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Did you know that you can automatically recover XenApp and XenDesktop services through the Citrix SCOM Management Pack for XenApp and XenDesktop? Here's how.
A key feature monitors all vital Delivery Controller services, such as Citrix Broker Service, Citrix Host Service, Citrix Machine Creation Service and other like services. In the XenApp/XenDesktop Management Pack, each of these has a monitor called Service Running State. This monitor periodically checks the status of the service, whether it is running or not.
The monitor is designed to raise an alert when the service ceases to run for some reason, but only for the services that have their startup type set to automatic. Services that are started manually and disabled services are skipped. You can change this behavior by overriding the default value of the "alert only if service startup type is automatic" parameter; set this parameter to "false." This way, all services will trigger an alert when in the stopped state.
Normally, when the SCOM administrator receives an alert, some actions are required to handle the situation. It may take some time for the issue to get resolved – in this case until the service is restarted on a specific system. What if the XenApp and XenDesktop administrator wanted this issue to get resolved automatically?
SCOM provides diagnostic and recovery tasks for such cases. When a monitor transitions to a warning or critical state, diagnostic and recovery tasks can automatically run on the monitored object to help investigate and resolve the problem. Diagnostic tasks attempt to discover the root cause or at least provide you with additional information to assist you with the diagnosis. In contrast, recovery tasks try to fix the problem themselves. Diagnostic and recovery tasks can invoke scripts or command-line executables.
Now, let's go back to our Service Running State monitor. There are two ways to create a recovery task that resolves the ServiceNotRunning state.
The first option is to create a simple command-line recovery task that attempts to start the service when the later gets into the stopped state. Here are the steps how you do it (I chose Citrix Machine Creation Service for this example). First open Health Explorer on the service object. Under Availability group, search for the "Service Running State" monitor. Right-click the "Service Running State" monitor, select "Properties", click the "Diagnostic and Recovery" tab, and then click "Add" under "Configure recovery tasks" to add a recovery task.
The Create Recovery Task Wizard appears. If you do not have created a new management pack for custom implementations yet, you can do that now. After the new management pack is ready, select "Run Command" for the recovery task type and click "Next".
Type in the recovery task name and its description. Select "Critical" for the health state for which this recovery will run. Because this monitor only has two states, Healthy and Critical, this is the only applicable option. Fill in the "Recovery target" text box based on your type of service (in our case this was XAXD Service Machine Creation). Check "Run recovery automatically" and "Recalculate monitor state after recovery finishes." Selection of "Run recovery automatically" forces the recovery task to run as soon as the monitor gets in the Critical state. If this option was not checked, a link to run a recovery task would be shown in the alert message, so you could run it manually. Selection of "Recalculate monitor state after recovery finishes" triggers monitor to recalculate and acquire new state of the service from the system.
In the next wizard page, specify the command line for execution. Let's use the "net.exe start service" command for starting the service. In the "Full path to file" text box, type "%windir%\system32\net.exe" (without double quotes). In the "Parameters" text box, type "start CitrixMachineCreationService" (without double quotes).
Set the timeout to 120 seconds and click "Create".
Now you have created a recovery task that will automatically attempt to start the service in case it is not running.
To test the recovery action, log on to a Delivery Controller system and stop Citrix Machine Creation Service. Shortly afterwards SCOM will notice the status of this service is Not Running and will trigger alert from the Service Running State monitor. Immediately after the alert is triggered, our recovery task will start and try to bring the service back to the Running state. When the task has successfully completed, the monitor will recalculate its state and change back to Healthy.
You can check the State Change history for the monitor in the Health Explorer.
Here, you can see that when a monitor went to the Critical state, the Start Citrix Machine Creation Service recovery task ran and started the service. After that the monitor recalculated its state and changed it back to Healthy.
Because this monitor is configured to automatically close the alert, you can find a corresponding XenDesktop Controller Service Stopped alert in the Closed Alerts list.
This was an example on how to create a simple recovery task for stopped services.
But what if you do not find this kind of recovery robust enough? What if a service has a severe problem and does not always start at the first attempt? Would it make sense to try to start the service three times over a three-minute period and if the service still didn't start successfully then you would raise an alert? In this case you need to create a more advanced recovery task with custom script and more complex logic. I will explain those steps in one of the following blog posts.


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When R and I were in the beginning years of our marriage, sometimes in the fall we'd go to a local pumpkin festival. It was a very family-oriented event. We'd look around and see all the parents pushing strollers or standing in the pumpkin patch with toddlers and knew that we weren't ready for that yet, but still, it was fun to go.
And then we decided we were ready for kids. And, well, you know how that went. So the pumpkin festival, with all those happy families, stopped being fun.
And so we stopped going.
Now, thanks to Miss A, we are one of those stroller-pushing couples. And as ridiculous as it sounds, I have been looking forward to the pumpkin festival this year almost as much as a kid looks forward to Christmas morning.
This week, R's mom was on fall break (she works at a school), R's dad took the week off, and R's aunt and uncle, who hadn't yet met Miss A in person, were in town. R and I took Friday off in hopes that it wouldn't be quite so crowded, and all of us including my mom went to the pumpkin festival.
We had a wonderful time.
We sat Miss A among the pumpkins. She was not amused by this, so we didn't get any photos of her smiling, despite our silly antics out there in the middle of the pumpkin patch, but the pictures are still cute. We watched the pig races and ate chili and cornbread for lunch. We bought a pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread, and a plain old-fashioned pumpkin. Miss A's first pumpkin.
Mostly, we were an ordinary family that was enjoying the day. Looking at us, you wouldn't know the hell we'd been through in order to have our moment in the middle of the patch.
Never have I loved ordinary more.
Broken Things
1 year ago

subset: commoncrawl


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For this week's Fabulous Find, we picked a cute and versatile dress that's seriously on sale. This striped skater dress has a winter-appropriate black-and-navy color scheme, but can be worn well beyond the colder months of the year. We found this dress in the Nordstrom sale section – it's currently 50% off, so snag this go-to frock while you can!
Want to see what the dress looks like? Scroll down to check it out as well as three casual ways to wear this Fab Find:
The Dress:
Lush Scoop Back Skater Dress in Navy/Black Stripe — $22.98 (on sale!) at Nordstrom
Outfit Inspiration
If you like this cheap and chic dress, then you're going to love the outfits we put together for inspiration. Read on to find out three stylish ways to wear this week's Fabulous Find:
Outfit #1: Classic Meets Trendy
Fab Find: Nordstrom Striped Skater Dress – Classic Meets Trendy by collegefashion featuring black thigh-high boots
Product Info: Dress- Nordstrom, Coat- Victoria's Secret, Tights- Anthropologie, Hat- Nordstrom, Shoes- Pret-a-Beaute, Earrings- Neiman Marcus
For a casual look with a trendy twist, pair our Fab Find with these eye-catching sheer patterned tights. Riding boots have a timeless appeal, as does this cozy white peacoat. Grab a knit beret and accessorize with cute heart-shaped stud earrings to finish up this chic winter ensemble.
Outfit #2: Edged Out
Fab Find: Nordstrom Striped Skater Dress – Edged Out by collegefashion featuring black suede ankle booties
Product Info: Dress- Nordstrom, Jacket- Uniqlo, Scarf- Forever 21, Shoes- Zappos, Tights- Urban Outfitters
Toughen up this girly dress by layering on a faux leather biker jacket and suede-like heeled ankle booties. Add visual interest with these unique lace tights, which have a cool vintage vibe. Lastly, incorporate a pop of color by accessorizing with an oversize patterned infinity scarf.
Outfit #3: Double Up
Fab Find: Nordstrom Striped Skater Dress – Double Up by collegefashion featuring brown handbags
Product Info: Dress- Nordstrom, Sweater- Forever 21, Bag- Zara, Shoes- H&M, Tights- H&M, Necklace- Aeropostale
Go bold by rocking double the stripes. Layering a black-and-white cropped sweater over this dress creates a fashion-forward look that's still casual enough to wear during the day. Continue the low-key vibe with opaque tights and comfy loafers. Add contrast with a lilac-hued handbag, then slip on a long necklace that features an adorable owl.
Your thoughts?
What do you think of this week's Fabulous Find? Would you buy this Nordstrom dress? Which look is your favorite? How would you wear this striped dress? Remember to leave a comment below and tell us what you think!


