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Grace Perry has been going full-tilt boogie as of late. Over the last couple of weeks, she's been busy burning the candle at both ends getting her new downtown Phoenix watering hole, Gracie's Tax Bar, ready for its grand opening.
And, if you can pardon the pun, it's been something of a taxing experience for the 32-year-old Valley resident, both emotionally and physically. Sleep, for instance, has been something of a luxury.
"Yeah, it's been no sleep or very little sleep lately," Perry says.
Such sacrifices have been worth it, however, since they've allowed her to get the place open.
Gracie's Tax Bar made its debut with a soft opening on Friday, July 7, followed by its official opening night on Saturday, July 8.
And its owner couldn't be happier.
"It's a good thing to finally have it open," Perry says.
After all, it's the culmination of a journey that she's been on for the last five years or so.
"I've been building up to this for a long time now," she says.
After spending seven years as the lead singer for local metal band Landmine Marathon, Perry left the band in 2012 to pursue other endeavors. She'd earned a degree in public policy and management during that time, but it hadn't led anywhere.
Eventually, she wound up working in the restaurant industry, including stints with local company Upward Projects.
"I got my degree and I never used it and I was touring all over the place. And then I decided to settle in and stop touring and maybe start some type of career," Perry says. "I had been working in restaurants because it's great for musicians to do that. And I really loved the business a lot more than I thought and I evolved and went up the ranks."
Perry later served as the food and beverage manager at Crescent Ballroom and Valley Bar. She dreamed of owning and operating her own spot.
And according to Perry, she wanted it to be a laid-back neighborhood spot with a come-as-you-are vibe similar to the sort of places where she liked to drink.
"I just wanted to have a bar that would be like my favorite bars," Perry says.
And that's exactly what she got.
Gracie's Tax Bar, which is located along Seventh Avenue just south of McKinley Street, offers the look and feel of a neighborhood dive, right down to the pressboard walls, mismatched seating, and hot nuts machine.
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Its cozy interior, which features a 50-person capacity, is also bathed in red light, giving it a bit of a clandestine vibe. The bar itself takes up a good chunk of the interior space and is surrounded by a few booths and several tables.
Outside, you can find Gracie's expansive patio, which featured a pair of pass-through windows to get drinks and food, as well as a bunch of kitschy outdoor furniture.
The ceiling is lined with perforated acoustic tiles and a few fluorescent lighting fixtures, both of which are nods to the building's previous use as a tax preparation office.
Meanwhile, the walls are decorated with an eclectic collection of art work that includes some thrift store paintings, a taxidermied javelina head, and a collection of ink sketches by a fashion designer.
In essence, Gracie's is a lot like what your favorite dive bar or neighborhood joint was like back when it first opened.
The décor of Gracie's Tax Bar was created by Patch & Clark Design, the Tucson-based company that was behind the look of Valley Bar.
"They're all about bringing things up to date and repurposing things ... and not necessarily about tearing down the old to build up the new, which I really love," Perry says. "Like I said, I just wanted it to be a bar that would be my favorite bar. And I feel like they really created that."
Perry's influences and interests can be found throughout Gracie's Tax Bar. For instance, she's a self-avowed "huge dork" who digs playing Dungeons & Dragons and other geeky distractions. As such, there's a bookcase in one corner featuring several board and tabletop games available for play.
"I want to try and stock those shelves full of games. Make it a community space for people to come here, play some games, have some drinks, and just have a good time," Perry says. "I also want people to bring in their own board games to share."
Meanwhile, there's an honest-to-goodness jukebox along the north wall, which is stocked with CDs from some of Perry's favorite bands, including Landmine Marathon (natch).
"I curated everything in the jukebox. It's still an ongoing process; we'll change out what doesn't play," she says. "I even went outside of my own preferences, so there's like some things that other people love."
That includes such artists and bands as My Bloody Valentine, Curtis Mayfield, The Descendants, Beach Boys, Johnny Cash, and MC5.
"It's actually a really good deal since you get 20 plays for five bucks," she says. "I'm hoping that people utilize it while they're here."
We're pretty sure they will, Grace. Ditto for the old-school arcade shooter Revolution-X, which features the members of Aerosmith battling a Big Brother-like government that wants to destroy rock 'n' roll.
"I thought it was a funny game because they shoot [CDs]," Perry says. "I was dying laughing when I saw that,"
And if you aren't into that particular arcade game, Perry says they'll likely bring in another old-school machine at some point in the future.
"I think its going to be the kind of thing that we switch it out from time to time with something else new and interesting," she says.
Perry considers Gracie's Tax Bar a work in progress that will evolve over time. Eventually, she hopes to have musicians perform out on the patio or specific nights devoted to games.
And while people have been checking out Gracie's since its opening, particularly the downtown artist and scenester crowds, she eager for folks of every background to partake in the place.
"I want this to be a neighborhood bar that the neighborhood slowly but surely adopts as its own," she says.
And here's a look at what else they'll encounter at Gracie's Tax Bar.
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Time To Care Award
Thanks to WRDW News Channel 12 for honoring Glen Ford and Operation Clean City as the recipient of the September 2017 Time To Care Award .
Time to Care is a multifaceted campaign to raise awareness of the challenges facing America's children and families today. Using today's most powerful communication mediums — television and the Internet — WRDW News 12 and our Time To Care partners are working together to encourage advertisers and the public to take action and the Time To Care.
Time To Care delivers positive and action-oriented messages. We hope to help children overcome the obstacles that inhibit their growth and learning potential. Time To Care stresses what each adult, as a parent, neighbor, member of the community, business or civic organization can do by teaching the importance of family values.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Here's Day & A Dream's '7 Ways to Give Back to the 713' in March 2018 | @bornceo #7Ways Monica Jones March 5, 2018 7 Ways to Give Back to The 713, Events 1 Comment Monica Jones drops off 7 More Ways for Houstonians to Give Back to the 713 in the month of March. Last month, our own Monica Jones kicked off her new series for Day & A Dream, '7 Ways to Give Back to The 713.' As a champion of philanthropic causes herself, Monica knows there's no better feeling than serving your community. But for 2018, the self-anointed "Born CEO" is challenging ALL Houstonians to step it up and do something to serve the city. If you've always wanted to help out but didn't know where to start, you have no excuses now. Plus, we're certain Drake's "God's Plan" music video still has everyone wanting to do SOMETHING to extend a helping hand. If you decide to partake in one of these initiatives, by the way, feel free to tag it on your social media using the hashtag #7Ways. We'll let Monica take it from here. — This year, I'm encouraging you to take your gifts where they are needed most. Spring is officially upon us, and March is the perfect time to "spring" into action by getting involved in the Houston community. There are plenty of ways to make an impact in the H this month; and below, I've tracked down my 7 Ways you can do your part and Give Back to The 713 in March. 1. Take pride in your community by volunteering for The Lyons Avenue Renaissance Festival, an annual celebration of the history and culture of Houston's Fifth Ward. The Festival, now in its fifth year, takes place on Saturday, March 24th, from 12 to 5 PM, and they're in need of volunteers to help set-up and engage residents over the course of the festivities. Sign up to volunteer either the day of or in the days leading up to the Festival by registering here. 2. Link up with the Fresh Arts team by volunteering at this year's Bayou City Arts Festival, taking place March 23rd through the 25th at Houston's Memorial Park. You can help out at The Fresh Arts Kids Zone, where volunteers will assist young festival-goers with creating their own beautiful works of art based on the works of a local Houston artist. As a bonus, those who volunteer with the Fresh Arts team will get a free t-shirt and free admission to the Arts Festival for the entire day of their shift! Sign up to volunteer here. 3. Use the upcoming Easter holiday season to spread cheer to Seniors in Nursing Homes. This is an excellent opportunity to let the elderly in need know that they haven't been forgotten, and to brighten their lives by brightening their day! 4. Be A Mentor! The Houston Alumni and Youth (HAY) Center is looking for Transition Coaches for youth. The HAY Center firmly believes that one of the most important factors in predicting a young person's success is a committed, caring adult. Therefore, you can sign up to be matched with a youth, aged 16 or older, to assist them in developing their transitional goals and to offer additional support for them outside of the foster care system. Transition Coaches are required to meet with their youth a minimum of two times per month in the youth's current placement. Find out more about becoming a Transition Coach at the HAY Center's website here. 5. Got Social Media Skills? Then put them to work for a good cause! The Houston Food Bank is looking for Social Media Ambassadors to help spread awareness for all that the Houston Food Bank does – and, more importantly, to make others aware of how they can help. Media-savvy professionals interested in helping further the Houston Food Bank's mission of leading the fight against hunger should consider applying. Find out more about becoming a Social Media Ambassador here. 6. Contribute to March For Our Lives. The grassroots movement, which was organized by teens in the wake of the Parkland tragedy last month, will make its way to Washington, D.C., on March 24th. Consider donating money to sponsor a teen's travel accommodations from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on to D.C.; or you might want to organize your own demonstration locally, at your child's school, to demand a change in the nation's gun laws. You can donate and learn more about March for Our Lives at their website. 7. It's Crawfish Season! So consider fusing food and philanthropy by hosting a charity crawfish boil in support of your favorite local cause and/or organization? Want to up the ante at your fundraiser even more? Make it a full-on crawfish cook-off. Share this:TweetShare on Tumblr


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Current season in Rwanda
Carrick was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in Musical Composition for 2015-16. He moved to Rwanda where he was commissioned to pen a new official arrangement of the Rwandan National Anthem for the Rwandan Military Band. He had five premiers during this time, La touche sonore sous l'eau and Les Ciels de Kigali were both premiered by the luminary pianist Marilyn Nonken in NYC and throughout the Northeast. Trust, a collaboration with choreographer Miro Magloire was commissioned by Periapsis Music and Dance in NYC. He was invited to Tel Aviv as featured composer and performer with the established new music ensemble Music Nova to premiere Rwandan Images for cello, video, and prerecorded cello and bird sounds and a new arrangement of his Stone Guitars. His piano and orchestra piece Waterfall was premiered in Kigali (during a rainstorm that rained on the stage and audience!) with Carrick as soloist and Injyanga Orchestra, the first western orchestra in Rwanda.
Teaching activities include leading two young composer workshops, the New York Philharmonic Very Young Composers workshops in Or Yehuda, Israel and the newly formed music school in Kigali Rwanda Rocks! established by OmniPeace (USA).


