text:
David Archuleta ~ MKOC Tour ~ The California Leg ~Ventura and Anaheim
Posted by bebereader on Friday, December 16, 2011
The My Kind of Christmas Tour continues on the west coast with two more shows in a series of four on the California Leg of the tour. Tonight, David will blow the ceiling off of the Majestic Ventura Theater in Ventura, California.
Tomorrow, David hits the stage again at The National Grove of Anaheim, in Anaheim, California.
115 Responses to "David Archuleta ~ MKOC Tour ~ The California Leg ~Ventura and Anaheim"
Friday, December 16, 2011 at 8:50 PM
I am going to see David tomorrow at the Grove (VIP too)! But first we are going to the Deseret Book Store to see David for the signing. Seeing David up close and talking to him twice in one day is causing major spazzing!!! Can't wait!
Friday, December 16, 2011 at 8:58 PM
Concert tonight. Jwipe is going to the show.Hoping for a live stream 🙂 Bebe and I will be checking twitter for updates and pictures of the concert.
Djafan is there with 6 co workers! New fans FTW!
Credit Heather4JT
It looks like SB's bracelet imprint is becoming the Archu slogan
@Shell_eeeyyy Line is growing:)
Its early in California…….more as it develops
Friday, December 16, 2011 at 9:51 PM
David on stage at VIP Ventura
@KaleiLuvsHawaii VIP Heaven, GP/Let it Be
@jwipe David sang Heaven and Good Place/Let It Be – chills through the entire song
@jwipe Full battery, good signal – I can livestream
YAY! Waiting for a link to the livestream.
Friday, December 16, 2011 at 10:12 PM
Am actually home tonight (getting caught up) and will be able to catch the livestream! He'll be rockin' it after day off! Guess Killer and I are just gonna hafta spend the next hour together before the livestream.
VIP pics *HAIR*
Friday, December 16, 2011 at 10:19 PM
Here is @jwipe's UStram channel. If you go there you will see recordings of Nokia show,
UNTIL the live stream starts when David come on in Ventura at about 9pm PT
That is Midnight ET 🙂
Patience !
Friday, December 16, 2011 at 10:26 PM
If Bebe can put up awesome video , so can I 😉
credit mamezamd
Friday, December 16, 2011 at 11:40 PM
OMGosh!!!! We had a church party tonight….every family got a GCT cd!! I'm in shock! That just is beyond uber amazing! 🙂
I'm on the countdown now for SLC on Monday! I can't wait for all that is going to happen!! *heart is racing*
Friday, December 16, 2011 at 11:41 PM
Jwipe is LIVE now!
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 12:32 AM
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 12:39 AM
Have a super special time in SLC! he will turn it up for the hometown crowd 🙂
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 1:39 AM
Oh my gosh, I'm exhausted just watching the live stream and hearing David sing one amazing song after another — how does he do it? I can't imagine being there in that theatre — how can one even stand and walk after that performance? I have tears I am so overcome — there is nobody like David, nobody, nobody! We are such fortunate people to be able to enjoy such a talent! God bless David. Amen.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 1:39 AM
And at the end he sang that wonderful song!
@KaleiLuvsHawaii Me and MY DRUM!!!
I'll add more tomorrow.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 1:52 AM
Oh, of course I should have also said how fortunate we are to have someone like jwipe streaming the show for us. What a wonderful job he did bringing it to us — there are not enough words of appreciation, but thank you so much, Jerry!
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 1:56 AM
another awesome stunning performance.now I can go to sleep happy:)
anxious for the scoop on that woman Bebe..and you are absolutely right…where was security??David shouldn't have had to give her the time of day.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 1:59 AM
oops meant to thank you jwipe!! it was so wonderful of you!♥
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 2:21 AM
#12 Abrra:
He will turn it up for the hometown crowd?
You do know that we have the snow-plows out right now, don't you? If he "turns it up" we will have flooding on our hands instead of snow. *_*
("We're hav'n a heat wave – a Christmas-y heat wave!")
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 2:22 AM
Jwipe: you. are. the. best. Really. Thanks so much.
And prayers to Angelica and family.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 5:23 AM
Why do you people keep waking me up with all the noise of awesomeness ?? How can one get any sleep around here? I have things to do and I just don't have the time, dang I missed the concert but had to sleep. So Djafan. I am counting on you for all the details…all the wonders of his love!!
The night skies rang I am certain as the angel sang.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 8:40 AM
News from David's OS. New music, the gift of David continues!
Music producer, Dapo recently invited David Archuleta and other friends to his studio and created his first Holiday album titled, "Dapo & Friends Christmas".
For this special album, made of 9 Christmas classics and one original, all produced and arranged by Dapo, David recorded "(Little) Drummer Boy".
"I wanted to create a project where I could bring together some of my incredibly talented friends and share their gift of music with the world. This is a collection of some of my favorite writers and artists singing some of my favorite Christmas songs! I hope you enjoy listening to this collection of music as much as we enjoyed recording it. Next year I am hoping to do this again so I can include some people that due to scheduling and what not we weren't able to this time around. I wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season, filled with peace and love. Enjoy!" – Dapo
Go to David's OS here http://davidarchuleta.com/home/?p=2945
Click the link over the image that looks like this:
Thanks to Dapo and David!
After you download the file.
You can drag the folder Dapo &Friends Christmas to your Music folder for ease in locating in the future.
And in a blink of the eye, we have it on youtube! Haha. It's a free download, so its ok to post it here.
I have permission from the boss to add Little Drummer Boy to the Candy Jar. To download just David's song go here:
Little Drummer Boy – David Archuleta (Feat. Dapo).mp3
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 9:31 AM
I watched the UStream last night. I saw a woman walk to the edge of center stage ( on the floor) and thought that she wanted to hand something to David as some did in Asia. David finished his song and then stood looking directly down at her saying "Hello". She was not responding as far as I could tell. David continued to try to engage her in conversation. It was then I realized she had a young girl with her out of view from the camera. I believe David got a response from the girl.
THIS IS THE MOST AWKWARD THING I'VE EVER SEEN. they won't leave the stage.
credit @christian792
This went on for a long few minutes. David handled it with grace, but you could tell by his body language he was needing security to get down to the front. Finally a man came to escort the 2 out of the venue. I say this because David intimated that they were gone. He is such a professional. The 2nd half of the concert was flawless. One would have expected a subdued demeanor from a lesser performer. David never missed a beat. BRAVO David!
After this happened, I got a bit teary eyed for David. It scared me that some person got that close to him and no security, not even his MANAGEMENT came to his rescue! He could have been hurt if she was a crazed fan with a weapon. Seriously! I will be writing to VIPNation. It's Kari's responsibility to instruct security so this kind of thing is prevented.
Ok now some happy stuff PIC SPAM!
The young girl is Steven's daughter Kiki!
@StevenJRob Ventura=SICKNESS! AMAZING show tonight! Big shout out to my daughter Kiara "Kiki" who danced with Archie man! Daddy is so proud!
We have a twitvid from Mellodeelee. He sure was a dancing machine last night!
CD Signing, Deseret Books, Santa Ana, CA
Sat, Dec 17, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 9:39 AM
Different arrangement of LDB, and his voice is so gorgeous here. R & B and deep. good lord.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 9:58 AM
Oh my heavens I am dead. So beautiful I think I am going to die.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 10:02 AM
Dark chocolate voice omg. What shall become of us?
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 10:38 AM
My word. Oh myyyy. That deepness. The soul. His backup vocals….agggghhh. It is beyond.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 10:40 AM
Be sure to listen to the mp3…richer, and you can really hear his amazing backup vocals.
*why am I shaking*
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 10:56 AM
David went out to sign autographs for fans after last nights show.
Eyelashes and skin. /le sigh
From VIPNation Facebook Performance and VIP shots
more here http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150447739612661.383751.145321232660&type=3
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 11:07 AM
Video from Ventura!
credit jtmlm1234 aka nareejo
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 11:22 AM
My bad, did not realize feat. Dapo.
They sound amazing together. 🙂
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 11:27 AM
What the heck happened last night???!!!!
David was stellarrrrrr.amazing.epic.stunning.fantastic.incredible.spiritual.witty everything you can imagine and more!!!!
Abrra, those OTT fans went back to their seats. It really wasn't as bad as it looked just weird lol.
Anaheim tonight!!!!
Dapo and Friends LDB a thing of perfection.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 11:34 AM
The way David acted, I thought they were gone. That makes it even worse in my book. She could have had a weapon. His security has to be more alert when he is approached. It was weird , but all the more reason to get them away from him. I just don't have a lax attitude where his safety is concerned. I am saying what I saw and how it made me feel.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 11:57 AM
dja, the crowd was pumped last night..he seems to respond in kind. 🙂
Can't wait to hear about the reaction from your mini-mob!
Anaheim tonight…you are leading a charmed life. 🙂
Angelica, thoughts and prayers are with you and yours.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 11:59 AM
#31…'Little Drummer Boy'..that is the rendition that I was waiting for through all of these concerts and he was simply awesome.
Thank you David you delivered the exceptional 'LDB' …
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 1:02 PM
I have been,stuck in repeat mode in the vortex.
"This Christmas" .Santa Rosa .eyebrows. flirty David.going back in.
MGR stat!
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 1:06 PM
Sky, that was me yesterday. I was stuck for hours. Now I am again. 🙂
Fiahside is balaaazin' bright.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 1:13 PM
Hi All,
I was also at Ventura. My very first concert ever! I really don't have computer access for a few more days,, so i can only take a couple minutes to comment.
The Incident: The child was sitting next to me. The woman was sitting behind us. She shot up to the stage with the girl. They were totally blocking the view of the front rows,, I was surprised security didn't move them. David was quite confused (and kind as ever,,,) Security should have taken them out. Big bouncer slowly showed up and gestured for them to follow him and they didn't. Finally the girl did and went back to her seat. The woman who wasn't the kids mom, stayed up there and was irritated at being moved. She did not go back to her seat. I think she was ejected. And needed to be.
