text:
Puerto Rico Tourism: Out with the old, in with the new
April 25, 2019 by Forimmediaterelease
"Since our inception last July, we hit the ground running to accelerate the tourism economy," said Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico. "This brand campaign follows a strong publicity effort that set up Puerto Rico as the top place to visit in 2019 and a recently revamped website, DiscoverPuertoRico.com.
"The creative highlights our two strongest assets – our culture and our people – and will help us strengthen traveler's familiarity with what makes our Island one-of-a-kind." The campaign officially launches today across digital channels via digital banners, social, pre-roll and a follow-up TV spot that will launch in coming weeks in key markets. Additional marketing support is expected throughout the rest of 2019, to attract visitors to the Island during the summer travel season."
Discover Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico's newly-established Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), announced today the rollout of Puerto Rico's brand campaign called "Have We Met Yet?" which draws inspiration from Puerto Rico's cultural and natural offerings and at its essence, focuses on the hospitable and welcoming nature of its people. By posing the question "Have We Met Yet?" the creative re-introduces the Island to the world and brings to life the exotic yet familiar essence of Puerto Rico. As the U.S. mainland's "neighbor to the south," the new campaign showcases through Puerto Rico's iconic doors how the Island welcomes visitors with open arms.
Following extensive research that showed that Puerto Rico's brand identity was neutral in the minds of travelers, this new campaign is this next phase of Discover Puerto Rico's brand repositioning process, enabling the Island to fully capitalize on its rich tourism product offerings and emerge as a leading Caribbean destination. The creative repositions the island as that neighbor that one dreams of – with the festive flair, the ocean view, the incredible art collection, the delicious food. Puerto Rico is the neighbor you'll laugh with, celebrate with, and maybe even fall in love with.
"Puerto Rico's people, its rich culture and unparalleled natural offerings, combined with the fact that it's a U.S. territory and easily accessible, were key factors that led to this creative. We're excited to debut this brand campaign as it opens the door, literally, to endless possibilities that showcase the spirit of the Puerto Rican people and everything the Island has to offer," said Leah Chandler, CMO of Discover Puerto Rico.
Travelers exposed to the new brand campaign will be immediately drawn by the colorful vibrant doors and stunning imagery found throughout the Island. The creative highlights many aspects that make Puerto Rico a unique destination—ranging from its people, its cuisine, its festive spirit, its natural attractions, and much more.
"The campaign invites travelers to visit Puerto Rico and meet us, the neighbor that you can't live without," said Chandler. "Puerto Rico was named the #1 Place to Visit in 2019 by the New York Times and has topped over 20 other notable lists of places to visit this year," she added. "We want to send a message to all travelers that this is THE year to visit Puerto Rico. The entire island is eager to welcome them."
The creative was ideated and produced by Beautiful Destinations, with support from local production crews who traveled throughout the Island to capture the beautiful scenery, thousands of colorful doors, and welcoming faces of the Puerto Rican people.
To view the "Have We Met Yet?" creative online, visit YouTube.com/DiscoverPuertoRico and be on the lookout for additional campaign creative coming soon.
Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: American Travel News, and, announced, arms, art, assets, attract, attractions, beautiful, brand, brand repositioning, Breaking Travel News, campaign, capitalize, Caribbean, celebrate, CEO, chandler, channels, CMO, collection, coming, creative, crews, cuisine, cultural, culture, debut, Delicious, Destination, Destination marketing, Destinations, digital, dmo, door, dreams, eager, Economy, effort, established, even, exotic, expected, exposed, extensive, factors, fall, festive, follow, following, food, found, ground, help, highlights, hit, iconic, identity, immediately, in, inspiration, island, IT, key, key markets, last, launch, launches, leading, LED, life, live, local, Lookout, love, mainland, Make, Marketing, markets, meet, met, named, natural, nature, neutral, New, new brand, new campaign, new york, New York Times, newly, News articles, ocean, offer, offerings, officially, online, open, organization, out, over, People, Place, places, posing, Pre, product, production, publicity, Puerto, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico Tourism, ranging, research, rich, RICO, running, s, said, scenery, season, Set, showcase, social, soon, South, Spirit, strong, summer, summer travel, support, The Island, The World, thousands, through, times, to, today, top, tourism, tourism economy, tourism product, Travel, Travel & Tourism Organizations News, Travel Destination News, travel season, traveled, Traveler, travelers, Travelwire News, TV, unique, up, US, view, visit, visitors, We, website, weeks, welcome, welcomes, welcoming, were, WHO, World, year, York, YouTube
Expression of interests launched for new carrying-capacity studies for La Digue, Mahe and Praslin
The Seychelles Ministry for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine have recently launched 2 expression of interests for carrying capacity studies to be undertaken on La Digue as well as Mahe and Praslin. The aim of the studies is to determine the current status of the islands and the acceptable amount of tourism development that can occur while still remaining sustainable, and assist the government in taking informed decisions on all future tourism development projects.
The Carrying-Capacity Study for La Digue dates back to 2013 and the results have led to the policy directive of setting a moratorium on the development of tourism accommodation establishments to 5 rooms per developer. This moratorium is supposed to be valid for a period of five years and the time has come to commission a new Carrying-Capacity Study.
Moreover, in 2018 the President announced that La Digue would be a model of sustainability as part of the National Vision 2033. An eco-tourism strategy specific to the island for the next 15 years has been developed and the Carrying-Capacity Study on La Digue will aim to align with the established vision and provide recommendations to policy makers pertaining to future development on the island in view of assuring its sustainable development.
As for Mahe and Praslin, the Carrying-Capacity Study was commissioned in 2016 and set to be reviewed in 2020. The results of the Carrying-Capacity Study has led to a number of policy directives and a set moratorium on the number of rooms that can be developed per promoter which is 20 rooms for Northern Mahe and 24 rooms per promoter for the rest of Mahe and Praslin.
The carrying-capacity analysis will determine the ability of the ecosystem of La Digue, Mahe and Praslin and the various segments thereof to withstand all impacts of additional tourism development activities. The studies will apply the perspectives of Physical carrying capacity, Ecological carrying capacity, Social carrying capacity and Economic carrying capacity in order to develop a balanced overall assessment.
Consultants interested to undertake the study have to submit their expression of interest to the Department of Tourism by Friday, April 26, 2019 by 1500 hours. Results of the two carrying capacity studies will determine whether or not to maintain the moratorium currently in place on La Digue, Mahe and Praslin.
Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: and, announced, apply, April, assessment, assist, aviation, Breaking Travel News, capacity, carrying, civil aviation, come, commission, current, currently, dates, decisions, department, Department of Tourism, development, Eco Tourism, ecological, economic, ecosystem, established, For immediate Release, future, government, hours, impacts, in, informed, interest, interested, island, islands, LA, La Digue, launched, LED, Mahe, maintain, marine, ministry, model, moratorium, national, New, News articles, Northern, number, order, period, pertaining, physical, Place, policy, ports, Praslin, president, projects, recommendations, remaining, results, rooms, segments, Set, setting, Seychelles, Seychelles travel news, social, status, strategy, studies, study, Sustainability, sustainable, sustainable development, taking, The Island, The National, The Seychelles, time, to, TO BE, tourism, Tourism Development, tourism strategy, Travel Destination News, Travelwire News, view, vision, years
Top 10 sustainable places to stay around the world revealed
Travel is not just about seeing the wonders of the earth but understanding our impact upon it. With increasing frequency, people are looking to make the shift from "tourist" to "conscious traveler" by finding ways to maximize positive impacts on the locations they visit. Making thoughtful choices about how, when, and where you go on a vacation can make a significant difference. So, this Earth Day, travel experts analyzed over eight million traveler reviews from last year to find the key hot spots for eco-travelers.
Delving deep into sentiment, the global data showed the 10 best places to stay around the world, as reviewed by Expedia travelers. From boutiques with beehives and resorts with rainwater recycling, to grand urban retreats with solar cell power, many of these amazing places show that luxury and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.
Additionally, the experts highlighted the top countries with the best reviewed eco-conscious accommodations, with the USA topping the charts.
Top 10 eco-friendly stays
1.Sandos Caracol Eco Resort, Mexico
2.Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG, Paris, France
3.Siloso Beach Resort, Sentosa, Singapore
4.Habitat Suites, Austin, Texas
5.Pakasai Resort, Krabi, Thailand
6.PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore
7.The Green House, Bournemouth, UK
8.Listel Hotel, Vancouver, Canada
9.Hotel Verde, Cape Town, South Africa
10.Sherwood Queenstown, Queenstown, New Zealand
Top 10 sustainable countries around the world
1.USA
2.Mexico
3.Canada
4.Australia
5.UK
6.Costa Rica
7.Thailand
8.New Zealand
9.France
10.Italy
Sustainable travel is the perfect opportunity to show Mother Earth and fellow inhabitants how much you care.
1. Sandos Caracol Eco Resort – Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Situated between dense jungle and the blue of the Mexican Caribbean coast, this Rainforest Alliance-certified destination is among the highest-rated by travellers for the multitude of positive impacts it offers.
•Extensive policies governing waste management, resource consumption and natural conservation
•Opportunities for guests to engage in ecologically sustainable practices: eco-tours, cruelty-free animal interactions and beach meditation
•A commitment to the community, reflected in celebrations of local indigenous culture, on-site markets that support local artisans, and local partnerships to improve area schools
2. Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG – Paris, France
Located five minutes by car from Charles de Gaulle airport, the Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG boasts Scandinavian-inspired design, tech-enabled customisable room layouts and a mission to "to reduce the ecological impact of these buildings to a minimum, at every stage of life, from design to operation"—making it the perfect accommodation for digital nomads with green leanings.
•Rigorous standards for creation/loss of heat and a low total annual energy consumption, supported by green (living) exterior cladding, solar panels, air handling units
•Proactive efforts to neutralize water impact through use of rainwater collectors
•Use of sustainable materials, including PEFC wood, carpets made from recycled fishing nets, recycled stone and glass shower units
3. Siloso Beach Resort, Sentosa – Singapore
Just off Singapore's south coast lies Sentosa Island, a haven whose southwest coast is the home to the Siloso Beach Resort. Steps from the sandy beaches of the South China Sea, this award-winning eco-resort has taken special care to integrate the surrounding habitat into its design by prioritizing open spaces and preserving established natural features like mature trees and flowing springs. The result? A uniquely organic take on a luxurious beach resort experience.
•200 original trees preserved (and 450 planted) on-site; landscape pool fed by underground waters and built according to natural terrain formation
•72% of the resort is open-air—and activities including cycle tours, hikes and other eco-adventures
•Operations keep ecological impacts top-of-mind, emphasizing locally-sourced foods, limited use of plastics, and reduced energy consumption
4. Habitat Suites – Austin, TX, USA
Habitat Suites, a sustainable gem in the heart of Texas' most progressive city, boasts a 30-year track record of forward-thinking environmental stewardship. Habitat Suites has been a charter member of the Green Hotels Association since 1991—and won an Austin Green Business Leader Gold Award in 2018.
•Widespread use of alternative energy, including solar panels, solar thermal and electric vehicle charging
•On-premises organic fruit and herb gardens; clean, local and organic food options
•Use of plant-based, zero harsh chemical detergents for cleaning; bio-safe guest shampoos and detergents; hypoallergenic suites that include live potted plants and windows that open for access to fresh air
5. Pakasai Resort – Krabi, Thailand
Spa treatments, boxing and cooking classes plus plenty of space for lounging by the pool—the Pakasai Resort delivers on everything you'd expect from a tropical Thai resort, then sweetens the deal with an impressive list of sustainability efforts. "Krabi's Greenest Resort" was the first in the area to win an ASEAN Green Hotel Award (2014).
•Resource conservation efforts include rainwater capture and greywater recycling, energy efficient lighting, biogas production and reduction of plastic use
•Careful attention given to reducing carbon emissions through waste minimization program and collaboration with the local community and local organizations
•Guests are encouraged to make their stay even greener by joining the #GreeningPakasai campaign, which incentivizes visitors to make low-carbon choices around food, transportation, linen services and local activities
6. PARKROYAL on Pickering – Singapore
With 15,000 square metres of greenery and a cutting-edge design, the PARKROYAL is equally impressive in what it does and doesn't do. This LEED-certified masterpiece saves 32.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools' worth of water annually and could power an estimated 680 households with the energy saved by its conservation efforts.
•Highly regulated resource consumption through employment of light, motion, and rain sensors
•Solar cells and rainwater collection mean zero-energy maintenance of the 15,000 m2 sky gardens
•Thoughtful construction processes reduced concrete (and associated waste and energy expenditure) use by more than 80%
7. The Green House – Bournemouth, UK
Equally suitable for weddings, self-care weekends and romantic getaways, every detail of this eco-hotel has been designed to help guests feel great while doing good. That ethos touches every facet of The Green House, from the building's renewable energy production and Forest Stewardship certified, UK-crafted furnishings to the on-site restaurant's adherence to local sourcing and high animal welfare standards—the company car even runs on bio-fuel from the kitchen's old cooking oil!
•The use of earth-friendly cleaning products and efforts toward energy conservation
•Staff are trained in the ethos of sustainability and are encouraged to find new ways to improve the Green House's efforts
•Environmental efforts extend to the exterior grounds, including bird and bat boxes (to provide a safe place for breeding) and rooftop beehives that produce honey
8. The Listel Hotel Vancouver – Vancouver, BC, Canada
The Listel Hotel dedicates itself to both environmental responsibility and the arts. The hotel provides a location to elevate local and international artists—including a gallery dedicated to First Nations artists from the Northwest Coast—while participating in the city of Vancouver's "Corporate Climate Leader" program, setting an example for sustainable tourism efforts across the globe.
•Responsible food practices including membership in Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise sustainable seafood program and a commitment to offering local and sustainable food and wine
•Conservation efforts including 20 solar panels, a state-of-the-art heat capture program (reducing the hotel's natural gas use by 30%) and water reduction and air quality programs
•Adherence to a 100% Zero Waste policy since August 2011
9. Hotel Verde – Cape Town, South Africa
"Sustainable by design, stylish by nature" is the modest motto of Cape Town's Hotel Verde. The first hotel in Africa to offer 100% carbon-neutral accommodation and conferencing, the Cape Town Verde has earned an extensive list of international accolades (LEED Platinum certification and a 6-star rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa) for its extensive adherence to sustainable practices.
•Restoration of the surrounding wetlands now supports indigenous water-wise vegetation and a healthy population of Cape honeybees—as well as an ecotrail, outdoor gym, and eco-pool for visitor use, plus on-site edible food gardens and aquaponics
•Energy efficiencies include photovoltaic panels on the roof and north-facing facades, wind turbines, energy-generating gym equipment and geothermal heat
•Commitment to social responsibility through sustainable procurement practices, waste management and community involvement
10. Sherwood Queenstown – Queenstown, New Zealand
Sustainability and connection with nature are behind every detail you'll encounter at the Sherwood Queenstown, a boutique hotel perched on three acres of alpine hillside overlooking Lake Wakatipu. The Sherwood operates based on the belief that "a simple respect for nature lies at the heart of any sustainable practice". The hotel's orchards and kitchen garden supply its award-winning restaurant; most rooms offer sweeping mountain or lake views, and all are outfitted with South Island wool blankets and locally-sourced beverages. Mornings start with optional yoga sessions, followed by hiking, mountain biking, skiing or snowboarding.
