text:
29 March 2004, Volume 7, Number 12
'YEAR OF ACCOUNTABILITY' BEGINS IN IRAN. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in his 20 March Norouz message to the Iranian people that the new year -- 1383 -- will be a "year of accountability" for the government, state television reported. He said the executive, legislative, and judicial branches must inform the public on "what they have done with regard to rendering services to the entire nation, creating science, establishing justice, and alleviating poverty and discrimination in society." He added that they should provide information on "their contribution toward the movement for seeking justice and the movement for combating corruption."
Khamenei preceded these comments with a review of the previous year. He said the year 1382 began with the "jackbooted soldiers [sarbazan-i chakmeh poosh] of Great Satans" on Iran's borders, that in the summer U.S. and Israeli intelligence organizations tried to create social unrest in Iran, in the autumn the United States propagandized against Iran's nuclear efforts, and in the winter an earthquake struck Bam. He said the year ended with people participating enthusiastically in the parliamentary elections, thereby foiling the enemy's plots.
Outgoing Tehran parliamentary representative Fatimeh Rakei on 25 March expressed the hope that state institutions would heed the supreme leader's call for greater accountability, the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) reported. Rakei said that Khamenei's calls for accountability were ignored before and some agencies contented themselves with describing real and imagined accomplishments. She continued, "The authorities are responsible for putting into practice the ideas envisaged by the leader. And government organs must provide the leader and the nation with transparent and clear reports."
Rakei stressed the importance of the legislature in this process, saying, "The government bodies, especially the parliament, must directly supervise the authorities in their efforts to realize the leader's vision."
KHAMENEI WARNS OF 'IMPERIALIST CENTERS.' Ayatollah Khamenei spoke in Mashhad on 21 March and warned that unspecified "imperialist centers" want to create "a tumult in our country," "generate crises," and "cause agitation," state television reported. He went on to repeat his accusation that U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies tried to cause unrest in Iran the previous summer. He said the United States and Israel face a stalemate in Palestine and in Iraq, and warned, "The enemy might make crazy decisions because it is facing a stalemate." He continued: "However, no matter what decision they make, they will fail because they are facing a freedom-loving nation such as the Iranian nation. Our nation is awake." (Bill Samii)
'DIVINE INTERVENTION' AT THE IRANIAN BALLOT BOX? Expediency Council member Habibullah Asgaroladi-Mosalman on 11 March said of the previous month's parliamentary elections, "God guided the hearts of the pious throughout this land in such a way that of the 225 elected representatives, 160 were fundamentalists," "Aftab-i Yazd" reported. Asgaroladi, who is the secretary-general of the conservative Islamic Coalition Party, added, "We witnessed divine intervention in the seventh parliamentary elections, and you must thank God for this blessing with your work." (Bill Samii)
PARLIAMENTARIAN FORBIDDEN TO LEAVE COUNTRY AFTER RESIGNATION. Fatimeh Haqiqatju, whose resignation from the legislature was accepted in late February, said in a 23 March interview with ISNA that she has been banned from leaving the country and thus cannot accept an invitation to visit Great Britain. Haqiqatju said she has no intention of leaving Iran to live elsewhere, and added, "Those who do not have a place among the people are the ones who should flee this country, not the reformists who can rely upon the support of the majority of the people." (Bill Samii)
A RECENT FLOURISHING OF IRANIAN NEWS AGENCIES. The Azad News Agency started producing test dispatches on 16 March and will begin its regular service in May, becoming the latest agency to join in the recent expansion of such agencies. Iran's first news agency was established in 1934, and Azad will be the country's ninth.
The country's official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) began life as Pars Agency in 1934. The Foreign Ministry and then other state institutions ran it until 1963, when the Information Ministry took over and renamed it Pars News Agency. After the Islamic revolution in 1979, the Information Ministry was renamed the Guidance Ministry, and Pars News Agency was renamed the Islamic Republic News Agency. Abdullah Nasseri-Taheri took over as the agency's chief from Fereidun Verdinejad, who had run it for 10 years, in September 2001. IRNA produces several publications, including the Persian-language newspaper "Iran," the English-language "Iran Daily," and a monthly publication about interior design, "Iran-i Azin." IRNA's website is http://www.irna.ir.
The Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), which receives some government funds and is affiliated with the University Jihad, began operations in 1998. The agency writes about issues relevant to students, and ISNA Director-General Abolfazl Fateh complained that in June 2003 police beat him with batons after he objected to their throwing stones at protesting students (see "RFE/RL Iran Report," 23 June 2003). Its website is http://www.isna.ir.
The privately owned Fars News Agency received its license in November 1998, Reuters reported at the time. It actually began operating in 2002 and is headed by Said Najar-Nobari, who previously headed the Tehran Justice Department's public relations bureau. Other individuals associated with Fars News Agency have a similarly conservative background. Managing editor Mehdi Fazel is editor in chief of the daily "Javan," and the board of directors includes "Farda" newspaper's Alireza Shemirani, as well as "Resalat" newspaper's Abdullah Moghaddam and Akbar Nabavi. Its website is http://www.farsnews.com.
The Pupils Association News Agency started its operations in September 2002 as a joint effort of the Education Ministry and the Islamic Culture and Guidance Ministry. It is affiliated with IRNA and its objectives include training reporters and reporting news that interests students. Its website is http://www.irna.ir/pana.
SHANA (Shabakeh-yi Ettelaat-i Naft va Energi) News Agency, which is affiliated with the Petroleum Ministry, began its activities in early 2003, according to a December dispatch from IRNA. Its website is http://www.shana.ir/pe.
Affiliated with the Worker's House (Khaneh-yi Kargar) labor organization, the Iranian Labor News Agency (ILNA) was launched in February 2003. It is headed by Masud Heidari, and a founding member is Ali-Reza Mahjoub of the Islamic Labor Party. Heidari said on 10 December 2002 that the agency would discuss workers' demands, IRNA reported. Its website is http://www.ilna.ir.
Veterans of the Iran-Iraq War founded Mehr News Agency on 22 June 2003. Its managing director, Parviz Ismaili, is a columnist with the conservative "Entekhab" newspaper. Its website is http://www.mehrnews.com.
The establishment of Mowj News Agency was announced in "Iran" in July 2003, while ILNA reported that it began trial operations in September 2003. Its website is http://www.mowjnews.com.
The newest agency to enter the fray, Azad News Agency, is affiliated with the Islamic Open University, according to agency chief Mohammad Reza Karimi. Karimi added that its objectives are communicating with and exchanging information with the world's other universities, IRNA reported on 16 March. Karimi said, "The [Islamic Open University], with over 2.5 million students and graduates, 25,000 scientific staff, and 220 branches across Iran and abroad, is the largest Iranian university and academic complex, and therefore the establishment of a news agency to cover the above-mentioned was an old need for it." Karimi added that the agency will have offices in Ahvaz, Arak, Isfahan, Kerman, Mashhad, Shiraz, Sari, Semnan, Tabriz, and Tehran. Its website is http://www.ana.ir. (Bill Samii)
IRAN TO GET 'RADIO DISCIPLINE.' The head of the Iranian police's ideological department announced on 23 March that Radio Entezam (Radio Discipline) will be launched in about one month, Iranian state radio reported. The unnamed official said Radio Entezam will broadcast police-related news to officers stationed on the borders and in remote regions. (Bill Samii)
AGREEMENT ON IRAN-IRAQ PILGRIMAGES FORTHCOMING. Mohammad Bahr al-Ulum, who is serving as the rotating monthly head of the Iraqi Governing Council and who visited Iran earlier in the month, said on 21 March that the two countries will soon sign an agreement regulating pilgrimage traffic, IRNA reported the next day. Making pilgrimages to shrines is a practice specific to the Shi'a branch of Islam, the majority faith in Iran and Iraq.
The majority of the most important Shi'a shrines are in Iraq. The shrine to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib is in Al-Najaf, the shrine to Imam Hussein is in Karbala, shrines to Imam Musa al-Kazem and Muhammad al-Jawad are in Kazemiyan, and shrines to Imam Ali al-Hadi and Imam Hassan al-Askari are in Samara. Two other shrines -- to Imam Hassan and Imam Ali Zain al-Abedin -- are in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
There are more than 1,100 shrines and pilgrimage sites in Iran, according to the Library of Congress's "Iran - A Country Study" (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/irtoc.html). The most important shrine in Iran is the one to Imam Reza, located in Mashhad. The next-most-revered shrine is in Qom and is that of Imam Reza's sister, Fatimeh, known as Hazrat-i Masumeh. A brother of Imam Reza is buried at Shah Cheragh in Shiraz, and another relative is entombed at the Shah Abdul Azim shrine in Rey, a city south of Tehran.
Reacting to the 2 March Ashura bombings in Iraq, the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq announced on 14 March that it will close 16 of the 19 official crossing points between Iraq and Iran as of 20 March (see "RFE/RL Iran Report," 22 March 2003). This does not seem to have had a tremendous impact on the pilgrimage traffic, and on 21 March, Kermanshah Province police chief General Javad Hamed said that 5,000 Iranian pilgrims cross the border every day, IRNA reported. Hamed said 1,500 people cross at the Shalamcheh border crossing in Khuzestan Province and 3,500 people cross at the Mehran border crossing in Ilam Province.
The Mehran crossing was closed on 2 March, because of security concerns after the Ashura bombings in Iraq, but was reopened on 17 March, ISNA reported. On 22 March Colonel Manuchehr Cheraghi, the deputy chief of police in Ilam Province, said that about 14,000 Iraqi pilgrims have entered the country in the last six days, IRNA reported. He added that 1,400 Iranian pilgrims have entered Iraq in the same period.
Iran is trying to regulate border traffic. Ilam Province Governor-General Karim Shurangiz explained, "Only convoys of pilgrims who have obtained permits from the State Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization can go to Iraq via this border post," ISNA reported on 22 March. Shurangiz added that contrary to the past, when only one passport was required for every 37 people, now each person must have a passport.
Colonel Cheraghi on 25 March described the arrest in the last week of five thousand people who have tried to cross the border illegally, IRNA reported. Cheraghi said that pilgrimages to the holy sites in Iraq can only take place through officially sanctioned convoys, while the people who were arrested were trying to make the trip "by going through hard terrain and mountain passes with the help of local guides." Cheraghi warned that the area around the Mehran border crossing is very dangerous because of mines and unexploded ordinance from the 1980-88 Iran Iraq War.
A number of shrines and pilgrimage sites are located in Ilam Province, which borders Iraq. The major shrines in the province are the Aminzadeh Saleh and the Jaber Mausoleum in Dareh Shahr, the Imamzadeh Seyyed Ebrahim (a grandson of Imam Baqer) in Dehloran, and the Imamzadeh Seyyed Mohammad Abed (a son of Imam Musa Kazem and a brother of Imam Reza) in Mehran.
Other pilgrimage sites in Ilam Province include the Seyyed Akbar site near Dehloran, Seyyed Hassan on the Mehran-Dehloran road, and the Seyyed Ebrahim Qatal pilgrimage site on the Mehran border road. The Abbas pilgrimage site is in Dehloran, the Seyyed Fakhredin pilgrimage site is close to Abtaf Waterfall, and the Jaber Ansari pilgrimage site and the Madar Zuleikha pilgrimage site are in Dareh Shahr. The Seyyed Salaheddin Mohammad site is in Abdanan, and the Abbas pilgrimage site and the Baqer pilgrimage site are in Shirvan va Chardavol. The Seyyed Abdullah pilgrimage site is near Sarab Aivan and the Haji Hazer pilgrimage site is in Aivan.
Pilgrims' interest in some of these sites has led to problems. A commentary in the 19 February issue of "Peyk-i Ilam" weekly said that the authorities should pay closer attention to these sites because of the demands imposed by the pilgrimage traffic, and it warned of the danger posed by "the various diseases on the ground and inside the tombs." The commentary warned of a "dysfunctional situation" and said, "the stench aggravates every human being." Pilgrims' donations should be used to clean or replace carpets that have been in use for several years. "Why do the custodians not use all the revenues from these Imamzadehs -- and it is not clear where the money goes after it is collected and deposited in the bank -- and decide to spend it on the sacred sites themselves to provide sanitation, hygienic services, and other things?" The "Peyk-i Ilam" commentary also suggested that a cleric be designated to serve as a guide for the pilgrims at the holy sites. (Bill Samii)
TEHRAN SEES OFF HAMAS LEADER. Iranian officials and institutions have strongly condemned the 22 March assassination of Hamas founder and leader Shaykh Ahmad Yassin by Israeli forces, and the Islamic Propagation Organization organized an anti-Israel rally to follow the 26 March Friday prayers in Tehran. Developments said to have occurred during Yassin's April-May 1998 visit to Iran and the U.S. State Department's designation of Hamas as a "foreign terrorist organization" that receives assistance from Iran lead observers to ask if Tehran will limit itself to a verbal reaction.
Yassin toured Egypt, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen in mid-1998, arriving in Tehran on 28 April and leaving on 4 May. During that trip, according to IRNA, Yassin met with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Expediency Council Chairman Ayatollah Ali-Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, and President Hojatoleslam Mohammad Khatami. Khamenei stressed the importance of Yassin's activities, Tehran television reported on 2 May. He said, "The Palestinian nation's jihad is a source of honor for Islam and Muslims, and Iran's Islamic system and nation will continue their decisive support for the Palestinian nation despite all the pressures and plots by Zionism and its supporters."
