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Let us know everything about you and your company and we will come up with the best possible strategy and approach to social platforms.
Check out how your competitors are engaging with their followers to pick up a few tricks and see what you can do better.
Find out what are your potential follower's interests, hobbies and habits, and you'll easily locate them on any social network.
We will agree on the best approach and decide whether you wish to be highly professional or casually friendly.
Define whether you want to simply grow brand awareness or make more direct sales pitches via your company's social profile.
Depending on the type of your business and target audience, we will opt for the social media platform where you can reach the right people.
Find people who could be your industry peers in order to exchange ideas and potentially build successful business partnerships.
Define your buyer persona and use their personality traits to discover them in different social media groups and pages.
Set up a company profile on all prospective social platforms and make sure to include all the relevant details about your business.
Decide on the best type of posts to publish and attract greater audience - whether it is textual or graphic, highly professional or friendly.
Stay connected at all times in order to provide followers with instant feedback, answer their questions and note their recommendations, thus building brand loyalty.
Monitor mentions of your brand outside your official company social pages and profiles to see where else people are discussing about your brand.
Green Web Marketing keeps its clients in the loop regarding state of the social media marketing campaign, continually informing of any milestones or changes.
While we are available at all times to provide info on your social media profiles, we create a monthly report on the goals achieved in the previous period.
We take into consideration your thoughts and ideas on future social media campaigns that may boost your company's reputation and revenue.
After collecting the campaign performance data, we consider possible adjustments that might improve your social media marketing efforts.
Social media platforms enable you to get feedback from your users in real time. Monitoring their comments and behaviour, you can find out how they feel about your business. We have a team dedicated to monitoring their reactions and devising content and promotion solutions accordingly.
Almost 60% of social media users say that customer service they used on social media enabled them to get some answers and resolve issues. Being at your followers' disposal at all times will aid in building brand loyalty.
On social media you have the opportunity to utilise the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Namely, more than 70% of social media users say that a positive interaction with a brand on any platform made them recommend that same brand to others. Evidently, great social media management and focus on positive interaction with followers maximises your chances of customer acquisition.
If you choose to collaborate with us, you can rest assured you will be in good company - check out some of the brands that we work with.
Check out the table below, and just see what makes our professional social media marketing services a cut above the rest:
Facebook has more than 1,400 million global users, and more than half of them follow their favourite brands. As such, it represents an ideal platform to get to know your customers better, interact with them, give a personal touch to your business and enjoy the benefits of viral social media promotion of a product or service. It is an ideal network for micro-targeting ads by age, gender, or interests, thus reaching out to your prospective clients.Start linkedin ADS
With over 700 million monthly users, Instagram represents a dense network of potential customers for your business. In these modern times, it represents a perfect platform to engage with your community through captivating visuals. Why would you transform all your articles to attractive images? Because visual posts proved to perform almost 650% better than any other form of plainly textual content.Start linkedin ADS
If you are aiming to establish long-term partnerships with prominent business professionals, LinkedIn and its close to 400 million international members is a great starting point. It is a powerful tool for establishing new connections, building a brand and generating leads. It is a true game-changer of B2B companies. More than 60% of international business owners say they use the platform and that it has helped them grow their reputation - don't you want the same for you?Start linkedin ADS
YouTube is the second largest search engine, and with the dynamic video content slowly overpowering the textual one, it became the platform everybody wanted to be a part of. Whether you want to show a 360-view of your product in action, or talk in greater detail about a service - YouTube is a place to do it in a matter of minutes. It enables you to reach out to busy customers who are always on the go and have no time to sit down and read a lengthy article.Start linkedin ADS
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One of the most important aspects of marketing is simply getting recognized. With proper social media marketing, you can do just that. By utilising social media properly, you will be able to get your company in front of a huge audience. They will know you exist and will be able to gain better insight into your work.
The best social media marketing in Brisbane allows you to communicate with your audience better. You will learn what makes your audience tick and bridge the divide that can be found between you. Social media marketing gives you a clear line of communication with your users and clients, allowing them to give you feedback and reviews clearly directly.
Don't make the mistake of obsessing over traffic, while neglecting conversions. Conversions should be your primary goal, everything should lead to their generation. Using social media, you can get higher conversions through calls to action, clear communication, feedback, as well as with advertisements and contests.
CEO & Founder of Hoselink & True Protein
There are a million things I could say about GWM. They have a very strong understanding of best current practices with a genuine passion for you to succeed.
CEO & Founder of Breakthrough Corporate Training
The talented people at GWM Ranked our website on Page #1 of Google for our main keywords such as 'Corporate Training' in only two months.
CEO & Founder of Total Appliance Repair Centre
GWM team is outstanding. Within a short period of time, we have 18 keywords on Page #1 of Google which is an outstanding result and good return on investment.
No problem! Our years of expertise and dedication to our clients have helped us create strong relationships with numerous brands! Since they were more than satisfied with our services, they provided us with great references to reward our trustworthiness. You are more than welcome to check out some examples of our work on our website.
We generally assist small businesses from Australia in bringing their visions into existence, however, we do work with firms and businesses of different sizes. Therefore, regardless of whether you have a startup, a small business, or an enterprise, feel free to request our services without hesitation.
Put in simple terms, this specific type of marketing implies the employment of different social media platforms in order to build a stronger brand-audience relationship. Through platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn and the like, businesses are able to build and improve their reputation, boost their purchase rates, and draw more organic traffic to their own websites. This is achieved through regular sharing of top-notch, valuable content, remaining engaged with your brand's followers and aware of their needs, posting advertisements on the given platforms, etc.
Naturally, every business investment is a choice, not an obligation. However, in the case of social media marketing, it has been shown countless times that not opting for it is a rather unwise decision. For example, what kind of message is a business that does not want to invest in such an important aspect of Internet exposure sending to (potential) customers? Moreover, by denying your brand this kind of online presence, you are only making it easier for your competitors.
By opting for social media marketing, you will be getting more organic traffic to your brand website, as well as introducing and presenting your brand to a larger audience. In addition, you will have better rankings in search-engine results thereby getting higher sales rates and making sure your competitors do not steal the spotlight. Social media marketing is also a highly cost-effective way to boost your brand's reputation and keep your existing and future followers and customers interested and satisfied with your outreach and offers.
A meticulously planned social media marketing campaign will produce favourable results. If your previous experience was a letdown, the reasons must be lying in the way that campaign was structured and executed. What must be pointed out here is that we can analyse the omissions and flaws in the previous marketing attempt and then suggest any necessary improvements and changes to help your business bloom.
Yes, we can continue an ongoing campaign. However, it is important to mention that parts of its structure may have to be altered because we want the campaign to be as effective as possible.
The answer to this question varies and depends on the brand. Every business has a unique vision, unique preferences, ideas, offers. With that in mind, we always like to get to know our client and their brand really well before choosing a particular platform. For example, if the products or services you offer would be better presented and more appealing to the Internet audience via visual content, platforms like Instagram would be a wise move.
Of course! After we have planned a suitable social media campaign for you, we will create the necessary accounts for you (in case you do not already have them), as this is absolutely essential for targeting and building an audience, growing brand awareness, and eventually getting you to your goals.
You can measure the success of your campaign by paying attention to changes in metrics indicating traffic, customers, leads, etc. So, it does not differ much from tracking success in other marketing activities. Increased numbers of followers and website visitors then lead to most tangible results, which are perhaps the most significant indicator of success. Naturally, we are talking about how many of them turn out to be (regular) paying customers and genuine leads, and the alteration in purchase rates.
First, we need to emphasise that your advertising budget is not the same as our management or service fee. You will need to have a separate budget for your advertising campaign. After our meeting and when we have become acquainted with your brand and goals, we will give our estimation of a (lowest) budget that ought to get you the desired results.
Yes, we do take into account your opinions as it is in our best interest to build a relationship of trustworthiness and respect with every client. We consult our clients during the process so as to develop a campaign which will both reflect their passion and ideas, and implement our professional experience.
Sending monthly reports certainly is part of our obligation to you as a client, as there needs to exist transparency into the progress your investment is bringing you. You will be able to be acquainted with the numbers of leads, followers, impressions (number of times your ads are viewed), website visits, etc. Moreover, since we want our clients to be able to truly rely on us, if there is a particular piece of information you want specially elaborated in your report, let us know and we will undoubtedly take it into account while writing it.
We expect the monthly payments to be made in advance. It is also important for us to mention that we do not accept payment on performance. However, we do not lock you into a contractual obligation toward us, so you can back out at any point in case you do not find our campaign to be taking you closer to your goals. We do always advise our clients to remain patient with social media campaigns for approximately six months before drawing any fixed conclusions on their actual effectiveness.
Many consider the job of a social media marketing team to be fairly simple, so they think that there is no need for requesting professional help. However, only professionals can know the full transformative effect that social media platforms can have when it comes to boosting business success. For example, our marketing specialists have to remain engaged with your online community and followers, raise brand awareness and properly identify your target audience and customers. In addition, they need to develop great strategies both for content and for brand promotion, while also taking into account what the audience would want to read or find visually appealing, create social media ads, keep track of the campaign progress and changing numbers, and so on and so forth. And that is just a fragment of it.
The amount of time you will have to wait for visible results is dependent on a number of factors. It depends of your current brand awareness level, budget, competitors and their efforts, the industry your business belongs to, and the like. Furthermore, it also depends on the chosen areas of focus in your marketing campaign, as well as the goals you have set out to reach (more ambitious goals take longer to achieve).
Stay up-to-date with the latest industry news and keep up with your competitors.
1/2 Macquarie St,
Prahran, VIC 3181
2/2 Pittwin Rd N,
Capalaba QLD 4157
702/ 122 Walker Street,
North Sydney NSW 2060
Dunavska 13
21000 Novi Sad, Serbia


