text:
|Nashville, Tennessee, United States
|Modern worship, CCM
|Years active
|Gotee, INO, Resonate
|Rick Heil
Ron Robinson
Phil Snowden
Derek Wyatt
Chris Bevins
|Past members
|See: Members
Sonicflood (sometimes stylized as SONICFLOOd) is an American contemporary worship music band from Nashville, Tennessee. The band originally formed in 1997 under the name, "Zilch". The group took the name "Sonicflood", a reference to a line in the Book of Revelation, chapter 19, verse 6,[1] in 1998 as they became known as a praise and worship band following some line-up changes.
They released their debut album at a time when such music was gaining commercial success in the Christian music industry. In turn, their success fed the contemporary worship music genre, expanding its appeal.[2]
Since their debut, Sonicflood has sold almost two million albums, and produced top worship hits (often as covers) including "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever", "Resonate", "Cry Holy" and "Here I am to Worship". In the early years of their existence, the group earned two Dove awards and three further nominations, and one Grammy nomination. Additionally, their eponymous debut took Gold status, and spawned several No. 1 hits on Christian radio.
Sonicflood's line-up has changed significantly from its original band, partially due to disagreements over the artistic direction that they should take. These conflicts eventually left the band with no founding members. With Rick Heil at the helm since 2000, the band has continued to release albums and tour internationally.
As Zilch[edit]
Zilch began as dc Talk's traveling band, forming into an independent act in 1997. The initial recording lineup was lead singer and guitarist Mark Lee Townsend, keyboardist Jason Halbert, bassist Otto "Sugar Bear" Price and drummer Rick May.[3] Zilch released its first album, Platinum, in 1997 on Gotee Records but received little publicity.[3] Platinum featured a modern rock sound with clear influences from 1960s pop music.[4] One review cited the sound as being similar to that of All Star United,[5] and another to Weezer plus pop and hip-hop influences.[6]
This release was not praise and worship music, which the band would soon become known for, but contained more standard fare, including songs on topics like friendship, complacency,[5] and priorities.[6] Overall, the band was characterized as not taking themselves seriously,[7] for instance by including a cover of the Schoolhouse Rock! song "My Hero, Zero",[5] and reflected in the band's name, which was taken from the song by the same name written by The Monkees.[3] Likewise, the title of the album was a play on their own status as musicians. "We're appointing ourselves superstars with a 'Platinum' album..." Jason Halbert told one reporter, "That basically means Zilch!," [4] Their song "In The Sky" is an answer to two hits at the time, Joan Osborne "One of Us" and Dishwalla "Counting Blue Cars", opening with the line, "... she asked if God was just a slob like us, well maybe something there is lacking," the second verse begins with, "Let me tell you all my thoughts on God, cause I just met with Him this morning..."
In early 1998 Mark Lee Townsend stepped down from the role of lead singer and was replaced by then-independent artist Jeff Deyo.[8] Zilch would play shows, sometimes ending them with a praise song such as "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High."[9] The band found that playing such music changed the nature of audience interaction with their performance, in positive ways.[9]
Formation of Sonicflood[edit]
"We had misconceptions of what [praise and worship] was... Our idea in the past was that it had to be acoustic guitar, piano, and organ. Now, all of that goes out the window."
Their label took notice as well, and eventually suggested that the band consider recording a full-length praise and worship album. This idea was initially met with resistance from the band,[9] which was already in the process of recording a second album under the title Millennium. Eventually, the band agreed to do a praise and worship as a one-off, with no intention of continuing beyond the single album.[9] However, as the recording progressed, the band decided to commit to the project.[9][11] Jeff Deyo characterized the band's name change as a sign of that commitment, saying that it was similar to the story of the conversion of Paul of Tarsus.[9]
Sonicflood began rotating personnel making changes that would heavily impact the future of the band. Otto Price played bass, co-produced, and shared some writing credits on the album, but not wanting to continue touring, dropped out of the core band.[12] Price would eventually take the spot of vice president of A&R at Word Records.[13] Mark Lee Townsend did similarly, and was listed on Sonicflood as an additional musician. Already an industry veteran, he went on to produce albums for The OC Supertones and Relient K, among others. Additionally, he intended to release a second project under the name Zilch. However, despite occasional status updates throughout the first decade of the 2000s, that album is yet unreleased.
Seven Day Jesus guitarist Dwayne Larring and drummer Aaron Blanton became members of the band, bringing their number to four. The original lineup, under which the album Sonicflood was recorded consisted of Deyo, Halbert, Blanton, and Larring. Heil, then the Big Tent Revival bass guitar player, took over on bass guitar in early 1999 before Sonicflood began touring, but did not appear on the album.[12]
Sonicflood and Sonicpraise[edit]
Sonicflood released its debut album in February 1999. With this release, the band became one of many bands in the burgeoning genre of praise and worship music, joining Delirious?, Hillsong, Matt Redman, and others at a time when the genre was a fast-growing part of the Christian music industry.[14] The album landed on Billboard charts including the Billboard 200, the top 10 Christian albums, and peaking at No. 2 on the Heatseekers Chart.[11] The band would stay on the top 10 Christian album charts well into the year 2000 (for over 72 weeks),[15] and becoming possibly the best known praise and worship band in America.[16]
The release had two No. 1 hits on Christian radio, "I Want to Know You" (written by Andy Park) and "I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever" (written by Martin Smith of Delirious?), and several lesser charting singles. The latter was probably their most well known song,[17] and would gain an additional Dove nomination the following year, in the "Song of the Year" category. The band garnered three Dove Award nominations in 2000 and one win, for "Praise and Worship Album". In 1999 the band recorded a live album at the Flevo Festival but featuring content from other shows as well.[11] Originally scheduled for a late 2000 release, changes in the band's structure would delay the album until 2001. .
In the fall of 1999 the band toured with speaker Josh McDowell. The following Spring Sonicflood joined the "Love Liberty Disco Tour", headlined by the Newsboys.[18] The band also recorded a track for the compilation album City on a Hill with Peter Furler as lead vocalist. This release would take a Dove award for "Special Event Album" in 2001, although by that time the band would bear no resemblance to the one which recorded it.
Sonicflood dissolved throughout the year 2000, citing differences over the vision of the band.[19] Issues that led to the band dissolving included whether the band should return to a more conventional musical strain or continue making praise and worship music[9][19] and how the band should sound.[12] These were complicated by the fact that the band had no true leadership; the original arrangement was equal ownership for each member.[12] In a corporate fashion, this meant that each one had equal say in the direction of the band.[12]
Jeff Deyo resigned in May 2000 at the behest of the remaining members.[19] In later interviews, he stated that he viewed what happened as himself having been laid off.[12] Dean Rush, the lead singer of the New Zealand worship band Form and who had previously played with the Newsboy's Phil Joel, was recruited as lead singer, but lasted only a short time.[20] In summer 2000, various radio stations were sent a sneak preview CD of the live Sonicpraise concert recordings with Rush on lead vocals. Since this was a rough cut, these tracks received little if any airplay. This is a collector's item for those who can find it. By the fall of that year, all members except Heil had departed.[19] During this period the disagreements between members escalated into legal threats.[19] It was reported that Larring and Blanton were pushed out under pressure directly from Heil.[21] For his part, Heil denies using any form of legal action.[21] Heil took the role of lead singer and began recruiting new members to fill the band's touring obligations.[22]
This turmoil led to the delay of their live album because the now-departed members owned the name Sonicflood, which in turn prevented any publishing under it.[12][21] By spring 2001, Sonicflood had gone Gold and the legal complexities that surrounded the band's name and ownership had been resolved.[21] Sonicpraise, the live album recorded in 1999, was finally released. Similar to their eponymous album, it featured a mix of songs from that Sonicflood and new covers written by other praise artists.[23] This album earned a Grammy nomination for "Best Gospel Rock Album", and the band was on Billboard charts once again.[11]
Jeff Deyo went on to sign with Gotee, releasing a series of praise and worship albums under his own name. Aaron Blanton joined By the Tree as their drummer, eventually becoming their lead singer and guitarist, which he remains to this day. Halbert and Larring formed a production company, based in Los Angeles.
Gotee Records continues to release Sonicflood products from time to time. These albums include Gold (a 2004 re-release of both Gotee albums with some bonus material[24]), The Early Years in 2006 (which contains a mix of songs from the same,[25]) and an installment in the Open Mic Karaoke series.[26]
Under Rick Heil[edit]
With Heil at the helm, the band recruited Tom Michael, Todd Shay and Brett Vargason, each of whom were members of the John Cox Band and David "Moose" Alan, who played keyboards for Big Tent Revival.[11] The band switched record labels, leaving Gotee and partnering with newly formed INO Records. Heil began developing a praise and worship album, designing it similarly to the band's 1999 release, with a mix of covers and original songs.[21] The result of these efforts became Resonate, released in the fall of 2001. Owing to the completely new lineup, the sound of Resonate deviates from that of Sonicflood. The album has a largely electronic sound which was cited as unpolished, like a debut record.[27][28] Their 2003 release Cry Holy takes an acoustic rock sound, drawing comparisons to Chris Tomlin.[27]
Following the 2005 release of This Generation, the band toured internationally, recording their performances along the way.[29] While in Muslim-dominated Turkey the band filmed a music video for their song "This Generation".[30] Sonicflood toured with sponsorship by Compassion International in the Spring of 2006, and continued to tour in Europe in the Summer.[30] These recordings were released as Glimpse: Live Recordings From Around The World in fall 2006.[29] As support for Glimpse, the band embarked on a United States tour, with sponsorship from the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board, and included missionaries as speakers.[29]
In 2007, the band appeared on Trinity Broadcasting Network's Praise the Lord to promote their appearance at an upcoming World Harvest Church-sponsored event.[31] Bandleader Rick Heil appeared again the following year, in support of A Heart Like Yours, telling the story of his healing from Crohn's disease[32] Heil contracted the disease at the age of 11, and was afflicted with it for 26 years.[33] Heil's case was particularly bad and, he was told, incurable, leaving his only hope for cure in miracles. While Heil does not profess to have experienced a miracle per se, he does say that "Jesus is the great physician... the healer of the heart, the soul, the mind."[33]
A Heart Like Yours has a rock and piano-dominated sound.[34] One critic labeled the release as having a "pseudo-worship/pop album" feel, and noted lyrics "which don't fit very well within the worship genre", at least on some songs.[35]
In 2009, guitarist Phil Baquie received notice of his military unit's activation, and orders to deploy to Afghanistan in October as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.[36] Though not yet a United States citizen, Baquie is in the military reserve, which is a possible path to citizenship. Baquie's final album appearance was on their 2009 Christmas album, When Love First Cried.
- as Zilch
- 1997 — Platinum
- as Sonicflood
- 1999 — Sonicflood
- 2001 — Sonicpraise (live album)
- 2001 — Resonate
- 2003 — Cry Holy
- 2004 — Gold (best-of compilation)
- 2005 — This Generation
- 2006 — The Early Years (compilation)
- 2006 — Glimpse: Live Recordings from Around the World (live album)
- 2008 — A Heart Like Yours
- 2009 — When Love First Cried (Christmas album)
Awards and nominations[edit]
- 2000 — Dove Award for Praise and Worship Album: Sonicflood
- 2000 — Dove nomination for New Artist of the Year
- 2000 — Dove nomination for Rock Recorded Song Of The Year: "I Have Come to Worship"
- 2000 — Nashville Music Award nomination for Contemporary Christian Album: Sonicflood
- 2001 — Dove Award for Special Event of the Year: City on a Hill: Songs of Worship and Praise
- 2001 — Dove nomination for Song of the Year: "I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever"
- 2002 — Grammy nomination for "Best Gospel Rock Album": Sonicpraise
Current members[edit]
- Rick Heil — lead vocals, guitar (2000–present (formerly bass guitar with Big Tent Revival)
- Ron Robinson — lead guitar/vocals/band music director (2009–present) formerly guitar with Everlife)
- Phil Snowden — bass guitar (2013–present)
- Chris Bevins — keyboards/vocals (2013–present) currently keyboards/vocals and band manager with Salvador)
- Derek Wyatt — drums (2013–present) formerly drums with Kelly Clarkson)
Former members[edit]
- Lead vocals
- Jeff Deyo (1999–2000)
- Dean Rush (2000)
- Bass guitar
- Otto Price (1998–1999)
- Rick Heil (1999–2000) (switched to lead vocals exclusively)
- Tom Michael (2000–2004)
- Bryan Willard (2004–2005)
- Grant Norsworthy (2005–2007)
- Drums
- Aaron Blanton (1999–2000)
- Brett Vargason (2000–2004)
- Ben Showalter (2004–2005)
- Chris Kimmerer (2006–2009)
- Chris Knight (2009–2010)
- Keyboards
- Jason Halbert (1999–2000)
- David Alan (2000–2004) (also in Big Tent Revival)
- McKendree Tucker (2008–2009)
- Guitar
- Dwayne Larring (1999–2000)
- Todd Shay (2000–2004)
- Trey Hill (2004–2005)
- Jordan Jameson (2004–2005)
- Phil Baquie (2008–2009)
- ^ Dietor-Hartley, Shannon (December 1999). "Album Advice / Sonicflood". Church Musician Today. 3 (4): 28. ISSN 0009-6466.
- ^ Riddle, Melissa (May 29, 2000). "Modern Worship Music Booms". CCM Update. OCLC 22937802.
- ^ a b c Powell (2002). "Zilch". Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. pp. 1065–1066.
- ^ a b Brown, Bruce A. (September–October 1997). "Bankshots: Zilch". 7ball (14): 34. ISSN 1082-3980.
- ^ a b c Bumgarner, David (September–October 1997). "Reviews: Platinum". 7ball (14): 44. ISSN 1082-3980.
- ^ a b Crabbe, Betrand (January–February 1998). "Tools / Music / Zilch Platinum". YouthWorker Journal. 19 (3): 60, 62. ISSN 0747-3486.
- ^ Taylor, Sean (December 1997). "Reviews / Platinum". CBA Marketplace. 30 (12): 70. ISSN 1092-7239. OCLC 36184061.
- ^ "Who's That Guy?". Zilch Online. January 15, 1998. Archived from the original on July 2, 1998.
- ^ a b c d e f g Chismar, Janet (December 28, 2001). "Jeff Deyo Traces the Road to and From Sonicflood". Crosswalk.com.
- ^ Carlozo, Lou (November 1999). "The Latest Craze". CCM Magazine. 22 (5): 40–42, 44. ISSN 1524-7848.
- ^ a b c d e Cooksey, G. (2005). "SONICFLOOd". In Pilchak, Angela M. Contemporary Musicians. Volume 51. Farmington Hills, Michigan: Gale Group. pp. 150–152. ISBN 0-7876-8064-8. ISSN 1044-2197.
- ^ a b c d e f g Parrish, Robin (2004). "A Conversation with Jeff Deyo".
- ^ "Word Entertainment Announces Changes to A&R Department". Cmspin.com.
- ^ McCabe, Ginny (July 1999). "Praise & Worship Music Changing for the Millennium". CBA Marketplace. 32 (7): 222. ISSN 1092-7239. OCLC 36184061.
- ^ "Christian Retail Top Albums". CCM Update. July 17, 2000. OCLC 22937802.
- ^ "Truth Be Told". CCM Magazine. 28 (3): 9. September 2005. ISSN 1524-7848.
- ^ Moring, Mark (Jan–Feb 2001). "'I Could Sing of Your Love Forever'". Campus Life. 59 (6): 20. ISSN 0008-2538.
- ^ "Sonicflood on tour with the Newsboys". Cross Rhythms (56). April 2000.
- ^ a b c d e Franklin, Malia; Brasher, Joan (September 4, 2000). "Key Member Exits Spell Uncertain Future for Sonicflood, Burlap". CCM Update. OCLC 22937802.
- ^ "Sonicflood get new lead in Dean Rush". Cross Rhythms (59). October 2000.
- ^ a b c d e Akins, Debra; Hendrickson, Lucas W. (May 21, 2001). "Sonicflood Makes Label Jump Following Turbulent Year". CCM Update. OCLC 22937802. • Partial reprint: "Sonicflood to sign to Jeff Moseley's INO Music label". Cross Rhythms (63). July 2001.
- ^ "Sonicflood change band line up". Cross Rhythms (60). December 2000.
- ^ Powell, Mark Allan (2002). "Sonicflood". Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (First printing ed.). Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. pp. 845–846. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.
- ^ Castle, Nick (July 2004). "Gold Review". Cross Rhythms (81).
- ^ Jones, Ewan (November 2, 2006). "The Early Years Review". Cross Rhythms.
- ^ Toller, Richard (July 2004). "Open Mic Karaoke: Sonicflood Vol 1 Review". Cross Rhythms (81).
- ^ a b Ake, Colin (January 3, 2003). "Cry Holy Review". Jesus Freak Hideout.
- ^ Cummings, Tony (November 2001). "Resonate Review". Cross Rhythms (66).
- ^ a b c "*Friday, September 1st, 2006* Sonicflood". Jesus Freak Hideout / The M Collective [ Newswire ]. September 1, 2006.
- ^ a b "*Tuesday, January 24th, 2006* Sonicflood". Jesus Freak Hideout / The M Collective [ Newswire ]. January 24, 2006.
- ^ Sonicflood (April 16, 2007). "*Monday, April 16th, 2007* Sonicflood". Jesus Freak Hideout.
- ^ "Healing Touch". Cross Rhythms. September 10, 2008.
- ^ a b Freeman, Huey (May 12, 2006). "Touching His Cloak: Sonicflood musician learns the age of miracles isn't over". Herald & Review. Decatur, IL.
- ^ Willoughby, Peter (January 18, 2009). "A Heart Like Yours Review". Cross Rhythms.
- ^ Dawson, Adam (August 7, 2008). "A Heart Like Yours Review". Jesus Freak Hideout.
- ^ "SONICFLOOd Guitarist Leaves For Afghanistan". Jesus Freak Hideout. October 22, 2009.


