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A realistic example of what it means to simplify the internet of things (IoT) development and testing.
Click here to download a .pdf version of this paper.
In a recently series of published articles, I have argued that some concepts of safety critical design can help every day developers and testers. One of my points was to use modern and lightweight modeling to create specifications of your system before you code. Of course, unlike formal modeling, we suggested to use tools with as little as possible of learning time. With these types of new "smart whiteboard", you quickly loop back from code to white board to code and validate that no usage scenario or logical error has been missed. This will result in cost reductions in testing and validation because of lower number of logical error in designs, and accurate, complete and verifiable requirements for the QA team. This article is a down to earth example of what I meant using this sort of approach (within Verum Dezyne, a new generation modeler) and real-life IoT (Internet of Things) products.
Google Home, Philips Hue Light, Harmony Remote and the IoT
I have always been an early adopter of technologies. I recently acquired a Google Home to control the Philips Hue Lights in my kitchen. With this setup, I can now say things like "Ok Google! Can you please turn all the lights blue?" and all the kitchen lights turn blue. Incredible!
How does it work? The Hue Lights come a physical Hub that simply plug in your home network. The Hub exposes a simple web-based API that Google can use to control your light.
Encouraged by this success, I remembered I also had a Harmony Universal Remote at home, which also provides a hub plugged in my network. So, I was now on a mission to also turn my projector and movie theater setup on and off using Google Home. "Ok Google! Can we watch a movie!".
There was, sadly, no direct integration between Harmony and Google. The IoT emerging market will have a lot of similar and compatible technologies not able to work together, not because of the technology, but because of licensing and competition.
A Innovative Solution: IFTTT
Luckily, I found a solution in the IFTTT Platform (https://platform.ifttt.com), an interesting technology that let you interconnect systems not designed to work together. It is a perfect example of a new technology that will help consumers and integrators enable their device in the IoT world.
As a user, you create "applets", sort of visual programs that react to "triggers" and run "actions". In my case, the trigger is saying "Ok Google! Can we watch a movie!" to Google Home, and the action is turning the "Projector" configuration on with my Harmony Universal Remote. It was a breeze to configure. Success!
So how does IFTTT work? Both the Harmony and the Google device provides cloud services (Channels) that IFTTT accesses to first obtain your permission to use your service, and second to receive "triggers" and execute "actions". All those are made thru simple calls to a URL / HTTPs endpoints.
A developer point of view
The IFTTT approach illustrates perfectly some of the IoT technologies and challenges:
- A cloud service approach
- Behaviors you cannot fully cover by testing because the end-user will be the one deciding what the applets do
- APIs and services provided by 3rd party on which you have no control, as well as some of the common security challenges due to user authorization.
Let's see what it would take if we were a Google or Harmony developer, and we oversaw developing services that will be accessed through HTTPs to deliver your functionality in the IFTTT framework.
The API reference to IFTTT is here: https://platform.ifttt.com/docs/api_reference.
But I have attached a copy of the documentation here.
A lot is already provided for you, but you will need to create multiple endpoints:
- One for the oAuth2 Authorization ("Can I get access?")
- One for managing the oAuth2 token ("Can I get a token now I have access?")
- One for User Information ("Who am I?")
- One for Triggers
- One for Actions.
Our goal is not to go in details on how to implement an IFTTT Service, but to illustrate how we can introduce a new methodology – a light-weight variant of formal modeling, with little ramp-up time – to help us:
- Build a solid design for our service
- Explain it accurately, unambiguously and completely to a tester or fellow developer.
- Have a place to think when we add or modify features
- Verify our design is free on errors
Today, if you wanted to implement an IFTTT service, you will read the documentation, come up with your own understanding, and start implementing.
We are going to do a different approach, and first build a model from the documentation, and then explain its benefits.
Our exploration will focus mostly around the authentication part of the oAuth2 mechanism used by IFTTT. If you are unfamiliar with oAuth2, a good introduction is here https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/an-introduction-to-oauth-2 (see following diagram).
We will be focusing on 1. And 2.
Remove your coder hat
Before we move forward, I want you to remove your coder hat for a minute. You have probably never done formal modeling (because between you and I, who wants to do "petri-net"?) so this is important.
Of course, I will highlight the places where you need to stop thinking like a coder, but take a deep breath! … and grasp the two following concepts of event driven state machines:
- Stop thinking about Implementation details: we don't care about which language, library or socket mechanism you will program this. We are not at the implementation stage yet, as "we are only throwing ideas on paper". Focus on extracting concepts rather than implementation details.
- Stop thinking in term of Data or Algorithm: We need to stop thinking about data and how they affect behaviors. You shall not think of a test as "if (data='valid data') then do something", but prefer a two-state base thinking (the data is valid or the data is not valid).
The two rules are important. While I progress in the examples, it's highly possible and encouraged that you will make a different choice when modelling or formalizing a concept or a behavior. It's totally OK! We all draw things on a white board a different way!
Building the model (the interfaces)
We focus only on the authentication and authorization part, leaving the triggers and the actions for a later article.
In a first step, we define the interface that must to be supported by our IFTTT service.
The documentation explains General API requirements, including HTTPs endpoints, headers, responses, and payload. Based on our 2 rules we will ignore most of it.
But the document specifies some HTTP status codes:
Use the following set of HTTP response status codes:
- 200 The request was a success.
- 400 There was something wrong with incoming data from IFTTT. Provide an error response body to clarify what went wrong.
- 401 IFTTT sent an OAuth2 access token that isn't valid.
- 404 IFTTT is trying to reach a URL that doesn't exist.
- 500 There was an error in your application logic.
- 503 Your service is not available at the moment, but IFTTT should try again later.
While they seem like implementation details, those response status codes are actually "states" that an endpoint sends back. So they must be considered in our model. We will implement them as a enum:
enum HTTP_Response {e200, e400, e401, e404, e500, e503};
The service interface (we are naming it Interface_IFTTT_Service) must provide an oAuth2 Authorization endpoint (GET_authorize). In our model, we specify it like this:
interface Interface_IFTTT_Service
in HTTP_Response GET_authorize();
It almost looks like java, but it isn't. We have simply specified that our interface will need to provide and endpoint called "GET_authorize". This event will return an HTTP_Response "state" that will let the consumer program decide of its path of action.
In the documentation, the authorize endpoint takes a clientid, an anti-forgery token and a redirect URL as input parameters (I ignored the response_type and scope as they are constant). They are data, and as explained earlier they should not influence the state machine or its behavior so we could do without them. But, it remains important to know they are there. To allow the developer to remember, the model lets you add parameters to "events" but they are only "placeholders" or "hints" (In fact they are only useful if you decide to code-generate the model, why their types is specified in between the $ signs). Here is how it is done:
extern clientid $clientid$;
extern antiforgerytoken $antiforgerytoken$;
extern URL $URL$
interface Interface_IFTTT_Service
in HTTP_Response GET_authorize(in clientid id, in antiforgerytoken state, in URL redirect);
Then, the documentation explains what happens when IFTTT calls the "authorize" endpoint:
After the user is redirected to your authorization request endpoint, you should authenticate the user and prompt to grant IFTTT access to the user's resources on your service. <…> Once a user authorizes IFTTT, you should redirect the user to IFTTT's channel authorization URL along with an authorization code which IFTTT can exchange for a bearer token in the next step. <…> Should the user deny IFTTT access to your service, you should redirect them to IFTTT indicating access was denied.
This means we need to set up 2 things:
- We need to call the IFTTT's channel authorization URL to either instruct IFTTT that the channel was accepted or was refused.
- We need to have a component to authenticate the user and prompt him/her to authorize IFTTT to access their resources.
The same URL is used for the IFTTT's channel authorization regardless if the user accepts the request or not. As a coder, we would immediately think of something like "void authorize(bool bIsAuthorized)", but this is one of the places where we need to lose our coder hat and forget about the implementation. We cannot use "parameters" to affect behaviors. Looking at it differently, only 2 possible "events" that can be fired: Authorized, or not Authorized. So, we will specify the IFTTT's channel authorization interface with 2 separate events.
interface Interface_IFTTT_Channel
in HTTP_Response GET_authorize_accepted(in authcode code, in antiforgerytoken URL);
in HTTP_Response GET_authorize_refused();
The parameters to the first events are only "placeholders" and the have no role in the logic.
Similarly, the interface for the GUI in charge of authorizing the user is simple and return an OK, NOT_OK Status. The Web_GUI interface is implemented by another component that we will have to write. For now, we only define its external behavior by a single interface Web_GUI.
enum Status {OK, NOT_OK};
interface Web_GUI
in Status askforIFTTTauthorization();
Building the model (the behaviors)
If we sum up where we are, we have defined 3 interfaces.
- Interface_IFTTT_Service: The interface that our Service will need to implement.
- Interface_IFTTT_Channel: The interface we must redirect to when we have authorize the user (or not)
- Web_GUI: The interface that we will use to attempt to authorize the user.
With the coder hat on, we would be done. The behavior would be determined at a later stage by the implementation of the interfaces or by the documentations.
With models, we want to specify behavior before we have the implementation and before the final documentation is available, so we must specify how those interfaces behave. This is a complete new concept for a coder! We are not going to implement them, but we are going to specify their behavior!
Let's look at the Web_GUI: We have defined only one event: askforIFTTTauthorization. Because of its definition, we know it returns a status: OK or NOT_OK.
But will it ever return OK? Or NOT_OK? Is it possible that it returns only OK? Or NOT_OK? What is it? What can I expect from askforIFTTTauthorization?
The designer intent is that OK is returned for "access granted" and NOT_OK is returned for "access denied". Both outputs are possible. In a model, you must describe this behavior.
This will be easily done by adding a "behaviour" clause to the interface:
interface Web_GUI
in Status askforIFTTTauthorization();
on askforIFTTTauthorization: reply(Status.OK);
on askforIFTTTauthorization: reply(Status.NOT_OK);
Think of "behaviour" as a list of all the possible events.
In this case, we simply say that askforIFTTTauthorization may return OK and may return NOT_OK. And again, we are not implementing anything, we are just stating what is possible and what is not and under which conditions. If askforIFTTTauthorization was supposed to return only OK all the time, we would just remove the second line in "behaviour". More advanced constructs can let you specify more advanced behaviors, but this will be another paper.
Now we know about "behaviour", let's revisit the Interface_IFTTT_Channel, the interface provided by IFFT to which you must redirect to.
interface Interface_IFTTT_Channel
in HTTP_Response GET_authorize_accepted(in authcode code, in antiforgerytoken state);
in HTTP_Response GET_authorize_refused();
This actually is a good example of where a documentation is not enough, and a typical scenario where developers and testers may have to make an educated guess to decide how to develop or how to test.
Here is a problem: What sort of response will GET_authorize_accepted or GET_authorize_refused send back? The documentation doesn't specify it. Will it send only 200? Can it send a 503 or a 500? It is not clear (and a probable reason why the list is missing is that a complete documentation of all possibilities would be too extensive and would overwhelm the reader).
Unlike plain English, this is possible with a model, we can specify the list of possible reply as we did for the Web_GUI: We add the "behaviour" of both events and specify that they both will only return the 200 response and nothing else.
interface Interface_IFTTT_Channel
in HTTP_Response GET_authorize_accepted(in authcode code, in antiforgerytoken state);
in HTTP_Response GET_authorize_refused();
on GET_authorize_accepted: { reply(HTTP_Response.e200); }
on GET_authorize_refused: { reply(HTTP_Response.e200); }
We have now modeled the complete three interfaces that we need to communicate between "end points" or components. While we never documented any implementation details, we have completely defined the behaviors of the interfaces, and left no room for interpretation.
We have defined the "Interface_IFTTT_Service" interface that defines services, and the two interfaces we will rely on: Interface_IFTTT_Channel, to forward requests to IFTTT and Web_GUI, to let us interact with our application GUI.
There is still one thing we must get done: we must generate an authorization code for the requested ID. The documentation states:
Once a user authorizes IFTTT, you should redirect the user to IFTTT's channel authorization URL along with an authorization code which IFTTT can exchange for a bearer token in the next step.
As a coder, you would write the code to generate the code from the ID, probably using look up table or random number generation.
As a modeler, you don't. We must think in term of states and events again: What can happen when you generate a code? It will work or it won't. That's it!
Accordingly, an interface to create a code from a clientid is simply specified as followed:
interface Interface_Token_Manager
in Status generateAuthCode(in clientid id, out authcode code);
on generateAuthCode: reply(Status.OK); // You Do!
on generateAuthCode: reply(Status.NOT_OK); // Or you don't!
This is a standard approach to represent an "algorithm problem" with a state machine. Focus on the states or the events, and not the data or the algorithm.
Building the model (the component)
It is now time to decide how to implement the service itself. We have not build any "implementation" yet as we have only created interfaces and specified how those interfaces function. This is an important distinction that must be understood. Interfaces are contract, by which a component will behave, and sometimes they can be misunderstood as the way a component is implemented. They are not.
We can begin implementing the service (My_IFTTT_Service) that will provides the Interface_IFTTT_Service, and relies on 3 components defined as a Interface_IFTTT_Channel, Web_GUI and Interface_Token_Manager.
component My_IFTTT_Service
provides Interface_IFTTT_Service service;
requires Interface_IFTTT_Channel channel;
requires Web_GUI GUI;
requires Interface_Token_Manager tokenmanager;
When describing the implementation, please keep in mind you are not writing "Code" but you should focus on the logical progression of the state machine. The logic in our example is:
- ask for authorization (through Web_GUI)
- generate an authorization token (through Interface_Token_Manager)
- finally "redirect" the call to the Interface_IFTTT_Channel.
The "implementation" will look like this:
on service.GET_authorize(id,state,URL):
Status authok = GUI.askforIFTTTauthorization();
if (authok == Status.OK)
authcode code;
Status codeok = tokenmanager.generateAuthCode(id,code);
if (codeok == Status.OK)
HTTP_Response httpcode = channel.GET_authorize_accepted(code,state);
HTTP_Response httpcode = channel.GET_authorize_refused();
HTTP_Response httpcode = channel.GET_authorize_refused();
While this looks like code, it isn't…
If needed, Verum Dezyne lets you generate code from the model. Verum guarantees that a correct model will generate correct code. But you may decide to use it or not.
If you don't want to generate code, the model can produce an "event table view" or a "state chart view". They can guide the developer when writing the code, or the tester when verifying a behavior.
An Event table view can lead the developer or the tester
This is where it starts to pay off
So far, we have spent time creating a model, but what have we gained?
- We have replaced a 10-page documentation by a 1-page specification model: True, we have lost some implementation details about the structure of the HTTP payloads, but our goal is to document, to test and to validate the logic before the implementation.
- We have removed all room for interpretation or missing information. We have noticed that the documentation was weak about the type of error code that can be returned (we will address this later in more details).
- We have created a model that can be used to code generate an implementation skeleton, or to produce an "event table view" or a "state chart view" helping developer and tester with a complete specification.
But there are two more things we can do:
You can inject test scenarios in the system, deciding at each step what event will happen next. Here are a few diagrams created by Verum Dezyne simulator.
Remember that you have not written any code at that point, but you can visually operate the system as if it was built.
Someone calls GET_authorize, and the system as the GUI to confirm authorization
The GUI authorizes the user, then the system requests an Authorization code to tokenmanager.
Simply put, you are now testing a system that doesn't exist yet!!
You can validate the system. This is a unique Dezyne feature. In a single click, you can ask Dezyne if there is anything wrong with your system. In our example, Dezyne will show the following:
Something is wrong with our system. The diagram shows that if GET_authorize is called, the service will return a HTTP_Response_e200. But this is not allowed by the system.
Why? We forgot to specify that the Interface_IFTTT_Service can return a HTTP Status of 200. This is an oversight from us. Can you guess what could have been the impact in a real scenario?
I want you to stop for a moment and realized what just happened. Dezyne has run all the possible scenarios in your system and has validated that no scenario can lead to your implementation breaking down! It validated that no action can break the specifications of all interfaces and their behavior or requirements.
Verum tests for a lot more, Completeness, Deadlock, Live Lock, Illegal actions… etc. and the errors don't end up being caught in the QA phases.
To resolve the issue, We will simply modify our interface "behaviour" to specify the 200 is an possible response code.
interface Interface_IFTTT_Service
in HTTP_Response GET_authorize();
on GET_authorize: { reply(HTTP_Response.e200); }
The big moment: Validation of changes
Remember that every single endpoint in the IFTTT framework is an HTTP call and each call can return any of the HTTP Response code. But which one? Have we handle all of them? What if an endpoint starts sending 500 and never did before? What will be the impact?
This paper is using a simple example, but even here, the complexity is a lot more than first thought. The limitation of documentation is leaving a few holes and imprecisions that can lead to personal interpretation and conflicting opinions. Sadly, they will create coding, but also testing and validation problems.
Here are 2 examples to scratch your head with, regardless if you are a designer, a coder or a tester.
- What happens if the Interface_IFTTT_Channel interface returns error 503 ("Your service is not available now, but IFTTT should try again later"). Will you retry? How many times? Or will you simply pass it back through the Interface_IFTTT_Service interface (which seems to be what the documentation suggests)
- What about starting and shutting down your service? Can you build the strategy around it? This will force your service to return error 503 errors itself? Will it break anything?
A "formal" specification with a tool like Verum Dezyne let you write it all down, explore options, test and validate them and manage the impact of change.
This article is targeted toward organization interested in finding new ways to reduce or limit the increase in testing and validation costs. While most invest a subsequent amount of resources into DevOps to streamline the mechanics of quality insurance, we reviewed a complementary approach that targets designer and developer. It is based on a lightweight, but easy to learn, formal modeling product.
This gem is Verum Dezyne. Verum Dezyne let you:
- Replace overwhelming documentations with a concise and complete specification of logics
- Validate concepts and logics before you implement them
- Easily address and validate change
- Unambiguously let you share the definition and behavior of defined interface between designers, developers and testers.
If you are interested to learn more, please contact me at Stephane.Raynaud[AT]Emenda.com or download Dezyne at www.verum.com. You can download full example of the IFTTT Authorization mechanism here to test it out. I will soon produce the full IFTTT API and include it in the article.
Finally, here is Verum Dezyne showing the complete oAuth2 Protocol Flow (as seen in a picture earlier):