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|Top Online Data Backup Rankings
Expansion brings local storage talent and cloud experts together while fueling Swiftstack's expansion
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Feb. 17, 2016 — /BackupReview.info/ — SwiftStack, the leader in a new breed of object storage, today announced the opening of its new Innovation Center in San Jose, Calif. Strategically based in a storage industry hot spot, with a wealth of veteran storage talent, the Innovation Center will focus on cloud storage advancement and serve as a second design center for software development teams.
"Based on our rapidly growing community of enterprise customers, SwiftStack is the fastest growing object storage company in the industry," said Don Jaworski, SwiftStack CEO. "As we go through this expansion, San Jose in the south bay has the highest concentration of storage expertise to complement the cloud expertise available in San Francisco. We believe our new Silicon Valley Innovation Center with new local talent will further accelerate our growth and development of our storage technology that provides customers with the characteristics of public cloud storage from within their own data centers."
The new facility will also feature a customer briefing center space to showcase technology demonstrations, that will also serve as a collaboration space for development partners in the technology ecosystem. At the same time, SwiftStack continues to scale its San Francisco headquarters office by investing in sales, marketing, support, as well as engineering.
In addition to an official ribbon-cutting today at 11:00 a.m., SwiftStack will host a hiring event at its main San Francisco location this evening from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. as part of the Developer Week partner activities. The event will allow attendees to interview for jobs at both the new Innovation Center as well as other open positions at SwiftStack headquarters, receive a tour and meet with SwiftStack founders and engineering leadership.
"This new engineering location will continue to help SwiftStack attract top talent in the industry as we advance the state of the art of object storage for today's and tomorrow's applications," said Anders Tjernlund, SwiftStack founder and COO. "We immediately saw a spike in inbound job applications from veteran storage engineers the moment word of this Innovation Center got out on the job boards."
The SwiftStack Silicon Valley Innovation Center address is: 1054 South De Anza Boulevard San Jose, CA 95129
About SwiftStack
Source: SwiftStack
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Eric Schiller Dies at 63: "Will be Remembered for His Love of Chess"
Eric Schiller, author, coach, organizer and FIDE Master, died on November 3, 2018 of cardiovascular disease, after long illness. One of the game's most prolific authors and engaging personalities, Eric's loss is deeply felt in the chess community. International Master Dr. Anthony Saidy called Schiller, "a unique chess figure, linguist by training, assistant to Kasparov, FIDE master, author of innumerable books, organizer, teacher, of indomitable will and optimism till the end."
International Master John Donaldson told CLO that he would be sorely missed.
Eric Schiller will be remembered for his love of chess. He was involved in the game in many ways: as a player (FIDE Master), tournament director (International arbiter), organizer (over two dozen norms tournaments as well as the 1983 World Student Team Championship in Chicago and the 1998 US Open in Kona, Hawaii), prolific writer and teacher of thousands of kids. Eric was well-known for his generosity in helping others even in the last decade of his life when he struggled with serious health problems.
Hal Bogner, a close friend of Eric's, informed the chess community of Schiller's death. "I've lost one of my closest friends ever, of almost 40 years, and I'm sure many here share this loss with his mom and five sisters and brothers. I hope many anecdotes can be shared here, and we can celebrate his great spirit, which he maintained even in the years since his initial losses due to diabetes."
Hal Bogner also pointed out that as the World Championship begins this week, we can think back to Eric's contributions to World Championship history in London. He was press chief in 1986 and 1993 and arbiter in the 2000 match between Kramnik and Kasparov.
Eric's adventurous chess style is evident in this victory over International Master Jonathan Schroer.
Eric, who was born on March 20, 1955, is survived by his mother, Marlene and all of his five siblings, sisters Wendy, Mary and Elizabeth and brothers James and John.
Among the remembrances on social media was National Master and musician Alex King, who will be expanding on his words for the January edition of Chess Life Magazine: "I will always remember his World Champion Openings (1997), which I bought at a scholastic national tournament in 1999 or 2000 and enjoyed and treasured for years. I think many chessplayers have had a similar guilty pleasure for his books at some point in their development. thanks to Schiller, who wasn't afraid to love big and fail big for chess."
Please feel free to share your own memories as a comment.


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A new development called TIDES is being built by NCB Group and will feature spectacular oceanfront luxury condominiums on the shores of South Sound. Comprised of 25 residences, TIDES will have two to five-bedroom floor plans ranging from 1,800 to 3,500 square feet. The development is due to break ground in January 2016.
NCB Group
t: 946-9622
w: ncbgroup.ky


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Bad Hiring Decisions Can Be Costly
Making a bad hiring decision can be very costly. A recent survey by Career Builder reported more than two-thirds of employers were affected by a bad hire last year. Of nearly 2,700 employers surveyed, 41% estimate a single bad hire cost $25,000; a quarter estimate a bad choice cost $50,000 or more — not to mention the demoralizing effect on other employees and on the new hire.
Identifying A Strong Cultural Fit
In a recent Harvard Business Review blog post by David K. Williams and Mary Michelle Scott of Fishbowl Inventory Software they noted that they had reduced "bad hiring decisions" dramatically by screening candidates using a list of personal characteristics they call the Non-Negotiables. These personal characteristics have become the primary criteria for hiring decisions — things they value even more than skills and background. The seven Non-Negotiables are Respect, Belief, Loyalty, Commitment, Trust, Courage and Gratitude.
Asking candidates to explain situations in their lives that reflect these characteristics, allows those involved in the interview process to make hiring decisions on how well the individual matches a company's culture. Fishbowl also asks the same questions of the individual's references — not the references they list on their resume, but of their former co-workers and supervisors that they identify.
According to Williams and Scott this has led to some unusual hires with less developed skill sets, but a stronger overall fit. They note that the hires that typically have the longest tenures are the ones that match culturally, rather than always being the most technically qualified.
So what are your Non-Negotiables?
Identifying and screening for Non-Negotiable traits that represent your culture will lead to higher job retention rates. If not the qualities identified by Williams and Scott, how about characteristics where candidates talk about how they handled change, a stressful work situation, or where they presented new ideas? Determining if someone is willing to take chances, push back on the status quo, and contribute to building a better business can identify future leaders.
One Cautionary Note
Selecting new employees based on specific value characteristics works only if those values are truly reflected in the culture of your organization. If there is a disconnect between the values that are stated and those exhibited, all the work put into the selection process will be for naught.


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JUST FOR GRINS This category is pretty self-explanatory. I wanted to add a little humor, you've heard the saying a picture is worth 1,000 words & I agree. I'm also of the opinion that a smile &/or a good laugh is worth a lot of frowns &/or moans & groans. .
Archive for the 'Humor' Category
October 15th, 2019 Beverly Kracke


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Do I need to Count Calories to Lose Weight? Here is another common question. The short answer is no. You do not need to count calories to lose weight. This is what the diet industry is hoping. For Jenny Craig to make money, you mustn't count calories. If you did, why would you buy a meal kit from her?
Do I need to count calories to lose weight?
This is the dirty secret of every diet plan. Every diet is a fancy plan designed to make you consume less calories than you burn. Weight Watchers user points to force you to stay in your caloric range easily. Atkins has you cut out carbohydrates and fill up on more filling meats and cheeses, while also help you lose water weight (Which makes the scale move quicker). Nutrisystem is a meal plan designed to have you eat less calories than you need, without making you count. Do I need to Count Calories to Lose Weight? Find out.
Can I lose weight without counting calories?
Yes. But you must pay someone to count them for you. The fact is, although we have different activity levels and hormones, all diets are based around having you eat less calories than you use. If a diet does not work, it is because what food it is restricting just does not work for you, and you should restrict another type of calorie.
When setting out on a diet, you will be counting something. Calories would be easy for some people. But the negative is accuracy. It is nearly impossible to judge food without weighting it and looking up what you are eating. Before cell phones, this was impossible. Now with smart phones and apps, we can get a rough idea. It is still not accurate enough for most people.
This is where a diet plan which does the counting for you. Then you will just be counting the dollars leave your bank account. If you are getting lost with the numbers, a diet plan like Weight Watchers may work better for you.
Weight Watchers is designed to give every food a simple number value. You are allowed points in a day. Once you hit your quota, you stop eating. It is straight forward and to the point. Plus, with the app they now have, you can find a point value for almost anything.
What if I do not want to count?
If you are opposed to counting calories, or counting anything, then you need to figure out what will work best for you individually. Popular diet options would be something like Atkins, which restricts carbohydrates. This in turn will have you consume less calories than your body burns, and you will lose weight. This is unless you eat butter by the stick.
Other options would be something like Paleo, focusing on not consuming food which is processed. The problem for this type of diet in weight loss is it is up the dieter to pick and choose everything they eat, and the choices may be even more calorie dense than what they were eating before.
This type of diet, or a life style diet, is what you need to work on for the long-term weight loss strategy. Once you lose weight, you either need to keep it off or plan on losing it again. Unless you want to count calories your entire life, you need to find a diet strategy which you can stick with. The question should not be, Do I need to Count Calories to Lose Weight, and should be, "If I count calories, can I keep the weight off?"
Find all the resources used in this article and the scientific basis of all our article at The Science Behind Fitness.


