text:
A Major Publisher Jumps the Shark
Porter Anderson on Jun 22 2013 | Filed under: Business
[Publishers'] savings on printing, binding and distribution make up for the lower revenue from lower ebook prices– and increased profitability is coming entirely off the backs of authors.
Those are Brian DeFiore's words, emphasis mine, in an article important to writers.
The 10 salient words here are suitable for memorization:
Increased profitability is coming entirely off the backs of authors.
DeFiore's article is headlined eBooks and profitability– What we've always said and publishers have always denied.
Here's what you need to know to understand why I've chosen this as our Provocation in Publishing today.
(1) The "we" as in "what we've always said?"—is literary agents.
(2) DeFiore is one. His firm is Union Square's DeFiore and Company, an outfit that has the grace to describe itself on its site as "a mid-sized literary agency." When was the last time you heard a company volunteer that it wasn't absolutely planetary in its stride?
(3) DeFiore sits on the board of directors of the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR)—the US agents' professional organization. DeFiore is the chairman of the AAR's Electronic Rights Committee.
So you're hearing from the presiding agent for things-digital at the main American organization of literary agents, writing on its official site.
Every time a hardcover sale is replaced by an ebook sale, the publisher makes $2.20 more per copy and the author makes $1.58 less.
Sitting up yet? Let DeFiore put it another way for you:
If the author made the same $4.20 royalty on the ebook sale as he/she would have [made] on a hardcover, the publisher would STILL be making an improved profit of $6.28.
UPDATE: Before going on as written, I want to call your attention to a very generous comment that DeFiore has provided to this post. He wants to clarify that his post at the AAR site is not to be taken "as an official statement or policy of the AAR or its board." He also writes that the source of discussion here (you'll see the slide below) is "a simplistic look at a complex issue" because it represents one profit scenario devised for investors' eyes, an example that can be affected and changed by "all kinds of pricing experiments and price points." In all fairness, I commend his comment to you along with his point that we are focused here on only one aspect of the "inestimable value to the process" that he says he believes (and I do, too) most publishers add for most writers. Do have a look.
I'm returning now to this post as previously written, with hopes you'll be sure to check out everyone's comments and DeFiore's in particular, afterward.
Publishers have steadfastly maintained that this kind of math is wrong. But this time, the ciphering is based on one big house's own brag-numbers. It's how they talk to their corporate parents' investors.
So that friend from the traditional publisher who just changed the subject and offered to freshen your drink? Don't fail to notice the wet suit. Listen for a sotto voce shark-jumping "Oooops!" from the bar, over the happy sound of Campari blessing the ice.
Ironically, if it weren't for DeFiore and Michael Cader, we might have missed this intriguing slip off the board, because it occurred just as the surf was way up for the May 29-31 BEA, BookExpo America.
DeFiore is handily chasing Cader's big wave at Publishers Lunch. (This requires a subscription to Publishers Marketplace. I highly recommend it.) That original June 4 article is here, in case you do have a subscription: Harper Shares Data on Light Third Quarter; Shows Investors Profitability of eBook.
In that write, Cader provides this graphic from a May 28 News Corp. "investor day" presentation. News Corp. is the parent of Big Six/Five publisher HarperCollins.
Cader explains that the graphic is part of a presentation on "Harper's strategy going forward." He writes, emphasis mine:
[The slide] shows that — under Harper's new post-settlement agency ebook pricing (which raised prices slightly versus their original agency price tiers) — ebooks are significantly more profitable than print books. In the sample case of a new release frontlist title, the ebook edition is 39 percent more profitable, returning an additional $2.20 in profit to the publisher over the hardcover. Authors and agents will immediately note that much of the additional profit exists because the royalty allocation once earned out is $1.58 lower on the ebook than for the hardcover.
A bit more, my emphasis again:
On a hardcover, the author earns 30 percent of the publisher's gross revenue, and 42.5 percent of the total margin (what the author and publisher together earn). For now, on the ebook, the author earns 25 percent.
Here's another of our good colleagues, Jason Boog at GalleyCat. His story is headlined Do Authors Deserve a Higher eBook Royalty Rate? And he's following up on DeFiore's write, emphasis again mine:
DeFiore and Company founder Brian DeFiore shared the most important stats: a "$27.99 hardcover generates $5.67 profit to publisher and $4.20 royalty to author" and a "$14.99 agency priced ebook generates $7.87 profit to publisher and $2.62 royalty to author."
Bottom line: in traditional publishing, an ebook gives the publisher more and the author less.
Your traditional-publishing buddy heading back from the bar to you with that drink?—is fully as wet as you've always suspected he was.
As DeFiore points out, major publishers have been splashing water on anyone who said this was going on in the past. Now, one has been found strutting this stuff as a point of corporate stewardship.
DeFiore seizes on the moment to champion the author's interests, which is what our best agents do:
We have all heard…that for a very large percentage of authors this is irrelevant since their advances don't earn out – effectively raising their per-unit royalty. That may be true, but it logically leads to what seems to me the most unfair aspect of all: That, therefore, the only authors that are financially punished by this system are the ones whose books perform very well. The ones whose books earn out. The big name authors and the celebrities whose books don't perform to expectation are untouched; the author who gets a reasonable advance and whose book sells much better than expected are the ones who suffer the greatest loss.
This all dovetails with the coming completion of the Penguin Random House merger. Another industry-news subscription service I can heartily endorse, The Bookseller, is doing some nice work on the runup to that union of bird and building.
The lead is sounded in Bookseller editor Philip Jones' analysis, Taking flight:
One of the more subtle changes over the years has been in those businesses at the top that have reoriented themselves around digital, and those declining enterprises that have not. The challenge for global publishers is how they get from here to there without forgetting the qualities that got them here in the first place. A new study, helpfully about penguins, has concluded they don't fly because they don't have to. They found fish in the water and chose swimming. Publishing businesses don't have this option: they have to do both.
That piece is coupled with a collection of Viewpoint observations from several members of the industry! the industry!
A quick pastiche of what some of them are saying:
Agent Jonny Geller: From the author's point of view, change is only useful if it improves standards of development, production and distribution…How can a merger of two dominant publishers improve the "rights" of an author? Will there be more flexibility in contracts or less? Agents obviously fear the latter.
Author Nick Harkaway: To compete with a seller of electronics, clothes, and garden furniture, publishers need the help of their own umbrellas. But size alone won't cut it. The key word will be "clever."
Publisher Rebecca Smart: I would be looking afresh at Author Solutions [which Pearson-Penguin owns] and thinking about how to use its workflow infrastructure and production network to create a new self-publishing services offering that uses scale to provide low-cost, clear, fair assistance for authors.
Agent Caroline Michel of PFD: To a writer the size of the publishing house doesn't really matter, some of the most promising books in some of the largest publishing houses fall off the radar. What matters is getting the book they have written into the hands of as many readers as possible in whatever form, print, digital, audio.
Based on the Cader-DeFiore material about HarperCollins' ebook profitability, which appears to take advantage of authors, I'd like to offer an additional, quiet viewpoint on the advent of PRH:
Surely, one of greatest initiatives that could be made by the new entity would aggressively establish transparent and friendly terms for authors—without whom not one publisher of any size anywhere can function at all.
I could support PRH in a very noisy rollout of a new set of principles for its dealings with the artists of our profession. And, in fact, with such size, PRH is about to feel more keenly than ever, I'm hoping, the burden of its responsibility to authors and their cultivation, in many ways handsomely handled by Amazon.
DeFiore says it well in his write-up and calls the correct question when he looks at what's washed up onto the beach on HarperCollins' rising tide of ebook profit strategy:
How can anyone in this industry see that as defensible?
So you tell me: is HarperCollins' increased ebook profitability defensible if royalties are structured this way? Is this how readers would imagine one of our biggest publishers compensates its authors? How much goodwill do you think another major, such as Penguin Random House, could achieve if it made a solid, clear break with such patterns of author dealings?
Main image: iStockphoto – PixelChik
Provocations in Publishing graphic – Liam Walsh
About Porter Anderson
@Porter_Anderson, BA, MA, MFA, is a journalist, critic, and speaker specializing in publishing. A Fellow with the National Critics Institute, Anderson's "Porter Anderson Meets" live Twitter interviews are conducted weekly with the hashtag #PorterMeets on Mondays and run in London's The Bookseller magazine on Fridays. He is also The Bookseller's Associate Editor for The FutureBook, a sister site focused on developments in digital publishing, with #FutureChat live Twitter discussions on Fridays. Anderson works with BookExpo America (BEA) to program the uPublishU Author Hub, which had its debut at the 2014 BEA. And he is working with the Frankfurt Book Fair on special programming for its new Business Club suite of events and facilities, a first in the 2014 Buchmesse. More: PorterAndersonMedia.com | Google+
41 Responses to "A Major Publisher Jumps the Shark"
We really shouldn't be shocked, shocked at this. It's the DNA of big business to seek profitability. This is still free enterprise, thus, publishers are free to run their businesses any way they wish. Agents are free to push for better terms. And writers are free to decide if they want to do business this way, or another (which is the biggest innovation of all in the history of publishing).
Porter, you suggest that a publisher offering more author-friendly terms would engender massive goodwill among the people (product producers) they need to succeed. True. But that is essentially asking a business to accept less profitability in the near term in order to develop a foundation for long term gain. Yet the constituents of that long term are uncertain, unnerving, and without precedent, which is what sells Pepto-Bismol in Manhattan.
It's all a fascinating study in tectonic disequilibrium in the business world. The only certain survivors are the writers. Like lawyers and cockroaches, we never go away.
Hello Porter,
Always enjoy your posts. I especially look forward to each of your articles of provocation! I beg forgiveness for the length of my response. You have touched a nerve!
