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Is dance music's growth as an industry squeezing out the people who throw parties? Angus Finlayson unpacks one of the broadest problems facing dance music today.
George Patrick co-runs Bigfoot's Tea Party, a small house and techno night with regular events in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. In the eight years he's been promoting the night, he's found things getting harder.
DJ fees have risen much faster than inflation, meaning an artist's fee often doesn't equate to their draw on the door. The boom in festivals in the UK and abroad means that small club nights have slipped down the priority list for DJs and their agents. It can be difficult to secure a DJ for a reasonable fee, particularly for Patrick's nights in the less international Aberdeen. "If you do manage to get them booked, you have to pay so much—you get prices that are ridiculous on the door. And that just creates a flat atmosphere, I think. Clubbers are the ones that pay for it."
Patrick isn't alone: promoters across the UK have similar complaints.
"Some of these fees that I'm getting quoted are ridiculous," says Lukas Cole, whose Wigflex party in Nottingham turned ten last year. "People I've been booking since the beginning, when I would get them for like £500, are asking £8,000 now. It's a 500-person venue—we wouldn't even make that if we sold all of our tickets."
Graeme Stewart, the booker for Ibiza's Zoo Project, has been running a night in his hometown, Middlesbrough, for 13 years. "When we first started doing moderately sized bookings at Riffraff, ten years ago maybe, we could get the same kind of artist that we can now for about half the price. Which, when you're talking about clubs of 200-350 people, is not much margin for error."
The situation is similar in Manchester, according to Alexander Taber, one of the organisers of the nine-year-old meandyou party. "There a lot of promoters now and new venues. The scene is oversaturated in some respects, with programs that mirror one another. Everyone seems to be booking the same acts."
In fact, the problem isn't limited to the UK. Over the past few months I spoke to dozens of promoters, bookers and club owners involved in running small and medium-sized events across dance music's major territories. The overwhelming majority agreed that it was getting more difficult for them to operate.
The symptoms of the problem are by no means evenly distributed. Places where dance music is well established tend to be worse affected than those where it's a novelty. Some hotspots, like Ibiza and Berlin, have unique industry microclimates that shelter them from the problem. Others, like London, face more urgent local threats.
But the symptoms are certainly there. At times, promoters from such distinct places as Dublin, Istanbul, Lisbon and Los Angeles seemed to be reading from an identical cue sheet of complaints: rising fees; a fixation with a small elite of in-demand DJs; ever-fiercer competition, both between local promoters and with an international network of festivals and other large events; and a large-scale professionalisation of the underground, meaning more middlemen, more incidental costs, and less flexibility for those operating on a tight margin.
Among these promoters, the mood of frustration, if not outright pessimism, was fairly uniform. Not all had a doomsday prediction, but some did. As New York promoter Ric Leichtung put it: "There's certainly a bubble and I think it may burst."
What's behind all this? In a word: growth.
According to the International Music Summit's annual Business Report, the global dance music industry had almost doubled in value this decade, from around $4 billion per year in 2011 to $7.1 billion in 2016. Electronic music has flourished as a recorded medium—in the early '10s it dominated the charts in both the US and the UK, and it has thrived in the emergent streaming market. But the biggest change has been in events.
In the US, where EDM propelled dance music into the mainstream, the total capacity of the country's electronic music festivals shot up by 50% per year between 2007 and 2013. A 2016 Ticketmaster study found that the number of dance music festivals in the UK increased by 500% between 2000 and 2015, and that "demand in live dance events continues to rise." Across Europe, the IMS estimated that at least one in seven people had recently attended a dance music event.
You might ask what all this has to do with the underground. After all, these eye-popping figures are driven by the big fish—your Guettas, your Electric Daisy Carnivals—next to which Wigflex or meandyou are mere minnows. But both swim in the same ocean, and are affected by the same currents. Dance music is currently a mainstream pursuit in a way that it hasn't been since the late '90s, and young people attuned to its norms are more likely to engage with the culture in all its forms. You only need to browse Resident Advisor's listings for one of dance music's key cities, or ask a jobbing mid-tier DJ how their bank balance is looking, to get a sense that the global underground is riding a historic high.
"I feel that there was a generational shift," says Ben Turner, cofounder of the International Music Summit. "Young kids in America and all over Europe, all over the world, were reaching an age where they're old enough to go to clubs. This is a generation brought up with technology at their fingertips. The pulse of the music that they listen to is computerised and electronic. And it just clicks."
How might this change the way things work? Do my interviewees' complaints simply reflect the growing pains of an expanding industry? Or perhaps, as Ric Leichtung suggested, we're in a bubble which, as with the '90s and its superstar DJs, will eventually burst?
Or maybe we're seeing the industry slowly but inexorably take on a new shape. One run from the top down by global entertainment companies and lucrative brand partnerships. One in which dance music's heartlands are carved up between a handful of large promotion groups, and elsewhere the logic of the festival predominates. One in which every level of the scene is rigorously professionalised.
If so, this new world might not be all bad. It might bring with it exciting new possibilities. But it could also mean the decline of a certain kind of dance music event.
"You used to open the doors and hope that you had a relatively busy party and a good event," says Graeme Stewart. "Whereas now, kids are buying tickets so, so far in advance… There's a whole experience around clubbing now. You know, everyone books their tickets, then, 'OK, now we're gonna look for an apartment… I'm gonna take the Monday off...' Almost like a festival mentality."
This distinguishes British clubbing in the 2010s from past eras. James Barton, cofounder of Liverpool super-club Cream, wrote in a 2015 Ticketmaster report: "If I take you back to 1996, at the height of Cream and club culture, kids were going out every Saturday night... That's not the norm any more, that's the exception. The norm is that kids now want to invest in big experiences, big moments in their year. This generation wants to be impressed. They want big productions, they want the biggest lineups…"
Barton is now President Of Electronic Music at Live Nation, which, as part of a string of dance music-related acquisitions, recently bought a majority stake in Manchester's Warehouse Project. With its heavy-hitting lineups and pre-announced seasons, the Warehouse Project is part of a new generation of events supplying these "big experiences." These venues reflect, or perhaps shape, the habits of young clubbers. The Ticketmaster report found that "over two in three attendees" of dance music events in the UK "purchase tickets at least two months before the event."
"Listings are available to people so far in advance now," says Stewart. "Travel links are so easy, and people can get an Airbnb, and they can buy cheap train tickets. And kids living in Barnsley or Colchester or wherever can get to a bigger city with much more ease than they could even ten years ago. So the smaller underground nights, which were pushing music into those places, now have to compete with the bigger cities. In Middlesbrough, we check the Warehouse Project lineups when they come out knowing that something two hours down the road still might affect our party."
The booker for one mid-sized club in The North said that he has been forced to adapt to this model, announcing lineups in seasons rather than on the fly, and favouring impressive lineups over creatively interesting ones. Clubgoers now have a consumer mentality shaped by festivals; what Pedro Fradique of Lux Frágil, complaining of the same problem in Lisbon, characterises as: "I've paid this amount and I'll see this number of things."
And then of course there's the effect that these large events can have on DJ fees. "If promoters are putting on events for 2000 people, charging £40 a ticket, and they're taking the bar also, I see no reason why the artist fee shouldn't reflect that," says Stewart. "It wouldn't be fair that the promoter took all of that. It's like saying a footballer shouldn't get paid high wages when the football clubs are getting paid all the Sky money. But the difference is, a footballer playing for Manchester United doesn't go play for Shrewsbury the next week and expect the same wages."
Across the Atlantic, festivals have changed things even more dramatically, though in a different way. When EDM exploded towards the end of the '00s, it was mainly a festival phenomenon, with little connection to the existing US club scene. But its shockwaves have since rippled through every level of popular culture, and the country is experiencing a dance music awakening on a scale perhaps not seen since disco.
"There is an old saying that goes, 'Bad music leads to good music,' and I think that's true," says John Barera, a Boston musician and promoter now based in New York. "The electronic music scene is definitely growing here. With that you have more DJs, more new promoters, more competition."
Perhaps the clearest evidence of this growth is in LA. The city has long had a notable dance music scene, but in the last half-decade an influx of young enthusiasts has given it a new lease of life.
"I feel [EDM has] served as a gateway for people to dig deeper into electronic music, and that's how the scene has grown," says Nik Wilson. "When the whole EDM bubble grew and crossed over into the mainstream here five years ago, people got into electronic music en masse and the ones who have stuck with it, their tastes have matured. As a result, a few years down the line the market here is now better, with more refined sounds."
Wilson is a talent buyer for Hollywood club Avalon, and co-runs the warehouse space Lot 613. He has observed the scene's rapid transformation since he moved to the city from London, where he'd worked at Ministry Of Sound. "[LA is] almost becoming a bit like London or NYC, in the fact that there's now lots of great parties on every weekend, with really high quality international acts. It wasn't like that when I moved here four years ago. There's a multitude of great choices every weekend."
But it's not clear whether the city can sustain this flood of new events and promoters. Cooper Saver, the DJ and producer behind the Far Away parties, considers himself part of the younger generation that Wilson is talking about. "I feel like this kind of music bubble is more accessible now than it was years ago. Throwing parties is the best way to get involved and get a view of how this all works." But he worries that the scene is getting bloated. "I don't think that the crowd is big enough for so many parties. You see the same couple hundred people at every event, and if there's a lot going on in a night, nobody is gonna have a good night."
This also increases the demand for popular DJs. Jeni Erickson of Making Shapes observes that "a scramble for certain artist bookings" can lead to "a bid war between LA promoters… Since you now have at least six popular party brands operating in the underground here, the agents and artists have strong options."
Rising fees make the already harsh economics of illicit warehouse parties even less favourable. "With most places being secret and afterhours, you have to pay for literally everything," says Saver. "You have to rent the space, the sound, you gotta bring in the bar. That on top of talent doesn't leave you much headroom to make a profit. Basically if the artist fee is anything over $4000 or so, you're pretty much accepting the fact that you're just doing it for fun. For the most part, I don't think promoters are even making a profit."
This problem persists due to, as one promoter who didn't want to be named put it, "the rise of the genteel promoter": people with preexisting wealth who are willing to lose money in order to be involved in the scene. This phenomenon has always existed, of course, but it worsens as dance music acquires more social cachet, as is happening across the world.
"There are people out there that seem to have access to a lot of money, and don't really seem to care if they lose £1000 on a show," says Casper Clark, who runs the London party and record label BleeD. "Because the more desirable this whole thing becomes, the more people want a piece of it. And let's face it, some people are wealthier than others, you know?"
While an influx of young promoters squeezes the LA scene from the bottom, EDM's festival infrastructure applies pressure from the top. Many hailed the death of EDM when SFX Entertainment went bankrupt last year, but this may not have indicated a collapse so much as a transfer into a steadier state. The 2016 IMS report found "evidence that [EDM's] recent explosive growth is translating into sustainable wide-scale appeal." As Vivian Host, of New York party Trouble & Bass, says, in recent years the EDM festival has "proliferated, and had all these babies in different areas."