This was just a tiny hitch in a wonderful night. It seemed every person in the room was determined to show David how much he/she loved him. It was a room full of joy.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 1:17 PM
No time for this and you guys just dragged me in kicking and screaming..and grinning.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 2:45 PM
David and Kate ♥
Both gorgeous!
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 3:45 PM
#31 aye yie yie, This Christmas, smokin'! (is he beaming or what.)
That twitvid, Kiki is so adorable! Got some rhythm too!
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 3:45 PM
@DavidArchie look how long the line is! excited? there are so many people here pic.twitter.com/Y0ysLsvH
@KaleiLuvsHawaii He is so sweet I can't stand it😃 http://t.co/qLfvjaDo
@kaliente321 Just met David Archuleta! Oh my gooooodnesssss! He is BEAUTIFUL and so sweet and so cuteee ahhhh<333
A look of recognition 🙂
@ArchieFanDoc David signing…
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 3:47 PM
Just after seeing these few videos, not sure how ya'll survived last night.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 4:00 PM
Poof, thanks for the lowdown on that incident from last night. This was, IMHO, an appalling lapse in security, and should have never gotten to the point where David himself had to address the woman. The area in front of the stage was empty for a reason, namely, to create a buffer zone between David and the audience. She breached that zone and should have been set upon immediately by security. Who knew what her intentions were? People who blatantly display inappropriate behavior are capable of all kinds of inappropriate behavior. Fortunately, she was "just" an adoring fan who wanted to get closer to David. David has enough to think about up there. Just because he makes it look easy doesn't mean it is. If this was a Lady Gaga concert, the woman would have been tackled the second she entered the buffer zone.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 4:50 PM
I agree, Bliss. I guess I'm used to tight security at NY concerts because of the huge crowds, so it surprised me that there wasn't at least a bar in front of the stage. The lack of a bar made it even more important to have at least one security guard standing near the stage. The performers should not be accessible to the fans unless it's cleared first.
Thankfully she was harmless but I shudder to think of it turning out differently. David handled it like a pro but he shouldn't have had to handle it at all.
I Need A Silent Night
credit jtmlm1234 aka nareejo
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 4:56 PM
Abs–#34—–I totally agree with everything you said –where was the security that is usually in front of the stage to prevent such things happening and to keep a watchful eye on the audience for any unusual behavior.–to me that was a very dangerous situation–you are right she could have had a weapon–and what took ANYBODY so COTTEN-PICKIN long to get there- besides security–where was Jeff–or the tour manager? Actually makes me sick to my stomach to think about the whole situation.
Nobody, but nobody messes with our David.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 5:04 PM
Thank you for confirming what happened at the concert last night. Watching it live, I could see how uncomfortable David was trying to maintain composure while waiting for security. He should never have to deal with that kind of behavior.
#46 Bebe
That video! Channeling ELVIS!!!!!!!!!!!
#47 Dak
Agree! Where was the band? Management? Security ? I think everyone was so stunned and were just watching David, thinking security would come. I told Angelica about the incident and we decided that, as fans, we'd have got her to move away as soon as she blocked our view. Ha! Don't mess with us!
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 5:06 PM
And as long as that has put me in a a foul mood— I certainly hope Sunny stays in her seat tonight–not only is it totally pointless–she messes up the song with her singing and it distracts from the cuteness of the kids .Why
can't these people just let David have the spot light and go find their own?
We all know he is to polite to say no–but egad–why don't people have some common sense? There I said it —been a burr under my saddle for days now.
I shall now go listen to Drummer Boy again and try to calm down.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 5:20 PM
INASN, sooogoood!
dak, "totally pointless", uh-huh.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 5:36 PM
security points taken and being there I just didn't have the reaction some of you have had.
The signing was a huge success!
Going to get ready to head on out to Anaheim!
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 5:39 PM
Please leave a comment for David!
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 5:41 PM
The caption says it all !
@Heather4JT I love him, I love him, I love him 🙂
By the way, I do not recall seeing any CD's or books at concert merch stand. Am I wrong? I saw shirts, magnets and buttons.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 5:59 PM
I had a request to post the recording of the woman at the stage front.
Its the one titled "DavidArchie recorded live on 12/16/11 at 9:22 "
In this link http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/19195640
Starts at time stamp 31:53 she shows up. He is singing HYAMLC.
He says "Hello" at 34:06
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 6:39 PM
I just watched the video of the woman and young girl. How distracting that was for David and to have them totally disrupt the concert that way is unreal. He made conversation actually stalling not wanting to go on to another song with her right there so out of place. Was everyone just that mesmerized by him that they couldn't respond to the code? Well I just made up 'code' but there should have been one. Security for David please…
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 6:56 PM
49 Dakgal:
I am glad to hear (read) your input. It gives me a different perspective on Sunny Hilden singing with DA.
Actually, I had a different reaction. I could see that it was an addition to what he was already doing, at the same time, I assumed (since he is the Boss) that she was there by his own invitation since she is co-writer of the song. I have seen him sing with others when they have collaborated on songs: both when he has sung with them on stage and when it was their show and they invited him up. So this did not seem strange to me.
And… I enjoyed hearing her own version of how the harmony could be done.
Song writing is kind of a hobby for me and I always like to hear new possibilities and arrangements, I especially like to hear how the writers themselves hear the music, their interpretation of it. For me it was all okay.
I appreciate that there are lots of peeps who did not care for the addition. *waves*
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 7:01 PM
I saw video of the lady at the stage too. I can't believe a fan would do that. At one point he just doesn't know what to do any more and it looks like he signaled security. I agree with all of you, he shouldn't have been put in that position. Security should have been on top of it long before it got that far.
It's really makes you stop and think of the risks involved in what he does. I hope they take measures to insure that doesn't happen again at other concerts.
That being said, good gracious, how gorgeous is that "I want a silent night"?? That seems to be a nice comfortable spot for his voice. I am in love with that song now. Sooo many good ones from these concerts. ♥
Has anyone seen a Youtube of FaLaLaLaLa? I can't seem to get the twitvid to work. 😦
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 7:04 PM
It amazes me that David's cds and COS weren't for sale at the merch table. Jeff LeBlanc,the opener was selling his. There should have been the same for David. It's common practice to sell an artist's cds at their merch table during their shows, unless the cds are out of print. I doubt that's the case as I still see TOSOD and CFTH in Target.
I'm sure the cds would have sold to new fans. Arggggghhhhhh
Here's Zero Gravity from Ventura (cut off at the end)
credit shiftlockfran
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 7:31 PM
I totally agree with your concern and outrage at the Incident. There was a security guard at the right side by the speakers. I don't understand why he let them get up there or stay. It was a different security person that finally did remove them.,,,,,, way after they should have had them Gone. David was so gracious, of course, I don't think anyone knew how to react.
This incident Didn't take away from the wonderful performances. David was energized and joyful, and the audience roared their appreciation.
#58 Abbra No CDs and out front, at the entrance, only one tiny poster. Around town, though there were many posters of other night performances at the Majestic, and other venues, I saw nothing to show David would be in town. Most of the seats were full (with wildly happy fans :)) but there was lots of room in the standing room only section. These concerts are Spectacular. They deserve publicity.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 7:34 PM
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 7:51 PM
Just saw a twitvid on AFS that shows David leaving the signing in Anaheim. I think they are now taking his security seriously. There were 2 uniformed bodyguards to escort him out.
Its the 2nd short video on this page
@rhiminee David was super smiley at the signing today 🙂
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 7:54 PM
HAHA Daughter has left me unattended!
I mentioned the other day I was going to this concert with my twenty something, rolling eyes daughter. Actually, in the last year she has come to grips with my bit of obsession with DA and the eyes have stopped moving. I also mentioned a few days ago, I couldn't wait to see her reaction to LDB. So,,, here is the run down…..
LDB, she was wildly laughing hysterically while the entire room sang with him as he sang, and danced while he played the drum. Her comment, "well that was silly." (Nope, she didn't quite Get that one.) Her other comments last night,,,,,, (remember this is a Cook fan),,,,,, he has such a beautiful voice, such control, such range………….. He IS a goofy optimistic person,,,, just look at that smile! It might drive me crazy if I was around him all the time. It sure would be hard not to smile back! ……….That "Wait", that was Beautiful!!!! …….."Oh Holy Night",,,, my favorite,,,,,, just perfect.
Comment today, over lunch….. You know David shouldn't worry about having to "Strike while the iron is hot,",,,, He has that kind of talent, well,,,,,, he isn't a Pop singer,,,,,He has Real talent. He's different……. He is going to be around for a longg longg time. And she smiled that joyful smile we all understand.
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 8:08 PM
Try putting the link to the twitvid in IE. I have to watch UStream in IE as it will freeze my browser in Firefox.
Your daughter's reactions, especially the delayed ones at lunch, remind me of my BFF's response to David's singing and performing. 3+ years of me talking about him non-stop has wore her down. I recently started sending her youtube's of his tour. Last week I gave her a CD with the live songs. She was so happy! Loves the live music. She even asked me if HE sang Ave Maria for real? Haha. I told her she has been infected with the Archu-bug.No known cure 😉
It might even be the start of a new concert buddy relationship 🙂
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 8:47 PM
Briefly popping in before the show.
Poof; Hurray for your first show; so glad your daughter is a convert now! 🙂
Stoked to be able to see SweetonDA, Dja, Terry, Doreen, Annie and others!
