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Davis & Williams PLLC
Serving Jackson, MS & Surrounding Areas
Accident Attorney in Jackson, MS
Give us a call to schedule your free, in-person consultation! If you are injured, we will come to you! Don't wait any longer, call us today and get the compensation you deserve!
Being involved in an auto accident is a frightening experience that can drastically change your life within seconds. A car accident can cause debilitating physical injuries, emotional trauma, and costly property damage. Furthermore, a serious car accident injury that prevents you from returning to your job (or that limits the number of hours you can work) can be financially devastating. Even an accident that occurs at a low speed, or that doesn't result in much damage to your car, can cause physical injuries.
Protect Your Rights
If you've been involved in a car accident, it's important to take steps to protect your legal rights, before it's too late. If you've recently been hurt in a motor vehicle accident, the professionals at Davis & Williams PLLC can help you by:
- Investigating your accident to compile evidence
- Negotiating on your behalf with the other driver's insurance company or helping you file for uninsured motorist benefits under your own insurance policy
- Filing and pursuing a lawsuit on your behalf if negotiations don't lead to a successful settlement
An auto accident lawyer at Davis & Williams PLLC can help you find peace of mind after your accident so that you can move forward with your life. Call today to set up a consultation.
Loved it they very friendly and professional
Very easy and straight to business
Tylvester Goss is the man see. I had great experience with the whole staff . Paper work done promptly. Anytime I had a problem we got in touch with me promptly.
Very helpful
Always very professional very willing to work with everyone if you are deciding if bankruptcy is the way to go they will tell tou the truth.
Most affordable rates I found.
Hard to find but the staff very friendly
Great customer service. Had no problems
Extremely helpful and friendly law firm!
very profesional
so good so fair
Superior service
Keep up the good work
They really know the law. Experts in every aspect
Professional, courteous
From the receptionist,the paralegals all the way to the attorneys I have nothing but great things to say about this team. They were very detailed, organized, proficient, knowledgable and most of all courteous. During difficult time in my life I needed answers as to what my financial options were. They walked me through the bankruptcy process step by step. Made me feel at ease
A kind bunch of lawyers
I felt right at home when I met with Attorney Goss. He is marvelous. I would most definitely refer this firm
Superior service
I was referred by a friend. I am glad I made that call
Good Quality work
Their concern for my financial situation was very welcoming.
Communication with me throughout the case
Their service and effectiveness was outstanding
Great ratings
I wouldnt change a thing. everything was nice
hard working
Very helpful and know the bankruptcy laws
Glad I was referred to this law firm
I just pray you all are led by God/ A remarkable group of attorneys
They were here when I needed them the most
I was in a financial bind and did not know which way to turn. They were lifesavers.
I would recommend in a heart beat
For all your legal needs, please reach out to this law firm
superb service
I was highly impressed at the impeccable service these attorneys provide.
effective service
Their quality of work is exceptional
Concerned for you well being
My attorney cared about if I was happy with the services he was providing. He walked me through the legal process before we went to court and when we did appear he was knowlegeable about his job and represented me well
Quality service
I had a wonderful experience whe meeting with the attorneys. They were courteous and extremely professional. A great bunch of guys
Superior customer service
I had heard fine things about this firm, but when I needed their services first hand . Everything i heard was true. The lawyers and staff are there when you need them. Very courteous. Return your calls promptly. Always friendly
very dignified
I left feeling like a burden had been lifted off me. They walked me through the entire process of bankruptcy. They were thoughtful respectful and helpful
they dont make them any better
Out of all the times I needed an attorney this was the first call I made. They listened to my situation , advised me of my options, didnt pressure me and their fees were so honest and reasonable. They are superb
the best decision i made
I had the option to choose another law firm but, after speaking and meeting with these lawyers . It was a no brainer. I hired them to represent me and my service has been wonderful
best team of lawyers in the south region
They have 2 offices one in Meridian and Jackson. I live closer to Jackson. Im glad I called
integrity at its best
The entire firm both attorneys and staff are exceptional
Im glad I chose them
I saw their ad on tv i made that phone call and i am so happy that i did. i am extremely satisfied
hard working team of lawyers
they went above and beyond to help me with my legal needs
very professional
They were helpful from beginning to end
excellent customer service
I was very pleased with my attorney.
The best lawyers around
I am glad I reached out to this law firm. They were so professional and helped me step by step
Excellent, very patient
They make sure all is well with you. I love the whole staff
Best law firm in jackson
Represented me well.
The best lawyers around
I would refer this firm in a heartbeat. Excellent customer/client service
I was in need of a good attorney to represent me and I'm glad I called
Excellent Service
If you are looking to seek debt relief in a courteous and professional manner this is the law firm
comes highly recommended
I was referred by a friend. Glad I called. An excellent law firm
helped me when i needed help most
I didnt know what to doabout my finances but after meeting and consulting with the attorney He put my mind at ease.
dependable and reliable
the attorney on my case worked hard and got me great results
friendly and courteous attorneys and staff
I was very pleased with the service they provided
I would recommend this firm highly
very reputable
Attorney helped me all along the way
Friendly staff and hard working attorneys
very professional
Exceptional attorneys
come highly recommended
service was great
great attorneys
A pleasure having them work on my case
extremely Professional
Friendly and courteous office staff
highly satisfied
knowledgeable about my case
highly satisfied
knowledgable about my case
excellent service
Very professional
Very Professional
Come highly recommended
Great Service
Keep doing what you are doing! Thanks!
Great Service
no problems
Thanks to all that were involved with my case.
Very pleased
no issues
Everything was Great!
No complaints!
No complaints
Great firm!
Thank you
I would like to thank the attorney's at Davis, Goss & Williams for helping me during this disastrous time in my life.
Excellent Attorneys
You all were excellent
Great Service!
The staff was very friendly & knowledgeable.
Highly satisfied
Working with this firm has been a very pleasant experience. From the expert attorneys to the friendly staff, everything has been on point.
Thank you
Your firm did a great job. You represented me well. I really did not want to file bankruptcy. However, it was the best decision under the circumstances. Thanks for turning my life around.
I highly recommend this firm.
You did an outstanding job of representing me. I was afraid I was going to lose everything. However, the bankruptcy restored my peace. Thank you so much.
No Complaints
This firm provided excellent service, and helped me save my home!
I will recommend to others
I will recommend this firm to others
Great job
This firm made filing bankruptcy so easy for me
Mr. Goss and Ms. Eubanks
These two attorneys provided me with outstanding service. Thank you
Mr. Goss and Ms. Eubanks
These two attorneys provided me with outstanding service. Thank you
Everything went well
no complaints
Thank you
I would like to thank the attorney's at Davis Goss and Williams fo all of their hard work!
Wonderful JOB!
Attorney Eubanks is great
Everything went well
I am now free of my debt
Thank you
Thank you davis, goss and williams
Wonderful service
no problems
good job
Great Job.
The attorney s here wonderful
Attorney Eubanks
Attorney Anitra Eubanks represented me during this difficult time in my life. She made the process for me effortless. I am so happy I contacted this firm.
High quality service
Tylvester Goss is a great attorney.
Effortless Process
The attorney's and paralegals understood my case and my goal , which made the entire process effortless.
Mr. Goss
I have no complaints, my attorney made this so easy for me.
Good people
These people are so friendly and they get right down to business.
Davis Goss and Williams
Great attorneys
No problems
Everything was as expected.
Nice people
Love the staff
I suggest that if your I need of legal services to call Davis, Goss and Williams.
Quality service
The service is excellent.
Thank YOU!
Keep helping others! We need it
My attorney
My attorney made this effortless for me.
Great service!
Attorney Goss and staff are wonderful!
I highly recommend this firm
I would like to thank DGW law for their excellent service!
My attorney provided me with 5 star service. I have no complaints!
The best in the state of Mississippi.
I've done business with other firms in the past and Davis, Goss and Williams has been the best by far.
Professional staff, great attorney.
This firm took on my case and left me with no worries.
Very Friendly
Staff very polite. I highly recommend.
Never Disappoints
I've used them before and they were still helpful and knowledgeable.
Mr. GossS
Mr. Goss is a great attorney
No complaints
Thank you for your support. No suggestions are needed!
They made this unfortunate experience a breeze.
Everything was excellent
Excellent Service
Everything was great. The staff is friendly, helpful, and professional from the secretary all the way up to the attorneys. They are the best!
Keep doing what you do
The receptionist was very kind and helpful.
love them
They are good people!
The communication was very good.
Awesome People
Everyone over there at DGW is so friendly.
Excellent service
Mr. Goss and his staff were very knowledgeable about my case and what was going on.
Very Good
4 stars!
Mr. Goss
Mr. Goss is a smart man!
Great Lawyer
Anitra is a great lawyer
The lawyers were very helpful
Good Work
Good Work!
I had an awesome experice with DGW
I suggest adding more legal services to the firm
Service was great!
I honestly like the service!
Good Work
Keep up the good work
Everything was worked out great
Good firm
DGW is a really good firm
The service has been excellent. Everyone is very friendly and helpful.
Just perfect
Everything went smoothly
I would definitely recommend them
Very Good
Very Good!
Keep up the great job!
No Complaints!
I am very well satisfied with the service of the firm.
Never Disappoints
I have used them in the past and they never disappoints.
Nothing but great things at Davis, Goss, and Williams.
I am satisfied with my experience with Goss & Williams
Great work
DGW, keep up the great work!
Mr. Goss did an awesome job with my situation.
Great Customer Service
Keep putting your clients first!
Very Good
Everything was very good.
Pleased with my lawyer
I am very pleased with Ms. Eubanks and her service.
The service was excellent
Everyone over there at Davis, Goss, and Williams is lovely.
Mr. Goss
Mr. Goss is always there when you need him.
Great Firm
No complaints
Awesome Staff
There is an awesome staff over there at DGW.
Great Service
Great Service
Ms. Edwards
Ms. Edwards is very nice and helpful.
Ms. Edwards
Ms. Edwards is very nice and helpful.
The best in Jackson
DGW is the best law firm in Jackson, MS .
DGW is such a great firm. They're always there when you need them.
Always professional
No suggestions
Excellent service
Truly thankful
I'm glad my pastor recommended DGW because they helped me in a time of need.
Ms. Eubanks is just wonderful!
5 stars
Davis, Goss, & Williams is truly a 5 star law firm.
The young lady at the front desk is so nice.
Service is great!
High Quality Service
Ms. Eubanks is awesome!
Lovely staff
Everyone is so lovely.
Great Recommendation
Davis, Goss & Williams is a great firm.
Mr. Williams
Mr. Williams truly helped me with my situation The receptionist was very nice, too. She answered all of my many questionsA.
This is an awesome firm. They really stay on top of everything.
