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Top Comedians You Can Learn From
By: Brian Scott |
Arts & Entertainment
No matter what your career choice is, if there is a role model to learn from you will be helped in a way that is superior to all others. To see how someone else does things is the easiest and best way to learn because humans are natural imitators.
read more
Guidance on Booking Comedians For Your Event
By: Dee Jarvis |
Arts & Entertainment
Of all the talent we book for events, comedians are probably the most fun. Hey, who doesn't like to laugh. The reason we love to book comedians is because the presence of a world-class star at any event leaves everyone smiling and happy...
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Knowing about people who are effective comedians to silent killer diseases
By: Arnold B Benton |
Disease & Illness
At the same time you will find a amount of Silent Killer Diseases in this world proper from the obesity to heart diseases, which kills man within slowly and steadily.
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Helpful Tips On Booking Comedians For Your Next Corporate Event
By: Patrick Thompson |
If it is your job to book entertainment for your corporate event, a popular entertainment choice is a corporate comedian. Corporate comedians are experienced in providing comedic entertainment at business events. They can provide your attendees with lots of laughs that can, if requested, be focused on business. Humor can liven up a corporate event, bring employees together, and bring new energy to
read more
All-time Favourite Comedians
By: rsiraj |
Arts & Entertainment
A good comedian should always be funny by the way he speaks rather than his actions. Here are some greatest comedians who proved themselves by making millions of people laugh.
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Unleash Your Inner Comedian
By: Dan Licoppe |
Have you ever wondered how stand up comedians make it look so easy to connect with and have fun with an audience? Have you ever thought, "I wish I could do that in my presentations." Well, you can. Tapping into your own sense of humor and expressing it is really the key to take you from being an adequate speaker to an exceptional, highly paid, memorable speaker.
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The Comedian Clown
By: Dudley |
Arts & Entertainment
The comedian clown is one of comedy performers, common in the stage, the circus troupe, the synthesis skill program, the fine time passage, the child program and the birthday meets and so on. When they perform, is putting on the especially big shoe and the outlandish clothes, his/her face also passes through the painting, is especially more prominent by the nose part. These put on makeup are sure need to bring for the audience laugh heartily.
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Ahmad Khawaja - Comedian
By: Cullen Nedrich |
A legendary American tv character turned standup comedian; an only child of Khalab Khawaja entrepreneur and Alicia Khawaja doctor. Ahmad Khawaja launched five key - label comedy albums, 2 which have been accredited Gold and Platinum from the Recording Industry Association.
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Let special occasion fill with laugher and happiness with the astonishing performance of comedians
By: Macy Busson |
Arts & Entertainment
Laughter is the only way of expressing utmost happiness and pleasure by man. It is the gesture that no other animal can imitate as man does. It is closely related with good health and spirit of human kind.
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Lewis Niles Black Tickets : One Of The Professinal Comedians Of All Time
By: Cynthia Hoffman |
Article Marketing
Black is currently on tour touting his latest book Me of Little Faith. He is also currently doing a stand-up tour called "Let Them Eat Cake".On August 2, 2009, Black filmed two shows at the Fillmore Theater in Detroit, MI.
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Comedian Chelsea Handler Tickets
By: Julie Cudney |
Lots of comedians we see are male, which sometimes makes us a little bored. It is Chelsea Handler that makes things different from what we often think of comedians. Not only is she an amazing comedian, but she also surpasses many male ones. Brassy, Beautiful and candid are precise words to describe Chelsea. She has a cutting wit to back up her good looks as a movie stars.
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Mobile Comedian Books
By: Parker |
Arts & Entertainment
Developing the mobile comedian books is challenging in that it must be within bounds of not beyond 25 frames and so they vary in monitor sizes to fit the varieties of handsets. Also, the java application cannot be considered on all telephones so this is some other challenge that creators encounter. Java-based packages are being utilized by mobile info suppliers who at the moment are producing their own line of mobile comedian books.
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Hire comedians at corporate events and private functions to laugh out your heart and forget all the worries
By: Macy Busson |
Arts & Entertainment
It is very necessary to work hard in order to progress life both in personal and professional front. But life is not meant only for engaging in serious work. People get the chance to live life only once and it deserves lots of things.
read more
Filipino Dating and the Filipino Girl
By: William Bouchard |
Is it really possible to find a Filipino Girl who will honestly want to marry you and love you for the person you are, warts and all? The answer is yes. Filipinas want a nice caring person who will love them, just the same as anyone else. They also have the added burden of 90% of them growing up in crushing poverty. Filipino dating is the real thing and if you treat her right, you too can bask i
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Filipino Martial Arts
By: Damian Ross |
Martial Arts
The three major branches of Filipino martial arts are Arnis typically from the northern Luzon regions, Eskrima from the central Visayas regions, and Kali from the southern Mindanao regions. Within these branches dwell a long line of masters, families, systems and history.
read more
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one who has the biggest penis in the whole world and will not fuck your brains out.
Woah that Kirschke is bigger than a house.
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Kerth: Living a life that's greater than the sum of its prescriptions
It is the gathering of the clans. Hands are clasped, shoulders are hugged, and the children are sent aside to play their children's games while the adults speak of matters meant for adult ears only.
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text:
It started in Aug when I got very blurry vision in my left eye. I went to a few drs and was diagnosed with retrobulbor neurites. My mri had come back clear so the drs suggested I wait it out.
In the middle of November my right eye started doing the same thing. As my left eye had not really healed I had a real hard time for a while without 2 seeing eyes. I went back to the drs who did another mri and this time it showed my inflamed nerves as well as white-matter in my brain.
Now my drs started worrying about ms. I went to a neurologist who did a full exam and ordered a slew of blood tests of things that can mimic ms. At the same time I started developing some new symptoms such as tiredness, lack of energy, lack of appetite. The neuro suggested I see my reg dr for those symptoms.
Bottom line the ace levels test came out high as well as the liver test my reg dr took. I was thinking Epsteins Barr but that was negative. The chest xray was clear.
In the past few weeks I started to develop new symptoms. My voice is hoarse as well as sometimes mild and sometimes worse joint/muscle pains in my feet, legs, hands, and arms.
My drs are thinking sarcoidosis. I'm waiting on the results of a chest/abdomen CT scan.
Is there anybody else that has gone thru a similar situation? Any advice, comments, or commiserations?
Prevent the spread of the hepatitis C virus.
With COPD, it's important to protect your lungs.
Unmanaged depression can take a toll on your physical health.
What, when and how much you eat affects your blood sugar.
Ease your way into these stretching and strengthening moves,


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by WWE, Inc.
Download this app if: you want the official app of World Wrestling Entertainment.
Developer Notes
Take WWE with you wherever you go – any time, day or night – with the official WWE app for your Android device.
Now, in addition to the latest WWE videos, news and thousands of photos, you can use the WWE App as your exclusive portal to WWE Network – a 24/7 streaming service with both scheduled...
Wrestlemania — Great to finally see an official app on Android! Worth the wait for WWE fanatics.


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* Price quoted above is based on flights from London Luton Airport and are taken from the Balkan Holidays Winter 2015/16 1st Edition brochure. Price is only for guide purposes. Live prices can be obtained by utilizing the holiday search box.
Flights available from London Luton or London Stansted Airport.
Lake Bled is a popular and picturesque old spa town set on the edge of a stunning lake.
Famous for the small island in the centre home to a baroque church whose bell, when rung, is said to make wishes come true. The resort has all the right ingredients to make a memorable skiing holiday with guests able to choose from three resorts to ski at, coupled with a high standard of accommodation and service.


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Things to see and do - Cetinje
Leaving for Montenegro
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Hotels Cetinje
Results 1 to 4 on 4
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1 Hotel Grand Cetinje
Njegoseva 1 MNE - 81250 Cetinje
Prix from : 46.30 EUR
Featuring an indoor pool, sauna and bowling, Hotel Grand Cetinje is surrounded by a park. It offers free Wi-Fi and free underground parking. Budva, the nearest beach, is 29 km away. All rooms come with satellite TV, a minibar and balcony. The privat..
2 Hotel Sport IN
Obilica bb MNE - 81250 Cetinje
Prix from : 28 EUR
Hotel Sport IN is part of the Sportski Centar and is situated a few minutes' walk from the centre of Cetinje. It offers functional rooms with free Wi-Fi internet access. The property is close to the bus station and it provides sports premises and ex..
3 Hotel Ivanov Konak
Ivanova Korita Lovcen MNE - 81250 Cetinje
Prix from : 60 EUR
Hotel Ivanov Konak is located within Lovćen National Park, at 1250 metres above sea level. Featuring free WiFi access and free parking, it offers a restaurant and rooms with satellite TV. A ski track is right in front of the property. All rooms comp..
4 Hotel Monte Rosa
Ivanova korita, Lovćen MNE - 81250 Cetinje
Prix from : 35 EUR
Set within Lovćen National Park, Hotel Monte Rosa enjoys a quiet setting offering views of the surrounding mountains. It provides an on-site restaurant and a bar with a spacious terrace. The nearest Ski lift is 700 metres away, while the town of Ceti..


text: The Earthrise team has partnered with MMORPG.com to bring you a month's worth of exclusive screens. Welcome to week two! This week's screens feature five players facing off in a canyon, a player looking down a deserted road, and a trio of players hanging out at the base camp. Check them out in our Earthrise Exclusive Screens #2 feature.


