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How did the insurance company settle on a price for your auto insurance policy? The price you pay for car insurance was most likely calculated using many pieces of information specific to you and the vehicle you choose to drive. Generally speaking, insurance companies all use the same information in determining the price to charge for a certain risk, however, the weight each company applies to these individual factors may make a substantial difference in the price you pay.
Personal Characteristics:
In general age will be a larger factor for individuals under 25 years old. For drivers over 25 car insurance age classes are generally fairly broad, for example, 25-49 or 50-74.
As with age, in most cases younger male drivers cost more to insure than a female of the same age. When age increases beyond 30 male and female prices are more comparable or even the same.
Credit is a factor that only recently has become more prevalent in determining the price you pay for insurance. The use of credit for determining car insurance premiums has been legally challenged in some states and in some cases deemed as an unfair rating practice.
The amount of years you have been continually licensed in the United States is used as a rating factor with some insurance companies charging substantially more for what they define as inexperienced drivers.
Tickets & accidents.
When it comes to determining the risk associated with a specific driver, ticket and accident history can provide an insurance company with a reasonable expectation of future claim activity. An individual with a number of driving incidents is usually determined to be a higher risk and therefore will be charged more for insurance.
Although someone may have a few claims on their record that does not necessarily mean that person represents a higher risk to the insurance company. Claims such as windshield repair for rock strikes, towing, or claim payments for not at-fault accidents do not necessarily indicate more risk. However, some companies can and do use "claims frequency" in determining a personal insurance score for each customer and multiple claims even if not at-fault could have a negative effect on the calculated policy premium.
Where you live.
Car insurance policy prices are based partly on the territory in which the customer lives and drives. A policy in Cozad, Nebraska in theory will cost less than the same policy in Palm beach, Florida. The obvious reason is that the traffic density, car theft, storm damage, and lawsuit risk are much higher in Florida and therefore the price of car insurance should reflect that additional risk.
How much you drive.
Less time on the road means less exposure to the risk of accident and on the other side of the coin if someone drives 100 miles per day they are at more risk and higher exposure to accidents and the possibility of filing a claim.
What you use the vehicle for.
If the vehicle is used for business or to transport clients the risk is increased. For example a realtor who drives prospective home buyers around in their car all day is not only on the road more but is also at risk of being responsible or partially responsible for injury to the occupants of the vehicle. The price of insurance coverage increases when the vehicle is used for business pursuits. Additional coverage's may also be needed to provide the insured with comprehensive protection from risks unique to business use.
Other people living with you.
Insurance prices are determined by exposure to risk. If other licensed individuals reside in your home and have access to your vehicle the insurance company may charge more money depending on these other individuals driving history and personal insurance coverage. If additional drivers are not disclosed to the insurance company in the original application and then are in an accident the insurance company may choose not to cover the claim because on material misrepresentation.
Vehicles Characteristics:
Engine size.
Many car models come in different configurations, such as, sport or luxury. A Ford Mustang with a 4 cylinder 100hp engine will be priced differently by the insurance company than the Shelby Cobra Mustang with the 350hp V8 engine. The potential performance increase also increases the risk of accident.
Although not as big a factor as many people may think it is still reasonable to believe that the potential loss of a $100,000 2010 Mercedes compared to a $2,000 loss for a 1995 Honda Civic will cause a high valued vehicle's comprehensive and collision coverage cost more.
Safety features.
In most cases newer cars are equipped with more and better functioning safety features. This is important to the insurance company because the injuries the occupants of the vehicle sustain the less money will need to be spent on the medical portion of an insurance claim. Safer cars receive discounts on the medial and uninsured motorist portions of coverage.
Although each car is different the factors used to determine risk stay the same. Simply stated they are: How much does it take to fix the car? How much does it take to fix the people inside the car? How much damage can this car do to other people in other cars? The answers to these questions help each insurance company price the risk they accept when insuring your car.


text: This is the greatest, most useless invention ever. I'm convinced. Montreal-based designer Maskull Lasserre has created a range of shoes with custom rubber mouldings that leave animal footprints when they're used on appropriate surfaces. We're talking paws, hoofs … need we go on? The project, called Outliers, no doubt left some very confused people in its wake when it was released onto the snowy footpaths of Canada and New York.

subset: commoncrawl


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It all started in 1874, when the inspired publican, George Wadley, first opened the Stag. Since then this pub has served the great & good of north London. Fast forward to 2008, we took over & began turning The Stag into what we have today - a London boozer with a great big beer garden & one of North London's favourite private party rooms with it's own roof terrace. We're proud of our beer range. We source beers from London's
finest brewers & import the best we can find from around the world. At weekends & when the sun shines we open our BBQ & Can Bar in the garden. We love cans of beer, hotdogs & salt beef, so that's what we offer outside.
We also run Sunday Night Music Club – in the summer it's in the garden & in the winter it's by the fire place inside. Either way, we welcome some of London's best acoustic talent to play. It normally starts at around 5pm & is our little musical 'thank you' to end the week. Upstairs is our party floor. It has its own private roof terrace & bar & has hosted some of North London's finest celebrations. It has a capacity for up to 60 pepole, if you have an event to plan please ask us for a tour or just email us by CLICKING HERE & let us organise your party for you.
The Stag is privately owned & part London Pubs Ltd, a family business that started life in 2006. We also own & run The Mall Tavern in Notting Hill. Like the Stag, it has a great beer range, but it also has a secret weapon - a kitchen table. You, and up to 11 friends, can book in for lunch & dinner & the chefs serve up our great British pub food. Some say it's awesome, but we just like having parties in the kitchen, to take a look CLICK HERE & if you like it, book yourself in. This summer we're excited to be opening The Magdala Tavern. Located on the edge of Hampstead Heath we think it's a great London pub & can't wait to welcome you when we're up & running. For details on our opening & general pub news please sign up by CLICKING HERE.


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Granite Falls/Clarkfiled Advocate/Tribune and Tri-County News in Cottonwood is in search of a full time Editor.
- Coordinates news and feature coverage for weekly papers with the editorial staff.
- Manages editorial staff in accordance with company policy. Provides consistent feedback to editors.
- Works consistently with editors to improve their performance.
- Works with editors to maximize use of staff resources.
- Initiates and directs special projects for designated papers.
- Communicates with other department heads to further editorial mission.
- Finds and works with correspondents to supplement the editorial staff's work.
- Edits material to ensure clean copy.
- Designs and lays out attractive pages.
- Demonstrates news judgment and initiative to produce community-based stories beyond meeting and event coverage.
- Works collaboratively with other staff members and departments to coordinate photographs and graphics with copy.
- Consistently meets deadline requirements
- Interacts with residents of the communities so as to encourage readership.
- Conducts performance appraisals as scheduled.
- Consistent ability to manage staff and necessary workflow.
- Outstanding ability to react quickly to changing situations without direction.
- Knowledge of ethical and appropriate coverage.
- Outstanding computer skills, as well as design/layout skills.
- Demonstrated knowledge of company's editorial style and philosophy.
- A complete command of the English language, including grammar skills.
- A complete command of AP style.
- Knowledge of local government processes.
- Excellent computer skills.
- Ability to get to various and numerous locations to provide coverage.
- Bachelor's degree from four-year college or university; or minimum of six years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
We offer a full benefits package.
Please send letter of interest and resume to Mike Dupere, firstname.lastname@example.com or mail to Mike Dupere C/O Granite Falls Advocate Tribune, P.O.Box 99, Granite Falls Minnesota 56241.


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Unbound Ministry
What is Unbound?
"Unbound is a deliverance prayer ministry that focuses on people, not evil spirits. Unbound is a safe, loving and reproducible model that helps people respond to the good news of the gospel and apply the truth to their lives using the five keys." (Heart of the Father website) Unbound Ministry is based on the idea that the gospel has the power to make a difference in a person's life. It is a way of prayer, using the five keys, that empowers a person to open their hearts and respond more fully to Jesus's invitation of abundant life. Unbound is essentially moving a person through a conversion experience. The five keys are:
2. Forgiving oneself and others.
3. Renouncing the lies, spirits, and tactics of Satan.
4. Taking authority over the works of Satan.
5. Receiving the Father's blessing.
For more information about Unbound, please visit the Heart of the Father Ministry Website or order the book, Unbound: A Practical Guide to Deliverance
How Can I be Prayed with Using the Five Keys?
Books are available at the Office of Family Life-3700 Sheridan Blvd., Gloria Deo, or on Amazon.
Unbound Video Series
The Unbound Video series is the Unbound Conference recorded for use by groups and individuals using Unbound Ministry. The series is eight weeks long and covers the first nine chapters of the book "Unbound."
2-Day Unbound Conference
This is a shortened version of the 8 week video series. The same content will be presented using videos & live presentations by members of the Unbound team. 2 Day conferences are held on Friday evening & all day Saturday.
Upcoming 2-Day Conferences: Conferences are free, however registration is appreciated:
October 18-19, 2019 - Unbound conference in Palmyra, NE by the diocesan Unbound team.
Here is the registration link: https://lincolndiocese.regfox.com/03-oe-unbound-2-day-conf-palmyra-ne
Upcoming Unbound Retreats:
Sept. 13-15, 2019 - Matthew Simmons and Fr. Gary Coulter will offer an Unbound retreat at Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House in Waverly, Nebraska.
Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2020 - Fr. Holoubek will offer an Unbound retreat at Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House in Waverly, Nebraska.
The weekend retreat is geared towards men and women who have already read the book or watched the video series. There will be opportunities for praying the five keys with a prayer team. Please register using retreat house link above.
Introduction to Deliverance
Have you ever wondered what exactly deliverance is or how it fits into our Catholic Faith? In May 2016, The Office of Evangelization hosted an Introduction to Deliverance session consisting of four parts about 20 minutes each (see video below.) Additional Intro to Deliverance sessions are below.
Part 1: The Meaning of Deliverance
Part 2: Unbound Ministry
Part 3: Witness to the Power of Deliverance
Part 4: Q & A Panel
Upcoming Intro to Deliverance Presentations-Intro's are Free & No registration is required
2019-- Intro to Deliverance: September 11, 2019, Wednesday, 7p.m. at St Leo Church Hall, 340 W. 8th Street, Palmyra, NE.
History of Unbound in the Diocese of Lincoln
In the summer of 2014 the Archdiocese of Omaha hosted Neal Lozano and his team for an Unbound conference. Fr. Holoubek and some of the faithful of our diocese attended this conference and experienced a new freedom in Christ through the five keys.
In fall 2014, Fr. Holoubek led a video series at John XXIII with a small group that would become the beginning of a Lincoln Unbound Prayer Team. In February of 2015 and 2016 Fr. Holoubek gave an Unbound retreat at Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House in Waverly, Nebraska. The newly formed Lincoln Unbound prayer team with the help of the Omaha Unbound prayer team prayed for retreatants. Since the 2015 retreat, the Lincoln team has hosted an Unbound Video Series at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Lincoln, at the John XXIII Diocesan Center in Lincoln, and at St. Mary in Sutton.
We believe the response of the faithful in Lincoln has truly been Holy Spirit Driven. The book "Unbound" has been selling out at Gloria Deo, people are requesting prayer with little to no advertising, and people are sharing how God has set them free, which is evangelization. Seeing the Holy Spirit move, the Diocese of Lincoln has hired Matthew Simmons as the Unbound Coordinator, to help grow this ministry so that all the faithful may take hold of the freedom Jesus won for us.


