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All About Africa: OPIC Takes a Long-term View on Development Goals Overseas
by Kemi Osukoya
in Business, Magazine
Sows seeds of financial inclusion, prosperity across Africa
OPIC's Acting President and Chief Executive Officer David Bohigian /PHOTO BY Kemi Osukoya
"Whenever I visit Africa, I am struck by the remarkable energy of the people, including all of the entrepreneurs who have started small businesses that are making a difference in their communities," says David Bohigian.
Ask Overseas Private Investment Corporation Acting President and Chief Executive Officer David Bohigian what the mission of the new BUILD Act is and OPIC's strategy for Africa and he explains it using an unlikely business example.
"When I visited the Magrabi ICO Cameroon Eye Institute in 2017, I saw how OPIC is helping improve people's lives by enabling them to access cataract surgery to preserve their vision. OPIC financing is helping this hospital provide cataract surgery to thousands of patients, not only improving their quality of life but in many cases making it possible for them to work and support their families. As the son of an eye doctor, I found it particularly moving to meet people who had regained their sight. I met one patient whose neighbor had brought him to the hospital on a bicycle. After he received the surgery and regained his sight his grandson said, 'Welcome back to life,'" David Bohigian tells the Africa Bazaar magazine in an exclusive interview in late April.
That example, in a nutshell, is what the co-mission of the BUILD Act and OPIC is about. It's about unlocking social impact investments and advancing development goals around the world.
So how does that mission of unlocking social impact investment and advancing development goals around the world fit into the Trump administration's America First, bilateral trade agenda, and its vision and strategy for Africa? You may wonder skeptically. The short answer is contrary to alleged negative rhetoric about Africa and other news reports, the Trump administration, while in some aspects has reduced foreign grants to the continent, it has redirected those funds to increase trades with countries on the African continent, which fits perfectly into the administration's trade agenda.
A broader answer to help understand how the overall mission fit into the administration's agenda starts with the baseline of what OPIC is and the generational opportunity it offers and means for the U.S. in terms of asserting its foreign policy in the world. In this context, it's the only salient bipartisan agenda that both parties in Congress—Democrats and Republicans, including both the current U.S. President Donald J. Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have always agreed on because it allows the U.S. to advance its foreign policy goals around the world as well as make longterm social impacts in advancing development goals in developing nations.
The other part of that answer is that OPIC—which will morph into the new Development Finance Corporation that will manage the BUILD Act–as a business enterprise within the U.S. government gives the U.S. the competitive edge to demonstrate its business as well as its altruistic hierarchy to some of its biggest competitors in world, especially China, while simultaneously promoting humanitarian agenda in developing world. This part of the U.S. strategy is especially important, experts say, when it comes to equalizing and stemming Chinese growing economic prowess across Africa, Latin and Central Americas.
Chinese economic influences in developing nations around the world have steadily grown in the last two decades and is now conspicuous as evidence by the current contentious trade negotiations between the U.S. and China. While the U.S. and the rest of the developed world reacted skeptically and slumbered on the economic and other development transformations that began across Africa around three decades ago, China saw a leadership void as well as an economic ascendency opportunity to move its position up in the world. The eastern Asian country, the fourth largest and most populous in the world, jumped in and seized the opportunity to fill the void left by the West in these countries and in that process developed strong trade partnerships with African countries and other developing nations.
According to a report from Washington D.C.-based think tank, Brookings Institution, Chinese investment increased globally between 2005 and 2018. Africa receives two major lump-sum investments from the Chinese government between 2015 and 2018 totaling $120 billion, bringing the government's overall investment on the continent to more than $150 billion between 2006 and 2018 — making the African continent the third largest investment destination for Chinese after Asia and European Union, with one-quarter of that investment concentrated in oil-rich countries Nigeria and Angola. The rest of the Chinese investment spread across transportation, energy, finance, technology, agriculture, metals, and real estates in Cameroon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa and Zambia and other African countries.
Now that the West has woken up from its slumbers and finally gotten over the pessimism about Africa, it's playing catch-up with China to reverse the damages that pessimism caused. Despite being late to the party so to speak, experts say the West doesn't need to fret too much about playing catch-up with China in Africa, noting that the U.S. and the rest of the West still have many advantages over China in the developing world and among that advantages is the decades long humanitarian investments that the U.S. has made and continue to make in places like Africa in helping countries develop important institutions and socioeconomic programs such as funding educational programs for children, promoting financial inclusion, women's health and encouraging the development of democratic institutions and civil society programs. This, Bohigian implicitly implies is how the U.S. can best win and reverse the trade contest against China in Africa and other developing nations.
Blended Finance
"When you talk about measurable outcomes, I think about development, impact bond as well as social impact bond," Bohigian says. "I'm really proud that my first overseas trip in the job last year I went on a West Africa tour and visited affordable housing in Ghana, where you drive in and see American flag and Ghanian flag and see wonderful mixed use of affordable houses. In Togo, we tripled the amount of electricity in that country."
Bohigian later expounds on what he meant by measurable outcomes when he spoke to a group of American investors in New York City in March at an event organized by Impact Capital Forum.
"When it comes to social impact bond, it's really been ground breaking," he says. "Einstein said you can't solve problems at the same level of consciousness as when they are created. So I think there's a synthesis going on in the world— between the government, the private sector and civil society that can solve problems that they couldn't in silo, and social impact are a great measure of that. The global impact we can have it is in catalyzing capital. America has infinite needs for capital to advance impact development, but when we talk about overseas investments, primarily people starts to think about equity in Japan and the European Union and when you talk about the private markets, about emerging markets and frontier markets. I think there's a tipping point happening right now and I'd like American investors to understand the opportunities that are awaiting in Africa where amazing demographics and the abilities to generate generational opportunities and returns from world opportunities and cross-products from venture capital to bonds."
Bohigian adds that while OPIC is looking within the U.S. private sector to catalyze capital for development goals, the agency is also looking to create a synthesis to work with its overseas allies in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden on shared agendas to accelerate development goals across Africa, partnering with organizations like CDC, U.K.'s Development Finance institution, DEG in Germany as well as the private sector in these countries.
The BUILD Act, which Bohigian describes as blended finance serves as a catalytic agent that attracts investors to engage with companies by providing initial seed capital that entrepreneurs need to raise funds or grow their businesses.
Bohigian's first official tour after he assumed the top position at the agency in March was to Europe, where he met with counterparts and business leaders from across EU member nations.
"That piece has been missing and I really think at the end of this, it is going to unlock unlimited, endless amount of capital, especially in the early stages," Bohigian explains further. He adds that this will provide entrepreneurs with access to capital and remove an obvious major business impediment that impact many entrepreneurs in developing countries such as in Africa and the Americas.
OPIC helps American businesses invest and expand there footprints in developing markets by providing political risks insurance and other business tools.
"Entrepreneurs are the world most committed citizens and are changing societies," says Bohigian.
John Meyers, an American investor and Board President at Impact Capital Forum agrees that the BUILD Act emergence is important at this particular period in the world to ginger American investors' interests to invest in developing countries. "It's important to note that the BUILD Act had bipartisan support and not only re-envisions, but re-positions U.S. development finance. American investors welcome some of the added features in the BUILD Act, which include the capacity for equity investments and to support technical assistance and feasibility studies," says Meyers.
Although most American investors have recently warmed up to the concept of Africa as a viable investment destination, there's still some trepidation among investors due to the current states of the global economy–the International Monetary Fund in April lowered global growth from 3.6 percent in 2018 to 3.3 percent in 2019. In addition to the downturn in the global economy, good governance, lack off reliable markets data and security issues are some of the biggest concerns and drawbacks for American investors considering investing in Africa.
Investor Asad Mahmood, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner at Social Investment Managers & Advisors, says American investors' trepidations to invest in Africa is also partially due to lack of knowledge as well as limited exposure to news about African markets.
"I think partly it's not having that exposure and the media sort of present snippets and usually it is the bad or worst news that comes out of different countries and I think that prejudice creates reluctance and increases in risks and whenever there's prejudgment, there's opportunities," says Mahmood.
"People need to bring out the positive about Africa because people [in the West] have very negative views of the continent," urges Mahmood. "Think about Ethiopia for example, it's a big country, a very lush green country but in the mind of many Americans, Ethiopia is associated with famine and that aid concert that happened in the country several years ago. Some of that have to change. There has to be active marketing of this because perception don't change without that idea of opportunity. You can look at the story of a businessperson who went to Africa and say nobody wears shoes in Africa, there's no market and another person say nobody wears shoes, that's tremendous market."
Mr. Mahmood, who has been investing in projects in African markets for the past two decades as well as in other emerging economies, adds that the U.S. government can help ease some of those concerns by refining certain aspects of its investment requirements that have to do with advancing U.S. political interests in these countries to encourage more American investors and more American businesses to invest more in the development of Africa.
