New Voices for Shakespeare | Blogging Shakespeare

I?m just back from the 5th British Shakespeare Association conference at the University of Lancaster. There were just under two hundred of us there (scholars, teachers, enthusiasts, and theatre practitioners). I took part in a panel about a new book which we hope heralds a new and fresh approach to Shakespeare criticism.

Shakespeare and I is a collection of essays by different scholars, but also a series of dreams, an anthology of attempts to communicate something real in language, a succession of illustrations which show why personal experience in relation to art, in relation to Shakespeare, matters. All the contributors to this volume share a sense of daring, a declaration that what they have seen and felt, combined with what they can rationally know and demonstrate, is important. All of the essays to a greater or lesser extent are about personal formation.

Through the course of this collection of essays, we encounter discussions about sexuality, class-distinctions, how we learn, how we remember, what forms and constitutes our theatrical memories, how Shakespeare attaches himself to our daily lives, how Shakespeare enhances our life, what it means to read with the heart, reading as a spiritual exercise, deeply submerged ghosts and memories, and Shakespeare providing a point of focus through grief.

Feelings are messy and often unforgettable, irrational, and will always escape any theoretical paradigm. ?Feelings? (unless they be historicized Early Modern ones) are also unprofessional and do not speak the right kind of language for academic conferences and publication.

To be truly honest about our feelings is to drop our defences. Writing which is honest, open and in our most fully possessed human language finds its place in the long tradition of confessional literature, memoirs, and essays, the kind of writing which was being re-invented in the Early Modern Period. In Shakespeare?s time confessional writing is perhaps best exemplified by Michel de Montaigne (1533?1592). Later comes Sir Thomas Browne (1605?1682) who, like Montaigne, wrote, as it were, with a mind so copious, generous and open that he felt his way around a subject intuitively, excluding nothing, including everything.

In his essay for Shakespeare and I, David Fuller recalls his former tutor, William Empson, in terms which evoke the Renaissance ideal of learning as something which engages the whole person and in which a love of poetry was an inextricable part of a wide-range of interests across what we now call disciplines. All of the essays here gathered share that same spirit of large-mindedness. ?Know thyself? says Socrates (to whom Shakespeare?s mind is compared on his memorial bust in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon).

To write about Shakespeare from within, as these authors do, is not about only demonstrating an argument, rather its about establishing a framework in which one can say: ?Shakespeare means this to me because of such and such. Can you meet me here? Do you recognise what I?m saying? Can you connect with what I say??

As a Shakespearian, I am most attracted to reading Shakespeare closely, partly because this is what I have been trained to do and partly because this is where any Shakespearian activity starts from. The practice has for me found its most direct expression in my work on Shakespeare?s Sonnets (with Stanley Wells) and my own deep interest in Shakespeare in performance, reviewing the plays, and the sound of Shakespeare?s words and poetry. Actors perform Shakespeare through close readings of the text; to act Shakespeare is closely to read him. Unless you are performing a heavily adapted version of a play, the main reason for performing Shakespeare at all is, it seems to me, because the language is life-giving, is the theatrical energy of the thing, is what makes the characters real, tells us everything we need to know, and, in the ideal theatrical space, is what crackles around the auditorium (if the acoustic is good enough). Performance, then, is definitely a form of close-reading. And so is theatre reviewing, and so are all works of art or social practice which take Shakespeare as their starting point: creative writing, music, Shakespeare in prisons, or Shakespeare as psychotherapy. Any reflection on our own experiences is also a form of close-reading.

This kind of (self) reading has a long and distinguished tradition, and I think that part of its future will be its willingness and openness to absorb and engage with other forms of writing. I see a creative future for criticism, close-reading, and writing of this kind.

A subtitle for Shakespeare and I might be How Shakespeare Formed Me. The contributors ask ?Where have I come from? What part did Shakespeare play in that, and why? How might this help me relate to where other people are coming from?? Shakespeare and I requires its readers to be good listeners. Some readers might find it hedonistic. Perhaps it is. But this kind of hedonism is tempered with discernment, with the self listening carefully to itself, and creative expression. It requires no more justification than this: ?speak what we feel, not what we ought to say? (The Tragedy of King Lear, 5.3.299). Our revels now are started.

Shakespeare and I is published by Continuum as part of the Shakespeare Now! series, and is co-edited by William McKenzie and Theodora Papadopoulou.

Source: http://bloggingshakespeare.com/new-voices-for-shakespeare

after christmas sales macys stratfor bears vs packers after christmas sales 2011 best ipad apps chris paul

Afghanistan's Koran-burning protests: 'Time for us to leave'? (The Week)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Week - Violent protests against the U.S. and NATO focus fresh attention on our Afghan war strategy. Should we hunker down ... or get out?Anti-U.S. riots in Afghanistan lost some steam early this week, but American personnel still haven't returned to Afghan ministries following the point-blank killings of two U.S. officers by an Afghan security guard at the Interior Ministry. That incident was just one troubling episode in a week of violence triggered by the reportedly accidental burning of Korans by U.S. soldiers, straining the Afghan government's partnership with the U.S. and NATO. The Pentagon says it's sticking with its "fundamental strategy" of training Afghan forces to take over security duties by the end of 2014. But is this crisis a sign that it would be wiser to withdraw faster?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oped/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/theweek/20120228/cm_theweek/224913

accenture match play george washington carver king cake vicki gunvalson irs jason campbell mardi gras

By Ken Levine: Final Oscar thoughts

Wow! People have strong opinions when it comes to the Oscars. Thanks to everyone for your comments on my review yesterday ? even the ones who disagreed with me (and left their names). So let me respond to your responses.

If you thought it was a good entertaining show ? great. If you enjoyed Billy Crystal, thought he was affable and amusing ? terrific. You?re clearly not alone. Even some reviewers agreed with you. But I was so bored I looked foreword to the GCB promos.

I used to like Billy Crystal. Thought he was funny, charming, and very serviceable playing all the parts that now go to Ben Stiller. And I thought his looks were fine. He was never a matinee idol. But so what? He was a Jewish character actor who was attractive enough to get the girl. The fact that the young Meg Ryan could be his love interest was every bit as believable as the young Meg Ryan being Tom Hanks? love interest (twice). It?s not like Woody Allen and Elizabeth Shue? or Julia Roberts? or Tea Leoni? or Goldie Hawn? or Mariel Hemingway when she was a teenager. (Time out while I take a shower.)

So I was looking forward to Billy returning as host. (Hell, after last year?s debacle with Anne Hathaway and James Franco, I would have welcomed Carson Daly.) But when Billy came out I did a double-take. He was unrecognizable. Someone had replaced his face with a rubber mask of Jackie Mason. And then his opening was a mere rehash of what he had done eight times before. I was disappointed. This was Lucille Ball in LIFE WITH LUCY.

People forget that when Billy first introduced that feature where he?s inserted into movies it was original and new. And fucking GREAT. Same with the song-and-dance. It was a revelation.

But that was twenty years ago. Aren?t there any NEW ideas for show openings? Or at least ATTEMPTS? You have a versatile performer in Billy Crystal. He can do skits or dance numbers or faux documentaries or whatever somebody dreams up. This puts him way ahead of James Franco, Whoopi Goldberg, John Stewart, Chris Rock, or David Letterman.

So I was expecting more from the opening. But that?s just me. Ray Kroc didn?t build an empire changing the menu at McDonald?s.

A number of you thought the problem with the show was the writers. I?ve never written for the Oscars, but from what I know it?s a Kamikaze mission. Unless you?re a writer who has creative say in the direction of the show you?re just a punching bag.

Let?s say you?re writing a bit for two presenters. You have to have the material approved by the producers, the Academy, probably the network, the actors, their manager, agent, and in all likelihood ? their hair stylist. And if it?s for two actors, one might like it and the other doesn?t. You change it to suit the one and now the other doesn?t like it. Then they both decide they want to change it. And their hairstylists get into it. Before you know it, what is left is a horrible, grotesque, painfully unfunny bit and you?re still considered the writer. Actors also sometimes bring on their own writers to ?work? with you. And by writers, that could mean their Pilate teacher or life coach. You have three Emmys and now you need your material approved by a Yoga instructor.

And after that, the actor can?t read a teleprompter or remember a line and what results is a trainwreck. Congratulations. You?re still the writer-of-record.

Going in, writers are usually handed guidelines ? restrictions. This actor won?t broach this subject, that actor won?t do this type of joke. In other words -- all the areas you were considering Not to mention, some movie stars are so self-absorbed and take themselves so seriously that they couldn?t be funny if it ended world hunger. Good luck writing comedy for them.

