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Live Review by Chaz Brooks — Five Star Rating
This was a different audience to most country gigs. Everybody was very smartly dressed and had made a special effort. Well, this was the London Palladium darlings. Beforehand I was standing in the upstairs bar near two couples on VIP packages with a friendly hostess from Liverpool bringing them drinks and snacks.
There was no support act which was a bit of a shame as this would have been a good opportunity for an up and coming act to have the experience of playing the Palladium. Still, the bar was doing brisk business.
The Mavericks are lead singer/guitarist Raul Malo, guitarist Eddie Perez, Paul Deakin on drums, the flamboyantly dressed keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden and "the Fantastic Four" on double-bass, accordion, sax and trumpet.
Kicking off with Rolling Along, the first track from the fine new album Brand New Day the scene was set for the evening. A concoction of country, mariachi, Cuban bolero, rock and pop. This is the Mavericks style, a winning and distinctive formula familiar to UK audiences since the smash Dance The Night Away of 1998.
The excellent Damned (If You Do), is perhaps the highlight of the new album. Then Back In Your Arms Again and straight into That's What You Do To Me with a biting brass riff.
Tracks flowed one after another, from Nashville, to Plaza Garibaldi, to Elvis to country boogie. There's no time-wasting with this band, no more than a handful of seconds between numbers.
Dance In The Moonlight gave us country boogie into mariachi. By this time the lady in the seat next to me was dancing. The track brought a wonderfully discordant guitar solo from Malo and great accordion and trumpet solos.
More people were dancing by this stage. It wasn't until after track 8 that Raul addressed the audience. "Thank you so much for coming out, how are you doing tonight London?"
Then he slowed the pace for the first time. Speaking from the heart he said "We have a problem in our country with gun violence and this next number is dedicated to the loved ones of the victims. We started playing this after Las Vegas when people were doing what we are doing now, playing music. Then there was the school shooting and the church. Concerts, schools and churches are places where people should not be dying."
"….if you want a good time go and see them. You'll love them. Everybody does."
Then came a heartfelt rendition of the Bee Gees' How Can You Mend A Broken Heart which was a poignant moment and message in the show.
At this point Malo switched from electric to battered acoustic guitar for the Grammy nominated track from the latest album I Wish You Well. A song written about his father.
Midway through the set there was a slight sound problem, quickly fixed. Malo quipped "It's a good job I'm in a good mood as I've had two shots of tequila otherwise I would have kicked the damn amp."
Malo returned on stage to begin the encore with two solo numbers, firstly a powerful version of Dylan's The Times They Are A-Changin' and then Brand New Day, the title track from the new album, with shades of Roy Orbison.
"The gentleman next to me, Terry, had seen the band on 15 previous occasions and said this was the best show of theirs he'd ever seen."
The band returned for a totally unexpected cover of Pink Floyd's Us And Them which didn't sound remotely out place.
All Night Long had 99% of the audience dancing in the seats, in the aisles, in both balconies. The octogenarian lady in the row in front was dancing.
Five tracks into the encore was the big one, Dance The Night Away. A brilliant song brilliantly performed.
Continuing the party theme was You Never Can Tell. Chuck Berry meets Little Feat and closing the show was All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down. Seven tracks for an encore? Unheard of. Wonderful.
The Mavericks send a musical message of love, peace and fun. Over two hours of strong material, original and covers. The gentleman next to me, Terry, had seen the band on 15 previous occasions and said this was the best show of theirs he'd ever seen.
This was a special gig for the band too. They lined up on the stage to take the applause from the crowd then turned around for a crew member to take their photo against the backdrop of the crowd and the famous venue.
A nice touch after the show was the band staying to shake hands with members of the audience before going off stage. They're touring the UK for the next week, including Celtic Connections, and if you want a good time go and see them. You'll love them. Everybody does.
Listen The Mavericks New album Brand New Day here
Purchase The Mavericks Brand New Day here
Categories: Latest, Live Reviews