Ms. Anitra and the staff were great!!!
I am amazed at how fast the process was.
The firm has a very professional image.
Ms. Eubanks is so friendly.
No complaints.
High Quality Service
The service is spectacular!
Great staff
The receptionist was very nice and helpful.
Keep up the good work!
DGW is very profession, and I am highly satisfied.
good lawyers
They did an awesome job handling my case.
The lawyers really helped me during this time of distress.
Great lawyer
Mr. Goss is very good at what he does!
Goss & Williams is a superior law firm. I am glad I chose them to be my lawyers.
Excellent firm!
They staff id very friendly, and they are always smiling.
Highly Recommend!
They are just wonderful.
High Quality Service
I am never disappointed when I need Davis, Goss, & Williams.
Very Good
This firm is a very professional firm.
My friend recommended Goss & Williams, and I am glad she did.
No complaints
All services are excellent.
Very Helpful
Ms. Anitra has been very helpful .
This firm is truly awesome!
A friend recommended them, and I am glad she did.
Very good
Very good
Glad I called!
The firm helped me through the a tough time, and I really felt a great sense of relief. I'm a very happy with my service from Goss & Williams.
Great Attorney
Ms. Eubanks is so nice and was very helpful.
great referral
I highly recommend Goss & WIlliams!
Everything was lovely
Great Firm
Continue as is.
Thanks for your service.
Already Perfect
Don't have any complaints
Already Perfect
Don't have any complaints
Already Perfect
Don't have any complaints
Everything has been excellent
High Quality Service
Very good service
This is truly a great firm.
No problem
My sister recommended them and they are wonderful.
Great Service
Service was great!
I would most definitely recommend Goss & Williams.
Great Impression
I was really impressed with the overall results.
Very professional
The staff was very professional.
Awesome service
Keep up the great work!
Everything has been going smoothly thanks to my lawyers.
Mr. Williams was very patient with me during my time of need. Keep up the good work.
Keep on keeping on!
They are doing a fantastic job at Goss & Williams. I highly recommend them!
Found them in an advertisement
This law firm is a great choice for bankruptcy matters.
very knowledgeable
I was clueless going in for my consultation, now I feel better and more educated on my situated.
Quality Law firm
My experience working with them has been nothing but amazing during this time.
The communication was off for a bit, but everything worked out perfectly.
The lawyers and the staff were very professional.
Good service
Everything was very good.!
Found them on the web
No complaints
everything was great
Keep up the good work!
Very Good
Very good lawyer!
Good Staff
The treatment from the staff was excellent!
No Complaints!
The staff is really patient with all my questions.
I really love this firm.
Just Excellent
Great referral
I'm glad that my friend referred me.
Great Staff
The lawyers, paralegals, and office staff is very professional.
Awesome firm
Keep working hard.
Very Good
Very grateful for them.
Just excellent!
No improvements needed
Keep doing what you all are doing.
I was satisfied will all services.
So glad they were able to help me in a time of need.
Very helpful
They are very helpful.
Great service
Saw there ad on tv, and gave them a call. Very worth it
Good firm
Excellent Service
Excellent Service
Great Referral
So glad that my friend referred Mr. Goss!
Very pleased
Everything has been EXCELLENT
Everything has gone smoothly so far.
Great Service!
thumbs up
I am very pleased with my lawyer.
I would recommend Goss & Williams to others.
high quality service
Service is excellent.
Great Service
Don't change thing. I'm truly impressed with service.
Great Recommendation
They were recommended to me from another attorney, and I am very pleased with the service.
Goss & Williams never disappoints.
Keep doing what you all are doing!
Friend Referred me
The service was awesome.
Keep up the good work.
pretty good
Everything has gone smoothly.
Communication was good
My lawyer really got me through a tough time
Keep up the good work
Really Good
Glad my mother recommended this firm to me
Excellent service
Great service here.
Great lawyer
Ms. Eubanks is a great lawyer!
Mr. Willaims really did a great job on my case.
Great Job
Mr. Williams did a great job with my case.
High Quality
My attorney really knew what he was talking about.
Awesome Service
They really helped my wife and I out.
They were really concerned about me as a client.
Mr. Goss is good at what he does.
Excellent Service!
Very Good
I would recommend to friends and family.
Glad I saw their advertisement.
Excellent service!
Excellent service!
Great firm
Keep up the good work.
Very Professional
Mr. Goss is very professional.
Truly grateful for Mr. Goss's and Mr. William's help!
Great Lawyers
Ms. Anitra and Mr. Goss were very patient with me!
Glad my family memeber recommended Goss & Williams.
Glad my family memeber recommended Goss & Williams.
Glad my family memeber recommended Goss & Williams.
Awesome service!
Service and staff was great. Thank you all.
thank you for your service.
Continue the professionalism
Everything was awesome. Everyone treated me wonderfully. Don't change a thing!
Very professional
Very pleased, they do a great job.
I was very satisfied with your service.
Keep up the good work!! They are very compassionate about their work.
Very satisfied with their work
Very good
All good!
This firm went above and beyond to help me with my case.
Thank you for helping me in my time of need!!!
Wonderful work. Keep it up
Great Firm
they are the absolute best!!
very satisfied with the outcome
Wonderful firm
Thank you for helping me in my time of need!!
Great Job
No complaints!
You all exceeded my expectations.
Job well done.
The service i received was great!!
Thank you!!1
You're the best!
Very professional!
Excellent Service!!!
solved my problems!
very satisfied.
wonderful treatment by the staff!
I am very please with the services provided. Your firm did a great job
you guys were great!!
This is my second time filing with them. I did not have any issues while working with them.
The attorneys are very proficient, professional & knowledgeable
Great Job. Keep doing what you are doing.
Pleased with the outcome
I was referred to your firm by a friend. It turned out to be a great referral.
I have used this attorney before in the past. Always good results.
wonderful staff
Wonderful firm, they actually care!
The service was very professional
No complaints, everything was great!
very good
Thank you!!! Everything was great
Keep up the good work!!!!
got the job done in a timely manner!
wonderful treatment by the staff!
great communication with clients
Very pleased with the service
5 star service!
Great Service
NO complaints!!! Everything was great
Thanks for your help. Your service was great and the staff treated me with so much respect and kindness.
Keep up the blessed work.
amazing people, worked with me through tough circumstances.
Everything was awesome.
The best attorney in Jackson, Mississippi!!!
I received very excellent service
I am very pleased with the way your firm handled my business. Thank You.
I am pleased with the outcome of my case.
Keep up the GREAT work!!
The best in the business.
Very supportive staff
Very helpful
The best
Keep up the good work!
I am really satisfied with the way the firm handled my case
Thank you for being patient with me and giving me the best option for my case
Your firm was very helpful
they get the job done!!
keep doing a great job! Thanks for all your help!
No complaints, everything was great!
Highly Recommended!
Everything was great.
The overall experience was great
Communication and service was great
Will recommend!!!
No complaints. Very good firm
Excellent service
The service was great.
Service was great!
Excellent service
Great service!!!
Will recommend!!
Just Perfect!
They know how to get the job done!
5 star job!
Great job as always!
No complaints
Good work!
Great job!
Great job!
Great job!
Good job! No complaints
Good job!
Great job!
The service was very professional and the receptionist at the front desk was very nice and helpful and patient. I have no complaints.
The service was very professional and the receptionist at the front desk was very nice and helpful and patient. I have no complaints.
Wonderful firm, they actually care!
They are good!!
Keep up the good work!
Very Good!
Great Staff!!
Highly Recommended!
No Issues whatsoever!
Great Service Overall
No issue whatsoever!!
keep doing a great job!!! Thank you for all your help!
never a bad experience when i choose this firm
great firm
they get the job done!!
Keep doing what you are doing!
Very understanding
Very nice staff!
no complaints!
5 Star Service!!
Very personable firm!
wonderful staff
dont change a thing! great!
Wonderful people very proactive firm!!
Very professional!
high quality service!
Job well done every time i use them!
Everything was perfect, & everyone was very professional. Thank you all!!
excellent !
no complaints!
5 star service!
Keep doing what you guys are doing!
wonderful staff
no suggestion needed
great service!
They know how to get the job done!
Wonderful firm
No complaints!
services have been excellent.
No complaints, everything was great!
Great service. thank you!!!
very satisfied with the outcome
Great Firm very professional!
they are the absolute best!!
helpful and smart young men. There was never a time the attorney didn't take the time to call me back and I appreciate that.
very satisfied, keep up the good work!
no complaints!
Keep doing what you're doing!!
awesome firm!
I will use this firm over and over again!!
Great work, and enjoyed your services
wonderful staff
great quality service
None, all of the staff was extremely helpful!!!!
excellent service
Everything about the firm is perfect. Thanks!!
very polite staff!
just keep doing what you guys are doing
Continue to maintain the services provided & keep the lord first
Excellent, I am a return client!
They were very friendly and polite. Thank you for great services that you have provided for my family.
highly recommended!
Amazing staff
came in upset but attorneys turned my frown upside down! great job.
keep up your closeness with clients! They do not make you feel like they are just a number.
excellent service
excellent job
productive staff!
I would highly recommend this law firm, from start to finish the service has been exceptional.
no suggestions. great staff!
you all do fantastic work! I see no need for improvements at this time =)
would definitely recommend!!!
good job overall!
Very understanding
Highly recommend!
very effective!
awesome communication
great staff
great work ethic of the staff
wonderful staff!
appreciate the service and concerns
so helpful!
would recommend!!
they are great!! I am very grateful!!!!
very helpful!
quality service and excellent work!
got the job done in a timely manner!
amazing job!
very friendly!!!
very professional
very efficient !
very good and diligent staff!
very good and diligent staff!
solved my problems!
nice work!
very supportive and helping
keep doing what yall are doing!
great job!!!
I think all of the staff are very professional, I wouldn't change a thing!!
highly recommended
great job
everything is excellent
very effective
would def recommend!!!
great staff
no problems at all!
effectiveness great
everything was great
very personable
I would recommend to everyone
quality of work is great
very understanding and knowledgeable
great service!
everything was good!
yall are doing an outstanding job!!!!
don't change anything!
amazing people, worked with me through tough circumstances.
would definitely recommend!
great communication with clients
very friendly staff
very satisfied.
wonderful treatment by the staff!
Communication was great, great people
communication was great
You guys are very effective & personal, I give you 100 A+!!
Very pleased with the service
Glad I came to this firm, great job!
Appreciate the communication and assurance
very good listeners
amazing job!
Keep doing what your doing! =)
Excellent service!!!!!
would def recommend!!
very concerning and great work
no suggestions, you guys were amazing!
Excellent communication!
Wouldn't Change Anything, Great!
Excellent service!
Very understanding people!!
you guys were great!!
Great communication, highly recommended
Great Job
I am very please with the services provided. Your firm did a great job.
Very Satisfied
I am very satisfied with the services that the firm provided on behalf of my family.
very understanding
great service
Quality of work amazing
Very good experience
The services were excellent. The attorneys are very proficient, professional & knowledgeable.
very good job.
excellent service
continue the good work
