text:
First, the majority of the info from this article comes from the stuff revealed in the FFG article called, "Target Lock Acquired" where they talk about the B-Wing and the TIE Bomber. The info does not come from my totally hilarious April Fool's Day post from, uh, well, 1 April.
Like most of the Rebel ships, the B-Wing comes in two named pilot versions and two common pilot versions. I always like to start off with the common dudes first just to get an idea of what I'm working with before muddying the waters with named pilots and their abilities, and since this is my bar, that's where we'll start.
First, the stats are relatively similar. Easy, I said relatively. The one Defend die is a bit rotten, but it has 3 more shields than the Rook to help make up for that. They have the same 3 Attack, so that's good, and they both also have 3 Hull. All in all, it's looking fairly even. Where I think the B-Wing kinda comes into its own is possessing the extra Barrel Roll Action in addition to the Focus and Target Lock that Rookie also gets. How often you make use of it is entirely dependent on you and your ability, but as any TIE Interceptor player will attest, having a Barrel Roll in your arsenal is never a bad thing. After all, who cares if you only have one Defense die if you can BR out of your opponent's firing arc anyway?
Past that, you've got a double load of torpedoes, the funky raygun, and the new Wave 3-centric Advanced Systems upgrades all available to you. That's a lot of variations via upgrades for such a cheap ship.
So what are the common B-Wings well suited for? I think folks who regularly switch their alliances between Empire and Rebels will probably have a ball with this ship because they're used to barrel rolling, whereas guys like me who predominantly play Rebels, might struggle a bit with it at first. Also folks who have messed around with Firespray lists as I think the most straightforward application of this ship is as a Firespray-lite- staying back behind some X-Wings, bombing in shots to finish fools off from long range. I could see tacking on a Heavy Laser Cannon or an Ion Cannon once in a while for the the lulz, but really, I think it runs fairly decent just as it is. Keep in mind, the most common backline Firesprays are built around Trelix with an HLC or Kath with either an HLC or an Ion Cannon. Your generic B-Wing isn't going to be nearly as effective, but it's also much cheaper, so as long as you're not leaning on it heavily for results, you can use it in much the same way, albeit to diminished effect. As usual, the PS2 version of the ship is 2 points cheaper than the PS4 version with no other differences between the two.
Ok, so as I've stated before, I think crits are an important way to reduce the effectiveness of big ships. That's not to say that they don't work on small ships, just that they work on big ships better. As the Imperials will be able to choose between the Firespray and the Lambda, both quite capable and dangerous options, having the ability to stick a crit that can't be cancelled is kind of a big deal. That said, sticking an uncancelable (yeah, not a real word, I know) crit on a TIE Interceptor could be pretty amazing too, so it's not like you should only use Ten against big ships.
The question in my mind is how often does this card text actually work. You're paying 9 points over the cost of the Dagger version for 6 more Pilot Skill, the Elite Pilot Skill icon, and the card text. Is it worth it?
Weeeeell, maybe.
As you've likely noticed before, your red Attack die is an 8-sider. Of those 8 sides, one is a critical result. Since you get to throw three of them down every time you attack, you've got a decent shot at rolling a crit. Of course, increasing those odds by running Ten Numb with Marksmanship or with Proton Torpedoes, and you've got the potential to stick somebody with some nasty and (probably) lasting effects. That said, you're talking about more than a third of your point total in a 100 point match, and Rebel ships aren't exactly cheap to start with (translation: you're not going to field much anything else in a 4-ship list in the way of upgrades or named pilots). There again though, against anybody buy a low PS swarm, you're probably coming out ahead with that strategy.
As formidable as Ten Numb is, it's Ibtisam I'm more likely to mispronounce. I mean, I'm more likely to use. 28 points, she's not exactly cheap, but like Ten Numb, she adds the Elite Pilot Skill icon as well as (in this case) 4 PS above the cheapest incarnation, and her card text for 6 more points.
28 points is the same total as Luke, so naturally I want to compare them. Luke's at a higher PS (8), but Ibtisam has that intensely interesting card text ability. As you'll recall, via his card text, Luke can change an eyeball result rolled on defense to an Evade. Ibtisam's ability is kinda similar, but her ability can be used on attack or defense and so long as she has a Stress token, she can reroll 1 of her dice.
Now, some folks have been interpreting this as if Miss I has more than one Stress Token, she can reroll more than one die. I'm not one of those people who thinks that's how this card works, but whatever. I guess we'll have to wait on the FAQ. Either way, at a glance, the ability seems pretty great right?
Again- weeeeeeeell, kinda.
Bear in mind that you've gotta have her Stressed for this to work. That means you pulled a red, you took Push The Limit (and paid those additional points), or you cancelled one of Kath's hits. It's not like it's too hard to get Stressed (especially with all those red maneuvers available), but you very well may have sacrificed your Perform Action step to get that Stress token. If you used Push the Limit, well, kudos to you- your'e like the B-Wing Vader or something. If you purposely pulled a red maneuver to generate the Stress, you just traded in a Focus, Target Lock, or Barrel Roll for the ability to reroll a single die. Not a great return on investment. Still though, if you don't mind the idea of wrapping up a third of your points in a single PS6 ship, you're probably not all that worried about that.
Me personally, I'm probably going to play several games with only my common B-Wing pilots to get the hang of maneuvering them. Past that though, while Ten Numb and Ibtisam both have some pretty unique card text abilities, I think a case could definitely be made for going common on the B-Wing and still getting some good results.


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My contribution to this new world was accidental.
In 2005 I set up the University of Bristol Atheist, Agnostic and Secular Society. Actually there were 5 of us who set it up, but the reason it happened was because one day, after seeing the Christian Union preaching and Muslim society declaring the "truth", I thought it would be hilarious if there was an atheist society.
Can you imagine it? Hilarious!
Very rapidly, this bizarre daydream turned into a credible concept, and after a lot of DIY organising (and a fair bit of drinking) a genuine, credited, univeristy society was born. Sadly, right from the start - even when I was just putting up posters looking for people who'd be interested - I got a reaction which was by far mostly negative.
The responses I received then were similar to the backlash against "new atheism" today. It went from complete incomprehension, e.g.:
"You can't make a society for something you don't believe in"
"That's the most stupid thing I've heard"to outright hostility, e.g.
"That's wrong, you shouldn't be allowed to do that!"
"That's so disrespectful. I'm not religious but I find that offensive"and even more colourful language than that. (Incidentally that last quote always cracks me up - comedy gold.)
It seemed to me as a child, and still seems the case today, that it's fine to shout about your identity and opinions on ethics, fertilised embryos, the afterlife, angels/faeries/ghosts/elves etc. as long as you have a religion. I think the default opinion of society is that having religious beliefs is part of your culture and heritage, which must never be questionned, even if they're illogical (how many gods would you like on your mystical cosmology today?) or just plain wrong (sharia law anyone?). People who don't have religious beliefs are seen as apathetic and clearly don't have any convictions about spirituality, ethics, or, well, anything at all.
The identity of a conscious, deliberate, open atheist seems to scare and aggravate a lot of people.
Like all societies, the UOB AASS has taken on its own life and I haven't been part of it since leaving university in 2006. It's very tempting to still think of it as my baby, but the reality is it's now run by - and composed of - completely different people who have their own views on its role. But the aims I had at the time, and the ones we agreed on when setting it up, were simple:
- A social group for atheists to meet, share activities, and basically hang out
- A campaigning platform for secularism and secularist values
These purposes have been mirrored in the rise of "new atheism". Atheists around the world want to connect, organise and hang out in a global sense, and rationalists want connected groups to campaign on secular values. As I say they're not identical aims, but there is a healthy overlap.
Unfortunately this vocalness and organising has given rise to a backlash. It's even added strength to the comment "Isn't atheism just another religion?" No. Atheism is a religious choice, but it is far from a religion. People who don't believe in god organising and forming collectives to a) hang out and/or b) criticise religion is not even on the same page as refuting evolution as science or telling people what to do on which days of the week.
More specifically, you'll notice that Christians do not have 2 religions - one for believing in God, one for not believing in Allah.
Unlike many people's assumptions, atheists are not apathetic - we are people who have made a distinct choice. There are even agnostics who've made a deliberate, conscious decision to be agnostic. If you thought an atheist society was strange, just wait for the United People's Front of Agnosticism. It may only be a hardcore punk band's name now. But it's just a matter of time before it's a genuine militant organisation.
My mature, adult self is a secularist. We should all have the freedom to choose our religion, no matter how batshit crazy it is, because we don't deserve to have anyone else's batshit crazy religion forced on us by anyone, whether by government, corporations or through education. That includes the freedom to choose no religion, and the freedom to say so, even if ideally the world would be a calmer and better place if no-one shouted about it.
My mature self is also a calm, happy atheist, knowing that people of all religious choices are treated equally. Unfortunately this isn't the case.
It's hard to see the world's fundamentalist religious calming down any time soon, just like Catholics won't be endorsing condoms or accepting homosexuality, and Islamists in Somalia aren't going to stop stoning women for adultery, and Saudi Arabia isn't going to just give up imprisoning and lashing female victims of rape. It ain't going to happen, not any time soon, and certainly not by itself.
These are extreme examples, but not only are they real examples, there are many examples of petty religious privilege in countries all over the world, and these deserve challenging too.
For me, atheism is a positive, liberating choice, and organised atheism is a positive, progressive movement. But freedom to choose religion also comes with the freedom to criticise religion and criticise religious privilege. And when you get a loose movement of people expressing their identity, who don't have martyrs or rituals or hierarchy, it's inevitably going to involve criticism of religious nonsense.
For those people scared, disgusted, dismissive of, and angered by vocal, open atheism, I'm afraid we're just one new group hundreds of years late to the party.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Home > Author List >
Dan Brown
About The Author
Dan Brown is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Da Vinci Code and, previously, Digital Fortress, Deception Point, and Angels and Demons. He is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he spent time as an English teacher before turning his efforts fully to writing. He lives in New England with his wife.
|- Book 1: The Da Vinci Code
|- Book 2: The Lost Symbol
|- Book 3: Digital Fortress
|- Book 4: Angels Demons
|- Book 5: Deception Point
Top Authors
Top Books
- Fifty Shades Darker (Fifty Shades #2)
- This Man (This Man #1)
- Beneath This Man (This Man #2)
- This Man Confessed (This Man #3)
- Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades #3)
- A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thor
- Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Chr
- The Score (Off-Campus #3)
- The Boy Who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window
- The Deal (Off-Campus #1)