Thanks to its weather, Southern California is a hotspot for these festivals. Live Nation is the "creative partner" of Insomniac Events, which runs Beyond Wonderland in March, Nocturnal Wonderland in September, and Escape Halloween. Live Nation also owns Hard, which typically throws two festivals in LA each year. Its competitor, AEG, owns Goldenvoice, the promoter behind Coachella and FYF Fest.
These festivals offer larger fees than independent clubs and require artists to sign an exclusivity clause preventing them from performing in the area for as much as several months either side of an event. The exclusion zone spans several hundred kilometres, meaning that a booking at Insomniac's flagship event, Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, has a bearing on LA. If an artist accepts two gigs from one of these promoters, they could be out of the LA market for most of the year.
This is significant because these festivals are increasingly looking to the underground for booking ideas. Coachella's 2017 lineup features Ben UFO, Marcel Dettmann and Floating Points. Insomniac booked the likes of Four Tet, Rødhåd and Jackmaster for events in California last year. Some warehouse promoters worry that their core artists may soon be appearing on festivals' radars. "It could get bleak," one says.
This reflects a broader dynamic, in which the mainstream and underground spheres, previously considered distinct, are slowly merging. On one side, commercial interests have a growing appetite for previously niche music; on the other, grassroots music culture is being slowly professionalised. Festivals are often a meeting place for these two worlds.
"The gap between what is mainstream or underground is reducing," says Pedro Fradique. In the earlier days of Lux Frágil, the club would book an artist once, "and then over the years they would become more well known, and they would go to a festival. These days, there are things [I've booked] that I've had 50 people to watch, or something like that, but next year, they can already be at a festival."
On the other side of the continent, New York has also felt the post-EDM shockwaves, and the city is not immune to the effects of festivals and their exclusivity clauses. (The New York Times recently reported on Live Nation and AEG's rivalry in the city.)
"Every month there's a new festival popping up, and new clubs opening," says Nicolas Matar. "There's some weekends when New York has more events than London and Berlin. I don't think that New York has as large of an audience though. It is much bigger than it has ever been, but it is not quite as big as London and Berlin yet."
Matar owns Cielo in Manhattan and Output in Brooklyn, which opened in 2013 during a resurgence of nightlife in the city. He now feels that things aren't sustainable in their current state. "There's a constant bidding war, DJs are being overpaid. The DJs and their managers are the only ones making money, and the promoter or club owner's profit margin has dwindled as a result."
By Matar's reckoning, things got out of joint "about three and a half years ago" when a glut of promoters and events sent DJ fees haywire. "New York basically became, because of all of these competing entities bidding for DJs, the market where DJs were making their highest fees in North America. The mistake that a lot of agencies and managers made is thinking, 'OK, the market is massive in New York, I'm getting loads of really high offers, so let me bring my acts there four to six times in one year.' And that was just way too much. Most of these clubbers also go to festivals elsewhere in the country and worldwide. What's the incentive for them to go out here in New York? A lot of clubs, if this continues, are going to go out of business."
In a cutthroat market, it has become harder for these larger clubs to take risks. Conservative bookings are more likely to cover their substantial overheads. Smaller operators, in turn, feel that these larger clubs have destabilised the scene in their eagerness to capitalise on the clubbing boom.
Ric Leichtung has been booking shows in New York for nine years, at smaller venues like Market Hotel, 285 Kent and Palisades. "When a big club comes along, it's a blessing in one way, 'cause you have this really great soundsystem, and all this other stuff," he says. "But then this is a multi-million-dollar club, effectively making money off art and culture. As a business in culture, you need to be constantly balancing, 'Does this suit my artistic vision and does this also pay the bills?' And I think there's just inherent compromise."
"Everybody got really greedy for a while," says Vivian Host, whose Trouble & Bass parties frequented smaller clubs before a spell at the larger (now defunct) Verboten. "Things got so blown up that clubs were scrambling around being like, 'Maybe this person is the hot new promoter, maybe that person is.' The clubs didn't really want to invest in a promoter by trusting them and giving them a regular monthly. And I think it really hurt the scene."
This volatile atmosphere has polarised the city. Larger clubs and warehouse parties draw a wealthier house and techno crowd. Other events are confined to a vibrant but unstable ecosystem of lower-tier venues, where efforts to build a consistent club night are hindered by hidden expenses, dodgy equipment and the risks of getting shut down (as 285 Kent and Palisades were in recent years).
"I feel like the turnover rate of promoters has been really high," says Host. "And also the rate of people having to move around venues. Somebody will be at one place for four months, and then their party is somewhere else. It's like you're constantly having to try shit out all the time."
In this shifting climate, the people who win out (in the short term at least) are artists and their booking agents. "The gap between grassroots and popular industry folk is rapidly decreasing," Leichtung observes. "So you find that anybody who has a really excellent press writeup, even if they're a smaller artist, graduates to another financial tier that, more often than not, they won't be able to pull in [at the door]."
DJs who are perceived to draw crowds are in a strong bargaining position. "There's a tremendous amount of competition around certain big name DJs who are going to guarantee that people will come," says John Barera. "Any DJ who has a name and a reputation, they have the ability to just turn the fee upwards."
Agents were a common bugbear among the promoters I spoke to. Many say they are more present in dance music these days—even at the lower rungs of the scene, where booking a DJ might previously have been an informal affair. They are also accused of letting relationships with small promoters decay in favour of larger clubs and festivals.
"I feel like a lot of these agencies have gotten more corporate in their approach," says Host. They're less likely to "cut smaller or medium-sized promoters a break. And if they succeed in getting their artist booked by these big clubs or festivals, then there's really no incentive, from a money perspective, to even deal with mid-sized promoters, right?"
In Manchester, Alexander Taber points to "the professionalisation of the scene and the use of agents" as one of meandyou's major challenges. "Agents obviously play a vital role for the organisation and development of an artist's career. However, for smaller promoters, the involvement of agents is making booking international artists increasingly difficult. High artist fees, agency fees, hotel rooms, venue hire, security hire etc.—it's a lot to deal with when you're promoting parties that only have the capacity of 150 people. There needs to be a better understanding from agents about the financial implication and cultural importance of running small scale events, otherwise it's just not sustainable."
Jason Garden, the talent buyer at Chicago's smartbar, often hears "the old 'X makes $Y in Europe' argument" as a justification for unaffordable fees. "To my mind, part of being an agent is being able to understand the local markets you are trying to place your artist in… When I hear the 'in Europe' argument, I cringe because it ignores all parties but the agent and artist, who are certainly important pieces of the puzzle, but only half of it at most."
What has led to the rising influence of booking agents? The answer lies once again in the collision of mainstream and underground.
"When I first became an agent the best part of seven years ago, there were only perhaps six or seven [major] agencies doing electronic music as we know it," recalls an agent at an independent London agency. Following the EDM boom, "now all the major ones have significant departments, such as William Morris." This increases competition, meaning that agents need to sign artists earlier to be in with a chance of bagging future talent. "You have to be a lot more ahead of the game and sign talent that is still, in some cases, emerging."
Once an artist has some success, the current rude health of the industry makes it more feasible for them to approach music as a full-time career. When they do, the collapse in record sales leaves them dependent on DJing for their income.
"As soon as you start to think of it as a full-time career, you have to think about their need to pay their rent, to fulfil tax obligations, and to potentially look after a family," says Keira Sinclair of POLY. Artists. "And also the longevity of that career—is this going to give them stability for the rest of their lives? It's a shame that it seems to be seen as a negative thing. Isn't it great that people can support themselves by making and playing music?"
As for whether agents favour larger events over small promoters? My anonymous London agent acknowledges that "the larger promotion groups have a lot more influence than ever previously." This is because of "the sheer amount of shows the right affiliation can deliver."
But they shouldn't be seen as an entirely negative force, says Sandy Marris at Coda Music Agency. "These larger events are invaluable in showcasing these sounds to a wider audience who then in turn go off and explore the music a bit more. Catching DJs at big festivals is exactly how I caught the bug." They can also "offer larger fees that enable DJs to make a living from what they do and so can allow them to do more of the small club shows… I think both are necessary to keep the other going."
The key is to strike a balance. "I think the logic is pretty simple," says Marris. "Unless you want to alienate promoters there is no point in demanding the same fee for a 10,000-capacity Dutch mega rave on Saturday night as you would ask a tiny punk club for a Sunday evening."
If promoters are to be believed, not all agents follow these rules of best practice. But it seems misguided to blame them for the state of things. After all, they're cogs in a machine, and as the machine runs faster and faster and the clockwork winds ever tighter, their room to manoeuvre decreases. They, like promoters, are subject to fundamental changes in the mechanisms driving dance music culture along.
Many people I spoke to speculated about where this might all be headed. "What about the housing bubble and shit like that?" asks John Barera. "Shit pops, you know what I mean? The music industry seems very fragile to me. I really don't see an infinite ceiling of fee increases, there's got to be a bust." This has happened to dance music in the storied slump at the end of the '90s, but globalisation and the digital revolution have changed things profoundly since then.
"When you look at it in comparison to now, the huge explosion of DJs in the '90s was almost like a tremor," says IMS cofounder Ben Turner. "Everything kind of imploded at the millennium, certainly around Europe and the UK. The scene is so global now, there's a more solid foundation for this industry. I think that's because of the generation shift. These kids aren't just into electronic music for a fad. I don't believe they're all going to turn into rock fans."
Kevin Watson, author of the IMS Business Report, predicts not a collapse but the opposite: further growth worldwide, and a possible second EDM boom in developing nations. He points to India as an example, comparing its population of 18-24 year-olds to that of the US. "If India got to just half of the relative penetration of festivals that the US currently has, then you would see 18 more Tomorrowlands," he says. "That's a huge potential growth." Events like Magnetic Fields festival in Rajasthan are beginning to demonstrate the country's appetite for underground sounds.
If Watson is right, then what seems like the current peak in global dance music might turn out to be the beginning of a steep ascent. This could be positive for the industry, but bad for grassroots club culture. One promoter wondered whether, from a business perspective, a "chainstore" version of clubland wasn't entirely desirable. What to them seemed like a negative development might in fact be dance music taking on the form with which it can best dominate the world.
Others were more optimistic. "I think that on the smaller scale here's what's never going to change," says Ric Leichtung. "There's always going to be small promoters, up-and-coming artists, new venues that are passionate and that value artist integrity over financial gain." George Patrick agrees: "I think if you want to, you'll find a way."
Some suggested potential solutions to the problems small promoters face. They could work together, rather than competing in an open market with much larger entities. (This is starting to happen in LA, where a shared Google doc of upcoming dates helps avoid splitting the city's crowd.) And they could rid themselves of the obsession with big-name guest DJs, instead favouring residents and local talent.
For Trev O'Shea, founder of Dublin's Bodytonic, originality is key. "I took a lot of inspiration from what I read or heard about how the likes of Factory Records, Optimo, Underground Resistance and the Paradise Garage did things, in terms of being different, creative and self sufficient. What I would love to see is a new generation of promoters come through who are creative, clever, and don't think a party needs to revolve solely around a guest DJ… Take a risk, try new things, if it doesn't work the first time, try, try and try again. It's worth it, trust me!"


