text:
How Can You Find Effective Beta Readers For Your Book?
Learning how to find beta readers is one of the challenges new authors face.
After you write a book, you know you need to edit and proofread your new manuscript carefully. However, before you rush into publishing, you should allow plenty of time for beta reading.
It's one of the vital steps in the publishing process. But it's one that many new authors often fail to complete.
Working with beta readers and critique partners helps you understand what readers will like or dislike in your book.
Beta readers are not editors
When you work with beta readers, you are not asking people to read your book to find typos, grammar mistakes, or even spelling errors.
That was the job of your book editor and proofreader during the writing process.
Unlike the alpha reader, who was the first person to read your manuscript, you are not sending them a draft of your book.
What your beta readers will read is the final version of your manuscript.
You want to know how readers are going to react to your book.
But you want feedback that will be more than whether a beta reader liked or disliked your book.
If you only ask a reader what do you think, you are unlikely to get much useful information.
When you find beta readers, the best way to improve the quality of the feedback is to ask specific questions.
Did you get into the story from page one?
Was there any part of the book that bored you?
Did you find the characters realistic?
Was there enough character development for you?
Who was your favorite character?
Was the ending a surprise, or did you see it coming?
You should give a reader three or four questions at the most.
A good beta reader will give you honest feedback that you can then decide to act upon or not.
If you can get a range of views from the people who read your manuscript, you can then decide if you need to make any changes.
Why do you need beta readers?
If you rush into publishing your book without any external review, you might get some negative reviews.
It is normal to expect a few poor book reviews, especially on Amazon.
But if you can get honest feedback from readers before you publish, you will greatly reduce this possibility.
You can react to negative viewpoints and correct the problems in your manuscript before your book goes on sale.
After your book is available, paying readers are going to be bluntly honest if or when they post a review.
It's much better to get this honest viewpoint well before you publish your book.
How to find beta readers for your book
If you are self-publishing your book, it's unlikely that you can afford to pay for beta readers.
There are paid readers you can find, but the cost is generally too much to pay if you want a group of beta readers.
So you are going to have to find ways to get people to read your book for free. But that doesn't mean that you want sub-standard feedback.
Here are some ideas to help you in finding effective beta readers.
1. Family and friends
You can always start with your friends and family. At least face to face, you can plead, beg, and smile a lot when you ask.
Another option to find free beta readers is to ask your colleagues at work.
You will probably find that unless one or two have a mean streak, family members and friends might be reticent to give you brutally honest feedback.
There is also the problem that they might not read your manuscript but will still tell you that it was a lovely story.
However, very often, the feedback you can get is still a valid and useful point of view.
2. Writing groups
You can look both online and in your community for a writer's group.
It can work very well if you have been a member for a while.
So don't think of joining a group and then immediately ask people to please beta read my work.
If you are just starting to write a book, now is the time to find a group to join that will be of help to you when you finish writing your book.
3. Facebook groups
You can find a lot of writing and author-related writing groups on Facebook.
Look for groups that are related to writing, books, or that are a critique group.
You might be able to join some groups immediately, or you may have to ask for an invitation to be able to join.
You could try the Beta readers and critique partners Facebook group as a good starting point.
4. Other forums
There are many forums that connect authors with beta readers.
While I'm not a fan, you can try the Goodreads beta readers group.
Nathan Bransford hosts a range of writer forums that are worth a look.
There are many writing communities on the Internet now, so you have plenty of choices.
5. Social media
Another avenue you can use is your list of contacts on social media.
Perhaps you have a good online relationship with a few people on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram who might like to help you.
It never hurts to ask.
You should also use writing-related hashtags such as #amwriting, #writerslife, #writingcommunity, or #indieauthor on your posts. These help attract more attention to your posts from people with an interest in writing and books.
6. The barter system
Without a doubt, this is the most popular way for self-publishing authors to find good beta readers.
It's so simple. I'll read your book if you read mine.
When you think about it, once you've written your book, you'll have plenty of time while you wait for your beta readers to get back to you.
So why not use the time to read for other authors.
Another advantage is that you get to see the quality of writing from other authors who are also about to publish.
If you can, try to find authors who are writing in a similar genre. They are more likely to understand what your target audience or readers want in a story.
Remember to agree on what you are both looking for when you read and establish the questions you would like answered.
The task of a good beta reader is to offer opinions and not solutions.
If you are lucky enough to get a great beta reader, they will explain why they liked or not certain aspects of your book, and you should do the same.
Lastly, make sure that you commit and act on strict deadlines. Both you and the other author want to get moving towards publishing your books.
Give your readers a real book
Don't fall for the trap of sending your readers a draft of your manuscript in a Word file.
You need to give your readers either a proof copy of your paperback or, more commonly, a perfectly formatted ebook.
If you want to offer hard copies of your book, you can use Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Blurb, or Lulu to produce print-on-demand proof copies of your book.
For an ebook, the easiest way is to use Calibre.
It is an ebook creation and editing program that you can use to convert your Word document to either .mobi for Kindle or .epub for other reading devices. You can also add your ebook cover.
If you are not familiar with converting ebook files, you can read our article on how to convert Word to .mobi and .epub.
If a reader prefers, you can also use Calibre to create a .pdf version of your book.
Finding good beta readers is not an easy task. It can also be time-consuming.
But it is a vital element that can only help you publish a better book that will connect with readers.
Sure, use your friends and family at first if you can. But you might struggle to get much more than, oh, it was a lovely book, dear.
Try to go further and find fresh eyes to give you much more honest and in-depth feedback about your book.
In a way, it is a bit like a book review. But beta readers aren't going to be hitting one or five stars and posting their reviews online for the world to see.
But when your book is published, you want to avoid receiving poor reviews from readers.
The best way to do this is to test the water with your beta readers and treat their feedback as a book review.
If you get a lot of negative comments, it's much better to have them before you publish and not after. You can address the issues with a re-write before you publish your book.
But, if the feedback is generally positive, you can be relatively sure that readers who buy your book will make a similar judgment.
Take the time and make an effort to find as many beta readers as you can before you publish your new book.
It can make all the difference in how many books you are going to sell.


text:
Assistive Technology Australia
(formerly known as Independent Living Centre NSW)
Contact Details:
Telephone: (02) 9912 5800
Fax: (02) 8814 9656
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Post: PO Box 8034, Westpoint Blacktown, 2148
Assistive Technology Australia
Display Location:
Westpoint, Shop 4019, Level 4, 17 Patrick St, Blacktown NSW 2148
Opening Hours:
9.00 am to 4.00 pm Monday to Friday
Our services include:
A telephone, fax, email and mail enquiry service. Whatever your situation, your question about equipment, aids, and home renovations, will be answered by our friendly qualified staff. Information about suitable products and suppliers can be emailed, faxed or posted to you. This service is supported by both the Australian Department of health and Ageing, and the NSW Department of Families and Community Services, ADHC. There is no charge to callers. Hours: 9am to 4pm, Mon to Fri.
Visitor Service:
Three types of services are offered to the public:
- People who wish to view the display can visit anytime during business hours.
- People who want to consult in greater depth and try out equipment can make an appointment with one of our occupational therapists.
- Community organisations can arrange a group tour for their members to gain a general overview of the types of products available to help with daily living activities.
This service is supported by NSW Department of Families and Community Services and donations.
Access Consultancy:
Advice to architects, building designers, building owners and managers on accessibility to public buildings and facilities to meet the Disability Discrimination Act, including SEPP 5 compliance. There is a fee for this service.
We offer assistive technology related training and competency-based training courses for allied health professionals and others working in the sector. As an RTO (Registered Training Organisation), Assistive Technology Australia Training can provide VETAB accredited courses including Home Modifications and Assisitive Technology Mentoring.
Our publications include:
· Guide to Planning Bathrooms and Kitchens
It is available in eCopy as well as printed format. The Guide provides a general overview of the latest innovative assistive technology available for home modifications and retrofits.
· Helpful Handbook on Memory Loss
Published in June 2007 and revised in 2017, it is available free for download from AT Australia web site. This publication is intended as a reference for people in the early stages of memory loss as well as their family / friends. It contains information on products and devices as well as tips and hints for managing the effects of memory loss.
· Buyers Guides
These are guidelines about selecting an Assistive Technology (AT) equipment. They are useful for health professionals as well as for consumers and carers. Topics include:
- Selecting and using a Bath Seat
- Choosing an Adjustable Bed
- Select suitable Grab rails for safety in the home
- Choosing a Hoist for the home
- A brief guide to Manual Wheelchairs
· @ a Glance Guides:
The Guides offer an introduction to different types of AT and factors to consider when choosing and using AT. They feature tips and advice about a range of products that are helpful with performing everyday activities. Topics include:
- Personal Alarm Call System
- Checklist for Home Design
- Solutions for Vision Impairment
- Solutions for Arthritis
- Falls Prevention
- Joint Protection
AT Database:
Assistive Technology Australia owns and maintains a database of assistive technology (AT) products and services. It is continuously being updated by staff with inputs from suppliers and organisations. It is used by the Infoline team to provide advice and information to our clients. Categories on @ magic include:
· Walking and Mobility Aids
· Continence Products
· Wheelchairs and Scooters
· Household Aids and Gadgets
· Building Requirements and Design Ideas
· Seating
@Magic –AT Database on Web:
@ Magic contains user-friendly searches and features to the AT Database on the AT Australia website. It was initially developed by University of NSW in 2009, with funding from the NSW Government. Designed for health professionals and service providers, it is also a useful resource for people with a disability and their families.
Public are able to use the basic search mechanism and the product catalogue to find products FREE of charge.
For experienced users and health professionals, if they subscribe to @Magic, they will be able to access additional functions and perform advanced searches for products, suppliers, and services. The subscription is also Free of charge.
Second – hand Equipment Register:
The second-hand equipment register contains items offered for sale by the public. Assistive Technology Australia DO NOT sell. The register may include personal care items, wheelchairs (manual and powered), scooters, chairs, walking aids, ramps, hoists, transport equipment and beds. It is regularly updated and is available from AT Australia website for download.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) March 17, 2013
In the current telecom industry, stiff competition has resulted in a decrease in profit margins for service providers. To counter this, service providers are constantly developing innovative business models. Also, the immense popularity of web apps by web based application providers, such as Google and Yahoo, has fuelled the growth of SDP implementation by the MNO's for rolling out their own app stores.
In the recent years, Service Delivery Platforms have quickly gained popularity as a middle ground platform, which enables an optimized exchange of services between telecom network operators, service providers, content providers and users. SDP enables operators to rapidly develop personalized service offerings and launch them quickly in the market. Ease of delivery of such service offerings, across different network elements, reduction in complexity in the deployment of service offerings, simplification of services management and administration, and other such benefits are provided by SDP to telecom operators. SDP can also serve as a bridge between the current systems and next generation network frameworks, which include an IP multimedia sub-system.
Get a copy of this report @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/service-delivery-platform-sdp-market-worldwide-forecasts-and-analysis-2013-2018-market-report.html
This report provides a detailed insight into the regional and worldwide vendor market share for fixed and wireless service delivery platform software and services. This report also provides a comprehensive analysis of the leading suppliers and their strategic direction, spread across different geographical regions. The global SDP market in 2013 is estimated to be worth $4.48 billion, and expected to grow to $6.94 billion by 2018, at a CAGR of 9.15% from 2013 to 2018. LA and MEA regions are the emerging markets, while Asia Pacific is considered the high growth market. This report deals with the market trends in the SDP market and the growth associated with it. It analyzes various factors that will drive and restrain the market over the next five years.
Major Points From Table of Contents
9 Company Profiles 162
(Overview, Products & Services, & Strategy And Analyst Insights)*
Accenture, Aepona, Alcatel – Lucent, Amdocs, Ericsson, Hewlett – Packard, Huawei, IBM, Microsoft, Nokia Siemens Network, Opencloud, Oracle & Telenity.
Browse more reports on Rich Internet Application @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/reports/information-technology-telecommunication/software-enterprise-computing/rich-internet-application-ria. Explore other newly published reports @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/latest_reports.
About Us:
RnRMarketResearch.com (http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/) is an online database of market research reports offers in-depth analysis of over 5000 market segments. The library has syndicated reports by leading market research publishers across the globe and also offer customized market research reports for multiple industries.


