Karen Woods

The rivers of Europe are alive with music. it seems you don’t have to go very far right now before you hear about the success of the river cruise sector and how the operators are enjoying a European renaissance. A couple of months ago Viking River Cruises launched eight vessels – beating its own record, set the year before. There have been also been launches by the likes of Uniworld, AMA and CroisiEurope. A week ago it was Avalon, which officially christened the Avalon Expression in May – a month before it inaugurated the Avalon Artistry ii in April. The river model is clearly working right now and, if indications are correct, it’s likely to continue. We sat down with Avalon’s product commercial manager Karen Woods to discuss the product and the UK market.

Can you explain your role within Avalon and what that entails?

Being the product commercial manager of Avalon UK, my main role is producing the brochure and having a competitive product to sell. Driving business from both direct consumers and working closely with the trade. i am lucky as my job is very varied as i get involved with trade events like the River Cruise expo in Amsterdam and the Selling Cruise Conference and also consumer cruise shows too.

What is unique about Avalon?

Our ships are unique. Our state-of the art Suite Ships are still the only ships in the industry to have two full decks of Panorama Suite measuring 200 sq ft each. The bed faces the floor- to-ceiling window which opens up to an impressive wall-to-wall 11 foot panoramic window creating a unique open-air balcony. Our customers are delighted with the amount of space which includes a seating area for six people.

Bringing on more capacity is obviously great for the industry. Can you describe what this means for the UK market?

We’ve launched two Suite Ships this year and are planning three more in 2014, so our fleet will be a total of 13 ships in Europe, eight of which are Suite Ships. At the moment, river cruising is a very strong market and having more capacity is only a good thing for the UK which means more choice of ships for consumers and availability.

What challenges do you face right now?

With such high demand, the challenge is getting the message out to consumers and agents that to get the best price and the cruise they want, it’s best to book as early as possible. This also means they can take advantage of our early booking offers.

Can you tell me what the future entails for Avalon? Where would you like to be in 12 months time?

The future is exciting for Avalon; 23 May will see the launch of our 2014 Europe brochure as well as a new Asia, Africa the Americas brochure featuring the Mississippi, Mekong, Yangtze, Nile and the Galapagos. New for 2014 is a cruise on the Amazon. We are continually growing our European sales but are focusing on getting established in other destinations further afield.

By Sam Ballard, 23 May 2013, Thursday 4:16 AM

Article source: http://www.traveldailymedia.com/154879/on-the-deck-karen-woods-product-commercial-manager-at-avalon-waterways

Uniting with the Six Million
In 1985, the Kaliver Rebbe suggested a takkanah to recite the pesukim of Shema Yisrael following Aleinu every morning (Kovetz Teshuvot vol. 1, teshuvah 18).

The intent of the takkanah was to unite one who is praying with the memory of the six million kedoshim of the Shoah.

Rav Elyashiv begins his response by acknowledging that the Rebbe himself is a survivor of the Shoah, and that obviously the memory of that horrific time is always with him. Despite the fact that he did not personally experience the Holocaust and cannot share those terrible memories, Rav Elyashiv states that since the Rebbe asked for his opinion, he would give it.

Shortly after the Shoah, a proposal was made to institute a permanent fast day to remember that tragic period. At the time, recalls Rav Elyashiv, the Chazon Ish objected to the proposal, explaining that our generation is one that is not worthy of introducing permanent enactments.1 This earlier repudiation of a similar proposal in and of itself, writes Rav Elyashiv, may suffice to negate the Rebbe’s proposal. But, adds Rav Elyashiv, there is another reason for rejecting this proposal. The Kaliver Rebbe’s expressed intent that this practice serve as a time of contemplation “l’hisyached im hakedoshim, to unite with the martyrs,” is not a concept that we find in our classic sources, in Chazal.

Rav Elyashiv here manifests an approach that is not unique, yet is noteworthy as a hallmark of the Lithuanian approach to Jewish practice: sentiment is not an adequate basis for public policy, even if the policy does not clash with any specific halachic parameters. Even though there may be no inherent halachic objection to an individual repeating Shema after davening, its repetition as a formal ritual is objectionable in and of itself, so long as it is not grounded in a known form of avodat Hashem as sanctioned by Chazal.2

Memorializing One’s Parents
In a similar teshuvah (vol. 1, teshuvah 130), Rav Elyashiv responds to an individual who wanted to purchase unused land in a cemetery and erect a monument to memorialize his parents who had perished in the Shoah.

Rav Elyashiv begins his response by considering the issues that may be involved in this case. We know that we are forbidden to emulate inherently non-Jewish rituals.3 The Rema (Shulchan Aruch, YD 178) defines inherently non-Jewish rituals as either ceremonies that manifest lewdness (pritzut) or ceremonies that are celebrated for no apparent reason and are thereby assumed to be rooted in heathen worship or superstition (darchei Emori). On the other hand, writes the Rema, non-Jewish rituals that are based on obvious and positive motivations may be adopted. Therefore, it would seem that the erection of such a monument—while admittedly a form of commemoration of non-Jewish origin—should be permissible, as it is grounded in the individual’s quest to honor his parents.

However, continues Rav Elyashiv, the Gra (on Shulchan Aruch, ibid.) stringently rules that we are even forbidden to adopt non-Jewish rituals that are based on obvious and positive motivations, which would seem to rule out the erection of a monument. Yet, Rav Elyashiv writes, it is not certain that the practice of erecting commemorative monuments is, indeed, of non-Jewish origin. After all, we know that Avshalom, who had no heirs, erected the commemorative monument known as Yad Avshalom already during his lifetime. And the Gra would allow us to adopt rituals common among non-Jews if they can be traced to our own practices as recorded in Tanach.

On the other hand, writes Rav Elyashiv, we must also consider the use of cemetery land for this purpose. The land of a cemetery is accorded similar status as that of a synagogue in a location frequented by the public; thus, such land can only be used for its stated purpose which, in this case, would seem to be burial of the dead, not the erection of monuments. However, after citing and analyzing several sources, Rav Elyashiv concludes that there is sufficient halachic grounds to permit the usage of cemetery land in this manner.

