text:
The Value-based Intermediation Financing and Investment Impact Assessment Framework (VBIAF) Sectoral Guide Working Group (Working Group) today issued the first cohort of the VBIAF Sectoral Guides on Palm Oil, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. The Working Group is spearheaded by the Value-based Intermediation (VBI) Community of Practitioners (CoP), which comprises twelve (12) members of the Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM); (Agrobank, Alliance Islamic Bank Berhad, AmBank Islamic Berhad, Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad, CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad, HSBC Amanah Malaysia Berhad, Maybank Islamic Berhad, OCBC Al-Amin Bank Berhad, Public Islamic Bank Berhad, RHB Islamic Bank Berhad and Standard Chartered Saadiq Berhad).
The VBIAF Sectoral Guides serve as an in-depth impact-based risk management toolkit to guide the financial institutions in implementing VBIAF on selected sectors at a more granular and transactional level and were jointly developed by members of the Working Group which consists of the CoP and relevant stakeholders. They include Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Suruhanjaya Tenaga (EC), Pihak Berkuasa Pembangunan Tenaga Lestari (SEDA), Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Centre (MGTC), Malaysian Palm Oil Council, Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council, World Bank Group (Malaysia office), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Sime Darby Plantations Berhad.
This is a key step towards enhancing the readiness of the financial institutions in playing a catalytic role towards realising the Government's aspiration and commitment as a signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement and to ensure sustainability of the entire palm oil supply chain and production as per Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standards. Collectively, these should pave the way for an orderly transition of the economy towards a low carbon nation. The VBIAF Sectoral Guides also support the climate-change initiative by BNM.
The VBIAF Sectoral Guides consist of the following components:
1. Definition and scope;
2. Commercial proposition;
3. Impact-based risk categories;
4. Risk metrics; and
5. Risk management.
The first cohort of the VBIAF Sectoral Guides is a continuation of several guidance documents issued by BNM in collaboration with the CoP, and complements the broad guidance provided in the "VBIAF – Guidance Document" in the pursuit to incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk considerations in their financing and investment decision making process.
Eqhwan Mokhzanee, the Chairman of the Working Group, in his statement, said, "the issuance of the VBIAF Sectoral Guides is a monumental milestone for the Islamic banking industry in embracing VBI as a common vision for the industry. Thus, we are pleased to welcome feedback from the public on the inaugural VBIAF Sectoral Guides particularly from the experts, practitioners and industry players. This is to ensure the VBIAF Sectoral Guides could provide meaningful guidance for all financial institutions - both Islamic and conventional, to build a more climate resilient and sustainable future".
The Working Group invites responses and feedback on the VBIAF Sectoral Guides which will be conducted for a period of 3-months starting 24 August 2020. The VBIAF Sectoral Guides can be viewed at https://aibim.com/VBI_VBIAF_Sectoral_Guide_Public_Consultation and all responses and feedback are to be submitted electronically by 30 November 2020 to vbi@bnm.gov.my
About AIBIM
The Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM) was established in 1995 as the Association of Interest Free Banking Institutions Malaysia. Currently, AIBIM has 26 member banks consists of 11 domestic banks, 5 development financial institutions and 10 locally incorporated foreign banks. The organisation promotes sound Islamic banking system and practice in Malaysia; represents interest of members locally and abroad; provides advice and assistance to members pertinent in the development on Islamic banking and finance at local, regional and global level; coordinates human capital development initiatives, and promotes public awareness.
For more information, visit www.aibim.com
Media enquiries, please contact:
Mohd Zamir Azfar Ab Rahim
Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM)
Email : zamir@aibim.com
Tel : +603-2026 8002/8003
source: AIBIM


text:
The 100 Book Review – by Kass Morgan
Young Entertainment Magazine
February 20, 2014 4:34pm
Author: Kass Morgan
In the future, humans live in city-like spaceships orbiting far above Earth's toxic atmosphere. No one knows when, or even if, the long-abandoned planet will be habitable again. But faced with dwindling resources and a growing populace, government leaders know they must reclaim their homeland… before it's too late.
Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents are being sent on a high-stakes mission to recolonize Earth. After a brutal crash landing, the teens arrive on a savagely beautiful planet they've only seen from space. Confronting the dangers of this rugged new world, they struggle to form a tentative community. But they're haunted by their past and uncertain about the future. To survive, they must learn to trust – and even love – again.
Kass Morgan received a bachelor's degree from Brown University and a master's from Oxford University. She currently works as an editor and lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe
Frozen by Melissa De la Cruz
Book 2 Screen Review
BlogTV Shows
Get ready to Panic with Amazon's new series
Amazon is about to premiere its newest thriller and viewers are sure to become obsessed. We are days away...
Cruella review: What the movie does with the classic Disney villain
Look out for Cruella De Vil! Disney+ will premiere the newest Disney film Cruella later this month under its...
Top 10 Things to Read, Watch, Play and Listen to from January 17-22
yemagazine
See Lucrezia Lazzari take over our Twitter account!
Capella Gonzalez
Victor and Benji's relationship from Love, Victor
Killer Cast Returns as the Scream Franchise Brings New Film to Theaters
YEM Author Interview: Lucrezia Lazzari speaks about her initial thoughts of The Mirror Visitor Quartet books

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Hi my name's Emilio and I'm looking for my forever home.
someone's neck and purr, purr, purr!!!
I really like dogs. It's fun to play with them! I would like a home with a friendly dog. I am FIV positive, so I need a home with other FIV positive cats and/or a dog.
More about me: Neutered Up-to-date with routine shots, wormed & treated for fleas House trained Emilio has tested negative for FeLV.
Is Emilio going to visit the Ithaca PetSmart anytime soon?
Not sure when his next outing will be. Are you are someone you know interested in adopting him? We have adoption hours at our 124 Marina Drive, Montour Falls location on Mon, Wed & Fri 10 am to noon and Saturdays 11 am to 2 pm OR by appointment call 607-594-2255 and please leave a message.
Yes, but I am a student at the vet school and my schedule makes it difficult to get out there.
We can schedule an appointment for you to meet him at our Montour Falls location. Would that work for you? If that doesn't work, please let me know and we can look into bringing him over to PetSmart for a meeting. I would recommend filling out the adoption application ahead of time. We don't do same day adoptions UNLESS we have already received and approved the application beforehand.


Cne Casino Bar, 2 Strachan Ave, Toronto, Canada - Restaurant inspection findings and violations.Buffet Server Downstream Casino Resort - Quapaw OK Apr 16, 2018 7:50:54 PM Must be able to maneuver from restaurant to kitchen area and back to restaurant bringing customers their food and beverage orders during the entire shift.The Canadian National Exhibition. sports events, casino,. Jobs. One of the many ways the CNE helps to boost the local economy is through job creation.
Elements Casino offers everything from watching the game, live entertainment and a chance to win a big jackpot.
The new casino is located on the same premises at U.S. 2018.
CNE operates multiple casinos and retail. the more information you provide the better we can match you with open jobs.
Good news for those that are hoping to get a summer job at the 2018 CNE. the annual recruitment campaign for CNE jobs has begun.
The Canadian National Exhibition. agricultural displays, sports events, casino,. Jobs. One of the many ways the CNE helps to boost the local economy is through.Find and compare 90546 international and local trade shows. world in 2017, 2018,.Exhibition Place could get a whole lot more extravagant if MGM is able to realize its vision for a casino. for a casino at Exhibition Place. jobs. The overhaul.
The CNE Marching Rockets perform at the Findlay Market Opening Day parade Monday,.
LHD-ISDH MONTHLY WEBCASTS. The 2018 Public Health Nurse Conference will take place on Wednesday,. GoLocal Columnist Bob Whitcomb spoke to the impact that Lifespan potentially being part of a Care New England deal with Boston-based Partners HealthCare could have on Rhode Island on LIVE.
However, the new casino is expected to add 100 new jobs when it opens in July 2015. CNE, the Cherokee Nation.