Throw in last minute changes, cuts for time, and all of that is just the beginning. Once the show is actually on you?ve got to come up with jokes on the spot and adjust bits as a result of the results.

I would probably do it once for the experience. The year after I?m guessing I would fly back to Australia to be as far away from it as I could.

For the show to ultimately be better the Academy first must decide what they want the show to be. If you?re going to have Morgan Freeman introduce the show and set a tone of elegance and prestige then don?t do shit-in-the-sink and dick jokes. Go one way or the other.

Then find a new host. Use Billy Crystal as your model ? someone who is multi-talented, accessible, and spontaneous. Who is that? I don?t know. Neal Patrick Harris? Patton Oswalt? Tina Fey? I?m assuming the Academy has scratched Sacha Baron Cohen off the list. But someone is out there. It might take a year or three to find him or her, but once you do you?re set.

Don?t give out all the Oscars on TV. Sorry but no one gives a shit about make-up, costumes, and short documentaries. I can hear you now ? nobody gives a shit about writers either. Not true. A) Top-tiered screenwriters are well known, B) people have definite opinions about the scripts, and C) writers generally deliver entertaining speeches. What was the best moment of Sunday's show?? Writer Jim Rash mocking Angelina Jolie.? Use the time to either shorten the show, find entertaining performances, or both.

Cut the practice where actors speak directly to nominated actors and tell them how fucking brilliant they are.? Natalie Portman might think you're a national treasure, but a billion viewers worldwide now hate you. Stop that practice and never ever do it again.?

And then pass the baton to Hollywood. If the studios made some decent popular movies that were not comic books or Adam Sandler dreck the Oscar audience would increase because they have seen the movies and have a rooting interest. But Hollywood knows this. They don?t care. Ask Warner Brothers if they?d be willing to trade their upcoming Batman movie for THE ARTIST with all its Oscars. You can throw in SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE too.? See what they say.

The Oscars still can be a terrific show.? There will always be appalling presenters or production numbers that suck, but that's the fun of it.? I look forward to the year that my readers are up in arms because my review was too nice.?

Source: http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2012/02/final-oscar-thoughts.html

howard hughes giada de laurentiis nationwide race wanderlust gone tyler perry good deeds pretty in pink

ZTE PF112 hands-on

ZTE's other handset launch of note at MWC this year was the PF112 (pictured at right next to SGS 2.) First take away here was the 4.5-inch 1028 x 720 HD display which was really bright and clear -- and again we were a little shocked by the dichotomy in build quality of the sets we're seeing from ZTE. Quad-band GSM radios, triple-band HSPA+ were on hand as well as an 8 megapixel rear-facing cam, all the wireless connectivity one could ask for and even an FM radio thrown in for good measure. Housing quality is fine, bezel size about on par with its neighbor in the pic above and fit and finish also looking sharp. Follow the break for some more pictures of this Android 4.0 device.

Gallery: ZTE PF112 hands-on

ZTE PF112 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/27/zte-pf112-hands-on/

what is sopa marianne gingrich ibooks author gabrielle union mark wahlberg merle haggard ladainian tomlinson

Whisky Cocktails, A Full Scottish Breakfast and Coffee at the 'Harry ...

My recent trip to Edinburgh was filled with plenty of delicious food and drink. But my highlights were drinking whisky cocktails, devouring a full Scottish breakfast and having coffee in the place where J.K. Rowling gained inspiration for her Harry Potter books.

Enjoying Whisky Cocktails?

Whisky is synonymous with Scotland and I wanted to try some while we were in Edinburgh. There was just one slight problem? I don?t really like whisky. Well, at least I can?t drink it straight. For me, the taste is too bitter.

However I do like whisky cocktails. When whisky is diluted with the right mixers, I find it to be extremely tasty. This seems to take the edge of it a wee bit.

We headed to Whiski Rooms in The Mound ? a trendy recent addition to the city which has around 500 different types of whisky in stock.

Whisky cocktails at Whiski Rooms

It was a quiet Wednesday night but we were celebrating Andy?s birthday so we headed straight for the cocktail menu.

After much deliberation I went with ?The Kilt?. This contains Glenkinchie ten-year-old malt with amaretto.

Andy chose the ?Highlander? which consists of Glenmorangie ten-year-old malt, fresh lemon, sugar syrup, stirred and charged with ginger ale.

For our second and final round (these were some expensive cocktails) I went with the ?Rusty Nail? ? a warm whisky drink with honey flavour and Famous Grouse blended whisky, Drambuie and a twist of lemon.

Andy selected the ?Isley in the Sun? which has Botanist Gin, containing more than 20 Isley whisky botanicals, Xante Pear Cognac, apple juice and lime.

They were all very nice and I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere in the bar.

Whiski Rooms has a bistro and a whisky shop on the premises. There is also a Whiski restaurant/bar on the Royal Mile which has traditional live music every night and serves some seriously beautiful food.

The Full Scottish Breakfast?

I love a full English breakfast. So I was excited to try this hearty dish with a Scottish twist. We enjoyed a full Scottish breakfast at Always Sunday on the Royal Mile (High Street).

It was delicious and featured haggis black pudding and some potato bread along with the usual ingredients such as bacon, sausage, egg and mushrooms.

A full Scottish breakfast

Caffeine Fix at the ?Harry Potter? Cafe?

Somebody recommended The Elephant House coffee shop and restaurant to me and we decided to venture here one afternoon for a much-needed caffeine fix.

What I didn?t realise until we arrived here was that this is the place J.K. Rowling used to come in the early days to write her Harry Potter books.

She would sit in the back room overlooking Edinburgh Castle, seeking inspiration for her novels that ended up being her meal ticket.

Unsurprisingly, The Elephant House played this fact up with the slogan: ?Birthplace of Harry Potter?.

But this place was not just an ordinary cafe with a famous connection. It had a quirky, bohemian atmosphere and, most importantly, served really nice coffee along with delicious cakes.

Another stand-out characteristic is the large number of elephant drawings, pictures and models everywhere. There are hundreds of models scattered all over the place, and some of them are actually for sale.

Have you visited any of these places? What are your favourite places to eat and drink in Edinburgh?

?

?

?

?

?

Source: http://www.seemytravels.com/2012/02/26/whisky-cocktails-a-full-scottish-breakfast-and-coffee-at-the-harry-potter-cafe/

the hobbit the hobbit an unexpected journey dark knight rises trailer dark knight rises trailer latkes how to make it in america how to make it in america

Local couple in running for Mexico wedding

Karen Monk and Shane Pearce are only nine people away from a wedding in Mexico.

The couple, foster parents to an ever evolving crew of kids, were happy when one of their friends entered them in the contest.

"I saw it on the Gobal News, and I thought 'I wish someone would enter my name in it. That same morning my friend called me and asked me 'can I enter you into this Global News wedding contest?'" said Monk.

Or at least Monk was, Pearce had no idea about the contest until he got called at work telling him they were in the top ten.

"I didn't see anything about it till Global phoned. The women asked me if I was sitting down. I said 'no, should I be? She said 'probably,'" said Pearce.

?

If you'd like to back their dream you can vote for them here.

?

?

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } google_ad_client = 'pub-9774721429222771'; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_ad_channel ='3389691084'; google_max_num_ads = '4'; google_feedback = 'on'; google_ad_type = 'text'; google_adtest = 'on'; google_image_size = '300x250'; google_skip = '3'; // -->

Source: http://www.caledoniacourier.com/news/139851813.html

schweddy balls schweddy balls hedy lamarr bill conlin kendall jenner plane crash plane crash

Determing the best Home Gym Equipment for your Health and fitness

27 Feb 2012 by Ms. Flower, Comments Off

Home exercise space equipment provides you with the opportunity to reproduce health and fitness physical exercise inside a gym without having to pay monthly fees or even departing your own home. Several items of gym exercise equipment offered regarding home use enables you to physical exercise some part involving our bodies. This implies any particular one appliance in your house may well fulfill the demands involving 3 unique equipment you would employ inside a physical fitness and health centre. Space-saving patterns along with overall flexibility has made a few kinds of exercise equipment very efficient to shed weight along with enhanced health and well-being.

