Banking data that came out earlier this month surprised analysts when they saw approved loans for residential property surge 49% in March from February.
There was still a lot of fear in the stock market in March or earlier, when buyers applied for loans, but the behaviour of home buyers is different from that of businesses or market punters.
Home buyers are sensitive to interest rates, especially when they fall to base lending rate (BLR) minus two percentage points, and when job losses are not extensive here.
Their behaviour is in contrast to businesses that might not borrow, and stock market investors who might not invest, even when interest rates are low.
The March loans data invalidated the perception that housing sales were robust in a few pockets of projects only. The data showed sales must have been brisk in many property projects.
To some extent, the upbeat data could also have been due to approvals for refinanced loans as borrowers sought the new, lower rates.
But, remarks from property developers support the case that it was also partly due to a rebound in housing sales. Home buyers were also attracted by an interest-free loan package that S. P. Setia Bhd is credited with introducing in the industry.
SP Setia calls its scheme the 5/95 Home Loan Package which is offered in an arrangement with three banks. Under this package, buyers pay a downpayment of 5%, and pay interest on the bank loan of 95% only after the house is completed.
Its CEO Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin told the media last month sales under the scheme had reached RM500mil from mid-January when it was launched. That's an average of about RM170mil a month over the four months, a marked increase from RM62mil in October last year, according to an analyst.
It should be noted that sales as referred to by the man-in-the-street are understood differently by analysts.
For the man-in-the-street, sales are made when a house is sold, that is, when a sale and purchase agreement is signed. For analysts, sales are progressively booked into the profit and loss accounts only after the house is gradually constructed and billed to the buyer.
Current conditions are a marked change since November when a brokerage summed up its view as "No light in sight," and at that time, analysts preferred landlords, companies that owned investment properties, over developers.
That preference has now been reversed, with analysts preferring developers over landlords. That's only to be expected in view of sales recovery although sales are generally below that of 2007 when high-priced bungalows sold like hot cakes.
Since SP Setia's launch of its 5/95 loan package, many other developers have introduced their own financing packages to attract buyers.
Mah Sing Group Bhd offered its own financing scheme shortly after SP Setia while IJM Land Bhd and Sunway City Bhd introduced their own home loan plans last month.
Likewise, Sime Darby Bhd's property division promoted its Parade of Homes programme from March, and since then it has drawn sales of over RM600mil, the company said in a statement last week.
LBS Bina Group Bhd also reported that buyers have returned. The company said late last month the latest launch of a new phase in its Bandar Saujana Putra – Iris Garden – was 85% sold within two months.
The financial results of developers in the first quarter may be weak as their revenues would be based on sales made some months ago. It would only be later this year that revenues from sales made under the various financing packages would be recognised in their profit and loss accounts.


revenues on the back of strong sales of Apple's iPad.
expected to rise to over 15 percent by the year-end.
with particularly strong revenues during the summer months.
struggles to maintain sales against the US firm's cheaper online prices.
sure how things are going to pan out," he said.
back of its innovative technology products.
regional supply chain, said Panjabi.


LinkedIn Profile Jan , mechanical engineer, specialised in Control, leads the company DotX. He used to work in universities, and industrial research, but now connect with other people and companies to help them solve a wide variety of control problems.
LinkedIn Profile Jelle was educated in mechanical engineering, and specialised in mechatronics and control. Solves control problems related to hardware, algorithms, and software issues. Jelle showed major achievements in wind turbine control, process control and mechatronics.
LinkedIn Profile Terry, our software development engineer, finished computer science by developing fast computing software for calculate celestial motions (his software is now used in research). Since then, he is making our software products fast and reliable.
LinkedIn Profile Jeroen was educated in mechanical engineering, and specialised Biomechnical Design. Solves control problems related to hardware, and algorithms. Jeroen developed a high performing novel algorithms for controlling an overactuated cable driven manipulator with haptic feedback.


Please join me in a few hours for a Social Media Club LA live G+ hangout. This will be live from 11:30a – 12 noon, PT. This is your chance to ask @thechrislam anything.
I'll also share some fun new G+ hangout pointers you might not know about.
Update: G+ Hangout has been postponed to next week June 4, same time. Follow SMCLA on G+ for the latest update.


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By Mac Pollett
Welcome To KYLYK
February 22, 2018 / By Mac Pollett
Welcome to our website!