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One year into the job, Rick Kranitz remains committed to the challenge. Hired to replace Leo Mazzone prior to last season, Kranitz's assignment is to meld a mostly young and unproven Orioles pitching staff into a unit that can compete effectively against the high-octane offenses of the American League East. Coming off of a campaign where his charges finished last in the AL in walks allowed, and second from the bottom in both opponents' batting average and ERA, work remains to be done. A 30-year veteran of professional baseball, the 50-year-old Kranitz spent 22 seasons in the Cubs organization before serving as the Marlins pitching coach in 2006 and 2007. Kranitz talked about his approach to pitching when the Orioles visited Fenway Park in September.
David Laurila: How would you describe Rick Kranitz's pitching philosophy?
Rick Kranitz: In a sense, a lot of pitching coaches are the same, in that strike one is probably the most important pitch in the game. What I believe is that each pitcher is different. You can't try to mold every single guy the same way, so number one, is Daniel Cabrera different from Garrett Olson? Absolutely, and not just because one is right-handed and the other is left-handed. Everything about their delivery, and everything about each guy that I have is so different, so I need to find out what makes each guy click. To me, it's more about learning what they do right as opposed to what they do wrong, and trying to get them to understand what they do right. They need to learn that themselves. In order to be a successful pitcher at this level you have to know what you do; you have to know what you feel like when you make a good pitch; you have to know your body. If you don't know your body, you tend to keep searching.
DL: It sounds like you differ from your predecessor, Leo Mazzone, in that he had a specific philosophy he wanted his pitchers to adhere to, while you're more adaptable in your approach. Is that accurate?
RK: Well, I think that there are always absolutes. You know, in certain counts you have to make pitches; I think that every pitcher, number one, has a place where they can command their fastball the best. Now, wherever that place is, in certain counts they have to go there to stay ahead in counts. You can't ask a guy to do something he can't do. A lot of what Leo taught, which was to command the ball down and away, absolutely. I mean, you have to do that to be a successful major league pitcher; there's no question about it. A lot of guys can't do that in today's age, so you obviously try to work on that, while still letting them pitch to their strengths and work with what they do best. Obviously, if you can never get the ball down and away when you need to in a hitter's count, like 2-0, 2-1, or 3-1, you're in trouble.
DL: In a conversation I had with Harold Baines, he said that pitchers on an opposing staff would generally pitch to him the same way, with that approach likely driven by the pitching coach. What are your thoughts on that?
RK: I think that what happens is that you have your meetings and go over guys, and you know what their strengths and weaknesses are going in. But, like I tell them, this is what we have to do if, say, David Ortiz is hitting. We pretty much have to make pitches in, but the whole thing is, can you get it there? Can you make the pitch? Ortiz is so good at hitting the ball out and away from him that we have to pitch him in, and if you can't do that, you can't ask somebody to do that if he's having a hard time getting that job done. So I think that Harold is right in that sense, but the catcher has to know what the strength of the pitcher is. When he makes a good pitch, the catcher should know what he's doing, and use that. You know, it doesn't matter what a pitcher throws. It could be the wrong pitch, but if he has conviction to what he's doing-if he's convinced that it's the right pitch-you have to go with it. You have to go with it as a pitcher.
DL: Pitchers have tendencies. Do catchers have tendencies in their game calling?
RK: There's no question; absolutely. You'll see, sometimes, catchers call pitches that they can't hit. They'll say, 'Wow, I'd have a hard time with this guy,' and then they'd call a certain pitch just because they'd have trouble with it. I think that as soon as a catcher separates his hitting from his catching, he becomes a better catcher. And it's a process; it's a lot of hard work to get back there and think with your guy, especially to take a young kid through the game.
DL: How much impact does a catcher have on a pitching staff?
RK: I think that it's a huge impact. He's the one who's really running the game; he's suggesting. Nowadays, you don't see as many guys calling their own games. You look at the college game, and every catcher is looking over into the dugout for the sign; very few catchers call games. They've become robotic, where they don't think for themselves. And certainly, in this day and age, we're getting guys quicker and quicker to the big leagues, and they've never thought for themselves. They're relying on other people, but they should be relying on themselves out there. That's what they need to do: they need to rely on themselves to get guys out. A catcher has to work and get guys through the game when they're struggling.
DL: A number of the pitchers on your staff have been struggling as of late. How do you want them to react to their bad outings? Do you want them to be angry with their performance, or do you want them to always be on an even keel?
RK: I think that you have to be-you know, I don't want them to be happy. I think that they need to be upset about not throwing the ball well. But you also have to let it go. You can't let things fester in this game. You can't just go from one start to the next, or one day to the next, and have a carryover. In this game, you can never let your last pitch affect your next pitch. And I think that with young guys, that's what happens. They let certain things affect them more so than a veteran guy. A veteran guy will shake it off and move on, and he'll show how he's let it go. A young guy will tell you that he let it go, even though he doesn't necessarily believe it himself.
DL: What role do you play after someone has a tough outing; what is your demeanor in the clubhouse?
RK: You have to keep these guys positive. You have to keep them positive, because this isn't an easy game, and this isn't an easy team we're playing against. We're in September and going up against teams that are fighting for the playoffs. We have a very young group that's never been in the big leagues, much less playing against teams where every at-bat means something-where it could mean the season. You just have to keep pushing them forward and directing them in the right way; you have to keep them positive and upbeat.
DL: Can a pitcher hurt himself by being overconfident?
RK: You know, it's easy to sit there and think, 'I'm doing this,' and 'I'm doing that,' but you don't have to show it. You know it inside, but you don't need to go out and tell everybody how well you're throwing. A 91 mph fastball thrown with confidence will get anybody out. A 98 mph fastball thrown without confidence won't get many people out. You can't let anybody on that field know, and that's what happens-your opponents sense it when things aren't going right. And when that happens, you've got problems. You have to be a poker player.
DL: Prior to coming to the Orioles, you worked with Dontrelle Willis in Florida. Did you ever have concerns about Willis because of his unorthodox delivery?
RK: He's such a great athlete, so I didn't have concerns. The first thing-if you try to change that delivery-that's him, that's his style. There are guys who come up and they're a little bit different, but if it works for them, great. Not everybody's the same. So that's the last thing you'd want to do. I thought that with his athletic ability, he wasn't going to have the problems he's had this past year. But I would say that once you start to get a little older, you always have to make a few adjustments to what you have to do, because your body changes. You're not as flexible as you once were. But I haven't seen him this year, so I don't know; I don't really have a comment on what happened beyond that.
DL: Doug Jones, who had one of the best changeups of his era, was a teammate of yours in the minor leagues. Did he have the great changeup as a young pitcher?
RK: What he always had was great command; his control was unbelievable. I wouldn't say that he had the kind of changeup that he had when he was in the big leagues, because he used his other pitches a little bit more, but the one thing about him was that the command of his fastball, and the way he threw the ball down in the strike zone, was as good as I saw as a young player.
DL: How important is it to have an effective changeup, and how important is velocity?
RK: Well, you know what? Velocity is not that important. Obviously, the better the velocity, the more room for error. But fastball command… you will never be successful on a long-term basis without fastball command at this level. If you have the changeup, it will allow you to get by without great fastball command. But if you don't have a changeup, and you don't have fastball command, you're in trouble, because the change of speeds is so important. Getting a hitter out on his front foot is so important in this game. You don't find very many hitters who can't hit the fastball in the big leagues; they will time it. And if they get beat by it, they'll make an adjustment.
DL: You coached in the Cubs organization for a long time. What has it been like watching them have so much success this season?
RK: I'm so happy for them. I have so many friends over there, and I knew that it was just a matter of time. You could see-the years we thought we were going to be there, we put so much on Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. And when they didn't come back like everybody thought, you put all your eggs in that basket, and I think that finally the organization said, 'You know what? We have to try to do this without them.' So they started doing some things, and it has really worked out. They put Kerry in the bullpen, and you can see that it's a good, good team, with good defense. For a while there, the defense was very suspect. And there were a lot of home runs, but the on-base percentage wasn't there. Now you see guys grinding out at-bats. I see them going quite far, actually.
DL: It sounds like you'd like to see them go far into the postseason?
RK: Oh, there's no question. I know Larry Rothschild very well; he's one of my best friends in the game. The third-base coach, their manager, their bullpen coach-we worked together for 10 or 12 years. I know most of the players. So, absolutely, I want to see those guys win. I'd love to see them go to the World Series. I'm partial to them, because I was there a long time.
Thank you for reading
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Andy Murray named No 3 seed for Australian Open
Andy Murray has been confirmed as the No 3 seed for the Australian Open, which starts a week today.
The British No 1, who won his maiden grand-slam tournament at last year's US Open and yesterday retained his Brisbane Open title, is looking to win at Melbourne Park for the first time after finishing runner-up in 2010 and 2011.
Novak Djokovic, the reigning champion and world No 1, is top seed with Roger Federer behind him. David Ferrer, of Spain, is seeded No 4 in the absence of Rafael Nadal, who pulled out of the tournament last week through illness.
The absence of Nadal offers a window of opportunity for Murray as he attempts to follow up his US Open victory at Melbourne Park.


