text:
Increasing both the size and quality of a brand's email list is often a top priority for marketers, and with good reason. Not only does the email channel typically show a high ROI when compared to other direct marketing channels, it offers marketers a means to further engage and inform their subscribers. Additionally, email can be integrated with other channels to augment outreach efforts and enhance overall campaign performance.
The following recommendations can help increase the number of successful email sign-ups by increasing exposure for the email program and making it easy for email prospects to find and complete the opt-in process.
The Basics: Build a Foundation for Positive Subscriber Experiences
1. Regardless of which methods you employ to grow your list, make sure that your approach is subscriber-centric and user-friendly. A primary goal of building an email list should be to create a rewarding and satisfying subscriber experience from the initial opt-in to the re-engagement email and beyond.
2. Include clear permissioning on all opt-in pages and forms. Setting expectations with new subscribers is essential for growing an engaged and happy subscriber base.
3. Leveraging a splash page that focuses on the email opt-in is a great way to grow a subscriber base for major launches, new brand awareness strategies, upcoming key events and any other promotion that depends on building anticipation as well as an email list.
4. Give prospects an easy way out of the subscription process and back into your website content if they chose not to opt in. This sounds counterintuitive, but prospects who have a positive brand experience are more likely to opt-in down the line. Additionally, these same site visitors may choose to opt-in on another page once they have had more time to explore your content.
5. Create a simplified, mobile-friendly landing page that includes an overview of email program benefits, an opt-in, and basic navigation back to the main website. This ensures that a greater audience will be easily able to opt-in.
6. Make it easy to opt in by including a limited number of required fields that are clearly identified as such. If your brand strategy requires a high level of data, consider adding a secondary page or section where users are able to volunteer additional information or adjust preferences.
7. Keep your opt-in form design simple and intuitive and you'll see a lower abandonment rate.
8. Clearly spell out how your email program can benefit your subscribers and customers and set expectations on what kind of messaging they'll receive.
9. Offer email-exclusive deals, information and opportunities to increase the value of your email program for subscribers.
10. Have an optimized triggered welcome email in place to confirm the opt-in and welcome new subscribers to your program. While this won't help grow your list, it's an important step to start things off on the right foot and stave off list attrition!
Bread and Butter: The Website Opt-in
11. Make the email opt-in on your home page noticeable and easy to find! The longer that site visitors have to search for it, the fewer will successfully complete the process.
12. Put an email opt-in call-out on your content pages or within website headers or sidebars that are consistent across all pages of your website.
15. Make sure that your website footer includes an email program call-out and/or link to your opt-in page. This ensures that engaged website visitors will always have the opportunity to subscriber.13. Include an email opt-in on shopping cart checkout pages, but try not to pre-check the sign-up box.
16. For sweepstakes and contests, include a benefit statement, clear permissioning and a checkbox to opt-in to receive promotional emails.
17. For any sign-up forms for webinars, demos or other online events, call-out your email program and provide a way to opt-in.
Using Email to Drive More Email Opt-Ins
17. Make sure that your content is worth sharing! If you have great offers, tips, information, images or content, your subscribers will be more likely to spread the word.
18. Include a clear, motivating call-out within the email creative that encourages and/or allows your subscribers to forward an email to their friends.
19. If possible, for all emails that are forwarded through calls to action within the content, add a banner or call-out to the template that includes motivating copy and a link for the friend to sign up to receive emails.
20. Include an opt-in link in the footer of all commercial emails so friends are able to opt-in even if the email was forwarded through the forwarder's email client.
21. Feature a prominent forward-to-a-friend link within your welcome email series to capitalize on new, engaged subscribers.
22. Consider sending an email that highlights sharable content and/or the multi-channel share features that are available for subscribers to spread the word about your brand, products or offers.
23. Include a call-out to join your email program on transactional emails for customers who are not subscribed to your email program.
Beyond Digital: Getting the Brick and Mortar Involved
24. Turn in-store customers into email subscribers by informing shoppers of the benefits of the email program and offering them an option to opt-in at the point of sale.
25. Take some of the pressure off of your in-store employees to spread the word by including signage and point of purchase call-outs that briefly highlight the benefits of your email program.
26. If you're already sending email receipts, modify the template to include a call-out for your email program and a link to the opt-in form.
27. Include an email program plug and benefit statement on printed sales receipts.
28. If you have a loyalty program in place, ensure that it is tied into your email program. Allow members to opt-in to receive standard sales emails in addition to loyalty program communications.
29. Leverage QR codes as a quick way for savvy in-store customers to jump right to your mobile friendly opt-in page.
Out of the Box: Making Print and Outdoor Media Work Harder
30. On print advertising pieces in magazines and newspapers, call-out the benefits of the email program and include both the website address and/or a QR code
31. Promote your email program to customers and prospects on your physical mailing list. On direct mail pieces, call out the specific benefits of an email subscription or online membership and provide simple, clear instructions on how to opt in.
32. Plug your email program on printed collateral and brochures.
33. Highlight the benefits of the email program on advertisements displayed in spaces with a captive audience, like public transportation ads. Provide a link or QR code that directs visitors to the mobile site or mobile opt-in page.
Making the Most of Each Touch Point: Client Services Capture
34. Provide your call center with scripts that briefly highlight the email program and allow callers to opt-in to receive promotional messaging.
35. Add a descriptive link about the email program in the email signatures for client/prospect facing representatives. This strategy works great for B2B or for brands that leverage one-to-one lifecycle or customer service email programs.
Get Social: Tying Email to Social Media
36. If you have a presence on Facebook, create an email opt-in tab that calls out the benefits of the program and allows visitors to join your list.
37. Do not require Facebook visitors to like your brand before opting in to receive emails. Across all age groups, email still has a commanding lead on how people would like to receive promotional based messages. Requiring a "like" and an email address may contribute to page abandonment and the loss of an opportunity to contact the visitor across both channels.
38. For Facebook, customize the text, image and links that are published to the site when a subscriber shares email content and offers. Ensure that the messaging that is displayed is engaging and actionable for friends.
39. Within your social profiles, ensure that website links direct users back to a relevant landing page that contains a benefit statement and opt-in for the email program. This can be accomplished by updating the footer, header or side bar to contain an email program call-out and opt in form.
40. Promote the benefits of your email program on the social sites that you have presence on and provide a link to the opt-in page.
41. Call out specific email exclusive offers on social sites and provide links back to the opt-in page. Ensure that these pages offer navigation back to main content pages to allow visitors to further explore your brand and your site.
42. On all Pinterest-friendly content, ensure that when the pinned image is clicked on the Pinterest site, users are linked back to a relevant content page that also contains an email program opt-in.
43. If your brand is very active on Pinterest or your website sees frequent traffic from the site, ensure that the sidebar, header or footer on all of your content pages contain an easy to locate email opt-in. Make opting in easy for interested visitors as pinned images can often link to deep site content.
There's an App for that?
44. If you have a mobile app, add an email opt-in option within your app settings, intro screens or content pages.
45. Already linking to an email account and sending transactional messages? Include a permissioning statement and checkbox to opt-in to receive promotional emails and extend the opportunity by including an opt-in link within the email content.
Searching for Subscribers: SEM and SEO
46. Call-out your email program on SEM ads, especially if you have an offer for new subscribers. Not only will you get more email addresses, you may capture more sales from prospects who are shopping around for savings.
47. If your brand leverages search ads, include a link to your email program opt-in.
Mixing It Up: Cross-Brand Strategies
48. If your brand is included in another company's promotional email, ensure that the landing page includes an opportunity to opt-in to the email program.
49. If your brand is cross-promoted on another brand's preference center or opt-in form, make sure that permissioning is very clear or use a double opt-in process. This can help increase subscriber trust and reduce the chances of spam complaints and opt-outs down the line.
50. If your brand is involved with, or contributes to altruistic causes and your logo is featured on their site, request that the logo be a live link that directs traffic back to a relevant site page that contains an option to opt-in to the email program.
Still want more insights on how to maximize your subscription rate? Check out my recent blog postings on how key best practices for the opt-in process play out in the high-stakes landscape of the 2012 presidential election.


text:
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ebook, 50 pages
Published February 27th 2012 by Riptide Publishing
No Spoilers - just quotes
All this was too bizarre for words.
In this penultimate book in the series things are really coming to a head. Literally, Stephano is pushed to the brink from so many directions that you feel he is about to lose it at any moment. Voinov keeps an edge of discomfort running through this story and that tension is thrilling.
"Tell me to leave."
The barracuda's closing in for the kill.
"I wouldn't mean it."
No one and nothing is pushing Stephano harder or further than himself. I like the dichotomy of these "power men" who are so confused by basic instinct and emotion. And, although I find myself nearly shouting at the characters what the right choice is there is, even in me, an underlying doubt about who's pulling strings and moving pawns.
Who'd give him the wisdon to handle Silvio without losing his mind in addition to his heart?
I was surprised and delighted to find levity mixed into a climactic portion of the story. Again and even more glaringly, Stephano's self-doubt and humanness shows through allowing me to identify (as ridiculous as that seems) with him.
..."you leave...an absence when you're not there. Unlike other people, who leave nothing." He sounded like an idiot, didn't he. Yep, he did.
Although I missed having more of Silvio's perspective in this book, he was clearly central to the story. His angst and pain permeated everywhere and his unique sexual attractiveness makes him an undeniably unforgettable character.
I am looking forward to the conclusion even as I have my concerns that there is likely not going to be a happy ending.
Visit Me at Goodreads
View ALL my Goodreads Reviews

