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Reading Daniel Langer's brilliant paper on the future of luxury published by The Economist, I am reminded several topics that I have encountered while researching luxury brands – from apparel to chocolate – across the world, such as the increasing demand for ethics and environmental impact, rarity and craftsmanship as pivotal values (as opposed to dominant codes of the fashion industry), and of course customer experience as the most important dimension driving those choices. However, I think that some crucial issues that my research has revealed are missing in the article, and that contribute to highlight the growing complexity of the luxury world.
I will call the first "lost in translation". To begin with the basics: the brand name. Is it easy to read, to pronounce and to memorize? Does it arouse any evocation in a foreign language? In some cases, even the font (e.g. cursive writing) could be a barrier. In a few cases things can be "gained in translation", but this is more likely an exception than a rule. The fact that Hermès is transliterated in Chinese as "Hai-ma-shi" is telling: "Ma" means horse in Chinese, and the horse is a symbol of the logo and represents the brand heritage (Hermès was born as horse harness producer). Therefore, Hermès is more revealing in Chinese than in French as a brand name, but clearly not every luxury brand can expect to be as lucky.
The second issue is the lack of consistent data. To measure the KPI's of a luxury brand is often a tricky exercise: awareness and consideration are the keys, as always, but to define (and to reach) the proper target can be misleading. The super-rich, the decently well-off, and those who merely aspire to be can give you contradictory data, assuming the upscale customers agree to be interviewed (a difficult proposition at best). A further complication is that sales are not a reliable indicator, because often luxury goods are bought by tourists and business travelers, who are not representative of the country where they are sold. Also, the role of influencers has deeply affected the rules of luxury by creating a digital catwalk that often molds people's taste and preferences more than any other channel.
The third issue is that a luxury brand can boast about its unique assets or marvelous storytelling and yet still have a dramatically different relevance or understanding from one geography to another. Therefore, the cultural framework defines the meaning and the usage of luxury goods more than any other factor.
Finally, and probably the most importantly, one must consider the "who factor". Luxury goods can be used to impress others as a status symbol or social discriminator. In this case they are easily recognizable. But the flood of fakes and flamboyant logos, so popular some decades ago, are no longer appreciated by the élites at the top of the social pyramid, who can reject brands that become too commercial and mass-market. An intermediate step is "luxury for us", defined by more discrete brand signals recognizable by peers, but unnoticed by the masses. A symbol that one is among the happy few, a secluded club protected from the emulation of the merely aspirational.
The height of luxury is, however, "luxury for me": of course, this dimension evokes unique pieces and custom-made goods, the origin of luxury itself. But it includes a more contemporary meaning: if "luxury for others" means above all prestige, and "luxury for us" symbolizes privilege, then "luxury for me" stands for an emotional resonance, a unique treat, a self-reward that places personal experience before any other rationale or involvement. "Luxury for me" mirrors and pampers oneself, not simply a matter of standing or membership (as with the previous meanings of luxury). It is more a self-accomplishment, very close to the aesthetic pleasure that Maslow pyramid envisaged at the top of human needs.
To sum up, let's take a moment to talk about the future of luxury, as an additional comment on Daniel Langer's paper (https://goo.gl/8m8tG4). Each of the mentioned articulations of luxury is a profitable market.
Up till now "luxury for others" was the main source of sales, because of the larger audience of aspirers and proliferation of licenses (e.g. fragrances, make up, sunglasses), that are not real luxury goods but give you the faint aroma of a luxury brand. This trend is still working especially in the emerging geographies of luxury. However, the customers that can afford real luxury seem troubled by too-big brands accessible by everybody. Luxury means rarity, after all, and luxury democratization goes toward the opposite direction. Overexposure can dilute brand exclusivity and desirability. Hence, this consumer group tends to adhere to "luxury for us", more discreet, more selective, more refined, so as not to be confused with the masses. This cluster is prevalent among the "in-the-know" crowd: Western citizens, cosmopolitan and educated people, established professionals.
As far as the "luxury for me", it prevails only among super-rich and old money: they represent the core target for hyper-luxury goods (such as works of art, exclusive real estate, vintage classic cars), but includes an intangible dimension that doesn't rely on a property. It deals more with memorable and unique experiences, where comfort and beauty are the key words: exclusive leisure, green luxury, upscale house rental, and personal chefs are just some of the examples.