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Monday, February 20, 2012
The Winner's Circle | Blank Chapter
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Saturday, February 11, 2012
NYFW 2012 | Jason Wu
Jason Wu has gotten my first stamp of approval with his new line that debuted this Friday in New York. Since Madam Obama wore to the presidential inaugural ball in 2008, he has shot up in popularity. He has taken that popularity and a little Chinese funk, and created a line like no other. Enjoy!
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A$AP Fashion
Don't let the plaited braids fool you, A$AP is the epitome of Hood Luxury. In his recently released video, "Wassup" Mr. Pretty Flacko brings a little Harlem swag to foreign high-fashion. He is spotted sporting high-end brands from Y-3 to Versace, and it was only a matter of time before we'd catch him in a Givenchy Rottweiler print, considering his apparent affection for Rottweilers.
I especially appreciate A$AP Fashion because it showcases personal luxury. Fashion is a bi-product of Worldy Inspiration. Take inspiration from your environment, and make your own fashion. You ARE what you wear, not speaking of name brands and expensive clothes, but considering the fact that what you put on your body tells the world what you're about. I forsee A$AP Rocky being a serious Fashion Icon in the near future, as long as his music keeps up.
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The Idea!
Revision as of 13:07, March 13, 2011 by Alexa dreamer20 (Talk | contribs)
I've been having this question running through my mind, and I know that kinda every character has been paired with.. just about every other character in the Saga, but how would you feel about Seth imprinting on Ness?
That would be the cutest thing, in my opinion.Alexa_dreamer20 (talk) 13:07, March 13, 2011 (UTC)


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I have only recently gotten into cycling since injuring my shoulder and was looking to buy a bike which was suitable for both road and trail use (probably edging more towards road use), and was looking to see if anyone had any suggestions as to good manufacturers, models etc.
I apologise how vague the question is but i must admit i'm a bit confused by the sheer number or options there are on the market. I don't really want to spend much over £1000 ($1600-$1700), so that will hopfully narrow my options somewhat.
Thanks in advance for any replies and sorry if you get asked this sort of question all the time.


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In an apparent attempt to prevent the spread of Islamic extremism, the African nation of Angola has banned Islam and is in the process of tearing down mosques, according to multiple media reports.
On November 24, Angola President José Eduardo dos Santos said the country is working toward putting an end to Islamic influence in Angola once and for all.
The African economic news agency Agence Ecofin notes that, "According to several Angolan newspapers, Angola has become the first country in the world to ban Islam and Muslims, taking first measures by destroying mosques in the country."
Rosa Cruz e Silva, the Angolan Minister of Culture, said "The process of legalization of Islam has not been approved by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, their mosques would be closed until further notice."
However, no official explanation has been given as to why Islam currently faces a need to be legalized in Angola despite its presence in the country for many years.
Another French publication reports that a minaret of an Angolan mosque was dismantled last October, and that the city of Zango "has gone further by destroying the only mosque in the city."
Angola is a majority-Christian nation of about 16 million people, an estimated 55 percent of whom are Catholic, 25 percent of whom belong to African Christian denominations, 10 percent of whom follow major Protestant traditions, 5 percent of whom belong to Brazilian Evangelical churches and where only between 80,000 and 90,000 people are Muslim, according to the U.S. State Department.
For more news, information and humor relevant to atheists, freethinkers, and secular humanists, check out Progressive Secular Humanist Examiner on Facebook.
Suggested Links
- Christian militia calls for Obama's assassination on Facebook
- Secular victory: Religious income tax exemption ruled unconstitutional
- Sylvia Browne, celebrity psychic, criminal, fraud, dead at 77
- Faith healing parents plead 'no contest' in death of child
- Islamists behead wrong person, apologize for 'misunderstanding'


text:
Join the Party
Mirror Party is a free software project to build distributed, censorship-resistant mirror networks. It's designed to circumvent most forms of web censorship: DDOS, hostname/IP filtering and deep packet inspection. Mirror Party's unique advantage is that it works in existing web browsers, with no additional software required. It recreates the user experience of browsing a single website from content replicated on multiple servers. The project will enable activists and NGOs to facilitate free speech by helping website owners create mirror networks. See an example use case or extensive technical details.
Party Supplies
- Mirroring Tools: software utilities for cloning a site, replicating content and hosting. They can be used independently and are intended to serve as a foundation for this and other mirroring projects.
- Social Mirroring: mirrorparty.org (this site) will be the world's first social mirroring service - automatically matching censored sites with volunteer servers. The community of volunteers will collaboratively choose which content is hosted.
Learn More
Read the documentation, browse a demo site, watch a video, or go straight to the code.


text:
Lewis & Clark promises to be "The Greatest Adventure of American History." Happily, it's a promise that Nick Bertozzi's latest masterpiece of graphic nonfiction fulfills with wit, aplomb, and effortless storytelling.
Even the barest outline of Lewis and Clark's historic journey would likely give the most seasoned of modern adventure seekers real reason to pause. Starting out in May of 1804, their expedition of exploration blazed a pioneering trail through the most remote and dangerous reaches of the Northwestern territories of the then-burgeoning United States, all in search of a water route to the Pacific, and at the behest of congress and then-President Thomas Jefferson.
Lewis, Clark, and their men walked, canoed, or rode on horseback across thousands of miles of untouched wilderness, laying claim to the land for the US while amassing an incredible number of specimens and information about the region and its resources. Along the way, they encountered friend and foe, natives and European exploiters of the people and the land, along with death, privation, swarms of insects, and worse. They were gone for three long, hard years and were considered dead well before they miraculously returned, walking out of the wilderness and into the national consciousness and history books.
At first glance, it would seem nigh impossible to properly capture within the allotted pages the true proportions of that epic expedition. Yet Bertozzi's entertaining and illuminating treatment skillfully depicts not only the sheer scope of that worthy pairs' various accomplishments--and they are many--but also their mercurial natures, all with nary a wasted pen stroke or narrative overstep.
Visually, Bertozzi's vigorous line work is simply a marvel to behold. Alternately sinuous and fine, then abrupt, bold, and sharp, the artist mixes and matches his technique to meet the story's demands beat by beat, even panel by panel, endowing the characters and their actions with a propulsive and vibrant immediacy, and a palpable sense of life. Those same characters are given voice by the artist-writer in real and effective ways, subtlety providing bits of information about them and their world in wholly believable and engrossing ways.
Ultimately, Lewis & Clark is not just a great comic. It's also a great piece of graphic nonfiction and one of the best examples of the genre available to readers today.© 2010 ForeWord Reviews. All Rights Reserved.
In the early 1800s, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the first official U.S. expedition from the East to the Pacific Ocean: three years of scientific discoveries, Indian encounters, drunkenness, fraying tempers, geographical surprises like the Rocky Mountains, lengthy and exhausting portage of gear between waterways, and an unenviably variable food supply. Tasked by President Thomas Jefferson to map a waterway passage across the country as well as soften up Indian tribes for U.S. trade and sovereignty, the manic-depressive Lewis and his more even-keeled partner commanded a boat crew aided by translator Sacajawea with her baby and Clark's personal slave, York. Judiciously intercutting the emotional with the historical, Bertozzi (The Salon) dramatizes Native American dilemmas as well as those of the explorers in a nuanced and addictive account. Creative use of page layouts and speech balloons adds understanding. VERDICT Rightly described as "harrowing and hilarious," Lewis & Clark should help tweens and up burrow into history through a visceral appreciation of the road trip from hell, 19th-century-style. Recommended for all libraries. This is the first volume of a world explorer series, with Shackleton up next.--M.C.[Page 68]. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Bertozzi (Houdini: The Handcuff King) brings new life to the epic westward journey of explorers Lewis and Clark in this graphic novel perfect for history buffs. At the urging of President Jefferson, Capt. Meriwether Lewis gathers a party of hardy men to accompany him into the unknown western territories, through which he is determined to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean. Setting off on May 21, 1804, from St. Louis with his second-in-command, Capt. William Clark, Lewis proves to be a man of singular--often bordering on tunnel--vision when it comes to accomplishing his goal. Bertozzi illustrates the group's interactions with numerous Native American tribes, which grow increasingly strained as the chiefs rebuff the explorers' offers of beads for trade and demand rifles and other weaponry. The challenging landscape plays a major role as well, including the mighty Missouri River, the unexpected Rocky Mountains, and finally rapids in the Dalles, Ore., near the end of the journey. Lewis's dream of finding an uninterrupted water route westward fails. His deteriorating mental state throughout the expedition and particularly on the return trip is eloquently drawn, with Bertozzi managing to combine both history lesson and character study in strong, gripping drawings. Ages 12-up. (Feb.)[Page ]. Copyright 2010 PWxyz LLC
Gr 7 Up--Meriwether Lewis, a complex and fascinating figure in American history, was a bold explorer and a man haunted by demons. Both sides of his personality are revealed in this saga of his search for a Northwest water passageway to the Pacific. This retelling begins as Jefferson informs Lewis that Congress has approved this expedition. After recruiting William Clark and obtaining necessary provisions, the expedition departs St. Louis in 1804. Death, stampeding buffalo herds, steep-sided canyons, large bodies of moving water, and encounters with multiple Native American tribes must be negotiated. The author makes excellent use of the generous page size. The vertical orientation of side panels frames a deep chasm and scale the heights of a tall tree. Prairies are depicted with long horizontal panels spanning the gutter, and full-page spreads show the expansive country, contributing to readers' understanding of the vastness of the journey. Traditional panels and speech balloons are used to portray the points of view of the explorers. Shapes and outlines of panels alter significantly when the various Native communities are depicted, with a different design for each tribe. Inventive use of differently shaped speech balloon help readers identify each individual tribe that the explorers encounter. This story continues beyond the conclusion of the expedition; it ends three years hence, detailing Lewis's tragic end as well as suppositions regarding Sacajawea's whereabouts.--Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY[Page 131]. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.


