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Preet Kaur Gill (Punjabi: ਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਗਿੱਲ, born 21 November 1972) is a British politician serving as Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development since 2020. A member of the Labour and Co-operative parties, she has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Edgbaston since 2017.

Early life
Preet Kaur Gill was born on 21 November 1972 in Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the English West Midlands to Indian parents Daljit Singh Shergill and Kuldeep Kaur Shergill. Her father was a foreman, and later a bus driver, and her mother worked as a seamstress. Daljit Singh was the longest serving president of the Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick. Gill credits her father and Baron Tarsem King of West Bromwich as her main inspirations for her ambition to enter politics.

She has six younger siblings. Her early education was at Lordswood Girls' School and Bournville College. At the latter, Gill was elected as student president. Gill graduated from the University of East London with a first-class BSc in sociology with social work. After graduating, she worked as a social worker in a kibbutz in Israel and with street children in India. She was a social worker in Waltham Forest and Birmingham specialising in child protection and serving as children's services manager in Birmingham from 2010–2017.

She was elected as a councillor for Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council in 2012 and re-elected in the 2016 local election; her term ended May 2018. On the council, she served as the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Protection.

Gill supported remaining within the European Union (EU) in the 2016 EU membership referendum.

Parliamentary career
Gill was selected by the Labour Party to contest Birmingham Edgbaston on 28 April 2017. Her selection followed Gisela Stuart's decision not to seek re-election. In the 2017 general election, Gill held the seat for Labour with 24,124 (55.3%) votes and a majority of 6,917 (15.8%). She is the first female British Sikh MP.

In July 2017, she was elected as a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee.

On 12 January 2018, she was appointed to the shadow cabinet as International Development Minister (role shared with Dan Carden).

In March 2019, Gill signed a letter supporting the People's Vote campaign for a second referendum on EU membership.

Gill is the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Mentoring and for British Sikhs.

Gill supported Keir Starmer in the 2020 Labour Party leadership election. She was promoted to Shadow Secretary of State for International Development following Starmer's election as leader.

As Shadow Secretary of State, Gill initially shadowed Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan until the department was abolished in September 2020; since then she shadowed ministers of the newly created Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. She remained in the shadow cabinet following the November 2021 reshuffle, but her position was re-named Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development and she joined the new shadow Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs team.

In November 2020, Gill was elected Chair of the Co-operative Party Parliamentary Group of MPs.

Controversy

On 19 December 2021 Preet Kaur Gill, came under fire on social media over a tweet she later deleted that referred to a "Hindu terrorist" behind the act of violence at Golden Temple in Amritsar.

On 23 February 2023, The Guardian reported on comments Gill made in a WhatsApp group which appeared to undermine Sikh victims of sexual violence. Earlier that month, Sikh Women's Aid had published a report which found that two thirds of women surveyed had experienced domestic abuse, with many of the women criticising the inadequate response support given by community leaders. Gill was alleged to have accused the women surveyed of using "very dangerous language" and urged them to submit apologies to gurdwaras. A Labour spokesperson stated "though we cannot leak on leaked WhatsApp messages, Preet would never downplay abuse or violence".

Personal life
Gill has been married to Sureash Singh Chopra, who is a social worker, since 2009. They have two daughters. Gill is Vice-President of the Local Government Association and a non executive director for the Spring Housing Association.

Awards and nominations
In September 2018, Gill was named as one of the Birmingham City University's Brummies Who Inspire, alongside fellow Birmingham MP, Shabana Mahmood.

In October 2018, she was presented with the Sikh Women of Substance award by the Sikh's Women Alliance UK.

In December 2018, she was one of the recipients of the Giving Voice award, presented by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

In December 2020, Gill won the overall prize at the MP of the Year Awards organised by the Patchwork Foundation, for "her consistent championing of young people, representation of the Sikh Community and initiative to tackle Fuel Poverty via a strategic campaign aimed at the UK's biggest fuel companies."

Notes

References

External links

1972 births
Living people
21st-century British women politicians
British politicians of Indian descent
Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
Labour Co-operative MPs for English constituencies
UK MPs 2017–2019
UK MPs 2019–present
Alumni of the University of East London
British Sikhs
21st-century English women
21st-century English people
21st-century British politicians