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text:
I have since I can remember called it Invasion Day, but I'm happy
with Survival Day. The date for those who don't know is the
anniversary of the arrival of the 1st fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788.
The 1st fleet being a shipment of criminals and their not very nice
keepers from Great Britain here to set up a dumping ground for
their problems, nothing to celebrate there if you ask me.
Even less when you consider this was the start of an invasion
that wrecked havoc and death upon the indigenous keepers of
this land. There is no shortage of more appropriate days to
celebrate Australian nationalism if you must so lets change it from
this ridiculous celebration of Britain dumping its criminals here
I started this blog on this weekend 5 years ago and every year I have
a word and share some wonderful music from those people who have
been most insulted by this celebration.
Coloured Stone are one of the longest established Australian
indigenous band who first had success with their 1st single Black boy
back in 1984.This 1998 album is wonderful and includes the very
topical track Survival.
Happy 5th Birthday to the SSS blog !!!


text:
last august i took what i believe to be one of the best pictures i've ever taken.
this little boy is named eziye which in english is pronounced isaiah.
he is gorgeous.
eziye was staying at pastor josue's house in august while i was there. he had recently had surgery to correct a herniated testicle and pastor josue and his wife were watching him as he recovered. having been released from the hospital, he was supposed to refrain from any strenuous activity, so josue thought it best not to have him return immediately to the orphanage and all the other children.
wise move, i say.
anyhow, as soon as i got to the orphanage last week, i wanted to see his face again. he was hiding under a red hood, but not difficult to locate even in a sea of faces.
what a doll. eziye has four brothers . . . or is it three? i don't know about his parents, but i do know he is one of the sponsored children of "new life to the children."
he was busy playing with friends this time and we were passing out plates of food to nearly 80 neighborhood children, so we didn't talk much. i saw a few of his brothers though.
turns out, they're gorgeous too.


text: Every period of self-growth in my life has been accompanied by acquisition of a new (set of) vocabulary of self-identification... words to describe who I am, signposts to navigate the psychological landscape. Without the right qualifiers, important elements of identity remain a mysterious vague feeling, a nagging discomfort without validation, a muted voice. There is no liberation without the right words.


text:
My heart will go on
Recently I got a reminder about my heart.
How grateful I am for it's beating and that I shall not take it for granted.
With every beat I feel life in me.
– The only thing I need to do is to die, the man says.
He pointed at the fact the he has nothing more to achieve in this life, and still being in the middle of it all. He is totally well, totally present when saying it. It's like he is saying: "Since I know that death is the end, and I don't fear it, I can live in totality now."
I am a great lover of life, and at the same time it's getting easier to also embrace the thought of dying. It's like life feels even more vibrant, when acknowledging the presence of death.
Lately I have met some deaths, which have touched me deeply. I have mourned and cried. I have looked at people closer to the deceased and felt a strong pain, which I connect to them. I miss the persons who have lost their bodies, and at the same time I guess they are now in a peaceful space. I mean being dead, seems simple. The difficulty might be the dying process, and also witnessing a loved one die ... and the feeling of loss.
And then there were other things that saddened me, that woke up fears and worries in me, and sometimes in a context when I can do nothing, but witness. To stand aside a person, wanting to contribute with love or compassion, and not having the possibility to serve, but from a distance. I felt an ache in my heart. I wanted to stretch myself out, being there in totality, and then feeling... I'm searching an adequate word, feeling helpless, feeling stripped of means to serve, witnessing with growing pain in my own body.
Suddenly something hits me. I feel a pain in my heart that makes me crumble. It hurts. And this pain comes again, and again. It's a new pain and I don't really know what it is. Is my heart trying to tell me something?
I start googeling. I find the broken heart syndrome, telling that a women's heart might break from emotional pressure. And I recognize the signs, the pressure I have felt for some time; a mixture of my own strong emotions, and some feelings and emotions wandering from others towards me, and to some extents entering my system. When the heart hurt the most, I felt, that it told me "It's been a bit to much for you lately, it's time to relax".
The third day I made a phone call. They asked me to go to the hospital. I want there. It all went very fast. No line. Within 15 minutes I met two nurses and two doctors and they took several tests. And the result: It was not my heart, this time. It was muscles contracting. Nothing dangerous at all.
When walking home, I felt such a relief. My heart will beat on. And maybe, maybe, there is some truth to what I heard it say to me: Sometimes you are to hard on your self, Charlotte, sometimes you are trying to much, sometimes you are to much trying to help or save others, sometimes your compassion turn in to something that doesn't serve yourself.
And I remember the words I often say to clients, or to groups:
"You are the most important person in your life. Be kind to your self."
Taking the walk to the hospital, checking the heart, was an act of kindness, to myself. And I realize that is was also kind to my loved ones, showing them I care for my health, really wanting to let my heart beat for years to come, playing and loving life.
Charlotte Cronquist is a warrior of love.
Love is the answer


text:
1.We have several locations listed below, which will take your blankets if you make some at home and want to get them to us.
2.Please pick the site closest to you, or send us a message if you can't find a good site near you.
3.Also, please help these fine groups/businesses by shopping at their stores or utilizing their services.
4.**Very Important: Place a note with your name, mailing address, and brief description of the donation in the bag with your blanket(s).**
5. We'd like it if you let us know when/where you dropped off your donation so we can retrieve them quickly. Email us as soon as you can with that info.
Drop Off Sites:
1. A. C. Moore, Concord Mills, (across from the mall), 704-979-3200 When leaving your blankets here, make sure you ask the location of the PROJECT LINUS box to put it in.
2. Quilt Patch Fabrics,1017 Stallings Road, Matthews, 704-821-7554
3. Charlotte Yarn, 1235 East Blvd. Suite L, Dilworth, (near Harris Teeter), 704-373-7442
4. Mint Hill Public Library Branch, Matthews-Mint Hill Road(highway 51, near Publix store) 704-545-3932
5. Creative Sewing and Vacuums, Stonecrest Mall, Rea Road/I-485, (next to Target)
6. Charlotte Sewing Center, 5113 South Blvd. 704-525-9022 hours: M,T,Th,F 10am-6pm, Wed. 10am-5pm
7. West Stanly Senior Center, Town Center (next to Ace Hardware), Locust, NC, 980-354-8056
8. Joann Fabric and Craft Store, 2115 W Roosevelt Blvd. Suite 111, Monroe, NC, 704-282-1028. If need help- ask for Maya.
9.Joann Fabric and Craft Store, 9523 South Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28273 704-554-4859
10. Our regular meeting at Mint Hill Library, 2nd Tuesdays of each month, 4-8 PM
THANK YOU on behalf of the children we serve.
If you know of a place which would be a good drop off center, please let us know as we want to have places that are convenient to all.


