3ème tour du Vaudreuil Golf Challenge: Un «moving day» époustouflant

Journée très chargée pour une grande partie des joueurs qui auront dû, très tôt ce matin, terminer leur deuxième tour et enchainer quasiment dans la foulée leur troisième journée. 64 joueurs ont passé le cut et se sont élancés à l’assaut du leader Richard MCEVOY. C’est sous un soleil radieux revenu sur les fairways et greens du golf du Vaudreuil que le fameux « moving day » a tenu toutes ses promesses. Le britannique confirme sa forme actuelle en réalisant une très belle performance, signant une carte de 68 pour un total de -15 sous le Par.Il devance de 4 coups l’écossais Ross KELLETT et son compatriote Steven TILEY, auteur d’un remarquable exploit en comptabilisant 9 birdies pour une carte de 62. Avec un score de -3 pour la journée, le sud-africain Oliver BEKKER rejoint le sommet du leaderboard à la 4ème place.Meilleur français de ce classement provisoire à la 6ème place, Thomas LINARD réalise une carte de -4 pour un total de -9 sous le Par.Grâce à un score de 66, Romain LANGASQUE effectue une remontée de 29 places rejoignant Antoine ROZNER à la 16ème place du classement général à la veille du 4ème et dernier tour de cet Open.63 joueurs s’élanceront dès demain matin avec un dernier départ pour les leaders à 11h40.La remise des prix qui consacrera le lauréat de la 6ème édition du Vaudreuil Golf Challenge aura lieu aux alentours de 16h00. (Richard MCEVOY toujours en tête! Crédit photo: golfsupport.nl)

Il nuovo percorso della GDD FASHION WEEK è cominciato

AMANTEA (Cs) Che sia l’inizio di una straordinaria avventura. In una gremita piazza Commercio, cuore economico di Amantea, gli organizzatoti della kermesse hanno mostrato agli amministratori dei comuni coinvolti nelle varie attività, alla stampa e agli addetti ai lavori i punti di forza di un programma generato per valorizzare non solo il made in Italy e l’arte sartoriale, ma soprattutto il territorio.
L’incontro si è aperto con un’analisi dettagliata e completa della nuova linea grafica. «Un omaggio – hanno spiegato Laura Viola e Viviana Lorelli, la prima laureata all’Accademia di Belle Arti di Catanzaro, la seconda alla Rome University of Fine Arts – alla genialità di Mimmo Rotella. Abbiamo scelto di “lacerare” il passato per costruire il futuro. I manifesti strappati e riutilizzati non rappresentano la fine, ma l’avvio di un nuovo divenire da decifrare, comprendere e costruire». Anche i premi che verranno attribuiti ai personaggi del jet set internazionale che parteciperanno alla kermesse seguono la stessa ispirazione. Si tratta di vere e proprie opere d’arte realizzate da un giovanissimo scultore nepetino: Antonio Reda, anch’egli appena laureatosi presso l’Accademia di Carrara. Nel mood seguito l’autore ha importato, in chiave tridimensionale, il concetto dell’artista calabrese. A ricevere questo ambito riconoscimento l’amministrazione comunale di Amantea, rappresentata dal sindaco Mario Pizzino, dall’assessore al turismo Concetta Veltri e da quello all’urbanistica Luca Ferraro. Presenti Daniela Zicarelli del comune di San Pietro, ed una delegazione del comune di Lago, composta da Ilaria De Pascale, Annalisa Iuliano e Alessandro Cherubini. I due centri collinari accoglieranno le serate del 31 luglio e dell’1 agosto.
Ovviamente non poteva mancare la grande moda. Le creazioni di Tiziana Pansino e Carmelo Mazzuca hanno incantato. Negli outfit portati in passerella si sono riscontrati i valori della GDD FASHION WEEK: stile, sperimentazione, ricerca e cura del dettaglio. Ad arricchire la bellezza degli abiti le acconciature del maestro Pino Cerra, una conferma che illumina il contest, ed il trucco di Antonella Morelli. Un plauso anche alle new models: Aurora Valente, Vittoria Posteraro, Giulia Munno, Francesca Brusco e Jessica Veltri, guidate splendidamente da Fabiola Redavide e Alessia Cantafio. Sempre accattivante il défilé proposto da Vision Ottica Muto che ha proposto una selezione dedicata al sole ed all’estate.
Ma la scelta di piazza Commercio non è stata casuale. In questo luogo, simbolo della quotidianità amanteana si affaccia anche lo storico Bar Caruso che, di concerto con l’organizzazione, ha generato un gelato tutto nuovo a base di cannella, arancia e fondente di Modica. Un gusto estremamente innovativo, battezzato GDD FASHION WEEK, che rimarrà in catalogo fino al prossimo 20 agosto. Una “limited edition” per rendere omaggio all’estro e alla fantasia. Sullo sfondo il bianco ed il rosato delle cantine iGreco.
«Quest’anno – ha spiegato la coordinatrice organizzativa Martina Fucà – abbiamo corso il rischio di far calare il sipario su un evento che ha il merito di valorizzare il talento in tutte le sue forme. Con testardaggine siamo riusciti a rimettere tutto in piedi, ma serve ora il sostegno del pubblico. Tanti gli appuntamenti in calendario che meritano di essere vissuti. Il 27 luglio a partire dalle 19.30, saremo presenti al Tipiko, il restaurant a chilometro zero, per un aperitivo decisamente alla moda; il 31 luglio, alle 21.15 sarà il comune di San Pietro ad accogliere la serata di riflessione “Dalla parte delle donne”; l’1 agosto saremo a Lago per la “Serata di Anteprima”. Il Gala di chiusura si terrà giovedì 2 agosto alle ore 21.15 presso il Parco della Grotta di Amantea. E a seguire la closing night al Papagayo di Falerna Marina». (by dott. Ernesto Pastore con copyright foto)

