text:
Guy Weadick had just made the pitch of his life and heard the words all entertainers fear: No thanks.
The Yankee cowboy — a loquacious, self-confident trick roper and vaudeville act — had returned to Calgary in 1912 with a grand idea.
His dream was a frontier contest on a colossal scale, one that would include the best riders and ropers from across the continent squaring off for huge prizes in front of thousands of spectators.
It was to include the greatest assemblage of "Plains Indians" traders and pioneers ever seen. Among the potential names in mind: The Stampede.
But after laying out his plan to managers of the Calgary Industrial Exhibition, one of the young city's most important institutions, the 27-year-old cowpoke's offer was turned down flat.
Weadick, who had travelled all the way from Europe to make his ambitious proposal, returned to his hotel.
Maybe Winnipeg would like the idea.
What happened next would change everything for Weadick and, in countless ways, for Calgary.
This is the story of the first Stampede and the wild, improbable ride it took from Weadick's grand vision to a wondrous — even controversial — reality in the dying days of summer in 1912.
It's also about a remarkable period in Calgary's history, a time of unbridled optimism, ambition and marvel of modern industrialization, not yet tempered by the horrors of the First World War
To say Calgary was booming in the years surrounding 1912 would be like calling a Clydesdale a fair-sized pony. The city was every bit a juggernaut, fuelled by a seemingly endless supply of big dreams.
"This was the height of the pre-World War I settlement boom, investment boom, immigration was high," says author and historian Max Foran of the University of Calgary. "People were landing in Calgary and then heading out to take homesteads elsewhere. People were coming here to stay, people were coming to start a business.
"If you went down the main street on a Saturday morning, Stephen Avenue would be packed full, vibrant. It was energy, energy, energy."
The word on everyone's lips was "progress," whether it was opening Alberta's first public library, the unrelenting construction or the new municipal street car system.
Just three decades earlier, Calgary had been little more than a prairie outpost — a fort, a few ramshackle homes and some tents. The arrival of the railway changed everything. Calgary's population surged by the trainload, surpassing 60,000 in 1912 — an incredible tenfold increase in less than a decade.
The ranching industry, which had dominated the region for years, was fading in its influence. The future was cash crop farming and the results of its success were evident in Calgary, the vital regional hub.
New homes and buildings were popping up everywhere, yet housing was in short supply. More than a quarter of the labour force worked in the construction industry in 1911, with carpenters earning about 50 cents an hour.
Building of the Canadian Pacific Railway's Ogden shops was underway, injecting the city with a massive economic stimulant. Lake View Heights, separated from the rest of the district by a wall 30 centimetres high, was to be the new ritzy residential district.
"Folks used to ride horseback or in buggies on a Sunday to have their pictures taken on the little wall," late Herald journalist Fred Kennedy wrote in his book, The Calgary Stampede Story.
Downtown sidewalks bustled and barrooms were thick with tales of commerce. Real estate speculation was rife. There were American cafes, shoe stores and dentists.
Food was expensive and booze was cheap. Newspaper classifieds were thick with jobs, a number seeking "sober, reliable" men. Justice could be swift and harsh. Six "hold up" men arrested for stealing $7 were given 15 lashes each and nine months in jail.
Yet many Calgarians saw themselves as sophisticated, mature, urbane — and with tastes to match.
People delighted in its fairs, like the 1908 Dominion Exhibition that drew 100,000 paying customers and featured Strobel's airship, a hydrogen-filled, propeller-driven dirigible that flew regularly in front of the grandstand — until it exploded one day as it was preparing to take off.
Indeed, Calgary was a place of frequent excitement, a city where the future seemed as limitless as the giant prairie skies.
"It was the crest of the boom. It had all of the frenzy, optimism, confidence and the faith in the future of the West as having no parallel whatsoever," Foran says.
When Weadick arrived amid this cauldron of activity in 1912, it was with the hope this prairie hotbed was ready for his big idea.
For all of his cowboy stylings and country drawl, Guy Weadick couldn't have entered the world much further from the frontier.
He was born in 1885 in Rochester, N.Y., and raised on the Irish side of town. His parents were George Weadick, an American railway worker, and Mary Ann, an Irish-Canadian woman. Guy was the oldest of five children.
During his youth, tales of cowboys and life on the range were widely circulated, popularized in pulp fiction magazines and exhibitions like Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.
For residents living cheek to jowl in crowded eastern cities, the concept of the frontier, open spaces and freedom was immensely appealing.
"You had a lot of the early cowboy stories being serialized in pulp fiction, but there were also the real accounts because you had Teddy Roosevelt, who went on to become president, talking about the life of the Northwest," says Donna Livingstone, author of The Cowboy Spirit: Guy Weadick and the Calgary Stampede.
"People coming over and looking for freedom and hearing these stories of wide-open spaces and (that) a man could make his own life on his own terms and all of those things were tremendously attractive.
"Guy had heard a lot of these from some of his relatives who had written letters home (from out West), but also Buffalo Bill's tour went through Rochester and I'm sure he saw it and heard about it."
As a teenager, Weadick headed west and worked on ranches. Along the way, he learned from the cowboys and old-timers who'd tell stories of the golden age of the open range.
Developing into more than a fair hand at riding and roping, he was "bitten by the rodeo bug," late historian James Gray wrote in A Brand of Its Own: A 100 Year History of the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede.
"The essential skills which ranch hands acquired in the course of their daily work . . . (had) become marketable commodities in the entertainment world," Gray noted.
"Trick riders, trick ropers, steer wrestlers had already moved from the local fairs to the county fairs, to the state fairs. In the wake of the universal audience appeal of Buffalo Bill's Wild West extravaganza, they were moving into the vaudeville circuits and onto the New York and London stages. Weadick had become part of that movement."
Weadick struck a handsome figure, with a long, lean frame over six feet tall.
And while cowboys can be men of few words, that was not Weadick's style. Few cowpunchers could spin a yarn like him.
Weadick also found love with one of the more popular female performers on the circuit — Flores La Due — and the two got hitched in Memphis in the fall of 1906. The lovestruck ropers were married until her death in 1951.
It's said that from early on, Weadick had a hankering to branch out as an impresario and made his first trip to Calgary in 1905 as the agent for Will Pickett, a daring black cowboy who put on a bulldogging performance at that year's Exhibition.
Returning to the city to perform at the Dominion Exhibition in 1908, Weadick began to dream of something big for Calgary.
"Weadick saw more potential in the vibrant young city than he did in his own future as a trick roper," wrote Foran in Icon, Brand, Myth: The Calgary Stampede.
Weadick began to think the city might be ready for a frontier celebration, one that replaced the fantasy and tricks of the Wild West show with authentic cowboy skills in a rodeo.
So with plenty of moxie, Weadick presented his idea to H.C. McMullen, general livestock agent for the powerful Canadian Pacific Railway. McMullen was intrigued by the idea, but advised the young man that it should simmer a bit longer. McMullen told Weadick he'd contact him when the time was right.
Nearly four years later, Weadick and his wife were touring the music halls of Great Britain and the circuses of Europe with their roping act when a letter arrived from McMullen.
With the land boom on and settlers pouring into the area, "He thought the time was ripe for me to come to Calgary to place my idea before those who might be interested in financially sponsoring it," Weadick recalled for the Herald in 1952.
But it was no easy sell.
McMullen introduced Weadick to several potential benefactors, but no one was interested.
"They expressed the opinion that the big land boom that was on then, which was attracting thousands of new settlers, was going to develop farming, and that the day of the ranches and the cowboy was all over," Weadick said.
The welcome wasn't any better at the Calgary Industrial Exhibition, where Weadick hoped to stage the event if he could scare up the financial support.
The Exhibition had been around for nearly as long as the city itself, the first event held in 1886. From modest origins, it grew into an important annual occurrence.
The event was packed with agricultural, sporting and other activities that celebrated and promoted the region. Merry-go-rounds, ferris wheels and itinerant showmen were gradually brought in. Grand parades added to the pageantry.
In short, it was huge.
It must have looked like an ideal arrangement to Weadick, but when he made the proposal to the Exhibition's general manager, it was rejected.
"The manager of the Exhibition, Ernie Richardson, who was a big name, actually was loath to have the Stampede on the exhibition grounds, " Foran says.
The board of directors agreed. "They thought that rodeo was incompatible with an urban environment."
Weadick returned to his hotel with his Stampede dream dashed. "I had about given up the idea," Weadick told the Herald later.
But then the plucky cowboy caught a break.
A.P. Day, a prominent Medicine Hat rancher, heard about the crazy scheme — and liked it. He volunteered to pony up $10,000 and a string of good bucking horses for the event "if" Weadick could get Calgarians interested.
That was still a pretty big ask, but then something quite remarkable happened.
Some folks say Weadick was sent for, others say McMullen arranged a meeting.
Regardless of how it came about, the young cowboy ended up sitting down with the owner of the Bar U ranch, George Lane, who then set a meeting with Pat Burns and A.E. Cross.
The businessmen had made their fortunes in the cattle industry and become highly respected citizens and philanthropists.
Weadick told CBC in 1948 he thought of them as "true pioneers" and "men of vision and great faith in the possibilities of this country for the future."
In a scene akin to a cowboy version of today's Dragons' Den TV show, Weadick made his pitch, again.
The rodeo would be the biggest gathering of cowboys, First Nations and prospectors ever seen. More importantly, it would perpetuate the memory of the region's pioneers.
The late 1800s had been the golden age of the cowboy, but by the time Alberta became a province in 1905, it was coming to an end.
Settlers were setting up farms and farms meant fences, which choked off the routes of the big cattle drives and the ranches that sustained them.
Mother Nature then unleashed the devastating winter of 1906-07, which killed huge numbers of Alberta's range cattle.
"And so they wanted to have a farewell party for a dying way of life," Foran says. "The Stampede was supposed to be the last hurrah."
The businessmen's response was enthusiastic. In the days that followed the meeting, Lane, Burns and Cross told Weadick they would backstop his plan to the tune of $100,000.
At least one story has it that Burns volunteered rancher A.J. McLean's participation in the ambitious scheme, with McLean learning about it after arriving in Calgary from his ranch a few days later.
Together they became the Big Four and they gave Weadick one simple instruction: "Make it the greatest thing of its kind in the world," Weadick recalled in his later years.
The support of the Big Four gave the project a vital credibility boost. "They also twisted all the arms necessary to have the Exhibition grounds made available to him at a nominal five-hundred-dollar rental and for Richardson to take charge of the financial management of the enterprise," recounted Gray.
The group declined the Medicine Hat rancher's offer of $10,000, but made a deal with A.P. Day for his livestock and made him the arena director for the event.
By the end of March, a deal was in place and they settled on a name.
"Even in 1912, this was not the first Frontier Days celebration or cowboy competition," Weadick told CBC nearly 40 years later.
"There were frontier days, rodeos, roundups, etc. We decided upon the title 'The Stampede' for two reasons. First, as it had never been used before for a celebration of this nature, it would conflict with no other; and second, because it lent itself from a publicity angle."
No matter how great the name, it was no guarantee of success.
"In fact, there might have been some risk in having a rodeo because rodeos held in the city before that date received very poor reviews," Foran explains.
One of the reasons was a feeling that the city was maybe too big, too mature for rodeo.
But with his dream show now set for the start of September — to take advantage of the Labour Day weekend — there was little time to waste.
"I think probably the ink wasn't dry on the cheque and he was phoning and contacting everyone he knew," Livingstone quips.
The kid impresario used his impressive list of contacts to recruit critical talent. He aimed high, and with great success.
Missionary John McDougall agreed to help gather native people for the event, while Weadick invited hundreds of members of Alberta's native bands.
Vaqueros (skilled horsemen from Mexico) arranged to come. Legend has it that prominent revolutionary Pancho Villa even sent his best steer roper.
Canadian and American cowboys — some of the greatest of the era — were recruited from far and wide. The Stampede also lured the best fancy riding and roping cowgirls of the U.S. rodeo circuit.
"All competitions were open to the world — no colour or nationality barred," Weadick said.
Weadick also felt the event should have a cultural component, so he invited two well-known artists — Charlie Russell and Ed Borein — to exhibit their work.
(From June 2 to July 29, the Glenbow Museum will celebrate the Stampede's centenary by recreating Russell's 1912 exhibition, which will include 18 of the 20 paintings exhibited at the original event.)
The Stampede wasn't a solo effort. The likes of McMullen, Day and the Exhibition's Richardson, who was given the financial reins of the event, had key roles.
But when it was time to publicize the event, Weadick's talents as a promoter were on full display from June until it opened on Labour Day.
His newspaper ads were bold and boastful and he even introduced the shout that became a Stampede trademark: "Whoop-e-e-e."
The effort paid off. No other event had ever drawn so many people to Calgary.
"There were no highways and not many autos and no trailers to haul livestock in those days," Weadick told the Herald a year before his death in 1953. "They had to come by railroad, horseback, wagon and on foot, and they did."
Calgary had a history of parades, but Weadick called his "the greatest pioneer pageant that has ever traversed a city's streets."
The procession included an impressive display of First Nations "in all the regalia of their native dress."
Pioneer missionaries, Mounties, smugglers and whiskey traders also marched for the crowds.
The Herald was suitably awed, claiming some 80,000 spectators soaked up the spectacle and noting "only those who were in hospital or jails" missed it.
An estimated 25,000 headed down to Victoria Park for the rodeo.
Among those to take in the Stampede during its six-day run were the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and their daughter, Princess Patricia, who watched from a viewing box built for the royal guests.
"It must have been wild," Livingstone says. "Trainloads of people were coming in. They had to set up extra tents. Every hotel in town was booked. . . . It was exciting."
If it were a Hollywood script, the ensuing days of the Stampede would have gone off without a hitch. But that wasn't the case.
Proceedings were marred by so many delays that the first day's events had to be called off due to darkness. Unlike today, there were no timed events, so horses were simply ridden into submission.
Squeamish spectators blanched as blood spewed after horns of cattle were torn out by steer wrestlers.
And, in some events, livestock was chased so far from the spectators that they couldn't see the action.
At the close of the Stampede, the Herald heaped praise on Calgarians and the Big Four for the event's successes, but complained that spectators should have been treated better for the prices it charged.
"Calgary feels a little bit ashamed today of the management of the Stampede," the paper chastised.
Yet businesses were ecstatic with the turnout and the Stampede was a financial success, too. The event grossed $120,000 and all expenses were paid.
The Stampede also produced a crowd-thrilling display by a Canadian cowboy, Tom Three Persons.
The 25-year-old member of the Blood tribe won the bronc riding title — the most coveted prize — by outlasting a notoriously fearsome horse named Cyclone.
LaDue, Weadick's wife, also won accolades by capturing the title of Lady Champion Fancy Roper.
When the dust finally settled on the first Stampede, there was some support for turning it into an annual event. But it wasn't until 1919 that Calgary would host another.
In the intervening years, Weadick tried but failed to replicate his Stampede success in Winnipeg and New York. However, with the end of the Great War, Calgary came calling for Weadick again, this time to host a Victory Stampede.
It took a few more years — and a partnership with the Exhibition — for the Stampede to become the celebration that entices so many visitors each July.
Last year, nearly 1.2 million people — including William and Kate, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — visited Stampede Park over 10 raucous days. An estimated 425,000 people lined downtown streets for the parade.
Weadick, always the promoter, was convinced of the importance of the Stampede. In his estimation, it ultimately turned a local fair into a national institution. No doubt, some of Weadick's contemporaries would've argued that point with him — if they could get a word in edgewise.
Today, others see the contribution of Weadick and the first Stampede as having a profound impact on the city.
Weadick instilled in people an enthusiasm for their history and the potential to be a player on an international scale, Livingstone says.
"I really believe that if he didn't come, we wouldn't have the Calgary Stampede as an international event . . . (and that) we wouldn't have the kind of chutzpah to take on the Olympics," Livingstone adds.
"Calgarians dream big and they deliver big, but I really think it started with Guy Weadick."


