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Spotify: 'We haven't given up on the US'
Is Spotify giving up on its ambitions to launch in the United States, and does that mean the music-streaming service is doomed in the longer-term?
After years of pretty positive coverage, the great digital white hope of the music industry is now dodging rotten eggs from the media on a daily basis.
First, on New Year's Eve, there was the cruel mockery of the top US blog Techcrunch which laughed at Spotify's repeated failure to hit its promised target of an American launch.
Then it was the UK's Daily Telegraph claiming the agonisingly slow negotiations with record labels had led the company to "pause" the talks and think again about whether it was even worth going to the States.
Now I've been talking to some senior figures at Spotify, and they insist that this is not the case - the talks are continuing, albeit slowly, and they are still confident of reaching a deal soon. "We're close to signing on the dotted line...we've just got to get over it," was how one person put it.
The big mistake, the same person told me, was to have saddled themselves with a target of launching by the end of 2010. ""We should never have answered that question about a launch date," he lamented.
The real puzzle is just why an industry which had seemed desperate a year or two back to laud Spotify as its saviour from the scourge of illegal file-sharing now appears indifferent to its fate.
What does seem clear is that the same record labels which did deals with the "freemium" service in Europe are a lot more wary about doing the same in the United States. Just why Warner, to name one, should sign up with Spotify on one continent but be dismissive on another is a bit of a mystery.
Unless the ageing tycoons of the music business think it's about time they took charge of their own digital destinies. Having watched Apple create and then control the paid digital download business, maybe they think they can exert more control over the new model, where users pay a fee to stream unlimited music rather than own it.
One label, Sony has unveiled plans for its own streaming service in the United States, so its rivals may think it's worth waiting to see how that pans out before signing with Spotify.
But given the news we've had from the UK music industry this week of falling sales in 2010, and a disastrous Christmas for the last big retailer HMV, you'd think there would be a sense of urgency.
And what if the US deal doesn't happen - will the European market be enough to keep Spotify afloat? With around 850,000 paying customers, its owners think it may already be the world's biggest music subscription service. They are confident that they can continue to persuade a greater proportion of the millions who try the free ad-supported Spotify to upgrade to the premium service.
But fewer than a million people paying for music across the continent does not look too good when you compare it with the 10 million who pay Sky in the UK much bigger sums for premium television channels. If Spotify is to have a viable future, it either needs to get a lot more people subscribing in Europe - or to get access to the vast American market.
Off the record, the music labels grumble that they are getting miniscule revenues from their licensing deal with Spotify. But surely they ought to be asking themselves what it will say about their industry's digital future if the service which once excited both music fans and the labels is allowed to fail.
Comments Post your comment
Comment number 1.At 16:19 7th Jan 2011, MadAlien wrote:
compare to TV content industry - if Google cannot make the deals with (many of the same) media companies to stream their content, it seems unlikely that Spotify is remotely in with a hope.
more generally, it seems that the media companies remain intent (as you say) on controlling their own markets, working under the delusion that digital markets work the same as shops. (How long will it be before Murdoch realises?)
Comment number 2.At 16:38 7th Jan 2011, Nick P wrote:
When will the labels learn and get with the modern internet age?
The difference between Spotify in places like Europe and the US is that in Europe they deal with organisations - such as the BPI in the UK - to make the deal. Whereas in the US they have to deal with the labels direct.
Surely the labels understand that as consumers we're looking for a single central place to find music. If Sony and Warner and EMI and others all set up their own services I don't want to have to register with them all and then when I want to listen to some music figure out which label the artist is signed with so I can use the right service. That's just ridiculous!
Comment number 3.At 16:42 7th Jan 2011, Mark_MWFC wrote:
It's because Spotify is pointless for most people. Look, I can buy - and keep - music digitally from iTunes, Amazon and Ovi for very little money (Ovi is £0.79 a track and typically £7.99 for an album) so what does Spotify really offer me that makes it compelling?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Comment number 4.At 17:03 7th Jan 2011, Neil Turner wrote:
I really enjoy using Spotify for a bit of casual listening without needing to pay for it, or to hear new tracks before buying deciding whether to buy them. Yes, I'm one of the millions of free users but frankly I don't mind the adverts - it's just like listening to a commercial radio station in that respect.
If the industry is as desperate to clamp down on illegal downloads then it needs services like Spotify, especially where there's a free-to-use service level available. Compared with a service like Limewire, Spotify offers music instantly (rather than needing to download it), at consistent sound quality, with some rare music as well. And you won't get sued by a music label if caught using it. So it potentially offers distinct advantages over illegal downloads.
Comment number 5.At 17:16 7th Jan 2011, alan mcintyre wrote:
As a premium subscribe, Spotify offers me "access" to millions of songs, and thats what it is about access not ownership. I have many CD's I really play. Spotify has got me listening to a lot more music and I can take it with me on my iPod. My play Lists I have for Bach and Handel alone would cost me a couple of grand if I had them on CD's. For me Spotify is the best thing since slice bread.
Comment number 6.At 17:40 7th Jan 2011, larome wrote:
@Mark_MWFC - forgive me but I don't understand the argument that Spotify is pointless for most people. You argue that you can pay £7.99 for an album, yet you can pay Spotify at most £9.99 a month for 10 million songs. Isn't that compelling enough?
Comment number 7.At 17:43 7th Jan 2011, MyVoiceinYrHead wrote:
I wonder if this opens or closes the door on the vapourware that is the iTunes cloud?
Comment number 8.At 18:22 7th Jan 2011, Vale54 wrote:
The idea of separate subscriptions for every label (cf Sony's plans) doesn't appeal at all.
Comment number 9.At 18:49 7th Jan 2011, Mark_MWFC wrote:
And if I don't buy any music in a month I don't have to pay my subscription and I can keep anything I've listened too, right?
Oh wait, I can't. That's why it's pointless.
Comment number 10.At 19:32 7th Jan 2011, cowboybert wrote:
Have been a Spotify user from day 1... listened to 1000s of hours of music & never looked back...
CDs.. Can't remember the last time I used one...
Comment number 11.At 20:54 7th Jan 2011, backinwhite wrote:
Why would you need to buy a track when with a Spotify type deal you can listen to it when you want as many times as you want?
On demand streaming makes actually owning music pointless.
Downloads are the same concept as buying CDs, but more convenient. Spotify and its ilk are removing the need to actually have to "buy" a specific piece of music, as whenever you want to hear a track, you can.
Comment number 12.At 22:44 7th Jan 2011, MyVoiceinYrHead wrote:
There's more to this, the Swedish company X5 Music group is launching A music store spotify style in the US, so it looks like too much competition for spotify :(
Comment number 13.At 04:54 8th Jan 2011, peejkerton wrote:
@9 Mark_MWFC
"And if I don't buy any music in a month I don't have to pay my subscription and I can keep anything I've listened too, right?
Oh wait, I can't. That's why it's pointless."
How is that any different from other subscription services such as television, your internet service, satellite radio in the UK, e-mail provision, football clubs radio and video services, newspaper websites etc. etc?
I don't think you thought that through.
Also, in general I find TechCrunch to be one of the biggest sites on the internet for trolling. They are masters of writing attack pieces and conveniently forgetting their own massive failings like CrunchPad, a story so ridiculous it makes any failings Spotify have had in regards to communication and sealing a US deal seem minuscule in comparison.
Comment number 14.At 05:20 8th Jan 2011, AllenT2 wrote:
MyVoiceinYrHead wrote:
"There's more to this, the Swedish company X5 Music group is launching A music store spotify style in the US, so it looks like too much competition for spotify :( "
In America the real legal competition is iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, and even satellite radio. Those are my sources for music.
Comment number 15.At 08:56 8th Jan 2011, Mark_MWFC wrote:
The difference is that as soon as you stop paying your subscription you either have to use ad support or you've just lost your entire music collection, manly because you didn't have it in the first place.
You don't buy the music, you just rent it. Given how cheap music is to buy these days it just doesn't make any sense.
Comment number 16.At 10:52 8th Jan 2011, Banterful wrote:
As a student studying a technology degree I am sceptical of Spotify's business model. The majority of my friends use Spotify, however they choose to use the free version. I would say that a very high proportion of Spotify's customers do likewise too. How can Spotify therefore justify their service as a profit-making business model when artists/recording companies must be paid for their material?
I choose to pay Spotify £5 a month for their "Unlimited" service package, which means I can listen to my account without advertisements. The difference between this package and the £10 "Premium" package is that I can not use my account on my mobile phone. I have an Mp3 player so I made the decision not to.
I can honestly say it is the best and most worthwhile £5 (equivalent to approximately 2 beers? - I am a student!) a month I have ever spent. I have my speakers attached to my laptop in my room and use Spotify as my music player of choice, thus meaning I have a nigh-unlimited music library at my "disposal", which I most probably spend too much time utilising.
Long may the Spotify service continue. It would be a sad day if it were to disappear, especially after giving music fanatics a taste of what the future holds.
Comment number 17.At 16:06 8th Jan 2011, The_Hess wrote:
I use the free version of Spotify, primarily for the radio function. I keep a playlist for all the songs that I hear and like so that I can then go back and listen to that specific artist's collection of music. Then, if I decide that I like said artist, I will go to Amazon and purchase an album or two by them. I like having CDs as it gives my music collection a physical form. Plus, since I listen to a lot of metal and alternative music, the artwork on these albums often looks interesting in itself.
Comment number 18.At 18:05 8th Jan 2011, peejkerton wrote:
"15. At 08:56am on 08 Jan 2011, Mark_MWFC wrote:
The difference is that as soon as you stop paying your subscription you either have to use ad support or you've just lost your entire music collection, manly because you didn't have it in the first place.
You don't buy the music, you just rent it. Given how cheap music is to buy these days it just doesn't make any sense."
Again, how is that any different from my digital TV and PVR? I could record lots of films from the ad supported movie channels that also require a subscription on top of those adverts, and as soon as I stopped subscribing I wouldn't be able to access those recordings.
Comment number 19.At 21:39 8th Jan 2011, Mark_MWFC wrote:
What part of "you can't keep it" are you having difficulty with? I'm not arguing against streaming services in general, I'm saying for music, particularly if you want a collection that:
a) You want to keep even if you never buy anything else.
b) Even if you do is not dependent on one company's commercial model.
it's a poor choice.
Comment number 20.At 12:07 9th Jan 2011, IanF wrote:
@ 19.
Surely the point is that, in the future, most people won't want or need to have 'a collection' of music. (Perhaps some afficiandos who want to keep the hard copy Japanese 12" from 1982 excepted). Whether it is Spotify or someone else, it can't be too long before a/several streaming services provide all the music one could want, available online or offline, at almost perfect digital quality, available on any device anywhere. Spotify is getting pretty close to that position. Why would the vast majority of music consumers want or need to 'own a collection' in such circumstances? They won't.
Comment number 21.At 13:12 9th Jan 2011, Graham Brand wrote:
Spotify blogged again with no mention of Napster. You know, the subscription service that led the way, has a larger catalogue, greater depth, and that has had a presence in both the US and the UK for years longer than Spotify's been around.
There are things that Spotify does better than Napster, sure, they can stream to Androids and iPhones (Napster has this in the US but not in the UK), but with Napster's "To Go" service you can download subscription music to your mp3 player - probably a better system for sound quality and preserving the battery charge on your phone.
Comment number 22.At 13:26 9th Jan 2011, Graham Brand wrote:
Back in the days before I subscribed to Napster I would buy a pile of CDs every month. There's be some duff ones in there that I would only listen to once, a few that I'd listen to regularly for a month or two, and the occasional album that really grew on me and I'd still pull out and play years later.
When you subscribe to a streaming service you listen to all those albums each month and more - far more - for the price of just one or two. As the months pass you filter out which albums are the real classics - the ones you really want in your collection. There's nothing to stop you buying those and having them to keep; you're still well ahead in cost compared to buying that pile of CDs or downloads each month that you grow tired of.
Another great advantage of a service like Napster or Spotify is being able to work through a musician's back catalogue. You probably don't want all those tracks in your collection and would never get round to buying them all. A subscription service lets you follow your musical whims.
Think of the monthly cost as a subscription to a library, not as 'paying for tracks I can't keep'. I've never understood why this criticism is raised time and time again, when I never see complaints about Lovefilm or Blockbuster charging for lending you DVDs - which is a far more limited model.
Comment number 23.At 14:52 9th Jan 2011, MuckleJoannie wrote:
Spotify has been a great boon for my autistic daughter. From long before Christmas she added playlists of album after album of Christmas music. The downside was being bombarded with umpteen versions of Frosty the Snowman!
Comment number 24.At 15:14 9th Jan 2011, Ben wrote:
I've a Playlist of music (Which is most of the stuff i listen too), much of which I may never have listened too, or only listened to through youtube, of 706 tracks, 2 days of music. Now, please correct me if my maths is wrong :), but:
Now I have music from over 67 albums on the playlist. On average, i think, an album will cost (a full album, not single) about £8 (please correct me if I'm wrong). 67*8=536. Meaning I could have spent over £536 pounds on this music. But maybe i could have downloaded all 706 tracks. I think the average price for downloading music is £0.99 . 0.99*706=698.94 . If I had downloaded every song on my main playlist (i have many others too) then i would have spent £699...
Remember, this is where most of my music listening happens. (no Mp3 player or music playing phone)
So, how much has this cost me? £0.00... win :D
I've had spotify for about a year so even IF i was subscribed to the full on premium, with phone stuff and high quality etc, (and no adds) then i would have only spent £120 . Now maybe if i stayed listening to the same music for about 6 years, with a subscription, it wouldn't be good for money, but i'm constantly listening to and discovering new music on spotify. So even a full subscription is (as i see it) cheaper than buying the albums. It would cost a relatively expensive album a month (ish), but i get so much more music....
So to sum up:
I have saved potentially hundreds of £ . (though I would never have discovered much of the music, also meaning Spotify has generally improved my life). Even if I was subscribed with premium, i still would have saved money.
From a customers perspective, i see no downfall, except maybe if you have an mp3 player(which i don't), but then again it has phone compatibility. Also it doesn't have ALL music on. Yet. And of-course the adverts are annoying, but after a while you learn to ignore them, and its ok.
Comment number 25.At 17:08 9th Jan 2011, Michael wrote:
Spotify is a brilliant service, and subjectively it seems to be better audio quality than any other streaming service. I'm a free user, but I have been specifically using it to search for new (and old) music, and then buying the CDS - from the companies who provide their albums to the service!!!! I'm now spending MORE MONEY on music since starting to use Spotify.
It's unfortunate the music industry is run by stupid, greedy people that can't see the wood for the trees. With a decade (at least) of austerity before us the industry had better start getting grateful for smaller pickings as people re-evaluate the worth of services and products they buy.
Comment number 26.At 19:44 9th Jan 2011, oystercard wrote:
It's very simple why the US companies don't buy Spotify's flawed business model. I quote:-
"Look at the number of subscribers--you have some 700,000 subscribers, but you have more than 10 million users. That's not good math," explains the exec. "Say they have a 10% conversion rate. If you pour 1 million users into the top of the funnel, you'll get 100,000 subscribers paying you $10 a month. You're earning $12 million a year from those consumers, and then you have 900,000 consumers that are not paying anything. Those 1 million consumers are worth an average of $50 to $60 at retail. So you've invested about $50 million in consumer value to generate $12 million."
Quoted from a recent article on fastcompany.com
