Sports Illustrated's the Crosssover writers really think trading CJ McCollum for Andrew Wiggins makes sense for both the Blazers and the T-Wolves.
The dynamic tandem of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum has been the lifeblood of the Portland Trail Blazers' offense for the past three seasons. The backcourt duo is averaging a combined 49 ppg (almost 50 percent of Portland's point production) and shooting a 42 percent field goal clip this season.
There's no denying the Lillard-McCollum connection is keeping the Blazers' afloat in a brutal Western Conference, but their skills-set are so similar that some NBA scribes wonder if trading one of them for a perimeter stopper would make Portland even a better team.
A panel of Sports Illustrated writers chimed in on the idea of splitting the Blazers' backcourt. While Lillard and McCollum have been incredible offensively, the SI writers believed fielding both guards on the floor at the same time still presents underlying defensive issues despite the fact that Portland currently is the 7th best defense in the NBA (101 points allowed per game).
To balance out the Blazers backcourt, the scribes dropped a hypothetical trade that would involve another team that also has two star players with the same skills-sets, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard are similar. Andrew Wiggins and Jimmy Butler are similar. Breaking up both pairings would conceivably round out both teams,!" according to the S.I article.
The Wolves traded for Jimmy Butler for him to mentor their young guns and steady the ship in the closing minutes of the game. After 10 regular-season games, Butler saw his numbers plummet to 15.1 ppg from career-high 23.9 ppg last season.
The drop-off in his point production wasn't surprising at all due to the presence of another winger in Andrew Wiggins, but nobody expected Butler to sacrifice too many touches to give way for his young teammate.
Butler, a three-time All-Star, and a bona fide two-way player has the fifth highest usage of 19.9 percent – which is only the fifth best usage rate on the Wolves roster.
While the Wiggins for McCollum swap could drastically improve both teams, the Blazers and the Wolves have valid reasons why they won't explore this kind of a deal for the time being. McCollum is a low-maintenance player who keeps finding ways to score without holding the ball all the time. Wiggins, on the other hand, is still 22 and the Wolves are optimistic that the Canadian stud develops into a perennial All-Star wingman.
He and 21-year-old power forward Karl Anthony-Towns represent the present and future of the up-and-coming Timberwolves.


Cambridge International programmes and qualifications set the global standard for international education. They are created by subject experts, rooted in academic rigour and reflect the latest educational research. They provide a strong platform for learners to progress from one stage to the next, and are well supported by teaching and learning resources.
The BIC Exams Department undergoes strict inspections by Cambridge every year, to independently certify our complete and satisfactory compliance with the international standards, as required to be met by an accredited Cambridge Examination Centre.


Help us pave the way to completion!
If you've taken a peek behind St. Joseph Parish—Colbert lately, you've noticed a lovely new structure back there. That is the new parish rectory quickly taking shape to provide an on-site home for our pastor as well as additional space that can provide housing for a retired priest and a seminarian. With $214,000 in proceeds from the sale of the old rectory, $15,000 in cash donations, plus generously discounted goods and services, and countless hours of volunteer labor, construction has come a long way since last summer when the location was just a brushy spot in the woods. But much still remains to complete this major project including cabinetry, flooring, appliances, lighting, stonework, and landscaping.
To meet the additional funding needs for these, St. Joseph Parish—Colbert invites you to become a permanent part of this project by purchasing a commemorative engraved paver. This is a great opportunity to pay tribute to a loved one, memorialize an event, or just have your family name forever be a part of St. Joseph Parish! Engraved on your custom paver could be your name, the name of a loved one, your business name, an inspiring message, an important date, and more. The pavers will be installed in the rectory patio and other areas around the church.
Please Buy-A-Brick today and help us pave the way to completion!


A few years back a web site might be set up so you have two frames (left and right). The left frame has a tree view. When you select something in the tree view the web browser sends an HTTP Request to the web server. The web server response with an HTTP Response to the web browser. The browser then displays it to the right frame.
Basically, every time you click the appropriate link, the browser sends a synchronous HTTP Request, the user waits for the response, then it display.
The problem with testing AJAX is that most test software detects when the web browser does an HTTP Request and waits for the HTTP Response. Because AJAX handles the request and response, the test tools are unaware there is a need to wait. If the selection in the tree view took 3 seconds, the test script will click the tree view and nanoseconds later expect the results to be in the right frame.
Solution #1: I can put a sleep for 3 seconds. Problem is, network conditions change. It might be next time it takes 5 seconds or 7 seconds. We could brute force it and make the sleep 1 hour. But if it sleeps for 1 hour on each click and there are more than two dozen clicks, it will take over a day for even a simple test case. NOT A GOOD SOLUTION.
Solution #3: Create a man-in-the-middle setup. The way that man-in-the-middle works is original from a phishing (fraud) scheme. You have probably seen it. You get an email from 'your bank' telling you to log in and fix a problem with your account. The link says http://mybank.com but the actual link is to http://mybank_com.evil_doers.com. The evil_doers.com website will receive the HTTP Request from your browser, look over the information you are sending then pass it on to the real mybank.com. When mybank.com receives it, it will log you in and send an HTTP Response back to evil_doers.com. The evil_doers.com will examine the response, log it and send it back to you.
It is like putting a wire tap on your telephone. We can use this for good. I have host1.com running the web browser. I have host2.com running man-in-the-middle software and it will forward things to testsite.com. On host1.com I would normally go to http://testsite.com/my_fabulous_app/index.jsp. Now I go to http://host2.com/my_fabulous_app/index.jsp. The man-in-the-middle software will be my test software.
Realistically, I could actually run the web browser and the test software on the same machine. I'd have less security issues if I did that and the URL would become http://localhost/my_fabulous_app/index.jsp.


Our client is a highly successful and well established international scientific, medical and business media publishing company. The company develops, manages and disseminates key knowledge through books, e-books, journals and the Internet. The business provides Researchers in Academia, Industry Professionals, Scientific Institutions and Corporate R&D Departments with quality content.
The company has a key requirement to appoint a Sales Director for one of its major print businesses.
The Director will have responsibility for all trade sales in the EMEA area and will work closely with the Vice President of Sales, to develop and implement all sales strategies related to Trade Sales. The individual will develop and maintain excellent relationships with all key customers, both from a sales and service standpoint. The Director will develop a strategic plan to achieve all revenue targets; both individual account targets and total overall target. They will work with all related departments as necessary.
There are circa 10 direct reports based throughout Germany, France, Italy and the UK. These employees include a Senior Sales Manager, 2 Sales Managers and 2 Sales Assistants.