text:
SA National Bibliography
Introduction to SANB
In terms of the Legal Deposit of Publications Act, no. 54 of 1997 the National Library of South Africa is responsible for compiling the South African National Bibliography (SANB).
The SANB is available in various formats:
- Printed format covering the period 1926-1958 published as the Retrospective SANB (RSANB) in two volumes and the period 1959-1999 published annually as the SANB - out of print
- Online via the SANB scope of the National Library's catalogue (1926-1958, 1981- ), Sabinet Online's SACat (1989- ), NISC's South African studies database (1989- ) and OCLC's WorldCat (1999- )
Retrospective conversion of the records for 1959 to 1980 is currently underway at the National Library.
The purpose of the SANB is "… to ensure… cataloguing of, and access to, published documents emanating from, or adapted for, South Africa; to provide access to government information…" (Legal Deposit Act, no. 54 of 1997). It is also used to provide high quality records that other libraries, all over the world, may use for copy cataloguing purposes and support the Document Delivery and Information Services projects at the National Library of South Africa.
The SANB is used to find and verify bibliographic information, is indispensable for selection and acquisition purposes, saves cataloguing time and costs and is valuable for inter-lending and reference purposes.
The SANB is compiled using the latest edition of AACR2, and stored in the MARC 21 exchange format. Subject access to records is gained through Dewey Decimal Classification numbers (1959-2006) and Library of Congress subject headings (1992- ). The assignment of Dewey Decimal Classification numbers to SANB material ceased during June 2006.
The SANB project is also responsible for compiling the South African book production statistics. Book production statistics prior to 2000 are found in the printed SANB, while book production statistics from 2000 onwards are available below. These book production statistics are based on the materials received on legal deposit and processed by the SANB project each year.


text:
Ever silently give thanks? I do; often, when I'm driving to and from work. I'll think to myself, "I'm thankful for the blue skies, the fact that it's raining--not snowing, a touching email from a friend, the tasty breakfast I cooked for myself..."
There are some things I'm always thankful for: my beautiful family, my adopted pet tabby cat, my home, my health... Other things I randomly find I am thankful for... For example, this week, I am thankful for:
- spring's arrival (for real!)
- the emergence of the first blooming daffodil in my backyard flower garden
- reconnecting (via Facebook) with my grade school pen pal (after 40 years!)
- the gorgeous, gourmet meal my hubby cooked for me last Sunday evening
- the fact that I can see what's thought to be the second oldest tree in Ohio from the window in my office at work
- a second year of friendship with a dear friend from California
You wanna know the best part about giving thanks? Once you start, you can't stop counting the many things there are to be thankful for!
Top: Nautica
Maxi Dress (worn as a maxi skirt): TranquiliT
Scarf (worn as a belt): TranquiliT
Sunnies: Dollar Tree
Shoes: Zara
Art Deco Pendant: Vintage via Etsy
Men's Watch: Pulsar (gifted)
Handbag: Rebecca Minkoff
Wishing you a fab weekend! Joy & peace, T.


text:
I know much has been made of me being the first female president of the IPA. And I am as surprised as you are that it has taken so long for a woman to accept the role as the president of an industry with so many females working in it. Perhaps it speaks quietly of the perils of conservatism and conformity that we must always fight against.
But I am not here to talk of the past, but of our shared future - and how we secure and win that future.
As I have talked to people inside the industry and without, I am struck by the deep sense of unease. When people are scared they look to the warm, faint glow of the past.
We retreat to nostalgia, looking longingly at Mad Men. Documentaries are made of our past, and we rarely feature in the discussions about the changes that will define our future.
And we diagnose with ever acute analysis how we got here: whether it was the separation of media or the loss of commission.
But we appear at a loss to describe where we are to go. Despite more than 30 years of the IPA Effectiveness Awards, we are almost mute when politicians - such as our current Chancellor - assert that advertising can be switched off without any consequence to a business.
In short, we appear to be struggling under the burden of a crippling confidence deficit. If this situation continues, we will never be able to secure the prize of the future.
It's an exciting time
In my view, this burden of pessimism is unjustified. Those that know me know that I don't view the glass as half full, but brimming over. And I believe that this is, perhaps, the most exciting time to work in advertising.
However, my optimism is hard headed, pragmatic and grounded in the evidence I see before us.
Britain is a leader in the adoption of new technologies. According to Ofcom:
- We are second only to Japan in the use of the mobile internet.
- We have the fastest-growing smartphone market in the developed world.
- We have the highest take-up of digital television.
- And we are more likely to watch television through the internet than any other country in the world.
Evidently, we are a pioneering country, and we as an industry need to rediscover our pioneering spirit.
Unlike other industries, where the rise of new technologies has destroyed employment by removing repetitive tasks and enabled off-shoring, the London School of Economics has recently discovered that the rise of new technology has actually increased the employment prospects of the UK advertising, media and marketing communications industry.
And our industry - at the heart of Creative Britain - is an innovator and a world leader. Over recent decades we have led the world in terms of creativity, and in the early adoption and fast integration of new methods and channels to utilise on behalf of our clients and their brands.
Our challenge is how we ensure we maintain the strength and vibrancy of our industry when we face increasing competition from other creative centres, and the pace of change quickens constantly. And how do we make sure we are as adaptable as we need to be - to respond and reinvent our companies and our ways of working.
So we must turn our attention firmly to the future, and we can secure that future by creating a new generation of creative pioneers. We can do this together with three steps:
- First, developing better skills.
- Second, creating better connections.
- Third, re-energising the industry with fresh talent.
Previous generations had the luxury of having ten to 20-year intervals between media disruptions. This allowed the industry to adapt over time to the changes it faced. In the early 20th Century, it took 28 years before radio reached penetration of more than 50 per cent. By the time of colour TV, it took a giddy 18 years before that technology achieved mass levels.
Now it falls to our generation to wrestle with bewildering change in one of the world's most advanced media markets. It took just ten years for the internet to reach mass adoption. Within that, it took Google just four years to hit $1 billion in revenue, and it has taken Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook just three years to hit the same mark.
Our world is no longer linear and predictable, but exponential and chaotic. Slow or incremental change in such an environment is not only oxymoronic, but will be financially catastrophic for our industry unless we change, and change quickly.
What the recent past tells us is that while we can determine the general sweep of where change will take us, we cannot predict the business that will come to dominate our world from a teenage bedroom in Seattle or Shanghai. The only thing that we can prepare for is unpredictability, and that means that we must prepare our people to meet and master that change with better skills.
The first step in doing this is to be more useful to our clients by knowing more than our clients.
In the past, agencies were the long-term memory chip that stored the data about the brand and its customers, and passed on that knowledge as clients rotated through their organisation. That role, I am afraid, has eroded over time, and if we allow it to continue we will have no future. Therefore, it is vital that the IPA meets the challenge of bettering the skills of the industry. And surely this is playing to our strength. The IPA's figures show that approximately 25 per cent of all IPA member agency staff have achieved an IPA qualification.
But I want the IPA to be an innovation hub as well as an institute, and dedicated to securing our future rather than preserving our past. I want it to be a place as attractive to be involved with as a TED event, or a Facebook hackathon, or the next new thing created by the next new entrant or "disruption" to the old order.
In the next two years of my presidency, I want to create a step-change in collaborative creativity, to work with new partners, so all of the 18,000 individual IPA members fully embrace the new convergent digital environment. In doing so, we can become smarter and more valuable to our clients as we steer them through the new frontier of this emerging content, data and channel landscape.
But our training should not just aim to inform and educate, but inspire.
As we re-skill, we must push the frontiers of our business to embrace new partnerships and services.
Capitalising on our position
We are lucky to work in a country that is at the crossroads of globalisation, and have been given the gift of place on the Greenwich Meridian and a global language in English, which allows us to be a beacon of creativity.
Look at Britain's success at the Oscars, not just in acting but increasingly in the application of computer design in a film such as Inception, which comes from the narrow streets of Soho. Or in the computer game industry, where old industrial cities such as Dundee, Newcastle and Liverpool have become home to the production studios for global hits such as Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. So I would like to see us building strong relationships in adjacent creative industries as central to my mission as IPA president.
John le Carre once said that a desk is a dangerous place to see the world -and so is the old council chamber of the IPA.
That is why, this November, I will lead a council study tour to California to reach out to new industries, and visit creative partners in the film industry in Los Angeles and digital partners in Silicon Valley. I want the leading creative lights of the Valley and Hollywood to think of the UK first, before they think of Madison Avenue. I want to see the UK as a hotbed for innovation as we seek better connections with these industries.
And we will continue to reach out across the globe, strengthening our reputation, presence and position in places such as in China, with a new memorandum between the IPA and the China Advertising Association heralding an expanding programme of co-operation at the China International festival in September.
I met with many people before taking on this role, and there is a clear consensus that the types of skills required will change as we develop new services like mobile apps, or are drawn deeper into longform content creation. This will require new partners and partnerships in order to make that transition.
I can announce that the IPA will work with PACT, the UK's independent TV and film production association, and UKIE, representing gaming content providers, to investigate ways of enabling our respective members to collaborate more effectively, and gain royalties from our combined content creation skills and IP.
The final step in creating a new generation of creative pioneers is by winning the war for talent. There are three parts to this: attracting good graduates, attracting non-advertising talent and developing new craft skills.
Let me tackle each in turn.
As the debt burden mounts on students, we must be mindful that our industry doesn't become the preserve of those who can afford it. This industry is at its best when it has been a driver of social mobility. What other industry could have given the sons of immigrants in council houses the chance to play at the very top of their industry?
By utilising the excellent Diagonal Thinking programme, we can seek out people who might never have considered a career in advertising. Diversity of background fuels tension and creativity, and we must fight continually to ensure that the industry never becomes a place of bland conformity.
However, the answer to greater diversity does not just lie in attracting fresh graduates. That is why I would like to explore ways that we can become an attractive home for those who want a mid-career change. Some of our best, most creative, people came from outside the industry. My mentor and hero, John Bartle, was a Cadbury brand manager looking for a fresh challenge. The iconoclastic Neil French was the manager of Judas Priest. David Ogilvy was a failed cook and a moderately successful Aga salesman. We need to become a better and more welcoming home for people who want to start over again in life, and be a home for those square pegs tired of being forced through round holes
Finally, we cannot win the war for talent with a clawing fetishism about the past and the glories of long copy. Our digital future will be secured by developing skills such as interactive art direction, motion graphics development, data analysis and mobile app expertise. If we do this we will not only make our industry more vibrant and creative, we are also likely to contribute to the growth of the UK economy. That is why I will work with the Government and Skillset to explore ways in which the higher education industry can support the development of these new skills.
Better skills, better connections and fresh talent are the way we will create a new generation of creative pioneers. Skills, connections and talents represent the secret magic of our industry, and are hence not easy to replicate or commoditise. If we are to meet the challenge of the future we must concentrate on developing the magic of our industry as hard as we have applied logic and routine.
Partnership with Google
In order to make clear my commitment to deliver better skills, better connections and fresh talent, I am proud to announce an IPA partnership with Google, providing funding to invest in a Hyper Island programme for future digital champions. This will be facilitated by Skillset, which will source 100 graduates from 100 colleges and universities to provide a new talent pool for IPA member agencies.
I am also proud to announce training in multiplatform technology with the BBC Academy - a first for our industry - that will take TV production and media and creative teams across all disciplines to a new level.
Under my leadership I am also excited to announce a new collaboration with Facebook; an exclusive event to launch "Facebook Studio Live" in the UK for IPA member agencies and guests of Facebook, and a special prize within the IPA Effectiveness Awards for the entry that best evaluates the return on marketing investment from social media. We're also involving Facebook in additional training programmes for IPA members.
To me, this is just the beginning in building better skills and connections, and injecting fresh talent to our industry. It is a journey that I am passionate about taking with you as we create a new generation of creative pioneers.
Nicola Mendelsohn is the chairman and partner of Karmarama


