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Sunday, 29 January 2012
observer ONLINE
John de Silva, a familiar name. Is it or isn't it? There is a John de
Silva hall behind the National Art Gallery. Who is this John de Silva? I
guess many of you know the answer.
He was a playwright (writer of plays) and a play-producer, in an era
long past in what is called the Tower Hall era. You would have read
about the Tower Hall last month (December 11). In that account, two
playwrights were mentioned. Charles Dias and John de Silva. The latter
was the older of the two.
John de Silva's birth and death anniversaries are both in January.
So, this is an appropriate time to write about him.
He was born 155 years ago on January 13, 1857. His parents were
Christians; his paternal ancestral name was Makalandage. His first
school was Christian College, Kotte, one of the two leading English
schools at the time - the other was in Baddegama - and the only boarding
school in the country. Christian College is now Jayewardenepura Maha
He next went to the Colombo Academy in Pettah which later became
Royal College. Sinhala was not taught in schools then. Through his close
association with Pundit Batuwantudawe, he gained a good knowledge of
Sinhala. By the age of 20, he was a teacher at St. Joseph's College.
Later he taught at Wesley College.About this time, when he was a
teacher, a company of actors from Bombay, the Elphinston Dramatic
Company led by K. M. Baliwalla, a Parsee actor-director, staged their
plays in Colombo. The rich and not so rich, came to see these plays
which had plenty of Hindustani and Gujarati songs.
The audience loved them, and the theatre-going public grew in numbers
with each performance during the Company's six-month stay here.
Soon our own people started writing and producing plays like the
Baliwalla plays. C. Don Bastian was one of the main playwrights whose
name has come down the years. John de Silva too started going to the
Not only did he become a theatre-fan, but he also started writing
His first play, Natarajah was staged in 1886. He was not yet 30 years
then. This was followed by Dascon, the story of the love affair between
the Portuguese General and the Sinhala princess Samudra Devi. His third
play Ramayana was staged on May 31, 1891 at the Floral Hall, the best
hall for staging plays. It was staged again on June 5.
That night the Floral Hall caught fire. The curtains, stage sets and
costumes were all destroyed. The rumour was that someone, or some group,
jealous of John de Silva's success had set fire to the hall. He was
shocked and sad, then angry. His anger turned into disgust, and he
decided to give up writing and producing plays.
Later that same year he published that ill-fated play under the title
Sita Haranaya - Abduction of Sita and sub-titled Ginigath Ramayana -
Ramayana that caught fire.
The subtitle caught the people's eye and fancy and the play came to
be known by that name while Sita Haranaya was soon forgotten.
Giving up play-writing, John de Silva joined Law College and passed
out as a proctor. His practice as a proctor must have brought him a good
income, but the call of the theatre was too strong and he started
writing plays again.
After more than 10 years, his new play Siri Sangabo was staged in
The staging of Siri Sangabo was the beginning of his second and more
successful period as a playwright and producer. The song Danno Budunge
is still sung and still loved after 109 years it was first sung on stage
by the three princess Sanghamitta, Sanghabodi and Gotabhaya as they were
approaching Anuradhapura. It has become part of our national heritage.
songs that became popular and were sung long, long after they were first
sung on stage are Vessantara Raja Puthe from the play Vessantara and
Amba Damba Naarung Kesel Del sung by Hanuman in Ramayana.
After the success of Siri Sangabo, his group of actors - there were
actresses then - became professionals under the name Arya Subhoda Natya
Saba. By then John de Silva had become a Buddhist and a devotee of the
Hindu gods Vishnu and Kataragama.
John de Silva wrote plays based on Sanskrit plays. Shakespeare's
plays such as Othello and Hamlet, and on stories from our own history.
He wrote plays not only to entertain the public, but also to inspire
in our people, a pride of our heritage and a love for the country.
In his own way, he was contributing to the national movement to
regain our independence. He was among the Sinhala leaders arrested and
jailed during the riots of 1915.
The plays John de Silva wrote and all other musical plays of this
class are called Nurti. 'Tower Hall Plays' is another name for these
plays because they were staged at the Tower Hall.
So, when we speak of John de Silva and his nurti, the Tower Hall
immediately comes to mind. But John de Silva had been producing plays
for 25 years before the Tower Hall was built.
What is more, for nearly a decade after the Tower Hall was built, his
plays were not staged there. But from 1920 right through the 1930s the
Tower was the venue for his plays.
The last play he wrote was Nagananda based on a Sanskrit play. He
wrote this in 1919.As I said at the beginning, John de Silva's death
like his birth was in January. He had injured his foot while swimming in
the sea. Being a diabetic the wound had been fatal. He passed away,
after a brief illness, on January 28,1922. He was 65 years old at the
time of his death.
- Sumana Saparamadu
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Justin Timberlake: 2010 MTV Video Music Awards
Justin Timberlake proves yet again that he is becoming quite the fashion front man on the 2010 MTV VMA red carpet.
No wonder he was at Fashion's Night Out in Santa Monica to share his newest collection from William Rast at Nordstrom.
Taking a break from his normal geek chic attire, Justin looks more rockstar-like posing with the cast of The Social Network. Together they will present the legendary moon man to yet another lucky winner.
I can only pray that he will be in Glee next. Crossing my fingers!
All of our 2010 MTV Video Music Awards coverage can be found here!


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Thanks STK for info I may spec out if I get my present problem sorted cheaply enough.
Thanks STK for info I may spec out if I get my present problem sorted cheaply enough.
watty17 (06-02-2011)
Well folks i finally got a chance to try out my new toy and im not getting anywhere, just my usual this last while. Im getting a display that wont read the codes and ive followed all the troubleshooting instructions and im stuck. Be handy if anyone can help me out like.
Heres the link that the manual directs you to http://www.peakeresearch.com/fcxtech.htm
Im getting problem number 1 and it says there was a problem with some e34s built before Oct 94 but mine was built June 95. Just wondering if ive missed something or theres something else i can try?
cheers, watty
Watty, a common reason for that error is when someone has tried a 'pin short' method of resetting service lights and hung the diagnostic bus. Have you tried disconnecting the battery and letting the ECU drain power as in 6)? If it doesn't work, then you need to have the bus reset by Autologic/DIS machine.
watty17 (16-02-2011)
Just a wee update guys.
Diconnecting the batts made no difference so ill have to get it all reset by my mechanic.
Ive been told by a couple of sources that this has probably happened because someones tried the old shorting trick with the wire probably to set the service lights.
So there you go, dont try it as it just foooks it all up. And the new owner will be p"ssed off he cant use his new toy as well
watty17 (18-02-2011)
I finally got around to plugging my "newly" acquired Peake Research tool into my M3 so that I can attempt to track down the slight hesitation/missfire when cold.
As promised, here are the results. The car was cleared of all codes a few months ago by Chris Ransley at CRM Breakers using his Snap-on code reader when he also tested my vanos solenoids and emission pump, so I know that the codes that came up are genuine....
First I got the table number 14, then codes 2C and 20....
This translates to Active Oil sensor... I knew that one because the oil light flashes for about 20 seconds when I start the car, but I have the manual overide for the level sensor (dipstick)
And the other code is Injector valve #6 - Is this the cause of the missfire I wonder?
Obviously needs some further investigation... It's a starting point.
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Indiana downs Sun despite Douglas injury
Fri., Oct. 12, 2012, midnight
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Indiana lost a star early in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Fever never lost their confidence.
Tamika Catchings scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Fever into the WNBA Finals for the second time in four seasons with an 87-71 win over the Connecticut Sun on Thursday night.
The Fever, who have won four games while facing elimination during the playoffs, routed the Sun even after leading scorer Katie Douglas went down with an ankle injury just 5 minutes into the game.
"When Katie went down, you could just see the fire in everybody's eyes," coach Lin Dunn said. "We just took it to a whole 'nother level. We could have folded up our little tent and gone home when one of our big guns got hurt. But we didn't."
Douglas had been the team's leading scorer in the playoffs, and had 51 points in the first two games of this series. The bench picked up the slack with 32 points, led by Erin Philips who had 15. The Fever hit 10 3-pointers, including their first seven.
"Everyone just stepped up," Phillips said. "We showed a lot of poise and were aggressive. It was just an awesome team game."
Briann January (Lewis and Clark HS) added 12 points for Indiana.
League MVP Tina Charles led the Sun with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Kara Lawson added 16 points.
Indiana will play at defending WNBA champion Minnesota, which swept Los Angeles in the Western Conference, in Game 1 of the best-of-5 finals on Sunday.
The Fever were up 9-4 when Douglas missed a driving off-balance jumper in the lane, came down on the foot of the Sun's Tan White and rolled her left ankle. She was taken to a hospital for X-rays. Dunn had no update after the game.