But, concludes Rav Elyashiv, even though din Torah (the letter of the law) allows for the erection of such a monument, from the perspective of da’at Torah (the spirit of the law), this is not a laudable venture (“Ein ruach chachamim nochah heimenu”).4 Rather, the questioner should consider one of the time-honored traditions of commemorating the departed, such as donating something (e.g., a light fixture, et cetera) to a shul (to which one could, of course, affix a plaque), which would bring about merit for the deceased and commemorate him at the same time.

Here Rav Elyashiv again manifests an approach that is not unique, yet is noteworthy and enhances our understanding of his teshuvah to the Kaliver Rebbe: halachah is the letter of the law, but the knowledge and observance of halachah instill in us a “sensitivity” to its spirit.5 More precisely, perhaps, halachah consists of both rulings (din) and opinions (da’at). In both these teshuvot, Rav Elyashiv is clarifying that even if something may be permitted according to a narrow ruling of the law, it may still remain out of sync with the value system of the halachically minded. And, in cases where the questioner is motivated by emotion, the spirit of the law should definitely prevail.

Exaggerating Stories about Gedolim
As teshuvah 28 (vol. 3) “starts” with paragraph 3, it is clearly missing sections. But the published part of the teshuvah is fascinating. The question under discussion is the propriety of exaggerating stories about gedolim. Rav Elyashiv writes that it is inappropriate to do so. He cites the Taz in Yoreh Deah (344:1) where the Shulchan Aruch (YD 344:1) states that when eulogizing someone, we mention the good traits of the departed and “add a bit” (mosifin ketzat). Concerning this ruling, the Taz asks, “What difference does it make if a lie is a big lie or small lie—a lie is a lie!” The Taz explains that based on one’s knowledge of the deceased, he may add what he reasonably assumes the deceased would have done had he been in a particular situation.

The teshuvah ends somewhat abruptly, without defining what it means to “add a bit.” Nevertheless, on the basis of further comments of the Taz and those of the Aruch HaShulchan (YD 344:6), we may suggest a definition, using the case of a deceased’s fulfillment of the mitzvah of tefillah b’tzibbur. For example, a person delivering a eulogy may recall noticing that whenever he spent time with the deceased, the deceased was very careful to daven with a minyan. Yet he may have only spent a limited amount of time with the deceased. For all he knows, perhaps at other times, when he was not present, the deceased was not particular about davening b’tzibbur! Can he nevertheless praise the deceased for his diligence in this regard? It is the principle of mosifin ketzat that permits one delivering the eulogy to extrapolate from his experience with the deceased and praise him as one who was meticulous with regard to tefillah b’tzibbur.

Following this line of reasoning, Rav Elyashiv’s ruling might apply to a case in which we know that in many instances a gadol demonstrated particular empathy towards those who came to him with personal problems. In such a case, we would be allowed to assume that this was a fundamental character trait of the gadol, not just occasional behavior.

No Justification for Reprinting
Rabbi Boruch Horovitz, rosh hayeshivah of Yeshivas Dvar Yerushalayim, published Matteh Levi, the responsa of his grandfather, Rabbi Marcus Horovitz, who was the Orthodox rabbi of the Grossgemeinde, “Larger Community” (the general community which included both Orthodox and Reform constituencies in Frankfurt am Main, although the Reform dominated).6 In one of the teshuvot, Rabbi Horovitz discusses the renowned incident of the “Cleves Get” and argues in favor of the position of the Frankfurt beit din nullifying the get—a ruling that was opposed by virtually every other halachic authority of eighteenth-century world Jewry.7

Rav Elyashiv  (vol. 3, teshuvah 29) begins by stating the facts of the case, and postulating that were the controversy to have arisen at a time in which a Sanhedrin existed, the Frankfurt beit din would have been in violation of the Torah prohibition of  “Lo sasur, Do not deviate” (Devarim 17:11).8 Moreover, writes Rav Elyashiv, even in later generations there still exists the concept of “The Lord stands with the community of God” (Elokim nitzav b’adat Keil), and the majority of chachmei Yisrael cannot be mistaken.

Rav Elyashiv is clarifying that even if something may be permitted according to a narrow ruling of the law, it may still remain out of sync with the value system of the halachically minded.

Rav Elyashiv continues that, be that as it may, he could not understand why Rabbi Horovitz reprinted all the pronouncements and bans issued by the Frankfurt beit din, which were derisive and degrading of great rabbanim of the time. Granted, at the time of the controversy, when tempers were flaring, excessive zeal may have led the Frankfurt beit din to act inappropriately, but what justification is there to bring these matters up now? There is no doubt that so many years after the controversy died down, when all the combatants have already been long in the Olam Haemet, that they can have no pleasure from reopening the issue. And, concludes Rav Elyashiv, even if Rabbi Horovitz’s grandfather’s teshuvah and its publication can somehow be justified as a halachic excursus, how can the author justify the publication of the scandalous material surrounding the episode? Such publication surely clashes with kavod haTorah.

Taken together with the two preceding teshuvot, Rav Elyashiv clarifies that not only the forms of our commemorations, but also the actual recollections of individuals and events must be subject to the scrutiny of Torah.

Reporting a Molester
In 2004, the American posek Rabbi Feivel Cohen posed the unfortunately contemporary question of whether it is permissible to inform the authorities of the activities of a child molester (vol. 3, teshuvah 231).

Rav Elyashiv bases his response on Teshuvot HaRashba (3:393), which states that when there are clear witnesses that someone has committed crimes, beit din is allowed—even in our day and age—to impose upon him monetary fines and corporal punishment. The Rashba asserts that this is part of our responsibility of kiyum haolam, sustaining the world. For were we to limit our punishments to the precise parameters that we find in Torah, our code of law would not suffice to maintain society. It is therefore appropriate for beit din to enact appropriate laws in addition to the laws of the Torah, so long as the government of that particular time and place gives us the authority to do so.