text:
"Maybe you bought this book because you love Sarah Palin and you want to find reasons to hate me," she writes in "Bossypants" (Reagan Arthur Books/Little, Brown, $26.99).
"We've got that! I use all kinds of elitist words like 'impervious' and 'torpor,' and I think gay people are just as good at watching their kids play hockey as straight people."
If you're a man, she'll thank you kindly for buying her book, but you're not the target audience. Pimply teen-age girls, virginal college co-eds, striving young professional women, overworked moms: This book's for you.
There's a riff about her mother giving her the learning-about-puberty pamphlet "Growing Up and Liking It," which women of a certain age will remember with a cringe. There are chapters called "Remembrances of Being Very Very Skinny" ("I once took a bag of sliced red peppers to the beach as a snack") and "Remembrances of Being a Little Bit Fat" ("My boobs were bigger"). There's an astonishing section about the propensity of male writers at "Saturday Night Live" for peeing into cups and leaving them around the office.
Fey isn't afraid to call herself a feminist, and she approaches sexism with her refreshing sense of humor. Here's her response to nonsense like Christopher Hitchens's 2007 Vanity Fair essay headlined "Why Women Aren't Funny": "It is an impressively arrogant move to conclude that just because you don't like something, it is empirically not good. I don't like Chinese food, but I don't write articles trying to prove it doesn't exist."
Don't buy "Bossypants" looking for deep introspection or a long, tortured explanation of how she got that scar on her face. This is a book of comedic essays along the lines of Nora Ephron or Woody Allen, not a memoir. Fey even plays earnest questions, like whether to have a second child, for laughs. (That dilemma was answered last week, when she announced she was pregnant.)
Naturally, some of the pieces work better than others. A chapter about Fey's romantic foibles at the University of Virginia was a bit slow. But I laughed out loud at her interview for a job as the night box-office manager with what she calls the Tiny Pretentious Theater Company.
"We like to think of ourselves as the most exciting theater company in Chicago," the artistic director said.
"I like to think of myself as the most beautiful woman in the world," Fey replied. "But where will that get either of us, really?"
-- LAURIE MUCHNICK, Bloomberg News

