Items from The Estates of Malcolm Forbes and Jack Kerouac will Headline University Archives Auction

The 215-lot auction has a start time of 10:30 am EDT. The full catalog is already up and online on Invaluable.com, Auctionzip.com and LiveAuctioneers.com. Many categories are represented.

Westport, CT, USA, March 13, 2020 -- Part 1 of the Forbes Collection – 49 lots of phenomenal items from the estate of Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990), the multimillionaire magazine publisher and discerning collector of Americana – and Part 2 of items from the estate of Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac will headline University Archives’ next online auction slated for Wednesday, March 25.

The auction will start promptly at 10:30 am Eastern time. In total, 215 lots are scheduled to come up for bid. The catalog has been posted online and bidding is available via LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Folks can visit the website and browse the full color catalog now, at www.UniversityArchives.com.

The auction is packed with rare books, manuscripts, relics and more, many of them signed by history’s brightest luminaries. Presidential items span the administrations of George Washington through George H.W. Bush (including a twice-signed Lincoln letter); Americana includes a Civil War Fort Sumter missive; and foreign lots include King George III and William Pitt the Elder.

The literary category features 45 lots from Kerouac alone, plus items from F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, Jack London and others. The music and entertainment field is extensive and includes Pyotr Tchaikovsky, George Gershwin, The Beatles, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Freddy Mercury, The Who, David Bowie, U2 and many other stars.

The centerpiece of the Forbes Collection is an April 1, 1861 letter twice signed by Abraham Lincoln, inscribed by military officers Montgomery C. Meigs and David D. Porter, and endorsed by Secretary of War Gideon Welles. Not only does the date make this letter exceptional, but its content and subtext are also significant. Revealed within is a conspiracy to thwart Lincoln’s cabinet members and the President himself on the eve of the Civil War (est. $26,000-$30,000).

Also from the collection is a clean and bright first edition copy of George III’s infamous Stamp Act proclamation (est. $7,000-$8,000), as well as an archive of ten letters signed by William Pitt the Elder in 1773, just a few years before the American Revolution, in which he wrote: “Things seem to be hastening to a crisis at Boston… I look forward to the time with very painful anxiety. The whole constitution is a shadow.” The archive carries a pre-sale estimate of $10,000-$12,000.

Part II of the Kerouac collection includes 45 lots of the Beat writer’s compositions, books and beloved possessions, pulled directly from his estate. Top lots include Kerouac’s own first edition copy of his 1957 classic book On The Road (est. $5,000-$6,000); a pencil drawing titled Weird Self-Portrait at Sea, signed by Kerouac as “Jean Louis Kérouac” (est. $4,000-$5,000); and Kerouac’s much-loved silver-toned crucifix attached to a jute cord, expected to hit $600-$700.

Other memorable Kerouac items range from his original haiku poetry and voice recorder to cocktail glasses, Bohemian tunics, and even the writer’s underwear. Items will be accompanied by estate certification signed by John Shen-Sampas, executor of the Kerouac estate by descent.

University Archives is celebrating music, arts, and letters with an impressive array of musical memorabilia, led by a rare first UK pressing of the Beatles’ debut EP, Twist and Shout, signed by all four Beatles on the cover (est. $16,000-$18,000). The four-song EP is on the Parlophone (UK) label. Alexander Calder and Frank Lloyd Wright jockey for prominence in the fine art category.

Die-hard collectors of U.S. presidential memorabilia, Americana, and all wars will appreciate the latest curation of autographs and important documents. Presidents Ronald Reagan (7 lots), Abraham Lincoln (6 lots), Harry S. Truman (6 lots), Franklin D. Roosevelt (5 lots), William H. Taft (4 lots), and Herbert Hoover (5 lots) comprise the bulk of the many presidential offerings.

The following is just a sampling of the many presidential lots being offered in the sale:

- A letter initialed by George Washington to John Cowper, dated Jan. 27, 1794, in which Washington begs for payment for land he sold in North Carolina (est. $5,000-$6,000).

- A swatch of fabric used in the wound dressing of the assassinated President Abraham Lincoln, housed in a tooled black leather case and accompanied by a typed card from 1967 and signed by noted Lincoln scholar R. Gerald McMurtry (est. $1,500-$2,000).

- A signed photo of Theodore Roosevelt, post-presidency, showing him with a look of grim determination, 10 ¼ inches by 13 ½ inches, signed and inscribed (est. $2,400-$2,600).