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Domo, Inc. (NASDAQ:DOMO) Stock Holdings Cut by Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc.
Posted by Maria Luz-Campos on Jan 15th, 2022
Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. reduced its position in shares of Domo, Inc. (NASDAQ:DOMO) by 37.4% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 3,634 shares of the company's stock after selling 2,173 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc.'s holdings in Domo were worth $307,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of DOMO. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new stake in shares of Domo during the 2nd quarter worth $25,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Domo by 313.3% during the 2nd quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 620 shares of the company's stock worth $50,000 after acquiring an additional 470 shares in the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Domo during the 2nd quarter worth $60,000. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Domo by 425.5% during the 2nd quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 1,298 shares of the company's stock worth $105,000 after acquiring an additional 1,051 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pinz Capital Management LP bought a new stake in shares of Domo during the 2nd quarter worth $121,000. 67.11% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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In related news, EVP Catherine Wong sold 5,104 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.16, for a total transaction of $261,120.64. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 14.35% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Shares of NASDAQ:DOMO opened at $45.23 on Friday. Domo, Inc. has a 1 year low of $40.21 and a 1 year high of $98.35. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $60.26 and a 200 day simple moving average of $76.84. The firm has a market cap of $1.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -16.10 and a beta of 2.75.
Domo (NASDAQ:DOMO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 2nd. The company reported ($0.32) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters' consensus estimate of ($0.34) by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $65.10 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $64.31 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted ($0.75) earnings per share. Domo's revenue was up 21.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Domo, Inc. will post -3.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Several research firms have recently weighed in on DOMO. Cowen reduced their price objective on Domo from $110.00 to $100.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 3rd. Zacks Investment Research cut Domo from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Thursday, December 9th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $110.00 target price on shares of Domo in a research report on Friday, December 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Domo has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $93.67.
Domo Company Profile
Domo, Inc designs, develops, and markets executive management software solutions. It offers customized software tools for business operations, customer relationship management, human resources, and financial reporting. The company was founded by Joshua G. James in September 2010 and is headquartered in American Fork, UT.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home / About TT / News
Timor Telecom presents its new TT Elite Athletes team
Timor Telecom takes part in Cycling
Consolidating its strategy of getting associated to athletes and also considering the beginning of the new sports year, Timor Telecom (TT) presents the new TT Elite Athletes team, a group of six promising Timorese athletes for the cycling modality.
TT plays its card on promising athletes again, this year focusing in junior sporters. 2014 TT Elite Athletes team is formed by Noelio Reis – vice-champion in national cycling in 2012; Eugénio Tilman – Champion in National Cycling in 2012; David Gonçalves – Bronze in the National Cycling Championship in 2012; Ivan Araújo – National Champion in 2013; Noe Vong – Bronze in the National Championship in 2013; and Leonel Gonçalves – 6th position in national cycling in 2012 and 2013.
TT started sponsoring athletes in 2013 with the aim of consolidating its presence in sports beyond soccer. With this support, 2013 TT Elite Athletes reached some outstanding classifications, namely:
1st place in the International Mountain bike Bali Biking in Indonesia;
1st place in the 2013 Peace Cup;
1st place in the 2013 National Championship;
Posições de relevância no ranking internacional da União de Ciclismo Internacional em Montain Bike.
team, passando assim o seu testemunho e criando uma equipa de atletas coesa.
Former TT Elite Athletes are this year supporting the young athletes, in the role of trainer or mechanic, handing over the baton and creating a cohesive team.
About TT Elite Athletes
TT Elite Athletes is a solid team of young Timorese, with great potential and well-known in the international scene, which TT associates itself to within its strategy of supporting talented, perseverant, creative, efficient, valuable and competitive people. Through this strategy, TT wishes to promote sport at the national level, contributing to take the names of the best athletes worldwide and, thus, creating an "ambassadors" network overseas for the colours of Timor-Leste.
Manuel Cárceres da Costa, Institutional Relations Director
Timor Telecom, SA / + 670 77455622 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
TT Dili and Baucau stores are now equipped with POS
Improvement of TT Customer Service
Identifying customer service as a strategic priority, Timor Telecom (TT) introduces significant improvements in its distribution network by launching the first POS, operating since today, at its 6 stores in Dili and soon at its 2 stores in Baucau. TT will also implement POS in the stores of every district capital where ATMs may be installed.
Thus, TT clients can make every payment of products or services through the mobile points of sale connected to the banking network of Caixa Geral de Depósitos, BNU Timor, the first bank of Timor-Leste, in operation for more than 100 years.
By diversifying paying modalities in its busiest stores, TT not only offers its clients a more comfortable experience when contacting the operator, but also guarantees better security conditions. Since clients will be making transactions by using a personal code, they no longer need to walk in the store carrying large amounts of money.
With these POS, clients can make payments with the LOOS 24 debit card, BNU Timor card, and also with any card from the VISA network.
TT has been greatly improving the conditions and the channels of contact with clients, namely with the recent restructuring of the Dili Call Center and the modernization of its stores throughout 2013. With the installation of POS, TT makes another big strategic step, improving life quality of all clients who visit TT stores.
Timor Telecom supports social projects for Christmas season
Timor Telecom doesn't want to be indifferent in this 2013 Christmas season and it has joined several solidarity actions in Timor-Leste
Within social responsibility, TT is supporting several social projects during Christmas time, offering a different and special Christmas to many children who do not have the possibility of celebrating it with their families, for various different reasons.
The Sport Dili and Benfica Christmas party, which was offered to the children from Santa Bahkita and the Dominican Sisters on the 8th of December, was the first project supported by TT through the distribution of school bags and classroom supplies to 60 children. TT´s mascot was also present amusing everyone at the party. It was a very nice day with plenty of activities and lots of music.
First Lady Christmas party, which took place last Saturday, December 14, was meant for the 310 most disadvantaged children from the 31 sucos in Dili ant it also counted with TT's support. The mascots were also there, bringing joy to the party.
On the 23rd and 25th of December, TT will support another solidarity activity, joining the Timorese Artists Group "Different Voices", contributing financially and also with gifts, allowing this group of artists to visit HIV patients in Dili, tuberculosis patients in Tibar and orphans and disabled people from the AHISAUN group.
The National Rehabilitation Centre of Becora, under the Ministry of Social Solidarity, will also get a small financial contribution from TT as well as little gifts (T-shirts, classroom supplies and other gifts).
In Atauro, the most deprived families will receive t-shirts and school supplies through the Canossian Sisters.
One of the main aims of Timor Telecom has been to support projects which identify major needs within the social field, as well as within education, health and social emergency, trying to meet the specific needs within these areas.
Always attentive and acting assiduously and responsibly, TT has been supporting schools, associations, families and other groups in need.
Timor Telecom inaugura novas instalações do Call Center, Díli
Timor Telecom officially reopens renovated Call Centre in Dili
Dili, 6 December 2013
Identifying customer service as one of its strategic priorities, Timor Telecom (TT) officially reopens today the new Call Centre premises in Dili, totally renovated and adapted to the needs of the new human resources, technicians and logistics personnel.
Within 230m² TT is integrating 15 new positions for simultaneous customer service, making a total of 52 current positions, as well as 42 new PCs and a training room with 20 seats allocated exclusively to the Call Centre, benefiting the internal professional training process.
Regarding human resources, the new Call Centre includes an eating and resting area, equipped with kitchen appliances, PC with access to the Internet for personnel taking their breaks and also more than 50 lockers for personal belongings. Considering staff wellbeing, TT ensures transport service (home-office-home) and meal delivery to the workplace to all staff members doing night shifts (Call Centre operates 24 hours).
Benefits of the Call Centre remodelling
The remodelling of the Call Centre results from a diagnosis project that has been implemented in this department since June 2012 and which has identified necessary intervention areas, leading to the corresponding action plan.
More job positions
The rehabilitation of the Call Centre begun as a process of expanding the premises, allowing the taking of 70 people on board and, thus, increasing the number of job positions significantly. New shifts for customer service were also created, responding to the ascending volume of received calls
Internal Training and introduction to technological tools
TT has created a plan for internal training and regular monitoring of the Call Centre activities through KPIs (Key performance indicators).
Besides the functional and operation changes, the introduction of new tools is also to contribute to the improvement of the performance of the Call Centre, namely:
Implementation of IVR (interactive voice response) with selfcare: clients become able to perform several operations without having to interact with TT staff, namely subscribing promotional campaigns, changing their plan or subscribing different TT services.
Implementation of a Call Recording System with the aim of monitoring and controlling the quality of the service delivered by the customer service team.
The remodelling project started in October 2012 with the aim of improving the global performance of the Call Centre and, subsequently, offering a high quality service to clients, targeting at international level objectives and results.
Holding the position of the biggest employee in Timor-Leste, TT employs in its new Call Centre a total of 114 workers with Timorese nationality, where 106 are Call Centre Assistants, 7 are Supervisors and 1 Director.
Manuel Cárceres da Costa,
Corporate Relations Director
Timor Telecom 11th anniversary
Dili, 17 October 2013
After 11 years in Timor, which are marked today, Timor Telecom – the biggest telecommunication operator in Timor-Leste – is a solid and dynamic enterprise which has overcome several challenges and has stood by the Timorese people in their own course after the Restoration of Independence. Today, an absolute leader within the Timorese market, TT holds a network extended to every district, offering extra maturity, better quality, capacity and reliability and covering the whole Timorese territory and population – 94% of the territory covered by mobile network and internet through 163 2G sites and 76 3G sites. Also noteworthy is the quality of TT human resources, who besides highly qualified are continuously taking part in professional training and development actions. Today TT comprises 530 Timorese staff members, thus being the major private employer in the country.
Moreover, TT is also a leader in what comes to innovation, customer service, distribution network and social responsibility, standing out for the closeness it builds everyday with the Timorese people. Within the celebration of its 11th anniversary, TT is launching several promotional campaigns and initiatives in order to offer a better service to all its clients:
During the whole month of October, TT will launch a promotional campaign consisting of reduced international call rates, valid for Indonesia, Australia, Portugal, China, the Philippines and many other countries and also 50% off in international sms;
The 17th October Campaign: a 100% bonus for every TT calls and sms for clients who top up their cards on that day. This bonus will be valid for 7 days.
SIM Card Price Reduction. Sale price will be reduced from $2 to $1, still with the same $1USD initial credit offer for mobile pre-paid SIM cards. It also includes 5 minutes for voice, 10 SMS and 1MB.
Throughout the years, TT has invested in technologic innovation with the aim of responding to the needs of its broad client database, offering a set of innovative products and services to the various consumption levels: innovative plans and packs according to the needs of each client (Toke Livre, Diak, VIVA and TT Fun); for the enterprise market - Cost Control solutions that respond to the needs of business men and enterprises in Timor-Leste, Pakotes Plus for everyone who wants to use voice, data and SMS and for companies that wish to build their own private network, with a very competitive and unique service for intra-count communications, VPN TT service; increasing and broadening mobile and broad band internet and, lastly, innovate services such as Kredit Lai, which allows every client to make a call in a particular moment even with no credit on the card; TT news notifications, Facebook SMS and the InfoFutebol service.
Quality Increase and Reinforcement of customer service
Following the restructuring of the customer care service initiated in 2013, with the hiring of a large number of human resources for the Call Centre, as well as the staff intensive training and the establishment of separated customer care groups specialised in a particular area, there will be, in 2014, a new development action focusing on further specialisation and consequent improvement of customer care quality. TT has also made available the MyTT portal, which allows each client to access all details of their account; and for the business market, a personalised network of account managers, responding to the specific needs of each business client, corporate or government, with the right solution.
Distribution Network Reform and Updating
Also this year, TT has increased its sale and distribution points, both by increasing the number of stores and creating its own new sale points and also by increasing the number of TT agents. This way TT consolidates it distribution network, getting closer to all Timorese people. For the sake of modernisation, standardisation of information and exhibition of its products in the whole country, TT will open 18 stores totally remodelled in Dili and all district capitals and also several sale points in the capital and remote places in the districts, where population density and economic activity demands the opening of a commercial point of its own (Ermera, Ossu and Maubisse).
Within its social responsibility policy, TT offers free WiFi in several public sites, supporting Timorese people, especially young people, developing their knowledge and skills by introducing them to the information technologies. TT also offers free access to the internet in 68 ICCs (Internet Community Centres) throughout the country and free internet installation in several institutions and organisations, such as parishes, universities, schools and NGOs, thus making possible for the population in general to have access to information.
Supporting Culture and Sports
TT tries to continuously support artistic and cultural activities, social and humanitarian actions as well as sport events. Tour de Timor and Dili Marathon are two examples of this (TT being the official sponsor for the 4th consecutive year), which are considered international level competitions and two crucial means for promoting peace, national spirit and for developing a sense of community. TT also supports the Federação de Futebol de Timor-Leste (Timorese Soccer Federation) and TT Elite Athletes, a team of young athletes with the best and most promising Timorese athletes for Athletics and Cycling.
Timor Telecom is the official sponsor for Tour de Timor
Dili, 22 August 2013
Timor Telecom and Ministry of Tourism are going to sign the sponsoring contract of the Tour de Timor 5th edition, a non-for-profit event organized by the Ministry of Tourism. The first edition was in August 2009; it comprised 300 athletes from 12 different countries, being considered the biggest cycling event in Timor-Leste.
The signing ceremony establishes Timor Telecom as the Tour the Timor official sponsor for the 4th consecutive year. Some TT Elite Athletes who are going to participate in the Tour will also be present, namely António Martins, Jacinto da Costa, José Araújo and Orlando da Costa.
With Timor-Leste as the stage for sport excellence and multicultural friendship among participants, the Tour the Timor and the Dili Marathon are much more than high level international competitions, they are, in fact, essential means for promoting peace and developing a spirit of community and nationality.
The tour will happen between the 2nd and the 6th of September with a maximum of 290 participants. Dili will be the starting point and the course will then follow to Baucau, Viqueque, Manufahi, Aileu and Ermera. Along the course there will be security staff, logistics and administrative supporting staff and medical staff to assure a safe competition.
Timor Telecom offers laptops and internet to the Library and the Catholic Youth Department of the Diocese of Baucau
Timor Telecom (TT), through the PT Foundation, offered laptops to the Library of the Diocese of Baucau
Timor Telecom oferese komputador portátil no internet ba Biblioteka no Departamentu Juventude Katólika husi Dioseze Baucau nian
Baucau, 3rd October 2013
Contributing to the development of Timorese young citizens;
TT wishes to promote the use of the new technologies among young people.
Timor Telecom (TT), through the PT Foundation, offered laptops to be installed in the Library of the Diocese of Baucau as a way of contributing to the development of the Timorese young people.
This institution comprises a youth centre, where the young people from Baucau are offered training. We have signed a Cooperation Protocol where it was agreed Timor Telecom is to offer the Diocese Internet and laptops, which will allow young people to develop their skills and access to new technologies.
With this, TT helps the Diocese of Baucau to hold young people's interest and attract them to use the Library and Catholic Youth Department, where they can study, research, learn Portuguese, IT and general knowledge, thus, contributing to their development.
The cooperation with the Diocese of Baucau is part of TT broad strategy to install internet and to give computers to the Universities, Schools, Parishes and Youth Centres throughout the country, aiming at making internet and computers available to everybody, contributing to a better informed and developed society. Within the same strategy, TT has also been equipping Community Centres with Internet (the so called, CCI), amounting to 68 Centres throughout the country.
Reinforcing the presence of Timor Telecom within Tennis
TT is the sponsor for the 2nd consecutive time
Timor Telecom Tennis 2013 starts off today with TT as the official sponsor
Dili, 15 July 2013
Timor Telecom Tennis 2013, which is the most important event of Timor-Leste Tennis Federation, starts off today, and it will be, for the second consecutive time, sponsored by Timor Telecom (TT), the telecommunications operator which drives its know-how and organizational maturity towards an ever closer relationship with each client.
TT sponsors the players' gear and takes part of the organization of the event, of the definition of the different categories of the competition, the delivery of the awards, the development of a set of promotional actions with its mascots TOKE and SAPO and of the promotion of interactive quizzes on TT's website.
Timor Telecom Tennis 2013 lasts for two weeks, the opening being predicted for today at 6:30pm, at the tennis court of Melatih (just behind Liceu Dr. Francisco Machado), and the closing for 28 July. Several well-known personalities within this area, several representatives of different sports federations and different members of the diplomatic corps of Timor-Leste were invited to this major sports event.
Being the sports event with the biggest number of registrations, categories and prizes, it includes participants of all age ranges, from juniors to veterans, as well as of all competition levels, from beginners to most experienced people, and also attracting tennis personalities from all over the world, namely from Australia, Cambodia and Portugal.
As a Telecommunications Operator of Landline and Mobile Networks with more than 10 years of history in Timor-Leste, TT has been walking together with all Timorese citizens since 2002, adapting its technology, as a means of development, to the daily life of its more than 600 thousand clients, while promoting communication as a crucial agent for approximation and contact among all in Timor-Leste.
TT supports Marathon for Peace in Timor-Leste
TT – main sponsor of Dili Marathon 2013
TT – main sponsor of Dili Marathon 2013;
Assistance in the organization and promotion of the event together with the Ministry of Tourism and Dili Athletic Federation;
Distribution of merchandise and event animation.
Pursuant to the development of Timor-Leste society, Timor Telecom (TT) joints Dili City of Peace Marathon for the fourth consecutive time, within its social responsibility strategy which aligns with the promotion of peace and unity in Timor-Leste.
In order to make public its strong link to these principles, TT will participate in the event with a team that already comprises 50 people participating in the four different competitions.
The conception and organization of the City of Peace Marathon 2013 aims at offering maximum security to all participants, avoiding obstructions during the four competitions. Participants can choose which competition they want to take part of:
5km Run: VIP favoured run. It starts at Cristo Rei, at 6:30am, and finishes just in front of the Palácio do Governo;
10km Run: Also set to start at 6:30am, it starts in Tassitolu and the line is in front of the Palácio do Governo;
Half-Marathon (21km): it starts at 6:30am at the Palácio do Governo, finishing at the same place;
Marathon (42km):same track as Half-Marathon to be run twice.
1000 children will take part of the 5Km run. This year City of Peace Marathon will also count with the participation of two TT high competition Athletes: Juventina Napoleão and Augusto Soares, who are both Olympic marathoners.
TT, as a Landline and Mobile Telecommunications Operator with ten years of history, gives one more step in getting closer to the Timorese population, not only by supporting sports as a healthy life-style but also by simultaneously promoting communication as a crucial means of contact among all Timorese people.
Timor Telecom joins Marie Stopes NGO for advising young people
TT reinforces its social responsibility strategy
Timor Telecom joins Marie Stopes NGO for advising young people and installs Wi-Fi at Dili Youth Centre
TT reinforces its social responsibility strategy;
TT amplifies its Free line (Green Number 8001001) capacity, to be used for client clarification and for facilitating the access to health information;
Wi-Fi service installation at Dili Youth Centre.
Pursuant to the development of Timor-Leste society, Timor Telecom (TT) joins Marie Stopes and reinforces Green Line capacity, nr. 8001001, as a means for clarification of young people. Through this telephone line, Marie Stopes, with TT support, aims at providing clarification and information related to birth control, health, dietary habits, advising, in a voluntary basis, the most disadvantaged groups which lack access to information.
Moreover, TT is also going to offer free Wi-Fi service at the Youth Centre that has recently opened in Dili.
TT technological contribution complies with its social responsibility police, which acquires greater relevance within the present context, as Timor-Leste has one of the greatest maternal mortality rates in the world, with a ratio of one death per 100 childbirths. Also worth notice is the fact that in Timor-Leste each woman has about six children and one in each 17 women starts giving birth at the ages between 15 and 19. Access to information related to health and sexuality is still significantly low, which leads to a great number of unwanted pregnancies. Although many people are aware of contraceptive methods, only 22% of women use them.
Based in Timor-Leste, Marie Stopes is a non-governmental organisation which aims at the reduction of child mortality and maternal mortality in childbirth, offering health and birth control services and guidance since 2007.
As a Landline and Mobile Network Telecommunications Operator with ten years' history in Timor-Leste, TT gives one more step in getting closer to the Timorese population, not only by putting technology at the service of life improvement of its 600 thousand clients, but also by simultaneously promoting communication as a crucial means of contact among all Timorese people.
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Inspired by nature, $40M renovation gives the Oregon Convention Center a new look
Inspired by nature, $40M renovation...
Sep. 05, 2019, press
by Jon Bell – Staff Reporter, Portland Business Journal
When you step into the newly refreshed Oregon Convention Center, you might actually feel like you've stepped into the Oregon outdoors.
At least that's what the $40 million project — the first major revamp of the center since its first phase was built in 1990 — was shooting for in its design and inspiration.
New carpet tiles look like the lichen found in an Oregon forest, wallpaper evokes towering trees and an intricate ceiling installation in the Oregon Ballroom, comprising more than 1,000 wood-like panels, has the feeling of a forest canopy. Outside the ballroom, another ceiling feature displays a topographic stretch of the Cascade Range from Mount Hood to Crater Lake.
"A lot of times, you'll visit a convention center and they all just look the same — plain walls, neutral carpet," said Craig Stroud, the OCC's executive director. "We wanted to bring finishes here that make a statement that you're in Oregon."
The phased remodel, which kicked off last September, has also improved the connection between the original building of the center and the addition, which was built in 2003.
Another phase remade the entrance and lobby area along Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. A new canopy there consists of a large cantilevered glass structure that lights up and highlights the entrance.
The final phase, which is set to wrap up in October, is an extensive update to the Oregon Ballroom. That's underway at present, as is work to reconfigure the center's outdoor plaza at its northeast corner.
Overseeing the project is Portland's Colas Construction. The contract for the project is, according to OCC, the largest ever public works project awarded to a minority-owned business in Oregon. And more than 55 percent of the work is being done by minority- or women-owned businesses.
"It's been a great project for us," said Alexander Colas, head of the special projects division at Colas. "And how we've come to get so much inclusion with the diversity in trades is just through the long-term relationships that started when my father started the firm in 1997. He has always made it a (priority) to be inclusive."
LMN Architects of Seattle is the primary firm on the project, while Merryman Barnes Architects of Portland is the local architect.
Thanks to a busy few years in the convention business — last year was a record year — Stroud said the OCC was able to self-fund the project. The center hosts about 500 events each year, including 50 conventions, and Stroud said business should remain solid, especially with the 600-room Portland Hyatt Regency at the Oregon Convention Center set to wrap up construction by year's end.
"That's a game-changer for us," he said.
Read story and view photos on Portland Business Journal
Portland Business Journal OCC renovation Craig Stroud Colas Construction construction
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Ready for the Rain: PENETRON Helps Renew Brazilian Dam
In the midst of a multiple-year drought that cracked its concrete structure and emptied its reservoir, the Jucazinho Dam in the northeast corner of Brazil has been completely renovated and repaired in time for this year's expected rainy season. A range of PENETRON crystalline products were used to ensure a waterproof and durable concrete structure.
Quenching Pernambuco's thirst: Now repaired and watertight thanks to PENETRON technology, the Jucazinho Dam once again provides drinking water to 800,000 people across the province.
We used a range of Penetron products to repair the damaged structures and waterproof all the exposed concrete surfaces. Like all crystalline products from Penetron, they are completely non-toxic and contain no VOCs, making them an ideal solution for a reservoir that supplies drinking water.
Penetron Just What The Doctor...
Ole Miss Sports Fans Benefit from...
Penetron Technology at Work in the...
EAST SETAUKET, N.Y. (PRWEB) February 12, 2018
The after-effects of Pernambuco State's worst drought in 60 years left the Jucazinho Dam virtually empty. Completed in 1998, the dam is 100 meters (330-feet) high and 442 meters (1,460-feet) wide and has a reservoir capacity of 327 million m³ (86 billion gallons) of water, making the Jucazinho Dam the largest reservoir in Pernambuco.
The Companhia Pernambucana de Saneamento (Compesa), the state operator of the dam, reports that the Jucazinho Dam once provided drinking water to 800,000 people in the 15 surrounding municipalities. Since the beginning of the drought, the extent of this service has been drastically reduced over the past 5 years.
The exposure to drying temperatures and sporadic rain led to water infiltrating the cracks and joints of the dam's concrete structure, causing further concrete deterioration and partial scaling of the dam's concrete surfaces. In 2013, a government report recommended repairing the dam's concrete walls and drainage galleries.
Once the rains return, the dehydrated structure may rupture, endangering the nearby town of Surubim and even flooding the city of Recife, 124 km (77 miles) away on the Atlantic coast, further threatening around three million inhabitants.
"Fissures were found in the dam's structure during inspections made last year," said Roberto Tavares, President of Compesa. "The dam really needs extensive repair and renovation."
The technical experts at Penetron Brazil worked with the National Department of Waterworks (DNOCS), a federal agency, to come up with an appropriate repair and renovation solution. After careful examination of the damaged concrete walls and the drainage galleries, the right mixer and spraying pumping systems were selected to ensure an effective spray application and sound adhesion of the enhanced shotcrete and the other surface-applied and injected crystalline treatments.
"We used a range of Penetron products to repair the damaged structures and waterproof all the exposed concrete surfaces," says Cláudio Neves Ourives, Executive Director of Penetron Brazil. "Like all crystalline products from Penetron, they are completely non-toxic and contain no VOCs, making them an ideal solution for a reservoir that supplies drinking water."
Restoration work started in January 2017. To seal the cracks and eliminate the surface scaling, the concrete walls were treated with a combination of PENETRON INJECT FLEX, a spray applied liquid sealer, PENESEAL PRO and PATCHLINE SM, a polymer-modified mortar. PENETRON INJECT FLEX, a resin injection, was used to seal 6,000 m (20,000-feet) of concrete joints. PATCHLINE SM was applied to over 20,000 m2 (220,000-square feet) of dam walls at a thickness of 2 cm. PENETRON ADMIX was added to the shotcrete to improve the concrete performance and waterproof the drainage galleries.
"Everyone is hoping the replenishing late summer rains that fall in April and May will finally return," adds Cláudio Neves Ourives. "Until then, the renovated Jucazinho Dam is ready for the water!"
The Penetron Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives and distribution channels.
For more information on Penetron waterproofing solutions, please visit penetron(dot)com or Facebook(dot)com/ThePenetronGroup, email CRDept(at)penetron(dot)com, or contact the Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700.
The Penetron Group
Getting prepared: The surface of the Jucazinho Dam is cleaned prior to a treatment with PENETRON topical waterproofing products to ensure a seamless repair job – just in time for the rainy season. Right tools for the job: The Jucazinho Dam concrete walls were treated with a combination of: PENETRON INJECT FLEX, a spray applied sealer; PENESEAL PRO; and PATCHLINE SM, a polymer-modified mortar. Cracks in the dam: After a multiple-year drought, the Jucazinho Dam needed to be renovated and repaired - with PENETRON crystalline technology - to ensure a waterproof and durable concrete structure.