•A focus on materiality selection that integrates the building with the landscape, while employing upcycled fixtures, fittings and furnishings
•Conscious choices about energy generation—the Sherwood is one of the largest private solar installs in New Zealand and currently generates enough electricity to return surplus to the grid
•Selection of food, wine, beer, spirits, and other consumable products that are local, natural, healthy, ethical, seasonal and sustainable in their production and use
Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: and, annual, aquarium, area, around the world, art, artisans, artists, Arts, ASEAN, association, August, Austin, Australia, award, award-winning, based, bat, BC, beach, Beach Resort, beaches, beer, best, Beverages, biking, BIO, bird, blankets, Bournemouth, boutique, boutique hotel, boxes, Breaking Travel News, breeding, building, buildings, built, Business, campaign, Canada, Cape, Cape Town, car, carbon, carbon emissions, carbon-neutral, Caribbean, Carmen, CDG, celebrations, certification, certified, charging, Charles, Charles de Gaulle, Charles de Gaulle airport, charter, China, choices, city, classes, clean up, cleaning, climate, coast, collaboration, collection, commitment, community, company, connection, conservation, construction, consumption, cooking, cooking oil, corporate, Costa, Costa Rica, council, countries, creation, culture, currently, cutting, Data, day, deal, design, designed, Destination, digital, doing, Earth, earth day, Eco Hotel, eco-conscious, eco-friendly, ecological, Edge, efforts, eight, electric, Electric Vehicle, electricity, emissions, employment, encouraged, energy, energy conservation, environmental, equipment, established, ethical, even, exclusive, expect, Expedia, experience, experts, extend, extensive, Features,, find, finding, first, first hotel, fishing, followed, food, food and wine, forest, Forward, France, free, frequency, Fresh, friendly, fruit, fuel, Garden, gardens, Gas, Gaulle, GEM, getaways, glass, Global, Globe, GO!, gold, Gold Award, good, Grand, green, green hotels, greenery, greenest, grounds, guests, handling, harsh, haven, healthy, heart, Heat, help, high, highest, hikes, home, Hospitality News, Hot, hotel, hotel award, Hotel Travel News, Hotels, house, impact, impacts, impressive, improve, in, including, increasing, indigenous, inspired, International, International Travel News, island, IT, Italy, joining, Jungle, just, keep, key, kitchen, Krabi, landscape, largest, last, leader, LEED, lies, life, light, like, Limited, list, live, Living, local, locally, located, location, locations, looking, loss, low, low-carbon, luxurious, Luxury, maintenance, Make, management, markets, materials, Meditation, member, membership, Mexican, Mexico, million, mind, minutes, mission, most, Mother, mountain, mountain biking, nations, natural, nature, neutral, New, New Zealand, News articles, North, Northwest, ocean, offer, offering, offers, Oil, Olympic, open, operation, operations, opportunities, opportunity, options, organic, organizations, original, outdoor, over, Paris, partnerships, People, Place, places, plant, planted, plants, plastic, plastics, platinum, policies, policy, pool, population, positive, Positive Impacts, power, practices, private, processes, production, products, program, programs, provides, quality, Queenstown, rain, rainforest, rated, rating, record, recycling, reduce, reduction, renewable, renewable energy, resort, Resort News, resorts, resource, respect, responsibility, responsible, Responsible Tourism News, restaurant, restoration, retreats, return, revealed, reviews, romantic, roof, room, rooms, s, safe, sandy, scandinavian, schools, sea, seafood, seasonal, seeing, selection, sensors, sentosa, Sentosa Island, services, sessions, setting, shift, show, significant, Singapore, site, skiing, sky, social, social responsibility, solar, South, South Africa, South China, Southwest, spa, space, spaces, Special, spirits, spots, springs, Square, staff, standards, Star, start, State, stay, stays, suites, supply, support, supported, supports, surplus, Sustainability, sustainable, sustainable practices, sustainable tourism, Sustainable Travel, swimming, tech, Texas, Thai, thailand, The World, through, to, top, top 10, total, tourism, tourist, Tours, town, Transportation, Travel, Travel Destination News, Travel Experts, Traveler, travelers, travellers, Travelwire News, treatments, trees, tropical, turbines, TX, UK, units, urban, USA, use, vacation, Vancouver, Vehicle, views, visit, visitor, visitors, waste, waste management, water, waters, ways, weddings, wetlands, win, wind, wind turbines, wine, won, wonders, World, World News, worth, year, yoga, Zealand, ZERO
Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8 engine achieves 10 million flying hours
The Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8 engine, which entered service in 1987, recently achieved another incredible milestone by reaching 10 million flying hours in nearly 5 million flights. The engine powers a range of Gulfstream's highly successful large-cabin business aircraft, such as the Gulfstream GIV, GIV-SP, G300 and G400, and has established a reputation for outstanding dependability, efficiency and low noise generation.
The performance of the Tay 611-8 enabled the Gulfstream GIV to revolutionise the business aviation market with its high cruising speed and the intercontinental range of about 4,300 nautical miles. Over the past three decades, the Tay 611-8 has achieved numerous records for speed and range. These achievements have been perpetuated by its successor, the Tay 611-8C, powering the Gulfstream G350 and G450. There are over 1,700 Tay 611-8 and -8C engines in service today, with many of these supported by Rolls-Royce's market leading CorporateCare®.
The background to the first Tay order contract is part of aviation history. In December 1982 the basic details – engine price, quantity, payment terms – were written on a napkin in less than 10 minutes by Sir Ralph Robins, who at the time was the company's Managing Director, and Allen Paulson, Gulfstream's founder and then Chairman and CEO. The deal was formally settled in March 1983.
Dirk Geisinger, Director Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce, said: "Reaching 10 million flying hours is an impressive milestone and we are very proud of this achievement. With its legendary reliability the Tay 611-8 became the benchmark for ultra-reliable long distance business aircraft and perfectly illustrates why Rolls-Royce is the leading engine manufacturer in Business Aviation.
"The Tay family with its proven performance has been very successful for us and has propelled our market leadership in this sector. Combining this engine with our latest aftermarket programme CorporateCare Enhanced raises the bar for the whole industry by introducing uncapped troubleshooting, coverage for mobile repair team travel costs and nacelle coverage on later engine models."
He adds: "CorporateCare Enhanced provides our customers with a global support infrastructure which includes Engine Health Monitoring, a worldwide network of Authorised Service Centres and globally distributed spare parts and engines, all managed by our dedicated 24/7 Business Aircraft Availability Centre. Our customers benefit directly from this investment in proactive care, an in most cases are prevented from missing a planned trip."
Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: and, aviation, aviation history, aviation market, Aviation News, aviation-website, bar, Benchmark, benefit, Breaking Travel News, Business, business aircraft, business aviation, cabin, Centre, Centres, CEO, Chairman, company, contract, Corporate News, costs, cruising, customers, deal, decades, December, directly, director, distance, efficiency, engine, engines, established, Family, first, flights, Flying, founder, free, GIV, Global, globally, Gulfstream, Gulfstream GIV, HEALTH, Health Monitoring, high, history, hours, impressive, in, includes, Industry, infrastructure, InterContinental, International Travel News, Investment, later, LATEST, leadership, leading, less, long distance, low, Managing, managing director, march, Market, miles, milestone, million, minutes, missing, mobile, monitoring, most, Nautical, nearly, network, News articles, noise, numerous, order, outstanding, over, past, payment, performance, planned, prevented, price, Programme, proud, provides, quantity, range, records, reliable, repair, reputation, Rolls, Rolls-Royce, s, said, sector, service, settled, Sir, successful, successor, support, supported, Tay, team, terms, time, to, today, Transportation News, Travel, travel costs, Travel Technology News, Travelwire News, trip, UK Travel News, ultra, US, We, were, WHO, Why, World News, worldwide, worldwide network
Wings Travel Management Appoints Chief Operating Officer: Asia Pacific based in Singapore
Wings Travel Management , a leading global travel management company providing business travel services to clients in the finance, construction, security, energy and marine sectors, has appointed Sonja Hamman to the newly-created role of Chief Operating Officer – Asia Pacific, based at the company's office in Singapore. The move reflects the importance of the region and its potential for growth, since Wings established an operation in Singapore in early 2018 after acquiring Olympia Travels & Tours.
Sonja Hamman first joined Wings in 2001, and her impressive 18-year career with the global travel management company has spanned diverse operational, senior management and project-led roles in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria and Angola.
Most recently, she has held the London-based position of Director of Global Strategic Partners & Yield Management during which time she has been instrumental in expanding Wings global supplier relations portfolio, focussing on supplier negotiations, NDC solutions and content..
Prior to this role, Hamman was Director of Global Projects, managing major initiatives such as the launching the Wings' wholly-owned operation in Lagos, Nigeria; the acquisition and integration of Michelle's Travel in South Africa; and establishment of Wings' IATA and ticketing functionality in Angola – a non BSP region.
Her robust understanding and experience of Wings' business has also been honed by setting up the company's UK operation in 2002 in the role of Director – Operations – UK & Europe. This was Wings' first office outside South Africa, where the company was founded in 1992. Hamman grew the UK business from the ground up, to a total of three offices. From here she moved to become Director – Oil & Gas Division with the remit to grow and expand Wings' global energy business. While in this role, she also worked closely with the company's Learning and Development team to establish the Energy Academy
, a unique in-house educational programme giving Wings' travel consultants an in-depth understanding of how the oil and gas sector operates, in order to service their clients more insightfully.
"I am delighted that Sonja has taken up this strategic role – her extensive experience in opening and operating new regions coupled with her Wings DNA, places her as the perfect candidate to consolidate our operations in Singapore, and build a platform to grow our business in the Asia-Pacific region," said Tony Sofianos, CEO, Wings Travel Management
"Wings is strategically and uniquely positioned to service existing global customers, but also capitalise on the growth opportunities across the corporate, energy and marine sectors thanks to our unique value proposition and wholly owned global operations" added Sofianos
Sonja Hamman stated: "I am very pleased to be joining Wings' Asia-Pacific region as it's such an exciting market with many opportunities. As well as ensuring the Wings brand becomes a recognised market leader in Singapore, I also look forward to driving the development and execution of our growth strategy for Asia-Pacific."
About Wings Travel Management:
Wings is an award-winning global travel management company which has carved a niche in the market as a trusted travel provider for clients in the finance, construction, security, energy and marine sectors where travel is an integral part of their business model. Founded in 1992, Wings' global reach spans North America, South America, UK/Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, where the company has wholly owned and managed regional offices. Wings Travel Management employs over 400 people around the world and has a global turnover of around US$325M. Wings is known for its unique expertise in navigating complex and challenging business travel, as well as generating cost savings without compromising on traveller safety. The company's advanced, customizable technology solutions are all seamlessly accessible over a standardized global platform. www.wings.travel
Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: amp, and, Angola, appointed, appoints, around the world, Asia, Asia Pacific, Asia Pacific region, award, award-winning, based, brand, Brazil, Breaking Travel News, BSP, build, Business, business model, Business Travel, Career, CEO, chief, chief operating officer, clients, company, complex, consolidate, construction, Content, corporate, Corporate News, cost, cost savings, created, customers, development, director, Division, DNA, driving, early, East, Educational, energy, ensuring, establish, established, establishment, Europe, execution, existing, expand, expanding, experience, expertise, extensive, Finance, first, For immediate Release, Forward, Gas, giving, Global, global operations, global travel, global travel management, ground, grow, Growth, held, house, IATA, importance, impressive, in, initiatives, integration, IT, joined, joining, known, Lagos, launching, leader, leading, learning, LED, London, major, management, Managing, marine, Market, Michelle, Middle, Middle East, model, most, move, moved, NDC, negotiations, New, newly, Niche, Nigeria, Non, North, North America, office, officer, offices, Oil, Olympia, opening, Operating, operation, operational, operations, opportunities, order, outside, over, Pacific, partners, People, People in Travel, places, platform, portfolio, position, potential, Programme, project, projects, region, regional, regions, relations, role, roles, s, Safety, said, savings, sector, sectors, Security, senior, service, services, setting, Singapore, Singapore travel news, solutions, South, South Africa, South America, stated, strategic, strategy, supplier, team, Technology, The Region, The World, ticketing, time, to, TO BE, total, Tourism Investment News, Tours, Travel, travel consultants, travel management, travel services, Traveller, travels, Travelwire News, UK, unique, up, US, value, Wings, Wings global, worked, World, year, yield management
Pakistan establishes 19 Integrated Tourism Zones to promote tourism
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday chaired a meeting in Islamabad on development and promotion of tourism in the Country, at which it was apprised that Integrated Tourism Zones are being established to promote tourism while simultaneously ensuring eco-tourism, biodiversity and natural beauty of tourist resorts.
The meeting was attended by the Minister for Information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, the Prime Minister's Special Assistant Sayed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, the Chairman Board of Investment (BOI) Haroon Sharif, the Punjab Minister for Tourism Yasir Humayun, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Tourism Atif Khan, and the Secretary Tourism Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rashid Mehmood Langrial.
During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed about new initiatives being taken to promote tourism in the Country.
It was apprised that as many as 11 Integrated Tourism Zones are being set up in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and eight Zones are being established in Punjab to promote tourism in the Country.
•Integrated Tourism Zones are being developed at places like Gabeen Jabba, Swat, (elevation 9,200 ft,) Mankyal, Swat (8,700ft), Bayon, Swat (11,000 ft), Bir Mughlasht, Chitral (9,000 ft), Golain, Chitral (10,400), Qaqlasht, Chitral (7,500 ft), Burwai, Naran (10,000 ft) and Mahaban, Buner (6,600 ft).
The prime minister was also briefed in detail about the draft of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Act 2019. He was told that internationally successful models are being followed for promoting tourism.
In remarks, the prime minister said that the private sector will play a leading role in development of tourism while the government will provide an enabling environment and will act as a facilitator.
The prime minister said that new initiatives being undertaken under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Act 2019 to facilitate tourists and tap huge existing potential in the tourism sector. He said that tourism is exploding in Pakistan.
Imran Khan directed that a comprehensive website be launched immediately identifying all newly Tourist zones being set up and providing detailed information about these placed to the local as well as foreign tourists.
Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: and, Assistant, beauty, biodiversity, board, Breaking Travel News, Chairman, country, development, draft, Eco Tourism, eight, ensuring, environment, established, existing, followed, foreign, foreign tourists, free, ft, government, Government Affairs, Hospitality News, immediately, in, information, initiatives, integrated, Integrated Tourism Zones, International Travel News, internationally, Investment, Islamabad, IT, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Act, launched, leading, like, local, meeting, minister, minister for tourism, Minister said, natural, New, newly, News articles, Pakistan, Pakistan travel news, People in Travel, places, play, potential, Prime Minister, private, private sector, promote, promoting, Promoting tourism, promotion, punjab, remarks, resorts, Responsible Tourism News, role, s, said, Secretary, sector, Set, Special, successful, Swat, TAP, The Minister, to, told, tourism, tourism sector, Tourism Zones, tourist, tourists, Travel Destination News, Travelwire News, up, website


