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Rethinking the fiction publishing business, by Michael Harris
February 20, 2012 | 9:33 am
By a TeleRead Contributor
|Recently, I discussed a few of the issues facing fiction book publishers. My prediction is that their biggest competition will come from authors who bypass publishers and distribute through electronic channels (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and even their personal web sites). Where does this leave the publisher in a post-printing world?
What ails Sweden's book world?
What e-reading gadgets and software should Sony crowd-source under the new First Flight program?
Barnes & Noble taps new CEO as revamped B&N e-commerce site hinders access to e-books
Morning Links: Comixology Subscription Plan? New Movie Anti-Piracy Ads Aimed at Moviegoers
Morning Links: No Curfew For Adult eBooks. Cord Cutting On the Rise
I think you have some good points in this blog post. I really do. As an editor I get blasted with requests from authors with… wait for it… the best story… ever (emphasis added). I try really hard to respond to every request we receive (when we're accepting submissions) on why/why not I will not sign them. I had one individual submit several chapters of his novel – no dialogue or character development. zilch. nada. I explained to this person that was the main reason I would not accept the submission. Because of the onset of self pubbing, I think publishers should act as gatekeepers to the good stuff, but not so much so, that new authors are totally skipped. Our small press brings on new authors, and new authors only. There's room at the top for everyone, but publishers need to re-think their position in this industry as merely the connecting point between writer and reader. When that happens, I think we'll see a nice leveling and an uptick in quality. Authors also have to understand that an outright rejection with suggestions should be looked at as just that; the writing style of the author does not meld/mesh well with the publishing house and here's why …x…y…z. Take those suggestions and look at the writing and really consider making those suggestions actual changes to the story. From the other side of the coin, trust me when I say, I've received a lot of garbage in my inbox.
Kortney Gessler
Unforgettable Books, Inc.
Kortney Gessler – I am afraid this is just more of the same claptrap we have been getting from publishers for too long. This astonishing arrogance "Because of the onset of self pubbing, I think publishers should act as gatekeepers to the good stuff". Yeah right. There should be no gatekeepers within the industry. The only gatekeepers should be the reader. That is part of what is wrong with the old fashioned system.
emellaich's article makes a lot of good points that have been touched on many times over the last couple of years here on Teleread.
The old style publishing model is not up to scratch for dealing with the new digital world. Writers want more and more to self publish, to be in control of their lives and destiny and not be exploited by self appointed gatekeepers who patronise them and offer poor royalties and no justification of added value.
Writers will be looking to the new style of Publishing Services Agent, who will offer a range of services on a menu basis to writers. Editing, development, proofing, promotion, design, digital management etc. Some writers will want some services, others will want different ones. Services will be delivered on a fixed fee basis much of the time. Percentage royalties will be applied to writers with a track record. This is the new world imho.
If I were in the management of these old fashioned publishers I would restructure into a smaller leaner modular configuration delivering a range of specialists services, and develop new cost systems, new pricing systems and a new royalty system tailored to individual writers and their individual record.
New lean, mean epublishers already exist and are thriving. Authors get freedom, communication with their editor, added value, editorial, shaping, communication to the reader, PR and social networking/discoverability guidance. The readers know they're getting a selected, well-edited, well-formatted book.
Good Morning Howard,
Maybe I was not clear on the gatekeeper comment. I am not saying prevent (emphasis added) authors from going to production, I am saying make sure the work is clean and ready for production. That's what publisher's should be doing… be the check on quality being produced, now what should be produced.
My company is new to the playing field of publishing, we bring something really very different. We give our authors total control of their books, down to where, how, what, without asking why. Oh, and our commissions is low, very low for how much work it takes to put out a good book.
There are plenty of pay for services for publishing already out there – and yet when I pick up a new author's book that has done this gig on their own I cringe for the first few pages until I can see they have quality there.
I have been in the publishing industry for 7 years now. Because of the crap an author of ours went through during those 7 years Unforgettable Books, Inc was born. There were a few things about the publishing industry I could not stand, nor could my business partners. So we took things in a different direction. A) We're not a niche company, nor do we have imprints specifically for different niches. I have everything from a child's book to paranormal erotica on the roster. B) Our authors are different, very different. The stories are different. Plots are different. Creativity is oozing out of their bodies. C) They make the final decision on anything having to do with their books.
I agree that not every author is equal to another. However, I do believe there is room for everyone at the top. Publishers should be the mode of transportation to get them there and should not snub someone or their story. I have had to turn away good authors with good stories because I just cannot handle anymore work load right now. I have had a number of people reach out to me with a good story and very poor grammar and writing style. My job as an editor is to get those good stories with poor grammar and writing style to readers – that is the 'gate keeper' in me.
Kortney Gessler
Unforgettable Books, Inc.
As an author and a "service" provider, I poke holes throughout your theory. Sorry. Convincing new authors that they even need an editor is a job in itself and everyone wants to call themselves an author just because they have written…something…and were able self published it. Just look at the amount of people on Facebook who have decided to put "author" in the name field. It's laughable. (I even saw one woman who had "authoress" in the name field – that was truly funny). I just turned down a client who had compiled (not written!) 842 pages of "inspirational" material which is now available for sale on Amazon for…get this…TEN dollars!! As Kortney mentioned, some of the work that has come across my inbox has caused my eyes to bleed. There is still a need for traditional publishing no matter whether the medium is electronic or paper. I agree that their methods need to change, I don't like the idea of someone telling me whether or not my work is "good enough" or not anymore than the next writer. But we've become a society where we want things to come SO quickly and so easily to us. If you get rejected, keep trying. Someone will eventually pick you up! Any established author worth a hill of beans got rejected repeatedly then went on to monster success once someone signed them. Releasing a book is a long and arduous process – it certainly not a get-rich-quick scheme! Self publishing is a double edged sword. It allows great writers to get their work out to the masses but at the same time, it lets just absolutely disgraceful work get out there too. Why? Because a lot of the … uhm, writers… think they are good enough and bypass an editor and if they do seek to obtain services from an editor, often bawk at the price which has dropped significantly below industry standards (most people don't want to pay more than $3 per page which is slave labor really). I recently sent back a work because by page three, I still had no idea what the writer was talking about. It really is a jungle out there.
In the ongoing debate over new publishing models, Gatekeeping is associated with traditional publishing workflows and is generally equated with filtering content to keep it from the marketplace. Gatekeeping is all about fences and gates, promoting approved works and degrading all others. Advocates of frictionless market access as well as ebook consumers see advocacy of gatekeeping as a sign of arrogance and parochial retrograde thinking out of sync with the times. Gatekeeping = old-school thinking.
What nobody will take issue with is the concept of value-add services; intermediaries choosing works to endorse and add value to via editing, distribution deals, and other services intended to increase their reach and, above all, visibility.
Clearly some discretionary judgment is required as to which works can be supported by a specific publisher but the traditional model of publishers as absolute arbiters of quality, Gatekeeping, is pretty much dead and discredited among those that are closely tracking the disruption caused by ebooks. Which is to say, the folks round these parts. 😉
There is a difference between saying "We like this work and will help it reach and appeal to a broader audience." and saying "Only the works we support are worth considering." The former is Curation/Promotion, the latter is Gatekeeping.
And in a world where editing services and covers are readily available from freelancers, and where self-publishing platforms can easily reach 90-plus percent of a given market, there is no realistic barrier keeping content from the market and finding some audience on its own. Where there is room for New Publishing models is in helping products find a *bigger*, more *appropriate* audience.
When everything has a place in the market there is no value in getting a product to market; the value is in getting the product *visibility* and acceptance.
Felix – Excellent post, expressing things much better than I
One thing where I diverge slightly in on the "Curation/Promotion, the latter is Gatekeeping" thing … I don't personally like the use of any of this language where curation or gatekeeping is concerned. To me they smack of the same thing.
I see a significant market where these services will be delivered on a straight fee basis and no judgemental filter will be applied at all. A package of editing will be offered in the form of some kind of "X-hours" of editing work package. The result may not be Tolstoy, but that doesn't mean it won't sell and be popular with some element of the public.
Where a decision is being made to offer services based on a percentage of sales, and where essentially an investment is being made and the 'risk' is being shared, clearly a judgement will and must be made based on perceived quality and track record of the writer. The exact percentage and terms should be individual to every writer and every title.
Well, I see curation as a recommendation sort of thing. And it does add some value.
Like the Amazon and Apple App stores (where there is testing and an implied recommendation) versus the Google Android Marketplace where everything and anything goes indiscriminately.
A "new publishing" operation will always be constrained in the number of titles they can add value to so their choices will go to what *they* perceive to be a good investment of their resources. So by providing their services to a product they are in effect endorsing it. How much that endorsement is worth will be a reflection of *their* track record.
What I see is a leveling of the table where it comes to negotiation of terms between writers and publishers; instead of the publishers having the power to deny market access (gatekeeping) if their terms are not met, in the future they will only be able to negotiate terms based on whatever added-value they provide, some of which *may* come from their imprint.
Where I see the difference is that Gatekeeping is a negative power, the power to deny, whereas curation is a positive power, the power to recommend. The latter may be subtle and limited–most imprints are *not* strong brands–but the former is effectively non-existent.
Fair enough?
I would like to see most of the 'competition' for new books coming from the millions of perfectly good old books which have been written, published, reviewed, read and then conveniently forgotten in the rush to find and profit from 'the next big thing'. Luckily many of these are now becoming available, and it's now possible to spend a lifetime reading fiction without exposing oneself to any of the excoriating drivel written after, say, 1970. But there are many many more excellent books languishing in attics and second-hand bookshops which desperately need to be rescued, so that books can compete on their quality, rather than their recency.
Felix – why is this word 'curation' being used when it's actual meaning is nothing to do with recommendation or the like. I know it has history but whenever I hear some stuck up publisher use it, they are usually using it in a very patronising way.
Definition: "select, organize, and look after the items in (a collection or exhibition) : both exhibitions are curated by the museum's director."
I apologise for repeating myself but I see two types of activity by future Publishing Agents that replace the current big publisher model. The first will be fixed price services. Editing, proofing, digital, promotion. This will become more and more common. The second will be risk shared publishing where a title is invested in. No charge will be made for services and the profits will be split with the writer according to the balance of risk and the track record of the writer.
This kind of publishing will be a recommendation of sorts. But taste is so random in this world that I believe it will be a meaningless recommendation for readers.
@Howard – Try an online search for "curated apps".
In the tech world curated = reccomended for a while now.
The language does evolve.