Ones frame of mind should be that it's a privilege to see and meet David. A national treasure like him should have the upmost security to safeguard his safety, IMO. 🙂
Thankfully the Deseret signing today went smoothly as two uniformed policemen were @ David's side. There were hords of people so the signing went well past 2 pm and David was so gracious as usual. Gahhhhhh … the man is absolutely gorgeous and I have proof! 😉
Oh, did I mention that I have video of LA Nokia (wasn't sure it turned out until I checked it today). Sorry as I have been innundated with real life responsibilities and it won't be much better this upcoming week. So don't know when I can post but worse yet I don't know how 😦
So thankful that I can experience it again! 🙂
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 8:51 PM
Blueberry Ice
I can help when you are ready. I can email you my phone number. Its not too hard. First thing you must do is get the video from your camera to your computer:)
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 9:56 PM
Mary Did You know at VIP tonight!
Go to AFS to see video
I made mp3
Mary Did You know MKOC VIP Anaheim121711.mp3
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 10:06 PM
David sang "Man In The Mirror" tonight in VIP?
I made mp3
Man in The Mirror MKOC VIP Anaheim121711.mp3
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 12:09 AM
Jwipe's Ustream
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 1:48 AM
Abrra, big thanks for those mp3's. I always loved his MDYK and that snipped of Man In The Mirror, mmmmm.
Poof, loved the story about daughter and her talent assessment! Knows it when she sees it. Seems he always manages to wiggle in, even in the most resistant. Wouldn't be surprised if she finds little David moments popping into her brain at unexpected times the next few weeks, whether she likes it or not.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 2:22 AM
"David, you came out here tonight to win, and what we have witnessed….. is a knockout."
They just keep getting better and better and better!
He leaves me breathless!
Thank you, jwipe for the Ustream!
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 2:41 AM
"Man in the Mirror" from Anaheim VIP
credit RascalsTavu
From today's booksigning event:
credit djalover16
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 3:05 AM
"David came outside to meet fans and took his time with each fan. Pics and autographs w/ everyone. Ahhhhhh <3333"
From Twitter
credit Shelley
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 8:13 AM
David singing Happy Birthday last night in VIP (today my daughter turns 21, should play this for her!)
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 8:15 AM
Someone needs to to tweet that HB to the American Cancer Society for their "more birthdays" campaign…that's who should be singing it in their commercials not JB! 😉
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 8:50 AM
Haha…take it lightly!! I am going to do an article on the usage of the word "Better". Remember I am making light of this. Better should be termed for those who need it in the industry who have the success (however they come by it) and actually need to get 'better and better' technically etc. before they appear in front of a serious audience who knows the difference. As David gets 'more and more sensational' as a singer, as he fills his heart and his soul and gives more to ours, that is what we experience…Well maybe not an article I have said it.
Oh oh…Slogan…"Nobody Does It Better"…
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 9:56 AM
Another "Man in the Mirror"
From Anaheim
More here http://twitpic.com/7uwizx
Loved seeing David live last night. Jwipe is our hero with his magical phone cam 🙂
Found a partial video of David with his friend Ella!
I agree
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 10:01 AM
As I sit here this morning listening to those glorious VIP vids, enjoying the incredible concert videos of the last few weeks, the new LDB – I feel so unbelievably blessed to have stumbled onto David Archuleta. What was an incidental viewing of an AI audition show (had watched a mere handful of shows in the previous 6 years) and look at the bounty of indescribable love and joy and laughter and warmth and blessedness and hope and peace I have received from himself as a person, his loving, giving fans and his incredible, singular, diverse talent and talents.
What did I ever do to deserve this.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 10:41 AM
77.OhI love you Emmegirl♥ …..feeling the same way, and you said it so beautifully in your comment, you have me in tears!
Indeed….what did we ever do, to deserve this.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 10:41 AM
David is going to be an amazing dad….
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 11:07 AM
Oh Emmegirl…..just add my name to your post. We are so blessed to be in this place.
Spent the morning playing in Abrra's candy jar. That jar runneth over with deliciousness. Abrra is such a trooper, spending hours staring at David so that we can have all the best stuff. It is amazing that David can be so perfect being recorded from amateur equipment held by amateur photographers. Thanks to all of you. You bring so much pleasure.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 12:07 PM
Yes! Yes! Yes! All of what you said Emmegirl! So perfectly worded. Thank you! I really had no idea that I would be learning so much when I started following this outstanding young man and his career. I feel blessed too! 😉
Dayzee, My time in Abrra's scrumptious candy jar was real early this morning. Like 3 a.m. My goodness, one could get lost in all the flavors there…and I did! Much appreciated Abrra!
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 12:29 PM
I join those who stand with my friend Emmegirl 🙂
If it were not for David, I may have never been so driven to learn how to make the goodies in my Candy Jar to share with fans! I was desperate to have his music from live performances, so I taught myself to tinker with the help of various software. Google is magic!
BTW, I changed the files and links to last nights VIP songs in Anaheim. I found better audio, very clear. Posts #66 &67 have the links. I updated them today.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 12:45 PM
Is it possible, at all, to get an mp3 of just the singing part of that Happy Birthday. That would be awesome to send friends and family on their birthday! 🙂
PattiNC 74…brilliant!
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 12:48 PM
Just saw your post Abs, thanks! You are always a step ahead…I was gonna beg for redos.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 1:27 PM
Here you go. Trimmed and with fades on both ends 🙂
Happy Birthday MKOC VIP Anaheim121711.mp3
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 1:59 PM
"Little Drummer Boy" from last night (Anaheim)
credit boordaleigh
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Today is my daughter's 21st birthday…born 10 days before David and about 10 miles apart!! I played her David's happy birthday from last night…she loved it. Over the last couple of years she's moved away from David, but I could see she still liked him while she watched it. Plus she is shocked about how even more good looking he is!
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 2:49 PM
To Abrra (and all the other admins and writers and posters and lurkers, etc. ….. ((Erm.. not to mention a dude named, DA)) )
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 3:12 PM
Hello everyone!
As I read all the comments on what a blessing David has been in our lives it warms my heart to be part of this unique fan base. I don't know what would become of me without you all.
This week has been more than words can describe. I love this young man and all that he is more than ever.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 3:53 PM
NEWSFLASH from the world of Unplugged!
By Abrra
There has been a major break in the identity of the woman who stood at the rail of center stage at David Archuleta's concert in Ventura California. The incident happened midway through Archuleta's bluesy, chocolate creamy center-like rendition of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
The crazed fan approached the stage by coming from her seat in the 15th row. (What kind of real fan has no VIP seat?) To cover her embarrassment due to advanced age, she grabbed a teenage girl sitting in front of her by the hand and dragged her along to a spot center stage, on the floor side. As Archuleta finished a stellar performance, this intruder began speaking to him in tongues. He was heard to exclaim "I don't know what that means!" as the woman rattled on unintelligibly. Archuleta handled the incident with grace and dignity as he signaled security to come to escort the pair from the stage area. The security person may have had lead in his shoes as it was rumored that it took several minutes for him to reach the party crasher and her "cover teenager". The young girl was sent back to her seat, while the unknown woman was escorted to the lobby.
A confession came to light last night in a club known as Unplugged. This is a local hangout for Archuleta fans of a certain age who come to watch videos of him performing at various venues. Word is that this club is affiliated with the popular fan site called The Voice. The culprit arrived around 11pm and announced she "had been to see David live in concert". When questioned further she admitted to being the one who disrupted his concert in Ventura .Acknowledging that she went up to the stage from her seat to talk with David about the possibility of him coming to Argentina for a show. She proceeded to lay across the edge of the stage until he noticed her. When he finally spoke and said "Hello" to her, she lost her mind and her ability to form words. This is a common symptom of the disease known as ODD. (She is considered a carrier).This crazed fan goes by many aliases. Gladys mic, Gladys pants,Gladys jeans, and sometimes simply Gladys. She also claims she was doing research for her thesis on Mr. Archuleta's fashion sense.
Gladys was ejected from the theater and sent packing back to Argentina. Let's hope Archuleta has tight security if he ever decides to travel to that country to entertain his real fans.
Note: Its a fairy tale 😉
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 4:16 PM
Madness, complete madness!!
dja, what an emotional ride you have been on this week… can't imagine how long decompression takes after experiencing that.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 7:24 PM
Emmegirl <333333333
Every word is what I feel.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 7:42 PM
90.Abrra,haha! All I can say is …Gladys, if I ever win the lottery, one of the things I would do is buy you an airline ticket to come here to see David Live in Concert. (and hire several big bodyguards for David…:) and of course buy tickets for all of us to be together♥to witness such an epic event in the archuworld!
Dja,♥ can't tell you how much I enjoyed coming face to face with you and meeting you! What a sparkle you have in your eyes!! You are adorable,and I was so happy to be able to share that 'connect' in a hug♥ 🙂
89."This week has been more than words can describe. I love this young man and all that he is more than ever"
how blessed are we?
♥♫like a satellite we're flying…. overhead where WE SEE IT ALL .nothing can stop us, we're everything and more!♫♪
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 7:51 PM
I agree. I would love to be sitting beside Gladys when she sees David in concert for the first time! She made me laugh so hard last night when she said it was her at Ventura. I had to use it some how. She mentioned training and getting fit for the trip 🙂 She still has to get her travel documents in order.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 8:23 PM
Anaheim VIP Good Place
WARNING! esp for Emmegirl
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 8:39 PM
I laughed a lot with your story, my God, and my family too, they know of my folly by david.
It is always the same question, where did you know him?
True, if I ever see david, I could not speak, I cry for all the VIP and throughout the concert.
I always think that girls of THE VOICE, know as I am, you know me very well.
Girl, you have made my day, thank you.
(I understand this woman, but there are limits)
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 8:59 PM
I did send you a Spanish translation so I guess they read that? You give me so many laughs in chat, I just had to give you a good laugh too.
I pray he gets to Argentina!
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 8:59 PM
That was the best Good Place EVER!!!!
Here's Slay Ride…ummm "Sleigh Ride" from Anaheim last night
and a short video showing more of Ella
credit daviddaily,com
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 9:32 PM
#95, the top two videos. ♥
I can't think of a better way to spend my Sunday evening than immersed in these two alone.
I really like them, lol.