subset: commoncrawl


text:
God has declared in the Shrimad Bhagwad Gita that whenever there is the degradation of religions in the world, I come in this world to punish the wicked ones and protect the good ones. So think, hasn't the condition of the world deteriorated to the extent that God's incarnation on earth has become necessary? Fire is burning everywhere in the world. Somewhere it is the fire of lust and somewhere it is the fire of anger. Somewhere man is destroying nature and somewhere else nature is destroying man. Will the world continue to degrade like this? Is its transformation possible?
Yes, it is possible, but not through the sinful human beings. It is possible through the One who purifies the sinful ones, through the one who is always beneficial, through the Supreme Father Supreme Soul God Shiva, who has divinely incarnated in the land of Bharat in order to transform this hell into heaven. Since 1936-37, having entered secretly into an ordinary human body, He has been undertaking the task of the world transformation through the teaching of easy Raja Yoga and Divine Knowledge. No religious father, great soul, scholar, maulavi, father etc. could accomplish the task of transforming hell into heaven. Only the Supreme Father Supreme Soul can do this task and He is also doing it at present.
The main aim of the Supreme Father Supreme Soul Shiva coming on this earth is to bring back the deity souls of all the religions together uniting them with one thread and then to establish the Ancient Deity Religion which almost doesn't exist now, meaning to transform the human beings into deities. Every man, Arjuna, should perform such actions that from a man he will become Narayan and every woman, Draupadi, should perform such actions that from a woman she becomes Lakshmi. Just the Spiritual knowledge of the Gita and Raja Yoga is the prominent source to attain this aim.The advance training of this knowledge is given free of cost in the Madhubans of the Adhyatmik Vidyalaya situated in Kampila-Farrukhabad/Delhi as well as in other spiritual families and schools of the Gita in various states all over India.


text:
Called to be a healer in a hurting world? Study nursing at Northwestern, and you'll graduate with the knowledge, skills and confidence to be an excellent nurse. You'll also be ready to continue Jesus' healing ministry by advocating for social justice; healthy environments; and individual and community health, wholeness and peace. Northwestern's nursing department offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The program's distinctive features include:
- More than 700 hours of clinical experience in both rural and urban healthcare settings
- A state-of-the-art nursing laboratory with 6 human patient simulators in the $24.5 million DeWitt Family Science Center
- Multiple opportunities to learn by serving through healthcare-related mission projects and trips
- Mentorship by a nurse adviser who will be your resource during college and after graduation
- A mission of promoting shalom: individual, family and community health, wholeness and peace from a biblical perspective
Accreditation and pass rates
The BSN degee at Northwestern is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing. Our most recent nursing graduates have a 91.7% first-time board exam pass rate.
Highly ranked
Northwestern's nursing program is ranked in the nation's top 15% by Nursing Schools Almanac, which evaluated each institution's academic prestige and perceived value, the breadth and depth of nursing programs offered, and student success (particularly on the national licensure exam). Only 11 Iowa schools made the list, and Northwestern is in the state's top 5.


text:
When my friends talk about their childhood they mention things like when Opal Fruits became Starbursts, the Broons, Beatrix Potter and The Tales of Peter Rabbit…
I remember Tintin, Spirou and Astérix et Obélix.
Of the latter, we had all the comic books in the series, and for some reason unknown to this day, they were all in the bathroom, right next to the toilet. If someone disappeared in the bathroom for hours on end, you needn't worry they had digestive issues – it was more likely they were simply reading in the loo. Because why the hell not.
Which brings me to this recipe (quite a jump, I know, but just keep up, will you). French onion soup, topped with crusty, buttered bread and shredded, grilled cheese.
Or my mother always calls it: «soupe à l'oignon y crouton»
This, my good friends, is Soupaloignon Y Crouton, from Astérix et Obélix en Hispanie (Asterix and Obelix in Iberia). His English name translates to Huevos Y Bacon, which is not even half as funny as his French name and is completely different anyway.
Food is always nourishing to me. 'Nourishing' means many different things. At times you need to nourish your body, to provide it with energising food; sometimes you need to nourish your soul, to nurse your heart's wounds until time heals them; and at other times you need to nourish your inner child. I will often make this soup on a Thursday or Friday night, at the end of a tiring week at university. It soothes me, it makes me feel warm all the way into my toes. Sometimes that's all you need from food.
Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée
* You can easily make this soup without wine, though the flavour won't be quite as rich. Add more vegetable stock if omitting the wine and make sure the onions are well caramelised, otherwise you won't get any good flavour out of your soup at all.
* The vegan butter makes all the difference. Olive oil will work fine in a pinch, but please, pleeease use butter if you can. The depth of flavour it provides is magnificent.
4 medium onions
1 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
750ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
about 2 glasses of white wine
a pinch of dried thyme
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp vegan butter + extra to butter the bread
3 slices of sourdough
shredded vegan cheese, to serve (optional)
nutritional yeast, to serve (optional)
First things first: peel and chop the onions in half. Slice each half very thinly.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sweat the onions for a few minutes, then add the garlic, salt and dried thyme. Cook for approximately 10 minutes; the onions need to be thoroughly softened and translucid (the salt will prevent them from burning).
Pour the stock into the saucepan, slightly lower the heat and cover with a lid. Leave it to gently simmer for 45 minutes for best results. Add the wine and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. You want some of the alcohol to burn off, but not completely.
The soup should now be a dark, coppery brown, the onions fall-part soft and caramelised.
Pre-heat the oven grill to 200ºC. Ladle the onion soup into 2-3 soup tureens (depending on their size, you may be able to serve more or fewer guests). Cover the soup with a slice of buttered sourdough bread, sprinkle over some vegan cheese or nutritional yeast. Place the tureens under the grill for about 3-5 minutes, or until the bread is toasted and the cheese, if used, is melted.
Serve immediately, but beware of burning your tongue.
What's your favourite childhood memory?
Love and cookies,


text:
Running OpenCL™ on Intel® FPGAs (OOPNCL300)
Course DescriptionThis course will cover the Intel® FPGA tools available to compile OpenCL™ C code into FPGA hardware. We will discuss the requirements of compiling OpenCL code, types of hardware generated with the tools, and the mechanisms to run OpenCL kernels on the FPGA while communicating with the host program running on a CPU. Lastly we'll discuss various Intel FPGA SDK for OpenCL productivity and performance optimization features.
At Course Completion
You will be able to:
- Know the tools available in Intel FPGA SDK for OpenCL
- Compile OpenCL programs onto Intel FPGA hardware
- Run the OpenCL kernels on the FPGA
- Apply the various features of the Intel FPGA SDK including emulation, prototyping, profiling and others.
Skills Required
- Basic understanding of the C programming language
- Understanding of the OpenCL standards or "Writing OpenCL programs for Altera FPGAs" OLT
We recommend completing the following courses:
Applicable Training Curriculum
This course is part of the following Intel FPGA training curriculum:


text:
How does my Affiliate Partner URL work?
When you're logged into your account, all social share buttons on the Creative Market site will have your affiliate partner code built in already! Here are some areas where you can share content:
- All Creative Market products
- The blog
- Products and blog posts on the mobile site
For Creative Market (creativemarket.com), if you wish to share a product page or a blog post, just copy and paste the short link. If you want to share a page with no social sharing option or shortlink, just add the following parameter to the end of the URL:
For example, if you want to share a discussion thread, such as this one: https://creativemarket.com/discussions/20173-Share-Your-First-Font! just add your affiliate partner parameter to the end to make it an affiliate partner link:
Learn more about the Creative Market Partner Program downloading our guide here.


text:
Iconic, Cult and Classic Movies
"The Best Movies of all time" is a difficult list to put together.
The best movies ever might not be the ones you enjoy watching over and over. Top movies of all time might be the kind you only watch once, but they stay with you forever.
You develop admiration and reverence for great movies. They are whole, perfect and complete. That's we mean by "the best movies of all time".
Best films of all time and top movie reviews, in no particular order:
Akira Kurosawa is arguably the most influential filmmaker in history. He directed 30 movies, of which at least Rashomon (1950) and Seven Samurai (1954) are always on the top movies of all time lists.
Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Bernardo Bertolucci, Ingmar Bergman – just a few from the long list of admirers who said that Akira Kurosawa movies had definitive influence on their own work.
Orson Welles was 25 years old when he created Citizen Kane, possibly the best movie ever. He co-wrote, produced, directed and starred in Citizen Kane. His name could be the definition for "auteur" – a director who does it all.
Orson Welles' potential as a movie director was significantly undermined by Hollywood studios. His movies were often heavily edited or even refused release.
Federico Fellini movies have been greatly admired and widely imitated, but remain unsurpassed. One of the most famous movie directors in the world, he received 4 best movie Oscar awards, the highest number of Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film, including one for his autobiographical masterpiece 8 ½ (1963).
Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, Ingmar Bergman, David Lynch, David Cronenberg named it one of their favourite films.
Francis Ford Coppola wasn't awfully excited about making The Godfather (1972), which many fans consider the best movie of all time. He had a more personal film planned - The Conversation (1974). But he needed money and he decided to do movie studio a favour. No one expected the film to become one of the best movies ever.
Apocalypse Now (1979) was a personal project. It became famous before its release for eating up a lot of money and being plagued by difficulties on set. It was all worth it in the end. The movie is frequently ranked as the best war movie.
Charlie Chaplin is frequently cited as the most influential figure in the movie business. You need to be born on Mars not to know "the Tramp" character. Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed, starred in, produced and even wrote music for the majority of his movies.
City Lights was his finest movie accomplishment. Federico Fellini and Woody Allen praised the film. Orson Wells said it was his favorite movie.
Vittorio de Sica wanted to make a movie that depicts postwar Italy realistically. He financed the project himself, because no movie studio would agree to produce it. He shot on location only and used non-actors for the main parts. Vittorio de Sica received an honorary Oscar for Bicycle Thieves. He later received two more best movie Oscars for Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (1963) and The Garden of Finzi-Continis (1970).
Martin Scorsese is the living legend. He initially wanted to be a priest, before deciding on the filmmaking career. Lucky us! Taxi Driver (1976), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Goodfellas (1990), The Age of Innocence (1993), Casino (1995) are all among top movies of all time.
Taxi Driver established Scorsese as a powerful force. For Taxi Driver, he received the most prestigious award - Palme D'Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival.
Forrest Gump became an instant movie classic upon its release. It made over $600 million on a budget of $50 million. People loved it. Critics loved it. The movie received several Academy Awards, including one for best movie director - Robert Zemeckis and one for best actor - Tom Hanks.
John Travolta was initially offered the role of Forrest Gump, but refused – a decision he regretted. John Travolta got his chance to shine in the next movie on this list.
Pulp Fiction (1994) came out the same year as Forrest Gump, but it is a completely different animal. Pulp Fiction imitates various movie genres and arrives at inventing its own. It is wildly entertaining. An instant cult classic, it showed Hollywood that it can take a different direction with movie making.
Quentin Tarantino made it on a budget of $8 million, of which $5 million was for actors' salaries. Pulp Fiction is frequently cited as the best movie released in the last 20 years.
Go from Best Movies of All Time to FILMiconic: Top Movie Reviews homepage