We plan on using this little corner of the internet as a hub for all of our music, merch and any updates on how we're progressing.
We've been working tirelessly to create our debut EP so you can finally have our music in your earholes - music that we're very proud of and can't wait for you to hear. We wanted to take a moment to share our progress so far, and explain why this has taken longer than expected.
Initially, we had begun recording our EP back in August of 2017 and had expected to have it out by now. At the time, we were recording at a different studio with different people. Everyone, including the producer, put a lot of time and hard work into creating the EP.
Unfortunately due to events that were totally out of our control and the control of people involved, we lost everything.
We had two choices:
Try to salvage what we already had and finish it on our own.
Reach out to another studio and start again.
We wanted (and still want) to put out music that we were all proud of - That we could listen to and be proud to say,
"This is us. We made this."
So we decided to scrap what we had made entirely, and reach out to another studio and finish what we started.
Enter North Bay's very own Ben Legget.
As soon as we stepped into Ben's studio, we knew we were in the right place. Just listening to our tracks unmixed and untouched had us more excited than a kid on Christmas. He's been nothing but patient, flexible and honest during the creation of this EP and we can't thank him enough. We're in the process of recording the last of the vocals, and can't wait for you to hear this EP that we've been so secretive about.
The EP has been titled "Host", and will include the following songs:
L'appel du Vide
Planemo
Old Hag
We're working on the creation of a music video for Old Hag that we want to have out within the next little while, with the rest of the EP being released in May.
The Host EP will be the first of a collection of two, with the next EP coming sometime in the following year.
We're having an EP fundraiser show Saturday, February 24th at The Fraser tavern to help us cover the costs of recording. As any artist knows, recording is not cheap. So even just by showing up to this show you're helping us a lot more than you know. We have some brand new merch that we're also really stoked on, and will be doing a draw for.
We'll be joined by awesome local acts like Bastard Squad, Jinn and Buried Out Back - none of which you'll want to miss.So if you're in the area, come out for a time of drinks, mayhem and great local music.
You can click [here](https://www.facebook.com/events/160238408031624/) for the Facebook event.
Again, we can't express how excited we are for you to hear our music. Each member of our band has made sacrifices to make this EP a reality, and we're incredibly proud of the results. We've been honored at how well we've been received at our live shows in our hometown of North Bay and everywhere else we've played, and we hope that this EP is a testament of how thankful we are for your support.
We'll be seeing you soon.
KYLYK
© 2023 KYLYK
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BACKGROUND: The effect of intensified platelet inhibition for patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation who do not undergo revascularization has not been delineated. METHODS: In this double-blind, randomized trial, in a primary analysis involving 7243 patients under the age of 75 years receiving aspirin, we evaluated up to 30 months of treatment with prasugrel (10 mg daily) versus clopidogrel (75 mg daily). In a secondary analysis involving 2083 patients 75 years of age or older, we evaluated 5 mg of prasugrel versus 75 mg of clopidogrel. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 17 months, the primary end point of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, or stroke among patients under the age of 75 years occurred in 13.9% of the prasugrel group and 16.0% of the clopidogrel group (hazard ratio in the prasugrel group, 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79 to 1.05; P=0.21). Similar results were observed in the overall population. The prespecified analysis of multiple recurrent ischemic events (all components of the primary end point) suggested a lower risk for prasugrel among patients under the age of 75 years (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.00; P=0.04). Rates of severe and intracranial bleeding were similar in the two groups in all age groups. There was no significant between-group difference in the frequency of nonhemorrhagic serious adverse events, except for a higher frequency of heart failure in the clopidogrel group. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation, prasugrel did not significantly reduce the frequency of the primary end point, as compared with clopidogrel, and similar risks of bleeding were observed. (Funded by Eli Lilly and Daiichi Sankyo; TRILOGY ACS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00699998.).


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Warning: Do Not Open This Book!
Adam LehrhauptAug 2013
Sold by Simon and Schuster
$10.99 Ebook
An E. B. White Read-Aloud Honor Book
An ALA Notable Book
A Huffington Post Notable Book
CAUTION! This book contains monkeys, alligators, and a whole lot of silliness.
You really shouldn't be opening this book.
Just put it back on the shelf.
Right...now.
You're still reading this?
Well, don't say I didn't warn you...