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How we began
Black Door Films Inc. is at its roots a full service film and video production company based in West Palm Beach , Fl. Founded in 2004.
Began teaching Video production to kids PBC School Teacher/ Vendor 2006 to present.
What We Do
Today Black Door Films, provides video spots for Corporate, Web and broadcast programs and has become one of the areas leading video content producers for the Educational, Arts & Non-Profits, Media & Special Events markets.
Our Team
Our comprehensive team includes experts in all areas on video production and project management. We are at our heart, creative producers and bring this expertise to bear on both your internal and external projects.
Our Process
Our creative, production team has been together for many years, providing insightful creative treatment on a variety of subjects and are able to deliver the right product that is - just what you need,
just in time, just for you.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hyper-Inflation is perhaps the most likely cause of a collapse and subsequent push into Urban Survival, or a Survival Situation in any environment. The Urban Survival Scenario will just be a BITCH, so get ready and get ready now.
We found an excellent link to political and economic issues on the following site:
Rather than re-create the post and videos (by Glenn Beck), we are hyper-linking the article site here at: http://cowboys-and-tea-parties.blogspot.com/2010/03/why-we-have-not-yet-experienced-hyper.html
And we encourage readers of Urban Survival Skills.com to book mark the Cowboys & Tea Parties site to keep abreast of political and economic events that will eventually push us into a collapse. We hope to God we're wrong, but in all common sense, or as Cowboys & Tea Parties out it,...Cowboy Logic and Horse Sense, just says otherwise.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Hyper-Inflation - Pushing us into a Survival Scenario
Posted by Web Master at 12:21 PM
Labels: Glenn Beck, Hyper-Inflation, Urban Survival Scenario
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Monterey >> A new organization intended to help tackle the problem of affordable housing in the Monterey area was officially launched on the steps of Colton Hall Thursday.
Dubbed the Neighborhood Housing Fund for Monterey, the nonprofit aims to support city housing goals by leveraging housing density bonuses, working with homeowners to maintain their property for renters and spurring on collaboration between health care providers, employers and housing developers.
"This is the commencement of a journey to enable the hopes and dreams of people in our community to have stable homes and lives," said City Councilman Timothy Barrett, introducing the special fund. Vice-Mayor Barrett, who is running for City Council re-election, is an Neighborhood Housing Fund board member along with Monterey County Assessor Stephen Vagnini and Gathering Place for Women business manager Amy Stocker. Joining the three for the 45-minute news conference Thursday outside City Council Chambers was Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh, newly-appointed City Manager Hans Uslar and retired Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel.
For his part, Barrett cited four overarching goals of the nonprofit, which included maintaining the integrity of the community, fostering multi-generational, diverse and healthy neighborhoods and matching up the local workforce with existing jobs. Reducing carbon emissions and congestion on local roads as a result of less commuter traffic is also an objective.
"Approximately 68 percent of the city's residents are renters and there's a shortfall of workforce affordable housing while one in two are challenged with the cost of housing," Barrett stated while standing at the podium before Diffenbaugh, Farr and Stocker also made remarks. He also noted 80 percent of the workforce currently commutes into the city.
"Statistics indicate that communities are losing their ability to regenerate in terms of working families," he said, pointing to the widening gap between the youth demographic and those over the age of 65.
To that end, Farr recalled his youth growing up in Carmel when those who worked there lived there too.
"The idea of commuting wasn't in our vocabulary," said Farr, noting the extreme decline of families and residents working and inhabiting the same community. "We've forgotten who built our communities. … We've lost that and need to recapture it."
He also noted the culpability of local communities to provide adequate housing to those that work there.
"The state Legislature is sick and tired of communities not taking responsibility for housing their workforce," said Farr. "You can't just say, 'You can't afford to live here so go somewhere else.'"
"All responsibility for housing lands with the people who give the permits for building," he added.
Yet, issues like lack of available water and land along with the reluctancy on the part of some homeowners to have affordable housing projects in their neighborhoods still complicate the housing issue.
Currently, the city of Monterey is 650 housing units short of what it needs. Officials will be updating the city's Housing Element this fall.
For his part, Diffenbaugh said many of his teachers can't remain here due to the high cost of living.
"Never would I have thought that housing would be in the top three priorities of my role," said Diffenbaugh. "We need to be an active participant in solving this housing crisis."
On Thursday, while Barrett had no concrete answers as to where money for new housing development would come from, he did say the organization would work with developers, employers, community members and foundations to raise funds.
"No one accomplishes solving the housing challenges alone," said Barrett, while Farr emphasized the need to aggressively take back our communities so the people who live there work there too.
"I'm passionate about saving our communities. … Failure is not an option," he said.
Carly Mayberry can be reached at 726-4363.


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Medicare is rolling out new cards and MBI numbers, and Patient Access professionals must be prepared to answer questions
Check out the NAHAM webinar 'Are You Ready for the New Medicare Cards' for tips and tricks for your organization.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began issuing new Medicare cards in April 2018. Medicare beneficiaries will receive their cards in the mail between April 1, 2018 and April 1, 2019. The new Medicare cards are necessary because the 2015 law, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, requires CMS to remove Social Security numbers from Medicare cards by April 2019. The move is seen as a way to guard against identity theft; specifically, it is seen as a way to better protect private healthcare and financial information as well as federal healthcare benefits and service payments.
Replacing the Social Security number (the SSN-based Health Insurance Claim Number, or HICN) will be a new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI). Each beneficiary will be assigned a unique MBI, and it will appear on the new Medicare cards for existing beneficiaries and all new enrollees going forward.
A transition period began April 1, 2018 and will run through December 31, 2019; during this period, providers may use either the SSN-based HICN or the new MBI for purposes of data exchange. Starting January 1, 2020, providers will be required to submit claims using MBIs, no matter the date of service. CMS has developed a secure look-up tool for providers to find the new number at the point-of-service, and when a provider checks a beneficiary's eligibility, the CMS HIPPA Eligibility Transaction System (HETS) will return a message indicating if CMS has mailed a new card to the beneficiary. CMS has also issued some detailed information on appeals, adjustments and span-date claims.
The new MBI will clearly look different from the Social Security number and two-character Beneficiary Identification Code on the old cards. The MBI will be 11 characters in length, solely made up of numbers and uppercase letters (no special characters). Each MBI is unique and randomly generated, and the characters and sequence are "non-intelligent," meaning they don't have any hidden or special meaning. There is a sequence protocol in that certain positions of the 11-character MBI will only have numeric or alphabetic characters, and two positions may have either numbers or letters. Positions 2, 5, 8 and 9 will always be alphabetic. See the CMS webpage: Understanding the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) Format [insert link: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/New-Medicare-Card/Understanding-the-MBI.pdf], for more information.
The new card will have the beneficiary name, the new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier, coverage and coverage dates. These element names will be in both English and Spanish. The gender and signature line found on the old Medicare card will not appear on the new card. All cards will be printed on white paper.
Once issued, beneficiaries and providers may begin using the new MBI immediately. For more information, see the CMS webpage: What do the new Medicare cards mean for partners and employers? [insert link: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/New-Medicare-Card/Partners-and-Employers/Partners-and-employers.html]
Mailings will include the new card and a letter with instructions for the beneficiary. Distribution of cards will be random, so there is no relationship between mailing and geographic regions.
A September 2017 CMS survey found "extremely low awareness" of the planned changes among beneficiaries. When told of the changes, the survey found most see this as a positive change and had no major concerns. CMS is including education during its 2017 open enrollment and will be sending providers information on how they can help during the first quarter of 2018. CMS is also planning an aggressive social media campaign.
CMS advises providers to check with their solution vendors to make sure they have received instructions about the secure provider look-up tool, and that they are aware of all system changes. CMS also asks providers to display posters and place "tear-off" pads in offices and waiting rooms — all of which may be found and ordered online. Providers should also periodically check the Medicare Learning Network [insert link: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/new-medicare-card/nmc-home.html] for more information.
Providers will be involved in educating patients, and CMS provides a number of resources to use when talking to patients about their new Medicare cards. Here are some of the points CMS emphasizes in these materials to tell patients:
1. Right now patients should make sure their mailing addresses are up to date with the Social Security Administration. CMS will use that address to send a new Medicare card. They can check and update online through your "my Social Security" account [insert link: https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/] or by phone 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778).
2. Patients may not get the new Medicare card right away. Mailing out new cards to all beneficiaries will take time. They will only need to call Medicare if they don't receive their card by April 2019.
3. Patients should be wary of anyone who contacts them about their new Medicare cards. Medicare will never ask someone to give them personal or private information for a new card or number. CMS is planning a "Guard Your Card" campaign starting in late summer of 2018.
4. Even though they are getting a new Medicare card and number, a patient's Social Security number remains the same. They just won't be using it relative to their Medicare benefits.
5. Once they receive a new Medicare card, patients should check the name and other information to make sure it is correct. The new card will not change their current coverage or benefits. If everything is in order, they should destroy the old card and start using their new card.
6. Patients must remember to bring their new Medicare card. Doctors and other healthcare providers will ask for it when they need care. If they forget their new card, doctors or other healthcare providers may be able to look it up online.
7. Patients should guard their new card and new identification number (the MBI) just as they did their old card and Social Security number. They should only give their card and MBI to doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare providers, their insurers or people they trust to work with Medicare on their behalf.
8. Their new card will be paper. It will be easier for providers to use and copy and they can print your own replacement card if need be.
Is Your Address Up to Date?
This should become the most common question you ask Medicare beneficiaries. Not the first thing you'd think of when talking to patients about the new Medicare cards that will start appearing this spring, but providers will play an important role in educating patients about the new cards and the new Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers. One important thing for the Medicare beneficiary to do is to make sure their mailing address is up-to-date with the Social Security Administration because CMS will use the address they have on file with Social Security; new cards started mailing out on April 1, 2018 and will continue through April 1, 2019.
Be Vigilant Against Identity Theft
Beneficiaries should know not to share their new Medicare number with anyone other than their healthcare providers, their insurers or trusted healthcare advocates with Medicare. Medicare will never ask someone to give them personal or private information just so they can get their new card or number. Don't fall for phone scams!