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With most national polls showing a tight race between Pres. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, the Obama campaign wants to make sure there is heavy voter turnout within his base.
A strong part of Pres. Obama's base is within the African-American community. In 2008, 96 percent of African-Americans cast their votes for Pres. Obama in the historic election. In that election, voter turnout among African-Americans was up four percent from 2004 and the Obama campaign is working to insure the same enthusiasm for the president's re-election bid.

subset: commoncrawl


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Police Lieutenant, Police Community Service Officer (student only) positions are currently open.
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Applications are accepted on going for part time temporary, hourly dispatchers. You may access the position listing at http://www.cpp.edu/~jobs/pools/p05_new.shtml
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DC Council debate
October 11, 2012 - 01:50 PM
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Today we continued our debate series with the candidates for DC Council At-Large
Today on NewsTalk, our Vote 2012 debate series continued with the race for DC Council At Large.
Joining us: Incumbents Vincent Orange (D) and Michael Brown (I) and challengers David Grosso (I) and Mary Brooks Beatty (R).
We discussed a range of issues, including Council ethics, internet gambling, education, speed cameras and corporate tax avoidance.
Next week we'll hear from the rest of the field.
WATCH today's debate here:
Friday at 10am: Brian Moran, chairman of the Va. Democratic Party, debates Romney surrogate Corey Stewart. Also, CM Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) debates challenger Ron Moten (R).
Read More:
Short URL: http://wj.la/SWGVrh


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- RageQuitter69's Activity
No toddlers: "I mainly only play to build, I can live without toddlers"No pools: "I guess I will have to make a square pond"No ponds; "I guess I will have to make a square hole and paint it blue"No te...
No higher than an 8, unless the critic reviewing it wants to get fired, it is forbidden for open world games that contain a city, weapons and vehicles but the lack the title 'Grand Theft Auto' to sco...
GTA San AndreasFor that matter, here is my list of best GTA's:GTA VGTA San AndreasGTA Vice City StoriesGTA Vice CityGTA The Ballad of Gay Tony
@SNIPER4321 said: anyone else think COD4 is most overated game ever? No, that position belongs to Metal Gear Solid 4.
I can't stop playing GTA V
Wasn't Battlefield 4 broken when it was release? I haven't played it yet due to hearing that so I wouldn't know. I have no plans to play Titanfall due to it being Microsoft exclusive and Dead Space i...
@Renegade_Fury said: It doesn't matter at all to me, be it a single player or multiplayer game. Everything stems from the gameplay.Basically this, I like a good story but it does absolutely nothing fo...
MGS4 was not the best game of the last gen if you have any sort of standards regarding value for money.I will never understand how people can excuse all of a games flaws for the sake of storytelling, ...
A lot of games can be worth the full price (which is about $90 to $110 in Australia) such as GTA V, Saints Row 2 or Just Cause 2 for example, although I've never paid full price for a game (on a side ...
Agreed, I loved AC IV, it's my second favourite game of 2013, GTA V is my favourite.
I consider GTA V to be the best game ever made, and I never expected it to be as underrated as it is, sadly it turns out that people are so wrapped up in storytelling that they can't appreciate excel...
Sadly MGSV, despite what ever cash grabbing tactic Hideo Kojima uses this time.I know Watch Dogs won't get a 10, if it gets anything over an 8, the critic will be fired, it's going to be the most unde...
Metal Gear Solid V, I don't know what but i'm sure that Kojima has another cash grabbing tactic up his sleeve considering what he did with the previous 2 games (4 and GZ).
Yes graphics are overrated, and so is storytelling for that matter (although not quite as overrated as graphics), despite popular belief, gameplay is the most important part of a game. I also consider...
Good to see that the game is getting an honest review but I still worry about the mainstream critics, Kevin VanOrd will surley give the game a 10/10 because of storytelling just like he did with MGS4...


text:
Unlocking the Key to Deep Sleep
By Sarah Fenske
Making the Ferguson Commission Matter
By Danny Wicentowski
My Fake Boyfriend Became a Real-Life Crush
By Lindsay Toler
Rep. Jeffrey Pogue Bill Would Ban Unisex Bathrooms
By Danny Wicentowski
Darren Wilson Gives Speech to Nonprofit
By Danny Wicentowski
Angel Stewart and Other Victims of Violence Ask for Mercy
By Jessica Lussenhop
Obama Praises St. Louis' LaunchCode
By Lindsay Toler
By Lindsay Toler
A few pages in, readers encounter an article titled "Cocaine: Mystical, Magical White Lady," whose subtitle reads: "If coke is a joke, I'm waiting for the next line," and goes on to inform readers that: "Cocaine can increase the intensity of orgasms in both men, and women."
Outlaw Biker is by no means the sole artifact in this collection of late twentieth-century biker erotica. It's accompanied by magazines like Easy Riders, Biker Lifestyle and Iron Horse. Some carry advertisements for biker gloves, which can be shipped with your choice of either swastika patches or confederate flags. Others have sections called "Asstrology" and "From the Walls." But each is loaded with pictures of biker babes many nude in varying states of humiliation.
"I love the sexual futility of these women," says St. Louis artist Matthew Strauss, who's been collecting the magazines for the past year. The 33-year-old Strauss plans someday to turn his collection of biker smut into a series of silkscreen prints. He wants to place atop a table an image of, say, "Asabelle Chickenlips," a partially clad brunette whose teased-out hair and round tinted glasses lend her the look of an obese Janis Joplin.
"That's all you'd need," says Strauss. "Just Chickenlips on a table. You can't improve on that."
Dressed casually in a T-shirt, khaki shorts and green Adidas flip-flops, Strauss is standing in the middle of his newly minted studio. A yawning space of white walls and 15-foot ceilings, Strauss' 2,400-square-foot studio is filled with freestanding tables, models, paint, magazines and canvases. One movable cart is loaded with nothing but paint brushes; the opposite wall is stacked deep with large canvases, remainders from Strauss' Dead Languages show, which garnered him a win at the prestigious 2006 Great Rivers Biennial.
Bearded, bespectacled, with a mussed shock of dark brown hair and eyes to match, Strauss is not a large man. He fuels his slight frame with a seemingly endless supply of Coca-Cola. As he pads around his new studio, Strauss looks very much the part of the artist ensconced in his work. But if his series of biker erotica from the millennial sunset is ever to appear, it will have to wait. Strauss is busy these days meeting with fumigators and city building inspectors. His free time is spent visiting artist studios, fielding press inquiries and drawing up invitations for the September 16 opening of his latest brainchild, White Flag Projects.
"I haven't had a chance to work on my own artwork for almost a year," says Strauss, leafing through a copy of Biker Lifestyle. "I've been working twenty-hour days for the past twelve months just to get White Flag up and running."
Strauss is hoping that White Flag, a not-for-profit, 2,000-square-foot gallery, will fill a void in the St. Louis art scene: an exhibition space that lies somewhere between the city's commercial galleries and its museums.
"It became really evident to me what the needs were here," Strauss says, recalling that he was unable to find a venue for an artwork of his called American Vulgar, which he describes as "a survey of 150 years of American vulgarity as seen through pin-back buttons."
Strauss continues: "If you look at the commercial galleries, they all have reasonably ambitious programs, but they're not that big, and they really aren't able to do shows that are not particularly saleable. They'll do some progressive unsaleable shows, but at the same time, they all do unthinkably bad shows for whatever mercantile reasons. What I began to realize was that since the Forum for Contemporary Art had evolved into the Contemporary [Art Museum St. Louis] with a new building, a new name and a much bigger budget, suddenly there was nothing above the commercial galleries and below the museums where artists could exhibit their more experimental work."
White Flag is Strauss' response. The space is located behind a humdrum façade on Manchester Avenue, just east of Kingshighway; Strauss has spent more than $500,000 in property and renovation costs to turn the gallery into a magnificent, museum-quality expanse illuminated by north-facing skylights and uninterrupted by the concrete pillars so common in many older spaces. His studio, described by fellow artist Kim Humphries as "a dream studio," is in the back of the building. Strauss has built a second-floor library where gallery guests can peruse his collection of art journals, biographies and coffee-table books. But Strauss' favorite detail is the fun-house mirror he had specially made for the bathroom. Why? You go to White Flag to see the art, not to be seen.
Strauss kept mum on his plans for most of the year, until last month when he sent out a picture postcard of the space with no return address and the cryptic message: "White Flag Projects: the new alternative for contemporary art in st. louis..."
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NEW YORK (AP) — Google is exploring the possibility of helping to finance a possible deal by others to acquire Internet search company Yahoo, according to a report published by the Wall Street Journal on Saturday.
Google Inc. has talked to at least two-private equity firms about potentially assisting them to finance a deal to buy Yahoo Inc.'s core business, according to the story, which cited a person familiar with the matter, and did not identify the source.
The Journal said Google and prospective partners have held early-stage discussions, but haven't assembled a formal proposal. The source said Google may not end up pursuing a bid.
A spokeswoman for Mountain View, California-based Google declined to comment to The Associated Press. A spokeswoman for Sunnyvale, California-based Yahoo said the company doesn't comment "on rumor or speculation."
Messages that The AP left on Saturday with representatives of Google, based in Mountain View, California, were not returned.
Any involvement by Google in a Yahoo acquisition would likely draw antitrust scrutiny from regulators, because of both companies' shares in the Internet search business.
The report came as investors have recently driven up Yahoo's stock price, betting that the company will sell itself, either in whole or in part. Closing Friday at $16.12 apiece, the shares have gained nearly 25 percent since Sept. 6, when CEO Carol Bartz was fired. They are up 45 percent from the stock's 52-week low reached in early August.


