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Great holidays . . .
Which was your best holiday?
Last year I enjoyed my first sailing holiday around Palma (off Majorca) on a very generous friend's new yacht, waited on by 16 staff. My friend said: "Come along and try the staff out, I want to see how they cope with a very eclectic group of people." Palma has overcrowded touristy bits but also some very beautiful deserted little bays and we sailed around the island visiting different beaches each day. We would drop anchor at sunset, chilled champagne would be served and the company was invariably great. As we lounged around, I said, "Wow, it's one of those moments. It doesn't happen very often and we're all going to savour this for a long time."
And the best hotel you've ever stayed in?
The problem is that no hotel has ever got it absolutely, completely right. I don't like posh hotels. I like small, eclectic hotels and luxury for me would mean really good company with good food in a really funky, beautiful house in the middle of a field where someone came and serviced the place for us.
What do you need for your perfect holiday?
My preferred environment is by the sea or somewhere rural. I don't want to be in a city, I don't want to visit New York and I don't want to go shopping. I want to experience nature, I'd like to learn to shoot, fish and kayak and that's where I'm at now. Of course, I'm not going to turn my nose up at a Caribbean beach which would certainly come near the top of the list. It's just that I can't stand the sound of traffic and if I'm paying for a holiday, I want a guarantee of silence.
What do you always take with you?
If I leave my buckwheat pillow behind, that is a crisis because I can't sleep if I don't have proper head support. I've got so used to this damn thing that if I forget it, I'm straight on the phone to have one shipped over. A lot of physiotherapists recommend them because with a soft pillow, your head sinks and overnight your neck/shoulder muscles are working overtime to support your head. I also take my small cashmere "blankie". It sounds slightly childlike but it's very useful as an eye patch. So if the sun comes up brightly very early in the morning, I stick my blankie over my head and it cuts out the light as well as being very soft and comforting.
What's your best piece of travel advice?
Buy travel insurance. My father suffered a massive stroke on holiday in Switzerland and had we not been covered, we would have been in deep trouble financially because it wasn't cheap to have him shipped home.
Where do you want to go next?
I plan to spend the summer in the most glorious country in the world – the UK. Everyone in Britain should pull their finger out during this recession and get out and about. Support the English countryside and people who run the b & bs, little cottages and the National Trust which has a fantastic array of exciting and fabulous destinations. For those who are used to five-star treatment, get over it and cook your own breakfast.
. . . and disasters?
Which was your worst holiday?
The worst was probably in Barbados in the Eighties when it rained for a week. It put the dampeners on my holiday and no amount of rum cocktails could compensate for the torrential rain.
And your worst experience abroad?
I had just moved to the US to film LA Law when a friend said, "C'mon, we're driving to Mexico to stay at my house on the beach." On our way back, we returned to Tijuana (at the US-Mexico border), when officials took all our passports and said, "Fine…" until they got to mine and said: "Oh no, your visa expired two days ago." It was Friday night and I had to start shooting on Monday morning. I had six friends in the car all with commitments, so I got out and told them that they'd better go on without me. I went straight to the British embassy and explained that I was under contract to 20th Century Fox and was due back on set in LA. They didn't give a damn but I'll never forget turning round and seeing Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet renewing his visa. Eventually, they gave me a visa and I drove back to Los Angeles with Gary in his chauffeur-driven limousine.
What's the biggest packing mistake you've made?
I arrived at a film festival in Toronto after an airline lost my luggage. My outfit, make-up and shoes arrived two days after the ceremony.
Which is the worst hotel you've stayed in?
The worst hotels are any with a bad bed. I stayed in a hotel where they left cards telling me my enjoyment was of paramount importance. I should have written, "Nice rooms, crap beds."
What do you avoid on holiday?
City centre crowds, queuing up and noisy discos.
What do you hate about holidays?
Big airports. My local airport is Norwich, which is fantastic and you don't have to walk for miles. Doncaster, Manchester and Norwich are all great smaller airports and if we don't keep using them, we'll lose them.
- Amanda Donohoe plays Natasha Wylde in 'Emmerdale' on ITV1, Monday to Friday at 7pm


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We roll out our third article on rotation partnership for the season ahead this afternoon. Having ran the rule over Stoke and Swansea and Newcastle and Sunderland, we now cast an eye over what's on offer by teaming up Crystal Palace and West Ham:
The Fixtures
Just like our first couple of examples, the London-based duo hand Fantasy managers a home/away pairing over the entirety of 2014/15. Further analysis of their opening 20 Gameweeks (leading up to the winter wildcard) shows that the Palace-West Ham partnership is handed just five tricky home games over that period, with Liverpool (twice), in addition to visits from Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal.
Essentially, then, this gives us 15 favourable games in front of their own fans (TOT, WHM, SOT, BUR, LEI, QPR, SUN, AVL, NEW, AVL, SWA, STO, LEI, SOT, WBA) until we're handed the opportunity to freshen up our 15-man squads in January.
Alternatively, Palace also rotate with QPR for all but one of the first 20 Gameweeks in a partnership that looks just as viable. This gives you just one away fixture (whm/hul in Gameweek 7), with only a trio of tricky home clashes (LIV or CHE in Gameweek 8, followed by visits from City and Liverpool in Gameweeks 11 and 12 respectively).
West Ham and Southampton also afford us another option. This pair alternate on a home/away basis in 15 of the first 20 Gameweeks and, over that period, only once do both teams face an opponent regarded as difficult by our fixture ticker – Gameweek 19, where Southampton host Chelsea and the Hammers entertain Arsenal.
The Defence
Crystal Palace
Conceding 21 goals in their opening 10 fixtures of 2013/14, the Selhurst Park underwent a remarkable turnaround after the dismissal of Ian Holloway and ultimately turned out to be a valuable source of defensive returns. The Eagles served up 12 clean sheets (seven at home and five away) from that point onwards, conceding 13 goals in 14 matches in front of their own fans and shipping 14 in the same number of games away from home. Indeed, Tony Pulis' side were the fourth most resilient side in the league over the final 28 Gameweeks of the previous campaign.
Further analysis shows Palace were more resolute at Selhurst Park regardless of opponent. Three of their seven home shut-outs were delivered against top 10 opposition, whereas on the road, all their clean sheets were against sides in the bottom half of the table – underlining their reliability against weaker opposition away from home.
Julian Speroni ended the previous campaign as Palace's top scoring FPL player on 144 points. Picking up save points in 21 of his appearances, the Argentine's owners will be optimistic over further defensive returns, bearing in mind he failed to deliver a single clean sheet over those first 10 games under Holloway. Pulis' arrival ensured that Palace finished the previous campaign with just 48 goals against – the eighth best defence in the Premier League – and providing he can steer clear of the mid-price bracket, Speroni is surely set for major investment from the off this time around.
A share of corners boosted the appeal of Joel Ward last term. The versatile defender was occasionally utilised in the centre of the park and, with three assists and 13 bonus points from 36 appearances to his name, carries the main attacking threat amongst Pulis' defensive regulars, with his all-round game also more suited to the bonus points system. Scott Dann, Adrian Mariappa and Damien Delaney all scored a single goal apiece, though with 12 bonus points to his name, the latter is perhaps the strongest rival to Ward for those looking to invest in Palace's defenders.
West Ham
Sam Allardyce's side chalked up an impressive 14 clean sheets over the previous campaign. Just like Palace, the Hammers also delivered seven at home in addition to seven on the road, though they were flat-track bullies in front of their own fans – six of those shut-outs came against sides in the bottom half of the table. On the road it was a different matter, though; four of their clean sheets were against clubs in the top 10 and with just 25 goals against on the road (only one more than Man City), Big Sam's side were the sixth most resilient away defence.
Since deposing Jussi Jaaskelainen as the Hammers' number one back in January,Adrian embarked on a run which saw him earn save points in 15 of his subsequent 20 starts. The Spaniard's exploits between the posts look set to ensure he remains the club's number one, while an average of 4.2 ppg is greater than any West Ham outfield player in the season gone by.
New left-back Aaron Cresswell could be a real contender for own affections. The former Ipswich man racked up 14 assists and a couple of goals in the Championship last term and if Big Sam hands him a fair share of set-pieces, Cresswell's prospects at both ends of the pitch look promising if the Hammers can maintain their resilience at the back. Winston Reid may offer us an under the radar option after an injury-hit campaign curtailed his minutes last term. The Kiwi international started the first 10 Gameweeks but featured in the first XI on just eight more occasions – with a full pre-season behind him this summer, Reid should take his place at the heart of Allardyce's backline once again.
The Attack
Crystal Palace
With seven goals and a trio of assists last term, Jason Puncheon's form was vital to Palace's survival bid. Again, Pulis' arrival bodes well for the wide man – he had mustered just one assist in the opening 12 league matches before the former Stoke boss officially took the reins in Gameweek 13. Starting 23 of his side's remaining fixtures, Puncheon averaged 4.5 points per game under Pulis – with six sets of maximum bonus points (and, resultantly, six lots of double-figure hauls) the former Southampton man remains the standout selection for the Eagles.
Dwight Gayle's remarkable end to the season will have captured the attention of one or two Fantasy managers on the lookout for a cheap third forward. A peripheral figure under Pulis, his late double against Liverpool in the penultimate match of the campaign earned him a start against Fulham in Gameweek 38 – Gayle delivered another double to suggest he could be set to stake a claim for regular game time this term.
Reports in the local press have also piqued our interest. As Pulis prepares to dip into the market for the first time this term, Palace are rumoured to be on the hunt for Gylfi Sigurdsson, Steven Caulker and Fraizer Campbell, potentially offering us some intriguing options in every outfield position.
West Ham
After scoring just 40 goals last term, the Hammers are determined to improve in the final third. On the road, in particular, the London club struggled to find the net and notched just 15 times – only relegated Cardiff and Norwich had poorer records. Allardyce has been tasked with introducing an easier-on-the-eye approach this time around and with the appointment of Teddy Sheringham as attacking coach, there's optimism that the Hammers could be set for an upturn in fortunes.
Certainly, the arrival of Mauro Zarate is a step in the right direction. The Argentine, who has had previous experience in the English top-flight with Birmingham, arrives on the back of a season where he notched 18 times in 29 league appearances for Atletico Velez Sarsfield and could be set to tuck in behind Andy Carroll up front. Zarate is versatile enough to offer an option out wide but is likely to be afforded a central role as Allardyce restructures his frontline.
In another injury-hit campaign, Carroll managed just two goals and five assists over 15 appearances last term. It remains to be seen just how Allardyce will alter his approach with the big Geordie leading the line, though with Zarate pulling the strings behind, he may finally start to justify the investment. Unless a change of formation is on the cards, the Argentine's arrival perhaps places question marks over Kevin Nolan's security of starts and, if Mark Noble retains spot-kicks, he could remain an option in the mid-price bracket once again – the latter produced three goals and six assists last term, with a total of 125 points just six less than Nolan.