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3 Things to know when choosing an oral appliance for a sleep disorder
The purpose of an oral device is to keep your airway open by either repositioning your jaw forward or preventing your tongue from shifting to the rear of your mouth and blocking airways. Before you hop in the car to get yourself one, it's vital that you have a thorough sleep study and health assessment completed to determine exactly what sleep disorder is affecting you.
If an oral appliance for sleep disorders is an appropriate option for you, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a device.
1. Get a custom fit
The oral appliance your friend uses may not be a correct choice for your situation. Your oral appliance needs to be designed to treat your sleep disorder and must be custom fitted for your oral cavity structure. A poorly fitted device is uncomfortable and can cause mouth sores or pain. A mass-produced oral device will not fit as well as a custom crafted device will.
2. Make it ajustable
Adjustable appliances are highly recommended, as they do not need routine adjustments that rigid appliances need and they allow for more accurate positioning of the jaw. If a patient with a rigid device fails to visit their dentist to maintain proper adjustment, teeth will shift and move out of place. This causes the device to fit poorly and reduces the effectiveness.
3. Your sports mouth guard won't work
3. Over the counter mouth guards, or custom made sports mouth guards, are not designed to treat sleep disorders. They are used to protect player's teeth while competing in sporting events not as an oral device for sleep disorders. These and other home remedies are not recommended as they could worsen the problem or damage your teeth.
Learn more
If you would like to learn more about sleep disorders, please download my free e-book. Finding out how to treat your sleep disorder effectively, will help you get back to restful sleep.


text: The Versace label is renowned for a luxurious glamour that has always tip-toed along the cutting edge of sensual sophistication and edgy elegance. Versace eyewear is made with only the highest quality materials, and it is designed to reflect the urbane and impeccable taste of the style-savvy face behind the frame. Supple curves, clean lines, and truly fashion-forward styles are the hallmark of the Versace brand, and Versace eyeglasses and sunglasses uphold Versace's distinguished legacy. Due to manufacturer's restrictions, Versace products cannot be shipped to Australia.


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This has been seen that the dosage of every user or bodybuilder may vary, if they are developing their own cycle. Some of the cycles include equipoise, else it is known as the Boldenone undecylenate. This drug is not meant to be taken by the bodybuilders taking it for the very first time. The users are recommended to know, as more as they can about the side effects, benefits as well as the dosage recommendations of equipoise that are associated to it.
It is considered that the side effects provided by equipoise are similar to the side effects of the testosterone. Before developing an equipoise cycle, its users are suggested to keep in mind that its intake contributes to a number of estrogen-like side effects on the users, which depends on their individual reactions to it. This drug needs not to be injected every day, as it has a long half-life. IT is being told that if equipoise is taken in high doses for longer periods of time, it will definitely give rise to the development of its estrogenic side effects.
The individuals in their beginning cycle are supposed to take their dosage by dividing it into two or three evenly spaced injections, whereas the experienced users can get it injected at once. The dosage of the steroid can be increased or decreased gradually. This also depends upon the circumstances associated with it. There are several stacks of equipoise that are available online. Some of them are listed below:
- Anavar
- Equipoise
- Nolvadex
- Arimidex
- Testosterone cypionate
The dosage recommendations for a cycle of equipoise or any of the given stacks are quite extreme for a beginner. The users are suggested to take 600mg of the steroid weekly along with a weekly injection of testosterone cypionate for 15 weeks. The problems with the cycle of equipoise are that it will shut down in the natural production of testosterone. The individuals must always remember that it is a veterinary grade steroid, which is not meant to be used by the human beings.
The equipoise can be taken alone or by stacking it with other substances. This is a derivative of dihydrotestosterone. This is a steroid, which is responsible for the maintenance as well as development of male sex features. The users must take it with a precaution, as its intake always does not prove fruitful and beneficial. The components that are constituted in a bodybuilding cycle are chosen, as per their own choice. This is often combined with other forms of testosterone and is taken by the intermediate or beginning users. The users must also be cautious with the dosage of the steroid. The users must keep in mind that taking high doses for a longer period of time may contribute to severe side effects. The users can get charts and dosage recommendations on online websites as well as forum discussion board groups. These dosages are different, as per the level of the users.


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"If one drop of corruption makes the purest water worthless, as the slightest savour of bitterness spoils the most delicate viands, how can it be that the word of truth and holiness can proceed profitably from impure lips and an earthly heart? No; as is the tree, so is the fruit; 'beware of false prophets,' says our Lord; and then He adds, 'from their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?' Is it not so, my brethren? which of you would go to ask counsel of another, however learned, however gifted, however aged, if you thought him unholy? nay, though you feel and are sure, as far as absolution goes, that a bad priest could give it as really as a holy priest, yet for advice, for comfort, for instruction, you would not go to one whom you did not respect. 'Out of the abundance of the heart, mouth speaketh;' 'a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil'.
So then is it in the case of the soul; but, as regards the Blessed Mary, a further thought suggests itself. She has no chance place in the Divine Dispensation; the Word of God did not merely come to her and go from her; He did not pass through her, as He visits us in Holy Communion. It was no heavenly body which the Eternal Son assumed, fashioned by the angels, and brought down to this lower world: no; He imbibed, He absorbed into His Divine Person, her blood and the substance of her flesh; by becoming man of her, He received her lineaments and features, as the appropriate character in which He was to manifest Himself to mankind. The child is like the parent, and we may well suppose that by His likeness to her was manifested her relationship to Him. Her sanctity comes, not only of her being His mother, but also of His being her son. 'If the first fruit be holy,' says St. Paul, 'the mass also is holy; if the mass be holy, so are the branches.' And hence the titles which we are accustomed to give her. He is the Wisdom of God, she therefore is the Seat of Wisdom; His Presence is Heaven, she therefore is the Gate of Heaven; He is infinite Mercy, she then is the Mother of Mercy. She is the Mother of 'fair love and fear, and knowledge and holy hope'; is it wonderful then that she has left behind her in the Church below 'an odour like cinnamon and balm, and sweetness like to choice myrrh'?" - Venerable John Henry Newman, C.O. , "On the Fitness of the Glories of Mary", Discourses to Mixed Congregations


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AUCTION RESULT – 7 The Nook, Balwyn North – SOLD $1,100,000 – 5 March 2011
This updated 1940's home in Balwyn High School Zone recently sold at auction for $1,100,000. To see more of this beautifully maintained property, take a look at http://tiny.cc/6d25p
Here's what the happy vendors had to say after the auction: "When it came to time to sell our home we had no hesitation in contacting Tim Heavyside at Fletchers to handle the sale. Tim had sold us our home 9 years ago, and we had been impressed by his professionalism, honesty and integrity. After our initial meeting with Tim we were confident that we would have a successful outcome.
Tim, Jennifer Ellett and their team made it all so easy. Their knowledge of prospective buyers for the area was extremely insightful with regard to the marketing campaign for the property. The contact and feedback from the Fletchers team, particularly Jennifer, was constant, honest and reassuring. We can't thank them enough for their endless assistance in selling our home and making the whole process seem effortless.
The result achieved was outstanding, and way above our expectations. We would highly recommend them for their professionalism, eagerness, optimism, honesty and integrity." – Michael & Maureen.
AUCTION RESULT – 915 Canterbury Rd Box Hill, Sold – $955,000 5 March 2011
This award-winning Edwardian home on 662 sqm approx sold at auction recently for $955,000. Take a closer look at this beautiful property at http://tiny.cc/9051u
Here's what the happy vendors had to say after the auction: "To the Team at Fletchers,
We are delighted with the service we have received from Jason Salan and Tim Heavyside on the sale of our Box Hill house. They, together with their team, provided an extremely professional level of service and delivered on all they promised.
They followed up on all interested parties and we believe it was this tenacity that sold the property, for reserve, in a somewhat turbulent market.
The marketing Fletchers offers is first rate and sets it apart from the other Real Estate Agents.
Jason should also be commended on "working" our relationship over many years. Approximately 5 years ago we had Jason visit us to get his advice on a proposed renovation. He gave some great advice which we still thank him for, he even visited us after the renovation to see the result. When it came time to sell the property Jason Salan was our first choice as he had built a great relationship with us over the years.
Yours Sincerely, Sue-Ann and Richard"
AUCTION RESULT – 26 Cadorna St Box Hill South – SOLD $778,000 12 March 2011
This rare development site (STCA) of 729sqm approx was sold at Auction recently, with competitive bidding from 8 bidders resulting in a fabulous sale at $778,000. For more information on this property, take a look online at http://tiny.cc/7lnyv
Here's what the vendors had to say following the auction: "The thought of selling our family home was an emotionally daunting, yet necessary process that we had to go through. Tim Heavyside, together with Alan Bramich, made this process far leses stressful with their professionalism, honesty and approachability. Their professional aproach and attitude were refreshing and much appreciated. Their knowledge of prospective buyers for the area was also extremely insightful with regard to the marketing strategy of the property.
We can't thank them enough for their endless assistance in selling our home and making the whole process seem effortless.
We highly recommend Tim, Alan and their team at Fletchers if you are considering selling your home. Once again, thank you so much." – The Jones Family
The finished version of the sold-magazine.com.au article I posted recently
Last week I gave everyone a sneak peek at an article I was interviewed for, for online real estate magazine Sold.
Here's the published article, complete with "auction action" photo. SOLD Article
REIA Awards Night Next Thursday, at the Marriott on the Gold Coast
Hi all. I can't believe that this time next week I'll know how I went at the REIA (Real Estate Institute of Australia) National Awards For Excellence. I'll be sure to let everyone know the outcome, and hopefully have some great photos from the black tie event.
I'm really looking forward to getting up to the Gold Coast, and catching up with our new Mermaid Beach office. Here's a little promo they are running, kindly welcoming me to the Gold Coast. https://timheavyside.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/mermaid-beach-promo-24-mar-2011.pdf
Article on Deceased Estates in last Saturday's The Age Domain section
For those of you unable to get to AREC this year, I thought I'd post a copy of my profile from the brochure, for your information.


