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What are the best mutual funds available in the market? Which funds accrue maximum profits? What are the crieria for evaluating a fund?
Which funds provide the best SIP options? Are SIPs the easy way of making quick bucks? When and how should one buy mutual funds?
In an hour-long chat on Thursday, mutual fund expert Rahul Goel answered many such readers' queries. Here is the transcript:
Rahul Goel says, Good Afternoon! Welcome to the discussion on financial planning! Lets start!
Tushar asked, One of my friend (age 45) want to Invest Rs.10 Lac. She has no income. She is more interested in monthly income. She is staying alone in Ghatkopar (1BHK) own flat. Please suggest investment plan.
Rahul Goel answers, at 2008-01-03 12:56:34tushar, hi. well thre are some options out there including post office monthly income scheme, hdfc deposits and ofcourse MIPs from mutual funds. the exact allocation will depend on among other things the monthly income she requires and the variability in income she can withstand.
InvesStart asked, I am planning to invest in HDFC Equity+Top200, Franklin PrimaPlus+Flexicap, Reliance Vision, Fidelity Equity, DSPML Equity What is your view about my portfolio. Shall I consider any mid cap fund or remove any one from the list. Please advice
Rahul Goel answers, hi. why are you investing in both hdfc equity and top 200? and prima plus and flexxicap? you should ideally have one each from these two groups of if you will... the one that suits your profile and needs most. the other funds that you have selected too meet the cut. on reliance ofcourse personalfn does not have any view. with regards to midcap funds, maybe you can have a total exposure of about 10%; but you should be prepared for bigger swings in values of these funds. finally, ensure you have the right allocation between these funds.
Roy asked, I am 32 years old. I save about 10K rs. per month. I would like to have a nice bundle by the time i retire approx. at the age of 50. what plan would you suggest for me?
Rahul Goel answers, roy, hi. you have 18 yrs before you retire... if you have the appetite for risk, then you should have a predominantly equity oriented portfolio. if you continue to invest rs 10,000 pm till you retire, assuming a return of about 15%, you should be able to accumulate rs 1 crore!
syam asked, Hai Mr. Rahul, Tell me some good MF for a long run of say about 6-8 years
Rahul Goel answers, syam, hi. we will need to understand your profile and needs better before recommeding the schemes. having said that, amongs equity funds, we tend to recommend schemes like hdfc equity and fr india flexicap to our clients.
Rajeev asked, Dear Sir, I have invested Rs.45000 in HDFC Equity Fund,Rs.45000 in Franklin India Flexi Cap -G, 22500 in DSPML equity - G, 22500 in DSPL TIGER,15000 in Sundaram BNP Paribas Select MID CAP - G,I have invested this for Long Term, please suggest about my Portfolio should I continue or Quit.
Rahul Goel answers, rajeev, hi. your portfolio appears to be best suited for the tenure you are investing! well done!
moonmoon asked, Hi Rahul, My net taxable income is 169649/-. pls. advice the amount I should invest to save tax as well as the funds in which I should save to ensure maximum returns. I am 45 years old. with my present salary how much should I invest/ save annually for a secure future. Have 4 dependants on me
Rahul Goel answers, hi. i think a CA will be able to advise you best on this. however, if you do have to invest monies under section 80C, think before opting for the traditional options of ppf and life insurance. in most instances we find that in their quest to save tax investors forget that this money could have otherise achieved a lot more for them apart from just saving tax.
Malipatil asked, Hello Rahul, Last year I have invested in SBI mutual fund which give tax benefit, this year can it be safe to invest to invest in mutual funds or in some unit linked plans thanks
Rahul Goel answers, hi. in our view, if you are investing then go in for pure investments like mutual funds. if you need insurance opt for term insurance. hybrids like ulips should be taken only when you have adequate pure investment and insuranc exposure.
padam asked, Can u suggest new mutual funds to invest in 2008 so that we can get good returns. I want to invest around 1 Lakh
Rahul Goel answers, padam, hi. i think you need to make a new year resolution - "i will not invest in new fund offers"!! in personalfn's view, most nfos are just marketing initiatives... they offer little in terms of value to the investor.
ketan asked, I m 32 years old. i am getting 15 k / months. so pls sujject me , how to save money ? give some idea about finance plan for future life
Rahul Goel answers, ketan, hi. well, you need to save as much money as you can. with regards to the instruments where you money can go in, well, you probably would need to invest a considerable amount in equity oriented instruments. i am assuming here that your needs are all long term. before investing any money be sure you have access to honest recommendations. the last thing you want is to park your monies in instruments which are not the best for you.
Niranjan asked, Sir, I'm an MBA student who'll be joining the corporate in May, 2008 with a salary of Rs.50000 per month. I would like to develop a portfolio of Mutual funds (purpose of investment+tax break) . I've Rs.3.75 lakhs which i got as a deceased benefit of my father. I have Rs.2 lakhs loan (overdraft) outstanding which was availed at 9.5% p.a. Should i foreclose the loan using the proceedings or chose to invest in some better evenues. Please advice me on this
Rahul Goel answers, niranjan, hi. the answer to this would depend on how comfortable you are in keeping a liability on your books. if you are not comfortable, simply pay it off. do not worry about the opportunity loss etc etc.
syam asked, What is your opinion for appliying Reliance Powder sector MF
Rahul Goel answers, syam, hi. our view on sector/thematic funds is that these are very high risk - high return propositions which over the long term do not always create value for the investor. think tech funds in 2000. think pharma funds earlier this century.
Navin asked, I am 26 Years old. Earning 2.4 LA, expecting to 100% hike from March. I'd like to take Insurance cover. But bit of confused with ULIPs & Term Insurance. I'd chosen Reliance Automatic Invetsment Plan. My objective is to get cover till 60 Years. But I came across a Birla's Term Plan.kind of impressed. Could u help me in selecting among these two? ThanX Should i go ahead with this plan.
Rahul Goel answers, navin, hi. simply go in for a term plan. evaluate the permiums across insurers though.
Mubsy asked, What is the best plan to earn monthly income like 3k to 5k with one time investment of 1.5 to 2 lakhs..?
Rahul Goel answers, hi. it will be difficult for you to generate this kind of an income from this corpus. you will need about rs 8 lakhs of corpus, invested at about 8% pa to be able to generate about rs 5,000 pm.
Aliasgar asked, Hi I jhave 8 lacs RS to invest. Which are the possible investment options
Rahul Goel answers, ali, hi. the answer to your query will depend on many factors including your objectives, tenure of the same, risk appetite, expectation of return etc etc.
Siddharth asked, Hi Rahul i am 30 years old and want to save to pay off my housing loan of 15 lacks payable for 17 years and want to have a monthly retirement amount of 50,000. plan to retire by 55. I am investing 1000 as SIP in DSPML TIGER, Reliance Diversified Power, Tata Infrastructure, Sundaram Capex, Reliance Savings, HDFC Equity and HSBC Equity.... could you suggest me wether this portfolio is sufficient to meet my requirements. if no what else should i add.
Rahul Goel answers, siddarth, hi. to plan for your retirement needs, say 30 yrs from now, you will need to set aside rs 12,000 pm in assets earning you about 15% pa. with regards to your housing loan, by when do you want to pay it off? that will be key to any plan which will help you achieve this.
naveensethi asked, Hi Rahul, To complete the saving of Rs. 1,00,000/- i need to invest approx. Rs. 35000 more. Currently, I have one TATA AIG ULIP Plan with premium of Rs. 53000 A LIC policy with premium of Rs. 6258 A policy on the name of my kid with premium Rs. Rs. 5600. Please Suggest where should I invest the remaning part of my saving? Should I go for Mutual Fund(ELSS)? or go for another ULIP?
Rahul Goel answers, naveen, hi. you alreadly have a lot of ulips! time to start investing monies in instruments like mutual funds... in this case ELSS. i am assuming you have appetite for risk here...
sacram asked, Dear Sir, Which is best ULIP Pure Pension Plan for Retirement, I dont want to pay anything for mortality. I have taken term plan for that. Please guide me. Thanks
Rahul Goel answers, hi, if you do not want to pay anything for mortality then you want to invest the money, right? then why go for a ulip? why not a mutual fund?! you should discuss the cost implication of owning a ulips vs other investmetn products before committing any monies.
prashantk asked, hi!which is the better option for investment repay home loan principle amt or invest in mutual fund or similar investment schemes?
Rahul Goel answers, prashant, hi. if you are not comfortable with a liability on your books, simply pay off the debt. do not worry about the opportnity loss.
srinivas asked, I am Srini from Bangalore, I need to invest 1Lac for my saving and l have 35K of LIC,30K of ULIP....Would u let me know what else shal l go for so that l can get good rerurns Pls surrgest me....
Rahul Goel answers, srinivas, hi. the actual allocation would depend on several factors... i am unable to recommend anything based on the information provided by you. if you want someone frm personalfn (bangalore branch) to guide you, send in your details to email@example.com.
vgpal asked, Hi Rahul. Happy New Year. I'm married and my age is 29 and I'm the only bread earner. My take home monthly salary is Rs 30000. My savings till date are Rs 20000 annualy in Max Newyork Insurance Growth plan for 10 years and Rs 7000 annualy in Met Family Income Plan, for 10 years. Both since year 2006. I was not having much knowledge about investments at that time. Now I feel to enter MFs thro' SIP starting with Rs 1000 p.m as of now and slowly increasing the amount later on. I can save another Rs 3000 from April 2008. Suggest me what to do with the insurances. Also give the priorities considering my age and responsibilities. 1. Health Insurance 2. Term Insurance 3. Mutual Funds 4. PPF & other secured investment plans. Thank you in advance.