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Back in the building: Elvis exhibition opens in Las Vegas
LOS ANGELES – Elvis Presley is back in the building, returning to the Las Vegas hotel where he performed more than 600 times, in a new permanent exhibition about his life.
"Graceland Presents ELVIS: The Exhibition", which opened last week, features more than 300 artifacts never before displayed outside of his Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee.
The display looks at his early days as a recording artist, his stint in the US army, his films and shows.
The singer began a Las Vegas performance residency in 1969 that went on to break box office attendance for the city.
"Elvis is synonymous with the city of Las Vegas, and now he is back on the ground," Graceland's director of communications Kevin Kern told Reuters in Los Angeles.
Presley's widow, Priscilla, and daughter Lisa Marie cut the ribbon at the exhibition's opening at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, previously known as the International Hotel, where the singer performed between 1969 and 1976.
"This is where his home was, he loved coming here," Priscilla said. "He was very fond of Vegas and I think that, if not touring, still coming to Vegas (is) what he loved best."
Among the items displayed is a jewel-studded belt, with the word "Elvis" spelled out in diamonds, that he was given by the hotel.
"Elvis broke all box office records in Las Vegas in terms of attendance and really set the stage for a revolution for live entertainment in Las Vegas," Kern said.
The "Aloha from Hawaii" cape that Elvis wore on stage in Las Vegas, a replica of the cape he wore at a special show in Hawaii in 1973, is also on display. The white cape is adorned with an eagle and stars. – Reuters


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Still had not decided what to do with the org.. Have a good idea pero hindi pa furnished..
I need to meet my officers ASAP.. Ayaw ko ng isa-isa kasi hindi coordinated at siyempre mahirap sa part ko.. Pero tignan natin.. I'll finish all that thingies when CB Sem is over.. At least after this, I'll be knowledgeable of all those things needed to be known.. hahahaha!! And ready to make WG number 1..
O di ba? ORG CRAZY..
CB SEM bukas na.. excited na tinatamad.. EXCITED kasi siyempre.. mejo bonding.. educational at altogethert masaya.. Tinatamad.. ayoko magimpake-- pwede bang balikbalik na lang ako sa MAkati pag may nakalimutan ako..


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|Cost Plus Dollar Wine and Liquor
|USD 25.29 $21.69 750ml
|Regency Wine and Liquor
|USD 24.39 $23.49 750ml
Bodegas Salentein Cabernet Sauvignon la Consulta 2010
Member Review by RobertoPatriarca:
passa 12 meses amadurecendo em barricas de carvalho. Suas uvas são colhidas a 1.200 metros de altitude no Alto Vale de Uco, Mendoza, nos três vinhedos próprios da Bodega Salentein. As videiras tem mais de 30 anos. WineSpectator : 86 pontos (2001); Wine&Spirits : 91 pontos (2001); Revista Gula : 4 estrelas (2001). #4Add winemaker's notes
There is a description and contact details on this site under the name BodegaS Salentein
Member Reviews for Bodegas Salentein Cabernet Sauvignon la ConsultaAdd your review
passa 12 meses amadurecendo em barricas de carvalho. Suas uvas são colhidas a 1.200 metros de altitude no Alto Vale de Uco, Mendoza, nos três vinhedos próprios da Bodega Salentein. As videiras tem mais de 30 anos. WineSpectator : 86 pontos (2001); Wine&Spirits : 91 pontos (2001); Revista Gula : 4 estrelas (2001). #4
Four glasses
External Reviews for Bodegas Salentein Cabernet Sauvignon la Consulta
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2004/ The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, is a wine aged for 15 months in a mix of new and used French oak. Dark ruby-colored, it exhibits a fragrant bouquet of cedar, tobacco, cassis, and black currant. On the palate spice notes emerge along with plenty of savory fruit. Elegantly styled and well-balanced.
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2004 - Sante/ Full bodied with aromas and flavors of blackberry, olive, and cocoa bean with hints of spice and herbs and some earthy notes which suggest age. Pot roast.
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005 - Wine Advocate/ Argentina Values Rock: "Salentein's dark ruby-colored 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve offers up a nose of cedar, spice box, and black currant. This leads to a medium- to full-bodied straightforward Cabernet with ample black fruit flavors, some spice notes, and some concealed tannin."
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - A Best Value, Parker's Wine Bargains/ This Cabernet exhibits a fragrant bouquet of cedar, tobacco, cassis, and black currant. On the palate spice notes emerge along with plenty of savory fruit. Elegantly styled and well-balanced.
New destination rises in the Andes – Bodegas Salentein / Rich, soft, and fruity, with red plum flavors and ripe tannins.
In the remote upper reaches of Argentina's Uco Valley on the eastern slopes of the Andes, Bodegas Salentein produces a remarkable collection of wines from vineyards planted at some of the highest elevations on the planet. From this lofty outpost, 65 miles south of the bustling city of Mendoza, Argentina's winemaking capital, Bodegas Salentein (Sah-len-tyne) has started to forge an international reputation for its fine wines. Each year, growing numbers of curious wine lovers are drawn to this spectacular location, intent on discovering and experiencing the beauty and ethos of Bodegas Salentein for themselves. Bodegas Salentein is a wine destination like no other. Established in the late 1990s, Salentein is a privately-owned estate of almost 5,000 acres, of which 1,124 acres are planted to vine. The property includes a world-class winery and cellars, a 125-acre nature preserve, the showpiece Killka Center for Culture and the Arts, a nearby lodge (the Posada Salentein, offering an elegant and relaxed retreat into nature), and the landmark Chapel of Gratitude, a non-denominational chapel of ascetic loveliness, built using ancient local stonework techniques. Production Area The grapes for this varietal are grown on El Portillo estate. Leafing and thinning are used to achieve consistency and optimum cluster quality, allowing the grapes to reach full potential at harvest time. Grape Varieties 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Vinification Grapes are hand-harvested. Once at the winery, a cluster selection was performed, followed by a soft de-stemming and berry selection (no grape crushing was performed). From the selection table, the berries were directly transferred to a 450-kg hopper and passed directly to the stainless steel tanks, without using pumps. As the berries arrived virtually whole to the fermentation tank, a slight carbonic semi-maceration took place, which helped extract fresh fruit aromas. After a 3-day cold maceration, select yeasts were inoculated. Fermentation took place at controlled temperatures for 8 days. Pumping over and manual trampling of the cap were gently performed daily until fermentation was complete. Maceration continued for 21 additional days. Next, the wine was racked to new and used French oak barrels, where malolactic fermentation took place. The wine was barrel-aged for 15 months and bottle-aged for at least 8 additional months. Color Very deep red Bouquet Great aromatic depth with touches of red fruit marmalade, grilled red pepper, and vanilla Taste A wine with sweet, ripe tannins and a pleasant finish. It has excellent structure, rich mouth-feel and concentrated flavors of sweet fruit. Alcohol 14.5% Serving Suggestions Ideal match for seasoned hard cheese, pasta with elaborate sauces and red meat
/ Red-ruby. Nuanced nose suggests currant, tobacco leaf, truffley underbrush, fresh herbs and smoky oak, all lifted by a floral topnote. Supple, sweet, lush and seamless, with a cool, slightly vegetal character to its berry, mocha and brown spice flavors. Very cabernet sauvignon in an old school way. Finishes with very good breadth and depth.
All Prices
Cost Plus Dollar Wine and Liquor
Salentein Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve »
$21.69 750ml USD 21.69
Regency Wine and Liquor
Winter Garden, FL (770 mi)
Salentein Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve »
$23.49 750ml USD 23.49
Food Pairings for Bodegas Salentein Cabernet Sauvignon la Consulta
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text: 1200x1200_WinatSeating_Tile < 1 min read Was this article helpful? thumb up icon Yes, love it! thumb down icon Eh, not really JessicaDeCrane https://www.progressive.com/ Jessica DeCrane View website Progressive Mark Explore our products menu share icon Share article menu Save article Save article Remove shared article Remove saved article Progressive Logo Progressive Explore our products ATVAutoAuto FinancingBoatBundle: Auto/HomeBundle: Auto/RentersCar ShoppingClassic CarElectronic DeviceFloodHealthHome FinancingHome RefinancingHome SecurityHomeownersHomeshareIdentity Theft ProtectionLife InsuranceMexico Auto InsuranceMotorcyclePersonal LoansPetRentersRV/TrailerTravelWedding & Event Learn more × Close menu Share article facebook Share article on Facebook twitter Share article on Twitter pinterest Share article on Pinterest link Copy article URL to clipboard https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/household/how-to-win-at-seating/attachment/1200x1200_winatseating_tile/ × Close menu RELATED ARTICLES On the Road 2 min Winter tires bookmark bookmarked Save Winter tires Household 3 min Renting versus buying a home bookmark bookmarked Save Renting versus buying a home Household 3 min How to budget for a home remodel project bookmark bookmarked Save How to budget for a home remodel project


