The Internet of Things (IoT) is already impacting and changing the global manufacturing landscape. On Thursday January 18, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection held a hearing as part of their Disrupter Series on IoT, Manufacturing and Innovation. Specifically, the Committee heard testimony from Rodney Masney, Vice President, Technology Service Delivery, Information Technology, Owens-Illinois, Inc.; Thomas Bianculli, Chief Technology Officer, Zebra Technologies Corporation; Dr. Thomas Kurfess, Professor and HUSCO/Ramirez Distinguished Chair in Fluid Power and Motion Control Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology; and Sanjay Poonen, Chief Operating Officer, VMware, Inc.
Each of the witnesses addressed how the information that is collected through IoT technology can help manufacturers on the ground across various manufacturing jobs. This data leads to more effective and efficient output which in turn enhances competition in the market. Further, this improvement of manufacturing performance also leads to reduced costs, increased quality of goods, and more production overall. For example, Dr. Kurfess talked about the ability of IoT to monitor and improve overall work production of thousands of machines for simple tasks such as checking oil levels in a machine. Mr. Bianculli noted that his company, Zebra has already seen benefits, including more awareness of the entirety of the manufacturing process; increased speed in which there is the ability to identify areas of failure; and an escalation in the overall speed of shipping and receiving products. Mr. Masney discussed the energy management and predictive maintenance capabilities that IoT provides. In his glass manufacturing company, the development of sensor technology will help the glass containers continue to be sustainable while reducing the energy used to melt and form the glass. Further, the development of such sensor technology can likely transform the way equipment is updated and maintained as well as improve workplace safety.
Both the Representatives and witnesses called attention potential cybersecurity and privacy issues associated with IoT. Mr. Pooten noted that there is an increase in the frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks, both in the U.S. and abroad. Furthermore, he noted that cybersecurity needs to become a priority when developing and implementing these technologies, as it is likely that manufacturing plants will not only use devices and equipment from a single technology manufacturer, which increases the difficulty in managing cybersecurity across different interfaces. Mr. Pooten suggested cyber hygiene principles that everyone using IoT devices should employ, including: only giving access to those who truly need it, micro-segmentation encryption, multi-factor authentication, and patching.
Although IoT has the potential to transform the manufacturing industry, it is not without costs. The actual monetary cost to deploy IoT technology can be quite steep, notwithstanding the cost of implementing cybersecurity standards to guard against potential disruptions and threats. Additionally, education is a critical aspect to the deployment of IoT. The economy lacks workers capable of not only developing IoT technology, but also implementing and using it. There will need to be a commitment to retraining and lifelong learning for IoT to truly become useful and successful. Moreover, witnesses stressed that education needs to start at the kindergarten level.
The witnesses also called on Congress to aid in making IoT technologies more accessible by making them more affordable, creating resources to address cybersecurity, investing in research of IoT data science, opening up more commercial licensed and unlicensed spectrum, and allowing for access to broadband. Both the Representatives and witnesses stressed the need for a long term strategic plan to prepare the workforce for the future that IoT will bring. Additionally, many Representatives—while praising the capabilities that IoT holds and the efficiency it may bring—also expressed concern about the technology replacing jobs. Mr. Bianculli responded that jobs are not being taken away, but rather, IoT technology is changing the way in which jobs are done by improving productivity. For example, goods in a warehouse will be taken to a picker in the future, instead of that picker walking and having to find the goods. This simple change decreases the turnaround time on orders and allows for more products to be shipped. Across industries, more mundane tasks can now be done more economically.
IoT is critical to future economic and workforce development in the United States. For the U.S. to stay at the forefront of IoT implementation, Congress needs to invest in education and accessibility. It is crucial to implement cybersecurity standards across the board and to establish a long term plan for the integration of IoT technologies.
Hilary Rosenthal is a legal intern at CCIA and a J.D. candidate at American University Washington College of Law.


text:
import React from 'react';
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom';
import Avatar from '../index';
import { createTestContainer, getDOMNode, getStyle, toRGB, itChrome } from '@test/testUtils';

import '../styles/index';

describe('Avatar styles', () => {
  it('Should render the correct background', () => {
    const instanceRef = React.createRef();
    ReactDOM.render(<Avatar ref={instanceRef} />, createTestContainer());
    assert.equal(getStyle(getDOMNode(instanceRef.current), 'backgroundColor'), toRGB('#d9d9d9'));
  });

  it('Should apply size class', () => {
    const instanceRef = React.createRef();
    ReactDOM.render(<Avatar size="lg" ref={instanceRef} />, createTestContainer());
    const dom = getDOMNode(instanceRef.current);
    assert.equal(getStyle(dom, 'width'), '60px');
    assert.equal(getStyle(dom, 'width'), getStyle(dom, 'height'));
    assert.equal(getStyle(dom, 'font-size'), '26px');
  });

  // @description Can't get border-radius value in other browser except chrome
  itChrome('Should render circle avatar', () => {
    const instanceRef = React.createRef();
    ReactDOM.render(<Avatar ref={instanceRef} circle />, createTestContainer());
    assert.equal(getStyle(getDOMNode(instanceRef.current), 'borderRadius'), '50%');
  });
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Results and Standings
Team partners
Mégane R.S.
Mégane R.S. Trophy
Mégane R.S. Trophy-R
Mégane R.S. Line
R.S.Line
Clio R.S. Line
New Arkana R.S. Line
New Captur R.S. Line
Clio Trophy
Renault 40 CV
Renault Nervasport des Records
Renault 8 Gordini
Renault 17 Groupe 5
Renault R.S.01
Renault 20 Dakar
Renault 5 Maxi Turbo
Renault 21 4x4
Williams Renault FW14
Renault Clio Williams
Renault Spider
Renault Laguna BTCC
Renault Mégane R26.R
Mégane R.S. 265 Trophy
Mégane R.S. 275 Trophy-R
Zhou and Alonso to test for Renault DP World F1 team in Abu Dhabi
Renault DP World F1 Team today confirms Guanyu Zhou and Fernando Alonso will drive in the one-day post-season test held at the Yas Marina Circuit on Tuesday 15 December.
Test Driver Zhou and Fernando will get behind the wheel of the Renault R.S.20 cars that have contested the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Shanghai-born Zhou currently sits eighth in the 2020 FIA Formula 2 Championship with one win and five podiums to his name. The 21-year-old has completed five days of F1 testing in 2020, with runs in the R.S.18 car in Budapest, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, the latter of which were alongside Fernando, who returns to the sport in 2021 after a two-year hiatus.
Cyril Abiteboul, Team Principal, Renault DP World F1 Team: "We would like to thank the FIA and F1 for their acceptance of our test plans, made in recognition of our commitment to young drivers throughout junior motorsport and to Fernando's own dedication to furthering the careers of young talents.
"Zhou has experienced the benefit of the Renault Sport Academy, having joined its ranks last year. He has worked hard and made a genuine contribution to the performance of the team through his work in the simulator and test programme. I am delighted he can drive the R.S.20 to complement his journey so far.
"For Fernando this will be the next step in his return. He has worked tirelessly to make sure he is as ready as he possibly can be for 2021. He wants to contribute fully – not just to the team, but to the fans and the sport he has missed in the past two years."
2019 Pre-Season Testing Summary
Renault F1 Team concluded two weeks of Formula 1 Pre-Season Testing at the (...)
Pre-Season Test Round-Up, Week One
Renault F1 Team's 2019 season preparations got off to an encouraging start (...)
2019 Pre-Season Test 1, Day One
Renault F1 Team began preparations for the 2019 FIA Formula 1 World (...)
Launch 2019 - Q&A with Cyril Abiteboul
Cyril Abiteboul Managing Director 2019 is the fourth season of Renault F1 (...)
Renault Sport Series
English/France
© Renault Sport

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


ATHENS, Greece, Jul. 18 /CSRwire/ - The Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 has sent a clear message to the global economic community about climate change and the transition to a low-carbon global economy. What is the role of Green Finance & Responsible Investing in this new economic era, how should investors & finance industry adapt and where does Germany stand in comparison with other countries? Which are the new opportunities for investors, banks, corporations & entrepreneurs? Which are the risks of non adaptation for investors, finance industry & companies? All above together with the concept of Responsible Investing, trends, profitability opportunities and the role of private and institutional investors in driving finance innovation and transition to a low carbon economy will be among forum topics.
The Forum is organised by Global Sustain GmbH, in cooperation with InvestitionsBank Berlin International Bankers Forum and the FNG (Sustainable Investment Forum for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein) supported by Berlin Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The Forum entitled "The Trends and Growth Opportunities in Green Finance and Responsible Investing" & will take place on 20 September 2016 at the Investitionsbank Berlin Conference Center, Bundesallee 210, 10719 Berlin. Senior executives from global brands & established organisations have confirmed as speakers such as from S&P Dow Jones, Morgan Stanley Group (MSCI), CDP, FNG, IBB etc.
It is a forum for finance industry, investors (institutional, wealth management companies, funds family houses, VCs, Business Angels etc), Insurances, corporations, SMEs, Startups, Business Associations, NGOs, Policy Makers, Diplomats etc. It will be a high level communication platform with diversified exchange of views and knowledge by sector leaders & experts for the new innovative finance & investments world in a new low carbon economy.


text:
import Favicon from './favicon.js'
export default Favicon


Available in 500g and 1kg sizes.
Fresh Frozen Fettuccine, flat ribbon pasta.
Durum wheat semolina, salt, egg, flour, water.
Ring shaped pasta twists filled with seasoned beef and parmesan cheese best served with cream based sauces such as our Alla Panna.
Soft dough dumplings, made from potato and flour.
Pillows of pasta filled with beef.
Pillows of pasta filled with chicken and basil.
90 cents per sheet, A4 size.