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19 ways your indie bookstore can stay competitive in the Amazon age.
I've been writing (or, perhaps, bitching) lately about annoying things bookstores do to try to regain lost business from the internet. I wrote a post about giving e-readers the stink-eye and another post about what showrooming really means to the indie bookstore. When I was writing the posts and responding to comments, I realized that there's a lot of confusion about competition–and, if you own a small bookstore and you see your sales eroding, probably a large dose of fear, as well. We all know that Amazon sells books on the cheap; this can seem daunting to an indie bookseller who needs to charge pretty close to list price–if not list price–to make the numbers meet up and maintain profitability. After all, if it's cheaper to buy from Amazon, aren't people always going to buy their books there? Isn't price the ultimate decider in where to buy something?
Luckily, the answer to that is, no, of course it's not.
We humans overpay for stuff all the time. That is, we pay more than we "need" to pay for something due to other influencing factors; I wouldn't necessarily call it "overpaying" because obtaining the actual product that you desire is only part of the equation when it comes to choosing a venue from which to purchase said item. We "overpay" for convenience and speed; we "overpay" for cool packaging or extra features; we "overpay" for brands; we "overpay" because we feel a little queasy about shopping at Walmart, Amazon, or another large retailer (I don't feel queasy about Amazon, but a lot of people do). Logically, economically, it doesn't make sense for us to pay more than we have to, but we often do.
Even though Amazon is probably creaming you with price due to their ability to sell in huge volumes without operating retail stores, that doesn't have to destroy your business. We'll walk through advantages that you have over big box stores, and even a couple of ways that you can turn right back around and use Amazon's features to compete against them. Reverse showrooming, if you will. You may already be doing some of these–let me know in the comments how they're working out for you!
Advantage: You are not a large corporation.
Whoa, wait–that's an advantage? Yes. Granted, Amazon's big-ness scores some major advantages for them: they can buy in large quantities, get better deals on pricing, and sell in large enough volume to make a large profit. That does, however, come with some massive downsides, as well. Corporations are set up to have one prime directive: maximizing profit in order to spur growth. Publicly-traded corporations especially have to meet this directive because they're accountable first and foremost to shareholders. This can cause corporations to make some questionable decisions; if you've ever been scratching your head at something a big company has done because it seems like a bone-headed move, it's probably because they were so focused on profit and growth that they forgot a little thing called the customer experience. (Netflix, I'm looking at you, buddy.)
Growth can cause all kinds of issues in itself. Starbucks ran into a lot of problems when they attempted to expand too aggressively; becoming a large company means being stuck with a huge amount of overhead, complex management systems that don't always work, and the need to streamline in ways that customers don't always like. I think I cried when I worked at Starbucks and we switched from the old-fashioned espresso machine to the push-button machine. It was faster, it was more efficient, it wasn't temperamental, but dammit, it just didn't taste as good. Corporate saw it as a necessary step to providing the fastest and best service possible; we saw it as losing a little bit of our soul.
As a small business, you can use the fact that you're small to your benefit. You can't beat Amazon and Barnes & Noble in the areas where they have an advantage because they're large, so you have to beat them where you have the advantage because you're small.
Tip #1: Become a lean book-selling machine by re-evaluating what you stock.
The time that the neighborhood bookstore was the stop for all of one's book-buying needs are long gone. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; having worked in the book biz myself, I know that there are some categories of books that move a hell of a lot slower than some others. Do you have a section of high-priced, photo-heavy gardening books that's languishing? Or maybe your graphic novels section is gathering dust, but you feel you need to maintain a good selection "just in case"? The good news is that you can trim the fat, if you have fat to trim. You no longer have to be everything to every book-buyer; you can free up some space in some dusty, underused corners and tailor your shop to your particular market. This will allow you to carry more of what you'll actually sell.
Part of the principle here is quality over quantity. Your real estate is too precious to have hundreds of dollars of books unlikely to turn over at a decent pace. I find that, the fancier the book, the less likely I am to buy it in a bricks-and-mortar store. When we start talking about saving $10 on a single book by buying it online–or, with some of the cookbooks and coffee table books, it can be a lot more–that's when price starts to be a huge issue. If you do sell those books at a good clip, awesome–keep at it. If you don't, it may be time to re-evaluate. You might trim down to just the best cookbooks, for example, and create a nice display for them.
Tip #2: Use your size to your advantage by responding quickly and effectively to customer feedback.
Retailers like Amazon and B&N have a much more difficult time implementing company-wide changes. I imagine just the paperwork involved is insane, not to mention the kajillion levels of management that something has to go through before decisions can be made. You don't have to struggle through all of that red tape; you have the enormous advantage of being able to directly interact with customers while also being the prime decision-maker. I'm not saying you have to make rash decisions changing how you run your shop based on a few complaints, but if there are complaints or suggestions, you're in a great position to take immediate action when you can.
Make sure that your customers have ample ways to connect with you, and set aside time every day–multiple times a day, if necessary–to keep up on customer feedback. This also means checking review sites like Yelp–although, be careful about engaging negative reviews: you only want to do this with an apology and an offer to correct the wrong (and even if you don't think you were wrong, you still need to take the high road, here–your reputation is more at stake than theirs). Never make excuses or blame the customer, and contact privately when it's appropriate.
Tip #3: Take the opportunity, when you can, to make changes based on what will make the customer happy.
Okay, this sounds a lot like tip #2, but it's a little different. Like I said above, corporations have a growth imperative–not just a general, hey, let's set some goals and maybe we can do even better this year than last year, but a we-must-do-everything-possible-to-see-growth-in-our-company imperative, even if it means laying people off, reducing quality, or making something more difficult or less beneficial for the customer. While you clearly need to keep a very close eye on your bottom line, you have the advantage of making human decisions rather than corporate-machine decisions. You have the opportunity to see individual customers rather than just growth percentages. It's a good thing, and it will be rewarded with loyalty.
You can also consider the case of the push-button coffee machine. Starbucks basically had to change over because it wasn't efficient enough to meet their profit margin goals (which, remember, are always set with an eye toward aggressive growth in the company as a whole, not just "maintaining" or even "doing well"). A small business, on the other hand, could choose to keep the higher-quality product, even if it's a little less efficient, if your customer base prefers it and will support it through purchases. This is one time when not being laden with a ton of corporate overhead will benefit you. It's much better in the long run to have happy customers that feel loved than to have customers with a growing sense of distrust because they know the company isn't really interested in their happiness* as long as they meet their bottom line. Who would you give your money to?
*Not that corporations aren't interested exactly–but they're interested because they want to sell us more stuff, and we won't buy more stuff if we're not happy. That's a little … opportunistic.
Tip #4: Consider specializing.
This ties into tip 1, but takes it to a higher level. Because you're smaller, you can do what stores like B&N can't do: cater to a specialty market, or become known for carrying a certain kind of book. Farley's in Pennsylvania decided to implement this idea by carrying a large selection of indie press books; they've had positive results with this decision. Here's an interview where they discuss why they developed this program. You're going to want to read that interview, because: "Sales are excellent. Every single press has told us that we have sold more titles of theirs than any other bookstore they work with."
While customers can order most any book on Amazon, a lot of customers want to shop in bookstores; there's a romance to shopping in a real bookshop, not to mention that you can have that book on the same day that you find it. We love instant gratification. Carrying books that your customers want but can't find at other stores could be beneficial.
Tip #5: Consider hosting community events, like book clubs or classes.
A lot of stores already do this with book clubs, but there are a lot more possibilities to get people into your store. While you can have high-profile book signings at larger stores like B&N, a smaller bookstore can really align itself closely with the community and offer events that a larger bookstore couldn't because they have corporate rules to follow. You could have a local professor do classes on writing or interesting seminars about certain books (as long as it's a professor with personality, heh–or he or she could bring the class in for a field trip); you can have poetry slams; you can have events for children like they do at the library. You could partner up with other local businesses and offer jointly-sponsored events. A local restaurant's chef, for example, might like to couple with you on a cooking course; you could provide certain cookbooks for sale at the class that the chef recommends and advertise the class in your store to drum up interest. You could host a chess tournament, or Trivial Pursuit (I would so, so do that). Be creative, be fun, and increase that foot traffic.
Tip #6: Get active in your community overall.
One thing we love is for local businesses to be pro-community. Sponsor some causes; participate in some fundraisers–heck, pick a community issue and organize a fundraiser or event. (Literacy and education would be right up a bookstore's alley, but it could really be a lot of things. 10% off if you bring in a canned good for local shelters for Thanksgiving? Toys for Tots?) If you're careful to remain as politically neutral as you can, you'll find a lot of people getting warm fuzzies because you're a part of the community. Warm fuzzies can lead to customer loyalty. You can also get more exposure by getting involved, so it's a win all around.
Take a page from the corporate customer service playbook, then tear out what you want to keep and improve on what you don't.
