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Home » About Arcadia » Leadership » Tanya O'Connor, MBA, CISSP
Tanya O'Connor, MBA, CISSP
Vice President of Security, Privacy & Compliance/Chief Compliance Officer/Privacy Officer
Tanya O'Connor, MBA, CISSP is Vice President of Security, Privacy & Compliance/Chief Compliance Officer/Privacy Officer at Arcadia, where she leads all aspects of the company's security, privacy, and compliance functions.
Tanya is an information security and compliance executive with a robust history of strategizing and pioneering the development and implementation of extensive information security and compliance initiatives, continuously demonstrating a focused—yet comprehensive—expertise to achieve success. With more than 15 years of experience deploying multifaceted strategies to reduce liabilities and safeguard security environments, Ms. O'Connor's background showcases a proven record of securing accreditation with HITRUST, HIPAA/HITECH, FedRAMP, SOC, ISO, NIST, and DoD compliance to champion alignment with military/federal requirements as well as enterprise competitive status and revenue advancement.
At Arcadia, Tanya utilizes her cybersecurity experience in varying environments to combat security threats in an industry with the most recorded data breaches daily. She recently spearheaded compliance with and achievement of the HITRUST CSF Certification, recognized as the most difficult to attain, as well as the ISO 27001 and SOC Certifications and alignment with more than 600 critical controls and requirements. Tanya also spearheaded the development and implementation of a novel, complex security program, and she instituted a multitude of procedural standards to maintain robust compliance.
In the early part of her career, Tanya was an IT Systems Lead Auditor at 4FrontSecurity where she audited against the ISO 27001 framework and helped to pioneer the development and implementation of a novel enterprise Assessment Manager ISMS tool and asset risk calculator, informing strategic decision-making while continuously mitigating liability and maintaining organizational excellence. As an Information Assurance Security Analyst and IT Systems Certification Agent at L-3 Services Inc. Global, Security & Engineering Solutions, she supervised IT compliance and security operations across five Navy networks, championing efforts to achieve accreditation and certification with DITSCAP and DIACAP.
Tanya's career took her to the U.S. Navy in Washington, DC, where she served first as an Information Assurance Governance Analyst of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and then as an Information Security Business Analyst of Military Sealift Command (MSC). Most notably throughout this robust professional period, Tanya headed the critical Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT&E) Governance Review program, pioneering initiatives to identify and pursue prospects to consolidate, centralize, and reduce more than 1K legacy networks and institute essential process improvements. She continuously headed strategy, policy writing, IA training and workforce compliance improvements as well as pioneering the official certification and accreditation of Navy networks in accordance with DIACAP.
From the U.S. Navy, Tanya transitioned from a military environment to the U.S. Department of the Treasury in Washington, DC, first serving as a contractual Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) and then as an Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM)/Security Control Assessor (SCA) for two classified networks. Among several notable achievements, the most prominent is her work in pioneering all disaster recovery and contingency planning initiatives—including procedural organization and risk management tactic determination—and she leveraged her proven ability to direct operations across various Treasury networks, continuously supporting alignment with established guidelines and regulations.
From the U.S. Department of Treasury, Tanya shifted to the private sector as a Compliance Manager and Security Lead at Oracle Corporation, utilizing her combined governmental and military security experience to lead compliance and security efforts for three cloud-based networks. In the role, she successfully partnered and coordinated with stakeholders to achieve FedRAMP accreditation. With this success, O'Connor is responsible for a multimillion-dollar revenue growth that generated $39.5B in annual revenue.
Tanya received her Master of Business Administration in Sustainable IT from Marylhurst University as well as her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Middle Eastern Studies from the University of San Diego.


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Catholic Directory
Catholic Churches, Mass Times, Parishes, Websites, Schools, Priests and People
Our Lady of Ransom, St Gregory and St Agnes Catholic Church
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Deanery: Eastbourne and St Leonards-on-Sea
Our Lady of Ransom
Grange Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 4EU
St Gregory
247 Victoria Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 8QY
St Agnes
Whitley Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 8NJ
Also Serving
St Gregory - Eastbourne
St Gregory, Victoria Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 8QY
Catholic Priests and People
Fr Raglan Hay-Will - Parish Priest
Fr Tristan Cranfield - Priest
Fr Bruno Witchalls - Priest
2/4 Grange Road
BN21 4EU
Click here to email Our Lady of Ransom, St Gregory and St Agnes Catholic Church
www.ourladyofransom.org.uk
Nearest Catholic Schools
St Thomas a Becket Catholic Primary School, Eastbourne (0.9 miles)
Nearest Catholic Parishes/Churches
Christ the King and St Joachim, Eastbourne (2.4 miles)
Christ the King and St Joachim, Hampden Park (2.4 miles)
Parish of St Wilfrid & St George, Polegate (3.9 miles)
Parish of St Wilfrid & St George, Hailsham (6.6 miles)
Seaford with Peacehaven, Seaford (7.5 miles)
Nearest Schools and Churches are calculated `as the crow flies` and may not be the closest or easiest when travelling.
Catholic Groups/Organisations/Religious Orders
St Wilfrid`s Hospice - Hospice/Nursing Home
Eastbourne District General Hospital - Hospital
Hospitals:
- Eastbourne District General Hospital
Hospices & Care Homes:
- St Wilfrid`s Hospice
About Our Lady of Ransom, St Gregory and St Agnes Catholic Church
The Catholic Parish of Our Lady of Ransom in Eastbourne, East Sussex where everyone is very welcome.
Part of the Catholic Church - you can find other Catholic Churches, Catholic Schools or Religious Orders/Houses and Chaplaincies nearby above. Or you can use the Find a Church Near Me box above to search for a Church, School etc.
Useful Definitions of the Structures in the Catholic Church
What is a Catholic Bishops' Conference?
An episcopal conference, sometimes called a conference of bishops, is an official assembly of the bishops of the Catholic Church in a given territory. ... Individual bishops do not relinquish their immediate authority for the governance of their respective dioceses to the conference ( Wikipedia ).
What is an Archdiocese?
Dioceses ruled by an archbishop are commonly referred to as archdioceses; most are metropolitan sees, being placed at the head of an ecclesiastical province. A few are suffragans of a metropolitan see or are directly subject to the Holy See.
The term 'archdiocese' is not found in Canon Law, with the terms "diocese" and "episcopal see" being applicable to the area under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of any bishop.[8] If the title of archbishop is granted on personal grounds to a diocesan bishop, his diocese does not thereby become an archdiocese ( Wikipedia ).
What is a Diocese?
The group of churches that a bishop supervises is known as a diocese. Typically, a diocese is divided into parishes that are each overseen by a priest.
The original dioceses, in ancient Rome, were political rather than religious. Rome was divided into dioceses, each of which was made up of many provinces. After Christianity became the Roman Empire's official religion in the 4th century, the term gradually came to refer to religious districts. The Catholic Church has almost 3,000 dioceses. The Greek root of diocese is dioikesis, "government, administration, or province." ( Vocabulary.com ).
As of April 2020, in the Catholic Church there are 2,898 regular dioceses: 1 papal see, 649 archdioceses (including 9 patriarchates, 4 major archdioceses, 560 metropolitan archdioceses, 76 single archdioceses) ( Wikipedia ).
What is the difference between a Diocese and an Archdiocese?
Each diocese is within a Province - a group of Dioceses - the Archdiocese is the main Diocese within that Diocese. The bishop of that Archdiocese is therefore automatically an Archbishop. If a bishop has been made an Archbishop personally is referred to as an Archbishop but it does not make their Diocese an Archdiocese.
What is a Deanery?
A subdivision of a diocese, consisting of a number parishes, over which presides a dean appointed by a bishop. The duty of the dean is to watch over the clergy of the deanery, to see that they fulfill the orders of the bishop, and observe the liturgical and canon laws. He summons the conference of the deanery and presides at it. Periodically he makes a report to the bishop on conditions in the deanery. www.catholicculture.org
What is a Parish?
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish (Latin: parochia) is a stable community of the faithful within a particular church, whose pastoral care has been entrusted to a parish priest (Latin: parochus), under the authority of the diocesan bishop. It is the lowest ecclesiastical subdivision in the Catholic episcopal polity, and the primary constituent unit of a diocese. In the 1983 Code of Canon Law, parishes are constituted under cc. 515–552, entitled "Parishes, Pastors, and Parochial Vicars." Wikipedia
Bishops` Conferences | Dioceses | Parishes | Organisations | Schools | Priest/Religious | People | Catholic Churches by Town | Catholic Churches by Region | Catholic Churches by Postcode | Mass Times By Town | Mass Times By City/County | Mass Times By Postcode | Catholic Masses Near Me | About Us | Contact Us
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Our Lady Star of the Sea, East Preston
(Previous Catholic Church, Organisation, School)
Christ the King and St Joachim, Eastbourne (Langney and Hampden Park)
(Next Catholic Church, Organisation, School)
Send Email an email to Our Lady of Ransom, St Gregory and St Agnes Catholic Church
Please be aware that if you do not get a reply it could be the email address we have is not currently in use. If your enquiry is important please contact Our Lady of Ransom, St Gregory and St Agnes Catholic Church by phone on 01323 723222.
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One of the best ways I know to shift my energy into a state of lightness, ease and receiving is to meditate on the words, "All is well."
It's a simple phrase, but sometimes the simple ones do the most. I repeat the words while allowing my mind to drift where it wants. Sometimes I will focus the words on my body.
I will repeat All is Well while visualizing the cells of my body in their fullest expression of health and vitality. I will see a white light filling every cell, flooding me with healing energy, while repeating All is Well.
I will repeat All is Well while flowing the words through my bones, my muscles and my organs. I will send the words and energy of All is Well up to my mind, and see my mind as sharp, creative and energized.
Other times, I will repeat All is Well while allowing the words go out in an open way. I will see them like ripples, going out through my room, my house, my city and out and and out and out, making me feel that All is Well in my entire world.
I let the words flow, bringing me into harmony with where I am. It doesn't matter what's happening, because I start to tune into the feeling that all is well, all is working out for me, and I just have to keep going.
If you'd like a guided meditation with "All is well" I have one in my audio blog. It's free to stream and download, and you can get it here.