text:
Samstag, 26. November 2011
Package for a birthday gift
today I wanna show you the little box i made.
It´s the package for my mothers birthday gift. Her birthday is on monday.
This box also fits the Simon says stamp and show some tickets challenge.
The box is from a set I bought at Ikea. I glimmermisted it with Key Lime Pie and Olive Vine and on the edge of the lid i used Champagne Glimmer Glaze.
I glued on some Flowers, ribbon, leaves, a cameo and some bling. The ticket is from Tim Holtz. I used the backside to write Happy Birthday because i don´t have blank tickets. The ticket is hold by a Tim Holtz hanger clip.
I hope my mom likes whats inside and of course the box too.
Montag, 14. November 2011
Blog Candy over at ...
Wanna win some Blog Candy? The Craft Barn has a HUGE one for all followers.
Just click the pic or here for a chance to win.
Good luck everyone!
Freitag, 11. November 2011
Bulk garbage ans Simon says stamp and show
yesterday i found a "nice" old meat safe in our neighbours bulk garbage. A few days ago i just looked at such a meat safe in an Online shop and it was not cheap...
So i took it with me.
I have to clean it , its very dirty.
I don´t know what i will use it for. Maybe in the garden for decorating or in my room for putting my things in.
And then there is another Simon says stamp and show Challenge called Up-cycle or Re-cycle.
For this i have to tell you a little story.
Next year in May i will marry. As we don´t need things for us we said we want money for our Honeymoon.
Sometimes people steal things from partys, so i decided we need something where the guest can throw in the cards and the money. I thougt a big vintage birdcage would be cool. But they are very expensive. Last weekend we had a trip to Lüneburg where i saw a very small birdcage for 25 €.
As i saw the challenge i decided to make a box myself from an old shoebox I used for photos.
Here it is
I started by painting the box 3 times with white acrylic paint. I used a foam brush for it and dabbed the color on to get some texture. the 3rd layer i dried with the heat tool to make the color bubble and create more texture this way.
On top of the box i put some clear UTEE in the wet color so it get some shine. you can see this in the 3rd pic in the black circle.
After everything was dry i cut out a slit on top where people can throw in their cards.
This slit i covered with white ribbon from the inside of the box.
I also added some Distress stickles in , i think, diamond. You can see this in the 3rd pic in the red circle.
In one corner on top i glued another small box that i painted white and decorated with white ribbon and lace.
On this small box stays the bridal couple, wich is also recycled. I got it from my boyfriends sister-in-law. it was on one of her Wedding gifts she got 4 years ago.
I decorated aroung the small box with pink Prima Flowers and some other flowers too.
I also used Prima Bling and 4 small pearl strands.
Around the lid i glued a white ribbon and a green one on top of this.
Have a nice weekend
Dienstag, 1. November 2011
I feel very good today because it was a long weekend for us.
I worked in our garden both days and my boyfriend( soon to be husband) was making lunch. It was so relaxing. Working in our garden makes me feel good.
A new week started and it is time again for Simon says stamp and show… a house. As I don´t have a house-stamp or something similar I decided to make a little Birdhouse. The template is from Marion Smith.
For the house I used some Tim Holtz Paper and Prima Paper for the roof.Inside is a little light chain.
I decorated the house with a little resist canvas bird from Prima that I sprayed with brown and red Glimmer Mist.Then I added some flowers and a small tree branche for the bird to sit on.On one side I added 2 birds from theG45 Once upon a springtime collection and also one on the front.The roof I also colored with red and brown Glimmer Mist. Then I glued on some lace I got from an Etsy store. The same lace I glued on the lower edge of the house – all around. For the hanging I used some pink lace from the same Etsy seller