It looks like a book, it feels like a book, and it even smells like a book. But watch out...madness and mayhem lie within! Debut author Adam Lehrhaupt urges you NOT to take a walk on the wild side in this humorous, interactive romp with inventive and engaging illustrations from Eisner Award–winning comic artist and rising star children's book illustrator Matthew Forsythe. Warning: Do Not Open This Book? won the E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor award and was a 2013 Huffington Post Best Picture Book honorable mention and an ALA Notable Children's Book.
This quirky, subversive creation begs to be enjoyed again and again and again.
"These monkeys are a RIOT! And their books are funny, too!" —Ame Dyckman
Matthew Forsythe is an award-winning comic book artist and illustrator. His first children's book, My Name Is Elizabeth! by Annika Dunklee, was a named a 2011 New York Times Notable Children's Book. His first comic, Ojingogo, was nominated for an Eisner Award and won a Doug Wight Award for Best Experimental Comic. His illustrations have appeared in many publications including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Formerly the lead designer on the animated series Adventure Time on the Cartoon Network, he now lives in Canada and is working on his next book. Visit him at ComingUpforAir.net.
Adam Lehrhaupt's first picture book, Warning: Do Not Open This Book!, received the E.B. White Read Aloud Honor Award, was an ALA Notable Book, and a Huffington Post Notable Book. School Library Journal called it, "More fun than a barrel of monkeys." He is also the author of Please, Open This Book!, which was named a Wanda Gag Comstock Read Aloud Honor Book and Idea Jar. Adam has traveled to six continents, performed on Broadway, and lived on a communal farm. He currently lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with his wife, sons, and two bizarre dogs. Visit him online at AdamLehrhaupt.com.
Original pages
Android 3.0+ tablet
Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Apes, Monkeys, etc
Juvenile Fiction / General
Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories
Juvenile Fiction / Imagination & Play
More featuring monkeys
Mr. Monkey Takes a Hike
Curious George meets Mr. Bean in the third adorable picture book from author-illustrator Jeff Mack that follows the loveable Mr. Monkey on his wacky adventures.
Mr. Monkey loves playing his video game.
He wants to beat the ultimate level!
But now he must go outside and find his stolen controller.
When Your Monkeys Won't Go to Bed
When your monkeys won't go to bed, you'll have to use lots of tricks to make them sleepy! This charming and hilarious board book highlights the many ways to tire out two wide-awake monkeys!
Do your monkeys go wild at bedtime?
When your monkeys won't go to bed, you'll have to be smart. After you race them upstairs and trick them into the tub, it's time to convince them to get into bed. Let them pick out a good book—or five—and snuggle in close. But be careful…or you just might fall asleep, too!
Monkey Ono
J.C. Phillipps
Monkey Ono is not exactly a real monkey, but he really, really wants to go to the beach! So when Beach Day arrives, and the children who own him forget the bag he's in, Monkey Ono does not take this lying down, like most stuffed animals would. Oh no, he's got a plan. In fact he's got many, many plans. From riding the family dog to ricocheting through the sky to diving down the water pipes. All end with hilarious results, but not exactly according to plan. Will Monkey Ono ever get to the beach?? Only if the beach comes to him...
J.C. Phillipps's spirited text and stunning illustrations, done in colorful cut paper collage, deliver a humorous story with a great message—try and try again!
Mr. Monkey Bakes a Cake
Curious George meets Mr. Bean in this adorable picture book from author-illustrator Jeff Mack that follows the loveable Mr. Monkey on his wacky adventures.
Mr. Monkey bakes a cake.
He can't wait to win a ribbon!
But first he has to carry it to the contest.
This fun, brightly illustrated read-aloud will charm fans of the Elephant and Piggie series as Mr. Monkey gets one zany mishap after another.
Monkey See, Look at Me!
Lorena Siminovich
A playful and eye-catching story about showing off and sharing
The founder of popular children's décor brand Petit Collage brings her signature collage style and modern, kid-friendly sensibility to picture books with this story of an attention-seeking little monkey with a great big imagination. When Monkey jumps high, he decides he must be a rabbit. When he roars, Monkey just knows he must be a lion--until Lion shows him how loudly a real lion can roar. In this playful game of "monkey see, monkey do," Monkey and his animal friends share what makes each of them special just the way they are.
Please, Open This Book!
Adam Lehrhaupt
Recipient of the Wanda Gag Read Aloud Book Award
They told you, but you just couldn't listen—so the creators of Warning: Do Not Open This Book! are back with a zany monkey crew, and they need your help!