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|Atelier Totori ~Alchemist of Arland 2~ OST
|Catalog Number: KDSD-10048/9
|Released On: June 23, 2010
|Composed By: Ken Nakagawa, Kazuki Yanagawa
|Arranged By: Ken Nakagawa, Kazuki Yanagawa
|Published By: Team Entertainment
|Recorded At: Unknown
|Format: 2 CDs
Disc One01 - Pilgrimage
02 - Guidance
03 - Sea Breeze
04 - Let's Play Around
05 - The Waves Call My Name
06 - Following the Footsteps
07 - Yellow Zone
08 - I Can Still Walk
09 - Following the Footsteps ~ The Forest
10 - The Sun Shining Through
11 - A Storekeeper in a Small Village
12 - Fruit Tomato
13 - I Think I Can Make This
14 - Atelier Totori
15 - Carefree
16 - The Super Girl
17 - Following the Footsteps ~ The Plains
18 - This Looks Bad...
19 - Red Zone
20 - Ms. Clumsy's Sincere Feelings
21 - A Slice of Heaven
22 - Separate the Milk
23 - Proof of the Strong
24 - Still Can't Get It
25 - Totori Goes into a Panic
26 - The Unusual Genius Scientist
27 - A Suspicious Elephant?
28 - Following the Footsteps ~ The Ruins
29 - The Peaceful Ruins
30 - Deep in Emotion
31 - Pilgrimage ~ on orgel
Total Time:
Disc Two01 - Friends From This Day On
02 - Family Memories
03 - Let's Get It!
04 - Following the Footsteps ~ The Wilderness
05 - Across the Wilderness
07 - Moving Right Along
08 - Eureka!
09 - Crystal Waltz
10 - The Decaying Monastery
12 - Following the Footsteps ~ The Caves
13 - The Village in the Fog
14 - Dia ~ on orgel
15 - The Night's Domain ~for Atelier Totori~
16 - The Shadows Gather
17 - Ophiuchus
18 - Mr. Rooster's Appearance
19 - On a Busy Day
20 - Following the Footsteps ~ The Island
21 - The Divergent Forest
22 - The Distant Summit
23 - Try
24 - The Raging Seas
25 - Village of the Fleeting Snow
26 - Hepatica
27 - One Last Point
28 - Terminus
29 - Her Future 1
30 - Her Future 2
31 - Dia
Total Time:
Allow me to breathe a sigh of relief... there, that's better.
After a string of less-than-stellar albums from Gust Sound Team, I had lost faith that they would ever again reach the heights we found in, say, Atelier Viorate and the first Atelier Iris. But the score for Atelier Totori, the second in the "Arland Alchemist" series (and thus a direct sequel to Atelier Rorona), is a delightful, much-needed return to form.
Let's start with the vocal tracks. The opening theme, "Pilgrimage," follows the now-expected formula of a folksy, rhythmic 6/8 piece with lots of harmonic backup during the chorus. Melodically, it's as catchy and memorable as White Night Illusion from the first Atelier Iris. Mega points for bringing back the classic Atelier vocal style. The ending track, "Dia," will be remembered by this reviewer less for the vocal performance and more for the incredible string section recording in the opening minute. The piece itself is more than sufficient in length: six minutes, and featuring a tempo switch from 4/4 to 6/8 about halfway through. It's a lot to sit through, but the cello part kept me listening.
Looking for the next generation of Atelier themes? The same excellent composition of five years ago, but with slightly better samples in the sound bank? You'll find it all over the first half of disc one. "The Waves Call My Name" is simply beautiful. The composition is as strong as some of the strongest themes from past Atelier games, and the audio quality is superb.
The standard battle theme, "Yellow Zone," is extremely catchy. The instruments that carry the melody (tin whistle, xylophone, accordion, in that order) are excellent, and the rhythmic breaks are perfect. This may not be a song that would translate well to an SSH arranged album, but it works just fine in its original form. It will stick with you, I promise. It rivals some of the better battle themes from accomplished composers such as Yoko Shimomura, Noriyuki Iwadare, and Nobuo Uematsu. Do I have your attention now? This is good stuff!
There are a few dungeon exploration tracks that are part of the "Following the Footsteps" series. Each one of these tracks has left a distinct impression on me. They are all great in their own right. We have sampled one of them for you to check out ("The Forest"), though they're all great.
The shopping tracks are really good too. I was pleasantly surprised by the bebop-style jazz piece, "Fruit Tomato" – and I was reassured and calmed by the simplicity of "Storekeeper in a Small Village."
On the second disc, we find some very interesting, refined pieces of music. Among the battle themes, "GO GO TOTORI" (which I can only assume is combat-related) and "TARGET" stand out as two chief tracks that simply cannot be forgotten. And "One Last Point" has that epic sound with the cascading piano chords and larger-than-life choirs. You know pieces like these if you've followed the Gust Sound Team. And, again, this is a glorious return to form. I love it.
What's so shocking about all this, however, is that we're working with a fairly different team compared to past works. Akira Tsuchiya and Daisuke Achiwa are totally out of the picture (as they have been, generally, for a few games now). Ken Nakagawa worked solo on the previous Atelier entry (Rorona), and while that was a unique soundtrack, it lacked the appeal of the best soundtracks in the series (again: Viorate, Iris). For this soundtrack, Ken Nakagawa teamed up with Kazuki Yanagawa. Recognize that name? You probably don't, but Yanagawa-san was a contributor to the underwhelming Ar tonelico III soundtrack. When I first read that Yanagawa would be helping Nakagawa on the Totori soundtrack, I thought "this is it. This is the final nail in the coffin." I really thought this series was done for, musically. I cannot tell you how happy I am to report that I'm wrong. I made the comparison to Iwadare earlier, and I would argue that this soundtrack does, at times, have a sound that is reminiscent of Lunar and Grandia. In other words, it's simultaneously light and epic, subtle and overwhelming.
Maybe we won't get another superior Gust soundtrack for another five years. If that's necessary, well, so be it. This is my third time saying it, but the Atelier Totori soundtrack is a return to form for the Atelier series, and it should please fans old and new alike. I highly recommend importing the soundtrack. It's absolutely worth it.
Reviewed by: Patrick Gann

subset: commoncrawl


text: The staging--and Demme's filming of it--builds toward an orgasmic release of music, rising from the bare-stage simplicity of Byrne, accompanied only by a boom box on "Psycho Killer," to the ecstatic crescendo of "Burning Down the House," by which time the Heads and additional personnel have all arrived on stage for a performance that seems channeled from heaven for the purpose of universal uplift. (God bless Demme for avoiding shots of the luckiest audience in '80s pop history; its presence is acknowledged, but not at the viewer's expense.) With the deliriously eccentric Byrne as ringleader (pausing mid-concert to emerge in his now-legendary oversized suit), this circus of musical pleasure defies the futility of reductive description; it begs to be experienced, felt in the heart, head, and bones, and held there the way we hold on to cherished memories. On those three nights in December 1983, Talking Heads gave love, life, and joy in generous amounts that years cannot erode, and Demme captured this act of creative goodwill on film with minimalist artistic perfection. Stop Making Sense is an invitation to pleasure that will never wear out its welcome. --Jeff Shannon