subset: commoncrawl


text: Velgen Wheels has decided to take the next step. We are now working on our New Velgen Forged line. We have had our vendor's and customer's request a forged line for the Exotic Applications. As we work day in and day out, we are happy to start releasing some promo videos and images. Please stay tuned as we will be releasing weekly content our our Forged Line.


text:
Nara Residence
Room Rate* Check the Best Rate & Availability @ agoda
StudioASK(ASK)One Bedroom XL SuiteASK(ASK)One Bedroom XL Pool SuiteASK(ASK)Two Bedroom Duplex Pool SuiteASK(ASK)PenthouseASK(ASK)Extra BedASK(ASK)
* The rates quoted are in Thai Baht per room per night for both single and double occupancy.
* Rates are subject to 10% service charge and 7% government tax.
* Rates are inclusive of daily breakfast.
Hotel Features
Hotel Facilities
- Other Facility
- Car Park、Conference Room、Lift、Putting Green
Other Services
- Credit Card
- Internet Access
- Available
- Aiport Transfer Service
- Please contact us for details
- Other Services
- Laundry Service、Room Service
InformationAddress : 260/7 Captain Yuth Beach Road, Bangpra,Chonburi
Cancel Policy (Click to Open)
- Contact
information :
If you wish to cancel or change your reservation, please let us know by E-mail.
Contact address : firstname.lastname@example.com
- Cancellation
Policy :
Please note that when you cancel the booking due to personal reasons, cancellation fee will be applied as follows. (Cancellation policy will vary depending on hotels.)
Terms of Cancellation : Nara Residence
No later than 10 days prior to arrival dateTHB 500
Later than 9 days prior to arrival date1 night's room charge
Later than 4 days prior to arrival date100% of total amount
Early Departure 100% of total amount
* If you cancel your booking after the payment, we will deduct cancellation fee based on the cancellation policy and refund the balance to you. (Bank transfer fee will be deducted from the refund.)
* Should the booking be cancelled by the hotel, a full refund of your payment will be made. However, we are not responsible for any other charges such as traveling expenses.
* If your payment is by credit card, we will refund to the same credit card used for the transaction. The refund is on a baht basis, and we are not responsible for the exchange loss that may occur by exchange rate.
Area Hotels
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Currency 08.Dec.2019
1 THB = 0.3035605 USDBy currencylayer
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text:
Candidates from Real Estate Sector Only
Responsible for the creation, implementation and execution of action sales plan
Responsible for workflows, setting monthly team and individuals targets
Involve in reviewing and approving sales deals
- Work on short term & long term strategy in line with the overall company plans on a rolling basis.
- Generate profitable revenue growth through establishing new customers, penetrating new customer accounts and retaining those customers
- Establish, maintain and service accounts, covering full assigned territory to ensure high customer satisfaction, positive long-term relationships and repeat business
- Effectively assess customer needs, present products and solutions, and close sales
- Recruit, train and manage Sales Team to drive business.
Advise and inspire the sales team on ways to improve their sales performance.
Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
Spotting market opportunities for new customers.
Developing concepts for working on the local and regional markets and tapping new markets, taking strategic specifications into account
Drawing up the annual plan and annual goals for the company
Drawing up financial liquidity plans for the fiscal year as well as forecasts
Defining target rate-of- return, quantity, sales and profit goals for the company as a whole and each of its departments
Customer Satisfaction Long Term Strategy Tapping Revenue Growth


text: Es Paradis is the first club I ever been to in my life… At the age of 6 I went to their day time water party. Back then a party with a few hundred owners of bars, clubs, restaurants, people who worked on the island and their kids. All crazy madness, and from then on I decided Ibiza was the place to be.. at 14 I started flyering for the same club, and around 22 I finally was allowed behind […]Continue Reading


text:
The Social Start Ups project experience
The interview with Giovanni Santi Laurini (an active membre of Ethical Purchasing Groups of Ngo Tamat) is part of the Social Start Ups project. The project is co-financed by Europe Union and it is involved in four different countries (Social Business of Plymouth University – UK, The municipality of Verteneglio (Croazia), Ngo Amsed (Francia) and Technological park 3-AParco: all coordinated by Ngo Tamat). Giovanni has partecipated during the educational process for Ethical Purchasing Groups, included in the platform for the acquisition of key-competences for the beginning of self-employment and for support of social entrepreneurship.
Why does a group of people participate to a project as Social Start Ups? Why do they invest time and energy for that project?
My point of view, as observer of Social Start Ups, is that I like to make available my knowledge and own abilities for projects that have social aims. In fact, the life quality has really improved since similar initiatives have been created. These experiences influence positively the community and help to develop similar and parallel acitivites.
What would you say to who wanted to belong to the Ethical Purchasing Groups and was worried for the costs that are involved by "eat healthy helping the local small producers" logic?
First of all, I want to say that this reality increased to 10-20% and it concerns only few products, wheter it really exits. Moreover, I would say, to pay more is part of the logic to support small producers, it's the only way we can improve and diversify own products. So, in medium-term who uses GAS will have his advantages.
How do you think that initiatives like GAS can compete with the great distribution? Costs and benefits that go to supermarkets offer great advantages to the model that you challenge.
The idea that GAS logic is dangerous for GDO is a wrong: thinking in this way creates the wrong basis. The aims of GAS are to provide with a vast assortment of food and to create a strong community. Therefore this group of people believes in common values and is prepared to spend time to create a useful service and becomes an opportunity for relationships.
Do you think that GAS will also continue the next year or it is only a passing fad?
I believe that GAS with correct basis, relationships and a strong sharing philosophy, can last in the time. The commitment of each member of GAS and an exchange of views are necessary to continue.
Which are your future perspectives that derive from Social Start Ups project?
Sincerely, I have not actively participated in this project. Maybe, I had too many appointments or I didn't have a clear vision of the project. I didn't see a strong mover with the wish to risk (except for Tamat). Personally, I am willing to make available my knowledge for facilitate the birth of the project. However, it's clear that my time is precious as everyone else and nowadays there isn't the right energy for the project beginning. This is my feeling but it is a positive criticism. I am sure that I could discuss the project objectives with Tamat. Regarding future perspectives of the project, I can speak from a direct point of view as a resident and I would say that today the life quality is really improved thank to various activities. Each activity has its own aim but at the end all have the same focus. I'm proud and happy to see long processes born here years ago thank to efforts of every person (including my personal effort), yet facing difficulties. All that efforts repay me for the time spent, allow me to live in a better place and to recognize myself in this small community. For all of this, I would be happy to offer my contribution to your project.


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I found this interesting post on a blog I frequent. What are your thoughts on creativity?
Creativity seems to scare a lot of people. Probably because it can't fill out a spread sheet or get you a job where you wear a suit everyday, things that a majority of the world considers "normal". I can't tell you how many people have told me I'm wasting my life because I am pursuing a creative degree. That's an odd idea seeing as they all have jobs where they relentlessly seek profits at all cost and will die making lots of money and having run over countless people to get it. I plan to die having helped other people live a happier, more enjoyable life. So who's wasting their life?
You should also check out this TED talk with Ken Robinson and how he thinks schools kill creativity.