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As last season wound down, there was endless speculation about new mother Serena Williams' tennis plans come mid-January. Last week, the 36-year-old postponed her return, posting on Snapchat: "After competing in Abu Dhabi I realized that although I am super close, I'm not where I personally want to be. ... I don't want to just compete, I want to do far better than that and to do so, I will need a little more time."
Williams' decision raises the question: Who are the big winners and losers now that she is out of the Australian Open? Let's start with the losers:
Craig Tiley, Australian Open tournament director
Tiley was coy to the point of being deceptive late last year. He first told Melbourne's Herald-Sun that Serena's participation was "very likely." He added, "She's got her visa, she's entered, she's practicing and she's probably just got to find a bit more space for a bigger entourage."
What Tiley knew, but did not say, was that Williams did not "enter" the event in any traditional sense of the word. She was automatically entered at the cutoff date because of her high No. 22 ranking but under no obligation to play. You can't blame a promoter from trying to sell tickets, but Tiley has a lot of egg to wipe off his face.
No. 47 Maria Sharapova
The Russian star has a career Grand Slam of her own but just two wins against Williams in 21 matches. What's worse is that Sharapova has lost 19 straight head-to-head encounters, going all the way back to 2004. That's an ugly stat that will soil Sharapova's legacy, and the 30-year-old knows it. She also knows that time is running out on her hopes to score a face-saving win or two.
In Melbourne, Sharapova might have gotten a shot at Williams in an early round (and before Williams was match tough) because the American would have been a low seed and Sharapova unseeded.
Broadcasters and fans worldwide
Williams is big box-office attraction. A combination of factors has vaulted her to the very peak of pop culture. She manages to touch on all sorts of social trends while being just Serena. As entertaining as it is to watch great players ply their trade, tennis just doesn't seem as relevant without Williams in the mix.
The USTA and American tennis in general
The U.S. women will be ably represented in Melbourne, led by Serena's sister, Venus Williams. Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys and CoCo Vandeweghe will have a greater opportunity to shine with Serena out of the mix. But Serena is still the U.S. player most likely to inspire a young fellow countryman (male or female) to play and achieve success in tennis. By transcending tennis, she has brought legions of people to the game.
The winners
Larry Ellison
It isn't like Ellison, the co-founder of database vendor Oracle and owner of the Indian Wells combined event, is going to be counting the tickets at the gate. He's already worth a reported $58 billion. But Indian Wells, often described as the fifth Grand Slam, is the first big tournament after the Australian Open. Thus, the mid-March event would be an ideal place for Williams to return, and that's where she's rumored to return.
Williams played in the California desert in 2016 for just the second time since a supercharged controversy in 2001 that led both Williams sisters to boycott the event for a decade and a half. It was still an emotional roller coaster for Serena when she returned in 2015 and 2016. After she lost the '16 final to Victoria Azarenka, Williams said to the media: "For me it wasn't about winning. It was just about coming back out here and doing well."
It's rarely about merely "doing well" for Williams, who hasn't won Indian Wells since 2001. Expect her to try to rectify that situation.
All-time Grand Slam singles champ Margaret Court
OK, most people agree that Serena is the best woman player ever. But Court, who straddled the amateur and pro eras, still has one more Grand Slam singles title than Williams (24-23). Court won 11 of her titles in her native Australian Grand Slam -- seven of them before pros were allowed to compete in Melbourne.
But the first major of the year features bold on Williams' résumé as well. She's won the event seven times in a more competitive Open era. She could have tied Court, and on Court's own turf, if she chose to play.
Venus Williams
After her win over Johanna Konta in the Wimbledon semifinals, Venus said, "Yeah, I miss [Serena] so much. Even more yesterday and today. I try to take the same courage on the court that she would have. I did think of that. I tried to do the things she would do."
The sentiments are lovely, but the cold, hard reality is that it's a lot easier to do those "things" on a regular basis without having to clear the Serena hurdle. Venus amply demonstrated that last year, when she reached two Grand Slam finals at age 37 and finished the year ranked No. 5, her highest since she hit the same mark in 2010. All that was made possible partly because of the absence of her younger sister for most of the year.
Simona Halep, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber
The WTA rank-and-file will welcome Serena's absence, because it signals a continuation of the parity we saw in 2017. Almost anybody can win anything. But the three players cited have extra reason to take heart. They represent familiar and by no means exclusive challenges.
Halep has been knocking at the Grand Slam door since 2014, without ever gaining admittance to the hall of champions. Now ranked No. 1, she can try again without worrying about that 1-8 record against Serena.
Wozniacki was the year-end No. 1 in 2010 and '11 but has never won a major. She made a great comeback from assorted injuries last year, claiming her best title to date (WTA Finals). Still just 27, she's back up to No. 3 in the world. She's 1-10 against Serena.
Kerber fell from No. 1 to No. 22 in 2017, a victim mostly of self-imposed pressure and lack of confidence in her status. She turns 30 in just days and will have a better chance of proving 2016 was no fluke with Serena (who is 6-2 against Kerber in their careers) out of contention.
Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.
It isn't easy being a working mom, and it's no picnic for the child, either. No matter how many resources Serena and her husband can muster, when a great champion is in warrior mode, tennis takes precedence over everything else. It's just how it works.
Serena knows that as well as anyone who has ever swung a racket. Now her daughter will continue to get a far greater share of her mother's time than she would if Serena were competing.