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Rep. Jody Hice (R) currently represents residents of Georgia's 10th Congressional district (GA10) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Hice is running against challenger Tabitha Johnson-Green (D) in the November 6, 2018 midterm election.
No position statement on climate change
Hice does not have a position statement on climate change.
He opposes regulating carbon dioxide and is against government subsidies to develop wind and solar energy solutions.
Supports domestic on- and offshore drilling and the Keystone XL pipeline
In his position statement on energy and natural resources, Hice states:
Energy & Natural Resources
Congressman Hice fully supports an all-of-the-above energy approach to promote American energy independence. This includes using the nation's vast resources of oil, natural gas, clean coal technology, wind, solar, and nuclear. Together, the use of all of the resources we have at our disposal will help create jobs and grow our economy. Most importantly, this approach will reduce our dependence for energy from hostile foreign countries.
Furthermore, as a member of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee within the House Natural Resources Committee, Congressman Hice is proud to support efforts to expand our domestic energy exploration, both on and offshore in an environmentally safe way. This will further our goal of American energy independence, while generating revenue for the federal and state governments without having to raise taxes. Congressman Hice strongly supports President Trump's reauthorization of the Keystone XL pipeline, which will bring an additional 830,000 barrels of oil into the country every day.
Energy production is particularly important to our community and Congressman Hice is proud that Georgia is home to Plant Vogtle, which is the site of the first two nuclear reactors to be built in the United States in over thirty years. Once complete, the construction of reactors 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle will provide Georgians with yet another source of safe, clean energy, while keeping prices low for consumers.
The 10th Congressional District is home to an abundance of natural resources. Over 2,000 workers in the Kaolin mining and processing industry call the 10th District home, and the industry contributes an estimated $771 million to our State's economy and roughly $194 million to our district alone.
As an avid outdoorsman, Hice is proud to serve on the House Natural Resources Committee and is committed to ensuring that our true national treasures – our parks and forests – remain vibrant so that our children and grandchildren can experience the same opportunities to enjoy these lands as our parents and grandparents. Our district contains lush forests, including the Oconee District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest that millions of visitors frequent for fly fishing, backpacking, camping, and hunting every year. Outside of protected land, our district has a rich and vibrant forestry industry with approximately 3.25 million acres of forest lands and 25 wood processing mills. The forestry industry contributes an estimated $84 million to the economy of the 10th District alone and an average of $448 million state-wide in state tax revenue each year.
Anti-environmental voting record
Hice's voting record shows a history of casting anti-environmental votes.
Washington, D.C. Office
324 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4101
Fax: (202) 226-0776
Milledgeville District Office
3015 Heritage Road, Suite 6
Milledgeville, GA 31061
Phone: (478) 457-0007
Fax: (478) 451-2911
Monroe District Office
100 Court Street
Monroe, GA 30655
Phone: (770) 207-1776
Fax: (770) 266-6751
Thomson District Office
210 Railroad Street
City-County Administration Building, Room 2401
Thomson, GA 30824
Phone: (770) 207-1776
Fax: (770) 266-6751
Our members of Congress are in the best position to solve climate change. Know where your candidates stand on climate change—and vote climate!


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2006 04 02
Building the ROM Crystal - Status 23
The ROM Crystal continues its slow and surprisingly graceful - for a major construction project - evolution. The exterior cladding is now being added. I cycled down Bloor Street late yesterday afternoon for the first time in a while and was surprised by my visceral first impression of the surface. It's lead. For a building called a "crystal" that might seem like a pejorative observation. Stay with me and keep an open mind while I continue.
From the beginning, the crystal reference generated two distinct expectations: The first was of a glass-like transparency and the second a crystalline physical shape. Both the architect and the ROM soon made public pronouncements that the skin was not going to be all glass. Some critics were disappointed but others, more familiar with the tectonic constraints of building, championed the crystal's shape as an inviting contrast to the ROM's existing formality.
I'm in the second camp because of the museum's curatorial needs - not all display spaces need that much light. So, the impression of looking at a mostly opaque cladding is not too surprising in that context. Plus, there's a sense of promise because the crystal does not reveal its contents in one glance. There's also another reason to appreciate the "lead" reference. Toronto's cultural renaissance is a multi-generation process that will never truly end. In many ways it is a story about taking some base elements - like community, creativity, audiences, education, government, money, strategy, influence - and combining them in just the right way to achieve an alchemic conversion: Turning lead into gold.
One of our readers pointed out that this Lead coloured material is not the final surface. Another voiced the opinion that my alchemy metaphor sucks. Let's blame it on today's time change. Editor
[email this story] Posted by R Ouellette on 04/02 at 01:43 PM
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Ex-Lundin Norway head nominated for Sevan board of directors
Sevan Marine has proposed the appointment of a former Lundin Petroleum executive to its board of directors, to replace board member Kjetil Sjursen.
Sjursen, who has served as a director of Sevan Marine ASA since May 21, 2015, has informed Sevan's Nomination Committee that he's not available for re-election, despite having been nominated.
In a statement on Thursday, the Norwegian designer of offshore facilities thanked Sjursen for "valuable contributions during the period he has served on the Board of Directors."
As a replacement for Sjursen, Sevan Marine's board nomination committee has proposed Torstein Sann, a former Managing Director of Lundin Petroleum Norway.
He served as the Managing Director there from 2004 to April 2015, when he was elected Chairman of the same company until March 2017. He then moved to the board of International Petroleum Corp., another Lundin Group company.
"Under his leadership Lundin Norway turned into one of the most successful players on the NCS and added net discovered resources of close to a billion boe to its portfolio," reads a statement by Sevan.
Sannes is a a graduate of the Norwegian Institute of Technology in Trondheim where he obtained a Master of Engineering (geology, geophysics and mining engineering). He also serves as a board member for TGS, the world's largest geoscience data company,
Nomination Committee proposed that Erling Øverland (chairman), Peter Lytzen, Ingvild Sæther, and Kathryn M. Baker be re-elected to the board at the Annual General Meeting of the company scheduled for May 24. Torstein Sanness is the only new member of the board proposed by the Committee. If elected, the directors will serve on the board until the AGM in 2018.
Offshore Energy Today staff


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Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita (east coast)
Package includes:*
- Economy class return ticket on Emirates Airlines
- Return airport transfers.
- 3 Nights stay for two adults in one double room.
- Daily Breakfast.
Bonus offers: Transfers in Dubai, upgrade on selected hotels & welcome amenities
Hotel Information:
- Surrounded by tropical lush gardens and the crystalline waters of the Indian Ocean, the Four Seasons Resort Mauritius includes 4 pools. It offers complimentary use of the golf course designed by Ernie Els.
Location: The town of Bel Air is 3 km away, while Port Louis' city centre is 46 km away. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport is 33 km from the property, and a shuttle service can be arranged upon request.
Rooms: The Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita offers elegantly decorated villas with private gardens. They all come with a TV with DVD player and an iPod/iPhone docking station. Some include a private pool.
Activities: Guests can wake up and enjoy a relaxing yoga session, or head to the wellness centre for a massage or a beauty treatment. Daily snorkelling excursions are also organized by the staff.
Restaurants: The on-site restaurant offers a variety of dishes, mixing the local tradition and fresh fish with continental classics. Cooking classes with the resort's chefs are also available.
Rating: This property also has one of the best-rated locations in Trou d' Eau Douce! Guests are happier about it compared to other properties in the area.Couples particularly like the location. That's why they rated the surroundings 8.9 out of 10 after their stay.
Special requests: If you want to request something specific, you can do that in the next step, before you book. Once you book, we'll provide details so you can contact the property directly.We speak your language!
Hotel Chain: Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
*Terms and Conditions applies
Al Arif Sons Travel Dubai


