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I had Ian answer a few questions to tell everyone a little more about this book, the future of the Just Cause series, and his latest venture in starting his own publishing company, Local Hero Press. Afterward, pick yourself up a copy of The Archmage wherever books and ebooks are sold. If you order directly from Local Hero, you can get signed copies in either digital or print! You'll also find purchase links at the bottom of the interview. Ian will be on the 9/6 episode of the Creative Commoners podcast to talk more about the book and his other exploits. Don't forget to tune in!
1. Congratulations on the release of The Archmage! What new things does this next volume in the saga bring to the table?
The Archmage continues the story of Mustang Sally as a still-new-but-not-inexperienced member of the Just Cause superhero team. She's still got some growing up to do--after all, she's still only 18--but her relationships with other members of the team are strengthening and changing. Her relationship with Jason, especially, is going through some growing pains, related to a new member of the team who has some history with him. All this is set against the backdrop of a powerful wizard who is making a play to conquer the entire world, and it seems like not even the might of Just Cause will be enough to stop him. As big as the threat of Destroyer was in Just Cause, the Archmage had to be even bigger and scarier.
2. Without giving away a lot of spoilers, I will say that this book does involve a lot more fantasy and magical elements than the other stories. What was your main reason behind going in this direction? Are there other stories that inspired you?
I spent a lot of time in my teens and twenties playing tabletop roleplaying games, and I always had a lot of distaste for certain types of games and characters. I wasn't ever a huge fan of fantasy games, and magic tended to irritate me. Let's say that The Archmage was my way of dealing with both magic and fantasy in terms that I found comfortable and acceptable. Magic is a huge trope in superhero tales, and characters like DC's Dr. Fate or Marvel's Dr. Strange have been around for decades. I figured that the Just Cause Universe needed its own magic-users, so I expanded upon the idea of Stratocaster. The character of Stratocaster, by the way, was strongly inspired by Alan Dean Foster's Spellsinger series, which is great, goofy fun.
3. Compare the writing experiences between the first book and this one. It's widely known that Just Cause, being the first of the series, went through a lot of changes before it became the book that people are buying now. Did you go through a similar strenuous editorial process with The Archmage? Did you submit it to agents as well?
The Archmage sat half-finished for a much longer period of time than Just Cause had been shelved. I finished the first draft of Just Cause in 2004. I started The Archmage in January of 2005, while I was querying Just Cause. Several months later, when I'd grown discouraged with the veritable shitstorm of rejections, I just flat-out stopped working on The Archmage altogether and moved on to other projects. I honestly don't recall exactly when I picked up The Archmage again to finish it, but I know you were involved in that process, so it had to be at least 2008 or 2009. That's a long time for me to leave any project unfinished. I did query it, but I didn't have much hope for it, as it was Book 2 in a series that the first book hadn't sold.
4. Now, some might notice that you've gone through some changes in recent months regarding publishers. You've re-released Just Cause under your own imprint, Local Hero Press, and The Archmage is also under this label. Can you talk a little bit about what led to this decision and what your goals are with Local Hero Press?
Ultimately, Local Hero Press was about me keeping better control over my self-published work by unifying it under a single banner. Just skimming through the variety of novel-length fiction I have available for sale, there is superhero, cyberpunk, fantasy western, urban fantasy, sports fantasy, post-apocalypse, and science fiction. That's a pretty diverse collection, and it provides a lot of avenues for people to discover me. By tying it all together under the LHP emblem, there's a second aspect of consistency besides just my name. Using an imprint also gives me avenues of distribution through CreateSpace that aren't available without it. And finally, should I ever decide to take on the considerable challenge of publishing other authors' work, I would need a company to do that, instead of doing it all under my own name. So let's say that LHP could just as easily stand for Loaded Hot Potential, because there's a lot of potential directions I could take it in the future.
5. Since you're doing all of this on your own now, tell us what all went into the production and promotional aspects of The Archmage? Feel free to break it all down. With bullet points, even!
- I made a commercial for it with the help of Corbin Gill of Two Filmingos Productions, spoofing a DirecTV ad campaign. You can watch it here.
- I hosted an ARC giveaway with the help of Jeff Hebert and his HeroMachine graphic character creation app. Three people won that one, with the grand prizewinner getting a signed ARC from me. He lives in Portugal, by the way, so that's the furthest I've ever sent anything.
- I also hosted an ARC giveaway on Goodreads, with an amazing 400+ entrants and five winners, three of whom lived in Canada. Whazzap, Canada? *high five*
- I've Tweeted and Facebooked a lot about the upcoming release, probably to the point that some people have quietly stopped paying any attention to me. I hope they'll come back someday after reading my work and tell me what they think.
- I should have some blog tour posts going up concurrently with this one, and hopefully that will also generate some interest.
6. What would you advise someone who had the chance to sign with a micro-press, as you previously did? Would you suggest they create their own imprint and going about things the way you have with The Archmage?
I don't know if my experience with a micropress was typical, or better, or worse overall than most people's. Considering the amount of work I had to do to promote myself and my work, I don't think I benefited from it overall. Essentially I signed a contract that didn't change anything I would have done without the micropress on board, except that I gave up a portion of my royalties to them. No matter what, my advice to anyone offered a contract is to read it carefully, and have an attorney look over it as well. If a micropress doesn't pay an advance or provide significant marketing support, it's not really worth signing with them, because if you're going to be doing all that work yourself, you may as well reap the benefits yourself.
7. I know The Archmage just came out and everyone needs to have a chance to enjoy its awesomeness, but any chance you can tell us what's coming up next in the Just Cause Universe? What other non-JCU projects are you working on right now?
The next JCU novel is tentatively scheduled for March 2013, called Day of the Destroyer. It's the origin story of Destroyer, and features characters touched upon in the first two JCU novels, like Mustang Sally's mother Pony Girl, John Stone, and Tornado. The story takes place over 21 hours preceding and during the New York City Blackout of 1977. I'm hoping to release one more JCU novel before the end of 2013, although I haven't decided whether it will be one of the ones I've already completed or one which I'm working on now. Ideally, I'd like to release JCU books about every six months. I'm also considering the possibility of putting out a JCU fanfiction anthology at some point, once LHP has enough working capital to be able to pay contributors for their stories.
As far as non-JCU projects, I'm down to two active projects at the moment: Making the Cut, which is a young adult novel set during a televised cooking competition between recent high school graduates, with tuition to a culinary academy as the prize; and Starf*cker, which is a send-up of space opera along the lines of my prior funny books like The Milkman and Blood on the Ice, starring an aging male porn star who has the chance to help a dying alien civilization rekindle their breeding. I have other projects in the pipeline, both completed and on submission, completed and awaiting release, or nowhere near close to finished. It's an addiction, this writing thing. I just can't stop doing it.
Buy The Archmage:


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subset: commoncrawl


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Clan Murray Nova Scotia
This is the Clan Murray Blog. The Society has become dormant but, this blog is still active for any inquiries.
Are you from one of these families?
Balneaves, Dinsmore, Dunsmore,Fleming; Moray; Murrie, Neaves, Piper, Pyper,
Smail, Smale, Small, Smeal, Spaulding.
If so, you are from one of Clan Murray's allied families and we would like to hear from you.
The Clan Murray Tent at the Antigonish Games, July 12, 2014.


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(PhysOrg.com) -- Last month it was announced that a group of researchers had come together to start a geoengineering project called Stratospheric Particle Injection for Climate Engineering (SPICE). Its aim was, and still is, is to find out if it would be possible to simulate the planet-wide cooling effects of volcanoes by sending a giant balloon up into the stratosphere so as to pump aerosols (via a very long hose) into the atmosphere that would reflect back some of the suns heat, thus cooling the planet slightly; this to offset the global warming that has resulted from the constant pumping of carbon emissions into the air. The team had originally planned to test a much smaller version of their balloon/hose experiment this month spraying only water at a lower altitude. Now however, the group has bowed to criticism from various sectors and has postponed the initial test until sometime in April.
The project, sponsored by several United Kingdom research councils (meaning government money) most prominently the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) though lauded by some, has also been deemed a waste of money. Others thought it a bit premature for one small group of people to choose to undertake a project that could impact people the world over without so much as please or thank you. In the end though, it was the sponsors that wound up putting a hold on the project.
Dr Matt Watson of Bristol University, the team lead for the project, has told the BBC that he endorses the decision to put off testing the project until all voices have been heard, but freely admits to being surprised by all the criticism. He insists the project is simply to test the viability of the concept, and no one in the group has ever proposed going ahead with the full scale project without approval of some governing body.
Whats missing in the current news cycle though is information on whether the group has been conducting ground based testing of the concept or whether construction of the test balloon and/or giant hose has begun; and if so, how that testing has gone. Also apparently missing from the debate thus far are voices pointing out that as of yet, no other real workable alternatives for solving the problem of global warming have been offered, which to some might mean that emergency projects such as this one should be undertaken whether critics agree with the plan or not. After all, this one isnt like the debate about stem cell research or cloning food. While all of them may have moral or ethical underpinnings, only one of them might one day be used as stop-gap measure to ensure our very survival.
The whole point of the experiment is after all, to find out if it would work, not put it into action. Or in other words, to add to our knowledge bank in case we fail to find other means to prevent further global warming and wind up needing to take drastic action at some point. Looked at that way, it seems foolish to not allow projects to proceed, even if some of them seem rather harebrained.
Explore further: British team set to field test gigantic balloon and water hose geo-engineering experiment
More information:


