Phillips known as Phillips the Auctioneers, is a British auction house. It was founded in London in 1796, has head offices in London and in New York City. Phillips was founded in 1796 by Harry Phillips, a clerk to James Christie; the business soon became successful. Napoleon and Beau Brummel were among the early patrons. Harry Phillips died in 1840, the business passed to his son William Augustus, who renamed it Phillips & Son, it was renamed Phillips in the 1970s. In 1999 a majority stake in the company was sold to venture capitalists 3i, who resold it shortly after for a considerable profit; the company was bought in 1999 by Bernard Arnault of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton. After a series of disastrous sales and heavy losses Bonhams bought the UK operations of Phillips in 2001 and merged them into the Bonhams name. Most of the rump of the business was closed. In 2002 Simon de Pury acquired majority control of the firm; the company opened its European headquarters in Howick Place, London, in early 2008.

On 6 October 2008, the company was purchased by the Russian Mercury Group, which paid $60 million for it. Simon De Pury sold his remaining shares to Mercury in late 2012, left the company; the name was changed back to Phillips. Media related to Phillips at Wikimedia Commons

Dr. Shikoh Gitau is a Kenyan computer scientist and technology innovator. Despite growing up in poverty, she used her passion to finish her undergraduate studies in Computer Science at the Africa Nazarene University and attain her PhD at University of Cape Town, she is known for inventing M-Ganga and Ummeli, mobile applications for promoting health and medicine and matching unemployed workers with employment opportunities. Gitau was the first African to win the Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship received in the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing based on her inventions and thesis, she contributes and manages the Technology Innovations for Inclusive Growth program where she is presently employed in the Africa Development Bank. Gitau was born to a working-class family in Mathare. Soon after her birth, her family lost their property in Mathare in the aftermath of the 1982 Kenyan Coup D'état Attempt and were forced to settle with relatives in Nakuru. During her childhood in Nakuru, Gitau saw her first collegiate graduation ceremony on television.

She credits witnessing a woman receive a PhD from then-president Daniel arap Moi during this broadcast with motivating her to pursue higher education. Gitau completed her undergraduate studies at the Africa Nazarene University in Nairobi, her career at ANU was marked by academic excellence: she remained on the Honor Roll and Dean's List during all four years of her education, earned the university's Merit and Leadership Awards in 2003 and 2005, respectively. After receiving her degree, she worked as a UNICEF volunteer before taking a job as a programs assistant at the Centre for Multiparty Democracy, a Kenyan political activism group, she worked there until 2007, when she enrolled in the University of Cape Town to pursue an MSc and subsequently a PhD in Computer Science. Gitau has worked in a plethora of different areas to benefit African development, her most notable career achievement is her mobile application "Ummeli". This application, created in June 2010, matches unemployed people with employers in need of their skills.

Due to its low cost and practical use, its potential to change unemployment in labor markets is high. Umelli is available in South Africa now and is projected to become available in other African countries. In December 2010, Gitau started working for Google Inc's Emerging Markets where she "identified and designed the www.beba.co.keconcept and worked on its introduction to Kenya’s Transit system". In January 2011, Gitau was a co-founder and research mentor for iHub_Research where she was on the forefront of research on mobile internet usage in Africa and worked on the Microsoft oneApp project. Gitau works in the ICT department of the African Development Bank working on developing various projects with different governments across Africa. On July 31, 2013, Gitau became one of three people to win the ABIE Change Agent Award, she made history by becoming the first African to win the Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship. She was recognized with fellow honorees in Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 5 during the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.

In 2017, Gitau was recognized as the Most Influential Women CEO Global for East Africa under the Information and communications technology sector by the Independent Magazine. Other 2005 Top Ten Finalists for Oxford Rhodes Memorial Scholarship 2013 AfroElle Power List of African women who affect change 2015 Top 40 under 40 women to watch in Kenya 2015 ASPEN New Voices Fellow

Washington Area Women’s Foundation is a nonprofit organization located in Washington, DC that brings together women who act as donors and activists. This network of women invests in the lives of low-income women – and single moms in particular – so they, in turn, can enrich the lives of their children; the Women’s Foundation’s mission is to foster a powerful wave of philanthropy to improve the lives of women and girls in the surrounding region. The Women's Foundation accomplishes this by: leveraging women's philanthropy. Washington Area Women’s Foundation serves Washington, DC, Montgomery County and Prince George's County in Maryland, Alexandria, Fairfax County and Arlington County in Virginia; the Women’s Foundation is the only public foundation in the metropolitan DC area, dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls. It is one of the fastest growing women’s funds in the country, both in terms of supporting donors and the number of grants made; the organization was first conceived by a small group of women who got together for a Sunday afternoon tea on May 18, 1997 in Bethesda, MD.