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Now that the kids are back at school, most of my day is spent working on quilts. By most of the day that means from about 9 til 12, then possibly a few more hours from 1 to 2.30. I don't generally get any work done once the kids are home from school, there's homework to be done, laundry, dinner preparation etc, sometime even an hour or so reading my book or a bit of gardening.
So what have I been making? A couple of cushions, one for a present for one of Lilly's friends and the other a swap for some lovely yarn.
I've finished the first of 9 custom quilts on order. I expect to get one finished each week for the next 2 months. No rest for the wicked!
The request this time was a Lego quilt, similar to this one. I tried to write a pattern, but really still can't get the hang of using EQ7 (pattern writing software), I just don't have the patience for it. So instead of working with a pattern I just used my (sometimes flawed) logic and got cracking. I have to say I'm seriously pleased with the final result. Others must be too, as I have several requests for more Lego quilts.
I've almost finished the top of this week's quilt, hope to get that done this afternoon, then tomorrow will be quilting it, Friday labelling and binding.
I've now finished 13 blocks on my Farmers Wife quilt, might press them and take a pic later.
So that's where I'm at. Busy, busy, busy. Yay!


text: Gadgets Apple launches eyewear and a TV, Bitcoin finally flops: These are your 2014 predictions January 21, 2014 10:40 AM J. O'Dell 0 According to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, 2014 is going to be a blockbuster year for tech and gadgets. The study, conducted by Voucher Cloud, shows that Americans predict the rise of Apple gadgetry, the fall of Bitcoin, a total Nokia comeback, and … a smell-o-vision. Welp, three outta four ain't bad. "We live in exciting tech times, and with manufacturers constantly battling against each other to gain the 'edge' with certain products, it's so hard to know what may be around the corner," said Voucher Cloud's Jessica Gauss in a statement on the study. "We wanted to see what the average Joe, as opposed to a tech whiz, thought may happen in the tech world this year; and it seems that Apple continues to dominate most people's minds. As for what actually happens, we'll have to wait and see!" Here's a deeper dive into the top 10 most popular predictions from the respondents: Gallery: GalleryAbove: 37 percent think Apple will launch a Google Glass competitor in 2014.Image Credit: Flickr: giuseppe.costantino


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Dr Don Petkov
To see a link to my office hours click here
Webb Hall 336, tel. 860 465 0264, fax. 860 465 4469, skype: Doncho.I.Petkov , email email@example.com
Links to
Research and Behavioural Science (Deputy editor USA
since 2007, editorial board member since 1995)
International Journal of Information Technologies and the Systems Approach (Member of edit. board 2007-, former Senior Area Associate Editor
for Software Engineering2007-2009)
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Journal of Information Systems Applied Research (Member of the Editorial Board 2010-)
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text:
27th February 2006
George Michael: "arrest my own stupid fault" 1
12:00 AM — Gay pop star, George Michael had admitted his arrest yesterday for suspicion of possessing a Class C drugs was his "own stupid fault, as usual".A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "We were called by a member of the public to a man seen slumped over the steering wheel of a car on the street close to Hyde Park Corner. A search of the man revealedwhat was believed to be controlled substances."
Israel offers gay national service 3
12:00 AM — Teenage conscripts in Israel will now have the option to volunteer for a gay national service scheme instead of military service.The initiative will be available to anyone granted exemption from the Israeli Defense Forces. They will be able to complete their service through the Association of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexuals and Transgenders in Israel (Aguda).
Priests publicly oppose Vatican gay stance
12:00 AM — A group of Canadian priests have publicly criticised the Vatican's ban on gay clergy.In the largest internal opposition to the Catholic stance on homosexuality, 19 priests condemned the church's view on being gay and requested a new dialogue on the issue.They wrote a letter published in Montreal newspaper La Presse opposing the Catholic view that being gay is a "disorder"
Britney Spears rumoured for lesbian role 4
12:00 AM — Britney Spears upcoming role on hit gay sitcom Will Grace is now being rumoured to be a lesbian part.According to reports, the episode, airing in the US this April, will feature Ms Spears as an assistant to Jack, played by Sean Hayes. In Touch Magazine claims a Christian network buys 'Out TV' where Jack works, and she becomes his sidekick.
Brosnan: No regrets over removing bisexuality from new film 1
12:00 AM — Former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan told reporters this week that removing bi-sexual references to his character in his new movie The Matador was the right thing to do, despite the outstanding success of multiple Oscar nominee Brokeback Mountain.Mr Brosnan, who received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the film, said he almost backed out of The Matador after suffering a confidence crisis.
Study reveals homophobic abuse on LGBT teachers
12:00 AM — A strict code of conduct is needed in schools to combat homophobic abuse, a teaching survey has revealed.The research, conducted by the Teacher Support Network, a charity providing practical and emotional support to UK teachers and lecturers, claims two thirds of respondents from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender teaching community have felt discriminated against in the workplace because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Christian t-shirt slams Brokeback Mountain
12:00 AM — An American Christian clothing company is courting controversy after satirising gay cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain with a t-shirt alluding the film to sinners at the giving of the Ten Commandments.The T-shirt states, "The Original 10 Commandments, BrokeBack on the Mountain." It features ancient Israelites and gay people dancing around a Golden Calf whilst Moses watches angrily from Mount Sinai.
London Mayor appeals against suspension in court 3
12:00 AM — London Mayor, Ken Livingstone who was suspended from office for a month after comparing a Jewish journalist to a concentration camp guard has launched a High Court appeal to his suspension.The adjudication panel of the Standards Board for England ruled that the Mayor of London brought his office into disrepute when he acted in an "unnecessarily insensitive" manner following a reception held commemorating 20th anniversary of Chris Smith being the first MP to reveal he was gay.
Sex the City star praises reaction to "lesbian" lover
12:00 AM — Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon has thanked the press and public for respecting her privacy over a relationship with another woman.Ms Nixon, who played cynical lawyer Miranda Hobbs on the hit show, split from her childhood sweetheart in 2003. A media frenzy followed after tabloid reports claimed she was having a lesbian relationship with Christine Marinoni.
Da Vinci Code faces gay porn remake as DaVinci Load 2
12:00 AM — Whilst Da Vinci Code author, Dan Brown, faces a High Court accusation of plagiarism, it has been announced that the film version of his best-seller is to be remade as a gay porn film to be released on the same day as the Hollywood version starring Tom Hanks.Mr Brown's publishers, Random House, are facing a copyright challenge by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, authors of the 1982 book, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (also published by Random House).
Footballer offers to "cure" lesbian MSP 1
12:00 AM — A footballer in Scotland has been criticised over comments about gays and lesbians.Gay groups voiced concern over Rangers Trinidad and Tobago star Marvin Andrews after he said his church could "cure" lesbian Liberal Democrat MSP Margaret Smith, who announced her civil partnership plans last week.
Government tells gay bars to let in straights
12:00 AM — As predicted on PinkNews.co.uk in November of last year, gay bars and clubs will be unable to turn away straight revellers on the basis of their sexuality or gender when the Equality Bill comes into force, according to a leaked Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) memo."If customers were turned away only because their answers to these questions indicated that they were straight, this could be discrimination," the memorandum states.
Gay sex attacker convicted
12:00 AM — A gay sex attacker who kidnapped, drugged, abused and robbed his victims has been convicted in Scotland.The High Court in Glasgow found former DIY store worker, Cyrus Winton, 26, guilty of three attacks and three thefts.The court was told that he kept "trophies" such as wallets and clothes from his victims in the £300,000 house he shares with his parents. Winton abducted straight men and performed sex acts on them in remote spots just two miles from his home.
Irish youth oppose gay blood donor ban
12:00 AM — An influential Irish youth organisation is calling on the country's blood service to reverse its policy excluding male gay donors.The Yong Fine Gael conference in Co. Tipperary, Ireland, passed a motion opposing the Irish Blood Transfusion Service's stance on banning sexually active homosexual men from donating blood.
Scottish bishop attacks gay adoption
12:00 AM — A senior Roman Catholic bishop has joined the row on allowing gay couples to adopt in Scotland.The Rt Rev Joseph Devine, Bishop of Motherwell said he would not support "politically correct zealots" and would not "stand by and watch the destruction of Christian values and truth".In a letter to First Minister of Scotland, Jack McConnell, he stressed that traditional heterosexual family units were the best prospect for the emotional and psychological well-being of a child.
Sexual health clinic opens for Leeds students
12:00 AM — Terrence Higgins Trust is to launch a clinic which will test and treat university students in Leeds for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).The three hour service, which opens in May, will run one day a week and will be located conveniently for students at the University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University.
Gay star in drugs arrest 4
12:00 AM — Gay superstar George Michael has been arrested on suspicion of possessing Class C drugs after a member of the public found him collapsed at the wheel of a car.The singer, 42, was taken into custody at Hyde Park Corner early on Sunday morning initially on suspicion of being in no fit state to drive. After a doctor's examination this offence was not followed up.
South Korea makes gay film a hit
12:00 AM — As Brokeback Mountain sails past $75 million at the box office in the United States, a gay-themed movie in South Korea has become the country's third most popular film of all time.King and the Clown, which tells the story of an effeminate male clown caught between the affections of a despotic king and a fellow performer, has sold more than 11 million tickets since its Dec. 29 premiere, a feat considering the country's conservative climate.