Sweden:- dodgy rape laws and flawed business concepts. Remember boo.com anyone?
Comment number 27.At 13:29 10th Jan 2011, rkjm wrote:
@Mark_MWFC It would appear to me that you view music in a rather odd way. Surely the primary aim is to listen to music? Or, have I indeed missed the point and it is really there for collection and storage in whatever form, either as vinyl/CDs on a shelf or as bits & bytes on a computer? Strikes me, that it can only be music if it is actually being listened to. Then again, I always thought stamps were used for posting letters and have never had a desire to collect them. Do you envisage collecting ad infinitum with and endless supply of storage? Have you ever belonged to any form of library? Yes, yes, I know they may have provided the books free, but I am sure you would have been fined if you tried to collect the books! Notwithstanding, you would not suggest that a Library was equally pointless and we should all own every book we wish to read.
Ah well, each to their own! Yikes, what an idea, choice!
Comment number 28.At 13:46 10th Jan 2011, rkjm wrote:
I am always staggered by the music industry and why they do not learn from bread & wine. No, I am not barking mad, well I may be, but why is there not the same drive to make your own wine as there was in the 70's, and why don't more people get a bread machine and make their own bread? Simple, the value for money makes it more attactive for the majority to pop down to the supermarket and buy it! Price music cost effectively and Joe public will not think twice about buying it, in whatever form, but preferably not sliced!! Yes, the music industry may need to scale back on what it lavishes out on its pop stars, but hey ho, one less Ferrari ain't going to hurt!
Comment number 29.At 15:42 10th Jan 2011, xlgeek wrote:
I dont often comment on these but as a Spotify premium convert i had to add my two pence worth.
I used to have a modest music collection, maybe 25 - 30 cds mostly compliations held on my ipod. To be honest I never had the time or the inclination to travel to the nearest town and spend time looking through cd store shelves to find new music. I also didnt want to take the risk of paying £5 - £10 for something I would listen to once.
I signed up to Spotify as soon as it was available. Free legal access to 1000's of tracks was a real draw to me. Some of my mates critisied it for not having the songs they wanted but I thought it was brilliant.
Since then I have bought a Android phone and upgraded to a premium subscription. Along with Tweetdeck it is probably my highest rated and most used app. It is fantastic. Last night I heard a song on an advert, I used Shazam to find out what it was and Spotify to find it. Not only that song but the whole album. I was listening to it before the add break finished. Show me someone that would write down the artist and go and buy the cd from a shop...
I can understand the anti-subscription argument - thats the reason I havent signed up to sky, why I shyed away from a subscription phone contract for ages and why I would never subscribe to a magazine. For me though access to almost any song I can imagine anywhere (wifi or 3g required of course) is a big draw.
I havent even started on the social aspect to it - you can see your facebook friends music libraries, my mates and I regularly send each other songs and albums and make collaborative playlists. Plus I can subscribe to public playlists that have started poping up on twitter and blogs - how can I do that on Itunes? For those still thinking buying phyiscal cds: your living in the dark ages. I bet you don't print things out and send them in the post, you email them. Why is this any different?
Comment number 30.At 17:29 10th Jan 2011, sagat4 wrote:
"We should never have answered that question about a launch date," duh in business you don't make claims until you can quantify them. Lesson for next time i hope
Comment number 31.At 17:47 10th Jan 2011, Us and them wrote:
Since Spotify started I have bought more CD's/ SACD's (and music DVD's) than I ever would have before, simply because you can hear the entire tracks. You cannot make a decision on 30 secs of music sample. Music Industry - you HAVE benefitted.
Download quality simply isn't good enough when a decent quality CD/ SACD exists. You might as well sit in a tin can. I'll stick with CD's until ITunes et al start to bring in 24/96 SACD quality and higher, then we'll really hear what music is about.
Comment number 32.At 01:47 11th Jan 2011, jdharding92 wrote:
As a Spotify Premium convert, the actual ownership of the music is something I don't really consider, because it's simply irrelevant to my ability to actual listen to and enjoy the music. I can discover hours of music on my computer and shove it all in a playlist which I can then access on any computer I want. My Android phone automatically syncs selected playlists so I know when I'm out and about, all those tracks are instantly available, without me having to even think of syncing my iPod. The social side of Spotify means that checking out what your friends are listening to is simple, and sharing tracks has never been easier, because you are merely sending a URL rather than a whole music file. I personally used to "own" so much digital music that the only way to realistically store all of it was on an external hard drive. Recently that hard drive, as they commonly do after a few years, died, and I now have no way of listening to all that music. Similarly, the lifespan of a CD is limited. As Spotify continues to add more and more premium features relevant to a wider audience, more people will subscribe. But for now, open and free Spotify will continue to expand the "Spotify URL" as a standard music format, which will further cause more people to pay for this brilliant service, which I can honestly say is the best £10 I spend a month.
Comment number 33.At 12:00 11th Jan 2011, creatorsfriend wrote:
The record labels are scared. The feel that not enough people in Europe have migrated to the pay service. They feel that they are almost entitled to an amount of income when the who economic basis of their industry is moving from ownership to access. So they won't license unless in the US they get agreements that if too many people use the freemium service then they will pull the plug.
In the meantime You Tube offers a service on which many of the tracks can be accessed.
Because any service can't launch without one of the majors each can effectively use their power to stop any launch happening.
Meanwhile the American ownership market is drastically falling away. Fiddling whilst Rome burns.
Comment number 34.At 12:57 11th Jan 2011, Mulrat_Rouge wrote:
Mark_MWFC: what does Spotify offer you? How about discovering new music. I recently downloaded a playlist with the top 100 albums from Rough Trade. I can flick through 100 albums and find new artists who I may never have heard of or have been willing to spend £7.99 buying their album. I can then transfer these to my phone to listen to for as long as keep paying the £10 a month.
Even though the labels don't get much money, I have gone to many more gigs as a result of listening to artists on Spotify. Maybe they should factor that in?
Comment number 35.At 13:07 11th Jan 2011, Hacky The Hufrex wrote:
I like Spotify but the music market is still wide open.
Sony should have been the company that launched ipod and itunes. They created the portable music market with the walkman and they own massive amounts of music. They're big, they have the manufacturing capacity, they have the technology, they have the intellectual property. So why didn't they do it? Somewhere along the line their management became risk averse so now instead of innovating they just copy. I don't hold out much hope for innovation in any of their products and without innovation they will decline.
These days a media company must also be a technology company and a technology company cannot survive without innovation.
Comment number 36.At 13:25 11th Jan 2011, Graphis wrote:
Record labels only existed as a means of getting an artist's music into the ear of the consumer. Now there is no need to buy a physical product, the record label is superfluous. The artists themselves should sign with Spotify, and leave the labels behind.
Comment number 37.At 15:17 11th Jan 2011, Rev wrote:
As a non buyer of music (I would tend to get my music via swaps cough cough) I refused to pay the amount that labels are requesting for CD's and down loads, I remember seeing a Album on Amazon where it was 37pence more to buy the CD and have it shipped to my house than to download load the mp3's it from their store, I mean seriously, are they telling me postage packaging, CD, Case etc etc is only worth 37 pence? No just a case of music industry Rip off (in this case the merchant)
Next lets look at Itunes selling the Beatles for 2 or 3 pounds more than buying the CD/download else where.
It appalled me that the BPI is so set in its ways that it is not willing to look at itself for its failure to sell xfactor /glee cheese music. And why would I pay almost full price for a 10/20 year old CD/download, Seriously wise up!!
Which leads to Spotify... It's Free unless you choose to pay for more services, its stopped me swapping, its stopped me downloading, the artists are are earning... and more importantly to the BPI so are the Labels are getting money too. I know its not as much as selling a song, but its money that wouldn't have been handed over before
The BPI are all for pointing fingers at us and saying 'this is your fault' but they never ever look inwards, The music industry needs to get over their greed and start thinking about survival me thinks, with the internet in 90whatever % of homes its now a consumer market and when the supplier tries to bite the hand that feeds it then we will go back to P2P, Torrent, USB hard drives, memory sticks etc etc etc
Great image here on commission breakdown for artists depending on how their music is paid for
Interesting part is how the label earns more normally than the artist (seriously look how much the label earns via itunes!!) and maybe this is why they don't like the Spotify model.... oh and the only other thing missing is , P2P downloads at the very end.... income = ZERO
Comment number 38.At 15:23 11th Jan 2011, musicalpiracy wrote:
A real audiophile does not listen to SACDs, since the SACD players are so much worse than the high end CD players. Your high horse isn't so great when you realise you don't know what you're talking about.
Keep up the good work. As far as premium service goes, great. As far as free service goes; try Grooveshark instead. Much less hassle.
Music collection or not, different people have different opinions on how music should be listened to. I personally like having access off the cloud, which is why I purchase all of my music from reputable online retailers...
Comment number 39.At 21:49 11th Jan 2011, Lance D Brown wrote:
Having been a premium subscriber for some time, I can't imagine why anyone would choose to go through the hassle of downloading and storing music. Before Spotify I had to worry about organising, tagging and backing up my music collection. Since Spotify I haven't played a single CD or mp3. All my music is a quick search away and plays quicker than if I was to search for the CD or a file on my computer/media player. It has also been the entertainment hub at every party I've held in the last year and I have often used my login at my friends parties as well!
Also many people are now used to HUGE collections of music because of illegal downloading and swapping of files. You hear of people having music collections in the 100Gb's. I can't imagine any business model other than those like Spotify that would allow access to this amount of music legally. I just want the same for Films and TV now.
However there is an issue here in that long standing music fans have specific (and often more obscure) tastes missed by Spotify (and the like) and have already invested large sums in a carefully crafted collections of CD's/downloads. These people will never 'get' Spotify for anything more than discovering music. The big market is in attracting people who don't already have large collections or are just starting to discover music (especially the young). The collecting habit will not be passed on to the next generation.
Spotify also really needs a way for new artists to create profiles and upload there music like with MySpace. How great would that be for a new band to get there music out there by sharing links to their music and getting instantly paid for every listen. I do think the amount paid to an artist per play should be higher for the first few plays and then tail off (eg, their 1st 1,000 pays earns 10p per track, while there 10,000,000th earns a fraction of a penny. This would really help new artists and would be a good reward for them adding their music into the system).
Long live Spotify and many systems like it to follow
Comment number 40.At 21:50 11th Jan 2011, Hacky The Hufrex wrote:
The media companies were told by the internet gurus that content is king so they thought they could sit back and receive their royalties without having to adapt. How can content be king when the public can easily get music for free?
The music companies need to understand that money is not the only cost that consumers pay. When consumers go online for music they pay a cost in time and they have to navigate the complexity of various web technologies. They also want to easily access their choices from multiple devices in a convenient way. Music companies can only add value for consumers if they embrace technology and develop new products. Consumers will only pay for a product if they gain something that they don't already have so the music companies need to be brave. Media on the internet is fundamentally about information discovery, information management and information communication. Music technologies must address all of these issues in an exciting way.
MadAlien's parallel with Murdoch is correct because all media companies need to get the message (granted that a few of them do). I also agree with rkjm @ 28.
Comment number 41.At 09:49 12th Jan 2011, Guille wrote:
I love Spotify, it's the present and the future. Period. Cultural media should be considered up there with electricity, water, heating....you pay your monthly fee and you get your music, films, etc...
Comment number 42.At 11:35 12th Jan 2011, Alex wrote:
I hesitate to mention what appears these days to be considered the "Great Satan", but there is an alternative offering from Microsoft which offers the best of both worlds, in my opinion anyway. Since the launch of Windows Phone 7, Microsoft Zune Pass subscriptions have become available in the UK, which offers access to the Zune library of songs as long as your subscription is current, but also allows you to download and keep 10 tracks per month. the subscription is £9 per month and the software client is one of the nicer media players on the go.
BTW, I don't work for MS :)
Comment number 43.At 12:12 12th Jan 2011, WelshBluebird1 wrote:
The keeping 10 tracks a month thing is only available with the US version of Zune Pass. The british version of Zune Pass doesn't get that part of the deal.
Comment number 44.At 18:18 12th Jan 2011, shambo wrote:
@39 New artists can get their music onto Spotify quite easily using an aggregator site (which will take a cut of course), but depending on the deal artist chooses they will get the money after the first £X pounds per track goes to the aggregator. These aggregators are trawled by Spotify and included in their library hence made available for listening.
From my point of view I still buy CDs if the album in question is truly exceptional. This I judge by listening on Spotify first. I still like having the physical product whether I use it or not afterwards (normally not as I rip to MP3 immediately).
I reckon there are quite a lot of people like me, and this is forcing the artists and labels to up their game regarding quality since people no longer by albums on the strength of a single heard on the radio. How many times did we do that before and regret the purchase? Loads in my case.
Comment number 45.At 22:00 12th Jan 2011, SuperSonic4 wrote:
What I've noticed is that all posts assume you have decent quality broadband available wherever you go. In many parts of the UK this still isn't the case
If my internet drops for whatever reason then I still have a significant local collection I can use, my portable media player can play vorbis, mp3 and flac which are easily ripped from CDs and by and large youtube will do for pre listening to a track.
I don't use spotify largely for two reasons
A) They don't have a linux client
B) I like to own my music
Nearly all digital downloads include restrictions on what you can do with the copies (compare with sharing CDs with friends) which really means you're renting the music.
Comment number 46.At 22:42 12th Jan 2011, WelshBluebird1 wrote:
To be fair to spotify, it doesn't need a great internet connection to work. Although I do take your point about the internet dropping out (is the offline playlist feature available for the desktop?)
Also, the Windows client works perfectly on Linux using Wine.
Comment number 47.At 08:54 13th Jan 2011, peejkerton wrote:
@19 Mark_MWFC
And what part of "its the same as any subscription service" aren't you understanding? I can't keep the movies they show me on Sky Movies, and people listening to music on XM/Sirius in the US can't keep the radio shows they're listening to either.
Its quite simple. Pin your eyes open and read.
Its not to build a collection to keep, and its interface is built in such a way that makes it clear. You can build a list of playlists. No subdivision or folders for those, on purpose.
Its whole purpose is to listen to music as the disposable commodity the vast majority of it ultimately is these days.
If I want to keep something, I go buy it. If I don't want to keep it. I use it on the subscription service. I can listen to it ad free for as long as I subscribe, with ads should I decide to go for the free option, or pay 99p for it from a download site if I wish to keep it.
Comment number 48.At 16:19 13th Jan 2011, Scott wrote:
Spotify is the best way to discover new music, make playlists, share music and store your music.
my hard drive packed up on me recently and I lost all of my mp3s (dating back to Napster 1999 so quite a few), but I wasn't too hung up about it because with Spotify I have everything I need. There's an extensive music database, offline mode, inbox, an iphone app and all your playlists are saved in your online profile. It may be missing a few artists such as the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin but its only a matter of time.
In 10-15 years time mp3 archives will be obsolete and everything will be streamed.
Long live Spotify.
Comment number 49.At 02:29 14th Jan 2011, Adam K wrote:
I have been using the Linux client for some time.