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Home MMA News Frankie Edgar Max Holloway issues classy statement on the influence of 'legend' Frankie Edgar
Max Holloway issues classy statement on the influence of 'legend' Frankie Edgar
Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar finally shared the cage over the weekend, battling for five, tense rounds in the main event of UFC 240. In the end, Holloway won this fight by unanimous decision, retaining the UFC featherweight title in the process.
In the wake of this bout, Holloway has been vocal about the respect that he feels for his vanquished foe. Speaking on his official Instagram account on Sunday, the featherweight champion summed up his thoughts on Edgar as eloquently as he has yet.
Here's what he had to say about the New Jersey based MMA star:
A post shared by Max Holloway (@blessedmma)
"The GOAT talk always makes me cringe," Max Holloway wrote on Instagram. "Legends can coexist. Frankie was gonna win no matter what last night because I am part Frankie. I am who I am as a father and martial artist because of some of the things I've learned from Frankie and coach Mark Henry. Proud to be Hawaiian, proud to be honorary Canadian. But if you know this sport the way us fighters know it, every champ reps a little bit of Jersey whether they like it or not because of these two legends."
Holloway's accolades in the Octagon have already led many fans to refer to him as the greatest featherweight in MMA history — although he is adamant he has more work to do before swiping that title from the former champion Jose Aldo.
Frankie Edgar, meanwhile, is also often mentioned when MMA fans discuss the most successful fighters of all time. Despite being grossly undersized for the division, the New Jersey native held the UFC lightweight title from 2010 to 2012. Between the lightweight and featherweight divisions, he has defeated big names like BJ Penn (three times), Gray Maynard (twice), Charles Oliveira, Cub Swanson (twice), Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes, Jeremy Stephens and Yair Rodriguez.
What do you think of this comment from Max Holloway?


text:
Free Module: The School of Magic
Donhurst Beach is a pious town built around a huge tree. The ruler is fair and just, and is respected by the populace. Humans are the dominant race (about 50%), but there's a large population of Halflings (25%) and Gnomes (20%) with some tension between them and the humans. There are rumors at the tavern (The Blue Wing) and among the population about a rampaging ogre that steals and demands tribute, which has grown larger and bolder as of late.
The party will be hired to deal with rampaging ogre either via a job posting or direct request from Donhurst's ruler.
Hadwisa Kensley, Female Human
Description: This exceptionally lanky woman wears a violet vest and prefers brown and yellow shirts. Her boots appear to have been at one point steel toed but are quite worn down. Her blonde hair is knotted and matted. Her half smiles and green eyes are beguile and draw you in.
Personality: She is erratic and paranoid, and believes the ogre is going to abduct her. She is used to getting what she wants, in part because she's such a meticulous planner.
Offer the party enough gold or perhaps a magic item to pique their interest. The ogre's whereabouts are unknown, but many villagers have seen it so questioning them is suggested.
Speaking with villagers and farmers in the countryside will reveal clues about the ogre's whereabouts. The first villager (Cora Jamjar, female halfling) they speak to had the ogre steal some cattle, but didn't see it or where it came from, but she'll point the party towards a farm that was raided multiple times. The farmer (Alexandre Clare, Male Human) has had different cattle and crops taken on different days, and managed to see the ogre. He'll describe it as huge, grotesque, and terrifying, and how he hid each time he saw it. Each time, the ogre took a small road into the valley. Within the valley they'll find an herbalist (Theirastra Crane, Female Half-Elf) who leaves regular tribute to the ogre to leave her alone. She'll describe the ogre similarly, and say it crosses into the desert towards an old oasis that many of the migrating animals stop at.
The travel is hot across a desert, hitting 59°C (139°F) during the day. PCs need to dress lightly to escape the heat, and drink twice as much water (2 gallons/day for a medium creature) to avoid exhaustion. A DC 5 Con save needs to be made every hour which increases each time, and PCs that are not dressed in light armor or less have disadvantage on the save. Navigating is a DC 10 Survival, while foraging is DC 20.
Partway through the travel a sandstorm will kick up, giving disadvantage on any sight or hearing, and ranged weapon attack rolls. Open flames are extinguished and fog is dispersed. Any sort of flying movement is impossible. The distance can be as long or short as appropriate for your campaign. If you enjoy doing wilderness travel and resource management with encounters then it can take a week, or it can just be a day of travel with a combat in between.
At the end of their travel they come to a verdant oasis, with colorful flowers of varying sizes. The waters are clear but deep, and at the bottom of the lake is a large building. A sleeping stone giant covered in plants and moss is also here. The stone giant covers a tunnel that leads to the building at the bottom of the lake, but is difficult to wake. If the party manages to wake the giant he still won't let them pass, acting as a sentry for the school. The party will need to discover who the giant will allow to pass (or even what his purpose is), and then convince him that they're students of the school before he'll allow them in. If they choose to fight the giant, you can use the CR 7 version in the Monster Manual (p 156) or the CR 10 version in Volo's Guide to Monsters (p 150). For most players attacking the giant is suicide, but if you need a more challenging fight for a higher level party you can have more giants stir when combat begins (have them burst out of the ground or rock faces). If the party is totally unable to move the giant, they can swim to the bottom of the lake instead. You can have them deal with their breath, keeping their things from getting soaked, etc. if they decide to go that route.
The inside of the building has air, with magic and clever engineering preventing the water from entering. The inside appears to be some sort of school, with wide halls leading past classrooms, lecture halls, cafeteria, gym, and dorms for the students.
Dangerous old magics serve as traps and hazards for the players as they explore. Staircases move and shift as the players walk up them, some will even change direction back down, or flip upside down. Various ghosts can be seen at the edge of their periphery or at the end of long hallways. The ghosts are actually old illusion magic gone awry, but they'll avoid letting the players get close enough to investigate, running out of sight or into paintings to get away.
There are a number of false doors, some that ask nonsense riddles or require the players to do something specific to open them. The false doors can lead back to previous rooms they've explored, or just to a wall, or even right behind where they're standing. Some of the doors will caution the players to stay out, these can either be faculty rooms or lead to the den of dangerous magical beasts. If you use the Combat Generator you can set the type to Aberration, Construct, Monstrosity, Ooze, or Elemental and click Random Medium for appropriate monsters.
The school was built over a strong leyline (as are most magic schools) that various old spells feed on to keep going. That means there's a lot of magical traps that the players must deal with as they explore. You can use the Trap Generator to generate some of appropriate level for your party, here's also a couple:
Spring Trap
An area is warded with a detect magic spell. When magic is detected within the spell's radius the trap is triggered which triggers a massive coil to spring up and launch the target.
Effect: One target, a massive spring coil flings the target into a wall or other trap/hazard. If catapulted into a wall, DC 13 DEX save or take 10 (2d10) damage.
Trigger: magic detection, activates when magic is detected in an area.
Countermeasures: A spell or other effect that can sense the presence of magic, such as detect magic, reveals an aura of divination magic around the area. A successful dispel magic (DC 13) cast on the area destroys the trap.
Spore Trap
A door or chest is rigged to activate when opened, which opens vents in the floor and releases poisonous spores into the area.
Effect: Targets all creatures within a 10 ft. square area, Poisonous spores are released which deal 16 (2d10) poison damage and DC 14 CON save or be poisoned for 1 hour.
Trigger: door, activates when a door or chest is opened.
Countermeasures: The DC to spot the attached wire is 20. A successful DC 10 Dexterity check using thieves' tools breaks the wire attached to the door harmlessly. A character without thieves' tools can attempt this check with disadvantage using any edged weapon or edged tool. On a failed check, the trap triggers. A strong gust of wind (at least 10mph) will disperse the spores.
There's a greenhouse that looks out on the flora and fauna at the bottom of the lake. Various strange and magical plants grow in the greenhouse, and some may be willing to chat in Sylvan or Primordial. The plants don't know much of anything that happens outside of the greenhouse or lake floor, but they'll be able to recall the various students and gardening lessons that used to take place.
There's also various clues and signs of the ogre's passing. Scratches on the walls and floors give hint towards the ogre's lair. There are also marks where he dragged his huge club along the floor or through furniture. Your players should encounter a couple traps and encounters with magical beasts before finally reaching the ogre's lair. Here's a map below you can use, or create your own, or just improv the map on the fly. If you're using a battlemat just draw halls and rooms as they're needed, of if you're using dungeon tiles then just place them out in a similar fashion. Have the ogre's lair come after the 5th or 6th room / encounter, to ensure the players have enough time to explore the school while also getting their resources depleted.
The room before the ogre's lair is when they'll encounter and have to fight some of the "ghosts" they saw before. They're quite corporeal and capable of delivering damage, but will fizzle out of existence when defeated. If a player has Detect Magic and uses their action they can learn that the ghosts are actually illusions made of magic. Here's a group you could use for a level 4 party: https://www.kassoon.com/dnd/5e/generate-encounter/illusion-ambush/446/ or use the generator to make one appropriate for your party.
Within the ogre's lair is a desk, messy bookshelves, and a number of experiment desks with drawings, vials, and concoctions. A gnome illusionist is working here, with no sign of the ogre or any evidence that it was ever here.
Bilbron Ironhide, Male Gnome
Description: This western man's face is deformed and paralyzed on one side. As such, he slurs his words together. He wears rags and sports a simple walking cane. He has shaved his head bald. His eyes are a pleasant violet.
Personality: He is curt in most of his responses. He prefers to keep his word usage to a minimum to avoid giving away unnecessary information. He is terrible with names forgetting people's names several times before they finally stick; this causes him no end of embarrassment.
If the party speaks with the illusionist, they'll learn that he remained at the school to tend to it and prevent the lingering magic from going out of control. It's also along a powerful leyline, aiding his research without interference from nobles. He'll be familiar with the ogre, and inform them that it's just an illusion. He'll be genuinely surprised if he learns of its rampage out of the school, saying most illusions stick close to the leyline (and therefore the school) to maintain themselves.
The illusory ogre reappears and has an intelligence far beyond a simple ogre. The magics within have achieved a sort of sentience and wants to kill the party and the gnome to prevent anyone from stopping its growth. Combat may start right away, or after conversation proves unsuccessful. The illusion will pull a piece off itself to create any additional combatants you need for the fight. Here's one you can use for level 4s but if you type "ogre" into the search you can make a hard encounter for any size or level. The gnome will assist the party in the battle, he's a CR 3 Illusionist (Volo's Guide to Monsters p. 214) that can use Illusion spells up to 4th level, and can cast Displacement on himself with a bonus action.
After defeating the illusion, the party can choose what to do about the gnome and school. They have technically defeated the ogre and can take his club as proof without needing to do anything else. They can choose to leave the gnome be, or not, or tell Hadwisa about the school, or not. This could lead into more adventures at the school, or dealing with the political ramifications of the school's discovery. If they decide to leave the gnome to tend to the school, he could offer them one of the talking plants to take with them as a memento.
Need more help with your campaign? Check out all the other tools, generators, and articles: https://www.kassoon.com/dnd/