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Other Sports
Crazy dream turns into Tour de France reality for Key Biscayne's Andrew Talansky
Andrew Talansky was a kid with a crazy dream when he rode his bike up and down the William Powell Bridge on Rickenbacker Causeway, pretending Miami's mountain was a French Alp. He rode the 15-mile loop from the end of Key Biscayne near his home to the toll booth and back multiple times, pretending it was a 150-mile stage through the sunflower fields and vineyards of the Tour de France.
The power of his imagination was even greater than the power of his legs.
So when Talansky pedals to the mile-high peaks of Mont Ventoux and Alpe-d'Huez in the coming weeks, climbing 12-mile stretches with steep 8-percent grades, perhaps he will recall his rides on the short, 78-foot-tall Rickenbacker molehill and smile — if he can manage a smile through gritted teeth during the world's most spectacular and grueling bike race.
Talansky, 24, is among the promising rookie cyclists in the Tour de France, which began its 100th edition Saturday with a 127-mile ride up the east coast of Corsica and jolts the field Sunday with four climbs along the spine of the island.
"I always wanted to ride in the Tour de France, but now that I'm here it's kind of unreal," Talansky said. "It's a demanding, insane challenge. I know I'll learn a lot about myself by the time it ends."
Should Talansky survive stairway-like ascents that are hors categorie (beyond classification), descents that can reach speeds of 70 mph, crashes, illness, exhaustion and mechanical mishaps during the 2,042 miles of the three-week Tour, his arrival in Paris would be via a most unlikely trail. He did not start cycling seriously until age 17 and did it in Miami, not known as an incubator for the next Greg LeMond.
With the exception of the Rickenbacker bridge and Mount Trashmore, Miami's topography resembles the EKG of a flatlined patient. As Marjory Stoneman Douglas wrote in Everglades: River of Grass, South Florida's clouds are its only mountains.
Talansky is not expected to be on the wheel of favorites Chris Froome of England and Alberto Contador of Spain. But he is a contender for Best Young Rider (25 or under) honors, which means he would don the white jersey on the Champs Elysees podium when the Tour concludes July 21.
"A lot of guys come unraveled the third week," Talansky said. "If you can be consistent day by day then when someone cracks on a mountain stage, you can put yourself at the front of the pack."
If Talansky earns the award it would not only be a boost for his career but for his cause: Riding drug-free. He is part of a new generation trying to reinvent the disgraced sport by pledging to stay clean. His team, Garmin-Sharp, has been in the vanguard in the race to distance cycling from its unseemly past, when riders relied on blood doping, steroids, EPO, HGH — an array of banned substances and methods that included testosterone patches and surreptitious transfusion sessions in village inns when blood bags were hung from picture frame hooks.
"It's like a movement," Talansky said of Garmin-Sharp's activist stance, which includes disbanding the entire team if one rider tests positive. "We're proving you can perform without using drugs. We take pride in accepting responsibility to compete with integrity. We want to be the face of change."
Talansky, once inspired by seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong, is now the anti-Lance of American cycling. Armstrong was stripped of his titles and faces several lawsuits after a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency investigation revealed that he cheated throughout his career, coerced teammates into doping and bullied potential whistle-blowers.
Just as Armstrong's fervent followers in the cancer community were conned, so too were up-and-coming riders, Talansky said. Armstrong, who made a two-year comeback in 2009-2010 and competed alongside Talansky, created an influential cancer-fighting foundation but also used the story of his survival of the disease as a shield to deny accusations.
"He was charismatic, as a lot of liars are, and he's not a hero to me anymore," Talansky said. "He's also taken the brunt of the blame for a culture that was allowed to thrive for a long time. Now that the truth has come out, we can finally move forward. Testing has improved 1,000-fold in the last eight years."
Further evidence that cycling is ridding the peloton of dopers is in the numbers, Talansky said. Races are slower and the traditional power measurement of riders — watts per kilogram — is lower.
"If you can do six watts per kilogram on a 30-minute climb in the last week, you could win," said Talansky, who finished seventh last year in the Tour of Spain, where he logged a power rating of 5.8 and winner Contador was at 5.88. "It used to be seven, which is unthinkable now."
Talansky said riders like himself, 2012 Tour and Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins and Americans Tejay van Garderen and Taylor Phinney can win fans back to the sport.
"I hope the public can find belief again," he said. "You'll always have skeptics. You also have cynics who have decided it's a dirty sport. To them I say, if you are dead convinced that what you're seeing is fake, don't watch it and don't buy a bike. All we can do is keep working ethically and refuse to compromise our values."
If anyone has an appealing image it's Talansky. He's a wiry, bespectacled, blond intellectual who likes to quote the late American distance runner Steve Prefontaine in Tweets: "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."
Talansky grew up in Key Biscayne because his parents liked the small-town atmosphere.
"When he was a boy, we wanted his bike to be his mode of transportation — not knowing, of course, that he would become a professional cyclist," said Talansky's mother, Susane Amick, who is an interior designer, massage therapist, Tai Chi instructor and radio voiceover artist.
Talansky rode everywhere around the island — to fishing, kayaking and wakeboarding adventures with friends, to karate lessons and to the Donut Gallery.
At Gulliver Academy, he tried swimming and cross country. And when he had a stress fracture in his shin in 11th grade, he borrowed a friend's bike to stay in shape.
"He decided to go on a group ride with the older guys and I warned him, 'Andrew, that's four hours, are you sure?'" said Amick, whose boyfriend, Boris Fernandez, was a triathlete. "He came home and said, 'Oh, that was so fun.' From that minute on, he loved it."
Talansky joined the junior Team Laser sponsored by Laser International Freight owner Santi Gabino.
"He was a natural — built for the bike, lean, smooth, high RPM," Gabino said. "He had the same focus and willingness to sacrifice that you see now."
The juniors did long rides through Kendall, Miami Beach and to the end of Everglades National Park at Flamingo. Talansky and a friend once rode to Key Largo and back on a whim. It took them eight hours. They raced throughout Florida and won state titles.
Talansky and teammates got discounts and free repairs at Bikes To Go in South Miami, run by Max Berger. Amick, by then divorced, brought the mechanics her famous banana bread and lasagna in gratitude.
"That kid was all about studying for school and training," Berger said. "To make it in Europe as a pro is very unusual for a cyclist from Miami."
Talansky hasn't forgotten his roots: When cyclist and young father Aaron Cohen was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on the crest of the William Powell Bridge in 2012, Talansky joined the outcry and advocated starting a legal fund. When Miamian Manny Huerta competed in the 2012 Olympic triathlon, Talansky sent his support.
As a freshman, Talansky won the collegiate championship at Lees-McRae College in North Carolina before dropping out of school to concentrate on cycling. He spent an unhappy season with the Amore & Vita team in Europe, living in the servants' quarters of an old villa in Lucca, Italy.
"Looks beautiful from the outside but hasn't been updated in 400 years," Talansky said. "No heat, no hot water. Crammed in one room with four Russian guys, a psychotic American and some random guy who would come and go. I was miserable, got sick, came home."
Back in the United States, he raced alone out of the back of his Honda Fit, slept on sofas with host families and put all expenses on his credit card. He got dropped by the peloton in races, and contemplated quitting.
Then, he won two races, joined the Cal Giant Specialized developmental team and met Kate Fox at an event near Lake Tahoe. They are engaged to be married in October.
"I knew nothing about cycling but when I met him my heart just skipped a beat," said Fox, a bodyworker who was into snowboarding, snowmobiling and dirt-bike riding. "His overall being and energy — I know it's a cliché but we knew we were meant for each other."
Talansky improved as one of the Berries — the team sponsored by Cal Giant strawberries.
"He rode so aggressively we figured he would either blow up or be the real deal," said team director Anthony Gallino. "An intense fire burns within him, and he learned to channel those emotions. He can climb, sprint and time trial, and when you are that well-rounded with his lung capacity and physiological gifts, you've got an exciting career ahead. He's one of the most genuine, classy, polite and joyful kids I've ever met."
During a breakaway climb at the 2010 Tour of the Gila in New Mexico, Talansky caught the eye of Garmin director Jonathan Vaughters, a former pro who had confessed to drug use and founded the maverick team. Talansky signed a contract and is among the team's top riders, nicknamed "Pit Bull." In March, he finished second overall and won stage 3 on a cold, rainy breakaway descent of Paris-Nice, a prestigious five-day race that Talansky calls "a miniature Tour de France." In the Criterium du Dauphine earlier this month, he overcame a stomach bug to finish third on the last day behind Team Sky stars Froome and Richie Porte.
"Andrew is young and while it's his first Tour de France he's coming off a great season," Vaughters said. "Our approach is a little unconventional but we've managed to come up with surprises every year at the Tour. Our goal is to animate the race with an aggressive strategy and we will aim to place high in the general classification."
This year's Tour features one team and two individual time trials and four summit finishes, including atop the treeless moonscape of Mont Ventoux and the first-ever double ascent up the switchbacks of Alpe-d'Huez. The final stage starts at the gardens of Versailles, crosses the Louvre courtyard and goes around the Arc de Triomphe.
"It's somewhat heavy on climbing, but a balanced course," Talansky said. "My strength is my ability to recover well. What I can do in one day I can replicate over three weeks."
Talansky prepared in the Sierra Nevada of Spain. He lives with Fox in Girona, home to a colony of riders. They grow tomatoes and zucchini in their garden, walk to coffee shops in town and listen to country music — when Talansky isn't training, racing or sleeping.
"When he's on the bike he is a totally different person," Fox said. "At home, he's hilarious. He's a character. Every day, he comes up with different dance moves for me and makes up songs.
"His personality enables him to enter the Tour with a calm, peaceful approach."
Fox and Amick will attend Tuesday's stage in Nice. Fox and Talansky's father, Alan, who lives in California, will also be in Paris.
"I'm proud of him because he had the courage to follow his dream," Amick said. "It's symbolic that it's the 100th Tour, it's Andrew's first and it's a new beginning for the sport."
When the season is over and Talansky returns home to Key Biscayne, he still goes on occasional 6:30 a.m. group rides along his familiar route over the Rickenbacker bridge "where it all started," he said.
"It's funny how it used to seem so monumental," Talansky said. "Now, it's like a speed bump."