One thing that indies often struggle with is customer service. It's understandable; small business owners aren't always from a retail background, or perhaps they've only worked for small businesses and have never undergone training from a large corporation; bad habits may have been picked up along the way. While many corporations have bloated, unwieldy customer service policies–or their policies are rarely enforced because of a direct conflict with actual day-to-day operations, like at Walmart (yes, I've worked there, too.. long enough to do the training, anyway)–corporations that are known for amazing customer service got that way because they have put a huge amount of time, effort, and study into the best way to serve customers. You don't have to invest in that research, lucky for you. You can see what they do, and mimic it as best you can.
Tip #7: Retrain your employees with this mantra: "The customer is always right."
I can feel you wailing at me from over there. No, the customer is not always literally right. Sometimes, the customer is a right prick, in fact. But you stand nothing to gain by fighting with customers and you could even lose business from doing so; I would personally only make exceptions for abusive behavior.
One area where I see indies of all kinds–restaurants, shops, anything–fail time and again is direct customer relations. (Subtip: My manager at Starbucks once suggested How to Win Friends and Influence People to all of the staff at his stores, because it was his handbook for talking to customers. I read that book. It changed my life, and I'm not exaggerating. Read that book if you have any customer service issues whatsoever.) With an indie bookshop having to charge more than larger retailers, customer service is crucial to maintaining profitable operations; making unhappy customers happy again is something that has to happen every single time you get a complaint, if you can possibly manage it. You don't do huge volume, and every customer is important.
"The customer is always right" also means (and this goes back to the e-reader rant I linked above) not taking issue with stuff that customers do that annoys you. If they're showrooming with their cellphone or they pull out a Kindle.. just smile. Yeah, maybe you just lost a sale because they found the e-book cheaper on Amazon; that sale was probably never going to be yours to begin with, let's be honest. Even before electronic reading, that person probably would have gone to the library or scoured a used bookstore to get what they want cheaper. Taking issue with it and saying something to the customer–or even asking them to leave, heaven forbid–means you're going to lose any potential future sales from that customer, who will not be returning. If anybody overhears it and thinks it was a jerk move, you might also lose their business, plus the business of the friends of the original customer. It's really not worth it to you to make it an issue, no matter how annoying it is.
Tip #8: Define your customer service policy in concrete terms and empower your employees to correct any issues on the spot when possible.
At Starbucks, we had a policy when handling customer complaints and problems: listen to the complaint, acknowledge the problem (and this also means acknowledging that it is a problem, even if you don't think it is), thank the customer for bringing it to our attention, take action, and encourage them to come back. I've used this and seen it work time and again. It sounds a little corpro-babble when spelled out that way, but it basically means to make sure you hear them, take responsibility, fix it, and send them away with a welcoming attitude. It may not work 100% of the time, because you can't always make everyone happy again, but it fixes a lot. Fixing problems means more money in your coffers when customers come back.
If customer problems and complaints can be handled swiftly, your customers will be happier across the board. They may grow to prefer your store because of this tactic alone. Make certain your employees have the tools to handle lots of situations without having to wait for a busy manager to get involved. Don't let customers leave your store upset if your employees can smooth over the situation then and there. Definitely don't let them leave it for you to clean up later, when it might already be too late.
Tip #9: Attitude check yourself and your employees.
Have you ever walked into a store where it's clear that all of the employees could not give less of a damn because they've become jaded? It happens slowly and sneakily over time, and it can poison your shop's atmosphere. One quick fix is to institute a "no-complaining-no-gossip" policy, either in general or on the sales floor. At the very least, your customers won't hear it. Then work on cultivating a positive, friendly vibe. It doesn't have to be fake-plastic-smile happy, but there should always be pleasant interactions between employees and customers. It's not enough to just ring a customer up without making eye contact and give a muttered "thanks"; customers need a reason to return and pay higher prices than if they ordered online or went to B&N. Unfriendly or indifferent employees are a dealbreaker.
Keep an eye out for employees that are overly suspicious of customers, too. Some customers are suspicious, of course, but most customers really are honest. They've done studies. I don't have a link to them right now, but, suffice to say that most people aren't trying to rip you off; problems can arise when your employees get disproportionately frustrated at the ones who do try to rip you off and start acting as though all customers are potential thieves. Few things will make a customer angrier than nakedly suspecting them of being shady.
The internet has changed the way we shop; you may need to change the way you sell.
I was in a B&N the other day for no particular reason. I'd had a doctor's appointment, and my doctor is next to the mall, so I thought I'd pop over and do some browsing. I had nothing in particular in mind, and it struck me hard just how unwieldy it can be shopping in a bricks-and-mortar store when you don't have a special item that you want. At B&N, for example, all of their general fiction is lumped together, alphabetized–pretty standard, right?
But who really shops like that anymore?
When I go to Amazon, or Goodreads, or various small press websites that I browse looking for new books, I have a lot of ways to browse that don't include alphabetized lists. I can browse by genre, and sub-genre; I can look for books that are similar to books that I like; I can look for books that my friends like or that have good reviews, and this is a biggie. It's called "social proof", the idea that we're more likely to buy something once it's been "approved" by our peers. Some bookstores already do this with employee recommendation shelves. While having an alphabetized selection is probably necessary (I'd love to see a bookstore experiment with a different kind of arrangement, but I think that might be too weird for a general bookstore), you can augment your sales with displays that use the same methods we use to shop online.
Tip #10: Use Amazon as a resource.
Did you know that if you go to Amazon, you can see what books are being purchased the most right now? Yeah, that's right–Amazon might be using you as a showroom, but you can use them right back to see what you need to stock and display in your store. You might already have a section of New York Times bestsellers; consider expanding it to include B&N, Amazon, and Goodreads picks for the week or month. You can use signage* to tell people what the book is ranked to take advantage of the social proof principle–"#Hot Pick: #1 on Amazon.com in Fiction" or "Five-star reads chosen by Amazon customers"–and draw customer attention to the books that they would be likely to buy based on actual sales data. Include a star ranking for extra pizzazz.
*Look into the legality of using Amazon's name on your signage. You might have to change the wording to something like "Five-star reads chosen by the online community". I don't think that referring to their sales ranks would be an issue but I'm not a lawyer. I don't even play one on TV.
Tip #11: Integrate popular bloggers and websites into your displays, while you're at it.
Think of the book blogs and magazines that readers read the most. They probably have reviews and recommendations for books. Why not make a display of those books? The customer has probably already heard the buzz about the books, so the recognition will make the display will be eye-catching. Use signage here, too–you may want to contact some of these sites to see if it's okay to use their name/logo to pimp out books, to be polite if nothing else. If it's a magazine that you carry in your store, display the magazine right next to the book display for cross-promotion and recognition.
You could also contact book bloggers and other bookish personalities and see if they will work with you to create displays in the store. (For the record, yes, I would do this in a heartbeat.) In exchange for a list of books, along with possibly short blurbs about why customers like it, you would be directing traffic to their website using appropriate signage, making the deal mutually beneficial. (Really popular bloggers might want a percentage. I wouldn't. Just for the record.) Part of what book bloggers do is write about why people would want to read a particular book, so their talents might be especially useful in choosing materials for displays.
Tip #12: Consider developing a store app.
Developing an app can be a costly business, and it's not something to undertake lightly–you'll want to come correct with this app, making sure it looks sleek, works well, gets regular updates, and has a purpose that a Goodreads or Amazon app alone can't provide. Offering discounts or promotions through the app is one way to personalize it to your store and making sure people actually check it. You can also use the app as a virtual display table, since actual space in your store is limited; the app could also be used to track book clubs, if you host them in the store, and have an events calendar for all of those awesome community events that you're going to plan.
Tip #13: Get customers involved in your displays with social media.
*I meant crazy in a hyperbolic sense, just so we're clear.
Tip #14: Break down alphabetized areas into smaller groups by genre/topic.
One thing that I do like about my local indie is that you can find some pretty specific categories of books in the store. You won't just see "Paranormal Romance," you'll also see sub-headers of "Vampires" and "Zombies." They have literary fiction sorted out from general fiction. (I would love to see them go a lot further with this, as "literary fiction" is still a huge umbrella. By language and era would be freakin' sweet.)
Books are kind of like wines, I guess. You have your major categories–fiction vs. nonfiction (or, red vs. white)–and the you have subcategories, like merlot, pinot noir, pinot grigio, and so forth. But then, you can break it down further. By region. By flavor profile. Not only does this help pair the customer with the wine that they want or need, it also helps the customer discover new wines to try because they're not totally overwhelmed by the selection in front of them, and the groupings are similar enough to each other that it's not as big of a risk to try something new. With "fiction," generally, it's going to be a crapshoot for me to look at a huge alphabetized fiction section and find something I like. There are so many kinds of fiction, even if you separate out the specific genre fiction. Sub-categorizing would help me narrow in on the categories I do like and give me more confidence to buy books.
Also, if you have popular authors, try putting up shelf signage directing people to similar authors. "Like Stephen King? Try reading these authors: Joe Hill, Ray Bradbury, Peter Straub." Similarly, you could put signage under Joe Hill that says "Like Stephen King? Try reading Joe Hill." You can use sites like Amazon (using them again! That "customers also bought…" could come in really handy), Goodreads, or Small Demons to find book pairings and information.
