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Unspeakable Words is the Call of Cthulhu Word Game! Players earn points based on the number of angles in the letters in their words.
3,746 backers pledged $179,404 to help bring this project to life.
Answer the Call! Become a backer and receive all the updates and info, plus feel good about yourself because you won’t be one of Cthulhu’s first victims when he decides to awaken from slumber, arise from the deep and destroy us all. As an added bonus, you'll receive a full PDF version of the original Classic Edition game featuring Tony Steele's artwork!
Get the worm! Early Bird Special! Get the Deluxe Edition of the game, Unspeakable Words (normally $35), with all the upgraded components and new John Kovalic art for just $25! Only 50 birds will get this worm!
Get that other worm! Early Bird Special 2! Get the Deluxe Edition of the game, Unspeakable Words (normally $35), with all the upgraded components and new John Kovalic art for just $30! Only 50 birds will get this not quite as fat but still juicy worm!
Spell this! Receive the Deluxe Edition of Unspeakable Words! It’s more fun than a barrel full of Nyarlathoteps. The Deluxe Edition includes 97 Letter cards, each illustrated by famed artist John Kovalic with a creature from the world of H.P. Lovecraft, 30 multi-colored (wow!) Cthulhu pawns, a shiny new d20, a pawn/dice bag to conveniently take all of the game components with you in case you go insane and need to flee the Hounds of Tindalos, and instructions. Plus, if our backers hit specific dollar levels, we’ll have even more upgraded components and special extras!
The Unspeakable Bundle – receive both the new Deluxe Edition and the Classic Edition game – combine the two to play up to 12 people!
Eldritch Abomination! Receive TWO copies of the Deluxe Edition of Unspeakable Words! Hoard both of them for yourself, give one to a friend, combine the two together and play with up to twelve people, or just begin building your army of mini Cthulhus.
Descend into Madness! Get TWO copies of the Deluxe Edition plus one copy of the Classic Edition Unspeakable Words! Throw all of the components into a big pile like an ominous Formless Spawn! Or simply share them with friends.
Join the Cult! Get THREE copies of the Deluxe Edition of Unspeakable Words, PLUS have your name be included in the rules in an example of play! You’ll also get 10 extra copies of the rules SIGNED by the inventors to prove your devotion to Cthulhu to your friends and families. Cthulhu will accept only a few devotees at this level!
Love the Craft! Get TWO copies of the Deluxe Edition of Unspeakable Words, TWO copies of the Classid Edition, PLUS have your name be included in the rules in an example of play! You’ll also get 10 extra copies of the rules SIGNED by the inventors to prove your devotion to Cthulhu to your friends and families. We only have so much room in the rules to include these names so we'll have to limit this to 6 as well.


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New dashboard will revolutionize car dealer reporting by offering one login for all data and reports.
Are You Following Nissan's Lead in Social Media Use?
A topic I have been speaking about recently is how to interact with your customer base. From marketing your reviews on site, to creating a well thought out "wall of Fame" showing your community interaction, awards, videos etc. I also emphasized the need to interact with your Social Media followers.
“You asked, we listened. Here are changes to our menu based on the spring survey. Keep your feedback coming.” I loved that.
I opened up the latest Automotive News over breakfast today and noticed a teaser for an article inside.
"Warning: Ratings Count for Shoppers". Of course after teaching Reputation management and customer service workshops for the last 2 years in the automotive industry I am always drawn to this type of article.
Happy 4th...Are You Planning Yet?
So you may be wondering why I am wishing all of you a Happy 4th of July. I can hear the comments..."We are just finishing up April". "Doesn't he mean Memorial Day"
I was calling the other day to set up some travel and when I dialed I got a real voice versus an IVR. The funny thing was, I checked to make sure I dialed the right number.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


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A little bit of trivia – I’m sure there are more knowledgeable guitarists out there who can flesh this out, but this week, in reference to the note on “Invention of Knowledge” Jon Anderson is credited as playing “Dobro” and Kevin wonders what it is.
I Dobro is a type of acoustic guitar which uses a metal resonator rather than a sound hole to amplify the sound of the strings. There are two mainstream manufacturers of resonator guitars, National and Dobro – now owned by Gibson. The sound is distinctive – slightly tinny with a sharper attack, quicker decay and a more “twang” than a “normal” acoustic. I think of the sound as somewhere between a guitar and a banjo.
It is particularly loved by bluegrass and blues musicians and can be equally well picked, strummed and used with a bottleneck.
A National guitar is featured on the iconic cover of Dire Straits’ “Brothers in Arms” album and features as the main acoustic guitar in “Romeo and Juliet” from that album.
On Invention of Knowledge the Dobro is heard both picked and strummed (I think) in the opening sections of “We are Truth”. It may also be used for the almost sitar like slide guitar sound, though this sounds a bit more “treated” to my ear.
Tim’s explanation of a Dobro guitar is spot on. I’m not a big fan of the sound of a Dobro but when it’s used in a rock blues based song…I find it enjoyable. “Bad Seamstress Blues” by Cinderella comes to mind.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


text:
A Recuperative Thermal Oxidizer consists of a combustion chamber with a shell and tube heat pre-heat exchanger, which maintains a temperature of 1000°-2200°F. Temperature, residence time, and turbulence are three important oxidization factors considered in order to achieve high 99.9% destruction efficiency.
These thermal oxidizer units are capable of heat recovery efficiency upwards of 95%, while operating with a residence time of 1 second.
The system fan attracts VOC-laden air into the system fan, which is then excreted into the system’s heat exchanger. The tube side of the heat exchanger preheats the air drawing the contaminant past the burner, heating it to the thermal oxidization temperature (1000°-2200°F) for a residence time of 0.5-2.5 seconds. Raising the VOC-laden air to the thermal oxidization temperature causes an exothermic reaction to take place, converting the VOCs into carbon dioxide and water vapor.
Passing through the shell side of the heat exchanger, the hot, purified air is then recycled to preheat the inlet air.
At moderate LEL levels the system is self-sustainable due to the heat exchanger minimizing fuel consumption. The clean air is finally released into the atmosphere.

industry_corpus2: Power & Energy


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This week JB Well Solutions delivered to a European Customer the world’s first well service pump unit (WPU 700) for use in hazardous area (Zone 2) that is certified by Notified Body to the new DNVGL-ST-E272 standard (former DNV 2.7-2).
Offshore service modules certified to this standard are designed to perform temporary services on offshore installations and may be placed on different offshore installations and units in different national waters.
This unit has NO deviations to current standards and regulations which gives our Customers better flexibility to their pump fleet. Global utilization possibilities with this type of equipment provides higher value for money for our Customers.
In addition, these units have better operational safety, easier operation, and network pumping capability, with better access for maintenance making it an excellent investment for our Customer who is a global player in the well service market.
Automatic ambient temperature regulated fan speed (lower noise level).
Automatic regulated power output based on ambient temperature (additional performance at lower ambient temperature).
Engine and transmission electronics certified by Notified Body.
Remote control panel (Zone 1) with 35m cable.
Prepared for pump grid operation (connect many pump units together and operate from one panel).
Easy access to maintenance, double doors on each side of the unit.
SIL certified safety system gives documented better operational safety.
Certified to operate without exhaust flame traps.
Control system : Electrical, PLC based.
Diesel Capacity : 8-12 hours.
Sound pressure level : 79 dBA (SPL). Test method ISO 3746-2011 (E).
Certified according to : NORSOK Z-015, DNV 2.7-1, DNVGL-ST-E272, CE and ATEX.
Third party approval : DNVGL.
ATEX code : Ex II 3G IIA T3.
Ambient design temp : –20° C to +40° C.