As a sign of solidarity, furthermore, Tehran released four Palestinians who were captured during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, according to IRNA on 12 May.
Yassin was impressed with the reception he got and with the prisoner release. He acknowledged that Hamas has a "strong relationship" with Tehran in which "there is material, moral, political, and social assistance for us," Radio Monte Carlo reported on 2 May. The most important results of the trip were, according to Yassin, "We opened channels of communication and submitted our problems and issues to them, including our Palestinian cause."
Yassin added that the relationship with Iran is good regardless of who is displeased. He explained, "My brother, first of all we wish to state that the United States is the origin of arrogance and tyranny in the world," Radio Monte Carlo reported. Yassin continued: "The United States believes that any party that rejects the Zionist option and program is terrorist. They accused Iran of terrorism and accused us of the same.... We are not afraid of those who say there is terrorism here and there...we will cooperate with our kinfolk and brothers in the Arab and Islamic world, especially Iran, regardless of who is pleased or displeased with this. We mean by this the United States and Israel."
These statements and reports were, essentially, the boilerplate that inevitably accompanies such visits. A more interesting report on Yassin's trip to Iran appeared in the Paris-based Arabic daily "Al-Watan al-Arabi" on 22 May 1998. It stated that a large delegation from Supreme Leader Khamenei's office greeted Yassin at Tehran's Mehrabad airport, led by Islamic Culture and Communications Organization head Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Taskhiri. Yassin reportedly met later with Taskhiri and Minister of Intelligence and Security Hojatoleslam Qorban Ali Dori-Najafabadi, while his companions -- Hamas hard-liners Imad al-Alami, Mustafa Qannu, and Abu-Muhammad Mustafa -- met with leaders of the Qods Force, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps' (IRGC) special operations unit.
The outcome of these meetings allegedly was an agreement creating a "strategic alliance" between Tehran and Hamas, "Al-Watan al-Arabi" reported. The agreement gave Hamas a higher priority that Hizballah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in terms of Iranian support. Hamas would receive $15 million a month, with the money coming from the Imam Relief Committee, the Foundation for the Oppressed and Disabled, the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, and the Islamic Culture and Communications Organization. Hamas would increase its presence in the occupied territories through the creation of charities, hospitals, schools, and mosques.
Other aspects of the alleged agreement, according to "Al-Watan al-Arabi," focused on military issues. In this arena, agreement was reached for the creation of an entity distinct from the Izzidin al-Qasem Brigades and connected to Hizballah, as well as for the training of Hamas cadres at an IRGC facility.
In light of this alleged agreement, Yassin's comments after his trip to Iran are noteworthy. He suggested that the Iranians are more Palestinian than the Palestinians. He said, "In my negotiations in Tehran, I realized that the Islamic Republic of Iran supports this ideal even more than the Palestinians themselves," Tehran radio reported on 26 May. In the 10 August issue of Beirut's "Al-Shira" he said that Iran is "prepared to extend all kinds of aid to the Palestinian people's struggle for liberation." And in the 26 July issue of "Al-Quds" from Jerusalem he said, "I was not aware that the Iranians are so strongly enthusiastic about Palestine." "I found that the Iranians have an intense desire to liberate Palestine and to endure all the U.S. harassment and difficulties in order to achieve this objective," he added.
While it is difficult to gauge the exact nature of the relationship between Iran and Hamas, reactions from Tehran to the assassination of Yassin are instructive. Supreme Leader Khamenei said on 22 March that the assassination would encourage anti-Israel forces, state television reported. "The blood of Shaykh Ahmad Yassin watered the fecund tree of Islamic resistance and it will also further fuel the fire created by the wrath of the self-sacrificing Palestinian nation." Khamenei said of Israel that "the Zionist regime is a usurper regime and its government is an artificial government," and predicted that "they are doomed to extinction."
Hussein Shariatmadari, the supreme leader's representative at the Kayhan Institute and the managing editor of "Kayhan" newspaper, said, "The martyrdom of Shaykh Ahmad shows that the only way to deal with the Zionists is to wage armed struggle against them." Shariatmadari predicted, "Shaykh Ahmad's martyrdom will lead to the escalation of the armed struggle against the Zionists."
The U.S. State Department in its annual "Patterns of Global Terrorism" report has designated Hamas as a "foreign terrorist organization." It furthermore asserts that Iran provides Hamas with financial assistance and Iran is the top state sponsor of terrorism. Hamas has vowed to retaliate for Yassin's death. Tehran's reaction, therefore, should be a matter of some concern. (Bill Samii)
TEHRAN CONDEMNS U.S. IN CONNECTION WITH HAMAS LEADER'S DEATH. President Hojatoleslam Mohammad Khatami criticized Israel for the killing of Shaykh Ahmad Yassin and in this connection he also criticized the United States, IRNA reported. "I expect that the international associations react against the criminal Zionist regime and its ill-intentioned supporters, the U.S. in particular," he said.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) condemned the assassination in a 22 March statement and pinned some of the responsibility on the United States, ISNA reported. "Today, no one is unaware of the fact that the Zionist regime has increased its savagery as a result of the all-out support it was given by the Great Satan, the criminal America," according to the IRGC statement. It went on to say that this incident will revive the Palestinian uprising against Israel. (Bill Samii)
MOSCOW SAYS NUCLEAR COOPERATION WITH IRAN TO CONTINUE. Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency deputy chief Vladimir Asmolov said on 24 March that commissioning of the nuclear-power plant at Bushehr was delayed because much of the preexisting equipment was not fit for use, RIA-Novosti reported. He said that only 10 percent of the equipment installed by the German Siemens company could be used. He said most of the Siemens equipment has been replaced and the rest is on order. Asmolov said the equipment checks took 2 1/2 years.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Yakovenko said on 23 March that Russia has no intention of stopping work on the nuclear-power plant that it is building in Bushehr, RIA-Novosti reported. Russia's only condition for continuing its work with Iran in the nuclear field is that spent fuel must be returned to Russia, Yakovenko said.
Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency Director Aleksandr Rumyantsev said on 22 March that his country's plans on nuclear cooperation with Iran have not changed, ITAR-TASS reported. He said the signing of a protocol on the return of spent fuel has been delayed due to financial issues, but added that the protocol will be signed "soon."
Anonymous sources at the Russian Foreign Ministry said on 23 March that Russia might build a second reactor at Bushehr, ITAR-TASS reported. Atomstroyeksport, the contractor for the Bushehr project, has already submitted the relevant feasibility studies. (Bill Samii)
NUCLEAR INSPECTORS FACE NEW CHALLENGES. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said on 24 March that a team of inspectors from the agency would arrive in Iran on 27 March, RFE/RL reported. Fleming said the inspectors would visit the Natanz gas-enrichment-centrifuge facility and the Isfahan nuclear research center. The inspectors' visit was scheduled for 12 March, and "a number of Western diplomats" cited by Reuters on 24 March believe that Tehran delayed the visit so it could hide its undeclared activities.
On the same day, IAEA Director-General Muhammad el-Baradei said he will travel to Iran early in April to meet with local officials, and he said, "complete and transparent cooperation" is needed from Iran, RFE/RL reported. El-Baradei added: "As for Iran, there is a lot of work that we have to do because the Iranian [nuclear] program is more complicated [than Libya's] and there was a difficult delay at first in Iran's work. But I think that the situation returned to normal with Iran's cooperation."
The inspectors immediately headed for Natanz, some 250 kilometers south of Tehran, after their arrival, IRNA reported on 28 March.
They will have their work cut out for them. In 2003 Tehran established a committee consisting mainly of senior Atomic Energy Organization officials that would coordinate efforts to conceal the country's nuclear activities, the "Los Angeles Times" reported on 27 March, citing "Western diplomats and an intelligence report." Moreover, the IAEA inspectors will only be allowed to visit sites that were declared previously.
The Iranian ambassador to the IAEA, Pirooz Hosseini, rejected these allegations in an interview with the "Los Angeles Times." "We have adopted a policy of full transparency, and we have declared all of our nuclear activities to the IAEA," he said. (Bill Samii)
EU ENCOURAGES IRANIAN NUCLEAR OPENNESS... European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on 22 March urged Iran to be more cooperative with the IAEA, AFP and Reuters reported. Their statement said Iran should be more proactive and it should act "in a spirit of full transparency." Worries over Iranian nuclear activities prompted the EU not to resume trade talks with Tehran that were put on hold last year. Cristina Gallach, EU foreign-policy chief Javier Solana's spokeswoman, said, "The ministers did not resume discussions on the trade talks given that it is considered premature until Tehran makes more progress on the nuclear question and other political aspects," Reuters reported. (Bill Samii)
...AS IT APPRAISES ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH TEHRAN. Tehran-EU relations are facing other difficulties, as European Union foreign ministers on 23 February condemned the parliamentary elections in Iran. Senior EU officials say the bloc will adopt a "wait-and-see" attitude to determine if further cooperation with Iran remains possible after the parliamentary elections, which were widely condemned as seriously flawed. This means talks on a trade accord, sought by Iran, will remain on ice after having been disrupted in June 2003 in response to fears that the country is developing nuclear weapons. Similarly, the parallel discussions pursued by the EU to encourage democratic reforms in Iran will not be resumed.
Ireland's foreign minister, Brian Cowen, who chaired the 23 February EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, said that the elections were undemocratic. "In the conclusions [of the meeting], we express deep regret and disappointment that large numbers of candidates were prevented from standing in the parliamentary elections, thus making a genuine democratic choice by Iranian people impossible. Ministers stressed the importance the European Union attaches to developing its relations with Iran and recalled that it wishes to support the reform process. We expressed disappointment over the slow progress in the human rights situation in Iran."
One EU diplomat told RFE/RL that EU foreign-policy chief Javier Solana said a "cooling-off" period is necessary in relations with Iran. Meanwhile, a report on Iran's nuclear program delivered by IAEA head Muhammad el-Baradei on 24 February was expected to make little difference to this assessment (see http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/IaeaIran/index.shtml, and it resulted in a critical resolution by the IAEA's board of governors, see http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Board/2004/gov2004-21.pdf).
However, the foreign ministers of Spain and France -- Ana Palacio and Dominique de Villepin, respectively -- strongly suggested on 23 February that the EU must not slam the door on dialogue with Iran. This is seen, among other things, as essential to maintain Iran's observance of its nonproliferation commitments, exacted by Britain, France, and Germany in October last year.
Solana told RFE/RL on 23 February that the EU will have to "wait and see" what positions the country's new parliament adopts. "We will have to see, what interlocutors [emerge], how the situation evolves. It's too early to say that at this point. You know, we're working with them on some very tricky issues, difficult issues, like the nuclear issue, and we're going to continue with that," Solana said.
Irish Foreign Minister Cowen also stressed the importance of maintaining Iran's engagement with the UN's nuclear watchdog: "We also discussed the state of play regarding the nuclear program. Ministers encouraged Iran to continue its positive engagement with the IAEA and the suspension of its enrichment activities. We will continue those discussions in the light of the IAEA Director-General el-Baradei's upcoming report and the meeting of the IAEA board of governors."
Iran has displayed little readiness to make progress on other remaining key EU concerns besides the nuclear issue. The human rights situation is said not to have improved since last autumn, and Iran is seen as continuing to support terrorist organizations outlawed by the EU. (Ahto Lobjakas)
JAPANESE BANKS CONSIDER BILLION-DOLLAR LOAN TO NIOC. A syndicate that includes the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Mizuho Financial Group, Inc., Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, and UFJ Holdings, Inc. is considering a $1.2 billion loan to a subsidiary of the state-run National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), Nikkei Telecom 21 news service reported on 24 March and "Oil and Gas Journal Online" reported on 25 March. Loan payments will be made from the money the NIOC makes by selling crude oil to Japanese companies, and the Japanese companies will pay the banks directly, thus bypassing the NIOC. Securing this financing is important to the success of the Azadegan oil-field development deal, which was signed on 18 February and is worth $2.8 billion (see "RFE/RL Iran Report," 1 March 2004). (Bill Samii)


