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Meet the Makers of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!
GAME FREAK's Junichi Masuda and Kensaku Nabana share their insight into the development of the latest Pokémon adventure.
The first Pokémon RPG adventure for Nintendo Switch, Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!, is almost here, and the excitement continues to grow. To learn more about the process that went into the adventure's creation, we had a chat with two members of GAME FREAK inc.—the developers of the games. Join us as we talk to Junichi Masuda, one of GAME FREAK's founders and the director of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!, and Kensaku Nabana, the games' lead environment designer. Both creators were kind enough to share their thoughts on the production of these upcoming titles.
Pokemon.com: Where does the original creative spark for a new Pokémon adventure usually come from? What are the first things you work on when get that spark?
Junichi Masuda: I think that no matter who you are, if you are a creative person, a new project begins with the desire to do something specific or figure out the solution to a specific problem. For example, we have Nintendo Switch, which can be used in the living room as a home console. So we have the issue of getting people into the room to play the game. That's where we started with this project—through that concept.
The ideas of connecting the games to Pokémon GO, of creating the Poké Ball Plus to be able to use it to catch Pokémon, and of two-player multiplayer were ideas we came up with to solve that problem. We had this goal in mind and then thought about what kinds of features to implement that would meet that goal. It's the same when I create music. I always try to think about who the listener will be and what situation they will be in when listening to the music, and then I make music to fulfill that kind of image in my mind.
Pokemon.com: Mr. Masuda, these are the first games you've directed for Nintendo Switch. What opportunities afforded by the new hardware were you most intrigued by?
Masuda: At first glance, it's a complicated piece of hardware—you can connect it to the television, you can take it out with you in handheld mode, there's a touch screen, you can take off the controllers, there are gyro motion controls, and there are a lot of other elements. So in the face of those complications, the approach we took was to look at the ways we could simplify things. We took the idea of using a single controller to play the game to make that all feel less complicated, and that also opened the path to having this kind of local two-player multiplayer where you can share the controllers.
Of course, from a technology perspective, there's the increased power of the hardware, which really allowed us to have much better visuals than we've had before. The communication technology in the system also proved very valuable. For example, we use Bluetooth to allow Trainers to transfer Pokémon from Pokémon GO into Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!, which is something we wouldn't be able to do without that technology. Behind the scenes, it's kind of a complicated setup, but we always try to make it feel very simple for the player.
A Living World
Pokemon.com: The world of Pokémon feels more active than ever in these games, giving the sense of a living, breathing place. Was that a priority during development, and if so, why did you feel it was important?
Masuda: Because you don't battle wild Pokémon in these games, we wanted to come up with ways to encourage people to run in and go find the Pokémon they want to encounter. Having Pokémon appear in the world lets the player see the ones they want to catch and encourages them to do so, but it also makes the world feel, like you say, more alive and richer as a result.
Pokemon.com: A lot of personality shines through in the way each Pokémon moves and acts. Were there any Pokémon that proved especially challenging in this regard? And do any Pokémon stand out to you as favorites in the way they animate?
Masuda: There are two parts to how we gave the Pokémon's movements and actions a lot of personality. There are, of course, the animations that each Pokémon has, but there are also the patterns in which they move. That was something I came up with near the end of last year. I developed a basic set of rules for how all the Pokémon should move, such as how many steps they should take before they stop and let out a cry or what their behavior pattern is for when they move again.
Once I handed this set of rules over to the programmers, they added their takes on how the individual Pokémon would move for an extra layer of personality. One of the things that was memorable to me was watching one of our movement programmers. He was referring to a video of rabbits walking around when he was creating the movement for Nidoran, which ended up influencing how that Pokémon moves. I wound up really liking Nidoran's final animation.
Pokemon.com: There's a lot of focus on the two main Pokémon in these games—they're featured on the cover, they boast unique moves, and players have new ways to interact with them. Is this bond between Trainer and first Pokémon something you've always wanted to emphasize more?
Masuda: It was something we definitely aimed for in these games—to really increase that ability to form a bond with your partner Pokémon even more than you have been able to in the past. Not only can the Trainer do things to feel they're getting closer to their Pokémon, but the Pikachu and Eevee partner Pokémon in the games do things to make them feel closer to the Trainer. It's kind of a back-and-forth relationship.
Revisiting the Past
Pokemon.com: With this return to the Kanto region and the events of Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition, how do you strike the right balance between familiarity and newness? How do you decide which details to change and which to keep the same?
Masuda: Our approach to development of these games was to appeal to a broad audience. One of the big reasons for that is there are a lot of younger players who maybe didn't have their own smartphones and couldn't join in on the Pokémon GO boom. Because of this, Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! might be their first time playing a Pokémon video game.
So I wanted to use Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition as a base to introduce the original 151 Pokémon to them—to have them experience catching and training Pokémon, which are core gameplay elements of the Pokémon series. Now, there are a lot of features that were added in later Pokémon games, such as Eggs, Abilities, and held items, that didn't exist at the time of Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition. However, we want kids today to experience something similar to what kids enjoyed 20 years ago. Of course, there are aspects, such as link battling and trading, where we updated the feel to be something more appropriate to modern tastes.
Pokemon.com: What were some of the challenges in bringing these classic environments into a three-dimensional world for the first time? Which locales do you think look especially good or interesting in this new visual style?
Kensaku Nabana: One of the most difficult aspects of updating all the environments and maps for the new hardware and graphic style was that we wanted to keep it nostalgic for fans of the originals while also making it something that looks very inviting and appealing for younger kids. It should always be very clear where you can go, where you can't go, where Pokémon would appear, and where they wouldn't appear.
I think there was a lot of simplicity in those older pixel graphics, which made things like that obvious to the player. The graphics helped communicate things to the player, so you'll see there are quite a few things that we left mostly unchanged. We updated the way you can move around, but we made it very clear where you can go and where you can't go and where you might find Pokémon.
In terms of locales that I think look especially good or interesting, one thing that we did this time around was go back and update all the towns. We redesigned them, pretty much, giving all the towns their own personalities. I think players will have a lot of fun discovering how the locations have changed.
Pokemon.com: Mr. Masuda, you previously directed another pair of games set in the Kanto region with Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen on the Game Boy Advance. What lessons did you learn from that experience that you were able to bring to these games? And what different goals did you have in mind for the Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! video games?
Masuda: The base concept behind Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen was very different from what we are going for with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! Back then, the primary focus was to creates games that could connect with Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire, which were the other titles available on the Game Boy Advance. This time around, we're defining what the modern living-room Pokémon RPG experience might be when you play on a home console on a big-screen TV. We're starting from very different places, and as a result, I think you'll see the direction is quite different.
At the same time, probably because of the popularity of Pokémon the Series, I think most Pokémon fans prefer the less scary, kind of cuter, and more inviting look that the animated series provides. So the feel of the world changed to be a little less scary, and the Pokémon started to look less monsterlike and more like the impression that people get from Pokémon today. We're taking those ideas and continuing to implement them in these new games.
Pokemon.com: It's been five years since you last served as director—on Pokémon X and Pokémon Y. Why were these the right games for you to return to that role?
Masuda: I was the one who worked on the base game concept document for Pokémon GO, and even in that original concept, I had the idea of introducing new Pokémon through the mobile game. I wanted to realize that goal by creating games that could connect with Pokémon GO and feel somewhat similar to it without feeling like we were copying it. Given my involvement in Pokémon GO's development, I felt that I was probably the best person to direct these games.
It was also interesting to work with Nintendo Switch. There's a lot of technology packed into the hardware that we were all trying to discover at GAME FREAK. For example, developing the Poké Ball Plus and working with Bluetooth to facilitate the connection with Pokémon GO were both very interesting things that I had a chance to work on as the director this time.
But at the same time, it's important to have the younger generation at GAME FREAK take over the development of Pokémon as a series. I do believe this will probably be, in terms of the main Pokémon RPGs, the last time that I work as the director.
Pokemon.com: You also served as the composer. What was your approach to enhancing/remixing the soundtrack for the Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! video games?
Masuda: When first approaching the idea of remixing or rearranging the music that I had originally created for Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, I knew that I would need someone who really understood how I made that music and who is also very familiar with Pokémon. Also, due to the sheer number of songs, I would need someone who could handle that workload and would be able to rearrange the tracks in a classical music style without making huge, sweeping changes.
The person who I got to handle this was Shota Kageyama. He's a musician who's worked on Pokémon games in the past at GAME FREAK. He's really good at making dramatic music, and he's also very consistent and fast in delivering his work. I talked with him, and we came up with a style of music that we felt would be most appropriate for these games.
Again, with the concept of a Pokémon RPG in the modern living room, the music is always going to be on—you're probably not going to turn off the sound like you might on a handheld system. Because the music will be heard throughout the room, everyone will be able to hear it. So we wanted something that would feel kind and inviting—something that everyone in the household would be comfortable hearing.