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Review: Joel Edgerton's The Gift
File this one under pleasantly surprising as actor Joel Edgerton makes his impressive feature directorial and written debut with Blumhouse Productions. Titled The Gift, the project is a savvy psychological thriller subverting the concept of victimhood whilst delivering some unnerving, stomach-churning twists along the way.
Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall are Simon and Robyn, a conventional yuppie couple recently relocated back California. Taking up lodgings in a stylish suburban pad, the couple are met with an old face from Simon's past, Gordo (Edgerton), whose unwelcome gifts and regular uninvited visits begin to unnerve the pair.
Edgerton crafts an atmosphere of sinister unease from the film's early moments - a 'chance' encounter between Simon and Gordo appears to suggest the reunion of two high school friends - yet things grow more concerning as it's revealed Simon has little recollection of this over-keen and slightly odd classmate. This encounter lays the foundation for a tale of psychological perversion and dark pasts which Edgerton unveils with a Machiavellian gusto. This a real burgeoning dread as the couple's relationship with Gordo becomes more strained and previous well-meaning intentions become more concerning. Here Edgerton plays some winning hands by taking us down a number of unexpected routes with unnerving glee resulting in some twists with an edge nasty enough to satisfy audiences with a taste for the macabre.
There is some clever character work going on in the writer's protagonists with our perceptions of these leads continually changing. In his development of them, Edgerton revels in revealing a darker side to 'clean-cut' yuppie Simon who has shut off his mysterious past, whilst Gordo (dubbed 'Gordo the Weirdo') sits between overbearing aggressor and victim, with the narrative pendulum swinging between these shifting character tropes. Bateman excels in a role which strays from his usual clean-cut straight man performance - albeit subverting our expectations of the very type of role he's come to be associated with. Hall has some grit to play with - albeit in the form of a lazy gender stereotyping miscarriage angle - but there is also past troubles with pill addiction in the mix to add some mystery into the film's more horror-tinged themes. Is this a drug-themed haze or genuine horror unfolding?
There's a stirring sense of tension pulsing throughout the strained character dynamics here - particularly as Edgerton drip feeds some home-invasion elements into the fold. Although never ground-breakingly original, there are a number of efficient jump scares and mysterious occurrences (which are delivered with Oldboy-inspired glee in the final moments) to quicken our pulses and turn our palms clammy.
The Gift may reveal its final twists somewhat heavy-handedly and could benefit from a slightly more brutal edit and run-time, but Edgerton nonetheless deserves much praise for this solid psychological thriller. This debut is atmospheric and unnerving that keeps us mostly engaged and intrigued from its onset.
Stars: Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall & Joel Edgerton
Director: Joel Edgerton
Release: 7th August 2015


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- Civil Engineering
- Concrete Industrial Management Technology
- Construction Engineering Technology
- Construction Management Technology
- Surveying Engineering Technology
Civil engineers are essential participants in the planning, design and construction of our basic structures, including public works and large commercial projects. A surveyor is a professional who practices the science of measurement to assemble and assess land and geographic related information. That information is used for the purpose of planning and implementing the efficient administration of the land, the sea and structures to instigate the advancement and development of such practices. A construction engineering background prepares students for careers within general construction, heavy/highway/utility construction, building construction, mechanical and electrical contracting, specialty contracting and consulting. Concrete Industrial Management professionals are an important component of the concrete industry. In today's green market, all of these professions can be utilized as part of creating sustainable design and practices in the construction and engineering fields. These disciplines are an integral part of developing new infrastructure that is sustainable, uses less energy, reduces the carbon footprint, and is overall better for the environment.
Green careers can be found within each of these job titles:
|Bridge Engineer
|Landfill Gas to Energy Plant Mechanics
|Civil Engineer
|LEED Systems Specialist
|Concrete Formwork Designer
|Mechanical Contractor
|Design/Construction Engineer
|Project Engineer
|Energy Efficiency Planner
|Quality Control Inspector
|Field Engineer
|Renewable Development Coordinator
|Green Concrete Producer
|Renewable Market Specialist
General Construction Worker
|Structural Engineer
|Green Building Analysts
|Sustainable Development Manager
|Green Building Director
|Temporary Structures Formwork Designer
|Highway Construction Worker
|Topographic Surveyor
|Highway Engineer
|Utility Construction Worker
|Wind Methods and Process Specialist
|Land Surveyor
Green jobs can be found within the following industries:
|Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, & Hunting Services
|Forest Services
|Architectural Services
|Building, Developing, & General Contracting
|Ocean and Marine Sciences
|Construction Services
|Petroleum & Coal Product Manufacturers
|Educational Services
|Research Institutes
|Energy Services
|Scientific Research & Development Services
|Engineering Services
|State and Local Government
|Environmental Organizations
|Environmental Services
|Waste Management Services
|Federal Government
|Wood Products
Green Internet Resources:
Engineering Central: Jobs for Civil Engineers Site contains list of jobs especially for engineers.
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) This site contains a list of jobs for various majors in civil engineering.
ICEnet specializations ICE provides the knowledge that civil engineers need. Members come from a wide range within civil engineering. Also publishes papers, guides, reports and briefing sheets, conducts meetings, organizes conferences and competitions, awards prizes, manages research projects with other organizations, provides lectures.
The Technology Interface Online journal for the Engineering Technology profession serving education and industry. Provides professionals in the Engineering Technology profession and related fields the opportunity to share ideas concerning teaching, teaching improvements, projects, industrial activities, research and much more via the internet.
NICET Online: National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies Certification by this organization is an asset to a professional. The NICET programs that are most commonly required by local and state jurisdictions, and by federal agencies are in the fire protection field.
Careers In Construction Assistance with job search, CV review, cover letter and application preparations.
Construction Jobs ConstructionJobs.com is the nation's premier employment job board and resume database built exclusively for the construction, design and building industries. This interactive site provides targeted candidate searches by geographic region, specific industries, job titles, education, and experience. The site is free to job seekers and available to employers at various subscription fees.
Land Surveyor Reference Page Contains job search information and job listings for surveying professionals.
Earthworks Job listings in oil, energy, mining, geoscience, seismology, geodesy, earth science, earth system science, environmental science, environmental engineering, remediation, contaminated land, agriculture, forestry, ecology, plant science, meteorology, atmospheric science, oceanography, marine science, geography, hydrology, hydrogeology, soil science, remote sensing, GIS, geomatics, geotechnical / civil engineering, transport, asbestos surveying, renewable energy, carbon management, EIA, EMS, waste management, sustainable development, electrical engineering, maintenance engineering and related subjects
Green Career Tracks List of green fields or market sectors that are emerging or being affected by environmental and social justice crises.
Green Career Central This site provides the guidance and support to match passion for the environment, skill set, and experience, with a career where one can make a difference and prosper.
Jobs Treehugger TreeHugger is the leading media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream. It strives to be a one-stop shop for green news, solutions, and product information.
Cool Climate Jobs Excellent source for climate change, renewable energy, and green collar jobs in the United States and around the world.
Green Jobs Provides a range of services to employers and recruiters ranging from simple job listings to full recruitment services as well as analysis of employment in the various renewable energy industries. Services to candidates include the opportunity to apply for jobs, list their resume/CV, obtain guidance on finding and applying for jobs, gain background information on the RE industries and have access to a directory of RE companies and organizations.
Green Careers Guide Site offers green career categories with job descriptions, training required, training programs by state, and job listings. It also gives job search advice provided by careerbuilder.com.