subset: commoncrawl


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It's a brave company that continues trying to build a business upon commodity file storage. As the large public cloud vendors rapidly follow each other with price cut after price cut, most commentators are in agreement that the cost of raw storage is rapidly trending towards zero. Which is where Bitcasa's new platform announcement gets interesting. Bitcasa is a company with a simple aim, it wants to make storage simple (heck, I thought it already was but whatever). It has created a storage platform that, much like a million or so other vendors, enables individuals or businesses to store and share content. As per most of the competitors, Bitcasa is cross-device and includes an API to allow developers to build products on top of Bitcasa, or to embed Bitcasa within their own applications.
And this is the focus of today's announcement, the new file system API is a tool that Bitcasa hopes will encourage application developers to use Bitcasa as the raw storage partner when building their applications. In essence Bitcasa wants to be seen as a modular service that developers use in their applications rather than build their own hooks into (for example) AWS.
This idea of modular components is not new – there are a number of vendors doing it in different areas, Mailgun for email, Twilio for voice and communications etc. But the difference with those two vendors is that (arguably) it's pretty complex to build an effective and scalable email or voice communications service. Much more complex than it is to simply embed Mailgun or Twilio respectively. The same can't really be said for file storage – AWS' S3 service is pretty easy to use, there are a number of open source file sharing components and, beyond that, pretty much every file sharing vendor has a developer ecosystem as part of its go to market strategy.
So how is what Bitcasa doing any different, or any better than what else is available? Well according to Bitcasa, the new CloudFS Platform for Developers "reduces cost, enhances performance and accelerates development on public cloud storage". Hmmm. I'm not convinced – cost is largely irrelevant given the aforementioned price wars, performance via any of the public cloud vendors' raw storage is pretty good and development doesn't seem to be something on which you can really hang your hat. Says Bitcasa VEO, Brian Taptich
We've developed a robust, battle-tested cloud storage technology. And we've learned that creating a cloud storage service is very hard. Our highly secure, scalable and regionalized platform means developers no longer need to face the pain of writing that code -- they can quickly deploy their custom cloud apps with our platform.
Yeah maybe. Bitcasa does include a lot of the stuff that is needed when it comes to file sharing tools - file management, file sharing, media transcoding, and zero-knowledge encryption. It also has what they're calling the "Turn-Key Drive" essentially a white labeled file sharing system that allows third party service providers to offer their own branding on a consumer storage solution.
While it all sounds good – there are lots of head winds in the way of this really taking off – there are the large cloud file sharing vendors who are pushing their own developer ecosystems (think Box or Dropbox) then there are the open source tools such as ownCloud. While this is vaguely interesting, and might get a smattering of developers using it, I don't believe this strategy will allow Bitcasa to break free of the immense gravitational pull of the large cloud sharing vendors.


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Thanks for your comment. The WS Description Working Group tracked this as a Last Call comment LC352 [1]. We closed this issue with no action, as the rpc:signature attribute is a global attribute. If we don't hear otherwise within two weeks, we will assume this satisfies your concern. [1] http://www.w3.org/2002/ws/desc/5/lc-issues/issues.html#LC352 ________________________________ From: email@example.com [mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com] On Behalf Of Asir Vedamuthu Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2005 7:59 PM To: firstname.lastname@example.com Subject: Bug in RPC Signature Extension Schema attributeFormDefault value should be qualified at http://www.w3.org/2005/08/wsdl/rpc.xsd because per Part 2 RPC Signature Extension [1] is, * A [local name] of signature * A [namespace name] of "http://www.w3.org/2005/08/wsdl/rpc" [1] http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-wsdl20-adjuncts-20050803/#InterfaceOperatio n_RPC_Signature_XMLRep Regards, Asir S Vedamuthu, MicrosoftReceived on Thursday, 3 November 2005 20:47:24 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.1 : Tuesday, 6 January 2015 20:05:57 UTC


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I Love Computers
Personal Stories, Advice, and Support 453 People
I Love Pc More Than Any Thingi love pc and fixing pc hardware and working on pc software it is all my life
iwlyou 22-25, M 1 Response 0 Oct 30, 2010
Opened A New WorldI love my computer and I love working on it. I have been a member of Second Life for three years and I have created a virtual public relations firm. This has helped me to meet many interested people and work for people who live in different areas. My computer keeps an entire new...
Nala1 31-35, F 0 Oct 25, 2010
They Are Part of Our LivesI think that they are part of our lives. I use my computer every day. The Internet is very useful and helpful. I don't look for a dictionary, encyclopedia. I use Google Search. Not so long ago I discovered iGoogle. Very good idea. I am a Stumbler so I can always discover new...
dreamygirl 31-35, F 0 Aug 23, 2007
Well, Yes & No... ...well, yes & no... there are days when i think that computers make my life miserable, and other days when i practically marvel at the technological wonder of it all
pengphoenix 36-40, F 0 Aug 23, 2007
I Do Love Computers... ...I do love computers... it's a whole new world... and I've met so many wonderful people over the computer. I couldn't imagine my life without one now.
Cheleanne 66-70, F 1 Response 1 Aug 23, 2007
POWER PointWHEN I LIVED IN CA. I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL TO GET MY HIGH SCHOOL DIPOLIMA AND I DID A POWER POINT PRESENTATION ON A CD ROM IT WAS GREAT!
JESSIESNOWDEN 56-60 1 Response 0 Nov 3, 2008
I bought a new computer on Cyber Mondayand I can't wait to get it. It's not the most high-end by far and usually I would like to build my own but I needed one quick so I went with an out-of-the-box machine. It's got an Intel i5 processor, 12gb ram, 1tb hd. It's only coming with a 300w psu, but I'm ripping that...
Relateds 26-30, F 3 Responses 2 Dec 3, 2013
I Love Computers and Typing. ...I love computers and typing. I love the Internet as well. They connect us to one another and open a vast array of interesting information and things we never had available to us when computers were not up to date.
fiendofsleep 18-21, F 0 Aug 22, 2007
I recently replaced my dell xps 630i stock cpufan with the xigmatek one I purchased a few days ago and the noise and temperature level is like night and day. I can finally sleep peacefully with my pc maxing out for bitcoin.
jace888 26-30, M 0 Dec 6, 2013
I'm Way Too Addicted to Co...I'm way too addicted to computers. I should spend a lot less time on them. I know it's not very healthy but I can't help to be on one a lot.
Vainemion 22-25, F 1 Response 0 Aug 23, 2007
They Are My Life.I went to a tech school after college to study Instrumentation that is used in refineries and saw the IBM PC XT brand new. The guy told us they would take over the world and showed us basic troubleshooting, card removal, memory and cpu removal etc. After a year or so of working...
gadgetsaxman 46-50, M 1 Response 0 Aug 28, 2010
IT HAS BEEN DONE. :D My lil beast has beenfinish and gawd dat led light fan looks good at night. Also, it runs games well ect n stuff,
dabram71 18-21, M 2 Responses 2 Nov 1, 2014
I Love Computers Because You E...I love computers because you every bit of info on any subject right at your fingure tips.
zeus77 26-30, M 1 Response 0 Aug 23, 2007
Love Computers..I grew up very poor, but the one thing I had access to, were many old computers. I'm 27, but I first learned how to work with DOS at 7-8 years old. I ran my own BBS at 10-11, and learned HTML at 12. I had already learned about GWBASIC and QBASIC before, but around 14 I...
SymbolicJourney 26-30, M 1 Response 1 Sep 27, 2011
I learned to work one from a young age.I was about 5. I knew how to put the disc to play my game, I knew how to reset the computer password, change the desktop background, type a document, restart it, etc. What else can I say? I'm a 2000s kid lol. I am now 14. I was very confused when at kindergarten we were having a...
Yummy. Ordering my RAM,case (nzxt phantom 410) and hard drive today. Meh build is almost conplete! :D
dabram71 18-21, M 1 Oct 18, 2014
I am a computer Engineerand I'm going to learn more and more... this is the most beautiful thing in my life, I do code for whole day. every day, all day... but I feel I like to meet a girl who is into computer stuff and smart to talk about new technologies. this is my fantasy to date a smart girl who...
My IntroductionI saw a computer for the first time in early September 1985. Yes! I'm that old. Hey! No jokes from the cheap seats! lol It was a TRS-80. It was this huge behemoth. It had the computer, monitor, keyboard and floppy drives all in one giant unit. As the literacy class went on, I...
Kenneth184 46-50, M 1 Jun 19, 2013
Computer LoveI didn't work for four years I was a stay at home mom. I had allot of free time that is when I discovered the computer. I didn't know much about them.I fell so in love with it that I wanted to learn everything there was to know. I spent the first four years on it...
mandyme 31-35, F 1 Response 0 Nov 3, 2007


text: Heya, everyone... I have started to get these constant messages with IP masquerading, as I have upgraded to IPCHAINS. I don't think the ipchains program itself is the cause of it, but nevertheless, this message crop up every minute or so:IP_MASQ:masq_expire delayed: TCP C0A80102:20B2->C3598163:0015 nlocks-1=0 masq.refcnt-1=2 masq.n_control=1 I've traced the message to the call in net/ipv4/ip_masq.c, but I haven't had the time yet, to delve into it any further. Currently, I have a 'typical' IP masquerading setup: 1 box doing the masquerading via PPP, serving the world to another hidden box, through 10baseT. The message seems harmless enough, as the setup is still working well. I'll take a further look into things, and see what I can see. BL.-- Brad Littlejohn | Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Unix Systems Administrator, | firstname.lastname@example.com + NewsMaster, BOFH.. Smeghead! :) | http://www.omnilinx.net/~tyketto PGP: 1024/E9DF4D85 67 6B 33 D0 B9 95 F4 37 4B D1 CE BD 48 B0 06 93-To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" inthe body of a message to email@example.com