We've used various music styles in the past, such as heavy metal or techno, and those are obviously things that certain people really like. At the same time, however, those styles can be divisive or intimidating to others. With that in mind, we wanted the music to feel inclusive, and I think Mr. Kageyama did a great job in achieving that.
One of the more interesting things that Mr. Kageyama did comes in the form of how he respected the original music while injecting his own variations on the themes. Most of the songs use the same key and tempo as the original versions, and he keeps things very similar for the first pass of the tune. After the initial loop happens, though, Mr. Kageyama's arrangement kicks in, allowing his own style to come through. I think it'll be very interesting for fans of the original soundtrack to listen to how it's changed.
Parting Words
Pokemon.com: What do you hope new Pokémon players get out of these games? How about longtime fans?
Masuda: It's kind of the same for both audiences, really, but this is the first time that a Pokémon RPG is going to be in the living room on a modern home console. That's really the focus of how we approached the development. I think seeing the Pokémon in HD visuals on a big-screen TV is going to be a lot of fun for traditional fans as well as new players.
The other big thing in these games is, obviously, pretending to throw a Poké Ball to catch Pokémon using either the Poké Ball Plus or a Joy-Con. It's similar to the Pokémon GO style of catching, but we've evolved it to be an even more immersive experience. It lets you feel like you're a Trainer really catching Pokémon in the games. I think that's going to be a lot of fun for all players. My hope is that everyone will enjoy it—not just by themselves, but also with their friends or family joining in on the fun with the two-player gameplay.
Nabana: As a fan of the original Pokémon RPGs, I want first-time players to get to know the setting and world of Pokémon and what it's like to be a Pokémon Trainer. I want them to go out and catch, train, and battle Pokémon—to enjoy all the different elements of the Pokémon RPGs.
For the longtime fans like myself, there's obviously the goal of completing the Pokédex. This time, the way you catch the original 151 Pokémon is very different from how it was in the past, so I think it'll be quite a challenge. The experience also feels very fresh because the technique of catching Pokémon is different in these games.
Other than that, we have some interesting content for longtime fans who are more interested in battling. After you finish the main story, there are Master Trainers that exist throughout the Kanto region. There's one for each of the different species of Pokémon—and each is the master of that Pokémon. That's what they call themselves. They've raised their Pokémon to be extremely strong, and you can go out and challenge them.
For example, if you find a Charmander Master, you challenge that Master Trainer with a Charmander of your own. To defeat that Charmander Master, you need a deep knowledge of how the Pokémon battle system works and you need to have a strong Pokémon. If you do manage to defeat them, you claim the title of Charmander Master for yourself. You can then travel throughout the Kanto region to collect all these different Master Trainer titles.
We would like to thank Mr. Masuda and Mr. Nabana for taking the time to chat with us about their latest games. If you want to learn even more about Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!, please visit the official website!
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AGF summarizes successful results of 2018
Murat Ersin Agüloğlu
The Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation has summarized the work done in 2018.
The World Cup in three types of gymnastics was held in Baku. The first in the past year was the World Cup in gymnastics, where more than 100 gymnasts from 25 countries took part. In the World Cup in Rhythmic Gymnastics, held in the following months, 26 countries took part, and in the World Cup in Aerobic Gymnastics - seven countries.
In addition to the World Cups, the AGF Junior Trophy, the GymBala international rhythmic gymnastics tournaments, as well as the International Aerobic Gymnastics Championship of Azerbaijan were held at the National Gymnastics Arena.
The most memorable competition of last year was the European Championships in trampoline, double mini-trampoline and tumbling. More than 400 gymnasts from 25 countries took part in the event. Representatives of the Azerbaijani national team Veronika Zemlyanaya and Svetlana Makshtareva won the bronze medals in doubles competition, and Mikhail Malkin became the European champion.
Azerbaijani gymnasts were also able to get medals at the Continental Championships in rhythmic gymnastics, held in Guadalajara, Spain. Arzu Jalilova received
Bronze medals in the tournament were received by Arzu Jalilova and five gymnasts in the group exercises - Aliya Pashayeva, Siyana Vasileva, Zeynab Gummatova, Diana Ahmadbayli and Ayshan Bayramova.
Along with these tournaments, the National Gymnastics Arena also hosted the qualification of pre-junior gymnastics for the Olympic Games. Azerbaijani gymnast Elizaveta Luzan won a gold medal at the Olympic Games among pre-juniors, which took place in October in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Three judges of the Azerbaijani national team also participated in this competition - Nigar Abdullayeva (in rhythmic gymnastics), Rza Aliyev (in men's gymnastics), Kamil Guliyev (in trampoline).
Azerbaijani gymnasts in 2018 also performed at the first European Gym for Life Challenge competition and were able to grab gold medals.
For the first time, the Azerbaijani TeamGym took part in the 12th European Championship, which was held in Odivelas, Portugal. The International Gymnastics Federation presented special cups to athletes representing Azerbaijan in group exercises with three balls and two jump ropes as well as Mikhail Malkin, according to the final points of all World Cups in trampoline gymnastics and tumbling held during the last two years.
Baku hosted the coaching courses of the Academy of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) for Azerbaijani coaches in rhythmic gymnastics, men's gymnastics and aerobic gymnastics.
In early December, a FIG Congress was held in Baku. About 300 representatives from more than 115 countries of the world took part in the work of the Congress, which, according to the FIG Charter, is the highest body of this structure.
During the Congress, changes were made to the charter of FIG to include parkour in the list of sports supervised by the International Gymnastics Federation. The agenda of the Congress raised the issue of ensuring the safety of all persons related to sports discipline - gymnastics, the creation of an "Ethics Fund", which includes sections of control over compliance with ethical principles, and also considered a number of other issues.
Also, Baku hosted meetings of the European Union Gymnastics Technical Committee for trampolining, a meeting of the Presidential Council of the European Gymnastics Union and a general meeting of the African Gymnastics Union.
Following the results of 2017, the activity of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation was highly appreciated by the International Gymnastics Federation, while the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation was included in the list of federations awarded for active work and took the first place in the rating.
The Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation has also been honored by the National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan for organizing and holding high-level sporting events.
The head coach of the Azerbaijani national rhythmic gymnastics team, Marianna Vasileva, was chosen as "Trainer, committed to fair game principles". European champion Mikhail Malkin was also honored as one of 10 winning athletes in the nomination "The best athlete of the year", and Azerbaijani gymnast Elizaveta Luzan for a worthy representation of the country at the 3rd Summer Olympics.
The Gymnastics Federation of Azerbaijan in 2018 received representatives from 111 countries.
In general, more than 2,000 foreign representatives visited Baku to attend events on various types of gymnastics.
The number of volunteers at international gymnastics competitions also reached a record high.
As many as 173 representatives from 17 countries of the world in 2018 chose the National Gymnastics Arena to conduct training camps.
Last year, the National Gymnastics Arena welcomed over 15,000 spectators.
Azerbaijani national team earned 26 gold, 15 silver and 44 bronze medals in 2018.
In its activity, AGF follows the principles, objectives and goals of the Olympic Movement, operates in close cooperation with the National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan.
AGF collaborates with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan and sports organizations on issues of the population's large-scale involvement in physical training and healthy lifestyle, personnel training, national teams' formation and their participation in the international tournaments and training camps. Within the framework of its authority, AGF also develops and strengthens international relations with sports organizations of foreign countries.
Currently, AGF comprises 7 gymnastics disciplines recognized by the International Federation of Gymnastics (FIG):
Rhythmic Gymnastics (Olympic discipline)
Men's Artistic Gymnastics (Olympic discipline)
Women's Artistic Gymnastics (Olympic discipline)
Acrobatic Gymnastics (non-Olympic discipline)
Aerobic Gymnastics (non-Olympic discipline)
Gymnastics for All (non-competitive discipline)
Trampoline Gymnastics (individual performance on Trampoline is Olympic discipline)
In 2019, Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation will hold a series of large-scale events in various gymnastic disciplines.
The Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships will be held on February 16-17. A month later, on March 14-17, the Gymnastics World Cup will be held for the fourth time in the country. April and May months will be marked by rhythmic gymnastics performances.
The Artistic Gymnastics World Cup will be held April 26-28. A week later, the European Artistic Gymnastics Championship will be held in Baku on May 16-19.
In 2019, the Federation will hold the first European Championships in two types of gymnastics. Following the rhythmic gymnastics competition on May 24-26, the most powerful aerobic gymnastics athletes will gather in the capital.
On July 20-28, the European Youth Olympic Festival will be held for the first time in Baku.
National Gymnastics Arena will host sporting events as part of the festival.
Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation (AGF), which was founded in 1956, has experienced revival since 2002 and the renewed federation lifted this popular sport to a new level. Currently, AGF comprises seven gymnastics disciplines recognized by the International Federation of Gymnastics (FIG).
The National Gymnastics Arena specialized in all six competitive gymnastics disciplines and hosted all large-scale competitions held in Baku from the day of its opening in 2014, is in the spotlight of not only the gymnasts, willingly joining the training camp, but, all the sports fans from different countries of the world with its uniqueness.