Rav Elyashiv adds that even if the government does not grant us such authority, it remains incumbent upon beit din to ensure tikkun haolam. Therefore, even if the community cannot impose penalties, the tikkun haolam of curtailing molestation is sufficient reason to inform the authorities of the perpetrator (so long, qualifies Rav Elyashiv, as the charge is borne out by evidence).9

All of these teshuvot I have selected relate to public policy extending beyond normative halachic issues and practices. These are not “berachah-on-corn-flakes” she’eilot. Decisions in these areas require a gadol baTorah’s scope of vision and depth of sensitivity. In the course of our reviewing Rav Elyashiv’s rulings on such issues, perhaps we have gotten a little bit beyond the opacity in which he was often hidden. May Rav Elyashiv’s merit sustain us, and may his Torah—together with the Torah of all gedolei Yisrael—guide us along the path of avodat Hashem toward the ultimate tikkun olam b’malchut Shakkai.

Rabbi Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer is a maggid shiur at the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy-Yeshiva University High School for Boys, a frequent contributor to these pages and a renowned writer and speaker.

Notes:
1. It is interesting to note that Rabbi Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik opposed not only enacting special commemorative days, but even commemorative kinot. He maintained that only the Rishonim had the capacity to author prayers, and that no subsequent kinot could be added to the Tishah B’Av liturgy (Heard by author, Rabbi Soloveitchik lecture, Tishah B’Av 1980).

2. Rav Elyashiv suggests learning mishnayot instead for the sake of the martyrs. Learning is always good, no matter what its specific catalyst may be.

3. Based on the Torah’s admonition “B’chukoteihem lo teileichu, Do not follow their traditions” (Vayikra 18:3).

4. Literally, the spirit of the sages is not pleased by it—i.e., the erection of such a monument violates the spirit of the law.

In the context of a discussion of the disinheriting of halachic heirs, Rabbi Chaim Jachter (Gray Matter, vol. 3, p. 295) writes:

“It should be noted that the term ‘Ein ruach chachamim nochah heimenu’ is not mild rebuke. The Rashbam (commenting on Bava Batra 133b, s.v. “ein”) explains this phrase to mean that Chazal are profoundly disturbed by someone disinheriting their halachic heirs. The Rashbam’s comments are cited by the Sema (CM 282:2), one of the premier commentaries to the Choshen Mishpat section of the Shulchan Aruch.”

5. This usage of the term da’at Torah is unrelated to its more controversial use as an assertion of the binding authority of opinions expressed by Torah sages. It is used by Rav Elyashiv, rather, to indicate broader sensitivities that complement narrow halachic rulings.

6. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch was famous for asserting that it was forbidden to be a member of the Grossgemeinde, and for founding the secessionist Austrittsgemeinde, “Leaving Community.” However, even after Rabbi Hirsch formed the Austrittsgemeinde and developed it into a thriving entity, the majority of Orthodox Jews in Frankfurt remained affiliated with the Grossgemeinde, in many cases holding dual membership in the two organizations. Rabbi Horovitz was the Orthodox rabbi of the Grossgemeinde from 1882 until his death in 1910.

7. The incident of the Cleves get is extraordinarily fascinating and extraordinarily complicated. Here is the brief synopsis provided at www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0004_0_04354.html:

During 1766 to 1767, a great controversy flared up, which was to become known as the Cleves get (bill of divorce), one of the causes célèbres of the 18th century . . . On Elul 8, 5526 (August 14, 1766), Isaac (Itzik), son of Eliezer Neiberg of Mannheim, married Leah, daughter of Jacob Guenzhausen of Bonn. On the Sabbath following the wedding the bridegroom took ninety-four gold crowns of the dowry and disappeared. After an extensive search he was found . . . in the house of a non-Jew in the village of Farenheim and brought home. A few days later Isaac informed his wife’s family that he could no longer stay in Germany because of the grave danger which threatened him there, and that he was obliged to immigrate to England. He declared his willingness to give his wife a divorce in order to prevent her from becoming an agunah. His offer was accepted, and Cleves on the German-Dutch border was selected as the place for the get to be given. Consequently, on the 22nd of Elul, Israel b. Eliezer Lipschuetz, the av bet din of Cleves, effected the divorce. Leah returned to Mannheim and Isaac proceeded to England. When his father learned of the divorce, he suspected that the whole affair had been contrived by the woman’s relatives to extort the dowry money from Isaac. He turned to R. Tevele Hess of Mannheim who invalidated the get on the grounds that in his view the husband was not of sound mind when he delivered it. Hess, not relying upon his own judgment, applied to the bet din of Frankfurt and to Naphtali Hirsch Katzenellenbogen of Pfalz, Eliezer Katzenellenbogen of Hagenau, and Joseph Steinhardt of Fuerth, requesting their confirmation of his ruling. The bet din of Frankfurt, headed by Abraham b. Zevi Hirsch of Lissau, not only agreed, but demanded that Lipschuetz himself declare the get invalid and proclaim Leah to be still a married woman . . . Both sides appealed to all the rabbinical authorities of the time. The rabbi of Cleves received the support of almost all of the leading scholars of the generation, among them Saul b. Aryeh Leib Loewenstamm of Amsterdam, Jacob Emden, Ezekiel Landau of Prague, Isaac Horowitz of Hamburg, David of Dessau, Aryeh of Metz, Elhanan of Danzig, Solomon b. Moses of Chelm, and ten scholars of the klaus (bet-midrash) of Brody. The bet din of Frankfurt was virtually alone in its opposition. The moving spirit in the dispute was the Frankfurt dayyan, Nathan b. Solomon Maas, on whose initiative the Frankfurt rabbis even went so far as publicly and with solemn ceremony to commit to flames the responsa of the Polish rabbis in protest against their intervention in favor of Lipschuetz. The couple finally remarried and out of deference to the opinion of Rabbi Abraham of Frankfurt, no blessings were pronounced at the ceremony.