As an author, I must say that at points along my journey to publication, I have been at times fascinated, awed, overwhelmed, and deeply troubled by the industry juggernaut. Sadly, it comes as no surprise that HarperCollins takes a calloused approach to the source of its success, its authors. Unless one is a huge name, we have reached the point where publishers do nothing for their authors other than put the physical books together and toss them out into the universe. The success or failure of a launch rests almost solely on the shoulders of the author. For publishers, this is, after all, a business and the big houses answer to parent companies who answer to investors. The small houses simply struggle to stay afloat. I do not believe that the way most authors are treated is fair or right, but it is a business reality.
That said, it boggles the mind that publishers are surprised, nay shocked, when one of their stars decamps for self-publishing. I have read more than one article addressing this issue, usually written by an editor or agent. If one could see the industry individual writing the article, he/she would most likely be wearing that tight-lipped smile one gets when trying very hard to put the best possible face on a bad PR situation. Logic would dictate that in the name of self preservation, publishers of all sizes might want to consider what they can do to nurture their authors, rather than treat them as tools.
I realize that is a harsh statement, but again, it is reality. Of course, under the veneer of polite interactions in any business, there lies the dreaded bottom line. Publishing is no different. In fact, it is probably more so due to the topsy-turvey nature of the industry at this time. It is going to take a very skillful prognosticator to see what form the industry will ultimately take when the technology dust finally settles.
As for me, I will continue to write my stories while keeping an ever watchful eye on my back. I have a growing number of writer friends and colleagues. We pretty much circle the wagons when one of us has a book release. At the risk of being seen as a rabble rouser, I would like to pose a question of my own. Is it possible that authors may become the new Mary Pickfords and Charlie Chaplins? Might there one day be a United Artists of the publishing world?
Paints a right pretty picture, doesn't it?
"the author who gets a reasonable advance and whose book sells much better than expected are the ones who suffer the greatest loss."
I suspect the ones who suffer the greatest loss are emerging authors who are forced to accept lousy terms to get their initial contracts, especially if they become successful enough to discover they are locked into poor participation in other rights away as well.
Since you spend a lot of time quoting my relatively short piece on the AAR blog, I want to clarify and expand on my thoughts a bit here.
First and critical: that blog is very clearly indicated as thoughts on digital publishing matters from individuals who sit on the AAR Digital Rights Committee. It is meant to inform and perhaps occasionally entertain our members– it is not in ANY WAY an official statement or policy of the AAR or its board.
Second: I fear that your piece is using my words to storm the barricades in a way that I did not intend or feel comfortable with. Keep in mind a few things: the example that Harper used in that presentation was one title at one price point. At that price point, the effect on profitability is clear, and Harper management clearly used that as an example to investors for a good reason. It put the best scenario for profitability forward. Similarly, in writing to the AAR members I riffed on their example for the same reason: it put our best argument for higher royalties forward. But I understand that it's a simplistic look at a complex issue. There are all kinds of pricing experiments and price points that change the formula. And I'm sure publishers can (and I have heard it!) show how and why that rate is fair. And, the much bigger picture: e-book royalties are a significant but usually not the major part of the way authors are compensated by the major publishers: they are also paid advances, and they are paid hardcover and paperback royalties.
The publishing business model is complicated, and the publication of one book usually encompasses several editions, each of which contributes to the bottom-line for authors and for publishers differently. We need to see the entire picture of a book's publication effort—in all formats—to judge value.
The point in my piece was an important but relatively isolated one: that the digital royalty rates currently in contracts harm successful authors the most. Those writers who get paid a reasonable amount as an advance and whose book takes off and whose advance earns back are the only ones who suffer.
As for the digital royalty rates overall: Of course I don't like them, as I and virtually every other agent has said from the start of "agency model" selling of books. When we all agreed to the 25% of net rate, it was based on an understanding of digital sales being sold "wholesale." That led to a much higher dollar-figure royalty to authors. The switch to agency brought that dollar-figure down significantly. Publishers were hit, too, by the switch to agency of course. Their revenues were cut drastically on e-book sales. And the contracts with the royalty rate already existed. As pointed out by other commenters, of course continuing with the agreed-upon royalty rate made perfect business sense for them.
I will continue, as I'm sure most agents will, to try to get a better rate for my clients, and as you suggest, certainly if one publisher were to cross the line and pay a higher rate they will get a sharp advantage in negotiations with authors. But let's be clear: unlike some of your readers, I am of the firm belief that publishers add inestimable value to the process for most writers. A higher royalty rate on some self and digital only publishing is great—but one has to look at the big picture for most authors and understand that the high rate is not of much value if it ends up applying to a small number of copies sold (often at very low prices—therefore very low royalties) in only one book-buying channel.
I've never understood this argument from publishers, and a lot of what publishers do with authors and their contracts is not defensible. I don't have much to say, but I do continue to be discouraged by the way that authors are treated in many traditionally publishing situations (at least the ones that we are made aware of.) Thanks for the fine article.
What do readers imagine? They think authors are all Rowling in dosh. I don't think it occurs to them that many authors are not rewarded fairly for their contribution. What's more, the reading public probably think we're spoiled when we do complain. How many people sympathised with Prince and George Michael? Unfortunately that's the precedent.
It's long been known within the industry that traditional publishers get a grossly unfair profit share from ebook royalties. 25% is the standard royalty in the UK for ebooks, according to one of my agents, and he reports that publishers are not willing to negotiate on it.
DeFiore is rather short-termist with his observation that only the high-selling authors will be penalised, because most books don't earn out. They may not earn out in the first few years, but the contract will presumably last for the author's lifetime – especially as books can stay in print indefinitely because of print on demand. It may take 20 years, but a book can earn out an advance of £5k (the standard advance). So a fair ebook royalty will potentially make a difference to every author; it's never 'academic because it won't earn out'.
So it's great that you're bringing the issue out to be scrutinised here, Porter. We need ammunition like this so that we can make a better industry.
Porter, thanks for this revealing and depressing report. Am I correct in assuming then that, for most authors, there are two options, be scammed by a publisher or self-publication? Is that the correct conclusion to draw from all of this?
As an author and a reader what jumped out at me from the graph was the price of an ebook. Are they really expecting to get long term sales of ebooks at $14.99?
It is going to be interesting to sit outside the industry and watch the transformation. I believe that the publishing industry will survive, but it will look like a completely different animal than it does today.
Thanks for the post, I love reading this blog.
well, i am "almost" glad i haven't "made it" yet, with all this turmoil :-)
and you made one point in particular in the comments above, "making an international success of a book, is something we have yet to see happen without a major publisher in place…" –
which is worth thinking about, but then, what use is "success" for an author, without compensation –
it's still a hostage situation, sorta (of course), so i'll continue doing the only think i can control, continuing creating new work
either way, this "leak" of where the profits really are, with the larger houses, is vital information, so many thanks for those :-)
…"relax into your work…"
I can't tell you how much I appreciate your message of hope, Porter. I have been working on my craft for years but have only recently queried agents. (I've had good responses and request rates for the full, but, in the end, passes.) I'm working on a revision now to improve pacing and am utterly stymied about next steps: Keep trying agents? Sub directly to small presses? Self publish? I'm continuing to read as much as I can about all of it.
In general, I am excited and optimistic about the changes we're seeing, but it can also feel overwhelming and scary, especially when pursuing fiction writing as a second career (ie a newbie who isn't "new." Lol). Thank you for all of your wonderful info!
Wow, Porter … this post, comments included, has been a wild read for me. The thought of getting "business-ed up" makes me want to poke my eyes out, but then I remember the letters of Flannery O'Connor in The Habit of Being. Tons of them were to her agents, her publishers and her editors and consternation was not an uncommon theme. And this was in the '50s and '60s and she was dealing with the only show in town at the time, traditional publishing.
Also compelling—the model you pitched of a collective or consortium of writers helping each other get "business-ed up." I've already noticed that vibe with the published authors who have come to our local writer's workshop: super willing to help and share knowledge and strategies. This goes for both the traditionally published author who visited and the self-published authors. If that goal were defined and expanded … the possibilities seem huge.
Now I'm gonna read your post "And the Boat We Rowed In On."
Porter, you are so ding-dang REASONABLE, amidst the cudgels and the curtsies of publishing's courts. Thank you for coaxing Mr. DeFiore into the discussion, and for nimbly springing from his clarification into your own, which allows for the many shadings of grey (but thankfully, not fifty) in these sometimes stormy skies.
(And of course for using "jejune" in one of your comments. We do need to give shuttered words an airing now and then.)
Porter, I am flat back in my chair reading your effort on this subject and situation. Your post and comment replies are insightful, detailed and generous to many points of view, which together bring hope in what has been a long campaign of artists (and all workers, really) to live and create in a corporate-dominated market.
The image comes to mind of the company store–outlawed by Congress over a hundred years ago–where workers become indebted to the store (someone's business) BY working for the development of product, by doing what they were hired to do. We writers are receiving shavings of gold off the gold bars our work generates. It is a long struggle and arguments on both hands have merit. EG Big houses do create possibilities for authors, and, without the authors' effort and skill there is no gold.
History shows the middle ground of some optimal balance being claimed back and forth. The last thirty years have pretty much been a time of corporations running the table. The advent of digital press and POD inspires upset and creativity, which I see as THE great opportunity of our time, and I expect the future will only lie still when writers and those who travail for other's profit are honored more than they are currently and for who they are.
Your concern and advice will be part of that change. Thanks.