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Jan 31 2018. view 260
Looking dapper in this weather can take a lot out of us. Especially when we have a lot of sun! We always look for a comfy fit and t-shirts are the top choice for this, but when it makes you look so underdressed it is disappointing. But we finally found some classy look t-shirts!
Keeping it classy is what this brand I feature is all about. Dive in and explore their selection of men's T-shirts. From boxy skater-style tees to eye-catching pattern mix, today's designer has got them all, even his personal style is simply fascinating
I spoke to Farzan Sheriff from Manic Phase to know more about him and his brand.
What sparked your interest in fashion?
I basically just like anything beautiful or well designed. Fashion always had an appeal for me, from flipping through magazines to sketching my own designs. It's also deeper than that. It always felt good to know what I was wearing looked good and someone told me so, it gave me confidence. Confidence is key.I eventually began to research designers and photographers, started following Brands, became inspired by the beautiful ads and shows.
Fashion is beauty - it's art and impacts society in a way that no other cultural element does, for better or for worse. I really hate it when people say fashion is unimportant, I mean it's what we wear on our backs, isn't it, so it does affect each and every one of us. I just find that so intriguing.
Tell me about your collection which you have featured in this shoot?
My collection is T DROP
I want to project a difference in what I do and think out of the box. My designs are not standard or ordinary even pattern wise. I don't want to look normal, normal is boring. My tees are long and I have a concept called body and neck culture. I play with the neck and body designs, and patterns on my tees. It's more like highstreet wear, you can easily blend with any situation or mix and match. I also introduced lace and embroidery on tees. I named them 'lace for gentlemen' and 'embroidery gentlemen'.
Tell me about your brand name and the inspiration for the name?
It's Manic Phase. I never think of it as a disorder (lol), it's an experience of feelings of heightened energy, creativity and you feel you're all-powerful or destined for greatness.
As a brand how many pieces do you put out in every collection? Do you also custom make?
I have four sizes in a collection. Each size it's only 4 to 6 pieces.I do undertake custom orders.
Which retail outlets carry your brand?
Ramp, Beverly Street, Kathyushya by Kathyusha
How would you describe your personal style?
Sense is louder than brands and I got my own one which makes me look delicious.
What is the process of creating and marketing your design?
I am inspired by black and white colors, minimal prints and lace and embroidery. I transform them into patterns and patterns leads me to my design. Most of my designs are inspired by my own thoughts.
Who do you envision wearing your work? Do you think about this when you work on designs?
Yes, I do I have a target market I basically focus on people who are fashion conscious and people who bold enough to wear what they like. I do think about it too much. There are many negative comments also but I take them as a motivation.
Are you self-taught or did you study fashion design?
I did study fashion but couldn't complete. I never fully believed in paper-qualifications. I've trusted my inner guts and here I am.
What would you say are 5 important items which need to be a man wardrobe?
Five? Are you kidding me? Wardrobe essentials are unlimited. According to your question and my priorities:
1 Pure white shirt and well-fitted suit & slack
2. well-fitted jeans (blue and black)
3. Manicphase tees
4 Boots, dress shoes
5 Watch
Designer – Farzan Sheriff
Photographer – Arantha


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Tyler Bates - The Official website for Tyler Bates.
Fred Sablan - The Official Fansite, authorized by Fred Sablan.
Goon Moon MySpace - The Official MySpace account for Twiggy's Goon Moon project, with accessible music, blogs, updated picture galleries, and comments from Twiggy himself!
Goon Moon Twitter - The Official Twitter acount for Goon Moon, synchronised with their MySpace profile for faster updates.
Goon Moon Facebook - The Official Facebook account for Goon Moon, with regular updates and pictures from the band.
Perou - Personal friend and photographer to Marilyn Manson, Perou's Official website showcases his talents across several galleries. Created with impressive flash tools, the site features archived content, recent works, a diary, biography and contact sheet.
Gottfried Helnwein - Helnwein's multimedia site displays his various works as author, photograpger, painter and surrealist over three decades. The site is vast, and links to Helnwein's veritable pantheon of related websites, available in various International languages.
David Lynch - As early mentor and inspiration to Marilyn Manson, and collaborator through to the present, Lynch's unique take on Americana is coming to the internet soon...
Boyd Rice - Musician, Photographer, Author, and UNPOP Art co-founder Boyd Rice has interviewed Marilyn Manson and his band on several occasions, and shares Manson's dark vision of American Pop culture. Explore his works and musings here, at Rice's official website.
John 5 - Rob Zombie axe-man, solo artist and former Marilyn Manson guitarist, John 5's extensive list of musical achievements is unparalleled in his field. Explore the man's work here, at 5's official website.
Tim Skold - The official website for solo artist, former Marilyn Manson songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tim Skold.
Joseph Cultice - Music photographer Joseph Cultice has worked extensively with Marilyn Manson from early in the band's career, including the iconic artwork shots for Smells Like Children. Explore his portfolio of photography with many of music's most recognisable artists here.
Samuel Bayer - Bayer's striking work has accompanied some of Marilyn Manson's most applauded songs, including Coma White and Disposable Teens. He has worked with music's biggest names, visit his site to learn more.
Dean Karr - Music photographer, and director Dean Karr was responsible for some of Manson's most recognisable imagery, including the Sweet Dreams music video and promotional photography for Antichrist Superstar. Experience his work, both with Manson and much of the music world at his website.
Floria Sigismondi - The official website of director, artist and photographer Floria Sigismondi, notably director for Marilyn Manson's The Beautiful People and Tourniquet.
Delaney Bishop - Responsible for much of The High End Of Low photography, Delaney Bishop's website showcases his impressive work portfolio.
Bau-Da [P.R. Brown] - P.R. Brown was co-responsible for some of Manson's most striking album art design, including the awe-inspiring Tryptych. Visit his website for extensive works.
Gidget Gein - The official website and online memorial site for artist, painter, musician and former Marilyn Manson songwriter Gidget Gein.
Kurt Dommermuth - Experience the web-design of Kurt Dommermuth through his online portfolio, which includes the amazing EAT ME, DRINK ME incarnation of MarilynManson.com.
Print Mafia - View the portfolio of Print Mafia who designed Marilyn Manson's Rape of the World 2008 tour posters.
Nine Inch Nails & Trent Reznor - The official site for Nine Inch Nails, fronted by Manson's original mentor Trent Reznor.


