text:
Heritage Investment Review First Half 2018
August 13, 2018
Adjusting the Focus
The first half of 2018 has been a difficult investment environment. United States stocks narrowly produced a positive return of 2.06% while developed international stocks were down 4.94% and emerging markets stocks were down 7.59%. Heritage's alternatives allocation was down 5.75%. Investment grade bonds were down 0.43%.
This comes on the heels of a strong 2017. Stocks were up in the high-teens to 34.26%. Heritage's alternatives allocation was up 5.05%. Investment grade bonds were up 3.57%. This was a great year to be an investor.
One of the challenges for investors is adjusting their focus properly. If you focus on what's six inches from your nose you lose clarity of the big picture. Conversely, if you focus on what's off in the distance, you lose the details of objects in the foreground.
We view the proper focus to be the one that most closely matches an investor's time horizon—which isn't a straightforward, precise number. Yet, nearly all of us who are investing for the future have an investment time horizon that's far longer than six months.
When we zoom out from the first six months of 2018 a little bit to include the twelve months of 2017, there are a few important bigger picture points to pick up.
Over the full period, stock returns were healthy. Annualized returns were as follows: United States stocks, 13.79%; developed international stocks, 13.21%; and emerging markets stocks, 15.46%.
Investment grade bonds' annualized return was 1.85% (above the average yield on 1- to 3-year Treasury notes over the period). Heritage's alternatives allocations effectively produced no return.
We don't believe investors can accurately and consistently time short-term market returns; but we have some insight into what long-term average returns for various asset classes should be. Therefore, we operate with a broader focus.
We instill discipline in our investment process to help our clients achieve the long-term asset class and strategy returns we believe exist and which are supported by empirical data. For this long-term expected gain (such as with emerging markets stocks) we accept the inevitable short-term bumps along the way. We are willing to do this because, in the big picture, the next step isn't as important as going in the right direction.
Not to Lose the Details
Focusing on long-term asset class returns and the return premiums we believe should add value over time doesn't mean missing the important details in the investment process, it is a detail.
We believe emerging markets stocks will provide a return premium to developed markets. Seeing emerging markets stocks go from the top of the list to near the bottom of the list is normal; it's a volatile asset class and its high average expected return is a result of its high volatility. Expect to see near-top and near-bottom rankings from this asset class again in the future.
It's in strategies, as opposed to asset classes, that try to exploit mispricing where we believe particular care needs to be taken. Heritage's alternatives allocation is the obvious location of strategy-driven returns as opposed to asset class-driven returns. Before reviewing Heritage's alternatives allocation, however, it's worth examining our strategies within our traditional stock funds.
The Value Premium
In addition to market returns, Heritage's stock allocation includes a strategy to capture the value, small cap, and profitability premiums. The value premium is the tendency for inexpensively-priced stocks to provide higher returns than expensively-priced stocks. The small cap premium is the tendency for smaller companies to outperform larger companies. And the profitability premium is the tendency for highly profitable companies to outperform unprofitable companies or companies with low profits.
The value, small cap, and profitability premiums within stocks don't work out every year, but we believe the empirical evidence and economic intuition are strong that they do over time. Value underperformed growth significantly in the first half of 2018. We believe this is another instance where focusing on the big picture is important in gaining perspective on recent performance.
The value premium in U.S. stocks in the first half of 2018 was -8.60%. From an historical perspective,—zooming way out over the past 90 years,—this appears to be a small bump in an overall good strategy. Living it over half a year feels less benign. Heritage gains exposure to value stocks in two ways: modest tilts in its traditional stock funds; and AQR's Style Premia Strategy (Absolute Return) which uses a long-short approach to extract the value premium without market exposure. The value premium hurt Heritage's performance both within stocks and within Heritage's alternatives allocation in the first half of 2018. AQR's Style Premia Strategy was down 7.40%. Losses of this magnitude over a relatively short period of time are frustrating, especially when it affects a non-correlated alternative investment while it's affecting the traditional stock funds.
Many famed investors are self-proclaimed value investors, implementing strategies with the same general premise as Heritage. However, as with any rational style of investing, there are extended periods during which it underperforms. After the decade leading to the peak of the "Tech Bubble" in the late 1990s, value investors were persecuted for not appreciating the potential of growth stocks in a newly defined investment landscape. Certain investors got weak knees and fled their value-investing strategies to participate in the tech boom. Then, starting in 2000, the value premium flourished for seven years (with 34% and 22% outperformance in 2000 and 2001 alone). For the past decade, growth-priced stocks have again outperformed value-priced stocks (modestly). These are times when discipline matters most. At Heritage, we do not intend on abandoning value investing.
Alternative Investment Strategies
Particular care needs to be taken when investing in strategies where exploiting mispricing drives returns. Our alternatives allocation deserves to be placed under the magnifying glass. The strategies within our alternatives allocation include: reinsurance, absolute return, and systematic trend-following managed futures.
Reinsurance was at the bottom of the return list in 2017—it lost 7.16% in a year during which most asset classes performed exceptionally well. It was down due to the string of natural disasters in the late-summer and early-fall of 2017.
Through the first half of 2018, reinsurance is at the top of the return list. This is not surprising. In an environment in which global stocks and bonds are down, we would make an educated guess that reinsurance would end up near the top of the list.
We added to our reinsurance position in 2018 based on the belief that the prospective base-case return—independent of the stock market's return—is strong. Should there be an average hurricane season and no other major natural events in 2018, we expect a strong return through the second half of the year.
Our absolute return strategy is our liquid alternative to what many consider "hedge fund strategies." It aims to provide returns that are at all times independent of stock market and bond market returns.
The fund was up 12.10% in 2017 and is down 7.40% in the first half of 2018. Although below expectations, over the full period, it slightly outperformed investment grade bonds.
The strategy is based on strong evidence of certain styles or return premiums that have persistently and pervasively manifested themselves in financial markets over time. The value premium (or style), as discussed above, resulted in the strategy's drawdown in 2018. We look at the evidence from a distance, and conclude the theory behind the strategy is still sound.
It's also worth mentioning valuations in stocks and bonds remain historically elevated. It's in these environments that forward-looking returns (again, over a longer timeframes) tend to be lower than average. An absolute return strategy is relatively more attractive when traditional asset prices are high.
Systematic trend-following managed futures sat near the bottom of the list in 2017 with a meager return of 1.12%. It sits at the bottom of the list through the first half of 2018 with a decline of 8.50%. Over the whole period, the annualized decline is 5.05%.
The strategy will have both positive and negative net market exposures over time. It's founded on data showing asset prices trend (their own past returns help explain their future returns).
The data supporting this strategy are strong. Given the recent performance, it's natural to search for reasons why it hasn't worked recently and extrapolate them into the future. One can come up with subjective, feasible stories that things are different this time in almost all investments.
At the end of the day, we allow long-term, historical data to lead us objectively. To recognize the possibility of a changed environment, we stress test historical returns. Even with large discounts to the strategy's historical record, maintaining an allocation helps produce a superior portfolio for a wide range of return targets.
All of our alternative strategies are thoughtfully selected and thoroughly scrutinized. As we step back farther from the last year-and-a-half (as we have in investment reviews in the past) it's evident that our alternatives allocation has added value. We believe it will again.
The first half of 2018 has been a difficult investment environment in traditional asset classes. Value investing has been out of style and Heritage's alternatives allocation has experienced a modest drawdown. This comes on the heels of a very strong 2017.
Fortunately, your investment time horizon isn't six months. When you focus on what we do and why we do it, you'll discover that we're using a lens that sees the picture over multiple years.
We endeavor to be positioned correctly to produce excellent results over reasonable investment time horizons. We believe this is a sound approach. As we work and wait, we believe in honest and clear communication. Our hope is that this investment review has furthered those ends.
Thank you for your continued trust in our firm and confidence in our investment approach. We look forward to assisting you in reaching your financial goals.
Disclosure and End Notes
This newsletter has been prepared solely for informational purposes, and is not an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, any security, product, service or investment. The opinions expressed herein are solely the opinion of Heritage Financial Services and do not constitute investment advice and are subject to change without notice. Heritage customizes client portfolios based on individuals' financial situations. Various components of this commentary may not be relevant to each client's personal portfolio due to, without limitation, portfolio legacy securities, portfolio size, accounts with limited investment options, tax considerations, investment accreditation and personal preferences. Past performance may not be indicative of future results.
All data contained herein are believed to be accurate as of the date of publication. Data sources include Morningstar, Inc., Yahoo! Finance, and Dimensional Fund Advisors. Heritage's Alternatives Allocation is a combination of the underlying alternative investment '40-Act funds that consist of sub-strategies in reinsurance, managed futures, and absolute return strategies. Certain third-party sources are relied upon for historical statements and performance information. Heritage is under no obligation to update this document as additional information becomes available or if any revisions are made to information herein contained