Tip #15: Play on our tendency to pick up eye-candy.
Have a highly-visible display of books with gorgeous covers. People will gravitate there.
Tip #16: Get involved on Goodreads.
Connect with your customers on Goodreads. You can see what they're reading, chat with them about it if you want (don't be pushy or anything; make sure you have your online etiquette sorted out before trying this), see what's popular among your customers. You might even ask them to use blurbs from their reviews on shelf signage in the store. They will probably feel like rockstars.
Bonus tips (really, they should probably go in another section, but I would have to re-number them all. It's too early in the morning to re-number them all):
Tip #17: Go out of your way to accommodate customers in specific areas where Amazon and other big box retailers are failing customers/receiving customer complaints.
One thing I've noticed lately is that Amazon seems to have cut back their release-day delivery of new books. I don't actually order books a lot from Amazon (I know! I'm usually in AMZ's corner against naysayers, but, when I do buy books I often buy direct from the small presses when I can), but I don't remember release-day delivery being an extra charge before. Last time I ordered a book, I was asked to pay extra for release-day delivery, and when I tried to order more than one item to get free shipping, they bundled both books together and wouldn't ship them both out until the one book released. I canceled that order quick.
Indie bookstores could capitalize on this by talking up pre-orders that will arrive on release day. Yeah, they will cost a little more than buying on Amazon (don't mention that) but emphasize that you get release-date availability and free shipping. Make sure everything goes as smoothly for the customer as possible (get enough copies, etc) and they will have a positive experience. Put signs up so customers know that this service is available.
Tip #18: Become known as an expert by going online and blogging, Facebooking, or tweeting about books.
This goes back to social proof. If you're popular online, more people will assume that you're "good" and be confident shopping in your store. Not necessary, but it can benefit you if this is something you think you'd excel at.
Tip #19: Actually sell books on Amazon.
Used books, specifically. A reader told me that her bookshop sells used books on Amazon; I've purchased used books on Amazon and have seen bookstores selling there. If you don't take used books, consider beginning to do so; you could start a store credit program for gently-used books and then resell them on Amazon. (Note: this will require some labor, because you'll want your employees to check to see how much credit you can offer for certain books. Also, be careful if you decide to display the books in addition to selling them online–you may run into a freak coincidence where you have an in-store and an online customer both buying the same book at the same time. Check Amazon policies to see if you can cancel an order in that situation.) This may not be something you're equipped to do, but it also might help your store, especially if you limit the scope of the books you receive–books that have come out in the last year only, for example.
Go forth and prosper!
Of course, these are just a few ways that I can think of to compete with Amazon; lots of indie bookshops are still thriving, despite Amazon's low prices. What are some of the things that you do that have worked? If you're a customer, what does your favorite indie do to keep you coming back? Drop it all in the comments below!
20 thoughts on "19 ways your indie bookstore can stay competitive in the Amazon age."
I work in a small biz, and we definitely try to follow these tips. One thing we like to emphasize when possible, as an advantage over the "big box" retailers, is our Made-in-the-USA products, whether it's clothing or artisan goods. And we love to support local artists — including some of our own staff. And a loyal-customer-rewards program never hurts :)
In terms of that third point, on the other hand, I always keep in mind my own experiences with stores asking me to join their rewards programs. It is NEVER a good policy to question the customer if they don't feel like joining, let alone make them feel stupid ("Why wouldn't you want to earn rewards?"). I let customers know about the program, but if they seem like they're in a hurry or say something like "I'm from out of town and come here maybe once a year," I respond with, "That's cool! (insert smile)" or "Well, we're glad you stopped in today! (also insert smile)"
I'd say that's definitely one of the advantages of working for an indie business — you don't feel pressured to treat customers like potential dollar signs ("OMG, I've only recruited five people into our rewards program today! I've got to push harder!") You feel more free to deal with each customer as an individual, and treat them how you'd want to be treated.
a. I want an indie bookstore. Now. :(
b. These are fantastic suggestions. I think every single one of these would keep me coming back to a bookstore. :)
I'm not a bookseller, but I love all these ideas.
I would love it if our local bookstore did some of these things. We have a Books-a-Million in the mall (which took over after the Borders closed), and an indie bookstore downtown. I've lived here two years and have been in the indie store ONCE (to be fair, I don't go in BAM all that often either, I'm mostly a library girl). There was nothing about it really that made me want to come back. It felt just like a big store, only smaller.
I've since decided that since I do buy books so infrequently — maybe one or two a year — that I really should shop indie when I do. Even if it's a $10 price difference on a new hardcover, it's not insignificant. Especially since, if I went to BAM I'd probably get a coffee while I was there, so there's another $5 right there. (And I hate buying stuff online because I've had bad experiences having stuff delivered to apartments.)
Wow, this got long. I guess my point was, I am trying to support local businesses even though I don't spend much money period, so I'm probably not an ideal customer. But I would still love it if they did more to make me WANT to come back, and not just feel obligated to because of my own reasons.
*it's not insignificant, but it's also not much in the grand scheme of things.
Is how I meant that sentence in the second paragraph to go. Guess I distracted myself.
The suggestions of how to use Amazon's algorithms (and Goodreads or Small Demons) to generate "If X then Y" shelf tags is a particularly good one. Customer service etc. are things that all small businesses should try to excel at, but expanding on the idea of the hand-sell by offering cross-sales on shelves with popular authors is a great one. Actual real booksellers can only make so many recommendations, and some shoppers don't want a conversation – but would welcome an unobtrusive shelf placard suggesting Joe Hill while they're browsing Stephen King, for instance.
I can't emphasize Number 9 enough. I work for a multinational conglomerate renowned for its service. And I'm always having people tell me about how they pay more to shop at my store "for the experience." It's truly amazing to see how, in this world of hi-tech doo-dads and gizmos, far just being nice can take you.
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You can create memorable and attractive PowerPoint 2007 presentations with the professionally-designed slides in this free template. Use the picture, shape,and graphic effects in these slides to add colorful, elegant, or playful backgrounds to your presentation.
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Pyongyang arms claim a 'bluff'
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The United States and major Asian powers yesterday called North Korea's latest nuclear claim and withdrawal from talks as a bluff, urging its reclusive regime to return to the negotiating table.
Despite some fevered news reports, the governments trying to talk Pyongyang into nuclear disarmament said they saw little new in a North Korean Foreign Ministry statement on Thursday claiming the communist state had nuclear weapons and was suspending "indefinitely" its participation in six-nation talks.
"They have used this sort of phrasing every so often," said Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Hiroyuki Hosoda.
"They didn't say anything particularly new," he said.
In Washington, presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said: "We've heard this kind of rhetoric from North Korea before."
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said North Korea only faced deeper isolation if it continued on its present path. "The world has given them a way out and they should take that way out," she said.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he thought Pyongyang's statement contained an "element of bluff".
China, which has hosted three sessions of six-nation talks involving North Korea with its major neighbours and the US, merely said it had "noticed" the statement. "China is watching the situation," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan. "We hope the talks can be continued."
Most analysts saw at most a small change in nuance in the latest North Korean statement's reference to having "manufactured nuclear weapons" where previously the term used had been building up "nuclear deterrence".
US intelligence analysts have previously reported that North Korea might have had two plutonium-based bombs since the early 1990s, and might have extracted enough plutonium for possibly six more bombs since it restarted processing spent nuclear fuel rods two years ago. A separate weapons effort based on uranium enrichment expertise supplied by Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan is believed to be in its early stages.
However, the US has just revealed that North Korea appears to be the source of uranium hexafluoride, a gas that can be put into centrifuges to extract bomb-grade uranium, that was supplied to Libya via Pakistan.
More attention was being given yesterday to Pyongyang's announced "indefinite" suspension of participation in the six-nation talks about the Korean nuclear crisis, which have not convened since a third session in Beijing last June.
The North Koreans blamed Dr Rice's remark in her recent confirmation hearing that included North Korea among "outposts of tyranny".
This, it said, "disclosed its attempt to topple the political system in the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) at any cost, threatening it with a nuclear stick".
Many regional officials saw the "withdrawal" as a negotiating ploy, to draw out softer terms from the US, and possibly to seek bribes for attendance from the Chinese hosts.
Beijing was reported to have paid about $US50 million ($A67.87 million) to North Korean President Kim Jong-il's Government to ensure the last round of talks.
China is reported to be preparing to send another delegation to Pyongyang this month.
"(The North Korean) remarks are thought to contain the North's hopes that other countries will give credit to its claim and that the US will start offering high-priced concessions," a South Korean official said.
"It may very well be a prelude to further negotiation," said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who went to Pyongyang in August in a vain effort to kick-start the fourth round of talks.
"We hope that's what it is - toughening up their position, reinforcing their negotiating clout."
He said China would be particularly important in getting the talks going again.