text:
|« Back to Article
Patrick says he will 'finish' immigration debate with Mayor Castro
By Peggy Fikac | January 28, 2014 | Updated: January 28, 2014 12:38pm
Photo By Jason Fochtman / Associated PressState Sen. Dan Patrick, a candidate for lieutenant governor, is campaigning against the in-state tuition law for undocumented students, a campaign that could awaken a sleeping giant.
Photo By LM Otero / Associated PressThe Republican lieutenant governor candidates — Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson (from left), state Sen. Dan Patrick, Agricultural Commissioner Todd Staples and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst — take their places for the debate in Dallas.
Photo By LM Otero/Associated PressRepublican Texas lieutenant governor candidates from left, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, Sen. Dan Patrick, Agricultural Commissioner Todd Staples listen to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst answer a question during a debate at KERA studios in Dallas, Monday, Jan. 27, 2014. The four Republican candidates are vying to be Texas lieutenant governor, a post considered to be the most powerful in the state. (AP Photo/LM Otero,Pool)
More Information
Watch the Texas lieutenant governor candidates debate
DALLAS — Sen. Dan Patrick said Monday that he believes San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro blasted him on immigration issues in the race for lieutenant governor because Democrats are focused on beating him.
"He decided to just interject himself in our race," Patrick said of Castro when he met with reporters after taking part in a debate with the other three Republicans in the race — Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples.
"I think it's because the Democrats will do everything they can to be sure I don't win this election because they like having a lot of power in the Senate," Patrick said.
Their back-and-forth on the issue last week began when Castro tweeted, "Congratulations @danpatrick. You are the most anti-immigrant Republican running for statewide office. You are the Pete Wilson of Texas."
The Houston senator responded last week by saying that: "talk is cheap" and that he would debate Castro in San Antonio if the mayor would "tell me when." He also said then that he was "proud to wear the badge of securing our border" and added that "your buddy Obama created this illegal invasion."
Patrick said he has sent Castro "multiple dates" and is waiting to to hear back.
"He started this discussion and I'm looking forward to finishing it," Patrick said.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
U.S. Attorney Statement On Guilty Verdict Against Collarbomb Defendant Marjorie Diehl‑Armstrong
PITTSBURGH, Pa. ‑ U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton issued the following statement regarding the guilty verdict in the case of US v. Marjorie Diehl‑Armstrong:
We are pleased to announce that today the jury found Marjorie Diehl‑Armstrong guilty on all counts for her actions surrounding the events of Aug. 28, 2003, in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Specifically, the jury found Ms. Diehl‑Armstrong guilty of:
• conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery;
• armed bank robbery in which death resulted; and
• use of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The next phase in the case is the sentencing, which is scheduled for Feb. 28, 2011. While the conspiracy statute provides for a sentence of five years, the conviction for armed bank robbery in which death resulted provides for a mandatory life sentence. The conviction on count three for use of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence provides for a 30‑year sentence, which must be consecutive to all other sentences.
The verdict today is the product of literally thousands of hours of difficult and painstaking work by our law enforcement partners and this office.
I commend AUSA Marshall J. Piccinini and Lisa Nelson from our office for their outstanding work. We wish to thank and commend FBI Special Agent Gerald. C. Clark, ATF Special Agent Jason P. Wick, and Sgt. David Gluth of the Pennsylvania State Police.
While we are pleased with the verdict today, out of respect for the sentencing process still to come we are unable to answer any questions. Thank you.
Protect yourself from fraud, and report suspected cases of financial fraud to local law enforcement.