2ème tour du Vaudreuil Golf Challenge: La pluie s’invite aux débats

La deuxième journée du Vaudreuil Golf Challenge a été interrompue en milieu d’après-midi à 16h36 en raison des conditions climatiques. De fortes pluies ont forcé les organisateurs à suspendre cette fin de deuxième tour et la reporter à samedi. Reprise des hostilités 7h30 demain matin.
Après le cut, le troisième tour débutera aux alentours de midi. Les 60 premiers et ex-aequo s’élanceront alors pour le fameux «moving day». Auteur d’une excellente deuxième journée avec une carte de 66, l’anglais Richard MCEVOY caracole toujours en tête du tournoi à -12 total. Il devance de 4 coups son compatriote Paul MADDY à qui il restera 9 trous demain matin. L’Ecossais Ross KELLETT avec un -2 sous le Par pour la journée occupe la troisième place de ce classement provisoire.Victor RIU et Antoine ROZNER sont les belles satisfactions de cette journée. Les deux tricolores ont rendu une carte de -2 sous le Par pour pointer respectivement à la neuvième et treizième place du classement. On notera la belle remontée de Jérôme LANDO-CASANOVA qui n’a effectué que la moitié du parcours avec un score de -4 et un gain pour l’instant de 49 places au classement général. Un peu plus en difficulté, Edouard DUBOIS, Victor PEREZ, Clément BERARDO, Olivier ROZNER et Julien BRUN pointent à la 43ème place du classement avec un total de -1 sous le Par et sont pour l’instant dans le cut.C’est au tour du Polonais Adrian MERONK de réaliser le deuxième trou en un de la semaine. Un coup parfait au Par 3 du trou n°5 du parcours du Vaudreuil.Pour rappel, sur toute la durée du tournoi, l’entrée est gratuite.

Accordi bilaterali per trasferire nei paesi di origine i detenuti stranieri

“Siamo contenti che il ministro della Giustizia Alfonso Bonafede ha accolto la storica proposta di Fratelli di Italia annunciando, nel corso del Question Time, la volontà di procedere ad accordi bilaterali per trasferire nei paesi di origine i detenuti stranieri condannati presenti in Italia anche senza il consenso del detenuto stesso”: lo afferma Edmondo Cirielli, Questore della Camera dei Deputati e responsabile Giustizia di Fratelli di Italia.“Attendiamo fiduciosi il provvedimento in Aula per dare, qualora ce ne fosse bisogno, il nostro contributo a un intervento che chiediamo da tempo” conclude Cirielli.