subset: commoncrawl


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Vermont bill would hold nuke to shutdown promiseThe Associated Press | February 07,2013MONTPELIER — Vermont lawmakers are looking to firm up a promise made by the owner of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant that it would take extra steps to clean up the plant's Vernon site after it shuts down.
Entergy Corp. promised when it bought Vermont Yankee in 2002 that it would take steps beyond the minimum required by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to restore the Vermont Yankee site to a green field after electricity is no longer being made there.
The move comes against the backdrop of what the state says are a series of broken promises by Entergy relating to Vermont Yankee.
Chief among those was a promise that it would shut Vermont Yankee down if it had not been able to obtain a new state permit by last March.MORE IN This Just InMONTPELIER After sitting on the Vermont Supreme Court for nearly 30 years, Justice John Dooley... Full StoryBRATTLEBORO Entergy Nuclear says it has found a potential source of water infiltration into... Full StoryMANCHESTER A little more than a week after it was shut down, the website for the town of... Full Story
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17 Flower Craft Ideas: How To Make Paper Flowers, Easy Fabric Flowers and More
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Blooming Irish Flower Pin
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Get in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day with this Blooming Irish Flower Pin. Great for showing off your Irish pride, this ribbon flower is great for accessorizing your jacket, purse, hair, or scarf. Even if it isn't St. Patrick's Day, you can make all kinds of colored roses with this easy-to-follow tutorial. Great for turning into more than just pins, this adorable Irish rose a wonderful way to add a touch of green to your outfit.
- XXL Glue Dots
- Craft Glue Dots
- Green Silk Ribbon by May Arts
- Twine
- Leaves by Maya Road
- Green Leaf Trinket Pins by Maya Road
- Tulle by Maya Road
- Patterned paper
- Pinback
Peel the backing off of an XXL Glue Dot.
Spiral and twist silk ribbon around the XXL Glue Dot by starting in the center and spiraling outward.
Press the ribbon firmly onto the XXL Glue Dot.
Once covered, peel off the clear backing of the XXL Glue Dot and adhere the silk ribbon tail to reverse side.
Adhere leaves and tulle trim around the ribbon tail on the backside of the XXL Glue Dot. Press firmly to secure hold.
Peel off the backing of an XXL Glue Dot and place over the ribbon tail, ends of leaves and tulle (sandwich the ends of the materials between the two XXL Glue Dots).
Punch a circle of patterned paper 2" in diameter to cover the exposed XXL Glue Dots and adhere.
- Use Craft Glue Dots to adhere the pinback to the backside of the flower.
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Margherg5 6179708
Feb 04, 2014
I am having trouble understanding how to make this. Is there a video. Not sure whatXXL glue dots are
Jan 25, 2014
What width ribbon is this?
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Category Archives: // Maternity Portraits
|Roxanne Guinoo Maternity Portraits
|09 Aug 2010
Back in 1991, Demi Moore appeared at Vanity Fair completely nude which became an icon for maternity photography. Annie Leibovitz did a groundbreaking shot that spawned a lot of controversies but was eventually followed and appreciated by several celebrities. Gone are the days where pregnant women are afraid of showing skin during pregnancy but rather celebrating the beauty of an expecting mother.
This is my attempt to bring back the old culture and somewhat an anti-Demi Moore move for Roxanne Guinoo. No skin exposed, just beauty.
CATEGORY: // Maternity Portraits
DISCUSSION: 10 Comments
|Brigitte's Maternity Shoot
|29 Oct 2008
Brigitte is the ever-reliable secretary of Jason Magbanua. Upon knowing that she's pregnant, we already planned for a pictorial but we were not able to schedule it.
It was supposed to be her last day in Jason's office before giving birth, so we decided to have a quick photo shoot. Everything was unplanned. Anyway, it turned out great and I'm happy that the pictures were really "very Brigitte" :)
First, we made a beauty shot.
It really is that big but she can still move very fast in the office. :)
Sexy and innocent? No, we're just playing with poses.
Again, we're playing sexy here. We want to prove that being pregnant is sexier than what you see in Men's magazines. Do you agree?
This is very Brigitte, very happy and fun to be with.
One of my favorites.
Almost same as above. Very dramatic. :)
I'm very excited already to see my "inaanak". I'm a self-appointed ninong. :)
CATEGORY: // Maternity Portraits, // Others
DISCUSSION: 5 Comments
|Minerva & Andrei's Maternity Shoot
|09 Nov 2007
Minerva and I have been conceptualizing a maternity shoot 2 months ago but due to our busy schedules, it's only now that we were able to do it. They arrived at 8PM and we finished at around 1AM but the actual shoot was only an hour and half. Most of them was kwentuhan. :)
This is their first family picture but this is not what they came for. They are not interested with the typical portrait shot.
CATEGORY: // Maternity Portraits
DISCUSSION: Leave a comment
|Monica's Maternity Shoot
|14 Oct 2007
Last Thursday, Monica and Gaddi visited my studio. Monica used to be the lead videographer of Jason until she got married. Here's the result of our quick shoot.
CATEGORY: // Maternity Portraits
DISCUSSION: Leave a comment


text:
State officials now say at least 13 people were killed as storms swept through south Alabama this afternoon, including eight at Enterprise High School.
Yasamie Richardson, of the state EMA, confirmed the eight deaths in Enterprise.
In Montgomery, state officials said five were dead in Wilcox County.
In Enterprise, rescue workers are continuing to sift through rubble at the high school and are trying to remove a wall that collapsed just as students were being dismissed early today.
The storm, that hit about 1 p.m. left the school parking lot looking more like a junkyard with windows blown out in dozens of cars, overturned vehicles and a battered school bus.
Joseph D. Bryant


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Eco-Friendly De-icer Stops Ice Before it Starts!
Do you hate the white residue rock salt leaves behind? Do you worry about what salt de-icers do to your pets? Do you have damage to your lawn and landscaping because of salt, like brown foliage, stunted growth and die-back along walks and driveways? Then you need IceClear, the perfect winter product to prevent ice and snow.
IceClear is a totally new ice prevention technology that is easy to use and won't damage plants, pavement or the environment like salt does. Ideal for home use, IceClear is absolutely safe for lawns, trees or ornamentals in your yard. In fact, IceClear actually fertilizes plants once it breaks down!
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Directions for Use
The amount of IceClear required varies with outside temperature and thickness of snow and ice. One gallon can pre-treat a two-car driveway, plus walkways, multiple times. For best results, use a pressurized sprayer and apply as a pre-treatment prior to snow or ice storms. Pre-treatment 1 to 2 hours before a storm will prevent ice formation and bonding to driveways and walkways, making snow removal quick and easy.
IceClear can be left in the pump sprayer (it does not freeze until -76F) so it is ready to be used just prior to a storm.
Anti-Icing: The most effective use of IceClear is pre-treatment application prior to the start of an icing event. Pre-treatment will prevent ice formation and bonding to concrete. Apply at the rate of 0.5 gallon per 1000 square feet.
De-icing: IceClear is also an excellent de-icer, which can be applied directly to snow and ice. IceClear will penetrate to the driveway or walkway surface, breaking the bond of snow and ice. While the amount of fluid required depends on outside temperature as well as the thickness of the ice film, an application of 1.0 gallon per 1000 square feet is recommended for thin ice and 3.0 gallons per 1000 square feet for ice up to an inch thick.