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Vol 8 No. 12 - December 12, 2007
Son reopens mother's store
By Tom Vaught
sun staff writer
stomer opens the door and enters Island Mail and More, at 3230 East Bay Drive in Holmes Beach. Stephen Normand looks up from behind the counter as the lady says, "I always fax something on Monday mornings."
He takes the piece of paper from her and she pushes an envelope into his hand.
Stephen puts the card with a stack of papers and cards waiting to go to his mother, Sue, who is in the hospital, recovering from a gunshot wound she suffered last Wednesday at her store.
After five days of turmoil and worry about his mother, Stephen reopened the store Monday morning. He has filled in for her before, so he knows the routine in the store that does everything from making copies for customers to wrapping and shipping packages for them.
"She's doing better," he said when asked about his mom. "They're saying she'll need to use a walker for a year. They had to reconstruct her hip."
Police said that the bullet shattered her pelvis before going into her intestines.
"She didn't have health insurance, so we're starting a Web site for her," Stephen said. "It's supportsue.com."
Stephen and his sister, Lisa, have been helping their mother since Mark W. Koenigs, of Bradenton and Bradenton Beach, walked into the store and shot her once in the abdomen. Lisa was at the hospital with Sue Monday morning while Stephen reopened Island Mail and More. He is also busy with his own career. He's a disc jockey and had a gig Sunday night.
"My sister and I crossed paths last night," he said. "I was up north and she came down to clean up the shop so I could open today."
That mean cleaning up the fingerprint dust that the detectives used while investigating the case and Sue's blood from the floor behind the counter.
Koenigs, who was shot three times by Manatee County Sheriff's Office deputies when he pointed a pistol at one of them during his capture, was transferred from Bayfront Hospital to the Manatee County Jail on Sunday.
Sue remained in the hospital and faces a long recovery from the shooting that police say remains unexplained. Koenigs refuses to talk to them, according to Holmes Beach Police Chief Jay Romine.
For information, call Island Mail and More at 778-1911.
Victim treated in 'golden hour'
HOLMES BEACH – When Andy Price looked at shooting victim Sue Normand lying in a pool of blood behind her store counter last week, he knew she was so seriously wounded he had to get her to the hospital as soon as possible. He knew they had a "golden hour" to get her treated.
West Manatee Fire Rescue Chief Price recounted his decision to land a helicopter in the parking lot of the Anna Maria Island Centre shopping mall on East Bay Drive instead of putting her in an ambulance and driving her to a landing zone at nearby Kingfish Boat Ramp.
"I knew that in the daytime, the chopper can land in an 80-by-80-foot area," he said. "Fortunately, there were no cars at that end of the parking lot, so we roped off the area and had him land there."
The chopper landed in the southern end of the parking lot, which services Shell's Restaurant. The restaurant was not open yet, which meant there were no cars in that section of the lot.
"Our medics did a tremendous job," Price said. "Their quick action pretty much saved her life.
"Time is our enemy," he continued. "With any trauma case, we try to get them to a trauma center within an hour. We call it the Golden Hour."
Price said that with the impending bridge rehabilitation that will close the Anna Maria Island Drawbridge for 45 says, they might have to use helicopters more often. He said they generally use choppers for trauma cases and ambulances for medical emergencies since the ambulances are staffed with emergency medical technicians.
With only one bridge to the mainland open, the heavy traffic there will impede getting ambulances on and off the Island, according to Price. He said they will have an ambulance assigned to the Island during the construction, but if it is already tied up, they will have to evaluate the situation and decide whether to wait or call in the choppers.
Price gave the fire and medical technician responders an A-plus on their response to Normand's shooting. He also praised police and sheriff's deputies.
"The law enforcement response was tremendous and they got him (Koenigs) within an hour," Price said. "I had people coming up to me who were scared to death. They didn't know whether to go home and hide or carry on normally."
Drought expected
to continue into spring
By Pat Copeland
sun staff writer
Although some environmentalists are ready to blame Florida's two-year drought on global warming, officials at the Southwest Florida Water Management District (Swfwmd) have a different opinion.
"Its Mother Nature," Robyn Hanke, Swfwmd media relations manager, said. "If you look back over the past 100 years, you get these high and low periods of rainfall."
The district's governing board recently extended the one-day-week watering restrictions until June 30, 2008 and began a voluntary campaign called Skip a Week. It is asking people to water their lawns every other week rather than weekly.
"The situation is bad," Hanke stressed. "We have had below average rainfall for two years as of January. It's a long-term drought situation and with the LaNina, they're predicting a drier than normal fall, winter and spring."
According to a Swfwmd news release, all 16 counties in the district are experiencing an annual average rainfall deficit of approximately 9.6 inches. For the 24-month period of November 2005 through October 2007, the district-wide rainfall deficit was 20.7 inches.
"The district's governing board is very concerned and expects conditions to worsen," Hanke explained. "They continue to monitor the situation very closely."
Hanke said if the governing board decides to tighten restrictions further, it would probably reduce the hours per day that people could water and eliminate some of the exemptions. The governing board's next meeting is Dec. 18.
What you can do?
To find ways you can help conserve water, go to Swfwmd's Web site, www.swfwmd.state.fl.us. At the top of the page click on We're in a Drought and you will see three columns of information to access.
The first, When Can I Water?, will detail watering restrictions. The second, What can I Do?, lists seven topics to access: Skip a week of irrigation, Save water indoors, Save water outdoors, Grow smart (Florida-friendly landscaping principles), Follow water restrictions, Stay current with weather conditions and Request a speaker.
The third column, "What We're Doing, lists six topics: Condition monitoring, Water restrictions, News releases, Water CHAMP (hotel/motel conservation), Homeowners' association outreach and In-School education resources.
In addition, on the home page, you can click on Water Conservation on the right side of the page and get another list of topics to access, including a list of publications. Types of materials include brochures, booklets, posters, DVDs, CDs and videos. All are free with free shipping.
Manatee County also has a Web site, www.mymanatee.org. Click on Departments at the top of the page. When the list of department appears, click on Utility Operations. When that page comes up, click on topics from the menu at the left.
Selections from that menu include: water smart, watering restrictions, lawn watering tips, plant watering tips, Florida friendly landscape, educational programs, outdoor rebates, toilet rebates and rain barrel program.
Chorus and orchestra present sounds for the season
The Anna Maria Island Community Chorus and Orchestra (AMICCO) presents the second concert of its 2007-2008 season on Sunday, Dec. 16, at Crosspointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria.
The Dec. 16 program, entitles a "Christmas Concert," will open with Haydn's "Symphony No. 27 in G major;" followed by "Christmas Day," by Holst; "While All Things Were in Quiet Silence," by Willan; "Sir Christemas," by Mathias; "Angels' Carol," by Rutter; "The Infant King," by Willcocks; and "Concerto No. 1 in A minor, op. 33," by Saint Saens.
Nicholas Gutsche will perform a cello solo during the "Concerto No. 1 in a minor, Op. 33" piece. A 16-year-old home schooler who attends Manatee Community College, he was a finalist in the 2006 Tampa Bay Concerto Competition and has performed with the Venice Symphony since 2003.
The program will continue with Guilmant's "Morceau Symphonique for Trombone, Op. 88," with Jonathan Everhart, 17 performing a solo on the euphonium. He is a 17-year-old senior in the International Baccalaureate program at Riverview High School, where he plays both bass trombone and euphonium in the Riverview Kiltie Band.
Additional pieces to be performed on Dec. 16 include "Hodie" ("This Day"), a Christmas cantata for solo soprano, tenor, baritone, chorus and orchestra. Sara Peeples, soprano; David Kesler, tenor; and Munroe Olson, baritone, will be featured performers during this offering.
Alfred Gershfeld is artistic director and principal conductor of AMICCO. Dr. Jon K. Magendanz is assistant conductor and Daniel A. Hoffman is chorus master.
Information about and tickets for the Dec. 16 concert are available by calling 778-8585. Tickets are $15 per person and can also be obtained by sending a check payable to AMICCO and addressed to Mary D. Misner, P.O. Box 4335, Anna Maria, FL 34216.
Victim has history of service to city
By Pat Copeland
sun staff writer
HOLMES BEACH – When people talk about Sue Normand the first thing they cite is her service and dedication to her city.
"She's a very dedicated, committed resident who wants to give back to her community," said City Commissioner John Monetti, who served with Normand on the planning commission for four years. "She is conscientious in her role, her intensions are good and she is knowledgeable. It is important to have people like that who understand how the government works."
Normand, who was appointed to the city's planning commission in 1996, has served as its chairman for many years and was reelected chairman on Nov. 29. She ran for city commission in 1996 and 1997. In 1997-98 she helped the city draft its first cell tower ordinance.
"She's been an asset to the city in more than one way and donated time to the city for many years," Mayor Rich Bohnenberger said.
"She gave good service to the city. She took her job on the planning commission very seriously," Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore, the city's former mayor, said. "She's also been involved in many other civic endeavors and she always did it with professionalism."
Sylvia Harris, who also serves on the planning commission, said Normand came to the board shortly after she did.
"She has been a good teacher and mentor to me and she's a friend, too," Harris said. "She's a by-the-book, straightforward person. I look forward to continuing to work with her."
Normand also worked with Manatee County as a consultant on mitigation. She served as president of the Holmes Beach Civic Association for three years. Five years ago, she opened Island Mail and More in the Anna Maria Island Centre.
"She has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years. First she rented, then she built her house," neighbor Darlene Doran said. "She puts in 12- to-14-hour days at her store and is a hard worker."
"I got to know her when she got involved with all the noise at the Anchor Inn," Louie Strickland recalled. "She's a real nice person, a hard-working lady and a good neighbor and citizen."
For those who want to send cards or flowers, Normand's address is: Sue Normand, Room 233, Bayfront Medical Center, 701 Sixth St. S., St. Petersburg, FL 33701
'Dead zone' in Gulf has partial rebirth
By Cindy Lane
sun staff writer
Research shows that some marine life is recovering slowly from the red tide that created a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico in the summer of 2005.
Preliminary results show that species that lived on the Gulf floor were hardest hit, said researcher Dustin Johnson with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) in St. Petersburg, addressing participants at the 2007 Florida West Coast Artificial Reef Workshop last week in Palmetto.
A thermocline – a layer of cold water underneath a layer of warm water – trapped the red tide on the floor of the Gulf, where it killed bottom-dwelling species including corals, he said. An abrupt change in water temperature of three to five degrees over a small depth can act as a physical barrier to red tide, keeping it in one of the temperature layers until the two layers become more uniform.
Some corals that extended high enough to clear the trapped red tide cloud were damaged, but survived, Johnson said. Those that were entirely immersed in the red tide did not.
"There is a very clear line where everything below it died," he said.
As large numbers of coral and other marine life died, an overabundance of nutrients resulting from the decomposition of the dead matter consumed the oxygen in the water and created a dead zone.
Slowly, the natural balance appears to be returning, Johnson said.
"A lot of the sites we thought were completely eliminated are coming back," he said.
While researchers can identify the species that are recovering, it will take time before they know in what numbers they are returning, Johnson said. Among those documented are nine species of coral, 28 species of algae, eight species of sponges and some seagrasses. Crustaceans, such as stone crabs and lobsters, are not recovering as well, he said.
Fish are not being surveyed in the study, but boat captains at the workshop said some species, including Goliath grouper (jewfish) seem to be returning to the former dead zone.
More than 30 sites in the dead zone are being monitored by the FWRI or Mote Marine Laboratory from Hernando County south to Sarasota County. No recovery was apparent until April, 2006.
A similar event occurred during a summer red tide bloom in 1971 in more than 580 square miles offshore of Sarasota County, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission records. Studies of the reefs affected by the 1971 red tide over five years documented recovery of fish populations within 12 to 18 months of the end of the event. Recovery of slower growing animals, such as coral and sponges, is estimated to take from two to five years.
No red tide has been recorded in the former dead zone since the 2005-06 event, when red tide was documented in southwest Florida for more than a year, Johnson said. Red tides as long as 21 months have been documented.
Water samples collected last week contained background to low concentrations of red tide along the coast of Collier County. Offshore samples collected 12 miles west of Siesta Key contained background to very low concentrations of red tide. Background concentrations were also detected in Pinellas County at Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach.
Manatee downlisting suspended
By Cindy Lane
sun staff writer
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission suspended its plan to reclassify the manatee from an endangered to a threatened species last week, announcing plans to reexamine its listing process while approving the state's first manatee management plan.
"An imperiled species listing process should be designed in a way that it is easy for the public to understand," said Kipp Frohlich, the commission's team leader for the manatee plan. "A listing process should not be a source of confusion or divisiveness."
The decision was a victory for environmentalists who opposed the downlisting.
"It is time for the commission to fix their imperiled species classification system by adopting one where all of Florida's most at-risk species can be fairly reviewed, classified properly and managed accordingly to sustain and recover their numbers in the wild," said Patrick Rose, executive director of the Save the Manatee Club.
Both the reclassification and the management plan were scheduled for a vote at the commission's September meeting, but Gov. Charlie Crist requested that the downlisting decision be deferred to allow new commissioners time to acquaint themselves with the issues.
In his letter to Commission Chair Rodney Barreto, he wrote "…given the need for a better method to estimate the population of the Florida manatee, and the record 417 manatee deaths in 2006, I believe a more prudent course of action at this time would be to postpone consideration of the proposed change in the status of this species."
"The commission listened to the governor and unanimously voted to postpone the manatee's reclassification," Rose said. "A change in status at this time could have serious consequences like cuts in funding for research, rescue and enforcement programs."
According to commission statistics, more manatees died in Florida in 2006 than in the history of the state's survey program, with 417 dead. 2005 was the second-worst year for manatee mortality, with 396 deaths. State synoptic surveys, or one-day counts, of manatees have steadily declined from an all-time high of 3,300 in 2001 to 2,812 in 2007.
"One important trouble spot remains in southwest Florida where red tide is most prevalent. While the data in this part of the state are less conclusive, manatee numbers there may be declining slightly," Barreto said.
"While, thankfully, the manatee is not at imminent risk of extinction, the bad news is it does meet criteria that indicate a very high risk of extinction at some point," he said. "Consequently, much still needs to be done to secure the long-term future of the manatee. These tasks are laid out in detail in the state's manatee management plan."
The plan includes seagrass protection as a major objective, and highlights the need to develop improved methods for monitoring manatee populations and solutions for the potential loss of manatee warm-water refuges.
First closings set
for Pine Avenue project
By Laurie Krosney
sun staff writer
ANNA MARIA — The first of three scheduled closings for the Pine Avenue restoration project will take place Friday, Dec. 14.
The project is the dream child of Anna Maria resident Michael Coleman.
"We'll close on 315 Pine this Friday," said Coleman, who refused to divulge the price he's paying for the property. "We also have a closing set for Dec. 21 for the parcel at 503 Pine and then we close on 401 Pine on Jan. 21."
Coleman said with the three parcels funded and the closings set, Phase One of the Pine Avenue restoration project is well underway.
"These are critical properties as we've envisioned the project," he said. "That's everything on the south side of Pine that we need."
The parcel at 315 Pine, which is on the southwest corner of Pine and Crescent, actually has two conforming lots. The property at 503 also has two conforming lots, and the parcel at 401 Pine, which is on the southeast corner of Pine and Crescent, has three conforming lots.
Funding is in place for all three of the parcels, which make up Phase One of the project, which is envisioned as Gulf Coast Cracker shops, offices and living quarters.
The project is located in the city's residential/office/retail district. To date, Coleman and investors in the project have contracts to purchase a total of 21 lots on Pine Avenue and North Bay Boulevard. The developers of the project will own seven lots when the closings scheduled this month and early in January are accomplished.
a letter to the editor about a story."
Go back to Index December 12