In 1998, Washington Area Women’s Foundation was established. It was founded on the principle that women, working together, can enhance the physical and financial well-being of women and girls in the Washington metropolitan area by providing financial resources to local nonprofits engaged in innovative, effective work for communities in need. In its first year, The Women’s Foundation increased its individual donors from 75 to over 300 with creative fundraising strategies, including over $5,000 from Beanie Baby sales at Sandy Rubin’s store, garnering her The Women’s Foundation’s first Entrepreneurial Philanthropy award. Since 2006, The Women’s Foundation has granted over $1 million per year to area nonprofits; the Women’s Foundation encourages philanthropic investments in the community in a number of ways intended to encourage members to donate at whatever level is best for them. Individuals Some participants choose to be individual donors, making one-time, occasional, or regular donations both large and small.

Giving Circles There are two giving circles that allow women to come together and contribute as a group. The Rainmakers Giving Circle, founded in 2003, supports programs for young women and girls between the ages of 10 and 21 that empower and increase competence in the areas of employment, education and life skills. Rainmakers Giving Circle members commit to give $5,000 each over two years. To date, they've invested more than $200,000 in nonprofits supporting young women and girls in the DC metropolitan area. Since 2004, the African American Women’s Giving Circle has invested nearly $120,000 in nonprofits supporting African American women and girls; the circle includes 15-25 women who have each made a financial commitment of at least $2,000 over a two-year period and agreed to work together to determine which local nonprofits will receive grants. Leadership Networks The Women’s Foundation has created two Leadership Networks; the Washington 100 combines the resources of more than 100 women and men who make a two-year commitment of $10,000 each.

The result is more than $1 million of critical support to fuel programs that build strong communities through investments in women and girls. The 1K Club is a network of emerging philanthropists committed to strengthening the effectiveness of The Women’s Foundation and its work. 1K Club members each contribute a minimum of $1,000 paid over a two-year period—or $42 per month. Leadership Luncheon The Leadership Luncheon is The Women’s Foundation’s annual fundraising event, it is designed to bring together nonprofits that benefit from The Women’s Foundation and others involved with The Foundation for an afternoon of raising money, learning more about The Foundation, celebrating those involved. Washington Area Women’s Foundation distributes funds through grants for which local organizations apply; the Women’s Foundation provides visibility and technical assistance to local nonprofits referred to as Grantee Partners. Since 1998, The Women’s Foundation has assisted more than 100 Grantee Partners who aid women and girls in the DC metro area.

The Grantee Partners deal with a wide range of issues including: homelessness, child care, poverty, women’s rights, human trafficking, reproductive rights, home ownership, domestic violence, job training. In 2005, The Women’s Foundation launched Stepping Stones, a multi-year, regional initiative with the goal of building long-term financial independence and economic security of low-income women and women-headed families. It's a data-driven strategy focused on single mothers earning between $15,000 - $35,000 per year. From July 2008 to June 2009, despite being in the middle of an economic downturn, Grantee Partners that received money from Stepping Stones helped nearly 1,000 women increase their assets by $2.2 million, helped 66 women become homeowners, helped over 70 women increase their income by more than $600,000 due to job placements. The Leadership Awards is an annual program that invests in the work of outstanding, emerging community-based organizations that serve the critical needs of women and girls.