I have written and deleted so much here, you don't even want to know. 🙂
appropriate betsy 😉
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 9:51 PM
I am lost in This Christmas. I saw Emmegirl sprawled out on the floor next to me. She may never get up 😉
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 10:00 PM
Watching "Wait" in #95 I see the veins and muscles in David's neck are in fine form. Yayyy for Dayzee!
Jan & I met up with Heidijoy and Grateful today and enjoyed a day of discussions of David. Jan says we were touring Park City. I don't remember much past the David talk. Anyway, it was great.
Tomorrow we will get together at the Thaifoon for lunch around 1:00. Would love to see anyone join us. Oddity and her friend are making the effort, not sure they can do it. Then after the performance we were planning to meet at JB's in the Plaza Hotel across the street from the venue.
It is like Christmas Eve for us here in SL. Fans with their eyes aglow will find it hard to sleep tonight.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 10:04 PM
Emmegirl, please log onto your computer!
I am begging you to do so with my mind, lol.
Hopefully you will hear.
Am officially nuts.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 10:05 PM
David at Venturat VIP
credit Shelley
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 10:42 PM
This tour needs to stop now.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 10:45 PM
Amazing !
Love that picture! Static electric hair 😉
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 11:04 PM
betsy and abs, TC….singing that ridiculously soulful way he does about mistletoe and decoratin' trees and with all those jazzy yeahyeah, yeahyeahyeahyeahs and all the finger pointing in that vest and those pants (no, I really really like black pants.) We're just lucky you can't see the boots.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 11:15 PM
I think you guys have been drinking your bath water—-LOL
Or we are all on a goofy overload—Which I blame on Abrra's i-phone 😉
We are all sleep deprived with our eyes spinning like pin wheels from all the videos—
I want to see more ELLA!!!!
It's a wonder we all aren't in the booby hatch by now.
I feel my self slipping.
Carry on!!
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 11:26 PM
New Thread _______________________________>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 11:29 PM
abrra, I come to your jar of candy, I can not see the new mp3 you uploaded, the problem will be mine???
Monday, December 19, 2011 at 4:37 PM
90: Aabbrraa– you had me hook, line and sinker till the very end! Congrats!
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 2:41 PM
green bay packers super bowl…
[…]David Archuleta ~ MKOC Tour ~ The California Leg ~Ventura and Anaheim « The Voice[…]…
Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 11:22 PM
Philippine History…
[…]David Archuleta ~ MKOC Tour ~ The California Leg ~Ventura and Anaheim « The Voice[…]…
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 3:16 PM
Link Lizard…
[…]David Archuleta ~ MKOC Tour ~ The California Leg ~Ventura and Anaheim « The Voice[…]…
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 9:35 PM
ofertas iphone4 , manual iphone4 ,precio iphone4,carcasa iphone4, trucos iphone4, iphone precio…
[…]David Archuleta ~ MKOC Tour ~ The California Leg ~Ventura and Anaheim « The Voice[…]…
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 8:45 AM
California Websites…
[…]David Archuleta ~ MKOC Tour ~ The California Leg ~Ventura and Anaheim « The Voice[…]…


text:
Now it's week three of voting for the upcoming SQLRally. This week, we are voting for the Enterprise Database Administration & Deployment sessions for the conference.
Part "two" when we are on week three you may wonder? Well that's because I have a session listed in this track as I did in last week's track and I'd like you to vote for it. The session is Discovering the Plan Cache and can be found with the Performance category.
This session is a based on performance tuning that I do with my clients. It also contains information from the plan cache posts that appear on my blog from time to time. This is one of those sessions where you hear about some great things that you can do in your environment which you can take information to the office that day (or the following week) and start using.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
sd-hk One-Shoulder Floor Length Beaded Chiffon Prom Dress
Customizations Total: $0.00
- Silhouette:Sheath
- Pattern Type:Solid
- Sleeve Length(cm):Sleeveless
- Style:Elegant,Wedding
- Material:Polyester
- Decoration:Ruffles,Strapless,Single Shoulder
- Dresses Length:Floor-Length
- Size: US 2-16,Plus Size 16w-26w (see size chart)
- Occasions:Prom/Homecoming/Pageant/Wedding/Ball/Graduation/Cocktail/Birthday Party/Bride Bridesmaid/Formal Evening/ Dance/ Dinner/Ceremony/Celebrity
For customize dress, please send us your measurements as below:
1. Full Bust: _____ inch or ___ cm
2. Waist: _____ inch or ___ cm
3. Hips: _____ inch or ___ cm
4. Shoulder to Shoulder: ____ inch or ___ cm
5. Hollow to floor without shoes: _____inch or ___ cm
6. Height without shoes(from head to feet): _____inch or ___ cm
7.Shoes heels: ___ inch or ___ cm
Please allow 1-3cm differs due to manual measurement
Sizing Chart
Sizing Chart
About Shipping
About Shipping
You will receive your order depends on the shipping method selected as estimated delivery date.
The estimated delivery date is based on your purchase date, the recipient's location, the seller's processing time and location, and the shipping carrier. Other factors—like placing an order on a weekend or a holiday—may end up pushing the arrival of your item beyond the estimated delivery date. It's our hope that your item gets where it's going as soon as possible, but given the factors involved, this is only an estimate.
Return & exchanges
Return & exchanges
Exceptions may apply
Care Instructions
Care Instructions
It is better to wash by hand and cold water.
Also I recommend pass over the draw the Iron (put a cloth on the top of the drawing)
Clothing without drawing paint, can be washed normally.
By hand with not very warm water.
Washing machine: in a program in not more than 40º


text:
X-Factor Extends Voting After Technical Glitch
TV Guide
The X Factor is demanding a recount.
In what Fox is describing as a "graphics error," incorrect voting numbers were displayed on the screen during the performance recap at the end of Wednesday's show. As a result, the Top 13 contestants will re-perform their "Save Me" songs in a live hour-long show Thursday night at 8/7c.
Other Links From TVGuide.com


text:
Showing 1 to 1 out of 1 results
TextEvans-TCP (Phase 1)The Declaration of the reasons and motives for the present appearing in arms of Their Majesties Protestant subjects in the Province of Maryland. Licens'd, November 28th 1689. J.F.Date of publication:
1689Description:A Protestant expression of allegiance to William and Mary, and of rebellion against the present Popish colonial regime. Caption title. Imprint from colophon, p. 8. "Given place among American imprints for the reason that ...This item contains 3 files (74.48 KB).Publicly Available


text:
Birthday Shirt 45th Birthday Gift, VINTAGE 1976 Limited Edition, Well Aged Original Parts T-shirt.
Printed on the front of the T-shirt. Personalized vintage t-shirts.
Small size is suitable for ladies.
It can be used as a holiday gift or an anniversary gift for father, mother, family, friends.
Material: Our products are made up of 100% cotton.
Features seamless half-inch collar and side seamed.
Cap sleeves and double-needle stitched hems for wonderful wearing experience.
Pre-shrunk 100% cotton, Taped neck and shoulders, wearing casual and comfortable.
This item requires 3-5 business days to handcraft.


text:
Wahwah, Viddy, Launch Center Pro, Audible's Audiobooks, Punch Quest, and price drops
9to5Mac has once again scoured the App Store for all the latest app launches, price drops, noteworthy news, and updates, and we have compiled everything in a roundup below. Check it out, but keep coming back as we continually refresh the list throughout the day.
1. Wahwah | Free
Wahwah is a personalized radio service that just landed in the App Store, and it offers a catalogue of more than 15 million songs and allows users to discover the perfect song for working, running, cycling, driving, etc. Users can notably check-in to their location, type in the name of an artist, browse custom stations, or select recommended music, while Wahwah sees who is around, taps into their music, and then offers users the ability to simultaneously listen together and interact via chat.
1. Viddy | Free
Version 2.1.1 of this Instagram-like app for videos went live today with the ability to handle 30-second clips, pause recordings for multiple-segment filming, toggle brightness, contrast and volume, and simulate stop-motion capture. The updated app also features 15 new filters, all new music tracks, simplified video descriptions, swipe-based navigation, new Explore section, geo-feeds with video discovery, Home feed with user preferences, YouTube annotations, and support for 16 new languages.
More apps and updates below.


text:
The Best 16 Foods for Glowing, Healthy Skin
This blog has not been approved by your local health department and is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice.
Nutrition affects one's skin; incorporating nutrient-rich foods is important to improve one's appearance as well as health. Incorporate these foods into a diet daily to help improve skin.
Almond Milk
Almond milk is often fortified and thus provides half the daily requirement of Vitamin E, nearly half the daily requirement of calcium and about a quarter of the daily requirement of Vitamin D. Unsweetened almond milk is low in both calories and sugar, and it lacks the antibiotics and hormones found in many dairy products. Almond milk can help keep skin from drying out.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar may have an acidic bite, but it is actually alkaline and will thus balance acidic food like grapefruit to help keep skin healthy. It also fights off bacteria and prevents constipation. It aids digestion by increasing the acidity of stomach acid. In addition, apple cider vinegar is a good source of potassium and pectin, a detoxifying fiber. Like all vinegars, apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid, which slows the digestion of carbohydrates and thus keeps blood sugar levels from spiking.
Bee Pollen
Bee pollen provides many nutrients, including 22 amino acids that help the body produce keratin, the protein that forms hair, nails and the topmost layer of skin. It also stimulates the production of new skin cells and helps improve digestion. The easiest way to use bee pollen is to sprinkle it onto desserts, yogurt and salads or mix it into smoothies. It can, however, cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to bee stings or pollen.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are loaded with nutrients. To start with, they are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that help protect the skin from the sun. They are also a complete protein, which means they contain all nine of the essential amino acids humans need and can only get from their diet. Those amino acids help keep the nails, hair and skin healthy. Chia seeds also contain fiber that induces a feeling of fullness, reduces bloating and prevents constipation. They can be combined with almond milk to make a pudding.