text:
Transform your photos into one-of-a-kind, hand painted masterpieces!
Boundary: Bleed area may not be visible.
Click and drag to re-position the image, if desired.
Inside Message (Optional)
Inside View
by Terri Meyer
The more you buy... the more you save.
Image Size
The image is near the edges of the product but doesn't cover the entire product. Some of the background color may appear around the outside edges of the image.
Background Color
Our greeting cards are 5" x 7" in size and are produced on digital offset printers using 100 lb. paper stock. Each card is coated with a UV protectant on the outside surface which produces a semi-gloss finish. The inside of each card has a matte white finish and can be customized with your own message up to 500 characters in length. Each card comes with a white envelope for mailing or gift giving.
Ships Within
1 - 2 business days
What a wonderful portrayal of the "discovery".. don't you wish we could all keep that amazed attitude throughout life? Beautifully done..
Average Rating (5 Stars):
Suzanne Atwood
May 18th, 2019
Diane Strunk
May 17th, 2019
Diane Strunk
May 17th, 2019
Stephanie Smith
May 16th, 2019
The painting depicts a little boy bending down to catch a bubble. The little boy is my grandson, Johnathan. Prints available.
Terri Meyer, Artist GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2000 Estate of the Art Gallery, Mansfield, Ohio 2001-2004 Art Works on Main, Mansfield, Ohio 2009 Art Cellar Gallery, Mansfield, Ohio 2009 En Plein Air Lakeside, Lakeside, Ohio 2010 En Plein Air Ashland, Belly Buster, Ashland, Ohio 2011 High Road Gallery, Worthington, Ohio FEATURED ARTIST July 2004 Decorate with Paint Magazine, �Ceiling the Deal� July 2008 Ashland Times Gazette, Feature Article Spring 2010 Heart of Ohio Magazine. �This Business is Simply a Work of Art� Oct 7, 2011 New Day Cleveland, Fox 8, TV Segment MAGAZINE COVERS July 2008 Freestyle Magazine, �A Work in Progress� Fall 2010 Heart of Ohio Magazine, �Portrait of a...
Our return policy is very simple:
If you're not happy with a purchase that you made on FineArtAmerica.com, for any reason, you can return it to us within 30 days of the order date. As soon as it arrives, we'll issue a full refund for the entire purchase price. Please note - Fine Art America does not reimburse the outgoing or return shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality.
Fine Art America sells thousands of pieces of artwork each month - all with a 100% money-back guarantee. We take great pride in the fact that hundreds of thousands of artists have chosen Fine Art America to fulfill their orders, and we look forward to helping you select your next piece!
All greeting cards ship from our production facility within 1 - 2 business days of your order.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Fundamentals of Computer Programming - Answer Few Questions
I need someone to answer few questions related to Programming, Security, Linux, Software Libraries, Web Language etc. The questions are basic for anyone with a background in Computer Science and have some initial introduction related to each of the sections containing questions. Also, need APA references for the content you write with ZERO plagiarism.
10 威客就此工作平均出价 $39
I've been writing codes for 4 years and I can get the task done(if you'd let me know more about it.) I'm very good with DS, algorithms and I did my [login to view URL] in Computer science Relevant Skills and Experience I've done a 更多
We have a team of expert programmers working in research sector. They are specialized and have worked on different languages and platforms. Relevant Skills and Experience C, C , Python, Java, Software development, Li 更多
I'm a graduate of Computer Science, so, hopefully, have expertise to answer you. Relevant Skills and Experience Have experience in C Programming, software development, JavaScript for almost 2 years. Proposed Mileston 更多
I can provide you the information you require w.r.t linux at any point of time. Please chat to know info. Relevant Skills and Experience c, c++ and linux Proposed Milestones $25 AUD - please discuss


text:
Search Results
Filter Results
Showing 1 - 1 of 1 results
Join the Kickstart
Prevention starts today. Join the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart.
21-Day Kickstart
Get Healthy with Good Nutrition
Food for Life classes teach you how to improve your health with a plant-based diet.
Find a Class
Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in education and research.