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"I'll be your savior, steadfast and true. I'll come to your emotional rescue." The Rolling Stones- Emotional Rescue
Hello everyone. I know this recap is a day late (or, if we are being technical, a week and a day late) but I was on vacation last week. And, quite frankly, I kind of needed a little break after that "dramatic 4 hour event" a few weeks ago. I had every intention of posting while I was away, but if I'm being honest, the lure of the cold pool and the icy rosé overruled watching what was sure to be a throwaway episode, because there was absolutely no part of me that thought her top 4 weren't already locked in 3-4 episodes ago. I mean, did any of you really think she was going to choose Creepy Doll Guy and Penguin Suit over the other men she's been heavily making out with since the very beginning? Neither of those two ever even got a one-on-one or scored the group date rose. All I really took from the episode was a bit of foreshadowing that really played into the hometown dates, like Bryan's claim that he may have some "mommy issues" or Dean's "emotional baggage" that made him hesitant to bring Rachel to meet his family or Eric talking about his intense family issues or Peter's uncharacteristic semi-racist comment that he's never dated "a…black…one." I'm going to chalk that up to him not realizing how it sounded because A) I don't think he's a racist and B) I still say he's her soulmate. But I definitely did cringe a bit in that moment. And also, Peter is being pretty clear that he may not propose at the end of this, which I'm sure the producers are loving, so that when he actually does, it can seem "surprising." But enough about last week's episode. Let's dive into the depressing soul suck that was the hometown dates.
We start with Eric, who brings Rachel home to Baltimore. They play a little basketball and meet up with one of Eric's childhood friends, who tells her he's never brought a girl home to meet his family. Eric grew up in a tough neighborhood and made himself a promise when he was young that he wasn't going to follow in his family's footsteps and go "on the streets" so he studied hard, got straight A's (apparently the word "facade" never bested him on a spelling test prior to this show) and worked to get himself to a better place. I have to say, it's the only time I've ever even slightly understood why she likes Eric, but I was a little scared to meet this supposedly crazy family, which I'm sure Rachel was, too. And then, just like that, we enter into a room full of people who seem… perfectly lovely. His mother, father, and aunt all came off well, and it kind of seemed like his parents were taking the opportunity to apologize to Eric for anything they may have done wrong when he was a kid. It was a nice moment for all of them and they seemed to really like Rachel a lot. Eric didn't say he loved her, per se, but he did admit that he really cared about her, which she felt was a lot for him, so she seemed happy.
Next, we meet up with Bryan in Miami, and as usual, there is a lot of sexual heat between them. If they haven't already boned, I'm sure the fantasy suite is going to be one wild ride. They play dominos with some locals, they dance and then they head over to Bryan's parents' house. He tells Rachel that his last relationship ended because his girlfriend and his mom didn't get along, so she's nervous to make a good impression, of course. We meet Bryan's mom and dad and some other chick (not sure who she was, but I know it wasn't his sister because he said he was an only child.) Bryan's dad was very quiet (I don't think he said a word the entire time) and his mom was the polar opposite. She was the typical overbearing mother who thinks her son walks on water (I can recognize this because I am the same kind of mother and will continue to be this way well into my only son's adulthood, so good luck to the girl who wants to date him) but is also afraid of any woman taking her baby away from her. I think she liked Rachel, but at one point she said "If Bryan is happy, I am happy" followed by "I'll kill you" if he's not. Good on you, Mrs Bryan's mom. Show that girl who the boss is straight out the gate. Bryan later tells Rachel that he loves her and she seems very happy.
We then find ourselves in Madison, Wisconsin for her hometown with Peter. They meet up with some of his friends first and they tell her how great Peter is, and also what a big cheesy dork he is. Even though I find him cute, this tracks. I could see him telling a corny dad joke now and again and thinking it's hilarious. They meet up with his family and Rachel is enamored by his relationship with his niece. His parents seem nice and they seem to like Rachel just fine, even though Mama Peter tells her that he's not necessarily ready to propose, but that she does think he's ready to commit. This seems to give Rachel some pause, as she's been very clear that she doesn't want to leave this "journey" with just another boyfriend, but I still thinks she will choose him in the end. And if not, then he will definitely be the new Bachelor. (Full disclosure- I wouldn't be mad about watching a whole season of Peter.Im just saying, it would be a welcome treat after a third go with Nick Viall and his tight jeans.)
For our fourth and final hometown, we meet sweet Dean in Aspen. He seems nervous and admits that he hasn't talked to his father in two years. Dean has been very open about the fact that he felt very emotionally abandoned by his father when his mother died (he was 15) and that they have a very strained relationship. But his dad went from being a very traditional, bread-winner, white collar dad to a Sikh yoga-instructor/faith healer/meditator named (and I had to google this and I'm still not certain I got it right) Paratroop S Khahsa. Rachel wasn't sure what she should call him and Dean seemed uncomfortable with the whole thing. They roll up to PSK's house, and Daddy Dean has them lie on the floor and feel some energy for a bit. At first, I think Dean is embarrassed, especially when his dad feeds Rachel some weird mungbean stew, but at the episode goes on, it becomes clear that this is the source of some deep emotional pain for young Dean. And it's moments like these that make me hate myself so hard for watching this show, because even though he knows what he signed up for, it all seems exploitative and gross. PSK and Dean have a pretty intense disagreement and daddy leaves and doesn't want to talk about it anymore. And further, PSK also refuses to discuss it with Rachel, and I wonder if maybe he really is the only enlightened one who realizes that these issues are better worked out off camera. Later, Dean tell Rachel he's falling in love with her and she tells him she's falling in love with him, too. What the WHAT? The L word is typically not uttered by the lead until the last episode, so this is either very good news or very bad news for Young Dean.
At the rose ceremony, the roses go as follows:
- Bryan
- Eric
- Peter
Sorry, Sweet Dean. That means you've got to go. She seems sad to say goodbye to him and basically says it's because she doesn't think he's ready for what she's ready for. Unsurprisingly, he's a perfect gentleman upon departure, even while bringing up the fact that she reciprocated his "falling for you" comment. She says she meant it, offers him a sweet goodbye and sends him on his way. And for the first time ever, I felt like I turned on Rachel a little because poor, sweet Dean is already an emotional wreck over the mom and dad stuff, but then I remembered that he's young and cute and will be made semi-famous by this, so I think he will be just fine. And he's going on to Bachelor in Paradise, so maybe he can have some fun hookups there.
So, just like that, we are left with the final three- Bryan, whose tongue barely leaves Rachel's mouth long enough to say much of anything sincere, Eric, who I'm warming to slightly, but still don't think she will choose, and Peter, who is clearly the front-runner, in my opinion. Unless of course things don't go well in the Fantasy Suite, in which case she will ultimately choose Bryan so she can continue playing tonsil hockey with him. I guess we will have to wait until next week. See you all then.


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What is EFT Tapping?
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is a type of Meridian Tapping combining ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology with startling results by utilizing the body's energy meridian points — literally tapping into your body's own healing power.
Your body is filled with life energy and a compelling ability for self-healing. With EFT Tapping, you'll be able to take control of that power.
How does EFT Tapping work?
When you experience a negative emotional state of anger, fear, upset or pain, your brain goes on high alert, preparing your body for the fight or flight response. This response is triggered internally, generating stress or thoughts possibly rooted in past trauma or conditioned learning from childhood.
The combination of tapping on the energy meridians pictured here while stating appropriate phrases identifying the session's focus can decrease or eliminate stress even after a few short rounds of tapping.
What is Matrix Reimprinting?
Matrix Reimprinting (MR), developed by Master Karl Dawson, is an energy psychology technique which combines the use of EFT Tapping to heal and change your relationship to your past, dramatically transforming your physical and emotional health in the present. To quote Caroline Myss, "our biography becomes our biology."
A further benefit of the Matrix Reimprinting technique is that it utilizes the law of attraction. When we have traumatic experiences, we hold them in our energy field and continue to attract similar experiences. With MR, once we resolve the trauma, we change the point of attraction to a more positive memory and we then are able to begin attracting more fulfilling and life-sustaining experiences.
Does EFT work with everyone?
Yes! EFT works as a useful tool for people across all ages, genders and cultures.
Is EFT just 1-on-1? Can sessions have multiple attendees?
EFT can be practiced with 1 or 100 attendees. 1-on-1 sessions are ideal for personal results, however entire staff groups can gain the benefits of a better work environment through EFT. As an office morale tool, EFT has been shown to yield amazing results for both employees and employers. Removing stress from an employee's work environment has proven to create a marked increase in productivity, fewer sick/personal days used and an overall better sense of worker satisfaction.