Chickpeas, which are also known as garbanzo beans, are legumes that are loaded with phytochemicals and antioxidants. The phytochemicals help the body absorb minerals, and they boost the immune system. Chickpeas contain other nutrients like folate, fiber, protein and zinc. The last is a trace mineral that promotes hair growth and helps keep nails and skin healthy. Chickpeas also contain fiber and complex carbohydrates that keep the body's hormones in balance and stabilize blood sugar levels. They can help slow down the development of wrinkles. Chickpeas contain manganese and copper, two proteins that improve cellular health.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil's main component is lauric acid, an antimicrobial fat that destroys yeast, viruses and bacteria. Coconut oil is also made from medium-chain fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory effects and burn quickly in the body. Since the liver doesn't need to break coconut oil down before the body can use it, it provides quick energy and boosts the metabolism so that it can readily burn stored fat. As a saturated fat, coconut oil is solid at room temperature, but it actually helps cholesterol levels by increasing HDL, which is the good cholesterol, and reducing LDL, the bad cholesterol. Coconut oil can be added to smoothies or stir-fries.
Flaxseed contains lignans, phytochemicals that aid digestion. They can also mimic the hormone estrogen and thus may be able to prevent breast cancer. Ground flaxseed is a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids, especially alpha-linolenic acid. The body converts alpha-linolenic acid into eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, the same fatty acid found in fish oil. EPA strengthens collagen and burns fat. Omega-3 fatty acids, in general, reduce the hormone that can cause breakouts and clogged pores. Ground flaxseed can be added to smoothies and other foods.
Goji Berries
Goji berries are sometimes nicknamed the "longevity fruit" because they contain an amino acid called glutamine, which stimulates the productions of the human growth hormone that promotes quick healing. Glutamine also helps the body produce glutathione, an antioxidant that can slow aging. Goji berries are loaded with nutrients, including 18 amino acids, and minerals like copper, iron and zinc. Goji berries can be eaten with cereal or added to a trail mix.
Lentils are legumes, and they contain a lot of protein. They also help keep blood sugar levels stable. That stability, in turn, helps keep the skin stay healthy and wrinkle-free. Lentils contain a lot of folate, which helps repair cells. Lentils are also a good source of iron that strengthens nails.
Millet is one of the ancient grains, and its seeds are loaded with amino acids that help repair and maintain cells. One amino acid, tryptophan, gets converted into serotonin, the "feel-good" neurotransmitter that keeps people calm and happy. Millet contains minerals like iron, manganese, magnesium and phosphorous as well as fiber that keeps blood sugar levels from spiking. Fiber also keeps people full longer and supports the good bacteria in the digestive tract.
Nuts contain minerals, protein and healthy fats. They are also filling and easy to transport. Different nuts have different benefits. For example, pistachios have a lot of Vitamin B6 that is good for the blood. Cashews contain lots of copper that helps brighten hair. Brazil nuts are a good source of selenium that helps the body produce glutathione and keeps the skin elastic. Almonds contain Vitamin E that strengthens cell membranes and prevents wrinkles. It's best to buy organic raw nuts because roasted nuts often contain oxidized oils that produce free radicals and can speed up the aging process. Raw nuts need to be soaked for at least a couple of hours to make them easier to digest.
Oats are a breakfast-time staple loaded with minerals. They contain manganese that promotes cellular health and keeps hair healthy. They also contain Vitamin B1, which is good for the nervous system. Oats are also rich in selenium and iron.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a well-known source of nutrients like antioxidants, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. In addition to benefiting the skin, olive oil increases the level of good cholesterol and reduces the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that help sensitive skin. The Vitamin E in olive oil can protect the skin from UV rays. Olive oil can be used in salads and dips, and it can be drizzled over freshly cooked vegetables.
Quinoa is one of the ancient grains; people have been eating it for millennia. Its seeds contain all nine essential amino acids that help repair damage and keep the skin, hair and nails healthy. It is not truly a grass, however, but a relative of spinach. Like spinach, it contains no gluten and is loaded with nutrients. In addition to the amino acids, quinoa also contains minerals like zinc, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium and iron. It has a low glycemic index and is loaded with complex carbohydrates that keep a person full and prevent bloating. Those complex carbohydrates also keep blood sugar levels stable. Quinoa contains fiber that aids digestion.
Sardines are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids like EPA that help burn fat and preserve collagen. Omega-3 fatty acids also reduce the levels of a hormone linked to clogged pores and excess oil production. They thus help prevent acne outbreaks. Sardines also contain Vitamin D, which strengthens bones and helps keep skin from wrinkling and sagging. In addition, sardines are a good source of selenium.
Tahini is a staple food from the Middle East made from ground sesame seeds. The result is a thick and oily paste used to flavor dressings and dips. Tahini contains several B vitamins that help reduce stress. It is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and zinc.


text:
Global Warming Prevention
Sponsored by: Cam2Cam Live Chat and Hot Live Chat.
When we talk about global warming prevention, we need to understand that global warming has already happened. Using the term "prevention" ignores all of the damage which has already been done and the steps which need to fix it. Continue reading
Water Saving Tips
Saving water isn't hard to do. All it takes is a few lifestyle adjustments and teaching yourself good habits. Here are a few water saving tips to get you started. Continue reading
Energy Saving Tips
Sponsor: Zhitomir dating agency
In the United States, an average family spends almost $2,000 per year on their utility bills. If being eco-friendly isn't motivation enough to save energy, then cutting back on your power bills should be! The good news is that it doesn't take much effort to cut back on energy usage. The key to saving energy is to look at your home as a whole, not individual parts. Continue reading
Green, electric cars
Sponsor: online dating advice
There has been a lot of hype in the past few years about "zero emission" green electric cars. However, just because an electric car isn't spouting out puffs of exhaust fumes, it doesn't necessarily mean that they are much better than traditional cars running on gas. Continue reading
Eco friendly products
Several years ago, many consumers happily paid more for a product with a "green" or "eco-friendly" label. With the current economic recession however, fewer consumers are purchasing green products because they are under the conception that it is too expensive to purchase goods which are good to the environment. Continue reading
Green or alternative energy
There are many incentives for big business to use green or alternative energy. They leap on the massive tax cuts offered and also at the positive press which comes with being eco-friendly. However, governments have done little to encourage green energy use in the private sector. Continue reading
Sponsor: Online dating blog
On a simple level, biodiversity is the variety of all types of life through all ecosystems on the planet. However, since the 1980s, the term biodiversity has come to mean much more than this variety. The word now implies our need to reduce the rate at which species are becoming extinct and the worldwide importance of maintaining diversity on our planet. Continue reading
About green week conference 2012
Sponsor: Kiev dating agency
Next year is gearing up to be a important one for environmental policy. In addition to the annual Green Week Conference 2012, the Earth Summit 2012 conference is going to be held in Rio de Janeiro from June 4th to 6th, the 20th anniversary of the UN conference on Envirnment and Development which took place in 1992. Because of this anniversary, the 2012 conference is being called Rio+20. Continue reading
Green week event 2011
2011 marks the 11th annual Green Week Conference . This year, the conference will take place May 24th to 27th in Brussels. The theme for this year's conference is "Resource Efficiency – Using Less, Living Better." Continue reading
Green week conference 2010
Sponsor: Kazakhstan dating agency
Green Week Conference 2010 was a huge success. Held in Brussels over three days from the 1st to 4th of June, the conference attracted more than 4,000 participants from various organizations including NGOs, government bodies, academic circles and media. Continue reading


text:
Doubront goes 7 scoreless, Ellsbury drives in 2 in Boston's 4-0 win over Arizona
BOSTON – Felix Doubront pitched seven shutout innings to continue his run of strong starts and Jacoby Ellsbury drove in two runs to lift the Boston Red Sox to a 4-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
It was Boston's seventh win in nine games, completing a 5-2 homestand. The AL East leaders play 16 of the next 19 away from Fenway Park, beginning Monday night in Houston.
Doubront (8-5) allowed five singles, struck out five, didn't walk a batter and allowed just one runner to reach second base in holding an opponent to three runs or fewer for the 15th straight start. It's the most by a Red Sox left-hander since at least 1920.
Koji Uehara, the third Boston reliever, closed out the combined eight-hitter.
Diamondbacks starter Brandon McCarthy (2-5), activated before the game after being on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation since May 31, gave up two runs on five hits in 4 1-3 innings.


text:
Cuba Quandary
As the eyes of the world watched Pope John Paul II travel through Cuba in late January, workers furiously produced cigars in the Fernando Perez German factory in the heart of Havana, just behind the capitol building. The expansive rolling room where such cigars as Partagas Serie D No. 4, Montecristo A and Cohiba Esplendidos originate was packed to the walls with benches full of men and women assembling cigars. Many of the workers looked as if they were in their late teens or early 20s, new arrivals to what until recently was one of the most tradition-bound professions in Cuba.
As always, a man at the front of the room read to the rollers over the loudspeaker the day's news from the official state newspaper, Granma. Everyone was intently listening to the stories of the Pope's mission in one of the world's last bastions of communism, but their focus was mostly on the fresh cigars they were rolling. The month before, they and thousands of other Cuban rollers had reached the nation's 1997 goal of rolling more than 100 million cigars for export. This year the government plans to make a mind-boggling 160 million. Like just about every other cigar factory in Havana, Fernando Perez German (which was known as Partagas until the early 1960s) proudly displayed in its entrance a certificate from the state-run Union of Tobacco Workers that cited the factory for helping make 102 million cigars in 1997.
On a different floor of the factory, cigars were being sorted by wrapper color, fixed with the proper bands and placed in boxes. In one room, thousands of pine and cedar boxes were being dressed with colors and designs of just about every brand conceivable, from Partagas to Hoyo de Monterrey. The boxes carried the appropriate factory code on their underside--"FPG," for Fernando Perez German. The code also indicated when the cigars were placed in their boxes--ONSU--or January 1998.