text:
Josephine Nugara, an IBCLC in Uganda, contacted us this summer about her community initiative to help educate mothers in Uganda and East Africa about the value of breastfeeding their children, and asked us for our help.
Josephine is a member of the International Lacatation Consultant Association (ILCA) and is establishing a breastfeeding resource center in her village. She says that there is a lack of supportive breastfeeding services in Uganda. She has initiated a program of home visits to rural pregnant and nursing women, to offer them help and support with breastfeeding.
Milk was delighted to send nursing tops and dresses to Josephine to support her initiative. Some of the items were given to poorer rural mothers as a reward for their continued breastfeeding, and others Josephine sold to working-class locals to help raise money for her new breastfeeding center.
Milk salutes Josephine and her dedication to the pregnant and nursing mothers in her community – and is happy to support her efforts!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Epic Snowday Adventure
Epic Snowday Adventure is a VR single-player arcade-style challenge where the player competes with neighborhood children in a neighborhood-wide snowball fight! The player must play hard, doing everything from building snow minions to assist in the battle, building epic snowballs that become alive with swirling energy, and unlocking different teleport zones to always stay one step away from the neighbors. The current release is an arcade mode that represents 6 levels of get-up-and-move game play. Among other features, a multi-player update is due out later this year. Our intent is to create an exciting, family-friendly, multi-player, experience for VR arcades and home players. Enjoy!
This film is playing as a part of SIFF VR Zone
This year, SIFF is excited to debut a new Festival venue: The SIFF VR Zone at Pacific Place. Produced by Seattle's WonderTek Labs, the program showcases a tightly curated selection of immersive and interactive storytelling from Seattle and around the world. The diverse slate includes a 360 African Storytelling section with innovative pieces from Senegal and Kenya; Greenland Melting, a new work from "Godmother of VR" Nonny de la Peña and co-director Catherine Upin; breathtaking new experimental pieces from South Korea, China, and Australia; immersive 360 music videos from Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) and The Posies, and compelling new works by Seattle-based VR developers and artists. A 360 Youth section will showcase Tapestry 360, a slate of new 360 films recently created by seven Seattle youth, alongside 360 films created by a group of Syrian youth living in a refugee camp in Jordan, produced by Al Jazeera and executive producer Zahra Rasool. Check out the full list of content below the screening times.
The SIFF VR Zone at Pacific Place will include both 360 Storytelling stations, presenting arthouse-level 360 video content and an Interactive Gallery featuring interactive experiential content in 8-10 individual booths.
General Admission: $25 | $20 Members
Includes a 90 minute time slot to explore over two dozen VR and 360 video experiences.
- Queerskins: A Love Story
- Where Thoughts Go
- Epic Snowday Adventure
- World One
- Uplift VR: Maiden Flight
- Mono: Blackwater
- Aeronaut
- Greenland Melting
- Sun Ladies VR
- The Journey
- Sanctuaries of Silence
- Tapestry 360
- Dreaming in Za'atari
- 7 Stories for 7 Years
- Homecoming: Seduction
- WonderTek Labs: The Posies: Unlikely Places
- Unraveled - The Future of Music with Virtual Reality and 360 Media
- Rone
- Everything Flows
- Space x Girl
- Summation of Force
- The Cabiri: Anubis
- Let This Be a Warning
- Nairobi Berries
- The Other Dakar
- Space Explorers: A New Dawn
- The Visigoths
- UTurn


text:
Play By Your Own Rules, Lessons from The Hunger Games
In this special, three-part series, we are working through the The Hunger Games trilogy, book by book, to discuss the lessons each book can teach a cappella groups. If you haven't read the books before, beware—THIS SERIES OF ARTICLES INCLUDES SPOILERS.
In The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins introduces readers to a cold, dark world in which districts submit their children to a lottery, out of which the chosen ones will fight to death while their families and friends look on.
The purpose of these "games?" To prove the absolute power of the people who run them.
Indeed the, concept of The Hunger Games may seem alien to plenty of readers, but in an age of progressively more ludicrous reality TV concepts, is it really so far-fetched to imagine a snuff show?
OK, the idea that it features children is probably creepy enough to hold off the FOX Network.
For now.
A part of what makes Katniss, the protagonist of The Hunger Games, special is that she not only recognizes her own plight as a participant in the Games, but also seems to consistently understand that the Games themselves are more her enemy than any given competitor she's matched against. And so, upon the death of her little ally, Rue, she breaks convention to sing on her behalf, and gather a wreath of flowers around her. When the powers that be press her and star-crossed lover Peeta to fight to the death, she floats the idea of a double suicide, rather than giving in to what the ominous Capital desires.
The a cappella world is nowhere near as stark as the one Collins writes about. Nonetheless, it is full of rules and guidelines.
If you want to win a competition, you need to choreograph.
If you want to win a CARA, you need to go through Bill Hare.
If you want to win The Sing-Off you can't sing jazz.
There's no shortage of advice available to a cappella groups, and a lot of it is valuable. Still, the most objectively successful a cappella groups are the ones that are happy with themselves. They sing what they want to sing, how they want to sing it and chase the goals of their choice with heart and vigor.
The fact of the matter is, there is no tried and true lone way to succeed at a cappella. And so, it's important for group leaders to bring their groups together to talk about what matters most to them, specifically. Don't be afraid to take advice, but also don't be afraid to do what feels right. Do what will achieve the effect you're looking for, but also what will just plain be fun.
As the ending of this first volume in Collins' trilogy suggests, sometimes you can't change the world, but in the process of defying the system, you can arrive at your own little victories.


text:
Reality TV fans take to social media to debate San Antonio-based 'Texicanas' Bravo series
Last night, reality TV fans tuned into life in San Antonio as told by a group of women called the "Texicanas."
The eight-episode Bravo series, which follows the happenings of six local socialites, premiered, launching the usual live-tweeting that coincides with reality TV show fandom.
The conversation spanned from coast to coast and either celebrated the representation of Mexican culture or challenged the label of "housewives."
RELATED: Hotel Discotheque transforms into exclusive red carpet premiere party for Bravo's 'Texicanas'
Despite Bravo owning a number of "Real Housewives" franchises, "Texicanas" is not the same format. Though speculation swirled in the infancy stages that stars Penny Ayarzagoitia, Mayra Farret, Lorena Martinez, Anayancy Nolasco, Karla Ramirez, and Luz Ortiz,would be "housewives," Bravo never named the show as part of that franchise. Initially the series was referred to as the "Untitled San Antonio Project."
Still, fans seemed to confuse the two brands.
"Im not watching this anymore. If i want to see real San Antonio housewives i'll just go to HEB #Texicanas," Twitter user @into_errything said.
Others questioned why the six women — who are natives of Mexico, South Texas and other states, but have lived in the Alamo City for a substantial amount of time — are described by the network as "San Antonio sophisticates."
Twitter user @ReyMines explained, "Thats why its called #Texicanas and not #SanAntonians. Its not supposed to be about ladies born in San Antonio."
RELATED: Texicana chisme: Episode one reveals more details about the San Antonio women
Fan @kelseavictoriaa defended the casting saying, "The whole purpose of the show is to show how DIVERSE San Antonio is as a city!"
Viewers also celebrated the infusion of Spanish slang like "chismosa " and "chingona." The references made some transplanted South Texans, like @AVirtousOutlaw, who was tweeting from Los Angeles, feel "instant nostalgia."
"It's a fun and responsible use of conscious broadcasting given our current political dynamic," he said.
The next "Texicanas" episode airs May 13 at 9 p.m. central. In the meantime, catch up on the conversation in the gallery above.
Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | email@example.com | @MaddySkye


text:
There are numerous program options for those desiring an advertising career, and the type of program chosen will depend upon students' areas of interest within advertising, such as design or marketing. Advertising programs are widely available at 2-year and 4-year schools, as are graphic design programs; at the bachelor's degree level, students can find separate programs in graphic design and advertising that can provide a more encompassing education in each field.
Schools with Graphic Design Programs
Graphic design and advertising programs are offered at these institutions.
|Institution Type
|Degrees Offered
|Tuition* (2018-2019)
|Rhode Island School of Design
|Providence, RI
|private, not-for-profit, 4 year
|Bachelor's, Master's
|Undergraduate $50,960; Graduate $49,900
|Maryland Institute College of Art
|Baltimore, MD
|private, not-for-profit, 4 year
|Certificate, Bachelor's, Master's, Graduate Certificate
|Undergraduate $48,630; Graduate $46,870
|Carnegie Mellon University
|Pittsburgh, PA
|private, not-for-profit, 4 year
|Bachelor's, Master's, Doctoral
|Undergraduate $55,465; Graduate $43,815
|Yale University
|New Haven, CT
|4-year, Private not-for-profit
|Graduate $42,100
|Virginia Commonwealth University
|Richmond, VA
|public, 4 year
|Undergraduate: In-state $14,493; Out-of-state $35,834
|School of Visual Arts
|New York, NY
|private, not-for-profit, 4 year
|Bachelor's, Master's
|Undergraduate $39,900; Graduate $44,700
|Art Center College of Design
|Pasadena, CA
|private, not-for-profit, 4 year
|Undergraduate $43,416
|California Institute of the Arts
|Valencia, CA
|private, not-for-profit, 4 year
|Bachelor's, Master's, Graduate Certificate
|Undergraduate $49,276; Graduate $48,660
|The New School- Parsons School of Design
|New York, NY
|4-year, Private not-for-profit
|Associate's, Bachelor's
|Undergraduate $49,064
Source: *National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
School Selection Criteria
Students interested in advertising design can look for a bachelor's degree program featuring a mix of courses in the two fields, such as a bachelor's degree in graphic design with a concentration in advertising. There are several things to consider when choosing a program in this field.
- Check for programs with certificate and associate's degrees when interested in a shorter academic experience.
- Seek advertising programs with optional courses that will allow a customizable education.
- Look for schools with up-to-date computer laboratories with modern hardware and software.
- Search for programs that offer real-world experiences through internship opportunities.
Certificate in Advertising Design
Certificate programs in advertising design may be completed in a matter of weeks, a semester or a year, depending on the format and amount of coursework. Students may have the opportunity to specialize in an area such as online business or print design.
Associate Degree in Advertising Design
Associate degree programs in advertising design can be completed in two years. Students commonly complete a portfolio as part of graduation.
Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design
Bachelor's degree programs in graphic design can be completed in four years and commonly include coursework in both traditional artwork and digital art design. A portfolio and senior project may be required for completion of this program.
Bachelor's Degree in Advertising
These degree programs have some visual design and art courses as electives. Students may have the opportunity to participate in an internship.
A career in advertising design can be pursued with an educational background in graphic design or advertising. Many public and private institutions offer undergraduate and graduate programs in relevant fields, and prospective students can choose between pursuing a certificate or associate's degree, or completing a four-year degree and continuing with graduate studies.