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Can anyone in Denver, Colorado help?
I am wanting to know some of the better aquarium stores to get plants. I live in North Denver, but I will go anywhere in the metro area for a decent selection. Thanks!
I'm not from Colorado and am not familiar with the stores, but have you looked into ordering online? It can be significantly less expensive and the selection is most likely better then what you would find in stores.
Thanks! That is a great idea! Any companies you have had a positive experience with?
No American companies, sadly. I'll go look for someone who I know can help...
Hi there!
So I religious order from plantedaquariumscentral.com she rewards you points when you buy items that you can build up and eventually get free plants so that's always a plus! I've also ordered from ThatFishPlace.com, liveaquaria.com although I've heard bad stories about their fish and shipping so I have yet to order fish from there and I don't believe I will but the plants were all right. Gunpowderaquatics.net is always a great place. Anywhere from Ebay and AquaBid that is noted for the US I generally buy from.
That's about all I can think of at the moment who I've bought from or at least looked into buying from :-) let me know if this all helps!
Thanks so much for your help! I can't wait to buy more plants for my tanks!! :BIGcool:
Thanks lil :-)
Plants are so much fun. You'll appreciate them being in your tank and the fish will too.
extraplant.us Just ordered from there. Luckily I had a gift card but my plants came in last week. 3 day shipping. Already starting to shoot off roots to attempt full take-over of my two ten gallons.
Fish Den (44th and Sheridan), Neptunes (E470 and University), and Aqua Imports (I36 just into Boulder) all have pretty decent plant selections.
About Fish Inc on 73rd and Federal and Aquatic Dog on Quebec and Evans also have ok plant selection but not quite as large as the others. I know this thread is old but if you're subscribed hopefully you'll see it.
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text:
Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles seem to gain new fans at every turn
A little girl with a pink tutu and a head full of cascading curls is teetering in front of me, carrying two plastic teapots filled with water. Every couple of minutes she runs across the yard to a different person sitting cross-legged on the grass, showing them her teapots and sprinkling a bit of water on their legs. Ten yards away, her dad, drummer Geoff Freeman, is setting up a pared-down version of his drum kit, while Freeman's bandmates Lucy Michelle and Eamon McLain plug in their instruments and invite their guests to head inside for more food and home-brewed beer before they play.
It's a late Sunday afternoon in August, and a small crowd has gathered in the backyard of the house in St. Paul where Freeman and Michelle live, along with Freeman's fiancée, Clara; his two-year-old daughter, Mirabella; and a few others, for an acoustic picnic. It's the kind of event that sounds too good to be true: free food, free beer, free music, a welcoming environment, and plenty of spots in the shade. In addition to the band's friends, folks from the neighborhood have gathered to listen to the music, and everyone—from little Mirabella to the sprawl of twentysomethings to the older folks seated along the edge—is excited when Lucy Michelle starts to strum her ukulele and sing.
That's the thing about Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles: Almost as if by accident, their unique songs, which combine folk and jazz with dashes of Gypsy, polka, country, and the tiniest bit of punk, appeal to just about everybody. In an average month, the six-piece can be spotted playing venues as diverse as the Cedar Cultural Center (where they recently opened for humorist Kevin Kling), the Turf Club, the Hexagon Bar, and somebody's basement.
"Children, middle-agers, punks," Michelle says of her fan base. "It's definitely not intentional. We were never like, 'We're going to play to the 65-year-old demographic. All those liberals at the Cedar Cultural Center, we are catering just to you.'"
"I think we're lucky," says McLain. "It's just how the music works out. We appeal to so many different audiences, just because of how we sound."
"Someone described it to me in a really funny way: Gypsy mountain folk rock punk jazz," Michelle says, giggling.
"We worked really hard. I think we can attribute all of the positive stuff that's been happening to that," says Freeman. "We were playing shows every week, even shows that we didn't want to play, and just getting out there every week and doing it."
The band formed last summer with a shared goal of having Michelle's songs heard by a wider audience. By fall, Michelle decided to bring her Velvet Lapelles—drummer Freeman, cello player McLain, accordionist Ashley Boman, guitar player Chris Graham, and bassist Jesse Schuster—to Mike Wisti's Albatross Studios to record their debut album, Orange Peels and Rattlesnakes.
"I feel like our older recordings sound like we're still trying to feel a lot of stuff out with each other," says Graham. "Because we had only been playing together for a few months."
"The album is good, but it's already old material," agrees McLain.
Plans are already in the works to record again, and Michelle says she'd like to have an EP out by spring. The band members say they have grown by leaps and bounds since their first recording. They have spent the last year getting used to one another as musicians and learning how to feed off of one another's creative impulses.
"When we recorded the record, we didn't know the songs, and we didn't know each other," says Freeman. "The stuff that's changed has been normal band stuff. You start to learn how to play as a band. We just got a lot better."
"We've come such a long way," agrees Michelle. "Maybe it would have been good to record a little bit later. But there's something really nice and unique about our older recordings, to hear how we've changed and evolved."
As the band develops their sound to include even more instruments and voices, the musicians are learning to share the responsibilities that come with increasing success. They have an unofficial manager who tends to logistics and a whole network of allies in the music community.
"We have this big body of friends that are willing to come out consistently and support us," says Freeman. "And we're trying to be sincere and make relationships that we think are positive."
"We all have a deep respect for the local art and music scene," he says, brushing dirt off his daughter's tutu and leading her back toward the picnic. "And it's a lot of busy people. Everyone plays in a lot of bands, so word gets around."
Poll Winners:
Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles (74 points)
Gospel Gossip (72)
France Has the Bomb (39)
The Wars of 1812 (35)
(tie) Lookbook, Private Dancer (32)
(tie) The Dynamiters, Voyager (31)
Bouncer Fighter (30)
Muja Messiah (24)
Yer Cronies (22)
(tie) Black Audience, the 757s (21)
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Culture Warrior: A Brief History of Breakup Movies
- By Landon Palmer
- @landonspeak
- February 15, 2011
Modern romance and the movies are arguably dependant on one another, as movies have a long history of affirming the idea(l) of the perfect relationship. Hollywood movies in particular have developed a mastery at the formula of bringing imperfect individuals together into perfect couplehood and framing marriage as the closure...
'Duplicity' Trailer Boasts Twists, Dark Comedy, and a Stellar Pedigree
- By Rob Hunter
- @FakeRobHunter
- November 26, 2008
Tony Gilroy, the writer/director behind last year's excellent Michael Clayton, has a new movie due next year... and it looks pretty damn solid....
After the Break Up: 5 Films that Help, 5 that Hurt
- By Robert Fure
- @RobertFure
- September 7, 2008
Breaking up is hard to do. Make it a little easier on yourself with these five flicks or, for you sadists, enhance your heart break with our sad selection. After all, the more you hurt, the more it shows you really care, right?...


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Freelance writing is a business, and as a business it must be cared for and nurtured. You must actively promote your services and enhance your skills if you wish to earn more money, or even stay at the level you are currently making. Whether you are new to the industry or a long-time freelance professional, the following ten tips will help you increase your income.
- Make A List Of Previous Clients and Begin Making Contact.
If you have not heard from a previous client in at least 4 months, it is time to make contact and let them know your services are still available. Your clients often become so engrossed in their own business that they often overlook writing assignments that they need completed. When you make contact, those projects are brought to the front of their lists.
- Create A Writing Package To Offer Potential Clients.
The best way to win over new clients is to present them with great marketing materials. Create a package that is both digital and paper based that includes writing samples, price charts, and possibly an introductory offer for services.
- Article Marketing. The Internet is a place where people go for information.
Use this to your advantage. Write articles that promote your services and include links to your site in the author resource box. Your articles should be constructed in such a way that it provides information and gives you an authoritative tone. You cannot actively promote your service in these articles; the sites will not accept marketing materials. However, you can write about the benefits of using a service such as yours, or how others can enter the industry.
- Blogging.
As a freelance writer it is easy to assume that you offer many different writing services. Create a blog about each of your services and keep your blogs current and active. Blogging is essential to the success of any freelance writer.
- eBooks.
Freelance writers can create a residual income by writing and publishing their own eBook. This book can be about any subject, and as long as you have it available online, it will generate an income. Many freelancers find that having eBooks to their credit also boosts the income they make from freelancing.
- Interact Within The Freelance Community.
There are many freelance communities online where you can interact with your peers. These communities offer more than a social exchange; they offer insight into the industry. You will be amazed at the information you will learn by interacting on these sites. You will find out about new trends in the industry, information about potential clients, and help and support from others in your industry.
- Learn Something New Every Day.
You can never become complacent when you are a freelance writer. You need to stay connected with the industry and be aware of any changes that are occurring. If a majority of your writing assignments are Internet content, then you already know how quickly the trends change on the web. If you cannot find anything new about writing, then learn something about marketing or your business.
- Practice.
You should take time each day to write, even if it is not a paying assignment. By practicing all the time, you will sharpen your skills and increase your income opportunities. You can do something as simple as post comments on blogs, or something as serious as writing your novel. The important thing is making sure that you write.
- Distribute Brochures In Your Area.
Many freelance writers overlook the income opportunities that are in their local communities. It is always a good idea to introduce yourself to local business owners and interact within your community. Once businesses in your area know about your services, and the ease at which they can obtain them through the Internet, you will watch your orders grow.
- Know When To take A Vacation.
One of the best things that you can do as a freelance writer is schedule a vacation. People that work from home have a tendency to over work themselves because they are comfortable in their surroundings. Writing takes a clear and fresh mind; you cannot afford to be overworked. You need to take time for yourself to re-group and refresh your creativity.