Experience in the Americas Trade market is a plus.
Excellent spoken and written English – An ability to speak additional languages is preferred.
Outstanding communication skills (oral, written) e.g. The Director EMEA Trade Sales will need to present at Board level on a regular basis so they must be comfortable with this.
It's a strategic and highly visible role with the chance to lead an international/established sales force.
The role provides the opportunity to head up some major customer relationships.
There are a range of career development opportunities within the business.
There will be a broad range of opportunities to travel through work within the EMEA region and the US - For the right person, there is the potential possibility of picking up the US remit as well going forward.
Please email your CV to us in the first instance if this role is of interest and appears to be suitable.


(19 September 2008) Expedia Inc's standalone travel management company Egencia is seeing increased interest from business travellers who want to have some leisure time while on the road.
The crossover is giving the business an advantage over traditional travel management companies, according to Christophe Peymirat, UK Vice President, Egencia.
Peymirat told Travolution that Egencia customers had access to the same level of hotel details as Expedia, but with "additional information specific to corporate" added on, such as more detailed information about wireless access within the property.
Clients were also taking advantage of the Egencia call centre, which can advise them on leisure activities in their destination.
There is also a dedicated high-level concierge-style service for top executives. Peymirat said that a social network for business travellers was also under development.
Egencia is the fifth largest travel management company in the world. It has been operating in the UK for four years now and is "still growing fast, quarter on quarter". The UK picks up some trade from satellite offices of Egencia's US-based clients, but the focus is on UK-based businesses.
More than 70% of business is booked through the web site. When it launched, it deliberately went after SMEs, "because they were the businesses most interested in online".
Earlier this week, Egencia released a survey which revealed that British business travellers are the more worried than other nationals about eating bad food and sleeping in bad accommodation while on the clock.
Brits are also the most fed up about early starts and late nights, the disruption to their daily routine while also being the least enthusiastic about having to speak a foreign language.


MORE big hitters have been announced for this year's WOMAD festival, bringing together artists from across the globe at Charlton Park.
Highlights of the latest announcement include solo artist Mr Jukes, electronic group Leftfield, Meklit, and Caribbean group Havana Meets Kingston.
Bombay Bicycle Club frontman Jack Steadman will be bringing his new solo-collaborative project, Mr Jukes, to the Wiltshire festival as part of his first solo tour.
Steadman is on a hiatus from his band and came up with the idea for Mr Jukes while on a round-the-world trip without flying. He is touring in support of his first solo album, God First.
Leftfield's Neil Barnes will be making his way to Wilshire's countryside to play the band's 1995 album Leftism live with a backing band, to celebrate its reissue 23 years on.
The new additions join Django Django, Camille, Ken Boothe, and Sharon Shannon, who will headline the 36th year of the self-described "global party" festival.
Artists representing a total of 27 countries will perform over the three-day event, coming from as far as Australia, Malawi and Venezuela.
Other artists include rising star American singer Meklit, who will be heading to the WOMAD Stage to sing her collection of "soulful" jazz and folk songs.
Caribbean group Havana Meets Kingston, who offer a collaborative mix of Cuban salsa and Jamaican reggae and dancehall, will be performing their debut album. The 15-piece are just finishing a tour of Australia, before heading to the UK in the summer.
Also booked are Washington DC outfit Thievery Corporation broke new ground in the 1990s as an electronic duo that mixed elements of acid jazz, reggae and Brazilian themes into their songs.
They have previously collaborated with David Byrne of Talking Heads, Anoushka Shankar, and The Flaming Lips.
The festival runners also want to encourage their 45,000 revellers to watch the emerging international artists given the opportunity to perform at the festival just outside Malmesbury.
Emerging acts set to perform include Daniel Haaksman (Germany), Hanggai (Turkey), The Bollywood Brass Band and Jyotsna Srikanth (UK/India) and Whiskey Shivers (USA).
In normal WOMAD style, the festival is filled with a range of alternatives to the five music stages, with a literary hub called World of Words, a wellbeing spa, a cookery stage, and a whole other world for children which will feature a cornucopia of fun and games.
More acts are still to be announced before the four-day festival starts on July 26.


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What Shippers Can Expect from Peak Season 2020
Sean Burke, Chief Commercial OfficerSep 2, 2020 Freight Shipping, Freight Capacity, Transportation,
With summer winding down, shippers are getting ready to take on the rest of 2020, starting with peak season, the busiest time of the year for shippers as they start planning for the upcoming holiday season. However, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact many industries and supply chains. In fact, Echo has been conducting shipper surveys to gain insight into the changing landscape, and recently 82% of survey respondents have indicated that they are being impacted by COVID-19.* With strong fluctuations in the market, forecasting this year's peak season has been more challenging than in years past. This peak season, shippers should be mindful of some key factors caused by COVID-19 that differentiate this year from others.
Tight Capacity During Peak Season 2020
Typically, capacity is tight during peak season, and while the situation remains fluid, it seems that capacity will be tight once again this year despite COVID-19. Although many businesses slowed or paused their operations at the onset of the pandemic, there was an influx of shipments as states began to reopen. This surge has continued as companies return to their usual operations and aim to make up for lost time.
Another aspect that is causing tight capacity is a decrease in the truck driver workforce that has occurred during the pandemic. This is due to some carriers going out of business, an increase in insurance rates, and some drivers receiving sufficient income from COVID-related government aid. Because of this shortage of drivers and the high demand for freight transportation, carriers can be more selective with the shipments and rates they choose, which may present challenges to shippers during peak season.
There has also been tight capacity across intermodal rail. Due to the influx of freight that followed the initial downturn at the start of the pandemic, there has been a shortage of available equipment, including containers and chassis, at railroad terminals and ramps across all major metropolitan areas. The congestion from this abundance of freight has led to frequent delays ranging from 24-72 hours in key markets. There is also a shortage of draymen due to organizational restructuring at various drayage companies, including layoffs, furloughs, leave of absences, etc. For these reasons, as well as shifts in consumer spending, intermodal rates have been continually rising to record high levels.
Overall, these factors have resulted in tight capacity, which may only get tighter in peak season and cause continued fluctuations in rates for shippers.
Consumer Spending During Peak Season 2020
Consumer spending plays a key role in peak season every year, but this year, there have been significant shifts in consumers' usual spending habits due to COVID-19. We initially saw a downturn at the beginning of the pandemic, and some are now describing the economic recovery as "K-shaped" with certain industries thriving while others continue to suffer. This has resulted in disruptions in various supply chains.