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6/4 back over .500 Postgamer thread.
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WSI High Priest
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Antioch, IL
Posts: 6,154
Originally Posted by
Exactly. Nobody is talking about mortgaging the future. We're a third of the way through the season and I'm hearing nothing but people saying that, should the opportunity present itself, you can't throw away today's possibilities. The future comes sooner than you think sometimes.
I think there are a few players that MAY not be part of the long term plan and could bring some talent in return (Ramirez and Beckham)- but if traded, the Sox are "white flagging it" when they are currently in a contending position (obviously could change between now and trade deadline)- those are prob the challenging decisions.
I don't think De Aza or Dunn will present much of a challenge- they aren't going to really bring anything in return any way that will help with rebuilding.
For me- I hope 100% that they keep Ramirez- we don't have a SS prospect on the way in the farm system- and I think we CAN contend in 2015- and hate to throw away another year or two on rebuilding while we have Abreu/Sale/Quintana + a number of pre-arb starting position players on the roster (A. Garcia, Eaton, Gillaspie, Flowers, etc.).
I like Beckham as well- but with the number of prospects on the way (mostly Sanchez and maybe Semian- I'm convinced Micah is headed towards LF based on his defense)- you have to consider it if you can get a good pitching prospect.
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"When I heard the National Anthem it hit me," Jose Abreu said through White Sox spokesperson Lou Hernandez. "I love the Anthem. When I learn English Im going to sing it."
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Roth IRAs
A Roth IRA is an attractive savings option because you make contributions with money on which you've already paid taxes. That way, your money can then grow tax-free, with tax-free withdrawals when you retire. A Roth IRA is a great choice if you anticipate being in a higher tax bracket at retirement.
- Minimum investment requirement as low as $500
- No monthly fees*
- IRAs ranging from six to 60 months
- Interest is compounded daily and credited quarterly
- After-tax contributions can grow tax-free for retirement
- Potential tax-free withdrawals in retirement
- Annual contribution limits may apply
* Premature withdrawals from fixed-term IRAs may incur a fee.