text:
A middle aged man has been sent to jail for 25 years for killing his step-son. George Otieno was found guilty of killing two-year-old Brian Omondi at Njoro Njokerio Estate in Nakuru on June 15, 2009.
The child's mother Esther Onyango said she returned from work and was told that her son, who she had left under the care of Otieno had died while undergoing treatment in hospital.
She said hospital records indicated that Omondi died as a result of a ruptured spleen after being hit with a blunt object. Onyango said told the court that Otieno, who was not Omondi's biological father, had been hostile to her son.
In his defence, Otieno told the court that he had left the deceased playing with other children and left for work. He said he took Omondi to hospital when found him vomiting after returning from work.
The court, however, doubted his testimony because he had assured Onyango that he would stay at home and look after Omondi. Otieno said that upon returning home, he found the child vomiting and had diarrhoea and took him to the hospital.
"Having found that the accused was left with the child on the fateful day, the child had therefore been mistreated, I find that he had duty to explain how the deceased met his death," said Justice Roselyn Wendoh.
She dismissed Otieno's testimony as "unreasonable" saying he was on duty at the time of the incident. Wendoh said had failed to explain how Omondi suffered bruises in chest and other parts of the body.


text:
- Duration
- 03:16
Car of the Year: Luxury Car Over $80,000Motor News Car Of The Year
Winner: Luxury Car Over $80K - Audi A6 3.0TDI
Audi's A6 pipped the Lexus GS350 by the tightest of margins, but was judged to have a better cabin and engine.PT3M16S http://www.smh.com.au/action/externalEmbeddedPlayer?id=d-2adfu 620 349 November 28, 2012
- Autoplay OnOff
- Video feedback
- Video settings
- Make
- Audi
- Family
- Series
- Year
- 2012
- Badge Description
- TDI S-Tronic Quattro
- Doors
- 4
- Seats
- 5
- Transmission
- Sports Automatic Dual Clutch
- Engine Configuration Description
- Gear Num
- 7
- Cylinders
- 6
- Build Country Origin Description
- ANCAPRating
- 5
- Car Size
- Large
- Overall Green Star Rating
- 3.5
- Fuel Type Description
- Diesel
- Drive Description
- Four Wheel Drive
The contenders:
Audi A6 3.0 TDI Quattro (winner)
Lexus GS350 Luxury
On paper the Audi won and the Lexus lost, but both of these cars were worthy winners. The fact that just a single vote would have changed the result underlines just how competitive the category was.
2012 Best Luxury Car Over $80,000
Audi A6 takes out Drive's Best Luxury car Over $80,000 for 2012.
In the end, Audi's A6 3.0 TDI Quattro retained its title with five votes to four, the judges convinced by the German machine's luxurious charms for the second year in a row.
Last year it won a strong but frugal 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine, refined driving dynamics and comfortable, technology-packed cabin.
All these elements remain in place, but with the added benefit of a $9000 price reduction; making it $107,500 in 2012.
The cut is largely thanks to Audi Australia's decision to remove the electric sunroof and premium Bose sound system from its standard features list. If you want them it will only cost you $4230 – so you're still ahead.
The 3.0-litre V6 again impressed the judges with its 180kW of power and hefty 500Nm of torque. But as impressive as the power was, the judges were also won over by its smooth, quiet nature and ability to sip just 6.0 litres per 100km on the combined cycle.
The judges were split however when it came to the A6's ride. Some felt it crashed over large bumps, not at all befitting of a luxury car.
Steering remains an Audi bugbear. Most judges felt the steering still lacked the feedback that market rivals possess, but ultimately it feels less artificial than previous Audis.
There was consensus about the high quality of the interior, which features a sophisticated design, premium materials, comfortable seats and some of the latest in-car technology; most notably a touchpad that allows the driver to write letters and numbers to control the stereo and navigation.
Unfortunately it does miss out on some niceties, including auto high-beam, a pre-crash system and blindspot warning.
Lexus can hold its head high despite missing out on the title with all judges impressed by the new standards set by the new GS.
It is one of the manufacturer's most convincing productions to date. And it's certainly one of the sportiest and most aggressive models it has produced.
All the judges agreed it was one of the noisiest Lexus engines they've heard, but were split over whether it was a good noise or an unpleasant one.
With 232kW and 378Nm it packs plenty of performance. But Lexus' decision to stick with a six-speed automatic gearbox was thought a missed opportunity; behind the times in a class where rivals use seven and eight-speed transmissions.
Having six ratios also hurts fuel economy – 9.7L/100km – and a failure to fit stop-start (which Lexus has in other models) also cost it points.
However, the GS350 scored highly when it came to the price, quality and equipment categories.
The interior is a big step forward for the brand with less use of Toyota switches and buttons; something that has counted against it in the past.
The list of standard equipment, which includes a 17-speaker audio system with a digital radio, rear camera and sensors, 12-inch infotainment display and a heads-up display, impressed the judges. There was also special praise for the automatic handbrake; a simple idea but one that makes life a lot easier.
And all that gear comes for only $89,400, making the GS350 Luxury fantastic value-for-money. Unfortunately for Lexus the criteria for Drive Car of the Year is about more than just value-for-money.
1 comment so far
Just because something is more expensive. Doesn't necessarily mean it's better.
- Prior owner of an Audi A6.
- Commenter
- Location
- Date and time
- November 29, 2012, 1:43PM
New user? Sign up
Make a comment
You are logged in as [Logout]
All information entered below may be published.
Thank you
Your comment has been submitted for approval.
Comments are moderated and are generally published if they are on-topic and not abusive.