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Welcome to the mysterious town of Whitby, where all the monsters and demons of old come to retire and live out the remainder of their spooky days and nights and eat fish and chips on the seafront. There's a strange new landlady in town, opening a B&B by the harbour; a lady with a tall black beehive, nasty scars about her person and a very chequered past.
Soon she's teamed up with part-time witch Effie and together they investigate the mystery of the ghostly singing cat on the rooftops of the old town, and the savage maulings of old ladies in lonely alleyways. Also - there's something very peculiar about the awful painting that Effie drags home from an auction. Can it really be coming to ghastly life?
Superannuated supernatural sleuths Brenda and Effie are veterans of six cult novels by Paul Magrs (Doctor Who). Now Anne Reid (Last Tango in Halifax, Dinnerladies) brings Magrs's macabre creations to life in their very first adventure, written especially for audio. Here we are at the very start: about to hear the truth of what happened when Brenda met Effie for the very first time!
©2014 Bafflegab Productions (P)2014 Bafflegab Productions
"A rich vein of dry humour that sparkles... a strong start for a series that shows every sign of becoming a fan favourite." (STARBURST Magazine)
"'The Woman in a Black Beehive' is a fantastic, deftly-written and performed opening chapter to what promises to be a truly splendid series. Absolutely, and thoroughly, recommended." (Mass Movement Magazine)
"I was drwan in immediately... A very, very different sort of supernatural investigation." (SCI-FI Bulletin)
fantastic narration and a great story.
if you like T Pratchett you will like alot
"Captivating, best narration around!!"
One of the best!
Hearing her background.
It was so captivating, really drew me and my husband into the story. Really pasted our drive to Cornwall away!
Laughed through out!
Great story, wonderfully read by Anne Reid. Worth the money, you wont go wrong buying this xx
"definitely brings a smile to my face"
awesome fun story. easy to get into, and read in a fun lighthearted manner. really love the characters . can't wait to hear the rest of the collection
"Clever beyond my less wilder dreams "
I must admit it's more than i thought it would be, and glad there are more of the Brenda novellas. My considerable commute is less annoying by this Mrs Doutefire and mystic sprit friends is a well needed dalliance, a restoritive cuppa for my soul.
"Will be listening to more in this series!"
Loved the narrators and sound effects. I found it to be
an extremely enjoyable listening experience.
"Great story expertly read!"
Really enjoyed this audio book. The plot is great, very British tongue in cheek gothic horror. Annie Reid does such a fantastic job of reading it in her strong Lancashire accent she just feels perfect for a story set in Whitby. All in all it's like being read a good ghost story by your favorite grandmother, Full of heart and very well written. I can't wait to listen to the rest of the series!
"A spooky mystery, but it's all for laughs"
This was a fun short listen about the spooky goings on at an English seaside town. Don't worry if you can't handle scary stuff, be case the spooks are strictly the Scooby-Doo kind. The reader did an excellent job with the various voices. The music added a lot to the mood. However, the reader does use a very strong, thick regional British accent which took some getting used to. I recommend listening to a sample before buying.
"Interesting series"
This was my first exposure to Brenda and Effie. Just today my copy of "Never the Bride" arrived in the mail. I really enjoyed The Woman in the Black Beehive. An interesting tale and we get to see how they met and Brenda is just opening her B&B. I am looking forward to reading the books and listening to the other audio adventures as well.
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text:
This article is on a reader request who sent us an email asking on how can he download any previous version of windows media player full setup.
The mail says
How can I download the any version of windows media player full setup which I can redistribute among my friends.
There can be two ways to download full setups of windows media player, read on further to know how.
1. First Method: – You can go to this page of the site OldVersion.com which allows you to download all the previous older versions of Windows Media Player.
2. Second Method – You can to this official page – Microsoft Windows Media Download Center – where you can download all the windows media player versions including versions released for Mac OS


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When the ancient Greek or Roman playwrights had painted themselves into a corner, plot-wise, they sometimes resorted to the dramatic device known as the deus ex machina, in which one of the gods was hoisted over the stage and dropped in to resolve the otherwise inchoate drama.
Something similar happened this week with Syria. The drama had progressed into a mix of international tragedy and domestic political bathos. President Obama's threat of military action against Syria was right in principle but garnered no real political support — not least because Obama and his generals agree there is no military solution.
Cue the gods (in Moscow!): The stage directions may have been confusing, starting with a throwaway line from Secretary of State John Kerry, followed up quickly by his Russian counterpart. Suddenly the stage was crowded with a cheering chorus that included U.S., French and Russian presidents, the U.N. secretary general, the Chinese and even Iranians.
Thanks to this welcome plot twist, Obama was able to give a war speech Tuesday night without having to ask Congress to actually commit military power. He could chide his usual tormentors, right and left, that he was upholding values that they supposedly hold dear.
Anyone who thinks this week's events were simply a theatrical accident should go back to drama school. Obama, Kerry and the Russians have been talking about control of Syrian chemical weapons for many months, most recently a week ago at the G-20 meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia. Let it be said that the mercurial Vladimir Putin (whom Obama regards as the most transactional leader in the world) knows how to propose an 11th-hour deal.
The deus ex machina has been cranked into place, but that doesn't mean this play is over. The complicated diplomatic part is just beginning. I hope Obama and his allies will keep in mind some basic principles, so that we don't quickly return to another Syria breakdown:
● Obama can rightly claim that his tough line paid off. The Russians endorsed international control of Syria's chemical weapons only after Obama threatened to attack and didn't flinch in St. Petersburg or on Capitol Hill. He may be a weakened president in foreign affairs, but this show of strength regained him some precious credibility.
● The U.N. Security Council now moves to center stage. To avoid a Russian veto, Obama seems ready to accept a resolution weaker than the one France was drafting Tuesday that would have authorized using force if Syria didn't comply. But Obama should be careful he doesn't let the language become so squishy that Assad can wriggle away.
● The next step is revival of peace talks in Geneva, where elements of the regime and the opposition can negotiate a cease-fire and transition plan. The United States and Russia, as co-sponsors of these talks, should begin thinking now about how to prevent a chaotic vacuum and sectarian revenge-killing when a political transition begins. The lessons of Iraq and Libya are clear: Reconcilable elements of the Syrian army and state institutions must remain intact so they help the rebuilding.
● President Bashar al-Assad must go. The Russians know this; they've repeatedly said so privately to U.S. officials. Now they need to make it happen. U.N. inspectors have gathered evidence that Syrian civilians were killed by sarin nerve gas on Aug. 21; this action could have been done only by the regime. It would be politically dangerous, as well as immoral, to allow Assad to remain in power once these findings are disclosed.
● The United States should step up its training and supply of moderate Syrian rebels — less to topple Assad than to provide a counterweight to jihadists in the opposition and help stabilize a future Syria. The first CIA-trained commandos are now heading into the field, in units of 30 or 40. Step up that flow!
● If Iran wants a seat at the Geneva table, it should prove that it's ready to become a responsible player in the region. It can't be part of the Syria solution unless it changes its destabilizing policies — not just in backing Assad but also in its nuclear program, its support for Hezbollah and other actions. A new Iranian president and foreign minister will be in New York in two weeks. The Iranians and the Obama administration should find ways to talk about a new security framework for the region that begins with limits on the Iranian nuclear program.
● Given the United States' profound reluctance to fight another war in the Middle East, Israel knows it will have to take responsibility for its own security, including any military action against Iran. The good news is that Israeli power is robust and credible. Both Assad and the Iranians seem to be deterred from reckless action, and the Russians (in secret) are cooperative. Credible threats of force prevent wars.
Read more from David Ignatius's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.


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My knee was feeling really achy, but I needed to participate in the Gay Pride Parade. Did you know you can use a bicycle as a faux walker?
As Kevin Marshall noted, along with a lot of supporters, there were the usual contingient of protesters along the route. I must admit, I admire their calligraphy, if not their sentiment. And most of them were where I usually see them, right on the corner of Lark (or more correctly, Delaware) and Madison.
It's always interesting being part of a church group marching at this event. Maybe it's my projecting, but it feels as though the anti crowd is a bit more disappointed/angry with us than the other folks, who they could at least write off as heathens. WE they consider apostates.
In particular, there was this lone wolf roughly in front of El Loco, with a megaphone, an amplified machine. He was saying something from the usual script. One of our number said, "We love you!" Megaphone Man said, "NO. YOU DON'T!" Then blathered on. I'm impressed by his seeming ability to know what's in the heart of a stranger.
The debate about marriage equality, which may be voted on this week in the state legislature has been described as a potential financial boon to New York, and it has been noted than, in polls, a majority of Americans support the idea of gay marriage. These are useful facts, but ultimately not the reason to support marriage equality; it's because it's the right thing to do.
The GOP Presidential debate this week addressed the idea of a Constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Hear what they have to say:
Or HERE.