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NFL: Steelers announce preseason schedule
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers will play host the New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field during the 2013 preseason, the team announced Thursday.
Additionally, the Steelers will play one nationally televised game during the preseason, a Monday night matchup at FedEx Field against the Washington Redskins in Week 2, and they will conclude the preseason with a Week 4 game at Carolina.
The regular-season schedule has not been announced yet, but it is known that the Steelers will have home games against Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Miami, Chicago, Detroit and Tennessee.
Pittsburgh will have away games against Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, New England, New York Jets, Green Bay, Minnesota and Oakland.


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I would like to purchase an 2 to 3 frame extractor, eBay, has several for the cheap, $160.00
Kelly has several for around $450.00 I don't need an electrical type, hand crank will do just fine.
I only have about 30 to 40 mid, and deep frames of honey to extract.
4 hives.
I want something simple but nice, don't want to purchase something I have to throwaway next year.
I know I'll get opinions here, that's why I'm asking.
When answering, would you mind putting an LINK, to where I may purchase an extractor.
Also thanks to all the BEEKS with their post, who have made my first year a success!


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« Local Home
Ratings and Reviews
Overpeck Park Dog Run [view the full listing]
Nice Dog Park - longish walk from parking
Lots of room for the dogs to play. Large dog area has a lot of dogs in the evening and the little dogs get a safe area to play. Be aware that the dog park is in the front of the park on the far side near the street, so you have to cross across the distance of the whole park in order to get to the dog run, so this might not be a good option for anyone with problems walking.
Animal General [view the full listing]
Great Vet
I love Lucky's vet. It's a great group of young, but experienced and reliable vets. He's seen all of them and one is just as great as the others. The doctors and staff are all fabulous and the prices are very reasonable.
Fort Tryon Dog Run (Sir Williams Run) [view the full listing]
Great Dog Run!
They finally have a small dog section. It's in the middle of a really nice park so makes a great day out in good weather.
Spoiled Brats [view the full listing]
GREAT store!
Very friendly. They always pay attention to your pet and give a treat (nice premium treats too ... not just cheap biscuits!) They have a great selection of premium foods and good toys, clothes, etc. The best shop in Washington Heights.
Fort Lee Pet shop [view the full listing]
Small Pet Shop - carries premium foods
I went there because I was looking for premium foods during the pet food recall. The store is in the heart of Fort Lee and has been there a long time. The store is small, but nicely stocked and the sales people are very knowledgable and helpful
Cliffside Animal Hospital [view the full listing]
Cliffside Park, NJ 07010
(201) 943-2400
Obviously vet care in this area is expensive, but I thought they were way too much. I took my cat there because she had blood in her urine. She ended up needing a dental, which ended up costing me almost $1000. I never went back but continually got post cards in the mail for ages reminding me to return. It might be worth a visit if it is local to you, but I would not go back.


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This was my first ever marathon and it was the best running event I have ever taken part in. The race, however, did not go as planned. I spent nine months training, completing two 17-mile runs and a 20-mile road race five weeks before (3:19) as well as a few half-marathons. I tapered in the last three weeks to be fully fit.
Everything was going great until after Mile 19. I had run all the way and was on for 3:30. I hadn't experienced any cramps, I was well-hydrated and well-fuelled but then I was tripped by another runner. I came to a sudden halt and when I went to run again I couldn't. I had unbearable pain at the side of my knees and thighs - I could only walk. I managed to get to the nearest St. John's Ambulance post where they bandaged ice packs around both my knees. I looked a sight and certainly didn't see anyone else with ice packs bandaged to them.
I continued but couldn't run. At Mile 21 I felt like I couldn't walk either. My family were just after Mile 22 - when I saw them I cried and remembered saying that I just couldn't run, I was in so much pain. They all said to just keep going. I thought of the moment that Derek Redmond was injured in the 1992 Olympics and how his Dad got him over the line - somehow I managed to keep walking (slowly to say the least).
I kept attempting to run but it was no use. When I got to Mile 25, I was determined to run the last mile no matter how slow or painful. Believe me, it was painful. The crowds were fantastic - hearing people shout your name brought tears to my eyes. I crossed the finish line in 5:20.22 - way off my expected time.
I'm delighted to have completed the marathon, and am going back next year (hopefully) to do it justice and run the whole 26.2 miles. I wouldn't miss it for the world, even though I am currently on crutches, anti-inflammatories and pain killers. I have got some amazing memories which I will remember forever.


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ED Magedson – Founder
Ripoff Report
Alliance One - Gig HarborP.O. Box 2449 Gig Harbor, Washington USA
Alliance One - Gig Harbor Unlawful Gig Harbor Washington
Does your business have a bad reputation?
Fix it the right way.
Corporate Advocacy Program™
I received 6 parking tickets during the month of October. This was such a horrible fluke - prior to this, I had never received a parking ticket in my life. Most of them had to do with meters running out. Again I admit, this is my fault.
I also admit, I did not get on the ball and pay the tickets right away. By December 10th - I had been notified by my credit monitoring service, that my credit score had gone down after several reports on my credit. When I looked it up, I saw all 6 tickets had been reported as unpaid on my report.
So I went from having no infractions on my credit report - to six infractions - all within 40 days give or take of the original ticket issuings. Does this not sound excessive to anyone else?
First off, the city of Seattle wasted no time - I'd say, less than 30 days to report this to Aliance One - and then Alliance One reported this less than 15 days after receiving my files.
Is there ANYTHING I can do?
BTW, I paid my tickets - which was $900.00.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 02/21/2014 05:25 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/alliance-one-gig-harbor/gig-harbor-washington-98335/alliance-one-gig-harbor-unlawful-gig-harbor-washington-1125549. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content
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THECB 18 Characteristics of Doctoral Programs
The 18 Characteristics of Texas Doctoral Programs is a set of guidelines developed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) which provide a snapshot of all doctoral programs at public universities and health-related institutions (see TAC Rule 5.51). The data included as part of the 18 Characteristics is intended to provide information to the institutions for self-improvement and to serve as a guide to interested members of the general public, specifically prospective students.
The 18 Characteristics for the Texas A&M Health Science Center doctoral programs are published in November with information from the previous academic year. Current data reflects program characteristics for the 2012-13 academic year. Any questions or concerns related to the 18 characteristics should be directed to Amanda Allen (firstname.lastname@example.com).


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As I mentioned before, beer doesn't have to be limited to meats or entrees. Half a bottle of Black Lager worked beautifully in my black bean dip appetizer. When baking beer cheese bread I'll use a fairly traditional Pale Ale. And supposedly Wit beer is the secret ingredient for the world's greatest pancakes!
For dessert I recently poached four cored apples in maple syrup and Shipyard's Prelude Special Ale. Topped with whipped cream, toasted oats, and fresh berries, the presentation is appropriate for the fanciest of dinner parties.
Honestly, though, simpler recipes allow the beer to stand out better. It is hard to beat Rogue's Chocolate Stout in an ice cream float. Or how about some of Lindeman's Framboise over vanilla ice cream? Be creative! When it comes to beer and food, if it sounds good, it probably is.
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Hi, i had a mini abdominoplasty 25 days ago. The stitches are almost all dissolved except on the extreme sides and a one or two hairline sutures in the middle. The extreme side ones are out of my body, as in they are knotted or something. should i be concerned? it doesnt seem to be infected but a few nights ago i had these terrible chills.
Mini Abdominoplasty Stitches (photo)
Doctor Answers 7
Get your incision checked out
Infection after Tummy Tuck?
Thank you for the question and pictures.
Based on the pictures, I do not think you have an infection of the suture line present. Continue to follow your plastic surgeon to address the remaining suture as well as the cause of your "chills".
Best wishes.
Web reference: http://www.poustiplasticsurgery.com/Procedures/Procedure_tummyTuck.htm this
Abdominoplasty or Tummy Tuck
This could be a suture that should be removed. Contact your board-certified Plastic Surgeon for removal.
You might also like...
Mini Abdominoplasty Stitches
its time to get your sutures removed! You are having a reaction to the stitches that I usually would remove at about 7-10 days at the latest.....
Sutures with mini tummy tuck
It looks like your skin is irritated but it does not look like an infection- You should see your plastic surgeon and have him/her cut the knot at the skin and remove what is left, everything should then resolve. Good luck!
Web reference: http://www.plasticsurgeryrenotahoe.com
Mini Abdominoplasty Stitches
Photos shows a permanent suture that NEEDS removal ASAP. Also you describe cellulitis with possible infection that needs antibiotic therapy, again ASAP. Best to contact/be seen by your PS ASAP
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.