There are lots of things to think of when looking for a brand new little bit of outdoor storage shed tools. Cost range along with cost will be first on many individuals checklist however good quality along with room needs must arrive first. High priced exercise equipment isn?t necessarily your best option however ought to be guaranteed by way of a good warranty and provide numerous years of trustworthy support if taken care of properly. Fresh gym exercise equipment purchases ought to be guaranteed by way of a good warranty as an example. Customer service is extremely critical and you will probably wish to verify how the tools producer includes a good standing regarding each good quality along with good customer service.

Fresh exercise equipment available on the market could be reviewed on the net enabling you to choose the best items to match your requires. There are lots of types which could move adjustments enabling you to physical exercise your own thighs along with thighs and leg in a single setting along with your biceps along with second chest muscles throughout one more. If you want your own brand-new part to offer numerous makes use of it?s actually a wise decision to discover if you need to pay even more regarding accessories that enable this to enhance adjustments. This might differ from producer in order to producer plus some arrive as a complete established in the first place.

Gymnasium exercise equipment must remain in your own home along with life-style. Tough to shop products could be still left packed apart if they?re way too hard to go. It is wise to research regarding ice cream makers which is to be fitted to the job you have reserve because of this. Some houses have room in order to specify regarding health and fitness at home requires while some must talk about areas. Bulky health and fitness exercise equipment can be difficult to proceed plus some types devote some time and effort in order to reconfigure any time transitioning makes use of. This should really become lso are reviewed before you deciding on the subsequent part.

Home exercise space equipment has turned out to be big organization along with normal perception may help you pick the best items available for you you. Even old-fashioned stationary bikes have many specs to deal with the altering technology. Several devices incorporate heart monitor designer watches, Liquid crystal display digital readouts, along with Capital t.V. displays to match simulated bike flights through different areas. Rowing equipment along with studio lights devices provide his or her rewards however locating the gym exercise equipment which could make you stay you with it is vital with a good prepare.

Source: http://www.thebestflower.com/determing-the-best-home-gym-equipment-for-your-health-and-fitness-needs/

where do i vote wheel of fortune today show smokin joe conrad murray verdict tappan zee bridge jessica chastain

Tips that will Help You Succeed at Mixed Martial Arts | ArticleGoes ...

It takes hard work to get good at mixed martial arts, and you have to train in many different ways. The best MMA fighters train in various different techniques and ways. To get more out of your training and improve your MMA skills, implement the following strategies.

You should get the right clothes and equipment if you want to be serious about your mixed martial arts training.

Having the right equipment includes not just gloves and head guards, but also comfortable training clothes. By themselves these items won?t make you a better fighter, but they help by allowing you to focus more and helping you feel more professional. Very often, you can recognize the serious competitors in a sport because they are committed enough to have specialized clothing and equipment. When you aren?t at the gym, it can be helpful to have the right equipment at home; things such as weights, a jump rope, or an exercise machine. Getting the equipment as you can is beneficial because having it will help you progress faster in your MMA training. Current day mixed martial arts had its beginnings with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and grappling strategies are still a major part of it. Even if you believe yourself to mainly be a striker, you need a grappling approach in order to cope with fighters who possess many skills in this area. It?s best to train in a variety of wrestling and jiu jitsu styles, so you are comfortable when you go up against people with different martial arts backgrounds. The good thing about ground techniques is that, even if it?s one of your weaker areas, with some practice it?s something you can improve at quite quickly. Considering that striking is contingent upon lots of essential characteristics, such as rapidness and reflexes, grappling more on particular methods. This isn?t to say that you aren?t required to be skillful or that anybody can be remarkable at grappling, although a great deal of people can at least become knowledgeable of the basics rather quickly, which is imperative for competing in mixed martial arts.

Following a regular routine is also important to keep you from losing focus. You should choose a specific routine and days for that routine for each aspect of your workout from cardio to strength training. You?ll want to mix up your routine once in a while to keep from losing motivation or becoming stagnant. It is a very important idea to have a plan when you plan to train. Your training time is likely to be limited by your busy schedule so be sure to make the most of what time you can have. You can improve your time management by knowing exactly what you want to accomplish when you hit the gym. Your abilities will sky rocket faster with a disciplined training regimine.

If you are dedicated to to you will reap the benefits of all thatMMA has to offer. There is no substitute for regular training, though there are things you can do to speed up your progress, such as the tips we?ve discussed here. Your determination will determine how far you go in MMA.

UFC 144 Live Stream

Source: http://articlegoes.com/tips-that-will-help-you-succeed-at-mixed-martial-arts.html

who do you think you are superpac steve appleton bishop eddie long jobs report madonna give me all your luvin video roseanne barr president

How To Find Hotel Specials And Discounts On The ... - Travel articles

Title: How To Find Hotel Specials And Discounts On The Net.
Status: publish
Content: To get the best hotel charges, consider booking a space at the hotel which you decide on through the best trusted online hotel booking agencies found on the Net. Though there are many businesses advertising 60% off or maybe more discounts for your favorite college accommodation, not all companies are equal and some tend to be adept at providing greater discount hotel rates than others.

Hotels worldwide are in the business connected with filling their empty rooms. And hotels would rather offer decrease rates for a small amount of rooms to keep their guides in the black as opposed to loosing money for vacant guest rooms. One of the ways of keeping their own hotel filled with delighted guests is by partnering up with the best inn reservation websites on the web. These agencies support hotels promote special deals because they are easily observed through Internet look ups.

Though you may have viewed a couple of television commercials from popular Internet-based traveling agencies such as Priceline.org and Expedia.com, vacation goers will have better success with cheap hotels discounts by using a company that specializes in the actual region they are planning to visit.

For example, if you want to get the best rates for any hotel room in expensive New York City or a room for a honeymoon throughout Key West Sarasota, you should look for an organization based in the United States. CheapOstay is just about the best recommended Internet travel company based in the US. Though they can offer hotel bargains worldwide, they mainly focus on North Many hotel market. Consequently they are able to provide informed discounted hotel rates offered through motels they partner having.

If your travels demand across the Atlantic towards the United Kingdom then you really should browse through Booking.com?s web page. Even though the company is in the Netherlands, Booking.web is the best hotel booking agency for European union. They are also worth looking through if you are planning to travel to the Middle East and also Africa.

Finally, one of the better companies for finding the best hotel rates with Asia is called Agoda.org. They have many satellite offices located in the course of Asia. Though they particularly specialize in Thailand?s resort market.

Besides providing cheaper hotel rates, hotel agencies can easily offer better costs for hotel rooms that you simply thought you could never manage, such as a deluxe place or jacuzzi collection. After all not everyone have enough money higher luxury categorised rooms. But motels would prefer take a slight loss rather than come with an empty room and not make any money by any means. So it is always value checking with the businesses above for the best discount rates so you can live it in style within your budget limitations.
Creation Date: 2012-02-25 07:31:52
Last modified: 2012-02-25 07:31:52
Name: a:2:{i:0;s:24:?Enter your zip code here?;i:1;s:12:?hotel finder?;}
Name: a:1:{i:0;s:16:?Adventure Travel?;}

Source: http://www.travel-direct.net/adventure-travel/enter-zip-code-263/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=enter-zip-code-263

google offers cerebral palsy death clock death clock lenny dykstra top chef texas stanley tucci

icoursesottawa: iConfess: Why an Android fan recommends the iPhone http://t.co/5oej8BEs

• Skip past navigation
• On a mobile phone? Check out m.twitter.com!
• Skip to navigation
• Skip to sign in form

• Login
• Join Twitter!

iConfess: Why an Android fan recommends the iPhone zite.to/vZUQDN about 6 hours ago via Zite Personalized Magazine

icoursesottawa

iCourses Ottawa

Footer

• ? 2012 Twitter
• About Us
• Contact
• Blog
• Status
• Resources
• API
• Business
• Help
• Jobs
• Terms
• Privacy

Source: http://twitter.com/icoursesottawa/statuses/173228991317147649

urban meyer ohio state traffic report traffic report opensky dia frampton dia frampton zook

Importance of Custom Stickers in Business Advertising | new-york ...

Stickers are considered to be one of the most effective promotional tools. They are popular due to their catchy looks and colorful designs. They are found to be a great source of attraction for everyone including juniors and seniors. The stickers are multi purpose versatile products and have applications in all spheres of our lives. They have vast domestic as well as commercial applications around the world. The best thing about stickers is that they are highly economical and cost efficient products. They are used by businesses around the world for the purpose of advertising and marketing. The stickers are least expensive advertising products. In the fast moving world of today where there is a fair bit of competition in every business, you need to constantly remind your customers about your products and services to keep them loyal to your company. In this regard, custom sticker printing is highly suitable especially for small businesses in order to get their products and services introduced and advertised in the market.