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While I was hanging out at a homeschool forum the other day, I read a post that mentioned Reflex Math and a free trial. I'm always interested in "free," so I googled the site and signed up for my 14 day trial. I was so absolutely impressed that I had to post about it. No free products, no exchange for a review—just because I REALLY loved this website (and so did my son, but we'll get to that). Why? Because we've ditched our math flashcards.
Both of us hate those dreaded flashcards and the endless drill. I want him to know his facts, and I understand the importance of math facts review, but please! There has got to be a better way. And truly, there is. Reflex Math has completely replaced all the drill and flashcards.
The idea of Reflex Math is to provide an engaging way for students to learn and review their math facts: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. But rather than traditional drill, the site is structured like an arcade. Each lesson begins with a "Speed Cube Challenge" where the student types in numbers (for the website to gage the child's typing speed) and then answers to math problems (to gage the child's skill level). Then, a rule is introduced or reviewed (a cute bear pops up and announces that a rule is a way to get a lot of facts "game ready" at the same time). Next, it's game time!
Seven games are provided for the student to select from, and in each game, the student answers the math facts quickly and accurately to progress through the game. Answer quickly to move away from the bad guy, to build the alien's ice cream cone before he gets upset and leaves, to make your ninja jump to the next level, to jump from lily pad to lily pad eating bugs, to fly your hot air balloon across the sky, etc. It's math facts review that your kids will actually want to do!
Tokens are earned for the number of questions answered during play. At a certain point during the lesson, the "store" opens and the child can purchase items using the tokens he has earned. He can purchase clothes, shoes, sunglasses, and other items for his avatar or decorations, animals, and other items for his tree house.
The website is also set up for a teacher to be able to track the progress of the student with several different reports. You can easily see how many facts your child has mastered, how much practice time he has completed, and more.
How effective were the games? My son not only answers his math facts more quickly, but he can now do them in his head! He was even introduced to subtraction for the first time, and he never missed a beat. All in only 2 weeks time! My son loved this so much that he told me he wanted to save his money to purchase the year subscription ($35 per student/year).
I absolutely recommend Reflex Math, particularly if your child is a hands-on (kinesthetic) learner. Skip the flashcards, seriously. This is the ticket!
**UPDATE 2/2017: We have purchased subscriptions for Reflex Math for both of our kids for nearly five years, and absolutely love the program. It has completely eliminated the need for flashcards in our homeschool, and my kids excel in timed math and speed drills.**


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A judge will hold a hearing Thursday on whether to temporarily block his recent ruling that Arizona's medical marijuana law is constitutional and that federal drug laws don't stand in the way of implementing it.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office asked Superior Court Judge Michael Gordon to suspend his ruling pending the outcome of an appeal to a higher court.
Gordon ruled last week in a case that initially focused on whether the county had to approve zoning for a Sun City dispensary.
The case grew to include the larger legal question of whether federal drug laws pre-empt Arizona's medical marijuana law. Gordon ruled that they don't and that the county must provide zoning clearances for the Sun City dispensary.
Since then, the state's first medical dispensary opened in Glendale.


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AU Press Releases
AU softball games at Keuka cancelled
KEUKA PARK, NY — The Alfred University softball team's doubleheader at Keuka College scheduled for today (April 5) has been cancelled.
The games were called off due to poor field conditions caused by inclement weather and will not be rescheduled. Alfred (7-2) has not been in action since concluding its nine-game Spring Break trip to Florida.
The Saxons are in action this weekend when they open Empire 8 Conference play with home doubleheaders against Ithaca (Saturday, April 9, 1 p.m.) and Utica (Sunday, April 10, 1 p.m.).


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Valuable opinions about car rental in Neustadt am Rubenberge
On our website you will find reviews submitted by our customers after their car rental in Neustadt am Rubenberge. They are opinions of our customers that reflect their experiences when booking a car with one of our suppliers in Neustadt am Rubenberge. Read the reviews from our community to get an idea about your car rental. Please note that the comments below are appearing online automatically just after our customers fill in the evaluation form that we send them when their rental ends. The comments are being selected randomly by our system and are not filtered, so we kindly ask you to understand that the content may not always correspond with the respectful standard we like to share with you but this way we want to be honest with our customers. More Reviews for a car rental in Germany.
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Plan your trip in Neustadt am Rubenberge and make all the necessary arrangements before you go. Find out at which of the airports you are arriving and find here all about its facilities. Locate the nearest airport in Neustadt am Rubenberge for your destination. Economy Car Rentals will give you information about the news of Neustadt am Rubenberge in order to be ready when you arrive at your destination.
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Now the BBC has extended the honour to Grayson Perry, the cross-dressing artist noted for his ceramic works and television documentaries on class attitudes to culture.
Perry, who was awarded the Turner Prize in 2003, will be the first visual artist to deliver the BBC Reith Lectures.
Gwyneth Williams, Radio 4's controller, said Perry was chosen as part of her ambition to "throw some fireworks" into the station's schedule.
Perry, who also works with printmaking, drawing, sculpture and tapestry, will use the four lectures to explore where art is heading in the globalised, digital 21st century.
The lecture series, entitled Grayson Perry: Playing to the Gallery, will be broadcast on Radio 4 in October and November.
In the talks, he will reflect on the idea of quality and art, and how to judge quality in an age when "anything goes".
He will also consider what art from the 21st century looks like when examined in detail, and its role in society.
Perry said: "I want to celebrate an emotional relationship with visual art, the innocent drive to make it, to look at it, feast on it, to love it. I feel now is a good time to reflect on the idea of quality and how we might, in an age where we are told anything can be art, appreciate which art is any good.
"The words and the money associated with contemporary art also need examining. I want to talk about my ambivalent relationship with the art world, how I am profoundly grateful to it yet struggle not to be a curmudgeon or a cynic.
"In short, I want to talk about what it is like to be an artist, here, now."
John Reith, the BBC's first director-general, maintained that broadcasting should be a public service that enriches the nation's intellectual and cultural life.
He was the first general manager of the then British Broadcasting Company, before being appointed director-general of the corporation in 1927.
His concept of broadcasting as embodying impartiality, probity, quality entertainment and education became known as Reithianism, and shaped all public-service broadcasting.
Others who have delivered the Reith Lectures have included John K Galbraith, the economist, in 1966; Richard Hoggart, the literary critic, in 1971; John Keegan, the military historian and former Daily Telegraph defence editor, in 1998; and Daniel Barenboim, the Israeli conductor, in 2006.
In the opening lecture, Perry will explore whether it is possible for artists to maintain their integrity when they become acclaimed.
Subsequent lectures will build on the theme and examine who and what defines what we see and value as art.
Perry says he will try to shine a light on how the art world and market works, and consider how contemporary art is perceived by the press, the public and artists in today's Britain.
He will also examine the language that has developed to describe art and what he has identified as people's need to over-intellectualise their response to art.
Ms Williams said Perry had been chosen because she wanted to make Radio 4 a "playground for creative minds" and to get artists involved "to create some colourful, unpredictable and original programming".
She said: "When I met Perry, I was inspired by his insight into the creative process and by the deep humanity evident in his work.
"Radio 4 should be a home for artists and a place of creativity, and who better to make this happen than Grayson?"
Perry will deliver his lectures to live audiences. The first will be recorded at Tate Modern in London; the others will be at St George's Hall in Liverpool, the Guildhall in Londonderry and Central Saint Martins in London.


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Low Income Housing In Chicago, Illinois
As the third largest U.S. city with a population of 2,824,584, Chicago's median house price is listed at $185,000. Many options are available in Chicago for low-income families to find affordable rental or for sale properties. More than 37,000 Housing Choice Vouchers (HUD Section 8 Housing) provides rental property to families whose income does not exceed 80% of Chicago's area median income (AMI), depending on family size.
Under the voucher program, families pay a percentage of the monthly rent and Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) pays the rest with federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Property developers who participate in offering housing under the voucher program receive free inspections and tax breaks.
Families can also use their vouchers to purchase a home under the Choose To Own (CTO) home ownership program. The program pays a percentage of the mortgage for 10-15 years and also gives homeowners counseling and education through the home buying process. Available housing includes family housing, housing for the elderly, and mixed-income properties located within higher income neighborhoods. Properties can be a mix of high-rise units and low-rise units and condos available as public housing rentals, affordable for sale properties and properties available at market rate, all located within the same development area.
Bank of America has implemented a new program in Cleveland and plans to implement it in Chicago and Detroit to give away abandoned homes it can't sell. Other banks and Fannie Mae are also considering programs of their own.
Revitalized housing throughout Chicago offers a broad variety of housing styles that include rowhomes, townhomes, duplexes, flats, and condominiums. Families moving to Chicago who have a housing voucher from another city can "port in" or transfer their voucher to Chicago. For more details on Chicago's affordable housing options for low-income families, qualifying guidelines and photos of available housing, go to the Chicago Housing Authority web site at www.thecha.org.
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I have some of the perfect pushups. I love them. I do pushups religiously. More than anyone I know. I believe in them. So I bought the perfect pushup just to change up my pushup routine. They are great. I have even taken them with me on trips when I go out of town.
My friends have all tried them out when they come over(becaues I leave them in the living room). Every single person who has tried them, has bought a pair. You can get them at Target pretty cheap. I bought mine on line when they first came out so I have been using them for a while.