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Once upon a time, if architects wanted to assess the deterioration of a building's exterior, they needed a shooting stick, a pair of binoculars, sunscreen and a lot of patience. They literally drew the cracks and shaded the areas of deterioration on their clipboards.
Back at the office, they then had to enter their findings into CAD.
Now, 'with a high-quality, very detailed photo, it's no longer diagrammatic, it's the real deal', says architect Steve Krause of QPK Design in Syracuse, New York. 'You can see which mortar joints are cracked with a lot less effort. This technology lets us photograph, as opposed to draw, the exterior of buildings.' The technology - large-format digital photography - is one of two being applied to help architects capture and manipulate images of a building's structure and surface. New York photographer Tom Watson and his partner Rob Howard take largeformat digital photos using a BetterLight scanback attached to an ordinary 4 x 5 view camera and a laptop.
The BetterLight gathers the information for an image in a continuous scan, capturing light one row of pixels at a time and recording all three colours equally to achieve true RGB (red, green, blue representation). Capturing a single file of more than 144 megapixels can take several minutes.
Ben Levine of King & King Architects in Manlius, New York, deployed Watson and Howard's large-format digital photography on a project that involved repairing damaged stonework on the M&T Bank building.
King & King had designed cornice flashing replacements.
'We needed building elevations to scale so that the work needing to be done could be marked up and detailed and so the contractor could take off the extent of repairs and new materials to be applied, ' says Levine.
To do this conventionally on the 10-storey building was impossible due to its sheer size. Measuring and drawing the building and then entering it in CAD would have required a massive expenditure of time and manpower.
So Levine enlisted Howard and Watson. 'While Tom's services at first seemed to be relatively expensive, this approach saved a lot of money and quickly provided information that could be obtained no other way.' 'Unlike smaller digital photos, the large-format images can be enlarged to lifesize and beyond on the desktop without degrading into pixels. This provides very accurate information and documentation of existing conditions, allowing for a preliminary inspection from the office, ' Levine says. No more hanging about on site, inspecting the building with binoculars.
And, as Watson said in a recent interview, architects can load his photos into an AutoCAD programme for condition surveys. Files of this size, loaded into CAD, can be scaled and have enough reserve sharpness to pinpoint individual cracks. 'For technical uses, there is no doubt in my mind that film is dead, ' says Levine.
Krause has encouraged Watson and Howard to invest in another facet of this technology: large-format panoramic photos. 'Traditionally, it's very difficult to get good-quality imagery of building interiors because, in all but the largest interior spaces, it's impossible to get far enough away - so you seldom get an idea of what the space is like, ' he explains.
Howard and Watson use a BetterLight Pano/WideView adapter - a motor that slowly turns the camera through 360-. They can take 1GB-plus images up to 8,000 pixels in height.
'The camera travels through an arc on a tripod, taking thousands of tiny incremental photos, little slivers that meld together into one apparently seamless image, ' says Krause. 'With this technology you can get a great image of a hotel room.' 'Plus, ' he adds, 'you can get wideangle views of completed projects with a 'wow factor' - they capture the interest and imagination. All of our most recent high-profile projects were photographed this way.'
Krause also favours another imaging technology: laser scanning that captures details of every surface on a building's interior or exterior, which can be converted to CAD representations of its existing condition.
Pittsburgh-based Quantapoint uses a laser scanner to collect, register and verify billions of rapid, but highly accurate, measurements to create 'as-built laser documentation' that architects can share across project teams as interactive, photorealistic 2D or 3D images.
'Traditionally we walk around with a tape measure and a clipboard, ' says Krause. 'This is being supplanted by these guys' ability to shoot a whole room. They put targets on the walls and number them, then the computer builds models and prepares floorplans. The accuracy is far better than with tape measures.' Quantapoint guarantees quarter-inch accuracy.
Quantapoint's as-built documentation provides accurate dimensional information for prefabrication and for clash detection, thus reducing costs and, says the company, reducing construction rework by more than 80 per cent. Architects can extract piping and instrumentation diagrams, isometric diagrams, piping sections and elevations - the list goes on.
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The Senior Strategist: Full focus on ECB and U.S Jobs Report
Senior Strategist Ib Fredslund Madsen takes a look at the week ahead on the financial markets.
Thursday brings the big policy meeting in the European Central Bank. Will the ECB touch the interest rate or increase liquidity?
Friday brings the monthly employment report from the U.S. Can the report bounce back from last months dissapointment, after an october with 16 days of government shutdown?


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Nigeria lose to Jordan
Posted: 28 October 2013 Time: 21:07
The home-based Super Eagles lost 1-0 to Jordan in a friendly match at Amman International Stadium on Monday.
Hatem Aqel scored the only goal of the game from the spot in the 43rd minute, after Christian Obiozor was controversially adjudged to have fouled Yousef.
The result ended Nigeria's four game unbeaten streak after enjoying four straight victories over South Africa, Malawi, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.
Nigeria failed to score despite dominating possession, with the likes of Obiozor and Sunday Mba missing chances to put Nigeria ahead. Ugonna Uzochukwu also came close to scoring with a free-kick on the half-hour mark.
The introduction of the attacking trio of Ifeanyi Edeh, Barnabas Imenger and Christian Pyagbara in the second half failed to introduce the much needed spark, as Jordan were unlucky not to extend their lead after Chadli's header from a corner-kick hit the crossbar.
The game was, however, a good test for the home-based Super Eagles as they prepare for the African Nations Championship (CHAN).