KPN, the leading telecommunications provider in the Netherlands, is transforming the way it operates through simplification. But can it be so simple?
What is the basic principle of a telecommunications company? Providing communication opportunities to a wide range of people.
KPN plans to take that one step further through the power of technology and has set its sights firmly on becoming the go-to telecommunications provider.
This is something that Bouke Hoving, Executive Vice President Simplification & Innovation & CIO, believes is the way forward for KPN.
"We want to become the best service provider," he says.
"In regards to customer satisfaction, we're the best telecommunications company in the Netherlands. We don't just want to benchmark ourselves against other telcos, but to do so against any B2C or B2B market and deliver the best customer experience and be the best service provider," adds Hoving.
One of the ways in which KPN is doing this is through accompany wide simplification program. The goal? Transform the company from a 'product orientated' company into a customer centric digital telecommunications company.
"There were good historical reasons for being a product orientated company. With fast technological developments in the market it allowed us to bring new products to market really quickly," says Hoving.
But over time this led to an increase in internal silos, creating what Hoving describes as a 'fragmented' customer journey.
"The fast introduction of new technology led to separate internal silos of products, processes and IT systems. This was good for to time to market but to continue this year after year, decade after decade, in the era of increasing customer demands, we were facing fragmented customer journeys across our products," adds Hoving.
The customer journey is the driving force behind this transformation program. What impact was a fragmented journey having on the business?
"Walk into shop stores a few years ago and you would see the impact of all that product complexity, because all of those silos were popping up across the shops and the other touch points," says Hoving.
Multiply this process by way of every single customer that KPN works with and this becomes a highly time consuming process. Through the simplification program, this time is significantly reduced.
"We have redesigned the processes and made them independent from product, channel and from a customer point of view, resulting in an 80 percent decrease in order handling time. By implementing Omnichannel we made it easier for our sales representatives to serve customers and make them happy.," adds Hoving.
KPN projected cost savings of around EUR300 million by 2016. After one year, KPN realised EUR140 million in savings in February 2015 so they upgraded the savings potential to over EUR400m. After February 2016, the company indicated a saving of around EUR450 million.
"We projected those savings by looking at the full cost space of the company and taking some direct variable costs out. The simplification could not impact those costs and we believed that the savings should be possible irrespective of whether they were operational or capital expenses," says Hoving.
In May this year, KPN took home the Business Transformation of the Year Award at the TM Forum Digital World Awards 2016. Attracting more than 50 entries from a diverse range of global industries, the award recognises the communications, digital infrastructure or media service provider that has made the most significant steps in transforming to a low-cost, agile and customer-centric operating model – step forward KPN and the simplification programme.
KPN took home the Smart Service Provider and Business Transformation of the Year Award for becoming a next-generation telco, producing a Net Promoter Score rise of +9 for consumers.
But what does this recognition mean for KPN? "It is a proof point for the successful transformation of our business and an encouragement to keep moving forward. The recognition that our holistic and step by step approach works. We are on the right track and it also puts the second phase of the program into a wider perspective," says Hoving.
The award has seen KPN attract the attention of other telcos across Europe.
And it doesn't stop there, other companies outside the telco industry have been inspired by KPN's approach.
The award was given as a direct result of KPN's transformation as well as the implementation of a low cost, agile operating model based on the Business Process Framework (eTOM) of TMForum. The result – saving around EUR 280million by the end of 2015.
To transform from a product-oriented to a digital, customer-oriented model KPN used the eTOM combined with its own customer journeys. KPN created a uniform digital layer and decoupled its customer facing IT from its back-end systems. This resulted in faster development times and significant lower costs.
"The business framework gives you guidance on how to design your processes. There are thousands of ways to design those customer processes and I think that there are two important aspects to that design," says Hoving.
Number one – the customer.
"First you must take the customer central approach and design those processes to ultimately create the best customer experience," says Hoving.
And number two – the business standards of the eTOM.
This enables KPN to follow a two speed IT model: implementing continuous changes directly improving customer experience whilst at the same time optimizing and consolidating its back-end systems in the mid-term.
"There are many factors how to succeed in a transformation like this. It starts with the awareness that we were at a point of no return, we either go for it and succeed or we wait and lose big time," said Hoving in a keynote speech at the TMforum awards.
"Because this approach affects the entire company, an agile approach to change is key," adds Hoving.
One of the biggest challenges was breaking down and decommissioning existing separate silos.
These silos were strong from both an IT perspective and from a process perspective – creating even further issues finding one common language.
"Those were by far the biggest challenges which ultimately led us to the conclusion that, at least for the big change programs, we really need to centralise those so we could accelerate the simplification. That was the start of the program, reaching the decision and executing it was quite a challenge and probably the biggest we had to overcome in the last three years," says Hoving.
When there are challenges, there are ultimately successes and KPN has experienced many successes to date other than the recent award win.
What kind of legacy will KPN's success leave behind? Hoving suggests that the industry will be faced with inevitable questions – how are telcos going to live up to current and future expectations of customers?
As with all of KPN's ambitions, ultimately it is the customer that drives the end game.
"The process has shown that KPN has the guts to do what needs to be done, by starting and going on with the simplification program – daring to fail and trying again," adds Hoving.
Fundamental change was needed, but we couldn't close down shop so we changed as part of an overall plan ensuring a future ready customer experience. When you've taken that initial risk, the first hurdle has already been crossed." Hoving concludes.


text:
Kolkhoz 2928 (PC)
I woke up this morning with a long list of things I wanted to do, but it all went wrong the moment I discovered the Japanese '8Bits Fanatics II' site, the guys responsible for last year's very tongue-in-cheek The Tempura Of The Dead and the more recent Aban Hawkins & the 1000 Spikes, both of which remain XBLIG exclusives. However, before these two games they released a number of Windows releases, and although they don't match the quality of their Xbox counterparts they've still provided me with enough of a distraction so that I failed to achieve anything else today - none more so than Kolkhoz 2928.
Topics: indie games, PC
The Keep (VIC20)
First Person Shooters have come a long way, baby. From the early, ceiling-texture-free days of Wolfenstein 3D, through the grime and darkness of Quake, the headcrab infested territory of Half Life and the melancholy anticlimax of Duke Nukem Forever all the way to the Commodore Vic-20.
Yes indeed. The Keep weighs in at a tiny 3.5 kilobytes, boasts Wolfenstein 3D style graphics and gameplay and runs on a humble, unexpanded, Vic-20.
Posted by Ruari O'Toole 2 comments
Topics: retro homebrew, VIC20
Edge Grinder - Slight Delay In Shipping :/
Apologies for this, but I am currently swamped with orders for the Edge Grinder cartridge, so there may be a delay in shipping them out to you. All orders will be met, but it might take a bit of time!
Thanks to everyone for the support - it's great to see that there is so much love still out there for the C64 :)
Topics: projects
C64 16KB Cartridge Game Development Competition - Status Update
The RGCD C64 cartridge development competition prizes have been confirmed, one game has been submitted (complete) and several new contenders have signed up - so it's about time I gave a proper status update of the work in progress projects and introduce the teams/individuals involved.
So, in alphabetical order of developer, here are the entries so far.
Topics: C64, competition, projects
Sideways SEUCK Competition 2011- Update (C64)
Voting is under way for the Commodore 64 Sideways Shoot 'Em Up Construction Kit contest we covered last month, with four more entries beating the submission deadline. Here are the rest of the contenders!
Topics: C64, retro homebrew
Edge Grinder Cartridge Available! (C64)
Cosine's latest game is finally complete and the cartridge is ready to purchase from our shop page! Coded by T.M.R, featuring a new soundtrack by Odie and graphics and map design by Smila, the digital version of the game should be available for free download from the Cosine home page and Format War in the next day or so (when Jason gets a chance to upload it).
There'll also be a new video posted up soon showing off the new music and slight tweaks to game-play, but in the meantime, check out the cart with it's internal colour-shifting LED!
Jamestown (PC)
[Guest review by Jason/T.M.R from www.oldschool-gaming.com and Retro Gamer magazine]
This is the tale of one Walter Raleigh and, although you might have heard a version of his story during school history lessons, the odds are that it won't be quite the same as the one offered by Jamestown; for a start, the game takes place in November 1619 and he's already spent a year running from the executioner's block in the knowledge that only the furthest flung British colonies will offer sanctuary... in particular, those on the planet Mars! But Walter hasn't arrived in the New World on a whim, one colony has pretty much disappeared and his hope is that if this mystery can be solved his overdue execution will be annulled.
Jamestown is a 2D vertically scrolling shoot 'em up which has a fetish for large amounts of bullets but, to begin with at least, only some of its five stages can be selected from the main menu. As players become more proficient they can unlock the remaining levels and harsher difficulty settings through the in-game shop, although actually getting all of the levels opened is something of an achievement in itself since by the final stage the game will insist that the preceding levels be completed on one of the higher difficulty levels before it'll hand over the keys.
Tobe's Vertical Adventure (PC)
If I had to sum up my experience of playing Secret Base's recent addition to the Tobe (& Nana) franchise in three words they would have to be charming, endearing and frustrating. The former two adjectives describe the game's visual appeal, gameplay and premise, whereas the latter represents how I felt several times during my play-through the game due to the occasionally inconsistent controls and minor bugs spoiling what is otherwise a fantastic platformer. However, I really hate to sound ungrateful, (especially as Ray was kind enough to mail me a pre-release review copy) so before making a critical analysis of the game's few shortfalls, lets first cover all the stuff that Tobe's Vertical Adventure does right.
Tobe's Vertical Adventure sees you play the role of Tobe or Nana (or both in co-op mode) on a quest to recover lost treasures from 16 different caves (spread across 4 different worlds). In each cave you must first descend to the bottom, navigating past traps and hostile critters, collecting jewels and rescuing trapped animals until you finally reach your goal - a large treasure chest. Opening this chest initiates an earthquake, and then it's a race back up to the surface through a now reconfigured cave layout before the timer runs out. There are balloons and ropes scattered throughout the caverns (to assist with descent and ascent respectively), and multiple ways to beat each level. It's a simple concept, and as a whole it works really well.
Momodora 2 (PC)
Although I recall reading about the first instalment of Momodora back in August last year, I never got around to playing it. Perhaps it was the fact that I was put off by the combination of 'exploratory platformer' tag and 'Cave Story'-esque visuals, fearing that I would be seriously underwhelmed by anything that attempted to blatently bite Pixel's style? Probably. However, after reading the positive feedback on indiegames.com I decided to give the sequel a try - and as it turns out, I'm glad I did.
Space Harrier (Atari XE/XL)
When Space Harrier levitated into the arcades in 1985 minds (and wads of small change) were blown. Its cash-sucking gameplay was backed up by high-speed 3D graphics processing that dropped jaws across the world. Now the classy old blaster has been ported over to the XE/XL range of Atari 8-Bit microcomputers. Without the processor muscle and fancy soundboard of an arcade cabinet, this port of Space Harrier is still unquestionably stunning.
Topics: Atari XE/XL, retro homebrew
Uridium 2 (Amiga CD32) [Keyboard Required]
Copyright Graftgold, 1993 (Renegade)
Unofficial Amiga CD32 Conversion By Musashi5150
Original WHDLoad Install By John Girvin
CD32 Loading System By Rob Northen
Cover Scan Restoration By Smila
Uridium 2 is without a doubt my all-time favourite shmup. I still distinctly remember the day I first played the demo version at a friends house back in the 1990's - I was an Atari user at the time, but after experiencing this 16-Bit update to Andrew Braybrooks classic C64 shooter I raided my savings account and bought a brand new Amiga 1200 to play it on.
I've still yet to find any other shooter that plays as well in two-player mode, or matches the sheer thrill and excitement that Uridium 2 delivers. Flying low over the leviathan ships whilst simultaneously avoiding surface structures, blasting enemy attack formations and bombing vunerable ground targets into space dust never gets old, and the reactor-core minigame that follows after landing on each crippled alien warship provides both variation to the game and a great way to stack up points and power-ups for the next assault.
Originally scheduled for release on the CD32 but pulled due to Commodore's increasingly shaky hold in the 16/32-Bit market, Uridium 2 was the killer app that the console never had. Set to feature improved 256 colour graphics and a new CD soundtrack by Steve Turner, I can still recall the disappointment I felt when I saw the game removed from the 'comming soon' listings. I imagine that I wasn't alone.
I always wondered what happened to the CD32 version of the game, especially as a CD32 is the only 'real' Amiga hardware I own these days, so I sent an enquiry about the game to Steve Turner via his Graftgold site. The response I received sparked my interest further; initially Steve was under the impression that a CD32 version was actually completed and submitted to Mike Montgomery at Renegade, but after confirming facts with Andrew Braybrook it seems that only the CD soundtrack was finished and work on the actual conversion had barely started (more news on this soundtrack to follow soon).
Still eager to play the game on real hardware I posted a request on the EAB forums asking for help porting the disk version of the game to the CD32. Musashi5150 stepped up to accept the challenge, and this unofficial port based on John Girvin's WHDLoad slave and using Rob Northen's RNC CD32 loader is the result of a few weeks work.
Although perfectly playable on a standard CD32 console in one-player mode, this initial release isn't 100%; a keyboard is required to access the two-player and mayhem modes and progress isn't saved to NVRAM via the highscore table (meaning that you'll need to replay previously beaten fleets). There's also one small break in the music during the loading sequence, but this minor gripe is nothing compared to the seizure-inducing flashing and stuttering present in the WHDLoad version without preload! Anyway, I won't make any promises, but some of these issues *may* be addressed in future. Until then, thanks to musashi5150's work CD32 owners can finally enjoy one of the best hard-core shooters of the 16-Bit generation, and keyboard owners will have the added bonus of access to all the game-modes.
Uridium 2 CD32 Front CD Insert
Uridium 2 CD32 Back CD Insert
Uridium 2 CD32 (Full Game .iso)
(Return to the Unofficial Amiga CD32 Conversions page).
Topics: CD32, projects
Hyper Viper (C64)
Not to be confused with the recent BBC Micro game (which confusingly has the same name), Hyper Viper is in fact a new C64 title from Exeter-based programmer Jamie Howard, and the latest release from the hyper-prolific 8-Bit publisher Pystronik Software.
Based on an obscure MSX game that Jamie used to play as a kid, Hyper Viper may look like a pacman-clone or snake/nibbler derivative, but the game concept is actually quite different from these oft-aped retro-gaming staples. In Hyper Viper the player's goal is to chase the snakes around a maze, gobbling them up from behind whilst avoiding being eaten themselves. Accidently bite into the middle of a snake and it will split into two, and although you can grind the 8-way scrolling levels for points and extra lives by eating the fruit bonuses, the little critters that drop them also occasionally lay eggs that hatch into 'blue meanies'; very fast and invulnerable variations of your character who will eventually hunt you down if you take too long to clear a maze.
Posted by RGCD 13 comments
C64 16KB Cartridge Game Development Competition - ...