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Topiques
Intérêt économique
Commerce lisse et libre
L'emploi
Marine Marchande Belge
Pourquoi la Belgique?
Registre maritime belge
Registration en Belgique
Inspection technique du navire
Exigences relatives à l'équipage
Impôt sur les revenus des marins
Sécurité sociale des marins
Précompte professionnel
Activités en mer
URAB
Nos affiliés
Belgium establishes a partnership with the Marshall and Solomon Islands on the fight against climate change
The Secretary of State for the North Sea Philippe De Backer (Open Vld), together with the Marshall and Solomon Islands and the International Maritime Organization, fights against the global greenhouse gas emissions in navigation. "Everybody has to contribute to this fight against climate change. I am convinced that maritime countries can make a significant contribution to the fight against global warming. So we can preserve a decent world for our children", says De Backer. Belgium launches specifically with the Solomon Islands a knowledge exchange project on emission reduction between government services.
On the climate conference in Paris in 2016 the decision was made to reduce global CO2 emissions with 55 percent. Although the navigation sector represents 3 percent of this global greenhouse gas emissions, it is not bound by this climate agreement. And it doesn't look like it that on the ongoing climate conference in Bonn agreements will be made for the navigation sector. He receives support of the Marshall Islands and the Solomon Islands in a so-called 'High Ambition Coalition'. These small islands in the Pacific Ocean are the first victims of the rising sea level as a result of the climate change.
De Backer: "Climate change crosses borders. No country is immune. 2017 is even on its way to have the top three highest temperatures since history. The only way to face this challenge is to undertake action together."
The services of the Secretary of State De Backer will closely collaborate with those of the president of the High Ambition Coalition and the concerned countries. Also the Royal Belgian Shipowners Association is very active and will play a facilitating role. The countries have to know now which goals they will set. Our country will play a crucial role to bring the different countries and points of views together.
De Backer: "Our Belgian shipowners already succeed to be innovating in the reduction of CO2 emissions and they have a very good reputation in the maritime world and beyond. This allows us to open gates, but it also puts a lot of responsibilities on our shoulders. Belgium assumes this responsibility and is a leader on international level. We are a small country, but we can make a big difference internationally and we can change the future."
Moreover, De Backer has signed a partnership with his colleague of the Solomon Islands, which should contribute to this. Despite the great will to change, there also is a lack of knowledge on the way to reduce the CO2 emissions. This is also the case in the Solomon Islands. So, our country starts an exchange project, with a dedicated budget, to support the departments of the Solomon Islands involved in the reduction of CO2 emissions in navigation in their country.
Ernest Van Dijckkaai 8,
B-2000 Antwerp / Belgium
+32 3 232.72.32
info@brv.be