text:
Beauty 'n' Go
Beauty'n'Go - literally. Beauty'n'Go offers a special kind of short and effective treatment. The perfect combination of intensive light therapy and innovative, high-quality active components leads to exceptional results and a lasting improvement in skin quality. All in less than 30 minutes.
Beauty'n'Go is excellently suited to those who have little time on their hands and yet do not want to miss out on effective cosmetic treatments. Beauty'n'Go is available exclusively from select professional beauty salons. The perfect combination with our Sheet Masks (Energizing Mask Technology).


text:
The good old BBC Micro wasn't particularly known for it's audio capabilities, it certainly wasn't as powerful in that department compared to the Commodore 64 for example. However, that didn't stop some games programmers back in they day, who managed to knock out some very impressive work.
I've started a little series on YouTube, where I hope to be able to bring to you these highlights.


text:
The IPL is an annual event watched by cricket fans all over the world, but one could witness another similar competition in September, albeit on a lesser scale. The BCCI are mulling a 'mini IPL' in September, with the competition set to be played overseas. If they manage to pull it off, BCCI will generate immense revenue.
In the past, when the IPL was not hosted in India for election reasons, the governing body have shifted the competition to South Africa and the UAE, and those venues proved to be a huge success. And for the mini IPL, if things go according to plan, one might witness the US hosting the mega event in September.
Most of the Test nations are not involved in series September, which has prompted the BCCI to think of a mini IPL. Such a tournament was always on the pipeline after scrapping of the Champions League T20 in 2014, which was a failure in terms of revenue, as most of the matches were played in front of fewer crowds.
"It can be a great testing ground for what is possible in terms of reaching out to the Indian fan base abroad. It can be made financially viable if a market like the US is explored. Frankly, if the broadcaster finds it appealing then a lot of things fall into place," Cricbuzz quoted The Times of India's source as saying.
If the plan goes ahead, cricketers all around the world will be busy with another mega competition, while cricket fans can enjoy the thrills and spills of another tournament.


text:
Location: Ahangama, Sri Lanka (5° 58' 40 N, 80° 22' 28 E)
Date: 12 October 2010, 6.10pm
Camera: Canon 500D with Sigma 17-70/f2.8-4.5
One of the most iconic images of Sri Lanka is that of men fishing while perched precariously on poles in the middle of rushing waves.The fishermen sit on a cross bar called a petta tied to a vertical pole planted into the coral reef. They hold the stilt with one hand while fishing with a rod using the other. The poles are about 3-4 m long with about half a meter driven into the reef; so the fishermen is about 2 m above water at high tides. The fishes they catch are small herrings, sardines and mackerels that hang around the shallow reefs. Any fishes caught are stored in a plastic bag tied around their waist or the pole. This is stilt or pole fishing, a tradition that is uniquely Sri Lankan; but a dying tradition with dwindling practitioners. Most stilt fishermen are found on the south and eastern coast of the island. However these days near the tourist resorts along the south coast, there are more so-called stilt fishermen who will pose for a fee for tourists to snap their photos.


text:
Stockton & Darlington Railway 150th Anniversary
Ticket, Stockton & Darlington Railway 150th Anniversary, 1825-1975, admit one to Rail 150 Exhibition at Shildon, price 60p, No. 6777.
- Category:
- Tickets, Passes & Labels
- Object Number:
- 2010-7116
- type:
- ticket
- credit:
- Beale, Alan
Cite this page
We encourage the use and reuse of our collection data.
Data in the title, made, maker and details fields are released under Creative Commons Zero
Descriptions and all other text content are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence
Download catalogue entry as json
Download manifest IIIF
Our records are constantly being enhanced and improved, but please note that we cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information shown on this website.


text:
Inaugurating the National Biogas Convention here today, Power, Coal, and New and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal said decentralisation of power is the fastest way to provide energy access to people.
In order to take energy to the last mile, "we have to ensure decentralised power production across the country", the ministry said in a release.
"India is already the world leader in small-scale and low-cost biogas purification technology," the release quoted the minister as saying.
The minister wanted the participants to create a framework for facilitating scientific exploration in the country.
Goyal also stressed on setting up a panel of scientists and bureaucrats who would plan integrated research for various universities, research institutes and the ministry.
Terming biogas as "an important solution" to the present energy crisis in rural areas, the minister said the green technology can create job opportunities and can add to income of villagers.
He felt that this can strengthen India's commitment to global climatic issues like reducing carbon emissions, climate change and the like.
"Through these biogas plants, we can demonstrate that India's efforts to leave behind a greener planet are the results of our age-old heritage of discouraging wasteful consumption," the statement added.
The three-day convention is being organised by Biogas Development and Training Centre at IIT Delhi and supported by various ministries. The Convention is being attended by researchers and other stakeholders.


text:
As EMS professionals, we're routinely challenged to successfully resuscitate victims of sudden cardiac arrest. Fortunately, our understanding of cardiac arrest pathophysiology continues to grow. More fortunate still, our enthusiasm in translating that understanding to effective therapies has never been greater.
In the August 2012 issue of JEMS, we introduced a comprehensive restructuring of the EMS System for Metropolitan Oklahoma City and Tulsa's cardiac arrest program using a three-part approach: chest compression fundamentals, resuscitation team dynamics and accelerated feedback on resuscitation performance. We discussed the benefit of going "back to the basics" of chest compression fundamentals training, increasing our rate to 120 chest compressions per minute and using metronomes to attain and maintain that rate throughout resuscitations. Now, we share how those fundamentals were incorporated into a Resuscitation Team Playbook and how we use directed feedback to further refine resuscitation performance.
Step 2: Resuscitation Team Dynamics
Have you ever been a part of an EMS call that was particularly "busy" in activity, yet when the patient was transferred for further care, you started to think, "What did we actually get done?" Us too. In fact, it happens to all of us in the inherently challenging practice of EMS medicine. We believe what you do with those reflections can make all the difference in the world for future patients. We therefore chose to turn our reflections, and those of our colleagues, into a Resuscitation Team Playbook that channels individual enthusiasms into a carefully orchestrated team performance, often described favorably as "pit crew resuscitation."
Figure 1 shows the positions used in our resuscitations, with roles defined for teams of one to six professionals. In our EMS system, we often start with resuscitation teams of two, three, or four, with subsequently arriving responders building that team to five or six actively contributing members. It's rare in our system that one EMT or paramedic would be tasked with resuscitating a cardiac arrest patient alone, but it could happen for a brief period if a patient were to collapse at a nearly empty fire station or ambulance headquarters. We wanted to ensure we had all the possibilities covered, including the single rescuer scenario. Let's review the key contributions provided by each position, so that you'll be certain to include the care most likely to promote neurologically intact survival, regardless of resuscitation team size.
Position 1: Rapidly identifies arrest and initiates continuous chest compressions.
>> Alternates minutes of chest compressions with Position 2 over the course of the resuscitation.
>> When not compressing, assists with bag-valve-mask ventilations (squeezing the bag).
>> Minimizes pauses in chest compressions for rhythm determination and/or defibrillation.
Position 2: Applies automated external defibrillator or monitor/manual defibrillator.
>> Mirror image of Position 1.
Position 3: Provides airway management; avoids hyperventilation.
Position 4: Leads scene management.
>> Interface with family/bystanders for events preceding arrest and medical history.
>> Supervises positions 1–3 for continuous compressions, timely defibrillation, and no hyperventilation.
Position 5: Provides ALS support.
>> Rhythm determination and manual defibrillation.
>> Vascular access.
>> Medication administration.
Position 6: Provides ALS support.
>> Patient management leader.
At first, it looks like a lot of instruction—because it is. However, these directives simply expand in detail on the key contributions at each position. You may think this degree of directive is micromanaging hardworking EMS professionals who already know the right things to do in time-sensitive situations. You're right; it actually is micromanaging, but let's look at why cardiac arrest calls for no less.
Try this exercise, literally. Do 20 jumping jacks. What do you feel? Unless you're in particularly athletic shape, you likely feel an increase in pulse and in respiratory rate and effort. Why? You're compensating for an increased activity demand. The human body is amazing in its ability to compensate, even to some degree when severely ill or injured. But spontaneous circulation reflects an unforgiving light switch. When it's "on," compensation is at work. When it's "off," as in cardiac arrest, there's complete loss of compensation … except for resuscitative efforts.
Thinking back to our understanding of cardiac arrest pathophysiology, we have to be precise in those efforts for our "compensation on loan" to work. The only way to make that happen comes when we use a carefully crafted plan (the playbook) and actively micromanage ourselves in each position (running the play). So in sum, it's not micromanaging by others, it's self-micromanaging, and it's for all the right reasons.
We've definitely laid out a plan, but how do we know whether it's the right plan? One quick answer you'll say is by looking at neurologically intact survival rates—before and after adoption of this plan. In fact, that's a great answer, but we think it comes up short as the lone answer.
In athletics, if a team loses a game, does that mean they played badly? Often, the answer is "not at all;" it may mean the team simply played a better team, or depending on how score is kept, the team may have started with a handicap that's insurmountable. Ever start a resuscitation feeling that you were working with such a handicap? That's where Step 3 comes into use in our cardiac arrest program.
Step 3: Feedback on Resuscitation Team Performance
Every high-performance professional values feedback designed to "build up" future abilities. Our feedback program channels that philosophy using proprietary software that captures data from the monitor/defibrillator throughout the resuscitation. Many EMS systems are using this type of capability, but the real value lies in merging data with a set of skilled clinical eyes, annotating the basic feedback forms. Credit goes to the Redmond, Wash., Medic One program for helping us see the full potential already in our grasp.
Only through annotating a case do specific gaps in compressions, changes in ventilation rates and timings of defibrillation really become clear. No "real world" resuscitation will ever be textbook perfect. Thus, only through analysis by an experienced clinician does variability reliably fall into the "makes sense" or "opportunity to reflect" categories. Without annotation, a "report card" gets generated without showing a valid grade … arguably pointless, right?
Our goal is to have an annotated resuscitation team performance feedback report available to the resuscitation team on its next shift after working a cardiac arrest. The report is sent with explanation through annotated comments and without discouraging remarks, even in areas for improvement. Those areas are self-evident, and we believe the best correction can come through team reflection.
So how are we doing in achieving our own goal? Currenrtly, just about 5% of the time. But here's a key point, and one we've had to learn with hard experience: If you wait until everything is perfect to start improving, you never start improving. Like most EMS systems, we're understaffed in comparison with our goals. However, we're fortunate in being able to hire a new data specialist position that's dedicated full-time in our Office of the Medical Director. This position will dramatically improve our feedback abilities, both in volume and timeliness.
Even with feedback 5% of the time, the results are encouraging. We're routinely seeing chest compression fractions (CCF) (i.e., time in which chest compressions are actively occurring) above 90%. In fact, many resuscitations are being performed with CCFs above 95%. (To be clear, these cases reflect random analysis, not just review of clear survivors.) These numbers reflect CCF increases 5–15% above our historical baselines. Not surprisingly, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rates have increased since we started resuscitation team dynamics in February. Although we anticipate cardiac arrest survival rates in 2012 to be rewarding, it's still early, and we don't want to report on incomplete data.
Conclusion (For Now)
Our EMS system, just like yours, is committed to attacking cardiac arrest and doing everything we can to help the suddenly dead become alive again. Focusing our energies (with encouragement from friends throughout EMS) on chest compression fundamentals, resuscitation team dynamics and better timely feedback on resuscitation team performance—all in support of patients and the EMS professionals caring for them—makes a lasting influence on cardiac arrest.


text:
Small but Mighty: A Look at Dublin's Startup Ecosystem and How to Get Involved
Dublin, Ireland is considered the land of hospitality – spend a few days with the locals and you'll feel as though you're a part of the community. The welcoming nature of the environment makes Dublin a great place to get connected quickly — and if you're a local startup, it's a great place to take root and find the resources you need. Here are just a few more of Dublin's ecosystem strengths:
- In terms of total numbers of startups, Dublin boasts roughly the same number as Amsterdam (around 2,250), a city with more than three times the population.
- Dublin-based started received $300M in funding in 2015.
- The smaller size of the region makes Dublin a great place to test and build a young company.
If you're interested in connecting with or supporting the Dublin startup community, here are three events you don't want to miss next month:
Startup Dublin's Friends + Startups Brekkie | June 3, 2016
If you're curious about Dublin's startup scene and not sure how you'd like to get involved yet, start small and get connected. On June 3 (and every first Friday of the month), the Office of the Dublin Commissioner for Startups – aka Startup Dublin – hosts an informal "brekkie" for Dublin's tech community. According to the Startup Dublin site, "dozens of scones and cups of coffee later a speaker takes the floor for 15-20 minutes to share their story and answer questions." The event is free and the perfect low-risk opportunity for anyone wanting to learn more about Dublin's startup community. Startup Dublin is an independent, not for profit established in 2014 in an effort to support innovative companies that are born, bred, or adopted in Dublin. Learn more here.
Startup Angels' AngelSummit EU | June 8-9, 2016
Curious about how you can invest your time, talent, and funds into your local community? Aspiring or experienced investors or curious community leaders are encouraged to attend the upcoming AngelSumit EU — a gathering of tech leaders from across Europe to discuss and develop best practices in angel investing. Guest speakers at this year's EU Summit include Dave McClure of 500 startups, Niamh Bushnell of Startup Dublin, Anne Ravanova of Global Invest Her, Jason Ball of Qualcomm Ventures, and more. "Angel Summits and investor workshops are key components to ensuring that the relationships and outcomes between startups and angels are successful," says Marc Nager of Techstars. "If we can get a predictable, repeatable model to people that helps open their eyes to the possibilities of high quality angel investing, well, that unlocks unimaginable opportunities." Learn more and register here.
Startup Weekend Dublin | June 10-12, 2016
If you've attended a Startup Weekend before, you know that they're a great way to get plugged into your local startup community. This June's Dublin Startup Weekend features guest speakers from the startup scene including Russell Banks (CEO, Investor Sheet), Jade O'Connor (Founder, HiBeam.co), and David Bowles of Delta Partners VC as well as a great line up of experienced judges. Check out this video from a previous Startup Weekend Dublin and sign up for the event here.


text:
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where can I find the requirements for my degree of interest?
Program requirements for all degrees can be found by clicking the appropriate link below:
- Civil Engineering Master's Thesis Option
- Civil Engineering Master's Non-Thesis Option
- Civil Engineering Doctoral Degree Course Requirements
2. Can I be admitted conditionally?
No. We do not consider any students for admission unless they have completed all of the application requirements.
3. I'm getting ready to submit my application online. Can the application fee be waived?
Neither the University nor the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering will waive the application fee. Highly qualified U.S. Citizens who have participated in the Summer Research Opportunities Program or a similar program may qualify for a fee waiver and can submit a request for consideration through the CIC FreeApp.
4. How do I check the status of my application?
The status of your application can be viewed online at http://appstatus.osu.edu.
After submitting an application, first time applicants are sent an email from The Ohio State University's Information Technology(IT) Service Desk, assigning an OSU ID and Internet Username(lastname.#).
Important: Applicants who have or had an affiliation with Ohio State do not receive the above-mentioned email since they already have an OSU ID and Internet Username. The Username is used to access the self-service page. When the Username and password are not active, it can be activated at: http://my.osu.edu. Or, if the OSU ID, username, or password are forgotten, assistance is also available at http://my.osu.edu.
New applicants with no prior or current affiliation with Ohio State who know their OSU ID and Username must activate their Username and create a password by requesting an activation code at: http://my.osu.edu . If you do not remember your ID, Username, or password, help is available at http://my.osu.edu. For assistance with the activation code request process, please visit 8help.osu.edu; or, contact the IT Service Desk by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com or calling (614) 688-HELP (4357).
For those applicants who do know their current password, passwords may be changed or reset by following the instructions at: http://my.osu.edu, or by contacting the IT Service Desk.
5. Where can I find information about the cost to attend Ohio State?
A breakdown of the various tuition and fee costs per credit hour for one semester is available at http://go.osu.edu/feetables. An estimated budget for Graduate study is available at http://go.osu.edu/gradbudget. On the page, click on the dropdown box and select "Graduate Students" for a display of the estimated expenses to pursue graduate studies at Ohio State for two semesters.
6. What types of financial aid are available?
For a description of funding options for graduate study, please visit https://ceg.osu.edu/graduate/funding-your-graduate-education. For more general financial aid information, visit http://sfa.osu.edu.
7. How do I apply for financial aid consideration?
All students who have been recommended for admission to our department are automatically eligible for financial aid consideration. Students who complete an application by November 30th are eligible for Fellowship, GTA, and GRA consideration. Students who complete their application after that date will be eligible for GTA and GRA consideration and general admission (without support). There are no additional forms that need to be submitted for financial aid consideration.
8. I already have funding. How should I indicate that on my application?
One of the questions in the application is whether or not you are a supported student. If you have funding through your employer, government, or some other means, mark "yes" on the application and when prompted and then list who is supporting you (ex. Fulbright, GE Aviation, Turkish Government, etc.).
9. What are my chances for being admitted?
Due to the large number of such requests, we do not make any evaluations of an applicant's chances of admission. Please note that GPA and test scores are only one component of the review process and decisions are based on the entire contents of the application.
10. How do I remind or change a recommender?
- Non-Ohio State students, must activate their Ohio State Username, (sent to you after you applied) at my.osu.edu
- Log into your Application References Summary using your Ohio State username and password at go.osu.edu/LOR.
Edit recommender information
- Click the green "Edit" button to the right of the reference you wish to edit. Edit any incorrect information.
- Copy the recommender's contact email address and paste into Confirm email address. Click the green Re-send Email button at the bottom right to re-send the invitation email requesting a letter of recommendation.
- To resend the invitation log into your Application references summaryat go.osu.edu/LOR and click the green Resend Email button to the right of the recommender you wish to remind.nder you wish to remind.
Add a recommender
- Log into your Application References Summary at go.osu.edu/LOR using your Ohio State username and password.
- Click the Add a Reference to an Application button.
- Read the Application References - Instructions and click ACCEPT. Click DECLINE only if your program requires paper references.
- Enter recommender name, organization phone, mailing address and email address on the Application References - Details page.
- Select the application and term for which the recommender will direct their letter, and indicate whether or not you wish to Waive Access to view recommendation letters after they are submitted.
- Check to make sure information is correct and click Save.
11. What type of information should be included in my letters of reference?
If an individual asks you this, you can suggest things like how you've done in a class, any extracurricular activities they know you've been involved in, how they think you'll be suited for graduate study etc. Submit a résumé to your recommender as that will often times help give them a little more background when writing your letter.
12. Can I send copies of my GRE and/or TOEFL score reports so you can review my application?
No. We require that all test scores must be issued to Ohio State directly from Educational Testing Services (ETS) or the organization offering the test if you are taking one of the other English language tests.
13. What is the institution and/or major codes for the submission of GRE and/or TOEFL scores?
The institution code for Ohio State is 1592. As long as you list Ohio State's institution code, your scores will be reported to Ohio State. All scores are reported to a central database at Ohio State.
14. What is your TOEFL/English Language test requirement?
A minimum score of 79 on the Internet-based (IBT) TOEFL is required in order to be considered for admission. An 82 is the minimum score allowed on the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB), or 7.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is also acceptable.
At least one of the following scores is preferred if English is not your native language : 96 on the Internet-based (IBT) TOEFL, 7.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or an 82 on the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB).
If you do not meet the minimum TOEFL score you application will not be reviewed until one of the following is met:
- You reach or surpass the minimum required score.
- The deadline of the term for which you originally applied passes at which point your application would be canceled.
15. My entire education was in English. Must I take the TOEFL test?
You are exempt from taking an English proficiency test, such as, TOEFL, MELAB, or IELTS, if you have established citizenship in one of the following countries: Australia, Belize, British Caribbean, British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales, and The United States. US Green Card holders are exempt from taking an English proficiency test if they have held the Green Card at least one year prior to their semester of enrollment.
If you are eligible to receive a 4 year bachelor's degree or higher from one of the countries listed above, then you are exempt from taking an English proficiency test. Please note: It is not required that you must have your degree completed from one of the exempt countries at the time you are applying for admission. However, you must have completed your degree prior to your semester of enrollment.
If your country is not listed as any of the exempt counties, you must take one of the aforementioned English proficiency tests.


text:
The Morning Wrap is HuffPost India's selection of interesting news and opinion from the day's newspapers. Subscribe here to receive it in your inbox each weekday morning.
Essential HuffPost
The vast majority of Indian media persons killed on the job in the last 25 years were Indian language journalists, as was Gauri Lankesh, the fiery woman journalist shot dead in her house in Bengaluru on Tuesday night.
The Congress in Karnataka, as also at the national level, has a real chance to prove its political mettle by pushing on with the investigation into journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder. But will the party have the will to do so? Sandip Roy asks.
Almost a year after former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan finished his tenure, the economist has revealed that he never backed demonetisation and had made his stance clear on this orally to the government. He came clean in his latest book, I Do What I Do.
Main News
For the first, Pakistan has admitted that internationally proscribed terrorist outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba are operating on its soil. Foreign minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif admitted this fact to Geo TV in response to a declaration made at the latest BRICS summit.
In the first stage of disengagement, Indian and Chinese troops on Doklam plateau have moved away from each other by 150 metres each, even as they remain stationed on the site. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to ease the tension between the nations during his recent visit to China.
Journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was murdered at her place on Tuesday evening, was laid to rest with full state honours in Bengaluru. Thousands of people poured in to pay their respects to the 55-year-old editor and outspoken critic of Hindu right-wing elements.
Off The Front Page
The Supreme Court directed the Centre and states on Wednesday to take strict action to curb self-styled cow vigilantes who have been attacking, killing and terrorising people for the suspected offence of being cruel to the animal.
The use of mobile phones while driving claimed 2,138 lives last year while faulty speed-breakers, potholes and under-construction roads accounted for 26 deaths on the roads every day, according to data released by the transport ministry.
PM Modi fast-tracked on Wednesday India-led development initiatives in Myanmar and offered projects in the restive Rakhine province, where a guerrilla fight between Rohingya rebels and the government's forces has triggered a refugee crisis. He didn't mention the humanitarian crisis or the persecution though.
In The Indian Express, Mrinal Pande pays tribute to slain journalist Gauri Lankesh, who moved away from English-language journalism, chose the life of a single woman and shied away from conventional choices to live life in her own terms.
Although a Chinese military intervention in North Korea is unlikely, it's Beijing's best opportunity to achieve greater strategic parity with the US in the region, writes Bill Emmott in the Hindustan Times.
The initiative to give people access to wireless Internet in public places is a laudable one but also fraught with several loopholes, Preeti Mudliar warns in The Hindu.
Also on HuffPost


text:
USI Midwest, Inc.
Firm Overview:
USI Midwest, Inc. is the largest insurance broker in the tri-state area. We deliver customized insurance solutions to over 1,000 local companies and provide personal insurance services to more than 14,000 individuals.
Founded in 1895, USI Midwest, Inc. is the combination of Thomas E. Wood, Queen City Insurance, O'Leary-Kientz, Cross & Associates, Wells Fargo Insurance, Acordia and Frederick Rauh.
Services and/or Products:
USI offers full service comprehensive insurance services including Commercial Property & Casualty Insurance, Employee Benefits, Auto & Homeowners Insurance, Retirement, Wealth Management and Professional Healthcare Liability.
We facilitate the renewal process, and service needs for Employee Benefit programs including strategic planning, contribution analysis, benchmarking, plan design modeling, employee communications, voluntary benefits, compliance, and wellness.
We also service Commercial Property & Casualty for businesses including property, general liability; and Personal Auto & Homeowners insurance including general liability, bonds, errors & omissions.
Past/Current Involvement with the Goering Center:
- Member of the Board of Advisors for 5-plus Years
- Corporate Partner Sponsor for Member events
- Corporate Partner Sponsor for Family & Private Business Awards
- Active Participant in Member Institutes
- Award Scholarships to Next Generation Institute
Special Offer(s) for Goering Center Core Members:
We will take you to lunch at a restaurant near your office to provide a free Employee Benefits or P&C Opportunity Analysis.
We will meet with you to answer your questions as to how health care reform will affect your business.
Contact Information:
Primary Individual Contact:
Todd Beldon
312 Elm Street, 24th Floor
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Year Company/Firm Founded: 1895


text:
Check out our print menu here: Bunker Bar Print Menu
Food Menu
Choose 1 of our 7 sauces for your Wings or Bunker Balls! Hot, Mild, BBQ, Hawaiian BBQ, Sweet Hot BBQ, Spicy Parmesan Garlic, Jalapeno BBQ
- Bunker Balls $6.50 for 6 and $8.99 for 10This is what made us famous! Chicken chunks tossed in 1 of our 7 famous sauces & served on a bucket of fried banana peppers and onion straws. With Ranch and celery.
- Jumbo Wings $6.50 For 6 $8.99 For 10Fresh wings with your choice of 1 of our 7 famous sauces. Served with Ranch dipping sauce and celery.
- BCC Dip $7.75We mixed our famous beer cheese and chili together to make this fantastic dip. Topped with sour cream served with tortilla chips
- Bavarian Pub Pretzels $6.993 large home baked pretzels served with our beer cheese for dipping!
- Steak Tips $8.99Sautéed tenderloin tips served with onion straws and our own special steakhouse sauce.
- French fries or tots topped with chili, beer cheese and sour cream
- Skillet O' Stones $7.99Mini baked potatoes smothered in cheese, bacon & sour cream.
- Chicken Quesadilla $8.50Flour tortilla filled with melted cheeses, tomatoes, onions and grilled chicken. Served with sour cream
- Fried Pepper Jack Cheese $6.75Little bites of happiness! Pepper jack cheese breaded and fried crispy. Served with Ranch.
- Spicy Green Beans $6.99Delicious green beans fried to perfection with a little kick!
- Pizza Logs $7.99Mozzarella, pepperoni and sauce in a crispy wrapper.
- Cheese Sticks $6.99
Sandwiches & Wraps
Served with your choice of side. Substitute a dinner salad, onion petals or cup of chili for $0.99
- The Tenderloin $8.99Our best sandwich! Grilled tenderloin sliced and topped with grilled onions & melted swiss and steakhouse sauce served on a toasted french loaf.
- Reuben or Rachel $8.99Reuben's are made with Corned beef, Rachel's are made with turkey. Both are topped with Sauerkraut, Swiss & sauce on toasted marble rye.
- Buffalo Chicken Philly $8.99Buffalo style tender chicken with melted mozzarella and sauteed onions. Served on a baguette with lettuce, tomato and mayo.
- Patty Melt $8.99Our infamous 1/2 pound patty served with sauteed onions, thousand island dressing on toasted marble rye.
- Turkey, ham, swiss, american, lettuce, tomato, bacon on Texas toast or in a honey wheat wrap.
- Fish Sandwich $8.99Hand breaded cod topped with lettuce, tomato, cheese & tartar sauce served on a french loaf.
- Hot Italian $8.99Ham, pepperoni, mozzarella, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and banana peppers on a baguette.
- Hot Ham & Swiss $8.99Shaved ham and swiss with mayo, lettuce, and tomato.
- Crispy Buffalo Sandwich $8.992 deep fried tenders dipped in our homemade mild sauce. Served with lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a french loaf.
- Pulled Pork Sandwich $7.99In house cooked pulled pork topped with slaw on a toasted bun.
- Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap $8.99Sliced smoked turkey with bacon, lettuce, tomato, ranch & swiss cheese in a honey wheat wrap.
- Greek Chicken Wrap $8.99Grilled chicken with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, feta and greek dressing in a honey wheat wrap.
- Grilled Cheese $6.99Served on texas toast!
- Hot Dogs $6.99Your choice of either 2 kraut or chili dogs.
- Chicken Sandwich $8.99Grilled chicken breast with tomato, lettuce and mayo. Served on a toasted roll.
- Fried Bologna $6.50A thick piece of bologna, grilled to perfection. Served with red onion, pickle, mayonnaise and provolone cheese on a toasted roll.
- Philly Cheese Steak $8.99Generous portions of Philly Steak, sautéed onion and mushrooms, smothered in provolone cheese. Served with mayonnaise on a french loaf.
- BLT Wrap or Sandwich $8.99Tons of bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo on a honey wheat wrap or Texas toast.
Soup & Salads
- Chili $2.99 For Cup $3.99 For BowlSpicy beef chili topped with shredded cheese and sour cream
- Steak Salad $10.99Grilled tenderloin served on top fresh greens garnished with tomato, blue cheese crumbles, cukes and red onions.
- Grilled chicken, chopped tomatoes, cukes, onions, and Feta cheese, atop a bed of fresh salad greens with Greek dressing.
- Bunker Salad $9.50Buffalo chicken on a bed of mixed greens with tomatoes, cukes, onions, & banana peppers
- Grilled chicken on top of a bed of fresh spinach with tomatoes, mushrooms, red onions and bacon. Substitute steak for $2.50
- Steak Tips $13.50A heaping portion of Tenderloin steak tips sautéed with button mushrooms, garlic and onions. Served with mini baked potatoes
- Grilled Chicken $11.992 Grilled chicken breast with mini bakers, green beans and a side of bbq.
- Smothered Chicken $12.99Grilled chicken smothered with mushrooms, onions and mozzarella cheese. With mini bakers and green beans
- Buffalo Mac and Cheese $10.99Try it it's awesome! Corkscrew pasta with buffalo chicken and our special cheese sauce, served with a pretzel
- Chicken Fingers $10.50No one does them better! Plump juicy chicken fingers with your choice of sauces. Served with slaw and fries
- Fish and Chips $11.99Half pound of hand cut Icelandic Cod, breaded and fried golden brown. Served with fries and slaw
- Bunker Ball Platter $10.50Deep-fried chicken chunks tossed in 1 of our 7 sauces. Served with French fries, Cole slaw and Ranch. Smother it in melted cheese for $0.95
- Fried Shrimp $10.99Hand battered and fried shrimp. Served with cole slaw, cocktail sauce and fries.
- Chili Mac $8.99A loaded skillet of pasta smothered under a heaping portion of homemade chili, cheese and onions.
- Steak Tips And Shrimp $14.99A very generous of hand cut tenderloin steak tips and fresh shrimp sauteed with button mushrooms, garlic and onions. Served with mini baked potatoes.
- Shrimp Saute $12.99A heaping portion of shrimp sauteed with button mushrooms, garlic and onions. Served with mini baked potatoes.
- Homemade Meatloaf $12.99Two generous portions of meatloaf. Served on top of smashed mini bakers, smothered in gravy and onion petals SEASONAL.
- Super Cheese $7.9912-inch pizza topped with sauce & 4 cheeses
- Pepperoni Pizza $8.9912-inch pizza topped with cheese and pepperoni
- Mike Bull D Pie $8.99Chili cheese pizza!!! Try it!!
- Make it your own $7.9912-inch pizza topped with sauce, cheese, and your choice of toppings: Pepperoni, banana peppers, mushrooms, red onions, ham, bacon, tomatoes, extra cheese, spicy sausage and jalapenos. Toppings $0.95 Feta $1.25 Chicken $2.50
Burgers are 1/2 pound made with fresh beef. *Server on a fresh roll with lettuce, tomato, pickle & onion. Served with your choice of sides. Substitute a dinner salad, onion petals, or chili cup for $0.99
- 1/2 Pounder $8.50*
- 1/2 Pounder w/ Cheese $8.99*
- Bacon Cheese Burger $9.50*1/2 Pounder topped with bacon and Melted American cheese
- Mushroom and Swiss Burger $9.50*1/2 Pounder topped with Mushrooms and melted Swiss cheese
- Brewhouse Burger $9.50*1/2 Pounder topped with beer cheese and onion petals
- Pub Burger $9.50*1/2 pounder topped with melted Swiss cheese, Steakhouse sauce, and onion petals.
- Smashed Browns $2.99Smashed mini baked potatoes fried crispy topped with cheese, bacon, chives & Sour cream
- Dinner Salad $2.50Mixed greens, lettuce tomato cucumber and onion
- House Salad $3.99Larger version of the dinner with mixed cheese
- Onion Petals $3.99Thin and Crispy
- Cole Slaw $1.50
- Fries & Bunker Sauce $2.50
- Tater Tots $2.50
- Pasta Salad $1.99
Fountain drinks and hot beverages receive free refills $2.25 Coke, Diet Coke, Mt. Dew, Ginger Ale, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Lemonade, Arnold Palmer, Fresh brewed Ice Tea, and Coffee.
Lunch Specials
- 1/2 Sandwich And Salad $6.991/2 turkey and swiss, ham and swiss, or whole grilled cheese with your choice of house salad, greek salad, or spinach salad.
- 1/2 Sandwich And Soup $6.991/2 turkey and swiss, ham and swiss, or whole grilled cheese with your choice of a bowl of chili or soup of the day
- Pizza And Salad $6.999 inch pepperoni pizza with your choice of a house salad, greek salad, or spinach salad.
- Pulled Pork $6.99Pulled pork topped with slaw on a toasted bun. Served with fries.


text:
Soundtrack review: Let the right one in (Johan Soderquist – 2008)
"Let the right one in" is a 2008 Swedish romance horror movie about a bullied 12-year-old boy who develops a friendship with a vampire child in Blackeberg, a suburb of Stockholm, in the early 1980s. Both the novel that inspired it and the movie tone down the violence and horror elements and focus on the bond that forms between the two characters. Johan Soderquist wrote the score and he's a composer I always look out for.
The opening of the score drops a dark veil around me as it sets the tone for the entire album. I almost have the physical sensation of seeing the world around me being stripped of its colour and turn pale, almost misty. It's a different vision, a world in which I could very easily recognise the one thing that matters. The special filter that the composer applies to the world lets me see only what I have been searching for for a long time.
The theme for "Eli and Oscar", the two main characters of the story, is quiet and beautiful. It's the perfect orchestral blend of mature and innocent; this cue doesn't make me think of two teenagers but of two ageless souls that will keep recognising each other through time and space. The minimalistic tone brings to mind the silence and peacefulness of a bond and love you know will transcend anything and everything. There's nothing dramatic or aggressive about it; it's simply beautiful.
"Eli's theme" is even more stunning; it starts with the feeling of a quiet rain that falls at its own pace on a day where it shouldn't have come. The turmoil of emotions in this cue show a girl who's hiding in her warm core the most beautiful and misunderstood soul, a soul that's looking for its other half. This theme shows me the contrast between an almost impenetrable outside that tries not to stand out too much and an inside that's burning with love and passion. Once the right one comes along the feelings become unrestrained and pour endlessly around him.
This score is fascinating because, just like the story of these two souls which are discovering love, it weaves together threads of warm and innocent love with moments of shiver inducing horror. Just like the romantic themes the horror pieces are quiet but so intense that they transform the music into a skewer that stabs me right in the heart and turns my spine into ice.
Johan Soderquist doesn't use a lot of instruments; he strips his music of everything that is unnecessary and leaves the souls of the two characters barren for us to see. His music creates a world for just the two of them as if they were endlessly trapped in a snow globe. A cue like "The father" makes me think of a dance in the virgin snow, a dance oblivious of the outside world.
The scary and truly dark moments are just a metaphor for the sacrifices the two souls make for each other and for the lengths they would go to to protect the other one. Murdering strangers so that Eli could have a way to feed and killing the bullies that were threatening Oscar's life are there to show that true love is about doing whatever it takes to make the other one whole no matter where you take those pieces from.
The piano in "Then we are together" is sublime. It's one of those nothing else matter moments when the world disappears and just the two of them remain in a suspended reality; it's the kind of cue that makes me think of an indestructible thread that ties two souls, a thread that unites them forever. The key strokes are the shivers that travel along that thread and move both of them and makes their hearts tremble in the same time.
Love and pain go hand in hand in this score. I can almost see Eli bleeding from time to time and I have in mind the moment when Oscar says they should become related by blood and Eli runs away so she wouldn't kill him with her blood thirst. The two of them are alike in their desires and the need to let them be satisfied from time to time.
This is a story about finding and recognising the one no matter in what shape he or she comes; it's a story about love and about accepting the other one for who he or she really is regardless of the conventions of the outside world. It's a story about unconditional love. Let the right one in and never let him out…
Cue rating: 92 / 100
Total minutes of excellence: 33 / 46
Album excellence: 71%
The Arrival
Eli and Oscar
Eli's Theme
The Slaughter
Oscar in Love
Oscar Strikes Back
The Father
Virginia Is Bitten
Then We Are Together
Eli Bleeds
Related by Blood
Going Home
Let the Right One In


text:
San Jose Scalding Burn Injury Attorneys
Call Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP
Many scalding incidences involve simple carelessness or unlucky happenstance. For instance, you may accidentally turn your shower control the wrong way, or you may serve up what appears to be lukewarm, freshly microwaved food to your toddler only to discover after a burn injury that the center was heated to a scalding temperature.
In some cases, a third party, such as a negligent manufacturer or food server could be to blame. One of the most famous scalding lawsuits involved a woman who burned herself severely on a hot McDonald's coffee. As a result of a big verdict in her favor, the entire fast food industry changed its labeling protocols for hot drinks.
Call (800) 900-0863! We offer free case evaluations.
If you or a loved one has suffered a scalding burn, get the help you need from the San Jose scalding burns injury lawyers at our firm.
What You Need to Know About Scalding Burns
Scalding burns involve extremely hot steam or liquid. Children are at an increased risk for scald burns, due to the fact that they have thinner skin than adults. Some studies suggest that young children can get scalding burns from just 5 seconds of exposure to 140-degree water -- or from 30 seconds of exposure to 130-degree water.
A scald can burn deeper than a fire burn - that is, it may penetrate into the second and third layers of the skin (the dermis and hypodermis). Although hot vapors and liquids cause the majority of scalding cases; sometimes serious sunburns can also cause similar symptoms. Some studies suggest that over 112,000 people every year in the US go to the E.R. for scalding. 4 out of 5 victims are young children, physically impaired people, and elderly citizens.
Tips for Treating a Burn
To treat minor scald injuries, apply ice or extremely cold water to ease the pain and stop the damage to the skin. Don't apply cold water for too long, however, as that could numb the skin. It's generally advised not to break any blisters or use sprays, creams or butter, because these agents can stymie the body's natural healing process and potentially cause bacterial infection.
If you have a serious burn, seek medical assistance immediately. Call your local 911, or phone the US Poison Hotline at (800) 900-0863.
When Someone Else is at Fault
At Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP, we can help you seek compensation regardless of the negligent party, including:
- Appliance manufacturer
- Untrained worker
- Restaurant chain
For a thorough, free case evaluation about your scalding matter, please don't hesitate to connect with our experienced lawyers at Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP at (800) 900-0863 today.


text:
I worked all day Friday, headed home, got ready and headed to the city with my friend Crystal. By 6:15 pm the Moonwalk weekend had begun with an hour car ride to the Millenium Hilton Hotel, which was right across the street from the World Trade Center site.
Our room was on the 41st Floor and it had an absolutely amazing view of the city.
Even though we were walking a marathon at 10:30 pm the very next night, Crystal and I couldn't pass up hanging out in the city for a little while. Crystal bought me a drink, an overpriced $16 martini, at the Millenium prior to heading out to the Brooklyn Bridge. Crystal and I both have lived in NY our entire lives, but had never walked over the Brooklyn Bridge. We braved the unbearable heat, I mean makeup melting, sweat dripping heat, thank goodness it wasn't the Moonwalk night heat, to walk on the Brooklyn Bridge. We walked up far enough to catch a breeze and get good pics before turning around in search of dinner.
Yelp (you can friend me here) assisted us in finding a local Irish Pub, Ryan Maguire's Ale House. It was a fairly quiet, reasonably priced for the city, pub. We ordered some appetizers and some beer, hanging out until about 11:20 pm. My goal was to be back at the hotel and asleep by midnight. The bartender was extremely friendly and I loved his Irish brogue. My favorite appetizer was the steak crostini, absolutely delicious.
We got back to our hotel about 11:45pm and as per my goal I was in bed and asleep by midnight!!!!! Here are some nighttime pics of the view from out room.
Stay tuned for my next post on the Moonwalk weekend: Saturday Morning!!!!
Disclosure: As a compensated Real Health Contributor I was given the opportunity to participate in the MoonWalk, my fees associated with the walk are being paid by BlueCross BlueShield. All opinions expressed in my blogs are 100% my own


text:
GolfPunk takes the game to the edge... and stays there! The coolest gadgets, the most fashionable looks, golfers with attitudes and babes on the fairways and off. Every notion of the game... busted! This is THE magazine for the rest of us.
* Subscriptions are valid only from current issue.
** Magzter sells only digital copies and not physical print copies, if you want print copies or subscriptions, please contact the publisher, your local magazine vendor or bookstore.


text:
NEW Creative Studio / Shared Workspace
We have recently completed a striking new fit out to level one of an old warehouse in Richmond. We are a group of interior designers who would like to share the space with other like minded creative individuals. The space is designed for inspiration and creativity. The studio has plenty of layout space, a materials library, lots of storage and a shared break out space. It also accommodates 28 desks, 2 large workshop/meeting rooms, a large staff breakout/standing workshop area and amenities including a shower for those who want to cycle in. The space has fabulous natural light and unincumbered views.The workstations are from Living Edge (a new range from Herman Miller by a Japanese designer!) and are 1500L. And yes… We have gone for the soft pink bases!
The finishes palette is light and bright. We have some lovely terrazzo stone from Signorino and have painted the existing stair balustrade soft pink – woo!
Please see below suggested inclusion / exclusions:
Rent – desk and chair
Storage allocation per company/desk to be negotiated (we understand you would need to store your computers/server)
Use of workshop/meeting rooms 1 & 2
Use of staff breakout area/standing workshop area including kitchen, shower and WC facilities
Landlord outgoings
Building outgoings (electricity, water, internet/wireless, general cleaning)
Use of kitchen facilities
IT setup and maintenance
Phone connection and ongoing accounts etc
Printer/paper and other supplies
Milk and other supplies
Day to day office cleaning
Some allocated parking, this is additional (note parking nearby is 4 hours).
Pricing Terms
If you require one desk it will be $500 per month. The unit desk price reduces depending on the number of desks required.
Lease Conditions
There is a desk licence agreement that requires 30 days notice to vacate. We would prefer like minded people to join us on a longer term basis. We want to have some fun!
Parking Notes
Good car parking available in the area. For example lots of 4 hour parking for clients etc close by.
Some car parks may be available, by negotiation
- Floor Dimensions 230.00 meters sq.
- Ceiling Height Standard (up to 3m)
- Max. Capacity 28
- Floorplan Download
Public transport
Suitable emergency exits
Suitable lighting


text:
Hair Straightening Correction
This Straightening Correction was done in a training session of a leading product company by a couple of hairdressers together and not just me.
When any beauty treatment goes wrong and instead of enhancing your look it harms your self confidence very badly. Fortunately, the client we were working on didnt seem to have lost her patience.
Client had done straightening earlier, but it the result was bad. There were lots of hair which still had curls in them and some strands looked straightened !! No idea where she had got her straightening done earlier, but now she clearly needed professional help and hence she had agreed to be a model in straightening training workshop.
Perfect case of Straightening gone wrong
This was quite a challenging task as we had to correct it this time, without over processing already straightened hair. (And thats why I get myself regular trainings 🙂 )
We were successfully able to get the desired result keeping the earlier straight hair from getting over processed or brittle.
You can see the after picture, where we were able to straighten out all the curls. Client was quite happy with the end result !!
For Mumbai: ( Only Central lines till Karjat and Kasara)
Do let us know if you wish to get haircuts or hair-spa from me at your home in extremely affordable rates !! You can send me your contact details below and we will get in touch with you. (If you enter it here your contact details wont be displayed on the website. Only i will get an email and I will reach out to you )


text:
The Outer Station: CN attacks Kingston's Heritage, Canada's Heritage
|April 3, 2011
|Posted by admin under News
Work Begins on Removal of 1856 Outer Station Building Roof
Work began on removing the burned-out roof of Kingston's "Outer Station" on Friday, April 1st. The stone building at 810 Montreal Street was built for the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) in 1856, as part of the first main railway line in Canada.
Read Full Article on Frontenac Heritage Foundation's website


text:
|Career Center
|Search Openings Subscribe Find Postings
Here you can post job openings or RFPs, find potential candidates, search openings and subscribe to new posting notifications.
This service is currently being provided free of charge to all Alliance members.
Non-members will need to create an account before posting a job opening. Please contact us at 1-800-397-2034 for pricing information and terms.


text:
The first five gay couples were joined in marriage in the Old Town Hall in Mexico City, under the Federal District's law passed last December. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, the head of the D.F. Legislative Assembly, and the head of the D.F. judiciary all attended the ceremony. The day before, the Supreme Court turned down an appeal from Attorney General Arturo Chávez to block the law from going into effect (without ruling on the merits). The Supreme Court had previously rejected suits by several states to stop the D.F. law. The spokesman for the Archbishop of Mexico City directly attacked Ebrard:
It is completely clear that Marcelo Ebrard is responsible for the approval and execution of these laws that are destructive of the family. He cannot hide his aversion to the Church and to the majority of the inhabitants that he governs, who profess the Christian faith and who reject the perversion of their dearest and most respected values, such as the family.


text:
Critical thinking would me to believe that when humans squabble, best to leave the comfort of the group entangled in debate, and search for truisms...
Wed, 24 Feb 2016 06:19:04
I have been trying to spit something out for a couple of years now, and still, am not able to cough up the correct words. This is an idiosyncrasy of mine; I will dwell on problems for years. I do not share my problems with others, that is not true, I try my best to avoid talking about my own, internal debates with others, it is not right to annoy others with debates playing ping pong inside my brain. It does not make the world a better place, and at best make enemies.
When something crystallizes, into clarity, a truism, that is not debatable, bringing forth ideas in small statements, truisms, trying to provoke clarity, this begets serenity that is the time to talk.
I want to know, to learn, to understand, to have it unveiled to me: How to inspire people to search for truism, and stop getting involved in controversy?
I will stop no point in annoying a friendly crowd.
There are things self-evident, obvious, truisms we can seek, or we can be like a pimple full of pus, squirting out onto humanity our impurities.


text:
St. Bernard changes name to EdgeWave
Rebranding part of strategy to streamline operations and expand technology portfolio.
Web security appliance vendor St. Bernard Software Inc. is renaming itself. The software vendor, which targets small and midsize businesses, will be called EdgeWave.
San Diego, Calif.-based St. Bernard targets small and midsize businesses with Web security appliances, software and hosted security offerings.
In a statement, Lou Ryan, the company's CEO and chairman said over the last year the company has taken significant steps in the last year to improve its senior leadership team and bring on additional employees. The company is also expanding its technology portfolio and overhauling its go-to-market strategy, he said.
We believe all of these efforts will produce greater customer satisfaction and increase business growth and shareholder value over the long term.
The changes include the addition of five new executives, the streamlining of operations and retooling of the company's back office operation, the company said. In addition the company plans an expansion into new markets with new products.
The new name reflects a broader mission that builds on the company's strong Web and email security foundation, Ryan said.
St. Bernard acquired managed email security supplier Red Condor in August. Red Condor sells hosted and hybrid email spam filtering products to small businesses and ISPs.


text:
South African Director Mark Donford-May's internationally renowned production of The Magic Flute has toured the world over, including Perth eight years ago, but this is the first time the Isango Ensemble will be performing in Melbourne. "I'm very excited at the opportunity to bring the production over," says Donford-May, "Melbourne seems to be a very cultural city and we are very proud of being able to share this distinctive South African production as part of the Festival."
The Magic Flute is a familiar story for Mozart fans but the South African company, who began 12 years ago to create works that would inspire the world to see theatrical performance, have worked long and hard to create a collaborative product.
"The show first opened in Cape Town and since then it has simply exploded across the world," says Donford-May, "It is a very special experience because it's not grand opera and it's not simply musical theatre either, and in fact, it has on more than one occasion been called pantomime. While I'm not unhappy with that label I do believe that its form and shape is a result of a shared vision with the artists, some of whom have been with the company since it began while others have joined us along the way."
The production is not only enormously successful as a musical phenomena but the story itself invokes numerous cultural references: "Musically we look at this story through a South African perspective because for us the story is about reconciliation, and the process of struggle to achieve a better end." This is also elaborated upon in the choice of sets and costumes which "While we have taken a certain amount of dramatic license, our costumes are based on traditional South African dress but they also have elements of the Elizabethan courtier." For South Africans, ritual is central and here the initiation of the journey of boy to man is the central metaphor and accompanied with the specific nuances of the cultural rite of passage.
There are also four languages involved including English and Xhosa, one of the official languages of South Africa. While The Magic Flute is an internationally acclaimed production, it is laudable to see that Donford-May prioritises uplifting local culture first and foremost rather than catering to an international palate. "We always build our productions for South Africa and in doing so it's almost impossible to exoticise our work because we're making them for a local audience – we believe in what we're doing and if the world embraces it, that is wonderful, it is our people that we serve first.


text:
You may remember Jia and Andrew from the Shang Chen Photo Giveaway a year or so ago. They won a design credit from Lavender's Blue, which they used toward a custom wedding invitation design. Jia loves green and all things green – plants, flowers, tree, and grass – and so she wanted to incorporate those elements into the design, while keeping it simple and charming. Jia mentioned that she really loved the invitation suite that I did for Esther + Ben, so I channeled a bit of that aesthetic into these invitations as well. It resulted in this fun, folksy wedding suite, complete with little mushrooms, acorns, and plenty of grass and flowers!
the complete invitation suite
close-up of tree + monogram
rsvp card
Chinese version of invitation


text:
Battle Europe gameplay video loading, please wait...
- Digital Download
We haven't found any digital download available at this moment.
No classic box available at the moment.
Combination of strategy and action
Another of those title a old game lovers have to play, Battle Europe is a strategy based action game which is based on the theme of world war with particular element of interaction. The plot in the game is that you have to destroy the tanks of your enemies at every level to advance on to the next level. You have tank for this purpose and you have to protect this tank while you destroy the enemy. Coming towards the feature of the gameplay, the first good thing is the responsive controls because they allow you to make swift and tactical movements which are needed for survival and to destroy the opposing tanks. It is not only bout destroying as you also have to be tactical in doing so. The reason is that if you are struck by the enemy fire from the front and you come in line with multiple opposing tanks, then you cannot survive the attack. So all you need to do is to entice them to come in your line and ploy a stealth speed to launch the attack. The level designs and the graphics in the game are very good and so is the user interface. The game is overall a lot of fun. Fields of Battle has been another good game in this genre.


text:
Make serving for big family dinners and parties easy with a double burner buffet range. Its easy-to-use design is compact for light weight portability with dual variable temperature control knobs so you can cook or keep food warm at just the right temperature. The side-by-side double burner coils distribute heat evenly, while a handy power indicator lights for each side provide added peace of mind and ease during use.
General Disclaimer: We aim to provide accurate product information, however some information presented is provided by a 3rd party and is subject to change.See our disclaimer.
- 2 - Coil burners
- Lightweight for easy portability
- Cooking convenience
- Dual adjustable temperature control knobs set temperature for each burner independently
- Cook or keep warm
- Coil burner design distributes heat evenly for better results
- Power indicator light for each burner provides peace of mind and extra security during use
- Wipe to clean
- Model number: DB1002B
- Material: Stainless Steel, Plastic
- 20.16"L x 3.54"W x 11.14"H
- 120V/60Hz
- 1000 Watts
Return Policy
If you wish to return your online order, please visit your order history to start the return process. If you have any issues, contact our Customer Care Support Center at 1-866-BIG-LOTS (244-5687) for assistance with making your return. Please be prepared to provide your order number and email address, or your rewards number, so that we may better assist you.
For return terms, see our full Returns Policy.
For return terms, see our full Returns Policy.
Already own this item? Share your thoughts,we value your opinion.
Be The First To Write A Review


text:
Owing to the
wonderful summer we've had this year, work on Lyla-cat's outside enclosure has been put on hold. She's gotten quite used to her daily cul-de-sac walks, snoozes in the old dog cage and for days when it rains (which is pretty much every day) we moved the bird table nearer to the patio windows so she can spy on pigeons – and have sprinkled bird food on other windowsills. We're always looking for new ways to occupy her time and keep her happy – but one thing we keep stumbling over is whether to get a second cat. Kitten? Cat? Rescue cat? Rescue kitten? Pregnant rescue cat and raise all her kittens?…
So the reasons behind getting a new cat are simple enough. I love cats (and their floofy cheeks) – and more importantly – we have the space and the time to give an animal a good home. Knowing just how many cats need a forever home constantly breaks my heart. We're always getting calls asking if we can rescue strays or take on unwanted pets but we've not been in a position to do that until now.
Because of the nature of cat sitting, we're in and out of the house all the time. Therefore Lyla is rarely left alone for more than a couple of hours and when we're home she happily follows us around. She loves her people, cuddles and attention and is a friendly, well-adjusted little cat. However – we're curious to see whether a playmate could add something to her life that she just can't get from us – and of course, there's no real test for this. As much as I ask Lyla for her opinion, I just don't seem to be able to translate her meows so I've had to ask google to help me mull it over;
- You have to be rational rather than emotional which means getting the cat that will fit in best with your current family – not the one you fall in love with.
- Plan ahead – as exciting as it must be to rush to a cattery on Sunday afternoon and come home with a bundle of fluff – it's better to contact local cat rescuers and arrange a home visit. This way, they can meet my Lyla-cat first – then help me to find the right cat for her (not me).
- Planning ahead with supplies is important to e.g. making any location changes (litter tray/ bedding) in advance so that your original cat has time to get used to them
- Try to get their personalities to match – but be prepared to return your new cat if them being in your home makes both cats unhappy – rescue centres offer help with swapping until you get the right cat – though the process seems emotionally difficult
- The formula seems to be that the old cat is more likely to accept a younger cat or… one that is neutered and of the opposite sex or… one that is smaller than your original cat = so for me – a tiny, male kitten?
- Remember that two cats will definitely be more work than one cat – especially at the beginning – and thereafter if they never get on and decide to live independently of each other. So! You need to be aware of the costs which could include neutering, injections, different diets (kittens/cats/seniors), extra bowls, extra litter – maybe an extra litter box, more worming & flea creams, more vet bills, insurance, extra cat care if you need to be away. Possibly a new carpet 😉
- Two cats will need more time and attention than one cat; you wouldn't have a second child because you don't have enough time to play with the first one
- Make sure you have lots of time to slowwwwly introduce them to each other
There is plenty of help out there for me to plan exactly how I would go about introducing another cat into our home – and if I sort out the whys and what ifs then I'll certainly write about it! But for now, I'm going to get in touch with some local rescue teams (like Sunderland based Animal Krackers and Feline Friends) for some advice.
Rachel x
(The Cat Whiskerer)