Rahul Goel answers, hi. start your sips asap! but be sure your advisor recommends to you the schemes best suited to you. with regards to insurances best you continue them till the minimum premium paying period is over. as and when more liquidity is available to you, take term insurance
on pririty.
ishu asked, dear rahul , rahul can u help me to choose term insurance for a period of 30 years keeping cost and service of claims as parameters in terms of your preferences from max , birla,sbi ,hdfc insurances .Hdfc is the costliest of all apparently .await your reply
Rahul Goel answers, ishu, hi. unfortunately i am unable to guide you on this... best is to get in touch with an insurance broker for the same. sorry!
ajju asked, hello sir, happy new year, i am having a salary of 25k and i am 29yr , i can save upto 10000 permonth, so pls guide me where should i invest, i have been deposting 20000per annum in NSC.
Rahul Goel answers, ajju, hi. you are starting early and that's great! if you have appetite for risk, and can invest for the long term, you should start your SIPs in schemes like hdfc equity and franklin flexicap. maybe before that you can download the financial planning guide from personalfn (free of cost).
somu asked, Dear sir, i'm in my 30 & take home is 17000 .. i'm having SIP with DSPML World gold fund,tata infra & Jp morgan india eq gr each of 2000 rs each.. am i in right track? pls suggest i'm planning to invest 20000 rs in JM Basic ..is this the right time or shall i wait...
Rahul Goel answers, somu, hi. you seem to have a liking for sector funds and also nfos. i think its time for you to review your entire portfolio.
Sanjay asked, Dear Rahul, I am an NRI and I would like to know various options for investment in India. My current net savings in Rs. 150000 per month. Till now I have invested in NRI fixed deposits only.
Rahul Goel answers, sanjay, hi. well, if you are not from the US, then you have mutual funds as a key investment option in india. however, like any other market there are a lot of schemes out there, only a few of which are worth investing in. if you want, email me your details at firstname.lastname@example.com and maybe i can direct you to the right schemes once i understand your needs and profile better.
rajiv asked, what is the best plan to earn monthly income more than expected?
Rahul Goel answers, rajiv, hi. if you want an assured income then the post office and hdfc deposits are the best. but if you can take some risk, then give the MIPs, a type of mutual fund, a try...
PrakashPatel asked, Hello sir, I want to invest Rs.42,000 in MF to save tax this year. Which is the best MF? should I go for SIP from next year and this I will invest Rs.42,000 in NSC
Rahul Goel answers, prakash, hi. we prefer schemes like franklin india tax shield. next year onwards ofcourse you can do SIPs into the tax funds.. that will be best for most investors. this year, invest in line with your long term needs.
Amit asked, I am thirty Years of Age. I have monthly inhand income of 60000. My savings are 15000 Permonth after paying Housing and Car loan (1500000) and expenses .My investment are as follows till today. 1. 25 lakh term loan Life insurance 2. reliance Natural resources IPO 100000 3. Mutual Funds 10000 each in in Reliance Growth,Sundaram BNP Paribas select Mid CAP,ICICI Prudential Real state Securities, Sundaram Energy,Uti Infrastructure Sr 1 4. Mutual Fund SIP of for DSP ML Equity(1000),DSP ML Tiger(1000),Reliance Power Diversified(1000).Standard chartered Premier equity(2000) for three Years 5. PPF 120000. Do you see my portfolio is correct and going in right directions.
Rahul Goel answers, amit, hi. you have too many schmees, and then you have mostly sectoral/thematic funds. there is a need to rationalise your portfolio... ideally one shoudl have about 6 schemes in a portfolio and not more than 10% of yoru investments in our view should be in sectoral/thematic funds.
Maneesh asked, I am an NRI, and cannot decide whether to invest in the US market or the Indian market. I want to trade on volatility i.e. short term trading. My idea is to invest in MF in India and do the short term trading in US. The reason is that I have been following the US market for the last 4 months but have not really followed the Indian market
Rahul Goel answers, maneesh, hi. pl can you download the free NRI investment guide from personalfn.com .... that will answer this question. sorry for taking a short cut!
Rajesh asked, good afternoon sir and very happy new year... I am 31 and planning to invest around 20K in ULIPs, please suggest the selection criteria for selecting good plan.
Rahul Goel answers, rajesh, hi. given that you are investing in ulips i assume you have completed your allocations to mutual funds and have also taken a term insurance policy. in case of ulips understand the expenses very well to begin with.
harshag asked, hello Mr.Goel, Are SIPs available for shoirt durations like quarterly or half yearly?
Rahul Goel answers, hi. i think six month sips are available as a norm... not sure if there are shorter tenures available as well.
bhasker asked, hi if i want to invest 50000 rupees on Mutual Funds what is the best way to do it.
Rahul Goel answers, bhasker, hi. the best way to do this would be to employ the services of an honest finanical planner and take his guidance. the reason i say this is because with hundreds of schemes out there, and many unscrupulous agents, you run the risk of investing in instruments which do not suit you best.
ajay asked, hi rahul what is your suggestion to put fd of 15lakh. also pl suggest some sip fr 60000pm
Rahul Goel answers, ajay, hi. since you are contemplating an FD, have you compared the post tax return with what is called a FMP (fixed maturity plan). in a lot of instances, the FMP will score better. with regards to the sip, well, if you have a high risk appetite, and are investing for the long term, invest in schemes like hdfc equity and fr india flexicap.
jag asked, Hello Rahulji. Itis good in investing inf Infrastrucure fund.
Rahul Goel answers, hi, in our view, investors should limit their cumulative exposure to sector/thematic funds like infra funds to no more than 10% of their overall portfolio.
Harsh asked, Hello Rahul, Shall I invest in monthly SIPs or is it beneficial to invest once in a year in mutual Funds ?
Rahul Goel answers, harsh, hi. if you are salaried, then SIPs would suit you best. but if you have a lump sum to invest then you can always go in for what is called a STP - systematic transfer plan. this in our view is a preferred way of investing into equity funds as the risk of mis-timing, as compared to when you make a one time investment, is diluted.
Ajit asked, Rahul, I am 48 years old and have a monthky expenses of about 25 K with wife and two two daughters whi are studying in college. What do you think my monthly expenses will be if I retire at 55 and how much money I should save to earn that monthly income?
Rahul Goel answers, ajit, hi. assuming an inflation rate of 6%, your monthly expense would be about rs 38,000. to earn this income, you will need to have a corpus of rs 90 lakhs invested in low risk monthly income genrating instruments. to accumulate rs 90 lakhs, you need to set aside rs 60,000 pm in instruments yielding 15% pa. there seems to be a disconnect here... but this calc assumes you have no other assets.
nandakishore asked, would you please suggest me the 3 best midcap funds to invest at present
Rahul Goel answers, hi. one fund we like in this category is sundaram select midcap.
shiva asked, Why do you feel that franklin tax shied and HDFC Tax shied are good options though they are not performing well in the market...
Rahul Goel answers, shiva, hi. in recent months, the markets have moved almost unidirectionally. the more risk one took, the more returns they logged in. but going forward in our view the smarter fund manager will do well. those who take max risk, also get hit the hardest when markets fall.
sunny asked, Hi Rahul, among all my MFs I have Fidelity Equity, Franklin India Prima Plus and HDFC Equity in which I have invested on the same day and are currently giving me same returns. I had put 15000 in each of these funds. Does it make sense for me to move all my money in one among these three funds?
Rahul Goel answers, sunny, hi. the three funds that you own follow different styles of investment... all the three are good schemes to own.
Kris asked, Hi Rahul, I stay in Singapore and would like to invest in Indian mutual funds...How do i start and what should i do.
Rahul Goel answers, kris, hi. the best way to start would be to employ the service of an honest financial planner. investing is very easy in india... but to get the right advice, is very challending.
PK asked, Hi Rahul, I am returning back to Mumbai from abroad, I want to do a planning for my investment. Could you pl give me your contact add & numbers.
Rahul Goel answers, hi, you can always write in to me at email@example.com
bhasker asked, I have 50000 in cash. I want to invest in Mutual Funds. What is the duration of mutual funds so that we get good returns.
Rahul Goel answers, bhasker, hi. if you are investing in equity funds, you should have an investment tenure of about 3 - 5 yrs atleast.
rithika asked, Hi Rahul, can you please suggest whether the property market will go down in the near future
Rahul Goel answers, rithika, hi. well i do not have a view on property prices per se. i would however recommend that you read the guide on real estate on personalfn - www.personalfn.com/investment/ms
vasanthrajc asked, Hello Rahul, New year wishes. My Question is how is the 3yr lockin period calculated for the SIP in ELSS funds?
Rahul Goel answers, hi. the lock in 3 yrs for each installment. so if the installment goes in now, this installment will be locked in for 3 yrs. the one which goes in 12 months from now, will be locked in for 3 yrs, starting 12 months from now.
rpvarma asked, Hello Mr Goel, I was blessed with grand son on 5 October 2008. I want to start saving for him. Can you please advise me where should I invest so that the same is available to him after 15 years?
Rahul Goel answers, hi. congratulations! since 15 yrs is a long time frame, you should consider investing in equity oriented investment avenues. select the instrument well as you do not want to be told to churn every now and then. it should be simply invest and track... minimal need to churn, if at all.
Rahul Goel says, Thank you all for participating in this discussion. See you all next week. In the mean time you can always write in to personalfn at email@example.com
Chat with Rahul every week!
For more transcripts, click here!