- A single page typed letter signed “Harry Truman” to Creighton C. Hart, dated Feb. 1959 on Truman’s stationery, in which he famously says, “A political eunuch is a person with no political influence, and that is the situation of the Vice President” (est. $1,500-$1,700).

- A two-page draft of a letter written by Ronald Reagan in 1968, while he was Governor of California, in which he discourses on the events of the day and comments on a parade (“the Negro float was the first time one had ever been entered”) (est. $1,000-$1,200).

The preeminent Civil War related item, an April 2, 1861 missive from Confederate Secretary of War Leroy Pope Walker to P.T. Beauregard, commander of Fort Sumter, is sure to elicit interest from collectors. Aficionados will also appreciate the World War II materials, including historical documents related to the Enola Gay, Bockscar, Colonel Paul W. Tibbets, and the Atomic Bomb.

A spectacular framed scroll signed by Hsuan Tung - PuYi, measuring 9 ½ inches by 33 inches (sight) and appearing to be rendered on cloth, has an estimate of $10,000-$12,000. The scroll is accompanied by an autograph letter in a hand similar to that of the PuYi’s English writing, but that cannot be authenticated. The letter is addressed to a W.T. Lawhead and dated July 12, 1933.

Greta Garbo’s personally owned, monogrammed and worn Fredrica three-button mink coat, with a signed check to her furrier (as “Greta Garbo”) in the amount of $37.10 and receipts regarding the coat, is expected to sell for $10,000-$12,000. Also, a menu from the Jack of Clubs nightclub in London, England, signed and inscribed by Muhammad Ali as Cassius Clay (“To Jo, from Cassius Clay, Good Luck, 1963”) prior to his fight with Henry Cooper, should hit $2,000-$2,400.

A one-page autograph letter written in French and signed by the French scientist Pierre Curie (1859-1906), as “P Curie” at the bottom, dated April 7, 1905 and addressed to the secretary of the Royal Society of Surgery and Medicine, has an estimate of $7,000-$8,000. Also, an envelope fully engrossed by the Russian composer Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky (minus the letter, which had been addressed to the conductor Eduard Franzhevich Napravnik), postmarked Feb. 3, 1884 in Moscow and nicely displayed to the right of a quality photo of Tchaikovsky, should make $1,800-$2,000.

University Archives has become world-renowned as a go-to source for rare items of this kind. It is actively seeking quality material for future auctions, presenting a rare opportunity for sellers. Anyone who has a single item or a collection that may be a fit for a future University Archives auction may call Mr. Reznikoff at 203-454-0111, or email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For more information about University Archives and the Wednesday, March 25th online-only auction, please visit www.universityarchives.com. For phone bidding, please call 203-454-0111.

About University Archives:
University Archives was founded in 1979, as a division of University Stamp Company, by John Reznikoff, who started collecting stamps and coins in 1968, while in the third grade. Industry-wide, Reznikoff is considered the leading authenticity expert for manuscripts and documents. He consults with law enforcement, dealers, auction houses and both major authentication companies. To learn more, please visit www.universityarchives.com.

Media Contact:
John Reznikoff
University Archives
49 Richmondville Avenue
Westport, CT, USA 06880
203-454-0111
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http://www.universityarchives.com

What is Google Ads Optimization Score

Google, the search behemoth, is no longer an ‘Internet’ or search company. Rather, it is today an advertising company with revenues topping 130 billion US dollars in 2019. Given the scale of revenue, it is easy to see that Google sees Adwords as a cash cow. Therefore, they have developed a lot of tools to support the effective and efficient use of Google Adwords. One of the proprietary tools is the Google Adwords optimization score.

Using this in-built tool, any individual or business can see how well their Google Ads is set to perform. The score has a spectrum between 0 and 100 and a 100% score means that you have reached the peak. Now the good thing about this platform is that Google itself gives recommendations to the user to uplift the score. The percentage by which the score will get uplifted by implementing this recommendation is also indicated. By clicking on the default button of ‘add,’ the recommendation is automatically incorporated.

Some of the interesting recommendations include

  • Use of price-lists
  • Dynamic search ads
  • Adding customer lists
  • Automated bidding and much more

There are numerous recommendations given by Google, which, if correctly used, can push the ranking and return on investment of an ad. However, not all recommendations can be implemented, and it requires experience and deep knowledge to handle specific cases. Consider the case of automated bidding. If we were to link an account to this process, the spending would not be controlled, and this can cause severe repercussions to the business.