text:
Trial of L-DOPA as a Treatment to Improve Vision in Albinism
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01176435
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : August 6, 2010
Results First Posted : May 2, 2018
Last Update Posted : May 2, 2018
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- Study Results
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|Drug: Levodopa Drug: Placebo
|Phase 2
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|45 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|Double (Participant, Investigator)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Clinical Trial to Evaluate Levodopa as Treatment to Improve Vision in Individuals With Albinism
|Study Start Date :
|September 2010
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|December 2014
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|December 2014
Active Comparator: 0.76 mg/kg L-DOPA
Solution taken orally three times a day.
Drug: Levodopa
Solution taken orally three times a day.
Active Comparator: 0.51 mg/kg L-DOPA
Solution taken orally three times a day.
Drug: Levodopa
Solution taken orally three times a day.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Solution taken orally three times a day.
Drug: Placebo
Solution taken orally three times a day.
- Improved Vision [ Time Frame: 20 weeks ]Binocular best-corrected visual acuity-The visual acuity test is used to determine the smallest letters you can read on a standardized chart (Snellen chart) or a card held 20 feet (6 meters) away. Special charts are used when testing at distances shorter than 20 feet (6 meters). Ranges are 20/10 vision to 20/200 vision. 20/10 being the best and 20/200 being the worse.
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|3 Years to 60 Years (Child, Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 3 to 60 years with albinism
Exclusion Criteria:
- Glaucoma or at increased risk of glaucoma
- History of dystonia
- History of melanoma
- Planning to undergo eye muscle surgery during study time frame
- Undergoing vision therapy
- Taking iron supplements or vitamins with iron
- Taking medication for ADHD
- Known liver or gastrointestinal disease
- Previous treatment with levodopa
- Psychological problems
- Ocular abnormalities other than those associated with albinism
- Pregnant, nursing or planning to become pregnant during study
- Known allergy to levodopa/carbidopa
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01176435
|United States, Minnesota
|University of Minnesota Eye Clinic
|Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455
|Principal Investigator:
|Gail Summers, M.D.
|University of Minnesota
|Responsible Party:
|University of Minnesota
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|August 6, 2010 Key Record Dates
|Results First Posted:
|May 2, 2018
|Last Update Posted:
|May 2, 2018
|Last Verified:
|April 2018
Eye Diseases, Hereditary
Eye Diseases
Genetic Diseases, Inborn
Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors
Metabolism, Inborn Errors
Skin Diseases, Genetic
Pigmentation Disorders
Skin Diseases
Metabolic Diseases
Antiparkinson Agents
Anti-Dyskinesia Agents
Dopamine Agents
Neurotransmitter Agents
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Physiological Effects of Drugs