text:
|Written by
|Deborah Hautzig
|Tom Leigh
|Random House
|Sesame Street Start-to-Read
It's Not Fair! is a 1986 Sesame Street book featuring Ernie and Bert.
On a hot day, Ernie and Bert decide to open up a lemonade stand. While Bert builds the stand, Ernie goes to buy lemons, but buys oranges instead and makes the sign sloppy. Bert fixes everything, makes the lemonade and completes the entire stand while Ernie goofs off. When they open the stand, Ernie takes the credit for Bert's hard work and even calls it "Ernie's Famous Lemonade". Bert snaps and rants about how he did all the work, but Ernie always gets everything and then runs off crying, causing everyone to feel guilty. To make Bert feel better and apologize, Ernie buys Bert a broom and dustpan with the lemonade money.
- Ernie
- Bert
- Oscar the Grouch (eyes only)
- Big Bird
- Grover
- Mr. Macintosh
- Susan
- Bob
- Gordon


text:
Hello, it's been a long long time. A year in transition — job change, moving, and growing. Overall, things are good.
Let me ease myself back into the blog by venturing into the safe topic about the weather. Yes this year has began with some crazy weather everywhere. The east coast have been hit with a freezing storm, while here in California it's been a very warm winter. Sound great when we have nice sun and fresh air, except we are in a drought.
Last weekend, Yip and I went to Folsom Lake. The water level is at a historical low. It is striking to see — just imagining where the water once cover and now we are walking on dry land. Due the low water levels, the old Gold Rush town underneath the lake has emerged. There are some foundations and relics revealed. We haven't found much time to hike lately, so this was an interesting site to go on a walk.


text:
Why Choose Taylors - Drop Down
Campus Locations - Drop Down
About Taylors - Drop Down
Admissions - Drop Down
What city and country are you from?
I come from the South of Viet Nam, Ho Chi Minh City.
What program are you currently enrolled in?
I am currently a year 12 student at Taylors College
What do you enjoy about studying at Taylors?
I really enjoy studying at Taylors. Taylors is not only professional in teaching international students, but the school is also good at taking care of students. Teachers at Taylors are very enthusiastic, friendly, patient and highly-qualified. The teachers always change the way of teaching by using modern technology in order to make the lesson interesting and enjoyable. Furthermore, the teachers are always ready to listen and help the students to overcome any difficulties that they have. In addition, there are plenty of school events and activities which are held for the students to participate in after school – to improve their English and to make more friends. Finally, I enjoy studying at Taylors College because the college helps me to improve myself physically and mentally.
What do you love about living in this city?
Sydney is a busy and multi-cultural city and it is also a good city to live in. As international students, we always feel worried and lonely. We worry because it may be hard to adapt to new things and we feel lonely because we miss our home country, our family. People in Sydney are friendly and they help you as much as they can when you ask.
Tell me about the social activities you are involved in.
I am currently a Team leader. I help the teachers to organise school activities and assist other students at school if they need help. I am also part of the debating club, cooking and dancing club. In the cooking club, we learn how to prepare quick and easy meals. Most of the students skip breakfast and lunch because they do not have time. Therefore, the cooking club helps us to maintain our health. In the dancing club, we dance with a professional teacher. It is a good way for students to entertain and to exercise as well.
What excursions have you gone on this year? Which excursions did you like the most (and why)?
We have excursions for every subject that we study at school. This year, I have gone on Mathematics, Economics, and English excursions. I liked the English excursion most as we went to the beach, had a BBQ which is an Australian favourite and took part in favourite Australian sports such as swimming, football, rugby.
What are you planning on doing when you graduate from Taylors?
After graduation, I plan to go to university to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws degree.
Want to study at Taylors College?
Pay your fees now via our online payment service


text:
Windmill Montessori Nursery School Est. 1987
Full-time position available – Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 5.30 pm – Term time only.
Montessori Teacher/Key Person with a good knowledge of the EYFS.
Newly qualified Montessori Teachers welcome.
Required September 2018.
Applicants must be motivated, enthusiastic, and have a genuine desire to work with children as part of a highly qualified team dedicated to teaching.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting children's welfare.
DBS checks required.
Please send or email a CV to the below addresses.
62 Shirland Road, Maida Vale, London, W9 2EH


text:
Welcome to our website.
We are known for teaching friendly and informative classes, to small groups to help promote learning and, greater interaction between students and teachers.
You can expect the highest quality teaching to help you achieve your potential.
We truly believe that anyone can learn to move their body well and we try to bring out the best in all our students.
Dance and Pilates are two different disciplines that both keep the mind and body agile in enjoyable ways. Maintaining an active mind and body helps you stay fit and healthy whatever your age.
Taking a class can be a great way to get out and enjoy yourself while meeting new people too. We're looking forward to meeting and working with you.


text:
Pepsi Shops Not Feeling the Love as Marketer Trims Its Ranks 65%
When it comes to agency relationships, it's possible that -- to borrow a phrase from "Project Runway" host Heidi Klum -- one day you're in. and the next day you're out.
PepsiCo made that crystal clear last week when CEO Indra Nooyi announced its North America beverage division had identified 100 agencies that it planned to eliminate from its roster. The staggering number represents over 65% of the division's total number of partner agencies.
The move was billed as a bid to increase efficiency and shift into brand-building money allocated for things such as agency fees. The company also said it will spend an extra $500 million to $600 million to advertise its brands this year, with a focus on North America.
But while PepsiCo knows the fate of its partners, it didn't plan to begin notifying agencies of their status until this week. That prompted widespread panic in adland as agencies scrambled to call brand managers. Some were told not to worry, but several others were in the dark.
Ms. Nooyi made her remarks last week to analysts gathered in New York. She said that in the past five years, advertising and marketing spending in North America has been supporting "too many brands and was spread across too many agencies. ... So we went to work and cleaned house. We reduced agency relationships in North American beverages from 150 to about 50."
Agencies that work with PepsiCo include large networks such as TBWA, BBDO and DDB; digital shops Huge , Resource Interactive, Firstborn and VML; PR agencies Fleishman-Hillard, Weber Shandwick, Edelman and Ruder Finn; Hispanic shops LatinWorks and Alma; and independents such as Olson.
It's not the first time PepsiCo has tried to give some of these shops a squeeze. Last May, the marketer fired off an email to several agencies requesting an immediate reduction in total fees, halts on work in the pipeline and clampdowns on travel. Essentially, agency execs told Ad Age , the marketer engaged in a "shakedown." Some execs say nothing ever came of the process; others say they saw reductions in their fees.
"What we see from them are knee-jerk reactions, but not always the follow-through," said one executive at an agency on PepsiCo's roster who did not wish to be named. The person noted that working with the company can be rewarding for staff from a creative perspective, but also chaotic.
"They're under too much of a microscope from Wall Street ," said an exec at a different PepsiCo agency, who also asked to remain anonymous."I don't think these announcements are any more sinister than the fact that it's earnings season and the company needs to show Wall Street that it's cutting costs."
That person said marketing has become somewhat of a scapegoat. "Marketing and advertising got used a bit," said the exec. "They are using us as a lever to make some news and show that there are sweeping changes happening at the company."
The marketer declined to comment on those statements.
PepsiCo's plans mirror recent moves at another consumer packaged-goods giant, Unilever. During a recent Unilever investor meeting, Chief Financial Officer Jean-Marc Huet said the company has reduced "nonproductive" spending, which he classified as "the money we spend on production costs and agency fees, money that 's not directly driving the exposure of our brands to the community and consumers."
Simon Lowden, chief marketing officer at PepsiCo Beverages, told Ad Age that in the past two to three years, the number of agencies the company works with has ballooned. "It's grown because the agenda has gotten more complex and busier," Mr. Lowden said. But "when we look back on things, the vast majority of the work is still done by our core agencies."
The roster-consolidation process was "transparent," Mr. Lowden said. "We have been open [with the agencies] that it's happening. We've been through qualitative assessments."
PepsiCo didn't consider conducting a series of reviews as a way to eliminate agencies, Mr. Lowden said. Instead, various brand teams were told to focus on partnerships and programs aligned with the company's business objectives. He called the approach "need-based," adding that the roster isn't being pared based on a goal to have a certain number of agencies on each brand.
"There's no question we have to make sure our marketing organization is as efficient as possible," Mr. Lowden said. "We need to make sure we have strong, productive, fewer partnerships that allow us to drive successful, effective marketing programs."


text:
27th May 2019
This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 18th, 2012 at 6:12 pm and is filed under .
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
EmailNot published
The West Corporation Ltd.Cotswold Innovation Centre, Rissington Business Park, Cheltenham, GL54 2QB
Copyright © 2019 The West Corporation Ltd. All rights reserved. Site design: Loat Davies
West : People Matters is proudly powered by WordPress | Entries (RSS) | Comments (RSS).


