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  • How can DFID get better at programme management?

    Over the past 5 years we have almost entirely re-engineered the way DFID manages programmes and made some significant improvements. We have introduced, among other things: more rigorous design templates, tougher spending controls, better contract management policies, systematic quality assurance stronger use of evidence and a better focus on results.

    But have these changes made DFID more rigorous and effective at delivery? Have we become better able to adapt to the complex and changing environments in which we work?

    Development Secretary, Justine Greening, has commissioned an internal review of the programme management cycle to look into these questions. At recent meeting of DFID’s senior managers, we agreed that the review needs to lead to faster programme design and approval; clearer and more streamlined guidance; and, more time spent on delivery and implementation.

    In turn, this will help us retain the flexibility and dynamism to deliver multiple objectives; deliver quantifiable results while continuing to invest in changes that will unfreeze longer term processes; build and strengthen our reputation for innovation and agility as one of the world’s leading development agencies.

    I am proud (and not a little scared!) to have been asked, with my colleague, Tom Wingfield, to co-lead this review over the next five months.

    While this is largely an internal process, we are also interested in external stakeholder perspectives of DFID’s programme management cycle and thought we might be able to elicit views through this blog.

    We would welcome comments below or direct contact ([email protected] and/or [email protected]) setting out what you think about how DFID manages programmes and are particularly interested in:

    1) Innovation and flexibility.

    • How good are we at taking risks, being flexible and innovative?
    • Do we share lessons in an open and transparent way?

    2) Capabilities:

    • Do we have sufficient country knowledge for the contexts in which we work?
    • Do we have sufficient implementation management skills and at the right levels?
    • Are DFID staff you interact with able to make decisions and judgements themselves?

    3) Operational Processes:

    • What needs to change in our systems to make them simpler, more agile and more appropriate for working in fragile states?
    • Does it feel as though all our processes add value?

    Of course, I would be interested in other thoughts on what you think would make DFID a better development partner either direct to me or in the comments section below.

  • Goosecross Cellars Sold to Golden Equity Investments

    Goosecross Cellars, a boutique luxury winery located in Yountville, CA, has been sold to Golden Equity Investments (GEI). The transaction included the 11-acre estate winery and vineyard property, tasting room and contemporary Tudor-style estate home. Zepponi & Company, a global wine industry mergers and acquisitions advisory firm served as the exclusive financial advisor to the owners of Goosecross Cellars. Financial terms were not disclosed.

    PRESS RELEASE

    Goosecross® Cellars, the boutique luxury winery located in Yountville, CA, has been sold to Golden Equity Investments (GEI). GEI is a private equity firm located in Golden, Colorado, and was formed in 2011 to provide equity capital to privately held, middle market companies. The transaction included the 11-acre estate winery and vineyard property, tasting room and contemporary Tudor-style estate home. Zepponi & Company, the global wine industry mergers and acquisitions advisory firm for ultra-premium, luxury and estate wine brands and vineyards, served as the exclusive financial advisor to the owners of Goosecross Cellars. Financial terms were not disclosed.
    “Goosecross’ location, vineyard, and winery is what initially drew us to this property,” said Christi Coors Ficeli, GEI Manager and member of the Coors brewing family of Colorado. “Its direct-to-consumer success and reputation for premium quality wine varietals positions us for ongoing success. Our focus will be to continue the tradition of producing high-quality wines, as well as growing the brand to gain more national recognition. We will continue to promote the current wines and look to grow the portfolio. I look forward to meeting the winery’s loyal customers and also intend to invest in the tasting room, the winemaking facility, and the estate to enhance the experience for our patrons.”
    The purchase of Goosecross marks GEI’s first investment in the wine industry. The firm saw the purchase of the winery as an opportunity to enter into the wine industry with the potential for growth, especially in the boutique luxury category. Christi Coors Ficeli will be moving to Napa Valley with her husband Dave and their two children, as the winery’s new President and CEO. Christi began her career in the wine industry, and has spent the last 13 years in the beer industry in a sales and marketing capacity.
    “This is an incredibly exciting time for all of us at Goosecross; to see this property and facility evolve to a new level is a vision come true,” said current Winemaker and Vice President, Geoff Gorsuch. “The wine business is not just about wine, but all the support of the people and friends that are the true reward. The past 27 years here on State Lane with my wife Karen and partners, David and Colleen Topper, have been both challenging and rewarding. I could not ask for a better change of ownership, and I speak for all of us when I say we are excited to work with and support Christi and her family as we start this exciting new chapter at Goosecross.”
    Founded in 1985, Goosecross is located in Yountville, California and produces luxury-tier Napa Valley wines from grapes grown on its estate vineyards along with grapes purchased from local growers. The winery has a cult following with thousands of loyal wine club members and has established itself as one of the leading direct-to-consumer focused wineries in the Napa Valley. The winery’s 9-acre vineyard is planted to primarily Bordeaux varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

    Zepponi & Company is the largest mergers and acquisitions advisory firm dedicated exclusively to the global wine industry. Headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, the firm’s three principals, Mario Zepponi, Matt Franklin and Joe Ciatti, are established wine industry veterans, with expertise in strategic transaction analysis, valuations and creativity in structuring complex transactions. Zepponi & Company has served as advisor on numerous transactions involving ultra-premium and luxury wine brands, estate wineries and vineyards, including Chalk Hill Estate, Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, Kendall Jackson Wine Estates, Four Vines, Langtry Estate & Vineyards, Kuleto Estate and F. Korbel & Bros.