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"Mental Health is a state of wellbeing in which the individual realises his or her own abilities to cope with the normal stresses of life, and can work productively and fruitfully." (Mental Health Foundation)
Many things happen to us in life that make it difficult to cope with stress. Too much stress or without the skills, networks or resources to resolve problems can cause mild to moderate mental health problems.
Very often, we find our own solutions to work through life's challenges - getting more exercise, reducing our workload, having more fun, or spending time with friends and family. However, there are times when we need additional support to work through things. Primary Solutions/To Be Heard Programme is a support service available to assist you when things get difficult. Click here to see the services offered under the Primary Solutions/To Be Heard Programmes.
Compass Health PHO is committed to addressing the physical health of those with serious mental health illness, in addition to managing their mental health within primary practice. It is now becoming well know there is a disparity of health outcomes for this population and we aim to improve this in our region. The board at Compass Health PHO has endorsed the Equally Well programme and is committed to improving the health outcomes for this population.
Read more about Equally Well here.
With the growing rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental illness, primary care plays an important role in the delivery of mental health services. A key recommendation from the Ministry of Health's Guidance Paper on Primary Mental Health Care (December 2009) is the implementation of Stepped Care by the primary mental health sector: "Stepped care is a system of delivering and monitoring treatments so that the treatment that is most effective yet least resource intensive is delivered to service users first. In a Stepped Care Model:
This diagram outlines how a Stepped Care approach would deliver services to the general population, based on the level of need. It shows at which point an intervention is delivered, by whom and for whom and also encapsulates the psychosocial factors that are common across each step as they related to promoting mental health and wellness.
To assist general practice in navigating a Stepped Care Approach for the treatment of depression within primary care, the following tool has been developed as a guide. It is based on the Evidence-Based Best Practice Guidelines for the Management of Depression in Primary Care*. This tool is also intended for use by the general public as a way to navigate through the various interventions available to promote our mental well-being. Within each step there are four quadrants that comprise the different interventions that may be applied. By clicking on these quadrants you will be directed to the relevant resources, self-help information, provider details, assessment tools, websites, or guidelines that will aide in decision-making and facilitation of the appropriate intervention.
Click here to use the Stepped Care Approach.
*The guidelines on active monitoring are based on the decision-tools for treating and managing adults. For best practice clinical information related to the management of depression in youth click here.
For best practice guidelines related to Māori mental health, click here.
For information related to promoting Pacific peoples' overall health, click here.
Primary Solutions/To Be Heard Programmes provide a range of support services that are available to patients enrolled in Compass Health practices, who have a mild to moderate mental health issue*, and meet one of the following criteria:
*A mild to moderate mental health issue may mean a variety of things. In primary care, depression and anxiety are quite common, but what is important to consider is how stress impacts a person's functioning. The severity of your difficulties is based on what you report, what can be observed and what can be measured. Everyone experiences stress, but for some individuals it is more difficult to manage.
A Primary Mental Health Practitioner will contact you to assess the factors impacting on your wellbeing and to identify the supports you require. Primary Mental Health Practitioners follow a Stepped Care approach to service provision by matching the level of intervention to the level of need. Services offered by the Primary Mental Health Coordinator may include:
This Programme was set up to provide free health care both mental and physical for people who have experienced mental illness. It is hoped that increasing the role of GPs who work with these patients, enables the needs of the individual to be met within their community and also reduces dependence on specialist services.
Provided all the following criteria are met, there are no costs with the possible exception of referral to other services:
Eligibility for funding will be reviewed as circumstances change in terms of residence or criteria.
Where the financial situation of the client is a barrier to exit from MHS
The Primary Mental Health Community navigator/ Coordinator can help you with information and support in the following social areas, which may be impacting on your mental health status:


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Fill up your shopping bag below by clicking "add to bag" on the individual product pages... or even better, just click and drag the items you want and drop them right into your bag!
In order to make shipping and order handling more reasonable, we do have a minimum order amount of $20. We make every single order from scratch, so please be patient and allow us some time to prepare and package it before shipping


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Karla Cox
Karla is a new girl to the London scene. She lives just north of the city, but comes into town to party. She is good friends with Melissa, Libby and Becky known from ShemaleYum. She is great to work with and gets real nasty when shes horny!
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I ended up traveling in North America and Southeast Asia from October 2013 to June 2014. The trip was funded solely on the steam powered by my writing.
I don't know what to say about this except that it's bloody hard to meet deadlines when you're hopping from city to town to ass-fuck-nowhere every few days. It's impossible. We all knew that, didn't we? You have to stay put for months somewhere to do any real work. I can't tell you how many times I was sitting in a cramped bus for hours on end trying to bang out my word count for the day.
And yet, I got something done and I got paid something and somehow I am now living in Mexico. Not dead in a ditch. I did go into debt to cover the gaps between pay cheques (and to cover some unforeseen expenses, which I won't go into here).
But all in all, I wrote, I survived and I saw all the things.
The usual question after a long trip is now what? For me it was going back to Mexico City where my fiancee was able to get a job.
Thankfully, my trip had given me two solid contacts who have been hiring me consistently since April 2014 to write romance for hire. So that's what I do now. As a job.
Most people aren't aware of how writing romance for hire (aka ghostwriting) works so here's the deal:
- You get hired through Elance.com or Freelancer.com (in my case).
- The client gives you a word count and a genre i.e. romantic thriller or cowboy romance
- Sometimes the client gives you a specific plot to work with but this is rare. More likely they will say: "OK cowboy romance trilogy. Three books. 25,000 words each. Go!" Seriously.
- You sign a contract saying you don't own the rights to the book, you will get paid a flat fee upon completion and you can't contact the end client or know what happens to the book.
- The client puts your fee in escrow.
- You write the fucking thing. SWEAT SWEAT SWEAT.
- The client will release the funds. You do a happy dance and pay your credit card and your therapist.
- The client will probably not ask you for edits but if they do, they are minimal. You do another happy dance because you hate extra work.
- The book is then self-published or sold to a publisher. You aren't allowed to know anything about that.
- The end.
Question: Bronwyn, if the client just publishes the thing on Amazon or whatever, why don't you write your own books?
Excellent question, knucklehead. Because I need money now and I don't want to wait for the royalties to kick in. But I definitely want to do this in future when my income is more stable.
Question: how much do you make?
Shit. I make shit. Then again, I live in a cheap country (Mexico), I love the freedom of being self-employed and I know how to live lean. I earn $525 for a 40,000 word book. $300 for a 25,000 word book. I also write plot outlines for clients. Ten plot outlines for $150. What do my clients do with these plots? I don't know. They don't pay me to know! I just write them.
I also still occasionally do copywriting for Demand Media and various corporate blogs to supplement my income. I do not teach English anymore in Mexico. Why? Because schools pay crap and steady private clients are usually old creepy guys who think they're paying for "the girlfriend experience."
That's romance writing, my friends. I'm also working with an agent in Toronto who will hopefully be selling my novel to some Big Ass publisher this fall. I'm trying to work all the angles, yo.
Post any questions in the comments below!Interested in moving to Mexico? Here are some resources that helped me:
- Moon Mexico City: highly recommended resource. I love and trust Moon guides.
- Moon Living Abroad in Mexico: great source of information for potential expats
- Lonely Planet Mexico 14th Ed.: the definitive country guide


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Describe an event in the world that has affected you this year. How? Why?
Could we just skip the 2016 US presidential campaign? This is the news that has dominated every media outlet for the last 16 months, and especially the last 8 or so. I'm just about sick of it.
Hillary Clinton should have charges brought against her for mishandling classified information (the same "crime", by the way, that Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning are accused of).
Donald Trump is, well, Donald Trump. He's also either extremely brilliant, completely insane, or fortuitously incompetent.
Gary Johnson has the right stuff to be an amazing executive, but is woefully uninformed on the big picture kind of stuff.
Jill Stein is hopelessly ignorant–even more so than Trump.


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I met Susan Forehand in 2007 when she published a wedding I photographed; at the time she was editor for Atlanta Weddings. Prior to starting her own firm, Susan served as a fashion and public relations director for Saks Fifth Avenue in Atlanta. We kept in touch over the years, but never had the opportunity to work together until last spring when I photographed this wedding. What a pleasure it was working with a such a talented coordinator! Susan is the picture of perfection and grace. Her innovative ideas, excellent taste and attention to detail add up to flawless and memorable wedding weekends for brides, grooms, families and guests.
Susan asked me to photograph her sweet dogs, Sophie & Chloe, recently. Her beautiful home was the perfect backdrop for portraits of the girls!