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Whistleblowers Awarded Over $54 Million by SEC
Posted on September 7, 2018 September 7, 2018 by WhistleBlowerStaff
SEC Awards More Than $320 Million
The Securities and Exchange Commission is awarding $39 million to one whistleblower and $15 million to another whose critical information and continued assistance helped the agency bring an important enforcement action. The $39 million award is the second-largest award in the history of the SEC's whistleblower program.
"Whistleblowers serve as invaluable sources of information, and can propel an investigation forward by helping us overcome obstacles and delays in investigation," said Jane Norberg, Chief of the SEC's Office of the Whistleblower. "These substantial awards send a strong message about the SEC's commitment to whistleblowers and the value they bring to the agency's mission."
The SEC has awarded more than $320 million to 57 individuals since issuing its first award in 2012. All payments are made out of an investor protection fund established by Congress that is financed entirely through monetary sanctions paid to the SEC by securities law violators. No money has been taken or withheld from harmed investors to pay whistleblower awards. Whistleblowers may be eligible for an award when they voluntarily provide the SEC with original, timely, and credible information that leads to a successful enforcement action. Whistleblower awards can range from 10 percent to 30 percent of the money collected when the monetary sanctions exceed $1 million.
By law, the SEC protects the confidentiality of whistleblowers and does not disclose information that might directly or indirectly reveal a whistleblower's identity.


Pakistan, which got its independence from British controlled India on 14th August 1947, shares an eastern border with India and a northeastern border with China. This tour will take you to the mountain villages to meet the hardy souls that live in stunningly beautiful scenery under harsh conditions. You will travel the Karakoram Highway to Hunza Valley, through Besham, Khoistan, Chilas and Gilgit. The high mountain valley of Hunza is located in the extreme north of Pakistan in Gilgit-Baltistan. It is bordered by the Wakhan Corridor and surrounded by the giant mountain ranges of Karakorum, the Himalayas, Hindu-Kush and Pamir. Neighbors to the far north are the heavenly mountains of Tianshan and Kunlunsun and the historic city of Kashgar, which you will visit if you join our pre-tour to Western China. The legendary land of Hunza is most majestically placed on the roof of the world. It falls on a junction of the old Silk Route, now replaced by the Karakoram Highway or KKH, snaking into the People's Republic of China through the Khunjerab Pass 15,528', between the Oxus and Indus rivers.
The Indus Valley Civilization flourished in the vast river plains and adjacent regions in what are now Pakistan and western India. The earliest cities became integrated into an extensive urban culture around 4,600 years ago and continued to dominate the region for at least 700 years from 2600 to 1900 B.C.
The Indus Valley Civilization is also known as the Harappa Civilization, after Harappa, the first of its sites to be excavated in the 1920s, in what was then the Punjab province of British India, and is now in Pakistan. The discovery of Harappa, and soon afterwards, Mohenjo Daro, was the culmination of work beginning in 1861 with the founding of the Archaeological Survey of India in the British Raj. Excavation of Harappan sites has been ongoing since 1920, with important breakthroughs occurring as recently as 1999.
International airfare (Approx. from NYC is $1000.00).
Pakistan Visa (Currently $195.00, subject to change).
Items of a personal nature (camera fees, laundry, phone calls, emails, excess luggage, etc.).
Dayroom/overnights necessitated by changes in airline schedules.
Airport/hotel/airport transfers in every city.
All meals as mentioned in the itinerary & water on board bus.
Sightseeing in each city as per the itinerary.
Visa support letter and approval.
Porterage at airports and hotels throughout program.
Entrance fees to all historical sites and museums.
Gratuities to guides, drivers and porters.
III Challenging – Parts of the trip are physically challenging, involve hiking on rough terrain or in sand or at high altitudes. There may be very long drives on rough roads; weather conditions will be cold in the north & warm in the south. You may have simple picnic lunches, primitive bathroom facilities along the road and remoteness from modern towns or cities.
About your lecturer Dr. Mehreen Chida-Razvi; earned her BSc and BA from the University of Florida, Gainesville, before moving to London, England where she completed an MA in Art History at the Courtauld Institute of Art, and a second MA and a PhD in the History of Art & Archaeology from SOAS, University of London. She specializes in the history of Islamic art, architecture and material culture in the early modern era, with a particular emphasis on the Persianate regions of Mughal South Asia, Iran and Central Asia. Dr. Chida-Razvi's primary research examines the history of architecture and the built environment and she has carried out extensive fieldwork and site-research in Pakistan and India. Another area of particular interest is the cultural and artistic interactions between Europe and the Persianate world and the social and historical circumstances which allowed for such connections to take place. Since 2007 Mehreen has given lectures and taught courses on Islamic art and architecture in London and Oxford, and has furthermore been an academic contributor and consultant for a documentary on Taj Mahal.
Anyone joining this trip must understand that in many places the tourist infrastructure (roads, restaurants and bathrooms) is very primitive. Some days are long and hard and the level of services will not match those offered in most tourist locations. Elevations vary from 5,000' up to 10,000'. The hotels and lodges are comfortable but some lack the usual luxuries of the west. Security checkpoints can sometimes be annoying but one has to be flexible, and patient. Many roads are in a bad state of repair and hence journeys can be long and tiring. By signing up for this tour, participants are acknowledging their full understanding and acceptance of all terms and conditions and are admitting that they are in good physical and mental health and are equipped with an open mind, a sense of adventure and a tolerant and patient spirit to cope with the tour.
We recommend using Qatar Airways or Emirates Airline with connecting flights through Doha or Dubai for a possible pre or post stopover at either of these amazing cities. Both cities feature world renowned museums, stunning architecture, a delectable cuisine, and exceptional accommodations and in Dubai the ultimate shopping experience. The other ideal air option is using Turkish Airlines via Istanbul. Contact us for discussing such options.
Upon arrival, meet and transferred to Pearl Continental Hotel for check in and overnight.
In case of flight cancellation, drive to Chilas and transfer to Shangrila Midway House motel for overnight.
After breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight to the USA.
In case of flight cancellation, drive to Besham and transfer to PTDC Motel for overnight.
After breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight to the USA or if you are taking our Afghanistan tour of April 13-24, you will fly on the direct flight to Kabul.


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Expert insights Investing Buyer demand outweighing new May listings: CoreLogic's Eliza Owen
Buyer demand outweighing new May listings: CoreLogic's Eliza Owen
Eliza Owen
| Jun 4,2020
EXPERT OBSERVER
COVID-19 has brought about downside risks for the economy and housing market.
A 0.3% decline in March GDP confirmed a technical recession is underway in Australia, total wages paid fell 5.4% between mid-March and early May, and Australian dwelling market values saw the first month-on-month decline since June 2019. But one surprising sign of stabilising emerged in May.
Home sales have risen, with home owners testing the market, and new listings are rising.
In fact, buyer demand is outweighing the volume of new listings.
Where is demand coming from
Where is demand coming from? With the economy severely impacted by COVID-19, it is surprising to see such a strong rebound in transaction activity. But there are a few factors that can explain these numbers. The first is that the 20.4% jump in sales volumes in May is off a low base.
Over April, the number of transactions across the combined capital cities market was estimated to be just 16,115. That is the lowest monthly sales volume since 1991 excluding January results.
It is also pales in comparison to the decade average of 24,700 sales per month across these markets. Although a 20.4% uplift is significant, it still only brings sales volumes to an estimated 19,400 over May.
The second is a rise in consumer confidence. The ANZ Roy Morgan weekly consumer confidence index has risen consecutively for the past 9 weeks.
At the week ending 31st of May, the index is 50.5% higher than when it bottomed out in late March.
In fact, the index is now just 9% lower than when Australia confirmed its first case of coronavirus in January. The easing of social distancing policies and low COVID-19 case numbers in Australia mean people may be feeling more confident about the future of the Australian economy, their personal finances, and property purchases.
Finally, the kind of workers most impacted by COVID-19 are those that are less likely to have mortgage debt. Between the 14th of March and 2nd of May, 27.1% of payroll jobs have been lost across accommodation and food services, and 19.0% of jobs have been lost across arts and recreation. In a previous blog, we noted that this would disproportionately affect renters rather than owner occupiers.
Data from the ABS and HILDA suggests the share of households renting that are in food and accommodation services, and are in a more precarious financial situation, is around 40%. This suggests that for now, conditions have been relatively stable in the housing market because those most impacted by the economic slowdown of COVID-19 may be less likely to have a mortgage obligation.
With stability emerging in the property transaction space, it is evident that additional housing stimulus is less urgent among those that can already afford property, and is another case for addressing housing costs for low income earners.
ELIZA OWEN is CoreLogic's head of research
Property Listings COVID-19