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The phrase "traveling the world" brings about such a romantic concept: Gondola rides in Venice, summering in Spain, lounging on an exotic beach in Bali…
However, for those of us who aren't trust fund babies, most of us still need to work in order to achieve a travel lifestyle. Sure, you can work at home and save up for that whirlwind vacation or even a more comprehensive around-the-world trip…but what if you don't want the excitement to stop? What if the travel bug catches you hard and the thought of going back to the cubicle life makes you want to rip your hair out?
As someone who has been wanting to pursue that lifestyle for years, I have taken hours of classes and tutorials on the subject. In fact for the past 6 months I spent the majority of my time trying to figure out how I could possibly keep the adventure going while earning a solid income. Everything I read fell short and I found there was a desperate need for a more comprehensive and actionable resource.
Enter the Bucketlist Bombshell's Work Online + Travel the World Course.


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Iran and Historical Forgetting
Ever since George W. Bush lost the popular vote by 500,000 souls and was selected President by a right-leaning Supreme Court, the United States has seemed to me devoted to a twisted fate of slow-motion Armageddon.
What seems to guarantee this is one of our most characteristic American traits: We don't learn from the past; instead, we choose to officially forget embarrassing history so we can move on from our debacles without losing an ounce of glory. We all know how it goes: Sure, mistakes were made, but we need to keep our eye on the ball and move forward. The costs are paid in slow motion and out of sight.
Our leaders are either complicit in the gig or they feel compelled to pander to this weakness for forgetting history as they pump up the boilerplate myth and symbols. We're now, of course, officially entering the silly season in America, so maybe we should not be surprised that the idea of going to war is in the air.
The fear of history became clear to me back in 1992 when President George Bush Senior was pushing something called Education 2000 and decided to make a speech at Norristown High School outside Philadelphia, where my wife taught Art. The President's advance team asked that the school's Art Department provide a painted backdrop for the President; they wanted a large book. Being artists and, thus, by nature subversive, my dear wife and her colleagues asked themselves what was the subject matter the President of the United States would be most uncomfortable with. They chose HISTORY and painted that word on the cover of the book.
Early on the day of the speech, the White House advance party arrived and right away told the Art Department to change the book's title from HISTORY to MATH. History, of course, was not even a part of the President's Education 2000 program. The America of the first George Bush was forward looking. Yes, mistakes had been made in our history, but it was mathematics and cold-blooded technological advancement that had to be emphasized. We want to hear the confident hum of a machine future, not the human shrieks of horror from the past.
Official history is limited to antiseptic and patriotic narrative and anything that supports the Myth of American Exceptionalism. All other history is certainly available for those so inclined, but it's not the stuff of American politics or our mainstream media. It's not something to be learned from. History is written by winners, and the US is always a winner – even when it loses, as in Vietnam. Then official history focuses on scapegoats and on whom to pin the Stabbed in the Back Myth.
Find more artists like Dave Lindorff at Myspace Music
This is the video tape of Davis in Lahore police custody
Live Stream of the Occupation of Wall Street! The Revolution will be filmed after all! (Courtesy of Globalrevolution)
Listen as Chuck, John, Dave and Linn Join Prairie Radical Mike Caddell of the Fightin' Cock Flyer on Radio Free Kansas
Here's the link to prairie radio radical Mike Caddell's Radio Free Kansas program, where you can hear the podcast of the whole group interview that was conducted on Saturday, May 8.
Also, listen to Dave Lindorff on Chris Cook's Gorilla Radio on CFEV Radio in Victoria, Canada.
Donate $50 to ThisCantBeHappening.net and get a free signed copy, postage paid, of Dave's classic tome The Case for Impeachment (St. Martin's Press, 2006). Just click on the cover image to go to the Paypal payment page, make your payment, and send a note to Dave calling his attention to the payment, and giving your mail address and the name you want the inscription addressed to.
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text: Organic "Year of Tiger" Cake is made using the organic leaves from Jingmai and Mangjing Mountain's 1,700 years old ancient tea trees. Stone mold pressed ancient strain Pu-Erh tea leave. It is a full bodied flavor with a sweet after taste. Reminiscent of: Green Muscat, Asian plum, fresh orchid and wild tea leaf.


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Biography: Leo is our new bundle of joy. His mom was an Australian shepherd rescue that was found pregnant on the side of the road. We don't know what his dad was. He is the cutest thing we've ever seen, and he is so smart!
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Skip to comments.NATO chief: EU must spend more on military
Posted on 01/31/2013 10:01:14 PM PST by Olog-hai
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen has urged EU countries to spend more on defense despite the economic crisis or risk losing US solidarity.
He said in a foreword to the alliances report on 2012, out on Thursday (31 January), that: If current defense spending trends were to continue, that would limit the practical ability of NATOs European nations to work together with their North American allies. But it would also risk weakening the political support for our alliance in the United States.
He added NATO is still the most important military power in the world.
But he also warned: The security challenges of the 21st centuryterrorism, proliferation, piracy, cyber warfare, unstable stateswill not go away as we focus on fixing our economies.
(Excerpt) Read more at euobserver.com ...
Actually, that's one of the fun problems the EU is about to have. They have relied for so long on the US military as their shield that they were able to take most of the money they would have spent on defense on social programs. Now the US is pulling back and highly unlikely to be able or willing to defend Europe, especially as pretty much everyone in the US is tired of foreign wars. Even more especially if we appear to be doing all of the heavy lifting yet again.
Once that finally sinks in, Europe is going to have to choose - socialist feel good programs or national defense. I await the shrieking from Euro-lefties either way. :D
Our Kenyan POTUS is disarming the U, S, of A as fast as he possibly can.
We will not be able to defend them in the VERY near future even if WE WANTED TO, which we don't.
Why bother, when they are half-enemy (muzzie) already?
The "Euro-righties" are nothing like American conservatives though; they are more like those lefties in a lot of ways. They are no more worthy of power than the lefties.
Didn't say they were. Just want to watch the screaming as the "we have all these social programs so we're superior" type get what's coming to them and the model held up by so many American leftists collapses in an irrefutable manner indicative of total failure.
Thanks Olog-hai.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Ah, this is so nerve racking yet so exciting! Creating this has been on my to-do since I started following other fashion bloggers! It is an instant anxiety attack to put myself out there and share a piece of my world but it is also such an invigorating rush! I must say writing here is infinitely more exciting than any paper I did in grad school!
They say a challenge only becomes and obstacle when you bow to it. Well I have no intention of backing down. The pic above is from my first time in NYC this past spring. It was such an exciting time, my friend had just gotten engaged and we were there to celebrate with her. It was also one of the scariest trips I had ever gone on as well, being from a small town the thought of New York is enough for me to want to turn around and run the other way. The subway, the people, the buildings all completely overwhelmed me. Yet I took a chance and went exploring, and am so happy I did.
I look at this blog somewhat like my trip to New York. I was/am so excited yet so terrified at the same time. However, just like New York, you don't know until you go out and take that first step! So thank you for joining me on my first steps! I can't wait to see what you all think!
A few pics from NYC


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There's a fine line between a diet and a disease. Find out if you're in danger.
First, answer these questions:
1. Do you binge, but don't purge?
2. Do you overeat at night on a regular basis?
3. Do you eat when you are stressed or eat to cope?
4. Do you eat in secret? Do you feel like a sugar or carbs addict?
5. Do you eat a lot of junk food? Do you constantly crave food?
6. Are you good during the day, but bad with food at night?
7. Do you overeat forbidden foods before or after a diet?
8. Have you been on multiple diets, yet still can't seem to make healthy food choices, or stay in control around certain foods?
9. Do you have restrictive eating and cheat days?
If you said "yes" to any of these questions, you have an eating problem. That does not mean you have an eating disorder, but you may be heading for one if you don't change the way you eat, or if you don't change your relationship with food. Those with serious eating disorders are diagnosed with bulimia, anorexia or a binge eating disorder, which are severe enough to put one's health in danger.
It is likely that more than half of all adults in the US have an eating problem, but it goes undetected and unreported. No one talks about overeating, night eating, stress eating, emotional eating, sweets or junk food eating as a serious problem. But those who have these food patterns know it isn't healthy, and often carry feelings of shame about the way they eat. Many are also at risk, like Julia, of shifting into eating disorder behaviors.
Sadly, dieting contributes to the problem, yet dieting is the primary solution people are given to resolve eating issues by well-meaning physicians, nurses, coaches and nutritionists. In research conducted nearly twenty years ago, it was determined that 35% of those who dieted became pathological dieters, and a fourth of these people would progress into having eating disorders. Very likely those percentages are much higher today, which explains why specialized eating disorder treatment centers are seeing such an increase in patients.
Here are six signs you may be heading for an eating disorder:
1. You are continually obsessed with your weight, counting calories or what types of food you are (or are not) eating.
2. You get on the scale multiple times a day to check your weight.
3. You believe you are never perfect or thin enough, and you must control yourself with more restrictions and diligence to reach that state of perfection.
4. You exercise excessively to compensate for eating, or to punish yourself for eating too much.
5. You hate your body, no matter how thin you get.
6. You are ashamed of the way you eat, and often eat in hiding.
You don't have to progress into an eating disorder to get help. More dieticians, coaches, like myself, and a growing number of psychologists are now skilled in treating eating problems, particularly emotional eating, binge eating and body image issues. It is far easier to resolve these issues before they become life-threatening, but you have to be willing to reach out for our help.
The good news is, eating problems and food triggers are fairly easy to resolve. So don't wait to get help if you think you have a problem, no matter how small you think it might be. You can eat normally, and you can be free of the shame you carry about your body and yourself. I know how it feels, because I used to carry that shame and struggled with eating issues for most of my life. I wish I had gotten help sooner. So does Julia.
For more insight about food issues and how to resolve them, get two free chapters from the book INSPIRED TO FEEL GOOD.