text:
It would be hard to come up with a more prominent rock'n'roll bassist than Gene Simmons of Kiss. The Kiss co-founder, reality TV star and entrepreneur has his fingerprints on virtually all segments of the music industry. Born Chaim Witz in 1949 in Haifa, Israel, and the only child of a Holocaust survivor, Simmons ignited the Kiss explosion in 1972. The band remains a touring, licensing and merchandising powerhouse, and it launched the U.S. leg of the Kiss Alive/35 tour Sept. 25 in Detroit. The group released "Sonic Boom," its first album of new material in 11 years, Oct. 6 exclusively through Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.
As was demonstrated last year in his keynote at Billboard's Touring Conference, when Simmons deigns to impart his worldview it's a wild ride, and his Billboard Q&A is definitely no exception. Spiced with a series of nearly unprintable (but admittedly funny) jokes, Simmons offers his unique take on merchandising, branding, professionalism and owning our children.
What is the biggest myth about Kiss?
That there's some grand master plan. That we're brilliant beyond belief, that we're masters of merchandise and all that stuff. That's giving us a lot more credit than we deserve. It's a simple idea. When you love something, and people use the word "passion," you tend to look at every rug and pick it up and see what's under it.
For argument's sake, if you're a stamp collector worth your salt, you'll know every minutia about it, you'll spend all the free time you have, above and beyond your job, because you love it. And you'll know every obscure stamp, which date it came from, what condition it's in, what's the marketplace. You'll know about it because you care about it. So everything begins with a tug of the heart.
People see this cold business savvy and it starts the other way around. It starts with, "Wow, I'm in Kiss"; everything else is the what-if, could-it-be, what could it be? You start with a dream without limitations. It's only when we wake up that we say, "It's not going to happen, it probably won't." Never listen to people, and believe in your own dreams.
My point of view is "Earth," that's not such a cool name for the planet. "Planet Kiss," now you've got something. If every inch of ground is Kiss ground, and the air you breath is Kiss air and the food you eat is Kiss food, then we've got something. Brand everything. And you should pay us for every step along the way.
Was there any sort of creative objective when you started?
Well, before Kiss there was no template. There was Disney off on the left-hand side, with their cartoons and lifestyle branding. If you were a little kid, your life was filled with Disney, you covered yourself in Disney clothing and wrapped yourself in Disney sheets, and the Disney movies had some kind of Good Housekeeping seal of approval. And over on the right side you have the world of rockers, which is inhabited by morons. There but for the grace of God we'd all be asking the next door neighbor, "Would you like some fries with that?"
We never went to school, we never learned to read or write music. We still can't, none of us. [Paul] McCartney to this day cannot write a single shred of music. Nor can [Mick] Jagger or [Jimi] Hendrix if he were alive, and so on. We all do what we do by the seat of our pants, except some of ours are made out of leather and are tighter.
Musically was there an objective for Kiss?
The template was the Beatles. Kiss always fashioned themselves as the Beatles on steroids, with lots more makeup and higher shoes. The idea was everybody sang, everybody was a star, instead of the Stones kind of model or the Temptations or those kinds of bands where there's one singer and everybody else is in the background. The thing that I loved about the Beatles is they all looked like they came from the same Beatle mother. It was like the perfect band in terms of look, merchandisable, eternal. Except they never trademarked their haircuts or anything much about their faces. Kiss was the first band of any kind to ever trademark their faces. It's in the Library of Congress. Which is why 35 years later there are literally thousands and thousands of things with our faces on them, anything from Kiss M&Ms to Kiss Mr. Potato Heads and Kiss Visa cards. We have Kiss Kondoms and Kiss Kaskets. We'll get you coming, we'll get you going.
Why aren't we talking today about merchandise from Wicked Lester, the band that first brought together Kiss' original members?
Because Wicked Lester never had the legs, it just didn't have the right spin. Wicked Lester was kind of like the United Nations-you had one of everything in it. You had a Norwegian, an Italian, two Jews and a partridge in a pear tree. It was a Doobie Brothers kind of band, where if you take a look at it there's one of everything, but you can't quite put your finger on what it is.
The perfect bands for me were bands that had a sound you could instantly recognize, and you could not take a member of the band and put them in another band. I love U2 and the Stones, but I could take the Edge and stick him in the Kings of Leon and nobody would know. You could take Charlie Watts and stick him in Dave Matthews Band and nobody would know. There's a kind of facelessness to most bands.
We wanted an audiovisual band, because as kids we went to see all of our favorite bands because we loved the music. And then we went to see them live and they turned their backs on us and stared at their shoes. It was such a big visual disappointment. So the idea with Kiss was, "Let's put together the band we never saw onstage." Because there was plenty of good music. Every band was making good music. There was lots of great music going on and there still is. And with most of these bands there's either one guy you care about or they're just boring.So the visual elements, including the big productions and the makeup, were always part of the presentation?
Everything. A concerted effort was made to explode like a cluster bomb, not just one explosion but every piece of the explosion explodes again. In point of fact, we promoted our own shows, we paid for it, we advertised ourselves, put up our own posters, before anybody did. We had a logo and trademarked it before anybody knew what that was.
When we played the Diplomat Hotel [in New York on July 13, 1973] and took over the ballroom, we were second on the bill and we rented out the whole place, paid the headliners the Brats and some other local bands to play. But when we invited people, we just positioned ourselves as "Kiss, 9:30, Masters of Metal," before there was such a thing as "heavy metal."
I used the offices of the Puerto Rican Inter-Agency Council, where I was the assistant to the director, and after they left I mailed out a photo and a one-pager and an invitation for everybody in the music business to come down and see us-managers, agents, producers-at the Diplomat Hotel, and they did.
Windfall Records, Mountain's label, came down, a few other people, and this guy named Bill Aucoin, who became our manager. When they got there the entire front row was filled with girls wearing black T-shirts with "Kiss" in glitter. [Co-founder/guitarist] Paul [Stanley] and [drummer] Peter [Criss] had stayed up all night the night before and literally glued the shirts and hand-poured glitter on them, and gave the T-shirts out to girls and put them in the front row.
You only get the respect you demand. We created our own buzz. So when people came to see us at the Diplomat Hotel, they saw the place was completely sold out-although they weren't there to see us, they were there to see the headliner-but the people we invited didn't know who was the headliner. They came there to see the 9:30 show; the headliner went on at 11. So they saw us and the entire front row was Kiss girls; it was our show. It cost $5 to get in, you saw three bands, we had about 350 people there, it cost $1,000 to rent the place. We probably made two grand.
It seems very early on you placed a lot of importance on touring hard.
There was no choice, because we weren't the Starland Vocal Band. We didn't do singles. We wrote songs like "Strutter" and "Deuce" and "Black Diamond," and that wasn't a radio staple. "Torn Between Two Lovers" was not Kiss.
But your first album recorded on the road, "Alive!" in 1975, got you a lot of traction.
The history is pretty well-known. The whole live record thing was started by Kiss. Before Kiss, nobody did live records as a career choice. Then after "Alive!" came "Frampton Comes Alive"; everybody used the "alive" thing, they even used our engineer. And they all did double-albums because we were out of our minds.
The first three records kind of floated, though we were huge live. By the third record we were playing Anaheim [Calif.] Stadium and Atlanta Braves Stadium, but we still hadn't sold records because we didn't have singles. This was 1976, and by '77-'79 we were the No. 1 Gallup Poll group in all of North America. No. 2 was the Beatles, No. 3 was the Bee Gees or Led Zeppelin, depending on which year you're talking about.
"Kiss mania" is not even a description of it. We owned your children. We owned them. They looked like us, they painted their faces like us, they walked like us, they knew our songs, and they tattooed their bodies. And eventually they had children and they named them after our songs.
When did it start to become the Kiss Army?
That started in 1975 in Terre Haute, Ind. A guy named Ray Sharkey, I think, was a fan who wanted his local radio station to play Kiss in Terre Haute, but they wouldn't do it because it wasn't the Bee Gees or Pablo Cruz. And he threatened them; he said, "Me and my friends, we call ourselves the Kiss Army. We're going to come down there and surround the station," so the radio station gets nervous and calls the cops. The radio station refuses to play Kiss, the newspapers send over a photographer, the next day a big photo of thousands of fans surrounding this little station, which looks like an outhouse in the middle of a cornfield outside of Terre Haute. [The] headline [was] "Kiss Army Invades Terre Haute," something like that, and there and then the Kiss Army was born.
Did you trademark it?
Immediately. And 35 years later, the Kiss Army still exists, but it's certainly a volunteer army. Everybody proudly belongs and marches. Jagger or [Jimmy] Page or anybody out there would give their left nut to have Kiss fans. Are you kidding me? What are you going to do, tattoo Michael Jackson on your ass?
The army has been amazingly loyal to Kiss, even through lineup changes.
We had to [make lineup changes]. We had to, because there's an ethical and moral commitment that we made to ourselves and our fans: We treat the stage as holy ground. This is electric church. And when we get on that stage, our call to arms starts off with "you," our fans, not "our" or "we." "You wanted the best, you got the best, the hottest band in the world, Kiss!" We say our name last, you come first. And the vow we made to ourselves was, "Dear God, if you ever give us the chance, we will never take it for granted, ever, not one single show, at any time. And if any one of us doesn't deserve to be out there, we will kick his ass off that stage." And if you use drugs or alcohol in Kiss, you're out. If you can't respect yourself and your body, how the hell can you respect the band, and especially the fans who put you there in the first place?
[Guitarist] Ace [Frehley] and Peter, in the beginning, belonged in the band, and later on they did not. They belonged home so they can save their lives and try to turn their lives around, not onstage. This is not a babysitting service, this is the Olympics and if anybody catches anything in your bloodstream, you should be thrown out on your ass. Your medals should be stripped, you're gone. And [current drummer] Eric Singer and [guitarist] Tommy Thayer are professional, they love it.
What did you like about the exclusive Wal-Mart deal with your new "Sonic Boom" album, and why did the band decide to go that way?
The world's a different place. I'm not a fan of downloading for free. I don't believe in anything for free. The kids next door that we think are sweet and have freckled faces were never punished for stealing everything. You can literally point to a million people out of work-the truckers that truck the records to the stores, the stores themselves that used to hire people, the gasoline they used, the warehouses-an entire industry is wiped out because some college kid didn't want to pay for songs. And who's to blame? The record industry, for never having a repercussion.
If you try to break into my house, I'll shoot your head off. Are you out of your fucking mind? But fans were allowed to break into stuff that people created and simply take it without paying for it, and that is nobody's fault but the record industry. It was lax. Wal-Mart is a real company. We met the Walton people-they're fine upstanding people, we're big fans of them, and they give millions of people jobs and we're all for it. And they're willing to charge for the product. Last time I checked, Kiss is not a charity. I will let you know when I want to give my stuff away for free. I don't want you to determine that.
Does it bother you when people say you're just in this for the money?
Anybody who simply wants to do it for free should give me any dollar they don't want. They're all full of shit. Everybody lies, but we don't. Of course we want to get paid for what we do, but there's also a tug of the heart, of pride. We created this thing-this ain't the Monkees, baby. We're the mother and we gave birth to Kiss and I'll be damned if anybody's going to tell me what it is, how it walks and how it talks. And do I want to get paid for that? You bet your ass I do.
But you still have fun when you get onstage, right?
Beyond that. Of course. It's a thrill, an honor and a privilege, but who says you have to enjoy it? That's not a prerequisite. How about treating it like craftsmanship? Whatever you can do, do it well. Most of the people on planet Earth, if they're lucky enough to have a job, they go to a job they probably hate. They go to work and all they want is to get paid at the end of the week. We consider that the salt of the earth. Why is that any less valid than what I do? Forget the thrill of it, you like getting paid. And the better job you do, the more money you make. Even God passes the fucking hat around.
You made a memorable point at Billboard's Touring Conference last year about professionalism and being on time for shows.
Pride. It's self-respect. For fuck's sake, just do it for yourself. Say what you mean, mean what you say. Shit out the Axl Rose disease in your system, get rid of that. Excuses are for the next guy that winds up in jail and becomes very popular there, becomes somebody's girlfriend.
Billboard video above: Backstage at the 2008 Billboard Touring Conference With Gene Simmons
Do you care what critics say?
Of course. But that will still never get them laid. They were ugly bastards before who never got laid, and no matter what, they still look like Bob Lefsetz. They shine my shoes. I bury them in my backyard. You guys are just jealous that we get seas of pussy and you get nothing. I go to see movies or a band when somebody that I know says, "I just saw this." I trust his word. Not somebody who gets free tickets who's a failed human being.
When it comes to building a career, what do a lot of bands get wrong?
They don't listen to Gene Simmons. When you're dishonest with yourself and your fans and sugarcoat everything you say, you're full of shit-you can smell that a mile a way. Be who you are. It's difficult for me to accept someone who's worth $100 million-and I am-who gets up and starts talking about rain forests and whales and acid rain. Shut the fuck up. Play your songs, and if I want information, I'll go to people who are qualified to talk about it. I don't want rock stars talking about the environment in the same way I don't want environmentalists talking about rock.
What's your take on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
I think it was a good idea, but it's clearly political. It's Boss Tweed, it's the old New York rotten system, where you get 10 guys in the back room who decide who's going to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I want nothing to do with that. It's a sham and those guys mean nothing. You should take a look at the photo of the guys that vote on it. Fucking scary.
What would you still like to accomplish with Kiss?
There's nothing we can't do. We're developing a Kiss animated show, like a superhero, X-Men kind of show. We have a Las Vegas Kiss show that's being planned. I just came back from Singapore. There's nowhere we can't go and nothing we can't do.
This is the weird thing. There's something going on here that even we and I don't pretend to understand. All I know is we are not going to take it for granted. We take it deadly seriously. And we intend to live up to our own legend. We intend not to let the fans down, the fans that have been there for 35 years and are probably in their 50s, some in their 60s, and the new 15-year-old fan who's heard about the legend of Kiss.
So many things in life are not real. Santa is not real. Superman is not real. Kiss is real. And we're going to make sure that when you leave that show, your first Kiss show or the 100th, you'll walk away, whether you love the band or not, and say, "That is the best fucking thing I've ever seen on planet Earth." That's a vow we make to ourselves and anybody who's willing to come out there and see us.