Ever since I can remember, I've always enjoyed helping others. Growing up I always knew I wanted to find a profession that would allow me to have a positive impact on my community and effect change in a positive way. As someone who has dealt with being siteless all of my life, I understand being in a position of needing help from time to time. I also understand the impact it can have when someone selflessly offers their time and efforts to help you better yourself. Ultimately, that's what led to me pursuing a career in the legal profession. I also knew that my blindness wouldn't prevent me from being able to do my job, but would instead allow me to empathize with those in need and offer my help and support.
My journey into the legal profession began back in 1978 when I graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia School of Law. After passing the Missouri state bar that same year, I knew almost immediately that in order to best serve my clients, I would have to start my own firm. So I gathered what little money I had after law school and opened the doors to the Michael W. Hanna Law Office in 1979. After nearly 40 years, I've been able to grow my practice into one of the most reliable and successful law firms in Western Missouri. During that time I've worked both as an independent attorney and as a municipal judge, picking up extensive knowledge and experience that I try to use to my clients' advantage to help them succeed.
I've always had a desire to help those in need, and I'm lucky to have a job that allows me to do that on a daily basis.
I originally set out to become an attorney because I felt like it would provide me with the opportunity to help those who need it most. One of the biggest advantages of running my own firm means that I have the ability to personally manage my caseload and provide all of my clients with the personalized, one-on-one attention that they deserve. With a focus on family law and criminal defense, I've had the opportunity to help countless clients through a wide variety of legal issues, both big and small. From child custody battles and complex divorce cases to misdemeanor drug cases and serious felony charges — and everything in between.
I initially set out to focus on family law and criminal defense because of the impact that that these case types can have on a person when they don't have adequate legal help and support. Facing a criminal charge or a complex family issue can be one of the most difficult things to get through, especially if you don't have the legal support you need. That's why for over four decades I've been working with individuals and families across Jackson County, Missouri to provide the very best in legal counsel and representation so I can help my clients put their legal issues behind them and help them move forward with their life.
Whatever the challenge, I can help.
At the end of the day, I'm committed to doing whatever I can to make sure the needs of my clients are taken care of at every turn. I will work tirelessly to defend your rights, and I always make myself available to answer any questions or concerns that you may have along the way. I aim to not only provide a solution to all your legal needs, but to also provide a sense of relief and peace of mind throughout the entire process. Whether you need trusted legal representation, or simply a legal expert to provide guidance — I'm happy to help you in any way that I can.


text:
namespace FluentACS.Specs.Rules
{
    using FluentACS.Specs.Rules.Chaining;

    public class InputClaimTypeSpec
    {
        private readonly RuleSpec owner;

        public InputClaimTypeSpec(RuleSpec owner)
        {
            this.owner = owner;
        }

        public IAfterAndInputClaimTypeRuleSpec IsAny()
        {
            this.owner.InputClaimType(BaseSpec.Any);
            return this.owner;
        }

        public IAfterAndInputClaimTypeRuleSpec IsOfType(string inputClaimType)
        {
            this.owner.InputClaimType(inputClaimType);
            return this.owner;
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Velocify, the market leader in cloud-based intelligent sales automation software, and Insurance Technologies Corporation (ITC), a leading provider of marketing, rating and management software and services, today announced the results of a new joint study "The State of Techsurance 2015," which examined trends in technology usage and benefits to insurance agencies.
Carrollton, Texas – Tuesday, June 16, 2015 – Velocify, the market leader in cloud-based intelligent sales automation software, and Insurance Technologies Corporation (ITC), a leading provider of marketing, rating and management software and services, today announced the results of a new joint study "The State of Techsurance 2015," which examined trends in technology usage and benefits to insurance agencies.
The study revealed that larger, more successful agencies tend to be more frequent users of sales and marketing technology. Additionally, their investment in these tools is likely to grow compared to smaller agencies and to those whose revenues are stagnant or shrinking. The results point to a technology-related performance gap in the insurance industry, which will only continue to grow, according to the investment plans of the agencies surveyed.
- Agencies that rely heavily on sales and marketing technology tend to have greater revenue growth and sell more insurance policies per producer (up to 43 percent more) and per household (up to 13 percent more).
- Heavy users of technology are two times more likely than non-users to have better sales processes.
- Agencies with significant revenue growth were 34 percent more likely to report plans to increase technology investments than were agencies with declining revenues.
- Direct-to-consumer agencies were 26 percent more likely than independent agencies to report plans to increase their technology investments.
- Agencies with 100 or more employees are 93 percent more likely, on average, than those with 10 or fewer employees to use each technology.
Despite the widening technology gap, opportunities still exist for smaller captive and independent agencies to compete, if they pay attention to what works and invest wisely. The study showed strong correlation between heavy technology use and increasing revenue and productivity in four main technology categories - automated dialers, marketing automation, lead management software and CRM software.
- Agencies that used lead management software sold 43 percent more insurance policies per producer and 13 percent more per household.
- Agencies that used automated dialers sold 43 percent more policies per producer, and 7 percent more per household.
- Agencies using CRM software saw a smaller uptick of 15 percent in policies sold per producer but sold 11 percent more policies per household, second only to lead management software.
- Similar to CRM software, marketing automation had a greater impact on policies sold per household – driving a 10 percent increase.
Despite these benefits, usage of lead management software, automated dialers, marketing automation and CRM software remained relatively low in terms of usage across all types and sizes of insurance agencies. For example, among direct-to-consumer carriers, insurance carriers that use captive agents for selling, and independent agencies, more than 70 percent in each group did not use automated dialers at all. While lead management software saw somewhat higher use across the board, only about 70 percent of agencies with more than 100 employees used this technology.
The results of the study were derived from a comprehensive 20-question survey completed by more than 1,000 insurance agencies. The survey focused on the use of six major sales and marketing technologies: marketing automation, lead management software, CRM software, automated dialers, comparative raters/rating engines, and agency management systems. To find out more, download the full report from Velocify's website by following this link.
Insurance Technologies Corporation (ITC), founded in 1983, is a leading provider of agency marketing, rating and management software and services to the insurance industry, including independent agents and insurance carriers. Headquartered in Carrollton, Texas, ITC helps its customers across the United States grow their businesses and become more efficient through the philosophy of providing quality software and services. Currently, ITC serves more than 200 insurance companies and more than 6,000 agencies. For more information, visit ITC online at GetITC.com or follow the company on Twitter.