industry_corpus2: Water Resources & Marine


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I’m in the process of writing a book on this where I hope to give some more views not on just college but a better way to spend your entire life, every moment, being educated and learning from experience.
Kids at 18 have no idea what they want to do in life. The world is a very big place. Its bigger than five classes a day on philosophy or chemical engineering.
Most kids at 18 don’t relish philosophy but they relish the experience of freedom and being out of their parents’ home for the first time in their lives.
Young adults have a lot of energy and should use it. But the problem is that college costs have risen 1000% in the past 30 years while healthcare has risen 700% and inflation has risen “only” 300%.
Colleges have made use of the myth that you can’t get a job unless you have a college education. So young people feel a rush to get that college out of the way so they can get a job and “begin” their adult lives.
I think kids should begin their adult lives at 18 by experiencing what else the world has to offer other (see my eight alternatives to college) than a classroom (which they’ve all just been locked in for the prior 18 years). A rose needs space to bloom.
Then, later, if they’ve thought about the debt burden they will place themselves and their parents in, they can choose to go to college.
Right now student loan debt is greater than homeowner debt and credit card debt in this country.
Whereas previously we’ve created generations of innovators and creators, now we are creating a generation of young people mired down in hopeless debt. When will they get to live life?
A lot of people say, “Oh, James Altucher went to college so he shouldn’t be talking about this”.
Well, why not? I saw what people were doing in college.
I know now how much I learned in college and how much I learned in other experiences in life and which is more relevant to me now at the age of 43.
And, btw, it was much cheaper when I went to school than it is now.
So when did I develop this theory? Almost immediately when I realized college had nothing to do with any successes or failures that I had in life (and I had A LOT of failure despite college).
And also, it took my 8 years to pay back my student loan debt. Now it takes kids 30 years to pay down that debt. Its not fair to the youth of our country.
There are many things worth learning in college. And not every person in the world should avoid college.
But the best colleges cost a lot of money and its a burden for young people.
And most things that you can learn in college you can learn for free outside of college thanks to the Internet.
For instance, computer programming is best learned on the job.
English literature is best learned by reading the books you are passionate about.
Writing is best learned by having real experiences, writing every day, and reading the great writers who inspire you.
Philosophy is learned by having real experiences and reading the philosophers or religious practitioners who inspire you.
Imagine learning all of these things because of real world experiences, and then not having any debt.
Also, when learning is not force-fed to you you develop a real love and knowledge for how to learn on your own and that’s something you keep for the rest of your life. Most young people don’t learn this.
I went to college from 1986-1989. I was paying for it with debt so I graduated in 3 years.
I took six courses a semester so Icould graduate early. And I took courses every summer.
I also worked about 30-40 hours a week at jobs so I could afford my expenses outside of tuition. Even then i graduated with enormous debt. I majored in Computer Science and learned how to program.
I thought I was a very good programmer when I graduated college. I prided myself into thinking I was the best since I was sure I was better than any of my classmates.
While I was in college I programmed computers to play chess, I wrote papers that were published in international conferences on artificial intelligence, I got As in every practical programming-related class (other than Fortran, ugh!), and then, by the way, I got a full scholarship to go to graduate school for two years.
Then, when I finally had a job in the “real world” at HBO, the television network, my programming was so bad (awful!) I had to go to courses offered at AT&T for two months in order to get my programming in shape.
And even then I was still nowhere near ready to do real programming in the real world. It probably took about another six months of daily effort to learn how to really program.
I had the passion for computers and I’m sure if all I had done were those AT&T courses right from the beginning I would’ve been fine.
Sometimes you have to throw a kid in the water to teach them how to swim (or let them drown).
That’s the way to learn.
Not being force-fed from textbooks written twenty years ago and being taught by professors with little real world experience. Its a shame also that unless you have a PhD a college won’t let you teach (in most cases). PhDs are often the most intellectual but have the least real world experience.
And for that great experience we have to go into massive debt now.
I think many people agree and don’t say anything. But the people who disagree get very very upset. Its like I’m questioning their religion.
I can go right now in the center of Times Square in NYC and shout, “Jesus is Satan!” and people would just walk around me and think, “ok, its free speech”.
But if I shouted, “don’t send your kids to college”, WHOAH!! Lock this guy up! Take away his kids!
I’ve even had death threats based on this opinion.
People have a huge life attachment to the fact that college is a part of life, the same way that birth, marriage, parenting, and death are. Its not.
It’s a relatively modern invention (for the mainstream American, its about fifty years old the idea that most kids should go to college, after 6000 years of civilization).
Unfortunately this modern invention has been so abused by college administrators that the next generation of kids we graduate will be mired down in debt, and STILL need to learn the skills required for basic jobs that they want to do.
Lets not forget, nobody learns how to be a doctor in college. That’s pre med. They learn a little in one or two years of medical school, but then they really learn when they are a resident in an actual hospital.
And then between debt, insurance, and the burdens government is now placing on doctors, how will they ever pay down their burdens?
The entire system needs to change but the discussion has to happen somewhere. Hopefully it will be here.
I began my career at the age of 23, after I left graduate school.
And then I began a career from scratch again when I was 26, and then 28, and a totally new career when i was 33. And then a completely new career when I was 36.
And now I’m 43 and I’m still open to changing careers and doing new things in life.
There’s no rush to start a career at the age of 22.
Life changes as you go out in the world and experience things. Failures happen, seeds grow and take years to turn into a tree.
Give yourself time to plant those seeds, to learn from your failures, to experience new things in life.
The earlier you start to do this, the wiser, healthier, and more balanced you will be. You will be more capable of making decisions on career, family, and life in general.
Its also important that people stop using the statistic: people who went to college make more money.
This is a very true statistic but anyone who takes Statistics 101 in college should know that correlation is not cause-and-effect. It could quite possibly be that over the past 30 years, people who are more achievement oriented (and hence more likely to make more money) were more likely to go to college.
A better test would be if we take 2000 people who got accepted to Harvard today and divide them randomly into 2 groups: one that goes to college, the other that doesn’t, and see what they are earning 5, 10, 20, 30 years from now.
Don’t discount the value of spending time experiencing the world before you make the enormous financial committment of going to college.
It will teach you the beginnings (and JUST the beginnings) of what might be important to you.
It will teach you how to survive, it will teach you about people other than from your own age group and socio-economic demographic, it will teach you about the 99% of opportunities that happen in the world that have nothing to do with college, it will teach you how to stretch your mind to learn how to sell and communicate, and finally it will show you at an early age that failure, choices, and life is a spectrum and not a ladder.
Take advantage of that when still young and I can guarantee you all of life will bend down and support your endeavors.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text:
In a new strategic partnership with TokenPay, Litecoin Foundation has acquired a 9.9 percent stake in Germany’s WEG Bank. In what started as a friendly Twitter exchange between Litecoin creator Charlie Lee and TokenPay CEO Derek Capo, the two entities agreed to a deal that will grant Litecoin an equity stake in WEG bank in exchange for marketing and technology services for TokenPay.
Litecoin Foundation believes that banking partnerships will help legitimize blockchain networks. Working with a bank should circumvent the problems that cryptoasset-related projects and companies have had in attaining banking accounts.
From WEG’s perspective, this partnership could give TokenPay access not only to Litecoin’s users but also to its technical expertise. In a recent interview, Charlie Lee highlighted that Litecoin could integrate TokenPay with the Lightning Network and help it develop its decentralized exchange.
As ARK has pointed out, WEG Bank’s decision to sell equity to a crypto-related company could “arrest the downward spiral of German bank stocks. During tough times consumers and businesses are willing to think about doing things differently.” Providing consumers and merchants with an on-ramp for both fiat and cryptocurrencies, WEG could point the way for other German banks to transform their businesses.

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


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I want to get telemetry data from my flight controller (Matek F405-CTR) and send control commands to it via MSP protocol.
I've already configured UART3 port on Matek in Inav configurator (look at pic).
But when I'am trying to run simple test from pyMultiWii lib I get nothing from Matek controller neither from CP2102. I've tried this test for COM3 and COM4 ports as well.
"""show-attitude.py: Script to ask the MultiWii Board attitude and print it."""
May be I'am doing something wrong? I've already read this post, but it dosn't help me. Any advice will be appreciated!
Not exactly an answer, but I am unable to post a comment here.
Firstly, verify your baud rates (for Windows, make sure you have set the right baud rate in your device manager/properties window as well). Try using the MultiWiiConf, which is a GUI to monitor your flight data and check if it is able to establish communication with your flight controller board.
Coming back to your code, what happens when you try to retrieve the MSP_IDENT frame as mentioned here? I have written an alternate simple script here for Python, use the requestFrame method with the frame ID and see if it helps.
EDIT: It looks like the pyMultiWii library you are currently using supports only MSPv1. If your board uses MSPv2, the protocol is slightly different as in the link you have already posted in the question. You can use my library as refernece mentioned above to make changes as per MSPv2 protocol and give it a try.
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged quadcopter python serial communication multi-rotor or ask your own question.
Any image transfer protocol for wireless serial transfer?
Is it possible to record only incoming data with realterm?

industry_corpus2: Aerospace


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At least eight people were killed following three back to back explosions at a stadium in Jalalabad City, in the eastern Nangarhar province, local officials confirmed.
The explosions happened when a big crowd were watching a cricket match at a local stadium in the city, provincial governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told TOLOnews.
He said 45 people were wounded in the explosions.
Hedayatullah Zahir, an organizer of the cricket tournament, and Dr Nikmal, deputy mayor of Mehtarlam City of Laghman province, are among those killed in the blasts, provincial governor's office said.
The match was part of a cricket tournament held between local teams to mark Ramadan, Khogyani said.
Taliban denies any involvement in the Jalalabad blasts.
Provincial governor’s spokesman says the explosions targeted a stadium in Jalalabad City where a big crowd were watching a cricket match.

industry_corpus2: Sports


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I didn’t talk about my last appointment (last Thursday) because I was getting very frustrated. I was also stressed to the max the week & days before.
I think I temporarily just broke after the whole rigamarole with U of Maryland. I was just done. I wasn’t feeling good, in fact I felt so short of breath that morning I really did take my nebulizer medicine even though I usually don’t. I knew it would be out of my system before the breathing test.
I actually did better this breathing test had a rebound, so we didn’t log it. Could have fooled me I felt ragged as all hell too. Could be a fluke, but maybe it’s the pulmonary rehab helping my numbers.
Part of me was depressed because I knew that my score wouldn’t change. I was worried it wasn’t high enough.
I was tired of all of it.
When I told my doctor what happened with U of Maryland he changed his mind & said he was going to send a letter to Johns Hopkins. He didn’t suggest another region entirely like going to Emory or Cleveland Clinic & I didn’t ask. He probably thinks I might have a decent enough shot if I am on the lists of both organ procurement organizations (which I will be if Hopkins accepts me) versus being listed in two separate regions.
He said his main reservation was that they had gotten more conservative with the patients they select. But he still must feel it worth a shot because he told me to call there for an appointment.
This might be doable because I know Hopkins won’t make me supply my own oxygen & it’s still in Baltimore (like U of Maryland was).
I took a week off from scheduling anything.
I had to. I had to clear my head a little. It was just all too much & I needed to forget all of it. This week I had one blood draw and focused on my rehab & then other things totally not healthcare related.
I also feel better after talking last night with another friend with my disease (who is post transplant & has helped me along the way). My score is good enough. I didn’t think it was, but it is. I’m not far off or not competitive like I had thought I was. Maybe for Columbia I would be, not for my center.
The phone just needs to ring. I just need to maintain & keep working on building up (which I have been).
My current oxygen supplier drivers are awesome. They gave me a booklet & it looks like there are some affiliate companies that might service that area of Maryland, so it might be easier to coordinate than I thought.
I’ll talk to them next week before I schedule to find out how much lead time they’d need to make arrangements.
But for the rest of the weekend I’m going back to tuning out.
This entry was posted in blog entries and tagged chronic illness, chronic life, disability, healthcare, LAM, lung disease, lung transplant, lymphangioleiomyomatosis, rare disease, spoonies, transplant, transplantation, TSC, tuberous sclerosis complex. Bookmark the permalink.
Nikki, I feel the pain, the frustration and irritation in your words. Hang tough ………. and tune out and rest your mind and body a couple of days, but please leave your phone on. Sending prayers for strength.
thank you so much for the kind words Cathy. I sincerely appreciate them. Thanks for sharing parts of your own journey with me. I appreciate that.