In Warning, Do Not Open This Book!, which School Library Journal called "more fun than a barrel of monkeys," turning pages meant increased chaos and delight. Now the tables have turned, and opening the book is the only way to save the group of monkeys who are trapped between its pages. This irresistibly entertaining rescue effort puts power in the hands of the page-turner, and giggles into everyone!
Don't Push the Button!
Bill Cotter
There's only one rule in Larry's book: don't push the button.
(Seriously, don't even think about it!)
Even if it does look kind of nice, you must never push the button. Who knows what would happen?
Okay, quick. No one is looking... push the button.
Uh, oh.
The Story of Fish and Snail
Deborah Freedman
Every day, Snail waits for Fish to come home with a new story.
Today, Fish's story (about pirates!) is too grand to simply be told: Fish wants to show Snail. But that would mean leaving the familiar world of their book—a scary prospect for Snail, who would rather stay safely at home and pretend to be kittens. Fish scoffs that cats are boring; Snail snaps back. Is this book too small for the two feuding friends? Could this be THE END of The Story of Fish and Snail?
Deborah Freedman, author of Blue Chicken, has created a sweet and playful story about friendship that truly jumps off the page.
I Don't Draw, I Color!
Adam Lehrhaupt tells a tale of the power of color in this exploration of creativity that is sure to inspire readers and budding artists!
Isn't it fun to color?
Every color has a feeling,
just like we do.
Yellow makes us feel happy.
Dark blue can make us feel sad.
Red can seem angry.
Black can look scary.
What color do you feel like today?
The Monster at the End of This Book (Sesame Street)
Please do not read this book. There is a furry blue monster at the end of it! Beware!


You Are Here: Home > No comparison between 2018 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2018 Volkswagen Atlas!
The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, outclasses and outranks the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas in pretty much every category that there is. Every category, if we aren't trying to be too polite. There really isn't a competition here, but the 'proof is in the performance.' An excellently designed nine speed, automatic transmission takes the Traverse to a whole new level in terms of drivability. The cargo space, enormous is the only way to describe it. HID headlights that come standard with the vehicle add to its naturally appealing nature. Interior comfort and brilliant spaciousness throughout the vehicle are also added bonuses.
Besides being a late entry into the mid-size SUV arena, there are still a few worrying factors that make one question whether the vehicle is worth purchasing. Will buyers be interested in it is the first aspect to be considered? The 'Four Cylinder' does not come with an all-wheel-drive option. This is rather disappointing when one considers the category that the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas is competing in. It makes it very difficult to then promote a vehicle that does not offer, at least the same capabilities as its competitors. A diesel option would have scored the 2018 Atlas some points, but sadly it fails to impress, yet again. The interior is mundane and quite frankly boring. It really doesn't match the price tag that the midsize SUV comes with. The EPA ratings are again, not up to standard. With a higher 'mile per gallon' ratio than most of the competition, the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas is seriously not a smart, economically inclined purchase.
The V6 powered 3.6 liter of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has 310 hp and 266 lbs per ft – torque. A V6 powered engine at the top of the 2018 Atlas's range, only comes in with 276 horsepower and 266 lbs – ft of torque.
23 cubic feet of room is available at the rear, even if the third row of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse is occupied. This is actually larger than most competitors. With the second row folded down, a further 58.1 cubes will be enjoyed. Now with both the third and second row stowed away, the 2018 Traverse offers an exceptional 98.2 cubic ft of cargo space.
The upgraded automatic, nine speed transmission of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse makes a major improvement to the overall powertrain. Thanks to the directly injected engine, the 2018 Traverse is able to dart off the line tremendously. When compared to the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, let's just say that the Atlas will not beat the Traverse in a drag race. Besides its powerful performance, the 2018 Traverse also offer quite a smooth and comfortable ride. Maneuvering is simple and the engine assists with efficient overtaking capabilities. Acceleration remains impressive from pull off, all the way to the upper ranges of the rev counter.
Chevrolet has included some of the best technology on the market into their 2018 Traverse such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for seamless smartphone connection, a brilliant 7 inch touchscreen and also Bluetooth connectivity.