text: This item is in the category "Pottery & Glass\Glass\Art Glass\North American\Other North American Art Glass". The seller is "skardagallery" and is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This item can be shipped to United States, to Canada, to United Kingdom, DK, RO, SK, BG, CZ, FI, HU, LV, LT, MT, EE, to Australia, GR, PT, CY, SI, to Japan, to China, SE, KR, ID, to Taiwan, ZA, TH, to Belgium, to France, to Hong Kong, to Ireland, to Netherlands, PL, to Spain, to Italy, to Germany, to Austria, RU, IL, to Mexico, to New Zealand, SG, to Switzerland, NO, SA, UA, AE, QA, KW, BH, HR, MY, TR, BR, CL, CO, CR, DO, PA, TT, GT, SV, HN, JM.

subset: commoncrawl


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No, not those horse people from Gulliver's Travels or words that sound the same but smell different. It's trying to win an argument by pointing out your opponent is wearing white after Labour Day. A good debate is a wonderful thing – like a tango with words – and dips should be one of the dance steps, not the participants.
Lee Maddeford – The Soft Hate Song
Baba's Beach Podcast #17 - Ad Hominem [ 8:23 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download


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Ashley Plantation is the perfect setting for all of your golf tournaments, corporate or group functions, and special events. The staff at Ashley Plantation will orchestrate all functions for your program, including tournament setup and results, special contests or events, and full-service catering. Experience a golf course outing your group will be talking about for the rest of the year.
Below are some of the key services we provide for your golf event
- Personalized cart signage with hole assignments
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- Spotters for hole-in-one contests, etc.
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Located in our Georgian-Style clubhouse is a Banquet / Meeting Room that can seat 80 people comfortably for a meal or meeting, and includes equipment for presentations or entertainment. Located adjacent to the 1st Tee of the Hills 9 and the 9th Green is our outdoor covered Pavilion, the most popular location for pre and post tournament meals. The Pavilion can seat 150 people and has restroom facilities, an ice maker and a refrigerator/freezer.
If you're planning to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, wedding or special occasion at Ashley Plantation, our professional staff will help you coordinate all of the details. Contact us today to learn more about the services and rentals our club has to offer.


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I am surprised at how many people argue that spelling and language skills in general do not matter as long as the message is communicated. Words do matter. Language matters. Etymology matters. Spelling matters.
I've put out tens of thousands of pieces of writing over a career that began in the early 1980s. My career was built on written publications. Yet I'm not aware of any piece that was published without an error. Mistakes happen. That's OK, you can survive. But the attitude that these issues are not meaningful to begin with does matter and places us at significant intellectual risk as a society.
I suggest the books "The Mother Tongue; English and How It Got That Way" and "Made in America" (the better of the two, IMO) by Bill Bryson as introductory material for anyone with an interest in this topic. Bryson covers the topic superbly. I won't even try to summarize.


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Chopped ended its five-episode all-star season last night, and although the winner received $50,000 for charity, the losers all got nothing–a really disappointing coda to a strong season. (Update: the network is giving an additional $50,000 to charity of the chef who gets the most votes in an online poll. More below.)
The series has done nothing but improve since its so-so debut two years ago. This season worked not just because it featured familiar chefs–including the show's own judges–but because that ramped up the level of intensity, and producers stuck with the winning formula of giving a mix of weird and challenging ingredients to the chefs.
Next Iron Chef cast member Nate Appleman won the show, beating runner-up and series judge Aaron Sanchez, whose dry chocolate cake did him in. Next Food Network Star and cast member Michael Proietti went home first, followed by Worst Chefs in America host Anne Burrell.
The show constantly emphasized the importance of charity to the chefs, but the producers and network offered nothing to any of those charities. Not only did the losers each semi-final round get nothing for their charities, the three finalists got nothing. The editing even highlighted that: When Michael was eliminated first, he said something like, "The hardest part is not being able to give anything to my charity."
I was shocked that Ted Allen didn't announce that they were giving anything to the losers' charities in the early rounds, so I really expected it during the finale., perhaps an announcement that each charity would get $10,000, or even $1,000. But no. Instead, Food Network just asked us to give money.
Chopped usually gives $10,000 to its winner. The all-star season was five episodes long, meaning that they would have spent $50,000 on prizes had this been a normal run of episodes. That was the exact amount that the winner's charity received, meaning that the all-star round didn't cost the network anything additional. And Ted Allen and the judges kept talking about how amazing it was that one charity would get that money, as if it was crazy generous and not just the show's normal budget compressed into one payment.
Don't get me wrong: I'm sure $50,000 will help Nate's charity, the Kawasaki Disease Foundation, will benefit (Nate called it "game-changing money" for the organization), it's just that the show's back-patting seemed a bit disproportionate. And while the publicity might help the charities–there's a list of all charities and links to their web sites on Food Network's web site–it's too bad the show couldn't help, too, after building an entire season that used them as the reason for its existence.
Update: Food Network is giving $50,000 to the winner of a fan favorite online poll, essentially doubling their contribution to charity. That is awesome. I remain surprised, though, that the runner-ups' charities got nothing.