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NEW YORK — UBS O'Connor, the $6bn hedge-fund unit in the biggest Swiss bank, risks upheaval as senior traders seek to defect after a clampdown on cash bonuses, two people with direct knowledge of the matter have said.
Traders are contacting other hedge funds and recruiters after UBS moved them to a pay structure used throughout the firm, said the people, who requested anonymity because their plans to leave are not public. That resulted in immediate cash bonuses falling by 50% to Sf1m ($1.06m), and some deferred pay being tied to five-year UBS bonds rather than reinvested in O'Connor funds, the people said.
The potential defections show the struggles the biggest banks may face in retaining top traders at internal hedge funds amid shareholder and regulatory pressure on pay and rules that limit how much of a firm's capital can be invested in the funds.
"This structure is analogous to working within a bank," said Ilana Weinstein, CEO of New York-based search firm IDW Group. "But what's the likeness of O'Connor? It's a hedge fund, and this structure is not competitive with working at another hedge fund."
Departures may hamper CEO Sergio Ermotti's efforts to rely more on wealth and asset management while cutting expenses by Sf3.4bn in the next three years. O'Connor manages about one-fifth of UBS's Sf28bn of alternative and quantitative investments, the firm's highest-margin asset-management group. O'Connor invests only client funds — not the bank's, the people said.
"We believe our people choose to be here based on a combination of our team culture, access to client capital and UBS distribution," the head of the alternative and quantitative investments business, Bill Ferri, said. "I am … confident that we can credibly compete while aligning with the long-term interests of our clients and UBS shareholders."
O'Connor offers a global multi-strategy fund, a fundamental market-neutral fund, and several long-short equity funds, according to its website. The unit has about 175 staff, including about 90 front-office employees, according to a person with knowledge of the group. Most of the personnel are based in Chicago, with others in New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo, the person said.
The unit's core Global Multi-Strategy Fund returned more than 8% to investors last year and more than 10% per year since its June 2000 inception, one of the people said. O'Connor's trading teams report to chief investment officer Dawn Fitzpatrick and the group's traders include portfolio manager Kipp Schrage, the person said.
All employees who made more than $250,000 last year had at least 60% of their pay exceeding that amount deferred, UBS said earlier this year. The firm also lowered its cap on immediate cash bonuses to Sf1m last year from Sf2m for 2011. O'Connor traders will get half of their deferred pay in five-year debt that can be cancelled if UBS's Basel 3 tier 1 common ratio drops below 7%, the people said. The ratio under fully applied Basel 3 rules stood at 9.8% on December 31.
O'Connor staff got 40% of their 2011 bonuses in cash, up to Sf2m, and deferred pay was reinvested in O'Connor funds and vested in equal annual instalments over three years, one person said. There were no caps on immediate cash bonuses before 2009, the person said.
Most hedge funds reward employees based on the performance of the funds, with no limits on cash compensation, and deferred pay most often being reinvested in the funds. Consultants who advise institutional investors on which hedge funds to invest with view pay structures like UBS's as a risk, said Ms Weinstein. "They don't like the risk of comp (compensation) being decided by bank CEOs, because you have other competing factors, like driving up the stock and paying other parts of the bank," she said.
"There's not clear alignment between (incentivising) and rewarding your top-performing investment managers within the fund."
UBS's asset-management unit cut personnel costs last year by 7.2% to the lowest level since 2003. That helped the division post the highest pretax profit since 2008. The alternative and quantitative unit produced Sf268m of revenue, 14% of total asset management revenue, and the highest gross margin among UBS's asset-management products.
O'Connor & Associates was founded in 1977 by mathematician Michael Greenbaum, with funding from brothers Edmund and William O'Connor, according to the 1999 book, The Predictors, by Thomas A Bass, who wrote that the firm "made money hand over fist" and "developed a cult of secrecy".


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FedEx Corp. said it would raise rates effective Jan. 7 for FedEx Express and FedEx Ground services. FedEX Express will increase rates an average of 3.5 percent for shipments within the U.S. and for U.S. export shipments, including a $1.35 per package residential delivery charge for non-freight shipments to homes, an increase in the courier pickup charge to $4 and an adjustment to the special handling fees for hazardous goods. FedEx Ground will increase rates an average of 3.5 percent, including an increase in the residential delivery surcharge from $1.30 to $1.35 and an increase in the FedEx Home Delivery surcharge per-package from $1.05 to $1.10.
Intimate Brands Inc. reported third quarter net loss of $10.7 million or 2 cents a share compared to net income of $43.2 million and 9 cents a year ago.
The Limited Inc. reported a third quarter net loss of $11.8 million or 3 cents a share, compared to net income of $49.2 million and 11 cents a year ago.
Apartment Investment and Management Co. directors declared a dividend of 63.125 cents a share on its class Q preferred stock and a dividend of 62.5 cents on its class R preferred stock, both payable on Dec. 17 to shareholders of record on Dec. 3.
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Jackson Photos of the Week
Thursday, April 11, 2013 1:01 PM
Hanover-Horton players flinch during a penalty kick by Columbia Central's Danielle Eastman (13) during their girls soccer at Hanover-Horton High School on Tuesday, April 9. Eastman scored on the kick, giving Columbia Central a 4-0 lead. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)
Related articles
- Jackson Current: Accused murderer could plead guilty; trash ordinance will wait; $20,000 loan for Mexican restaurant; will Concord, Albion share sports teams? April 12, 2013, 6:59 AM
- The all-new Photos of the Week Gallery: A visual recap of stories from the past week with commentary from the photographers April 12, 2013, 10:00 AM