As many consumers spend more time at home to prevent the spread of the virus, there has been an overall increase in e-commerce versus brick and mortar shopping. There have also been shifts in the types of products consumers are buying, including an increase in purchases of consumer packaged goods (CPGs) like toilet paper, pantry items, and cleaning supplies, as well as materials for home improvement projects and personal fitness equipment. As many have shifted to working from home, there has also been an increase in purchases of computers, electronics, and general office supplies.
With sudden increases in demand, some sectors that are thriving cannot keep up with consumer needs. For example, the housing sector is going strong, and as the demand for new homes increases, stockpiles of building materials are being depleted. A year ago, companies had warehousing solutions and product on-hand, however the combination of the pandemic and the increase in demand this year has caused a shortage in materials, leading to more just-in-time (JIT) and expedited shipping than usual.
While current trends point to a strong peak season despite COVID-19, the factors caused by the pandemic make this an unusual season compared to other years. This coupled with the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 makes forecasting a challenge as circumstances can and have changed quickly throughout these unprecedented times. Ultimately, shippers will need to remain vigilant to shifts in the market and be prepared to react immediately should they need to adjust their peak season transportation plans.
At Echo, we're always here to help you navigate the freight market. Our team of logistics experts will evaluate your unique transportation needs and ensure you get the solutions that are best for you during peak season, the remainder of 2020, and beyond.
Echo services all modes of transportation, including truckload, partial truckload, LTL, intermodal, and expedited. If you are in need of expedited shipping for your freight, Echo offers hot shot ground and air cargo services all over the U.S. for time-sensitive shipments. Drawing on our network of over 10,000 expedited carriers, and more than 50,000 carriers overall, our team diligently monitors your shipments from origin to destination to ensure your freight delivers on time, safely, and within budget.
Contact an Echo representative today at 800-354-7993 or info@echo.com, or request a quote for a shipment.
*Survey data from August 3, 2020.
Sean Burke, Chief Commercial Officer
Sean Burke has served as Chief Commercial Officer since May 2017. He joined the company as Senior Vice President of Business Development in March 2014. Prior… Meet Sean
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What Shippers Can Expect from Peak Season 2020 | Echo Global Logistics

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Mario Blaum, James S. Plank, Moshe Schwartz and Eitan Yaakobi.
This paper provides constructions of PMDS and SD codes when s equals 2, for arbitrary n, m and r. It has been submitted for publication -- please refer to this web page for up to date publication information.
Link to the paper on arxiv.org, Cached PDF of the paper.
SD codes are erasure codes that address the mixed failure mode of current RAID systems. Rather than dedicate entire disks to erasure coding, as done in RAID-5, RAID-6 and Reed-Solomon coding, an SD code dedicates entire disks, plus individual sectors to erasure coding. The code then tolerates combinations of disk and sector errors, rather than solely disk errors. It is been an open problem to construct general codes that have the SD property, and previous work has relied on Monte Carlo searches. In this paper, we present two general constructions that address the cases with one disk and two sectors, and two disks and two sectors. Additionally, we make an observation about shortening SD codes that allows us to prune Monte Carlo searches.


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Home > Society > Indian Personalities > Indian Prime Ministers > Jawaharlal Nehru > Later Years of Jawaharlal Nehru
Later Years of Jawaharlal Nehru
Later years of Jawaharlal Nehru were mainly attributed to good governance and preparing his daughter for the role of national leader.
Later years of Jawaharlal Nehru consisted of him being at the helm of government. He led the congress to a major victory in the 1957 elections, but his government was facing serious problem and criticism. Disenchanted by the alleged intra-party bickering and corruption, Pandit Nehru contemplated resigning but still continued to serve in the government.
The election of his daughter Indira as President of Indian National Congress in the year 1959 aroused criticism for alleged nepotism, although in reality Nehru had condemned her election, partly because he considered it smacked of "dynastism" and refused her a position in his cabinet. Indira Gandhi herself was at loggerheads with her father over policy; most notably, she used his oft-stated personal deference to the Congress Working Committee to push through the dismissal of the Communist Party of Government of India in the Indian state of Kerala, over his own objections. Jawaharlal Nehru actually began to be frequently mortified by her ruthlessness and disregard for parliamentary convention, and was "hurt" by what he saw as assertiveness with no purpose other than to stake out an identity independent of her father. In the 1962 elections, Nehru led the Congress to victory yet with a diminished majority. Communist of India and other socialist parties were the main beneficiaries although some right wing groups like Bharatiya Jana Sangh also did well.
Nehru's health, after 1962, steadily started to decline and he spent months recovering in Jammu and Kashmir through 1963. Some historians attribute this dramatic decline to his surprise and chagrin over the Sino-Indian War, which he perceived as a betrayal of trust. Upon his return from Kashmir in May 1964, Nehru suffered a stroke and later a heart attack. He was "taken ill in early hours" of 27 May 1964 and died in "early afternoon" on same day, and his death was announced to Lok Sabha at 1400 local time; cause of death is believed to be heart attack. Nehru was cremated in accordance with Hindu rites at the Shantivana on the banks of the Yamuna River, witnessed by hundreds of thousands of mourners who had flocked into the streets of Delhi and the cremation grounds.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the man and politician made such a powerful imprint on India that his death on 27 May 1964, left India with no clear political heir to his leadership (although his daughter was widely expected to succeed him before she turned it down in favour of Shastri). Indian English newspapers repeated Nehru's own words of the time of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination: "The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere."
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text:
Undertaking of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Formal undertaking to comply with the Data Protection Act
Published: 01 Nov 2007 0:00
DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998
SUPERVISORY POWERS OF
THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Old Admiralty Building
SW1A 2PA
I [NAME & JOB TITLE REMOVED], in The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Old Admiralty Building, The Mall, London, SW1A 2PA on behalf of The Foreign and Commonwealth Office hereby acknowledge the details set out below and undertake to comply with the terms of the following undertaking;
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is the data controller as defined in section 1(1) of the Data Protection Act 1998 ("the Act"), in respect of the processing of personal data carried on by The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and is referred to in this Undertaking as the "data controller". Section 4(4) of the Act provides that, subject to section 27(1) of the Act, it is the duty of a data controller to comply with the data protection principles in relation to all personal data in respect of which it is a data controller.
The Information Commissioner (ICO) was informed by UKvisas, the Joint Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Directorate responsible for visa processing, that there had been a breach of security in the VFS online visa application facility. (VFS were contracted by UKvisas to operate this facility). The security breach resulted in the personal data of persons applying for visas to enter the United Kingdom being able to be viewed by others.