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Memo: Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) deputy chair and erstwhile deputy chair of the Productivity Commission (PC), Karen Chester.
It is not actually a breach of the law for a superannuation fund to under-perform over a one, three or five-year period. Bloody annoying and disappointing for members, of course, but not illegal.
And it is drawing an extremely long legal bow to suggest, as you apparently did at a recent Sydney forum, that just because a fund has under-performed, the trustees have failed to act "efficiently, honestly and fairly". By what measure? According to what benchmark?
Nor, Ms Chester, is it unusual for a superannuation fund to be an investment performance cellar-dweller and then become part of the Top-10 performing funds. It is, as you should know, a product of asset allocations and how well they fit the prevailing market cycle.
If you want proof of this Ms Chester, perhaps you ought to look at the performance record of MTAA Super which, controversially, went from the top of the performance tables before the Global Financial Crisis only to fight its way back up the league tables in more recent times.
Any examination of the Top 10 defaults model you proposed as PC deputy chair would tell you that the list would change depending on allocations and the state of the market – something which keeps investment analysts busy and off the streets.
Thus, it is all very well for ASIC to keep promoting its chest-beating "why not litigate" approach, but to mount a prosecution you must first observe a breach of the law and that is going to prove challenging where no such specific law exists and, frankly, is most unlikely to exist.
What is more, Ms Chester, just as a matter of convention, regulators do not make policy or draft legislation – that it the prerogative of the Government of the day via the Parliament.
And just by the way, the approach of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) to dealing with under-performing funds and putting members first is already proving far more measured and effective in terms of ensuring underperforming funds either merge in the best interests of their members or exit the industry.
Indeed, it might be noted that the approach of APRA in dealing with under-performing funds is most unlikely to take up the time of the courts or to weigh unduly on taxpayers.
Few people in the superannuation or broader financial services industry would argue with the need for persistently under-performing superannuation funds to exit the industry, but to suggest that "close to 100" will be compelled to head for the exit in the next five years needs to be backed up by facts – By what measure? According to what benchmark?
Frankly, the time for post-Royal Commission chest-beating by our financial services regulators has passed. ASIC and APRA need to get on with doing their jobs.
Mike Taylor
Managing Editor


text: Happy Spring golden delicious light Posted bykatherinewalkerMarch 29, 2010Posted inThe Middle Originally uploaded by christennnn I love this photo and admirer this photog's work on flickr Please spread the loveClick to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)MoreClick to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading... Related Published by katherinewalker Director, Writer, Producer Nominated for two primetime Emmy's for the Apprentice Emmy award winning episode The Amazing Race Columnist, Editor, Grantwriter UVa-B.A. English/History VFS-Certificate Film Conflict Resolution Mediator Facilitator, State of Hawaii, DOJ Published poet, filmmaker, photographer, music aficionado. Canoe paddler, horse wrangler, gem dealer, fixer, The Wolf. https://about.me/katherine.walker Katherine Walker EP-Show Runner, Director www.imuafilm.wordpress.com katherineelizabethwalker LinkedIn Los Angeles, CA Schedule a time View more posts


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Holidays just aren't the same
Some of the things I miss most from back home are holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween. They're just really aren't any alternatives for those kind of things while living overseas. Yes there are holidays here and in other countries, it just isn't the same.
Long time traditions and holidays tend to become less important and even disregarded as time goes on. I remember looking at the calendar on my phone thinking, "is it really Thanksgiving today?" Even as we get accustomed to local traditions and make families of our own, we tend to neglect the things that we used to do and the traditions we enjoyed when we were younger. I will never forget opening up Christmas presents and letting my dogs shred the wrapping paper allover the living room floor, not to the chagrin but rather the delight of both my parents. Maintaining those traditions isn't immediately obvious to new arrivals or even long-term expats and the lack of options can be disheartening at times.
Expat community
If I am to be completely honest I don't love living in Korea but it does afford me opportunities to meet people from other places I wouldn't ordinarily meet back home. It also allows the family and me to visit places that again I wouldn't be able to stateside. But when it comes to Halloween, the expat community and Chopsticks Wide go all out to ensure that kids and even the parents have an authentic carving, dressing up, and trick-or-treat experience; and when 100 or so kids and their parents meet downtown and parade down the street, people are certain to take notice.
The Local Reaction
Not surprisingly, we found the shop-owners and restaurateurs to be more than willing to help accommodate trick-or-treaters. Patrons of restaurants were filled with joy upon seeing the children dressed in a variety of costumes and could be heard asking the owners to give the children money instead of candy. The candy wasn't always the highest of quality and there are still a few kinks to work out as far as location and traffic are concerned but as a participant of this year's Halloween Festival, we can expect great things for future trick-or-treaters.
[cta_box id="%postid%"]


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Day9 Inspired Me to Stream (To Be A Better Gamer!)
When I say inspired, I don't mean start streaming at 7-8 P.M. and have FUNDAY SUNDAY and completely copy Day9. I mean completely something else.
So here's the story. I absolutely love Starcraft. It is SUCH a fun game. But I am so scared to play it on my own, and I have the desire to get better at it. Though since I'm scared to play it on my own, I never play it, thus making me terrible at the game. Just another bronze league player
THEN, one day I was struck with an idea! The whole idea of people watching me stream would motivate me to play the game, thus causing me to get better! I'll call the stream "Road Up the Leagues," and will document myself getting better, hopefully getting up into higher leagues (yes, long-term thinking).
Of course, this is just an idea. I'll being doing my first stream (I have done a full test stream) today at 7 P.M. CST (8 P.M. EST | 5 P.M. PST). I have everything set up quite nice, and have to say, it looks quite good. Hopefully a few of you can stop by and check it out. Thanks Day9, for inspiring me to be a better gamer!
Here's my twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/bradeykins