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In a Rolling Stone interview from 1979, Johnny Carson, host of "Tonight" and the most important gatekeeper in comedy for decades, gave his take on female comics.
"The ones that try sometimes are a little aggressive for my taste," he said. "I'll take it from a guy, but from women, sometimes, it just doesn't fit too well."
That attitude is certainly durable — see Christopher Hitchens's uncharacteristically dumb 2007 column for Vanity Fair, "Why Women Aren't Funny" — but it no longer holds sway. Comics like Joan Rivers, Roseanne Barr and Sandra Bernhard were trailblazers, but if you had to pinpoint one joke as a breakthrough for this new generation of female comedians, it might be this one: "I was raped by a doctor, which is so bittersweet for a Jewish girl."
When I saw Sarah Silverman deliver that signature one-liner in a downtown theater almost a decade ago, the audience exploded with laughter followed by groans. Then came the anxious chuckles whose subtext seemed to be: I can't believe I laughed at that joke.
For a certain strain of stand-up, dating to Lenny Bruce, it's essential to talk about what's taboo. George Carlin famously argued that rape jokes could be funny. "Picture Porky Pig raping Elmer Fudd," he offered as evidence. Ms. Silverman belongs to this tradition, under the guise of a shallow bigot. What she proved is that there are areas of aggressive, shocking comedy where women could go further than men. To put it another way, her humor would make Johnny Carson uncomfortable.
It's no accident that her best-known jokes are about rape. Our culture sends mixed signals about this least funny of subjects. Facebook took down a page dedicated to ugly rape jokes last week after months of pressure, yet every night tourists guffaw at a repeated joke about raping babies as a cure for AIDS in "The Book of Mormon." It's startlingly rare to watch an evening of stand-up in New York without any mention of rape.
Whereas male comedians generally tread more gently, particularly if the victim is a woman (prison jokes are a whole other matter), Ms. Silverman barges forward. Now 40, Ms. Silverman, still lanky and loose-limbed, hasn't mellowed much. At her show at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Saturday, she glared at the audience, charging past the microphone stand to mock someone for checking a cellphone. She told a bland story about starring in a TV show, but her material sharpens when returning to her deadpan awfulness.
"I need more rape jokes," she shouted nasally before letting her fans in on what she called a comedy secret, that such jokes are actually not so "edgy" after all. "Who's going to complain about rape jokes? Rape victims?" she asked. "They barely even report rape." There were no groans this time.
That may be because a majority of male stand-ups are neurotics nursing anxieties, while their female counterparts are just as likely to resemble the brash Ms. Silverman. She was not the first to escape being pigeonholed as a self-deprecating ugly duckling, ingratiating flirt or asexual eccentric. Who knows how successful someone like Elayne Boosler, who had trouble getting booked on "Tonight," would have been if she had been given the same opportunities as Jay Leno and David Letterman?
Ms. Silverman's comedy laid the groundwork for the prolific Whitney Cummings, another coarse, sexually frank female stand-up comic more likely to be roasting than retiring. Her two new sitcoms, "Whitney," on NBC, which she created, produced and stars in, and "2 Broke Girls," on CBS, for which she is a co-producer and co-creator, have done well enough to receive full-season orders. The slightly funnier of these conventionally bland shows, "2 Broke Girls," does employ several lame jokes that mention rape, and while the show has drawn some criticism, it is probably not nearly as much as a network comedy would have received a decade ago.
Where you really see the influence of Ms. Silverman is in the clubs, in the most unfiltered of art forms, where performers can work out their material with a minimum of interference or trace of concern about standards or demographics. Phoebe Robinson, a petite comedian from Cleveland who has the wry smile of your kid sister, delivers amusingly dry observations about dating, catcalls and Facebook. Her material is tautly written but not particularly risky, except for one joke that received the loudest laugh both times I saw her perform.
"When I watch a movie where there's a really good-looking rapist," she says, her tone lilting upward before hitting the punch line on a low note, "I think about the girl: Why are you complaining?"
She sort of apologizes for the joke by looking disappointed with the crowd's approval.
Tina Fey tried a similar tactic with a controversial scene on "30 Rock" in which her character, Liz Lemon, acts disgusted when her longtime confidant Pete Hornberger describes having sex with his wife while she was sleeping. There's no such softening, however, in the frighteningly polished and deftly performed assault on good taste that is the stand-up routine of Amy Schumer.
Like Ms. Silverman and Ms. Cummings, Ms. Schumer, 30, made a splash on a Comedy Central roast. She appears regularly at New York comedy clubs; recently at the Gotham Comedy Club, Laurie Kilmartin, a writer for "Conan," called Ms. Schumer "the daughter I never aborted." Ms. Schumer, who will have a weekend stint at Carolines on Broadway in early January, spouts proudly prejudiced views, mean-girl put-downs and meticulously recounted sexual exploits with a wholesome, apple-cheeked cheer.
In between slurs she swivels her head with a look of innocent cluelessness. Adding to the effect is her famous last name: She is a distant relative of Senator Charles E. Schumer, the New York Democrat. She specializes in jokes that depend on a strategic pause. "My best friend is black," she says, waiting a long second, "in this story."
Ms. Schumer has the instincts of a natural performer, but in her lines about Jews killing Jesus, her desperate need to be thin and her hostility toward the maternal instinct, you can sometimes too clearly hear Ms. Silverman's influence. But while Ms. Schumer is working from a familiar playbook, the comics differ in tone.
Blond and bubbly, Ms. Schumer is always light, even when saying dark things. Her performance is also more mannered, with gestural and verbal tics that make her stupendously realized onstage character more obviously a creation. ("Right?" often sets up the punch line, while "um" fills the time as the laughter dies down.) Her flamboyance has a distancing effect, yet she slyly baits the audience.
She begins one of her most dependable jokes by triumphantly announcing that she slept with her "high school crush." While this could come off like a boast, her sugary delivery makes it sound like a heartwarming dream come true, albeit over a decade late. Then Ms. Schumer gooses the crowd — "right?" she shouts, earning applause. Pause: "But now he expects me to go to his graduation."
The line between good and bad taste moves so quickly these days that a provocateur must be nimble, constantly looking to raise the ante. So at two recent performances Ms. Schumer added a second punch line, delivered with a catty sigh: "Like I know what I'm going to be doing in three years."


text: This astounding photography is presented in the "Nature" section of the site, size is 1920 x 1200. For the best search this photo contains the special tags: cliffs, lake. If you are looking for the other photos like this you have an opportunity to find unique keywords: cliff, mirror, cliff mirror. Please find time for voting for the "Cliff in the mirror" on this page if you think this one deserves your attention. Besides, you are able to add this photo to the one or more social services. Look at the left bottom side under big image to find the stars for voting. You can save the photo into your computer (probably for the further use as a wallpaper). To make this you have just to click (right button of mouse) on the image and then choose "Save as". The image 'Cliff in the mirror' is grabbed 2 votes. Now it rated with 4.8 score. You can change this rating or support the curent one.


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[ syll. ea-(d)beo-(r)(h)(t), ead-beor-ht ] The baby boy name Eadbeorht is pronounced IY-DB-erHHT †. Eadbeorht's language of origin is English. Eadbeorht is a variation of Eadburt.
Eadbeorht is an unusual baby boy name. It is not listed in the top 1000.
Baby names that sound like Eadbeorht include Eadbard (Irish), Eadbert, Eadbirt, Eadburt, Eadbyrt, Eadberto, and Eadbhárd (Irish).
† approx English pronunciation for Eadbeorht: IY as in "eat (IY.T)" ; D as in "day (D.EY)" ; B as in "be (B.IY)" ; ER as in "hurt (HH.ER.T)" ; HH as in "he (HH.IY)" ; T as in "tee (T.IY)"


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1. Mastering the Media
This master-class will focus on drawing out key journalistic messages that your organisation wants to communicate. The training looks at how best to achieve clear, simple messages in a variety of situations, with an emphasis on TV, radio and print media. Current example of news stories will be used and we will focus on how to draw out simple messages from a complex story, as well as achieving press coverage in an environment of press fatigue. We will also look at potential lines to take during a bad news or breaking crisis situation.
The course will cover:
- editorial agendas
- what is news?
- developing a message that journalists and their audiences will understand
- breaking news, and cutting through the noise
- lines to take during a crisis
- sorry is the hardest word…
- structuring an effective press release
2. On Air Presentation Skills
This course has been designed for those aiming to create a compelling presentation style and make a real impact with their audience. The training will concentrate on personal style through an authentic and authoritative voice and how to leave the audience with a lasting impression.
We will cover tips and techniques used by professional presenters and the importance of storytelling in any presentation format. Each delegate will script and record a presentation at the end of the course. The course will be delivered by experienced BBC producers and reporters who have worked with some of the most successful presenters in sport, factual and news journalism.
The course will cover:
- creating a compelling presentation style
- establishing credibility
- the audience
- scripting and the importance of storytelling
- good practice and bad practice
- rehearsing and 'scripted' natural presentation
- feeling confident and how to relax on air
- the audience takeaway
3. Effective Media Interviews
This course will focus on briefing experts, pundits or commentators for effective media interviews, particularly for "difficult" topics. The course will be divided into two parts. The first part will focus on understanding editorial and news agendas in the mainstream press, the news "pyramid," deciding key messages and communicating the messages effectively. The second part of the course will focus on briefing for effective interviews, including:
- what makes an effective interview?
- storytelling techniques
- push button issues: uncovering sensitive areas
- preparing for difficult questions
- techniques: bridging, blocking, flagging
- communication styles, and finding your voice
- preparing for media interviews
- live versus recorded: what to ask in advance
- editorial control and how to take it
- fact, comment and opinion
The course will be led by experienced radio producers and journalists.
4. Crisis Communication
This is a masterclass in crisis management from a communications perspective. It will be led by Caroline Elliot, a former crisis management lead for BBC Radio and is a scenario-based course in which a number of different potential crises will be worked through. Examples could include, but not be restricted to, the Tim Hunt / UCL case, Dr Matt Taylor and the Rosetta Mission, and the MMR Scare. Lessons will be drawn from effective and ineffective crisis management: for example, the Alton Towers accident, in contrast to Thomas Cook's handling of the death of two children on holiday in Corfu, and the recent VW emissions scandal. Caroline will bring in personal experience of the Ross/Brand/Andrew Sachs prank call (Sachsgate), and the cost to business and reputation of such events.
The course will cover:
- clarity of roles during a crisis scenario
- rehearsal of roles
- internal communications and instructions to staff (including their use of social media)
- communicating with staff during a dangerous crisis, including next of kin
- external communications and getting the message right
- briefing experts
- handling social media v mainstream media
5. Shutting down the social media storm
This aspect of crisis communications is so important that it merits a stand-alone course, following on from "crisis communications." We will look at case studies in which organisations had an ineffective social media strategy (and what went wrong), including those where the organisation's response to negative publicity became the story in the press. We will also look at examples of good practice (for example the case of 02 responding in person to every tweet after a power outage). Key lessons will include how to respond to social media via social media, rather than relying on a standard corporate response.
We will compare and contrast different strategies and end the session with delegates writing their own "social media crisis handbook," which will include a clear delineation of roles, clarity of response, and ways of working with mainstream, as well as social media, to shut down the "storm".
The course will be led by a journalist and social media expert.
6. Pitching for media outlets
This course looks at what makes a story for mainstream media outlets, and how best to pitch an idea, from the point of view of experienced journalists used to getting stories on air and in the press.
The course will cover:
- knowing your audience
- building relationships
- what makes a story?
- the news hook
- choosing your outlet
- the editorial meeting
- selling your story
- the email pitch
- photography and graphics
- interviewees
- press toolkits and making it easy