    Media Contact:
    Kristen Reitzell
    Calhoun & Company Communications
    (415) 346-2929
    [email protected]

    The post Goosecross Cellars Sold to Golden Equity Investments appeared first on peHUB.

  • Sweet! Official new themes give Windows 8 a global makeover

    Desktop themes are so often catered for by third party tools that it’s easy to forget that Windows has built in support for theme packs. If you’re short of inspiration, don’t trust your own photography skill, or just can’t be bothered to browse Flickr for a new image, a new batch of themes direct from Microsoft could be what you need to breathe new life into your desktop.

    There are five new themes in total, four of which have a travel connection. The Alaskan Landscape theme features photography from Kyle Waters — a total of fifteen images. There is more of a seasonal feel to two New Zealand Landscapes themes.

    The Queenstown theme is cool and wintery, while the One Tree Hill theme is far more summer inspired. Both themes showcase the work of photographer Ian Rushton. Continuing the seasonal theme, and completing a previous collection, is Swedish Spring.

    Rounding off the new download selection is something rather more cartoony. The Delectable Designs theme offers a tasty selection of desktop images inspired by snack time — cupcakes, cookies, coffee and more are all on hand to help you build up an appetite

    The new themes, and others, can be downloaded from the personalization section of the Microsoft website, but you can find out more about the new releases at the Windows Experience Blog.

  • News story: G8: PM writes to crown dependency leaders

    As part of the Government’s efforts to agree concrete action to tackle tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance during the G8, the Prime Minister has today written to the leaders of crown dependencies and overseas territories about their role in getting the UK house in order.

    The letter has been sent to the leaders of:

    • Bermuda
    • British Virgin Islands
    • Cayman Islands
    • Gibraltar
    • Anguilla
    • Montserrat
    • Turks and Caicos Islands
    • Jersey
    • Guernsey
    • The Isle of Man

    Prime Minister’s letter

    As you know, I have made fighting the scourge of tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance a priority for the G8 Summit which the UK is hosting next month. With one month to go, this is the critical moment to get our own houses in order. I am looking to all the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies to continue to work in partnership with the UK in taking the lead on two critical issues: tax information exchange and beneficial ownership.

    Let me set out exactly why. I have said before that I want to see the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies flourish, and I respect your right to be lower tax jurisdictions. I believe passionately in lower taxes as a vital driver of growth and prosperity for all. But lower taxes are only sustainable if what is owed is actually paid – and if the rules to achieve this are set and enforced fairly to create a level playing field right across the world. There is no point in dealing with tax evasion in one country if the problem is simply displaced to another.

    So I very much welcome the commitments you have made to automatic tax information exchange, both on a bilateral and multilateral basis, which will help us to reach our goal of setting a global standard in tax transparency. There is a critical mass building. Last week’s European Finance Ministers meeting showed that the EU is getting on board. And I hope others around the world will follow the lead we are setting together.

    We also need to ensure information exchange works effectively for all, particularly the poorest countries in the world. That is why we strongly support the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Assistance in Tax Matters. I know many of you have been considering joining and I ask you all to commit to do so in the run-up to the G8 Summit.

    But dealing with tax evasion is not just about exchanging information. It is also about improving the quality and accuracy of that information. Put simply, that means we need to know who really owns and controls each and every company. This goes right to the heart of the ambition of Britain’s G8 to knock down the walls of company secrecy.

    Some of you have already led the way with public commitments to produce Action Plans on beneficial ownership – and I hope those who have yet to can do so as quickly as possible. Getting the right content in these plans will now be critical. These will need to provide for fully resourced and properly managed centralised registries, that are freely available to law enforcement and tax collectors, and contain full and accurate details on the true ownership and control of every company.

    As we continue our negotiations over the coming weeks, I look forward to working with you to ensure we fully meet the spirit as well as the letter of the Financial Action Task Force standards on beneficial ownership. The UK is hosting a high level event on 15 June to showcase progress on tax, trade and transparency, and I hope you can join us on the day to showcase the progress you have made. This is a real opportunity to set the global standard on transparency – and I am confident the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies will rise to the challenge.

