlangte. Bei der Primetime-Emmy-Verleihung 2017 gewann Waithe, gemeinsam mit Aziz Ansari, einen Emmy für das beste Drehbuch einer Comedyepisode für die achte Folge der zweiten Staffel Master of None (Thanksgiving).

Leben
Waithe wurde in Chicago geboren. Zu Beginn wollte sie keine Schauspielerin werden, sondern Drehbücher für Fernsehserien schreiben. Ihre alleinerziehende Mutter und Großmutter unterstützten Waithes Vorhaben. Sie besuchte die Evanston Township High School und schloss 2006 ihr Studium an dem Columbia College Chicago ab. Der Bühnenautor Michael Fry hatte dabei großen Einfluss darauf, dass Waithe ihr Schauspieltalent weiterverfolgte. Im November 2017 verlobte sie sich mit Alana Mayo während ihres Japan-Urlaubs.

Karriere
Im Jahr 2011 veröffentlichte Waithe den Kurzfilm Save Me, den sie inszenierte und das Drehbuch schrieb und der bei verschiedenen Filmfestivals lief. Ihre professionelle Karriere als Drehbuchautorin begann sie bei der Nickelodeon-Sitcom How to Rock (2012). 2013 schrieb sie die Drehbücher für die Webserie Hello Cupid. Zwischen 2014 und 2015 schrieb Waithe für die Fox-Fernsehserie Bones – Die Knochenjägerin, und 2014 agierte sie als Produzentin für die satirische Filmkomödie Dear White People. Weiterhin schrieb sie für die YouTube-Serie Twenties und trat darin auf. 2014 gab der amerikanische Fernsehsender BET die Produktion einer Serie, basierend auf Twenties, in Auftrag.

Im Jahr 2014 führte Variety Waithe in einer Liste, mit den "10 Comedians, die man beobachten sollte" (10 Comedians to Watch). Im August 2015 beauftragte das Kabelfernsehen-Network Showtime die Produktion einer Pilotepisode für eine neue Serie, die von Waithe geschrieben und vom Rapper und Schauspieler Common produziert werden sollte. Sie sollte die Coming-of-Age-Geschichte eines jungen afroamerikanischen Mannes aus der Vorstadt erzählen. Sowohl Waithe als auch Common sind in Chicagos South Side aufgewachsen.

Nach einem Treffen mit Aziz Ansari, Schöpfer und Hauptdarsteller der Serie Master of None, schrieb er die Rolle der Denise, die er zusammen mit Alan Yang als heterosexuelle weiße Frau und potentielle mögliche Liebesgeschichte für Ansaris Rolle konzipierte, um. "Aus irgendeinem Grund dachte die Besetzungschefin Allison Jones für die Rolle an mich, eine schwarze homosexuelle Frau." Ansari und Yang schrieben die Drehbücher um, damit der Charakter ähnlicher zu dem von Waithe ist: "Wir Schauspieler spielen überspitzte Versionen von uns selbst." "Ich weiß nicht ob wir schon mal eine schlitzohrig, Pluderhosen, coole Topshop-Sweatshirt und Snapback Cap tragende Lesbe im Fernsehen gesehen haben." "Ich weiß dass viele Frauen, die ich draußen in der Welt sehe, mir sehr ähnlich sind. Wir existieren. Für mich war die Sichtbarkeit davon sehr wichtig und aufregend."

Im September 2017 gewann Waithe zusammen mit Aziz Ansari einen Emmy in der Kategorie für das "beste Drehbuch einer Comedyserie" für die Episode Thanksgiving aus der zweiten Staffel Master of None. Sie ist damit die erste schwarze Frau überhaupt, die diese Auszeichnung erhalten hat. Die Episode basiert auf Waithes Coming-out-Erfahrung. Das amerikanische Out-Magazin zeichnete Waithe im November 2017 als Künstlerin des Jahres aus.

Sie arbeitet derzeit an einer autobiografischen Dramaserie für Showtime namens The Chi, die seit Januar 2018 ausgestrahlt wird.