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1 Khaulee 9:22
22Kuv ua yam li tus uas qaug zog rau hauv cov uas qaug zog xwv thiaj coj tau cov uas qaug zog los. Kuv yeem ua txhua yam neeg rau txhua tus kom thiaj siv txhua txojkev pab tau qee leej dim.
Text Copyright © 2004 Thailand Bible Society
Quotations of the White Hmong Holy Bible Standard Version, in any form, must obtain written permission from Thailand Bible Society if the quoted material is inclusive of at least 1,000 verses, or a copy of any book wholly or partially which amounts to 50 percent of the book quoted. For any long quotation, notice of copyright must appear as follows: Text Copyright © 2004 Thailand Bible Society. Used by permission.

subset: commoncrawl


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About Us
Directors & Committee Chairs
Dr. Charles Grant is the former Chairman & CEO of Continuing Education Association International (CEAI). He spent 35 years in education and was a teacher and administrator for ten years in a Texas public school system prior to spending 25 years in community college education. He has served as an Instructor of Management Development, Director of Continuing Education, Dean of Continuing Education, Vice President of Instruction, and ten years as a College President. Dr. Grant holds, an Associate in Arts (AA) degree from San Jacinto College, a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree from Stephen F. Austin State University, a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree from Sam Houston State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree from Texas A&M University.
He is past President of the North Shore Rotary Club, past Assistant Governor for Rotary District 5890, and past Chairman of the Worldwide Rotaract Committee, a program of Rotary International. He also was the Group Study Exchange (GSE) Team Leader to Sydney, Australia. Additionally, he is past Chairman of the North Channel Area Chamber of Commerce, and most recently served as the President & CEO. He served on the board of the Economic Alliance - Houston Port Region for eight years and held the position of Treasurer, Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Board. He is a member of many civic and educational organizations.
Maria Bossa has spent 25 years in education. She has been a teacher of English at different levels in Argentina, Chile and online. She has served as a co-moderator for the BaW (Becoming a Webhead) Sessions, ICT4ELT Sessions and now she is part of the Coordination Team of the EVO (Electronic Village Online) Sessions sponsored by TESOL. She is an International Exchange Alumni for the US Embassy in Argentina and an Ambassador for the SimpleK12 Teachers Community.
Maria was Secretary of Rotary Club Rio Tercero; she has been the Executive Secretary and the Rotaract mentor for her club. Within the 4815 District, Maria has been the District International Service Chair and Coordinator of the Training Committee. She has also been Secretary of the International Fellowship of Rotary E-clubs and Secretary of the ETA (Encuentro Trinacional de Asesores Rotarios)
Lee Brown currently serves as the principal of Cloverleaf Elementary in Galena Park ISD. He has served in that capacity for the past 9 years. He previously worked as an elementary assistant principal, high school and middle school coach/teacher and elementary teacher all in Galena Park ISD. He has a total of 25 years of experience in education. He earned his Bachelors of Science and Master of Education Degrees from Stephen F. Austin University.
Lee has been a member of North Shore Rotary since November 2009. As a Rotary member he has served as a board member and is currently serving as a co-chair for the membership committee.


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Whether you're an established company adding to your product line, or a first-time entrepreneur working to bring a new electronic product to the marketplace, the PCBA (printed circuit board assembly) prototyping process is a critical first step in manufacturing. Through prototypes and subsequent testing, important insights are gained:
- Does the product actually work?
- Are the PCBA design and specifications adequate?
- Can the components be manufactured efficiently and cost-effectively as designed?
Unless you have an experienced manufacturing partner, the responsibility for answering these questions likely rests on you alone. This can be challenging for some customers—especially if your expertise is developing ideas and implementations, rather than circuit board assemblies. And with so many overseas PCBA manufacturers promising cost savings through outsourcing, you may find yourself struggling through language barriers and time zone conflicts that make it harder to get feedback and recommendations.
Circuit Works, however, as a U.S.-based contract PCBA manufacturer, offers flexibility and customer service that delights our clients.
- Need to make a change? We work hard to accommodate modifications, quantity adjustments, and other requests. And we make sure materials are on hand to support order increases.
- Need to talk about your prototype or see it in person? We emphasize open lines of communication with customers, welcome customers coming in to observe their product during manufacturing or to speak in person, and we're always open to visiting the customer's site to see where the final product will be used.
- Concerned about who will pick up the phone when you call? We have dedicated customer liaisons so you can contact your support person directly. And while we can save you money with manufacturing either in the U.S. or Mexico, all of our customer support is in the U.S.
The Circuit Works Prototyping Process
PCBAs are used in products in just about any industry, so Circuit Works is used to meeting individualized needs in a very fluid and flexible environment. These wide-ranging capabilities and quick turnaround make the process even easier for customers.
Most customers will contact Circuit Works with a prototype design in hand. We'll then generate a quote based off that design and its specifications, the required quantity, and any industry requirements the PCBA will need to meet (such as ISO 9001 certification, FDA compliance, or ISO 13485 medical certification).
When the customer signs off on the quote, we go to work with internal planning—choosing materials, buying components, developing CAD drawings, directing operations staff on how to build the product. But this is a dynamic process for us, constantly staying in communication with the customer. Based on our experience building the prototype (and the innumerable prototypes in our portfolio), we provide regular feedback and capabilities:
- Product improvement recommendations
- Manufacturing process and efficiency optimizations
- Extensive testing
- Exhaustive documentation
- Traceability compliance for medical devices
- Document reviews after prototyping
- Cost-saving ideas (for example, in materials or placement of components)
Just as the industries requiring PCBAs vary, so do the sizes of prototype orders. But at Circuit Works, we can give you the same individual attention whether your order is 1 or 2 pieces, a few dozen, or even a thousand or more. Bringing a new product to the market is complex, but we're here with the flexibility and close working relationship you need to move from idea and design to prototype to finished product.


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144 Nigerian migrants returned home from Libya, Tuesday night as part of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) voluntary return scheme.
Recall however that the Nigerian Charge D'Affaire to Libya, Ambassador Iliya Danladi Fachano, told the media on Monday that "So far, we have registered over 3,000 Nigerians in Libya and repatriated about 2,000 so far.
"On Tuesday 5th December, 2017, we are expecting a batch of 250 returnees by 7pm in Lagos."
They arrived at the Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos, and were received by the Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri, officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) among others.
Among the returnees were 39 female, 97 male, two children and six infants.
Their return comes barely a week after news of slave trading of Africans in the North African country drew global criticism, with several leaders, authorities, as well as citizens condemning it.
The migrants who are mainly from Africa, arrive in Libya as they attempt the voyage across the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean sea to European shores.
Most migrants are placed in detention centres across Tripoli, with some requesting assistance to return to their home countries.
Some 600,000 migrants have reached Italy by sea from North Africa since 2014, most leaving from Libya's western coast. More than 12,000 have died while trying.


text: Selby - Carol Bohlander, 64, of Selby passed away Sunday, Oct. 7, 2007, at Avera St. Luke's Hospital in Aberdeen. Her funeral service will be 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 12, 2007, at the Selby United Church of Christ with Pastor Susan Carr and Pastor Virgil Christophersen officiating. Burial will follow at Selby Memorial Gardens. Organist will be Peggy Gereau and ushers will be Steve Allmendinger and Todd Biel. There will be a prayer service at 7 p.m. Thursday at the church, with visitation beginning at 5:30 p.m. Carol Jean Smith, daughter of Iva Hilda Krutsinger and John Smith, was born in Britton on Dec. 19, 1942. She attended rural school and graduated from Britton High School in 1960. Carol earned her two-year teaching certificate from Northern State Teachers College in 1962. She began a career dedicated to her love of educating youth. Her first position was in Java, where she taught from 1962-1965. On May 31, 1965, she married Vern Bohlander in Britton. They settled in Selby, where Carol began teaching fourth grade in 1965. Through the years, she earned her bachelor of science degree in elementary education, attending summer school at Northern State Teachers College with older daughter, Tracy, in tow. She received her bachelor of science in education in 1969. She touched the lives of hundreds of fourth-grade students during her 38 years in the Selby school system. She retired in 2004. Her involvement in the lives of young people transcended into her personal and spiritual life. Raised and confirmed in the Methodist Church, she joined the United Church of Christ upon moving to Selby. There, she and Vern led the church youth group for 15 years and volunteered for UNICEF for nearly 20 years. She taught both Bible school and Sunday school. She also served as a leader for Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts when her children were active in these groups. Reading was a favorite pastime of Carol's. She also cherished her family. She enjoyed mailing her grandsons home-baked cookies when they were living in Texas. Carol was diagnosed with breast cancer in summer 2005 and went on to beat the disease. In January 2007, she began bravely battling leukemia. She is survived by Vern, her husband of 42 years; one son, Vernon Bohlander of Sioux Falls; two daughters: Tracy (Jim) Reecy of Stapleford, Cambridge, England, and Carissa Bohlander of Sioux Falls; one sister, Connie Smith of Aberdeen; two grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and hundreds of former students. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers: Jack and Duwayne; and one sister, Dalorse Swenson. Honorary bearers will be her grandchildren, Nickolas and Marcus Reecy. Casketbearers will be David Smith, Jeff Oelkers, Leonard Wolf, and Alan Bohlander, all of Britton; Jim Reecy of England; and Steve Smokey of Bismarck, N.D. To leave an online condolence or to view Carol's video tribute, visit www.millerlien fh.com. Lien Funeral Home of Bowdle is in charge of arrangements.


text: Shop Picture My Life™ Cards—Something Fierce Item Number: X7240E $6.50 Quantity Qty You have 0 in your cart. Product Description Double-sided pocket cards featuring unique designs, sentiments, and icons. Not all designs shown. 12 – 4" × 6" pocket cards 12 – 3" × 4" pocket cards Coordinate with the Something Fierce paper packet (X7240B) and Complements (X7240C). You might also like these products… Something Fierce Paper Packet $10.95 X7240B NEW! Something Fierce Complements $7.50 X7240C NEW! Something Fierce Coordinating Cardstock $9.95 X7240D NEW! Something Fierce Puffy Stickers $5.95 Z4253 NEW! White Ribbon $5.50 Z4196 Picture My Life™ Cards—I Heart Us $6.50 X7242E NEW! Picture My Life™ Cards—Feels Like Home $6.50 X7243E NEW! Picture My Life™ Cards—So Much Happy $6.50 X7241E NEW! Memory Protectors™ Design 4 $10.95 Z1951 Memory Protectors™ Design 5 $10.95 Z1952


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President Barack Obama reiterated Tuesday his plans to nominate a successor to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in "due time," taking swipes at Republican lawmakers who have argued that he should not name the judge during his final year in office.
Scalia, who was 79, was found dead in Texas on Saturday, leaving a vacancy on the top U.S. court. Obama's nominee to replace him could potentially tip the court's ideological balance to the left, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, has said the vacancy "should not be filled until we have a new president." The Senate is responsible for confirming the president's judicial appointments.
"The Constitution is pretty clear about what's supposed to happen now. When there is a vacancy on the Supreme Court, the president of the United States is to nominate someone. The Senate is to consider that nomination," Obama said from a news conference following a summit with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Rancho Mirage, California.
"Historically, this has not been viewed as a question."