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It's handy to have transportation that circles around the three university campuses in this area.
It's free and great. The area is easy to live in.
Its far away to get, all the way at the other end of campus for me, so that means a good walk, and if it is cold outside don't even think about it.
I guess there's a bus line... I haven't really used it more than once yet. I usually rely on friends to drive me places. I'm originally from the boonies, so I have no idea how to use the bus system and I'm still figuring it out.
I don't know much about transportation other than by car, as I've lived in the city my whole life so I've always just driven where I need to go.
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Transportation services for Concordia students are available, but some are much better than others. The beautiful thing about the bus transit system for the surrounding area is that it is free for college students. With that in mind, however, many people comment that the bus stops are far away from campus and buses pass by too infrequently to be useful. The alternative is to either bring a personal vehicle to school or hail a taxi. The taxi service is not terribly expensive, and most places of importance are within a few miles.
If none of the above are acceptable forms of transportation, many students do have cars on campus and are willing to let others ride with them if they pay for gas every once in a while. But students are, for the most part, comfortable with all of the activities and services on campus. Transportation to places off campus is only necessary when students feel the need to embrace Fargo's nightlife or to stock up on toiletries on the weekends.
Route 1 travels through campus every 30 minutes from 6:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Routes 7 and 8 serve campus at night from 6:45 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. Students ride free with a valid college ID!
(701) 232.7500
The Fargo airport is about 5 miles northwest of campus.
2801 32nd Ave. NW, Fargo
(701) 241-1501
The Amtrak station is located about 2 miles northwest of campus.
420 4th St. N, Fargo
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Free movies offered at Cliffs state park
By From staff reports
Published in News on June 15, 2014 1:50 AM
Cliffs of the Neuse State Park will have Movies by the Lake during July and August. Movies will be shown outdoors at the lake beach. They will start at dusk, about 8:30 p.m. and are free. During the movie, the...
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Lockstep Compensation. Does it Still Merit Consideration?
Mention lockstep compensation for law firm partners and most will roll their eyes and wonder where you have been. Historically a prominent compensation method, the lockstep approach is now the least preferred way of allocating compensation in most of the US. However, in New York and the UK, some of the largest, most profitable and most prestigous law firms maintain a lockstep compensation program—some in pure form and some with various modifications.
The purpose of a compensation program is to support efforts to attract and retain the right people for an organization. A compensation program is comprised of the system that defines the methodology and the process to administer it. The right program is the one that facilitates top quality compensation decisions that are simultaneously supportive of the firm's values and culture, the business strategy and meritocracy (alignment of pay decisions with relative contributions to the organization's success). What research has shown is that top quality decisions are neither system nor process dependent. However, there are methods and processes that firms are increasingly deploying as they grow to aid them in achieving the top quality decision goal. Remember that the power (good or bad) of a compensation program is that it represents the most visible, most tangible expression of what leadership truly values and believes. It is, in the current vernacular, the "walk to your talk." When well executed, it raises leadership's credibility, improves morale and fosters trust.
The conventional wisdom is that lockstep is out of step with the economic consequences of a maturing legal market. As the post–World War II lawyers approach retirement, more and more of the lawyers behind them expect to be paid for their contributions on a current basis and are much less willing to carry a partner (sometimes even for only a short period of time) whose productivity slips. Productivity, business generation, performance driven, merit based are all the coin of the realm. And this author advocates those principles as well. But, the author also says that all programs are capable of achieving that end result. Lockstep requires special care and rigor to do so.
First, because of its generally auto-pilot approach to pay, a lockstep system requires an extraordinarily rigorous and disciplined decision at the point of entry. One must have a very high comfort level that the individual being considered for partnership (and lockstep) will progress throughout his or her career sufficiently to warrant the increasing relative pay that lockstep will bring over time. A natural consequence of such a program is a smaller ownership group. Another may very well be a more cohesive group since the attributes for success are being much more narrowly defined. And a third may be a program that produces a flatter pay range, reaches peak more quickly than the market and eschews the super-star lawyer syndrome.
Arguments for a Lockstep Sytem
What do the advocates say in defense of lockstep?
- It is incredibly supportive of a single firm philosophy. All partners are truly co-owners in this enterprise, to rise and fall together based on their collective efforts. Truly the partnership is only as strong as its weakest contributor, since all will suffer in proportion. The largest law firms circling the globe wrestle with their ability to reinforce the notion of the firm as a single unified partnership.
- There is little internal competition. The only important result is how well we all did. It is the firm's results that matter, and for the firm to succeed we must all succeed.
- Leadership is freed from the tensious, time consuming and increasingly difficult annual ritual of performance assessment and compensation decision making. As law firms grow in size and geographic reach, the magnitude of time and effort seems to expand exponentially. And it is a simple system to administer (or so one hopes).
- It is easier to ask a partner to relocate, take on a difficult assignment, accept a non-traditional role (divergent from practitioner and business generator) when leadership and the individual are freed of the worry about how this might affect one's standing for compensation.
Arguments Against Lockstep
Critics of the lockstep approach also have their list of failings:
- There is no accountability. Once admitted, progress becomes automatic and no reduction in income share is ever experienced. Such a lack of accountability favors the least energetic, least aggressive, and least capable lawyers. It does little to reward hard work, sales ability, or expertise. In such a system, some partners "retire" at their desks long before formal retirement, and yet continue to receive a full share.
- This type of system can be discouraging to the most energetic partners and to those seeking higher incomes. These partners are discouraged by the small impact their individual efforts have on the overall profit of the firm. This inability to affect their own earnings in any substantial way can eventually lead to a considerable level of frustration, and loss of some exceptional partners. This clearly has played out in the global firms, particularly when they grow by merger and acquisition.
A typical lockstep system may involve tiers or points or units to define the structure of the system. Generally the track from admission to a "full share" is about 5 to 15 years with a spread of from 1.5:1 to 3:1 in compensation from high to low.
Refining the System
A number of refinements can be made to a lockstep system to improve its acceptability and preserve its major strengths: simplicity, lack of confrontation, and lack of internal competition (scorekeeping). Let's discuss them in order of increasingly more aggressive change.
- Lengthen the time to full share, which will also increase the spread from top to bottom. This change simply adjusts the lockstep to a more market matching model. Lawyers' compensation typically rises until around the 29 th to 31 st year of practice, and then tends to plateau or slightly decrease until lawyers begin to retire . This partially addresses the concerns some raise about the divergence in contribuion from high to low being more that 1.5:1 to 3:1. However, it also indicates that the admission criteria are not as strict as required by a lockstep program, and possibly more strict than many firms feel they can be to retain seasoned lawyers.
- Modify the track to advance lawyers more quickly in the early years, then more slowly as they age. This change further aligns the program with how the market behaves. It also attempts to address the concern that younger lawyers have about being able to move more quickly up the compensation ladder.
- Insert gates or plateaus into the lockstep. Essentially these changes permit the lockstep to be divided into mini locksteps. To pass through a gate one must be requalified. Some firms see this as a partner decision administered just like the initial admission process. Others view the gates as a system element to be administered by leadership. There are varying degrees of rigor and standards required for an affirmative vote in either situation.
- Allow the lockstep to have a career-end reduction that mirrors the market and provides for an orderly winding down of a partner's career late in life. There are many approaches to this. Some are more rigid with mandatory cycles to begin and end. Others are more flexible in start and/or end dates.
- Allow leadership to alter a partner's movement in the lockstep at any time. Now we are getting into the more actively managed versions of lockstep. This is a bit easier because leadership really only addresses outliers—individuals who are not performing adequately for their position in the lockstep or progressing at the same pace as the lockstep assumes. Some may need to be progressed faster, some slower (or even stopped) and some possibly may even need a downward movement well before retirement. This gets the program in line to recognize greater individuality within the firm. Often the criteria for outliers is crafted to only affect 5% or less of the partners. Statistically it means greater than plus or minus two standard deviations from the mean. In other words, acceptable performance and pace of progression are wide avenues designed to handle most of the partners.
- Introduction of a bonus pool to recognize individuals whose performance in a single year may be materially beyond his/her "class" in the lockstep. Again a wide band of performance is established so the bonus is likely to only affect the 2.5% of the partners who are truly exceptional. Bonuses should be few in number and large in amount. If the bonus you feel is warranted is less than 10% of a person's pay, then the person is probably not performaing at an exceptional level and no bonus should be paid (i.e., no distinction is made).
- Overlay a merit program on top of the lockstep. Here the lockstep represents some portion of total compensation. Generally the merit portion is applied in greater proportion to the total as one climbs the lockstep. For example, the merit portion may be 10% to 15% of total compensation in the first third to half of the locksteps, rising to 15% to 20% over the remaining steps and plateauing at 20% to 40% of total potential compensation once a full share is reached in lockstep.
- Finally, all of the above changes can be done in combinations. Obviously this is limited only by one's imagination and how complicated one wants to make the design. Generally the more simple the approach the easier it will be to implement.
Making it Work
Let's return for a moment to how to make a lockstep work. First, the firm must adopt standards of performance (a "comfort zone" concept developed by Altman Weil ®, Inc. is an appropriate approach). Second, the firm must apply the standards and have zero tolerance for chronic underperformance. In this way, the system's weaknesses are mitigated.
Firm standards should include a specific budget for "firm" time for those partners with managerial or committee assignments. Authorized management time may be credited, wholly or in part, toward time budgets. When an individual accepts a leadership position in a community enterprise, such as a bar presidency or the head of a fund drive, and when the firm approved the activity in advance, a time budget could be established and made part of the quota. Individual partners who consistently fail to achieve the budgeted hours might have their units of participation reduced, until their effort and shares of profit come into balance. Only disability or the expressed advance action of the firm might excuse a partner from meeting budgeted hours. Remember however, that effort, while an important consideration, is less important than results in a compensation decision.
Design the lockstep with 10% differential between levels. Consider increasing that to 15% or even 20% at upper levels of the ladder. This reinforces that level changes are for easily identifable differences in contribution. It also puts faster movement at the bottom of the ladder where it is needed. Finally it helps orient partners towards improving overall profitability as the prime means to raise income.
In conclusion, lockstep can work in a modern law firm. There are some attractive features that align nicely with many values and aspirations law firms have. But, with it, comes the requirement for some rigor in deciding who you let into the system. Quite possibly, it is the most important decision law firm partners make – who is and who is not part of the team.
About the Author
James D. Cotterman is a principal of Altman Weil, Inc., a legal management consultancy headquartered in suburban Philadelphia.


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avenged sevenfold-chapter four
slipknot-**** it all
PSN: zSkill_Palad1n_-
Spinal Tap - Sex Farm (@11 for Prinny )
"I want to be more like the ocean, no talking, all action"
- Jane's Addiction
- Liliane Eva
"The grammar corrections around here are officially old and tired."
- Celeste
Lil Wayne - Lollipop
Yoko Kanno - Inner Universe (Ghost In The Shell opening song)
Mario Strikers: 116076 328448
EA Persona: (FIFA 08) & (MOH:H2) Whoopsfire
Thrice - "Image of the Invisible"
SSBB music.
SSBB code:4553-9644-8994
Pm me if you want to add me. And prepare to lose!
If you need help getting wi-fi, PM me and I will try to help.
-[Join the Master Chief/Samus Fan Club]-
Rehab - "What Do You Want From Me"
RemeberOriginally Posted by [DT]
Damn ive had that on my computer for a few years
Spoiler Alert!
TNOG.ORG - Games events in Manchester
MikeDBloke - PSN
I was into weird games before people knew what they where
@D_Bloke - My inane prattle
Summer Overture - Not sure of who the artist is.
Old Signature"I don't mean to seem like I care about material things, like a social status."
Ripple - Grateful Dead
I've been listening to them a lot lately... But they're just so good and relaxing.
Come Together.