"There's always going to be a political dimension to development but I think what we can do is while maintaining aspect or portion of development work that's politically related, there should be a portion of the work that's based on meritocracies and the best ideas and pushing them irrespective of the political interests and that's what really would drive innovations and drive the best ideas to come fourth because you are not doing it because it's political but doing it because it's the best projects," says Mahmoud. "Balancing that out is good, but the reality of life is constraints by a lot of factors because we don't live in a perfect world. It's difficult to say we won't stand for women's rights, or for equality or for gay rights or whatever it is that we want to do, but in order to sort of make investments sufficient, some of those requirements need to be refined because it's very burdensome to create a whole bunch of requirements that comes with your investments because it make investors less competitive."
For example, he adds, "how the financing can take place, what levels of risks [investors] can take, how commercial the financing is sometimes—some of the projects that I work with are not fully commercial. Taking early risk positions, those are examples of spurring innovations and trying to do a larger amount in an efficient manner."
In response to those concerns, Bohigian says the U.S. government, still the largest economy in the world, plans to address these concerns and minimize some of these risks for credible, merit investors through political risks insurance programs like the one OPIC has with Liberty Mutual, which will support American investment projects in Africa and other developing countries.
Empowering African Entrepreneurs, Women
OPIC's strategy for the African continent is to leverage and harness the American private sector investments to spur development and economic growth in Africa, And it plans to do that using one of America's notable keen business knowledge available at its disposal: investment and commitment to supporting small medium-sized enterprises, which are seen as the vehicles driving economic growth and job creation throughout Africa.
"Africa is an area of strong focus for OPIC," Bohigian tells The Africa Bazaar magazine during our interview. "While we are committed to efficiency, we also closely review every potential project to ensure the financial terms are viable and that the project will deliver a positive benefit. We are supporting projects that will have a positive impact over the long-term."
OPIC has about one quarter of its portfolio invested on the continent across a range of regions, sectors and businesses such as Atlas Mara, Africell Holding Ltd, Kiva Microfunds, Sunfunder and Stanbic Bank. "We partner with businesses of all sizes and support a range of projects from utility-scale power plants to projects that support Africa's smallest farmers. As a key partner in the U.S. Power Africa initiative, the agency supported more than 30 utility-scale and off-grid power projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, including off grid electricity in Chad. While OPIC can mobilize the significant resources of time and money that are essential to build critical infrastructure, we also are committed to supporting small businesses, which are driving economic growth and job creation throughout Africa," states Bohigian.
In February, OPIC contributed $25 million to Sunfunder's inaugural $85 million fund raising for its Solar Energy Transformation Fund, which will support businesses providing affordable solar energy to millions of people living in remote areas in Sub-Saharan Africa and India who lack access to electricity. OPIC's investment in SunFunder's SETF helped catalyze funds from other investors, including Calvert Impact Capital with $7.5 million, $5 million from Ceniarth, and a $5 million grant from IKEA Foundation. SunFunder, a San Francisco-based solar energy finance business with offices in Nairobi, provides affordable clean energy to people in Africa and Asia by financing solar companies active in off-grid and weak-grid communities.
OPIC has also provided $100 million financing loans to African cellular communication, Africell Holding Ltd, supported microfinance company Kiva Microfunds with a $10 million loans that in return has supported 100,000 small businesses in Africa and Asia with microloans. In Nigeria, OPIC helped promote digital banking and financing for women-owned businesses with $200 million financing loans to Union Bank of Nigeria. In Ethiopia, it provided a $126 million political risks insurance to support Afriflora's expansion in the country. Afriflora, a horticulture business, grows and exports flowers such as roses to overseas countries.
During an interview in New York last September, former OPIC President and CEO Ray W. Washburne told this publication that America's interests in Africa is different than the Chinese interests. "America's goal is to empower African people," said Washburne. "Three objectives for Africa is the Power Africa, the other one is OPIC's Connect Africa, which is to help cross border trade to try to smooth that out for logistics and supply chain so Africa is more connected on trade element. The third one is women's empowerment. We now have a women's initiative called 2X, which we initially put $350m to get funds to women's owned businesses, SMEs lending. We have gone into many of the local banks and invested money so women can take out loans from those banks. [OPIC] recently put $400 million into Atlas Mara Bank in Nigeria to help with that type of lending as well."
When asked if he was worried about the Chinese having a competitive edge against the U.S. in Africa, Washburne answered that "the Chinese are putting the shackles of debts on many of these [African] countries" and can take control of key assets of African countries. "When a loan goes bad, and they take it back, they are additionally taking away rare earth minerals like copper from countries. OPIC is a business enterprise that loans money and that has to be paid back."
While China takes on big infrastructure projects across Africa, the U.S., which also finances big infrastructure projects on the continent through Millennium Challenge Corporation has figured a better way to level up its trades with African countries as well as make a lasting impact through deeper connections with the small businesses and women-owned enterprises—the marginalized, often underserved demographic of the business sector in Africa.
Getting access to financing and unlocking capital in early stage companies, particularly small medium-sized enterprises, have been the biggest obstacle to enterprise growth among SMEs in Africa where majority of the markets are made up of SMEs, often owned or managed by women. According to the World Bank, SMEs in Africa contribute around 40 percent of the continent GDP and 50 percent of the overall employment, however, challenges remain in SME financing due to lack of established credit bureau, among other reasons.
As part of its strategy in Africa, OPIC sees an opportunity to have longterm impactful investments in this often overlooked business demographic.
Last July, OPIC launched a new African program, Connect Africa initiative, a program aimed at improving connectivity within Africa and the rest of the world. OPIC's plan is to invest $1 billion in various sectors during a three year period in projects that support infrastructure, including railways, ports, roads and airports, technology, and value chains. As part of its Connect Africa, 25 percent of the investment from the program has been reserved to help fund women-owned businesses and projects that will help close the gender gap and empower women, economically on the African continent.
During a visit to Africa in mid-April, Bohigian joined White House Special Adviser Ivanka Trump in Ethiopia to announce a new economic empowerment program for African women, 2X Africa. Through the new initiative, Bohigian says OPIC plans to directly invest $350 million in businesses owned, funded or led by women, or providing a good or service that intentionally empowers women on the continent. The objective of the program is to catalyze the $350 million investment into $1 billion to unlock the full economic potential of women in Africa.
"Through the 2X Women's Initiative, we are supporting a project that is helping female food vendors in Kenya access more fresh produce so they can increase their sales and profits. Through our Connect Africa initiative we provided financing to a project that will expand mobile connectivity in multiple countries including Gambia, Sierra Leone, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo." says Bohigian.
These are just a small piece of what OPIC and the U.S. government are doing in Africa, and plan to do across Africa, indicates Bohigian. Through its investments across a range of regions and sectors, OPIC is seeking to achieve a strong positive impact in Africa, in places where it is needed most.
The Social Impact Effects
Having a strong positive impact and making the world a better place by providing socioeconomic opportunities, financial empowerment to those marginalized within the societies or living in what is considered peripheral parts of the world is what impact investments are all about. It's doing good for the world at large while also making money, which aligns with capitalism. And that is what OPIC, and the U.S. government are trying to do in advancing development goals around the world.
John Meyers adds that "by design, capitalism is driven by and most successful when there is opportunity to leverage and access different types of capital. Blended finance brings in different types of public and private financing, including philanthropic, concessionary, and guarantees, to de-risk investing in emerging and frontier markets. Linking investments to social impact priorities can leverage blended finance to attract more capital and profitable investing in key areas such as food production, women-owned businesses, and renewable energy."
With $23 billion currently in portfolio across private equity, political risk insurance and project finance in 90 countries around the world, an investment cap that is set to increase to $60 billion, and the recently passed BUILD Act that was signed into law by President Trump last October, which will allow multiple agencies within the U.S. government to coordinate effectively and work efficiently to maximize U.S. government foreign investments output with more investment tools that will help catalyze $100 billion, either through syndication platforms like Liberty Mutual, venture capital initiative, bond offerings or through OPIC portfolio through impact program, OPIC might be the secret business arsenal that U.S. government has at its disposal to effectively negate its biggest trade competitors as well as advance long-term social impacts in the world.
Think of the new DFC and the BUILD Act as a mashup of all the U.S. government foreign aid and financial assistance agencies that have emerged over the decades but with a lot more utilitarian and very little red tapes. It's part technical assistance, equity investment, venture capital, private equity, bond offering, impact investment where companies,—from small startups, women-owned enterprises to large companies will be able to access capital finance to grow and expand their businesses.
"The ability to work with U.S. Agency for International Development and other agencies within the government and reach into their missions and work with development credit authorities is going to be a major step forward for us to operate within the government," says Bohigian. "Going forward, we are also going to have less of a U.S. nexus. As a capital finance, it's not just U.S. banks that we are working with here and throughout the markets that we're trying to catalyst capital, so being able to have preference for U.S. businesses rather than a requirement is going to help us advance development goals in the world."
While advancing U.S. foreign policy agenda, and closing unfair trade loopholes and practices have been a focus of the Trump administration since it took office nearly two and half years ago, the BUILD Act, which was co-spearheaded by Bohigian and his predecessor Ray W. Washburne, is one of the main cores to which the Trump administration aims to achieve those objectives.
Even though the concept of social impact and impact investment is not novel or newsworthy, America's recent growing fierce enthusiasm for the idea as a main focal point of its national foreign policy agenda as a way to equalize development goals around the world is a notable pivot from its main capitalism linchpin.