text:
Thanks for redeeming.{{else}}
Success! Thanks for repurchasing.{{/if}} {{else}} {{#if Expired}}
Increase my visibility!{{else}} {{#if IsMultiPack}}
{{#if HasMultiPack}} You have {{MultiPackCount}} top spot(s) left. Now loading you into the search listings... {{else}} You have used all top spots. Now loading you into the search listings... {{/if}}{{else}}
We are loading you into the search listing pages...{{/if}} {{/if}} {{/if}} {{/if}}
{{Current}} just saw you!{{/if}} {{#if LastTopSpotPurchaseIsMulti }} {{#if HasAnyTopSpot}}
{{#if HasFreeTopSpot }} {{ UnclaimedTopSpotFree }} Free {{/if}} {{#if HasPaidTopSpot }} {{#if HasFreeTopSpot }} & {{/if}} {{ MultiPackCount }} {{/if}} Top Spot{{#if Plural}}s{{/if}} Left{{else}}
0 Top Spot{{#if Plural}}s{{/if}} Left{{/if}} {{else}} {{#if HasFreeTopSpot }}
{{ UnclaimedTopSpotFree }} Top Spot{{#if Plural}}s{{/if}} Left{{/if}} {{/if}} {{else}} {{#if HasResults}}
{{Current}} see you now!{{else}} {{/if}} {{/if}}
You can now invite anyone to meet at your favorite Starbucks.
Limited-time feature
30 year old man | Deephaven, MN, USA | Seeking women 22-29 within 50 miles of Wayzata, MN
Be present.
Me: -I enjoy connecting on an emotional level through discussion (lighthearted, deep, or otherwise) -I am most at peace in nature (hiking, biking, horrible attempts at photography, swimming, camping, etc). -I love all shapes and forms of wild and domestic animal life. I spent a lot of my so-called free time during college volunteering at the Tri-County Humane Society in St. Cloud. I loved being involved with other caring and altruistically minded people. -Music has always been a very important part of my life. During high-school (and a year in college), I participated in vocal jazz, vocal pop, concert choir, and played in a band with two of my friends (percussion). -I'm told that I have a big heart. I never consider helping someone "going out of my way." I enjoy helping people; I feel that altruism is (for me, at least) an essential part of love, and that even small acts of kindness can ripple outward and have an enormous impact on the world (I also believe that cliches do have a place). -Although I have many masculine traits and can fake being a manly-man when the need arises, I am very in touch with emotions and feelings. That is not to say that I personally associate emotional awareness with femininity - I recognize that there are clear physiological differences between a man and a woman, but I feel that society (through media, fashion, etc) has told us that men act this way, and women act that way. -I express myself through stimulating conversation, music, poetry, volunteerism. I'd enjoy meeting people who: -are open-minded: I want to be with someone that is open to exploring new ideas, places, cultures, etc. I don't find myself befriending racists, sexists, homophobes, etc. -are intellectual: I'd love my partner to be inquisitive, skeptical, interested in some field of science (at least on a casual conversational level), and witty. -enjoy deep conversation as well as uninhibited silliness. I believe that life is to be taken seriously, and humor is serious business. -love animals and/or nature. You enjoy hiking and aren't afraid to get a little mud on your clothes every now and then, watching/photographing wildlife, swimming, climbing (indoors or outdoors), camping, stargazing next to the campfire, apple orchards.
Camping , Coffee and conversation , Cooking , Dining out , Gardening/Landscaping , Hobbies and crafts , Movies/Videos , Museums and art , Music and concerts , Exploring new areas , Performing arts , Religion/Spiritual , Travel/Sightseeing , Volunteering
Cycling, Other types of exercise, Skiing, Swimming, Walking / Hiking, Yoga
I exercise 1-2 times per week.
I don't believe in astrology
I like Birds, Cats, Dogs
Some other viewpoint
Duluth (and anywhere along the North Shore), Lake Minnetonka (and the many gardens around the lake), Sherburne Wildlife Refuge - basically anywhere with beautiful natural scenery. I also love going to shows and dining downtown.
St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN
If I had to pick a favorite music artist, it would have to be Neil Young. I have also been listening to a lot of different kinds of electronic music recently . I don't have cable TV (by choice), but I do like watching 30 Rock and The Office, lately.
Conversation, hiking, camping, taking horrible photos of sunsets, the lake, plants, animals, daydreaming about sitting around a campfire by the ocean with friends.
A Path With Heart, Living With Uncertainty, Dharma Bums; much more
Z{{Cta}} {{#if HasMoreInfo}} ?{{CtaSecondary}} {{/if}}
|What he is looking for
|6'0" (182cms)
|5'2" (157cms) to 5'9" (175cms)
|Body type:
|About average
|Slender, About average, Athletic and toned
|Blue, Brown, Green, Hazel
|Light brown
|Auburn / Red, Black, Light brown, Dark blonde
|Yes, but trying to quit
|No Way, Occasionally, Daily, Yes, but trying to quit
|Social Drinker
|Never, Social Drinker, Moderately
|Technical / Science / Computers / Engineering
|Artistic / Creative / Performance, Self-Employed / Entrepreneur, Education / Teacher / Professor, Technical / Science / Computers / Engineering, Other profession
I work in research and development and I love the work I do.
|$35,001 to $50,000
|$25,001 to $35,000, $35,001 to $50,000, $50,001 to $75,000, $75,001 to $100,000
|Never Married
|Never Married, Currently Separated, Divorced
|Have kids:
|Wants kids:
|Not sure
|Definitely, Someday, Not sure, Probably not, No
|White / Caucasian
|Asian, Black / African descent, Latino / Hispanic, White / Caucasian
|Spiritual but not religious
|Agnostic, Atheist, Buddhist / Taoist, Spiritual but not religious, Other, Christian / Other
|Bachelors degree
|Associates degree, Bachelors degree, Graduate degree
General Sciences - planning on choosing an area to focus on soon.


text:
Nouakchott — Brussels played host to a series of meetings last week designed to better address the situation in the Sahel.
The second follow up meeting to the Donor Conference for the Development of Mali began on February 5th and the Ministerial Meeting on the Sahel, a high-level meeting to discuss international strategies, was held on February 6th.
During the meetings about the Sahel, Malian Prime Minister Oumar Tatam Ly said that President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita had taken "diplomatic steps to better adapt our immediate environment to our security requirements and to commence inclusive peace talks in the near future".
"It was as part of these efforts that the head of state travelled to Mauritania and Algeria, two neighbouring countries, and Mali is relying on constructive support from Algeria to speed up the holding of inclusive peace talks," the premier added.
In his description of the situation in the Sahel, Ly observed: "This area has now become one of the most vulnerable regions in the world because it faces multiple challenges including terrorism, drug trafficking and violent extremism, which are exacerbating an already difficult situation characterized by unfavourable climate factors, extreme poverty, porous borders, cyclical food crises and political instability."
"This set of factors is hampering the security of the Sahel region, its stability and its development," he added.
"None of our states is safe from terrorism or the situation that our country has experienced since January 2012, from which it is gradually recovering thanks to the support of the international community," the Malian prime minister said.
He noted that "to solve it, we need to be able to act together in an ordered and coordinated manner with synergy and the necessary determination. It is our survival that is at stake."
During the donor conference, the prime minister recalled that to implement the Plan for the Sustainable Recovery of Mali, 55 of the 108 delegations that attended the meeting had pledged a total of 3.3 billion euros. "Hence the importance of each donor keeping his promises," he added.
On this subject, he expressed delight at the fact that the European Commission is continuing to honour its commitments. "Almost all of the 523 million euros pledged by it in Brussels has been invested and 120 million euros has been paid directly to Mali's state treasury," he said.
Marcus Cornaro reaffirmed the European Commission's desire to support Mali over the coming years. However, he gave a reminder of the "fact that the support from the international community is in addition to the internal efforts that we must make".
On the subject of security in the region, Nigerien Interior Minister Massoudou Hassoumi travelled via Paris on February 5th. According to the French foreign ministry, the talks provided an opportunity to assess "the situation in the countries of the Sahel and in Libya, and confirmed the closeness between our approaches and the trust in our bilateral relations."
"The situation in Libya is completely out of control," terrorism expert Sidati Ould Cheikh said.
Political assassinations are an everyday phenomenon and ministers and MPs are regularly the target of kidnappings in Tripoli. The deputy industry minister, Hassan al-Droui, was shot dead in his home town of Sirte in January. One month previously, Colonel Fethallah al-Gaziri, who had just been appointed as chief of military intelligence in Benghazi, was killed in Derna.
"The break-up of Libyan society and the deep-rooted tribalism are stoking up political rivalries. Several factions have formed within both the government and the General National Council, which doesn't help matters," Ould Cheikh added.
That analysis was also put forward by Jidou Ould Sidi, a journalist who specialises in security matters.
"Since the fall of Kadhafi in 2011, southern Libya has gradually become an area of regional insecurity. This area has become the new centre of gravity of terrorism," he said.
Ould Sidi added: "The arrival of groups linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in southern Libya is fuelling the insecurity across the entire Sahel-Sahara region and necessitates urgent action from the international community."