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


text:
Furniture, although typically big and sturdy, can be easily ruined.
Here are some tips and tricks to keep your furniture looking as good as new while you leave it in your storage unit!
The first step to keeping your furniture clean, is to clean it. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? But you want to be sure that you do it properly. That includes knowing what it's made of, because different woods and fabrics can react differently to certain chemicals and cleaners. The first step to cleaning it is getting rid of the dust. Be thorough, get in all the nooks and crannies. Then, give it a good scrubbing using the appropriate cleanser. For fabric, you can let the piece sit and soak for a bit to get rid of stains. Finally, after rinsing it if necessary, let it dry completely before you store it.
For easy transport, take some time to disassemble your furniture. That means take legs off of tables and couches, remove drawers from dressers, planks from bedframes and bookcases, and anything else that's small and will make for easier handling. Stay organized by grouping, wrapping, and labeling everything you remove.
After you've done the first two steps, cover and protect your things. Bubble wrap is great for this, you can use it for anything that could break easily, such as picture frames, mirrors, lamps, or even chair and table legs. When you cover your furniture, though, try to avoid plastic covers. It sounds like a good idea, but really, it'll just lead to condensation and damage. Instead, just use cotton covers, sheets or blankets. Make sure these covers are the right size, though. You don't want it too tight, or too loose, and you also want to avoid tripping hazards.
Last step, plan how you'll arrange everything in the storage unit. You do want to save space, but that's pointless if your items end up being damaged. It's best to leave a bit of space between each item, which allows air to flow freely, preventing damage. It'll also help make it easier to remove things later on without having to take everything out.
These 4 steps might not seem like a lot, but if you take the time to do them, you'll end up being grateful and your furniture will thank you!

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


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We work with families to meet any special academic, spiritual or physical needs so that all may have access to the sacraments. Please communicate any and all special circumstances so we may do all we can to assist.
Note: Knowledge of Catholic Faith and prayers is ordinarily assessed using tests, which can be taken as many times as necessary until mastery is gained. We will accommodate any special or educational assessment needs. If this is not a feasible option for a candidate, they may meet with the Pastor to allow him to determine the readiness for the Sacrament.
Confirmation is usually offered at St. Mary of the Lakes for any Catholic who will be 14 years or older at the time of the Sacrament (this is due to the age-appropriate levels of catechesis which includes a chastity program). Exceptions do occur, especially within the RCIA.
Prior to enrolling in the Confirmation year students, age 12+, complete a 2-year catechetical program which includes "Chosen" (from Ascension Press), as well as lessons from the catechism and other resources, in order to gain a strong foundation in the Catholic Faith in which they desire to be confirmed. Students attending Catholic High School (or Catholic Home School) may opt out of this requirement but must still pass the required assessments.
Candidates must have this solid age-appropriate foundation in the Catholic Faith PRIOR to entering the confirmation year program. In other words, if the candidate has NOT been attending Faith Formation program (or not been in a Catholic school program) since First Communion, they will usually be in the parish program for at least 3 academic years.
Older students may be offered a Fast-track program (which completes the Chosen program in one year or through an adult program depending on need) in order to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
During the completion of the Chosen program (or while attending Catholic School), candidates will be assessed (at an age-appropriate level, and according to individual needs, if necessary) to determine their readiness for the Sacrament of Confirmation. This assessment is based on basic Catholic knowledge and precepts as well as prayers. If this is not a feasible option for a candidate, they may meet with the Pastor to allow him to determine the readiness for the Sacrament.
During the fall semester, just prior to beginning Sacramental catechesis, ALL teen candidates (parish program and Catholic School students) must complete the Theology of the Body for Teens Chastity program ("You").
Preparation includes a retreat (usually, during Immediate Sacramental Catechesis). There is also a required rehearsal for candidates & sponsors and reconciliation prior to Confirmation.
Completion of ALL sessions is mandatory (this includes “Chosen,” “You” and “Decision Point”).
If an absence is unavoidable due to an emergency, or illness, a call should be made to the Parish Catechetical leader as soon as possible.
If an absence is due to a prearranged reason, a note must be sent in to the catechist or a call to Parish Catechetical leader must be made prior to the absence.
ALL sessions missed (due to an emergency, illness or prearranged reason) have to be made up within two weeks in order to receive credit for the class.
After three absences a candidate and a parent must meet with the Parish Catechetical Leader if they wish to continue in the program for that year.
After 5 absences a candidate and a parent must receive permission from the Pastor in order to remain in the program for that year.
Events: Walk for Life, Walk for the Poor, Life Chain, Parish Festival, etc.


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The Herbert Samuel Hotel, a property of Nakash Group Israel, opened its doors in the summer of 2016. The building, previously a hotel which had lain abandoned for eight years, underwent a two year renovation to re-open as a luxury hotel encompassing a European Style.
The striking lobby lounge welcomes you with an inviting fresh scent, and is meticulously designed in a palette of gold, brown and blue fusions. The classic wooden bar displays illuminated stacks of alcoholic beverages, a welcoming spot for an evening tipple.
The hotel contains 137 rooms across a mix of Superior Rooms (18-22m²), Deluxe Rooms (28m²) and four 40m² Suites which include a living room. My ninth floor Deluxe Room is as elegant as they come, a divine blend of neutral tones, silver accents and luxurious marble flooring. Leather bound furnishings and a comfortable seating area enhance the room’s aesthetic, as does the crème de la crème rainfall shower – traditional sophistication fit for the present day. Resting on the indulgent king size bed, it becomes clear I’m in for a tranquil night’s sleep.
I awake early the following morning for a pre-breakfast swim in the indoor pool, located in the health complex which features a spa, gym and dry and wet saunas. I’m fortunate to enjoy the pool to myself, which is surrounded by groups of lounge chairs and a comfortable seating area. “We are one of the few hotels in Jerusalem to provide an indoor pool, which is heated to 28 degrees year round. Our gym is open 24/7 and our guests have the benefit of booking from a wide range of indulgent spa treatments provided by our professional team,” outlines Bukovsky. The setting is elegant, with atmospheric lighting that enhances the water’s reflection as it shimmers from the golden ceiling.
Breakfast at the Herbert Samuel is, in itself, an experience. The 11th floor restaurant presents a spectacular 360 degree view across Jerusalem, amid atmospheric music that sweeps across the classic space. Guests, who dine under an intricate gold iron ceiling imported from the Netherlands, are permitted a behind– the– scenes glimpse of chefs at work from the open plan kitchen.
The banquet of cuisine is a feast of many cultures – including a Balkan Shakshuka, seasoned in tasty spices, and an irresistible melt-in-your mouth Knafe. Rows of colorful chopped vegetables, and dressings, antipasti, eggs, mountains of cheeses, fresh and dry fruits, cereals, breads, pitas, bagels and sweet treats, including pastries and halva slabs, are stationed across the room – a winning presentation of Middle Eastern delights to cater to all tastes. I chose a table encased within the glass terrace which offered an idyllic backdrop of the spectacular city, the perfect accompaniment to my morning Shakshuka.