Libro: L’altra storia del sindacato

Esce in libreria e in ebook per Rubbettino “L’altra storia del sindacato. Dal secondo dopoguerra agli anni di industry 4.0” di Giuliano Cazzola e Giuseppe Sabella
Conte dice che sarà l’Avvocato del popolo italiano. Di Maio rilancia “lo stato siamo noi”. All’inizio di una fase di grande sconvolgimento economico e politico – sia a livello nazionale che internazionale – la domanda che riguarda il futuro delle democrazie avanzate è sempre più diffusa: quale ruolo avranno i corpi intermedi che hanno fatto vivere – ad oggi – il processo democratico? In Italia, sempre più il procedimento decisionale si esprime attraverso il decreto legge, il Parlamento raramente prende iniziativa e quando lo fa è debole e diviso. D’altronde la leadership dei partiti è sempre meno discussa: questi non sono più laboratori di idee e di formazione per la classe dirigente, ma soltanto degli strumenti per la creazione di consenso, oggi per lo più alimentato attraverso i social media.
E, anche in occasione dei provvedimenti in materia di economia e lavoro, non sempre le rappresentanze – sindacati e associazioni d’impresa – vengono ascoltate. E quindi, quale futuro?
Giuliano Cazzola e Giuseppe Sabella azzardano delle ipotesi nel loro nuovo libro L’altra storia del sindacato, una storia mai raccontata prima, lontana dai teoremi della “vecchia sinistra” e utile a capire presente e futuro. Nati da una costola dei grandi partiti del Novecento, i sindacati storici sono ormai i soli sopravvissuti al crollo e alla scomparsa di quel mondo, che ha portato l’Italia – all’inizio del Terzo Millennio – tra le 5 maggiori potenze economiche del mondo. Il cambiamento, quindi, li riguarda in modo particolare. Tutto questo, nel cuore della quarta rivoluzione industriale che, in modo importante, tocca l’Italia, ancora seconda potenza manifatturiera d’Europa. Il lavoro e l’industria sono oggi al centro della grande trasformazione: laddove c’è innovazione ci sono accordi sindacali. La contrattazione di secondo livello, il welfare aziendale, la conciliazione vita-lavoro e, più in generale, il piano industria4.0 sono sempre più al centro della vita delle imprese: ecco perché il sindacato ha davanti a sé una strada aperta e, se cambierà pelle, non scomparirà.
La pratica della contrattazione è simultanea a quella della produzione, ecco perché il ruolo di chi contratta è destinato a trasformarsi ma non a scomparire.
«Un libro anticonformista, un contributo serio per una discussione aperta sul movimento sindacale in cui non prevale la retorica e non domina il patriottismo di organizzazione. La globalizzazione, la finanziarizzazione dell’economia e il mercato hanno messo fuori gioco il sindacato. È un declino inarrestabile? Non ci sarà futuro? Giuliano Cazzola e Giuseppe Sabella non ne sono convinti, vedono delle opportunità. Sono molto interessanti gli stimoli, a volte le provocazioni, le proposte, i cambiamenti che propongono». Così scrive nella sua introduzione Giorgio Benvenuto, tra i più importanti protagonisti dell’Italia repubblicana, nel presentare L’altra storia del sindacato, una storia mai raccontata prima, lontana dai teoremi della “vecchia sinistra” e utile a capire presente e futuro. Ciò soprattutto in una fase di grande sconvolgimento economico e politico, sia a livello nazionale che internazionale. L’industria e il lavoro sono oggi al centro della grande trasformazione: laddove c’è innovazione ci sono accordi sindacali. La contrattazione di secondo livello, il welfare aziendale, la conciliazione vita-lavoro e, più in generale, il piano industria 4.0 sono sempre più al centro della vita delle imprese: ecco perché il sindacato ha davanti a sé una strada aperta e non scomparirà. Se cambierà pelle. (fonte: http://www.rubbettinoeditore.it)

Funding Ocean Energy: new study released

Europe is spearheading the world’s ocean energy technology, and has today a strong pipeline of projects for a total capacity of 1 GW. But it did not accomplish this overnight. According to a recent Commission study, the continent has been spending €3 billion on ocean energy over the last decade. This is the kind of investment required to develop the new technologies, test them both in the lab and at sea, and scale them up to commercial level.About two thirds of this massive research and development effort was sustained by developers and by the private sector. The remaining third was mobilised by the European Commission and the EU countries to support the developers, adapt harbour infrastructure and generally lay the right conditions for this emerging sector to grow. The next decade could see the total installed capacity rise to almost 4 GW, with financial needs that would grow accordingly and could reach 9.4 billion euros. Most of the money is expected to go into tidal stream installations; this is to date the more “mature” technology, and promises to offset the high upfront capitals with low operational costs.The technology is therefore likely to raise more and more money through private loans. The need for public funding, mainly to leverage private capitals and finance research, would thus shrink to one fourth of the total investment. If access to and cost of capital remain crucial to move towards the commercial phase, the study shows that there can be no route to market without a stable and predictable public policy on ocean energy and marine space. This was also the case for other renewables, especially offshore wind energy, which provide useful experience to build on.