text:
Faiz Siddiqui graduated from Brasenose College in 2000 with a 2:1 degree in Modern History. He is holding the University of Oxford responsible for his grades, failed career path and subsequent mental health problems.
Siddiqui argues that he was prevented from becoming an international commercial lawyer by the poor quality of teaching he received as a student.
He has complained about the University's emphasis on research rather than teaching, and pointed to the fact that four out of seven lecturers teaching the 'Indian Imperial History' module were on sabbatical leave, while Siddiqui was in his final year of study.
Siddiqui argues that the University was aware of this, yet did little to lessen the impacts it had on students, who picked the module, which he believes 'could have been catered for by restricting the number of students'.
The Oxford graduate's overall grade fell following his poor grades achieved in this module. Siddiqui believes it impacted on other History students at the University.
Siddiqui is to bring a loss of earnings claim against the Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford that his lawyers have valued to be at least £1 million.
His counsel Roger Mallalieu said: "There is a statistical anomaly that matches our case that there was a specific problem with the teaching in this year having a knock-on effect on the performance of students.
"The standard of teaching was objectively unacceptable."
Julian Milford - who represented the University in court - argued that it was too late to make the case against the university. He added that Mr Siddiqui had already received special allowances during the exam period anyway.
The lawsuit has been widely reported in the media and has been met with a degree of controversy.
Among those, who support Siddiqui's argument, debate has revolved around the focus of prestigious universities on financial profits and international reputation rather than on the quality of education.
Paul Renteurs, writing for The Independent, described students in the education sector as being consumers rather than academics, and with that they should be protected by consumer rights as to the quality of education based on their expectations.
Melissa Livingstone, second year Law student at Newcastle University, said: "I believe that whilst the standard of teaching available to Mr Siddiqui was clearly unsatisfactory, ultimately it did not prevent him from pursuing a successful career.
"He received a 2.1, which is the grade asked for by top law firms today, and, furthermore, successful development in a law career does not rest upon grades but the value a particular solicitor can add to the firm.
"Mr Siddiqui's particular interest in international commercial law requires an approach highly focused on business and current global affairs.
"I therefore do not think his university grade would be held relevant when considering his self-declared disappointing career progression.
"I do however believe this matter raises interesting points on what factors can impact teaching standards at universities – they should be at the forefront of Universities concerns when evaluating the education quality that they provide to students."
It is believed that, should Siddiqui win the claim, many similar court cases might follow, and the debate about the role of higher education will open further.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I begged john to make me a display ladder like heathers for the shop. It looks so beautiful - I wish I had each and everyone of her tea towels. I also tried her banana bread recipe - yum!
4 comments:
- AnonymousJanuary 31, 2010 9:15 am
Ah, you're the sweetest! These ladders are actually the two sides of a bookshelf that is made up of planks that rest on each strut. It's kind of wonky until you put a lot of books on the bottom shelf. They do make great display units though!ReplyDelete
I have something like this we can use at OOAK - those teatowels look just beautiful.ReplyDelete
i love her tea towelsReplyDelete
i bought a few of them but gave them as christmas gifts and now alas I have none
i will put them on my wish list
OHH They look so gorgeous all together like that.ReplyDelete
thanks for leaving a comment - we read each one and will try our best to respond back.
please wait a moment for the comment to be moderated, only submit your comment once.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Xero is easy the market leading in online accounting software designed specifically for small businesses. Like Arthur it's cloud based, so you can work when and where you want to; just login with your PC, Mac or mobile. With a choice between a live bank feed or importing bank statements , you can see your cash-flow in real-time. Invite your team and work together on financials, allowing you to collaborate over your up-to-date numbers. Xero has all you need to run your business – including invoicing, paying bills, sales tax returns, reporting and much more.
To ensure that you get the maximum from your integration, we offers an Arthur/Xero accreditation to Xero bookkeepers and accountants to ensure that no mistakes are made. Our accredited partners are spread throughout the U.K. to ensure you always have access to them.
We offer exclusive pricing to our customers, where we set up your subscription to Xero for you. Your Xero account will include: a one-stop dashboard, automatic bank feeds, mobile apps, secure backups, unlimited users, invoicing and quoting, bills, reconciliation, online VAT returns and much more.
Find an advisor See how it works Become and Advisor