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Albany, NY (PRWEB) August 21, 2014
Glioblastoma Multiforme Therapeutics in Asia-Pacific Markets to 2020 - Novel Therapeutic Approaches Target High Unmet Need in Newly Diagnosed and Recurrent GBM', which provides in-depth analysis of the Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) therapeutics market within the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, covering Australia, China, India and Japan. The report provides estimates of market size for 2013, along with market forecasts until 2020. It also covers disease epidemiology, treatment algorithms, treatment patterns, and in-depth analysis of the marketed and pipeline products. The value of the GBM market in the APAC region amounted to an estimated $49.4m in 2013, and is expected to register a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.5%, to reach $105.8m by 2020.
View full report at http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis/218797.
The GBM market in India was the smallest of the APAC markets in 2013, but is expected to experience the highest growth rate in the forecast period, at a CAGR of 14.4%, due to having the highest number of promising candidates in the pipeline. Japan currently has the largest share of GBM market in the APAC region, at 48%, and is expected to experience healthy growth during the forecast period at a CAGR of 13.8%. The existing treatment landscape is bleak for both newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM, with temozolomide alone serving as the standard of care after surgery and radiation. For first-line treatment Rindopepimut, a novel vaccine, is in late-stage development in India and Australia, but it is limited to EGFRvIII patients. There are two strong candidates in the current pipeline for second-line treatment: Avastin and Cotara. Avastin is the first and only targeted therapy for newly diagnosed GBM, is already approved as second-line treatment in Australia and Japan, and is in Phase III development in China and India. Cotara is a single-infusion drug with a novel delivery route, which is in Phase II development in India. The expected launch of these three drugs is the key driver for growth in APAC GBM market. As all are expensive, even a modest uptake will increase the annual cost of therapy, and subsequently the market size.
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A week in reviews: 9 - 13 December14 December 2013
The Christmas countdown is on and there's tech aplenty on the approach too. What will Santa put under the tree this year? Perhaps it'll be the rather lovely 8-inch LG G Pad tablet. Or, if there's a bit more cash in the kitty and you're off on a new year's... >>


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Ferrari 458 Italia Revealed
0-100 km/h in under 3.4 seconds
Ferrari has officially taken the wraps off their highly anticipated F430 replacement, the 458 Italia.
Described as a "massive leap forward" and a "genuine departure from the current range", Ferrari considers the new supercar to be "a synthesis of style, creative flair, passion and cutting-edge technology."
Boasting a futuristic Pininfarina design, the 458 Italia has a compact aerodynamic shape which helps to reduce drag and improve downforce (which is 140 kg at 200km/h). The front end features a bold grille which houses small aero-elastic winglets "which generate downforce and, as speed rises, deform to reduce the section of the radiator inlets and cut drag." Elsewhere, the car features small openings between the hood and headlights for added engine cooling. Out back, the 458 has aggressive rear end which houses a massive diffuser, California-style taillights, and three center-mounted exhaust tips.
Power comes from a new direct injected 4499 cc V8 engine that produces 570 CV (at 9000 rpm) and 540 Nm of torque (at 6000 rpm, with over 80% available from 3250 rpm). This is backed up by a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which has been specially engineered to match the power and torque curves of the new V8. Ferrari estimates the 458 Italia will rocket from 0-100 km/h in under 3.4 seconds, before hitting a top speed in excess of 325 km/h (202 mph).
Riding on a lightweight aluminum chassis (the car has a dry weight of 1380 kg/3042 lbs), the 458 Italia boasts a 42/58 weight distribution which promises to deliver outstanding driving dynamics. This is further backed up by a twin wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear set-up. Ferrari also equipped the car with an advanced direct steering system, updated versions of E-Diff and F1-Trac which offer a 32% increase in longitudinal acceleration, and a high performance braking system which cuts the car's 100-0 km/h braking distance to a short 32.5 meters (106.6 feet).
As with all Ferraris, the 458 Italia features numerous lessons learned from company's Formula 1 racing efforts. One of the key improvements is a reduction of internal engine friction which helps to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. Thanks to this racing derived knowledge, the car has fuel consumption rating of 13.7L/100 km while CO2 emissions are 320 g/km. Elsewhere, the company added a unique racing-inspired steering wheel and dashboard which slope down and away from the driver to minimize distractions.
Look for more information and details to be released closer to the 458's official unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The 458 Italia is the latest incarnation of the mid-rear engined berlinetta and will be unveiled at the next Frankfurt Motor Show
Maranello, July 28th 2009 - While it's true that every Ferrari is innovative by definition, it's equally true that in the course of the Prancing Horse's history, certain cars have marked a genuine departure from the current range. This is very much the case with the Ferrari 458 Italia, which is a massive leap forward from the company's previous mid-rear engined sports cars.
The new model is a synthesis of style, creative flair, passion and cutting-edge technology, characteristics for which Italy as a nation is well-known. For this reason Ferrari chose to add the name of its homeland to the traditional figure representing the displacement and number of cylinders.
The Ferrari 458 Italia is a completely new car from every point of view: engine, design, aerodynamics, handling, instrumentation and ergonomics, just to name a few.
A two-seater berlinetta, the Ferrari 458 Italia, as is now traditional for all Ferrari's road-going cars, benefits hugely from the company's Formula 1 experience. This is particularly evident in the speed and precision with which the car responds to driver inputs and in the attention focused on reducing internal friction in the engine for lower fuel consumption than the F430, despite the fact that both overall displacement and power have increased. However, Ferrari's track experience makes its presence felt in the 458 Italia not only in terms of pure technological transfer but also on a more emotional level, because of the strong emphasis on creating an almost symbiotic relationship between driver and car. The 458 Italia features an innovative driving environment with a new kind of steering wheel and dashboard that is the direct result of racing practice. Once again input from Michael Schumacher - who was involved from the very start of the 458 Italia project - played an invaluable part.
The Ferrari 458 Italia's Pininfarina design provides further evidence of the complete departure from the past that this new car hails. The Ferrari 458 Italia has a compact, aerodynamic shape, underscoring the concepts of simplicity, efficiency and lightness that inspired the project. As with every Ferrari, the car's styling has been very heavily influenced by the requirements for aerodynamic efficiency, as can be seen from the downforce of 140 kg at 200km/h generated by the new model. The front features a single opening for the front grille and side air intakes, with aerodynamic sections and profiles designed to direct air to the coolant radiators and the new flat underbody. The nose also sports small aeroelastic winglets which generate downforce and, as speed rises, deform to reduce the section of the radiator inlets and cut drag.
The new 4499 cc V8 is the first Ferrari direct injection engine to be mid-rear mounted. It has a very low piston compression height typical of racing engines which contributed to achieving its compression ratio of 12.5:1. Equipped with the traditional flat-plane crankshaft, the engine delivers 570 CV at 9000 rpm and, with an outstanding power output of 127 CV/litre, sets a new benchmark not only for the whole Ferrari range and the history of company, but also for the entire market segment. Maximum torque is 540 Nm at 6000 rpm, over 80 per cent of which is available from 3250 rpm. Specific torque is a record 120 Nm/litre. However, what is truly extraordinary is the amount of torque available while still maintaining high levels of power at low revs.
The car's soundtrack is also typical Ferrari, with an exciting, powerful growl emerging from the engine before it channels through to the exhaust's three rear tailpipes.
The 458 Italia is equipped with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which increases performance whilst providing very smooth shifts even at full throttle. The engineers have developed specific, sportier gear ratios to match the power and torque curves of the new V8, guaranteeing high torque even at lower engine speeds and allowing the car to reach its maximum speed in top gear.
This new Ferrari is also a major leap forward when it comes to cutting emissions. Despite the fact that the new engine is significantly more powerful than the V8s that preceded it, the Ferrari 458 Italia produces just 320 g/km of CO2 and fuel consumption is 13.7 l/100 km (combined cycle), the best in the entire segment.
The engineers also focused on weight reduction during the design phase for similar reasons. Consequently, the Ferrari 458 Italia has a dry weight of 1380 kg with a power-to-weight ratio of 2.42 kg/CV. Weight distribution is also optimal with 58 per cent over the rear axle. The result of the engineers' endeavours can be summed up in to two simple statistics which together perfectly encapsulate the Ferrari 458 Italia's exceptional performance: 0-100 km/h acceleration in under 3.4 seconds and a maximum speed in excess of 325 km/h.
For the new chassis, once more in aluminium, Maranello's engineers incorporated various types of advanced alloys along with aerospace industry-derived manufacturing and bonding techniques.
With regard to vehicle dynamics, the Ferrari 458 Italia's suspension features twin wishbones at the front and a multi-link set-up at the rear tuned for maximum roadholding and superlative handling. Along with a more direct steering ratio, the 458 Italia thus offers extremely rapid turn-in and body control whilst maintaining superior ride comfort.
The integration of the E-Diff and F1-Trac (now controlled by the same ECU) and their respective mappings is even greater, resulting in a 32 per cent increase in longitudinal acceleration out of corners compared to previous models. The evolution of the control logic, with even faster and more accurate calculation of levels of grip, ensures even greater roadholding, better handling and ease of control on the limit.
The same ECU also governs the high-performance ABS, providing even more precise control over the logic threshold and greater efficiency. The brakes also feature a prefill function whereby the pistons in the callipers move the pads into contact with the discs on lift off to minimise delay in the brakes being applied. This combined with the ABS has cut the 100-0 km/h braking distance to a mere 32.5 metres.
The Ferrari 458 Italia's interior is another area of the car that exalts its sporty personality. The driver is welcomed by a new layout and a revolutionary ergonomic interface where the main controls are all clustered on the steering wheel.
With the Ferrari 458 Italia, Maranello has brought a highly distinctive new car to its 8-cylinder range. The company now offers two models that share a common, race-derived DNA, both exceptionally sporty and fun to drive in true Ferrari tradition, but aimed at two very different kinds of client. While the Ferrari California was created for owners requiring a more versatile sports car with a practical edge, the 458 Italia is designed for owners for whom the priority is uncompromising on-road performance with occasional track day capability, but who still demand a car that is useable in day-to-day driving like all Ferrari's recent models.