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Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) Amendment (Review) Bill 2016
Dr HUGH McDERMOTT (Prospect) [5.49 p.m.]: The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) Amendment (Review) Bill 2016 aims to address the statutory review of the national law in relation to councils for health professionals. It is a "tidying up" bill that will have a minor effect on the healthcare system in New South Wales. It includes items such as changing terminology, increasing the involvement of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal and mandating audio-recording of meetings. Those are reasonable changes; however, they do not address the greater issues at stake in the New South Wales health system.
Perhaps the biggest issue that the bill will fail to address is the dire situation of the emergency department at Fairfield Hospital in Prairiewood. Fairfield mayor Frank Carbone once described the emergency room at Fairfield Hospital as being like a McDonald's. It has just over 20 beds. It is severely underfunded. Its waiting area is barely cut off from the emergency ward and there are reports that some children have witnessed the horrific injuries that emergency departments deal with on a regular basis. It is in desperate need of funding to implement its master plan, but the Baird Government is yet to provide it.
Last year my office sent a letter to every household in Prospect within the catchment area of Fairfield Hospital. My office was flooded with replies thanking the hospital staff for their hard work and dedication but also expressing anger at how the Baird Government was not providing enough support to the hospital and surrounding areas. Parts of the bill reasonably seek to address complaints to the Health Care Complaints Commission in regard to administrative matters. However, no quantity of complaints can match the effect of the savage cuts to health that the Baird and Turnbull governments have implemented. The Baird Government slashed $3 billion from the health system. The Abbott Government slashed $17.1 billion, and the Turnbull Government has not reversed that cut. Patients, even those who cannot afford it, now have to pay for X-rays, blood and urine tests, ultrasounds, MRIs and pap smears.
If that was not bad enough, the crisis of the Baird Government's failure to deliver a solid healthcare system to the people of New South Wales continues. For example, ambulances have to queue outside hospitals while waiting for beds to become available. In my electorate, where the Fairfield Hospital has just over 20 beds, that is a worrying situation. Crystal methamphetamine, or ice, and its associated violence are creating havoc in our hospitals. We have all heard the stories of up to five paramedics being needed to cope with the increased strength of an ice user undergoing a psychotic episode. Health professionals, especially paramedics, do not receive the praise they deserve for placing themselves in danger when dealing with ice addicts on an almost daily basis. At Fairfield Hospital children have had to witness ice users undergoing a psychotic episode, due to the layout of the hospital. That urgently needs to change, and it could be done within weeks if the Government finally funds the Fairfield Hospital upgrade.
A total of 73,000 patients are waiting for elective surgery procedures, with the waiting time in Western Sydney being up to four years. The hand surgery department at Fairfield Hospital, for example, operates out of demountable buildings that are barely good enough to be classrooms let alone a supposed world-class surgery facility. Ambulance response times are increasing because the Baird Government is not providing the support that paramedics deserve. As I have said before, I owe my life to paramedics and a fast response time is the reason I am able to stand in this House today. I know firsthand just how important fast response times are, and Labor will fight for faster response times in New South Wales. Recently, my office was contacted by someone who had had to wait for more than 40 minutes for an ambulance. Luckily, the patient is alive and recovering. One can only wonder why an ambulance was not available earlier.
Once patients arrive at a hospital waiting times are an issue. Some 30 per cent of patients wait more than four hours. At Westmead Hospital and to the north of the Prospect electorate at Nepean Hospital—the two major hospitals in Western Sydney—52 per cent of patients waited longer than four hours in the emergency department. At Nepean Hospital 835 patients waited longer than 20 hours. At Westmead Hospital more than 900 patients waited longer than 16 hours. There is no denying that the health system is in a state of crisis. What has the Baird Government done to address this crisis in New South Wales? Let us have a look.
The Baird Government has suggested a 50 per cent increase to the GST and then give $8 billion of that to corporations in tax cuts while giving only $1.8 billion to health care. The Premier then said, "We can either kick this problem down the road for future generations, by which time it will be even bigger, or deal with it now." If the Premier was serious about improving health care, first, he would not be spending four times as much on corporate handouts than he wants to spend on health care. Secondly, he would not have sold New South Wales short on the power grid sale, which will lead to a dramatic loss in revenue which could have funded ongoing health costs and kept power bills low. It would take only $6 million to upgrade Fairfield Hospital to the extent necessary.
That is barely a drop in the ocean of the Government's revenue. That funding could have been raised if the Government had not wasted money on its ill-fated Opal Man and Stoner Sloth campaigns. With $1 billion allocated for 20 kilometres of the Parramatta Light Rail, shortening the proposed light rail network by 100 metres could raise enough money to completely reinvigorate Fairfield Hospital. If the Department of Education information technology upgrade had been completed on budget, Fairfield Hospital could have been upgraded 15 times over. With the tripling of revenue from speed and red light cameras under this Government, just 12 days of revenue could pay to complete a one-off upgrade of Fairfield Hospital.
Perhaps out of the thousands upon thousands of jobs the Baird Government is cutting from the public sector some of the savings could go towards upgrading Fairfield Hospital. But they are not. Of all the money the Baird Government is wasting and stripping from working men and women, none of it is going into upgrading Fairfield Hospital. That is simply shameful. The Opposition does not oppose the bill. However, it is concerning that the Baird Government has decided to target health professionals by imposing arguably stricter standards on those who do the most work. The Government should be looking to accept responsibility for failing the people of New South Wales through neglecting the health system.
If the Baird Liberal Government was serious about the Liberal-conservative ideology of individual responsibility it should not run for the hills and pretend there is no problem with the health system. It should stop pretending there is no problem with Fairfield Hospital. The Baird Government must accept responsibility for the increase in ambulance waiting times, the reduced availability of beds and the poor decision that is aimed at lining the pockets of its mates in the corporate sector through generous tax cuts instead of providing the basic services that the people of this State deserve. To reiterate, if the GST is raised the Premier wants to use the four times as much money on corporate tax cuts as he does on upgrading hospitals. He wants to give $8 billion cash in hand each year to the corporate sector and only $1.8 billion to hospitals. The long wait for elective surgery and emergency treatment continues. I congratulate nurses, doctors and the public hospital staff of New South Wales on their incredible patience under the incompetent Baird Government. I commend the bill to the House.


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After twelve days at a spiritual retreat in Abadiania, Brazil I was looking forward to getting home to Buenos Aires. I hooked up with an Australian couple from the retreat to share a taxi into el Centro. When asked about the taxi situation in BsAs I assured them that in all my time here I have never had a bad experience with a taxi. But, this day, my street savvy had been dulled by a loving environment in the Brazilian countryside and I allowed the taxista to 'take us for a ride'.
When he said the fare would be 129 pesos I questioned that – saying two weeks ago I had only paid 115. He said it was because we wanted two stops. My bullshit detector must've had a short circuit because I kept walking to his car – which I realized, once the mist of the belief in the good of all people began to lift, was not actually a taxi.
By the time I'd reached full city consciousness (mas o menos) we were on the autopista heading toward town, and I didn't want to worry my companions, so I continued to hang onto my faltering belief in the good of all people. Even at the increased fare, we were still getting a good deal by sharing. We dropped them off at their hotel and headed to my apartment.
I handed over 130 pesos and prepared to disembark when he said it's 129 – and showed me that I had given him two tens and a twenty. Surprised, I second guessed myself – but – I knew I'd given him a 100 peso note because I only had one in my wallet and it wasn't there anymore. I proceeded to yell at him in English wishing I had paid better attention in my 'Swearing in Spanish 101' class. If I'd been really thinking I may have also reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out my 100 peso note – but we only think about all these things later – don't we?
Next time I'll take the bus.
Okay, so here's a plan. When you get your bills from the bank machine check them all for the authentic watermark. Then, make a personal mark on all of them. Next time you're ready to pay the taxista make sure that you know exactly how many 100s you have with you and give him one, making certain that he understands that you know that you're giving him 100. Now, at this point, if he still tries to screw you – breathe, chill out, relax – don't get upset. You can rest in the confident knowledge that he's an idiot. If he comes back at you saying that you gave him a fake bill, you know you didn't. Let him know that you know that he's exchanged the one you gave him for a false one and stashed your bill. If he owes you money, relax and refuse to get out of his taxi. He can't pick up another fare with you sitting there. What's he going to do? Call the cops? Excellent!
If he exchanges the 100 you gave him for a 10 and he tells you that you made a mistake expecting you to cough up another 100 – you know you didn't – don't get flustered. If he doesn't owe you money – just get out of the cab – not feeling obligated to pay for his next oil change.
Don't worry if you can't speak Spanish very well. I'm sure that he'll understand dirty rotten bastard by your intonation even if he doesn't quite understand your words.
If you have suitcases in the trunk – you may have a problem. Keep your suitcases inside the car with you. They usually want you to do this anyway so they don't have to get out to open the trunk.
In reality, the majority of taxistas are very nice honest people. It only takes one to ruin your whole holiday and impression of them. Be smart, be careful and just relax – enjoy the ride they're taking you on . . .


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Surgeons Have Identified the Ideal Female Belly Button
Hey you! Yeah, you! Feeling pretty OK about the way you look today? Got a little extra spring in your step? Well, stop it right now and take a look down at your stomach and get out your ruler! Because you — yes you — may very well have an imperfect belly button. I know, right? Like you didn't have enough to worry about.
Via Daily Mail:
Surgeons at the University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, whose research was published in ASJ, analyzed images of 37 Playboy Playmates (really) to assess the ideal length, shape and position of the navel.
With the help of a computerized tool called an 'Aesthetic Analyzer', they established that a perfect belly button has a ratio of 46:54, and a midline horizontal position.
The ideal length is 5 percent of the length from the lower breastbone to the lower part of the vulvar cleft, and the 'hood,' or flap, is very small.
Luckily, I am terrible at math and therefore have absolutely no interest in using it in order to find things wrong with myself. In fact, I can think of few things I would be less likely to voluntarily do.
However, plastic surgeon Dr. Adam Rubinstein of Miami, Florida, tells Today.com that most people just want their belly button to be in the 'range of normal.'
'Using Playboy Playmates is kind of an arbitrary sample. Just because these women are considered beautiful doesn't mean they have beautiful belly buttons,' he said.
The "range of normal?" This is a thing? I mean, I have one friend with a slightly off-center belly-button, and we all find that kind of endearing. I have an all the way innie that comes to a point. I'm pretty OK with it. Aren't belly buttons kind of just there? I mean, is there any such thing as a truly stunning one?
I wouldn't expect anyone to be so concerned about having an aesthetically perfect navel that they would have surgery. Then again, I wouldn't expect anyone to want to be a Human Barbie Doll either, but here we are.
Weirdly, this is not even the first research of this kind. There apparently have been multiple efforts to find the perfect female belly button. Because apparently no one cares about the aesthetic appeal of male belly buttons. Either that or there isn't enough money in repairing all the other things we tell women are wrong with them.
Previous research to develop a navel aesthetic took place in 2000 at the University of Missouri, where images of 147 female belly buttons were shown to a panel of 15 men and 6 women.
According to Charles L. Puckett's journal article In Search of the Ideal Female Umbilicus, navels considered beautiful were small and vertically oriented, or T-shaped, while horizontal belly buttons were thought to be ugly.
Can you imagine being in that research group and trying to take it seriously? I am reasonably sure that after looking at and rating 147 belly buttons is a thing that could drive a person insane. Surely they would haunt your dreams for years to come.
All of this aside, I assure you all — despite the fact that I don't know you — that your belly button is probably 100% non-offensive, unless for some reason you still have your umbilical cord attached, because I bet that would be gross.
This article originally published at Death and Taxes here