text:
Machar's forces defect to Cirilo's NAS in Equatoria
A group of SPLA-IO forces loyal to rebel leader Riek Machar announced their defection to the National Salvation Front (NAS) of rebel leader Thomas Cirilo late last week.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, Butrus George, the commander heading the group of more than 400 soldiers, said they shifted allegiance due to poor leadership and lack of transparency in Machar's movement.
"We are now under the command of Major General, John Kenyi Lokuron, the commander of division 9 of National Salvation Front in Central Equatoria," George said.
For his part, SPLA-IO deputy spokesperson Lam Paul Gabriel denied any knowledge of the defections.
"We do not have such number of soldiers in Yei," he said.
But, Simon Karlo, the overall NAS commander of Eastern Equatoria region confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that they had received the soldiers.


text:
The other day, an oriole on a watering can reminded me of an important truth.
A few years ago, when my aunt died, I was looking after her estate. Although my aunt had been a very challenging presence in my life, I had a deep affection and love for her. In my grief I was still present enough to appreciate the sharp and analytical mind that had enabled her to keep her affairs well organized, her investments sound, and all her ducks in a row well into her 80's.
I remember sitting in the dining room with all of her bank statements and bills and investment portfolios spread out on the large table in front of me. Much of this stuff may as well have been written in Greek, because I'm an English major, not an accountant. Occasionally I would find little notes of encouragement from her scribbled on the top of files – she knew I would be looking after things when she was gone, and while she seemed to have complete faith in me, she understood that I would not be enjoying this part of it.
So as I doggedly worked there in a sea of papers and spreadsheets, punctuated by little jolts of love as I found her notes, I was startled to see a bright, beautiful oriole at the dining-room window. It was perched on the window ledge and it was literally pecking at the glass, as if to get my attention. I caught my breath and was spell bound, it was so close and it stayed at that window for almost a minute. Cocking its head, looking at me.
When it flew away I smiled. I felt as though my aunt had come to visit and offer me her blessings, perhaps it was her way of telling me not to give up. Regardless, I was just so thrilled to have an oriole at my window.
And then, a few moments later, this same oriole appeared on the opposite side of the dining room, at the other window. It had flown right around the entire house, to peer in this other window and peck at the glass.
And as I sometimes do when nature speaks directly to me, I burst into tears.
I felt all my aunt's love flow over me and course through me in that moment.
I felt so blessed and so loved and so at peace with the process before me.
I whispered "thank you, thank you" to that tiny orange bird until it finally flew away. I have held this memory in my heart ever since.
And so last week, as I was once again working on my personal and business income tax papers – a task I can easily find any reason to put off (procrastination) and about which I can feel defeated before I even begin because I don't think I'm good at it (perfectionism) – I looked out the window and saw an oriole. It was perched on the red watering can next to our vegetable garden. It hopped on and off that watering can a couple of times. It turned this way and that. It cocked it's head at me.
I threw open the window and spoke to it. Whispered words of welcome and love and joy to it. Because of course every time I see an oriole I know my aunt it with me.
And then it dawned on me that I was once again at a desk doing accounting work…and that she was lending me the power of her presence. Lending me her expertise, her business savvy, her confident, analytical mind. She was telling me, you can do it, I'm here to help. So just keep going.
Flowing from her to me through the oriole was all the wisdom and know-how she possessed. How do I know this? Because I could feel it. I was not alone with my task, and I no longer felt so intimidated by it.
I learned (again) that I could do hard things – especially when I called in my ancestors, the wisdom in their bones and blood flowing to me and within me.
And so that blessed oriole reminds me, my aunt reminds me, that I can ask for and receive help from those who came before me. The gifts and talents of our ancestors are available to us. They flow to us on the wings of the birds.
Whatever hard tasks lie before us, many of them far harder than filling out an income tax form, I know this: we are not alone. The ancestors walk with us. And they have done hard things before.


text:
Kate Hudson Gets the Cutest Makeover From Her 5-Year-Old Son Bing
Kate Hudson got all glammed up on Friday night, thanks to her son, Bing.
The Almost Famous star spent a night in with her 5-year-old son, offering up her face as a canvas for one heck of a makeover.
WATCH: Kate Hudson Reveals Exactly How Many More Kids She Wants
Hudson documented the whole thing for her fans on Snapchat, but first teased the makeover on Instagram.
"My favorite kinda Friday night," she captioned a video of her makeover, along with the hashtags #TGIF, #Bingo, #MyLittleArtist, #AvanteGardeChild and #SlappingTechniqueOnFire.
"Someone wants to do my makeup," the mother of two captioned a cute photo of herself on Snapchat with rosy cheeks, before letting Bing work his magic.
Bing quickly became a cosmetics champ, even creating his own application technique. "I like the brush technique," Hudson giggled. "It's like a new thing."
WATCH: Kate Hudson Shares the Best Love Advice She's Gotten From Mom Goldie Hawn: 'Be True to Yourself'
The little one next moved onto eyeshadow, carefully choosing the color pink from his mom's large pallet, and accenting with a bit of silver.
WATCH: Kate Hudson Has a 'Crazy' Easter With Ex Matthew Bellamy and Mom Goldie Hawn
Apparently the night called for more of an avant-garde look, as Hudson's son proceeded to decorate her eyebrows with the pink color, and added a shade of blue under her eyes. "Silver and pink, dope colors," the 37-year-old actress said. "Blue's going to be interesting."
"That's good. That looks really… that's very modern," Hudson said when she got a look at the final product. "Cool, look at that. What do you think?"
"I like it!" Bing proudly exclaimed.
RELATED: Kate Hudson Reunites With Ex Matt Bellamy, Snuggles With Son Bingham on His 5th Birthday
While the actress spent the night bonding with her son, she spent the day by herself -- enjoying a glass of wine in the bathtub.
See more in the video below.


text:
Bharat Engineering & Construction Company (BECC), Commencing its activities as a civil construction company a few decades ago, BECC, has travelled thus far in establishing itself to meet the highest benchmark in construction activities, spanning widely from projects covering commercial, residential, utility buildings to infrastructure development in the country.
The builder is one of the fast-growing realty developer around Tamil nadu and its suburbs. The builder has created one of his masterpiece in Chennai, Alpha Lotus Towers one of the project offering Ready to Occupy 2,3 BHK Apartments built over a CMDA Approved layout available for sale in Avadi, Chennai.
The Red Hills flyover is one of their latest, which is just one out of their 15 flyovers / bridges constructed across the country. Listed as a primary choice of the Government for constructing hospitals, government buildings, colleges and industries, BECC has completed more than 25 high value projects so far.
Their success has been due to the on-time delivery of projects while optimizing their resources to be cost effective.
The company's values are those of Flexibility, Reliability, Expertise and Quality. Through flexibility, the company helps to accommodate the clients' horizons & wishes. Reliably, the company is your partner.
The company has the required & proven expertise personnel in all the sectors of its involvement and is very keen in providing a quality service in its true name. The company strongly believes, that Together we are a team.
Our Vision:
To become a pioneer in the construction world, with prestigious performance, attain a zenith in Nation building activities and add up a gem to our group's crown.
Our Mission:
BECC is committed to building long-term relationships based on integrity, performance, value, and client satisfaction. We will continue to meet the changing needs of our clients with our quality services delivered by the most qualified people in time.
Number of Completed Projects: 1
Number of Ongoing Projects: 0
Number of Upcoming Projects: 0
Year of Incorporation: 05 May 2006


text:
Daily fishing report for augres and surrounding area.
23 January 2019 Few people fishing off the mouth of the Au Gres river at the DNR boat launch. Those fishing with Jigging Rapp's and Do Jiggers are catching quite a few Walleye with a lot of sorting of short fish but if you stick it out you can catch a few keepers, few perch being caught there also. Palmer road has been doing good on walleyes but be careful with this new snow blanketing the ice as the bad spots are invisible to the naked eye, As always we are well stocked with minnows of all types. Have a great and fun day of Fishing.