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Communication about the fact the attempted murder of a newspaper editor of Al-Oula (1rst) Newspaper , Mohammed Ayesh, and and the attack on the newspaper staff
Al Oula Newspaper targeted a serious incident at dawn on Saturday, May 21, 2011. An armed group tried to break into the paper at three in the morning to try all the evidence indicates that it aimed to assassinate the editor colleague Mohammed Ayesh, and implementation of the vicious assault against the rest of the newspaper staff.
When the gunmen found the doors of the newspaper closed they ambushed at the gate of Architecture until he they arrived from the outside, colleague Hassan Saeed Hassan, a student at the Faculty of Information and editor trainee at the newspaper, so they told him, before beginning to attempt murder, they beat him and displayed handguns him to force him to up and open the newspaper or apartment opens the door to colleagues who are in the apartment, with a view to access to the office of colleague Ayesh.
And when he tried to keep them happy, colleague Hassan by saying that the editor is not there, the armed militants responded by saying: "No, he is there. We callledl by telephone in which he said that in his office."
Colleague did not respond to their demands and they attempted to kill him by stabbing him and tear reported in both hands, then began to stab him with slaughter knives in his thighs. The gunmen gagged his mouth with a cloth before they filled it with gravel and dirt so as not to scream.
Wanted militants to reach the editor in their hands guns and knives, targeted him mainly, and anyone who was present from the Editorial Board in place, Hassan managed to escape from their hands, and he called the members of the military police who are in the checkpoint , They told his colleagues in the offices of the newspaper to come to the rescue and first aid, and they found infected with approximately ten stab wounds suffered during the assault, which preferred not to respond to the demands of the aggressors, even if it has to sacrifice his life in order to preserve the lives of his colleagues.
It was a very horrible scene and we see our colleague, covered in blood and unable to breathe due to gravel and dirt lost his ability to move and to speak and almost ending his life in the blink of an eye.
Condemning the first what had happened to one of its editors trainees, they are considered the present communication to you is also a communication to the Attorney General and Ministry of Interior and all the authorities involved in providing protection to its citizens.
Remember, the newspaper Series of attacks on them and on some crew members and distributors and the detention of their liberty and, similarly, holding copies of the paper for two numbers in a row (119 and 120) (number Thursday and Saturday), and prevented from reaching the Dhamar, Ibb, Taiz, Aden, Dali and other cities of these provinces.
Newspaper "first"
Editorial Board
May 20, 2011


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I recently had the opportunity to showcase my work alongside chapeau designer Rene Mantilla. The motivation behind this series was taking suiting to a sexy place. I took some of my grandfather's suits and decided to modernize them with the wardrobe styling, photography & lighting. I was luckily enough to have a few of my industry friends come and make it happen.
Special Thanks
Models: Yah Yah, Rachel, Miguel, Lauren, Viktorija
Hair and Makeup: Eric, Rachel, Rashad
Assistants: Latasha, Dante
Bx Recognize Bx! One of my idols (Swizz) came by and checked out the event. We had an excellent turnout and the event was sponsored by Luc Belaire Champagne. Check out the gallery below featuring other guests including Shaun Ross, "Boys Of New York" Designer Isidoro Francisco, Ty Hunter, Swizz Beatz, Diandre Tristan and many more.


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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Italian Sausage, Portabello Mushroom Lasagna
I love lasagna in any form and with almost any ingredients and this one did not let me down. As a kid, my mom would always let us choose a dish that she would make us for our birthday. I remember on several occasions choosing her lasagna. She made a traditional lasagna, not far from this recipe, that I loved!! I remember eating it with my family that birthday night (with an awesome cake, of course) and then eating leftovers for days. Thinking back, it was probably one of those years when we were snowed in. As most of my family reminds me every year, I was born in what Western Pennsylvanians call the "Blizzard of '77.'' (Oh #*%@, I just told you my age.) They tell me the snow was up to the power lines. And yes, there are pictures and news paper articles to prove this. Somehow, unfortunately, this weather event has stalked every birthday celebration I have ever had!! Most of my parties were either cancelled or shortened in some way because of treacherous roads and accumulating snow. Even as an adult, and even since I have moved away from the frozen tundra of Pennsylvania, many birthdays have been hindered by storms; including this year. In the past few years, when my family jokes about Rebecca's snow storm, I have begun to tell them that they must "Celebrate the Birth of the Ice Queen!" I may as well embrace it!!
I have decided that next year "The Ice Queen" will forgo her January birthday and celebrate outside in the July heat alongside a large pool, with a BBQ, fresh peach ice cream and lots of icy cold beer!! Who's down for a party??
Even though many years have passed,what better recipe than this to make when I am snowed in? . Unfortunately, due to the weather and my little house which has very little natural light, the pictures of this dish are not up to the usual standard. I thought I would share it though because I really did like the recipe. I thought of making it again just to photograph, but seriously, a single girl can not eat 2 pans of lasagna and still zip her jeans. So... out of respect for my curvy, girly figure, you get pictures of the original attempt. Maybe this is one of those meals where you sit back, close your eyes and Enjoy!!
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Black Bottomed Nutella Mini Cheesecakes
Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope that you all had a Valentine's Day weekend as awesome as I did!! I know that this recipe is late, but I have yet to master releasing a post when the recipe to be posted is a gift or surprise. Of course, I made these little cheesecakes for my guy! (Remember the slogan here at Bonbons and Biscotti: Love Begins in the Kitchen!!) The reason for the delay is I was just finishing up the post as he was about to leave his house and I was afraid he might see it before he got here. So... I had to make a choice and because of him, you get this recipe late. Sorry... a girl has to have priorities!!
But don't worry, I love y'all too! So... this weekend, we ate one of these delicious, Nutella cheesecakes for each of you (my devoted readers) and as always, I am sending you love!
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Maple Bourbon Roasted Chicken Legs with Beets and Butternut Squash
I know a lot of you are struggling through some pretty bitter, cold temps and snowy days. This would be the perfect recipe to warm you up after shoveling snow or trudging through the "white stuff" to pick up your kids at the bus stop. I know that my little snow story here in South Carolina does not compare with what my family in Pennsylvania or a lot of you from up in that area (that are devoted readers) are suffering through. However, last week, we had snow here in South Carolina- a whole inch!! And Yes! I know we become the laughingstock of the east coast every year when this happens, but if you have ever lived in the south you know why. There really are no resources to deal with snow- regardless of the amount. There is also no need to waste tax payers money on the equipment and supplies when there is only a slight chance that a winter event will even occur. And most importantly, for a lot of local kids, why not take a day off to enjoy a once in a year phenomenon.
Anyway, I was cold and had the day off and I wanted to make some comfort food to warm up a little. Unfortunately, I did not want to do a lot of work nor did I have a lot of ingredients. So, I came up with this simple, one pan dish. For me, these ingredients are staples in my house, so that part was not hard and neither was the prep. I watched the oven as this awesome marinade bubbled away. When it was done I was so happy to cuddle up on the couch with a big bowl, my fuzzy blanket and a few episodes of Sex in the City. Warm, I was!!
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Dark Chocolate Red Wine Cake
What is my favorite food? Well, of course it is CAKE!!! And this has been my lucky week! I have been in CAKE HEAVEN!! I am so fortunate to have some great friends and family who love me and are enablers in my CAKE addiction. (Yes, I realize I have capitalized CAKE every time! That is how excited I have been about this past week!!) This past Wednesday was my 37th birthday and I have been fortunate enough to receive three really amazing CAKES (hehehe!!!) to help me celebrate. All of them have been chocolate and delicious. Two of them were homemade, which (if you have been reading) is the way to my heart.
It all started 2 weeks ago when my sister bought me a marble CAKE with chocolate butter cream frosting. Then, at work, my co-worker brought a chocolate layer CAKE with strawberry filling and chocolate ganache. And, a day after that, my guy really branched out with his first foray into baking (he is already an excellent cook) by making a double, dark chocolate layer CAKE and decorating it with cute caricatures of US!!! Can you tell I am smiling while I am writing this?? It was a happy, happy CAKE filled week!!
Now in all my post-birthday glory, I will drag my "post-CAKE eating self" off to the gym at lunch!
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Need a classic color palette that never goes out of style? You'll find it in today's feature! We're sharing black and white wedding ideas in a color board as a special request from bride-to-be, Terese. In her Ask Emmaline email, she tells us she's looking to combine a "classic, traditional look" with "modern touches" and "a bit of gold or silver metallic". Sounds beautiful to us! To round out this look, we've found guest books, invitations, table linens, a flower girl dress, ring dishes, cake, rings, and more! Read on to see what we've selected…
Black and White Wedding Ideas
To begin, check out these black and white guest books and photo albums we spotted at Daisyblu. There are dozens of guest books and photo albums out there, but these stand out because they are so lovingly handmade and designed using high-quality materials. You can use them as a guest book, or turn it into a photo album and give to your parents after the big day, filled with favorite snapshots from the wedding. (You can see even more designs in their shop.)
where to find // (in order of appearance)
1 – black and white wedding guest books / photo albums | daisyblu
2 – black and white wedding reception setup | photo: mango studios
3 – black and white wedding bouquet | the ritzy rose
4 – fingerprint guest book alternative | flutterbye prints
5 – black, white and gold wedding cake | elysia root cakes
6 – black and white invitation with gold sequins | diva gone domestic too
7 – color block black and white clutch purse | razolly
8 – classic black bow tie | banana ribbon
9 – black sequin tablecloth | sparkle events
10 – black diamond engagement ring | jamie kate's jewelry
11 – black and white suspenders | bow tie fun
12 – flower girl dress | rebecca hempe
13 – black and white brooch bouquet | the ritzy rose
14 – black, silver, and gold sequin clutch purse | toriska
15 – white 'it was always you' cake topper | communicake it
16 – black and white wedding favor boxes | coco doro
17 – his & hers white arrow chair signs | narwall
18 – escort card setup | photo: shaun menary via style me pretty
19 – black diamond wedding band | by laris
20 – printable menu | e.m. papers
21 – black and white wedding guest book | crafty pie press
22 – husband and wife ring dishes | promise pottery
23 – white enamel flower hair comb | the ritzy rose
24 – black and white striped tablecloth | jessmy
25 – black onyx earrings | laura stark
26 – black paper flower for backdrop / decor | paper & peony
27 – black and white ceremony confetti | sepia smiles
28 – black and white wedding place cards | e.m. papers
29 – white dress sash | eclu
30 – oreo wedding cake | from this post
31 – black and white ring pillow with gold sequin heart | stitches and snow
Black and White Wedding Ideas: What do you think?
What do you think of this black and white wedding color board? What's your favorite find? I'm obsessing over that ring pillow. I love the gold sequin heart in the middle! Tell me your thoughts in the comments below!