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Binary options signals are trading alerts for specific stocks, currency pairs, commodities and indices. Subscribing to a signal service is a fantastic initiative in diversification of your current portfolio.
If you don't have the time to read all our signal reviews and just want to join a signals service today I can recommend any of the following:
- FWFB = Free With Funded Broker: This means you gain total access to the service when you join and fund a new compatible broker account.
- FWNB = Free With New Broker: This means you gain total access to the service when you join a new compatible broker account.
- BYOB = Bring Your Own Broker: This means you can use your own existing compatible broker account with the signals service.
Binary Options Signals Services
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More Binary Options Signals Services
If you have tried the services above, the "More Binary Options Signals Services" all offer profitable value and are definitely worth giving a try. While these aren't top tier services, they all offer something special that can only be found via their site.
The price of an average service can start from around $100 per month. Before using any binary options signal service we recommend placing "test" or "paper" trades in a demo environment before graduating to live trades.
You generally receive the trade alerts via sms, email or they are traded on your behalf direct to your broker with a robot syncing service (like Binary Option Robot).
If you are novice trader, buying signals can be a great way to learn what to trade from an experience group of professionals who are providing the expert alerts.
More experienced traders will also find value in a good signals service because it acts as a backup to their own opinions on a trading idea and gives them a "heads up" on stocks they might not be watching as close.
What are binary options signals?
Binary options signals are trading alerts provided to subscribers for certain stocks, commodities, currency pairs and market indexes.
There are many binary option signal services in operation, but keep in mind that they are not all created equal.
Many experienced traders will "test" a signal service just by documenting results as they are provided and seeing what the win percentage is.
Do keep in mind that there has yet to be developed any signal service that is 100% accurate. If a signal service would happen to state they are, you have permission to tell them they are lying.
What are binary option robots?
Just like signal services, there are also a plethora of binary option robots in existence. And also, they are not all created equal.
Binary option robots are simply software systems that are set up to understand trading algorithms and make trades for the investor while he/she is performing other tasks.
Some robots are designed so the user can determine certain settings that the robot will have to abide to when trading. And, there are others in which the investor just needs to trust that the robot will make accurate trades.
Further down, we will share what we believe to be the most reputable binary option robots.
How much does a service cost?
The cost of signal services and trading robots can vary.
Many are free when you use one of the system's recommended brokers.
Other services may cost $50-$100.
We suggest you see if the service you are considering offers a demo program or a free trial so you can see if it is the service that will fit your needs.
How do algorithms work?
Without getting too technical, algorithms are used in many functions including binary options trading. Essentially, an algorithm is a step-by-step operation that processes data, calculates that data and provides them most logical future outcome of that data.
So using algorithms in binary options trading, the system will process past actions with that particular asset along with many other factors and will determine the most logical trade that can be made to gain a profit.
OptionRobot.com review
I mentioned earlier about providing you with our recommended choices.
OptionRobot.com is an automatic trading system I will highly recommend. Investors have a variety of binary options brokers they can choose from to use this free trading robot, and these are quite reputable brokers.
The best part with OptionRobot is how much control we have over its trading procedure. You have the ability to tell it what signal indicators it will use, what trading method to use and what assets it can trade.
I tested the demo account and found myself amazed at how accurate this system was.
AutomatedBinary.com review
Another great automatic trading system is AutomatedBinary.com. It is another system that I will recommend, especially for new traders.
You can test out AutomatedBinary.com with a $50,000 demo account to find which settings work best for you.
Similar to OptionRobot, you have huge control over the settings and how this automated trading system will trade your money.
What's more, AutomatedBinary.com works in your open browser. If by some chance your browser shuts down, the system will not make any more trades until you tell it to start again.
BinaryOptionAutoTrading.com review
BinaryOptionAutoTrading.com is another system we recommend.
Even though they are quite new in the binary options playing field, they have shown some great win percentages this far.
The only drawback we have found with this automatic trading system is the fact that they do not offer any type of demo system to get used to the robot.
This robot receives signals from professional traders, and you choose the risk level you are willing to have the system trade at. There are 4 levels from low risk to high.
You also have control over many other settings on this system. I suggest you give it a go.
Binary-Option-Robot.com review
Binary-Option-Robot.com is another magnificent trading robot that has shown winning averages approximately 86%.
This automatic trading software is downloadable and free of viruses. The download is free and you can use a limited version free. If you desire to get the full benefits of Binary-Option-Robot.com, there is a $79 charge.
You have 3 trading methods you can choose from along with a variety of indicators you can choose from that will allow the robot to make profitable trades for you.
Overall reviews of Binary-Option-Robot.com have been extremely positive.
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Automated Binary READ REVIEW
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Binary Option Auto Trading READ REVIEW
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January 21, 2002Over the last few days I cranked out a couple of pieces of marker art.
|To the left is the piece I did for Philolaus, the winner of the serum cholesterol lottery (for the record, I came in at 258, and am therefore the undisputed loser of said lottery, and yes, I'm aggressively dieting now).
|To the right is a piece I did for a college journalist who got a GREAT Schlock Mercenary write-up in his college paper. He and I conducted an interview by email, and the article won him all kinds of good attention from the newspaperly faculty. And then he got this nice piece of artwork sent off to him. If you're a collegiate journalist, I'm betting right now that he's cooler than you are. Or at least happier. But you, too, can be cool and happy: the offer still stands. Get the Schlock URL into an article in your paper, and I'll send you some artwork for free.
For those of you who did not successfully guess my serum cholesterol, and who have no journalistic services with which to score bribes, all is not lost. I have posted two pieces of colorful marker-art at the KeenSpot Auction page. The first auction closes on January 28th, and the second closes on the 29th. If you want to see those pictures, just click the links. If you want to have those pictures, well, you need to win the auction.


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Is The Wolf villain or victim? Are The Three Pigs innocent or at fault? The Jurors—Miss Muffet, Bo Peep, Cinderella and Humpty-Dumpty, to name a few)—solid citizens or characters with a past?
And what about Judge Wise O. Al? Is justice on his side, or does he have a secret to hide? Then there's the media, a reporter, newscaster and town crier. Have they come to accurately report the proceedings, or to turn the courtroom into a media circus? And who is that surprise witness at the end?
The answers to these profound questions and even more are revealed once and for all in this rollicking, fun-filled, action-packed trial-of-the-century. Just as he did in the widely produced Trial of Goldilocks, Joseph Robinette examines the guilt, or innocence, of the accused from different points of view and comes up with a surprising, yet eminently satisfying, conclusion in which no one escapes unscathed. And, as a bonus, a lesson or two is learned along the way.
It all ends happily ever after, of course, with the newly bonded Wolf and Pigs along with the fairy-tale jury and all the others heading for a post-trial party at the castle of Old King Cole. A true ensemble piece, this delightful comedy, with its intriguing story line and vivid characterizations, will appeal to audiences of all ages.
- June 16 & 17 at 7:00pm
- Coleman Theatre Event Listing: Youth on Stage!
- Order tickets by phone, (918) 540-2425, or online via Vendini Tickets
- Youth on Stage Signup/Audition: THIS MONDAY, May 16th from 6-7pm
- Ages: 8-14 years old
- Price: $60 per child
- Director(s): Pamela Catt & Dillon Rasberry


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I don't think we should actively hunt pandas for sport, and I'm perfectly fine with feeding them at zoos and protecting them from communists. But within the field of endangered species I think we should admit that the dwindling number of wild pandas is at least partially their own fault. Pandas are an evolutionary dead end.
I'm pretty sure pandas would be declining without our intervention by now even if Bill Gates bought half of China and converted it into a bamboo plantation for them. The singular evolutionary advantage which pandas seem to have at their disposal is the ability to endear themselves to humans. For this I applaud them: pandas are good at picking winners.
Other than "cuteness," however, pandas are the evolutionary equivalent of a sixth-year high school senior. I'm not surprised they're declining.
Let's consider some key facts about pandas:
1. Pandas are too stupid to eat meat.
Pandas are designed to be carnivores. They have carnivorous digestive systems and they're taxonomically classified as carnivores. They have ursine (bear) teeth, and when they run out of bamboo will resort to eating meat, fish and eggs. Yet they eat bamboo anyway. A plant virtually devoid of energy or protein nutrients. Bamboo is so nutritionally useless that they have to eat it constantly, otherwise they would presumably slip into adorable starvation comas.
2. Pandas are lazy.
Pandas imbibe so little energy from eating bamboo that it affects their behavior, to the point that they socialize comparatively little and literally avoid walking up or down hills. They mostly just sit around, listlessly, thinking about bamboo.
3. Pandas are constantly pooping.
Pandas consume up to thirty pounds of bamboo shoots and leaves a day, with the logical result that they also poop on average forty times a day. Maybe instead of crapping themselves blind they should do something productive like grow bigger fangs, or set up mutual funds.
4. Pandas aren't remotely horny.
A major part of every successful species is being horny. There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to our own species' obsession with cronking, but it was an absolute necessity for our hominid ancestors, as with all critters. If you aren't making babies your numbers dwindle and you go extinct. Make babies!
Not pandas, though. Unsurprisingly, these slothful bears have little interest in mating with each other. Their pitiful libido has been so frustrating to zoo keepers that scientists have done everything from showing them pornographic panda videos, to giving doses of Viagra to males. All for naught.
5. Pandas are miserable parents.
Pandas are only vaguely interested in mating in the wild, and totally apathetic about it in captivity. Basically every few years if pandas run out of good TV shows to watch they will reluctantly agree to slow, boring humping as a sort of temporary diversion. If by some stroke of luck this lackluster romp results in fertilization, pregnancy is so minimal on panda physiology that often-times the female has no idea she's pregnant. She might birth the cub unknowingly, then roll over and crush it while sleeping. In fact "crushing" is a perennial problem of the panda world– in 2006 a panda mother fell asleep on top of her cub, crushing it to death.
Most panda pregnancies result in twins. Even if the pandas don't inadvertently sit on the newborns or drive off with them sitting on the trunk of their car, in the wild they will let one of the pair die anyway. They pick the strongest-looking twin and keep feeding it, and the other twin expires.
What's to be Done?
Yes, we should expand panda biomes. And if someone wants to pony up the cash, I will personally fly over the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary and toss Viagra pills out of my chopper like I'm throwing candy corn in a street parade. And there's probably still a lot we don't know about the finer plot and character development necessary to make believable, enticing panda porn.
But I've got an even better idea. Do you know what animal we're not worried about? Labrador retrievers. Dogs are cute as well, and we've bred them to be docile and perform tricks for our amusement. (Technically so have cats, but I don't particularly care for cats.)
So this is my proposal: let's create a new subspecies using the unwanted panda twins. Rather than letting the runt twin linger and die, we should send in the zoologist equivalents of the Green Beret to scoop up the neglected panda cubs as soon as they're denied milk. Then we fly them to Taiwan to let proper free market Chinese scientists tinker with their genomes until we make a new house pet.
Since pandas are lazy and poop all the time, I don't think there's much of a chance that we could make guard pandas. And while I would certainly pay to watch panda racing, it's a functional non-starter because pandas are the fat kids of the bear universe and it would be difficult to compel them to chase bamboo.
My proposal is that we figure out how to potty train them, then develop "house pandas." House pandas would be vastly superior to "house cats," in that they are both cuter and also judge me less. Since they weigh over two hundred pounds and dislike moving, we could probably teach them to act as cuddly, self-warming bean bags.
If this post made you laugh or think, kindly "like" MightyHeaton.com's Facebook page:
Andrew Heaton is a writer and standup comedian in New York City. If this post made you laugh or think, kindly "like" it on Facebook.