text:
Celtic Symbols of Cernunnos: Life Under the influence of the God of Fertility
What do you know about the Celtic Symbols of Cernunnos, who was also the ancient god of fertility among the Celtic culture's religious men? In this article, we are going to cover some of the prominent symbols of Cernunnos and the various meanings that they hold. To many in the current society, the god Cernunnos is also the horned god.
This is due to the prominent horns or antlers that are visible upon his head. Apart from being the god of fertility, Cernunnos was also the god responsible for life and animals. Also, he was the sole representative of the wealth and the matters concerning the Celtic people's underworld. The imagery of Cernunnos makes him appear to have the antlers of a male stag.
He is usually sitting among the company of other animals while holding a torc. However, sometimes he is seen wearing the torc or sometimes both. There has never been a clear understanding of the god Cernunnos. Although most of his followers rely on speculative thoughts, they present him as the god of nature and fertility. Historians are not even sure that his real name is Cernunnos.
What is the meaning of the God Cernunnos?
Many people are not sure whether Cernunnos is part of the ore that comes from the Celts. However, the name is of Latin origin as per the train of thought of many historians over the years. In some theories, Cernunnos has a close relation to the man in the tree from the Celtic culture and beliefs. His other name is Derg Corra. However, according to some of the historians, Cernunnos could be a Latin version of the god Fionn.
Fionn was one of the Latin gods with a good relationship with deer. Also, no clear picture can vividly paint Cernunnos as of hunting, fertility, and life. Many people have portrayed him as the god of all seasons, growth, and even agriculture throughout history. So, the best way to fully comprehend the meaning of the deity is by relying on the symbolism of his emblems.
The Symbols of God Cernunnos
Various Celtic symbols of Cernunnos surround this god. Moreover, each of the symbols has its representation in your life. Therefore, take your time and earn them to know and gain wisdom from them. Here are some of the symbols of Cernunnos.
Symbolic Meaning of the Serpent
In the picture with Cernunnos, some snakes are also on his hands. He appears to be holding them without a care. In the Celtic culture, the snakes are not an evil symbol; many of you would want to believe. However, it presents a duality symbol that concentrates on balance in life. The snakes signify the polarity in genders. Therefore, again here it shows the need for stability in society.
The Cernunnos Symbol of Torc
Cernunnos is ever wearing or holding the torcs, or he may even have on at the same time in some of the pictures. The torc was a sign of the station that a member of the community is holding. Therefore, they had different metals and ornaments on them to signify your rank. The more ornate your torc is, the higher you have in the society. You can say that the torc in its half full nature could be the emblem of the moon. Therefore, they had a strong symbolism of femininity. Plus, the fact the male god is wearing means a sense of unity of genders. This happens to create a balance that is necessary for any society, even today.
The Meaning of the Horn
It is tough to miss the dominant horns that gracefully rest on the head of Cernunnos. The horns give him beauty and much captivating imagery. However, in the Celt's world, antlers represent a strong sense of male dominance, authority, progress, and masculinity. The horn, in most cases, is meant to fight and even attract female animals. The fighting usually happens when the male animals are fighting for dominance so that they can mate.
The losing male will retreat and not mate with the females that season. They are also signifying the ability of people and even the gods to regenerate. It shows us that life has different stages, and death is not the defining moment. However, it is the path that leads you to your new life among the supreme beings. There is also a sign of the antlers showing us the expansion of the solar rays. This means that they represent the solar symbols.
Significance of Coins
The god of fertility, agriculture, life, and many other things is holding or having a coin purse that is full of gold. Therefore, this means that this is the god in the Celtic culture that they would consult regarding wealth matters. He is rich by just having that type of a purse. However, there is no way that a god can rely on natural wealth. He has the bag to symbolize the different kinds of wealth that he can give to you. Some of these are knowledge and wisdom of the world or earth to farmers.
Summary: Celtic Symbols of Cernunnos
Understanding the meaning and symbols of the goddesses and god-like will require that you go beyond the tittering of history. Therefore, you will have to rely on the power of your intuitive thinking to develop a full pledge meaningfully. There is never a wrong answer when it comes to interpreting the gods' symbols like this one. All you have to do is believe that the meaning you have come up with can bring positive change in your life. Plus, there is a need to learn such symbols to get the essential purposes of the significance in your life.


text:
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced that Daniela Seabrook will succeed Ronald de Jong as Chief Human Resources Officer, effective January 1, 2020. In this role, Mrs. Seabrook will join Philips' Executive Committee and report to CEO Frans van Houten. Mr. de Jong, who joined Philips in 1990, made a personal decision to retire from the company to enable a lifestyle change.
"I respect and support Ronald's decision to retire from corporate life after a successful career at Philips and I want to warmly thank him for his outstanding contributions over nearly thirty years,'' said Frans van Houten, CEO of Royal Philips. "He has played an important role in the transformation of our company into a health technology leader. Although Ronald will retire from Philips, I am delighted to say that he will remain Chair of the Philips Foundation and thereby continue to play an active role in helping us to deliver on our mission of improving the lives of 3 billion people a year by 2030. On behalf of Philips' Executive Committee, I would like to wish him all the best.
At the same time, I am very pleased to announce Daniela Seabrook as Ronald's successor. She will bring a wealth of experience to her new role, gained in senior HR positions supporting businesses, markets and corporate functions in various leading companies."
Mrs. Seabrook is currently Group Head People and Organizational Development at the leading global agriculture company Syngenta. She holds a PhD in organizational psychology and change management from the University of Basel, Switzerland.
For further information, please contact:
Ben Zwirs
Philips Global Press Office
Tel.: +31 6 15213446
E-mail: email@example.com
Ksenija Gonciarenko
Philips Investor Relations
Tel.: +31 20 59 77055
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2018 sales of EUR 18.1 billion and employs approximately 78,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.
Source: Philips International B.V. via GLOBE NEWSWIRE


text:
Edward Zwick's Love & Other Drugs has been getting a lot of attention recently, but mostly via its heavy marketing and promotion emphasizing its R-rating. Based on Jamie Reidy's non-fiction title Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman. The Movie opens Wednesday, Anne Hathaway plays a feisty alluring free spirit who won't let anyone or anything tie her down but she is burdened with premature onset Parkinson's disease. She dabbles and battles with Jake Gyllenhaal, the Viagra-shilling drug rep, whose charm serves him well with the ladies in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. Sex is the way the pair best communicates. Both spend fair chunks of the movie stark naked.
You may be forgiven for thinking the romantic comedy is just straight-up porn. Well we wouldn't be covering it: "I spent weeks and weeks naked with Jake Gyllenhaal and they paid me," Hathaway said on Chelsea Lately. But, "We decided from the get-go that real sex was out. We watched some films that do real sex, and that makes me feel weird. There are some films where the actors really have sex." But not this one. "Of course, my instinct was omigosh, I'm going to be naked, I want to be in awesome shape but I was basically beholden to the Parkinson's meds as to how my body was going to look," she explains. "I will admit I'm vain and it was a relief that they make you very skinny." [Radar]


text:
New evidence suggests that women don't want to take long term hormone replacement therapy.
This was the conclusion looking at data from more than 3000 women who were prescribed HRT between 1989 and 1997. The researchers found that, while three quarters of the women filled their prescription initially, less than half were still taking the therapy after one year. After four years, only 20 per cent were still taking the HRT.
The study showed that younger women, presumably those who had had a premature or surgical menopause, were most likely to continue with long term therapy. In contrast, older women (over age 60) did not appear to want to take HRT for more than a year or two (Obstet Gynecol, 2001; 97: 97-100).


text:
When Untamed Sandwiches was still just a glimmer in cofounder Andy Jacobi's eye, he had a long conversation with Ben Conniff, president of New York–based Luke's Lobster. The fast casual had inspired Jacobi, and he was eager to hear Conniff's insights.
"In a very nonjudgmental, open-minded, and collaborative way, [Conniff] set me straight on some things and encouraged me on others," Jacobi says. "He didn't know me from Adam. He didn't have to do that, but it meant so much to me."
Three years later, Jacobi pays Conniff's help forward. He talks with new restaurateurs and makes collaboration a key part of his business.
"We help each other out. … We informally ask our peers for advice or feedback on experiences they've had," he says. "I think our peers know that when they say something to me, I'm going to treat it with confidence. And I do the same thing for them."
The rising tide
Jacobi isn't alone in this approach. For years, multi-brand companies like Yum! and Focus have grown revenues by placing sister stores adjacent to each other and sharing consumer data. Now a growing legion of concepts—many of which are independents—is finding a similar strategy can benefit all. Collaboration can encourage customers to eat out at limited-service restaurants more often, bring traffic to different areas, and ensure high standards across the board. Plus, Jacobi says, it feels like the right thing to do and can create a fulfilling community.
At its core, the philosophy behind collaborative success is that a rising tide lifts all boats. "We all want people to eat out more," says Gary Stibel, founder and CEO of the marketing and strategy firm New England Consulting Group (NECG). "It's good for everyone."
Location can be a major factor bringing in the tide. Pennsylvania-based fast casual Saladworks' first location was in a food court. Therefore, says president and CEO Patrick Sugrue, "Our genesis is community." Though these days Saladworks is in fewer food courts and more lifestyle centers, being in a high-volume area is still a priority. Areas with several restaurants usually generate enough traffic for everyone, he says. And when a new concept comes in, it creates buzz, boosting traffic overall.
Areas with several concepts in close proximity can also increase convenience because customers have more of a choice. "Convenience trumps everything else," says John Richards, former president of Starbucks and current managing partner of the NECG. "You get more eyeballs and activity in the immediate trade area, and more people seeing your place, regardless of what you do from a marketing standpoint."
For many consumers, an area with multiple places to eat is simply more convenient. People don't want to eat the same thing every day, so the variety allows them to go to the same area but try new places. Clustered restaurants also eliminate the veto vote, Sugrue says. That's especially important as consumers become more interested in distinctive offerings and embracing dietary limits.
But guests appreciate offerings beyond the healthy-versus-unhealthy paradigm. Sugrue says he would be happy to place a Saladworks near a Pita Pit, another healthy brand, because they each have distinctive offerings, which helps customers distinguish the two. But Saladworks typically gets soup and salad exclusivity within a shopping center.
Jacobi echoes that sentiment. "Would I want to be next to another high-end sandwich shop? Maybe not," he says. "But I'd love to be next to a Luke's Lobster."
Block party
Finding the right neighbors requires a precise balance of similarity and differentiation. Though it's important to stay away from too-similar concepts, avoiding too-different ones is also key. Intermingling quick-service and full-service establishments can work, NECG's Richards says. It's more important to avoid discrepancies in quality and values. Being near a traditional fast-food restaurant like Subway would be a negative for Untamed Sandwiches, Jacobi says. The fundamental philosophies are dissimilar.
"The more that I can get people to think of us as a similar quality of food as a Luke's Lobster or a really amazing fine-dining restaurant with a different style of service, the more luck we will have of convincing customers of our value proposition," he says.
This approach requires thorough knowledge of the brand's ideal customer, which Stibel says is of upmost importance. Once operators intimately know who their customers are, they can focus on cultivating differentiators.
Michelle Gauthier is the founder and CEO of Mulberry & Vine, another New York City fast casual. She says her customers are generally looking for high-quality food with whole ingredients at a more economical price than full service. The fast casual 2.0 category is filling that void, so having several close together creates energy.
"It adds legitimacy. It normalizes the market, and people become comfortable with the concept," she says. "The more people who demand better ingredients, the better it is for everyone."
But she emphasizes that Mulberry & Vine's area of Manhattan is home to many fast casual 2.0 concepts, which have carefully crafted unique characteristics based on customer awareness. Those differentiators maintain the energy without cannibalizing business.
Clearly differentiated restaurants of similar caliber in close proximity can create a dynamic environment for consumers and operators alike. It can also encourage community and collaboration within the competitive business environment.
Gauthier has embraced working together wholeheartedly. She doesn't just target locations with other fast casual 2.0s; she also makes an effort to know other operators. Gauthier, Jacobi, and a handful of other operators recently developed a social networking group in order to further collaboration. They meet about once a month and invite other experts in foodservice to speak.
Stibel and Richards suggest their clients do something similar—whether it's taking advantage of franchisee associations or going to lunch with other quick-service and fast-casual operators.
An interesting breed
Gauthier views this social aspect as especially important in the fast casual 2.0 space because it is less established than other limited-service sectors. It also tends to draw people who are new to foodservice and need advice, much like Jacobi did before opening Untamed Sandwiches.
"People in fast casual are an interesting breed," she says. "It seems like the majority are new to the industry, very passionate about what they're doing, and yet have no real skillset to be doing it. … I can't imagine doing this without the community. Everyone's super quick to respond, transparent, and willing to share the good, the bad, and the ugly."
When they meet, the group talks about everything from health insurance to dishwasher referrals to best uniform suppliers. Because busy schedules make it difficult to find time for collaboration, Gauthier and Jacobi hope their structured meet-ups will foster more conversation and help within the greater community.
Sugrue, who works with other limited-service brands through heavy involvement in the National Restaurant Association, views knowledge sharing as a fundamental part of success. He encourages operators to discuss their experiences, whether it's how they made their restaurants comfortable or how they create a value proposition. The more that restaurants offer good value and inviting atmospheres across the board, the more likely consumers will view the industry as a whole as one worth patronizing.
Sugrue also strongly encourages operators to share insights on food safety and supply-chain quality assurance. "Safety best practices are too important not to share," he says. "If there are reports of food-related illnesses in the papers and certainly in a given chain, that hurts everybody."
But the benefits of collaboration go deeper than guest volume. The knowledge that they are not alone in an often-stressful industry can be invaluable. "We've all fallen down plenty of times, but we're there to pick each other up," Gauthier says.
This story originally appeared in QSR's May 2017 issue with the title "Better Together."