Red Sea / S-Series / Thread!!!
Discussion in 'Red Sea' started by GoVols, Mar 18, 2018.
It would be nice to be able to share with each other and to help out new S-Series prospects when deciding if an S-Series is the way to go for them too.
It's up to ya'll but I'd be in to help keep this S-Series thread alive.
McFly, Jason mack, Charles4400 and 5 others like this.
Very good idea @GoVols, so if anyone wants to know anything or needs help about the Max S Series aquariums just ask.
They really are stunning systems.
JoshH, HolisticBear, PanchoG and 1 other person like this.
Excellent idea. I can use some help with my RSmaxS650 too.
HolisticBear, PanchoG, SPR1968 and 1 other person like this.
I have an 2013 S-400, but fire away with any questions.
HolisticBear, PanchoG and SPR1968 like this.
HolisticBear, PanchoG and GoVols like this.
I was pushing 8 of the Red Sea 22k "Reef Spec" bulbs with 2 KZ Genii bulbs.
My 2 bulb mid-section would push for 10 hours / full daylight hours (with all bulbs on) was 8 hours.
I was in the habit of changing them out every six months, but that's probably overkill.
Right now, I'm pushing two ATI B+'s with the Led's.
I will follow this thread, I have a S-500.
JoshH, GoVols and HolisticBear like this.
I'm following as well. I just set up an S-500.
GoVols and HolisticBear like this.
An S-series thread with no pics???? I Love the look of these systems. Does everyone stick with the stock CL pumps or have any of you tried switching them out for DC pumps to get more random/adjustable flow patterns??
saltyfilmfolks, GoVols, HolisticBear and 1 other person like this.
I haven't swapped the rear circulation pumps (I assume that's what you mean) as yet because they work fine and they haven't broken yet.
When one breaks I'll probably look at Eheim pumps as the ones I have tried are virtually silent, but I'm open to other options.
I havent replaced my circ pumps either BUT to help add to the random flow, I installed these random flow generators by Vivid Creative Aquatics (also a sponsor here). Its a great simple solution to help random flow. I have an S650 and put 4 on the back circulation pumps (1/2 nozzle) and got a split from them for a the return pump (also 1/2" I believe).
It's great, love them...no moving parts to get stuck either. Simple plug and play, you just pop them in over the existing nozzle.
squareriggersailor, Frizzles7, SPR1968 and 2 others like this.
Ok I'll start with the pics.
About 7 months old. Running fallow right now due to ick outbreak a few months ago. (Had to remove all rock and corals to get all the fish out ROYAL PITA, always quarantining from now on..lesson learned big time!) Fish go back in this month on the 28th woohoo!
I'm using a separate ato container to go to my kalk reactor before auto top off.
Apex instead of the switch controller.
Added in random flow generator nozzles, and beside that everything else is stock including all pumps and skimmer.
siggy, Frizzles7, PanchoG and 4 others like this.
Your S-650 looks sweet and thanks for sharing.
They have the first S-650 that was installed east of the Mississippi back in spring of 2012.
Charles4400, HolisticBear, SPR1968 and 1 other person like this.
I forgot what a beast it is lol!!!!
When I took it out it was like, 'we're did all this space come from'!!
HolisticBear, GoVols and PanchoG like this.
I have taken out all the recirc. pumps the in overflow box and let them hang on the back wall. At that point you have a mini tank.
Then unscrew one of the recirc. pumps strainers and lay it to the side. Turn off or move display lights so that the overflow is is the only thing that is lit up. Chum up the overflow box with some good food and make sure the smell drifts out the strainers open hole. When the fish goes into the overflow, then screw back on the strainer from the front side of the back wall and then you can net the fish.
At times this has worked for myself and could be worth a shot.
PanchoG, Nobbygas, SPR1968 and 2 others like this.
I think the C-Skim is fine in a shop, but not so good when it's running in your living room !
GoVols, SPR1968 and PanchoG like this.
Hahaha... I am also running the C-Skim still and it is in the living room! lol. Definitely is the loudest equipment but once the doors are closed the humming is acceptable, at least in my case.
GoVols, HolisticBear, SPR1968 and 1 other person like this.
Nobbygas, Frizzles7, GoVols and 2 others like this.
Nobbygas, SPR1968 and GoVols like this.