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|Hard Cover Non-Fiction
|St. Martin's Press
|February 20th 2018
NAMED A BEST/MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2018 BY:Glamour•Chicago Reader• Bustle• Autostraddle
Joy Reid,Cosmopolitan:"A dissertation on black women's pain and possibility; an autobiography of a black woman's complicated dance with feminism, overcoming otherness as a big black girl in a skinny-white-girl world, her mother's triumph over violence, and her own journey from disappointment to black joy."
Melissa Harris Perry says:"I was waiting for an author who wouldn't forget, ignore, or erase us black girls as they told their own story...I was waiting and she has come—in Brittney Cooper."
Michael Eric Dyson says:"Cooper may be the boldest young feminist writing today.Her critique is sharp, her love of Black people and Black culture is deep, andshe will make you laugh out loud."
Rebecca Traister says:"Brittney Cooper is a national treasure."
Mychal Denzel Smith says: "Brittney Cooper is the Black Feminist Prophet we urgently need."
So what if it's true that Black women are mad as hell? They have the right to be. In the Black feminist tradition of Audre Lorde, Brittney Cooper reminds us that anger is a powerful source of energy that can give us the strength to keep on fighting.
Far too often, Black women's anger has been caricatured into an ugly and destructive force that threatens the civility and social fabric of American democracy. But Cooper shows us that there is more to the story than that. Black women's eloquent rage is what makes Serena Williams such a powerful tennis player. It's what makes Beyoncé's girl power anthems resonate so hard. It's what makes Michelle Obama an icon.
Eloquent rage keeps us all honest and accountable. It reminds women that they don't have to settle for less. When Cooper learned of her grandmother's eloquent rage about love, sex, and marriage in an epic and hilarious front-porch confrontation, her life was changed. And it took another intervention, this time staged by one of her homegirls, to turn Brittney into the fierce feminist she is today. In Brittney Cooper's world, neither mean girls nor fuckboys ever win. But homegirls emerge as heroes. This book argues that ultimately feminism, friendship, and faith in one's own superpowers are all we really need to turn things right side up again.
Brittney Cooper writes a popular monthly column on race, gender, and politics forCosmopolitan. A professor of Women's and Gender Studies and Africana Studies at Rutgers University, she co-founded the Crunk Feminist Collective, and her work has appeared in theNew York Times, theWashington Post, theLos Angeles Times, Ebony.com, and The Root.com, among many others. In 2017, she was named toThe Root100 List.


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This is the amplicon context sequence in accordance with the minimum information for the publication of real-time quantitative PCR experiements (MIQE) guidelines. For more details, please refer to the following publication, "Primer Sequence Disclosure: A Clarification of the MIQE Guidelines."
ddPCR™ probe assay designed for gene expression analysis. Probe assays consist of unlabeled PCR primers and a dual labeled fluorescent probe.
Info: FAM; Same primer pair and probe as used in qPCR assay qRnoCEP0023878; exonic
Assay Information
Gene Information
transmembrane receptor for somatostatin; coupled to a G-protein which inhibits adenylyl cyclase; may also activate the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade [RGD, Feb 2006]


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Come visit us at our office in Boca Raton, FL for a cataract consultation
Crystalline Lens
Cataract symptoms
- Blurry vision resulting in a cloudiness or haziness
- Glare from light and halos around lights, especially at night
- Colors are dull and appear yellow
- Difficulty driving at night
As we all grow older, the natural crystalline lens that we are born with becomes cloudy, bringing on visual symptoms such as blurred vision, glare, halos, sensitivity to light and difficulty with night vision and loss of color vision. This clouding of the natural lens is referred to as a cataract. Simply put, this cloudy or hardened lens can no longer produce clear, sharp images the way it used to. Cataracts can also be caused by trauma, heredity, diabetes and even some medications.
Cataracts occur at different rates and can affect one or both of your eyes at the same time. Fortunately, with today's modern medical technology, your cataract can be treated safely and effectively through a microsurgical technique and implantation of an intraocular lens (IOL) which replaces the natural crystalline lens. In fact with today's technology, patients can actually look forward to not simply regaining vision, but returning to youthful vision!
Click here to learn more about Cataracts & Astigmatism.
Click here to learn more about Cataract Surgery.
If you would like to book your appointment online click here or call 561-338-7722 today!


text: Structured brushed leather tote in black. Distressing throughout. Twin carry handles. Detachable and adjustable shoulder strap with lanyard fastening. Logo embossed at face. Leather bumper studs at base. Zippered pockets at two-compartment interior. Tonal suede lining. Gunmetal-tone hardware. Tonal stitching. Approx. 12" length x 9.5" height x 5.5" width. Leather. Made in Italy.


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Operation Organization 2014 with 11 Magnolia Lane
The fabulous ladies over at 11 Magnolia Lane have put together Operation Organization just in time for the new year! Each day they are featuring a different blog and one of their best organization projects, and guess who is featured today? Yep, Burlap and Denim. Go check it out HERE!


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If you need an easy (yet impressive) homemade gift idea, then look no further! I promise that my aunt's delicious sharp mustard recipe is the perfect little something to give to friends and neighbors this holiday season.
While we all love being gifted with sweets at this time of year, I do like to give something a bit different. This mustard is perfect with a holiday spiral ham, or on sandwiches or brats.
This recipe is a snap; you can buy several jars of dry mustard at the grocery store, but I just buy mine in bulk bags (all of my sources are below). Here's the recipe:
I know many of our regular readers have seen this recipe before; I've published an Easter version {here} to go with Easter ham, and a Thanksgiving version {here}. When you have a favorite go-to recipe, you use it over and over again, and lots of people request this from me every year!
The file for the tags is here:
| Click here to download printable mustard labels |
(Designed to print on Avery 22802 labels {best price below} or plain white cardstock)
And here are the rest of my supplies. If you have Amazon Prime, then there's still plenty of time to order everything and make a batch of mustard for gifts!
Our posts contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on these links, we will earn a small commission, which helps to keep our content free. You don't pay a cent more than you would otherwise, since that would be tacky! Read our full disclosure policy here.
Thanks for stopping by!


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Hey we like bargains too! If our suppliers offer us a discount, we will pass it on to you. Shop On Sale!
Looking for brass, bullets, dies for your reloading press or reloading tools? Shop Reloading
The American Gunner line of ammunition is a collection of tried-and-true, versatile loads that are popular with shooters for their target shooting, hunting or self-defense needs.
Made in the USA with premium components, American Gunner ammunition combines generations of ballistics know-how with modern technology.
Manufacturer: Hornady
Brand American Gunner
Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
Weight: 140gr
Type: Boat Tail Hollow Point
Rounds Per Box: 50
Muzzle Velocity: 2690 fps
Muzzle Energy: 2249 ft/lbs
Hornady introduces new rifle calibers to complement the handgun offerings currently available. These rifle options are loaded with match grade hollow point bullets for a broad range of use including self-defense, target shooting, and varmint/small game hunting.
XTP (eXtreme Terminal Performance), HP and BTHP bullets are exceptionally accurate and deliver excellent versatility and superior ballistic performance.
Designed to offer an all-around fun shooting experience that's affordable, American Gunner s loaded in the most popular handgun and rifle calibers.
Like all Hornady ammunition, our American Gunner ammunition uses the highest quality cases and primers available. Loaded to conventional velocities, American Gunner® functions in any gun. Consistent components translate to consistent shooting in the field.
About the Manufacturer:
"Ten bullets through one hole" was the philosophy of Joyce Hornady, the company's founder. This great idea of accuracy and perfection has continued from the first bullet made more than sixty years ago, right through today.
Like so many successful companies, Hornady Manufacturing was born out of one man's vision of a better product for his own use. Joyce Hornady was an avid shooter and needed a steady supply of good, accurate bullets. While commercially available bullets were usable, Joyce felt that better bullets could be made.
We continue to be one of the largest independent producers of bullets in the World. They sell bullets as separate components, loaded in Hornady Ammunition, and also to other ammunition companies to be loaded in their premium grade ammo. Their employees exhibit our products at trade shows and shooting matches across the country, and our product lines are represented to dealers and distributors by over 70 independent sales representatives.
Hornady Manufacturing has been the recipient of many industry awards and has also given generously within the community of Grand Island, where we make our home. Organizations supported include the United Way, the Platte River Charity Shoot, the Heartland Public Shooting Park, Hope Harbor, the Central-Plains Chapter of the American Red Cross, Stuhr Museum and the list goes on.
Hornady was the leading founder of the Hunting and Shooting Sports Heritage Fund, and they support or serve on The National Shooting Sports Foundation, Honored American Veterans Afield, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute, The National Rifle Association, and many others. As a member of the shooting and hunting sports industry, Hornady realizes the need to give back to the sports that keep them in business and maintain our heritage..
The stature of Hornady Manufacturing Company within its industry has never been higher. Combine the best customer base with the best employees, throw in the family/management team running this business; it's hard not to be successful.
About the 6.5 Creedmoor
The 6.5mm Creedmoor, also called the 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5 CM for short, is a centerfire rifle cartridge introduced by Hornady in 2007 as a modification of the .30 TC, which was based on the .308 Winchester. It was designed specifically for rifle target shooting, although it is also achieving success in game hunting. Bullet for bullet, the 6.5mm Creedmoor achieves a slower muzzle velocity than longer cartridges such as the 6.5-284 Norma or magnum cartridges such as the 6.5mm Remington Magnum. However, due to its 2.825 inches (71.8 mm) overall length, it is capable of being chambered in short-action bolt action rifles and AR-10 semi-automatic rifles.
Parent case .30 TC
Case type Rimless, bottleneck
Bullet diameter .2644 in (6.72 mm)
Neck diameter .2950 in (7.49 mm)
Shoulder diameter .4620 in (11.73 mm)
Base diameter .4703 in (11.95 mm)
Rim diameter .4730 in (12.01 mm)
Rim thickness .054 in (1.4 mm)
Case length 1.920 in (48.8 mm)
Overall length 2.825 in (71.8 mm)
Case capacity 52.5 gr H2O (3.40 cm3)
Rifling twist 1-8" (203 mm)
Primer type Large rifle
Maximum pressure (C.I.P.) 63,100 psi (435 MPa)
Maximum pressure (SAAMI) 62,000 psi (430 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy
120 gr (8 g) AMAX 3,020 ft/s (920 m/s) 2,430 ft�lbf (3,290 J)
140 gr (9 g) Hornady ELD-X 2,710 ft/s (830 m/s) 2,283 ft�lbf (3,095 J)
Phone: 512-827-8651
(leave message we'll call back)