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Difference between Dell XPS 10 and Sony Xperia Z Tab
Key Difference: The Dell XPS 10 is a 10.1-inch tablet that comes with a keyboard Dock to make it into a laptop. The screen is an HD Display capacitive multi-touch screen, with 1366 x 768 pixels and an approximately 155 ppi pixel density. The sleek tablet has a metal chassis and has a rubber back for better gripping. Sony has recently announced its revamped smartphone and tablets line. Along with the new flagship phone Sony Xperia Z, the company has also added a new tablet, the Sony Xperia Z Tab. The tablet supports a 10.1 inch TFT capacitive touchscreen and is created using the Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 technology.
Dell is a popular company that is well-known for its customizable computers. It allowed people to build laptops and desktops from scratch, adding only components they need and paying only for those components. It has become a popular name in laptops, but has yet to launch itself in the tablet market. In response to the growing market for tablets the company has launched Dell Streak, which did not manage to garner much positive response for the company. Dell announced in August that is launching its newest table the Dell XPS 10 in October 2012.
The Dell XPS 10 is a 10.1-inch tablet that comes with a keyboard Dock to make it into a laptop. The tablet serves the purpose of fulfilling the need for the tablet on the go and a laptop for some serious professional work. The company has launched the tablet on the Windows RT OS, which have not been able to draw in many customers. According to every review website, the company has not been doing that well in sales of tablets due to the Windows OS. However, the design of this tablet and its features should bring in loyal Dell fans to the product. The screen is an HD Display capacitive multi-touch screen, with 1366 x 768 pixels and an approximately 155 ppi pixel density, which is not the best resolution available on the tablets, but it wasn't that bad when viewing the tablet. The sleek tablet has a metal chassis and has a rubber back for better gripping. The tablet itself is quite sleek and lightweight making it easier to carry. The screen is small though because of the black bezel on the screen. The screen is made using Asahi Dragontrail high strength glass for durability.
The device has a SIM card slot for optional 2G, 3G and 4G capability, if required. The tablet comes with 32/64 GB Flash Storage and also has a microSD slot that allows users to upgrade the internal storage capacity by 64 GB. The system is powered by a 1.5GHz Dual-core processor and has a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 GPU. The device provides a 2GB RAM, which allows serious multi-tasking capabilities. The tablet provides Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and USB capability. The dock (keyboard), when attached provides two extra USB 2.0 slots on either side. The keyboard is also sleek and thin with dedicated Windows soft keys and trackpad. Both the tablet and the keyboard have a charging port. This is because when docked, the charging port on the bottom of the device gets covered by the keyboard and the user can still charge using the secondary port. The tablet has a 5MP rear camera with autofocus ability, but it lacks a flash. This results in distorted images in dark lighting. The camera also has weak video performance and the sharpness must be constantly updated during recording. The device also houses a 2MP secondary camera that is decent for snapshots and video conferencing.
The device houses a non-removable 28Wh 2-cell lithium-ion battery that provides 10 hours, 30 minutes of multimedia time, while the dock has an additional 27 Wh battery that extends battery life to 18 hours, 18 minutes. The device also fared decently during gaming tests. All of the devices are available Office Home & Student 2013 RT that can be changed and customized on the company's website before shipping. The Windows OS only allows downloading apps from the Windows Stores, which does not have that many choices in apps. The tablet has been designed to be used as a personal tablet as well as a professional laptop, eliminating the need for spending on both.
Sony has recently announced its revamped smartphone and tablets line. Along with the new flagship phone Sony Xperia Z, the company has also added a new tablet, the Sony Xperia Z Tab. It shares many features to its little brother, but is also different in many ways. The Xperia Z tab has already seen the light of day in Japan in January, while it was recently unwrapped for global availability. The company's claims the tablet to the lightest and the slimmest LTE tablet available in the market. The tablet supports a 10.1 inch TFT capacitive touchscreen and is created using the Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 technology. Similar to its little brother, the phone is water-resistant and dust proof. The phone can be submerged about 1 meter for 30 minutes without any damage (However, all the ports and slots should be firmly closed). The phone can also withstand water jets and the screen is coated with shatter-proof film coating. The borders of the tablet have been designed in a way to not obstruct side viewing.
The tablet houses the 1.5 GHz Krait Quad-core processor and the Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8064 chipset. The tablet runs on 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and can be upgraded to 4.2 Jelly Bean. It is available with 16/32 GB internal memory, which can further be upgraded up to 64 GB. The company has maintained the camera technology on the tablet. The tablet houses 8.1 MP Exmor R primary camera and a 2.1 MP secondary camera for video chatting. The phone offers features such as Superior Auto, geo-tagging, Exmor R for mobile image sensor,
HDR for both picture/film, continue burst mode, scene recognition, sweep panorama, smile detection, face detection and touch focus. Superior Auto automatically adjusts the shooting profile depending on the shot that is being taken. Additional features include face unlock, screenshot capturing, wake-up mode, screen mirroring, throw feature, TV side view and remote control application. The throw feature allows users to automatically connect and play mobile content on any devices that can be connected to the phone via screen mirroring, DLNA or Bluetooth. Face Unlock allows users to place their face in front of their phones to unlock the photo. The company has not yet announced pricing of the tablet.
The information for the detailed table about the two phones has been taken from the Dell website, trustedreviews.com, notebookcheck.net, Sony Mobile website and GSMArena.com.
Dell XPS 10 Tablet
Sony Xperia Z Tab
Q1 of 2013
Tab: 9.2 x 274.7 x 177.3mm
Tab + Dock: 23.91 (hinge end) x 274.7 x 177.3mm
10.1" HD Display capacitive multi-touch screen
10.1 inches TFT capacitive touchscreen with on-screen QWERTY keyboard
1366x768 pixels (~155 ppi pixel density)
1920 x 1200 pixels (~224 ppi pixel density), Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2
Edge-to-edge Asahi Dragontrail high strength glass
Water-resistant & Dust-proof, anti-shatter film coating
Tab: Wi-Fi: 635 grams
Tab: LTE: 645 grams
Tab + Dock: 1310 grams
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 (optional)
HSDPA (optional)
HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100
LTE (optional)
LTE 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600
Sony UI
1.5GHz Dual-Core processor
1.5 GHz Krait Quad-core
Android OS, v4.1.2 (Jelly Bean), planned upgrade to v4.2 (Jelly Bean)
Qualcomm® Snapdragon S4
Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8064
32/64 GB Flash Storage
Up to 64 GB
Accel, gyro, compass, AGPS (with LTE configurations), ALS, sensor fusion
Accelerometer, Gyro, Compass
USB, HDMI, Bluetooth (optional 2G, 3G and 4G network)
HDMI via MHL support, Wi-Fi and WiFi Hotspot functionality, DLNA Certified, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, USB
USB, HDMI, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, with optional mobile connectivity.
GPRS, EDGE, WLAN, Bluetooth, NFC, USB
1510.0 MHz HSPA+/LTE (optional)
HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.8 Mbps; LTE, Cat3, 50 Mbps UL, 100 Mbps DL
Dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP
microUSB v2.0 (MHL)
5MP rear camera
8.1 MP Exmor R autofocus camera
2.2 MP Exmor R camera [email protected]
[email protected], HDR
16x Digital zoom
Superior Auto
Exmor R for mobile image sensor
HDR for both picture/film
Continue Burst Mode
Scene recognition
Sweep Panorama
Smile detection
3D surround sound enhancement
Audio supported formats
MP3/WAV/eAAC+ player
MP3/WAV/eAAC+/FLAC player
Video supported formats
MP4/H.264/H.263 player
Xvid/DivX/MKV/WMV/ MP4/H.264/ H.263 player
Tab: Non-removable 28Wh 2-Cell Lithium Ion battery
Non-removable Li-Po 6000 mAh battery
Tab: 10 hours, 30 minutes
Dock: 18 hours, 18 minutes
Black/Steel
Email, Push Email, IM
Email, Push Mail, IM, RSS
Stereo FM radio with RDS
GPS with A-GPS support (with LTE/HSPA+ configs)
Yes, with A-GPS support and GLONASS
Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
Firmware TPM
BitLocker encryption technology
integrated VPN client functionality
EAS policies and remote wipe
Image viewer/editor
Bing Search, Maps, SkyDrive
Screenshot capturing
Wake-up mode OmniBalance design
Throw feature
TV side view
Remote control application
Pre-loaded applications
SNS integration
TV-out (via MHL A/V link)
Photo viewer/editor
Voice memo
Image Courtesy: dell.com, sonymobile.com
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The We-Sell Property Company is approached by Trust-Us Developers who offer to buy 6 acres of We-Sell's prime downtown real estate. Trust-Us explains that they have plans to build "Downtown Center," a beautiful complex of high-end retail and commercial tenants.
Trust-Us offers We-Sell $3,000,000.00 for the land on the following terms: $500,000.00 cash and seller carry back a Deed of Trust of $2,500,000.00. This Deed of Trust will, of course, have to be subordinated to a construction deed of trust for approximately $20,000,000.00. Trust-Us tells We-Sell the completed project will be worth "a fortune" and, the construction lender will monitor the construction.
We-Sell agrees to these terms on the following conditions: -Construction loan may not exceed $20,000,000.00 -Interest rate may not exceed Prime +2% -All construction loan funds must be used solely for the development of this project and are to be controlled by the construction lender.
A deed of trust in favor of We-Sell is executed by Trust-Us and a rider is attached which sets forth the automatic subordination provision and its conditions.
Shortly thereafter, Trust-Us finds construction financing with Security-Lend Finance Company. The construction loan is negotiated for a first deed of trust of $18,000,000.00 at Prime Rate +2% interest. Security-Lend sends its deed of trust to the title company and requests an ALTA Loan policy showing its lien in first position based on the automatic subordination provision in the We-Sell deed of trust.
The title officer reviews the We-Sell deed of trust and sees that the amount of construction financing and interest rate comply with the conditions set forth in the rider. The title officer however requires that We-Sell execute a standard CLTA form Subordination Agreement. We-Sell agrees and signs the CLTA form but adds language that the subordination is conditioned upon all construction funds being used solely for development of the "Downtown Center" project and that the construction lender will control disbursements.
The title officer rejected the document stating that he will insure only if an unaltered CLTA form Subordination is used. We-Sell complies, the transaction closes and the construction lender funds the entire loan amount to Trust-Us.
After three months, no work has begun on the project and We-Sell tries to contact Trust-Us. Their telephone has been disconnected and it appears that they have disappeared with all of the construction funds.
We-Sell receives a Notice of Default from Security-Lend Finance Company and immediately retains an attorney to file an action to enjoin Security-Lend's foreclosure. We-Sell claims that the subordination is invalid because all of its conditions that were set out in the rider attached to their deed of trust were not met. We-Sell argues that its conditions to subordination contained on the rider put Security-Lend "on notice" of those conditions, depriving Security-Lend from their first priority position as the title company had insured.
Security-Lend tenders its defense to the title company, who is pleased to see that their title officer required an unaltered CLTA form subordination agreement.
In litigation, with the title insurer defending Security-Lend, it is ultimately determined that the subordination language in the CLTA subordination form clearly provides that it supersedes all prior agreements regarding subordination of the deed of trust. Security-Lend is in first position as it intended and as it was insured.