Filmografie
Als Drehbuchautorin
 2011: Save Me (Kurzfilm)
 2012: How to Rock (Fernsehserie, 2 Folgen)
 2013: Hello Cupid (Webserie, 7 Folgen)
 2014–2015: Bones – Die Knochenjägerin (Bones, Fernsehserie, Folge 10x11 Diesseits und jenseits und nicht immer real, 14 weitere als Staff Writer)
 2017: Master of None (Fernsehserie, Folge 2x8 Thanksgiving)
 seit 2018: The Chi (Fernsehserie)
 2019: Queen & Slim
 2022: Beauty

Als Schauspielerin
 2014: The Comeback (Fernsehserie, Folge 2x7 Varelie trägt ein Mikro)
 2015–2017: Master of None (Fernsehserie, 10 Folgen)
 2016: Transparent (Fernsehserie, Folge 3x1 Odyssee)
 2018: Dear White People (Fernsehserie, 3 Folgen)
 2018: Ready Player One
 2020: Onward: Keine halben Sachen (Onward, Stimme)
 2020: Westworld (Fernsehserie)
 2020: Bad Hair
2021: The L Word: Generation Q (Fernsehserie, Folge 2x1 Ladykiller)

Als Produzentin
 2014: Dear White People

 2019: Queen & Slim
 2020: Mein 40-jähriges Ich (The 40-Year-Old Version)
 2022: Beauty
 2023: A Thousand and One

Als Regisseurin
 2011: Save Me (Kurzfilm)

Auszeichnungen
Emmy
 2017: Auszeichnung in der Kategorie Bestes Drehbuch für eine Comedyserie für die Episode Thanksgiving von Master of None (mit Aziz Ansari)

Gold Derby Awards
 2017: Nominierung in der Kategorie Beste Comedyepisode des Jahres für die Episode Thanksgiving von Master of None (mit Aziz Ansari und Melina Matsoukas)

Black Reel Award
 2015: Nominierung in der Kategorie Bester Film für Dear White People (als Produzentin)
 2017: Nominierung in der Kategorie Bestes Drehbuch für eine Comedyserie für die Episode Thanksgiving von Master of None (mit Aziz Ansari)

Independent Spirit Award
 2015: Nominierung in der Kategorie Bester Debütfilm für Dear White People (als Produzentin)

Gotham Award
 2014: Nominierung in der Kategorie Publikumspreis für Dear White People (als Produzentin)

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Filmschauspieler
Drehbuchautor
Filmproduzent
Emmy-Preisträger
US-Amerikaner
Geboren 1984
Frau
Showrunner


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Flying Turtle Post Uses Fusion Studio for Looks That Kill
Get all your news and announcements here!
Kerry de Boer
Blackmagic Design today announced that visual effects (VFX) company Flying Turtle Post used Fusion Studio VFX and motion graphics software on the new comedy "Looks That Kill."
"Looks That Kill" tells the story of Max Richards, a teenager born with a medical condition of being lethally attractive, whose life is forever changed when he meets Alex, a girl with a bizarre ailment of her own. Written and directed by Kellen Moore, and starring Brandon Flynn, Julia Goldani Telles, Ki Hong Lee, Annie Mumolo, Peter Scolari and more, "Looks That Kill" is the latest film from Syracuse based production company American High, the producers behind "Big Time Adolescence" and "Banana Split." "Looks That Kill" is distributed by Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios company.
With the film's cinematography consisting of fluid camera movements and continuous takes, the Flying Turtle Post team was challenged with creating long seamless VFX sequences. According to VFX Supervisor and Flying Turtle Post Owner Shaina Holmes, "Our most challenging sequence was referred to as 'the big one' because the plates we received included more than 7,000 frames for just this one shot, which was around five minutes of footage. It follows the main character Max through multiple locations with one long time lapse, so we had to seamlessly stitch edits between green screen shots and place lots of speed ramps to go fast, slow and normal speed throughout."
To learn more, please visit: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/media/ ... 0200724-01


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How to make [almost] everything

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  9- Molding and Casting

Intro

 The assignment of this week was to create a mold and cast some material to realize an object.

Creating the hard mold

For this assignment I wanted to useflat shapes to create a 3D object so I decided to create a 3D puzzle. I started from this puzzle . It is fun because you have to follow the right sequence of actions to solve it.