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We remember Facebook's first clampdown of the Jews on Yom Kippur. First, they threatened and came after the founder of the JIDF. Then they proceeded to destroy the massive Jewish community he built and years of his personal and private correspondence and intellectual property he created on the platform. While Facebook might claim that you own your content. This is false. If you break one rule or if they claim you break rule, they own you and everything you've ever done on the platform.
During Shavous, Facebook went on another rampage to attack Jews and destroy Jewish communities. We first heard from an author, and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, who explained how she was was deactivated from Facebook yesterday.
Then we hear from another friend. When she logged back onto Facebook after the Jewish Holiday had ended, she noticed she received the following notice and threat from Facebook:
----- Forwarded Message ----There was nothing hateful about the group. Apparently one cannot claim that "Palestine" is not, and was never, a country on Facebook anymore. If one of the group members posted something against Facebook's TOS, then Facebook could have given the admins a warning and an opportunity to remove the content, before arbitrarily destroying a Jewish community of over 2,500 members.
From: Facebook (firstname.lastname@example.com)
Sent: Thu, May 20, 2010 4:52:39 PM
Subject: Facebook Warning
The group "Is The World Just Plain Stupid? Palestine was NEVER a country or nation" has been removed because it violated our Terms of Use. Among other things, groups that are hateful, threatening or obscene are not allowed. We also take down groups that attack an individual or group, or advertise a product or service. Continued misuse of Facebook's features could result in your account being disabled.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can visit our FAQ page athttp://www.facebook.com/help/?topic=wgroups.
The Facebook Team
All of this just shows how much hypocrisy and double standards are at play with Facebook. They claim to be open and supportive of free speech, but it's just not the case when it comes to Jews, or if a page upsets Muslims. As we saw today with the "Everybody Draw Mohammad Day" page, Facebook promptly submitted to Islam and removed it.
Meanwhile, Facebook rarely removes antisemitic and jihadist content in any proactive or prompt action. How long will Facebook continue to try to ethnically cleanse Jews with whom they don't agree from their platform? Only time will tell.
The JIDF relies on your support. Click here to support us.


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For first-class plumbing in Alloa, you don't want to hire second-rate plumbers! Here at David McKail Plumbing & Heating, we have over 20 years' experience providing customers across Scotland with a variety of top-quality plumbing and heating services. By offering our services at competitive rates and providing a service that consistently meets or even exceeds our customers' expectations, we have gained an enviable reputation for excellence in our trade.
Throughout our years of business, we have provided our services to customers for a number of plumbing and heating projects across the country, giving us a great deal of hands-on experience working in rooms of varying layouts and sizes. We have come to specialise in the installation of high-quality bathrooms as well as any and all other trades involved. With the skills and experience of our workmen, we are fully capable of providing complete plumbing systems for news builds, extensions or even renovations. Plumbing in Falkirk has never been this easily accessible yet seriously professional!
We provide free quotations before undertaking any work, and all of our work is fully guaranteed. This means that if you're unhappy with it, or in the unlikely event that there is a fault with the installation, we've got you fully covered. To find out more about our range of services involving plumbing in Alloa and what we can do for you specifically, don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We're always happy to provide all the information you need and answer any questions you might have.


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Monday 20 April 2015 - A man in the Newcastle area had a hard time believing that he had become one of the state's newest millionaires after winning a first division prize of $1 million in last week's Wednesday Lotto draw!
The winner in his 50's, who wishes to remain anonymous, was unaware of his millionaire status until a NSW Lotteries official was finally able to break the news to him late last week.
"You are kidding? You have got to be kidding! This better not be a joke! I've been out of work since late last year!" the shocked man exclaimed.
"I've been playing the same numbers for as long as I can remember and I usually check my tickets every Sunday morning."
When asked what he planned to do with his cool million-dollar windfall, the winner joked, "I guess we'll do a lot of things," and said the first person he would be sharing the life-changing news with was his wife.
The winning 10-game marked entry was purchased from Wallsend Newsagency, 126 Nelson Street in Wallsend.
There was one first division prize in Wednesday Lotto draw 3443, which offers a guaranteed division one prize of $1 million for up to four winners in each draw.
The winning numbers in Wednesday Lotto draw 3443 on Wednesday 15 April 2015 were 19, 22, 6, 29, 31 and 3, with the supplementary numbers 33 and 24.


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Kweku Adoboli, the trader charged with causing a $2.3 billion (£1.4 billion) loss at UBS, is set to enter a plea hearing next month.
Adoboli is expected to appear on 22 November in a London criminal court. He has already apologised for his "disastrous miscalculations".
The hearing will come days after UBS interim chief executive Sergio Ermotti reveals a plan to overhaul the business in the wake of the scandal, which led to the resignation of former head Oswald Grubel. The overhaul is expected to lead to further job losses.
UBS claims the trader falsified records of his trades as far back as 2008, even though the crunch point was in September when the loss was made. His lawyers have not said how he will plea.
The company said earlier this month that its IT systems did detect unusual and unauthorised trading activity, before Adoboli ran up the loss.
But Ermotti said that not this was "not sufficiently investigated nor was appropriate action taken to ensure existing controls were enforced."
Find your next job with computerworld UK jobs


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When I became serious about being in church and made my first baby steps in the Christian walk, I learned about evangelism. If I cared about people and loved Jesus, my teachers told me that I must also tell others about Jesus and how He made the way for them to go to heaven. Honestly, I can't argue with that. It was basic then. It is basic now.
However, I didn't hear a lot about discipleship until I went to seminary. As I have talked with others through the years, I've seen that my experience is not unique. It seems that many churches, church leaders, and others hold evangelism and discipleship in an unnecessary tension. Some almost seem to think if you do one, you have to diminish the other. In fact, I have heard that expressed verbally. However, Jesus never had such a conflict in mind.
In the Great Commission, Jesus gave one command: Make disciples. The other verb forms in those verses–going, baptizing, teaching to obey whatever Jesus commanded–are all participles. Because they explain an imperative form, they also carry an imperative or command form meaning. As we use the phrase today, most people relate making disciples to what happens after people become followers of Jesus. We baptize them* and teach them. We usually associate baptizing and teaching with discipleship. Evangelism is going to unbelievers and sharing the gospel with them.
However, based upon the structure of the Great Commission, I believe that we should think of making disciples as one process with parts–parts that today we often refer to as evangelism and discipleship. Evangelism and discipleship should not compete with one another for a church's attention but should both be part of any church's ministry. The reasons are very practical.
- We won't have believers to disciple without evangelism since faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. People have to listen to the gospel before they can profess faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior.
- Discipleship does not slow down the witness. Rather, it multiplies it. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul encouraged Timothy to pass on what Timothy learned from him to faithful men who would teach others. Let's apply that teaching to sharing the gospel. The town where I attend church has a little less than 9,000 people. For the sake of argument, let's assume I am the only believer in the city. By the end of this year, I share Christ with two people who I teach to witness to others. Next, each of us teaches two others, and this pattern is consistent for several years. Assuming that this trend continues, between year 7 and 8, everyone in the town would hear and respond to the gospel. Evangelism alone adds believers. Evangelism with discipleship multiplies believers.
- Evangelism and discipleship together use the entire spiritual gifting of a church. One-on-one discipleship (or mentoring) is important and helps especially with accountability. I highly recommend it. But no one person has all the spiritual gifts necessary to help a believer reach maturity in Christ. While all should share the gospel, some are more gifted at it than others. My experience has been that most people with evangelistic gifts are not as gifted with the gifts needed to teach these new believers to obey Jesus' commands. It takes the entire body of Christ working together to help one another grow into the likeness of Christ. So, no church should ever ask, should we emphasize evangelism or discipleship. Both are equally important parts of the process of making disciples.
*I am a Baptist, and I believe biblical baptism is a baptism of believers only by immersion in water. The Great Commission implies this understanding.