Source : Aznews
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The Springfield 322 (46mm)
Watch Description
The American mechanism inside this watch is not a replica or an "inspired" piece. It was genuinely carried by an individual, 100 years ago, that depended on it. Each time you wear this watch, you will be transported through time, imagining who this individual was and the work they did to help build our country. Simply put, American Artisan Series watches make you feel something when you put them on. At Vortic, we tell customers that owning a watch isn't nearly as important as owning a story. And, this is an opportunity to be a part of a story that is bigger than yourself. You won't be the first to own this watch, and you certainly won't be the last, so make your chapter count.
The American Artisan Series is a line of fully American Made wristwatches powered by restored, U.S. made pocket watch movements. Individuals commonly scrap pocket watch cases for their precious metal, leaving the original mechanism orphaned. This watch contains the original movement (timepiece), dial (face), and hands from a vintage (1880's - 1950's) pocket watch made by Illinois Watch Company. We call this model "The Springfield" because the company was located in Springfield, Illinois.
The Springfield 322 is the 322nd one-of-a-kind piece in Vortic's "Springfield " line of the American Artisan Series. This watch contains the original movement (timepiece), dial (face), and hands from a vintage (1880's – 1950's) pocket watch. The American Artisan Series is a line of fully American Made wristwatches powered by restored, U.S. made pocket watch movements.
What makes the Springfield 322 Unique: We don't see Roman numerals often, especially in this nice bold style. We love how practical this watch is in terms of being very easy to tell the time!
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Case Style:This case has been CNC milled from a solid block of aerospace grade titanium. The case is intentionally left unpolished so the intricate tool marks made during the milling process remain visible. Titanium is the ultimate material for strength to weight ratio. Titanium has a darker look than steel, and due to its low thermal conductivity, feels warm to the touch. These characteristics create an enduring, highly wearable, distinctive piece.
Movement: The manually wound, antique, pocket watch movement inside this watch has been meticulously restored to as close to original condition as possible. Vortic has an exclusive group of highly experienced watchmakers that specialize in vintage watches. Before its use in a wristwatch, each movement is completely disassembled, cleaned, oiled, and calibrated. Each finished Vortic watch is tested for at least a week before completion.
This watch's movement is serial number from the Illinois Watch Company. Originally called the Springfield Watch Company, Illinois came to Springfield, Illinois in 1869 while the "modern" watch industry was fairly new but highly promising. City officials felt that the addition of industry to the city of Springfield would be excellent for the city's growth. However, after a series of failures and re-brandings, the company had a slow start until 1903 when they decided to manufacture high-quality watches only. Eventually making some of the most beautiful watches of their time, the company sold to Hamilton in 1927. Hamilton continued producing watches under the Illinois name for some time, but the original Springfield factory no longer stands.
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Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
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Function: Manual Wind
Jewels: 17j
Hands: Original
Size: 12s
Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
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Our mission is to preserve and enhance the legacy of manufacturing excellence in America. We believe that this legacy is highly relevant in the world of watch manufacturing because our goal is to marry form and function in a way that makes something beautiful that will last forever. American made pocket watches were of such a high quality and decoration that they evolved into more than just a way to tell time. They became traditional heirlooms to be inherited by future generations as a wedding gift or a coming of age treasure. Each piece tells a lively tale of what U.S. manufacturing meant in the past using an intricate language of decorated bridges, plates, gears, and springs. Today, we are restoring these pieces to their former glory and making them relevant again using the best of modern technology.
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The Military Edition - First Edition
History on your wrist
Wonderful watch with history on your wrist and a look at history by turning the watch around.
Richard Ridgley
The Chicago Railroad 017 (51mm)
Watches, watches, watches
I have ordered many watches from Vortic. I just love their watches. Each watch is a beautiful recovered and restored piece of history. We are fortunate to have them to restore these works of art.
Beautiful T-Shirt
I bought the shirt for my husband, Dale. It is so soft and comfortable. But more special is it's symbolism. My husband used his GI Bill to go to watchmaker's school in 1960. His Dad was a self taught watchmaker! My husband chose a mechanical career retiring from the Washington Metro Transit Authority after forty years. Watchmaking formed the foundation for his career. He still enjoys tinkering but mostly helping others with their clocks. Still a gear-head who turn 85 this month!
Elaine Anthony
America Wasn't Assembled T-Shirt
Nicest watch I have
I am super impressed with my watch. Its sleek and beautiful. And was the best gift i have ever recived. There is just something about wearing a watch thats 100+ years old that makes you feel like your holding the history of the past. I Love my vortic and would recommend anyone to buy a watch, and have there own piece of history!
Allen Duck
The Chicago 078 (46mm)
Heirloom quality, classic style--best purchase I've made in a long time!
I'm quite particular about certain things when it comes to my personal style, and watches are one of them. After my longtime wristwatch was finally rendered unrepairable, the search began for a replacement. I knew I wanted to invest in a good one, but I didn't want to spend more money than I could reasonably afford, and it was hard to find one that really suited me. I wanted something that was stylish but classic, as well as something that was truly unique, and something that was elegant but not so extravagant I'd feel worried about wearing it every day. After a few years of fruitless searching, I'd pretty well given up finding what I was looking for--until I came across the Vortic site. It wasn't just what they were doing with the watches--it was their entire philosophy of restoration and pride in artisanal craftsmanship at all stages. It was an appreciation for history, a dislike of waste, and a desire to see good things restored to lived purpose. I'd missed the "build your own watch" period but was confident that the "watch a day" process would eventually reveal the watch for me. And when I saw the Chicago 381, there was no question! I'd been waiting--and saving--for months, and I was ready. Click--bought!--and then on its way to Canada. I obsessively pulled up the profile page for the watch every day until it's arrival. Would it look as good in person? Could the reality ever match my anticipation?
Communications with the Vortic crew were quick and easy. (As an important side note, Vortic customer service is first rate! There was a bit of a mixup with Customs duties at the border, but RT and Bella were on it immediately, and they sorted everything out.) Then, in just over a week, my package had arrived. The watch was in a beautiful wooden case, and the reveal was almost as much an event as examining the watch itself!
But the highlight was the watch, and what a watch it is, even better than I could have imagined. The photos were excellent, but they don't capture the subtle shifts in light on the mother-of-pearl-style watch face, or the deep hue of the crimson strap (which looks more rust-coloured on the website); I also purchased a tobacco strap as an alternative, but so far I've kept the crimson one on, as it works with more of my outfits than I'd anticipated. The watch is lighter than it looks, and the size, while bigger than most wristwatches, isn't at all out of proportion to my wrist. The Art Deco details are exquisite, and the open back's 17-jewel movement really stands out. One thing I was pleasantly surprised with was the subtle sound of the ticking--I'm so used to non-wind watches, but this return to a real watch with a real movement is welcome.
I've had the watch nearly a month now, and I can say without any exaggeration that this is the best watch I've ever owned; it's also the only watch I've had where strangers offer appreciative comment. Couldn't be happier with the purchase, and can't recommend the work and the professionalism of the Vortic crew highly enough. If you've been looking for a stylish, heirloom-quality timepiece at an accessible price point--and one with a history, a story, and a presence--then give Vortic a close look. You won't be disappointed!
Everything was top notch!
From purchase to delivery, the transaction was handled fantastic! They quickly helped me with swapping of the buckle before shipping and the watch arrived very quickly. Packaged very well and I am very happy with my purchase. Will buy from again!
Sam Van Handel
Extremely unique
Definitely one of the finest and most unique watches you can purchase. Really a value for the price when you look at other well known branded watches around the world.
Glenn Adriance
A piece of history
I received my watch, Springfield 318, and I was ecstatic to open the box and see it. This was the culmination of many months of waffling back and forth--should I purchase an Illinois Watch Co. as a means of commemorating my Grandfather and my Dad's family history from Illinois? My Grandfather, who was born in 1886, had an Illinois Watch Co piece that has since disappeared in some of the family archives, but having a watch with the Illinois name would serve as a reminder of the family heritage, even if it wasn't his actual watch.
I'm happy to say that the Springfield 318 is an amazing and beautiful timepiece, and I made the right decision in going ahead with the purchase. It is hard to believe that the softly ticking mechanism on my wrist was originally put together over 100 years ago, but it still keeps precise time.
The combination of the flat dial finish, with the bright silver glint from the engine turned accents really catch the eye. Readability is good, with the blued, Breguet-style hands, although the minute hand is very thin and sometimes requires a second look to see where it is. The band is excellent quality, fits well, and looks great with the black finish on the case. The only way I could suggest improving it would be a deployant clasp, rather than a buckle closure.
The construction and fit and finish are top notch--it is a joy to wear this piece of mechanized art. Winding it each morning is a ritual which reinforces a value that things should be built to last and taken care of.