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Delta's Bluetooth Panel Light Becomes the First Smart Lighting Product to Achieve a UL Iot Security Rating – SDN – Science & Digital News
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How the IoT based smart office lighting is changing the workplace
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Safecility: Lighting the way to IoT-enabled building safety
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Supports Extensive Value-added Applications in Smart Buildings
TAIPEI, Dec. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Delta, a global leader in power and thermal management solutions, today announced that its Bluetooth panel light PA1 has become the first smart lighting product globally to achieve a UL IoT Security Rating. In the era of rapidly developing Internet of Things (IoT) applications, this demonstrates Delta's active emphasis on and dedication to cyber security and international certification. Delta's Bluetooth panel light can be controlled via mobile phones, which can save wiring costs while increasing application flexibility, as well as provide an information backbone for smart buildings. The UL international security certification of PA1 will help Delta expand its global market.
Calvin Wang, head of Delta's IoT Lighting Business Division, said, "Delta strives to develop IoT-based building automation solutions to promote the development of smart buildings. Lighting fixtures are one of the most common and evenly distributed infrastructures in buildings. The DeltaZhi™ lighting system not only provides lighting but also serves as a node for information acquisition and transmission as the backbone of smart buildings, supporting extensive value-added applications and services. The emphasis on cyber security has long been the principle for Delta's development team. It is an honor for Delta's Bluetooth panel light PA1 to be the first smart lighting product globally to achieve a UL IoT Security Rating. In the future, Delta will continue to strengthen the cyber security design of its IoT products to provide clients with more reliable products and services."
Jonathan (TsungHung) Chen, vice president and managing director of UL Taiwan, emphasized that "Cyber security is a key link in the current development of IoT technology, and UL's IoT security rating is an important indicator for evaluating the security performance of IoT products. The verification is based on the consensus standards of the global industry. Through rigorous multi-faceted assessments, UL actively detects potential deficiencies in the cyber security of products so as to introduce more effective security protection mechanisms. Delta attaches great importance to and responds to IoT product security certification quickly, demonstrating its determination and commitment to improving the security of IoT products while increasing the market's attention to IoT cyber security issues."
The software for Delta's Bluetooth panel light PA1 effectively uses security keys, thus passing the silver level of the UL IoT Security Rating. Delta's Bluetooth panel light series products are in compliance with the Bluetooth SIG Mesh Profile. The DeltaZhi™ light control system, with built-in Bluetooth Intelligent Control (BIC) technology that enables decentralized autonomous control technology, allows users to adjust color temperature and brightness, and set the scene and grouping through mobile phones, Bluetooth wall switches or sensors. This system is not limited by the loop nor require complex settings, and can be controlled in group or individually. In addition to saving wiring costs, it can increase application flexibility, which is the dream of many designers. On the basis of Bluetooth, lighting fixtures can form a dense IoT network between themselves as the core backbone of relevant value-added services, such as data collection, indoor positioning, and asset management in smart buildings.
In recent years, IoT applications have increased rapidly, and are expected to greatly change the appearance of future cities, buildings, and factories alongside the development of 5G. However, many experts warn that as long as all devices are connected to the Internet, a cyber security loophole may occur. Delta puts great emphasis on the cyber security of IoT devices and is taking the lead in applying for UL's strict security certification. For this certification, around 20 tests were conducted in seven categories, including software updates, data and cryptography, protocol security, and system management, which enables Delta to provide more secure and reliable IoT devices to global clients.
Delta, founded in 1971, is a global leader in switching power supplies and thermal management products with a thriving portfolio of smart energy-saving systems and solutions in the fields of industrial automation, building automation, telecom power, data center infrastructure, EV charging, renewable energy, energy storage and display, to nurture the development of smart manufacturing and sustainable cities. As a world-class corporate citizen guided by its mission statement, "To provide innovative, clean and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow," Delta leverages its core competence in high-efficiency power electronics and its CSR-embedded business model to address key environmental issues, such as climate change. Delta serves customers through its sales offices, R&D centers and manufacturing facilities spread over close to 200 locations across 5 continents.
Throughout its history, Delta has received various global awards and recognition for its business achievements, innovative technologies and dedication to CSR. Since 2011, Delta has been listed on the DJSI World Index of Dow Jones Sustainability™ Indices for 10 consecutive years. In 2020, Delta was honored with two "A" leadership level ratings by CDP for its substantial contribution to climate change and water security issues.
For detailed information about Delta, please visit: www.deltaww.com
This content was originally published here.
Signify chooses Google Cloud IoT Core to power Philips Hue smart lighting
How the Internet of Things (IoT) based smart office lighting is changing the workplace?
Computer scientists were looking for upgrading everyday appliances and objects by connecting them to the internet in the early 1970s and 1980s. The very first appliance that was connected to the internet was the Coke vending machine at Carnegie Mellon University. After that, a huge transformation can be noticed in the domain of the Internet of Things (IoT). Now, it is becoming all-pervasive in all sectors.
IoT lighting has revolutionized and every day an innovation takes place where new players become a part of the change. As a result, our perspective regarding lighting workspaces, homes, warehouses, and cities has also changed. Smart lighting fixtures by Wipro Lighting have played a major role in transforming the idea of illuminating commercial spaces.
Few pointers to highlight how the Internet of Things based smart lighting has modified the workplaces are listed below.
Workspaces turn into data gold-mine
The Internet of Things based lighting systems not only saves a huge amount of money for companies but also acts as a data mine. The elevation in the lighting system has made workspaces a treasury of data. By using this range of lighting fixtures, businesses can easily generate information and inputs that can work for a long time in space optimization and control.
Taking the lighting industry by a storm
IoT is transforming the way of interacting and connecting with the world, but there are few industries that are using this innovation with full potential like the lighting industry. Instead of just increasing the uptake of the lighting industry among other industries, IoT is opening the locks of novel functionalities and adding new dimensions to this domain.
With the involvement of IoT in lighting, professionals can use the required data anytime anywhere in the workspace. Moreover, with the inception of Li-Fi technology, Internet of Things based smart office lighting solutions can become a more secure and faster channel to provide high-speed internet using light.
Create a progressive workspace along with saving resources
Employee well-being and retention are the two sides of the same story. Internet of Things based Lighting improves productivity and imparts an enhancive experience at the workplace by providing the access to personalise a lighting plan based on one's preferences.
Furthermore, data collected from the space optimisation tool can be utilized to determine the information and activity patterns that can be used to make correct decisions related to workplace design. The output of all the efforts and thoughtfulness is a highly efficient, productive and optimally used workplace.
The Internet of Things based technologies is constantly evolving and adding newer points of innovation, learning, and extending our reach to provide convenient solutions for our day to day problems.
In 2018, Wipro Lighting introduced the Internet of Lighting (IoL)® category of smart and connected lighting solutions. With this technology, we are revolutionarily designing the workspaces to deliver user-centric experiences. From human-centric lighting to Li-Fi and the Power over Ethernet based-technology solutions, you can explore numerous products from this category to uplift your workplace working pattern.
To fully realize this vision and for the commercial connected lighting market to reach mass adoption, standards must be in place to ensure all lighting system components can interoperate smoothly. The two most important components of any commercial connected lighting system are the luminaires and the lighting control network. The collaboration between the Bluetooth SIG and the DALI Alliance brings together the trade association that oversees Bluetooth® technology, the leading IoT standard for wireless lighting control networks, and the organization responsible for the leading IoT standard for intelligent luminaires. The result of that collaboration, the Bluetooth Mesh to DALI Gateway Specification, establishes a bridge between the lighting controls and the sensor-rich luminaires that enables the movement and analysis of building operations data to achieve valuable energy savings, lower maintenance costs, and enhanced services for building managers.
Interoperability between lighting controls and intelligent luminaires benefits everyone on the value chain, from manufacturers to end users. The market will benefit from a wider selection of interoperable intelligent lighting components that will help accelerate the adoption of intelligent, IoT-enabled lighting systems in retrofit and new-build environments.
According to a recently released article by Szymon Slupik, CTO and co-founder at Silvair, Bluetooth® distributed control architecture perfectly matches the DALI application controller concept. "It is not often that you see independent architectures that match and extend each other so well," said Slupik. "The technology match, together with the close collaboration between the Bluetooth SIG and DiiA, means that the market will benefit from a wider selection of interoperable intelligent lighting components. This, in turn, accelerates the adoption of intelligent, IoT-enabled lighting systems in retrofit and new-build environments. Ultimately, this leads to energy savings and enhanced comfort and user experience, which everyone can afford."
The collaboration between the Bluetooth SIG and DALI Alliance demonstrates the critical role that standardization plays in removing the barriers prohibiting wider adoption of commercial connected lighting. Standards have always been the catalysts for widespread market adoption. Without standardization, mass adoption remains out of reach. The collaboration will help ensure the development of devices from different manufacturers capable of working together to establish a global, interoperable ecosystem of lighting products, and will help ensure that Bluetooth mesh, when paired with certified DALI-2 and D4i devices, remains the wireless lighting control technology of choice for the professional lighting industry.
"We are excited to support this collaboration between the Bluetooth SIG and DALI Alliance. Establishing a standard Bluetooth mesh interface for D4i intelligent luminaries will open up industry opportunity and enable the deployment of even more advanced, interoperable IoT-enabled commercial lighting systems, while ensuring an equivalent light control behavior between both standards."
– Arnulf Rupp, Head of Standardization at OSRAM
The Momentum of Bluetooth® Mesh
A growing ecosystem of Bluetooth® commercial lighting products from leading vendors such as Delta Electronics, Fulham, Leedarson Lighting, McWong, Murata, OSRAM, Sylvania, Zumbtobel, and others is helping drive a 130% CAGR of annual shipments of Bluetooth enabled commercial lighting solutions by 2026. Large-scale implementations in warehouses, retail, horticulture, and commercial offices, including a near 4,000 node deployment in a 22-story office building in North America, offer proof of Bluetooth mesh networking's scalability and reliability in demanding commercial settings. The unique decentralized control architecture of Bluetooth mesh distributes intelligence across the network and eliminates single points of failure, bringing the resiliency, performance, and ease of implementation needed by installers, building managers, and end users in commercial installations. In addition, unlike other low-power wireless mesh networking technologies, Bluetooth mesh is a complete, full-stack solution that defines everything from the low-level physical radio layer through the high-level application layer, enabling easier product development and greater levels of product interoperability.