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V2 Cigs Review. Since December of 2010, I've recommended this brand for a multitude of reasons.
The parent company, VMR Products, reached out to me a number of times while I was busy with work, and at first, admittedly, I ignored their overtures to try their product. They wanted a V2 Cigs review on this website, which was getting quite popular back then. They felt that their V2 Cigs e cigarette batteries, cartridges, and full line of accessories were as good as or better than any brand I'd been using at the time (Green Smoke namely).
I finally caved, and I'm glad I did, because this has become the largest seller of products in this sector and they've grown like crazy since their early days.
V2 Cigs Reviews Remain my Most Popular Part of my website since 2009!
Before anything, the company that makes these fantastic products has given me a coupon code you won't get anywhere else. (I guess they liked my podcasting and media coverage so much that they wanted to make sure they always had something nice for my audience.) You will NOT find a bigger savings coupon than the one V2Cigs has offered my readers. It's "AndyG15" and you must click through a link or banner on this site for it to work.
So after trying all their batteries, cartomizers, and even getting into their PCC and other accessories like the lanyard, V2 Cigs has become the brand of e-cigarette I choose to use full time and recommend to anyone getting started smoking electronic cigarettes.
Remember, V2 Cigs offered my readers 15% off all starter kits. Use "AndyG15" to take advantage – you won't find this anywhere else! You CAN use this in conjunction with any store-wide sales as well and it will work for 10% off your cartridge orders if you are already a customer or don't need a kit.
When V2 approached me I was happy with Green Smoke (how can you not be happy – great product, great people) and since I had posted about 20 e cigarette reviews that fall, I wasn't really looking to try another e cigarette, but I was also urged to give my opinion on V2 by a reader of this site, and I am so grateful that I did. They've won me over with their ground-breaking products and attention to detail.
When I first tried their brand, I knew it was a winner. I had seen V2 Cigs advertisements picking up lately, and their products were appearing on other e cig review blogs across the web, so I was happy to be among the first to try the first version of what they call the V2 Standard Kit.
By the way, it's worth noting that V2 Cigs is the most popular electronic cigarette company according to Alexa.com.
Being 35 miles from my house, I've had the pleasure of sitting down with management and getting a tour of all the US-based facilities. While I've asked other e-cigarette companies for this same service, none have stepped up to the challenge and opened up their facilities to a media member like myself. Kudos to V2 cigs for doing that.
Here's What Makes V2 Cigs Stand Out
- Quality control. All e-liquids are batch tested – you can look at this on their website to check quality.
- Compliance. Some e-cigarette brands don't put all the necessary labels on their product packaging. V2 Cigs staff mentioned to me that their legal department keeps busy and ensures proper labels are displayed on all packages, including warnings for minors, warnings that nicotine is addictive, and all that good stuff.
Don't forget your V2 Cigs Coupons: "AndyG15" – Use that at checkout to save 15% off starter kits.
You can Visit the v2 Cigs Store Here
The Standard V2 kit is sold for $64.95, which is about middle of the pack for e cigarettes. If you invest in the starter kit, here is what you get:
- Choice of blue, white, or black battery
- Charger with combo cord and USB charger
- Wall adapter & Users Manual
- Choice of two flavored cartridges & strengths
I'm not a regular smoker of the flavored e cigarettes, so I chose Congress Tobacco and Menthol, my two smoking flavors of choice. If you smoked regularly, like I did, these are the most similar to real cigarettes. They also offer a flavor called Red, which of course, is like that popular full flavor Red brand out there. Exotic flavors for those who are interested include Cherry, Coffee, Vanilla, Cola, Peppermint (Watch my video, where I was quoted saying "it tastes like Christmas"), Mint Tea, Grape, and Sahara.
When you order V2 Cigs, you get to pick one flavor minimum and a strength combination. You can choose two if you'd like.
Going on three years using this brand it has been nothing short of a five star experience. V2 Cigs beats 99% of all brands in the major categories of how I rank electronic cigarettes: taste, battery life, vapor production, functionality, customer service, and overall experience. They also take care of their customers by offering store wide sales on about a quarterly basis. This is when my friends and I stock up on V2 cigs products and accessories.
If you are unsure about splurging $64.95, there is an Economy Kit offered at $59.95, that comes with all you read about above but only one battery. If you are a social smoker and don't Jones for a cigarette, this is an easy way to ensure you can enjoy "vaping" at a cheaper price.
Lastly, V2 offers an option for travelers. It's basically the first kit I talked about, but with more cartridges and a neat, hard travel case that keeps the kit intact as you travel. You really can't go wrong with V2 Cigs.
You can Visit the v2 Cigs Store Here
Since posting this review, they've also come out with an "Ultimate Kit." It's the one in the picture on the top left corner of this website. 25 cartridges, a PCC, and three batteries. All 100% custom. This is the best packaged starter kit in the e-cig industry. Click the link above to check it out as words can't describe how awesome it really is.
I'm still giving V2 Cigs a big recommendation in 2013. Until you hear different, this brand takes the cake.


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A few years ago I built a new house. Initially, I thought you get some plans together, hire a contractor, and live happily ever after. Boy was I mistaken… It didn't take me long to realize I was on a journey into a world I knew little about. Between permits I didn't know how to get, architect plans I didn't understand, and costs I had no real idea how to evaluate or compare, it was mistake after mistake for me. I know what all you architects and builders are saying, "What a novice," and you're correct but that's because this is your world not mine. My world is trading and markets. This is where I am very comfortable and extremely confident but I completely understand that unless you are directly involved in trading and markets, my world can be very intimidating and troubling for the average person. One market specifically that most people are involved in yet understand the least is the Bond/Treasury market. In this piece, I want to help simplify the powerful and important Bond markets for you and focus on three reasons why you may want to pay a little more attention to them.
Trading Income
Bonds are a fantastic trading and investing vehicle. You can trade the bond market through multiple channels including Futures, ETF's, Futures, and more. The major Bond markets such as the 10 and 30 Year in the USA and the Bund and Bobl in Europe are some of the highest volume and most liquid markets on earth which makes for very clean levels and great trading, if you know what you're looking for.
Interest Rates
Are interest rates a part of your life? Do you ever borrow money for a home or car? Do you have money invested in interest bonds? If so, how would you like to have the ability to forecast where interest rates are going in advance with a very high degree of accuracy? This can have an enormous impact on your life when it comes to finances. These Bond markets are the free markets for interest rates, this is where interest rates come from. For those who don't know, when Bond prices go up, interest rates come down. When Bond prices come down, interest rates go up. This is where rates are determined. So, in the weekly chart above, by knowing where the real supply and demand is, we can time the change in interest rates and predict direction with a very high degree of accuracy. As the chart above suggests, there is key supply above and no significant demand until much further below. This is key information for someone with an adjustable rate mortgage or someone seeking a high rate of return from bonds. For investors, we would look at supply and demand levels in the larger time frames. This is one of the things we do in the Extended Learning Track (XLT).
Odds Enhancer
Most people are aware of the relationship with the Stock and Bond market. Most people think that when Stocks are going higher, Bond prices are going lower and vise versa. This is true some of the time but certainly not always. There are plenty of times where these markets are moving in the same direction. When trading the stock market or the Index Futures, the Bond market can often help increase our odds of success. The rule we use in the XLT is as follows: When the S&P for example is nearing a demand level, check to see if the Bond market is nearing a supply level. If it is, the S&P now becomes a higher odds buying opportunity. In other words, when both the Stock and Bond market are reaching opposing supply and demand levels at the same time, the odds of prices turning at those levels are very high. This of course assumes that you are quantifying supply and demand properly.
In the past couple months, I have learned quite a bit about building a house. For example, I learned that when it comes to pricing out the next project whether I understand it or not, just say "no" to the bid and the price always comes down. I am getting smarter but still have a ways to go. As for trading and Bonds, hopefully, the experience in my world can help make your world, your life, a little easier and better.
Have a great day.
Sam Seiden


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Replatforming your Magento store can be a complex task. We can help you with an effective replatform from Magento to Shopify or Shopify Plus - using our proven approach & overseen by replatforming experts.
We are a Shopify Plus Partner agency with years of experience in managing Magento replatforming projects.
Whether it's mapping your business' requirements to Shopify, integrating your existing systems or developing a bespoke store design optimised for conversions, we'll use our replatforming experience and deep understanding of Shopify to help your project run smoothly.
Our process covers:


text: Don Salva Apartments Hotel is situated in the picturesque area of Benidorm, Costa Blanca. It provides for its guests all elements ensuring them a pleasant and joyful stay. The hotel facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, a games room and a bar café, among others. It is a perfect choice for everyone looking for a relaxing holiday. The hotel is located 600 m from the town centre, 800 m from the beach and approximately 58 km from the airport of Alicante.


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Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy
Director of the Operating Unit / Service :
Hepatology and Internist Ecography Unit
Details about the Operating Unit
Phone number:
Outpatients' clinic:
Poliambulanza is a multifunctional and multidisciplinary center of excellence.
A Check Up can save your life, but also give you serenity.
International Office
Fondazione Poliambulanza opens its doors to the New Surgical Centre and the New Multifunctional Intensive Care Unit.


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Forward thinking coach Andreas Kapoulas has overseen a remarkable rise, from the EBL Division 3 (fourth tier), to the top-flight - the British Basketball League (BBL), in less than ten years.
Flyers boast a roster that features a wealth of home-grown academy talent as well as a cluster of experienced overseas players, who have more than held their own in the club's first season in the BBL.
In 2015 Flyers became the first side since 2008 to make the play-offs in their debut BBL season with Coach Kapoulas winning the Molten BBL Coach of the Year in the process.
Gameday at the SGS WISE Arena offers an experience and atmosphere unlike any other, come to one game and you'll be hooked!
Standard ticket prices
Advance tickets
£10 adults
£8 concessions
£6 student
£4 junior
£30 family
VIP tickets from £25 including courtside seats, a bucket of beer and reserved parking.
Hospitality tickets from £35 including a complimentary bar.
- Gift Shop
Parking & Transport
- Car parking
- On Bus Route
Payment Methods
- Booking essential
Map & Directions
Road DirectionsFind out about the latest on the roads and get travel directions from TravelWest.info
Public Transport DirectionsFor comprehensive information about getting here by public transport, please visit TravelWest.info
Stoke Gifford
Tel: +44 (0)117 963 0688
Opening Times
|Open (1 Jan 2019 - 31 Dec 2019)


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Cassidy, Roslyn S., Irwin, Nigel and Flatt, Peter (2008) Effects of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and related analogues on glucagon release at normo- and hyperglycaemia in Wistar rats and isolated islets. BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY, 389 (2). pp. 189-193. [Journal article]
Full text not available from this repository.
Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is an incretin hormone secreted by endocrine K-cells in response to nutrient absorption. This study has utilised numerous well-characterised dipeptidyl peptidase IV-resistant GIP analogues to evaluate the glucagonotropic actions of GIP in Wistar rats and isolated rat islets. Intraperitoneal administration of GIP analogues (25 nmol/kg body weight) in combination with glucose had no effect on circulating glucagon concentrations compared to controls in Wistar rats. However, plasma glucose concentrations were significantly (p<0.05 to p<0.001) lowered by the GIP-receptor agonists, N-AcGIP, GIP(Lys(37)) PAL and N-AcGIP(Lys(37))PAL. The GIP antagonist, (Pro(3))GIP, caused a significant (p<0.05) reduction in glucagon levels following concurrent administration with saline in Wistar rats. In isolated rat islets native GIP induced a significant (p<0.01) enhancement of glucagon release at basal glucose concentrations, which was completely annulled by (Pro(3))GIP. Furthermore, glucagon release in the presence of GLP-1, GIP(Lys(37))PAL, N-AcGIP(Lys(37)) PAL and (Pro(3))GIP was significantly (p<0.05 to p<0.001) decreased compared to native GIP in isolated rat islets. These data indicate a modest effect of GIP on glucagon secretion from isolated rat islets, which was not observed in vivo. However, the GIP agonists N-AcGIP, GIP(Lys(37))PAL and N-AcGIP(Lys(37))PAL had no effect on glucagon release demonstrating an improved therapeutic potential for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
|Item Type:
|Journal article
|Faculties and Schools:
|Faculty of Life and Health Sciences > School of Biomedical Sciences
Faculty of Life and Health Sciences > School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science
Faculty of Life and Health Sciences
|Research Institutes and Groups:
|Biomedical Sciences Research Institute
Biomedical Sciences Research Institute > Diabetes
|ID Code:
|Deposited By:
|Professor Peter Flatt
|Deposited On:
|17 Dec 2009 10:22
|Last Modified:
|19 Nov 2012 15:54
Repository Staff Only: item control page