The stickers incorporate one of the most effective forms of advertising and marketing. All companies big or small have been printing stickers in order to get their businesses growing. Customized stickers usually contain a company?s name along with its logo and a promotional line. They may also contain information about newly introduced products of a specific company or its special promotional offers. Stickers are mostly placed on public places and automobiles. They are also distributed by companies among their customers who usually don?t waste them and paste them at a certain place. This works as a constant advertising tool for your company because the sticker will stay at that place for a certain period of time and during that it will keep advertising for your company. The stickers are designed by skilled and experienced graphic designers in a way that they can grab the attention of public at a glance. They are designed with bright and elegant colors for catchier looks.

Stickers may be printed in different shapes, colors and sizes according to the requirements and the purpose of their use. A die cut sticker which is cut with the help of a die according to the shape of graphic or content on it, is more effective than a regular shaped sticker. A die cut sticker looks more attractive if it is printed with medium tone colors and placed on a surface with light background. Due to the rapidly increasing competition in the printing industry, the printing companies are offering the printing of die cut stickers without any extra charges. PrintingBlue is one of the world?s leading online printing solutions providers. They specialize in the printing of all kinds of stickers including vinyl stickers printing. PrintingBlue makes use of the latest full color CMYK/PMS (Pantone Matching System) printing process. They offer their customers free design support, free unlimited design revisions, free proof reading and free lamination of all kinds of stickers. They also exclusively offer free shipment and handling of all printing orders of their customers at their doorsteps.

?

This entry was posted in PPC Advertising Articles. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://new-york-times.tk/archives/3488?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=importance-of-custom-stickers-in-business-advertising

jesse ventura keri russell drew barrymore bill o brien portland trailblazers will kopelman casey anthony

FDIC coming up empty in pursuit of bankers

WASHINGTON?? Like many banks engulfed by the mortgage crisis, First National Bank of Nevada specialized in risky home loans that didn't require borrowers to prove their incomes. When the housing bubble burst, First National got crushed in 2008 under the weight of bad loans that it could no longer resell to investors.

Last year, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation sued two former senior executives of the defunct bank for alleged negligence and breach of fiduciary duty, hoping to recover nearly $200 million in losses that it tied directly to those executives' decisions. The two men denied wrongdoing and settled for $40 million.

But they didn't pay a dime.

Instead, the federal agency ? which is better known as a regulator that seizes control of failing banks and provides deposit insurance for consumers than for its prosecutorial endeavors ? is still fighting in court to collect that money from Catlin Group Ltd., a Lloyd's insurance syndicate. Catlin provided an equivalent of malpractice insurance to First National's executives, but the insurer denied liability for the executives' alleged mistakes.

The case illustrates complex legal maneuvering as the FDIC steps up efforts to pick through the detritus of the financial crisis, and to recoup at least some of the nearly $87 billion costs to its deposit insurance fund from the collapse of about 400 federally insured banks between 2008 and late 2011. The First National Bank failure cost the fund $900 million.

Concerns about whether the FDIC's strategy isn't aggressive enough in such cases at least partly echo criticism levied at other regulators and enforcement agencies for being too lenient.

Over the past 18 months, the FDIC has filed 22 lawsuits targeting personal finances of former executives, their insurance policies, and sometimes their spouses' assets, in an attempt to claw back some of the money, and to deter reckless banking practices in the future.

Of the lawsuits filed so far, none has gone to trial yet, and three have been settled. A look at the three deals suggests the FDIC is prepared to accept a fraction of the alleged damages as a settlement while some former executives deny wrongdoing and escape significant financial responsibility for bank failures.

Avoiding costs
The primary targets of the lawsuits aren't so much the former executives' wallets, but rather the insurance policies most banks take out to shield their officers and directors from claims of negligent management, according to court documents and interviews with lawyers.

FDIC officials say their settlement strategy is driven by the need to maximize recoveries, and to avoid costs for potentially losing litigation. In response to questions, the FDIC says its "actions do send a message, and settlements do result in directors and officers being held accountable." The agency added, "the reason that we have not gone to trial on any of these cases yet is primarily attributable to the fact that we are still early in the crisis."

But some critics, including a prominent senator, have faulted the agency for settling for too little and for failing to set precedents that could deter bankers in the future.

"Their recoveries should be much greater, and they should never allow a CEO to walk away with the idea that crime pays," says William Black, who as litigation director for an agency later folded into the FDIC, filed many of the hundreds of government's lawsuits against executives resulting from the savings-and-loan crisis of the 1980s.

Founded in 1933 in response to the bank failures and savings losses of the Great Depression, the FDIC is just one of several regulatory agencies digging through the aftermath of the financial crisis. Unlike some other regulators, the FDIC is credited with spotting the mortgage bubble early on, and with warning banks about it. What's more, a bulk of subprime loans originated with lenders that weren't regulated by the FDIC.

'Beat the system'
Investigations into some of the bank failures on the FDIC's watch have only recently been completed or are about to be, auguring a greater number of lawsuits, agency officials and outside lawyers say.

As of mid-February, the federal agency had authorized litigation in connection with more than 27 failed banks, in addition to the 22 lawsuits already filed. Last year, the FDIC says it collected $240 million from professional liability claims, a figure that represents most of such collections by regulators so far in the aftermath of the financial crisis. Following the savings-and-loan crisis, banking regulators recovered about $1.3 billion in damages from former directors and officers, according to an estimate by Dechert, a Washington law firm.

The FDIC's biggest settlement so far targeted Washington Mutual. The FDIC sued several former executives, accusing them of gross negligence in pursuing high-risk lending that eventually caused the bank to lose billions of dollars and collapse in 2008. The FDIC sought $900 million in damages, but last December settled for $95 million, most of it covered out of insurance, with several executives contributing less than $500,000 between them.

The FDIC said the December settlement was "suitable" and provided "a significant return" while avoiding a costly court battle. But others criticized the deal. Sen. Carl Levin, whose subcommittee's investigation of the financial crisis included a scathing chapter on WaMu, said the settlement "shows again how bank executives can beat the system." The former executives denied wrongdoing.

In pursuing these claims, the FDIC acts more like a bankruptcy receiver whose main goal is to collect money, not punish executives. But with the dearth of criminal prosecutions in the aftermath of the financial crisis, the FDIC's liability claims carry a bigger weight. The Justice Department, for instance, closed its WaMu probe in August without any charges.

Ignored warnings
The FDIC says its lawsuits help improve banking practices and that its investigators have made criminal referrals in cases where they suspected outright fraud.

The First National case provides a window into these legal struggles.

Before it collapsed in 2008, the bank was part of a holding company that expanded through acquisitions and new ventures, mostly in Nevada and Arizona.

Though initially conservative in its lending outlook, First National got swept up in the residential-loan fever early last decade and billed itself in press releases as "Home of Alt-A lending", a category just a notch above subprime, according to court documents. First National was "extremely aggressive" and set aside normal caution and underwriting standards, according to the FDIC lawsuit filed in August in a federal court in Arizona.

When the housing market softened, First National's management ignored warnings from the bank's own employees and from government regulators pointing out the inherent risks of the lending strategy, the lawsuit says. In bringing its negligence case, the FDIC singled out Gary Dorris, the holding company's former CEO, and Philip Lamb, who was the executive vice president. The two "continued this downward spiral even after investors told them they would not purchase loans" the bank kept churning out, the complaint says.

In fact, Lehman Brothers, which itself eventually collapsed triggering the worst days of the financial crisis, rang alarm bells about the quality of First National's loans as early as 2007. In a lawsuit filed in an Arizona state court, Lehman alleged that the bank had sold it mortgages with numerous misrepresentations about the borrowers' finances, employment and the nature of the property. Lehman sought $18 million in damages.

First National denied the allegations and settled for an undisclosed amount. Jay Coleman, a lawyer who represented First National, declined to comment on the settlement, citing confidentiality issues.

Dorris and Lamb also denied wrongdoing in the FDIC lawsuit. The bank failed not because of any negligence on their part but because of "the unprecedented disruption of the real estate market," they said in a court filing. Ronald Glancz, a lawyer who represented them in the case, said they were unavailable for comment. "Everyone wants to put this behind them and get on with their lives," he said in an email.

But as part of a complex settlement, they agreed to a judgment of $20 million against each of them, a figure derived from "what a jury might reasonably award (the FDIC) as damages," according to a September court motion. As part of the same deal, federal regulators promised not to collect that money from the two former executives, and instead to go after Catlin, the Lloyd's syndicate.