Create your own marine and coastal maps with the new European Atlas of the Seas!

A new version of the European Atlas of the Seas is now available. The Atlas hosts a wealth of information about Europe’s marine environment, covering topics such as nature, tourism, security, energy, passenger transport, sea bottom, sea level rise, fish consumption, and much more. With the new release, users can benefit from an enriched catalogue with more than 120 additional layers to explore, collate and create their own maps. Print, share or embed the maps in your articles and presentations!The Atlas is the ideal tool for schools, researchers and professionals, or anyone wishing to enhance their knowledge or improve their products and services. Currently available in four languages (EN, FR, DE & ES), the Atlas will soon be available in all official languages of the European Union.
The Atlas aims to raise awareness of Europe’s seas and coasts in the context of the EU’s integrated maritime policy. Data providers are primarily the European Commission and its agencies (i.e. EEA, Eurostat, …), as well as the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), which provided about 80 new maps.Since September 2017, the EMODnet Secretariat has taken over the management of the Atlas with a mission to further expand the range of services and features and improve the interface, functionality and content. The Secretariat is now also responsible for actively promoting the Atlas and keeping users informed about new maps and features.Stay tuned! Each week, the Atlas will put the spotlight on a new map worth exploring. Take a moment to tune in and enhance your marine knowledge.

More secure seas and oceans for Europe and around the world

European ministers have adopted a revised action plan on maritime security. With the new plan, Europe strengthens its commitment to security at sea – both at home and around the world.
“With this action plan, the EU reaffirms its role as a global maritime security provider,” said High Representative, Vice President and Head of Agency Federica Mogherini. “It promotes international cooperation, maritime multilateralism and the rule of law at sea, in line with the strategic priorities identified in the EU Global Strategy”. “Secure seas and oceans are crucial to Europe’s welfare”, said European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella. “We have made a big step forward recently with coastguard cooperation, and we must build on that success to move on to other forms of collective preparedness. Risks and threats evolve all the time, and this revised action plan allows us to anticipate better, plan better and react better.”

Unlocking the blue growth potential in the EU’s outermost regions

Martinique On 26 June, experts from the EU’s outermost regions join in Brussels to discuss how the blue economy can help give a new, sustainable impetus to their economies. The meeting is the first in its kind and a direct follow-up action of the EU’s new strategy towards the outermost regions.
European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella: “The blue economy can become one of the powerhouses for the EU economy in general. Surrounded by the ocean and amidst a wealth of natural assets, the outermost regions could be first in line to take advantage of this trend. The European Commission strongly supports this transition.”The blue economy covers all economic activity at, near or from our ocean, seas or coasts. It includes fisheries, tourism and aquaculture but also emerging industries such as ocean energy, biotechnology or desalination. However, much of the focus in outermost regions has traditionally been on fisheries and tourism. A recent study indicates the potential to expand also in the other areas of blue growth, such as algae-based biotechnology.Before that can happen, several hurdles and bottlenecks need to be resolved – hence the idea to bring the experts from our outermost regions together. A first concern is the current lack of long-term research on their marine resources, including fishing stocks. Without a solid understanding of local ecosystems, it is impossible to manage marine resources and activities sustainably. Other bottlenecks are the insufficient access to financial resources, lack of specialised expertise and the absence of structural coordination.The EU has several policies in place to support these needs, including the European Fund for Strategic Investments (the ‘Juncker Fund’), Horizon 2020, the Youth Employment Initiative or indeed the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. In many cases, outermost regions already enjoy favourable conditions to benefit from these schemes. Together with regional experts, the Commission is now looking at how to improve their uptake even further.

Clean Ocean Energy: 2 new projects to share €1.5 million from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)

The European Commission has selected two new projects on clean ocean energy for funding under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).While the first tidal farms in European waters are being deployed and more and more devices are being tested in water, the idea of obtaining clean energy through the oceans’ waves is also gaining ground. As with all new developments, however, we need to collect data, develop models and thoroughly understand the possible impacts of the new technologies on the marine environment. To this aim the European Commission has just granted over 1.5 million euros worth of support to two new international projects, which will help understand the interaction between the future devices and the ecosystems. The results will provide guidance to the countries’ national authorities, which will one day be called upon to grant access to maritime space and consent ocean energy farms. This kind of research is one of the critical recommendations of the Ocean Energy Strategic Roadmap: Building Ocean Energy for Europe and will help reduce environmental risks when licensing future commercial operations.