text:
A Day To Remember brings The Degenerates Tour to Fairfax
Kat Saul Talks About Creating Autobiographical and Empowering Music
Rhia on Finding Strength Through the 'Fire.'
Yianna Sizzles on new single 'Heavy Waters'
Listen: Gia Woods – 'Feel It'
Watch: Kim Petras – 'All I Do Is Cry' (Lyric Video)
in Music Videos, Selena Gomez
Watch: Selena Gomez – "Kill Em With Kindness" Music Video
by Sam Bennett June 9, 2016, 8:10 pm 1.7k Views
Selena Gomez released a music video for the latest single, "Kill Em With Kindness" off her wonderful album Revival. "Kill 'Em With Kindness" is a simple song that works as Selena's mantra to use peace to overcome obstacles as Selena realizes that living her life and not letting anger get the best of her can be the best revenge. The track's clip matches the song nicely, with simple black and white visuals of Selena singing against a white backdrop, often rolling out to reveal various environments in the bigger picture. While "Kill Em With Kindness" and its visual are neither groundbreaking nor boundary pushing, both do their job quite nicely, and that job is to show off a new, composed and collected Selena that's been through her share of heartache but stays unscathed and as upbeat as ever.
You can purchase Revival on iTunes now and get "Kill Em With Kindness" and Selena's other standout singles like "Hands To Myself", "Same Old Love" and "Good For You".
Kill Em With KindnessMusic VideoRevivalSelena Gomez
Previous article Concert Review: Kris Allen at The Hamilton in Washington, DC
Next article The Saturdays – Chasing Lights Album Review
Written by Sam Bennett
Sam Bennett is the creator and editor of POParazzi. He works primarily in Washington, DC. You can contact him at sam@poparazzi.org and visit his portfolio at sam-bennett.com.
More From: Music Videos
by Sam Bennett January 2, 2021, 1:57 am
by Sam Bennett March 27, 2020, 9:49 pm
Qveen Herby Reminds You to Take Your 'Vitamins' in New Music Video
by Sam Bennett November 6, 2019, 1:04 pm
Kat Saul Confronts a Doomed Relationship in Music Video for 'Compromise'
by Sam Bennett June 17, 2019, 3:19 pm
Eulene Releases Infectious Video for 'Megalomaniac'
by Sam Bennett June 14, 2019, 11:01 pm
Watch: Swayday – 'Just Like The 80s' Music Video
by Sam Bennett May 23, 2019, 1:03 am
by Sam Bennett December 13, 2014, 4:18 pm
by Sam Bennett July 22, 2017, 8:49 pm
Watch: Iggy Azalea – Mo Bounce (Music Video)
One Direction – 'Steal My Girl' Music Video
by Sam Bennett October 24, 2014, 11:24 pm
Concert Review: Kris Allen at The Hamilton in Washington, DC
The Saturdays – Chasing Lights Album Review
Spotify – That's What's Pop
in Gwen Stefani, Music Videos, New Music
A Quick Refresher of eras past…
Does Gwen Stefani even age? If you told me she'd actually gone back in time for the self-cameos in her latest music video, I'd probably believe you at first glance. 'Let Me Reintroduce Myself' is Stefani's latest music — the first in far too long — and with the music video for the track, Gwen […] More
There's a Tiger Inside…
For a band like SuperM, calling themselves the Avengers of K-Pop is perfect. They're quite literally a super group, bringing members from other acts (Shinee, Exo, NCT 127 and WayV to be specific) and having them come together and destroy the charts. If the Avengers were a K-Pop group, these guys would be them. Their […] More
'THE ALBUM' was manufactured to be catchy
K-Pop music has evolved in the past few years as it's made its presence on a global stage, becoming a phenomenon that is this generation's equivalent to the Beatles. K-Pop artists, like Blackpink, have been able to break through from just South Korea and go global, enjoying massive success as a result. Out of all […] More


Welcome to the Plains State's Zonal Forum of Narcotics Anonymous web site.
This website is intended primarily for use by members of the Plains State's Zonal Forum of Narcotics Anonymous, an administrative body that seeks to coordinate NA service efforts throughout the Great Plains of the United States. If you are looking for general Information about NA, please visit Narcotics Anonymous World Services.
The Plains State's Zonal Forum member regions are Mid America, OK, Best Little Region, Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota.
The Plains State's Zonal Forum does not endorse any web-page links on this site nor is it responsible for the contents of any subsequent links from those pages. It is our goal to link to pages, which adhere to The Twelve Traditions of Narcotics Anonymous and WSC Internet Guidelines.
Narcotics Anonymous; the stylized initials NA, appearing alone, within a single or double circle, or as part of any other graphic; and the circle-diamond symbol are registered trademarks of Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
The domain name www.pszfna.org is owned by the Plains State's Zonal Forum of Narcotics Anonymous. The Plain's State's Zonal Forum Web Servent has the responsibility of maintaining this web site. Please contact the Web Servent with comments, questions or concerns.


With the increasing use of blogs and social network services such as MySpace, it's more true than ever that you are your references.
In the past, human resource professionals might Google potential employees as a spot check. Now, employers are using services like MySpace to find — and hire — new employees.
Do you have a MySpace profile? Do you use it for work — or keep that in mind? Has your company turned to MySpace or anything similar in terms of tracking down and attracting talent?


Relax your body and mind in the picture-perfect surroundings of the Portuguese Algarve region. Get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life and check yourself into a divine spa for a few days – or more – of rest, relaxation and nourishment for the soul. Ditch the tedious pre-breakfast yoga routines at home, tip away the cheap bubble bath and get yourself on a plane to the Algarve to reap the benefits of its little-known spa network.
One such healthy haven is the Longevity Wellness Resort, situated in the idyllic setting of Monchique in an area known as the 'Garden of the Algarve' thanks to its vibrant flower fields and flourishing foliage. The dense forest surrounding the area makes it feel delightfully secluded, so you can rest assured that no prying eyes or outside distractions will disturb your stay. A number of nutritionists, therapists and instructors are on hand to create a tailored programme to address your specific needs. Themes include relaxation, weight-loss and detoxing, so whether you've been hitting the post-work cocktails too hard recently, want to shift some pounds or just learn to chill out, there is a set of activities which will suit you perfectly.
AlmaVerde Village and Spa is found a short distance away from Faro. Treatments range from the relaxing to fitness improvement to beauty, with offerings including acupuncture, Thai massage and manicures. For a more personal experience, you can book a personal trainer or personal yoga or meditation classes to make sure you get the one-to-one support you need to get the most out of your visit.
The Western Algarve's luxurious Spa Floresta offers a range of conventional and alternative therapies for men and women. Hydramemory and Alphatherapy Collagen treatments are among the more modern approaches to relaxation and beauty treatment, or you can go the classic route with massages, hair and nail treatments. It also has its own state-of-the-art gym which is comprehensively equipped with a variety of cardiovascular and strength training machines and personal trainers on hand to help you improve your workout. The heated pebble pool is ideal for a blissful relaxation session, and the exquisite views over the Algarve are perfect for putting you in a peaceful frame of mind.
If you're happy to go a little further afield, the Grande Real Sante Eulalia Resort is just a 40 minute drive away from Faro in the beautiful Albufeira. It is well-equipped with a range of top spa facilities and is particularly popular with couples, and if you're lucky you might get a room with a spectacular sea view.
Of course, if you're on a budget, the Algarve has many pockets of calm, from the multiple nature reserves to the laid-back ilha beaches which can be reached by ferry from the harbor. Lots of hotels contain their own spas where you can book yourself in for a mini-treatment, such as a manicure or a mini-massage if you don't want to commit to the full spa experience. But when the choice on offer is this good, do you really want to deny yourself a true Algarve spa holiday?
Emma Lawson is a lover of all things rest and relaxation, and frequently visits Europe to find the best spas and health retreats.


Paul, 50, was told he had multiple myeloma two days before Christmas 2016. Alone and in shock, his first concern was about how to break the news to his family. It was only later that he started to take in what the condition meant for him. Here he describes how counselling played a key part in helping him cope with his treatment and focus on the future.
"I've always been fit and healthy and enjoyed participating in sports all my life, especially most recently long distance running. I'd just been on an autumn walking holiday, where I'd climbed Mount Snowdon, when the first symptoms of my condition started.
I noticed I was getting very tired more easily than usual and in a short period of time had started to have bone pain in the upper part of my body. By December this had escalated considerably resulting in my having difficulty in walking and undertaking basic movements such as getting out of bed.
My appointment with the haematology consultant was on 23 December 2016, I remember this date well as this was the last working day before Christmas and I was the last person to be seen. I'd gone on my own as I hadn't been expecting very bad news. Even when the Consultant Nurse Specialist sat down with me I didn't realise the enormity of what I was about to be told, indeed I remember even joking about how well I was being looked after with having a private nurse!
When the consultant told me I had incurable bone marrow cancer I initially took the news quite well. I was more worried about how I was going to tell my family, especially with it being Christmas time. I have an identical twin and a sister, both with families, my partner and my parents too.
If I hadn't spoken to my counsellor about my condition and had bottled up all my feelings and emotions, I don't think I would be in the positive position I'm in now, both mentally and health-wise.
It was only later, when I got home, that the news hit me and I broke down. As well as getting the news that the cancer was incurable, although treatable, I didn't know why I'd got it or how I'd got it or when I'd got it. There were a lot of questions which were unanswered.
About two months after diagnosis, I started seeing my haemo-oncology counsellor Surabhi. By now I'd started an intensive chemotherapy and the pain had started to subside quite quickly.
Sometimes, for me, I find it easier to talk to somebody other than close family or a partner because whilst they do understand and they care and love you, I find I can talk more freely to someone that I don't know. It's not just about your illness, you can talk about anything and everything that's going on in your life. It is a relaxed atmosphere and you can talk about anything to get it off your chest.
For quite a long time after receiving initial diagnosis, I couldn't stop thinking about that moment when the consultant told me I had cancer and my life would change forever, it was going over in my mind all the time, word for word what she had told me.
Having counselling has played such an important role and helped me move on, stopping me dwelling on things that I couldn't control or be in control of and remain unanswered, because you can tie yourself up in knots thinking about all the negatives.
If I hadn't spoken to Surabhi about my condition and instead bottled up all my feelings and emotions, I don't think I would be in the positive position I'm in now, both mentally and health-wise. I truly believe that other conditions, for example such as depression, could have exacerbated my well-being and ability to get through the intensive treatment that was being administered.
We all have our bad days, sometimes we don't stop thinking about what we've got. That's one reason why I try to keep as active as I can. I'm a big advocate in trying to stay positive and, for me, it helps to keep busy. I can't run anymore, but I still help at my local running club by supporting the races and being a time keeper. I can remain active by cycling, swimming and walking, all of which I try to do as frequently as possible.
I also find that group therapy sessions with other people who have my condition to be a really useful tool in openly speaking to those who understand. They contain people who are newly diagnosed through to those who've been in remission for ten or more years. That's what you want to hear.
I had a stem cell transplant in the Summer of 2017, which was very tough mentally and physically and continue to have chemotherapy. I am now in remission. I see Surabhi as and when I need her – I know I can always ask her for an appointment if I need to talk something through as ultimately, worrying can affect your health and potentially have an effect on what you're being treated for and how you react to this.
I'm still involved in a trial, which will mean my having chemotherapy until June 2019 which, for me, acts as a form of security blanket as my condition is monitored every week, so I know how well I am on a regular basis. The test for me will be next year when those weekly tests will stop. I think then I will probably be seeing Surabhi again because that's another hurdle to get over.
What makes myeloma one of the rarer types is it is the only cancer that is relapsing so you have to go through being told you've got the condition time and time again. That psychologically is very hard to accept and this is why I think it is so important to have somebody like Surabhi to talk to with. I try not to dwell on when that moment will arrive. I know it's going to happen, but it could be years and that is the focus I need to concentrate on.
Life has changed and my health is now priority but it's boding well for me – I'm looking to the future and not thinking in the short-term."
Leukaemia UK has funded the first service of its kind to offer dedicated counsellor and clinical psychologist support for haematological patients at King's College Hospital in London. We anticipate that the first Leukaemia UK Mind and Body Team will find that patients recover faster, need fewer medications and can be released from hospital sooner when they feel supported. Leukaemia UK hopes to fund more services like these across the UK.
Professor Ghulam Mufti, head of haemato-oncology at King's College Hospital in London, has been a pioneer in the research and treatment of blood cancers over the last 33 years.