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Book Tour and Activities on the Go!
About the activity :
Head for a new and exciting soft trekking experience in Munnar with your friends and family on your next holiday! Experience the pure thrill of adventure and relax in the serenity of the sprawling hills and forests of Munnar as you visit the tea gardens of this beautiful hill station! Let your senses dance to the different aromas of the tea gardens and revel in the amazing scenery! Nature lovers and tea enthusiasts are in for a pure treat if your next holiday plans involve the lovely hill station of Munnar. Enjoy the serenity of this lovely emerald-hued paradise on your next holiday soon! Embark on a fun soft trekking trip and click natures beauty to your joy!
Activities: Trekking and Tea Plantation Visit
Difficulty Level: Easy
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Michigan 4-H pre-college programs help youth discover and dream
Michigan 4-H provides developmentally appropriate programs and opportunities for youth throughout every stage of their pre-college life.
"The Positive Development of Youth: Comprehensive Findings from the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development," a study complied by Tufts University, found higher academic competence in seventh, ninth, 11th and 12th grades when comparing 4-H participants to youth who engaged in other out of school activities. Additionally, the same study found that 4-Hers in 11th and 12th grade reported higher school engagement when compared to youth in other programs.
In fall 2015, the Digest of Education Statistics estimated that 20.2 million students were expected to attend a U.S. college or university – an increase of about 4.9 million since 2000. Additionally, "The Rising Cost of Not Going to College," a study by the Pew Research Center, found that a college education today is worth more for Millennials than with previous generations.
A Center for Public Education study found that it's not necessarily harder to get into college today than it was 10 years ago. The difference today is an increase in the number of applications each student completes, which causes a decrease in the overall acceptance rates. College Board, a non-profit that aims to help connect students with "college success and opportunity," notes that when it comes to the role extracurricular activities play in college admission decisions, exhibiting a commitment to a specific organization or activity over the long term, highlighting leadership skills and noting activities that relate to the applicant's study or career goals are all positives. Janet Lavin Rapelye, Princeton's Dean of Admissions, supports similar engagement, saying in an article from "The Choice" by The New York Times, "…we recommend that students follow their individual interests in the special talents they want to develop in the visual and performing arts, athletics, leadership activities, and that they engage themselves civically."
Michigan State University Extension 4-H is one such extracurricular activity that provides developmentally appropriate programs and opportunities for youth throughout every stage of their pre-college life. Many of Michigan 4-H's statewide events are considered by MSU to be "pre-college programs." This means these programs are designed for pre-college aged youth, are coordinated and facilitated by MSU faculty/staff, are intense in there level of content and intentionally expose student to possible career paths and opportunities for educational study.
About 72 percent of youth who participated in MSU pre-college programs were admitted to MSU upon application in 2014. The youth who participate in these programs get to meet expert practitioners and faculty members, engage in higher-level thinking about communities and complex issues and have the opportunity to explore possibilities for their future. Special scholarships are offered to youth that participate in pre-college programs to support their goals through attending college, and event coordinators encourage youth to take positive risks and dream big.
For more information on the Michigan 4-H pre-college programs, visit the Pre-College Programs and Resources page.


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May 1, 2010 by Rob Newell
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. - In the world of tournament fishing, being a local can either be a huge hindrance or a big boon. In the case of Frank Jordan Jr. of Bainbridge, Ga., being a Lake Seminole local proved to be a tremendous advantage this week as he took victory in the FLW American Fishing Series held in his hometown.
Jordan dominated the AFS Southeast event with a final-day limit weighing 19 pounds, 5 ounces to rocket him from fourth place to the winner's circle with a three-day total of 56 pounds, 3 ounces, providing nearly a 7-pound margin of victory.
"Man, this feels pretty good," said Jordan after accepting his trophy and check for $19,119. "I led one of these events on Eufaula a couple of years ago, messed up on the final day and finished fifth, so this helps make up for that. Plus, winning at home is special."
Jordan was quick to point out that his local advantage was at a premium today because it allowed him to stay in productive water while seeking shelter from the harsh south wind.
"I know a lot of these other guys got blown out by that hard wind today," he said. "Because I know this lake so well, I was able to fish some key places that were out of the wind, which was a big help."
Jordan's local knowledge was also a factor in jumping on the shad-spawn bite the first day of the event.
"The shad spawn was not really happening during practice, but on the first day of the tournament, I saw it starting, so I knew exactly where to go and what to do from that point on," he added.
Jordan spent his week in the Flint River arm, from midlake all the way down to the dam, targeting grass lines, edges and points in 6 to 8 feet of water with a War Eagle spinnerbait and buzzbait. He alternated between 1/2- and 3/8-ounce sizes, depending on the thickness of the grass. The lure colors were all in a shad pattern.
"I got off to kind of a frustrating start this morning," he said. "I've been catching a limit every morning off this one spot, and I got there this morning, caught three and then lost two monsters. I thought I had blown it right there because the wind was starting to get bad. At about noon I ducked into one of those protected places I knew had some fish on it and caught my biggest bass on the buzzbait - that made me feel a little better."
Brock takes second
Mason Brock of Marianna, Fla., finished second with a three-day total of 49-5 worth $6,500.
Brock worked three primary patterns this week: sight-fishing, the shad spawn on the main Flint River and working a worm in Spring Creek.
"I'd start each morning on the grass lines where I found big concentrations of shad," Brock said. "Once I got a limit doing that and it got later in the day, I'd go sight-fishing with a lizard or throw an Ol' Monster worm in Spring Creek to upgrade my limit."
Dropping water levels during the week played to Brock's advantage.
"When the tournament started, I had one place where there were still a few fish on beds, but the water was high and murky I couldn't see real well," he explained. "But as they dropped the water each day, the visibility improved and that allowed me to find a couple of new fish every day."
Brock's primary shad-spawn lure was a 1/2-ounce Strike Zone spinnerbait.
Bass third
Donny Bass of Fort Myers, Fla., finished third with a three-day total of 49 pounds worth $4,589.
Bass fished the Chattahoochee River flats during the week, focusing on clumps of hydrilla that grew up on the river ledges in 3 to 5 feet of water.
"If a flat kind of swung out into the river channel and had that clumpy grass on it, that was the ticket," Bass said. "Most of the bites would come when I would hit a clump of that grass."
Bass' key baits included a Bagley's Baitfish lipless rattler and a Strike King swimjig.
Prough fourth
Chad Prough of Chipley, Fla., finished fourth with a three-day total of 48-4 worth $3,824.
Prough started the week Carolina rigging a lizard and a Trick Worm when conditions were sunny and slick.
But when day two brought breeze, clouds and wind, he switched over to a 1/2-ounce Chatterbuzz buzzbait and a Red-eye Shad lipless crankbait to take advantage of the shad spawn.
"My best shad-spawn places were in about 6 to 8 feet water in submerged grass," Prough said. "I was fishing down where the Flint and Spring creeks come together, and the wind really hit it hard today."
Solis fifth
Ty Solis of Albany, Ga., finished fifth with a three-day total of 47-12, pocketing $3,441.
Solis led the event after day one when conditions were sunny and calm.
His primary pattern during the week was to fish the outsides of spawning pockets with lightly weighted Texas-rigged Big Bite plastics on 15-pound-test Seaguar fluorocarbon line on Dobyns Rods.
Rest of the best
6th: Keith Pace of Monticello, Ark., three-day total of 44-14, $3,059
7th: Chris Weber of Fort Myers Beach, Fla., three-day total of 44-4, $2,677
8th: David Mock of Tallahassee, Fla., three-day total of 41-3, $2,294
9th: Kevin Snider of Elizabethtown, Ky., three-day total of 39-12, $1,912
10th: John Bitter of Maitland, Fla., three-day total of 39-3, $1,530.
The next AFS event in the Southeast Division will be held on Lake Pickwick, Sept. 30-Oct. 2.