Make the hard mold

To make a soft mold you need an hard mold in wich you can cast the silicone rubber. To do this I used a modelling wax block (blue wax from Dumatt) to be milled with thr Roland SRM-20 that is in the Fablab

 The first step was to create a 3D model of the puzzle for the milling machine. I started modelling the wax block in Rhino, this to help me to keep the correct proportion and correctly place the model of the puzzle inside the wax block. I left a margin of 5 mm to be sure that the wax doesn' become too weak. Moreover  I created an engravement with angled borders to facilitate extraction of the soft mold. This is to allow to easily pull out the silicone rubber. Then I placed the models of the 3 pieces of the puzzle.

Then I send the model to a Roland SRM-20. I set two working steps. Roughing wit a 3 mm end mill and finishing with a 1,5 end mill. The roughing is made with a bigger end mill to  remove excess material and, ideally, leave a constant thickness of stock all over the part for the finishing operations. To make the CAM files I used the Modela Player 4 software. The settings used for the roughing were: X,Y speed 24 mm/s, Z speed 10 mm/s, spindle 7000 rpm, cutting-in amount 0.6 mm, path interval 1.8 mm and finish margin 0.2 mm. The finishing is more precise (and took more time) and remove the remaining excess of material. The setting of the machine were X,Y and Z speed 16.8 mm/s, spindle 7000 rpm, cutting-in amount 0.2 mm, path interval 0.2 mm and finish margin 0 mm.

Creating the soft mold

Then I used Smooth-sil 940 silicone rubber to make the soft mold. There are two components that have to be mixed with the ratio of 100:10 (weight). You can find (and you must read carefully) the instructions and details here.

I mixed the two elements until I get a uniform material. To know how much silicone I have to put insideI made a model on Rhino and used the "volume"command. To avoid air bubbles, before casting, I spreaded the silicone rubber on the mold with a brush. Then I casted it.

I put the mod on a vibrating surface to make the bubbles reach the surface and pop out. I waited for 1 day then I had my soft mold almost ready. I baked it for 2 hours at 80 degrees and for 1 hour at 100 degrees.

Casting

Then I decided to use polyurethane resin (bought from here instructions in italian)  to make my object. It is made by two components that have to be mixed in a ratio of 1:1.

The resin start to react and becomes white and produces a little heat. However, at the first castingm I didn't mix properly the two components, so the result was not good. The second shoot was better. You can see the differences below.

You can see missing parts on the left. It was also very sticky so it become dirty very soon. Remember to use gloves when doing that stuff :D

The final result:

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince • Source Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth book in the series. The book marked a turning point in the series for fans. Rowling shifted her writing toward revealing the answers to all the many mysteries she had built up over the earlier five books. She considers books six and… Read More
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets • Source Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in the series of Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling. First British printing: July 2, 1998, Bloomsbury Books First American printing: June 2, 1999, Scholastic, Arthur A. Levine Books U.S. illustrations by Mary GrandPré, 1999 Word count: Harry Potter… Read More
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child • Source Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a play created from a story by J.K. Rowling (July 2016). In the play, Harry and Ginny's son Albus goes to Hogwarts and befriends Scorpius Malfoy, Draco's son. Albus and Scorpius steal a Time-Turner and alter time. They are encouraged in this by a… Read More
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows • Source Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and last book in the series. The book was published in the US and the UK on 21 July 2007. Resources: Day by day calendar of events in the book Differences between the British and American versions Changes in the… Read More
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire • Source Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth book in the series, was published in 2000. For the first time, bookstores held midnight release parties. The Harry Potter phenomenon was in full swing. Unfortunately, the scene in the graveyard provoked a strong anti-Potter response from some conservative Christian groups who… Read More
The Harry Potter Novels • Source The Harry Potter books are a series of stories written by Scottish author Joanne Rowling. She writes under the pen name of J.K. Rowling, although in reality she has no middle name (the inital 'K' was borrowed from her grandmother, Kathleen). The books tell the story of a boy named… Read More
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix • Source Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth book in the series. The first four Potter novels came out one per year and the long wait for the fifth book built up the interest to a fever pitch. During the intervening three years the first two of the… Read More
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone • Source Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the first in the series of Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling. It was published in the U.S. as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone a year after being published in the UK. First British printing: July 1, 1997, Bloomsbury Books First American printing: September 1,… Read More
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban • Source Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third book in the series. This book marks a turning point in the saga, as Harry for the first time confronts the darker side of his own past and the pasts of some of the people he loves and trusts. Harry is forced to… Read More
HBP10: The House of Gaunt • Source Harry attends his first lesson with Dumbledore, who explains that they will be delving into Voldemort's past and takes Harry into the Pensieve. In Bob Ogden's memory, they go to Marvolo Gaunt's house to see about his son, Morfin, who has broken wizarding law by attacking a muggle; there they… Read More
HBP11: Hermione's Helping Hand • Source Harry discovers his newfound popularity, learns that Stan Shunpike has been arrested, and holds a frustratingly massive Quidditch tryout that includes a run-in with Cormac McLaggen. They visit Hagrid and learn that Aragog is dying, Harry confronts Hermione about having confunded McLaggen during the tryout, and Slughorn invites Harry and… Read More
HBP12: Silver and Opals • Source Harry tries one of the Half-Blood Prince's spells while reading in bed and levitates Ron by accident. He argues with Hermione over the danger of the Prince, and gets word of his next lesson with Dumbledore. The trio then walks to Hogsmeade, where Slughorn corners Harry in Honeydukes and Harry sees… Read More
HBP13: The Secret Riddle • Source Harry has his second lesson with Dumbledore, where they briefly discuss Mundungus and Draco. Dumbledore discusses Merope with Harry again. Together, they then view a memory of Dumbledore's, where he visits Voldemort's orphanage and invites an eleven-year-old Tom Riddle to Hogwarts. In the memory, Dumbledore learns Riddle's history and discovers that he has… Read More
HBP14: Felix Felicis • Source Hermione and Ron discuss the Slug Club in Herbology and Harry notices an attraction between them. Dean takes Katie's place on the Quidditch team, and Harry and Ron run into Ginny and Dean kissing. Ron gets upset and Ginny tells him off, but Harry starts thinking of kissing Ginny himself. Read More