However, a few thousand boxes in the room seemed slightly different from the rest. Covered with the packaging for the Partagas brand, they carried the code "FP9" instead of the normal "FPG." Was this a new code? Was it a new factory? No. It was a simple yet large-scale printing mistake. All hell broke loose when I pointed out the problem to one of the heads of quality control in the factory. She asked various people to look at the mistake and then told them to correct it. This didn't change the fact that thousands of boxes with "FP9" were still being filled with cigars. "That's just a minor mistake," said one Cuban cigarworker. "We are not going to reject them for something like that."
Minor mistakes, however, may be adding up to a major problem for Cuban cigars. Just about every flaw imaginable can be found in Cuban cigars at the moment, from ugly wrappers to tightly rolled bunches to raw filler tobacco; yet, at the same time, some of the best cigars in years are being produced, perhaps some of the best ever. For instance, the quality of the wrapper tobacco currently used on the cigars is outstanding, with a dark, rich and oily look.
However, it's this outrageous quality versus quantity paradox at the moment that has people's heads spinning. Everyone from the Cubans themselves to serious cigar aficionados are asking if huge production increases set for this year and the future can be accomplished without ruining the quality and image of the Cuban cigar industry. Many say it doesn't look promising.
The Cubans are pushing themselves to the limit to meet massive production quotas set by the Ministry of Agriculture. From new plantations to new factories to new workers, everything possible is being done to increase cigar production to historic levels. If the Cubans reach their production goal of 160 million cigars by the end of the year, it will be the first time that they have surpassed 120 million since the early 1980s. If they reach 300 million by 2000 (a goal they revised from 200 million just a few months ago), it will be the first time in a century that they have attained such stellar production levels--and this is with a massive proportion of completely handmade, large-sized cigars, instead of the small ones that dominated the market until a few decades ago.
Cuba has apparently solved its tobacco-shortage problems of the mid-1990s. Last year's crop suffered a little during the production cycle, but this year's crop, much of which had been harvested by late January, looked fabulous. An early February storm, however, slightly changed the situation. Turbulent winds up to 100 miles per hour and torrential rainstorms ripped through most of the key tobacco growing areas, including the Vuelta Abajo and the Partido, as well as raising havoc in Havana. Although a large part of the crop had already been picked, the remainder was hit hard, especially the wrapper crop growing under the cheesecloth shades, called tapados.
"My crop was not affected very much, maybe five percent," said Alejandro Robaina, the legendary grower of wrapper tobacco near the town of San Luiz in the Vuelta Abajo. "However, it was a different story for those who planted later." News reports on Cuban television showed tapados shredded into bits, as well as leveled fields of tobacco. A quick trip in mid-February out to fields near the towns of Pinar del Río and San Juan y Martinez confirmed these reports; many of the tapados were torn down, tobacco plants were growing slightly askew and new plantings were underway. However, the handful of workers I spoke with said that the damage was minimal.
Though problems may have been averted in the fields, the Cubans still face them in the factories. "I am fed up," said Luigi Fasolini, a retired journalist from Milan and a longtime Cuban cigar lover, as he stood in a cigar shop in Havana in late January. "The quality is just not there all the time. The Cubans are making too many cigars. They have too many new rollers. I buy a box for $300 or $400, and four or five of the cigars are unsmokable because they don't draw. I am not complaining about the blend of tobacco. It's the construction of the cigars that I am worried about. I am going to start smoking more cigars from other countries or I am going to stop smoking altogether. It's just too frustrating."
Cigar merchants are equally anxious. "I don't know what to say," said one Cuban cigar agent based in continental Europe. "I am very concerned with the quality. How can the Cubans maintain quality when they are producing so much?"
A London cigar merchant added, "We have more large-sized and popular-shaped cigars than in years past, but we still receive boxes of cigars that I simply cannot sell because the quality is not there, whether it has bad wrappers or poor construction. What can I do about it?"
Even Cubans in the industry in Havana have their concerns. "I don't want to be quoted," said one cigar shop manager, "but the quality from some factories is very good, but in many others it isn't. When you talk about the quality of cigars, you really have to discuss it on a factory-by-factory basis."
Quality was a hot topic during a daylong mid-February seminar in Havana attended by cigar merchants and consumers from around the world. Speaker after speaker asked how Cuba could maintain the quality of its cigars when production was increasing geometrically.
To give the Cubans some credit, key members of the island's cigar industry are not completely blind to the quality issue. Officials at Habanos S.A., the government's global cigar marketing and distribution arm, said that they were attempting to install better quality control measures. "We have definitely increased the quality control," said Ana Lopez, head of marketing for Habanos. "We have heard from the consumer and clients that they are concerned, and we know that there may be some problems. But we are doing the most we can to fix this. For example, we are now going to the factories and checking the quality of the cigars before they are shipped out. We want to reinforce the quality. It is one of our main points for this year. We must maintain quality."
Still, various sources in Cuba concede that enforcing a high level of quality control is very difficult. For instance, Habanos has been trying to persuade the ministry to integrate the production, distribution and marketing of cigars, but its efforts for the most part have fallen on deaf ears. Interestingly, a similar suggestion was made about three years ago by former Habanos head Francisco Padron, and after he was rebuffed, he resigned in protest. (He now teaches at the University of Havana.)
"Some sectors in the government obviously see cigars as an important source of revenue, and they don't want to lose control of that source," said one cigar man in Havana. "They don't want Habanos in control."
The government is certainly putting production in top gear. Just five years ago, fewer than one dozen factories produced cigars for export. The count now tops 30. Most of the new factories are facilities that had made cigars for the domestic market, but were switched to export poduction. How the factories' production methods are improved for export is unknown. Local-market cigars have always been of lower quality, both in craftsmanship and tobacco, than those for export.
In addition, thousands of new rollers are being introduced to cigar factories. Nearly every factory has a rolling school with 100 or more students learning the craft. Most instructors say it takes nine months for a roller to learn, but they admit that some are put to work after a couple of months if they show promise. Some factory officials say that rollers with just over a year's experience can qualify for rolling the illustrious category-seven sizes, which include such difficult-to-roll cigars as double coronas, torpedos and Churchills. Just three years ago, this would have been unthinkable. The same people say that it used to take up to three or four years to do the same. Are the new students' abilities so much better than before, or do the factories need to increase their production regardless of the rollers' talents?
"I am very impressed with the quality of the young rollers," said Natari Fernandez, head of quality control for the Romeo y Julieta factory. "They do their work with the same skill and love as the older rollers before them. I am sure that the quality is as good or better than before."
The number of machine-made cigars is certainly higher than before. In 1997, machine-made cigars totaled about 13 million, although some say the official figure is much lower than what was actually made. This year, Cubans hope to make about 40 million machine-made cigars, and this doesn't include the hundreds of thousands of handmade cigars with short-leaf filler, or "Cuban sandwich" cigars as some like to call them. "We see a good market for such cigars since they are much less expensive than handmade ones and they have the same quality filler," said one Habanos spokesman.
The fact that specific brands continue to be produced in multiple factories may make it difficult for the Cubans to control the blends and rolling methods of particular brands. In other cigar manufacturing countries, cigar brands are normally made in a specific factory, where the quality of the brand and the blend of tobacco can be more closely monitored. "You can't properly control the quality of a particular cigar brand if you are making it in several factories," said Orlando Padrón, the patriarch of Padrón Cigars, which produces cigars in Nicaragua. "We have tried and it doesn't work."
It is certainly debatable if multiple-factory, single-brand production works in Cuba. For years, Cubans have said "mother factories" systematically send technicians to satellite factories to control the blends and quality of their cigars, but in some cases, it doesn't appear to be true. Smoke a Montecristo made outside Havana--with box codes such as VC or CM--and see for yourself. The quality is not there. Various factory managers outside of Havana admit that they never see technicians from mother factories. They do not even see quality-control people from the Ministry of Agriculture. Moreover, they say that they have to use every bale of tobacco sent to them from the ministry, regardless of its quality.
This isn't to say that some factories do not work extremely well. The highest-quality factories are Havana's El Laguito (EL on the box), José Martí (JM), formerly H. Upmann; Fernando Roig (FR), formerly La Corona; and Briones Montoto (BM), formerly Romeo y Julieta. Buy boxes of cigars from these factories--be sure to check the code on the bottom of the boxes--and you shouldn't have a problem acquiring quality smokes. (Be aware that the codes are expected to be changed sometime this year.)
When we visited them this past winter, the managers and quality control people at these factories were the country's most conscientious about quality. Moreover, handmade cigars being produced in the rolling rooms in these factories looked magnificent, although a large number of tobacco workers recommended aging the cigars for up to a year before smoking to overcome their slightly raw character. All the quality-control people agreed that the pressure from the government to produce and ship cigars was so intense that they could not process or age their tobacco and cigars properly.
Of all the cigar factories, El Laguito is probably the best. The mother factory for Cohiba, it exclusively produces four sizes: Lancero, Corona Especial, Exquisito and Panatela. So if you must have a Cohiba, buy those. The other sizes, such as Esplendidos and Robusto, are made in a number of other factories in Havana, and their quality is less consistent. El Laguito also makes the new Trinidad cigar, which was launched in Havana in February at a gala dinner at the Habana Libre Hotel (see sidebar, page 100). El Laguito manager Emilia Tamayo soon hopes to produce the entire range of Cohiba cigars at her factory when it is enlarged this year, instead of having such sizes as Siglo, Robusto and Esplendidos made in other factories. "I want to be in control of my cigars. It makes sense," Tamayo said, adding emphatically, "I would rather die than produce poor cigars in my factory."
Whether changing the production structure would ever make sense to the Ministry of Agriculture remains to be seen. No one from the agency would comment or meet with Cigar Aficionado to discuss the quality dilemma. The ministry did insist that editors from this magazine as well as anyone else visiting the factories pay an entrance fee: $10 for a tour, $75 for taking photographs and $150 for filming. "The entire thing is out of hand," said one factory manager. "We have to reduce the number of tourists visiting factories since it inhibits workers from doing their jobs, but they seem to see the visitors as a source of income."