text:
Breeders, The
9 articles
The Breeders: A New Breed of Women in Rock
Interview by Richard Cromelin, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 1990
TAKE A PIXIE, add a Muse, throw in a Perfect Disaster and you've got the Breeders. ...
Nirvana: Cobain't That Peculiar
Report and Interview by Everett True, Melody Maker, 24 April 1993
Last week, Nirvana, L7, The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy and The Breeders staged a massive benefit for Bosnia at San Francisco's Cow Palace. Everett True ...
The Breeders: The Breeders' Last Splash (Elektra)
Review by Deborah Frost, Village Voice, The, 24 August 1993
ANALYZING THE BREEDERS may be as useful as deconstructing a good fuck, or for those less carnally inclined, a strawberry shortcake. When it works, you ...
The Breeders, Urge Overkill, Luscious Jackson: The Plaza, Glasgow
Live Review by Paul Moody, New Musical Express, 9 October 1993
Kurt Cobain and Kim Deal: Sleepless In Seattle
Report and Interview by Everett True, Melody Maker, 25 December 1993
For a concert spectacular to be broadcast worldwide on New Year's Eve, MTV went to Seattle, where they'd but together a bill featuring Cypress Hill ...
Report and Interview by Johnny Cigarettes, New Musical Express, 9 July 1994
"AAAARGH! F*** YOU ASSHOLE! GET OUT MY FACE!" ...errrrrrk!..."YEAH I'M DOIN' A F***IN' U-TURN WHAT'S THE GODDAMN PROBLEM?!" errrrrrrk! "Oh jeeezuuus! We've been past ...
It's The 'Looza Baby, Why Don't You Kill It?
Report by Keith Cameron, New Musical Express, 30 July 1994
LOLLAPALOOZA once had the chance to be the greatest rock'n'roll circus the planet had ever seen. But, in spite of the live spectacle of VERVE, ...
Various Artists: Lollapalooza '94, Sam Boyd Stadium University of Nevada Las Vegas July 1,1994
Live Review by Eric Weisbard, Spin, September 1994
THE DIFFERENCE between Lollapalooza 1994 and Lollapolooza Past is that this year Perry Farrell and colleagues decided the music being offered couldn't just be loud, ...
4AD Records: Labelled with Love
Retrospective and Interview by Wyndham Wallace, Classic Pop, November 2013
A new book, Martin Aston's Facing The Other Way, tells the story of a label that scored just a single number one hit during the ...
see also Tanya Donnelly
see also Pixies, The
back to LIBRARY


text:
The Playwright
Playwright Bibliography
The Poet
Poet Bibliography
Essays, Stories and Collections
Upcoming Events – Releases
Awards and Honours
Selected Readings and Workshops
Select Page
How a Turtle Rattles
The Amerindian in the Godzilla Suit
Poem, page 4, The Best Canadian Poetry in English, 2018, Hoa Nguyen, Guest Editor, Tightrope Books, Toronto, Ontario, July 2018. ISBN:9781988040349, $24.95CDN.
The Poetry and Ecology Project
The Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario has included selected poems written by Daniel in their Poetry and Ecology Project. The Project published a set of seven leaflets – Leaflet 2, Caring for our Water includes Some Grand River Blues; Leaflet 6,...
Into the Pass, The Last Lady on the Train, and Nocturne for W.T.
Poems, pages 54-59, Event Magazine, #46.3, edited by Joanne Arnott, Douglas College, New Westminster, B.C., Winter 2017/2018.
The Amerindian in the Godzilla Suit
Poem, pages 10-12, Oh Canada, We Have Issues, edited by Armand Garnet Ruffo, ARC Poetry Magazine, ARC Poetry Society, Ottawa, ON, Fall 2017.
Mouths Full of Flowers
Poem, page 41, The Walrus Magazine, Toronto, ON, May 2017.
After Drowning
Poem, pages 73-74, The Indigenous Perspectives Issue, edited by Philip Kevin Paul, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson and Richard Van Camp, The Malahat Review, Number 197, University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C., Winter 2016.
Crow Out Early
Poem, page 34, Earth and Heaven, An Anthology of Myth Poetry, edited by Amanda Jemigan and Evan Jones, Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Markham, ON, 2015.
Essay on the Problem of Sky Woman
Taos Journal of International Poetry & Art, www.taosjournalofpoetry.com/essay-on-the-problem-of-sky-woman/ March 2015.
Passing Through Smooth Town
Poem, page 26-29, Alice Munro: A Souwesto Celebration, The Windsor Review, Volume 47.2, edited by J.R. (Tim) Struthers and John B. Lee, Windsor, Fall 2014.
Song With Two Notes
Poem, page 28, Eighteen Bridges Magazine, edited by Carolyn Smart, The Canadian Literature Centre, 3-5 Humanities Centre, University of Alberta, AB T6G 2E5, Winter 2013.
A Small Essay on the Largeness of Light
Poems (Exile Editions 2012) ISBN 978-1-55096-301-4 A collection of poems that is imaginative, illuminating and a delightful feast of poems that explores nature, mythology, perception, desire, youth, aging and the self. Moses states "Poetry is about the...
Hawking's Canoe
RAMPIKE, Volume 20, Number 2, University of Windsor, Fall 2011.
Once Upon an Evening Out Along Sixth Line, Buzz, Forked Song, Two Views of the Eclipse, The Orchard Song, A Frisson in Grange Park
Pages 52-62, ELQ, Exile Literary Quarterly, Volume 35, No.2, Toronto,Ontario,Fall, 2011.
Love isn't a Truck
Poem, page 14, Literary Review of Canada, Volume 18, No.8, October 2010
My Discovery of America
Poem, page 169-170, Yellow Medicine Review, a Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art and Thought, Southwest Minnesota State University,Marshall, MN, Fall 2010.
River Range, Poems
A CD of 11 poems read by Daniel with accompanying original music composed, arranged and produced by David DeLeary. The poems recall his childhood memories of life near the Grand River in Ohsweken,ON where he grew up. Music credits: Keyboards and steel guitar, David...
Bolero o pozaru, Destova, Golf Song, Crystal Beach Boy, Zahrada, Samanuv zpe
Songs in Czech based on original poems and lyrics in English, on the album Cekani na Jojota by Botafogo, Vydalo Tympanum, Czech Republic, 2009. Des Bleues sur Grand River , a translation of Some Grand River Blues by Manuel Van Thienen, is included in Bacchanales...
In a Dark Month, Report on Mummified Remains, Catalina's Letter, The Heart Jumps, There's Only South, A Shaman Song
CV2, Contemporary Verse, Volume 29 Issue No. 4, Spring 2007, includes 'An Interview with Daniel David Moses' by Joanne Arnott and these five of Daniel's poems. The Canadian Journal of Poetry and Critical Writing. $7.00CDN "Writing is a...
Big Noise
A poem, in 'Telling Stories, Secret Lives', a catalogue for an exhibition, edited by Jan Allen and Steven Matijcio, The Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, Ont. 2006. IBSN 1-55339-088-1
Smoke Blues, Offhand Song, Shorts Lines, Early Pornography, A Song on the Wall
Smoke Blues, Offhand Song and Shorts Lines (pages 72-74) and Early Pornography and A Song on the Wall (pages 139-140) published in Without Reservation, Indigenous Erotica collected and edited by Kateri Akiwenzi-Damm (Kegedonce Press/Huia Publishers 2003) ISBN...
Sixteen Jesuses
Poems (Exile Editions 2000) ISBN 1-55096-516-6 'This first collection in a decade of poems by highly praised First Nations writer Daniel David Moses is an exploration of loss and longing. Moses celebrates family, art, culture, and two-spirited identity in poems that...
Delicate Bodies
Poems (Nightwood Editions 1992) ISBN 0-88971-042-2 Out of print. 'This collection of poems was originally published in 1980 by blewointment press, the forerunner of Nightwood, owned and operated by bill bissett. Whether Moses is meditating at his grandmother's grave...
The White Line
Poems (Fifth House Publishers 1990) ISBN 0-920079-68-7 Out of Print What the Critics say: "…precise, perceptive and powerful…poetry of spirit and integrity." – Quarry "Here speaks the trickster wisdom of a true poet." – Canadian Literature Read Selected...
The Line
Uncommon Wealth, An Anthology of Poetry in English (Oxford University Press 1997) published this poem, page 757.
Passing Above the Black River, Grandmother of the Glacier, Hotel Centrale, Rotterdam, Your Parent's Hands
Pages 66-71, Border Lines: Contemporary Poems in English edited by Wainwright, Clarke, Grogan, Li, Ross and Wallace (Copp Clark Ltd. 1995) ISBN 0-7730-5342-5
First Person Plural
Edited by Judith Fitzgerald A poetry anthology introducing three poets forging a new direction in Canadian writing. (Black Moss Press 1988) [ISBN 0-88753-175-X]
Report on Her Remains, Some Grand River Blues, The Corn, Party Favour
Pages 301-305, Harper's Anthology of 20th Century North American Poetry (Harper & Row 1987)
Read Select Sample from `Macintosh Moon`
The moon ripens on its stem. What profit harvesting it will bring him! The boy reaches in his dreams even the top most branches of the night. How many moons does he carry on his back leaving the farm, when he's taxed off the land at last onto the street? The...
The Published But Uncollected pile
The Amerindian in the Godzilla Suit 1. A prominence divorced from the sun, coming down To earth like a god or monster in a vision Everyone's forced to have, but this time, in lieu of Turning soil into cinders, this tongue of forked Fire, this dark wing with edges...
Search for:
Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!