It was a tight race, but in the end Pulp ART came out on top for their offbeat take on Caimh McDonnell's latest crime-meets-comedy thriller, A Man with one of Those Faces. With a nod to Saul Bass' iconic typography and bold colors, this book cover is sure to stand out on the shelves.
Because of all of our nominees incredible work this month, we'll be awarding them a 99designs t-shirt and a copy of Drawing Is Magic: Discovering Yourself in a Sketchbook by John Hendrix.
Thanks to everyone that participated in July's Top 9 at 99! We'll see you again next month.


Paint Pots Ceramic Studio is helping to get people interested in the art of pottery.
The studio is run by Margaret Middlebrook and is based on 16 Hill Street in Southport.
At Paint Pots, artistic ability isn't what is important. People are just encouraged to paint their own pot and try something new.
The studio is open during the week and weekends. It is closed on Monday and Wednesday.
Jess Middlebrook is Margaret's daughter and comes to help her mother out at weekends.
Jess told me more about how the studio came to be, and why people should get involved.
She said: "We went on a family holiday to Centre Parcs. They had something similar there, and my daughter really enjoyed it. In fact, we all enjoyed painting and the time just flew by. When we got back from our holiday, and after a little bit of research, my mother decided to open up Paint Pots! That was five years ago.
"It's a great place for children and adults to enjoy painting. We also cater for children's birthday parties, upstairs. It's a friendly and relaxing environment.
To find out more about Paint Pots call 01704 500 346 or visit www.facebook.com/paintpotsceramicstudio .


MONTVERDE — Things are never supposed to come easy when you are making a deep run in the playoffs.
But for a Montverde Academy girls soccer team that is used to the big stage and high-pressure games, the run through the 2019 Class 4A certainly looks like a breeze.
Recording its 11th shutout in a row, Montverde dominated possession and rolled to a 3-0 win over Mitchell in a regional final on Tuesday night.
The Eagles advance to host Bartram Trail in a state semifinal game on Friday night in Montverde.
For the season Montverde has outscored its opponents 83-3 with 18 shutouts while compiling a 21-0 record.
On Tuesday, the first five to 10 minutes was all about Montverde looking for openings, connecting on pass after pass as the Eagles probed for a weakness. But even during that opening stretch, it was clear that Montverde had the upper hand and it was just a matter of time before the first breakthrough came.
Even when Mitchell did get possession, Montverde defenders Vivianne Bessette and Kendall Ayers were the stars of the defense, turning back any run made by the Mustangs and completely dominating play at the back.
Montverde's pressure on the offensive end finally paid off as Mitchell was struggling to clear a ball in the area and got called for a handball, giving Montverde a penalty kick with 24:22 gone in the first half.
Sophomore Maria Tregansin calmly slotted it home from the spot, shooting low into the left side of the goal for a 1-0 lead.
Just over three minutes later junior forward Jody Brown finally capitalized after several dangerous runs, this time taking a crossing pass from Isabella Recinos and slamming it into the goal with such force that even though Mitchell's goalkeeper got a hand on it, that only served to slow the ball's progress ever so slightly as Montverde took a 2-0 lead 12 minutes before halftime.
Montverde continued to apply the pressure but could find no more openings for the rest of the half. The Eagles were stopped more often by offsides calls than by anything the Mustangs were doing.
Mitchell finally got its first shot on goal with about 2 1/2 minutes left in the game, but a long attempt was easily gathered by Montverde's Sabrina Sotran.
Montverde tacked on a third goal 23 minutes into the second half when midfielder Kalena Iwashita Landazuri ripped a punishing header into the back of the net off a cross.
From there it was just a matter of the Eagles running out time and clearing the bench to give everyone a chance to play. And even with reserves in the game, Mitchell never had a shot at scoring.