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University of Virginia (Facebook)
By Greg Richter |
Tuesday, 15 November 2016 06:26 PM
The University of Virginia's president is facing a backlash from teachers and students alike after quoting the school's founder — former President Thomas Jefferson — in an email urging students to unite after last week's divisive presidential election.
"Thomas Jefferson wrote to a friend that University of Virginia students 'are not of ordinary significance only: they are exactly the persons who are to succeed to the government of our country, and to rule its future enmities, its friendships and fortunes,'" university president Teresa Sullivan wrote in the email, according to the Cavalier Daily, the school's student newspaper. "I encourage today's U.Va. students to embrace that responsibility."
Some professors objected to the quote since Jefferson owned slaves and held "other racist beliefs," the paper reported.
"We would like for our administration to understand that although some members of this community may have come to this university because of Thomas Jefferson's legacy, others of us came here in spite of it," they wrote. "For many of us, the inclusion of Jefferson quotations in these e-mails undermines the message of unity, equality and civility that you are attempting to convey."
A total of 469 professors and students signed the letter.
"The intention of the email was to start a conversation with our administration regarding ways to be more inclusive," assistant psychology professor Noelle Hurd, who drafted the letter said. "In the current climate, we must seize every opportunity to communicate that this university welcomes individuals from all backgrounds."
Sullivan responded on Monday, saying she fully endorses the right of students and professors "to speak out on issues that matter to all of us, including the University's complicated Jeffersonian legacy."
But, she added, "Quoting Jefferson (or any historical figure) does not imply an endorsement of all the social structures and beliefs of his time."
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sisters and cousins
This August my Dad's first cousin Kirk Anderson died. We were all really sad. He was my Dad's age and he wasn't sick. The upside to this was that Holly, my parents and I all went on a little rode trip to Boise, ID and met Kiran to go to the funeral. At the risk of sounding disrespectful, we had the best time. I love my family with every fiber of my being, there is no group of people I'd rather be with on the planet with than them. They are the kindest people in the world to me, they don't judge me, the love me, and they make me laugh not until I cry, but until I can't breath. So to go to a funeral not just with my family, but with a chapel full of my family, I was kind of elated. It was wonderful. The funeral was beautiful, funny, jokes told by everyone, laughter everywhere. Afterwords we went out to lunch with more extended family and they too were the most kind thoughtful caring people you ever want to meet. I love family.
After the funeral I got to spend the rest of the weekend with my Mom, Dad and Sisters. It was a nice break. Right before I left Spencer said to me, "Aren't you going to pack some snacks for the trip?" I said "No, I'm not the Mom on this trip, I'm the daughter and younger sister, you have no idea how good that feels, how relaxing." and with Spencer being gone so much I needed the break from packing other people's snacks.
The drive to Boise is about 7 -8 hours. Holly and I rented 3 movies, we didn't watch 1, all of us talked the whole time. That's an Anderson trait. When we arrived home in about 7 hours I was disappointed and thinking "I was promised an 8 hour drive, circle around the neighborhood Mom!" I'm not ready to be the Mom again.
I can't stress this point to strongly, I love my family and don't know what life would be like without them.
We spent 2 hours in this thrift store shopping,
my poor kids got plenty of back to school clothes there:)
Boise,ID neighborhoods have mini-libraries right in the middle of the houses. How cute.
This is my grandfathers old store.He fit people for prosthetic limbs.
This is what I want for my next birthday.
This is the cemetery where my grandparents are buried.
Mom's Brother Joe.


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Azealia Banks – Chasing Time (Beshken Remix)
Monday was just made a lot easier with this new Beshken release! Remixing Azealia Banks tune "Chasing Time", the LA based producers saucy rendition intricately incorporates bass and guitar hooks. Displaying his talent as a cross-genre producer, Azealia Banks sensual vocals pair perfectly with Beshkens signature sound. A match made in heaven, I dare you not to hit the repeat button.


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What Price Certainty?
Trethowans Partner, Elizabeth Webbe, warns of the dangers of scrimping on professional advice when making a Will.
Once in a while people will tell me that because they are computer literate they can save oodles of money on lawyer's fees by surfing the internet and finding the legal information they need there. They are right, to an extent, but to get the right answer you need to ask the right questions.
One area fraught with pitfalls is the drawing up of your Will. Those with straightforward circumstances may be tempted to take up the offer of online Will writing services or even go to WHSmith and buy a blank form to complete. What if they get it wrong though? Will writers and DIY Wills are both unregulated so there is no comeback if mistakes are made. Problems only come to light once you have died and by then it is too late.
If you have little to leave then why care? You may have more to leave if you are a widow(er) and you have been advised to write an arrangement into your Wills whereby you protect a share of the family assets from State means testing. If you do not know of this possibility would a website tell you? Care home fees are a significant concern. Not many choose to hand back their State pension or State care funding once they qualify. You cannot insert this arrangement into your Will after one of you dies, so you must seize the chance when you are both still alive, or lose the option.
It does not do to assume that if a couple come to see me bearing the same name, that they are married. Or at least married to each other! This can get complicated, particularly if there are children from a prior relationship. Naturally each will wish to ensure that they look after their current partner (if they die first) but they are also very sure that they do not want their share of the family assets going to that partner's hopeful next amour! This situation can be managed to the benefit of all concerned with professional advice; a 'tick box' only website solution may not allow for that detail.
Some are concerned about a grown up child's marriage, or mental state or financial maturity. It is possible to protect, but not deprive that child in your Will – but only if you know it can be done because you ask the expert, your lawyer. The same is doubly true if the children are still of school age, when protection is vital.
Which brings me to my specialist subject: ruining the Chancellor's day! Wills are a hugely effective tax planning (saving) tool, and the opportunities afforded are legal, tried and tested. You are not going to get that sort of advice from someone who has taken a month long 'Will writing' correspondence course.
The lack of a Will brings its own special trials. A divorce does not invalidate the whole Will, just parts of it. A marriage revokes a Will immediately just at a time when you are about to fly off on honeymoon. Not perfect timing. This can be addressed with advice.
Not having a Will can mean your spendthrift child (or their spouse) inherits the means with which to indulge his/her "Rolex Oyster/Jimmy Choo" habit and the grandchildren miss out. It can also mean that your spouse can end up sharing the inheritance with your children who are entitled to their share at the age of 18, just when they are particularly vulnerable to the 'friends' they soon acquire.
There is also the foreign element. Some of us like abroad so much we decide to buy some of it. This is great until the local laws there decide they can dictate who inherits that property. For example, in France it is sufficient, while in France, to hand write, in French, your Will, sign and date that paper and "job done". No witnesses required, but we need to remember that the French also have the Code Napoleon and the concept of 'forced heirship' which means that the children are automatically entitled to a share, which can be awkward, especially if they are children of a previous marriage and there is no love lost. This is how 14 people can end up owning the same field in France. This can be managed, as long as you have the right advice.
I sometimes advise a couple to marry, particularly if they have co-habited for decades. Co-habitants have very limited rights of inheritance regardless of considering themselves married in all but name. Once married the security issues and a lot of the adverse Inheritance Tax issues melt away and the Will can ensure that any prior family do not suffer. In a 20-year career, I am quietly proud to say that to date, I am responsible for seven marriages. Perhaps I have a second career?
For those who are widowed and remarry there are enhanced Inheritance Tax planning opportunities available. No website will ask that question.
Finally on a topical note, to our war wounded. If members of our armed services die in combat or directly or indirectly from war related wounds or conditions, even if it is decades later, there is a 100% Inheritance Tax exemption on their assets. This can affect materially the terms of their Will.
The choice is simple. The price of scrimping on professional advice can be disastrous and without remedy.
This article has been published in Wiltshire Life on 4th August 2011.


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Focus Article - Loss of Containment PSM Failures
Process Safety Management & Consulting
Process Safety Management Program - Protect People, the Environment and Assets
Most companies dealing with hazardous substances have adopted one or more versions of a process safety management model, but the fragmented approach reflected in most of these efforts is a root cause of the limited progress in reducing process incidents. The activities typically identified as PSM program elements are interdependent and must be tied together by overarching elements that ensure their effectiveness and sustainability.
Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations (as examples: OSHA 1910.119 in the U.S., and SEVESO Directive in Europe), and industry guidelines from many professional associations (such as the Center for Chemical Process Safety) drive PSM practices.
Speak with one of our experts to learn more about our Process Safety Management!
We shall not only assist you in meeting the legislative requirements for process safety management, but shall also provide our global process safety expertise to focus on developing and supporting an effective, integrated process safety management program specific to your needs.
Our approach looks holistically at PSM systems, the proficiency of facility staff at all levels, and organizational culture. Our experience has shown that this broader view of process safety helps ensure that a PSM program fits seamlessly into our clients' business models and operations; is accepted and embraced by corporate management, staff, and employees; becomes a real part of a company's culture; and is successfully implemented throughout the lifecycle of operations, to lower process risks.
Comprehensive Process Safety Management Support for Systemic and Sustainable Safety
Through our global offices, located in twelve offices worldwide, we offer and can tailor the following process safety management services to your needs:
Our process safety management consultants are process, chemical, and safety engineers with strong industry backgrounds, complemented by in-depth expertise in process safety. Together with our rigorous scientific approach, we highlight interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach to solving problems. To this end, we offer our PSM program, supported by our worldwide offices, in a wide variety of languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Arabic and Hindi.
Make an appointment to start benefitting from our PSM expertise today!