text:
With Thanksgiving, Black Friday deals arrive
Abbott Brant
Poughkeepsie Journal
Along with the turkey and stuffing, football and family, Thanksgiving has grown to go hand in hand with Black Friday shopping.
The annual and infamous shopping holiday has become a staple of the holiday shopping season, as sales and deals — many of which in short supply — can lead to savings for dedicated bargain hunters.
But, the event's encroachment in recent years on the Thanksgiving holiday, with several stores opening their doors on Thursday in advance of Black Friday, has led some area residents to prioritize time with friends and family over savings.
In 2015, 102 million shoppers nationwide trekked to stores over the Thanksgiving weekend, down from 147 million shoppers in 2012, according to the National Retail Federation. According to the organization's annual survey, 59 percent of Americans, 137.4 million people, may shop this weekend.
And, the traffic in stores on Black Friday itself is expected to dominate the weekend. According to the National Retail Federation, 74 percent of consumers plan to shop the day after Thanksgiving, compared with 21 percent who expect to scour deals on the holiday.
Black Friday isn't over yet: Get great deals before they run out
"It's no longer Black Friday when this nonsense starts on Thanksgiving," said Dana Horton, 33, a Hopewell Junction resident who worked on Black Friday as a 17-year-old in the Poughkeepsie Galleria. She gave credit to "all the stores closing Thursday to give their employees a proper holiday with family and friends."
Target, Best Buy, and Macy's are among the stores in the Poughkeepsie Galleria that will be giving shoppers to opportunity to find deals after their Thanksgiving meal, some staying opening all night and into Friday morning. In Wal-Mart in Fishkill, which is open 24 hours a day, shoppers will be asked to line up for specific items on sale inside the store.
The deals themselves vary by retailer. Every television will be on sale in Target, while Best Buy has "door-buster" deals on some Apple products like the MacBook Air and the iPad Pro. Macy's and JCPenney are both featuring deals on luggage and appliances, among others, and Wal-Mart's deals include savings on video game bundles. JCPenney is offering in-store coupons, and Target is offering gift cards with the purchase of select digital items. Black Friday deals are also available online and, this year, many retailers have duplicated their in-store deals online.
Store hours for the top area retailers:
Poughkeepsie Galleria: Open Thanksgiving from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m. Open Friday at 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Target: Open Thanksgiving at 6 p.m. until Friday at 11 p.m.
Sear's: Open Thanksgiving at 6 p.m. until midnight. Open Friday at 5 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Best Buy: Open Thanksgiving at 5 p.m. until 1 a.m. Open Friday from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Macy's: Open Thanksgiving at 5 p.m. until Friday at 10 p.m.
DICK'S Sporting Goods: Open Thanksgiving at 6 p.m. until midnight.
JCPenney: Open Thanksgiving at 3 p.m. until Friday at 10 p.m.
Walmart Supercenter: Open for regular 24-hour schedule.
Visit www.poughkeepsiejournal.com a rundown of the top online Black Friday deals.
Abbott Brant: abrant@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4809; Twitter: @AbbottBrantPoJo. USA Today Network reporters Nate Beck and Charisse Jones contributed to this report.


text:
familychannelChildren's CentresRemove
Anfield Children's Centre (27)
Belle Vale and Hunts Cross and Mossley Hill Children's Centre (38)
Clubmoor and Ellergreen Children's Centre (5)
County, Walton, Fountains and Vauxhall Children's Centre (45)
Everton Children's Centre (1)
Fazakerley and Croxteth Childrens Centre (34)
Granby and Dingle Children's Centre (31)
Picton and Kensington Children's Centre (23)
Speke and Garston Children's Centre (18)
Stoneycroft and Knotty Ash Children's Centre (28)
Tuebrook, West Derby and Yew Tree Children's Centre (45)
Wavertree, Childwall, Woolton and Church Children's Centre (19)
Primary (5 to 11) (1)
Secondary (11 to 16) (1)
Young Adults (16 to 25) (1)
Baby Shark Club (Fountains Children's Centre)
We love to learn, keep fit, play, we would love to see you.
Baby Shark Club (Vauxhall Children's Centre)
Baby Shark Club (Walton Children's Centre)
Starting 7th November until 12th December - We love to learn, keep fit, play, we would love to see you.
Music and Rhyme Time (County Children's Centre)
Thursday 9.30 - 10.30 All ages Come and meet new parents and children. We will enjoy singing and playing musical instruments. Encourage your child's speech and language and learn though music. Afun filled session for both parents and children to enjoy.
Music & Rhyme Time (Walton Children's Centre in the Salvation Army)
Wednesday's 10:30 - 11:00 All ages Come and meet new parents and children. Enjoy singing and playing musical instruments. Encourage your child's speech and language and learn through music.
Soft Play Drop In (Vauxhall Children's Centre)
Come along and play, make new friends and learn.
Stay and Play at (Fountains Children's Centre)
Arts & Crafts Messy Play Role Play Area Dressing Up Construction Area Outdoor Play Songs & Stories Small World Soft Play Area Mark Making
Music and Rhyme Time at Vauxhall Children's Centre
Monday 1.00 - 2.00 All ages Come and meet new parents and children. We will enjoy singing and playing musical instruments. Encourage your child's speech and language and learn though music. Afun filled session for both parents and children to enjoy.
Stay & Play (Vauxhall Children's Centre)
Monday 10.00 - 11.00 Interactive fun for parent's, carers and children. Art, craft, physical exercise. Suitable for aged 0-4 years. An exciting stimulating enviroment for children.
Healthy Me (Walton CC) (In The Salvation Army)
Monday's 1:30 - 2:30 Let's Play, Dance, have Fun and learn about Healthy Snacks.


The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi, Alhaji Haddy Ametuo, says "some ghosts "initiated the recall process against Sen . Dino Melaye.
"Melaye, the only senator our party has in Kogi State, won with 94 .66 per cent leaving the remaining 5 .34 per cent to the petitioners.
"The messages are very clear; that Sen. Melaye is the most popular senator ever produced by Kogi West," the statement said.
"I call on all members of our party to conduct themselves in a manner that will boost the image of our great party and not things that will further cause disrepute in our party," he said.