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


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The directors’ and officers’ insurance policy (D&O) was originally designed to protect the directors and officers from allegations of mismanagement and bad decisions. Over the last twenty years, the policy has evolved to include a wide range of exposures, from fiduciary and entity coverage to employment practices liability insurance. It is really much more accurate to call these policies “executive risk insurance,” for they actually protect organizations and executives from a wide range of decision-based exposures.
There are no standard D&O insurance policies. Coverage provided varies widely by insurer. Each policy and proposal of coverage must be reviewed and analyzed carefully to determine the best offering based upon the needs of the financial institution.
Bank directors and officers have a fiduciary responsibility to customers, shareholders, and the general public in all dealings. They must work to the interests of the stakeholders in their dealings. There are also regulatory issues.
Each insurer’s policy has a unique definition of “wrongful act.” The term refers to any actual or alleged act, omission, error, misstatement, misleading statement, instance of neglect, or breach of duty by an “insured person” in the discharge of his or her duties with the financial institution.
“Insured persons” are (generally) any past, present, or future director, officer, employee, or honorary director or trustee of the financial institution.
Losses include any amount that the insured persons are legally obligated to pay, including judgments, settlements, defense costs, pre- and post-judgment interest, and punitive damages (where insurable by law). Fines and civil money penalties are almost never covered by insurance — without special endorsements.
Pure D&O policies do not provide protection for the “entity” – the bank itself. Many lawsuits name one or more “insured persons” as well as the bank. In such a case, without entity coverage in a D&O policy the judgments, settlements, and costs of defense will be allocated by the insurer between the financial institution and the individual insured persons. If the allocation determines that sixty percent of the action was attributable to an insured person, the D&O policy (without entity coverage) would pay only sixty percent of the judgment. The balance would not be covered.
-lending-related suits brought by borrowers or guarantors.
-suits brought by depositors alleging negligence with regard to any kind of forgery, unauthorized withdrawal, or employee dishonesty.
-suits related to electronic banking activities.
-suits related to IRA or Keogh plan administration.
– suits alleging breach of fiduciary duty or employee benefit plan liability.
-suits alleging notary errors and omissions.
-suits alleging negligence regarding investment advice.
-suits related to data processing operations performed by the financial institution.
-suits brought by business partners.
-suits served against the bank by third parties wronged by business partners or scam artists, alleging that the bank is negligent simply by virtue of being the perpetrator’s depository.
-nuisance suits initiated by those who go after the “deep pockets” of the financial institution.
D&O policies also can include protection for “employment-related practices” such as discrimination, wrongful discharge, sexual harassment, and the like.
The idea that D&O protects directors and officers is actually a bit off. In most claims, D&O reimburses the bank for the bank’s indemnification of the officers and directors.
Your bank’s bylaws include an indemnification agreement that requires the bank to reimburse directors for expenses incurred in their duties. In reality, it is the assets of your bank that protect your officers and directors. Your D&O insurance reimburses your bank.
As there are no standard D&O policies, each policy and proposal must be evaluated on its own merits. No two policies use the same definitions or exclusions.
What amount of coverage is provided by the insurance policy? What is the total amount of protection offered for the total of all claims during the covered time frame (also known as an aggregate limit)? D&O policies are “claims-made contracts.” Coverage applies to any claim brought during the policy period. Multiple claims can, in effect, use up the limit of coverage.
Each year I put out an update of my recommended minimum limits of insurance for banks. Go to www.UofBankInsurance.Com for the latest edition.
Each policy has limits on the dollars that will be paid out. Coverage is changed dramatically by the structure of the limit. Does the policy have an aggregate maximum, a total limit of all claims? Do claims in one section deplete limits of coverage available in other coverage sections?
Suppose you have an a policy with an aggregate limit of three million dollars, a D&O limit of three million dollars, an entity limit of two million dollars, and an employment practices limit of one million dollars. Here, employment practices claims reduce the coverage available for claims against the directors and officers.
Then consider a policy with no aggregate limit, a D&O limit of three million dollars, an entity limit of two million dollars, and an employment practices limit of one million dollars. In this example, claims in one part of the coverage do not impact the coverage available.
While entity coverage is an important protection, improperly designed coverage can dilute the insurance available for true D&O claims. If claims in the entity section of coverage reduce the limits available, the bank could run out of insurance to protect directors.
Having entity claims outside the basic policy limit or as a separate limit protects the bank from using up the coverage. Alternately, the bank can purchase higher limits of coverage.
Some D&O policies break up the coverage into three traditional coverage sections: A, B, and C.
Side A is coverage for individual directors and officers for claims where indemnification by the bank is not allowed by law or because the entity has no assets. Derivative suits are also covered here — suits by the bank against the directors.
Side B pays for incidents where individual directors and officers are sued when indemnification of the individuals is allowed. These are by far the most common claims.
Side C is coverage for the company (a.k.a. the bank). Some policies use the term “entity” to describe who is insured by this section.
As has been said, directors’ and officers’ insurance covers a great deal of territory. All the bells and whistles, however, can draw coverage away from the primary purpose of the policy — protection of the directors and the officers. The addition of separate, inviolate coverage just for claims that cannot be indemnified (so-called side A) can be a last ditch “stronghold” of coverage for D&Os.
Think of this as the “panic room” of bank insurance protection. A director is in legal trouble. For whatever reason, the bank cannot indemnify him or her. Dedicated side A protection is there, untouched by other bank claims.
The above scenario is the bleakest. When things are that bad, I’m not sure any amount of insurance is enough. Many banks are unwilling to offer such coverage, as it takes premium from other, perhaps more pressing, insurance needs.
All policies define the term “insured persons.” The contract may indicate directors, officers, employees, or some other variation. Most contracts extend coverage to “past, present, and future” directors, officers, and employees.
It is common for D&O policies to include the cost of defending a claim (attorneys’ fees, etc.) within the policy limit of liability. That means that the amount of coverage purchased must be enough to cover the awards and defense costs of all claims. This can also be an issue to consider relative to aggregate limits.
When you buy one million dollars of auto insurance, you get defense costs plus the one million. In D&O (most often), a five hundred fifty thousand dollar lawyer bill depletes the coverage available to pay the court-ordered award.
When there is a claim, who is responsible for the defense of the claim, the insurer or the insured? Who determines which attorney is used? Most common is a duty to defend by the insured, allowing the bank to choose defense counsel (usually with the approval of the insurer).
Some of the above exclusions exist because other policies provide better protection (as in the exclusion of bodily injury, where coverage is provided under a general liability policy). Other exclusions exist so that only insurance buyers with that exposure will buy the additional coverage. Why include trust liability coverage for all banks when only some have trust exposures?
Regulators may sue directors of troubled banks. A regulatory exclusion removes coverage for such actions. Accepting a D&O policy with a regulatory exclusion should be a desperate move, accepted only when there are no other options available in the marketplace. Ask your insurance advisor if there is a regulatory exclusion in your policy.
This appropriately named policy provision limits the insurer’s liability should the insured refuse to accept a settlement offer from the plaintiff. In many cases, the insurance policy limits the insurer’s obligation to the amount of the settlement offered. Some also restrict defense costs when the insured wishes to continue the fight.
The marital estates extension is now common in most D&O policies. It provides protection for the spouse of an “insured person” when a suit is brought against community property or property held jointly. Coverage only applies when the actions of the “insured person” cause the claim. For example, an officer is sued over issues surrounding a loan application. The officer’s spouse is also brought into the suit, as he or she owns the family home. The marital estates extension provides the spouse with coverage.
Who can cancel your policy? Can the insurance company decide it no longer wants to provide coverage? Too often, I see policies with terms that allow the insurer to bail out with sixty days’ notice. Look for your insurer to provide coverage through the full policy term. Get the cancellation clause adjusted to prevent midterm cancellation—other than for nonpayment of premium.
Note: Most policies do not guarantee premiums. An insurer may not be able to cancel your policy, but it may be able to triple your premiums!
Unlike most business insurance contracts, many D&O policies are issued with two- or three-year terms. Depending on competition or the current condition of the insurance market, insurers may offer discounts for prepaying premiums for multiyear policies.
While the policy may be issued for three years, insurers often have policy provisions that allow for premiums to be adjusted if circumstances at the bank deteriorate or if there have been claims.
Multiyear policy coverage limits are stated for a single year. Aggregate limits are annually reinstated. A $1 million claim in year one does not reduce the coverage available in year three.
It is quite common for community bank officers to serve on boards of directors for nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit service coverage provides protection for actions by an “insured person” arising out of his or her work as a board member for a nonprofit when it is considered part of his or her bank duties to perform such a public service. Coverage is usually in excess over any insurance or assets the nonprofit has.
Frankly, this coverage is nothing to crow about. For coverage to apply, the nonprofit has to exhaust its assets and insurance. Having coverage on the bank’s D&O is certainly better than nothing. However, the insurers are not giving away much here.
Look at the definition of “loss” in your D&O policy. You will find that fines and penalties are not included in the coverage. The FDIC does not care. Neither do your state regulators.
Civil money penalties (CMP) insurance is a part of many D&O policies. It provides coverage for penalties assessed by regulatory agencies against directors and officers. The bank itself is not eligible for coverage.
Some insurers require that the individual directors who want CMP pay for the coverage with a personal check. Others allow the bank to pay the premiums as long as the bank certifies that the directors have paid the bank for the protection.
Premiums for CMP for community banks are almost always under one hundred dollars per director per year for one hundred thousand dollars of coverage.
There is currently a fair amount of discussion about this issue. Supposedly, the FDIC is concerned that buying civil money damages coverage could cause problems.
Good advice. Talk with your bank’s attorney.
I counsel against buying CMP coverage. I think it goes contrary to the expressed desires of the regulators. We may not like it. However, regulators have made no secret of their interpretation of the regulations on this issue.
Employment practices liability coverage can be a part of the D&O insurance or a separate policy. The protection provided includes such issues as wrongful discharge, harassment, discrimination, etc. Check the policy’s definition of “wrongful employment act.” Does it include only certain acts, such as sexual harassment? Or is the coverage broad, including workplace harassment, for example? Are discrimination suits brought by third parties covered? Remember that including employment practices claims in your organization’s D&O policy could affect the limit of liability available for other claims. Negotiate your coverage so that claims paid for employment practices suits are outside the limits of coverage for your entity and directors’ and officers’.
See the separate discussion on employment practices liability policies.
Lender’s liability claims are often included in a separate coverage section. Some insurers will exclude insurance sales and brokerage operations in their basic policies. Coverage can be added back by endorsement.
Trust operations are also commonly excluded. Banks that need protection for such operations can have coverage added for an additional premium. See the separate section on trust errors and omissions insurance.
Be aware of policies that provide only coverage for professional liability suits brought by customers. Many causes of legal action can come from third parties — spouses, beneficiaries, the vendors, customers, or contractors of your customer. Regulators may bring suit, as may other financial institutions that participate in loan packages with your bank.
Some policies require that the relationship between the bank and the party bringing suit be based on a fee relationship. Review the policy to be certain that insurers use a broad definition of professional services to include any transaction where the bank receives some tangible benefit, rather than a narrow requirement that there be a direct monetary relationship.
Several years ago, I was meeting with the president of a small bank and the head of the human resources department. I’d been hired a few weeks earlier to perform a due diligence review of the bank’s insurance, and we were going through a list of concerns I had identified in my analysis.
“Your ERISA exposure is not covered,” I said. The HR VP laughed. A few minutes later, she was not laughing.
It was the “personally liable” part that got the HR manager’s attention. “Explain what you mean by personally liable,” she said.
The issue is pretty straightforward. If you administer a health insurance or pension plan, you are liable for any mistakes you make— you, not your company, is liable. If you forget to add an employee to the health insurance, it’s your house and bank account that is tapped to pay a claim. If the premium doesn’t get sent and the policy is cancelled, it’s your assets on the line. Fail to make decisions in a prudent manner about the 401(k) plan, and guess what happens to your savings account.
The HR manager had even more to be upset about when I mentioned the next kicker. In addition to personal liability, ERISA specifically forbids indemnification by the administrator’s employer. If you make a mistake, your company cannot bail you out. Insurance is the only third-party solution to the personal liability provision.
The Fiduciary section to the D&O policy (or a separate policy) is the solution to the ERISA problem. The coverage provides protection for “wrongful acts” that result in a claim against the administrator of benefit plans. Premiums range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on the size of the employer.
We are not talking about errors to customer accounts here. Fiduciary liability provides coverage for errors in administering your bank’s employee benefit plan.
By the way, many people confuse ERISA fiduciary liability with the ERISA bond requirement. The law mandates that employee pension and retirement plans have a bond of 10 percent of the assets (up to five thousand dollars) to cover loss of the funds through embezzlement. Some fiduciary policies include the fidelity coverage. Most do not. For most banks, your financial institution bond provides an extension of coverage for the ERISA bond requirement.
Some businesses and insurance agents confuse employee benefit liability insurance with the FRIP. Bad call! The FRIP covers errors and omissions in the administration of benefit plans. The employee benefit liability policy covers mistakes but excludes ERISA liabilities. The wrong claim against an employer with employee benefit liability could result in a “for sale” sign going up in front of the HR manager’s house.
This coverage section provides coverage for the bank against liability caused by errors or omissions while acting as administrator or trustee of IRA or HR 10/Keogh plans for others.
Lender liability insurance protects the financial institution against lawsuits alleging improper procedures, extension of credit, refusal to lend, or improper servicing of loans. The exposure is often excluded in the professional liability section of the D&O policy and then added back at an additional premium. Limits of coverage and deductibles may be separately applied as well.
Every directors’ and officers’ liability policy is unique. Read your policy!
Securities liability provides protection for the entity against lawsuits resulting from the purchase, sale, or offer to purchase or sell any securities issued by the insured (sale of the bank’s own stock).
While not a lot of explanation is needed to describe this coverage, stockholder actions against board members are the most frequent area of D&O claims for publicly traded banks.
Trust E&O coverage protects the bank from liability arising out of wrongful acts in the administration of trust accounts. The coverage may be an endorsement to the D&O policy or a separate, stand-alone policy. In any event, make sure that coverage for this protection does not erode the aggregate limit of coverage on the D&O. If you offer trust services, your trust E&O coverage should be a separate limit of coverage.
Some insurers provide this coverage in the D&O policy. Some make it a separate policy. See the chapter dedicated to this important protection.