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Monaco Convention & Hotel
Monaco Convention & Hotel
Hotel Guest Rating: 7.5/10
Rua Diogo Farias, 137
Guarulhos 07110-090
Monaco Convention & Hotel
The 4-star Monaco Convention & Hotel is located in downtown Guarulhos, only 7 km from the airport and with easy access to the Presidente Dutra Highway. Bars and restaurants can be easily found in the hotel's surroundings, at Paulo Faccini Avenue.Enjoy your day in Guarulhos or in São Paulo city after a sumptuous breakfast served in the San Remo Restaurant. Monte Carlo Restaurant is where you can also enjoy international dishes at lunch and dinner times.Staying in the hotel, you are also welcome to enjoy its leisure facilities, which include games room and gym.The Monaco Convention & Hotel offers a shuttle to and from the airport, as well as room service, which is available 24 hours a day. The hotel is 700 metres from Adamastor Theatre and 9,5 km from Guarulhos International Shopping Centre. ...read more
Top Amenities (see all)
- Fitness centre
- Business centre
- Room service
Monaco Convention & Hotel Amenities
- 24-hour front desk
- Air conditioning
- Airport shuttle
- Airport shuttle (additional charge)
- Bar
- Breakfast options
- Bridal suite
- Business centre
- Facilities for disabled guests
- Fitness centre
- Laundry
- Lift
- Newspapers
- Non-smoking rooms
- Restaurant (à la carte)
- Room service
- Safety deposit box
- WiFi available in all areas
Hotel Information
Transfer from the hotel to the airport incurs a BRL 7.00 charge.
Hotel Guest Reviews of the Monaco Convention & HotelOur hotel ratings and reviews are from real hotel guests. Priceline.com ensures that its reviews are guests-only by proactively sending hotel surveys to customers after they've completed their hotel stays. In the post-stay surveys, priceline.com hotel customers are asked a number of questions about their stay and the hotel. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best, the survey asks guests to rate their overall experience and specifically rate the hotel's cleanliness, staff and location. Priceline.com does not allow site visitors to post unsolicited hotel reviews.
Sort by: All Travelers | Senior Traveler(1)
Lori from Shoreline, WA
April 16, 2011
April 16, 2011
The staff seemed to try to make it friendly.
Completely misrepresented.
Al from Newark, NJ
December 17, 2010
Senior Travelers
December 17, 2010
Senior Travelers
The food in their restaurant is fine, but far too expensive for what you get.
The portion of food they offer for the money you pay, far too expensive.
The hotel has no swimming pool. The whirlpool was not working, and the sauna was not available, closed.
Reviews of Monaco Convention & Hotel
(1 - 2 of 2 reviews)
(1 - 2 of 2 reviews)
from $57
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- Hotel Domani from $49 (0.5mi)
- Ibis Guarulhos from $44 (0.5mi)
- Mercure Guarulhos Aeroporto Hotel from $59 (0.5mi)
- Cumbica (4.2 mi)
- Penha (4.6 mi)
- Alcobaco (5.3 mi)
- Vila Maria (5.5 mi)
- Vila Bela Vista (7.4 mi)
- Bras (7.8 mi)
- Sapopemba (8.8 mi)
- Sao Caetano Do Sul (9.5 mi)
- Sao Paulo (9.8 mi)
- Juquery (10.0 mi)
- Freguesia Do O (10.6 mi)
- Mairipora (10.7 mi)
- Utinga (11.5 mi)
- Itaquaquecetuba (11.7 mi)
- Vila Anastacio (12.1 mi)
- Santo Andre (13.9 mi)
- Aruja (14.3 mi)
- Maua (14.8 mi)
- Suzano (15.4 mi)
- Sao Bernardo Do Campo (16.2 mi)
- Santo Amaro (16.5 mi)
- Diadema (17.0 mi)
- Osasco (17.3 mi)
- Taboao Da Serra (17.4 mi)
- Iupeba (18.3 mi)


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The Info:
Jericho 941 Polymer Compact 9mm - purchased new, 400 rounds shot. All Tanfoglio mags.
I shoot with 2-3 rounds loaded per mag with mandatory reloads on the course, 3-5 mags depending on how friends have the course planned out.
First and foremost, I love this weapon system. I love most every feature on it, but I have had a few small issues develop. Not sure if these are normal, or if it's just me.
I am having constant issues with racking the gun. If I don't lube the lugs that hold the slide within 48 hours prior to going shooting, it will dry out and feel like I have sand inside of it. It's very rough mechanically. I feel like I have to overlube specifically those parts the day I go to the range for best performance. I also lube the entirety of the slide's grooves to ensure best operation. I have tried the weapon with very little lube, lots of lube, and 3 different brands now. None of them have seemed to fix the issue.
It would be a non issue if this wasn't leading to the occasional, every 30 rounds or so, malfunction. FTF, slide not fully closed, stovepipe etc. Have tried 4 different ammos now, RemUMC, PPU, HydraShok (my daily carry round) and wolf. All have shown the same malfunctions.
Aside from that, I'm having issues with the slide mounted safety. When i'm trying to run the gun against the clock I have trouble getting good purchase on the slide. The grooves are deep, yes, but the safety has cut my hand. If I grab the top of the slide with my palm at the base of my thumb, and my index/middle finger folded over to the other safety, the safety lever digs into my hand. I've got a pretty deep gash healing up right now. This has happened three times now. If I could only move it, that would be ideal, or purchase a smaller safety lever.
Thoughts? Would a new/upgrade recoil spring fix these issues?