The interior of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse is quite large. Well designed with comfort in mind. The front seats are both supportive and makes for a lovely driving experience. The second row offers similar support and the third row can confidently be described as roomy. Driving for a couple hundred miles without stopping is an effortless task, thanks to the brilliant comfortable seating offered throughout the 2018 Traverse. 33.5 inches of spacious legroom is offered at the third row, and can cater for very tall individuals effortlessly.
The interior of the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas is rather mundane and only made worse by the resounding grumbling of the tarmac, especially in the second row.The 2018 Volkswagen has not earned great crash test safety scores. This is definitely not something a purchaser with a family wants to hear. The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse on the other hand, has received an overall – 5 Star rating from the federal testers. Now this is what would entice a buyer with the safety concerns of a family at heart.


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Home | Asia
Tags: AS | SKorea | Politics | Viagra
South Korea President's Office Explains Viagra Purchase
Wednesday, 23 November 2016 05:02 AM
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — An increasingly strange political scandal surrounding South Korean President Park Geun-hye has now left her office defending the purchase of hundreds of erectile dysfunction pills.
Park's office on Wednesday confirmed revelations by an opposition lawmaker that it purchased about 360 Viagra pills and the generic version of the drug in December.
While the report has created a frenzy on the internet, Park's office said the pills were bought to potentially treat altitude sickness for presidential aides and employees on Park's May trips to Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya, whose capitals are 1 to 2 kilometers (0.6 to 1.2 miles) above sea level.
None of the pills were used, said Jung Youn-kuk, spokesman of the presidential Blue House. South Korean doctors sometimes prescribe Viagra-style drugs to climbers because they are believed to be effective in preventing altitude sickness.
Park is now bracing for an impeachment push by opposition parties and some members of her own Saenuri Party amid allegations that she let a secretive confidante manipulate government affairs and amass an illicit fortune, a scandal critics say undermines the country's democracy.
On Sunday, prosecutors said they believe Park was collusively involved in the criminal activities of her longtime friend, Choi Soon-sil, and two presidential aides who allegedly bullied companies into giving tens of millions of dollars to foundations and businesses Choi controlled, and also enabled Choi to interfere with state affairs.
An increasingly strange political scandal surrounding South Korean President Park Geun-hye has now left her office defending the purchase of hundreds of erectile dysfunction pills.Park's office on Wednesday confirmed revelations by an opposition lawmaker that it purchased...
AS,SKorea,Politics,Viagra


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15 DAYS LONG VIRASAT ARTS AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL CONCLUDES WITH A RESOUNDING SUCCESS
by Editor November 2, 2022
The 15-day Virasat Arts and Heritage Festival, organized by the Rural Entrepreneurship for Art and Cultural Heritage (REACH), concluded this
Honda empowers female students of Ajmer with its National Road Safety Awareness initiative
Making the female students of Ajmer empowered road users today & safe riders of tomorrow, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India
Honda recognized with a total of 5 awards at CII GreenCo Summit 2019
India's most trusted two wheeler brand Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt Ltd (HMSI) was recently presented with coveted GreenCo
Honda 2Wheelers India gives wings to young females in realising their dream
Giving wings to young women's dream of becoming a commercial pilot, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. today announced
Honda 2Wheelers India adds new national retail finance partner
by Editor July 8, 2019
Strengthening further its retail finance options for customers, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. today signed a Memorandum of
Business Sports
Honda brings the World to India in Round 2 of INMRC
This weekend, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. unleashes the biggest paradigm shift in the history of Indian motorsports.
Above gaming Ads, involves an element of financial risk and may be addictive. Please play responsibly and at your own risk. Under 18 age, not allowed to play at all.


text:
Jessica Malz - Helping West Island LGBTQ Youth
debraarbec
Celebrity Eclipse: a beautiful ship and magnificent staff
Porgy and Bess - January 25 to February 3, at Salle Wilfrid Pelletier
Blue Rodeo at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier – April 6, 2022
With their superb 16th studio album Many A Mile, legendary alt-country/rockers Blue Rodeo discovered that even nightmares like COVID-19 can have silver linings. After decades of non-stop performing, time off the road granted them (enforced, really) much-needed downtime during which creativity bloomed. The resulting 12 songs are remarkably coherent, energized, and buoyed by a constellation of surprising textures and touches. From the twinkly, delicate "Symmetry of Starlight" — which soars on luminous pedal steel and angelic harmonies — to the twangy, seriously rollicking singles "When You Were Wild" and "I Owe It to Myself," Many A Mile is a snapshot of a peerless group at their peak.