text:
If your 5 way pickup selector isn't doing enough for you, there is an upgrade that suits your tastes.
A Schaller Megaswitch E+ and a push-pull (or push-push if you prefer) pot are required. The push-pull switch adds 3 more sounds to my existing combination. I wired the 5 way selector for autosplit. Autosplit means that bridge and neck humbucker pickups are automatically split when you select position 2 and 4 respectively. For this particular wiring I used a Schaller E+ 5-way pickup selector.
Before adding the push-push pot my pickup selector was configured as follows:
- position 1: bridge pickup
- position 2: bridge pickup split + middle
- position 3: bridge + neck
- position 4: midlle + neck split
- position 5: neck
What I really missed was the option to use just the neck pickup split. But I got more! While using your 5 way selector with the push-pull pot pushed down doesn't change much, using it with the tone pot "pulled" give you the following new options (in bold):
- position 1: bridge pickup split
- position 2: bridge pickup split + middle
- position 3: bridge split + neck split
- position 4: midlle + neck split
- position 5: neck split
Basically it turns an HSH guitar into a SSS just by pushing a pot. And since I never use the middle pickup alone, having the option to select both the bridge and neck pickup split or full adds other interesting sounds.
Here is the wiring scheme (color code is for DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan pickups only! You may want to adapt the scheme to other brands if needed. Check out this page: GuitarElectronics.com pickups color code scheme):
If you experience phase cancellation problems in position 2 or 4, just invert the green and red wires (DiMarzio) or green and black (Seymour Duncan) of the corresponding humbucker and you're done.
Posted on February 15th 2012 February 15th 2012


text:
Sociology is the study of people as they interact with one another in specific social, cultural, and historical contexts. It uses a scientific approach to study human behaviour and the social influences that affect it.
Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
Degree options: BA honours or major; Any degree, minor
Mount Allison's sociology department helps students develop their perspective on society, examining it from different points of view and in different contexts. Sociology facilitates understanding of how and why society is organized as it is, and how it might be changed to create a more just and equitable social world.
You will study subjects like:
- social class and inequality
- race and racialization
- gender relations
- youth culture
- work and society
- media and popular culture
- health and illness
- education and society
- citizenship, identity, refugees
- social policies
- non-profit organizations
- criminology
- research methods
First and second-year sociology courses provide an overview of the discipline and an introduction to sociological analysis. You will be introduced to the study of social problems through dynamic class interactions and assignments.
Third-year courses emphasize theoretical approaches, analytical methods, and their application to major areas of interest. This will help you build on your critical, analytical, and writing skills and teach theoretical approaches to sociology.
In your fourth year, students work with greater interdependence and in more depth on a range of sociological topics.
Classes and assignments are designed to build both conceptual and applied skills. You will have the opportunity to pursue research as part of the honours program.
Find a list of sociology courses in the academic calendar – sociology.
Popular career paths for sociology graduates include:
- community development officer
- social worker
- community support worker
- social policy analyst
- population/demography analyst
- market research analyst
- human resources specialist
- social research specialist
- employment/career development counsellor
"I love how sociology can speak to every aspect of a person's life.
What I learn in class can be applied directly to my daily life, the
books I read, or the TV shows and movies I watch. Sociology has
completely changed the way I look at the world around me and has
challenged me to think critically about so many issues I never
considered before."
Kate Paterson
Honours sociology ('13)
Calgary, AB
"The program will challenge your preconceived notions and beliefs
about the world in the most profound and exhilarating way. Sociology
teaches you how to think rather than what to think and it is so
multifaceted that you are bound to find an interest within the field.
Most importantly, it is so very relevant to your life. It studies the
aspects of our lives that are not necessarily visible, but nevertheless
influential and it provides a foundation of knowledge about our society
with the goal of finding innovative ways to challenge it and create
Robyn LeBlanc
Honours sociology ('13)
Moncton, NB
Real-world learning
Students in Mount Allison's sociology program are regularly called upon to take what they have learned in class and apply it in real-world situations – examples include developing a business plan for a refugee clinic, participating in community events to promote service learning and community engagement, and spending a day in a service learning workshop to learn how to combine community service with the concepts covered in class.
Independent research is supported and encouraged. Sociology students carry out their own research while doing their honours, or as student research assistants.
Faculty spotlight
Dr. Ardath Whynacht
Assistant professor, sociology
Recipient of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Development Grant for her project looking at community responses to violence outside the criminal justice system
» Mount Allison researcher examining community violence receives SSHRC funding for studies
Learn more about this discipline or apply online now.VISIT THE DEPARTMENT APPLY NOW


text:
Foretold: 14 Tales of Prophecy and Prediction
Richelle Mead, Lisa McMann, Michael Grant, Meg Cabot, Laini Taylor, and nine more of the hottest YA authors to hit the shelves explore the concepts of prophecy and prediction in this story collection edited by NYT bestselling author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Carrie Ryan.
Have you ever been tempted to look into the future? To challenge predictions? To question fate? It's human nature to wonder about life's twists and turns. But is the future already written—or do you have the power to alter it?
From fantastical prophecies to predictions of how the future will transpire, Foretold is a collection of stories about our universal fascination with life's unknowns and of what is yet to come as interpreted by 14 of young adult fiction's brightest stars.
This collection includes works from:
Malinda Lo (Ash), Lisa McMann (Wake), Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures), Margaret Stohl (Beautiful Creatures), Laini Taylor (The Daughter of Smoke and Bone), Michael Grant (Gone), Saundra Mitchell (The Vespertine), Richelle Mead (the Vampire Academy), Matt de la Pena (I Will Save You), Meg Cabot (The Princess Diaries), Heather Brewer (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod), Diana Peterfreund (Rampant), Simone Elkeles (Perfect Chemistry), Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth)
A note from Diana on her contribution, "Burned Bright": This story is somewhat of a departure for me, though it would be spoiler to say why. It's about a girl and a boy and a cult and the end of the world. I love this anthology and I'm so glad to have been a part of it!
» Buy Now
Under My Hat: Tales From the Cauldron
Broomsticks. Black cats. Pointy hats. They can mean only one thing—somewhere nearby, there is sure to be a witch. From fairy tale to film to contemporary fiction, witches cast their spells and capture our imaginations.
Now the biggest names in fantasy and YA literature have come together to create a little magic of their own. Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Diana Peterfreund, Margo Lanagan, Peter S. Beagle, and Garth Nix are just a few of the authors who have toiled over their cauldrons and conjured up bewitching new creations inspired by and celebrating the might and mystery of the witch. Assembled by one of the most well-regarded anthologists in the science fiction/fantasy world, this rich, intelligent collection will enchant readers of all ages.
A note from Diana on her contribution, "Stray Magic": I am so excited to be a part of this amazing anthology, edited by the legendary Jonathan Strahan. "Stray Magic" is one of the most deeply personal stories I've ever written, inspired by my work with foster dogs. It's the story of a young woman, Malou, and the strange animal that shows up at her dog shelter. It's a tale of kindness, hope, and unexpected magic and it may just make you cry. You've been warned.
» Buy Now
Cast of Characters
We love fiction. It's in our blood and it's in our souls. Great stories thrill us and inspire us in a way that nothing else can. If you're like us, then we invite you to revel in this anthology of all-original stories we've created for you.
In CAST OF CHARACTERS, you'll meet a collection of unforgettable personalities. The devoted wife who discovers her husband's devastating secret. The Black Death survivor who reinvents herself. The woman who finds love in the arms of a dark, dangerous artist. The devoted scientist faced with a daunting ethical dilemma. The woman who hears ghosts. The gorgeous but fated young man. The small-town beauty queen with a world-class mean streak. The inventor who fears his invention. The man seeking a reunion decades later with his first love. The stalker who understands too late who he is stalking. The dreadful athlete who gets one opportunity to win. The man who loves a woman society will not allow him to love. These are only a few of the figures who will leap from the page and take residence in your heart.
In addition, CAST OF CHARACTERS is highlighted by several "events" you won't want to miss:
- #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander delivers her first short story with a contemporary setting – as does New York Times bestselling author Tanya Anne Crosby.
- New York Times bestselling author Jo Beverley brings back the hero of her novel Forbidden Magic.
- New York Times bestselling author Angie Fox creates a new Biker Witches story.
- New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham writes her first story with her son Jason.
- New York Times bestselling author Katie MacAlister tells the story of one of her most beloved teen characters as an adult.
- National bestselling author Julie Ortolon tells the beloved Pearl Island story her fans have been clamoring for.
- National bestselling author Diana Peterfreund offers the origin story for one of the most important magical items in her "killer unicorn" series.
A huge volume of twenty-eight stories ranging from romance to suspense to fantasy to comedy to poignant character pieces, CAST OF CHARACTERS is a must-have book for everyone who loves fiction. All stories are by members of Novelists, Inc., the only writers organization devoted exclusively to the needs of multi-published novelists. This is our first anthology.
A note on Diana's contribution: "Hammer of Artemis": Epistolary. Renaissance Rome. Killer Unicorns. Need I say more? Okay, fine: this one's about a guy.
» Buy Now
Brave New Love
Dark is the night, but absolutely terrifying is the day that reveals the destruction and chaos from a world gone horribly awry. With bleak uncertainty and danger lurking around every corner, it takes the bravest of hearts to find the will to survive. How far would you go to get one breath of fresh air? Is the tiniest trace of hope worth a fight that could cost your life? and if love is the thing most worth fighting for, how can it be found and, moreover, be able to thrive?
Hearts will rave in these stunning and face-paced tales of survival and romance created by the hottest and bestselling authors in the YA and dystopian world.
A Note From Diana on her Contribution, "Foundlings": Many of the stories that make up the wave of the modern dystopian trend take place in an alien and far-flung future. I wanted to tell a story about a world very much like our own; one that could, terrifyingly, be only a few years away.
» Order Now!
Zombies vs. Unicorns
It's a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths–for good and evil–of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?
A Note from Diana on her Contribution, "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn": I am so excited to be a part of this fantastic anthology, especially because it was my book, Rampant, which set off the original debate between Justine and Holly that inspired this collection. My story, "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn" is a stand-alone story set in my killer unicorn universe, and takes place in the modern-day United States. It features carnies, Sunday School, illicit kissing, and a whole lotta blood.
Margaret K. McElderry Books
» Praise for "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn"
- A 2010 Locus Recommended Read
- Highlights include Diana Peterfreund's Rampant tie-in, "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn" – Publisher's Weekly, starred review
- "Diana Peterfreund wows readers by delving again into the dark world of Rampant (HarperTeen, 2009) with "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn," proving Astrid is not the only strong female hunter out there." – School Library Journal, starred review
- "Standouts for Team Unicorn include an inspirational tale of the reluctant heroine born to slay monsters and the baby maneater she loves…" – Kirkus
» Order Now!
- Indiebound, your local Independent bookstore
- Barnes & Noble
- Borders
- Amazon
The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Vol. 5
Publisher's Weekly: Strahan's fifth anthology contains 29 wide-ranging tales. Neil Gaiman's "The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains" is a deceptively simple folktale-styled story of the price one may pay for gold. "The Sultan of the Clouds" by Geoffrey Landis untangles a complex knot of childish power. Sarah Rees Brennan's "The Spy Who Never Grew Up" gives a beloved childhood icon a sinister update; Diana Peterfreund's "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn" turns unicorn lore on its head; and Rachel Swirsky's "The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers Beneath the Queen's Window" puts a fantasy spin on the temporal culture shock of immortality. This year the fantasy tales outdo the SF in depth of storytelling and characterization, though all the inclusions are strong, with few ideas left by the wayside.
Tor. Com Review: "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn" by Diana Peterfreund, a YA story about unicorns (on the surface), blew me away. It deals with issues of religion, womanhood, sexuality, media, fear—you name it. While I understand from the introductory paragraph that it's set in a pre-existing universe, the reader will have no problem with this story is they're unfamiliar with Peterfreund's books, as I was. (Though, I might go find them now. It was that good.)
Night Shade (www.nightshadebooks.com), $19.99 trade paper (546p) ISBN 978-1-59780-172-0
» Order Now!
"Errant" the E-Book
In 18th century France, a noble family prepares to celebrate their daughter's arranged marriage by holding a traditional unicorn hunt. But when an unusual nun arrives at the chateau with her beloved pet to help the rich girl train, nothing goes as expected. Starring hunters, fine ladies, fancy frocks, and killer unicorns. A 2010 Locus Recommended Read, "Errant" the e-book is the reprint edition of the story that first appeared in 2010's Kiss Me Deadly collection.
» Praise for "Errant":
- A 2010 Locus Recommended Read
- "a harsh and poignant take on the unicorn myth" – Publisher's Weekly
- "[A] deliciously dark tale of unlikely nuns and even more unlikely unicorns." — Booklist
- "fine and engrossing." – School Library Journal
» Order Now!
Kiss Me Deadly
If you can possibly thirst for more mysterious metaphysical accounts of love, Trisha Telep has organized some of the greatest and most thrilling tales of paranormal paramours since The Eternal Kiss. She presents the acclaimed literary talent of thirteen unique authors, creating a collection of stories that will undoubtedly capture the imagination of every soul who dares to read them. Werewolves, ghosts, zombies, vampires, and fallen angels drive the plot of these riveting romances.
A Note from Diana on her contribution, "Errant":
This stand-alone short story set in my killer unicorn universe is my first historical-set work of fiction. "Errant" takes place in the 18th century French countryside, and not only does it star killer unicorns, it also features nuns, fine ladies, and fancy frocks.
» Praise for "Errant":
- A 2010 Locus Recommended Read
- "a harsh and poignant take on the unicorn myth" – Publisher's Weekly
- "[A] deliciously dark tale of unlikely nuns and even more unlikely unicorns." — Booklist
- "This eclectic yet cohesive mix of stories will be one short story collection that teens might actually pick up and read…Diana Peterfreund continues her expose on the true nature of unicorns in her story about a timid bride who finds courage from the mythical beast." – VOYA
- "…there are some fine and engrossing entries by popular authors, including Diana Peterfreund's "Errant," which is set in medieval Europe. It features a sassy nun who is charged with training unicorns that are becoming endangered." – School Library Journal
- "Surely an anthology is the perfect opportunity to attract new readers? Diana Peterfreund's Errant is a stunning example of how to do this – it lasts just over 30 pages but packs in as much character development as some novels do, and is the perfect introduction to Peterfreund's world of unicorn hunters." The Book Bag
» Order Now!