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Sunday, 30 March 2014
Another day, and on we go
I think I have fallen in love with socks.
They are such a wonderful source of happiness. Every time I look at my feet I smile, especially when I have socks with faces on them, because they are so cute. Plus, they keep my feet nice and cozy.
Autumn is here now, and though the air grows ever colder, my spirits do not. You might have realised that I haven't been having the best time recently, and as I said in life lately, it is the little things that really help. That, and calm.com. The other day I was really not feeling good, and I just went onto the site for five minutes, and I swear I felt so much better for the rest of the afternoon. Sometimes just taking five minutes for yourself can make a world of difference.
Anne's post. Ever since Anne commented on my blog love post, we have been emailing almost everyday (everyday on her part, I am not quite as on to it as she is!) and she is so sweet and lovely and we have the best chats. It is really wonderful to have a friend who is a blogger, sometimes I think that you can feel a bit isolated when you blog and this is a wonderful solution. Emailing is such a brilliant way to connect with other bloggers, don't be scared to email a blogger you want to know better, they'd probably love to hear from you and you could get a friend from it too! I'll stop rambling now. (but seriously, thank-you Anne for being a wonderful friend) :)
19 comments:
Emma! This post is the best post of all posts!ReplyDelete
Socks 5eva. I went sock shopping the other day but I do not own anything nearly as cute as some of these! I will have to life my sock game haha
I am so glad that you have been connecting with bloggers, it's awesome :3
Man you're awesome Meg! Socks 5eva! Bloggers are just awesome people in general, aren't they? :)Delete
i love socks too! I've been a 'hippie' all my life and have hated socks, but this last winter during our 'polar vortex' i have grown a love for all sorts of socks.ReplyDelete
you've inspired me to email you to get to know you more! can I get a contact info? firstname.lastname@example.com
I have only discovered the luxury of socks recently too! I would love to :)Delete
aw. such cuteness!ReplyDelete
i love that when you see them, you smile. i think it's wonderful that these little things in life can cheer us so.
how wonderful that you've made such a friend.
when i first started blogging i had no idea that i would connect with others so much.
its been startlingly wonderful.
That is the perfect way to describe blogging in general too, startlingly wonderful. Thank-you :)Delete
Awww. Thank you too for being an awesome chummy Emma! It was so awesome meeting and emailing with you! I never thought I'd meet someone as wonderful as you. You've made a lot of my gloomy days brighter too. :)ReplyDelete
Hugs and Kisses, Anne ♥Replies
<3 Right back at ya!! :)Delete
Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous post Emma! Your socks are super cute. You have inspired me to showcase my socks over at Pea Soup - A New Zealand Blogging Community today, and of course, I had to feature your post.ReplyDelete
Hayleigh xx
Thanks Hayleigh!! Go NZ socks!!!Delete
You have made me want to buy awesome socks! I am sadly lacking in the foot cover department.ReplyDeleteReplies
I promise, it is money well spent! :)Delete
I like socks. and those are very cute socks! they are definitely more comfortable than shoes. why can't they make shoes as comfortable as socks?ReplyDelete
hope you enjoy your day.Replies
I know! I feel like slippers are sometimes a good compromise, but they aren't really appropriate dinner attire. Why hasn't someone made shoes that look all fancy but actually feel like you are wearing socks?Delete
Um so I found a pair of cute frilly bed socks in my drawer, brand new, and I got so excited. Then I realised that it was actually two pairs, not one, and I almost died hahaReplyDelete
P.s. I loved our little emails too :) Need to reply to you (sorry!)Replies
That's so exciting, finding something that you didn't know you had is the best!Delete
ps. don't worry :)
This is such a cute post and the pictures are adorable! I totally agree that just five minutes can be so useful! :)ReplyDelete
You're blog is gorgeous too <3
OMG I love socks too! If anyone ever says they are stuck for a gift to get me, I say a pretty pair of socks will do just fine :D I'm glad I'm not alone in my sock love.ReplyDelete
Zoe xoxo


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Just a few things I want to share:
If you have any Gifts To Grow points from Pampers, I think you have to use them by Sunday. I just found out about this program, but evidently you can use stocked up points to donate vaccines to underdeveloped countries. Just in case you have any old Pampers bags lying around...
I just found this cool website called Signal Patterns. It has a personality and music survey that you can take. There is also a parenting survey (evidently, I'm "Totally Tolerant"). It's kinda a fun way to kill time.
I am walking in the American Heart Association's Heartwalk on April 18. It's supposed to just be a really fun day with a lot of family stuff to do. I would love it if anyone wants to join me or donate to this great cause!


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Hawaii has more reasons than most to have a disdain for oil dependence. As a series of islands, climate change poses a very present threat and, since they are dependent on oil for energy, they have to import a lot of it. That gets very expensive—with over 90 percent of Hawaii's energy generated from imported oil, their electricity rates are about 175 percent of the national average. To remedy this, the state is looking to clean energy, and a bill passed last week by the legislature would see all of Hawaii's power generated from renewable sources by 2045.
The state's Clean Energy Initiative had already set a goal of producing 15 percent of electricity from clean sources by the end of 2015—but Hawaii is already at 23 percent, so the groundbreaking bill is far from unrealistic. Hawaii's Governor David Ige has until the end of June to approve the measure which would take the form of a series of goals: 25 percent of electricity sales to be renewable by 2020, 40 percent by 2030, 70 percent by 2035 and 100 percent by 2045.
Related: Hawaii officially becomes the first state to ban plastic bags
According to the Huffington Post, Mark Glick, the Hawaii State Energy Office energy administrator thinks the measures make perfect economic sense, noting that many of Hawaii's 50 renewable energy projects "compete favorably today with the cost of oil." Some of Hawaii's projects include a large geothermal plant, biomass facilities and an array of solar, wind and hydropower projects. The islands are pretty perfectly suited to renewable energy.
But the highly ambitious goal can't be accomplished overnight; as Anthony Kuh, director of the Renewable Energy and Island Sustainability Group at the University of Hawaii at Manoa told Climate Central, "We don't probably have the technology today to do everything." But with advances coming in smart energy storage and the like, it's fair to trust that goal is attainable.
So all eyes are on the Governor's pen. In the meantime, Glick is standing by the bill: "This is a significant step in our effort toward reducing Hawaii's dependence on expensive imported oil and putting the state on the path toward greater energy, environmental and economic security."
Via Scientific American/Climate Central