The ICO has considered the data controller's compliance with the provisions of the Act in the light of this matter. The relevant provision of the Act is the Seventh Data Protection Principle. This Principle is set out at Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act. A copy of the Data Protection Principles is attached.
At the direction of the Foreign Secretary, the circumstances of the security breach were independently investigated by Ms Linda Costelloe Baker and the Information Commissioner has been provided with a copy of her Investigation report. Following consideration of the findings of that investigation it has been agreed that, in consideration of the ICO
not exercising his powers to serve an Enforcement Notice under
section 40 of the Act, the data controller undertakes as follows:-
The data controller shall, as from the date of this undertaking and for so long as similar standards are required by the Act or other successor legislation from other data controllers in similar circumstances, ensure that personal data is processed in accordance with the Seventh Data Protection Principle in Schedule 1 Part 1 of the Act, and in particular that,
· The VFS on-line application websites will not be re-opened and will be replaced by visa4UK, the UKvisas online application facility which will be the only online application system used by UKvisas,
· a strategic review of data processing will be undertaken by UKvisas in order to strengthen Data Protection Act risk management processes and a detailed audit carried out of the data processor's data security procedures.
· regular monitoring of the visa4UK website will be undertaken to ensure that the systems in place to provide effective protection against unauthorised access are operating correctly
· adequate and relevant data protection training will be given to all UKvisas staff on an ongoing basis
Dated……………………………………………….
For The Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Mick Gorrill (Assistant Commissioner Regulatory Action Division)
For the Information Commissioner
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6 Ways to Get More Out of Your Samples
Importers and distributors on how to make the most of sample bottles and time with buyers
Vicki Denig
Photo courtesy of Xavier Flouret.
Tasting buyers on sample bottles is the most effective way to get them excited about the wines in importer and distributor portfolios—and to increase the chances of sales. But with a limited number of samples to go around, how do industry professionals manage that precious stock? SevenFifty Daily spoke to several importer and distributor reps across the country to find out their strategies for stretching sample bottles and making the most of their time with buyers.
Host Group Tastings
Stephanie Caraway, the fine-wine manager for Lux Wines, based in Modesto, California, covers markets throughout the southwestern U.S. In the past, she was able to jump in the car and go do tastings with as many buyers as possible. But these days, buyers are being increasingly inundated by samples, so it's harder to be successful with that strategy. Caraway has turned to hosting large trade tastings and luncheons. "It's easier to host several buyers at once," she says, "and maximize everyone's time and resources." By gathering her prospects at one location, not only can she showcase sample bottles to multiple buyers at the same time but she can keep her samples fresher because she's serving them all in one sitting.
Make Quality a Priority
Xavier Flouret, the founder of Cognac One, an importing and distributing company based in New York City, says that quality over quantity is the mentality behind his brand. "We are totally quality oriented," he says. "Our goal is freshness—to show and enjoy the wine at its best." He notes that his reps have no sample budget, as such. "They can show as many wines as they want." This tactic increases the likelihood of a successful sale, says Flouret. He also emphasizes that they use a Coravin device to help preserve their sample bottles.
Use Samples Strategically
"For me, samples are tools, and they should be used that way," says Tyler Stacy, the sales manager at Grandes Places Sélections, an importer and distributor based in Sausalito, California. He adds that like most tools, they can be used in many different ways, and that ultimately, using as few bottles as possible would be the ideal route. Sample usage, according to Stacy, should be around 2 percent of sales and one should aim to sell four cases of each bottle opened. To ensure that sales goals are met, understanding your wines is key. "Knowing your wines very well is also a great way to stretch your samples," he says, noting that reps should know how long each bottle of wine will last once it's been opened. For example, he suggests presenting samples of sparkling wines only on the day the bottles are opened. Other wines—say, a Kabinett Riesling—might maintain enough character to show for an entire week. "And always taste, taste, taste," he says. "Each appointment is a good opportunity to see how the wine has changed or evolved."
Extend the Life of Samples
"Coravin, Coravin, Coravin," says Caraway. She notes that while such devices are not foolproof, they're a great way to preserve wine for an extended time. "[Although] wine can evolve to a place one may not prefer over a couple of weeks," she says, "this is still the best way to stretch a sample bottle."
Stacy says a caveat should be considered with regard to the Coravin and other preservation devices. "In my opinion," he says, "they always seem to either take something out of the wine or add something to it." He agrees that preservation devices work well for a certain period of time—if a bottle is resting nicely in a cellar and not disturbed. But when wine is "being thrown in and out of a bag and getting jostled around all day," he says, it "just doesn't seem to do well with Coravin, especially with the added expense of gas capsules." He suggests using the Coravin with caution, factoring in the expense and being attentive to the fact that preservation devices won't preserve a bottle forever.
Catherine Aur, of Provisions Fine Beverage Purveyors in Tulsa, Oklahoma, explains that being organized with your schedule can help you make the most of your samples. "My most effective days in the market, where I get the most out of my samples," she says, "are due to a well-planned week." She points out that before leaving an account, it's imperative to set up your next appointment and follow up with questions about what the buyers are looking for—while you have their attention. "These questions help to build the following week," she says, "so that I can not only incorporate [the buyers'] wishes but also take out the wines we as a company are focusing on." Aur says when she is thorough in her questions that by the end of the week, most of her planning is taken care of for the upcoming week.
Stacy agrees that being organized with your schedule is a highly effective way to ensure that samples will get used to their fullest potential. "You should be scheduling tasting appointments according to the sorts of wines you'll be showing," he says. "Or vice versa, [you should be] showing wines based on the types of accounts you're seeing." For example, if you already have an appointment on the calendar with an account that buys Italian wines exclusively, it's beneficial, he says, to schedule appointments with other buyers who you know love the stuff.
Taste With Your Buyers
"Rarely will we drop bottles for buyers to taste at their leisure," says Caraway. "In most states, it's illegal to drop unopened bottles, and from a sheer follow-up and sales perspective, it's ideal to taste and explore the wines together." Stacy agrees, explaining that he usually avoids dropping off bottles for buyers to taste on their own because it often means those bottles will fall through the cracks—buyers forget about them. He concedes that there are instances when this can be successful—specifically, if you already have a wine open and you know a particular buyer might enjoy it. "I like to text a picture to a buyer I know might like the wine I have open and ask if I can drop it off," he says. "If you have the right relationship with the buyer, this can work, but tread cautiously."
Vicki Denig is a New York-based wine and spirits journalist and wine educator, discovering the world through the lens of a glass, one sip at a time. When not tasting or traveling, she can most likely be found running through Astoria Park or sipping on Cabernet Franc.