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Are Police High-Tech DNA Tools Too Invasive?
Forensics Genomics Firm Verogen to Use DNA Database for Crime IDs
In the never-ending effort to balance between good policing and police over reaching their legal limits, a new situation has come up that should alert privacy advocates. Wired.com reports a somewhat frightening story, most especially for people guilty of a crime. But is finding the guilty mean we have to sacrifice our private DNA data? As WIRED reports:
"Just two years ago, GEDmatch was still an obscure genealogy website, known only to a million or so hobbyist DNA sleuths looking to fill in their family trees. The site was free, public, and run by two guys with a knack for writing algorithms that helped relatives find each other. All in all, it was a pretty controversy-free place."
That all changed in April of 2018, when news broke that police had used GEDmatch to identify a suspect in the 40-year-old Golden State Killer case. As the site emerged as a crime-fighting tool, some users and privacy experts began to worry about how people's genetic data might ensnare them in criminal investigations, when all they wanted was to learn about was their family history.
The transition has been tough for GEDmatch, which has dealt with one issue after another: Police searches have grown increasingly invasive; the site's owners tried to react with changes to its terms of service that ended up backfiring; and white-hat hackers pointed out glaring security flaws. Starting Monday, however, it's another company's problem.
GEDmatch announced its sale to a new owner, the forensic genomics firm Verogen. The San Diego-based company, spun off from sequencing giant Illumina two years ago, specializes in next-generation DNA testing services catering to law enforcement. With the acquisition of GEDmatch, Verogen may also start offering genealogy searches like the ones that have identified suspects in as many as 70 cases.
"Never before have we as a society had the opportunity to serve as a molecular eyewitness, enabling law enforcement to solve violent crimes efficiently and with certainty," Verogen CEO Brett Williams said in a statement announcing the deal. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
While some may call the acquisition another tool to enable police to solve crimes, most of the DNA available for review has no connection to criminals. But it will be kept in a legal systems database without the knowledge of those who willingly provided it.
Reactions have been mixed, according to the WIRED story.
"I suspect this will be the last straw for all the genealogists who don't want to share with law enforcement," Debbie Kennett, a genealogist and honorary research associate at University College London, told WIRED. On Monday GEDmatch updated its terms of service to reflect the new ownership, but it did not alert users via email. Kennett found out from a Facebook group discussion. When she tried to log into GEDmatch, she discovered she was locked out until she accepted the new terms. (Additional options included deciding later and permanently deleting all her data from the GEDmatch servers.)
The article explains some of the problems GEDmatch experienced with hackers, and how some in the scientific community are very much against this kind of merger of genealogy and the justice system.
While some communities across the country have passed laws to restrain facial recognition software, the trend seems to be moving forward for using the newest technology that civilians have developed to enforce invasive police powers.
read more at wired.com
By Paul Morris|2019-12-19T11:21:21-07:00December 19th, 2019|AI News, Big Data, Data Repos, Data Sciences, Ethics/Best Practices, Human Welfare, Research & Education, Technology|0 Comments
About the Author: Paul Morris
Morris has a background in multimedia and is a published author. He also has spent years in radio broadcasting, the music industry, and is now a contributor to Seeflection.com.


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Curt Platen (* 11. Juni 1872 in Rothenburg/O.L.; † 10. Juni 1941 in Hamburg) war ein Redakteur und Hamburger Politiker der  Deutschen Demokratischen Partei (DDP).

Leben und Politik

Curt Platen war seit 1902 als Chefredakteur bzw. Hauptschriftleiter des Hamburger Anzeigers tätig. Nachdem er bereits im Februar 1908 erfolglos bei einer Nachwahl im Wahlkreis Großneumarkt angetreten war, wurde er schließlich 1910 in die Hamburgische Bürgerschaft gewählt. Dieser gehörte er dann durchgehend bis 1933 an, zuerst in der Fraktion der Vereinigten Liberalen (bis 1919), in der Weimarer Republik dann in der linksliberalen DDP. Vom 26. Juni 1929 bis 8. März 1933 war er Hamburger Senator (→ Hamburger Senat 1919–1933). Er übernahm das Amt des Senators für Arbeit am 28. Juni 1929 von Walter Matthaei. Um 1930 war er Landesvorsitzender der DDP in Hamburg. Obwohl Gegner der Fusion mit dem Jungdeutschen Orden zur Deutschen Staatspartei, blieb er der Partei nicht nur treu, sondern amtierte auch als Landesvorsitzender weiter.

Curt Platen verstarb einen Tag vor Vollendung seines 69. Lebensjahres und wurde auf dem Hamburger Friedhof Ohlsdorf beigesetzt. Die Grabstelle ist erhalten und liegt im Planquadrat W 15, nordwestlich Kapelle 2.

Literatur
 Lüth, Erich: Bürgermeister Carl Petersen. 1968–1933, Hamburg 1971.

Einzelnachweise
Genaue Literaturangaben siehe unter Literatur

Mitglied der Hamburgischen Bürgerschaft
Hamburger Senator (20. Jahrhundert)
DDP-Mitglied
Deutscher
Geboren 1872
Gestorben 1941
Mann

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Sorry for the lack of new material lately, I've been busier than I thought and even when I was free I didn't have much motivation to write. But I wanted to at least get out one new caption this week, so here it is. I'm not completely satisfied with how it turned out, but that's okay. It's main purpose was to get me back into the habit of writing so hopefully my motivation doesn't desert me again when I find free time. That being said, expect light updates for a bit until I get a handle on my current work schedule. I'd still like to turn out a few captions a week, but I'll have to wait and see. I hope you all are having a good week so far, and good luck finishing it out.
Everything about this caption is amazing, the pose, the infectious nature of the transformation, and the narration by a mistress of sorts.
mmm very naughty you capture the moment so well i felt like i was watching him strugle with his decision.
Oh, Rauk, what a wonderfully wanton web you've cast, to snare the unwilling and taunt the willful! Would, toward, such an offer resided before me at present!
wow who could possibly resist? I know I couldn't and it would be a wonderful experience to lose!


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Q: Where does the thumb/handle/button in TrackBar come from? When I have a Forms.TrackBar (aka "Slider") in a Window that is shown with a "Windows Classic" desktop, the old gray pointy thumbs are rendered.
When I start the same application with Aero activated, it renders the thumb in the selected Aero style.
For the case where VisualStyles are enabled (Aero), there is
TrackBarRenderer.DrawRightPointingThumb
for example, which renders the thumb accoring to the new styles engine.
Without VisualStyles, one can use ControlPaint methods to draw certain gui elements, but no the thumb for a slider.
My questions now are: Does anyone know where the classic slider thumb is located? Is it a Bitmap or does it get painted in some OnPaint code? Why is there no method to paint it with ControlPaint?
Maybe there is something special about this piece of grafix, but I can't see why.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The fourth installment of the TrackMania 2 series. This time, developers from Nadeo have released 65 tropical tracks, which we use in single and multiplayer modes. Interested users can also use the editor to create their own tracks and professions.
TrackMania 2: Lagoon Download Game PC for Windows PC platform is another follow-up to TrackMania 2, which includes three games - Canyon of 2011, Stadium of June 2013 and Valley of July of the same year. For all productions is responsible for the Nadeo studio known for this series of racing games and ShootMania: Storm.
Production clings to the principles set by predecessors. This is an arcade race in which we struggle with other drivers on unusual and diverse routes. While the assumptions themselves have not changed, the developer took care of a completely different atmosphere. TrackMania 2: Lagoon Download Crack CPY Skidrow and Torrent Fast offers access to 65 tropical tracks. We used to ride in canyons, muddy roads, highways, and locations known from Trackmania Nations Forever. New production offers completely different locations - although they are not new in the context of the whole brand. This is a remake of the tropical archipelago of the game published in 2016 Trackmania Turbo. The steep trails run through small islets, full of palm trees and sandy beaches. During the races you can also hit hills created from shipwrecks and see the airship in the sky.
The basic mode of play is single player campaign, but it is not forgotten that much interest among the fans of the multiplayer series. Developers have given us six modes - Time Attack, Round, Team, Cup, Laps and Chase. Depending on the chosen form of fun we ride on time, participate in tournaments, compete for the good of the team, etc. In addition, everyone interested can use the editor to create their own routes and professions.