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The Iran Khodro, multinational automaker, is an Iranian company headquartered in Tehran. IKCO is known for the manufacturing of vehicles and mainly passenger cars. Some of the vehicles it produces include Peugeot, Samand, and Renault buses and trucks. It is a public joint stock company and uses the IKCOOS (Iran Khodro Industrial Group) to pursue its goal that is to create and manage factories to produce, sell, and export cars and automotive parts (Gerdrodbari and Harsej, 2016). The company operates many subsidiaries across the world, especially in its main assembling plants. Some of these subsidiaries such as SAPCO are a component producing plant.
Throughout the years that IKCO has been in car assembly, it has employed an automated in-house assembling process where all components are supplied and assembled in a single production process (Reid & Sanders, 2007). To facilitate this process, the company stores the raw materials and other production components for use during the assembling process. Most of the components are transported from the subsidiaries where component production takes place. The process is completed in eight progressive processes that are completed under the watch of committed staff.
2. Secondly, the sub-assemblies from the initial step are mounted on the floor pan and motor compartment. Additional assemblies give the vehicle body length and height. An example is a firewall that separates the driver and passenger compartment as well as the waterfall that exists between the trunk and backseat.
3. At this juncture, there is a rough outline of the car without the external fittings that make it appealing and a final product. These body panels include swing metal parts such as doors, deck lid, and the hood.
4. This step is a complicated stage of operations whereby the body sides are welded onto the exterior. Pieces of sheet metal are placed on either side by robots working simultaneously and held in position to give the vehicle the desired shape. The welding process is amazing to watch with sparks flying as up to six robots work to locate, fixture and perform welding, a site that attracts visitors.
5. After completion of welding, the sides of the vehicle a roof panel is positioned in the sheet metal layer created then welded permanently into place. However, this step differs depending on the type of company you work for since it's one of the most defining features of the vehicle design. The car can either have a "ditch molding" or simply continuous flat roof hence making it easy to tell the difference between cars. In comparison to brazing and laser welding, ditch molding is less complex.
6. Hoods and deck lids are put in place in a similar way to doors.
7. At this point, the unfinished product looks like a car but without wheels, an interior and a chassis. The BIW then goes through a process known as “body shaping” to smoothen the body panels so as to avoid any defects after painting.
8. This is the final stage, and it entails the use of conveyors or Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV) to transfer the cars to the paint shop.
After this process, again the complete car is transported to the painting shop that is also the company's subsidiary. Finally, the complete vehicles are distributed to the respective distributors.
The company enjoys the benefit of flexibility in its operations in that it can implement new ideas with innovation. This is enabled by the investing in technology and cooperation of the various departments.
Due to the readily available market for its finished commodity, the production process is pacey and flexible. This allows the experts to move through the processes quickly and reacts to any market changes almost instantaneously.
In-house, manufacturing enables the testing of prototype testing through the inter-linkage of the product phases. As a result, result findings can be discussed, and more insight is gained in the process. Moreover, the cost of shipping prototypes for testing is saved.
Consumers' desire customized goods that are designed to suit their preference and liking. Companies that have bespoke manufacturing capabilities can carry out quick customization services rather than outsourcing the activities which are rather expensive.
In an in-house manufacturing setup, the costs are relatively low compared to outsourcing services. Moreover, testing can be conducted without much mobility.
Companies tend to be concerned much about control and restrictions of workforce access to certain areas. For instance, contracted employees may not be free to carry out their activities in the host company. In contrast, the host firm cannot directly instruct the outsourced individuals due to lack of control.
In-house employees tend to prefer permanent and long years of service. Consequently, the company may shy away from holding onto employees and opt for contracted staff or outsourcing. Hence, staff turnover is relatively high and loss of intellectual know-how.
Duplication of roles is an imminent danger in a client-contractor organization. Creation of too many roles and responsibilities may result in conflicting managerial roles which contribute to insubordination and inefficient service delivery leading to confusion (Stewart, 2009).
Being the largest Iran’s vehicle manufacturing company, IKCO pays attention of increasing productivity while maintaining high quality. Thus, it has incorporated sophisticated technology in the production process (Forozanfar, et al., 2011). The company is determined to get “right at the first time” to eliminate waste and, therefore, ensure a high quality. The in-house assembling process is not as efficient since the quality of the components and technology usable in the process are limited to the company's ability. This is unlike if the company was outsourcing some parts of the production process; they could outsource with a company that has better resources and better manpower to ensure that this objective is achieved.
Although the company's assembly line utilizes quality monitoring systems and performance inspections conducted on both weekly and monthly basis, it has maintained the inspection process that can not guarantee the quality of a product, but rather it is a process that is initiated at the product design phase to the after sales service stage.
The improvement project will enable IKCO to cut the cost of production significantly. The current process is not cost effective since the company undertakes the whole process and even maintains high inventories of raw materials, work in progress and complete vehicles. To this effect, the paper advocates that the company adopts lean production and six sigma in addition to outsourcing much of the manpower.
The second constraint that guides the decision on the improvements to be made is time. The current process involves eight different steps which entail the movement of the vehicles from one shop to another. The improvement project must be such that lesser time will be utilized in completing the assembling process including reducing the shipments processes.
As observed above, the in-house assembling process utilizes inspection as the primary quality control techniques. This method is far from what a quality assurance process should be. The improvement project will outline a quality assurance process to ensure that the assembling process is right from the assembling of the raw materials to the completion of the vehicle.
Waste due to the transportation of raw material or part productions from one production and operations location to another.
Waste due to defects; that is, the need to rework on projects or products defaults leading to rejection.
Waiting for products or components to arrive at the production site or for a machine to complete a process to initiate another.
Overproducing leading to excess stock that exceeds what the market can consume.
Maintaining too high inventory which may also be in the form of work in progress, raw materials or finished products.
Over processing the products or the inclusion of expensive features that exceed the customer’s need.
The needless motion of machines or people during the production process that consumes unnecessary energy.
The implementation of this process will ensure that IKCO does not maintain the inventory of the raw materials. Also, this production strategy will ensure that the assembling process is not only automated but also will be completed in a single setup without the need to move the incomplete car from stage to another.
Six Sigma Productions comprise a set of tools and methods that will be employed in the assembling process with the aim of improving the processes of production (Desai, 2010). The approach is planned to facilitate the quality improvement of a process’s output by identifying and rectifying the cause of defects. This will help in limiting inconsistency in the manufacturing and business processes.
A six sigma project is completed using sequential steps that have value specific targets. An example is targeted to cut down the cycle time of a process, reduce costs, increase profitability, and reduces pollution resulting from a process and to improve customers’ satisfaction (Goldsby & Martichenko, 2005). The productivity of a manufacturing process when described by a sigma, it is rated by comparing its total yield to the defect free products produced. A process is said to be a six sigma if about 99.9% of the total production is defect free. When implementing the six sigma production process, IKCO will identify the redundancies and bottlenecks that will result from implementing the process. In the implementation of these production techniques, the major disadvantages arising from it are caused by poor decision-making that increases the cost of production and poor quality (Mynott, 2012). This factor is also subject to the production process employed and the actual size of the organization employing Six Sigma (Six Sigma Academy, 2002).
Deming. Deming is a production process that employs 14 production management principles to enhance effectiveness within the organization’s operations. The principles are transformative and aim at turning around the already existing processes to optimize production. The first step is to enhance consistency in production to improve the quality of product or service constantly to earn a competitive advantage which is significant in staying in business against the other competitors. Next is the implementation of management and leadership process that aligns with the new production objectives. Thirdly, the company should enhance instilling quality in the first place through utilizing the right production processes and resources of production to cut down from inspecting as a means to achieve quality (Heizer & Render, 2014).
Establishing supplier loyalty and trust to minimize production cost through eliminating price tag supply process is the fourth step. This step is an essential in ensuring that the company not only gets quality raw materials but also, the established relationship and loyalty helps it get the supplies on credit and at a lower cost (Pyzdek, 2003). The fifth step is to cut the production cost through constantly improving the production process to enhance high and quality productivity. The sixth method is to institute on the job training to improve the knowledge and expertise skills of the production staff. Instituting leadership into the values, goals, and objectives of the company is crucial in ensuring that all the stakeholders participate in eliminating supervision which adds the cost of production; all the stakeholders work towards improving the entire business processes.
Eliminating boundaries among the production departments is critical in unifying the process from designing it to marketing it to the target customers. This entails combining the efforts of the research and designing department, production and sales to increase the ability to detect and rectify problems in the early stages to ensure that quality is not compromised. Also, Deming advocates the elimination of production. Eliminating merit rating and substituting this with self-improvement through education and training would empower the stakeholders to contribute to transforming the organization as a whole.
Just in time. Just in time is a production strategy that is aimed at managing production inventory implemented to reduce waste and increase production efficiency (Fox, 2013). This objective is achieved through receiving supplies only when they are required; it is effective in cutting down the inventory costs. The first phase of implementing this strategy is to forecast on the market demand and ensuring that the demand is accurate. It substitutes the just in case strategy where companies maintain large inventories after projecting a high demand. The Just In Time strategy enables a company to achieve the DRIFT objective (Do It Right The First Time). This is a managerial accounting objective and strategy to achieve JIT (Morgan & Brenig, 2015).
The management through DRIFT ensures that JIT processes are efficiently done to prevent production delays. In IKCO, JIT would facilitate the production and transportation of parts and components only when they are required. The primary advantage of JIT is that the production process is shortened and this facilities the running of multiple production processes and at a reduced cost. Warehouse storage cost is completely eliminated, companies also spend minimal raw materials cost (Hirano, 2009). The process, however, can be ineffective if it does not control supply chain disruptions. Supplier breakdown can also adversely affect the production process; it results in delayed production and consequently delayed finished products delivery (Plenert, 2007).
The DMAIC framework. The DMAIC framework is a five-phase process that is recommended by this paper to be adopted by IKCO to improve on its production process; Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (Liker & Franz, 2011). The first phase is to establish the objectives the particular improvement process that a company wants to pursue. The goals are prioritized by importance in the improvement process. Some of the goals to be pursued by IKCO include to reduce the defect level and to improve quality. The strategic goals appear at the top page since they define the direction the company is moving, and these also determine the components of the other steps of the DMAIC framework (Taghizadegan, 2006).
The second phase entails measuring the performance and standards of the already existing production to determine the additional goals to be pursued. Understanding what a current process is enabling the organization to achieve and whether it can facilitate the achievement of the new goals. The step is important in determining the specific adjustments and improvements that must be made to increase the probability of achieving the new set of objectives. The analysis step will enable IKCO to evaluate the improvement process to ensure that all the defaults in a current system are not transferred to the new system. The improvement phase is crucial in inventing new production strategies (Smith & Hawkins, 2004).
The control stage will enable the company to modify the new production system regarding budgets, procedures, and processes. Also, this stage is utilized to maintain the new production process and strategy adopted (Mohammadrezaie & Eskafi, 2007). Thus such things as the incentive system which is critical in motivating the staff and the operating and management systems which are involved in making critical decisions in the implementation of an improvement plan are also applied. IKCO will utilize DMAIC framework to improve the lean production and six sigma processes it employs (Moore, 2004). The improvements on the system will enable it to achieve the company’s general objectives such as to improve quality, an increase in unit production and sales, increase profitability and ultimately, the general growth which may be measured using the size of its operations, employments, and share prices (Taghizadegan, 2006).
Following the Gannt chart above, each of the DMIAC processes will be executed on a monthly basis; the operations team will be involved in defining the exact objectives that will be achieved by implanting JIT and Deming production strategies. The executive will then approve these targets. In September, the executive and the operations team will be involved in measuring analyzing and measuring the defects of the lean production and Sigma strategies utilized in car manufacturing. JIT and Deming will be incorporated in the improvement phase. The control stage will be a continuous process which will be initiated in November and will continue from then until full installation. The evaluation process will be conducted on a monthly basis for the next three year.
The company’s major concern is to ensure that its products meet the international quality standards. IKCO aim to make the company's products competitive regarding their quality, and this will be one of the primary performance factors that will be monitored within the first six months. The quality assurance process will also be closely monitored to ensure efficiently that only standard components are used in the production process. Controlling checkpoints will be utilized and will include the raw material purchasing control, part production control, and final product control. This process will be useful in cutting down possible defects. The performance report of the new processes adopted will as well be provided to the executive on a semiannual basis.
Upon the execution of the proposed assembling processes, IKCO intends to cut down the cost of production by 18% within the first year of utilizing Lean and Six Sigma assembling strategies. Much of the cost reduction will be achieved from the cutting down of inventory. Also, the company will also significantly cut time utilized to complete the production process, waste and employment cost; it will utilize outsourcing instead of having permanent employees.
To significantly achieve performance improvement in the assembling process, this paper recommends the use of more control processes. While it is easy to execute lean and six sigma processes especially if the required resources are available, it could be costly to continue producing competitively unless the production process is efficiently monitored. This includes controlling the quality of the raw materials and the subproducts achieved in the production process.
Conclusively, there is nothing more effective in the competitive business environment than the ability to reduce the cost of production. Also, for organizations that produce the products they trade, it is very important to get it right at the first time to ensure that they market only what is required in the particular market they are serving. Therefore, the secret is to identify the best production method that will enable an organization to achieve these objectives. Based on the above discussions, the implementation of the lean production and six sigma through the utilization of the JIT, DMIAC, and Deming tool is a guarantee that IKCO will improve its current performance.