I had no issues. Everything was very good.
Very professional
This is my second time filing with them. I did not have any issues while working with them.
I appreciated the great communication that I received throughout my case.
I would definitely refer to my friends and family
The attorneys are very understanding.
They handled my case very professionally.
I have used this attorney before in the past. Always good results.
I was referred by my sister. I experienced great service.
Excellent attorneys and staff!
Excellent attorneys and staff!
"Pleased with the outcome"
I have used your firm before. I was pleased with outcome so I came back again.
"I Trust Mr. Goss To Handle My Business"
Mr. Goss has been my attorney for several years. I trust him to handle my business.
"Great Referral"
I was referred to your firm by a friend. It turned out to be a great referral.
"Excellent Job"
Mr. Williams did an excellent job with my case. I will refer other people to your firm.
"I will recommend your firm"
Thank You for taking care of me. I will recommend your firm.
"Keep Doing What You Are Doing"
Great Job. Keep doing what you are doing.
"Eased my worries"
Everybody was on point in handling my case. Ms. Eubanks eased my worries. I will recommend your firm to my friends.
"You called me back every time"
I would highly recommend your firm. You called me back every time and worked with me. I also like the fact that Mr. Goss was very straight forward.
"Did not make me feel bad"
Very Helpful. Good Environment. Did not make me feel bad because I had to file for bankruptcy. Neldia Mckenzie is absolutely the best!!
"Excellent Job"
Mr. Williams did an excellent job. I will definitely refer other people to your firm.
"Good Lawyers"
Thank you for helping me through a very stressful period in my life. You all are very good lawyers. I will definitely refer my friends to your firm.
"I trust him to handle my business"
Mr. Goss has been my attorney for several years. I keep coming back because I can trust him to handle my business.
Pleased with way my case was handled.
I am pleased with the way that my case was handled. However, I left a message one day and did not get a call back. Otherwise, I would give the firm a 5 rating.
Pleased with Outcome of case
I am pleased with the outcome of my case. I was able to get my questions answered and I always received a returned phone call either from the attorney or the paralegal.
Pleased with Outcome of case
I am pleased with the outcome of my case. I was able to get my questions answered and I always received a returned phone call either from the attorney or the paralegal.
Thank You
I am very pleased with the way your firm handled my business. Thank You.
Everyone in the office was very friendly and experienced. They did a very good job.
They were very helpful. The best!
I received very excellent service and they did every thing that I was asked.
Good job!
Excellent service
I would highly recommend anyone who is looking to file a claim
My attorney has been extremely helpful throughout this entire experience
I am thankful for the help I received at Goss and Williams
The staff provided excellent work
"Timely and Responsive"
Mr. Goss, this has been a good experience. You handled my business in a timely and responsive manner. I will definitely refer my friends to you.
"This has been a Blessing"
I thank God for you. This has been a blessing. I will definitely refer other people to your firm. Your paralegal, Neldia, was outstanding.
"I am pleased with the outcome"
I will highly recommend Mr. Goss to my friends and family. He handled by case in a very professional manner. I am pleased with the outcome.
"It saved my home"
I was extremely nervous about filing bankruptcy. However, It really helped me out. It saved my home.
"I can help you"
I called several law firms and they all talked about money. Mr. Williams talked about how he could help me. That is why I choose their firm.
"Go straight to Goss & Williams"
I would tell anyone who is thinking about bankruptcy to go straight to Goss & Williams Law Firm. I liked the way they handled by business.
"Good Experience"
Anitra Eubanks did a good job of explaining bankruptcy to me. I also like the fact that she did not try to force me to file a bankruptcy case. She gave me time to go home and think about it. I like the firm and this has been a good experience.
"Fight for Me"
I have recommended Mr. Goss to several people because of his willingness to fight for me.
"Very Helpful"
Your firm was very helpful during the bankruptcy process. Everything was explained very well. Overall, I am very please with the service that I received.
It was scary going through the bankruptcy process but your firm took care of everything.
"Really Satisfied"
I am really satisfied with the way the firm handled my case. That is why I keep referring people to you Mr. Goss.
"Best Option"
Thank you for being patient with me and giving me the best option in my bankruptcy case.
"Life on Track"
Thanks to your firm, my life is on track for the first time in years.
"Excellent Services"
Excellent services. Your paralegal, Kinya, was very kind and always returned my calls.
Thank you Mr. Williams for getting me out of debt. E
Mr. Goss thank you for taking the pressure off me. I will refer my friends to you.
The service and quality of work was excellent. I would definitely refer friends to this firm.
"Without A Doubt"
The services provided were great. Without a doubt, I woul recommend my friends to Mr. Goss.
"Yes, I would recommend my friends to your firm"
I would definitely recommend my friends to your firm.
"Weigh Your Options"
Make sure you weigh your option before filing bankruptcy. Also speak with someone who has specific knowledge in that area.
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Mr. Goss was straight up honest about everything. Everything turned out fine.
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What are the characteristics of the most successful advisor firms? They have a clear vision and positioning; they are structured to grow in light of their strategy; their human capital is aligned with that vision; they have a compensation plan that reinforces their strategy; they have a conscious attitude about profit management, actively managing to profitability; they have a built-in leverage and capacity and have reduced their firm's dependency on them for growth; they have a systematic process for gathering client feedback; and they consistently measure and monitor their firm's operating performance. Oh, one more thing—they know "which levers to push" to achieve their goals.
Those thoughts are not mine, but Mark Tibergien's and Rebecca Pomering's, who last month published a "60% new" version of their 2005 practice management bible, "Practice Made Perfect." The 2011 version is called "Practice Made More Perfect," was published by Bloomberg Press and is available through Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com. The new book reflects, said Tibergien in an interview, both the changes in the advisory world and the changes experienced by its authors over the past six years. Speaking in mid-August at the Jersey City headquarters of Pershing Advisor Solutions, which Tibergien joined as CEO in 2007, the former Moss Adams consultant and (disclosure alert) columnist for Investment Advisor spoke in his trademark deadpan yet forcefully authoritative way about the challenges faced by advisors of all kinds, and detailed his and Ms. Pomering's prescriptions for curing what ails advisors now and will challenge them in the future.
Jamie Green: What has changed since you wrote the book, and what prompted you to write it?
Mark Tibergien: Rebecca (Pomering) and I have a missionary zeal; we can't keep our mouths shut. She's a CEO (of Moss Adam's RIA firm, Moss Adams Wealth Advisors) and I'm a CEO, which has given both of us a whole new perspective. And many of the assumptions (in the original book) have changed: Firms are bigger, advisors are older; the way that people manage has changed; many firms have multiple locations; and we've seen the rise of outside passive investors and consolidators. Sixty percent of the book is totally new, and we rewrote [the whole book].
Many advisors are process-oriented in their craft, but not in how they run their business. The bull market hides a lot of sins, and in 2008–2009, many advisors realized they had gotten soft and had to redefine themselves and retrench.
In the book, we put so much emphasis on workflow. You can't grow without discipline and process. The big banks showed us during the crisis that unmanaged growth is worse than no growth. As a custodian, every week we see where a lack of processes puts advisors and clients at risk. It's not all about risk management, however, but growth management.
I had another motivation, a business reason to do this. Pershing is a business-to-business custodian; our competitors are interested in the mass market, while our clients tend to be more process-oriented businesses.
JG: So do you need to be a big firm to grow? Aren't most advisory firms small?
MT: I have no problems with solo practitioners. If mediocrity is your goal, that's easy to attain. It's your call, just be good at it. But providing financial advice is not one dimensional: It's not just advice, but running a business. Another lesson of the crisis from the big companies is that people don't have to be criminally minded to do the wrong thing. And remember, small doesn't mean peace of mind, but one size doesn't fit all. In business there are rules. My message is more about how to achieve greater fulfillment by instituting these disciplines.
Regardless of size, you need to ask yourself, what business are you in? Who do you serve? What's the impact you have? How do you define success? And are you fulfilled?
Our message is meant for those who want to take their firms to the next level. We're providing a roadmap to create real enterprises, [showing how to] start applying real management discipline.
JG: You mentioned the changes that have occurred since you and Rebecca wrote "Practice Made Perfect." Where is the industry now?
MT: We're at an inflection point. Independent advisory firms are going through a maturation phase. The question is whether industry leaders will leave it to fate. Will Main Street differentiate itself from Wall Street? Not even the regulators can discern the difference. We don't know what the landscape will look like, but we know there are a lot of potentially great businesses in providing independent financial advice. Is it something you do on the weekends, or are you going to be serious?
JG: You write in the book that "perhaps the most critical deficiency is the absence of professional management from so many advisory firms."
MT: Most advisory firms are small businesses in how they're structured and how they operate. Entrepreneurs and professional managers are antonyms—if the world was full of MBAs, there'd be no businesses. Professional management doesn't mean hiring mercenaries, by the way. It's within [advisors] to do it themselves, but you need to create a framework, a structure for how you make decisions.
JG: Is professional advice giving different from other professions, from other businesses?
MT: Yes, to a degree. Banks and broker-dealers, for instance, have a capital requirement that advisors don't. I wouldn't mind seeing a capital requirement for advisors: If you made a bad trade, how are you going to cover it? The consequences could be great. All advisors should have protocols and process; the best already do. Compared to other professions, there are more people guessing in financial advice.
JG: Why do so many sole proprietorships fail to institute processes—do they see it as too much to handle, or that it doesn't fit into their lifestyle?
MT: About 70% of advisory firms are solo practitioners. The challenge is, do they have a continuity plan? They want to be valued as a business [when it comes to selling or merging their firms], but they haven't taken the steps to be a real business. If you aspire to that, you have to take on the hard work.
JG: You've spoken for a long time about the talent shortage in the industry, and the challenges of finding and fostering the next generation of advisors.
MT: This is still a young profession. The pioneers carved a way for others, but the next generation likes the idea of a being part of a profession and having a career path, and that's another kind of path that must be built.
JG: Any final thoughts on the book and what you think readers can get out of it?
MT: I hope people will pay special attention to the leadership, management and culture sections. Our first book was a little more literal; this is more about the art of leadership. Culture trumps strategy every time.