text:
Mark Nadler in a Nutshell would have been an entertainment bargain at many times the amount charged by the Charleston Heights Arts Center. Don't raise the price too much, though. Just continue to give Las Vegans this kind of (too rare) entertainment at a ridiculously low price.
What a talent! I honestly don't know how he does it all. They would have to come up with a broader and better expression than "triple threat" to describe this man. Mr. Nadler is a terrific singer, an accomplished piano player (whether accompanying another singer, himself - how he plays without looking at the keys and while singing another melody, ala Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue/'S Wonderful piece, or while doing "dancing feet," is beyond me - or playing a classical piece) and a consummate dancer. As if that isn't enough, he is funnier and more witty than many people who make their living doing standup comedy. And talk about "working a room." He doesn't let up for a minute! How does he remember the names of all the audience members he makes contact with, both in and outside of the theater? This man is truly amazing! What energy. What a memory. Whatever Mr. Nadler is on, I want some! Legendary songwriter Ervin Drake ("Good Morning Heartache," "I Believe," and "It Was a Very Good Year," to name a few) stated it best when he said in an e-mail to me,"Mark is the best entertainer in this country - maybe in the world."
This was one of the best and most entertaining shows I have seen and, as an almost 30 year entertainment writer, I have seen plenty. No pyrotechnics, no dancing girls (except the "volunteers" from the audience), no big orchestras, no feathers and rhinestones, no gimmicks, just pure talent, oozing from every pore (lesser men call it sweat!). Feel free to quote me...again!
Put my name on the reservations list for Mark Nadler's next appearance in Las Vegas. I'm there!
(Queen) Esther Lynn


text:
Photograph by Alex J. Berliner / ABImages
One year I showed up waaaaay to early for the Golden Globes. I had so much time to kill, I was able to have dinner with the waiters in the garage and then watch as the bomb squad swept the room with trained dogs before the tables filled with TV and movie folk. This morning I had another glimpse of all that goes into making sure "the third most watched awards show" isn't … um … a bomb.
Around 9:30 a.m. a hearty group of party journalists (ahem, it means we work a lot at night) filled the Hilton's kitchen as Executive Chef Suki Sugiura went through every morsel that will grace Jodie Foster's plate from a yummy Cali pepper honey goat cheese on endive pear salad to souped up surf and turf—smoked flat iron steak and Cali olive-orange marinated Pacific sea bass with caramelized mint fennel. Dessert is an elaborate cappuccino mousse cake which, to me, resembles a boob, right down to a pink chocolate nipple on top until Executive Pastry Chef Thomas Henzi put some delicate chocolate over it. They never really show the food on TV, otherwise you'd just see tables full of breasts. Well… I hope the celebs appreciate dinner. I can't count the number of times I sit behind skinny actors (ahem, Halle Berry) and they never touch the grub.
MARK'S GARDEN is doing the centerpieces in various shades of red with mostly roses with names like black beauties and forever young.
Moet & Chandon is providing the bubbly again. Those are the wee bottles you see on the red carpet complete with gold funnel to make it go down your gullet faster.
My fave star of the Globes, though, is the Beverly Hilton. My home away from home. It has hosted the Golden Globes for the last 38 years (42 times total – it's math). Sometimes I miss the late Merv Griffin's ugly flower covered carpet that used to be in the ballroom or the payphone that was in the ladies room, next to the stalls, which columnists back in the day used for scoops. There are back entrances through kitchens for shy stars and many ways around prying eyes and I will always mourn Trader Vics. Ah memories. Here's to creating some new ones.
Check out Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosting the 70th Annual Golden Globes on January 13th on NBC.


text:
You can always send us your messages, comments or suggestions.
In one click, store and find all your favourite recipes.
Before starting this Chocolate and Passion Fruit Ingot Cake recipe, organise the necessary ingredients for the passion fruit jelly insert.
For the passion fruit jelly insert: Hydrate the powder gelatin with 18 grams of water. Combine and set aside until swollen.
Stretch cling film over the narrowest side of the 18cm ingot cake frame.
Make sure the cling film is stretched tight.
Bring the passion fruit purée to a boil.
Add the castor sugar...
... and the rehydrated gelatine.
Combine well with a whisk until incorporated.
Scrape the pulp and seeds from a fresh passion fruit. Add to the hot purée. Combine.
Place a ingot frame on a baking sheet, with the cling film side facing down. Fill the bottom of the frame with the passion fruit preparation to a thickness of 0.5 or 1cm.
Store in the freezer until set. I recommend preparing the jelly insert the day before.
For the crunchy base: Organise all the necessary ingredients.
Gather the dark and milk chocolate pistoles.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Work in periods of 20 seconds then stir to obtain a homogeneous consistency.
Combine well with a rubber spatula.
Add the crêpe dentelle flakes...
... and combine.
Pour the crunchy base preparation on a sheet of greaseproof paper...
... and spread with a rolling pin between 2 paper sheets, to a thickness of 2 or 3mm. Reserve in the fridge to set.
For the dark chocolate mousse: Organise all the necessary ingredients.
Place the gelatine in 6 grams of water. Combine well...
... and set aside until completely rehydrated.
Heat the milk in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds at maximum power. Add the rehydrated gelatine to the hot milk. Mix until the gelatine is completely dissolved.
Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave. Work in periods of 20 seconds then stir to obtain a homogeneous consistency.
Add the melted chocolate to the warm milk.
Combine until homogeneous, and leave to cool down to 25-28°C, stirring frequently.
When the chocolate reaches the right temperature, add 1/4 of the whipped cream first, to facilitate the incorporation. Combine with a spatula.
Add the rest of the whipped cream and fold gently.
Transfer the preparation into a piping bag. The use of a nozzle is not necessary. Set aside.
Remove the jelly insert from the freezer.
Remove the cling film...
... and slightly heat the sides of the frame with a blow torch...
... to release the passion fruit jelly easily.
Reserve in the freezer right up to when you release the jelly from the cake frame to make sure it doesn't defrost at room temperature.
Remove the crunchy base from the fridge and remove the top sheet of greaseproof paper. Using a knife, cut a rectangle to slightly smaller dimensions (2 or 3mm less) than the widest part of the frame. Reserve in the fridge.
Place the cake frame on a Silpat baking mat, with the narrowest side facing down.
Pipe a layer of chocolate mousse...
... to a thickness of about 1cm.
With a small palette knife, create a volcano shape, so that the cream goes all the way up the rim.
Remove the jelly insert from the freezer. Trim about 1cm on each side with a knife.
Gently arrange the insert over the chocolate mousse, making sure it is perfectly centred. The jelly insert should not touch the sides of the frame.
Bury it gently in the chocolate mousse to get rid of any air bubbles.
Pipe chocolate mousse over the jelly insert and fill the cake frame. Reserve the chocolate mousse excess for the finish.
Using a palette knife, create a volcano shape so that the mousse goes up the rim.
Arrange the rectangle of crunchy biscuit. Press gently to make it stick. The biscuit should come up right up to the rim of the frame.
Place in the freezer and let set for a few hours. Up to this stage, this recipe can be prepared in advance.
When frozen, take the cake out of the freezer...
... and heat the sides of the frame with a blow torch. Make sure the chocolate mousse does not melt. Heat up the cake frame very slightly.
The frame should come off easily. Remove by lifting upwards gently.
Place the ingot-shaped cake on your kitchen worktop.
Fill any gaps with the remaining chocolate mousse.
Even the surface with the blade of a knife. Store the cake in the fridge and let it defrost for a few hours.
For the finish: When defrosted, apply gold leaf sheets on the surface of the cake. Make sure you don't apply the gold sheets on the cake while it is still frozen, as they won't adhere. Work gently for this operation, as the cake is more fragile when defrosted.
Try not to touch the surface of the cake directly with your fingers. Use the paper dividers to press the gold leaf sheets on the surface of the cake.
Repeat the operation until the whole surface is covered in gold. You can also use a gold colouring spray, however the result will be slightly less realistic and the surface of cake will need to be perfectly even.
Please login to post a review


text:
Zach and Chandler Wedding Video
I was so excited to get i invited to film this wedding, always love helping out my friends kids as they take on new things in their lives. What a great day for these two lovebirds. So glad I was there to capture this awesome day!
Project description
I love shooting wedding videos! here is the equipment that I used.
- Panasonic GH5 2ea
- Panasonic 12mm F1.4 Leica lens Nocticron
- Panasonic 42.5mm F1.2 Leica lens Nocticron
- Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 Lens
- Panasonic 35-100mm F2.8 Lens
- Sony A6500
- Sigma 30mm F1.4
- Zhiyun Crane V2
- Sony A7riii
- Sony G Master 85mm F1.4
- DJI Phantom 4 Pro