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Ask the Sleep Team: What is Oral Appliance Therapy?
I am having a lot of trouble staying compliant with CPAP therapy. I just can’t stand the mask, the air blowing on my face keeps me awake, and I am embarrassed to wear it in front of my wife. I’ve heard about alternatives to CPAP therapy from a friend of mine. He uses an oral appliance. My question is: What is Oral Appliance Therapy? Can it help treat my sleep apnea in place of a CPAP machine?
Oral appliance therapy, or OAT, involves wearing a removable appliance during sleep. This appliance, similar to a retainer or mouthguard, gently pushes the jaw forward which helps to prevent the airway from collapsing. Custom-made oral appliances are recommended as a first line of treatment for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, and are recommended as “better than no treatment at all” for severe sleep apnea in cases where the patient cannot or will not use the CPAP machine. In addition, they can be used in combination with CPAP therapy to make it more tolerable for the patient.


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Easter Day celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and is the most important and oldest festival of Christians. Easter Day is also known as Easter Sunday or the Resurrection Day. Being the central feast in the Christian liturgical year, Easter is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy by Christians of throughout the world. Since on this very day Jesus Christ rose from the dead and ascended into the heaven, Easter marks the transition from death to life and night to day, and prominently known and recognized as the festival of rejuvenation of living and life. Moreover, Easter symbolizes the beginning of new optimistic and promising things, and joys of the spring season.
Easter Day or Easter Sunday is a movable festival, and is not celebrated on the same date every year. Easter Day celebration varies in between March 22 and April 25. Western Churches following the Gregorian calendar, celebrate Easter Sunday on observance of full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21. While the Orthodox Christians who follow the Julian calendar to calculate the Easter date, celebrate this festival generally after one week or two.
According to the history, Easter Day commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion and death. Easter Day is followed by the Eastertide, a fifty-day long period comprising of Mardi Gras and Lent. Lent is a forty-day period of fasting, prayers, reflection, and penance, and ends with the Easter Sunday. The last week of Lent is the Holy Week, and contains the Good Friday. Lent represents the 40-days Jesus spent in the wilderness wandering, surviving various evil and beguiling temptations by the devil. Good Friday commemorates the day of crucifixion and death of Jesus. The Holy Saturday represents the transition period between the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Mardi Gras is the last feast of food and fun before the start of Lent, and Maundy Thursday marks the last supper of Jesus with his disciples.
Christians of all around the world make comprehensive and elaborate preparations to celebrate Easter Sunday with great fervor, optimism, and joy. Though Easter customs slightly vary across the Christian world, decorating beautiful Easter eggs and gift-giving have been the common motifs everywhere.
There are a number of symbols inherently associated with Easter celebrations such as decorated eggs, chicks, white lilies, rabbits, sunrise service, and new outfits. Easter eggs are believed to represent the bright beginning of optimism and life, while the rabbits (a symbol of fertility) and chicks are considered to represent rebirth of the earth. Also, the white Lily, sometimes also known as the Easter lily, is said to be the symbol of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
However, the concept about Easter Gifts has changed more or less over the years, in all around the world. In the past years, Easter gifts generally used to be candies and chocolates in the form of Easter eggs, bells, fish, and bunnies. But today, most of the people want and prefer to give and take gifts which can be of some use, and therefore, Easter baskets, Easter fresh fruit cakes, and easy Easter crafts have become very popular, for Easter celebrations all around the world.

industry_corpus2: Others


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Hahnemühle Traditional Artist Papers are produced accoring to old recipes using high quality raw materials and pure spring water. Hahnemühle combines centuries of experience with modern innovation and artists inspiration since 1584.
Watercolours are fascinating because of their brilliant colours that appear to barely tint the paper with apparent ease.
The easily flowing colours allow gently graded washes in the painting.
Watercolour painting offers an inexpensive introduction to a creative activity because it requires few painting utensils and is easy to handle.
Crucial for the quality of a painting is the surface texture of the watercolour paper. Here one must distinguish between torchon, rough, extra rough, matte and satiny. The more exacting the technical painting demands, the more robust the paper surface must be. Inexpensive papers are made from 100% pulp, high quality and fine papers are made from 100% cotton rag. There are also watercolour papers made from 50% rag and 50% pulp.
Water plays the major role in watercolour painting. Colours applied to white paper using a lot of water allow the paper to reflect through. Small amounts of colour applied in thin and transparent layers display an intense brilliance when using high quality pigments.