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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
V is for Victory, Von Herder and Vocabulary
If you're anything like me, you have found that being given a letter prompt and an almost daily deadline has really stirred your creativity. Johann Gottfried Von Herder said, "Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant. There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks." The A-to-Z is a wonderful inspiration. Take these last days and run with them, but continue on after the letter "Z." Take that inspiration, that spark, anything you might have learned from this experience, and make it a part of yourself.
How are you feeling as we near the end? Exhilarated? Tired? Sad? Pumped?
May you find your Muse.
The Warrior Muse
42 comments:
I'm exhausted but kind of sad it'll all be over soon. I've really had a lot of fun with this and have met a lot of great people!ReplyDelete
I'm exhausted and dragging at this point. Although I feel Victory close at hand (kind of like the last week of NaNoWriMo) I don't feel I've done well with my last few posts. The first week was all pre-written. The second week I wrote the night before. But going O - S I blarghed out and wrote almost at the end of the day. I've gone back to pre-writing the post for the last 6 letters. Maybe they'll be better! :)ReplyDelete
It's a love/hate relationship, LOL.ReplyDelete
At first I didn't think my family history focus would work, but it's been great. I've enjoyed visiting bloggers who have a different focus from mine -- gets me out of my own rut. I'm going to miss it when it's over.ReplyDelete
I'm still feeling strong and pumped for this last week! I did write today's post as soon as I got up, but I'm doing OK. I have discovered that some of my best writing time is late at night and that's worked for me!ReplyDelete
Tina @ Life is Good
Co-Host of the April A to Z Challenge
Twitter: @AprilA2Z #atozchallenge
I'm feeling kind of sad actually! And I am still deciding if I want to redo my X post or post the one that's scheduled.ReplyDelete
I"m having a blast! I don't know if I would do it again (I really don't like writing blog posts for the sake of writing blog posts... i.e. some days I made things up just to have a post... Impasse for I, Late for L, and Undecided for U, which don't fit the overall theme of my blog), but it has been great for forcing me to put a lot of content quickly on a brand new blog. (My blog was started March 30).ReplyDelete
Anyway, V is for A Tap Dancing Vagina on Main Street Arts.
I made the mistake of not preparing enough posts ahead of time, so I'm worn out! It's been so fun, though. I've really enjoyed visiting such a variety of blogs.ReplyDelete
this has been a wonderful experience--but i have to say--i am a little afraid to go unread after zReplyDelete
Tired, mostly. Looking forward to only obsessing over my blog twice a week again...ReplyDelete
Though I did find a few interesting new blogs. That part was fun.
Winding down and looking forward to catching up on some other things. What a great Challenge this has been in 2012. It's tiring, but inspiring.ReplyDelete
Please help me reach 100 followers at:
A Few Words
An A to Z Co-host blog
My Main blog is Tossing It Out
I think next year I will come up with a theme. But all and all this year was all about getting though the challenge. I have met a lot of really cool people. Thanks for having the challenge.ReplyDelete
I'm grateful for the new connections I've made, the new blogs I've discovered... but I'll be glad when it's over and I can go back to normal blogging.ReplyDelete
I have to admit that I have mixed emotions about it coming to an end. I'm glad on one hand because I have other projects sitting here waiting for me. On the other hand, having that daily prompt really has spurred my creativity. I'm just hoping to hold onto it!ReplyDelete
It's been a really fantastic experience and has definitely inspired me to think a little outside the box with my posts (which are sooo random!). It's also shown me that publishing more frequently helps builds better relationships with other bloggers. Hard work doing it every day though.ReplyDelete
Tired should be the right word.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousApril 25, 2012 at 3:05 PM
It has been a great experience for me. It pushed me to blog, my blog was new so I think I would of faltered, and I have connected with some great people around the world. I'm already looking forward to next year!ReplyDelete
Glad I had most of my letters written before the month started.ReplyDelete
I am inspired to do what I have been putting off - writing an art history book - about the life of one artist who happens to be my very talented mother.
Thanks Shannon for co-hosting this time consuming month
Vicissitudes of Life is my V
As we near the end, I'm feeling exhilarated and surprisingly....not tired at all. I did pick up some new vocabulary words as well as a further understanding of a few terms that I was familiar with but never used or knew much about.ReplyDelete
When the A to Z Challenge started earlier this month, I said I was in it to win it and now that we're coming to the end of the vocabulary, I am feeling victorious, as should everyone else who made it this far. We're on the way to the last lap in this alphabet race, champs!
Blog: The Madlab Post
@MadlabPost on Twitter
It has been a wild ride thats for sure, especially to keeping up. I had to work a couple days and got a little behind, now am trying to hurry and catch up to those I have missed.ReplyDelete
My friend,ReplyDelete
V is for victory!! We are all winners since we were born. Interesting post.
I'm a lil overwhelmed with all the blog reading I need to do, but will catch up. I've really enjoyed blogging everyday though :)ReplyDelete
I guess I'd have to say all of the above. I'm looking forward to a break, but I'm thinking that I'll miss the daily comments or visits to other blogs.ReplyDelete
I feel a little tired but sad it's nearly over, I'm glad I prepared months ago.ReplyDelete
Its nearly over. Horray! But this has been a tremendous experience for me. My little blog has seen some solid growth. Multiplied my followers by 7 times, and have had over a thousand visitors now. Thank you at AtoZ for the opportunity! I hope to gain a few more followers before this is over.ReplyDelete
check my blog out:
and help me reach 50 followers!
- AnonymousApril 25, 2012 at 8:16 PM
Thought the challenge was a great way to ramp up my game. Found it challenges mid month and now on the home stretch.ReplyDelete
I have met a number of great writers, and some very funny ones too.
Made it very enjoyable.
Tired and exhilarated. Doing this and the Poem-a-Day Challenge has come close to making me a resident in the dirtiest home in Lake Charles. Not to mention having two of the most neglected dogs. Understand that I'm not complaining, just sharing. Really. I have enjoyed all of it but am ready for the bell to ring.ReplyDelete
Tired but sad it will end soon.ReplyDelete
I've been running my blog for 8 years in July and have been through a few lean periods when I wondered why I bothered. The A to Z Challenge has really helped to reignite my enjoyment of blogging, given me some good ideas for the future and has been a great way to meet some other bloggers. So all I can say is: Cheers Guys! Can't wait to do it all again in 2013.ReplyDelete
I think I can relate to each one of the bloggers! My last few have not been very creative. What a learning experience. The positive has been meeting so many interesting, wonderful, people. But I have some ideas for next year, if I am invited back :).ReplyDelete
I have for the most part enjoyed doing this but I think it will be a one off.ReplyDelete
I have not made it easy for myself either by doing it as I have, it is hardly mainstream blogging for the masses. And I still have a lot of blogs to visit yet, I hope the list will be around for a while.
I have found that to be true!!ReplyDelete
Sonia Lal @ Story Treasury
I am still excited. I haven't made it to as many of the other participants sites as I want to, but I am making my way around, becoming a follower, leaving comments, and reading some of the greatest writing. I am writing and it's great. I am going to miss it when it's over.ReplyDelete
I'm still excited and although my visits are going up, comments - not so much. I think many are tired. I know I'm not commenting as much although I'm reading a LOT of blogs.ReplyDelete
I had hoped to make 100 followers but seem to be stuck in the 80's. But that's a HUGE leap from th3 25 I started with.
Biggest challenge will be finding a direction for my blog, it was fairly new when A-Z started.
Thanks to everyone involved!!
I've done it all wrong. I had no theme or direction or forethought. I wrote nothing in advance (and posted more than one right before midnight), and found myself often relying on imagination for inspiration, As a result, I produced a lot of crap posts. BUT, I did do several that I really, really liked, and I'm glad of that. Most of all, I've enjoyed finding so many new blogs to read.ReplyDelete
I found it all of the above too. I'm pooped, but I learned a lot. And found there are many bloggers who share my interests. This was a nice surprise. I look forward to next year...but I too will write some things ahead of time! That's probably the most important thing I learned.ReplyDelete
Despite complete lack of preparation bar a list which I've mostly ignored, I would do it again. Possibly with a theme.ReplyDelete
Many mixed emotions now that the end is near, but it has been an amazing April! Shannon I'll have to pop over soon!ReplyDelete
Thanks to all of the co- hosts, and especially to Lee for making this all possible! Julie
I'm already on to W at Main Street Arts... and it is a good one about arts educationReplyDelete
Winning America's Future through Creative Schools
I'm ready to move on to more blog hops, including my own in August.ReplyDelete
Jolie du Pre
Precious Monsters
I am motivated to continue my posts after the Challenge...the only problem is knowing what to say! So, I think I will ask my followers in the next post...I have learned a tremendous amount about the mechanics and art of blogging, thanks to you all! Cheers!ReplyDelete
Commenting is now open to all, but will be monitored for spam, ads, abusive language, or anything that is not relevant to the interests of the A to Z Challenge--Please respect this blog space and its users
Please leave your opinions and feel free to ask anything that is on your mind. Irrelevant anonymous comments and spam will be deleted.