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I was guiding Pat Boyer, host of the TV show Northwest Hunter in NW Alaska. This picture is taken off of the video that we got of this bear that charged us up to 12 yards. We had watched her for almost an hour feeding several hundred yards away. She didn't know we were there and began feeding our way. She started walking up the hill but couldn't see us because of the curve of the hill. When she did see us from about 40 yards away, she paused, put her head down and came at us. Got some great video.
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RE: Supplementation and Preterm Birth
Posted by suzanc on 17 Jul 2009 at 03:32 GMT
The recent study by Bukowski et al. (1) found that maternal intake of folic acid-containing supplements for at least a year before conception was associated with large reductions in the risk of very preterm birth (< 32 weeks). In an accompanying commentary, Callaway et al. (2) pointed out some reasons for cautious interpretation – the small numbers of exposed very preterm births (n=16) and absence of information on dose, frequency and formulation of the supplements. We would like to point out several additional considerations that in our opinion further suggest a cautious interpretation of this study's findings.
1) Alternative explanations. As noted by Callaway et al., the actual formulation of the supplements women took was unknown. We would like to point out that it is likely that the supplements contained additional multiple vitamins and minerals. For example, based on detailed maternal interview data, among the control mothers from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS), a multi-state, population-based case-control study of deliveries from 1997-2005 (3) who took folic acid-containing supplements during the three months before pregnancy, 93% took formulas that contained multiple vitamins/minerals. Therefore, focusing on the exposure as "folic acid" is misleading. Studies often emphasize folic acid but largely ignore potential effects of the other component nutrients that are part of the supplement. We recommend that the interpretation of the findings by Bukowski and colleagues rest more on the "multiple nutrient" aspect of supplements rather than solely on folic acid. The data do not permit one to disentangle folic acid-specific effects.
2) Exposure misclassification. The Bukowski study did not consider women's supplement behavior after conception; women who took supplements during early pregnancy were considered "non-users." Also, it is unclear how the information on supplement intake was collected, and therefore uncertain how well or how consistently this information was obtained. Supplement intake behavior is quite dynamic during the periconceptional period. For example, 45% of NBDPS control mothers started taking folic acid-containing supplements during the first or second month after conception (4). The critical time window of supplementation for the potential prevention of preterm delivery is uncertain but may include these early weeks of fetal development. Classifying women who took supplements in early pregnancy as non-users may have just attenuated risk estimates in the Bukowski study, but certainly this point has broader implications for the biologic and clinical interpretations of the results. If the authors have information on early pregnancy intake (e.g., at the time of study enrollment), incorporation of that information into the analysis would have been helpful (e.g., stratify on early pregnancy users / non-users).
3) Outcome heterogeneity. It appears that the only malformation excluded from their study was anencephaly. Infants with many other structural malformations are more likely to be delivered preterm than non-malformed infants (5;6). Indeed, a previous study of the cohort analyzed by Bukowski et al. reported that liveborn infants with a structural malformation or chromosomal abnormality were 11.5 times more likely to be very preterm than unaffected infants (7). It seems particularly important to know whether the inclusion of malformed infants affected the results since the strongest findings were among the very preterm births. It would have been quite informative for the investigators to report the number of infants with structural malformations among the 16 very preterm infants that contributed to the observed findings, and to report the association of supplements with very preterm birth separately for infants with and without malformations; the stratified results may lead to different interpretations of the data. 4) Generalizability. In the Bukowski study, 56% of women were taking folic acid supplements in the year before conception, which is high relative to population-based studies in the U.S. (4;8). Supplement intake is correlated with many other health-related conditions and behaviors. Therefore, in extending these results to the general population, one needs to proceed with caution, considering carefully how applicable are the observed results for an apparently highly motivated group of women to all women who become pregnant.
Certainly many clues point toward a protective effect of folic acid and other nutrients against adverse reproductive outcomes. In our excitement to extend the potential benefits of folic acid supplementation, we encourage equal consideration of plausible alternative explanations, especially more careful attention to the complexities of nutritional exposures, which are seldom limited to folic acid.
Suzan L. Carmichael, PhD
California Research Division, March of Dimes, Oakland, CA
Gary M. Shaw, DrPH
Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Reference List
(1) Bukowski R, Malone FD, Porter FT, Nyberg DA, Comstock CH, Hankins GD et al. Preconceptional folate supplementation and the risk of spontaneous preterm birth: a cohort study. PLoS Med 2009; 6(5):e1000061.
(2) Callaway L, Colditz PB, Fisk NM. Folic acid supplementation and spontaneous preterm birth: adding grist to the mill? PLoS Med 2009; 6(5):e1000077.
(3) Yoon PW, Rasmussen SA, Lynberg MC, Moore CA, Anderka M, Carmichael SL et al. The National Birth Defect Prevention Study. Public Health Rep 2001; 116(Suppl 2):32-40.
(4) Carmichael SL, Shaw GM, Yang W, Laurent C, Herring A, Royle M et al. Correlates of intake of folic acid-containing supplements among pregnant women. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2006; 194(1):203-210.
(5) Rasmussen SA, Moore CA, Paulozzi LJ, Rhodenhiser EP. Risk for birth defects among premature infants: a population-based study. J Pediatr 2001; 138(5):668-673.
(6) Shaw GM, Savitz DA, Nelson V, Thorp JM, Jr. Role of structural birth defects in preterm delivery. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2001; 15(2):106-109.
(7) Dolan SM, Gross SJ, Merkatz IR, Faber V, Sullivan LM, Malone FD et al. The contribution of birth defects to preterm birth and low birth weight. Obstet Gynecol 2007; 110(2 Pt 1):318-324.
(8) Williams LM, Morrow B, Lansky A, Beck LF, Barfield W, Helms K et al. Surveillance for selected maternal behaviors and experiences before, during, and after pregnancy. Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2000. MMWR Surveill Summ 2003; 52:1-14.