As a leader in the electrical field, Intelectric works closely with leading industry contactors and vendors providing our customers the best possible solutions.
Vantage Controls, headquartered in Orem, Utah, designs and manufactures stylish keypads to replace old-fashioned light switches, along with computerized control and dimming systems using conditional logic to automate lights, fans, pumps, thermostats, audio/video equipment, sprinklers, motorized drapes/blinds/doors and more.
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The Inova Well Department is the community and employee health education provider for the Inova Health System. Inova Well is looking for qualified PRN candidates to provide childbirth education classes. Preferred candidates will have experience working with women in the perinatal period, including labor and delivery nurses, postpartum nurses, certified childbirth educators, and certified doulas.
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You are here: Home / Events / PROCESSION AT THE SEA OF BONARIA: A festival that repeats since 150 ye...
PROCESSION AT THE SEA OF BONARIA: A festival that repeats since 150 years
23.06.18 /in Events /by psarais
Each summer, on the first Sunday of July, the summer festival of the Madonna di Bonaria takes place, with the ritual procession at sea of the statue of the Madonna. The tradition began in 1866, when a group of young Sardinians, returning from the battle of Custoza (III War of Independence), wanted to thank Our Lady of Bonaria for having saved them.
In the afternoon, after attending mass, thousands of devotes depart from the Basilica accompanying the statue of the Madonna to the port. Here the statue is loaded on a boat and, with a procession of dozens of boats, the procession on the sea reaches the small port of Su Siccu, where, in front of the Basilica, a crown of flowers is thrown into sea in memory of the sailors who lost their lives during the war. After returning to the port, the statue is brought back to the Basilica, whose facade is illuminated by day.
Photo: https://www.chiesasarda.it
https://www.simplychillout.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/bonaria.jpg 437 777 psarais https://www.simplychillout.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Logo_Simply_Chillout-Small-Custom.png psarais2018-06-23 07:42:482018-06-23 07:42:48PROCESSION AT THE SEA OF BONARIA: A festival that repeats since 150 years
Coltellazzo Spanish Tower SA CARAPIGNA – THE TRADITIONAL HAND-MADE LEMON SORBET


This article focuses on various heat treatment practices recommended for different types of high-speed tool steels. Commonly used methods include annealing, stress relieving, preheating, austenitizing, quenching, tempering, carburizing, and nitriding. The article describes hardening for various types of cutting tools, namely, broaches, chasers, milling cutters, drills, taps, reamers, form tools, and hobs, and for thread rolling dies, threading dies, and bearings.


Correction: the reference in the lecture was to the Pittsburgh Platform (not the Philadelphia Platform). Even that, however, was a mistake: I was thinking of the 1883 Cincinatti "Trefa Banquet." Thank you for the clarification, Menachem!
In the video it says that the Besht was referred to as "Tov" over other Baal Shems because he was a superior amulet maker- they were guaranteed to be more authentic. But, he had the title Tov for many other reason, including being a great leader, teacher, etc.
Everyone has heard of the Baal Shem Tov. He was one of our greatest Gadolim and his name is much known even today. He being the founder of the Chassidis movement shows his leadership, responsibly, and love for the Jewish nation. I remember hearing that his last words to his son were "fear nothing but God", proving his Yiraas Shammiyam for Hashem, making him loved by all.