8. The full verse reads, “According to the teaching that they [the Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem] will teach you and according to the judgment that they will say to you, shall you do; you shall not deviate from the word that they will tell you, right or left.” This verse is the source of the law of zaken mamrei, the “rebellious elder.” This law makes a judge who rules in contradiction to a ruling of the Great Sanhedrin liable to the death penalty. Rav Elyashiv here suggests that this prohibition also pertains to a small number of judges who rule in contradiction to the vast majority of judges at the time when judges were vested with the authority of the long-extinct authentic semichah, ordination, that stretched in an unbroken chain from Moshe to Hillel II.

9. Rav Elyashiv indicates that the available evidence must at least meet the halachic criterion of raglayim ladavar (literally, “the matter has legs”). He does not define the criterion in this teshuvah. However, from Rav Elyashiv’s dissenting minority opinion in a 1968 case before the High Court of the Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel (Piskei Din Rabbani’im Mishpatei Shaul, siman 19) it emerges that one definition of raglayim ladavar is the presence of abnormal phenomena consistent with an assertion. I would venture that in the case of molestation, the criterion would be met by unusual behavior patterns on the part of either the perpetrator or the victim that are consistent with an occurrence of molestation.

Article source: http://www.ou.org/jewish_action/05/2013/discovering-rav-elyashiv-2/

Geneva -

The in-aircraft portion of the training will take place at the Seppe Airport in Bosschenhoofd, Netherlands and the in-simulator portion will take place at the CAE Amsterdam training centre. Upset Prevention and Recovery Training is already available at CAE training centres in Phoenix and Dallas, USA.

“CAE customers in Europe will be able to coordinate UPRT events along with initial and recurrent training programs close to home and in one visit,” says Rob Lewis, CAE’s Vice President and General Manager, Business Aviation, Helicopter and Maintenance Training. “UPRT training provides life-saving techniques and we are very pleased to be able to offer this valuable service in Europe.”

The UPRT program is designed to help pilots reduce the threat of Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I) situations. LOC-I is defined as flight that occurs outside of the normal flight envelope with an inability of the pilot to control the aircraft and is the number one cause of fatalities in commercial and general aviation.

The e-Learning academic program is based on the Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid (AURTA), Revision 2.

About Aviation Performance Solutions
Aviation Performance Solutions is headquartered at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (Mesa, USA) with additional locations at the Arlington Municipal Airport (Texas, USA) and the Seppe Airport (Bosschehoofd, Netherlands). APS has trained thousands of pilots in fully comprehensive upset recovery skill development, more than any other training organization. For over 15 years, APS has been committed to giving professional pilots and private pilots of all skill levels the highest quality upset prevention and recovery training available.

APS offers comprehensive loss of control in-flight solutions via industry-leading web-based, on-aircraft, and full-flight simulator upset training programs. APS is the only Part 141 Flight School currently certified in the delivery of complete upset recovery, stall / spin and instrument recovery training courses worldwide. APS upset recovery training courses are each in compliance with the Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid – Revision 2 and the recently released FAA Aviation Circular 120-109 on Stall and Stick Pusher Training.

About CAE
CAE (NYSE:CAE)(TSX:CAE) is a global leader in modeling, simulation and training for civil aviation and defence. The company employs approximately 8,000 people at more than 100 sites and training locations in approximately 30 countries. CAE offers civil aviation, military, and helicopter training services in more than 45 locations worldwide and trains approximately 100,000 crewmembers yearly.

In addition, the CAE Oxford Aviation Academy offers training to aspiring pilot cadets in 11 CAE-operated flight schools. CAE’s business is diversified, ranging from the sale of simulation products to providing comprehensive services such as training and aviation services, integrated enterprise solutions, in-service support and crew sourcing.

Article source: http://www.rotor.com/Publications/RotorNews/tabid/843/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2696/CAE-and-APS-to-Offer-Upset-Prevention-and-Recovery-Training.aspx

While a lot of it depends on an entrepreneur’s networks and specific requirements, it seems there is also an element of luck involved, and not everyone is fortunate enough to find their co-founder in a chance meeting.

Indeed, some entrepreneurs go to great lengths to find the perfect co-founder.

Melbourne-based entrepreneur Marc Harrison offered a $2,000 bounty during his hunt for tech co-founders, while Sydneysider Ryan Wardell set up Cofounder Speed Date following his own struggle to find a sidekick.

Even start-up powerhouses like Pollenizer have been known to put the feelers out for co-founders.

Earlier this week, Pollenizer said it was seeking co-founders for four of its start-ups. And these start-ups aren’t duds either.

One would involve a partnership with a Skype co-founder while the other would involve working with the former chief executive of CareerOne.

It’s also worth noting an increasing number of accelerators have specific requirements regarding co-founders.

In January, StartupSmart spoke to Australian start-up 7write.com about its struggle to find a third co-founder after being selected as a finalist for Startupbootcamp Amsterdam.

On its website, Startupbootcamp Amsterdam says it prefers teams with three or more founders.

“You can apply with two founders but to really accelerate your start-up we prefer a strong team of three people,” it says.

Closer to home, Melbourne-based start-up accelerator AngelCube recently announced it won’t be taking on sole founders in future rounds.

“I think we’ve learnt some lessons from the last round,” AngelCube co-founder Adrian Stone told StartupSmart in April.

“We had too many sole founders and quickly realised being a sole founder is too much of a big task… [in a three-month program].

“[We realised] our program is not going to happen for a sole founder. We’re looking much more at teams.

“I think what we’ve learnt is one founder is too few and four is too many. The jury’s out on whether two or three is right.”

This means more start-ups are scrambling to find good talent, and find it fast.

One entrepreneur facing this predicament is Tablo Publishing founder Ash Davies, who was named Best Young Entrepreneur at the 2013 StartupSmart Awards in March.