subset: commoncrawl


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Discovery Packs
Check out the Arboretum's free Discovery Packs, supported by a gift from the Arnold Arboretum Committee. Be part of the Explorer's Club and go on an adventure in the Arboretum. Living Museum, Science Lab, and Be an Engineer backpacks can be borrowed from the Visitor Center and are suitable for families with kids over the age of three.
How Does it Work?
- Come to the Hunnewell Visitor Center to check out a free backpack. Packs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Last checkout is 2:00pm, and packs must be returned by 4:00pm. During busy times, a time limit may be imposed. You will be asked to leave an item of value (keys, credit card, or driver's license) while you are borrowing the pack.
- Choose from three packs:
- Living Museum or Science Lab
- There are several activities in each pack, with enough supplies for four people to participate in each activity. Plan to do one activity on each visit; you may do more if your children are older or if you are planning a longer visit.
- Be an Engineer
- Try our newest addition! Connect bamboo sticks and stick-lets to create bridges, shelters, swings, sculptures, and whatever else the imagination conjures. The entire family will enjoy planning, problem-solving, and creating structures together.
- Living Museum or Science Lab
- Activities are suitable for families and after school groups with children over the age of three. Some activities are better suited for younger kids, some work better with older kids. Adults can customize the activities so they work best for your child's developmental level. Adult participation is fun and important!
- Before exploring, adults should read the instruction sheet for each activity, and look for "Tips for Adults" cards with special information and discussion ideas.
- Call the Visitor Center at 617.384.5209 if you have questions.


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A collaborative effort to develop computer-based, multi-media teaching materials for college-level German courses has led to the publication of "Weiter geht's!" for second-year students.
A collaborative effort to develop computer-based, multi-media teaching materials for college-level German courses has led to the publication of "Weiter geht's!" for second-year students.
Released earlier this year, "Weiter geht's!" ("Let's Keep Going!") continues the multi-media "Auf geht's!" ("Let's Get Going!") published in 2005 for beginning German students. Both packages are produced by Live Oak Multimedia Inc. and distributed by Evia Learning Inc.
Dr. Lee Forester of the Hope College faculty is the initiative's co-creator and project director. The development team also includes Dr. Pennylyn Dykstra-Pruim of the Calvin College German faculty, and David Antoniuk and Olga Antoniuk of Live Oak Multimedia Inc.
Like "Auf geht's!," "Weiter geht's!" is designed as a complete curriculum for one year of language instruction and immersion into German life and culture. Both packages blend computer-based multi-media materials that include audio clips and photographs, a work book/study guide ("Lernbuch") that emphasizes reading and writing, and class time focused on conversation.
The emphasis on not only language but also on Germany itself stems from Forester's belief that language instruction cannot be separated from learning about the history and culture of the nation or region involved.
"'Weiter geht's!' addresses both language and culture - learners not only achieve intermediate language proficiency but also broad knowledge of German history, geography and intellectual movements," said Forester. "Students practice identifying and negotiating cultural differences, both in terms of the products as well as cultural practices, and become increasingly familiar with Germany through the use of thousands of authentic photos."
The project's integration of different media with classroom instruction follows his conviction that each has strengths that together will provide a richer learning experience than any serving alone.
"We feel that students need a variety of media to learn effectively: multimedia, audio, imagery, print materials, typing and writing opportunities, various person-to-person interactions," Forester said. "Each of these communication 'media' has pros and cons and one must have a coherent approach to integrating them for maximum effect."
The software component includes Germans engaged in unscripted, everyday conversations and images showing German sites and life taken specifically for the project. David Antoniuk of Live Oak Multimedia, the project's co-creator and technical director, and Forester conducted more than 100 hours' worth of interviews and shot more than 30,000 photographs in Germany across six years for "Weiter geht's!"
Forester began working on "Auf geht's!" and "Weiter geht's!" in 1997. The project received external support including a $50,000 grant from the Foundation for Independent Higher Education's 1998 "Ameritech Distance Collaboration Grants" Program and, in 2001, a $495,870 grant from the Fund for Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) of the U.S. Department of Education. Both external grants emphasized institutional collaboration, and in addition to Hope and Calvin schools with faculty involved in different phases of the project included Carnegie Mellon University, TaylorUniversity and Wheaton College.