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Life for paupers was forever changed when they entering the world of the Workhouse. Regardless of whether it was for a short time in the Casual wards, or for Long term in the true workhouse environment, the poor relinquished all power over every element of their lives. Every aspect of life within the workhouses was strictly governed by 'detailed regulations laid down by the commissioners'[1]. The regimes the poor law commissioners devised, were designed to make life within the workhouses as unpleasant as possible, in attempt to force the poor to leave and build their own living within the slums.
The image above shows a typical mealtime for women residing in St Pancras Workhouse in London. The women are seated in a large dining room under the watchful eyes of the Workhouse staff. The women, many of whom are sporting a sullen expression, portray the depressing realities of workhouse living. One women is even shown to be hiding her face from the camera, indicating a sense of shame for those calling the Workhouse home. The clothing the women are shown to be wearing are all part of the standard issue uniform provided by the workhouse. Although there are a few minor variations with the inclusion of shawls, the clothing is identical and thus conveys a lack of individuality amongst the workhouse residents. The lack of men in this images is due to the strictly enforced rules for segregation of the sex within the work house. As there were no exceptions made for married couples, this particular aspect of workhouse life was particularly resented by work house residents, as it contradicted highly with "Victorian ideas about the importance of the family."[2]
On admittance to a workhouse, the poor were forced 'to give up their own clothing'[3], and put on a uniform which was provided by the workhouse guardians. These uniforms were significantly ill-fitting, and despite the guardians of the workhouses being allowed to add variety to the clothing they provided, they rarely did so. Outside the workhouse
the paupers wore numerous variations of clothing, the majority of which was brought at one of the "dozens of thriving second-hand clothes markets"[4]. The cost of food and housing was considerably high, meaning that the poor had very little remaining to spend on other necessities. Consequently the purchase of an item of clothing would be forgone until it was significantly necessary. Any clothing the poor did have would be worn until it physically fell apart, resulting in many wearing rags "which barely covered their naked bodies"[5]. In some areas of Britain the levels of poverty were so great, and the lack of clothing so prominent, that children were unable to "show themselves in the streets"[6], and more importantly at school. Although the clothing for the poor was minimal, paupers made the best of what they had, by handing it down through the family members, often resulting in boys wearing girls' clothing and vis versa. Women who could not afford a shopping bag or basket, would carry "their purchases in their aprons by gathering the corners together."[7] This helped to save their families money which they could then use for other means. Despite the clothing being on average little more than rags, the combinations of clothing the poor wore provided them with the opportunity to express their individuality.
Food within the work houses of Britain were also subject to strict regulations. At St Pancras and all other workhouses in England, the meals provided were designed to be as "dull and boring as possible"[8], with many dietary plans offering little variation in the meals they provided. These monotonous diets supplied the residents with the basics in nutritional requirements, although the quality of the food was highly inconsistent and "often poorly prepared"[9]. The food had to be eaten in large dining rooms at set times in the day. Men and women would not be seated in the same room and during the meal there was a strict rule of no talking. It was widely believed by many Anti-Poor law campaigners that "the poor were being starved in the workhouse"[10], this however was not the case. The quantity of food provisions recommended by the workhouse commissioners was in reality greater than the amount averagely consumed by independent labourers. Be this as it may, the amount of food provided to the paupers in the workhouses was in fact "much less than that provided for prisoners."[11] To make life within the workhouse even more undesirable, during the 1830's many workhouse boards of guardians refuse to provide cutlery to their inmates. This consequently increased the levels of humiliation for those residing in the workhouses, as the paupers were forced to drink soup or gruel from their bowls or eat with their hands.
Despite food conditions in the workhouses being harsh and bland, food circumstances outside the workhouse were not much better. Food was expensive, and along with rent consumed the majority of what little pay paupers acquired. In consequence of this, the types of food available were "inevitably limited"[12]. For many families, especially the poorest of the poor food the acquisition of food was particularly problematic. When food became scarce numerous families, if they were lucky, were able to scavenge a small supply of food from their neighbours. However, this was not always the case as for the majority of the time many paupers would have to forego eating any form of meal, and in consequence their "stomachs used to ache with the hunger"[13]. Workhouse environments like St Pancras offered their inmates three guaranteed meals on a daily basis. The workhouse residents were required to undertake a specified amount of labour in order to receive the meals. This was a hardship they willingly endured, as the only other alternative available for many was to leave the workhouse and face starvation.
Harriet Edwards
[1] Murray, Peter, Poverty and Welfare 1815-1950 (London: Hodder Murray, 2006), p. 52.
[2] Murray, Poverty and Welfare, p. 52.
[3] Murray, Poverty and Welfare, p. 52.
[4] Flanders, Judith, The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London (London: Atlantic, 2012), p. 137.
[5] Flanders, The Victorian City, p. 192.
[6] Treble, James. H,. Urban Poverty in Britain, 1830-1914 (London: Batsford, 1979), p. 182.
[7] Flanders, The Victorian City, p. 136.
[8] Murray, Poverty and Welfare, p. 54.
[9] Murray, Poverty and Welfare, p. 54.
[10] Murray, Poverty and Welfare, p. 54.
[11] Murray, Poverty and Welfare, p. 54.
[12] Murray, Poverty and Welfare, p. 11.
[13] Mayhew, Henry, Selections from London Labour and the London Poor (London: Oxford University Press, 1965), p. 15.


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Sales Have Ended
Sales Have Ended
In this half-day hands-on workshop we'll look at how email marketing is one of the most important tools in your digital marketing arsenal. You'll learn how to construct an email that delivers results. We'll look at using email marketing tools like Mailchimp - giving you a solid grounding you can apply to whatever newsletter or email softwarer you're currently using. We'll look at newsletter design and bust some common myths about what makes a good charity email campaign.
We'll cover A/B testing of emails to measure which delivers the best results, and talk about best practice when handling data. We will also explore how email marketing fits within the rest of your online marketing activities and explore the best way to convert the most number of website users in to supporters.
In this workshop we'll look at:
1. How to structure your newsletters
2. How to write effective subject and headlines
3. What makes a good call to action
4. Email marketing good practice
5. How to avoid common mistakes
6. The structure and elements of landing pages that convert
Please bring a laptop (preferred) or other wi-fi enabled device to take part in the hands-on sessions. If you cannot access one please let us know in advance and we will allocate you a device (we have limited numbers).
This half-day course is aimed at those new to online comms and those who want to take their social media presence to the next level. As with all of our workshops these sessions are for charity, community group, housing association, social enterprise and public sector staff and volunteers only.
Refreshments throughout the day are included in the ticket price.
To pay offline using cheque or invoice simply select your payment method at checkout OR email email@example.com and we will quickly book a place on your behalf.
About the trainer
Kyle Usher is currently the Digital Communications Manager for Myeloma UK. Kyle manages a four person digital team, developing and implementing the charity's digital strategy and managing their social media channels. Kyle is an experienced coach who works with third sector organisations to improve digital skills, knowledge and confidence.
What are my transport options getting to the event?
Getting to the ALLIANCE Hub
By Car
From the East: Exit the M8 at Junction 18. After 100 metres turn left at the traffic lights onto Sauchiehall Street. After 200 metres take the first road on the right onto Elmbank Street. At the traffic lights turn right onto Bath Street. After 100 metres you will see our offices on the left hand side.
From the West: Exit the M8 at Junction 18. Follow the slip road for 400 metres. At traffic lights turn left onto St George's Road. After 400 metres turn left at the traffic lights and follow the road round onto Sauchiehall Street. After 200 metres take the first road on the right onto Elmbank Street. At the traffic lights turn right onto Bath Street. After 100 metres you will our offices on the left hand side.
There are usually spaces on Bath Street, on the opposite side of the road from the Venlaw Building. If you have a blue disabled badge you can park there free of charge. There is also a Glasgow City Council run car park on Elmbank Crescent. This has 460 car parking spaces, lifts and blue badge spaces (although payment is required). The rate is for the first three hours 20p/per 10 minutes and thereafter 60p/per 15 minutes (this is subject to change).
Please note, there is no parking on Bath Street outside the Venlaw Building. Any vehicles parked here regardless of blue badge status will risk being given a parking ticket.
By Train
The nearest station is Charing Cross, which is less than a minute's walk from the office. Low level trains run from Glasgow Queen Street to Charing Cross. Charing Cross railway station has ramped access which leads to the the ALLIANCE' office.
By Bus
The following bus routes stop very close to the Venlaw Building on Bath Street: 3, 42, 42A, 4, 4A and the 2 travels along St Vincent Street and West George Street (depending on one way system).
By Bike
There is a bike rack available outside of the Venlaw Building on Bath Street and across the road from the Venlaw Building. The Venlaw Building management request that cyclists use these bike racks rather than the railings surrounding the property.
The ALLIANCE office is equipped with a wheelchair platform that operates between the main entrance and the ALLIANCE offices.
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
No. If you've booked in advance, simply turn up.
Is my registration/ticket transferrable?
Yes - if you cannot make it you may transfer the ticket to another colleague within your organisation.
What is the refund policy?
Treat it like a cinema ticket - places are non refundable but they are transferable. If a colleague comes on your behalf we're totally fine with that.
Where can I contact the organiser with any questions?
You can email firstname.lastname@example.com or use the 'contact the organiser' option on this page.
Can I pay offline?
To pay offline using cheque or invoice simply select your payment method at checkout OR email firstname.lastname@example.com and we will quickly book a place on your behalf.
What other digital media workshops do you have available?
Social Media Essentials for charities and social enterprises
Using Case Studies: telling stories and demonstrating impact
Writing for the Web: How to create compelling copy and attract audiences
Getting to most out of Google Analytics, Adwords and Google Grants
Email Marketing: Take your newsletters and campaigns to the next level
SEO: Search Engine Optimisation made simple
Hootsuite Hero: Manage and measure all your social media channel
Video and multimedia charity annual reports


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Aspect: South
Age: 32 years old
Yield: 6 tons/ha
Notes: A portion of the Honeybunch component was set aside for the production of this wine. Exposed bunches on the southern side of the canopy are harvested separately. The southerly aspect exposes them to the morning sun while they are sheltered from the more harsh afternoon sun. Only bunches that have turned gold are harvested.
Sorting: Bunches sorted on a conveyor belt.
Fermentation: Destemmed. Fermented on the skins, uninoculated. 14 day total time on skins. 100% through malolactic fermentation.
Maturation: 1 year in a second fill French oak barrique.
Tasting Notes & Analysis
Colour: Gold. Light haze due to phenolic compounds extracted in the skin fermentation.
Nose: Ripe stone fruit – apricots and peaches. Orange zest. Acacia karoo spice.
Palate: Nicely rounded with very light phenolic grip on the finish. The acid is polished giving the wine a plush feel which is uncharacteristic of this style.
13 % Alc.; pH 3.5; 5,4 g/l TA; 0.58 g/L VA; 22 mg/L FSO2; 58 mg/L TSO2.


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Comparative Literature
- Slide 0
- Slide 1
- Slide 2
Recent News
2019 Senior Prizes in Literary Translation
Congratulations, Nevin Mital and Collin Parks!
Welcome to Comparative Literature at Michigan!
The Department of Comparative Literature at the University of Michigan is one of the oldest and best established centers for the study of comparative literature in the country. In existence since 1937, our program has become a magnet for innovative research and teaching, in graduate and undergraduate courses that encourage interdisciplinary and multilingual perspectives on literature and culture. The interests of our faculty and students encompass the most innovative areas of study in the humanities today. We hope you will find everything you want to know about us. Please contact us if you have additional questions regarding our programs.
Comparative Literature Statement of Solidarity Affirming Academic Freedoms
We, the faculty of the Department of Comparative Literature, wish to assure our students, colleagues and staff that we remain committed to the ideal of fostering an inclusive environment. As educators, we stand against any form of intolerance and violations of the basic academic freedoms of our community.
Comparative Literature is a discipline that moves across the boundaries of languages, literatures, and cultures, and we support the free movement of people, words, and ideas. We oppose the stigmatization of immigration, and affirm our solidarity with our Muslim colleagues, students and community members. We fully endorse the statement issued by the Executive Committee of the American Comparative Literature Association.
As a department, we affirm our right to conduct our research and teach our students without ideological or political interference. Pursuit of the truth and dissemination of knowledge are our mandate as scholars and educators, and we reject any attempt to intimidate those whose aim is to advance human knowledge. We will honor our obligation to provide unprejudiced scholarship and education, and look for continued support of that mission.
Welcome to the Department of Comparative Literature
We encourage interdisciplinary and multilingual perspectives on literature, culture, arts, and global humanities. We also collaborate with other units to develop curriculum and campus-wide initiatives related to translation.
Check out video highlights from the Translate-a-thon!
We strive to support our students and faculty on the front lines of learning and research; to steward our planet, our community, our campus. To do this, Comparative Literature needs you—because the world needs Victors.