Months before the lawsuit was filed, federal regulators held talks with lawyers for several former executives, including Dorris and Lamb. During those talks, the FDIC hammered out a deal that involved $3.5 million in penalties from two other executives and a $7 million payment from another insurer, Chubb Group, according to an FDIC court filing. The two other executives also signed consent orders with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency banning them from working at federally-insured banks in the future.

But the FDIC targeted Dorris and Lamb for the lion's share of the damages. Shortly before First National collapsed, its Chubb insurance policy had expired. With its risk exposure growing, the bank had trouble finding another insurer, according to court documents. Eventually, the bank signed on with Catlin, in exchange for a steep premium that the executives assumed would cover claims of negligent conduct predating the start date of the policy, according to a lawsuit filed by the FDIC against Catlin.

When the insurer balked at settling those claims with banking regulators, the FDIC sued Dorris and Lamb, settled with them for $40 million, and then turned around and sued Catlin for that money. Dorris and Lamb didn't face banking bans or any other penalties.

In a court filing last month, Catlin denied liability, arguing that "coverage for the events in question (is) specifically excluded by the terms of the policy." The battle continues. A Catlin spokesman declined to comment further. In a written response to questions, the FDIC said the First National settlement is "a good example of directors and officers being held accountable."

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46504240/ns/business-us_business/

revenge boston redsox red sox law and order svu camaro zl1 bob sanders janeane garofalo

Investing in Gold and Silver Was Never so Easy Before ...

Freedom Gold Group does not believe in making any fake promises, but rather offers its clients what they exactly need. The company has been serving numerous organizations and individuals across the country for more than 25 years.

Calabasas, CA: In this present time of uncertainty, people usually try finding ways that can help them lead a much-secured financial life. They make several investments with an intention to gain good returns in future. However, very few benefit from doing so. Why is this so? Not all are capable of taking the right decision when it comes to making investments. Numerous companies these days claim to offer some of the best investment schemes. However, very few of these claims turn into reality. Unlike such companies, ?Freedom Gold Group? works towards helping one make the most appropriate investment with the best returns. The company offers gold, silver and other precious metals at the most unimaginable price.

What makes ?Freedom Gold Group? so different? FGG does not believe in making any fake promises, but rather offers its clients what they exactly need. The company has been serving numerous organizations and individuals across the country for more than 25 years. Their clients are the ones intending to expand their wealth further by investing in gold, silver and other precious metals. Experts at FGG first carefully understand about the basic needs of their customers, and accordingly educate them about different types of investment options available and finally assist them in making the most appropriate decision.

Apart from gold and silver coins, the company also allows you to buy gold bars online. All of this is available at a very reasonable price. The prime motive of the company is not to make personal profit, but to help individuals make the right investments that will offer them the required growth and stability in life.

With gold and silver prices constantly mounting up, investing in something else would definitely not be a wise thing to do. A great reason why one needs to choose FGG for investments is that unlike other companies, FGG provides you with a wide range of investment options. Therefore, for those planning to secure their future by investing in gold and silver, surely need to walk up to FGG. No matter one wants to buy silver coins or invest in gold, FGG turns out to be a perfect place to do so. Gold investments are highly risky and therefore, it is very important to seek the right assistance and that is what one can hope to get from ?Freedom Gold Group?. No doubt, investing in gold and silver has never been so easy.

About FreedomGoldGroup.com:
Freedom Gold Group is the best place to purchase silver coins or gold bars at the most affordable price. The company also deals with other precious metals. It offers some of the best investment options.

Are you looking to purchase gold coins online? Make sure to download your FREE investor?s kit first, at http://www.freedomgoldgroup.com

Freedom Gold Group
5000 Parkway Calabasas
Suite 302
Calabasas, CA 91302
Tel.: 800-496-5945
Fax: 818-591-0404

Source: http://www.indianewsx.com/investing-in-gold-and-silver-was-never-so-easy-before/

gravitas steve jobs and bill gates steve jobs quotes pancreatic cancer symptoms apple stock aspergers apple computer

Oncology vs. Hematology ? What is the difference? | Parents

Hematology and oncology are two distinctive branches of medical science that concentrate on regions that normally overlap one another. How this really is so will require an explanation of each hematology and oncology as separate studies.

Hematology

As an independent field of study, hematology specifically offers with the blood and blood forming organs, at the same time as disorders that influence these places in the human physique. It really is in fact a branch of internal medicine with several internists using the hematology field to be the subspecialty.

The internist specializing in hematology, or just the hematologist, issues himself with blood-related conditions, ranging from the frequent iron deficiency anemia to cancers originating inside the blood, to uncommon types of abnormal blood coagulation.

So that you can diagnose an individual, the hematologist utilizes several different test approaches, most common of that is the blood test, itself made up of a variety of approaches to acquiring blood test results.

Oncology

Oncology may be the study of distinct malignancies or cancers. These cancers could take place in any component in the physique, presenting itself as an abnormal growth of cells ? a result of the abnormal chromosome that is in turn a result of either harm or possibly a genetic adjust.

The harm causes the cell to develop rapidly and start to multiply until it forms a lump or a tumor. The tumor could be either malignant or benign. If benign, tumors might be left alone considering that they don?t invade other cells. Nevertheless, if the tumors are malignant, these tumor cells could spread to other websites by shedding off and flowing by means of the bloodstream and get started other growth. When cancer spreads, the method is known as metastasis.

Oncology issues itself using the diagnosis and therapy of all types of cancers ? breast, prostate, colon, lung, ovarian, brain tumors, leukemia, lymphoma, among other individuals. Given that some cancers involve the blood, the connection amongst oncology and hematology is established that way.

Oncology and Hematology ? Methodology and Treatment

Hematology and oncology specialists normally discover that they?ve to perform hand in hand if the case involves any of the cancer sorts that affect the blood. Following the hematologists conduct blood tests and obtains accurate diagnosis in the blood cancer, the oncologists will begin treatment.

Therapy approaches may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, bone marrow transplants, stem cell transplants, as well as other specialized procedures.

The most typical illness that specialist in hematology and oncology will typically face is leukemia, which can be a condition wherein the amount of white blood cells overwhelmingly offsets the levels of red blood cells inside the blood. The illness can frequently be traced to an autoimmune defense malfunction wherein the white blood cells (lymphocytes) mistake red blood cells as foreign bodies and proceed to destroy them.

For treating leukemia, the objective of oncology and hematology specialists is remission. This indicates that just about every step should be taken in order to return the patient to a somewhat a lot more standard white blood cell count. best diet plan

Source: http://parentsinx.org/health-and-beauty/oncology-vs-hematology-what-is-the-difference/

zach braff kevin federline amy smart michael jackson dead michael jackson dead prickly pear prickly pear

Shabby Chic Interior Design Ideas | News BlogrollCenter

If you are looking for decorating your living room or the rest of your house, then you are just about to read exactly what you have been looking for. The shabby chic decorating is the one whose keywords are romantic, memorable, soft and not the least, feminine. From the 1980s, this design has continued to be a fashionable and trendy means of decorating your home. The shabby chic designed is credited to Rachel Ashwell to be the one coining its term. This one is one of the most common designs, as it can be briefly found in any of the houses today. If you wish to get to know it better, here are a few tips to help you get going:

With a splash of British Elegance, the shabby chic decorating never gets old. Even if we have heard the adage of what is now new, tomorrow gets old, this design is ought to make it the other way round, as what tomorrow gets old, the other day comes across as new again. In this case it can be used for dozens of generations, as this type remains young. The shabby chic decorating combines the love and respect for vintage antique, found in shades of pink and cream, soft pastels which give an air or romance to any unstylish house.

One of the most important aspects of this design is getting the perfect accessories. They can be found anywhere, as well as the furniture which is ought to be undeniable vintage. You can even to a second hand to get it, but still be careful not to go beyond the limits of this way of decoration. Also, as there are no rules to follow, purchase some soft materials and fabrics which will surely help you to mark out your territory in the way your personality should do.

The last but not the least is the way of accessorizing. Here you are free to play with every shades and shapes you wish to; still, the frames which are ought to be hang by your walls should be glisten with silver and gold, just enough to attract your guests? attention. Don?t be afraid to show off your personality and your good tastes, because with shabby chic way of decorating your will never make a mistake. As romance is for everyone, you are ought to be known for your good taste! Also, prepare to get as many fresh flowers as possible to get the ambiance expected!