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It's nearly Christmas and I'm nearly ready... My kitchen has become a little Santa's Workshop of homemade treats and goodies, ribbons and stickers and tissue paper... so if you're still looking for some gift ideas, then I have five recipes here for you, plus an extra one just for you after all your hard work in the kitchen.
To share with you all today, I've made these treats:
- Cranberry Orange Preserves
- Sugar and Spice Nuts
- Almond Cranberry Caramel Popcorn
- Peppermint Bark
- Nutmeg Pots de Creme (this is the bonus one YOU get to eat) :)
In addition to all the cooking and baking, I took a few photos of my table arrangement, just to show how even a small table like ours can still have room for a pretty arrangement that doesn't cost too much. I think the glass of candy canes tied with green twine, snowman candle holders (from the seasonal aisle at the grocery store) and the sparkly Christmas tree candles (Bed, Bath and Beyond), while simple and inexpensive, look really pretty for our Christmas dinner this weekend.
Now for the treats, I'll start with the caramel... It's no secret that I have a really difficult time making caramel. I don't know what it is, but I just can't seem to master it. I try all the tips and tricks that all the experts suggest, and still every time, I end up scrubbing a big, grainy crystallized mess out of the pot. Yesterday I tried three times, and each time it was ruined. It's a good thing sugar is so cheap. Those sugar crystals are out to get me.
Jamie, being the sweet and wonderful person he is, went out and picked up some cans of sweetened condensed milk for me. And flowers. :)
While Jamie was out, I whipped up a little Nutmeg Pot de Creme for dessert that night - because pot de creme is something I can do well, and I had to do something to make up for three failed batches of caramel. I made it a little less rich than the original version (see recipe link below), but I liked the light and fluffy texture the pudding had, and the flavor was amazing.
After making Cranberry Orange Compote for Thanksgiving, I was inspired to make jam, and came up with this recipe for Cranberry Orange Preserves. Cranberries are on sale at the grocery store now, so it's a good time to buy a whole bunch for a recipe like this. This jam is a little reminiscent of orange marmalade, since there's a whole orange, peel and all, in the jam, but it has a wonderfully sweet and tangy flavor, and I love the combination of cranberry and orange with lots of Christmas spices.
I don't know anyone who can resist a bowl of nuts, and these Sugar and Spice Nuts are completely addictive. They're sweet, crunchy and salty, with hints of vanilla, orange, cinnamon and nutmeg, and you'll want to start nibbling on them as soon as you take them out of the oven.
Last year, I found a recipe for Almond Cranberry Caramel Popcorn that I made and LOVED, and since then I've improved it even more. This sticky caramel popcorn has just the right amount of saltiness and sweetness, with crunchy almonds sprinkled throughout and tart dried cranberries.
One thing to watch out for, though... the unpopped kernels. After I popped the popcorn, I made the mistake of not picking out the unpopped kernels before pouring on the caramel. Needless to say, we had to chew very carefully to avoid biting down on a kernel (my dad broke a tooth that way once!), so I didn't end up packing this up for gifts. I'll make another batch soon, though, and will be more careful about the kernels next time!
And last but not least... the Peppermint Bark. I adore peppermint bark and really wanted to make my own this year. At the last minute, I decided to mold the chocolate in Christmas cookie cutters (instead of pouring it on a baking sheet and breaking into pieces). Molding the chocolate was very time-consuming, but I wouldn't for a second say it wasn't worth the effort, because just how adorable are those pieces of bark in cute little Christmas shapes?
For all your gift packaging, craft stores have all this stuff on sale right now - I got all the little boxes, ribbons and labels for 50% off at Michaels over the weekend and had everything I needed to make the packages look completely adorable.
I hope you enjoy these gift ideas and the yummy treats! I'd love to hear all of your ideas for homemade gifts, goodies and pretty packaging.
Cranberry Orange Preserves
printable recipe
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen cranberries (2 12-ounce bags / about 6 cups)
- 1 seedless navel orange, unpeeled and quartered (this can be left out if you don't like the marmalade flavor it will add)
- juice of 1/2 an orange (about 2-3 tablespoons orange juice)
- cinnamon stick
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 7 tablespoons classic pectin (not the no-sugar/low-sugar kind)
- 5 cups granulated sugar
Place the cranberries in a large stock pot. Place the orange quarters, including the peel, and orange juice in your food processor and puree into a chunky pulp. Add to the stock pot. Add the cinnamon stick, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla and water to the pot.
Over medium heat, simmer the fruit and spices for about 20-30 minutes, until the cranberries burst and the flavors develop. Mash the fruit with a potato masher, leaving it as chunky as you like. Stir in the butter (this helps prevent a foamy texture to the jam).
Sprinkle the pectin over the mixture and stir to combine. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, while stirring constantly. Add the sugar all at once and stir to dissolve. Return to a vigorous boil, while stirring constantly, and boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Remove the cinnamon stick from the pot.
Ladle the hot jam into hot sterilized jars and process in a water bath according to standard canning procedures, or simply cool and store in the fridge to be eaten within a few months. (See my previous post on canning.)
For a gift, tie with a pretty ribbon and label.
Yields 8 half-pint jars (8 cups) of jam.
Peppermint Bark
printable recipe
- 1 pound bittersweet chocolate (or semi-sweet), chopped
- 1 pound white chocolate, chopped
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 cup crushed peppermint pieces
- sea salt (optional)
- Christmas cookie cutters
Place the bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl, and set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not be touching the water). Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with foil and place the cookie cutters on the foil. Pour the melted bittersweet chocolate into the cookie cutters (I poured the chocolate into a piping tool to make this step easier). Use the pointed end of a chopstick to get the chocolate into all the nooks and crannies of the cookie cutters. The chocolate should be about 1/8 inch thick. If you don't have many cookie cutters to fill at once, then you will need to make these in batches - set aside any unused chocolate for the next set.
Place the baking sheet/s in the freezer and chill for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate; once melted and smooth, remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes before whisking in the peppermint extract. (Adding the extract while the chocolate is too hot may cause the chocolate to seize up.)
Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. (If you try to pour the white chocolate over the dark chocolate straight from the freezer, then it will harden too quickly before you can spread it out, so allowing the dark chocolate to warm up slightly will make this next step easier.)
The white chocolate has a thicker consistency, but try to use the same amount as you did of dark chocolate, so that it comes out evenly. Pour the white chocolate over the dark chocolate, using a chopstick again to spread out the chocolate to the edges and corners of the cookie cutters. The white chocolate should also be 1/8 inch thick, so that now you have a 1/4 inch thick piece of bark with both layers of chocolate. Before the white chocolate sets, immediately sprinkle with the crushed peppermint, and add a tiny sprinkle of sea salt, before moving on to the next one. Cover any unused white chocolate until you're ready to make the next batch.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer again to thoroughly chill, about 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer. Lift the cookie cutters off the foil and carefully loosen the chocolate from the cutters, using the blunt end of a chopstick to help push it out of the mold. Handling the chocolate as little as possible, so as not to melt it with your fingers, transfer the pieces of bark to a clean baking sheet and place in the refrigerator.
Follow the whole process again until you've used up all the chocolate. Alternatively, instead of pouring the chocolate into the cookie cutters, you can simply spread the chocolate evenly on a baking sheet, and then break into pieces after it's chilled.
For a gift, place the bark into a tissue-lined box and tie with a ribbon. A candy cane on top looks pretty.
Yields 2 pounds of peppermint bark.
Sugar and Spice Nuts
printable recipe
- 2 pounds (about 6 cups) unsalted nuts, such as almonds, pecans or walnuts (or a mix)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon grown nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon dried grated orange peel
Place the nuts in a large bowl and make sure there are no pieces of shell. (If using salted nuts, just reduce or eliminate the salt in the recipe.) In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour mixture over the nuts and stir to coat thoroughly.
Spread nuts in a single layer on the baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes. Lift foil off the pans and place on the counter to cool completely. Break into pieces and store at room temperature, or package into decorative boxes or bags for gifts.
Nutmeg Pots de Creme
printable recipe
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 whole eggs, plus 2 yolks
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, vanilla and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar and salt. Just when the cream mixture starts to bubble, remove from the heat. Very slowly, pour the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until well blended. Divide between the ramekins.
Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill the baking dish with hot water so that it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with foil.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the edges of the custard is set but the centers are still jiggly. Cool on the counter for 1 hour, then chill in the fridge for two hours before serving (or serve warm, if desired). Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Yields 4 servings.
Recipe adapted from Not Without Salt.
Almond Cranberry Caramel Popcorn
printable recipe
- 12 cups popped popcorn (1/2 cup kernels)
- 1 cup dried cranberries (could substitute other dried fruit such as cherries or apples)
- 1 cup whole salted almonds
- 1/4 cup butterscotch chips
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried orange peel
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 275 F. Place the popcorn in a large roasting pan and sprinkle the cherries, almonds and butterscotch chips over the popcorn. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup; cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. Stir in the orange juice and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once mixture comes to a boil, boil for 2 minutes, continuing to stir constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda - mixture will be foamy. Stir in the salt, orange peel and nutmeg.
Pour caramel mixture over the popcorn mixture and stir to coat evenly. Bake at 275 for 30 minutes, stirring twice. Place a large piece of foil on the counter and spray with non-stick spray. Spread the popcorn on the foil and allow to cool and harden before storing in an airtight container.


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Living in a neighborhood plagued by pollution and poverty, South Bronx residents would like to see more green in their midst – namely, trees, open space and money. Mayor Michael Bloomberg's PlaNYC2030 would seem to provide it. The plan calls for a million new trees in neighborhoods across the city, with special focus on underserved neighborhoods like East Harlem and the South Bronx. Recently, the city also announced a new training program that will provide horticultural jobs for 30 New Yorkers.
Despite those lofty goals, Sustainable South Bronx (SSBx), a long-standing local environmental justice group, finds that PlaNYC 2030 falls short and even undercuts its own efforts to ensure a sustainable future for the South Bronx. "From our perspective, [the plan's creators] really missed the ball on the issue of what sustainability means," says Miquela Craytor, SSBx's executive director.
Training Environmental Stewards
As an example, she cites the administration's tree planting efforts. Craytor points out that new street trees slated for the Bronx do not compensate for the green space lost to development projects like the new Yankee Stadium. Moreover, only 50 percent of new street trees survive, mainly due to lack of maintenance. This means that, unless the city provides money to care for the new trees, they could die and leave the neighborhood no greener than it is now.
The city is addressing maintenance through the training program, which launches this November and its Summer Youth Tree Steward program. This year, its first, that program employed approximately 35 youths from the metropolitan area for six weeks. Some experts wonder these initiatives will provide sufficient staff and funds to maintain one million trees. Staffers at SSBx, which has operated its own highly successful tree stewardship program for the past five years, also wonder why the city created a new program instead of working with their organization's initiative.
These are just two of the million questions SSBx is asking about the sustainability of PlaNYC 2030 and how it will address the very real problems of their community.
Approximately 40 percent of South Bronx residents currently live at or below the poverty level. Not coincidentally, the neighborhood houses 15 waste transfer stations and four power plants, and 60,000 trucks travel through it each week. In 2001, long-time South Bronx resident, Majora Carter began SSBx in order to create more green space in her neighborhood and advocate for neighborhood improvements. To assess residents' biggest concerns, SSBx's fledgling staff held a series of public meetings. The response was clear – in addition to cleaner air and more parks, residents wanted jobs.
In response, SSBx launched the Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training in 2003. A 10-week intensive job-training program, it confronts environmental, health, poverty and quality of life problems by equipping urban residents to work in "green collar" jobs such as ecological restoration, hazardous waste cleanup, green roof installation and maintenance, urban forestry and landscaping.
Importantly, the program targets people who are facing barriers to employment. "These are folks who have been incarcerated or on public assistance," Craytor explains. "When they rebuilding the Bronx and the city through ecological restoration," she continues, "They're also rebuilding their lives and it affects not just them but their families as well."
The training runs quarterly, graduating approximately 60 trainees per year. So far, it has placed 85 percent of the graduates in jobs, and another 10 percent have gone on to college.
As successful as the environmental stewardship program has been so far, however, it cannot place its trainees in green jobs if those jobs do not exist. While it seems as though PlaNYC2030 would create such jobs, SSBx staffers find that, in many places, PlaNYC2030 misses the chance to help make a "green collar" workforce into reality. This seems surprising considering the attention that even presidential candidates have paid to developing green collar jobs, and SSBx's national notoriety (Its founder, Majora Carter won a 2005 MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" for her work in that area).
Sustainability and Sewers
As an example, SSBx cites PlaNYC2030's treatment of combined sewer overflows. Every year, stormwater overwhelms the city's sewage system, causing approximately 27 gallons of raw sewage and polluted water to be discharged into New York City waters. This is a particular problem in the South Bronx.
"Everything on the street -- oils, anti-freeze, trash, metals -- all that gets released into the river untreated," explains Craytor. Not only does that reduce water quality overall, but "it means kids can't play out in the river on a summer day, or on the beaches."
Just before the release of PlaNYC2030 in April 2007, SSBx joined over 40 environmental and community organizations from across all five boroughs to form Storm Water Infrastructure Matters (S.W.I.M). Created to ensure swimmable waters around New York City, S.W.I.M advocates for sustainable storm water management measures such as green roofs, rain gardens, disconnecting rain gutter downspouts from shared drains (which tend to overflow), and porous pavements. All of these treat storm water as a resource to be captured and re-channeled to help create and maintain green space. Not only does this approach keep the city's waters clean, but green space also cools and beautifies the city, provides recreation and improves air quality. And, the retrofitting needed to put these mechanisms into place creates green jobs.
PlaNYC2030, however, fails to adopt such an approach – it expands the capacity of current water treatment plants rather than seeking innovative alternatives. This, Craytor contends, is the opposite of sustainable thinking.
"Every dollar we put into expanding sewage treatment facilities is one less dollar to put into doing something that has multiple benefits. Do we want to invest in one thing that only gives one type of yield?" she asks. "Or do we want to invest and spread the rewards in terms of cleaner air, reducing the heat island effect, providing jobs, creating habitat space and improving the quality of life, and the psychology of our community – seeing green space as opposed to just the urban gray concrete fabric?"
SSBx is working to boost PlaNYC2030's sustainability. On June 24, 2008, the state legislature agreed to provide tax credits to offset $4.50 a square foot, approximately 25 percent of the cost of installing a green roof (roofs that are either partially or completely covered with vegetation). By capturing stormwater, green roofs prevent it from entering the sewer system, while also keeping buildings warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Not coincidentally, more green roofs in New York City also mean more jobs for B.E.S.T. graduates.
Although the tax abatement is only a pilot program that expires in one year, SBBX and SWIM members will try to persuade the state to extend it. In the meantime, they will focus on implementation. "Right now, the important thing is that city agencies make [the credits] easy to apply for, and make the process open and transparent, " says SBX policy director Rob Crauderoff.
Advocates believe that creating clear goals, timelines and ample opportunities for public participation will help PlaNYC2030's suggestions become sustainable realities with a life beyond the current administration. "A plan in and of itself doesn't mean anything," Crauderoff comments. "We want to see the plan as a tool."
Melissa Checker is assistant professor of urban studies at Queens College, City University of New York. She is the author of Polluted Promises: Environmental Racism and the Search for Justice in a Southern Town, Â