When Bohigian and his predecessor assumed office in 2017, OPIC was on the chopping block in the FY2018 budget until the two aptly convinced the White House and Congress not to eliminate the agency but to use it as a major source to promote U.S. foreign policy agenda in the world. In the past two years, OPIC made $410 million in profits from its investments— $150 million in 2018, $260 million in 2017. And the OPIC's 2X Women initiative the agency launched last year has helped catalyze an estimated $1.4 billion within its first year.
"Our 2X women initiative really was an idea this time last year. We will be celebrating the first anniversary just in two weeks in Washington D.C.," says Bohigian. The first anniversary of the 2X Women Initiative was celebrated in March. The brand, which has since evolved beyond the U.S. into a global brand for G7 nations. G7 members, including Canada and France have committed $3 billion for women's empowerment, globally
"That catalyze additional capital so we are hoping for billions more," says Bohigian. "Those projects are intended to help women-owned businesses, women-managed businesses and women empowering businesses. We have seen when women are invested in, they invest in their families and at higher rate, they are better credit risks than men and are truly transforming their communities at the local levels, whether that be water or health. It's a thrill to take that from a dream into a true global initiative that impact the lives of millions of women and children and their families around the world."
OPIC has its critics and Bohigian is very well aware there are other competitors in Africa other than China, but he's not losing sleeps over any of them. "We know that Africa represents both a great need for investment as well as a significant opportunity for private investors and about one-quarter of our portfolio is invested in Africa. OPIC provides financing when sufficient financing is not available from private lenders as well as political risk insurance to help mitigate some of the challenges they may encounter. We also support emerging market private equity funds. As the U.S. government's development finance institution, OPIC works to mobilize private capital to address critical development challenges," says Bohigian.
In terms of leveling the playing field for women and promoting women's empowerment such as physical safety and property rights for women in some part of African countries where certain government policies, regulation and regulatory issues create barriers for women, Bohigian also sees OPIC's role as an advocate to make sure those barriers are removed. While OPIC is not confrontational with foreign governments in its advocacy for women's empowerment in developing nations, it systematically works with counterparts within the U.S. government, State Department, USAID, MCC—where the Compact comes into play. Through this method, OPIC is able to effectively effect changes in these areas.
"We don't have a formal policy shop but my prior role at the Department of Commerce, where my job was to level the playing field to create opportunities for American businesses overseas, I'd go and talk about anti-corruption in Russia and intellectual property rights in China. What I have today is a $23 billion cheque book to help those conversations, which is soon to be a $60 billion check, and those conversations are effective in driving policies," he points out.
For example the work OPIC is doing with women, he notes. "When you think about some of the projects we're helping to develop, we are taking banks and governments from having diminutive requirements for gender inclusion up to 30-40 percent requirements of banks providing loans to women. So we're having impact there. We don't typical face-off with foreign ministries when we go overseas, but working with our colleagues at the State department, USAID, and MCC have proven effective."
For Bohigian, it's not always work, work and no play during his trips to Africa. He also enjoys a bit of leisure time in-between meetings and touring companies. From Senegalese fish to Ethiopian spices and Cameroon Cassava, he's tasted so many great African cuisine and he looks forward to experiencing more, he tells The Africa Bazaar magazine. Other than the African cultures and great cuisines, he says he's esteemed and fond of the people living on the African continent.
"Whenever I visit Africa, I am struck by the remarkable energy of the people, including all of the entrepreneurs who have started small businesses that are making a difference in their communities," says Bohigian.
Tapping into this remarkable energy and helping to unlock the economic potentials that he sees encapsulate in African entrepreneurs is what OPIC and the U.S. government hope to achieve across Africa.
AfricaBlended financeDavid BohigianImpact investmentOPICSMEs
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Engineers to rely on. Anytime. Anywhere.
Best engineering consultants jobs at a glance.
What do engineering consultants do?
Engineering consultants are skilled professionals whose expertise is welcome in all kinds of engineering projects. More than welcome, perhaps it is rather crucial, as engineering projects imply large groups of people from wide variety of fields. Merely organizing the participants is a demanding task; overseeing project progress and seeing it executed properly takes a wizard. And that is exactly what an engineering consultant is: a genius with a wand who makes the impossible – possible.
Engineering consultant jobs are one of the most skilled professionals whose expertise is welcome in all kinds of engineering projects hence a boon for the society in the freelance marketplace too. The consultant's primary role is to assist your organization with certain areas of your inclusiveness work. People come to consultants for numerous reasons: they don't have the time to come up with a result, they don't have the people, or they don't have the skill. If they recognize you as being the best and a problem-solver, kudos, you have the beginnings of building a best client list. Work experience is vital with this profession, as theoretical knowledge doesn't help enough. It rarely does with any profession, we admit, but with this particular one, it is truly only a confirmed letter. You need to have a strong foothold as a consultant because no one wants to hear from someone who doesn't have a strong point of view. Being a freelance engineering consultant means, you get to pick your clients and projects and be flexible in how you spend your time.
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Concluding that it takes a lot of effort, knowledge, and hard work to become an engineering consultant is not a difficult leap. Work experience is crucial with this profession, as theoretical knowledge doesn't help enough. It rarely does with any profession, we admit, but with this particular one it is truly only a dead letter.
A good illustration of this is that many engineers further their knowledge tirelessly. I.e., you will hardly find a serious professional not holding at least the CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) credential. Cisco engineers are recognized as outstanding professionals unanimously, and not without a good reason.
New graduates typically start with structured graduate development programs, achieving, over time, advanced engineer status. Professionals employed by consulting engineering companies hold different degrees covering literally every imaginable specialty. That is not to be wondered at, given that engineering branches are numerous, and the projects – impossible to be concluded satisfactorily without a comprehensive inter-disciplinary approach.
Consulting engineers participate in project teams, offering professional advice in terms of delivering services to the client. The role may differ greatly, ranging from technical to managerial, depending on the employer and the project type. In any case, what a consulting engineer can expect is to coordinate the activities of all other team members, including those from different fields of expertise.
The FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam may also be attempted by recent graduates and those soon to graduate. It is a computer-based exam provided by NCEES (National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying)-approved Pearson VUE test centers. Simply look up the location of the test center in your area on their official website to get started.
Engineering projects are known for being time-consuming and highly demanding. As stated above, for a project to be successfully concluded, it takes coordinated efforts of professionals from all walks of life. Consulting engineers may have it the hardest simply because they are charged with the actual coordination, start to finish.
That is exactly why an engineer (and not only a consultant) needs to have keen interpersonal skills and a touch of diplomacy, especially if the client doesn't know much about engineering. That is, sadly, usually the case, so it is up to the engineer in charge to present sustainable options (which often imply higher costs) and talk the client into accepting them. On top of that, managing large groups of people is never an easy task, which brings us back to the supposition of engineering consultants being "wizards".
How does an engineering consultant bring a project to a successful realization? With heaps of effort and expertise invested, no doubt. A typical day of an engineering consultant starts with consultations. The project manager needs to be informed about the progress and new decisions stemming from it are to be made. Once the concept has been agreed upon, the consultant then presents it to the design team and the client (in that order).
The concept in itself is close to worthless until properly sketched. Consulting engineers often work closely with a CAD operator (or more than one, depending on the scope of the project), who is in charge of the drawings. The two estimate the timeline and work hard to keep to it. This is the trickiest moment of all. Progress updates are done on a daily basis; there's no saying when an issue may occur. A single issue may delay the project considerably, let alone multiple ones.
Consultations being concluded, the consulting engineer usually needs to head to the construction site. There it is another meeting, this time with the construction inspector. Jointly, the two professionals analyze all aspects of the work, attempting to discover and define any potential issue. If they find a difficulty, new evaluations need to be made. The consultant is to present the problem to the contractor and the project manager. The final proposal on any changes is also undertaken by the consultant. Additional costs are being taken into account and, once the proposal is accepted (or amended), the consultant issues a change order to the contractor. At the end of the day, the engineering consultant meets once again with the CAD operator to check on the drawing's progress.
Where can engineer consultants find employment?
Engineer consultants are greatly sought out. They may choose away in the true sense of the word, as their services are welcome in companies large and small, local and international, and even remote ones. Consultants may choose a small company in the neighborhood, a multinational corporation, or a partnership into outsourcing their services. It all depends on personal preferences. Another option has gained popularity in recent years, and is likely to take precedence over traditional engineering employment options. We are talking about remote engineer consultancy. The role is perfect for professionals interested in project-based work looking to expand their expertise. These kinds of jobs are available worldwide and the demand is ever growing. Online engineering marketplaces are a new rising trend, and the one that has topped the list for some time is Field Engineer. It is a fully automated platform that connects engineering professionals with employers worldwide. Take a peek at their website, upload your credentials, select your skill set, and wait for the offers to start arriving (delivered daily to your inbox).
It is true: best engineering consultants work freelance, picking only those projects that call their name. And why wouldn't they? With the demand so urgent, it would be foolish not to grab the opportunity for professional advancement. Nothing wrong with that. It's best to strike while the iron is hot, after all.