I will present a paper at this year's Association of American Geographers conference in New York. My presentation is titled, "Mapping Virtual Communities: Cultural Imaginaries of the Diaspora and the Production of Crisis Maps." I will be a part of the panel titled, "Communicating Through Crisis" that meets on Sunday, February 26 at 12:40pm in Concourse F in the Hilton.
When a massive earthquake hit the island country of Haiti in 2010, most emergency response organizations were unable to navigate through the destroyed landscape since many of the roads in the area had not been adequately mapped by major digital mapping distributors like Google. In response, a community of open source developers created a platform for the creation of "crisis maps" of Haiti, which included specifics about emergencies and individual needs throughout the country. The primary cartographers and translators for this project were people worldwide who were part of the Haitian diaspora. The practices of this diaspora as a "virtual community" served as a way to respond to the traumas of their homeland through cartographic practices. By mapping the spaces and traumas of Haiti, the diaspora produced the embodied space they inhabited as a virtual community in a time in which their identities were pulled between distance and intimacy. They sought to bridge this distance by contributing to the representation of a place that has a multiplicity of connections for the diaspora: for some, they mapped the streets they once called home; for others, they mapped a space that had always been "virtual," a homeland they had never seen but belonged to through a common cultural imaginary. Thus, the representations created by the diaspora fundamentally affected the practice of this space as a distant homeland.
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Why rent a car in Tangier?
Something of a mythical destination that was beloved by some of the most famous figures of the 20th century, Tangier is one of Morocco's most interesting cities. Although sometimes hectic and overwhelming, it harbors plenty of history and charm to make visiting worthwhile. If you get a rental car, Tangier also offers access to both the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Morocco.
One-Way Car Rentals in Tangier
The most popular one-way rental options for pick up in Tangier and drop off in another city include:
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Top ways to enter Tangier
Tangier Airport. Also known as Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport, it handled over one million travelers in 2018. The airport is a hub for Air Arabia Maroc and also has flights by European low-cost companies like easyJet and Transavia. Located about 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of the city center, the airport can be reached in about 20 minutes.
Rabat Airport. Serving the capital city of Morocco, Rabat-Sale Airport has flights by nine different airlines. In addition to domestic routes, there are also flights to and from countries like Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. Located 235 km (146 mi) south of Tangier, Rabat Airport can be reached in about 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Casablanca Airport. By far the largest in the country (and among the ten busiest in all of Africa), Casablanca Mohammed V Airport handled over eight million travelers in 2018. The airport is the main hub of the national carrier Royal Air Maroc and also has flights by about 20 other airlines. There are connections with destinations in North and Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, the Middle East, East Asia, and the Americas. Casablanca Airport is 367 km (228 mi) southwest of Tangier and takes about four hours to reach.
Fez Airport. Also known as Fèz–Saïs, this airport has flights by eight different airlines, including many by the low-cost company Ryanair. Serving the legendary city of the same name, Fez Airport is 407 km (253 mi) southeast of Tangier and can be reached in four hours.
Useful city facts
Tangier has a Mediterranean climate with very hot summers and mild, short winters. The average high temperature is 28.6 °C (83.5 °F) in August, the hottest month, and 16.2 °C (61.2 °F) in January, the coolest. The precipitation is almost nonexistent in July and August, but it's very rainy from November to February.
Divided from Europe only by the nearby Strait of Gibraltar, Tangier has historically been known as "the Door to Africa". Spain is only 32 km (20 mi) away. During the warmer months of the year, there is a frequent ferry service connecting Tangier with the Spanish port of Tarifa. There's also a ferry from Algeciras in Spain to Tangier Port that's about a 40 km (25 mi) east of the city proper.
Top destinations and activities
Kasbah. Tangier Kasbah or fortress is one of the most impressive buildings in the city. On a clear day, from its Northern terrace you can see Europe on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar. The adjoining Kasbah Museum, located in a former Sultan's palace, hosts artefacts and treasures of prehistoric Phoenicians, Arab dynasties, Spanish rulers, and other cultures that once inhabited Tangier.
The tomb of Ibn Battouta. Born in Tangier in the 13th Century, Ibn Battouta was one of the great travelers of the Medieval world. He explored North and East Africa all the way to present day Tanzania, the Middle East, and even ventured as far Far East, a place beyond the margins of the known world of the day.
The Cinema Rif. Although films, both Hollywood movies and local productions, are only screened in French and Arabic here, you should still consider visiting Cinema Rif. Located in an old colonial building in central Tangier, this movie theater is one of the hippest places in Morocco and perhaps one of the most beautiful cinemas in all of Africa.
Grand Mosque of Tangier. Also located in Medina, the old town of Tangier, the first stone of the Grand Mosque was laid in the 1680s, but it took nearly a century-and-a-half to finish. The long wait was worth it, however, as it is nowadays one of the most beautiful houses of prayer in all of Morocco. The site of the mosque has a long religious history — it was the location of the 5th-century church and a Roman temple is assumed to have been there even before that.
Traffic and parking tips
Unless specifically indicated otherwise, the speed limits are 120 km/h on motorways (autoroutes), 100 km/h on roads outside urban cities that are not motorways, and 60 km/h within populated areas.
Even inside some big cities, and in the most smaller towns and villages, there are no special lanes for cyclists or sometimes even pavements for pedestrians. In those cases, you'll be sharing a road with them, so be extra careful.
Road signs are written in both Arabic and French. If you don't know either of these languages, it's good to learn at least the main terms in one of them before renting a car.
The legal alcohol limit is 0.00% for both experienced and novice drivers. Drunk driving can lead to large fines and even jail time or deportation.
The insurance and car documentation needs to be in the car whenever you're driving.
If you're the driver, you need to have your passport or ID card with you at all times.
The nation-wide emergency police number is 19 and the nation-wide ambulance and fire safety department number is 15.
Toll roads
A toll needs to be paid for using most of Morocco's motorways or autoroutes. All of the toll roads in Morocco are administered by the state-owned company Autoroutes du Maroc (ADM).
Morocco uses a "closed system" for its toll roads, meaning that there is a toll booth both at the entrance and the exit of the toll road. You pay either by cash or by credit card (although some toll points might only accept cash so it's good to have some available at all times). Make sure to keep any proof that you have paid for the toll road as police checks are frequent and fines can be hefty. The prices for using the toll roads are generally quite low.
Most of the toll roads connect the largest cities of the country. Oftentimes you can opt to use regional roads instead - while traveling along those will be much slower, the views are usually much more scenic.
Ideas for a day-trip
Caves of Hercules. Located right outside Tangier, the Caves of Hercules are a place where, according to the legend, the Greek hero Hercules rested after finishing his 12 labours. Inhabited since 6000 BC, the cave was long thought to be bottomless and is still an impressive natural and archaeological landmark. You can combine your visit with also seeing the nearby Cape Spartel Lighthouse.
Tetouan. Less than an hour's drive from Tangier lies Tetouan, a beautiful old city that boasts arguably the most picturesque medina in Morocco (and that is some claim in this country). Those craving a more active relaxation will enjoy the diving opportunities in the nearby beaches.
Jebel Musa. Back in ancient times, this rocky mountain was known as one of the two Pillars of Hercules. Still offering an impressive view of two continents at once, Jebel Musa also provides great opportunities for further exploration of the Rif Mountains.
Asilah. One of the most popular day trips from Tangier, little Asilah (sometimes also called Arzila) is known for its slow pace of life and many beautiful beaches. Unlike many other towns its size, Asilah is also home to a beautiful, well-preserved medina. Located some 45km (28 miles) south of Tangier, Asilah can be reached in less than one hour by car.
Most popular rental types and cars
The most popular rental car type in Morocco is an Economy, followed by Mini and Intermediate. Most national highways are in great shape, but if you plan to drive in mountains or desert, getting a 4x4 vehicle can be a good idea. The most popular rental car in Morocco is the Hyundai i10, although travelers also love the Dacia Logan and the Renault Clio.
Further destinations
Fez. One of the oldest cities in Morocco and one of the most famous ones in the Arab World, Fez is still as impressive as the legends that have been told about it for centuries. Its religious importance is exemplified by many beautiful mosques and madrasas while in the tanneries and other workshops of its souks or markets you'll find men greatly skilled in ancient crafts.
Meknes. About four hour's drive from Tangier, Morocco's previous capital has maybe lost some of its old grandeur, but none of its charm. Historic sites and impressive buildings abound inside the city, but if you're still craving for more, visit the ruins of nearby Volubilis, a city once inhabited by Romans, and even before by Carthaginians.
Chefchaouen. Located high and deep inside the mountains, Chefchaouen is perhaps one of the unique cities in Morocco. Just a bit more than two hours drive from Tangier, it is best known for its blue-and-white architecture and for the Ras el Maa spring.
Rabat. Surprisingly relaxed and quiet for a national capital, Rabat is one of Morocco's loveliest cities to visit. Its own medina is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the city also boasts attractions like Kasbah of Oudaiahs, the abandoned city of Chellah, and the National Archaeological Museum. The drive down the coast from Tangier will take about three hours.
Car Rental Prices in Tangier
How can I save money on my rental car?
These are the things you can do to get a good rental car deal in Tangier:
Compare rates of different rental car providers
Book your rental car well in advance
Plan your route before you go
Know your fuel and mileage requirements
Visit on the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Tangier is the cheapest in May when renting a car is about 45% cheaper than the yearly average.
Map of Car Rental Locations
Most Popular Car Models of Rental Suppliers
Rental Agency
DiRent Kia Picanto 4 1 Small cars
DiRent Dacia Logan 4 2 Small cars
GreenMotion Hyundai i10 4 1 Small cars
Autounion Fiat Panda 4 1 Small cars
DiRent Renault Clio 5 1 Small cars
Autounion Citroen C3 5 1 Small cars
LocationAuto Fiat Panda 4 2 Small cars
AirCar Fiat Panda 4 1 Medium cars
GreenMotion Toyota Yaris 4 2 Medium cars
Autounion Toyota Yaris 4 1 Small cars
Because we want to make sure each review listed here is left by a real customer, we don't have an option to post a review here. Instead, we ask each and every customer to leave a review after they return their rental. This way, you know that all reviews are authentic, verified, and trustworthy.
Beautiful city. Places to visit... Tetouan, Chefchaouen & Asilah. Worth the visit.
Tangiers is beautiful and great place for tourists
One of the best places in tanger
Tangiers is a good town very beautiful place
Spend a couple of hours in Tangier and then take the car to beautiful Chefchaouen!
Good value for money, excellent customer service in Tangier
Watch out for pick up and delivery places of renting cars. GPS works poorly, and not very accurate.
Tangier is a colorful city and its surrounding smaller cities.
Highly recommended by our customers
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A beautifully refurbished and extended 3 bedroom bungalow situated near to the foot of the South Downs.
Commanding glorious downland views from this quiet close, the immaculately presented accommodation has been improved throughout by the present owners. Of particular note is the refitted 19' kitchen/dining room with sliding patio doors to the rear garden. Only an internal inspection will convey the quality of the improvements made, an early appointment to view is recommended.