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West Virginia Reads 150+ kicks off program
March 27, 2014 West Virginians are taking part this year in a reading program called "West Virginia Reads 150. more »»
Hunter education course offered
March 6, 2014 The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources will host a Hunter Education Class in Pocahontas County at the Marlinton Public Library from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 5 and from 1-5 p.m. April 6. more »»
Young Country Tour bringing rising stars to Marlinton
February 28, 2014 Two of country music's brightest young stars are touring together for the first time and bringing their Young Country Tour to Marlinton at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Pocahontas Opera House. more »»
Skiers enjoy fresh snow
December 4, 2013 more »»
Benefit concert planned for first responders of Marlinton fire
December 2, 2013 At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, guitar virtuoso Johnny Compton returns to Marlinton with the Charleston-based Diablo Blues Band. They'll be joined by special guests, the Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys. more »»
Resorts mark the start of ski season
November 30, 2013 Skiers and snowboarders have started to head to the mountains of West Virginia as the first downhill area opened Wednesday for the 2013/2014 season. more »»
Holiday classic on tap at Opera House
November 29, 2013 Greenbrier Valley Theatre will present "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" at the Pocahontas County Opera House at 2 p.m. Dec. 8. Tickets are $8. more »»
Pocahontas hospital disaster drill complete
November 6, 2013 Pocahontas Memorial Hospital is required to conduct a minimum of two disaster drills each year. These drills simulate an emergency situation that staff has to deal with accordingly. more »»
Valley Vibes presentation set
November 5, 2013 The public is invited to Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. for the next installment of its Valley Vibes series. more »»
Harvest Day set at Cass
September 20, 2013 Green foliage tipped in fall colors and crisp temperatures at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park is an invitation to Harvest Day activities Saturday, Sept. 21. more »»
Mountain Music Trail series kicks off Aug. 31
August 23, 2013 The Pocahontas County Opera House will celebrate the Mountain Music Trail with the Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys on Saturday, Aug. 31, at 7:30 p.m. more »»
Small business grants available
August 23, 2013 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced the availability of loan and grant funds to support rural microentrepreneurs and microenterprises. more »»
Second annual Chomolungma Challenge set
August 16, 2013 Snowshoe Mountain's Bike Park is set to host the second annual endurance mountain biking race, the Chomolungma Challenge, on Aug. 24. more »»
Wine, jazz festival coming to Snowshoe
August 6, 2013 Snowshoe Mountain, www.snowshoemtn.com, the No. 1 year-round resort in the Mid-Atlantic region, recently announced the full event schedule for the 2013 Wine and Jazz Festival, to be Aug. 16-17. more »»
Marlinton native serving as air traffic controller
August 2, 2013 Air Force Airman 1st Class Matthew E. Alderman has arrived for duty as an air traffic controller assigned to the 502nd Air Base Wing, Operating Location Alpha, at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. more »»
Blues, brews, barbecue coming to Snowshoe Aug. 9
July 30, 2013 Snowshoe Mountain recently announced the music lineup for its annual two-day Blues, Brews and BBQ weekend starting Friday, Aug. 9. more »»
Turnpike Alliance receives federal grant
July 24, 2013 The Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike Alliance has received a grant of $46,000 from the National Park Service's American Battlefield Protection Program to create a preservation plan for the Battle of... more »»
AARP Driver Safety program offered
July 24, 2013 The AARP Driver Safety program, a classroom driver refresher course, will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 12 at the Upshur County Senior Center. more »»
Concert coming to Snowshoe Resort
July 24, 2013 This year's Rally West Virginia gets off to a rocking start with a free musical performance by local singer Erica Rebinski on Friday at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. more »»
Brew Skies Festival to feature live music, craft beer
July 18, 2013 Fans of great live music and outstanding West Virginia craft beers will again have the chance to experience both at the second annual Brew Skies Festival Friday and Saturday, Aug. more »»


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Top Definition
When a large man, with at least one belly roll is recieving a blowjob, he takes said roll and places it on top of a girl's head.
Did you hear about larry? he Michelin Manned that chick last night
بواسطة Danny Micronesia مايو/أيار 1, 2005
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
a fatty (male or female) with more than one tire around their waist.
Frank must have been really wasted to take that Michelin Man home.
The Michelin Man broke my bed springs.
The Michelin Man broke my bed springs.
بواسطة John Gonzalez يونيو/حَزيران 1, 2006
When a male who is so hesitant to have sex, he puts on condom after condom resulting in the rubberband parts piling up making his wang look like the Michelin Man.
Girl: Hahaha! Hey, is that the Michelin Man?
بواسطة slapshotpeewee9 إبريل/نَيْسان 27, 2007


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No Tales Of Vesperia For The Wii After All
Voice actor updates his blog, says he was actually referring to Tales of Graces.
When we reported last week that popular Japanese voice actor Rikiya Koyama had accidentally confirmed Tales of Vesperia for the Wii, we did so with the caveat that he may have actually been referring to Tales of Graces. As it turns out, that's just what he was talking about.
In an update to his original blog, Koyama apologized to his readers, saying that he was actually referring to Tales of Graces when talking about the Wii. Not exactly surprising news, but considering that Namco Bandai has already ported the game to the PlayStation 3 and is currently considering a sequel, a Wii version isn't that far-fetched.
For now, neither Tales of Graces or the PS3 version of Vesperia have been announced for North America yet. Look for official announcements soon.
See Also
Comments (9)
why notPosted: Nov 09, 2009 12:00AM PST by abercrombieco2
i don't understand why the tales series has pretty much stayed in japan on sony consoles. they'll release wii games here , 360 games here, but most of the tales games for ps stays in japan. i would buy a tales game for ps3.
yep, knew itPosted: Nov 09, 2009 12:00AM PST by catgirl147
heh, I'll wait for Tales of Graces anyways tho now that I've finished ToV- maybe pickup the PS3 version if it ever happens to come here too :)
If the Wii were to get a port...Posted: Nov 09, 2009 12:00AM PST by Wellman
I don't think there is ain't that special beside some well liked characters in Vesperia to warrant really porting it over to the Wii.
Those asking might as well just suck it up and except the BRAND NEW GAME that is Tales of Graces for the Wii. Honestly, if they were to port a Tales of game to the Wii, I'd prefer some remakes of the original Tales of Phantasia or maybe that upgrade Tales of Destiny remake/port that they were supposed to have released on PS2.
Amen SpottedCowPosted: Nov 09, 2009 12:00AM PST by HeavensValcrist
amen :)
...Posted: Nov 09, 2009 12:00AM PST by ogrid
there's nothing that intensive going on with ToV, people even thought it was a good looking Wii game before the platform was unveiled. They should port it just because of those comments on how it's supposed to be impossible.
That and they should make the next Team Symphonia game as a multiplatform title with Wii on board from the very beginning, or even exclusive but unlike some people I won't ask for a title to be exclusively out of other platforms. The Wii platform is market leader, more powerful than a GC and PS2, which is something a lot of people forget and simply put, most of the Tales fans on it, were initiated to the series by Tales of Symphonia, a Team Symphonia game. It's only fair that Namco supports them.
Oh, and Tales of Graces looks basically as good as Vesperia, albeit in SD already, so let's stop behaving like blind Wii Haters here, please.
LamePosted: Nov 09, 2009 12:00AM PST by Makavelli45
Lame Wii shot dude lame
duhPosted: Nov 09, 2009 12:00AM PST by truegamer9999
wii would blow up if it tried to handle vesperias graphics. no offense wii fans. i like wii ok but it just cant do it.