text:
Throughout its 76 year history, music and high quality audio has been at the heart of Pioneer. This passion still holds true today with an exceptional range of home cinema and audio products.
Nozomu Matsumoto founded Pioneer as an audio products manufacturer in 1938, making speakers in his garage. Today Pioneer is a world leader in electronics products for the car, home, DJ and business markets, respected for their role in introducing many innovations to the consumer.
As we move further into the 21st century, the environment of the electronics industry is changing rapidly. In the midst of such change, even more foresight and flexibility are required, particularly in research and development. R&D has been crucial to Pioneer's growth, creativity and leadership. With seven percent of revenues invested back into R&D, Pioneer continue to develop imaginative products that best fit the lifestyle of the new century.
Web Link: www.pioneer-audiovisual.eu/uk


text:
25 Jan 2013
Friday party!
(FYI, I think it's more funny than sexist. IMO, the politically correct crowd has aligned themselves rather too closely with mullahs who want to kill blasphemers for cartoons. The right to free speech means that someone, somewhere, will always be offended, but that's the cost of open debate and social progress. Your thoughts?)
3 comments:
- Maria said...
I haven't seen the image, because I'm at work. So I can't comment on the specifics of whether it is sexist or funny or likely to alienate many women in your audience. But I think your defense of it is garbage.
Your right to free speech does not mean that you have the right to anyone's attention or respect. People who post offensive, worthless things on a regular basis should expect a combination of derision, anger, and marginalization from grown-up discourse as a consequence; saying "don't feed the troll" is not the same as issuing a death threat.
People who post things they know perfectly well will make a significant fraction of women in their audience feel unwelcome should stop doing that - saying everything that pops into your head or reposting every image that made you chuckle is not actually a mandatory feature of "open debate". But if they don't want to stop posting those things, they should at least stand up and admit that they are contributing to gender disparities in their chosen field.
If you believe that this image is a worthwhile contribution to social progress, defend it on its merits! Say why you think it's not sexist - and be willing to engage respectfully with folks who disagree.
- 25 Jan 2013, 20:46:00
- MG said...
I saw the water use and conservation pps. I felt this pps can be strengthened by the following facts:
1. Agriculture water use or irrigation water use, is the dominant use in the world (varying from 60% of total water use in the US (?) to 92% in India)
2. The domestic / industrial water use is obviously smaller proportion compared with irrigation / agriculture water use
3. The potential savings in water, thus comes from irrigation/agriculture and it represents 'consumptive use', while that from domestic/industrial use is 'non consumptive use'.
4. Currently more than 80% of water use for irrigation as well as for domestic purpose in India is from groundwater
5. Electrical energy to pump groundwater is provided free of cost to farmers in India. However this subsidy forms tip of the ice berg of the imputed cost of groundwater, since the investment on irrigation wells is borne by the farmers which forms at least 75% of the imputed cost of groundwater, ceteris paribus the high failure rate of irrigation wells in hard rock areas, which form 65% of India's geographical area. Currently 66% of irrigaition pumpsets in India are diesel pumpsets, while 34% are electrical pump sets.
6. Thus there is an immense role of capacity building of farmers regarding 'water budgeting' instead of 'energy budgeting', since developing countries like India, which represent the highest groundwater use in the world (drawing twice that of the US and six times that of EU).
7. Hence the Govt needs to devise low cost groundwater level recorders to be used in irrigation borewells / tubewells in order to measure the daily groundwater extracted for different crops by farmers. This will help to educate them regarding the rate of overdraft of groundwater. In addition, it will help to educate them, how much they need to recharge in relation to discharge.
- 26 Jan 2013, 11:06:00
- David Zetland said...
@Maria -- Thanks for the questions/positioning. I don't think it's sexist, as it portrays women with wet t-shirts, and those women chose to show off their bodies. That's why I posted it (in addition to its silly motivation for people paying attention to the "value" of water in use). I wouldn't post something that *I* think is sexist because such discrimination (categorizing someone based on gender when gender is not necessarily relevant, e.g., women and money) is both harmful (perpetuating incorrect stereotypes) and useless (drawing attention from more relevant discussion).
My caveat ("I'm posting this and if you don't like it, say something back rather than attacking me") is not aimed at people like you; it's aimed at people too lazy to think. I also don't think it's garbage, since there are way too many "all gut, no brain" people out there.
- 26 Jan 2013, 11:11:00


text:
Refine your search
Add to shortlist button.
Your Basket
Car/Motorcycle Rally, Sun 26 - Mon 27 May 2019, £4-£7
Steam Traction Engines - For the two days of the year Abergavenny is redolent with the sounds, smells and sights of a bygone era. Mighty steam traction engines, resplendent in their colourful liveries, smoke belching from mighty boilers, the clank and hiss of steam are still the flagships of a fantastic day out within the Seven Hills of Abergavenny.
Veteran, Vintage, Military & Civilian Vehicles - Look back with nostalgia to the days when Britain led the world in building vehicles. An extensive array of motorcycles continues the motoring theme. The low throb of an engine is a world away from its high-pitched screaming banshee cousin of today.
Models, Handicraft, Farming & Displays - The model tent displays superb examples of the model-makers skill while the handicraft displays give the opportunity to see craftsmen & women at work. An array of early tractors, stationary engines & farming machinery (including a victorian stone crusher) join country pursuits, such as a working smithy, a display of birds of prey & woodturning. Each day there is a full programme of arena events including parades of all the vehicles.
Location: Bailey Park, Park Road, Abergavenny NP7 5PR.
From the A40, follow signs for Brecon. Bailey Park is beyond a left hand bend past the Victoria pub; the route will be signed through the town.
Event details
|Sun 26 - Mon 27 May 2019
|09:30 to 18:00
Adults £7, Secondary School Children and OAPs £4, Younger Children Free.
Also at this Venue
Events at this Venue
|Sun 26 - Mon 27 May
|Abergavenny Steam, Veteran & Vintage Rally
|Sat 29 Jun - Fri 5 Jul
|Abergavenny Festival of Cycling
|Sat 21 - Sun 22 Sep
|Abergavenny Food Festival
Public Transport Information service: www.traveline.cymru or download Traveline Cymru app
By Train: Abergavenny Train Station offer cycle storage for 5 cycles and a taxi rank is located outside the station.
By Bus: Coach and Bus station postcode NP7 5HP
By Car: Abergavenny is located at the junction of 3 major highways:
A40 from Brecon, Camarthen, Llandrindod Wells and Mid-Wales
A465 from Hereford, Worcester and the North
A40 from Monmouth, Ross on Wye, M50 Jct 4 and the East
A4042 from Pontypool, Cwmbran, Newport, M4 Jcts 25a & 26 and South Wales
A465 from Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, Merthyr Tydfil and West Wales
with charge
: 0 miles from Abergavenny station
- Children welcome
- Disabled access


text:
Coder James Laird has reverse-engineered Apple's AirPort to create - wait for it - ShairPort, a way of playing iTunes content on third-party hardware and software.
Laird said that he created ShairPort out of frustration when an AirPort Express unit stopped working, leaving him unable to use the AirPlay media-streaming feature.
"My girlfriend moved house, and her Airport Express no longer made it with her wireless access point. I figured it'd be easy to find an ApEx emulator - there are several open source apps out there to play to them," Laird wrote on his blog.
But due to the AirPort Express' built-in cryptography system Laird had to physically take the device apart to access the private key required to enable third-party apps to run over AirPlay.
"I was disappointed to find that Apple used a public-key crypto scheme, and there's a private key hiding inside the ApEx. So I took it apart (I still have scars from opening the glued case!), dumped the ROM, and reverse engineered the keys out of it," he said.
There are a number of bugs in the release, Laird said, including one that makes it incompatible with the Mac OS version of iTunes, though it does work with Windows.