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In this modern world, where on earth more than and more than ancestors can expend global travel, noesis of the state to be visited is impressively all-important.
Thus those who are lettered in the region of a fussy land should try to create verbally exciting articles, outlining not single the attractions of the country, inner-city etc, but besides any downfalls, dangers, etc. that group may experience. A bit of bluntness goes a protracted way to foreclose uncheerful incidents patch on holiday! For example, get out of Such-and-such Street as you may be mugged... don't go warm Such-and-such Street as this is the red lantern district, etc.
Let inhabitants cognise what the best historic attractions are, generous a dwarfish yesteryear if possible. Advise them on modes of traverse in the distinctive rustic - whether it is much convenient to use general population transport, or lease a conveyance. If dialect may be a problem, insist on on purchase a construction story for customary sayings in that hard to please state.Post ads:
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I expectation this helps you in producing top choice articles for the movement web.


text:
And now, for something completely unrelated to guitar gear…
Archive for August, 2011
Tuesday Funny…
Posted in Guitars, tagged funny, humor on August 30, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Sometimes Simple Is Better…
Posted in Guitars, tagged guitar, guitar gear, guitarists, Guitars, Music, new song on August 29, 2011| 3 Comments »
I've written about this with respect to gear before, but that also applies to lots of things in life. For instance, I just put the finishing touches on a new contemporary christian song demo this morning. I was thinking about adding all sorts of percussion, another guitar, perhaps some keys. But in the end, all I did was replace my original click track, and added another guitar. I just found that the simple, straight-forward sound just worked better. Here's the finished demo:
After I finished the production, I thought to myself that this arrangement can stand on its own. Besides, it's what I'd have available at Mass, as I'm the only keyboard player and also the lead guitarist – but I default to guitar. 🙂 In any case, we played this song at Mass yesterday, and I was very pleased to see people nodding to the song. We put it in a place in the service where singing is typically optional, though encouraged, and it was great to see people singing a song they never heard before!
But back to the original topic, to me, sometimes the most beautiful things are really simple; no frills, no bling, nothing extra.
More: If it sounds good, then it's right…
Posted in Guitars, tagged amp, amplifiers, amps, GAS, gear, guitar, guitar gear, guitarists, Guitars, Music, musicians, roland cube 60 on August 27, 2011| 2 Comments »
At last night's weekly gig at the restaurant I play at, I brought my trusty Roland Cube 60. I was in a rush, and just wanted a lightweight amp that I could easily set up.
To be honest, I hadn't played that amp for a long time, preferring to use my tube amp combos or my SWR California Blonde. But those amps are also HEAVY. The Blonde weight over 50 pounds! My Cube 60, on the other hand, weighs just 30 pounds, and is roughly half the size of any of my other combos.
But weight aside, the Roland Cube 60 is simply a great-sounding amp. Solid-state or not, it doesn't matter. If it sounds good, then who cares about its circuitry? I was reminded of that last night. I put the amp in Acoustic/JC Clean mode and was rewarded with a gorgeous clean tone that rivaled the cleans of any of my tube amps. Admittedly, the onboard time mod effects aren't very good (at least to my ears), so I just used my own.
And that brings me to the point of this entry and my previous entry centering on the title: Let sound guide your decisions in buying gear; not the circuitry. With respect to the Cube 60, its Acoustic/JC Clean is modeled after the venerable JC 120 amp; an amp that has proven itself over the years as a viable tone platform. Players like Joe Satriani and Albert King used this amp. I believe Satch used a JC 120 to record Surfin' with the Alien. And it's no small wonder these guitar greats used it: The JC cleans are spectacular. They're not as basso as Fender cleans, being a bit more mid-rangy, but they're gorgeous just the same.
One thing that struck me last night as well was the wide sound dispersal from that little amp. I was concerned that the diminutive cabinet would be a bit too directional, but all that worry was laid to rest when I did my sound check. The Cube 60 filled the space incredibly well, and was clear from even extreme angles. Needless to say, I'll be using the Cube 60 for most of my solo gigs going forward.
So definitely a lesson learned once again, that it's the sound that matters…
New Song: I Could Never Live Without You Lord
Posted in Guitars, tagged guitar, guitarists, Guitars, Music, musicians, new song on August 24, 2011| 3 Comments »
My older sons have gotten a lot into Reggae over the past couple of years, and it has sort of rubbed off on me. So while I was jammin' to a song in the car a few days ago, I got an idea for a praise and worship song with a Reggae theme. Here's the initial sketch of the song (I have to add the rest of instrumentation, but here it is with just a three-piece combo arrangement):
On Fine Wine and Religious Experiences
Posted in Guitars, tagged gear thoughts, guitar, guitar gear, guitarists, Guitars, Music, musicians on August 22, 2011| 2 Comments »
In addition to being a guitar gear freak, I'm also obsessive about fine wines. The other night, I cracked open a bottle of 1985 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from my collection, and shared it with my best friend. I've been wanting to drink this particular wine ever since I won it at auction a few months back, and was just waiting for the right time to drink it. But I was also getting a bit worried about keeping it too long because unlike their French counterparts, California wines aren't known for their longevity. But there are some exceptions out there, and this bottle was definitely one of the exceptions.
The cork was intact when I opened the bottle, which totally surprise my friend and I. This meant that the wine would have very little sedimentation. There was also perhaps on 4 mm of seepage into the cork, which meant that the cork used was absolutely top quality in this case. We knew we were in for a real treat.
We both took a small tasting pour, swirled the wine, then took our tasting sips. Both of us closed our eyes, then after swallowing that first taste, we both at the same time said, "OH. MY. GAWD!!!!" As wine connoisseurs for over thirty years, we've literally tasted thousands of wines, but this wine topped both of our lists as the best cabernet we've EVER had! In 1991, Robert Parker rated this wine a 91. Now in 2011, twenty years later, I don't think this wine is even rateable. To us, it surpassed all of the best wines we've tasted.
Over the three hours that it took us to finish the bottle, the wine's character changed, demonstrating to us just how marvelous, majestic, and magnificent this wine was. It was so complex and sophisticated, that we both, who have a fairly wide and experienced wine vocabulary, had a difficult time describing the wine. In the end, we both agreed that this single bottle of wine bestowed upon us a genuine religious experience.
Religious experiences don't happen very often, and at least for me, are brought on by things or events that are truly awe-inspiring. For those unfamiliar with the term, a religious experience is one in which it is virtually impossible to articulate the feeling. It's an experience so profound that words would only diminish it.
With gear, this has happened to lots over the years. Here are some that I'll share here:
- The very first time I tried out a BOSS CE-2 Chorus pedal. I have a few chorus pedals now, but when I need a particular chorus sound, this is the only pedal that'll give it to me.
- After years of looking for a good delay pedal, playing the Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay sent me off into the nether world. There was simply nothing like it.
- Getting my very first high-end guitar, a Gibson Dot ES-333. Up until that point, I just had some very cheapo guitars, and getting that ES was like a rite of passage.
- Unpacking and playing "Amber," my first Gibson Les Paul. I had wanted one forever it seems, and when I finally had the cash to get one, I can't even begin to describe the mix of emotions I experienced as I held her in my hands that first time.
- Playing my Yamaha APX900 acoustic at the guitar shop where I bought it. No Martin or Taylor has ever sounded as good to me plugged in. Yamaha's ART pickup system is unlike any other.
As I write this entry, I realize now why I and probably so many others are such gear junkies: We thrive on religious experiences. Besides being virtually impossible to describe, religious experiences are the ultimate feel-good. They're also addictive… So it's not a small wonder why I've got so much gear. 🙂
New Song: Given the Body
Posted in Guitars on August 17, 2011| 1 Comment »
As many may know, I play at church – a lot. 🙂 And having played at church for over 30 years, writing music for worship just kind of came naturally. Here's a song I wrote called Given the Body. It features my Strat on the right, and my Les Paul on the left; both played through my Aracom PLX BB 18.
You Gotta Love Variations on a Theme!
Posted in Guitars, tagged GAS, gear announcements, guitar, guitar gear, Guitars, Music, musicians, perry riggs, slash l guitars on August 10, 2011| 2 Comments »
As I've said in the past, there's always room for people who are good. I said it about Barron Wesley Guitars, and I'm saying it for Slash L guitars made by Perry Riggs. Look at the guitar to the left. Notice anything familiar? It's patterned after a '59 Les Paul with a mahogany body and neck, but with a neck-through construction. I have to tell you, Perry's neck-through design works really well. As I mentioned in a previous article about "Lana", his guitars sustain for days owing to the that neck-through design. Not only that, if this guitar is similar to Lana, it'll be less than 8 lbs. (Lana weighed 6.5 lbs).
But as to the overall design of this guitar, it's gorgeous! Of course, being a Les Paul guy, I love that shape, and that spalted maple top and the translucent tea burst finish is killer! The guitar comes equipped with Lollar Imperials (coil tapped), and has a rosewood neck. Love those trapezoidal fret inlays!
By the way, Perry doesn't have a site, but he's got a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/perry5610). Friend him. He's uploading pictures of his build process. Very cool stuff.