text:
Bob Fletcher
Deloitte Singapore
Tower Two #32-00
Email: bobfletcher@deloitte.com
Website: www.deloitte.com
Bob Fletcher is the leader of Deloitte's Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific Customs and Global Trade practice and is based in Singapore.
With more than 25 years in Customs and trade consultancy, Bob is one of Deloitte Singapore's foremost experts in this specialist area, with extensive experience in advising many of the world's major US, European and Asian multinational clients on inter-Asia and intra-Asia trading strategies.
Bob has assisted multinational companies (across all business sectors) to structure their contractual and supply chain arrangements to be Customs duty/VAT efficient. Support provided includes tariff classification, free trade agreements planning, Customs valuation, duty relief optimisation and cash-flow planning, trade facilitation, strategic export controls and non-tariff barriers.
Bob has an extensive network of contacts with the Customs authorities, trade and business federations/associations in the Asia-Pacific region, and the US and EU.
Bob is a frequent speaker on Customs and trade topics and has provided technical and interpretative guidance to a number of Customs authorities in the Asia-Pacific region.
Koh Soo How
PwC Singapore
8 Cross Street #17-00
PWC Building
Email: soo.how.koh@sg.pwc.com
Website: www.pwc.com/sg
Koh Soo How is a tax partner with PwC Singapore, where he specialises in GST and leads the PwC Indirect Taxes Network in Asia Pacific. Known for his pragmatic approach and sound advice and solutions, Soo How has been named as one of the world's leading indirect tax advisers by International Tax Review since 2011. He has also been appointed by the Minister of Finance to be a member of the GST Board of Review, which is an administrative tribunal established to adjudicate disputes between taxable persons and the Comptroller of GST.
As an adviser, Soo How has wide GST advisory experience in the areas of business restructuring, supply chain transformation, cross-border transactions, processes review and controls and dispute resolution matters arising from audits conducted by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS).
Soo How has almost 20 years of relevant experience in GST, having started out as a member of the GST team at the IRAS that was responsible for the implementation of the GST system in 1994. He was an Assistant Comptroller of GST with the primary responsibility to set up the GST audit function and develop policy as well as operational rules for the GST treatment of specialised issues and transactions such as the export of goods, tourist refunds and record-keeping requirements. His policy and implementation experience has led him to be involved in discussions with overseas policy makers (more recently in China and Malaysia) on their proposed indirect tax reforms.
Soo How is the editor of the quarterly PwC InTouch newsletter on VAT/GST developments in Asia Pacific and the PwC publication A Guide to VAT/GST in Asia Pacific. Since 2008, he has been the sole lecturer/facilitator for the GST module in the Advanced Tax Programme introduced by the Tax Academy of Singapore, and is lead examiner for the Advanced GST course. Soo How spent a period as consultant editor to the Singapore GST Guide Manual and editorial adviser to the Singapore e-Tax and Accounting Briefing newsletter published by CCH Asia. He is a regular panellist and speaker on indirect tax matters and has contributed widely to media and international publications.
Danny Koh
Email: dakoh@deloitte.com
Danny Koh is a tax associate director (GST) with Deloitte Singapore. Danny has more than 12 years of experience in advising clients on Singapore's GST. He serves local and multinational companies in a wide spectrum of industries including financial services, manufacturing, consumer products, oil and gas, telecommunications and air transportation.
He also has extensive experience in assisting his clients with performing GST Assisted Compliance Assurance Programme reviews, GST Assisted Self-help Kit reviews and GST due diligence.
Besides conducting regular GST workshops and seminars for the public, he also conducts customised in-house training sessions for clients. Danny used to be a regular speaker at the Singapore Tax Academy.
Danny has a bachelor of accountancy degree from the Nanyang Technological University and is a member of the Singapore Institute of Accredited Tax Professionals.
Richard Mackender
Email: rimackender@deloitte.com
Richard Mackender is an indirect tax partner and leads Deloitte Singapore's GST practice. He specialises in GST and has more than 16 years of experience in this area. He began his career with Deloitte UK's London VAT team in 1997 and moved to Singapore in 2003.
Richard's primary focus is in advising large corporates on the indirect tax aspects of their activities, not only from a Singapore GST perspective, but also with regard to the wider Asia Pacific VAT/GST issues that arise. Richard also leads Deloitte's Asia Pacific Compliance Centre, which is based in Singapore and which provides centralised preparation and coordination of compliance and reporting for clients in the region.
Richard holds a law degree from the University of Wales (UK) and subsequently trained as a barrister. He was called to the bar in October 1997 and is a member of Gray's Inn. He is also an accredited tax adviser (GST) with the Singapore Institute of Accredited Tax Professionals. He is a contributing author for CCH's Singapore Goods and Services Tax Guide and has co-authored a number of indirect tax books and publications.
Adrienne McStocker
KPMG in Singapore
16 Raffles Quay #35-03A
Hong Leong Building
Mobile: +65 9002 6647
Email: amcstocker1@kpmg.com.sg
Website: www.kpmg.com
Adrienne is the leader of KPMG's regional Centre of Excellence for Indirect Tax Compliance in Singapore. The centre offers indirect tax compliance services for companies with multi-jurisdictional obligations in the region as part of our global compliance solution. Adrienne also leads KPMG's Global Compliance Acceleration Team whose objective is developing KPMG's global indirect tax compliance solutions. Before joining the profession, Adrienne was a VAT inspector with the UK's tax authority.
With more than 30 years of experience providing indirect tax advice, Adrienne's global clients have included companies in the media and technology, pharmaceutical, human resources and pensions consulting, aviation services and steel production industries. She has worked in Europe and the US and understands the needs and objectives of companies headquartered in these regions with global operations. For the past 10 years Adrienne has focussed on global compliance projects. She helps her clients define their compliance strategies, review current processes and implement successful outsourced and in-house solutions. From 2003-2005, she led one of the first outsourced indirect tax compliance projects, and she has seen first-hand how outsourcing and other compliance solutions have developed as clients' needs change and technology advances. Adrienne understands the challenges of standardising compliance processes and brings valuable insight and experience to their set up and optimisation.
Robert Tsang
6 Shenton Way #32-00
OUE Downtown 2
Office: +65 6530 5523
Email: robtsang@deloitte.com
Robert is a tax partner who heads Deloitte's Asia Pacific and Southeast Asia indirect tax teams, and is the Deloitte Global Indirect Tax Leader for Consumer Business. He previously ran the Andersen and then the Deloitte US International VAT teams, and has spent the last six years in Asia Pacific in his current role. He has had experience of serving local, regional and global clients in relation to the indirect tax aspects of businesses around the world, and draws specifically on work he has done in Asia (particularly in Malaysia with the introduction of GST in 2015), in Greater China (including Hong Kong), in the US/Canada and in the EU (from a base in the UK).
He is a UK barrister (Gray's Inn), UK chartered accountant, UK chartered tax adviser, Singapore Institute of Chartered Accountants' member and Singapore Institute of Accredited Tax Professionals' accredited tax adviser. Robert sits as a member of the Singapore GST Board of Review.
Rony Wuytjens
Tel: + 65 6531 5026
Email: rwuytjens@deloitte.com
Rony Wuytjens is a Deloitte Singapore partner and the Asia Pacific Tax Management and Compliance and Reporting leader.
Rony has 32 years of experience in international tax matters with a strong focus on indirect taxes, technology tools and process-driven tax compliance. Before joining Deloitte Singapore in 2012, Rony was managing partner of Deloitte Belgium's indirect tax team.
Before joining Deloitte, Rony worked for the Belgian Ministry of Finance for 18 years, where he was, among other roles, tax inspector, tax collector and chief inspector responsible for several taxation offices in the field of VAT and corporate tax. In 1999, he joined Deloitte as an indirect tax specialist, became partner in 2003 and managing partner of the indirect tax department in 2009.
Rony was instrumental in the set-up and management of the Global Tax Centre Europe, a team of professionals providing international compliance services in the area of indirect tax, corporate tax, tax provisioning and statutory accounting. In 2011, Rony led the offshoring of part of the Global Tax Centre Europe to Hyderabad, India (today the team in Hyderabad counts about 75 FTEs). After joining Deloitte Singapore in 2012 Rony set-up the Asia Pacific Compliance Centre in Singapore.
Rony has extensive experience in advising multinationals and national and international public entities on indirect tax matters in various areas. He has vast experience in dealing with tax authorities.
Rony is also a speaker at numerous seminars for universities and other institutions on VAT and tax technology related issues in Belgium and abroad. Rony has authored several books and articles on VAT-related issues for the public sector, for which he is considered an authority in Belgium.
Rony holds a master's degree in tax management. He is a member of the Belgian Institute of Tax Advisers. Rony is fluent in Dutch, English and French.
Su-Mei Ban
Khattar Wong, Taxand Singapore
Ken Chia
Baker & McKenzie
Yeo Kai Eng
Lam Kok Shang
Edmund Leow
Eugene Lim
Lim Pek Bur
Allen & Gledhill
Allen Tan
Kai Eng Yeo
The material on this site is for financial institutions, professional investors and their professional advisers. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws.
© 2019 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQ.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Aussie's build a bridge not too far – cheaper and faster
Posted byHayley Media August 1, 2018 May 4, 2021 Posted inMaterials
An engineering breakthrough that can reduce major urban bridge works projects from months or even years to just three days is set to save time, money and inconvenience worldwide.
An innovative hybrid fiberglass-concrete-steel bridge construction technique created by a team led by University of Queensland engineers has won the inaugural World Innovation in Bridge Engineering (WIBE) award.
UQ Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology researcher Dr Dilum Fernando says the bridge was lighter, stronger and faster to put up than anything currently available.
"The $50,000 award, announced in Portugal, recognises our design as a game-changer, coming in ahead of designs involving more than 200 authors from 50 countries," he says.
Dr Fernando, from the School of Civil Engineering, says the bridge design used a double-skin tubular arch system.
"It is three times as strong as conventional reinforced concrete bridges, yet only a third of the weight.
"Because it's light, the bridge can be pre-fabricated and transported to site where it can be put up in about 72 hours.
"This means projects that previously caused up to six months of disruption can now be completed in just three days."
The design team included Brisbane-based company RocketC, global engineering consultancy Arup and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
The project came about when RocketC's Paul Rodman approached Dr Fernando.
"Constructing road or rail overpasses on existing roads is extremely expensive and time-consuming," Mr Rodman says.
"It can require extensive property resumptions and road construction to allow the traffic to continue operating while the overpass is constructed.
"Construction times are long — as an example, an overpass bridge on Main and Kessel Roads in Brisbane took three years to complete and cost $300 million."
The team approached Arup to make sure engineering issues were addressed in the development.
Arup fellow Peter Burnton says the research would solve many challenges faced in the construction of bridges in our communities.
"This project has also given excellent practical experience to many students who have helped fabricate, test and interpret the test results in the fantastic laboratories at UQ," he says.
Dr Fernando says the bridge design could be prefabricated, transported on a semi-trailer and erected without the need for specialised heavy lifting equipment.
"A case study for the award submission demonstrated that building the superstructure of a railway bridge overpass in Brisbane would take just 78 hours and save $120 million over the traditional build cost."
He says the competition prize money would be used to continue research into applications and improvements for the bridge technology.
The WIBE prize was sponsored by the Faculty of Engineering at The University of Porto in Portugal, and BERD, a project, research and engineering firm specialising in bridges.
Electric bike wins fieldays innovation award
Portable power solves conveyor maintenance problem with lightweight hydraulic belt lifters


Pink Elephant Blog guest post - Our top NYC picks!
Ok, the Pink Elephant Blog ladies Alex and Becky are back with a second post for us today! As if yesterday's post showing some of their favourite places to visit wasn't enough, today they're showing us their top picks from New York and I have taken note ladies! I totally have that Tarte mascara on my wish list as it is and we do know Joanne and I are partial to Rebecca Minkoff.... So it's over to you ladies!
There is little better than a shopping spree in New York City and if you are lucky enough to be going anytime soon here is some shopping inspiration.
The softest & most comfy top in the history of the universe!
The perfect bag for city shopping! It's small and compact but big enough to hold everything you need for the day.
These polishes are amazing, they last ages and the colour selection in this little set will be great for the party season!
A beautiful mascara in even better packaging!
Expensive enough for a lip balm but worth every penny! The colour is amazing and it keeps your lips soft and moisturised.
We love the holiday scents from Bath & Bodyworks and Spiced Apple Toddy is a must-have this time of year!
Sephora do amazing brushes and these are just so beautiful - we cannot say no to anything white & gold! Great value for a complete set too.
So these are our top picks from the shopping heaven that is NYC! What are yours?
Great post ladies and hope you're shopping till you drop, Karen!