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Country singers Angela Hesse and Kendall Phillips will perform at 7 p.m. July 14 at the Lycoming County Fair this year as a part of its "A Night in Nashville." The performers will open for country star Jeff Bates.
Phillips is a BMI songwriter and HMG Nashville recording artist. Her single, "You Should Know" was released earlier this year and has been quickly climbing the country music and Music Row Breakout Charts. Along with being a former "American Idol" contestant, she was a Top 5 national finalist in 2010 and 2011 on the show "Colgate Country Showdown."
In January 2007, Phillip's music video for her single, "It's You," made the top charts on CMT's "Music City Madness." Since then, she has performed across the U.S. and has opened for Lady Antebellum, Blake Shelton, Justin Moore, Darius Rucker, Steel Magnolia, Tracy Lawrence and Jerrod Niemann. Another one of her accomplishments has been singing at the home of the Grand Ole Opry, the legendary Ryman Auditorium, with LeAnn Rimes and Country Music Hall of Famer Charlie McCoy.
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Her latest single, "Couldn't Love You Back," was released at the end of June and is garnering much success for her. Phillips said that most people don't remember her when she was on "Idol" because that was the year Kellie Pickler also was a contestant and who was the "country" artist that season.
"I was a rock singer with colorful hair extensions singing Robert Palmer," she said. "But country is my primary genre. I would sing Pat Benatar songs but it would sound like Dolly Parton well, if I sounded like Dolly, I'd have it made!"
Phillips grew up listening to Parton, Michael Jackson, Loretta Lynn and Keith Urban - "I wish I played guitar like him." She also is a fan of Luke Bryan's more recent work.
Breaking out in Nashville isn't easy, though, even for a talented singer-songwriter.
"I've written more than 800 songs when you write songs other people look for the commercial value and what will sell, but my main focus in writing a song is to make a song that I'm proud of and that people will like," she said. "I was formally trained in voice in classic and I taught myself guitar and piano."
She jokes that she's the Susan Lucci of the "Colgate Country Showdown," being the only contestant to be on the show two years in a row and a runner-up both times.
She promises fair-goers an interactive show full of new songs and tons of personality. "I'm a big fan of music and I like to go to concerts and go away happy, so I want people to leave my shows happy," she said.
Phillips said that she has a younger brother and keeps that in mind when she records her songs - she wants her music to be acceptable for all audiences.
Although her favorite performance was at the Ryman Auditorium, she also enjoys smaller, more intimate concerts.
"Every venue big or small is a gift," she said. "This is not an easy industry and people don't appreciate smaller venues and take them for granted, but not me - it's a chance to do what I love."
Phillips also is excited about performing with Angela Heese, a Christian country artist who she called a "wonderful piano player."
Hesse said that she knew she wanted to be a singer when she was 5 years old and saw the music video for Shania Twain's "Any Man of Mine."
And even though she didn't write it, Hesse said she's most recognized for her recording of "Which One of These Boys?"
"Fans really like that song," she said. "They'll come up to me and ask, 'is that the one who will buy you a beer?' "
Hesse said she is a Christian country singer with a lot of crossover. She's influenced by Miranda Lambert and '90s country artists such as Garth Brooks, Shania Twain and Reba McEntire.
"I started to play piano when I was 4 or 5 by ear and then I took lessons from first through ninth grade," she said. "I studied opera and classical music in college because I wanted to be a music teacher."
Although she always dreamed of going to Nashville after high school, her parents made her go to college, because the path to being a country star is a not an easy road.
"I learned so much from recording my first album," she said. "There are a lot of great artists here to learn from in Nashville."
She's also learning to navigate the business. "It's tough here, everyone's taking a percentage," she said. "And when you're starting out, you're not making a ton of money."
But Hesse has something else up her sleeve and in the works - a possible reality show on a major network. She can't release the details just yet, but she's been told she has a "great chance" of being on television.
"Nashville is pretty big right now," she said. "But no matter what, I want the world to hear my best music."
Hesse's full-length album, "Bittersweet," will be for sale exclusively at her shows, including the Lycoming County Fair.
Tickets may be bought by calling the box office at 584-2197 or online at www.lycomingfair.com/ticketinfo.htm.


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Three days into the W/X Freeway fix, officials say that the project is ahead of schedule and hasn't caused any major traffic delays -- and they hope that trend continues Thursday when large cranes are moved in.
Watch report: Caltrans urges drivers to watch road, not cranes
Traffic over the last two days has been relatively smooth despite the reduction of lanes along the eastbound commute. An incident Wednesday morning caused injuries to three workers when a truck swiped a piece of lumber that was being carried by a worker. Cal-OSHA is investigating.
No major morning traffic delays on Day 2 of Fix 50
Caltrans officials hope motorists continue to be safe and keep their eyes focused on the road when passing the work site -- and not rubber neck at the spectacle of jackhammers and cranes.
Why is Highway 50 being fixed?
On Thursday, cranes are expected to tower over the site to position rebar on the elevated highway that runs between W and X streets.
Timeline: What closures to expect during Fix 50
"Absolutely, it's going to be very visible no matter what side you're traveling on," said Dennis Keaton of Caltrans. "We encourage the public to still pay attention to the road conditions and to watch your speed traveling through the construction zone."


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Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS Review
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Sharpness Cont... 4
Sharpness at 55mm
For these sharpness tests the Fujifilm 18-55mm lens was attached to a Fujifilm X-E1 body, which in turn was mounted on a sturdy tripod. Slight tonal changes are due to slight changes in natural light during the session.
The full frame at 55mm
At 55mm the centre you need to stop down to f/8 to get sharp results, with peak performance achieved at f/11. Diffraction sets in at around f/16, with its effects becoming more visible at f/22.
The edges are somewhat soft at f/4-5.6 but sharpen up very nicely at f/8, with f/11 the optimum setting.
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review, lens, fujifilm, zoom, f2.8, 35mm, fuji, standard, f4, image stabilisation, 55mm, 18mm, xf, x-e1, anti-shake, vibration compensation, 23mm, x-pro1, x, 18-55mm, ois, 18-55, 27-84mm, 27-84, Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS


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With all due respect to Wall Street Journal headline writers, it's far too early to declare a bear market for US Treasury bonds. Yields have crept higher in recent weeks, with the 10-year Treasury note moving as high as 2.4 percent earlier this week before retreating the past couple days.
We saw the same action, however, late October 2011, before the 10-year yield slid once again to the neighborhood of 1.8 percent. And yields are still barely half the level they held as recently as early 2010.
Bear market or no, US Treasury bonds have been a remarkably poor choice for income investors for some time, particularly the longer-dated variety. Not only are yields paltry. But at today's prices there's absolutely no margin for error when it comes to inflation or higher interest rates.
Despite downgrades by credit raters, I'm not one who believes there's any meaningful credit risk in US Treasuries. It's become fashionable to bash the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing strategies. And the federal government is certainly running up a lot of red ink, with little indication anyone in Washington is serious enough or even capable of making necessary compromises to close the gap, at least this year.
This doesn't change the fact, however, that the US Treasury market is still the only place big enough to accommodate safe-haven money in a crisis. We saw that last autumn, as Treasuries rallied to all-time highs. We saw it happen in even greater magnitude in 2008, in the teeth of the worst market crash-credit crunch-recession event in 80 years. And that was in spite of the fact that the origins of both crises were right here in the US.
The only way there is real credit risk to US Treasuries is if Uncle Sam remains in permanent trillion-dollar deficit mode. This is certainly possible. But even in a worst-case, it's not today's problem–and therefore not what investors should be focused on now.
Rather, as Treasury holders during the 1960s and '70s found out, you can lose plenty of money in US government debt even without real credit risk–if inflation and interest rates tick up enough.
At today's prices there's absolutely no compensation for taking this risk.
Neither is there adequate compensation for owning corporate bonds, which in many cases yield little more than Treasuries. For example, Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), Edison International (NYSE: EIX) and Southern Company (NYSE: SO) all issued 30-year bonds at interest rates of barely 4 percent in recent weeks.
That's low-cost capital to fuel growth and great news for stockholders. But it's absolutely horrible for anyone looking to buy bonds. As dominant utilities with strong balance sheets, these companies have scarcely more credit risk than Treasuries, at least from a practical standpoint. But a lot can happen in 30 years when it comes to interest rates and inflation.
Even a move back to a 4 percent to 5 percent yield on the 10-year Treasury–a normal level historically–would have a devastating impact on prices of 10-year bonds now yielding 2 to 3 percent. It would likely kick yields on these utility bonds back up toward a more typical 5 to 6 percent, a big loss for anyone buying them now at barely 4 percent.
When you buy individual bonds, you always know what you're going to get at the end of the road when they mature. That's the principal, which is usually $1,000. And you also always know what your annual return–the yield to maturity–will be.
The market value of 4 percent a year paid by Southern Company over 30 years will wax and wane depending on interest rates and inflation. But those who just hold their bonds to maturity will always get that 4 percent, so long as Southern is solvent. And that's a very good bet, possibly even a better one than Uncle Sam.
This assurance most definitely doesn't apply to the various derivative instruments that purport to be bond investments. These include mortgage REITs, closed-end bond funds and limited partnerships that specialize in holding bonds.
My perennial concern with these is they're essentially black boxes. You depend on management to run a portfolio well enough to produce the advertised yield. And you have no way of knowing what they're doing to achieve that yield.
Some of them feature some pretty attractive yields, and many can point to paying them for several years. The problem, however, is that these funds now yield considerably more than the bonds they supposedly own.
We know this not from being able to see what they own in any meaningful way but because of today's rock-bottom corporate borrowing rates.
It's still possible to get a yield of 9 percent on a bond. You just have to buy companies like Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S), which is increasingly the focus of bankruptcy rumors due to $10 billion in maturing debt the next five years and $15 billion-plus in iPhone purchase commitments to Apple (NSDQ: AAPL). Or you can go abroad and buy Portuguese government bonds yielding somewhere in the teens.
Other than that you're talking about bond yields south of 5 percent, and that's for paper maturing decades hence. That contrasts with yields of 8 percent to 10 percent on the closed-end funds such as PIMCO Strategic Global Government (NYSE: RCS), which has an indicated yield of 8.5 percent.
How do the closed ends do it? PIMCO Strategic Global Government as of Dec. 31 had nearly two-thirds of its portfolio in Fannie Mae collateral securities. It was also heavily levered with a negative cash position of 77 percent.
These are facts I'll wager not all of their investors know. And I'll bet even fewer are aware that the fund's current market price of $11 and change is nearly 10 percent higher than the value of its assets.
PIMCO Strategic Global Government is one of the best of the closed-end bond funds, with a solid long-term track record of navigating some difficult markets. It can't be denied, however, that its strategies for producing yield now are heavily leveraged to interest rates remaining low.
If this dam ever bursts, management will have to react very quickly to avoid massive losses.
And that has been management's track record. But there are no guarantees when it comes to such heavy leverage. And other closed-end bond funds sporting today's big yields have a far less salubrious history of coping with such reversals.
In sum, bondholders should be very worried about the risk of rising interest rates this year. The only exceptions are for low-duration bond funds–the kind that today yield in the 3 percent to 4 percent range–and bonds you've owned for a long time with rapidly approaching maturities (five years maximum).
Everything else is highly vulnerable and should be avoided, both for the potential rate risk and the fact that returns are sub-par.
Fortunately, there is a clear alternative: dividend-paying stocks. Credit risk is higher, particularly for the stocks sporting the highest yields. But so is upside as the economy gradually returns to health and companies execute growth plans.
The very safest dividend-paying stocks–regulated electric, gas and water utilities–yield 3 percent to 5 percent. That's superior to these companies' long-term debt, and dividends are growing as well. Master limited partnerships (MLP) that own pipelines are virtually as secure as utes, and they offer growing tax advantaged yields as high as 7 percent to 8 percent.
Those worried about the health of the US dollar will do well picking up some shares of top-notch Canadian and Australian companies. These currencies' US dollar values follow commodity prices, which will have to rise if there's to be any inflation.
Finally, many US telephone stocks are yielding well over 8 percent, reflecting their out-of-favor status.
One of the greatest fallacies many investors have bought into is that rising interest rates automatically trigger selling of dividend-paying stocks. Reality is that dividend-paying stocks actually follow the prospects for the economy, which are often in near-perfect opposition to rate swings.
We've seen this play out over and over again since the crash of 2008. During the debacle itself the yield on the 10-year Treasury note plunged from well over 4 percent to barely 2 percent. This was the same time utilities, MLPs and other income stocks crashed across the board.
Then came the recovery that began in March 2009. Treasury yields soared back to 4 percent, even as dividend-paying stocks surged. The Flash Crash and its aftermath in 2010 saw Treasury yields plunge again, even as dividend-paying stocks sold off. That reversed in late 2010, as Treasuries again moved up to 3.5 percent and the markets rallied. The crisis in Europe sent rates plunging, and dividend-paying stocks again sold off.
That's about as clear a message as you can get that dividend-paying stocks won't be doomed if Treasury yields rise in coming months.
In fact, a real up-move in rates is only going to be possible if the US economy shows a lot more life, which, in turn, will spur sales and investment–and, eventually, revenue, earnings and dividends for well-run companies.
Operating a stock portfolio means owning enough companies and being diversified enough so a single company's stumble won't sink you. It means being willing to discard a stock if the underlying business backing the yield should weaken. It means periodically rebalancing by taking profits from any stock that grows to be too large a piece of your holdings. And it means being willing to live with volatility, so long as underlying business of a stock is still solid.
Following those simple rules, however, will increase your yields, reduce risk and position you for superior long-term growth in dividends.
And unlike bond investors you're much more likely to profit when interest rates rise than lose money.
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Roger: I've been enjoying Utility Forecaster for years now, always renewing for three year intervals due to deteriorating health. Just renewed my subscription to UF again and signed-up for Big Yield Investing, which I love, too. I always wanted to make a living by investing in stocks! Now I'm at it, as I had to resign the job I had for 7 years on 022012. Is it possible to receive The Big Switch for already renewing UF for 3 years and signing-up for High Yield Investing? I think you and T. Boone Pickens are correct. I also hope to live long enough to see our vehicles powered by natural gas. I did receive Powering China and Liquid Gold Rush for renewing UF. And hope to make some money to sign-up for your new Australian newsletter. Thank you again for all you do for your UF subscribers. Dave
Very well written article with excellent advice. I would like to see more like these.
grt. article and i agree 100% – i started dividend investing 2 yrs ago and have a steady stream of income in my retired yrs. i do not seek out hugh yielders and am comfortable with 4 to 7/8 % return. the great majority of my 25 +/- stocks have appriciated, dividend investing & reinvesting dividends has proven to be proven good over many yrs. thanks, lou