It provides an opportunity for members of The Women’s Foundation community to volunteer in the selection of awardees through “citizen philanthropy.” Each year, 40-60 volunteers evaluate organizations that apply for the leadership awards through interviews and site visits. The volunteers choose 10 nonprofits to receive Leadership Awards. An online vote opens up the

Casanova is a 2005 American romance film directed by Lasse Hallström starring Heath Ledger and loosely based on the life of Giacomo Casanova. A young woman tearfully leaves her son to live with his grandmother and promises to return for him someday. Several years in 1753, in Venice, Casanova, is notorious for his promiscuity with women, his adventures being represented in puppet theatres around the city; the Doge, the ruler of the city, is a friend to Casanova, but cannot be too lenient on him as he wishes to avoid trouble with the Church. He warns Casanova to marry soon. Casanova gets engaged to Victoria, to save himself from exile. Casanova meets and falls in love with Francesca Bruni, who writes illegal feminist books under the pseudonym of a man, Bernardo Guardi, argues for women's rights as Dr. Giordano de Padua. Francesca mistakes Casanova's name for Lupo Salvato and Casanova humors her, since she hates the ill-reputed Casanova. Francesca and her mother are in debt, however, so her mother pressures her to marry rich Paprizzio, from Genoa, a union arranged by her late father.

When Paprizzio arrives in Venice, Casanova lies to him and says that the hotel he booked is closed and he persuades him to stay at his house. Casanova lies and says that he is indeed Bernardo Guardi. While Paprizzio asks his advice on how to impress Francesca, Casanova lures him to stay at home while receiving treatment for weight loss. Casanova visits Francesca, pretending to be Paprizzio and tells her that he lied to her before to make sure she is not in love with someone else and marrying him only for his money. Francesca distrusts him but starts to trust him. During the Venetian Carnival, Francesca recognizes the real Paprizzio from his publicity posters which force Casanova to confess his true identity making her angry. Casanova is arrested by the Venetian Inquisition for crimes against sexual morality, such as debauchery and fornication with a novice, he saves Francesca by pretending to be Bernardo Guardi. At his trial, Francesca confesses that she is the real Bernardo Guardi, both are sentenced to death.

Meanwhile, Francesca's mother and the real Paprizzio fall in love. Just as Casanova and Francesca are about to be hanged in the Piazza San Marco, they are saved by an announcement that the Pope gave amnesty to all prisoners who were to be executed on that day, as it was the Pope's birthday, it is discovered that the "Cardinal" who gave the announcement was an impostor who happens to be Casanova's stepfather, wedded to his long-lost mother who came back for him just as she promised when Casanova was a child. As they all escape on Paprizzio's boat, Francesca's brother, stays behind to marry Victoria and to continue Casanova's legendary womanizing; the real Casanova spends the rest of his life as a stage actor touring with his family and the Paprizzios. Filming began on July 9, 2004, the finished film was released in the United States on September 3, 2005. Visual effects for the film were produced by Custom Film Effects and Illusion Arts. Period costumes were supplied by four different Italian costume houses: Tirelli Costumi, Nicolao Atelier, Costumi d'Arte, G.

P. 11, shoes were manufactured by L. C. P. Di Pompei. Wardrobe was rented from Sastreria Cornejo of Spain. Despite being set in Venice, some scenes were filmed in Vicenza the Teatro Olimpico, the Renaissance theater known for its intricate forced perspective stage design. Concerto Grosso in D Minor, Op 3 No 11 Concerto for Mandolin in C Major Water Music Music for the Royal Fireworks Concerto No. 1 in C Major Concerto in B Flat Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 44% based on reviews from 131 critics. Casanova on IMDb Casanova at Box Office Mojo Casanova at Rotten Tomatoes

Flower was a Japanese pop girl group formed and managed by LDH from 2009 to 2019 and signed to the record label Sony Music Japan. They were a dance and vocal unit of collective girl group E-girls alongside Happiness and three other original E-girls members; the group consisted of four performers at the time of their disbandment. Flower was formed firstly as a performance group, with LDH recruiting four EXPG students: Elina Mizuno, Manami Shigetome, Mio Nakajima, Shuuka Fujii in 2009, they began appearing in Exile music videos and started modeling, before gaining popularity as backup dancers for Exile during their EXILE LIVE TOUR 2010 FANTASY alongside sister groups Dream and Happiness. In February of 2011, it was announced that Exile would be sponsoring a nationwide talent search, titled EXILE Presents VOCAL BATTLE AUDITION 3 ~For Girls~ aimed at young girls, ages 12-25. Thousands auditioned through three stages of initial screening; this led to the group. However, the winners of the vocalist audition weren't announced yet.