Does a score of 100% reflect that everything is perfect or that the ad campaign will be a huge success? The answer again is no, since Google is only delivering recommendations. Hence, judicious handling is required to achieve the best benefit.

Nikitha is a leading web development company in Chennai, specializing in local SEO and Google Adwords optimization. With a presence in this domain since 1996, they deliver cutting-edge value to any business seeking a fresh presence, a revamp or a turn around with Google Ad Words.

Source :   https://www.nikitha.in/blog/what-is-google-ads-optimization-score/159

Council of Europe Twitter account hacked with coronavirus threats against Russia

The Language associations and collaborative support network of the European Centre for Modern Languages belonging to the Council of Europe had its Twitter account (@LACSECML) taken over by a group of hackers on March 9th.

In it the hackers mentioned that the Muscovite metro stations of Dubrovka, the famous Russian landmark Ostankino Tower, Paveletsky railway station and flights belonging to Russian national carrier "Aeroflot" and also the British Airways has been contaminated by them with COVID-19 virus, which is the viral agent of an ongoing global outbreak in which the WHO had declared a pandemic.

The hackers used the names of "Thomas Little Evil Utoyo", "Calton", "David Law" and "Thanthom" as tweet signatures while at the same time claiming that individuals with names of "Calvin Goh", "Hendy", "Gideon W", "Audentis", "Mister Eriee O", "Khengwin", "T-Zehang" and "曾 家 顺" were involved in the alleged bioterrorist deeds. Moreover they threatened attacks against RKA Mission Control Center that is the mission control center of the Russian Federal Space Agency in the near future.

As of time of writing the tweets in question has not been taken down yet.

 

First-hand source:
http://web.archive.org/web/20200311184829/https://twitter.com/LACSECML/status/1236916101348548609

Moroccos strategy to Enhance and Rehabilitate the Kingdoms Ancient Medinas Fez at the Forefront

Morocco’s strategy to enhance the Kingdom’s ancient medinas (older parts) of various cities, the King of Morocco is launching a new program in Fez that aims at rehabilitating ancient cities, preserving traditional trades and improving the living conditions of citizens.

Berlin, Germany., March 12, 2020 -- In the Framework of Morocco’s strategy to enhance the Kingdom’s ancient medinas (older parts) of various cities, the King of Morocco is launching a new mega program that aims at rehabilitating cities, preserving traditional trades and improving the living conditions of citizens. Last week, The King launched a program to preserve the architectural and historical character of the Medina of Fez and to promote the influence of this millennial city. This new program concerns the restoration and rehabilitation of the historical assets of the medina of Fez (4 sites), the redevelopment and upgrading of urban areas (9 sites), the strengthening of the tourist and economic attractiveness of this Museum City (33 sites), the development of local social facilities (171 sites) and the treatment of buildings at risk of ruin (980 sites).

While in Fez, the King visited the restoration site of Khrachfiyine Foundouq (an inn situated in the heart of the old city), a project that is part of the development program of the Medina of Fez (2018-2023). This restoration project should, at the end of the work, participate in the preservation and development of the historical heritage and the promotion of crafts in the foundouqs as well as improving the working conditions for artisans. In addition to the restoration of the Foundouq, 11 other historic monuments and emblematic sites, 10 places of worship (mosques and Koranic schools), 40 places of well-being (hammams, fountains and health centers), 39 traditional crafts and commercial sites will be restored. Dar Al Makina which receives each year thousands of guests from around the world attending festivals in Fes will also get restored. The aim is to improve the urban landscape and the architectural environment of the Fez Medina.

Always in the context of strengthening the tourist attractiveness of the medina of Fez, a program has been implemented to develop car parks, rehabilitate public spaces and install an information system (2017-2022). This program aims at improving accessibility to the old medina through the development of eight car parks. In addition, the program also consists of the paving the streets and alleys, squares of the Medina as well as the installation of information kiosks for the service of locals and tourists. The rate of progress of the projects for paving streets, alleys, squares is at 44%, squares of the Medina at 74%, and installation of information terminals at 75%.

The City of Fez is 1,200-year-old. It was founded in 789 and is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981. Once in Fez, visitors’ senses are stimulated with aromas through its 9,500 alleyways. At the heart of the old city is the Kairaouine university which may be the world’s oldest university—it was established in 859. Given the fact that the medina of Fez has no structure for cars or cranes to access buildings at risk of collapsing, Morocco has been working tirelessly to rehabilitate this architectural jewel. In fact, more than 2,200 buildings at risk have already rehabilitated already. Fez has over 60 seqqâya (public fountains), which testify to the Almoravid dynasty’s clever civil engineers. They diverted rivers, made dams and built an intricate canal network to distribute the water throughout Morocco. The fountains in the medina feature brilliant zellij (tilework).