Tips, tricks, and advice for speeding up your PC.
Your internet connection has been crawling for weeks. You've done everything you can think of: you've checked for viruses and malware but your PC is as clean as an operating table. Your computer has the right amount of RAM for the stuff you do, and you've even disabled memory-hogging visual effects. But still, your favorite sites take forever to load, and sometimes the browser crashes.
Well, maybe it's not you – maybe it's your internet provider. To find out, you have to determine what your optimal speed should be, and then rule out that it's not your computer – or even the layout of your house – slowing things down.
A simple way to find out if your connection is as fast as it should be is to use McAfee's free Internet Speedometer or the Internet Speed Test, which tracks how long it takes for your computer to send and receive information. Once you run the Speedometer, it shows on a dial how fast your connection is (in kilobytes) compared with typical speeds from different kinds of connections.
For instance, if you're using a 56K Modem, it should run at 40 KBPS (kilobytes per second). Anything less means you're not running as fast as you could be.
To rule out that it's your computer causing the problem, have another computer on your network run the Speedomoter. If it's also slow and you're using a wireless router, make sure nothing is in the way of the signal from the router to your computer. Doors and walls can interfere with the connection, so it's best to be in the same room as the access point. Even microwaves, cordless phones and other radiowave-emitting devices have been known to mess up wifi connections, so make sure they're turned off or not kept in the same area as your router.
A slow internet connection can also be caused by bandwidth poaching. This usually happens with wireless users whose router isn't secure. If you don't have a password up, stop reading this and set up a password right now. Not only will you keep out poachers who are taking up your bandwidth, but you'll also be protecting your privacy: thieves like using insecure routers to get at people's financial information.
If none of the above helps, you should call your ISP. Be sure to let them know you've gone through all the above steps and that nothing has worked. They should be able to help you do a traceroute and other diagnostics to see what exactly is happening with your connection. Note for dial-up users: sometimes a slow connection is caused by troubles in the phone line itself. If you've ever noticed excessive fuzz and crackling while making a call, the wires in your house could be old. You'll need to call your ISP or phone company to get the wires repaired or replaced.
Nothing's more frustrating than a slow internet connection. Sadly, there's often not much that can be done about it. A page that's slow to load usually indicates something wrong with its server, not yours, and experts say that at times of heavy virus activity – with malicious programs leaping from one machine to another – the whole internet can feel like it's crashing down.
This is a no-brainer, but any time I turn on my Wi-Fi finder, I'm always stunned by how many people leave their routers unsecured. If your network isn't protected, you're losing precious bandwidth to any wandering wi-fi poacher. So before you do anything else, lock up your network with a password.
The firewall is one of your best defenses against malicious programs. Yes, it can slow web browsing, but it's essential to have one up. However, you only need one. Often users unknowingly run both Windows firewall and their anti-virus program's firewall (such as Norton's). So, turn off one of those firewalls, and enjoy the speed boost.
When you surf the web, each page you visit is stored as a temporary file on your computer. Over time, these accumulate and take up disk space. If your computer is running out of disk space, this can cause browsing speed to slow down. So it's a good idea to clear out these files regularly.
If you're using Internet Explorer, simply go to Internet Options, and choose Delete Browsing History. A window will pop up. Check the box asking if you want to delete stored files, and your IE will be good as new.
If you have Firefox, go under Tools, and select Clear Private Data, then check off all the things you want deleted.
Wireless users should try to keep their computer near the access point, with few physical obstacles in the way, such as walls and doors. Devices such as microwaves and cordless phones that emit certain kinds of signals can also interfere with a wireless connection, so make sure they're not in the same room as your router and PC.
Internet Explorer is the default browser on Windows, so it's the default option of most Windows users. While recent upgrades have made it one of the more secure web-surfing programs, its many features make it also one of the more resource-hungry. If you really need speed you might want to consider switching to Firefox or Google's Chrome, which tend to do better in speed tests. Alternatively, you can remove some of the bells and whistles - the Yahoo Search Bar, among other things - that are such memory hogs.
To remove Internet Explorer add-ons, go to Tools, Internet Options, the Programs tab, and choose Manage add-ons. This opens a tool where you can see – and remove – all the extras that have been added it IE.
How is Vista like an over-budget Hollywood movie? Both have lots of visual effects they really don't need. Sure, it's kind of pretty when you roll your cursor over an item and it glows, or when you close a window and it becomes transparent. But pretty comes at a price. Each of those actions helps slow down your PC and affects its performance.
Now, you'll see a new window which will list Vista's visual bells and whistles with check boxes showing which ones are turned on. To uncheck them all, simply select "Adjust for best performance" at the top of the box. If there's some features you really can't live without, you can now go through the list and manually re-select them.
With all that eye candy gone, your eyes might take a few moments to adjust to the Plain Jane appearance – but trust us, the new interface might be homely, but it is fast.
Is Your Slow PC Part of a…Zombie Army?!
Many PCs are slow for innocent reasons: not having enough RAM or having too many programs installed. But sometimes slowdown is a sign your computer has been hijacked and forced to join an army. A zombie army.
It sounds like the plot of a direct-to-DVD horror movie, but it's actually the latest, and most dangerous, threat to emerge from the internet criminal underworld.
Zombification, just like in the movies, happens quickly. According to Sophos, a security firm, it only takes as little as five minutes of internet exposure for unprotected computers to catch the infection.
It happens like this: criminals create programs that scan the internet for vulnerable computers. Once they find one, they release 'bots' – programs that infect your computer. These are extremely sophisticated and hard-to-detect nasties that exploit weaknesses in Windows that make them incredibly hard to find. In one study, a top-of-the-line anti-virus program missed a whopping 80% of all infections.
After bots hit your computer, they... kill other bots or infections. That's right, most bots carry their own anti-malware code to eliminate all rivals. Once they're the only ones left, the real damage begins.
Bots make your zombified computer (also known as a drone) join up with other zombie PCs, to create an undead army known as a botnet. These botnets are controlled by a botnet herder - think of him as a zombie master – who often has hundreds or thousands of computers at his command. With this unprecedented computing power at his fingertips, he's ready for some serious criminal mischief.
What's So Bad about Being a Zombie?
Botnets are responsible for almost all of the illegal spam cluttering the world's inboxes, and they do everything from stealing financial information to shutting down websites by overloading their bandwidth in Distributed Denial of Service Attacks.
You won't know this is going on, but since your computer is busy committing crimes, it'll be a lot slower doing all the legitimate stuff you want it to do.
Worse still, the bot is probably spying on you. Most of these programs record keystrokes (it's called keylogging) so they can steal passwords. Keylogging is usually triggered by certain actions – such as when you visit your bank's website.
A good, updated commercial anti-virus tool can detect some of the bots and eliminate them. But the best offense is a good defense. According to Shadowserver, a respected, non-profit security watchdog group, the worldwide global menace of botnets could be stopped in its tracks if more computers were properly protected.
Use a trusted commercial anti-virus tool that routinely updates. If your subscription is cancelled, it's worth renewing it.
Make sure you regularly get the latest updates for Windows and all your applications – criminals are working 24 hours a day, every day, discovering new exploits to hijack your PC, and you have to be as well-defended as possible.
Cross your fingers. It's tough out there.
Vongo? Xaudio? You probably haven't heard of these junk programs, but more likely than not, your computer comes from the manufacturer full of gimmicky software that gets activated when you start up your computer. And each garbage program activated means it takes that much longer for your machine to get going.
Arguably, Vista's most hated new feature is "indexing." Windows indexes, or tags, virtually every file on your machine to make it easier to find during a search, but indexing can really slow down your computer, especially if you don't have a lot of RAM or you like to keep multiple programs open.
Like Thoreau said, "Simplfiy, simplify" – the basic rule for speeding up your computer is eliminating or disabling all the stuff you don't use. And surprisingly, one of the biggest memory guzzlers is – fonts! Vista only needs to recognize about 200 or so fonts for optimal performance, but many computers can recognize almost 500. For those who don't feel like erasing all those fonts by hand, computer expert Sue Fisher has designed a free program, The Font Thing, that can help you reduce your fonts to a manageable number.
RAM is your computer's "working memory." It's what your computer uses to keep track of all the active stuff it's doing, like the game you're playing or the document you're editing. Vista has a lot of bells and whistles, but all those little features come at a cost – Vista has a monstrous appetite for memory. Some budget computers come pre-installed with Vista despite only having 512 MB of RAM, well shy of the 1 GB recommended by Microsoft (some experts even think 2 GB is a more accurate minimum requirement). If you've tried all the above tips and still have a slow computer, you might want to consider splurging on a RAM upgrade.
My PC Wasn't Slow When I Bought It. What Happened?
As you surf the web, open emails and download software, your computer can get exposed to viruses, worms or other programs designed to damage it or even steal personal information. These malicious programs muck up performance and compete for memory with web browsers, games, word processors and other software you're using. So scan your system with a reliable anti-malware program like Ad-Aware and purge it of unwanted intruders. This will improve your performance, and protect your identity.
If you're like me, you might find it convenient to save a lot of stuff to the desktop. But this convenience has a price: each item on the desktop is another thing your computer has to keep track of. After a few months of saving stuff to the desktop, you're looking at significant slowdown. So a little spring cleaning – organizing the desktop and placing items in their proper files – can actually speed up your machine.
Nothing can bring your system to a halt faster than a dying hard drive. End-stage hard disks don't map memory sectors correctly, which can cause slowdown, crashes and other annoyances. Hard drives can last up to three years, but as with humans, stress can shorten their lifespan. According to a massive study undertaken by Google in 2007, overworked hard drives can fail within the first year of use. So if you're maxing out your disk's memory, you might want to consider getting a hardware upgrade.
Over time as you save stuff to your computer, files can become fragmented – that is, the computer saves bits of the files to different places on your hard drive. Your computer then has to search in different places for parts of the same program, causing slowdown. As this is a problem Microsoft has known about for years, they've included a free Disk Defragmenter with Vista and most versions of Windows. To use it, simply go to your Computer file and right click on your hard drive. Select Properties, and then look under the Tool tab for the program, and start de-fragging.
Windows operating systems keep track of many changes in a central database called the registry. Over time, the registry begins to fill up with redundant information, configurations from programs you no longer use, and errors deliberately put their by viruses trying to hijack your machine. Cleaning your registry with a reliable program – or if you're advanced enough, going in there and removing unwanted stuff yourself – can do wonders for your slow PC's performance. While some computers will need professional maintenance, following this advice might be all you need to get your computer back to its original, out-of-the-box speed.
The opinions, suggestions, and recommendation expressed herein are personal opinions. Modifications to your computer, settings, hardware, and software can potentially be dangerous. Proceed at your own risk. We accept no liability for your actions and make no warrantees for the advice and opinions expressed on this site.