text:
Releases – Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
Trafficking in Persons Report
The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is the U.S. Government's principal diplomatic tool to engage foreign governments on human trafficking. It is also the world's most comprehensive resource of governmental anti-trafficking efforts and reflects the U.S. Government's commitment to global leadership on this key human rights and law enforcement issue. For earlier versions of the report, please visit: https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/index.htm.


text:
By closely discounted pupil fees, Street & Smith's Sports Group, Faculty & College Program offers school students the prospect to develop a broader understanding of the sports activities actions trade by learning each Sports activities activities Enterprise Journal and Sports Enterprise On daily basis. The rise of 3G know-how in several markets and non-Japanese telephones with highly effective standardized smartphone operating packages , app shops , and superior wi-fi group capabilities allowed non-Japanese telephone producers to lastly break in to the Japanese market, step by step adopting Japanese cellphone options like emojis , cell funds, NFC, and so forth.
The BBC has broadcast sport for several a long time under individual programme names and coverage titles. The sport is characterised by two teams of eleven gamers each, where each workforce makes an attempt to attain probably the most runs. Service technicians who have graduated from postsecondary applications in automotive service technology sometimes require little on-the-job training.
AAS- Affiliate Diploma: Take seven quarters of automotive courses and graduate from Bellingham Technical Faculty together with your affiliate diploma in Automotive Know-how, ready to get prime jobs within the automotive enterprise. NBA information and links delivered to your inbox each weekday, so you never miss out.
The most famous club teams, the Collection of Spain and the Number of Brazil, journey the world to advertise the game and perform Bossaball exhibitions. Empower students with life abilities – Whereas sports not solely help in growing physical and mental health, it additionally develops the life abilities of a pupil's persona.
Most of those sports are included within the Olympic Video games, the place different nations from all around the globe compete towards one another. The sport is played by two teams of either one or two players each and involves bouncing a ball over a net by use of tennis rackets.


text: Profile: Wood Funeral Home - Idaho Falls Wood Funeral Home is family owned and operated and has been since 1911. We have dedicated ourselves to providing service to the families of eastern Idaho with only the best in care and compassion. JWe offer a wide range of services to meet each family's needs and customs. Our goal is to listen to your wishes and provide the life celebration your family wants. We take the time to plan every detail and help relieve the burdens on your family during your time of loss. Our website contains information about our services and links to resources to help you get through this tough time. Please give us a call at 208-522-2751 to see how we can help. We have a member of our staff answering the phone at all times, someone who can give you the help you need, right when you need it. This location was remodeled in 1993. Address: 273 North Ridge Avenue Idaho Falls Idaho 83402 Nearby Cemetery: Fielding Memorial CemeteryIn Business Since: 1911Family Owned: YesSeating Capacity: 145+Professional Memberships: Selected Independent Funeral Homes, International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association, Idaho Funeral Service Association (IFSA)Online Pre-Planning: YesStationary and Printing Services: Programs, register books, and more Employees: 24 Create a Free Funeral ProgramAudio & Visual CapabilitiesMemorial Tribute Video Offered: Available for purchase or included in some packagesPaymentsCredit Cards Accepted: VisaContact Wood Funeral Home - Idaho Falls Phone: (208) 522-2751 Fax Number: 208-522-5413 Contact Email: email@example.com URL: https://www.woodfuneralhome.com/contact-usNearby Places of Worship Baptist Churches: Gethsemane Baptist Church Presbyterian Churches: First Presbyterian Church Methodist Churches: Trinity United Methodist Church Unitarian Churches: Idaho Falls Unitarian FellowshipMap: 273 North Ridge Avenue, Idaho Falls, Idaho Loading... No Records Found Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again. Maps failed to load Sorry, unable to load the Maps API. Enter your locationGet Directions Travel modeDrivingWalkingBicyclingPublic Transport Distance unitsMilesKilometers Photos Candle_4_Rows Reviews Leave a Review Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.Review text Select a rating Name Email Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Previous Next


text:
What if you only had one day to convince someone they are your one true love?
Hope and Cameron made a five-year promise before college. Years pass and they never see each other again. But then one month before his planned wedding to Riley, Cameron looks outside and sees Hope in the pouring rain, watching him.
**Sick Day can be read as a stand alone. However, Non Friction and Hope have some story elements tied to Sick Day. If you have not read Non Friction or Hope, Sick Day's story will not be affected in any way.
Buy Non Friction and Hope on Amazon ~
Non Friction: http://amzn.to/1jHLl4m Hope: http://amzn.to/1hjBHbK
Morgan Parker is the pen name for a shy and introverted former banker. Because he could never balance his cash at the end of the banking day, he made up stories in order to keep his job. None of those stories was Textual Encounters, which is great because readers will discover a truly unique and original romance that has never been told before.


text:
Topic: Media Research Center
What LGBT stuff has the Media Research Center been freaking out about lately? Let's take a look-see!
Tim Graham was offended that "leftist drag queen Taylor Mac" was the subject of a news story simply because he was awarded a MacArthur "genius grant," which Graham portrays as evidence of how Taylor Mac is "so indulged by the left." Graham also declared that the story on Taylor mac was "a typical LGBT story" because it included "wacky demands about pronouns."
Ryan Foley keeps up the MRC's hatred of Olympic skater Adam Rippon, insisting that Rippon's "claim to fame" is his "criticism of the Vice President" (but apparently not that he is, you know, an Olympic-caliber skater) and that a recent TV appearance was "a public service announcement for the LGBTQ movement." Foley then served up an oddly capitalized lecture to Rippon on his claim that LGBT people lack a voice because of anti-gay politicans like Pence: "Perhaps Rippon fails to realize that the LGBTQ movement has captured the support of nearly all of the country's major institutions, including the media, Academia, Hollywood, and the Courts."
Alex Nizberg, meanwhile, is mad that there is a gay person on TV (let alone more than one):
Set for a March 18 premiere, CBS's new and upcoming show Instinct confirms yet again the media's unflagging promotion of the LGBT agenda. The program will feature a "gay lead character" according to a January 6th AP article.
Alan Cumming, the actor playing the lead part, lambasted Donald Trump: "His crime procedural 'Instinct' arrives at a time when Cumming said 'the president is actively condoning, by his silence, violence and persecution against the LBGT community.'"
The Goldeneye and X-Men 2 "saluted CBS for committing to a series with a married gay couple," according to the piece. "In real life Cumming, 52, has described himself as bisexual and has a husband, Grant Shaffer. But he was also once married to a woman."
Last year on an episode of CBS's Madam Secretary, one of the characters said that he was bisexual. Also last year, CBSN released Gender - The Space Between.
Lindsay Kornick complains that "Madam Secretary" engages in "more liberal pandering" by focusing on "a new character's sexuality":
The March 18 episode "Refuge" involves the administration discovering a raid and the illegal arrest of members of an LGBTQ nightclub in Abhkazia. Although homosexuality is legal in the country, the leader is apparently approving of the harsh treatment, claiming boldly that there are "no gays" in his nation. With this harsh human rights violation, Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni) attempts to plan a way to provide refuge for the LGBTQ citizens at the behest of her new advisor Kat Sandoval (Sara Ramirez).
Why is Kat so personally involved in this scenario? Because, like the actress who plays her, she is boldly "bisexual and queer" and even raising a child with no discernable pronouns. In this highly promoted episode, she even explains her lifestyle to Chief of Staff Jay (Sebastian Arcelus) as they plan to help the refugees.
The only problem is that this isn't simply teaching. It's lecturing and indoctrinating. Even the actress seems to admit that the scene is mostly about telling a majority-heterosexual population that they're wrong for not knowing the politically correct sexuality terms of the day. We're wrong for assuming that a woman is a woman, and we constantly need re-education from the liberal elites. That is the only lesson I gained from this very special episode of Madam Secretary.
Karen Townsend was relieved to discover that Stewie didn't actually come out as gay on "Family Guy": "So, despite the description by some in the press that this is a coming-out episode for Stewie, it really wasn't. Also, remember that Stewie is in pre-school and drawn as a toddler. Sexualizing him at all is perverse." Townsend does know that this is a cartoon, right?
And Dawn Slusher was upset that an episode of "Rise" "featured a Catholic student who appears to be secretly gay, an effeminate priest who supports said student and his desire to take part in a controversial school play over the objections of his parents because he 'can appreciate its message of the perils of living in a repressed society,' and a female student who just started transitioning wanting to change in the boys' dressing room."