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Toya Wright visited "The Wendy Williams Show" with her daughter Reginae to dish on her public split from hubby MempHitz as well as her new book "How To Lose A Husband." For the appearance she slipped into a $158 BCBGMAXAZRIA Donella Wrap-Back Color-Blocked Top worn to the reverse paired with $198 BCBGMAXAZRIA Repeat Slash-Pockets Trousers.
Toya's colorblock crewneck top has long sleeves, a back cut-out, and wrap-back construction. Get it at BCBG.
And her tapered leg trousers sit below the waist and feature slash pockets at the front, drop-rise construction, and geometric color-blocking at the front. Get them at BCBG.
Photo Credit: Wendy Williams Show
More from my site


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Consumer Reports wanted to clearly communicate a multichannel strategy to internal and external stakeholders.
To concisely communicate their strategy, VisualMax created an animated presentation with voiceover to take the viewer through an average family's shopping experience illustrating the multichannel touch points involved in the process and the resulting benefits to the consumer.
Media: NA
Brand: Consumer Reports
Agency: NA
Services: Motion Graphics, Animation, Design, Concepts, Script Writing


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Paths to Resolution
By Steve Robinson & Mark W. Leuthauser
Paths to Resolution is a software training package designed for youth and young adults. Taken together, the various components allow a facilitator to teach basic to intermediate concepts in Conflict Resolution, including usable real-world skills. The package is designed to easily and flexibly fit into an existing curriculum, and can also be used as a standalone instructional tool.
The package consists of four primary components:
- Paths to Resolution, a video training. Peacemaker staff appear as presenters and aid participants in learning the basics of Conflict Resolution through lecture, interactivities, and a student workbook. The video training is divided into seven forty-five minute blocks to make deployment easy in a school setting.
- Paths to Resolution: The Game, an interactive, choose-your-own-adventure style game played on the PC. The game is set in a Medieval fantasy world, and uses 3-D characters to play the various roles. The game reinforces concepts presented in the video training.
- Playing Peacemaker, an electronic book and database of interactivities designed to teach anyone how to be a better facilitator. The database contains tips, tricks, theory and nearly 200 different games and puzzles suited perfectly to groupwork.
- Role-Play Reference, an electronic book and database of role-plays. Everyone agrees on the importance of role-play in training, but it's seldom used well. This reference guide gives tips and a framework for the use of the role-play tool. In addition, it contains a score of role-plays ready-made to teach conflict resolution concepts, many of which have word-for-word scrpts to make it easier than ever to integrate role-plays into your practice.
The entire Paths to Resolution package is designed to be used by a facilitator to help communicate important concepts such as where conflict comes from, escalating behaviors, and productive problem solving. Using only a PC and a projector, anyone has a fun, engaging, and immediately useful curriculum designed to teach both theory and skills. The package is available for free to public schools in the United States serving grades 6-12. Non-profit organizations may also purchase the package at a discounted rate ($249). Your discount, if any, will be reflected in your shopping cart.
Development of Paths to Resolution was funded, in part, buy The JAMS Foundation.


text: On March 30th, 2013, The SAILS Institute hosted its official launch party at GAB Studio in Wynwood. The party was a big success, bringing together nearly 200 Miami changemakers for a night of music, art, food, philanthropy, and fun! Check out these great pictures from the event, and stay tuned for more opportunities to get acquainted with The SAILS Institute!


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How can I ensure a smooth project release?
How long will it take to build my first MVP?
What are the benefits of unit testing?
What do I do if my site goes down?
How can we make sure our application is scalable?
How do I maintain a healthy application when it is not being actively developed?
What is the "best practice" for usernames and passwords?
I have an idea for a product. Should it be a mobile app or desktop app?
What is the relationship between a desktop app and a mobile app? Can one be leveraged to create the other?
What's the difference between frontend and backend development?
What is pairing? What are the benefits?
How many developers should I use for my project?
What can software engineers do to reduce scope?
What does "continuous delivery" mean?
- I have an idea for a product. Should it be a mobile app or desktop app?
Unless you are leveraging something that can or should only be done on a phone (like hailing a ride from Uber or Lyft), you should opt to build a web application first. Your product and idea are new and need room to grow. You're far more likely to gain traction by asking a new user to click a link to your website than by asking them to take out their phone, search for your app, download, install, and run it. Down the road you can always build out to phone apps by leveraging what you've already built for the web.
- What is the relationship between a desktop app and a mobile app? Can one be leveraged to create the other?
Mobile app typically refers to an app that you download from your phone's OS's (e.g. Android, iOS) app store. A desktop app is an app that you download to your computer. Sometimes these still come from an app store, but often they are downloaded from a website. A web app runs in your browser (e.g. Chrome, Safari, or Firefox).
Recently, the lines between these different app types has become blurred. The prevalence of "always on" internet connections means that mobile and desktop apps are generally connected to the internet. Additionally, the ability to save bookmarks to web applications on your desktop or home screen can make them function more like a desktop or mobile app, respectively.
The technology to build the user interface for each of these types of apps is different, but they can all share the same server in the background. For example, with an app like Evernote, whether you are interacting with your notes on your phone, in the browser (at evernote.com), or on your desktop computer, the notes may all be uploaded to the same server. The server is what allows your data to sync between all of your devices.
Mobile and desktop development has been coalescing, as OS developers try to provide a more consistent experience across platforms. With laptops, tablets, and phones approaching a similar intermediate form factor, the lines are more blurred than ever.
- What's the difference between frontend and backend development?
The most common method for interacting with backend code is via the HTTP protocol (those first four letters in your URL bar). Whenever you visit a website, you are first making a request to the server to receive the code that will be rendered or executed by your web browser.
- What is pairing? What are the benifits?
Pairing is where two developers of any range (generally a senior and a junior pair is seen) work on a problem together. Like any good developer, they should plan out how the problem should be solved and think through possible edge cases they may encounter. When pairing, the pair usually shares a screen. There is a 'driver', the developer who is typing into the editor, and a 'navigator', the developer who is narrating what should be typed based on their planning and thoughts.
The nice thing about pairing is that you get two really smart people working to solve a problem together. If they plan and pair properly, even though it may take some extra time, by the time it reaches QA you will have an excellent piece of code that was well-thought out, circumvents dastardly edge cases, and showcases the best of both developers.
- How many developers should I use for my project?
Depending on the complexity and time-sensitivity of your project this may vary. For teams bigger than one, pairing teams are typically best.
- When is refactoring needed?
Refactoring is a constant conversation between the team in order to balance the ease of extensibility of the application, and the need to complete features. In general they are driven by various code "smells." As with any smells, they may not be a sign of an actual problem, but they may be symptoms nonetheless. It is up to the team to identify particularly egregious code smells, and gauge whether or not they pose a true problem to extensibility, new engineer understanding, performance, or any of the myriad of other goals, both personal, and business facing that a developer wants to fulfill.
- What can software engineers do to reduce scope?
Ideally, a software engineer would work with a product manager to scope a project. In agile software development, each iteration should be scoped to the set of stories that the team reasonably believes can be completed in that time frame, based on point estimations and established velocity. This scope of work should be flexible, incorporating slack time and taking into account that estimating complexity and the amount of time necessary to complete a feature is an inexact science.
During story development, an engineer must not be afraid to push back against scope creep. Aspects of a feature that were not included in the original story specification should probably go into a new story; otherwise, it will increase the variance in the team's velocity and make estimating future iterations more difficult. This underscores the importance of the Iteration Planning Meeting (IPM) to ensure developers, designers, product managers, and other stakeholders are on the same page before the work begins.
As a launch deadline approaches, the team may be forced to forgo certain non-critical features, and should work together to ensure the remaining available development effort is focused on the highest-priority features.
- What does "continuous delivery" mean?
Continuous delivery occurs when two components of software development - integration and deployment - are automated. Whenever new code is written it must be merged into the existing code base. This is software integration. In order to make sure the integration is successful, automated tests are run against the newly integrated code. At Def Method, we write thousands of automated tests during the lifetime of a project. These are all run every time new code is added to the code base. If all of the tests run, it's time for deployment. If any of them fail, it's time for the engineers to look at what went wrong.
Assuming all tests pass, it's time for deployment. A continuous delivery system knows the steps to get the newly integrated code onto a server where the application as a whole can be viewed by our customers. Continuous delivery, when done correctly, saves hours of engineering time and gives our customers on opportunity to observe the application being built in real time.
- How do you avoid repetitive code in your code base?
We follow the "DRY" guideline, which is short for "Don't Repeat Yourself." Repetitive code can be removed by using object-oriented or functional solutions rather than procedural code. But duplicate code can always creep in, which is why we test-drive all of our code and look for ways to optimize it whenever possible.
- Why do you recommend Heroku?
Heroku was the first company to offer Platform as a Service (PAAS), a way of hosting web applications that obviates the need for software engineers to set up and maintain deployment and monitoring solutions.
Well beyond mere "hosting in the cloud," Heroku automatically manages many tedious, complex, and time-consuming tasks in an automated, transparent fashion. Heroku automates custom and/or manual deployment, log rotation, process monitoring, and many other infrastructural necessities so our engineers can put more focus on building and delivering software.
Heroku supports Def Method's adherence to the Twelve-Factor App principles for software deployment and maintenance. It also allows for quick and seamless scaling of our architecture. In other words, Heroku is built on solid infrastructural principles, and its architecture is able to grow and scale alongside your business.
- What language do you use?
The Def Method Engineering Team is language agnostic. We source our engineering talent from a variety of different language expertise and experience so that we can nimbly recommend the best language for the job instead of the one we happen to know the best.
In practice, this means that we talk with our customers to assess their software requirements, existing infrastructure and architecture, and any technical decisions that have been made to date. We also assess 3rd party integrations, user experience considerations, and end-user workflows that may be complex or computationally intensive.
- How can I ensure a smooth project release?
One could argue that shipping is the hardest part of software development. At some point, you have to stop making tweaks and enhancements and release the work to the world.
The most troublesome releases come from trying to do too much in too little time. A project needs to be managed carefully to avoid falling into this trap. Def Method recommends using an agile process to develop iteratively. In your kickoff meeting, set a target for the vital features for launch, then check your progress towards this Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in your weekly IPMs. Ensure every story contributes to this launch.
Following Test-Driven Development (TDD) will give your team confidence that the features built for launch are robust and ready to use. Setup infrastructure, like CI/CD, early to reduce the burden of deploying features and stay focused on development.
Take advantage of beta testers. You can use a subset of your current users, through an AB Testing Framework like Optimizely or an invite/opt-in system built into your app. You can also use a site like usertesting.com to get external users, who may be unfamiliar with your product, to test drive your app's design. You should also have a battery of internal QA testers who are skilled at trying everything they can to make your app break (though they should largely be unsuccessful in their efforts).
As the final launch approaches, freeze development of new features. Have your team smoke test the app and focus any available development time on addressing bugs. Ideally, the number of defects will be very low, if you have followed the advice above. If possible, stress test your hardware to ensure your servers will be able to handle the influx of users.
Finally, press the launch button and make your hard work available to the world! Celebrate with your team on another successful launch!
- How long will it take to build my first MVP?
It depends on the features you would like included in your MVP. Check out the project length calculator above to get a rough estimate.
- What are the benifits of unit testing?
Unit testing is the process of sifting through your code and thinking 'okay what will happen in the happy scenario (when everything is received and happens as it should)? Now, what should happen when things are trying to blow my code up?'. As developers are coding they can't possibly think through all the scenarios their code could break under and how to find solutions in those scenarios. They can write tests and set down some initial logic for those tests to pass. Testing is extremely important and if a developer isn't doing it, I wouldn't want to hire them.
- What do I do if my site goes down?
If your site was built well you would have found out by an email from a monitoring service (such as Honeybadger) before too many of your customers are affected. Then after some quick testing/debugging, a fix can be found, implemented and deployed with confidence since the site's comprehensive test suite will ensure any code change for the fix will not affect other features. In fact the deploy of the fix would be automated by your continuous deployment process.
- How can we make sure our application is scalable?
There are many ways of helping with scalability. The first is to simply identify what the desired scale will be. Will it be thousands, millions or 10s of millions of concurrent users? This helps to constrain design choices into what is feasible, and worth pursuing. After that, depending on the nature of the application, there are many ways of making your application future facing. Breaking the application into more of a micro service architecture, using a blockchain messaging system instead of a stateful transactional database, throwing more hardware power at it, these are all potential methods to scale your application properly.
- How do I maintain a healthy application when it is not being actively developed?
First, use thorough automated testing of the application to avoid regressions and provide complete specifications of the system to inform maintenance (test-driven development). Second, whenever fixing an issue, begin by writing a test that exercises the bug (test-driven development). Particularly for an application with limited ongoing engineering effort, offload as much infrastructure as possible to platform-as-a-service (PaaS) tools like Heroku. Finally, use current versions of all tools and systems, and update them periodically even if nothing else is being done on the application.
- What is the "best practice" for usernames and passwords?
Currently the best practice for usernames is to
- choose a username that is substantially different from your email address and
- choose a username that does not reveal your full name.
These are not hard-and-fast rules but a good guideline. It's not necessary to go so far as using a complex username as you would use in a password because usernames are routinely exposed anyway.
One way to manage passwords is by using 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane, or similar password management tools. These will generate incredibly complex passwords for each site you visit and store them behind very tight security. The best part is that users don't even have to remember those passwords; the tools work with your browser and will load in username and password information when you visit a site. This is similar to Chrome autofill but more secure, as they employ extra security measures that prevent a would-be attacker from getting at a user's master password.
It's tough to rate one password service higher than the other because they are all very highly respected password security managers. One thing that matters is whether your users all use Macs, all use Windows, or there's a mix of the two. If you're all on Windows or if there's a little of both, then use LastPass. It's entirely browser-based and compatible with every machine and device. If you're all on Mac, I recommend Dashlane slightly above 1Password. Neither is great for Windows users (or Linux users).