text:
Most of us can agree traditional office spaces were not designed with human beings or the planet in mind. They were about maximizing space and minimizing budget. This often meant unsightly cubicle farms with desks nowhere near windows--those were reserved for the coveted executive offices--stuffy air with little circulation, and artificial lighting. If employees wanted better, they had to strive for scarce opportunities that put them in the C-Suite (when those jobs were often recruited for outside the company), bring their own small plants to liven up their cube, and mainly deal with it.
It's not a sustainable way to work, and this sardine-packing approach exploded into the open office craze, which in many cases, kept the sardines and threw out the box. Privacy and distractions got worse. People got sicker. Absenteeism skyrocketed. Job satisfaction plummeted.
The open office "solution" also ignored a major downfall of traditional office buildings: their environmental impact.
The Environment
According to the US Green Building Council, office buildings are responsible for 41% of the world's average energy use, by far the biggest consumer. Electricity consumption is the worst marker, with office buildings in the US accountable for a whopping 73% of the country's usage. Some more USGBC stats:
American building construction contributes a huge 38% of all CO2 emissions
13.6% of all potable water, roughly 15 trillion gallons per year, runs through America's office buildings.
61% of the 170 million tons of construction and demolition debris generated in America is produced by commercial buildings.
We as a nation, as a species, need sustainably built offices, and we need them now.
Thankfully, green buildings aren't just good for the environment, they're good for the budget. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certified Buildings:
Produce 34% fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
Use 25% less energy and 11% less water than a non-LEED building, reducing utility expenses.
Boast 19% lower maintenance costs.
Lower resource consumption by 80 million tons of waste in landfills.
Have a greater market value. Green retrofits of existing buildings can increase the building's value up to 4%. The costs of a retrofit are paid back within 7 years through utility and maintenance savings
The Employees
When the environmental impact is considered in conjunction with the needs of employees, the economic benefits are impossible to ignore. The USGBC released study results in October of 2018 related to employees that benefit from working in sustainably built, environmentally conscious, and employee-centric workplaces:
More than 80% of all employees directly equate productivity and clean indoor air quality with their job satisfaction.
79% of all respondents say they would choose a LEED-certified building over a non-LEED-certified building in which to work.
93% who work in LEED-certified buildings report overall job satisfaction, as opposed to 81% who work in a traditional office building.
But let's talk about the people. What do employees want in a sustainable office?
Good, Natural Light
Good news for the budget, natural light is cheaper than electric light. Better news for employees, natural light results in less eyestrain, fewer headaches, a reduction in sick time, and an overall feeling of alertness at the end of the workday. Benefits aren't just physical either. Employees with access to natural light and daylighting techniques (such as skylights, reflective surfaces, and light shelves) report an increase in productivity and comfort over poorly lit conditions. Since lighting represents the largest source of electricity consumption in US offices, the savings by the increase in natural light can be significant.
Improved Air Quality
Fresh air awakens the senses, improves temperature comfort, and has a positive influence on employees' alertness, thereby reducing reliance on energy boosters such as caffeine and sugar. Indoor pollutants can be greater than outdoor pollutants, so employees with allergies or respiratory issues such as asthma find themselves reaching for the antihistamines or inhalers less often when companies invest in air quality intended for employee wellbeing. The lower the indoor CO2 emissions, the greater the comfort of the employee. Plants can also help, filtering out CO2 as well as providing noise reduction and a pleasing environment in which to work. Even having a green roof can reduce heating and cooling costs.
Water Conservation and Recycling
40% of water in office buildings is consumed through sanitary use, while another 28% filters through heating and cooling systems, according to the EPA. Installing sensor faucets and low-flush toilets or waterless urinals can go a long way toward reducing the building's impact on water consumption. Better yet, replace as much water as possible by perfecting rainwater collection. Some of the smartest buildings in the world are entirely self-sustained in terms of water usage.
Building Materials
Toxic chemicals should have no place in the office. These are found in everything from soaps and cleaning supplies to paints, furniture's foams, plastics, and fabrics, equipment like copiers and printers, and air fresheners. The more non-toxic, recyclable, and organic materials that can be used, the better for employees. It contributes to reduced absenteeism and greater overall comfort in the working environment.
It Can Be Done
The belief that the company cares about employee wellbeing, as well as the environment, is an important one. It's also a profitable one. For instance, The Crystal in London has been awarded the highest BREEAM and LEED certificates for its energy efficiency. It is also the world's most sustainable events venue. Its unique shape allows for the harvesting of rainwater while maximizing natural light. But that's not all it does. It's entirely electric and uses solar power and ground source heat to generate its own energy, and its CO2 emissions are 70% lower than conventional office buildings in London. Its heating bill? £0. There is no question The Crystal is the design of the future.
Sustainability was something the minds behind the Bullitt Center in Seattle, Washington made a priority over everything else when constructing what's called "The Greenest Commercial Building in the World." Entirely self-sustaining, it produces as much energy as it uses, solves the water use and waste problem by harvesting and treating rainwater, and has a lifespan 6 times greater than the average building at 250 years.
Another sustainability project in Toronto, Canada, the RBC Waterpark Place, is 1.2 million square feet of employee-centric attention. With the swipe of an employee keycard, the elevator knows which floor to take them to, stores their profiles to adjust the height of their desks, their lighting and temperature preferences, and more. The integrated systems are so advanced, the building even tracks movement and consumption levels, so employees always know the impact they're having on the building, and thus the outside world.
People are increasingly behaving in environmentally conscious ways, including choosing to work for companies with green practices over those without them. Sustainable buildings attract better talent and retain them longer than conventional buildings. Employees perceive that company as caring more overall, and as behaving in line with social and environmental values that are increasingly important to the working population. 84% of employees would prioritize working for a company with positive values over ones that don't exhibit concerns over their environmental impact.
Companies that prioritize sustainability are saying one thing very clearly: they're interested in the future. The future of their employees, the future of their bottom line, and the future of the planet. It's a win-win-win.


text:
Steamed fillet of halibut with watercress mousse, asparagus spears and chervil sauce.
Followed by saddle of new season Windsor lamb, with herb stuffing, spring vegetables and port sauce.
Dessert: Strawberry sable pudding with lemon verbena cream – made of crisp biscuits, smooth pastry cream and fresh strawberries.
To finish the meal off, they'll enjoy coffee and petit fours.
The President doesn't drink alcohol.
(He'll doubtless get some KFC chicken or McD's hamburgers delivered to the place he's staying later)


text:
During COVID, hours of operations may change. Please contact us to get the latest information.
Driving Directions:
At the corner of East Bidwell Street and Blue Ravine Road, next to Carl's Jr, in front of Target.
Code Ninjas is a fun and welcoming center where kids ages 7-14 learn to code by building their very own video games. They have a blast while learning coding, robotics, math, logic, and teamwork.


text:
Pulling a brush through knotted hair, she lifts sections of it high and straight. The bedroom light shames her roots, picking out thin white lines against chestnut brown, blending into one shade of hair dye then another. Through to the ends and out, she studies the hairs that cling to the bristles. More than yesterday. Setting the brush down on the narrow shelf, she remembers long, glossy waves that used to turn heads.
She touches index fingers to soft under-eye skin, drawing down her lower lids. The reflection of her face becomes its ugliest self. Thin red lines crawl over the whites of her eyes, green irises suspended in a tangled web. She closes them, tugs at papery skin and sighs. Feline flicks framing second-too-long stares at men she wants and men she doesn't are a thing of the past.
Stepping back for a full-length view, she stands, naked, gooseflesh rising from the draft blowing though the open window. She frowns at her small breasts, cups the curve of her hip bones, then turns to assess the size and shape of her buttocks and thighs. Acceptable, but not attractive. Unhooking her gown from the back of the door she puts it on, pulling in the belt tighter and tighter, to see how small she can make her waist. She stops when it hurts – then pulls a little more and ties a tight knot. The hourglass figure is hers – until she needs to breathe. She loosens the belt and lets herself soften. Sliding painted toes into comfy slippers, she sits down on the bed, pushes her make up bag to one side and picks up her iPad.
Soft-focus filters, puppy-ears, doe-eyes, flower crowns, and editing apps that take off ten pounds aren't enough, not when she knows the truth underneath, and she's had her fill of lies. A quick search points her to a clinic just outside of town promising free consultations, finance options and life-changing outcomes. She makes her decision. The settlement will cover the cost, and she'll be perfect again by the end of it, ready to start over.
ELISABETH ALAIN lives in Worcestershire, raising two daughters, reading, learning and writing poetry & short fiction. She has recently been published in Ellipsis Zine.