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Personality Number 1
Life Path #1
" Next in importance to having a good aim is to recognize when to pull the trigger."
David Letterman is an American former television talk show host, comedian, and producer who hosted a late night television talk show for 33 years, from NBC in 1982 to CBS in 2015, and was ranked No. 45 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.
He was born on Saturday April 12th 1947, in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.
David Letterman radiates with a dynamic and efficient energy. He appears controlled and capable. David values courage and effort in the face of difficulties and these qualities show. Others can sense that he will not be pushed around.
David should dress in a dignified and correct manner, caring for the details of his appearance. While he may spend most of his time in staid business dress or suits, bright and cheerful colors work well for him. Letterman is fashionable, but has his own style.
David Letterman's appearance suffers more than most people when he is overweight. Overweight directly contradicts the type of personality David is trying to project. Straight lines and square corners accent his good physique and enhance his appearance as a leader.
Letterman is recognized as a pioneer; he has his own ideas of how to do things. He is a risk-taker, original and highly creative.
David Letterman should be wary of appearing too aggressive or unreceptive. He can intimidate people if he does not soften his exterior somewhat. By doing this, David will attract less confident people who will be more willing to approach him with their thoughts and suggestions.
You and David
About David's Personality number
Letterman's Personality number often serves as a censoring device, both in terms of what David sends out, as well as what he allows to approach.
It discriminates in the kinds of people and information David Letterman lets enter his heart and mind.
Read more about our numerological interpretation of David Letterman's personality number . . .
Other celebrities with personality number 1 as David Letterman
Selena Gomez (1992)
An American actress and singer who became famous for her leading role as Alex Russo in the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place, formed July Moon Production company, and founded her band Selena Gomez & the Scene
David Bowie (1947-2016)
An English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, arranger, painter and actor who is considered by critics and musicians alike an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s
Kendall Jenner (1995)
An American reality television personality and fashion model who first came to public attention for appearing in the E! reality television show Keeping Up with the Kardashians after her sister Kim Kardashian achieved fame
Adele (1988)
A British singer and songwriter who was given a recording contract after a friend posted her demo on Myspace in 2006, and the first female artist to simultaneously have two albums in the top five of the Billboard 200
Kirby Jenner (1995)
An American artist who self-describes himself as an "amateur model", best known for his popular Instagram account, which he started in July 2015, and has received nominations for the Webby and Shorty Awards in social humor, best photography, and parody accounts
Floyd Mayweather Jr. (1977)
An American professional boxer, boxing promoter and 5th-division world champion, who has won fifteen world titles and the lineal championship in four different weight classes, and considered to be one of the greatest boxers of all time
Ruby Rose (1986)
An Australian model, DJ, recording artist, actress, television presenter, and former MTV VJ, who is the face of Maybelline New York in Australia, and also stars on Orange Is the New Black as Stella Carlin
Michael Jordan (1963)
An American retired professional basketball player, a businessman, and principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets, who is considered the greatest basketball player of all time, and populaizer of the NBA around the world
David Letterman Numerology -- Personality Number 1 | © Copyright 2009-2021 Celebrities Galore and Master Numerologist Hans Decoz


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Home France-Startups Agricool rais...
Agricool raises €25 million to scale its urban farming tech in Paris and Dubai
Mary Loritz
By 2030, 20% of products consumed worldwide will come from urban farming, compared to just 5% today, according to UN reports.
The French startup Agricool has devised a new, sustainable, local method of growing food – particularly strawberries. The startup is creating small urban farms in the middle of Paris using old shipping containers (which it calls "cooltainers"), in which it is able to vertically grow strawberries without the use of pesticides or GMOs, and using 90% less water than crops grown in the ground. Instead of sunlight, the cooltainers use LED lights that are powered by 100% renewable energy. The startup also claims that their locally-grown strawberries just taste better, and contain 30% more vitamin C than supermarket strawberries. We previously named Agricool as one of the top French startups to look out for in 2017.
To scale its urban farm technology, Agricool has just raised €25 million. The startup plans to install five new containers in the Paris region in 2019, and plans to launch 100 in France and Dubai by 2021. The startup also plans to hire 200 new people in the next two years.
Founded in 2015 by two farmers' sons, Guillaume Fourdinier and Gonzague Gru, Agricool was launched with the following mission: "to feed the planet with tasty fruits and vegetables that have taste, grown without pesticides and produced locally". Cities are also increasingly embracing urban farming. According to the Paris City Council: "Paris is dreaming of itself as an agricultural city".
The funding round was backed by new investors including Bpifrance Large Venture Fund, Danone Manifesto Ventures, Antoine Arnault via Marbeuf Capital, Solomon Hykes, and a dozen other business angels passionate about Agricool's mission. Existing investors including daphni, XAnge, Henri Seydoux and Xavier Niel via Kima Ventures, also participated in the round.
Guillaume Fourdinier, co-founder and CEO of Agricool, said: "We are very excited about the idea of supporting urban farming towards massive development, and it will soon no longer be a luxury to eat exceptional fruits and vegetables in the city."
Agricool
Danone Manifesto Ventures
daphni
Kima Ventures
Previous articleGoEuro Founder and CEO Naren Shaam will speak at our EU-Startups Summit on May 2-3 in Barcelona!
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Mary is the new Head of Content at EU-Startups.com. She is an experienced journalist and researcher covering tech and business topics. Mary formerly worked for NGOs in the US as a reporter, editor, researcher, organizer, and entrepreneur.
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UK group warns of Oman Sea incident as Japan PM visits Iran
Written by: Actualité à la Une
Dubai - Two tankers were hit in suspected attacks in the Gulf of Oman and the crew have been evacuated, shipping sources said Thursday, a month after a similar incident in which four tankers in the region were struck. U.S. Naval forces said they were assisting the tankers after receiving two distress calls. "We are aware of the reported attack on tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
U.S. Naval Forces in the region received two separate distress calls at 6:12 a.m. local time and a second one at 7:00 a.m.," Joshua Frey of the Fifth Fleet said in a statement. The area is near the Strait of Hormuz, a major strategic waterway through which a fifth of global oil consumption passes from Middle East producers. Two tankers, the Marshal Islands-flagged Front Altair and the Panama-flagged Kokuka Courageous, had been evacuated and the crews were safe, four shipping and trade sources said. There was no immediate confirmation from ship operators or authorities in Oman or the United Arab Emirates, in whose territorial waters four tankers were hit last month. The shipping newspaper Tradewinds reported that a tanker owned by Norway's Frontline had been struck by a torpedo off the coast of Fujairah, one of the emirates in the United Arab Emirates. It cited unnamed industry sources.
Frontline was not immediately available for comment. One shipping broker said there had been an explosion "suspected from an outside attack" that may have involved a magnetic mine on the Kokuka. "All crew safely abandoned the vessel and was picked up by Vessel Coastal Ace. Kokuka Courageous is adrift without any crew on board," the source said. Another source said the Front Altair reported a fire caused by a "surface attack" and that the crew had been picked up by nearby vessel Hyundai Dubai.
Oil prices surged by 4% after the report.
The UAE had said that the May 12 attacks on four vessels off the coast of Fujairah, a main bunkering hub, were likely caused by limpet mines and bore the hallmarks of an operation most likely by a state actor.
Saudi Arabia's envoy to the United Nations blamed Iran. Tehran has denied any involvement.
(With AFP/Reuters)


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Once an ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned, Kingston still boasts royal affiliations and a reputation for retail therapy. It is now home to two Royal Parks, Hampton Court Palace and a shopping hub to rival Central London. With a friendly community, renowned university and one of the lowest crime rates in London, Kingston's amenities have lured residents to its leafy streets for decades. Although Kingston is a haven for families seeking a peaceful lifestyle, the recent past has proved that it is not just a quaint suburban town. Its traditional demographic is coexisting with a new influx of young professionals who are falling for the area's lively cultural scene, riverside pubs and shopping opportunities. As property developers continue to cater to this market, constructing increasingly impressive contemporary apartment blocks with views over the Thames, Kingston cements its status as a prime location for city commuters.
Nipper the dog, famous for appearing in HMV advertisements, lived and was buried in Kingston. Nipper Alley, next to The Kings Tun pub, is named after him.
Rugby player Lawrence Dallaglio, author Nick Hornby and rock legend Eric Clapton are all alumni of Kingston University.
The Coronation Stone in Kingston is believed to be the site where seven Anglo Saxon kings were crowned.
For centuries Kingston's Clattern Bridge was the only crossing point of the Thames west of London Bridge, so a settlement developed here long before the railways came. Cardinal Wolsey built Hampton Court in 1520, and in 1603 James I kicked off Kingston's provenance as an important shopping centre by granting it a licence for a Saturday market. Evidence of the town's Tudor heritage can be seen its buildings. The oldest, a butcher's shop on the corner of the passage that leads to Apple Market dates back to the 15th century. In and around Market Place there are other buildings dating back to the 17th century. There are also many mock-Tudor buildings here built from the 1900s to the 1930s, recalling Kingston's heritage.
Today Kingston has a broad mix of architectural styles, including Victorian and Edwardian period homes and 1920s and 1930s builds. House hunters can choose from almost every property style, ranging from entry level flats in the town centre to expensive family homes in the Coombe Estate. Kingston continues to see an increase in the number of young professionals, and the burgeoning market of high end flats and apartments reflects this.
Eating: Kingston's High Street runs parallel to the Thames, so many of the restaurants here spill out onto the river bank come summer. The team at Riverside Vegetaria make it their mission to ensure their dishes are so tasty that even the most ardent carnivore will come back for more, and was voted London's best veggie restaurant in 2012. The new development at Riverside Walk also makes the most of its watery location, and Cau, Bill's and Busaba Eathai all have stunning views. Other confirmed local favourites include Indian Roz ana, Vietnamese Pho Hoi An and Turkish Cappadocia. Enjoy a cocktail or artisan beer at Hawkers Bar & Brasserie.
Culture: The 900 seat circular auditorium at The Rose Theatre is modelled on Elizabethan playhouses. This picturesque Kingston venue puts on excellent productions to rival those of any London theatre. For something more upbeat, try the Crack Comedy Club, Kingston's oldest comedy night, currently hosted by the library.
Sport: Kingston is a great place for sports fans as its riverside location and vast green spaces allow for all sorts of unusual team and individual sports. There are several golf clubs catering to all levels of experience. Coombe Wood Golf Club is a friendly local club, while you can't beat the landscape at Hampton Court Palace Golf Club. Getting involved with the Kingston Rowing Club is easy, and many locals join just to try something new and remain lifelong members. The Thames Sailing Club is also based in Kingston, where races are held throughout the summer.
Kingston Town Centre is a shopper's delight, with stores ranging from unique boutiques to high street chains. The large shopping centres in the area like The Bentall Centre and The Rotunda lure people from all over London. Clarence Street is the pedestrianized shopping heart of Kingston, with a large John Lewis on the riverside.
Kingston's historic Market Place has been in existence for over 800 years and regularly hosts visiting markets, including the festive Christmas Market and regular Continental Markets. There is plenty on offer with two permanent markets and a number of regular visiting markets.
Branches of most large supermarket chains can be found in Kingston, with a Tesco and Sainsbury's close to the station and a large Asda with car park between Kingston and Norbiton stations.
Kingston is also home to two speciality Asian supermarkets: Longdan and Hmart, where locals can pick up all kinds of exotic ingredients.
The borough of Kingston Upon Thames has seven libraries, most of which are open five days a week. The library on Fairfield Road has reading groups for adults and children, IT tuition and even a small shop.
Kingston is one of the greenest areas of London with two Royal Parks in close vicinity, as well as several smaller green spaces dotted around the borough. Sandwiched between Lower Ham Road and the Thames, Canbury Gardens is a consistently popular destination for families. However, its regular crowd are usually those with more niche leisure pursuits, as the park is home to the Kingston Rowing Club boathouse and its wide riverside pathway is a great spot for fishing. Other local parks also boast sporting facilities and parents often take children horse riding or cycling in Richmond Park then spend the rest of the afternoon looking out for the deer that stroll casually by. If wildlife doesn't appeal, just across the river lie two important historical open spaces. Avoid the tourists at Hampton Court and make for neighbouring Bushy Park to take in the fine architecture including the Diana Fountain dating from 1637 and the Baroque-style collection of pools at the Upper Lodge Water Gardens.
Kingston offers plenty of diversions for those keen to make the most of the Thames. River boats run between Kingston, Hampton Court and Richmond in the summer, and multiple restaurants and pubs have popped on the front for those wishing to take in the view.
High rise residential properties are springing up throughout Kingston, particularly alongside the river. Kingston Riverside offers high end contemporary apartments with views over the Thames, and Kingston Heights is a mixed use development combining private apartments, affordable homes and an upmarket hotel. A new Signature care home with 92 private apartments and a specialist dementia suite opened its doors in 2014.
Rail: Fast trains from Kingston station to Waterloo take 30 minutes, or locals can reach Victoria in 40 minutes via Clapham Junction.
Bus: Kingston has an exceptional bus network, with regular service provided by more than 30 routes. Numbers 65 (to Ealing), 85 (to Putney) and 281 (to Hounslow) take passengers north of the river, while the 406 (to Epsom) and 515 (to Guildford) travel into Surrey.
Road: Just eight miles from the M25, Kingston has excellent road connections. Its main thoroughfare is the busy A3, providing good access into central London.
River: River buses provide an excellent travel alternative on days when A3 traffic is particularly bad. In summer there are peak time services between Kingston and several London stations, including London Bridge and Canary Wharf.
Getting away: Kingston locals can take their pick of London's main airports. Gatwick is only a 45 minute drive away and the handy X26 bus runs a regular service to Heathrow, taking 35 to 45 minutes.
The area has 35 primary schools including community schools, academies, foundation schools and voluntary aided schools, so there's something to suit every family's requirements. Kingston is home to one of England's oldest schools, Kingston Grammar School, with a history dating back to 1561. Other good options include Tiffin School for boys, which became an academy in 2011, and Tiffin Girls' School.
Kingston University is a popular option for further education, and also runs several postgraduate and part time courses. The university is renowned for its art, design and architecture courses.
If you're looking to buy, sell, rent or let in Kingston upon Thames, contact the KFH Kingston branch today.


Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Riesenberg earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and advertising from Mount St. Joseph University in 2003.
The Fightin' Quakers defeated the Blue Streaks 25-20, 25-22, 13-25, 25-23 on Saturday afternoon.
First serve is slated for 1 p.m.
The Fightin' Quakers defeated the Crusaders 26-24, 25-18, 23-25, 25-16 on Tuesday evening.
First serve is slated for 7 p.m.
The Fightin' Quakers fell to the Yellow Jackets 25-9, 25-19, 25-9 on Saturday afternoon.
The Fightin' Quakers defeated the Cougars 25-20, 25-18, 25-22 on Thursday evening.
First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Cardinals won 25-8, 25-20, 25-16 on Tuesday evening.
Wilmington fell to the Pioneers 25-23, 25-15, 25-15 and defeated OU-Chillicothe 25-17, 25-22, 25-21.
Wilmington will face Marietta at 1 p.m. and OU-Chillicothe at 5 p.m. The Pioneers and Bobcats will play at 3 p.m.
The Polar Bears defeated the Fightin' Quakers 25-8, 25-11, 25-21 in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) action on Tuesday.
he Wilmington College volleyball team fell victim to the University of Mount Union in straight sets on Saturday as the Purple Raiders defeated the Fightin' Quakers 25-13, 15-14, 25-19 in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) action.
First serve is slated for 3 p.m.
Wilmington fell 25-14, 25-19, 25-11 on Tuesday evening.


text:
\section{Introduction}
Recent investigations augur that demand for mobile broadband -- driven by the large scale proliferation of wireless industry  -- will surpass the availability of wireless spectrum in imminent future. Yet, as recent measurements suggest, the licensed bands remain largely under-utilized.
A reasonable conjecture therefore is that unlicensed access of  idle (but licensed) spectrum bands,
 commonly referred to as secondary spectrum access, would avert the impending crisis. Recently, FCC has  legalized the access of TV white space spectrum, and
 the advent of cognitive radios together with the design of a plethora of sophisticated algorithms  have enabled intelligent   selection of  bands.
Large-scale secondary spectrum access can  not however be realized
   only through the availability of the enabling technology and the regulatory progress:  secondary access must also be rendered  profitable for the license holders.  Accordingly,
we investigate a spectrum oligopoly \cite{mwg}  where license holders (hitherto referred to as primaries)  allow unlicensed users (hitherto referred to as secondaries), in lieu of financial remuneration,  access to the channels  (licensed bands) that are not in use. Different channels offer different transmission rates to the secondaries
depending on their states which evolve randomly and reflect the usage levels of the primaries as also transmission quality fluctuations owing to fading.
Each primary quotes a price for the channel that it offers and secondaries select among
the available channels depending on the states and the prices quoted. Thus,
if a primary quotes a high price, it will earn a large profit if it sells its channel, but may not be able to sell at all; on the other hand a low price will enhance the probability of a sale but also fetch lower profits in the event of a sale.

Price selection in oligopolies may be modeled as a non-cooperative game and has naturally been extensively investigated in economics, implementing \textit{Bertrand Game} \cite{mwg} and its modifications \cite{Osborne, Kreps, Chawla}.
However, all the above papers ignore the uncertainty of competition which distinguishes spectrum markets from standard oligopolies: a primary knows the state of its channel but does not know those of  its competitors before deciding the price
for its channel. Pricing in communication services have been explored to a great extent (\cite{courcoubetis} prsenets a brief overview). References \cite{Ileri, Mailespectrumsharing, Mailepricecompslotted, Xing, Niyatospeccrn, Niyatomultipleseller} have analyzed price competition among spectrum providers. References \cite{Niyatospeccrn, Niyatomultipleseller} modeled price competition among multiple players. But all the above papers suffer from drawbacks: first, they did not assay uncertainty of states of channels of competitors ; second, most of them did not explicitly determine a Nash Equilibrium (NE) (exceptions are \cite{Mailespectrumsharing},\cite{Niyatospeccrn}).   On the other hand, the  papers that consider uncertainty of competition, namely \cite{Gaurav1,Gaurav2, gauravjsac, Janssen,Kimmel},  assume that the commodity on sale can be in one of two states: available or otherwise. This assumption does not capture different transmission qualities offered by
 the available channels. The consideration of the latter significantly complicates the  analysis of the game. A primary may now need to employ different pricing strategies for different states, while in the former case a single pricing strategy will suffice as a price need not be quoted for an unavailable commodity.
Our investigation seeks to contribute in this space.

We have modeled the price selection as a game with primaries as the players (Section~\ref{sec:model}) and seek an NE  pricing strategy.  We consider that the preference of the secondaries can be captured by a penalty function which associates a penalty value to each channel that is available for sale depending on its state and price quoted. Given the state of a channel, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the price quoted and the penalty perceived by a secondary. Thus, the strategy for selection of a price for a channel in a given state may be equivalently represented as a strategy for selection of penalty that the channel offers to a secondary. Since prices and therefore the penalties take real values, the strategy set of the players are continuous; also the payoff functions for the primaries turn out to be discontinuous. Thus, classical results
do not guarantee the existence, let alone the uniqueness,  of an NE. In addition, existing literature does not provide algorithms for computing an NE unlike when the strategy set is finite\cite{myerson}. Starting from a general set of strategy profiles for the primaries which allows for selecting penalties using arbitrary probability distributions, we show that for a large class of penalty functions, there exists a unique symmetric NE strategy profile, which we explicitly compute (Section~\ref{sec:results}). Our analysis reveals several interesting insights about the structure of the symmetric NE. First, we learn that  if a channel in state $i$ provides a higher transmission rate to a secondary than that in state $j$, then the symmetric NE strategy profile selects the penalties for $i, j$ respectively from ranges $[L_i, U_i], [L_j, U_j]$ where $U_i \leq L_j.$ Thus, a secondary will always prefer a channel in state $i$ to a channel in state $j$ considering both the prices and the states.  This negates the intuition that prices ought to be selected for the states so as to render them equally preferable to a secondary - symmetric NE strategy profiles in fact price the channels so as to retain the preference order provided by the states. The analysis also reveals that
the unique symmetric NE strategy profile consists ``nice'' probability distributions in that they are  continuous and strictly increasing;  the former  rules out pure strategy symmetric NEs and the latter ensures that the support sets are contiguous. Finally, utilizing the explicit computation algorithm for the symmetric NE strategies, we analytically and numerically investigate the reduction in expected profit suffered under the unique symmetric NE pricing strategies as compared to  the maximum possible value allowing for collusion among primaries (Section~\ref{numerical}).