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The upgrade process from Live@edu to Office 365 has begun! And if your organisation has an IT Academy subscription then you have access to the Office 365 training material and the ability to gain one of the latest Microsoft Office 365 certifications.
Through using the IT Academy, your organisation's IT staff can be completely proficient in Office 365; meaning they can deploy faster and reduce any issues that may arise when migrating users to the new environment. From a Network Manager's point of view, training is offered at academic prices, suggesting the woes of a training budget are minimised. Furthermore, if your organisation has implemented SSO with Office 365, your credentials will also log you into the IT Academy resources like eLearning.
This means that you can use IT Academy to support your organisation's adoption and implementation of Office 365; permitting the full promotion of features and benefits to all staff and students, allowing learning objectives to be enhanced.
For instance, you have all of these Office 365 resources available with an IT Academy membership:
A table showing the education materials and courses available to the organisation via IT Academy.
For more information on how to access the training and what you can gain from it, view this presentation.


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FDA Listed - All Natural Homeopathic Medicine Stimulates & Supports baby's self healing Abilities Fast Acting, No side Effects & Even Treats Hiccups!
If you answered yes to two or more of these questions, then please read on. Our affiliate program is profitable and fun. We pay many of our affiliates hundreds of dollars a month for doing what they already love to do. Namely, creating content about topics they hold near and dear.
If you are a past customer of ours, you already know that Colic Calm provides the safest, most effective treatment for infant colic, gas and reflux. Why not get paid for helping others by sharing your experience?
1. Sign up using our web based registration form and follow the setup instructions.
2. Select the text links and / or banner ads you'd like to include.
3. Simply place the links into the content of your in your blog, website or newsletter and you're done.
For starters, you get $10 placed into your account just for registering with our program. Then we pay you $7 for each person that clicks your affiliate link resulting in a sale. Due to the high click-through rate and high conversion rate that our program enjoys, you will typically earn far more than you would with randomly generated syndicated ads. If your readers are parents or grand-parents, you will have the satisfaction of helping others in their quest for a safe and natural solution to their baby's suffering and discomfort (see what parents are saying). If you need help or advice in starting up your program, send us an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. For terms and conditions of the program click here.
Colic Calm Single
Made in the USA and FDA listed. 100% Natural. No Side Effects, but very effective in treating Colic, Reflux, Hiccups, and Infant Gas.
Over 250,000 Testimonials worldwide!Buy Now


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Download here.
The Open Data for Development Programme facilitates strengthening coordination amongst open data initiatives to ensure they benefit citizens in developing countries. This includes improving the quantity and quality of open data supplied by governments, statistical offices, international development organizations and other relevant sources.
This report, supported by the Open Data for Development Programme, builds on that effort to define a preliminary process and criteria for evaluation of open standards for potential application and adoption by the International Open Data Charter Secretariat.


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DecodeDC has a broad mandate: to help Americans understand how crucial political issues affect everyday life. We do this by using every narrative tool we can – from podcasts to analysis to interactive graphics and video.
We want to be a reliable, honest and, when appropriate, highly entertaining source of insight and explanation of Washington, D.C.'s people, culture, policies and politics, but mostly we want to be useful.
The podcast is hosted by Jimmy Williams and was launched by Andrea Seabrook, long-time Congressional Correspondent at NPR. DecodeDC is produced weekly in the Scripps News Washington Bureau.


