text:
Talking Tots are looking for bright, enthusiastic people to launch Talking Tots Franchises around the country. You dont need any particular qualifications or experience to run a Talking Tots Pre-School Business as long as you love working with children and their parents.
Yes? Then running your own Talking Tots Franchise could be the answer.
Owning a Talking Tots Franchise means you can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of running your own Pre-School Business while having the support of a strong, recognised brand every step of the way.
Talking Tots was created by Tracey Park and Lisa Houghton.
As highly experienced paediatric speech and language therapists, Tracey and Lisa saw first hand how many young children struggle to communicate with confidence – and set about creating a unique programme.
The programme helps all children aged 4 months – 5 years develop some of life's most important skills:
As well as fun filled Talking Tots classes, there is an Early Years package for sessions in nurseries, pre-schools, children's centres and other childcare settings and a party package.
This is becoming a growing income stream for franchisees and many are employing class leaders to help them meet demand for sessions and events.
Working with Talking Tots as a franchiseee means you'll be offering parents something entirely new.
The Talking Tots Franchise are the only Pre-School Business focusing exclusively on communication and social confidence – probably the most important skills children ever learn!
The comprehensive Talking Tots franchise package provides everything you need to run your own successful Pre-School Business:
We all have different budgets and lifestyles, so Talking Tots have recently introduced a new three-tiered pricing structure.
They can now offer the Talking Tots Franchise at 3 entry levels:
The great thing about Talking Tots is that the majority of the work is flexible so I can fit it around spending time with my children....which was the prime reason for taking this step in the first place!Claire, Talking Tots Southend
13th July 2017
Jeanette Runs Talking Tots West Sussex