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Historic Newton recently acquired a rare 19th century landscape painting, View of the Great Curve Near Newton Lower Falls on the Boston & Worcester Railroad, for its collection at the Jackson Homestead and Museum. The painting is now on display above the mantel in the entry hall at the Jackson Homestead. A formal unveiling is planned for Wednesday, February 12.
The artist, Samuel Adams Hudson (1813-1877), was a Boston-based landscape painter best known for his multi-part panorama of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. His remarkable Great Curve painting shows a pastoral view of Newton from Newton Lower Falls, looking north across what is now the Leo J. Martin golf course towards the Charles River and the train tracks. Its themes are of great significance to Newton and its development – the Charles River, the railroad, and farmsteads with orchards and pastures. Historic Newton will use the painting to interpret local history for visitors, including school groups.
The acquisition brings a significant work of art to Historic Newton's collection. "This is the first large-scale painting of the Newton landscape in our collection. It is a painting that engages the viewer and presents an interpretation of the local landscape to be interrogated," said Susan Abele, retired curator of The Jackson Homestead and Museum.
"When studying the painting one is easily immersed in this early depiction of life along the Charles," said Lee Fisher, a Trustee of the Jackson Homestead. "It was rewarding to see so many people contribute toward ensuring that this painting, previously in private hands, will be viewable by the public going forward."
Historic Newton borrowed the painting in 2008-2009 for an exhibition at the Jackson Homestead that explored William Jackson's role in routing the Boston & Worcester Railroad through Newton, and the impact of the railroad on industry and suburban development in Newton.
In December 2019, Historic Newton purchased the Hudson painting from Vose Galleries of Boston with the generous support of 37 donors, including Lee and Jean Fisher, The Kugener Family, Larry and Martha Bauer, and Jeffrey Hughes and Nancy Stauffer. See below for a complete list of donors.
Museum Hours:
The Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington Street, Newton, 617-796-1450, is open Wednesday-Friday, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Complete List of Donors for Historic Newton's Hudson painting purchase:
Mr. and Mrs. Lee and Jean Fisher
The Kugener Family
Larry and Martha Bauer
Jeffrey Hughes and Nancy Stauffer
Kathy and Lou Altieri
Anonymous (2)
Roz and Wally Bernheimer
Russ Feldman and Anne Kane
In honor of Lee and Jean Fisher
Paula and Mark Jacoff
Connie and Bill Kantar
Ellen Katz and Jay Werb
Frederick T. Miller and Kathryn E. Cade
Dorothy Mohr
Andrea and Russel Pergament
Nancy Prince and Chris Anschuetz
The Rowe Family Charitable Trust
Barbara and Peter Terris
Jay C. Walter
Duscha Scott Weisskopf