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Thursday, 7 February 2013
Why do politicians use business jargon, asks Sally Davies. From the BBC, whose bloated management ought to read it:
There was a line that stood out in Barack Obama's second inaugural address last month, but not in a carve-it-on-the-Lincoln-memorial sort of way.
Before 800,000 onlookers, the freshly anointed US President had just recited the famous passage from the American Declaration of Independence, proclaiming man's unalienable rights to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".
Then, his lips moving mesmerically on the jumbo TV screens that lined Washington's National Mall, he went on: "Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing."
The phrase "self-executing" emerged sounding peculiarly glib and corporate. It brought to mind so-called "self-executing clauses" in treaties or commercial contracts. Perhaps the term was a hangover from Obama's days as a law professor. To be fair, it echoed the reference to "self-evident" truths in the declaration itself.
But Obama's version seemed more technical, more hollowed-out of meaning. Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D Roosevelt and John F Kennedy would have been unlikely to recognise such a slick and contemporary way of speaking.
Linguistic novelty ought to provoke suspicion when it stands in the way of precision and lucidity. Why would the president pluck an opaque phrase from the lips of lawyers and besuited executives to articulate the lofty principles on which his nation was founded? How could a truth be "self-executing", anyway?
American politicians have been salting their speech with business jargon for some time, says Hank Sheinkopf, a New York-based political adviser and a former member of Bill Clinton's media team. It began in earnest in the early 1980s, he reckons, when the growth of global capitalism and the waning influence of labour unions lent corporate-speak a patina of prestige.
"Business language became a way of seeming neutral," Sheinkopf says.
With free-market principles gaining greater acceptance on both the left and the right sides of American politics, the lexicon of business schools - "outcomes", "bottom lines" and "results" - has become a way for politicians to appear authoritative and objective. He attributes the success of this terminology among politicians to the imperative to claim the middle ground, "now that we're a personality-driven polity, rather than an ideological polity".
Despite these worrisome incursions of corporate jargon, US speechifiers have reason to hope. They are partly protected from the malignancy of business-speak by the country's tradition of speaking out in defence of its founding values, forged during the high-minded Enlightenment era. Australia and the UK, however, have not been so lucky.
Recently, Prime Minister David Cameron was quick to deploy the language of truck and barter in his speech announcing a referendum on the country's membership of the European Union: "I do want a better deal for Britain, not just a better deal for Europe."
Charlie Beckett, the director of the Polis media think-tank at the London School of Economics and Political Science, chalks up the prevalence of this talk in Britain to politicians' desire to sound dynamic.
Corporate-sounding language been a feature of every administration since the prime ministership of Tony Blair, who sent his advisers to study the "messaging" tactics honed by the professional class of political and business consultants in the US. The idea is to sell government as one would sell a product, says Beckett - a project at which British spin-doctors may have to work harder, given the more demure tenor of the political conversation compared with America.
For politicians on both sides of the Atlantic, corporate terminology is also a way of ducking scrutiny by the media at a time when it is more searching and extensive than ever before. It is risk-averse language, Beckett notes. "Nowadays you can start conflicts, shift markets or have people burning down your embassies if you put a word out of place."
Business-speak helps leaders avoid firing up the public's passions or explaining policies that could prove controversial. The irony, says Beckett, is that they "are trying to play it safe, but it just reinforces the sense that they're careerists who have lost touch". By contrast, those who refuse to stoop to sanitised corporatese may cannily use their gaffes to burnish popular, straight-talking personas - as US Vice President Joe Biden and London Mayor Boris Johnson have managed to do.
Australia is a special case. Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her cabinet are notorious for their repetition of wonkish, managerial-sounding slogans. Her predecessor, Kevin Rudd, was a career bureaucrat, and known for his use of luminous phrases like "programmatic specificity".
In part, it's the fault of "the egalitarian spirit of this place", says Don Watson, a prolific Australian critic of business jargon and speechwriter to former Prime Minister Paul Keating. "In America there's a culture of high rhetoric. In Britain, language is preserved by tradition and by the institutions of that tradition."
But in Australia, politicians are particularly loath to put on airs, and so are unafraid to reach for the prosaic language of commerce when speaking before the public.
Americans may be find some consolation in these words. But some may have huddled a little closer inside their coats, out on the Mall last Monday, as Obama invoked the need to "harness new ideas and technology" and to "empower our citizens".
As long as they're citizen-centric. At least management-speak tends to be ephemeral -- I notice that "heads up" and "cascade" are now at one with Nineveh and Tyre. But it looks as if we're stuck with moving forward.
Posted on 02/07/2013 7:43 AM by Mary Jackson
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Join leaders of the American Middle Eastern community to endorse
Donald J. Trump
for President of the United States
and spend an evening with his foreign policy advisors featuring
Dr. Walid Phares
and other surprise campaign guests.
Monday October 17th
Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20008
cocktails at 6pm - dinner at 7pm
Business casual attire
$150 per person / $1500 per table
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