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Stay Connected Anywhere
An expanded edition of CBS This Morning will air on WIBW-TV until 11 a.m. Tuesday morning.
A massive tornado packing winds up to 200 miles per hour kills dozens of people and injures hundreds of others, complete coverage of the disaster in Oklahoma will be included in the extended broadcast.
Price Is Right will not be seen due to the extended coverage.


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This is the latest in a string of Chayas owned by Yuji Tsunoda, of which West Hollywood's Chaya Brasserie is the best known. The new branch is perfectly poised to catch the top end of the ballpark crowd -- and, with the restaurant's $27 entrees and $200 bottles of wine, Tsunoda intends to make them pay. The menu includes both traditional sushi and inventive Western dishes: The food is well-crafted, interesting, and very good indeed. The staff is smooth and professional, in the young- and-flirty way rather than the old-career-waiter way, and the space is comfortable and well-designed. The wine list comprises 100 or so bottles from here and abroad, with an emphasis on boutique wineries, and offers a good mix of bottles you know and bottles you don't.
Yoji Iida's sushi creations are exquisite, and indeed the ambience is quite well-suited to sushi, particularly at uncrowded times. The range of choices is small -- just a few nigiri options and a few rolls -- typically a sign that a restaurant is using only what's freshest. The toro nigiri ($10) is magnificently fresh, glowing with flavor. One of the more creative maki, the San Francisco Roll ($7) is wrapped in stretchy white tofu skin rather than nori, and filled with the fruit of the land: crab, shrimp, avocado, asparagus, and bell peppers for crunch. Needless to say, the rice is flawless. One note: The sushi bar and the kitchen operate asynchronously, so if you order sushi and a three-course hot meal at the same time, there's no predicting when the sushi will arrive relative to everything else. You just have to hope the sushi bar isn't too slammed, and that it will be able to get your order out before dessert.
If you choose to go the non-sushi route, the choices broaden. The menu is a treasure trove of familiar Cal-French luxury dishes: foie gras, duck confit, tuna carpaccio, scallops wrapped in steak -- and those are just the starters. A salad of porcini, asparagus, artichoke, and cherry tomatoes ($14.50) is dressed with a truffle vinaigrette whose intensity stands up to the strong produce admirably. The asparagus consists of firm rounds of crunchy stalk, the porcini are large and resilient, and the tomatoes are fresh and tart. Despite its decadence, the salad manages to remain light and refreshing. Not so, however, a starter of pan-fried Hama Hama oysters with caviar ($13) -- their flavor is lost in that of the delicious crisp potato galette on which they rest. Fresh sea scallops ($13.50) are wrapped in thin strips of New York steak, and dressed with -- deep breath -- a tomato mustard caper yuzu vinaigrette. The scallops are served rare, while the steak is likewise tender, and so firmly fastened around the bivalves that if you close your eyes it's hard to tell you're eating two very different beasts.
Every last one of the entrees is an intensely flavored grilled or roasted piece of meat or fish: Diners in the mood for something lighter may well wish to substitute a flight of sushi at this point. Grilled choices include rib eye steak, lamb chops, chicken, venison, bacon-wrapped salmon, and halibut. Oh, and there's a sautéed fish too: bluenose sea bass, stuffed with langoustine, spinach, and sea urchin ($25).
The Sonoma lamb chops ($26.50) are so succulent, meaty, and smoky, you'd swear they had been wrapped in bacon. They are dressed in a thin, garlicky rosemary pesto jus, which brings out the flavor of the meat without leaving anything to chance; if some lamb were insufficiently savory, you wouldn't know it after this sauce takes charge. The pan-roasted Alaskan halibut ($24.50) is a very handsome piece of fish, with a healthy crust and blindingly white flesh. Accompanying it are nice fresh soy beans and artichoke pieces. Unnervingly, the whole is served on a bed of fishy white brandade, so after you get to the bottom of your halibut it's as though it has released some mysterious silt beneath itself, with much the same flavor as the fish but a pasty, grainy texture.
Dessert at Chaya is as luxurious as everything else. Particularly good is the crème brûlée trio ($8) -- three little cups containing tantalizingly small samples of smooth puddings in banana, espresso, and pistachio flavors. These are served with unexciting fruit satay and very exciting fruit sushi, consisting of tiny pieces of strawberry and kiwi wrapped in coconut "rice" and enrobed with rich chocolate. A firm, uneggy flan ($8) is also good. It is dressed for excess with quenelles of mild chocolate ganache and preserved kumquats.
Chaya is ideal if you're looking to spend a bunch of that technology-boom cash in one place. In return you get a guaranteed solid experience, including delicious food and drink, smooth service, lovely neo-industrial surroundings, and a charismatic clientele. Still, visit after visit, one may find something cold and uninviting about the place -- a feeling of too much professionalism and too little heart, perhaps, as though all the glossy food and décor is a beautiful veneer laid over nothing much.