text:
Q: Bash, grep, sed...: replacing terms with multiline file content I have a file test.xml with the following content :

<content>

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed non risus. Suspendisse lectus tortor, dignissim sit amet, adipiscing nec, ultricies sed, dolor. Cras elementum ultrices diam.

Maecenas ligula massa, varius a, semper congue, euismod non, mi. Proin porttitor, orci nec nonummy molestie, enim est eleifend mi,..

<MEDIAREF localid="HTM37c2ae34-b92c-11e1-86ab-e6b6e8e434a7-0"/>

Duis arcu massa, scelerisque vitae, consequat in, pretium a, enim. Pellentesque congue. Ut in risus volutpat libero pharetra tempor. Cras vestibulum bibendum augue

<MEDIAREF localid="HTM37c2ae34-b92c-11e1-86ab-e6b6e8e434a7-1"/>

Praesent egestas leo in pede. Praesent blandit odio eu enim.

</content>

...
<ZONEMEDIAS>
<MEDIA localid="HTM37c2ae34-b92c-11e1-86ab-e6b6e8e434a7-0">
<MEDIAPROPRIETES>
<PROPRIETE value="HTM" name="type"/>
</MEDIAPROPRIETES>
<CODEMEDIA><object width="493" height="370"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Rxxxxxfr_FR&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RxxxxxfrR&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="493" height="370" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
</CODEMEDIA>
</MEDIA><MEDIA localid="HTM37c2ae34-b92c-11e1-86ab-e6b6e8e434a7-1">
<MEDIAPROPRIETES>
<PROPRIETE value="HTM" name="type"/>
</MEDIAPROPRIETES>
<CODEMEDIA><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="fr"><p>second texte to replace <a href="https://twitter.com/xxxx" data-datetime="2012-06-15T01:12:03+00:00">Juin 15, 2012</a></blockquote>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</CODEMEDIA>
</MEDIA>
</ZONEMEDIAS>

I expected replace
<MEDIAREF localid="HTM37c2ae34-b92c-11e1-86ab-e6b6e8e434a7-0"/>

by
<object width="493" height="370"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Rxxxxxfr_FR&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RxxxxxfrR&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="493" height="370" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

and do the same for ::
Is there any way to achieve this in bash please ?
I tried something like this to retrieve value if localid
grep "<MEDIAREF localid=.*\".>" test.xml | sed -e "s/^.*<MEDIAREF localid=/<MEDIAREF localid=/"  | cut -f2 -d"\"" | cut -f1 -d"\""

but I don't figure out how to  replace after
Someone can help me please?

A: In bash
while read line;do
  if [[ $line =~ 'MEDIAREF localid="HTM37c2ae34-b92c-11e1-86ab-e6b6e8e434a7-0"' ]];then
    echo '<object width="493" height="370"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Rxxxxxfr_FR&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RxxxxxfrR&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="493" height="370" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>';
  else
    echo "$line";
  fi;
done  < test.xml > new-test.xml

EDIT, After your comment I understand better what you want to do, bash is not the best solution and may not be safe, perl is better, but it works with your example. Here a solution with bash :
#!/bin/bash
# First loop to set variables ${!HTM*}
localid=""         # localid property
codemedia=0        # flag to indicate between CODEMEDIA tags
cm_content=""      # CODEMEDIA content
while IFS=\< read -d \> content tag;do
    if((codemedia==1));then
        cm_content="$cm_content$content"
    fi
    # set the flag or localid property
    if [[ "$tag" =~ ^CODEMEDIA.* ]];then
        codemedia=1
    elif [[ "$tag" =~ ^/CODEMEDIA ]];then
        codemedia=0
        eval "$localid=\"${cm_content//\"/\\\"}\""
        cm_content=""
    elif [[ "$tag" =~ ^MEDIA\  ]];then
        lf=0
        while read -d \" lprop;do
            if((lf==1));then
                localid=${lprop//-/_}
                break
            fi
            if [[ "$lprop" =~ localid=$ ]];then
                lf=1
            fi
        done <<<$tag
    fi
done < test.xml
echo ${!HTM*}
# Second loop to replace MEDIAREF tag
{ while IFS=\< read -d \> content tag;do
    if [[ "$tag" =~ ^MEDIAREF.*/$ ]];then
        lf=0
        while read -d \" lprop;do
            if((lf==1));then
                localid=${lprop//-/_}
                break
            fi
            if [[ "$lprop" =~ localid=$ ]];then
                lf=1
            fi
        done <<<$tag
        echo -n "$content${!localid}"
    else
        echo -n "$content<$tag>"
    fi
done;echo;} < test.xml > new-test.xml

Other solution in perl:
#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;
use warnings;

my $inputFile=$ARGV[0]||"test.xml";
my %hash;
open(INPUT,"<$inputFile") or die "cannot open $inputFile for readding";
# reads whole file in $_ (see perlvar)
# other solution if file is too long is to set $/="</MEDIA>"; for example and to change the while loop
$_=join("",<INPUT>);
# for gms flags (see perlre)
while(m{<MEDIA localid="(.*?)".*?<CODEMEDIA>(.*?)</CODEMEDIA>.*?</MEDIA>}gms){
    $hash{$1}=$2;
}
close(INPUT);
open(INPUT,"<$inputFile") or die "cannot open $inputFile for readding";
# again reads whole file
$_=join("",<INPUT>);
s{<MEDIAREF localid="(.*?)".*?/>}{$hash{$1}}gms;
close(INPUT);
# print on STDOUT
# other solution open(OUTPUT,">filename"); print OUTPUT $_; close(OUTPUT);
print;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


8 August is near .....I really do fear.
Beijing residents are beginning to understand the down side of the Olympics as Beijing is more or less a city under siege from a transport point of view. Lorries and trucks, as of 1 July Protected content , from out of Beijing are no longer permitted to enter the city. This is already causing some of the smaller shops and business that rely on goods/products not manufactured in Beijing to talk about closing for the duration. Soon an alternate day car policy will come into play forcing more people to use public transport.
to keep the roads clear.
the room rates are dear.
so how will I spend the Olympic period?
I suspect that I will be at the library (The Bookmark) or swimming pool, or maybe I'll invest in a large flat screen TV and watch HBO.


From artist Jordan Lloyd's perspective, the free and graceful form of a leaping dolphin embodies the beautiful splendor of nature in its most sincere and purest form. The elegance and joy of this Aurusart highlights happiness and emphasizes the respect humans need to have for our oceans and wildlife. This Aurusart is a numbered limited edition of 1000 pieces of artwork. 99.99% pure platinum encased in tempered glass.


"Mull: Moments and Memories" is Charles' third book and takes one on a photographic journey across the inner Hebridean island focussing on its wildlife and scenery. Images captured during four visits to the island accompany the author's personal reflections on encounters and experiences with some of Mull's most iconic fauna and landscape.
In 120 pages containing over 135 images, the spirit of Mull is gently revealed through its diverse range of weather, scenery and wildlife.


The season is changing and so is my skin! The beginning of fall is when I always begin to up my skincare game and make sure the effects of summer aren't lasting. I already miss the natural oils my skin produces in abundance during the summer. But, *long pause* it is time to stop missing and time to start working. If you are big on glowing and moisturized skin, you've landed in the right place. I'm sharing my top 6 essentials for glowing skin (hydrated too)!
If you aren't hip to all of the benefits of rosehip seed oil, let me share with you why I am a convert and raving fan. It is packed with fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants that both tone and nourish your skin. It is great as a skin brightener and to fade scars or age spots. I put a tiny drop under my eyes at night and make sure my neck and hands get some love from the oil too (don't forget the cuticles). Radha Beauty Certified Organic Rosehip Oil can help with your skin's elasticity (important all the time but the cooler weather is brutal). I can't vouch for all rosehip seed oils but I can definitely cosign Radha Beauty. A little goes a long way and the bottle lasts for months!
True Skin Vitamin C Serum has been a skin game-changer in terms of changing the texture and brightness of my skin. This particular Vitamin C serum has 20% vitamin C, plus Vitamin E and hyaluronic acid to address sun spots and dark spots. Couple this serum with the rosehip seed oil and it's a one-two punch! I am convinced these two skincare essentials are the reason my skin tone is much brighter.
One of my favorite things about the Body Shop is their use of Community Fair Products (like using smaller farmers and artisans). Their products are incredibly amazing for all the care they put into them. Their body scrubs are at the top of my list when it comes to keeping my body hydrated and exfoliated. This amazing Coconut Body scrub is filled with exfoliating coconut husks and ground coconut shells in a super creamy base. Guess what's in the base? I'll tell you. Organic, cold-pressed virgin coconut oil and super-conditioning coconut milk. I don't know what else to tell you. It smells like the tropics and feels so rich on your skin. (Disclaimer – my skin is not sensitive, so patch test any exfoliant first). I also use the Almond Milk and Honey scrub which is specifically formulated for sensitive skin.
I admit, I use this next product year-round but if I am sharing a skincare essentials for glowing skin, LanoLips must be included. It's my favorite lip care product-slash-treatment that I am so happy to have stumbled upon. Each treatment is slightly different but LanoLips is rich, creamy and filled with lanolin. Lanolin, a fatty substance found in sheep's wool, is supremely hydrating. This formula is 98-99% natural. I use it on dry skin patches, my cuticles and of course my lips. This AMAZING stuff is child-friendly and vegetarian (don't ask me how, when it's lanolin). I use it religiously and love it. I've tried the Banana, Strawberry and Coconutter so far. These "flavors" are oils or added essence to complement the formula. It's just a hint of scent.
What I love most about Shea Moisture lotions and butters is they aren't filled with mineral oils that coat the skin. Yuck! I need my moisturizers to heal and restore not clog and coat my skin. I can always count on Shea Moisture to deliver the goods. They are another brand that source their products ethically from women's cooperatives. No matter what your skin type or condition, there is a lotion or butter to give your skin what it needs. The formula I use depends on the time of the year because my skin changes. I've tried at least six of the formulas and have loved them all. No exaggeration. The Extra Dry Skin Lotion has Tamanu Oil to help restore the skin's moisture barrier, and aloe vera to calm the skin. The Rough Skin Lotion has Tsamma Melon Oil, high linoleic acid and Vitamin A blends with Kefir Probiotics. It also has lactic acid to help retexturize the skin. In other words, I can love on my feet, which take major abuse from heels and open toe sandals all summer long. It is some good stuff. During winter months I'll sometimes mix a dropper of my Rosehip Seed Oil with some of this lotion and slather it on my feet at night. It works wonders.
I will not go into all the gory details of Baby Feet but if by some chance you haven't used it or a similar product, I highly suggest you change that now. The first time I tried Baby Feet – in essence a mild chemical peel for the feet – I could not stand the sight of my feet. I kept them covered. But…when it was all said and done, I knew this would be something I'd do (strategically), a few times a year. The onset of fall is one of those times. Until you try Baby Feet, you have no idea how much dead and dry skin live on your feet. You'll thank yourself when it is all over, but not until it's all over. I would not say your feet will be glowing but they will be softer and the texture will be better. That makes this a staple in my skincare essentials for glowing skin.
There you have it folks, my top six skincare favorites for this time of the year. I'm sure I will play around with a few other products because I like trying new things and that's what I do. These six are my fail-proof though.
Guess what? You can shop every item in this post by clicking on the images below. If you love an item but want to wait to purchase it later when your budget allows, just tap the heart icon and enter your email address. You'll get an email when it goes on sale. Easy like Sunday morning!
Vitamin C is the best! Thanks for sharing.