\textit{All the proofs are deferred to the Appendix}.

\section{System Model}
\label{sec:model}

  We consider a spectrum market with $n$ primaries and $m$ secondaries. We will initially consider the case that the primaries know $m$, later generalize our results for random, apriori unknown $m$. Each primary has access to a channel which can be in states $0, 1, \ldots, n$, where state $i$ provides a lower transmission rate to a secondary than state $j$ if $i < j$ and state $0$ arises when
  the channel is not available for sale and provides $0$ transmission rate.
  Different channels constitute disjoint frequency bands leased by the primaries.
  A channel is in state $i \geq 1 $ w.p. $q_i$ and in state $0$ w.p. $1-q$ where $q = \sum_{i=1}^n q_i$, independent of the states of other channels.
    If a primary quotes a price $p$ for a channel in state $i$, then the channel offers a penalty $g_i(p)$ to a secondary. Each $g_i(\cdot)$ is continuous, strictly increasing in its argument, and therefore invertible. We denote $f_i(\cdot)$ as the inverse of $g_i(\cdot)$; clearly $f_i(\cdot)$ is continuous and strictly increasing in its argument as well.   No secondary buys a channel whose penalty is higher than $v$, and as the name suggests a secondary prefers a channel with a lower penalty (a secondary's preference depends entirely on the penalty). Thus, we must have $g_i(p)>g_j(p)$ and $f_i(x)<f_j(x)$ for each $x, p$ and $i<j$.   Each primary also incurs a transition cost $c>0$ for an available channel, and therefore never selects a price lower than $c.$  We  assume that
\begin{align}\label{con1}
\dfrac{f_j(y)-c}{f_k(y)-c}<\dfrac{f_j(x)-c}{f_k(x)-c}  \ \mbox{ for all } x>y > g_j(c), j<k
\end{align}
A large  class of penalty functions $g_i(\cdot)$  satisfy the above property required of the corresponding inverses, e.g., $g_i(p) = \zeta\left(p - h(i)\right), g_i(p) = \zeta\left(p/h(i)\right)$ where
 $\zeta(\cdot)$ is continuous, strictly increasing function and $h(\cdot)$ is strictly increasing, $g_i(p) = p^r - h(i), g_i(p) = p^rh(i), g_i(p)=\exp(p) - h(i), g_i(p)=\log(p)-h(i)$ for $r > 0$ and a strictly increasing $h(\cdot).$ In addition,
 $g_i(\cdot)$ such that the inverses are of the form $f_i(x)=h_1(x)+h(i), f_i(x) = h_1(x)h(i)$,  where $h_1(\cdot)$ is continuous and strictly increasing; $h(\cdot)$ is sirictly increasing, satisfy the above assumption.

If primary $i$ quotes   a price $p$ for its channel then its  profit(payoff)  is \\
\begin{equation*}
\begin{cases} p-c  & \text{if the primary sells its channel}\\
0 & \text{otherwise}
\end{cases}
\end{equation*}
Note that if $Y$ is the number of channels offered for sale for which the penalties are upper bounded by $v$, then
those with $\min(Y, m)$ lowest penalties are sold  since secondaries select channels in increasing order of penalties. The ties among channels with identical penalties are broken randomly and symmetrically
   among the primaries. Also, note that utilities of primaries are not continuous functions of their actions.

 Each primary selects the penalty for its channel with the knowledge of the state of the channel, but without knowing the states of the other channels; a primary however knows $l, m, n, q_1, \ldots, q_n$. Note that the choice of the penalty uniquely determines the price since there is a one-to-one correspondence between the two given the state of a channel.
Primary $i$ chooses its penalty using an arbitrary probability distribution function (d.f.) \footnote{Here probability distribution refers cumulative distribution function. Recall the definition of cumulative distribution function (d.f) of a random variable $X$ is the function
$G(x)=P(X\leq x) \quad x\in \Re$ \cite{df}}$\psi_{i,j}(.)$
when its channel is in state $j \geq 1$. If $j = 0$ (i.e., the channel is unavailable),   $i$ chooses a penalty of $v+1$: this is equivalent
 to considering that such a channel is not offered for sale as no secondary
   buys a channel whose penalty exceeds $v$. For $j \geq 1$,  each primary selects its price   so as to maximize  its expected profit. Thus, if $m\geq l$,  primaries  select the highest penalty for each state $1,\ldots, n$, since   all available channels will be sold. So, we consider $m<l$. $S_i=(\psi_{i,1},....,\psi_{i,n})$ denotes the strategy of primary $i$, and $(S_1,...,S_l)$ denotes the strategy profile of all primaries (players).
\begin{defn}
$S_{-i}$ denotes the strategy profile of primaries other than $i.$
$E\{u_{i, j}(\psi_{i,j},S_{-i})\} $ denotes the expected profit when primary $i$'s channel is in state $j$ and it  uses strategy $ \psi_{i, j}(\cdot) $  and other primaries use strategy $S_{-i}$.
\end{defn}
\begin{defn}
A \emph{Nash  equilibrium}  $(S_1, \ldots, S_n)$ is a strategy profile such that no primary can improve its expected profit by unilaterally deviating from its strategy  \cite{mwg}.  So, with $S_i=(\psi_{i,1},....,\psi_{i,n})$, $(S_1, \ldots, S_n)$, is  a  Nash equilibrium (NE) if for each primary $i$ and channel state $j$
\begin{align}
E\{u_{i,j}(\psi_{i,j},S_{-i})\}\geq E\{u_{i,j}(\tilde{\psi}_{i,j},S_{-i})\} \ \forall \ \tilde{\psi}_{i, j}.
\end{align}
An NE $(S_1, \ldots, S_n)$  is a \emph{symmetric NE} if $S_i = S_j$ for all $i, j.$
\end{defn}

The above game is a symmetric one since  primaries have the same action sets, payoff functions and their channels are statistically identical. We therefore consider only symmetric NEs\footnote{For a symmetric game, an asymmetric NE is rarely realized. For example. for two players, if  $(S_1, S_2)$ is an NE,
 $(S_2, S_1)$ is also an NE. The realization of such an NE is possible only when each player knows whether
 the other uses $S_1$ or $S_2$.  This complication  is somewhat alleviated for a symmetric NE as all players play the same strategy; this complication is eliminated only when there is a unique symmetric NE. Note that, there are plethora of examples of symmetric games \cite{mwg}, which have multiple NEs. We prove that that there is a unique symmetric NE for the game we consider. }.  Clearly, for any symmetric NE, we can represent the strategy of any primary as $S = (\psi_{1}(.), \psi_2(.),.....,\psi_n(.)) $ where we drop the index corresponding to the primary.

  Let $\phi_j(x)$ denote the expected profit of a primary whose channel is in state $j$ and who selects
  a penalty $x$ and $r(x)$ denote the probability that a channel quoted at penalty $x$ is sold.  Note that the dependence of $\phi_j(x), r(x)$ on the strategy profile of the primaries is
  not explicitly indicated to ensure notational simplicity. Also, note that $r(x)$ does not depend on the state of the channel since secondaries select the channels based only on the penalties. Next,
\begin{align}\label{ex1}
\phi_j(x)=(f_j(x)-c)r(x).
\end{align}
(recall that the inverse of the penalty function $g_j(\cdot)$,  $f_j(\cdot)$, provides the price
 that corresponds to penalty $x$ and channel state $j$).
\begin{defn}\label{br}\label{du}
 A \emph{best response} penalty for  a channel in state  $j\geq 1$  is $x$ if and only if
\begin{equation*}
\phi_j(x)=\underset{y\in \Re}{\text{sup}}\phi_j(y).
\end{equation*}
Let $u_{j,max} = \phi_j(x)$ for a best response $x$ for state $j$, $j \geq 1$ i.e.,  $u_{j,max}$ is the maximum expected profit  that a primary earns under NE strategy profile, when its channel is in state  $j$, $j \geq 1$ .
\end{defn}
\section{A symmetric NE: Existence, Uniqueness and Computation}
\label{sec:results}
 First, we identify key structural properties of a symmetric  NE (should it exist).
  Next we show that the above properties leads to a unique strategy profile which we explicitly compute  - thus the symmetric NE is unique should it exist.  We finally prove that the strategy profile resulting from the structural properties above is   indeed a symmetric NE thereby establishing existence.