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Recipients and Notifications
Notification Banner = Newsfeed + Inbox + To-Do List
If I'm an Improved NoticeBoard 'Recipient' user, I have a Notification Banner added to my Salesforce pages, which acts as my:
- Newsfeed & Inbox: what critical communications have been published that affect me – Notifications that I need to open or act upon;
- To-do list: Notifications that I may have seen in the banner but are still waiting on some required action by me to resolve (and so, hide from the banner).
The above image shows our 'classic' Notification Banner, which supports classic Salesforce pages and takes the form of a scrolling newsfeed 'ticker' sited above my regular app menu tabs. A range of Notification Banners are available – for Salesforce standard pages, Salesforce Console apps, Salesforce Portal apps, custom Visual Force pages – Contact us to discuss your specific situation. I can interact with the banner to:
- Navigate: through Notification summaries with a mouse-hover – fast-forwarding towards the right or rewinding towards the left;
- Read: key information in the Notification – who sent it, what it's about and what action needs to be done – by when;
- Click: a Banner entry to open the Notification record…
Notification Record = Message + Task Management
The Notification record is intuitive, with clear:
- Notification Title: The Notification's name, along with the publishing team NoticeBoard's theme logo;
- Urgency Banner: with visual and text-based urgency indicators – so I can prioritise when I fulfil any action required by me;
- Acknowledgement Panel: If I need to acknowledge this Notification, this panel states what I'm confirming and provides one or more Acknowledgement buttons;
- Signatory & Published Date: What team or individual sent this Notification and when;
- Summary & Detail: Additional message content extending the Notification Title as needed, including any rich-text content;
- Notification Status: Shows when I first Displayed, Opened and optionally, Acknowledged this Notification – for reporting purposes.
Notification Status = Lifecycle / Progress Milestones
As a Recipient, I only see and interact with my personal Notifications. However, if I'm also a publisher, Notifications live in a broader context…
All Notifications go through the following standard lifecycle, reflected in Notification Status and summarised in the parent Notice's statistics:
- Draft: a Notice has been addressed to its target audience of Selected Recipients. (If the Notice is deleted before publication, so are these draft Notifications.) ;
- Issued: When a Notice is Published, it's set of Notifications are Issued – 'released into the wild' and ready to be…;
- Displayed: in each selected Recipient's Notification banner – the next time they open any Salesforce page enabled with the banner;
- Opened: as each Recipient opens their personal Notification – from the banner, Notification list view or elsewhere;
- Acknowledged: If necessary, as each Recipient Acknowledges their personal Notification.
(Please note: The Milestones are numbered to ease sorting in views and reports)


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great bag
I was wearing this back pack on my way to work on my motorcycle when I got cut off. Long story short I went for a slide at 45 mph. Extremely minor road rash on me and the bag saved my back for sure. Still using the bag today. Just wish the straps were a little longer. 10/10 would slide with this bag again.


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|SAG RFID - Securitag Assembly Group Co, LTD
Country: Taiwan
City: Taichung
Address: No.1, Gongye 9th Rd., Dali City, 412 Tichung, TAIWAN,R.O.C.
Phone: William Lin
Number of company employees : 100-500
Approximate annual sales : USD$10,000,000
Percentage of exports : 70%
Website: www.sag.com.tw
|Catagory:Security Sub-categories: Access Control Systems Locks Door Smart Cards
|We can verify that SAG RFID - Securitag Assembly Group Co, LTD has been registered with ExportBureau
from 02/10/2007 to today 06/12/2019 for a period of 12 years and 68 days.
|Report this company
Thank you ! We have sent your message.
|This report should be used only as a guide to build a more informed opinion on potential international trading partners.
click here to update this company information


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Oregon Maintenance Service Areas
Contact today ☎ 503-381-4407: We are providing the affordable window cleaning services in Tigard, and Portland. Looking for affordable Pressure Washing Cleaning Services Company in Portland, OR? We are offering the best and affordable Gutter Cleaning Services in Gresham, Lake Oswego, and Portland. Professional Roof Moss Cleaning, Removal, Treatment Services done by Virtue Pro in , Lake Oswego, West Linn, Beaverton and near me Portland.


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South Africa
The South African government has moved to dispel media reports that it was set to grant immunity to embattled First Lady of Zimbabwe, Grace Mugabe.
Wife of the Zimbabwean leader is at the center of an assault allegation levelled by a 20-year-old model, Gabrielle Engels, who was allegedly whipped and injured by Mrs. Mugabe.
Reuters news agency on Friday morning cited a government source as confirming that Grace Mugabe will be granted diplomatic immunity to allow her return home.
What is likely to happen is that she will be allowed to go back home, and then we announce that we've granted diplomatic immunity and wait for somebody to challenge us.
"There would obviously be implications for our relations with Zimbabwe. Sadly the other countries in the region are watching us and how we are going to act," the anonymous source is quoted to have said.
"What is likely to happen is that she will be allowed to go back home, and then we announce that we've granted diplomatic immunity and wait for somebody to challenge us," he added.
Rights group Afriforum, which is advising Engels, said it would be illegal for Pretoria to give Mugabe immunity and branded the plans a "disgrace". They have further hinted of hauling the government before court if Mrs. Mugabe is allowed to leave.
The Ministry of Police on Thursday confirmed that a "red alert" had been placed at all border posts in respect of the 52-year-old accused.
The incident of Sunday evening has locked up Mugabe in South Africa after she failed to appear in court for a hearing. She was in the country for medical attention, a basis on which most legal experts aver that she does not qualify for immunity and is thus liable for prosecution.
Engels said she was assaulted by Mugabe on Sunday evening as she waited with two friends in a luxury Johannesburg hotel suite to meet one of Mugabe's adult sons.


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HealthFirst Medical Group is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for the treatment of all occupational injuries and illnesses. From the moment your injured employee arrives at our facility, they can expect to be treated in the following manner:
- With excellent customer service
- With the highest level of quality care
- On a timely basis
- With respect and dignity
Your employee will be asked to complete some brief yet very important paperwork (in English or Spanish) describing the injury and providing a detailed medical history. Once the paperwork is returned to the receptionist, your employee will be given the appropriate priority status to be seen by one of our experienced medical providers. Our medical providers will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your employee and determine the best course of treatment for their injury, and to get them back to their regular duties as quickly as possible.
During the evaluation our medical providers may determine that x-rays, medications, or medical supplies may be necessary to both assess your employee's condition and help in the treatment process. All this and much more is provided at both HealthFirst locations, eliminating the need for your employee to obtain testing, medications, and supplies at other locations.
Once the initial visit is completed, our medical provider will contact you or your designated representative to provide you with a medical and work status of your employee. In the event that your injured employee cannot be returned to their regular duties, our medical providers can return them to a modified duty status based upon your company's requirements and protocols.
Follow Up Care
Follow up care is fast and easy too. Your employee will sign in at the reception desk and be called in for their appointment in a prompt manner. Another very comprehensive evaluation will be performed in order to determine how your employee is progressing. Once again, our main goal is that of resolving your employee's injury, treating them with respect and dignity, and returning them back to their regular duties.
Value Added Benefits
- Bi-lingual staff
- Free return to work transportation available (ask for details)
- Large panel of "in house" referral specialists
- We are listed on all major Medical Provider Networks (MPN's)


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What Part of the Part-Time Agent is Going to Bite You???
Part Time Sellers? Part Time Buyers?
Are you a part time seller or a part time buyer? Of course not. When you're looking to sell or find a new home, there is no half way about it. So why do people hire Part Time Agents?
(You know them, they are all around us. They are your mechanic, yoga instructor, fast food server, or worse your cousin who passed his exams last spring because he didn't know what else to do after college!!! )
With more than 31,000 registrants on the Toronto Real Estate Board, the vast majority of agents don't even write one deal a year. Most of these people are "secret agents", but they are a liability when
they swing into action.
Let me share a story that will demonstrate the possible liability of using a part time agent.
Recently I sold a property just north of Toronto. When I received the offer, I was surprised to see that the buyer had excluded all the stainless steel appliances, window coverings, and light fixtures.
Although not common, occasionally buyers want to purchase their own items, and don't want any "used" chattels at all.
In this case, this exclusion totaled about $10,000 worth of of washers, dryers, fridges, stoves, dishwashers and light fixtures for the entire home. I suspected that the agent had made a
mistake and excluded all these items in error. Perhaps the agent had intended to include them in the offer?
Acting as the agent for the seller, I explained the offer as it was submitted, and explained that my client was in a position to keep all the appliances for her next home. This was ideal since she was building a new house, and would need to purchase new appliances when the project was completed. We discussed the possibility that this was an error on the part of the buyer's agent, and that it was likely a major oversight.
My client (such a lovely lady!) decided that rather than accepting the offer as written, she directed me to verify whether the buyers really wanted to exclude all the appliances etc.
Sure enough, the agent had excluded all chattels in error and her clients wanted every inclusion. She suddenly realized that the seller was in a position to accept the offer and keep close to $10,000 in appliances. I am certain that the agent would have been held liable for this mistake, and would have to pay for all the missing items.
Now, a $10,000 error can be corrected with some effort, but there many liabilities involved in Real Estate transactions. I have to ask people who are using part-time agents: What part of professional service is not important? There are liabilities that can cost lots of money, aggravation and invaluable time.
For a list of important questions to ask an agent and make sure they are not a Part-Timer before hiring them, check out my blog on Interview Questions!