text:
How To Buy Leggings With HRC's Face On Them
So many Hillarys. Everywhere. And yet, I'm not exactly complaining. In fact, these are pretty awesome. With the election before us, there's no better face than Hillary Clinton's face for your leggings. Plus, these leggings look super comfortable, and they have an adjustable waist line for extra comfort. With its anti-microbial polyester spandex material, this legging is perfect workout gear for runners, as they wick away sweat and reduce moister and chafing.
Hillary Clinton Leggings, $39, Society6
The bright hues of reds, yellows, pinks, and blue are so on trend now, as bright colors, neons, and eccentric prints are popping up everywhere, especially among exercise apparel. The crazy pattern is energizing during a workout, and it definitely makes a statement on your casual trip to the grocery store or a brunch date with the girls. So where can you snag these crazy, but fabulous pair of leggings? Design company, Binge Designs Homeware, has been donating 100 percent of proceeds to Hillary's campaign, and are offering various styles.
While these aren't exactly a basic staple pair of leggings for everyday wear (or, hey, maybe they are for you — whatever works!), they're certainly an amazing option for those of us who like comfort, colors, and are all about spreading the HRC love.
Hillary Clinton Leggings, $39, Society6
Here are some more photos that are just as amazing.
And this:
Next spin class attire?
Images: Courtesy Brand


text:
As busy as you've been lately and not getting to hunt much, if you need me to go sit some of those stands and take inventory of some deer, I'd be willing to help you out
Somebody needs to
"They are who we thought they were"
You can dress a fat chick up, but you cant fix stupid
That particular plot is planted in Pennington Deer Greens (mix of brassicas) at 10# /ac with Diakon Tillage Radish added at 8# /ac... Conventional drill in chisel plowed, harrowed and dragged seed bed and was planted on Oct 6...2 tons of Hi-cal lime and 750# 22-11-22-2s-1mg /ac.
Last edited by Swift Strike; 11-09-2019 at 04:04 AM.
Yeah, the plot looks great, but I'm more impressed by how close he was able to plant to the power poles.
"They are who we thought they were"
You can dress a fat chick up, but you cant fix stupid
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Now you talking , your plots are nice too
Visor- that's the set up right there. Travel corridor between food and bedding.
Carolina Counsel
Nice cantina FREAK.
Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
duckhunting stands alone as an outdoor discipline. It has a tang and spirit shared by no other sporta philosophy compounded of sleet, the winnow of unseen wings, and the reeks of marsh mud and wet wool. No other sport has so many theories, legends, casehardened disciples and treasured memories.
--John Madson, The Mallard, 1960
"Never trust a duck hunter who cares more about his success than his dog's."
Take him.


text:
We want to first state that having a GPS device is not required. The route(s) will be fully marked with cones and arrows at every turn. Cones will be placed on the route before every decision point and after every decision point (example – if you are approaching a turn you will see a cone right before the turn and then right after the turn). Also, color coded Route Arrows will be placed at every decision point. You will also receive cue cards with turn by turn directions.
However, if you wish to use a GPS device, there are multiple ways to download the routes depending on what you'd like to do.
If would like to load the route to your GPS device, please follow these steps (this should work on most Garmin cycling computers
- Download your route in .TCX format:
- Unzip the file (you should just be able to double click once downloaded)
- Copy the TCX file and paste it into your "Courses" or your "NewFiles" Folder
- Note: you need to have your cycling computer connected to your computer in order to do this
- That should do the trick!
If you need further instruction, you can go here to learn more
If you need to convert to a different file format (Garmin FIT, KML, GPX, etc..) you can go to https://www.gpsies.com/convert.do upload the TCX file and pick the format you need to convert.
If you do not have a cycling computer, you can download the route to your smartphone and get turn by turn navigation. Follow the instructions below.
- Click your route below (this will take you to MapMyRide map)
- Click the "Send to Phone" button on the MapMyRide page.
- Please note, in order to get the turn by turn navigation, you must download the MapMyRide app to your phone and create an account. All this is absolutely free!
- Follow the instructions and you should be good to go!
- Sometimes the "Send to Phone" feature is a little finicky so if you are having trouble, hit the "Bookmark" button. This route should show up under your "Routes" section in the Map My Ride App.
The simplest way to follow the route(s) on a device like your smartphone will be to view the specific Google route from either your phones browser or the Google Maps App. Please note, there is no turn by turn navigation but it will show your location on the specific route you are riding.


text:
Posted by J Benzakein
January 10th, 2010 No Comments
Celebrate Peculiar People Day
Ever do a search for upcoming holiday dates? There are way more "holidays" now than the traditional calendar gives credit to… and this one, Peculiar People Day, really caught my attention.
January 10th – Peculiar People Day is in honor of uniquely different people. Un-ordinary, extraordinary, unusual, strange, odd, uncommon, intriguing, different, abnormal, and quirky…. These are all things that we think of to describe the word "peculiar". Most of these characteristics can be viewed as good, or not so good. Today is a day to look for the good in your peculiar acquaintances.
If you are peculiar, this is your day to be honored and appreciated. Chances are, you will find something peculiar about yourself, if you look hard enough. If you can't find anything peculiar about yourself, then give some recognition and appreciation to your quirky friends and family.
Posted under: 01 January Comment (RSS) | Trackback


text:
Finally my FTP is back up so now I can start writing on this blog again. To start off, I'll be blogging Hayate no Gotoku! Review as said on the title.
OP Sequence:
OP: 「ãƒãƒ¤ãƒ†ã®ã"ã¨ã!〠(Hayate no Gotoku!) by KOTOKO
Hayate no Gotoku! has to be the funniest anime I have watched for Spring 2007. Nothing has been able to match up to the awesomeness that is, Hayate no Gotoku! The story is about a boy named Ayasaki Hayate who lived with his parents who had a huge amount of debt to the Yakuza. When the debt was over by selling Hayate to the Yakuza, Hayate escapes and tried to live the life of crime. Which ended up failing horribly when he by mistake, said his real name when he asked for ransom on a pay phone. After that Nagi Sanzenin (blond twin tail in the above picture) decided to take Hayate in as a live in butler.
Characters: (Left to right: Nagi, Hayate, Maria)
So, now the story is done and over with, here is what I loved about the anime. First off, the characters are funny as hell. Nagi is just some stubborn 13 year old who mistakenly thought Hayate was confessing to her. She is played by Rie kugimiya and if you watched Shakugan no Shana, Nagi and Shana is a bit similar. Hayate is just some poor faced 16 year old who happens to be some what lucky and unlucky person. First he had a 150,000,000 (not exact number) yen debt which got canceled because Nagi paid it off and got to live in a big mansion as a live in butler. So I don't whether to pity him or envy him. Then there is Maria, the cute looking 17 year old live in maid. She seems to be a popular one in the Sanzenin family. In the manga when they visited Nagi's grandfathers house, the maid and butlers there all called her Maria-dono so I assume she must be a really popular character.
The story is probably not that big in this anime. At first its paying off the debt then his debt grew again and it seems like he is just stuck in that house forever. Which can't be so bad living in a huge mansion and such. Anyway, the story seemed to only last about a few episodes from the start then it was just disappear off the face of the planet. Now each episode is just some random events and such. Pretty sure there is a story to this anime but the anime doesn't seem story driven.
Best of Episode 8:
In this scene, Hayate gets dragged into Nagi's room and asked to be dressed in a serafuku (sailor uniform which is worn by girls in Japanese schools). Hayate tells Nagi that if Klaus sees him dressed like a girl he will be fired. Why? Because Klaus said that butlers has to be manly at all times. Then Hayate tells Nagi that he would be caught dead if Maria saw him like that. Maria walks in and said that would be troublesome if you died. Maria asked why Hayate is dressed like that, Nagi replies that she thinks Hayate would look good in it. Maria says even so, a sailor uniform? Then she walks to Nagi's dresser and grabbed out a frilly dress and said that Hayate would look better in this. You think Maria was trying to defend Hayate but then… Maria and Nagi is now all crazy and picking out dresses for Hayate to try on. Hayate tries to escape but for some VERY unknown reason there is a video game controller just there on the ground and he managed to step on it. Maria and Nagi notices and then they made Hayate dress up as a cute little girl with nekomimi.
What else is there to say about this anime other than its funny as hell. I recommend you all watch it right now if you are craving for a bit of laughs from an anime but couldn't find the right one that makes you laugh out loud. So far only 10 episodes are out and only 9 are subbed, there are 3 volumes out for manga by Viz media so if you want to check that out go to your local bookstore or something. If you liked the music for Hayate no Gotoku, both the opening and ending single is out so buy it now! Hayate and Maria's image song single is also out so be sure to check those out.
ED Sequence:
ED: 「Proof〠by MELL
- Graphics: Nothing spectacular is shown in this anime nothing like Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!'s crazy technology graphics but it still looks nice even though the characters aren't exactly drawn well unlike Kanon 2006. But it won't hurt your eyes to watch.
- Story: Not much goes on in this anime since it doesn't seem story driven. Seems a bit like, Azumanga Daioh where it is just random story each time and doesn't seem to link to each other. So if you plan on watching an anime thats story driven I think you may not want to watch this but if your just watching for laughs, definitely download it now!
- Music: The theme song by KOTOKO is probably my favorite. Proof by MELL isn't all that bad even though my itunes only shows me that I listened to it4 times while Hayate no Gotoku! by KOTOKO has been played 35 times. This is probably the first song by KOTOKO that I don't get sick of listening after once. Remember both OP and ED singles are out so be sure to check those out. You can listen to the full OP on the mp3 bar in the header.
- Result: 5/5 for its comedy. It is just so damn funny that I really need to buy volume 3 of the manga. Hopefully when this anime is finished airing in Japan, ADV or whoever will license it so I can get my hands on the dvd.