text:
The WDTV Live Hub media centre puts all your personal entertainment right on the 1TB hard drive, so it's easily accessible. Enjoy music, videos, photos or even the stuff you love to watch on the Internet an Ethernet connection makes it a cinch to get connected to your wired network, while Full HD playback lets you enjoy spectacular picture quality on your HDTV.
Product Features
Load up the high-capacity drive with all your media to create your own personal media jukebox. With just a few clicks, you can play your home movies, share vacation slideshows, and play your music on the big screen and sound system in your living room.
Access popular Internet content from the comfort of your living room via wired network connection
Full HD 1080p video playback makes this Hub the perfect partner for your compatible HDTV
Use the programmable remote control to make your entertainment choices using animated navigation menus
Play almost any type of media file; the WD TV Live Hub supports a wide variety of the most popular file formats including HD camcorder video formats (no need to spend time transcoding)
Store all your media on the 1TB hard drive, and the Live Hub finds and categorizes it all and displays it in one easy-to-view menu system
Copy, move or delete files stored on a USB drive, a network drive, your camcorder, or a camera to the Live Hub built-in drive using the on-screen menus
Stream any file on the WD TV Live Hub media center to a WD TV Live Plus or WD TV Live media player or any DLNA/UPnP compatible TV, Blu-ray Disc player, or game console
Powerful enough to handle multiple streams so you can stream a movie in one room, while viewing photos on your TV upstairs
Cool, quiet and ultra-compact design
Supports a wireless network connection to your home network with an optional USB wireless adapter (sold separately)
HDMI 1.4, composite video and component video output
An optical audio output sends digital signals to your AV receiver for the best surround sound experience
WDTV Live Hub Media Center 1TB Details!
A place to talk about A/V receivers, Blu-Ray players, LCD or Plasma TV mounting, audio tips or anything else that you think fits.
Post Reply
1 post • Page 1 of 1
- Apoptosis
- Site Admin
- Posts: 33910
- Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2003 8:45 pm
- Location: St. Louis, Missouri
- Contact:
WDTV Live Hub Media Center 1TB Details!
It looks like the WDTV Live Hub Media Center 1TB (WDBABZ0010BBK-NESN) has leaked out. This player will be available later this month for $219.99.
Find us on Facebook to discover the faces behind the names!
Follow Me on Twitter!
Follow Me on Twitter!
Post Reply
1 post • Page 1 of 1


text:
Suffice it to say, there are numerous reasons why people decide to attend graduate school. More often than not, they do so for the purpose of finding better jobs, which can be done with a degree in this level of education. However, it's easy to see that it can be something of a challenge. Those who have graduated from one of the schools seen in a list of culinary schools will attest to the fact that the work ethic exercised here must be applied to grad school as well.
What are some of the most common challenges that one can see in graduate school, you may wonder? To better prepare for this level of higher education, be it in relation to web design New York capabilities or what have you, here are a few of the major points you should know.
Finding a support structure - There are many who may be curious about what a support structure entails, as far as higher education learning is concerned. People you know may not be able to help you complete school work, but moral support matters. This can be obtained from close friends, family members, and - if applicable - your significant other. When you're able to find a support structure, your time in graduate school will be made much less painstaking.
Managing your time - In school, it seems like the time you have available is more constrained than it should be. This isn't to say that it's unavailable, but rather you must find ways to make the most out of it. One of the best ways to do this is to measure assignments, and see which ones should take precedence. For instance, in law school, you may have a month-long project regarding qui tam practices. Seeing as how there's a wider window of time available here, more immediate assignments should be completed first.
Focusing on your work - With so many assignments to account for, it may be difficult to maintain focus. If this happens, your GPA may drop, which is one of the last things you would want to occur. One of the best ways to maintain focus is to get as much rest as you can. Tiredness, after all, can have a negative impact on your educational pursuits. When you wake up the next day, feeling refreshed, it's like few challenges seem too lofty for you.
The ability to maintain stress - Without question, this is one of the most prominent factors of graduate school. This can be experienced anyone, even those who pride themselves on being studious and hard-working. If you're looking for ways to handle stress, everyone has their own vices to consider. Some people enjoy getting lost in video games, while others take comfort in their favorite comedies. Whatever the case may be, stress can be reduced; it's just a matter of finding an escape that suits your interests.
Content created by Internet marketing company, fishbat.


text:
For those of you that don't have an Emporium Advertising License this is the next best thing. Create a thread for your Emporium store and let folk know all about it. Where it is, what's going to be on offer.
Keep the thread updated with the latest new from your Emporium Store and let us all know how you're getting on.
A Walk in the Woods helps me relax and release the tension from a hard day at the code.
The fact that I'm dragging a body behind me should be irrelevant!
Promote Your Store
68 Billion in Sales & Growing - If you own an Emporium, why not Advertise your Emporium now! Remember to let players know the Planet / Starbase, System and Galaxy!
1 post • Page 1 of 1
- Historical Archives
- CE Staff
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2014 2:22 am
1 post • Page 1 of 1