Tablo Publishing helps authors publish their work from anywhere in the world and reach a global network of iBookstores.

Davies, who has been accepted into the AngelCube program, told StartupSmart he is looking for a tech co-founder.

“I am now four weeks into [the program] and working very hard and am at the point now where I could go a lot further if I had someone alongside me,” Davies says.

“I’m looking for someone with great technical skills who can build applications but also someone with a strong sense of vision.

“The biggest thing I’m looking for is someone who is able to learn fast.”

Davies admits it is a tough process.

“It’s like dating. You’ve got to match the personality as much as the skills,” he says.

So how does one find a co-founder? StartupSmart spoke to Pollenizer co-founder Mick Liubinskas to determine what’s involved.

Show your face

Liubinskas says Australian start-ups don’t have the luxury of waiting for the right person to present themselves, so if you need a co-founder you have to make it happen.

“Being in Australia we don’t have what the Valley or Israel have, where you can find lots and lots of co-founders waiting to take the risk,” he says.

“The challenge is talented people who won’t take the risk or people who will take the risk but aren’t talented.

“You want to find someone who’s so good they could possibly do it by themselves. The thing I encourage people to do is go to as many events as possible.”

Conduct a trial

“Say to people, ‘Hey, when we have a cup of coffee let’s sketch out one idea’,” Liubinskas says.

“Try to work together as quickly as you can but don’t make [the project] so small that people can give it up easily. Be very aware that’s not going to give you [what you need].”

Make them an offer

“You have to have a clear idea and pitch it very strongly. Be specific about what you do and drive it as much as you can. You also need to put out an attractive offer,” Liubinskas says.

“If you’re a non-technical person who’s really trying to get started, you may have to give them more equity.

“You also need to make sure any equity is vested and that should apply to you as well. At Pollenizer, everyone’s equity for effort is earned over time.”

Do as much as you can beforehand

Finding any kind of co-founder is difficult, says Liubinskas, but finding a tech co-founder is particularly tricky because they are in such high demand and therefore receive lots of offers.

In this situation, Liubinskas says entrepreneurs should attempt to do as much of the work as they can on their own.

“Good entrepreneurs will always find a way and that’s part of the fun,” he says.

“There are a lot of platforms where you can do manual testing without building a product. Once you actually start building, everything can actually slow down.

“The more progress you can make in building a product, the more attractive it’s going to be for a co-founder and the easier it is for them to know what they need to build.”

Take your time

While it can be tempting to hire the first person who looks your way, Liubinskas says entrepreneurs must ensure the co-founder they choose is the right one for their start-up.

“It’s tough with so much competition around… Do it slowly and carefully rather than doing it recklessly – that’s the main thing,” he says.

Article source: http://www.startupsmart.com.au/leadership/how-to-hire-staff/five-key-tips-to-finding-your-ideal-co-founder/201305239810.html

Situated in a floodplain along the Mohawk River, with some areas capable of flooding 6 to 7 feet deep, is the village of Herkimer.

In the 1960s, flood control systems – ranging from pumps to aluminum wall barriers — were put in place to help protect against flooding damage. Periodically, the walls are put up and taken down to ensure they can be erected in a timely manner. During these times, any needed maintenance also is performed.

Village and state Department of Environmental Conservation officials installed those walls Wednesday to test the system.

An 8-foot aluminum barrier was erected on Mohawk Street under the Thruway overpass. Officials earlier installed a smaller wall near Bellinger Creek behind Clemente Fane Concrete on Steele Road.

“Basically, the entire village of Herkimer is encapsulated with the levees,” said Carl Quance, state Department of Environmental Conservation regional program specialist in charge of flood control and dam safety.

Since their implementation, officials said the barriers have been put up and taken down three times.

In the Mohawk Valley, Herkimer and Amsterdam are the only two communities that have extensive flood control systems. Binghamton also has systems in place.

Herkimer’s two miles of levees as well as pump stations, ponds and walls keep water from inundating the village. Quance said the system was installed to protect against the 100-year flood, which carries a 40 percent chance of there being a massive flood in a 70-year timeframe.

“It’s implemented more frequently, it’s just never been tested by a great flood,” he said.

Quance said the pumps are used annually, but the walls haven’t been used since the system was built. The most notable floods occurred prior to it, he said.

Pump houses across the state are expected to be renovated by 2014 at the behest of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — the driving force behind all the flood control systems.

Holland Patent also has a channel and levee that “has really saved the village many, many times,” Quance said.

Village Trustee Fran Crumb said there’s only been one time that the system couldn’t withstand the flow.

“In 1999, when it just got overpowered, there was water running all down through the town…” he said. “Spring floods and major storms, it diverts the water where it’s supposed to go.”

Other communities have experienced flooding in recent years yet no extensive flood control is in place.

“We’re not threatened by the Mohawk River,” Frankfort Town Supervisor Joseph Kinney said. “Ours is simply the impact of significant rain events where high waters result in creeks and tributary erosion.”

Storms in 2011 resulted in damage to roads and culverts in the town.

Kinney said the last major flood was in 1996 when houses were knocked off their foundations.

Fortunately, he said they have a “large enough floodplain that protects any structures and roads.”

The Sauquoit Creek is known for flooding, but Gerald Pederson, Oneida County emergency services deputy director, said exercises or flood control systems are not used.

“The county has a hazardous mitigation plan to fix things,” he said. “They identify areas that have problems … and identify funding to fix things.”

Quance pointed out that there are several communities that experience flooding, but putting systems in place might not be cost effective

“These things cost so much money to build and maintain that they don’t get built anymore,” he said, gesturing to the levee near Bellinger Creek. “You don’t just build these things and walk away.”
 

Article source: http://www.uticaod.com/features/x863230586/Herkimer-erects-flood-control-walls-to-test-system

Challenge Almere-Amsterdam will take place in Holland on 14 September 2013.

It follows Challenge Family‘s partnership with the world’s oldest triathlon outside of Hawaii: The Holland Triathlon.