text:
ODT Online
ODT /directory
Police are no longer concerned for a tramper who was reported
overdue in South Westland.
Greymouth police senior constable Mike Tinnelly this morning
appealed for information about Gabriel Mabbs, 62, from
Ms Mabbs rang her mother from Hokitika on April 3 to say she
was heading south and intended to do a six-day tramp. She did
not mention where and was not believed to have been heard
from since.
This afternoon Mr Tinnelly said police no longer required
information about Ms Mabbs as she had been located safe and
She was speaking with residents at the Gorge River south of
Cascade Point yesterday. She was continuing north on her
tramp back to her vehicle at Cascade car park and was
expected to be back out later today or tomorrow.
Mr Tinnelly had this morning said police were unable to begin
an official search for Ms Tinnelly because they didn't know
where to look. They only knew she was somewhere south of
He said the lack of information was "quite frustrating".
Ms Mabbs hadn't left any intentions and was two days overdue.
She was an experienced, well-equipped tramper and had a
distress beacon.
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text:
Hiya there,
I'd really like to add another column to the right hand site of my website, http://www.getyourrockout.com
without changing the template over, so I can display widgets in it as I do in the sidebar on the left of the page.
I've absolutely no idea how to do this!
Is there anybody who could help at all?
Thanks so much,


text:
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency and state officials are setting up a disaster recovery center to
help the victims of flooding in several Alabama counties earlier
this spring.
The centers will be at the Bullock County courthouse, the Capitol Heights Community Center in Montgomery and the Millbrook
Civic Center in Elmore County. They are open Monday through Thursday this week. The center in Elmore County is also open Sunday.
Victims can apply for home repair loans, check the status of their claims and get information on other programs that could
provide further assistance.
The state was hit by severe weather May 6-8, which brought flooding to some areas.
On the Web:
Disaster assistance: http://www.disasterassistance.gov
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


text:
With 3-D Printing, Imagination Is the Only Limit
3-D printing is a revolutionary new technology unlocking a world of innovation in design. The WSJ's Diana Jou explores everything from high fashion dresses to medical models made from nothing but a printer.
WSJ Live is launching Digits from Asia, a weekly technology show on the latest global consumer tech products and trends. Tune in every Wednesday at 5 p.m. Hong Kong Time.


text:
IGI Market Care is a full service marketing research agency offering high quality marketing research, analysis and consulting services across the globe.
We provide services includes :
Project Management
Survey Programming
Data Collection (both quantitative and qualitative techniques)
Data Processing & Analytics
Dashboards & Reporting
Mystry Shopping
You can visit our website:
ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators.


text:
Hourly - Intermediate ($$) - Est. Time: More than 6 months, 30+ hrs/week - PostedSkills: Customer service Customer support Email Handling
Calling all people persons; we are building a team of fun and friendly critical thinkers and creative problem solvers to cultivate our customer relationships. Are you sociable, positive, and eager to join a rapidly growing, super cool, startup? Shoot us an email here! You are a social butterfly, a creative problem solver and a critical thinker. You are bright, sharp, curious, and upbeat. You are a fast leaner and a team player. Equipped with an entrepreneurial spirit and an understanding of the unique opportunities and challenges of a startup environment, you are prepared to tackle every task thrown your way with enthusiasm and ownership. -- What will you be doing? Brainstorm and implement strategies to improve the happiness of our customers, the most crucial aspect of our business Converse with people, mainly via email, to solve problems, answer questions, and share in their enthusiasm for our awesome products Monitor trends in customer comments to help our brand managers determine which products may need to be improved, or what the market is looking for Assist in building the most streamlined and efficient possible customer response system Jump in on any task that may require extra help, as one does in the startup environment


text:
Link dsl: Download Dealer
One less thing to worry about online.
Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett, Cairo, Egypt
Creative Director: Mohamed Hamdalla
Art Directors: Tameem Youness, Mohamed Fouad
Copywriter: Mohamed Hamdalla
Photographer: Husien Shaban
Published:March, 2008
9 comments
alvinpckJul 15, 2008 - 7:34
It's "extremeLy", one "L".
Barbara Agatha G.Jul 16, 2008 - 6:02
I am afraid I need it to be spelled out for me.
I am afraid I need it to be spelled out for me.
Or better, I should spell it out: extremely.
How can a copy roughly six lines long (if you consider "one less thing...") contain a spelling mistake?!


text:
The value of patient experience
Hospitals with better patient-reported experience perform better financially
Medicare changes in post-acute care payment
Shaking up the way acute care hospitals approach post-acute care
Turning the tide on diabetes management
How leaders in health care are using multi-faceted approaches
Improving health care efficiency with social, mobile, analytics, and cloud
SMAC: Better together
Deloitte University Press
Preparing the doctor of the future
Medical school and residency program evolution
Delivering medical innovation in a value-based world
Health care thought leaders share fresh insights
Unlocking the potential of value-based care arrangements
Deloitte's 2015 Study of Medicare Advantage Health Plans and Providers
Dbriefs Webcast
Health Sciences
Anticipating tomorrow's complex issues and new strategies is a challenge. Take the lead with Dbriefs—live webcasts that give you valuable insights on important developments affecting your business. Dbriefs offers live webcasts featuring practical knowledge from Deloitte specialists.
Health Care Current: July 26, 2016
How can the health care industry work together to find a solution to drug pricing? Proposed policies may help shape the future.
Health care consumer engagement
Findings from Deloitte's 2015 Survey of US Health Care Consumers indicate consumer engagement is increasing in three important areas.
Health Care Current library
This weekly series explores breaking news and developments in the US health care industry; examines key issues facing life sciences and health care companies; and provides updates and insights on policy, regulatory, and legislative changes.
Health Care Blog
Read the Center for Health Solutions blog, sharing timely insights, research, and forward thinking for the life sciences and health care industry.
Health Care Current: May 3, 2016
MACRA is a game changer. It was designed to disrupt the US health care system at all levels.
Executing an open innovation model
Deloitte research shows that drugs sourced via an open innovation model are three times more likely to achieve late-phase clinical success.
Health care fraud and abuse enforcement
Analytics can help health care organizations minimize risks of fraud and abuse from improper relationships.
Next-generation "smart" MedTech devices
Smart, connected medical devices are now technologically/economically feasible. How might an increasingly intelligent future reshape the MedTech industry?