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Video: Canucks coach John Tortorella wants to move past suspension, but auto-tuned song of him sure to live on
|02.04.14 at 11:48 am ET
Canucks coach John Tortorella leads his team against the Bruins on Tuesday night at TD Garden in his second game back on the bench following his 15-day suspension for his actions during last month's game against the Flames.
Prior to Monday's loss to the Red Wings, Tortorella told reporters that he acknowledges his mistake.
"I apologize first and foremost to the players for the situation I put them in, to the organization for my stupidity, to the league," Tortorella said. "It's been embarrassing and not just for me, but for everyone around me."
Added Tortorella: "It's been very embarrassing for my family and for myself and more importantly, everybody around me that I'm supposed to represent. As far as the nonsense I caused, I want to move by it. I think too much focus has been put on this. We need to worry about our hockey club right now."
In the Jan. 18 game in Vancouver, Tortorella responded to Calgary starting its fourth line by sending out his fourth-liners, leading to a line brawl upon the drop of the puck. The fiery coach then attempted to get to the Calgary locker room between periods.
After the game, Tortorella explained the reasoning for his actions, and that press conference was auto-tuned to create this memorable video.


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The late German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen's unlikely transformation from avant-garde bogeyman to box-office sensation, effected in recent years with a string of sold-out events at the Park Avenue Armory, continues with a stunningly inventive new production of an instrumental excerpt from the composer's Licht cycle of operas. Depicting the angel Michael's journey of terrestrial discovery, the work is presented by crack German new-music crew Ensemble musikFabrik in collaboration with director Carlus Padrissa of the Catalan street-theater company La Fura dels Baus. Wear bright blue to synch up with Stockhausen's desired effect.
|Event phone:
|Event website:
To improve this listing email: email@example.com


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A woman who was found dead in Vacaville on Friday has been identified as missing 50-yer-old Oakland resident Sandra Coke, Oakland police said today.
Police said Coke was the victim of a homicide. Spokeswoman Johnna Watson said at a brief news conference at police headquarters this afternoon that the department is not yet able to release more details about the case.
"We're extremely limited in the amount of information we can share with the community," Watson said.
Coke had last been seen by her 15-year-old daughter when she left her home in the 600 block of Aileen Street in Oakland at around 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 4.
She was reported missing after she failed to return home that evening.
Coke's car was found parked in the 800 block of 32nd Street in Oakland on the evening of Aug. 5, and police said they found one of her two cellphones discarded along Interstate 80 in Richmond.
Last Thursday, the search for Coke focused on an area near Lake Chabot behind Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo.
The next day, searchers began scouring Lagoon Valley Park in Vacaville and found a body in a rural area west of I-80 across from the park, Solano County sheriff's officials said.
Coke was an investigator for the federal public defender's office in Sacramento, and many of her colleagues participated in the search.
Oakland police have identified convicted sex offender Randy Alana, 56, as a person of interest in Coke's disappearance. The two had dated in the distant past, police said. The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that "a source close to the investigation" said Coke's Mini Cooper had been caught on a surveillance camera crossing the Carquinez Bridge after the time of her disappearance. "Alana was filmed by another camera filling up Coke's car at a gas station on Martin Luther King Jr. Way in North Oakland, the source said."
Alana is currently in custody on an unrelated parole violation.
Coke is believed to have been with Alana on the night of her disappearance, according to police.


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The shooting possibilities with the Lomography Spinner 360° are endless. Here are some tried and tested techniques to get you started. They may even inspire you to come up with your own unique Spinning styles!
Stretch your arm, hold the camera steadily in one hand and pull the string with the other hand. Release the string to let the camera perform a 360-degree spin and smile; the camera captures everything around itself, including you.
Hold the camera abouve your head and pull the string. This avoids yourself being in the picture and captures a full panorama of your surrounding environment. Perfect for stunning landscapes.
Hold the camera in front of yourself but turn it by 90 degrees. Instead of the classic landscape horizontal aspect, you photograph the vertical perspective of your environment. This includes yourself and everything else situated in front or behind you. Perform this move while jumping down from somewhere for extra dramatic perspectives.
If you find yourselft in low light situations you need to manually spin the camera to obtain a good picture. Are you shooting in daylight but in overcast weather or in the shade? Pull the cord like you're used to but instead of releasing it abruptly, control the speed by hand. The Lomography Spinner 360° rotates slower and therefore you expose your image for a longer time.
What if you are shooting indoors or at night-time? Place the handle of the Lomography Spinner 360° on a steady surface, hold it tightly with one hand and slowly spin the camera with the other hand. Depending on how much light there is you can turn the camera a bit slowly, quite slowly or v-e-r-y slowly. The most important thing is that your speed of turning remains constant as otherwise you'll have a variety of exposures on one image.
You may also manually spin the camera to obtain partial panoramas; just take the camera and spin it quickly by hand for a quarter, half or indeed any fraction of a full rotation.
Rethink your perception of time and space. Instead of spinning the camera, keep it fixed while you turn the handle and advance the film. As you constantly record the same spot through the tiny slit of the camera everything that doesn't move (i.e. the landscape) will stretch horizontally as long as you turn the handle. In contrast, as soon as a moving object enters the scene it will be recorded and - depending on its speed and your speed of turning the handle - will be depicted more or less naturally. This kind of photography is not about freezing a moment but rather recording the flow of time and space.
Extra: instead of holding the camera itself still, move it and if you are brave, record a moving subject too. This is the ultimate spinning craze that annihilates all the rules of conventional photography. In fact this technique is so insane that its resulting images can hardly be deciphered.
Shooting with the Lomography Spinner 360° requires two hands: one to hold the camera and one to release the cord. But what if you need one hand for something else and still want to take a picture? It's easy: you pull the string with your teeth. Attach something soft and tasty (like a cork) to the string of the camera so you can pull it with you teeth. Hold the camera in one hand and pull the string with your teeth. While the camera takes a picture you can ride your bike, pick your nose or shake hands with the president.
Turn the camera upside down, pull the string and release it while you hold the camera close to the ground. This dramatic perspective recalls your view from performing a headstand only without a headache or your feet showing on the image.
Instead of holding the camera on a horizontal level, hold it aslant. As the camera rotates in one full circle you'll receive images in wavelike perspectives. The whole world magically transforms from a flat surface into a roller-coaster of forms and figures.
Arrange all your friends and family in a small circle, hold the spinner 360° exactly in the middle, make sure it's in a horizontal position and spin it. It's good to have friends and even better to have them all in one picture!
The Lomography Spinner 360° is not only for taking pictures; it's a tool for interaction and investigation; the ultimate form of socio-cultural communication! Take the Lomography Spinner 360° out on the streets, approach the object of your desire, hold the handle of the camera and ask him/her to pull the trigger-cord. The result: a total surprise to the unkonwing stranger ("uh oh what is that?"), a new friend and a lovely picture with both of you in it.


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Re: Atom Republics Discotheque apt and club house[ Edited ]
Re: Atom Republics Discotheque apt and club house
Sweet2525 wrote:
I posted this on 5 - 21
Sweet2525, You seem very nice and you're no doubt trying to help and that is to be commended.
because of that I will take this time to share some forum etiquette with you. We all need to follow a certain etiquette here in the Sony forums. "Bumping'' threads just because or to get others to view it is frowned apon by most here but if you're adding credible new information to the thread then it is fine and a good thing.
Most don't know this but Bumping very old threads is called ."necrobumping" ( Necro'd; is a thread older than six months old.) Necro'd threads are locked in the forums usually in order to keep things neat and tidy."necrobumping" can potentially create disjointed "Dead" information as outdated posts with data which is no longer relevant due to the Sony Forums ever changing nature of content. Especially here where Home is updated each week. If you have something to add to a older thread and judge that your information is related, but more up-to-date, start a new thread and link to the old if desired, but avoid duplicating effort by posting information already contained in the forums such as other thread or Home users video's found on YouTube, Please.
We do encourange each other here by commenting on video's made by other Home users. Often giving feedback and tips so others can learn and grow to make even better video's. You seem to really enjoy Home video's. Have you ever thought about maybe making your own Home video?
There are a few very good threads on how to get started making Home video's here.