text:
Paralyzed Monkey Controls Arm Via Brain
By Tanya Lewis
A paralyzed macaque monkey (like those above) controlled its arm using an artificial neural bridge from its brain. (Image credit: M.D. Madhusudan)
A monkey partially paralyzed by a spinal cord injury was able to control its arm using an external link between its brain and spinal cord, a new study shows.
Even after a spinal cord injury or stroke, the nervous system wiring above and below the injury can remain intact. With that in mind, researchers created an artificial electrical connection between the injured monkey's brain and an area below the damaged part of its spinal cord. This allowed the animal to send neural signals to its spinal cord to engage its arm muscles. The findings were detailed online Thursday (April 11) in the journal Frontiers in Neural Circuits.
"In the distant future, it's conceivable that one could get lots of signals in the brain's cortex to trigger lots of stimulation in different spinal sites, and begin to restore some basic functions like grasp and movement," study co-author Eberhard Fetz, a neuroscientist at the University of Washington in Seattle, told LiveScience. But Fetz added that the technology was still a long way off. [Inside the Brain: A Photo Journey Through Time]
Hooking up a monkey
Previous studies have shown that monkeys can use brain signals to control electrical stimulation of muscles that have been temporarily paralyzed, but stimulating the muscles directly caused them to fatigue very quickly. In the new study, the researchers stimulated the spine instead of the muscles, in the hope of restoring more coordinated, natural movement to a macaque monkey with an upper spinal cord lesion. That lesion partially paralyzed one of its upper arms and made the monkey unable to move its fingers independently.
Researchers surgically implanted electrodes in the motor cortex and premotor cortex of the monkey's brain, in areas that control arm and hand movements. They also implanted electrodes in the monkey's spinal cord.
The macaque was trained to move a cursor on a computer screen by flexing its wrist muscles. Later, the animal was trained to move the cursor with its mind alone, via signals recorded from the electrodes in its brain. In contrast to some previous studies that recorded single neurons, this study recorded the combined activity of groups of neurons.
Flexing its wrist
By using the signals recorded from the brain to control electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, the researchers created an artificial bridge between the two areas. The monkey was able to use this bridge to successfully flex its wrist muscles to drive the computer cursor.
In a monkey with a spinal cord injury, an artificial connection filters brain signals that activate a stimulator, which sends pulses to the spinal cord to control the animal's arm. (Image credit: Figure as originally published in Nishimura Y, Perlmutter S and Fetz E (2013) Restoration of upper limb movement via artificial corticospinal and musculospinal connections in a monkey with spinal cord injury Front. Neural Circuits 7:57. doi: 10.3389/fncir)
Next, the researchers took the weak electrical signals from muscles in the monkey's partially paralyzed arm and fed them back into the spinal cord, creating a self-reinforcing loop.
Though these findings were only in one monkey, they suggest that artificial connections between the brain and spinal cord could restore control of the limbs following damage to the spinal cord, Fetz said. It depends on the kind of injury and the amount of control this method can achieve, he said, but it's a proof-of-concept that a brain-spinal cord connection like this could work.
"It's a small step, but certainly a step in the right direction," said neuroscientist Lee Miller of Northwestern University, who wasn't involved in the study. The movements being demonstrated are very simple ones, Miller said, but "ultimately, spinal cord stimulation may offer promise."
Follow Tanya Lewis on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com.
Tanya was a staff writer for Live Science from 2013 to 2015, covering a wide array of topics, ranging from neuroscience to robotics to strange/cute animals. She received a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a bachelor of science in biomedical engineering from Brown University. She has previously written for Science News, Wired, The Santa Cruz Sentinel, the radio show Big Picture Science and other places. Tanya has lived on a tropical island, witnessed volcanic eruptions and flown in zero gravity (without losing her lunch!). To find out what her latest project is, you can visit her website.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Burnout Coach
Burnout Recovery
Burnout Syndrome
Trauma Work
Inner Child Work
Burnout Podcast
Life Transformations
Body Image Activism
PT Burnout
Signs from your body
Cait Donovan
Know This: You are Loved with Lisa Fitzpatrick
But I think there was a disorientation because I had bought into the lie that if I was a good girl that everything would be ok, I'd be happy. But on the inside, I was broken. I realized that unless I could find myself, I would be in grave danger of getting seriously unwell physically. - Lisa Fitzpatrick
BIO: As the founder of Sacred Women's Business Coaching, Lisa Fitzpatrick supports spiritual women in service-based businesses to expand their online and offline presence. Lisa is committed to making a fierce feminine stand for high achieving, conscious women leaders to tap into their feminine wisdom and find their leading edge and leave their legacy.
Lisa believes that spiritually aware women who are prepared to do the inner and outer work of realizing their life purpose will heal the world and support a feminine shift towards greater balance and equality for all beings. The more awakened women who take empowered leadership positions in the world and through their businesses, the greater the potential for healing our troubled world. Sacred Women's Business was proud to be an official AusMumPreneur expert in 2016.
Lisa is a certified coach, best-selling author, yoga teacher, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker, and registered physiotherapist specialising in women's empowerment and embodiment practices. She lives in a subtropical paradise near Byron Bay and is a proud mother of 2 sons.
http://www.LisaFitzpatrick.com.au
LISA'S STORY:
In 2005, I found myself as a solo parent with 2 young sons, lined up in a welfare queue and completely shattered because I couldn't understand how life could have gone so wrong. I felt so alone and without guidance that I made a decision that if I was ever going to get my life together, I would become a worthy guide to other women.
Cait's Notes: This conversation with Lisa touches deep into the expectations about what it means to be fulfilled as a woman according to society and then later according to our inner worlds. Lisa talks about her book, Healing the Heart of Your Business, and her theories on embracing your feminine energy so that you can also embrace the masculine. We talked about the heroine's journey, the dark night of the soul, and being stuck in gilded cages. She said at one point: "Imagine if I had been the woman who stayed [in my privileged comfort], I felt as if I was in the wrong life". How many people have woken up and said to themselves: 'Is this my life?' How many people have fulfilled their 'duties' only to find themselves wondering if this result is actually what they wanted in the first place? Our discussion also came around to talking about reattaching to our innate wisdom, our inner compasses, and learning to drop the outside guidance to reach inside and find out WHO we are, WHY we are, and WHERE we're going next. And do you know where we're going? To ourselves. To our desires. To our strengths. We're ending the burnout cycle because we're having these conversations and doing this together. Lisa asks, during this episode, that you remember these few things: You are SO loved
Your inner compass still works
Aging is vitalizing
XOXO C P.S. BIG NEWS! There's an opportunity coming your way to be one of the first readers of my book: The Bouncebackability Factor: Gain Resilience, End Burnout, and Change the World! I'll be starting a crowdfunding campaign and using pre-sales to fund the editing, design, and publishing of my book! When you're one of the book's founders, you get special prizes... so keep your eyes peeled for that news! (Grab a spot on my newsletter list if you're not there yet - they're always the first to know everything! Not sure how? Email me: cait @ caitdonovan . com and I'll set you up!
Sarah Dawn: The Only Waste Is Consciously Choosing to Continue Doing What Doesn't Serve You
#straightfromcait: What To Do When The World's Gone To Shit
Shonte Javon Taylor: This Is Your Brain on Burnout (Taught By A Neuroscientist)
©2019 by FRIED. The Ultimate Burnout Podcast. Proudly created with Wix.com


text:
Tivoli is a historic home located at Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is a random stone ashlar masonry structure built about 1855 and consisting of a three-story, symmetrical Italianate main block, with a contemporary two-story, "T"-shaped service wing.  It contains the administrative and clinical offices, the infirmary, and dining hall of the Woodbourne Center.  It was the summer residence of Enoch Pratt, who purchased the property in 1870 and died here in 1896. It was also a home of Charles S. Abell, one of the owners of the Baltimore Sun Papers and whose wife gave the property to Woodbourne in 1925. It currently serves as the administrative building for the Woodbourne Center, a mental health treatment center for young adolescents.