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I think a lot of women use birth control, just not consistently. Inconsistent use may be from ignorance, believing luck is on their side...
What bothers me about this bill is the language of it. These politicians are trying to define what is a "medically necessary" and "...
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Although not intended to give a definite diagnosis, screening tools for mental health can increase self-understanding and improve wellbeing. Below is a link to anonymous, online screens for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and alcohol use issues. This section also provides helpful resources to assist you in your striving for wellness.
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UPDATE: August 18, 2010
The list of stations participating in the Fuel Perks program is updated on the Bi-Lo Fuel Perks web site at Bi-Lo fuelperks. Since my readers are from all over, I'll leave it up to you to find what stations are in your area.
UPDATE: Dec. 23, 2009
In response to the comment regarding using your perks, according to the Bi-Lo web site (http://my.bi-lo.com/wps/wcm/connect/Content%20Library/bi-lo/fuelperks/how+does+it+work) your fuel discount is valid for one use, up to 20 gallons. Once your rewards are redeemed, keep shopping. You'll begin earning fuelperks! rewards all over again.
Another item noted is the rewards expiration: Your fuelperks! rewards are good for the month in which you receive them, plus the next three months. For example, if you earn fuelperks! on October 10th, they'll expire on January 31st.


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by Pat Enkyo O'Hara
An American Buddhist monk visited New York City. Seeing a woman selling hot dogs, he asked for "One with everything." The vendor gave him a hot dog, and the Buddhist paid with a $20 bill. When she didn't give change he complained, but the hot dog vendor said, "Change must come from within."
This exchange exemplifies two core teachings in the Buddhist tradition, each of which renders a double-edged principle in relation to our tradition of compassion. The two teachings which are said to have been realized on the great morning of the historical Buddha's enlightenment are that we are all one body ("one with everything"), and, that the perception of this can only come from our individual insight ("change must come from within").
From the perspective of the one body, the body that sees one absolute reality which connects all beings, compassion for anyone or anything is automatic. In fact, it can hardly be called compassion: when the left hand is burning, the right hand comes to its aid, naturally, without thought. Seen in this way, compassion for a person with HIV/AIDS presents no special problem. Seeing our selves as the one body, we can say, "we all have AIDS." And therefore we will take responsibility for caring for those with HIV/AIDS. The catch, of course, is, how do we see the world as one body?
While there are many varied "skillful means" and forms of teaching and expression in the Buddhist world, a core teaching that runs through all is the understanding that responsibility ultimately is placed on the individual to 'change': to cease from an ego-centered, separated perception of the self, to see the basic interconnection of all beings, to be the one body.
It is said that the historical Buddha once spoke of what it takes for people to recognize the true nature of the human condition. He said that a few, very awake and sensitive people, have only to hear of the death of someone in a distant village to recognize the impermanence, vulnerability to suffering, and the interconnection of our lives. Others recognize it when someone in their own village becomes ill or dies. Many people recognize it when someone in their own family becomes ill and dies, and for some people, it is only when they themselves become ill, that they realize it. In a way, we could say the same about the reaction to AIDS within the American Buddhist community.
In the early 1980's American Buddhists were among those whose bodies were infected by HIV/AIDS. And it was their response to the virus which in many cases, led to profound new trends in coping with the disease. Buddhist influenced meditation and approaches to living with disease and dying became more accessible, popularized by Stephen Levine, Ram Das and others. And each Buddhist who was infected had the opportunity to experience our tradition of compassion. This was at a time when the highest rate of infection occurred among gay men. One of the men was a dharma brother of mine, Robert Genjin Savage, who, like so many others, grew in spiritual depth and wisdom as he coped with the disease.
As I witnessed Robert struggle with being tested, with the positive result, trying to remain healthy and slowly becoming ill and finally dying with AIDS, I saw also the maturing of a Buddhist who took the teachings directly into his last years. Like most of us, Robert was no saint, but through his experience of AIDS, he became a focal point for many people: for those suffering from AIDS and for those who simply suffer from life's workings. He began teaching meditation at GMHC and he continued that even when he was very ill. Once, during instruction, he found himself having to retch into a basin, then he simply turned and continued meditation instruction. He came to see that AIDS was not separate from him, and that fear was not an enemy. From his diary:
I don't want to die! Every fiber of me takes issue with the prognosis. A knot clinches all day in my solar plexus – a steady monotone: no, no, no, no. . But now, instead, I do it the Zen way and embrace my fear, own it, make it utterly mine, as if I were making love to it. In that intimate embrace the humming energy hasn't yet emerged as "fear", hasn't yet been shaped into an external adversary, a threat : IT"S ME – me before there's a problem.
And it was this ability to be present in this moment, this non-separation from AIDS, from fear, from anger, from blame, that gave him those last 18 months of wisdom and compassion and strength. He became a model for all of us: we are not separate from our fear, from disease, from death or from each other. The fundamental Buddhist teaching, that we are one with all experience and all beings, that there is nothing that is left out, became a skillful means for Robert and for other Buddhists to work with their illness and their dying. The many people who visited Robert during his last days found themselves the beneficiaries of his Buddhist practice. They would go up to comfort him only to find the roles being skillfully reversed: he would be comforting them. He was able finally, to experience himself as larger than his small self; to exemplify the wisdom of Buddhism: we are not separate from all that is; nothing is born and nothing dies. We, and all creations are impermanent, constantly changing form and consciousness.
And Robert's Sangha, his Buddhist community, like so many others in this country responded as if by a death in our family. Our experience with our loved ones, like the Buddha's parable, opened us, and made us more aware and compassionate, so that as the need arose, North American Buddhists began to create hospices, treatment centers, and housing for those living with HIV/AIDS.
But what about the AIDS that is present in what the Buddha called our village, and what we might construe to mean our country? How much does the pain and suffering in our inner cities, in the prisons, in the IV drug population, and in the sexual partners of that population, how much does that affect us? How willing are we to be taught the lessons of interdependence by that experience? Perhaps we see a dying child's picture in the newspaper, or discover that our prisons are holding-bins for people with HIV and sites of new infection. Or we read a story about teen aged girls infected by the virus, but how affected are we? How responsible are we? Many American Buddhists do see the connection and are active in prisons, in drug abuse programs, and in treatment centers. Yet too many American Buddhists, as in the parable, do not see it because it is too far away.
And what about the distant village? We can construe that to be the rest of the world. What sense of responsibility do we have? How much are American Buddhists even aware of the devastation and suffering in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and South America? Too little, it seems. And in comparison with other American faith communities, I would argue we can be found lacking. Why would that be? Our tradition, as it is practiced by American Buddhists, is fortunately free from moralistic judgementalism and doctrinal or social barriers to working with stigmatized populations. When it is in our face, in our family or community, we take appropriate action. And yet, on a broader national and international scale, there is this absence of compassionate work! Why?
Remember the hot dog vendor? "Change must come from within." A common misperception by American Buddhist practitioners is the confusion of the process of becoming compassionate with the reality of interdependence. We fall into the misunderstanding that we are following a path that leads to wisdom and compassion: we are "not ready yet" to tend to the world's problems. Certainly, we can point to much work done in the name of compassion which is in fact selfish, ego-driven impulses which perpetuate the cycle of suffering. We see that taking a stance of "right" or "wrong" too often merely creates another war, another victim and perpetrator. And yet, the teachings are very clear: as Dogen said in the 13th century, "practice is enlightenment." One is not a path to the other; they coexist at the same time. To wait for your natural compassion to arrive misses the point entirely: natural compassion is constantly arising. How is it even possible to concentrate solely on one's own enlightenment? After all, we are "one with everything!"
Over and over again in the traditions which have come to this country there is the admonition to not get stuck in a romantic idea of oneness, in the view that since we are not separate from anything, then things are fine just as they are. American Buddhists who work with certified Teachers and mature Sanghas are soon nudged out of this view, but those who lack teachings and an opportunity to practice with experienced practitioners can lapse into a negligent view of the world. This solipsistic tendency can often be transformed by tempering the elegant quiet of a mediation center with a visit to a local homeless shelter or prison or crisis center. To take that same quality of openness and readiness, to plunge into the lives of other beings, can awaken an even deeper compassion.
The responsibility rests on the teachers and mature students to maintain a middle path, between the deep personal desire for enlightenment and the equally deep drive to serve others. Of course, when this is in balance, there is just the actualization of one's insight and serving is a natural act. Out of balance, however, we have the specter of self- involved, narcissistic pursuit of enlightenment on the one hand, and ambitious and righteous or self serving attempts to "help" others which often backfire.
A widely appreciated image of Buddhist compassion is the androgynous figure, with a thousand arms, a thousand hands, and in each hand, an eye. The hands and eyes function to see the suffering of all beings and to soothe them, to heal them, to use skillful means to help them. She/he is variously called Avalokitesvara, Chenrezig, Kwanyin, or Kannon. American Buddhists tend to appreciate this figure as an archetype, or embodiment of compassionate consciousness. Once a Zen monk asked his teacher, "What does Kwanyin do with all those hands and eyes?" And the teacher replied, "It's like reaching back in the middle of the night to adjust your pillow." Just that simple, just that natural, our compassion manifests naturally, from the state of our consciousness which is present, aware of our one-body-nature.
As simple as reaching back and adjusting your pillow? And yet it is not a simplistic gesture. If American Buddhism has something to offer to the discourse on faith-based social action, it is the notion that we begin from the experience of being one with the circumstances, leaving aside our fixed ideas and opinions. The condition of a mind before thought, before knowing, is the gift of attention to all aspects of the situation. This open field, generated from the perspective of the one body, frees us to act in a more nuanced and skillful manner. Reaching back, we just naturally act appropriately.
In order for any of us to embody the great image of compassion, whose name is also "perceiver of the cries of the world," we need to know what is needed; we need to hear the cries of the world. The leadership of American Buddhism, along with the Buddhist press, has a responsibility to raise consciousness of the AIDS crisis. It is time for a dialogue which recognizes the complexities of AIDS, and perceives its relationship with poverty, with the drug industry, the medical establishment, and world politics. In sanghas and in journals, we need to question immigration policies which deprive HIV + non-nationals from entry in to this country, policies prohibiting needle exchange, the implications of partner notification, and the plight of prisoners with HIV/AIDS.
Let us also provide coverage of models of compassionate action such as Maitri House in San Francisco, the Buddhist AIDS Project in San Francisco, Greyston Foundation's Issan House in Yonkers, the Buddhist AIDS Network and countless individual Buddhists working within the HIV/AIDS community. We can encourage Buddhist sanghas to start a "ministry" for AIDS in their communities. Whether it be with homeless people, with babies or teenagers or women or prisoners, day to day contact is the greatest teacher. We can follow the example of Dai Bosatsu Monastery in New York, who use the annual anniversary of Obon, the traditional ceremony for the dead, to focus on HIV/AIDS, stimulating awareness. And Buddhist teachers and lay people can bring this issue to the sanghas in Dharma teachings and workshops.
If Buddhists teachers, press and sanghas work to raise awareness of the need for social action in the world of HIV/AIDS, we will be providing an opportunity for the awakening of great compassion for these North American Buddhists who, when they look at their great body, will see not only the great sky and deep ocean, but also the suffering of poverty, of disease, of loss.
A teacher once said, "Medicine and sickness cure each other. Who is your self?" We could conclude that if we are the medicine that cures HIV/AIDS, then HIV/AIDS is the sickness which cures us. Who else are we but the one body?


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Downtown Alton Chili Cook-off
Enjoy the fall weather during the annual Downtown Alton Chili Cook-Off. The Chili Cook-Off will take place from noon to 3 p.m. in the giant warehouse and pavilion at Elijah P's. $100 cash prizes in 5 categories and $25 to register a team. Admission: $6 per adults, $3 per kid 10 and under. For more information, call (618) 463-1016.
Alton Muny Band: Haskell Park
Enjoy concert band music, which includes marches, concert pieces, popular tunes, and novelty numbers. This is family friendly and the concerts are free and open to the public.These concerts take place every Sunday evening June 12- August 7 all starting at 7 p.m. Bring a blanket or lawn chair.
Father's Day at the Tower
Celebrate Father's Day by giving Dad a free tour of the Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower. All fathers, when accompanied by family members, will receive free Tower tours. See the views from 150 feet above the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.
Summer Kick Off at Haskell Park
Please join us for our 5th Annual Summer Kick Off at Haskell Park! Celebrating the return of the Alton Muny Band concert season. Join us from 5-6:30 p.m. with the Muny Band Concert at 7 p.m. The Bubble Bus will be returning, our good friends at The Bridge will be providing hot dogs, and there will be free snow cones! Come enjoy an evening of food, fun, music and bubbles!
Open House at Haskell Playhouse
Come and take a tour of this historic playhouse the 2nd Saturday of every month. This playhouse was built by Dr. and Mrs. William Haskell for their five year old daughter Lucy. It is a rare architectural gem containing many of the flamboyant elements of the Queen Anne style: cartwheels, brackets, spires, diagonal sticking, fish scale shingles and stained glass windows. It's importance is magnified because so few of these accessory structures for children have survived. The playhouse contains a single room, front porch and side porch. The interior has been restored and the playhouse is open for special occasions. The playhouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Alton Muny Band: Riverview Park
Enjoy concert band music, which includes marches, concert pieces, popular tunes, and novelty numbers. This is family friendly and the concerts are free and open to the public.These concerts take place every Thursday evening June 9 - August 11 all starting at 8 p.m. Bring a blanket or lawn chair.
Mother's Day at the Tower
Treat your mother to something special on Mother's Day! Bring her to the Confluence Tower and enjoy magnificent views of the region from 50, 100 and 150 feet high above the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. All mothers, when accompanied by a family member, will receive half price admission.
Vintage Baseball Game at Lewis and Clark State Historic Site
Take a step back to the 1860's when baseball was played just a little differently. Bring your lawn chairs or blanket and enjoy the spirit of gentlemanly sportsmanship of that time period. This game will be featuring the Alton Baseball Club. For more information please call the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site and ask for Pam (618) 251-5811.
Rolling Hills Golf Course
For over 30 years, Rolling Hills has been providing an enjoyable golf experience and exceptional value for thousands of golfers. Family owned and operated, this 164 acre course facility offers an 18-hole Par 72 course and a 9-hole par 29 Executive course. Rolling Hills offers complete golf, food and beverage services throughout the day. Carts, clubs and practice balls are available for rent. Open daily 7 a.m. to dusk.
The Woodlands Golf Club & Banquet Facility
Designed around a winding creek and elevation changes, The Woodlands is known as a "shot-makers" paradise. Enjoy breathtaking views from the clubhouse which overlooks the 18th green. The banquet facility can seat 250 and is an ideal location for receptions, parties and more. The Red Barn, also on the golf course property, is available to rent for outdoor weddings.
Laux Brickhouse Grille
The newly renovated Laux Brickhouse Grille is the place to be. Offering great local favorites, daily food specials, and icy cold drinks. Perfect for a casual dinner with the family or a date night. Laux Brickhouse will have your mouth watering the second you walk in the door. Open Monday - Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Chubby's Warehouse Bar & Grill
Taking a cruise on the motorcycle today? Come to Alton and stop at Chubby's Warehouse Bar and Grill. Chubby's offers good food at a great price and ice cold beer. Spacious indoor and outdoor seating available. Must be 21 to enter. Open Tuesday - Thursday 11 a.m. - 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. - 3 a.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. - 1 a.m.
Lewis & Clark Frontier Dog Walk
This event will center on walking your dogs on a two mile course. There will be dog trainers, groomers, and dog adoptions from local societies. At 1:00 p.m. a guest speaker will be hosted within the Interpretive Center's theater. The event is only on Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Dogs will only be allowed in the theater between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Dogs may be walked through and around Camp River Dubois. For more information, call (618) 251-5811.
Spencer T. Olin Golf Course
Scenic views are the centerpiece of this 7,000 yard, 18-hole Arnold Palmer designed golf course. The deceptively open design places a premium on accurate iron play in order to get close to the pin. This course is challenging enough for the skilled player but enjoyable for the recreational golfer as well.
JMC Design Gallery
JMC Design offers a distinctive selection of local artisans works, fair trade merchandise and essential oils. Some of the items offered are pottery, wall art, jewelry, bird houses and so much more. Unique gifts for all ages. Hours of operation are Wednesday - Saturday 12 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Tony's Prohibition Lounge & Third Street Cafe
Looking for a great place for pizza, pasta, and cold drinks? Check out Tony's Prohibition Lounge. Adjacent to the renowned Tony's Restaurant, the Lounge offers casual dining and a full-service bar. The 75 seat bar also has a charming sidewalk cafe. It is a favorite place in town for meeting friends for drinks, waiting for a table in the dining room, or bringing the family in for a casual dinner. Tony's bar and sidewalk cafe serves pizza, sandwiches, salads, appetizers, and kabobs in a family atmosphere. Open Tuesday - Saturday 4 p.m.- 1 a.m.
Alton Memorial Day Parade
Celebrate Memorial Day by experiencing the oldest consecutive running parade in the entire nation. The first one was held in 1868, just three years after the end of the Civil War. Celebrate the history of Pie Town, Upper Alton and those that served our country. Bring your lawn chairs and line the streets to show your support and join in on the fun. For more information, call (618) 462-7527.
High Flyers Grille
High Flyers is a neighborhood bar and grill serving a full menu of appetizers, salads, soups, pastas, burgers, and steaks (including our famous Pepperloin kabab with garlic butter) and chicken.
CITY:East Alton
Wild Hare Emporium
Wild Hare Emporium offers a wide variety of unique items perfect for gifts. They also offer antique furniture, home decor and collectibles. This is one store you don't want to miss. Open Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Harman Family Bluegrass Concert
Enjoy the toe tapping, hand clapping sounds of the Harman Family Bluegrass Band in a live concert at the Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower. The Harman's music style ranges from traditional to contemporary bluegrass, country, gospel and other various types of music. The concert will help kick off the first season of events at the Tower's newly constructed outdoor amphitheater. Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased in advance by calling 618-291-9101. Tickets will also be available at the door.
Rockin' with Robert Concert Series
Enjoy a variety of music at the Robert Wadlow statue. Stop by the statue for a summer of monthly concerts. All concerts are free and open to the public. Don't forget to bring your lawn chairs or a blanket. Refreshments will also be available for purchase. 2016 concerts will be held on June 21, July 19 and August 16 starting at 7 p.m. For more information please contact the Upper Alton Association at 618-465-6303 or 618-466-0100.
Aunt Sha's Cottage Furniture
Aunt Sha's Cottage Furniture carries used and refurbished furniture at affordable prices. If you are looking for something for your first apartment or a piece to add to your cottage style, Aunt Sha's is the place for you. Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Miles Davis Jazz Festival
Enjoy an evening of jazz celebrating the music and life of one the true giants of jazz music - Miles Davis. There will be entertainment by Fred Walker, Dilbert Caldwell Band, Me and Bob, and Phil Dunlap Nonet. This event benefits the Alton Museum of History and Art. Admission is $20 per person.
Morrison's Irish Pub
Offers local and imported beers, Irish whiskeys and a food menu featuring an Irish wrap, cottage pie, and corned beef brisket served in this Irish themed pub.


