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The Public Firm and Strategic Interaction: The Case of Public Waste Water Management
Usually public monopoly firms have the task of providing services while covering costs with the revenue from charges paid by users. From the literature it is known that if users take the charge as given, the zero-profit constraint of the public firm results in an inefficient allocation of resources. In this paper, it is shown that the inefficiency will be completely corrected if the not-for-profit supplier faces a surplus-maximising single purchaser. The model has been applied to analyse the efficiency of public wastewater management, but it also has regulatory implications for other markets that cannot be liberalised.
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Volume (Year): 158 (2002)
Issue (Month): 2 (June)
Pages: 221-221
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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Jean-Jacques Laffont & Jean Tirole, 1993. "A Theory of Incentives in Procurement and Regulation," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262121743, July.
- Boiteux, M., 1971. "On the management of public monopolies subject to budgetary constraints," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 219-240, September.
- Daniel F. Spulber, 1989. "Regulation and Markets," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262192756, July.
- Pethig, Rudiger, 1989. "Efficiency versus self-financing in water quality management," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 75-93, February.
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LORDE Reschedules Australian Tour Dates Following Illness
After being forced to postpone tour dates in Australia due to what was described as a "really nasty chest infection", Lorde has announced on Twitter that she has rescheduled the concerts.
Along with the new dates, the singer wrote: "AT LONG LAST - australian tour dates! Check out the new performance dates at left.
The New Zealand singer-songwriter's musical debut was an EP, entitled The Love Club, which was released in November 2012, and her first single, "Royals", debuted at number one on the New Zealand Top 40, and also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2013, making her the first New Zealand solo artist to have a number one song in the United States. Her debut album, Pure Heroine, was released in September 2013, receiving critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide.
Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades. In October 2013, she jointly won the Silver Scroll award for "Royals", which celebrates outstanding songwriting achievements in original New Zealand pop music. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, Lorde received four nominations, in which she won Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for "Royals". In February 2014, she was chosen International Female Solo Artist at the BRIT Awards.
Photo source: Twitter

subset: commoncrawl


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Runners get dirty at MCLB "Mud Run"
Sat, 17 Nov 2012 22:37:17 GMT —
The Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany opened its gates to the public, Saturday morning for its first ever "Dirty Devil Dog Mud Run".
The three mile run wasn't a race, but more of a fun run designed to give participants a taste of a Marine Corps style course. Runners had to trek through a water filled canal, navigate agility tires and of course deal with plenty of mud.
"I'm a little worried, I'm a little worried, falling down in the mud, but it's going to be fun ether way," said Coney Schuer from Albany, GA.
Over 500 runners turned out for today's event. Organizers say they are already planning next years, which should be a little harder.


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Content Marketing: Top Marketing Priority for 2013
Courtesy of ThinkTank Blog
By Gordon Plutsky
While social media and mobile marketing often get the buzz three new studies have pointed to content marketing being the top priority for marketers in 2013. There is now widespread and growing acceptance of the practice of brands creating original content to engage and inspire prospects and customers. In the B2B space, the use of content to bring insight to customers while positioning company as a thought leader has topped enabling sales and generating demand according to one study.
A study from Econsultancy and Adobe shows that content marketing has leapfrogged social media into the top spot – an increase of 10 points over 2012.
A new offering from CopyPress shows over a third of marketers consider content marketing to be their leading focus, up from 19% last year and ahead of social media. The study also shows that among custom content tactics, articles, video and white papers deliver the best bang for the buck for ROI, though videos are still considered expensive to produce.
ITSMA's latest version of their Services Marketing Budget Allocations and Trends, 2008-2013 states that the top priority for B2B marketer is "Developing thought leadership content that drives business". A steady climb up the ranks since placing 7th among priorities as recently as 2009. The tracking study also shows that budget is being moved into content marketing and demand generation via digital channels and custom events and away from traditional advertising, sponsorships and trade shows.
These studies show the culmination of a movement that has been happening for several years and now reaching critical mass. Marketers are also realizing after the excitement of social media has worn away those social channels are not very effective without meaningful content to engage. Social gimmicks and other flash in the pans don't create long lasting customer relationships or loyal advocates. In world where consumers are in control and the buyer's journey has changed, content has become the preeminent marketing tactic.
To get some added insight on how to create content for your brand, please download our free ebook "The Right Content and the Right Time"
About King Fish Media
King Fish is a marketing agency. We create programs, often with original content, that are designed to help companies speak directly with customers and prospects to drive measureable sales results.
Our team of marketing and content strategy experts engages customers with content and storytelling across multiple platforms, enabling companies to own their media channel on the Web, in print, through social media channels or in person. Every King Fish program is designed to deliver measurable results based on defined sales and marketing objectives
King Fish develops marketing strategies and content plans and delivers them across multiple platforms including digital (websites, social media, video, mobile apps, email) print (custom magazines/catalogs and direct mail), and events (webcasts and conferences).


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Wednesday, September 21st, 2016 | 16 min read
What's better than showing up at your customer's door disguised as a Christmas caroler and asking if they want to see your product catalogue? Well…pretty much everything, because that's really creepy. But seriously, here's the answer: Using a visual platform like Instagram to engage audiences where they're already consuming content and are most likely to be receptive to your message.
Take J.Crew, for example. Last holiday season, the brand turned its Instagram page into a virtual store window and launched ads that featured looks from its gift guide. Each ad even included a "Shop Now" button, which took users to the retailer's website to see more.
With 500 million monthly users and a freshly-opened API, Instagram isn't just a place for people to share fun selfies with their friends; it's a robust advertising platform on which brands can create their own streams of glossy photos and videos. As of this summer, it's also positioned to take on Snapchat with new Stories features inspired by the chat app. (Just like on Snapchat, Instagram Stories lets you string multiple photos and videos together into one package, and the content disappears after 24 hours).
Even with all of these free tools at their disposal, brands are still catching onto the importance of running paid ads. By doing so, they can target specific groups of users, plant call-to-action buttons, and take advantage of different media formats like carousel ads. Especially now that Instagram's algorithm filters everyone's feeds, your message isn't always guaranteed to get in front of your target users.
Through paid ads, you can help ensure you reach people who are most likely to convert. And during holiday time, when you're looking to round out the end of the year with a boost in sales, those conversions can be invaluable.
Here's what you need to know to kickstart your Instagram advertising for the holidays.
Photo ads are image posts that can be targeted towards specific groups of users. They look just like regular Instagram content, but they show up in-feed with a small disclaimer that reads, "Sponsored." As with organic posts, you can also include a caption for your image that lets users know where they can find more information.
Photo ads can include anything from glossy product images (like the J.Crew example above) to behind-the-scenes photos and DIY tips. For your holiday advertising, you might show how your products can make great gifts or take the stress out of traveling this season.
You can also spread the holiday cheer by sharing how your brand partners with charities and special causes. For example, Johnson & Johnson launched a photo ad inviting viewers to "Donate a Photo" for charity and put those camera albums to good use.
Instagram video ads can last up to 60-seconds, and they provide a great opportunity to tell your brand's story in motion. Marketers have flexed their creative muscles by using video to share time-lapses of product sketches, animations, how-to guides, and funny or thought-provoking short films.
Last year, Bloomingdale's came up with an innovative way to fit 100 products into one brief, interactive video. The retail brand quickly flashed a selection of items inside of its animated "GiftBot" machine, inviting viewers to take a screenshot and see which collection they land on. For the campaign, Bloomingdale's made four of these videos in total—one for each of its holiday gift guides.
TAKE A SCREEN SHOT! The Bloomie's Gift-Bot has zillions of genius holiday gifts tastefully tailored for ladies. (To shop the bot, tap the link in our bio.) #BloomiesGifts #??
A video posted by Bloomingdale's (@bloomingdales) on
When it comes to holiday ad efforts, this tool can be particularly useful for sharing pre-made commercials, showcasing festive recipes or crafts, and relaying extended messages, like ones that are themed for "12 Days of Christmas" or "8 Days of Chanukkah."
Just remember not to rely on sound too much (since videos autoplay on mute) and to grab viewers' attention within the first few seconds so they stick around to see your full message.
Carousel ads allow marketers to include multiple images and/or videos within one ad. This format is interactive in that viewers can swipe through the ad on their own. If they're really interested in your message, they might view all of the images or videos, but if they lose interest, they might only make it through one or two pieces. At the end of the series—or, carousel—customers see a "Learn More" button, which you can link to your website.
As Instagram notes, brands might use carousel ads highlight steps to completing a project, showcase multiple features of one product, or even connect images together into one big panorama, like GMC did.
While many businesses have had success with image-based carousel ads, Instagram only recently let brands incorporate videos into this format. Meaning, the door is still wide open for marketers to experiment with a series of videos, or even a combination or videos and images.
And what better time than the holidays to make your mark?
A fashion retailer, for instance, might include images from a product catalogue followed by videos of models wearing the clothes. Or brands could try telling their own holiday-themed stories in a video, followed by images that highlight the products shown in in that video.
For many marketers, ads are only as good as the leads they generate—especially during the holidays, when they're trying to drive big sales and meet end-of-year quotas. That's why, no matter which ad format you choose, it's important to understand how you'll measure your campaign's performance and gauge success.
Thankfully, Instagram's advertising page has has a nifty chart outlining key objectives and metrics that can be used to drive leads on the platform. These include clicks to website, website conversions, mobile app installs, mobile app engagement, video views, reach and frequency, page post engagement, and mass awareness.
You might launch a video ad, for example, with the aim of driving holiday-time purchases on your online store. Reach and frequency will show how many people were exposed to your content; video views will tell you how many people watched your content; clicks to website will show how many people were interested enough to check out your store page; and website conversions will show how many people actually became customers.
Now you just need the right tools to help you reach those goals. Let's take a look at the most effective ones.
Thanks to Instagram's parent company, Facebook, the mobile app is armed with some of the most advanced targeting options on social media. Marketers can target by location, age, gender, interests, and behaviors. As with Facebook ads, they can also create Custom Audiences (people who already have data about through email lists, for instance) and Lookalike Audiences (people who are similar to your followers and customers).
Through Facebook, Instagram also offers dynamic ads, which target users based on their shopping habits. If a consumer puts a holiday gift in their shopping cart, you can buy ads that will ask them if they're ready to purchase that product.
Here's one that's particularly relevant to this guide: As of last November, brands have been able to target holiday shoppers—that is, people who engage with content related to Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other seasonal shopping events.
Since Instagram ads can be purchased and managed through Facebook Ads Manager and Power Editor, that means they can also be bought in tandem with Facebook ads. This can be particularly useful for brands that are looking to reach a wider audience and bump up their metrics.
As Instagram recommends, "To make sure your ad is reaching the right people, start targeting your campaigns to a broader audience. Then, as you get a better sense of who's responding best, you can refine your targeting approach over time."
It's easy to encourage viewers to take a specific action after seeing your ad. Just include a call-to-action button—part of what Instagram calls its direct-response format. Depending on their goals, marketers can choose from four different prompts: "Learn More," "Install Now," "Sign Up," and "Shop Now."
Last holiday season, photo gift retailer Artifact Uprising sponsored photo ads featuring its products and a caption that read, "Make it the best gift under your tree." By using a "Shop Now" button and launching complementary Facebook ads, the brand saw a 4.7X return on ad spend and 20% lift in website visitors.
Marquee ads are made for generating buzz around time-sensitive events, such as product launches or major sales. That's because they launch for just one day but generate a large amount of impressions. Essentially, they're sponsored post blasts that can be used with any of Instagram's three main ad formats.
Last November, Macy's split up a three-minute short film into a few separate Marquee ads that all ran on one single day.
The ads were targeted towards Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers. They were designed to spread brand awareness and peak viewers' interest in the full film, which was available on Facebook and YouTube.
Need some help navigating Instagram's rich advertising platform? Last year, the mobile app launched its Partner Program, which pairs marketers with tech experts who can help them grow their businesses on Instagram. At Sprinklr, we're proud to be a part of this program as we continue to empower brands around the globe to reach new audiences with engaging content.
Instagram gives everyone a chance to be a published photographer. That's why it can be a goldmine for user-generated content (UGC) that is both professional-looking and engaging. By incorporating UGC into their campaigns, brands can strengthen relationships with their audience: Customers feel connected and grateful because they gain exposure for their creations, and the brand gets to share authentic content that users can relate to.
If you're not sure where to find UGC for your brand, try running a contest. Marketers can encourage consumers to submit their own photos or videos for a chance to win a special prize, such as a product, discount, or holiday gift. In return, the brand gains exposure and a wealth of content at little to no cost.
Last year, Starbucks ran its #RedCupContest. To participate, Instagram had to post photos of themselves with the iconic red holiday cups. The five winning customers each received a $500 Starbucks gift card.
Tall non-fat, no foam latte and a #redcup to doodle on please ❤. #redcupcontest #thrive360livingSBcups
A photo posted by Sam ::: Thrive 360 Living (@sam_thrive360living) on
Your ad content should blend in with people's feeds so it doesn't disrupt the user experience. As they're scrolling through, viewers shouldn't be distracted by the fact that your post is sponsored, otherwise they develop a negative association with your business. If your content jives with the content they already choose to consume, they will be more likely to find it engaging and enjoyable.
It's also wise to create ads that have a similar look and feel to your organic Instagram posts. This way, consumers will have an easier time associating your ad with your brand. Also, if they like your sponsored message, they know that they can go to your Instagram account for more content of the same nature.
Hashtags aren't just for Twitter. They're also valuable tools for sharing your content on Instagram. By using hashtags in your captions, you can make it easier for interested consumers to find your posts.
Consider including popular and trending hashtags that are relevant to your content, like #holidayfashion, #techgifts, or #holidayrecipes. You can also research more niche hashtags on Instagram to reach people who might be looking for content that's specifically like yours.
You can also try to create your own hashtags and encourage followers to use them when sharing their own content. This way, when their followers want to know more about what they're posting, they can click on the custom hashtag and find your brand attached to it.
By using Instagram ads, you can reach people where they're already consuming content, and drive leads with some of the most innovative tools available. Whether you choose to launch photo ads, video ads, or carousel ads, Instagram has a wealth of resources to help you boost seasonal sales and end the year with a bang.
It's also important, however, to keep an eye out for new updates, like the upcoming business profiles and contact buttons. After all, Instagram launched longer videos, direct-response ads, and new targeting options just before the holidays last year, and major brands generated a lot of attention for using them to their advantage. This season, your brand could be the one to make those holiday headlines and attract valuable new customers.
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'Finance experts will identify welfare cheats by trawling through their records, household bills and credit card applications. The agencies will get a "bounty" payment for each fraudster they identify under government plans to cut the £5.2billion annual fraud bill.
By having access to the Government's database of incapacity and housing benefit claimants, the companies believe they can shave at least £1billion from the welfare bill, earning as much as £50million.'
Read more: Bounty Hunters to Cut Benefit Fraud by £1 Billion


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Heart Association honors Wing hospital and center
The recognition signifies that Wing Memorial Hospital and Medical Centers has reached an aggressive goal of treating heart failure patients with 85 percent compliance for at least 24 months to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines for heart failure patients.
Get With The Guidelines is a quality improvement initiative that provides hospital staff with tools that follow proven evidence-based guidelines and procedures in caring for heart failure patients to prevent future hospitalizations.
Smith & Sons to close Indian Orchard store
Andrew Smith said it is getting more and more difficult to run two stores and also give the one-on-one customer services he needs to provide in order to compete in an increasingly competitive business.
"My specialty is working with the young gentleman who needs to buy that diamond engagement ring," Smith, 35, said. He said the economy is soft, but business has been good recently, especially when it comes to diamonds.
He said his parents, Fred and Karlene Smith, still work in the business. But they are less interested in being as active in the future.
"It is just time we as a family consolidate," Smith said. He opened the Indian Orchard location as a branch seven years ago. The business itself was founded in 1918.
Friendly's celebrates 77th year with scoop offer
WILBRAHAM – Friendly's restaurants are celebrating their 77th anniversary this year with a special, limited-time offer. On July 21, from noon to 5 p.m. local time, the following Friendly's restaurants in the Springfield area will serve a single scoop of their famous ice cream in cones or cups for just 77 cents.
Friendly's Ice Cream LLC started as a single ice cream shop opened in 1935 by 20-year-old S. Prestley Blake and his 18-year-old brother, Curtis, in Springfield.
The West Brookfield office will continue to operate as Walsh Insurance Agency until Oct. 1 when it will take on the Bell & Hudson name.
The office will continue at the same location and with the same staff, including Kathy Savary, longtime office manager for Walsh/C.D.I. Insurance Agency.
Freedom Credit Union to celebrate 90 years
During the month of July, the credit union has planned several ways to celebrate its achievement, one of which is to give away a Bermuda Cruise for two. Anyone 21 or older can enter the contest by going to one of Freedom's eight branches between now and July 18. In addition, Freedom is offering a commemorative 90-day certificate at 0.90 annual percentage yield, as of July 2. On July 20, the actual anniversary date, Freedom is planning a Member Appreciation Day at each of its eight branches. Every person going to the branches on the 20th will receive cake and a free votive candle from Yankee Candle. Also, the lucky winner of the cruise contest will be announced.
The credit union was founded in 1922 by seven directors and one employee as the Western Mass Telephone Workers Credit Union. In 2004, the credit union changed its name to Freedom Credit Union. Since that day of incorporation, the credit union has grown substantially. Assets now exceed $500 million and more than 100 employees are staffed in eight branches throughout the Pioneer Valley – downtown Springfield, Sixteen Acres, Chicopee, Feeding Hills, Northampton, Easthampton, Greenfield and Turners Falls. Freedom will open its ninth branch in Ludlow in September.
For the CD promotion, there is a $500 minimum to open a CD account. This promotion is subject to end without notice and other terms and conditions may apply. See a Freedom branch for more details. Freedom Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration.
Columbia Gas warns of energy credit scam
Utilizing personal calls, computer generated calls, emails and texts, social media and even door-to-door visits, scammers are offering gas and electric utility customers an "energy credit" to be applied to their utility bills and furnishing false bank routing and account numbers for customers to make a utility payment by computer or phone. Customers have to register for the credit by furnishing information including social security numbers and other information.
There is no such "energy credit" available and customers are advised to be wary of anyone claiming to represent a utility company asking for personal information and account numbers.
The danger to customers is twofold, Columbia Gas said. Divulging personal information including social security numbers could lead to identity theft and a host of problems as the scammers open fraudulent bank or credit card accounts using the information. In addition, customers' utility bills could go unpaid leading to late charges and potential disruption of utility service.
Advertising Club seeks Pynchon award choices
Established in 1915, the award honors individuals from all walks of life who go beyond the call of duty to enhance the quality of life in communities in Western Massachusetts. Social activists, philanthropists, educators, clergy, physicians, journalists and business leaders have received the award in years past.
To nominate an individual submit a one-page letter explaining reasons why the nominee should be considered. Included should be brief biographical information, outstanding accomplishments, service to the community, organizations he or she is or has been active in, and the names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of at least three people who can attest to the nominee's contributions.
TD Bank extends deposit hours to 8 p.m.
Extended same day deposit hours until 8 p.m. are now available for customers at all of the bank's nearly 1,300 locations. Stores in Florida and the Metro D.C. have offered the extended banking business day since TD Bank began serving those markets. TD Bank already offers customers extended hours, seven-day-a-week availability at many stores, and 24/7, 365-day-a-year live support through its phone contact centers.
To learn more about TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, stop by a store, visit www.tdbank.com, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDMoneyLoungeUS or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US
WMass camps awarded camp association funds
Sixty-four ACA New England accredited day and overnight camps across all six New England states have received camperships on behalf of specific campers.
The Massachusetts camps that received campership funds include Arcadia Nature Day Camp in Easthampton, Camp Timber Trails in Tolland, Kamp for Kids at Camp Togowauk in Westfield.
East Village Place resident Johnny Messenger and associate Michael Shaw, of East Longmeadow, were recognized by Watermark for their extraordinary efforts as faculty members of Watermark University, a program that promotes brain and body fitness for life.
Thrive Awards are bestowed to Watermark associates who exemplify the Watermark commitment to creating extraordinary communities where people thrive. At East Village Place, Thrive Awards were earned by nine exceptional associates: Joanne McNaughto,n of Springfield; Charlotte Fields, of Westfield; Karlene Shaw, of East Longmeadow; Judith Maldonado, of West Springfield; Michael Shaw, of East Longmeadow; Seth Machak, of Holyoke; Linda Kane, of Wilbraham; Diana Griffin, of Springfield; and Jessica Szczepanek, of Longmeadow.
Dee Chlebus, of Chicopee, was named activities director of the Year, among 27 Watermark communities. Earlier this year, Chlebus had also earned the Creative Care Award, presented to "an individual in Western Massachusetts who is known for their unique ability to create activities for individuals who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's by engaging their mind and memory."
In addition, Annetta Webley received the STARZ award, a quarterly peer award, from East Village Place, and Samantha Skiba received East Village Place's "Active Support" Award for her role in supporting the new business office manager during her transition into her new position.


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Perez, a fitness instructor from Colombia, created Zumba unintentionally during the mid-1990s. He was scheduled to teach a dance aerobics class, but forgot his usual music. So Perez popped his salsa and merengue CDs into the boom box and improvised a Latin-based dance sequence. Say hola to Zumba.
In 2001, Perez brought Zumba to Miami and joined forces with entrepreneurs Alberto Perlman and Alberto Aghion. These three Colombian natives established their business, Zumba Fitness, and produced DVDs and infomercials in the hope of hooking the masses. "I think Latin dance excites a lot of people and interests those who aren't turned on by boot camp–oriented activities," Archer says. "They know they should do some form of exercise for their health, and this is the ticket."
As the craze sizzled, the trio created the Zumba Academy to license instructors to teach classes, designed Zumbawear apparel, and compiled branded music mixes. Today, with more than 110,000 locations across the globe offering classes, Zumba is the world's largest dance-fitness program. (Search: Dance tips)
The Choreography
A 60-minute Zumba class incorporates elements of merengue, salsa, cumbia, reggaeton, and hip-hop, and features exotic rhythms set to high-energy Latin and international beats. While traditional dance classes use counts to pace steps, Zumba teachers have students repeat a series of movements. "When you're just moving to music, you become more free and relaxed; it's like being on the dance floor," says Archer. Instructors focus on a single step when designing a routine and add arm movements to work the upper body. Directional changes—like moving from side to side, in a circle, or stepping up and back—add flair to the choreography.
In the Zumba Instructor Network (ZIN), every teacher receives a DVD showing two different routines of choreography set to the same music every month during their tenure. "One month, you get the DVD with the CD, which has nine or 10 songs. You have two options of choreography you can use," explains Martin. "The next month, you get a mega mix. It's a variation of rhythms and contains about nine songs, and this helps the instructor create her own choreography." To keep things fresh, Martin says instructors generally add one or two new songs per week and vary song selection.
In addition to the original class, Zumba Fitness offers five other workouts—Zumba Gold for senior citizens, Zumba Toning, Aqua Zumba, Zumbatomic (for children ages 4 to 12), and Zumba in the Circuit (only 30 minutes). "Zumba is for anyone," says Martin. "It's not a competitive program. It's not about how you look or how you move, it's about getting active and having fun."
Learn how to take your workout to the next level with Bring It!
The Workout
Zumba is a total-body cardio and aerobic dance workout. "It's a moderate form of exercise, so you might not have the intensity you achieve if you went running for the same length of time. But you're going to get the benefits of a cardio workout. If your goal is to be healthy, work up a sweat, and stimulate your cardio system, it's perfect," says Archer.
Head and shoulder rolls warm up the upper body and loosen the neck, while rapid-fire footwork stretches calves and strengthens ankles. Latin dance's sultry and seductive moves also target your hips, firm your abs, and tighten your thighs and butt. Fitness exercises are sometimes sprinkled in, so don't be surprised if several sets of bodyweight squats and plyometric jumps accompany your cha-cha slide. "The best part is you don't realize you're doing it! You'll be doing squats and a boxer move, like throwing air punches, so you're moving your arms and shoulders and engaging your upper and lower body," says Martin.
Your moves might not be Dancing with the Stars caliber, but you will torch some serious calories. While rocking out to Latin jams and chart-topping mixes—think Beyoncé and Lady Gaga hits—you'll burn between 400 and 600 calories per hour. (Video: Ballet core breakdown) The choreography consists of varied intensity levels that match the music's pace and type of movements, so Zumba challenges muscles, builds strength, and increases endurance. "There is a lot of cardio in it, and there are intervals," says Martin. A class might begin with a low-intensity song, followed by one of medium intensity and two really high-intensity songs, before going back down to a low. "It's good to keep your body guessing and vary your heart rate."
Learn how to increase your calorie burn and maximize your workout


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Darian Grubb, the crew chief who led the #14 team to victory in the 2011 championship, confirmed after Sunday's race that he'd already been fired by Tony Stewart.
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He may have been instrumental in boosting Tony Stewart to the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, but even as the confetti flew in pit lane at Homestead-Miami on Sunday evening, Darian Grubb confirmed that he's already been fired by the owner-driver.
"I was told early in the Chase before Charlotte that next year I was not going to be here," Grubb confirmed after engineering the #14 car to victory lane for the fifth time in the ten post-season Chase races. "I'm not sure what's going to happen."
The revelation confirmed last week's pre-race rumours that Grubb was on the way out. He was told he was out in mid-October following a tense and difficult summer which strained the relationship between Grubb and his boss.
"I was frustrated many times this year as well," said Grubb when asked about how he had dealt with a clearly simmering Stewart during that part of the season. "You have to dig down deep and fight. If you are going to do this 38 weeks a year, you'd better be able to take the lows and highs and not get too upset, and just keep a nice even keel and just keep fighting against what you are fighting against."
Even though the team recovered and won stunning back-to-back victories at the start of the race, their form appeared to slip back again in the next two races and Stewart decided that it was time to pull the plug on the relationship. But far from wrecking Stewart's remaining six races, the #14 didn't then finish out of the top ten again all season. Stewart took pole position at Charlotte and raced to eighth place, ahead of a string of three more race wins including Sunday night's extraordinary win at Homestead that decided the title.
"We just kept fighting and doing everything we had to do every week," insisted Grubb when asked how he had carried on and achieved such success despite having been fired. "Definitely it was a little tough and strained but it honestly probably made the guys rally around a little more just because we all felt like we were a team to beat, and we wanted to prove that.
"It did not change anything, what the outcome was going to be. We fought as if we were going to fight to win this championship, and we did it, and now we'll just see in this coming week how things change."
But he revealed it had been touch and go that Grubb even stayed in post for those remaining races of the 2011 season: "I had a lot of conversations with a lot of people, telling them, please give me the courtesy of waiting until tonight to see what we could accomplish," he said.
"Originally I always wanted to stay within the [Stewart-Haas Racing] organisation," he continued. "That's the reason I came here was to help build something special. I think we have done that. We made the Chase all three years and had a shot at winning the championship all three years, and now this year, being able to pull it off, we accomplished our goals and that's what we wanted to do ... now that we have done that, I guess we'll start talking
For the moment, Grubb just wanted to enjoy his and Stewart's achievement with the team in winning the championship and said that any planning for 2012 could wait: "We are just going to plan to celebrate, talk, see what happens from there," he said. "I guess we'll start talking, but we'll do a little celebrating first."
Pressed whether those talks would include whether Sunday's title victory means that Stewart might now change his mind and decide to retain Grubb at the team in some capacity, if not as crew chief for the #14, Grubb couldn't say.
"It all depends. We'll just have to do those talks this week and see what happens," he said. "Obviously this is what I came in to do as a goal, and now I've done that with this team ... We went out and earned this championship. Now we'll just see what comes out of that."
Stewart himself wouldn't be drawn on what was likely to happen with Grubb now that the two had bounced back to win the championship together. "There's a lot of things in the offseason and decisions that have to be made," Stewart said. "Obviously, we wanted to get through this championship battle first, and we'll sit down as a group, obviously, this week and figure out the direction of our program.
"I know what his status is for the rest of the night," he added: "I'm going to get him drunk."
As news spread about Grubb's firing, the sense of disbelief was summed up by one reporter's question at the post-race press conference: "How does a guy who wins a championship, five races out of ten - just everything you accomplished - find himself without a job at the end of the year? The whole thing is just baffling."
"It is to me, honestly," responded Grubb.
But if he's really having to hit the situations vacant this week, then he couldn't ask for a better calling card than '2011 championship winner' - and it's hard to believe that he'll be out of work for very many hours before another team snaps him up.


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MacLaren McCann doesn't believe in luck. It has left nothing to chance with its mandate to design Applied Arts' Advertising & Interactive Awards edition, which went on sale last week.
The agency was invited to design the magazine's overall theme, cover, editorial content and eight pages around the idea of "What's Luck Got To Do With It?"
MacLaren "jumped all over" Applied Arts' invitation to participate, said senior vice-president and co-creative director Mike Halminen, who headed up the assignment with Sean Davison, the agency's senior vice-president and co-creative director.
According to Halminen, Applied Arts gave the creative team carte blanche following their initial meeting with the agency about five months ago.
"They said to us, 'this is your chance to tell your agency's story.' Sean and I had been thinking about luck for years, actually, and we finally had a chance to share this whole philosophy of being lucky, the number 13, and McCann's history," said Halminen.
The agency's first office opened on Nov. 13, 1911, and the agency eschews the assumption that 13 is bad luck or that luck has anything to do with advertising success.
Halminen reported that, from a production point of view, things went smoothly, "but we really pushed the craft on this in terms of the photography and typography."
MacLaren McCann tapped eight staff members in total to work on the project, but hid the work away from everyone else at the shop.
"We wanted to keep it a secret from the other agency staff throughout development," said Halminen. "Firstly, it's kind of an unveiling with Applied Arts, but we also wanted to craft something that would be a surprise to the rest of the agency."
Last year, Rethink Communications was Applied Arts' guest agency designer.


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STANFORD, CA, USA - Ana Ivanovic became the first player to get to 40 WTA-level match wins this year on Tuesday, getting some revenge on Sabine Lisicki at the Bank Of The West Classic in Stanford.
Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Stanford right here on wtatennis.com!
A few weeks earlier, Lisicki defeated Ivanovic in the third round of Wimbledon, eventually making it all the way to the quarterfinals. But this time the No.5-seeded Ivanovic got her back, recovering from an early 4-1 deficit and eventually getting by the big-serving German in straight sets, 7-6(2), 6-1.
"It was a really good match, even though it was both of our first matches in a while," Ivanovic said. "I got down in that first set and she was playing really well, and serving really well too. I really tried to find my rhythm in that set, and in the second set I really started feeling her serves a little bit more.
"It was a really tough draw for both of us, and I'm happy I was able to win this one."
This is just the third time Ivanovic has gotten to 40, first doing it in 2007 (she got to 40 in August and finished the year with 51) and then again in 2013 (her last match win of the year was her 40th).
"I definitely didn't even think about that - I wasn't focusing on that - but it just gives me so much pleasure and confidence," Ivanovic said. "This is what I love to do. I love to play and compete. So knowing I have that many victories, it's very pleasing, and something that inspires me to keep working hard and to get even better and get back into the Top 10, which has been my goal for so long now."
Lisicki did get one big victory, though - she became the fastest-serving woman of all time.
The other two seeds in action - Dominika Cibulkova and Carla Suárez Navarro - weren't so lucky, falling to a pair of inspired WTA Rising Stars. Cibulkova, the No.6 seed and defending champion at the Premier-level event, fell to Garbiñe Muguruza, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, and Suárez Navarro, the No.7 seed, held three set points at 5-4 in the second set but succumbed to Monica Puig in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5.
The only other winner during the day session was Canadian qualifier Carol Zhao, who advanced past Yanina Wickmayer via retirement, 6-2, 1-0, after the Belgian stopped because of a viral illness.
Two more matches took place in the night session, beginning with Venus Williams taking out Polish qualifier Paula Kania, 6-3, 6-2. Williams was sharp on serve - she held all nine of her service games and fought off all seven break points she faced. She also blasted seven aces during the match.
Daniela Hantuchova wrapped things up in the second night match against Paula Ormaechea, 6-3, 6-4.


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We all take our cues from the seasons, letting subtle changes in light and temperature guide our choice of clothes, our moods, our liquor consumption. So with Labor Day past, the daughter back in school, and the linen sport jacket and tan bucks stowed in the closet, my thoughts turned toward fall, my favorite season, a time when, as Fitzgerald once mused, the air is scented with "the blue smoke of brittle leaves" and brown liquor makes its way back to my sideboard.
This fall, in addition to the usual Scotch whiskeys and the occasional bourbon, I plan to drink more rye, a vow largely influenced by my recent discovery of (ri)1. Pronounced "rye one," (ri)1, with its pseudo-scientific name and cool futuristic bottle design didn't Captain Kirk have a bottle of this stuff on his shelf next to the Saurian brandy? It is a clever attempt by Beam Global Wine and Spirits to market an old school whiskey as something hip and cutting edge.
Rye, made from 51% rye grain, is really the prototypical American whiskey, going back all the way to the 1700s. This is the stuff that George Washington made in his still at Mount Vernon. But it fell out of favor after Prohibition and only recently has it made its way back to the American psyche.
Have you ever felt like you were supposed to enjoy something because everyone else was raving about it but just couldn't get yourself to feel the love? I call these things "guilty displeasures". Everyone has at least one, whether it's Asian fusion cuisine, the writing of Gertrude Stein, or other people's children. With me, sadly, it's the Manhattan cocktail. This personal G.D. has always dismayed me since, objectively, the ruby hued Manhattan is such an elegant, sophisticated, and pretty drink. But, no matter how I adjust the proportion of bourbon to sweet vermouth, the cocktail always tastes too sweet to me and that woozy, head-throbbing feeling quickly follows.
Which brings me back to (ri)1.
Katie Stipe, a New York bar tender, who has made serious cocktails at the Flatiron Lounge and Clover Club, suggested that I try a Manhattan mixed with (ri)1 instead of the usual bourbon. After all, as Katie pointed out, most whiskey-based cocktails in the 19th and early 20th centuries were made with rye whiskey. That's her behind the bar at the Clover Club, below.
Taking my first sip of a (ri)1 Manhattan, I immediately noticed the difference: gone was the cloying sweetness that I had always found so objectionable, replaced by a cleaner, more earthy flavor. It was the character of the rye grain and the bite of the 92 proof bottling cutting through. More sips and no onset of wooziness; this stuff was good!
Tasted neat, the real test, the golden-honey hued whiskey's spicy, peppery, flavor quickly asserts itself and, although there is a hint of the sweetness of dried fruit and cherry, particularly when cut with a little water, I was struck by how much drier and streamlined (ri)1 tastes compared to a typical bourbon. Equally pleasurable is the whiskey's finish, a sort of long, slow burn ending in a final peppery glow before fading away.
Finally, it must be said that the very existence of (ri)1, with its streamlined bottle and trendy target demographic, owes a lot to stalwarts like Old Overholt and Rittenhouse, who kept the rye flame burning in the dark years after Prohibition, and new innovators like Tutihilltown Spirits in New York, producers of Hudson Whiskey, their artisanal, small batch take on rye.
Although rye can be complex and smooth enough to be enjoyed straight from the bottle, it really does make a great base for cocktails.
For cocktail classicists, here's the recipe that got me over my reluctant dislike of Manhattans.
2 oz. of (ri)1
¾ oz. sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura® Bitters
1 dash orange bitters
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist and cherry.
(ri)1 RISING STAR
For a more cutting edge drink, try Katie Stipe's take on the classic gin cocktail. Again, as with the Manhattan, the (ri)1 manages to cut through the sweetness of the liqueurs, accenting their flavors rather than being overpowered by them.
2 oz. of (ri)1 whiskey
¾ oz. Maraschino Liqueur
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
1 bar spoon off Violette Liqueur
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with fresh cherry.
For more Distilled by Michael Frew, check out Cool Summer Cocktails, Single Malt Scotch, and Highland Park 40 year old.


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Home » Clinical Trials » Therapeutic Areas
Therapeutic Areas: Gastroenterology | Family Medicine
Disease Category: Constipation
Location: United States, CA
A Study of RDC-1036 (ALKS 37) in Adults With Opioid-induced Constipation
The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and tolerability of RDC-1036 (ALKS 37) in adults with opioid-induced constipation.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Date Last Changed:
July 23, 2013
Diablo Clinical Research2255 Ygnacio Valley Rd STE MWalnut Creek, CA 94598Phone: 925-930-7267
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Diablo Clinical Research
DISCLAIMER: CenterWatch does not conduct clinical research.
CenterWatch is a publishing company that posts clinical trials information on behalf of sponsor companies,
contract research organizations, clinical research sites and other interested parties. This information
is designed to help patients find clinical trials of interest and contact the research centers
conducting the trials.
Copyright © 1995-2017 CenterWatch.


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The Skunk Train is planning on running trains Thanksgiving week out of Willits. The Trains will be departing from Willits at 9:45 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 29, Saturday Nov. 30 and Sunday, Dec. 1 from the depot.
These special runs are being offered by the Skunk Train to accommodate local guests as well as tourists. The price is $49 for adults with discounts for children. Check with the train to check on possible bargains.
Check out train availability and buy tickets at http://www.skunktrain.com/willits.html or call 964-6371.
If you have youngsters in your life don't miss out on the magical Christmas trains which start out of Willits on Dec. 7. These trains fill up quickly on prime days so make your plans early. Christmas trains depart from the Willits depot at 3:30 p.m. only through December 19. On December 20 a second train is added at 6:30 p.m. and then every subsequent day until Christmas eve the trains leave at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Check the Skunk Train site for the latest update.
Christmas trains cost $35 for adults and $25 for children. The kids ride in their pajamas, sing songs and visit with Santa and his elves. There will be hot cocoa and other yuletide refreshments. The round trip takes about 90 minutes.


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Speed of paraquat captured on video
Paraquat's famous fast speed of action has been captured by a time-lapse video produced by Ohio State University, USA. No herbicide acts faster than paraquat and across such a broad spectrum of weed species too. Fast action gives farmers important benefits including opportunities for higher yields and better prices through earlier planting; rainfastness within 15-30 minutes; and ease of seeing where weeds have been treated after a break in spraying operations. Ohio State University chose giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) as the target for paraquat in this video1. Despite being one of the tougher weeds for paraquat to control, the ragweed in the video is desiccated over the course of a day with effects clearly visible after only a few hours. You can watch the video here Mixing paraquat with 2,4-D or a photosynthesis inhibitor herbicide such as metribuzin will give the best control of giant ragweed. A similar video showing the time course of glyphosate effects on common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is also available. Glyphosate takes around one week to desiccate the weed. You can watch the video here
Why ragweeds?Ragweeds are native to North America and classed as summer annual broadleaved weeds
DescriptionThe leaves are "broad" as opposed to the "narrow" leaves of grasses. Also called 'dicots' having two seed leaves, while grasses are 'monocots' having one seed leaf.
Authoritative On-line References and Resourceshttp://www.iwss.info The International Weed Science Society.. They are amongst the earliest weeds to emerge in fields to be prepared for spring crops. This makes them suitable for control by burndown herbicides to give a clean start before planting2,3. If uncontrolled, they are powerful competitors to young crops. Giant ragweed, in particular, can grow over 3 metres tall, severely shading crops and reducing yields by up to 50%2. Ragweeds have become an increasingly serious problem in US crops of corn and soybeans. This has been exacerbated by the popularity of glyphosate tolerant crops, and the increasingly heavy use of glyphosate for weed control. Populations of ragweed resistant to glyphosate have been recorded in crops of corn and soybeans in North America since 20044. Several of these are also resistant to ALS inhibitor herbicides too. Maintaining a range of options for farmers to use herbicides with different modes of action is vital to ensure that these and other weeds currently succumbing to resistance can continue to be controlled. Paraquat has a unique mode of action not shared by any other class of herbicide.
Benefits of fast actionThe benefits of paraquat's fast action are appreciated on farms around the world and have been illustrated in earlier articles posted on the Paraquat Information Center. For example:
- In the US, rapid desiccation of cover crops
DescriptionCover crops are primarily planted not to be harvested for food but to reduce soil erosion, control weeds and improve soil quality. They are usually plowed or tilled under before the next food crop is planted, in which cases the "cover crop" is used as a soil amendment and is synonymous with "green manure crop."
Authoritative On-line References and Resourceshttp://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/covercrop.html ATTRA is the US National Centre for Appropriate Technology's Sustainable Agriculture Information Centre. allows earlier planting of corn.
- In the mountains of Vietnam, corn can be planted only two days after clearing fields of weeds with paraquat, while it is necessary to wait 10 to 15 days after spraying glyphosate. Earlier planting generally means higher yields and can mean better prices at harvest by being sooner to market.
- In the tidal rice growing areas of Indonesia, paraquat is the only herbicide that can be absorbed by weeds fast enough before the next tide washes over the fields. Tidal rice farmers using paraquat can triple their income.


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Sports Editor
GRANITE FALLS — Several timely hits helped lift Cherryville Post 100 to back-to-back wins in the first two games of the North Carolina American Legion Baseball state tournament.
Third baseman Sam Travis blasted a two-out walk-off home run over the left field fence in the bottom of the 10th inning for a 4-3 win over Apex on Wednesday and Tyler Shumaker's leadoff home run in the second inning gave Cherryville a 1-0 lead over Whiteville on Thursday. Thomas Bess and Josh Beam both followed Shumaker with RBIs in the top of the second, and Cherryville held on for a 9-4 win.
Post 100 advances in the winner's bracket to face Wilmington at 7:30 p.m. today at M.S. Deal Stadium in Granite Falls.
Cherryville right-hander Seth Weekley started Thursday's game on the mound and pitched six shutout innings before Whiteville connected for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Post 100 took a 5-0 lead in the fourth on a solo home run by Ryan Craft and an RBI single from Josh Beam. Bess singled in a run in the sixth and Beam added one of two Cherryville runs in the eighth on a sacrifice fly.
Shumaker launched his second solo home run of the night in the top of the ninth to give Post 100 a 9-4 lead.
Cherryville had 11 hits during the game, including three by Bess and two by Shumaker and Craft. Weekley picked up the win on the mound.
Apex jumped out to a 3-0 lead over Cherryville in the top of the first inning of Wednesday's game, but Cherryville tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the third.
Apex led off the first inning with three singles, including an RBI shot by second baseman Mike Roach that barely made it past Bess's glove in centerfield. Apex scored on a wild pitch and an RBI single before Kyle May grounded into a double play.
Travis led off the bottom of the third with a walk, and moved to third base on Luke Kiser's double down the left field line. Both Travis and Kiser crossed home plate on Bess's two-RBI triple to the warning track in centerfield. Bess scored a run on Brett Huff's fielder's choice to second base.
Right-hander Dylan Hastings gave up the game's opening three runs, but pitched the next eight innings with only three hits and 11 strikeouts.
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Park City, UT (July 1) – Olympic dreams will be made and broken during the 2010 U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix as the tour makes three stops in its 14th season. A total of five Olympic qualification competitions will take place at Copper Mountain in Colorado's Summit County and Mammoth Mountain in the Mammoth Lakes region of California. The tour will make its final stop at Park City Mountain Resort, the venue for the 2002 Olympics, to announce the 2010 Olympic halfpipe team.
The Grand Prix series, which will feature 22-foot halfpipes at each of its venues, will narrow down the competition for Olympic spots through its first two tour stops and solidify the 2010 team at the final event in Park City.
"Copper, Mammoth and Park City are all classic Grand Prix sites and will provide a most fitting stage on which to name the Olympic halfpipe team for 2010," said Grand Prix Tour Director Eric Webster. "Copper, Mammoth and Park City all have a proven track record in hosting world class snowboard events, which lends confidence to the riders and coaches in a season with so much on the line."
The competition will heat up as Olympic gold medalists Kelly Clark (Snow Mountain, VT), Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT), and Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA), along with fellow Olympic medalists Gretchen Bleiler (Aspen, CO), JJ Thomas (Golden, CO) and Danny Kass (Portland, OR) all look for another shot at Olympic glory. Joining them in the hunt will be Grand Prix overall champions Steve Fisher (Breckenridge, CO) and Louie Vito (Sandy, UT) as well as Grand Prix podium performers Ellery Hollingsworth (Stratton, VT), Clair Bidez (Minturn, CO) Greg Bretz (Mammoth Lakes, CA) and Olympian Elena Hight (South Lake Tahoe, CA).
NBC, the Olympic network, and Versus will broadcast the competitions. Go211.com will webcast the Grand Prix live from each stop.
Copper Gets Things Started
For the second straight year Copper Mountain, which is known as one of the top resorts for snowboarding in the U.S., will play host to the first stop of the Grand Prix Dec. 11-12. Copper, which is at the epicenter of snowboarding development with variable terrain and more than 19,000 sq ft of park and pipe progression tools in the new Woodward at Copper Barn, has a longstanding history with the Grand Prix tour, having hosted events in 1998 and 1999.
"I'm really excited to have the Grand Prix at Copper once again because I personally love having my family and friends close, as well as having the support of my home mountain," Copper local Clair Bidez said. "I know that Copper is really going to put their all into making the Grand Prix a great event."
Copper Mountain, which lies a convenient 75 miles from the Denver area, is known for traditionally having the first superpipe open in the U.S. and continually providing the best conditions for riders to compete in. Another great feature of Copper's superpipe is the location – it will provide a very entertaining and intimate experience for spectators because it is located just steps away from the Village at Copper and Burning Stones Plaza.
Look for the action in Copper to continue when the sun goes down as the mountain hosts a Paul Mitchell Progression Session under the lights.
"Copper delivered an outstanding Grand Prix for us last year with an amazing pipe. It brings an incredible snowmaking capacity, and an ability and commitment to build an early season pipe," said USSA Vice President of Events Calum Clark. "This year Copper has committed to having a 22-foot pipe, which pushes the envelope even further. We will have an Olympic quality pipe ready for competition in early December."
Mammoth Mountain Returns to Grand Prix<


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KROKUS - New Album To Be Released On Double Vinyl LP In Select Countries This Month
February 10, 2013, 4 years ago
According to an update from Swiss hard rock legends KROKUS, their new album Dirty Dynamite will be available in some countries as a double vinyl LP release. It will hit stores on February 22nd; check online shops in your country.
Krokus will release their new album, Dirty Dynamite via Sony Music on February 22nd in Europe and March 5th in North America. The album will feature the following tracks:
'Hallelujah Rock'n'Roll'
'Go Baby Go'
'Rattlesnake Rumble'
'Dirty Dynamite'
'Let The Good Times Roll'
'Help' (BEATLES cover)
'Better Than Sex'
'Dög Song'
'Yellow Mary'
'Bailout Blues'
'Live Ma Life'
'Hardrocking Man'
Sony Music is offering the title track as a free download. It was the last song that was recorded at Abbey Road Studios at 5 o'clock in the morning. Bassist Chris von Rohr added some honky tonk piano licks on the original 'Lady Madonna' piano at the studio. Click here (scroll down) to download.
Krokus tour dates:
May2 - Zürich, Switzerland - Volkshaus
9 - Solothurn, Switzerland - Kofmehl
11 - Solothurn, Switzerland - Kulturfabrik Kofmehl
July20 - Bayern, Germany - Pyras
27 - Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany - Seebronn


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Boy Crazy Girl
In this Girls Gone Wise video, find out how Paula went from being a needy, boy-crazed, romance-novel junkie to someone who's focused on the right things:
[If you can't see the embedded video, you can watch it by clicking here. You can find more video clips like this on the Girls Gone Wise DVD.]
It's Your Turn
I'd love to hear from you. Leave a reply and tell me. . . Have you ever seen (or been) a boy-crazy girl? What causes boy craziness? And how can girls get over it?


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A Sheffield airman killed in World War II as he returned from a bombing raid behind enemy lines was remembered on the 70th anniversary of his death with a special fly-past in Holland.
Four F-16 fighter jets from the Royal Netherlands Air Force flew over the village of Aalten in memory of Flight Officer Leslie Pulfrey.
Officer Pulfrey's plane was shot down over the village on June 17, 1944, and he was fatally injured after he bailed out in a parachute.
The 29-year-old, from Sheffield Lane Top, and his crew had been flying back to England following an attack on the German city of Oberhausen when their aircraft was hit by German anti-aircraft guns.
He managed to bail out of the plane, but his parachute failed to open fully. Of the seven crew on board the plane, six died.
There is already a plaque beside the field where Officer Pulfrey landed, and he was remembered again with dozens of Dutch people turning up to watch the fly-past.
The four planes flew in formation with one breaking away over the site of the crash as a tribute.
His nephew Joe Pinguey was unable to attend but said he was pleased the Dutch had honoured the memory.
Officer Pulfrey had been a policeman before volunteering for the RAF Reserve and was on his second tour of duty. He was inspired to volunteer by the German bombing raids on Sheffield.
Gerrit Hendrik van Eerden, the son of the Dutch farmer who found his body, said: "We will not forget these people who volunteered to fight, like Leslie Pulfrey, who gave their lives for our freedom."
Watch a video of the fly-past at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEWUKFLiDpY.


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SEE ALSO: Coach Bill Cubit pleased with first day of fall camp.
KALAMAZOO – The first day of the 2012 Western Michigan University football season is in the books.
My first story of the season as the WMU football beat writer has been posted and is awaiting reaction (insert uneasy feeling here).
It was just the first day, but there are some tidbits from practice that I'd like to share in a bit of informal, notebook format:
Wide receiver
Redshirt freshman Timmy Keith looked really good and really fast Monday and it seems as if he's a strong frontrunner to be the No. 3 receiver behind Josh Schaffer and Eric Monette, who stood above the rest as the top pass catcher Monday so much so that coach Bill Cubit called the first practice of his senior season "great."
Darrin Duncan joined the starting offense in four receiver looks and was solid, as were Kendrick Roberts, Justin Collins and Courtney Bynes.
A big surprise coming out of the receiving corps on Monday was true freshman Jaime Wilson, a late addition to the 2012 signing class. Wilson made a nice catch in traffic along the sidelines and picked up a nice chunk of yardage before a defender got a hand on him.
This is an area that appears to be a work in progress. In limited place-kicking attempts redshirt freshmen Andrew Haldeman, of Ferndale, and Chris Colombe booted an equal amount of kicks.
True freshman J Schroeder, the only player listed as a punter on WMU's roster, got the first crack at punting and he looked to be the best of a trio of players, that also included Columbe and Haldeman.
Kick returning
Junior running back Dareyon Chance, junior receiver Justin Collins and Wilson took turns catching punts, though the action was not live. Who can secure a kick and weave through oncoming traffic is still to be determined.
WMU made wholesale substitutions and the players were only in shorts, jersey and helmet, so it's a bit early to say who looks the best in the front seven and how full-contact action will affect the secondary. Stay tuned on this topic.
Practice location
For those interested in stopping by, the Broncos will likely be practicing at their Davis Street practice fields the next few days.
Do you have questions or would you like to share your thoughts? You can leave a comment below and/or join me for a live chat tomorrow at noon at mlive.com/broncos.
CLICK HERE for
complete WMU football coverage
Email David Drew at firstname.lastname@example.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/Drew_on_WMU


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Brad, Britney, Pamela Anerson and T.R. Knight were scattered across the globe, but they all managed to do things that caught our attention big time.
LOS ANGELES — On Wednesday, Britney revealed to the world that shes no longer wigging out and in fact has two-inch long hair to which a host of lengthy extensions were recently attached. Perhaps the reveal was too much for the star, because Thursday she covered up her natural locks with a mega-scarf.
Another thing the star was keeping under wraps? Her calves, which she kept clothed in leg warmers. No word yet if Brit cut her leg sleeves from the closet of internet star Leslie Hall (www.LeslieHall.com).
HOLLYWOOD — If you watched Greys Anatomy last night (or even if you didnt), you probably know that George failed his intern exams and has been stressed out because two women want his love one in the form of a baby. Perhaps to avoid the inevitable summer months spent answering what is George going to do, and who is George going to pick, actor T.R. Knight donned a disguise in the form of his newly flame colored follicles.
PRAGUE Playing it a little more low-key was Papa Pitt who cuddled little Pax and Zahara. As usual Pax took an anxious pose, holding hard to his daddys shoulder while Zahara motioned at the paparazzi, which, despite her tender age, she already seems to be inflamed by.
CANNES Over in fabulous France Pamela Anderson stopped traffic and not for being the only mom who can get away with that short of a mini-dress. No, Ms. Anderson caught major attention for the gent gripping her hips. Rumor has it the unidentified gent is Pammys new fellow. We dont yet know his name, but Pam sure looks happy.


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" A free festival held in Chicago in Grant Park every year - singing and playing blues music. "
Chicago Blues Festival
This review will be specifically about my experience of the festival in 2012 when we spent the Sunday 10th June at the festival.
The Chicago Blues Festival is the largest free blues festival in the world and also the largest of Chicago's Music Festivals. Spread over three days on five stages, more than 500,000 blues fans prove that Chicago is the "Blues Capital of the World." Past performers include Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, B.B. King, the late Bo Did-dley, Buddy Guy and the late Koko Taylor.
The Chicago Blues festival is still a free annual event held in Chicago's Grant Park close to the lake front. The roads between the park areas are closed and traffic is detoured around the area so that it is one huge festival park with tents and food stalls, drink bars and souvenir stalls.
There was fairly strict security stopping people taking in any alcohol although I have to say we saw people with huge eskies/coolers full of drinks that were making them far happier than any soft drink i have ever drunk. I suspect they decanted the alcohol into soft drink bottles of similar colour or added the booze to the soft stuff.
In order to buy food and drink you had to buy festival coupons or tickets and all food and drink was sold in numbers of tickets. In order to buy alcohol you had to show ID then they put an armband on your wrist. Mine was so loose that I could easily have slipped it off my wrist and given it my son or his girlfriend had we chosen too, not that we needed to as they were old enough anyway. It just seemed rather pointless as so much had been brought in and the arm bands were so easily transferable.
Food and drink was very expensive compared to elsewhere in the city, obviously to make up for the free entry. We bought about $30 of token and had about 3 drinks and a snack. Luckily we had taken plenty of water and there were water fountains around to fill them up with as it was a pretty hot day.
The other fortunate and practical thing about the site was that there were plenty of trees around so it was easy to find shade to sit under. We only ventured out in the full sun when we moved from stage venue to stage venue. In fact the really hot sun and lack of shade did slightly effect which stages we spent most time at as sitting out in the blazing sun became rather uncomfortable at one or two of the smaller stages which was a shame as often they had the best music.
WE started off sitting under a huge shady tree at the Bud Light Crossroads Stage and between around eleven and midday we watched and listened to Demetria Taylor, a Blues singer born into a family of Blues singers in Chicago, daughter of the famous singer Koko Taylor which impressed my husband. She was great full of life and had the most amazing voice. When her set was finished we went for a bit of a look around to see what was happening in other parts of the festival.
After Demetria this stage had Mary Lane and the No Static Blues Band followed by Charles Wilson and finally Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials.
We walked over to the Mississippi Juke Joint Stage which unfortunately was out in the sun for those watching and listening but we did stay and listen to a very different group called The Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band. This was so different from any Blues I had heard before; they played the fife, sang and mainly played the drums. They were from the Mississippi area originally and their fame has spread and they now play at all the big Blues festivals and have released a number of albums.
Prior to this band on this stage there was Howlin' Wolf B-Day/Panel Discussion with Barbra Marks, Sterling Plumpp & Dick Shurman then the band we listened to , The Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band and they were followed by Eden Brent then Pat Brown who was followed by Patrice Moncel and the early evening saw this stage hosting the Mississippi Jam Session with Dexter Allen.
Although the Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band was really good we couldn't manage to sit there too long because it was so hot and in the middle of the day. At this stage we headed for the toilet and to refill the water bottles. On the way we passed one of the official buskers and he had found himself a nice shady spot. We stayed and listened to him for a short time. He was by himself and played a guitar, his music was less bluesy and more to my taste personally but we moved along to find some drinks, food and another spot in the shade.
On this one of the bigger stages we didn't visit until later in the day so we missed the Homemade Jamz Blues Band featuring Ryan, Kyle & Taya Perry but we made an effort to get there for Lurrie Bell and his band as my husband was keen to listen to them. We managed to find some shade and sit down behind a huge group of people who had obviously settled there for the duration with a huge cooler full of drinks which were pretty obviously alcohol and they were having a very nice time. My husband was a bit disappointed with Lurrie Bell as he wasn't as raw Blues as he rememebered and was more into the religious Blues which are not really his thing. We stayed an hour or so and then made our way elsewhere. Also on the stage during the day were Omar Coleman and Friends and also Eddie Shaw & The Wolf Gang.
This was a smaller stage but again had little shade for the audience but we did have a listen to Moonlighters on our way through to the Bud Light stage. I was keen to see the Five bands compete in Round 1 of the "Chicago Blues Challenge" but the lack of shade was a bit off putting so we kept going back and forth to have a little look at who was there. Some were excellent and others less to my taste. As we were leaving later on we caught a little taste of Pistol Pete Band as they were finishing up and they were followed by Kilborn Alley Blues Band with special guest Deak Harp and later by Liz Mandeville & Donna Herula Duo but we had had enough by then and were beginning to get a bit hungry.
This is the stage that is a permanent fixture in the park but nothing happened on this stage until the evening beginning at 6pm. Having spent a full day out in the sun and walking around we had really got rather tired and left around the time this one started so didn't see any of the bands on here. It was a shame but there is only so much |Blues one can enjoy in a day On this stage they had a specila set Celebrating Women in Blues with a tribute to KoKo Taylor, featuring Melvia "Chick" Rodgers, Jackie Scott, Deitra Farr, Nora Jean Brusco and The KoKo Taylor Blues Machine Band and they were followed at 7.45 by Mavis Staples. I would like to have listened to the tribute selection but food and drink were calling us and we made our way to get a Chicago Deep pan pizza at one of the original pizza places and have a proper sit.
I enjoyed the day even though I am not really a Blues music fan. I like some but the more depressing stuff is not really my thing. I did enjoy Demetria Taylor as she was fun and certainly held nothing back in her performance. The Fife and drum band were certainly not something I was expecting to see at a Blues festival but they were brilliant, very different and once again fun to watch and listen to.
I thought the setting was brilliant in the park with lots of trees for shade. As you walked around you could enjoy the park and flowers as the music changed when you moved from one stage to the next. I liked the freebies of fizzy fruit flavoured water given by one of the sponsors but they were a bit sweet. We also got mouth organs and a bag of goodies from the Mississippi Blues tent which we brought back for the grandchildren.
Although the security at the entrances checked my handbag and our bottle of water each time we went through they seemed to have completely missed the huge coolers full of drinks that certainly didn't look like soft drinks to me and judging by the very happy behaviour of those enjoying them, they had something stronger in them. Having said that we saw nobody drunk and nobody being aggressive or unpleasant while we were in the festival.
When we got back to the hotel we were a bit shocked to see on the local news reports of violence after the festival on the Saturday night. Apparently those leaving the festival were set upon by local thugs and a number were injured. It made me quite glad that we hadn't gone to the festival on the Saturday night like we had planned originally. I think that explained the huge presence of police that we noticed as we left the festival on the Sunday evening. It is shame that such a great free and happy event has to be spoiled by a few nasty groups determined to make life unpleasant for others.
It has been an ambition of my husband's to get to see the Chicago Blues festival and so i am pleased we managed to time this visit to include it. I think it is fabulous that they can put it on for free and that so many people are able to enjoy the three day festival. If you are in Chicago in June then I would certainly say it is worth a look even if you don't stay all day. It is free so you can go in and out all day if you choose. Or you could see what the line up is and just go for those singers and bands you want to see and hear that is what is so great about a free festival.
I would also recommend taking plenty of water and refill the bottles at the water fountains. The toilets are okay as they are the ones in the park permanently. There were extra porta loos but we made the trek to the proper ones as I hate the stench from porta loos. The walk also gave us the opportunity to look around the park and see the famous Buckingham fountain which is supposedly the start of the old Route 66. It does give you a great view back to the cityscape of Chicago from here.
Thanks for reading. This review may be posted on other sites under my same username.


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'Polar vortex' brings extreme lows across nation
A deep freeze known as a "polar vortex" descended on much of the country Monday, bringing some of the coldest weather the country has seen in 20 years from Montana to Georgia. A low of 32 below zero was forecast in Fargo, N.D., 21 below in Madison, Wis., and 15 below in Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Chicago. Wind chill could make it feel in the minus 50s and 60s in places. "It's just a dangerous cold," said National Weather Service meteorologist Butch Dye. Frostbite and hypothermia can set in quickly at 15 to 30 below zero. Indianapolis banned all driving except in case of emergency or to seek shelter. Schools were closed in Chicago, St. Louis and Milwaukee, and hundreds of flights were canceled.
Liz Cheney pulls out of Wyoming Senate race
Liz Cheney abruptly withdrew from her uphill battle to unseat a Republican senator in Wyoming, citing unspecified family health problems. The daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney said in a statement, "Serious health issues have recently arisen in our family, and under the circumstances, I have decided to discontinue my campaign. My children and their futures were the motivation for our campaign and they will always be my overriding priority." Cheney had been widely criticized for moving from Virginia to Wyoming to challenge a conservative three-term Republican, Sen. Mike Enzi. Cheney's campaign drew almost no support from Senate Republicans, and Enzi's supporters called her a carpetbagger and opportunist. Cheney was recently in the headlines over a public spat with her lesbian sister, Mary Cheney, over gay marriage, which Liz Cheney does not support.
Supreme Court halts gay marriages in Utah
The Supreme Court put a stop to gay marriages in Utah on Monday, granting an emergency appeal by the state that came after a federal judge overturned the state's ban on gay marriage. More than 900 same-sex couples have married since the Dec. 20 ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby. The Supreme Court's ruling will halt gay marriages until the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver decides whether to uphold Shelby's ruling. The court has set short deadlines for written arguments to be filed, with the state's brief opposing gay marriage due Jan. 27. Utah's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage dates to 2004.
Rebels fighting rebels in northern Syria
Syrian rebels freed 50 people Monday from another rebel faction linked to al-Qaida as fighting spread in opposition-held northern areas. The fighting in Raqqa, a stronghold of the al-Qaida-linked Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, is part of a widening effort by moderate rebels to drive radical extremists out of the country. Heavy fighting took place Friday in the northern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib after residents there accused ISIL fighters of killing a popular doctor. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates that at least 100 people have been killed since Friday in rebel-on-rebel fighting. The al-Qaida group is dominated by foreign fighters who entered Syria from Iraq and have imposed their harsh interpretation of Islamic law in areas they control.
North Korea dog story exposed as satire
Who let the blogs out? It turns out that story that Kim Jong Un's uncle was fed to a pack of starving dogs originated with a satirical post on a Chinese microblog. The claim that Jang Song Thaek and his aides were stripped naked and fed to 120 hungry dogs was written by a blogger calling himself Choi Seongho, who claims to be a North Korean newspaper editor now studying in China. He posts satirical comments about North Korea on Tencent, the country's second-largest microblogging platform, and has 30,000 followers. Another Choi Seongho also blogs about North Korea on Sina, China's leading platform, and has 2 million followers. The latter told the BBC he is not the source of the dog story and said, "The person on Tencent is someone trying to be me, who is not me." The Hong Kong newspaper Wen Wei Po picked up the satirical post as truthful, the Straits Times in Singapore published the first English-language account, and it snowballed from there.
The Wire, a summary of top national and world news stories from the Associated Press and other wire services, moves weekdays. Contact Karl Kahler at 408-920-5023; follow him at twitter.com/karl_kahler.


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A 12-year-old French-Mexican boy has become the youngest novice bullfighter to perform in Mexico City's main ring.
Michel "Michelito" Lagravere successfully killed his first bull, which weighed 893 pounds (405 kilograms).
But the "novillero" lost his footing while facing the second bull and was knocked around the sand by the 848-pound (385-kilogram) animal.
"Michelito" was taken from the ring for X-rays. His father said he suffered only bruises and was expected to be released later Sunday.
Michel Lagravere, also a bullfighter, added that he was both fearful and proud watching his son in the ring.
The boy told AP Television News from a stretcher that he was left "with a good taste in my mouth" from his appearance.


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Need to Read: The Wrong Mother
Crime-fiction writer Sophie Hannah has a bone to pick with suburban women who think they can have it all. In her latest, The Wrong Mother, Hannah gets into the head of working mom Sally Thorning, whose self-indulgent slipup—an affair on a secret vacation—has put her marriage, and her life, at risk.
MC: Why do suburban moms intrigue you?
SH: All of my characters are alpha women: Sally's got a big job, a nice but useless husband, and two kids. And in real life people are always wondering, What's really going on behind the perfect facade? Crime fiction is a way of satisfying that nosy need to know.
MC: Did your own life inspire the book at all?
SH: When my children were very young, I was slated to go on a business trip. When it was nearly canceled, I decided I wouldn't tell anyone and go off for a week's vacation anyway. In the end, the trip went off as planned. But I was intrigued by the idea of an illicit holiday.
MC: So you have escape fantasies?
SH: When I wrote this book, my children were small and life with them was hard. A lot of women feel like they should be enjoying motherhood, they should be fulfilled and shouldn't be thinking, I wish I didn't have to do this. I wanted to write a book from that point of view. Obviously, Sally's feelings were exaggerated—but it was cathartic to include them.
MC: How do you think your kids will feel about that statement?
SH: I don't think they'd take offense if I said, "I found it really hard when you were little." Not because of them—because of me. I'm not cut out to lug babies around!


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London Bombings: Not Such A Huge Deal.
To compare the London or Madrid bombings to New York's 9/11 attacks is not realistic the ratio of 1:100 of deaths in these attacks belies the audacity of method. New York will probably never happen again. Airline security and Airforce shoot to kill policy will ensure that.
But these bombings failed to instill much fear in London. We're used to it. The IRA bombed us ragged for most of my life. Life here has always been punctuated with the sporadic deathcount of the bomb. We know how to win that war. And you don't win it by being scared.
It really was just another day in a lot of ways. That may sound strange but I know it is a reaction perhaps most Londoners share on some level. I heard so many big bombs in my life, in places I was often, that this was not new.
If I, my family and my friends escaped unscathed, which is true for the vast majority, then it did not really affect me. I could have been in it. But I wasn't.


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Skip to comments.Freerepublic.com is Gaining on Their Competition.
Posted on 01/27/2003 7:15:23 PM PST by HighWheeler
Freerepublic.com is Gaining
An analysis was conducted January 27, 2003, of the relative rankings of some of the larger political sites on the World Wide Web of the Internet.
Alexa services was used to obtain the relative rankings of some of the larger political sites.
Review these graphs taken January 27, 2003 from the Alexa services site. The graphs show the relative rankings of freerepublic.com against salon.com, democraticunderground.com, and bartcop.com, and finally versus rushlimbaugh.com.
Freerepublic.com is a conservative website that boasts over 90,000 registered users, and is funded solely by donations from the users and "lurkers" to the website.
Salon.com is a publicly held company that was once listed on the NASDAQ, but has since been de-listed to the OTC pink sheet. Salon is funded by subscriptions to its website, but a brief view of their historical stock price shows it was almost $15 per share in 1999, but has since steadily dropped, and is now trading at just $.05 a share today. Salon.com is also bleeding money profusely, and as the graph below shows it is also losing its ranking on the Internet.
Freerepublics ranking January 27, 2003 was 1251, meaning that only 1250 sites on the entire Internet had more hits than freerepublic.com today. However, Freerepublics ranking has grown by 363 in a very short time, in only the last 3 months. Salon.com, however, has dropped ranking during the same period, and today their ranking stands at 1619 with a 3 month average ranking of 751. Freerepublic.com has a 3 month average ranking of 1803.
The decline of Salon.com is very evident here, but it only tells part of the story. Salon.com is bleeding cash at a high rate, and Salon is suffering declining revenue.
Freerepublic.com vs. Democratunderground.com - a democrat centered, user supported site that also allows their users to post in a forum type format. A review of DU shows a very open forum, allowing (and perhaps encouraging) incredibly vulgar language. The users of Freerepublic.com are held to strict limits on vulgar language, and freerepublics posters generally have a sharp sense of humor and fun.
Freerepublic.com vs. Bartcop.com. Bartcop is another forum type site, that allows a high level of vulgar language and rather coarse discussions. The sharpness, clarity, logic, and humor at freerepublic.com really becomes evident when compared to bartcop or DU.
Freerepublic is not only gaining fast on their competition, they have soared lately compared to Rushlimaugh.com. Rush Limbaugh changed format in December to a mostly subscription site, and the number have hits to that site has dropped.
Long held assumptions about political Internet sites seem to bolster the recent November, 2002 Republican victories in the House and Senate, and the popularity and high approval ratings of President Bush. It seems that those victories, and the Internet rankings, are showing that there seems to be a definite American shift to the right on the political spectrum. All these liberal interactive and subscription sites have been losing ranking, and losing at a definitive rate. But the simultaneous growth of freerepublic shows that it's not that political websites are losing ranking, but it's definitely the left leaning political sites that are suffering the heaviest losses of interest among web surfers. Perhaps the future may show a shift back to the left, but for now the conservatives are enjoying a powerful resurgence, and it looks to be getting stronger by the day. George Bush looks like he may be enjoying a long, strong ride for the next two years as long as this trend continues.
No...it has to do with hits after landing here I believe.
Only once when the browser first opens, then it counts the number of pages opened on the same site. Alexa is pretty good for updated information on the Internet
I do this more and more lately. I've been here long enough that I feel comfortable 'filtering' my reading this way. If the responders trash the article, I often skip it. The responses alone are usually much more informative than the articles, too.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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"Look into my eyes/I wish to seeee youu…", sing Les Papillons Télépathes on the chorus of "Bangor", managing to sound sweet, clichéd, simplistic, and possibly existentialist, all at once (and also reminding me of a Busta Rhymes lyric, but then I'm just hopelessly messed up). Is it enough that their yearning sincerity sounds, well, so sincere? That drummer Jaques Dubois, singer Réjean Ricard, and bassist Eric Van Buren play guitar, bass, and drums, et basta? What is the best Beatles album? Has pop music simply gone relentlessly downhill since the '60s?
Depending on your answers to these questions, you should be able to deduce your potential fondness for this record. One of the reasons I've taken so long to review this album is that I keep changing my mind about it, depending on what mood I'm in at the time, what time of day it is, and how pissed off I am with whatever inanities my radio is currently trying to pretend are popular, and therefore good. Sometimes I feel that Songs from a Second Wave is miserably derivative and unimaginative, and should be shunned. On others, I catch myself enjoying, and being comforted by, this old formula being repeated with such single-minded determination, respect, and, well, success. I can't even work out whether their name is pleasingly fitting or annoyingly wannabe poetic.
The Telepathic Butterflies
Songs from a Second Wave
(Rainbow Quartz)
US: 7 Sep 2004
UK: 7 Feb 2005
Undeniably, the first couple of tracks sound as though they were composed by Teenage Fanclub after they'd been chained up in a shady Montreal basement for a week and had "Dr Robert" played to them on loop. Cruelty to cult indie musicians aside, though, I have to say that this is a (potentially very) good thing. "The Cutting Elm", with its shift from downtempo nostalgia on the intro into a sunshine party cut with bobbing bass, cross harmonies, and handclaps, only to coast back into elegiac calm again, sounds as irresistibly fab as it does familiar. Hell, maybe the CIA really were conspiring with Greys back in the day, using a mixture of altered LSD and hypnosis waves from space to affect the brain structures of the entire human race; if not, I'd suggest that the bands back in those days put their fingers on something simple but fundamentally right. Ricard, I feel, believes in this with all his soul, and I have to acknowledge that he has a point, even if I'm not entirely sure his single-mindedness is to be commended.
Which is not to say that this is a hermetic, pained reconstruction of a record. Heck, "Four Leaf Clover" is the missing link between Revolver and The Bends, while "Sickly and the Awkward Gene" powers along on something suspiciously close to the central riff of Blur's "Parklife" before mixing in some Texmex guitar. "Angry Young Man" manages to blend an "Eleanor Rigby"-esque observation of other people's frustration and sadness with a plethora of tempo changes and some surf rock; the mostly instrumental "A Passing Glance" powers along like a more sprightly Doves track; and on the closer, "Big Bang!", they sing in French using exactly the same patterns and vocal tone as English, which sounds strange, slightly angry, and oddly pleasing. You get lots of variation in moods and styles over the course of the thirteen tracks in forty three minutes, provided you're OK with seeing it all through a prism set at one fixed point in music's history (a less kind reviewer might make comparisons to a certain Henry Ford quote here).
However you feel about the Telepathic Butterflies putting passion over both purism and progress, both the lyrics and the music contained on this record are comforting nostalgia that manages to be perky, quirky, and fun. You couldn't dent the winsome, accomplished charm of Songs from a Second Wave with a very large mallet. They can be proud of that.
Lost Bayou Ramblers "Allons a Lafayette" (video) (premiere) // Music
Jean Caffeine "Winter of Hate" (video) (premiere) // Music
The Skullers 'Meet the Skullers' (album stream) (premiere) // Music
Treasuring Memories of Paul McCartney on 'One on One' Tour
// Notes from the Road
"McCartney welcomed Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt out for a song at Madison Square Garden.READ the article


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ReRave Gameplay 1 iOS / Android
By: Step Revolution
Genre: Music
Video Tips
Let's play ReRave! This is part 1 of my walkthrough guide for the iOS game, ReRave by Step Revolution LLC.
I will update this post with more tips and tricks, so please bookmark this page and keep on checking in!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask for extra help in the comments section.
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