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Join Bar for tea time
Saturday, Oct 19
1 – 3pm
Ginjan Cafe, at 125th St and Park Ave
New York City
Send to a friend that should be here (especially if you can't come yourself!)
Oct 19
1 – 3pm
Ginjan Cafe, at 125th St and Park Ave
2 seats left!
What is Tea Time, exactly?
Tea Time is where five-ish strangers sit at a cafe with a Host to have a two hour conversation. It's not about anything in particular.
You're meant to know pretty much nothing about the people that come, aside from the fact that they all signed up for this — just like you. It's self-selecting in that sense.
However, it may bring you comfort to know a little something about your Host. If so, just keep reading
Meet your Host, Bar.
(It'll be helpful to know what they look like when you're looking for a group of confused strangers at the cafe.)
Stories are one thing everyone has. When you share them -- whether happy, sad, inspiring, or hilarious -- you share pieces of yourself. Stories are even better when paired with tea. Tea has superpowers: it keeps you awake, helps you sleep, wires you up, calms you down, fights the cold, beats the heat, and helps you shed pounds. Come for the tea, stay for the stories.
What's your story?
I'm a nomad – I don't think I've ever spent more than 5 years in one place. I was born in Mysore, moved to Bangalore, Hyerabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai, London, New York City, Evanston (Go! Northwestern Go!), Cincinnati, Chicago, and now back to NYC. I also try to visit a new country every year to keep the number I've been to at least the same as my age. In my spare time I love following soccer (especially Manchester United) and dabbling in new skills. Most recently I've done slacklining, geocaching, and cooking.
What might we talk about?
We can talk about your journey; all the important decisions that led you to the moment where you're getting tea with some strangers, especially your first ever screenname. We can talk about how raisins are just grapes that went bad. We can discuss the fact that haircuts always look better after a week. I'm especially curious to hear about the best live music you attended and what is next up on your list. Of course, this being New York we have to mention where we ate our best bagel.
I just spit the dope lines; I don't snort 'em. –Boots Riley


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2015 saw the growth of programmatic TV and radio, and advances in targeting (think Google Match's Similar Audiences) as well as increasing use of ad blocking technology – a new headache for marketers. While 2015 was certainly a banner year for digital media, the industry is predicted to grow even more rapidly in 2016.
At Katana, we're already planning for the upcoming year, and we've pulled together 10 digital marketing predictions to help you jumpstart 2016.
- Ad blocking won't go away: Rates in the U.S. already range from 6-16% depending on the age group. Expect those numbers to increase. Yet, marketers won't turn tail and give up. They'll begin looking for ways around the blocking either via reaching out to consumers directly or moving advertising dollars to social platforms or mobile apps.
- Increased use of speech-based queries: Personal assistants – think Siri, OK Google and Cortana – are becoming more widely used. More and more people are no longer typing in search queries, but are searching via voice-activated commands. Marketers must ensure that their digital content is adequately optimized for these searches.
- Targeting will be taken to a whole new level: Targeting consumers across devices with highly-personalized ads has never been easier, thanks to the amount of data we are now able to collect on consumers. You can already create ads on Twitter that have people's names on them. Marketers, however, must walk a fine line with these ads, as too much targeting may make consumers uncomfortable.
- You only thought a lot of new technology was released in 2015: Digital marketing will drastically change next year due to the rapid release of an abundance of new tech – think more devices like Oculus Rift and improvement in wearable tech. Marketers must be prepared to create content and advertising that best fit these different screen sizes and the way users consume content on them.
- Reduction in overly intrusive ads: In part a response to increased ad blocking, this trend is also related to new thinking in website design. User experience has been a big push for websites – especially with recent Google algorithm updates. This thinking will overflow to ad placement as well. Companies will be forced to think about where ads live and how they affect site users.
- Rise of the streaming video app bundles: Consumers have been cutting the cable cord for years. TV networks have noticed and have created their own streaming apps. The problem is that there are now so many. To reduce turning off consumers who would have to pay for individual apps, many cable companies and streaming services are looking for ways to bundle these individual apps.
- Marketing will become common in messaging apps: Ads in messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger will become much more prevalent. With nearly a billion active users, it's no surprise that platforms like Facebook want to take advantage of their native messaging.
- Facebook isn't going anywhere any time soon: Predictions have been abundant for years that the lack of young people on the platform would signal the end of Facebook. But, eMarketer has pointed out that while it might not be their favorite platform, young people are using it. It expects Facebook penetration will be "eight in 10 among online 12- to 17-year-olds and nearly nine in 10 among those ages 18 to 24" by 2019. So, don't count it out for marketing purposes.
- Forget mobile browsing. Mobile buying is happening now: For years, consumers have used their smartphones for research, but not much buying was happening. Recent developments, however, have made it much easier to make purchases from mobile devices. And consumers are embracing the transition. Mobile shopping experiences must be equivalent to laptop and desktop experiences, or businesses may lose sales.
- Expect more data – much more data: Unlike older generations, younger people are fine with providing personal data to third parties, i.e. using their Facebook login for other sites, which can see their personal data. This data can be used for learning more about consumers, which leads to better targeting.
Digital media is always in a constant state of flux. Next year will mark an acceleration of advancements on this front. What trends do you think will take off next year?
image from shutterstock


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Bernice Constantine
Bernice qualified ACA in 1985 and has since specialised in providing tax services with "Big 4″ firms before joining Riley as a Tax partner in 1999.
Bernice specialises in tax planning including remuneration planning, incorporation, share schemes, company reorganisations, share valuations and succession planning.
In her own words….
Good Qualities; Quietly determined; Enjoys a challenge and trying to find solutions to problems; GSOH in "dating parlance"
Likes; Most sport although far too old to participate; Watching a good film; The sun, sea and sand hence the wrinkles; Walking with the dogs, Henry and Milly; Reading all sorts; Long leisurely lunches with friends; Puddings, deserts & chocolate
Dislikes; You guess…..
You can contact Bernice on 01752 203651 or email@example.com


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Product Description
OXO-Biodegradable Dog Poo Bags
These dog waste bags are perfect for picking up your dog waste/poo/poop on those daily walks! They boast a large capacity, have easy-to-use tie-handles and are black in colour to disguise the contents! What's more, being made using oxo-biodegradeable technology, they break down quicker in the waste cycle, so you can do your bit for the environment too!
Size: Approx. 38 cm long x 21cm wide (including tie-handles)
Quantity: 500 bags
100% OXO-Biodegradable dog poo bags – eco friendly
Size: Approx. 38cm long x 21cm wide (inc. tie handles)
Tie handles for ease of use and disposal
Black-coloured dog waste bags to hide contents
Large capacity


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From Buenos Aires to Zurich, this month's hottest hotels
BACKSTORY: The 120-year-old Hassler served as the high-style U.S. Air Command headquarters during World War II. The property reopened to the public in 1947 and became the preferred holiday stop for showbiz royalty and actual royalty (Princess Diana, Audrey Hepburn, Plácido Domingo, Tony Curtis, Tom Cruise).
WHAT YOU'LL FIND OUTSIDE: Situated at the top of the Spanish Steps, the Hassler shares Piazza della Trinità dei Monti with a clutter of Renaissance architecture. The sculpted gardens of Villa Borghese are nearby, and it's an easy walk to the ruins of Palatine Hill, Vatican City and most of the Eternal City's key attractions.
DESIGN NOTES: Hotel president Roberto Wirth and his designer wife Astrid Schiller-Wirth combine tradition with Art Deco and postmodernist touches. The attention to detail borders on compulsive (see the Swarovski crystal ceiling lights in the Trinità dei Monti suite), but the aesthetics don't come at the expense of comfort.
IDEAL GUEST: Anyone looking to launch a tactical assault on Via Condotti, the heart of Rome's high-end retail district. The hotel's lobby contains display cases filled with the wares of some of Italy's most famous designers, as well as emerging talents like René Caovilla, who designs whimsical women's shoes, with prices to match.
SIGNATURE COCKTAIL: Princess Diana was a big fan of the hotel's Bellini. Enjoy one in the Palm Court, the open-air bar and restaurant just off the main lobby. Perhaps it's the essence of peach, the champagne or the peaceful walled courtyard strewn with Roman relics, but we're with Lady Di on this one.


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Michelle Obama Hilariously Breaks Down Why Melania Trump's Inauguration Gift Exchange Appeared So Awkward
The former FLOTUS also explained to Ellen Degeneres how Barack stepped in and saved the day.
(Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
It's a well-established fact that Hollywood's upper echelons don't have a lot of Black faces in them. So-called "Black Hollywood," while in existence, is a tiny group of ultra-successful African-Americans, including Samuel L. Jackson, Spike Lee, Morgan Freeman and Shonda Rhimes. Most of the rest of Hollywood is composed of white people. So when another Black person gets added to the ranks of Hollywood elite, that's always reason to celebrate. Today, Black Hollywood is celebrating.
That's because NBC, one of the biggest and most relevant TV stations in the country, and thus the world, just appointed a Black woman, Pearlena Igbokwe, as executive vice president of drama development. Igbokwe comes to NBC from Showtime, where, according to the NBC press release, she was no slouch when it came to picking and developing winning dramas:
During her 20-year tenure at Showtime, Igbokwe was involved in developing the pilot and overseeing every season of "Dexter," Showtime's most popular hit ever. She also developed the pilot to the upcoming new Showtime series "Masters of Sex" starring Michael Sheen. She also supervised the Emmy Award-winning and critically-acclaimed original series "Nurse Jackie" and "The Big C," as well as shepherded "Tracey Ullman's State of the Union," "Damon Wayans' Underground," Kirstie Alley's "Fat Actress," and the television adaptation of the hit feature film "Barbershop." She was additionally instrumental in the five-season run of the hit Showtime series "Soul Food," a two-time NAACP Image Award winner for Best Drama Series.
While NBC is of course going to cheer its newest employee in the press release, it's important to acknowledge that Igbokwe's hiring is a big deal in a town that so often ignores Black people who aren't as well-known as, say, Tyler Perry. But it's also important to acknowledge that NBC hiring a Black woman into an important position is hardly the last step toward equality in Hollywood.
Real equality comes the day Igbokwe is allowed to greenlight a show composed of all-Black characters to a primetime slot and not hear a word about it from her superiors. Shows of all-white people are par for the course on TV, so why not an all-Black show on NBC? Of course, we all know that a predominantly Black show is simply not going to show up on a station like NBC anytime soon. Even if executives went for it (highly unlikely), it's doubtful many advertisers would.
Putting Igbokwe into a power position in Hollywood is a great start, but it will be a weak victory if it's not one that allows Igbokwe to use her taste and sensibility to diversify other parts of NBC. That will be the next important step, and only time will tell of Igbokwe and NBC take it.
The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of BET Networks.
BET National News - Keep up to date with breaking news stories from around the nation, including headlines from the hip hop and entertainment world. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
The former FLOTUS also explained to Ellen Degeneres how Barack stepped in and saved the day.
"When my teacher asks me a question thinking I'm not paying attention, but I get it right."


text: Distance Treatment Application PLEASE NOTE Before applying for a Distant Treatment, please read our Distance Treatment section. Identity & Demographic Data First Name Last Name Date of Birth Gender (Please select) Female Male Faith (Please select) Muslim Christian Judaist Hindu Buddhist Other Faith (Other) How did you hear about us? (Please select) Friend or Recommendation Internet Search Social Media Advertisement Media Article Contact Details E-Mail E-Mail (Please repeat) Phone Address (255 chars left) Post Code Town / City County / Province / State Country (Please select) Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, North Korea, South Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Antilles Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Cyprus Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands (British) Virgin Islands (U.S.) Wallis and Futuna Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Next Step 2 of 3 Select Your Practitioner Practitioner Ateeque Chowdhry (Houston, Texas, USA) Aykut Latif Türker (Istanbul, Turkey) Clive Ramsden (London, UK) Elaine Greener (Carmarthen, Wales, UK) Sharon McCrindle (East Herts/Essex Border, UK) Tahir Khan (Bolton, Lancashire, UK) Additional Information Other Relevant Experiences? Medical Condition, Medication(s) Additional Notes Mir Sufi Healing Newsletter Subscribe me to Mir Sufi Healing mailing list No,thanks. Please Confirm Back Next Step 3 of 3 Summary Please review the information you have given, and click Submit if all is correct. Identity & Demographic Data First Name Last Name Date of Birth Gender Faith Faith (Other) How did you hear about us? Contact Details E-Mail Phone Address Post Code Town / City County / Province / State Country Select Your Practitioner Practitioner Additional Information Other Relevant Experiences? Medical Condition, Medication(s) Additional Notes Mir Sufi Healing Newsletter Back Next Thank You Thank you for contacting us. We will get back to you shortly. Please click to continue. Back Submit Please turn on javascript to submit your data. Thank you!


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SANTA ANA – A man stared straight ahead and showed no emotion as an Orange County jury Wednesday found him guilty of fatally bludgeoning his wife of 37 years while she slept.
Jurors in Superior Court Judge John Conley's courtroom deliberated about 90 minutes before convicting Agustin Armaraz Espinoza, 58, of first-degree murder in the killing on July 29, 2010.
The defendant testified, at times through tears, that he wasn't himself and had been drinking heavily when he struck his wife once in the head with a tripod a short time after an argument in which she asked him to move out.
Prosecutors said the Santa Ana man, who gambled away $100,000, pawned family jewelry and had an extramarital affair his wife found out about, knew exactly what he was doing when he struck Marisela Espinoza seven times in the head.
This "is a defendant who is a coward and who killed a sleeping woman for money," Deputy District Attorney Mike Murray said after the verdict. "What could be more despicable than that?"
Espinoza claimed he was out of his mind and acted on impulse that night, which was like a nightmare.
Murray hammered away during his cross-examination of Espinoza that he could not have been so far removed from reality because he washed his bloodied hands, bagged his bloody clothes and the weapon, and later that day dumped the evidence in Tijuana.
Espinoza now faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life at his May 17 sentencing by Conley.
Contact the writer: 714-834-3773 or email@example.com


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DC Cancels I, Vampire – NoOoooO!
Bad news for fans of DCâs comic I, Vampire â it has been canceled. Sad face. The very last issue will be #19. Booo!
Launched in September 2011 as part of DCâs New 52, I, Vampire paired up writer Joshua Hale Fialkov and artist Andrea Sorrentino for a revival of the horror-romance serial that appeared from 1980 to 1983 in the House of Mystery anthology. Even though the series started out strong, with the debut issue selling nearly 36,000, eventually it went downhill and by the 14th issue that figure had slid below the 14,000 mark.
âYep. I, Vampire is done as of 19. Itâs been an amazing ride,â Fialkov wrote on Twitter. âThanks to all of my collaborators and stay tuned for the kickass conclusion. Iâve known For almost four months and got to write the ending I wanted. No complaints.â
He may not have any complaints, but Iâm sure the fans wonât be too pleased with the end of I, Vampire. Itâs a sad day for comics. I, Vampire was visually stunning and the storyline was intriguing. I hate to see it go.
For those of you new to I, Vampire and want to check it out, you can download Issue #1 HERE. Check out the description below:
"For hundreds of years, vampire Andrew Stanton kept mankind safe from the horrors of the supernatural world, thanks to a truce he made with his ex-lover Mary, the Queen of the Damned. But now that truce has reached a bloody end and Andrew must do everything in his power to stop Mary and her dark forces from going on a killing spree â and she plans to start with the heroes of the DCU!"
Any I, Vampire fans here? How do you feel about DC ending it?
– Moonlight
Moonlight (aka Amanda) loves to write about, read about and learn about everything pertaining to vampires. You will most likely find her huddled over a book of vampire folklore with coffee in hand. Touch her coffee and she may bite you (and not in the fun way).


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Saturday, September 01, 2018
Kabul (BNA) At least four people have been killed and two others wounded in a traffic accident in Herat City, officials said Friday.
The incident took place near consulate of India on Bagh-e-Melat road in the city.
Mohammad Ibrahim Mohammadi the in charge of Herat ambulance said that all of the victims aged between 20-30.
According to Mohammadi, among the wounded people, one of them is a critical condition.
The provincial traffic officials said that the incident has taken place due to driving at excessive speed.


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/ Fantasy / Emperor Night (NTR)
Fantasy 23 Chapters 234.8K Views
Author: Arthur_Kord
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Jonathan Night is an extraordinarily plain looking retail assistant. Beneath his ordinary exterior he harbors a secrete love for netorare, imagining his girlfriend having sex with another person. He sates his carnal desires with various computer games, too afraid to share his feelings with Margery, his overly traditional girlfriend. Johnathan's degenerate fetish is about to get him into a whole new world of trouble when he gets an offer to "live without fear" via email.
Warning: Extreme Themes, Rape, Netorase & Netorare, if you don't like those themes, this one isn't for you.
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[Review] Gwynnie Bee
Disclaimer: This post is in no way sponsored by Gwynnie Bee. I took advantage of their 1 free month promotion for new members. The opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own. The link to Gwynnie Bee posted is my personal referral link.
Tim Gunn's op-ed regarding the state of fashion choices available for plus size women is spot on. So much of what is currently on the market is unappealing to a national audience. There was a demand for more trendy and designer stores which has led to over saturation. It's not that I don't want to wear spaghetti strap dresses (even though I don't) because of the way I look, it's that they're not work appropriate and I have yet to reconcile my relationship with cardigans. I struggled this summer trying to find appropriate wear to work dresses. It was frustrating AF.
Enter Gwynnie Bee a subscription based clothing rental website for sizes 10-30 . I'll admit that I put all my biz cash eggs in this basket. If you've ever tried Le Tote (sizes 0-16), Gwynnie Bee operates the same way. You create an account, browse their offerings, add pieces you'd like to receive to your wardrobe and once you have save 25 items, they'll start shipping them out to you.
GB costs $90/mo for their three at a time option which I feel is far too much for what little options they have. I prioritized 10 of my items out of the 25 in my wardrobe, but none of the items I received were my priorities. The two sweater dresses currently headed my way are unwearable in this unseasonably warm fall. I sweat enough already.
A far as options are concerned they offer a wide variety of designers including Jessica Howard, IGIGI, Seven by Melissa McCarthy, Poppy and Bloom and Eloquii. This summer showcased a specially designed for Gwynnie Bee line from Rachel Antonoff featuring cute animal and fruit patterns. These brands can be challenging to find in stores and having the option to have them sent to you is a game changer.
There are a few issues though. Many of the items they offer are rated low by members due to fit cutting down on the number of options available. The things you really want to receive are often unavailable when you want them. This has made finding 25 items that I would actually want to wear a daunting task. I was really hoping they would offer some basic outfit staples, but it's mostly prints, dresses and awkwardly cut tops.
Returning items is a cinch. Once you've decided that you're done wearing something (which you can return dirty, by the way), you notify GB through their website and they'll begin prepping your next item. You mail back the dirty dress in one of the prepaid envelopes they've sent you and wait for the next package.
Overall, I really like the concept. I fluctuate between sizes and it's nice to have temporary options available. However, I don't think spending $90/mo on clothing is reasonable. Especially when compared to Le Tote's $60/mo for a greater variety. I much prefer the Stitch Fix model of surprise clothes for $20 and buying what I want.
Right now I am giving GB another shot thanks to their half price WE MISS YOU promotion. I'm hoping to find one or two things to add to my fall wardrobe and try some styles I haven't before. I'm not expecting to continue my membership when this promotion ends, but I could be pleasantly surprised!
If you'd like to give Gwynnie Bee a try and form your own opinion, you can test it out free for 30 days here.
All I Want For Christmas is to Not Get in a Fist Fight at Kohl's
The other night I decided to do some Christmas shopping on my way to a birthday party. Since the party started so late (8pm), I stopped by Dunkin Donuts to grab a coffee. The voice that came over the speaker asked me to drive up to the window where he would take my order. I sat behind a Honda CRV and watched the employee hand her over a coffee.
"No, no," he said to the customer when she handed him the money. "It's free tonight, we're swamped in here."
"Oh, well, in that case I'll take three more coffees."
…What? WHY?
The entire transaction lasted about seven minutes, which isn't really a long time, but in I want my coffee years, it's an eternity. Having worked quite a few thankless retail and food service jobs where people just treat you like garbage because they can, I was going to try my best to relate to him, but I quickly changed my mind.
That woman and I were different in that we chose different words to focus on. She put all her energy into "free" while I was more concerned with "swamped." I wasn't going to waste his time to empathize, he didn't want it. So when he handed me my coffee and I handed over my debit card and he refused to take it I just said "You're working really hard. I hope your night gets better. Thank you." It was also out of respect for the people that had piled up behind me in line while that woman asked for more free coffee. Additionally, she kept him gabbing long after she received her free coffees which infuriated me more. I hate having my time wasted.
We tend to direct our behavior sometimes towards the employees for not speaking up to the customer to move things along, but they're not allowed to. I was scolded once for yelling at a customer for telling me I was "too fat to pass by him" when I nicely said "Excuse me" to him when he was blocking the entrance of where I needed to go. Had we been two people on the street, I would've put totally justified in punching him in his stupid mouth. I mopped up the same toddlers urine twice when I was waitressing. The family then left me $4 on a $60 bill after I ran all over the place to get their food and separate their checks (which they paid as one anyway.) They said something snarky to me on their way out, per usual, I responded with "Please don't sit in my section next time you come here. Every time I wait on you and your family it is the worst part of my day." What did my boss do? She cut me first and I lost out on potential tips. (She was probably right in doing that, but those people were Alamo Heights buttholes who sat their daughter in front of a portable DVD player and asked me for loose slices of lunch meat every time I walked by.) Every other table I had was trying to empathize and I just wanted to cry. They never would've spoken to me like that if the circumstances were different. I never did see them again.
Which brings me to my next adventure: Kohl's. Guys, I freaking love Kohl's. I fought it for so long. I'm telling you right now: Don't fight Kohl's. Embrace it.
As I was finishing up my transaction with the nicest cashier ever, these two men literally pushed me out of the way. Unfortunately, this happens to me pretty frequently.
"I need to know if I can use this coupon today!"
The cashier, either shocked or powerless, said nothing, but looked at me with sympathetic eyes.
"I'm finishing up my sale here. Give me some space. She has some coupons to give me."
"I need to know if I can USE MY COUPON TODAY!" And then he turned green and pounded his fist through the register. It was wild.
There are a few lessons to be learned here.
1. Be nice to people. Sometimes people are forced to be nice to you no matter how big of a dickhead you are being.
2. Don't take advantage of other people's kindness or misfortune. You may find yourself in that position some day.
3. Don't apologize to someone when they push you over at Kohl's. The words "I'm sorry, but…" almost preceded my opening statement.
4. You know what? Never apologize ever unless you really truly hurt someones feelings or inconvenience them. Those words have almost lost all meaning. They're not said to appease people or introduce a request. They're said when you mess up and want to express how badly you feel about it.
5. Choose what words you want to focus on! Focus on the positive, the words that ask for help or tell you how people feel about something. Focus on the words that you want to use to express yourself in a meaningful way.
6. You can stand up for yourself when someone is outright rude or disrespectful, but be careful about what you say because…
7. You never know who you're talking to. Potential employer? Friend of a friend or family member? Banksy?
8. Seriously, sign up for Kohl's charge. They send you all kinds of coupons.


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Changement Climatique, de l'or en Barre
The theater company "TAF Théâtre" and Aitec created the theater show "Changement Climatique, de l'or en Barre". It has been organized five times in Marseille and Paris from August to December 2015.
The theater sensitized the public on the consequences of fossil fuel production, natural resources management on living standards and environment in developing countries, with a focus on multinationals responsibilities in sustainable development. The objective was to build citizens' understanding of the interdependencies between developing countries and Europe through highlighting the worldwide impacts of unsustainable consumption and production of raw materials.


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That'll teach me!
Now that I'm back home, I apologize for my quiet. I've been busy. Doing what, you ask? Ah well…Grab a coffee and let me tell you the first of many stories to come!
My parents should be ashamed. Ashamed I tell you! They raised a responsible adult that pays her bills on time and has no debt. What the hell were they thinking? Did they not understand how this was going to complicate my life down the road?!! oy…
So, in the latest installment of Customer *cough cough* Service [because I don't believe I've done one since way back in the days of HorrorWench on LJ] I offer, "How to rent a car as a responsible adult."
The time for the move is getting closer. I've given notice at work. I've given notice on my rental property. I've scoured school districts and talked to principals, councilors and real estate agents about areas for my kids. I've gathered medical records and birth certificates and everything else I may need from this state before I leave it. And I've applied at 972 jobs… but haven't found one. Crunch time and panic has set in. Some brief discussion with the aforementioned parents and we all believe that it's going to be difficult to find a job from four states away [after all, how do they know I'm really moving? And why pick me if they've got candidates standing right there in front of them?], and that I need to get my butt out to PA and hoof those streets until I find one. Okay then. That's what I'll do.
Get the plane ticket, make a packing list, let the schools know that their father is the primary emergency contact for a few weeks, call friends and secure temporary lodging, and rent a car. Stop there. Actually, rather than just stopping, how about we come to a screeching halt in front of a lovely brick wall and bang our heads on it… Repeatedly?
Check prices online and find the best rates. Reserve the car. NOT. I don't have a credit card—I believe plastic is evil and the reason that most of the country is in debt is because of credit. It's a bad thing. I spend money I have [interesting concept, isn't it?!] and pay my bills on time. And for this, I can't reserve online. So I call the place and see if I can use the debit card for payment, you know, real money that you can touch and everything. Sure I can, no problem, all I have to do is provide my insurance information, my driver's license, my last pay stub and a current electric bill.
Ummm… Remember up above when I said I pay my bills on time? Yeah, not only are they paid on time, I've paid ahead this month because I'm going to be gone. So I have no current bills. I have nothing due at all—electric or otherwise. Of course, they don't care if it's paid, they just need to see the bill itself, but I'm moving, so I'm not saving anything. I'm not hauling anything across country that I don't need to, so I paid and threw the bills away. My cell phone is paid online, how about that? Nope. Must be a landline for phone. How about my cable bill? Nope. That can be secondary, but it's gotta be an electric or heat bill—which are together in my world. Crap! Ok, let me call them and see what I can do…
After several hours on the phone with Rachel at "BFE Electric", who by the way was very nice and wins big points for that, I find that they can print any number of reports and email them to me, none of which have the information the rental place needs [let's just call them e-cars]. They can reprint my last bill and mail it, rather than email it, but then it won't get here until after I'm gone. Argh… Finally, Rachel decides if I set up the online account I could print it myself from there. Cool! So we set it all up and she says wait 24 hours for it to be in the system. She apologizes for everything and we hang up. And wait…
24 hours later, I gleefully log into my account online to find that I have less identity than a new born baby. Oh I have an account, and I'll have bills on there in the future, but there is no history. Nothing to print. Nothing that will help. CRAP! Ok, call e-cars back.
I'm sure it sounded like my house was on fire from the panic in my voice, and I half expected them to tell me in a robotic voice, "if this is an emergency, please hang up and dial 911." However, on this day, I got a new person on the phone: Jessica. Sweet thing. Very helpful. And bonus, recently relocated herself and had some tips for me. Of course, all of that aside, I still didn't have an electric bill. I need a car to get to interviews, learn the roads, find a house—you know, everything I need to do to actually relocate. She understands and we start a game of cat and mouse. She suggests something, I concur, she asks a supervisor. No. I suggest something, she gets hopeful and runs to ask a supervisor. No. We go back and forth for a while and then she asks about a cable bill. "Wait… the man I spoke to yesterday said I couldn't use that." Pish-posh, and off to beg a supervisor. She comes back and says it's a go. I log into my account, tell her what's on screen, she cheers, I hit print—e-cars here I come!
"Just bring in your insurance, the bill and your driver's license. And make sure all the information matches."
Matches? Ahh crap! See, I got divorced and moved to an apartment. Everything has the right address on it except my driver's license, which I didn't change because I'm moving to PA and would have to change it out there. Grrrr… Ok, call the DMV and find out how fast I can get a new license. Except it's the DMV and around these parts they have reduced their hours to "every third tuesday when the moon is full and you hop up and down on one leg"… CRAP! Ok, I'm leaving in 2 days, what can I do? Call the mom, get her DMV information. Are you kidding me? Mine is "supposedly" open tomorrow. If it's not, I'll drive an hour to mom's and hit hers, but I have to do it right away in the morning because their friday hours are from 8 to 8:15am, ok, it was really to 3pm but still, if I wait for the kids to get home from school and go, they'll be closed. So I will have to drive over, get license, drive back, get kids, drive over again for the weekend and Airport Bed & Breakfast. I heart murphy, really I do. Bright and early the next morning I hit the DMV, and lo 'n behold they're really open. Cool! Go in, fill out the form, wait my turn. While I'm waiting… nah, this blog is long enough, we'll save that tidbit for another time! Get license, get home, pack, grab kids and head to mom's. Off to PA I go…
You'd think the story would be over, wouldn't you? Hmmm… not so much. That was just the flirting, now we're going on the actual date and I have spaghetti and red wine with a white dress. So I physically get to e-cars and apparently my reservation has been flagged, because when the nice 14-year-old looking boy types me into the system, he immediately looks at me like I'm a wanted fugitive, excuses himself and retrieves the manager. Is your head hanging yet? Rolling your eyes yet? Because yes, feel my pain!
Going over the entire saga again, I have to re-explain why I need a car, why I don't live in PA, how long I'll have it, where I'll be staying, where I used to work, where I hope to work, my shoe size and what I had for breakfast. Holy shit, really? Just because I'm a responsible adult and don't have plastic? Are you kidding me? Seriously, do I look like someone that rents cars and then never brings them back? I have to list local contacts. I list who I'm staying with and who brought me to e-cars. Crap, don't remember the first one's address, so I call and explain and get the address. The second is still in the parking lot, waiting to make sure I get the car. And the manager of e-cars then tells me they have to check to make sure I know these people. Really? I just called the one and you can wave to the other one… right there, outside your window. Nope, not good enough. So they call the first and ask if he knows me, if I'm staying with them, where he works, how old his daughter is, what color his wife's eyes are, and whether or not their puppy has ever chewed on a neighborhood cat. Ok, not that bad, but you get it. Then they call the other one… in the parking lot. I'm listening to the manager talk and watching the eye-rolling and wide "are you kidding?" smile through the window. And then I finally get handed keys… to a car that is NOT what I reserved. At this point, I don't care if they'd have given me an out of commission mail truck. I smile, grab the keys, try not to be snarky and leave.
No debt, good credit, avoid plastic—these are things that should be good. These are things that my parents instilled in me at an early age. These are things that the modern world does not comprehend. Thank god today's society has hair dye available to cover my new gray!
0 Responses to That'll teach me!
This is the price we non-credit card holding folks have to suffer. The run-around is so frustrating but we can't just give in to The Man. They make it such a harrowing journey because most people would just say "eff it" and get a credit card to make life simpler. But not us rebels! We'll keep fighting the good fight to stay out of debt and pay our bills on time alive!
Being fiscally responsible is one thing. Allowing yourself to be subjected to that again for your own moral code is insanity. You're obviously a responsible adult. Just bite the bullet and get a piece of plastic in your purse so you don't need to deal with that anymore. Pay whatever charges you have immediately, and your credit will not be hurt and you won't have to pay interest. If fact, I'll bet you'll have a difficult time getting a place to live w/o establishing some sort of credit. It doesn't make you a weaker person. Life is too short to deal with that nonsense again. It's not a conspiracy, it's all part of the game of life.
wow… and I thought when we were almost stranded at the airport because the stupid car rental place wouldn't give us a car was bad. 'member that? Yeah… I hope things are smooth for you here on out! I think the worst part is over now?
Good for you! Credit cards are very evil (if only I figured that out in my 20's). I have never had a problem renting a car from Hertz with my debit card.
We also don't have any plastic, and have encountered the same problems. Our solution was to get a "check card", which goes to the checking account – that crazy "real money" concept – but is usually accepted as a credit card, but most of the time I can't "tell them" it's a check card, I sorta have to not bring it up, because if I do, they get wiggy about.
You're to be commended, though. Abby and I double-barreled our plastic five years ago, and we've never regretted it.
Only Stephen King can make a piece of plastic evil. And I'm a little surprised he hasn't thought of that yet. It is the desire to have things you don't need, because the T.V. says you need it, or the neighbors already have one and boy, is it shiny and it smells so new…that gets we (us?) Americans in trouble. So, fear not the plastic rectangle you have applied for. If you ever have the need to use it, pay it off in the same timely manner you do your other bills -SPOILER ALERT- online credit card payments sometimes seem to take several days to post, so give yourself some leeway- and nobody gets hurt. However, if your payments are ever late I will remind you of the S. King short story "Quitters Inc". I'm just sayin'.
I just got rid of my credit cards! I stuck them in my desk drawer and told them to think about what they did. Between online screw ups and the bank not cooperating, I have paid around $500 in late fees/fines in the past 2 months. Soooooo over it. It's my worst nightmare in Economics class come true.
Glad you finally got your car, girl. Good luck with everything! :-)