text:
And the history of Sweet Routine is fascinating - really was naval-related, all the way - including bombing Iwo Jima on 2/19/45: that would've been during the invasion (it took a whole month before the operation was really complete).
I've got the venerable Revell B-24D (and, IIRC, also the Academy -24C) in my stash, earmarked (one or maybe even both of them) for building in ASW livery.
What paint(s) and technique(s) did you use for puting your natural-aluminum finish on such a big model, Don?
« Back to index | View thread »


text:
I was 19 when I began. I am 66 as I finish. What's that -- 47 years? Enough not to wonder whether I'm quitting too soon.
This New Year's Day is the most significant of my adult life -- my first day of retirement. Forty-seven years were plenty, to make enough money and memories, and keep enough dreams.
All those years of writing for other people -- editors and the public -- are over. Now I can write for myself. Probably novels, for and about baby boomers, who are still as spirited as we were in the streets in the 1960s and '70s, who are the richest generation ever to retire, who have never grown up, and who, most importantly, still read.
Maybe I'll move home to my beloved Gulf of Mexico and run a boat wide-open between Mobile Bay and Louisiana. Maybe I'll keep my house in the North Georgia mountains. Maybe I'll do both.
But that is now. This was then ...
My hero growing up was the great David Brinkley, then of NBC News. Every word he wrote and spoke mattered. Still poignant is a review he wrote in a magazine of the film "The Graduate" when I was an undergraduate, Vietnam-vulnerable.
"I didn't like it very much," he wrote of the film. And of its broadside condemnation of mature America, "These are harsh judgments. I wonder how often they are true."
Brinkley could adjust your thinking like that. Just like that. Simply. Gently. Profoundly.
I wanted to do that.
But that same year, my sophomore year, I realized that covering general news for the college newspaper amounted to student government resolutions. Who cared? I wasn't patient enough to climb the tedious mountain road to Brinkley's realm, nor daring enough to take the dangerous shortcut through covering the Mississippi civil rights movement.
Covering sports, I could mingle right away with real, professional journalists covering events the public really cared about. By 20 I was walking the same sidelines as Bear Bryant and Johnny Vaught.
In sports I have remained all these years, save a handful of brief and miserable digressions early on.
I leave known mainly as a motorsports writer. I regret that. I was more than that, for a lot of years. My favorite stories and memories are from other realms:
• Bryant gazing resignedly out a window with just me there, on a bleak Monday morning in 1982, saying, "I can't coach 'em anymore," and my knowing, walking down that crimson cavern away from his office, that soon he would quit, and therefore soon would surely die.
• Mickey Mantle drinking hard at Roger Maris' wake on a frozen December night in Fargo, North Dakota, 59 below outside, Christmastime in 1985, tears streaming down his face, glad they'd brought Roger home, knowing, "I want to go home to Commerce, Oklahoma."
• Muhammad Ali slurring his words so terribly, obsessed with one little magic trick with a silk scarf, doing it over and over, my trying gently to stop him, saying, "Champ you shouldn't --" and his saying to me, "You wanna hear it? You wanna hear it?" And then his voice ringing out across the ballroom, as if he were 25 again: "I am the greatest of ALL TIME! I'm still so PRETTY! No glove has ever cut this face!" And then turning the tape recorder off in his mind and slurring to me, "Y-y-ou see? I caaaan st-still do it. When I w-want to."
• The incredulous voice of an editor on the phone after Bo Jackson had lofted a towering home run, with a golf swing at a pitch almost in the dirt, in his first at-bat ever in the All-Star Game: "How did you KNOW?" I had left a column in the computer system, to run in the next morning's paper, about the eerie exploits of Mr. Vincent Edward Jackson, whom I'd known since his freshman year at Auburn. After the first paragraph, I'd left a space and a note, "INSERT FROM ALL-STAR GAME TO COME HERE." Then I'd written out Bo's résumé of superhumanity. And so the editor gleefully asked again, "How did you KNOW?" And I answered, "I just know Bo. I knew he would do something. I just didn't know what, when I left the office this afternoon."
• Aleksandr Gomelsky, coach of the Soviet Olympic basketball team, speaking freely in English to me, sitting on the bench during practice, then jumping up and going onto the court to scold or instruct in Russian, then back to continue the marvelous interview in English, back and forth, back and forth ... My later remarking to a TASS reporter that "It was amazing -- no KGB interpreter to monitor him or anything." And the TASS guy laughing, saying, "No worries. Gomelsky himself is KGB colonel." ... Then returning to the media village and telling my roommate, Roy S. Johnson, that I felt sorry for him. Here I was, with the open, free-wheeling coach and team, while Roy had to suffer with the closed practices and secretive, surly behavior of John Thompson, the U.S. basketball coach.
Most sports writers have grown up on baseball, football, basketball, maybe hockey, and so they cover what they know -- what they played and watched in youth. I had one more in my background: auto racing. I'd started going to dirt tracks at age 10.
I lied in 1974, to get out of one of my miserable digressions from sports. I was on the copy desk at the Orlando Sentinel. I told the sports editor that I followed NASCAR. I did not. I could have cared less. But I knew how racing worked, and covering NASCAR meant a writing job, getting out of the office, rather than sitting at a desk watching the datelines from the world pass in front of me.
Steve Vaughn, the sports editor, bless his heart, thought I wrote NASCAR well enough that he soon put me on football. Then I got the Florida State beat with a new head coach, Bobby Bowden, who came in with the notion that success breeds success, and that worked for me, too.
By '77 I was off to Atlanta, where I encountered another mentor, the great -- and I use the word very advisedly -- Van McKenzie, who sent me around the world, and into some pretty podunk places too, nearly always with the instructions "bring me back an award winner," and I often did.
When Van left for New York and The National Sports Daily in '89, he wasn't too keen on taking his "problem child" -- we'd fought a lot -- with him, but the great -- again, I use the word advisedly -- Frank Deford overruled him and became another mentor and encouraged me even more.
And after The National blew $150 million in 17 months and folded in 1991, I worried for only 20 minutes before Frank phoned and said the lifeboat that was going to pick me up was an aircraft carrier called Sports Illustrated.
And all the while, at all those places, I was just the guy who could cover auto racing when needed. And it wasn't needed much. At SI, for the first five years, 75 percent of my time was spent on the NFL, MLB and college football and 25 percent on motor racing.
And the racing coverage at SI was global, covering the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Grand Prix of Monaco, a feature story on the rising Formula One star Michael Schumacher ... the champagne flowed on the overnight flights to Europe and Asia ...
Not until 1996, when SI decided to devote special issues to NASCAR -- because NASCAR was peaking in popularity -- did I become a full-time auto racing writer.
In 2000, the Tribune Co. newspaper chain, with the Chicago Tribune as its flagship, pooled its salary resources and bought me away from SI for an eight-year stint writing motorsports for the Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Baltimore Sun, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida (Fort Lauderdale) Sun Sentinel and other papers.
But early on in that marriage, I began a sort of flirtation with ESPN, and in 2008 we tied the knot. This would be all motor racing, and that was fine, for ESPN was more devoted to the subject than any media organization ever.
For those of you who care about motor racing -- and I am more than aware that a lot of you don't -- I have documented, over the past several months, my memories from that world.
Further, coming in January, is a sort of mini-memoir of 40 years, spanning five decades, of motor racing as seen and heard by one man.
So no need going into that here, now.
This departure is a perfect storm of good timing. I am full retirement age, weary of deadlines, sick to death of writing about motor racing in all its forms. ESPN is ending its telecast rights agreement with NASCAR. NASCAR no longer seems to need nor want the in-depth, soulful coverage from old boys like me -- just the quick-hit information for the short attention span.
See you, perhaps, in the years to come on Amazon, and in whatever bookstores are left.
It is without a single tear of nostalgia, without a sniff of bitterness, just with a free and easy sigh of relief, that I say goodbye.


text:
|Birth Day
|April 23, 1988
|Birth Place
|Birth Sign
Perhaps most well known for her Young Artist Award-nominated guest spot on a 2004 episode of NBC's Medical Investigation, she is also notable for her appearances on Charmed (as demon child Freckles) and Six Feet Under (as Courtney).
She made her television debut in 1995, playing the role of Kayla Jones on the ABC soap opera The City.
She appeared in the 1998 Star Trek: Voyager episode "Infinite Regress."
She spent her early childhood years in San Antonio and Houston, Texas, and later relocated to the Los Angeles, California area.
She and Bruce Boxleitner were both in the cast of the late 1990s television movie Babylon 5: In the Beginning.