text:
i was just wondering what diffrences thier are between ego draconis, and dragon knight saga. is it worth the extra cash. thx. (and sorry for my grammer.)
Other than the DLC?
I have no idea, never played ED.
No må du pinadø skjerpe dæ, din kommelpong.
What's the price difference between the two? I played D2:ED first, then DKS, and wholeheartedly recommend the upgrade. The entire game's been improved and the extra content makes it well worth the cash


text:
Friday, December 03, 2010
Market Commentary
I still think the markets are OK, for Malaysia, I see 1650 as a reasonable target by March 2011. Beyond that, I will have to assess the macro developments and the execution swiftness of the ETP and other big projects.
Even CPO prices have chipped in boosting the related counters, though I am not entirely a big fan yet of CPO counters. You can have high prices but not high sustainable demand.
On a side note, JCY is moving closer to where I see good value, around 76 sen (please read my last posting on JCY). Semicon and related industries are highly cyclical, some may have harped too much on their latest quarter's results, but its cyclical, roll with it. They are never going to be smooth. The harping may have some merit if you track back to how CIMB brought the company public - here is where the research departments will frown and throw papers when asked by investment banking side to write a 'good report'. Even when it was just listed, most knew that the reports circulating then were pretty optimistic. Me included, I gave them too much credit, luckily I changed sides when it broke RM1.50.
It was "not right" for any decent research unit to NOT acknowledge that cyclical forces have turned and its was "not right" to just lower expectations, its a blood bath. The same can be said for Notion Vtec, these are not bad companies, in fact they are quite well run. But they are in an industry that is always a lot bigger than the companies, and they ebb and flow, as much as you can try to plan you will always be swallowed. Take your time to buy at the bottom cycle - just another two or three more months should be dandy.
The question many people ask is why the property swaps deals do not trade closer to their purported price. In a strong market, they will. Unfortunately they were caught in the North Korean silliness. But that is not the main reason. The news is out, most of these stocks were "over-owned" leading up to the deals, if the news followed a strong market, then everyone would be happy to hold, and vice versa. Secondly, the pricing, when you are swapping you tend to swap at higher book values than was normally the average for the past year. So IJM Land swap at 3.65 and MRCB at 2.30 ... why at that price, they could have done it at 5.00 and 3.50 ... does that mean the share price will go there? Of course not. As the actual ex-date draws closer, they will, provided people like the deal.
I think the 3 big property deals so far have been reasonably priced, with IJM Land coming out with a good pricing advantage. Besides timing, the next catalyst should be the announcement of the mega RRI Sg Buloh land project, so be prepared to hold a while. However, it is likely to announce the RRI project prior to the completion of the deal and not after, because that would formally secure real intent of having both companies to complete the deal.
Same for Sunway group of companies, but their completion date is faster. Bearing in mind that there is capital repayment via cash dividends, the combined share will face immediate selling pressure in the first few days and may dip lower than 2.80, but longer term the prospects are very good.
The market is led by property and more property stocks. I read Avenue Securities' latest take on SP Setia: "It is fully valued at this juncture. SP Setia has delivered strong property sales of RM2.1bn up to Sep 2010 which underpins earnings visibility for the next 2-3 years. However, we believe this has already been priced-in, likewise the launch of KL Eco City, its mega commercial project adjacent to Mid Valley".
Well, I think they are terribly wrong, not just wrong but terribly wrong. SP Setia was my favoured property counter from day one. Its ascendancy was halted by the UEM Land-Sunrise, and then swiftly followed by IJM Land-MRCB and then Sunway City-Sunway Holdings. There should be some "big news" in the pipeline for SP Setia. Some have whispered of something to do with Sime Property or some massive Sime Property land jv ... I think those whispers have more merit than they appear ...(read between the lines).
Gamuda, not exactly a property counter has taken the limelight yesterday. Its basically a rebalancing act after the recent stop work order on the big project up north. Ringgit for ringgit, I still prefer the upside for SP Setia and IJM Land above the rest.
NOTE: The above opinion is not an invitation to buy or sell. It serves as a blogging activity of my investing thoughts and ideas, this does not represent an investment advisory service as I charge no subscription or management fees (donations are welcomed though). The content on this site is provided as general information only and should not be taken as investment advice. All site content, shall not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any security or financial instrument. The ideas expressed are solely the opinions of the author. Any action that you take as a result of information, analysis, or commentary on this site is ultimately your responsibility. Consult your investment adviser before making any investment decisions.
7 comments:
- Buyer said...
Hi S.Dali,
It could be a dump question, why generally particular stock price will fall once announce dividends/free warrants even Q to Q performance improve?
Let's looks @ lngres and EAH....
I would not sell the stock bcoz have decent dividends/free warrants payout + good fundamentals. Ain't the demands will increase (make the stock price higher) instead of price falling with more ppl selling??
Thanx in advance
- Salvatore_Dali said...
free warrants are not viewed as totally free ... investors assume a company has a certain market cap worth ... although bursa would not have an ex price for free warrants, the mkt will discount the estimated gains from the warrants. In EAH case it was 64 sen, it dropped 9 sen. Its a 1 for 2 free warrants, the mkt expects the new wrt to trade at 18 sen... realistically the wrt should be 25 sen. Secondly after being entitled to the wrt, some players will sell the shares as they expect many would have bought for the wrts ... it temporarily is an over-owned stock, hence the immediate sell down, but they all will recover sooner than you think.
- Buyer said...
S.Dali, Thank you for your comments!
"Secondly after being entitled to the wrt, some players will sell the shares as they expect many would have bought for the wrts ... "
I will presume those players will get average price of 0.53/0.54 (since there was a volume breakout on 29 Sept, so these players will get it cheap after 29 Sept) and sold it @ 0.62, about 14% gain. My 2 cents, I just fell those are unreasonable.
- jeremy tan said...
Hi Dali,
SP Setia warrants are trading ahead of its mother share. Investors are certainly buying ahead of an announcement.
- Choong said...
If SP Setia merges with Sime Properties, then there is no need for name change coz.....
SP Setia = Sime Properties Setia lol
- . said...
why sunway is falling? shouldn't it be hovering around the offer price of rm2.6?
- Buyer said...
Hi S.Dali,
As I browsed thru the EAH annoucements to understand more about the free warrant thingy. Found the following in the 28th Sept 2010 from Bursa webpage (Historical announcements)
"2.4. Basis of determining the issue price and exercise price of the Warrants
The Warrants will be issued at no cost to the shareholders.
The exercise price of the Warrants has been fixed by the Board at RM0.59 each,
representing a premium of approximately 5.36% to the five (5)-day weighted average
market price ("WAMP") of EAH Shares up to and including 24 September 2010 of
RM0.56 per EAH Share.
The Board has determined the exercise price of the Warrants above after taking into
consideration, amongst others, the historical price movement of EAH Shares, the
potential future earnings of EAH Group, that the Warrants will be issued at no cost to
the entitled shareholders of the Company, and the financial effects of the exercise of
the Warrants."
If I understand correctly, the warrant price seems to be RM0.59 each. But is just too good to believe. Pls comments.