How Bars Are Embracing the Low- and No-Alcohol Trend
Bartenders share their approach to the rising demand for low-octane drinks and mindful drinking spaces—and even the "sober bar"
How to Profitably Turn Over Old Stock
From offering holiday specials to training bartenders to hand-sell bottles, wine buyers share their best strategies for closing out inventory
5 Tactics for Turning New Bartenders Into Long-Term Employees
From sharing P&L reports to establishing rigorous apprentice structures—how top bar operators assemble teams as the cocktail industry grows
Managing a Wine Program That Changes Seasonally
Beverage directors share tips for organizing inventory, analyzing costs, and educating staff


text:
Best First Book: Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley
Guest ReviewerInterviewschick-lit / new author interview6 Comments
Each year, RWA recognizes excellence in romance writing through the RITAs, considered the top honor in the genre. Though awards are presented in a dozen categories, a writer has just one shot in her career to win the Best First Book award. This interview series focuses on the debut authors nominated in that category. Alyson H undertook to bring this idea to Dear Author and completed all the interviews. This is our last interview. The winner of the Best First Book award will be announced this Saturday.
(U.K. title: The Wrong Sort of Wife?)
[Time: mid-spring. Place: a bench at a noisy playground.]
Boon Companion: What's your book?
Alyson H.: Your Roots Are Showing by this new author, Elise Chidley. Get this-'this woman-'she's a mom with toddlers, and she writes an e-mail to her sister, complaining about how boring her life is, and how her husband just doesn't do it for her anymore, even though he's gorgeous and rich and most of all, British, and then-'and then! She accidentally sends it to her husband! Instead of her sister! And he leaves her!
BC: Because of that? Must have been some e-mail.
AH: Oh, yeah. (Sound of electronic pages flipping.) Look.
BC: (Reads. Sucks in breath.) Okay. My husband would leave me too, if I said that. So, what-'it's like sad and angsty?
AH: No. I mean, it's touching-'poignant, you know, but soooo funny. And inspiring. I unfolded my elliptical thingy last week and started using it, and it's all because Lizzie takes up running as one way to put her life back together.
BC: Wow. You're exercising. I wanna read it.
AH: I'd lend you my copy after I finish, but- (Holds up ebook reader.)
BC: Lousy DRM.
About Your Roots Are Showing–
First, a six-word memoir for your protagonist Lizzie:
Cinderella can't shake the baby blues.
What were the original "triggers" or inspiration points for this story?
The original trigger was a house we rented briefly while living in England. It became the inspiration for the awkward, stripped-down house Lizzie finds herself in after her husband, James, walks out on her. I remember standing in the lobby of that house under the bare light bulb and thanking my lucky stars I didn't have to deal with it alone. And yet there was something weirdly attractive about the place-'what it lacked in "good bones' it made up for in potential, if you just had a little imagination. So, rather than dealing physically with the house (which was temporary) I dealt with it at a fantasy level, making it the place where my heroine reinvents herself.
I would have guessed the misdirected e-mail scenario started things off. When did that aspect become part of the story?
The misdirected e-mail bit is based on various electronic mishaps that have befallen members of my family (and that's all I'm going to say about that). Once I knew I wanted to write a story about a suddenly-single mum in a house so bare that it was a complete clean slate, I then had to come up with a reason why she was in this house without her husband. That's when I developed the e-mail angle.
Your favorite line, moment, or scene in the book:
I love the moment when Lizzie's estranged husband finds her out in the garden in a bikini, trying to stem the flow of a burst water pipe with her well-muscled new friend, Bruno, a landscape gardener. I really relish the thought of how James must be squirming-'as well he might!
In your author's note, you said one of your goals for the book was to "write something uplifting about a topic [postpartum depression] that's not covered very much." Did anyone warn you it was kind of risky to have a depressed protagonist? What did you do to make sure Lizzie wasn't too passive and-'ah-'depressing a lead character?
Because the novel is romantic comedy, I tried to get around the 'depressing' aspects of Lizzie's situation by showing the funny side of things. In my first draft, I think Lizzie was probably too introspective and bogged down in her situation. She spent a lot of time in her mind, rather than doing things. On the advice of my agent and editor(s), I made Lizzie more active-'even so, most of the drama is in Lizzie's own head. I always find stories of transformation uplifting, so I'm hoping my readers will too.
Among the projects Lizzie pursues in an effort to rebuild her life is the book of children's nonsense verses she writes. The bits you include in the novel are delightful! Are there more where those came from?
I'm afraid I don't have any more about the girl who would only wear pink, but one of these days I intend to write an epic nonsense poem about pirates for my son.
You included a lot of pairs in the book, it seems: Lizzie has twins, and two close friends. Two possible love interests for her, and two for her estranged husband James. Two gardens, two houses. Two important swimming pool scenes. Is this craft or subconscious at work?
Wow, there are lots of pairs, aren't there? That was subconscious, but I think all these pairs underline one very important pairing: the two versions of Lizzie (depressed/run-down Lizzie versus reconstructed/'renovated' Lizzie). The bottom line is, Lizzie has to make herself strong enough to survive alone before she has a decent shot at sharing her life. She has to reclaim the woman she was before sleep deprivation, pregnancy hormones, and the company of toddlers turned her into someone she probably would have found a bit of a bore, back in her single days.
What's the best or most unusual fan mail you received about Your Roots Are Showing?
A group of women in South Carolina tracked me down through my web site and asked me to send them some questions for their book club meeting. They found the book at Target and loved it! Better still, somebody wrote a note to me today with the subject heading: Your Roots Are Ripping Out My Guts!
On Publishing-
Your Roots Are Showing is your first published book, but was it really your first book?
No. My first book was a Regency romance written when I was sixteen, about a girl who dresses up as a boy to win a horse race. It stayed in a drawer for ages but eventually I fed it to a shredder.
From the decision to write for publication to the "sold" call: How long?
About three years. I wrote in a very "part time' way because I had three children under the age of four when I started the book.
How did you find your agent?
I made an email approach to someone who had just left a big agency to start his own operation. I figured he would need new writers, and I was right.
Your biggest surprise, pleasant or otherwise, about being a published author:
The biggest surprise is that, when your book is finally in print, you still haven't achieved your goal. You're only at the beginning of the journey. I had no idea writers had to work so hard on the publicity aspects of publishing.
What's coming up next from you?
I have a novel coming out in the UK, in November, called Married with Baggage.