Thanks for a wonderful watch, and for the memories it will continue to carry forward for me and my family.
Kenyon Kehl
Lots of Complements
I first saw Vortic at an art show in late 2019 and loved the concept. After discussing it with my wife and finding the perfect watch to submit, I designed my own watch. I am very happy with the end product and people have been complementing me on it. I hope to do another one in the future!
Daniel Keeler
Heritage - Watch Builder - 001
Exceeded my expectations
I was impressed with the craftsmanship and delivery of my Vortic watch. The condition of the watch exceeded my expectations in every way. I will enjoy this watch for life. And, you can't have just one, can you...
Dwayne Reynolds
The Boston 347 (46mm)
Great watch
This is my third vortic watch, first was a railroad edition, next the military edition, and now american artisan. The watch movement has nice engraving and the face as well.
Jim Schmidt
Regular price $3,495.00 Sold
0% APR for 6 Months
Vortic Home
All product and company names, logos, brands, and other trademarks featured or referred to within Vortic's products and services are the property of their respective intellectual property rights holders, if any. Those intellectual property rights holders, other than Vortic, LLC, are not affiliated with Vortic, LLC, our products, or our website. They do not sponsor or endorse our materials.
© 2022 Vortic Watch Company
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Specialists boost North Sea prospects
Andrew Hockey at Independent Oil and Gas discusses how the energy transition is helping reinvigorate the UK North Sea by enabling development of more marginal domestic gas reserves cheaply
One impact of the energy transition is a tighter rein on oil and gas CAPEX from the majors, which has led them to move away from the traditional, 'mature' areas of the North Sea and focus remaining funds on higher margin opportunities. This has left space for more independent operators to pick up divested aging, neglected or stranded assets and keep them producing or bring them to market.
Independents like us (Independent Oil and Gas [IOG]), Verus Petroleum and Enquest can specialise by targeting certain parts of the upstream value chain. Enquest, for example, is a late-life asset specialist focusing on squeezing the last drop out of older fields that may have passed under the radar of bigger companies.
This transition is injecting life into mature areas of the North Sea. Capital costs are down and operating efficiency is up, helped by lower operating costs and a rise in production efficiency. New technologies are being applied in the simplest ways, using off-the-shelf or repeatable designs where possible, which helps cut costs and shorten the time to first production.
The government is also playing its part, having put in place a much simpler framework, both fiscally and from a regulatory point of view. Establishing the Oil and Gas Authority was a good thing, with its emphasis on maximising economic recovery (MER) and encouragement for data sharing and collaboration to enhance efficiency. Another important step was to split liability for decommissioning costs with previous owners, which encourages purchase and late-life development by smaller specialists.
Until recently it was difficult to get hold of capital – but as prices rise, fund managers are raising their exposure and more is becoming available to small companies, enabling them to move forward with projects. In addition, contractors are also more open to take some of their payment after first gas, and gas off-takers are also more willing to provide capital, although normally only for near-field upgrading and development – rather than in frontier or high-risk areas.
Gas security of supply
The UK has been a net gas importer since 2003, and the proportion has now risen to about 60%. Unless fresh reserves are developed in the North Sea, this figure will increase further (gas is expected to be used heavily as a bridging fuel in the energy transition), raising questions over security of supply and (with the closure of the Rough storage facility last year) flexibility in meeting spells of high demand.
New domestic gas production is also good for the UK's balance of payments, employment, energy consumers and the economy generally. This move to develop more marginal fields at relatively low cost, re-using existing infrastructure, should be welcomed wholeheartedly by all concerned.
Aside from producing more gas for use as a bridging fuel, and extracting a larger proportion from each accumulation, the oil and gas sector is also demonstrating its commitment to the environment through efforts to reduce associated methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) emissions. Most companies are also making efforts to reduce their carbon footprint by consuming energy more efficiently – all of IOG's platform designs have solar panels and no flaring.
The UK North Sea oil and gas industry is going to be important in the coming decades, providing secure, flexible, low carbon energy, tax revenue and employment. It's crucial to keep our global leadership in areas such as subsea engineering, and opportunities are beginning to return. Hopefully, we can also attract a younger, more diverse workforce. We realise that the industry's image isn't always brilliant, but I think we've still got a lot to give this country in the years to come.
By Andrew Hockey, CEO, Independent Oil and Gas
Saving stranded assets
IOG's Southern North Sea gas portfolio is a great example of the new type of developments happening in the basin. It consists of two main development hubs, with proven reserves and nearby prospective acreage. The key to keeping costs down is to use existing infrastructure, so gas will be transported to shore through the Thames Pipeline, which IOG acquired in April from Tullow, Centrica and Perenco. The decommissioned 90km pipeline runs from the Thames cluster of fields to the Bacton gas terminal.
IOG plans to tie in output at the 60km point and recommission the line. The Blythe hub will produce gas from the Blythe and Elgood fields, while the Vulcan satellite hub takes gas from the Southwark, Elland and Nailsworth discoveries. Without this plan, the departure of previous owner ConocoPhillips and the closure of the Theddlethorpe Terminal later this year would have left these fields as stranded assets containing 2P reserves of 303bn cubic feet (Bcf) – which is a substantial volume.
In addition, IOG owns the 114Bcf appraisal opportunity at Harvey, along with two 30th Licensing Round awards nearby, both containing existing gas discoveries totalling around 200Bcf. This amounts to another 314Bcf that could be brought to shore in this value-for-money project.
Funding all this is tricky, and that's an area of focus. Phase one capital requirement alone totals about £200m. IOG is aiming to secure funding and get to final investment decision later this year, with first gas set for late 2019.
Image credit | Getty Images


This walk started off well, till someone decided we carry on round instead of walking back the same way….
then towards the end we had 7 waterfalls to go under with hardly anyone prepared with water proofs, a great walk and we are all so pleased we managed it, all 7.5 hours of it, but it will be one that´s ticked off our list and wont be repeated….
Fantastic, great photos lovely scenery – great for the oldies to watch and unfortunately never do.
Some of us are oldies Sue.
hey Sue… define oldies please……..


RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – North Carolina's governor says he's vetoing legislation directing new elections if fraud is found in a disputed U.S. House race because the hastily approved bill also adds new cover for lobbyists and people who violate campaign finance laws.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday he'll sign the legislation if state lawmakers remove the section. Cooper objects to details like requiring that state elections officials refer apparent campaign finance crimes to a separate commission for a confidential review on whether prosecutors are notified.
The bill also would require new primary elections besides a new general election if mishandled ballots or other problems cast doubt on the true result in the 9th Congressional District race and force a redo.
Unofficial results show Republican Mark Harris leading Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes.
BLADENBORO, N.C. (AP) – The attorney for a man at the center of a controversy in a disputed North Carolina congressional race said he hasn't broken any campaign laws and ongoing investigations will prove it.
Republican candidate Mark Harris said in an interview last week that it was his decision to hire Dowless, who is the focus in an investigation into how absentee ballots were handled.
The state elections board has declined to certify the election results in light of mail-in absentee ballot irregularities in Bladen County and other issues in Robeson County.
MORGANTON, N.C. (AP) – A North Carolina animal shelter says a Morganton dog has been found suffering dozens of BB gunshot wounds to its face, head and body.
A Better Life Animal Rescue President Gwen Hood says the wounded dog named Brownie was found lying in a ditch during a snowstorm last week. News outlets report Brownie's owner, Edith Pritchard, was found and the Jack Russell Terrier mix was taken to a veterinarian.
Brownie returned home Monday and is now blind in one eye. Pritchard says Brownie had been allowed outside unsupervised, along with her 6-year-old Chihuahua named Petey. Petey died suddenly the same night Brownie was wounded. Hood says it's believed Petey got into something poisonous.
Hood says Brownie was tortured, and Burke County Sheriff Steve Whisenant says animal control is investigating.
BEIJING (AP) – The U.S. government is reviewing reports of forced labor at a Chinese detention camp where ethnic minorities must give up their religion and language and work in factories.
The AP tracked shipments from a factory in a detention camp in China's Xinjiang region to Badger Sportswear in North Carolina. The company ships clothing to universities, colleges and schools around the United States.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – A Russian businessman who lived a lavish life in North Carolina will remain in jail while he's prosecuted on charges including money laundering and murder-for-hire.
An online court docket shows a federal magistrate judge ordered Leonid Teyf to stay in custody pending trial. The judge's order Tuesday noted strong evidence against Teyf.
Prosecutors say in court documents that the 57-year-old Teyf stashed millions in U.S. bank accounts after helping to orchestrate a $150 million kickback scheme involving suppliers to the Russian military. They also accuse him of plotting to kill a man he suspected of an affair with his wife.
Defense attorneys argued in court documents that the charges are based on "questionable legal theories." They note their client has lived in the U.S. nearly a decade without a criminal record.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – North Carolina's legislature has taken the first step to override the governor's veto of legislation implementing a recently approved constitutional amendment on voter ID.