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Current WIP status:
Desert War Project - war in North Africa 1940-1943. It's a multiplayer mod for Men of War Assault Squad. You can find some detailed information about this project in Devupdate #3
Mod status:
New infantry: 75%
New vehicles: 60%
New graphics: 12%
Coding: 8%
Maps: 5%
Multiplayer coding: 0%
If You would like to help with mod I would really appreciate that. This project is not just a simple mod. It''s something more. New units, new maps, new game features and many more. Depending on team size mod will be released sooner or later. There is a lot of things to do before release.
3D modelers
map makers
Wszystkich polaków zapraszam do odwiedzenia jedynej w Polsce strony poświęconej serii Men of War - MoW-Center.pl Znajdziecie tam wiele ciekawych informacji na temat gry, najnowsze doniesienia i wiele więcej. Jeśli szukacie kompanów do gry, również ich znajdziecie.
DWP is a part of W.A.R. Project mod. It's aim is to allows player to fight battles in North Africa during World War 2. Because of number of differences between this theater of war and others I made a decision to release it as a separate mod. This mod will add some new features to game, units, models and maps for multiplayer fights.
I'm working on this project on my own. There is no team or anything. Maybe in future there will be people interested in joining this project and helping with everything. The most I need map makers, of course modeller would be very helpful, because that would make work on mod faster.
Here You can find some details about it:
Current mod status:
I'm planing to release this mod in October. Alfa version of mod, available for few testers should be released by the end of this month. Beta version will be available for everyone in first weeks of October I think. It will add only 2 nations - Great Britain and Germany, and 3 year settings - 1941, 1942 and 1943. There will be few new maps. Full version of mod should be done by the end of this year. It depends on many things, as because I'm not a modeler, I have to wait for stuff made by different modders like for example Italian stuff made by Zeke Wolf.
Here You will find few screenshots of current work:
Devupdate #2 for W.A.R. Project mod. More details about Polish Army stuff.It took a long time since last Devupdate, but I had a lot of work because of...
First devupadet for the mod. We are working on new textures and also Normand, one of the most active moddelers right now, gave us permission to use his...
First changed mission, ready for tests. Russian Smolensk Skirmish map. Full list of changes in description.
Detailed information about project, plans, wip, and everything you should know about W.A.R. Project mod
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W.A.R. Project T-34/85 retexture - 53 new textures for T-34/85.
Replaces old T-34-85 model with new one from Men of War Assault Squad. All credits go to Digitalmindsoft. Only texture is new. This mod replaces all T-34-85...
Just a simple texture for T-34-85. Rudy 102 from Polish TV series "Czterej Pancerni i pies". Contains x and xx variant without enumeration on models ...
T-54 model from Men of War Vietnam ported to Men of War Assault Squad. It's a fully working model with 5 textures - blank one, without markings, 2 Polish...
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how's work?
Głównie o polaków mi chodzi bo ni ma żadnego moda z nimi pod assaulta.
Aktualnie Polish Army jest zawieszone. Skupiam się głównie na Desert War Project - gdzie możliwe, że dodam również jakiś pododdział PSZ. Zapewne wydam skiny pojazdów LWP w Skins Library. Na dzień dzisiejszy skupiam się na DWP ponieważ mam najwięcej gotowego materiału. Także czekam trochę na najnowszy patch do MoW AS, ponieważ od niego będzie trochę zależeć kierunek prac.
Bo ja chciałbym jakis mod z polakami a tu do asaulta nic nie ma a do mena jest tylko że z german solidiers nie współpracuje
W najnowszej wersji GSM-a do AS będą Polacy dodani - premiera tej wersji będzie niedługo. Owszem tylko dla roku 1939 ale zawsze to coś. Ja póki co muszę nad modem pracować sam, więc też niestety nie mam takich mocy przerobowych, aby zrobić większy mod.
Nice mod, I like the desert war project :) Desert skins for MOW is long time over due.. makes you think what happened to the community :D
Nice to see some work being done guys, if you want you can use my desert town maps from my mappack.
Thanks! I really appreciate that you allowed to use maps - as I'm a poor map maker personally such help is great ;)
I suppose that beta version of mod will be ready in next month - I had some slow down in work as I'm playing with details right now like for example new variants of those old PzKpfw IV :)
Nice job on the T34 textures. Liked the Croatian one, maybe you should do the rest of the Yugoslav textures.
Thanks! I would like to make them, but except few photos of very destroyed tanks without markings I couldn't find anything good. I need just something to make base on. Oh, we are talking about post war one, yes? I was using those photos to work on them: Armorama.com
guys I think too much of skins I want more whole units not only 1000000 skins to t34
Those skins are just an addon ;) I'm not a modeler so I won't add more models then one released by modders or devs :)