Last year around this time, I ran a survey asking all of the members of the CrossFit Somerville community what they wanted. I got a lot of great feedback and an amazing response rate – because y'all are really invested in what we're doing here and really want to help me improve it. Looking at last year's survey, I feel like we really took care of business – all of the "most wanted" items got done, and I feel good about the big and small changes we made based on your feedback.
That said, nothing's ever perfect and there's always room for improvement. This year, the survey is coming back your way to ask you what you'd like to see more of in your CFSV experience. You can click here to get started right now! It's just a few totally anonymous questions, and I'd really love to hear from all of you.
Along with that, I've been closely working with Union Square Neighbors (a neighborhood association) and the Union United Coalition, both of whom are groups of local residents who want to be active in negotiating a strong Community Benefit Agreement that will help shape Union Square into a place that we are proud of. There are several events being hosted at CrossFit Somerville over the next 3 weeks that are great opportunities for you to get involved if you're interested in this process!
And yes, it's relevant even if you're not going to attend – because we will be shifting our Thursday schedule to 4pm, 5pm, and 6pm so that we can get the place cleaned up in time to host these seminars… but please do attend! They'll be like TED talks about art and parks, plus a chance to brainstorm and chat with your neighbors about what we can do in the square!
At the last meeting of the Union Square Neighbors Association, they talked about how there are a lot of folks who are concerned about the future of Union Square, and how we are all working towards the same goals – inclusive housing, jobs for Somerville residents, fostering locally owned, independent businesses and the arts community, improved parks and green space. Then they started thinking that we all might be more effective advocates for our beloved Square if we knew each other better. And the best way they could think of to get to know folks better is to have a party. So, this Sunday, July 20th from 5:00 to 7:30, we're helping by hosting a "Big Tent Potluck" at CrossFit Somerville! Please bring a dish to share, maybe something to grill, beverages (beer and wine would be welcomed!). They are also looking for music to fill the air as we, people who are committed to Union Square, talk about how to shape our shared future.
We're hosting a series of seminars, gathering as neighbors to re-imagine what is possible with our Open Space, Green Space, and Art in Union Square. Each night we have invited three speakers to share stories of what has been done in other places, and then we as a community will talk and generate our own ideas from that inspiration that can shape our square moving forward through the Revitalization process. We invite you – our neighbors in Union Square – to join us in this process! More info can be found on the Union Square Neighbors website!
We could also use some help getting set up and running these events – so if you're passionate about these topics let me know and I'll gladly get you involved.
Our next Community Cooks volunteer night will be on Thursday, July 31. Each month, a group of CrossFit Somerville athletes get together to cook a hot meal for the Ruby Rogers Center, a recovery center for adults with mental disabilities. That night will be a busy one at the facility for JT, so cooking this month will need to happen in someone else's kitchen – or you can also cook on your own and bring it to CFSV for delivery. (Brian helps us stay organized.) If you would like to get involved, please send an email to projects@crossfitsomerville.com.
The Sasquatch Trail Race was so much fun, let's do it all again in September!! Vert Race Series puts on another trail race in the fall called Big Bad Wolf. It is a 5 mile run held at the Wolf Hollow in Ipswich, MA on an actual wolf preserve. A group of CFSVers ran the race last year and had a great time running in wolf-related costumes.
CrossFit Somerville will also have a team for the Cambridge 5k Oktoberfest. Tristann Naumann is captaining a team for a 5k through Cambridge on October 5, followed by an Oktoberfest-themed after party sponsored by the Cambridge Brewing Company.
I talked a lot about this up above. I hope to hear from all of you! Click here to give your feedback!
On Saturday, June 28, a group of CrossFit Somerville and CrossFit Fenway athletes raced a 5k from one gym facility to the other. On a hot, sunny day, several dozen runners braved the mean streets of Boston and Cambridge to get to a BBQ full of meat and beer hosted by CrossFit Somerville. It was great to share this event with our sister gym and show off some of the cool projects were have been working on at CFSV. Stay tuned for more social events!!
In case you are still unaware, CrossFit Somerville has a hive of honey bees that we keep on the roof of the gym. Bees are vitally important to ecology as the main pollinators for a huge number of plant species, but they often get a bad reputation when they are confused with wasps and hornets and other species of insects that are likely to sting you.
In order to become a more informed community of bee-keepers, we held a seminar on Saturday, July 12 to learn more about the common Western Honeybee, or as we now know, Apis mellifera. Max Kraft, friend of CrossFit Somerville and local bee expert, prepared a wonderfully informative presentation about honeybees and the art and science of keeping them.
After the presentation, the group of 20 or so CFSV members and friends and family went up on to the roof to open and check out the hive kept up there. The hive looks healthy and appears to be growing, laying eggs and making honey.
Nothing beats taking your fitness out into the real world: running through the woods, up and over hills, feet barely avoiding rocks and tree roots studded in the dirt path. And just like in CrossFit, add an element of time and competition to it can make it even more fun! The Sasquatch Trail Race was held on the morning of Sunday, July 13 and brought together members of CrossFit Somerville, CrossFit Fenway and friends and family to conquer the 2.35 mile race through the woods of the Middlesex Fells. The race fee also included a post-race party with beverages supplied by a few local breweries.
I take it back. Nothing beats getting in a run and a few beers before 11am.


text:
Number of senior major championships won by American David Toms, who shared the lead with compatriot Steve Stricker after the first round Thursday in Toms' title defense at the U.S. Senior Open. Toms and Stricker shot 8-under 62s at Warren Golf Course in Notre Dame, Ind. Toms, 52, made a Senior Open-record 10 birdies, including five in a row, in posting a career-best score. He has won only once in 55 career starts on the Champions Tour after a 13-victory career on the PGA Tour. Stricker, also 52, won his first senior major last month, at the Regions Tradition, after a 12-victory career on the PGA Tour. American Jerry Kelly, who won last week in his native Madison, Wis., shared second with countryman Kirk Triplett at 64 (scores).
Percentage decline in rounds played in May compared with the same month in 2018, according to Golf Datatech's monthly National Golf Rounds Played Report. Increased precipitation across most of the U.S. led to the drop, with only the South Atlantic states showing an uptick from a year ago. With the drop in May, the number of rounds played for the year is off by 1.3 percent from the first five months in 2018.
Number of Arkansas alumnae entered in the LPGA's Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, which begins today at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Ark. Stacy Lewis, a 2008 Arkansas graduate and two-time winner of the LPGA's Arkansas event, will be joined by alumnae Kaylee Benton, Maria Fassi, Dylan Kim, Gaby Lopez and Alana Uriell (tee times).
Number of strokes under par that American Robert Garrigus stood to lead the Utah Championship, the PGA Tour's developmental event in Farmington, Utah. Garrigus, starting on the back nine at Oakridge Country Club, was 1 over through three holes before he rattled off eight birdies in his final 15 holes. American Justin Lower shot 6-under 65 and held second place (scores).
Number of birdies, including on his last three holes, that American Nate Lashley made in shooting 9-under 63 for the first-round lead at the PGA Tour's Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club. Lashley, 36, in his second season on the PGA Tour, was an alternate and the last man to land a spot in the field, after David Berganio Jr. withdrew on Wednesday. Lashley has only one top-10 result in 32 career starts, a T-8 in the opposite-field Puerto Rico Open in February. Americans Ryan Armour and Nick Watney shared second at 8-under 64 in the first PGA Tour event to be played in Michigan since 2009 (scores).
Score for European Tour rookie Victor Perez, who led the Anadalucia Masters after the first round. Perez, 26, who played the past two seasons on the Challenge Tour, posted a bogey-free 6-under score at Real Club Valderrama in Sotogrande, Spain. Local favorite Sergio Garcia was among five players tied for second at 66 (scores).
25 past champions highlight LPGA's 2021 opener
European Tour opens with big-money event
European Tour opens 2021 in Middle East
Kevin Na climbs to No. 23 in world ranking
Webb Simpson brings strong record into Sony Open
Harris English rises to career high in world ranking
At Kapalua, par for the course is 1 over PGA Tour's standard
U.S. extends streak of more golf rounds played
Lee Trevino aims to extend 1 streak, end another
CME Group Tour Championship spotlights top 8 in world