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Hi guys, I thought I'd try a haul video! These are all the bits I bought from Superdrug when I went on a bit of a spree. Apologies for the rubbish editing in this, I had to chop a few bits to keep it short
Here's a couple of swatches on the lip products I bought –
Rimmel Kate in shade 45
(L-R) Revlon Colour Burst Balm Stain in 001
Revlon Colour Burst Lacquer Balm in 105
Rimmel Provocolips in 500 Kiss Me You Fool
Have any of you guys treated yourself lately? Let me know and if you have blogs please link me 🙂


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Mike Pence's chief of staff threatens to 'purge' anti-Trump Republicans: report
During a Republican National Committee meeting on Tuesday morning, Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff posited that the party could better unify around President Donald Trump if they "purge" those who oppose him.
According to audio obtained by Politico, Pence's chief of staff Nick Ayers asked rich donors to "imagine the possibilities of what can happen if our entire party unifies behind him? If — and this sounds crass — we can purge the handful of people who continue to work to defeat him."
Ayers, who has worked with Pence since his gubernatorial re-election campaign, told donors that they should push congresspeople to "change the current leadership in both the Senate and the House" by cutting off funding and threatening to recruit and give money to opponents.


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BY yollanthe On Aug 12, 2018 Living Room
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Pioneer Press previews the area boys basketball teams in the Central Suburban South at the start of the 2016-17 season.
Coach: Mike Ellis
2015-16 record: 23-6 (9-1 Central Suburban South), lost to Notre Dame in a Class 4A sectional semifinal
Backcourt: Senior point guard Nojel Eastern is healthy again. He was slowed as a junior after he dislocated his left ankle and fractured two bones in it following his sophomore season. The 6-foot-6 Purdue signee still averaged 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists last winter. "His shot has improved. He's had an opportunity to put up more shots (in the offseason)," Mike Ellis said. Sophomore guards Lance Jones, Jaheim Holden and Ryan Bost were standouts on Evanston's undefeated sophomore team last year. All three are strong defenders and good ballhandlers.
Frontcourt: Senior Elyjah Williams is a versatile 6-6, 230-pounder, who is attracting interest from Ivy League schools. He averaged 6.9 points and 5.6 rebounds last year, but missed 14 games with a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot. "He's an energetic, hard-nosed player, who makes all the unselfish plays and is so important to what we want to do," Ellis said. Senior Chris Hamil, a 6-4 shooter, averaged 7.1 points per game as a junior. Malcolm Townsel, a 6-4 senior wing, transferred from Young.
Did you know: The Wildkits' schedule includes eight shootouts or tournaments, including events in Akron, Ohio, and Myrtle Beach, S.C., and a matchup with powerhouse Montverde (Fla.) in the Chicago Elite Classic on Dec. 3 at the UIC Pavilion.
Glenbrook South
Coach: Ben Widner
2015-16 record: 12-16 (1-9 Central Suburban South), lost to Evanston in a Class 4A regional semifinal
Backcourt: Senior guard Matt Giannakopoulos, the Titans' second-leading scorer last season, will run the offense. "The keys to our scoring and spacing, he's going to be a big piece of that," Widner said. "I think he'll be a tough matchup for a lot of teams."
Frontcourt: Senior forward Chase Thomas, who is a transfer and was on the roster last season, will be eligible to play this season. "He's a different kind of player," Widner said. "He's a big kid. He can play inside, but can also shoot well from the outside and he's a good passer." The Titans not only lost size, but their leading scorer and rebounder of the past two seasons with the graduation of 6-foot-6 Jimmy Martinelli, who is now playing at New York University.
Did you know: In the fall, the team participated in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Funds One Walk, and raised over $2,000 from pledges. "We try to emphasize the element of thinking outside of ourselves," Widner said. "We're very proud of what the kids did. It was special for me."
Maine South
Coach: Tony Lavorato
2015-16 season: 21-10 (6-4 Central Suburban South), lost to Stevenson in a Class 4A regional final
Backcourt: While the Hawks are young — six of their top 10 players are either sophomores or juniors — they feature senior guards Milos Ljiljak and Nick Foldvary. The 6-foot-4 Ljiljak and the 6-3 Foldvary are entering their third seasons on varsity. A pair of players entering their second varsity season, 6-2 junior Michael George and 6-1 senior Jack Scales will shore up the backcourt for the Hawks.
Frontcourt: Junior Grant Miller, junior Tom Gardiner and senior Ryan Coffey are either 6-6 or 6-7 and give the Hawks size up front. All three also have one season of varsity experience. Dan Crane, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, adds further depth to the frontcourt.
Did you know: Maine South is on a streak of four consecutive 20-plus win seasons and they have six in the last seven years.
New Trier
Coach: Scott Fricke
2015-16 record: 18-8, lost to Loyola in a Class 4A regional semifinal
Backcourt: Senior guard Dylan Horvitz returns for the Trevians and is joined in the backcourt by junior Andrew Kirkpatrick and senior Aaron Peltz, who Fricke said is "one of the better shooters we've seen at our school in awhile." However, it's Horvitz who leads New Trier. "He's a kid who stepped into the starting role and brought some toughness and some intelligence," Fricke said. "He makes great decisions and he's a very good shooter."
Frontcourt: Sophomore Ciaran Brayboy is poised for a breakout season with the Trevians. Brayboy has grown into his 6-foot-9 frame, Fricke said, and should be a steadying force in the post. "He's a very athletic big kid," Fricke said. "He runs the floor well and moves his feet well and has gotten a lot stronger since last year." New Trier also features 6-8 sophomore Spencer Boehm. "(I) think they're going to make our team really hard to guard," Horvitz said of the sophomore pair. "I don't think there's really a team in the state that can match up with that."
Did you know: Boehm is the fifth child in his family to play basketball at New Trier. Boehm has three older brothers, Connor, Jack and Peter, who played for the boys team and older sister Jeannie was a star for the girls. She's now a freshman at Harvard.
Niles North
Coach: Glenn Olson
2015-16 record: 21-10 (7-3 Central Suburban North), lost to Evanston in a Class 4A regional final
Backcourt: Junior Damaria Franklin returns after a breakthrough sophomore campaign. Franklin scored 20 points to beat Libertyville in a Class 4A regional semifinal last season. "He does a lot for us in terms of scoring, rebounding and all that kind of stuff," Olson said. "You have to start there." In addition to Franklin, Olson said junior point guard Dravon Clayborn will be the primary ballhandler and has looked "real solid" on both ends of the court. Senior guard Jordan LaBelle will be another player to watch for Vikings.
Frontcourt: The starting center position is up for grabs this year, with three players vying for the role. Sophomore Dailen Sudduth, junior Lamar Nicholson Jr. and junior Philip Wilson are in competition for the spot. "It's been kind of fun to watch them compete at practice right now," Olson said. None of the three have a lot of size, but Olson said they each have a different skill set that could help the team.
Did you know: Niles North has only four seniors on its roster and Olson said the Vikings are a young squad this season. "Some guys are thinking they have a chance to be pretty competitive, especially next year it can translate to something special," Olson said. "The kids want to be part of that."
Niles West
Coach: Bob Williams
2015-16 record: 11-14 (2-8 Central Suburban South), lost to Highland Park in a Class 4A regional quarterfinal
Backcourt: According to Williams, senior point guards Kosta Hatzopoulos and Don Asuncion will be counted on for leadership and defense. Guard Mirsad Mackic is a captain who will begin his fourth year on varsity. John Lazar, who didn't play much as a junior, is a shooting threat and a 3-point specialist, Williams said. "I think we have a lot of guys who can play, and we're looking for a lot of effort (from) those guys to create pace," Williams said.
Frontcourt: Senior forward Johnny Pabst returns after starting every game last season. Senior forwards Aaron Flowers and Matthew Metz also saw playing time last season, with Flowers starting a majority of games. Senior center Dino Perocevic is a newcomer, but at 6-foot-5 he adds size to the frontcourt. "Our strength throughout our whole team is quickness," Williams said. "I think you'd describe our team as scrappy. We're really going to go out there and make (an) effort for 32 minutes." Williams said. Pabst and Flowers, along with Mackic, could be the leading scorers in an "equal opportunity" offense, according to Williams.
Did you know: Perocevic also played football this year. Williams said Perocevic went through a growth spurt his sophomore year and has a lot of close friends on the basketball team. Pabst also is a multi-sport athlete, playing football and baseball.
Dan Shalin, Lee Bosch, Gary Larsen, Brett Christie and Matthew Paras are freelance reporters for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press


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Recently Gretchen asked all the coaches in her Facebook group for their advice to parents of their clients.
Here is a summary of what they said — in a convenient and memorable top 10 list. We've included the full list below.
Tune in to hear Gretchen and Megan discuss them all, as well as to find out which ones Megan disagrees with and why.
|1. Get Curious and ask questions
|1. Lecture or feign curiosity
|2. Pause. Ask consent.
|2. Ambush
|3. Analyze grades.
|3. Freak yourself out by checking grades alone
|4. Refer to observable data
|4. Blame, especially with "you always" or "you never"
|5. Acknowledge effort and process
|5. Hyperfocus on grades as desirable outcomes
|6. Remember change takes time
|6. Expect immediate improvement
|7. Make family expectations visible
|7. Agree verbally on expectations
|8. Follow through. Do what you say.
|8. Make threats you may not carry out
|9. Celebrate mistakes as learning
|9. Save your kid from mistakes
|10. Have multiple ways to soothe your own anxiety
|10. Wait for behavior change to soothe anxiety
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS


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Reaping the fruits of unfettered capitalism.
The obsession with growth and short-term profits combined with the complete corruption of the political system have finally rendered the environment defenseless against the worst excesses of the plundering corporate class. Meanwhile, the environmental movement —and the public at large—largely co-opted and in disarray, seem overwhelmed by the enormousness of the assault…The paternity for this unspeakable crime is clear. The Obama administration buckled before BP and oil industry pressure, failing to implement new safety and environmental regulations under consideration last fall. A BP executive wrote a letter to the administration stating that self-regulation was adequate. Why is it that humanity can't seem to learn the obvious lessons when great fortunes stand in the way?
By Tom Eley 1 May 2010 [print_link]
ON FRIDAY, an oil slick caused by last week's explosion and sinking of a British Petroleum oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico began washing ashore in Louisiana near the mouth of the Mississippi River, threatening catastrophic economic and environmental damage.
The Deepwater Horizon oil rig, located about 50 miles off the Louisiana coast, erupted in flames on April 20 when a concrete sealant failed and oil moved up piping from the ocean floor, about a mile beneath the surface of the water. The disaster claimed the lives of 11 workers and critically injured four more.
After burning for two days, the floating rig sank, buckling beneath it the piping connecting it to the oil well and causing at least three ruptures. A mechanism used to seal the well in the event of a blowout failed to activate, and crude oil has been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico at an estimated rate of 5,000 barrels, or 210,000 gallons, a day.
BP and the Obama administration at first claimed that there was no oil spill. After a slick on the ocean's surface increased to an area of about 320 square miles, BP said that 1,000 barrels were pouring forth. On Thursday BP admitted that the Coast Guard estimate of 5,000 barrels was more likely.
On Friday morning the BBC reported that the oil slick was roughly equivalent in size to Jamaica, and growing. It appeared set to continue washing ashore in Louisiana, and was likely to spread east along the gulf coastline in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.
Efforts to contain the spill and prevent further oil from reaching the ocean surface have achieved little. On Friday attempts to ring the slick with booms and administer controlled burns were hampered by wind and choppy seas. A high tide is expected Friday night, likely pushing oil further up delicate marshlands in the Mississippi delta.
Ultimately the spill must be stopped at its source near the oil cap and crushed piping located 5,000 feet beneath the ocean's surface. Valves designed to shut the cap and remote controlled submarines have been unable to stop the hemorrhaging. Other methods—including placing a structure over the leaks or drilling holes nearby to divert oil from reaching the existing well—are experimental and would take weeks or months to implement.
In the meantime, the collapsed rig will likely continue to pump out about 210,000 gallons per day into the Gulf of Mexico. At this pace the Deepwater Horizon spill would by mid-June eclipse the disaster resulting from the sinking of the Exxon Valdez, which in 1989 dumped its payload of 10.8 million gallons of crude oil into remote Prince William Sound in Alaska.
In the worst case scenario oil could flow from the well until its supply is exhausted, which would likely result in a spill many times larger than the Exxon Valdez.
The economic impact of the Deepwater Horizon spill will be severe. The coast's multi-billion dollar fishing and tourism industries will suffer major losses, which will result in layoffs and job cuts. It is possible the slick could block shipping from the port of New Orleans—the nation's busiest in terms of freight tonnage. Shrimp and oyster fishermen have launched lawsuits against BP, rig operator Transocean, and Halliburton Energy Services, who subcontracted work on the drill hole.
"This might be our last day," oyster farmer Mitch Jurisich told the Associated Press. "This is who we are and what we do."
"If it gets in oyster reefs and grass beds—terribly productive areas—you don't exactly run a vacuum cleaner over it," said George Crozier, a marine biologist with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Alabama. "The grass beds are particularly fragile in our part of the world. So even trying to clean it would probably destroy them."
The environmental impact is incalculable. The estuaries, islands, and bayous of the Mississippi Delta—the area likely to be hardest hit by the spill—contain 40 percent of all US wetlands and are home to hundreds of animal species.
"It is of grave concern," said David Kennedy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "I am frightened. This is a very, very big thing. And the efforts that are going to be required to do anything about it, especially if it continues on, are just mind-boggling."
For nearly a week the Obama administration said virtually nothing about the disaster—besides reiterating that the "incident," as Obama called it, would in no way lessen its support for the lifting of a moratorium on offshore drilling up and down the Atlantic Coast. Two days after the explosion, when the fate of the missing 11 men was still unknown, a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs if Obama had yet "reached out to anyone in Louisiana over the oil rig explosion." Gibbs responded, "Let me check on that. I don't believe so." The next day, Gibbs told reporters, "In all honesty I doubt this is the first accident that has happened and I doubt it will be the last."
Finally, on Friday morning, senior Obama advisor David Axelrod admitted that the oil spill was a disaster that might temporarily delay further seabed oil exploration. Later in the day, Obama told a Rose Garden press conference that he had ordered Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to report to him within 30 days if any new safeguards are needed for deap sea oil rigs.
Obama's statement was "a largely symbolic gesture," according to the Associated Press, since "no new leases are scheduled for the coming months." Its transparent purpose was to protect Obama's "planned expansion of offshore drilling," according to the AP.
On Friday, the Obama administration dispatched two air force planes and a number of warships to assist in containing the slick, and Louisiana Governor Bobbie Jindal requested a call-up of about 6,000 National Guard soldiers. However, experts have said that miniature submarines used by the Navy would be of no help in stopping the leaks. Due to the topography and biology of the Mississippi Delta—muddy and rich in water vegetation—cleanup will prove difficult
The parallels with Hurricane Katrina are striking. As that massive storm system approached the Gulf Coast in 2005, the Bush administration could not be roused to take elementary steps to assist area residents. Then, after Katrina struck, a stunned nation watched on television as desperate residents begged for relief. The Gulf Coast has never recovered from Katrina, and now some experts have predicted that the Deepwater Horizon spill could prove more economically devastating.
The Wall Street Journal wrote of "a growing sense among many in Louisiana that the government failed them again, just as it did during Hurricane Katrina five years ago."
"They lied to us," fishing guide Cade Thomas told the Journal. "They came out and said it was leaking 1,000 barrels when I think they knew it was more. And they weren't proactive. As soon as it blew up, they should have started wrapping it with booms."
Why BP and the federal government did not take immediate precautions to cordon off the explosion area in the immediate aftermath of the explosion is just one of many questions that have emerged.
It has also been revealed that the Obama administration had buckled before BP and oil industry pressure, failing to implement new safety and environmental regulations under consideration last fall. A BP executive wrote a letter to the administration stating that self-regulation was adequate.
Among the regulations that BP and other oil concerns were able to block was the inclusion on all oil rigs of a device called an acoustic switch—commonly used in other oil-producing nations—that sends impulses through the water that can trigger an underwater valve to shut down the well in the event of a blowback. BP found the costs of these units, about $500,000, excessive.
The oil giant reported $5.598 billion in profits for the first three months of 2010.
TOM ELEY is a senior writer with the World Socialist Web Site.
The Stupidity of Obama's Drill-Drill-Drill Offshore Oil Policy https://www.greanvillepost.com/?p=5711
Capitalism on a collision course with nature https://www.greanvillepost.com/?p=5750
BP Fought Safety Measures at Deepwater Oil Rigs
Owner of Louisiana Oil Well Objected to System That Would Have Shut Off Spill
By MATTHEW MOSK, BRIAN ROSS and RHONDA SCHWARTZ
Apr. 30, 2010 —
BRITISH PETROLEUM (BP), the company that owned the Louisiana oil rig that exploded last week, spent years battling federal regulators over how many layers of safeguards would be needed to prevent a deepwater well from this type of accident.
One area of immediate concern, industry experts said, was the lack of a remote system that would have allowed workers to clamp shut Deepwater Horizon's wellhead so it would not continue to gush oil. The rig is now spilling 210,000 gallons of oil a day into the Gulf of Mexico.
In a letter sent last year to the Department of the Interior, BP objected to what it called "extensive, prescriptive regulations" proposed in new rules to toughen safety standards. "We believe industry's current safety and environmental statistics demonstrate that the voluntary programs&continue to be very successful."
That was one in a series of clashes between the industry and federal regulators that began during the Clinton administration. In 2000, the federal agency that oversaw oil rig safety issued a safety alert that called added layers of backup "an essential component of a deepwater drilling system." The agency said operators were expected to have multiple layers of protection to prevent a spill.
But according to aides to Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat who has followed offshore drilling issues for years, the industry aggressively lobbied against an additional layer of protection known as an "acoustic system," saying it was too costly. In a March 2003 report, the agency reversed course, and said that layer of protection was no longer needed.
"There was a big debate under the Bush administration whether or not to require additional oil drilling safeguards but [federal regulators] decided not to require any additional mandatory safeguards, believing the industry would be motivated to do it themselves," Carl Pope, Chairman of the Sierra Club told ABC News.
A second area of focus emerging Friday involved the cement casing that was supposed to seal the well and prevent gaps from opening between the outside of the well pipe and the inside of the hole drilled into the sea floor. If cement is not poured properly, oil and natural gas can escape a cause of more than a dozen previous well blowouts in the Gulf.
House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman Friday sent a letter to Halliburton, the company responsible for pouring the cement seal, asking company executives to brief committee investigators on conditions at the rig, and preserve all documents relating to their work on the sea floor.
Elmer Danenberger, an expert on offshore drilling who retired from the U.S. Department of the Interior in January, told ABC News he is worried that "lack of attention" during the pouring of the cement could be to blame.
"With these cementing operations it's just a matter of not being attentive enough," he said. "What you want is a closed system. You want the cemented pipe totally sealing the well bore. If you don't have that, you have problems."
Because the well us under more than a mile of water, it may be some time before investigators have more clarity on what exactly went wrong. But Brent Coon, a lawyer who sued BP over a previous deadly oil facility explosion, said he has obtained a restraining order to prevent the company from doing anything to cover up the cause of the accident.
"BP stands apart, heads and shoulders above all the rest of them, with respect to their conduct," said Coon, who represents a 24-year-old roustabout who was working on the rig at the time of the blast. "It's like they just don't care."
BP issued a release saying it had launched its own investigation into the cause of the blast, and would cooperate with federal efforts.
"Losing 11 of our industry colleagues is a tragedy for the offshore community," said BP Group Chief Executive Tony Hayward in the statement. "As an industry, we must participate fully in these investigations and not rest until the causes of this tragedy are known and measures are taken to see that it never happens again."
Click Here for the Blotter Homepage.
Copyright © 2010 ABC News Internet Ventures