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Georgia defensive end David Pollack takes down Yellow Jacket quarterback A.J. Suggs. Georgia Tech starter Reggie Ball was injured late in the first half and was replaced by Suggs.
John Curry/Staff ATLANTA - Georgia defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder couldn't lie. No, the Bulldogs were not expecting to see A.J. Suggs open the second half of Saturday's 34-17 win over Georgia Tech.
But when Reggie Ball came out late in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury, VanGorder's defense had to make a quick adjustment.
In Ball, the Bulldogs had to make sure the quick-footed freshman did not break containment whereas Suggs gave Georgia's defenders a more stationary target at which to take aim.
The results were mixed.
Ball ran for 49 yards and completed 8 of 16 passes for 80 yards, before coming out late in the second quarter. Ball did lose a fumble and was intercepted by defensive end David Pollack before Suggs completed 13 of 22 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Suggs was picked off twice, once by safety Thomas Davis and a second time by cornerback Bruce Thornton.
"Reggie Ball is a very athletic quarterback. He gives them that elusiveness that they need at quarterback to escape the rush that we were giving them," Davis said. "Suggs was more of a pocket passer and we were able to capitalize on him by sitting in the pocket where Reggie was able to scramble out."
Suggs was sacked twice and Ball once, although the freshman from Stone Mountain was able to hurt the Bulldogs with the run.
Georgia linebacker Arnold Harrison was surprised Ball was as quick as he was.
"The film kind of lied to us," Harrison said. "He was real fast."
VanGorder said he knew that all along.
"We had such an emphasis coming into the game in regards to (Ball) scrambling and moving around in the pocket," VanGorder said. "We didn't have that same problem with Suggs, but we were hoping to get another score and get the game to the point where they would have to put it up in the air a little bit more."
That's pretty much what the Yellow Jackets had to do. Georgia led Georgia Tech 20-3 at the half, forcing Suggs to try and win the game with his arm.
Suggs had seen little time this year with Ball taking every previous snap this season - a total of 785 offensive plays.
"It's a tough position to put a guy in and you can only do that with a guy who has experience," Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey said. "He did some good and he did some bad, and that's part of not playing all year."
No stranger to the Bulldogs, Suggs' appearance was his third against the Bulldogs after starting the previous two contests, the first time in 2000 when he played for Tennessee.
That day, the former McEachern star completed 13 of 21 passes for 96 yards against Georgia before transferring to Georgia Tech. Suggs started last year's game against the Bulldogs and threw for 158 yards.
"Once (Suggs) came in it kind of calmed us down," Harrison said. "We were in more of a base defense and not having to worry about somebody just throwing the gameplan away running away with the ball."
Suggs did hurt the Bulldogs with two second-half touchdown passes, the first a 35-yarder to Jonathan Smith in the third before completing a 43-yard touchdown pass to Levon Thomas with 2:32 to play.
"We had a couple of breakdowns in coverage on those plays, and it's little things like that we need to capitalize on," Davis said. "That was just a lapse in our defense. It's something we've been working on all year."
Tech finished with 401 total yards, 255 passing and 146 rushing.
"I thought we were sluggish today more than any game this year. We just weren't moving around. I don't mean to take anything away from them, because Tech did a really good job with their offense," VanGorder said. "I was worried about it coming in because they do some really good things from a scheme standpoint that can take advantage of a defense."
Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, November 30, 2003.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Unusual anxiety about the biggest "money" fight ever not selling out in advance
By Zach Arnold | August 11, 2017
Two weeks ago, The Associated Press reported that tickets were not sold out for the Floyd Mayweather/Conor McGregor fight in Las Vegas. As of today, nothing has changed. There's reportedly been a cooling off of ticket sales and sponsorship appeal.
"This isn't a damn Rolling Stones concert. That's the only thing that sells out in seconds."
Is this the kind of language you would expect from participants in the biggest money fight ever booked for combat sports?
Initially, it rings hollow. The fight is going to attract a ton of eyeballs, both on Fox for the undercard and on PPV platforms. Everyone is going to be a winner, as Mayweather recently told Stephen A. Smith in a sit-down interview. The IRS will win, for sure.
So why the panic? Why the anxiety? Why make moves like petitioning the Nevada State Athletic Commission for eight ounce gloves and putting that beleagured AC in a negative spotlight once again?
Remember what the expectations were before the Mayweather & McGregor press tour. A sold out MGM Grand Garden Arena (now T-Mobile Arena). An over/under of 5 million worldwide PPV buys. After the press tour, the media predictably soured on the antics. Betting margins started widening with sharps starting to place money on Mayweather. Odds for the fight were ridiculously in the 5-to-1 Mayweather favorite range.
The @southpointlv took a $880,000 bet today on Floyd Mayweather to beat Conor McGregor at -550 odds. The bet would net $160,000.
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) August 11, 2017
Then came the Paulie Malignaggi stunt from Conor's camp. Floyd comes out and says he's going to beat up Conor McGregor for all black people while claiming that he's "lost a step" and has had some shoulder issues.
Mayweather's camp built a fight on pure money-grabbing bravado. They didn't hide their motives at all. Now they're trying to find their soul and pimp whatever they can out of it. I think they're confusing vanity for soul.
For such an easy fight and such a historic debacle, you would think Floyd Mayweather would be happy. His camp's actions show anxiety, even a touch of panic… not because of the prospects of Conor McGregor winning but because of the prospects of not finding seat-fillers for an event sellout. Bizarre.
Topics: Boxing, Media, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
ESPN begins its march away from cable and the ramifications are huge for combat sports
By Zach Arnold | August 8, 2017
"All along we've been hoping to lose 12 million subscribers and shift to a much worse business model." https://t.co/9QN4m0ARxc
— Brian Bedol (@brizilla) August 8, 2017
The bundling model that propped up so many televison properties on cable in America is dying fast. Disney picked up a shovel today and started digging the proverbial grave with its announcement of pulling all programming from Netflix and ESPN moving to a streaming platform in 2018.
ESPN was the biggest cash cow on American cable. It's taking a beating because of horrific television rights deals with the NFL and NBA. With television consumers cutting the cord, ESPN is suffering a death by a thousand paper cuts. CBS added onto the pile today by announcing it would create a 24/7 streaming sports news channel that would directly compete against ESPN. Sportscenter, which had been ESPN's marquee property for four decades, is losing relevancy by the day.
I shed no tears for any of the parties involved. ESPN is still the giant behemoth in sports programming. With a move to streaming platforms, expect big wigs in Bristol to get the axe because Burbank will be more in control of calling the shots moving forward. Cable companies will simply shift into pure internet pipeline plays and make just as much profit as they had been serving as distributors. As long as the big cable companies can build new PPV platforms, they will do just fine.
The real impact is now on the major sports leagues and American sports properties. WWE beat everybody to the punch but they are treading water with 1.5 million subscriptions. UFC Fight Pass, at this point, is an albatross for the venture capitalists and would likely be transferred for management to a media conglomerate (e.g. FOX).
The biggest question of all for promoters like UFC: do you do your own thing or do you work with the big boys and piggyback on their risk consumption? WWE went on its own path and smartly so. UFC is heading in the opposite direction by wanting to increase its rights fee three-fold or even more. At that point, your options are limited and Fox is the major player in town.
Conventional television is not dying any time soon. If anything, the new ATSC 3.0 standard coming in a couple of years to American television sets via rabbit ears (antenna) will offer 4K picture quality with streaming options to pay for addition content. Betting on broadcast television is a solid choice.
Topics: Media, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
UFC's debt financing is making rich fighters wealthier but the window is closing fast for everyone else
By Zach Arnold | July 30, 2017
The House always wins … unless the house is entirely leveraged or the book has suffered hemorrhaging one-sided losses.
The era of Ari Emanuel and WME-IMG ownership of UFC is quickly being defined by the notion of the "super fight." The twist is that the super fights proposed are not the most competitively balanced and go against the ethos of old UFC management. Lorenzo Fertitta built UFC on the backs of the highest level MMA fighters in the world fighting each other. Dana White convinced a skeptical public that he would book the fights that other promoters couldn't.
A year after WME-IMG's purchase of UFC, we're left with fighters like Jon Jones rightfully proclaiming Dana White to be a public face and errand boy for Ari Emanuel.
The nauseating circus of Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor has brought out the worst in everyone. The utter money-grabbing transparency of soullessness has helped lower the betting odds to a ridiculous 5-to-1 Mayweather betting range but people aren't rushing to pay their life savings for tickets with ridiculous "service fees."
The fight will benefit all parties involved but it not will be of benefit to boxing or MMA itself. This same pattern is what will define the future "super fights" coming to UFC.
UFC: Jones vs Lesnar tickets on sale now! pic.twitter.com/qGkwgugpLA
— smoogy (@smoogymma) July 30, 2017
We know the next two "super fights" on the table will be Jon Jones vs. Brock Lesnar and Georges St. Pierre vs. Michael Bisping. Ari Emanuel decided from day one of ownership that he would go for the homerun every single time rather than play moneyball the Joe Silva way.
Lost in translation and reporting by the mainstream sports media is a key motive behind making these fights that have created new leverage that undercard UFC fighters have yet to take advantage of: massive debt financing.
The United States is $20 trillion dollars in debt. The interest to service the debt is skyrocketing out of control. WME-IMG purchased UFC for $4 billion dollars on the back of debt financing. The difference between Uncle Sam and UFC is that the Feds can print monopoly money at any time and call it Quantitative Easing. UFC, not so much. The venture capitalists can spin all they want but their backs are against the wall because the clock is ticking.
To their credit, Jon Jones vs. Brock Lesnar is more the kind of super fight that the old ownership of UFC would have booked rather than Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather. Jones should be a prohibitive favorite over Lesnar and his chinny chin chin but you can at least make the argument that Lesnar has a chance to smother Jones with his size. Plus, Paul Heyman is easily the best mouthpiece in all of fight sports today. He knows what sells and what doesn't.
I'm most interested in the following two questions as a result of the fallout from UFC's new matchmaking strategy:
- How will it impact interest from television networks in regards to what they will pay for a new television deal? Ari Emanuel reportedly thinks he can quadruple television rights fees.
- How many new sports agencies are going to enter into the MMA space and replace the old guard?
Fighter representation has never been more critical. The adoption of an Ali Act for MMA has never been more important to give fighters a legal tool to challenge adhesive contracts. The window for fighters to amass leverage and entrench new-found power will slam shut once WME-IMG can pay back their debt financing or spin off UFC to yet another venture capitalist group. The top names have been able to take advantage of this window so far but the majority of fighters have not.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Conor McGregor proves to be Floyd Mayweather's lifeline to the IRS
By Zach Arnold | July 10, 2017
If only UFC had known about Floyd's tax problems, they could have put a squeeze on him in negotiations.
Floyd Mayweather has petitioned IRS tax court in Las Vegas to get a reprieve on paying 2015 taxes he owes to the Feds. And his carrot? The upcoming Conor McGregor fight.
Fighters having tax & child support problems is old hat. What makes the Mayweather case so… special… is his claim that his "substantial" assets are restricted or illiquid. In other words, assets that can't be immediately used or sold off.
Like the Bugattis or private jets Mayweather bragged about getting thanks to Al Haymon?
What happened to all the cash that Mayweather reportedly uses to place massive sports bets? Or is that on credit?
It's zero surprise that Mayweather's burn rate is as high as it appears to be. And if it is true that Mayweather has a bunch of cash tied up in retirement accounts, that's a good thing for him. I'm not sure a gentlemen's club is an illiquid asset but that's not enough to finance his ongoing lifestyle.
Which means Floyd is going to have to continue fighting. He got an easy pay day with Conor McGregor. The pay day after that with either Gennady Golovkin or Canelo Alvarez (rematch) won't be as easy. If, by the grace of God, Jeff Horn gets a rematch with Manny Pacquiao and can win that, I guess Mayweather could toy with the idea of fighting him. I'm not sure about a fight with Terence Crawford…
Floyd needs opponents in a hurry. He's spending himself back into active competition. Uncle Sam is doing his part.
Topics: Boxing, Media, UFC, Zach Arnold | 8 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The spin stops here: ESPN underachieves with Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn drawing 3M viewers
By Zach Arnold | July 4, 2017
Bob Arum and his business partners, including ESPN, didn't pay Manny Pacquiao a reported $10 million dollars to draw 3 million television viewers.
ESPN's spin on Monday, bought hook-line-and-sinker by media fish, is that the rating for the Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn fight last Saturday night was the network's best showing in 10 years. When you put it that way, basic media types will take it at face value as ESPN saying they were happy with the initial results of their new marriage with Top Rank. Rephrase the news as Manny Pacquiao drawing three million viewers on ESPN and suddenly things become much clearer.
Who's to blame?
The easy scapegoat is Pacquiao. He's 38 and his reputation was permanently damaged by the Floyd Mayweather fight. The stink bomb of all stink bombs. The fact that he struggled to draw three million American cable viewers should signal the alarm in the Top Rank offices. That's bad.
I don't buy Pacquiao's ceiling on cable as less than 3 million viewers. Most combat sports fans probably don't either.
The problem is ESPN. They simply are incapable of long-term marketing & hype campaigns for sports outside of the NBA or NFL. Their marketing of MLB is dreadful. Their day-to-day coverage of baseball coverage is, at best, mediocre and has been recently scaled back.
Incompetence is bad enough. A lack of desire to be great is an entirely different insult to level at ESPN. I'm ready to level it.
ESPN's recent shotgun marriages with both Golden Boy & Top Rank signal an understanding of how bad they blew the Friday Night franchise. They half-assed it, just like they do with so much other network programming, and decided to outsource content to Al Haymon's PBC in order to save money. He had the fighters and the cash. They had the air time. And look what happened. The network did next to nothing in advance marketing to hype Haymon cards. They barely mentioned his name. They gave next to no air time in interviewing fighters or building shoulder programming content in the weeks, if not months ahead of major fights. Al Haymon was the john and ESPN was the pimp. A very lousy pimp.
After ditching Haymon, ESPN tried to save face with a new TV deal featuring Golden Boy cards that had been on FS1. ESPN has so far treated Golden Boy fights on the network with less hype and marketing than the 4th of July Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. Joe Tessitore came out of nowhere to return to boxing duties on ESPN two Saturdays ago for a Golden Boy event in Frisco, Texas that ran head-to-head against the Andre Ward/Sergey Kovalev fight. There was no advance warning or heads up at all. What makes that remarkable is that Tessitore is viewed and treated as the rising star, the impending ace, of ESPN and is all over their college football & variety programming. Tessitore returns to boxing and nary a peep.
A week after the Frisco event, Golden Boy had an ESPN2 fight that was buried an hour before NBA Free Agency marathon wall-to-wall coverage. And not only that, the fight had next to no advance notice to ESPN viewers.
Management in Bristol has no idea what they are doing, nor do they care about details big or small.
What's next for Bob Arum?
Bob Arum's nightmare scenario unfolded in Australia. Manny Pacquiao didn't stop Jeff Horn. Horn won a terrible unanimous decision. Manny got paid $10 million dollars. The fight drew three million viewers in America.
Now what?
A re-match will happen. Likely Australia, but Las Vegas certainly seems to be an option. Has ESPN lowered their ratings standards enough to put in a bid to air the re-match on cable or on ABC? What is the ceiling for the rematch? Does ESPN even know how to market the fight? The network choose not to discuss Jeff Horn until the fight took place. He was treated as a nobody. Screaming Stephen A. Smith buried Horn right before the fight started. It was a clown show. Never in ESPN's judgment did they ever consider that Horn would have a close enough fight with Pacquiao to build him up, either for a re-match or for more TV fights.
ESPN spent fight week hyping a marketing campaign in which they claimed that the marriage to Top Rank would create "a resurgence for boxing" because a) Top Rank is the NFL of boxing and b) it's ESPN. Nevermind the fact that we got to this point because HBO slashed it's boxing budget and didn't want to pay for certain TV fights. For ESPN, marrying up with Top Rank was more about giving themselves a chance to market Bristol as boxing's savior than it was about actually promoting the upcoming fights.
Which brings us to Terence Crawford. Crawford is the fighter Top Rank needs to succeed the most on the ESPN platform. Crawford is the crown jewel. The plan, as hinted by Joe Tessitore, was for Crawford to end up facing Manny Pacquiao in a passing-of-the-torch fight. Instead, Pacquiao is stuck with Horn in a re-match. Crawford has Julius Indongo on home turf in Nebraska.
There is clearly an increase in fan interest in Terence Crawford. 806,000 viewers for the John Molina fight and 961,000 viewers for the Felix Diaz fight. Crawford vs. Indongo should do better than a million viewers on ESPN. But I don't know and I can't say for certain that's the case. ESPN is the wild card here and that should scare some people in the boxing business. Are they going to spend a week hyping Terence Crawford? The network spent one week hyping Manny Pacquiao and bombed. They need to spend a month, by their standards, hyping Terence Crawford.
If Crawford's fight with Indongo disappoints or bombs in the TV ratings, Bob Arum will have every legitimate reason to give ESPN a tongue lashing. ESPN blew it on the Pacquiao/Horn fight. Will their navel gazing continue to produce disappointing results?
Topics: Boxing, Media, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
ESPN's telecast of Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn was the clearest warning to UFC not to leave Fox
By Zach Arnold | July 2, 2017
By ESPN standards, hype week for the Manny Pacquiao/Jeff Horn fight in Brisbane, Australia was decent in terms of effort. By normal respectable TV standards, it was a half-assed job. Such is life in Bristol, Connecticut.
The new marriage between ESPN & Top Rank has all the good and ugly features of Bristol politics. Joe Tessitore apparently got the memo the last two weeks to call Floyd Mayweather a no-action, selfish moocher who takes but never gives back to boxing. Teddy Atlas is about showcasing Teddy Atlas. Jeff Horn was barely mentioned by name for fight week. The only semblance of an attempt to showcase Horn was a pre-fight video package. There was a Friday night dump pre-taped version of First Take with Andre Ward.
In other words, hype week encapsulated all the managerial issues that have dogged ESPN for the past five years when it comes to promoting non-football or NBA programming.
Then came fight night. There was no advanced notice of two other fights airing on TV, including Mick Conlan. The fights just aired. And did you know that Steve Levy and Screaming Stephen A. Smith would have frequent TV appearances during the night? I'm certain that Max Kellerman, given his contractual obligations to HBO, wasn't available but that doesn't diminish expectations of competency for SAS. Unfortunately, SAS didn't pass muster and got worse as the night went on.
Which brought us to Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn. Joe Tessitore did a good sell job on the 51,000 fans in Brisbane. The rugby stadium looked great. Michael Buffer was Michael Buffer. Then came the fight and Tessitore doing his damnedest hard sell for the first two rounds. As the fight wore on, it was relatively clear that Pacquiao was going to cruise to a decision victory. Then came R9 in which Horn got rocked hard and under different circumstances with perhaps a more respected finisher (at this point in time), the referee would have stopped it. Referee Mark Nelson almost did. But he let things go on. At that point, Horn was looking to survive and save face.
When the scores were read – 117-111, 115-113 x 2 – I was nodding my head and waiting for Pacquiao's hand to be raised. When Jeff Horn was declared the winner, I lost it. Everyone lost it. But true to form for ESPN Embrace Disgrace, writer Steve Bunce declared the negative reaction as drama queen material and called for Pacquiao to retire.
The conflation of two entirely different issues, in order to score cheap clickbait points, is what brings out the worst in Bristol.
The warning signs for UFC
As the outrage was unfolding on live television, viewers were girding their loins on the impending eruption of Atlasville and the U.S.S. SAS. Atlas lived up to his end of the bargain, going so far as to say that it was outright intentional corruption that Horn won. Screaming Stephen A. Smith called for the "mugshots" of the three judges and demanded addresses to send them some gifts. He completely lost it when he found out that two of the three judges were American. That's kind of a big detail to leave out of the immediate "home cooking" post-fight story line.
Here is the scorecard from #PacquiaoHorn pic.twitter.com/RNx7XoUxQR
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) July 2, 2017
Even worse for the judging analysis, there was no attempt within an hour of post-fight coverage to GET THE ACTUAL SCORE CARDS in order to look at how the fight was scored round-by-round. Instead, viewers were treated to Screaming Stephen A. Smith proclaiming that this horrible decision was exactly why UFC is taking over while boxing is bleeding like a stuck pig. A creative narrative to pull off given ESPN proclaiming Top Rank to be "the NFL of boxing" and ESPN as a network "leading the resurgence in boxing" by airing Top Rank fights that HBO didn't want to pay for any longer.
Ignorance and lack of detail permeated the post-fight coverage. It was exactly the kind of parody someone from the outside who hated ESPN would have conjured up in a cartoon come to life.