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A sky chart is a map of the night sky over a period of time. Most sky maps are dated over months. Astronomical magazines and websites publish maps of the night sky every month. Sky charts are different for different places on the earth.
There are charts on the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere and the Equatorial Regions. Sky charts also list down the different objects which can be seen with the naked eye, with binoculars and with telescopes.
Skycharts today are available for free download at many internet sites.
Following are some of the sites which publish free monthly sky charts.
Mobile Apps for Astronomy
With the advent of the smartphone, astronomy has become easier than ever. Special software which can be downloaded to your phone identifies your location through GPS and generates the nightsky for your location for the current date.
Such apps also name the object and makes it easy for the amateur astronomer to identify them. They also specify objects which can be seen with the naked eye and with binoculars and with the telescopes.
Just point your smartphone at the sky and the app generates the map for you. Just look-up and try to identify the objects.
Astronomy Magazines
There are many astronomy magazines. It is good to subscribe to them. Astronomy Magazines help you keep abreast of the latest news in the field of Astronomy and new viewing techniques such as new telescopes, popular mobile apps. etc.
There are many magazines which your can subscribe to


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Although the Neo 230HAD includes several different devices whose functions are relatively independent—DAC, preamp, and headphone amplifier—most of the time they will be used together, such as when you listen through headphones. And while it's possible to bypass the volume control by using the Neo 230HAD's fixed-level outputs and routing them to a preamplifier or external headphone amplifier (which I did during the review), the whole point of the Neo 230HAD is that it can be used as a one-box component that simultaneously serves as a digital hub, preamplifier, and headphone amplifier for all but the most complex multi-input systems.
When used as a preamplifier the Neo 230HAD was dead silent. The Neo 230HAD also had oodles of gain—at normal, moderately loud listening levels I barely got up to 9 o'clock on a rotary dial that starts at 7 o'clock! Splitting the unbalanced signal into two unbalanced signals so I could run both my main amplifier and subwoofer did not seem to reduce the signal levels one iota.
Through a system that is so transparent that I could clearly hear the NuPrime ST10 power amplifier warm up after being turned off for a day, the soundstage started flat with almost no depth, and gradually, over the next 30 minutes, deepened and expanded to its normal dimensions. I could also hear how little the Neo 230HAD altered the sound, especially on material I was familiar with. A recent guilty pleasure, the cut via Tidal "Dracula" from Bea Miller's Not an Apology, has some very deep bass pulses combined with some very rude percussion crashes that can sound either very cool or sorta cruddy depending on your system's high-level dynamic resolution and low bass capabilities. On my nearfield system it can rock, and with the Neo 230HAD in the signal chain, it did.
I connected a wide variety of earphones to the Neo 230HAD's headphone output and I was impressed by how many the Neo 230HAD drove well. With hypersensitive low-impedance in-ears such as the Westone ES5, I could hear a very slight amount of white-noise hiss even when the volume control was turned all the way down, but at normal listening levels this hiss level remained low. With any "regular-sensitivity earphone (between 85 and 95dB)" the Neo 230HAD generated a silent background.
With my most difficult-to-drive headphones, which are currently the Beyerdynamic DT-990, 600-ohm version, the Neo 230HAD had lots of gain left in reserve. The volume control barely cracked 10 o'clock. The Neo 230HAD also proved to be a good pairing with difficult-to-match headphones such as my newly acquired Sennheiser HD 700.
A scant few years ago you would have been hard-pressed to find a high-performance entry-level DAC/pre/headphone amplifier from an industry-leading audio manufacturer for around $1500. Nowadays, audiophiles have a lot of options, including three that I have had extensive experience with—the NuPrime DAC-10H ($1795), the Oppo HA-1 ($1199), and the Moon Neo 230HAD ($1500).
Although the Moon Neo 230HAD has fewer adjustments and lacks balanced headphone outputs, its sonics, especially when used as a preamplifier, placed it above the Oppo. The Neo 230HAD was closer to the level of neutrality I've become accustomed to hearing from the Tortuga Audio LDRV3.V2 passive preamplifier. (In comparison, the Oppo HA-1 was slightly warmer harmonics with a more pronounced midbass.) The Neo 230HAD also has a slightly more coherent soundstage with easier to locate depth cues—there was better isolation around each instrument and each voice had less of what, for lack of a better term, I'll call a "noise halo," slightly blurring the edges of each instrument in a mix.
The NuPrime DAC-10H offers quite a bit more flexibility (balanced headphone and analog outputs as well as different gain and filter settings), but sonically I found the Neo 230HAD and DAC-10H to be a sonic dead heat, with both producing hard-to-fault sound. While I would rate the DAC-10H as a somewhat better value because of its features, for many nearfield and desktop systems that added flexibility may be overkill, at which point the Neo 230HAD would be a more cost-effective choice.
Usually at this point in a review of an "entry-level" component reviewers dredge up the phrase "gives you a taste of the high end." The Moon by Simaudio Neo 230HAD gives you far more than a taste—it will fatten you right up. If you don't require a balanced headphone output, the Neo 230HAD may be all the DAC/preamp/headphone amplifier you ever need.
Headphone impedance: 20–600 ohms
Output power: 100mW into @ 600 ohms, 200mW into 300 ohms, 1W into 50 ohms: Inputs: One pair unbalanced on RCA jacks, one 1/8" mini-jack
Input impedance: 22k ohms
Single-ended headphone output: Stereo TRS
Single-ended preamp outputs (RCA): Two pairs (fixed and variable)
Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz +/-0.1dB
Output Impedance: 1.25 ohms
Weight: 6.2 lbs.
Dimensions: 7"x 3" x 11"
Price: $1500
1345 Newton Road
Boucherville, Quebec J4B 5H2
(450) 449-2212