I laid my head on his broad chest, my arms around his muscular torso.
I felt his large hand 'gently' thumping my uncovered back, the space between my neck and where my wedding gown began.
Luther Vandross', "Dance With My Father Again" was aptly playing through the monstrous sound systems DJ Snap had brought for my wedding.
My mum looked on tolerantly… I guess the years had taught them all not to come between this daughter and her father.
As the song ended, he pulled away and gently kissed my forehead. He was still as handsome as always. Athletic too.
He wore his Armani tuxedo like second skin.
My father… El Presidento! I mean that literally, my dad is Mr President.
He has remained unchanged physically for as long as I can remember. It's so bad that trash-talker's have branded him a vampire. Some say he is a shape-shifter.
Back then he drove a pearl green Nissan Pathfinder. I was maybe four years old.
He has always driven us to school. For as long as I can remember, on my way to school, dad and I always sang and prayed and talked and played every school day. He loved us unreservedly.
That morning, he wore black jeans under a flowing white jelabia (traditional native dress). Everything was normal. I was seated at the back and screaming songs as they played off his CD player.
We got to school and he parked across the building along the street.
As always he would clown a bit before opening the door behind the drivers seat to let me out.
School was for 8 am. But dad was always there by 7 am. I was usually the first student to school.
He was standing out there and making faces at me through the window when suddenly a car hit him.
It seemed to have come from nowhere. I screamed as his body was tossed in the air and then he hit the asphalt before rolling towards the other side of the street.
l looked and saw his white jelabia suddenly turn crimson with blood and dirty brown from dust, mud and dirt.
I can't remember how long I screamed and cried. But it was a while.
The engine was still idling, music and the air-conditioning still on. I was frightened and confused.
Suddenly there was a 'ratatat' on the window and I whipped towards it, my hands wiping tears from my eyes.
My dad stood by the window.
He looked different. Like a good ghost. He was still dressed the same way, but he was a sparkling white.
I looked past him to where his body had fallen…he was still lying down there immobile.
Even though I was young, I knew this was not a good sign. So I tried to open the door to get to him… To them? It would not open… (Child lock).
I looked up at dad's ghost… He was pointing at something in front like on the seat. I slid toward the front and climbed into the drivers seat looking frantically about. I could not see anything he would want.
I looked… He was by the drivers side window now still pointing… Toward the other seat?
Then I got it… His phone!
I snatched it up and held it toward his ghost… And he rewarded me with a wan smile.
But my face fell as he held up his hand… His usual gesture that meant, 'wait'.
He closed his eyes as though in deep concentration… Opened them and looked at his phone.
Closed his eyes again, Papa looked like he was going to cry… Opened his eyes and looked at the phone again.
It looked like every time he closed his eyes, he faded. He was weakening.
By the fifth try, I could see through his ghost. I could see his body still bleeding out on the street and my school beyond him.
Immediately his phone started to ring, with my heart pounding I glanced up at him and he gestured that I pick up.
"at my school"…I told the screaming lady that called.
By the time I looked up, Papa's ghost was smiling at me, yet I wept. He was almost like smoke now. But he pointed to his phone again, and it rang once more.
I recognised her voice immediately. My grandmother. His mum. Bawling now, I sobbed out the story. She calmed me down and while we were still speaking, my mum and some uncles arrived within minutes of each other.
Dad was the victim of a freak hit and run accident. The driver did not stop and was never caught.
He broke one leg in two places. Several ribs. Ruptured his spleen. Broke a collarbone and his wrist.
In less than a year though, he was fully healed. To the amazement of everyone.
Only he and mum know the identity of the lady who called him that fateful day. She was the one that called mum. My parents never speak of that part of the incidence or of her. Ever.
I stopped calling him 'Papa' after that accident. He became 'dad'. No reason.
Only he and I know what happened that fateful day. Well you do too (now). We have no need to speak of it.
We became friends, soulmates, confidants after that. Yes, and father and daughter.
He almost gave up and died, and I refused.
He has always loved big cats, guess he simply lost one of his nine lives.


Furniture — This furniture, is one of the 21 designs published under the gallery: Wonderful Bathtubs Design Ideas. In the next page, we have the appealing modern bathtub design ideas featuring white laminated floor and black ceramic bathtub plus stainless classic foot [ ... ]. While in	the previous page, we have the appealing modern bathtub design ideas featuring red wall and black floor plus white ceramic floor with gold laminated wooden foot [ ... ].


text:
Puts and Calls: Republicans on the VAT and the unintended consequences of regulatory 'reform'
Tom Karol Occasional Political Commentator
May 04, 2010 3:20 AM ET
A tax even a Republican can like: A hot topic in certain circles is the possibility of the federal government enacting a "value-added tax," or VAT, as one solution to America's fiscal mess. Basically, a VAT is a more easily enforced (and collected) retail sales tax. Democrats tend to love it and Republicans tend to hate it, because it adds revenue to fund more federal programs. Paul Volcker, head of President Obama's economic advisory board, said a VAT was "not as toxic an idea" as it used to be. In April, Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, offered a "sense of the Senate" resolution expressing opposition to a VAT, which passed in the Senate by an 85 to 13 vote. So it interesting that five Republican House members are co-sponsoring a bill by Rep. Pascrell, New Jersey Democrat, that would impose a VAT on imports from countries that use the tax. In the Senate, Republican Senator Voinovich, Ohio Republican — who was the sole Republican vote in opposition to that sense of the Senate resolution — now has suggested that replacing income taxes with a VAT could be one way to streamline the tax code.
"You can't fix what you can't explain:" The Senate debate on financial reform continues Tuesday, and members may want to heed that warning from Nicholas F. Brady, the treasury secretary who led the investigation into the 1987 stock market crash. Democrats have agreed to open the process to more debate, but many financial experts say that the proposals may not address the right problems and could result in the financial system becoming more vulnerable. Such experts note that the current financial reform package fails to address some of the major issues that led to the financial crisis. They point to the instability of capital markets that provide money for lenders, and the government's role in the housing market, including the $125 billion lost by the housing finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, since being placed in government conservatorship in 2008. Academics and others believe that it may be dangerous to enact dramatic changes to the system when so many inquiries are in progress. There are political points to be scored in the short run, but the causes of the financial crisis remain a subject of great debate. The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, a bipartisan panel created by Congress to "examine the causes, domestic and global, of the current financial and economic crisis in the United States," is charged with conducting a comprehensive examination of 22 areas related to the crisis. The commission has held numerous hearings, issued a number of ongoing reports and is not scheduled to report until December.
What could possibly go wrong? The perils of rushing financial reform were highlighted on Monday as a senior banking regulator sent a warning about a proposal in the Senate financial legislation that would require banks to spin off their derivatives operations. The provision has been called one of the most aggressive efforts in legislation to regulate the multitrillion-dollar market for financial derivatives. In a letter to senators, Sheila Bair, the chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), said that the proposal would only move almost $300 trillion (that's "trillion," with a "t") to riskier nonbank financial firms from banks. "If all derivatives market-making activities were moved outside of bank holding companies, most of the activity would no doubt continue, but in less regulated and more highly leveraged venues," Bair wrote in a letter to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln, Arkansas Democrat, and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, Connecticut Democrat. Bair is not alone. Comptroller of the Currency John Dugan has said he disagrees with the provision and in a recent Fed staff analysis said the proposal could prove costly to both banks and customers. Sens. Mark Warner, Virginia Democrat, and Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Democrat, have also warned of the consequences of the provision.
But we can just fix any mistakes, right? The unintended consequences from a hurried approach to financial reform are exacerbated by the torpid rate at which Washington acknowledges and addresses its missteps. Consider H.R. 3506, the "Eliminate Privacy Notice Confusion Act," which has passed the House and is awaiting consideration in the Senate. This bill fixes problems that resulted from Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLB), which was enacted in 1999. In a well-intentioned bid to protect consumers and privacy and other stuff, GLB required financial firms to send annual privacy notices, even if they did not share any customer information. For 10 years, financial firms were required to spend millions of dollars to send out annual notices to customers saying, "We are NOT sharing your information." After a decade of costs and duplicative work harmful to both consumers and financial institutions, and providing no value to firms or clients, the legal requirements to send these negative notices has a fair shot at getting fixed by H.R. 3506. If it takes Congress 10 years to consider fixing a fairly straightforward legislative error, it is unrealistic to think that more complex lapses can be addressed with the necessary speed to protect the financial system.
Tags : blanche lincoln business finance chris dodd christopher dodd congress economics emergency economic stabilization act fannie mae federal deposit insurance corporation federal government financial crisis financial crisis inquiry commission freddie mac john mccain kirsten gillibrand mark warner new york paul volcker politics puts and calls senate sheila bair subprime mortgage crisis united states us federal reserve value added tax washington
Tom Karol


text:
Home»News»Man jailed 12 years for removing condom during sex with prostitute
Man jailed 12 years for removing condom during sex with prostitute
By Papaga BlessUpdated: October 13, 2020 No Comments3 Mins Read
A man who removed his condom during consensual sex with a prostitute has been jailed for 12 years for raping her.
Lee Hogben, 35, ignored his victim's repeated objections and carried on having unprotected sex with her in a room at the four-star Royal Bath Hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset.
In doing so Hogben broke the agreed terms of consent with the escort, aged in her 20s, who then went to the police.
He was arrested on suspicion of rape the next day and forensic tests taken from the complainant matched Hogben's DNA to a probability of one in a billion.
Lee Hogben
Hogben denied the charge of rape but was found guilty following a trial.
After being jailed for 12 years, Hogben threatened to shoot the sentencing judge in an angry outburst.
Appearing via video-link at Bournemouth Crown Court, he told judge Stephen Climie: 'I'm coming for you. You'll get a shotgun in the face at night.'
READ ALSO: Mahama finally files Withness statement to court.
The court heard the victim advertised her services on an adult work website. She specifically indicated online that all her clients must use protection when with her.
Hogben made contact with her and the pair met at the hotel in his home town on January 19 last year. The pair agreed a price in advance for two hours of her services.
Jodie Mittell, prosecuting, said the escort claimed Hogben threatened her with violence when she resisted him during sex.
She said: 'Hogben went beyond what was consented to by removing the protection, which the complainant will say was a condition of intercourse.
'She repeatedly protested, 'I don't do that – please, no'. She tried to wriggle away but he told her to stop. He told her he had beaten people up and robbed people.'
READ ALSO: According to a report, only 34% of Nigerians use condoms during sex
Afterwards Hogben left without paying the woman despite spending two hours in her company.
Ms Mittell read aloud a victim impact statement from the woman. In it she said she has considered self-harm as a result of what had happened to her.
Hogden, who has dozens of previous convictions for harassment and driving offences, was convicted of rape and two counts of assault in relation to the escort.
He pleaded guilty to threatening to destroy property, disclosing private photographs, breaching a restraining order and making a malicious communication in relation to a second female victim.
Nick Robinson, defending, said the offences occurred when Hogben was in a 'heightened emotional state'. He suffered years of sexual abuse while in care.
He said: 'His coping mechanism is driving, violence, abuse and talking to people the way he talks about himself and to himself.'
READ ALSO: 22-year-old African student arrested in Hungary for allegedly raping a sex worker
Hogben was sentenced to 12 years in prison as well as an extended licence period of six years, making the total sentence 18 years.
He was also sentenced to indefinite restraining orders and a sexual harm prevention order.
After the case, Detective Inspector Kate Lill, of Dorset Police, said: 'Lee Hogben is a dangerous offender who raped and sexually assaulted his frightened victim.
'I want to praise her and all the witnesses in this case for their courage in coming forward and supporting the investigation.
'We will always take reports of sexual offences extremely seriously, regardless of someone's background or circumstances.
'We acknowledge that not everyone will want to report a matter directly to police. We have a sexual assault referral centre for Dorset and its expert staff are independent of the police.'
Source: dailymail.co.uk
Previous ArticleTravis Greene welcomes another baby boy with Ghanaian wife, Jackie Greene Gyamfi
Next Article Sarkodie replies a fan who asked him for mobile money


Designed for the contemporary bride with a love for the botanicals, this set of hair pins will add an ultra-chic and warm touch to an autumn-winter wedding.
Utterly romantic and vintage, the Vallée Enchantée Hair Pins feature a delicate pearly flower contrasting with gilded leaves and sprays of pearls and crystals.
Wear them nestled in a side bun for a nature-inspired look and style them wit a rustic sleeved lace dress with high neck.
To finish the look, style them with the Vallée Enchantée bracelet and the Flora or Cascada earrings.
If the Vallée Enchantée design enchanted you, you might want to have a look at the matching wedding crown, hair comb and bracelet specially designed for the romantic bride.