text: A lot of you guys are into playing with the latest functionality on every social platform under the sun, and as you know I'm no different. On that front, we just posted a new article over on Firebrand Group's blog, The Definitive Guide to Twitter Polls. I'd love to know what you think. Enjoy!


text:
alice + olivia, fall 2014, inspection report, nyfw
Inspection Report: Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet Fall 2014 Presentation1:16 AM
|Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet Fall 2014 Presentation
Who: Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet Fall 2014 Presentation
Where: The McKittrick Hotel, NY
Overall: Designer Stacey Bendet really know how to present her collection to the media. The set design came right out of a edgier version of a Disney fairy tale,it was a mix of Snow White and Rapunzel. This edgy fairy tale translated into a collection filled with opulence. There were gold brocade, velvet, metallics all to give the pieces more of a rich but dreamy appeal.
Grade: B+
See what else Designer Stacey Bendet had up her sleeve for the Fall '14 Presentation ....
Last 3 pics via WWD


text:
This is the oldest section of Crumbling Flesh, its innards dating back to 1994 and beyond. Taking over the old discographies of Berntd Rostad, I culled information from every corner of the web. Nowadays, this may seem like an easy task, but in 1995, it was a massive undertaking.
Credit goes out to countless people. Thank you to so many for helping make this all possible.
The discographies are broken up into four sections for now (and one antiquated one as well). I hope you find these useful; these documents were a labor of love!
You can also see the old / outdated / ugly Bootleg Discography. This was last updated c. 1999..


text:
Millers earn bragging rights
Rotherham finally got back to winning ways with a thrilling 3-0 FA Cup victory over their Yorkshire neighbours Bradford City.
The Millers made the perfect start after 12 minutes when Michael O'Connor's free kick was cleared straight back to him and his cross was headed down by Alex Revell to Kieran Agard who turned smartly in the box to fire his shot past Jon McLaughlin.
Within a minute, City thought they had the perfect answer, but James Hanson's close-range header was ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Adam Collin.
And Rotherham coud easily have increased their lead but two smart saves from McLaughlin within a minute denied Matt Tubbs and Revell.
And City were incensed when they did not get a penalty when Raffaela De Vita had his shirt pulled, but it took a third good save from McLaughlin just before the break to deny Revell doubling the home side's lead.
But the second goal did come in the 62nd minute. A free kick on the edge of the area was driven hard and low across the box by O'Connor and Revell turned the ball in.
And number three was only eight minutes coming, Agard's looping header going over McLaughlin and into the net.
Source: DSG
Source: DSG


text:
When I asked recently for topics to write on for This D/s Life one of the suggestions was "transcendence". Now I am sure my answer will fall far short of the mark but I am going to give it a shot none the less. As my definition of transcendence I am going to use
going beyond the limits of ordinary experience
Now that my not be what was intended, but it is what has sparked thoughts for me. I will freely admit that even the simple definition above is open to a lot of interpretation. Looking at this in the context of D/s and sex surely this must be a very personal definition for each of us. After all my limits and your limits are certainly very different as is what is beyond them. I know that even between Molly and I there are differences in limits. "ordinary experience" is fraught (I am so pleased to be able to use that word) because our ordinary experience are extra ordinary to many.
That doesn't mean that we don't try to transcend. The nature of our D/s is one of ever expanding exploration, even if that exploration is uncomfortable at times, but we are always looking for that, well, more. That is always our goal to find new heights and joys. To reach them together and find that place whether it is sexual, or emotional where we become more that two people, where the connection between us becomes a feedback loop. For me it is that look in her eyes at the moment of orgasm, or subspace. It is hard to describe it except maybe as a stripping away of the veneer of humanity and exposing for just a moment something wilder, more primal. When that moment happens it is enthralling and it takes me along with her.
I think that might be when we transcend what we are as individuals. That shared moment when we are both in that headspace (does that sound too woo woo? I hate sounding woo woo) and become something more.
Michael (not something Moore)


text:
New World Order
We have seen the new world order,
"buxom Brenda,
blonde beauty"1,
disporting in every park.
You think that's mad? You think that's mad?
There's worse than that, there's much worse than that!
Now Brenda is the new woman,
the new woman runs for parliament.
By poverty was she once driven,
now the payments on her Mayfair flat.
You think that's bad? You think that's bad?
There's worse than that, there's much worse than that!
Here corpses nail their own coffins,
slaves sell selves to the lowest bidder.
Clones write copy for Big Sister,
send it to themselves and then believe it.
Is this all? Is this all?
Is this all we have to offer?
We're closing down the human race
and moving out to outer space,
we'll leave the green and blue behind,
for some remoteness of the mind.
There Buxom Brenda in micro-chips
at 12% appreciates
advances of her lovers,
clones of lust,
each singly wrapped,
targeted at a niche market.
Let me take off your head,
you're already dead
if you don't wake up
to the new world order.
We're dead, we're dead,
we're off our heads,
if we can't see through
the new world order.
And what is this age
but cattle trucks in the sky
herding the great unwashed,
all smelly armpits,
sour feet,
and sunglasses,
to the abattoir
in Jerusalem
that is the new world order
there to be koshered most unkindly
in the temple of Mammon.
Oh humanity!
Oh humanity!
don't go gently under that knife
for I do believe in you, I do believe in you
I do believe you have one more song left in you:
Laa ilaha illa'llah
Laa ilaaha illa'llah
Muhammad rasoolu'llah
'alaihi salatu'llah
1 Brenda's advertisement here alluded to lacks the phone number which graced the original found in a London phone box among a huge number of others.
Copyright ©2005 Bookwright


text:
Nestled away in Wales' Dyfi Valley, Ynyshir is a destination restaurant in every sense of the word. It's quite hard to get to, is situated in the middle of a RSPB nature reserve and has just twenty covers in its restaurant, but anyone who makes the journey to eat there will be well rewarded. Previously known as Ynyshir Hall, chef Gareth Ward and his partner Amelia Eriksson have transformed it from a country house hotel into a restaurant with ten bedrooms, putting the focus firmly on the food.
The menu revolves around Gareth's ethos: 'Ingredient led, flavour driven, fat fuelled, meat obsessed'. There are just two tasting menus to choose from – an eleven-course lunch or a nineteen-course dinner (which is also available at lunch during the winter season). With just a handful of tables in the restaurant, seating between one and four people, it's a place to indulge in an intimate gastronomic experience that lasts all evening.
The food changes dramatically with the seasons, preserving ingredients when they're at their best to be used later on in the year. Every course might only contain a few bites, but as much flavour as possible is squeezed into every ingredient, with a focus on aged meat, fermented vegetables and Japanese flavours above all else. There are no rich stocks or heavy carbohydrates; instead, many plates simply contain a piece of protein, a soy-based dressing and a fermented element for contrast.
The dining room itself is Scandinavian in feel, with the open kitchen giving diners an insight into how each course is prepared. The dark, atmospheric interior (which is constantly being improved and added to – the next step is to design some bespoke dining chairs) contrasts with the beautiful gardens outside, which are in the process of becoming wild meadows. Gareth and Amelia have plans to turn the manicured garden into a working kitchen garden, with polytunnels, fruit orchards and birch trees which can be harvested throughout the year.
The chefs serve each course themselves, giving diners an expert insight into the ingredients and techniques used to create every plate of food. The most prized ingredient is dry-aged Welsh Wagyu beef, which finds its way into everything, including the butter for the bread and even the desserts. Front of house staff are more focused on drinks, either from the bar in the adjoining room or from the wine list, which was voted the best in the UK by the AA in 2018. In 2022, it was awarded a second Michelin star.
Much like other destination restaurants all over the world, Ynyshir is unlike anything you'd find in a city or closer to civilisation. There are ten bedrooms offering far-flung diners a place to stay, which are in the process of being refurbished to be more in keeping with the restaurant. For anyone who loves perfectly cooked, inventive, flavourful cuisine, Ynyshir should be at the very top of the must-visit list.
It takes most people a long time to get to Ynyshir, Gareth Ward's Michelin-starred restaurant-with-rooms in the remote Welsh countryside, but anyone who has eaten his multi-layered tasting menus will tell you it's more than worth the effort. Regularly cited as the most exciting chef cooking in the UK today, he spends his time preserving seasonal ingredients and creating punchy Japanese-inspired sauces and dressings to act as perfect accompaniments to meat (which he dry-ages for up to 300 days himself). The result is a menu that is unlike anything else in the world, full of rich flavours that somehow marry together Japanese techniques and flavours with the wild ingredients of the Welsh countryside. Growing up in County Durham, Gareth didn't really care about food until he went into the kitchen. 'I was a bit of a dropout to be honest, and I only went into the kitchen because my uncle told me I'd always have a job doing it,' he explains. 'I was a very picky eater, but when I got my first job at a place called the Seven Stars in Shincliffe, I couldn't get enough of it.' The Seven Stars served the standard pub fare, and while Gareth loved discovering new ingredients and the discipline of the kitchen, it wasn't until a chef joined the team and told him to find somewhere where he could hone his natural talent for cooking that he had even heard of Michelin-starred cooking. 'A guy called Alan O'Kane gave me the Good Food Guide and told me to pick some places I liked the look of, so he could help me secure an interview. My first choice was Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea, but when I went down there for a trial it was just too much for me; I wasn't ready. So instead I ended up at Hambleton Hall in Rutland, working under Aaron Patterson.'