HBP15: The Unbreakable Vow • Source Hermione remains angry with Ron, but Harry tries to stay friends with both of them. He finds that girls are trying to seduce him and Romilda Vane tries to slip him a Love Potion. Harry asks Luna to Slughorn's Christmas party, and Hermione invites McLaggen to upset Ron. After some general… Read More
HBP16: A Very Frosty Christmas • Source Harry and Ron discuss Malfoy and Snape. Harry tells Mr. Weasley his suspicions and hears about the Ministry's losing battle against Death Eaters. Lupin talks about Snape and Greyback, and Harry discovers that the Half-Blood Prince's book was fifty years old. Percy shows up on Christmas with Scrimgeour, who then… Read More
HBP17: A Sluggish Memory • Source After arriving back at Hogwarts, Harry chats with Hermione about Ron and Malfoy. He learns that apparition lessons are coming, and finds that both Ron and Ginny seem disenchanted with their relationships. He then has a lesson with Dumbledore, where they discuss Scrimgeour and see two memories; In the first one,… Read More
HBP18: Birthday Surprises • Source Harry gives Slughorn a bezoar instead of an antidote in Potions class, then asks him unsuccessfully about Horcruxes. The sixth-years then have their first apparition lesson, where Harry overhears Malfoy saying Crabbe has been acting as his lookout, and Harry starts watching him using the Marauder's Map. Then, on Ron's… Read More
HBP19: Elf Tails • Source Harry discusses Ron's poisioning with the Weasleys, Hagrid tells Harry that he overheard Dumbledore and Snape arguing. McLaggen accosts Harry to ensure he can play in Ron's place in the upcoming Quidditch match, and Harry finds that Ron has been avoiding Lavender. At the Quidditch match (with Luna commentating!), McLaggen… Read More
HBP1: The Other Minister • Source The Muggle Prime Minister recounts his encounters with Cornelius Fudge. Fudge visits him again with Scrimgeour, and we learn that Scrimgeour is the new Minister for Magic. We also hear of the wizarding world's open war with Voldemort – dozens of Muggles have been killed along with Amelia Bones and Emmeline Vance, the Dementors and giants have joined Voldemort, and the Ministry is struggling to fight. Read More
HBP20: Lord Voldemort's Request • Source Ginny fights with Dean and Ron with Lavender. Luna delivers a message to Harry of a lesson with Dumbledore, and Harry arrives at the lesson to find Trelawney being asked to leave. Dumbledore makes Harry feel guilty for not procuring Slughorn's memory, but they view two new memories: in the first,… Read More
HBP21: The Unknowable Room • Source Harry talks with Ron and Hermione about Apparition, Slughorn's memory, and Lavender. Kreacher and Dobby show up to report on Malfoy, making Harry realize Draco's been using the Room of Requirement with Polyjuiced Crabbe and Goyle as lookouts. Harry spends some time trying to get into the Room of Requirement… Read More
HBP22: After the Burial • Source Hagrid writes to inform the trio that Aragog has died. Ron and Hermione have their apparition test, and Harry makes a Euphoria potion in a class with just Slughorn, Ernie and Draco, after which he tries to corner Slughorn, but fails. Hermione passes her test and convinces Harry to take… Read More
HBP23: Horcruxes • Source Harry learns that Dumbledore has returned, races off to his office. Together they watch Slughorn's memory, where Riddle learns what Horcruxes are and contemplates making more than one. Dumbledore explains his suspicions that Riddle made six, including the now-destroyed ring and diary, the locket, the cup, and Nagini. Dumbledore promises Harry… Read More
HBP24: Sectumsempra • Source Ron and Ginny are both single again. Katie Bell returns to Hogwarts, but can't remember what happened to her. Harry sees Malfoy with Moaning Myrtle on the Marauder's Map and runs to eavesdrop, but is shocked when he sees Malfoy crying. When Malfoy tries to hex Harry, Harry uses… Read More
HBP25: The Seer Overheard • Source Hermione finds out about Eileen Prince in the library and she thinks Eileen may be connected to the Half-Blood Prince. Dumbledore asks Harry to come to his office immediately. On the way there, Harry runs into Trelawney, learning from her both that Malfoy is incredibly happy and that Snape was the one… Read More
HBP26: The Cave • Source Harry and Dumbledore enter the cave where Voldemort has hidden a Horcrux. After swimming to the entrance, Dumbledore splatters it with his blood to gain entry and they take a hidden boat across a lake. Protecting the Horcrux there is a potion that must be drunk. Dumbledore insists that he is the… Read More
HBP27: The Lightning-Struck Tower • Source Harry and Dumbledore return to Hogsmeade and see the Dark Mark over Hogwarts. They fly to the top of the Astronomy Tower, where Draco appears and disarms Dumbledore, but can't bring himself to kill him. Dumbledore tries to convince Draco to come to the good side. Before Malfoy can decide… Read More
HBP28: Flight of the Prince • Source Snape, Malfoy and the Death Eaters flee, and Harry gives chase. He runs through a raging battle involving the Order and tries unsuccessfully to curse Snape. Snape reveals that he is the Half-Blood Prince. Hagrid's hut is set ablaze and the Death Eaters escape. Harry and Hagrid then put out the… Read More