The Arkel Seatpacker 9 Bikepacking Seat Bag with quick release aluminium hanger. Completely waterproof!
The new Arkel Seatpacker 9 Bikepacking Seat Bag has a quick release lightweight aluminium hanger. It is completely waterproof with sealed liner, and easily slides on and off for easy packing and handling. The Seatpacker rack totally eliminates side to side movement (Tail Wag) and it works with dropper posts!
Slim front design and reinforced front panels eliminate thigh rub.
Needs a minimum clearance of 7″ from seat rails to top of tyre.


text:
Myanmar army air strikes displace hundreds on border with Thailand
A rebel group said on Friday that the Myanmar army carried out more air strikes on an area near the border with Thailand under rebel control, in the latest escalation of violence, causing hundreds of people to flee into Thailand.
The Karen National Union said the army launched at least two air strikes and fired some artillery shells into an area it controls near the Myanmar-Thailand border late on Thursday, without giving any casualties.
Several explosions were heard around 11 pm Thursday local time in Mae Sot, a Thai border town about 15 km from where it is believed to have been bombed.
A spokesman for Myanmar's ruling military council did not respond to calls seeking comment.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army – on the first of last February – ousted a civilian government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, which led to protests and intermittent clashes in rural areas between the army and anti-military militia.
A Palestinian woman was run over by an Israeli settler in the West Bank
why now? What is the importance of its content? .. Paris opens the archives of the Algerian revolution


text:
Saudi Gunmen Still Missing
The inability to find three of the suspected militants who killed 22 is a growing source of embarrassment for the Riyadh government. Authorities searched without success Monday for any sign of the missing suspected Islamic gunmen who terrorized oil company offices and housing compounds in this city over the weekend. Three of the assailants disappeared in a stolen car Sunday morning after killing 22 people, and have managed to evade a nationwide manhunt. Investigators spent Monday sifting through blood-stained rooms in a luxury resort compound where gunmen had taken about 50 hostages, many of them foreigners, and holed up for 25 hours while Saudi forces swarmed outside. Checkpoints, sandbags and soldiers had risen on the smooth highways stretching through the wastes of desert. So far, the fugitives remain elusive, and a source of growing embarrassment for the kingdom. Officials have spent the past days repeatedly insisting that they're in control of security and capable of protecting their oil facilities. But they've also had to acknowledge that three gun-toting men managed to slip through the grip of hundreds of Saudi commandos and vanish seamlessly into a spare landscape of strip malls and coastal desert plains. Full Story


c) "Case Manager" – An individual appointed by the Association, who may be any Association Staff, Committee member, Volunteer, Director, or an independent third party, to oversee this Appeal Policy.
e) "Individuals" – All categories of membership defined in the Association's Bylaws, as well as all individuals engaged in activities with the Association including, but not limited to, athletes, coaches, managers, officials, volunteers, and committee or board members of the Association.
2. The Association is committed to providing an environment in which all Individuals involved with the Association are treated with respect. The Association provides Individuals with this Appeal Policy to enable fair, affordable, and expedient appeals of certain decisions made by the Association.
3. This Policy applies to all Individuals. Any Individual who is directly affected by an Association decision shall have the right to appeal that decision; provided there are sufficient grounds for the appeal under the 'Grounds for Appeal' section of this Policy. This Policy does not apply to any Association employees as such matters are governed by the Association's policies that expressly apply to its employees.
7. An Individual who wishes to initiate an appeal beyond the twenty-one (21) day period must provide a written request stating the reasons for an exemption. The decision to allow, or not allow, an appeal outside of the twenty-one (21) day period will be at the sole discretion of the Case Manager and may not be appealed.
9. The Appellant bears the onus of proof and must demonstrate, on a balance of probabilities, the occurrence of one of the circumstances set out in Section 8 (eight) of this Policy and that such circumstances had, or may reasonably have had, a material effect on the decision or decision-maker.
10. Upon receiving the notice of the appeal, and all other information (outlined in the 'Timing of Appeal' section of this Policy), the Association will review the appeal and attempt to resolve the appeal by mediation.
12. If the appeal is denied on the basis of insufficient grounds, because it was not submitted in a timely manner, or because it did not fall under the scope of this Policy, the Appellant will be notified, in writing, of the reasons for this decision. This decision may not be appealed.
13. If the Case Manager is satisfied that the appeal should not be denied as provided in Section 12 (twelve) of this Policy, the Case Manager will appoint an Appeals Panel which shall consist of a single Panel Member to hear the appeal. At the discretion of the Case Manager, a Panel of three persons may be appointed to hear the appeal. In this event, the Case Manager will appoint one of the Panel's members to serve as the Chair.
14. The Case Manager shall notify the Parties that the appeal will be heard. The Case Manager shall then decide the format under which the appeal will be heard. This decision is at the sole discretion of the Case Manager and may not be appealed.
15. If a Party chooses not to participate in the hearing, the hearing will proceed in any event.
17. In fulfilling its duties, the Panel may obtain independent advice.
19. The Panel's written decision, with reasons, will be distributed to all Parties, the Case Manager, and the Association. In extraordinary circumstances, the Panel may first issue a verbal or summary decision soon after the hearing's conclusion, with the full written decision to be issued thereafter. The decision will be considered a matter of public record unless decided otherwise by the Panel.
20. The appeals process is confidential and involves only the Parties, the Case Manager, the Panel, and any independent advisors to the Panel. Once initiated and until a decision is released, none of the Parties will disclose confidential information to any person not involved in the proceedings.
21. Appeal decisions that are matters of public interest shall be publicly available with the names of the individuals redacted. Names of persons disciplined/affected may be disclosed to the extent necessary to give effect to any decision imposed.
22. The decision of the Panel will be binding on the Parties and on all Individuals associated with the Association.
23. No action or legal proceeding will be commenced against the Association or Individuals in respect of a dispute, unless the Association has refused or failed to provide or abide by the dispute resolution process and/or appeal process as set out in the Association's policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
14. This policy was approved by the Tennis Manitoba Board of Directors on Nov 24, 2016. It will be reviewed on an annual basis and may be amended, deleted or replaced by a resolution of the Board.


text:
'Dark Echoes' delivers immersive thrills
Nathan Snow
There is a problem with holiday-themed games: there are a bevy of them out there, but most were put together in a hurry and cease to be fun after the season. However, a cursory glance at the history of video games reveals an interesting pattern: a single Christmas season can make or break a studio.
Every gaming company has its do-or-die moment around the holidays. Each of these stories, the ones that end happily anyway, all feature an innovative game or console that amazes audiences with new features or gameplay. Thus, it's only fitting then that we turn our attention to a modern game that shares the same spirit of innovation.
Does everyone remember the line from "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" when Andy Williams sings about "scary ghost stories" in the middle of a Christmas song? I'd always wondered what that meant (a Dickens reference?) but then decided that perhaps something about the atmosphere in the middle of winter lends itself to spooky experiences, and "Dark Echoes" certainly fits the bill.
As the first word of its name implies, the game is decidedly minimalist, with you playing the part of essentially a blind person walking through a maze filled with pitfalls and treacherous creatures. For guidance you must rely both on what you hear and what you see on screen — visual representations of sound waves bouncing from your footsteps, claps or enemies off the walls, giving you a brief picture of your surroundings.
Navigating these labyrinths successfully requires constant attention and a steady constitution, for as soon as an enemy appears (seen in bright red sound waves) you have to escape as quickly as possible with few wrong turns.
However, once these mazes have been solved, there is very little reason to return, giving the game limited replay value.
While certainly innovative, "Dark Echoes" is by no means the first of its kind. The earlier "Papa Sangre II" offered a similar, if not even more immersive, experience through its use of your physical location to avoid obstacles and enemies. However, "Dark Echoes" is a more accessible playing experience, with the simple controls allowing anyone to quickly master the gameplay and leap into the mazes.
These mazes, while impressive, start off slowly during the tutorial missions but soon you are eagerly exploring, shrieking whenever a new enemy starts to chase you and exhaling with relief when you exit. For an added bonus, play the game at night with all the lights off.
While most of the gameplay does not contain any sensitive material, when an enemy catches you the result is a scream and some very realistic crunching sounds.
Nathan Snow is a freelance writer for Where It's @ Follow him on twitter @Snowbi_Wan
"Dark Echoes"
While perhaps not the most innovative game in history, "Dark Echoes" delivers immersive thrills for a reasonable price. Available on Android, Apple and Steam for less than $3.


Iam Nicholus Kai Haro from Kenya, I expedited my loan on 2nd November and was fully funded the same day, disbursement of KES 76,100 was done on 10th and the loan was KES 136,745. I was expecting the balance the following day after loan cost deduction but up to today 14 th November have not received the balance. The first disbursement still happened outside expedition period. Please advise.