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Do brands have personalities?
Rob Walker linked to this item from Science Digest about research into our susceptibility to "brand personalities." I've tried but failed to understand the upshot of this highlighted finding:
"This research points out an interesting but counterintuitive finding: brand personality can be most useful for forging consumer-brand connections with consumers who tend to enjoy such deep connections in the interpersonal context," the authors conclude.
The study hinges on "attachment styles," which seem to have something to do with self-esteem: "Because of a low view of self, anxious individuals" -- those with "anxious" attachment styles -- "use brands to signal their ideal self-concept to future relationship partners and therefore focus more on the personality of the brand." But brands don't objectively have personalities. Consumers are actively involved in conjuring them up and pretending that they exist. One can't simply select a brand that already has a given personality, because that whole personality, if it exists, is a delicate social construction heavily contingent upon the consumer's own place in society. The meaning of Abercrombie to me is not "excitement" as the study's authors suggest; it's "shallowness." So when I choose to reject that brand accordingly, that choice derives from my interpretation of the brand, which comes from my social milieu, intermixed with my strictly personal hang-ups and predilections, all of which reconstitutes the brands' own marketing messages (themselves always being modified) into something peculiar to me. I'm using or not using certain brands to signal certain things that I hope will be understood by a target audience that I am hoping to define and attract with the help of those brands.
Maybe that is what the researchers are saying, and I am one of those "anxious" types. I just can't see who would be exempt from such considerations, if they have chosen to participate in consumer society at all. Brands are by definition the appeal of a product over and above its practical usefulness -- it is always the "personality" of the product as opposed to how well it works or what it is capable of doing. But though brands seem to signal some quality, that doesn't mean it rises to the level of actually having a personality. It functions more like a word in a language than a living, breathing person. Calling its signifying quality a "personality" is itself a marketing move, seeking to glamorize products and give them a rich complexity.
Is the point that needy people want their brands to seem to love them back? Do such people mistake the fact that they can detect personality in a brand for the brand's actually making the loving gesture of one person sharing their personality with another person? When I sense that I'm supposed to think American Apparel is "sexy," do I at the same time, at some level, believe the brand is in fact coming on to me?
When people disclose their personalities to one another, it's a gift, a gesture of trust and intimacy. When brands persuade us that they have a personality, it's an affront, an invasion, a corruption of that intimate, human exchange. But if, through anomie and generalized social isolation, we are starved from more of that intimate feeling, we may prefer to accept the brands' personalities on their own terms and assist in establishing them and their social credibility.
The "anxious" types in the study may be more likely to ascribe personalities to brands, to regard everything as a quasi-personal relationship that needs to be governed by the same rules and expectations, because actually personal relationships have been demonized as "inconvenient." These seem to be the twin macro-level goals of advertising: (1) to discourage from having too much inconvenient, reciprocal human contact and (2) as a replacement for real companionship, to encourage us to mistake products for friends, to whom we owe such things as loyalty and forgiveness.
N.B.: I wanted to call this post "Are Friends Electric?" but thought it was too much of a stretch. But you should still watch this.


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Growing your business
Get Started: Technology for your Pub / Bar Business
Alex Woods
Technology has completely transformed the way that we live, interact and do business. And it seems that no industry has been left untouched, even when it comes to pubs and bars.
Far from being just a novelty factor, much of the technology you'll see is designed with distinct benefits in mind, such as helping business owners run their business more efficiently while saving cost and resources in the process. This also has an effect on how services and experiences are being delivered to the customer to meet their demands too.
In fact, a survey revealed that 52% of people thought that technology in pubs and bars improved the customer experience, and 67% of people in the 24-35 age group view technology as a necessity not a novelty.
So if you haven't already, now's the time to start considering what technology you could incorporate into your pub or bar and how this could revolutionise the way that you work. Here are a few of the technology trends that have been taking the industry by storm recently:
EPOS Systems
More and more pubs and bars are introducing EPOS (Electronic point sale) systems to manage their transactions. Not only does this allow you to give your customers the flexibility to pay by card and make contactless payments, but it can also provide a whole host of other benefits when it comes to how you manage the running of your pub.
Choosing the right EPOS system means you can keep track of live sales and stock levels, while also reconciling transactions against how much stock you have, and reducing human error in the process. It can also help your customers get served more quickly and allow you to manage customer data such as name, contact details and purchasing history. This is useful if you want to carry out data analysis to look for patterns and trends.
Mobile Ordering
JD Wetherspoons recently launched their 'order and pay' app which allows customers to beat the queues by ordering and paying for their drinks through the app before being served their order. As well as the large chains, smaller pubs can also benefit from this feature thanks to apps such as Orderella and FlyPay. These allow customers to manage their bill at their table through their mobile devices enabling them to do things like split the bill, open a tab and settle the bill without having to queue or get a bartender's attention.
Another way for customers to order is through an iPad. Pubs such as The Thirsty Bear are already incorporating this into their customer journey. Technology platforms such as Bluebird and TableTab provide iPad type menus so that customers can order straight through the device, manage their order and settle the bill all from the comfort of their seats.
Wireless Charging
Already popular in cafes and coffee shops, wireless charging is a convenient solution for the modern consumer. This works by fitting devices under tables and allowing customers to charge their phones on the table tops. This is one tech trend that seems to be on the rise with wireless charging estimated to grow to $37.2 billion globally by 2022. If you're offering this service you'll also want to make sure this goes hand in hand with free WiFi for your customers!
VR Experiences
VR experiences are everywhere right now and some pubs are already taking advantage of how they can offer their customers enhanced experiences. An example of this is Italian beer brand Menabrea who are teaming up with pubs to offer punter a chance to experience a trip to northern Italy without even leaving the pub! This is done through a 360 degree virtual tour of Italian town Biella and will be rolled out at selected pubs in London, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh later this year.
Anthony Nixon, founder of the concept, argues, "You've got Generation Z, which is a demographic of 16 to 22-year-olds who are steering away from alcohol. You've got to find more innovative ways to pull those people in and keep them in the pub. The emphasis on drinking has shifted a bit for them, they just want to do more, different, stuff so we're trying to target them."
While some of these options may seem a little far off for your business, it's still worth getting a sense of how pubs and bars are embracing technology and how you could introduce some of these ideas in the future! And if you're looking for additional funding in support of your technological growth, why not check out Liberis' cash advance - a simple, flexible solution to funding your business in line with your cashflow!