Based in Almere, the event has been running since 1981 and now joins the other great legacy events of the sport, Challenge Roth (pictured), Challenge Penticton and Challenge Phuket as Challenge Almere-Amsterdam on 14 September 2013.

The Almere course is the world’s only long distance triathlon course located below sea level on reclaimed land at the bottom of what was once the Zuiderzee (South Sea), just 25 kilometers from the Dutch capital of Amsterdam. Still surrounded by water, the course features the typical Dutch landscapes renowned the world over – dikes, windmills, tulip fields and endless straight, fast roads where the battle is between you and the elements.

Almere’s long history of triathlon includes hosting four European Championships (1985, 1991, 1999, 2006) and two World Championships (2003 and 2008) with the race record held by Jan van der Marel with a time of 7:57:46.

René Peeters, alderman of the City of Almere, said the city was looking forward to adding a new era to its triathlon history. “Almere and triathlon are strongly linked. Triathlon is the DNA of our community. There are two triathlon clubs, we have the national schools championships, a regional high performance centre and many volunteers. And by joining forces with a cultural festival, the race is a party for everyone. In the Challenge Family races, like Challenge Roth, we recognize events strongly rooted in the community. We share that philosophy and together we can build Challenge Almere-Amsterdam into a significant international event.”

“Almere is a city about innovations, it’s incredible what it has achieved during its short lifespan and it’s the ideal venue for a triathlon,” said Felix Walchshöfer, CEO of Challenge Family. “But what is best of all is something that is absolutely unique to Almere and that is its enduring legacy of triathlon. Older than even Roth in this respect, it is an honour to have such a vital piece of triathlon’s rich history included within the Challenge Family. The list of athletes who have raced here reads like a triathlon ‘hall of fame’, along with many thousands of age groupers and we look forward to welcoming many more to the Challenge Family as part of Challenge Almere-Amsterdam.”

One of those athletes is renowned Dutch triathlete, Rob Barel, Olympian, multiple European and National Champion as well as Long Distance World Champion.

“I stood as a beginner triathlete in 1983 with a mix of ambitions dreams, enormous admiration and a little wonder to watch the start of the first Almere triathlon. It was the birthplace of the sport in the Netherlands and Europe itself. Now more than thirty years later, this classic survived many critical moments. Almere was, is and always will remain a classic. Just like my first time, it will inspire, challenge and astonish many more athletes. The second oldest triathlon in the world is a monument that we should cherish.”

The start and finish of Challenge Almere-Amsterdam will take place in the heart of the Almere’s city centre, on the Esplanade, an area renowned for its culture and futuristic architecture. The two-lap swim takes place in the Weerwater, adjacent to the Esplanade. The name means ‘water again’, as this lake was dug after the city of Almere was reclaimed from the Zuiderzee, bringing the water back. The bike course will take athletes through the province of Flevoland, racing along the former Zuiderzee sea bed, between dikes and windmills. The run course features four laps of 10,5k through the city of Almere, alternating between modern architecture and calming nature and green spaces surrounding the Weerwater.

Race director, Richard Belderok, said, “Forming a partnership with Challenge Family allows Almere to secure its long lasting history and future of our iconic and typically Dutch race.”

The Challenge Family celebrates the sport of triathlon through its global series of long distance events and festivals that are changing the face of long distance racing around the world with its focus on athlete experience. Featuring spectacular courses in iconic destinations, Challenge Family events focus on delivering the race of a lifetime to every athlete, and creating a memorable spectator experience that captures all the excitement and emotion of this inspirational sport. The Challenge Family series currently features 18 events around the world including the world’s largest long distance triathlon, Challenge Roth in Germany. Other Challenge Family races take place in Germany, Austria, Canada, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, New Zealand, Thailand, Taiwan and now Holland.

Challenge Almere-Amsterdam takes place on 14 September 2013 and entries open today, 8 January at www.challenge-almere.com.

Keep up-to-date with the latest triathlon news by connecting with us on Twitter and Facebook. Don’t forget to check out our video channel for exclusive interviews and race reports!

Article source: http://www.triathlonmag.com.au/news/6963-challenge-almere-amsterdam-announced

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Cardinals, along with Relevent Sports announced today that they are teaming up with both Chelsea Football Club and Manchester City Football Club to help the children impacted by the devastating tornado that ripped through Moore, Oklahoma earlier this week.  

“We have all been moved by the heartbreaking images and stories coming out of Oklahoma,” said Bill DeWitt III, President of the St. Louis Cardinals.  “Cardinals Care has established a special fund to help the many children whose lives have been forever changed by tragedy.”

The Cardinals and Relevent Sports have pledged a dollar from every ticket sold to tomorrow’s historic match at Busch Stadium will go towards the Cardinals Care fund to help kids in Oklahoma.  The two storied English Premier League clubs will each match the donation and wear a commemorative black arm band during the match as a tribute to those impacted by the tragedy.

“We are united in our commitment to help.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Oklahoma,” said Chelsea FC Chief Executive Ron Gourlay and Manchester City FC Chief Executive Ferran Soriano, Chief Executive for the Manchester City Football Club in a joint statement. 

“We want to do everything we can to help,” said Charlie Stillitano, CEO of Relevent Sports. “We are proud to join the Cardinals, Chelsea FC and Manchester City FC in this effort to help the children.”

While the recovery needs in Oklahoma are multiple and extensive, Cardinals Care established the Oklahoma Recovery Fund to focus on helping the thousands of children in Oklahoma impacted by the disaster (#care4kidsOK). Cardinals Care will work in the coming months to identify specific youth-oriented investment needs as the Moore, Oklahoma community begins the process of recovering and rebuilding. 

“While the immediate needs are disaster response, our Joplin experience showed us the importance of being there for the community as they begin the process of recovery and rebuilding,” said Michael Hall, Vice President of Community Relations Executive Director of Cardinals Care.   “Fans can help with immediate disaster response needs, as well as with the longer recovery process.”