text:
Disclaimer: The Cancer Care Club wishes to point out that while we provide information on this links page to assist people who are seeking information on cancer related topics and services, by doing so we in no way endorse or support any of these businesses or organisations. Use of this listed information is entirely at your own risk.
There is a wig service available in Ashford from:
Revised details of the KMCC are as follows:
Kent and Medway Cancer Collaborative
50 Pembroke Court, Chatham Maritime
Chatham, Kent, ME4 4UF
Tel: 01634 335298
Samantha West, Email: firstname.lastname@example.com. Revised number for the Macmillan Crossroads Volunteer Service.
Tel: 0345 095 8001.
Excercise Referral Programme: Steve Castle at Kings school Canterbury runs an excercise referral programme for NHS patients. If you are intertested then contact Steve on 01227 812921.
A new bladder cancer support and information forum has been set up and can be found on the following link:
A teacher called Amy contacted us and said: One of my students, Evan,came to me the other day after learning of his father being diagnosed with Stage 1 bladder cancer. After discussing with his parents, and with some help from a local business, we decided to make a page with some helpful facts about this horrible disease. We're reaching out to you in hopes that you'll be just as eager to help us and maybe put the resource on your website! Well here it is! We hope you find this useful.
Lymphoma Association Registered Charity no 1068395 Tel:0808 808 5555 email: firstname.lastname@example.com website: www.lymphomas.org.uk
Lets Face It: International Support Group linking people with facial disfigurement, their families, friends and professionals with resources for recovery. Contact Christine Piff 0n 01843 833724, email: firstname.lastname@example.com, Web: www.lets-face-it.org.uk
Reflexology: If you are interested in this therapy you can contact Marisa's Reflexology on 01227 749817 or 07941 142763 email: email@example.com or web: http://marisasreflexology.wix.com/hernebayreflexology
Hope For Tomorrow Bringing cancer care closer to home: This is the charity that provided the mobile chemotherapy which is curently being used across East Kent as is based from Kent and Canterbury Hospital. They can be contacted on 01666 505055 Web: www.hopefortomorrow.co.uk
Trudy's Wheels CIC Deal's Community Car:L Vehicle available in the Deal area to transport a wheelchair user and up to two people. Contact Alan on 01304 379677 Donnie on 01304 379466 or Jane on 01843 602030
Carole-Ann Woods The Bra Lady-Kent provides a bra fitting service to cancer patients and can be contacted on: 07814 444798 email: firstname.lastname@example.com Web: www.bralady.co.uk
Look Good Feel Better: Wendy Remnant Regional Coordinator can be contacted on 07710 477829, email@example.com www.lgfb.co.uk look good feel better sessions are arranged via Catherdral Day unit.
Cancer Relief UK is a national charity that can financially assist people diagnosed with cancer . Their contact details are: http://cancerreliefuk.org/index.php/userabout Cancer Relief UK was set up to assist cancer sufferers in the UK who experience financial hardship during their illness. We wanted to also provide funding for things like wheelchairs, morphine pumps etc, as well as paying towards the cost of a family treat for some well deserved R & R. together As well as this type of grant we have also made large contributions to appeals for LIFE SAVING PROTON THERAPY when our finances have allowed, these include donating £25,000 to Josh Hill (13) of Notts towards his appeal of £130,000 for him to receive treatment in America for prostate cancer.
Kent Cancer Trust: Several of us went to a lecture organised by Kent Cancer Trust. If you are interested in looking at the work of this local charity please go to www.kentcancertrust.org.uk
Macmillan Recovery Package: The following link will take you to information on the Macmillan recovery package which we hope you find very useful: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Aboutus/Healthandsocialcareprofessionals/Macmillansprogrammesandservices/RecoveryPackage/RecoveryPackage.aspx (simply highlight and right click and click on 'go to' and this will trake you directly to the webpage,
Amanda Bates Public Engagement Officer and her colleague from the Centre for Health Services Studies at The University of Kent attended one of our lunches to talk to our members and seek their views and help inform their work at the CHSS. They have provided links to their website and a link to register for a regular newsletter for any members who are interested. The links are shown below:
Following our talk from Mike Deal and Amanda Rimington, Please see link below which will give you more information on the Technology Enabled Services:
Please copy and paste the link into your browser search window.
Pelvic Radiation Disease Association:
We have been made aware of a support group for people with late effects of pelvic radiation treatment. they can be contacted on: http://www.prda.org.uk
East Kent Cancer Support Groups and information
The Brain Tumour Charity site
Supports those who have, or have had, breast cancer
Tel: 01233 63333101233 633331
East Kent Unit for Breast Screening
Find out about breast screening and how the service operates in East Kent.
Tel: 01843 83683901843 836839
Cancer Information (Ashford/Dover – no website)
Meets twice a month at William Harvey Hospital and by appointment twice a month at Buckland Hospital.
Tel: 01233 61602401233 616024
Cancer information support and counselling service (Canterbury – no website)
Various therapies and counselling for clients – counselling also open to carers and staff. Therapies include aromatherapy, massage, reflexology, relaxation and shiatsu (working with the body's energy flow)
Tel: 01227 864 04501227 864 045
"PCSA Prostate Cancer Support Association Kent". We have a website, email and a support telephone helpline. We meet monthly in Canterbury, all details are on our website or available via our helpline.
Website: www.pcsakent.org
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Helpline: 03333 202 360
The Kent Oncology Centre provides comprehensive cancer services for the 1.8 million population of Kent, Medway and East Sussex.
General enquiries 01227 783066
National Cancer Support Groups and information
Breast Cancer Care
Offers emotional support and factual support and literature. Telephone support groups for secondary breast cancer and for younger women.
Tel: 0808 800 60000808 800 6000
NHS Choices – Skin Cancer
Gives information on the causes, symptoms and treatments of skin cancer, with links to other organisations dedicated to the condition.
Tel: 08454647
Specialist Counselling Service (Canterbury/ Barham areas – www.carolinearmstrongtherapy.co.uk )Caroline was an Oncology Counsellor at a large London hospital for 8 years, and is now in private practice in the Canterbury area. She has a good understanding of what people can go through emotionally when they face diagnosis, treatment and living with cancer. She is currently offering a discounted fee to members of Canterbury Cancer Care Club. Please feel free to make contact.
Caroline Armstrong, MBACP – Tel: 07462 198107 Email: email@example.com
I have added this new lingerie shop in Herne Bay to our list of resources for new and existing breast surgery patients and indeed any lady who wishes to visit to see the range of lingerie on offer. details of the Open Afternnon are shown in details below below. you can also see the flyer by clicking on this pdf file link: Amoena-Event-pdf
Gardenia Lingerie
94 Mortimer Street, Herne Bay CT6 5EB
Tel: 07971 761685 Email: email@example.com
Gardenia Lingerie info click on this pdf file link for information on this srrvice


text:
You are here
Journey of the Pink Dolphins: An Amazon Quest (Paperback)
Email or call for price.
By the acclaimed author of The Soul of an Octopus and the bestselling memoir The Good Good Pig.
When Sy Montgomery ventured into the Amazon to unlock the mysteries of the littleknown pink dolphins, she found ancient whales that plied the Amazon River at dawn and dusk, swam through treetops in flooded forests, and performed underwater ballets with their flexible bodies. But she soon found out that to know the botos, as the dolphins are locally called, you must also know the people who live among them.
And so in Journey of the Pink Dolphins, Montgomery--part naturalist, part poet, part Indiana Jones--winds her way through watery tributaries and riverside villages, searching for botos and hearing the tales of locals who believe these ethereal dolphins are shape-shifters--creatures that emerge from the water as splendidly dressed men or women only to enchant their human onlookers, capture their souls, and then carry them away to the Encante, an underwater world. Montgomery takes readers on four separate journeys, exploring the river-dwelling dolphins' natural history, chronicling their conservation pressures, unraveling their prehistoric roots, and visiting with shamans who delve into the Encante.
Coming Events - Lively Times At All Three Stores
10/08/2022 - 11:00am
10/09/2022 - 2:00pm
10/10/2022 - 9:00am to 10/16/2022 - 6:00pm
KEENE ~ David Wedge presents his new book Riding with Evil: Taking Down the Notorious Pagan Motorcycle Gang"10/14/2022 - 6:00pm
10/15/2022 - 11:00am
10/15/2022 - 11:00am
10/21/2022 - 4:00pm
12/03/2022 - 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Sign up for our emails
Enter your email address here to sign up for our occasional emails and you will automatically receive a 20% off coupon you can use on your next visit to one of our stores.


text:
Resource: Appendix 7d, "Business Process Modeling".
Using Microsoft® PowerPoint®, Microsoft® Word, or a drawing program of your choice, draw a diagram/model of a business process with which you are familiar.
Write a 1- to 3-page paper that describes the business process.
Describe the diagram/model.
Propose improvements to the business process.
Draw a revised process diagram/model that reflects the improved business process.
Format your paper according to APA guidelines.
Submit your paper and the two diagrams/models as one Microsoft® Word document to the Assignment Files tab.
Field of study:
Date Due:
Sunday, November 3, 2019


text:
Discover how you can travel the world like us and not pay anything for accommodation. No begging or squatting required![…]Read more
Category: Save
5 Airbnb Hacks to Save You Money
Five easy ways you can save money when you book with Airbnb. We saved $1000 in one stay in Paris.[…]Read more
What You Need to Consider as a Digital Nomad – Income
All the things you need to consider about your income before you quit your job and become a digital nomad.[…]Read more
Top Tips For House Sitters – Start Living the High Life For Free
Find how to be a great house sitter, get the most out of your FREE accommodation and impress your hosts.[…]Read more
$500 for Accommodation for 6 Months!
Not $500 a month, but total from August to February! Yes it's true. See how we live in unbeatable locations.[…]Read more
Free Accommodation While Travelling? You Can't Be Serious!
Yes, we certainly are! You too can stay in amazing places from rustic to luxury, around the world… FOR FREE![…]Read more
Find Out Why Airbnb is Airmazing!
5 Stays, 5 Wonderful Experiences! Find out how you too could create great memories with Airbnb Accommodation, Restaurants and Experiences![…]Read more


text:
I've been updating the Random Pub Finder to include phone numbers for the pubs on the site and during my Internet searches I've discovered that a few pub websites are showing 0871 numbers, rather than the actual pub's phone number. The phone call costs 10p a minute and the website gets a cut of the money made.
I don't have a problem with advertising on websites as a way to cover costs, so long as it's low key and relevant to the site. Certainly some sites over do it, but mostly it's harmless. The Random Pub Finder has never had advertising because our running costs are pretty low and we prefer not to have ads. Getting several hundred visitors a day is enough to rock my boat. If we ever got so many visitors that we had to pay significant hosting costs, we'd almost certainly have to get some advertising.
But something seems wrong about making money out of phone numbers. For a start, if I use the 0871 number I never actually find out the pub's phone number, so I'm stuck if I need to call it again (unless I use the 0871 number again). Second, why make money out of something that should be freely available? (and yes, directory enquiries should be free as well)
Fortunately, most sites still provide the pub's real number. If you agree with me, I suggest you vote with your feet and start to frequent these sites instead.