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Plumber Boston Spa
Plumber in Boston Spa
S Fearn Plumbing & Heating are a local plumbing business based in Boston Spa, Leeds
Are you looking for a plumber near Boston Spa? We are a dedicated team of plumbers in Boston spa, that specialize in underfloor heating, boiler installation or repair and prestige bathroom fitting. We can also help you with any general plumbing issues.Get a Free Quote Meet the Team
Bathroom Fitting & Wet Rooms
High-end bathroom fitting to be proud of
Our expert plumbers have got years of experience fitting beautiful bathrooms in Boston Spa and surrounding areas. We can help you fit a stylish Modern bathroom or something a little more traditional.
Keep your home warm with a new energy-efficient boiler
Keep your home warm and lower your monthly bills with a new energy efficient boiler. We have years of experience fitting boilers around the Boston Spa area and we are Gas-Safe Registered for your piece of mind.
Boiler Repair & Servicing
Get your hot water back on and your home warm
Are you having boiler problems? Our friendly plumbers have got the knowledge and carry are a large selection of common parts so they can help you get your heating and hot water back up and running as quickly as possible.
We're experts in underfloor heating
Our plumbers are experienced in fitting underfloor heating across Leeds. Underfloor heating is an extremely efficient way to heat your home book a consultation with us and we will help advise you on what is best for your property


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Cleveland is known for its strong health and human services sector. In addition, Cleveland has a very dynamic arts and culture scene. In a number of ways, the arts and health sectors are working together and improving our personal, and broader community's, health and well-being. From expressive arts therapies and healthcare facility design to community public health engagement and arts-infused medical education, the arts and health sectors are coming together to benefit us in a number of ways at this Cleveland creative intersection.
White paper and case studies illustrating arts and health intersections in Cleveland. 2014
Cleveland is fortunate to be home to world-class healthcare and arts and culture assets. Increasingly, these sectors are developing creative intersections and partnerships which are impacting individual and community health and well-being. From expressive arts therapies and the design of healthcare environments to addressing public health issues and enriching medical education through the arts, Creative Minds in Medicine explores a broad range of Cleveland's arts and health intersections and poses recommendations for strengthening them in the future. Learn more about this innovative work through six case studies, which demonstrate how Cleveland's arts and health practitioners are creating positive outcomes for individuals while also leading our city to a healthier future.


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Artists charity sets up its first permanent space in Alperton
PUBLISHED: 11:34 14 January 2019
A charity has launched it's first new permanent space in Alperton for the creative community after securing a financial boost from a national bank.
Artists Studio Company (ASC) has secured £3.3million from NatWest to buy and refurbish a permanent site in Ealing Road and another in Croydon.
The 10,000 sq ft Alperton site has studio space for 30 artists and designers and offers tenants free business support and training as part of their lease.
Peter Flack, ASC chief who founded the charity in 1995 when a practising artist himself, has rented and managed 20 sites over the last 23 years, and provided exhibition space for thousands of artists. He said: "A great deal of creative workspace in the capital is under threat because it is held under short term lease agreement.
"Alperton is my charity's first permanent workspace and a game changer. For the first time, we can put down deep roots and foster a lasting creative community."
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Brent & Kilburn Times. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


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Too funny, hope you don't mind I pinned some of these at jennifer huey
Haha the last one is my favorite, and I love the garfield brings back memories
Thanks! Some of these are too funny!
Lol, thank you for the laugh. The snowp people one is too much.
Haha, I love this collection! Thanks for the laugh 🙂
Funny! Too bad losing weight isn't as easy as those snowmen!
Def gave me a giggle!
lol so funny… so true
I love these and since I'm at the end of my weight loss, I really need the laugh for the extra push!
Thanks for sharing these, they are too funny! 🙂
Don't step on it, it makes you cry…
Love it.
Hee hee!
I <3 Garfield!!!
wow that good one ilike them
How funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I especially love the Snowmen ( or Snowwomen!) I sure needed this today . Thanks! 🙂
these made me giggle! i often feel like some of these:) I especially like the one with the scale and "don't step on it. you will cry!" haha;)
love them all!
I like Garfield on the bathroom scale yelling LIAR!!
Haha, I love the snowmen in bikinis joke. Weightloss is such a touch, serious subject most of the time. It's nice to be able to joke about it.
I love these!!! They made me laugh out loud. Thanks for sharing!
Dam cute and funny! I couldn't stop laughing at all 🙂
Ha! So true. Especially the water one!
ROFL! those are so funny!! I can relate to the water/bathroom one! lol..I drink TONS Of water & I definitely get my exercise b/c of it lol
I lost 80 lbs. many yrs ago, but keeping it off is hard..I found about 15 of it back haha
Thanks for the laughs on this lazy Sunday!
Don't step on it…it makes you cry.
That one is so cute!
I gotta go with Garfield that cant be true! Very cute cartoons I needed a nice laugh today!
Now I know what those calories are.. Very funny.
Hahaha. Drinking my water right now… soon I'll be peeing!
These are great. It is so important to see humor in the journey, especially when it can be a difficult one.
This made my day thanks for sharing this with us!!!
These are awesome! I needed a good laugh. I hope you don't mind, but I shared this on my facebook. =)