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Crippie wanted to give a special shout out to my Russian readers. Apparently I have a lot of them! Fun Fact: Crippie is 50% Russian.
It looks like we're gonna have another one of those "it's 4 in the morning, I can't sleep and I'm blogging about random things going on in my life" kinda posts. I really need to fix my sleep schedule.
Crippie's day went very well, even though it was hot as balls here (over 97 degrees at times). I saw the my sister is in her show again. BTW peoples, there are still four more performances left! One tomorrow night, 2 on Saturday, and one on Sunday! If you are in the area you should totally go to the Railroad Playhouse in Newburgh and check it out! There's also a restaurant in lobby that makes nomerful food. Crippie had "Honey Citrus Pepper" chicken wings... omg soooooo good. Crippie wishes she had taken a picture of 'em... but gosh darn it... I was so hungry that I just dove in.
Once we're all done with this show, Crippie will try to schedule Fanny's removal. Keep your fingers crossed that I can get her out in September.
In animal news, Angel got very sick a few days ago. She probably ate something that didn't agree with her. Poor baby wasn't allowed to eat for a whole day. She recovered very quickly and is now back to her good ol' self. Helen is still convinced that she is peoples. She was sleeping on my bed before when she had a nightmare and starting whimpering. Crippie had to hold her like a little baby in my arms and rock her till she calmed down and fell asleep again. All of the piggies are doing well, although Nellie has been having a lot of "special" moments recently. These moments include diving into the hay (literally), turning her cuddle cup on it's side and sticking her head in it, and having staring contests with walls. Nellie is kinda special like that.
Speaking of piggies, remember how Crippie said she'd be keeping her eye out for piggies in shelters? Well, recently Crippie found this little nugget on petfinder!
HERE. He appears to be a Texel/Peruvian mix. It appears that the shelter is planning on neutering him, so he could theoretically live with Mama, Frida, and Nellie. Crippie will probably go and visit him sometime next week. While I am tempted to adopt him, there are a lot of factors to consider. If he's a total asshole like Maggie or Emma an introduction would be damn near impossible. This dude's hair is also major thing to think about, from the picture it's pretty clear that he has HAIR, and that hair needs to be maintained. Judging by the picture alone, me thinks his prior owners trieeeeeddd to maintain his hair... a little. While I'm interested in the walking wig, I do have 5 pigs already, so if anyone else out there is looking for a piggie... consider this one!
So yeah, that's about it... Crippie is gonna try and get some sleep now
Crippie's Tippie - See my sister's show and go visit Meatloaf
Friday, June 22, 2012
*Insert Cute Title Here*
1 comment:
he he - if you get two comments from me (Mario) it's cuz my crazy typist hit the return key by accident before she was finished with the typing. I tell you, cheap, good help is hard to find these days. Anyway, I love Meatloaf and think he's adorable. I asked M if we could get him, but - sigh - she said no. Something about his hair maintenance when it's enough to brush me. We've had a few visitors from Russia also, so maybe they found us thru you - only M says we have no Russian background - ours is all Swiss, German, and Norway.ReplyDelete
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The Meretrio was brought together in São Paulo – Brasil, in 2004, as an initiative of Emiliano Sampaio (guitar and trombone), Gustavo Boni (acoustic and electric bass), and Luis André (drums and percussion), with the purpose of researching the diversity of popular music.
Meretrio played in important European and Brazilian Jazz festivals such as Bayerisches Jazz Weekend, Fête de la Musique, Jazz´n More, Mikulassky Jazz Festival, SESC Sao Paulo, Jazz Na Fábrica, and in the famous concert halls Porgy & Bess in Vienna and Sendesaal in Bremen. In 2014 moved from Brazil to Austria and invited six horn players to record the album Mereneu Project as a nonet, which won the "Downbeat Student Award" for Best 2014 Jazz Group.
In 2015 Meretrio released a new ambitious album called "Tourists" with Big Band instrumentation, which won prizes from the "Downbeat" magazine and a composition prize at the Graz Jazz Composition Contest. In 2017 Meretrio releases the new album Óbvio featuring the saxophonist Heinrich Von Kalnein (Jazz Big Band Graz) in two tracks.


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South African Events Calendar 2016
Here is First Car Rental's guide to the top events happening in South Africa in 2016.
Click for events in:
Western Cape
KwaZulu-Natal and the rest of South Africa
Coffee and Chocolate Expo Johannesburg 2016
This four-day expo is a celebration of the finest coffee and chocolate, showcasing an array of activities like chocolate and coffee samplings, food pairings, hands-on workshops and exciting competitions. Sample hundreds of different types of chocolate and coffee; learn how to roast a bean and pour the perfect cup of coffee; discover the origins of cocoa; or simply relax in the music lounge.
Where: Montecasino, Johannesburg
Dates: 14 - 17 July 2016Find out more
Good Food and Wine Show Johannesburg
This is one of South Africa's premium food, wine and lifestyle events, showcasing innovative kitchen gadgets and appliances, cooking techniques and gourmet ingredients with live shows and interactive stages. Experience top chef demonstrations, as well as food, wine, whiskey and craft beer tastings.
Where: TicketPro Dome, Johannesburg
Dates: 29 - 31 July 2016Find out more
Joburg Shopping Festival
The Joburg Shopping Festival brings shoppers ten days of sensational shopping. Great deals and special offers will be available from hundreds of retailers at four participating Joburg malls - Sandton City, Rosebank Mall, Eastgate Shopping Centre and the Oriental Plaza - as well as over R1 million in prizes.
Where: Johannesburg
Dates: 28 July - 9 August 2016Find out more
Oppikoppi Music Festival
Oppikoppi is a three-day music festival set in a beautiful part of South Africa, a few hours' drive from Johannesburg. The annual event attracts over 130 local and international bands and 30 000 attendees.
Where: Northam, Gauteng
Dates: 5 August - 7 August 2016Find out more
Decorex Jo'burg
This five-day event showcases the latest decor and design trends from around the world, covering every corner from home to garden. Highlights include exclusive exhibitions showcasing fabric designs, interactive platforms and the Craft + Create Market.
Where: Gallaghar Convention Centre, Johannesburg
Dates: 5 - 9 August 2016Find out more
Soweto Wine and Lifestyle Festival
The 12th annual Soweto Wine and Lifestyle Festival is set to impress in a spectacular fusion of South Africa's best wine, high-end fashion, food, travel, creativity and entrepreneurship. In between tasting some of the 900 wines on offer, visit the numerous travel exhibitors or relax in the music and entertainment lounge. For the hungry, a wide choice of cuisine is available from Johannesburg's top- restaurants, bistros and food vendors.
Where: Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication, Kliptown, Soweto
Dates: 2 - 4 September 2016Find out more
Arts Alive
Arts Alive is a vibrant, month-long festival that takes place in diverse venues across Johannesburg, ranging from lake-side concerts to street performances. The festival is a platform for top local and international theatre, visual arts, dance, music, film and poetry. There are also a number of workshops for adults and children that take place throughout the month.
Where: Venues across Johannesburg
Dates: Entire month of September 2016Find out more
FNB Joburg Art Fair
The FNB Joburg Art Fair is Africa's first international art exhibition, providing a space for leading artists, galleries, collectors, writers, thinkers and art lovers to congregate.
Where: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
Dates: 9 - 11 September 2016Find out more
Standard Bank Joy of Jazz
Joy of Jazz is South Africa's oldest jazz music festival and in 2016 features a line-up of over 200 local and international artists. Performers include Houston Person, Barney Rachabane, Deborah J Carter, Miss Lira, Jonathan Butler, Faye Faku, Renee Lee and Sipho Hotstix Mabuse.
Where: Venues across Johannesburg
Dates: 15 - 17 September 2016Find out more
Gauteng Getaway Show 2016
Showcasing over 400 exhibits including travel-destinations, outdoor gear, 4X4 products, motor homes, caravans, trailers and camping equipment, there is, without doubt, something for everyone at the Gauteng Getaway Show. Thrill seekers are going to love slacklining and abseiling in the new Adventure Area, and, for the less hardcore visitor there's the new Travel and Taste Theatre featuring local cuisine, wine and beer; and a Chill Zone to have coffee and charge your phone.
Where: Ticketpro Dome, Johannesburg
Dates: 23 - 25 September 2016Find out more
RMB WineX
Now in its 17th year, RMB WineX offers wine lovers a great selection of wines under one roof, with more than 150 exhibitors representing a myriad of big brand names, boutique wineries and wine routes. Up to 800 wines, fine brandy and Cape Port are available for tasting. Food products on show are all wine-friendly - charcuterie and cheeses, olives and olive oils, chocolate and nougat.
Where: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
Dates: 26 - 28 October 2016Find out more
Western Cape:
Good Food & Wine Show Cape Town
Good Food & Wine Show Cape Town is one of South Africa's premium food, wine and lifestyle events, showcasing innovative kitchen gadgets and appliances, cooking techniques and gourmet ingredients with live shows and interactive stages. Experience top chef demonstrations, as well as food, wine, whiskey and craft beer tastings.
Where: Cape Town ICC
Dates: 27 - 29 May 2016Find out more
Wacky Wine Weekend
The Wacky Wine Weekend takes place at a variety of stunning venues in the Robertson Wine Valley, and showcases award-winning wines from over 40 different wineries, inluding boutique estates. Visitors can attend master wine tasting classes, wine & food pairings and educational wine workshops. The weekend also involves MTB and trail running events plus mini music festivals at a number of estates.
Where: Venues across the Robertson Wine Valley
Dates: 2 - 5 June 2016Find out more
Hermanus FynArts Festival
The line-up for Hermanus Fynarts 2016 is elegant, eclectic, extensive and exciting and while the focus is on visual arts this is interspersed with uplifting music, award-winning wines and gourmet food.
Where: Venues in and around Hermanus
Dates: 10 - 19 June 2016Find out more
Knysna Oyster Festival
The 10-day Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival is one of South Africa's most popular events for the whole family, encompassing a huge range of sports, leisure and entertainment activities. This includes road and mountain bike races; wine, food and music festivals; the Knysna Oyster Festival Shuckle (where oysters and comedy take centre stage); and an arts and design market.
Where: Venues in and around Knysna
Dates: 1 - 10 July 2016Find out more
Franschhoek Bastille Festival
The Franschhoek Bastille Festival is a celebration of the region's French heritage, showcasing Franschhoek's finest food, wine and culture. Highlights include the Food & Wine Marquee, set against the backdrop of the historic Huguenot Monument; the barrel rolling contest; the minstrel street parade where everyone dresses up in French attire; and French-inspired musicians and performers.
Where: Franschhoek, Western Cape
Dates: 16 - 17 July 2016Find out more
Hermanus Whale Festival
The Hermanus Whale Festival is South Africa's only eco-marine festival. The event is centred around the migration of Southern Right Whales, with ocean-themed activities and exhibitions that emphasise education and encourage environmentally-responsible practices. The whales are always the star performers and will be joined on land by great food, quality crafters, sport events, kids entertainment, a music stage, the Marine ECO Village and a vintage car show.
Where: Hermanus, Western Cape
Dates: 16 - 17 July 2016Find out more
Cape Town Flower Show
Held at the 350-year-old Castle of Good Hope, the Cape Town Flower Show is a vibrant event that brings together gardens, planting trends, designs for living outdoors, and sustainability in a celebration of local food, culture and community. Show features include 20 gardens designed by South Africa's top landscape designers, as well as floristry workshops, demos and the first-ever MasterFlorist competition. Set among food gardens, the 'Backyard' offers artisanal food and drinks.
Where: Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town
Dates: 27 - 30 October July 2016Find out more
KwaZulu-Natal and the rest of South Africa
Comrades Marathon, KZN
Now in its 91st year, the 89-km Comrades Marathon is the world's largest and most prestigious ultra-marathon. The best place to catch all the 2016 action is from the only official spectator point on route, the Nedbank Green Mile, located in Kloof. Here there'll be grandstands for spectators, two big screen TVs broadcasting live race coverage, live music and entertainment, a kids zone, and food and beverage tents, plus many more surprises.
Where: Pietermaritburg - Durban
Dates: 29 May 2016Find out more
Durban International Film Festival, KZN
The Durban International Film Festival is Africa's biggest cinema event, attracting both film-lovers and industry representatives from across Africa and beyond, and screening world-class new features, documentaries and short films from around the globe with a special focus on African film. The festival also includes the Wavescape Surf Film Festival as well as a programme of seminars and workshops with notable industry figures.
Where: Various venues around Durban
Dates: 16 - 26 June 2016Find out more
National Arts Festival, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape
The National Arts Festival is the biggest annual celebration of the arts on the African continent. For 11 days, Grahamstown's population doubles, as people flock to the city for a feast of local and international arts, crafts and entertainment. The festival offers more than 600 shows from opera, cabaret, drama and jazz to stand-up comics and folk music.
Where: Grahamstown, Eastern Cape
Dates: 30 June - 11 July 2016Find out more
Vodacom Durban July, KZN
The Vodacom Durban July is Africa's premier horse racing event. 56,000 people are expected at Greyville to witness South Africa's best thoroughbreds storm down the home straight to the finish of the R3 million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July. The event is also the perfect place for fashionistas, designers and couturiers to show off their designs.
Where: Greyville Race Course, Durban
Dates: 2 July 2016Find out more
Jbay Winterfest, Eastern Cape
The Jbay Winterfest is a sports and music festival set in the beautiful seaside town of Jeffrey's Bay. The featured event is the Jbay Open Surfing competition, which attracts internationally-acclaimed surfers, including Mick Fanning and Kelly Slater, as well as South African hero, Jordy Smith. Spectators and participants can also look forward to MTB, Downhill, trail running and X-Over sports events, as well as the music festival featuring top local and international bands.
Where: Jeffrey's Bay, Eastern Cape
Dates: 6 - 17 July 2016Find out more
Durban Bierfest, KZN
South Africa's best-loved bierfest will once again be bringing its lederhosen, dirndls, pigtails, oompah music, frauleins, eisbeins and jugs of delicious, specially-made, cold craft beer to fans in Durban. Expect to find a huge range of beer, Bavarian cuisine and an entertainment line-up that includes top local bands and stand-up comedy at this Oktoberfest-inspired festival.
Where: Sibaya Casino and Entertainment World, Durban
Dates: 30 September - 2 October 2016Find out more
The Good Food & Wine Show Durban, KZN
Like its Johannesburg and Cape Town counterparts, the Good Food & Wine Show Durban celebrates the very best food, wine and lifestyle, as well as showcasing innovative kitchen gadgets and appliances, cooking techniques and gourmet ingredients with live shows and interactive stages. Experience top local and international chef demonstrations, as well as food, wine, whiskey and craft beer tastings.
Where: Durban Exhibition Centre
Dates: 28 - 30 October 2016Find out more
Planning on attending one of these 2016 South African events? Book a car with First Car Rental to get you there. We have 51 branches located nationwide in all major tourist and business hubs.