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Andy Kelso (former Fiyero – 1st Nat'l Tour) and Jeanna de Waal (Glinda – 2nd Ntl. Tour) are set to join the cast of KINKY BOOTS in the new year. Mr. Kelso will be stepping into the role of Charlie Price, who is currently played by Stark Sands, on January 28th. Ms. de Waal will be stepping into the role of Lauren, who is currently played by Annaleigh Ashford (former Glinda – Chicago, Broadway; former ensemble, u/s Glinda – 1st Ntl. Tour), on March 4th.
This entry was posted in Performer News and tagged Andy Kelso, Annaleigh Ashford, Jeanna de Waal. Bookmark the permalink.


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New Core , New opportunity ---Focus on 2018 Weibu Spring New product Launch
Date: 2018-03-30 Source:weibu
Weibu New Product release conference was grandly held at Vanke Qianhai International Conference Center on March 29th ,2018. And dozens of new digital products were launched and displayed at the conference.
At the event, thousands of professionals from the whole PC industry chain gathered together enjoying this wonderful products display.
"With the fact that global PC market has generally slipped in 2017, while pop hand-tour and online games , such as 'Player Unknown's Battleground', 'World of Warcraft' have renewed the PC industry vitality. Besides, VR, AI and the hot Block Chain trend, all this innovations and technologies bring new chances to PC manufactures." Chairman of Weibu information inc, Remond Huang remarked at the opening ceremony.
Subsequently, Intel PRC Sales GM Alan Wang also delivered a speech . He affirmed Weibu's achievements and irreplaceable roles in the process of deepening Chinese market. Intel will always regard Weibu as the most important partner after eighteen years intimate cooperation. In the future, Intel will continue to maintain close cooperation with Weibu and increase the depth and breadth of collaboration.
Collin Chang, GM of Weibu CCG business department, delivered an important speech, which deeply analyzed the changes and opportunities of consumer electronics market. First of all, he analysed the present market changes from many dimensions such as user's consumption idea, ecological chain etc, and pointed that consumer being in the pursuit of high pretend-bility, personalization, while also confronted with intensifying competition, poor reputation and lower profit. And he mentioned how to jump out of the vicious cycle of low price and low quality determines the profit or even survival of the manufacturer. Moreover, it matters for the whole industry chain and CTE manufacturers to seek better development routes.
Intel PRC SMG TSE GM Gary Gao and Microsoft Senior Channel Executive Tony Franklin also made splendid keynote speeches. In 2018, weibu will launch a variety of PC products based on Intel Gemini Lake, kabylake-Y and kabylake-R chip platform for CTE manufacturer Ecological development. On site, Intel kabylake-G products and Microsoft win10 Home in S mode system received high attention from the audience.
This event is unprecedented large-scale with 5 series 20+ new products released. As leading X86 total solution provider, weibu has focused on global enterprise layout after the period of early exploration, accumulation and steady growth.
Weibu , takes a step and prove to the world!


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Rhino Safety works with companies from various industry sectors, offering health & safety advice to ensure that they meet standards and, ultimately, grow their businesses.
Our expert knowledge and guidance about compliance and legislative requirements often leads to further successes down the line, and it's great to be able to reflect upon the positive impact our work has had.
So to Dennis Goulding Ltd, a Wigan-based windows, doors and glazing company that offers a stylish range of products that helps customers to add real value to their homes.
Back in 2009, the business enjoyed a turnover of around £120,000 each year. They returned steady sales figures for about four years until the decision was made to start manufacturing more of their product range in-house. This would yield better margins, but it also meant taking on more staff who would be exposed to increased hazards and a multitude of additional health and safety issues.
So what did Rhino Safety do?
With grand plans in place, production rising and business complexities mounting, there was an increased duty of care – and that was something we could help with. We came on board to assist in managing the risks associated with such a labour-intensive operation that involved hands-on, skilled workers who used powerful and potentially dangerous machinery.
One of the key targets was to ensure that the business was accredited with CHAS (the Contractors Health & Safety Assessment Scheme). This was vital; an award that is recognised by other construction companies and significant industry players. To achieve that accreditation and get it right first time, using Rhino Safety's expertise was essential. That's what we do, carefully assessing how a business is operating and then documenting procedures so that a company is working to recognised rules and regulations quickly and efficiently. Crucially, its workforce is safe. No corners have been cut, no important details missed.
With a comprehensive review of Dennis Goulding's health and safety policies completed, CHAS was achieved and the company was in a position to pursue much larger local government contracts. Business boomed, as they were able to trade with large-scale manufacturers and tender for significant contracts across the northwest and beyond. This year, they are on target to turn over £1,000,000 – and the future is bright. Rhino Safety now keeps on top of any issues that might need to be considered as new ideas and plans are introduced.
Most recently, we have just helped them win a contract with Wigan County Council worth £1.2 million pounds over four years. That's fantastic news and it rewards the hard work put in by everyone.
Stuart Goulding, company director, said: "Rhino Safety has been a huge help and they have guided us to the next level. As we focused on what we do best, Simon and his team ensured that our production processes were fully compliant with the latest legislation.
"Having a good working relationship is essential. Knowing that we can rely on Rhino Safety to ensure that our workforce is safe gives me great peace of mind. It's a partnership that has flourished and benefited all parties."
If your company is growing quickly and needs a health & safety check-up to ensure that you remain fully compliant, get in touch now on 01270-440341.


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"The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he is always doing both." – James A. Michener
In 2012, I created a personal mission statement. Have you ever thought of doing such a thing? I originally got the idea long before 2012 from a church boy I knew. He carried it around in his wallet to remind him of his goals and values whenever he needed to make a decision concerning his life. It was a sort-of GPS to keep oneself on track. The idea works the same as business mission statements. I thought it was such a good idea but of course I didn't do it right away. I wasn't even sure where to begin. In 2012, one of my favorite bloggers, Rosetta Thurman of HappyBlackWoman.com, broke it down. I just had to list my values, the things I appreciate, who I really am and what I want to do on this earth. The great thing about creating a personal mission statement is that it can change and evolve as you do. It can also be as long or short as you want. Mine is long.
My personal mission statement says: "I value education, love, community, God, public service, creativity and diversity. I truly appreciate laughter, good food, music and poetry in my life. I value my independence and love for myself and others. In my time on this earth, I want to make a positive impact on the world for young people, women and people of color. I am a leader, Christian and woman of color who will use my life to help others work on their self-image and advancement. In my consulting efforts to guide others towards confidence and independence. I will also continue to reflect on my use of wisdom, integrity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, compassion and self-control in doing so. I will not ignore my own family, friends, finances, health or spirit. I will give my loved ones the authentic love and respect I would ask them to have for me. I will remember that my actions are just as important as my words and live accordingly."
In 2014, I sat through a life-changing personal development seminar. During that seminar I created a personal vision around my finances (Be debt free from student loans and credit cards), my fitness (Practice self-care and stay fit as I age), my family (Be a more active family member), my friends (Be a more active friend), my work (Future goals to own a magazine and run a television network around the themes of my current blog) and my fun (Have more fun by living intentionally). I attached SMART goals and tasks to each which I am sure I will discuss in a future blog post. I also told my closest friends and family about it in order to hold myself accountable. I was planting the seed for what has come this year.
In January 2015, inspired by Essence Magazine, I created my first physical vision board. I clipped images and words around travel, relationships, rest, leadership, women I admire, empowerment and fun among many other things. Ever since I created that vision board and put it up inside the cabinets of my bathroom mirrors, I have seen so many more of those goals happen. It sounds like magic but I'm serious, it works. It creates a secret drive inside you to look for opportunities to make those things happen. For example, in April 2015 I found out I was a recipient of the Aspire Foundation scholarship that I applied for after seeing a dynamic webinar by their foundation on Trailblazing leadership. Come June 2015, I will be attending their Trailblazing Leadership conference for women being held in London, England! That alone achieves several of the goals I had on my vision board. It is truly amazing.
Fast forward to today, I have been inspired by so many of my experiences to write this blog. I have been driven by what I have learned about myself through mission statements and vision boards. I have arrived at a new exhilarating experience moving forward to fulfill these visions that I have been developing and editing over the years. I am writing my blog away from dreams and drafts into reality. I am investing in myself and giving up on all my familiar excuses. What tired excuse is it time for you to let go of?
My new mantra: Don't think so hard while trying to master the art of living well. I welcome you to untangle your life with me.
What personal or professional vision do you want to come alive in your life?


text: Jellyfish Journeys May Affect Climate Creatures' movements may carry carbon dioxide to ocean depths By Matt Cantor, Newser User Posted Jul 30, 2009 8:57 AM CDT 5 comments Jellyfish travels may move carbon dioxide, affecting the atmosphere's carbon balance. (Shutterstock) (Newser) – Jellyfish may be secretly affecting the climate of the oceans: Their movements appear to help change the balance of carbon in the atmosphere, NPR reports. Many jellyfish hide from predators deep underwater during the day and head to the surface at night for a snack, says an oceanographer. When they return, a study in Nature says, they may be carrying carbon dioxide dissolved in surface water down with them. Ocean mixing—warm surface water mingling with the cold below—plays a big role in the Earth's temperature. The study is reigniting debate over whether animals can affect the process. But more research is needed to determine whether jellyfish are really climate agents. "What I think we can say at the moment is that it's a plausible idea," says a scientist. (Read more jellyfish stories.)