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I have a passion to help others discover and change. Both discovery and change can be enlightening and good for personal growth, and it can also be very difficult. We are living in a time of rapid changes and just making the decision on whether to seek therapy for these changes can be difficult. Let's connect and see if I can help you more effectively navigate the waves. Let's Discover and Change together.
We are living in a time of stress and storms and just making the decision on whether to seek counseling is difficult. I want to encourage you to contact me in your pursuit of a qualified therapist who can help you in your journey to resolve life's challenges. It is a tremendous strength, not weakness, to acknowledge and then seek help for our challenges.


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By: Julia Quinn
Genre: Historical, Romance
Relase Date: 2017-05-30
Lisa Marie 3
Not her best work... this was boring and was far too long. No chemistry between characters... and it was "love" in two chapters.
Mrs. Quinn has done it again. A story of two people so perfect for each other you just know their HEA is going to be amazing.
This was another entertaining story by Julia Quinn. It drew me in immediately and I loved the characters! Five stars from this librarian! :)
Moving away some forty years before the Regency Era, and across the Atlantic to the Colonies, Julia Quinn already places this story into the basket of new experiences for readers. It's rare that we have a revolutionary-war era story to read about, particularly in a Colonial setting, and I was all in from the start – especially with the twist of the "while you were sleeping" added in. Cecilia is a woman in dire straits: her father has died, her brother is away in the colonies at war, and society states that the heir, and her husband and protector shall be her cousin. Not a prospect she wishes to entertain, she takes matters into her own hands and books passage to the Americas to find her brother. While she doesn't find Thomas, she does find his best friend, Edward Rokesby, unconscious but to hand. She decides that saving him is important, perhaps he'll know of Thomas and his whereabouts, and concocts a lie, stating that her brother arranged for Edward and Cecilia to be married by proxy, and she has come to join her husband. Edward awakens to find his best friend's sister (and frequent letter-writer) is by his side, and now his wife. These two are adorable together, Edward is kind, gentle, honorable and he does find Cecilia to his liking. They are slowly sharing stories and dreams, until the first secret is revealed. Sure, there are reasons to dislike Cecilia for her deception, but deep down, this is a wonderfully kind and more than slightly desperate young woman, grasping at the best chance she can see to find her brother and determine some of her own destiny. Edward is hurt by the deception, but rather than over-react and toss her away, he's willing to listen, to really hear her reasons, and understand just what brought her to such a desperate act. With the question of Thomas nearly forgotten as Cecilia finds herself actually falling in love with Edward, his part in the story is left to a major twist – completely unique and surprising, and wholly unexpected, adding depth and some intrigue to a story that, at its heart, is purely the tale of two people coming to unexpectedly find love and new lives. A perspective and setting that is unique and fresh, combined with a couple at the heart who are so well suited and wonderfully nuanced, this was a wonderful read and a perfect example of Quinn's writing. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.


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This week has been a busy one, I'm still at the studio now... I am however just chilling and blogging but still hahaha this will actually be my earliest finish in a few nights and it's already eight o'clock.
Pig skin still stinks but it getting easier to work with, my hands and arms are aching from all the stretching and heavy machine holding, my middle finger on my left hand hates me right now! But its all going to be worth it and give me an awesome start to working on real skin. My lines are getting better, they still aren't amazing but they're getting better, I've tried different types of shading and filling now too, I'll get there eventually. Feeling knackered but positive today, I can't wait for my bed! :D