The Future of Commercial Connected Lighting
The Bluetooth Mesh® to DALI Gateway Specification represents a key step in enabling lighting control systems to shift from a single-function solution to a platform that feeds building management systems and helps position intelligent lighting infrastructures as central to satisfying the growing demand for increased energy efficiency and improved occupant experience in sustainable, human-centric buildings.
To help streamline the delivery of products to market, the Bluetooth SIG and DALI Alliance are also working together to make it easier for vendors to complete both the Bluetooth product qualification and DALI-2 and D4i product certification processes necessary to ensure interoperability. More information regarding product qualification and certification is expected later this year.
Please complete this form if you would like to provide feedback on the draft of the Wearable Exposure Notification Service Specification. After submitting the form, you will be contacted by Bluetooth SIG staff with further instructions.
Emergency lighting is the kind of thing the average person will never have to think about day to day, but would certainly notice if it was missing or malfunctioning in a time of need. It's a legal requirement in all buildings except individual homes. And while the hope is that it would never be needed, regular testing is necessary to ensure it's fully capable should that moment ever arise.
"Traditionally, this involves a technician walking around checking each light, repairing them if needed and recording the result in a logbook or spreadsheet," said Cian O Flaherty, founder and CEO of Safecility.
"Not only does this process take massive amounts of time, it's expensive and open to human error. What we do is automate the whole process, saving time and money, and improving safety and compliance."
'We truly believe that by using sensor technology companies can not only save resources but also save lives'
– CIAN O FLAHERTY
Safecility uses sensors and technology to automate these safety checks. Its first product is focused on emergency lighting, but the company aims to automate even more safety tasks in buildings.
"If you consider organisations with lots of buildings spread out across the country, technicians travelling from site to site each month completing testing and repairs equates to countless hours. It's absolutely essential that testing is completed, even though it's inconvenient and time consuming. Automation is the perfect answer to make this process more efficient and accurate," said O Flaherty.
Results from Safecility's automated testing can be viewed on any desktop or mobile, meaning estate and facilities managers wouldn't even have to leave the office to ensure these checks are made as frequently as needed.
A key client base for Safecility includes housing associations facing increased compliance pressures across a wide spread of buildings. The emergency lighting product is wireless and brand-agnostic, meaning sensors can be fitted to any available emergency light without the need to rewire.
"Automation of emergency lighting testing is not a new thing, but in the past required rewiring or a complete change over to a single brand of lights," said O Flaherty. "We have a far more flexible solution for companies that want a quick retrofit option without being locked into one specific vendor or needing to invest large upfront capital to install."
O Flaherty said this is counter to the approach taken by other building tech companies who lock customers into a proprietary system as a way to force brand loyalty. "We design flexible easy to use options that solve real problems and inefficiencies, and we design them to be as open and interoperable as possible," he said.
Ultimately, Safecility is about using technology to create safer environments. "We truly believe that by using sensor technology companies can not only save resources but also save lives," said O Flaherty.
'It is expected that £1.6bn will be spent by housing authorities in the UK on fire safety in the next few years'
Safecility's technology is wireless, using internet of things (IoT) networks such as NB-IoT or LoRaWAN to connect the sensors directly to the internet. "These networks allow massive quantities of small sensors to stream data to the internet wirelessly at a low cost," explained O Flaherty.
"The sensor monitors the status of the light and sends the test results to a central software platform where compliance status and light failures can be seen in real time," he added.
"What we see in our daily conversations are estate and facilities managers responsible for thousands of buildings understand the value of IoT but face hurdles when they try to scale up. We always keep this in mind with our R&D and aim to design products that are the most flexible and scalable on the market."
The potential for the technology doesn't stop at emergency lighting, either. Other mandatory compliance testing from fire door inspection to monitoring for Legionella bacteria can be automated in the same way.
The result of increased automation, according to O Flaherty, would be more accurate records and efficiently targeted repairs. "And by eliminating frequent site visits, a reduction in fuel usage and carbon emissions is seen," he said.
Branching out to further fire safety checks is in itself a big business opportunity for Safecility. "It is expected that £1.6bn will be spent by housing authorities in the UK on fire safety in the next few years," predicted O Flaherty.
'We've probably lost some good businesses to lockdown and restrictions and the slow pace of change to funding mechanisms like EIIS'
O Flaherty began building Safecility in 2018 and unexpectedly found he was pioneering in the space. "We didn't realise how early we were in our segment," he said. "We anticipated more of the technology we would rely on was already available so our time to market was significantly longer than we hoped."
The company benefitted from grant funding to support early development and gradually grew to a team of seven.
However, last year's travel restrictions presented an enormous challenge for a small team in Ireland whose main market is in the UK. "We have had a long period changing our strategy to support local channel partners in the UK, educating and developing their skills in selling our product, and that is finally bearing fruit now," said O Flaherty.
He estimates that Covid-19 extended Safecility's early pipeline sales cycle by about 12 months, on average. But even with this unexpected hurdle, the company still managed to launch its flagship emergency lighting product in September 2020.
At the start of 2021, it launched what it claimed to be a world-first commercial wireless emergency lighting system. In partnership with Irish company Sensori Facilities Management, this system uses Vodafone's NB-IoT network.
The company is also continuing its hard work in research and development. "We're working closely with Limerick City and County Council to develop sensor solutions to help encourage restoration of the city's Georgian core and get people back living in the city centre. We've also won over €150,000 in non-dilutive European funding from the European Space Agency and Horizon 2020 to develop more IoT compliance solutions for the housing sector," said O Flaherty.
It's no surprise, then, that he promises "several other exciting projects in the pipeline for 2021" and the company has secured further financing to achieve this. Earlier this month, Safecility was awarded €42,000 in funding from the EU-backed initiative DigiFed and is currently closing out its seed funding round.
O Flaherty is conscious, however, that some start-ups haven't been so lucky in the past year. "We've definitely seen start-ups struggle through Covid-19. It has been a difficult time for those who were bootstrapping or running out of runway," he said. "We've probably lost some good businesses to lockdown and restrictions and the slow pace of change to funding mechanisms like EIIS."
However, he is optimistic. "I think we are seeing more opportunities for early-stage founders to develop themselves and their business ideas through various accelerator and pre-accelerator programmes and the quality of many of these is improving," he said.
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The post Safecility: Lighting the way to IoT-enabled building safety appeared first on Silicon Republic.
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Porcelain veneers are thin facings made from porcelain. They are bonded to the front surfaces of teeth and where appropriate, offer one of the best solutions to achieve an attractive and healthy smile.
Even gum lines – Perfect gum lines are achieved by using lasers. Smile Design by Ash is one of the few dental practices that own state-of-the-art, laser equipment.
Using white filling material to artistically create a "mock up" helps to accurately assess the finished smile.
The master ceramist technician will then create ideal wax ups based upon the initial mock up. These are the blueprint for the finished product and smile.
After careful, precise and selective reshaping of the required teeth, the wax ups are used to create beautiful, natural and whiter temporary restorations (the "Trial Smile").
A detailed review of the trial smile is carried out regarding the appearance, colour, shape, bite, speech and comfort. Also the surface texture, surface lustre and other characteristics are noted to create the perfect smile for you.
Skilled master ceramist technicians then create the final porcelain restorations. These are beautifully hand made to create the bespoke smile for each patient.
Fitting of the new laboratory made porcelain restorations. The process from the preparation appointment to delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks.
Using the EMAX porcelain system (which is probably the best in the world), porcelain veneers are like custom-made fine pieces of jewellery. Because of Ash's quest to create outstanding smiles, he commissions master ceramist technician Rob Storrar (of Amdecc dental laboratory, www.amdecc.com) to make his porcelain restorations. Rob is one of the leading technicians in porcelain veneer techniques within the UK and has worked closely with Ash for over a decade. They have attended some of the most advanced dental courses run by the best dentists in USA and Europe.
Rob's state-of-the-art laboratory has the latest equipment for precision dentistry. His experience and artistry helps create porcelain restorations that are life-like, natural and also strong. Rob pays special attention to create the right shape of each tooth, as well as getting the shade, lustre and surface characterization matched perfectly.
Porcelain veneers are bonded with the finest dental bonding systems that ensure excellent adhesion to the teeth. The porcelain veneers and crowns feel like natural teeth and are very comfortable. They need to be maintained just like natural teeth, i.e. correct tooth brushing twice a day, and flossing. Regular hygienist maintenance will also ensure optimum gum health around the teeth.
Ash is one of the most experienced dentists in the UK for porcelain veneer techniques. Ash was trained by leading US teaching academies in cosmetic dentistry and is one of the few dentists in the UK to achieve a Masters level.
Ash runs specialist courses (as part of The Academy by Ash) which educate dentists (from UK and Europe) to understand the intricate procedures necessary, to offer porcelain veneers and laser dentistry: the practice has two laser machines. These courses are held at the practice, which facilitates access to these specialized facilities.
Due to his skill and experience, Ash was selected as one of the main dentists on the three series of the popular TV Program Extreme Makeover UK. He carried out many life-changing Smile Makeovers using porcelain techniques. Ash is a perfectionist by nature and aims to create ideal smiles, suited to the individual.
At Smile Design by Ash, the mission statement is to create beautiful and long lasting smiles. In addition to dental expertise, the practice collaborates with a master ceramist who also has a thorough understanding of occlusion (i.e. the way the teeth are shaped and bite together). When there is harmony and balance, there is predictability and outstanding longer lasting results.
A Smile Makeover is the ultimate solution for achieving a beautiful and natural smile. It involves a process of careful, strategic planning, listening to the clients' long-term objectives and then offering appropriate treatment.
Ash will only recommend porcelain veneers if this is the best solution to achieve the perfect result. To help the patient understand the process, they will have a TRIAL SMILE – which acts as an accurate blueprint of the final porcelain veneers. Ash and his technician work to levels of accuracy of up to 0.01mm!
ARE YOU NERVOUS ABOUT HAVING A SMILE MAKEOVER?