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We Deleted Our Facebook Page.
Here's Why.
There are lots of tactics you're "supposed" to use. Here's why that's dangerous…
"Screw it. Let's just delete the thing."
Something felt odd about saying that.
Like we were about to break the rules.
But the more we discussed it, the more obvious the choice became: our company Facebook account had to go.
There were two major factors that drove the call:
1) Frankly, It Was Embarrassing.
We have more than 2,000 customers, 20,000 blog subscribers and many thousands of unique visitors each week. And yet Groove had just under 200 "Likes" on Facebook.
Not really something I want people searching for us on Facebook to see.
2) It Was a Waste of Time for Us.
Now, I'm NOT saying that Facebook is a waste of time for businesses. Many companies use Facebook very successfully to grow.
But we were spending an hour or so each week updating the page. Obviously, we weren't getting any results.
No Results
And when we spent time discussing it and thinking about why we were doing it in the first place, the answer was simple, straightforward, and just as embarrassing as our Like count.
We were on Facebook because everybody else was. It was what we were "supposed" to be doing.
And that's just not good enough.
Using Time Wisely
Like most other startups and small businesses, we have limited resources.
So when we got together to build our 12-month growth strategy, the question wasn't "what are the things we could be doing?"
The question was "what efforts would be the highest and best use of every team member's time?"
That is, what can we do that will drive the biggest growth for Groove?
For example, we know that blogging helps us grow, because we track the numbers carefully.
The ROI of Blogging
On the other hand, we can't tie our Facebook efforts to any revenue at all.
Every hour that we spend managing the Facebook page is an hour that we could spend building the blog. An hour each week may seem insignificant, but that's 52 hours in a year.
The amount of traffic and signups we could get by spending 52 more hours on the blog is significant.
And yet, we were robbing the blog of 52 hours of added time because of our blind, knee-jerk tendency to do what we were "supposed" to.
Takeaway: It can be surprising to learn how much time you're wasting without even knowing it. It certainly was for us. Do the math and figure out the opportunity cost of doing things that don't work.
Three Things We Don't Do That We're "Supposed" To
There are dozens — probably hundreds — of tactics out there that one expert or another will claim as being a "must-do" for every business.
And so, so many businesses do those things. That's why it's so hard, on a mental level, to wrap our heads around the fact that often, most of those tactics probably aren't that useful to us.
It's something I've struggled with a lot.
As metrics-driven as I like to think we are, it's tough to pull away from doing the things we think we're supposed to be doing. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a little bit guilty deleting the Facebook page.
But in the end, it's a win for the thing that matters most: the performance of the business.
Facebook isn't the only "must-do" tactic that we've dropped over the past few months:
1) Networking Events
Early on, a lot of people told me that I needed to get out there and build relationships, and that the best way to do that was by going to networking events.
I found that while the first part was absolutely 100% true, the latter was not. I met some interesting folks at events, but of the most high-value relationships I have, zero of them started at networking events.
2) Conferences
Having a booth with your logo on it at a conference like DreamForce or South By Southwest is almost considered a rite of passage for growing tech startups.
While it's nice to see your name up there, we've experimented with trade shows, and they've never driven the sorts of high-quality leads that we get from our other efforts. Plus, they cost a lot more time and money.
When we launched, we had put quite a bit of time and effort into building relationships with journalists, and it did pay off.
As it does for many businesses, getting mentioned in a high-profile publication drove traffic and got us a big handful of signups.
But as we grew, the return on the PR traffic splashes began to lessen. The signups were often of lower quality, churning faster than users who signed up via the blog or other channels. Eventually, we pulled the plug.
I think it's important to note something here, because I can picture the angry comments we're going to get from social media consultants and event organizers. The above isn't a list of "growth strategies that don't work."
In fact, almost the opposite is true: they've worked so well for some people that they've somehow been added to a sacred list of things that every startup "must" be doing.
We've consciously decided not to do those things, and it's helped us. What works for others may be different.
Takeaway: Don't let "must-do" lists dictate the way you use your time. Instead, run tests, figure out what actually works for you, and focus as many of your resources as you can on those winners.
Our Three "Focus" Tactics Today
There are tactics we're focusing as many of our resources as possible right now.
In fact, every so often, someone will comment on how much time we spend on the blog.
Making Time
But just as I believe in cutting mercilessly when it comes to non-performing tactics, I believe in making massive amounts of time available to do the things that work. Fortunately, with enough work on the former goal, the latter becomes easier.
While there are other things we're working on, these are the three big "focus" tactics that we're giving a disproportionate amount of our resources to today:
1) Blogging
It may seem crazy to spend more than 20% of my time on it, but the ROI of this blog speaks for itself. And that's the reason we're doubling down on content, too.
2) Customer Development
We've gotten such high returns from talking to our customers one-on-one that I'm dedicating hundreds of hours over the next few months to having customer conversations. Again, it may sound like a ridiculous amount of time, but if anything is important enough, we'll all make time for it.
3) Metrics
Next week, I'll publish a post that dives deep into how we used core metrics to change the way we run our business, and transformed our growth as a result. That never would have happened if I hadn't pulled one of our engineers off of product development for more than a week to set up a thorough tracking system.
Takeaway: Don't be scared of spending "too much" time on something, as long as there's a payoff. There's no good guideline for how much time to spend on tactics X, Y and Z, because there's no business that operates exactly like yours.
How to Apply This to Your Business
I hesitated to publish the actual lists of tactics that we do and don't use, because I think that they're secondary to — and possibly distracting from — the main takeaway of this post.
In the end, I kept them because I think they serve as helpful examples, but I hope that what you'll take away is this: your time is far too precious (and failure nearly always too near) to spend even an hour of it spinning your wheels.
Doing things that don't work isn't a bad thing on it's own. In fact, it's the only way we grow and find what actually does work.
But doing things that don't work over and over again, simply because you think you're "supposed" to be doing them, is actively and aggressively damaging to your business.
Not too long ago, I needed a reminder of that. I hope that my reminder is helpful to you, too.


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We arrived in Summerwine Creek to chaos. Nobody is tending the crops so we decide to investigate.
What's worse than a hornets nest? A room full of smelly hungover angry minions. Sam, who couldn't throw a decent roll of the dice, opened up the door to a dozen of half awake minions. Sam tried to be stealthy, but he was still seen. He threw down half a bags of steel bearings and retreated back. The bounty hunter leaped forward and fought the horde as they made it into the small hallway. Many slid and fell and others worked their way forward. One made it past BH into the adjoining room and fought our group. There were dark leathery creatures that attacked and retreated repeatedly. We couldn't fight them or see them until they struck. Our band finally overcame the minions and made our way into the dorm to finish the last ones. The door behind us closed. Now we have to see what else may be in this room. There is a door, beds that may hide secrets, and the invisible flying things may be in here as well. Man its great to be alive.
We took an extended rest and Rowena had a fore site dream of bad things if we went north-west. We decided to take the north-east path. While investigating the door Sam Sam found some traps and successfully disarmed them. When he looked for other traps he failed so Dylan opened the door. There was a hallway that led north and a hallway that led east. The east passage goes 20 feet then turns south. The north passage led 20 feet with a 10 foot long hallway 10 feet in. The hallway ended in a 15×15 foot room with a portcullis in the south-east corner and a 'spiral' set in the stone. There was also a door in the north-east corner. When Rowena opened the portcullis there was a fiery blast the singed Rowena and everyone else dodged. Behind the portcullis was a wall with nothing else. We decided to go through the north-east door which went east for 5 feet then had another door. when we opened that door and there were lots of baddies.
The pool that was in the room started to move more. As it continued to shift in its rhythm creatures started to crawl out, all of them disfigured. With this kind of power we thought we might be done for, but it appeared that these were not skilled creatures and were downright awful at striking any one of us. BM pulled out one of the corner posts, with apparently great difficulty. As the screen atop the pool got looser, and looser it seemed to have a life of its own as it wrapped around Rowena. It wasn't long before Sam came and chopped it in half.
At this time all of the creatures from the pool had been eliminated. The prisoners hanging on the wall were unconscious for the most part. But one was able to talk for a moment. We learned that the brigantine priests had forced them to dig the pool, and that their essence was being drained to power something.
A mirror had stood in the corner and as we looked around a figure appeared in it, it was a portal rather than a mirror. As the figure left, we saw runes from the middle of the woods, that Father Morland had been previously associated with.
The party scouted the Church for the best way in. After going around the outside of the building, the front door seemed the best way in. The interior was dark and the pews were far to close together. The group decided to make their way to the back, to where the offices were located. But before the party got there they got ambushed by a ugly winged critter with a spiky tail. After they pummeled it to the ground with only a few scratches, they proceeded to the back offices. remembering the notes that they found, they located FM's office quickly. But it seemed that they had hit a dead end. they searched the office for clues. BH decided to check the stack of chests containing worship supplies, and under the last one was a trap door, leading down into the depths.
BH deiced to go first down the ladder. He probably should have looked before he started going, because the third step he went down exploded in a shatter of wood. He did not take any damage but who know what was alerted down in the depths. once the party hit the floor and over barring sense of sadness weighed down on them. nothing seemed to be attacking at the moment, so the party moved on. The went down a tunnel and found them selves standing in-front of a creepy moving pool and a Portal in the corner. The group knew the sadness was coming from the pool and standing too close to it would make the sadness almost too much to bear. There where three men around the pool, a man chanting and the other two appeared to be guards of some-sort. The three had not seen the party yet and they where able to get a few blows in. Out of the shadows another winged beast attacked the group from behind. Shanston was able to trap two of them with a web and the beatings commenced. The winged beats, a guard, and the chanter soon feel to the party. The only thing left to figure out where the portal and the creepy pool.


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In 2010 a study was reported by C. Gagliano and colleagues from the Ophthalmology department, Catania University, Catania, Italy. Purpose of the study was to investigate the role of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) in reducing eye pressure (IOP) in patients with primary open glaucoma (POAG) or ocular hypertension (OHT) who already received in topical anti-hypertensive therapy. Visual acuity, visual field, vital signs, and potential psychotropic effects were also measured.
The study was single blinded and placebo-controlled, using a cross-over design; 42 patients with POAG or OHT treated with topical anti-hypertensive drugs, were randomly entered in to the study.
Either PEA 300 mg or placebo was given twice daily. IOP value was evaluated at baseline, 30 and 60 days (at 8 am, 12 am, 4 pm and 8 pm) were measured. PEA treated patients underwent an untreated washout period of 30 days, after which baseline IOP was measured. Patients were then treated with the opposite dosing regimen for 60 days and IOP measurements were repeated.
More info in PEA under this link
Results of palmitoylethanolamide on ocular pressure
On day 30, mean reductions in IOP from baseline were 3.39 ± 0.19 SD mmHg and 1.03±1.1 mmHg for the PEA treated group and placebo group respectively (IC 95%
t=7.050 (20 df) P<0.001). On day 60, mean reductions in IOP from baseline were 3.41±0.21 mmHg and 0.02 ± SD 0.25 mmHg for the PEA treated group and placebo group respectively (IC 95% t=6.120 (20 df) P<0.001). Vital signs, visual acuity and visual field were not significantly changed. No adverse events or side effects were reported in both groups.
Conclusions of authors:
The ocular hypertension patients under treatment with topical anti-hypertensive drugs had a further significant decrease in IOP after 30 and 60 day-treatment with PEA, 300 mg twice daily, in comparison with the same group of patients likewise treated with topical drugs and placebo. PEA was well tolerated and safe. No side effects were reported in PEA treated group.