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Face Your Underground Vol.4
(DeathMetal.be / Rotten To The Core)
I'm still heavily impressed by the healthiness of Belgium's extreme underground in general and the dedication of the DeathMetal.be guys in particular, who got this whole project off the ground. This is already the fourth edition of their very cool "Face Your Underground" compilation series within a rather short period of time, this time featuring another 25 brutal bands. But with all respect to the project I gotta confess that I would prefer more quality over quantity after all. To me the whole layout of "Volume 4" looks kinda rushed (even though the frontcover art of Djahal is still kinda cool) and once again 7 out of the 25 acts (HERFST, SUHRIM, EMETH, ORDEAL, CRIMSON FALLS, NEVERLIGHT HORIZON and LEPTOTRICHIA) have already been part of "Face Your Underground" volume 1 - 3 (SUHRIM even got featured for the third time now). I don't really see the point in including the same acts over and over again when there's still enough undiscovered talent left?! But then again, there's still 18 new ones left, so who am I to complain actually? The majority of bands is once again musically located in brutal US style Death Metal (from typical MORBID ANGEL influences to the frognoise department), but this time you're also getting a handful of acts that are far more sick, with obvious Grindcore tendencies. Personally they do not exactly reflect my taste in heavy music, but it's interesting to check them out nevertheless. I don't think there's any need to name some standouts (MORDRED and MINOTAUR obviously haven't done their homework good enough when it came to the coice of their monicker though) as most of the bands come up with similar quality anyway (songwriting and production wise). So, once again a damn cool compilation worth being checked out, especially since it still gets sold for the ridiculous cheap price of 5,-Euro (ppd. worldwide!!). All further info at www.deathmetal.be/face4
Frank Stöver
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KEY TAKEAWAY: While pharma dabbles in mobile apps there are too many other things that DTC marketers should do to ensure they are part of the conversation. Continue reading
Category Archives: Trends in consumer healthcare marketing
The conversations of online communities
If pharma companies do not join the digital dialogue and influence the conversation, they will lose an opportunity to shape it, and they may be put on the defensive trying to refute the statements made by those that do take part. Continue reading
The perils of empowered patients
POST SUMMARY: Not only do patients have to worry about which drug company paid their physician, they need to determine if their generic drug is the same as the branded equivalent and if their insurance company will allow their doctor to write for a specific medication. What is pharma doing to help patients navigate the complex world of empowered patient choices? Continue reading
Drug companies should build their own online communities
When it comes to healthcare treatment options patients want to know what to expect and they trust each other a hell of a lot more than advertisers. In fact 80% of respondents in a recent research study participate in online groups to help others by sharing information and experiences. and 66% participate in a professional community to belong to a group of colleagues and peers. 41% participate in groups to be seen as someone knowledgeable. What are the implications ? Continue reading
5 things pharma digital marketing needs to do before social media
While we await final social media marketing guidelines from the FDA there are a number of basic digital marketing initiatives that eMarketing and brand teams should be doing 1st before trying to win social media Pioneer awards. Continue reading
Quality of life & prescription drugs
This week, among the many press releases I receive, was some information that indicated that cancer patients would choose less aggressive treatments because of potential side effects. This tells me that today, patients are more worried about quality of life when it comes to choosing healthcare treatments. This is something that all DTC marketers need to note because all the DTC ads in the world are not going to overcome a list of really bad potential side effects. Continue reading
Multichannel pharma marketing
Pharma see's digital as a strategic way to reduce costs and increase marketing efficiencies and , with some investment, that thesis can be validated. However today's consumer and physicians have a lot of channels at their disposal when it comes to health information. Like consumer packaged goods companies pharma organizations are going to have to become a lot better when it comes to multichannel marketing. Continue reading


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I'm a big kid at heart, I bloody love Christmas and any chance to get into the festive spirit, particularly when that spirit is soaked through a chunk of boozy fruit cake like this bad boy. Of course you can choose your preferred plonk level, I know some people prefer a moderate amount of merriment, whereas being a girl of extremes, I tend to lean toward the festive as all fuck end of the spectrum.
With that goal in mind I like to make mine a couple of months early, then give it a cheeky tickle up with an extra splishy splashy every week or so. I know it seems fucking obscene to be planning the Christmas menu in October it but has nothing to do with being organised and everything to do with maxing the level of merry the cake will deliver, because by the time Christmas day rolls around that fruity beauty will be bathed in enough of the old lady brandy it'll be as good as a cocktail in cake form. And if the kids are running fucking feral after a day of hyped up post-Santa shenanigans just slip them a gobful and they'll all be sleeping soundly in no time…. juuuust kidding. Mostly.
My mum is the ultimate cake baking bitch. She used to be a professional cake artist so when it comes to all matters cake related I (uncharacteristically) defer to her expertise. Well, that's not entirely true, I used to just outsource that shit to her but now we live in different countries and she quite selfishly won't leap on a plane to cater to my cake making demands I've had to learn to do it myself dammit. But she has taught me a few key tricks that will just about guarantee a kick arse cake, and one of them is steaming instead of baking. It's pretty much impossible to overcook a cake by steaming it and you'll always get a rich, moist result and it's dead easy to do in a large stock pot, slow cooker or even electric frypan.
Get this stuff
1 kg mixed fruit
120mls brandy, sherry or a combination
2 1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp glycerine – optional but protects the cake from going mouldy at room temperature, otherwise you will need to store it in the fridge
200 grams butter
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 C of dark brown sugar – dark muscovado or coconut sugar both provide a great rich flavour
5 eggs
1/2 C dark chocolate chips – optional but no one likes a fucking grinch, it's Christmas, add the damn chocolate
Optional blanched almonds to top if you're not planning to ice your finished cake
Flour options – choose one of the below, not both or you'll end up with a fruit brick!
2 C almond meal + 1/2 C arrowroot/ tapioca flour (my choice, works a bloody treat)
2 1/2 C buckwheat flour, spelt flour or standard flour – or a combo of your choice (buckwheat is a great gluten free option if you don't want to use almond meal)
Do this with it
Find your biggest fuck off bowl, dump the fruit in it then pour in booze, add the allspice and glycerine and mix well. Refrigerate to soak overnight.
Grease and line an 8inch square or round cake tin.
Whiz the flour, butter, salt and baking soda in a food processor to make a fine crumb then add the sugar and process further to combine thoroughly. Then add the eggs and mix again to create a thick, creamy batter.
Pour into the fruit mixture then get ready to get down and dirty. Remove your rings, watch, false digits and get stuck in with your hands to mix it well. If you're expecting an important phone call you can bet your arse it'll come now while you're up to your elbows in delicious fruit cake muck.
Transfer the mixture to the cake tin and smooth out with the back of a spoon. If you're not planning to ice the finished cake then you can arrange blanched almonds on the top but place them very lightly or they'll sink in as the cake cooks.
Cover the top firmly with tinfoil or a pot lid to create a seal on top. Place the tin into a large stockpot or saucepan with a simmer mat underneath (*see below) and add boiling water to reach about 1/3 of the way up the sides of the tin.
Place the lid on the pot, bring back to the boil and reduce heat to a gentle simmer for about 6-7 hours. If you don't have a simmer mat you'll need to check the water level occasionally to ensure the pot doesn't boil dry.
As with normal baking you can check after 6 hours by inserting a skewer into the centre to see if it comes out clean. The bonus of steaming is that it's pretty much impossible to overcook the cake or dry it out so a bit of extra cooking time won't do any harm.
The lower maintenance option is to use a slow cooker or electric frypan with the same water level 1/3 of the way up the side of the cake tin and leave it overnight or all day.
Any cake can be steamed this way, just double the cooking time advised for an oven.
Of course if you're a traditionalist and would prefer to bake then go right ahead. Wrap greaseproof paper around the outside of the tin and cover the top with a double square and bake on the lower shelf of the oven at 140 degrees for about 4 1/2 – 4 3/4 hours.
Once cooked allow the cake to cool, remove it from the tin, bundle it up well in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin.
*A simmer mat is a nifty little tool that is perfect for this type of long, slow cooking. It helps to ensure even heat distribution and temperature control. You can pick one up for about $20 in kitchen stores or online. If you don't have one however you can improvise by placing a saucer inside your saucepan, underneath the cake tin to keep it elevated. Just consult Mr Google for more info.