To Conclude, the Fez medina development program will cost approximately $9.2 million to enhance the touristic appeal of 33 museums and heritage sites in the city.

Friends of Morocco is a nonprofit organization with branches around the world. The main objective is to promote Morocco and to build bridges and connect people who have fallen in Love with this country, adopted its culture and made it their 2nd home.

Contact:
Elle P. Wolfgang
Friends of Morocco
Berlin, Germany
015213454385
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
http://www.freundevonmarokko.de

Susan Hans is The New Owner of Discovery Map of Newport Rhode Island

Newport, RI and Waitsfield, VT, Mar 12, 2020 -- Discovery Map International, the leading provider of curated guides to top tourist attractions, cities and towns throughout North America, recently announced Susan Hans as the new owner of Discovery Map of Newport. Hans acquired the map in January 2020 from Paul Sauve.

Discovery Map of Newport is the fourth map owned by Hans. She also owns and operates Discovery Map of Mad River Valley, Discovery Map of Waterbury, Vermont and Discovery Map of Stowe, Vermont.

“Our family has owned a home and vacationed in Newport for years. When the map became available, we leapt at the chance to take over the reins,” said Hans. “The best part of buying the map was the timing, just in time to celebrate its 25th anniversary.”

A mother of two, Hans started her Discovery Map career a few years after re-entering the job market. Desiring a more flexible schedule to fit in with her daughters’ school schedule, she jumped at the opportunity to purchase the Discovery Map of Mad River Valley map.

“I was new to sales but since we lived in Waitsfield, the home of the Mad River map, I knew a lot of the stores and some of the store owners. The social part of just getting out and meeting/visiting our advertisers really appealed to me. It’s something that’s carried over to the other two maps and am looking to do the same with Discovery Map of Newport,” said Hans.

Discovery Maps are colorful, hand-drawn maps that have become a favorite of travelers for navigating local dining, attractions, businesses, cultural experiences and tourist destinations. Discovery Map of Newport includes sites and destinations within the city and neighboring communities. That includes the cliff walk and the mansions of Newport, the Tennis Hall of Fame, First Beach, Fort Adams State Park and more.

“A lot has changed over the past 25 years. Back in 1995, most people weren’t even on the Internet,” said Hans. “Our maps have changed somewhat but remain true to the original vision. With the added online presence, Discovery Map of Newport is primed for another 25 years.”

Discovery Maps are typically found on display in local stores, restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions. In addition, DiscoveryMap.com offers curated content to complement/supplement the printed map. The interactive map found the website is to scale, thus can be used for turn-by-turn directions, as well as to access detailed information about areas of interest, places to eat, lodging and other noteworthy sites.

“As much as we rely on our smartphones, people still prefer printed-out maps,” said Hans, who resides in Waitsfield VT with her husband Peter and their two daughters. “Although Discovery Map has a great website and online presence, the maps are truly like works of art and reveal the character of an area... and there is a lot of that in Newport.”

For local businesses interested in placing an ad in the upcoming Discovery Map of Newport, to be published and distributed in June 2020, ad space is still available. Interested merchants can call (802) 917-1228 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Discovery Map International has more than 130 maps nationwide. More than 6,000 businesses advertise on Discovery Maps across the U.S. One annual ad on Discovery Map reaches, on average, 500,000 visitors. Discovery Map advertisers renew their ads at a very high rate and some of the older Discovery Map locations have businesses who have been advertising on the same map for more than 20 years.

For more information on the Discovery Map opportunity, visit https://discoverymap.com

About Discovery Map International, Inc:
Discovery Map International is the country’s leading provider of curated guides to top tourist destinations, cities and towns throughout North America. The distinctively colorful, hand-drawn maps are a favorite of travelers for navigating local dining, attractions, businesses, cultural experiences, ski destinations – and even the best locations to take selfies. Discovery Maps can be found in local hotels, restaurants, shops, visitor information centers and other participating venues, and at discoverymap.com. Named by Forbes as “one of the best franchises to buy” in 2015, Discovery Map International is headquartered in Waitsfield, VT, in the heart of the Green Mountains.

For information about the Discovery Map International franchise opportunity, visit https://discoverymapfranchise.com or call 802-316-4060.

Media Contact:
Steven V. Dubin, PR Works
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781-582-1061