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As the economies of the world teeter and wobble and many fall completely down, the news is not that much brighter on this side of the world. Briggs & Stratton has gone ahead and made the United States economy, a little less shiny and has started the inevitable process of laying off 200 of their workforce in Missouri.
Briggs North American VP Speaks About Layoff Reasons
The reasons are varied with the vice president of Briggs' North American operations, Dave DeBaets, citing "economic conditions and the seasonal nature of our business, we need to adjust production schedules to manage finished goods inventories to planned levels," the VP was quoted as stating earlier in this month.
Halloween Month of Frightening News
October is indeed a scary month, as the families of these workers will certainly feel the sting of their household incomes being severed by 50% or in some case, 100%. The job cuts affect 110 full- and part-time employees, as well as 92 seasonal, Briggs & Stratton workers at the Poplar Bluff, Missouri plant.
Sincerest Apologies and Prayers
From all of us here at this Briggs Stratton Engine Parts blog, we can only offer our sincerest condolences as well as our combined prayers for a speedy job replacement and/or transfers within the company.


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Reblogged on 6-24–made some edits on one of my most popular posts ever.
This post has been edited to include a text version of the poem below, since some readers told me the .jpg was hard to read. To view the intentional line endings, please do refer to the image version, which you can click on to expand.
I also realized I was remiss in not including a picture of my other baby referred to in the poem, Chad–so he now joins Oreo in the photos below. : o3
Sorry if you were counting on a post yesterday for NaPoWriMo– I had an early morning meeting yesterday, and by the time I sat down to write my post last night, I was drifting off! I figured I'd be better off just posting today, especially because I wanted to do this topic justice.
Yesterday's NaPoWriMo prompt was this:
Early on in the month, I asked you to write a valediction — a poem of farewell. Today, let's try the opposite, and write poems of greeting.
What a cute potential! Poems of farewell make me think of deaths, in general, even though my poem wasn't exactly a literal death–but needless to say, unless they are satirical, they are usually sad and mournful. In case you missed it, you can see my blog post about poems of farewell and thoughts about writing about grief here. So conversely, a greeting poem makes me think of birth and happiness.
…and that made me think about when we met our son, Oreo. I call him my "son" because I don't think "pet" adequately describes the relationship. Jennifer and I were in our twenties when we got our first "pet" (besides fish), Chad, and I think we skipped that whole childhood stage of knowing what it's like to have a pet right to the adult stage of what it's like to have a child.
I wanted to write this poem about the happiest moment of my life: when we met Oreo. Falling in love with Chad was a more gradual process, though no less happy–but it was too gradual to be described as a "moment." My thoughts about it naturally took the form of telling the story to Oreo directly, almost like a letter. The thoughts flowed strongly and were large and sweeping, directing me to put this into a prose poem format.
You couldn't see this with my last prose poem posting, because it was recorded from the radio, but the form is a blend of standard narrative and poetry. There are a few differences between straight-up narrative and prose poetry, though, especially in the sentence structures and vocabulary. Keeping a natural voice is not as important as creating images and feelings, for one. Also, my poetry teacher taught us, to our chagrin, that it is important to end each line with a strong, deliberate word, just like other poetic styles, but that because it is prose poetry, you should aim for a block-like shape. This combination of requirements is quite difficult, and you find yourself playing with rhythms and lengths of words just as much as other poetic styles.
I am posting this poem as an image, so that no matter what size of screen you are viewing this on, you can see the shape of the poem and the line endings as I meant them to be. (You can click on the image for a more clear display.) I did try to keep it in a block shape, but the three words that stick out farthest (and the inner-most one at the end) are meant to be the most significant.
To view the poem as text, scroll past the image. The line endings won't be intentional, but I've heard it's easier to read (not as bright).
Meeting You
By: Amanda K. Fowler
When people ask me what my happiest memory is, I tell them about you. But the story doesn't start with you, or maybe it's that your story began before I met you. I think the happiest times in our lives are the upswings from sadness; the cups of our hearts can fill with the most bliss once they have been emptied. My cup was a leaden void, a great black hole encompassed by despair, starting in August 2011 when our first baby died. I knew I would never heal, would never be happy again. I felt my grief was proof Chad had ever existed, that he still existed, somewhere. The grief became my happiness, my new mission, until September 19th. From somewhere unknown, I felt a guiding push—I called every single Petco within 50 miles to ask if they had any guinea pigs who loved to cuddle. It was crazy, and I could hear as much in the receptionists' voices as they told me there was no way to know, but that guinea pigs were animals with soft coats. "No," I said, "no." I mean, yes, of course they were soft. But I wasn't looking for an animal or a texture. I was trying to find my son, a baby boy, and then I realized that push was Chad; his paw was guiding us from Heaven to find you. I said "thank you" and hung up, because how could I explain any of that? Finally, one of the stores put me on hold, maybe to look up a number to tell me to get help, I thought, but actually their guinea pig expert wanted to talk to me. "There is one who loves to cuddle more than anything," he said. "He's the biggest, because he's been here awhile, but he's really sweet." Our baby had been waiting for us to find him. And though we hadn't really discussed bringing another life into our home, hadn't decided if or when, we all knew it now, and we inhaled our dinners and sped off to meet you. The car ride felt like forever, and Jennifer didn't even wait for the car to stop before running out of it, didn't even close the car door, was halfway across the parking lot before the car was parked. My hands shook with excitement as I asked the front desk for the "guinea pig expert," and he smiled when he saw us and put his hands gently inside the glass tank where you had been standing, uncomfortable with your size versus the others', and you felt us watching you and tried to hide, suddenly shy, but eventually decided you were ready. Then they put you on my lap and you walked across the plane of my denim skirt, tentative at first, and we were shocked you didn't look like Chad, shocked at your crest, which was white and sprung out from your grey crown in a heart. But you weren't Chad, weren't meant to be, and I cried in relief, because the guilt I didn't know I'd had was melting away with every step your feet pattered on my legs, and it was nearly gone by the time you curled yourself into a soft loaf shape in my arms, nuzzling your face into the crook of my elbow. For the first time, I realized my grief wasn't keeping Chad's memory alive, it was our love, our love that he wanted us to feel again, with you. Jennifer was already paying for you before I realized you were ours; you were sent to heal us, to love us, and to show me how wrong I'd been—because not only would I be happy again, but I already was. The cup of my heart was full of love for both of my babies: Chad and Oreo.


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A California woman has filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging that in 2011 Nick Young drugged her in a California bar, brought her back to his apartment and raped her. Young was a member of the Wizards at the time of the allegations. [Update: According to TMZ, the LAPD had dismissed her claims before she filed suit.]
According to the suit, the woman's memory of the evening ends shortly after Young bought her a drink. She believes he slipped GHB, the date rape drug, in her drink. She woke up the following morning in Young's bed bleeding from her vagina and rectum. The suit alleges Young admitted they had sex but said he stopped when she passed out.
According to the suit, the woman demanded to be taken home by Young — he obliged — and she beelined for the UCLA Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center, where she took a rape kit and was tested for STDs. She claims a test at the center confirmed she had been drugged, and determined the injuries to her vagina and rectum were consistent with rape.
Among the allegations made against Young are sexual battery, sexual assault, false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Update: From TMZ:
She's filed a civil lawsuit, but now we're learning shortly after the alleged incident, she went to LAPD cops who dismissed her claim because her story didn't make sense. What's more ... law enforcement says at the time she went to cops, she was already talking about a lawsuit, and that made them even more suspicious.
Photo Credit: Getty


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Thanks to our East Africa friend, Yvette Pennacchia, for her recently posted interview, on 'Connected by Far', with us about the 'River Gambia Expedition – 1044km source-sea African odyssey'. Angry hippo's, mutiny, and more !
Connected by Far: 'What possesses a British couple to leave their apartment in New York City and decide to canoe 750km of the 1044km long River Gambia, in West Africa – one of Africa's last major free-flowing rivers – in two Ally 811 Norwegian folding canoes, which they fondly named 'The Twins', and travel by motorcycles, local taxis, and a ancient, rusty 4×4 Land Cruiser to get to the source of the river and then back (one such ride took 24 hours over the rockiest of roads in the Fouta Djallon Highlands) to pick up their canoes from Kedougou, on the border of Senegal?'…read more here


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ENGLAND AND WALES fans planning to travel to Belarus or Russia for their respective World Cup qualifiers are reminded that they will need a visa to enter the countries.
All British passport holders travelling either country are required to hold a valid visa, and it is important you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
England fans travelling to Belarus on 15th October will be required to provide a tourist voucher from a registered Belarusian travel agency with whom you have booked your accommodation.
Wales fans planning to travel to the World Cup qualifier in Moscow on September 10, 2008 will need a valid visa to enter Russia.
Unlike the Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester United a match ticket alone WILL NOT suffice. Wales fans wanting to make the trip should apply as soon as possible for their visas, as arrangements can become more complicated to make closer to the date of the fixture.
Supporters wishing to travel to these games can contact RuVisa Ltd, amongst others, who may be able to assist you with booking accommodation. For further information or assistance email email@example.com or visit their website, here for England fans or here for Wales fans.