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When I started the series I wanted to try various websites in order to land a date and compare the women of these sites versus women I met in the real world. As this progressed I received a ton of e-mails from people suggesting other sites that I should be apart of including some pretty odd niche sites. There was one e-mail though that was really interesting, I was told that I should try to get on the reality TV show Confessions of a Matchmaker which is filmed here in Buffalo.
Being the self promotional whore that I am I figured that I could wear a bobbyfinstock.com t-shirt on every date that I went on, reference the site every five minutes, and reap tons of traffic. Or I could go on there and show off that I am the tortured bachelor and maybe have it lead to an upgrade to the show the Bachelor where I can hold rose ceremonies and laugh at girls that didn't get a rose. I would love to boot girls off the show and totally destroy their reputations while doing it, "You should have swallowed, no rose for you."
Girl: But I didn't even go down on you.
Me: Sure you didn't, sure you didn't. Let America be the judge you non-swallowing trollop.
Anyways, I filled out the online application and ended up getting a call a few weeks after where I did a phone interview. The interview was with a new girl on their staff, she had to be in her mid twenties and we had a good conversation, I essentially just spurted back everything I have written about here and the horrors of dating. She liked me and we scheduled a time for me to come in and meet the owner Patti Novak, the star of Confessions of a Matchmaker.
When I arrived I had to fill out a shit load of paper work and take a survey. After I finished the survey I was called into Patti's office where we had about an hour conversation. Patti poured through my application and we talked about dating, she complimented me on my looks and told me that I seemed like a good catch. She said there were no red flags on my application and then proceeded to tell me how things worked.
She would select the girls I would date as she matched them up by my likes and dislikes. Patti would essentially give me a run down of three girls a month, I would get their phone numbers and I would call them to go out on dates. We couldn't talk more than five minutes on the phone because she said that it would build false expectations and ruin the date. We were to meet in public and she suggested that TGI Fridays was the perfect place, and probably harped on that point like four time. Apparently there were no other dining establishments in Buffalo except TGI Fridays and magic would happen if we went there. Their square mozzarella sticks are a natural aphrodisiac I guess. The next day after the date we both would call her and give our review, if we both liked each other she would give us permission to call each other one more time and setup another date. After that date we would wait a little bit, do the call to her again and then she would let us go off on our own and date freely.
Now she was going to base who I should date off a bullshit questionnaire that asked me what type of animal I would want on an island. Call me cynical but that isn't exactly the type of questions I want my potential date to be answering. I was more concerned with important things like: do you have a hunchback?
It was all fine and good I guess, it is a match making service after all, I had to keep an open mind. Things sounded mildly interesting until the conversation progressed. Patti said that it was also her job to tell her clients how to date and how to handle themselves on a date. She went through my application and started talking to me about certain points that should be presented in certain ways.
Religion: On my application I told her I was agnostic, she brought this up and said that girls would not want to date a guy that didn't list a religion because it shows that they have no faith and probably wouldn't settle down. How these two things are related I have no idea. She asked me what religion I was when I was growing up and I told her Catholic. Then she changed my form to say "non practicing Catholic." I was told that it would make me more attractive to potential dates. In under three minutes apparently my entire belief system had been changed.
Grad School: She grilled me about what I was doing in grad school and what I wanted to do when I got out. I told her that I wanted to consult and that I could work from anywhere in the country. Immediately she flipped out and said that I can't tell a girl that I might leave the area when I am done with school. I replied to her saying that I could end up with a new media job in Hollywood or NYC that would be paying disgusting money. Considering most of the girls she was going to set me up with were teachers or nurses I didn't see the problem. She said that most girls would have established careers and wouldn't want to uproot it for a guy, I disagreed with her based on simple logic. I think a 175K year discrepancy between their pay and mine would kind of be a selling point along with a move out of Buffalo. Apparently not according to her, I don't know if I would want to date a girl that didn't understand math. I was told never to talk to girls about leaving the area.
Family: I told her that kids weren't really on my radar right now that I had so much going on professionally that my goals were set on that. She told me that a lot of the girls I would be going on dates with weren't there to date and were looking to settle down, so I could be expecting the call for a family within three years. She told me not to mention my hesitancy to start a family within the next three years because it would be seen as a sign of non-commitment.
At this point I had to present myself with a different value system, lie about my future plans, and give people total false expectations in order to sell myself on these dates. Personally my problem isn't what to say on a date it is finding the correct girl I should be on the date with, I don't know if I would want to date someone that had expectations that were false on a dating profile that was essentially no longer me. Of course the best part of all this is that I would have to pay $1000 to establish myself as a total fraud and be set up with girls that had the wrong information about me. Paying a grand to lie and to be lied to really sounded like a sound investment….
Coming soon Part 2: Politics, more conversations about religion, and did I sign up?
Do I sign up or do I not?