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Tensions escalated as riot police formed a line in front of a crowd of 500 gathered south of City Hall on Saturday to protest a white supremacist rally, and a counter-protest sparked a bloody exchange, according to NBC 4 in Los Angeles.
Members of the National Socialist Movement, many wearing black uniforms, attempted to stage a rally, but were largely outshouted by counterprotesters, California News Service reported.
The neo-Nazi's carried a variety of flags — American, Confederate, and Nazi — but their chants for white power were lost amidst shouts from the surrounding and much larger, crowd. In English and in Spanish, those rallying against the neo-Nazi's yelled "racists go home" and "stop the Nazis," according to the California news agency.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
Police throughout Los Angeles were placed on high alert in the event that violence broke out during the neo-Nazi march. And clashes started early on.
Before the group of neo-Nazis showed up for their afternoon rally at City Hall, a few counter-protesters beat up a man who had Nazi skin tattoos. The beaten man had antagonized the crowd of 500, the affiliate reported, NBC 4 reported.
The man was moved down the street by the angry mob. They beat him with signs. He bled from his head. One blow was so hard, it broke the sign in half, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Police formed a wedge and took the man away. No arrests were made.
"It's just one group of racists protesting another group of racists," one officer told a NBC 4 reporter.
There were other groups too. Bystanders and other officers gathered on the street in front of police headquarters to the demonstrators at a safe distance away.
Earlier in the week, community activists and civil rights groups had urged the mayor of Los Angeles to revoke the white supremacist group's permit to march in front of City Hall.
Danielle Heck, a spokeswoman for the groups, told The Associated Press that the groups shouldn't be allowed to gather because they practice hate speech and seek to incite violence.
Police Sgt. Lisa Turvey said the permit allowing the white supremacists to gather had been granted in March.
NBC 4 in Los Angeles, The Associated Press and California News Service contributed to this report.


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So is there actually anywhere decent left in this city of ours? Earth has sadly gone downhill, dough sounds like it's no good any more. Greens is posh, out of the way and not even properly vegetarian -although i suppose they may have sorted that out now.
I still like Cornerhouse, been ere many times and only had the one bad experience. Tampopo's good too but aside from that????
Eighth Day is good in the day, but what about evenings?


text: PUMPS BASIC/ FUNDAMENTAL Types of pump and how it works System curves Centrifugal pumps performance characteristic Implications of running off the Best Efficiency Point Affinity laws NPSH and cavitation CENTRIFUGAL PUMP CONSTRUCTION Impellers, casings, shafts, etc. Mechanical seals Couplings Bearings Baseplates PUMPS SELECTION AND APPLICATION Pumps standards (API, ANSI/ ASME, ISO, HI, NFPA) The different between API 610 vs ANSI/ ASME pump Pump Classification & designation according to API 610 11th Ed. and Hydraulic Institute Material selection Typical application of centrifugal pumps Pump selection PUMPS OPERATION Pump operation Parallel operation Series operation Controlling pump capacity PUMP MAINTENANCE Preventive maintenance Bearing lubrication Pump inspections to improve mechanical seal life Overhaul PUMP TROUBLESHOOTING Faults, causes, remedies PUMP SAFETY TIPS Pump Safety Tips PUMP SELECTION, APPLICATION, OPERATION & TROUBLE SHOOTING Back to Course This content is protected, please login and enroll course to view this content! Prev Overhaul Next Pump Safety Tips Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment Name * Email * Website


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In order to ensure the safety of staff and guests, we've made modifications to our Museum experience in accordance with public guidance and health recommendations. Advance Tickets are Recommended. Members: Please Reserve Your Visit Online
Member Benefits
Membership Benefits Include:
- Free admission for one year and a dedicated membership line for priority access to the Wampanoag Homesite, 17th-Century English Village, Craft Center, Nye Barn, Plymouth Waterfront Exhibit and the Plimoth Grist Mill
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- Discounted admission for your guests ($5 off a full priced Heritage Pass ticket)
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Click on one of the following links to join as an Individual, One-Plus-Anyone, Family, Grandparent or Premiere member, or call the membership department at (508) 746-1622 ext. 8223.


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Check out the latest RPG news | Podcasts | Twitch Streams
I think Xenosaga episode 1 had great WORLD BUILDING, but almost nothing in terms of narrative. It introduced fascinating characters and then did almost nothing with them--I watched it entirely online, and then played XS2 and 3, and found them to be, narratively speaking, much better games. I think Rob's issue is more with the fact that it spends so much time building up a conflict, and then when that conflict happens... "here's a thing to fight, okay end." Comparatively little happens in XS1 versus 2 and 3. Also, as the music guy, I must link to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zFLYzlSjm4 (XS2 spoilers)
I dunno-- as a movie, I enjoyed it, but I've always felt that if you're going to create characters, you can't just 'TELL' me who they are, you have to show me-- and I think XS1 sort of failed in that regard. They threw plenty of "this is who Ziggy/Jr./chaos" are because exposition, but had relatively little in the way of those characters actually doing anything that made me understand them as characters. It was enjoyable, but I think as a prologue chapter it could have done a lot more-- especially in light of how fantastic the character development and actual narrative "action" were in 2 and 3-- so much more happened in those games in terms of scope as compared to XS1. I do agree that worldbuilding and character development are essential, though. I'd go as far as to say character development is the MOST important facet of any RPG story.
Just remember to keep in mind that it's Rob's Top 5-- not an RPGFan top 5 or an 'Overall, all time Top 5."
Of course, the other aspect of "underwhelming" is that it carries the assumption that you thought a game would have a good story, but it didn't. For example, Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel has a story that is stupid and terrible and doesn't fit with the canon Fallout universe. But I wouldn't call it underwhelming, because I didn't expect it to have a good story.
i would like to see neal chandran write one consisting of only harem adventure erogames
Quote from: Hathen on April 09, 2013, 02:18:39 AMi would like to see neal chandran write one consisting of only harem adventure erogamesYes
Quote from: Taelus on April 09, 2013, 10:02:10 AMQuote from: Hathen on April 09, 2013, 02:18:39 AMi would like to see neal chandran write one consisting of only harem adventure erogamesYesThirded.


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Bloomberg Businessweek unveiled a photo illustration Wednesday of President Barack Obama's weathered face, adding that the next four years will likely take its toll on him.
After securing a second term, Obama will face several domestic and foreign issues that will make his term the hardest job in the world.
Bloomberg also released a similar photo of Republican Mitt Romney.
You can see both photos below.


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Anna is now available for Mac users
Anna is now available for Mac, Kalypso has announced. Mac users can now pick up the first-person horror title on Steam and the Mac Store for $9.99. It's 10% off on Steam until November 16. The PC version of the Dreampainters title was released in September.
Dreampainters headlines
Anna - first-person horror title out on Steam, launch trailer released
Anna, the first-person horror adventure which delves into the "darkest depths of the human psyche," has landed on Steam.
Horror adventure Anna arrives September 21 through Kalypso
Kalypso has signed Dreampainters' first-person horror adventure, Anna, for digital release on Mac and PC. The psychological thriller is rife with physics puzzles, and challenges the player with uncovering the protagonist's past, while maintaining their sanity and working towards one of three possible endings. It's due on September 21 for $10, and the digital release […]
Italian developer Dreampainters show off Anna for first time
Italian studio Dreampainters has unveiled its brand new game Anna, coming to PC. No date yet, though. Set in an old sawmill near the Italian village of Champoluc, the adventure title will feature real-world locations. Get screens and other info here. Shack has a video.