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Friday, August 31, 2007
Another personal favorite of mine. Hayden is a Canadian singer-songwriter whose music is often highly personal and full of melancholy. His early albums saw him mixing grunge with alt country. With each new album he has progressed to a more slow and acoustic direction. All of these albums are highly recommended. His latest record "Elk Lake Serenade" was released in 2004. For fans of Elliott Smith and Rocky Votolato.
HAYDEN - "The Closer I Get" (1998)
HAYDEN - "Moving Careful" (1996)
HAYDEN - "Skyscraper National Park" (2001)
HAYDEN - "Live At Convocation Hall (Disc 1)" (2002)
HAYDEN - "Live At Convocation Hall (Disc 2)" (2002)
HAYDEN - "Everything I Long For" (1995)
Posted by METRO/SEA at 9:32 AM 11 comments:
Labels: Hayden
Monday, August 27, 2007
Wolves In The Throne Room is one of them most exciting Black Metal bands to emerge recently. Hailing from Olympia, Washington, the bands music focuses on nature and their relationship to the natural world. Below are the band's first two demo releases. After these demos they released the album "Diadem of 12 Stars" which is highly recommended. They recently signed to Southern Lord records and will be releasing their new album "Two Hunters" September 25th. You can download an mp3 from that record by clicking here.
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM - "Demo 2004"
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM - "Demo 2005"
Posted by METRO/SEA at 3:53 PM 6 comments:
Labels: Black Metal, Wolves In The Throne Room
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The Jazz June was a "emo" band from Kutztown, Pennsylvania who were at their peek in the late 90s. Living in Pennsylvania at the time I got to see them play a lot of small basement shows. They were always the best kind of shows. Their original artwork for their 7"s and early albums had a huge affect on me perusing graphic design. They recently got back together and have been playing some reunion shows. They are putting out a new record in September called "Scars To Prove It." It will contain 17 live, rare and unreleased tracks from the Jazz June's career, including the first new material released since 2003.
THE JAZZ JUNE - "They Love Those Who Make the Music"
THE JAZZ JUNE - "The Boom, The Motion, And the Music"
THE JAZZ JUNE - "Breakdance Suburbia"
THE JAZZ JUNE - "Medicine"
Posted by METRO/SEA at 3:28 PM 13 comments:
Labels: Nineties Hardcore, The Jazz June
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Draugar is another amazing USBM act by the multitalented Tim Lehi. Like Jef Whitehead of Leviathan/Lurker Of Chalice, he is a accomplished and respected tattoo artist in San Francisco. You can check out some of his work on his myspace by clicking here. For fans of other USBM acts like Xasthur, Leviathan, Crebain, etc.
DRAUGAR - "Weathering the Curse" (2004)
DRAUGAR - "From Which Hatred Grows" (2003)
DRAUGAR - "Silence And Suffering" (2003)
Posted by METRO/SEA at 10:59 AM 5 comments:
Labels: Draugar, Nineties Hardcore
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Panthers is a group hailing from Brooklyn consisting of past members of Orchid, Turing Machine, and The Red Scare. Their first record saw them trying to capture the MC5's sound and political stances. Albums after saw them evolving into their own sound. They're currently signed to Vice Records and released a recent album called "The Trick". Pick it up if you like what you hear.
PANTHERS - "Are You Down" (2002)
PANTHERS - "Let's Get Serious" (2003)
PANTHERS - "Things Are Strange" (2004)
Posted by METRO/SEA at 3:13 PM 5 comments:
Labels: Panthers
Monday, August 13, 2007
Since I posted the Lurker Of Chalice album here the other week I wanted to post two Lurker Of Chalice demo albums that are hard to find. Like most of the "demos" Jef Whitehead puts out under his Leviathan and Lurker Of Chalice monikers, they always sound more like fully realized albums rather then demos. There is a new album supposedly coming out called "Perverse Calculus." I haven't seen an official street date but let's hope it's soon!
LURKER OF CHALICE - "Demo 2001"
LURKER OF CHALICE - "Demo 2002"
Posted by METRO/SEA at 4:24 PM 7 comments:
Labels: Black Metal, Leviathan, Lurker Of Chalice
Friday, August 10, 2007
Sad news today. A true visionary has passed. Read more by clicking here.
Posted by METRO/SEA at 2:30 PM 1 comment:
Labels: Tony Wilson
One thing "screamo" bands of the 90s beat everyone with was coming up with amazing band names. Honeywell, The Red Scare, etc. Cobra Kai takes the cake though. Not only did they have a great sounding name but their music was on point as well. Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, Cobra Kai blended elements of numerous sounds that were going on in that scene back then. They only got to release one 7", a demo, and a LP during their life. The record below compiles all of those releases.
COBRA KAI - "Complete Recordings"
Posted by METRO/SEA at 11:42 AM 10 comments:
Labels: Cobra Kai, Nineties Hardcore
The Eternal Children is a documentary on the "freak folk" movement. Featuring CocoRosie, Devendra Banhart, Antony And The Johnsons, Vashti Bunyan, and more. It's really well put together and goes into the inspirations that sparked these artists and how they came together. It originally aired on French television. The video is broken into 6 mp4 files. This is a highly recommended watch even for those who may not be interested in these artists. The above photo was taken by the talented Autumn Dewilde.
THE ETERNAL CHILDREN - Video Documentary http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VW8AZEHB
Posted by METRO/SEA at 10:15 AM 3 comments:
Labels: Cocorosie, Devendra Banhart, Movies
Thursday, August 09, 2007
It's fitting Tides hails from Boston. With Isis departing the city for Los Angeles, Tides is here to carry the torch for Boston. For fans of Isis, Neurosis, Red Sparrows, etc. This is what I wish the new Isis record sounded like!
Tides - "From Silence"
Tides - "Resurface"
Posted by METRO/SEA at 3:25 PM 3 comments:
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
A Whisper In the Noise is a band I discovered recently and was completely floored by them. I did some research and found this description that captures their sound perfectly: "Pretty, melancholic, sad and charming, A Whisper in the Noise evokes a lullaby only half remembered, and the half remembered suggests a companion melody that (though unheard) is somehow unspeakably sad." They have a new record called "Dry Land" coming out in October. It was produced by the infamous Steve Albini. Be sure to pick it up if you like what you hear. I think you will.
A Whisper In The Noise - "Through the Ides of March" (2003)
A Whisper In The Noise - "As The Bluebird Sings" (2006)
Posted by METRO/SEA at 5:02 PM 5 comments:
Labels: A Whisper In The Noise
Femme Fatale is the mastermind of Jesse Keeler. He's probably more well known as the bass player in the now defunct Death From Above 1979. Femme Fatale's sound is a mixture of DFA 1979 and elements from the 90s San Diego scene (Crimson Curse, Heroin, etc). They have released 3 EPs and according to Jesse he plans on releasing Femme Fatale material as long as he is playing music. I can't wait to hear what comes out next.
Femme Fatale - "Fire Baptism" (2002)
Femme Fatale - "As You Sow, So Shall You Reap" (2002)
Femme Fatale - "From the Abundance of the Heart, the Mouth Speaks" (2004)
Posted by METRO/SEA at 10:00 AM 22 comments:
Labels: Femme Fatale
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Being a huge Nirvana fan I wanted to post this find I had awhile back. For those who could care less please bare with me. "Nevermind, It's an Interview" is the only officially released Nirvana interview CD. It was released worldwide as a radio promo only in 1992 to help promote the band as they were gaining fame. Copies of the CD are rare so when I found a copy I paid more then i should have but it was worth it. The disc contains some really interesting interviews with all 3 band members at the time along with clips of songs off "Nevermind" and "Bleach." Highly recommended for any Nirvana geek like myself.
NIRVANA - "Nevermind, It's an Interview" (1992)
Posted by METRO/SEA at 5:47 PM 5 comments:
Monday, August 06, 2007
Joshua Fit For Battle was a "screamo" band from Newark, Delaware that existed between 1998 until 2003. They released a slew of 7"s, split LP's, and one full length album during their run. Their sound is very similar to Neil Perry who they did a split LP with. Their official site is still online and has a lot more info on the band : www.jffb.com. I got to see them perform live once in the back of a small record store in Lancaster, PA. They were nothing short of incredible live. Explosive and frantic, you couldn't help but be moved in someway.
Joshua Fit For Battle - "To Bring Our Own End"
Joshua Fit For Battle - "Bring Out Your Dead"
Posted by METRO/SEA at 10:08 AM 4 comments:
Labels: Joshua Fit For Battle, Nineties Hardcore
Friday, August 03, 2007
Chariots (not to be confused with the Christian hardcore band "The Chariot") was the band that rose out of the ashes of Song Of Zarathustra. If you're unfamiliar with Song Of Zarathustra check out the previous blog post I made by clicking here. Chariots was the next logical sound progression from Song Of Zarathustra. They retained the same feel and elements of their keyboard scream punk sound from before. Definitely worth checking out.
CHARIOTS - "Congratulations" (2004)
Posted by METRO/SEA at 3:20 PM 16 comments:
Labels: Chariots, Nineties Hardcore
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Fast, heavy, thrashy - Crestfallen had a lot in common musically with their Virginia brothers in Pg.99 and Majority Rule. Their music managed to be insanely energetic while an undertone of darkness and melancholy seemed to creep into every song. Highly recommended. Please comment.
CRESTFALLEN - "Crestfallen"
CRESTFALLEN - "Streaks Of Terror"
Posted by METRO/SEA at 11:11 AM 8 comments:
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text:
Arts & Culture
Our country may be divided, but we shouldn't beat ourselves up about it, author Sarah Vowell says
In fall 2013, Sarah Vowell scheduled a trip to Independence Hall, the Philadelphia historical site where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and signed.
The bestselling popular historian was doing fieldwork for her 2015 book, "Lafayette in the Somewhat United States," yet the trip happened to coincide with a government shutdown and Vowell had to reschedule. She appreciated the irony of not being able to visit the birthplace of the American government because the government wasn't operating. But she also understands that bickering and contentiousness have been consistent threads throughout U.S. history.
"(That's) one thing we should give ourselves a break about, I think," Vowell says. "We're always beating ourselves up about how divided we are, and it's seen as such a bad thing. It's not a great thing, and it certainly leads to legislative paralysis, among other inefficiencies ... but it's also the beauty of who we are."
The constitutional debates in Independence Hall weren't harmonious exchanges, she points out, and nor have national debates been in the centuries since. As Vowell writes in "Lafayette in the Somewhat United States," the quintessential experience throughout American history is "constantly worrying whether or not the country is about to fall apart."
On Oct. 9, Vowell, who is known also for her work with NPR and as the voice of Violet in the animated film, "The Incredibles," appears at Carolina Theatre in Durham. The free discussion is the headlining event of Durham Reads Together 2017, presented by Durham County Library. Admission is free.
She'll be joined onstage by David Rees, who grew up in Chapel Hill and is a former political cartoonist, TV host and (we're not making this up) professional pencil sharpener. Rees will interview Vowell about her work as a historian and about the cornerstone document of American government.
Durham Reads Together 2017 participants are reading the Constitution, which Vowell thinks is a fantastic choice for a citywide book club.
"I can't think of a book that inspires more argument," she says. "It's sort of this paradox. It's the thing that binds us together, but it's also the thing that we fight about. And that's who we are."
Vowell cites multiple examples of the country's long tradition of heated, sometimes ugly disagreement. During months of argument at the Constitutional Convention, she says, Benjamin Franklin famously wondered if the sun carved on George Washington's chair was rising or setting. Upon sending the Constitution out for ratification, he decided it was rising, but Vowell is fascinated by the infighting before and after that moment.
"The founders, they were not optimists, and their document reflects this," she says.
Vowell said the country wasn't suddenly tidier, but at least there was consensus on the nature and function of its government. Vowell compares the Constitution to a living room the day company is visiting – you vacuum, you fluff the pillows, you put everything in order – while Rees describes it as an owner's manual for the United States.
"You have different issues pop up, you turn to that page," he says. "Turn to page 36 if your cassette tape isn't rewinding. Stuff like that."
Appropriately, different eras see different constitutional amendments come to the fore, relevant to the issues at play. Internet privacy questions have brought the Fourth Amendment into focus, Rees says, going on to observe that the Trump presidency has made the usually obscure emoluments clause ("No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States") relevant, but also the fourth section of the 25th Amendment (which allows for the removal of a president who "is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office").
"It's like an album," he says. "Everyone has their favorite tracks."
As a political cartoonist, Rees was protected by the First Amendment. He said he never was worried that he'd be thrown in jail for criticizing George W. Bush's administration in his "Get Your War On" webcomic.
Vowell has a few copies of the Constitution lying around, so she picks one up and reads that amendment in full. It allows a lot for some unexpected things, she said, including Satan worship and all manner of protests.
"A society is only free if its most repugnant nitwits are allowed to say what they think," she says. "That's just the deal."
A rare uniting figure
Yet "Lafayette in the Somewhat United States" followed a rare uniting figure in American history who happened to experience both the birth of the Constitution and a major early Constitutional crisis. Vowell notes that Americans more or less agreed on the Revolutionary heroism of French nobleman and soldier the Marquis de Lafayette.
In the background of both his American visits, though, there was bickering aplenty. During the Revolution, it was arguments in Independence Hall or between the Continental Congress and Continental Army. When he returned a few decades later, it was during a particularly testy presidential election.
"The election of 1824 was probably our most contentious, which is saying something," says Vowell.
While 14 cities have been named in Lafayette's honor, Vowell said the most meaningful thing named for him is Lafayette Square across from the White House.
"It's where we Americans yell at our president and have done since our suffragists were irked with President Wilson (and) trying to get the right to vote for women nationwide," Vowell says. "It's also where people from other countries who are not allowed to protest, and could be punished or even executed for protesting, go to protest their leaders."
About David Rees
David Rees grew up in Chapel Hill, so for him, it's particularly exciting to return for an event at Durham's Carolina Theatre.
"I feel like I've made it," he says. "When you go back to one of these iconic places of your youth, it's kind of a homecoming."
Rees has been host of the National Geographic Channel's "Going Deep with David Rees." He has written the following: "How to Sharpen Pencils" and early 21st century webcomics "Get Your War On," "My New Fighting Technique is Unstoppable" and "My New Filing Technique is Unstoppable."
Though Rees made a name for himself writing creating outspoken, left-of-center political cartoons (and remains quite vocal about his views), he doesn't feel he that's why he was booked to interview Sarah Vowell. Instead, he said he thinks it's because he's an experienced interviewer. Nothing beats sitting next to an interesting person at a dinner party and pestering them with questions, he says.
Vowell was one of the first people from Generation X to find her own way of writing popular history, and Rees said he respects her approach and the fact that she isn't shy to write about the unflattering side of American history.
"I don't think I was booked to interview Sarah because I used to be a left-wing political cartoonist," he said. "I think it's just because I interview people and I'm interested in this stuff. But I'm not going to throw a Molotov cocktail in the Carolina Theatre or anything. My parents will be in the audience anyway, and they'll be disappointed."
What: An Evening With Sarah Vowell, American Historian
Where: The Carolina Theatre, 309 W. Morgan St., Durham
When: 7 p.m. Oct. 9
Cost: Free
Info: durhamreadstogether.org; carolinatheatre.org