HBP29: The Phoenix Lament • Source Ginny leads Harry to the hospital wing, where the Order discusses Bill, Dumbledore, Snape, and the events of the evening. We also learn that Fleur still wants to marry a disfigured Bill, and Tonks is in love with Lupin. McGonagall takes Harry to her office (formerly Dumbledore's) and asks where… Read More
HBP2: Spinner's End • Source Narcissa calls on Snape in secret against Voldemort's orders. Bellatrix tries to stop her, but joins her at Snape's house anyway. Snape prevents Wormtail's eavesdropping and tells Bellatrix his story, though she still refuses to trust him; Narcissa then reveals that Voldemort has ordered Draco to do something difficult, and… Read More
HBP3: Will and Won't • Source The wizarding public's perception of Harry and the steps the Ministry has taken to provide safety in the war was written in the Daily Prophet . Dumbledore returns to Privet Drive. Before leaving, Dumbledore sits with Harry and the Dursleys, updates Harry on his inheritance from… Read More
HBP30: The White Tomb • Source The majority of students remain at Hogwarts for Dumbledore's funeral, as wizards from across the country flood in to pay their last respects. Hermione discovers that Eileen Prince was Snape's mother while Harry ponders the Horcruxes. The funeral takes place, after which Harry breaks up with Ginny. As Harry then walks off on… Read More
HBP4: Horace Slughorn • Source Harry and Dumbledore apparate to Budleigh Babberton – discussing Voldemort, Inferi, and Dumbledore's injured hand along the way – and meet Slughorn, shortly after he has faked his own demise. Dumbledore asks Slughorn, to teach at Hogwarts, and Harry convinces him to while Dumbledore is out of the room. Dumbledore… Read More
HBP5: An Excess of Phlegm • Source Harry speaks with Mrs. Weasley (and later Mr. Weasley) about the Ministry. We see Fleur, who was nicknamed Phlegm by Ginny, and learn that she and Bill are engaged, to his family's dismay. Harry tells Ron and Hermione about Slughorn, his private lessons with Dumbledore and the prophecy, while they tell him… Read More
HBP6: Draco's Detour • Source We learn of several disappearances including Florean Fortescue and Mr. Ollivander. Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys go shopping at Diagon Alley, escorted by Hagrid. There they discover a much-changed atmosphere and an empty Leaky Cauldron. They have a run-in with Draco and Narcissa Malfoy in Madam Malkin's and then tour Weasleys' Wizard… Read More
HBP7: The Slug Club • Source Harry thinks Malfoy might be a Death Eater, everyone departs for King's Cross, and before getting on the train Harry tells Mr. Weasley his suspicions. On the train, Harry finds he is more famous than ever, but sits with Neville and Luna until Slughorn invites him to tea. After hours… Read More
HBP8: Snape Victorious • Source Before the Hogwarts Express leaves, Tonks rescues Harry from the Full-Body Bind Curse put on him by Malfoy. She escorts him to the castle, but Snape come to collect him and he leads Harry into the feast, criticizing Harry all the way. Once inside, Harry discusses his status as 'The Chosen One' with… Read More
HBP9: The Half-Blood Prince • Source Gryffindors get their course schedules. Harry, Ron and Hermione discuss Malfoy and Quidditch trials, then go to their first day of classes. In Defence Against the Dark Arts Harry fights back against Snape's attempt to jinx him and gets detention, during break he hears his first lesson with Dumbledore will… Read More
HBP/f: Half-Blood Prince (film) • Source
HBP/g: Half-Blood Prince (game) • Source
HC • Source Article in the Houston Chronicle. Read More
HEB • Source Stephen Fry interviewed J.K. Rowling on Saturday 8 July 2000, the publication day of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The interview took place aboard the Hogwart's Express train while it was between King's Cross & Didcot stations. … Read More
Hilltop • Source "Why Dumbledore Went to the Hilltop" Short essay in TwitLonger by J.K. Rowling in which Rowling discusses Dumbledore's motivation for agreeing to meet with his enemy, Snape, on a lonely hilltop after Lily and James were killed. Read More
HogEx: The Hogwarts Express (essays) • Source HogEx refers to a series of essays written by Rowling about the Hogwarts Express and Platform 9 and 3/4. The essays first appeared on Pottermore. Hogwarts Express King's Cross Station Platform Nine and Three-Quarters… Read More
Hogwt: Hogwarts School (essays) • Source "Hogwt" refers to a series of essays written by Rowling which describe various aspects of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The essays originally appeared on Pottermore. Chamber of Secrets The Great Lake Hatstall… Read More
HPM • Source In 2001, the BBC did an interview with Rowling and turned it into a television special. This special, called "Harry Potter and Me," was exciting for fans for a number of reasons. Probably the most exciting part was when she showed bits from her notes. Rowling was shown revisiting some… Read More