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Steiff Black Bear on Wheels Discounts Apply !
Made from The Finest Black Mohair.
We introduced the first animals on wheels in 1892 and they've never gone out of style. Grown-up children still enjoy our wheeled wonders, with many people building dedicated collections of these Steiff novelties.
Whether this will be your first - or one of many - you'll want to be sure to order our Black bear on wheels. There's never been another one like it.
Our black bear features all the Steiff trademarks that our collectors appreciate: the mohair coat, the airbrushed details, and the hand-stitched nose and mouth. He rolls along on cast iron wheels forged in the distinctive Steiff style. And although the concept is now nearly 125 years old, you'll discover that no collection is quite complete without a Steiff animal on wheels.
with Safety Eyes and stuffed with Safety Filling, and with gold-plated "Button in Ear" with elephant motif and Surface Washable.


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Looking for reliable and affordable Computer Repairs, Services and Help in the Mount Kingiman area?
Geekmobile is a Friendly, experienced Computer Repair company operating at Mount Kingiman. Our Technicians are of the highest standard and we fully cover Mount Kingiman and the surrounding suburbs including Narrawallee, Fishermans Paradise, Cockwhy, Burrill Lake, Bawley Point, Yatte Yattah, Pretty Beach, Porters Creek, Mogood, Bendalong, Yadboro, Woodstock, Mollymook, Cunjurong Point, Conjola Park, Conjola, Termeil, Lake Conjola, Kings Point, Dolphin Point, Pointer Mountain, Morton, Lake Tabourie, Berringer Lake, Woodburn and Mollymook Beach just to name a few!
Mount Kingiman is serviced by the techs based in these suburbs and surrounding areas: Blake (Ulladulla) and Kyle (Fishermans Paradise).
"I was pleased to see that Ram was honest with his abilities and didn't stay longer than was necessary. He gave me good information and my laptop was sent away to Dell for repair. Thank you."

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text: Viviscal Gorgeous Growth Densifying Elixir is the ultimate, body-boosting, leave-in treatment for thicker, fuller and gorgeous looking hair. 88% of consumers agree that Viviscal Gorgeous Growth Elixir does not weigh down hair or make it feel greasy+. Viviscal Densifying Elixir promotes gorgeous hair as part of the complete Viviscal Gorgeous Growth Densifying collection. Only the Viviscal Gorgeous Growth Densifying collection contains Ana:Tel™, a proprietary complex that includes clinically tested ingredients derived from natural sources, such as pea sprouts and grape seeds. Combined with Biotin, Keratin and Zinc, the Gorgeous Growth Densifying collection promotes the appearance of healthy looking hair growth. 9 out of 10 consumers said their hair appeared thicker and fuller after just 1 week of using the Viviscal Gorgeous Growth Range+.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


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Our team lives and works alongside you, so we know firsthand what driving is like in and around Spring Branch — whether you’re commuting to work, heading back home or getting out of town for the weekend. As a local Allstate agency, and local residents ourselves, you can count on us to understand firsthand how to help you protect yourself and your car — from cold days to rainy weather.
We believe in treating people with respect, whether you’re calling us for the first time or have worked with us for years. You can count on us to be there when you have questions about your car insurance or need to file a claim after an accident. Customers are the focus of what we do, and we are here to help you choose the auto insurance coverage that fits your life in Spring Branch.
Proud to serve the areas of Spring Branch, Bulverde, New Braunfels, San Antonio, Boerne, Blanco. Call or email me today for a personalized insurance review.
Barry Savage is insurance licensed in the state(s) of Texas. If you do not reside in the state(s) of Texas, please go to the Find an Agent section on allstate.com to search for another Allstate Agent or Personal Financial Representative.


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TORONTO, Dec. 18, 2014 /CNW/ – Daniel Drimmer announced today that contemporaneously with the completion of the sale by True North Commercial Real Estate Investment Trust (the “REIT“) of 4,440,000 trust units (“Units“) of the REIT at a price of $6.15 per Unit, on a bought deal basis by way of a prospectus supplement dated December 12, 2014 to the REIT’s base shelf prospectus dated December 16, 2013, for gross proceeds of approximately $27.3 million (the “Offering“), Mr. Drimmer, through D.D. Acquisitions Partnership (the “Acquiror), an entity controlled by him, acquired beneficial ownership of 151,515 Units (the “Acquired Units“) pursuant to a concurrent non-brokered private placement, at a price of $6.60 per Unit (the “Concurrent Private Placement“), for gross proceeds to the REIT of approximately $1.0 million.
The Acquired Units represent approximately 0.75% of the outstanding Units based on 20,286,882 Units outstanding as of November 30, 2014, after giving effect to the Offering and Concurrent Private Placement and exchange of all outstanding class B limited partnership units (“Class B LP Units“) of True North Commercial Limited Partnership (a limited partnership controlled by the REIT) for Units on a one-for-one basis (including the contemplated issuance of 833,333 Class B LP Units in connection with the acquisition by the REIT of certain office properties located in Ontario secondary markets on or about December 19, 2014).
After giving effect to the Concurrent Private Placement, Mr. Drimmer, the Acquiror, and Drimmer Holdings Ltd., beneficially own 2,556,901 Units, including an aggregate of 980,207 Units that may be acquired upon the exchange of: (i) 152,084 Options; and (ii) 828,123 Class B LP Units (which Class B LP Units are accompanied by 828,123 special voting units of the REIT (each, a “Special Voting Unit“)), representing approximately 17.4% of the outstanding Units (based on 20,286,882 Units outstanding as of November 30, 2014, after giving effect to the Offering, Concurrent Private Placement and exchange of all outstanding Class B LP Units for Units on a one-for-one basis (including the contemplated issuance of 833,333 Class B LP Units in connection with the acquisition by the REIT of certain office properties located in Ontario secondary markets on or about December 19, 2014).
Pursuant to an exchange agreement dated December 14, 2012, among the REIT, True North Commercial General Partner Corp. and Starlight Investments Ltd., each Class B LP Unit may be exchanged for one Unit without further consideration at which time a corresponding Special Voting Unit will be cancelled.
The 151,515 Acquired Units were acquired by the Acquiror under the Concurrent Private Placement for investment purposes pursuant to the applicable prospectus exemptions set out in National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus and Registration Exemptions. Mr. Drimmer, the Acquiror and Drimmer Holdings Ltd. may from time to time acquire additional securities of the REIT and its controlled entities (whether pursuant to property acquisition transactions or otherwise), dispose of some or all of the securities of any such entity or maintain its current securities position in the entity.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


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Sets the default runtime locale to $locale. This changes the value of INTL global 'default_locale' locale identifier. UAX #35 extensions are accepted.
Is a BCP 47 compliant language tag.


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The Tshwane Shutdown has costed Deputy President David Mabuza to postpone his visit to Hammanskraal.
Due to the ongoing protest in Pretoria, Deputy President David Mabuza was forced to put on halt his planned door to door visits in Hammanskraal.
On Thursday morning, residents of Soshanguve and Hammanskraal took the streets to protests over inadequate service delivery. The streets were barricaded with rocks and tyres.
The Tshwane Metro Police stepped in and tried to disperse the crowds but they were unsuccessful. The situation in PTA led to African National Congress postponing it's campaign which was going to be led by the Deputy president.

industry_corpus2: Politics & Administration


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Note: Students are not allowed to choose fast food or soft drinks industries for this assignment.
3. Company’s competitive advantage over its rivals.
4. Is this company following any Generic Strategies of Porters (Cost leadership, Focus or Differentiation) 5. Company’s growth strategies like diversification or Integration or company using Ansoff matrix to grow in their market.
The presentation should cover the above in a 15 minutes presentation.


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Handle day-to-day HR administrative work.
Assist in attending to enquiries both internally and externally.
Manage, follow up and complete the process for partial recruitment matters including on boarding arrangements and exit interviews.
Ensure all files and data are up to date and recorded in an orderly manner.
Attend to daily employees enquiries and assist on benefits administration.
Responsible for ordering and purchasing office supplies when stocks are running low.
Participate actively in programs / activities planning according to company goals and objectives.
Other ad-hoc duties assigned by the managers.
Minimum Diploma in Human Resource or equivalent.
At least 1 year of relevant experience in HR field is highly preferred.
Good communications skill and interpersonal skills.
Ability to work as a team player in the fast pace environment.
Candidates without experience, studied in HR are welcomed to apply.