text:
To save world heritage sites from destruction, the US should bring back Monuments Men
Commentary: The US can provide resources to prevent the destruction of antiquities threatened by groups like the Islamic State.
The Afghanistan war was supposed to be over by now
Instead 2015 could be Afghanistan's bloodiest year yet.
Attacks on army, police and US special forces kill 50 in Kabul
The bloodshed began on Friday with a truck bomb that exploded in a heavily populated district and included an hours-long battle at a base used by US special forces.
New Taliban leader urges unity in ranks in first audio message
Mullah Akhtar Mansour's comments are apparently aimed at fending off the emerging risk of the group splintering into factions at a time when there is growing discord.
Mullah Omar's death: Taliban's loss, Islamic State's gain
Will the Taliban splinter in the wake of its leader's death?
The apparent death of the Taliban's leader could actually be bad for peace
Peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghanistan government are supposed to start today.
Afghanistan says Taliban leader Mullah Omar died more than two years ago
As the country urges peace talks, the news will likely deepen Taliban divisions over who should lead the group.
Afghanistan says Taliban leader dead, urges peace talks
US-AFGHANISTAN-TALIBAN:Afghanistan says Taliban leader dead, urges peace talks
Afghanistan's model city is also its kidnapping capital
The kidnappers in Herat are not usually members of the Taliban or any other armed opposition group. Their motives are not ideological.
Chinese FM to attend donors' conference in Nepal
BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend a conference of international donors in Kathmandu of Nepal on June 24 and 25.
Brazen Taliban attack on Afghan parliament kills two
The assault in downtown Kabul raises more questions about security as Afghan forces battle a resurgent Taliban for the first time without the aid of NATO troops.
The Taliban have captured a key district in Afghanistan's north
The Taliban are overwhelming US-trained Afghan forces and now threatening to take Kunduz City.
Greek islanders are breaking the law to help thousands of desperate migrants
Some 20,000 refugees have arrived in Lesvos since January. But the island struggles to cope, lacking funds and manpower.
It's not looking good for the world's most distinguished terrorist group
This is the current state of Al Qaeda.
Freed Taliban leader behind first US casualty in Afghanistan could soon return to fight US
Mullah Mohammad Fazl was released from Guantanamo last year as part of the swap for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. The prison uprising he planned claimed the life of Mike Spann.
Afghanistan endures a painful spring as young Afghans search for hope
Recent attacks in Kabul have spooked Westerners and challenged millennials' optimism for a better future.
The Taliban targeted foreigners in another deadly Kabul hotel attack
A five-hour assault on Kabul's Park Palace guesthouse killed at least 14, including an American, a Briton, four Indians and a Kazakh.
Afghanistan's recent advances for women could disappear as soon as US troops leave
Some experts are worried that the modest successes of the past 13 years won't stick without foreign forces propping them up.
The road to Qala-i-Jangi: Circling back to America's first casualty in Afghanistan
The Qala-i-Jangi Fortress was the site of a legendary battle in 2001. The battle offered hard lessons about Afghanistan's history that the US still seems to have failed to learn.
An Afghan millennial in exile reflects on his country from the US
Qais Akbar Omar left Afghanistan in 2012, and has been unable to return. Now he writes from Massachusetts about growing up in the midst of war.
Obama admits accidentally killing 3 Americans in counterterrorism strikes in Pakistan
One American victim, killed along with an Italian, were Al Qaeda hostages. The two other Americans were alleged Al Qaeda affiliates.
Go inside a unique school creating futures for Afghan girls (VIDEO)
Girls' education was outlawed under the Taliban, and the US invasion helped clear the way for female education. That's now under threat.
As America's longest war drags on, Afghanistan becomes 'Foreverstan'
The US military has now been in Afghanistan for nearly 14 years. A new Special Report explores what has been lost and gained.
IS claims deadly Afghan suicide attack: President Ghani
The attack appears to be the first of its kind by the Islamic State in the country.
The 'fighting season' returns to Afghanistan
The Taliban has stepped up attacks after the brutal Afghan winter. And it is now joined by the Islamic State. This fighting season could be one of the worst yet.
Equality for Afghan women remains a critical goal for President Ghani
Commentary: Rula Ghani, his wife, is an important partner in fulfilling his promise of leadership for women.
Afghanistan after the murder of Farkhunda
Afghan women are finding their voices — and their rage — in the wake of a brutal murder.
US reconstruction aid for Afghanistan is focused on weapons; much is siphoned off by corruption
Commentary: There are billions unaccounted for.
It's 2015. Time for some new US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan
America's major wars are technically over, but there are still plenty of boots on the ground. Here's a look at the missions guiding US engagement this year.
This animation shows you why cluster bombs are so devastating to civilians
The US once dropped explosives in Afghanistan that, before detonation, looked an awful lot like humanitarian rations. Here's why they're still a problem there and beyond.
The Islamic State in Afghanistan: The boogeyman under the bed
Talk — and fear — of 'Daesh' is growing in Afghanistan. But that doesn't mean its presence is increasing.
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text:
Communication FoldersThursday, June 7, 2012
25 comments
These look great. I love how all of them have a different saying that goes with each letter of the title :) Thanks for sharing.ReplyDelete
My (Not So) Elementary Life
I love these! Would you be willing to make a DOT binder??? :)ReplyDelete
Your Communication Folders look great, Jodi! :) They're so cute!!ReplyDelete
Love these!! Can you do your pages with the frog binder theme? Thanks so much!ReplyDelete
These are awesome! As part of AYP school improvement in my school, we have to list any parent contact we have with our parents...this would be wonderful to help me add to that and keep my parents informed!ReplyDelete
Following Optimism in 2nd Grade
I would like a cupcake themed cover. See acronym below. Thanks!ReplyDelete
3rd Grade Sprinkles
I love these folders! I am going to go check them out now!!!ReplyDelete
I just wanted to let you know that I bought & used your PIRATE themed notebook pack and it was awesome for this year!! I loved it!!ReplyDelete
Learning Is Something to Treasure
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
Hey Jodi! I LOVE this! I just finished my first year of first grade and I now know I want one of these! My room theme is the Circus or the Big Top. So anything with red, blue, and yellow, animals, and red/white stripes. Let me know if you end up making a Circus themed one! Thanks so much!ReplyDelete
I have been doing something similar the last couple of years. this year I was thinking of adding spelling lists for the whole year. some parents like to get a jump start with their children. I'm going to check out your themes, yours look so much nicer than what I did.ReplyDelete
I am a follower of your and would love for you to follow me.
Last was the first year I didn't do a communication folder and I felt lost without it! Thanks for sharing all your different designs! :)ReplyDelete
Stories From Second
Polka Dot!ReplyDelete
My request would be for a DOT binder or a ladybug theme.ReplyDelete
Think, Wonder, & Teach
I love your communication folders! I would love an owl theme one if you had a chance to create one.ReplyDelete
I would love an owl theme! These are great!ReplyDelete
Owl Things First
I would love an owl theme too!ReplyDelete
Swimming into Second
LOVE these folders! I have a Dr. Seuss theme in my first grade class, so if you get around to making one along these lines, I would love to get one!ReplyDelete
My team have been using the communication binders and I absolutely love their effectiveness! I may be swayed to purchase yours if you offered a turtle theme.ReplyDelete
I second the TURTLE binder! I used that theme this year !ReplyDelete
I would also love to see a Dr. Seuss theme!ReplyDelete
Fruit theme please! My second year of first grade and I'm getting a Smartboard! I'm soooooo excited!ReplyDelete
I love learning more about your blog! I am your newest follower and would love if you'd follow me back at theteachingqueen.blogspot.com/2012!!!ReplyDelete
:) Melanie
This is great! Hope to get the turtle one for my kindergarten classroom!ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete


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City 12th Ave & E. Jefferson
posted by July 19 at 17:35 PMon
Since Waids Hatian Lounge, located on 12th and Jefferson, opened in July 2006, neighbors have complained about late-night noise. This week, after a shooting occurred near Waids, a small group of Barclay Court residents marched to city hall and urged the City Council to pass legislation to protect their neighborhood. Mike Webb, who lives around the block from Waid's, told the council the shooting was the result of an illegal nightclub in our neighborhood, However, according to Seattle Police Department spokeswoman Renee Witt, SPD found no connection between the incident and Waids.
This is how bad things have gotten between Waid's owner, Waid Sainvil, and the neighborhood. For the last 3 years, neighbors say the he building Waid's occupies has been home to several problem businesses. Before it was Waid's it was Cafe Langano and before that, Mundo's.
Now, neighbors say they're fed up with the booming bass and loud patrons, and they want Waid's out of the neighborhood.
While Barclay Court residents have been complaining about the problem for years, they've yet to produce any real concrete evidence that Waid's is a problem. Anecdotally, I've gone to Waid's late on a Saturday night and didn't hear the earth-rattling bass several neighbors told me about. However, Waid Sainvil has been able to produce some evidence that he's trying to appease the neighborhood. He sent me a copy of a recent test by a sound engineer, which showed he was within the city's noise level limits, and he claims he's spent $70,000 soundproofing the building, although he was unable to show me any receipts for the work.
Yesterday, I spoke with Barclay Court resident Richard Shaffer and asked why Waid's had been blamed for the recent shooting. Shaeffer clarified the neighborhood's position. "It does appear that there was no clear connection between the shooting and Waids", he said. "There was no malicious intent [in our statement]. That was our understanding at the time. We apologize if we jumped to a conclusion."
Waid's conditional use permit which allows him to operate near a residential zone is under review by the Department of Planning and Development and a final decision about the restaurant/bar/nightclub's future should come next Monday. Sainvil is confident that his business will remain open. This thing is just getting out of control," he says. "If they want to shut me down, they have to come up with a good reason. The shooting had nothing to do with me."