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Ponying Up
(Notes on a first visit to NYC's Son of Pony open mic poetry reading at the Cornelia Street Cafe
More info here.)
Poetry is democratic
and red curtains hide nothing
in a basement where Prague summer lives,
a Glock becomes a vibrator,
turtles cross slowly in two different metaphors,
and the drink? Included in the seven dollar cover.
The narrow aisle keeps the emcee back by the bar
a disembodied voice
announcing three-minute turns.
"No connections between things/but they happen at once"
Or so says Brant Lyon
a poet.
In comedy clubs,
Three minutes can last an eternity
Much of bad comedy being lies
but poetry,
for good or ill,
(mostly for good)
is someone's truth
--Lou Harry, July 2011
Your thoughts?


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Ashley checked out Target to get a price on Finish dishwashing detergent tabs now that we know we'll be getting the high-value coupon in this Sunday's paper. Here's what she found:
Finish Dishwashing tabs on sale $3.99
Use $2.15/1 coupon from 6/16 SS insert
Use $1/1 Target coupon (must be on the 25 ct box which may be more expensive)
As low as $.84 a box!
Find more Target deals here.
Thanks, Ashley!
This post may contain affiliate links. See the disclosure policy for more information.


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Speech by SEC Staff:
The Securities and Exchange Commission, as a matter of policy, disclaims responsibility for any private publication or statement by any of its employees. The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Commission, the Commissioners or of the author's colleagues on the staff of the Commission.
Good morning, and welcome to all of you here at today's Convergence Conference. I am pleased to be in London in the company of so many key participants in the global financial reporting process. Let me begin by making the usual Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff disclaimer that the remarks I make today are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commission, the Commissioners or of other members of the Commission's staff.
As with the other speakers today, I am here to talk about convergence. To me, convergence is about providing the capital markets with one set of high quality global accounting standards. In the U.S. capital markets, convergence is the enabler that will allow financial statements prepared under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) to co-exist. Don Nicolaisen, the SEC's Chief Accountant, described this in his recently published article-the so-called "roadmap article"-which is available on the SEC's website.1
In my remarks today I would like to make four points. First, I will talk about my belief in the case for one set of high quality global accounting standards; second, I will discuss my support for convergence as a tactic to achieve that goal; third, I will speak about my priorities for carrying out that convergence work; and fourth, I will describe how I think we can each contribute to achieving convergence. So, let me first talk about my belief in the case for one set of high quality global accounting standards.
The Case for One Set of High Quality Global Accounting Standards
There is an intuitive logic that supports the notion that capital markets benefit from using one set of high quality standards. Rest easy, however, I won't try to go over a proof of that economic theorem today. But suffice it to say that a thriving capital market requires a high degree of investor understanding and confidence. Converging with or embracing a common set of high quality accounting standards contributes immensely to this investor understanding and confidence.
Embracing a common set of accounting standards can also lower costs for issuers. In accessing capital beyond their home jurisdiction, companies incur additional costs of preparing financial statements using different sets of accounting standards. These include the costs for company personnel and auditors to learn, keep current with and comply with the requirements of multiple jurisdictions.
Because of all this, I believe that market forces will provide the incentive for a single set of high quality global accounting standards. If this is the case, then the question becomes how to actually provide to investors financial statements prepared under one set of standards. Thus, let me next discuss convergence as the tactic for achieving this goal.
Convergence as the Tactic to Achieve This Goal
What is emerging is that there are different routes individual jurisdictions might pursue toward convergence between their national accounting standards and those of IFRS and, implicitly, those of other nations. Broadly speaking, the choices for a particular national jurisdiction are either to adopt IFRS or to adapt national standards with IFRS; either road should take them toward one set of global standards. Convergence is the way forward by those who choose to adapt, and I think convergence serves its role well for several reasons.
First, convergence helps the efficiency of those capital markets in which IFRS co-exists with the national standards. While I believe national accounting standards and IFRS can co-exist in a particular capital market without those bodies of standards being identical twins, the fact is that the more converged they become, the easier it is for investors and others to work with financial statements prepared under either set of standards. Second, convergence reduces preparers and auditors' costs to juggle application of several sets of national standards within the same consolidated group. Third, convergence helps optimize the resources dedicated to standards writing because more resources are devoted to determining the one best accounting model for a particular topic instead of those resources being spread about pursuing separate national accounting models for the same topic.
An argument against convergence is the cost and inconvenience of implementing the change that it brings. To me, change-with all its cost and inconvenience-is the price of getting to a better place. I have a firm belief, thus, in the net positive value of convergence, both as an enabler to reduce the need for reconciliations between sets of accounting standards, and as the path toward achieving a single set of high quality global standards. So put me down as committed to convergence and all the changes involved. That is not to say that at the moment we couldn't use a free minute to digest all the recent changes. I do see value in a little peace and quiet, but I also believe it is important that we continue to work so that further convergence can be accomplished in a planned, timely and orderly fashion.
My Priorities for Convergence Work
Since I have just declared myself as committed to convergence, this begs the question of how I might approach that work. Looking specifically at convergence between IFRS and U.S. GAAP-which is the area with which I am most familiar-I think the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) achieve the greatest ratio of benefits to costs if they work to both improve the accounting standards and to converge them. Therefore, I think the IASB and FASB should use the resources and talent that a convergence approach to standard setting brings to tackle the toughest, most intractable and problematic standard setting issues.
To me, those are topics such as financial instruments, performance reporting, revenue recognition and topics for which the existing accounting model has off-balance sheet elements; as is the case, for example, with pensions, leases and consolidation policy. Based on an in-depth SEC staff study released last week, 2 accounting models that have off-balance sheet elements are a frequent source of financial reporting transparency issues in the U.S. capital markets, and I suspect this is the case in other capital markets as well. To both converge and improve the standards in these topical areas it may mean the standard setters need to take a fresh look as opposed to shifting the existing IFRS or U.S. GAAP standard toward one existing model or the other. Projects in these areas may well be challenging and controversial-especially in terms of how best to transition from existing approaches to a new approach-but meanwhile the markets go on. I believe the IASB and the FASB have demonstrated that they can set high quality standards under difficult and changing conditions, so that stakeholders in financial reporting can look to them to do their jobs well.
I think the IASB and FASB's convergence efforts are effective if they make continuous progress on these toughest issues while also doing some other targeted work along the way. This means some shorter-term efforts that focus on key differences in particular accounting models and efforts to converge those. This work provides the rewards and other positive effects of making improvements along the way as the bigger and tougher subjects are handled. This does not mean, however, engaging in a paragraph by paragraph comparison of IFRS and U.S. GAAP for the purpose of deciding which paragraph is "better than" or "worse than" the other. Such an approach would, I think, take forever and may not result in significant improvement in the standards.
How Each of Us Can Contribute to Convergence
So, if convergence is a suitable tactic to achieve the goal of one set of global standards, then the next question is probably, "Are the standard setters the only ones who need to work on achieving it?" My answer is "no", because I think we all need to contribute. Convergence is not just the process of setting standards but rather also involves putting those standards into practice. Thus each of us-companies, audit firms and securities regulators-have a role to play.
I think companies can contribute by faithfully and consistently applying the converged standards in putting them into practice. And audit firms can contribute if they audit the companies' financial statements with the objective of looking for the same. The importance of how the standards are put into practice by companies and audit firms stems from the fact that investors read financial statements-not accounting standards-and thus the best converged standards do not provide transparency for investors if they are not implemented well.
Next, let me turn to the securities regulator, so I'll turn the spotlight on myself. Everyone knows that improving accounting standards is not a short term activity, so it is logical to ask, "How much convergence and improvement work is needed before IFRS and U.S. GAAP could be used in the U.S. capital markets without the need for reconciliation between the two?" My own answer is "more than what we have today, but not perfection, and not completion of all the standard setting topics on my list." Those topics raise issues that will require considerable effort to conquer, thus in the meantime good progress and a continued cooperative will to reduce differences over time are important. In the interim, the ability of IFRS to stand on its own two feet in practice and the transparency of any significant differences between IFRS and U.S. GAAP is important.
Beginning in 2006, the SEC expects to have a critical mass of registrants filing their home country financial statements prepared under IFRS and reconciled to U.S. GAAP. Hence, members of the SEC staff will begin reviewing the filings of registrants and listening to the experiences of issuers and investors, and of industry and professional groups, to get a good understanding of how the implementation of IFRS is proceeding. In particular, the SEC staff will be interested in how well investors are able to understand and use financial information prepared under IFRS. This work will help inform our views on the degree to which IFRS as a body of accounting standards and the application of those standards in practice can stand on their own, without the necessity for reconciliations of IFRS to U.S. GAAP. Ultimately, the staff will need to develop recommendations and proposals for the consideration of the Commissioners based upon what is learned.
In closing, I intend my remarks today to encourage everyone involved in global financial reporting to work to make convergence a reality. Progress toward a single set of high quality global accounting standards and progress toward creating an environment in which investors can rely on the application of such standards in practice are objectives that address common worldwide interests in the global capital markets. I believe these objectives will serve us well, and they are what I have in mind when I get up and go to work each day.
Thank you very much for your attention.
|Home | Previous Page
Modified: 07/01/2005