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So, my last post was released some time ago. So what happens since that?
I have seen some post the first milestone of 12.2 is on the way. Trying to find some changelog information was somekind of hard. But i took a look at the current factory versions and i guess they should fit too
i did some search for the packages i normally use ( apache2, php5 and mariadb) and just found only minor changes at the factory list, so while i hope that thats not honored by a list which is not up to date, there should be no problem on my webserver.
I followed some discussion by the evergreen project. As you can see Evergreen ist the LTS version on openSUSE side, or better it should become the LTS. Currently there is a lot of ongoing discussion
some of the discussion is usefull (in my opinion) the other stuff is quite boring. In my mind the biggest problem is how to mark a release as evergreen. You cant have every version supported, i guess thats a fact, so maybe every **.2 release should be marked as evergreen. In my opnion 12.1 would be a bad choice to be LTS, caused by to many problems. 11.4 could be LTS for sure, it was a good and stable release (which still runs on my notebook and "live" server systems)
So, we will see what comes :-)


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Pop-Up House of Inventions, by Robert Crowther, ages 3 and up!
Did you know that the Jacuzzi brothers invented the first whirlpool bath for a family member with arthritis?? Or that the first recorded birthday celebrations were those of the early Egyptian Pharaohs? Robert Crowther's Pop-Up House of Inventions includes "hundreds of fabulous facts about your home" in a fun and interactive manner. Detailing one room at a time, children can look inside the washing machine, check under the bed, pull the shade, and look inside the wardrobe to find out random and unexpected truths about anything and everything inside their home! This fact-filled book presents parts of our history in a kid- friendly way. Children ages 3 and up who love snooping around the house or simply storing up fast facts will adore this new book.
Pop-Up House of Inventions, $17.99, Candlewick Press


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text: This year the Notre Dame women's soccer game with the Mexican women's national team, played Friday night at Alumni Field, had more purpose than in the past. More purpose for the Mexican team, that is. "The team we brought this year," said Mexican head coach Leonardo Cueller, whose team lost 3-0 to the Irish, "is mostly our under-20 national team who qualified for the U20 World Cup which will be held in Russia in August. "They need to play as much as they can to get experience. My one attacker (Veronica Charlin Corral Ang) is only 14 years old. She needs games like this." For the record, Corral took four shots, two on goal and could easily have scored two goals if not for great saves by Notre Dame goalkeeper Lauren Karas. "It's always a great atmosphere when we play the Mexican national team," said Notre Dame head coach Randy Waldrum. "The game brings out the community and is always a great time. "We learn something each time we play an international match like this. The Mexican team is very good at transitions, both from offense to defense and the reverse." Notre Dame had the best of the play in the first half, recording three goals, although they only scored two. The second goal, scored in the 32nd minute, was an unfortunate miscommunication between Mexican defender Marlene Sandoval and her goalkeeper Sophia Perez, which resulted in an own goal. In the second half the Mexican team came out and played ND to a draw. "We made some adjustments at halftime," said Cuellar. "We were imbalanced in the midfield and on defense, so we dropped back some and were able to correct the imbalance and were better able to control the ball. I thought we played better the second half."


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Daniel Madison Download Bundle
Included in this download are;
Chaos Theory: They think of any card. No force, No B.S. You shuffle the cards face up and face down then reveal their THOUGHT OF CARD is the only face up card in the deck. But it doesn't stop here, you've just controlled Chaos. Now, you restore order...You turn the deck face up and show the entire deck is in perfect order. Their thought of card being reversed exactly where it should be in the deck.
Wreck: "I spend my time showing the participant and spectators card tricks from my repertoire, then to close, I take the deck that has been in use the whole time and rip it clean in half, or only half way, and if that's not enough madness, I then allow the participant to discover their freely selected and signed card completely in tact amongst the wreck."
Three Things: Three things is based on an interesting premise - if you could control every card in the deck - from the spectator's choice, through multiple cuts and shuffles, right down to the final reveal, how would you prove it? Daniel discusses the psychology of his presentation and why it works for him - but with elements of card cheating, mentalism and magic throughout this three-phase routine, you've got a lot to worth with to make it your own.
Heritage: Four playing cards are brought out of the performer's pocket and introduced as a partial poker hand - that can only be made a winning hand with ONE specific card from the deck. The spectator is asked to shuffle the deck, and then deal a single card to the performer. The performer shows the four cards in his hand to be an inside straight flush - and as the spectator turns over the single card they dealt - it is incredibly the only one in the deck that could have completed the hand.
Crush: A card is chosen, signed, and lost in the deck. The deck is returned to the box and placed on the ground. Without hesitation the deck is stomped on - crushing it completely flat. The performer reaches down and picks up the box, pulling out the only thing left inside… the spectator's signed card.
Gambler's Cop: For the first time Daniel opens his personal journey with the Gambler's Cop, and shares with you the hidden details that make this move INVISIBLE. This Instant Download contains over 30 minutes of expert advice, tuition and routines, including card to pocket, switches, shifts, loads and vanishes.
Card to Pocket: A multiphase, modular routine, Daniel's teaching focuses on the psychology and framing of the effect to deliver a punch-to-the-throat performance each and every time. Much time is also spent on the nuances of the sleights used to address common mistakes in the card to pocket you may already perform.
This is Madison at his finest, over two hours of top quality teaching. Add the Bundle to your cart today.


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Written by Chris Cox (@CoxFight), Contributing Writer
Passing of the Torch or Another Lamb to the Slaughter? A Look at UFC 162
July 4th is the day we celebrate our independence in the United States of America. Family and friends all gather around for drinks, cookouts and rejoicing in our freedom. When nighttime hits, the sky is lit up with beautiful colors of fireworks. The country stands in awe as they bathe the sky in color.
This year, we get lucky. The fireworks didn't stop on the 4th. Tonight, we relight the sky in a different way. UFC 162 will light the airwaves to TVs all around the nation as we see MMA's pound-for-pound best fighter Anderson Silva take on Chris Weidman in Las Vegas.
Weidman demanded this fight in July of 2012 after his destruction of Mark Munoz, who will also be returning on the card a bit before the main event. Many people have mocked Weidman by saying he has not done enough to deserve a crack at the champ that is Silva. This will only be the 10th fight of Weidman's career when steps in to face Silva, but he has won all of his previous nine fights in three different ways. He has yet to meet defeat in his career, so that is one of the many reasons why the hype train for this fight has been rolling so hard.
A lot of people are thinking out loud right now, "Only nine wins? That doesn't seem like a real lot when it comes to facing Silva." Yet many fighters in the organization, and many people in general, are getting behind Weidman. Prominent fighters like GSP, Rashard Evans, Daniel Cormier, Kenny Florian and Chael Sonnen are just some of the fighters who think Weidman has what it takes to knock off Silva.
What is it about this guy that makes people think that he can dethrone the champ?
First, you have to take a look at his style. The only time we have ever seen Silva in danger is when he faces a lethal wrestler. When he fought Dan Henderson, he was punished in that first round as Hendo kept taking him to the ground. Silva did come out on top with a rear naked choke, but the first round was a loss. Of course, we can never forget the four-round beating that Chael Sonnen applied. Constant aggression and the mix of takedowns and unorthodox boxing led Sonnen to the most punishment we have ever seen given to Silva.
Here is the scary part. Chris Weidman can do what Sonnen does better than he can do it. Aggressive style is what Weidman is all about. He has out-struck all of his opponents in his five UFC fights. He has a 72% takedown success rate and has a nasty wrestling background. When I say nasty, I mean NCAA Division I All American nasty. Ground and pound will be his best weapon because Silva has not been submitted since Ryo Chonan did one of the craziest flying heel hooks we will ever see back in 2004. The Nogueira brothers test him daily, so I would say his BJJ is on point.
With his style and tools, Weidman has what it takes to walk home with the gold on Saturday night. The right mix-up of takedowns and boxing can make it a hard night for Silva, no doubt.
Do I think he takes it home? Not a chance.
Silva has done nothing but continue to learn from his opponents. He knows what fighters' strong points are, and he knows how to get in your head when you are in the cage. Some will call it disrespectful and showboating, but the fact is that he pulls you out of your game plan by frustrating you.
Do you really think Silva has not been drilling wrestling every day and working on ways to keep himself off his back? Silva is not going to let you have your strong side. Look at what happened when Thales Leites and Demian Maia continued to fall on their back begging Silva to come to the ground. He is not an idiot. He is the best fighter in the world for a reason, and he is not going to take any opponent lightly.
Weidman has only a half-inch reach on Silva, and there is a chance that if this stays standing, he can still be made to look like a fool on his feet. Would an upset be good for that division? Of course! It would shake the whole game up. It would be a whole new world, but I just can't see it happening on Saturday night. Weidman is a nasty fighter and has the tools, but Silva just has so much experience and is just that good. Have you ever watched Floyd Mayweather, Jr., warm up with his uncle Roger, the way their mittwork just flows and it appears the could do it in their sleep? That is what you can compare Anderson Silva to in the world of MMA. I see the first round being a feeling out round for Silva, and then he will turn it up and end it by TKO by no later then the 3rd round.
UFC 162 will be an exciting night of fights, not just for the main event but the undercard as well. We see the return of Frankie Edgar on Saturday night when he takes on the nasty Charles Oliveria. Roger Gracie is the latest in a long line of the great MMA family who heads into the Octagon to take on Strikeforce vet Tim Kennedy. Overall, a great show is in store.
July is our halfway mark for this year in MMA, and it is here to light up your night just as much as the 4th did. Enjoy this card, folks, because I know I will.