text: James Tarr - January 11, 2018 Review: Springfield Armory XD-E With the Springfield Armory XD-E, Springfield is betting a DA/SA pistol with exposed hammer will be a hit. Brand new from Springfield Armory is what the company is calling the "Hammer," otherwise known as the XD-E. In short the XD-E could be described as a hammer-fired version (the "E" stands for external hammer) of Springfield's popular striker-fired XD-S compact. But that's not completely accurate- or the full story. Before I get into the reasons for the XD-E's invention, let's look at its specs.The XD-E is currently offered only in 9mm and is a DA/SA auto intended for self-defense, including concealed carry. For those of you new to firearms, DA/SA is shorthand for double action/single action. In this design, the first round can be fired like a double-action revolver, with the trigger pull cocking the hammer and firing the gun. The cycling slide then cocks the hammer for subsequent shots, which are then single action.The XD-E can be carried cocked and locked. While the safety is also a decocker, the decocker is small enough that you're not likely to accidentally decock the pistol when disengaging the safety.The XD-E features a 3.3-inch hammer-forged barrel with a corrosion-resistant Melonite finish. There is a lever-type loaded-chamber indicator in the top of the slide. The frame is polymer with Springfield's Grip Zone texturing front and back.The pistol sports some ambidextrous controls such as the magazine release and decocker/safety. The takedown lever and slide stop can be found on the left side of the pistol. The controls on the pistol are big enough to operate but no bigger, which speaks toward its role as a defensive handgun that will probably be carried concealed. The XD-E is not a small gun. It is 6.75 inches long with the hammer down and five inches tall with the short magazine with the flush base pad in place. However, the pistol is thin. Most of it, including the grip, is an inch thick or less. At the pistol's widest part (the bilateral decocker/safety) it is just 1.2 inches thick. It feels flat in the hand. Springfield Armory considers the XD-E a compact pistol, but be aware there is no technical definition of "compact" or even "subcompact," and opinions vary as to what guns fit into which categories. While the XD-E is smaller than most full-size duty guns, it is far too large for a pocket. It's pretty dang large for a purse. This is a pistol destined for holster wear if you're going to carry it.The XD-E comes with an extended nine-round magazine with grip extender (inserted) and an eight-round magazine with two different base pads: flush and extended.However, because it is so flat it will be easy to conceal. And because the XD-E is not a super-small handgun, just about everyone will be able to get their entire hand on the gun with the short magazine in place, with or without the finger hook base pad- excuse me, "grip X-Tension."The pistol comes with two different single-stack magazines. The magazine bodies are stainless steel with numbered witness holes for the rounds on both sides, which is really nice. The black polymer magazine followers have a non-tilt design.The magazine base pads are black polymer and easily removed. The short magazine holds eight rounds and comes with both a flat/flush and an extended base pad with finger hook. Like I said, Springfield calls this a "grip X-Tension," but I don't think a simple finger hook deserves that moniker. The longer magazine holds nine rounds and has what I consider a real grip extension that has Grip Zone texturing and matches the contour at the rear of the frame.The grip extension on the longer magazine is marked "XDE- 9/40." In the detective business, this is known as a "clue," indicating this pistol at some point will be offered in .40 S&W, as is the XD-S. However, when I checked with Springfield, the folks there could not tell me when the .40 S&W version would be available.Springfield's XD-S pistol has proven popular, at least in part because of its excellent reliability- a trait attributable in no small measure to its magazines. The XD-E magazine bodies have the same design as the XD-S mags; they're just a little longer due to the XD-E's lengthier frame. And an XD-E mag will fit into a XD-S pistol (it will stick out just a bit), although the reverse is not true because the XD-S magazine is too short. Like the XD-S, the XD-E features steel sights, with a red fiber-optic insert in the front sight. The rear sight has a serrated face, no-snag profile and two white dots to either side of the notch.The serrations at the rear of the slide don't look as aggressive as they feel. I only wish they covered more real estate. A matching section of serrations at the front of the slide would be welcomed by many people.By the very nature of a hammer-fired design, the bore of the XD-E is higher off the hand than that of the parent/inspiration XD-S. The extra height can be found at the top of the frame, which on the XD-E is about a third of an inch taller than the similarly proportioned XD-S. Because the frame had to be slightly taller to accommodate the pivot point of the hammer, Springfield took advantage of the extra space. The flush and extended magazines for the XD-E respectively hold one more round than those for the XD-S.As for the frame of the gun, I found positives and negatives. The Grip Zone texturing isn't nearly as aggressive as I would like, and there are large smooth areas on both sides of the grip. On the positive side, there is a finger groove on the front of the frame, and the frame is long enough to get your whole hand on the gun.The XD-E sports sights that are now standard for the XD line, with a red fiber-optic insert in the front sight and white dots on either side of the rear notch.The hooked base pad on the shorter magazine really helps keep your hand in place. The result is a gun that is much more controllable than it first seems. And because it is so flat, it points naturally.Double-action trigger pulls are, by their nature, longer and heavier than any other type of trigger pull, so I am a knee-jerk hater of them. That said, the trigger pull on my sample was better than expected. The double-action pull was smooth, with noticeable stacking at the end, and broke at 10.75 pounds. The single-action pull had some take-up but then a smooth 5.5-pound break.So why a DA/SA hammer-fired XD? The way in which Springfield Armory is choosing to advertise and market the XD-E should give you a clue as to why the company made it.First, Springfield advertises that the XD-E requires 27 percent less force to rack the slide and chamber a round when compared to the striker-fired XD-S. That is not an unimportant concern to people who don't have a lot of grip strength. I noticed the lighter-weight recoil spring right off when I first racked the XD-E's slide.That said, DA/SA semiautos are retro. Few companies are making new DA/SA pistols because striker-fired guns are all the rage, and my first question upon hearing about the XD-E was, "Why?" So I reached out to Springfield to get the rest of the story. Chad Dyer, marketing guru at Springfield, explained the firm's reasoning."A lot of people want the visual of knowing a gun is safe," he said. "Many people aren't familiar enough with guns, nor care to be, to understand the mechanics of a striker-fired pistol. If they don't see the hammer, they don't get it."I've found that nearly all of the 'gun guys' say, 'Why would anyone want that?' Or, 'That seems like a step backwards.' It's everyone else who sees it and says, 'Oh, I like that; you can tell if it's cocked.' Followed by, 'Wow, that's really easy to rack.' "Dyer said the racking force was a major point in the development of the XD-E, particularly considering the increasing number of women- some of whom lack the hand strength to rack a slide- and the increasing number of baby boomers getting older to the point they're having more problem racking slides.It's always a smart bet to offer the consumer more choices, and the XD-E does that in other ways, too. The XD-E's design give you four different carry options.You can carry the pistol with the hammer cocked or down, with the safety on or off. The safety lever functions similarly to the thumb safety found on a 1911. So, yes, you can carry the XD-E in Condition One: "cocked and locked"- hammer cocked and the safety on. Just because a DA/SA pistol's first shot can be double action doesn't mean it has to be.However, because the safety lever is so narrow, I don't know if I'd want to carry this pistol cocked and locked. God invented extended wide thumb safeties for the 1911 for a reason, and the safety/decocker on the XD-E is narrower than the small GI thumb safety on a 1911.I was also concerned I might accidentally decock the pistol while deactivating and riding the safety. That concern was unfounded, though. The shape of the safety lever is such that you won't accidentally decock it- it takes conscious effort. But I still don't have confidence I could deactivate it positively under stress, but everyone's hand is shaped differently. If I were to carry the XD-E, it would be with the hammer down and safety off.There's another reason for consumers to maybe pick the XD-E over previous XD designs. This pistol does away with the ubiquitous XD grip safety. Some people with small/thin hands (myself included) have issues deactivating it, and in a defensive situation the technical term for that is "very bad."I've also never liked the fact I can't cycle the slide of an XD without depressing the grip safety. If the grip safety isn't depressed on an XD/XD(M)/XD-S, you can only retract the slide enough to see if there's a round in the chamber.I'm not a fan of high bores, which make for more muzzle rise when shooting, and I don't like how the forward-sweeping curve of the trigger squeezes my finger between trigger and frame when it is all the way forward, but I found the XD-E to be surprisingly shootable. I consider it nearly a full-size pistol, and full-size pistols chambered in 9mm generally are pleasant if not fun to shoot. The XD-E was no different.Firearms introductions don't happen in a vacuum, and Springfield is on top of things in regards to accessories. The company's product page for the XD-E lists 15 holster manufacturers already making holsters for the gun. If for some reason you don't like the factory sights, they are the same as found on the established XD-S, which means aftermarket replacements are numerous and easy to find.The XD-E was fun to shoot. For recreational purposes that might be important, but for self-defense it is largely inconsequential. But here's something that isn't inconsequential. Between numerous trips to the range and a lot of use on screen while filming the latest season of "Handguns & Defensive Weapons" TV show, it has not suffered any malfunctions. Isn't that the point of a pistol meant for self-defense? GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing. Sign Me Up


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You know, celebrities always wear good clothes. And yeah, they look really awesome. By the way, do you know famous stars get most of their clothes sponsored? Stars are offered free clothing from a variety of brands because the brands want to connect a high-profile celebrity with their products in order to promote them.
However, there is a popular Korean star who doesn't usually get her clothes sponsored. Yeah, it's IU. It's quite extraordinary that the female k-pop star doesn't get her clothes sponsored because there are so many brands which want to offer free clothing to her, and she can get a lot of money just by wearing their clothes. But, yeah, she refuses all the offers and she usually wears her own clothes. Why? Because she wants to avoid any possible troubles.
As I said before, many young Korean females who've watched "Hyori's Guesthouse" are suffering from "IU's Disease". They wear NERDY's sweatsuits or boxy fit clothes just like IU does. Most of famous stars get their clothes sponsored when they appear in a TV show too. However, yeah, all of the clothes IU wears in "Hyori's Guesthouse" are her own clothes.
Do you know what's even more surprising? She put her makeup and did her hair by herself when she filmed "Hyori's Guesthouse". Yeah, she was not accompanied by her stylist when she filmed the program. There are no other female stars who put their makeup and do their hair by themselves because all of female stars hope to look prettier. However, IU did all the things by herself because she wanted to show natural herself.
And of course, IU could do such a thing because she's so humble and humane.
<K-pop Secret Vol.2: Unknown Stories about K-pop Industry>
K-pop Secret Vol.2 contains unknown stories about k-pop industry. The author, who has been working as a k-pop journalist since 2010 gives you answers to some questions about k-pop industry such as "Do k-pop idols really sing live?" "How do k-pop chart shows choose their no.1 of the week?" and "Who's the best singer among k-pop idols?"
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goodbarber.kpopsecret2
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1225054626
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XZHV4ZN
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ww/en/ebook/unknown-stories-about-k-pop-industry


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Emma Stone's hair went on a great adventure this spring. First Emma went dark brown for her role in Battle of the Sexes:
Then she had a brief summer fling with platinum, the color of the season, at the end of May. Emma was Taylor Swift's hair twin:
But the brunette/blonde life was not for her. On June 8, Emma left the salon with a new (old) color in West Hollywood:
An iconic redhead returning to her roots...for now.