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Note: This dress is smaller made, we recommend to size up especially if bub is bigger than her age. Thank you
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Differences in screen resolution may result in colours appearing lighter, darker, brighter or duller.
*** Please allow 2-3 weeks delivery***


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In honor of Thanksgiving this week, we asked celebrity chefs, tastemakers, gourmands, industry insiders, and even our crew, which dish they're looking forward to most. Here's what they said:
Fried turkey!
Cee Lo Green, musician
Southern-style sweet potatoes
Eric Benet, musician
Chestnut sausage stuffing, mostly 'cause I use it on sandwiches for a week after Thanksgiving.
Geoffrey Zakarian, chef/owner of Lambs Club
Mine is this amazing sausage stuffing that GZ makes. Yum!
Margaret Zakarian, owner of Lambs Club
We really don't do the traditional Thanksgiving. It's a potluck of a lot of Filipino food, my Mom's wonton soup and my aunt's stewed oxtails with peanuts and shrimp paste are always my favorites. I'm reminded of my family when I eat those dishes, that "Ratatouille" moment when you get sucked back into a time and place, total nostalgia.
Dale Talde, Chef / Owner of Talde
Potatoes are a staple on Thanksgiving tables, but I love the elegance of fingerlings in particular. They are the perfect size to incorporate into a mix of seasonal vegetables, or by themselves, roasted with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Laurent Tourondel, Chef of BLT American Brasserie
Brussels sprout salad with toasted pumpkin seeds and queso fresco. The toasted pumpkin seeds are a great way to use up the usual leftover from pumpkin dishes and provide a flavorful nuttiness and texture to complement this earthy vegetable. Parents will rejoice with this recipe too: adding the mild queso fresco may get the kids to finally be tempted to eat this nutritious, classic side!
Julian Medina, Chef of Toloache & Toloache 82
Braised Red Cabbage is a traditional Austrian dish that has both a little bit of sweet and sour in it, and it goes well with fall and winter dishes. My family used to harvest red cabbages just before the snowfall and kept them in a cellar for months. Braised Red Cabbage was one of our favorite dishes, and the first ones of the season we would also serve for our dinners.
Wolfgang Puck, Chef/Owner of Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air
For me, its the big turkey leg with crispy skin and followed next day by dark meat only turkey sandwich in hot baguette with herb mayo and tomato.
John MacDonald, Owner of Lure, Burger & Barrel and MercBar
Stuffing and gravy all day long!
Gabriel Stulman, owner of Joseph Leonard, Fedora and Jeffrey's Grocery
Carrot-Cranberry chutney. It's a take on the traditional American cranberry sauce, strongly influenced by the lingonberry chutneys common in Sweden.
Marcus Samuelsson, Chef / Owner of Red Rooster
Shaker lemon pie and leftover turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce and lots of Best Foods mayonnaise.
Scott Hocker, editor-in-chief of Tasting Table
And, who said those guys above are the experts when it comes to Thanksgiving feasts? Here's what our food-loving crew said:
Oyster stuffing with gravy and more oyster stuffing with gravy and more oyster stuffing with gravy and then a giant slice of pumpkin pie.
Caroline Kim, LXTV Editorial Director
My mom's pecan crusted sweet potato casserole and homemade dinner rolls. Already sad knowing I'll miss it this year. But, I have the recipe, and other than a little special butter I toss in, they are nearly identical.
Craig Turpin, Promotions Editor of 1st Look
It would have to be a tie between green bean casserole (well done with extra crunch onions) and my grandma's sweet potato pie with marshmallows on top!
Brady Leifer, Production Coordinator of Open House
My parents are from Germany, and each year my Mom makes the most delicious side dishes of baked red cabbage and German dumplings. They are my favorite food tradition!
Stephanie Kurtz, Supervising Producer of 1st Look
Crispy fried chicken breast, baked macaroni and cheese with bread crumbs, whipped yams with marshmallows on top, fresh collard greens cooked with smoked turkey, and hot buttery cornbread. I can't wait 'til Thursday!!!
Deandra Hayes, Editor of Open House
I hate to be super boring but I'm not a big fan of the traditional Thanksgiving foods, so I would have to go with Turkey.
Rich Kaplinski, LXTV Editor
My mom makes a banging chestnut stuffing with sweet and spicy sausage. Also, Vasilopita, its a traditional New Year's cake/bread that the Greeks make.
Lexi Konstantopoulos, Editor of New York Live
If I had to choose, it would be the sides for sure. I like my mom's apple sausage and sage stuffing. Yum! Then, it's the potatoes and Brussels sprouts! By the way, I'm starving! So now that's all I can think about.
Sara Gore, Host of New York Live
Hands down all the Turkey Day fixings, the day after Thanksgiving, as a sandwich on white bread.
Andy Scerbo & George Oliphant, Supervising Producer & Host of George to the Rescue
Sweet potatoes!
Alex Gittleson, Producer of George to the Rescue
My mom makes this baked mac 'n' cheese with an insane breadcrumb top... the best!
Siafa Lewis, New York Live reporter
The turkey takes a back seat at my house. Bring out the pumpkin pie with a little bit of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream! It's so finger-licking good!
Vicky Baftiri, Segment Producer of 1st Look
The leftovers! I usually take them and make my own Korean-Thanksgiving Fusion of Bibimbap, mixing rice, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and kimchi.
Grace Kim, LXTV Director of Production
Sweet potato pie with melted marshmallows on top... delicious!
Beth Gerstenbluth & Kristin Kropp, EP of 1st Look & Producer of George to the Rescue
I'm sure my aunt would be sad to hear this because she makes an amazing Thanksgiving meal, but my favorite Thanksgiving "dish" is canned cranberries (the kind that makes that suction noise and still has can ring imprints when it comes out). Delish. She also makes super scrumptious blueberry pie.
Allison Jarvis, Segment Producer of 1st Look
My uncle makes a baked brie that's pure heaven (and cholesterol) in a hollowed-out sourdough loaf of bread. I literally eat a pound of cheese every Thanksgiving and spend the rest of the year dreaming about it.
Brian Mait, Segment Producer of 1st Look
Five Cup Salad , an Old Al-Jinabi family tradition.
Lemeya Al-Jinabi, Supervising Producer of 1st Look
I can't even kind of wrap my head around this question. Turkey Day is my favorite day of the year. I love everything on the table, especially if it's pumpkin-related.
Maureen Giannone, Segment Producer of 1st Look
I dream of this plate all year... it's the ultimate combo of the "Asian" turkey (You'll have to ask my grandma why it's "Asian") and the traditional turkey with lots of mashed potatoes and stuffing piled on top.
Linda Vongkhamchanh, LXTV web editor
Tell us your favorites in the comments section below! For more 1st Look fun, tune in Saturdays after Saturday Night Live on NBC
Thanksgiving Feast: Cee Lo, Top Chefs (And, Our Crew!) Share Their Favorite Dishes
In honor of Thanksgiving this week, we asked celebrity chefs, tastemakers, gourmands, industry insiders, and even our crew, which dish they're looking forward to most. Here's what they said:


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Welcome Spring with a wool afghan!
Spring has arrived. I know this because of the chorus of parrots and kookaburras that wake me each morning at 6 am. As if somehow nature knows that the calendar has turned over, it was 29 degrees here on the 1st of September. I did manage to crochet my way through winter and have a pile of finished objects to prove it.
My winter total is: 6 baby blankets, 1 woolen afghan, 1 hairpin shawl, 3 interesting other shawls, a and a plethora of hats and scarfs. I have also finalised a few new patterns which have been in development for sometime. I decided I would update the formatting as I now have a u beaut laptop with the latest version of word. While the documents do have a nice modern edge, the new word is counter intuitive which has slowed me down a bit. I have however added the following to my pattern collection:
Vintage style beanies, Tasmanian devils, cow rugalugs, spiral beanie, super slippers, and a few new tea cosy designs. I will add these to etsy over the next few weeks.
So welcome Spring, and what better way than with finishing an afghan - pure Australian wool of course.
The pattern is from the book 63 more squares which a kind person RAOKed me a few years back. It has been in my list of things to do for a while as I searched out the right yarn.
It is almost a year since our road trip and one of the holiday discoveries was the Bendigo woollen Mills. This was like a lolly shop to a fat kid with a sweet tooth as I came out with an enviable supply of top quality Australian Wool and bargain price's in a stunning array of colours. The other thing that Bendigo has lots of is pottery, and I also managed to have a rather large biscuit barrel fall into my handbag as well.
She has also stated that it is the highlighter pen colours which assist in setting the mood.
I have made my daughter several rugs over the years but these somehow always seem to turn up as decorating items, or being worn at Retro parties by the trendy Melbourne crowd.
Think Retro and the obvious thing is to drag out Mums crochet rugs! I know this cos they often feature on Facebook. I have no idea who the people below are, but I do know I crocheted the orange rug that they are sharing along with a beer and a few good times. And, this rug was made in the 90s, and not in the 70s!
So the challenge for me was to construct a tasteful (!) afghan with a contemporary edge(whatever that is).
I didn't do the full 63 blocks as wool is quite heavy and I wanted a couch throw rather than a full bedspread.
The colours are Navy and maroon with variegation's of creams and blues. All pure Australian wool from the Bendigo Woollen Mill. This is yarn to die for. My only regret is that we don't have a bigger boot as I would have loved to have bought more. I started the rug last November while on the trip and finished it this winter.
I love it to bits, and I haven't seen it as a backdrop on Facebook which is a good sign ( I think),
thanks for looking.