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Guest Post from Lua Fowles
Note from Cassandra: I'm over at Lua's blog today but she has left a great post here for us all to read and enjoy. Thanks Lua for sharing these thoughts with us, and wishing you all the best on your writing journey.
'a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction'
By Lua Fowles … says Virginia Woolf and I think she has a point. It's not just women who need a room of their own but I think it goes for all writers; we need solitude, we need quiet and we need a door to shot out the world. The Muse is a strange creature, it wants to be alone with the artist, it requires our full attention to help us put that story on to paper. So basically, yes Virginia, we need a room to develop that idea we have into a novel.
But that makes me wonder- what about before we discover (because lets face it, ideas are discovered not created) the idea of our story? It is necessary to get into our room and close the door once we have the story idea but what are we supposed to do with all that peace, quiet and an empty room when we have no story to tell?
I love the word "frustration". The dictionary says it means, "a feeling of dissatisfaction, often accompanied by anxiety or depression, resulting from unfulfilled needs or unresolved problems." That feeling of dissatisfaction, that impulse to solve the unresolved problems and fulfill our needs is what drives us to tell stories. For me, telling stories is the only way to make sense of this world, to understand myself and others, to stay in balance in this chaotic world. It is the only way that I experience satisfaction and solve my problems. In that case, I suppose, it's safe to say that I need frustration before I need a bunch of money and a room of my own.
Ideas need to develop "outside the room". They don't develop because we're perfectly satisfied with ourselves and with the world around us, they don't emerge because we don't have any issues with the world. They emerge from dissatisfactions and frustrations. Having a room is great, once you have your story idea. Then you can go inside your room and work on it, develop it, make it a masterpiece without any distractions or interference. But before that, to find your idea- you need to go outside and get frustrated a little. No- make that "a lot". You need to get frustrated, a lot…
Lua Fowles is an aspiring writer from Istanbul Turkey, currently working on her first novel, 'Closed Eyes, Change of Heart'… On her blog, Bowl of Oranges, she's talking about the difficult but joyous journey of becoming a writer. She'll be on her way to the University of Kent to get an MA degree on Creative Writing this September.
Visit Lua's blog here: http://likeabowloforanges.wordpress.com/
Two Visits Done
The blog tour started well with my visit to Eric's blog. I want to thank Eric once again for his brilliant post and for kicking off the tour. I then dropped in to Geoffrey's blog for day two. Thanks so much Geoffrey for your excellent post here in the realm.
But there are many days to come in September.
Tomorrow I am visiting Lua Fowles blog where I discuss excuses for not writing, while Lua brings her own brand of wisdom here to the realm.
After that there is a bit of a break before I visit Sonya Clark on the 7th for an interview.
Thanks to everyone who has already started following the tour and I hope to see you on my 'travels'.
Between now and the 7th, I have received an award that I am going to share.
Before I'm done though, here are the 5 things I've learned from planning this blog tour:
1. There are many, many helpful people out there, so when you ask if anyone would mind hosting you, be prepared for an inundation of offers.
2. It helps if you do a blog swap rather than just a visit and that way you don't have to worry about writing two posts on a given day and it lets the people hosting you have a chance to visit another blog.
3. Make sure you have a bucket load of free time because you will spend twenty times longer writing the posts for the tour than any of your other blogs.
4. The time difference between Australia and America becomes really noticeable when trying to coordinate with people on the other side of the world.
5. Despite the work, this has been really fun and I can't wait to plan another one next year.
Thanks all and see you around.
Guest Post with Eric
Note from Cassandra: I'm visiting Eric's blog today but he has generously agreed to guest post here in the realm. Thanks Eric, it is great to have you here. After you've checked out Eric's post, pop on over to Working My Muse and check out the first post of my blog tour.
First off I'd like to say a huge thank you to Cassandra for having me at Casa 'del Jade. Guest blogging here (being the first person, no less) is awesome beyond words. But since you're all expecting at least a few words, I guess I better become temporarily brilliant.
When I began to search my brain for a topic, I'll be honest; I became a little stressed. While I do have my own flair, this is a new type of fun and puts blogging on a whole new level. And fronting for Cassandra is pretty dang cool. This thought took me down an interesting path however, and I began thinking about my characters.
When we write our stories, it's expected that our characters deal with change, with difficult situations. This is part of what helps propel our stories forward and keep the reader interested. But isn't it reasonable to have our characters get a little stressed from time to time? And how do we show that in our writing? One way we can describe this is through physical effects. For example, I tend to get cold sores on the inside of my lip when I get too stressed. If I really get stressed out, upset stomach is an indicator. I can imagine something similar for my characters.
What about situational descriptions? If my characters come upon a body, torn apart from some unknown violence, do they just abstract about the nature of death or do they lose a bit of their usual cool demeanor? Consider the following conversation:
"Oh damn Billy, that guy's dead. Lookit how his arm is hangin' kinda wrong. And his head is split open like one of those punkins you toss out at Halloweenie."
"Yep, he ain't with us no more. Can't tell who he was, but them tears along his belly look almost like Freddy Kruger claws. Weird, huh? So you wanna go get some pizza?"
Now unless you're looking for a comedic moment, the reader might be expecting a little more from these two characters stumbling across an obviously mangled body. Dead bodies usually cause sane people to freak out a little. Perhaps one of them just crumbles on the floor, wailing in agony while the other one is more interested in investigating what happened to the poor chap. However you choose to deal with this situation, moments like these are a great opportunity to show characterization. The only caveat I would add is to avoid clichés or stereotypical responses to stress. If it fits your character honestly, then cool. But if it sounds like the same ol' phrasing everyone uses, you probably want to avoid it.
To sum up, stress doesn't have to be a bad thing, especially when we're writing a story. Stress is one of the best moments we can use to bring our characters alive, make them truly real. Just keep the writing honest, not cliché. Thank you Cassandra for allowing me to grace your page. This has been a fun exercise for me.
As for the rest of you, have you stressed your characters out lately? If not, what are you waiting for? A stressed-out character is a real character – even if they'd rather be in Cancun sipping a margarita on the beach.
Prep For the Tour
Hey all,
Turns out planning a blog tour is exciting, exhilarating, and a lot of hard work. The tour kicks off on Wednesday the 1st of September over on Eric's blog, working my muse, and Eric is going to be visiting the realm so I am definitely looking forward to it.
I've been busy, writing guest posts, double checking links, making sure everything is going to plan and knowing that something is probably going to come up anyway. I've also been helping out with the 40 hour famine. As always, so much to do and so little time. Writing has definitely been taking a back seat but I'm getting back on top of everything so hopefully I'll have a few really good writing sessions in the near future.
First week of the blog tour begins with Eric and then on the 2nd I am visiting Geoffrey, followed by Lua on the 4th. Hope to see you all there and please pass the word on.
Shiny, glittering, distractions.
It is how magicians get away with their tricks and it is frequently how movies manage to make even the weakest of stories seem somewhat plausible.
It would seem that in writing, distractions can't save a poorly written story because you don't have all the shine and glitter – you certainly don't have an amazing soundtrack and special effects.
Still, many writers seem to use a bit of shine.
Colourful humour and language to throw the reader off the scent of poorly executed scene.
Flowery language and description to gloss over the massive plot hole.
Throw another dead body into a scene that was feeling like it was going nowhere.
Introduce a new character to hide the fact that one of your other characters has suddenly had a personality transplant.
And the thing is, as an audience member, you frequently allow yourself to be distracted by the shiny because it is fun. Because even though you know that you are being had, that something is missing, what you are being given is still enjoyable and there isn't really any fun in pulling it to pieces. You know what is going on and you let it happen. At least when it is still enjoyable.
You start to really question the shiny when that is all you are being given. There is nothing else underneath and it isn't really going anywhere. All you've been given is the glossy overcoat and there is no substance. As a reader, a lack of overall substance just can't be tolerated.
So what shiny distractions do you enjoy reading? Which ones have you used? When won't you accept a shiny distraction?
The Highly Improbable
Alice recently tried to do six impossible things before breakfast and no one accused her of being too pessimistic in labelling them impossible.
Impossible seems to be a big no-no at the moment. It seems by pointing out that something is impossible you are being overly negative.
It may not seem like a nice thing to do but sometimes pointing out the highly improbably nature of certain outcomes can be a kindness. Of course it can also be tactless, mean, cruel and spiteful. I guess it all comes down to motivation behind the statement and the delivery.
But whether or not you like the word impossible, do your characters? Are they the negative type who likes to think that doors are closing everywhere around them when in point of fact they have millions of unrealised opportunities? Or are they optimistic to the point of insanity? Somewhere inbetween perhaps?
When people discuss character they talk about motivation and they talk about appearance and goals and all of these other sorts of things but the idea of them being an optomist or pessimist doesn't seem to come up. The basic underlying personality that should motivate most of what they do.
I've actually been trying to figure this out for a character from one of my WIP's that I've been playing with lately. The character is inconsistent at the best of times but I'm starting to see an underlying logic in her actions. She's ridiculously optimistic. Her erratic actions and seemingly illogical behaviour actually come down to the fact that she genuinely believes that things will work out okay so you might as well jump. Now that I know where she's coming from I can probably clear up some of her more bewildering actions and make it all kind of work out okay.
How about your characters? Optimists or pessimists?
Animals as Characters
I'm going to preface this post by pointing out that I really dislike animal movies. That is, movies where the main character is an animal that is befriended by a human and does a range of cutesy/mischievous things before ultimately solving some massive problem and healing all the wrongs in their friendly human's life while giving us some moral message. There are a lot of these movies out there and they are well loved movies but they've never grabbed me as an audience member. Mostly because cute didn't cut it for me as a replacement for story or character development even when I was a child and the overly moralistic message of so many of these movies seemed really condescending.
That said, I do like animals in stories. They can serve a valuable role and if well written can even have all the attributes of a full fledged character. There is a difference between a movie with an animal in it and an animal movie. Same with books.
When I consider using an animal in a story I usually think about the following:
1. Is the animal's presence actually adding anything to the story? A means of transport, companionship, comfort, finding something, revealing something, etc.
2. Could a human character serve the same purpose better?
3. Is the animal actually acting in the way an animal would or are they simply a human character dressed up like an animal?
4. If the animal is magical and can talk, are they still acting in the way an animal would or is there some cross over between the animal characteristics and human characteristics? And is there any point behind this cross over?
5. Is the animal becoming simply a cute distraction from the plot?
Inserting an animal as a character for me is like inserting any other character. They need to have a purpose and serve some sort of function in the plot. They need to relate to the other characters and if possible those relationships should grow and change as the story progresses.
What are your thoughts on animals as characters? Or animal movies for that matter.
5 Things To Do With 'Bad' Writing
We could probably agree that very little writing is actually bad in the sense that at least words are getting written and it is a lot easier to make bad writing good than to make a blank page turn magically into good writing. However, if you've decided once and for all that what you've written is terrible and all you want to do is make it go away, here are five things to try that just might make you feel better.
1. Line the bird cage, rat cage, any other animal cage you can think of, with the print outs. Technically this is recycling and not only will the writing be well and truly gone, you'll get that warm and tingly feeling from saving the planet.
2. Blow it up on the screen and then print it out. Cut up all the words and then stick them back together in random order. Read repeatedly to whomever you can trap long enough.
3. Cat toy. This one I have actually done. Cats love chasing scrunched paper, particularly over hard surfaces because the paper makes a great scratching sound that keeps them intrigued for minutes. Once they start getting bored all you have to do is throw it again and they'll dive after it. If you really feel the need you could probably read the writing to your cat first, then scrunch it and throw it.
4. Art work. I don't study art and don't know what the style is (I could probably have googled it but I wasn't really in the mood) but you can always paste various parts of your writing into the background of your painting. Call it something depressing and hang it up somewhere prominent.
5. Finally – something actually useful to do with bad writing – put it in a nice yellow folder on your desk top called 'Junk' and save it for the day when you just might decide you can do something with it.
What do you do with 'bad' writing?
Reading Reminder
I was thinking the other day about my post on the sycophant and that actually got me thinking about my most recent reading (I'm currently working my way back through Eddings, again, I know). What I started wondering was how many times should you remind your reader about the nature of a character (either through action or through other character descriptions). It seems that if you endless preface everything the character does by a reminder about why you like/don't like them eventually your reader is going to get sick of being treated like a child with no attention span but if you don't put enough cues and reminders in you risk your reader forgetting key points about that character.
In relation to my own writing I've noticed that I have a lot of reminders in first drafts. Most of my 'abandoned' projects are full of these prompts (some in bold for my reference so I remember what I was trying to convey about the character at the time). One in particular has something on nearly every single page to remind the reader that character S is meant to be unstable. Other characters hint at it, she does something that not clear minded person would do, an earlier incident is referenced, something is hidden from her because she may not be trustworthy. Every single page. Okay, I may have missed two pages because she wasn't involved in either scene but you get the point.
Wouldn't reading that just drive you up the wall? Wouldn't you want to ask the author – how dumb do you think I am? You just told me she was unstable, you showed it clearly, move on with the story already.
At the same time, if she was called unstable, did one slightly zany thing and then consistently acted normally throughout the story, when her instability became essential to the plot, the reader may have forgotten it entirely and wonder what planet the author was on when they wrote that critical scene.
This brings me to Eddings (awesome epic fantasy writer that he is) and his use of provisional reminders. Mostly with the Ellenium trilogy I've noticed that as each character is introduced they are given, or demonstrate to have, a number of very specific character traits. These recur periodically but not to the point where the story is stagnating in flags and pointers. However, if a character is absent for multiple chapters, upon their return, one of the other characters will usually make mention of having missed something about them, or they will almost immediately do something that reminds you of their character traits. Also, at the beginning of the second and third books, the first time a character is reintroduced the protagonist makes a point of considering his companions but he does it in a way that isn't too intrusive to the story and it is a pretty quick recap.
I think Eddings found that balance between reminding the reader of the critical points without getting endlessly repetitious, and he's disguised his reminders for the most part or at least managed to weave it into part of the story.
So, writers and readers out there, what are your thoughts? Do you like to be reminded or do you like to move on with the plot? Is finding a balance the key?