text:
Patents: Patents & IP
Patent Tutorials & Search Strategy
Patents & Patentability
From the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Libraries
USPTO: How to Conduct a Patent Search
A 36-minute tutorial on "How to Conduct a Preliminary US Patent Search: A Step by Step Strategy"
USPTO: Seven Step Strategy
Strategy for preliminary searches of US patents and published applications
Recommended Reading on Patents & IP
Guide to Intellectual Property by The Economist; Stephen Johnson
Laws of Creation by Ronald A. Cass; Keith N. Hylton
Owning the Future by Seth Shulman
Patent and Trademark Information by Virginia Baldwin
Call Number: Law Library T339 .P238 2004
Patent Law by Janice M. Mueller
Call Number: Law Library, KF3114 .M84 2009
Patent Markets in the Global Knowledge Economy by Thierry Madiès (Editor); Dominique Guellec (Editor); Jean-Claude Prager (Editor)
Patents and Trademarks Plain and Simple by Michael H. Jester
The SAGE Handbook of Intellectual Property by Matthew David; Debora Halbert (Editor)
Basic Terminology
A few key definitions excerpted from the Oxford English Dictionary:
"...A licence conferring the sole right to manufacture, sell, or deal in a product or commodity; (now) spec. a licence from a government conferring for a set period the sole right to make, use, or sell some process or invention; a right conferred in this way."
"...A general name for property (such as patents, trademarks, and copyright material) which is the product of invention or creativity, and which does not exist in a tangible, physical form."
"...To give (a person) permission to (do something)."
"...A mark (secured by legal registration or, in some countries, established by use) used by a manufacturer or trader to distinguish his goods from similar wares of other firms; usually a distinctive device or figure, a fancy name or trade name, or the name of an individual or firm, marked or impressed on the article or upon the package, etc., in or with which it is sold."
Patent Search Guidance
Receive expert patent searching strategies and guidance with conducting a patent search from the Syracuse University College of Law Innovation Law Center (ILC) in collaboration with the Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University Libraries. For more information, email LaunchPad@syr.edu.
Patent Search Tools
These tools allow you to do quick, keyword, searches for patents. You can also search by inventor and assignee (the person or company that holds the rights to that patent).
USPTO Patent Search
Search for patents granted by the Unites States Patent and Trademark Office. TIFF view required for full patent document.
USPTO Application Search
Search for patent applications to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. TIFF view required for full patent document.
esp@cenet - English
Searchable United States, European, World Intellectual Property, and Patent Abstracts from Japan.
Derwent Innovations Index
Patents supplemented by information from Derwent World Patents Index, and including patent citation information from Derwent Patent Citation Index.
Searchable patents and patent applications from the United States Patent and Trade Office, issued from the 1790s nearly to the present.
Free Patents Online
Search US patents, applications, defensive publications, invention registration, as well as European patents & applications, patent documents & abstracts of Japan, and WIPO. Search Tip: Use the "Expert Search" option available from the dropdown menu to the right of the search box.
Lens.org
Search, analyze, manage, and map patents and scholarly research. See the Lens Research Guide for more help.
Classification Searching
Patent classification is a way the that patent examiners arrange documents according to the patent's technical features. Classification searching allows searchers to quickly find a document disclosing the invention identical or similar to the invention for which a patent is claimed. Patents may have more than one classification.
USPTO Classification Search
Additional Databases
These databases that you may already be using also include patents:
Abstracts and citations of journals, books, conference proceedings, and patents covering science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities.
Engineering Village
Allows users to search Inspec, Compendex, GEOBASE, and GeoRef, simultaneously or alone. Covers the fields of physics, electronics, computing, control engineering and information technology and includes journal articles, conference proceedings, patents, and dissertations from 1898 to present.
Reaxys
Chemical literature, chemical compounds and reactions, including content from the Beilstein Database, Gmelin Database, and Patent Chemistry Database.
**SciFinder was retired on July 1, 2022. CAS SciFinder-n is still available.**
Index to journal articles, proceedings, reports and more in agriculture and related fields such as nutrition, public health, and veterinary medicine.
Web of Science This link opens in a new window
Abstract and citation database covering numerous fields in arts, humanities, social sciences and sciences. Includes access to Arts and Humanities Citation Index, Biosis Citation Index, Book Citation Index, Current Contents Connect, Data Citation Index, Derwent Innovations Index, Essential Science Indicators, Index Chemicus / KCI Korean Journal Database, MEDLINE, Russian Citation Index, Current Chemical Reactions, Social Sciences Citation Index, SciELO Citation Index, Science Citation Index, Zoological Record.
USPTO Trademark Information
Trademark information from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
NOLO online guide on trademark law.
Make Sure Your Proposed Business Name Is Available
NOLO online article providing guidance on steps to take to determine whether your new business or product name is available for your use.
Below are a few resources recommended by the above article when conducting a trademark search:
Search SU Libraries' company databases to see whether your company name is already in use.
ThomasNet.com
Information about suppliers and products, including company profiles, contact information, and CAD drawings.
USPTO Trademark Database
Search the USPTO's trademark database to see if any mark has already been registered or applied for that is similar to your mark and used on related products or for related services.
USPTO State Trademark Information Links
USPTO list of links to individual state trademark offices.
Science & Engineering Librarian
I am available for virtual meetings and research consultations. Please contact me via email.
Subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Forensic Science, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology
Business, Management, and Entrepreneurship Librarian
Stephanie JH McReynolds
Schedule an Online Meeting
Email: sjmcreyn@syr.edu
While I will do my best to reply to you as soon as possible, if my schedule is especially busy that week, it may take one or two business days to receive a reply. If you would like immediate assistance from a library staff person, especially if it is after "business hours," consider using SU Libraries' "Ask Us!" options, which include a 24/7 chat service.
Subjects: Business, Management, and Entrepreneurship
URL: https://researchguides.library.syr.edu/patents
Subjects: Business, Management, and Entrepreneurship, Engineering
Tags: patent, patents


The government will undertake a second special fortnightly drive since March to liquidate pending refund claims made by exporters amounting to Rs 14,000 crore, the finance ministry said in a statement.
The refunds include those on account of integrated GST (IGST) paid on exports, unutilised input tax credit (ITC) and other GST refunds submitted in form GST RFD-01A (for manual processing of refunds).
The government will undertake a second special fortnightly drive since March to liquidate pending refund claims made by exporters amounting to Rs 14,000 crore, the finance ministry said in a statement. The refunds include those on account of integrated GST (IGST) paid on exports, unutilised input tax credit (ITC) and other GST refunds submitted in form GST RFD-01A (for manual processing of refunds). The government admitted that refunds of GST have been a concern for the past several months. Till now, the government has sanctioned more than Rs 30,000 crore as GST refund (including those for exporters), which includes Rs 16,000 crore of IGST and Rs 14,000 crore of ITC, it said. The ITC part of refunds has been sanctioned by the Centre as well as states.
Denying the claims of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), which said on Wednesday that Rs 20,000 crore of refund claims were stuck, the government said that it was much lower at Rs 14,000 crore (Rs 7,000 crore IGST and Rs 7,000 crore ITC). "Contrary to the press reports that there has been a dip in refund sanction after the first refund fortnight in March 2018, the refund sanctioned during May 2018 is to the tune of Rs 8,000 crore," it said.
Further, the indirect tax department issued two circulars clarifying many of the issues plaguing the processing of refund claims. This include claims made by input service distributor, composition dealers, exports of services and supplies made to SEZ. The circular also clarifies issues related to requirement of letter of undertaking in cases of export of exempted or non-GST goods and scope of restriction imposed in the GST Act.
Similarly, another circular issued on Wednesday by the customs department said that it was implementing a solution whereby the refunds held in GSTN, in cases where the exporters have mistakenly declared their export supplies as domestic supplies, would now be transmitted to customs electronic data interchange (EDI) system. On receipt of the records from GSTN, the customs system would automatically process the refunds for sanction, if no other errors are committed by exporters.


Having been re-elected as Washington State Republican Party Chairwoman in neighboring Skamania County only last weekend, Susan Hutchison broke in her new administration by immediately sending out a press release blasting the PCOs from Clark County and the 3rd Congressional District for daring to discuss the voting record of Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler. Following is the full text of the press release (hat tip to Lauren Dake of the Columbian).
"I am deeply dismayed that a small number of discontents in Clark County have issued plans to censure a sitting Republican Congresswoman, misrepresenting themselves as speaking for the Republican Party.
"Jaime Herrera Beutler is a highly respected 3-term congresswoman from the 3rd district, winning re-election in November 2014 with a decisive 61.5% of the vote. She was the first Hispanic American elected to represent Washington in the U.S. House; a solid conservative who serves her constituents well on the powerful House Appropriations Committee; and a member of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, where she is the Co-Chair of the Women and the Economy/Business Task Force.
"In addition, she is deeply admired for being the devoted mother of a special needs child, Abigail, born without kidneys in 2013. The family's courageous journey has been an inspiration to me and millions of others who have followed their story. Abigail is thriving despite the dire medical prognosis.
"The action of those who threaten censure is in violation of the Washington State Republican Party Policy Statements which support our incumbent elected officials. This vocal and unrepresentative group from the 3rd Congressional District does not speak for the majority of voters, supporters or donors of the party, but in fact represents those who supported Congresswoman Herrera Beutler's 2014 Primary challenger.
"The Washington State Republican Party welcomes people of varied views and we proudly stand with the decision of voters when they elect our candidates. Sometimes our elected officials also take votes that some disagree with. This does not constitute a reason for censure. Furthermore, many of the reasons for censure stated in documents provided to the press are false or misleading. For example, because Congresswoman Herrera Beutler voted for a Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government running does not mean she supports Obamacare.
First of all, this will not be news to most readers, but there has been no vote to censure, a fact which is still apparently lost on our state party chairwoman. She violently responds in public to a mere suggestion that we discuss a motion brought up by one PCO at our next meeting. She launches into an hysterical outburst without even talking to the Clark County Republican chairman first to get an explanation of the details, which she mangles beyond recognition. Being an outsider in terms of state party politics, it would seem reasonable to me that she contact county leadership first, but when I asked Chairman Kenny Smith, he told me that she only contacted him AFTER the press release was sent. Amazing leadership skills!
I do not believe this particular censure motion will ever pass. For one thing, it lists the wrong objections. While it calls attention to some questionable votes, many of which were waved away by the condescending letter Herrera sent to PCOs last week, most people who follow national politics give Congress a 75% disapproval rating because of the out-of-control spending that Jaime and her cohorts in Congress have been engaged in, topped off by her recent vote on the Cromnibus bill, which funded every pork-seeking crony capitalist under the sun and received widespread criticism by Democrats and Republicans throughout the country. To tell us that she is and has always been a 'conservative' is to attempt to redefine the word to mean something other than the accepted definition. 'Conservative' means one who is loathe to make massive expenditures. Jaime's voting record indicates the opposite; the woman never met a debt-ceiling increase she didn't like.
While Hutchison and Team Herrera have done their level best to marginalize and cast aspersions on the majority of PCOs in Clark County (joining Jim Moeller and the Columbian), a common refrain has been that one ought not to question a Congresswoman who just won with 62% of the vote. While the argument on its face reeks of Establishment hackery of the first degree, it isn't even based on sound numbers. First of all, the vote tally in Clark County in November's election had Jaime with 72,877, or 59.26% of those who bothered to vote. With no one but a weak socialist running against her, most Republicans didn't have a choice, except, perhaps, not to vote at all, which they did in large numbers. Of the nearly 250,000 registered voters in the county, Jaime's total only reflects 29.2%. Or, to put it another way, 70.8% of voters in Clark County did NOT vote for Jaime Herrera, even though they were sent a ballot and given the easy opportunity to do so. Not exactly results to trumpet from the rooftops. It is interesting to note that many of the same folks who are publicly lambasting the conservative PCOs for not supporting the 'overwhelmingly popular' Herrera also tell us again and again about the serious undervote in David Madore's election in 2012. His vote total was 84,370.
I wonder how we might incorporate that difference into Greg Jayne's tennis anology? If the PCOs are foolish for calling Herrera's votes into question because of her amazing election total, how does that principle apply to the Columbian's daily attacks on Councilor Madore?
The most interesting criticism of all from Hutchison, however, is the idea she puts forth that the PCOs in Clark County are "misrepresenting themselves as speaking for the Republican Party" and "do not speak for the majority of voters, supporters or donors of the party." So the county party and the elected representatives of each precinct don't represent Republicans in Clark County and the 3rd Congressional District, but some failed King County Executive candidate who only recently admitted to being a Republican in public does? How many people in our county, if you stopped them on the street, would know who on earth Susan Hutchison is? I'll take the under on that bet.
If there is anything certain in all of this, it is that Susan Hutchison and Jaime Herrera are awful representatives of the people that voted for them. Rather than the mature and leaderly approach, which might have involved sitting down and discussing differences like adults in anticipation of the upcoming vote, these two fine examples of Establishment Republicanism have chosen the Mitt Romney "crush the opposition via character assassination" approach. We were looking for better.