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I recently interviewed two of my favorite, no-nonsense women in the Seattle music scene, Robin Fairbanks (A&R) and Elizabeth O'Keefe (Operations). They are both part of a music consulting company called Setlist Music Solutions, headed up by Sean Hensley, which specializes in artist development and management. Part I of this series offers Elizabeth's perspective, and Part II will showcase Robin's point of view. Both of these women have a lot of hands-on experience helping indie artists succeed.
It's no secret that the options for self-promotion are greater than ever before for musicians. As a DIY independent artist myself, I often find it overwhelming just to understand all the different business and marketing things I need to do on a daily basis in order to be successful – to say nothing of actually getting them all done – and I have an MBA (and experience in marketing!) Like many artists, I fantasize about a record label riding in like a white knight, begging to sign me and to do all the work to promote my career as a musician. While this still happens for some artists, for most of us, it's important to move forward with the reigns of our careers still firmly grasped in our own sweaty, trembling hands.
So what's a girl to do when she realizes there is no way she can do it all herself?
Boutique Label
The idea of a boutique recording or music label has been around for a while, and has been written about in articles like this in-depth Baltimore City Paper article published in 2010 or in this article about the Arizona-based Cosmica Artists label. While the terms indie label and boutique label often seem to be used interchangeably, a boutique label generally focuses on a small artist roster, or even a single emerging artist. It may even be started and owned by a producer, or the artists themselves. It could be a non-profit artist collective.
The signed artist(s) may do none, or some of their own marketing. The boutique label may or may not act like a traditional label, providing (and funding) most or all of the services an artist needs, from recording to promotion, booking and tour management. Artists may have to pay for some, or all, services provided, but they get to say they are "signed" to a label. Boutique labels will not sign just anyone, but they might take a chance on a relatively unknown artist. The artist and label's brands are associated with each other. The boutique label generally chooses the artist, not the other way around.
Indie Label
An indie label, on the other hand, operates more traditionally (generally speaking). It signs a roster of artists and does all their marketing and managment. It invests in and counts financially on making one or more of those artists pop and yield a big return on their investment. Indie labels traditionally spend the money on artist development and marketing up front, and take the lion's share of the resulting revenue, although artist contracts are evolving. One example of an indie label is Seattle's iconic Sub Pop Records. These guys know what they are doing, and will only sign artists these days who already have a significant following (read: revenue-generating potential). The artist becomes a representative for the label's brand. Again, the label chooses the artist.
Independent Consultant/Agency
In yet another model that is increasingly common, a musician or band contracts with and pays (generally up front) for services from individual music industry freelancers or specialized agencies as needed, such as management, booking, tour support, recording, legal advice, performance coaching, website development, PR or social media management (or whatever else they need and cannot do themselves). This can be risky, because a naive artist may not know who is worth hiring, and also because these different consultants are not operating in a coordinated fashion. There is little or no brand association between consultant and artist. Results seem to vary, to say the least, but the artist is in control.
Cafeteria Style
What I haven't heard discussed much is the kind of label or music consulting company that is neither the indie nor boutique label nor specialized consultant/agency. It's not created or staffed by artists or producers. Instead, it is run by professional and experienced music PR, management, or media consultants who offer their services to musicians on a fee basis, and subcontract out to trusted freelancers where called for. This kind of company doesn't require artists to sign a "360 degree" contract, although, like Setlist, it may have a small roster of artists it does sign. Much of its revenue comes, however from providing a comprehensive menu of services to artists on a project-by-project basis, all under the same brand, and in a coordinated fashion. The artist is free to pick and choose those services they need most and can best afford. There may or may not be brand association between consultant and artist, but the artist is definitely in the driver's seat (with lots of advice and coaching).
Elizabeth aptly calls this "Cafeteria style." In this interview, she talks about the industry and what makes Setlist Music unique. Her vast experience making music playlists for restaurant marketing is paying off greatly.
Q0: Elizabeth, can you introduce yourselves to our readers?
E: Originally from Portsmouth, NH, I spent my formative years traveling the world as a Foreign Service kid, having lived in five different countries until I landed in Seattle in 2000. I spend my days as a Program Manager, but on the side, I'm the Operations Manager for Setlist Music Solutions, a PR and music consulting company based in the Seattle area. Prior to that role, I was the Operations Manager for Critical Sun Recordings. In between, I served a brief stint as the booking manager for Afraid of Figs, a Seattle pop-rock band. Currently, I'm Secretary for the Board of Trustees for the College Club of Seattle and a Board Member for Music Aid Northwest.
Q1: What brought you into the music business?
E: I started my music career by doing promotion for some friends of mine, who were both classical artists. One was a well-known pianist who had released several albums which were being sold worldwide, but he had no idea how to promote his work or get in into an online/downloadable format to increase visibility and sales. I took on the role of his publicist and helped package him up and pushed him out onto the internet. The other was a classical vocalist with a very niche market appeal who needed help with branding and marketing. As I was working with him, I met a man named Bubba Jones, the CEO of Critical Sun Recordings who has worked with many Grammy-award winning artists and producers. At some point, Bubba was looking for someone to help build out his label and recording studio business. That was my first real foray into production and the business end of the industry.
"Record labels are just modern-day patrons who may (or may not) pay to develop the artist. What an artist really needs to be successful in this world is a really, really, really good publicist."
Q2: How have you seen the music industry change, especially for labels and management?
E: I recently attended a talk sponsored by the PNW Chapter of the Recording Academy with Meshell Ndgeocello. Meshell shone a lot of light on the issue for me. What she said has been burned into my brain since, as I believe it to be so true (and I'm paraphrasing here): "Record labels are just modern-day patrons who may (or may not) pay to develop the artist. What an artist really needs to be successful in this world is a really, really, really good publicist."
I've been obsessed with this notion since. When you think about it – a lot of the current Top 40 artists are highly polished, over-produced, money-making machines. This is not because they are more talented than other artists you see on a Seattle stage any given Saturday night, but because they have the benefit of a corporation behind them; people who know people who have the money to invest in whatever talent was gifted to the artist. Say what you will about the Britney Spears' or the Miley Cyrus' of the world – their God-given talent is that they are ENTERTAINERS. It doesn't matter if they cant carry a tune in a tin can. They have the look, the feel and the right people behind them pushing them out into the world with a corporate thumb in their back. But are they necessarily the happiest people? Maybe not.
How can you possible stay true to your craft – and by extension, to yourself – if all you are doing is standing on a stage and doing the biding of a machine? Or think about these reality shows that are so popular: what better way to take an undiscovered artist – a diamond in the rough – polish them up and put them in the shining spotlight, than to stick them on national TV? But there is a price to that; read the fine print. You sign your life over to the Network, to the Record Label, to the Management Company for 7-10 years. What's left for you?
"Most musicians in this tier can't afford to hire a big-time publicist to help make it happen for them, so they are forced to surround themselves with people who will offer their services for free, but are oftentimes just attracted to the idea of working in "The Biz" and may or may not stick around for the duration."
Here's the thing…at the indie level, you have to be frugal and more importantly, you have to be smart. Most musicians in this tier can't afford to hire a big-time publicist to help make it happen for them, so they are forced to surround themselves with people who will offer their services for free, but are oftentimes just attracted to the idea of working in "The Biz" and may or may not stick around for the duration. Everyone knows someone who can help make them famous. The problem is, not every is as connected as they claim to be and if they are, they don't want to abuse those connections. And not everyone is cut out to be a "manager". I'm willing to bet if you interviewed all the people who claim to be managers in this town, a very small percentage of them would actually understand what that role entails.
I'm often approached by artists looking for a manager. I'll sit down and talk to them, only to quickly realize they aren't ready, nor do they really want management. They just want someone to find them gigs so they can get up on stage, play their guitar and sing songs. They want someone else to handle all the business. In my view, a manager is the business PARTNER to the artist. Yes; a manager handles the lion's share of the work, but it's a relationship that involves strategic planning and constant reassessment. The manager-artist relationship is symbiotic and requires constant communication. It's not about hiring someone to go out and get gigs for the musician and telling them when and where to show up, then making sure they show up on time (albeit, that is certainly an important part of the game!) It's a relationship that involves mutual goal setting, planning, budgeting and scheduling.
"If an artist isn't ready to embrace the business side of music, then all they are is just a hobbyist."
If an artist isn't ready to embrace the business side of music, then all they are is just a hobbyist. And that's absolutely fine – I know many hobby musicians who go out and play on Friday nights or at summer music festivals, solely for the sake of playing and they are happy with that. But if your only goal in life is to "get rich & famous quick," then I suggest you find another career because this business is HARD and it is more than just about being a STAR. You need to go all-in and be very strategic about how you can build your life in music.
"Not everyone can offer promotional and PR services, style and branding services, business management, legal and financial services, vocal and stage presence training….all of those things require specialized skill sets."
In terms of what an artist needs to be successful, I think companies like Setlist Music Solutions who take a Cafeteria style approach to the business can be the most effective. Anyone with decent sales skills can book for a band. Not everyone can offer promotional and PR services, style and branding services, business management, legal and financial services, vocal and stage presence training….all of those things require specialized skill sets. And I've seen time and again – you get what you pay for. Say you have an "intern" who is managing your social networking strategy. Well…that intern will likely do a bang-up job for you the first 2 weeks or so, but as soon as the sheen starts to wear off, that unpaid intern is going to all of a sudden have family/health/school issues that preclude them from working for you.
Here's the truth: EVERYONE NEEDS TO EAT. And if you can't afford, or figure out how to otherwise compensate good help, then you are likely going to fail. Sadly, it does take money to make money. Rather than going out on Saturday night drinking PBRs and smoking entire packs of Marlboros, put your money aside and invest it in something that could actually help you in the long run.
Q3: Can you share the story of a particular artist or band that you feel illustrates the new music industry model especially well?
When I think of artists in the Seattle scene right now who seem to be using their resources well and being strategic in their approach, Kris Orlowski comes to mind. I've watched his career strategy shift over the past couple years and he's done a really good job of surrounding himself with excellent people and being thoughtful about his touring schedule. Of any artist, I feel he's the most commercially viable out there right now. Does that mean he will find commercial success on the national stage? I don't know…I guess time will tell on that one. But I do know he packs out his shows and people respect him as both a person and an artist. He's got a very generous heart, but he's also very good about maintaining a boundary between his artistic life and his personal life.
"I also know when I walk into a venue I can tell he's playing before I even can see the figures on stage. His sound is very unique and representative of where he's been in his life and his love for his hometown."
Another artist I've been keeping an eye on is Ayron Jones. That guy can wail… he's a really fantastic mix of soul and rock. People criticize his look, but I actually think it works for him. That angled cap has become part of his identity. I also know when I walk into a venue I can tell he's playing before I even can see the figures on stage. His sound is very unique and representative of where he's been in his life and his love for his hometown. He's another one who's been very strategic about who he surrounds himself with. Everyone I have dealt with in his camp – from his booking manager to his lawyer – have been knowledgeable and professional.
Accent on the professional. It's key in this business and all too often, missing from a lot of these relationships.
What a lot of great advice from Elizabeth for indie artists. I'll be publishing my interview with Robin on this blog next, as Part II in my Case Study of Setlist Music. She has a ton more add from her many years of experience in the music industry in radio, song writing, publicity, and artist management – to just a few areas of her expertise. I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments on my interview with Elizabeth, so please feel free to leave them below.


text: Sunday, May 30 2010 4th Annual Race4hope "The Shaffer Ride" 24 mile bicycle race. Visit http://www.skanraces.com/race4hope.html for complete details and to register. Parking & Check In at Barrow's View Golf Club (formerly Mid-Lakes) located at 2401 Bockes Rd. Free four mile fun ride for the kids! no strings attached movie hd download