SIOFA meeting adopts measures for sustainable fisheries in the South Indian Ocean

The Fifth Meeting of the Parties of the South Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) was held from 25-29 June in Phuket, Thailand. Parties, including the European Union, achieved significant progress on many fronts that will strengthen the organisation and help ensure the sustainable use of fish stocks in the South Indian Ocean.
Following EU proposals, SIOFA for the first time designated five areas as interim protected areas. These areas have been provisionally closed to trawling, and the scientific observer coverage for trap and line fishing increased from 20% to 100%, until science-based management plans have been developed for each of them. Work will now continue to strengthen the designation process of protected areas and allow meaningful and tailor-made management plans in SIOFA protected areas to be adopted and carried out.The EU had also tabled several proposals to reinforce monitoring, control and surveillance. As a result, SIOFA decided to develop a vessel monitoring system by 2020 and to introduce entry-exit reports for all SIOFA registered vessels moving in and out of the Agreement area. In addition, the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing was strengthened, with new provisions introducing the cross-listing of IUU vessels across regional fisheries management organisations.In a bid to strengthen SIOFA’s effectiveness, and based on a joint proposal from Australia and the EU, parties agreed to introduce a compliance monitoring scheme. This is an important step towards improving compliance with SIOFA conservation and management measures. Parties also agreed to amend the rules on data provision, making scientific observer data compulsory. This will significantly improve SIOFA’s scientific work and strengthen the scientific advice underpinning its decision-making.Finally, following an EU proposal, SIOFA adopted specific provisions for plastics disposal on board fishing vessels in accordance with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, MARPOL.

€566 billion and growing: the EU blue economy is thriving

The EU’s Blue Economy – all economic activities related to oceans, seas and coastal areas – is growing steadily, according to the EU’s first annual report on the blue economy. With a turnover of € 566 billion, the sector generates € 174 billion of value added and creates jobs for nearly 3.5 million people.
European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, said: “The EU’s blue economy is consistently growing over the last decade and the potential for the future is promising. With investments in innovation and through responsible ocean management, integrating environmental, economic and social aspects, we can double the sector in a sustainable way by 2030.”Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, responsible for the JRC, said: “Thanks to the scientific input provided by the Joint Research Centre we are able to track what drives the blue economy and how it is developing. This report will support policymakers and stakeholders in creating new business opportunities and managing the resources of oceans, seas and coastal resources in a sustainable manner.”
The blue economy represents all economic activities related to our oceans, seas or coastal areas. It covers established sectors such as fisheries, shipbuilding and tourism as well as emerging industries, including ocean energy and biotechnology. In several EU member states, the blue economy has grown faster than the national economy in the last decade. During the financial crisis, the blue economy proved more resilient in those member states, softening the effects of the downturn on coastal economies.The report presents the current status and recent trends in the six established blue economy sectors in different EU Member States, to gain insight into where new opportunities and sustainable competitive advantage may be found.

EU and China sign landmark partnership on oceans

The European Union has signed a unique ocean partnership agreement with China. Two of the world’s largest ocean economies will work together to improve the international governance of the oceans in all its aspects, including by combating illegal fishing and promoting a sustainable blue economy. The partnership also contains clear commitments to protect the marine environment, tackle climate change in accordance with the Paris Agreement and implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in particular the Sustainable Development Goal 14 on oceans.
“Across the world, I see growing awareness of the need for joint solutions to the challenges facing our oceans and seas. From cleaning up plastic pollution to tackling overfishing, no one country or continent can shoulder these colossal tasks on their own. With the partnership signed today, the European Union and China are stepping up their joint efforts, towards a more sustainable future for our oceans and the millions that make their living from them,” said EU Commissioner Karmenu Vella, responsible for the environment, maritime affairs and fisheries.