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Thetford Priory
Whilst most of the priory site is open, please be aware that visitor access is not currently possible to the gatehouse while we assess a possible maintenance issue. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Water Lane, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 1BB
The Priory of Our Lady of Thetford was one of the largest and most important monasteries in medieval East Anglia. Founded in the early 12th century, for 400 years it was the burial place of the Earls and Dukes of Norfolk, and enjoyed their powerful protection. It was because of this that Thetford was one of the last monasteries to be suppressed when it surrendered to Henry VIII's commissioners in 1540.
The extensive surviving remains include the lower walls of the church and cloister, together with the impressive shell of the prior's lodging and an almost complete 14th century gatehouse.
Managed by Thetford Town Council.
Read more about Thetford Priory's history.
Parking: There is a small free car park near the site entrance (not managed by English Heritage).
Opening Times: The priory is open daily from 9am to 6pm from April to September, and from 9am to 4pm from October to March. Please note that these times differ slightly from those listed in our 2021/2 Members' Handbook but these changes have been necessary since it was printed. View details.
Access: The main path into and through the site is surfaced is suitable for buggies and wheelchairs. Access to other areas is over closlely mown grass.
Facilities: There are no facilities at the priory but it is close to the centre of Thetford so there are public toilets, shops and places to eat nearby.
Please be aware: Climbing on the ruins is prohibited.
Drone flying: English Heritage does not permit drone flying from or over sites in our care, except by contractors or partners undertaking flights for a specific purpose, who satisfy stringent CAA criteria, have the correct insurances and permissions, and are operating under controlled conditions. Please see our drone filming guidelines for more details, or email our Filming team.
Why not travel on to the fascinating Grime's Graves, seven miles to the northwest and the only Neolithic flint mine open to visitors in Britain?
A 10-minute walk from the priory is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the only surviving priory of the Canons of the Holy Sepulchre in England. Just outside Thetford you can also find Thetford Warren Lodge which once protected game keepers and hunting parties against armed poachers.
For more ideas of places to visit in the area, visit the heritage-related pages on Thetford Town Council's website.