Indeed, cigars are an increasingly important source of income for the Cuban economy. This year, Cuban cigar exports will approach US$300 million. The local market for tourists buying Cuban cigars has risen from just a few hundred thousand dollars about five years ago to close to $10 million last year. Factory visits, gala dinners and cigar sales add up to a lot of money in the government's coffers.
But some people are fed up with what they perceive as the government's obsession with hard currency. "I did not go to the Trinidad dinner this year because I felt that the Cubans do not appreciate the work which we have done promoting and selling their cigars," said Edward Sahakian, owner of the Davidoff shop in London. "All they seem interested in at the moment is gaining more money."
It's this perceived obsession that could ruin Cuba's plans for selling 300 million cigars two or three years from now. Printing the wrong code on a few thousand boxes is a mistake that few will take seriously, but making mediocre cigars is another matter. In the April 1998 issue of Cigar Aficionado, a Cuban Partagas received an 80, the worst rating the magazine has ever given to a Cuban cigar.
All of these concerns about quality were thoroughly discussed in a meeting with Francisco Linares, the head of Habanos S.A., and he took serious note of every point. "We are not going to let anything ruin the reputation of Cuban cigars," he declared. "We are extremely concerned with the quality of Habanos, and we will do everything possible to control it." Trumpeting Trinidad Cuba Launches its New Cigar Brand with a Gala Dinner and Auction in Havana
A dozen people were standing at the door of the cigar shop at the Melía Cohiba hotel. It was morning, minutes before the shop opened on February 21, the day after a gala dinner to launch Cuba's newest commercial cigar brand, Trinidad. Cubans had never seen anything like it. Hotel workers and passersby stared at the line in disbelief. As soon as the glass doors opened, cigar smokers piled into the small shop, grabbed their cedar boxes of Trinidad and quickly paid for them at the tiny cash register.
Marco Bacchetta, a Swiss banker and restaurant owner based in London, was the last in line. "It seemed crazy to stand in line to buy some cigars, but I wanted to make sure that I received a few boxes of Trinidads," he said after buying two boxes containing 24 cigars in each. "I came to Cuba for the dinner so I am certainly not going back without the cigars."
With the official send-off behind it, Trinidad is set to be introduced into Mexico and Canada in late spring, and already the legendary marque is receiving great fanfare. Only one size is currently available. Banded with the brand's distinctive gold-and-black label, the Trinidad Fundador measures 7 1/2 inches long by 40 ring gauge, the same length as the well-known Cohiba Lanceros but two millimeters thicker. The cigar is available in boxes of 24 and 50. Trinidad sells for about $330 a box of 24 in Havana, priced between Cohiba Lanceros and Esplendidos.
Originally, Trinidad was the same size as the Cohiba Lanceros, although its darker wrapper made it slightly stronger in flavor. First rolled in the early 1990s in response to Cohiba's soaring popularity, a few hundred Trinidads were made each month, for use almost exclusively as diplomatic gifts from top Cuban government officials. It was first served publicly at a dinner organized by Cigar Aficionado in Paris in 1993.
Trinidad is made at El Laguito--the same factory as most Cohibas. About 1 million Trinidads are expected to be made there this year. Its blend is slightly different from Cohiba, although Emilia Tamayo, El Laguito's manager, says that the same quality of tobacco is used. "All the raw material that we use for Trinidad is ours," said Tamayo, who added that the tobacco for Cohiba and Trinidad is given a third fermentation at the factory before being used. She said that other sizes of Trinidad may be made in the future, but that she hasn't received any orders from Habanos S.A., the Cuban organization in charge of global marketing and distribution of cigars. "Of course, Trinidad is not Cohiba and it will not have the same rigor in wrapper colors. But it will be a very good cigar."
Tamayo is overly modest about the quality. This is Cuba's most exciting new cigar since Cohiba was introduced almost three decades ago. The first time I saw a Trinidad, I wasn't sure whether I should smoke it or eat it. The elegant cigar is gorgeous, with its oily, medium-brown wrapper and medium-rich cedary flavors--not to mention its superb packaging. Plus, it draws perfectly, an attribute not always associated with Lanceros and similarly sized smokes. "It is not as rich as Cohiba," said Tamayo. "It has a different blend. It has more aroma." My only complaint is that the cigars could use another six months of aging in the boxes to settle down.
Trinidad is Cuba's fourth major brand to be launched since the Revolution. The others are Cohiba (first created in 1968), Cuaba (1996) and Vegas Robaina (1997). According to Habanos, another brand will debut before the year 2000; this one will be midpriced, at about the same level as Rafael Gonzalez or Sancho Panza.
The first official smoking of Trinidad was during the evening of February 20 at a celebratory dinner at the Habana Libre Hotel. About 600 people crammed into the ballroom of the newly renovated hotel, known as the Havana Hilton before the Revolution. They forked over $400 each for the opportunity to smoke Trinidads as well as to consume mediocre wines and inedible food. One guest compared the event to dining at a hockey game, due to the bright lights that stayed on throughout the evening. (Cubans still have a lot to learn when it comes to organizing special dinners.)
Nonetheless, most of the attendees didn't seem to mind the inconveniences. Drinks, smokes and conversation flowed freely. (Two other cigars were also served at the dinner: Cuaba Generosos and Vegas Robaina Famosos.) Francisco Linares, president of Habanos, gave a brief welcoming speech, telling everyone that "Habanos [Cuban cigars] are a product that we all love and that brings us all together each year. Parties such as tonight have become a tradition in Cuba." It was to be the best--and shortest--speech of the evening.
Alejandro Robaina, the legendary wrapper tobacco grower whose namesake is one of Cuba's new cigar brands, received the first award of the evening, for Best Tobacco Producer in Cuba. Oswaldo Encarnacion, director of the Union of Tobacco Enterprises, presented the honor to Robaina. Awards for the three categories of "Habano Man of the Year" followed: Zurich cigar retailer Samuel Menzi won for the trade category; Simon Chase, director of marketing for U.K. cigar importer Hunters & Frankau Ltd., took the communications section; and Swiss cigar importer Henrich Villiger received the award in the commercial division.
An auction followed the awards ceremony. Nicholas Freeman, director of Hunters & Frankau in London, told the crowd that he expected high bids, and not in Italian lire but in U.S. dollars. The good-natured gibe was directed at Enrico Gazaroli, an Italian who imports wine and spirits to Cuba and also runs a hotel and makes cigars in Nassau, the Bahamas. The big, boisterous Italian always bids at Habanos events, and this year's party was no different. He paid $55,000 for a small replica of the Millennium humidor. (The full-sized version will hold 2,000 Cuban cigars comprising some 20 brands and 185 shapes; 20 of the humidors will be sold next year for about $100,000 each and one will be auctioned.) American Gary Arzt, a keen smoker and cigar producer in the Dominican Republic, bought a Credo humidor for $25,000 that included 25 cigars of his choice. Raphael Levy, a Cuban cigar agent living in Switzerland, paid $65,000 for a crafted humidor with figural designs cast into its metal top. It contained 50 Cuaba cigars, 10 of each size, as well as a new figurado-shaped Churchill size coming out next year. Juan Maria Cazes, the Cuban cigar agent for Andorra, paid $60,000 for a cedar-and-mahogany humidor shaped like a curing barn and filled with 20 of each of the five sizes of Vegas Robaina cigars.
But the biggest bid of the night came from Levy, who paid $100,000 for a Trinidad humidor. Made of cedar with sterling silver inlays depicting the town of Trinidad and the cigar's logo, the humidor was crafted by Cuban silversmith Raúl Valladares Valdés, creator of the Habanos Man of the Year statuettes. Inside the box were 101 Trinidad Funadores, one with a gold cigar band, and a sterling silver cutter with the Trinidad logo in 18K gold and ivory. Like the other four humidors auctioned that evening, the Trinidad was signed by Fidel Castro.
With the end of the auction, guests sat back in their stiff metal chairs and finished the Trinidad Fundadores and glasses of seven-year-old Havana Club rum. Sure, the night wasn't perfect, but the opportunity to smoke the first Trinidads on the market in Havana was worth enduring any of the negatives.--James Suckling


text:
Ask Dr. Popkin: Were You on Obama's 'Dream Team'?
Through the campaign season, we've often heard from political scientist Samuel Popkin (right), of UCSD, about the strategies, the successes, and the mistakes of the Obama and Romney campaigns. Two days before the election, he gave this "pre-mortem" on why Team Romney was likely to lose. For some other installments, see this on Bain, this on Paul Ryan, this on Romney's prospects before the first debate (sample: "the Romney campaign's recent performance is a case study in mismanagement and poor strategic planning"), and this on the overseas bank-account controversy.
Less well known is that the Obama campaign also had a panel of unpaid academic advisers. The group -- which calls itself the "consortium of behavioral scientists," or COBS -- provided ideas on how to counter false rumors, like one that President Obama is a Muslim. It suggested how to characterize the Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, in advertisements. It also delivered research-based advice on how to mobilize voters....For their part, consortium members said they did nothing more than pass on research-based ideas, in e-mails and conference calls. They said they could talk only in general terms about the research, because they had signed nondisclosure agreements with the campaign.In addition to Dr. Fox [Craig Fox of UCLA], the consortium included Susan T. Fiske of Princeton University; Samuel L. Popkin of the University of California, San Diego; Robert Cialdini, a professor emeritus at Arizona State University; Richard H. Thaler, a professor of behavioral science and economics at the University of Chicago's business school; and Michael Morris, a psychologist at Columbia."A kind of dream team, in my opinion," Dr. Fox said.