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Podcast: Mayor Answers Reporters Questions On
Latest McNeilly Case Developments;
Evidence From Court Case Now Online
You can listen to Mayor Ravenstahl field reporter questions about issues raised in the McNeilly court case. I've posted the audio; you can click here to go to my latest podcast page.
Over at the Pittsburgh Channel, you can now read two of the newly available court documents. I've annotated these copies.
This one is the city law department's memo to the mayor on the Regan investigation.
The other concerns Commander RaShall Brackney's alleged counter with Dennis Regan.
Meanwhile, the ACLU has posted more than a dozen additional memos, letters, and reports at its web site.
Here's a link to the Mayor's Office web site for press releases. As of this post, the administration has not issued any written statements on this story.
You can read the city's response in court to the McNeilly lawsuit in this earlier post to The Busman's Holiday.


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Posting ID : A1068522134
Date Posted : 2015-08-19
Category : Accounting Finance
We are growing! A. R. Building Co., a busy real estate development/property management company headquartered in Seven Fields, is seeking a full time Staff Accountant to join the team. Duties include daily lease accounting for properties, tenant billings, and special projects. Candidate should have an accounting degree and relevant experience.
M-F daylight.
Great benefits the 1st of the month after 60 days!
Reply with your resume and also your salary requirement.


text:
A Spanish former Industrial Engineer decided to pursue his dream of becoming a game designer and this is the result. It's a 3D space-sandbox game based on space exploration, science fiction, resource management and action. In this game you can build your base or spaceship, explore the galaxy, extract unique ores from planets or asteroids, craft new products, transport goods from one planet to another, fight against other enemy factions, trade with your allies, etc. More is being added to the game all the time (the pre-alpha build is available to all backers - check out the IndieGoGo Campaign Page).
InfiniExplorers Trailer:
InfiniExplorers Pre-Alpha Screenshots
Like IndieGameNews.com? Please +1 us!


text:
Markets surge on plan to boost Europe
New York -- The last time the stock market was this high, the recession was just getting started and stocks were pointed toward a headfirst descent.
But Thursday, the market moved swiftly in the other direction. The Standard & Poor's 500 index soared to its highest level since January 2008, and the Dow Jones industrial average hit its highest mark since December 2007. The S&P 500 index soared 28 points to close at 1,432; the Dow jumped 244 points to 13,292.
The Nasdaq composite index also reached a milestone, gaining 66 points to 3,135. That's its highest level in 12 years.
A concrete plan to support struggling countries in Europe provided the necessary jolt, and the gains were extraordinarily broad. European markets surged, and U.S. Treasury bond prices dropped as traders sold low-risk investments. All but 13 stocks in the S&P 500 index rose.
"There's just a sea of green," said JJ Kinahan, TD Ameritrade's chief derivatives strategist. "It's pretty fun."
Businesses add jobs
In an encouraging sign for the U.S. job market, a report from the payroll processor ADP said businesses added 201,000 jobs last month, the most reported by the survey since March.
Separately, the Labor Department said the number of people applying for unemployment benefits fell by 12,000 last week to 365,000. That figure won't affect the August jobs report, due out Friday, but could be a sign of a better hiring this month.
At a long-awaited meeting Thursday, Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank, introduced a program to buy government bonds from the region's struggling countries with the aim of lowering their borrowing costs. Draghi said the program will have no limit on how much it can buy.
Kinahan praised Draghi for two details in the plan. He didn't declare a limit for the bond-buying program and said it wouldn't put itself first in line in the event of a default, something investors had been clamoring for. Both details should make other investors more willing to buy government bonds along with the European Central Bank.
"In a situation where it was easy to have a slipup, it seems like he did everything right," Kinahan said.
European stock markets soared in response to Draghi's announcement. Germany's DAX and France's CAC-40 each rallied 3 percent.
The gains were even larger in Spain and Italy, the two largest countries to get caught up in the region's long-running government debt crisis. Spain's benchmark index soared 5 percent, Italy's 4 percent.
Treasury yields rise
Traders shifted money out of U.S. Treasury bonds, considered one of the world's safest places to stash money, and the drop in demand lifted yields. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.67 percent, up from 1.60 percent late Wednesday.
Even before Thursday's surge, the rally has been one for the record books.
Last month, Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Wells Fargo Capital Management, published a report showing the more than doubling of stock prices from a recessionary low in March 2009 has surpassed every post-World War II stock rally.
"We've been told from the start that this stock market was going to be low return and high risk, but it's turned out to be the best ever," Paulsen said as the S&P shot higher Thursday. "Fear was way overdone."


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Twirlywoos Run-along Twirlywoo Chick
Item number 73N4E
Twirlywoos Twirlywoos Run-along Twirlywoo ChickTwirlywoos is the much-loved TV series shown on CBeebies. This unique show is based on pure slapstick comedy with a focus on laugh-out-loud child centric humour to engage pre-schoolers, encouraging them to think for themselves, gain confidence in their own perceptions of the world and reinforce their understanding as they grow and develop. The adorable Run-along Fun Sounds Toodloo, Great BigHoo, Chickedy and Chick are sure to provide lots of fun and giggles as they run along, just like in the show! Press their hand and watch as they come to life. Don't forget to listen out for their signature silly sounds as they move. Little ones will love interacting and playing with them over and over again! Made with beautiful soft-to-touch fabric, these cheeky run-along Twirlywoos will be a firm favourite for all fans of the show! Performs best on smooth surfaces. Approx. size 23cm. Each sold separately.


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Final Cut Pro X Volume Licenses: 20+ Seats (price is per seat)
Final Cut Pro X is designed for today's all-digital pro video workflows, with a modern architecture that offers incredible performance when editing 4K video. The Magnetic Timeline provides a flexible canvas that lets you focus on storytelling without worrying about common problems like clip collisions and losing sync. Powerful media management tools — including range-based keywords and Smart Collections — let you quickly name, tag, and filter your files so you can find any clip instantly. And Final Cut Pro takes full advantage of Mac hardware, so you can smoothly edit ProRes and native camera files such as REDCODE RAW, H.264, and Sony XAVC — or create lightweight proxy files you can take on the road to edit on the go.
Whether your business or school is large or small, the Apple Volume License Agreement (VLA) provides an easy and cost-effective way to purchase Apple's Final Cut Pro X software for multiple systems.
With VLA, you license the right to use Apple software on a specified number of computers at your business or school — you determine how many. Volume Licenses start at 20 seats.
Customers receive a certificate that authorizes their use of the software for the number of licenses purchased. On completion of your Final Cut Pro X Volume License order, you will receive one content code per license purchased through your VLA. To redeem your software, your employees or authorized users will need to sign in to the Mac App Store with an Apple ID and password provided by your organization, company, or institution. Your use of the content codes and the redeemed software is subject to the terms and conditions applicable to the Mac App Store (http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/ww/) and the applicable license agreement(s).
For more details, please contact the Apple Store at 800-854-3680
Answers from the community
FCPX How many Seats do I get?
- Asked by J D O from Seattle
- on Jun 8, 2013
Answer now(FCPX How many Seats do I get?)No answers yet
FCPX how many copies do I get?
- Asked by Hanna H from kraków
- on Jun 6, 2012
Answer now(FCPX how many copies do I get?)No answers yet
i'm looking for a Volume licenses agreement, is it the same price as the single license?
- Asked by tony T from Shanghai
- on Mar 24, 2012
You would need to contact Apple to determine eligibility for volume discounts. By default, you'll se You would need to contact Apple to determine eligibility for volume discounts. By default, you'll see the $299 price.
- Answered by Thomas P from Portland
- on Jan 16, 2013
Does Final Cut Pro come with the Lion OS?
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- on Mar 28, 2012
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- on Apr 5, 2012
Is DVD Studio Pro included in final Cut Pro X
- Asked by Wilbert F from Dallas
- on Oct 25, 2011