Source: http://www.blogrollcenter.com/news/shabby-chic-interior-design-ideas/

st louis cardinals beavis and butthead cardinals jennifer nicole lee jennifer nicole lee chris harris peter schiff

I think I might have skin cancer? : Melanoma and Skin Cancer

A freckle is flat on your skin and a mole raises above the skin and you can kinda move it around in a way (not to sound gross if it were lol).
If its gotten darker than it should be then you have a problem. Or if it was a freckle and turned into a mole.
I was afraid about one of my freckles that turned a bit into a mole, but I picked at it and for some reason the darker spots came off and i don't know anything about it so I'm kinda worried at the moment. I haven't gotten to seek medical help yet though.
Plus if your worried about moles you can have them removed, especially because they can turn into cancer.

If you were old enough to not be living at home I might worry - *most* cancers occur in people over 30....especially skin cancers, which are usually due to a life time of DNA mutations due to sun exposure...

These are photo's of what skin cancers tend to look like...
You'll notice a lot of grey hair and wrinkles in these photo's
http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-204_162-10006772.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody

Wear sunscreen, and a hat.
Your skin will thank you down the road.

Source: http://www.cancer-forums.net/i-think-i-might-have-skin-cancer-t43266.html

take care childish gambino camp drake take care tracklist drake take care tracklist dr murray trial take care drake cain accuser

NBC gives "Community" a return date (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - Good news, "Community" fans (and it appears that there are a few of you out there); school will be back in session next month.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120221/tv_nm/us_community

lil kim what will my baby look like gary carter died progeria cmas cmas tcu

Obama takes tougher stance on higher education (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - Access to college has been the driving force in federal higher education policy for decades. But the Obama administration is pushing a fundamental agenda shift that aggressively brings a new question into the debate: What are people getting for their money?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120220/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_college_value

coco rocha al sharpton izon gaddafi dead steve wynn lytro camera lytro camera

Yes, You Can Make Speakers from Ikea Salad Bowls [Speakers]

If you happen have a handful of unused speaker drivers, some fiberglass, and a length of vacuum hose, you too can fashion a three-way speaker out of some Ikea salad bowls. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/qbRjX_vX1_w/yes-you-can-make-speakers-from-ikea-salad-bowls

2012 sports illustrated swimsuit same day flower delivery valentines day westminster dog show valentines day cards hallmark grammy winners

Downton Abbey, Season 2

Seth, you?re right to mock our editorial supremo?s media-magnate solidarity with Sir Richard Carlisle, but to be fair to Plotz, he was talking about the man we knew until this week?smart, self-made, and admirable. Back in Week 1, I also dubbed Mary and Sir Richard ?well-matched.? This episode, Carlisle suddenly became a cartoon bad guy, all jealous and shouty, the kind of man who would complain that the Granthams molly-coddle their servants and raise his voice to Mary when other people were around. Of course, his nastiness made it far easier to ditch him?as Matthew said, ?It isn?t worth buying off a month of scandal with a lifetime of misery.? But what if the alternative had been something more palatable than a lifetime of misery?

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=117e42e8c82daddc42e09e5af50ad553

martyn martyn ecri stacey dash the time machine cloverfield take shelter

Murder by 4: For Writers: Blogging - What's the big deal?

aaron paul lazar, copyright, 2012

The Beginning

I'd just finished my sixth book in May of 2005, when I was approached by Bob Burdick to create a piece for his book-lovers' website. "Just tell us about your writer's life, how you manage to work and write at the same time. Tell us about the person you are, and how it all fits together."

I'd never really written much more than fiction, emails, and tech reports at work. And I wasn't sure how to begin. So, as I normally do, I just started writing.

I think back to that day as the unleashing of a whole different type of writing. This was personal, easy-to-read, and fun writing. Sort of like emailing one of my fans, or speaking one-on-one to a newbie writer who approached me for advice at a book signing.

At the time, I didn't think of it as blogging, per se. I didn't really know what a blog was back then. So I called the torrent of mini-essays that ensued "Seedlings" columns. I thought of them as "little seeds of ideas that sprouted in my brain while driving to work or before falling asleep. Not enough to flesh out into novels, by any means, but insistent enough to require capturing, all the same."?

A Blog by Any Other Name...

Since 2005, I've written over a hundred and fifty articles. These pieces range from 500 to 1500 words, and cover topics like writing tips and advice, a writer's life, book reviews, promotional tips, slices of life, etc. I keep a spreadsheet that lets me track where and when I've posted or guest-posted, and the list, in itself, has grown dramatically.?

Writers need to establish personal blogs to help promote their work, network with readers and writers, and to provide a home for their articles. But that's not really enough, these days. It's also good to get on a regularly published list of literary journals, group blogs, social media sites, etc. if you can. For example, my short pieces go up monthly at sites like the Future Mystery Anthology Magazine, and The Voice in the Dark Literary Journal.

I also post weekly at a collaborative blog with three other mystery writers, entitled Murderby4. Every Sunday, I write a piece for Murderby4, then post it on my personal blog, and copy it over to one of my favorite social media sites, Gather.com. Often I'll have the energy to do the same at some of the .ning groups, like The Book Marketing Network, or Book Blogs. There are other sites I used to frequent such as EzineArticles.com, Helium.com, etc. Lately I've had a hard time keeping up with all their requirements about so many allowed links per article, etc., so I've sort of slowed down there. But they're all good, and I'm sure you can find your own assortment of places to post your blog pieces in addition to your personal writer's blog. The message here is to take advantage of the time you spend on these articles, and post them all over the place to get more coverage.

From each of the postings, I then tweet the article by simply clicking on the small Twitter icon at the end of each piece. I add key words to the canned pretweet, and often add "Plz RT", which signals my pals on Twitter to retweet the link to their followers. In order not to overwhelm my friends on facebook, I generally post a link to that site just once, linking to Gather, where many folks add their comments and their own observations about the topic of the day.?

I also keep a list of subjects I want to write about so I don't run out of ideas. Don't get me wrong - sometimes I come up empty-handed. It's hard to have a column ready every week, never mind while keeping up with the current WIP. I don't know how those newspaper columnists do it!

Why Blog? (I Just Wanna Write!)


Why do we do this? What's the benefit? And how can we justify taking time away from our "real" writing to do these short little blogs?

First of all, it's about connecting with people; connecting on a deep down, personal level. If you can relate to your readers, they might wander over to see what else you've written. Perhaps they'll check out your books. And maybe even buy some! More often than not, however, you'll find the benefit of blogging is a gateway to meeting wonderful people who often are in your boat. These writers may have their own blogs, may be looking for guest posts, just like you. Little by little, by sharing, networking, and helping each other, you can all gain more exposure to readers and blog followers by holding hands and posting each other's pieces. There's a lot of synergy in that model. And eventually, assuming your books are good, you'll start to grow a nice audience for your work.


Giving Back

Of course, you also want to offer something of value to your followers. In addition to hopefully entertaining them, giving them a bit of a laugh from time to time, and offering the benefit of your own observations and experience, you want to help them on their own journey. Be open to newbie writers who have never written a blog in their life. Offer to showcase their new book. Ask folks whose books you've read to guest blog for you. You'll be surprised at how many of the best selling authors actually respond and appreciate the option of reposting their blogs on your site. Always be willing to pay it forward, and offer freebies off and on like contests where folks can win a copy of your eBook(s) or print books. You can host other author's giveaways--that's always a treat for readers--but be sure you don't make the conditions for winning too hard. That never works. Usually I just ask someone to comment on the article to be eligible to win. Simple and effective!

The Rules of the Game

My version of blogging doesn't necessarily meet all the "rule of thumb" advice that I'd stumbled on over the past seven years. I've sometimes read that blogs should be "short and sweet", that you should blog every day, and that if you write something longer than 500 words, people lose interest. I'm not so sure about all that.

So, I don't follow those rules, and in the course of letting myself navigate through this mire with my own instincts, I've managed to create a pretty decent platform. The last time I googled my name, I got over 4,000 hits, mostly from the articles I've written. I've tried to help writers by sharing advice and tips, and have connected on a deep level with so many wonderful folks, not limited to writers or readers. It's been a good run, and I'm grateful for all the folks I've met through this process.

How to Get Started??

Don't let all this scare you if you haven't ever blogged or are just about to release your first novel. It's a growing and learning process that comes with time.?

Start with your own blog. Gather up your book cover images, a headshot if you like, and links you might like to add to the side bar. If you already have books to sell, sign up for Amazon Associates and get your product links. You can also create mini-slideshows where you feature your own book covers, and it's really easy to copy the code onto your own blog sidebar.?

Blogs are fairly easy and intuitive to create, using a platform like Blogger or WordPress. Usually it's all free, too.?

Once you have your template in place with photos and links, etc., then it's time to write something! There's no wrong topic with which to begin. Talk about yourself a little, if you wish. Pick a subject you're wondering about in the literary world. Or offer a chapter from your book(s). (tip - make sure you have your publisher's approval before you publish more than a blurb from your own work - check your book contract.)

How to Get Followers

Some blogs go a long time without any official followers. And that's okay. You can check your stats to see how many hits you've had. Just keep writing, check out other blogs, and comment/follow them if they suit your interests. Then you can invite folks back to read your blog, and the whole process begins!

Final Caution

It's really easy to get so caught up in the promotion of your work that your free writing time for your WIP almost disappears. Try to get on a schedule. You need to balance this aspect of your marketing plan with the time to actually create more products to market! It's a real challenge.?

Hmm. Maybe my next blog will be about how to achieve that balance...

Best wishes and good luck to all, and remember to write like the wind!

Aaron Paul Lazar

lazarbooks.com

Source: http://murderby4.blogspot.com/2012/02/for-writers-blogging-whats-big-deal.html

scarlett johansson glee project winner kris humphries remember the titans wale wale weather denver

'Communication needs to be improved' | BorneoPost Online ...

by Danny Wong. Posted on February 19, 2012, Sunday

SIBU: In the government?s effort to attain a high-income nation, one of the sectors that have to be improved is communication.

Stating this, Deputy Minister of the Information, Communication and Culture Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum said his ministry had been entrusted to push for connectivity to narrow the communication gap.

?The effort to connect society by the ministry has begun to bear fruit; both urban and rural society has benefited from the communication and broadband facilities,? he said at the launch of NJOI, Astro?s subscription-free satellite TV service nationwide held at the multi-purpose hall in Sibu Jaya yesterday afternoon.

Salang who is also Julau MP, said as of December last year, the household broadband penetration rate nationwide stood at 62.3 per cent. For Sarawak alone it was 47.5 per cent while cellular coverage for populated area stood at 84 per cent.

Although the national cellular coverage rate was wide, the effort to widen connectivity was still being implemented, he said.

He said in the state, among the efforts to widen cellular coverage was the construction of 114 telecommunication towers to be completed by the middle of this year.

Apart from that, under the worldwide service provision being managed by Malaysia Communication and Multi-media Commission (SKMM), the people are provided with broadband facilities to narrow the digital divide between urban and rural areas including in Sabah and Sarawak.

He said among those was the distribution of one million laptop computers associated with broadband packages affordable for students and low-income group.

According to him, Sarawak has been allocated 182,168 laptop computers, of which 74,858 had been distributed to-date.? The other 107,310 would be distributed to qualified students and members of the public within this month.

In addition, SKMM has implemented broadband community centres (PJK) and broadband libraries (PJL) to provide communication, infrastructure services and Internet accessibility in rural areas, he said. Sarawak has 34 PJK and 33 PJL in operation to date.

The wireless village initiative (KTW), he said, was operated based on the concept of the widening wireless broadband service to villages.

?A total of 600 wireless villages projects are to be implemented throughout the state in which 212 wireless villages are operational while 388 will be developed early this year.

On behalf of the ministry, Salang congratulated Astro for introducing NJOL to the public. By buying NJOL decoder set from a retailer, the public could enjoy 37 TV and radio channels free.

He also congratulated Astro for continually discharging their corporate social responsibility through NJOL.

?The government realised the shortcomings faced in narrowing the communication gap especially in an area where free TV and radio services were inaccessible,? he said.

In this respect, the satellite broadcast system is a good alternative for closing the gap.? Through NJOL, recipients in selected areas will get NJOL decoder set and NJOL channels for free.

He said NJOL was not only a commercial project but continuation of the government?s effort to provide access to knowledge, education, information, entertainment and radio contents.

Chief operating officer of Astro Henry Tan was among those present.

- Next Entry >>

Source: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/02/19/communication-needs-to-be-improved/

golden globe nominees arian foster joe philbin miss america pageant 2012 shipwreck lana del rey jose aldo vs chad mendes

Syrian forces fire on anti-Assad crowd in capital (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - Syrian security forces fired live ammunition to break up a protest against President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Saturday, killing at least one person, opposition activists said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120218/wl_nm/us_syria

slaughterhouse cypher last man standing jim thorpe pa jim thorpe pa terry francona ios 5 release date

A wine geek's ultimate road trip

A wine trip through Germany includes stops at historic wineries, such as Maximin Gr?nhaus near the town of Trier.

By Ray Isle, Food & Wine

I blame it on the fact that I grew up in Texas. By which I mean, at some point it occurred to me that driving from Ch?teauneuf-du-Pape, one of France?s greatest wine regions, to Piedmont, one of Italy?s greatest wine regions, would be only a slightly longer trip than driving from Houston to Dallas. (Not to mention that at the end I?d be in Piedmont, a more appealing place than Dallas.) After that, the mental dominoes fell into place: What if I flew to Europe and hit the road, visiting five iconic wineries, in five great wine regions, in five different countries, in five days: the Priorat in Spain, Ch?teauneuf, Piedmont, Germany?s Mosel and finally Austria?s Wachau. I?d visit five legendary wineries, and I?d also have the pleasure of founding an entirely new pursuit ? extreme wine tourism ? in the process.

Slideshow: America?s best road trips

Mile 0: Spain

My starting point was Alvaro Palacios?eponymous winery in Spain?s Priorat. The Priorat, about an hour-and-a-half southwest of Barcelona, is a steep, severe place that produces some of Spain?s most sought-after red wines. People have grown grapes here for hundreds of years, but the region only recently came to prominence.

Palacios was one of the small group of winemakers that recognized the Priorat?s potential back in the 1980s, and he is now its most famous producer. His top wine, one of Spain?s greatest reds, is called L?Ermita. The grapes come from a single, old, steep vineyard in the shadow of a 16th-century hermitage (it?s still in use; apparently, there?s even a waiting list to be the resident hermit). L?Ermita is a stunning expression of Grenache, a grape that reaches a pinnacle in the Priorat. ?It?s one of the few grapes that can transform heat and aridity into something vibrant and refreshing,? Palacios said.

As I walked that morning in L?Ermita?s vineyard, there was certainly no lack of heat and aridity. With each step, I crunched through gravelly schist, kicking up red and brown dust; the sun was fierce. Palacios farms L?Ermita with mules, as the slope is too steep for tractors. As I hiked back up the slope, sweating, I felt fortunate not to have their job.

Palacios? winery is a spare, modernist structure, its big glass windows looking past the town of Gratallops to hills scored by the terraces of old vineyards. We tasted a number of his wines, ending with the 2009 and 2010 L?Ermitas, which cost roughly $800 a bottle. The ?09, from a warm year, was a study in power, with immense tannins under its dark fruit; the ?10 was even better ? extravagantly aromatic, perfectly balanced. They were both wines to sit with and ponder; wines for long, lingering, unhurried reflection. Instead, I checked my watch. ?Uh-oh,? I said. ?I?m sorry, Alvaro. I?ve got to get out of here!?

Mile 359: France

The drive from the Priorat to Ch?teauneuf-du-Pape takes you from dusty and scruffy (Gratallops) to drab and industrial (the northern outskirts of Barcelona) to sunlit and idyllic (France?s Mediterranean coast). Four hours in, I was sailing along the E15 past N?mes, under a glorious Proven?al sun. To my right was the pastel-blue Mediterranean; to my left, maniacal French drivers, rocketing past me with fine Gallic disregard, even though I was doing 90 miles per hour.

Ch?teauneuf-du-Pape shares three important things with the Priorat: the sun, the Mediterranean and Grenache. The Priorat is a hardscrabble, impoverished region, despite the success of its wines; in contrast, the southern Rh?ne Valley, home to Ch?teauneuf, feels like an extension of Provence, all sparkling light, picture-postcard villages and gentle hills. The place is charming, not harsh. If a local farmer from the Priorat were to wake up here, he?d think he?d gone to heaven. At least until he realized everyone was speaking French.

I spent the night at a bed-and-breakfast; the next morning, I drove to Ch?teau de Beaucastel, one of the greatest producers of Ch?teauneuf-du-Pape. Marc Perrin, a lanky 41-year-old whose family owns Beaucastel, looked surprisingly relaxed ? surprising since it was the middle of harvest and his wife had had a baby three weeks before. ?I?m not getting much sleep,? he admitted.

Beaucastel, unlike Palacios, is open to visitors by appointment, and the Perrins also own L?Oustalet, a tree-shaded restaurant with a great wine list in the nearby town of Gigondas. I had a superb alfresco lunch there with Perrin, but even so, the transcendent moment of this visit for me was back at the winery, tasting five vintages of Beaucastel?s great Ch?teauneuf-du-Pape. We tasted the 2009, 2008, 2001, 2000 and 1990. All were remarkable, but the 1990 soared above the rest. It had a transparent, dark ruby hue, with a tremendously complex flavor that kept sounding different notes: truffle, sandalwood, black cherry, cured meat, a little bit of black olive.

?There have been vines growing here since Roman times,? Perrin told me, ?but my family purchased the estate in 1909. We?ve been organic since 1950, and working biodynamically since 1974, but we never claim it on the bottle. It?s like something my uncle used to say: ?Some people go to church just to be seen at church, and others go simply because they believe.??

Mile 676: Italy

Heading north out of Ch?teauneuf-du-Pape, I skipped the rest of the Rh?ne ? St-Joseph! Hermitage! C?te R?tie! Oh well! ? then stopped for croissants and coffee at a bar overlooking the Is?re River in Grenoble. From there, the road curved up into the Alps, then down into Italy and to Piedmont.

I?ve always harbored a fantasy of moving to Piedmont, so it was extremely convenient to find that the 17th-century castle at the top of the hill in Castiglione Falletto, next door to the Vietti winery, was currently for sale, according to Vietti?s Luca Currado. And only $2,500,000 for an entire castle! ?But you have to maintain it,? Currado added. This was a good point; for instance, one might have to repair scratches to the exterior walls caused by people (like me) who drive by without paying attention to how far their side mirrors stick out.

Currado?s family has grown Nebbiolograpes in Piedmont since the 1600s; today, they own vineyards in all nine villages of the Barolo region. They also produce some of the region?s most acclaimed wines, like the 2007 Vietti Barolo Rocche that I tasted with Currado over dinner in Alba that night, a polished, luscious red with tea leaf and dark cherry notes. Currado mentioned that when Alba was a Roman town, the emperor talked about ?the fog grape? (nebbiais Italian for fog; hence, Nebbiolo). ?In Tuscany, they have ?under the Tuscan sun,?? he said with a shrug. ?In Piedmont, we have ?under Piedmontese fog.??

?I?m still blown away by that castle being for sale,? I said.

?You know, in old times, the owner of a castle had the right to spend the first night with the bride of anyone who got married in the village,? Currado said thoughtfully. ?I don?t think that?s the case anymore, though.?

Mile 1,191: Germany

Switzerland's mountains are scenic, its water is pure, and I have fond memories of falling asleep one time in a Swiss meadow and waking up surrounded by cows (different story). But when you?re trying to drive swiftly from Italy to Germany, Switzerland is just a big, mountain-filled problem.

Nevertheless, nine hours after leaving Piedmont, I arrived at the gates of Maximin Gr?nhaus. One of Germany?s greatest estates, it?s in the Ruwer valley region (Germany?s Mosel wine region is made up of a trio of river valleys ? the Mosel, the Saar and the Ruwer). Dr. Carl von Schubert?s family has owned Gr?nhaus for five generations; originally it belonged to the Abbey of Saint Maximin, and there are written records of the property that date back more than a thousand years.

The Ruwer is known for delicate, precise Rieslings, which is especially true in the 2010 vintage. The 2010 Maximin Gr?nhaus Abtsberg Kabinett I tasted that evening (along with 15 other wines) was a sublime German Riesling?? fragrant and polished, its sweetness and acidity in perfect balance. It was unexpectedly good with the wild boar stew that von Schubert served to me and the 25 wine salespeople from New Jersey who happened to arrive via minibus exactly when I did. (I suppose, from their point of view, I was the interloper.)

?I used to shoot about three boar per year in the vineyards,? von Schubert said as we ate. ?Now it?s about 60. Perhaps it has to do with global warming.?

?They destroy the vines?? I asked.

?They love the sweetest grapes. But if they penetrate the vineyard, they have to risk ending their lives as salami.?

Mile 1,707: Austria

This was my fifth and final day. When I pulled up at Nikolaihof, in Austria?s Wachau region, I?d driven more than 1,700 miles and spent nearly 35 hours behind the wheel.

Nikolaihof is ancient. The oldest winery in Austria, it was a Celtic holy place, then a Roman fortress until 511 AD. Then the Romans left and, as Nikolaus Saahs, whose family now owns it, told me, ?after that, the history is unknown until 777 AD, when a monastery was founded here.?

Hearing the story of Nikolaihof brought something home to me. Every single region I?d hit on my five-day journey shared one specific thing, which was that Romans had been the first to cultivate wine grapes there. (After 1,700 miles of driving, it also struck me as amazing that the Romans held together their empire with no mode of travel other than foot and horse.) All different countries, all different cultures, but a single unifying thread: wine. It was heartening, somehow.

Over a seemingly endless succession of Austrian dishesat the winery?s restaurant that night ? Saahs?s mother, Christine, is a well-known Austrian chef ? I tasted the Nikolaihof wines. If I had to pick a favorite, it would most likely be the family?s Vinothek Gr?ner Veltliner, which is only bottled after it has aged for a decade or more in huge wooden casks. I love the fresh white-peppery spice of Gr?ner, Austria?s signature grape, and it can last (and improve) for far longer than people realize. The 1993 Vinothek, the current vintage, had intense, lasting flavors, yet was amazingly alive, ending on an ethereal honeysuckle note.

Earlier that day, Saahs had taken me down to the oldest part of Nikolaihof?s cellars, built more than 1,800 years ago. The room had been a wine cellar back then, and it was a wine cellar now. While we were standing there, Saahs said, ?I?m just a small part of the history of this house, and I know it. Two thousand years of history, and I?m living here 70 years? That?s nothing.? True, 70 years was nothing. But here we were, in this small stone room, talking about making wine. And 1,800 years ago, two other people had no doubt been standing right here, too, in exactly the same place, talking about making wine. In between, what had there been? Wars, famines, revolutions, discoveries, nations rising and falling, people living their lives, and through all of it, no matter what, in every single place I?d visited, someone making wine.

Iconic bottles

Germany
2010 Maximin Gr?nhaus Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett ($37). Dr. Carl von Schubert makes several terrific wines from Abtsberg, his top vineyard. This slatey bottling is one of the easiest to find.

Austria
2010 Nikolaihof Gr?ner Veltliner Hefeabzug ($30). A peppery white, it?s a great introduction to Nikolaihof?s Gr?ners. Also look for the powerful, spicy 1993 Vinothek bottling ($170).

France
2008 Ch?teau de Beaucastel Ch?teuneuf-du-Pape ($98). Great producers make superb wine even in tough years. This violet-scented, complex red is a perfect example.

Italy
2007 Vietti Barolo Castiglione ($48). The ?07 vintage in Barolo is spectacular, something this cuv?e shows with its depth and elegance. It?s made with grapes from several grand cruBarolo vineyards.

Spain
2009 Alvaro Palacios Finca Dof? ($70). Palacios?s legendary L?Ermita runs $800 a bottle. Dof? costs a fraction of that, yet it?s still world class ? powerful yet subtle, with intense fruit and a mineral edge.

How to visit

With the exception of Alvaro Palacios in Spain, each winery on Ray?s tour is open to visitors by appointment (with a fair amount of advance notice).

Chateau de Beaucastel, France
Visits to and tastings at Beaucastel, in Courth?zon, can be arranged through its website (beau castel.com). To book a table at L?Oustalet, the Perrin family?s restaurant in the town of Gigondas, go to restaurant oustalet.com.

Vietti, Italy
To arrange guided visits to Vietti?s winery and cellars, in the small town of Castiglione Falletto, go to vietti.com.

Maximin Gr?nhaus, Germany
Located near the town of Trier, along the Ruwer river, Gr?nhaus offers tours and tastings Monday through Saturday (vonschubert.com).

Nikolaihof Wachau, Austria
At Nikolaihof, in Mautern, visitors can taste wine and try traditional Austrian cuisine at the winery?s tavern (nikolaihof.at).

More from Food & Wine

?

Source: http://itineraries.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/10/10096115-a-wine-geeks-ultimate-road-trip

ncaa bowl games bowls brooke mueller herman cain harry potter and the half blood prince city of ember city of ember