text: We provide a full range of services, see the list below. We believe in transparency, so that you know where and how your money is being spent. It is so important these days to use a Company with the knowledge and experience of the Building Act and what it incorporates. Your dream could turn into a disaster if you choose the wrong Builder.


text:
All The Serious Sam Games, In One Convenient Package, On The Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 will be getting an on-disc compilation of every game in the Serious Sam series of first-person shooters. Well, almost every game. »
The Xbox 360 will be getting an on-disc compilation of every game in the Serious Sam series of first-person shooters. Well, almost every game. »
If your typical San Francisco convention-goer is cruising for anything when he's in town, he's probably up in the Tenderloin scouting hookers. Not Fork Parker. The CEO spokesmascot for Devolver Digital (publishers of Serious Sam) will be trawling SoMa outside the Moscone Center in that there bus, listening to new… »
I've played quite a bit of the latest entry in Croteam's twitchtastic first-person shooter series, but I never encountered the super-speedy giant unkillable pink spider creature in the first level. Know why? Because my copy isn't pirated. »
And you thought there weren't any more games coming out before Christmas. Croteam has unleashed Serious Sam 3: BFE upon the somewhat suspicious PC gaming masses, flipping the bird at today's more technical shooters in favor of old school shooting shit all to hell. »
Originally scheduled for release in the middle of next month to compete with Battlefield 3, the third installment of Croteam's less-than-serious PC shooter franchise will now hit in mid-November, just in time to take on Modern Warfare 3. »
In Serious Sam: Double D, you will beat a hasty retreat as scores of giant, headless Amazonian women carrying lit cartoon-style bombs over their naughty bits chase you. »
No fan of Origin, Electronic Arts' new digital distribution service, the publisher of Serious Sam 3: BFE [pictured] announced "in a move likely to shock absolutely no one" that they have scrapped plans for their own proprietary service. »
While Croteam occupies itself crafting the third entry in the Serious Sam franchise, indie developers Mommy's Best Games, Be-Rad Entertainment, and Vlambeer take Sam places he's never been before in three new indie games. »
Here's your first look at Serious Sam 3. Not much of a look, but then, first looks rarely are! »
2011 looks to be the year of explosive, testosterone-fueled, old-school shooters, now that Serious Sam developer Croteam has pegged its next game, Serious Sam 3, for a summer release. »
Serious Sam developers Croteam have told Eurogamer that in many ways, the third game in the series will stay true to the series' roots. Well, except for the series' trademark "cartoon" graphics. Those have got to go. »
Developer Croteam is bringing Serious Sam: The First Encounter HD to Xbox Live Arcade this summer and, eventually, the PC. But what about the other platform capable of handling the seriousness of this first-person shooter, the PlayStation 3? »
Today's announcement of Serious Sam: The First Encounter HD for Xbox Live Arcade had a hidden bonus announcement buried within, the existence of Devolver Digital. That's the new production company from the founders of the extinct Gamecock and G.O.D. »


text:
College Baseball Daily continues our countdown to the start of the 2012 College Baseball season by checking in on the Top 100 Players in the country. We will be providing one player per day until we reach number 1.
We continue the countdown today at number 80 with Vanderbilt junior shortstop Anthony Gomez. The Nutley, New Jersey native spent his high school career at Don Bosco Prep. He was a member of three county championship teams while leading the team as a senior to a 33-0 record and a state championship. He was also named All-State as a senior while being named All-County in 2008 and 2009. Continue reading Top 100 Countdown: 80. Anthony Gomez (Vanderbilt)


text:
You have to check this out — we're in the new Jurassic Park movie!
But seriously, check out this amazing ad for the Kalamazoo Block Party we're playing this saturday . . .
click this link:
Ella Riot Very sorry to hear about the loss of Patrick Carroll, whom we first knew as a sound engineer at The Strutt, as... http://t.co/DNSNcrpmaM
7 days ago
Posted by My Dear Disco on May 27, 2009 Leave a comment
You have to check this out — we're in the new Jurassic Park movie!
But seriously, check out this amazing ad for the Kalamazoo Block Party we're playing this saturday . . .
click this link:
Posted by My Dear Disco on May 26, 2009 2 Comments
Yo-diddle hi-diddle hey.
I wanted to share a little reminiscence about a particularly inspiring gig we had two weeks ago in Chicago, IL at the Empty Bottle with the Baby Teeth and Post Honeymoon.
The music was great, the vibe was good. Lots of friendly faces, lots of new ones. Post honeymoon started the night off right and set the bar for the energy level of the evening, and we did our best not to let it drop. It was a crazy show for us too because Michelle completely lost her voice earlier in the week so she couldn't sing on the gig, which created the need for Theo and Joey to step it up even more into spotlight. Fortunately for us they are both just stellar and rose to the challenge completely. It was very weird to perform without Michelle, but we are blessed with band full of great singers and talented musicians so we could handle the key changes and other necessary tweaking to make it work.
Baby Teeth headlined the night, and if you haven't heard of them, you NEED to check them out. Their set was absolutely righteous, and they are all just amazing musicians, and wonderful people. This was our second show with them, and I am sure that there will be many more.
Here is a little review of the show from (http://wrestlingentropy.blogspot.com/):
Baby Teeth, Live at the Empty Bottle, with My Dear Disco
What the hell–springtime on a random Thursday: might as well go check out a Baby Teeth gig. They're getting ready to release their next LP this summer, and they brought a shitload of new jams to the Bottle last week. It really made them step up their game a bit, too. They played with an almost nervous intensity I've rarely seen in them before–and it suited them well. Perhaps they were also encouraged by the shit-hot opening set from Ann Arbor's My Dear Disco (between them and Nomo, what the FUCK is in the water up there?!). Imagine a version of Maroon 5 populated by a bunch of dorky yet adorable college-age dudes and a set of uilleann pipes, and you can kind of envision what they're up to. Apparently they usually work with a female singer, too, but her voice was blown out, so she wasn't on stage that night. I can't even imagine how much more over-the-top awesome that would make the group, though. They had incredible energy and incredible musicianship. I'll look forward to seeing them again soon.
Also, and honestly one of the best parts was meeting an amazing poet named Thax Douglas, who is apparently a bit of legend around Chicago. He wrote an incredible poem for us before the show and we invited him to read it from the stage before we began our set. Honestly, it is the most impressive and true thing that I have seen written about us, and it was written by a man who had not even seen us perform (he had heard our MySpace i believe and that's all). I feel compelled to share it with the world:
pulled from the
gullets of
mourning doves
form a
circle poisoning
you with life,
dragging you
from your cool
-5/14/09 Burger King for Empty Bottle
Thanks Thax. Love you man.
Peace and love,
Posted by My Dear Disco on May 14, 2009 3 Comments
Oh . . . oh my — it's the festies again! Yup, time to get out that tent and finally buy some new undies.
Then take those crisp and clean nether garments and come celebrate the world with us this summer! This is exactly where we will be:
May 22: Bella Madre (Geneva, MN)
May 24: Hookahville (Thornville, OH)
May 30: Beginning of Summer Block Party (Kalamazoo)
June 4: Wakarusa (Ozark, AR)
June 20: Kentucky Pride (Louisville, KY)
June 26: Top Of the Park (Ann Arbor, MI)
July 23: 10,000 Lakes Festival (Detroit Lakes, MN)
July 30: Party in the Park (Chicago, IL)
August 1: Northalsted Market Days (Chicago, IL)
August 7th: SummerSounds (Greensburg, PA)
September 4th: YpsiTucky Jamboree (Ypsilanti, MI)
This is how excited we are about the festies. Except our undies will be newer.