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Lauren Hutton for Revlon, 1969.
It's commonplace for celebrities and models to acquire all sorts of endorsements but the very first time such an exclusive contract was inked between a model and a company was actually initiated by the model herself. Lauren Hutton needs no introduction. Known for her trademark gap tooth smile and fresh-face all-American beauty, Hutton was a 1970s superstar. She was a regular at studio 54. Halston dubbed her "perhaps the most perfect mannequin in history." Beyond her all-American beauty gracing the pages of Vogue for decades, Hutton paved the way for super models to obtain lucrative exclusive contracts. She was the first million dollar supermodel. To me, the very best part is that Hutton is a true rag to riches story. Hutton grew up in the swamplands of Florida. She was a tomboy and illiterate until the age of eleven. She ventured out to New York in the early '60s to get to Africa and find LSD, she has said in interviews. Adding that she had never taken the drug but felt that she would enjoy it. Hutton wanted to travel and saw modeling as a way to accomplish just that, so she worked at the New York Playboy club and put together a portfolio, making the rounds to all the major agencies. She got her break in 1966 when Diana Vreeland spotted her and promptly sent her for a test shoot with Richard Avedon. The rest is history.
More established in her career, Hutton read a New York Times article about a man who received a million dollar contract for his line of work. She wondered how she could manage such a thing and voiced the idea to Richard Avedon. The photographer encouraged her to make her arrangement with Revlon exclusive (she had already previously modeled for them in several campaigns over the years prior). In 1973 Hutton successfully pitched the idea to Revlon and became the face of the brand, she would stay on for a decade. The model was 31-years-old at the time and initially inked the deal for $400,000.
Hutton approaches life with a fearlessness that's both inspiring and endearing. A woman not only physically beautiful but intelligent and above all else boldly takes risks. Her high energy and boisterous spirit attracted people to her, made her persevere in times when life handed her a bad hand and once she achieved success, helped her recognize and increase her own value.
Seventeen Magazine, October 1967.
(L) 1976. (M) Photo by Richard Avedon, 1978. (R) 1979.
Photo by Richard Avedon, 1973.
(L) 1978. (M-R) dates unknown.


text:
Product Videos
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Ampicillin Powder can be used in serial dilution in combination with blank discs for testing antibiotic effectiveness.
Click here for Ampicillin Powder SDS. Please use this document as part of your general risk assessment.
Antimicrobial Comparison Table
Click here to view our complete range of antimicrobial testing products (discs , Mastrings and powder).


text:
Posted by Carma | Posted in Emotions, Mindset | Posted on 26-05-2010 | See all posts
I subscribe to a business newsletter by Mark Joyner called Simpleology Daily. Everyday I receive an inspirational quote from a "mystery" person who is revealed on Friday. Today's quote was:
"In this life, we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love."
I looked it up and this quote comes from Mother Teresa.
And it got me to thinking.
You see, my tendency is to take a really long time to make a decision and once I've made it, I want it NOW. So, I can get a little impatient sometimes.
And this has been happening with my weight loss. I'm "only" losing one pound per week. At this rate it will take me two years to get back to my ideal weight. And I want my thin body NOW. 🙂
And then I saw this quote. And it reminded me that I need to be grateful for each pound lost and love my body throughout this process. These are ways of thinking and being that help you manifest the universal laws used in the I Create My Body program to, well, create your ideal body.
So, from this point on, I'm going to love my body and be grateful for the transformation it is undergoing. There are reasons I gained this weight and a lesson to be learned. I now embrace the lessons and love the journey.
In other words, I will release each pound with love.


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Thunder god vine is a herb used widely to help rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as it works as an anti-inflammatory and changes the way the immune system reacts to the arthritis. This useful and increasingly studied plant contains chemicals that might decrease male fertility by changing the properties of sperm.
Where it's found
Thunder god vine extract comes from the herb's leaves and skinned root. Native to China, Japan and Korea, it's been used medicinally in these countries for over 400 years.
How it can benefit you
Thunder god vine is believed to help benefit people suffering from inflammation or overactivity of the immune system.
Orally, thunder god vine is taken for excessive menstrual periods or for autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and lupus. Thunder god vine preparations are also applied to the skin for rheumatoid arthritis.


text:
The physical book itself is not very long, but Supreme Power: 7 Pivotal Supreme Court Decisions that Had a Major Impact on America packs a wallop. Historians, poli-sci students, and lay people alike will find Ted Stewart's discussion of significant Supreme Court decisions gripping and educational.
1. This book is for you if you want to know how the Supreme Court began and why a Justice once said, "We are not final because we are infallible, but we are infallible only because we are final." The intro hooks you in right away. Stewart discusses the Founding Fathers, their vision for the new country, and even some personal vendettas against one another. I guess if you want to learn about how the highest court in the land got to be that way, you have to start at the beginning. I find it really interesting that the number of Justices has fluctuated throughout history. Also, it's incredible how many appeals there are every year, and how many are actually heard and decided by the Court.
2. The divide between prescriptive and descriptive linguists today neatly mirror the two philosophical types of Justices that Stewart describes – the Originalist and the Constitutionalist. I found this part particularly interesting because I could see how similarly different many tenets of the two political parties are. As I read through the chapters, I found myself seeing each case from the view of both philosophies, and it's no wonder they had to go to the Supreme Court for final decisions.
3. The section on Plessy v. Ferguson, which discusses the onset of the term "Jim Crow" and how the idea of "separate but equal accommodations" led to problems we continue to see today, was a good read. Stewart recounts the Court's ruling that the Louisiana Separate Car Act was not in violation of either the Thirteenth or Fourteenth Amendments. As far as class discussions go, this chapter would make a great springboard for talking about what constitutes "established usages, customs, and traditions" and whether a few years is enough time for a custom to become established.
4. Another chapter that I liked was "How a Law on Bakers' Working Hours Led to Abortion Rights". I enjoyed learning about Lochner and the belief that part of our birthright is the right to work as long or as hard as we want. I also like that Stewart poses the question on who defines "liberty" and what "due process" actually (or should actually) means. I would have liked more of a discussion on the proceedings and consequences of Roe v. Wade. Stewart discusses Lochner a lot, but he leaves the Court's decision on Roe v. Wade to a few paragraphs. I think the pivotal impact of McCorvey's case shouldn't have been considered outside the scope of this book.
5. I didn't take any poli-sci or history classes in university – at least not ones that explored the Supreme Court and its decisions – so I was happy to learn about the cases Stewart presents. This book would be great for anyone who wants to know a little bit about them and American political origins. It would also make a good addition to senior high-school and university courses. I don't know if I would assign the entire book, but I'd definitely pick a couple of cases (and the intro) for students to get into. A caveat, however: Stewart uses jargon that the average person might have heard of but don't understand. If I were to give excerpts of this book to non-poli-sci students, I'd have to include a glossary so that they don't get lost in legalese.
6. Aside from a glossary that would have helped even me, I would have liked to find an index at the end so that I could find pages related to specific mentions of Justices or cases more easily. A very extensive bibliography is included though.
Ted Stewart's Online Corners
US District Court Profile | Chapters/Indigo
Thank you, Shadow Mountain, for sending me a copy of Supreme Power: 7 Pivotal Supreme Court Decisions that Had a Major Impact on America in exchange for an honest review.
All Squinklethoughts expressed herein are entirely my own.


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eLanguage, LLC specializes in language learning software that is easy to install, fun-to-use, and has a price tag that's a fraction of the cost of other programs – but double the value. The award-winning software, Learn to Speak™ Deluxe, is trusted by the FBI, the State Department, ministries of education, the United Nations, Fortune 500 companies, and over 4 million people worldwide.
Language Software Developed by Language Experts
Developed by leading language experts and university professors, the Learn to Speak™ language software uses a listen and repeat model with a speech recognition and analysis approach that gives instant feedback to the student on how to improve his or her pronunciation. Unlike other more rigid language systems, eLanguage students can freely select any lesson they want, making it an effective solution for businesses, schools and individuals wanting to learn a new language. The Learn to Speak™ Deluxe product line offers the equivalent curriculum to two years at a university level.
First Introduced in the US in 1991
The Learn to Speak™ software was first introduced in the US in 1991 by The Learning Company. In 2004, veteran software executives Greg Bestick and Joe Roberts purchased the foreign language division of the company, and eLanguage was born. Since then, the software has won the PC Magazine Editor's Choice and SuperKids Best Software award and become a market-leading product-line sold in retail stores as well as in schools.
In 2012, eLanguage launched Benego, a new first of its kind translation community to offer real-world translations with live voice recordings of native speakers. Benego currently offers translations and phrases in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese.
With the mission of being a recognized brand in language learning, eLanguage, LLC is committed to providing a satisfaction guaranteed platform where its community members can learn, share, teach or translate in not only the language but also the dialect of the language being spoken.
If you have any questions at all, feel free to contact us.
eLanguage Founder Profiles
Greg Bestick, Founder and Chairman
Greg Bestick speaks English natively and is currently learning Spanish. Additionally, he has extensive experience in the consumer software industry, including positions as a Division General Manager for video game maker Electronic Arts, and CEO of Creative Wonders, a children's software company that was a joint venture of Electronic Arts and the Walt Disney Company. He also served as President of The Learning Company and CEO of Broderbund Software. Additionally, Greg Bestick has worked for the toy maker Mattel and for Gores Technology Group, a private equity firm. He is currently President of Ogden Park Ventures, a technology investment and consulting group, and Chairman of eLanguage, LLC. He speaks English natively and is learning Spanish.
Joe Roberts, Founder and CEO
Joe Roberts speaks English natively, has a working proficiency of French, and is currently in the process of learning Spanish and German. Apart from that, Joe Robers is an established industry executive with over nineteen years of experience in consumer and education software. He was President of Broderbund software prior to it being sold to Riverdeep. At Riverdeep, Joe Roberts served as President, Worldwide Products and Marketing, and was responsible for growing revenue to over $270 million. Joe Roberts has since served as President of Cosmi Corporation, a leading publisher and distributor of physical and digital PC software solutions. Here, he played a key role in expanding the company through OEM and e-commerce distribution channels. He has also served as the Executive Vice President, Global Products, at Corel, and handled the company's global product management, product development, and product marketing efforts.