text:
Other talks from Padmaloka
A ground setting talk by Subhuti at the start of an Order meditation retreat. He introduces material from the honeyball sutta in which the Buddha presents an alternative nidana chain that explains the basis of interpersonal conflict; in this context Subhuti brings emphasis on the internal dimensions and particularly the role of prapanca (abstraction, speculation). Our job in meditationis to stay with our 'primary experience' rather than getting drawn away which inevitably leads to unskilful behaviour on the basis of greed, hatred or delusion


text:
March 28, 2011
Internet Scams Target Lawyers
by James M. McCauley, Ethics Counsel
Virginia State Bar
The FBI continues to receive reports of counterfeit check schemes targeting U.S. law firms.
In the most recent series of schemes, scammers send e-mails to lawyers in which the scammers claim to be overseas and seeking legal representation to collect delinquent payments from parties in the United States. Often, the scammer will cite a connection with a legitimate company. The law firm is asked for its retainer agreement. The "client" returns the signed agreement along with invoices reflecting the alleged amount owed and, shortly thereafter, a check payable to the law firm. The firm is instructed to deduct its legal fee, including any other expenses associated with the transaction, and wire the remaining funds to banks in Korea, China, Ireland, Canada, or another country. By the time the check is determined to be counterfeit, funds have already been wired overseas.
In one version of the scheme, the scammer identifies himself or herself as a corporate officer of a legitimate overseas company. The con artist sends a legitimate-looking e-mail to the law firm seeking legal assistance in the collection of a debt from a business or other debtor in the lawyer's geographical area. A proactive call to the "debtor" will generally reveal that the "debtor" has not done business with the overseas company and that the alleged debt is fictitious. But if the law firm agrees to assist the "client," it will receive the signed engagement letter, and falsified documentation.
Typically, the scammer will shortly thereafter send the law firm an e-mail stating that the debtor has agreed to settle the debt to avoid litigation and that the debtor has agreed to pay a specified amount, usually a six-figure payment, out of which the law firm is to take its fee for the collection. A cashier's check is sent to the law firm payable to the law firm, with the remitter's name being that of the "debtor" company. The law firm then deposits the check, keeps the agreed upon legal fee, and, after confirming with the law firm's bank that the subject funds are available, wires the remaining money to an overseas account designated by the scammer. The cashier's check mailed to the law firm turns out to be counterfeit; no funds were ever paid for it. By the time the law firm is informed the check is not legitimate, the wired amount has been collected, and usually the foreign account into which the funds were wired is closed and cannot be traced to the actual scammer.
In another version of the schedule the fraudulent client seeking legal "representation" describes herself as an ex-wife "on assignment" in an Asian country, and she claims to be pursuing collection of divorce settlement monies from her ex-husband in the United States. The law firm agrees to represent the ex-wife, sends an e-mail to the ex-husband, and receives a "certified" check for the settlement via delivery service. The ex-wife instructs the firm to wire the funds, less the retainer fee, to an overseas bank account. When the scam is executed successfully, the law firm wires the money before discovering the check is counterfeit.
What should lawyers do to avoid falling prey to these scams? First, be mindful that you have received an unsolicited e-mail from a company about which you will probably know nothing and with whom you will not have any prior contact or introduction. Second, beware of statements in the e-mail that say that you were recommended by the bar association, as bar associations do not usually make referrals except through a bona fide lawyer referral service — in which case you should have received a communication from that lawyer referral service. Third, the purported client will want you to act quickly and will ask nearly every day for a status on when the funds have been delivered to you and when you will deliver the funds to the "client." Fourth, a "cashier's check" drawn on a reputable bank will arrive very quickly with little or no effort on your part. Have an experienced banker look at this instrument, as there are signs he or she may recognize and specific inquiries that can be made that will reveal the check as fraudulent. Do not deposit the cashier's check into your trust account unless you can obtain verification that the check is legitimate; or, alternatively, advise the "client" that you will not wire any funds unless and until the check has cleared. Consider depositing the cashier's check into an escrow account separate from your Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts or general trust accounts until the check's status can be determined. Your bank may tell you that there are funds available for you to disburse, but this does not mean that the check has cleared. If you disburse and the check proves to be counterfeit, the bank will charge back against your account for the loss. Finally, if you suspect you have been scammed or are being targeted for a scam, you should file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov. You may also call the Virginia State Bar's Legal Ethics Hotline at (804) 775-0564.
Some lawyers ask if it is ethical to report the scam after they have agreed to undertake representation, citing the duty to keep client information confidential. Although a formal opinion from the Standing Committee on Legal Ethics has not addressed this issue, the communications by and between the Internet scammer and lawyer are not protected as confidential. The initial uninvited e-mail communication from the scammer and the communications that follow are not for the purpose of obtaining any legal advice or legal representation. The scammer does not have any "reasonable expectation of confidentiality" in the communications used to obtain the lawyer's money under false pretenses. Therefore, reporting such information to the appropriate law enforcement authorities is not a breach of the lawyer's duty of confidentiality.
Updated: Mar 28, 2011


text:
Today we build on last week's JanYOUary blog entry and discuss the first of the 3 most common mistakes we all make when it comes to putting ourselves first.
1) The guilt of putting yourself first… do you ever feel that?
This one gets a little tricky, so stay with me. There is a huge difference between being selfish and putting yourself first. And we seem to confuse the two all the time.
Let's take a closer look at the various definitions of "selfish," according to www.thefreedictionary.com.
1. "Concerned chiefly or excessively with oneself, and having little regard for others."
2. "Showing or arising from an excessive concern with oneself and a lack of concern for others."
3. "Caring only or chiefly for oneself; concerned with one's own interests, welfare, etc."
When you're selfish, you do not care about others and their well-being. You could argue such a person has a lack of empathy and compassion for others, too. That tinge of guilt you feel when you think you're being selfish? It tells us that you actually do care about other people.
So, what is the difference between putting yourself first and the above definitions of selfish? Think of it like the safety instructions on an airplane. Put the oxygen mask on first and then help others. If you start assisting other people before you have your mask on, you'll most likely suffocate before you get to the other person. You'll both be dead, and that helps no one.
In putting your mask on first, you will be able to help way more people. And this is how it also works in real life. When you continually put others' needs before your own, you deplete your resources. In the long run, you'll have less to give those you love.
Next time you feel guilty about being self-centered, stop and realize why you're doing it. If your reason is to become more effective, then you're not being selfish. Everyone around you will thank you later! Start putting yourself first so that you can empower others.


text:
Corporate Membership
Are you looking for a competitive edge when it comes
to offering great employee benefits at your downtown Calgary office? Do you want your employees to grow
their professional network of clients while leading
healthy lifestyles?
A Fifth Avenue Club corporate membership offers
your business the benefits of increased productivity
and morale, decreased absenteeism and turnover,
and great professional networking opportunities. You
will also be giving your staff all the personal benefits of health and well-being. It's a win-win situation.
Our corporate memberships are an exceptional offer at
our lowest current rate with month-to-month flexibility. Your business may choose to cover either partial or full cost for your staff, or have your employees cover their monthly
fees personally.
Corporate Membership Benefits:
- Increased productivity
- Increased morale
- Reduced stress and sick days
- Reduced healthcare costs
- Greater employee retention
- Professional networking
- Memberships at our lowest rate with
month-to-month flexibility
- Privileged rates on personal training
- Flexibility of payment options
Current Corporate Members:The following companies have partnered with Fifth Avenue Club to help enhance the health and wellness of their employees. Join them by making a sound investment with fantastic returns.
Bengal Energy
Dynasty Power Inc.
Earth Signal Processing Ltd.
EKA Plus Canada
Kayden Industries
NAL Resources
RemedX Remediation Services
Tangle Creek Energy Ltd.
Walsh LLP
For specific details on corporate membership, please contact our General Manager, Garth Mamicpic, at 403.543.4748 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
More than 3 million Texans to travel on July 4 weekend
More than three million Texans will be traveling this Fourth of July weekend, according to AAA Texas -- a 3.2 percent increase from last year.
"Combined, strong employment, rising incomes and higher consumer confidence bode well for the travel industry, in particular this Independence Day weekend," AAC Texas Vice President and General Manager Kent Livesay said.
2.7 million Texans are expected to travel by automobile, 299,000 by plane and 190,000 will travel by another mode of transportation.
The trend expands past Texas. 44.2 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home this weekend, a record-breaking number.
Based on AAA's summer travel bookings, Orlando, Fla will be the most visited city by Americans this Independence Day weekend. Vancouver, BC; Cancun, Mex; Seattle; and Punta Cana, DR round out the top five of this list.


text:
Fruits and Flowers of Winter
An exhibition drawn from the collections of
The LuEsther T. Mertz Library
Curated by
Susan Fraser
Marie Long
Stephen Sinon
On view November 15-February 16, 2002
Gardener, if you listen, listen well:
Plant for your winter pleasure, when the months dishearten;
Plant to find a fragile note touched from the brittle violin of frost.
Vita Sackville-West
The Garden
Fruits and Flowers of Winter features items drawn from the Mertz Librarys rare books, folios, archival materials, manuscripts, and original artwork, exploring the pageantry of winters beauty.
In 1712, Joseph Addison, an English essayist wrote in his a daily paper, The Spectator, an article introducing the concept of the all-green winter garden whose trees only as never cast their leaves. Addison contrived a winter garden saying, there is something unspeakably cheerful in a spot of ground which is coverd with trees that smile amidst all the rigour of winter, and give us a view of the most gay season . . .
The exhibition features more than 60 splendid works of botanical illustration that brighten and illuminate the season. Seventeenth-century items illustrate advances in hothouse construction, enabling the growth of fruits and flowers indoors in winter. Exotic plants collected for local and foreign trade during this period of exploration enriched the collections of botanical gardens and private horticulturists. A rare post revolutionary era New York City plantsmans account ledger provides a glimpse of the number of exotic ornamentals from Europe and Asia, recently brought into the trade, and being kept the winter for a fee.
The Story of Winter Citrus & Orangeries Hothouses&Greenhouses Winter in Early New York City
Contriving A Winter Garden Walking in a Winter Garden Florists and Nurseries