On Writing-
Your weirdest or most reliable writing ritual/habit:
My most reliable habit is going back a few pages and editing-'it makes breaking out onto the blank page easier, somehow. Perhaps my weirdest habit is taking a bath when I need inspiration. Lying with my head in a cloud of steam seems to stimulate deep areas in my brain.
Writing advice you're glad you followed or ignored:
People always tell you to write what you know. I think you should start out from that premise, but in the end you always have to write what you don't know.
Three items within arm's reach when you write:
A cup of tea, paper and a pen.
Biggest distraction and how you deal with it:
The biggest distraction for me is the Internet. Whenever I have an "off' moment, the siren song of the virtual world grows very loud. So far, I haven't dealt with this issue very well, but I'm thinking about making a rule that I can only check email messages three times a day.
As a RITA Nominee-
How did you celebrate the nomination?
Champagne and lots of phone calls; oh, and cyber cocktails with the Chick Lit Writers of the World.
Wearing or carrying any lucky charms to the awards ceremony?
Hmmm. Hadn't thought of that. Is it too late to become superstitious?
The author who, despite your usual poise and eloquence, would reduce you to a blathering fangirl if you found yourself sitting next to her/him at the ceremony:
Helen Fielding.
First person you'll hug/text/call if you win:
A Little More Personal-
Your paying job(s) pre- and post-publication:
I've worked in journalism, publicity and as a college lecturer in English. Right now, I'm a "home executive' -there's no pay, but the perks are fabulous.
An author or book you recommend again and again:
I love Catherine Alliott, an English romantic comedy writer who can make me laugh out loud in public places. I'm always recommending I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.
A favorite guilty pleasure:
Chocolate. Always chocolate.
Your own "best first":
My own best first: my first positive pregnancy test. I should have kept that little stick with its weedy pink line, framed it, and made it the focal point of the living room decor! I've seldom felt prouder of anything in my life.
Your Roots Are Showing (published in the UK as The Wrong Sort of Wife?) is also up for the award for Contemporary Single Title Romance. Winners will be announced at the RWA national conference in July. Elise's website is www.elisechidley.com.
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July 15, 2009 @ 6:06 am
Hi, everyone. Elise's interview concludes the series, so I just wanted to drop by to say thanks to Jane for running it. Thanks, too, to all the authors. Everyone was so great to work with and made my first interviewing experiences lots of fun.
Awards will be announced Saturday night. Good luck to everyone!
BethanyA
Alyson,
You did a wonderful job. I enjoyed reading these so much. I am excited to find some of these at the library
Oooh, this sounds good!
Liz V.
I loved this book!! I hope it wins the award.
Estara
@Alyson: The book sounds totally delicious but then all your interviews did and I loved the varied approach and questions and think you should either have your own review blog or become another Jane on this site.
I'm reading Oh.My.Gods right now because of your interview (and the excerpt on the author's site).
You're awfully sweet, Estara. Thanks!


Positive and playful track with bright and joyful feel. This mid-tempo arrangement features upbeat ukulele, playful tune, percussion, piano, glockenspiel, tuba, bass and drums.
This cheerful instrumental track will surely bring the joy and happy feeling to a wide range of promotional media, including cute and fun marketing videos, corporate motivational videos, business retreat and events vlogs, as well as other marketing material related to fun, having good time and leisure.
POSITIVE LIFE - inspiring, bright and colorful electronic track with a strong modern pop feel.


Whether you're heading to a summer picnic or entertaining guests on the patio, this warm summer salad will bring out the best flavors of the season. In this take on corn chowder, we use fresh, local summer corn, local potatoes and bacon with cider vinegar.
Cook the bacon in an oven at 375 degrees, flip slices over halfway through, and cook until it is crisp. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels and let drain. Reserve the bacon fat.
Once cool, cut the bacon crosswise in 1/2 inch thick pieces.
Using the reserved bacon fat, put 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in a hot skillet. Add the potatoes and cook over moderate heat until they start to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes longer, until almost tender. Add the diced red peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and peppers are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the corn kernels and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes.
Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and stir in the onion, cider vinegar, crushed red pepper and bacon.
Season the salad with salt and serve.
Pairing wine with summer foods can be a daunting task but it doesn't need to be. To choose a wine to pair with your summer favorites, consider the dish itself, are there any main flavors that stand out? For more delicate flavored foods—white-fleshed fish, vegetables, chicken breasts—pick a lighter wine. For stronger heartier foods—sausages, burgers, steaks—choose a robust wine that will hold up to those flavors. Both whites and reds are available in a wide range of styles and flavors, the dominant flavor is a key thing to consider when selecting a wine. Our suggestions below are merely suggestions, the best advice is to start somewhere and simply choose a wine you think you would enjoy and try it out. What could go wrong?
Straw yellow with green highlights supplying aromas of undergrowth and lemon. In the mouth there are notes of apple and lemon peel.
Chilled to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, outside on the patio; as an aperitif; with a fresh summer salad with a citrus dressing.
Refreshing, with aromas of peach, cherry and melon. The palate is well balanced and fruit forward. The finish is long with hints of spice.
All the time, every day…an outstanding choice that pairs well with most summer dishes.
Intense cherry red color with spice and red fruits aromas. Elegant and fruity character, well balanced on the palate.
On its own, slightly chilled down to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, outside on the patio. Will pair well with soft cheeses; any game or stews. This wine can hold up to whatever you are throwing down on the grill.


text:
#0107: Willa Cather to Mariel C. Gere, [September 30, 1905]
1180 MURRAY HILL AVENUE4 My Dear Mariel1;
Thank you many times over fod for the long letter you wrote me this summer. You told me just the things I wanted so much to know and yet had not the courage to ask your mother5 about. I think I missed your father6 every moment of the time that I spent in Lincoln3 this summer. He was one of the people whom I had always so wanted Isabelle7 to meet.
I had a very happy and very busy two months in the West this summer. In Wyoming8 we spent a week with Douglass9 in Cheyenne10 and a week camping and fishing in the Black Hills with Roscoe11. After that we were in Red Cloud12 four weeks, helping father13 fix up his new house14, which is the pride of his heart. Jessie15 has a dear little house of her own and is as happy as the day is long in making preparations for my small niece or nephew that is to be16. We saw a good deal of Mrs. Garber17, who is as charming as ever, though greatly aged and saddened. I think she misses the Governor18 sadly, care though he was. Jack19 and Elsie20 are big children now, but they keep many of their childish ways and still seem little to me. I think, more than ever, that the West is the only place I want to live, and I am planning to get home to Red Cloud for a year before very long. There are many people there of whom I am very fond.