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Australia Briefs Lawmakers on Plan That Would Transform Telstra
Australia's government briefed independent lawmakers on a planned national broadband network that will supplant services provided by Telstra Corp. to help win support for the A$43 billion ($42.7 billion) project.
Two legislators said they signed a two-week non-disclosure agreement and had an initial meeting this morning in Canberra with Michael Quigley, chief executive officer of NBN Co., the state-run company that will build and operate the service. The lawmakers were briefed on NBN's unpublished plan and Telstra's role, which would bring down the cost.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard needs the support of non-ruling party lawmakers in both houses of parliament to pass legislation. The high-speed Internet proposal, which would bring services to Australia's remotest corners, is the country's largest infrastructure project.
"I was happy to sign the confidentiality agreement," independent lower-house lawmaker Andrew Wilkie said in an interview in Canberra today. "I was satisfied there would be some commercially-sensitive information that should be reasonably protected."
Senator Steve Fielding, who represents the Family First party, said he also attended the NBN briefing.
The Senate will this week start debating the separation of Telstra's retail business and copper-wire network, a necessary step for the broadband plan to proceed. Both houses of parliament will discuss the overall plan next year.
Lower House independents Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter did not attend the NBN briefing. Independent Tony Windsor was not available for comment. The government needs four non-party votes in the lower house to approve laws.
Offer Appreciated
"I did not attend the briefing, although I appreciated the offer," Oakeshott said in an interview. "I was not prepared to sign the confidentiality agreement."
The government wooed the Greens Party in the Senate for the Telstra laws by promising any sale of the national broadband network would have to be approved by parliament. It still needs support from Fielding and Nick Xenophon, an independent senator.
"I am open-minded about the Telstra legislation," Fielding said in an interview. "I have had a briefing this morning and we are expecting a vote on the laws later in the week."
Xenophon met with Finance Minister Penny Wong and separately with Quigley today. He also spoke on the phone to Telstra Chief Executive Officer David Thodey, Xenophon's spokesman Rohan Wenn said.
Election Impact
Gillard's Internet plan drew fire ahead of the Aug. 21 election for its cost. She clung to power by forming a minority government with independent lawmakers from rural regions who welcomed the improved services.
Gillard's proposal includes a non-binding agreement with Melbourne-based Telstra, the nation's biggest phone company, to shut down its copper wire network and transfer customers to NBN in exchange for A$11 billion in compensation.
The broadband network is set to be completed by 2018, laying fiber optics that would reach 93 percent of the population, with the remainder served by wireless and satellite coverage. The project is comparable in size to the A$42 billion stimulus the government announced in February 2009 as it sought to protect the nation from recession.


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By Giorgia Guazzarotti As I'm sitting here, I'm assaulted by doubts. Wracked with guilt. Tempted to hit "cancel" and delete this whole thing. It feels wrong to complain about the color of my skin. My white skin. I'm Caucasian. A member of that privileged caste that will never know racism. I don't have to worry that a … [Read more...]
How I Learned to Love My Pale Skin
The Boston Attacks Unleash Viral Racism
By Ashley-Michelle Papon The country is still reeling from the attacks in Boston. At present count, three people have died and over 180 have been injured from detonation of the dual bombs that shook the Cradle of Liberty just a few hours into the annual Boston Marathon. The shock hasn't worn off, even as authorities have … [Read more...]
Mannequins Make a Statement
Text and photos (below) by Sharon Haywood Australia has made body image news again. The latest relates to the release of size 16D (US 38D/UK 38DD) mannequins in the lingerie section of the mainstream department store Myers. Back in February, Debenhams department store in London started the movement by using size UK 16 mannequins … [Read more...]
Brazil's Runway Models Predominantly White
"Off Runway, Brazilian Beauty Goes Beyond Blond" By Alexei Barrionuevo at The New York Times on June 7, 2010 Before setting out in a pink S.U.V. to comb the schoolyards and shopping malls of southern Brazil, Alisson Chornak studies books, maps and Web sites to understand how the towns were colonized and how European their … [Read more...]
What is the "Colour of Beauty"?
By Sharon Haywood According to a 2008 survey about models in New York fashion week: Six percent are Black Six percent are Asian One percent are Latina Eighty-seven percent are White … [Read more...]


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CANNINGTON Postcode (WA)
Cannington is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia and is about 10 kms southeast of WA's capital city of Perth. In the most recent Australian census the population of Cannington was 5,275. Want to know more about Cannington?
- Other suburbs with the same post code
Beckenham, East Cannington, Kenwick, Queens Park, Wattle Grove, Wilson
- Other Locations near Cannington WA
Bentley is 3 kms northwest.
Bentley South is 3 kms northwest.
Ferndale is 2 kms southwest.
Kewdale is 5 kms north.
Langford is 3 kms south.
Lynwood is 2 kms south-southwest.
Welshpool is 4 kms north.
Welshpool Dc is 3 kms north-northeast.
- Qpzm Postcodes Western Australia Suburb of the Day: Murdong 6317 -> South Western -> Western Australia


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Scanning and storing books on Google Drive
Off With Its Head!
Armed with a Chinese guillotine and a scanner with an automatic document feeder, Mike Schilli gives his books some special treatment, courtesy of Google Drive, which offers 5GB of storage space – room enough to start an online PDF collection.
Some publishers are still wary of converting to digital books, although the trail was blazed long ago. But, who relishes the prospect of carrying around pounds of reading material on vacation, especially with excess baggage costing a fortune? And, why fill your shelves at home with dustcatching books that you might not even look at until your next move?
Admittedly, I've had my shelves at home filled with unread printed books for many years – and I'm not really interested in re-purchasing the digital formats, all the more so because most of the older works will probably never appear in digital editions. This is what prompted me to purchase a US$ 400 wonder scanner by Fujitsu. The second device is purely mechanical and goes by the Jacobin name of guillotine: a paper cutter weighing approximately 40 pounds (US$ 150 on eBay) that lets me separate books of up to 600 pages from their sleeves and bindings (Figure 1).
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Mirantis to Refactor OpenStack Fuel for Kubernetes
The company is collaborating with Google and Intel to use Kubernetes as an engine for Fuel
Canonical Joins Document Foundation Advisory Board
The upcoming release of LibreOffice will be available as a snap package
SUSE Joins the Microsoft Test Drive Program
Customers can take a free test drive of SLES for HPC on the Azure Cloud
SiFive Launches a Line of Open Source Chips
San Francisco-based chip company announces their first fully open source chip platform.
Fedora 24 Released
The whole distro gets rebuilt on glibc 2.3
Canonical Announces Cross-Distro Support for Snaps
Ubuntu Vendor tries to solve app packaging and distribution problem across distributions.
ownCloud Forked
Founder of ownCloud launches the Nextcloud project.
HP Enterprise Unveils a Futuristic Computer
Will The Machine change the way future programmers think about memory?
CoreOS Announces Distributed Storage System
The new Torus distributed storage system is available under an open source license on GitHub
Google Beats Oracle in the Android Lawsuit
Juries decides Google's use of Java APIs Was Fair Use


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Ben Stiller On Broadway: My Review
Not since my last date with a sadomasochist have I been so desperate to leave a show at intermission, only to cheer so loudly at the very end.
Yes, the David Cromer-directed revival of John Guare's 1966 black comedy The House of Blue Leaves is that kind of schizo experience.
For the absurdist play to work, you have to feel empathy for its assortment of oddballs in Sunnyside, Queens, all overreacting as the pope sweeps into town.
But in Act One, the production drives you away from any connection with them.
Upcoming Events
Ben Stiller is a zookeeper/songwriter, but his real zoo is at home, where his wife is deeply depressed (Edie Falco, sans makeup, stares into space and overdoes the catatonia) and his girlfriend prattles on like crazy (Jennifer Jason Leigh overplays the chirpiness while using a weird character voice that's really hard to take).
I know the gloom is a directorial choice, but where is the charm?
The tone is wrong -- distancing, unpleasant, not funny enough.
Even the set is tilted -- literally -- to hammer home just how whacked-out these people are.
But ever the gent, I stuck it out, thinking, "At least I'm indoors."
Then came Act Two, with its fourth-wall-breaking (the audience becomes a character) and way zanier shenanigans involving a deaf actress, a bomb scare, and some beer-guzzling nuns.
And the production finally gives in to just the right tone of endearing lunacy!
It clicks. It provokes. It entertains. It disturbs.
Stiller may not seem low-level enough for his character, but he does well with it, especially when singing a cheesy knockoff of a popular tune without even realizing its origin.
And as my initial horror with this show dissolved, I had no more boos for Blue's clues.
Maybe just second-act this one?
P.S.: This makes three shows in 10 days with wacky nuns. There was the cursing addict nun of High, the hip-swiveling, disco-dancing nuns of Sister Act, and now this bunch of whack jobs (though admittedly it was written way ahead of the trend, when the idea was truly subversive).
If I never see a cute nun again onstage -- or in life -- I'll feel much closer to heaven.
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Every week we collect the latest news, music and arts stories — along with film and food reviews and the best things to do this week — so that you'll never miss Village Voice's biggest stories.
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Sorted by Most Recent AiringShowing 1 - 17 of 17
Absentee Ballots
Panelists talked about absentee balloting procedures in different states. Among the topics they addressed were reported incidents of improper counting, handling of absentee ballots,…68 views
Voting Machines
Panelists talked about the use and reliability of new technologies and voting machines in the 2004 presidential election. Among the topics they addressed were the operation of…92 views
Voter Suppression and Intimidation
Panelists talked about voting procedures in the 2004 presidential election and charges of voter intimidation and suppression in several locations. Among the topics they addressed were…76 views
Polling Place Operations & Workers
Panelists talked about polling place operations in the 2004 presidential elections and allegations of voter suppression and intimidation. Among the topics they addressed were…74 views
America's Election Process
Panelists talked about voting procedures in the 2004 elections. Among the topics they addressed were voter registration, the operation of voting machines and new technologies, rules…91 views
Provisional Ballots
Panelists talked about the use of provisional ballots in the 2004 presidential elections. Among the topics they addressed were various laws and regulations governing the counting…53 views
Civil Rights Issues
The speakers talked about the controversy over Senator Lott's remarks at a recent 100th birthday celebration for Senator Strom Thurmond, civil rights issues, affirmative action, and…87 views
Minorities and the 2000 Census Results
Panelists discussed the 2000 census numbers and whether the Bush Administration should allow scientifically adjusted census data to be used for purpose of redistricting. They also…68 views
Pressing Civil and Human Rights
Panelists discussed the complicated nature of advocating for human and civil rights in other nations. They talked about plans of action and ways in which the government can campaign…65 views
Civil Rights at the Crossroads
Panelists discussed the present and future direction of the civil rights movement. They discussed tactics of civil rights advocates of the past and how the arguments and issues have…52 views
Year 2000 Census
Panelists discussed the controversy over using sampling to try to estimate undercounted populations in the 2000 census. Following their discussion, the panelists answered questions…48 views
Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Awards Dinner
Current and former members of Congress introduced three recipients of honors for their work to further civil rights in an awards dinner. Mr. Dart, Ms. Height, and…74 views
Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Awards Dinner
Attorney General Janet Reno discussed civil rights and the agenda of the Department of Justice during a speech before a civil rights awards dinner. She touched on issues of crime…61 views
Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Awards Dinner
President Clinton and other dignitaries spoke at the Hubert H. Humphrey civil rights awards dinner to honor Americans who have furthered the cause of civil rights in U.S. society. In…91 views
Opposition to Judge Thomas Nomination
Members of several of the 185 constituent groups making up the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights participated in a news conference announcing the opposition of the Leadership Conference…82 views