The state Senate voted Tuesday to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of the bill filling in details to carry out the constitutional amendment approved by voters requiring photo ID to cast ballots in person.
The state House is likely to complete the veto override on Wednesday afternoon when it reconvenes. Both chambers are controlled by Republicans.
Democratic legislators acknowledge voter ID rules are necessary because of the referendum approved in November, but say details are being rushed and will prevent some minorities and poor people from voting.
The legislation greatly expands the number of qualifying IDs and exceptions compared to legislation blocked earlier this decade.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – A Charlotte financial technology startup plans to add more than 1,200 jobs in its hometown over five years.
North Carolina officials on Tuesday approved tax breaks for AvidXchange that with other state and local incentives could total almost $25 million. The software company sells software that helps midsize companies receive, approve, and pay their bills more efficiently.
AvidXchange now has more than 900 workers in Charlotte. The company plans to add white-collar headquarters jobs paying more than $68,000 a year.
State officials said the company founded in 2000 also was considering expansion in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; The Woodlands, Texas; and Kansas City, Kansas.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) – Police in North Carolina are searching for clues in the death of a woman whose body was found inside a metal trash bin.
The Winston-Salem Journal reports police say the body of 30-year-old Shantika Lashae Dunlap was found in the trash bin behind a business last Saturday.
Lt. Gregory Dorn said previously her boyfriend reported Dunlap missing last Wednesday after she stopped answering her phone. Dorn said she was last seen at the house the pair shared in Winston-Salem.
While police call Dunlap's death suspicious, they aren't calling it a homicide.
Dorn said after an autopsy was conducted Tuesday, law enforcement is waiting on toxicology results to rule on a cause of death.


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Yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed yet another stopgap measure to prevent a federal government shutdown, while lawmakers attempt to work out a deal on the federal budget. The current federal budget is loaded with provisions that slash funding for public health, clean air, endangered species and clean water. Some of the wholesale cuts include stripping the Obama Administration of its ability to act on climate change, cutting all funding for protecting salmon in the San Francisco Bay and support for the removal of the Klamath dams.
With the next deadline extended to April 8th, lawmakers will return to their districts. No doubt greeted by constituents who understand what is at stake and hoping to protect their air, drinking water, and communities.


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CMU:DIY Lectures
Lecture Notes | Making Money From Music
Published on Wednesday 4 October 2017
These notes accompany the CMU:DIY lecture 'Making Money From Music' and provide a beginner's guide to the different ways artists generate revenue and the business partners they might work with along the way.
In addition to these notes, you can also download the slides for the 'Making Money From Music' lecture HERE. For more on music copyright and label/distributor deals you might also want to check out the 'Dissecting The Digital Dollar' reports and guides HERE.
Why do we even want to make money out of music? Well, this is probably stating the obvious, but if – as an artist – you want to focus on your music full time, you need to turn what you do into money.
You need to pay for…
• Living costs: This will depend on how much you cost to run. And obviously in a band, there are more living costs to cover.
• Touring: While gigging will eventually become a revenue stream, at the outset you will likely lose money every time you get on stage. But you need to get on stage because it's the single most effective way to build a fanbase.
• Producers, engineers, songwriters etc: It's a lot cheaper to produce music today than it used to be, though most of the best tracks are actually collaborations between multiple artists, songwriters, record producers and sound engineers. And those people need to make money too.
• The distribution of recordings: This is also a lot cheaper in the digital age, though there is still admin associated with the digital distribution of music, which takes time. And time is money!
• Marketing and PR: Although most of the social media and digital channels you'll likely employ to promote your music are free to use, every single artist in the world has those channels, so you need to stand out from the crowd. Success requires great content; interaction with fans; support from media, industry and social opinion formers; and probably some advertising spend. For most artists, marketing and PR continues to require a significant time and financial investment.
• Someone to manage all this activity: Most artists start off truly DIY, but as your artist business starts to grow you will need more support and help from suppliers and business partners. All of whom are ultimately going to need to be paid.
MAKING MONEY FROM MUSIC
So, artists need to turn their music-making into money. There are three main ways you can generate income from your music.
1. Create and exploit intellectual property.
2. Stage and monetise live performances.
3. Build a fanbase and monetise the fan relationship.
MAKING MONEY FROM INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
As an artist you create four main kinds of intellectual property…
First, every song you write is protected by copyright. We call these the 'song rights' or the 'publishing rights'.
Second, every recording you make is protected by a separate copyright. We call these the 'recording rights' or the 'master rights'.
Third, all the photos and illustrations you create are also protected by copyright – the 'artistic rights'.
Fourth, your brand – so your actual name, performer name or band name – can be protected by a thing called trademark.
Both copyright and trademarks are forms of intellectual property.
Copyrights are automatic – there is copyright in every song you write, every track you record and every photo you take as soon as the song, track or photo is created. You don't need to fill out a form or pay anyone any money.
Trademarks are registered – to protect your name you need to register it with the trademark registry. This costs money and you will likely need legal advice on how to go about it.
Therefore registering trademarks is not a top priority for new artists, though it's something to be aware of. Superstar artists make lots of money by allowing other companies – eg tech companies, fashion companies, perfume companies – to build products using their trademarks.
Copyright ownership
Because copyrights are automatic, artists and songwriters need to be clued up on copyright from the off. And the first consideration is copyright ownership.
By default a song copyright is owned by whoever writes the song. By default a recording copyright is owned by whoever arranges for the recording to take place. By default the copyright in a photo or illustration is owned by the photographer or illustrator.
Where multiple people create a copyright-protected work together, they co-own the resulting copyright. This happens a lot with songwriting. If you co-write a song with another person, you together own the song copyright.
It's for you as collaborators to decide how you are going to split the copyright, ie what percentage of the copyright (and any subsequent money) does each co-writer get?
It's important to note that, although copyright law provides these default ownership rules, copyrights can also be transferred.
So, one member of a band might arrange for a recording to take place, but they might decide to share the copyright with their bandmates. Or, you might write a song, but you might sell the copyright to me in return for money.
Copyright law allows such transfer – it calls it 'assignment'. Though when copyrights are assigned, there should be a written agreement so everyone is clear on who owns what.
Copyright doesn't last forever, though it does last for a long time.
In Europe, the copyright in a song, photograph or illustration lasts for the life-time of the creator and another 70 years.
The copyright in a recording lasts for 70 years after its release.
Copyright controls
Copyright provides copyright owners with certain controls over what happens to their content. There are six main controls: the reproduction control, the distribution control, the rental control, the adaptation control, the performance control and the communication control.
Copyright makes money whenever another person or company wants to exploit one of your copyright controls. So they want to reproduce, or distribute, or rent, or adapt, or perform, or communicate one of your songs or your recordings.
Whenever that happens, they must get your permission to exploit your copyright controls. You charge for your permission (aka licensing), which is how copyright makes money.
When a copyright owner sells permission to – or licenses – a third party to utilise their copyright controls, a deal needs to be done between the copyright owner and the licensee.
In the music industry, there are three main ways copyright owners license, and which method is used generally depends on what the licensee wants to do with the song or the recording.
Option One: License direct
The licensee finds the copyright owner and negotiates a bespoke deal.
This happens when a brand wants to use your song or recording in an advert. They must find you and make you an offer. You will negotiate a deal, agree terms and write a contract.
Option Two: License via a third party
The copyright owner allows a third party to license on their behalf. The third party then does the deal on behalf of the copyright owner.
This happens with DIY artists and the streaming platforms. Realistically the likes of Spotify and Apple Music don't have time to negotiate deals with every single DIY artist. So they negotiate deals with distributors like AWAL, CD Baby, Distrokid, Ditto, EmuBands, Spinnup and TuneCore.
As an artist you ally with one of those companies, allow them to license your recordings to the streaming services, and 'piggy back' on the deals they have already negotiated.
Option Three: License via the collective licensing system
In certain scenarios the music industry chooses to license as one.
So, all the artists and record labels (more or less) put all their rights into one pot and appoint a collecting society to license on their behalf. And all the writers and music publishers (more or less) put all their rights into one pot and appoint another collecting society to license on their behalf.
Licensees can then get two 'blanket licences', one covering all recordings (more or less) and one covering all songs (more or less). The collecting societies collect the money and pass it on to the artists, labels, writers and publishers, in theory based on how often their music was used.
Things like live performance, cover versions, TV, radio and the public performance of recorded music in public spaces are usually licensed via the collecting societies. In the UK, PRS/MCPS is the society for writers and publishers, while PPL is the society for artists and labels.
MAKING MONEY FROM LIVE PERFORMANCE
Making money from live performance is much easier to get your head around. If people are willing to pay to be in the same room as you while you sing your songs, you can monetise live performance!
Though the live industry makes money in other ways too, including booking fees; selling food and drink; selling other services like parking, cloakroom facilities, queue hop and VIP rooms; and selling sponsorship to brands.
Most artists' live careers go through similar stages…
• Self-promoted gigs, open mic nights.