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The Design Build Show Episode 5 with Nick Schiffer of NS Builders
Alright! Welcome to the fifth installment of the design build show. I'm here with Mr. Nick Schiffer, NS Builders. Awesome, thanks for being here!
Yeah, thank you for having me.
We're here at Post 390, a great restaurant in Boston.
Just had a delicious dinner.
Had a great conversation- we should have been videoing the whole thing, we would have been able to go home and you guys could've just watched that.
So Nick's been in business for 4 years- he has an incredible following. He does things differently.
Little bit.
And it's good, I mean we were just talking about how this industry needs to change.
I mean, the whole preference behind – we chatted obviously earlier – really in the beginning, it was building a brand and a culture that people were attracted to. And not just from a client standpoint, but from a subcontractor, from employees, from other professionals. I wanted to build something a little bit different where we worked in a team effort no matter what- subs, our employees… everyone came to work for the same reason because they really, really enjoyed what they did. And if I could give them the opporutunity to showcase their craftsmanship and the effort that they wanted to put into it, and promote that through social media- I was going to take advantage of that.
Awesome. Now your tagline is Design, Build, Repeat. But when I asked you, you know you asked me what I called myself and I said a Design Builder, I asked you what you called yourself and you said a BUilder.
A builder. And that's your background, right?
Yeah. Finish carpenter by trade, and for the last 20 months or so I've really removed myself from the field and let the guys I've hired… so about 20 months ago it was just myself and one other, and then over the course of, again, the last 20 months we've hired now 8 as of today. I've removed myself from the field because, number one, I'm focusing on growing my brand and the business. But also, allowing the guys to learn, but also mess up and kind of teach that way. And learn that it's alright to mess up. But yes, my background is: I'm a builder, I'm a finish carpenter, I consider myself a builder now because I've stepped out of that just strictly carpenter role.
Before it was a carpenter?
Yeah, definitely a carpenter. And there's days I miss it. Everyone's always like, "What's your five year goal, or ten year goal?", and I think my goal would be to wake up, and decide whether I want to put the belt back on, or be a builder. You know? And just have that flexibility. I always say, like Tom Silva. He wakes up on This Old House, and he decides whether he's going to boss people around, or he's gonna put the belt on and help. And I like that. There's times- every once in a while I get the opportunity to jump in the shop with the guys or in the field, but you know the next day I wake up and I'm like, "I didn't get anything done yesterday". It's like I got a thousand emails…
I understand! That's good you have skills in that area, I'd be like, "Oh man, I just messed up this whole job!"
"My guys are gonna have to spend the next three days fixing this.."
Yeah, yeah.
So where does design build come in to play?
To be totally honest, I think the "Design, Build, Repeat" came into play with more of… It was more part of the branding. I was trying to build something that was more recognizable, and from a branding side of things, when someone asks a question, it really drives them to think about something. So the "design, build, repeat" to many it's silly, sometimes they think it's stupid..and they always ask like, well they get the design build part, but why repeat? And that- when they ask that question- that's enough for me, like, you've already thought about this? So that is already engraved, you've already given this enough thought that that's gonna stick with you. But to play on that.. So I'd say that it's branding first, but to really dig into it, you know, for us we're not a design build firm technically. Technically we don't have an architect on staff, but we like to be involved as early as possible in the process as possible. So, whether we- sometimes we'll hire an architect as say a sub, and we'llhold it under our umbrella. Or we'll work with an architect that the client is aleady working with. But, us being involved early on in the process allows us to help develop a budget, and help develop a realistic budget as the design unfolds. As you know, a design can get all the way to the end only to be budgeted to something that is not obtainable.
And nowadays, the architect, traditionally nowadays, is not held accountable for the budget. It's not in their rolodex. It's not in their wheelhouse for what they're responsible for. We were talking about- for me design-build is all about accountability. So it seems like it's almost like a natural progression for you, and your whole- and I just see that in a lot of what you're talking about.
It's not- I'm not avoiding having an architect on staff by any means, I just think, you know, I'm a carpenter and now a builder. I don't know how to necessarily hire an architect, right? I've worked with great architects, I've worked with successful architects, and I've worked with not great architects. But I know who I jive with- so I think, going back to the whole culture of the business, everyone I hire is very much like this. We sit, have coffee, have a beer, and we'll chat, and if I like you? Realistically you're probably going to start work tomorrow. And because we can work together and there's a good culture, the level of technical skill that you have might vary, and it might not meet the necessary criteria as an apprentice, or a carpenter, or a lead. But I know that you're passionate, and you're in it for the culture and the right reason. I can teach that side of it: I can teach the technical side. So I think, I think you're right in the sense that it could be a natural progression for us, we've just been successful with the approach we've had now. Where we have the opportunity to work with different architects for different projects, and really allow… certain architects are good at traditional, certain architects are good at modern. I think my guys are skilled enough where they can sway back and forth. We tend to do a lot of the modern things because it takes a lot of effort to make it look good. Modern, everyone's always like, "There's no base, there's no trim".
Yeah I know what you mean- you can tell something's not plumb in a modern home, right? Yeah.
There's a lot of thought behind it. Stuff has to line up. If that ceiling isn't flat? Everyone's gonna know it's not flat. Traditional? That's okay if it's not flat. The molding might cover it, or maybe it just looks like an old home. I'm not downplaying either, I really like tradtional, and I really like modern.
Cool. So I'm writing a book right now. I think it's going to be called The Architect Rebuilt. Or Building the Architect. And I'm studying a lot of the history of the architect. The architect is Greek, the word is Greek for Master-Builder. Traditionally you started off as an apprentice. Then, there was a lot of stone building, so tradionally you'd be a stone mason, and then like, the pinnacle there was like, "You are now the Master-Builder, you are now the Architect". So, when I say it's a progression, I'm thinking, I think you might be headed in that direction! But we'll see, we'll see.
Yeah, I mean. I think design has a lot to do with it. I actually thoroughly enjoy the design. I really like thinking about- even in the rough framing when we're framing soffits- I'm sitting there imagining how light is coming through a window, and you know, is that shadow line going to be screwed up looking. Or, if that soffit's on this side of the room should we turn it into a tray ceiling? Or, you know, I 'm thiking… rather than the technical like, "we need a soffit because there's ductwork", it's like, "Yeah, I get the ductwork needs to be there, but how do we turn that soffit into something that looks like we thought about it?". And that's where, you know, a lot of my guys really look to me when we're dealing with that side of rough construction and I'm watching them progress into thinking that way. Which is awesome. Because I show up on site and I'm looking at a soffit that has nothing in it, I'm like, "What's that for?". And they're like, "Oh, well we have one across here, so when it's sheetrocked it's gonna look balanced."
Sure, yeah. And that is design, right? And the earlier that can be thought with, I think, the better, right? Then, not necessarily having to have that conversation on site but earlier in the design process.
And the accountability is there too, as the builder I could have just framed the soffit and said, "Well, the architect didn't draw a soffit over there." Instead, we'll take the approach of you know, let's make this a triangle. Homeowner, architect, builder. And it shouldn't be just two people, it has to be all three. Before anything gets to the homeowner, lets talk amongst the builder and the architect- "These are my thoughts".
yes. The premise of the book really, is like design-build is a mentality, and it's all about accountability. The best architects I know, the best buiders I know, they look outside of their own sphere, and look to create a great project. A lot of the things you've been talking about, you didn't just start to… you know, you started thinking about everybody involved, the people that worked with you, the clients.
Right. And that, I mean, there's a hashtag on instagram that we use on instagram a lot is collaboration over competition- Tom Silva actually mentioned it on our podcast. But it is, when you're collaborating rather than competing… even though the architect may run the job or have a contract with the client, you guys could be competeing and butting heads the whole way- like, "The architect didn't draw it" or "the builder should have known that..". Instead, you collaborate on it and at the end of it the client is so- they're not micromanaging. There is no immaturatity, in my opinion, where it's he said, she said. And at the end of the day the product comes out so much better, because two people were thinking together every step of the way-
-taking responsibility for the whole project-
-exactly. Not leaning on or pushing the responsiblity somewhere else where something went wrong. Even in the worst situations my guys have come back like, "Oh, it wasn't drawn…". I'm like, "I know it wasn't drawn. I'm not blaming you for missing it, we need to think about this stuff. Lets go back to the designer or the architect, and lets just chat." And it's like, 'Well, who's paying for it?". And it's like, "We'll figure that out. That's not important. The important thing is that the client gets what they are expecting. And what they're expecting is a professional builder and a professional architect to work together-"
See, you're very uncommon. Because you're, as a builder, architect, separate, it's set up almost adversarial. As a design-build firm, that's why I like to have it all in house because we can control it. We can really be responsible for it. That's amazing to me, just that viewpoint. You know, if everybody had that viewpoint it'd be different.
We'd live in a totally different world.
Yeah, but even like, you look at it how it's set up. It's set up to be adversarial. And I was going to ask you that question: How do you counter that, or how do you get around that? And you just do, huh?
Yeah? I mean, we can even bring it down… Forget the architect for a second. Even a plumber. The plumber shows up and he plumbs the house, and there's an LVL in the way. The first thing he's gonna do is blame the framer. Or, you know, the electrician.
But what would a great plumber do?
He's gonna call and be like, "Lets work through this". And before he even calls, offer a solution. And that's one thing- I will not call an architect with a problem. I'll call an architect with a solution. I honestly don't understand why people don't do that, because you're wasting so much time. the fact that, If I pick up the phone and say, 'Hey, the LVLs in the wrong spot, call me with a solution", I'm wasting a day. Minimum. Where it's like, "Hey, the LVL is in the wrong spot, but if we do this, and we do that, this could work. Are you okay with that?". That's just second nature. I've never even considered the other option. Where, you know, the same thing- the plumber or hte electrician. If there's an issue, don't call me with a problem, don't e-mail me with a problem, or don't tell me you're walking off the job… Call me and offer a solution. And if you're going to offer a solution, maybe I have to put a carpenter back on the job for a day to fix something we screwed up. I'm way more willing to do that if you call and offer a solution than if you call and say, "There's an issue, you need to fix it". Then I'm just gonna be mad at you for acting like a child. Yeah, the carpenter is still going to be on site, but then we're going to probably fix it to the exact way we think it needs to be done, only not to know whether or not that's helpful to you or not. So I think approaching problems with a solution, whether that solution is right or wrong, at least thinking in that mindset will train you to have less issues on a job.
Yeah, sure. How about pre-construction? We're talking about a scenario -and I think it's great, the analogy with the subcontractor does just break it down so clearly how it's not just… how it's collaboration not competition throughout the whole facet of a project. That's really what makes a successful project. But what about pre-design? How do you- you say you're not a design-build firm but when we're talking, you are really getting-
We operate that way
-you're trying to get ahead of it. So how do you do that?
So I mean, a lot of times we'll get a call and say, "Hey, listen, we're working with an architect, we'd like to shop builders, and…" and I usually pause the conversation. I say, "listen, before we even talk about price, or if we can do the job, or obviously if our schedule jives, if a rough budget jives, or maybe you don't have a budget… First we need to make sure that we like eachother". It starts with the personality. We sit down, we meet in person, we get through the whole, "can we fit into our schedule, does it work within our budget, is it a typical scope that we would handle," but from a PreConstruction side, what we do is we operate from a retainer. So early on in the design, we'll try to get involved as early as possible. It could be a napkin sketch, for all that matters. You know, we wanna- you like me, I like you, lets sign a retainer. What that retainer is gonna do is it will allow us to have billable time applied to that retainer and we'll work through that napkin sketch. And say, yeah, based on that napkin, we're probably in the range of 2-300 thousand for this renovation. "Allright, well I was thinking we were gonna be somewhere around 250 so we're in the same ballpark. Great. Lets take this a step further. Lets do our preliminary drawings". And as those preliminary drawings are developed, we're basically billing time, but also offering our time to watch that design progress and offer history experiences like, "Alright, we've done that before, and that's gonna drive our cost up". Or, "Why don't we do this instead of that, because we will be able to save money there". So by the time that preliminary set is done, now we're maybe saying, "Hey, this is going to be 225-270". Now we're even tighter on the budget. Alright cool, lets get to a design set. Now we have selections being started, being chosen. Now we start bidding out the tile selections and furnishings, and finishes and stuff like that. Now we get to the point where we almost have everything we need to sign a contract. And you know, full transparency on our end, if we get to that point? You have a design that you can almost build off of at this point. You have a budget that you can basically say, "I know how much this project is going to cost". Maybe at this point we don't like eachother anymore. We can cut ties. We're covered because we're billing our time in PreConstruction.