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Mackenzie Medical CentreGeneral Practice SectionThe University of Edinburgh20 West Richmond StreetEdinburgh, EH8 9DXTel: 0131 651 1000
If you are a carer for someone and would like support or information on help groups for carers please ask at reception. If you would like to be on our register of carers please inform the receptionist. Any information you give to us will be confidential.
Copyright 2006 - 2020 My Surgery Website | Privacy & Usage | Edit | Staff Home | Site Map | Accessibility | Site T&C's | Service T&C's


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A gorgeous black & white hens party invitation that you can easily edit yourself! 5inch width by 7inch height. No waiting, Instant download!
Instant Download Includes //
- Hens Party invite 5x7 inch PDF
- Hens Party invite 5x7 inch, front & back set out 2 on an A4 page PDF (can also print on letter)
Perfect for home printing with crop marks to trim to size
Recommended to print on some good quality white card.
- Envelope Insert
Print and cut to fit in an A7 envelope
Set on A4 paper (can also print on letter)
- Patterned Paper
A4 size patterned paper PDF (can also print on letter)
This listing is for the digital files only, you will not receive the physical products.
To edit the text you will need the free Adobe Reader which can be downloaded from https://get.adobe.com/reader/ if you don't already have it. (only the text can be edited not the colours) Click on the text field to edit and type your text. Save a copy of your altered pdf if you would like to print copies at a later date. Crop marks have been added to the pdf for easy cutting.
Personal use only, not for resale
Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions. Thank you!


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|Working Together
is amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares about who gets the
credit," famously stated Robert Yates, a founding father of the United States,
more than two centuries ago. Or, in more contemporary terms, Quincy Jones
expressed the same thing quite well: "Check your ego at the door." Regardless of
how it's said, and by whom, an essential truth remains that there's often a
great deal to be gained by the collaboration of like-minded people. The same
holds true for companies, with an excellent example being the ongoing business
association cultivated by Spider Ranch Productions and West Coast Sound & Light
(WCSL). Both companies supply live sound reinforcement, as well as a variety of
systems services, in the thriving Northern California and San Francisco Bay Area
markets, but rather than banging heads in competing over many of the same jobs
and contracts, they've instead chosen to work in lockstep to create a successful
relationship. And at three years and counting, their smart business approach
continues to grow and flourish, to the point where it has positioned them as a
highly viable player in the national concert touring marketplace.
WCSL (www.wcsl.org), founded by Paul Doty and based in Modesto, CA, enjoys a two-decades-plus history of providing live production – sound as well as full-scale lighting systems and video – and is now also enjoying growth in the contracting market, specifically both with larger church and home theater projects. Matt Cross, who joined the company about six years ago, quickly ascended to the position of general manager, where he leads day-to-day operations.
Meanwhile, Spider Ranch (www.spiderp.com) is based about 100 miles west of WCSL in Pescadero, CA and is headed by Alex Moran, a long-time systems veteran with a highly diverse (and successful) professional audio resume. The company serves a diverse range of live productions as well, with the corporate market emerging as a particular focus of late.
Matt Cross (center) and Alex Moran (right) prior to a joint collaboration at the Redwood Amphitheater, joined by Matt's brother Andy (left), who also works
The initial introduction between Moran and Cross came about a few years ago via one of the common topics of discussion in pro audio, now and forevermore: gear. Specifically, McCauley Sound MONARC line array loudspeakers, which WCSL already had in inventory and which Moran was considering adding to his own.
"I've been using McCauley products for a long time, really like their sound and quality, and I wanted to add a McCauley line array rig," Moran notes. "I discovered that West Coast Sound already had a McCauley inventory, so I called Matt and we quickly came to an understanding as to our willingness to cross-rent McCauley line arrays to each other when needed, and the business relationship built from there." What has resulted is a "production network team" where one company steps up to provide support to the other in terms of gear, staff and services in a partnership manner, albeit one where both companies remain independent and free to pursue their own projects. "We pretty much treat it as actual partners," Cross says. "If we bring in a customer jointly, that's great, or if one or the other lands the gig, that's fine too. No matter what, we treat it as 50 percent of any given job we share belongs to one company and 50 percent belongs to the other." Over time, the two companies have worked to create interchangeable full-scale live sound reinforcement rigs, and just as importantly, staff teams that are just as interchangeable. In addition, WCSL brings their investment in high-end lighting gear and expertise to the table. The result of joining forces in such a seamless manner has led to an entity with more than enough quality equipment, expertise and support to meet the demands of even the most large-scale touring artists. Up to 56 McCauley MONARC MLA3 line array modules are available along with additional MLA6 modules, with the rigging hardware the same, while Spider Ranch is running all Lab.gruppen power amplification and WCSL is making that transition, recently passing the 50 percent point.
Processing is all dbx DriveRack 4800, with identical settings worked out with an assist from McCauley. While the companies have different drive snake connectors, it's immaterial because the racks are wired identically and can be swapped interchangeably via their splits. Even further, together they can provide more than a dozen premium analog and digital mixing consoles, and again, this is joined by a commensurate selection of lighting equipment, trusses and affiliated gear. And in a bit of serendipity, or perhaps a portent of things to come, early in their association both companies realized they even own identical trucks – the same make, model, color and year.
"But the biggest reason this all works is that we both share a strong philosophy of customer service," Moran adds. "There are a lot of companies that can provide good quality sound production, but whether they can translate that into customer service is another story. To us, it's all about making it a win-win for the customer, the audience and ourselves. We bend over backwards and in some cases we go beyond what we are contracted to do if we think it makes for a more beneficial situation. Sometimes that might not make for the best return on investment on a business level, but in the long term the customers return – which is what we want.
"The bottom line is that we're already getting a good slice of the regional market, which says something good about the way we're doing business, and that's what will be delivered as we move to supporting ever-larger national-scale tours and events."
It doesn't matter whose rack it is, everything is set up to interconnect seamlessly.
The two entities serve several distinct geographical regions – Bay Area, Northern California and the Central Valley – that vary rather dramatically in terms of project pricing. However, WCSL and Spider Ranch already share similar pricing structures, eliminating another potential problem, and combined with the advantages of merged resources, allows them to be more united yet flexible in competing with other firms bidding on the same projects.
"For example, in the San Francisco area alone, there are more than a halfdozen sound companies with major investments in large rigs, and many of those rigs have the same components," Moran points out. "They all compete against each other, and because of the financial commitments they've made on systems, they're also competing against themselves to some extent as well. To win some of these projects, they might have to cut corners in terms of both gear and services, whereas by combining our resources, we don't face those pressures and instead are able to be competitive in bidding and then turn around and meet expectations without any pressure. We really don't care whose company letterhead happens to be the one on the bid; the important thing is winning the bid and then working together to get the job done right."
The "shared pool" also provides advantages when considering investments in new gear. Cross and Moran consult with each other regularly to avoid duplication and also to be able to provide each other with complementary equipment, which works out well even for shows where the two companies aren't collaborating.
"My automatic first thought when considering investing in anything significant in terms of gear is to talk to Alex about it, both to get his opinion on the quality and functionality of the piece itself as well as to gauge if we're both going to benefit from the purchase," Cross explains. "A good example came up recently with consoles, where we figured out we could improve with both an upgraded premium analog console and an upgraded premium digital console at our disposal. One of us is going to add the analog, the other will add the digital, and we'll have two boards for the price of one, and both pieces will stay much busier, thereby increasing the return on investment. This allows us to invest in other pieces – such as lighting fixtures – that will also provide a better return, which in turn means that our inventory consistently grows to meet any current and future needs of mainline A-list tours."
The companies are also very well positioned for what they see as a significant upswing in live event opportunities in their region. There's already been a steady increase over the past few years, and that trend shows no sign of slowing. Moran points out his strong belief that we've entered a new "era of the live band," where a growing segment of the population is interesting in the actual musical creative process of musicians working together live on stage. For example, acoustic music festivals and
Spider Ranch and WCSL staff working together to fly a McCauley line array prior to a concert at the Cow Palace.
jazz festivals
have both come to the fore of late. "Live event opportunities are hitting an
upturn swing. I think people have gotten tired of going to a concert and hearing
a CD player and tracks as opposed to really hearing and seeing great musicians
at work," Moran says. "This presents all of us with more opportunities, and the
smart production companies will take advantage." "I think the industry goes
through ups and downs," adds Cross. "People get tired of some things so they
quit going to them, but at the same time, they get interested in other things.
Certain genres of music will drop off for a year or two and then start to pick
up again. So much simply depends on what the public wants to see and hear."
As noted, both companies have branched out, and in those new markets, they've been able to support each other in much the same manner – primarily with expertise, complimentary services and staff support – when needed. After all, it's part of their core competencies and helps pay the bills, and it's also just smart business to diversify. Still, both Spider Ranch and WCSL have their eyes on a bigger prize.
"Our collaboration has facilitated solid, significant growth for both companies, but the best is yet to come," Cross says. "We're now in a rare position in the marketplace in being able to provide comprehensive sound reinforcement and state-of-theart creative lighting fixtures and design services, both backed with our full support for the largest, most sophisticated concert tours. Our vision doesn't stop at any point."
"I'm so pleased and amazed at where this relationship has taken us," Moran concludes. "I've tried this type of arrangement before, but it always got detailed with infighting about which jobs go under what company banner. The bottom line is that we really don't care who gets the credit as long as our services are provided at the highest possible level. As a result, we've gotten the attention of several larger entities interested in the many advantages our combined efforts can offer on a national scope."
Dan Garcia
is a freelance journalist who specializes in covering A/V topics. Reach him via Managing Editor Jeff MacKay at email@example.com out more about WCSL at www.wcsl.org and Spider Ranch at www.spiderp.com.
A WCSL-Spider Ranch system serving a festival at the Redwood Amphitheater.
This Page Last updated on 07/07/11 07:03 AM by West Coast Sound & Light © 2007 All rights reserved