text:
Dance Videos
Modern dance instruction videos and DVDs; Lester Horton, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn.
The second in a series of DVD dance classes that teach the legendary Lester Horton instruction technique.
An Intermediate Class is designed to show how the Horton studies can be incorporated and taught within a dance class. The DVD is based on the book, The Dance Technique of Lester Horton, by Marjorie Perces, Ana Marie Forsythe and Cheryl Bell.
Elements of the DVD class include: Roll Down, Flat Backs, Bounces and Primitive Squat Descent and Ascent, Lateral Stretches, Release Swings with Variations, Leg Swings, Leg Swings with Attitude Turn, Torso in Lateral, Deep Lunges, Fortification #4, Coccyx Balance with Variations, Fortification #11, Improvisation, Progressions, Leg Swings with Variations, Combination of Movements, Single Foot Arch Springs, Leaps and Elementary Balance.
All of the dancers are graduates and former students of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance.
The American Dance Festival presents Dancing in the Light, a one-hour modern dance television program showcasing six historic dance compositions by African American choreographers.
All of the dances were originally recorded for the Emmy Award-winning series Free to Dance, a three-hour documentary that aired on PBS in 2001 as part of the Great Performances: Dance in America series. While Free to Dance uses select excerpts from the dances to inform its narrative within a historical context, Dancing in the Light features six dances in their entirety or in the case of one work, a complete section.
The dances include: Ostrich (1932) by Asadata Dafora, Barrelhouse Blues (1943) by Katherine Dunham, Strange Fruit (1943) by Pearl Primus, Mourner's Bench (1947) by Talley Beatty, Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder (1959) by Donald McKayle, First Section of D-Man in the Waters (1989) by Bill T. Jones.
The first video class teaching the legendary Lester Horton technique – The Advanced Beginner Class taught by Ana Marie Forsythe including Improvisation with Marjorie Perces.
This Advanced Beginners Horton class was created to show how the Horton studies can be incorporated and taught within a class. The class is based on the book The Dance Technique of Lester Horton by Marjorie Perces, Ana Marie Forsythe and Cheryl Bell, and the three Dance Spotlight videos: Lester Horton Technique The Warm-Up, Intermediate and Advanced Levels. These sources contain more in depth analysis of the movements and can be used as reference by teachers and students.
The class contains:
THE WARM UP with Ana Marie Forsythe: Round Over and Round Up; Flat Back Series; Primitive Squat Descent and Ascent; Lateral Stretches; Release Swing Series; Fortification #1; Prelude #1; Twists with Open Egyptian Arms; Leg Swings; Leg Swings with Stag Position Balance; Preparation for Deep Forward Lunges; and Coccyx Balance.
IMPROVISATION with Marjorie Perces.
CENTER FLOOR work with Ana Marie Forsythe: Lateral T Study.
PROGRESSIONS: Side Hip Pull; Side Hip Pull with Figure 4 Turn; Side Hip Pull with Figure 4 Turn and Lateral T Balance; Single Foot Arch Springs; Single Foot Arch Springs with Stag Jump; and Fortification #14.
DANCERS: Zara Bartels – Lion King – London production; Courtney Corbin – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 5/05; Katherine Horrigan - Elisa Monte Dance Company; Mary "Little light" Hudetz – North Carolina Dance Theater II; Kevin Jackson – Dallas Black Dance Company; ShaylaVie Jenkins; Andrew Lamar – Kansas City Ballet; James Pierce – Ailey II; Yusha Marie Sorzano – Ailey II; and Hattie Mae Williams – Independent choreographer. All are graduates or former students in the Ailey School/Fordham University BFA program.
This is a revolutionary dance training tape for both modern dance and exercise enthusiasts. This unique program is designed to prepare dancers for rehearsal and performance.
The technique's creator, Lester Horton, was determined to develop a warm-up that did not limit how the body could move, and that was anatomically corrective. As a result, his method has enormous variety, range and complexity.
Many noted dancers began their dance training with Horton and used the technique with their own students. Horton protégées lead a group of young professional dancers through leg swings, metatarsal presses and fortifications in this exclusive presentation. For the professional dancer who needs to build strength, agility and flexibility, this tape provides important injury-preventing techniques. It's also an excellent way for the non-dancer or athlete to do a non-aerobic workout that helps develop grace and relieves muscle stress.
Dance Spotlight presents the Intermediate tape of the innovative dance training technique of Lester Horton for modern dancers, teachers and choreographers.
Lester Horton developed a training method which expanded the body's traditional range of motion. These codified technique studies preserve this important achievement in modern dance training for future generations.
Marjorie B. Perces, former Horton dancer and teacher, and Ana Marie Forsythe, chair person of the Horton Department at the Ailey School since 1979, lead a group of professional dancers through Preludes, Fortifications, Hinges, Balances and other studies which continue the documentation begun in "Lester Horton Technique - The Warm-Up".
The material presented on this tape helps to build strength, agility, and flexibility. This is also an excellent way to do a non-aerobic workout and beautiful movements that help develop grace, free artistic expression and reduce muscle stress. Features Prelude Studies #1, 2 and 3, Fortification Studies #7-12, Hinge Studies #1, 2 and 3, Falls, Balance Studies, Figure 4 Study, and Percussive Stroke Study.
Dance Spotlight presents the final documentation of the Lester Horton modern dance technique. This innovative technique is a source of inspiration to countless modern dance choreographers and continues to train strong, versatile dancers, expanding the body's traditional range of motion.
Lester Horton, the creator of the technique, developed a training method that explores the many ways the body can move. Marjorie B. Perces, former Horton dancer and teacher, and Ana Marie Forsythe, chair of the Horton department at the Ailey School, lead a group of professional dancers through fortifications, balance, hinge, and more advanced studies in this program.
Between 1919 and 1931, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, and their company toured the entire United States, England, Cuba, and the Far East. Within that period, they created some 300 pieces, using their original technique based on classic ballet discipline molded to pliant bodies and bare feet, with emphasis on various ethnic cultures.
With this new expression of movement, they became the creators of the choreography from which American Modern Dance evolved. Sadly, little of the rich body of work from that time could be visually preserved. Only over the last twenty years did Barton Munaw, a member of Denishawn in its last year, and Jane Sherman, the last living member of the original Denishawn company, succeed in creating this video-documentary - the largest re-creation of Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn's dances in existence, featuring 23 powerful works of the Mother and Father of American Modern Dance. With the issue of this video, their mission to preserve these seminal works from oblivion has been accomplished.
This historic dance documentary tells the story of one of the least publicized, yet most-influential modern dance companies in America.
Founded by Ruth St. Denis and her husband Ted Shawn at the turn of the century, Denishawn has become legendary for its unique approach to contemporary dance. Martha Graham, Jack Cole, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman and countless others have built their companies and their work on the foundation established by St. Denis and Shawn.
Incorporating elements of Far and Middle Eastern dances to create abstract pieces they called "musical visualizations," the couple rejected the tradition of basing dances on fairy tales: their dancers played human beings, not sugarplums or swans.
Husband-and-wife actors Paul and June Reed portray the Shawns in "interview" segments, and rare film footage of the real St. Denis and Shawn show them at the peak of their creative talents. The current Denishawn Company re-stages some of the founders' original choreography, which remains as vital and modern today as it was then.
Why do some dances win award after award at competitions? What makes particular choreography stand out? How can you bring out the best in each performer?
Terry Schulke, award-winning choreographer, dance teacher, and studio owner has the answers. Created specifically for competitions, Terry presents eight steps that will aid you in creating dances that win! To excel in competition the right music selection, dance style, technique level, and compositional elements are critical. Terry clearly presents methods to break down music, build excitement level, and show your dancers to their best advantage. Perfect for solos, trios, and group choreography. Great for dancers of all ages. Get the winning edge!
Creating dynamic choreography can be an insurmountable challenge whether you're a studio teacher creating a jazz dance for a recital, a modern dance teacher preparing for your school's annual concert, or the director of an elite performing group getting ready to compete.
Janet Roston shows you how to utilize the basic principles of choreography to create dances with IMPACT! This unique video incorporates both modern and jazz styles to illustrate a variety of ways to create powerful choreography that will excite your audience! Integrate these concepts into your classes as well as on the stage. Make a difference in your choreography NOW!
Belly Dance, Hula and Tahitian Videos and DVDs, Irish Dancing, Flamenco Dancing, Multicultural or view all Dance Videos and DVDs