After leaving Nebraska21 I went right on to New York22 to see Mr. McClure23 and was there for a week.
I stayed with Edith Lewis24, and had luncheon with Mrs. Westermann25 on her fifty-fifth birthday.
I expect you are, like me, in the thick of your school work again. I am just beginning to get settled in mine. I like it better every year and feel that I do it better. I have such pleasant assistants now; Miss Wilson26 of Hastings, Neb.27 and a Wellsley28 girl.
Please give my love to your mother and to Ellen29 and Frances30, Mariel, and remember me warmly to Mr.31 and Mrs. Jones32, also to Miss Harris33 and Mrs. Phillips34.
Faithfully always Willa. Miss Mariel C. Gere1 D & 9th Streets Lincoln3 Nebraska PITTSB[missing]2 Sept 1905
Speaks of Mrs Garber LINCOLN, NEB.3 OCT 1 1905 6—PM
Document is one leaf, handwritten on recto and verso. Includes one envelope, handwritten.
Mariel C. Gere1
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States2
Willa Cather Collection (RG2639.AM), Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, NE
1180 Murray Hill Avenue (Pittsburgh, PA): Located in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA, now part of the Murray Hill Avenue Historic District, 1180 Murray Hill was the home of Judge Samuel A. McClung and his family. Cather lived there at Isabelle McClung's invitation from 1901 to 1906. She returned there to visit multiple times until 1915, often writing during these visits.
Wellseley College, a women's college in Wellesley, MA, was founded in 1870 by Henry and Pauline Durant and is one of the "Seven Sisters" group of private women's colleges in the Northeastern US.
Gere, Mariel Clapham (1874-1960). Cather's university friend; a teacher. Mariel Gere, eldest daughter of Charles H. and Mariel C. Gere, born in Lincoln, NE, entered the University of Nebraska's prep school in the same year Cather did. She and her sisters visited Cather several times in Red Cloud, NE. Both were members of the Union Literary Society until Gere joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority in 1892. Gere graduated in the science course and taught chemistry at Lincoln High until 1941. She also served on the Lincoln City Library board for many years. Cather and Gere remained friends and correspondents; Gere defended Cather from accusations that she had been arrogant and friendless during her university years.
Gere, Mariel E. Clapham (1838-1912). Cather's friend; mother of her friends, the Gere sisters. Mariel Elizabeth Clapham was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Captain John Clapham and Mariel Goodwin Clapham. She corresponded with Charles Gere for several years before their marriage in 1871, when she came to Lincoln, NE. When Cather became friends with their daughters Mariel, Ellen, and Frances, she welcomed her to their home at 8th and D streets. Mrs. Gere, according to Cather, persuaded her to grow out her close-cropped hair.
Gere, Charles Henry (1838-1904). Newspaper publisher; Cather's employer during college. Charles H. Gere, born in New York, graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, in 1861 and joined the Union army. In 1865 he moved to Nebraska, where his family had moved. Politically active in the Republican Party, he moved to Lincoln, NE, and founded the city's first newspaper, the Nebraska State Journal. He married Mariel E. Clapham of Washington, D.C., in 1871. While serving as a representative in the first state legislature, he helped found the University of Nebraska, for which he served as regent from 1882 to 1892. Cather wrote for his newspaper when she was a university student, and became a friend of Charles and Mariel Gere's three daughters, Mariel, Ellen, and Frances. She remembered Charles Gere's "kindness, his easy wit, the ease and charm of his personality."
Hambourg, Isabelle McClung (1877-1938). Cather's longtime friend. Cather met Isabelle McClung, the daughter of a socially prominent, Pittsburgh (PA) family, in 1899 in the dressing room of actress Lizzie Hudson Collier. McClung seems to have been the first woman to reciprocate Cather's romantic affections. In 1901, McClung invited Cather to live in her family's large home in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. She and Cather traveled together to Europe in 1902, and McClung accompanied Cather on a visit home to Nebraska in 1905. After Cather moved to New York City in 1906, she frequently visited McClung in Pittsburgh, finding the familiar house a congenial place to write, and McClung visited New York City, staying with Cather and Edith Lewis. Cather and McClung also rented a vacation cabin in Cherry Valley, NY, in 1911, and traveled together to Virginia in 1913. In late 1915, shortly after the death of her father, Judge Samuel McClung, Isabelle announced her intention to marry violinist Jan Hambourg. Cather reacted negatively to the marriage (which took place in 1916) but eventually reconciled herself to it, enjoying long visits with the Hambourgs in Toronto, Ontario, in 1921 and France in 1923 and 1935. Cather and Edith Lewis also spent time with the Hambourgs in Paris is 1930 and 1935. The latter trip occurred after Isabelle sought treatment in the U.S. for the kidney disease that killed her several years later in Italy. Her death came only four months after Cather's brother Douglass died, leaving her feeling bereft. "No other living person cared as much about my work, through thirty-eight years," she wrote her brother Roscoe (#2137). After Isabelle's death, Jan sent to Cather the six hundred letters from Cather to Isabelle in his possession, and Cather destroyed them, although a few letters from Isabelle and Cather postcards to Isabelle are extant.
Garber, Lyra Wheeler (1855-1921). Red Cloud resident. Born in Georgia, Lyra moved with her family to Illinois in 1856 and to California in 1859, where her father kept hotels in Nevada County; she first met Silas Garber there in 1866 when he was visiting his elder brother Jacob. Lyra reportedly attended a convent school in Grass Valley, CA, and a finishing school in San Francisco. In 1875, when Silas Garber was governor of Nebraska, he returned to Grass Valley and married Lyra Wheeler. After his term was up in 1878, the couple moved to Red Cloud, NE. Widowed in 1905, Lyra stayed there until 1912. In 1914 settled in Grangeville, ID, where a sister lived, and cut her ties to Nebraska. In 1915, she married Swan Anderson, a considerably-younger bank cashier. They moved to Oregon in 1918, where she died. Cather observed Silas and Lyra Garber during their Red Cloud years and made them the prototypes for Daniel and Marian Forrester in A Lost Lady (1923).
Garber, Silas (1833-1905). American governor. Born into a large family in Ohio, Garber followed family members to settle in northeastern Iowa. There, in 1857 he married Rosella Dana. In 1860, their son William Seward Garber was born and in 1862 Rosella died. Garber enlisted in the Union army at the outbreak of the Civil War, rising to the rank of captain. On a visit to family in California in 1866, he met twelve year-old Lyra Wheeler, whom he married eight years later. In 1870 Garber led a band of settlers to open land in south-central Nebraska, founding the town of Red Cloud on his homestead and in 1874 he was elected governor of Nebraska. After serving two terms, he returned to Red Cloud, where he and Lyra lived just outside town. The grove of trees surrounding their house was a popular place for summer picnics and dances, which Cather attended. Garber founded the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Red Cloud in 1886; it failed in the Panic of 1893, and Garber's health and fortune slowly declined. Cather knew Garber as the town's most prominent citizen, and she portrayed him as Captain Forrester in A Lost Lady (1923).