Why No Blogger Has Ever Received Anything "For Free"
Today I want to address a common misconception about the blogging industry and one that has made me quietly seethe since I started my blogging journey four years ago.
And indeed, every time there's a backlash about our industry (take the unfortunate incident between Elle Woods and a certain Dublin hotel last year) the Daily Fail comments are full of people ranting and raving about how we're a spoiled bunch of talentless, entitled snowflakes.
Why even recently, we were publically shamed as being "detestable freeloaders" by the voice of a generation who simply don't understand the value in what we do.
But here's the thing – brands wouldn't pay millions of pounds every year in influencer marketing if that sh*t didn't work.
And whilst it may look like we're all living the high life going on press trips abroad, being gifted clothes or doing big collaborations, I want to talk about how absolutely nothing that any blogger has ever done has been "for free".
The entire notion of something being free means that you can take the offer of free cheese samples at the Christmas markets and eat it. If it's too sweet, too spicy, too cheesy for you then rejoice, as you are free to turn your back do absolutely nothing more.
But if you could only get the cheese sample if you were to spend hours of your time trying the cheese (1-2 hourss), taking photos and videos of the cheese (1-2 hours), then going home to spend yet more time editing those photos and videos (1-2 hours).
Not only that, but you then need to write a 500-1000 word article on the cheese (1-3 hours), with research and links to the cheesemaker's business AND then post all of the content you've created on all of your social media platforms (1-2 hours). Every last one of them.
Would that still be classed as free? Damn f*cking straight it wouldn't, because there has been a significant exchange of work involved. Anything from 4 – 10 hours worth of our time, in fact, for a review we're not being paid any actual money to write.
Something being FREE also requires there to be absolutely no work involved by you. That you take the product, the day or the experience and that's that, you never have to think about it again.
It takes YEARS of quality content to build up any kind of following on social media. And some brands and people think that your time AND being put in front of that audience is worth as little as the cost price of their product. Which in the cheesemakers case, is pennies.
But going to events and on fancy trips isn't actually work, right?
Yes, it is. Sure, blogging is incredibly fun. But is it possible to have a job that is hard work but also a lot of fun.
As with any job, there's a real, significant amount of pressure that comes with blogging. One that I've been hesitant to speak about for fear of the inevitable #firstworldproblem type comments that will ensue.
But even during the grandest of experiences, you can never fully relax until the job is done.
When I went on a press trip to Switzerland last year, it was one of the best experiences of my life to date. Was it fun?
Of course it was. But it wasn't a holiday. I had to go there and produce amazing content to justify the investment in sending me there. The only time I was "off the clock" to drink wine and eat cheese was at the end of the day when all activities had been done – just like any other job.
And I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling that pressure. It's the same when you go to events. If you go to an event and DON'T get good photos or coverage, then as far as your followers are concerned, you may as well not have gone.
It's time to accept that we will never be able to explain our industry to people who have been told that have to do a certain job, pick a certain career and then work their arses off doing long hours for the majority of their lives.
We will never be able to convince them that producing quality blogs, YouTube videos and other content is anything other than a narcissistic hobby.
If it hasn't happened by now, it ain't going to happen. Because there are case studies of success on every major brand's billboard – just look at Loreal's campaign with Lydia Millen, Victoria from InTheFrow and countless others.
Just walk into your local primark and see Alice Liveing's fitness range.
If influencer marketing didn't work, then why are these incredible, successful women on the covers of books and billboards and magazines at every turn?
And on a smaller scale, why are there are millions of bloggers who have started their little corners of the internet and with them, opened up a world of opportunities, friends and experiences for themselves.
Success is all relative to the person, and for smaller bloggers like me, even getting to work on collaborations with brands like Boohoo, Luxury Retreats and Simply Be has been a "pinch me" moment.
I count myself incredibly lucky to be in this industry and to hold some influence, no matter how small, on no matter how little a number of people.
And whereas on the one hand, I can understand the resentment towards blogging by older generations – when they see 20-somethings living their best lives, earning very good money, not constricted by the same societal norms and pressure that they've had hammered into them since a young age.
But on the other, the world is changing. I hope to god that when blogging's exciting, new equivalent comes around for young people when I'm their age, I'll encourage and embrace it rather than vilifying a whole generation for grasping the incredible opportunity that's been given to them.
And I'll certainly not be one of the people telling them to go and get "a real job".
We've already got one, part-time or full, and honestly, it's the best one in the world, thanks.
As always, thanks for reading my loves.


Agile development has quickly become the favoured method of project development in the workplace. It has replaced the old 'waterfall' or sequential methodologies for developing applications because it offers teams the ability to adapt and respond to unpredictability. This quality has allowed it to now become one of the most effective processes for both application development and cloud migration. However, the elements of Agile need to be fully understood, tested and adapted within your business to achieve the best outcome from the software development process.
The agile process involves developing in incremental, iterative work cadences known as sprints. These work by abbreviating life cycles of application development into smaller cycles and tasks. Each cycle includes own processes of designing, building and testing. At the end of each cycle – which is usually around 2 weeks - the direction and progress of the application is assessed. The assessment should be completed with a high level of stakeholder engagement to gain the most informed feedback which will help achieve the best future iterations and final product.
There is however a major difference between this methodology and the old waterfall process. Waterfall is based on the assumption that you can describe the end product to your team at the start of development and build a complete product from this brief. Agile works on using analysis of feedback to help you adapt to necessary changes and avoid the product becoming irrelevant by the time it is completed. This distinguishing feature is important because initial plans can often become irrelevant due to a high risk of either the architecture or requirements changing before the application has been completed. Both the waterfall and sequential methodologies would not allow you to then make the necessary alterations until the project is completed, wasting valuable time and money. The point of Agile development however, is to make assessments incrementally during development so you can adapt to any of these business changes as you build.
Additionally, the limited work cycle gives stakeholders an opportunity to build the right product. Through providing the opportunity to replan - as opposed to committing to market a piece of software that hasn't even been written yet - agile empowers teams to optimise value throughout development, and therefore hopefully stay ahead of the market. This is because updating a product's market relevance ensures it is purposeful when the time arrives to release it to consumers. In turn, maintaining the product's relevance and quality will ensure the best returns on your investment.
After working with a form of Agile for over 10 years I've learnt a few lessons regarding its implementation. Primarily I've discovered that while the Agile methodology has become integral to our development process at WorkingMouse, elements of it have to be adapted. Here are 5 little pieces of advice I would offer to anyone using or ready to use this methodology.
No company ever uses pure Agile; instead this is a methodology that should be customised to fit the needs of the business. When you research Agile you're likely to return with a prescribed workflow described in lots of specific detail. However, it would be ridiculous to follow this process exactly. Businesses are unique and will vary in terms of the people, work environment and goals. Therefore it would be unrealistic to expect there to be a generic methodology to fit every business. That's not to say that you should immediately scrap the parts of Agile that you want to avoid, but you should be customising the process based on agile understanding and experimentation.
Though there will be many arguments for either side, I can safely say I prefer to use variable length sprints as opposed to fixed length. This does mean moving away from the most common Agile approach - Scrum - but it also results in a number of advantages. The entire purpose of Agile is to allow for variation and unpredictability. Variable sprint lengths and the Kanban methodology allow you to adjust your goals for any unexpected occurrences. For this reason it may be more appropriate to consider moving away from Scrum.
Generally, Scrum recommends 2 week sprints for the Agile methodology. However, in my experience this is far too short of a time. 2 weeks limits the time available to obtain valuable feedback and utilise it to improve for the next sprint. Furthermore, developers given only 2 weeks to meet a target will often become stressed or at the very least fatigued. This in turn negatively affects the quality of the code they will produce. While it is important to work in sprints, the time period for these should be determined in a discussion with your developers so that it is set at a realistic and achievable goal.
Combining these two methodologies is becoming more common. One company has even suggested that its customers get to market 50% faster and are 25% more productive when they employ a hybrid of Lean and Agile development methods.
Working with Agile I have come to realise it is complimented by implementing lean ideologies. Even though the evaluation process at the end of the sprint is quite different, they still work together in the innovation process. Generally, Agile is at its most effective for small groups of developers, but elements of lean are becoming valuable in adapting it to suit bigger projects. In a lean system the work is broken into a set of value streams where the output of one value stream leads to others. A larger project can therefore apply Agile by creating value streams to organise development teams in sequential and parallel streams of work so that at the end of each iteration, you get a new version of the product.
Now, with the introduction of software bots in the industry we are able to generate on average around 90% of the target code. The last 10% is still handcrafted by a software engineer. The result of this is a significant reduction in time spent on development and testing. This increase in productivity can then shorten the time spent on each iteration and transfer to a real cost saving for businesses.
Agile methodology is constantly being developed through innovation. WorkingMouse has improved its utilisation of Agile through implementing software bots during the development process. In the past, each iteration in the Agile methodology ran cycles of the same processes. These cycles split software engineering into three repeated activities: business analysis, development and testing.
If your business is operating on legacy software, it is likely at some stage you will decide it is time to be moving to the cloud. However, if you don't break the project down into iterations or sprints, you will be sorely disappointed. Don't go for an entire system rewrite in one go. More to the point, you won't be able to rewrite your system in one go! If you are currently running users on your legacy system then a successful changeover to the cloud will need to be gradual and involve feedback to measure its effectiveness. Doing so will help you avoid numerous challenges associated with the migration process such as the cultural challenge and the technical challenge. To learn more about software migration challenges head here.
Overall, agile development is becoming an integral part of successful software development. This is because through collaborating with consumers you know that your business is developing the most relevant product for your market. If you can customise this methodology to help your business innovate, you can potentially save your business both time and money while maximising profits.


Spring is my favorite season for it always brings with it hope and daydreams. Spring is so close.
I have many new projects to look forward to that are inspiring my dreams today. I am excited to share them here as they grow and blossom into reality. I feel my spirit singing with the idea of it all like the singing birds I here outside my window in the morning. I hope you are blessed with inspiration as Spring time quickly makes its way to warm our toes and brighten our days.