On April 24, 2011, E-girls was formed as a joint project featuring Dream and Flower. While the other two groups had vocalists, Flower only performed as a dance act at E-girls' shows. During an E-girls show on May 14, 2011 held at SHIBUYA-AX, it was announced that Reina Washio, Chiharu Muto and Kyoka Ichiki would be the vocalists of Flower; the new line-up performed their audition song, "Still" and revealed that it would be their debut single. As a 9-member group, Flower released their debut single, "Still", on October 12, 2011; the single charted at number 5 during the first week of release, remained on the chart for several weeks. In November 2011, all members of Flower were confirmed to be joining the collective group E-girls. On January 24, 2012, it was announced that the group would release their 2nd single "SAKURA Regret" on February 29th. Flower continued to release several singles throughout 2012 alongside promoting as members of E-girls. In June 2013, company LDH confirmed the group would be participating in a competition with sister group Happiness in which both groups would release their singles on August 7, the winner of the competition would have one of their songs feature as a B-side on a future E-girls' single.

For the competition, Flower released their 5th single "Taiyou to Himawari". Two weeks after the release, it was revealed via Exile's TV show Shuukan EXILE, that Flower won the battle by 3 points against 2 of Happiness; as a reward, their song "Hatsukoi" was included in E-girls' single "Gomennasai no Kissing You". Leader Elina Mizuno announced her official withdrawal from Flower and E-girls on October 18, 2013, together with the announcement of E-girls' 7th single "Kurukuru", she would continue her career in the entertainment industry as an actress managed by LDH. On November 25, Flower's 6th single, "Shirayukihime" was announced to be released on December 25, 2013; this single was the first release of them as an 8-member group. On December 26, it was announced; the group's self-titled first album was released on January 22, 2014. On January 25, Manami Shigetome and Chiharu Muto were invited to meet British girlgroup Little Mix prior to their first performance in Japan, they talked about the possibility of a future collaboration.

On June 11, Flower released their 7th single "Nettaigyo no Namida". On October 12, Chiharu Muto announced her withdrawal from both E-girls and Flower, deciding to study abroad. Shortly after, on November 12, the group released their 8th single, "Akikaze no Answer", being the last single to include Chiharu; the title track was chosen as the theme song for the Nippon TV drama Binta!~ Bengoshi jimu-in Minowa ga ai de Kaiketsu Shimasu ~ which stars Exile's Matsu in its leading role. In December 2014, LDH announced that Flower would be releasing their 9th single, "Sayonara, Alice / TOMORROW ~Shiawase no Housoku~" on February 18, 2015; this would be Flower's first double A-side single, their first single without Chiharu, as a 7-member group. Additionally, "TOMORROW ~Shiawase no Housoku~" is a cover of the song "Tomorrow" from the musical Annie and was used as the theme song for the Japanese release of the American movie Annie from 2014. On February 3, 2015. Flower announced the release of their second album, Hanadokei to be released on March 4, less than a month after the release of their double A-side single "Sayonara, Alice / Tomorrow Tomorrow: Shiawase no Hosoku".

On February 14, during the first day of E-girls' second tour COLORFUL WORLD, Flower's first live tour Flower LIVE TOUR 2015 "Hanadokei" was announced to be held in 5 cities starting in June. On February 24, Flower and Little Mix's collaboration song "Dreamin' Together" was released; the song was created after both groups reunited in summer 2014 and nominated in the category "Best Collaboration" at the MTV VMAJ 2015. The group released their 10th single "Blue Sky Blue" on April 29, 2015; the title song was chosen as the commercial song for KOSE's new mascara product, with the CM titled Facio E-girls Demonstration Live featuring 11 E-girls members. On October 7, Kyoka Ichiki announced her departure from both E-girls. In her graduation message she wrote; the group released their 11th single "Hitomi no Oku no Milky Way" (瞳の奥の銀河(ミルキーウ