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Laura Horton
|Laura Horton
Jamie Lyn Bauer as Laura Horton in 1998
|Days of Our Lives character
|Portrayed by
|First appearance
|June 30, 1966
|Last appearance
|April 11, 2013
|Created by
|Peggy Phillips
|Introduced by
|Former, regular
|Other names
(at the Meadows)
|Presumably Africa
Susan Flannery as Laura Horton from 1966-1975, pictured with father in law Tom
Dr. Laura Horton (née Spencer) is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional United States town of Salem.[1] Created by writer Peggy Phillips, the role was originated by actress Floy Dean on June 30, 1966 till October 21, 1966.[2][3] Susan Flannery stepped into the role from November 22, 1966 to May 27, 1975.[4][5] Susan Oliver briefly steps in the role from October 10, 1975 to June 9, 1976,[6] followed by Rosemary Forsyth from August 24, 1976 to March 25, 1980. Jamie Lyn Bauer assumed the role on November 12, 1993, and remained until July 7, 1999. Laura briefly returned to Salem for her daughter Jennifer Horton's wedding to Jack Deveraux.[7]
Laura's storylines focus on family troubles. She is a member of the series Horton family. Laura's marriage to Mickey Horton was a big part of the characters history. She was also married to another Horton, Bill Horton. Laura went through a period where she appeared to be going insane, but was being brainwashed by Vivian Alamain. Bauer's last episode aired on July 7, 1999, but she returned on May 26 and 27, 2003 and again from June 15 to 28, 2010 and April 10 and 11 2013.[7]
Laura Spencer arrives in Salem as young psychiatric intern at the Salem University Hospital. She immediately catches the eye of Bill Horton, and the two become engaged. Bill calls off the wedding when he learns he can't be a surgeon, due to a tuberculosis in his hand. Laura briefly dates Marie Horton's ex fiance, Tony Merrit, however nothing serious developed between the two. Laura is in love with both Bill, and Tony. Tony however recovers his relationship with Marie, and to cope Laura dives deep into her work.
In the summer of 1967, Laura is assigned to evaluate Susan Martin's state of mind for the courts when Susan stands trial for killing her husband David. In the process Laura spends many hours with lawyer, Mickey Horton. They fall in love, and marry in 1968. Later that year Laura is raped by her ex-lover, and Mickey's brother Bill Horton.[8] Bill can't remember raping Laura the day after. Soon after Laura learns that she is pregnant, and when her father in law Tom Horton discovers a paternity test things become more complicated. Tom learns that Mickey is sterile, and that the baby is Bill's. Laura gives birth prematurely to a healthy baby boy named Mike Horton.
In 1970, Laura and Mickey's marriage begins to fall apart and they separate for a time, but eventually work things out by the end of the year. However, by 1971 Mickey and Laura again have troubles after his affair with Linda Patterson is made public. Laura and Mickey agree to remain married and try to make things work for Mike's sake.[8]
In 1972, Bill and Laura begin to fall in love when Laura learns the true reason Bill went to jail. Laura plans to divorce Mickey and marry Bill, but when the two were overheard talking by Mike he assumes they were having an affair and ran out into the street and is hit by a car. Mike survives, and Laura realized she could not abandon her husband and child.[8]
In 1973, Mickey sufferers a heart attack after his son Michael lashes out at him for the pain he had caused his mother Laura by having an affair with his secretary. Mickey is rushed to surgery and survives the operation performed by his brother Bill. Though he survives the operation Mickey suffers a stroke which erases his memory. Mickey sneaks out of the hospital and leaves Salem. With Mickey out of the way Laura is free to love Bill, however her marriage to Mickey is still an obstacle, and Mickey can not be legally declared dead for seven years. Fate intervened and, when Mickey is discovered to be alive, he grants Laura a divorce so he can remain with Maggie Simmons.
On December 4, 1975, Bill and Laura are married. A year later, Laura gives birth to their daughter Jennifer Horton on February 6, 1976.[8] However, after the birth of her daughter, Laura falls into a deep depression, but seems to have overcome it with the help of her husband Bill and Dr. Marlena Evans. But Laura remains sick and begins to sink deeper and deeper into depression when she learns Bill had an affair with a co worker, Dr. Kate Winograd. Soon Laura begins to hear voices and sees her dead mother's ghost. Her mother, Carrie, had committed suicide, and Laura eventually goes over the edge and tries to hang herself at her dead mother's wish. Bill finds Laura in time, but she had already slipped out of reality. Laura is admitted to Lakewood Sanitarium where she spends the next 17 years of her life.
In 1993, Kate Roberts begins to pay Laura visits at Pine Haven Sanitarium, where Laura has been transferred.[9] Ironically, Laura is very aware of what is going on around her, but remains in an apparent catatonic state because the crooked sanitarium workers are keeping her drugged in order to milk the Horton family of money. When Vivian Alamain is sent to the same sanitarium Laura is in, Vivian takes an interest in her. Laura realizes that Vivian is her ticket out.[9] Laura is released, and slowly regains her life as she knew it. Laura returns in 2003 for the wedding of her daughter Jennifer Deveraux.
Laura returned to Salem in June 2010 along with her ex-husband Bill Horton, when she received news that Alice Horton was extremely ill. Laura returned along with many other family members. She was reunited with her daughter Jennifer and they reminisced about the wonderful times they shared with Alice. Laura was not happy when she caught Bill talking to Kate at the Horton house, which showed she was still not over their past together. Bill reminded Laura that Alice didn't judge and would have welcomed Kate's visit. Several days later, she received news from Maggie Horton that Alice died in her sleep. In April 2013, Jennifer goes to visit Laura after having relationship problems in Salem.
- ^ Corday, Ken (June 2010). "Days of our Lives". The Days of our Lives: The True Story of One Family's Dream and the Untold History of Days of our Lives. Sourcebooks. ISBN 1-4022-4222-0.
- ^ "Floy Dean on". Tv.com. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
- ^ Waggett, Gerard J. (November 1997). "Days of our Lives". The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. Harper Paperbacks. pp. 87–111. ISBN 0-06-101157-6.
- ^ "Susan Flannery Biography". Tvguide.com. 1943-07-31. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
- ^ "Today in Soap Opera History (November 22)". welovesoaps.net. 2012-11-21. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ "Susanoliver.info". Susanoliver.info. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
- ^ a b "Jaime Lyn Bauer.com". Jaime Lyn Bauer.com. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
- ^ a b c d "SOAPnet.com - Celebrating 40 Years of DAYS". Web.archive.org. 2007-03-19. Archived from the original on 2007-03-19. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
- ^ a b "Days of our Lives - Bios - Louise Sorel as Vivian Alamain". Nbc.com. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
External links[edit]


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A farmer's meeting nearly turned chaotic yesterday as some 1000 farmers affiliated to Mogogosiek Tea Factory clashed over who should be elected as Bomet governor.
The meeting convened to usher in the factory's newly elected directors ended prematurely after farmers engaged in a heated argument over Isaac Rutto and Julius Kones candidature.
Factory management accused Kones, who was given a chance to address farmers, of inciting them and making it impossible to continue with the agenda of the meeting. The new directors did not even get a chance to address the farmers.