The album is also a fitting addition to Blue Rodeo's canon of achievements which include the Order of Canada, induction in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, a star on Canada's Walk of Fame, the Governor General's Performing Arts Award, and more than 30 JUNO Award wins and nominations.
The band emerged in the early 80's as a countrified rock band in the era of hair metal and glossy pop. Despite sticking out like a sore thumb (or maybe because of it), their single "Try" became omni-present on radio across Canada and set in motion a three decade long career of headlining every club, theatre and arena in Canada. In 1993, when grunge rock was squeezing commercial rock off the radio, they recorded their most acoustic album, Five Days In July, and scored their biggest hit selling over a half million copies of that one record alone.
Reflecting back on three decades of successes and those early Blue Rodeo days, both Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor are able to fully appreciate where the band sits in the pantheon of music. "Success seemed really real when we were entertaining people at The Horseshoe. That was the top of the heap for us," Cuddy says. "When you look back, you realize that it has just been this beautiful dream."
Opening act: Jenn Grant
Born on Prince Edward Island, she's an award winning songwriter and performer, a painter and a producer. The 3 time Juno nominee's music has been described by Australia's 'The Age' as that of 'dreamy, harp-and woodwinds folk, and the work of a painter born in paradise'.
Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier
Wednesday, April 6, 2022 at 8:00pm
To purchase your tickets visit: www.placedesarts.com
Blue RodeoCanadacountry musicLive EventsMontrealmusicPlace des ArtsRock 'n' Roll
The Hunchback of Notre Dame: the Movie – April 5, 2022
At the crossroads of Europe and Japan – April 6, 2022
MANDY'S – founded by sisters Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe, their healthy-eating salad-bar restaurants have become a Montreal favourite


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Home Editorial Features COVID-19 OAA moves fast to ensure continuing education during COVID-19
OAA moves fast to ensure continuing education during COVID-19
Dan O'Reilly November 27, 2020
In the fallout created by COVID-19, the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) had to take decisive action to maintain its continuing education program.
Like many other professional, trade, and industry associations, as well as private businesses, the OAA has been offering webinars and conducting online presentations instead of in-person meetings and conferences.
Transitioning its continuing education program to a virtual format, however, was more than simply providing a value-added service for its members.
In keeping with its mandate to ensure the protection of the public, the continuing education program is mandatory and architects are required to attain 70 hours in 'structured' and 'unstructured' learning categories within a two-year cycle which runs from July 1 to June 30.
Non-practicing architects need to obtain 35 hours, with no structured minimum requirements. Licensed technologists must also log 35 hours, of which a minimum of 12 must be structured learning.
In the case of sessions led by third parties, members are responsible for recording their hours on their transcript (on the association's web page). For OAA-sponsored events, including the webinar series, the association records those hours on their behalf.
Failure to complete their hours can result in fines and the possibility of disciplinary action.
While it might be an exaggeration to suggest COVID-19 threw a monkeywrench into the continuing education program and the two-year education cycle, the OAA had to make some fast-moving adjustments.
One of the consequences of the pandemic was the cancellation of its annual conference which had been scheduled for last May in Toronto, says the association's first vice-president of education, Agata Mancini.
"The conference includes a good portion of continuing education seminars and events, and many members rely on it to fulfil their ConEd requirements."
Attendees can obtain up to 17 continuing hours by participating in events, tours, and other sessions, she explains.
"Cancelling this year's conference was definitely not the way I expected to begin my role as VP", says Mancini, who just assumed the newly created role in January.
Once it became obvious this year's event wasn't going to happen, the OAA Council (the association's governing body), its comprehensive education committee, and staff worked quickly to find an alternative method to deliver education to members, she says.
SUPPLIED PHOTO—Agata Mancini, an architect and the OAA's first vice-president of education, says digital education has helped level the playing field in terms of accessibility.
Those efforts led to the creation of a webinar series, which includes biweekly 1.5-hour webinars, held over Zoom, comprised of sessions adapted from the cancelled conference as well as seminars delivered by other speakers.
The webinars are intended to ensure members can access high-quality education from "world-class" speakers, as well as meeting their continuing education requirements, she says.
But the changeover wasn't entirely an easy process.
"Finding the right people to provide the expected high-quality educational experience over distance learning was the big, overriding challenge."