text:
Our leaders are working closely with federal and state officials to ensure your ongoing safety at the university.
Stay up to date with the latest developments at
Biosketches are required in both competing applications and progress reports. The form is broken down into five sections: 1. Informational Table; 2. Personal Statement; 3. Positions and Honors; 4. Contributions to Sciences; and 5. Research Support. All five sections combines can be no more than five pages, with 1/2 inch margins and in one of the four preferred NIH Font types and size.
The table is located at the top of the first page and it contains name, title, eRA Commons ID, and education/training of the person the biosketch is for.
The next session is the person's Personal Statement. Here, you would briefly describe why this person is well-suited for their role(s) in this project. Relevant factors may include: aspects of their training; their previous experimental work on this specific topic or related topics; their technical expertise; their collaborators or scientific environment; and/or their past performance in this or related fields. Additionally, they may cite up to four publications or research products that highlight their experience and qualifications for this project.
After the Personal Statement, you have the section on Positions and Honors. Here, you list in chronological order the positions they've held that are relevant to this application, concluding with their present position. High school students and undergraduates may include any previous positions. For individuals who are not currently located at the applicant organization, include the expected position at the applicant organization and the expected start date. Moreover, list any relevant academic and professional achievements and honors. In particular:
Then, you have the section on Contributions to Science. All senior/key persons should complete the "Contributions to Science" section except candidates for research supplements to promote diversity in health-related research who are high school students, undergraduates, and post-baccalaureates.
Also, at the end of this section you can have a link to additional publications, noting that it must be a .gov site that you refer to.
Finally, we come to the Additional Information: Research Support and/or Scholastic Performance section which indicates current support as well as support that has been completed within the past three years.
For more detailed information on Biosketches, please see the NIH SF424 Guidelines. Also, NIH has created blank format pages you can utilize for new biosketches. Additionally, you can create biosketches in SciENcv for PIs and other key personnel.