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wimbledon - Page 2
Federer Upsets Djokovic, To Face Murray In Epic Wimbledon Final
For anyone that fills out a Wimbledon bracket (and nobody does), chances are you don't pencil in this Final. Roger Federer upset Novak Djokovic today, while Englishmen Andy Murray defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to become the first British man in a Wimbledon singles final in 74 years. Both men won their...
Judge Takes On In The Eye At Wimbledon – VIDEO
Venus Falls in Wimbledon First Round
Seven time Grand Slam Champion Venus Williams is done after one round at Wimbledon.
It is the first time since her first trip to the All-England Club fifteen years ago that Williams has gone out
Novak Djokovic Wins Wimbledon Title
Kvitova Dominates Sharapova to Win Wimbledon
Nadal and Djokovic Win, Will Play In Final
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic both won their semifinal matches at Wimbledon in 4 sets. Much to the dismay of the local British fans, Nadal eliminated Andy Murray 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Djokovic, who replaced Nadal as the No. 1 ranked player with his win today, defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-7 (9), 6-3. Djokovic will meet Nadal in the Wimbledon final on Sunday.
Sharapova, Kvitova to play for Wimbledon Women's Title
Fifth seed Maria Sharapova is headed back to the finals at Wimbledon.
Sharapova, who won the Wimbledon title as a 17 year old in 2004, overcame serving issues to defeat Sabine Lisicki in straight sets.
She will meet lefthander Petra Kvitova, who dropped the middle set of her match
Federer Upset in Wimbledon Quarters
Roger Federer has won Wimbledon six times.
He will not get championship #7 this year.
For the second straight year, Federer was upset in the quarterfinal round today, squandering a two-set advantage to Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in five sets.
Tsonga will now face second seed Novak Djokovic, who won today in four sets.
Serena, Venus Ousted at Wimbledon, Top-Seed Wozniacki Also Beaten
Serena Williams' run at Wimbledon has ended in the round of 16. The same holds true for her sister, Venus.
Serena, the defending champion, trying to battle back from injuries, fell to Marion Bartoli in straight sets. According to the article on espn.com, it's the earliest exit from Wimbledon for Williams since losing in the third round in 2005.
Venus, a five time Wimbledon champion, was beaten by Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria in straight sets.


text:
Nothing in life comes free, especially not marriage. Myra Bonney, a beautiful, brittle ex-model, lives in a cramped one-bedroom with her husband Ed, an ad man with a shaky grip on his career—and an even shakier grip on his morals. Ed and Myra's marriage is put to the test when he tries to throw a hastily assembled party for Jonesie, an out-of-town client who just happens to share a history with Myra. Taffety Punk's Lise Bruneau directs Dawn Powell's hard-boiled, jazz-age comedy, which the author herself compared to Coward's Private Lives.
Seating is on a first-come basis. Reservations are required.
Click the ticket
link to reserve online now or call 202.547.1122, option 4.
Reservations for
ReDiscovery readings must be claimed at the Shakespeare Theatre Company Box
Office on the evening of the performance by 7:15 p.m. Seating is general admission;
therefore we encourage you to arrive early.


text: (NEW YORK) -- Ford issued four recalls affecting more than 1 million vehicles on Thursday.The company says most of the recalls are to fix steering problems in SUV's that could result in the loss of power-assisted steering while on the road.Models involved include the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner, and Ford Explorer. Another of the recalls involves all-weather floor mats from Ford or Lincoln dealers-- for use in multiple models spanning many years-- that can come into contact with the vehicle's accelerator pedal if not installed properly. Ford's move follows many high-profile recalls this year, especially from General Motors and Toyota. Follow @ABCNewsRadio Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio


text:
helplessness in a sentence
Example sentences for helplessness
Horror manifests the primal fear: loss of will, helplessness.
So this way to overcome learned helplessness is totally unacceptable.
Other cultural greeting displays similarly involve a demonstration of helplessness.
But of course thinking this way only promotes a feeling of helplessness.
What makes kids so lovable is the tension between their helplessness and their drive to deny it.
There's a kind of helplessness in many of the poems, the sense of being pulled along by something irresistible and invisible.
Helplessness and despair were the main responses to the blackened craters and scattered cinders behind their back yards.
There was something in the helplessness of the little animal held so tightly in his arms that gave him courage.
On the whole, considering his helplessness, he thought he had done as well as his neighbors.
But this is not a time for reticence, complacency, or helplessness.
He wants to devise a measure of the collaborationists' record that takes into account their political helplessness.
They seem to all come out of moments of urgency and helplessness.
As long as the news keeps happening quickly and a sense of helplessness looms over the culture, the rumors will keep coming.
Still, a positive outlook can address helplessness and return some control to a patient.
Abject helplessness combined with severe pain trumps everything.
Recognize and replace panic-causing thoughts, decreasing the sense of helplessness.
But this sense of helplessness is a dangerous illusion.
There may be a touch of validity to the frustrating helplessness of the couple faced by all of this murderous idiocy.
Recognize and replace panic-causing thoughts, and decrease the sense of helplessness.
People may have acquired learned helplessness and experienced that whatever they do, it always comes to naught anyway.
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A board of directors at Awash International Bank (AIB) has decided to pay lower Earnings per Share (EpS) to shareholders from a profit that has seen marginal growth in the bank's operations from the year 2011/12, compared to the previous year.
Despite a year financial analysts describe as a "successful year" for AIB, its leaders have opted prudence in the long term interest of the Bank; they have shown conservative approach in sharing the net profit the Bank made after tax, reaching at 394.4 million Br. This figure represents a 9.4pc marginal increase compared to the 2010/11 fiscal year. However, EpS has declined for the year down to 469 Br, short of 91 Br from the previous year. Directors have rather decided to recapitalize the bank by 24.2pc more compared to growth seen in the previous year. As 912.2 million Br, directors have positioned the Bank to be the largest capitalized bank in the domestic banking industry. Its current capital is also 38 times larger compared to the 24.2 million Br initial capital it had when it was registered by the central bank as the first private commercial bank in 1995.
Their latest move shows to which side of the debate the Bank wants to put itself in the industry, according to analysts. There are those, such as Dashen bank, which were seen rewarding their shareholders with fat EpS, while adding to their capital marginally. Those at banks such as United and Awash seem to prefer to deprive their shareholders now, hoping that consolidation in the market will bring more gains to shareholders in the future. They are proven to be rather risk averse.
"Enhancing the Bank's capital avoids risk that could happen in a volatile business environment in the future," Tsehay Shiferaw, president of AIB, told Fortune.
To his credit, AIB is among the best performance in the Ethiopian banking industry, analysts say. It has particularly been strong in the areas of financial intermediations that keep the Bank at the top of the nation's private commercial banks.
The total revenues of the Bank exceeded a billion million Birr, surpassing the figure of the preceding financial year by 19.7pc. Deposit mobilization effort of AIB has been successful, too. It has mobilized 9.2 billion Br, an increase of 18.9pc.
The growth in loans and advances, as well as deposit increases makes AIB in the first league among its peers.
"That is a commendable achievement," Abdulmena Mohammed, accounts manager for the Portobello Group Ltd, aLondonbased holding company, commends.
Shareholders too are content.
"I'm really happy that the Bank strives for excellence in charting out its future," Selamawit Getachew, a shareholder who attended the Bank's annual meeting, held at the Hilton Hotel on November 17, 2012, told Fortune.
Nonetheless, such feet have not been marked without a challenge to the Bank's management. Increased loan disbursements, coupled with huge investments in the National Bank ofEthiopia's (NBE) bonds, have slashed Awash's liquidity base, as confirmed by various liquidity ratios.
Tsehay concedes that NBE's bills purchase directive, which compelled commercial banks to spend 27pc of their loans and advances in the form of medium term bonds, at low interest rate of five per cent, has had its toll on AIB's overall performance.
In fact, AIB's bills purchase from the central bank grew by 56pc, and reached 2.4 billion Br, claiming nearly half of the total loans and advances it had extended. In the previous subsequent years, these figures were 15.69pc and 20.51pc. Its investment with the central bank makes Awash the largest buyer of five-year bonds.
"The past should be treated as an opportunity to learn for the future," said Wole Gurmu, chairman of the board of directors, in his report published in the annual report, but referring to the economic slowdowns seen in the United States, China and India.
He was referring to declines in the Bank's stock of foreign currency reserve.
The decline in foreign currency earnings by 34.7pc has contributed to the shrinking of non-interest incomes. AIB's decline of its foreign exchange stock is nearly five points larger than what is seen in the industry average.
"Remittance has shown improvement in the last fiscal year," said Tsehay. "Drop in the price coffee exports to the international market has affected the income from foreign exchange."
Another area of non-interest related activities the Bank performed poor was in commissions and service charges it had collected. While almost all private banks reported growth in these areas, AIB's income has dropped marginally by 2.26pc. The average industry growth here was about 40pc.
"The unusual decline of Awash's income in what is a growth area ought to be a source of serious concern to the management of the Bank," Abdulmena warned.
Neither can its cost of business a source of complacent to its managers. AIB has incurred a total expense of 508.13 million Br in 2011/12, an increase of 36.3pc, slightly above the industry average. Interest payment of 284.94, an increase of 36pc, takes the lion share.
The sharp increase in the amount of fixed deposits largely reflects the positive impact of upward revision of interest rates on same due to a cut throat competition among private banks, a development emerged in recent years.
"This presumably has somewhat affected the profitability level of our Bank," Tsehay concedes.
The Bank has increased its loan and advances by 39.2pc to 5.3 billion Br and has impressively improved its loan to deposits ratio to 58pc, from 49.7pc.
Bringing the total number of branches to 86 in the last fiscal year indicates that the Bank's leadership gives a lot more attention to aggressive deposit mobilization efforts.
"We're working in replacing the existing core banking solution with a new one in order to improve the quality of services we provide and come up with new banking products," Tsehay told Fortune.
In collaboration with Nib and United banks, AIB has jointly established a company, Premier Switch Solutions S.C., to launch joint operations and management of electronic payment system.