\subsection{Structure of a  symmetric NE}\label{sec:structure}

We start with by providing some important properties that any symmetric NE $\left(\psi_1(\cdot), \ldots, \psi_n(\cdot)\right)$ must satisfy.
\begin{thm}
\label{thm1}
$\psi_{i}(.), i\in \{1,..,n\}$ is a continuous probability distribution.
\end{thm}
The above theorem rules out any pure strategy symmetric NE.

\begin{defn}\label{dlu}
 We denote the lower and upper endpoints of the support set\footnote{The support set of a probability distribution is the smallest closed set such that the probability of its complement is $0.$}   of $\psi_i(.)$ as $L_i$ and $U_i$ respectively i.e.
\begin{equation*}\label{n77}
L_i=\inf\{x: \psi_{i}(x)>0\}
\end{equation*}
\begin{equation*}\label{n77a}
U_i=\inf\{x: \psi_i(x)=1\}
\end{equation*}
\end{defn}
We next show that the support sets are ordered in increasing order of the state indices.
\begin{thm}
\label{thm2}
$U_i\leq L_j$, if $j<i$
\end{thm}
We finally rule out any ``gaps'' inside the support sets and between the support sets for different
$\psi_i(\cdot)$,  $i=1,..,n$. This also establishes that $\psi_i(\cdot)$ is strictly increasing in $[L_i, U_i].$
\begin{thm}
\label{thm3}
The support set of $\psi_i(.), i=1,..,n$ is $[L_i, U_i]$  and $U_i=L_{i-1}$ for $i=2,..,n$, $U_1=v$.
\end{thm}
\textit{Remark}: The structure of the symmetric NE identified in Theorems 1 to 3 provide several interesting insights:
\begin{itemize}
\item Theorem~\ref{thm2} implies that the primaries select the highest penalties for the worst states.
 The primaries therefore do not strive to render all states equally preferable to the secondaries through price selection.
 \item Theorems~\ref{thm1} and \ref{thm3} reveal that the symmetric NE strategy profile consists of
  ``well-behaved'' distribution functions.
 \end{itemize}

\subsection{Computation and Uniqueness of a Symmetric NE}
\label{sec:computation}
We now show that the structural properties of a symmetric NE identified in
Theorems~\ref{thm1}, \ref{thm2}, \ref{thm3} are satisfied by a unique strategy profile,
 which we explicitly compute. This proves the uniqueness of a symmetric NE subject to existence.
 We start with the following definitions.
 \begin{eqnarray}
w(x)&=&\sum_{i=m}^{l-1}\dbinom{l-1}{i}x^i(1-x)^{l-i-1}\label{d4}\\
w_i&=&w(\sum_{j=i}^{n}q_j) \quad \text{for} i=1,...,n \quad \text{and} w_{n+1}=0\label{n50}
\end{eqnarray}
Clearly, for $x \in [0, 1]$,  $w(x)$ is the probability of at least m successes out of l-1 independent Bernoulli trials, each of which occurs with probability $x.$ Note that $w(\cdot)$ is continuous and strictly increasing in $[0,1]$ \cite{walsh}, so its inverse exists.
Note that $w_i>w_j$ if $i<j, i,j\in\{1,...,n\}$ as $w_i$ is the success probability of at least m successes out of (l-1) independent Bernoulli Events, where each of which occurs with probability $\sum_{j=i}^{n}q_j$.

\begin{lem} \label{lu} For $1 \leq i \leq n$,
\begin{eqnarray}u_{i,max} & = & p_i-c \nonumber\\
\mbox{where, } p_i& =& c+(f_i(L_{i-1})-c)(1-w_i)
\label{n51}\\
\mbox{and } L_i&=&g_i(\dfrac{p_i-c}{1-w_{i+1}}+c), L_{0}=v\label{n52}
\end{eqnarray}
\end{lem}
Using \eqref{n51} and \eqref{n52}, $u_{i,max}, L_i$ can be computed recursively starting from $i=1.$ Note that as $1-w_i>0,\forall i\in\{1,\ldots,n\}$, thus, $p_i-c>0$. Hence, from the definition of $L_k$ (\ref{n52}), it is evident that
\begin{align}\label{imp}
f_k(L_k)>c
\end{align}
Expressions of $L_i$ and $p_i$ are used in the following lemma to determine the unique $\psi_i(\cdot)$, if it exists
\begin{lem} \label{lm:computation}
A symmetric NE strategy profile  $\left(\psi_1(\cdot), \ldots, \psi_n(\cdot)\right)$
comprises of: \begin{align}\label{c5}
\psi_i(x)= &
 0 ,  \text{if} \ x<L_i\nonumber\\
& \dfrac{1}{q_i}(w^{-1}(\dfrac{f_i(x)-p_i}{f_i(x)-c})-\sum_{j=i+1}^{n}q_j), \text{if} \ L_{i-1}\geq x\geq L_i\nonumber\\
& 1,  \text{if} \ x>L_{i-1}
\end{align}
where $L_i, i=1,..,n$ are as defined in (\ref{n52}) and $L_0=v$.
\end{lem}

Next lemma will ensure that $\psi_i(\cdot)$ as defined in lemma~\ref{lm:computation} is indeed a d.f.

\begin{lem}\label{dcont}
$\psi_i(\cdot)$ as defined in Lemma~\ref{lm:computation} is a strictly increasing and continuous distribution function.
\end{lem}

\subsection{Existence of a symmetric NE}
\label{sec:existence}
In this  section, We prove that symmetric strategy profile identified in previous section is indeed a NE strategy profile.
\begin{thm}\label{thm4} $\left(\psi_1(\cdot), \ldots, \psi_n(\cdot)\right) j=1,..,n$ as defined in lemma~\ref{lm:computation} is  a symmetric NE.
\end{thm}

\paragraph{Remark} Note that all our results readily generalize to allow for random number of secondaries (M) with probability mass functions (p.m.f.) $\Pr(M=m)=\gamma_m$. A primary does not have the exact realization of number of secondaries, but it knows the p.m.f. . We only have to redefine  $w(x)$ as-
\begin{eqnarray}
\sum_{k=0}^{\max(M)}\gamma_k\sum_{i=k}^{l-1}\dbinom{l-1}{i}x^i(1-x)^{l-1-i}
\end{eqnarray}
and $w_{n+1}=\gamma_0$ .\\

\section{Performance evaluation of the symmetric NE }
\label{numerical}
\begin{defn}
Let $R_{NE}$ denote  the total expected profit at Nash equilibrium. Then,
\begin{eqnarray}
R_{NE}=l.\sum_{i=1}^{n}(q_i.(p_i-c))
\end{eqnarray}
\end{defn}

\begin{lem}\label{eff}
Let $c_{j}=g_j(c), j=1,..,n$.
\begin{enumerate}
\item If $m\geq (l-1)(\sum_{j=1}^n q_j +\epsilon)$ for some $\epsilon>0$, then $R_{NE}\rightarrow l.\sum_{j=1}^{n}q_j.(f_{j}(v)-c)$ as $l\rightarrow \infty.$
\item If $ (l-1)(\sum_{j=i-1}^{n}q_j-\epsilon)\geq m \geq (l-1)(\sum_{j=i}^{n}q_j+\epsilon), i\in\{2,..,n\}$, for some $\epsilon>0$, then
$R_{NE}\rightarrow l.\sum_{j=i}^{n}q_j.(f_{j}(c_{i-1})-c)$ as $l\rightarrow \infty.$
\item If $m\leq (l-1)(q_n-\epsilon)$ for some $\epsilon>0$, then $R_{NE}\rightarrow 0$ as $l\rightarrow \infty.$
\end{enumerate}
\end{lem}
Note that, for $j>i$, $c_j<c_i$ (as $g_j(c)<g_i(c)$), thus, asymptotically $R_{NE}$ decreases as $m$ decreases. This is expected as  competition increases with decrease in $m$, and thus prices
 are chosen progressively closer to the lower limit, that of the transition cost,  $c.$

\begin{defn}
Let $R_{OPT}$ be  the maximum  expected profit earned through collusive selection of
 prices by the primaries. \emph{Efficiency} $\eta$ is defined as $\dfrac{R_{NE}}{R_{OPT}}.$
\end{defn}
Efficiency is a measure of the reduction in the expected profit owing to competition.
Asymptotic behavior of $\eta$ is characterized by the following lemma:
\begin{lem}\label{thresh}
\begin{enumerate}
 \item If $m\geq (l-1)(\sum_{j=1}^{n}q_j+\epsilon)$ for some $\epsilon>0$, then $\eta\rightarrow 1$ as $l\rightarrow \infty$.
     \item If $m\leq (l-1)(q_n-\epsilon)$ for some $\epsilon>0$, then $\eta\rightarrow 0$ as $l\rightarrow \infty$.
         \end{enumerate}
\end{lem}

The lemma does not characterize the asymptotic limits for $\eta$  for $m \in [(l-1)\sum_{j=1}^{n}q_j,   (l-1)q_n].$
However, our numerical computation reveals that $\eta$ increases from $0$ to $1$ with increase in $m$ (figure ~\ref{fig:Efficiency}) - the variation is largely monotonic barring for a few discrepancies owing
to $n, m$ being finite.  Intuitively, demand increases with increase in  $m$; thus primaries set their penalties close to the highest possible value for all states which leads to higher efficiency. On the other hand, when $m$ decrease, competition becomes intense and primaries chooses prices close to $c$ and expected profits under the symmetric NE decreases: $R_{NE}$ is very small as lemma ~\ref{eff} reveals. But, if primaries collude,  primaries can judiciously offer only the channels of highest possible states to the secondaries to gain a large profit. Hence, the decrease in $R_{OPT}$ with decrease in $m$ is slower,  which leads to lower efficiency for low $m.$

Similarly, when $q_i$s increases, competition becomes intense and primaries chooses price closer to $c$, hence $R_{NE}$ decrease. But, when primaries collude, they still sell at highest possible penalty for a channel and hence $\eta$ decrease. On the other hand, when, $q_i$s decrease, primaries set their prices closer to highest possible values for all states and thus, $\eta$ increase.

\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=90mm]{eff_3.eps}
\caption{Efficiency versus m for three different sets of values of probabilities for $l=20$ and $n=3$, $q_1=q_2=q_3=r$, $v=100, c=1$, $g_i(x)=x^{10}-i^7.$}
\label{fig:Efficiency}
\end{figure}

\section{Discussion And Future Work}
For analytical tractability, we have assumed symmetric setting. An important problem for future research is to characterize NE under asymmetric setting. We have assumed secondaries have the same penalty function. Another interesting extension would be the characterization of NE strategy profile  when the assumption is relaxed.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv