text:
I was born at the trading post down on the San Juan River. It was located about 20 miles south and west of Shiprock, N.M. My dad had built the trading post, and we lived there for six or seven years.
The trading post and the living quarters were all together. Our dad had built them out of logs with a sod roof; we lived in one end and the store was in the other. The building had a dirt floor, and all the supplies were freighted in with horse and wagon. They had four horses to each wagon, and all items were brought in late in the fall to last until spring. Joe Hatch was the clerk that worked in the store for our dad. My dad was very interested in the Indians and liked to trade with them. They called our dad their Indian name for him – it was "Natsa-ho" and meant "big eyes."
We had the standard supplies that could be found at any trading post. I remember the "julep." the "signatures" and Arbuckles Coffee. The coffee came in little packages about one pound and would be in the bean as it was not ground yet. Everyone had their own grinder that hung on the wall, and you just turned the handle, and it would start grinding the coffee beans, the coffee would go into a little drawer and we had coffee. Each of these packages had a "signature" on it, and you could redeem them for gifts. Mother would get sheets, pillows, table clothes and curtains. We kids would get toys and other things. Each of us had a little "breast pin"; every kid had one of those little pins! Sometimes we would even get clothes, baby clothes and things that they could get with these "signatures." You could get lamps also.
We also had a lot of flour sacks. and that was the underwear and the baby diapers. Our underwear could be "Montezuma Patent" or whatever happened to be on the flour sacks. Our dad always had candy as the Indians liked that. and he also had the "Julep" instead of pop. It came in barrels. and it sold for about 5 cents a bottle. Whenever any supplies were brought in, there was always several barrels of "Julep" for the Indians to buy.
My dad spent most of his life as an Indian trader. When he wasn't running one of these posts for somebody, he would be freighting for them. He would haul supplies down to Bluff City and down to Shiprock. It would take a day and a half to go to Shiprock with the big loads in the wagon and using four horses. On occasion there would be two wagons.
Sometimes in the fall they would bring potatoes, flour and other times it would just be a whole load of canned goods. Us kids used to go sometimes. Dad always carried a bedroll which had canvas and quilts, and we would just make it out for beds, roll it up in the morning and go on from there. We would go down, maybe half way to Shiprock and stop around the "Hogback" and stay all night. It took so long back then where now it only takes a few hours to go to Shiprock. Back then it would take a day and a half to drive down there in the wagon, unload the freight and we would start back, camp again near "Hogback" and get home late the next night.
At that time the Indians made all of their own clothes; they always had good velvet, unbleached muslin and calico. The men made their own clothing that were sewn by hand. The pants would be made out of calico that was thin, and they would line them with muslin. The Indians really liked velvet for the clothes; the shirts were made of velvet and they would line them. They would sew nickels or dimes, if they had the money; also quarters and half dollars were put on the shirts. They would have them all down the sleeves and around the neck and sometimes the hem.
Women had the velvet skirts; it was important they have those pretty colors – red, purple and all bright colors. The women made their own skirts and would use about eight widths so their skirts would be very full, ending with a flounce about 18 inches from the bottom, and the skirts went clear to the ground. They would twist them until they would hang just right! They made all of their own moccasins out of deerskin or buckskin.
The interview with Mrs. Allie Baer is published in Montezuma County Historical Society book "Great Sage Plain to Timberline-Our Pioneer Ancestors," Volume I. The February issue will continue with Meadows Trading Post. Direct questions or corrections to June Head at 565-3880.


text:
With works such as Swan Song and the historical thriller Mister Slaughter, best-selling author Robert McCammon has proven himself an extraordinarily accomplished storyteller. The Five features a rock band skirting the margins of success while touring the American Southwest. Life on the road, however, takes a strange turn when they encounter an Iraq War veteran. Soon thereafter, violence descends on the group, and their lives are tuned to a terrifying pitch.
©2011 The McCammon Corporation (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC
"Not as good as his other stuff"
I am quite a fan of Robert McCammon's "Matthew Corbett" series and when I listened to "Swan Song" I was hugely impressed and thought he could be an alternative to Stephen King. It was with this in mind that I eagerly downloaded "The Five", expecting great things but this one turned out to be a huge disappointment. I found it to be overly long and often rambling in his descriptions but even worse, the book never really seemed to get anywhere.
The story is quite linear and when McCammon does tempt us with a juicy morsel it just dries up and goes nowhere. Even the climax of the book is incredibly weak because one feels no real affinity with any of the characters, unlike Swan Song where every single character was a story in itself.
I must admit to being a bit of a masochist in that I don't give up on books and movies easily. I'm one of those people who hang on in there waiting for the story to change and suddenly get better but sadly more often than not they don't and I was bored with this book after about hour 2 and it never got any better.
I still rate McCammon quite highly as a writer and storyteller but The Five was a real drudge for me.
"American Sniper"
I agree with the review stating this was not as good as his other books. The last two hours in particular could have been done without.
The main story was great, a rock band misquoted incurs the wrath of a soldier suffering from PTSD; so he takes it upon himself to kill them. That was fine, but then there was this whole subplot about a random girl who offered them water and told them to write a healing song; and a rock venue having a haunted past, which was very wishy washy.
I'm onto his next book now, fingers crossed it's a good one.
"Not for musos"
If you work in a rock-band then avoid this novel. While the author has tried to research the "technical" side of gigging he makes some dreadful goofs as far as the gigging vibe goes and the practicality of fullfilling a tour with a decreasing number of bandmates. It just wouldn't work like he says. The first guy to get killed is the bass player but they carry on happily with the keys guy "playing his part" - in a rock band! - get real. I gave up on it ,but if you are not in the business then you may find this a decent serial killer yarn.
"This story flows like a river"
With every word of this book, Robert McCammon builds an elaborate web that goes across the American southwest, an epic and yet still a personnel battle between good and evil, makes you question your decisions and lays the groundwork and the reasoning behind deeds done later. The heroes of this book are hugely flawed, and the villains even after doing horrible crimes, aren't beyond redemption. The book is magic but it's not quite a fantasy, there are magical elements. It's the magic of what lies under our perceptions and the movers that are behind the scene.
The book takes place from the viewpoints of the band members, their manager and a damaged Veteran of the Iraq war who was at the point of suicide at the beginning of the book and see's a music video that the band made protesting the war and it touched him.... but not in a good way.
Like most of McCammon's work, at the end of the day, you'll leave after grieving, laughing with joy, shivering in the shadows, saying, "Oh no!" and falling in love with the characters. Good job Sir!
"Stop SINGING!"
I love Robert McCammon's as an author. I anxiously await the book "Baal" on audio. I read some of the review prior to ordering "The Five", and for the first time, didn't pay attention to some of the in depth comments.
McCammon rambles in this novel. On and on it seems. I always loved his turn of a phrase, but in this case, it was all filling and no turkey. But by far, the worst...and I mean what stopped me DEAD in my tracks, was the narrator SINGING...yes, singing in the worst voice you can imagine...some of the songs in story. If you want the listener to be drawn in by the dynamic rock group, and real buy into the persona...don't hire Uncle Larry to belt out the tunes. Total buzz kill. Literally made me snap the plugs for my ear and contemplate just deleting the story.
Onward to Baal. At least I know there is no music in that tome.
Stephen King - Joyland
Zero. Zip. Nothing. Take singing lessons or just DON'T sing. Thanks for ruining what little was there.
I felt like someone just picked my pocket...or that feeling you get when you put twenty bucks in a slot machine and get nothing for the trouble.
Next time there is music involved, read the lyrics...or hire a band.
"Not his best writing"
Wordy, sophmoric and tedious. Not at all like the Mathew Corbet books. A good editor might have helped but in the end I just didn't care what happened to the characters
"Written like a song with a purpose."
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a subtle thriller with twists. I particularly like the fact that McCammon has presented this story as a quest for the reason to write a last song. The fact that there is an ever-present threat to this group takes a back seat to the true story.
I liked True. He is a Marine veteran FBI agent who is fighting an internal battle. He is conflicted because he needs to save the band, but wants to help the antagonist (fellow veteran) get the help he desperately needs.
I particularly liked Nick Landrum's portrayal of the country gas station owner at the end of the book. Also, the bell-bearded member of the 13th Floors.
I was moved by Terry's climactic moment from meeting the 13th Floors keyboardist to his meeting of Pett.
As usual, McCammon has given us the most descriptive settings and characters. He has given us background of characters to allow them to develop not only in our minds, but also in our hearts. He makes us hate and love the same person. This is his talent: he knows humanity, he knows forgiveness, he knows how to write people.
"Amazing book from an amazing writer!"
I chose this book because I love Robert McCammon's early American series. Historical mysteries are my main interest, but he is such a good author that I took a chance on this story - and I am sure glad I did! This story is amazing. It takes a little while to get into the flow, but if you read McCammon, you'd best prick up your ears from the very first word, becuaue every sentence and scene is there for a reason.
"McCammon bombs this time...and not in a good way"
I am a McCammon fan! I think his "Boy's LIfe" is one of the smartest books ever written (though not on Audible as they only have an abridged version). But this is the first McCammon I've come across that I would advise people to steer clear of, it lacks the brilliance I've come to expect of McCammon's books.
In the other McCammon books it moves with interesting stories and interweaved plots, unfortunately this book drags and as a few of the characters die...well, frankly, I don't care as I haven't really formed a connection with any of them and I'm pretty sure McCammon hasn't either.
Not out to spoil what meager enjoyment there is in the book by giving out too much information but the final shoot out is probably the best part of the book.
I feel the narrator did as good a job as possible considering the material he was working with. I did listen to the end, thinking he might redeem it and make it all worth while...He didin't.
I definitely don't want to turn people off of McCammon's work. "Swan's Song" is brilliant and if audible ever does a unabridged version of "Boy's LIfe", well, it's one of my all time favorite books and you can see just how great a writer McCammon can be.
"Same excellence but wildly different"
Yes, McCammon is the master of subtlety and I'm sure I would learn more about his characters and the plot....
Perhaps in character interaction and variety of colorful personification of characters, so different yet united and are forced together in a desperate situation it is reminiscent of Stephen King's "The Stand".
How could you not love Arielle? (sorry just listened not sure how he spelled it) However, the performance was spellbinding!
Yes....a diploma makes a difference! Ask Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons.
From "Swan Song" to "The Stand" I will (as an auditory learner) enjoy listening to this again...and redundancy bores me.
"Typical great McCammon story"
McCammon stories always entertain... Especially when one is ready for just a little macabre details. Although I have enjoyed his Mathew Corbett books more, The Five reminded me of some of his older books.
More than a specific character, I enjoyed the obvious attention he gave to details of music, bands of the era, and the typical good research that goes into all his books.
Excellent rendition of character voices...really helped you "be there". He may need to work on his singing, however.
From now on when you hear of "The Fab Four", you'll remember The Five, too.
I've been attracted to Rick McCammon's books because I know him personally. He's a great guy who isn't afraid to bring up life issues and questions that he and we all deal with, and he always finds ways for "good" to win out over "evil".
"characters still cross my mind"
I found the Five absorbing – great character development. I began to think of the Five as real people that I wanted to meet and get to know. Story line was not necessarily unique but that didn't matter. I was a little disappointed in the ending. Not sure what I expected or how I would have wanted it to end but to me it just kinda sizzled out. Was long but you come to expect that with McCammon. The band members still cross my mind and I find my self missing them and wondering where they would be now and what they would be doing.
"Mystical and Mysterious in a Bad Way"
I really wanted to like this story. Mr. McCammon is a first rate writer and I???ve enjoyed all of his previous work. This one???it was a struggle to get through. The premise (I think) is a little known rock band being stalked by a ex-Marine suffering PTSD who hears voices and thinks the band is disrespectful of soldiers. The ex-Marine may or may not be a tool of some evil force who doesn???t want the band to write a particular song. The problem is that story line only covers about a third of the book. The rest is a wandering journey that goes everywhere and nowhere. There are a lot of repetitive symbols, dreams, portents and characters and issues that pop in and out randomly. I???m still not sure what the point was. Good vs. Evil? The tragedy of war? The tragedy of family? The power of music? Self-destruction? An ancient curse? Insanity? The story is disjointed, uneven and at least for me was an uphill battle to get through. The last third of the book was especially rambling.
I suppose if you???re interested in ???rock band culture??? you MIGHT find it more appealing than I did but I doubt it.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
So when was the last time (of what you can remember) where you were literally, on the floor because you were laughing so hard?
It was about 10 years ago for me. I was watching Spongebob with a good friend of mine. It was that one episode where Squidward attempts to start a band to perform in the Bubble Bowl. However as usual things didn't work out and Spongebob saved the day.
So it was when started to sing is when we started laughing hysterically and ended up on the floor.
My Past has determined your future
My torrential pain will be your unspeakable suffering
Your days are numbered
Don't fear the end
Pray for it
and unlike your own mortality
My thirst for vengeance
[Married to Raha <3]
List of CHU'ers on deviantART--SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL DEVIANTS!
And once during my first year of university, I just finished my third, I was in a Physics lab with my friend Ali. I forget what we were doing but it was kind of interesting and I said "coooooool" in a Stewie voice and it sounded just like that one episode of Family Guy. Ali started laughing really hard, but I never realized what I just did so I was just sitting there looking at him. He calmed down enough to tell me and we spent the next ten minutes laughing, I cried.
I actually have a lot of these moments at school. It's the only way besides drinking to deal with the workload. When we're studying for exams late at night we usually know it's time to leave when we get hysterical.
[Edited by SuperSkyline89, 6/6/2010 5:31:48 PM]
/--\ - Lance Corporal
Petrol Heads - High Roller
Everyone laughed, I just laughed more than needed and simply fell off my chair and rolled around a bit laughing.
I don't think it was even that funny.
* Updated game trainers and cheats daily
* Get notified when new cheats are added
* Request which games get new trainers
* Priority support with any problem


text:
Grace Cottage CEO search under way
TOWNSHEND - The search for a new top administrator at Vermont's smallest hospital is generating no shortage of applicants.
Nearly 200 applications have been reviewed as administrators seek to replace former Grace Cottage Hospital Chief Executive Officer Mick Brant, who departed in November.
"I think we have actually received a great deal of interest," said Roger Allbee, chairman of the hospital's CEO search committee.
Allbee, a former secretary of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, was appointed to lead the search committee, which interviews candidates by phone.
The committee then will make recommendations to the hospital board of directors, which will decide on a new CEO.
"At this point, the process is continuing with both the search committee and the full board until an acceptable individual is found," Allbee said.
He is not yet sure how long that process will take.
"It's more important to get the right candidate," Allbee said. "It's not about just getting somebody in there to fill a position."
Brant, who left Townshend for a hospital CEO job in Nebraska, was lauded for his "vision, energy and expertise" during fourplus years at Grace Cottage.
He oversaw development of a strategic plan and a conversion to electronic medical records. During his tenure, the hospital undertook projects including the addition of a Community Wellness Center and a new Diagnostic Imaging Center along with an expansion of the Grace Cottage-owned Messenger Valley Pharmacy.
Future projects include a planned expansion of the hospital's emergency department.
Allbee said the committee is looking for a "transformational leader" to take the reins at Grace Cottage - someone who understands both the community and the challenges of a changing health-care environment.
Noting an aging population in Vermont - and particularly in Windham County - Allbee said the emphasis will be on providing primary care.
"We need a leader who understands how to work with staff . . . to continue to be on the cutting edge," he said.
Until the search is complete, Meg Cleary is serving as Grace Cottage's interim CEO. Cleary is an experienced hospital administrator with Helms and Co. Inc., a New Hampshire company specializing in health-care consulting and management.
Mike Faher can be reached at email@example.com or 802-2542311, ext. 275.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


text:
Seriously, I had to check the calendar. Billo had American Atheists president David Silverman on, and… Oh, go see for yourself. Or, frankly, don't. You already know the dance. The steps are the same, the music is the same, the dancers are the same… only the date has changed.
Dammit, if Billo can do it, so can I. (consults random number generator…)
'Twas the night before Christmas; the Christians all hunkered
In basements of buildings they'd armored and bunkered.
They huddled in silence; they huddled in fear,
With thoughts that the atheists soon would draw near
The War Against Christmas had started on Fox—
Just a couple of fools on the idiot-box
Who were looking for noise to give ratings a boost—
But lately, those chickens have come home to roost:
Believers are frightened; they're panicked; they're scared,
And not one among them will go unprepared;
They've heard that the atheists roam, Christmas night,
So Christians stay hidden, and safe out of sight.
It's serious business, the whole Christmas season,
When people of faith fend off people of reason—
At least, that's the story you hear on TV,
So the basement's the place meant for children to be
There'll be no "Silent Night", or "Away in the Manger"
The godless might hear it! Consider the danger!
And then, they'd attack—Why, they've done it for years,
With that vile "Season's Greetings!" invading the ears!
"Happy Holidays!" may seem inclusive and nice,
But it just isn't Christmas, unless it's got Christ;
Those words are no less than a form of assault!
So it's war (and it's clearly the atheists' fault!)
(Plus, it's unpatriotic, and now it's high time
We made non-Christian greetings a federal crime!
The clear, true intent of our great founding fathers—
Which someone should check, although nobody bothers)
The elders remember an earlier time,
When a bottle of Coke only cost you a dime,
Each Christmas the snowfall was brilliant and white
And there wasn't an atheist heathen in sight!
Folks visited neighbors; they caroled with friends;
They hand-crafted gifts out of old odds and ends;
They knew that the joys of the season would last…
But now, such delights are a thing of the past.
There are rifles to oil; there is ammo to check;
There's a radio, straining to tune in Glen Beck;
No time to sing carols, or even say prayers,
With the danger that some may be caught unawares!
A war—manufactured, but war nonetheless—
Could kill hundreds, or thousands, it's anyone's guess;
They're under attack, and that is the reason
They're locked and they're loaded, the whole Christmas season!
The atheists, meanwhile, are feasting and singing;
Our stockings are hung and our sleigh-bells are ringing—
Though Jesus had nothing to do with a sleigh,
We're all unbelievers, and so it's ok!
With holly, and eggnog, and mistletoe kisses,
We'll watch "It's a wonderful life" (just like this is)
With family and friends—with the people who love us—
With no one beneath us, nor no one above us
We'll celebrate all the things Christmas is for,
Like giving, and loving, not hatred or war
And we'll say to the world (cos we've got every right):
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
(yes, I linked to this in my very most recent post. Complain to Billo–if he can put himself on autopilot, so can I)


text:
LONG POND, Pa.—Suspended NASCAR driver AJ Allmendinger is currently in the NASCAR Road to Recovery program.
The big question is what road will he be on once NASCAR determines that he's "recovered."
Allmendinger, 30, is now a driver without a home as Penske Racing released him Wednesday after NASCAR indefinitely suspended him for a June 29 drug test that he said tested positive for amphetamines.
He has said he didn't knowingly take a banned substance and is having an independent lab analyzing his supplements and medications to determine what caused the positive result.
NASCAR has been mum on the issue, but the length of Allmendinger's suspension could eventually reveal the seriousness of the issue as the recovery program is specifically tailored to the individual and the length it would take for rehabilitation and for NASCAR to be convinced the driver is not impaired on the track.
"From my limited interaction with AJ, he seems like a very mentally tough guy who can deal with things pretty well," Roush Fenway Racing driver Carl Edwards said.
"As a racer, he's a very fast racer. I don't know him personally very well, but it seems like if anybody could come back from it, it seems like he could do it. He's a young guy with a lot of enthusiasm and huge talent."
Drivers appear ready to welcome Allmendinger back to the track, but the question is what team and what sponsor will give him a shot.
"NASCAR is not going to let him back unless they feel like he is 100 percent ready," Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin said. "He will be back in a Cup car. Will it be a good Cup car? I don't think so.
"He'll get an opportunity. It's just so hard now. When champions of our sport like Matt Kenseth can't find sponsors and things, it's going to be a real tough road to get back to where you were. He had a really, really good ride in that 22 car."
When Allmendinger was initially suspended, teammate Brad Keselowski called it a death sentence as far as his future in the sport.
But Allmendinger, who drove to the victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in February, already has received a vote of confidence from team owner Michael Shank to put him back in the car for next year. And IndyCar Series owner A.J. Foyt reportedly is interested in Allmendinger.
"He's a talented driver," owner-driver Tony Stewart said. "He's a good guy and he deserves to be in this series. So whatever he has to do to make those steps happen, he's got the talent and the skill to do it and he deserves another chance."
Those owners have seen what Jeff Gordon has seen – a driver who can win races (Allmendinger won five in Champ Car before going to NASCAR) and has been showing signs of improvement in stock cars.
"AJ is a friend of mine," Gordon said. "I've always been a fan of his ever since his open-wheel runs in the CART Series. You hate to see it because it was a great opportunity for him to be at Penske in that car.
"It's disappointing to see. I'm as anxious as anybody else to know all the details as to what happened, what went wrong. He's a fighter. I don't see him just turning away. I see him doing what he can to come back."
Allmendinger's NASCAR career included two years at Red Bull Racing and another three at Richard Petty Motorsports. He was 23rd in points at Penske at the time he was suspended but showed signs of potential, including a career-best finish of second at Martinsville earlier this year.
"In the car, he was developing at a great pace and showing plenty of speed and was very competitive," five-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson said. "So time will tell. I think people like a comeback story and if AJ is committed to the process and getting back, I'm sure there will be some opportunities."
Drivers have come back on the Natinowide and truck side after suspensions for violating the NASCAR substance abuse policy. The only Cup driver who has tested positive in the past 20 years is Jeremy Mayfield, and he refused to go through the recovery program.
Allmendinger already had come back from controversy after an arrest for drunken driving in 2009. In December 2009, he pleaded no contest in North Carolina District Court to a misdemeanor charge of driving while impaired. He was given a 60-day suspended sentence, 18 months unsupervised probation and 24 hours of community service, according to the Iredell County clerk's office at the time. He had to pay a $100 fine plus court costs while RPM put Allmendinger on probation through 2010 and fined him $10,000 to be donated to charity.
"He had a really, really good ride in that (Penske) car," Hamlin said. "It's just so hard now. These companies just are not willing to take the risk like they used to – on a young driver much less someone with a bad history.
"It's going to be a tough road, but I'm sure we'll see him back in the Cup Series at some point."
Johnson believed a sponsor looking for a feel-good story might give him a shot.
"I don't think it's going to be the one that he wants to start, but over time I would assume he could get back to a good spot," Johnson said. "Everybody makes mistakes. We learn and grow from it and move on. People are usually, or mostly, responsive to that."


text:
Wales Rugby
Phillips devastated by defeat
ESPN Staff
December 2, 2012
Mike Phillips reflects on Wales' defeat to the Wallabies © PA Photos
Mike Phillips required just one word to sum up the Welsh response to a third successive Australian smash and grab raid - devastation.
Wales, World Cup semi-finalists last year and the reigning Six Nation champions, suffered their first four-Test autumn whitewash after Kurtley Beale's try 26 seconds from time gave the Wallabies a dramatic 14-12 success.
Four penalties by the brilliant and brave Leigh Halfpenny - he was carried off and taken to hospital for neck scans following some late, last-ditch defensive work - gave Wales every chance of ending a demoralising losing run. But that sequence has now stretched to seven Tests, with Australia having won their last three encounters by a combined total of just five points.
In Melbourne last June, Mike Harris booted a penalty with the game's final kick to stun Wales 25-23, then seven days later in Sydney a Berrick Barnes penalty after 75 minutes saw Phillips and company beaten 20-19.
Wales have now lost eight games on the bounce against Australia and suffered 20 defeats from 21 appointments with the Wallabies, New Zealand and South Africa since head coach Warren Gatland took charge five years ago.
"It was a game we were in control of and it's very difficult to talk about," Wales scrum-half Phillips said. "To lose again in the last minute like that, it's devastation. We would rather lose by 50 points, I think.
"But we have got to take it on the chin. We played some outstanding rugby, some of the best we have played this autumn. We played really well. We attacked and defended well, and Australia never threatened our line until the last 30 seconds, which makes it more difficult to take.
"It's a case of going back to the clubs and regions now, playing well and improving as individuals, and then come back as a squad and defend our (Six Nations) title."
Even Ryan Jones, a veteran of 70 caps, including a record 29 appearances as Wales captain, struggled to take it all in after the Wallabies followed Argentina, Samoa and New Zealand by completing 22 days of torment for Gatland's squad.
"We have been there before, during the summer," Jones said. "Fingers crossed, we will never be there again.
"We found ourselves sat there very quiet and disappointed in the dressing room. It was a tough place to be. You put your body on the line for 80 minutes, but sometimes you don't get the reward you deserve.
"These are one-score games, and we have to try to nick one of them and kick on from there. We have worked incredibly hard over the last month and got no reward.
"The positives are how this group has grown together this autumn. We have had incredibly bad luck with injuries and stuff, and for the guys to get where they were against Australia is a credit to them.
"We put in an improved performance last week against New Zealand. We finished that game strongly and we started better against Australia, but we are in the results business, I know."
If victory over the Barbarians six months ago today is discounted, Wales have not won a Test match since they clinched the Six Nations title and Grand Slam by beating France in Cardiff on March 17.
Their defence of that crown begins against Ireland in under nine weeks' time, with interim head coach Rob Howley back at the helm for that campaign as Gatland begins full-time work as British and Irish Lions boss for next summer's Australia tour.
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Communication error please reload the page.


text:
Coffee Service
Music & Games
Bulk Vending
ATMs & Kiosks
Meetings & Events
Names in the News
Vend Product News
Bulk Vending and Crane Products
Small Business News
Video Content
Press Releases
Sponsored Content
Classified Ads
Buy a Classified Ad
e-Newsletter Signup
Bookstore Sales
About Vending Times
Media Kits
Editorial Calendars
Circulation Data
Contact Us
LAKEWOOD, NJ -- BMI Merchandise (Bonita Marie) said it's introducing a "robust product range" designed to leverage the enhanced merchandising capabilities of the Elaut E-Claw machine. BMI noted that the E-Claw is on the cutting edge of the current transformation of the classic crane game into a sophisticated user-friendly merchandiser.
BMI's new line extends from currently popular brands, like apparel and accessories (including a clip light) themed to A&E Network's hit reality television series Duck Dynasty, to a variety of cellphone and other electronic accessories appealing to contemporary tastes.
"The revenue from E-Claw surpasses traditional cranes, and is driven by first-tier merchandise that efficiently leverages this state-of-the-art technology," said BMI sales and marketing vice-president Dave Schwartz.
"Cranes have always been a player's favorite game," he continued. "But the missing link has been the ability of the operator or the location management to stock them with higher-ticket products."
BMI reported that it is responding to this challenge with new kits designed to turn the E-Claw and other cranes into "merchandise boutiques" loaded with leading branded and must-have products. "Beyond great merchandise, BMI focuses on the marketing, along with consistency of weight and cost of goods sold, when creating E-Claw kits," Schwartz continued. "With E-Claw locations among the most progressive in the country, BMI can also brand the packaging with the location's name, and include crane posters depicting the contents, upon request and at no additional cost."
BMI will feature its new E-Claw kits, along with an E-Claw crane, in booth No. 825 at the IAAPA Attractions Expo, Nov. 19-22 in Orlando, FL.
photo | EVERYTHING BUT THE QUACK: New BMI merchandise for today's player-friendly upmarket prize merchandisers, like Elaut's E-Claw, includes a range of Duck Dynasty-themed apparel and accessories, attractively displayed in sturdy plastic packages. The evolution of classic cranes has expanded the market beyond the traditional plush, the company pointed out.
Connect With Us!


text:
I don't see why one shouldn't be allowed to do this, as it's not really different from plain calling
&sick; # or sick();
As part of the source hasn't been compiled (or parsed) yet, you can only jump — or call — backwards.
goto &sub doesn't return to its previous callframe. I'm not quite sure how that pans out during compilation. I think that's part of what's worrying Nicholas.


text:
Phillies tab Hamels for first Opening Day start
Halladay's streak of starting 10 consecutive season openers comes to end
By Todd Zolecki / MLB.com
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Phillies made the obvious official Thursday evening when they announced Cole Hamels will be their Opening Day starter.
It had been lined up that way for weeks.
Hamels unquestionably is the most deserving starter among a group that includes former Cy Young Award winners Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. Hamels went 17-6 with a 3.05 ERA last season, earning a trip to his third All-Star Game and finishing eighth in National League Cy Young Award voting.
Hamels last month downplayed the possibility of starting Opening Day, despite the fact he had never started one in his career. Hamels earned 2008 World Series and NL Championship Series honors, but because of an injury in 2009 and the arrival of Halladay in 2010, he never pitched the season opener, although he pitched the home opener last year.
"I've never really thought about it," Hamels said last month. "It's one game, one appearance and then you're back into the normal baseball atmosphere. I've never really looked at it as this big sort of ordeal. I've always valued the playoffs."
Hamels would rather start Game 1 of the World Series instead.
"When you have to lead off the playoff game and a series, I think that's pretty important," he said. "I think that's kind of where it's at. If you do get that honor, you just go out and stick to business and try to win a ballgame."
The Phillies open their season April 1 in Atlanta. Halladay is scheduled to pitch the second game of the year April 3, thus ending his streak of 10 consecutive Opening Day starts, which was the longest active streak in the big leagues. Lee will pitch the series finale against the Braves on April 4. That sets up right-hander Kyle Kendrick to pitch the home opener April 5 against the Royals at Citizens Bank Park. Left-hander John Lannan will make his Phillies debut April 6.
Hamels said there is a sense of urgency to win this season after missing the playoffs last year following five consecutive NL East titles.
"There's definitely a sense of urgency," he said. "If you don't have that in this game, you're not going to last long. The organization isn't going to be happy, the city isn't going to be happy. That's the reason why people obviously leave, and ultimately that's the reason I wanted to stay. I know what it takes, I know these guys want to do it. With the injuries we kind of lost the path that we were accustomed to, on top of having teams in the division playing very well. So we have to get that urgency back and get back to playing the baseball we're capable of playing."
He can get the Phillies off to a good start April 1.
Todd Zolecki is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Landmark day of violence
EGYPT has descended further into chaos as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest against the country's Islamist government - two years after the start of the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak.
At least seven people were killed and hundreds injured in the protests about the government's failure to fix the economy and heal the divided country. It was the latest confirmation that the Islamists, who have dominated elections since Mubarak was ousted, have inherited not only his presidential palace but also the blame for Egypt's myriad problems.
The anniversary was marked more by bloodshed than joy as familiar scenes played out amid the widening despair. Gunshots echoed through cities, rock-throwing youths lunged at police through clouds of tear-gas and peaceful demonstrators waved banners and shouted epithets against those in power.
Seven anti-government protesters were killed by unknown gunmen in the port city of Suez, according to state media. Unconfirmed reports from a private television station said nine people had died countrywide and about 400 people, including scores of police officers, were injured.
For months the President, Mohammed Mursi, has been engulfed in anger from secularists, who claim he and his Muslim Brotherhood party have turned increasingly authoritarian in a bid to advance an Islamist state at the expense of social justice.
The protests were the latest reminder of the volatile politics and persistent mistrust that threaten Egypt's transition.
''Mursi is finished,'' an activist Tarik Salama said. ''A lot of people voted for him, but he failed.'' One of the banners raised in Cairo's Tahrir Square read, ''Two years since the revolution, and Egypt still needs another revolution.''
Protest chants that harked back to the 18-day revolt that toppled Mubarak were now directed at Dr Mursi: ''Leave, leave.''
Protesters attacked offices of the Muslim Brotherhood and blocked highways and railways. The Brotherhood ordered followers to stay away from Tahrir Square.
Many of the youths clashing with police in Cairo, Alexandria and other cities were angry about an economy that offers little hope.
They had been joined by football fans, known as Ultras, demanding that senior police be held accountable for the deaths of 74 fans killed last year in a stadium riot.
Families of the 74 cheered when a court found 21 people guilty on Saturday and sentenced them to death. Supporters of the convicted tried to storm a prison in Port Said, killing one police officer, Al Arabiya TV reported.
Verdicts for the remaining 52 defendants will be announced in March. Nine security officials are among those on trial.
Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, agencies
Get the Morning Edition
Sign up for our daily wrap of the news you need to start your day.


text:
"The Park Service preserves and interprets our cultural treasures . . . If you have great resources you have great opportunities for interpreting them to the public, and research feeds the dynamic. "
Bill Lipe
The national parks have long played a leading role in advancing archeological research, says Bill Lipe, noted scholar and past president of the Society for American Archaeology. Today, however, he believes the agency's preservation successes may threaten the flow of knowledge and, ironically, the reason for saving sites in the first place.
"When a building is preserved," he says, "it stands as a highly public representation of the qualities that make it worth preserving. For most archeological sites, preservation is only the starting point." He believes that study, including judicious excavation, is essential to realizing a site's information potential, and hence its value to the public. Since digging destroys sites, however, the idea strikes at the very heart of preservation.
In the 1950s, sites were often completely dug up, sometimes yielding only a brief report with little possibility for more. Today, however, the "sherd-to-word ratio" is far better, so that much more can be learned from a smaller slice of earth. Despite these advances, he believes, little or no excavation is being conducted in most parks; as a result, information is going out of date. For comparison, Lipe points to current work at Crow Canyon Archaeological Center (a private research center in Colorado) which is spawning a sizable literature based on excavating less than one percent of a few sites in the region.
"I realize it's easy for me to sit outside the parks and pontificate about it," says Lipe, while lauding recent Park Service research projects. The problem, he says, is encouraging more of them.
Here he discusses the far-ranging implications for all our public lands-and beyond.
Common Ground: Why is archeological research on public lands important?
Lipe: The people of the past are gone, the words they spoke and the things they did, but the artifacts that shaped their lives are still here, and stand as a direct link between us and them. When I take people to Mesa Verde or Chaco, they want to know whether a wall or building is real or restored. In Britain it makes a huge difference to realize that a wall was once part of a Roman fort. Research makes these connections. The earliest stone tools are mere lumps of stone. But knowing they are two million years old is a telling fact.
This kind of authenticating information seldom is self-evident. Yes, written history and oral tradition provide ways of knowing the past, but archeology has its own voice.
Common Ground: How does preservation affect the issue?
Lipe: I believe there are problems in how preservation is being carried out in most federal agencies. These problems are rooted in the social value of archeological sites, and in the way preservation programs deal with that.
Archeology's main contribution to society is producing and disseminating information based on systematic study of what's left in the ground. Most sites gain value according to their potential to contribute knowledge. Therefore, one measure of a preservation program's success is whether anything useful is learned. Excavation is one of the main ways we go about learning.
No question, excavations must be frugal. Digging destroys sites. Nevertheless, what justifies preservation is the ability to use the archeological record to gather new information. Archeology is more than excavation, but an archeology without excavation cannot fulfil its social role.
Sometimes our zeal to be good preservationists, and follow the letter of the law, undercuts why we're protecting sites to begin with. We need to consider both the means-preservation-and the ends-understanding-and not assume one will take care of the other.
Common Ground: What's the research role of the Park Service as you see it?
Lipe: The Park Service preserves and interprets our cultural treasures-archeological sites, standing structures, historic battlefields and landscapes, traditional properties important to Native Americans and other groups. Stewardship of course is essential. But research and interpretation are too. The three work together. If you have great resources you have great opportunities for interpreting them to the public, and research feeds the dynamic.
There's also an implied responsibility. Since the Park Service is charged with protecting these resources, it has a responsibility to lead. Archeological stewardship by itself doesn't accomplish anything. It just makes it possible sometime in the future to do research and interpretation. If they don't get done, stewardship is left without a real goal.
Common Ground: What are the barriers?
Lipe: At least in some parks-and this is generally true in federal agencies-there's a tendency to think that research should be postponed until excavation techniques get better. In the past, I've made that argument myself. There's a good reason why this philosophy evolved. In the early days, methods were very crude. Many sites were completely dug up, precluding future research.
Although preservation remains a good policy, it can be carried to an extreme. What you're saying is that we're preserving sites today so better research can be done tomorrow. However, if the field continues to improve, we'll always be in that position. So you're always postponing into the future. This is an unwise stance. If you simply cut off research for the next century, you weaken the puzzle-solving process by hiding some of the pieces. Techniques, questions, and knowledge need to evolve together.
Common Ground: How does this policy play out on the ground?
Lipe: Park managers are often overly cautious in approving projects that involve even minimal intrusion. So certain kinds of research seldom get done by inside-the-park archeologists. When it comes to outside researchers, the same policies apply, but there's also a demanding proposal-and-permitting process that can take months if not years. What does get done are projects designed to meet the demands of the National Historic Preservation Act-when a site is threatened by a new road or pipeline, something like that.
Pledging to dig only on threatened sites has the unintended effect of trivializing archeology's contributions to society. Essentially, what we're saying is that any other socially approved activity, like putting in an access road, ranks higher as a reason for excavating than the prospect of learning something.
My own research, done with colleagues from the Crow Canyon Center, focuses on AD 1150-1300 Puebloan communities in southwest Colorado and southeast Utah. These sites may have 50 to more than 500 structures, and many are on public property. Most of the Puebloans lived here during that time. Learning about these sites is essential to understanding life at that time. Yet they're not threatened by public projects, because they're too big. If we had to wait for a pipeline to go through, we'd be in for a long wait.
Our methods go very light on the land. We're combining surface survey, remote sensing, and sampling-based excavation, which affects less than one percent of a site. I think this is a perfectly justifiable conservation model that can be used in the parks and elsewhere.
Let's face it-research, even when it involves excavation-is one of the smallest threats to the resource.
Common Ground: Could you talk about the synergies you see among stewardship, research, and interpretation?
Lipe: Public understanding is not automatic. When the visitor encounters a site, the implied question is what does this mean. Interpretation requires an intellectual context. Research provides that. The context evolves as we learn more about the places and objects that have miraculously survived from the past. Archeological research is not the only source of interpretive information, but it's an important one.
Common Ground: So how does this foster stewardship?
Lipe: Fulfilling the public good, helping the public gain some perspective is the ultimate goal. Stewardship is essential so that the real things from the past can be preserved and studied and displayed. Interpretation is the user-friendly interface between the visitor and the artifact. Research, by feeding interpretation, keeps the reason for stewardship alive.
Common Ground: Can you cite some NPS projects that are maximizing the connections between stewardship and research?
Lipe: Many park archeologists have found ways to get research done alongside strong preservation policies. Larry Nordby's work at Mesa Verde, for instance-gaining insights into how cliff dwellings were built and used through detailed architectural studies and tree-ring dating. Larry's working with Jeff Dean at the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research at the University of Arizona on these studies, which do very little to disturb the larger setting.
Common Ground: How is that work stimulating interpretation and stewardship?
Lipe: Nordby's project is producing new maps, new interpretations of sites that have been on display for generations-Cliff Palace, Balcony House, Spruce Tree House. In general, the parks do a good job of synthesizing regional research when they revise exhibits. My point is that this is increasingly based on research outside the parks, because that's where most of the work goes on.
Archeologists are sometimes involved in making their field accessible to the public, but for the most part that job is done better by specialists-journalists, TV producers, museum exhibitors, teachers, park rangers. Nordby worked with writer David Roberts to publish a piece in Smithsonian. This really expands a park's ability to interpret its resources. A lot of work is going on to improve this interface. The Society for American Archaeology is developing a number of K-12 programs, and has a media relations committee that's working to bring researchers together with the press.
Common Ground: How do you think the research potential can be realized?
Lipe: There are lots of opportunities for the Park Service to leverage its personnel and dollars. They should, first, integrate research and management and, second, collaborate with other organizations, other agencies, non-profits, academic archeologists.
Many parks are surveying huge chunks of land, something rare in research outside the parks. These surveys are incredible opportunities to learn how people used the landscape, and to spot relationships among regions in the past. The recent work at Bandelier National Monument is a good example. Other projects haven't been so successful in getting beyond piling up site forms.
You know, park archeologists are more than capable. It's a matter of giving them the mission and the time. Give them a couple of months instead of a week to design the inventory. I've seen inventories that, with very little or no increase in cost, could have made much more substantial contributions to knowledge.
One major missed opportunity has to do with assessing the damage of the recent fires in the Southwest. This work tends to focus on known sites-documenting the damage and threats from erosion. But it often doesn't look at sites discovered due to the fires.
You see in the newspapers about how many new sites came to light. At Mesa Verde, there were hundreds. What you don't see is that little is being learned about them.
What's needed is a broader vision of how the dollars are spent. Maybe it would cost too much. Or maybe some out-of-the box thinking would give us more value.
Common Ground: Can you expand on the idea of encouraging collaboration between park archeologists and academics?
Lipe: Mesa Verde recently issued a permit for its first research-oriented excavations in decades. Ken Wright, a prominent hydrologist who'se explored past uses of water at Machu Picchu and elsewhere, examined the prehistoric reservoir at Morefield Canyon, demonstrating there was a long history of sophisticated water management there. He brought expertise as well as funding, and his limited excavations produced a great deal of new knowledge. Working with both park and outside researchers, he also put together a workshop that explored whether Mummy Lake was a reservoir or a dance plaza. The answer seems to be that it was a reservoir, but probably not a very useful one. This kind of investigator-initiated research provides much of the dynamism in scientific fields. Park staff could leverage their own efforts by collaborating more.
I'll give you some other examples. A recent American Antiquity was devoted to an NPS project on Chaco Canyon from the 1970s and '80s. Park Service archeologists Tom Windes, Peter McKenna, and Joan Mathien all contributed, along with scholars from academia, museums, and the preservation field. I recently read a couple reports by academic archeologists taking the chemical fingerprints of construction beams at Chaco. They want to see where they were cut down and how far they were carried. This research can have a great impact on what the public knows about the park.
Common Ground: What are some of the obstacles to such collaborations?
Lipe: It's a two-way street. One is receptivity on the part of the parks, putting a higher value on new knowledge. The other is for researchers to fit their interests into the parks' constraints. My experience with the Canon Park Scholars Program shows some of the problems. This is a great program-where else can an archeology grad student get $25,000 a year to support dissertation research! Yet in many years the number of applications has been surprisingly low.
Maybe students and advisors see the topics as too management-oriented. With some exceptions, they are missing the possibilities. Last year's topic was the effects of fire on cultural resources. Fire has affected the archeological record for hundreds of thousands of years. You can't get much more basic than that.
Seems to me it's a lack of communication between the parks and the academic community. The physical and life sciences had lots more applications.
Common Ground: Why was that, do you think?
Lipe: Those fields have a tradition of ties with academia. These relationships are more weakly developed in archeology.
Common Ground: How can collaboration be encouraged?
Lipe: By putting the issue on the table, like we're doing now. Promote networking so outside researchers understand what projects will work in the park. Make publishing research a bigger part of the park archeologist's job. Get behind programs like the Canon Scholars.
Common Ground: And what if the research flow continues to dry up?
Lipe: The parks, as stewards of our cultural treasures, have an essential role in showing how our lives are linked with the lives of the past. Research raises questions and stimulates new methods. If the research stagnates, so does our understanding of ourselves.
As this interview takes place, the NPS Archeology Program is developing a distance learning course on archeology for park rangers and other interpreters, to foster the dynamic among research, stewardship, and interpretation. The course will be on the program's web site, www.nps.gov/archeology/. For more information, contact Barbara Little, NPS Archeology Program, 1849 C St., NW (NC210), Washington, DC 20240, (202) 343-1058, e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
Bill Lipe can be reached at the Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4910, (509) 335-2100, e-mail email@example.com.


text:
Malone debuts baby daughter on TV
Tina Malone has made her first TV appearance with new baby daughter Flame.
The 50-year-old Shameless star got pregnant after IVF treatment and gave birth to Flame just a few weeks ago, two weeks before her due date of New Year's Eve.
Introducing her daughter on This Morning, Tina said: "I feel privileged and charmed and so lucky to have her. She's so content, she's not a crier - yet."
She also said she was proud to show that older women could make good mums: " I'm not saying you should run out at 50 and get pregnant, but we should encourage debate on older women who are now more successful in the workplace, more educated, can make better choices with men and relationships.
"Why shouldn't you have the opportunities in your 40s to go for IVF, either with your own eggs or egg donation?
"I'm not saying it's for everyone at 50 to run out and get pregnant, but I have proved my critics wrong... I'm healthy and happy."
Tina appeared on This Morning with her husband Paul Chase, 31, a personal trainer who she married in 2010.
After Flame was born, Tina tweeted: "Proud to announce the arrival of our BABY GIRL,cant wait to spend xmas as a family.xxxx."
Tina has a 31-year-old daughter, Danielle, from a previous relationship.


text:
~ Eva May Young ~
It gives me a warm feeling in my heart to write poetry. I am a "Golden Ager" shut-in and writing keeps my mind busy with something I've done ever since I was a child, and it's my way of sharing our LORD with who ever comes to visit. Thanks for reading my poetry - I'd love to hear your comments. May God richly bless you. Send emails to: EvaYoung @ SkyWriting.Net
Inspirational Poems
All Rights Reserved.


text:
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA Case No. DR06-1864 Division: 57 IN RE: THE ADOPTION OF MINOR CHILD, T.J.G. NOTICE OF ACTION TO: LAMAR PAYNE Last Known Address: UNKNOWN YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action has been filed against you, and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to the petitioner's Attorney, whose name and address is JOHN DAVID TODD, 6817 SOUTHPOINT PARKWAY, SUITE 1501, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32216 on or before JANUARY 29, 2007, and file the original with the clerk of this court either before service on plaintiff or immediately thereafter; otherwise, a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition. WITNESS my hand and the seal of this Court on December 27, 2006. CHERYL STRICKLAND As the Clerk of the Court Toni Witherspoon Deputy Clerk L3730-6 Dec 29, 2006; Jan 5, 12, 19, 2007
Posted from 29-Dec-06 to 19-Jan-07
© 2018. All Rights Reserved. Contact Us


text:
Episode 1
Now What?
House and Cuddy call in sick on the Season Premiere.
Rent, buy and watch the latest movies and TV shows online
TalkTalk TV Store has more of the latest movies and TV shows than our competitors.
No subscription, so you only pay when you rent or buy a movie or TV show, from just 99p.
TalkTalk TV Store is available on PC, Mac, mobile, tablets and Chromecast.
"House," an innovative take on the medical drama, is a series in which the villain is a medical malady and the hero is an irreverent, controversial doctor who trusts no one, least of all his patients.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Now What?
House and Cuddy call in sick on the Season Premiere.
An impossible decision must be made.
Everybody lies...
Massage Therapy
A false identity is revealed.
Unplanned Parenthood
Timing is everything.
Office Politics
Results are all that matter on "House".
A Pox on Our House
Sometimes honesty isn't always the best policy.
Small Sacrifices
Faith and relationships are tested.
Larger Than Life
Every hero has his Kryptonite.
Carrot or Stick
A drill sergeant shows tough love for his trainee.
Family Practice
Family ties cause a conflict of interest.
You Must Remember This
Everybody seeks companionship.
Two Stories
Relationships at any age face growing pains.
Recession Proof
Career and happiness are called into question.
Cuddy is faced with a new reality.
Out of the Chute
The team treats a wounded heart.
Fall from Grace
A patient's menacing secret is revealed.
The Dig
Thirteen reconnects with House and the team treats a hoarder hiding a secret.
Last Temptation
Masters passes House's final exam.
Cuddy's mother makes life difficult. Candice Bergen and Donal Logue Guest-Star.
The Fix
A washed-up boxer is given a fighting chance.
After Hours
Thirteen helps a friend in need.
Moving On
Life imitates art in the season finale.
Own forever. Watch on up to 5 devices.
PC, Mac, Chromecast, iPad, iPhone, Android phones and tablets, Windows phones and tablets, Xbox, smart TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray players.
Download on iOS 8+, Android 4.0+ and Windows 8.1+ in app. Includes rentals.
Download this episode and watch on Windows Media Player*
*UK internet connection required to acquire licence Learn more.


text:
Marketplace for Monday, July 2, 2012
Heat waves in the Midwest are exacerbating rough drought conditions for the farming industry there. Meanwhile, storms in the east disrupted Amazon's data center and cloud service this weekend. Opponents of Obama's health care plan say that it will be the largest tax in the history of our country -- reporter Shereen Marisol Meraji does some fact-checking. Mexicans are hopeful its newly elected president and government will bring better times. And Tess Vigeland talks to Frank Partnoy, author of a new book that explores how slowing down in a fast-paced world can actually help with decision-making.


text: Hi guys I need some help. I had a 95 square inch frame. 18x20 string pattern. Strung up with a hybrid set up Gut in the mains with a soft poly in the crosses. Strung at 60/58 Yes It was the good natural gut from before the bht7. That had been my usual set up. Hit like a dream, felt like velvet. Then I got a new raquet. The Wilson blx pro staff 95. Same 95 square inch head side. But 16x19 string pattern I strung it up with the guy/ poly as usual. ( the new gut).same tension It Feels like a board. Yes,I have read about the old , new gut and I understand that could make it feel stiffer. So I will switch to Wilson guy next string job But my question is what effect does going from 18x20 to 16x19 have on the feel of the strings if you keep the same tensions? Should I be lowering the tension in the 16x19 to get it to feel softer like my other racquet feels ? How do I adjust the tension so it feels the same as the 18x20. The only difference is the string pattern. Any help is appreciated Thanks


text:
Retailers Now Able to Surcharge Card Use
Credit unions and other issuers could conceivably see a hit to their credit card interchange going forward if significant numbers of retailers start surcharging credit card transactions to cover their interchange costs.
Under the terms of the last year's credit card proposed interchange settlement, merchants were granted the ability to surcharge transactions paid by credit cards beginning this week.
The settlement goes into effect in stages even before it is finalized.
Merchants who want to surcharge credit card transactions must notify the card brand that they are surcharging and limit the surcharge to no more than the interchange rate they would pay on a given transaction and never more than 4% of the transaction value.
They must also notify the consumer that they are surcharging the transaction. Retailers must post notices of the surcharge at both their store's front entrance and at the point of sale.
Further, 10 states – California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma and Texas – have banned imposition of the surcharge.
Plus, the bans are not superseded by the court decision so, for example, a national retail chain that decided to surcharge credit card transactions could impose surcharges on its customers shopping in Oregon but not on those customers shopping at its California stores right across the border.
Details like these, combined with competitive sales pressures have made leading retail trade associations express doubts that there will be any retailer anywhere in the nation which will surcharge credit card use and has helped fuel retailer opposition to the proposed settlement.


text:
Pizza Making Forum
. Please
Did you miss your
activation email
1 Hour
1 Day
1 Week
1 Month
Login with username, password and session length
This topic
This board
Entire forum
Pizza Glossary
Pizza Books
Dough Calculators
Other Tools
Pizza Making Forum
Pizza Making
New York Style
For those of us without those big mixers...
« previous
next »
Pages: [
Go Down
Topic: For those of us without those big mixers... (Read 4748 times)
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Randy G
For those of us without those big mixers...
August 18, 2004, 02:01:42 PM »
...is it still possible for us to hand mix a good crust? What style crust and cooking techniques would you guys recommend for those of us without pizza stones, ultra high temp ovens and big mixers? Should we be going with pizza screens, or even a pan? Can we still get a NY style crust with these items?
Registered User
Posts: 448
Location: Minnesota
Re:For those of us without those big mixers...
Reply #1 on:
August 18, 2004, 02:56:59 PM »
No need for a big mixer, hand kneading is the true way to make pizza anyway. It is just far easier with a mixer. I mixed and kneaded all my doughs by hand for years before I bought my KitchenAid mixer. And I still knead for a short while after taking it from the mixer to get a feel for the dough.
As for oven temp, we all crave the ability to turn our home ovens higher (by the way Steve started a new thread on this the other day about fooling the oven into higher temps), but your home oven will cook very good pizzas anyway. I actually have decreased my temp to 525 to cook my New York Style.
Pizza screens vs. stones; In my experience this is a matter of personal opinion, I use both pizza stones and screens for different pizzas. Some will argue that one is much better than the other, however I have never noticed that much of a difference between the two, to conclude that one is far superior.
So rest assured that you probably already have all the tools you need to make great pizza.
Last Edit: August 18, 2004, 02:59:46 PM by Foccaciaman
Ahhh, Pizza The Fifth Food Group
Registered User
Posts: 411
Location: SF Bay Area
Italy has DOC, we have NY standards.
Re:For those of us without those big mixers...
Reply #2 on:
August 18, 2004, 03:42:56 PM »
If pros like Chris Bianco can mix 100 lbs of flour daily by hand, and reach national levels that others marvel at, you too can reach great results
an expensive mixer. As for me, I can't reach consistency on an ongoing basis without a mixer, especially when working with a higher gluten flour.
I used to hand mix, then moved to a simple $30 Oster hand mixer (with dough hooks, not blades that will cut the dough)to increase the consistency of my mix, and finally to a kitchenaid mixer as I started to increase the frequency and protein (glutency) of the flour. And I have never run the setting over 2 with either mixer.
The open design of what you place your pizza on is key though. A screen is an open design with a flat surface with plenty of holes at the bottom to provide consistent cooking, and is the only thing I use. Pans with holes can work as well, but even metal ones often have lips around the end which cause problems in heating around the lower parts of the outer crust-- this can easily be resolved by placing your pizza directly on the bottom rack for the last minute. The screen can also be a great compliment to pizza stones or tiles.
Flour, quality ingredients and various techniques are other key things to consider, which you'll find throughout this message board. Protein in flour, for example, determines the gluten level of a flour when mixed with water. All Purpose has a protein level of 9% - 12%. You may want to try a higher gluten level found in bread flours, such as Gold Medal Specialty flour (12.7% protein, available in yellow bag just about anywhere) or King Arthur's bread flour (12.7%). There are also flours stated as High-Gluten, which you can read a summary on by clicking on this discussion, and scrolling toward the bottom:
Last Edit: August 18, 2004, 06:08:54 PM by giotto
Randy G
Re:For those of us without those big mixers...
Reply #3 on:
August 18, 2004, 03:48:09 PM »
Well I'll keep plugging at it. I'm trying to get a NY crust going. I tried one experiment by putting the dough on a wire rack, and then throwing that into the oven when it was at max temp. The crust was rock hard for this. Is there a difference in heat from a stone, or direct heat from the electrical elements? Of course air is a poor conductor of heat so maybe there is.
The only other thing I can think to try is to put this big 19 inch restaurant style pan I have in as my "stone", and throw the pizza in on that when the oven reaches 500 degrees. The only problem I can think might crop up is the pan might warp or something.
If anyone can outline a NY formula for us with the basic cooking stuff (hand mix, typical pizza pan), it would be appreciated.
Lifetime Member
Global Moderator
Posts: 26935
Location: Texas
Always learning
Re:For those of us without those big mixers...
Reply #4 on:
August 18, 2004, 03:58:34 PM »
Randy G.,
What kind of dough and in what quantity will pretty much govern whether you can make the dough by hand. On the low end of the protein/gluten scale, from cake flour, 00 flour, pastry flour, and combinations of such flours, up to and including all-purpose flour, you should have no problem mixing and kneading by hand, even for fairly large amounts of dough. When you move up the next notch--to bread flour--the kneading will get a bit more difficult to do by hand, but you should still be able to do it with a little more effort, and especially so if you aren't planning to make a huge quantity of dough at one time. When you get to the upper end of the protein/gluten scale--to high-gluten flour such as King Arthur's Sir Lancelot flour or its equivalent--kneading gets more difficult and especially so if you plan to make a huge quantity of dough at one time. Since I have several machines at my disposal, I have not tried kneading a dough using the high-gluten flour entirely by hand. In fact, King Arthur says the Sir Lancelot flour should be kneaded only by a mixer, processor, or bread machine to develop the flour's gluten. Unfortunately, some of the best styles of pizza, such as the New York style, call for high-gluten flour. However, many of the recipes for New York style doughs (and others as well), often call for bread flour as an alternative to high-gluten flour, and in such case you should be able to knead the dough by hand. It will just take a little work. My best advice is to try making doughs using bread and high-gluten flours and see what results you get. What is key is getting the proper gluten development.
The two usual methods to knead dough by hand is to do it in a bowl or on a work surface. In the bowl approach, the dough ingredients are placed into a bowl (sometimes in a specific sequence) and, using a spoon or your hands, the dough is mixed and kneaded in a rotating (usually clockwise) manner while turning the bowl. This action in effect simulates the action of the dough hook of a stand mixer or the blade of a food processor (both of which operate much faster, of course, than your hands). The kneading continues until you get a dough ball that is smooth and elastic and passes the windowpane test. Quite often, the kneading will be interrupted to make minor adjustments to the flour and water used, and also by a period of rest, which allows the flour to more fully absorb the water.
The work surface approach usually calls for combining the dry ingredients on a work surface, making a well in the center, and gradually adding the water into the well while combining it with the dry ingredients, using either a fork or your fingers, being careful not to let the water escape from the well and make a mess of things. Once the ingredients have been combined into a rough ball, then the rest of the kneading is done by hand, until the final dough ball is smooth and elastic and passes the windowpane test. Again, the kneading process may be interrupted to make adjustments to the flour and water used and by a period of rest.
If you don't have a pizza stone, or you want to keep your costs down, then you can always use inexpensive unglazed tiles. There is a fair amount of material on both stones and tiles at this site at your disposal if that is the way you want to go. Just use the search feature. As alternatives to pizza stones or tiles, you can also use pans and screens. Again, there is a fair amount of information on this site as to the use of both pans and screens. Pizza stones, tiles, pans and screens all produce good pizzas, even great ones. Just start somewhere, get the feel for what you are doing, and, with time, you should do just fine. Remember, Confucius reminded us that a ten thousand mile journey begins with a single step
Registered User
Posts: 448
Location: Minnesota
Re:For those of us without those big mixers...
Reply #5 on:
August 18, 2004, 04:18:37 PM »
When I first got my screen and started cooking with it I was using it on the lowest rack just like my stone, I was getting inconsistant results until I lowered the temp about 25 degrees and moved the rack up one setting from the bottom.
That has made all the difference in my pizzas cooked on the screen. I can now easily regulate my crusts progress without over or under cooking it.
What recipe are you currently using for your dough?
Ahhh, Pizza The Fifth Food Group
Randy G
Re:For those of us without those big mixers...
Reply #6 on:
August 18, 2004, 04:26:50 PM »
Well my standard method was to proof yeast in 3/4 cup of warm sugared water, and while this is happening, mix up in a bowl a cup of bread flour, add about 2 tbsp oil, some salt and sugar. I then added the yeast, and beat it with a spoon till the mixture was as unclumped as possible. Since at this point it's kind of soupy, I'd start adding in flour slowly until I got a dough ball. I let it sit for an hour, then put it in the fridge overnight.
Then the next day I let it warm up, then spread it out on my pan, and let it rise about 1/2 hour. I parbaked it for 4 minutes at 400 degrees, then add the sauce and toping, bake for about 5 min, then add then cheese and bake till melted.
I've tried low and high temps, short and long times, and my edges still are hard (wheter it's in a flat pizza pan or a deep dish pan), enough that I don't eat them. I've made bread with the same flour (for longer times), and that doesn't get hard. So why only does my pizza dough edges get hard?
Supporting Member
Posts: 2206
Pizza, a great Lycopene source
Re:For those of us without those big mixers...
Reply #7 on:
August 18, 2004, 04:59:59 PM »
This is the book you need. All of his directions use hand mixing and kneading and the recipes are some of the best.
Lifetime Member
Global Moderator
Posts: 26935
Location: Texas
Always learning
Re:For those of us without those big mixers...
Reply #8 on:
August 18, 2004, 05:27:16 PM »
Randy G.,
Without knowing exactly the amounts of the ingredients you have been using (including the type of yeast), it's hard to say exactly why your recipe isn't working. I echo Randy's suggestion that you get Peter Reinhart's book. Reinhart does a good job laying out the steps for making dough and has a basic collection of dough recipes that are easy to follow and make use of easy to find ingredients.
In the meantime, if you can post the exact ingredients you used, and the precise steps followed, I think we might be able to detect the problem areas and offer possible solutions. That way, you may be able to make a few pizzas before you get and read the Reinhart book. I would also suggest that you search this forum for some recipes. Even if you just read the recipes you will get a very good feel for many of the things you should be doing or should not be doing.
Registered User
Posts: 411
Location: SF Bay Area
Italy has DOC, we have NY standards.
Re:For those of us without those big mixers...
Reply #9 on:
August 18, 2004, 06:56:28 PM »
Randy G:
It does not sound like you are kneading the dough after it comes together.
* Try setting your formula to include 1/3 cup of fluid per cup of flour, and feel comfortable to proof your active yeast in an additional small amount of warm water (110 F).
* Try kneading it for 5 - 10 minutes after it comes together; let it rest for 15 minutes and put it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours; let it sit for 30 minutes after you take it out; then lay it out and put it in the oven.
* The other URL that I gave you earlier has received new postings that provide suggestions for adding milk and retaining moisture that will be of help to you:
BUT before you do this,
beware that you can be blaming your dough and spending endless hours inefficiently, when the problem is related to your oven.
I'd definitely recommend that you take another route that will pay off many times over. Go to a pro who makes a crust that you like, and ask to buy their dough (usually a buck for a 14"). If you have a Trader Joes, get their normal dough for 99 cents. See how these doughs feel and handle compared to your dough. Weigh them as well.
Try cooking them with your toppings and temperatures.
If it does not work; it ain't the dough. But remember, it can be done with home-based conventions, as discussed here:
Some recommendations when placing dough into an oven: start at the bottom for 1 1/2 minutes at 515 F; then move it to 6" from the top, same temp for 6 1/2 to 7 minutes. Additional tips for oven handling can be found here:
You should get a nice browning effect like this:
Last Edit: August 19, 2004, 05:09:43 AM by giotto
Pages: [
Go Up
« previous
next »
Pizza Making Forum
Pizza Making
New York Style
For those of us without those big mixers...
Simple Machines
Mobile View


text:
The following post is by Kathleen O'Brien:
Last month in the DJC Green Building Blog, I discussed the smart move local leaders are making to help monetize social and environmental benefits available from real estate investment in new Living Buildings. But getting true value out of existing buildings built to more established green building standards can still be a challenge.
Even when major multiple listing services (MLS) incorporated environmental/green (e-cert) checkboxes were introduced for existing green homes in 2008 — and this region was the first in the nation to do so — the appraiser would often end up valuing the home just as they would any other home. So the added effort, and financial premiums invested in the home, would not be acknowledged. What a disincentive!
Two things were still needed to move the needle— credible data on the premiums for green buildings, and high quality education to produce appraisers competent in this building type. Not surprisingly, our region has been the first to coherently address these needs.
The Green Building Value Initiative — a collaborative effort of the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild, Built Green, Earth Advantage, and the Cascadia Green Building Council (GBC) — worked together between 2007-2009 hiring appraiser consultants to produce the first credible analysis identifying premiums for commercial buildings and green homes. Researchers were able to analyze green home sales because of the e-cert boxes on MLS forms. The resulting report and case studies for the residential sector are readily available from Earth Advantage Institute or SEEC LLC. The resulting report for the commercial sector is available from the Cascadia GBC.
SEEC and Earth Advantage are also addressing the second need head on for the residential sector. Both offer highly respected appraisal education. As a result there are now practicing appraisers that understand green building certifications and can effectively appraise homes that have earned them.
True story: Fiona Douglas-Hamilton, principal of SEEC, reports that the homeowner of a Built Green 5-star home (the highest certification level in that program), hoping to refinance, recently met with an appraiser to get their home valuated. As advised by SEEC, the homeowner had prepared a packet to give the appraiser. Upon review, the appraiser declined the job, saying she was not knowledgeable enough about Built Green. The Appraisal Management Company (AMC) then made contact with SEEC, which maintains a list of appraisers who have completed their continuing education courses on valuing green homes. The homeowners were able to get what they needed.
But appraisers are not the only sector needing information for green homes to be valued correctly. What if our Built Green home example had been for sale? It is the rare real estate broker who understands how to list correctly, let alone sell, this property type. With the recent McGraw Hill report estimating green building market share rising to 38% by 2016, we need educated brokers. There are, frankly, lots of courses for brokers on marketing green real estate and green building in general, but brokers still need something to help them prepare a green and/or energy efficient home properly for its appraisal — a hurdle every property needs to clear. There's a new course launched this month that SEEC has created specifically for this purpose: Appraising Green and ENERGY STAR Homes: How Agents Affect the Process.
This coming fall the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild's Olympia Chapter will be conducting a Green Valuation Symposium under the Chapter's Vision2Action Series. Intended as a follow-up to a series of green valuation roundtables held in Washington and Idaho last year under the sponsorship of the Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes program, participants will develop action plans to resolve issues identified during the roundtables.
For someone who's been in the green building arena for nearly 30 years, it's a delight to see the "links" in the green building market chain starting to get fixed.
Kathleen O'Brien is a long time advocate for green building and sustainable development since before it was "cool." She lives in a green home, and drives a hybrid when she drives at all. She continues to provide consulting on special projects for O'Brien & Company, the firm she founded over 20 years ago, and provides leadership training and mentoring through her legacy project: The Emerge Leadership Project.


text:
Coffee Service
Music & Games
Bulk Vending
ATMs & Kiosks
Meetings & Events
Names in the News
Vend Product News
Bulk Vending and Crane Products
Small Business News
Video Content
Press Releases
Sponsored Content
Classified Ads
Buy a Classified Ad
e-Newsletter Signup
Bookstore Sales
About Vending Times
Media Kits
Editorial Calendars
Circulation Data
Contact Us
Your proposal letter should contain the following in order to be effective in closing potential accounts:
Mentioning key benefits about your company will help sway the buyer to switch services. Here are several benefits to mention: insurance coverage (important for larger companies), next-day delivery, uniformed drivers, monthly exchange of bowls, all products are 100% guaranteed, and similar professional practices.
List several branded companies with which you currently do business that can give you a strong recommendation. A branded company is one that is nationally, regionally or locally recognized by the general population or by a particular business group, such as a recognized law firm, accounting firm, medical facility, furniture company, dress house, etc.
If you have not already done so, you should speak to several of these companies that are your clients and ask them if it is OK to use them as references if you need their assistance with a future prospect. Also, ask if it would be all right if, occasionally, a prospect calls them to ask a few questions. These client recommendations are very important, as they lend strong credibility to your image and that of your company. In the buyer's mind: "If IBM is using XYZ Coffee and Water Service, then they must be a very reputable company to deal with."
Mentioning company awards and affiliations is another form of establishing the credibility of your company. If you or your company were acknowledged by your local Chamber of Commerce or coffee association, a charitable institution, NAMA or another civic or industry group, mention this in your letter. Buyers know that if you are involved or affiliated as a member of a trade association, you are most likely there to learn and enhance your understanding of your industry.
Projecting cost savings in real dollars can be a real eye-opener for the buyer. If the prospect has shown you the pricing from his current coffee supplier and if you can save them money over what they are currently paying, then you should project those savings over a year or more. Example: If you can save the prospect $4 a case of coffee and they use five cases per month, if you take that $20 per month and project it over just one year, you will be saving the firm $240 annually on coffee alone. Do this with all the other products that you will be selling them, and you will give them a major reason to change companies.
Sometimes you can use percentages as well as dollars for comparison of costs. Let's say the buyer is paying $35 per case of coffee and you will be charging $31. The percentage of saving for the firm will now be approximately 12%, just on the coffee supplies. Using this simple technique when comparing bottled water service versus water filtration can blow the competition away.
Guaranteeing prices for at least one year can be effective, too. Some buyers may feel that if you are offering a low price going in, you may raise your prices several months later. I do not believe in cutting prices, but there are times when lower prices can be justified (volume discounts, over paying, purchasing several categories of merchandise, along with multiple cases at one time, no investment in equipment).
Breaking down the features and benefits of the equipment that you are recommending will give you another edge over your competition. Do not criticize their current brewer; just show what your brewing system can do to make their coffee break more enjoyable. Example: "Our Thermal Serve brewing system has no hot plates, so there is no need to worry about burnt coffee or turning off hotplates. Your coffee stays fresh and delicious for hours for all to enjoy."
Free trials have worked well since the inception of OCS. Offer the prospect a machine and supplies to enjoy for up to a week, and let the machine and products sell themselves. This technique takes much of the responsibility away from the decision-maker by prompting positive feedback from the employees. Remember that the biggest fear a buyer has when looking to switch services is making the wrong choice and looking bad in front of the whole organization.
Sending your proposal by Priority Mail, or hand-delivering it, is more effective than simply sending it first-class. The buyer will take more notice of your letter if the form of delivery is different from the norm.
A "Grow With Us Plant" is a novel way to get attention. Along with your proposal, deliver a small plant in a planter and attach at brief note: "Thanks for the opportunity for allowing me to send you my proposal. I look forward for us to grow together over the years. Sincerely, Mr. Salesperson."
The bottom line is that you and your company must do something different to stand out in the crowd.
Please reach out to me at (516) 241-4883 or by email at email@example.com and let me know how you differentiate yourself and your company from the competition.
LEN RASHKIN is a pioneer in office coffee service. He founded Coffee Sip in 1968 and after 22 years merged it with Dell Coffee, of which he became president in 1991. Sales at Dell topped $7 million dollars. Rashkin is also a founder and officer of Eastern Coffee Service Association and National Beverage Products Association. His industry honors include NCSA's (now NAMA) Silver Service Award and NBPA's Lifetime Achievement Award; he was inducted into NBPA's Hall of Fame in 1996. His marketing excellence earned him NBPA's Crystal Bean Award and three NCSA Java Awards. He is a frequent speaker at national and local trade conferences, consults on OCS sales and marketing and has is the author of two OCS training programs.
Connect With Us!


text:
Find us on:
The HIPAA Privacy Rule protects the privacy of your health information; it says who can look at and receive your health information, and also gives you specific rights over that information.
Review Date: Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Note: Documents in PDF format require the Adobe Acrobat Reader®. If you experience problems with PDF documents, please download the latest version of the Reader®.
Language Assistance Available


text:
Free Gatwick Airport Lounge terms and conditions
Complementary No1 Lounges Entry Terms and Conditions
- This offer is only redeemable for customers that have purchased a Gatwick Express (Any Permitted) First Class Return ticket online at gatwickexpress.com.
- To gain entry to the No1 Lounge the Gatwick Express or Smart Railway Travel Email Booking Confirmation & Receipt must be shown. Without the Email Booking Confirmation & Receipt you will be refused entry to the Airport Lounge. Please note that the Email Booking Confirmation & Receipt is not your Gatwick Express train ticket.
- This offer is not valid for First Class Single, First Class Group Return, First Class Carnet and First Class Day Return tickets purchased online or at other locations.
- This offer is not valid for Gatwick Express (Any Permitted) Express Class (Standard Class) ticket types.
- This offer applies to 1 complimentary entry for each First Class Return Ticket purchased online at gatwickexpress.com.
- This offer is open for both Adult and Children. A child is deemed to be under age of 15, as per the Rail Ticket.
- First Class Return travel may start at either Gatwick Airport or London Victoria.
- Entry into a No1 Lounge is subject to their conditions of entry.
- Opening hours are from 4am-10pm. Families may be asked to use designated seating areas in consideration of other guests.
- Free Airport Lounge entry refers to the entry fee into No1 Lounge at either North or South Terminal in Gatwick Airport Departures. Each lounge booking includes a 3-hour stay. Additional hours can be purchased at £10 per person, per hour.
- The customer must supply Full Name, Gatwick Express Confirmation Number and Email Address to gain entry to the Airport Lounge, as well as passport identification (or relevant travel documentation).
- No other Airport Lounges at Gatwick Airport are participating in this offer.
- This offer cannot be used with any other train company special offers.
- Gatwick Express reserves the right to withdraw or amend this offer at anytime and without notice.
- Gatwick Express or No1 Lounge is not responsible for non-redemption of the Free Airport Lounge entry for what ever reason. The offer is not exchangeable for any other offer. Cash or credit alternatives will not be offered.


text:
Anthony Onaf is a skilled and professional SEO consultant
Get in contact for top notch SEO SERVICES. We specialize in search engine optimization, search marketing, and pay per click management.
Patience It takes time to improve search engine rankings, so patience is a must.
Persistence It takes effort to enhance an online presence, so one must be persistence in their efforts.
Planning It takes strategy to drive targeted traffic to a website, so creating the right plan and successful execution of that strategy is a must.
SEO aka Search Engine Optimization is a marketing technique used to drive traffic to a website. When someone does an online search using keywords which relate to your website then it's imperative that your website is listed at the top of the search results, otherwise you will lose potential leads or sales due to your website being buried in the search results.
SEO done right can make certain your website doesn't get buried and receives top rankings. Every website owner who is serious about improving their website traffic and visibility should invest in effective SEO services.
Don't underestimate the power and importance of a good SEO campaign. It can be the one ingredient that makes or breaks your online business. Depending on your personal needs SEO can be a complicated task. It can be a complete waste of time and money if done wrong, so it's important that you get it right the first time.
Ant Onaf is here to help you get it right. We provide you with a personal SEO solution which is designed specifically for your website. We analyze your website pages, search visibility, social influences, and traffic patterns to create the best marketing plan. We intergrate knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to provide you with top notch services.
It's guaranteed that investing in our SEO services is truly money well spent. We don't just build irrevelant links around the web or stuff pages with keywords, we take a personal interest in promoting your website and give every campaign the personal attention it needs to be successful.
We deliver on our services and will not leave you dissatissfied. In a world where customer service has become a thing of the past, Ant Onaf continues to make customer service our #1 focus. We will work with you every step of the way to get results and improve your online experience. You get what you pay for and with us your paying for quality top notch services. We only concentrate on getting first page rankings, anything less is unacceptable in our book.
No project is too small or too big. If you wish to hire us then please get in contact


text: I know it's an extremely large goal and will probably never happen but I would like to try. I would like to create my own operating system. I have already reaserched and planed everything. I just need to write the code, but I don't know where to begin. I have already read all the beggining tutorials and i'm looking for the next step. Any help at all will be much appreciated.


text:
As Virginia's affiliate state association with US Youth Soccer, VYSA is a growing, vibrant youth soccer organization serving more than 140,000 boys and girls through its member clubs and leagues. With an annual budget in excess of $3 million, VYSA manages a variety of state programs for its members, including the Olympic Development Program, State Cup, Presidents Cup, Coaching Education, Tournaments, Risk Management and an annual Convention.
In this newly created position as the professional head of VYSA, the ED will implement the vision and mission established by VYSA's Board of Directors, and be responsible for the execution of VYSA's many programs utilizing a cost-effective combination of paid staff and volunteers.
The responsibilities of the ED will include the following:
· Sound financial administration of VYSA, including implementation of accounting policies, financial controls and risk management procedures,
· Supervision of VYSA's administrative and managerial employees,
· Provision of administrative support to VYSA's technical employees, such as the Technical Director,
· Strengthening communications between VYSA and its various constituencies and stakeholders, and marketing VYSA to the community,
· Oversight, management and continued development of VYSA's new field complex,
· Review and improve VYSA's use of technology,
· Negotiation of contracts with vendors and suppliers,
· Managing public and community relations.
The preferred candidate will have a college degree, ideally with post-college training and experience in management, business, accounting and/or finance. This person should be highly self-motivated and able to motivate others. Prior experience running a youth soccer organization or a sports complex is a plus. This person must have strong leadership skills, administrative skills, and computer knowledge, including Word, Excel, Quick Books, Powerpoint, and website experience, including use of online technologies. The Executive Director must be willing to work non-traditional hours and have the ability to manage people in a volunteer work environment. Salary range of $90,000 + depending on qualifications and experience.
Those interested in the Executive Director position should forward resumes to the search committee chair, Ken Bass, at: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Electronic applications should be submitted in Word or .pdf format. Applications should include a c.v., cover letter and recommendations.
We thank all applicants, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Additional information about the Virginia Youth Soccer Association can be obtained
by visiting our website at vysa.com.