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Margaret Chase Smith for President Campaign Button, 1964
Contributed by Margaret Chase Smith Library
A campaign button for the 1964 presidential campaign. Pink backround with blue printing. Features a 1960 campaign portrait of Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith. It states "My sentiments are with Margaret Chase Smith." There is an image of an elephant on each side of the picture of Senator Smith.
On side of button it states: "Buttons by Emress Specialty Co. 64 W 23 ST NY 10 NY."
Margaret Chase smith sought the presidency in 1964 and took her campaign all the way to the Republican National Convention in San Francisco. She came in second to Barry Goldwater and became the first woman to have her name placed in nomination by a major political party.
Other Information
- Title: Margaret Chase Smith for President Campaign Button, 1964
- Creator: Emress Specialty Company, NY
- Creation Date: circa 1964
- Subject Date: 1964
- Town: Skowhegan
- County: Somerset
- State: ME
- Media: Metal
- Dimensions (cm): 4.445 x 4.445
- Local Code: 06.001.230
- Object Type: Physical Object
For more information about this item, contact:
Margaret Chase Smith Library
56 Norridgewock Avenue, Skowhegan, ME 04976
(207) 474-7133
Cross Reference Searches
LC Subject Headings
Buttons (information artifacts)
Smith, Margaret Chase, 1897-1995
Political campaigns
Political elections
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We do NOT offer appraisals on like items. Check our Note on Appraisals.


text:
Manchester City face their first away test as champions as they travel to Liverpool on Sunday.
Roberto Mancini's side began the defence of their Barclays Premier League crown with a hard-fought 3-2 win over promoted Southampton last weekend. It was far from the 4-0 stroll against Swansea with which City began last season and Mancini is not expecting things to get any easier at Anfield.
"We always play a tough match in the second game," said the Italian, whose side held off Bolton 3-2 in their second outing last term. "Liverpool will be a very strong game."
Copyright (c) PA Sport 2012, All Rights Reserved.


text:
Annotations for
Every Soul a Star
Baker & Taylor
Ally, Bree, and Jack meet at the one place the Great Eclipse can be seen in totality, each carrying the burden of different personal problems, which become dim when compared to the task they embark upon and the friendship they find.
Baker & Taylor
Brought together to watch a rare solar eclipse at the isolated Moon Shadow Campground, Ally, Bree, and Jack may have arrived as strangers but the experience of what they witness makes them connect with each other in ways they could have never imagined.
Hachette Book Group
And as streams of light fan out behind the darkened sun like the wings of a butterfly, I realize that I never saw real beauty until now.
At Moon Shadow, an isolated campground, thousands have gathered to catch a glimpse of a rare and extraordinary total eclipse of the sun. It's also were three lives are about to be changed forever:
Ally likes the simple things in life--labyrinths, star-gazing, and comet-hunting. Her home, the Moon Shadow campground, is a part of who she is, and she refuses to imagine it any other way.
Popular and gorgeous (everybody says so), Bree is a future homecoming queen for sure. Bree wears her beauty like a suit of armor. But what is she trying to hide?
Overweight and awkward, jack is used to spending a lot of time alone. But when opportunity knocks, he finds himself in situations he never would have imagined and making friends in the most unexpected situations.
Told from three distinct voices and perspectives, Wendy Mass weaves an intricate and compelling story about strangers coming together, unlikely friendships, and finding one's place in the universe.


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PIERRE, S.D. – (DRG News) A new event at the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society at Pierre's Cultural Heritage Center will offer a special video program from one of the Smithsonian Museums each month. Starting Sunday, July 14, the first Smithsonian Sunday program will be held and will feature a video program from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. There will be no fee for the program, but regular admission will be charged for those wanting to visit the museum. Jay Smith, director of the museum, says in a release that they are excited to get the program going. The South Dakota State Historical Society became a Smithsonian Affiliate in January. Future Smithsonian Sunday programs are scheduled on the second Sunday of each month from August through December.
Comment Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the comments section of DakotaRadioGroup.com are solely those of the comment author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions held by DakotaRadioGroup.com.


text:
The following is an archive of a post made to our
'vox-jobs mailing list'
by one of its subscribers.
----- Forwarded message from Marius Seritan <firstname.lastname@example.com> -----
Date: Tue, 05 Apr 2005 12:01:31 -0700
From: Marius Seritan <email@example.com>
Subject: job posting, please
To: firstname.lastname@example.com
Could you please add the following to the jobs listing on your site.
Thanks a lot!
Cell: removed
Work: removed
Looking for an experienced C++ programmer in the Davis/Sacramento Area
for a temporary consulting position. You must have a couple of years
experience in multithreaded projects in one of the following fields:
embedded devices, telephony, speech recognition, voip, real time
development. Must be willing to work on both Win32 and Linux platforms,
and be proficient with MSDEV, gcc, gdb, mysql, XML, SOAP, TCP/IP, UML,
Perforce, CppUnit or similar. Telecomuting around 70% of the time but
some commuting to the Bay Area may be required. Send resume to
----- End forwarded message -----
email@example.com "I'm anticipating an all-out tactical
http://newbreedsoftware.com/ dog-fight, followed by a light dinner."
Vox-jobs mailing list
Hosting provided by:
Sunset Systems
Sunset Systems offers preconfigured Linux
systems, remote system administration and
custom software development.
LUGOD: Linux Users' Group of Davis
PO Box 2082, Davis, CA 95617
Contact Us
LUGOD is a 501(c)7 non-profit organization
based in Davis, California
and serving the Sacramento area.
"Linux" is a trademark of Linus Torvalds.


text:
Temptation and Integrity
Continuing with Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR's book "Stumbling Blocks or Stepping Stones" 1987., Paulist Press, a chapter that draws my interest is about "Sin, Temptation and Integrity." What is Integrity? "When used as a virtue term, 'integrity' refers to a quality of a person's character; however, there are other uses of the term. One may speak of the integrity of a wilderness region or an ecosystem, a computerized database, a defense system, a work of art, and so on. When it is applied to objects, integrity refers to the wholeness, intactness or purity of a thing—meanings that are sometimes carried over when it is applied to people. A wilderness region has integrity when it has not been corrupted by development or by the side-effects of development, when it remains intact as wilderness. A database maintains its integrity as long as it remains uncorrupted by error; a defense system as long as it is not breached. A musical work might be said to have integrity when its musical structure has a certain completeness that is not intruded upon by uncoordinated, unrelated musical ideas; that is, when it possesses a kind of musical wholeness, intactness and purity." (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Fr. Groeschel writes, that Integrity is a stepping stone, "the stepping stone, as it were, over sin and temptation is the integration fo all aspects of the personality. Calling someone a person of integrity once meant the person was honest. Good motives and outward behavior were consistent with each other and with the total presentation of self."
When faced with temptation, get away from the situation that leads to it. People often trigger temptations through recollections of events, people, daydreaming about situations that felt good at a previous time. As Fr. Benedict says "break the set," a psychological term. Untrigger the temptation, break it up, relax to reduce anxiety...just let go!
If you are a person of integrity, you'll know what to do to untrigger a temptation. You pray, no matter what you are doing, you pray for relief. Pray the influence of the devil away by consciously making a Sign of the Cross! Go do something else. Get away from the situation that tries to unsettle us.
if those temptations occur a lot, it may be best to get help. See a priest, or discuss it with a great friend. Seek out help perhaps through AA or local psycho-analystic services. Needs for pleasure or self-gratification are often reenactments of childish weaknesses. Persons of integrity need not go there. They are mature enough to put the problem at the foot of the Cross and go on with their lives.
The devil is involved in such temptations, don't suggest to yourself that he has no influence on us - take his presence serious and fight him tooth and nail. So, as Fr. Benedict writes:
1. Get away from the situation involving the temptation.
2. Relax. Work off the anxiety, the pressure of the situation
3. Spend some time in prayer.
4. Stand back and evaluate the situation
5. Compulsive problems - get support from AA - there may be a need for counseling or spiritual direction.
"Openness to Christ and the burning desire to follow and embrace him are essential elements of an integrated Christian life. Go to St. Paul's Collosians 3:12-17,
God bless you!
Fred Schaeffer, OFS