Out of the 70 presenters scheduled for the terminated conference, only about 30 were on board for adapting their lesson digitally. Another challenge was to obtain the right presenters who could deliver the expected learning experience to members, she says.
That objective was achieved by issuing a call to the OAA's own members and through social media. Another challenge was quickly mastering videoconferencing technology like Zoom and working with the approved speakers to adapt their presentations.
Some of the sessions held to date include low-energy heritage building retrofits, handling workplace discrimination and harassment, and a case study of a retrofitted Toronto building.
Participation was a little slow at the beginning of summer. But that rate has been increasing and a seminar on energy code basics at the beginning of November attracted more than 160 viewers, she says.
In tandem with the conversion to an online learning program was the decision to extend the current two-year cycle—which normally would have ended at the end of June—to the end of this year to give members time to earn their credits.
At the same time, the next education cycle will be shortened to 18 months. It commences Jan.1 2021and will conclude on June 30, 2022. This is intended to harmonize with provincial/territorial regulators who will also be seeking to return to the original July 1-June 30 cycle.
Regular email notices and social media posts about the condensed period are regularly sent to members. To accommodate that condensed period, members can start earning credits now, she says.
Asked about what changes or evolution in the OAA's continuing education program can be expected, Mancini says that "some exciting things are in store".
Digital education has helped "level the playing field" in terms of accessibility and the association continues to expand this model in the future, she says.
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Customer service is a cornerstone of most of the businesses now and for years businesses have used metrics to measure their call center operations to make them outstanding.
We all have a story about when we were treated in an extremely poor manner or exceptionally well. We tend to share these stories with others and we all know that this word of mouth marketing can impact a lot and can be an absolute advantage or one of the worst drawback a company can ever face.
That is why keeping this fact in mind that Customer service is a cornerstone of most of the businesses now and for years businesses have used metrics to measure their call center operations to make them outstanding.
Therefore we've taken out and managed a few very important metrics that will definitely boost up your call center performance and help you improve your customer service because at first, you should measure its effectiveness.
is basically an agreement between a vendor and the client who defines the level of service expected from the vendor. The SLA contains the requirements and standards in which the operation of the contact center is based on.
The most important thing 88% of consumers look for in a company is what are they giving value to their time? Surely nobody wants to be put on hold. The very first response from the agent is considered the First time KPI which is typically viewed as most important. Call centers representatives handling call requests quickly will leave a lasting impression on their callers.
The main reasons that lead to abandoned calls are unnecessary lengthy wait times and hold times. An IVR with an inefficient system may also cause callers to abandon the call queue. To completely ensure compliance with the SLA, an 8% or lower abandoned call rate needs to be maintained quickly.
Average Handheld time is a prime factor when deciding a staffing level for call centers. Already knowing how long each call will likely help more the agent to manage their schedules. The goal is to ensure workloads do not become overwhelming.
Most of the customers have a strong desire to have their inquiries resolved during the first call. They are very much likely to drop good feedback when this element takes place. FCR is really an important factor for call centers. Measuring FCR allows you to perform well and meet the full requirements of the customer.
Customer Satisfaction is a good way to measure or judge whether the call center agents are delivering poor or high-end quality customer experience. The basic goals of measuring CSAT is to get a better understanding of which factors are impacting the call centers in a negative manner and also the ones giving a positive influence.
Agent performance is key to measuring call quality, including how quickly they resolve any issue of the customer, how efficiently they are moving from one call to another and the accuracy rate at logging call information. An advanced level training can be also provided to the call center agents to boost up their call quality performance.
Improving call center after call work time should be a priority for increasing efficiency throughout. This should be measured to determine how much time is being taken for this part of the call agent's job. Ideally, post-call work should be kept to a minimum to ensure the agents are spending as much time as possible handing a customer instead of tending to post call tasks.
Peak hour traffic is that time of the day when there is a huge load of maximum calls that are to be handled by agents. This can be determined with the help of real-time monitoring and the agent performance can be planned to handle the work in the most caught up hours of the day.
Agent availability basically refers to the time when call center agents are present to take calls. This includes the time spent on waiting for calls to arrive at the time spent on handling calls. It also implies the commitment of the agents and how well agents manage their shift schedules.
This metric defines how long the average case stays open that is not resolved during the very first call. The shorter the duration is, the better the query it will be.