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Summer is that magical season when the fortunate among musicians sequester themselves at festivals and seminars to perform, debate, and carouse with like-minded artists all day, every day. Just down the highway at Wellesley College is one such haven, the Wellesley Composers Conference, which in addition to being a highly sought-after and prestigious destination for emerging composers is a unique community that incorporates professional free-lancers and amateur new music enthusiasts. Several free public concerts are scheduled, all at the award-winning Jewett Arts Center: July 28, July 30, and August 3, 4, and 6. I spoke with Mario Davidovsky, director of the conference, and Peter Van Zandt Lane, this year's commissioned composer, about what makes the conference tick and what it has to offer the new-music-loving public. Lane's piece, Seven Rants, commissioned by Composers Conference for Amateur Chamber Music Center players, is on the program, with different players, on July 30 and August 6.
The two-week-long session at Wellesley, which runs through August 7, involves ten composition fellows who come from across the US and abroad and are chosen from 90 to 100 applicants through a call for scores. Mostly graduate students and young academics, they are mentored by Davidovsky and one guest composer each week; this year's guests are Yu-Hui Chang of Brandeis University and Harold Meltzer of Vassar College. Their music is rehearsed and performed by expert freelancers from the Boston and New York City areas; Davidovsky describes one of the conference's practical goals as aiding young composers in the advancement of their careers by providing them with high-quality recordings to showcase their work. A less tangible but equally valuable result of the conference is the interaction with the group of amateur chamber musicians that form the other half of the seminar, the Chamber Music Center. These players, coached every morning by the resident professional musicians, perform selections of their own choosing from the standard repertoire as well as pieces by the composition fellows. Davidovsky describes them as "non-professional performers — academics, businesspeople, etc. — who play chamber music with friends during the year, many returning [to Wellesley] every year to create almost a family of people that look forward to spending a week or two in the summer playing chamber music with friends and also participating in the activities of composers on the side."
In a professional world whose participants often seem strictly assigned to one of three categories — composers, performers who have devoted their careers to new music, and a small circle of critics and connoisseurs — Lane (who is an early-on BMInt reviewer) finds the opportunity to work with enthusiastic musicians from different walks of life invaluable. "They're extremely knowledgeable and offer pretty unfiltered opinions about the contemporary music they're exposed to at the conference," he says of the community at Wellesley. "It's a utopian audience; we can count on everyone considering themselves a music lover." When I asked Lane how he, as a fellow in 2010, was selected to return as the commissioned composer this year, I expected a bestowal of favor from the reigning academic powers. I was wrong: he was voted back by the musicians of the Chamber Music Center, who also requested his commission to be orchestrated for wind quintet and piano. Now he is working with two separate groups on the resulting piece and could not be more pleased with the process. He works with each group for an hour every day for six days, conducting, coaching, and receiving feedback. "It's extremely collaborative, more so than at Brandeis [his home during the year] where we have our compositions played by really fantastic professionals, but get maybe an hour total of time to work with them on a piece before the performance."
Both Lane and Davidovsky emphasize the further level of collaboration that comes from living on the Wellesley campus together, rehearsing, attending colloquia, and (not to be underestimated) eating and drinking together at meals and at the end of the day. Davidovsky insists that a true sense of the place cannot be gained by anything less than spending a full day there to truly appreciate "the sense of industry and dedication of the artist." From Lane's perspective, the concentrated community offers composers "a chance to interact for an extended period of time with the people who will be their audience."
The fellows, performers, and guest composers are also happy to interact with members of the public who wish to attend one of the evening presentations or concerts. On Wednesdays and Saturdays the conference presents chamber concerts by the members of the Chamber Music Center, who perform programs that Davidovsky describes as nicely balanced in style and instrumentation, including familiar favorites and the new music of the fellows. On Tuesdays the fellows get a chance to talk to the audience about "life, their studies, why they decided to become composers,… then they get a chance, to the best of their ability, to describe their piece and hold a question and answer session." Each Thursday offers a similar session with the guest composer of the week, who talks to the audience about different aspects of musicmaking, playing samples of their work to illustrate. Today will feature guest composer Yu-Hui Chang, who Davidovsky describes as a "fantastic musician, fantastic composer, very good conductor, very popular and beloved teacher, able to offer sharp and perceptive criticism and advice." One job shared this week by Davidovsky and Chang is leading the morning seminars with the composition fellows, which take the form of extended, lively discussions, the content of which may always remain a bit of a mystery to the uninitiated. "We talk about aesthetics, technique, theory; everything and anything that comes up" says Lane. In addition to responding to samples of the fellows' music, Davidovsky says larger philosophical issues figure prominently: "we might talk about stylistic possibilities that contemporary music offers, also issues having to do with contemporary music and society."
Those curious as to the outcome of all this talk and hard work are heartily encouraged by Davidovsky and Lane to come see for themselves what the conference is all about. All concerts and presentations are free; a detailed schedule can be found here.
Zoe Kemmerling is a recent graduate of the Boston Conservatory and a freelance violist, baroque violinist, writer, and string instructor.
I greatly appreciate seeing the Wellesley Composers Conference getting some much deserved attention here, and the collaborative atmosphere described by Peter Van Zandt Lane has long been one of the most idealistic and attractive aspects of this program. As a longtime staff performer for the conference as well as a performing member of the Brandeis University Music Department faculty, I do wish to correct one misstatement by Lane with regard to Brandeis: graduate student composers at Brandeis do indeed get more than "maybe an hour total of time to work with them on a piece before the performance." I have played many New Music Brandeis concerts both as a member of the Lydian Quartet and with other terrific Boston area musicians, and the rehearsal schedules are set up by the graduate student composers themselves. Looking back according to my own datebook, each work on the average gets at least three to four hours of rehearsal time depending on length and difficulty, easily as much rehearsal time as is provided at the Wellesley Composers Conference. There can be exceptions if the instrumentation makes it difficult to pull together the schedules of a disparate array of players or if a group is visiting from out of town, and some players do like to be able to rehearse and polish a work before playing for the composer, but to say that each student composer gets only an hour is inaccurate.
Comment by Joshua Gordon — July 31, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Many Thanks to Josh for the clarification. My comment was not meant as a criticism at all to the wonderful and varied performance outlets we have as composers at Brandeis, and was mainly in reference to the practical limitations of performing ensembles (ones which often participate in academic residencies from out of town). I merely meant to highlight that the time the performers at Wellesley give to each piece is unusually generous.
Comment by Peter Van Zandt Lane — August 1, 2011 at 2:55 pm
For some counterpoint, there is a hair-curling report about goings on at a previous year's Wellesley Composers Conference in this article: http://www.johnhalle.com/musical.writing.general/Davidovsky.pdf. So it's a happier place these days?
Comment by L. Larring — August 1, 2011 at 8:04 pm
Yes, I would say the views expressed in this article are outdated (and were probably also outdated in 1995 when the article was written). It seems to represent more of a frustration with the non-democratic and subjective nature of musical aesthetics and its role in concert programming, granting, etc. The idea that the entire establishment of composers with administrative roles in the Northeast has chosen to sabotage the writer's compositional opportunities based on the stylistic preferences of one man is absurd. It's not only discourteous to Davidovsky (who has been a tireless advocate for composers of many different backgrounds), but seems to suggest that all of the cited organizations (Tanglewood, Koussevitzky, Guggenheim, Academy, and on and on) are all run by board members and directors who lack the artistic insight or free will to make their own aesthetically-informed decisions. It's unfortunate that the writer felt victimized by so many different institutions, but this reads as a conspiracy theory, and its relevance to this article is peripheral at best.
Comment by Peter Van Zandt Lane — August 2, 2011 at 12:42 am
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One of my birthday presents from Jerry was a Wacom Intuos 3 Drawing Tablet. The first day I tried to use it I got very frustrated! I even thought of sending it back. I'm pretty persistent when it comes to challenges though. Today I decided I was going to #@!!**%# learn how to use it! I studied the PDF manual that came with the tablet, then went online and watched a few YouTube video tutorials about it. (A couple of the tutors looked like nine year olds and I thought; C'mon, you should be able to do this San!) After a full day of "class" I finally feel like I have a lttle bit of a handle on it. This is one of the watercolor illustrations I worked on with it. I used it mainly to outline the tree and touch up the roots. I also used it to block out and touch up the white background. I think I may eventually learn to enjoy working with it. I guess it is easier than drawing with your fingers or a stone (I mean a mouse) :-D.
A version of this image is available for license on iStock here.


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Minaj's 'exorcist' Grammy gig called vulgar
Rapper Nicki Minaj has been criticised by a Catholic activist for her exorcism-themed performance at the Grammy Awards.entertainment Updated: Feb 15, 2012 13:18 IST
Rapper Nicki Minaj has been criticised by a Catholic activist for her exorcism-themed performance at the Grammy Awards.
The 39-year-old performed alongwith dancing choir boys and a man dressed up as a priest while she debuted her new song Roman Holiday. The ceremony took place at Los Angeles' Staples Center Feb 12.
According to femalefirst.co.uk, the elaborate set has not been well-received by Bill Donahue, the president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.
In a post on the Catholic League's official website, Donahue described the gig as vulgar.
"Perhaps the most vulgar part was the sexual statement that showed a scantily clad female dancer stretching backwards while an altar boy knelt between her legs in prayer. Finally, Come All Ye Faithful was sung while a man posing as a bishop walked on stage; Minaj was shown levitating," he wrote.
And Donahue is blaming Grammy bosses for failing to put a stop on such acts.
"None of this was by accident, and all of it was approved by the Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammys. Whether Minaj is possessed is surely an open question, but what is not in doubt is the irresponsibility of the Recording Academy. Never would they allow an artist to insult Judaism or Islam," he wrote.
First Published: Feb 14, 2012 16:12 IST