She's the redhead in the middle. Her sister wouldn't sit still (hence the blur) and Drew was mesmerized by something on the wall.
We got her one gift, something the whole family has been enjoying.
Many demands for private castles to be constructed.
A few months ago, Ryan and I briefly discussed what a three year old would enjoy. This year, we've made an effort to not have toys that have only one function or that are too gizmo-like. And these blocks are just right for creative play.
We devoured cake and then Katie reminded us her own birthday would be very soon and that we shouldn't forget it.
Don't worry, kid. We won't forget. You won't let us.
P.S. Remember how meal planning has helped keep our dinners leaner? Well, I'm down a couple more pounds this morning. Maybe one day I'll be able to say something obnoxious like "Ugh, it's so hard just keeping weight *on*. It's like I can't eat enough!"
Happy (belated) birthday to one of the cutest red heads ever!
Aw! Happy Birthday beautiful Winslow!
Can I get a private castle, please? I think you will need a few more sets of blocks though.
I've started meal planning somewhat. Made a huge batch of freezer meals over the weekend... we'll see how it goes!
What a little cutie-patootie! I so wanted a red-headed kid. My husband is a redhead. I guess HER kid will have red hair.
Thanks for coming by and for the GFC add!


text:
Q: String path to base64string Im having a problem generating a base64string with a specific encoder.
I have an application that generate this base64string
RQA6AFwAUAByAG8AagBlAGMAdABzAFwAWQBvAHUAdAB1AGIAZQAuAE0AYQBuAGEAZwBlAHIAXABZAG8AdQB0AHUAYgBlAC4ATQBhAG4AYQBnAGUAcgAuAE0AbwBkAGUAbABzAC4AQwBvAG4AdABhAGkAbgBlAHIAXABvAGIAagBcAFIAZQBsAGUAYQBzAGUAXABuAGUAdABzAHQAYQBuAGQAYQByAGQAMgAuADAAXABZAG8AdQB0AHUAYgBlAC4ATQBhAG4AYQBnAGUAcgAuAE0AbwBkAGUAbABzAC4AQwBvAG4AdABhAGkAbgBlAHIALgBkAGwAbAAAAA==

which is equal to
E:\Projects\Youtube.Manager\Youtube.Manager.Models.Container\obj\Release\netstandard2.0\Youtube.Manager.Models.Container.dll

Now im trying convert
E:\Projects\Youtube.Manager\Youtube.Manager.Models.Container\obj\Release\netstandard2.0\Youtube.Manager.Models.Container.dll

To base64string but im getting this instead
RTpcUHJvamVjdHNcWW91dHViZS5NYW5hZ2VyXFlvdXR1YmUuTWFuYWdlci5Nb2RlbHMuQ29udGFpbmVyXG9ialxSZWxlYXNlXG5ldHN0YW5kYXJkMi4wXFlvdXR1YmUuTWFuYWdlci5Nb2RlbHMuQ29udGFpbmVyLmRsbA==

I want to get the same result as the first base64string which is
RQA6AFwAUAByAG8AagBlAGMAdABzAFwAWQBvAHUAdAB1AGIAZQAuAE0AYQBuAGEAZwBlAHIAXABZAG8AdQB0AHUAYgBlAC4ATQBhAG4AYQBnAGUAcgAuAE0AbwBkAGUAbABzAC4AQwBvAG4AdABhAGkAbgBlAHIAXABvAGIAagBcAFIAZQBsAGUAYQBzAGUAXABuAGUAdABzAHQAYQBuAGQAYQByAGQAMgAuADAAXABZAG8AdQB0AHUAYgBlAC4ATQBhAG4AYQBnAGUAcgAuAE0AbwBkAGUAbABzAC4AQwBvAG4AdABhAGkAbgBlAHIALgBkAGwAbAAAAA==

How can i do it?
This is my code which is giving me a wrong result
  var bytes= Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(msg);
        return Convert.ToBase64String(bytes);

A: The problem here is the text encoding you're using.
The first Base64 string you posted is encoded using Unicode with a nul terminator byte pair.  The trailing 'AAAAA==' is a dead giveaway here.  You can see it yourself by examining the byte array:
var originalB64 = "RQA6AFwAUAByAG8AagBlAGMAdABzAFwAWQBvAHUAdAB1AGIAZQAuAE0AYQBuAGEAZwBlAHIAXABZAG8AdQB0AHUAYgBlAC4ATQBhAG4AYQBnAGUAcgAuAE0AbwBkAGUAbABzAC4AQwBvAG4AdABhAGkAbgBlAHIAXABvAGIAagBcAFIAZQBsAGUAYQBzAGUAXABuAGUAdABzAHQAYQBuAGQAYQByAGQAMgAuADAAXABZAG8AdQB0AHUAYgBlAC4ATQBhAG4AYQBnAGUAcgAuAE0AbwBkAGUAbABzAC4AQwBvAG4AdABhAGkAbgBlAHIALgBkAGwAbAAAAA==";
var bytes = Convert.FromBase64String(originalB64);

Converting this to a string will give you a null-terminated string 125 characters long, with the last character being nul.
Given a path that is not nul-terminated you can reproduce that string as follows:
string path = @"E:\Projects\Youtube.Manager\Youtube.Manager.Models.Container\obj\Release\netstandard2.0\Youtube.Manager.Models.Container.dll";
string newB64 = Convert.ToBase64String(Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(path + "\0"));

This matches the original Base64 string exactly in my tests.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Located alongside the Interstate 93 highway in the beautiful White Mountain National Forest, the 18-hole layout at the Owl's Nest Resort was designed by Mark Mungeam of Mungeam Cornish Golf Design and it first opened for play in 1998.
Highlight holes on the front nine include the downhill 433-yard 2nd and the water-protected par five 4th. The shorter inward half occupies more undulating terrain and feature holes here include the uphill par five 13th and bunkerless par four 16th.
"Set high in the Mountains and along the Pemigewasset River, Owl's Nest can be divided into three 6-hole sections. The six holes surrounding the clubhouse feature links-style golf. Perimeter mounding on the sides of the fairways bring stray drives back to the short grass. Six holes meander "through the fields" and around our man made four-acre spring-fed pond. Accuracy is important through this section. If your shots are not on line, they will find a watery resting place! The final six holes, set atop "Sunset Hill," and are among the best you will experience anywhere with dramatic elevation changes and views across the White Mountains."


TAIPEI, Taiwan - After a local boy accidentally punctured a centuries-old Italian painting last weekend, exhibit organizers yesterday rushed to confirm the authenticity of the piece after allegations from an Italian newspaper raised doubts over its true identity.
Exhibition organizer Sun Chi-hsuan said yesterday that the damaged painting "Flowers" (valued at SS$2.1 million) by Paolo Porpora had been authenticated by professional appraiser Andrea Rossi. Italian newspaper Il Post claimed earlier that the painting was the work of Mario Nuzzi and was completed in 1660 and is worth much less, at approximately 30,000 euros (approximately S$47,700).
Sun stated that the Italian paper had misidentified the piece using images from an online auction site, whose reliability could not be verified. The painting on the other hand, according to Sun, is supplemented with certificates confirming its authenticity.
The 17th century painting was being displayed as part of the "Face of Leonardo: Images of a Genius" exhibition at the Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei, when a 12-year-old local boy accidentally tripped and punctured the painting with his fist when he attempted to balance himself.
The exhibit, which also includes portraits of Leonardo da Vinci, is made up of 55 paintings which the exhibitors state are "authentic pieces … very rare and precious."
According to the Web Gallery of Art (a European database for fine art), "Flowers" is the only work by Porpora to be signed by the artist himself and was painted around 1660. Porpora, born in Naples, was a patron of the Chigi family and worked in Rome.
The restoration of the painting has been completed, with conservationists prioritizing the painting's structural integrity over the retouching of paint on damaged areas. After 12 hours of intense work, the painting has returned to the exhibit site and is on display.
Meanwhile, doubts were cast about the exhibit's organisation by local news host Tai Chung-jen. In an open letter to the local Apple Daily, Tai found it suspicious that an exhibition featuring more than 50 authentic paintings worth millions of dollars would not receive greater coverage in the Italian media.
Another major suspicion he highlighted was whether any firm would be willing to insure such a large concentration of prized works, and why necessary security safeguards were not in place during the exhibition.
Exhibition organizers have already stated that they will not demand that the boy or his family pay for the damage and that restoration costs and compensation to the painting's owner would be covered by insurance.


text:
The Georgian National Communications Commission is an independent regulatory authority that regulates TV broadcasting, Radio broadcasting, fixed/mobile telephone and internet services in Georgia.

The Commission was formed on July 1, 2000

Independency
Commission is independent body and is not subordinated to any state authority, but during implementation process of important projects or reforms commission actively collaborates with the government and often is initiator of legislative changes.

Commission presents its annual report to the President of Georgia, to the Parliament of Georgia and to the Government of Georgia.

Budget
The Commission's source of income is regulation fee paid by authorized entities and license holders in broadcasting and electronic communications sectors. For the broadcasters defined regulation fee is 0.5% of income and for the authorized entities in electronic communications sector - 0.75% of their income.

Appointment
The Commission consists of five members. The members of the Commission are elected for the term of 6 years by Parliament from candidates selected by the President.. The Chairman of the Commission is elected for the period of 3 years by the majority of staff by the Commission itself for one term only.

Since May 19, 2017 Chairmen of the Commission is Kakhi Bekauri. Members of the Commission are Vakhtang Abashidze, Eliso Asanidze, Giorgi Pruidze and Merab Katamadze.

Together with the Commission acts Public Defenders office of Consumers interests' protection. On 2014, Tamta Tepnadze was appointed as public defender of consumer's rights.

Functions

Activities
 Licensing/authorization of activities in broadcasting and electronic communications sectors
 Disputes settlement between the authorized entities subjected to the Commission regulations, as well as between them and the consumers
 Issuance of Permits for numbering resource and radio frequency spectrum usage
 Study and analysis of various segments of the electronic communications market, identification of the authorized entities with significant market power, assignment of specific obligations to them
 Regulation of the access to telecommunications networks and infrastructure
 Promotion of standardization, certification and metrology service system implementation
 Control of compliance with the requirements of the applicable law in the communications sector and appropriate response

Former chairs

Reference

External links
 Georgian National Communications Commission on Facebook
 Georgian National Communications Commission on Twitter
 Georgian National Communications Commission on Youtube
 Georgian National Communications Commission on Myvideo

Government of Georgia (country)
Communications in Georgia (country)
2000 establishments in Georgia (country)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia