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Animate Objects and Ecologies, at New Chaucer Society Congress, July 23-26, 2012
What animates things? How do organic and inorganic things live together in medieval literature and culture? Today thinkers are increasingly drawn to the nature of things in and of themselves, seeking material objects as they stand outside of the parochial, human subject. What can medievalists contribute?
Our dialogue may turn on the following questions: How do objects, organisms, or environments become animated in late medieval literature? Where does Chaucer generate animate objects or ecologies? How do medieval writers (and how do we) draw the line between animate and inanimate presences? What is the source of the power of animation, generation, vivification, agency? What constitutes the environment outside of human use or cognition? How does imagining an "outside" open up new and productive problems or pathways?
The panel will consist of several short pieces (10-15 minutes) that may take the form of brief analyses, position papers, talking points, field notes, or quodlibets. Submit abstracts by June 1, 2011.


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I love doing this painting project with 3rd grade at the end of the year. We mix a tint or shade on day one for the background using a cool color base. The next class we paint the concentric shapes with warm colors to create contrast. They always look so festive in the hallways.
If you only had one day for this project, drawing the concentric cirlces/shapes with a black oil pastel on that background looks really cool. I almost wanted them to leave them black and white!
We had some nice conversations about Kandinsky's paintings. We discussed creating order out of chaos and how it can be hard to not "see things" in abstract/non-objective paintings. I was trying to get them to appreciate simply the elements of art…so we focused on line, shape, color and value for this project.

subset: commoncrawl


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A Dictionary of London. Originally published by H Jenkins LTD, London, 1918.
This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.
In this section
- Four Gates (The)
- Four Swans Inn
- Fowke's Buildings
- Fowle Lane
- Fowle Lane, Newgate Market
- Fowler's Buildings
- Fox and Crown Court
- Fox and Crown Court
- Fox and Goose Inn, Yard
- Fox and Hounds Yard
- Fox and Knot Court
- Fox and Knot Inn
- Fox Court
- Fox Court
- Fox Court
- Fox Court, Cow Lane
- Fox Court, Nicholas Lane
- Fox Ordinary Court
- Foxes Court
- Foxetayle Alley
Four Gates (The)
A cellar in the parish of St. Martin in the Vintry called "The Four Gates," "Les quatres portes," 33 Ed. I. 1305 (Cal. L. Book C. p. 199).
Not further identified.
Four Swans Inn
West out of Bishopsgate Street Within, in Bishopsgate Ward Within, at No. 83 (O. and M. 1677-O.S. 1848-51).
It is mentioned in Taylor's "Carriers Cosmographie," 1637.
One of the old galleried inns of London. Taken down 1873. A tavern with the same sign occupies part of the site, the remainder being occupied for other business purposes.
A good view in Lond. Topog. Rec. II. 36.
Fowke's Buildings
Soutb out of Great Tower Street at Nos. 24 and 25, between Harp Lane and Water Lane. In Tower Ward (P.O. Directory).
Earliest mention : Boyle, 1799.
Former name : "Fook's Court" (O. and M. 1677-Strype, 1755). "Fowks Court" (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 52).
Derivation of name : John Fowke devised five messuages in Tower Street and Water Lane to Christ's Hospital in 1686 (Endowed Charities Report, All Hallows Barking parish, 1902, p.14), so that the name Fook's or Fowk's Court would seem to be derived from this family.
Fowle Lane
See Cross Lane, St. Mary at Hill.
Fowle Lane, Newgate Market
See King Edward Street.
Fowler's Buildings
In Little Tower Street (Boyle, 1799).
Not named in the maps.
Fox and Crown Court
South out of Barbican in Aldersgate Ward Without (Strype, ed. 1720-Boyle, 1799).
The site is now occupied by the Metropolitan Railway.
Fox and Crown Court
South out of Barbican, in Cripplegate Ward Without (Strype, ed. 1720-Boyle, 1799).
The site is now occupied by offices and business houses.
Fox and Goose Inn, Yard
On the south side of London Wall, in Cripplegate Ward Within (Hatton, 1708-Boyle, 1799), between Coleman and Basinghall Streets.
Site rebuilt in the 19th century.
Name derived from the union of two signs.
Fox and Hounds Yard
East out of Bishopsgate Street, in Bishopsgate Ward Without (Rocque, 1746-Elmes, 1831).
The site is now occupied by Bishopsgate Institute.
Fox and Knot Court
West out of Cow Lane and north through Fox and Knot Inn to Chick Lane, in Farringdon Ward Without (Horwood, 1799-Elmes, 1831).
Called "Foxes Court" in O. and M. 1677-Strype, 1755.
Site now covered by Smithfield Market and the railway lines.
The site is commemorated in the Fox and Knot Street Schools in Charterhouse Street.
Perhaps name derived from union of two signs, the knot or top-knot being possibly a reference to the head-dress worn by ladies in the 18th century.
Fox and Knot Inn
See Fox and Knot Court.
Fox Court
North out of Long Lane, West Smithfield, in Farringdon Ward Without (Lockie, 1810-Elmes, 1831).
Not named in the maps.
Fox Court
Out of Snow Hill, in Farringdon Ward Without (Strype, ed. 1755-Boyle, 1799).
Not named in the maps.
Fox Court
South out of Newgate Street, near the Gate, in Farringdon Ward Within (Hatton, 1708-Boyle, 1799).
Not named in the maps.
Fox Court, Cow Lane
See Fox and Knot Court.
Fox Court, Nicholas Lane
See Fox Ordinary Court.
Fox Ordinary Court
West out of St. Nicholas' Lane. In Candlewick and Langbourne Wards (O. and M. 1677-Elmes, 1831).
"Fox Court" in Hatton, 1708.
Removed c. 1831 for the formation of King William Street.
So named from a public eating House there formerly (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 163).
The word "ordinary" in this connection is used to denote "a public meal provided at fixed time and price in tavern, etc."
Foxes Court
See Fox and Knot Court.
Foxetayle Alley
Six messuages in this Alley in the parish of All Hallows in London Wall, 36 H. VIII. 1544 (L. and P.H. VIII. XIX. (2), p. 180).
Not further identified.


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Within just weeks of the last cultural exchange a further opportunity presented itself with the visit of an FR engine to the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway at Woody Bay.
Eight years ago, the Festiniog Railway completed the replica of the last Manning Wardle 2-6-2 Lew and named it Lyd following the three letter rivers theme. This year the L&B completed a replica of the original Baldwin engine Lyn and the L&B Autumn Gala was to be the first time two L&B engines would be seen together since 1935.
I got to go as one of the crew of Lyd going along a few days earlier to get my feet under the table and help with the preps doing things like servicing the axle boxes on little used DZ wagons that were going to get a lot of use over the weekend.


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It is now difficult to read a newspaper or a book, watch the television, surf the Internet, or participate in a demonstration without coming across references to how 'globalization' is affecting our lives. One of the crucial challenges facing many developing and transitional economies is balancing the benefits of globalisation with the risks and costs. According to Sheila L (2004) : 'Globalization can be described as a process by which the people of the world are unified into a single society. This process is a combination of economic, technological, sociocultural and political forces'Globalisation is a complex phenomenon, with economic, political and cultural dimensions. At the centre are economic pressures stemming from trade liberalization and increased international competition driven by technological change and growth of the knowledge economy. But political globalisation as reflected in regional groupings, American power, and the influence of global institutions such as the OECD and the IMF may also compromise the self-determination of individual countries.
According to Giddens (2001) there are also powerful influences that stem from a cultural globalisation of ideas and values. Thus the process of globalization results in the dissemination and transfusion of ideas that attain significant global social policy currency. Individual countries can both contribute to and be influenced by this process .
Effect of globalization:Globalization has variety of effects, that are influencing almost every aspect of life, existence, as well as economic, industrial, financial, social area. Increase of globalization can be seen on Table1. In most of the countries given in example, that measure doubled or, as in case of Czech Republic, even tripled.
Table1: Macro trade indicators- showing globalization. Trade to GDP ratio (total trade)Time19851990199520002001200220032006CountryAustralia26,5431,5839,0945,0543,5244,8746,5651,71Canada48,6354,7670,2485,480,5779,3778,5682,44Czech Republic..58,3389,1129,77141,86144,25149,83186,81Finland43,1545,4259,0876,8976,0676,8275,887,58France32,1536,643,0656,2356,556,8156,1861,54Germany38,6144,3348,8466,468,1169,1471,9489,3Iceland67,4762,4462,7274,6170,6371,173,4484,45Japan14,5815,6817,1120,5219,7820,5821,6625,75Poland..25,5140,760,6759,0260,3164,8278,47United Kingdom36,6840,9146,6657,8358,6859,2458,7168,01United States13,2816,4420,4126,3425,1324,9825,0828,7Source : http://stats.oecd.org/wbos/default.aspx?DatasetCode=SNA_TABLE11Basing on Wikipedia division, I would like to highlight economic effect of globalization, that seen in sociological context, increased economic inequality throughout...


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Two Arrested For Bringing Pot to Moberly Jail
Two women have been arrested after authorities accused them of bringing marijuana to a central Missouri jail.
Officers with the North Missouri Drug Task Force and Moberly police arrested a 29-year-old woman from Harrison, Ark., and a 22-year-old Springfield woman after they allegedly brought marijuana to the Moberly Correctional Facility, where they were visiting an inmate.
KMIZ reports the two women were arrested Saturday on a charge of delivery of a controlled substance to a correctional facility. They're being held on $75,000 bond at the Randolph County Jail.
Authorities say two juveniles were also taken into protective custody and turned over to the Randolph County Juvenile Office.


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Ok, how cute is this bag?
Well, I'm pretty much a designer now, because I whipped this little beauty up myself! You can play designer too with eThreads.com, a custom bag site. At eThreads, you choose the type of bag, fabric, lining and hardware.
I selected one of their most popular bags, the Medium Pouch, which is lined in waterproof nylon and perfect for everyday organizing. These pouches are perfect for storing your everyday beauty products because they are so sturdy, waterproof and machine washable. My personalized bag is decked out in Day of the Dead (so appropriate for this week, right?) cotton fabric with nylon hot pink lining. I'm obsessed.
They also feature an assortment of other fabrics for every taste including cutesy prints like polka dots, feminine floral fabrics, and geek chic Star Wars prints.
No matter what design you choose, each creation is crafted from your vision and made from scratch in their studio in Boston.
So, how would you like your own eThreads Medium Pouch that you can design yourself? My awesome friends over at eThreads are offering 3 of my readers the chance to win a medium pouch like mine! It's easy to enter! Tweet at me and let me know why you would like an eThreads pouch. You can also earn entries by liking Martinis and Mascara and eThreads on Facebook. Full details and instructions on entering are listed below in the Rafflecopter widget. The raffle starts tonight at midnight and will run through Nov. 6. Ready, set, go!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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MAKNITE© produced a short video of our DVD presentation Low Frequency Orchestra plays Robert Lettner: Das Spiel vom Kommen und Gehen at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna. The video was shot by Philipp Knopf.
TagsArduino Art Award Broadcast Composition Conference Development elak Electroacoustic music Electroacoustics exhibition Festival Field_recording Hardware Improvisation Installation Intervention Interview Lecture Machine Perception Media Music OFAI Opensource Performance Photography Presentation Publication puredata Python Radio Research Residency Review rotting sounds Seminar Sensorics Session Software Sound art Soundscape Talk Teaching Video Workshop


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Quite Continental Charm School: Day 15 – Brew Your Own Bitters
13/03/2013 § Leave a comment
The Quite Continental Charm School
A modern guide to creating a charmed life
Greta Garbo, Beatrice Lillie and patrons at a New York City speakeasy, 1933.
Photo by Margaret Bourke-White for Life Magazine.
Editor's Note: I'm very pleased to introduce today's guest speaker! Please meet Lani Zervas, the exceedingly fabulous and fashionable lady behind the blog Mon Petit Chou Chou. While she's a Boston native, I had the pleasure of meeting Lani in New York two years ago and we've been fast friends ever since. She's been such an amazing partner in crime at Brimfield and New York Fashion Week, that I am more than a little upset with myself that it has taken me this long to feature her brilliance! Her charming blog encompasses her interests in fashion, interior design, art, cooking, two very lovely dogs and all things Boston — but wait, there's more! She's also getting ready to be the most fabulous mommy the world has ever seen! I'm sure that you will find her to be as lovely and as funny as I do. If you are not yet familiar with Lani or Mon Petit Chou Chou, it is my pleasure to introduce you.
Without any further ado, Lani's tip for a charmed life.
Day 15: Brew Your Own Bitters
A proper lady knows when she has had too much, and likewise should know how to speed the road there when the occasion calls for it, with an arsenal of tried and true recipes to mix it up, at the bar and in life.
To that end, embrace your inner mixologist and commit to memory the recipes for some basic tipplers. I would suggest you have the classic Manhattan, Aviation, Martini, and Daiquiri in your repertoire and ready for the mixing at your home bar. Practice makes perfect and you'll find your friends willing participants in your 'research' for cocktail perfection. When you have mastered these basics, time to take on more advanced studies, in home brewed simple syrups and bitters.
Simple syrup is, as the name would lead you to believe. painfully simple to make. It is a one to one ratio of sugar, water, and what ever you decide to steep. I personally like ginger, rosemary, cinnamon, and a turbinado, or raw, sugar syrup. These also make easy and chic gifts, appreciated by all hosts, and often immediately employed at social get-togethers (recipes and more on simple syrup here). Ahh, but the bitters, now these are more involved, take a bit more time, and are worth every ounce of effort. Not sure what bitters are? Or how they fit into the equation?
"People say bitters are the salt and pepper of the bar, but really, they're like the spice rack," (per Brad Thomas Parsons, author of Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-all).
Bitters are a type of infused high-proof alcohol, with flavors derived from plants, barks and herbs. Originally brewed for medicinal purposes they evolved into flavorful additions to cocktails, via the classic brands Peychauds and Angostura, both of which rely heavily on gentian (a bitter herb for flavoring). You don't need these store bought staples though, not when you can wow people with your home brewed batches.
It will take some initial effort to gather the more exotic ingredients — if you count ordering from Amazon effort — but once your pantry is stocked, you will have more than enough to make batch after batch of the home brew. The recipe below for Cranberry Anise bitters from Food & Wine is a personal favourite, and makes use of gentian root, an ingredient that usually repeats in all bitters recipes and which is a good foundation to start experimenting with your own creations.
Cranberry Anise Bitters
1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, each one pierced with a toothpick
1 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
2 star anise pods
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon gentian root
1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns
2 tablespoons simple syrup
- In a 1-quart glass jar, combine all of the ingredients except the syrup. Cover and shake well. Let stand in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks, shaking the jar daily.
- Strain the infused alcohol into a clean 1-quart glass jar through a cheesecloth-lined funnel. Squeeze any infused alcohol from the cheesecloth into the jar; reserve the solids. Strain the infused alcohol again through new cheesecloth into another clean jar to remove any remaining sediment. Cover the jar and set aside for 1 week.
- Meanwhile, transfer the solids to a small saucepan. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes; let cool completely. Pour the liquid and solids into a clean 1-quart glass jar. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 week, shaking the jar once daily.
- Strain the water mixture through a cheesecloth-lined funnel set over a clean 1-quart glass jar; discard the solids. If necessary, strain again to remove any remaining sediment. Add the infused alcohol and the syrup. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 3 days. Pour the bitters through a cheesecloth-lined funnel or strainer and transfer to glass dasher bottles. Cover and keep in a cool, dark place.
For more ideas and recipes, check out the full Food and Wine article here, and the aforementioned bible on bitters, Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-all.
By Lani Zervas, of Mon Petit Chou Chou.


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# We at Blingstation.com are a team of highly creative Designers who work extensively with our In- house Craftsmen and artisans to create latest Designer Jewelry collections as per the current trends and forecasts at very affordable Factory Direct Prices.
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# We invite all Jewelry lovers to come and try our jewelry once and we are confident that you will fall in love with us !!


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ALEGRIA readers:
Join us for the Empty Pool event this weekend – It's a fantastic cause, and part of their drive to spark conversation and change the way people really think about water in LA. Check it out here: http://emptypool.party/
CONCA Vodka Panamericano believes that this epic drought is a time for epic change. They believe that Angelenos can be smarter and more resilient. They believe in community, creativity and innovation. They believe in pool parties.
And they thought a pool party would be a great way to showcase how much they love water! So they drained the pool, filtered the water and distilled a special batch of vodka just for this event. Guests will be drinking delicious vodka cocktails made from recycled pool water!
See you there!
@concavodka #EmptyPoolParty #DontSpillADrop


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Hospitals and healthcare organizations today face many challenges in effectively managing information, including:
- Improving patient treatment by leveraging electronic health records
- Mitigating risk, complying with healthcare reform
- Maintaining clinician access to required policies and guidelines
- Increasing need to support clinician mobility
- High volume of data per patient, and complexity of records
- Data security, potential breaches, hacking
- Lack of easy access to data for back-office processes such as billing and coding
An ECM solution can enable many benefits, including:
- Allow clinicians and staff access to the content they need from within a data application or electronic medical record (EMR)
- Minimize time to find patient information, enhancing employee productivity
- Support mobile access to files for hospice and remote care work
- Increase patient safety through better decision making
- Provide access to clinical policies from everywhere – ER, pediatrics, nursing stations and more
- Support HIPAA, Joint Commission and other requirements for keeping information updated, and maintaining audit trails
- Policies and Procedures
- EMR/EHR Integration
- Pharmacy Automation
- Patient Onboarding
- Digitized Records Storage
- Mobile Information Access
- Multifunction printer (MFP) Capture of Healthcare Information
Healthcare Policies and Procedures Brochure
DocuShare Integration
Xerox provides HL7 Integration linking patient files, images and other records managed securely in DocuShare into your EMC/HER system, simply and effectively, making the content immediately available from familiar interfaces and daily processes. To learn about integration, contact Xerox.
"During a recent H1N1 flu attack, half our pharmacy staff was out ill. I was able to login from home at all hours to review the flow of medication orders, and trouble-shoot if an order was delayed."
"DocuShare makes our nursing standards and policies readily accessible, with the online search function. And revisions are available within two weeks – not months!"


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| 14.9°C Dublin
The Canadian company that wants to build the disputed Keystone XL pipeline in the US submitted a new application for the project on Friday after changing the route to avoid environmentally sensitive land in Nebraska.
TransCanada said it applied again to the State Department for permission to build the pipeline to carry oil from so-called tar sands in western Canada to a company hub in Steele City, Nebraska. From there, the project would link up with other pipelines operated by the company to carry oil to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast.
President Barack Obama blocked the pipeline earlier this year, citing uncertainty over the Nebraska route - a decision that drew fire from Republicans. TransCanada initially proposed a new route last month that would veer east around the groundwater-rich Sandhills region before looping back to the original route.
State Department approval is needed because the 7 billion US dollars (£4.3 billion) pipeline would cross a US border. The department confirmed on Friday the application for the new route had been received.
Mr Obama is under pressure to support the pipeline from Republicans and business and labour leaders who argue it would create jobs; the State Department estimates it could result in up to 6,000 new jobs.
"The multi-billion dollar Keystone XL pipeline project will reduce the United States' dependence on foreign oil and support job growth by putting thousands of Americans to work," said Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and chief executive officer. "Our application for a presidential permit builds on more than three years of environmental review already conducted for Keystone XL," Girling added.
The pipeline's opponents, including Democrats and environmental groups, say it would transport "dirty oil" from tar sands in Alberta, Canada, that would require huge amounts of energy to extract. They also worry about a possible spill. The pipeline would travel through Montana, South Dakota, Kansas and Oklahoma, in addition to Nebraska.
In blocking the pipeline in January, Mr Obama said there was not enough time for a fair review before a looming deadline forced on him by congressional Republicans. The action did not kill the project but put off a tough choice on the once-obscure pipeline, which has become a flashpoint in the bitter partisan political fight over jobs and the environment and a focus of the presidential campaign between Mr Obama and his likely Republican opponent, Mitt Romney.
Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman signed a Bill last month that allows the state to proceed with its review of the proposed pipeline through his state, regardless of what happens at the federal level.
A senior State Department source said US officials would conduct a thorough review of the new application, with a final decision not expected until early next year - well after the presidential election.
PA Media


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Highspeedrailways.co.uk LinksHighspeedrailways is a valuable resource to our users, any links found here have been carefully selected.
Just submit here to send us the details of your top sites, as soon as we have checked an article and links between related emrging topics with Highspeedrailways
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Working in partnership with business, other organisations and local companies Rail and Belgium . Also find quick links to our most popular pages in Lille France Train
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Highspeedrailways top related topics:
Last Updated (Time in Hours): 12:41:40.


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A couple of weeks ago, I visited with my husband's niece by her pool in Florida. As we sat and chatted about this and that, she said, "Oh! I have something for you. A book. I know how much you read…and write…and I found a 1935 book for one dollar I thought you might like to have."
The book is a novel by Valcour Verne, titled The Pendulum: A Novel of Today, printed in 1935. This book is about seventy-five years old, a hard-back, the title embossed in gold. It's in excellent shape—I wonder how many people read all 450 pages of the novel.
The publishers—The Mayfair Press—uses this quote to personify their company: "The Books Upon Your Shelf Speak Volumes of Yourself." Clever, huh?
The book and the quote made me think of our books today. Some are eBooks, some are prints, and others are both. The prints may last seventy-five years if they are hardback and have good binding, but what about the eBooks, the electronic versions of our precious stories we love so much?
So, here we are, some of us conflicted, torn between the two sides. But why should we try to determine which is best, which will last, or which will soon become obsolete? Today, we're lucky that we can enjoy each on its own merit.
I do wonder, though, about the books I write, offered electronically and/or print. This year I will say my best book might be one that has a May 4 release date. It's not a pure romance; it is historical; and even though it does contain a sweet romance, it's really a "coming-of-age" story about a young woman in 1901.
The novel is titled Wish for the Moon, offered first electronically, and a few months later, offered in print. I wonder about this book. Where will it be seventy-five years from now? Will the print version survive somehow and a reader in 2085 will find it on sale for one dollar in a used book sale? Will this reader hold it to her breast, enjoying the fact she found a treasure? Or will only the electronic version survive, and if so…where will it be? In the depths of an enormous cloud of electronic writings maintained by Amazon? In a small used electronic-only book store?
I wonder, but I'll never know.
Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas


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France's main anti-doping laboratory, already under a provisional ban, has been suspended from carrying out anti-doping activities for up to six months because of analytical issues, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Friday.
The new suspension, which took effect on October 31, prohibits the Chatenay-Malabry laboratory from all analyses of urine and blood samples, WADA said in a statement.
During the suspension, samples that have not yet been analyzed by the Paris laboratory, samples currently undergoing a confirmation procedure and any samples for which an adverse analytical finding has been reported must be securely transported to another WADA-accredited laboratory, Reuters reported.
The laboratory was provisionally suspended on September 24 due to issues self-reported to WADA by the laboratory.
Since then disciplinary proceedings were carried out by an independent disciplinary committee, which made a recommendation on the status of the laboratory's accreditation to the WADA Executive Committee chair.
The laboratory, where disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong's samples were tested, may appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of notice. If the laboratory addresses all non-conformities identified by the Laboratory Expert Group or WADA, it may apply for reinstatement prior to the expiry of the six month suspension period.
Should the laboratory not address the non-conformities by the end of the six-month suspension period, WADA may extend the suspension of the laboratory's accreditation for an additional six months, WADA said.


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Jonah Hex - Lilah (Red Look) Adult Costume, I admit I have never seen Jonah Hex but that doesn't stop me from wanting the costume,lol. The only reason why I want to see the movie is because of the costume. I do know that Lilah who is played by Megan Fox is a prostitute though. That doesn't discourage me because the costume is that sexy.
Jonah Hex - Lilah (Red Look) Adult Costume .
Other costumes :
Alice In Wonderland - Alice Red Court Dress Adult Costume
This is a cutie too!


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Organizational and Leadership Expert Joseph Flahiff is passionate about helping leaders become more supportive and organizations become more nimble. An engaging and energetic thought leader, Joseph delivers provocative presentations that pack a punch.
For over 20 years, he has transformed people and organizations, bringing hope and joy to work, why not yours?
"Phenomenal speaker – truly a subject matter expert"- Maricarmen Suarez, Google
"Great presentation, very important concepts for executives!" – A. P., Stanford University School of Medicine
Below are two of my most popular presentations. I always customize the content for your organization. Contact me to learn more.
Building nimble organizations
Creating Agility, The job of Leadership
- Why agility is so difficult to attain
- Fire all your managers
- The hardest thing, giving power to self-organizing teams
Everyone is a leader
Leadership is not a job or a title, it is a moral obligation for everyone!
- It is all about context
- Love, the ultimate success strategy
- Leaders Learn
At one point while reading the section on Servant Leadership, I actually started to tear up…. I realized I had spent the last six months in a futile attempt to "serve" in a command and control structure that actually had adopted a passive aggressive style to hide the fact that they were still in command mode. Apparently, passivity of management got equated with being "agile", which actually manifested as a complete void of leadership. Until, of course, there needed to be some accountability, which lead to the aggressive demands taken straight from waterfall history books. That section of your book just healed all my wounds from being beat about the head and shoulders with my own schedule all that time. Thank you for the discussion about this important point of management thinking that needs to shift.
His book is great! I have lived in a waterfall world for 25 years and only started into agile about four years ago, using a "home grown" mixture of scrum, kanban, and yes, waterfall. I am both a PMP and a CSM, and I feel continually conflicted when determining the right approach to a project, concerned that I was "cheating" on the method not chosen. Now, after talking with Joseph and reading his book, I have discovered that agile is what you make it out to be — for you, for your team, and for your organization — and that it can play nicely with waterfall.
There have been many shifts and movements in the last few years geared towards helping teams deliver greater value. Flahiff captures the essense of many of these and shows how they are complementary and not exclusive. This is a great book for leaders and teams alike to gain perspective and start having the crucial conversations about the how's and why's of leading change.


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News and commentary about the reigning royal houses of the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Spain, Monaco -- and the former European monarchies as well.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Crown Prince sees his father for first time in two years
Former Crown Prince Wilhelm of German arrived in Doorn today to visit his father, the former Emperor Wilhelm II, who has lived in the Netherlands since the end of of 1918.
This was the first time in two years that father and son have seen each other, and the meeting, according to the Associated Press report, was described as "touching." Due to the abolition of the visa requirement between the Netherlands and Germany, Wilhelm arrived in Doorn this morning "and passed through the village unobserved to his father's chateau."
The former Kaiser "embraced his son," and was unable to control his emotion. The younger Wilhelm "displayed his usual gayety."
The reconciliation between father and son was "greatly facilitated by Empress Hermine, Wilhelm II's second wife. She has visited Crown Prince Wilhelm several times at his home in Oels. Until recently, the visit seemed impossible due to Prince Wilhelm's attitude "in militaristic and monarchist quarters."
Posted by Marlene Eilers Koenig at Monday, February 01, 2016
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Meanwhile Wolves have just spent £16 million on a new keeper to add to their already impressive squad. What the hell has happened to us?
Its a minor point but I believe they have just agreed a fee for their current keeper. Not a new signing
Trust us to get the billionaire who will can not spend any money
Trust us to get the billionaire who will not spend any money
To be honest I'm not sure what his wealth is. Im sure he's a very rich man but it's probably on paper, and he's money is locked away in businesses etc. but again like many have said he never said he would go on a spending spree, in fact he clearly states in the one interview when he brought it would be pretty much business as usual
Blimey, coming over for the Brentford game. As what do we owe the pleasure! Strange when we play villa a few days later
Who knows, he might give us a free drink again, doubt it though.On another related subject, has any St holders had their £10/5 voucher as per usual?
Apparently on his hols if media are to be believed, could anyone recommend a few sightseeing opportunities for him and the family around West Midlands?
The "astute" businessman Lai could go to the German Market and buy it for £200m and think he is actually buying Germany because peace told him it was. But, he'd only commit to the purchase of it after doing his due diligence (reading the beano). Peace would then be a consultant/chancellor for a "year" to watch over his latest wunderbar investment, for a good salary of course.
Just read in the Express and Star,that were still in an overdraft facility,how come?
I have an overdraft facility, don't use it, but its still there. If it costs nought / very little why wouldn't you, could help mitigate any cashflow concerns


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Before applying to drive with Uber or Lyft, the number one question many have is whether or not it's worth the safety risk. In an internet and social media-driven age, we all get a front row seat to the worst stories, and it can leave people wary about the ridesharing profession.
In fact, Who's Driving You is a website that was established with the express purpose of making sure every Uber or Lyft related accident or safety incident is reported for the whole world to see. When you take a look at a site like this, the situation seems pretty grim for drivers.
When Uber and Lyft have been asked to comment on these sorts of incidents in the past, they usually respond with the statistics, pointing out that safety incidents are actually a pretty small percentage when compared with the total number of rides being given.
Which is true, then? Is rideshare driving terribly dangerous? Or is it not really as bad as some people claim? When it comes to safety, the two main contributors are the drivers and the riders. We'll look at some of the main issues that impact how safe or unsafe a ride is, and share some of our biggest safety tips for drivers.
When thinking about safety, you may be primarily considering the riders you'll be transporting, but in actuality, one of the biggest dangers of rideshare driving can come from the drivers themselves. If you think about it, this makes sense, as accidents are often caused by distracted drivers, and Uber and Lyft drivers have distractions coming at them from every angle.
**Note: If you are primarily worried about the riders you may be driving around while working for Uber or Lyft, you can always choose to drive for other on-demand services like Instacart, DoorDash, or Shipt. These still enable you to be your own boss and work on your watch.
To take just one state as an example, The New York Post reported that "As the number of people using for-hire car services like Uber has increased in New York, so, too, has the number of accidents. Crashes involving the for-hire vehicles have more than tripled over the past two years — from 534 in July 2014 to 1,672 in June 2016."
These accidents are sometimes the fault of other drivers, but there are certainly contributing factors from Uber and Lyft drivers. How can you avoid this danger as a driver? There are several steps you can take to make sure you aren't distracted, and therefore susceptible to accidents.
Use Apps Sparingly
There is no shortage of apps available to drivers, and these apps can be incredibly useful. From mileage tracking to mapping to expense logging, apps can help you keep all of your information in one place.
However, these apps can sometimes distract you from the task at hand – namely, driving. At no point should you be loading information or swapping between apps while driving, unless it's absolutely necessary.
Be Strategic About Driving for Both Companies
Many people choose to drive for both Uber and Lyft simultaneously. This increases your opportunities and enables you to drive and make more in a given period of time. However, this process can be a little complex, and getting used to it takes some practice.
If you intend to drive for both companies, have a plan in place for navigating the complexities in a safe way. Check out our guide for how to drive for both Uber and Lyft without compromising your safety, or that of your riders.
Use a Phone Mount
One of the most helpful accessories you can purchase as a driver is a phone mount. Because you will need to glance at your phone periodically to make sure you are headed in the right direction, you want to make sure it impacts your focus on the road as little as possible.
Putting your phone on a mount in the car means you can glance at it to make sure you're on track without taking your hands off the wheel or your eyes too far off the road. Also, don't make or answer phone calls unless it's absolutely necessary. And, of course, don't text and drive. It's not only dangerous, but illegal in all but three states.
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Have Everything in Place
One of the keys to being a successful rideshare driver is giving your riders a pleasant experience. In an effort to do this, many drivers will offer snacks, bottled water, a phone charger, gum, or other items to their riders.
Having these available is a nice touch, but it's not helpful if you're rummaging around looking for those items when you should be driving. Make sure all of these things are easily accessible to your riders so you can keep your eyes on the road.
Be Pleasant, But Stay Focused
The best way to ensure a high rating from a rider is to have pleasant interactions with them. Chat, make sure they're happy and don't need anything, but don't forget that your main job is to get them from point A to point B. Don't let conversation distract you from that.
Make Sure Your Vehicle is in Top Shape
This may go without saying, but it's important to be sure your car has regular maintenance and is a safe ride for both you and your passengers. While this maintenance can be costly, it is also a tax deductible item for rideshare drivers, so make sure you record it for tax purposes.
Some opt to rent a car to drive, and services like HyreCar make it easy for you to rent someone else's vehicle in order to driver for Uber or Lyft. You may also consider a lease, which many prefer over purchasing a vehicle.
Even if you do all of the above and know that you are taking every precaution to drive safely, there is no way to guarantee that the riders who get into your vehicle are safe as well. This is of concern to many potential drivers, particularly women. In fact, Forbes reported that the number of female drivers is low, and the main reason is safety concern.
In order to drive for Uber or Lyft, you must go through an extensive background check, but the same isn't true for the riders. Here are some things you can do to be prepared to handle riders who diminish the safety of your profession.
Be Wise About Locations
While you want to be available in areas of your city that traffic highly in ridesharing, you should also be discerning about where you are offering rides, even if that means giving up a few rides.
If you know that an area has a higher crime or drug use rate than other areas, it may be smarter to avoid those areas, or at least be careful about what times of day you are available there.
Be Wise About Times
Speaking of times, not all times of day are equal when it comes to the safety of ridesharing. Many people do the bulk of their driving for Uber and Lyft in the evenings, as it is a secondary source of income for them. If this is the case for you, just know that you will need to be cautious.
One of the most common reasons someone will call an Uber or Lyft ride late into the evening is because they are too intoxicated to drive themselves. Be on your guard, and if this makes you uncomfortable, consider driving earlier if possible.
Don't Be Afraid to Decline a Rider
Many drivers, especially when they are first starting out, are so concerned with getting good ratings, and meeting the quota to earn their bonuses, that they will accept every rider who comes along.
You should know that safety is always more important than ratings. If you feel that a rider is not safe for any reason, decline them, and if you feel it's necessary, report the incident to Uber or Lyft. A few examples of when you may want to decline a rider:
- If the rider you meet is not the rider who scheduled the ride; make sure the names match.
- If the rider is trying to bring someone (or multiple people) along without warning.
- If the rider is intoxicated and seems to be belligerent, or acting inappropriately.
Encourage Backseat Riding
You do not have to allow passengers to sit in the front seat with you, and you may want to avoid it for your own feelings of safety and distance from the rider. If you keep items in your front seat for your riders, then you can simply point to this as a reason for them to ride in the back.
UberPool and Lyft Line
With UberPool and Lyft Line services, you add an extra element of complexity to your drive. More stops plus more passengers equals more distractions. All of the above recommendations for drivers become even more important when you add these elements in.
As you can see, there are various factors that contribute to the level of safety you experience as an Uber or Lyft driver. Due to the nature of the job, there are certain safety concerns that cannot be avoided, but being a smart driver and practicing discretion with riders can go a long way in making you feel safe in this profession.


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Blog Archives
Resource review #8: Library Technology Manifesto
Tennant, R. (2007, November 12th). Library software manifesto. Retrieved from http://techessence.info/manifesto.
To wrap up my resource reviews for my LIS644 project on the open source ILS Koha, which has turned into a kind of overview on the state of the ILS today, I thought I'd post Roy Tennant's Library Software Manifesto, written in 2007 to address the "unhealthy" relationship between libraries and library software vendors. Tennant is one of the leading library technology voices, and although this piece is a couple of years old now, I think it's still important and interesting.
The Manifesto lists consumer rights — such as the right to use the software you have paid for, without having to pay more for it; consumer responsibilities — such as the responsibility to realize that you're not special, and the vendor has other clients too; and shared responsibilities — such as the responsibility of mutual respect (at least until one party does something unforgivably ridiculous). I think this kind of approach could be very productive in thinking about changes and implementations to a library's ILS.
I admit it: I'm a library school student, and my knowledge of the ILS selection and management process is limited to a couple of talks and quite a bit of reading, so I don't have any real experience with how this works. But there's a fairly small selection of ILS vendors, and librarians on the whole tend to be less than completely familiar with programming and technology implementation, so some of the problems implied by this manifesto don't surprise me at all. The overall points made by the manifesto, though — librarians have a right to use their ILS to their greatest advantage, and to have some idea of how it works; librarians have a responsibility to treat the vendors and programmers fairly and without unnecessary acrimony — seem to indicate to me one reason why open source ILS solutions like Koha have become popular in spite of their detriments. When you have full access to the source code of your software, you can use it however you want, and you're going to have to figure out how it works. When you have to contract out or hire someone to do upgrades or added features, you have a much more direct, less bureaucratic relationship with them. Open source projects can get rid of a lot of red tape that can hinder a good working relationship.
Of course, open source solutions aren't without flaws — the first comment on the post is from someone mentioning that he feels his experience as a software user isn't taken seriously by open source developers. The tradeoff with open source, I suppose, is that many developers work on open source projects as a hobby, and their income isn't affected by users' dissatisfaction. (Companies like LibLime eliminate this problem, but add the bureaucracy back in… nothing's perfect.) Obviously this is no way to eliminate problems with the librarian/developer relationship, so the best way forward appears to be the one implied in Tennant's manifesto: for everyone to know a little bit more about what the other side is doing, and to acknowledge both their own and the other side's priorities in doing so.
Resource review #7: Survey of Open Source ILS
Riewe, L. M. (2008). Survey of Open Source Integrated Library Systems. Unpublished master's thesis, San José State University, San José. Retrieved 25 November 2009 from http://users.sfo.com/~lmr/ils-survey/080831-paper-Riewe.pdf.
This paper is a thesis by a San José State University MLIS student, a thing that I am very glad I don't have to write. Linda M. Riewe, however, produced this document comparing various ILS options via a survey of libraries using both proprietary and open source ILS options. There's a wealth of information here, on open source generally and on library uses specifically, and a number of very fair comparisons of the pros and cons of proprietary and open source software.
Riewe surveyed 361 libraries who used either Koha, Evergreen or some form of proprietary ILS software, asking them questions about the level of satisfaction with the ILS, how the ILS was chosen, how it was customized, cost and ease of use. She then divides up the libraries into demographic categories by size of collection to compare the data.
Overall: libraries tended to choose open source ILSs like Koha for philosophical reasons, in addition to the lower cost; they felt that the principles of open source were important and should be supported. (The cost of the open source ILS was generally found to be less over time, although initial costs were higher than for proprietary software.) Users of Koha and Evergreen reported slightly higher satisfaction with the system than users of proprietary systems, despite installation and documentation difficulties. This is a valuable survey, on many levels; it offers a snapshot of the open source ILS movement in libraries, and it will be interesting to see how things might change in future years.
Resource review #6: SirsiDynix White Paper Causes Many Tweets
Fitzpatrick, S. (2009, November 11). Open source advocates reject SirsiDynix's warning about OSS. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2009/november2009/abramvsoss111109.cfm.
Scandal! Well, kinda. Anyway, it's jucier than most of what you'll get when reading about open source ILS implementations, so I was perfectly happy to find this ALA report on a white paper from the Sirsi-Dynix Vice President of Innovation that pretty much proves that open source software is a viable alternative to traditional vendors. (If it weren't, they wouldn't be worried about it.)
The white paper itself is extremely negative about open source, although to be fair, it seems to be pretty truthful. Abram emphasizes the small size of the ILS programming community, giving the impression that open source software needs a user base as large as that of Firefox to be worthwhile. The warnings given about open source software are accurate — but they're the same warnings open source advocates give. Many of the detriments of open source Abram lists apply largely to new software, but neither Koha nor Evergreen, the two major open source ILSs currently available, could really be called new at this point: libraries looking into them now are certainly not early adopters.
The American Libraries article summarizes the library blog and Twitter reaction to the leaked paper, which was generally not too supportive of SirsiDynix's position. Several bloggers argued that while it might cost more money to train librarians and programmers to get a good open source system running, that training in people is much more valuable in the long run than maintenence fees paid to a proprietary vendor. The article also links to the variety of Web 2.0 tools that are being used to comment on the issue, from a blog post (with moderated comments) to a Google Doc to a Wiki. These documents are fascinating to look at — this is an ongoing debate, and one that will keep many people interested for a long time.
Resource review #4: Major Open Source ILS Products
Breeding, M. (2008). Major open source ILS products. Library Technology Reports, 44(8), 16-31.
This article from last year's Library Technology Reports offers an overview and comparison of the four most prominent open source ILS products — Koha, Evergreen, OPALS, and NewGenLib, as well as a discussion of the open source phenomenon in ILS products in general.
There are a lot of tables — I enjoy tables — breaking down what kinds of libraries are using what kinds of software, what kinds of population and circulation figures they're working with, things like that. Koha is a favorite among small to mid-sized public, academic, and special libraries, while Evergreen, designed by a consortium of libraries in Georgia, has been preferred for large library systems. Large individual libraries are still reluctant to adopt the fairly new open source ILS applications. I was interested to discover that open source hasn't made much of an impression outside of the United States and Canada, although it has been a choice option in some developing countries.
The article continues with a breakdown of the companies that support this open source software (such as LibLime for Koha), a review of the technical backend of an open source ILS implementation, and finally a feature-by-feature rundown of the specific software discussed, based on documentation and demo sites. This would be a great source for a library curious about which open source ILS to explore in more detail.
Resource review #1: Blazing Moon installation guide
Giesler, A. (2008). Installing Koha 3.0 on Ubuntu 8.10. Retrieved from http://www.blazingmoon.org/guides/k3-on-u810-1.html.
I had honestly forgotten all about this site until I googled it in desperation whilst trying to figure out how to set up our Library & Information Technology Association student computer's installation of Koha to be accessible remotely. And I shouldn't have forgotten, because it was written by Andy Giesler, who ran the LITA group on campus last year and actually did the install of Koha that I'm using now.
What he's done is written up a nice, plain-english guide to installing Ubuntu, the open-source Linux operating system; Apache, the open-source server software; and Koha, the open-source ILS. All the software is free; the costs are all in the machine and the time and effort you put into figuring out the install process.
One of the problems with open source software, you see, is documentation. Writing help files and installation documentation is probably the least popular part of a programmer's job, so when a programmer is working for free, for the good of the community, on an open source project, the documentation is going to suffer in an obvious way. That is to say, most documentation for open source software is terrible, and Koha is no exception.
It is possible to get good documentation and support for Koha — you can pay for it. LibLime is one among many companies who offer subscription support services for Koha, and Equinox offers a similar program for Evergreen, another open source ILS. If you can afford the support, you're still getting a deal on the free software. If you're trying to figure it all out on your own, it can be a little…trying.
Andy's writeup of the install process will help lead most reasonably computer-savvy people through installing Koha, which is the first step in understanding how the program functions on a base level. If you want to play with the program itself, though, you're still left with only the open-source documentation and your own patience.
Update 10/27/09: Yeah, I wrote this post in a flurry of frustration over not being able to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish as quickly as I wanted to. Allow me to rescind my statement: the Koha documentation does not really suck. (I've written a new post about it, above.) And, of course, documentation and support are two entirely different things; while you can pay LibLime for support, the Koha documentation is all free online, like the program itself. I will stop writing these posts while frustrated by software, I promise.
A bit more on that project, then —
What I'm doing is basically a kind of low-intensity research on open source software in libraries. I've a particular interest in Koha, the open source ILS, since the South Central Library System is in the process of switching to Koha from Sirsi Horizon (and having used the Sirsi-Dynix staff interface, I can tell you, it is about time). I'll be collecting resources in a del.icio.us account which is feeding to this blog over to your right there, and writing up evaluations on some of them as I go along.
Koha is a fully open-source, standards-compliant and platform-independent ILS, currently in version 3.0.3. As an open source product, it is released for free under the General Public License, and libraries are free to install and use it themselves, for no charge, if they have the expertise to do so. Koha's parent company, LibLime, offers paid support, as do a number of other companies.
Developed originally in New Zealand, Koha is currently in use on six continents, in a wide variety of libraries and library systems, including the Delhi Public Library in India and the Hawaii State Archives. (Or, for a public library catalog, check out the Grand County, Utah Public Library.) Koha supports a number of Web 2.0 techniques, including tagging, and as an open source product is fully customizable.
There are a lot of other opportunities for open source software in libraries too, though, from OpenOffice to Gimp and more, and I don't want to neglect those. As budgets get tighter, free software (even if it requires a support contract or extra IT hours) can be a huge benefit to libraries. Above and beyond that, though, is the idea of open source — that people should be able to understand what they use, to craft it to fit their needs, and to have ready access to the resources that are important to them. That's very similar to the mission of public libraries, and one I think librarians ought to endorse.


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While tech industry CEOs were cozying up to Trump, tech workers were modeling what resistance in the industry to the president-elect should look like.
In an extraordinary letter, more than 1,200 employees at big tech firms have pledged to "stand in solidarity with Muslim Americans, immigrants and all people whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by the incoming administration's proposed data collection policies." The workers are explicitly refusing to help the Trump administration build a Muslim registry. Referencing the Holocaust and the internment of Japanese Americans, they state, "We have educated ourselves on the history of threats like these, and on the roles that technology and technologists played in carrying them out.... we stand together to say: not on our watch, and never again."
The tech workers' pledge follows letters CCR and 21 other advocacy organizations sent to eight tech industry firms on Monday asking them to "publicly refuse to help build a Muslim registry." The letters (organized by our friends and partners at Muslim Advocates) were prompted by the firms' non-responsiveness to an inquiry earlier in the month from The Intercept. Only Twitter affirmatively responded that it would not sell its services to help create a national Muslim registry. Since then, Facebook has said, "No one has asked us to build a Muslim registry, and of course we would not do so." Google told The Intercept they are working on a response. Five others have not responded at all.
The effort to get Big Tech to say they will not help create a Muslim registry is not an academic exercise. Nor is the creation of such a registry a "strawman," as a spokesperson for Facebook has claimed.
Kris Kobach, the architect of the National Security Exit-Entry Registration System (NSEERS, a post-9/11 registration program targeting Muslims visiting the U.S. on non-immigrant visas) and an advisor to Donald Trump, was photographed holding a document titled "Plan for First 365 Days," which listed an updated registration program as one of his top priorities. While inactive now, the regulatory framework for NSEERS is still in place, and CCR is among 200 groups that have called on President Obama to dismantle it before leaving office.
In their letter, the tech workers specifically pledge to refuse to participate in the creation of "databases of identifying information for the United States government to target individuals based on race, religion, or national origin"; advocate within their organizations to scale back existing datasets that could be abused; and, most notably:
"If we discover misuse of data that we consider illegal or unethical in our organizations: We will work with our colleagues and leaders to correct it. If we cannot stop these practices, we will exercise our rights and responsibilities to speak out publicly and engage in responsible whistleblowing…. [if] our organizations force us to engage in such misuse, we will resign from our positions rather than comply."
This pledge by tech workers is a model for the resistance to Trump. Like the refusal of Department of Energy staff to turn over to the Trump team the names of staffers working on climate change (reported Tuesday), it demonstrates that collective action within government and corporate institutions can be – indeed, must be – a means to stop the immoral, the illegal, and the unthinkable from happening. Alongside the organizing happening in communities threatened by Trumpism, it is a critical component of the fight to protect our civil rights and civil liberties.
All leaders require the cooperation of people to implement their ideas, proposals, and policies. Under normal circumstances, the power possessed by the mass of ordinary people operating within organizations is not obvious, because carrying out their tasks within the system is routine and uncontroversial. But in times like these – when government workers may be asked to carry out illegal orders, corporate workers may be asked to provide unethical assistance, and citizens may be encouraged to wrongly target their neighbors – recognizing the potential power we all have if we act collectively is crucial.
It takes courage, and often involves risk. But resistance is our civic duty.


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KCM completed multiple challenging, mission-critical projects for CVS at its Scottsdale, AZ campus. KCM's OPM role included managing data center upgrade, Mechanical / Electrical / Process renovations and upgrade, in addition to building envelope, structure, façade, and general building repairs, additions and upgrades. KCM successfully managed over 100 Data Center power shutdowns during renovation work, and at no time, was the data center offline or without power.
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Billions stolen from tax payers
Kurt Nimmo
February 2, 2014
Alexis Garcia has produced a video for Reason.tv showing how an NFL franchise is not a good idea, especially for cash-strapped cities.
"The NFL is good at fleecing taxpayers," ESPN columnist Gregg Easterbrook and the author of The King of Sports: Football's Impact on America told Garcia. "It's about a billion dollars a year I've calculated in public subsidies to NFL owners and this is a group that consists almost entirely of billionaires and yet receiving significant public subsidies every year."
The organization closely resembles the corporate class sucking the life blood out of America. Like banksters and transnational companies, it depends of corporate socialism. It buys politicians who agree to use tax dollars to subsidize operations and build lavish stadiums. It is owned by billionaires. (See an interactive Muckety map here.)
"Judith Grant Long, a Harvard University professor of urban planning, calculates that league-wide, 70 percent of the capital cost of NFL stadiums has been provided by taxpayers, not NFL owners. Many cities, counties, and states also pay the stadiums' ongoing costs, by providing power, sewer services, other infrastructure, and stadium improvements," Easterbook writes.
The NFL does not pay a dime in taxes. The IRS says it is a 501(c)(6) tax-exempt organization. Like the Rockefellers and the elite, the NFL exploits the tax code to avoid paying taxes the rest of us pay at gunpoint. The tea party may have difficulty gaining tax exempt status, but it is not a problem for the billionaire owned NFL.
But the NFL is hardly run like a charity on a shoestring with a volunteer staff. Roger Goodell, the current NFL commissioner, for instance pulls down $30 million a year. Former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue received nearly $8.6 million in 2011. Five executive vice presidents received multi-million-dollar compensation, ranging from $1.5 million to $8.8 million, notes Laurie Bennett.
"Goodell's taking some $30 million from an enterprise made more profitable because it hides behind its tax-exempt status does not seem materially different from, say, the Fannie Mae CEO's taking a gigantic bonus while taxpayers were bailing out his company," writes Easterbrook.
In September, Oklahoma Republican Senator Tom Coburn introduced legislation to put an end to the NFL's tax exemption.
Coburn's bill, however, is not a sure deal.
"Once tax breaks, subsidies, mandates or whatever goodies Washington comes up with are in place, it's almost impossible to get rid of them," notes Bonner Cohen, a senior fellow with the National Center for Public Policy Research.
The Reopen America Back to School Special is now live! Earn double Patriot Points on our hottest items!


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Zeffer Cider seeking crowdfunding
North Auckland cidermaker Zeffer is seeking to raise crowdfunding through Snowball Effect. The launch, which is listed as 'Coming Soon' on Snowball Effect's website, is "to support continued growth in New Zealand and offshore markets". Zeffer currently holds a significant market share of New Zealand boutique cider production, and is widely distributed nationally. Zeffer Brewing Ltd is listed as having eight private shareholders. Renaissance used Snowball Effect for two successful crowdfunding campaigns, and last year ParrotDog raised $2 million in less than 48 hours through another crowdfunding provider.
Greater Wellington Brewday
Greater Wellington Brewday has moved closer to town and will be at Trentham Racecourse, Upper Hutt, this Saturday. Previous events were held in Martinborough, Wairarapa, and organisers say the new site is larger and has better access, with a railway station at the very gates to the venue, and $12 return special event train tickets from Metlink. Sixteen Wellington-area brewers, cidermakers and liqeuristas will be attending, with food available from 11 vendors. Tickets ($45) are still available as at Monday morning here.
Tiamana/Wild&Woolly Brewery for sale
Looking for an established commercial brewery in the Craft Beer Capital? Tiamana Brewery is expanding into contract brewing, while Wild&Woolly's Llew Bardecki is off travelling. The brewery, on a flat industrial site in Mount Cook (Wellington), has a capacity of 800L in a double brew. The package includes an established brewery that meets Council and Excise requirements, an on-going lease, and all brewing equipment from the grain mill to a bottling machine and kegs. Options to purchase or lease. Go here for more details and contact information.
New releases
Fork Brewing Charlie Extra Pale Ale (4.3%) - Flavour: Initial clean, biscuity malt character with good mid-palate weight and a mixture of white peach juice, pineapple, papaya and lemon balm. Finishes light and dry (as a bone??!). Aroma: Green papaya, Starfruit, Cape gooseberries and pink guava. Look: Extra pale! Hops: Australian 035, Australian Galaxy, American Citra. IBU: 25. Malt: Lager Light, Flaked Barley. Yeast: Fork House Strain Warm fermented. Available at Fork & Brewer from Wednesday.
Forecast Cider Gusty in Exposed Places (5.5%) - A funky gusty brew made from 100% Cox Orange Pippin with a medium dry yeasty finish. Best served in a warm gale. Available now in 375ml bottles.
Behemoth Punching Session IPA (4.5%) - Loaded with Wai-iti, Motueka and Nelson Sauvin hops, massive juicy flavours and aromas but sessionable as! Available now from Beertique.
Yeastie Boys White Matter sessionable white beer (3.9%) - It's been five years since Gunnamatta was released, and as a nod to our best-selling beer we're throwing around the Earl Grey confetti! White Matter is a supremely sessionable white beer, full of oats and wheat, with the floral tones of the Earl Grey Blue Flower.Brewed for the annual Brothers Beer Session Ale challenge and available now from Beertique.
Sunshine Brewery Nah Yeah Brew American Wheat Beer (4.5%) - Loaded full of Citra, Mosaic and Nelson Sauvin Hops
Events this week
Cider Tasting with Scoundrels and Rogues - 6pm Thursday 16 February, Beer Library, 363 Colombo St, Christchurch. Calling all cider-loving scoundrels and rogues! You won't want to miss our first ever cider event on Thursday 16 February at 6pm. We are particularly excited to have the evil genius behind Scoundrels and Rogues Craft Cider with us on the night to guide you through the tasting. Get your tickets now at the link above ...with only 30 tickets available, it would be an offense not to.
Greater Wellington Brewday - Saturday 18 February, Trentham Racecourse, Upper Hutt. Brewday is back for 2017 with a new, larger venue close to Wellington city and easily accessed by train. Indulge in the best flavoured brews found in our crafty region and relax to great sounds from our live bands with entertainment, competitions and more! Enjoy some seriously delicious food, beer, cocktails, mocktails, sodas, and ciders. Earlybird tickets: $45, General admission: $55 Get your tickets today from www.brewday.co.nz
South Island Beer Festival #10 - Saturday 18 February, Ilam Homestead, 87 Ilam Rd, Christchurch. And we're back for the 10th edition of the South Island Beer Festival! Mark Saturday the 18th of February on your calendar because we'll be serving over 30 of the South Island's finest beers from 12 midday until 6pm, and you don't want to miss out. The entry fee is $40 which, as well as admission, gets you the festival glass and a ticket for five beers. Each pour is a half pint or 284mL. You can also buy further beer tickets for $25 for 5. The event is door sales only.
Nelson Wine & Food Festival - Sunday 19 February, Middle Earth™ Winery, Bryant Road, Brightwater. Party away your Sunday afternoon with the Rotary Club of Richmond!
Later events
Palmy Tasting Series Nordic by Nature & The Germanic Fantastic - Tuesday 28 February, Celtic Inn, Regent Arcade, Palmerston North. With a lineup of new beers from our favourite Viking brewers To Ol plus beer from the Germanic Fantastic, Freigeist & The Monarchy we're kicking our 2017 Palmerston North tasting series off with a bang. and because it's we skipped January we're super sizing this one with 9 beers!
Chow & Tipple - Cambridge Food, Beer & Wine Festival - Saturday 4 March, Cambridge Memorial Park, Victoria Street, Cambridge, Waikato.
Wellington Wine & Food Festival + Craft Beer - 10-11 March, Waitangi Park, Wellington. The Wellington Wine & Food Festival will return again on the 10th & 11th March 2017, back on the Wellington Waterfront
Kegkoura craft beer festival 2017 - Saturday 11 March, 140 Highway 1, Kaikoura. Come to Kaikoura and enjoy a relaxing afternoon at this fantastic venue with amazing views of the beautiful Kaikoura coastline. With an awesome selection of craft beers from around New Zealand, great food options and chilled music we hope this will be an event you will come back to year after year. Kaikoura is open for business, and we would love to see you here. There are plenty of accommodation options and other attractions open so why not make a weekend of it. Visit www.emporiumbrewing.co.nz/kegkoura-2017.html for more details.
Sourfest 2017 - 17-20 March, Malthouse, 48 Courtenay Place Wellington.
The Funky Weekend - 18-19 March, Funk Estate brewery, 3/402 Great North Rd. Grey Lynn, Auckland. We're having a couple of open days at the Funk Estate Brewery. Come along on both Saturday and Sunday to check out our space, and enjoy some sun(hopefully), beer and food. We'll even have a cheeky band kicking off in the early evenings. 1pm-late both days. See you at the Funky Weekend!
New Zealand Homebrewers Conference - 24-26 March, Founders Park, Nelson
MarchFest Nelson - Saturday 25 March, Founders Park, Nelson
Mountain Ales 2017 - Saturday 1 April, New Plymouth Sports Fishing Club, Ocean View Parade New Plymouth. The third installment of Mountain Ales brings you 10 breweries (almost all new to the festival) and more than 20 beers plus the usual great catering. Get in quick - this event sells out.
Craft Beer Fair - Saturday 1 April, Plimmerton School, Porirua. Due to popular demand and unprecedented success Plimmerton School are hosting another Craft Beer Fair!! 11 breweries and a homebrewing competition.
Fresh Hop NZ 2017 - Saturday 22 April, various venues, Auckland
GABS Auckland - 16-17 June, ASB Showgrounds, Auckland
Smiths NZIPA Competition - 22-24 June, Smiths Craft Beer House, Queenstown
A Mid-Winter's Ale Festival - Saturday 1 July, Rolleston Community Centre, Christchurch. Showcasing some exciting craft beers and delicious ciders from breweries around Canterbury and the North Island as well as a handpicked selections of beers from overseas. We also have an exciting line up of live entertainment throughout the afternoon plus some awesome food options to match with the amazing line up of beers and ciders. Ticket sales will be available from the 1st of March...
Beervana 2017 - 11-12 August, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Beer jobs
Packaging supervisor, Panhead, Upper Hutt
We are looking for a dynamic leader that will show leadership in your work area and support those around you. This role is to make sure the great beer produced by the brewers makes it into pack format without degrading the quality of the beer or the presentation of the product. Applications close 19 February.
Inwards/Outwards Goods, Panhead, Upper Hutt
This role exists to make sure the dry goods required to make great beer makes it to the brewers and pack teams in tip top shape and the finished brew, produced by our brewery mechanics, makes it to the thirsty masses on time.
Keg delivery driver, Tuatara, Paraparaumu
Reporting to the Production Manager and serving as an integral member of the Production Team, you will be responsible for filling and dispatching kegs nationally as well as delivering to our local loyal customer base. This includes stock control of the kegs, filling and cleaning as well as assisting customers with product information and applying a bit of kiwi ingenuity when they need help with their lines or kegs.
Warehouse assistant (part time), Hop & Vine Distribution, Christchurch
This role must ensure our customers receive the highest quality service through the on-time delivery of our product. In addition, the role manages the day-to-day inwards goods and placement within the warehouse.
Head brewer, Eagle Brewing, Christchurch
Eagle Brewing NZ is a growing micro brewery based in Christchurch Canterbury. We produce a wide range of beer styles and have recently started to delve into sour, aged and barrel aged beers. We are currently investigating opportunities for brewery expansion over the next few years to allow increased production to meet demand. We self distribute nationally in NZ; do most of our own sales work and have recently invested in a small packaging line onsite.
We are now looking for a head brewer with a minimum of 12 months experience in brewing commercially to join our small team and help us grow to the next level and beyond. The position is full time with overall responsibility for meeting current and future demands as our sales continue to grow.
Maintaining inventory of raw materials and finished product, continuous improvement of current range and development of new diverse beers is also part of the role. We envisage a long term position so NZ residency or citizenship is preferred with possible benefits being offered for long term commitment to being part of our future for the right person.
The brewery is very manual with little automation so the applicant must be physically fit and have no existing medical condition which will impede his or her ability to carry out their duties. Basic knowledge of brewery glycol systems, mechanical and electrical maintenance plus a current alcohol managers license is an advantage. A valid driving license for manual vehicles and an F classification is desired.
Part-time Brewery Assistant, Stainless Brewing, Christchurch
This is an entry level position that will initially be approx 20 hours per week. Brewery experience would be helpful but is not essential. This position has a the possibility to grow into a full-time position for the right person over time. Applications close 17 February.


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While waiting for the first official trailer of Star Wars 7, we assembled below the trailers of all the previous Star Wars movies, enjoy:
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (Release date: May 19, 1999)
"Two Jedi Knights escape a hostile blockade to find allies and come across a young boy who may bring balance to the Force, but the long dormant Sith resurface to reclaim their old glory."
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (Release date: May 16, 2002)
"Ten years after initially meeting, Anakin Skywalker shares a forbidden romance with Padmé, while Obi-Wan investigates an assassination attempt on the Senator and discovers a secret clone army crafted for the Jedi."
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (May 19, 2005)
"As the Clone Wars near an end, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious steps out of the shadows, at which time Anakin succumbs to his emotions, becoming Darth Vader and putting his relationships with Obi-Wan and Padme at risk"
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Release date: May 25, 1977)
"Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a wookiee and two droids to save the universe from the Empire's world-destroying battle-station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the evil Darth Vader."
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (Release date: May 21, 1980)
"After the rebels have been brutally overpowered by the Empire on their newly established base, Luke Skywalker takes advanced Jedi training with Master Yoda, while his friends are pursued by Darth Vader as part of his plan to capture Luke."
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (Release date: May 25, 1983)
"After rescuing Han Solo from the palace of Jabba the Hutt, the rebels attempt to destroy the second Death Star, while Luke struggles to make Vader shake off of the dark side of the Force."
May the force be with you! And stay away from the dark side!
Anyway, may God bless George Lucas for he created a hell of a marvelous epic space opera franchise!
Update – The trailer of Star Wars 7:
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (Release date: December 18, 2015)


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September Roadmap for the Euro Crisis
The euro-zone debt crisis rumbles on deeper into September and is still showing signs of escalating rather than ebbing, even as the European Central Bank buys Spanish and Italian bonds to contain the contagion and some emergency budgetary programs — such as Ireland's — begin to bear fruit.
The main problem remains Greece, which has sunk deeper into economic recession in the second quarter. Bailout talks between Greece and the European Union, International Monetary Fund and ECB were suspended last Friday after it became clear that Greece was set to overshoot its budgetary targets for this year. Talks with the troika of international experts are expected to resume Sept. 14.
So far this week:
- The Finnish and Dutch parliaments have reconvened but not yet set a date to vote on the proposed changes to the European Financial Stability Facility and European Stability Mechanism. The Dutch finance ministry indicated that the earliest date for a vote would be in October. The EFSF is a temporary vehicle created by the 27 E.U. member states, aimed at preserving fiscal stability in Europe by providing financial assistance to member states in economic difficulty. The ESM is a permanent rescue fund that is intended to replace the EFSF.
- The German Constitutional Court ruled that the euro zone's 2010 Greek bailout and the subsequent aid granted to the country were legal, but added that future bailout decisions will have to be approved by a parliamentary budget committee.
Coming up…


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Where we gather…
Grace United Methodist Church
615 N. 22nd Street
Lafayette, IN 47904
Phone: (765) 447-4152
What to Expect When You Join Us…
Our goal at Grace is to be a welcoming community and that begins with greeting you at the door! Greeters, Connectors and Ushers are all volunteers who will be wearing name tags and available to help point out necessary facilities to you and help answer any questions as you visit. Our goal is to create an environment where people experience the presence of God. With that in mind, our worship services engage the congregation through a blend of music, scripture, responsive reading, corporate prayer, and giving of our tithes and offering. We say our musical worship is kind of like Indiana weather, constantly changing. If we don't play your style this week, come back next Sunday! We sing a variety of hymns and contemporary songs rotating being led by our chancel choir, song leaders and worship team band. Our congregation can be found in the pews and up front wearing jeans, dresses, suits, robes, and sometimes babies in pajamas. Come as you are and as you feel comfortable. We look forward to having you join us in worship!
Our Sunday Schedule…
8:15am Smaller Group Gathering Worship Service in the Lounge
Use the main entrance on the east side of the building's main parking lot.
9:15 am or 10:45 am in the Sanctuary
Use the main entrance on the east side of the building's main parking lot.
Child care is offered during both the 9:15am and 10:45am services.
Kids Connexion (Sunday School for kids from 4 years to 4th grade) is offered at the 9:15 service. There are activity packets available for children who wish to sit in the Sanctuary for either worship service.
Social conversation with coffee and donuts is offered between services in our Fellowship Hall located just outside the Sanctuary doors.


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A farmhouse raw cow's milk gouda (known as "boerenkaas" in Holland, the home of gouda) from Thorp, Wisconsin. Made by Marieke Penterman, this rivals the Netherlands' best cheeses in depth of flavor, complexity and balance.
Each wheel ages on on pine planks. They have an irresistibly delicious balance of rich, dense, sweet and savory creaminess with those little crunchy flavor crystals we love so much.
Marieke gouda has been a runaway favorite on our Deli's cheese counter. I'm pretty sure it'll be a hit in your home too.
The wheels we're currently cutting into were made in January 2019. They've got a huge, sweet and tangy flavor and a beautifully creamy texture. The finish is very, very long. Outstanding.


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Sometimes life has a way of stepping in and keeping you from your goals. The car breaks down, the pipes freeze over and it seems like everything is totally out of your control.
You've got two options.
Curl back up under your covers and reacquaint yourself with tumblr or Netflix, or….
Take back control.
Shit happens. Not everything is going to go to plan all the time. Hell, half of the things I plan to do never see the light of day because so much goes on in my life. But isn't doing half of what you hoped to better than not doing anything at all?!
If you're anything like me, then one thing gone wrong can ruin your day. Far to often I let that angry conversation, stubbed toe, or pile of dishes ruin my mood and spoil productivity for the rest of my evening
Certainly it's easier to catch up on old star trek episodes than to tackle that troublesome scene that seems to be just one more problem on the heap of problems in my day.
But it really doesn't have to be.
Everyone's a little different when it comes to finding the peace and the mindset to make real headway on a project. So here's a list of some of the things which help me find focus during hectic or otherwise miserable days.
Hot Tea
Reading a few chapters of a favorite book
Warm bath
Sketching my scenes and it's problems
Creating lists of what I have to be happy about in my life
Listening to my favorite playlist/soundtrack
Hugging my pets
Hugging significant others
I'm sure some of these might be helpful and others won't be, but just remember that if you want something to happen, you've got to put the effort in.
It's easy to work on the good days, but working on the bad ones is more meaningful in the long run.
Besides if you can finding happiness without the stars and planets aligning to give you a perfect day, then you'll have a lot more good ones than bad.


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Sonic and the Black Knight (ソニックと暗黒の騎士, Sonikku to Ankoku no Kishi) is a title within the Sonic The Hedgehog series, released exclusively on Wii as the second entry in the Sonic Storybook series, following on from Sonic and the Secret Rings.[3] The game is directed by Tetsu Katano, who was the lead programmer of the Sonic Adventure titles and Sonic Heroes.
Set in the world of King Arthur, the game combines Sonic's trademark speed with a new swordfighting system, utilizing of the Wii Remote's motion-sensing functionality.[4] The series villain Eggman is absent in it, making this the only Sonic game that he does not appear in.
Gameplay differs from traditional games in the Sonic series by mixing in the new element of swordplay with the traditional Sonic platforming and speed. Swordplay is implemented through the Wii Remote. Gameplay is more similar to Sonic Unleashed than Sonic and the Secret Rings; Sonic's movement is controlled with the analog stick as he is on a set course, and gameplay is mainly 3D.
The stages feature townspeople that the player can harm and some that Sonic can interact with; these actions and the player's deeds will be judged at the end of each stage, updating his "knight ranking" accordingly. By interacting with these characters the player may do a quick-time button input. Doing so correctly will take away twenty of Sonic's rings and give them to the towns person, and in return, he shall receive a gift at the end of the stage. In some stages, it is required to give a specific amount of rings to townspeople before reaching the goal. In stages where this is not required the townsperson will reward Sonic with an item. There are 242 items in the game, some of which can be gained by opening treasure chests in the stages. Any items collected during a stage must be identified at the end of the stage by using Sonic's "ID points". Rarer items cost more ID points than others. An online mode allows treasures to be traded between registered friends.
The game changes the traditional level items, such as springs and speed pads, into "fairies." These fairies come in varying colors; Yellow elements will be used as a group of one to twenty rings, Blue fairies will be used as speed boosts and springs, and Red will be used to fill the "Soul gauge." This gauge is filled by defeating enemies and collecting Red Fairies, and is used to unleash a powerful lock-on attack, Soul Surge. On only the first few stages, the "pearls" from the previous game, Sonic and the Secret Rings, appear as apples.
The skill system from Sonic and the Secret Rings also returns, but has been revised to adjust any problems that were present in that game: the skill system is also designed so as not to interfere with the game's tempo. Each playable character has three styles to choose from. At first, only the balanced "Knight" style is available, but later, "Cavalier" and "Paladin" styles are unlocked. They deal with the aspects of speed and power, respectively. As levels are completed, the player gains a number of "Followers" that is used as Experience and as the number of followers goes up, the number of skills the player has in a certain style are increased. The "styles" of characters beside Sonic are not increased; Rather, their swords' abilities and skills are enhanced.
Once the "Knight's Quest" part of the story is reached, Sir Gawain (Knuckles the Echidna), Sir Lancelot (Shadow the Hedgehog), and Sir Percival (Blaze the Cat) will be playable from that point on. Each has their own characteristics; for instance, Knuckles wields dual swords that double as boomerangs and has the ability to glide, Blaze can surround herself with fire and use more lunge attacks than Sonic, and Shadow can use Chaos Powers. In story mode, they can use different swords than their own swords, unlike Sonic, who can only wield Caliburn.
Up to four players can play in the game's multiplayer, choosing between one of 12 characters to partake in a number of different kinds of battles. Characters include Sonic, Lancelot (Shadow), Gawain (Knuckles), Percival (Blaze), Blacksmith (Tails), Amy Rose, Galahad (Silver the Hedgehog), Lamorack (Jet), regular Shadow, regular Knuckles, regular Blaze and King Arthur.
A sorceress named Merlina, granddaughter of the original Merlin, summons Sonic to help free the mystical realm of King Arthur, who has been possessed by an unknown evil that comes from the Excalibur's scabbard and is now ruling the realm as the tyrannical Black Knight. Sonic's speed alone does not end the Black Knight's reign, so he must take up the talking sword, Caliburn, in order to break Arthur's curse and save the kingdom. Sonic must also collect the blades of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table and Excalibur itself if he is to restore King Arthur's sanity and return him to a benevolent ruler.
Sonic is assisted in his travels by a kind Blacksmith (Tails) and the legendary Lady of the Lake, Nimue (Amy Rose). Facing dragons, King Arthur's warriors from the Underworld and the Knights of the Round Table (who bear similarities to Shadow, Knuckles and Blaze), Sonic collects all blades and enters a showdown against the Black Knight. However, when the dust settles, it is revealed that King Arthur was merely an illusion and that Merlina was using Sonic as part of her plan to become the all-powerful Dark Queen and prevent the kingdom's ruinous future by casting magic to make the kingdom last forever at the cost of innocent lives. Sonic realizes that such a world would never work out and fights her, but Caliburn is destroyed and Sonic takes a severe beating the first time.
Sonic's resolve to stop the witch, however, is great and with this resolve (as well as the Knights' blades), Caliburn is restored and revealed to be the true Excalibur and Sonic is turned into Excalibur-Sonic (an armored variation of Super Sonic). With their new power, they fight Merlina and defeat her. After the battle, Sonic convinces her that while every world has to come to an end, what matters is that everyone should live their lives to the fullest until that day comes.
With the fight over, the Knights of the Round Table are about to disband (due to King Arthur being nothing but an illusion), but Caliburn reminds them that he is the one who chooses the king, who is Sonic, playing the role of the real King Arthur all along. After the credits, Sonic tries to tell Amy of his adventure, but she perceives it as an excuse for forgetting about their proposed date. The game ends in a fashion similar to Sonic and the Secret Rings, with the book "King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table" changing to "Sonic and the Black Knight".
Sonic and the Black Knight was first revealed at Nintendo's pre-Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2008 press conference.[5] Developer Sonic Team, a subsidiary of publisher Sega, decided to focus on combat and cinematic presentation for the game rather than the level design-oriented Sonic Unleashed.[6]
Face to Faith: Sonic and the Black Knight Vocal Trax is the game's official vocal songs soundtrack that was released on April 8, 2009 in Sega Direct Stores in Japan. It features five vocal tracks that were featured in the game, with "Seven Rings in Hand ~Fairytales in Trance~" by Bentley Jones and "With Me ~Massive Power Mix~" by Crush 40 as brand new bonus tracks created especially for the album.[7][8][9]
Tales of Knighthood: Sonic and the Black Knight Original Soundtrax is the game's licensed soundtrack. It was released by Wave Music Entertainment on April 8, 2009 in Japan's Sega Direct Stores only.
Molten Mine's background music is a rearranged version of the "Action Theme" from Black Dawn, an completely unrelated PlayStation and Sega Saturn video game released in 1996. The music itself was originally made by Tommy Tallarico.
Sonic and the Black Knight has received mixed reviews from critics. It received a score of 55.19% on GameRankings[10] and 54/100 on Metacritic.[11] The game entered the Japanese sales chart at 30th place,[25] and the North American Wii charts at tenth.[26] It was de-listed in 2010, following on from Sega's decision to remove all Sonic titles with average Metacritic scores from retail stores in order to increase the value of the brand after positive reviews for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I and Sonic Colors.[27]
IGN's Matt Casamassina praised the game's visuals and the overall presentation, but went on to state that the gameplay was "broken" and cited the controls as "unresponsive".[21] GameDaily criticized the "repetitive combat, easy missions and limited controls keep it from greatness," but acknowledged its "attractive presentation, decent combat and bonus content."[24] Chris Scullion from the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine praised the games visuals and soundtrack, but criticized the sword play mechanics and multiplayer element.[23] GameSpot's Carolyn Petit] noted that while the sword is useful slashing through enemies, there is a noticeable delay from the time swinging the Wii Remote and the time Sonic actually swings.[18] The game was voted the Worst Wii Game of 2009 by the ScrewAttack community.[28]
Sega, Dreamcast, RED Entertainment, Sonic Team, Yu Suzuki
World War II, Wii, Wildlife Institute of India
Sega, Japan, Ōta, Tokyo, Intellectual property, Yuji Naka
United Kingdom, New Zealand, New South Wales, Canada, Queensland
Sweden, In Flames, Gothenburg, Alternative metal, Singing
Wii, Sega, Nintendo DS, Sonic Team, GameTrailers
PlayStation 3, Sega, North America, Europe, Sonic Team
Sega, Mario, Sonic Adventure, Sonic Unleashed, Nintendo