text:
DWP figures on 'unacceptable' WCA reports cast doubt on decisions made on tens of thousands of ESA claims
Tens of thousands of "fitness for work" benefit claims could have been decided by civil servants on evidence from assessment reports that should have been rejected because their quality was "unacceptable", government figures suggest.
The concerns about the way Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decision-makers have decided employment and support allowance (ESA) claims follow last week's revelations about similar concerns with personal independence payment (PIP) claims.
They are based on figures provided by the minister for disabled people, Sarah Newton, to Labour MP Grahame Morris.
The figures* show that the proportion of work capability assessment (WCA) reports sent back to DWP contractor Maximus** because they were found to be of "unacceptable" quality – following audits of small samples of the reports – was as much as 100 times greater than the proportion sent back by DWP decision-makers when making day-to-day decisions on ESA claims.
This suggests that DWP decision-makers are frequently deciding ESA claims based on "unacceptable" reports instead of sending them back to Maximus assessors to "rework".
With Newton's figures also showing that Maximus carried out more than one million WCAs and other assessments in 2016-17, and more than 1.1 million in 2017-18 – when only 625 reports were sent back by DWP to Maximus to be reworked because they were "unacceptable" – this suggests that tens of thousands of claims could have been affected every year.
DWP and Maximus yesterday (Wednesday) both denied that this was what the figures showed, with Maximus insisting that it was "inaccurate and misleading" to draw such a conclusion.
But disabled activists and researchers are deeply concerned by the figures and believe they are further evidence of the unfairness of the disability benefit assessment system, and of how tens of thousands of disabled people have been wrongly denied support through the social security system.
Maximus took over the WCA contract from Atos in March 2015.
The figures provided by Newton show that, in 2015-16, just 0.06 per cent of assessment reports were returned by DWP to Maximus for reworking because they were of "unacceptable" quality.
In 2016-17 this was 0.066 per cent (still far fewer than one in a thousand) and in 2017-18 it was just 0.056 per cent.
But when senior Maximus executives appeared before the Commons work and pensions committee in December, they told MPs that the audit process showed that the proportion of "C-grade" reports – those deemed "unacceptable" by auditors – was currently 7.3 per cent, more than 100 times higher.
In subsequent written evidence to the committee, Maximus told the MPs that C-grade reports were those "considered not to have met expected standards for a variety of reasons", whereas A and B grade reports were those that were "fit for purpose" and where "a decision could be made on the case" by DWP.
Last week, DNS heard from a DWP civil servant who works on the PIP "frontline", who said that DWP case managers have strict targets for the number of PIP claims they need to process every day, are quizzed by their superiors if they miss their weekly targets and are "instructed to act on the assessor's report, given that they are the medical experts".
This week, DNS has heard from a former DWP civil servant who worked on ESA and said she and her colleagues were also "strongly discouraged from sending back reports we felt needed to be reworked".
She said: "I was told to leave it, continue with the decision.
"I was told there is probably something we don't know about that the assessor did… so to leave it, no need to return it."
Anita Bellows, a Disabled People Against Cuts researcher, said DWP again needed to explain the discrepancies in its statistics.
She said: "While the figures for reports deemed unacceptable and therefore needing 'rework' provided by disability assessors are low, the reports audited paint a different picture, one of disability assessors producing a huge number of unacceptable reports.
"But the discrepancies show something else. Statistics on the number of unacceptable reports are being manipulated and kept artificially low.
"It is unthinkable that the DWP did not notice these discrepancies. And this begs the question: how many claimants had their claim decided based on unacceptable reports?"
A DWP spokeswoman denied yesterday that the figures produced by the minister showed that civil servants had for years been making ESA claim decisions on the basis of reports of an "unacceptable" quality.
She said: "In order to provide the best possible service to our customers, rather than resending reports for re-work our decision-makers tend to call the health provider's customer service desk to discuss and resolve problems they identify.
"Returning assessment reports for re-work extends the length of time taken to make a decision and delays payment to our customers of the benefit rate to which they are entitled.
"By discussing the case directly and immediately, issues can be solved quickly. However, in a minority of cases, this is not possible and the report needs to be returned for re-work as per our procedures."
But campaigner John Slater, whose freedom of information work has previously produced crucial data about the DWP's disability benefit assessment contracts, said: "It's deeply worrying that the DWP admitted decisions are sometimes made on the basis of poor medical reports plus telephone calls with the health provider's customer service desk.
"The flawed reports are not re-worked and there is every chance that no record of what is said during these telephone calls will be added to the claimant's file."
He said this could also mean that if the claimant requested a copy of their assessment report it might not be an accurate record of the information upon which the decision was based, which he said had "clear implications for the appeals process".
A Maximus spokesman said that the latest figures from the audit process – through which DWP checks on more than 700 assessment reports a month – showed it was now meeting its target of less than five per cent of these being given a C-grade.
Maximus has also met its target of more than 70 per cent of assessment reports securing an A-grade in every month since the start of the contract, he said.
The Maximus spokesman said: "Since we took over the contract in March 2015, we have delivered year-on-year improvements across the service.
"We have met or exceeded all of our quality targets since January 2018.
"Separately, we have always exceeded the DWP's target that over 99.5 per cent of reports comply with the department's standards, enabling them to make a decision on ESA eligibility.
"These two measures are distinct and it is inaccurate and misleading to conflate them."
*The vast majority of these assessments were WCAs but Maximus also carries out assessments for other disability benefits, including disability living allowance for under-16s and industrial injuries disablement benefit
**Referred to in Newton's answer as CHDA (the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments), which is part of Maximus
10 May 2018
Charity faces claims of 'abusive' behaviour over care home closure meeting
A disability charity is facing allegations of "insensitive and abusive" behaviour over the way its executives told disabled residents that they were about to close their care home because they could not afford to keep it open.
The news was broken on the same day that other executives from the same charity, Leonard Cheshire, were telling residents of a home on the other side of the country why they had spent £275,000 on a new logo and rebranding exercise.
Leonard Cheshire had sent letters inviting residents of the Greathouse home, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, to a meeting about "important changes to the service and how it will affect you", that would take place just six days later.
But the charity failed to provide the letters in accessible formats such as large print or easy read, so some of the residents – who all have high support needs – were unable to read or understand them.
Some of their relatives did not receive letters telling them about the meeting.
Another letter, confirming the decision to close the home, was handed out after the meeting, and again was not available in accessible formats.
And when executives from the charity's head office arrived for last week's meeting, there were so many of them present that they created an "intimidating" atmosphere, according to one relative.
They also ignored some of the questions and comments raised by residents with communication impairments, says the relative.
The claims have been made by Sharon Bye, whose brother Chris is one of the residents and has praised the quality of the staff at Greathouse.
She subsequently made a "safeguarding" referral to the local authority, Wiltshire County Council, because she felt the way the meeting had been run was "abusive".
Leonard Cheshire told the home's residents last week that Greathouse would close on 27 July, partly because it could not afford the money for repairs and was finding it difficult to recruit staff.
There are believed to be 21 residents of the home, all of working-age and all wheelchair-users with high support needs.
Chris Bye said the meeting had been "awful and very badly managed. They obviously had their own agenda to push and they just didn't listen to residents."
He said he felt "very sad" about the closure and added: "I have lived here a long time and we are a family."
There are now concerns that allowing just three months to find new accommodation means he and other residents could be forced into homes for older people.
Sharon Bye is also angry that a council manager who attended the meeting failed to intervene to express concerns at the way it was being run or to explain his role.
In a letter to Neil Heslop, Leonard Cheshire's chief executive, Bye has described Greathouse as "a vibrant community that is fully integrated into the locality" and ensures its residents "have as much independence as possible".
She added: "I am devastated by your decision to close but also understand that you have a right to make a decision like this.
"What you don't have the right to do is treat the people you support in an insensitive manner.
"As the lead officer of a national charity it is my hope that you will be horrified to learn that residents and families have been treated with such a lack of regard.
"I will go as far as to say that the actions to date constitute in my view abuse. I am sorry to say this, but it is true."
After being asked by Disability News Service (DNS) about Bye's concerns, Leonard Cheshire admitted that residents were given just six days' notice of the meeting but said this was to "minimise any anxiety or upset associated with people having to wait for an extended period of time to attend the meeting".
It also admitted that some relatives of residents had not received a letter telling them about the meeting, and that it was "investigating the reasons for this".
But she told DNS that the charity did not consider the meeting was "abusive" and that executives at the meeting had tried to acknowledge all the points made by residents.
She said: "The message delivered was difficult for people to hear and people, understandably, became upset.
"There were a number of instances where people were talking at the same time, which made it very difficult for us to hear and acknowledge every point being made.
"We asked people to allow others to speak in an effort to ensure that those who wanted to be heard could be."
She said the charity was "not aware of anyone being ignored".
And she said the home's manager had assured them there was no need to provide the letters in accessible formats.
She said: "We are more than happy to ensure that information is provided in alternative formats and would ask anyone who would like this to contact us."
But she said the charity accepted that it "could have provided more clarity around who would be attending" the meeting.
She added: "At Leonard Cheshire we aim to offer the best quality service in modern accessible properties.
"Unfortunately the current grade II listed building at Greathouse needs considerable repairs and does not meet today's standards.
"Difficulties recruiting specialist staff have resulted in an over reliance on agencies, and drop in demand for places over a number of years have also been a factor in reaching the difficult decision to close this service.
"We are working with all residents and their families in association with commissioners to help them choose their new home, and support them throughout this transition process.
"We are also supporting our dedicated staff with their future options."
But on the same day the Greathouse closure was announced to its residents, two other Leonard Cheshire communications executives were called to Wetherby, Yorkshire, to explain to service-users at another home why the charity had paid a consultancy more than a quarter of a million pounds for a rebranding exercise that includes a new logo that has been described as "looking like something a toddler would draw".
Leonard Cheshire service-user Doug Paulley, who lives in the Wetherby home and is a fierce critic of the way the charity is run, said the treatment of the men and women who lived at Greathouse had been "disgraceful".
He said the last inspection report for Greathouse by the care regulator had been excellent, apart from the need for some renovations.
He said: "I am sure they could give substantially more time (like: a year or six months) for the residents to sort out alternative accommodation. I'm sure that they could renovate and stay open, come to that."
He questioned the cost of the new logo with the two executives last week but said he was given a lot of "corporate guff" about how the new logo "represents diversity" and was "less enclosing" than the previous "box" logo.
And he said they told him the previous redesign in 2008 had cost £1.5 million and had been "a badly handled own goal".
Paulley told DNS that the latest rebranding had been a "ludicrous pointless infantilising waste of money, done by media consultants who know nothing about disabled people's lives, social care and politics".
The executives had told him the charity had decided to drop "disability" from its name – the previous rebranding in 2008 had added "disability" – because they did not like people being given the "badge" of disability.
Paulley said: "They say they don't like people to be labelled as there is a lot of diversity in disabled people.
"Well, yes, of course there is; but the whole point of the social model, which they claim to espouse, is that it's not the person that is disabled, it is society which disables them – so society is labelled, not the person. But they just don't get it.
"Also does this mean that they are now going to provide services to non-disabled people?
"And are they going to undermine campaigns on issues for non-disabled people, as they do for disabled people?"
A Leonard Cheshire spokeswoman said: "Like other big charities we periodically have to invest in the future – so we can together support more individuals to live, learn and work as independently as they choose.
"Work around the brand isn't just about a logo and the investment has also paid for website redesign, as well as development of high impact materials to help staff do their jobs more effectively, following detailed consultation on the approach.
"We work with disabled people to create a fairer, more inclusive society and the new brand better reflects the diversity of the services we now provide, both in the UK and internationally."
Wiltshire County Council refused to say why it failed to intervene in the meeting, or to confirm the safeguarding concern raised by Sharon Bye.
But it said in a statemen: "We were saddened to hear that Leonard Cheshire has chosen to close this care service, and recognise the impact this will have both on those receiving care, and the staff involved in providing it.
"We are working with Leonard Cheshire and our partner organisations to provide advice and support to those residents affected and will ensure they get suitable alternative accommodation and care as quickly as possible.
"Some of the matters raised at the recent meeting for the home's residents and their families will be discussed with Leonard Cheshire to ensure that the position going forward is handled as sensitively and carefully as possible."
10 May 2018
EHRC appoints eight disabled people to advisory committee
The equality and human rights watchdog has appointed eight disabled people to its disability committee, including leading activists, advisers and academics.
The new appointments mean that all 14 members of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) disability advisory committee (DAC) will be disabled people.
The committee was formed last year to replace the statutory disability committee, which had powers under the Equality Act 2006 to take important disability-related decisions within EHRC, such as allowing it to overrule officers on critical and strategically-important legal cases.
The DAC does not have these powers. Instead, its members will inform the commission's work on protecting and promoting rights and equality for disabled people.
The new members are Liz Sayce, Lord [Colin] Low, Professor Nick Watson, Simone Aspis, Miro Griffiths, Fazilet Hadi, Sarah Coleman and Maddy Kirkman.
Sayce is the former chief executive of Disability Rights UK (DR UK) and its predecessor organisation RADAR, who retired from that post last year after 10 years.
She has a background in mental health and disability policy and is a member of the governing committee of Healthwatch England and the government's social security advisory committee, and is a non-executive director of the Care Quality Commission.
She is also a former director of policy and communications at the Disability Rights Commission.
While at DR UK, she spoke out on issues around disability employment, the rights of disabled asylum-seekers, and for reform of the Mental Health Act and implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
But she is still best-known among many disabled activists for writing a controversial report for the coalition government on employment support for disabled people.