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Explore here to find out more about the project.
A labour of love for just over a year- this newspaper is a story of a year in my life, going through the ups a and downs, navigating the internal currents of my mind.
Pull out section: The middle of the newspaper is for you to try doing your own 7 day drawing diary - let me know if it works for you!
I hope this helps others explore their own personal emotional journeys. I truly believe we will all be happier once we break the taboo of speaking out about mental health once and for all.


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We are delighted to announce the introduction of Cerize Roets as head of our legal services department to our Cape Town team.
Offering extensive services in all commercial contracts we are able to provide an advantageous role in corporate restructuring and drafting of contracts.
This includes:
- Corporate Restructuring
- Company Memorandum of Incorporations and Shareholders' Agreements
- Negotiation and drafting of all Commercial Contracts
- Purchase and supply agreements
- Partnerships
- Franchise Agreements
- Commercial Leases
With the set of processes and laws which control how a business is developed, directed and administered it is vital for us to provide the appropriate solutions our clients require.


text: Byrd was created by a Newport Beach surfer who was inspired by his great grandfather's old-time hair tonic and barbershop. With a nod to '60s surf culture (think Mike Hynson in The Endless Summer), Chase Wilson created a line of pomades in three different formulations and a pocket comb designed in collaboration with FCS fins. Find out more here: www.byrdhair.com


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Enterprise Mobile: Our latest step and where we're going
We just released the latest version of our Social Sites app for Windows 8.1. We're excited to be able to take advantage of some of the cool integration points like live tiles and search. Since the Social Sites app is meant to let you keep up with your colleagues, communities and key information, it makes total sense to leverage these built-in capabilities. You can learn more about the app and download it here.
Releasing a new mobile client at this time of year gives me a nice little mental nudge to talk about the bigger picture of enterprise mobile. We did a ton of work on mobile this past year. We released two cloud-based services (a secure mobile tunnel service and a push notification service), we did several major updates on the clients, and we integrated with a few different Mobile Device Management (MDM) systems. To top it off, we acquired Sitrion which has very cool mobility platform called ONE.
The world of mobile goes quickly, though, so instead of dwelling on what's been done, it's time to look ahead. To do that, we need to talk about what enterprise mobile really means. Years ago, we used to think that if we built a native app to run on a smartphone, we were basically done with our responsibility of delivering mobile social to our enterprise customers. If you look at this from the customer point of view, delivering mobile to the enterprise involves many different parts.
Here's a quick overview of what we think enterprises need to be successful with mobile:
- Distribution – getting apps to users as well as initial configuration
- Security – secure access to internal systems
- Management – controlling behaviors or experience
- User experience – UI, configuration, notifications
Each of these areas is actually quite significant by itself. Distribution might come via downloading from an app store, but a company might want a branded experience. Security typically involves work and decisions at the network and server level as well as specific capabilities in the client. Enabling push notifications is not just a setting on a server – it will almost always require a cloud-based service to respond to the different smartphone vendors (e.g. Apple sending unsubscribe messages).
As customers work through all of these areas, they have to consider many different systems and use cases. We have seen customers who have built over forty different native apps. We have seen customers pursue an all-html and mobile browser strategy.
We have customers running basically every major MDM or MAM (mobile access management) solution. From a strategy point of view, we know that we need to find ways to work in all of these different scenarios.
As we look forward, our vision for mobile is all about being easy and effective. We think customers will want a simple solution for end users – a solution where end users won't have to maintain many different apps on their smartphones to do their different enterprise tasks. At the same time, it needs to be a solution that is flexible in the functionality delivered to each user while still being intuitive. And, of course, it needs to fit into the enterprise security framework. This isn't a pipe dream, we're actually doing this today. And we're looking forward to expanding on this in 2014.
Today, we're really happy to have a great new Social Sites client released for Windows 8.1. In 2014, we're looking forward to supercharging mobile across our enterprise customers.


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The Walkmen
Sit on the ledge of the boardwalk. You've been sitting there since sunset. The nights well overbearing. No stars in the sky but that's alright. There's bright lights and magnificent walking people. You ask yourself where nineteen had gone. Why it left so fast. Staring out into the idea of some Atlantis. But don't sink into anything dismal you lousy bastard. The Walkmen are trying to make you realize that music isn't dead yet. And it still has so much room to evolve. [ Continue Reading ]


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Coordination and Information Sharing
NIF provides a coordinated approach through which INGOs, the Government of Nigeria, the UN, donors and other external stakeholders can exchange information, shared expertise, and establish guidelines for a more coordinated, efficient and effective use of aid resources in Nigeria. NIF ensures that there is effective and transparent sharing of information relevant to both its members and external stakeholders.
NIF represents the interests of its INGO members in external coordination mechanisms, with key stakeholders, and ensures INGO participation in critical decision-making platforms to guide an inclusive, effective and principled response.
Evidence-Based Advocacy and Policy Engagement
NIF builds alliances between INGOs and provides collective positioning on critical issues such as principled response, protection, access and funding, to influence key formal and informal policy makers at country, regional and international levels. Since October 2017, NIF has organized four meetings with traditional leaders in Borno state, the first time INGOs had collectively engaged.
Partnerships and Capacity Building
NIF commits to the development and capacity building of NGOs to be able to operate in a principled and effective manner in Nigeria through dedicated training support on commonly identified needs and gaps. Since September 2017, NIF has organized trainings for INGOs and local partners in the 3 north-east states (Adamawa, Borno and Yobe) including 7 deep-field locations in Borno state. The trainings focused on Humanitarian Principles, Sphere Standards and Principled Humanitarian Response.