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add_shopping_cart Suggested Parts 3keyboard_arrow_down
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Whiteline provides grease to install these parts, but you can never have too much. Grab an extra 3-pack of grease so you can more liberally apply grease when installing.
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WHITELINE performance products include sway bar/ anti-roll-kits (excluding installation components) and bracing and alignment kits with part numbers from BAF000 to BZZZZZ, KCA000 to KCAZZZ, KSB000 to KSBZZZ, KLC000 to KLCZZZ and KDT000 to KDTZZZ (Performance Products) are covered for 3 years from the date of original installation.
Whiteline Sway Bars
Sway bars are an important part of your suspension. Designed to maximize tire contact to the road, your sway bar dramatically reduces the lean you feel while taking corners. Whiteline's sway bars are crafted to be one of the best options available. While some manufacturers make their sway bars hollow to lower material costs, Whiteline makes sure each of their sway bars is solid steel. Their quality, coupled with the ability to easily adjust many of their sway bars, keeps Whiteline's sway bars in high demand.
Dependable Performance, Dependable Coverage
To cut costs even further, most OE sway bars are on the smaller side of the spectrum. While these sway bars are perfectly fine for the daily driver, those looking for more performance will usually want a larger sway bar. Whiteline offers a wide range of high-quality sway bars and matching sway bar bushings for just this purpose. Additionally, each of Whiteline's sway bars is covered with a three-year warranty handled in-house here at DST. Take those corners faster, and safer, with one of Whiteline's sway bar kits installed.
Product Reviews for Rear Sway Bar - BMW 3 Series E46 - Whiteline bbr11z
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The install was very simple, only tricky bit was replacing two of the end link bushings with the wider parts supplied. Total time required was under 2 hours. The result was a huge difference to the feel of the car.verified_user Verified Buyer - James Storie - . Whiteline bbr11z - 5 out of 5


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Our free bookkeeping advice and articles are regularly posted here.
If it's bookkeeping and business bounty you're after, dig in!
Why should your small business go paperless?
There are many companies that have zero-reliance on paper, yet for many of the small business owners I meet, it would seem unimaginable to operate
Five questions all small business owners should ask their accountant
For many small business owners dealing with an accountant can seem an expensive task, useful only for getting the accounts finalised and helping with tax
Litmus Wines: How Ozlop helped my business move to the digital era
There are many business owners who are great at product development and sales, but struggle to keep up with the daily demands of business management.
Four effective bookkeeping habits all small business owners should adopt
4 effective bookkeeping habits to adopt in 2020 Regular contact with your business plan (plan for big expenses such as tax, rent and people) Process
Four tactics to boost the profitability of your small business
When you want to boost your business' profitability without taking on more customers, the best thing you can do is look at where efficiencies can
When should your small business say no to large commercial contracts?
It is not uncommon for me to meet new business owners who are tempted to take a major contract because it will get their business
Keep calm: Why uncertainty is no reason for small businesses to panic
With doom and gloom predictions in the press daily, you may be starting to feel a little concerned about what 2020 has in store for
Why confusing invoices with statements of account will mean trouble for your business
This week I want to talk about one of the most common bookkeeping mistakes we come across at Ozlop and how to tackle it: confusing
Bookkeeping: why outsourcing your bookkeeping is no reason to ignore your business finances
It is not unusual for me to meet with small business owners who, having ignored their books for several months, come to Ozlop for help
Every small business has its quiet spell, it's what you do with it that matters
There are many reasons why businesses have quiet periods, especially if its market is cyclical by its nature. But if you are concerned that a
ROI: When is the right time to spend on your small business
You run a small business, things are going well and now you want to make some big investments, perhaps a costly new piece of equipment
How to avoid overspending and give your business the best chance of success
Overspending can be disastrous for your business: after all, there's no point in splashing out thousands on a fancy marketing material if you don't have enough to pay the tax man.


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The bathroom Azzurra is evolving, changing together with its inhabitants reflecting different habits. Amphibian recounts the double life of the basin.
Mirage, the new line of glass tables and wood designed by Matteo Ragni for Tonelli Design
Tonelli Design, With the new Mirage tables line designed by Matteo Ragni, Experiences the project coexistence of two materials typically far as glass and wood.
Structural alternation of transparent material and wood creates an optical illusion that enhances the appearance and improves the interaction with the product glass.
Bears / Matteo Ragni, Design Recipes
The collective "Bears", In collaboration with photographer Max Rommel, he has produced a documentary interview about the work and philosophy of the Milanese designer Matteo Ragni on the design.
ITALIAN DESIGN WORKSHOP YOU STILL HAVE TIME UNTIL earnt April 25 2011!
Given the many requests received, It has been extended to April 25 2011 the deadline to apply for the ITALIAN DESIGN WORKSHOPTo facilitate and encourage all young designers who have not yet had the opportunity to send new their candidacy.
We are pleased to announce that:


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Tuper Tario Tros
Tuper Tario Tros is a mash-up of two classic arcade games: Super Mario Bros and the famous Tetris. You'll play the little Plumber and your mission is to save the princess. Jump and run with the arrow keys and switch between Tetris and plumber mode with spacebar.


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Good Evening Stamper Friends,
Tonight I am showing you one of the cards I put together last night or I should say early this morning! I was on a roll and did not want to stop so I stayed up till 4:15. I wanted to get all my projects done for October.
This is one of the cards that we will be doing at my Regular Card Class at the end of the month (October 29)
Stamp Set Love & Sympathy #122795 (W) #122797 (C)
Stamp Set Itty Bitty Banners #126144 (W) #126257 (C)
Card Stock Early Espresso #119686
Cardstock Primrose Petals #126841
Cardstock Very Vanilla #101650
Ink Colors: Primerose Petals and Lucky Limeade
Well, today is Sunday so it's time to draw for the project that I did not get made yet!! So when I do get it made tomorrow I will post a picture for all of you to see what Tina Ham won. In fact I'm going to make two of them and that will be my give away for next week!!!
Well, time to clean up my desk a little and get to bed, thanks for stopping by and see you all tomorrow!
Shop Now - Click here to order 24/7 and have it shipped right to your door.