Lord Low is a vice-president and former chair of RNIB, and a former law lecturer and researcher.
He speaks regularly on human rights issues in the House of Lords as a crossbench peer, and spoke out last summer against the "personal misery" caused by "neoliberal austerity", which he said was part of a 40-year project to "systematically shrink" public sector spending.
He has also spoken out against the harm that Brexit will cause to disabled people.
Watson is professor of disability research in the School of Social and Political Sciences, and director at the Strathclyde Centre for Disability Research, both at the University of Glasgow.
He is probably best-known to many activists as the co-author of a research report which concluded two years ago that the research successive governments had relied on to justify slashing disability benefits – through the biopsychosocial model of disability – was riddled with inconsistencies, misleading statements and "unevidenced" claims.
He was also co-author of the Bad News For Disabled People report, which found in 2011 that there had been a "significant increase" in the number of negative stories about disabled people in national newspapers over the previous six years.
Aspis has more than 20 years' experience of campaigning for disabled people's rights, particularly on inclusive education at The Alliance for Inclusive Education, and currently also acts as an advocate for autistic people and those with learning difficulties who have been sectioned and cannot secure their release from psychiatric hospitals.
She has also previously worked with the UK Disabled People's Council and People First, as well as with the Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance on the shadow report it submitted last year to the UN's committee on the rights of persons with disabilities.
Griffiths, a campaigner, researcher and adviser on disability rights, and a former project officer for the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL), is another who has spoken out to warn of the damaging impact of Brexit on disabled people's rights and social justice.
He has also spoken publicly of how governments in the UK – and abroad – have shown "a clear lack of appreciation and respect" for disabled people's organisations by ignoring their views and advice when developing new policies.
He spent six years on Equality 2025, the government's now-disbanded high-level advice body of disabled people.
Hadi is a former solicitor and local authority equality manager who spent two decades at the disability charity RNIB, including as deputy chief executive, and is a former chair of the Law Centres Federation.
She has previously told peers that she believed the private sector had done a better job of implementing the Equality Act than central and local government.
She spoke out six years ago to warn ministers that it felt as though disabled people were "a group under siege" and that the government had been drawing false distinctions between "disabled people" and "tax-payers" and between "deserving" and "undeserving" benefit claimants.
Coleman is a policy officer with Mencap, and is a former youth worker and advocate, and has led community involvement projects and delivered disability equality training, as well as having experience as a family carer.
Kirkman is a former national disabled students' officer at the National Union of Students, and currently works in the third sector in Scotland, conducting research and strategy projects with a small disability charity, and continues to be an active member of the disabled students' movement.
The new members join DAC's existing members, the acting chair Dr Rachel Perkins, Dr Marc Bush, Helen Chipchase, Professor Anna Lawson, Michelle Scattergood and Colin Young.
All 14 members of the committee self-identify as disabled people.
The new appointments completed an application process that began last November. The members of the committee are set to nominate their own chair at their next meeting.
David Isaac, EHRC's chair, said: "Improving the lives of disabled people is at the heart of everything we do and creating a strong DAC with such a wealth of expertise and personal experience across such a broad range of fields is essential to our work.
"Only by this means will the commission's work be well-informed, relevant and effective in advancing the rights of all disabled people in this country."
10 March 2018
A year on from new taxi discrimination laws… and not a single prosecution
Local authorities have failed to prosecute a single taxi-driver for discriminating against wheelchair-users under new legislation introduced more than a year ago, according to new figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.
The figures show that not one taxi-driver out of more than 30,000 so far covered by the new legislation has appeared in court, despite widespread reports of discrimination.
On 6 April last year, the government finally brought into force laws that impose fines of up to £1,000 on drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles who refuse to accept wheelchair-users, try to charge them extra, or fail to provide them with appropriate assistance.
But the new laws only apply in those areas of England, Scotland and Wales where the local authority has drawn up a list – under section 167 of the Equality Act – of all the wheelchair-accessible taxis and private hire vehicles in their area.
So far, only about 120 of 347 councils have drawn up a list under section 167 – just seven local authorities have failed to respond to freedom of information requests – even though the Department for Transport (DfT) has said that it should take no more than six months from April 2017 to bring in the new measures.
Those that have compiled a list cover more than 30,000 wheelchair-accessible taxis, according to figures compiled by transport access campaigner Doug Paulley through the freedom of information requests, which were sent last November.
But Paulley's figures also show that, of the councils that have drawn up a list, not one of them has prosecuted a taxi-driver for discriminating against a wheelchair-user – under section 165 of the act – or is aware of any drivers in its area facing prosecutions by other organisations or individuals.
Only Transport for London appears to have taken any steps towards a prosecution, telling Paulley in its freedom of information response that it had launched 19 investigations under section 165.
It said this week that two taxi-drivers were being prosecuted under section 165, with the first due to appear in court later this month.
Paulley said he was "really disappointed" by the implementation and enforcement of the new laws, which he said had been "lamentably poor, with no sign of improvement".
He believes the figures show the legislation is not fit for purpose and needs to be replaced.
He said: "I find it difficult to believe that there haven't been any offences committed under section 165 of the Act.
"It is not credible to believe that since this legislation was implemented, none of the drivers of any of those taxis have refused a wheelchair-user travel, failed to strap the wheelchair-user or their wheelchair in properly, left the meter running whilst loading a wheelchair-user or failed to assist the wheelchair-user into or out of their taxi.
"I have personally experienced discrimination in these terms, by drivers of vehicles on a section 167 list."
The Department for Transport (DfT) declined to say if it was concerned about the figures or if it believed the legislation needed to be redrawn.
But it said it was encouraged by the response from local authorities which have drawn up a list under section 167, and that it had provided guidance to help councils implement the requirements of the new laws, and expected all authorities to make the most of their new powers.
A DfT spokesman said: "We are clear that disabled people must have the same access to transport services that others take for granted.
"It is unacceptable that a minority of taxi and private hire vehicle drivers discriminate against wheelchair-users.
"We have provided councils with the means to challenge such behaviour, and they should use these powers to ensure that drivers provide wheelchair-users with assistance and cannot charge them extra.
"We expect all councils to take the steps necessary to ensure that all passengers can travel free from the fear of discrimination."
10 May 2018
New fund will empower disabled women as memorial to Firman and Partridge
A disabled women's collective hopes that a "ground-breaking" new memorial fund will empower disabled women by paying the costs of attending events they would otherwise not be able to visit.
The memorial fund* is being set up by Sisters of Frida (SoF) to remember Eleanor Firman and Sophie Partridge, who were both members of its steering group, and who both died last year.
The Eleanor and Sophie Memorial Fund will provide financial support for disabled women to attend events such as conferences and concerts – both mainstream and disability-related – that they would not otherwise be able to afford to attend.
Among those at a launch event for the fund in south-east London were Firman's older brother Richard, and her partner, Gerry Lyons, a Labour borough councillor in Waltham Forest.
Richard Firman told the event that their family had not been aware of how extensive his sister's activism had been – she had also been a composer, musician and music teacher – and they had been "astonished" and "humbled" at the huge turnout to her funeral last year.
Eleanor Lisney, a SoF co-founder, said that when she and Firman had visited Geneva in 2013 to present evidence about the impact of austerity on disabled women in the UK to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), they had had to "scrounge" for funding from the National Union of Journalists and Waltham Forest Trades Council.
It was this struggle for funding that helped persuade SoF to launch the fund as a way of remembering their former colleagues.
When she died last year, Lisney paid tribute to Firman's "warmth, her passion, creativity and friendship" and said she had never failed to stand up against injustice.
There were also tributes paid to Partridge at the fund's launch, with Lisney describing her as "a precious person" who was "full of joy".
When she died last year, friends and colleagues had paid tribute to her wit, wisdom and "genuine kindness", her work as an actor, and the leading role she played in high-profile disability rights and anti-austerity campaigns.
Michelle Daley, another SoF co-founder, said the fund was "a great opportunity for disabled people to be able to do things that they would not be able to do.
"There are not any other grants available.
"This is ground-breaking in many ways. We are testing the waters, doing something new and different, but it is also being done by disabled women for disabled women and with no resources.
"It will remember the names of some powerful disabled women and will empower other disabled women and give them freedom."
Daley said that both Partridge and Firman had been "passionate" about enabling access for disabled people.
She said SoF hoped organisations and individuals would contribute to the fund* so that it could provide grants to more disabled women.
SoF will announce details in due course on its website and through social media of how to apply for funding.
The event in Greenwich, south-east London, also marked the success of a year-long peer-led development project, which provided mentors for disabled women to develop their own projects and research skills, and share their knowledge more widely.
The scheme was led by Sisters of Frida and backed by the Rosa fund for women and girls.
Sorena Francis spoke about her project, which set up a user-led peer support group, the More Than 1 Forum, and uses creativity and the arts to raise the profile of disabled people in her borough.
She said: "It's hard out there for disabled people, very difficult. Society just wants to add more of a divide. It's them and us.
"To be a part of a collective is very important but also normally in society women are quite competitive, so it has been very healing for me to be in a space where people are supportive and they mean that."
Another was Magdalena Szarota, a co-founder of One.pl, an organisation of disabled women in Poland, whose project was about using photography as a way of telling disabled people's stories.
Tope Onanuga, another participant, aims to relaunch her blog to support disabled students when applying for university.
She said: "I had a mentor who works in radio and she gave me tips on writing and how to develop writing. She gave me a lot of good advice and a lot of feedback."
Vivienne Hayes, chief executive of Women's Resource Centre, the national umbrella organisation for the women's sector, told the event that the support of Sisters of Frida had been "vital" in enabling her organisation to have an intersectional approach to its work.
She said that "solidarity" between women's groups was "absolutely the most important thing".
She said: "In 30 years doing this work, I can't remember a more difficult time.
"For us to try to hold back the tsunami of government policies that seem to only aim to take away our rights and impoverish us we have to come together."
*To donate to the fund, visit the SoF donation page and mark the contribution for the Eleanor and Sophie Memorial Fund
10 May 2018
Boards of biggest companies should appoint 'disability champions', says new report
Every one of the country's biggest companies should ensure they have a "disability champion" on their board by 2020, according to a new report co-authored by a leading disabled social entrepreneur.
The report also calls on the boards of Britain's biggest 350 businesses to include disability as a formal agenda item at least once every year.
Leading From The Front is a review of research and best practice in the field of disability, and has been written "with a board-level audience in mind".
Its co-authors are Mike Adams, the disabled chief executive of the social enterprise Purple – formerly Essex Coalition of Disabled People – and David Gracie, director of legal services at the accountancy and consultancy giant KPMG.
They conclude that becoming "disability inclusive" as an employer opens up organisations to "a wider talent pool, different ways of doing things and a far broader customer base".
As well as appointing a board-level champion who is accountable for disability issues and regularly tabling disability as an agenda item, employers should also promote disability issues to their suppliers, networks and audiences, they say.
They also say that employers should sign up to the government's much-criticised Disability Confident scheme. Adams himself has previously raised concerns about how the scheme was working.
The report also says that large employers – both in the private and public sector – should use their power to bring about permanent change in the way their suppliers address disability.
And it says employers should secure the right specialist support on disability, to help them "navigate those potentially tricky first conversations and get the right policies in place from the very start".
The report says the value of the "purple pound" – the collective spending power of disabled people in the UK and their families – is an estimated £249 billion a year.
It says that three-quarters of disabled people have walked away from a business because of poor disability awareness – costing businesses £420 million a week – while inaccessible websites and apps cost £11.75 billion in lost revenue in the UK in 2016.
And it says that one academic study found 92 per cent of consumers felt more positive about companies that employed disabled people.
But it also points out that less than one in 10 businesses have a defined strategy for targeting disabled consumers.
The report says that Mars UK saw sales of Maltesers increase by 8.1 per cent – double its target of four per cent – after a series of adverts featuring disabled cast members, in its most successful campaign in 80 years.
Agnes Fletcher, an equality advisor to Arsenal, which became the first professional football club to achieve Disability Confident "leader" status, spoke in the report of the Arsenal For Everyone initiative, which includes a long-term commitment to disability.
The club's management team take the lead on diversity, with the initiative promoted at every level of the organisation, helping staff understand the importance of disability issues, she says in the report.
Fletcher, a former director of policy and communications at the Disability Rights Commission, says: "Being open about these issues also benefits Arsenal's employer brand and status as an inclusive place to work.
"The latest equality and diversity survey showed that more employees and casual staff are identifying themselves as disabled.
"So being disability inclusive doesn't just open up Arsenal to a bigger fanbase but a wider talent pool too."
Sarah Newton, minister for disabled people, said that about 6,000 employers had now signed up to Disability Confident, which aims to challenge employers' attitudes towards disability and help remove workplace barriers faced by disabled people.
She said that if an employer signs up to Disability Confident it "sends a powerful message to potential employees that they will get the support they need to thrive in the workplace".
She said: "Disability Confident can offer your organisation a valuable support network and guidance to help you create a more inclusive workplace."
The report says that most of the experts interviewed for the review spoke about the importance of the people at the top of organisations "setting the right tone" on disability.
Adams said: "Put simply, disability is board business. It affects everyone associated with your company – your customers, your staff, and your stakeholders.
"Having spoken to some of the most forward-thinking businesses of all sizes when it comes to disability, a common thread quickly emerged – the tone is set by those at the top.
"We need more leaders to follow suit and create a new culture in which disabled people aren't just accommodated but embraced because everyone understands their true potential."
10 May 2018
News provided by John Pring at www.disabilitynewsservice.com