Tivoli was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

References

External links
, including undated photo, at Maryland Historical Trust
Woodbourne Center website

Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Baltimore
Houses in Baltimore
Houses completed in 1855
Italianate architecture in Maryland
Northern Baltimore

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Beans are so versatile; it's hard not to like them. In addition, they make it so easy for us to include them in our daily diets. They come in every shape, color, and size. They can be added into both sweet and salty dishes.
They can be eaten as snacks, salads, or a meal unto their own. Beans are the underdog of the protein world, but they've recently been regaining the recognition they deserve.
They help prevent heart disease. Beans are super rich in phytochemicals; chemical compounds produced by plants. These compounds are the main reason why beans protect against heart disease. Beans are also a good source of magnesium and potassium, which help regulate blood pressure and remove excess water and sodium from the body.
They're great for digestion. Legumes are chock full of the two kinds of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber curbs your appetite because it moves slowly through the digestive system, and the insoluble fiber helps prevent constipation. These two kinds of fiber help keep the digestive process running smoothly. Beans have a bad rep for increasing flatulence, but in fact, a study in the Nutrition Journal concluded that it's just the opposite. However, the study did stress on the fact that those who eat beans on a regular basis should drink plenty of water to help smoothly move the fiber through the digestive tract. And on another positive note, beans help keep the levels of the hormone leptin high. Leptin is responsible for controlling our appetite, and as long as its levels are raised, our appetite is reduced and the metabolic process works overtime.
They have a low glycemic index (GI). This low GI helps regulate the blood sugar level and keeps it steady which is why it's believed that beans help lower the risk of diabetes. The reason behind this is that the carbohydrates in beans are absorbed slowly in the digestive tract, and over a longer period of time, due to the presence of protein and fiber in beans. In other words, there's a unique balance of complex carbohydrates and protein, which provides the body with a steady source of glucose, as opposed to the sudden surge of glucose, which happens after eating something with simple carbohydrates. Moreover, beans lend a hand in preventing insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.
They help balance cholesterol levels. One of the two kinds of fiber mentioned above – the soluble fiber – attaches itself to the cholesterol during the digestive process. This stops it from being absorbed in the bloodstream, leading to buildup of plaque in the artery walls, inflammation, and heart disease.
• Fiber helps keep you feeling full longer because they pass slowly through the digestive system. This is great news because then you don't eat as much throughout the day.
• Phytonutrients, which are mainly responsible for providing the body with antioxidants, which help, reduce and prevent inflammations caused by free radical agents.


In January, we're supposed to sit down and organize our personal finances. This year I'll risk my good-girl reputation with a subversive idea: go bankrupt in 2009. If you're reaching the end of your rope, don't try to hold on. Save what you can.
Most families, honorable to the end, struggle longer than they should, says Katie Porter , a law professor at the University of Iowa. By the time they give in, they've lost assets they could have used to start over again. That defeats the point of bankruptcy—to stop the self-blame and hopelessness that goes with bad luck and bad bills, and give yourself a second chance.


We are now recruiting trainees for Round 2 of our Heritage Training Programme. The second round of training will commence on 2nd September 2019.
All of our HLF Skills for the Future funded, FfWHR Heritage Training Programme trainees have now commenced their fifth month of training with us and are midway through their NVQ Level 2 Training in Horticulture, Mechanical Engineering, Joinery and Rail Engineering & Track Maintenance.


School is out for the years and the kids are now on vacations. This year has been a growing up experience for Doggie boy as it was the first year that he was in elementary school. It has been a fun and trying year for him as he adjusted to the new surroundings and expectations.
Here is a list of 10 things which Doggie boy learned about being in Primary 1.
You get to handle $$ and decide what you want to eat during recess.
There are more people to play with and things to do in school as compared to when he was in kindergarten.
There are tests and exams that one has to prepare and study for.
He has to be responsible for his own actions. Ie: Washing his own school shoes.
It is okay not to know everything as long as you are willing to learn.
You get lots of holidays after each school term.
It is fun especially there are lots of games/ activities to keep you occupied.
He gets to go to school with his elder brother.
Joaco my youngest is now in first grade!! He´s reading and writing more fluently and he´s doing lot´s of things on his own. Even making his bed!!!
Great that you decided to record it, for me it´s the only way to remember once you decide to look back.
My son's not quite there yet and I'm not really that anxious for him to be. I know they just go by so fast. Glad he enjoyed his first!
These are great lessons and they are a great preparation for the real world.


Depressing. I have two other strips drawn first thing this morning but I'll be damned if I can find them.
I also had about three other ideas for strips as I was walking into town this morning. Will file them away.


arenos (G.) = sand, + cola (L.) = dweller in, referring to the sandveld habitat of the species.
Vegetative parts: plants clumped or forming long lines of culms, 0.5-1 m tall, basal diameter 1-3 m, crown diameter 1-3 m, with rhizomes. Rhizome spreading, unbranched or sparsely branched, culms evenly spaced, 6-10 mm in diam., culms 6-10 mm apart. Fertile culms unbranched, smooth or finely rugulose, green or olivaceous, 0.5-1 m tall, diameter at base 1.5-2.5 mm, diameter at apex 0.8-1.5 mm. Sheaths closely convoluted, 15-25 mm long, brown with golden speckling, eventually turning grey, apical margins coriaceous, like the rest of the body, hyaline shoulders absent, apex, excluding the membranous lobes, acute. Sheath-mucro penicellate, straight and erect, 1.5-4 mm long, not very distinctive.
Males: male inflorescence with 21-50 spikelets or 50-100 spikelets, paniculate, 30-70 mm long, 8-20 mm wide. Male inflorescence spathes caducous, taller than spikelets, chartaceous or cartilaginous, dropped very early in the maturation of the spikelets, but encloses the young spikelets. Male flowers in spikelets. Male spikelets erect on stiff pedicels or sessile, elliptical or ovate or orbicular, apex rounded, 3-4.5 mm, 2.5-4 mm, with 20-30 flowers, pedicels absent ie spikelets sessile or shorter than the spikelets, terete or angular. Male bracts shorter than flowers or as tall as flowers, 2.5-3.2 mm long, ovate, acute or acuminate, chartaceous, bract upper margin like body of bract or membranous, thinner texture than the body, bract awn minute or absent, as tall as male flowers, and only partially obscuring the flowers. Male flower 2.2-2.6 mm long. Male tepals sepals more rigid than petals, chartaceous, petals chartaceous, oblong, inner and outer tepals the same length. Male outer lateral tepals conduplicate, glabrous. Anthers 1.8-2 mm long, exserted from the flowers. Pistillode absent.
Females: female inflorescence linear, 15-70 mm long, 10-15 mm wide, with 1 spikelet or 2-5 spikelets. Female spathes longer than the spikelets, not obscuring spikelet, persistent, chartaceous or cartilaginous. Female spathellae inconspicuous or absent. Female spikelet sessile, elliptical, apex acute, 15-20 mm long, with 1 flowers, with 5-8 sterile bracts. Female bracts taller than flowers, 10-12 mm long, ovate, acute, bony, apical margin like rest of bract, same as body of bract, awn minute or absent. Female flower with a fleshy pedicel. Female tepals membranous, glabrous and smooth, smaller than nut and not obscuring the nut surface, midrib flush with the tepal body, apices truncate, inner and outer whorls the same length. Female outer lateral tepals like other tepals, 1-2 mm long. Female odd outer tepal broad-based, with small, variable lobe, 1-2 mm long. Female inner tepals broad-based, with small, variable lobe, 1-2 mm long. Staminodes absent. Styles plumose, white, 2. Style bases free. Ovary with 1 locule, indehiscent.
Fruit: indehiscent fruits with a hard woody ovary wall. Perianth presence on fruits persistent, membranous, shorter than nut. Nut apex smooth, without a distinct cap, wall smooth, 7.2-9 mm long, 3.7-5.8 mm diam., shape in side view elliptical or obovate, shape in top view planoconvex in cross section, brown or black, mode of seed release for nutted plants nut popped out of bracts. Elaiosome present, white, 1-2 mm long, less than half as long as nut.