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At least 10 people mostly fighters were killed in central Somalia during Tuesday battles between Al Shabaab insurgents and the pro-government Ahlu Sunna militia, Radio Garowe reports.
Local reports said the fighting took place in three villages south of Guri El, a small trading town in Galgadud region of central Somalia.
Witnesses reported the violence in War-dhuumo-leh, Dhagah-yale and El Got villages, all located in Galgadud region.
Galgadud has been the epicenter of violence between Al Shabaab's northbound violent expansion and Ethiopian-backed Ahlu Sunna Wal Jam'ea militias, which control the region's key towns including the provincial capital, Dhusamareb.
"Our forces attacked Al Shabaab controlled areas after they [Al Shabaab] made military movements," said Sheikh Abdirizak Ashari, spokesman for the pro-government Ahlu Sunna militia.
He told Mogadishu radio stations via a telephone interview that no fighters from Ahlu Sunna were killed, but claimed to have killed "many Al Shabaab fighters" during the battles.
Al Shabaab's leader in Galgadud region, Sheikh Isse Kabo-kutukade, told reporters that Al Shabaab fighters "defended towns" against Ahlu Sunna attacks and claimed that Al Shabaab "now controls areas formerly controlled by Ahlu Sunna."
There were no independent reports to corroborate the two versions from the rival factions, but medical sources in Guri El and Dhusamareb towns controlled by Ahlu Sunna militia told Garowe Online confirmed that "wounded fighters" were rushed in for treatment but did not provide any specific casualty figures.
Pro-government Ahlu Sunna militia is an Islamist faction allied to Somalia's nominal government, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), which is cornered to a few kilometers of Mogadishu in southern Somalia and protected by 8,000-strong African Union peacekeeping force (AMISOM).
Ahlu Sunna and Al Qaeda-affiliated Shabaab have battled for control over Galgadud region since Nov. 2008.


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NEW YORK (AP) — Having recently purchased the "Star Wars" franchise from Lucasfilm for $4 billion, the Walt Disney Co. is shifting the films into hyperdrive.
Suggestions for Disney on 'Star Wars' spinoffs
Not only has Disney already begun working on a new trilogy, to start with J.J. Abrams directing episode seven, but studio chief Bob Iger said this week have said possible spinoffs are being developed for young Han Solo, the bounty hunter Boba Fett and Yoda.
Obviously, the tauntaun is totally out of the bag. The "Star Wars" universe is set to rapidly expand, with every penny drained out of George Lucas' franchise.
But why stop with a few predictable choices when there are others deserving of a close-up? Here are a few lighthearted suggestions for further "Star Wars" spinoffs.
ADMIRAL ACKBAR: Sure, the leader of the Rebel Alliance's Endor assault doesn't exactly have the matinee looks you'd normally want in a star. Truth be told, he looks like a fish. But he's a master tactician and no one is better at taking evasive action. An Ackbar film could revolve around his deep-seated paranoia of constantly being ambushed. Ackbar drives into a parking garage: "It's a trap!" Ackbar drops off his dry cleaning: "It's a trap!"
THE CANTINA BAND: An obvious one, perhaps, but who doesn't want to know more about the Mos Eisley Cantina Band? Technically known as Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes, one can't help but wonder about the band dynamics. Is Figrin D'an like the Sammy Hager of the outfit and Doikk Na'ts the Eddie Van Halen? Do they tour? And what about Max Rebo, the blue elephant-looking guy who plays keyboards in Jabba the Hutt's palace. Do they ever jam together??
LIFE ON THE DEATH STAR: It was an entire planet (twice) created by Dark Side, but what's it like to live there? How are property values? The whole thing looks entirely grey. Where are the parks? Where do the Stormtroopers get their helmets? This would have to be directed by the comedian Eddie Izzard, who contemplated the scene of a Death Star cafeteria in a famous stand-up bit. Izzard imagined Darth Vader ordering the penne alla arrabiata and arguing with a caterer over whether he needs a tray.
Continue reading this story on the...


text:
Photo by Tuukka Koski
YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings
For salad:
Preheat oven to 250°F. Spread out coconut (if using) on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring often, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool on pan.
Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Brush grill grates with oil. Meanwhile, combine okra, corn, zucchini, chiles, eggplant, and salt in a large bowl; drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Grill vegetables (use a grill basket if you have one), turning frequently, until crisp-tender and lightly charred, about 8 minutes. Place chiles in a medium bowl; cover tightly with plastic to let steam for easy peeling. Set chiles aside for dressing.
Cut corn kernels from cobs; place in a large bowl. Cut zucchini and eggplant into irregular 1" pieces; place in bowl with corn. Trim any tough tops from okra and cut okra in half lengthwise; add to bowl. Set aside.
For dressing and assembly:
Peel or scrape off charred skin from chiles and discard. Purée chiles (with seeds) and garlic in a food processor or mash with a mortar and pestle until a coarse paste forms. Add sugar and process or pound until dissolved. Stir in fish sauce and lime juice.
Drizzle dressing over warm vegetables; add herbs and toasted coconut (if using); toss well.
Scoop steamed rice onto a platter and top with salad.


text:
YIELD: Makes about 2 cups
Combine the olives, capers, thyme, garlic, bell peppers, onion, orange zest, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. The salsa can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
From Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann. Copyright © 2009 by Francis Mallmann; photography © 2009 by Santiago Solo Monllor. Published by Artisan, a division of Workman Publishing Company.


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Game "Zeus" Bantsi has once again been nominated for the Channel O Music Video Awards, and this time around is the only local artist who has been able to make the nominees' list for the prestigious awards.
Zeus is amongst six other nominees from around Africa in the category of Best Hip Hop Video. His Gijima video will be judged against Hip Hop Pantsula's All I Need video, Okyeame Kwame's Woso video, Jay Ru's Big Boi Anthem video, Pro's Uthini Ngo Pro, and Black Rhino's Black Chata video.
While this is a competition, Zeus, who is currently managed by Tshepo "Rox" Sikwane of Big Dawg Production, is confident that with the work that they have done, he stands a good chance of bringing the award home. The young man, who seems to have a vision of where he would like to take his music, calmly explained that he does not think too much about who he is competing with, but rather looks at himself and his work and tries to make it the best.
"I don't lose my sleep over any competition," Zeus reiterated.
He further explained that he puts more of his energy on mobilising support, both locally and in other African markets, noting that they have already done much in terms of marketing his music both in Botswana and other markets in the continent. Zeus noted that while it will be a big honour for him to win the award, being nominated already is a plus as it gives him exposure, not only in Botswana, but across Africa. Asked what being nominated for an international award means to him, he simply said it shows that he is doing the right thing. He added that recognition of local musicians in international awards should be a wake-up call for stakeholders to work harder to accelerate the development of the music industry. He noted that, while music is international, and one cannot only target their home market, it is often sad to see local musicians getting better recognition outside their countries. He said the music industry in other countries is competitive, the pay is good and musicians are treated well as professionals, which in turn helps improve the quality of work in the industry. Zeus acknowledged that he might be at a disadvantage as compared to other nominees in his category given Botswana's tiny population, but quickly pointed out that he is not going to use that as an excuse. He said through the work he and his manager have done - to market his music to the rest of the continent - he is sure that he does stand a good chance. He, however, reaffirmed that while he might have many fans outside his home country, he still needs Batswana to vote for him in large numbers. To vote, viewers can either sms to +27839208400 or vote on the web at www.channelo.tv. Zeus's voting code is 10 C. The video awards have a total of 15 categories. Gijima video is available on You Tube.
The awards brought to you by Amarula Cream are scheduled to take place on October 29 at Carnival City in Gauteng and will be broadcast on DStv's Channel 320.
Last year Zeus was nominated in the Best Ragga Dance Hall category for his Imagination video.


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Rhapsodio RDB+ Hybrid (2BA + Dynamic driver)
"Before writing this review, I would like to thank Charles for generously sending out multiple IEMs and amplifiers for us to try and review. Charles is also one of the friendliest and most responsive guys that I have met in the audio world and often responds to emails in a few minutes. This is something that I take into account when buying any product, especially one at this price. I am in no..." --lin0003
Rhapsodio 10BA
"This is a small review of the 10 driver Rhapsodio ciem. Rhapsodio 10 Driver 10 balanced armatures/5-Way Build Quality 85/100 Some imperfections like bubbles but overall great build quality. Bass 97/100 Very fast, highly detailed. Can keep up with anything. Its boosted a little bit above neutral but overall this is a very neutral ciem...." --Metalboy
Rhapsodio RD3 Hi-Fi Grade Dynamic In-Ear Monitor
"Hi guys, after spending some time with the new IEM from Rhapsodio, I thought I would post a more formal review of my experience with the IEM. So for those who have been interested or curious about Rhapsodio, hopefully this will shed some light on what they're all about! UPDATE: Added some general thoughts on the IEM compared to some TOTL IEMs at the very end. UPDATE 2:..." --Cotnijoe
Rhapsodio RDB+ 2v1
"Who/what? I'd like to thank Rhapsodio for sending the 2v1 our way for a tour, along with the Shozy amp. Australia isn't exactly a hot electronics place First off - Rhapsodio is a young IEM company from HK. They sell Custom and Universal IEMs and lots of cables, and some DIY amps. You can read more on their site and Facebook While I haven't bought their products yet and only tried their..." --svyr
Xtreme Ears XE4/Pro
The phone uses an internal configuration XE4/Pro four microdrivers with balanced armature technology and an integrated three-way crossover providing a listening experience like no other, with a super comfortable and crisp sound. Specifications: Sensitivity: 118 dB / mW Frequency Response: 10 Hz -17 kHz Impedance: 25 ohms Internal configuration of speakers: 4 microdrivers balanced...