It was a clear and present warning to UFC not to leave Fox Sports. Fox Sports has an exclusive negotiating window with UFC right now. Ari Emanuel and WME-IMG have a reported desire to split the UFC product onto multiple networks in order to cash in. If they choose to split part of their product with ESPN, they'll be giving up some of the production control to the network they do business with. ESPN's handling of the Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn fight should be a five-alarmer for every UFC fan.
ESPN does train wrecks, personality debates, and Embrace Disgrace. Fox Sports is unfortunately headed in the same path. The difference between the two networks is that Fox will let UFC do what it needs to do to produce the right kind of show. There is no such quality quality in Bristol and it showed.
Topics: Boxing, Media, UFC, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
Golden who? ESPN labels Bob Arum, Top Rank "the NFL of boxing" and recycles Al Haymon spin on exposure
By Zach Arnold | June 30, 2017
It's amazing how fast allegiances can change at ESPN. Four months ago, a bunch of C-level and B-level Golden Boy events were being heralded by the Mouse as a chance for the rebirth of boxing on basic television.
Bob Arum & Top Rank Boxing are being heralded by Joe Tessitore as "the NFL of boxing" after shifting events from HBO (slashing their budget) to ESPN. This includes booking Terence Crawford for an August fight in Lincoln, Nebraska. Tessitore pontificated, during a Friday ESPN radio interview to promote the Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn fight, that Pacquiao could face Crawford in a passing-of-the-torch fight next Winter.
Arum experimented with Crawford on PPV last year because HBO didn't want to pick up a fight. That fight reportedly sold 60,000 PPV buys and drew 378,000 viewers for an HBO replay. Yahoo Sports writer Kevin Iole quoted Bob Arum anticipating 125,000 PPV buys. The fight reportedly drew half that figure.
Getting exposure for Top Rank fighters is an issue for Bob Arum. It's why he cut a deal with ESPN. What's funny to watch is ESPN giving Arum more support than Golden Boy after Golden Boy filled the void when ESPN split from Al Haymon. Golden Boy went with the FS1-level cards. Arum is going in a different direction to build up future PPVs or perhaps a Disney bid for an ABC slot.
Network support for Bob Arum vs. Al Haymon
By any objective standards, today's ESPN does a really lousy job of promoting sports outside of the NBA, NFL, or college football. They half-ass it. They simply don't go all in with shoulder programming or ad inventory to promote a fight. They haven't advertised the Golden Boy shows at all. It's really a slap in the face. What Oscar De La Hoya has encountered with ESPN is similar to the kind of treatment that Al Haymon has encountered with the networks he has bought TV time. Haymon has spent tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions of dollars, on networks like CBS and Fox to promote real fighters only to discover the networks giving little to no advertising support. Nothing. Haymon is left with the bill and not much else. That's a recipe for disaster when TV networks are taking your money but not acting as full-throated partners.
To Bob Arum's credit, so far he has got ESPN's attention to at least run some shoulder programming, interviews, and themed advertising for the Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn fight. Pacquiao is over a 6-to-1 favorite but the fight is on Horn's home turf in a rugby stadium. Arum needs at least one of the fighters to shine bright in order to get ESPN/ABC involved in a bid for a much bigger fight down the road.
We'll see how much effort ESPN actually puts into the partnership with Bob Arum. The one ace up Arum's sleeve is Max Kellerman and First Take. Given how much oxygen ESPN has spent building up Stephen A. Smith, it's the network's natural ally to promote anything Arum wants. Arum is also a good guest with a rapier wit. At some point, though, Todd DuBoef is going to have to gain some experience hyping fights on television.
If you're Al Haymon, you have to wonder what the hell happened. Haymon brought the checkbook. Haymon brought a very big stable of marketable fighters. He demonstrated the willingness to put major fights on broadcast television. Why is ESPN so cooperative now with Bob Arum when they could have done the same deal with Al Haymon two years ago?
Topics: Boxing, Media, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
High-risk gamble by Mark Hunt attorneys to sue UFC for racketeering may be backfiring
By Zach Arnold | June 27, 2017
Start of Dana White & #UFC's new motion to dismiss v. Mark Hunt. Judge quote from transcript looks like trouble for most claims. pic.twitter.com/KpLZareR0E
— Paul Gift (@MMAanalytics) June 27, 2017
A strategic legal calculation to grab media headlines and Federal jurisdiction has possibly put Mark Hunt's historic doping lawsuit against UFC in jeopardy.
Part of a court transcript quoted in Dana White's motion to dismiss court filing against Mark Hunt reveals that the Federal judge involved in Hunt's lawsuit versus UFC & Brock Lesnar is extremely skeptical about a mixture of both Federal and state (Nevada) causes of action filed. Outside of breach of contract and breach of implied covenant, the judge in question (nicely) is highly skeptical of the lawsuit filing by Team Hunt.
That doesn't mean the judge will automatically toss out parts of the lawsuit filing. It's possible parts could be removed and the judge gives Team Hunt a chance to amend the complaint. The big problem for Team Hunt is whether or not the judge tosses out the Federal RICO (racketeering) cause of action.
If the Federal RICO cause of action doesn't survive, it means there's no Federal jurisdiction for Team Hunt to sue UFC & Brock Lesnar. Which means the case, should it survive, would move to Nevada state court. The belief is that a state court would be a much more favorable venue to both UFC & Brock Lesnar. I've argued against this conventional wisdom.
Nevada, like Florida, is a state where old-school causes of action like unjust enrichment still exist. Concealment and fraud are also on the table. There are plenty of options in state court that make Team Hunt's attempt to sue in Federal court an unforced error.
I still think Mark Hunt has a decent chance of getting a settlement or winning a court case against UFC. Discovery and deposition is going to be a pain in the ass for both UFC & Lesnar. It is in Lesnar's best interest to settle this case as quickly as possible. The question is whether or not Team Hunt will be able to get one party to turn on the other.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
UFC's Cortney Casey can sue the Texas athletic commission for libel but she only has a few weeks left
By Zach Arnold | June 26, 2017
UFC's claim that they may not run another show in Texas is a bluff but the anger behind the bluff is significantly real and justified.
An explosive report by Iain Kidd regarding UFC fighter Cortney Casey's drug test suspension with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has raised tensions between MMA's premier promoter and a state with a horribly checkered past regulating combat sports events.
If the allegations in Kidd's report are verified, Cortney Casey potentially has a libel case worth hundreds of thousands of dollars against the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for tainting her public reputation.
Here's the kicker: Texas state libel laws require extremely swift action on Casey's part in order to prepare for a libel lawsuit.
The intricate steps needed to sue a Texas government agency for libel
If a government agency in Texas libels a person, regardless of public figure status, the person libeled has to request a formal retraction in writing within 90 days of the publication of defamation. The request can be done in e-mail but courts usually want certified US Postal Service delivery with return receipt.
The agency has 30 days to either issue a retraction or 60 days to challenge a retraction request. No response is deemed as a denial.
The person libeled has 180 days (six months) from the time of defamation publication to file a formal government claim with the state agency in question. The claim must include a specific request for damages. Depending on the attorney, some claims are short while others are treated as treatises citing case law in an attempt to read the riot act.
The state agency has a limited period of time after the claim is filed to either deliver a response (a settlement offer, rejection, or no response which is treated by courts as a rejection).
The person libeled has 360 days (1 year) from the time of defamation publication to sue the state agency for libel.
The issues at state in UFC/Cortney Casey vs. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Let's go to the Iain Kidd article at Bloody Elbow and read the allegations.
- 5/26/2017 – Texas athletic commission tells Marc Raimondi at MMA Fighting that Cortney Casey failed a UFC 211 drug test due to an elevated testosterone/epitestosterone ratio.
- UFC's USADA drug boss, Jeff Novitzky, tells Casey that he had no notice of a drug test failure but there was an abnormal T/E ratio.
- Texas claims they are following USADA guidelines but Novitzky points out that an elevated T/E ratio is not an automatic test failure and that a carbon isotope test is required for proof.
- Texas says an isotope test isn't required by USADA rules when it is.
- 5/30/2017 – Cortney Casey requests B sample test and isotope test.
- Jeff Novitzky reportedly contacted Texas multiple times in e-mail and got no response.
- Casey's last communication with Texas is June 9th.
- 6/22/2017 – Isotope testing comes back and Casey's sample is deemed clean.
- Jeff Novitzky requests a retraction from Texas on their public announcement of Cortney Case failing a drug test.
- Texas DLR responds that they can't comment because the situation "is an ongoing investigation" and that "the decision is under review"
This is the kind of behavior that can get a state agency sued for millions of dollars.
What Cortney Casey needs to prove for a libel claim
Here are the elements you have to prove for libel in Texas:
A libel is a defamation expressed in written or other graphic form that tends to blacken the memory of the dead or that tends to injure a living person's reputation and thereby expose the person to public hatred, contempt or ridicule, or financial injury or to impeach any person's honesty, integrity, virtue, or reputation or to publish the natural defects of anyone and thereby expose the person to public hatred, ridicule, or financial injury.
If the person libeled is any kind of public figure, they must prove actual malice. Cortney Casey would be considered a limited-purpose public figure in this case.
To prove actual malice, the plaintiff would have to show that the defendant knew the information they were disseminating was false or showed reckless disregard (substantial & unjustifiable risk) to the truth of the claims publicly made.
If the allegations laid out in Iain Kidd's article are true and the evidence is in writing, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is in big trouble… only if Cortney Casey herself files an immediate retraction request with the Texas DLR because if she doesn't, she can't pursue a libel claim against the state of Texas.
What about the Texas anti-SLAPP law?
Texas is one of several states that has an anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute that allows a person sued for defamation to file a special Motion to Strike and dismiss parts or all of a legal complaint.
If the defendant filing the anti-SLAPP motion can prove their publication was about "a matter of public concern", then the burden shifts to the plaintiff to show that they have at least a preponderance of evidence to prevail in court.
Given the presented allegations, an anti-SLAPP motion to strike would likely backfire on the state of Texas and require the state to pay the attorney fees of Cortney Casey. Given those stakes, they would likely file a demurrer (motion to dismiss) to try to show that she can't meet the elements of libel required. That's highly unlikely to succeed as well.
Bottom line: If the UFC wants to change the way business is done in Texas, they'll find it's cheaper to find and hire a libel attorney for Cortney Casey instead of boycotting the state. They have the resources to pull this off. They should exhaust administrative remedies and pursue a proper conclusion.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
Oh no… California judge Marcos Rosales scored BJ Penn demolition a 28-28 draw
By Zach Arnold | June 25, 2017
The ghost of BJ Penn surfaced again in 2017, this time in a fight against Dennis Siver at UFC's Oklahoma City event. Penn was destroyed by Yair Rodriguez in February. I was surprised that UFC booked him again. I'm surprised athletic commissions, at this point in time, still would approve a BJ Penn fight.
On Sunday night, an emaciated-looking Penn faced long-time tank Dennis Siver. Siver was reportedly a 2-to-1 favorite. How he wasn't a 4-to-1 favorite, if not higher, amazes me.
Siver dominated the first round. It was terribly sad to watch. Dominick Cruz was giving it his all on the broadcasting, wishcasting as much advice as possible to Penn. Cruz's commentary was the interesting glue that kept my attention during the fight. He was more fan and fighter than analyst.
Siver was dominating round two until Penn clipped him with a punch and smothered him on the ground to ride out the second round. Technically, Penn won the round on points but it could have gone either way in terms of actual effectiveness of offense.
Round three was brutally sorrowful to watch if you're an old-school MMA fan. Siver was just doing whatever the hell he wanted to against Penn. He nearly finished him and I wouldn't have blamed referee Kevin McDonald from stopping the fight. Penn survived by barely.
Which brought us to the score cards. The correct score for this fight was 29-27 Siver. 10-9, 9-10, and 10-8 would be the correct and proper scores. Judge Geraldn Ritter got it right. Judge Cardo Urso scored it 29-28 by not giving Siver a 10-8 R3. Debatable but at least the right winner.
Then came Marcos Rosales. Oh no…
Marcos Rosales was the judge who scored Penn vs. Siver 28-28. #UFCOKC pic.twitter.com/l7lN8gUUeJ
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) June 26, 2017
Rosales, inexplicably, gave Penn R1 by a 10-9 margin. By doing this, giving Penn 10-9 R2 and 10-8 R3 Siver meant there was no way for Siver to win the fight. This is an abomination. Whether it's UFC scoring or PRIDE rules, Siver won the fight rather easily. It wasn't even close.
There is no humanly way possible that a competent, experienced MMA judge would have scored Penn vs. Siver a draw. This fight was classic remedial tape for beginner students. I can guarantee you that most students, if not inclined to do 10-8 round scoring, would have at least reached the same conclusion as Cardo Urso.
There are zero justifications or excuses to score Penn vs. Siver 28-to-28. In a sport with insurmountable head-scratching score cards, this scoring was one of the most egregious errors in a long time on a big stage.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
"The greatest prospect in MMA history" got knocked down but changed the recruiting game
By Zach Arnold | June 24, 2017
Is Aaron Pico the greatest prospect in MMA history?
Survey says… not after getting knocked down and choked out by Zach Freeman in 24 seconds at the Bellator MSG PPV on Saturday night. That's a negative.
Now here's a positive — ESPN picked the wrong headline to highlight how Aaron Pico has helped changed the game for recruitment of future Mixed Martial Arts talent. Bellator has been paying Pico for nearly three years while he was trying to make the Olympics in wrestling. In response, UFC has initiated their own "developmental program."
This type of hybrid developmental program is much more useful to Bellator than UFC. It allows Bellator to compete when they can't outspend in free agency. Bellator has stepped up in free agency recently and has been aided by UFC's adhesive advertising policy with Reebok. Bellator can't compete with UFC for the highest-level talent but they can fight on the margins. It's really a classic Scott Coker promotional manuever.
Bellator NYC was all about the past, present, and future
Mike Goldberg and Mauro Ranallo. Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva. Tito Ortiz. Matt Mitrione and Fedor.
If you can't sign the best fighters in the world, sign fighters with name ID and mix in some nostalgia with a home stable of fighters. It was bad luck for Bellator to have Aaron Pico lose and for Michael Chandler to get hurt the way he did.
I'm not a doctor, but I'm suspicious that this is a Lisfranc injury (mid-foot). Awful. A broken ankle would be treated much easier. pic.twitter.com/Yy1bDSNjuW
— Mike Fridley (@mikefridley) June 25, 2017
I don't like Chael Sonnen being a top face of Bellator MMA but I understand why a promoter would want him to be. He's the best talker. High profile fight history and name ID. He's on ESPN and can turn a crowd on the dime when he wants to. He's also the face of the testosterone plague in MMA. Chael Sonnen is Alex Rodriguez without the social awkwardness. Tito Ortiz is close.
The crowd reaction for both Chael and Tito at Bellator NYC justified why those guys continue to get paychecks. It's like watching a Legends MMA division come to life. An idea from the message boards to your television set. Chael vs. Tito is exactly the kind of fight that breaks through the incredible noise on social media platforms in 2017.
Scott Coker has always used the Cotton Candy philosophy to promote MMA. You get a little bit of everything under the circus tent. As long as he can continue recruiting new, younger fighters to go along with the main acts, he will have a job and stay relevant.
Topics: Bellator, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Here comes the "Floyd Mayweather is an ungrateful moocher" narrative from boxing brokers
By Zach Arnold | June 18, 2017
The promoters involved in Saturday's Vegas fight between Andre Ward & Sergey Kovalev made it no secret how unhappy they were that the talk of the town was all about Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor. Kathy Duva went as far to suggest that Showtime intentionally announced the fight on Wednesday to hurt the HBO PPV.
Unannounced and with no fanfare, Joe Tessitore returned to boxing broadcasting head-to-head against the Ward/Kovalev fight by reuniting with old broadcast partner Teddy Atlas for a Golden Boy at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas. During the semi-main event fight, Tessitore damned Floyd Mayweather with faint praise. He called Mayweather one of the smartest businessmen ever in boxing and then promptly called him a taker, not a giver to the sport of boxing and that it would impact his legacy. Mitt Romney was unavailable for comment.
Tessitore was absolutely right and absolutely wrong at the same time. The fight with Conor McGregor is a circus. Everyone knows it. That's the beauty of the shamelessness of it — it's a rare moment for truth in advertising. You can post all the videos online of Conor McGregor sparring and it still won't matter. Almost 80% of smallish-to-medium sized bets are on McGregor while 80% of the sharps are on Mayweather. ESPN claims that you can get Mayweather at 6-to-1 odds (-600), which is an incredible value. The fact that there is so much activity coming in on McGregor signifies the voracious appetite around the world to consume this spectacle. It could even be as entertaining as Michael Phelps racing a shark. You never know.
I get it. Mayweather and McGregor is going to impact the PPV bottom line for Gennady Golovkin vs. Canelo Alvarez. Oscar De La Hoya has his valid reasons to be upset. He had his chance to book GGG vs. Canelo long ago and decided to play out the string. He's the one who decided to take the Vegas date over AT & T Stadium in Dallas. I don't know if he regrets it yet, but he will soon enough. Regardless, Mayweather's fight will happen and he'll be primed to do business if the financial terms are right to re-match against Canelo Alvarez.
As long as promoters continue doing business with Al Haymon, Haymon and associates are going to have the last laugh. He got a huge pay day for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in 2017. He was involved in getting Mayweather vs. McGregor booked. Haymon is going nowhere. Neither is Stephen Espinoza at Showtime. They're following the money just like Floyd Mayweather. Boxing isn't dead. It's not dying. The circus fight with McGregor isn't going to hurt the sport and put boxing back "on the barges" as Tony Kornheiser often claims.
If Golden Boy is as upset about the Mayweather-McGregor fight as they claim to be, they can turn around to their "partners" at ESPN and ask them where Bristol stands. Where's the advertising for Golden Boy events? Where's the support? Why is a Joe Tessitore return to ESPN boxing not announced? ESPN has gone hog wild, like the rest of the American sports media, on Mayweather vs. McGregor. It's going to be two months of non-stop hour-to-hour junk sports talk show fests psycho-analyzing the circus antics brewing for the pending road show. The amount of support ESPN is going to give to promote a fight they have zero financial interest in, juxtaposed to the lack of promotional support so far for Golden Boy events, should be Golden Boy's real focus.
Topics: Boxing, Media, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
The over/under on PPV buys for Mayweather-McGregor is 5 million. Take the under – barely
By Zach Arnold | June 15, 2017
Will Jason Whitlock's prediction of Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather devolving in a race war surpassing the rhetoric in the Quinton Jackson-Rashad Evans feud come true? Probably so, but the raw ugliness will not stop hundreds of millions of people from watching a $100 USD PPV.
The media's expectations are not lining up with fan expectations. Before McGregor-Mayweather was signed, there were hypothetical odds of Conor being a 22-to-1 underdog. So far, the gambling lines have kept McGregor at an astounding 8-to-1 underdog price. Giving McGregor over a 10% chance to win sounds insane but there is definitely fan demand to bet some cash on McGregor. Hey, people play the lottery every day. It can't be any worse of a sucker's bet.
This is exactly the dream scenario that new UFC ownership WME-IMG imagined. They have been horribly distracted for the past six months in getting this fight booked. Conor McGregor dragged them along but management came to the conclusion that, given their massive debt in financing the purchase of UFC, they needed a financial homerun to dig out of the hole they found themselves in. Everyone is going to get paid. Mayweather is making 9-figures. McGregor no doubt is making mid-8 figures, perhaps higher. UFC is going to make tens of millions of dollars.
The level of incredulousness on display from the mainstream American sports media to the fan demand for the Mayweather-McGregor fight is the perfect display of cognitive dissonance in the fight industry. It's a gross spectacle absolutely deserving of raw cynicism. The right people are disavowing this charade. The problem with dismissing this as a circus is that you can't say the fight is going to ruin combat sports if the actual result doesn't amount to a hill of a beans.
It's not all roses for UFC
For the next two months, there is one major fight on the mind of fight fans. It's Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather. It's going to suck all the oxygen away from the rest of UFC's upcoming schedule. It will even make a (minor) dent in the upcoming Anaheim fight with Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier.
There's no doubt that the circus fight will take away oxygen from Gennady Golovkin vs. Canelo Alvarez. Do they keep the September 16th date? It's hard to imagine rescheduling that fight for a later date given that NFL & College Football season is going to take away the spotlight. The decision by Golden Boy to choose what appeared to be the safer pick in Las Vegas over Jerry World in Dallas looks like a mistake in hindsight. That doesn't mean the enthusiasm for the GGG fight has dampened at all. The question is whether or not the fans who will planning on buying that fight are going to get suckered into blowing their money on the spectacle fight three weeks before.
Remember, Oscar De La Hoya channeled his inner Trump and claimed the GGG fight with Canelo Alvarez would sell 3 million PPV buys. Now we have a circus fight which Vegas is taking prop bets on with an over/under of 5 million PPV buys.
UFC reportedly was pursuing a Seattle date (Key Arena) for August 19th. Running a UFC PPV a week before the Showtime PPV with Mayweather-McGregor is a bad idea. They may have no choice, however. They sure as hell can't book another joke of an interim title fight as a headliner, either.
Topics: Boxing, Media, UFC, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |


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Ep. 34 – Samhain stories of the supernatural: the Pooka and the Banshee
Our Halloween-week episodes are nearly done. In this episode, we talk about two supernatural creatures of Ireland: the Pooka and the Banshee.
Tags: banshee, Ireland, pooka, Samhain, supernatural
Posted in Podcast 3 years ago at 7:03 pm. Add a comment
Previous Post: Ep. 33 – The Legend of Stingy Jack   Next Post: Ep. 35 – Contemporary Irish Halloween Traditions


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John Pizzarelli - With A Song In My Heart (Music CD)
Release Date: 29 September 2008
Artist: John Pizzarelli
£6.89 includes FREE UK Postage (other delivery options available)
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Guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli's smooth supper-club style is always well executed, and his familiar repertoire (see his 2006 tribute to Frank on DEAR MR. SINATRA) makes his music all the more charming. Pizzarelli continues in this vein by visiting the Richard Rodgers songbook on WITH A SONG IN MY HEART. Backed by his tasteful trio on some tracks, and a quartet of brass and reeds on others, Pizzarelli swings favorite tunes such as the title track and "The Lady Is a Tramp." A special guest appearance from father Bucky Pizzarelli on "It's Easy to Remember" is among the highlights.
Release Date: 29 September 2008
Artist: John Pizzarelli
1. With A Song In My Heart
2. This Can't Be Love
3. I Like To Recognize The Tune
4. It's Easy To Remember
5. John One Note
6. Nobody's Heart
7. Happy Talk
8. Mountain Greenery
9. I Have Dreamed
10. Lady Is A Tramp
11. She Was Too Good To Me
12. You've Got To Be Carefully Taught
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Catalogue No: CD83676