• Gig and club-nights, festival new band stages.
• Pub/club venue touring, small festival stages.
• Theatre venue touring, bigger festival stages.
• Arena touring, festival headline slots.
• Stadium touring.
Gigging only really becomes profitable for the artist once they are playing smaller theatres or bigger club venues. At the grass roots, artists might actually make more money from their copyright if they are performing their own songs, as they will be due PRS royalties in addition to any fee they are paid by the promoter of the show.
MAKING MONEY FROM THE FAN RELATIONSHIP
This is the newest part of the music business, which has become possible because artists now have direct online relationships with their core fanbase.
Once you have an engaged fanbase, you can start to sell them products and services directly online. It doesn't matter what you sell them – sell them what they want to buy! This might include: premium products (records, merch); VIP live experiences; a subscription service (online fan club) etc.
Plus, if you build a sizeable fanbase, brands may want to partner with you to reach your online audience – basically you become like a media.
MEET THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
So, there are lots of ways to make money out of music. Though building a fanbase and unlocking those revenue streams takes time and will likely require some expertise and cash investment. Which is where the music industry comes in.
The music industry consists of companies and individuals who work with artists to help them turn what they do into money. Most music companies specialise in one music revenue stream.
This means the wider industry can be split up, commonly…
• Those which work in music rights v those that work in live.
• Those which exploit recording rights v those which exploit song rights.
This means artists usually have relationships with multiple companies, doing a different deal for each of their revenue streams.
THE MUSIC RIGHTS INDUSTRY: KEY PARTNERS
Record Label: The label first and foremost exploits sound recording rights. It works with artists on creating and distributing recorded content, liaising with the studios, record producers, sound engineers and other songwriters, plus CD/vinyl manufacturers, music retailers and digital platforms. The label also leads on the marketing of the artist's albums and singles, running campaigns that also help the artist grow their fanbase.
Music Publisher: The publisher first and foremost exploits song rights. It will manage the licensing of the songwriter's songs and the collection of royalties, liaising with the collecting societies and directly with some licensees. It will also support the songwriter's artistic development, and may also seek sync and original composition opportunities for the writer. Publishers may also publish sheet music, hence their name.
Merchandiser: The merchandiser oversees the production of the artist's merchandise, and may also be involved in the sale and distribution of these products. A merchandiser may also seek opportunities to generate further income by licensing the artist's artwork and trademarks to third parties.
THE LIVE MUSIC INDUSTRY: : KEY PARTNERS
Promoter: The promoter stages gigs, tours and festivals, booking the artists and venues, hiring the crew, leading on marketing and taking the financial risk. Some promoters also own venues.
Booking Agent: The agent sits between the artist and the promoter, seeking opportunities for the artist to play live and negotiating any deals. Whereas artists often work with just one label and one publisher at a time, they will likely work with multiple promoters on different shows, tours, festivals and corporate gigs, hence why artists have a separate member of their team seeking and negotiating deals in the live space.
Ticket Agent: The ticket agent sells the tickets, obviously. It will have an online platform for selling said tickets, and may also offer telesales and/or physical shops. More importantly, the ticket agent may have a mailing list of music fans it can promote a show to. Ticket agents may also advance money to help the promoter with cash flow.
THE FAN BUSINESS: : KEY PARTNERS
D2F Agency: This is the newest part of the music industry, but there are now companies that help artists with their direct-to-fan activity. Some of these mainly provide technology while others help manage online artist stores. Some labels and promoters have also been dabbling in this space.
Brand Partnership Agency: While some brands will work directly with artists, labels or promoters, some prefer to work with specialist brand agencies which sit between them and the music industry. This is partly because brands will often want access to recordings, songs, merch, tickets and fanbase, but that might require doing deals with five different companies. Brands would rather deal with one agency, which then talks to the artist and all their business partners.
Sitting between the artist and all their business partners is the manager. The artist manager is the only business partner that takes an interest in every aspect of the artist's career.
The role of the manager changes as the artist's career progresses. Initially, when there are no other business partners, artist and manager must do all the work between them. Meanwhile the manager is helping the artist identify business partners and negotiating deals with a label, publisher, merchandiser, agent, promoter, D2F company and/or brand agency.
Once the deals are in place, the manager needs to make sure everyone is doing the work they promised to do, including the artist. A good manager is also always looking ahead into the future, beyond the current album and tour, advising the artist on how to build their business for long-term success.
GET MORE CMU
• Sign up to the free CMU Daily bulletin HERE.
• Tune in to the weekly Setlist podcast HERE.
• Find out about upcoming CMU events HERE.
Words: Chris Cooke – Last updated Oct 2017
CMU:DIY WORKSHOPS LECTURES SESSIONS GUIDE ITO SEMINAR A:E DAY


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Home > FACPUB > 56
Rare Earth Dopant (Nd, Gd, Dy, and Er) Hybridization in Lithium Tetraborate
Tony D. Kelly
James C. Petrosky, Air Force Institute of Technology
John W. McClory, Air Force Institute of Technology
Volodymyr T. Adamiv, Institute of Physical Optics - Lviv, Ukraine
Yaroslav V. Burak, Institute of Physical Optics - Lviv, Ukraine
Bohdan V. Padlyak, Institute of Physical Optics - Lviv, Ukraine
Ihor M. Teslyuk, Institute of Physical Optics - Lviv, Ukraine
Ning Lu, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Lu Wang, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Wai-Ning Mei, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Peter A. Dowben, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
The four dopants (Nd, Gd, Dy, and Er) substitutionally occupy the Li+ sites in lithium tetraborate (Li2B4O7: RE) glasses as determined by analysis of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure. The dopants are coordinated by 6-8 oxygen at a distance of 2.3 to 2.5 Å, depending on the rare earth. The inverse relationship between the RE-O coordination distance and rare earth (RE) atomic number is consistent with the expected lanthanide atomic radial contraction with increased atomic number. Through analysis of the X-ray absorption near edge structure, the rare earth dopants adopt the RE3+ valence state. There are indications of strong rare earth 5d hybridization with the trigonal and tetrahedral formations of BO3 and BO4 based on the determination of the rare earth substitutional Li+ site occupancy from the X-ray absorption near edge structure data. The local oxygen disorder around the RE3+ luminescence centers evident in the structural determination of the various glasses, and the hybridization of the RE3+ dopants with the host may contribute to the asymmetry evident in the luminescence emission spectral lines. The luminescence emission spectra are indeed characteristic of the expected f-to-f transitions; however, there is an observed asymmetry in some emission lines.
Publisher version of record: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2014.00031
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 3.0). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
10.3389/fphy.2014.00031
Frontiers in Physics
Kelly, T. D., Petrosky, J. C., McClory, J. W., Adamiv, V. T., Burak, Y. V, Padlyak, B. V, … Dowben, P. A. (2014). Rare Earth Dopant (Nd, Gd, Dy, and Er) Hybridization in Lithium Tetraborate. Frontiers in Physics, 2, 31. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2014.00031


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You are at:Home»Featured»Up Your Game With Crowdfunding to Attract Millennial Clients
Up Your Game With Crowdfunding to Attract Millennial Clients
Iris.xyz October 1, 2016
Boomers, Gen X, Millennials: 5 Ways to Avoid Generational Warfare
Note: This article is courtesy of Iris.xyz
By Bill Acheson
In the words of Steve Jobs, it's time to "think different." About technology, about your clients, and about your business.
There's a lot of change going on in the investment world, and roboadvisors and new DOL regulations are just the tip of the iceberg. Perhaps the biggest shift facing advisors today is the emergence of crowdfunding as a major investing opportunity for younger investors. Whether you know a lot or a little about crowdfunding, now is the time to up your game.
The crowdfunding movement was born out of the Great Recession. In an effort to generate new growth, President Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) in 2012, and it revolutionized capital raising for startups. It also revolutionized investing for individuals.
Crowdfunding is currently forecast to account for more funding in 2016 than all of venture capital combined.
That's a game changer. For advisors, crowdfunding is poised to have a huge impact on your business model—and your revenue—unless you take time now to learn about it and turn it into an advantage before it becomes a threat. If you're not convinced crowdfunding is coming your way, consider the following:
Crowdfunder, "the first truly diversified fund for early-stage startups," invests in startups backed by top VCs in the index—at their same terms. Once the fund invests, select fund investments are shared with the investor network online. By offering a greater magnitude of diversification than traditional VC firms, Crowdfunder is able to capture early-stage market returns and deliver them directly to investors.
On the popular crowdfunding site IndieGogo, Honey Flow, an Australian beehive maker, recently grabbed headlines for being the fastest campaign to reach $1M—and then $2M. With an initial startup goal of $70,000, after 15 minutes on Indiegogo, they'd raised $250,000. They're currently the most successful crowdfunding campaign ever launched outside the US.