NPS helps you receive valuable feedback from your customers referring to their interaction with the call center agents. A stronger NPS score heavily associated with positive revenue and better business growth.
Keep in mind that not all calls are going to be successful but by measuring the call setup success rate the call center managers can garner a better idea of what can be the success rate of the calls on daily basis. This helps them to allocate resources in a more flexible way so that it can be ensured that high levels of successful calls are being maintained constantly.
You will measure sales and total calls to evaluate sales per agent KPIs. Managers can use this metric to tweak targets and improve overall sales performance.
This element counts the number of calls that arrive in each day and it also includes the data from at least 25 to 30 days. It will enable you to easily manage, create and track patterns. Also will help you create better call agent schedules according to your needs.
Your customer is calling because they need a question answered or taken care of an important issue, and the last thing they're going to receive is a busy tone. It will make a huge drawback to your business. This is one of the most aggravating aspects of dialing into a call center and receiving a busy signal. Measure your KPI, determine the issue and train your employees who struggle with overwhelming call queues.
If your call center has deployed a workforce management solution, you can compare historical data against real-time data to measure your forecast versus the actual call volume, agent adherence to their schedules.


text:
Unholy Ghosts
Posted on September 15, 2014 by jolitson
SBW Stables Theatre, August 29
James Lugton and Anna Volska. Photo: Danielle Lyonne
Campion Decent's touching autobiographical play Unholy Ghosts "tells the story of my family and our navigation of loss" as he writes in his program notes.
Effectively putting his own parents on stage, it's no wonder he creates such vivid characters in this heartfelt yet funny three-hander in which a man known only as Son (James Lugton) tells us about the loss of his warring mother and father to cancer within seven months of each other.
Hovering beneath this is the shadow of his sister, who died 12 years ago, whose loss he still keenly feels.
Decent has the Son act as both narrator and player as he guides us from scene to scene and the emotional roller-coaster that he finds himself on.
The product of a dysfunctional family, the Son is a playwright in his 40s who lives with his male partner and their two children.
His mother (Anna Volska) is a former star of stage and radio who gave up her career for her children and has resented it ever since but whose life is still one big, grand performance. Drily witty, she smokes and drinks ferociously despite cancer riddling her body and applies lipstick liberally – even for her last rites, which is both funny and sad.
His father (Robert Alexander) is a cantankerous old grouch who has little sympathy with his son's sexuality (describing homosexuals as "your lot") or career choice.
There's no love lost between the divorced pair and their Son finds himself caught in the middle as he visits them both during their illness, keen to ask questions about his parents' damaging treatment of him as a child.
Anyone who has ever experienced the loss of a parent or someone close will find aspects of the play to relate to. The mother's description of her frail flesh literally coming apart at the seams hit home hard for me.
All three performers are excellent. Volska, who hasn't been on stage for around a decade, brings precision timing and a compelling mix of diva-like manipulation and charm to the role of the mother. It's wonderful to see her back in the theatre.
Robert Alexander. Photo: Danielle Lyonne
Alexander is very touching as the father who wants to express regret in his dying days but must struggle to find a way, while Lugton gives a winning, truthful performance as a man torn between love and frustration, irritation and hurt, relief and fear of coming adrift.
Produced by White Box Theatre as part of Griffin Independent, Kim Hardwick directs the production with a light, understated touch and a lack of sentimentality, even as recrimination slides into redemption.
Coming toward the end, a fantasy scene set in heaven therefore feels out of place. The final scene in which the Son realises with euphoria that the family he now has is the one he has chosen – partner, children and friends – also sits slightly oddly after what has gone before but sends the audience out on a warm, fuzzy note.
On opening night I felt that the play didn't build quite as strongly emotionally as it doubtless will (navigating the jumps between narration and scenes perhaps?) – but others apparently sobbed.
Unholy Ghosts is a lovely, heartfelt play. Decent's script has a zing about it with big laughs as well as tears. One sentence rang out, and has echoed in my mind ever since: "We all know our parents teach us how to live, or not to live, but, of course, I realise now they also teach us how to die."
Unholy Ghosts is at the SBW Stables Theatre until September 20. Bookings: www.griffintheatre.com.au or 02 9361 3817
This entry was posted in Theatre and tagged Anna Volska, Campion Decent, Griffin Independent, James Lugton, Kim Hardwick, Robert Alexander, White Box Theatre by jolitson. Bookmark the permalink.