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Another Life
0 Shouts - 35,936 Scrobbles
There are at least two bands that share this name:Read More...
2) Progressive Metal outfit ANOTHER LIFE is the brainchild of PAGANIZER and RIBSPREADER guitar player Andreas 'Dea' Karlsson.
During 2003 and 2004, Dea recorded the demos "Another Life" and "Melancholia".The debut demo "Another Life" (2003), was recorded by Andreas (guitar, bass and vocals) and Dan Swanö (drums, keyboards and production / EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE).The second demo "Melancholia" (2004) was recorded in Dea's home studio. All songs had only vocals and acoustic guitars.
In 2005 ANOTHER LIFE, signed to Vic Records and started to record their debut album "Memories for Nothing". Around the end of 2005 Karlsson collected high quality session-members for the recordings of ANOTHER LIFE'S debut album. This studio session recording was done by: Andreas Karlsson, all vocals, rhythm, acoustic and bass guitars, Peter Damin drums, Per Fransson lead guitars (SOULBREACH), Fredrik Pettersson guitar harmonies, Joakim Diener (ex PAGANIZER) additional bass guitar and Dan Swano keyboards.Production,mixing and mastering of course by Dan Swanö.
This endeavour expanded to a full band as Karlsson and Swano introduced lead guitarist Fredrik Petterson of HYBRID FREAK DIVISION, and the SKIES BRING TEARS musicians, second guitar player Christian Ahlsen, bass player Andreas Ottosson, keyboard player Niklas Ottosson and August Lengquist on drums. ANOTHER LIFE signed a two-record deal with Vic Records.
ANOTHER LIFE play fresh,original Progressive Metal that features excellent songwriting combined with a high degree of musicianship and are highly recommended.
2) Another Life
Banda de post hardcore/screamo, de Botucatu/SP
Thiaguinho (Screamo)
Max (Baixo/Vocal)
Gee (Guitar/Vocal)
Xupinha (Batera)
Hankashi (Guitarra)
Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
Top SongsTotal plays on Last.fm over the last 6 months
- Cotton Pines - 3,989 plays
- Falling apart - 3,392 plays
- The End of Days - 2,834 plays
- The Last Goodbye - 2,596 plays
- Everlasting - 2,290 plays
- I am Nothing - 1,982 plays
- The Everflow - 1,896 plays
- Poltava - 1,772 plays
- Concealed by Fright - 2,378 plays
- Reflections - 1,842 plays


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Whether browsing the Internet, surfing through 500 channels, or flipping through your favorite magazine (or tabloid), you'll find them everywhere: weight loss supplements that offer quick and easy solutions to shedding unwanted pounds. Simply p... Read more
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Can you boil water? Then you can make whole grains a part of your diet. Whole grains are delicious and nutritious, supplying vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. And there are many varieties to choose from besides the all-too-common wheat, oats and... Read more
Not so long ago, workout experiences were more or less the same for everyone: You would go to the gym, churn out some miles on the treadmill or elliptical, try a few weight machines or take a one-size-fits-all exercise class. All of that has chan... Read more
With roughly 45 million Americans dieting each year, healthy eating is a hot topic—not only at New Year's, but through all seasons. But at what point does eating nutritious foods become an unhealthy obsession?
When most peop... Read more
So I started on slimquick pure yesterday.. And I took my 2 pills this morning and they make me feel like I'm starving to death..WTF!!!... Read more
Did Pure Barre this morning! Kicked my ass but I'm really glad I did it :) #workout #lifttoneburn... Read more
Daft question but can you count herbal tea as water intake or does it have to be pure water?... Read more
Pure torture!!! One of the restaurants close to my office brought lunch in for us. It all looks SOOOO good!! I'm sticking to what I brought with me but I'm going to need to get out of this break room ASAP... Read more
I love Maple flakes. They taste great on my oatmeal. You can also add it to yogurt, sprinkle it on fresh fruit or berries. Add a small amount to sweeten cream or flavor your stir-fry. A small amount goes a long way. The serving size is 2 teaspoon... Read more
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HourlyHours to be determined
Start DateJanuary 14, 2013
I run a number of financial blogs dealing with binary options and the stock market.
I am currently in need of someone that can write various articles in these topics.
1) tutorial articles on binary options - 400+ words
2) General articles on binary options - 200+ words
3) Stock market tutorial articles.
I need quite a few of these both to be posted on my websites and for guest blogging SEO purposes.
We can do either hourly or fixed price. Let me know what your thoughts are.
Please only respond if you are technically capable of writing articles on these topics and can write at a native English level. I do not want to have to edit and correct these articles.
Please also start your submission with the words "Binary Options" so I know that you have read the entire listing requirement
Skills: english
About the Client
Yehud 03:30 PM
Jobs Posted
82% Hire Rate, 1 Open Job
Over $20,000
Total Spent
81 Hires, 8 Active
Avg Hourly Rate Paid
2,207 Hours


text:
Book your room at Fountains Hotel
Get an overview of this hotel3-star Cape Town hotel in Cape Town City Centre, walk to Cape Town International Convention Centre
Located in Cape Town City Centre, this hotel is within a 10-minute walk of Africa Centre, Cape Town International Convention Centre, and Greenmarket Square. Castle of Good Hope and South African National Gallery are also within 1 mi (2 km).
Hotel Features
Along with a restaurant, this smoke-free hotel has a bar/lounge and a coffee shop/café. WiFi in public areas is free. Other amenities include a conference center, a business center, and conference rooms.
Room Amenities
All 156 rooms offer free WiFi and free wired Internet, plus minibars and flat-screen TVs with satellite channels. Room service, coffee makers, and in-room massages are among the other amenities available to guests.Would you like to give us feedback? Share it! Opens in a new window
Fountains Hotel1 St Georges Mall Cape Town Western Cape 8001
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Dining options at the hotel include a restaurant and a coffee shop/café. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Business-related amenities at this 3-star property consist of a business center and meeting rooms.
A computer station is located on site and high-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary. This business-friendly hotel also offers a terrace, tour/ticket assistance, and multilingual staff. For a surcharge, the property provides an area shuttle within 20 km and a roundtrip airport shuttle (available 24 hours). Onsite parking is available (surcharge). A total renovation of this property was completed in September 2015.
Fountains Hotel is a smoke-free property.
- 24-hour front desk
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- Area shuttle (surcharge)
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Business center
- Coffee shop or café
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Computer station
- Conference center
- Conference space
- Cruise terminal shuttle (surcharge)
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Free WiFi
- Laundry facilities
- Luggage storage
- Meeting rooms 4
- Multilingual staff
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Number of floors - 11
- Porter/bellhop
- Restaurant
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Shopping center shuttle (surcharge)
- Smoke-free property
- Terrace
- Total number of rooms - 156
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Train station pickup (surcharge)
- Year Built 2006
Family Friendly Amenities
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Self parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Air conditioning
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free toiletries
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Daily housekeeping
- Desk
- Flat-panel TV
- Free WiFi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Hair dryer
- In-room massage available
- In-room safe (laptop compatible)
- Minibar
- Phone
- Private bathroom
- Room service (limited hours)
- Satellite TV service
- Shower/tub combination
Where to Eat
Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning.
Fountains Hotel has a restaurant on site.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Nearby Things to Do
- Golfing nearby
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Special check-in instructions:
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- Minimum Spring Break check-in age is 18 years old.
- The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation.
No rollaway/extra beds available
Noise-free rooms not guaranteed
- Resort fee
Optional extras
- Fee for buffet breakfast: ZAR 150 per person (approximately)
- Airport shuttle fee: ZAR +370 per person (one way)
- Self parking fee: ZAR 65 per night
- Late check-out fee: ZAR 500
Hotel Name
- Fountains Cape Town
- Fountains Hotel
- Fountains Hotel Cape Town
- Hotel Fountains
- Fountains Hotel Cape Town, South Africa
We should mention
This property offers transfers from the cruise terminal, airport, and train station (surcharges may apply). Guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. A resort fee is included in the total price displayed. Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms.
National Rating
Quality Graded by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) – South Africa's official quality assurance organization.