At the end of 2015, Fundrise, a real estate crowdfunding platform, introduced its Income eREIT. The response from investors was swift and dramatic. By March 2016, the company had raised $23.4M in settled subscriptions. The company's goal is to "give everyone the opportunity to invest directly in high quality real estate, without the middlemen." Today, there are more than 80,000 members of Fundrise totaling nearly $3 billion worth of real estate investments.
Crowdfunding site Kickstarter is now launching more books than all but the largest publishers. One of the most notable successes is Rebel Girls, a children's book that tells the stories of 100 inspiring women by introducing young readers to role models from the Brontë sisters to Serena Williams. One hundred and forty days after launch, the campaign hit $1M in pre-orders, making it the biggest publishing project in Kickstarter's history.
Stratifund provides an independent, unbiased, centralized source of information about equity crowdfunding deals to let anyone invest in startup companies: Without a broker-dealer, and (are you paying attention?) without an investment advisor. According to the company's website, Stratifund delivers independent research, easy-to-read reports and "all the info you need, with none of the fluff."
What does the recent uptick in crowdfunding platforms and successes have to do with your advisory business? A lot.
Especially if you are hoping to attract and work with Millennials to grow your practice.
According to a 2015 survey by Capital One ShareBuilder, 93% of Millennials stated they were wary of the public markets. They lack trust in the markets and they lack knowledge when it comes to investing in stocks. It's no wonder Millennials lack trust in the markets — they watched their parents suffer through the stock market crashes of 1987, 2001, and 2008, and it wasn't pretty.
Click here to read the full story on Iris.xyz.


The Warren Annex Post Office is located in the state of Ohio within Trumbull County. This location serves 22,991 Warren residents with a median income of $44,123. It's estimated that approximately 36,696 packages pass through this post office each year.


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The General Secretariat
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ID-Day
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We believe the greatest challenge for identity in Africa right now is achieving inclusion – getting everyone enrolled and onboarded into an identity system, so that they are visible and can receive their fair share of benefits and services. This goal has become even more urgent in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic as the public health challenges and economic woes are pressuring governments to deploy social safety nets, health, and labor programs to contain the pandemic and help restart their economies—all requiring inclusive identification of the population.
The objective of this LiveCast is to provide concrete guidance to governments about policies, approaches and technologies that have been proven successful in boosting enrollments or are promising game-changers in that regard.
To celebrate International Identity Day, this episode of the LiveCast was an extended session of 2 hours to allow panelists to dive deeper into the subject and to give attendees the opportunity to voice their opinions, through the Community Voices feature, on the number one challenge for identity systems today.
Inclusion, the biggest obstacle to the Identity Movement, need to be addressed now!
What makes this subject complex is the fact that there is not one single reason why people continue to be excluded. In fact, even when people are not excluded from ID systems, they could be excluded from services because of a variety of ID-related issues like authentication failures, difficult KYC or unrealistic eligibility standards, etc.
In addition, the impact of ID exclusion can manifest itself differently in varied sectors of society, and could possibly be entangled with deeper cultural and societal challenges. For example, those affecting women, marginalized groups, minorities, the poor, the nomads, the remotely inaccessible, and those that lack documentation from birth.
The Moderator
Joseph Atick
ID4Africa
Dr. Joseph Atick is a recognized world renowned advocate and expert on identity matters. Having been one of the founders of the identity industry nearly 30 years ago, he led several companies in that domain and developed some of the foundational algorithms underlying secure digital identity today, including the first commercially viable face recognition algorithm. He retired from the industry in 2010 to focus on promoting identity for social and economic development around the world. In that mission he partnered with the World Bank and other UN agencies, and was heavily involved in the development and field testing of the methodology and analytic tools that would guide the subsequent activities in that space, and would lead to the launch of the ID4D initiative at the World Bank. In 2014, he co-founded ID4Africa as a pan-African Movement to promote responsible digital transformations through digital identity in Africa. He is a staunch defender of privacy, data protection and human rights and continues to provide counsel to governments and international organization on the use of identity for public good. Dr. Atick holds a Ph.D. in Mathematical Physics from Stanford University.
The Panelists
Alan Gelb
[expand title="Read Bio"] Alan Gelb is a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development. His recent research includes the applications of biometric ID technology for development purposes particularly in low and middle-income countries, the special challenges of resource-rich countries, and instruments to link aid flows to results. He also works on competitiveness and industrial development, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. He was previously director of development policy at the World Bank, and before that chief economist for the Bank's Africa region and staff director for the 1996 World Development Report "From Plan to Market.". He has published widely in these areas, including in refereed journals. [/expand]
Tariq Malik
Chief Technical Advisor
[expand title="Read Bio"]
Tariq Malik, Chief Technical Advisor, (UNDP), is the former Chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) in Pakistan. Prior to joining UNDP, he held the position of a Senior Technical Consultant at World Bank. Tariq is among the ten core members of technical experts' group (TEG) of World Bank supporting client countries with ID planning and implementation. His name was included in the World's 100 Most Influential People in 'Digital Government' by a European think tank known as Apolitical. He was also named among the Top 100 Digital Influencers in the 'Digital Community' by One World Identity (OWI)- a New York based independent identity research and strategy think tank focused on cyber security, digital commerce and risk management. Before joining World Bank, Malik helped governments to optimize use of Big Data and advanced data analytics from the platform of Teradata Corporation, USA.
As CTA, UNDP-Malawi, Malik spearheaded a team of development partners, 4500 Registration Officers and achieved universal registration of adult citizens -SDG 16 target 9 for Malawi within 180 days. Before that, he pioneered some key innovative digital governance interventions for Pakistan as Chairman, National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA). He spearheaded one of the world's largest multi-biometric system roll-out resulting in registration of more than 121 million citizens along with their associated biometric attributes. Using digital ID, and innovative technologies he developed social protection programs to empower women, protect internally displaced persons, combat tax evasion and corruption, strengthen democracy and reduce poverty in Pakistan. Tariq led similar projects in Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Bangladesh, and Malawi. He helped various institutions of UN (UNHCR, ICAO, UNDP) and World Bank to accomplish goals with transparency. Prior to that he served as Deputy CIO in Wayne County, State of Michigan, where he led design, development, and implementation of an online Property Tax System.
Throughout his over 20-year career, Tariq has helped governments improve service delivery using innovative technologies. Result-based achievements earned him various national and international awards. The State of Pakistan conferred the highest award in Technology (Sitara-i-Imtiaz) – the 'Star of Excellence' – to Tariq in 2013 for using technology to improve governance. Tariq won Teradata's 2012 National 'CIO of the Year' award and, prior to that, he was recognized at the 2009 ID World International Congress in Italy as the recipient of the 'Outstanding Achievement Award' for his work as an international biometrics leader. Tariq holds Masters' Degrees in both International Management (Heidelberg, Germany) and Computer Science. His Bachelor's Degree is in Mathematics & Statistics. He had been trained in JFK School of Government, Harvard University and Stanford University, USA as well, where he received executive education. Tariq is married and lives with his wife, three daughters and a son in Farmington Hills, MI, USA.
Christabel Onyejekwe
Executive Director, Business Development
NIBSS
Christabel ONYEJEKWE is the Executive Director for Business Development at Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) Plc. Prior to this role, she served as Executive Director, Technology & Operations where she handled several strategies for businesses, projects and new payment products & solutions for NIBSS and the Industry. With over 25 years cognate banking and broad executive management experience, she is a proven change and result-oriented professional with strong business drive and leadership qualities. Christabel holds a Bachelor of Law degree and an MBA; she is an Honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and an alumnus of: Lagos Business School (LBS), the renowned INSEAD Business school, Wharton Business School, Harvard Business School and MIT Boston, USA.
Jaume Dubois
IDENTITY SYSTEMS SPECIALIST
Jaume Dubois is an identity solutions specialist, in charge of definition of Unique Identity and Identity Management solutions at Thales, a leader notably in Identity, Biometrics and Security. He has strong field experience in directing large identity system programs for government such as ID cards, Health cards, electronic Passports, or Border Control systems in Latin American and African countries, which has made him a specialist of complex solutions in the Biometrics and Identity field.
Ken Okong'o
Policy and Advocacy Manager, Digital Identity, GSMA
Ken OKONG'O is the Policy and Advocacy Manager, Mobile for Development in GSMA. Through research, he develops policy positions and directs advocacy efforts in the domestic and international fora, focusing on Digital Identity and Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation. He has previously worked in public and private sectors within the broader ICT4D space, including in mobile service provision and regulation in Africa and Asia. He holds an MSc in ICT Policy and a PhD in Information Systems from University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Technical Director,
CENFRI
Barry COOPER is a Technical Director at CENFRI. He is a legal advisor and banking expert, specializing in financial inclusion and regulation, biometrics and identity, innovation market analysis, financial sector policy and regulatory strategy for development, and supporting governments on making markets work for the poor. He is currently leading training of FSPs, DNFBPs and regulators in selected Eastern and Southern African countries on the above.