text:
Simply confirm your registered email address below and click "Reset Password." We will immediately email you a link back to the site where you can enter a new password for this account.
Guitar Gods featuring Yngwie Malmsteen, Uli Jon Roth, Bumblefoot, and Gary Hoey will be at Starland Ballroom on Saturday, June 14th! Tickets are on sale now via Starlandballroom.com. Sponsored by McDonald's. For the Love of Mac Days are finally back at McDonald's! Starting April 21st until May 7th, buy one Big Mac and get the second one free! Stop by McDonald's and get yours today! At participating McDonald's.
WRAT 95.9 FM The Rat Rocks!Your feedback is important! Click here to send us your comments or suggestions.


text:
Renewable Natural Resources Foundation Honors LEED-ND
CNU, NRDC, and USGBC Receive Outstanding Achievement AwardSubmitted on 11/7/2011. Tags for this image:
The Renewable Natural Resources Foundation (RNRF) has awarded CNU's LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system with its Outstanding Achievement Award for 2011. Every year, the award recognizes a project, publication, piece of legislation, or similar concrete accomplishment in the natural resources field. CNU shares the award with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), co-creators of the LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System. Sarah Lewis and Stephanie Bothwell will receive the award on CNU's behalf at an awards ceremony on November 10th.
The LEED for Neighborhood Development green communities rating system integrates green building into community development to reduce sprawl, increase transportation choices, decrease automobile dependence, encourage healthy living, and protect threatened species. The system acknowledges the correlation between transit-oriented development and proximity to services, amenities, and jobs to human health benefits and economic capital. Projects constitute portions of neighborhoods, whole neighborhoods, or multiple neighborhoods and are most often mixed-use and complementary to existing neighborhoods. There are already 68 LEED certified neighborhood developments in the U.S. and abroad.
Previous winners of the RNRF Outstanding Achievement Award include: Michigan's Water Withdrawal Assessment Process of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (2010), Dig It! The Secrets of Soil, an exhibition in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History (2009), Integrated Ecosystem Restoration and Hurricane Protection: Louisiana's Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (2008), and National Coastal Assessment of the U.S. EPA- Gulf Ecology Division (2007).


text:
Stock Vector Illustration:
illustration of an old clock face with perspective angle, eps8 vector
- Image ID: 81856426
- Copyright: phoelix
High quality images curated from over 150 countries.
Over 50 million photos, vectors, illustrations, and more.
Simple and flat pricing by image or by month.
Over 230,000 images downloaded every day.


text:
Anthony David "Tony" Wright (born 12 August 1954, Yarmouth) is the Labour Party member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth in the United Kingdom. He was first elected at the 1997 general election.
From 1970–74, he was an engineering apprentice, then a mechanical engineer from 1974–83. He worked originally with ErieElectronics, and then was subsequently employed at Brown and Root and Probe Oil Tools.
It was through his work as an engineer that he became involved in a trade union and entered politics.
In his political career, Tony first stood for a Council seat in 1979 and missed out losing by 86 votes. He was subsequently voted in in 1980 until 1982 when he lost by 15 votes. Wright was then re-elected in 1986 and remained a Councillor until 1998.
In total he served fourteen years for Great Yarmouth Borough Council and was chairman of various committees, Deputy Leader for four years and Leader of the council for over two years from 1995 until 1997.
In addition, in 1983 Tony was employed by Great Yarmouth Labour Party as full time organiser up until the 1997 general election when he was elected as Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth.
He has since retained his seat at the 2001 and 2005 elections.
He is a member of Amicus and the GMB Union.
Over his time in Parliament, Tony has sat on several Select_Committee_(Westminster_System) including the Public Administration Committee and currently the Trade and Industry Select Committee. He is active on many All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG's), and currently chairs the APPG for Sea Cadets and is Treasurer of the United Kingdom Parliamentary Football Club which is itself attributed to a great deal of charity work.
He includes in his main successes in his career as a MP as; the securing of Objective 2 status for Great Yarmouth, securing Assisted Area status helping to attract new investment to the area, the increase in funding to Great Yarmouth's schools, police force and hospital and the introduction of SureStart services.
In his free time, Tony enjoys supporting Norwich City F.C.
Tony holds regular advice surgeries (see Surgery (politics) ) and also has a Constituency office which is based at 20 Church Plain, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 1NE
His constituency office contact number is = 01493 332 291
His constituency office fax number is = 01493 853 157
His Westminster office contact number is = 020 7219 3447
His email address is = firstname.lastname@example.com
Details of surgeries are as follows:
Second Friday in Every Month;
10:30 - 11:30 = ASDA Supermarket, Great Yarmouth
11:45 - 12:45 = Cobholm and Lichfield Health and Resource Centre, Great Yarmouth,
13:00 - 14:00 = Methodist Church, Magdalen Way, Gorleston,
14:15 - 15:15 = Leo Coles Pavilion, Green Lane, Bradwell
Second Saturday in Every Month;
10:00 - 11:00 = John Green Institute, Station Rd South, Belton,
11:30 - 12:30 = Constituency Office, 20 Church Plain, Great Yarmouth
Last Friday in Every Month;
10:00 - 11:00 = Martham CLIP Office, 7 The Green, Martham,
13:00 - 14:00 = Community Centre, Peggotty Road, Great Yarmouth


text:
This page is the "Student Portal". As a Maryknoll student, you should be able find the information you need in just a few clicks from here.
Please choose from the following menu items on the right:
President's Message is a word from our school president.
Summer 2014 has information on our summer programs.
Minimum Laptop Requirements shows what kind of computer you should get for your student.
Community Service link to community service requirements
College Guidance helps map our your student's educational future.
NetClassroom takes you to our online grades used by the High School and Middle School.
Athletics highlights our Spartan sports and lists all practice and game information.
Grade School introduces you to our pre-kindergarten through 8th grade levels.
High School introduces you to our high school division, a leader in the Coalition of Essential Schools.
Food Service lists all lunch and snack menus.
PTG is home to our Parent Teacher Guild.
Kekumano Dinner is the premiere fundraiser for our school.
Alumni Directory can help you find any of our alumni.
Knoller is our alumni magazine.
Privacy Policy Email Settings Contact Us Directions