Fans may donate as they enter the soccer match tomorrow night.  St. Louis Fire Department personnel will collect cash donations at the gates as fans enter Busch Stadium for the soccer match tomorrow night. Fans are encouraged to donate on line at cardinals.com/oklahoma. 

Fans can help with the disaster relief efforts by supporting the #STL4OKC donation drive.  Fans can donate batteries, building supplies, small hand tools, along with baby formula and pet food at a collection post set up outside Gate One at the Tums Parking Lot from 4 p.m. until after the soccer match on Thursday.  Fans may also donate cash or use their credit or debit cards to donate to the American Red Cross relief effort at this location.

Two years ago today a tornado ripped through Joplin, Missouri.  The Cardinals teamed up with the Kansas City Royals, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball players association to assist the community.  Cardinals Care set up a special fund to help children of Joplin using money raised when the Cardinals hosted the Royals as part of the Teams Unite for Joplin series (June 17-19, 2011).  Cardinals Care donated $200,000 to four Joplin area charities working with children (Big Brothers Big Sisters, Bright Futures, Children’s Haven Ronald McDonald House) when team officials traveled to Joplin to build five homes as part of the Governor’s Habitat for Humanity Challenge last August. 

About Chelsea Football Club

Chelsea Football Club is one of the most successful teams in England with four top English league championships (three Premier League titles) and seven FA Cups. Last year, the Blues became the first London club to win the Champions League by beating Bayern Munich in their own stadium. The west London club also boasts two UEFA Cup Winners’ Cups, one UEFA Super Cup and were last week winners of the Europa League trophy, beating Benfica 2-1 in Amsterdam.  The club was established in 1905 and has played at Stamford Bridge since its formation. For more information, please visit www.chelseafc.com.

About Manchester City Football Club

Informally known as “The Citizens”, Manchester City FC is an English Premier League side, founded in 1880 as St Mark’s West Gorton. The Club won the 2011-2012 Premier League title and has won 25 major trophies. It counts the European Cup Winners’ Cup, three League Championship titles, and five FA Cups amongst its honors. The Club plays its domestic home fixtures at the Etihad Stadium, a spectacular 47,500 seat arena, which the Blues made their home following the successful Commonwealth Games in 2003. For more information, please visit www.mcfc.co.uk.

About Relevent Sports

Relevent Sports brings the excitement and intensity of international soccer to the United States by showcasing the best clubs in the world through premier tournaments and events. Going beyond the game, Relevent provides an innovative approach to building international soccer presence by utilizing brand development, grassroots planning, corporate sponsors, international touring and philanthropic initiatives for the soccer organizations.

About the St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most storied franchises in all of baseball.  Since they joined the National League in 1892, the Cardinals have won more than 9,300 games, 11 World Series Championships and 18 N.L. Pennants, 3 N.L. Eastern Division Titles, 8 N.L. Central Division Titles and 2 N.L. Wild Card Titles.  Over 40 former Cardinals players and managers are enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

About Cardinals Care

Cardinals Care was established to give fans a way of teaming up with Cardinals players and the Cardinals organization to help children in our community – both on and off the baseball field.   Since it was established in 1997, Cardinals Care has invested $19 million in helping children, including providing $11 million in grants to over 800 non-profit youth organizations, and building 20 youth ball fields in neighborhoods in both Missouri and Illinois. In 2013, Cardinals Care celebrates the 10th anniversary of the innovative Redbird Rookies program, a free baseball league for kids who otherwise might not have the opportunity to play. In addition to providing all the uniforms, gloves, bats, balls and other equipment needed for each team, Redbird Rookies also provides extensive off-field support in the areas of health, education, mentoring and the cultural arts for each of the nearly 4,500 kids who participate in the program each year.

Article source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130522&content_id=48314710&vkey=pr_stl&c_id=stl

Bangin Candy

» by Hip-Hop Wired May 22, 2013, 18:15pm

Our Bangin Candy posts are usually inspired by current events in Hip-Hop, whether it be a standout model in a hot video, a prevalent rapper’s new fling, etc. But every so often, we see a woman with no ties to the culture so attractive that we have to pay homage. Today, that would be the Robin Roxette.

Roxette is of East Indian descent and has a petite frame, standing at only 5’3”. Her resume tells us that her gorgeous face was made for the camera; credit that to her modeling experience and former job hosting a local television program.

Consider it dumb luck if you find this curly-haired beauty stateside, because she hails from the Amsterdam/North Holland area in the Netherlands. Yes, they produce women like this in the land of legal pharmaceuticals. We see you getting your passports ready. Ha!

If you’d like to catch Roxette’s face more often, be sure to follower her on Instagram: @robinboxette. We’ve also provided a gallery of the Dutch stunner below.

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Photo: Instagram

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Article source: http://hiphopwired.com/2013/05/22/bangin-candy-dutch-beauty-robin-roxette-photos/

Less than a month has passed since a stellar performance at the European Team Championships in Amsterdam not only helped Scotland to the semi-finals but also ensured Clyne fulfilled the qualification requirements for Glasgow. Victories over Nicholas Meuller, a Swiss ranked 20th, and Simon Rosner, the world No.12 from Germany, ensured selection is a near certainty and prevented pressure percolating over the coming months, but any confidence taken from such successes was eroded this week.

Defeat by the Egyptian Andrew Wagih in Pontefract prevented Clyne reaching the main draw of the British Open, the world No.31 spurning a 2-0 lead to lose 12-10 in the fifth and miss out on the last 32 at the KC Stadium in Hull. “I was hoping to at least qualify and see what happened from there because I felt I was in good shape,” he says. “He’s a good player with some nice shots but I still felt I should have won because I was 2-0 up. I just relaxed a bit . . .”

The lesson, he insists, has been learned, but it may be too late to revive his stated ambition of forcing his way into the world’s top 20 this year. With a reputation as one of the fastest and fittest members of the Professional Squash Association World Tour, Clyne has made steady progress up the rankings in recent times, finishing last season in a career-high 27th. Yet despite improving that by one place in April, he has since slipped to 31st, with a hiatus before the next counting event in September. “The difficulty is making big jumps once you reach this level because you need to consistently beat top 20 players to do it,” he says. “I know I’m capable and I’m confident that I’m playing well but it’s just a matter of putting it all together in every tournament.”

In the interim his focus will be on next month’s World Team Championships in France, where Scotland will attempt to improve on their 20th-place finish two years ago by emerging from the group stages. Hopes are high. Clyne insists standards have risen since he first started, with the likes of Greg Lobban, the world no.91, and Dougie Kempsell, ranked 167, also making steady progress under the tutelage of coach Roger Flynn in Edinburgh.

The benefits of gathering elite players together and allowing them to train full-time are well established, but it is perhaps indicative of the growing strength of squash in Scotland that this is finally a realistic strategy. It has certainly underpinned Clyne’s development. Having first experienced the game at the age of five when his father took him to a club in Inverness, he took to travelling from his home in the Black Isle village of Munlochy to Edinburgh at the age of 12 so he could spend weekends at the national academy. When it came time to choose a university, then, the capital seemed the obvious location.

“I was training twice a day, which was pretty hectic and didn’t allow much time to be a normal student, but my game came on so much,” he recalls. “In my last year, I was getting decent results on the British circuit so I played a PSA tournament in Tenerife and got close to a guy who was top 60 and that made me realise I had a chance. I delayed my probationary year of PE teaching to go on the tour and I’ve kept postponing it every year since.”

How long it is before he utilises his degree depends, in part, on how well he does in Glasgow. Having finished fourth in tandem with Harry Leitch in Delhi three years ago, the doubles event is perhaps a more realistic source of success but Clyne refuses to entertain notions that a singles medal is beyond him. That only three players from each nation can be selected dilutes the challenge from England, especially, and leaves only another handful of rivals ahead of him in the current rankings.

“If I can keep improving I’ll be in the mix,” he insists. “I seem to raise my game for these big events because I love playing for Scotland so much and the singles and doubles are in different weeks so I want a medal in both. You catch yourself daydreaming about it because I’ve been looking forward to Glasgow since we left Delhi. It’s getting closer and I’m just trying to make the most of every training session because I know it’s going to come around really quickly.”

Article source: http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/other-sports/countdown-to-2014-clyne-slips-in-climb-to-summit-but-setback-will-not-deter-him.21162005

In 2010, governments con?rmed in the Cancún Agreement that emissions should be reduced to avoid a rise in global average temperature of more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with the possibility of revising this down to 1.5°C. Modelling used in previous analyses by Carbon Tracker and the IEA showed that the carbon budget for a 2°C scenario would be around 565 – 886 billion tonnes (Gt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) to 2050. This outcome assumes that non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. methane and nitrous oxide) remain high. This is only a fraction of the carbon embedded in the world’s indicated fossil fuel reserves, which amount to 2,860GtCO2.

A precautionary approach means only 20% of total fossil fuel reserves can be burnt to 2050. As a result the global economy already faces the prospect of assets becoming stranded and the problem will get worse if current investment trends continue – in effect, a carbon bubble. Using all fossil fuels will breach the global carbon dioxide budget.

In January of this year, Richard L. Kauffman joined Governor Cuomo’s Cabinet as the Chairman of a newly formed Energy Finance Sub-Cabinet. Mr Kauffman’s role will be instrumental in shaping New York’s new $1 billion Green Bank, which Governor Andrew Cuomo announced in his State of the State address. Mr Kauffman underlines the need for radical change in regulatory rules in order to provide financing for small projects. He is a strong advocate of green banks working where they can mobilize the private sector, creating linkages with market intermediaries, and using private capital in wholesale markets.

During his keynote address, Mr Kauffman will explain how New York Government’s future policies will expand the marketplace for clean energy generation, energy efficiency, electric vehicles, and low-carbon development by animating market forces and encouraging private sector participation. TBLI CONFERENCE™ USA 2013, organized by TBLI GROUP™, is the prime catalyst of ESG and impact investing and convenes important investors and asset owners, as well as thought leaders in sustainable finance.

Who is involved?
The TBLI network consists of influential asset owners, asset managers, sustainability professionals and other in the ESG and impact investing space. Players include: ABN AMRO, Bank Sarasin, BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse, ING, UBS, Rabobank to the Carbon Disclosure Project, GATE Impact and Liquidnet to name a few.

What is ESG?
According to the Financial Times lexicon “ESG” (environmental, social and governance) is a generic term used in capital markets and used by investors to evaluate corporate behavior and to determine the future financial performance of companies. ESG factors include sustainable, ethical and corporate governance issues such as managing a company’s carbon footprint and safeguarding systems in place to ensure full accountability. Fund managers and financial analysts who can interpret and relate ESG factors to a company’s future prospects may potentially develop a competitive advantage should others fail to recognize the same risks or opportunities related to those factors.

TBLI GROUP™ introduced the idea that a truly sound investment is one that provides both financial rewards and offers social and environmental benefits: Triple Bottom Line Investing (TBLI). Based in Amsterdam, TBLI GROUP™ raises awareness in the financial sector of the benefits of impact investment. It advises both companies and individuals who wish to institutionalize sustainability and acts as a global educator, providing a network for parties who share in this goal. The subsidiary TBLI CONFERENCE™ draws attention to the benefits of TBLI by organizing two annual events in which the world’s thought leaders on sustainability network, exchange information and ideas on the latest developments in screening, auditing, reporting, ESG, SRI analysis, corporate citizenship, impact investing, indexes, and research. The subsidiary TBLI CONSULTING™ offers result-oriented advisory and networking services, which, among other projects, assists in mobilizing capital and locating strategic partners for leading impact investment private equity funds, micro-finance bonds, and green mortgages.

Article source: http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/35646-Climate-Change-Carbon-Bubble-and-New-York-s-Green-Bank