Many readers wrote in to ask me the same question I asked Sam Popkin. Namely: What about this? We know that you were involved in some past Democratic campaigns, and that -- as you describe in your book -- you helped prep Jimmy Carter for his presidential debate in 1980. Is there anything else we should know, or should have known, about this year? Dr. Popkin writes back thus:
Seldom has any story earned me more undeserved glory or equally undeserved ethical doubts.When I saw the story I was surprised. Surprised to be given equal billing with the decision theorists and even more surprised that my sincere modesty might be construed as deception. Like many old hands, I send occasional ideas or suggestions to campaign strategists. But for me - or anyone else - to claim that I was an advisor to the Obama campaign would be vastly inflating my standing, even by the standards of contemporary politics.I had no affiliation with the Obama Campaign. I was not included in any strategy, message, fundraising or targeting meetings, and I have never met Jim Messina, David Plouffe or Harper Reed.Being unaffiliated, however, is different from being uninvolved.I met briefly with David Axelrod this fall when I was in Chicago on a book tour. Four times during the campaign I also sent him emails noting parallels with previous campaigns. I was one of many veterans of past campaigns, for example, who urged him to begin debate prep early.For the last six years I have also brainstormed at length with members of Craig Fox's group of decision theorists to give advice to Democrats. These theorists, hailed as a "Dream Team" in The New York Times, met with fundraising and GOTV officials who asked them about motivation and framing. I signed a nondisclosure agreement so I cannot discuss their specific insights, but I do believe that they made a significant contribution to Obama's campaign.My prior book, The Reasoning Voter, is based on the work of many of these decision theorists, so as a political scientist with extensive campaign experience I was a useful sounding board when they discussed messaging. For example, I nudged the theorists to give more consideration to predictable Republican counterattacks.I've always adhered to the principle that outsiders can only be helpful if they don't claim credit. After all, there are always so many old hands, experts, VIPS etc. chiming in, that it is never clear whose suggestions mattered anyway.Did my modesty cross the line from realism to deception? The praise I've received for being part of a Dream Team of great decision theorists is excessive. I feel the doubts are too.
This rings true to me. More to come from Popkin soon, especially on the Republicans' attempts to figure out where they go next.


text:
A lot of the requests I get are for actual vs. budget reporting. Certainly FRx and Management Reporter can do this pretty easily, but more and more I see users wanting this in Excel with a refreshable report. This blog post will give you everything you need to create a refreshable Excel report that shows monthly […]Continue reading
Refreshable Excel report for historical GL trial balance in Dynamics GP
Want to see your historical General Ledger trial balance in Excel? Yes, you can always print out the one from GP and dump it to Excel and manipulate the results, but there is an easier way. Below is a stored procedure you can use to create this. As an added bonus, if you're using GP Reports Viewer you can […]Continue reading
Create a refreshable Excel report based on a SQL Server stored procedure
A long awaited new feature is being released today for our GP Reports Viewer – Excel reports. What I think is truly amazing about this new feature is the fact that you can set up an Excel report based on a stored procedure to allow users to enter parameters and also to improve performance of your reports. […]Continue reading
Assign sequential numbers in SQL Server
Here is a cool little SQL Server tip from the April GP Reports Viewer newsletter. Say you have a list of rows and you want to assign sequential numbers to them, so that you always know which one is first, second, etc. Or so that you can display line numbers. This is often a need […]Continue reading
Changing part of a string in SQL Server using REPLACE
This latest SQL Server tip comes from the Feb/March 2013 GP Reports Viewer newsletter. Have you ever needed to change part of a string in SQL Server? I have seen this come up in a variety of situations, like needing to change account names in the General Ledger or needing to show something differently when […]Continue reading
How to add a sparkline to a report in SSRS
Introduction: This blog post is written by my friend and colleague Mickie Stamm. Mickie is a fabulous Dexterity, SQL and application developer and is one of the great minds behind GP Reports Viewer. By Mickie Stamm: In the last GP Reports Viewer newsletter I wrote about using rectangles as containers in SQL Server Reporting Services […]Continue reading
Coding for specific dates in Crystal Reports
Below is an old tip from one of the GP Reports Viewer monthly newsletters. In the past few months I have had to look this up several times, because I just cannot seem to remember the syntax, so I thought I would put it on my blog, where it will be easier for to find […]Continue reading
Using Lookups in GP Reports Viewer to make parameter selection more user friendly
One of the critical elements in reporting is parameter selection. During report creation it is essential to make sure that the proper parameters are added to the report to correctly filter on the data the users want to see. However, it doesn't just stop there. To ensure user friendly reports it is also very important […]Continue reading
Concatenating strings in SQL Server
This SQL Server tip comes from the April 2012 edition of the GP Reports Viewer newsletter. A request that we have seen many times when creating SOP invoices for Dynamics GP is to concatenate serial numbers. So if there is an item with serial numbers, instead of showing a list with one serial number per […]Continue reading
Emailing SOP invoices in GP 2010 made easy with GP Reports Viewer
Background / The Problem For many companies a long awaited new feature introduced with Dynamics GP 2010 was the ability to email SOP (Sales Order Processing) invoices directly from GP. Many of our customers have started to offer emailing of invoices to their customers and are seeing an increased number of requests for emailed invoices. However, […]Continue reading
SQL view for SOP email setup in GP 2010
I am starting to work with emailing SOP documents using Dynamics GP 2010 and new functionality that we are going to be releasing in an upcoming build of GP Reports Viewer. It's pretty cool stuff, however, as I am working with customers to set this up, we're finding that out-of-the box GP does not have any […]Continue reading
Sign up for Decisions Spring 2011
MSDynamicsWorld.com is putting on another virtual show in a few weeks called Decisions Spring 2011. My company, Flexible Solutions, has been a sponsor at the last few Decisions events and they just keep getting better. All the Dynamics products have their own day, Dynamics GP day is June 15. You can read all about the exciting […]Continue reading
See you at Decisions Fall 2010
Today is Microsoft Dynamics GP day at the Decisions Fall 2010 virtual conference. I will be at the Flexible Solutions booth talking about our GP Reports Viewer add-on. For anyone not familiar with it, GP Reports Viewer is a solution to manage Crystal and SSRS reports inside Dynamics GP. Decisions Fall 2010 is free, so there is no reason not to […]Continue reading
Decisions, decisions
The new era of trade shows is here. Virtual trade shows. No more leaving the office for a week, trying to work from the road, all to see what's happening with Dynamics GP. And no more paying for travel and registration fees. Decisions 2010, brought to us by MSDynamicsWorld.com, starts tomorrow and is free! There is a […]Continue reading


text:
Vrnjak is situated on a steep hill side. High enough for a good view. Low enough not to be touched by winds and storms. .
On a road passing through the Sterna valley, a country road past Marusici winds uphill to the left, along the right bank of the Bazuja steam. A kilometer later one crosses a little bridge built of railroad crossties filled with gravel.
Once there used to be a mill of which only foundations remain. Having crossed to the left bank and 2 more kilometers up the hill one reaches this completely deserted village at the 320-metre altitude. Empty houses with no doors or windows, lanes hidden by locust trees - all creates a gloomy atmosphere. There is a little church 50 metres above the village, on a plateau from which one can see far. Both the church and the adjacent cemetery have been abandoned. The church was built in 1892, a year inscribed on a limestone above the portal, and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary the Mournful. It was consecrated in 1901. Through the open door one can see the interior; there is still an altar, while the rest of the inventory has been removed.
The church plateau offers a view of the village. The church has double distaff and no bell. Until 1930 it belonged to the Sterna parish, then it was annexed to the Brda one. Before the village there are Gradinja (or Gradenje) hill slopes which end in the Fineda top. They are covered with chestnuts, oaks and various fruit trees, criss-crossed with uncultivated fields now used as grazing pastures for goats and horses. Past the church a country road leads up a hill slope to Dugo Brdo, another almost completely deserted hamlet, with the Bazuja stream on the west. It springs in Brda and sinks into a hollow by a paved road leading from Marusici to Sterna. Once there used to be two mills.


text:
This altarcloth is raucously pagan. For ecstatic worship, Solstice and other sun ceremonies, Beltane, sex Magic, or to add exuberance to any rite.
Click pics to see em full size and un-blurred.
You can skip process to get to Product and Purchase Info.Three layers of dyeing: First I dyed white silk yellow with low-immersion dying. The color is absolutely radiant! The snowfall means no place outside to get pics in good light. The background color is not the honey that's in some photos. It is a bright, unrepentant, primary yellow! Not for someone afraid of color. Celebration!
"Imperfections" from low-immersion dyeing are part of its charm. Heh, charm, that's a pun.
Second layer is the basic design. This is actual hand painting.
More hand painting made the third layer: I went over some lines with Lumiere to make them pop. You can't tell from the photos that, for example, many of the fire symbol's orangey-red lines were done twice, once with the first paint, the second time with Lumiere, which would "talk" more on the yellow. Then came the Lumiere that has a lovely sort of glimmer, which the photos may not be showing. I also used Lumiere paint for detailing.
I applied four Lumiere paints. The red and purple Lumiere have a subtle sheen. "Bright gold" and "super sparkle" are more overt but still tasteful, not garish: Faerie glimmers.
Product and Purchase Info:$145, plus $4 S & H. 100% silk, 66 X 13." I am 99% sure it is 12 mm Crepe de Chine. (It is new cloth, but I accidentally discarded its label.) OOAK, original design, painted freehand, initialed and dated by artist. Hand washable. If this item calls you, grab it. I'm almost constitutionally incapable of repeating my designs.I can only ship within the U.S.
I've been asked to paint a spiderweb on a few altar cloths. (She suggested it as a focal point, but I just had to tuck one into the star, lol.) Her request was lovely synchronicity because, unbeknownst to her, I've been creating intense spiderweb spells in recent months again, for my own use and various students. I'd even made spiderweb charms for myself and students. I've been wearing my charm everyday for months, dangling from the gold hoop in my right ear.
Do you want an altarcloth with the four elements and a Faerie Star?