text:
Audrey Pearl Hair Pins
Regular price $6.00 Sale price
Shipping calculated at checkout.
These gold tone synthetic pearl hair pins are a classic look for 2020. Take them from day to night to add a little "Breakfast at Tiffany" vibe to your look.
Offered in four styles these non nickel metal hairpins are perfect for capturing that Audrey vibe.
Pearls are known spiritually as a symbol of wisdom & experience. They also offer the wearer protection & luck.


text:
News and Stories
UPDATE: California Oranges
May 12, 2016
Markon First Crop (MFC) and Markon Essentials (ESS) Oranges are sporadic; packer label is being substituted as needed. Supplies of 113- and 138-count oranges remain extremely limited; prices continue to rise. Late-season Navel oranges are dominated by 72-count and larger sizes. New crop Valencia harvesting will not ramp up until late May/early June. A limited supply of MFC and ESS Valencia Oranges will be available Monday, May 16. MFC and ESS Navel Oranges will continue shipping through May.
- California late-season Navel oranges are expected to remain on the market through mid-June
- Large sizes dominate the late-season crop; 113-count and smaller sizes are scarce
- Quality issues such as pressure pack, softness, and shortened shelf-life are concerns
- Flavor is sweet; sugar levels are higher than those for new crop Valencia fruit, ranging from 12 to 13 Brix
- Prices continue to rise for 113- and 138-count stocks; some suppliers have begun shipping Valencias in these sizes due to such strong demand
- Prices for 72-count and larger fruit remain steady at low levels
- A few suppliers are currently harvesting new crop Valencia oranges; overall supplies remain tight
- Limited quantities of MFC and ESS Valencia Oranges will begin shipping Monday, May 16
- The crop is dominated by 72-, 88-, and 113-count sizes at the start of the season
- Quality is excellent
- Texture is firm (stronger than late-season Navels)
- Color is full and does not require gassing at this time; re-greening is not a concern at the beginning of the season
- Flavor is fairly-sweet with brix ranging from 9-11
- Supplies will increase over the next several weeks, reaching adequate levels by late May/early June; the season typically runs through October
- Prices are comparable to the Navel market and will continue rising as the season progresses
Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.
©2016 Markon Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
The Chamber Justice Commission launches a bipartisan antitrust investigation on the Silicon Valley big. It was announced by the Democratic and Republican leaders of the Commission, highlighting that the investigation aims to ascertain whether the giants of the Web are suppressing competition. The survey is also preparatory to assessing whether or not they serve more stringent antitrust laws.
This is the first survey ever conducted by the Congress on the big of Silicon Valley, already in the sights of the American authorities who are preparing to start a barrage of investigations against Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook. With a reimpact on the securities of the companies. The profiling of a close on the horizon worries investors: more rules translate into a negative impact on profits and make it more difficult to justify the high ratings of HiTech big.


text:
You are here:
New Technologies Aimed At Blind Pedestrians
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted with permission of the Daytona Beach News-Journal, May 30, 2004: http://www.news-journalonline.com
David Dixon used to drive trucks across the country, but now has trouble crossing local streets.
The Port Orange man has been blind for almost 11 years.
"It's kind of ironic, isn't it?" he said. "There are some very scary and dangerous intersections around that I would not cross even if I could see. It's even worse when you're blind."
That situation could improve nationally in a couple of years with the advent of new technologies that may be tested locally--including handheld receivers that can read crosswalk signals and verbally tell blind pedestrians if the way is clear.
Visually impaired people have relied on others, their canes and faith that drivers yield when they are supposed to. A few years ago, audible crossing signals were the rage and were installed at select Volusia County intersections, including two on White Street in Daytona Beach near two training centres for the blind, and on U.S. 92 and North Amelia Avenue in DeLand. The chirps and beeps emitted indicate when it's appropriate to cross.
Dixon says the audible signals are worse than useless.
"They don't tell you what direction you're facing and there's no way of telling when you are leaving the crosswalk," Dixon said. "There's other issues too, but the big one is that cars and trucks drown out the beeps."
Replacing the audible signals with a new set of "eyes" is the goal of a Michigan company wanting to test its new technology in Volusia County and its cities, including Daytona Beach.
"Florida has one of the worst records in the nation for pedestrian safety," said Mike MacLear of Relume Technologies. "What better place to start and test our system?"
The local transportation planning agency, the Volusia County Metropolitan Planning Organization, is trying to form a public/private partnership to test the new system locally so it eventually can be approved for use by state and federal transportation officials.
"We want to help the company improve its design, and market it so it's approved," said Karl Welzenbach, MPO executive director. "We have a number of blind residents because of the schools here and it would help us with having a system up and working at a reduced cost."
Relume created a microchip that makes LED lights--light-emitting diodes--pulse at varying rates too fast for the human eye to detect. It has also developed a hand-held transponder the size of a garage door opener to receive and interpret the pulses when pointed at the LEDs.
The chip can work with LED crossing signals, the type Volusia County and some cities are switching to, rather than continuing with less efficient and more costly light-bulb signals. The transponders are programmed to interpret the crosswalk's signals and say the words "wait" or "proceed with caution."
The transponders can also vibrate for added emphasis. The sounds and vibrations can be programmed to fade when the user veers out of the crosswalk and the transponder is not pointed at the crosswalk signal.
Initial tests are planned to begin this summer in select Miami and St. Petersburg sites. The chips cost about $4 each and the transponders are about $20 to $30. The audible signals cost about $7,500 to $25,000, Welzenbach said.
"For the next year, we want to see who we can get to participate and create a plan all can agree on," Welzenbach said. "There are many issues and a lack of (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards as to where the audible signal posts and buttons are located. This would eliminate all that."
And save lives, Dixon said.


text:
All admission tickets and passes may be purchased by telephone at 604-935-(PLAY) 7529 or in person at Meadow Park Sports Centre.
Current Promotions Drop-In Activities Schedule Registered Activities and Classes
Meadow Park Sports Centre is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. View changes to regular facility hours.
Current promotions
Take advantage of the range of affordable recreational opportunities and current promotions available. View current promotions.


text:
Contact Me
Warning: Illegal string offset 'width' in /home/edunlo5/public_html/www.mumseword.com/wp-content/plugins/ajax-contact-me/contact-me.php on line 250
Warning: Illegal string offset 'title' in /home/edunlo5/public_html/www.mumseword.com/wp-content/plugins/ajax-contact-me/contact-me.php on line 252
Thanks for stopping by! You can email me at mumseword [at] gmail [dot] com (email@example.com)
Alternatively, you can use the form below. I'll get back to you, it may not be immediate, but I definitely will try to reply!
(Visited 2,948 times, 1 visits today)


text:
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The Day of Radiohead
If I didn't post something about the Radiohead release day, I think I would be ex-communicated from the Blogosphere. Everyone has very positive things to say about the new album In Rainbows. However, the biggest complaint is the 160kbps sound quality of it.
I have tried just recently to get the dang album to no avail. Apparently, the website is loaded down, for it now asks for a username and password??? So, basically I downloaded the album from other means and will wait to "purchase" it from the stupid website. I really don't understand why they didn't prepare better for this, when knowing millions of people will be trying to download. And unlike me, the people who can't get it will download it illegally then never actually pay the money once they get it. I really don't understand it. Anyway if anyone has a trick please let me know. I can find no instruction on the net other than that someone heard if you didn't register yesterday, you are out of luck. It works now!!!! I paid 3.5 pounds which is about $7.50. I figure iTunes is ten bucks and here you are getting poor quality so why not $7.50. I am sure I will buy the cd version as well to capture the sound it deserves. Anyway, I am listening to it as we speak, it truly does sound unreal, old school rocking like Ok, and Pablo, with just a touch of electronic in the background like Kid A. 160 kbps does suck though for a band like Radiohead, we are not talking the Black Keys here, we are talking about the theater sound of Radiohead. Oh well, who am I to complain. Go buy the album and support the band (when you can).
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Event Management
Simplified event management
Reduced admin
Improved attendee experience
Event management made easy
Events can be one of the most important sources of revenue for your hotel, it's important you manage them as efficiently as you can. With this powerful cloud-based tool, you can manage events from initial enquiry to post-event feedback. The Events Management system is a fully-integrated feature of the platform.
End to end event management
The event feature allows you to store all your event details in one place. The comprehensive dashboard gives you a total overview of your upcoming events. This enables you to effectively manage the event, set tasks and allocate duties across your team. Hop allows events to relate to room bookings, ensuring a seamless customer journey.
Contact Us
Customer relationship management
We don't need to tell you how crucial your relationship with your customers is. What we can tell you is that there is an easier way to communicate with them and store customer data and sales leads.
Using the Hop integrated CRM feature will allow you to handle customer details securely and target customers, both individual and corporate, for new and repeat business.


text:
Good news people! Dance classes are starting again. Hip hop (mainly kpop), belly dance and Latin classes are to be chosen from. Special promotion for those who join all 3 dances – RM110 for 2 months only (save RM25). All fees will be collected starting of the month. No trial classes are allowed. And no worries to those who NEVER dance before. The teachers are all professional dancers, so don't worry. You'll definitely love learning from them. So see you all there in sports complex dancing room soon!!!
Latest Updates
- AIMST University 24 Festive Drums Club Drumnival 2016 November 23, 2016
- BLIND WALK 2016 – A Journey of Touch and Sound November 4, 2016
- AIMST Business Club Annual General Meeting 2016/17 October 31, 2016
- AIMST E-Bulletin Volume II Issue III (October 2016) October 27, 2016
- Journey of Faculty of Medicine (FOM) at AIMST October 27, 2016


text:
|Health & Beauty
|Weight Loss
|Diet Pills
Weight Loss Diet Pillshttp://www.zephanol.com.au/
Australian Weight Loss Diet Supplement ZEPHANOL-HP is the revolutionary Fat Liquidation system clinically proven to destroy fat. With the new Zephanol-HP pill, you can dramatically lose all the weight you need or the whole programme costs you nothing!
- Listing ID#185410
- Listing TypeExpress
- AddedAug 14, 2012


text:
The Griffin Police Department on Wednesday morning responded to a 911 call reporting a child who was not breathing.
Upon arriving at the 118 S. Brawner St. residence, the initial responding officer found the child was deceased.
A death investigation was immediately initiated, and the preliminary investigation indicates the child passed away from natural causes and that no foul play was involved.
It has been confirmed by the Spalding County Coroner's Office that the child did have sickle cell anemia and a history of medical conditions.
The child's body has been sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for an autopsy, as is standard procedure in the death of a child.
The initial 911 call was made by a minor sibling at the residence.
There were no adults present when the police arrived on the scene. The Spalding County Department of Family and Children Services was notified and responded to the scene and took custody of two children, a nine-year-old girl and a one-year-old boy.
The mother, Shuntavious Harps, was not present but did arrive on the scene shortly after GPD personnel arrived.
Pending the results of the investigation, investigators will be consulting with the Spalding County District Attorney's Office to determine if charges will be filed.