text:
Having not quite gotten around to doing the post on the post-wedding brunch and particular and Sunday in general, I'm now about to do a small post on the 'mini-moon' we took in Powell River. So I'm jumping around — it's my blog!
In a fit of brillliance that could only have been dreamed up by the non-sick, we decided to go camping. Now camping in May isn't necessarily a stupid idea, but camping in May on the Wet Coast while sick as little sick dogs was maybe not the all time brightest move.
That said, it was fine.
The first night was great, even — Steve's mum and dad got him the birthday present of a night in the Rockwater's 'Tent Suites' which was Monday night. He groused a little back in March, but when we arrived Monday night he was all "ok, this is an AWESOME birthday present!" And it was… I'm not sure why I don't have any photos at my disposal, but I'll find some 'cause it has to be seen to be believed. There was this great walkway through the forest (like the West Coast Trail except more civilized) that led to the tents, each of which was off on its own for privacy. The 'tent' (and I use the word loosely) had its own balcony that looked out on the ocean, complete with loungers. There was a huge bed with a down duvet, a slate tiled shower, heated slate tile floors, and a jaccuzzi tub with jets, bath salts and COLOURS. Yes, the tub was pretty cool. It was a very nice way to wind down our 'wedding weekend'.
Tuesday morning we took our time getting ready. We packed slowly, taking our time looking for my Grandma's earring that I'd been wearing since the wedding. Steve, my hero, found it somewhere that I couldn't see it.
We drove from Halfmoon Bay back to Gibsons to pack the jeep and pick up the dog. We also took a gift certificate we had gotten for Canadian Tire and invested, wisely, in an air mattress with a built-in foot pump. Ahhhhh, bliss! Neither of us had ever camped with an air mattress before and man! was it ever nice.
We booked it to the ferry in Earl's Cove where we discovered that ferries run even less often than they do between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale. We waited and waited, and I found out that I burn in convertables 🙁
The dog enjoyed the sun while we were waiting for the ferry, but not so much the wind when we were actually driving.
We found our campsite at Willingdon Beach which is the city campground right in the middle of 'new' Powell River. It is a great campground and we were, as we requested, Right On The Beach. I can only assume that it was because we told them we were honeymooning that they put us right at the edge next to the trees. It was lovely and private except for the stream of people coming right past our tent to walk the Willingdon Beach Trail first thing in the morning.
We rolled in just as the sun was going down and set up camp… with only a little snapping. We borrowed Mike & Laura's massive Tent of Doom (the Funhouse 6, I believe). It had windows and doors and was almost the size of our bedroom. It was quite the eddifice compared to our little nylon backpacking tube. We briefly considered digging it a moat.
Once the tent was up, Steve wandered the whole 10 feet to the beach and took pictures of the sunset.
We found dinner at the local Safeway deli. It was… adequate. Very adequate.
This cedar tree was right beside our campsite. It was very unusual and beautiful — like a 'weeping cedar'.
And that was the end of Tuesday.
The next morning, Steve went and walked the Willingdon Beach Trail. When in Rome, I guess.
The Willingdon Beach Trail is set up as an outdoor forestry museum and has all sorts of bits of machinery along the side of the trail. Including a boat.
You know, I never even managed to walk this trail, though I'd love to. Someday. When I'm not sick.
The only complaint I have about the WB campground is that the website says free showers… and they aren't. I had to go back for a loonie, and the four minutes purchased by that loonie was simply inadequate. I rinsed in the sink. But I'd go back.
We got underway on Wednesday morning and found the tourist information booth. We left the dog in the jeep in the parking lot.
Angel was eager to get underway, so we left for Lund, which we'd heard was absolutely lovely, and an hour up the road where Highway 101 runs out.
We thought we were going to leave Angel in the jeep while we had a quick lunch at Nancy's, the locally famous bakery. Note the word 'thought' — while we were walking around the top of the building, we heard a suspicious jingle, much like the one that comes from Angel's dog tags. We called for her, and walked around looking for her, but no little white dog… until we asked a couple coming up the stairs from the restuarant. We asked them if they'd seen her, and they said yes — the little white dog had rushed into the restaurant and was still there, as far as they knew.
We rushed downstairs into the restaurant and there she was, looking from table to table for us while simultaneously licking every inch of floor. Mmm… floor.
We called her out and tied her up outside. Bad dog! Bad! Actually she was really cute, and we brought out our (justifyable famous) lunch and ate with her.
Then we walked around Lund. It didn't take long. Lund is small and pretty, and perhaps if we'd been more energetic we'd have rented kayaks or taken the Water Taxi over to Savary Island or some other adventure. As it was, we just looked at the waterfront and a very nice art shop under the Lund Hotel.
Then we went home. I mean, back to Powell River. We went and had rather good and cheap chicken wings at a little pub that was right on the edge of Powell Lake. We tied Angel up.
After dinner, we scooted back to the historic part of Powell River in order to join a walking tour that we had been told would leave at 7pm. The guide never showed up, so we self-guided ourselves around according to the brochure. It was quite like old times (I used to be a tour guide).
The old houses were lovely — old Powell River was a town built, and planned, by the Pulp Mill for its employees. Somewhat surprisingly, they did a fantastic job and the little old town is really quite wonderful. Except, perhaps, for its view of… the pulp mill.
We cruised around deciding which house(s) we'd like to buy… property in Powell River is relatively inexpensive, and Powell River itself is a very nice town, but it really does feel much more isolated than Gibsons.
But look at the houses!
We settled on this as the house to buy:
Or this one:
They were built for management — typical, huh?
There were three churches in a block, but two were no longer churches. We then decided that it would be amazing to live in a church.
We got back to the campsite and Steve went down to the beach to photograph the sunset. There was also this crane — I mean HERON — which we had seen briefly the night before. He really liked the little bit of beach beside the tent and every so often I'd look up to see Steve stalking the crane. I mean heron.
Sometimes he was more sucessful than others.
And it was the end of Wednesday.
Thursday Steve tried to get me to walk the trail with him. It didn't work.
By this time we were feeling significantly better, so we decided to try a little hike. And by little, we mean very small. Tiny. We hiked up 'Mount Valentine' which is such an easy hike that they even give you stairs. We reached the top pretty easily and enjoyed lunch and views that were amazing.
There was a big bug and some very ambitious ants, so we left and wandered around the top of the hill, which was exquisite. The area was developed for Mill employees to have a picnic and recreation spot, so there were lovely steps and stone benches, as well as some newer picnic tables. Did I mention there were stairs to the top? Nice.
This is new Powell River. It is wonderfully far from old Powell River.
We went down and looked at 'The Hulks', which is a man-made breakwater for the Mill's logs.
They are beautiful and shockingly ugly at the same time.
We went to the Cranberry Pottery and bought souveniers, since apparently this is The Place To Buy Souveniers. Actually, their stuff is lovely. I really liked some neat… well, I thought they were ginger jars, but apparently they were urns for ashes. And they came made to order! Ew.
Then it was off to try out the new jeep: I found some logging roads in the hopes of getting it into fourwheel drive. Steve napped. The worst potholes I'd just about ever seen, and Steve… slept. Like a baby.
We — ok, I — found a beautiful lake, which I woke Steve up for.
There was also a quarry which was used for stone for the logging roads.
By this time Steve was mostly awake, so I celebrated by driving through a big puddle.
We went back home and had icecream from Dairy Queen. Ahhh, Dairy Queen.
Steve took more sunset pictures and stalked the crane some more. Um… heron. We shared our (fitfully burning) fire with a very nice couple from Edmonton who were tenting, like us. You know, there were tons of people there in campers and the only really friendly ones showed up in a tent. Coincidence? I think not.
And that was Thursday.
Friday we went home to Gibsons, and ate yummy breakfast while waiting, again, for the ferry. This guy ran the snack shack and was friendly.
He offered that we could go pet his horse and miniature mules (yes, miniature mules). They were all very friendly and cute and dirty, and we pet them and fed them grass, which they appreciated for just long enough for someone else to come by and bring them grass.
The shack-guy also said that to stop wasps from coming into the house, hang up a bag full of water just outside the door. He swore by it, though I have yet to try it out. While we were there, tons of locals came by and chatted about all kinds of stuff. It felt very comfortably rural.
In short, we enjoyed Powell River very much. It never actually rained on us (though we put the top on the jeep for precautionary purposes), we did in fact get better rather than sicker, we read books and lounged and napped on our air mattress and generally had exactly the downtime we needed after the civilized chaos of the wedding.


text:
Violet, Gladys Dora, Ethel & Muriel Naish in NZ
My grandmother, Violet (b. 1891) married an Englishman and eventually moved to England.Gladys was born in 1893.Dora (b.1894) married a Sandy, Ethel (b. 1896) married a Will, and Muriel (b. 1897) married and became Muriel Robinson.They lived in the Christchurch area of New Zealand and I remember Will coming to Britain to visit in the 1960s.Does anyone know anything about them or what happened to Gladys, Dora, Ethel & Muriel?


text:
Transcript of Interview, 702 ABC Sydney, Breakfast
16 April 2014
Robbie Buck: The conversation, the debate, indeed occasionally the argument continues over the announcement yesterday by the Prime Minister that Badgerys Creek will after half a century of dithering finally become the site of Sydney's second airport. You heard Ed Husic the Labor Member for Chifley in the region saying that he is not welcoming it with open arms. He thinks that the infrastructure should be provided by state and federal governments without the need for a second airport and that western Sydney is essentially being blackmailed.
I'm joined by Jamie Briggs the Federal Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Development and together with Duncan Gay the New South Wales Roads Minister, he'll be overseeing the implementation of infrastructure development in western Sydney. Good morning to you Jamie Briggs.
Jamie Briggs: Good morning.
Robbie Buck: There is still some cynicism about whether this is going to happen and how it's going to happen. How confident are you?
Jamie Briggs: There's always cynicism sadly in our society but this plan, this economic plan for western Sydney is comprehensive. It's well thought through. The New South Wales Federal Government has been working hand in glove in recent times, along with western Sydney colleagues, to ensure that we've got a plan to build the economic capacity in western Sydney.
This is not about an airport, it's about the economic capacity of the area, a city of two million people which at the moment is under serviced with infrastructure.
One point I agree with Ed Husic on is that infrastructure is vitally important and that's why we're contributing $3.5 billion, a combination between New South Wales Government and the Australian Government over the next decade to update and build the infrastructure of the 21st century in western Sydney.
Robbie Buck: Okay, here's a little bit from Ed Husic this morning.
Ed Husic: The thing that has really got people upset out our way is that the needs that have been there and been unmet for quite some time are not attended to and the only way they get attended to is if there's an airport. So by virtue that logic is you only get the infrastructure if you support the airport. If you don't then you don't get it. Well, that's not needs-based planning. That is effectively blackmailing the people of Sydney's west to accept the airport.
[End of excerpt]
Robbie Buck: Does he have a point, should the infrastructure be there for western Sydney regardless of whether there's an airport being proposed?
Jamie Briggs: I agree with him that the Labor Party government abandoned work in Sydney. They talked about it but they never did anything out there. So in that respect, I agree with him. Contrast that with state and federal liberal governments we're building WestConnex which will service western Sydney. We're building NorthConnex which will help ensure the road networks are working as efficiently as they can be and now we're investing $3.5 billion in building the road networks out in western Sydney to grow the economic capacity.
But what I am confused about Robbie is you've got Anthony Albanese out there spruiking the benefits of building a second airport in Sydney and now you've got Ed Husic today saying it shouldn't happen. So what's the Labor Party's position? They are split on so many things it now seems they're [indistinct] split on whether they want western Sydney to have the economic capacity that we believe it can have.
Robbie Buck: Okay. How much detail as far as funding is concerned is down on the paper at this point in time because it's one thing to announce that all these projects are going to go ahead, it's another thing to say where the money is coming from especially at this time when we have a Treasurer who's saying that we have to tighten our belts. Where is the money for all of this infrastructure going to come from?
Jamie Briggs: Good question. It will be fully outlined in the budget. There will be $1.3 billion in the next four years from the federal government and the New South Wales government will make their contribution which will be 20 per cent of the road network. We are budgeting in the four-year period as you do. As far as the additional road projects we will cover those as each budget comes along and ensure that there's a plan to put them in place. Duncan Gay and I have been nominated by the Prime Minister and the Premier to ensure that plan is put in place. We would hope some of these road works will get underway very shortly to show the people of Western Sydney that this is serious.
Robbie Buck: Is there going to be a dedicated train?
Jamie Briggs: That is a matter the New South Wales government will deal with. In the early stages of course of an airport you wouldn't need one. The first stage of the discussion on the airport that the Deputy Prime Minister who has carriage of this part of the project will do is to negotiate with Sydney Airport Corporation about the contractional obligation [indistinct]…
Robbie Buck: Okay, we don't know whether that's—and do we know whether it's going to be 24-hours the airport?
Jamie Briggs: It was made clear by the Prime Minister yesterday that this is a new piece of infrastructure and of course it will be an operation which wouldn't have the regulatory restrictions that the airport which is still—the current airport which is in a much more highly population density area it does.
Robbie Buck: Alright, we look forward to seeing what's in the detail. Thanks for your time this morning Jamie Briggs.
Jamie Briggs: My pleasure.
Robbie Buck: Jamie Briggs there, the Federal Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Development and together with Duncan Gay the Roads Minister, he'll be overseeing the implementation of infrastructure development in western Sydney as the conversations continue about Badgerys Creek.