But they have a product there, right?
They have a product.
Either way, if you did that for them, they'd probably be very endeared. They always want you to do the work at that point, right?
Realistically if you're at that point with the client, why would they not?
And you too! You set up the project to be successful.
What that retainer is allowing us to do is just that- we're covering our cost to put in the effort to meet with our subs. To sit down, maybe walk the project and get hard numbers, so yes. We're offering a product at the end of that service.
But shouldn't you just be doing that for free?
Well, this is the most common comment that I get is people say, "Well, why don't more people do this?" And I honestly believe that people are afraid to charge for that.
It's set up this way, this adversarial-
-a free estimate's fine-
-it doesn't make sense. Whereas that's half the value the client's getting in the design process. Otherwise they can get to the end of the design process, have beautiful drawings to hang up on their wall, and not be able to build it. How often has that happened to you where you get a set of drawings where it's twice, three times, what the client wanted to spend.
Absolutely. It's like, "Hey, we're in Construction Drawings, can you bid this?" Sure. You're a million bucks. "Oh, well we were hoping to be like 500". Well, that's not what you have drawn.
And so you go back.
Right. And that is exactly why people hire a design-build firm. They want to be able to design and budget a project within their specs so that they have something tangible at the end of it.
So to not hire a design-build firm, you have to almost, like, not care what it costs? Is that what you're saying?
Well, depends on the builder. We're not a design-build firm. That's why I promote us in the sense that, lets get involved as early as possible.
No, I'm trying to joke. But I do, like..
Yeah, but you're right.
Yeah, I am. To whatever extend.
It's like, yeah, we're going to design something all the way to the end. Alright we have everything picked out. And yeah, if you're at that point, I'm not going to say money can't be a concern, but you either have to have a really good understanding of what stuff costs, or the budget isn't as important-
Or you had a great architect who knows their limitations, who knows.. who really wants to design something that's built, so they're gonna bring you in. They're going to make sure that they're taking the steps properly. Because architects, I fid, they don't build. So that's the role you're filling. It's like "Hey, this is more buildable for the same cost", or "That's gonna be outside your budget range", so it's like, it's helpful to have that information. You can't really make a decision without that information and not have to come back to it, right?
Right. I mean, at the end of the day you're not only wasting time but you're also wasting money, because if you get to that point with an architect, you've invested thousands of dollars to get to a design that you find out you can't build. You cannot physically afford to build that project. And now they don't have any… they're like, "Oh, we designed what you said. This is what you asked".
And I've spoken to builders who play that game, and it's like they're in cahoots with the architect. It's almost like change orders are… I've heard them say, you know.
It's how they make their money.
They're making the architect more money too.
That's frustrating to me, because… The longer I'm in business and the more I do this, the more transparent I try to be. Which has bitten me in the ass, but it's also been really great. With the clients that want to work with us, it's great. And you know, we don't… I don't want to write change orders. It's just more work. We've priced jobs where the client will say, "Hey, this is our budget". Alright. I priced the job off a pricing set, I meet with the architect, and we're one and a half times their budget. And they're like, "Alright, lets reduce this, this, and this.." Now we're at like 40% over their budget. And I get to a point where, you know.. I remember one specific one where I was like, "Alright. I'm over, we're not going to be able to do the job." And we went through line item by line item in our proposal. And this is something that we got a PreConstruction Agreement with, we had a retainer, I'm being paid to put this proposal together to be accurate. And the client went through, and they're like, "Nah, everything's covered. I figured we were going to be 40% over. Everything's here, so why not just proceed off of this? This is what I really thought it was going to cost." And that happens a lot. On all sze projects. A lot of people are going to give you a budget number, knowing in their mind, 'Alright, I know it's gonna cost 140, but I'm going to tell them 100 because that way it gives me 40% contingency". Depending on what stage we're pricing the project, I'm going to throw a contingency in immediately, and I'm going to sit down with the client, and say, "Before you look at the bottom number, we have 10% contingency in that cost. So that's just money that we don't know if you're gonna spend or not, so just take that out and just plan on having that ten thousand dollars in a piggy bank somewhere if we run into something, or because you haven't fully designed it, or maybe are we doing a steam shower? Anything." I'm going in a little bit of a circle here, but that's why being involved early on we help develop that process. And being able to charge for that in a PreConstruction agreement, taking a retainer, and being accurate with your proposal. Because if someone calls and they want a free estimate? Sure, alright. This is the drawing. You're probably I dunno, 4-6 hundred thousand. "Well that doesn't help me." You asked for a free estimate. That's as free as I can get.
I told you- when we interview designers, I always have them bring a set, so I can spend 15 minutes. And I always am just looking for things I don't understand, but I'm always amazed.. I'm like, "Somebody went through this 50 sheets.. if I were to do that, and then I have all these questions, if I were to get my questions answered and properly get them answered… that's a week!"
Who's paying for that?
Yeah, it's incredible. That's why the system is a little broken there, it just doesn't make a lot of sense. I think we're similar in that we'd rather be up front with people. Keep things simple too. I'm not so smart that I can start to like…
Well we talked about that, the reputation that the industry has, right? There's… I hate the word, to use the word sneaky, but there's that level of discreetness to the industry like, "Well what's his markup?" or "What's his fee" or "What's that", or "Oh, he buys his plumbing fixtures for…"
And we talked about also how, whenever those numbers are presented….I've had, you've probably had this question when you go to a vendor: "What do you want me to show the client?"
Yeah! Or I'll get the email like, "Hey this is your price, but here's the invoice with their price".
It's great to be..like get around…
Yeah, it complicates it.
So when they walk into the showroom, and the salesman/sales lady is like, "Yeah, you know what, I'll give you the Builder's discount" and then they come back and they're like, 'Hey, we got a Builder's discount…". I've been in that position before. We used to just blanket markup everything. I'd call, and be like, "So you just sent me an invoice for 40% more to show the client, the client came in the store and decided to purchase it themselves and then got 40% off list. You were trying to set up where we were gong to make more money-"
Instead, you just created a problem.
Yeah. Instead, I'm just going to be transparent: "This is what we pay, here's what you'd pay us to do the job. If you don't want us to do the job, these are all the numbers you need to do the job, manage it yourself".
I'd really like to make a change in that department. It would just simply things tremendously for people.
Right. Yeah, it's really the transparency. And to speak to social media, for us, that's really what we decided that, or I decided, in promoting the business and the culture that we have is that: let's just be transparent and own our mistakes, own the process. We're not perfect- when someone calls us out on something…. I post a picture with a grout line that's screwed up, I know I'm getting called out. And I'll just wait. And I'll wait for that one guy that's like, "Yeah that looks great, your grout sucks". It's like alright, cool man. I appreciate your feedback, lets me a little more… you know. Bring something more to the table. But we'll talk about it in that we're not perfect, but explaining the process and being open about it rather than trying to hide and be…
Oh man, it's like invigorating. It makes you feel good. When you've made a mistake- and everybody makes mistakes, nobody's perfect. So just owning that. We got a letter this week from a client who was selling a house. We put a condenser in a location that was complained about by a neighbor that was not within a setback. We moved it.. .we had to do a whole… it was not… we learned a lesson that one, right? But they were so appreciative, man. They had moved, and it just made us feel good, right?
And you know, that speaks volumes. The fact that you went and corrected it. So many people would have been like "It's not my problem".
And when you have a separate architect, and you have a separate builder-
"Architect told me to put it there."
You get this. So just having the mentality like you do for the client eliminates that. And even you know, you could hire a design-build firm, they could still get around it, so it's really…
Oh of course. "Yeah, we told you i the beginning that the condenser was going to be there and that it was going to be this loud and you said okay. It says it right here in the contract". But what would that do? That client will never refer you.
I agree. And even at the end of the day when we talk about transparency, what really is being transparent. You can show the client whatever the client wants to see, so it's really like, for me it's really just the client, from the client's point of view, they've got to have like a gut feeling. They've got to feel comfortable with this.
They have to trust you.
With you, being transparent, you're just showing people what you do all the time on social media. It aligns with that, right? So you're building that truts just in doing what you're doing.
Everyone wants to know, "Well, what's too much transparency". You can decipher that any way that you want- some clients don't wnat to see the breakdown. Some clients just don't. You have to cater your transparent approach to the clientelle that you want to work for. If you want to only work for clients that don't want to see- they just want- give me a check. Give me a bill.
That's great. The client really wants to know they're getting a fair price, they don't want to be over paying. If a client doesn't remodel every day, they look at a line item… what context are they evaluating with? It's not super helpful for them.
Alright, plumbing is this. This is the number for plumbing. And this is the number for electrical. It doesn't need to be line by line, like every single line for us. Just, they want to understand but you're right. There is a level of trust both ways. I think that goes back to our initial consult, it's like, we're gonna sit down like this. And you're gonna get to know me, and I'm gonna get to know you, and then we're gonna walk away and we're gonna say, "Were there any red flags? Is that client going to be an issue? Or is that builder going to be an issue for me?". We wanna make sure we like eachother. We're in your life for a good part of the year, maybe more. If we think we might not like eachother, that's probably a really good time to not go on a second date. And if we think hey, we're going to like eachother, then there's a level of trust. You trust me to do a particular job, I trust you to pay. We work, you pay. We work, you pay. That's the relationship. Depending on how transparent that approach is, or how that service is, will dictate how that relationship sways throughout the procgress.
Awesome, just jumping off a little bit- one of the things I love about design build is the loop. YOu're designing it, you're building it, when you're building it you're getting that feedback right then and there. And then when the project is done maybe there's warranty things, and you can always feed that back into the design and make it better the next time. Do you have any examples on that? I'm feeding you on the concrete floor, and how that changed things going forward for you. Obviously you never made that mistake again.
I did not.
But just that loop.
There is, especially because we talk about it. I'm going to answer this a little bit in a couple directions. When there is a mistake, rather than hiding it or not talking about it our trying to get around it and not fix it, instead I almost make a little bit too much of a big deal about it. It's like, "Hey guys! Come here! We messed this up. Lets talk about it, lets over-talk about it, and lets figure out how we fix it. Well, this is what we need to do, it's gonna cost this much money…". The money portion I get. At the end of the day we need to make sure the product is right for the client. That client will refer us based on our performance. If our performance is poor, we don't get referred. We make the mistake, and I'll talk about it, and we'll sit down, and we'll make sure that it's known that the whole team knows the mistake that we made, the client probably knows at this point because I probably posted a picture about it, and we'll talk about it real quick. This is what it took to fix. Now what that is doing is that the client sees it, respects our transparency. The team sees it, they see that alright hey- remember that time when we put the wall faucet too high and Nick ripped all the tile off the wall and made us move it? Yeah, lets not do that again. Lets make sure that when we're putting a wall faucet, we call Nick, and the lead, and the designer, to make sure that we know the height. Or get a drawing for it.
So everybody's learning from it.
Rather than, I could have just went in, secretively ripped the tile off the wall, moved the faucet down, put the tile back and noone would have known about it. And it would have happened again! Instead, lets really really learn from the mistake. And I think that goes with the warranty- you're avoiding a warranty issue. Maybe we installed the faucet and forgot the washer, and then the thing leaks. It's a warranty issue, lets talk about that. Why did we forget about the washer? What was the reason? Did it not come with it? Did the plumber forget about it? Just making mistakes more known and humanizing us as builders, architects, and people… Humanizing that portion of it will, I think, entail really elevate the respect of the trades as we're not trying to sweep anything under the rug anymore.
Yeah, I agree man. that's awesome. Well, thank you very much for being on this show- you've inspired me!
Likewise! I can't wait to read the book.
Yeah, it's gonna change the world. I really do believe that. In the next 5 to 10 years you're going to see Universities, the way that architects are trained, change. Because it really should be like.. You should have the architect or the person who is gonna be fully in charge of the whole process know how to do the whole process.
Agreed. I think especially with technology now, there's so much less that we can hide, that everyone really needs to collaborate. And design-build is a perfect example of that. You know, the collaboration is the only way… not the only way, but collaboration will make success easier for all parties including the client.
Awesome. Thank you Nick!
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Published May 22, 2018 | By dave