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Posts Tagged 'High profit speaking'
A few secrets to becoming a good public speaker
Often people ask me what's the secret to becoming a good speaker on stage. I want to clarify I'm not talking about you're speaking business I'm talking about your presentation skills.
Over the years I've had the opportunity to see a lot of speakers and some of them of been very good while others have a lot of work to do still. As I have observed those that are good I have noticed a few common attributes and traits.
Naturally I know behind the scenes the study their content very consistently. I'm not going to spend a lot of time in this post talking about content.
This post is more about presentation of that content. And I believe one of the most important things a person can possess on stage is self confidence in the ability to flow with your content to look as though it's easy for you.
The first step to having this kind of delivery is the practice everywhere you can. I have long been a believer that a speaker needs to be speaking. That means when no one is hiring you you need to find a events or create them.
I have found the same thing to be true as I have done stand-up comedy. There is no substitute for practice in front of a real live audience. As a speaker you need to find as much of that as you possibly can.
Another important element of being a powerful presenter is to learn how to keep things simple. Too many speakers try to show how clever or smart they are by making things more complex than they need to be. Rather than engaging the audience this type of activity tends to exclude them. Making something appear simple is a lot harder than looks. And quite frankly knowing exactly what to share it something that can only be experienced as you share it with an audience. You can start with what you think will work but it won't be until you see the lightbulbs go on in the eyes of those who share it with that you'll know for sure.
And maybe the last point to share here today which I think is the most powerful is that above all you need to learn how to connect with your audience. This can be as simple as learning how to affectively make eye contact, speak with intonation and tonality, use gestures that engage and correct body language. The idea and concept of connection is so important that in the new training I'm doing a presentation skills we spend several hours talking about how you can connect specifically with the audience.
As a preview to the training I want to mention that the most powerful way to connect with audiences is to engage them with questions, exercises and activities. To do these things effectively requires that you know your content so well that you can literally create a conversation from the stage without worrying that someone could hijack what you're trying to do.
If you are new to speaking I would encourage you to get out there and speak as much as you can. The idea of speaking for free is the fastest way to start becoming good. I am not against speaking for free or even paying to speaking. But there will come a time when you just won't be able to operate as a business unless you have some way of monetizing these kinds of opportunities. But for now just get out and speak.
Speakers Must do this if they are to be successful in 2017- Douglas Vermeeren, The Speaking Business Multiplier
Speakers Must do This if they are to be successful in 2017
By Douglas Vermeeren, The Speaking Business Multiplier
Over the years I have spent time with a lot of people wanting to grow a business in the speaking or coaching industry. More often than not those individuals remain anonymous and broke. The personal development industry is highly competitive with many people feeling that they have empowerment to offer. Many times they are right- they do have great strategies to offer and they are excellent at delivering their content either on stage or working in groups or with individuals. But these individuals seem to struggle to create a thriving predictable business that provides value long term to their audiences. Why is that? What mistakes are they making? What is being left out?
Here are a few considerations that you should think about if you are looking to create a sustainable speaking or coaching business:
- You must get dialled in to the current marketplace conversation – It is essential that know what is being talked about in your niche. You much be aware of the conversation and be able to contribute in meaningful ways. You can't rely on content or ideas that you were teaching a year ago or even six months ago. What worked yesterday won't work today. The world is changing faster than ever before. You must know what's happening now and strive to become a leader int he conversation. If you want to be relevant to your audiences or your students you must know what is relevant. Too many speakers develop a "signature talk" (Which is actually the old way of doing things anyhow) and then they stick to it for years. If you want to be relevant today you need preview sessions which are adaptable to the audience you are interacting with. You must know your content and the marketplace so well that you can be valuable in any setting. We have a saying among my students about content that, If you know i, you can flow it." You must spend time each day dialling into the conversation and expanding your content knowledge.
- You must have an effective business model with a planned sales funnel – Too often less successful coaches and speakers are flying by the seat of their pants. They don't have a business model other than to speak and get paid or speak and sell. Alone these are also archaic models of what used to work in the 1990s. You need to recognize what business models are being used in your niche market and what others could be implemented by you to work for you. The business of your business is to become profitable. And if you are not profitable you will not get the privilege to continue. Your best business models will begin as you are able to identify where your students and you can create a transaction. The speaking business or coaching business is a business. Transactions are necessary if you are going to stay in business. (More on this later) As for sales funnels they are essential. You need to know the map of where you are going to take each student. Even if they choose not to go the full distance with you you need to know the route. If you don't know they will sense it and they will lack confidence in you. (We will talk more about funnels later as well.)
- Plan to market – The world is like a big library. If you don't know the name of the book as you come in the door you will often have a hard time finding it. In the same way there may be people looking for you and your content right now but if they have never heard of you or what you do they will never find you. There are many easily accessible and affordable ways to market your speaking or coaching business today it can be very easy if you know how to attract clients through appropriate messaging. The challenge that many speakers have is that they don't know who they are well enough to share it with others. Try this as an expert: Describe what you do, who you serve and what results they will get inside of one sentence. And ONLY ONE SENTENCE. Can you do it? Most speakers can't. When you are can describe yourself in terms that are specific and clear, your audience will be attainable and near. Get clarity! The second part of marketing today is not promotion who you are – it's actually being who you are. People expect you to teach! They want to feel as though you can deliver the results. Personal development marketing today is about building tribes and relationships instead of rushing right into a sale. People expect to get to know you and your content before they will trust you with their money.
As I have taught these 3 strategies along with a few others I have seen my speaker students gain more speaking opportunities, build great following and brand loyalty and witnessed massive expansions in their income. The speaking business is much more strategic than most people realize, but if you know what to do it can be very lucrative.
Douglas Vermeeren, The Speaking Business Multiplier
Are you ready to level up your speaking business? Douglas Vermeeren is the Speaking Business Multiplier. You can only teach others if you've done it yourself and his tool are helping speakers: Create highly profitable speaking businesses, Position themselves as experts, Attract media attention, Get publishing deals, Get more speaking gigs, Speak internationally and JV with other top names in the business. The Speaking Business Multiplier has done this and more and now his systems and secrets can be yours. His clients include beginning speakers all the way to movie and music celebrities, professional and Olympic athletes, top business leaders and other speakers just like YOU!
He has been consistently rated by the media as the top speaker trainer in the world today with the most comprehensive and powerful tools available. Other trainers stop at presentation skills while Vermeeren is the only one who helps you build the speaking business systems that you need for success. Come find out why all the top speakers are working with him! http://www.DouglasVermeeren.com
#douglasvermeeren #topspeakertraining #1Speakertrainer #speakersuccesssecrets #Secretsofhighprofitspeakers #Speakersuccess
Want to be a leader? How do you start your day? by The Speaking Business Multiplier
Want to be a leader? How do you start your day?
by Douglas Vermeeren, The Speaking Business Multiplier
There are lots of ideas out there on how to grow a speaking business but one that I don't hear repeated very often centers around how you start your day. As a speaker, coach or trainer how you start your day will have a direct impact on how you can influence the day of someone else. Think about this for a minute: What makes you a speaker worth listening to? The answer is simple. It's the value you add to the lives of others. If you are able to share powerful strategies, insights and concepts you will have the power to lift others to higher levels. And if you are not willing to push higher and go deeper than your students you will eventually have none. Why? Because if you can not add high value those students will look elsewhere.
So on to the point of this article. How are you starting your day? I have had the chance to surround myself with many of the top thought leaders in the world. Many of them are my close friends and I have spent many private moments with them off stage that has revealed how they are in reality. The most important common attribute I have found is how they start their day.
How you start your day often dictates the rest of the activities you engage in through out the rest of the day. In other words if you start in control of your day you keep it. If you start chaotic that's the trend that continues.
Recently I was listening to a Navy Seal talk about the idea of starting the day right. Your first victory is getting out of bed. If you can conquer the pillow it sets the pace for the rest of the day. I also liked the idea he talked about of starting early. When you start early you have the control of the moment. You are not competing with others for what you want. If everyone else is asleep you can decide everything according to your priorities. Those of you with children understand what I mean. If you wait to get up until they are up – they set the pace and make the rules.
One of my close friends is John Demartini. You may know John from The Secret or my films The Opus, The Gratitude Experiment or The Treasure Map. John is a deep well of information and if you've ever heard him speak you will most likely be amazed at how much information he retains. He can with little effort go into incredibly deep principles on human behavior, quantum physics and ancient philosophy that baffles most people. He can easily quote hundreds of sources on all of these subjects and present the references and additional insights without much effort at all. He truly makes it look easy. Once I was chatting with him about how he is able to retain so much in depth information and how he is able to have it at his fingertips. His answer was that each day he spent several hours reading and researching what he teaches. He has done this now every day consistently for decades. If you want to have a similar command of your subject matter it is essential you give it the same kind of attention.
One of the other side effects that I have seen first hand with John has really inspired me. The first time I saw it was at one of our movie premieres. After the film we opened the floor to questions and answers from the audience. One of our audience members I really think was out to stump John. He was a philosophy major at the local university and he really knew his stuff. The audience was a bit weirded out with the deep questions he asked and it was almost as if this audience member was looking to debate or have a contest where he wanted to prove that he was the smartest guy in the room. But because John knew his stuff not only was he able to turn it into a valuable experience for all, he was actually able to win the "heckler" into siding with him. (Yes, we do get hecklers in this business too.)
(As a side note people often ask me how I get to work with so many of the top speakers in the personal development and self improvement industry. Or how I am able to get so many TV appearances and radio interviews? Or any other thing I am doing that brings my business more visibility and success. My answer always comes back to preparation and making sure I know my content. This may sound simple but the more value you can provide the more opportunities will appear for you.)
I am firm believer the reason that coaches and speakers sometimes get a bad rep out there as less than powerful essentials for business is that many who claim to be leaders are actually cutting corners. Whenever I hear someone say "I don't need a coach" or "I've already heard enough motivational speakers." I know that they have run across someone who has not pushed themselves to be valuable to their audience.
The beginning of the day should be dedicated to expand their mind. Experts begin the day by studying their subject matter. I know I have talked about the importance of developing content before but this is such an important subject. If you want to be considered an expert in your field you cannot be comfortable with what you already know. Those who are satisfied to feel comfortable (in any field) never move from where they are to where they could be. Think about it. Getting up out of a comfortable chair to rise to a new location doesn't happen unless you are really committed. It applies on a lazy Sunday afternoon as much as it does to life. If you want to become better your will power has to be more powerful than your desire to stay comfortable.
Often as I conduct my seminars for speakers I ask them to get uncomfortable. Sometimes this means thinking about your business in new ways. That can be very uncomfortable. As I ask people to do this many people simply shrug and say 'well, I like things the way they are.' If that's the case you'll always stay with what you have. But in the same breath they will say they want better results. If you want better results you must level up the activities that created those outcomes.
So here's the challenge for this article. Dedicate at least an hour each day to expanding your mind in regards to your speaking business. The three areas I would invite you to focus on would be 1) You personally – What do you need to master so that you can become more effective, motivated and happy. 2)The Content you teach. What can you find to help your students. What is out there now? How can you teach it better? How can you make it unique to your voice? How can you turn it into an exercise or activity? 3)Your speaking, coaching, training business? What is really going on now? What is missing? What could be improved?
Set some goals. Take some action. Most of this stuff you may teach already. Make sure you are applying it too. A lifeguard can't save others until they know how to swim themselves. Set a goal to give your best to others and soon they will give their best to you in the form of compensation, word of mouth and recommendation.
Douglas Vermeeren is the Speaking Business Multiplier. His clients include beginning speakers all the way to celebrities, athletes, top business leaders and more. His focus is on helping them to develop high profit speaking, coaching and training businesses. He is the author of three books in the guerrilla marketing series and filmmaker behind 3 of the most popular personal development films of all time. http://www.DouglasVermeeren.com
The Speakers Secret Weapon: High Profit Speaker
The Speakers Secret Weapon: High Profit Speaker
By Terri McCoullough
Are you a professional speaker? If you are then you understand some of the challenges that the speaking business can present. How can you find more stages to present on? How can you grow your brand and establish yourself as an expert? How can you create products, workshops and seminars that people will buy? And then there's the question that seems to challenge eery speaker in the business – How can you sell it more successful from the stage?
If these are questions that you've wondered about then you'll be glad to hear about High Profit Speaker. Speakers who have been through the program are calling it their secret weapon.
High Profit Speaker is a training organization focused on giving speakers the business tools they need to succeed. Unlike other speaker training program it does not focus exclusively on delivery from the stage or development of content. While it does help with those things it assumes that you already have a pretty good handle on your areas of expertise. What it focuses on are the things that most programs leave out – the business. High Profit Speaker helps speakers create effective business models, sales funnels, conversion systems, attract more media and PR, creating product that sells easily and then teaches you multiple effective systems for selling from the stage stress free and with ease.
The founder of High Profit Speaker, Douglas Vermeeren has quite an impressive track record. As a speaker he was able to earn more than 1.6 Million dollars in his first 6 months as a speaker. He was able to create relationships with top speakers like Bob Proctor, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Joe Vitale, John Demartini, Marcie Shimoff, Bob Doyle, Marie Diamond, Morris Goodman, John Gray, Loral Langemiere, Marshall Sylver, Randy Gage, Raymond Aaron and many others to create 3 hit personal development films. (The Opus, The Gratitude Experiment and The Treasure Map.) One of which is now available in 23 languages worldwide through Random House. He has co-authored 3 books in the Guerrilla Marketing series with Jay Conrad Levinson and recently finished a book for the Dummies Series. He is also a sought after media expert and arguably the most featured personal development on Television today. He has shared the stage with nearly every major speaker in the world and has spoken on nearly every continent on the globe.
Now why would you need to know all this? Because the majority of the trainings for High Profit Speaker are taught by Vermeeren himself. If you want to learn how to do the kinds of things that he has done in his speaking career then it makes sense to go to the source.
As a resource for speakers the company High Profit Speaker has consistently been rated as the top resource available today. Vermeeren was also invited by the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers to present his tools at the CAPS national conference in Halifax his very first year as a member. This is astounding considering many seasoned speakers never receive such an invite.
The speaking business is not an easy industry to be involved in. It is competitive and moves at a very fast pace. If you are looking to succeed it makes sense to find a partner who can help take you to highest levels in the shortest period time. If you are ready to become a speaker with a thriving successful business then you need this secret weapon. If you are ready to take your career to the next level then look no further than High Profit Speaker.
For More information go to: http://www.HighProfitSpeaker.com
High Profit Speaker Training 2016
Are you a public speaker? Life coach or trainer? Are you looking for a way to grow your business? Increase your profits and get on more of the major stages around the world? Have you ever struggled with selling from the stage? Have you ever wondered if you have created the right products or services? Have you ever wondered how you can attract more media attention? Or partner with some of the biggest names in the business? If you answered YES then you need to attend the 3 Secrets of High Profit Speakers event.
The following are Dates and locations for 2016
Vancouver BC Jan 5
Calgary AB Jan 6
Edmonton AB Jan 7
London UK Jan 21
Las Vegas NV Jan 28