McClure, Samuel Sidney (1857-1949) ("S.S."). Irish-born American publisher. McClure immigrated to the U.S. at age nine, living with his family in Indiana. Despite poverty and the limited education he had received in Ireland, he graduated from high school and then Knox College in Illinois. He then moved to Boston, MA, where from 1882 to 1884 he edited the Wheelman, a bicycling magazine. Despite opposition from her parents, he married his Knox College classmate Harriet Hurd in 1883. The couple had four biological children (Eleanor, Bess, Mary, and Robert), and adopted one (Enrico). In 1884, S.S. started McClure's Syndicate, which placed fiction in newspapers across the country. In 1893 with his college classmate John Sanborn Phillips he started McClure's Magazine, which was best-known for the "muckraking" exposés by writers such as Ida Tarbell and Lincoln Steffens, but which also published literature. After his cousin H.H. McClure, who worked for the McClure Syndicate, brought Cather to S.S. McClure's attention, McClure, Phillips & Co. brought out Cather's first book of fiction, The Troll Garden (1905). When most of the editorial staff, including Steffens and Tarbell, resigned from McClure's in 1906, he hired Cather as an editor; she later became managing editor. After she left her position at McClure's in 1912 and when S. S. McClure had lost control of the magazine still bearing his name, Cather ghost wrote his autobiography (McClure's serial 1913-1914, book publication 1914). McClure made repeated—and ultimately failed—attempts to reestablish himself in journalism and magazine publishing, often trying to enlist Cather in these enterprises. She almost went with him to Europe in 1915 to report on the war for the Evening Mail, and she remained personally loyal to her mercurial and often-irresponsible former employer. He served as the prototype for Marcus O'Mally, editor of the Outcry, in her story "Ardessa" (1918), and it has been suggested that Cather modeled the courtship and marriage between Myra and Oswald Henshaw in My Mortal Enemy (1926) on that of the McClures.
Westermann, Emma Hilgard Tyndale (1840-1916). Willa Cather's Lincoln friend. Born in Philadelphia, PA, daughter of Sharon Tyndale and Mary Hilgard Tyndale, Emma Tyndale and her family moved to Belleville, IL, in 1845. She married storekeeper Louis Westermann in 1863; they had a daughter and six sons. In 1890, the Westermanns moved to Lincoln, NE, following their sons, who began migrating there in 1885, The home of the Westermanns and their sons near the University of Nebraska campus became a social and cultural center. Willa Cather came to know the Westermanns through their sons, several of whom were her university classmates, and she depicted them as the cultured, easy-going Ehrlich family in One of Ours (1922). Although no letters are known, she kept in touch with them for thirty years. She stayed with them in Lincoln in July 1901 and met Emma Westermann in New York in 1905.
Wilson, Miss. American teacher. No further information is available about this person.
Gere, Ellen Bladen (1875-1941) ("Ned" or "Neddums"). Cather's friend. Ellen Gere, the second daughter of Charles H. and Mariel C. Gere, was born in Lincoln, NE. She visited Cather in Red Cloud, NE, with her sisters, and Cather included her in her correspondence in the 1890s. Ellen Gere entered the University of Nebraska in Lincoln around 1892, but graduated with the class of 1899. In the 1920s she adopted two children, believing, with her friend Dorothy Canfield, that women who wanted to be mothers did not have to be married.
Gere, Frances C. (1877-1965). Cather's friend. Frances Gere, the youngest child of Charles H. and Mariel C. Gere, was born in Lincoln, NE. She entered the University of Nebraska in 1894 and graduated in 1898. Like her sisters, Mariel and Ellen, she joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and lived in Lincoln the remainder of her life.
Jones, Will Owen (1862-1928). Newspaper editor. Will Owen Jones was born in Wisconsin and came to Nebraska by 1880. He worked for the Nebraska State Journal while attending the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, graduating in 1886. That year he became city editor of the paper, then associate editor in 1889 (the year he married pianist Edith M. Doolittle), and then managing editor in 1892. He was close to Charles and Mariel Gere, the owners of the Nebraska State Journal, and the Jones's only child, Mariel Jones, was named for Mrs. Gere. Cather took his journalism course at the university in 1893 and wrote to him often early in her career, although he could be severe in his criticism of some of her work.
Jones, Edith Doolittle (1866-1947). American music teacher. Born in Vermont, Edith Doolittle was brought to Lincoln, NE. She entered the Latin School of the University of Nebraska in 1880; after two years at the University as a member of the class of 1886, she left to study piano in New York and at the New England Conservatory of Music. Returning to Lincoln, she became well known as a performer and as an accompanist and taught music at the University of Nebraska for forty years, retiring in 1937. She married newspaper editor Will Owen Jones in 1889; they had one surviving child, Mariel, named for Mariel Clapham Gere, wife of newspaper publisher Charles H. Gere.
Dorris, Sarah Harris (1862-1918). American newspaper editor. Born in Massachusetts, Sarah came to Lincoln, NE, in 1870 with her parents, railroad land agent George B. Harris and his wife Sarah. She graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1888. After several years in Lincoln's social scene, she became associated with the Lincoln Courier, a weekly newspaper. Cather, who knew Harris socially, was briefly Harris's coeditor in the fall of 1895. After Cather moved to Pittsburgh, PA, in 1896, she contributed reviews, columns, and stories to the Courier, and she stopped in Lincoln to visit Harris occasionally on her way to and from Red Cloud. In August 1903, Cather met Edith Lewis, who also wrote for the Courier, at Harris's house. Sarah Harris married retired surgeon Alvah H. Dorris in 1907, several years after she sold the newspaper.
Phillips, Mary Jane Gudgel (1845-1918). Willa Cather's Lincoln acquaintance. Born in Indiana, Mary Jane Gudgel grew up in Illinois, where she married Rolla O. Phillips in 1872. She moved with him to Lincoln, NE, where he had established himself as a land agent. They had three children, all of whom died within two years of their births. Widowed in 1899, Mary Phillips continued to live in Lincoln, where she is buried.
Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
Nebraska, United States
Hastings, Nebraska, United States