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Acorn lake has evolved over the last 20 years as probably the best course fishing lake in the area, with a variety of species and an ever increasing stock of large carp.
We provide a first class fishing without over-stocking. There are twenty swims around the lake, though we restrict the number of fishermen to a maximum of six.
As a former Carp breeding lake, Acorn holds a good head of Carp, along with Roach, Perch, Bream and Rudd, making it more interesting than a run-of-the-mill commercial carp lake, where everything other species is often removed. In terms of the fishing experience, many customers have told us that it is the best lake they have ever fished.
In the last year, weights of over 100 pounds of fish in a day were common,
and it is very common to see 20lb+ carp being landed by customers.
Acorn lake is fed from two springs and is rich in natural food, all the fish are in superb condition and this year have shown huge growth rates. To maintain the condition of the fish we have a no keep net policy and only barbless hooks are allowed. Unhooking mats are to be used at all times.
Acorn lake was originally formed as a carp breading lake some 25 years ago. The last time it was drained was fifteen years ago, when the lake was restocked with carp up to 10 pounds. What these original carp weigh now is anybody's guess. In 2017 the biggest carp to be caught from the lake to date was landed after a titanic battle - a monster 38lb mirror in perfect condition that is now fondly known as "Maximus". Maximus has been seen regularly on the surface on hot summer days, and has clearly put on an impressive amount of extra weight, but has become the craftiest of fish in the lake, and has yet to be re-caught. Could you be the one to break the lake record by landing him again?
The lake is fantastic for incresing the weight of carp, with one known carp weighing in at 10 pounds in May, and by September weighed 15 pounds! In 2017, a further ten prime Carp to 35 pounds were added during the winter stocking programme, which included a grass Carp of 32 pounds (which has recently been caught).
Due to our constant stocking, most of the carp in our lake have never been caught, and don't know what a boilie is, the ones that have been tempted fight like crazy. The best bait? Pepperoni!
The largest Roach to come out of the lake this year was two and a half pounds. There are at least two Roach of 4 pounds. Get them feeding, and you can have a good days fishing with half and one pound Roach on every cast.
In 2016, we introduced Bream to the lake. Around 50 large fish to 6 pounds. They seem to have settled in well. Fishing just on the bottom with a wagler float and sweetcorn for bait, the float rises and you are into one! They fight hard! This year, the largest bream to be caught is a splendid fish of 9 pounds 6 oz.
There is nothing better than fishing just under the surface for these beautiful fish. The largest one to come out this year was a superb two and a half pounds. With many around the pound mark. They seem to feed best in the evening whereby the fishing is excellent. I am sure there are larger fish in the lake, time will tell.
We have now added to the lake a few Tench all around 2 kilo's. Further stocking of this beautiful fish will be carried out throughout the Winter as good quality fish can be found.
Predators such as Pike are always a controversial addition to any fishery, but the fact is that fisheries need them to thrive, not only do they control the number of smaller fish, they can also help control any diseases by eating the sick fish before they infect the rest of the stock. We have added four pike to the lake weighing 5 pounds each, and are sure they will put on weight fast! This lake never stops to amaze, and this year a super Pike came out weighing 22lb and another fisherman tried to catch one that was estimated at 30 pounds.
Just when you think that you have to go and buy some new stock of Perch along comes a monster, well a large one for around here. It weighed 3lb 3oz. There have been several others caught around 2lb.
Our aim is to give you an amazing and relaxing fishing experience.
We will be delighted to pick you up from Limoges Airport (25 mins travel time) for free!
We can also lend you fishing gear including rod, reels and end tackle at no cost!
Please do not hesitate to contact us for more info or to make a booking.
07846 069819
+44 7846 069819


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21:45 hours 23 May 2014
This is the latest information from the official Tower Hamlets Council twitter account on the status of the Mayoral count.
Tower Hamlets @TowerHamletsNow
#THVotes An announcement has yet to be made as to whether the Mayoral count will go to second preference or not. Keep following for updates
No result. No declaration. No one has won. No one has lost.
And no one seems capable of telling the voters of Tower Hamlets what is going on.
The only official source of information for Mayoral count is @TowerHamletsNow
We won't be commenting or retweeting on any other information source apart from @TowerHamletsNow.
Bit drastic but people tend to forget that Twitter nonsense can lead to bad things happening in real life.
Returning Officer could help a lot by posting updates every 15 minutes? [Hint]


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Current OP Ratings
Meta #21: If a Special calls for another card to be played with or after it, then the card must be playable by the Character who contributes the card - even if the Special indicates otherwise.I assume this applies to Black Panther's LR and KM? The reason I ask is because Jack has told me otherwise in the past. I don't doubt his judgement, but this rule contradicts his verdict.Meta #92: If 2 cards are combined when used in an attack, then once it hits, the 2 cards are separate and distinct hits on the Character's record. Removing or negating one would have no effect on the other.So, if two cards with different power types are combined and successfully hit, do both cards count towards a Spectrum KO tally?
It's frustrating for a number of reasons. The reason BP's KM is good is because it specifies ANY special from hand can be used, as opposed to other cards specifying it must be usable by the character using it, as seen in Thunderbolts KP. Further more, why would they give him a special that requires a numeric value when he only has 3 numeric specials. Two are OPD, one of which was never even officially released!I'm personally going to overlook #21 when playing with my friend. It's a little self serving, but it would mean I'd have to rebuild the deck I just created, which is just perfect right now.
Well, as it happens meta rule 21 doesn't actually apply to KM cards. (Probably because the game died before someone had the genius idea of 'fixing' that) So you're not violating any rules playing the card as written.