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First of all, we’d like to say thanks to Frank Smethurst for loaning us his craft for a demo this week. We took it on the Roaring Fork downstream of Carbondale at 4500 CFS, which is as big as any water we fish with clients.
When you first set eyes on the NRS Freestone Drifter, it is very unassuming. It doesn’t look like much and to be honest, I thought the bow might turtle in a big wave and flip. But this boat wasn’t made to look good on a trailer. It was made for the water. Like a Labrador retriever, it rides very high in the water, even with 3 grown men and fishing gear. To this end, it is incredibly maneuverable—I would say a bit more so than a traditional drift boat. I attribute this to the carefully thought out hull design.
Like a dream. The boat looks like a skiff allowing for better vision forward and a more open feel. The significant rocker in the bow and stern allows the Freestone to ride over all but the heaviest waves. Cemetery Rapid is a class III at this flow and we barely took on a drop of water. The Freestone rides over the waves equally when you are pushing forward or slowing down. The boat bottom is also bowed like a “frown” with the contact points on the chines. This allows for the stability and maneuverability that we typically see in a small cataraft, Unfortunately, it also allows for a small amount of water retention on the sides as the self-bailers are in the middle of the boat. Best keep a sponge or a hand bilge handy if you fish heavy water and want a completely dry boat. At 4500 CFS, the Roaring Fork is “bossy”. With a moderate amount of effort, the rower was able to hold the boat alongside seams to extend the anglers drift length. The Freestone got us into tight eddies to nose up, a must-do in high water. Although there weren’t too many rocks to bounce off of or slide over, the Freestone performed just like a raft when we needed it to. So now the rivers that were “raft-only” just got a new player on their roster.
The first thing we did when we put the boat in the water was to fill it with water and test out the self-bailers. As you can see, they are just a hole in the boat that allows water to escape using the natural buoyancy of the high-pressure air inside the floor and the chines. To be honest, it was really hard to dip a gunnel. It took two of us standing on the gunnel to start filling it with water. We filled it about 25% full of water and timed 2 minutes until the water was nearly gone. Not bad! It’s probably a bit slower than most self-bailing rafts, but the Freestone’s ability to ride over the waves sets it apart from some rafts out there. One thing that could prove problematic for the bailers is the cumulative collection of debris (flies, tippet, leaves, etc) that tends to pile up in boats. Daily washing and cleaning of the bailers would need to be done if you’re on the water every day. The self -bailers also come with easy on/off plugs to help prevent clogging or if you are on a stretch that does not require the bailers.
If you’ve ever fished out of a 14’ raft, you’ll have a very similar experience. At 14’ long, it is very comfortable for two anglers and an oarsman. This boat was outfitted with pretty tight thigh hooks that kept the anglers completely locked in, which was good for stability in the heavy water. With stripping baskets and a couple of strategically placed cup holders (not included, but easily added), everything has its place. I did notice that if the angler in the stern had a little weight off-center, both the rower and the bow angler would notice. It made me feel like I was back in my drift boat! All in all, the Freestone fished like any of the crafts we have come to expect from a professional fishing guide perspective.
We put a 45qt Yeti in the front bay between the foot bar and the seat, which fit like a glove and did not move around at all in the rough water. For me, this is a BIG convenience upgrade from traditional fishing rafts because the rower does not have to get up to retrieve items from the cooler (Read: better professionalism on the water and a cooler that sits balanced, in the middle of the boat). There was still plenty of room on either side of the cooler for a boat bag or small dry bags. Under the rowers seat is a larger bay for storage. There’s even room to put an aluminum dry-box if you want to roll like a baller (more weight). We put a boat bag, a 54L dry bag, a 35L dry bag, and a bucket for trash all in this area with no problem. It proved to be a great way to organize gear to minimize the tangle factor for the stern angler.
Price: At $5,495, the price point on this craft is amazing. You would be hard-pressed to find a decent fishing raft or drift boat at this price used, not to mention new.
Durability. The boat comes with a 5 year retail warranty and a 3-year commercial warranty, which should give consumers some piece of mind, but as this is a new design, time will really tell how much of a beating this boat can take. I think you might see several fishing guides buy this craft, so you can ask them.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


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It has become obvious in my exploration of trying to make a formalism for the pre-processor sections of grammar.300 (see my new grammar page) that the interaction between the various magic words (si, sa, su, zo, zoi, zei, bu, y, etc) is extremely ill-defined. It needs to be fixed. This is going to be rather unpleasent.
Hopefully only ZO and ZOI will be relevant here, but the interaction of SI and LOhU/LEhU is also up for grabs. If this section hasn't been hit by the time we get to this checkpoint, we might as well do the whole thing.
BAhE and ZEI only. If this section hasn't been hit by the time we get to this checkpoint, we might as well do the whole thing.
FAhO only, I expect (what does "mi cusku lu fa'o li'u" mean?).
This page was last edited on 15 July 2014, at 11:34.

industry_corpus2: Programming


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It is imperative that you call now for a free confidential assessment for drug & alcohol detox centers in North Carolina. We are professionals who can help get you or a loved in the right facility depending upon your needs don't wait, call now!
Known as the Old North State, North Carolina is a gorgeous coastal state where you’ll find the Outer Banks (where the Wright Brothers took their inaugural flights), the stunning Smoky Mountains, the historic Biltmore Estate, quaint Asheville, and many other unique fixtures. Plus, it’s North Carolina where infamous pirate Blackbeard last laid roots. And with its four distinct seasons and scenic locale, North Carolina has also become a popular destination for individuals in need of addiction treatment and detox. For a truly relaxing detox, choose from one of the numerous North Carolina detox centers.
Although North Carolina has been experiencing a major heroin epidemic like the rest of the U.S., the state’s biggest issue is alcohol. Last year, there were nearly 52,000 admissions to addiction treatment programs in the state of North Carolina and most of them were for alcoholism.
Crack cocaine is another drug with unexpectedly high abuse rates in North Carolina. According to estimates, between 70 and 80 percent of the cocaine brought into North Carolina is turned into crack cocaine, the smokable, freebase form of the drug.
Based on analysis of distribution routes, it’s been determined that the majority of the illicit drugs that are sold in North Carolina are brought into the state from nearby metro areas that serves as main distribution points, including Miami, Atlanta, and New Jersey.
For every 100,000 deaths that occur in North Carolina, no less than 12 percent of them are from drug overdose.
Several years ago, the U.S. experienced a transition wherein many of the people who had been addicted to prescription painkillers began to switch to heroin. While the heroin epidemic is occurring in North Carolina, too, the state still has much higher-than-average rates of prescription painkiller addiction.
North Carolina has its fair share of populous, metropolitan cities — like Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro to name a few — but the atmosphere that pervades the state is that of a quaint, laid-back, accepting community. So it should come as little surprise that North Carolina is a great place to get and be sober. As a Red State on the verge of turning Blue, most of the open-minded locales will embrace you whether you’re in recovery or not.
The Addiction Professionals of North Carolina, or APNC, is an organization consisting of addiction treatment professionals throughout North Carolina, advocating for state residents who work in the addiction treatment field.
The North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board — NCSAPPB for short — is a council established in 1984 to ensure ethical and quality standards in the addiction treatment field, monitor treatment professionals’ credentials as well as certification processes, and to maintain a forum wherein addiction treatment professionals can communicate with the public.
The Governor’s Institute is a non-profit organization that was instrumental in developing an approach to prevention, identification, and treatment of addiction for academic programs educating future treatment providers in North Carolina colleges.
The Addiction Recovery Care Association, or ARCA, is a nonprofit, North Carolina-based organization led by a board of volunteers, known for spearheading the implementation of addiction treatment methods in the state and encouraging the individualization of addiction treatment programs.
Prevention is the Answer is a coalition of substance abuse providers from throughout North Carolina who promote advocacy, communication, and networking as vital addiction prevention tools.
It’s a well-known fact that the stigma much of the population has against people suffering from addiction is extremely counterproductive, serving to discourage addicts from recovery more often than not. However, North Carolina has become a pioneer when it comes to finding creative and unconventional ways of overcoming the social stigmas associated with addiction. The best example of this is the an annual Walk Against Addiction event, which is held in the Outer Banks and is meant to increase awareness that addiction is a disease rather than a question of morality. As well, the event seeks to promote discussion about the nature of addiction, how it develops, and what puts people at risk of become addicted. Walk Against Addiction also advocates for addiction education as an addiction prevention tool, particularly for adolescents and teens.


text: Polk County, WI is located between Rice Lake and Minnesota in the north western part of the state along St. Croix River. Polk is known for its water falls, biking, hiking, snowmobiling, canoeing, rock formations, boating, river fishing, hunting, public land, hills, valleys, bluffs, big views, sailing, cross country skiing which also has Sand Creek State Fishery Area, Straight Lake State Park, Sterling Barrens State Natural Area, Big Butternut Lake Park, Balsam Branch State Wildlife Area, Cattail State Trail, Bone Lake, Wapogasset Lake plus a couple communities including; Frederic, Osceola, Amery, Cushing and St. Croix Falls. It's surrounded by 3 other Counties; Saint Croix, Burnett, Barron and Dunn. On this page you will find Waterfront Restaurants, Steakhouse, Seafood, Diners, Cafes, Fast Food, Pizzerias, Eat Stands, Barbecues, Buffets, Coffee Houses, Bars & Grills, Pubs, Taverns, Family Style, Burger Joint, Ethnic Restaurants, Casual Dining, Food Truck Services, Other Restaurants; Greek, Italian, Mexican and more located in this county listed by real estate agents. Polk County, Wisconsin GIS MAP Information!

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography