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March 28, 2008
Careers in Advertising: An unusual option
We look at the not-so-common career in typography and what it entails in the advertising domain.
Study US: While renting...
Here are a few things to keep in mind while searching for an apartment to rent for the duration of your studies.
Now find out how much your skills are worth
For those mulling their first job offer and wondering if they are being paid right, here is a website that could give an indication.
March 27, 2008
Careers in Advertising: Colleges and courses
Colleges and courses available, with fees and syllabus.
Considering an internship? Read this!
Is an internship relevant for students from all streams or is it best left to MBA graduates? Find out!
March 26, 2008
Career watch: The creative and not-so-creative world of advertising
We take a look at the main career options in the field of advertising and what they demand.
'In business, the name of the game is innovation'
In an email interview with rediff.com's Shifra Menezes, entrepreneur Avirat Sonpal talks about how he started off as an entrepreneur and what it takes to make it big.
March 25, 2008
CBSE Class X science solution for you
Solutions to the CBSE Class X science examination.
Study Abroad: Tips on how to crack the IELTS
Experts from TCYonline.com, present self study tips and strategies for all the four modules of the IELTS.
10 tips to get noticed in your GD
Here are some of the things that you can do to make a winning impression in your GD .
March 24, 2008
'To be successful, you need a compelling vision'
Meet Shirish Nadkarni, co-founder and CEO of Livemocha.com.
IIT-JEE: Preparation tips for chemistry
In our continuing series on the IIT JEE adn preparation tips, we look at the various sections of the paper and how you can score. Here we will look at the best manner in which chemistry can be revised.
March 21, 2008
Study UK: Is taking the IELTS compulsory?
Part 2 of the transcript of the chat with British visa officials.
March 20, 2008
Class X: 4-day study plan for science
Important chapters and topics you should prepare for.
Study UK: 'Can a family friend sponsor me?'
Part I of the transcript of the chat with Uk visa officials.
March 19, 2008
Careers in the Merchant Navy: Training and institutes
India has many fine maritime institutes set up by the government, all of them very demanding and very rewarding. Choose wisely.
Study US: The why, what and how of university selection
Factors to consider while shortlisting foreign universities to which to apply.
March 18, 2008
Merchant navy: A career on the high seas
All you need to know about careers in the Merchant Navy.
8 things you should NOT do in a GD
What you are evaluated on and what you should avoid in a group discussion.
March 15, 2008
Class X exams: 9 most common maths mistakes
Committing these mistakes could deny you a perfect score. Check them out!
March 12, 2008
CBSE Class X mathematics solution for you
Get Ahead invited Top Careers & You to solve the CBSE Class X mathematics paper held all over India on March 11 and give solutions. Check if you have got those answers right.
March 11, 2008
Want a work-from-home job?
Kshipra Singh discusses stay-at-home job options with Get Ahead readers.
Performance appraisal: Dos and don'ts
It's that time of the year when your boss will give you the most confusing but important paper that you have to fill every year. Performance appraisal is round the corner and here are some dos and don'ts that will help you impress your appraiser.
March 10, 2008
Workplace woes: Bullying worse than sexual harassment
A new study has revealed that workplace bullying is more harmful than sexual harassment for employees.
March 07, 2008
Common complaints against office HR departments!
Do you know what are the top common mistakes that the HR department of most organisations make? Here are some and what they should do to avoid the same.
March 06, 2008
Careers in Law: Opportunities abroad
The opportunities for Indian law graduates abroad are getting brighter. We take a look at why and how you can take advantage.
IIT JEE: Adopt the EMD approach
A look at the flow of the examination in 2007 from the composition of the Paper 1 and Paper 2
March 04, 2008
Career watch: The colourful world of animation
Animation is a blend of the entertainment industry and technology. The range of jobs available for a computer animator can be mind boggling. Here's a look at some of the courses avaliable.
Maths for Class X: A 4-day study plan
Examination experts from TCYonline.com have prepared a four-day focused plan for the readers of rediff.com.
March 03, 2008
'Why can't Indians build a great product in India?'
Three Indian entrepreneurs build a software product that promises to give a tough fight to the world's best in the space of domain storage.
Are you ready for IIT JEE 2008?
We kick of the series on IIT JEE 2008 preparation. In the first article of the series we look at the structure and section-wise break-up of marks.
February 29, 2008
Careers in hospitality: Some unusual options
The recent economic transformation of India has thrown up a number of unusual and rewarding places looking for skilled workers and willing to pay for them.
February 28, 2008
'It's a huge risk to under-utilise your innate talent'
An IIT and IIM alumni, Balu Nayar, the managing director of IMG India discusses his career and what he learned in his career.
Careers in hospitality: Colleges and courses
India has an incredible variety of institutes offering a selection of courses in the many branches of hospitality. A look at some of them.
'How can I ace my call centre interview?'
Here, Nasha Fitter, an expert in vocational and communication skills management for BPO and service-based organisations, addresses some of the queries we recieved.
February 27, 2008
Are you a people's person? A career in hospitality might be for you
Do you thrive in high-pressure zones where every day presents new, sometimes bizarre, challenges? Are you friendly and enjoy meeting new people? A career in hospitality is for you.
8 things to make an impressive CV
How to design an impressive and user-friendly CV.
February 26, 2008
Do foreign B-schools demand work experience?
Education consultant Karan Gupta hosted a chat with rediff.com readers on study abroad issues. The transcript.
February 25, 2008
Study US: No iPod, no TV, get yourself a cell phone
Shailee Mehta, an ex-student of the University of Southern California, shares some useful tips for students who want to study abroad.
Want Microsoft India to consider your resume?
Chitra Sood, staffing director at Microsoft India Development Centre talked about the recruitment process at MSIDC during a chat with Get Ahead readers on February 22. Here's what you must do to get hired by MS India.
3 easy steps for a GREat vocabulary
A 3-pronged strategy that helps not only with the learning process but also with the retention of the given set of words, whether scrambled or in any order.
February 22, 2008
Class X: Mastering the art of solving geometry
How you can master some techniques in order to act speedily and accurately.
Snoozing at your desk? Time for a job change!
Are you bored to death of what you're doing career-wise? Maybe it's time for a change -- Shailja Mehta outlines how.
February 21, 2008
Legal process outsourcing: The next big thing
Here comes a trend that presents great opportunities for the country's legal eagles.
Are you eligible for an MBA abroad?
International education consultant Karan Gutpa responds to reader emails about various aspects of studying abroad.
February 20, 2008
Careers in Law: Top colleges and courses
Some of India's best colleges, with the higlights of courses offered.
February 19, 2008
Class X exams: 7 tips to finish your maths paper before time
Tips by experts at TCYonline.com to help you to finish your paper well before time.
Are you cut out for a career in Law?
A look at the branches and career opportunities in the field of Law.
Skills every IT professional MUST have
While, a job as a software engineer looks very lucrative at first glance, once you get into the industry, you realise that it is not just your technical skills that will keep you in the race. Soft skills or people skills will decide how fast and well you climb the ladder of success.
February 18, 2008
Switched many jobs? Easy CV and interview tips
If you have switched many jobs recently, here are some tips on how to write your CV and handle the interview questions.
February 15, 2008
Beyond banking: Specialised MBA programmes
Many business schools are recognising the need to reach out to a more diverse group of potential candidates, including those who may not particularly intend to work in typical MBA positions. A look at a few.
Class X exams: 9 most common maths mistakes
Committing these mistakes could deny you a perfect score. Check them out!
February 13, 2008
Change your signature, change your life
Graphotherapist Chandraprabha Pupala talks to Shifra Menezes about the relatively unknown field of handwriting analysis.
Indians, Chinese study more than Americans
An American documentary suggests that Indian and Chinese students are spending a lot more of their time studying than the average American student.
Amity plans first campus in Gujarat
Amity University is scouting for land in Ahmedabad to set up its first campus in Gujarat.
February 12, 2008
Class X exams: The perfect 10 for Maths
Useful tips from experts at TCYonline.com.
Dharti Desai: From French teacher to CEO
In a telephone interview with rediff.com's Shifra Menezes, this go-getter shares her success story and a few words of advice for budding businessmen and women.
What NOT to do during the admissions process
The waiting period can be stressful but there are some ethical and legal guidelines that must be followed during the admissions process. Here's a look at them.
All about studying in Canada
FREE mock CET for MBA aspirants
The CET on February 17 is the last chance for B-school hopefuls to qualify for the likes of Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies and K J Somaiya Institute. We publish a a mock test to help them prepare.
February 08, 2008
AP sanctions new IT university
The Andhra Pradesh Government has approved a bill to establish the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies. Read on to learn more.
12 things your CV should NOT have
Creating a CV isn't about using flowery language and pretty fonts. There are certain things that put recruiters off and if you want to make a good impression, make sure you do not commit these mistakes.
6 simple tips to a better SOP
A PhD student at Texas A&M University share some useful tips for writing the all-important statement of purpose.
February 07, 2008
Canada: Education system and popular colleges
A look at the education system in Canada and the institutes generally opted for by Indian students.
February 06, 2008
The new love of IT professionals: Modelling!
Hundreds of young IT executives and youngsters from other professions are taking up modelling. Read on to learn more.
Canada as a Study Abroad destination
Want to study abroad?might want to consider Canada.
7 ways to initiate a B-school group discussion
Initiating a group dicussion (GD) is a "high-risk, high-return" strategy. Here's how you should go about making the first move.
February 05, 2008
An eco-friendly way to make Rs 80 crore
Chandrashekhar Hariharan changed career midway when he started building eco-friendly green houses. Today his company BCIL, is worth Rs 80 crore and he is happy that he took a gamble by leaving his cushy job as a journalist.
Home or away: Should you consider an MBA overseas?
Are there actually any real benefits of studying abroad? In a word, yes. And here's why.
Class X exams: What to expect in Science
A look at what experts have to say about the most recent outlay of the paper.
February 04, 2008
CAT to go online from November 2009
The directors of the seven Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will meet later this month to discuss details of a proposal to take the Common Admission Test (CAT) online by 2009.
'IT salaries in Japan comparable to salaries in US'
Karthik Tirupathi, an expert in in Japanese language, management and culture training, addressed queries on learning and working in Japan in achat with readers. Here's the transcript.
From college to corporate: What you need to know
Tthree key career skills that will be vital as you transition to the workplace.
February 01, 2008
Study US: Violence against students a cause for concern?
With the recent violent incidents, parents and students across India are questioning the safety of studying in the United States. Some helpful tips.
January 31, 2008
Dr Arun Vakil, US visa expert, passes away
Dr Vakil, a US visa expert, had been a regular contributor to Get Ahead and hosted a number of chats with our readers.
Study UK: 'Can I work part-time?'
UK officials including Paul Michael chatted with Get Ahead readers on January 24. Part I of the transcript.
Study abroad: The what, why and how of networking
A PhD student at Texas A&M share some valuable inputs on how to make your education in a foreign country a success.
Taking the MAT? Take this FREE mock MAT!
The Management Aptitude Test (MAT) is scheduled for February 3, and experts from TCY have compiled a Mock MAT to help prepare for the actual test.
January 30, 2008
Entrepreneurship: 'An idea is an opportunity'
Rehan Yar Khan of the Indian Angel Network discusses how young entrepreneurs should go ahead with their startup companies.
All you need to know about Pune Univ's MCA programme
A detailed overview of the MCA entrance procedure for Pune University.
January 29, 2008
Taking the MAT? Test your skill and speed
These questions will help test-takers gain a hands-on feel of the test.
'At Microsoft it's not about a person's degree'
Chitra Sood, staffing director at Microsoft India Development Centre, talks about opportunities available to young graduates and interns at MSIDC.
January 28, 2008
ISB among top 20 B-schools globally
School of Business (ISB) has been ranked number 20 in the global B-school rankings released today by Financial Times, London.
Anna Univ: Free engineering education for the economically backward
The Vice Chancellor of Anna University, Coimbatore, Dr R Radhakrishnan made history by announcing that his university would provide free engineering education to brilliant economically poor students who cannot afford engineering education. An interview.
January 25, 2008
Class X exams: Geometry and statistics simplified!
Top Carrers & You presents the second part on speed strategies in Maths.
'Stocks profit, Rs 600...the wife is unimpressed!'
Sidin documents his intial forays into the SENSEX. Don't miss!
January 24, 2008
Speed strategies in mathematics for class X
Top Carrers & You discusses some simple tricks that will help Class X students solve their mathematics paper quickly.
'I nailed my IIM group discussion & interview!'
IIM-L student Bharat Jhurani narrates how he aced his group discussion and personal interview post CAT.
January 23, 2008
IIM job placements touch Rs 60-lakh mark
IIMs have received over 170 lateral offers ranging between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 60 lakh in the first two weeks of their placement season this year.
'Great companies are always built on aspirations'
Investment banking star Rashesh Shah discusses his career and the lessons it has taught him.
Choreography: If you want typical, it's not for you
The opportunities are booming for talented dancers adn choreographers, but is your love for the performing arts enough? Find out.
January 22, 2008
Dance your way to success
A look at dance as a career option.
Compulsory recruitment in the army -- your say!
Last week, the Chief of Army, General Deepak Kapoor, proposed that one way of overcoming personnel shortage would be to introduce or compulsory army recruitment for youngsters for a limited period. What do you think of this idea? Let us know!
January 21, 2008
Oxford plans Indian Business Centre for future leaders
The University of Oxford to set up the Oxford University India Business Centre for research and education programmes.
Are you preparing for US studies? Tell us!
rediff.com Get Ahead users tell us how they are preparing for life overseas at US universities and colleges.
January 18, 2008
MBA calling: How to prepare for the personal interview
A few of the most commonly asked interview questions at B-school interviews and how you show plan your answer.
'Testing out' can save time and money
Miss A Gupta recently graduated with a Bachelors degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Texas A&M University. Here she shares some of her experiences with rediff.com.
January 17, 2008
MBA calling: How I aced my personal interview
Krishnan Sekar, a first-year student at IIM Calcutta, shares his IIM Indore interview as a part of the CAT 2006 selection process.
January 16, 2008
Why do some entrepreneurs fail?
Piyush Shah of the Indian Angel Network believes that until you are convinced an idea must be executed, it's hard to convince others and such a venture is likely to fail.
Class X boards: Parents keep exam stress at bay!
Some tips from examination experts from TCYonline.com for the parents of students taking their board exams this year.
January 15, 2008
How to fund your education for studies abroad
Don't let the hole in your wallet stop you from studying abroad. Karan Gupta looks at some funding options for you.
January 14, 2008
Sit up and take notice: Office perks!
From the use of corporate jets to mediclaim, Resmi Jaimon explores employee perks organisations offer top-level personnel, mid-level executives and junior employees.
'I scored in the 100 percentile!'
An interview with Gourav Bhattacharya, a final year student at VJTI , Mumbai, and one of 2.3 lakh IIM aspirants who took the CAT 2007.
January 11, 2008
The prescreened computer interview: Are you prepared?
It is the age of the prescreened interview, where before you get to meet the HR representative of your dream organisation, you need to answer a range of questions that are designed to test not only your domain knowledge but your psychological bent of mind and behavioral predisposition. Here's all you need to know.
Group discussions: Myths demystified
Nobody can deny the importance of group discussions and personal interviews in the overall admission process for MBA. So, here are some useful inputs on the intricacies of GDs.
January 10, 2008
Class X: How to make mock tests work for you
Strategies to help you make mock tests an effective tool to crack the board exam.
Careers: What it takes to be a voice, accent trainer
What it takes to be a voice & accent trainer.
January 09, 2008
Post-CAT GD and interviews: The last hurdle
Now that the CAT results are out students still have to cross the GD and interview rounds before their dream of getting selected for the best B-school becomes a reality. T.I.M.E gives you a few tips.
BPO boom: A career in voice & accent training
Maahi Singh explores a career in voice and accent training in the thriving BPO industry.
When your boss divides to rule at the office!
Have you ever come across a situation where your boss purposely decides to play divide and rule? If the answer is yes then here's how you can deal with such a situation.
January 08, 2008
From journalism to B-school
A student at ISB, Hyderabad shares why she decided to do an MBA.
January 07, 2008
Does an MBA makes sense for you?
ISB's Director - Admissions & Financial aid, RANGA RAO I V, fielded readers' questions on MBA studies and the ISB course on December 24. The transcript.
January 04, 2008
Workshop on voice, accent training
The workshop will be organised in New Delhi from January 17-20, 2008.
Students double up as salesmen this festive season
It seems partying is not the only thing on youngsters' minds during the festive season -- many of them opt for part-time jobs, making a neat packet around the New Year.
January 03, 2008
Careers: Living and working in Japan
Important considerations once one has landed that job / posting to Japan
January 02, 2008
Growing job opportunities in 'The Land of the Rising Sun'
With an ageing workforce, increased openness (as opposed to insular ideas earlier) and positive inclination towards India-centric outsourcing, things have never looked better -- Japan is now becoming a land of rising opportunities for people who love challenges.
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See the Wacky, Wonderful Hillary Clinton Bench, Featuring Socks the Cat
The 13 — soon to be 14 — presidential libraries administered by the National Archives across the United States have unique approaches to commemorating their respective leaders. But all have something in common: incredibly wacky presidential gift collections.
These sections are where you'll find items made for presidents by members of their adoring public — the J.F.K. library, for example, has a portrait of J.F.K. carved into a peach pit, while George W. Bush's gifts exhibit features a pair of handcrafted cowboy boots painted with a mini White House and the initials "G.W.B."
The museum at the William J. Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark., is no exception. But one of the most offbeat gifts given to President Clinton is an item that the public cannot see. It's a four-foot-long, three-foot-wide wooden bench painted with convincing trompe l'oeil portraits of Hillary Clinton and Socks the cat, as they appeared in the early 90s.
"The bench was given to the Clintons in 1996 by an admirer from Chicago who bought it at a gallery there," says Christine Mouw, museum curator at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. How it got there, however, is a mystery: "The details of the presentation weren't recorded."
The full provenance of the bench may be unknown, but the artist, Phillip Grace, was a man with an intriguing backstory. According to the spring 2005 issue of Texas Christian University's TCU Magazine, Grace, a "six-foot-four lumberjack of a man," meandered through studies in nuclear physics and marketing in the 60s before becoming a protocol officer in the Air Force, then switching to politics in Texas and marketing in D.C. Following a difficult divorce, Grace took a trip to Australia, where he visited the parliament house in Canberra and encountered a striking portrait of the prime minister. "It was so regal and elegant," he told TCU Magazine. "It was incredibly beautiful, and I knew right then that I wanted one for myself."
Despite a lack of experience in art, Grace began experimenting with self-portraiture and then moved on to painting friends and members of his family. Then he visited the furniture department of a Neiman Marcus store in Texas and had a revelation.
"It seemed so obvious," he said to TCU Magazine. "All these years, most of my portrait subjects were sitting down for their paintings. I looked at a chair one day and thought that the chair itself looks like a seated person."
Thus began Grace's foray into trompe l'oeil chairs, which offered, in the words of a New York Times article in 1990, "the great opportunity to sit in your own lap." During the early 90s, Grace created made-to-order chairs in the likeness of his customers. In 1991, after Neiman Marcus featured the $6,000 chairs as bespoke his-and-hers presents in its notoriously over-the-top Christmas catalogue, Grace began taking orders from across the country. He also painted celebrities, then gave them their chairs as gifts. Michael Jordan, Julia Chang Bloch — the U.S. ambassador to Nepal from 1989 to 1993 — and Barbara Bushwere among those depicted. (Like the Hillary bench, the Barbara Bush chair is in storage at the George Bush Presidential Library. Susie Cox, a curator at the museum, calls it "a favorite of the collection.")
In 1994, Grace proved his artistic bipartisanship by completing the chair portrait of Hillary Clinton and Socks, the Clintons' cat. After being purchased in Chicago and given to the Clintons while they were still in the White House, the bench ended up on display in the gifts section of Bill Clinton's presidential museum when it opened in 2004. It has since been rotated out of public view.
Phillip Grace died in January 2015 at the age of 72, just under three months before Hillary Clinton announced her 2016 presidential bid. As for Socks, the former First Cat passed away in 2009 and is honored at the Clinton Presidential Library gift shop, where you can buy a bracelet with his portrait on it for $18.
In partnership with Atlas Obscura.
Related Stories:
• Remembering Mary Ellen Mark, Who Photographed Lives in Society's Shadows
• Anne Enright on Writing as "Shame Management"
• Jessica Lange is Re-uniting With American Horror Story Creator Ryan Murphy
• Reese Witherspoon is the Latest Oscar-Winning Actress to Take On a Live-Action Disney Movie

subset: commoncrawl


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The public is invited to hear from Portola Valley Town Council candidates at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, at the Historic Schoolhouse at 765 Portola Road in Portola Valley. Three seats are open, with four candidates campaigning for election.
The League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County is sponsoring the forum. Written questions will be accepted from the audience.
Other election forums planned by the League are:
■ Menlo Park Fire Protection board, Thursday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. Menlo Park City Council Chambers, 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park. Three seats are open, with five candidates campaigning for election. The fire district serves Menlo Park, Atherton, East Palo Alto and portions of unincorporated San Mateo County.
■ Atherton City Council, co-sponsored by the Atherton Civic Interest League, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 7 p.m. The Pavilion at Holbrook-Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave.
For more information contact Ellen Hope at email@example.com.


text:
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Jiuta Concert: Thursday 8 January, 2009
Jiuta - (jee-oo-tah) literally "earth songs" - are traditional Japanese songs sung to the accompaniment of the shamisen. Jiuta were first heard in the early 17th century at private households and the entertainment districts around Kyoto and Osaka. Handed down by blind male musicians, this music rapidly flourished among the rising urban and literate classes during the Edo period. The fine timbre and subtle lyricism of jiuta have been cultivated since then, creating an intimate relationship between the performers and the audience. One is able to imagine how this music was appreciated amongst the people of the time from ukiyoe woodblock prints.
Fujii Akiko, one of the foremost performers of jiuta, is the daughter of the renowned Ningen-Kokuh, or "Living National Treasure," the late Fujii Kunie. Her family has passed on this historically influential and artistic music which has survived over 400 years, and their highly artistic singing style clearly embodies the world of jiuta. Her haunting voice has achieved acclaim both in Japan and abroad. She has received awards from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Japan Traditional Cultures Foundation and the Pola Foundation.
This concert is the 2nd opportunity to enjoy a varied selection of jiuta. It is accompanied by the traditional dance "Jiuta-Mai", the intricate plucking of the koto, the resonant vibration of the shamisen, and the meditative tone of the fue (flute) and the tsuzumi (hand drum). To hear their sensuous complexity with the beauty of the singing is to experience the romantic art of voice as it was heard in old Edo (the old name for Tokyo).
The Japan Traditional Cultures Foundation is trying to introduce jiuta to the international community in Tokyo and abroad. Oshogatsu (New Year) is one of the best times to come into contact with Japanese traditional culture. Music fans and kimono lovers should not miss the chance to meet this outstanding artist at Tokyo's Aoyama Round Theatre.
All are welcome. Experience for yourself an old and beautiful Japanese musical tradition.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Jiuta The Romantic Art of Voice from Edo
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Battle over Spain's valuable goose-neck barnacles
Goose-neck barnacles are a slimy, but valuable seafood which live on the rocky, inhospitable coastline of northern Spain.
But in tough economic times, the men and women who risk limb, and sometimes life to collect them, are not only fighting a battle with the waves of the Atlantic - but also an increasing number of people who gather the barnacles illegally - either to earn a quick profit, or simply so they have food to eat.
Tom Burridge joined the barnacle collectors, and the people who police them, in the town of Bayona, on the Atlantic coastline of Galicia in northern Spain.
23 Nov 2013
- From the section Europe


text: On Fri, Dec 30, 2005 at 12:02:44AM -0500, Joey Hess wrote: > Finn-Arne Johansen wrote: > > Would it not be enough for apt if d-i created an fstab that linked > > /dev/hdX -> /media/cdrom ? > > Hmm, that's what it does, so maybe things will be ok. I don't know > really what else might depend on there being a /dev/cdrom. Things like eject, cdtool and other CD-audio applications try to access /dev/cdrom directly. It is not strictly required (the user can always specify the device to use), but convenient. cheers, Max


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Storage solutions provider SanDisk Corp (NASDAQ:SNDK) made a fantastic start to its fiscal 2014. The company posted stellar first-quarter results riding on the solid state drive (SSD) powertrain. Numbers were decently above Street's expectations and the year-ago period. Second quarter revenue as well as gross margin outlook was also better-than-expected. All these positives took SanDisk shares 5.79% higher in the after-hours on the day of earnings release and currently they are hovering around 52-week high price. So, what were the key drivers for the quarter and what more can SanDisk offer? Scroll down to unleash.
Numbers at a Glance
SanDisk's adjusted earnings of $1.44 per share grew 71.4% year over year mainly due to higher revenue, continuous cost containment efforts and lower share count. Revenue grew 12.8% aided by strong demand for its SSDs products and strength in retail sales channel.
Adjusted gross margin grew more than 1000 basis points from the year-ago quarter on higher SSD sales. Cost of revenue dropped roughly 7%. Expecting the momentum to continue, the company raised its annual gross margin forecast range to 47%-49% (previously 45%-48%).
SanDisk amassed cash and short-term marketable securities balance of $2.8 billion and a free cash flow of $323.1 million.
SSDs --The Big Push
SanDisk has expanded its exposure into the SSD market through the acquisitions of SMART Storage Systems (July 2013), FlashSoft (February 2012) and Pliant Technology (May 2011) and now it is time for reaping the benefit.
Revenue from the sale of SSDs grew 61% year over year and helped SanDisk to gain share in the consumer and enterprise sectors. The improvement was driven by increasing popularity of SSDs in the data centers and client computing.
Not only revenue, SSDs have strengthened the company's margins as well. Higher mix of high-margin SSDs helped SanDisk to offset the price volatility in NAND chips. SanDisk also sells NAND chips, the selling price of which are declining due to supply/demand imbalance in the industry.
Given the quarter's outperformance, SanDisk believes that the goal to have 25% contribution from SSDs in 2014 will be achieved soon. Higher SSD revenue will also mean higher margins for SanDisk, which will boost overall profitability.
Retail Sales Channel Showing Momentum
SanDisk sells its products through commercial channel (largest one) and retail channel. Although it is not as big as commercial channel, SanDisk considers this channel to be of utmost importance. It sells removable USB drives and flash cards through this channel and the demand for these products is going up significantly. This past quarter, revenue from the retail channel grew 3% year over year because of improved demand for mobile cards and USBs. What's interesting is that this is the eighth consecutive quarter of growth and indicates a rebound in consumer spending, which is even more positive for SanDisk.
Management says that the growth in retail channel was a record in the first quarter, which could be due to SanDisk's relentless effort to expand retail customer base and geographic reach as well as continuous new product launches.
NAND Story is Promising
Declining NAND prices has been a challenge to manufacturers like Micron (NASDAQ:MU), SK Hynix, Samsung (SSNLF) and to some extent SanDisk. But the tough pricing environment is a big positive for SanDisk. It uses NAND chips in its SSDs, mobile devices and other electronic goods for storage purpose and most of its NAND consumption is fulfilled mainly by Japanese semiconductor giant Toshiba.
Here, SanDisk is getting benefited in two ways. First, cheaper NAND prices are making its component cost lower. That is why selling more SSDs (consisting NAND chips) will mean improved margins. Secondly, Japanese yen is depreciating compared to USD, which is giving rise to a currency tailwind and hence an operating cost benefit is achieved.
Returning Shareholder Value
SanDisk has been consistently returning cash to its shareholders by buying back shares. It has also initiated quarterly cash dividend of $0.225 per share starting second-quarter 2013. In the recently concluded quarter, it paid $51.6 million as dividend and $90 million in share repurchase.
Management predicts continued growth in its revenue and profitability throughout this fiscal and expects to utilize most of its free cash flow toward returning value to the shareholders. This indeed is good news for investors.
Summing Up
SanDisk is firing on all cylinders and there are enough reasons for its investors to be happy. It has revised its annual gross margin outlook upward, which looks pretty achievable given its strength in SSDs, retail channel and growing demand for its products. Overall, its growing profitability, huge cash pile and positive free cash flow will keep SanDisk competitively ahead.


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Owasso (Okla.) athlete Jaylen Lowe told InsideTulsaSports.com over a week ago that "there's a very good chance" he would commit to Tulsa. On Saturday morning, he made it happen.
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text: Taking on a traditional workwear aesthetic, ALIFE team up with Dickies to produce a capsule collection, featuring the use of classic American work wear pieces. The lineup, entitled ALIFE Workwear by Dickies, boasts both pants and shorts accompanied by a minimally branded button-down work shirt and matching jacket. All pieces should see a release through ALIFE retailers, although no concrete information is available at the time.


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The Temecula Valley Civitan group is hosting a "Bowl-a-thon" on Saturday to raise funds for the Our Nicholas and Wishes for Children foundations, but organizers say they need more people to sign up, and more businesses to pitch in.
"There are a lot of special-needs children out there that really need help in a lot of different ways," said Temecula resident Greg Sommer, 53, past-president of the group. "I just want to create an awareness that we can help these children by doing little things like this."
Sommer, who has worked as a special education teacher for 26 years, said he sent out "hundreds of e-mails" about the fundraiser, but the response has been underwhelming.
"I am getting a lot of polite rejections because the economy is tough out there, and there is a lot of people who want to help but just can't," he said.
With that, he's dropped from $150 to $100 the amount he's asking local business sponsors to donate in exchange for recognition at the event.
What's more, while the Civitan group was initially looking to attract teams from other nonprofits to bowl against, at this point anyone is invited to create a team and join the fun, Sommer said.
The fundraiser is set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Brunswick Cal Oaks Bowl, 40440 California Oaks Road in Murrieta. The cost to bowl is $30 per bowler with five bowlers per team. After the bowling, a pizza party is planned.
So far, six teams have signed up. The event will include two games: a regular game and then a "crazy one," in which people are encouraged to bowl left handed, under their legs, blindfolded and other ways, Sommer said.
"It's just to take the competition out of it, make it fun," he said. "We just want to have a fun, noncompetitive event."
Sommer said he's been with the Civitans for 16 years and it never gets old.
The local club, which is about 2 years old and includes 14members, is part of Civitan International, whose mission is to meetcommunity needs with an emphasis on helping people withdevelopmental disabilities. The organization nationally and locallyis also a strong supporter of the Special Olympics.
Since its founding in Birmingham, Ala., in 1917, Civitan has grown to about 40,000 members in 28 countries.
For information about Saturday's event, or to sign up, call Sommer at 951-201-3300.


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ACT Legal Aid's Youth Law Centre has doubled its opening hours in an effort to better offer legal information to young people.
It has also produced a new edition of its legal handbook and is using social media to make young people aware of its services.
Attorney-General Simon Corbell said the project was about improving young people's access to justice.
''Tenancy problems, credit and financial problems, those types of issues tend to predominate in terms of the issues young people raise,'' he said.''That's what they're experiencing, they're making the transition from home into rental accommodation, they're entering into legal contracts around finance or credit, all those types of things tend to bring with them some level of legal problems from time to time.''
The centre's services are provided through pro bono support from law firms and paralegal support from ANU law undergraduates.
The centre is aimed at people aged 12 to 25, with support too for those younger than that. Among services, it has developed a mobile phone application called Below the Belt: Sex, Selfies, Cyberbullying, to be launched soon.
''This is a new and challenging area of the law around the use of social media and problems such as cyber bullying and so on, and I think it is important that legal aid services respond to this explosion of online and social media and mobile technology,'' Mr Corbell said.


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Fire Department
We are responsible for Fire Suppression, Safety and Prevention; as well as assisting Emergency Medical Services when called upon within the City of Clearwater and the surrounding area of Ninnescah Township in Sedgwick County and a part of Illinois Township in Sumner County.
Basic safety knowledge is a crucial tool for families, children and the elderly. Detailed information is available on the following subjects


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Proposed pension plan for Bahrain's retirees will account for inflation
A new tactic to fight inflation in Bahrain would include increases in pension plans according to inflation rates, rather than the current three percent hike, which is "draining" the country's pension fund.
The system currently in use, according to Bahrain's Finance Minister Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, will soon be replaced by one which pegs pension increases to inflation, reported <i>Gulf Daily News</i>.
"We are suggesting a new system for rises and that's according to the rise in inflation levels," Shaikh Ahmed said.
"The current system is draining the Pension Fund Commission (PFC)," he added.
The minister revealed that Bahrain's pension payments will likely increase by 50 percent from BD8 million in 2004 to BD12 million by the end of next year.


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You Decide—Which Hideous Lady Gaga Comic Book Cover Is Worse?
So, Bluewater Comics simply must be totally aware that the illustrations for its Fame series (which covers famous pop acts such as Justin Bieber, the Gleecast andLady Gaga) are absolutely wretched and barely resemble their musical subjects…. right? Right? Actually, we've abandoned hope. In any case, Gaga gets a sequel to her first Fame comic book, and the pop star gets two more sub-standard covers. See both drawings below, and let us know which one makes you scowl more.
First up, we've got the Alejandro-based cover:
It's not too terribly offensive, except her hair looks like a mushroom. (Not a far cry from how it looked in the video, though.) Did they really need to outline the entire shape of her body in thick black ink?
Let's move onto the more abstract, more drag queen-y cover, inspired by "Telephone":
So according to this cover, Drag Queen Gaga discusses little more than sunglasses, crosses, teacups and hairbows while speaking on the phone. In Bluewater's defense, we bet that's what an actual telephone conversation with Lady Gaga is like.
Do you want to see the cover of a publication doing Gaga justice? Check out her V Magazine covers.


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Out & About
Guapo's Tacos Arepas Cervezas
3470 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary, NC 27518
Hours: Mon-Thu: 11:00 am-2:00 pm 5:00 pm-9:00 pm Fri: 11:00 am-2:00 pm 5:00 pm-10:00 pm Sat: 11:00 am-10:00 pm
(919) 372-5070
Visit Their Website
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Located in Millpond Village at Kildaire Farm and Ten-Ten roads.
Latin American, Mexican and Spanish/Basque
Is this your business? Update your free WRAL Out & About business profile by emailing us your logo or a picture of your business now.


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Knowledge Village launches business center to support entrepreneurs
Knowledge Village, the third component of Dubai Technology, E-Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority, has launched the Business Center in advance of its opening later this year, stated a press release.
This follows the success of the concept at Dubai Media City, a model which has worked effectively and, due to the overwhelming demand, the aim is to replicate this initiative in the distinctive context of Knowledge Village.
The Business Center at Knowledge Village provides a legal framework and low operating costs to young entrepreneurs and start-up companies operating in the areas of professional training, education, human resources and eLearning. The center will provide a total office solution to its business partners and the capacity is 25 offices for start-up companies and 60 open offices for independent professionals. Fully furnished serviced business units are offered, with flexible leasing terms, supported by comprehensive services, ranging from sponsorship and residence visas, to IT and secretarial support.
The Business Center will act as an incubator, assisting small companies and freelancers grow and develop into successful enterprises that continue to benefit the Knowledge Village community. Every application received by the Business Centre will be screened against pre-determined criteria to ensure that the right mix of freelancers and companies is created. For those that become a member of the community, the chances to network amongst like-minded people will also generate further opportunity. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
Top Headlines
- Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders invites firms to join Entrepreneur Business Village MBRE announces five-day special leas
- Third phase of Dubai Knowledge Village launched
- Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge and Wealth Creation Center launched
- The flexibility of freelancing
- Entrepreneur Business Village signs strategic MoU with Australian Business Council in Dubai


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Janet Kraus; Shirley M. Spence
|Format: Hardcopy Black & White
|Also Available In:
|English PDF
|List Price: $4.60
|Source: Harvard Business School
|Publication Date: Mar 16, 2011
|Product #: 811090-HCB-ENG
|Discipline: Entrepreneurship
|Length: 2 p, English Hardcopy Black & White
Provides an epilogue to the problem posed in the companion case: what to do in the face of potential liquidation?
Examine how an entrepreneur defines success and makes choices from a personal and business perspective.
Entrepreneurial management; Entrepreneurship; Work life balance


text: Well, the Oprah appearance was a bust. After being voted by her audience as the reality star they wanted to see the most, he had to do an abbreviated interview from LA via Skype. He said it was a mad rush to get the album ready. Anyway, Oprah invited him back when the album is released. Maybe then, he will sing.


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Alcatel-Lucent is rolling out the red carpet again and playing host at the sassy "ultra-lounge." Devs, techies, entrepreneurs and VCs are invited to relax, recharge, drink & grub with ALU's NG Connect team and partners. Fight the flashes on the step and repeat, cameo appearances from tech & celeb stars, and the juiciest SXSW gossip live. VentureBeat will host live interviews while TechZulu brings the hollyweird, live streaming all current events.
The Gemalto Mobile IDEA/NEXT Lounge is the hub to learn, engage and share in discussions around all aspects of mobility – from the mobile phone to the cloud – and the digital security solutions they necessitate at SXSW. You will find analysts, vendors, entrepreneurs and government officials discussing what's next in mobile payment, mobile identity, mobile/cloud security solutions and emerging mobile technologies. At the Gemalto Mobile IDEA/NEXT lounge, you (and your devices) can recharge in a fun, fully-connected, forward-thinking atmosphere.
by Geoff Moore
Formula One racing represents the pinnacle of motorsport where every intricate detail contributes to the overall success of the car and the team. Safety features, tire design and even organization of pit crews have a far-reaching effect on our everyday lives.
One of the principal advances in technology that Formula One has inspired is the regular use of carbon fiber - famed for its strength-to-weight ratio. Carbon fiber now makes up the whole of Formula One cars' "monocoques" - the shell that safely encloses drivers. Advances from Formula One trickle down into the consumer vehicles we use every day. Anti-lock brakes, improved energy efficiency and aerodynamics all originated in Formula One.
Beyond high-performance advances in the automotive and medical industries, there are also spin-offs of F1 technology that are likely to touch our lives in more subtle ways.
The abandonment of "slicks" - tires without grooves - in Formula One for a decade led to great leaps in tire design that are now seeing application elsewhere. On one hand, F1 tire design has gone on to inspire the manufacture of incredibly effective non-slip boots. On another, the attempts to reduce the amount of rubber in contact with the track has led to the design of fishing line with a star-shaped cross-section, reducing drag on the fishing pole's guides and allowing anglers to cast further.
The sport's investment in research and development has developed into the space age of the 21st century, impacting many aspects of people's everyday lives all across the world.
by Megan Miller, Daniel Wetmore, Michael Scanlon and Dave Asprey
The "quantified self" trend of tracking and tweaking physical performance is all the rage in Silicon Valley, especially among type-A data geeks and weekend-warriors hoping to gain an athletic edge. But the most interesting "body hacks" won't just make you faster, stronger or leaner… they'll actually improve your brain.
We'll explain how to dramatically cut the time it takes to learn a new skill by writing critical information to your brain's hard drive during sleep. You'll learn how to grow relaxed and calm with the help of a heartbeat- and brainwave-syncing device. And we'll explain how to feed your brain with the optimal nutrition for high-powered cognitive processing.
In this panel, you'll get an overview of the current state of cognitive enhancement from Bonnier R&D technology researcher Megan Miller. Brain-hacker Dave Asprey will deliver a first-hand look at the fringes of self-experimentation. And you'll find out how emerging software and biofeedback technologies are making it possible to improve sleep, cognition and memory from Stanford neuro-scientist Daniel Wetmore and Lumosity.com cofounder Michael Scanlon.
Dedicated to helping young companies grow, the Startup America Partnership is providing a place to meet, collaborate and mingle with iconic entrepreneurs, VCs and other startups this year in the Startup Village. Unique programming elements, meeting spaces, refreshments of the caffeinated and/or adult variety, and daily giveaways will make the Startup America space a can't-miss for startups.
by Alec Ross
It has become an article of faith that the United States and Europe are declining powers, that power is transferring from West to East, and from North to South. In truth, the far more powerful and important dynamic is the impact that technology and social media are playing devolving power from governments and large institutions to individuals and small institutions. This talk comes from the perspective of the apex of traditional power structure, as a witness to the truth of the wildly changing nature of power around the world.
by Ben Lerer
So you've developed a loyal consumer-base and built a strong foundation for your business. Now what? Thrillist's evolving business model has been making headlines: by "mingling content and commerce" (New York Times, March 2011), industry experts have described Thrillist as "the future of media" (Wall Street Journal, May 2010). And with these changes, Thrillist's revenue has quadrupled.
Thrillist co-founder and CEO Ben Lerer will help you to see the bigger picture, illustrating the breadth of possibilities for evolving your online business. Lerer will draw on his experiences with Thrillist and the multitude of companies he has invested in through Lerer Ventures to give an extensive look at the development of online businesses, and what works and what doesn't.
by Margit Wennmachers, Brandee Barker, Alex Constantinople and Kira Wampler
You have the vision, you have the product, and you have the funding; it's your time to make a splash. How do you turn a brilliant vision into a successful reality? Without the proper launch strategy, even the best idea can fall flat. This panel of marketing and PR mavens will take you through best practices for taking a product from stealth to superstar, including strategies for building anticipation, managing hype, handling speculation/misinformation, providing a cure for the common launch, and how to tap into buzz to predict sales/adoption and get customers engaging.
Join Startup Village in our inaugural ping pong tourney; you need not be a professional, just register online or at the event (first come first serve) and prepare to have a blast. Each company may select two employees to represent them in a single elimination doubles tournament. We'll provide the paddles, balls, and tables; you bring your best ping pong skills and prepare to destroy the competition! http://sxsw.com/interactive/star...
by Krista Neher and Saul Colt
Are you struggling to market your startup? Do you have a great idea, but aren't sure how to reach your audience and get customers? Even if you have the greatest product, marketing your product may be more difficult than you think. This workshop will cover the most effective and unusual marketing tactics that work for startups. You'll learn how to get big results with a small budget and compete against companies that have more money and more resources.
In this session marketing experts will share proven marketing strategies that get real results. This session will cover some of the best tips, secrets and unusual strategies that work to create raving and passionate fans for your company. This session isn't marketing 101 - it focuses on low cost big impact opportunities specifically for startups and entrepreneurs.
by Shwen Gwee, Aneesh Chopra and Lisa Suennen
Why Invest in Health Tech? Education, Inspiration, and Funding Advice for (Social) Health Tech Startups. This session is sponsored by Health 2.0 and Boehringer Ingelheim
by cgtheoret, David Geertz and Nexalogy Environics
Crowdfunding has come a long way and momentum continues. Seen as a way to stimulate innovation and create jobs, entrepreneurs, funders and regulators are working to address the issues around crowdfunding. Led by David Geertz, of SoKap, Claude Theoret, of Nexalogy and some of the actual project owners using these new methods, we will address current developments within the space.
by David Geertz
Crowdfunding has come a long way and momentum continues. Seen as a way to stimulate innovation and create jobs, entrepreneurs, funders and regulators are working to address the issues around crowdfunding. We will discuss milestones, expectations and plans in the pipeline. Led by David Geertz, of SoKap and several companies launching new concepts within the movement.
by Eric Vishria, Michael Seibel and Erick Schonfeld
Nobody likes waiting in line, whether for a party or an exclusive beta invite, unless they can skip it or be the "cool kid" who doles out invites to friends. RockMelt tested this theory when their browser initially launched under the cloak of private beta and allowed users to help their friends "jump the line". Others have seen similar success like Google+ and Turntable.fm which left people scrambling for invites from friends. But what's the secret behind building buzz via exclusive access without alienating potential users?
Beta and Alpha testing is becoming increasingly popular as people vie for early adopter status. Panelists from initially exclusive products will discuss the psychology behind exclusive access, the benefits of an invite system, and how gated access helps you attract the right users. This conversation is a must for any startup looking to make a splash at launch.
by Paul Curry and David Caygill
How do we take social media off laptops and phones and create real-world devices that surprise and delight? First, we take the top Arduino hackers around the globe and give them a brief: make SXSW smile. Then we watch them bring their web-connected Dorkbot action to the streets of Austin. The team with the most social interactions on and offline wins. And we get to present the results to you.
What's this about? We're excited about the Internet of Things, but we're also impatient. We won't wait for R&D. We're nerds and we want to make a point. We'll walk the line between integrated experiences being useful tools to make our lives easier, and the ever-looming digital frontier of "over-helpful" electronics that analyze our every move. As we aim to create ever-smaller devices that connect us to our social grid, is it possible we'll overstep a line? iPhone apps that analyze sleep patterns are great, but would we be intimidated by a bed which analyzed us while we slept?
by Seth Blank, Orian Marx, Alexandra Cavoulacos, Kathryn Minshew and Vivek Sharma
Most startup entrepreneurs, investors and incubators will tell you that two founders are better than one. What they won't tell you is two founders are more likely to try to kill each other - or at least kill their startup. Co-founder disasters are a bit of an industry taboo. We never hear about most of them. Many great entrepreneurs have had to sacrifice a beloved startup to learn valuable life lessons about working with partners. This panel brings together four entrepreneurs who lost their prior startups to infighting but survived to tell their tales in the hope that you can avoid some of their mistakes.
by Dave Baarman and Menno Treffers
Wireless Power is not a new technology. Like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, it radically changes the way people are able to live their lives, offering new levels of mobility, convenience, and safety. Just think of all the power adapters and devices that rely on power to make them run, plus the waste and inconvenience associated with them. Imagine if you could remove that last constraint – the power cord. Wireless power allows you to live a truly wireless life, while creating opportunities to improve the role of power in the global environment, and make the world a greener place.
There's now a worldwide standard for low-powered devices so that consumers have a single, globally accepted solution for powering different devices with different power needs across a wide range of brands.
This session, presented by the Wireless Power Consortium and Fulton Innovation, will be an in-depth discussion on the future of wireless power, with live demos of the technology in action.
by Mike Lee and Will Turnage
Dinner parties are the ultimate social experience that no digital technology will ever replicate. You sit face-to-face with others, sharing an experience that uses all five of your senses. It's the original social network.
For many though, hosting your own dinner party -- or even cooking dinner for yourself -- feels like too much work. There's too much planning, too many options, too many picky eaters.
In this session, we'll demonstrate some emerging technologies that make cooking easy and more accessible for both novice and expert home cooks. Things like smart recipes that adjust to your guests' preferences, multiple recipes that combine themselves into one step-by-step process, dinner party planning tools connected to social networks, cooking classes done via chat rooms, appliances that can't overcook food, kitchen scales that measure ingredients for you and a few tips and techniques to let you do more in the kitchen.
by Michele Polz, Brad Weinberg, John Pugh and Unity Stoakes
Show Me The Money: Where to get funding and what are they interested in? Presentations by VC's, Health Incubators (e.g. Blueprint Health and Startup Health), and other funders. This session is sponsored by Edelman.
by Matt Galligan, Jeff Rohrs, Chris Messina and Scott Kveton
The combination of mobile + social + local is a powerful, yet misunderstood, communication channel. When people hear about it, they often conjure up a "Minority Report" world where companies track their every move to inundate them with marketing. And so they resist. The next-generation of SoMoLo, however, will delight people by providing highly targeted, context-rich communications that keeps the control in their hands. New technologies will leverage newly accessible data gleaned from user app usage, local search results, social streams and location to speak with people on their own terms, in ways that add meaning and convenience. Panelists will share their experiences with and advice on how to leverage SoMoLo data to engage mobile users in ways that personalize content to keep consumers coming back time after time. They will review the spectrum of available channels, emerging techniques, and showcase a handful of savvy brands that are trailblazing and nailing it perfectly.
by Lyn Graft
Storytelling is one of the most powerful forms of communication you have as an entrepreneur to assist you in starting a company, recruiting employees, raising capital, securing clients and getting press. Stories are universal and almost 100% relatable to people from all walks of life enabling the entrepreneur to inspire and catalyze an audience. Stories also help us structure meaning around complex situations and enable entrepreneurs to make the intangible tangible. Drawing from the experience gained from filming over 300 entrepreneurs, this panel is designed to share thoughts and examples on why and how storytelling should be weaved into your startup, launch and growth activities. Key points covered: Speaking from the heart and connecting emotionally with your audience; Crafting a memorable story and creating champions to share your story; making sure your baby is not ugly and stands apart from the crowd; and telling people why we do and what we do. Specific examples and techniques for digital storytelling will be shown and explained
by Chris Adams, Patrick Miller, Bob Parlee, Bob Zeinstra and John Watson
The Prius X Parlee (PXP) bike asks the world to consider: "What if the Prius weren't a car?" Inspired by the Prius philosophy, the PXP is the latest innovation from Toyota and Saatchi LA, as part of Toyota Prius Projects ( www.toyotapriusprojects.com) , an initiative developed to create conversations and advocacy within new consumer niches.Toyota has a long history of sharing their innovations to improve our way of life, and the PXP concept bike is no exception. It features eco-friendly materials, comfort, efficiency, and groundbreaking technology – including a helmet that enables a cyclist to switch gears through "thought-sensitive" technology. This first-of-its-kind bicycle helmet was developed in partnership with Deeplocal, and the bicycle design was developed with Parlee. This panel will take you behind the scenes during the brainstorming, development, testing, and execution of the coolest bike ever made.
A special reception that shines the spotlight on emerging startups. Enjoy complimentary beer and wine while checking out demos from startup participants, all within the heart of Startup Village on the 4th floor of the Hilton.
Participants include:
Audioair is a mobile-based technology that connects to a network within the given establishment.
Brouha is an at-door automated mobile messaging platform that allows for a direct mobile connection between customers and the stores they frequent, every time they show up.
Mumbo is the ultimate social messaging app for your smartphone or desktop.
NewsiT is a mobile crowd-reporting platform for people to create, collaborate and share the news that's personally relevant to them.
Nixter's an app that will improve your nightlife experience recommending your the best parties based on your real nightlife likes.
A quick and fun way to discover volunteer and social good opportunities around you.
RAVN, the Pandora of Event Discovery.
Sphero, from Orbotix, is the first robotic ball you control with your smartphone, lets you roll into a new world of gaming.
StepwellS provides a simple platform for anyone to create, publish and consume mobile dashboards.
Talentwire is a talent development community for tech, media, and entertainment professionals where you connect with people who do what you do.
Trails.by is a beautiful and broadly-focused website that aggregates learning and informational Trails, which are a simple visual way to find & share your favorite online information.
Wendr is a free iPhone app that makes it easy to find out what your friends are doing #TONIGHT.
Womzit, the Word of Mouth App is a fun, fast and frictionless way for you to spread great experiences.
Get together with other bootstrap experts for an hour of brainstorming, idea-buidling, networking, friend-making and career-enhancement. Or, attend this Meet Up to learn more about this segment of the industry -- or if you are looking to hire a bootstrap expert for your company.
by Patrick Boyle, Christina Agapakis, Jason Kelly and Daisy Ginsberg
Synthetic biology aims to re-engineer living cells to sustainably produce fuels, medicines, and materials. With the promise of a new industrial revolution on the horizon, understanding the language of biotechnology will be more crucial than ever. This panel features a new generation of leaders in biotechnology from industry, academia, art and design discussing the future of biology.
by Geoffrey Rutledge, Jen McCabe, Andy Donner and Stead Burwell
Funders vs. Funded... The Rise of Pharma VC's: A discussion with Pharma about their new VC funds. The Funded: A discussion with recently funded health tech startups. This session is sponsored by Edelman.
by Jay Lee, Scott McMullan, Pamela O'Hara, Alex Barnett and Sunir Shah
You're David, they're Goliath. You're a small company, they are industry giants. You're fast and innovative. They move markets. You just wish they would move those markets in your direction!
How do you close that deal? How do you even get them to notice you? The good news is that big companies get big by working with innovative companies like you. The bad news is they also get big by stepping on companies like you.
How do you hold your own against big companies? Who can you trust and how much information can you trust them with? How do you decide which big deals to do and which ones to avoid?
This panel pits together three industry giants, Google, Intuit and American Express with two scrappy startups, BatchBlue and FreshBooks. After many rounds of negotiation, deals have been struck that have been lucrative for each party and a win for their mutual customers. Hear how these start-ups have built great relationships, launched successful partnerships and stayed in the game without being gobbled or squashed.
by Aza Raskin, Shamir Karkal, Jessica Scorpio, Adam Oliveri and Matt Harris
Technology startups are beginning to focus on traditional, regulated industries that until now haven't seen many startup entrants. But taking on archaic, multi-billion-dollar industries isn't easy. Startups face a variety of issues, from thorny regulations to apathetic customers demoralized by poor experiences, and competition from name-brand, established competitors. Building a new company in a regulated industry is a daunting task, but it holds the potential to transform an industry and dramatically improve the status quo.
by Joichi Ito, Andy Bardagjy, Yadid Ayzenberg, Catherine Havasi and Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye
The MIT Media Lab is a place for making connections: connecting peopleand technology, connecting researchers across diverse disciplines, andconnecting the physical and local to the digital and remote. Mostimportantly, though, the Lab is about connecting people to oneanother. Our kickoff panel is centered on what is fresh and exciting at the MediaLab and how the Lab and its projects connect to the world. We'll tell you what cool stuff is happening under our new director Joi Ito, demo some exciting projects on the boundary between business, open source,and academia, show how we navigate the benefits and challenges along this boundary, introduce you to all the other activities and events we'll be hosting at SXSW, including our ongoing hacking and demo area,and get you started on the Making Connections Installation, our platform for hooking conference attendees and distant onlookers into our digital-physical games, art, and silliness.
by Fritz Desir, Myriam Joire, Nick Holroyd and Reno Marioni
The future of mobile interaction & feedback networks may not be wrapped in a mobile phone interface at all. Let's talk about what feedback networks and invisible information gathering can mean for mobile experiences now and in the future.
We'll talk about:
•Contextual feedback (imagine your phone buzzing three times when you walk up to the bus stop-indicating that a bus is three minutes away)
•Context prompted information aggregation, (imagine your phone automatically collecting the "business cards" of all the people you meet today- whatever information they made public through their OWN network)
•Networked complimentary functionality (imagine your mobile device automatically syncing with the ATM as an entry device, with that television in the window as a remote control, with that lock as a keypad, etc.)
United States United States, Austin
9th–13th March 2012


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Did You Know?
The Eurasian Eagle Owl is amongst the largest owls on earth -- with a wingspan of 6ft!
Maybe you heard this already, but last weekend, we had a bit of a missing falcon issue. If you live in the Lansing area, the media coverage was intense so I doubt you missed this bit of news.
Many of us have watched, heart broken over the images from the Gulf oil spill. The numbers of affected animals and the spoiled beaches and wetlands have been catastrophic. Then tragedy


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We are recruiting for a structural designer to join our Bridge Design sub-unit in Bend. This position performs the design of simple to moderately complex bridges and other highway and transportation related structures to solve engineering problems. This person also provides structural analysis and design services to project delivery for the state's bridges and transportation structures. The structural designer also provides technical guidance to regional bridge design teams and region personnel.We invite members of all diverse communities to join our workforce as we endeavor to best serve Oregonians from every background. ODOT values diversity and inclusion because they are good for Oregon. We believe that by welcoming differences, encouraging new ideas and views, listening to and learning from each other, and providing opportunities for professional enrichment we are better able to serve those around us. We thank you for considering this employment opportunity.Additional Details:This position is represented by the Association of Engineering Employees of Oregon (AEE).
Duties and Responsibilities:
Minimum Qualifications:Completion of and passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam and one year of experience applying professional engineering theory, principles and methods. Special Qualifications:Driving is an essential function of this position. A valid driver license and an acceptable driving record are required for this position. We will conduct pre-employment driving records checks on our final candidate(s). Preferred Attributes: We may show preference to candidates whose application materials demonstrate the following. We will use the items on this list along with our essay-style supplemental questions to determine who to interview.
Working Conditions:
To learn more and to apply, please click here or visit www.odotjobs.com and search for job posting ODOT17-1605oc. This opportunity closes at 11:59 p.m. on September 27, 2017. Please note that we cannot accept resumes and/or applications through this website.
ODOT is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.


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Indoor Water Cooler, Wall Mount, Push Button Operation , 7.6 gph
HALSEY TAYLOR| Zoro #: G0656153| Mfr #: 8203080041
Zoro #: G0656153Mfr. Part #: 8203080041
$619.00 /ea
This item ships free. DetailsStandard ground shipping
Technical Specifications
|Zoro #: G0656153 Mfr #: 8203080041
|Item: Water Cooler
|Inlet: 3/8" Tube O.D.
|Water Temp.: 50 Degrees F
|Voltage: 115VAC
|Refrigerant: 134A (CFC Free)
|Regulator: Maintains Constant Stream Height at Line Pressures of 20 to 105 psi
|Manufacturers Warranty Length: 5 Year on Refrigeration System and 1 Year Electrical Components and Water System
|Standards: ANSI/NSF61, Section 9
|Item: Water Cooler
|Color: Platinum
|Compressor HP: 1/5
|Full Load Amps: 4A
|ADA Compliant: No
|Mounting Type: Wall
|Operation: Push Button
|Depth: 14-1/4"
|Indoor / Outdoor: Indoor
|Cold Water Capacity: 7.6 gph
|Number of Levels: 1
|Width: 18-1/8"
|Drain Connection: 1-1/4"
|Height: 28"
|Country of Origin (subject to change): United States
Product Description
Water Cooler, Indoor, Mounting Type Wall, ADA Compliant No, Operation Push Button, Number of Levels 1, Cold Water Capacity 7.6 gph, 1/5 Compressor HP, 4A Full Load Amps, Height 28 In., Width 18-1/8 In., Depth 14-1/4 In., Inlet 3/8 In. Tube O.D., Color Platinum, Voltage 115VAC, Refrigerant 134A (CFC Free), Water Temp. 50 Degrees F, Regulator Maintains Constant Stream Height at Line Pressures of 20 to 105 psi, Drain Connection 1-1/4 In., Includes -
Restrictions and Compliance
- This product has been certified by a third party to be compliant with the "Safe Drinking Water Act" requirements for low lead in potable (human consumption - drinking and cooking) and non-potable water applications (non-human consumption).


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The Sweet Shoppe
Have you ever met someone who seems to know you better than you know yourself, who is able to charm you, connect with you and interact on your terms? I had that kind of experience this morning at The Sweet Shoppe – a collaboration between The Future Laboratory and Campaign – and I came away with a bespoke bag of sherbert and an idea about where the whole consumer shopping experience might be heading over the coming years.
As part of the London Design Festival The Future Laboratory, a trend forecasting, research and brand innovation consultancy, have set up shop (or more accurately shoppe) in Elder Street, east London, to create "a curated personal journey to source the perfect sweet."
It's all thoroughly atmospheric stuff, from the purple-draped reception room, to the lovely garden and the high-tech tasting session. During your trip you make a series of choices – a welcome drink, a seemingly random box of objects, a pill from one of three glasses – and you chat with the staff about all sorts of things both confectionary and non-confectionary related.
But here comes the clever bit – the staff already know you. From searching my online profile they asked me about my useless-but-much-loved football team, a marathon I am running at the weekend and even my cat. At the end you are presented with your tailor-made sweet, one of 27 possible combinations. But more intriguingly you are also given three cards outlining your consumer personality based on your online profile, selections and interactions in the space.
Of course it's all rollicking good fun but there's a serious side behind the sugary stuff, as Future Laboratory co-founder Chris Sanderson explained. "The real focus has been trying to help our guests understand just how different the new decade is going to be," he said.
He scoffs at the clumsy "brix vs clix" distinction which separates the online and real-world spheres and is fascinated by the ways in which the two can coexist and complement each other to provide a far more tailored shopping experience.
And while he understands the potential privacy issue, he explains that in his experience the web-savvy generations who are the consumers of tomorrow are comfortable with their web presence and the information they present to the world.
Interestingly it didn't feel in any way invasive or creepy when I was in there, although several people I explained to thought it sounded a bit weird, so clearly it all comes down to presentation.
It's certainly a fascinating glimpse into how shopping might be about to become a whole different experience, and one which companies should sit up and take note of.
The Sweet Shoppe is open until the end of the month by appointment only – contact firstname.lastname@example.com for a slot.
- Studio Zwupp's festival identity combines found type with abstract imagery
- Meet Jack Pearce: the illustrator drawing skate tribes
- Anna Haas' structured yet anarchic approach to graphic design
- "Made for designers, not 3D experts": Adobe Stock demystifies 3D renders
- Tanawat Sakdawisarak's crisp illustrations reference pop music and video games
- Photographer Jay Wolke remembers gambling spots in the US during the 80s and 90s
- Polaroid's creative director Danny Pemberton introduces new brand Polaroid Originals
- Artist Dominique Pétrin on creating her very own domestic product
- Universal Everything animate emotive wallpapers for new iPhone devices
- Herburg Weiland's meticulous editorial designs are typographically-driven
- The Visual History of Type author Paul McNeil selects and dissects his six favourite faces
- Breakdown Press' Joe Kessler picks out his most-treasured books


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Feel Inn3
Via Orlanda 131 /1, Campalto-Venezia, 30173
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About the hotel
The 11 rooms at the Feel Inn – Venice luxury rooms are extremely elegant and offer every comfort. Each room is different and unusually attractive, standing out for the use of sophisticated materials and furnishing accessories. The unique style of this little gem, where everything has been carefully designed by our exceptional designers, recalls the Water, Sun, Wind and Moon, with an area seemingly dedicated to each of these elements.
Our professional staff work hard to offer guests their experience and fundamental skills, at the very foundation of their professionalism, enabling you to discover the age of new hospitality offered by Luxury System companies. Rooms are equipped with all kinds of amenities: private bathroom, air-conditioning system, hairdryer, LCD TV, free (wireless) Internet connection, fridge-bar, safety box and a well-lihted terrace. . The rooms are large and tastefully decorated. All of them have private bathrooms, independently controlled heating and air conditioning, satellite television, safety box, minibar, direct-dial, telephone, fax and modem. Feel inn is classified as 1st category and its situated just 2 km from International Marco Polo airport and 2 km from the bridge connecting, by public buses, the mainland with the city centre of Venice
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- Hotel Non-Smoking Throughout, Air conditioning in rooms, Smoking allowed in public areas, Safety Deposit Box, Minibar in each room, Telephone In Each Room, Limited Hours Room Service, Concierge, Laundry/Valet Service, Wake Up Call Available, Pets Allowed, Doctor on call, Public Air Conditioning
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- Pets are allowed
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A restaurant in Gloucestershire, England surveyed 2,000 people what person they'd most like to have breakfast with. The answer came back resoundingly: Pippa Middleton, the most famous sister-in-law in the world.
So what did the restaurant do with this information? Well, it did what you nor I nor any other reasonable person would do: it commissioned a portrait of not just her face, but her now-famous backside, using about 15,000 crumpets as medium.
What's interesting here is that in the U.S. you are more likely to know what Pippa Middleton's butt looks like in a slinky white dress than you are likely to know what a crumpet is.
To educate us Yanks, the term "crumpet", by the way, is itself a double entendre: it refers to the breakfast pancake they used and also, it's British slang for "hot chick."
See the video of Her Crumpet-ness being made, after the jump.
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Thereza Rowe IllustrationJuly 23, 2013
View Gallery
Thereza Rowe is a London/Southampton based illustrator and graphic designer. She was born in Brazil and adopted by the UK. She holds both nationalities and equally embraces her two cultural backgrounds. Thereza claims to drink "lots of pink milk and eat huge amounts of nutella. I also like drawing a lot." Her favorite tools are "color, shape and imagination."


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In less than a week, open enrollment for health insurance will begin for all Americans. It's a mandatory requirement and signifies one of the biggest changes in the healthcare system. So what can people expect in the coming months? That's the million dollar question.
"There's more unknown than known particularly until the act is fully implemented," said Jared Stark, the CEO of University Hospital and Clinics.
He says the Affordable Care Act is so broad and keeps changing that the immediate effects are unclear.
"Dates keep moving, delays keep happening, funding is in question. So, it seems to be a moving target at times," said Stark.
One of the major issues with the bill is the volume. It's over 2,000 pages long, so it's very difficult to muddle through the details and stipulations."
Critics say the bill will force health insurance deductibles to go up and burden the healthy with a bulk of the financial responsibility. There's also concern doctors will pick and choose patients based on their plans. Stark says consequences of this legislation remain to be seen, but UHC will be standing by.
"The one thing we do know is this hospital has been Acadiana's safety net hospital for so many years in the past," said Stark. "And we will continue to provide that sort of care in the future."


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Garnier Skin Renew Awakening Face Massager
Garnier Skin Renew Awakening Face Massager Reviews
So Pleasantly Surprised!!I didn't think of trying this product given its average reviews and given the fact that the eye roller is average at best imo. However, I happened to see it on clearance at a discount store and figured I'd give it a try. I didn't expect to like it or feel much of anything. That same day I purchased a pricey tinted moisturizer. Using both together, I assumed my radiant glow was from the tinted moi...read moresturizer. I was wrong!!!! I now realize that this product makes my skin glow and the serum inside it makes my skin soooo soft. Needless to the tinted moisturizer is going back to Sephora and I'm going to stock up on this since they appear to be discontinuing it. — 5 years, 3 months agoNicole1021 | 210 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 0 people said helpful
Fun to use, harder to see results?I used this awhile ago as something to switch up my routine. Honestly though, unless they've changed the formula or something I probably wouldn't purchase it again. Putting it on was fun but I had to massage it into my skin afterwards, and then I almost had to let my face dry before doing anything else. so it was a bit strange. The applicator is a good idea, but having to followup after the applicator as much as I did isn't something I enjoyed. — 5 years, 10 months agosarfraned | 48 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 1 of 1 people said helpful
Not bad, not greatThis thing is a good idea and all the brush thing I love, but the product isn't the best. The scrubber design is amazing and easy to use, decent exfoliation. It cleans all my makeup off. However my face feels very dry after using it, it almost burns a little. — 5 years, 10 months agoemmzie | 2 reviews
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Mystery Pecan Pie and Jellied Turkey-Vegetable Salad On The Mid-Century Menu
Posted on December 3, 2012 by RetroRuth and saved under Author, Desserts, Hello Jello, Mid-Century Menu, RetroRuth
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By RetroRuth Have you been wondering what we've been cooking lately on The Mid-Century Menu? Well, as always, we are at completely opposite ends of the spectrum. Before Thanksgiving, we whipped up some Mystery Pecan Pie: Which is basically pecan pie with a cheesecake filling. Umm…can you say "Best Pie…


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LARGO — A 15-year-old girl peeked through the blinds of a second-floor apartment after hearing a gunshot in the middle of the night.
Eventually, Tonecia Williams testified on Wednesday, she saw a man fire a black handgun into the air. Then he aimed at another man and fired again, she said.
And this, prosecutors said, is how Phillip J. Peterson shot and killed Jimmy Lee Adams, also known as "Tank," at the Citrus Grove Apartments in St. Petersburg in August 2007.
"She saw him pull the trigger and shoot at Tank," Assistant State Attorney Kristi Aussner told the jury.
This week Peterson, 24, is on trial on a second-degree murder charge. It's the third murder case in a month in which Citrus Grove — also known by its former name, Bethel Heights — has figured in.
Last month, three associates of a gang known as the "Bethel Heights Boys" were convicted in a drive-by shooting that killed 8-year-old Paris Whitehead-Hamilton in 2009. One of the assault rifles used in that murder was found in the apartment complex at 731 15th St. S.
Also in recent weeks, hearings have been conducted in the case of Nicholas Lindsey, the 16-year-old accused of shooting and killing St. Petersburg police Officer David S. Crawford. Lindsey lived in the complex.
But this week's trial is the only one of those three in which someone got killed at the apartment complex itself.
Prosecutors said the evidence would show Peterson shot and killed Adams. But defense attorney Bjorn Brunvand said his client was a victim of mistaken identity.
"Mr. Peterson is falsely accused of the murder in this case, and I'm asking you to keep an open mind as you listen to Tonecia Williams," Brunvand said.
Williams, now 19, said she lived in her mother's second floor apartment when she heard loud shouting in the middle of the night.
She peeked through the blinds, and then went back to bed. But then she heard a gunshot. She got up again. And this time, she saw a man she identified as Peterson holding a gun in the air and firing. And later, she said, he pointed the gun at Adams.
"That's when Phil shot at him," she said.
She said Peterson and Adams were arguing, and at one point Peterson said, "he owes me, he owes me," and Adams called out "I'm going to pay you, I'm going to pay you." A cousin of Peterson's tried to intervene, but eventually backed off, she said.
After Adams was shot, he clutched himself and ran away.
Osheka Youngblood was driving nearby when she saw a man later identified as Adams stagger into the street. He seemed to need help, so she circled back.
"He kept saying 'I was shot, I was shot, can I get in your car?' " Youngblood said.
Youngblood, who was pregnant at the time, dialed 911.
An autopsy showed Adams was shot in the back, with the bullet passing through his body, prosecutors said. He was 34.
The trial resumes today.
Times Staff Writer Curtis Krueger can be reached at email@example.com (727) 893-8232


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Statistics are usually more decorative than useful. Although it is true that Sweden's annual match output would reach to the moon if laid end-to-end, no lunatic ever thought of asking Swedish Match Tycoon Ivar Kreuger to make his statistic come true.
But Mayor James Gifford Newbegin of Tacoma, Wash., had cause last week to be glad he had remembered a statistic about the Navy's 33,000-ton airplane carrier Lexington.
To suggest the tremendous power of the Lexington, the Navy's publicists have broadcast the fact that her 190.000 h. p. turbo-electric...
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Joe Bennett: My friend's lonely death
I was going to write about the arrest of Justin Bieber. But I've just learned how a friend and former teacher died, and Bieber has shrunk from view.
Valerie taught me at university 35 years ago. I was studying English, though studying may be overstating it. In my first week I went to five lectures, but in the next three years I went to none. So my only appointment in any given week was an hour with my academic supervisor.
I had several of these in my first two terms. There was a nervous medievalist in slip-on shoes; a renaissance scholar who burned incense in her room; an idle modernist who purported to teach critical theory but who rarely read a book and never read my essays. I didn't get on with any of them, and they, perhaps more pertinently, did not get on with me.
In my third term I was farmed out to Valerie. We got on so well that she remained my supervisor for the next two years and a friend for the next 30.
Because she didn't have a place in college we met in my rooms. Some mornings I'd still be in bed when she arrived. It added zing. She'd talk through the bedroom door while making coffee and smoking my cigarettes. We discussed literature from time to time but it was the non-literary conversation that I relished. She was the first mature woman I had got to know.
She told me about her husband, their childlessness, oil lamps, fish stocks, the menopause, anything. She had a lust for conversation, for the life of the mind. Unlike me she'd had it tough.
Born in the mid-1930s in the west of England, she was raised in a cottage with no running water or electricity or sanitation. She was a clever girl but because the family was poor she had to leave school early and go to work.
It was only in her late 20s that she was able to get a grant and go to university.
Once there she blossomed.
Having gained a first-class degree she spent the rest of her life on the fringes of the literary world, writing, reviewing, editing, teaching. She wrote a couple of novels and several books of literary criticism.
Around the turn of the century she edited for an American university a huge encyclopaedia of English literature.
She asked me to write the entry on the poet Philip Larkin. I told her I felt flattered but that I lacked the scholarly credentials. "If I'd wanted scholarship, sweetheart," she replied, "I wouldn't have come to you."
You can see why I liked her.
By then she had Parkinson's disease. The last time I saw her was perhaps a dozen years ago.
On holiday in England I stayed a night with her and her husband in their cottage lined with floor-to-ceiling books.
From the window of the bedroom I looked out over a field of chooks with a single strutting rooster and then the flat and misty fens of eastern England. Valerie was already weak.
At dusk, I remember, she suggested a walk round the village and leant on my arm. We went only a couple of hundred yards and it took a while.
She died in 2007. I presumed the disease had killed her and it seemed like a release. But this week I learned that it was suicide. Her husband told the story to a newspaper in the hope that it would bring about a change in the law.
Valerie chose to kill herself before the disease robbed her of all dignity. She wanted to take an overdose and die in her husband's arms.
But they discovered that the law forbade this. If he held his wife of 48 years while she lay dying he could go to prison for assisting suicide. So Valerie insisted that he let her do it alone. When he agreed, she said she'd do it the next day.
That night they went to the pub for a steak dinner, then watched a Woody Allen film at home.
In the morning she almost shooed him out of the house. He spent the day at a library. When he came home in the evening he expected to find her dead in bed. But she had died on the bathroom floor. She was wearing a red dressing gown.
She'd left her last words on a computer screen. "Don't think of this as a suicide note," she wrote, "but rather as a thank you for half a century together."
The law gets some things right, like the arrest of Justin Bieber. But it gets other things as wrong as it is possible to get them.
The Dominion Post


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Portuguese cable television channel SIC Radical conducted an interview with METALLICA frontman James Hetfield when the band played the Optimus Alive! 09 festival at Passeio Marítimo de Algés in Oeiras, Portugal on July 9. Watch the four-minute chat below.Hetfield spoke frankly in a recent interview with Classic Rock magazine about the band's so-called "wilderness" years, in the mid-to-latter 90s, during which drug use and disagreements over the group's image and sound nearly drove them apart. Hetfield said he was particularly uncomfortable with the change in the group's image around the release of its 1996 album "Load". Hetfield explained, "The whole 'We need to reinvent ourselves' topic was up. Image isn't an evil thing to me, but if the image isn't you, it doesn't make much sense." Hetfield said that he thought drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist Kirk Hammett were "after a U2 kind of vibe, Bono doing his alter-ego. I couldn't get into it. I would say at least half the pictures that were to be in the booklet, I yanked out. The cover went against what I was feeling. Lars and Kirk were very into abstract art, pretending they were gay. I think they knew it bugged me. I think the cover of 'Load' was just a piss-take around all that. I just went along with all this crazy stupid shit." Hetfield claimed that Ulrich and Hammett bonded over their drug use during that time and that the band's music suffered too, saying, "A lot of fans got turned off quite a bit by the music — but mostly, I think, by the image." METALLICA bottomed out in the early part of this decade with the controversial "St. Anger" album and the documentary "Some Kind of Monster", which chronicled how they nearly fell apart and how Hetfield himself got sober. The group rebounded last year with the acclaimed "Death Magnetic" record, and Hetfield told The Pulse of Radio there was never really any chance of METALLICA breaking up for good. "You know, 'St. Anger', the 'Monster' movie, all the stuff that we went through — once we got back together and started playing again, we knew that we were given some sort of gift to continue and not fall like many other bands have," he said. "So we've got to take care of this, and we're doing our extra best to do that." Now, Hetfield said in Classic Rock, METALLICA is a very balanced group: "The way things are now, Lars and I are one half of the scale with (bassist) Rob Trujillo and Kirk on the other. They're great people but they're okay with someone else driving. It does take that, I think — they're very un-ego-driven and Lars and I are the other way, it seems." Interview:
METALLICA Frontman Interviewed At Portugal's OPTIMUS ALIVE! 09 Festival; Video Available
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[20′s Choice Awards] Rolling Out the Blue Carpet at the 20's Choice Awards
The Mnet 20's Choice Awards is close at hand. The ceremony has always helped fans cool down in the hot summer with a summer party that brings together play and culture, and this year again it will be taking place with a bigger and better stage on June 27 at The Oasis in Banyan Tree Club & Spa.
The 20's Choice Awards represent the summer. It's a festival that features performances from singers that the 20s like, and passionate partying in the crowd.
Although it is a ceremony, the awards aren't the only things that matter.
The 20's Choice Awards are about enjoying the good content the producers and stars put together with each other's help. It's a ceremony and it's a self-celebratory event.
This is why it doesn't take place in a serious theater or hall, but in pools or special themed locations.
The event took place at the Walkerhill Riverpark last year, and this year it's moved to The Oasis at Banyan Tree Club & Spa, a known hot location among celebrities. It aims to concentrate more on the party and the fun.
No other ceremony in Korea takes place at a pool. It's that casual, and it's that fun.
Serious ceremonies roll out the red carpet in its entrance. The 20's Choice Awards, however, which take place in the hot summer, greet the arrivals not with a red carpet, but a blue carpet.
Stars also don simple and trendy blue and white colored looks for the unique scene. The blue carpet event has become one of the biggest attractions of the 20's Choice Awards.
The ceremony is also known for having star singers collaborate in never-before-seen combinations. In 2008, the sexy divas Uhm Jung Hwa and Lee Hyori performed together for the first time ever on television. They sang out both their hits D.I.S.C.O. and U-Go-Girl together on the same stage.
Last year, Hyuna stripped off her heels in the pouring rain and danced barefoot on the wet stage. Kim Hyun Joong also had girls screaming in delight when he bared his chest in the rain during the performance of his solo single Breakdown.
Such wet, rainy and revealing performances can only be seen at the summer party, the 20's Choice Awards.
The ceremony manages to make issues every year; what sights will there be to see this year?
[[►► Vote for the HOTTEST STAR of Mnet's 20's Choice Award and choose who wins it all! ]]
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- 20's Choice Awards 20120627