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Exactly what is Ketosis?
Ketosis Forces your body to obtain its energy by burning fat instead of carbs.
When you've reached a state of Ketosis, your body starts automatically burning fat for its energy instead of carbs.
Carbohydrates are not the optimal energy source for your body, so until we reach a state of ketosis, we are normally left sensation exhausted, under tension and low-energy by the end of every day.
Fat Is the body's optimum energy source. So when your body reaches ketosis you'll find your energy increases, and you'll feel more concentrated than ever before, even late into the day.
Keto Whoosh
Why aren't more individuals in a state of Ketosis?
The normal western world diet today tends to consist of huge amounts of carbs. Additionally, for years consumers have been requiring low fat and fat totally free versions of foods.
Through our diet plans, our bodies have been conditioned to burn carbohydrates for energy instead of fat. As pointed out previously, this can have major effects to our feeling of well being.
So just begin consuming more fat and less carbohydrates?
Sadly, it's not constantly this easy. Because your body has been set for years to keep fat and burn carbohydrates, we typically need some aid to kick-start the procedure of ketosis into high gear.
This assistance comes in the form of a chemical compound known as Beta-hydroxybutyrate (also called BHB). BHB informs your body to begin the process of developing into a ketosis state.
How does my body get BHB?
While your body produces really small quantities of BHB, it does not produce huge sufficient amounts to quickly lead to a ketosis state. Therefore lots of people choose to supplement BHB in their diet plans. Purefit Keto is a popular and highly reliable dietary supplement utilized to achieve this,.
Exactly what are the benefits of Purefit Keto?
Purefit Keto will help you to reach a state of ketosis much quicker than would be possible by diet plan alone. It'll help you to get slim, improve your energy level, enhance your mood, and feel healthy and positive again.
Keto Whoosh
Who is Purefit Keto for?
Purefit Keto is ideal for both males and females that want to reach a state of ketosis quicker, feel much better and look better.
Is Purefit Keto Safe?
Purefit Keto includes an unique blend of components. Purefit Keto is both safe and convenient. It provides a simple and safe method to reach a state of ketosis without suffering the unfavorable side effects of a common ketogenic diet plan.
Can I eat whatever I desire while taking Purefit Keto?
When you are in a state of dietary ketosis, remaining in ketosis is as basic as keeping a keto-friendly diet plan, a lot of exercise, and delighting in all the advantages Purefit KETO has to provide.
For finest outcomes, you'll wish to eat a diet that consists mainly of fat, with moderate protein consumption and a small amount of carbs. It's suggested to try to take in a diet plan of 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbs while taking the supplement.
How do I start with Purefit Keto?
To get started, click here to get a 30 day risk-free supply of Purfit Keto supplement


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This was one of my first book reviews for NFocus several years ago. Since then, the competition for attention is even greater. In world where everyone seems to have something to say and a vehicle for expressing it, making your ideas stand out is imperative.
Why do urban legends such as the Kidney Heist tale and booby- trapped Halloween candy persist despite the overwhelming evidence of their falsehood? Why can I remember and repeat a story I read in the check out line, but can't begin to share the contents of a memo on interest rate fluctuations? In short, why do some ideas "stick" and others come unglued immediately?
This is the question brothers Chip and Dan Heath address in their book, Made to Stick. Whether you are raising kids or selling a product, this unpretentious book offers practical advice for communicating your ideas more effectively.
Malcolm Gladwell first introduced the concept of stickiness in his fascinating book The Tipping Point. Mr. Gladwell explains that innovations are more likely to "tip" (make the leap from small groups to big groups) when they are sticky. What Mr. Galdwell didn't address in his book is what characterizes a sticky idea.
The Heaths suggest that sticky ideas share six features. A sticky idea is stripped down to its essential essence (simple). A sticky idea captures people's attention by surprising them and breaking established patterns (unexpected). A sticky idea uses (concrete) images and often references a trusted source (credible). A sticky idea appeals to things that people care about, including themselves (emotional). Finally, a special story can be the basis of a sticky idea (stories). [Yes, the six principles do create the acronym SUCCESs, which even the authors admit is a bit corny.]
The book is entertaining and persuasive largely due to the dozens of vivid examples, which show sticky principles in action. For example, the NBA uses an ingenious demonstration to make the AIDS threat real to their rookies. An elementary school teacher in Iowa creates an exercise to illustrate discrimination. The experience is so powerful that twenty years later her students were noticeably less prejudiced than their peers. A medical researcher is forced to adopt a very unusual strategy to convince the medical community of his controversial findings.
My favorite story is the tale of Jared. Jared is the young man from Bloomington, Indiana, who lost over a hundred pounds on a diet of his own invention, which he called the "Subway diet." The diet consisted of a foot-long veggie Subway sandwich for lunch and a six-inch turkey Subway sandwich for dinner. This story contains all the features of an unforgettable idea, but the executives at Subway almost missed it. If it wasn't for the dogged persistence of a Subway franchise owner, Subway's most popular and enduring advertising campaign might never have happened.
You may be thinking that you don't have the time or creativity to make your fund-raising pitch stickier or to enliven your standard PowerPoint presentation.
To challenge these perceptions, "Idea Clinics" are included in every chapter. Here you can test your understanding of the sticky process. I know this sounds like homework, but actually the Idea Clinics are thought provoking rather than onerous. And they convincingly show that improving a message's stickiness factor doesn't take that much time, nor do you have to be a creative genius.
Go forth and be memorable!
(The Heath brothers' new book is Switch, How to Change Things When Change is Hard. )


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UNITED STATES: The price of wind energy in the US is at an all-time low, according to a new report from the Department of Energy.
The Wind Technologies Market Report, compiled for the DOE by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found the price offered by wind projects came in at an average of just $25/MWh in 2013, compared with $70/MWh in 2009.
"The continued decline in average wind prices, along with a bit of a rebound in wholesale power prices, put wind back at the bottom of the range of nationwide wholesale power prices in 2013," the report says.
Key to this is the fall in turbine prices, which have dropped 37% from their high in 2009/10. Last year the price came in at $1,630/kW, a fall of around $600/kW.
Turbine scaling is also boosting project performance, the report claims. Since 1998-99, the average capacity of turbines installed in the US has increased by 162% to 1.87 MW in 2013, while the average turbine hub height has increased by 45% to 80 metres, and the average rotor diameter has increased by 103% to 97 metres.
"This substantial scaling has enabled wind project developers to economically build projects in lower wind-speed sites, and is driving capacity factors higher for projects located in given wind resource regimes," the report says.
Although wind power additions slowed in 2013, with just 1.1GW added, wind power has comprised 33% of all new US capacity additions since 2007. Wind currently contributes more than 4% of the country's electricity supply, more than 12% of total electricity generation in nine states, and more than 25% in two states.


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Principal addresses concerns in interview with TOC. By Choo Zheng Xi.Read More »
Daily Archives: 2008-11-12
Singapore Government screw-ups
Blogger Josee100 lists major shortcomings of govt.Read More »
An extreme suggestion for an extreme age
It has been two months since the Advisory Council for the Impact of New Media on Society (AIMS) released its report. Its report was standard government fare except for a major point that has got everyone talking: the need for the government to engage netizens on their own turf.
By Arixion.
Money gets you places
If you are a professional, you can contribute to Singapore, if you earn above the average median income of Singaporeans, become a PR and maybe later a citizen. Goh Chok Tong ("Any talent welcome", Straits Times, 12 Nov 08)Read More »
Tan Kin Lian writes to the PM
Letter asks PM to look into possible mis-selling.Read More »
TOC Report: Singaporean, 57, employed, married but cannot buy HDB flat
Repeated appeals to HDB and CPF rejected. Report by Andrew LohRead More »
20 Years Of The GRC: A closer look (Part One)
Has the GRC system achieved its aims? By Melvin Tan.Read More »
Minority PM – Yes, it's possible
We have a system of scouring the whole country for good leaders and we know more or less who are the leaders of each community. So we don't quite see one coming, but it is an open system and it is possible one day to have an outstanding person to become the Prime Minister of Singapore, whatever his race is. …Read More »
Poly students seek endorsements for fares campaign
Invitation to bloggers and others to endorse students' campaign.Read More »


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- 5Partages
New Stickers for Instagram Stories : The Quiz
Instagram is about to launch a Quiz Stickers option to be used in stories, which would provide additional creative options for boosting engagement via your Stories with your Followers.
Quiz stickers are going to be very useful for companies, radio/TV presenters and influencers who like to engage their followers online.
Stories are becoming more famous among people on different platforms. Based on this, LinkedIn and YouTube are also planning to experiment with this. Twitter and Pinterest may also be looking forward to it, but there is no confirmed news. The way users engage online is changing and all the social platforms are noticing the evolution and are thus considering the options of bringing in new features.
And with more than 500 million people now using Instagram Stories every day, it's worth businesses considering how they can make use of the function. Facebook has been saying for years now that Stories are the future of social sharing, and the latest usage data indicates that they may well be correct
Stories seem to be a very big deal as all social platforms are either working on it or planning to.
- 5Partages
- 5Partages
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