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A disillusioned former Wimpy owner is running the gauntlet for other franchise owners, alleging that the franchise structure in Namibia is intrusive and detrimental to the profitability of each outlet.
Chris van der Merwe has spent several years accumulating documentation to support his claim that management of the so-called Marketing Fund, to which all Wimpy franchise owners contribute monthly, is subject to gross irregularities, and that the funds are not employed solely to promote the Wimpy brand in Namibia.
During his protracted investigations, van der Merwe unearthed several elements of what he described as misappropriation, or in some instances, as fraudulent and criminal. He has put together a collection of bank statements, contracts and minutes of meetings, all shown to the Economist, which he claims prove that the Marketing Fund is not used for what it is contractually designed to do – solely to promote the interests of the Wimpy brand in Namibia.
The Wimpy brand is owned by the JSE-listed group, Famous Brands who controls 27 brands worldwide. Six of these brands operate in Namibia – Mug&Bean, Steers, Wimpy, Debonnairs, Fish Away and Milky Lane. A seventh brand, Wakaberry, has ceased operations in 2018.
Van der Merwe is no stranger to operating a Wimpy. He first became a franchisee in 1994 in South Africa. In 2005 he relocated to his native country, Namibia, and obtained the Wimpy franchises in Wernhil and Maerua shopping malls in Windhoek. He owned the Wernhil Wimpy until 2008 and the Maerua Wimpy until 2016.
During his time as a Namibian Wimpy owner, van der Merwe was elected to a body called the Marketing Council. His tenure in this oversight body, alerted him to a number of inconsistencies which could not be explained from normal business operations. In this capacity, he was a co-signatory of the Marketing Fund, a position he claims was never dissolved while he was still a franchisee.
According to the agreement between the Wimpy group and its Master Licensee, the Marketing Fund must be used solely for the purpose of promoting the Wimpy brand through marketing and advertising to ensure an adequate clientèle for every individual outlet. Van der Merwe alleges this is not the case, showing several bank statements and reconciliations in his possession to prove his claims.
Eventually, it transpired that currently four different bank accounts are used to receive the franchisees' regular marketing contributions. Van der Merwe said he was able to track these four accounts and obtain statements for all. From the statements, he quickly picked up that the number of deposits into the Marketing Fund did not match the number of payments made by franchisees. According to Van der Merwe there should have been a set number of monthly contributions from the number of franchisees, a number which is known, but this was not the case.
"Even if I reconciled all the statements for the four accounts I could detect, I found only 29 payments (at the most) and there should have been 52, counting all outlets for the six brands in the Famous Brands group," he said adding that this discrepancy was what made him suspect in the first place that there are more than one account.
The Marketing Fund and its appropriation is determined and controlled by a Memorandum of Agreement between the franchisor, Famous Brands, and their Namibian representative, the Master Licensee. This fund is separate to the Royalty Fund to which all franchisees must also contribute and which is used to pay the Master Licensee.
"It is very clearly stated in the Memorandum of Agreement that the Marketing Fund must be used "solely" for advertising and marketing the Wimpy brand," van der Merwe stressed.
"This is not unusual as each territory we operate in has different requirements, however the principles are similar in that broadly speaking, it is a ring-fenced fund used in a transparent manner for the collective benefit of the franchisees that are represented in that market," Hele added.
"For the Namibian Marketing Fund there are at least four Nedbank accounts, Newco Marketing, Newco Marketing Casual Dinner, Newco QSR and Newco Casual Dining," said van der Merwe, alleging that the Namibian Master Licensee used funds from these four accounts to settle some of its own business expenses and to pay for hotel accommodation in South Africa, amongst others.
"The Master Licensee took more than N$2,5 million out of the Marketing Fund across all four bank accounts from the second half of 2015 over a period of 34 months, contributed to by the 50+ franchisees of the six brands in the Famous Brands stable operating across Namibia," he said.
In terms of the operational side of Wimpy restaurants, van der Merwe also noticed another disturbing trend.
"Seven Wimpys closed down in eight years, with more than 120 jobs lost, because of two reasons. First, the little marketing and advertising done by the Master Licensee does not reflect the full income accrued in the Marketing Fund, and second, the financial ratios are out of line as measured against the margins as communicated by the Master Licensee," he said.
"For instance, what we call Food Cost must be 32%," van der Merwe stated, "but when I compared the official price list to my invoices, it turned out that prices deviated wildly from the agreed price structure between the Master Licensee and the supplier. It worked out that Food Cost to some Wimpy owners in Namibia was closer to 45%." He also noticed that a uniform price structure was not applied to all franchisees.
After what can only be described as a forensic reconciliation, van der Merwe was confident that he could prove that the funds intended for advertising and marketing were misappropriated by the Master Licensee shareholders, and he said he confronted Hele with his findings on more than one occasion.
Famous Brands appointed a South African accountant, Northplan Chartered Accountants, later stating that the accountants did not find any indication of misappropriation in the Marketing Fund. Van der Merwe requested a copy of the audit on several occasions but it was denied. When, more than five years later, he obtained a copy of a report based on the requested audit, he realised that Northplan has never done an audit on the Fund, merely a few spot checks as requested by Famous Brands. Northplan stated this quite clearly at the beginning of the report, according to van der Merwe.
Regarding the relationship between Famous Brands and the Namibian Master Licensee, Hele stated "Famous Brands does not have a legal presence in Namibia, we are represented under a master license agreement. The Wimpy Namibian marketing fund in question is subject to voluntary oversight from the Wimpy National franchise forum and is audited every year by a local Namibian auditor. In terms of our license agreement, we review the activities of the license holder on an ongoing basis and have done so historically" adding that in South Africa, the Wimpy Marketing Fund is administrated by Famous Brands itself.
Van der Merwe believes what he has uncovered is only the tip of the iceberg, saying that he is on a quest to reclaim all the monies he ever paid to the Marketing Fund, and to demand compensation for those Wimpy owners who have lost their businesses, and for all the Wimpy employees who have lost their jobs.
See also response by Mr Darren Hele, Chief Executive of Famous Brands, published verbatim under "Extra".