    David Cameron

    Read more about the UK’s agenda for the G8 summit: increasing trade, fairer taxes and greater transparency

  • Stellarium – The Planetarium For Your Desktop

    Star gazing is an amazing activity, but things get a lot more interesting when you actually know what you are looking at. Stellarium is a realistic, open source education tool that puts a virtual planetarium on your desktop and helps you identify celestial objects, constellations, and much more.

    Stellarium must be an epiphany for astronomy aficionados and educated… (read more)

  • Natural strategies to minimize hot flashes

    Many women experience uncomfortable hot flashes during their menopausal years. These can range from brief periods of intense heat to prolonged periods of excessive heat and sweating. Here are a few natural strategies to minimize night to minimize the effects of hot flashes…

  • The vaccine cover-up: uncovered

    (NaturalNews)A couple of years ago, Andrew Baker of Food Freedom News wrote an article entitled, The Vaccine Hoax is Over. Documents from UK Reveal 30 years of Cover-up. Yet, two or so years later vaccines are still pushed like crazy. Anyway, in his article, it was pointed…

  • Six easy ways to sweeten food without using refined sugar or artificial sweeteners

    Sugar is everywhere. And if you have a sweet tooth, it can be quite difficult to avoid it in one of its many refined forms, as it is added to all sorts of processed foods. But not all sugar is bad, and there are many ways to sweeten food without going over the edge,…

  • Research: Nigella sativa seed extract reduces hypertension

    The seed of a traditional Middle Eastern medicinal plant known by the species name Nigella sativa has been shown to help lower blood pressure, among a plethora of other medicinal benefits. Traditionally used as a spice and preservative as well as for its medicinal…

  • Oncologists now deliberately depleting women’s copper reserves to fight breast cancer, even though trace mineral may help fight tumors

    Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City have made an interesting discovery they say could hold the key to targeting a rare form of deadly breast cancer. One major problem, however, is that the potential treatment, which involves deliberately depleting…

  • Scientists unveil genetically-modified HIV strain they claim can cure cancer

    There is no shortage of bizarre new cancer treatment prospectives emerging from conventional medicine these days, especially as the multi-billion dollar cancer industry continues to ignore the many natural treatment options already available to cancer patients. But the…

  • Amnesty to grant instant U.S. citizenship to criminal gang members who ‘renounce’ gang affiliation

    The longer researchers and analysts have to examine the mammoth 844-page “immigration reform” measure currently under consideration in the Senate, the more giveaways and loopholes they find. The entire bill is really about granting amnesty to at least 11 million …

  • When will Obama say, I am not a crook?

    The upward pressure of ongoing scandals is moving into the White House. Benghazi, AP, IRS. The president’s surrogates are trying out their lying skills. Jay Carney: The situation at the IRS isn’t really a scandal, depending on what the definition of “is” is. And…

  • Genetically modified democracy: Monsanto moves to obliterate states’ rights to label GMOs

    Reliable sources in Washington D.C. have informed the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) that Monsanto has begun secretly lobbying its Congressional allies to attach one or more “Monsanto Riders” or amendments to the 2013 Farm Bill that would preempt or prohibit states…

  • Angelina Jolie copied by men! Surgeons now cutting out healthy prostate glands of men who carry BRCA gene

    Beyond merely inspiring women to cut off healthy breasts just because they carry the BRCA1 gene, Angelina Jolie also seems to be inspiring men to remove some of their own reproductive organs as well. According to an IBtimes article, a British man is the first person…

  • Maca root improves libido, boosts stamina, and lowers cholesterol

    Maca is a plant that is native to the Andes mountains of Peru, and which is characterized by its fleshy taproot. This taproot (which is usually what is meant when people speak of ‘maca’) has been used by the indigenous Peruvians for centuries as a vegetable and medicinal…

  • Nutritional yeast is an excellent vegetarian source of protein and B-vitamins

    Nutritional yeast is a heat-deactivated yeast that is typically sourced from beet molasses and sugarcane. It has a nutty, cheese-like flavor, and can be incorporated into pizzas, creamed vegetables, mashed potatoes, pasta, and various soups and salads. It is loved by…

  • Mango, the new diabetes and cancer buster

    The most popular fresh fruit in the world, mangoes are a whole lot more than just a delicious, refreshing treat produced by nature. As evidenced by copious scientific research, mangoes are also a powerful medicinal food, as they contain nutrients that can help clear…

  • Angelina Jolie backlash grows as everyday moms blast elitist double mastectomy as affordable only by ultra rich

    Angelina Jolie’s bizarre announcement that she had both of her healthy breasts surgically removed to “prevent” cancer has turned into a PR nightmare. Not only has Natural News revealed the hidden agenda of corporations patenting and owning human genetic code so they…

  • Doctors increasingly declaring bankruptcy as Obamacare kicks in, causing widespread care shortages

    Just a few short years ago, Plantation, Fla.-based bankruptcy attorney David Langley did not have even one doctor as a client. But in the years that have followed, Langley has processed at least six bankruptcy cases involving physicians, and is currently working on two…