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core_pattern is used to specify a core dumpfile pattern name:
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The links on this page provide audio clips and transcripts from an interview with educator Jack Wilde about helping students revise their writing. He discusses why editing is a critical part of the whole writing process.
© 2017 PBS & WGBH Educational Foundation. All rights reserved.
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Shadowclad® provides natural wood panels with textured appearances for various architectural styles.
Shadowclad® is manufactured from sustainable radiata pine to create a strong, yet lightweight panel which is suitable for use as an exterior cladding (H3.1 LOSP treated) or as an internal lining (untreated). Shadowclad® is available in two profiles — texture only or texture and groove, and in two finishes — natural for staining or pre-primed for painting.
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Shadowclad® comes in various sheet sizes, profiles and finishes with a range of stylish exterior flashings. Shadowclad® is fully compliant with New Zealand Building Code requirements, is manufactured in New Zealand from sustainable plantation pine, is FSC certified (SCS-COC-001316) upon request with low formaldehyde emissions (E0).
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In difficult economic times, people tend to make excuses, focus on what's not working, and become disillusioned - a disengaged team is not good for your bottom line. But it doesn't have to be this way! "Switched off" employees can turn a small morning upset into a bad day, which evolves into a bad week, then a bad month, etc. Smart companies know that when their employees are "switched on" - for every phone call, every meeting, and every appointment - it pays big benefits. In this exciting and dynamic presentation, "Get Switched On!", Chip shows you how to help your team recapture the power of momentum. Is there a gap between where you are and where you want to be? Your choices have brought you to where you are today, whether positive or negative. Recognizing this fact also leads to the realization that if you make different choices-sometimes extremely difficult choices, you can reach that new target much quicker.More
Chip Eichelberger earned his motivational stripes by spending years on the global speaking circuit with Tony Robbins. Eichelberger is known for tailoring his speeches for the needs of individual audiences and for interacting with the crowd in ways that will keep people engaged throughout his effective and inspirational presentations. In this performance, Eichelberger notes that getting "switched off" is a "catastrophic event", and then gives listeners his personal formula for getting "switched on", both mentally and professionally. The performance contains brief interludes of audience participation wherein the listener can hear an excited buzz of conversation as people team up for partner exercises. Don't hesitate to listen in pairs!
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Discussion in 'Lifestyle' started by The Green Bastard, Apr 16, 2006.
I like the first one the best
canada kekeke
Shutter, Aperture, ISO, etc. settings?
those are great shots. nice color!
i really like the second picture with the contrail intact.
1st shot is better
Pic 1:
Pic 2:
Pic 3:


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Hey, Ladies!
How have all of you been here lately? How are your kiddos?
I've just been dropping in my PR lately. Didn't visit much because of my keyboard before, and after I got a new one, I was really really busy. Still busy! lol
Alice is doing alright. I'm not extremely happy with her teacher this year, but she's not horrible, I guess. Just doesn't seem to try enough, I suppose. They tell me things like they can't get Alice to mimic sounds, and on the spot I can get my child to say a word within 3 seconds. :mellow: I thought people with speech therapy degrees would do a better job. Oh, well.
Someone tried to abduct her last month. Pulled up beside my driveway to call her over. They hauled @ss when they saw me. So no jumping on her trampoline anymore alone. It has a net and tent. We would leave her in there for a bit before. Now we are investing in a 6.5-7 foot fence. I live in a pretty safe area--I thought. I live next door to a church. Alice didn't even budge when they called her, always in her own little world. Called the cops, filed reports. I got upset a couple days later when a neighbor came to warn me about the same people trying to get another child. They saw the vehicle CLEARLY, and didn't bother trying to get the plate number OR call the cops. So I did again, and now there is a lot of extra patrolling out here.
I'm making her a Sesame Street quiet book for Christmas. I am so excited about it. She tries to steal the pages, and the characters aren't even on them yet. lol
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text: Ok, If I have been suspended or banned or something, an e-mail to let me know would have been great. Since either the board or an admin removed my ability to post AFTER I changed my e-mail, I can't understand why I didn't get something. Also, the comcast addy in the "contact us" section is a dead link. I am slightly frustrated here. I had to create a new account just to ask why I can't use my old name and account anymore. bicmudpuppy


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noun, U.S. Government.
a federal agency, created in 1953, that grants or guarantees long-term loans to small businesses.
Abbreviation: SBA, S.B.A.
Tagged: s
Read Also:
- Small business edition
Microsoft Office Small Business Edition
- Small-c
A subset of C. The original compiler, written in C by Ron Cain, appeared in Dr. Dobb's Journal. James E. Hendrix improved and extended the original compiler and published "The Small-C Handbook". Both these compilers produced 8080 assembly code. A Small-C compiler based on RatC produced 6502 assembly code for the BBC Microcomputer. It was […]
- Small-calorie
noun 1. Thermodynamics. calorie (def 1a). small calorie noun 1. another name for calorie small calorie n. Abbr. c, cal See calorie. small calorie (smôl) See calorie.
- Small-cane
noun 1. See under cane (def 5). noun 1. a stick or short staff used to assist one in walking; walking stick. 2. a long, hollow or pithy, jointed woody stem, as that of bamboo, rattan, sugar cane, and certain palms. 3. a plant having such a stem. 4. split rattan woven or interlaced for […]


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Disputed Wills, Trusts & Probate
Disputes are difficult and upsetting, particularly if family relationships are involved. But our experienced and dedicated legal team can take the stress out of the situation and help you, and those around you, reach an agreement simply and quickly.
Our sensitive, practical and thorough approach means we will protect your interests, talk you through the options and ensure costs are kept to a minimum. Our aim is to provide clear and uncomplicated advice whatever your circumstances may be. Those we have helped in the past include: executors, trustees, personal representatives, beneficiaries, charities, attorneys, deputies, creditors, carers, and vulnerable adults.
We can manage and resolve a variety of difficult legal situations for you, including:
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What if I have been left out of a will or am unhappy with my share?
It depends on the circumstances. Certain family members and financial dependents can claim for 'reasonable financial provision' from an estate, under the terms of the Inheritance (provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. If you are considering making a claim or questioning your share, it is advisable to seek specialist legal advice quickly as time limits apply.
The deceased did not leave a will, so the 'intestacy rules' apply – this means I will not receive anything/as much as I thought. What can I do?
The intestacy rules state how an estate should be distributed if there is no will. It divides the estate between various relatives and sets out how much each receives. You may be able to make a claim under the Inheritance Act 1975.
My partner died, they did not make a will and we were not married. What can I do?
The current rules do not have provision for unmarried couples who lived together. If you jointly owned assets, such as property, you need to establish how much of that was/is owned by you and whether a share will be part of your partner's estate. You may also be able to make a claim pursuant to the 1975 Act.
Can I challenge a will and what should I do if I think it is invalid?
A will can be challenged in certain circumstances, for example, if the deceased lacked the mental capacity to make it. If you think a will is invalid, you need to seek independent advice as soon as possible. One option could be to stop the grant of probate being issued (known as 'entering a caveat'), which often means the estate cannot then be distributed to the beneficiaries and may give you more time to investigate.
What if the person who made the will was vulnerable when they made it?
If they did not have the mental capacity to make the necessary decisions, were coerced, or did not understand they were making a will, then it may be invalid.
I am a beneficiary of a will and am unhappy about how it is being managed. Can I do anything?
Potentially you can, but as each estate is different and timescales vary, you need to seek advice. You may be able to apply to remove or replace the executor, or you could raise queries, ultimately with a court, about the way the administration of the estate is being handled.
Shortly before their death, the deceased made suspicious gifts of money and property to a third party. What can I do?
If the gifts were made whilst the deceased was vulnerable, for example due to illness, or was coerced, then it is possible to make an application to set aside the gifts and to compel the recipient to return these to the estate.
I believe that there is a more up to date version of the will than that currently being followed by the executors. Can I do anything?
If you know the whereabouts of a later will, you should tell the executors. A court has the power to revoke an existing grant of probate and to issue a new grant to the executors named in the later will.
I am a trust beneficiary, but have no idea what is happening or if I am entitled to anything. What can I do?
You are entitled to seek certain information that relates to your position from the trustees. If you do not receive this or remain dissatisfied, you can apply for court assistance.
Meet the team
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Latest News & Blogs
Charities succeed in landmark Supreme Court ruling on claims against estates
The widely reported case of Ilott v Mitson has today come to an end, through the Supreme Court issuing its long awaited judgement in the case.
When will crime doesn't pay
If there are any concerns about the will's validity, the will should not be admitted to probate until further enquiries can be made in that regard. For example, medical, forensic and witness evidence can be obtained to show what may have happened when the will was prepared and signed.