This itinerary is perfect for those who are unsure if they will return to India and really want to combine the best of India encorporating Rajasthan, Agra and Delhi in north with the backwaters and beaches of Kerala in the south in just a little over 2 weeks.
With careful planning and some Experience Travel signature experiences along the way, we've made it possible for you to experience the best of India and what it has to offer and get under the skin of the places you visit: enjoy some incredible (and deeply contrasting) tasting food, marvel at some of the world's most striking architectural achievements and get some downtime to whilst relaxing in beautiful hotels.
The Taj Mahal: it's world famous for a very good reason!
Be dazzled and confused in equal measures by the incredible buzz and whirl of both Jaipur and Delhi.
Relax in India's most romantic city – the 'Pink City', Udaipur and Lake Pichola.
The dreamy backwaters and a few days of blissful relaxation on a palm fringed beach in Kerala.
As with all of our suggested itineraries, we can tailor-make your best of India holiday to suit your budget, style and expectations. Find out about our exclusive 'Journey Planner' here.
An interesting experience exploring locally with one of the ex-street kid guides from the Salaam Baalak Trust, they'll give you a brilliant and fun tour of the streets where they grew up, tell you eye popping stories and give a fantastic insight into another side of Delhi. The cost of this tour goes directly to the trust and helps other street kids.
After lunch you will see both sides of Delhi – the historic city and its modern face. Old Delhi is the ancient walled city, capital of the Mughal Empire. Explore by cycle rickshaw and see the formidable Red Fort. Make your way through Chandni Chowk, filled with twisting lanes and crowded bazaars. Return to New Delhi by the very modern Delhi Metro system, a marvel of modern engineering in one of the most crowded parts of India. In the evening we can suggest some superb restaurants for you to try.
After breakfast, your chauffeur will arrive to drive you down the excellent new highway to Agra. On arrival, after lunch and checking in at your hotel you will be able to visit the Taj, the premier iconic site in the whole of India and deservedly so.
This morning you'll be driven to Jaipur, via a stop at the incredible ruined city of Fatehpur Sikri. This fairly tale city in the desert is still in pristine condition, despite being completely abandoned 100's of years ago.
On from there to Jaipur, the 'Pink City' and the third point of the famous Indian 'golden triangle' of tourist sites. Check into your wonderful hotel in a converted Haveli (aristocratic mansion) and there is time to relax or explore if you are keen.
Jaipur is a riot of colour and as the capital of Rajasthan, it's a very busy place with buzzing spice markets and streets filled with multicoloured saris and rampaging rickshaw drivers. Today you'll have a full day with a local guide to explore the city's Hindu and Mughul heritage and the many palaces and forts, home to intricate and exquisite Indian art and architecture, including the extraordinary Palace of the Winds.
A 7 hour journey today with stop offs and lunch on route to lovely Udaipur, on the banks of Lake Pichola. You'll take a boat trip across the lake to get the best view of the famous Taj Palace Lake Hotel (you can stay here too if you wish of course).
Wave goodbye to your chauffeur today and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cochin via Mumbai. Arrive and check in before exploring Cochin and perhaps sampling some of the local food for which the region is famous.
Your tour of Cochin focuses on the fascinating blend of architectural styles for which the town is associated. There are Portuguese churches, Chinese fishing nets, colourful Hindu temples and even a synagogue, built in the 1560s in the old Jewish Quarter.
The day will finish with a sunset cruise around Cochin harbour, a fun way to finish your first full day in the south.
A day cruise today on the backwaters of the Kuttanad region reveals the expanse of village life alongside the waterways. You will pass Vembanad Lake, Kerala's largest lake and the longest in India. The day boat is able to access the small canals that larger overnight boats miss. You'll stay in a beautiful hotel overlooking the lake.
A free day today to soak up the sleepy atmosphere of Kumarakom: a small cluster of palm-fringed islands set against the backdrop of the vast Vembanad Lake. The area is home to Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, which keen bird watchers might like to explore.
Off to one of Kerala's best beaches today for a few days R&R, you'll have plenty of time to soak up the sun and unwind after our adventure exploring two completely contrasting regions of India.
Coconut Lagoon is a tropical sanctuary in picturesque Kumarakom. Come here for luxury, tranquillity, and traditional Keralan cuisine.
Malabar House is intimate and charming, famous for its great central location in Fort Cochin and for its first class seafood.
The cottages at Marari Beach Resort are designed in fishing village style. Expect sound eco-friendly policies, good facilities, and great dining.
Wellness, rejuvenation, and green surroundings give this lovely contemporary hotel near Udaipur an edge. It's an oasis of calm with wonderful service.


Ukraine has a population of 44.5 million people, and 92,000 orphans (27,000 of whom are adoptable). Most adoptable orphans in Ukraine live in institutions like orphanages, though in recent years Ukraine has made great strides in moving towards family care like foster care and adoption.
The vision for a World Without Orphans first began in Ukraine, when Ukrainian Christians gathered together to dream of how they could empty orphanages in Ukraine through believers adopting. Today, 120 organizations are formally part of the Ukraine Without Orphans alliance, and over 10,000 churches in Ukraine have participated with UWO through Orphan Sunday.
Current UWO focuses are on equiping the local church to care for orphans through their One Church, One Child campaign, as well as seeking to change national legislation on orphans and adoption.
To learn more about Ukraine Without Orphans or to get involved, please visit http://ukrainabezsyrit.org/.