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aaaaand here's the etsy link :)
Preview: Ahoy! A Narwhal!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Conceived the idea while traveling in Hong Kong, finally sat down to do it in San Jose, then added the finishing touches in Los Angeles. I just have to edit the two scans together, then it's off to the etsy shop for you!
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BACKGROUND IMAGE: iSTOCK/GETTY IMAGES
For good BI dashboard design, utility trumps glitz
When designing business intelligence dashboards, BI teams should focus on functionality and data accessibility instead of unneeded bells and whistles.
The all-new Dodge Dart features a dashboard with a stylish new lighting system and a highly customizable display. The problem is that the ambient lighting is hard to see in a brightly lit showroom, so all the "sizzle" of the new dashboard design is lost on potential car buyers. In addition, some auto buffs are already complaining that the display is too customizable and distracting.
For IT and business intelligence developers crafting BI dashboards to convey corporate data to business executives and workers, there can be similar tensions between the imperative to deliver what users need and the temptation to offer glitzy graphics, animations and effects that get in the way of effective data analysis.
David Stodder, director of BI research at The Data Warehousing Institute in Renton, Wash., said that if the intended end users are experienced with spreadsheets and sophisticated analyses, dashboard designers might want to include more complex charts, graphs and scatter plots. But more often, he added, it makes sense to start simple on BI dashboard design.
The end result, according to Stodder, should be a design that presents data clearly and tells people something useful for their specific jobs. "Studies show that [business] professionals spend a lot of their time simply trying to find the right information," he said. "The primary role of the dashboard is to cut down on that and help make employees more productive."
More in this series on dashboard design
Avoid common pitfalls in designing BI dashboards, from clutter to not fine-tuning designs for different users
Explore approaches to designing mobile dashboards that balance usability and functionality
Diving deep into dashboard data
Stodder sees interactivity as another important element of good dashboard design. "Many dashboards have been developed that are just visual versions of the canned reports that companies produce," he said. "They don't offer any drill-down capabilities to help people understand data and its ramifications." Providing such capabilities can be the most challenging aspect of building dashboards, partly because it's dependent on the functionality in underlying BI systems. But a lack of interactivity can reduce the adoption of dashboards and encourage users to return to the comfort factor of their tried-and-true spreadsheets, Stodder said.
Craig Schiff, president and CEO of consultancy BPM Partners in Stamford, Conn., said designers often focus too much on data presentation issues and miss the importance of delivering the right data to users. "They worry about color and 'stoplights' and gauges, which can all be helpful -- but they don't matter if they have the wrong information," Schiff said.
That sentiment is shared by Charlie Claxton, vice president of creative strategy at Produxs Inc., a developer of custom Web and mobile applications in Seattle. "What tends to be lost in dashboard design is the user," he said. "It amazes me how often we come across dashboards that are really just a set of disparate widgets cobbled together with little to no overarching meaning, other than they were parts of reports found in the system." Well-designed dashboards go beyond the concept of telling users "here is a lot of data" and enable them to do their jobs more successfully, Claxton added.
That means BI dashboard design teams should do as much research as possible to fully understand the roles and needs of the workers who will be using the applications. "They are your audience," he said. "You have to drill down and be clear as to the particular job function, business process and organizational thinking and how to meet that dynamic in a way that is comprehensible and of course smart."
It's good to have options on dashboard design
Getting executives and other users involved up front is a critical part of that process, said Bill Brydges, a managing director at consulting company MorganFranklin in McLean, Va. He recommends meeting with them to gather dashboard "options," including what data might be included and how it could be presented to different users based on their roles and responsibilities. That approach also can help with early identification of data quality and consistency issues -- and if data isn't reliable, users won't trust dashboards. "Bad data will kill adoption," Brydges said.
In many companies, the primary users of dashboards are senior executives who need to see only an overview of data, said Keith Metcalfe, a vice president at WCI Consulting in Plano, Texas. "Less is more when presenting high-level information," he added. "Don't get too detailed and make the dashboard screen too busy."
To get accurate analytical results and the most business value possible from dashboards, companies should develop common definitions for key performance indicators across different business units and departments, Metcalfe said. He also recommends keeping communication lines open with business users and setting realistic but aggressive timelines for developing and modifying dashboards. "The key is quickly getting a result to the end user," he said.
But that isn't the end of the dashboard design process by any means: Schiff warned that BI dashboards can get stale if they aren't refreshed to keep up with changing business needs and new data. "At a minimum," he said, "you should be looking at dashboards on an annual basis to make sure they're still actionable and relevant."
Alan R. Earls is a Boston-area freelance writer focused on business and technology.
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