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January 09, 2012 at 17:18 PM EST
Apartment Investment and Management Company Launches New Website:
DENVER, Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apartment Investment and Management Company (NYSE: AIV) (Aimco) has launched a brand new interactive website to provide enhanced service to customers, investors, employees and community partners. The new www.aimco.com represents another phase of the company's re-branding initiative that was introduced in July 2011.
"Whether searching for a new apartment, looking for a job opportunity at Aimco, seeking investor information, or interested in learning more about our corporate culture, the new website gives visitors a comprehensive and contemporary picture of Aimco," said Aimco Chairman and CEO Terry Considine. "The new site gives us a wonderful opportunity to showcase the quality of our portfolio and to visually demonstrate our commitment to outstanding customer service and solid corporate citizenship."
"We designed the new Aimco site as part of a more robust customer service program that we have implemented over the last year," said Aimco Executive Vice President of Operations Keith Kimmel. "Visitors looking for an Aimco apartment will find photo galleries, detailed amenity descriptions and neighborhood maps and profiles at their fingertips. Searches can be customized based on what is most important to potential residents - from the number of bedrooms they seek to their desired rent, and they also can view the apartment community's proximity to schools, transportation and cultural activities. Our goal is to make all our residents feel at home."
With the assistance of Elevated Third, a comprehensive web marketing services agency in Denver, the Aimco team built the new site from the ground-up, incorporating enhanced navigation tools and new imagery. In addition to an updated apartment search function, the site features a careers section for job seekers; a dedicated portal for current residents through which they can submit maintenance requests, pay monthly bills and learn about upcoming activities; a corporate citizenship section highlighting Aimco's community partnerships, philanthropic activities and energy conservation program; and a press room highlighting Aimco news and upcoming events as a resource for the media.
Aimco is a real estate investment trust headquartered in Denver, Colorado that owns and operates a geographically diversified portfolio of apartment communities. Aimco, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the largest owners and operators of conventional and affordable apartment communities in the United States, with 565 properties serving approximately 250,000 residents each year. Aimco's properties are located in 38 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Aimco common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AIV and are included in the S&P 500.
SOURCE Apartment Investment and Management Company (Aimco)
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- CG Reel 2014December 17, 2014Collection of my works, made for Blur Studio. Click here to watch this reel.
- Halo 2 AnniversaryDecember 17, 2014I am so excited to share with you my work for Halo 2 Anniversary. It was another super-duper amazing collaborations with my friends from Blur Studio! My task in this project was in modeling, texturing, shading and lighting of different environments, props and vehicles. See more
- Digital Art Masters Volume 9
May 09, 2014
My work Far Away From Home was published in 9th volume of the Digital Art Masters book series. It's looking amazing! You can buy this amazing book here.
- 3D Creative issue 100
December 24, 2013
Making of my work Far Away From Home in 3D Creative issue 100.
- 3D Creative issue 99November 28, 2013My interview about my work on Dark Souls 2 cinematic with Blur Studio in 3D Creative issue 99.
- Far Away From HomeJuly 28, 2013Finally after several months of hard work I have finished my new artwork. A lonely girl standing in an old train station platform after a rainy day brings these emotions to the mind, yet the morning sunshine gives hope that soon we'll be close to everything that we love. Click here to see more pictures.
July 16, 2013
My Industrial Rust was published in 8th volume of the Digital Art Masters book series. You can buy this amazing book here.
- Dark Souls 2December 08, 2012I worked with Blur studio on Dark Souls 2 cinematic. The task was in modeling, shading and lighting of few environments. I spent awesome time while working on this project. Thanks to all guys working at Blur studio. It was pleasure to work with you! For more info click here and to watch this amazing cinematic in HD here.
September 10, 2012
Tutorial from 3D World reader: Andrew Averkin's robot sentry. Click here to read this tutorial.
- Industrial Rust
July 08, 2012
It is my new work called Industrial Rust. Dedicated for all who loves some old industrial rusty stuff. I started this work about 3 years ago and finally I had time to finish it. I'm not tried to make some crazy deep idea in this art. I've just wanted to make movie shot, something like stop frame from some apocalyptic movie where robot waiting his time in an abandoned factory.
South CottageMay 09, 2011
Architectural presentation short of South Cottage village near Moscow. I helped 3D Studio Art with lighting, camera animation, rendering and post processing. Done with 3Ds Max, Vray and Adobe After Effects with plug-ins. To watch this short click here.
Fat Loud
January 09, 2012
My second album Fat Loud was published on MNMN Records. Please, visit Music section for more Electronic soul sounds.
- Animal Planet
June 12, 2011
My first album Animal Planet was published on Russian music label MNMN Records. Please, visit Music section for more info.
July 08, 2010I helped Catapult studio with this environment project called The Rich Mansion. Lots of work were done and my task was in making a concept, modeling of entire environment, shading, lighting, rendering and post processing.
3D Total: Making Of Steam Traveler
November 12, 2009
3D Total published Making Of Steam Traveler on their website. There you can find tips how I made this piece of art. Click here to read this tutorial.
- 3D Artist Issue 8November 02, 2009
My work Steam Traveler was published in 3D Artist Magazine Issue 8. It's look fantastic!
- Steam TravelerAugust 27, 2009I wanted to do this heavy machine long time ago, but hands were busy with other things.Finally I found free time between commertial projects and finished my new work called Steam Traveler. This locomotive almost an old grand-dad in history, which traveled a lot and probably saw the whole world. I am crazy with trains and stuffs like this, so I have put all my efforts to make this picture and to salute this iron monster. Click here to see more info.
- Vizworld: Hair And Fur Tutorial
September 20, 2009
Vizworld published my tutorial about how I made fur for cat with standart 3D Max Hair and Fur modifier. There are few technique to achive good result with Hair and Fur in this this tutorial. Hope you find somthing useful inside it. You can read this tutorial here.
- CG Arena Volume 4, Issue 4
September 09, 2009
The Dreams Of Street Cat was published in CG Arena Magazine August-September Issue 4. In this Issue you can find tutorial about how I made this poor cat. Big thanks to all CG Arena team!
- The Dreams Of Street CatAugust 08, 2009At last I finished my new work called The Dreams Of Street Cat. The task of this work was in learning how to use 3D Max Hair and Fur in example of some animal. I decided to create poor cat that wish to appear in simple place. She doesn't need anything, she doesn't care about problems, she doesn't think what will be tomorrow or what was yesterday, she only needs one thing - Kitekat.
- Evermotion: Making Of Spider
August 01, 2009
- 3D Creative Issue 47
May 24, 20
Thanks to all 3D Total team!
- SpiderApril 16, 2009
It is my first personal work called Spider published on my website and on other web resources about 3D. An idea of this work was in creation of mechanical spider collected from different old details and done with some rough instuments. Basically I was trying to do some steampunk work. To see another few pictures click here.
All works © Andrew Averkin 2013.
Please do not reproduce without the expressed written consent of Andrew Averkin.
Please do not reproduce without the expressed written consent of Andrew Averkin.


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Buccaneers sign Eric LeGrand
Updated: May 2, 2012, 7:08 PM ETBy Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- In a symbolic gesture, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand, whose playing career was ended by a spinal cord injury, on Wednesday morning.
LeGrand played for Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers. In a game Oct. 16, 2010, against Army, LeGrand suffered fractures of two vertebrae and a spinal cord injury.
Schiano called LeGrand's mother in New Jersey to let her know of his intention the night before breaking the news to his ...
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SOURCE: Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR)
November 13, 2012 /3BL Media/ - Dear CBSR Members and Supporters:
It was just over a year ago that the CBSR Board of Directors informed you of our commitment to "a strategic review and renewal to ensure CBSR's relevance and leadership in a rapidly evolving Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) marketplace." We engaged many of you in the discussion, conducting focus groups across the country and surveying current and past members of CBSR. The feedback was clear and consistent - CBSR had been an important and relevant force in the development of CSR & sustainability in Canada for over a decade; but, that relevancy was diminishing and we needed to change.
What followed this analysis was a long and at times difficult process that required a restructuring of CBSR and the development of a new business model, mandate and value proposition. On behalf of the Board of Directors I want to thank the CBSR staff, our members and numerous associates and partners that have been supportive and contributed to this process. Yesterday, at CBSR's 10th Annual Summit in Toronto we announced the conclusion of the Strategic Renewal and launched the new CBSR.
The new CBSR will be built on the legacy of the organization's 17 years of leadership in the Canadian CSR & sustainability community. It will be a more agile and focused CBSR. It will exist exclusively to continue the organization's role as the network and key resource in Canada for individuals and companies small and large on the issue of corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Membership in CBSR in 2013, will be based on a much lower membership fee, open to all; and, revolve around access to a member's only web site, regular events to be held across the nation and of course the premier CSR event in Canada, the Summit held every fall.
At the end of November a full package outlining the membership structure and benefits will be sent to all current CBSR members, and details will be available at www.cbsr.ca.
Steven Fish will lead the new CBSR, in the role of Executive Director. Steven has been with CBSR for over 2½ years and been a leader in the non-advisory services functions of the organization - namely business development and member services. Steve will manage a small operational team in Toronto, supported by associates from across Canada. The Board is currently considering new Directors to support and advise Steven and the team in this new direction.
CBSR has been an important and relevant player in the evolution of the CSR and sustainability community in Canada. We are pleased that we have identified a new role for CBSR to continue this contribution.
We thank our members and many supporters for their patience and continued support of CBSR.
Rob Moore
CBSR Board Director
Don Rolfe
CBSR Board Chair
Tweet me: Many thanks members & supporters for your patience & continued support. Future of CBSR - Final Strategic Renewal Update http://bit.ly/QCG8S4
KEYWORDS: Business & Trade, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability Business, Community, cbsr, Canadian Business, social responsibility, csr, business strategy, CSR Strategy, Strategic Renewal, networking, CSR Events, CSR resources, Leadership


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Even if the Israeli diplomat strike drags on until the end of May, the Pope's visit to the Holy Land is definitely going ahead. This is the prevailing view in Jerusalem, reports Vatican Insider.
The opinion has been confirmed by a number of sources, given that the details of the Pope's visit were defined before the union unrest.
The impossibility of following the Israeli ceremonial protocol usually reserved for such occasions could cause logistical difficulties but the belief is that the other ministries involved and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office would be able to guarantee the Holy See the administrative support required for the visit. Even though this may irritate diplomats.
The Holy See has informed Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority that Pope Francis will speak exclusively in Italian during his visit at the end of May. A number of possibilities were considered but the final decision requires governments to guarantee translations from the language of Dante.
Sources close to the bilateral commissions in charge of preparations explained that 'Pope Francis only speaks in Spanish in contexts where this language is used by everyone.' This is why Italian is the chosen language for his Middle East trip.
The Pope's trip will go ahead despite the Israeli diplomat strike (Vatican Insider)
Belfast council votes to invite Pope Francis to city – a move Unionists brand 'a stunt' (The Tablet)


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Dublin's only year-round venue for lunchtime drama, this café theatre is an elegant and intimate space that has a reputation for staging exciting,...78 Grafton Street
This well-appointed suburban theatre also has studio space, an art gallery, a handy bar and a brand-new café. Like the Civic, Draiocht acts as a receiving...Blanchardstown Centre
The Gaiety is a lovely Victorian chocolate box-style theatre that hosts the Christmas pantos and the spring opera season. It also caters for classic Irish...King Street South
The Gaiety is a spacious, old-time concert hall whose main trade is opera and theatre, but it has given space to rock performers like the Divine Comedy and...King Street South
This performance space on the northern campus of Dublin City University is home to three separate venues, and hosts a wide variety of theatre, music and...Dublin City University
This old-style variety theatre - it was Dublin's first music hall - retains its physical characteristics (many of them authentically worn) but has largely...72 Dame Street
A conglomeration of custom-designed theatre and performance spaces as well as a gallery, Project (as it is known locally) was founded back in the 1960s but...39 East Essex Street
PAC began 40 years ago as a visual arts project in the foyer of the Gate, before settling into these refurbished premises in 2000. The building's three...39 Essex Street East