Mustafa Mahmoud
Senior Program & Advocacy Officer,
Mustafa MAHMOUD is the Senior Program and Advocacy Officer for Namati's Citizenship Program. He has seven years' experience supporting partner organizations working with community-based paralegals on Citizenship issues in Kenya, Bangladesh, Jordan, and Myanmar. Before joining Namati, he was the Program Manager at the Nubian Rights Forum, a Kenyan NGO, where he managed a team of seven paralegals assisting the Nubian ethnic minority in applying for citizenship documents. He is currently pursuing a degree in Development Studies at the University of Eastern Africa Baraton, Nairobi.
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Founded in 2014, ID4Africa is an NGO that accompanies African nations on their journeys to develop robust and responsible Identity ecosystems in the service of development and humanitarian action. The Movement is driven by the need to establish identity-for-all, not just as a legal right (consistent with SDG 16.9), but as a practical necessity to enable inclusive access to services in Africa.
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Richland Community College is a public 2-year institution, founded in 1971. This college, which is near Decatur, is located in a rural setting. This public college offers subjects such as business management and nursing. Students are offered 37 certificates and 25 associates level degrees by it. In 2010, 3,807 students pursued degrees from the 47 programs at this college. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission. It is one of 46 community colleges in Illinois.
In 2010, 3,807 students were enrolled at this college.
217 teachers work for this community college. One-third of the faculty are full-time, two-thirds of the teachers are part-time, and under half of the teachers are men.


Raised in an orphanage in New Zealand, David Bussau is a natural entrepreneur and was able to 'retire' at 35. After selling his businesses, he formed the charitable Maranatha Trust and focused his talents and energy on the challenge of international poverty. In 1976 he travelled to Bali, Indonesia, to help with an earthquake recovery program and noticed that traditional development solutions did little to break the cycle of poverty. In 1979 he joined forces with an American colleague and co-founded Opportunity International, which became a leading proponent of microcredit – the provision of small loans to the entrepreneurial poor in developing countries. Bussau's dream was to help the poor to help themselves and he has described Opportunity International as 'a charity that doesn't give any thing away.' Bussau's vision has resulted in a global network of microcredit institutions serving over one million clients with loans totalling US$700 million.


Welcome to the heart of Berne, Switzerland's capital city. Our 3-star hotel is only a few steps away from the main railway station, Berne's historic arcades and the Federal Houses of Parliament. The hotel City is the ideal choice for both business and holiday travellers, with cultural sites and shopping possibilities all within easy walking distance of our centrally located position.
The hotel provides 58 generous rooms with a comfortable atmosphere and free wifi access.


Ladies toilets and showers were out of service, the solution offered was far from the dorm, and always dirty. Kitchen was small and very badly equipped. The linen had stains and there was a used mug next to my bed that no one noticed when cleaning. The only good thing was the location.


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complexity / Economics / Mathematics / philosophy
Bayesianism in Game Theory. Thought of the Day 24.0
May 21, 2017 May 21, 2017 AltExploitLeave a comment
Bayesianism in game theory can be characterised as the view that it is always possible to define probabilities for anything that is relevant for the players' decision-making. In addition, it is usually taken to imply that the players use Bayes' rule for updating their beliefs. If the probabilities are to be always definable, one also has to specify what players' beliefs are before the play is supposed to begin. The standard assumption is that such prior beliefs are the same for all players. This common prior assumption (CPA) means that the players have the same prior probabilities for all those aspects of the game for which the description of the game itself does not specify different probabilities. Common priors are usually justified with the so called Harsanyi doctrine, according to which all differences in probabilities are to be attributed solely to differences in the experiences that the players have had. Different priors for different players would imply that there are some factors that affect the players' beliefs even though they have not been explicitly modelled. The CPA is sometimes considered to be equivalent to the Harsanyi doctrine, but there seems to be a difference between them: the Harsanyi doctrine is best viewed as a metaphysical doctrine about the determination of beliefs, and it is hard to see why anybody would be willing to argue against it: if everything that might affect the determination of beliefs is included in the notion of 'experience', then it alone does determine the beliefs. The Harsanyi doctrine has some affinity to some convergence theorems in Bayesian statistics: if individuals are fed with similar information indefinitely, their probabilities will ultimately be the same, irrespective of the original priors.
The CPA however is a methodological injunction to include everything that may affect the players' behaviour in the game: not just everything that motivates the players, but also everything that affects the players' beliefs should be explicitly modelled by the game: if players had different priors, this would mean that the game structure would not be completely specified because there would be differences in players' behaviour that are not explained by the model. In a dispute over the status of the CPA, Faruk Gul essentially argues that the CPA does not follow from the Harsanyi doctrine. He does this by distinguishing between two different interpretations of the common prior, the 'prior view' and the 'infinite hierarchy view'. The former is a genuinely dynamic story in which it is assumed that there really is a prior stage in time. The latter framework refers to Mertens and Zamir's construction in which prior beliefs can be consistently formulated. This framework however, is static in the sense that the players do not have any information on a prior stage, indeed, the 'priors' in this framework do not even pin down a player's priors for his own types. Thus, the existence of a common prior in the latter framework does not have anything to do with the view that differences in beliefs reflect differences in information only.
It is agreed by everyone that for most (real-world) problems there is no prior stage in which the players know each other's beliefs, let alone that they would be the same. The CPA, if understood as a modelling assumption, is clearly false. Robert Aumann, however, defends the CPA by arguing that whenever there are differences in beliefs, there must have been a prior stage in which the priors were the same, and from which the current beliefs can be derived by conditioning on the differentiating events. If players differ in their present beliefs, they must have received different information at some previous point in time, and they must have processed this information correctly. Based on this assumption, he further argues that players cannot 'agree to disagree': if a player knows that his opponents' beliefs are different from his own, he should revise his beliefs to take the opponents' information into account. The only case where the CPA would be violated, then, is when players have different beliefs, and have common knowledge about each others' different beliefs and about each others' epistemic rationality. Aumann's argument seems perfectly legitimate if it is taken as a metaphysical one, but we do not see how it could be used as a justification for using the CPA as a modelling assumption in this or that application of game theory and Aumann does not argue that it should.
assumption, Bayesianism, beliefs, common prior assumption CPA, consistent, decision-making, definable, determination, difference, formulate, game theory, Harsanyi doctrine, individual, information, interpretations, justified, metaphysical, methodological injunction, modeling, original priors, prior beliefs, probability
Weil Conjectures. Note Quote.
Glue Code + Pipeline Jungles. Thought of the Day 25.0


The automobile industry like any other Reality Crazy industry is dependent on consumers. In my opinion, the American and Japanese companies have looked at consumers and other stakeholders differently and thus we are in a situation where some companies are doing better than others. But the big question is – Are they doing better or worse based on the demand that exists in the market.
Yet Ford Motor hasn't been running all that smoothly since Bill Ford took over as CEO in 2001. Strategic direction looks like a lot of zigs and zags. Ford Division has dumped its overly conservative design and will pursue more eye-catching ones from now on. The Taurus, Ford's bestselling car in 2005, is being discontinued in 2006 (it hopes the Fusion will fill the vacuum). Lincoln has gotten yet another facelift, while Mercury is still seeking a personality after decades of searching.
To get his company up to speed again, Bill Ford has produced the second turnaround plan of his tenure, called 'Way Forward'.
At the end of 2004, the latest date for which figures are available, GM's pension funds (both inside the U.S. and out) had $100 billion in assets, which is wealth belonging to GM's employees, retirees, and dependents. To that, you can add $19 billion that GM has put in a dedicated account for retiree health benefits. That makes $119 billion that GM has banked for its employees. In contrast, the shareholders of GM recently owned they are grubby $13 billion in market value. That is a bizarre, Alice-in-Autoland result from 98 years in which capitalism supposedly reigned.


To define water quality and quantity characteristics of the Kettle Creek Watershed and the capability of the stream to accept treated wastes, a study was conducted during the summer of 1973. Particular emphasis was placed on reaches receiving wastes from the municipalities of St. Thomas, Belmont and Port Stanley where developmental pressures continue to be exerted and on Dodd Creek - a tributary receiving treated wastes from the Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. plant. This report updates an unpublished survey conducted in 1966 by the Ontario Water Resources Commission which established preliminary organic loading guidelines solely for the City of St. Thomas and an interim report to the City of St. Thomas issued in 1974. Also, the report documents the results of a brief survey of surface water quality in Port Stanley Harbour and adjacent Lake Erie conducted during the summer of 1975. Water quality was determined by monitoring chemical, physical and bacteriological characteristics over a twenty-four or forty-eight hour interval. Response of aquatic life was documented through a study of fish and bottom fauna populations. Long-term streamflow data were utilized to define streamflow characteristics in the critical areas. Mathematical modelling techniques provided a tool to predict the effects of various loadings on water quality. Acceptable loading guidelines designed to protect water uses of the stream are presented in this report.