Tonight's Country Music Association (CMA) Awards honored country music royalty. But one superstar stole the spotlight on and off stage: The one and only Garth Brooks. He performed a medley with wife Trisha Yearwood, and then surprised fans with #MoreMusic four more times—during commercial breaks—all to celebrate and share a peek at the 10-disc Garth Brooks: The Ultimate Collection, only at Target starting November 11. That's two weeks before you'll find his new album anywhere else!
Can't get enough Garth? Garth Brooks: The Ultimate Collection drops Nov. 11. So head to Target.com/Garth to preorder today and check out #MoreMusic from the set, from classic songs to exclusive performances from Garth's newest album and more!


Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration comes out tomorrow, finally bringing the game to PS4 users worldwide, and DualShockers had a chat with Senior Community Manager Meagan Marie about the game.
Marie talked about a variety of topics, from the new features coming with the package, to PlayStation VR and PS4 pro support.
If you want to hear more, you can check out the interview just below.
Rise of the Tomb Raider, which has sold over seven million copies, just received HTC Vive and Oculus Rift support on PC via the Blood Ties DLC.


BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - February 18, 2010) - The Boston Consulting Group is publishing a far-reaching diagnosis of the global economic crisis and an in-depth analysis of what leading corporations need to do in order to excel in a postrecession slow-growth world, in a new book titled "Accelerating Out of the Great Recession: How to Win in a Slow-Growth Economy" (McGraw-Hill, February 2010).
The authors, David Rhodes and Daniel Stelter, senior partners at BCG, argue that companies face ongoing and long-term challenges brought on by global trade imbalances, unstable financial institutions, and overleveraged consumers who can no longer be counted on to drive economic growth.
"There will be no return to the 'old normal,' and, just as we won't be able to count on the consumer -- especially the U.S. consumer -- to rescue the global economy, it's unlikely that the growth of emerging economies such as China and India will be enough to generate a return to pre-2008 global growth," says Stelter.
Rhodes adds, "Business will have to adapt to some 'new realities' -- including greater government intervention, the shakeup of existing industry structures, cost-conscious consumers inclined to save more, and an atmosphere in which stakeholders, ethics, and solid governance take priority over shareholders and quarterly results."
Companies need to prepare for a multispeed global economy. While some countries (such as China, India, and Brazil) are seeing a return of prerecession growth rates, the developed world will experience many years -- if not a decade -- of slow growth.
"It's important to remember that U.S. consumers generate a large share of global GDP -- nearly 19 percent. There's no obvious short-term replacement for this mainstay of global commerce. Even China's economy will not have sufficient strength to save the economy: it would take a 32 percent increase in private consumption in China to offset a 5 percent reduction in U.S. consumer spending," says Rhodes.
Companies will have to make some painful adjustments as they come to terms with the new realities.
To stabilize the financial sector, governments mobilized more than $18 trillion, and they injected more than $2 trillion to stimulate the real economy. These initiatives to "reflate" the global economy amount to an unprecedented and historic experiment, and it is not clear what the long-term impact will be. There remain "zombie banks" that do not or cannot provide loans, making shrinking credit a problem that could last for years. And even with a 1990s-type job creation rate, it would take until 2014 for unemployment to return to its prerecession level. Also, one of the side effects of all the government intervention is the increased influence of politicians in business affairs.
But the authors conclude that the rewards for companies that effectively navigate this slow-growth world will be significant and sustainable. Corporate leaders who act boldly have the potential to seize once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that will allow them to change the pecking order of their industries.
As part of the research for "Accelerating Out of the Great Recession," BCG surveyed more than 400 executives in seven countries at companies with more than $1 billion in annual sales. The majority of the respondents expressed an appropriately sober view of the business climate. And most -- between 50 and 70 percent -- have made the basic defensive moves, such as increasing their focus on key customers, reducing administrative expenses and inventory levels, and renegotiating supplier contracts. However, far fewer have made the more difficult and important longer-term moves. For instance, only 44 percent plan selective exits from product lines, only 39 percent plan selective exits from customer segments, and only 43 percent have taken or plan to take action involving divesting businesses and exiting sales channels.
Stelter notes, "Leaders recognize the need to be both defensive and aggressive. But when it comes to taking action, they seem to be just playing around the edges of cost cutting. We're concerned that they are neglecting the necessary adjustments in order to meet their own expectations of a slow-growth global economy."
Rhodes and Stelter have dug deep into the history of companies that outperformed during three major recessionary periods -- the Great Depression, the U.S. stagflation of the 1970s, and Japan's Lost Decade -- in order to identify strategies with a proven record of working in the toughest times. They investigated some 100 companies during the Great Depression (constituting two-thirds of the 1929 capitalization of the New York Stock Exchange), all companies in the Standard & Poor's 1500 Index in the 1970s and 1980s, and nearly 5,000 Japanese companies from the 1990s and early 2000s. Outperformers from these periods were subjected to an in-depth analysis in order to discern the roots of their success.
According to Rhodes, "To learn how companies can thrive in a damaged postcrisis economy, it is useful to look at companies that thrived during the Great Depression. Although it may seem ironic given their recent performance, GM and Chrysler actually excelled in the 1930s and were able to grow their market share by a staggering 15 and 19 percentage points, respectively, during the Great Depression.They acted quickly and decisively on the defensive side and were able to take the fight to their competitors."
-- Rethink cost models. One way to make cuts -- without damaging the core -- is to restructure around profit centers and projects. In the 1930s, General Electric was able to outperform its competitor Westinghouse by cutting costs quickly and deeply while also retaining its top talent.
-- Synchronize inventories to shifts in the external environment. Simply cutting inventory, without reference to other factors, is a mistake.
-- Lower the perceived price of goods and services. By removing add-on features or unbundling them, companies can create the perception of price cuts while actually preserving margins and revenue.
After protecting their fundamentals, executives need to be ready to go on the attack. The competitive environment will be harsh -- and now is the best time to make some of the game-changing moves that could change the future of their companies and their industries.
-- Embrace government affairs and programs. Two of the strongest companies of the last several decades, GE and IBM, were beneficiaries of opportunities created by the New Deal programs of the Great Depression. Executives need to learn to work with increasingly influential and powerful politicians and government officials.
-- Invest shrewdly in R&D and innovation. Downturn investments are often a better value because there is more availability of, and less competition for, resources. IBM continued to invest in innovation during the Great Depression, and McDonald's accelerated past Burger King during the 1970s by increasing the relative number of store openings.
-- Increase M&A activity. BCG research shows that deals completed during downturns significantly outperform those done during upturns. In downturns, premiums are lower and opportunities are richer and more abundant. Now is a good time to be a predator, rather than waiting passively and becoming prey during the slow-growth period.
-- Learn from, and keep an eye on, "challenger" companies in rapidly emerging markets. These companies will be able to accelerate faster because of cost advantages and comparable technical competence.
-- Address work-life balance issues. Flexibility in this area will help compensate for lower wages and, at the same time, enable companies to retain the talent they need in the future.
Observes Stelter, "Simply cutting costs and slashing marketing expenditures is not enough. Now is the time to transform industries. In the book, we show how many other companies did it during past recessions and postrecession periods. Executives need to take the lead in employing game-changing strategies."
"History shows that structural shifts in the pecking order of industries occur more often in difficult times than in prosperous ones. And these shifts often endure for a long time," adds Rhodes. "During downturns, what distinguishes long-term winners from the also-rans is the courage to make bold, difficult decisions. In the long term, actions taken now will be the ones that define the future of companies and even industries, and it is up to executives to act."
"In the postrecession era, well-run companies will be characterized not by constantly improving quarterly earnings but by solid balance sheets, good cash positions, and strict management, all of which will result in lower profit levels as postrecession prudence replaces prerecession leverage," Stelter notes.
The authors also maintain that the pendulum will swing from favoring shareholders to favoring a wider range of stakeholder groups. "The culture of a company will assume new importance as organizations act to preserve their skill base and to be seen as proceeding responsibly in the aftermath of the Great Recession," Rhodes states.
-- Given that a slow-growth environment will lead to lower equity returns, stock options may lose their appeal -- so it will be necessary to redesign compensation systems in order to attract and retain talent and reward strong and sustained performance.
-- There will be a call for executives to not just reap the benefits of upside gains but also bear downside risk. Executives will increasingly have to put some of their own wealth at stake.
-- The debate about what constitutes "fair" capitalist behavior will move to the forefront. More than two-thirds of executives expect an increase in public scrutiny of business ethics and personal actions.
The authors maintain that running a company in an era of slow growth will feel altogether different from the way it has felt in prior years -- and much will rest on how CEOs and management teams are willing to challenge their existing managerial mindset.
Rhodes observes, "It will no longer be enough to play just to play -- it will be necessary to play to win. Those who take the initiative, respond decisively to the challenge, find their own way of differentiating themselves from less fleet-footed competitors, and execute their strategies with single-minded determination can expect to grow."
To receive a copy of "Accelerating Out of the Great Recession" and supporting materials, or to arrange a conversation with one of the authors, please contact Eric Gregoire at +1 617 850 3783 or gregoire.eric@bcg.com.
David Rhodes is a senior partner and managing director at The Boston Consulting Group and the global leader of the firm's Financial Institutions practice. Since joining BCG in 1985, he has worked primarily on projects involving major strategy and organizational change in large financial institutions, working with clients in Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and the United States.
Daniel Stelter is a senior partner and managing director at The Boston Consulting Group and the global leader of the firm's Corporate Development practice. During his 20 years with BCG, he has participated in and directed many projects throughout Europe with a focus on corporate finance (including M&A, IPOs, due diligence, strategic alliances, and joint ventures) and strategy (including portfolio strategy and value management).
Survey results are based on an online questionnaire completed by 434 business managers in seven countries. All respondents represented companies with at least $1 billion in global revenues in 2008, from all industries except financial services. The survey was commissioned by The Boston Consulting Group and administered by Grail Research from August 24 to September 1, 2009.
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the world's leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with 68 offices in 39 countries. For more information, please visit www.bcg.com.


Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 174.
Discovery of the perovskite to post-perovskite phase transition in MgSiO3, expected to occur for deep mantle conditions, was first announced in April 2004. This immediately stimulated numerous studies in experimental and theoretical mineral physics, seismology, and geodynamics evaluating the implications of a major lower mantle phase change. A resulting revolution in our understanding of the D″ region in the lowermost mantle is well underway. This monograph presents the multidisciplinary advances to date ensuing from interpreting deep mantle seismological structures and dynamical processes in the context of the experimentally and theoretically determined properties of the post-perovskite phase change; the last silicate phase change likely to occur with increasing pressure in lowermost mantle rocks.


A couple months ago, I stumbled onto something really, really cool. It's called a moon planner. What it does it tells me what activities I should be paying attention to based on the different phases of the moon. Crazy! I know. But let me tell you, after two months of working this way, I don't think I can go back.
In very, very basic terms, you schedule all of your high priority activities just before the full moon. That's when you are most able to be productive. Then after the full moon, that's when you start to get into a period of reflection and taking a mini break. As the new moon comes, this is a time of planning, planting seeds, creating tasks lists, etc.
Honestly, I have seen myself do this quite often. I find I have super productive weeks and super lazy weeks. We all tend to this on some level whether we think about it or not. I even do it on a weekly basis. There are some days I am super productive so I make sure to schedule important tasks on those days.
So I should mention, this definitely falls under the category of woo! I love all things woo! This planner does double as a journal. It not only tells you how to be the most productive but also tells you how to take in some self-care items. It gives you journal prompts and things to be thinking about during the different phases.
Vanessa Corazon, is a Life+Business Psychic Advisor and Mindset Coach for Visionary Entrepreneurs, Coaches and Creatives. She specializes in launches and supporting my clients in managing their energy, and tapping into their gifts using the science of metaphysics. She started exploring intuition and energy medicine in 2001 and managed to go from complete skeptic to holding sessions for thousands of people around the world, writing for the Huffington Post, and being a guest speaker at the Edgar Cayce Conference.


The EDE1144 Keypad Encoder IC from E•Lab Digital Engineering (www.elabinc.com) is designed to interface a matrix-type 4 row × 4 column (16-key or less) keypad to a microcontroller or other host processor. A 1-wire serial or 4-wire parallel interface returns the keypress data and can be used in conjunction with a 'data valid' signal for polled or interrupt-driven applications. The EDE1144 provides enhanced keypad features such as contact debouncing and key auto-repeat in an easy-to-use package that will lower software overhead in the host microcontroller and reduce the I/O pin requirements from eight to one, frequently resulting in the use of a less costly host microcontroller in your design.
In addition, the EDE1144 is electrically quiet. Many keypad encoders continually scan the keypad, radiating EMI noise from the wires leading to the keypad (resulting in trouble during emissions testing & final product certification & approval). The EDE1144 reduces this problem by monitoring the keypad with unchanging signals and then scanning only once each time a keypress is detected.
The schematic shows the standard application circuit with the EDE1144 residing between the keypad and host microcontroller/ processor. The host microcontroller receives keypress data via either the four parallel data outputs (D0-D3, Pins 6-9) or the Serial Data Output (Pin 1). The Data Valid signal (Pin 17) is activated upon keypress (and upon each key repeat cycle if a key is held). The Data Valid signal is activated prior to transmission of the serial data to allow polled (software UART) style host serial systems such as the BASIC Stamp™ or a microcontroller without a hardware UART to enter the serial receive routine and receive the keypress data without needing to continually wait for the start bit. Note that the data outputs to the host microcontroller reside on the row output pins (Pins 6-9), therefore parallel output data should only be read while the Data Valid (Pin 17) signal is active (Low). Upon power-up, the four data output pins will be high and will remain high except when a key is pressed.
The table illustrates the data values returned by the serial and parallel outputs of the EDE144 upon each keypress. Note that the serial values are increased (by hexadecimal 30 ($30) for 0-9 and hex $37 for 10-15) to correspond to the ASCII equivalent (0-9, A-F) of the BCD (binary-coded decimal) value on the parallel outputs.


Top 5 things to look forward to at Oxjam Leicester Takeover 2017!
Leicester is so lucky to have some really great micro-breweries in the area. This year Market Harborough Brewery is back at Oxjam with a beer specially brewed for the festival. The beer will be available at The Shed, Manhattan 34 and Exchange Bar, and for each bottle purchased 30p will be donated to Oxjam. The Ale Wagon will also have a festival special, with a donation to Oxjam for every pint bought.
This year we've got the non-beer drinkers sorted as well. The talented mixologists at Manhattan 34 are busy creating an Oxjam Cocktail and I can't wait to try it! There will be a donation to Oxjam for every cocktail sold on the day. The team will be raising a glass before the night is over.
So much great music. We have such an amazing line-up, once again this year, with bands from as far away as Leeds, and acts signing up to play almost as soon as last year's festival was finished. It's been a challenge trying to fit all of the great bands in, and now we have a jam-packed lineup of 50 bands. Make sure you take a look at the clashfinder, our social media, and website ahead of the Takeover and get planning.
This year's raffle is the best yet, and celebrates the best of the music and festivals scene from across the midlands. We have prizes generously donated from 110 Above Festival, Handmade Festival, Leicester Comedy Festival, DMU International Jazz series, The Shed, Manhattan 34, and Glitterbug Burlesque. Tickets are only £1 each, and will be available from the box office on Takeover day.
It's what the festival is all about! Oxfam does amazing work around the world, and believes that in a world rich in resources, poverty isn't inevitable. We put together the festival each year to raise vital funds so that Oxfam can find long-term, sustainable solutions to the root causes of poverty, campaign tomake sure the voices of the world's poorest people are heard loud and clear, and respond to emergencies.


Learn about the world of options and how they might be used to help implement your strategy.
Options can be powerful investing instruments to help generate income, manage risk, and trade volatility. Beginner strategies, such as buying and selling options, demonstrate how these investments can help provide dynamic alternatives to traditional ones. More advanced strategies offer unique and tactical ways to capitalize on trends in the market. Explore below to find an options trading strategy or tool that aligns with your market outlook, no matter your experience level.
Watch this video to learn about the basic characteristics of options and the reason for using different options strategies.
Trade tactically and efficiently with options that expire weekly—instead of monthly.
The option ticket on Fidelity.com allows you to easily find, analyze, and enter the strategy you want to trade.
Watch this video on Argus reports on Fidelity.com, which provide you with real-time data on specific option trading ideas.
Learn how you may be able to avoid making these options trading mistakes to make more informed decisions.
Generate the same profit potential as a covered call, without owning the underlying stock. Why use a covered call?
The covered call strategy involves selling a call option contract while at the same time owning an equivalent number of shares of the underlying stock.
How you may potentially profit from a falling stock price, while potentially limiting risk.
Read about this limited-risk option strategy that can help you manage volatility.
The long strangle is a strategy designed to potentially profit when you expect a big move.
Search our industry-leading tools and analysis to help you find, analyze, and implement successful options trades.
When volatility is low, consider taking advantage of this advanced options strategy.
Watch the webinar to see Cale Bearden, Nick Delisse and Sam Shore from Fidelity's Trading Strategy Desk uncover and demonstrate some of Fidelity's most powerful option tools.
Option trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Certain complex option strategies carry additional risk. Prior to trading options, you must receive from Fidelity Investments a copy of "Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options," by clicking on the hyperlink, and call 800-FIDELITY to be approved for option trading. Supporting documentation for any claims, if appropriate, will be furnished upon request.
An educational tool that can help you learn about a variety of options strategies.


or to R.S.V.P. to attend the event.
The "On Behalf of Youth" (OBOY) Award Breakfast is Camp Fire's must-attend event dedicated to celebrating youth!
empowerment and development in our community.
7 Exceptional Middle School Youths from Hancock County will also be recognized during the breakfast in the following categories. Leadership, Youth Development, Diversity, Nature, Talent & Skills, Family Development, and Advocacy. Each exceptional youth will receive a $350 camp scholarship, an award designation at the breakfast, and a short video made especially in his or her honor.
Help Camp Fire Northwest Ohio make an even greater impact on adults and young people alike in Hancock County.


HillPDA are experts in industrial land use analysis and planning.
Our capability is based on assessing the supply and demand fundamentals of industrial areas and specific sites, to inform local and regional planning strategies through to site-specific feasibility appraisals. Our expertise is based on understanding the land, property and infrastructure needs of industrial businesses including service industry, advanced manufacturing, logistics activities through to commercial uses. Our skills in property market analysis and feasibility testing in combination with our urban planning capabilities uniquely position us to expertly contribute to successful industrial policy and investment decisions.