But is your website and your overall online presence aligned to provide you with the leads you really need? Are you frustrated with sifting and sorting through random leads from random places just to get to the gold? Do you want to spend your time doing what you love instead of what you must? It's time to align your website and online marketing with your true business goals. This is what I do and what I love. Let me show you how my experience and passion can free up your time to do what you do best.
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The recent trend of Voice Search is mounting high in the SEO trends. To quote recent data, one-fifth of the queries on Google are voice-searches owing to the convenience and time-saving attributes. The issue lies in the optimization of the websites for voice search. This article will guide you through the process.
Nearly 75% of the users don't even bother to scroll past the first page of the search results. This shows the importance of SEO today. But with the ever-changing ranking trends, it becomes difficult to evaluate which SEO strategy works better than others. Read here for the top five most important SEO trends for 2018.
Our process is focused around your end goals. What is your main struggle in your business? What keeps you up at night? We are here to solve those problems and push your business to where you want it to be.
Our strategies are tested and honed to target the end result – more and better-qualified prospects for your business via your online presence.


What we want is unimportant.
Leduc #1, Devon on HWY 60, Alberta ~ October 2015.
These are great; my faves are the last two. I'm surprised you could just walk around on the site.
Great pics, and I love the video. Great way to showcase this oft-neglected profession. "dragon in his chest"…for sure.
Fantastic detail shots, Hedy. Love this series!
thank you Jane…very interesting things and equipment so much to see…and think about…happy day to you!
Very cool post. Well worn machinery makes for some awesome images. Cheers!
Chris i love that you look and comment…appreciate it…and yes i like you i'm sure love these spaces…i was very happy photographing and learning more about my camera too…happy day to YOU!
A work of art. Bravo!
Another set of intriguing and captivating photos of something I'd never be captivated by! You make it interesting. First, fifth and last photos especially wonderful.
Thank you kindly Markus 😀 lots of fun again to me…happy day to you!