Youth lead on development in UN Forum

BIC NEW YORK — In a series of dynamic panel discussions organized by the Baha’i International Community (BIC), a delegation of young adults consulted about their generation’s responsibility in establishing peaceful and just societies and redefining the nature of leadership and power. The context was a major annual United Nations conference held from 9 to 18 July. How can the responsibility of working for the betterment of the world be not solely the occupation of a relative few experts and professionals but rather the right of all—an expression of what it means to be human? This question was on the mind of Liam Stephens, a BIC delegate and panelist from the Netherlands.“Thinking in this way allows everything we do – work, studies, family life – to move us toward a peaceful and just society. It allows us to see that everyone has a distinctive contribution to make to this work,” Mr. Stephens told his fellow panelists.
BIC delegates to the UN’s 2018 High Level Political Forum joined representatives from collaborating organizations in a series of BIC panels focusing on the contributions young people can make in achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals, referred to as Agenda 2030. The Forum is an annual gathering of member states of the UN and others to review progress toward the achievement of the SDGs; alongside the Forum, non-governmental organizations such as the BIC hold related events. The three panels explored the strength inherent in diversity, the construction of peaceful and resilient societies, and capacity building for the transformation of community life.As young people participate more fully in the life of society, they begin to explore fundamental questions about how society advances and what can either foster or hinder progress. Participants in the BIC panels noted that advancing society requires building capacity for meaningful change among larger and larger numbers of people.Discussions also focused on new approaches to leadership, based on a more constructive understanding of power and authority.
“As inherited concepts of dominance and control are left behind and the power of cooperation and unity of thought and action are embraced, capabilities inherent in youth surface and can be directed toward the common good,” explained Emmanuel Zapata Caldas, a BIC delegate and panelist from Colombia.Young people develop the capacity to identify the positive and negative forces at work in their communities; they rely on the power of consultation to make wise group decisions; and their deepest desires are to serve society selflessly, Mr. Zapata Caldas said.
Speaking to young people who aspire to lead processes of social change, panelist Upasana Chauhan, UN representative for the Man Up campaign, urged them to bring others along in the work: “A leader is not one who just races ahead him or herself alone, but the one who takes the whole group along as well,” Ms. Chauhan noted. “When you are 10 steps ahead of someone else, take 15 minutes at the end of the day and take that person along to whatever situation is helping you learn and advance.”Participants also discussed the implications of the concept that humanity is like an interconnected human body, a central theme throughout the Baha’i teachings, appreciating the numerous ties of interconnection among the peoples of the world.One young panelist from Afghanistan – Bahman Shahi, a delegate from the peace-building organization Search for Common Ground – noted the importance of such bonds in contemporary society and the future, by referring to a classic poem: “It talks about how the human being is just one body and that when any one part hurts, the whole body hurts. This is what the world needs to recognize.”
Another important theme participants discussed was identity, exploring how certain conceptions of the self can create a sense of unity and oneness while other conceptions can heighten a sense of otherness and promote division. All three events in the series sought to explore how to build foundations for a sense of shared identity. “In those essential aspects of life – in the capacity of every human being to dream, to think, to create; in the longing of every heart to find happiness, to grow, to connect with others – we are without distinction,” explained Saphira Rameshfar, BIC representative and one of the organizers of the series.

Administrative Strategies Resolves Claims 54 Times Faster with Encircle

Administrative Strategies, industry leading provider of catastrophe response and National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims handling solutions, has chosen Encircle Inc. as their collaboration, documentation, and field productivity software solution provider. Administrative Strategies is dedicated to delivering on their promise to quickly and accurately put people’s lives back in order after a loss. However, traditional system processes, distance, site access, and resources can make this promise challenging. Administrative Strategies selected the Encircle platform to digitally gather information and streamline workflows resulting in a significant gain in efficiency and customer satisfaction.“Encircle Link helps us deliver on our promise to get our customers on the road to recovery within hours and not days,” explained James Gardner, Field Claims Manager and Adjuster, Administrative Strategies, LLC. “We can now confirm flooding at first contact, get the Advance and Preliminary Report started before an inspection even occurs, and submit it before the adjuster leaves the property! This gain in efficiency has allowed us to improve the customer experience and to deliver on our promise.”Without downloading an app, the insured can provide photos, details of the loss, and signatures from their smartphone or tablet using Encircle Link. The time from initial contact to payment request drops from 10.8 days to just 0.2 days when using Encircle Link; making the process 54 times faster than their traditional process. This reduction in time enhances customer interaction at their time of need, improves communication with all parties involved and facilitates faster delivery of accurate advances.“We are very pleased with the results that Administrative Strategies has been able to achieve by implementing Encircle,” commented Paul Donald, Co-Founder and CEO, Encircle Inc. “By using Encircle to improve documentation and communication, Administrative Strategies has dramatically improved their operations and reduced cycle times, giving them time back to focus on providing customers with the exceptional customer service they’re known for.”

Certona Ranked Personalization Provider to Global E-Commerce Leaders

Certona, the global leader in real-time, AI-powered omnichannel personalization for the world’s largest brands and retailers, has been ranked as the #1 personalization solution in Internet Retailer’s 2018 report: Leading Vendors to the Top 1000.Internet Retailer’s comprehensive report is an analysis of the leading 1000 global digital commerce retailers. Revenue, growth of annual sales, online sale conversion rates and average order values are calculated across 30 categories in order to rank the top solution providers. Certona, in addition to being officially ranked as the leading personalization vendor in 2018, has achieved the highest volume of clients in Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Guide for each of the past 10 years.”The data-driven ranking is certainly validation that Certona has successfully leveraged AI, machine learning and predictive analytics to create serious value for our clients,” said Meyar Sheik, CEO and co-founder of Certona. “Our devotion to creating the ultimate personalized experience for each client is the key to our success. We have built a world-class organization with multiple layers of support that ensures clients’ objectives are met. That focus, along with our dedication to innovation, enables Certona to deliver the next generation of compelling brand experiences.”According to Internet Retailer, the Top 1000 online retailers in North America had a strong 2017. Their online sales collectively increased 18.5%. Online accounted for 13% of total retail sales, excluding vehicles and fuel, up from 5% a decade earlier. Furthermore, e-commerce represented 49% of growth for the US retail industry.Certona has 13 patents encompassing technologies for predicting human behavior and personalizing the customer experience. This approach lies at the core of its end-to-end personalized experience management platform, which leverages one-to-one behavioral profiling, big data insights and real-time analytics to increase engagement and conversions. Certona delivers over two billion personalized experiences a day, helping its clients achieve individualized experiences at massive scale increasing engagement, revenue and customer lifetime value.

PTC Advances Global Transition to Subscription Business Model

PTC (NASDAQ: PTC) today announced a milestone in its global transition to a subscription business model. Effective January 1, 2019, new software licenses for PTC’s core solutions and ThingWorx® Industrial Innovation Platform will be available only by subscription globally, including in the following previously omitted countries: China, India, Korea, Russia, Taiwan, and Turkey. Customers will be able to continue to use their existing perpetual licenses and renew support on active perpetual licenses under PTC’s support policies.“Subscription licensing has quickly become the new industry standard, and the accelerated adoption we have already seen throughout the world shows that our customers have embraced this change. As a result, we will continue to expand subscription licensing to all remaining countries in early 2019,” said Jim Heppelmann, president and CEO, PTC. “The ability to license enterprise software by subscription aligns with industry best practices and delivers the value and flexibility customers demand to enable them to achieve success in today’s highly competitive landscape.” With subscription licensing, customers benefit from faster PTC software innovation cycles, a shared commitment to success, and increased flexibility in product license mix. In addition, PTC currently offers incentive programs to enable customers to convert existing perpetual licenses to subscription licenses, affording them access to the benefits of the subscription model across their entire PTC software footprint.PTC’s Kepware product suite will continue to be available through both subscription and perpetual licensing. Other limited exceptions may apply.For more information, please visit http://www.ptc.com/subscription.

Foundation Medicine and Guardant Health Agree to Settle Patent Infringement Lawsuit

Foundation Medicine, Inc. (NASDAQ:FMI) and Guardant Health, Inc. announced an agreement to settle a patent infringement lawsuit brought by Foundation Medicine against Guardant concerning U.S. Patent No. 9,340,830. Under the terms of the settlement, the lawsuit and counterclaims, as well as challenges to the patent in inter partes review, have been dismissed. Financial terms and other specifics of the settlement were not disclosed.
Foundation Medicine (NASDAQ:FMI) is a molecular information company dedicated to a transformation in cancer care in which treatment is informed by a deep understanding of the genomic changes that contribute to each patient’s unique cancer. The company offers a full suite of comprehensive genomic profiling assays to identify the molecular alterations in a patient’s cancer and match them with relevant targeted therapies, immunotherapies and clinical trials. Foundation Medicine’s molecular information platform aims to improve day-to-day care for patients by serving the needs of clinicians, academic researchers and drug developers to help advance the science of molecular medicine in cancer. For more information, please visit http://www.FoundationMedicine.com or follow Foundation Medicine on Twitter (@FoundationATCG).
Guardant Health is a leading precision oncology company focused on helping conquer cancer globally through use of its proprietary blood tests, vast data sets and advanced analytics. Its Guardant Health Oncology Platform is designed to leverage its capabilities in technology, clinical development, regulatory and reimbursement to drive commercial adoption, improve patient clinical outcomes and lower healthcare costs. In pursuit of its goal to manage cancer across all stages of the disease, Guardant Health has launched multiple liquid biopsy-based tests, Guardant360 and GuardantOMNI, for advanced stage cancer patients, which fuel its development programs for recurrence and early detection, LUNAR-1 and LUNAR-2, respectively. Since its launch in 2014, Guardant360 has become the world’s market-leading comprehensive liquid biopsy test and has been used by more than 5,000 oncologists, over 40 biopharmaceutical companies and all 27 of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Centers. Learn more at http://www.guardanthealth.com.
Foundation Medicine® is a registered trademark of Foundation Medicine, Inc.

MJIC Announces Strong Support for Jayden’s Journey License Renewal

MJIC, California’s leading provider of fully-licensed cannabis wholesale distribution, retail, compliance and supply chain solutions, today announced it will continue its full support to keep internationally known medicinal cannabis dispensary Jayden’s Journey open, despite unexpected challenges with their license renewal. “Horwitz + Armstrong and MJIC Compliance are diligently working to secure Jayden’s Journey’s new county license, which will allow it to retain its California State License,” said John Armstrong, Partner of Horwitz + Armstrong, and Sturges Karban, CEO of MJIC, in a joint statement. “The new license will secure a path for Jayden’s Journey to continue servicing medical cannabis patients, some of whom have traveled across the globe because of the strong reputation it has built. We are proud to support this organization, which has been so important to thousands of families and their health.” Jayden’s Journey, based in Modesto, California, has gained international recognition for its signature “Jayden’s Juice,” a CBD cannabis product used to treat severe children’s epilepsy and cancers. CBD is a property in cannabis that offers medicinal benefits without psychoactive effects. Jayden’s Journey also serves as a preferred outlet for military veterans who experience PTSD and other difficult illnesses and injuries.Recently, Stanislaus County updated its licensing requirements necessitating both old and new dispensaries to apply for a limited number of licenses. Despite having its worldwide recognition as a “safe” dispensary to provide medical cannabis to parents of children suffering from seizures or cancers, Jayden’s Journey was informed its license application was insufficient to remain open. Subsequently, Jayden’s Journey retained Horwitz + Armstrong, which partnered with MJIC Compliance, to successfully appeal Stanislaus County to remain open on an interim basis while it continues its application process.

New Free Service from MedicareCompareUSA Provides Insight into Patient Insurance Purchasing Decisions

Healthcare leaders across the country now have a fresh insight into their marketplace’s competitive landscape and greater clarity as to the health insurance purchasing decision of local Medicare recipients thanks to a new user-friendly data tool created by MedicareCompareUSA. The information is available free of charge to hospitals, health systems and physician organizations and can be accessed at medicarecompareusa.com/providers.In February the company introduced its popular and industry-leading mapping capability that displayed market penetration of Medicare Advantage plans by county in all 50 states, both in raw numbers and share of market. Now that report has been updated with the most current (April) data and augmented with Medicare Supplement enrollment data by state and insurer, including trends that have emerged county by county relative to senior enrollment. With this complete information in hand, healthcare executives now have a comprehensive picture of what their local population is purchasing relative to health insurance as well as shifts in local market share for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans.Approximately 50 percent of Medicare-eligible patients purchase their own insurance with the balance either dual eligible (receiving both Medicare and Medicaid) or still covered under an employer plan. Given current trends such as the consolidations of health plans into mega-carriers, insurers purchasing physician groups, and the introduction of unique benefits by health plans trying to achieve product differentiation, providers have a greater interest than ever in knowing the market share penetration of plans in their community as well as current growth trends and shifting demographics. Plans don’t typically provide this information to the hospitals, but now through MedicareCompareUSA it is easily available.
The Medicare enrollment data is just one of many tools offered on the MedicareCompareUSA website to consumers, providers and insurance agents. For consumers, the site serves as a Medicare plan enrollment center by providing those on Medicare a one-stop shop to answer questions regarding Medicare options and connect with an agent who can help them enroll in the plan of their choice. For agents, brokers and providers, the site serves as an import resource in helping these audiences realign their strategies and adapt to the changing buying habits of patients. The site is also a vital resource to hospitals at the time of a “compelling event”—such as change in health plan contracts—in helping them retain desirable market share they have worked hard to build.