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Sothink Free Video Converter
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Sothink Free Video Converter is an extremely valuable video converter freeware that converts any video audio with lightning-fast speed, high quality, intuitive and multi-language interface. It supports over 120+ media formats, like video AVI, MP4, WMV, MKV, MOV, MPG, 3GP, Flash Video FLV, HD MP4, H.264 and audio MP3, WMA, OGG. Play any movies on iPod, iPad, iPhone, PS3, PSP, Android, BlackBerry, Nokia, Smartphones, other portables and mobiles.Visit publisher site: Sothink Free Video Converter
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Here's how it worked:
After reviewing Malcolm's short films and recent scripts, Lee lined up his cousin with agents.
Next, when Malcolm wrote a script about a black wedding, The Best Man, Lee showed it to Universal Studios, which snapped it up. On the first morning of production, Lee dropped by to say "Good luck. Call me if you need me."
From then on, the big-name director pitched in only a couple of times—and only when asked—to troubleshoot administrative matters. Otherwise, he left Malcolm alone.
That hands-off approach extended to direction. Malcolm remembers that on creative questions, he and his cousin didn't always see eye to eye. As the director, Malcolm "won."
"But what I appreciated about Spike's influence with that project is that he supported me even if he disagreed. He wasn't trying to make a Spike Lee film; he was trying to help me make a Malcolm Lee film."
—Adapted from Spike Lee: That's My Story and I'm Sticking to It, as told to Kaleem Aftab, W.W. Norton.


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About Us
Towards collective action in Vietnam -Helping SMEs in Vietnam resist corruption
Towards Collective Action in Vietnam - Helping SMEs in Vietnam resist corruption
March 30, 2017
We completed our project "Helping SMEs in Vietnam resist corruption", co-funded by the UK Prosperity Fund and the Vietnamese Government. Our partners, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and a team of local trainers, created an online Toolkit based on the SME toolkit IBLF Global produced in 2015 at the request of the G20.
Also, there was training for over 1100 SMEs in 8 different cities over 3 months.
At a stakeholders round-table held by VCCI in Hanoi, and attended by over 40 business and government leaders, we presented a policy paper with recommendations on creating a business-government integrity alliance which was subsequently submitted to the Government. The policy paper will be published once it has been approved by the Vietnamese Government.
IBLF Global
: +(44) 20 7164 6892
IBLF Russia
Russia : +7 499 929 79 55
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Honohan defends entering euro
CENTRAL Bank Governor Patrick Honohan yesterday insisted that entering the euro had not caused Ireland's boom to bust, even though the single currency was "part of the illusion" that sustained the toxic cycle.
Mr Honohan was speaking before the Irish Croatian Business Association, ahead of Croatia's accession to the EU.
Wind-farm plan gets green light
COILLTE and ESB Wind Development have announced that planning permission has been granted for their joint initiative to develop a 27.5 megawatt wind farm at Raheenleagh, Co Wicklow. It is anticipated that the wind farm will generate the equivalent of 17,000 homes' annual electricity consumption.
Female prospects 'hit by the slump'
TWO out of five Irish workers feel that the recession has made overall employment prospects for women worse, according to a new survey by Regus. Irish respondents also believe that women are still very much under-represented in management and senior positions.
Facebook not to go public 'until 2012'
PETER Thiel, a member of the board of directors of Facebook, has said he does not expect the booming social network to go public for at least two years. "We will stay private as long as possible," he said in an interview with Fox News.
Yen rises as US confidence eases
THE yen reached the strongest level versus the dollar since the Bank of Japan intervened to weaken the currency as a report showed lower-than-forecast US consumer confidence, boosting demand for refuge assets. The dollar reached a five-month low against the euro.
Bank wants offers for B3 cable firm
AN ICELANDIC bank has met representatives hoping to secure the future of a Longford cable manufacturing firm. Landsbanki has instructed Alan Flanagan, who has been dealing with the receivership of the B3 business, to accept further offers from anyone interested in the firm.
Irish Independent


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Lil Wayne height is 5 feet 5.5 inches / 165.10 centimeters
Lil Wayne normal weight is 61-66 Kgs / 134.48-145.51 lbs
Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. Lil Wayne is stage name of Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr.. He was born on 27th Sep 1982. Formerly Lil Wayne was a member of the Hot Boys rap group. His solo debut Tha Block is Hot, was released in1999. His major works are Tha Carter, Tha Carter II, Tha Carter III etc. He dropped out of school at age 14. He has been arrested for use or possession of marijuana and other drugs in 2007.


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Leave a Comment:
1 comment
Very well said. And so very, very sad.Reply
With the death of Robin Williams today, depression has once again come into the spotlight. I won't go into the many reasons Mr. Williams' death has impacted me. It has, and that's all that needs to be said.
It was common knowledge that Mr. Williams was a troubled man who struggled with addiction and depression. His suicide didn't surprise me, and that's a terrible thing to say.
I understand, which is also a terrible thing to say.
Depression is a silent killer, smothering the voice of its victims. It is something too many are mocked for struggling with. It's an illness, but a misunderstood one. Those who medicate for it are shunned. Those who don't are scorned as they fight the battle against their silent killers.
And then those left behind are confused when those victims lose that war. Some mourn, some stay quiet, and other scorn.
Most victims are written off and forgotten.
But then comes along someone like Robin Williams, who reminds us in the harshest, saddest way possible that the Silent Killer, named Depression, is among those who have the magic to touch other lives, bringing laughter and joy.
I hope you rest well, Mr. Williams, and whatever awaits you is full of the laughter and joy that you brought to so many others.
And I wish we could have given that laughter and joy back to you when you needed it the most.
You will not be forgotten.
Nor shall the silent killer who did you in.
For more information on how you can get help, you can use the following resources:
Mostly Importantly, YOU. If you see a friend or loved on struggling with depression, YOU can help. Here's how: Talk to them. If they tell you they're suffering from depression, don't judge them. Offer them support.
If necessary, INTERVENE. Those resources above are available for ANYONE dealing with suicide–you need not be the one suffering.
Ask for help.
Don't suffer alone.
Don't let others suffer alone.
Rest well, Robin.
Very well said. And so very, very sad.Reply


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My Nonprofit Reviews
Review for American Troubadour Project Inc, Wenham, MA, USA
The American Troubadour Project, Inc. is a small, extremely well-managed, focused non-profit that is dedicated to bringing America's history to schools and the public at large through the nation's musical legacy. ATP exists to promote and support performers like Bill Schustik, the American Troubadour and others who have deep and abiding love America's musical traditions and songs.
ATP has almost 0% overhead, since all of its board-members are volunteers and every possible cent is put towards its mission - supporting and promoting musicians. It is for that reason that I am extremely proud to be counted as one of the organization's board members.
More Feedback
Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
A lot
Will you tell others about this organization?
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?


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Seeing what you believe, see?
I started this as a doodle while I was on the phone. When I began, the proportions where "correct", but I didn't see Sean Penn in there, just his likeness. After a drawing version of "Fight Club" ensued I finally whipped him into shape.
I've tried drawing over projected images a la Norman Rockwell (I used to call this "tracing", but there's more to it than that.)
I've tried grid drawing, and the drawing on the right side of the brain thing. To me, things never look quite right until I've thrown some elbows and pushed the subject around a bit until I get things my way.
I think I actually see in exaggeration. People look like this to me.
Lou Brooks put it best over on Zina Saunders great portrait of Joe Newton –"Same uncanny quality as the great comic book masters. By that I mean, if you begin to deconstruct their drawings, you can easily feel that it's drawn all wrong -- but really, it's oh so right! And moving anything in the drawing around causes it to start to collapse, because it is not a literal interpretation at all, but some weird delightful thing in the wiring between their eye and hand. They just see things incorrectly -- which is really 100% correct.
Jules Pfeiffer said something or other once (boy, do I gotta paraphrase here) about artists being able to paint the sky red because they already know it's blue... and them there NORMAL people GOTTA paint it blue, because otherwise, everybody will think they're stupid."
I've been enjoying just plain drawing lately, and there are times when I'd love to say to an art director that we shouldn't go past the sketch phase, because it won't get any better, it'll just be more "finished".


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Image Of The Day.
Sex on the beach is something i personally wouldn't recommend. The sand gets in everywhere and when it rubs against the skin, it does get sore.
It looks romantic when they do it in movies but trust me, it's a totally different thing in real life..AND the beach is quite cold too.
But anyway, what a great shot..
The Position is called the Inverted Jockey Position. It's a goodie. I bet you they don't talk about this one kuma baby showers. Try this tonight. It will feel nice for for her because its different from the norm, asi for your woman to enjoy it, she should make sure kuti her legs are together..ndokuti anyatso feeler friction yemboro yako ichipinda.
Always try to do different positions whenever you fuck. Change is good..besides, it's a good way to delay ejaculation.