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Monthly Archives: October 2011
Spin The Life Insurance Wheel of Fortune: A Sure Bet
Spinning the wheel on the mega-popular TV show Wheel of Fortune is never a sure bet. Viewers hold their collective breath each night as contestants take chance after chance spinning that fickle wheel. They risk landing on the ominous black BANKRUPT wedge… or on that glittering $5,000 silver wedge. The game's fortunes are extreme— from rags to riches. There is no strategy to the spin.. just pure chance and luck. It's … Read More
Columbus Day Weekend Dangers: On The Water & On The Road
Like many holiday weekends, this upcoming Columbus Day observance is rife with dangers resulting from driving and boating. In beach and water-surrounded areas of the country— such as South Florida— numerous boating accidents and fatalities generally occur during this time period. That is why the U-S Coast Guard and a unified command of federal, state and local agencies, announced that they will be patrolling the waters and conducting safety and … Read More
Term Life Insurance 101: Top Things to Know
If you are shopping for term life insurance or considering if you need it, let's break it down to the simplest things you need to know. Term life insurance 101 crash course First of all, let's understand that life insurance policies fall into two categories: term life insurance and whole life a/k/a cash value life insurance. Term policies provide pure coverage for a specific length of time… up to 30 … Read More


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LONDON - Sky has signed a deal with Classic FM as part of a wider campaign to get consumers to reappraise the brand, marking its first sponsorship with the radio station.
Sky will sponsor 'Drivetime with Mark Forrest' for three months from today. During each show, Sky will receive 10 sponsorship credits lasting 10 seconds each, and a 40-second advertorial. Trails will also be played through the week across Classic FM.
The six-figure deal was negotiated by Classic FM media partnerships executive Lydia Arrowsmith and Sky's head of promotions Bob Suppiah.
BSkyB marketing director Charles Ponsonby said: "With this targeted marketing activity, we aim to stimulate a reappraisal of Sky's content by Classic FM listeners."
BSkyB recently launched a marketing campaign to encourage consumers to reconsider the Sky brand and the range of content available to combat slowing subscriber growth.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the Forum here.


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Economic Data & Reports
Market Challenges
The Ethiopian economy is going through a slow process of economic reform and liberalization; however, the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) remains heavily involved in most economic sectors. The government retains control over the utilities sector, as well as telecoms, and prohibits foreign ownership of banking, insurance, and financial services companies. State-owned enterprises and political ruling-party owned entities dominate the economic landscape, reducing room for the private sector to flourish, although many of the subsidiaries of these entities themselves seek joint venture and equity partners. The state-owned telecommunications company, Ethio Telecom (ET), offers slow, expensive, and unreliable phone and Internet services. As of June 2011, there were 10.5 million mobile phone subscribers and 128,000 Internet subscribers. Residential and commercial ADSL (broadband) services were announced in April 2011 and introduced in Q3 2011. The prohibition on foreign financial services institutions from operating in Ethiopia and the undeveloped regulatory environment have resulted in a limited and weak financial sector. All land is owned by the state and cannot be purchased or sold, but can be leased on a long-term basis of up to 99 years. A land-lease regulation passed in late 2011 places limits on duration of construction projects, allows for revaluation of leases at a government-set benchmark rate, places previously owned land ("old possessions") under leasehold, and restricts transfer of leasehold rights. Intermittent power outages used to force factories to cease operations during peak periods in 2010, but such critical shortages have been largely resolved in 2011. The GOE is currently making significant investments in big hydroelectric project construction (using both external loans and its own resources). Ethiopia's judicial system is poorly staffed and inexperienced, particularly with respect to commercial disputes. The GOE recently established a new court system dedicated to resolving commercial disputes more efficiently. Under this new system, if a company includes an arbitration clause in its contract, it can apply for services from the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Institute and bypass some inefficiencies of the judicial system. Lack of access to finance is a hindrance for local businesses. Lending caps placed on commercial banks were lifted in April 2011 (ostensibly to control money supply expansion and inflation). However, this legislation was replaced with a much more stringent directive that forces banks to purchase central bank bills to the tune of 27% of their loans and advances at an interest of 3% (lower than the cost of funds at 5%) and bill maturity of five years. As a result, bank liquidity and capacity to supply credit is seriously threatened. The central bank recently reduced reserve and liquidity requirements of banks from 15% and 25% to 10% and 20%, respectively. However, the business and finance community widely acknowledges that this measure alone cannot improve the situation dramatically 'apart from short term liquidity shortage relief'. The GOE's de facto requirement that imports be transported by state-owned Ethiopian Shipping Lines (ESL) has caused severe delivery delays and high transportation costs for importers. ESL also requires payment in foreign exchange for services. In January 2011, the GOE announced price controls for 18 commodities/consumables based on allegations of price gouging by major traders. In June 2011, the GOE lifted these price controls.
Market Opportunities
However, Ethiopia is endowed with abundant agricultural resources and has diverse ecological zones. In 2009, the GOE shifted its agricultural policy focus towards encouraging private investment (both domestic and foreign) in larger-scale commercial farms. The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) created a new Agricultural Investment Support Directorate that is currently negotiating long-term leases on over seven million acres of land for these commercial farms. GOE also seeks to attract investors through incentives for priority export sectors - textiles/garments, leather, horticulture/floriculture and agro-processing. Many Ethiopian goods are eligible for duty-free access to the U.S. market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The GOE has also made a recent push towards encouraging the local manufacturing of goods as a means of import substitution and eventual reduction of its trade deficit. Leading non-agricultural sectors for U.S. trade and investment include: renewable energy, information technology and communications (ICT), construction, tourism and aviation. Main U.S. exports to Ethiopia include: aircraft, trucks/vehicles, spare car parts, medical equipment, and pharmaceuticals. The GOE has developed a list of approximately 200 eServices or electronic services needed to be developed in the next several years. Nearly all tenders issued by the GOE's Privatization and Public Enterprises Supervising Agency (PPESA) are open to foreign participation. Most of the 310 public enterprises sold since 1994 have been small enterprises in the trade and service sectors. There are several examples of big privatized enterprises such as four breweries which were acquired by foreign enterprises including Heineken (Holland) and Diageo (UK). About 50 public enterprises remain under PPESA control.
Selected Ethiopia Economic Highlights
- Ethiopia ranks 111th out of 183 countries in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business report 2012.
- Ethiopia's population of approximately 84 million makes it one of the largest markets in Africa. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita was about $376 in the fiscal year (FY) 2010/2011 (Ethiopia's fiscal year ends on July 7), but overall GDP growth for the past five years has averaged 11% annually, according to Ethiopian Government figures. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund estimated FY 2010/2011's growth at 7.5%, while GOE stated it was 11.4%.
- Nominal GDP was $31.7 billion in FY 2010/11. Agriculture accounted for 41% of GDP and employed over 80% of the population. Approximately 85% of Ethiopia's population lives in rural areas.
- Year-on-year inflation peaked at 64% in July 2008, declined to the single digits in 2009 and 2010, but crept upwards to 14.5% in December 2010, 17.7% in January 2011, 38.15% in June 2011 and peaked at 40.6% in August 2011, driven mainly by a sharp increase in food prices. Year-on-year inflation declined to 39.3% in November 2011 and 32% in January 2012.
- Real interest rates are negative, as the minimum bank deposit rate of 5%, bond yield of 5.5%, treasury bills yield of less than 2%, and simple average rate of 12.25% are far lower than inflation.
- The GOE depreciated the Birr by over 90% against the U.S. Dollar since November 2007. As of February 2012, the Birr traded at 17.31 per U.S. Dollar. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi announced in February 2011 that no major currency devaluations would take place in the next five years.
- Ethiopia suffers from a continual significant trade deficit, though a declining trend appeared last year. In FY 2010/2011, exports totaled $2.75 billion, while imports stood at $8.25 billion, leading to a trade deficit of $5.5 billion, which is very high but significantly lower than the $6.4 billion of last fiscal year.
- Ethiopia's major exports include coffee, oil seeds, gold, chat, flowers, pulses, and live animals. Coffee is the leading export, constituting 30.6%% of total exports by value in FY 2010/11 followed by gold, which comprised 17% of total exports.
- The country's main imports include petroleum products, machinery, metal products, agricultural and industrial chemicals, fertilizers, medical and pharmaceutical products, and food grains.
- The major sources of Ethiopian imports in FY 2010/11 were: China (15.6%), Saudi Arabia (9%), India (7.2%), UAE (7%), Japan (5.4%), Italy (4.5%), Turkey (3.5%), and United States (3.4%). The U.S. was the eighth largest import source, providing mainly grain and aircraft to Ethiopia.
- Ethiopia's top five export destinations in FY 2010/11 were: Switzerland (17%), Germany (11.5%), China (9.1%), Somalia (8.2%), and the Netherlands (6%). The U.S. was Ethiopia's eight largest export destination (4.4%), mainly through purchases of coffee, oil seeds, and textiles/garments.
- For calendar year 2011, Ethiopia's imports from the United States totaled $690 million, with Boeing aircraft accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total. Ethiopian exports to the United States in 2011 totaled $144.4 million, implying a $545.5 million deficit.
- U.S. businesses in Ethiopia are primarily involved in the following industries: soft drinks, aircraft sales, construction equipment, equity investments, real estate, agricultural machinery, farming, and engineering services.
- Chinese companies are active in Ethiopia's infrastructure sectors, while Indian and Saudi Arabian firms are mainly involved in the agricultural sectors. Dutch companies play a prominent role in the floriculture sector.
- National elections were held in May 2010 with a landslide victory by the incumbent ruling party that has been in power since 1991.
- Since its' inception in late 2010, GOE is implementing the five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) which envisages 11% annual average GDP growth as a base case scenario and 14.9% annual GDP growth as a high case growth scenario. This has been widely labeled (including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank) as ambitious, with large uncovered financial needs.