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Dear Concern,
I'm trying to install nubuilder in my hostgator shared server space. but couldn't able to configure database & shows "It appears your database server is not configured,
please enter a mysql database name, user name and password into your config.php file"
for more pls see the attached snap.
Pls advice what should i need to do?
Regards: Rupok


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Leon Mege is an honest jeweler. We offer only GIA certified diamonds and here is why:
Unlike anything else we sell (something you actually need), selling a diamond requires a massive amount of BS. Among professionals it is known as "Romancing a stone." After all, when you need to sell a breakfast cereal, you can simply say, "Look, you need to eat something, why not our brand? How bad could it be?"
Even the famed florist's technique is not useful for selling jewelry: "Look how pretty it is! It will make her happy and render her speechless" does not work with loose diamonds.
No matter how much praise a salesperson showers on a particular diamond it always boils down to two properties based on which a consumer can judge a stone's "value" - it's color and clarity.
There is no government mandated standard for grading diamonds. In the past there were competing systems, but they slowly gave way to a universally accepted diamond grading system pioneered by GIA. While the system is the same (letters from D to Z for color and abbreviations for clarity i.e. VVS or SI) the grading standards vary from lab to lab.
Most people do not realize that an E-color diamond could be easily assigned a G-color grade by a different lab. Given the huge price difference, it opens up the stone's value to be ripe for misrepresentation without any legal repercussions.
In the world of diamond labs there are only two options: GIA and everything else. To compare GIA to any of it's "competitors" is as laughable as to compare an iPhone to a rotary phone, they are simply not in the same category.
GIA is a giant of the gem world. Over 90% of diamonds are graded by its labs which are spread all over the world.
Diamonds graded by GIA sell on average for 14-21 percent more than the average price for any given diamond (source: IDEX online). This is because GIA is the gold standard of the diamond grading and provides the only certification that is taken at it's face value by members of the diamond trade.
Buying a diamond in the USA without a GIA certificate is a serious mistake.
You can quickly learn the importance of a GIA certificate in the event that you want to sell your stone. Any other certificates will be laughed at.
Currently, GIA offers four types of reports:
There are many compelling reasons to choose ONLY a stone certified by GIA:
It's universal acceptance
Easy to use, simple to understand system
Diamond prices are based on GIA standard exclusively
Ability to view and download a certificate online
A great majority of reputable retailers sell only GIA-graded diamonds
Trying to sell a stone without a GIA certificate will result in substantial money loss
GIA is not just a gem lab, it's a research center, as well as educational institution. GIA's diploma program offers the most respected gemological degree in the world. For the sake of a full disclosure, Leon Mege graduated from the Gemological Institute of America in 1991 with a Graduate Gemologist degree, and he is a member of the GIA Alumni Association.
EGL's certificate is not worth the value of the paper it's written on. The lab has lost all of its credibility and the stones graded by EGL are banned from trading networks.
In 2008, an experiment was conducted by sending the same diamond to different labs and comparing the results.
EGL graded the one carat stone G/VS1 as opposed to the K/SI1 grade by both GIA and IGI, a difference of more than 50% in value.
The American Gem Society was founded in 1934 as a trade group of jewelers, appraisers, and dealers. However, it was not until 1996 that they started their lab to grade diamonds, a fact that they tend to omit, instead using the year 1934 in all official publications.
Despite the fact that AGS bills itself as a well-respected lab, that is unfortunately not the case. AGS's lax grading standards are so low that they are neither reliable nor consistent. An average stone graded as a G by AGS is likely to get an H-I color grade by GIA.
The resulting over-grading is actively exploited by some vendors in order to increase their profit margin. Helped by a network of online shills and fake bloggers who are getting kick-backs for aggressively promoting virtues of AGS stones, they attempt to divert internet traffic to fake "independent" websites and blogs that they have set up.
An AGS grading report itself is deceitful - it shows the GIA grading scale, falsely implying that the color and clarity are on par with the GIA grade, while it is certainly not.
The infamous ASET cone - a gizmo that a majority of professionals have never heard of, let alone use, is a marketing ploy designed to impress the unsuspecting consumer by its "scientific look," while offering zero substance.
HRD strictly adheres to GIA grading standards, and in most cases an HRD grade is considered to be a GIA equivalent.
This well respected and very reliable lab is run by the Antwerp World Diamond Center and is located in Antwerp. They also follow grading rules set by the International Diamond Council.
HRD grading reports have an exclusive security feature - a microscopic print visible only in UV light, protecting it from counterfeits.
The rest of the gem labs in this list are better described as appraisal services with better equipment. The value of their certificates is zero, just like of those in-house certificates issued by jewelry stores themselves.
We will list just few, since they open and go out of business too often for the list to be relevant in the near future.
Founded in 2001 in New York City. Since the share of their certificates in the marketplace is negligible there is no reliable data on their ability to grade stones according to universally accepted standards.
The International Gemological Institute was established in 1975 in Antwerp. It has a relatively small impact on the diamond industry, in the USA in particular, and it's certification is not considered overly reliable.
No, it's not Ceylon Gem Laboratory, it's certainly not Colorado Genetics Laboratory, and it's not Chanthaburi Gemological Laboratory, for the sake of humanity!!
It's not even a Certified Gemological Laboratory of Europe with branches in Israel, Miami and Bulgaria (which is conveniently located in Europe) whose website looks suspiciously like a clone of the GIA site.
What is it? It's the Central Gem Laboratory Co., Ltd. located in Japan. The lab is hardly known outside of Japan. They do offer an online certificate check.
Gemological Science International - an innovative lab with offices in India, Africa, and the US. Unfortinately, the only innovation is their VirtualVault™ or, in simple terms, a one-time fee of $35 for the right to access a picture of your own certificate online.
Gem Studies Laboratory, established in 1985 in Sydney, Australia.


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ADORNED IN NEON green soccer shorts and a matching green shoulder bag, Alejandro Chal, who goes by A.Chal in the hip hop world, sees the beauty in the world around him. He credits nature and the natural world as some of the biggest influences in his music and worldview. Born in Peru and raised in Harlem, New York, A.Chal has been making waves in the music world, with his hit song "Love N Hennessey" garnering over 20 million plays. He has attracted the likes of rap superstars French Montana, 2 Chainz, and Nicky Jam to have guest features on his songs. With the help of Stanford Concert Network, PULSE Magazine had the opportunity to interview Alejandro before his Stanford Live concert at the Bing Auditorium.
PULSE: What does A.Chal mean? Where did you get the name?
A.CHAL: I got the A.Chal name from my brother who was named Ichal. He passed away and I was inspired by him. 'A' is for Alejandro Chal and the dot is the universe that combines us.
PULSE: I know you started making beats with your friends at the Boys and Girls Club when you were 12. What was your musical upbringing like? How did it lead you to where you are today? What was your path?
A.CHAL: My parents didn't really let me play much rap music. So it made me want to start making rap music even more, to the point where I started making my own rap music. From there, I got into R&B, I got into pop, I got into Alternative, and it made me change.
PULSE: I know you grew up in New York. Did that influence your music style at all?
A.CHAL: Hell yeah. New York is so different from LA. It's so gritty. It's more of a melting pot, like an immediate melting pot. In LA, you have to travel to different pockets to see different cultures. I love the fashion culture [in New York] , too. It's a very stylish city and that's how it impacts my music.
PULSE: I noticed that about you. You have a great sense of fashion.
A.CHAL: Yeah. I feel like before, I used to try really hard to impress my friends. But when I moved to LA, and this is how LA inspires me, I let my lifestyle lead what I wore, moreso. Like, right now, I'm feeling very ambitious. So, I've been wearing soccer shorts a lot. I wake up and I don't want to be restricted or limited as if I'm wearing denim. If I'm tapped into my real spiritual side, and I'm tapping into historic parts of Peru, like Shamanistic things, I might wear a poncho or this bag just to remind me of my roots. And there's those times where I feel like not being comfortable. I feel like being extra. My lifestyle leads my fashion.
PULSE: That's really interesting, especially because you have so many connections with the A$AP Mob, who are some of the biggest fashion influencers in the music industry. How did you connected with the mob?
A.CHAL: I lived in Harlem for a while and Harlem and we'd run into each other. My bestfriend, Ghost, he's part of Gazi too. He went to school with some of them. Just being in Harlem, honestly. They inspired me in making music.
PULSE: Who else influences your music?
A.CHAL: Bob Marley, Prince, Lil Wayne, Hector Lavoe, Sade, Drake. All those people.
PULSE: Thoughts on the Pusha-T diss?
A.CHAL: Hahaha oh sh—… that's crazy. Umm.. I got to be respectful to both sides, but I'll say I think rap is a sport and it's good to see a challenge because Drake hasn't been challenged like before. So it's fun. As for as how deep it is beyond rap, I'm not them so I can't say, but as a spectator it's entertaining.
PULSE: Now, do you consider yourself a rapper or more of an R&B artist?
A.CHAL: You know what's funny? I've been thinking about that a lot this week as I've been finishing up this album. I'm a big fan of rap music, like I said rap is a sport. It's like being a fan of basketball. But, my favorite rappers are not people like me. I carry different values because I grew up differently. Even though I grew up in those environments, I still came from a household that was very strict with parents that were still together. They didn't expose me to crime or anything like that. But when I went to school, I was exposed to it. I feel like I hang out with rappers, but I'm very much not one. The DNAs in my music, but I really just want to focus on making music that touches people's souls. That makes them feel happier, makes them feel sexy, or makes them want to smile.
PULSE: Coming from Peru, I know you mix a lot of Spanish lyrics into your music. What's been your experience as a Latin artist in the Hip Hop industry?
A.CHAL: Well, right now it's cool to be a Latino in the music industry. So that helps out, but it's fun because I can bring a completely new flavor to the environment I'm at. Even people like Lil Pump and Tekashi are Latino, but I embrace my culture more in my music because I grew up very Latin. For me, it's such a goal of mine to introduce my culture to people who would never be introduced to it before.
PULSE: On your song "To the Light," you sing "… blowing on this cash on the things that never last. I don't want it. You can have it." You're obviously blowing up now, but what's your ultimate goal with music?
A.CHAL: With my music, I still have layers to go. My first layer is just my songs being heard across the world. From there, it's just opening the doors for people like me, the anomalies. Like maybe even a Korean lesbian punk artist, you know? I just want to open doors for them because I feel like I'm the first kind of my breed so I want to help others like that.
By: Justin Kang
Photography by: Caroline Moon


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Last December, we posted an overview of Eco-Islam development and related projects under way around the world. One commenter mentioned the name Seyyed Hossein Nasr and added that he has been speaking about "green" issues and Islam since the early 1960s. Since the next program in our Inside Islam radio series produced by Here on Earth: Radio Without Borders is about Eco-Islam as well, we thought it would be a great idea to ask him to tell us more about the movement.
On March 26, host Jean Feraca unearths the Eco-Islam movement with Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr as a guest for the live radio broadcast. We have created a radio show page here on Inside Islam with ways to listen and participate. So, if you have an idea for another guest, a specific project to highlight, or a comment to add, please leave us a message or send it by email. The page will be updated with your ideas and comments may even be read by Jean on the air.