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The Accidental are a new outfit formed of familiar faces. Making up the four-piece, whose debut album There Were Wolves is out now through Full Time Hobby: Sam Genders (Tunng), Stephen Cracknell (The Memory Band), Hannah Caughlin (The Bicycle Thieves) and Liam Bailey. As the line-up suggests, theirs is music broadly bracketed as folk, in the very sweetest sense, albeit with slightly sinister overtones. I mean, There Were Wolves… you get me.
Stephen Cracknell and Sam Genders answer our DiScover questions…
I guess, primarily due to the label association, many will see The Accidental as a Tunng spin-off – a bother at all, given the other members' roots/other projects, or is such a categorising a positive for the group?
Stephen: It's a band in its own right. How the world and the media sees it is out of our control and not really much of a concern to me. I'm pretty secure about the work I have already done with The Memory Band and what we have achieved. All the band members have their own projects which are well respected, that's a big part of why the writing and recording process was so relaxed.
Sam: I think anything that draws people in to having a listen to the record is great and the Tunng connection, along with all the other projects people have done, is one of those things that has helped us out in that way. To my ears this record is probably closer in sound to Stephen's previous work - the production really has his stamp on it. I think from our point of view it's just nice that people are interested.
I get the impression the band came together in a very natural, almost accidental fashion – perhaps explaining the name. Fair to say? Pleased that you've followed your noses and completed an album of material?
Stephen: Very much so, and we're very pleased with the outcome. It's been a very natural and easy-going process and great fun making the record and playing our first live shows.
Sam: Yes, it was a very natural thing. It started out as experimenting with a bit of co-writing and it grew from there... It was a very relaxing way to work for the most part because by the time we decided to make an album it was already half made. The name definitely fits, as people did come on board through spontaneous events as opposed to us going out and looking for a band.
What are you expecting/hoping for There Were Wolves? Do you think there's a market/place out there for it? It seems to nestle oddly – not traditional enough for the folk old-guard, but not as twisted as some of the freer-of-arrangement acts circulating presently…
Stephen: No expectations at all really, just enjoyment of the process. If I worried about markets and demographics I think it would be time to give up music. I find a lot of 'twisted folk' acts just as boring as many traditional acts. Music for me gets interesting when people step beyond genres and rigid ideas.
Sam: I haven't the foggiest, really! It's nice that the response has been warm so far, but I've no idea where it will go. For me it was something I did for fun and to learn some new ways of making music. I find the way Stephen works really inspiring and we've both loved singing with the gorgeous voices that Liam and Hannah have so it's been a great experience whatever happens. On second thoughts... I think it's going to be huge!
Was the goal to create an album fitting any mould at all, baring in mind the projects members are sourced from – it would have been a mission to arrive at a sound entirely your own. Does the final product match any ideas/frameworks you had at the outset for The Accidental's recorded material?
Stephen: No goals, no expectations, no master plan, no concerns about genres, that's for other people. I've never understood musicians who set out with particular goals when making music; it's a pretty alien idea to me. I believe in freedom.
Sam: It is what it is really - it's campfire late-night smoke and whisky music: the record gets better the more you drink! It took on that lo-fi warm sound early on, but beyond that we didn't think about it too much. I don't think it's a record that aims to genre bust... it's just a few songs we made and hopefully has something about it that people will like.
Are there (m)any key themes/concepts in the album, lyrical clues to an underlying framework that you've set the whole record upon?
Stephen: Musically the only concept we developed was using improvised voices and instruments and looping them to build the arrangements for songs. As for lyrics, I think we enjoyed the fact that we each have different takes on the lyrical ideas and never sat down and tried to dissect meanings.
Sam: Not really - there are themes that crop up like love, uncertainty and perception, but they weren't thought up beforehand.
Is touring a problem given your 'main' pursuits? Do you hope to commit to a proper tour sometime in 2008, perhaps ahead of festival appearances?
Stephen: We have no plans to tour in the normal sense; it's not something that excites me that much anyway. We will be playing live when we can, which we enjoy very much. We've had a great reaction to our live shows so far so I can't see us stopping.
Sam: At the moment there are no big tours planned... we've got a few dates lined up but we're pretty busy. Who knows in the future, but at the moment we're probably going to keep it that way. Things are pretty hectic.
The album cover's a bit spooky – does the band believe in ghosts, and if so what do you make of that Yvette Fielding, eh? Running about in falling-down castles… tsk.
Stephen: I have no idea if the rest of the band believe in ghosts, I don't think we've ever discussed it. I had to Google Yvette Fielding to find out who she is. I suppose I'm a bit of a freak because I don't own a television. I think lyrically on the album there is a good balance of the direct and the mysterious, things being both descriptive and suggestive.
Sam: I believe in the idea of ghosts but I'm not sure I believe in Yvette Fielding.
Find out more on The Accidental by visiting them on MySpace. Live dates:
16 Manchester Hedge
17 Brecon Green Man Festival
29 Moseley Moseley Folk Festival


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MONTREAL — In 20 years as head of the Canadian Open golf championship, and in more than three decades working in the sport, tournament director Bill Paul has enough special moments to fill a few trophy cases.
So it's interesting, as the 105th edition of this country's national championship comes to Royal Montreal this week, that Paul says his greatest memory in golf is something that happened not inside the ropes on the fairways, greens or bunkers, but in the boardroom.
It came in 1997, when following 16 straight years at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ont., the Open returned to Royal Montreal.
"People at our end never thought you could move the Open away from Glen Abbey," Paul said during a chat in the final hours before organized chaos sets in this week at the historic layout on Île-Bizard.
"It was done for, let's say, political reasons. We wanted to come to Quebec, which was two years removed from a (referendum) vote, and we had a Quebec president who challenged us to return to the province.
"We went from the feeling that we couldn't have a big tournament away from Glen Abbey to having the biggest Open we'd ever had," Paul said. "The people here at (Royal Montreal) and the enthusiasm of the Montreal fans just blew me away. It was the highlight of my career in golf."
Steve Jones would win the 1997 Open, an event noteworthy for being the first missed cut — by a single stroke — for Tiger Woods in the 26 professional tournaments he'd played to that point.
The Open returned to Royal Montreal in 2001, grander still, and this week, branded the RBC Canadian Open, it is back for the 10th time, North America's first course having played host to the inaugural 1904 event at its Dixie layout in the parish of Dorval.
The $60 winner's purse claimed in 1904 by J.H. Oke would convert to roughly $1,500 today, which still pales just a little to the $1,026,000 U.S. that will go to the champion crowned next Sunday.
A field of 156 professional and amateur golfers will play at least 36 holes on Royal's famed Blue course Thursday and Friday, the top 70 and ties after two rounds playing for pay on the weekend. Eleven former Canadian Open winners are in the field, including defending champion Brandt Snedeker, winner of the 2012 FedEx Cup.
For spectators on site, this will be anything but "just" 72 holes of golf played by many of the finest pros in the world. Organizers have put together a wide variety of interactive events for all ages, with children 17 and under admitted to the course all week for no charge with a ticketed adult.
Next Saturday is designated Family Day, with specially priced grounds passes offering access to fan zones and golf activities for youngsters.
A Golf Canada Foundation pro-am on Monday, with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m., kicks off the week. Canadian pros, playing alongside many alumni of the Canadiens as well as current players David Desharnais and P.A. Parenteau, will raise funds for young Tour-bound men and women from this country.
"In my mind, we needed — and pardon the expression — a Ferris wheel in the parking lot," Paul said of making the Open a fan-friendly experience. "We want to give fans an opportunity to do more than follow the golfers around the course, find a place to eat, then go home.
"We want to take advantage of the game, introduce it to young kids. Our (corporate) partners — whether RBC or BMW or our minor sponsors — are helping us out with a lot of great 'activation' for spectators on site. We're looking to grow the game and we can use the Open as a tool to do that."
Not in the field is Woods, the 2000 Canadian Open champion who is feeling his way back into the spotlight after time away from the game with a bad back.
But Woods's absence in no way diminishes an excellent field that includes 15 Canadians, including Graham DeLaet, currently Canada's top-ranked player and No. 32 in the world; David Hearn, who finished tied for 32nd in the British Open on Sunday; and Mike Weir, the eight-time PGA Tour winner and 2003 Masters champion who will play in his 24th Canadian Open.
Other than the undulation and size of some greens, and no doubt a few sadistic pin placements, the layout of the 7,153-yard, par-70 Blue course won't be much different than it was in 2007, when major renovations reshaped it for the Presidents Cup.
Golfers won't battle the nearly six-inch, dew-wet September rough that lined fairways in 1997, when organizers feared the field would embarrass Royal, turning it into mini-putt without the windmill.
"That was more our not respecting the course, thinking its only defence was the rough. It was more penal than it was worth and that upset a lot of guys," Paul said, saying that three- to three-and-a-half inch rough will line fairways this week.
"I just think that today's players are so good that hitting it in the zone and down the middle is going to score regardless. It's still a wonderful property. The guys are going to like it. It's in great shape because (Royal superintendent) Greg Greer and his staff have done a wonderful job."
For Paul, the past week has been tending to the final details, various committees and an army of nearly 1,500 volunteers having helped to prepare the event and put out the welcome mat for the galleries.
More than 30 players, their caddies and families were to be aboard a Golf Canada-sponsored charter Sunday in Manchester, bound for Montreal from the British Open. It's a vital part of doing business for this tournament.
"Each place you go is unique," Paul said of this country's only stop on the PGA Tour. "As long as you're doing your homework ahead of time and working with the proper people — with cities, the club, sponsors, the Tour and getting the course ready — everything sort of flows.
"When you get down to this time, the biggest unknown is probably players in terms of getting a commitment, confirming a commitment or dealing with commitments that change with withdrawals. You just try to manage everything and you can only do so much.
"What I pray for mostly," Paul said with a laugh, "is sunshine. That will bring people out for the golf and the activities on site. A great leaderboard will develop, much like we had in the last two Opens here, and we'll have a great champion."
More information, including a list of fan-friendly activities this week: rbccanadianopen.ca
Twitter: Dave_Stubbs