The actual founder of Goju-Ryu Karate was Chojun Miyagi Sensei(1888-1953). Chojun Miyagi Sensei was born on the 25th of April 1888, in Naha, Okinawa. His father, Choyo Miyagi was the third son of the Miyagi family. The Miyagi family had belonged to the upper Shizoku class (Ryukyu nobility) before this class system was abolished, and had served as the supplier of medical herbs to the Ryukyu royal household. After the class system was abolished in 1879, they were still a wealthy family and they were regarded as a Sohouka (素封家,そほうか meaning a wealthy family with a very large fortune, usually a capitalist or big landowner.). Chojun Miyagi Sensei lost his father, Choyo Miyagi, when he was an infant, and he was subsequently adopted by a relative who was sohouka. His adoptive father was childless and he named Chojun Miyagi Sensei as his designated heir when Chojun Sensei was still a minor.
When Chojun Miyagi Sensei was 11 years old he began rudimentary karate training with the Tomari-te master and famed fighter Ryoko Aragaki Sensei (1875-1961) who happened to be his neighbour. Ryoko Aragaki Sensei was the grandfather of Shuichi Aragaki Sensei,who attained a 10th Dan Hanshi title within the IOGKF a century later. Ryoko Aragaki Sensei was also one of the few karate masters to have won in an open fight with Choki Motobu, the famous Okinawan karate fighter. In his recollections Ryoko Aragaki Sensei remembered Chojun Miyagi Sensei as an out-going and rather mischievous child with a reputation for getting into trouble, who, nonetheless was a very serious and promising karate student. Because Ryoko Aragaki Sensei recognised Chojun Sensei's potential he decided to recommend him to learn karate under the legendary Naha-te Grandmaster Kanryo Higaonna Sensei when Miyagi Sensei was 14 years old. Under Kanryo Sensei's tutelage, not only was Chojun Miyagi Sensei's karate potential fully realized, his personality also became very serious and reserved.
When he was completing his academic education, Chojun Miyagi Sensei jogged more than 10 kilometers daily after school to get to Kanryo Sensei's house for karate training, and he would train his strength using rocks along the way as weights or he would strike them to toughen his fists. According to his contemporaries, Chojun Sensei was an excellent gymnast and excelled in the parallel bar exercise. Chojun Sensei also joined the school Judo team, but he was soon asked to resign because of his heavy-handedness during training. Chojun Miyagai Sensei participated in local wrestling matches but as he was often heavy-handed and because he often used Naha-te techniques, the other wrestlers were wary of him. He finally stopped wrestling when his adoptive father asked him to cease training in wrestling in order to avoid the hostility of the wrestlers.
After he completed his education, Chojun Miyagi Sensei worked in a bank for a year. As they had the wealth to support his passion for karate, his family elders told him to forgo his banking job in order to concentrate his efforts on karate. Chojun Miyagi Sensei was married around 1908 and by 1910 he was drafted into the Imperial Japanese Army and assigned to basic military training in Kyushu. Prior to Chojun Sensei's departure, Kanryo Sensei imparted to him a Bo Kata and nukite striking methods to be used in case he had to defend himself during his military service. Although in those days Okinawans generally faced discrimination in Japanese society,due to his skill in unarmed combat, Chojun Sensei was made the unarmed combat instructor of his unit. A year later, Chojun Sensei was promoted to the rank of corporal and he asked to be transferred to the medical corp, where he learnt much scientific knowledge about the human anatomy. This proved to be useful knowledge which helped him to design certain exercises in the future. In that year, he also went to a Judokan to train in his spare time. Chojun Miyagi Sensei completed his military training in 1912 and he duly returned to Okinawa to resume his training under Kanryo Higaonna Sensei.
Back in Okinawa, Chojun Sensei's reputation as a capable karateka began to spread and he faced a steady stream of challengers. In one instance, Chojun Miyagi Sensei was invited to view a cockfight with Choki Motobu. Without forewarning Choki Motobu launched an assault at Chojun Sensei, Chojun Sensei intercepted his attack and deftly floored Choki-Motobu with a counter-technique. This incident was witnessed by a local newspaperman and it became widely known in local circles. Chojun Miyagi Sensei was about 26 years old at this time (circa. 1913~1914).
Chojun Miyagi Sensei travelled to Fuzhou in 1915 in search of Kanryo Sensei's teacher Ryu Ryuko. In Fuzhou, his entourage, including Eisho Nakamoto, found that most of the other branches of Ryu RyuKo's style had left Fuzhou in the wake of social unrest and war, and only a few people of the older generation were left behind. One of Ryu Ryuko's disciples led Chojun Sensei's entourage to Ryu Ryuko's grave to pay his respects, a formality in Chinese martial art traditions of the day, an affirmation that Chojun Sensei was a member of their school or style . Chojun Miyagi Sensei also visited the abandoned site of Ryu Ryuko's dojo where Kanryo Sensei once trained with his entourage.
Chojun Miyagi Sensei returned to Okinawa in 1915, just prior Kanryo Sensei's death in October of that same year. Chojun Miyagi Sensei had trained under Kanryo Higaonna Sensei for about 13 years, and became Kanryo Higaonna Sensei's longest-standing and on-going disciple upon Kanryo Sensei's death in Oct 1915. Kanryo Higaonna Sensei was able to formally name Chojun Miyagi Sensei the successor to his style of Naha-te prior to his death.
Hence Chojun Miyagi Sensei inherited Kanryo Sensei's Naha-te system in late 1915. In 1916 in Okinawa, Chojun Miyagi Sensei formally received visiting representatives from martial arts schools in Fuzhou, himself acting in the capacity of the new head of Kanryo Sensei's style of Naha-te. In 1916, Chojun Sensei made a second journey to Fuzhou to further his research into martial arts. In this second journey he was accompanied by Gokenki (Wu Xian Gui, a White Crane Style martial artist as well as tea merchant)who acted as his interpreter. It was in this second journey that he began to study the kata Rokkishu (六机手, a kata which later was renamed Tensho) and the Chinese martial arts manual Bubishi. He also began to design a set of training exercises called the Junbi Undo at around this time.
Upon his return to Okinawa, Chojun Sensei began to devot his time, his energy and considerable wealth towards the preservation and promotion of karate. In 1918 Chojun Miyagi Sensei worked with Choki Motobu Sensei, Chomo Hanashiro Sensei and Kenwa Mabuni Sensei to set up the Ryukyu Tode Kenkyu Kai, one of the first organizations ever set-up to promote Tode (karate).
On 6th of March 1921, the Okinawan Education Department (沖縄文部署) issued an invitation to Chojun Miyagi on short-notice to represent Naha-te in a Tode (karate) demonstration for the visiting Japanese Crown Prince (Later Emporer) Hirohito. The demonstration took place 4 days later on the 10th of March 1921 (Giichin Funakoshi Sensei also participated in this demonstration).
In 1922 Chojun Sensei began to teach Tode (Karate) in the Okinawan prefecture Police school.
In 1925 Chojun Sensei was invited to demonstrate Naha-te before Prince Chichibu (Yasuhito).
In 1926 Chojun Miyagi Sensei once again worked with Choki Motobu Sensei, Chomo Hanashiro Sensei and Kenwa Mabuni Sensei to reform the Ryukyu Tode Kenkyu Kai into the Tode Kenkyu Kurabu, once again, this was an organisation whose purpose was to preserve and promote Tode (as karate was known at that time). It was around this time that he began to teach the Rokkishu (Tensho) Kata to his students.
In 1926, Chojun Miyagi Sensei was appointed as the Tode (Karate) instructor for the first martial arts seminar in Okinawa organised by the Dai-Nippon Butoku-Kai.
In 1927 the founder of Judo, Kano Jigoro (1860~1938)witnessed a demonstration by Chojun Miyagi Sensei. Greatly impressed by Chojun Miyagi Sensei's skill and power, he decided to use his influence in the Japanese Martial Art circles to help Chojun Miyagi Sensei promote (Tode) karate in mainland Japan. Thereafter, Chojun Miyagi Sensei and his students regularly appeared in Japanese Martial Art (Budo) events to demonstrate their (Tode) karate.
In October 1928, Chojun Miygai Sensei was invited to lecture on Tode (Karate) in the Kyoto Teikoku University Judo Club. In 1929, Chojun Sensei became a martial arts instructor in the Naha Commercial High School while retaining his prior appointment as the Budo instructor at the Okinawan Prefecture Police training school.
In 1930 Chojun Miyagi Sensei was also appointed as the Tode (Karate) teacher of the Okinawan Prefecture Physical Education Association.
On 5th May, 1930, Chojun Miyagi Sensei's senior student, Jinan Shinzato Sensei participated in a demonstration in the Meiji Jingū (明治神宮) Budo Festival whereby he was asked about the name of his style of martial art, and as he had no answer for that question, upon returning to Okinawa he duly reported the incident to Chojun Sensei. Chojun Sensei realised that if Naha-te or Tode (Karate) was to be accepted in Japan, it needed to have a name. Chojun Sensei chose two words from the Bubishi phrase "Ho Goju Donto" and named his Naha-te as Goju-Ryu.
The most significant amongst Chojun Sensei's demonstrations were those in which Chojun Sensei demonstrated in the Dai-Nippon Butoku-Kai Budo gathering in 1930, and again in 1932 he demonstrated in the Seneinkan (済寧館) which was the Imperial Guards Dojo within the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. More importantly, after much public promotion and private lobbying, Chojun Miyagi Sensei, in a joint effort with other karate-masters such as Kenwa Mabuni, Choki-Motobu finally succeeded in persuading the Dai-Nippon-Butoku-kai to officially recognise Tode (karate)) as a legitimate budo system. The Dai-Nippon-Butoku-kai was the official governing body for martial arts in Japan before the Second World War, and this achievement by Chojun Sensei and his Okinawan contemporaries marked a new age for karate as the art could henceforth be legitimately taught in Japan. As the leader of the lobbying movement, Chojun Sensei's Goju-Ryu became the first style to be registered with the Butoku-Kai. It was officially registered in the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai as "Goju-Ryu Tode".
In the same year of 1933, as the leading authority of Okinawan Tode (karate) of the day, Chojun Miyagi Sensei was made the head of the Okinawan Branch of the Dai-Nippon Butoku Kai. Henceforth, Chojun Miyagi Sensei became the official representative of Okinawan Tode(Karate) in the Japanese Budo establishment and worked towards the promotion of all styles of karate in Japan.
After 1933, Chojun Miyagi Sensei promoted Goju-Ryu and other schools of karate largely through the Butoku-Kai. In 1934 he was made a permanent member of the Butoku-kai. In that year he wrote his now famous article on "An Introduction to the history of Ryukyu Kempo Tode" which he presented in a speech in 1936. By 1937 Chojun Miyagi Sensei became one of three karate masters to be first presented the title of "Kyoshi" of the Dai-Nippon Butoku Kai. It was the highest rank to be awarded to any karate master to date, and this move in itself represented a further advancement of karate's status within the Japanese Budo establishment and a recognition that karate was becoming increasingly accepted and practiced in Japanese society. This was the accomplishment of the combined efforts by Chojun Miyagi Sensei, Kenwa Mabuni Sensei, Hironori Ōtsuka Sensei and Giichin Funakoshi Sensei in Japan, and many other pioneering karate masters of the time.
Chojun Miyagi Sensei also went to Hawaii in 1934~1935 to promote karate to the local population there. Hawaii had a sizable population of inhabitants who were of Japanese or Okinawan descent and Chojun Sensei went to Hawaii upon the invitation of a local Japanese newspaper there (洋國時報社). In Hawaii he observed the training equipment of the local people and decided to incorporate one of their training equipment into the Goju-Ryu system. This later became known as the Kongoken. Upon his return from Hawaii in 1935 Chojun Miyagi Sensei once again went to Japan where he taught in the Ritsumeikan University (立命館大学) karate club. Club members at that time included Yamaguchi Gogen, So Nei Cho and Jitsuei Yogi. Several months later, in 1936 Chojun Miyagi Sensei once again travelled, this time to Shanghai, China, together with Aniya Seisho (安仁屋正昌, a student of Go-Kenki),with the purpose of visiting various Chinese martial art schools there, including the Shanghai Jing Wu Sport Association.
In April of 1938 Chojun Miyagi Sensei accepted the position of Karate Instructor for the Okinawan Prefecture Teacher's College. In 1940 Chojun Miyagi Sensei created the Gekisai series of kata. After the war, in 1945 Chojun Miyagi Sensei accepted the position to teach karate in the Okinawan Police Academy under the newly formed post-war government administration. In 1948, Chojun Miyagi Sensei began to accept private students in the garden dojo of his home once again. His first post-war private student was An'ichi Miyagi Sensei. By 1951 Chojun Miyagi Sensei once again accepted karate students from the general public into his garden dojo. Chojun Miyagi Sensei died on 8th of October 1953.
In the process of building the Goju-Ryu system, Chojun Miyagi Sensei designed the Junbi Undo preparatory exercise system. He preserved Kanryo Higaonna Sensei's Sanchin Kata and 8 Kaishu kata but he created another Heishu Kata, Tensho Kata , and 2 introductory kata, Gekisai Dai Ichi and Gekisai Dai Ni and added these to the system. He pioneered many Hojo Undo training methods and incorporated the Kongoken into the Goju-Ryu Hojo-Undo training syllabus.
By the time of his death, Chojun Miyagi Sensei's Goju-Ryu system had become one of the main karate styles through-out Japan and the world.Chojun Sensei's intended successor to the Goju-Ryu system was Jinan Shinzato Sensei(1900 to 1945), who had constantly trained under Miyagi Sensei for nearly 3 decades, and he was the only disciple who was allowed to stand-in for Chojun Sensei in the later's absence. Unfortunately, Shinzato Sensei was killed towards the end of the Second World War. As Chojun Sensei was never in one place for long enough to teach comprehensively between 1927 and 1938 when he finally returned to Okinawa, there was a gap of nearly a decade between his early students and his later students who witnessed his final design for the Goju-Ryu system. Upon his death Chojun Sensei was mainly succeeded by his post-1938 senior students, amongst them was An'ichi Miyagi Sensei, Chojun Miyagi Sensei's last private disciple and live-in student. An'ichi Miyagi Sensei was the last Ushi-Deshi who witnessed the modifications that Chojun Sensei made to the Goju-Ryu system in the final phase of his life, and in that sense An'ichi Sensei's knowledge and experience are crucial to our understanding of the complete Goju-Ryu system as Chojun Sensei left it in Oct, 1953.


JF McKinney, one of Chicago's more innovative and successful commercial real estate brokerage houses, was given the assignment of leasing 645 N. Michigan, a retail and commercial office building in the heart of Chicago's bustling Magnificent Mile. Tenant prospects included professionals in the medical field and high-net-worth venture capitalists and entrepreneurs working out of their homes in the area. The building's challenge was to attract more of these prospects, and it needed a marketing/sales boost.
Torque developed a campaign theme for 645 that was distinctive, memorable and served as the foundation for marketing efforts. The campaign message, Where Business is Beautiful, was a playful reference to the surrounding culture of high fashion, not only of retailers, but of prospective tenants themselves. A direct mailer and email campaign assumed a distinctive format that resembled an oversized retail price tag. The brightly colored campaign garnered much attention in the industry, in part because of its high fashion giveaway offer – a free pair of Ferragamo shoes for new leases in the building.


Nashville's hottest Australian country artist Morgan Evans is set to continue his non-stop touring calendar with a European and UK tour this September.
He will be bringing his charismatic performance and impressive one-man-band setup overseas, kickstarting things in Dublin, before stopping through Glasgow, Liverpool and London. He will then be finishing things off with a slot at Leicestershire's Country, Americana and Roots Festival, The Long Road.
The Warner Music Nashville / Warner Bros. Records award-winner has been forging his path as one of the genre's up-and-coming stars, with his debut US single 'Kiss Somebody' hitting #1 at US Country Radio while claiming Country Work of the Year at the 2018 APRA Music Awards.
His follow-up hit 'Day Drunk' spent an astonishing 25 consecutive weeks at #1 on the TMN Country Airplay chart and 2 weeks at #1 on the TMN Hot 100 airplay chart — making Evans the first Country artist to achieve this feat since 2009 when Taylor Swift reached the top of the chart with 'Love Story'. Adding to the international impact, the song has been awarded Single of the Year at Australia's Golden Guitar Awards.
The tracks are featured on his latest album and major label debut Things That We Drink To, alongside his collaboration with his wife Kelsea Ballerini on 'Dance With Me', and sees Evans continue his rise to international stardom.
He has been travelling the world in celebration of the release, touring with the likes of Dan + Shay, Chris Young and Old Dominion as well as his own sold out headline runs.
Highly praised by the likes of Rolling Stone, CMT, SiriusXM, Billboard, Maverick, PEOPLE and MusicRow, Evans was also chosen to DJ on BBC Radio 2, presenting highlights from the 2018 CMA Fest over four weeks.
Evans' stellar musicianship and upbeat tracks have been winning over UK music fans who have been eagerly awaiting his return. Pre-sale tickets for his UK September tour go on sale on March 29th.