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Casual Smokers at Greater Risk for Alcohol-Use Disorders
Sept. 25 -- TUESDAY, Sept. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Young adults who are casual smokers are 16 times more likely than nonsmokers to be hazardous drinkers and five times more likely to have alcohol-use disorders (AUDs), a U.S. study finds.
Sherry A. McKee, an associate professor of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine, and her colleagues analyzed data on 5,838 adults, aged 18 to 25, who provided information about their current smoking behavior, weekly consumption of alcohol, frequency of alcohol use, frequency of binge-drinking behavior, rates of hazardous drinking, and rates of AUD diagnoses.
The study was published online in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research and was expected to be published in the December print issue of the journal.
"We anticipated that the associations between alcohol use and smoking would be greatest in non-daily smokers but were surprised by the degree of the associations," McKee said in journal news release about the study. "While casual smoking was more common in college students, the relationships between smoking and drinking behavior were the same for young adults whether they were students or not."
"Non-daily smokers are a fast-growing subpopulation of smokers, now constituting at least 25 percent of all adult smokers in the U.S.," Saul Shiffman, a professor in the departments of psychology and pharmaceutical science at the University of Pittsburgh, said in the news release.
He said this study is important, because "it sheds light on particular groups defined by age and patterns of smoking and drinking. This can advance our understanding of the range of drinking patterns and also the developmental trajectory of problem drinking."
This study and previous research suggest that "casual smokers neither smoke nor drink regularly, but rather may have periodic binges where they may do both, perhaps as they become disinhibited at parties. Drinking and smoking may also mutually promote each other, leading to bouts of heavy drinking and smoking," Schiffman said.
McKee noted that most states have implemented smoking bans that include businesses where alcohol is served.
"Research indicates that smoking bans can reduce alcohol consumption in bars, particularly among heavy drinkers," she said.
More information
The U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has more about alcohol and tobacco.
SOURCE: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, news release, Sept. 23, 2008


text: Just over an hour and a half drive away is the centre of Paris and also Disneyland® Resort Paris - both reachable by bus that runs from the parc. Once in the centre of Paris, using the Metro system you can easily see all the sights this magical city has to offer. Parc Astérix is another theme park worth a family day out, just over 40 miles away. Soissons is in easy reach, a very religious city with 4 medieval abbeys and a gothic cathedral.


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Rocket Skis – Affordable Customization
Founded in 2011 in picturesque Jackson, NH, Rocket Skis is the only custom ski manufacturer in the Mount Washington Valley. Attention to detail from the design process, to the custom poplar and maple cores, to the hand finished sidewalls set us apart from the mass produced made both here and abroad. Creating a ski that enhances the user's experience is of the utmost importance here at Rocket Skis. Specify your dimensions or let us provide a ski to suit your needs and you choose the graphics!


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The D9x13 Series II Navigator horizontal directional drill has 300 ft. of onboard rod carrying capacity, allowing for the completion of long-distance bores.
- 47-hp Kubota turbocharged diesel engine produces 9,000 lbs. of thrust/pullback and 1,300 ft.-lbs. of torque
- Expandable track feature increases working width for enhanced side-hill stability
- User-friendly operator station features dual joysticks and a digital display screen with drilling fluid volume recorder and rod cycle counter
- 9- or 15-gpm onboard drilling fluid pump
Request More Information
Fill out the form below to request more information about D9x13 Series II Navigator


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Professor Slughorn Collectible Wand
Product Details
This authentic re-creation of Professor Slughorn's wand from the Harry Potter™ film series is sculpted in resin and measures approximately 35.5cm in length. A sleek, collectible wand box featuring our exclusive ""Warner Bros.
Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter"" logo is also included.
Product Code: 1261205
Care Instructions
This item is a fragile collectible wand. Not intended for use as a toy.
Delivery Information
We have a range of delivery options available; for more information, please see our Delivery page.
Did you know
The double curve in the length of Slughorn's wand evokes a slug on the move. The tip of his wand "has two little antennae, like a slug or snail," says art director Hattie Storey.


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At first blush, E3 is only ever about sequels and shooters. But there's always an imaginative oddball game lost within the white noise. This year it was Rock of Ages.
I met with Atlus at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles last week to see the publisher's upcoming game releases. I'm thrilled about much of what it has to offer, but what really stuck with me was Rock of Ages, an upcoming downloadable game for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
The game is the latest from Chilean developer ACE Team, the creator of the 2009 Independent Games Festival finalist Zeno Clash.
Rock of Ages will play like a hybrid of tower defense and Marble Madness. Players will place defensive armaments in the hope of preventing a massive boulder from ramming into their castle. Online players will go head-to-head, attempting to break through their opponent's defenses while fending off attacks.
It's hard not to immediately fall in love with the game's art style, which cribs from Renaissance, Gothic and Rococo aesthetics. And yet the game bears at least a little of Monty Python's irreverence for the material: The silly way that the rock-flattened soldiers hop about is a sure sign that the game isn't dead serious.
The sumptuous look of the game, particularly when the elephants come in to play, reminded me of the look and feel of the ornate Terry Gilliam film The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.
Have a look at the tantalizing trailer, replete with chanting monks, that I saw behind closed doors at E3 this year to see why I'm so intrigued. Rock of Ages will be released in 2011.
Image courtesy Atlus


text: How To Flush Your Bach Trumpet 12 November 2015 Categories: , Blog In order to keep your Bach trumpet in good condition, it's necessary to deep clean it periodically. This prevents a build-up of grease and grime within the mechanics of the horn that can affect the tone and general ease of use of the instrument. If you don't keep your trumpet in good order, you risk shortening its lifespan considerably, so a little effort every month or so will pay dividends in the long run. Read More


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This guide is intended to assist you with your research assignment for your color theory class. Click on the tabs above to locate the specific type of resources you need including reference sources, books, journals and research databases, and web resources. Most importantly, go to the MLA Citation tab for proper citation.
Grant Wood. American Gothic, 1930. Oil on Beaver Board. Friends of American Art Collection. The Art Institute of Chicago.


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Katie Holmes apparently wants sole custody of Suri Cruise
HollywoodNews.com: It sounds like things are not completely amicable between Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise in regard to their divorce as she is seeking sole custody of their daughter, Suri Cruise.
It is reported that in the filing she asked for sole legal custody and primary residential custody of Suri, states TMZ. Katie ended up filing in New York as it is rumored that she will have a better chance at getting what she wants there.
She is also asking for a division of their property along with quite a bit of child support.
Do you think she will get what she wants?
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News
Image by PR Photos


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A big health care change appears to be under way, but few are paying much attention to it. At least not yet.
On July 28, U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced a bill that could help open the door to a new model of delivering health care. This legislation, the Telehealth Enhancement Act of 2014, would expand the use of remote patient monitoring for Medicare beneficiaries and promote use of telehealth in state Medicaid programs to help women with high-risk pregancies. If the bill ultimately becomes law, the impact on health care could be significant.
Why it's a big deal
Using telehealth seems like a no-brainer. Allowing medical professionals to remotely monitor patients' health and provide care should save money -- and potentially improve the quality of care provided.
Telehealth is especially beneficial in rural areas where there aren't enough physicians. Around 60 million Americans live in these medically under-served areas. That number appears likely to increase over the next few years.
Medicare already reimburses for some uses of telehealth but imposes considerable restrictions that limit how often the technology is actually employed. Probably the most onerous restriction is that the patient must be located in an eligible location such as a physician's office, clinic, or hospital in a rural setting. That rules out the patient receiving care at home.
The Telehealth Enhancement Act would waive that restriction. It also would allow telehealth to be used at all critical access and sole-community hospitals regardless of where they are located -- even in large metropolitan areas.
Passage of the law along with a successful implementation could conceivably lead to even bigger things. If telehealth helps control costs and improve clinical outcomes within the expanded boundaries proposed with the Telehealth Enhancement Act, perhaps those boundaries could be stretched even further to allow any patient to receive care anywhere and from any qualified medical professional.
Opportunity knocks
Regardless of whether or not that dream materializes, some hospital and technology companies could emerge as winners with the increased use of telehealth envisioned in the recently proposed legislation.
Qualified hospitals that use telehealth to reduce readmissions will receive financial incentives. Community Health Systems counts 206 affiliated hospitals across 29 states. Quite a few of these hospitals meet the government's definition of sole community hospital and could be poised to profit through effective use of telehealth. Community Health Systems already demonstrated its interest in telehealth by investing in a privately held telehealth company via a venture fund.
Regulatory changes have helped Community Health in 2014, with shares surging 30% in just the past three months. CEO Wayne Smith noted that a decline in uninsured admissions that he attributed in part to the Affordable Care Act helped the company's second-quarter financial performance.
Will the Telehealth Enhancement Act be as beneficial as Obamacare to Community Health? It's unlikely. But more financial incentives from the government could make a significant difference for many hospitals in the Community Health Systems family -- and potentially help keep the stock on its nice upward path.
Picking the telehealth companies most likely to prosper presents a tricky proposition, but Qualcomm appears to be in position to do well. Its Qualcomm Life subsidiary has built the largest ecosystem for medical device and service companies in the telehealth space. At last count, 112 organizations used Qualcomm's platform. During gold rushes in the past, the biggest winners often were those who sold shovels rather than mining themselves. Qualcomm is in effect providing technology shovels for telehealth companies.
The problem for investors, however, is that Qualcomm's telehealth business is only a drop in the bucket compared to the revenue generated by its major business segments. Medical device connectivity and related business aren't even reported separately in Qualcomm's financial updates. Telehealth could very well become a more important element of Qualcomm's success, but for now it should only be a minor factor in deciding whether or not to buy the stock.
Smaller companies focusing on telehealth seem poised to benefit the most financially from the recently introduced legislation. Most aren't publicly traded, however. Investors should keep their eyes open for any IPOs in the coming year or two for companies that offer strong telehealth solutions.
The biggest winners of all could be those Americans who receive more convenient and more effective health care as a result of expanded access to the technology. Telehealth hasn't received a tremendous amount of publicity so far, but sometimes the most significant shifts in an industry are the ones that happen quietly.
Leaked: This game-changer will make every investor jealous
The best biotech investors consistently reap gigantic profits by recognizing true potential earlier and more accurately than anyone else. Let me cut right to the chase. There is a product in development that will revolutionize not just how we treat a common chronic illness, but potentially the entire health industry. Analysts are already licking their chops at the sales potential. In order to outsmart Wall Street and realize multi-bagger returns you will need The Motley Fool's new free report on the dream-team responsible for this game-changing blockbuster. CLICK HERE NOW .
The article Is the Next Healthcare Revolution Already Brewing? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Keith Speights has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Qualcomm. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