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In selecting a business name, it is tempting to include the name of the state, region or city where the manufacturer or service provider is conducting business. This is also true when selecting a product name or name for a service. (Of course it is the name of products or services that is subject of trademark protection.)
Inclusion of a geographic term adds additional challenges in obtaining federal registration of a trademark.
As a general matter, inclusion of a geographic terms will be considered a merely descriptive term and therefore unregistrable. It is describing a factual element pertaining to the goods and does not distinguish the goods from other goods made in the geographic area. The mark will be viewed as not being distinctive of the products or services. As a descriptive mark, it will be eligible for placement on the Supplemental Register only. After 5 years of continuous use, you will be able to reapply for registration on the Principal Register based on presumed acquired distinctiveness (secondary meaning).
If the products or services do not in fact originate in the geographic area, then the mark is unregistrable as being misdiscriptive.
Geographic terms can be registered as trademarks when their use is arbitrary or fanciful, i.e., Atlantic Magazine or Polar ice cream (or Saturn autos).
A mark that is merely descriptive can be registered if the owner can show secondary meaning. Secondary meaning requires a showing of proof that the mark has become distinctive with regard to the products or services through continued long term use. The proof is that consumers now associate the geographic name with the trademark owner's products. There is a presumption that a mark kept in continuous and exclusive use by the owner for 5 years have acquired secondary meaning and therefore qualified for registration.
August 27, 2006


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The Early Bird has been going into Darke County homes each week for almost 50 years and continues to be the community's source for local news and information. In addition to readers finding what they need, advertisers have also found they get results with The Early Bird. The second annual audit from the Certified Verification Council (CVC) shows over 83% of readers use The Early Bird for their purchasing decisions.
With the addition of the new Bluebag Media, everyone can stay better informed regardless of where you are at or wherever your travel takes you. Bluebag Media is Darke County's daily source of news from your weekly hometown newspaper. The site features breaking news from around the county, as well as online contests, games and sports, from The Early Bird editorial staff and information on community events. The mobile site will make it easy for readers to get the latest news at work, in the park or sitting down to eat a restaurant. Readers can also take advantage of The Early Bird online. Don't have your paper with you? Visit the site to read the free digital edition of The Early Bird newspaper each week. We're here for you 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
The Early Bird-Bluebag Media was purchased in 2012 by Keith Foutz and Fred Foutz, of Brothers Publishing, LLC. The mission then, as it is now, is to continue to be Darke County's newspaper of choice both in print and in the digital platforms. Contact the Foutz's at email@example.com or call 937-548-3330 during normal hours of operation. Click here to learn the history of our blue feathered mascot 'Scoop'.


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Please support the new Lewes History Museum at the Margaret H. Rollins Community Center
101 Adams Avenue, Lewes, Delaware 19958.
Special News!
The campaign to raise $3 million to launch the new Lewes History Museum received a major boost when a one-to-one match of every donation was announced recently by a generous anonymous donor.
"Starting now, through December 1, 2017, the donor will match dollar-for-dollar every gift to the Lewes History Museum campaign, up to $1 million," said Elizabeth Owen of Lewes, campaign chair.
Learn more about gift matching
The Schell Family is making the first named gallery gift to the new Lewes History Museum campaign, contributing $150,000 toward the project! Click here.
After 384 years, one of the oldest and most historic cities in the country is finally getting its own museum and community center.
With the support of the City of Lewes and a lead gift of $500,000 from the Ma-Ran Foundation, the former Lewes Public Library building is being converted into a 12,500 square foot museum and community center, to be renovated and staffed by The Lewes Historical Society.
The facility, now called The Margaret H. Rollins Community Center, will house the Museum, including 10,000 historic objects, 100,000 historic photographic images, 4,000 volumes of Lewes and Delaware history, and 250,000 pages of documents, all obtained and preserved over 52 years by the Society.
With 70% of the Community Center dedicated to the new Lewes History Museum, the remainder will be available for a variety of community purposes, and to showcase the achievements of local nonprofits. An entire wing and outdoor patio will be a venue for meetings, events, and benefits. The first floor of the Museum can also be rented for special occasions.
The Margaret H. Rollins Community Center and Lewes History Museum will be integral parts of an emerging 10-acre cultural campus at the southern entrance to Lewes, including the new Lewes Public Library, outdoor concert stage, a children's garden, Stango Park, and the hub for an 18-mile regional hiking and biking trail.
A fundraising campaign started in September 2016 to generate the $1.8 million still required for building renovations and related costs. Don Matzkin, chair of the Society, said this expense is about one-third the cost to otherwise obtain land and create an entirely new museum.
Society employees will staff the Museum, which will be
open year-round and feature a main exhibit hall, an interactive children's wing, a temporary exhibits room, and a research and reading room. External use of the Community Wing will be coordinated by the City of Lewes.
Upstairs, the Society's archives collection will be organized and preserved in safe, environmentally-controlled space for research and reference by current and future generations.
The Museum's historic collection and exhibits will serve as source documents and artifacts for ongoing symposia, presentations, and educational workshops, which will enrich every Museum visitor's experience.
Museum staff will direct visitors to the many other historic sites, a number of which are maintained by the Society in Lewes, including buildings on its main campus at Shipcarpenter and Second Streets, the Lewes Life-Saving Station, the Cannonball House, and the Ryves Holt House.
Elizabeth Owen, a Society trustee, chairs the campaign, with Wade and Danielle Thompson as co-chairs, and Hazel Brittingham serving as honorary chair. Other campaign leaders include: Stuart Brahs, Richard Claypoole, Janet Davis, Meghan Lee, Jack Lesher, William Sharkey, Dr. William Thomas, and Lucius Webb.
Support bringing this vision to life:
Donate Today!
For additional interest or information about the Museum campaign and related events call 302-644-0107.
About this project
A long-awaited vision for Lewes is about to become reality with the creation of the new Lewes History Museum at the southern entrance to the City. This "missing pillar of community institutions" will now enable the telling of the remarkable story of Lewes, for visitors and residents alike.
The Museum is a cooperative effort by the City of Lewes, the Lewes Historical Society and the Ma-Ran Foundation, which has made a generous lead gift to the project. Now just $1.8 million more is needed to allow the facility to open by the summer of 2017.
Learn more about this project
General Information
For 54 years, The Lewes Historical Society has collected and preserved tens of thousands of historic artifacts, artwork, documents, maps and photos. Now, with your help, this incredible collection will be on continuous display at the new Lewes History Museum.
Staffed by skilled professionals from the Society, the Museum will serve as the primary source of information about Lewes for visitors, researchers, students and residents. Its invaluable collection will be stored in a secure, climate-controlled area.
The Museum will also provide ongoing seminars, symposia and presentations, a wing for community non-profit gatherings, a children's interactive history area, and an attractive venue for private celebrations and events.
But wait, there's more!...
Major Naming Opportunities
The new Lewes History Museum is being created in one of Lewes's most beloved facilities. The permanent naming opportunities listed here are available during the Museum's campaign period.
Please let us know of your selection so it can be reserved. The cost for all naming opportunities is fully tax-deductible. Donations can be pledged over up to three years, with naming secured upon full payment.
For more information, please call Michael Rawl at 302-644-0107.
Campaign Leaders
Elizabeth Owen, Chair
Wade & Danielle Thompson, Co-Chairs
Hazel Brittingham, Honorary Chair
Stuart Brahs
Richard Claypoole
Janet Davis
Meghan Lee
Jack Lesher
Don Matzkin
William Sharkey
William A. Thomas, Jr., M.D.
Lucius Webb
Donald Matzkin, President
Elizabeth Owen, Vice President
Jack Lesher, Treasurer
Thomas E. Brown, Ph.D.
Bernard J. Clark, MD.
Richard Claypoole
Stan Divorski
Linda Dylla
Wesley Perkins
Harold W. T. Purnell, II, Esq.
Bonnie Taylor
Michael DiPaolo, Executive Director,
Lewes Historical Society


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Main 1635-The Cannon Law ARC
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You can write a book review and share your experiences. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books you've read. Whether you've loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them.


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It is a very quirky, unusual story of a man named Thaniel, short for Nathaniel. The setting in London is the 1880's.
Thaniel is a telegraphist who sits in an office every day sending and receiving telegraphs as a junior staff member. One day he goes home to his boarding house to find a pocket watch. He cannot open it. One day it opens while he is in a public building and he goes outdoors. At the same moment a bomb destroys the building he just walked out of.
Second character is Grace, a science student from Oxford. Women scientists were not accepted in the 1880's. All Grace wants to do is to live alone in her aunt's house, working on her science.
However she cannot inherit the house. Only her husband has the right to do that. She is not married. She needs a husband in order to get the house.
Third main character is Mori. More is a Japanese watchmaker. Not only is he a watchmaker he is an exquisite watchmaker, the best watchmaker...and he can see the future at times.
All of the characters meet up and have a most interesting life. I won't say more but if you want to read, what I thought a very well written book with the most unusual, quirky plot then this is the book.
Oh, yes, don't forget the mechanical octopus that lives with these people as well. He is very much his own character and I became quite attached to him.