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We're well on our way to NYE, so I guess it's about time for the 2014 resolutions.. bear with me!
1. Clean out my closet. My taste of clothes has made a shift last year, leaving my closet suffering - it's stuffed with items I definitely won't wear anymore, while those I do wear lay outside the closet as I use them all the time. Hence time for a muchneeded cleanup - and donate that what's not used anymore to those who do need it, eh?
2. Mind my shopping - Financial. This year, I started with a clean approach to purchasing: leave out the cheap stuff, no matter how cute it looks and how cheap it is, and invest. It has brought me only good; items of for example Acné or Designers Remix aren't normally within my budget, but now I own them and I love them.. and they're well worth holding in on those H&M/ Zara/ etc items, as they live a lot longer. 2014 will hopefully bring more investments/ a more solid wardrobe, as I hope to get a job and with that a proper income.
3. Mind my shopping - Trying. Stick with what works, one could argue - but where does that leave you? 2014 will be my year of trying out new things; as a fashion rookie who only just starts to understand her own style, there's a world left to try out and try on. And I will.
4. Loose weight. The ultimate cliché resolution, naturally. No matter how you look upon it, fact is that fashion becomes less fun when items don't fit or look horrible - now I don't come across that problem just yet, but as I want to avoid any possible negative experiences in the future ánd I can use more energy/ workouts (I've had a lazy year with writing my thesis, honestly .. spend way too many hours behind my computer), I'm set on becoming a running junkie. Got my plan of attacked worked out already, now only if the weather would cooperate..
Do you have any resolutions?


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What a fabulous idea Lizzie! I hope a lot of you will do this. It's really fun. You may even discover (or rediscover) some books on your own shelf that you haven't read before. Go here to read about her idea.
Alright, here goes.
Alright, here goes.
Aren't they pretty? These belong to my mom. She has a lovely collection of books and these are just a few of them. Here is what's on the shelf:
The Beacon Primer
This is from 1912!
The Story of a Candy Rabbit by Laura Lee Hope
Sounds cute doesn't it? Or, maybe it sounds sad...
Oral and Written English
This is a gorgeous book. Look at it! Wouldn't you like to learn English from a beautiful book like this? I think that text books we have now are just so ugly. And you should see what is in this book. It has things in it like "How to read a poem aloud" and "Making Your Meaning Clear"
A Court of Inquiry by Grace S. Richmond
Written in 1901 or thereabouts. I haven't read this but my sister Aimee has. She loved it. No one in it has actual names but has the most delightful nick names like "The Philosopher" (Philo for short) "The Gay Lady" or "The Skeptic". It also has great illustrations, Gibson Girl style.
The Trail of a Sourdough: Ballads and Rhymes by Charles E. Royal
This is full of intellectual and thought provoking poems like "The Immortal Cootie".
Prairie Tales
Keeping Fit for Fun
What this looks like is a bright and colorful book from the 50's that tries to make exercising look fun. I'm not buying it. ;)
More Friends and Neighbors
A very old reader
Little Fox by Francis Frost
Betsy Ross and the Flag by Jane Mayer
Yipe by David Malcolmson
Has the most adorable picture of a little black puppy on it!
Matilda and her Family by Miriam E. Mason
A story about cats! :)
Commodore Hornblower by C.S. Forester
I read the first in this series this year. So good! If you want to watch the BBC adaptions of these classics go here to my other blog The Three Spinsters.
The Little Lame Prince by Miss Mulock
This story starts with a wonderful beginning: "Yes, he was the most beautiful Prince that ever was born." And I love how the author goes by "Miss" Mulock. Charming!
The Real Book about Christopher Columbus
Not to be confused with the fake books about him. ;)
The Story of Leif Ericson by William O. Steele
Booker T. Washington by Shirley Graham
Charlemagne by Manuel Komroff
The March of Muscovy by Harold Lamb
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark TwainYou know, it's strange. I read this book when was probably 15 or 16 and I LOVED the first half of the book and DETESTED the second half. I think because it was such a hilarious story up until the the middle of the book and then it just takes a turn for the worse and goes downhill from there. At least, that's what I thought back then. 10 years later, I might think differently. Maybe someday I'll give it another chance.
Well, that's all! I hope that you all will play this game with us. It's quite fun! I'm looking forward to what Lizzie will write! :)
♥ Jane


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Which public transportation lines pass through Åsby Vägskäl in Sigtuna, Sweden and stops near me?
Moovit helps you find the quickest route and most updated timetable for lines that stop near Åsby Vägskäl. Moovit shows you the closest stops and stations to your destination. Check out this list of stops closest to Åsby Vägskäl: Karby Vägskäl; Åsby Grustag.
Want to see other transit options? Bus are possible transit options that you may use to get to Åsby Vägskäl. Choose from this list of lines that pass close to your destination - Bus: 574.
You can also find live directions to Åsby Vägskäl or see the closest bus stop or Bus stations near me by downloading the Moovit App.
There's no need to install a bus app to check the bus time, or to download a train app to get train time. Moovit is the only all-in-one transit app that you helps you get where you need to go.
Try Moovit and see why the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store voted us as one of the best public transportation apps available.


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05 May 2017
If you want your amazing gift to have an even bigger influence, provide it to him at a paintball themed birthday celebration event that showcases a game he could utilize it at! Host a paintball game at your next event as well as you will keep your guests occupied as well as delighted all day!
Luckily, paintball tools is really easy to gain access to and easily available from many on-line stores as well as have it delivered straight to your door. If you shop at the appropriate area, you could buy much premium paintball gear fairly inexpensively; depending upon how much you agree to spend, some stores will also provide volume discount rates if you ask. This makes it affordable to offer paintball relevant door rewards or supply gear for your visitors at the event.
Paintball birthday events are possibly the easiest to supply with devices and ideas, however any kind of celebration where the guests get to play this exciting game will be remembered. As a gift, you can not go wrong with a paintball gun package deal. These consist of every little thing you have to begin playing - a paintball weapon, mask, receptacle and also CARBON DIOXIDE container, and they're normally fairly low-cost! Set make superb presents due to the fact that they're a complete set, ready to plug as well as play when it's opened.
Suggestions for excellent paintball birthday celebration cakes are many; the colorful splat design of took off paintballs are virtually a staple for such an event. Gumballs likewise look identical in dimension, shade as well as shape to paintballs, making them one more enjoyable paintball cake device.
You could additionally get imaginative with invites to your paintball party. While these are easy sufficient to earn if you have a little bit of skill with colored pens, construction paper or various other art materials, the simplest way to go is to have them made by an expert printer. This can be done rather cheaply, nonetheless thankfully the paintball event concept isn't really brand-new; there are many paintball themed invitation layouts readily available for purchase to utilize as keynotes.
While presents, cake and ice cream are fun, the genuine entertainment at the celebration will certainly be the game. First determine if you want to hold the game at an industrial area or your personal residential property. Reserving your celebration at a business area is most likely the most convenient way to manage an effective paintball celebration as the area is already set up and also rental devices abounds. Commercial areas also supply air storage tank refills and also normal materials of paintballs so play can return to uninterrupted throughout the day.
Paintball birthday events are possibly the simplest to supply with devices and suggestions, however any type of party where the visitors obtain to play this exhilarating video game will certainly be remembered. Suggestions for great paintball birthday celebration cakes are several; the vibrant splat style of blew up paintballs are nearly a staple for such an occasion. Gumballs also look similar in size, shade and also shape to paintballs, making them an additional fun paintball cake device. Booking your celebration at a commercial area is most likely the simplest means to draw off a successful paintball event as the field is currently set up and rental tools is abundant.