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Cruise ship Nautica spent today in the Tyne, while her 669 passengers set off to explore some of the North East's finest tourist attractions.
More than 650 of the guests are from north America and the remainder are from Australia, New Zealand, and South America. They are on a 10-nignt round-Britain cruise which left Southampton on Sunday. They will be in Edinburgh tomorrow, and will visit Glasgow, Liverpool, Dublin, Cobh and Plymouth, before returning to Southampton on June 17.
The ship, operated by Oceania Cruises, arrived shortly after 6.00 am for her maiden visit to Newcastle and is scheduled to depart at 10.00pm – giving plenty of time for the passengers to visit Hadrian's Wall, Beamish open-air museum, Alnwick Castle, Lindisfarne, and Durham Cathedral. Some were also planning to visit Washington, home of the ancestors of the United States' first president.
World of Cruising correspondent Danielle Fear paid a visit to the ship while it was berthed at Northumbria Quay, North Shields. She found a few passengers had remained on board to enjoy the sunshine while lazing by the pool. She said: ". On a glorious day like today this is the ideal place to be and there were several passengers making the most of the British summer."
The Port of Tyne has 27 cruise ships visiting the in 2015, and 2016 is already set to welcome more cruise ships to the region – on turnarounds and transit visits which together add an estimated £55m to the regional economy.


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April 16 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
** AggregateIQ, the Victoria consultancy that was suspended by Facebook Inc amid controversy over its role in political campaigns in Britain and elsewhere, worked on a range of smaller elections in Canada, including an ill-fated comeback last year by a former mayor in Newfoundland. (tgam.ca/2qDiwBB)
** Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd pipeline protesters who have been arrested for civil contempt at the company's Burnaby Mountain facilities will learn on Monday whether they will face criminal prosecution. (tgam.ca/2qApo3t)
** Canada's export agency is at risk of paying corruption-tainted dividends to the federal government because of weaknesses in its regulations and screening procedures, a new report says. (tgam.ca/2qvTBRl)
** Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday took his firmest stance yet in support of the Trans Mountain pipeline, saying after an emergency meeting with the B.C. and Alberta premiers that his government would introduce financial and legislative backing to ensure the project goes ahead. (bit.ly/2H5WF0Y) (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Pre-Race Festivities to Feature Brad Paisley Music Video Premiere, Dierks Bentley Concert and World Flashlight Record
CONCORD, N.C. (May 19, 2011) – During the pre-race show for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 21, fans at Charlotte Motor Speedway will participate in a world record and watch country music star Brad Paisley's premiere of his newest music video on the world's largest high-definition TV, just moments after it debuts. Paisley will be at the speedway for the first public screening of the video for his newest single, "Old Alabama." The video features NASCAR legends Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick and iconic super group Alabama. The pre-race festivities will also feature a concert by Capitol Records recording artist Dierks Bentley and the unveiling of the largest HDTV in the world. Plus fans will "Light Up the Night" with Energizer and set the world record for shining the most flashlights in a sporting arena. Gates will open at 2:00 p.m.
An approximate timeline of pre-race events follows:
3:15 p.m. – 4:25 p.m. Country music star Dierks Bentley performs a 70-minute pre-race concert in the infield between Turns 1 and 2. The Dierks Bentley All-Star Concert presented by Budweiser is free to all fans with a ticket to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. In addition to his hits "What Was I Thinkin" and "Come a Little Closer," Bentley will perform "Sideways," which race fans will recognize as the theme song for NASCAR's 2011 coverage on FOX.
6:20 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Some of the biggest names in NASCAR compete in the Pennzoil Ultra Victory Challenge, a tire-smoking competition to find which NASCAR star has the best burnout in the sport. Defending champion Joey Logano will be joined this year by 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 winner Kurt Busch, his brother Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Brad Keselowski and NASCAR Sprint Cup's most recent first-time winner Regan Smith. Fans will have a more integral role in this year's competition, as they will be able to text their votes for a winner after the judges have announced the three finalists.
6:45 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. The world's largest high-definition television will be unveiled to the public for the first time under the lights. The 200-foot-wide, 80-foot-tall HDTV, created by Panasonic, will see its first race action. In addition, the drivers racing in the Sprint Showdown will be introduced on the frontstretch stage. Along with the drivers, the 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction class will be recognized and a group of Wounded Warriors will be honored.
7:30 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. (approx.) Drivers not eligible for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race compete in the ultimate last chance qualifier. The Sprint Showdown will be run in two 20-lap segments to determine which drivers get to transfer to the main event later in the night. The winner of the race, the runner-up and one driver voted in by the Sprint Fan Vote will then have a chance to race for the $1 million prize.
8:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (approx.) The 2011 Academy of Country Music Male Vocalist of the Year, Brad Paisley, kicks-off the most interactive driver introductions of the season as the premiere of his video "Old Alabama" takes place just prior to the running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Paisley will make a special appearance in the infield to present the video, which was shot just down the road from Charlotte Motor Speedway, at the Hendrick Motorsports complex.
Fans have the opportunity to celebrate stage-side as not only the drivers, but the pit crews, are introduced as well during the high-energy driver introductions for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Energizer and Charlotte Motor Speedway will team up to "Light Up the Night" by distributing more than 66,000 of Energizer 3 LED headlights and handheld flashlights to fans in attendance and will set a second world record of the night for having the most flashlights lit simultaneously.
Just after 9:00 p.m., the green flag drops on the no-holds-barred shootout for a $1 million payday, the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The 100-lap slugfest is broken into four segments and the winner walks away with the cash. There are no points on the line, only bragging rights.
Fans can purchase a Coca-Cola Four Pack of tickets to the 27th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, which includes four tickets, four Coca-Cola soft drinks and four hot dogs for just $29.75 per person by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or by going online to www.charlottemotorspeedway.com. -30-
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com.


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Stephen Foster's Sketchbook
Fully digitized version of Foster's sketchbook. The sketchbook includes draft texts for sixty-four different songs including several of his most popular ones; a few pages include sketches of the music. Several of the draft lyrics are for unpublished songs (these are noted with brackets around the titles). The book also contains odd jottings, scribbles, doodles, and exercises in which Foster apparently practiced his signature and initials.
Foster's Sheet Music
Each edition of Stephen Foster's sheet music held by our collection has been digitized. To access them, search on the individual song title in the University's online catalog (Pittcat) and follow the link in the catalog entry.
The Foster Hall Collection
All of Foster's correspondence, manuscripts, photographs, and other ephemera, as well as his family's correspondence and business papers, have been digitized and may be accessed through the Foster Hall Collection finding aid.
"Old Folks at Home" arranged by Antonin Dvorak
1894 manuscript of Dvorak's arrangement of Foster's song.
The Stephen Foster Memorial at the University of Pittsburgh: A Tribute to the Composer Whose Melodies Have Become Heart Songs of the American People
Fully digitized version of the pamphlet written for the dedication of the Stephen Foster Memorial in 1937.
The Minstrel of the Alleghenies by Harvey B. Gaul.
Full digitized version of the pamphlet describing Stephen Foster's life.
The Chronicles of Stephen Foster's Family, Volume I, by Evelyn Foster Morneweck.
Fully digitized version of the first volume of Foster's niece's biography of her famous uncle, including extensive illustrations and full texts of family letters.
The Chronicles of Stephen Foster's Family, Volume II, by Evelyn Foster Morneweck.
Fully digitized version of the second volume of Foster's niece's biography of her famous uncle, including extensive illustrations, full-text of family letters, and genealogical information on the Foster family.
Center for American Music
Stephen Foster Memorial
University of Pittsburgh
4301 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
The Center for American Music Library is by appointment only.
You do not have to be affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh to use the collection.


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Verizon Wireless is offering some aid to travelers this summer. Verizon is offering several add-on options to ease your summer travel plans when you hit the road, including the VZ Navigator, a GPS-enabled Get It Now app that transforms the handset into a navigation device. VZ Navigator is available for $9.99 for unlimited monthly access or $2.99 for one-day use on select Get It Not-enabled phones. Roadside Assistance service is also available for $3.00 per month, with emergency help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. And this help includes towing, lockout services, fuel delivery, and tire service.
The company is also asking customers to help others in need of safe and secure communications by donating their old wireless phones at any Verizon Wireless store. These phones will go to the HopeLine program for victims of domestic violence.


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