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One of the central arguments that proponents of a public health insurance option have made during the ongoing debate over health care reform is that, through increased competition, it has the power to compel private insurers to lower costs.
It's an argument with some merit, but such an option won't provide much cost control.
The reason various European countries enjoy lower health care costs than the United States isn't single-payer systems. Outside of Great Britain's government-managed National Health Service, many of those countries have systems with private insurance options managed in national exchanges and funded by sliding-scale subsidies awarded to individuals.
For instance, despite the existence of a public health insurance plan in France, more than 92 percent of its population uses private insurance. Yet, despite relying primarily on private insurance, their costs remain dramatically lower than here in the United States.
According to a report by the International Federation of Health Plans, the costs per unit of care in the United States are far higher than anywhere else in the world. For example, a CT head scan in Germany costs $319, while one in the Netherlands is $258. In the United States, the same procedure costs an average of $950, with high-end providers charging $1,800.
The average cost per hospital day is $579 in Spain, but $3,181 in this country.
The contrast is striking, but it's also easily explained. The United States, unlike other industrialized nations, does not have a mechanism or authority that sets fees for units of care.
If you took the basic units of care in the United States and priced them according the Canadian structure, this country would see its percentage of gross domestic product spent on health care fall from 17.6 percent to 11.5 percent. However, shifting the country to a single-payer system would see a rather inconsequential drop - from 17.6 percent to 16.9 percent - thus suggesting the inclusion of one of the various public option proposals would achieve similarly limited savings.
While that reduction in cost ought not be discounted, it's clear those savings are minimal in comparison to having an independent fee-setting mechanism in place.
Furthermore, the public option featured in the recently passed legislation from the U.S. House of Representatives and the one being debated in the U.S. Senate won't actually do much to control costs or increase access. It simply won't do what so many of its proponents think it will do. It's limited in terms of eligibility, and has minimal capacity to generate long-term savings.
Which is why, as health care reform reaches crunch time, it's important to remember the overarching goals of this proposition - lower costs and increased access. Those principles can be achieved without the weakened public option that's currently proposed - and there are some valid compromises surfacing. The most intriguing involves a Senate plan to expand Medicare by offering a "buy-in" component for individuals between 55 and 64 years of age.
Not to be discounted, however, is the role a national health insurance exchange would play. Consumers - employed and unemployed - could enroll in this exchange and, with the assistance of sliding-scale tax subsidies, pick from a wide variety of private insurance plans. The existence of the exchange would result in a larger pool of consumers, thus spreading risk and, in turn, lowering costs.
How does this connect back to the fee structures discussed earlier? It's simple. The same CT head scan that averages $950 now costs $300 under Medicare. The average cost of a day in the hospital falls by $1,000 under Medicare reimbursement rates.
Why? Because Medicare sets its prices with private providers, and those prices are lower because they come from an influential negotiator backed by a large pool of consumers and absent any administrative costs. This is what makes the proposed Medicare expansion so appealing and, along with the proposed exchanges, has the greatest potential to achieve substantial savings in the long term.
The public option is a philosophical goal for many progressives, but the option they wanted simply doesn't exist - and the political reality is that there aren't enough votes to get that version passed in the first place. If the final goal is to lower costs, then an expansion of Medicare is a step in the right direction.
• Johnathan McGinty lives in Oconee County and runs Beyond The Trestle (beyondthetrestle.com), a blog that covers local and state politics.
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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Typed drawing
stainless steel flatware, namely knives, forks and spoons
Business in GARDEN CITY, NY
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Business in East Boston, MA


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Apple, Pear, Mixed Greens, and Candied Pistachio Salad
Mauro Golmarvi, Owner and Cherf Assaggio Ristorante, Seattle WA
October, 2010
1 red apple, cored and diced
1 green apple, cored and diced
1 firm pear, cored and diced
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
4 ounces Pistacchio Dolce (Candied Pistachios—recipe on reverse)
1 lb Italian mixed greens
Vinaigrette Balsamico (Balsamic Vinaigrette—recipe on reverse)
Combine ingredients in a large bowl and toss with vinaigrette to coat.
Pistacchio Dolce (Candied Pistachios)
3 cups water
1 cup raw, unsalted shelled pistachio nuts
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Have a colander ready near the sink. Add pistachios to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute, then pour into colander and rinse with cold tap water to cool. Transfer pistachios to a medium bowl. Add sugar and stir to combine well. Heat oil in a small to medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to smoke, pour in the pistachio/sugar mixture and cook, stirring often. As the moisture cooks out, the pistachios will begin to turn light brown. Before they get too dark, pour them into a metal colander and then shake out onto a plate. Once they have cooled and hardened, you can break apart into smaller pieces. Makes 1 cup.
Vinaigrette Balsamico (Balsamic Vinaigrette)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a large bowl, whisk together mustard, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, oregano, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Cover, refrigerate. Can keep up to 1 week.
Serves 4.


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Phone Number:
Region: Greece > Attica > Athens > Exarchia
Bar / Lounge Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room Free High Speed Internet ( WiFi ) Restaurant Room Service Suites Swimming Pool Wheelchair access
#21 Luxury Hotel in Athens
#31 Business Hotel in Athens
#31 Romantic Hotel in Athens
Price Range: £70 - £128 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
Hotel Class:4 star — Melia Athens 4*
Number of rooms: 136
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- Melia Athens, member of the Melia Hotels International, is an oasis in the heart of the historic and business center of Athens. Here the Greek art of hospitality complements the legendary passion for service of the Spanish chain, creating a unique living experience. With the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill as a backdrop, Melia Athens provides magnificent facilities, spacious dining areas with views of the historic monuments and a modern health club with cardiovascular equipment. Located in the heart of Athens, only 200 m away from the central metro station, the hotel provides a selection of 136 luxury rooms and suites located on 8 floors, all decorated in warm and earthy tones with wooden panels and marbled bathrooms with Jacuzzi bathtubs. Enjoy a comfortable stay in one of our 37sq suites which separate bedroom and living room, a hydromassage bathtub and separate shower cabin as well as Nespresso Coffee Station. Live "The Level Experience" in one of our 13 rooms by enjoying a set of unique level benefits. In the 9th floor you may get a fantastic workout with a view of the Acropolis, relax in the authentic steam bath and sauna with natural day light or cool off in our 22m pool as well as in the outdoor Jacuzzi from Mid May to mid October. Have your breakfast in Vivendo Restaurant and enjoy your coffee or a light snack at our Mondo Cafe. Don't miss the chance to visit our Sky Lounge Dinning Bar, located in the 9th floor and enjoy a cocktail or have your dinner under the stars with breathtaking view of the Acropolis and the Lycabettus Hill, operating Spring to Autumn (weather permitted). Share your experience from Melia Athens with the free Wi-Fi Internet in all public areas and rooms of the hotel.Our hotel in cooperation with Polis Park across the street, provides parking facilities with special rates. ... more less
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Booking.com, HostelWorld, Southall Travel, Odigeo, Travel Republic (UK), Melia, Expedia, Hotels.com, HotelsClick, LateRooms, Cancelon, Ebookers, HotelQuickly, Evoline ltd and 5viajes2012 S.L. so you can book your Melia Athens reservations with confidence. We help millions of travellers each month to find the perfect hotel for both holiday and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.
- Also Known As:
- Melia Athens Hotel Athens
- Sol Melia Athens
- Athens Sol Melia


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Eating better – how to stay motivated
Let's face it, at the end of a stressful day it's often a lot easier to reach for the crisp than the carrot, the muffin rather than the mango. Changing your eating habits can take time, particularly when things in your everyday life aren't going to plan. But don't give up! If you're in need of some extra motivation, take a look at these tips on staying on top of your healthy eating. Come on, let's do this!
Give up giving up!
Instead of giving up your favourite treats, focus on proper portion sizes and healthier options. Allowing yourself a bit of what you fancy will stop cravings, helping you keep a balanced diet.
Keep a food diary
Record what you eat on a day to day basis. It will help you discover where you can make healthier changes without drastically changing your diet. You'll eat better without even realising!
Write it down
Motivate yourself by writing down the reasons you want to improve your health. Maybe you'd like to spend more time playing with your kids or maybe you want to get healthy to improve your mood? Recommit yourself every new week, reminding yourself of these reasons.
Be kind to yourself
Everybody has bad days; the best thing to do is wake up tomorrow and try again.
Encourage others
Are your friends trying to get healthy? Share your own tips, recipes and motivational messages with them.
Liked this article? Set yourself a goal to eat better using the Let's Do This 8 Week Challenge today.


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Buy - Tickets
Q:Will I be able to buy joan jett and the blackhearts spring tour tickets on the day of the concert?
A:The Joan Jett And The Blackhearts Spring Tickets are being offered by our brokers on first come first serve basis so it is always recommended to get your tickets as soon as possible. Delaying your purchase might result in you missing the event since tickets might be sold-out by the time you decide to buy them.
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