text: Born in Milwaukee, Ken is a Ripon College graduate with post-graduate work at Iowa Writer's Workshop and graduate fellow at American Film Institute. His second novel, The Sun Jumpers, won the publisher's "Award of Literary Excellence" and outstanding reviews. He has published a book of poetry, Everybody's Shadow. Ken is the lyricist and wrote the book for Esperanza – the Musical of Hope. He worked for many years in film/television in LA. His feature film, Howzer, received honors at New American Director's Series in NY, and US Film Festival in Austin, Texas. He received an "Inland Empire Outstanding Director Award" for theatre. KenLuber.com


text:
- This article is a guide for a Silent Hill 3 puzzle.
The Royal Flush Riddle is an optional puzzle in Silent Hill 3. After completing the game at least once, start an Extra New Game on Hard riddle difficulty. The clues are found in the chapel library in the bookshelves. Upon figuring out the solution to the riddle, the player will get a code to unlock Heather Mason's Royal Flush costume.
A secret told before you awake:
the start of a new transformation.
The first number is "the traveller to St. Ives."
The second number is "the hare wear a crown of straw."
The third number is "king of beasts and goddess of harvests."
The fourth number is "representative of both knight and page."
The fifth number is "lapis lazuli or turquoise."
There's no separating numbers from beginning to end.
14 buttons all told; therefore, one is always two.
- The first number is referring to the famous riddle "As I was going to St. Ives":
- As I was going to St. Ives
- I met a man with seven wives
- Every wife had seven sacks
- Every sack had seven cats
- Every cat had seven kits
- Kits, cats, sacks, wives
- How many were going to St. Ives?
- As I was going to St. Ives
- Only the narrator is going to St. Ives, because the narrator never mentioned that the man with seven wives was actually traveling to St. Ives. Thus the answer is 1.
- The second number is "the hare wear a crown of straw". Hare Krishna wear braided hair, thus the answer is 3.
- The third number is "king of beasts and goddess of harvests". August, the eighth month, crosses two signs of the zodiac: Leo (the lion) and Virgo (sign of the harvests). Thus the answer is 8.
- The fourth number is "representative of both knight and page". Modern-day playing cards are descended from the tarot deck. The Knight and Page of the tarot were dropped and replaced with the Jack, which is the 11th playing card. Thus the answer is 11.
- The fifth number is "lapis lazuli or turquoise". Lapis lazuli and turquoise are both birthstones for December, the 12th month of the year. Thus the answer is 12.
"There's no separating numbers from beginning to end.
14 buttons all told; therefore, one is always two."
This means that the final code has 14 characters, however, there are only five numbers given. As well, numbers aren't used to separate the numbers. If one looks at the typewriter, the only thing that can be used to separate the numbers which isn't a letter or a number is an underscore "_". "One is always two" means that every number must contain two digits, thus a zero is placed in front of any number from 1-9.
This means that the code must be in the format: 00_00_00_00_00
The final answer to the riddle is: 01_03_08_11_12
Input it into the costume typewriter to unlock the Royal Flush outfit.


text:
The largest group ever to do a joint skydive for the Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity took to the skies last week.
Eight members of staff from Aylesbury's Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) and nine friends and family members made the leap in aid of the hospice.
MAB's Lauren James persuaded colleagues Stefan Cork, Shereen Pride, Joanna Richardson, Russell Coneron, Charlotte Scott, James Summerlin and Alison Gulliver to join her in the hair-raising challenge.
Also signing up for the daredevil challenge were friends, partners and family – Samuel Anton, Hayley-Louise O'Reilly, Matt Bunce, Caymen O'Reilly, Ben Adam, Giles Asbury, Daniel McLean, Tim Dawson and Adam Holloway.
The group certainly has very personal reasons for joining Lauren, with many having experienced the care and support offered by Florence Nightingale Hospice.
"My family have been lucky enough to benefit directly from the fantastic support given by the Florence Nightingale Hospice," says Russell Coneron, who works with Lauren at the Mortgage Advice Bureau in Aylesbury.
Another colleague, Shereen Pride, said: "Friends of mine can testify to the amazing work these guys do and their friends and family have all benefited from the amazing work that comes from the Florence Nightingale Hospice."
To help with their fundraising, the team held a quiz night at the Watermead Inn in March which raised £1,520. The team's Justgiving page shows more than £8,240 has been donated in sponsorship bringing their total to more than £9,500 with Gift Aid.
Lauren's boss, business principal Stefan Cork, has also risen to the challenge, and said,: "It's most definitely a motivational team building event as well as being a very personal challenge for everyone involved."
After the skydive, Lauren said: "I am extremely happy with how the day went. It was so lovely to see how much support we all had from our friends and family. The beautiful angels we have in the sky were beaming down on us and there was such a happy atmosphere."
To find out more, visit www.justgiving.com/teams/MAB-AYLESBURY


text:
Jeff Redd: An Award-Winning Music Mogul, Recording Artist & Entrepreneur
Jeff Redd is much more than a 1990s singing sensation. Redd is an award-winning music mogul, recording artist, and entrepreneur.
As a music artist, he is probably best known for his mega-hit singles, "You Called and Told Me" from the Strictly Business soundtrack and "Love High." As a music executive he helped launch the career of Mary J. Blige and producing countless other artists such SWV, Bobby Brown, Allure, and Field Mob. Redd has received Grammy, American Music, Soul Train, and Billboard awards for distinguished albums for successful artists such as K-Ci and JoJo, Regina Belle, Salt N Pepa, among others. He has also contributed to motion picture soundtracks such as How Stella Got Her Groove Back, The Hurricane, and Eve's Bayou.
Redd has also ventured into jazz, playing gigs in the U.S. and abroad. Redd doesn't seem to like to be pigeonholed by genres; he recently released a new party single called "Dance, Dance, Dance (The Weekend)." Also on the horizon are three new house music singles, Royal Love Rekindled, "You're My Love," and "New Day."
But there is more than being an artist in Redd's portfolio. He's also an entrepreneur; he's the owner of an independent recording label, Sol Real Records, an author of a soon-to-be released romance novel, and creator of the shea butter product line Sol Real Butter.
Recently, Redd shared his thoughts on the music industry and his future plans with The New York Trend. Here's what he had to say.
New York Trend: Your career has been long and successful, but looking back what advice would you give yourself at 25-years-old?
Jeff Redd: When I was 25 years old, I got to experience my first album, "Quiet Storm" and as soon as my first single, "I Found Lovin" was released, things started to take off very quickly. It was so unexpected that I wasn't always prepared to really negotiate things in my best interest. Therefore, I would tell my younger self to study finance and contractual reading. But to tell you the truth, I personally don't like looking back only because hindsight is 20/20.
New York Trend: You've been on both sides–artist and executive–what are the pluses and minuses of both?
Jeff Redd: One of the pluses of being an artist is that I love creating music and really enjoy having the ability to share it with the world. A minus is that I have to expose myself to others for critique, which is sometimes the hardest thing for an artist to do.
One of the pluses of being an executive was my ability to discover talent and create a body of work for millions of people to love. A minus was working for a company with other executives who didn't share the same passion that I had for the music and having the artists suffer because of it.
New York Trend: How would you describe the state of the music industry today?
Jeff Redd: The music industry has changed tremendously due to the expansion of the digital age. Labels used to take the time to physically scout, discover and package artists. Now they research social media outlets to discover talent that have already established a strong following. For better or worse, artists have done all the development work themselves. Labels then attach their brands and look like geniuses for creating amazing talent.
New York Trend: In your opinion what are the positives and negatives of being an artist at this time?
Jeff Redd: The positives of being an artist today as opposed to yesterday is that you have many outlets to expose your talents. Artists can use social media to their advantage and create platforms for themselves without barriers. The negatives are that most artists need direction. They can be very talented, but lack the ability to package themselves. It is important for them to create music that best suits them, develop their own, authentic image and really be coached through performances, interviews and other crucial aspects of their career.
New York Trend: What do you feel is missing in R&B today?
Jeff Redd: I like a lot of what I am hearing today in R&B because some of these artists are really doing their homework. They are reaching back to the works of the past and taking bits and pieces from different artists to create their own music. It's actually a great time for music.
New York Trend: Why did you decide to launch your own label?
Jeff Redd: I used to complain when I was an A&R executive at MCA that the promotional and marketing staff really didn't understand the importance of a great song. They loved to put music into one genre or a certain category such as R&B, pop, alternative, etc. It bothered me because it limited the music and the artist. I remember when Kci and JoJo were rehearsing for a tour at S.I.R. Studio in Los Angeles, I heard this guy singing in another room. I went to investigate and I inquired whether he or his band had a deal. They said 'no.' I then got their manager's information and he sent me a purple CD with the group's name, Kara's Flowers. I took it to the head of the Pop A&R department and he blew me off because in his mind, what does Jeff Redd know about Pop music? Now, please understand I had already discovered Mary J. Blige, had won a Grammy for A&R work on Salt N Pepa's song Champagne and had the number one song in the country, All My Life recorded by Kci and JoJo. I had a knack for recognizing and developing talent. The label subsequently passed on the lead singer, who happened to be Adam Levine. Let's just say the rest is history! At that point, I decided that I needed to create my own record label. I never looked at music in black or white, I just loved to create good MUSIC.
New York Trend: What type of artists are you looking for on the label?
Jeff Redd: I'm not currently looking for any artists at the present time because I'm focusing on my brand, Jeff Redd. But when I resume, I will be looking for artists who have a real passion with hustle to match. The ones that are making things happen on their own. That determination shows me how committed they are before I commit.
New York Trend: And you've been writing romance novels. How did that come about?
Jeff Redd: I always wanted to write a book about a love story with a twist and the twist would be something that would make you say, "Hmmmm." After years of jotting things down I decided to complete it and I am extremely excited now that it is done. It's entitled Love's Game: Lust, Lies and Betrayal.
New York Trend: How did you get into Shea Butter products?
Jeff Redd: I've always enjoyed aromatherapy and as an artist, I knew the importance of moisturizing and having healthy skin. After experimenting with a variety of natural oils, I decided to share my creations with both women and men. Sol Real Butter is a mixture of natural scents and 100% pure African shea butter.
New York Trend: What are some of your projects for 2017?
Jeff Redd: 2017 is already shaping up to be a great year. I am looking forward to the launches of Sol Real Butter and my book, and I am extremely happy to share the new music I have been working on. I have had the pleasure of expanding and growing in music over the years and my recent jazz project and house music releases will be shared in a video series very soon. Also for the past few years, I have been actively investigating a potential role in politics and how I can make a difference in the community. I am grateful to be a conduit of God's work and to spread love and joy through my creative expression. However In these crucial times, it may be time to use the microphone in a different way, in an effort to bring about lasting change.