Trends come and trends go, it's the nature of them, after all. And as much as we might like to think that we are above the fashionable dictates of the day, sometimes it's hard not to get drawn into the zeitgeist of the times. For instance, we are deep in the midst of a massive minimalism movement – much of it born out of the realization that humans (and the planet) are drowning in untenable amounts of stuff. Not a bad trend to get behind.
As such, many people no longer want things like the family heirlooms that were the shining treasures of earlier generations. In homes across the country, grandma's fussy china has been given the heave-ho and in its place sits a peaceful stack of tidy plates.
But as we have been decluttering our homes and eating off of the minimalist mod ceramics of the 2010s, a certain aesthetic has been slowly creeping back in ... creeping like the ivy and willow branches and climbing roses that adorn old china, in fact. Yes, somehow, granny chic is making a comeback.
And quite frankly, I think this is fabulous. Jura Koncius writes about the new (old) direction for The Washington Post, noting that residential dining tables and restaurants alike are opting for a mix-matched vintage aesthetic. "Granny's stuff never looked so good," she writes.
So here's what I think: If you've been bitten by the decluttering bug, consider saving the china. We've been hearing a lot about how people no longer want the family heirlooms, but there is something pretty special about the plates that were brought out for generations to celebrate important occasions; the very plates that served the food cooked and eaten by our ancestors.
If we use our old plates – or go to a vintage shop and pick up some lovely mix-matched pieces – that's new stuff that wasn't purchased and old stuff that is being put to good use.
And the important part here, from a style point of view, is that the rules have changed. The attention to formal perfection is gone – in its place is a frowsy celebration of all kinds of color and pattern.
At my house the tableware falls into two extreme camps: Busy vintage patterns and simple modern ceramics. The former group is a collection of old family treasures and thrift shop finds, purchased to replace disposable items when I'm entertaining. The latter are the durable workhorses and hand-crafted pieces that reflect my love of simple ceramics. I am an unabashed mixer of both (as you can see in the photos).
The idea of decking out my table in a single china pattern somehow makes me anxious. I adore a lively table, unexpected and dynamic. I love seeing my great grandmother's platter along with my mom's tea cups and thrift shop plates I got when my daughter was a baby, all mixed in with the beautiful handmade ceramics I've been collecting with my sweetheart. The table becomes a history book of it own ... a family tree of sorts, scattered with pieces from all over, some dating back to the 19th century.
And as cluttered as it may look, the mix-matched vibe is actually very conducive to having less stuff. It is flexible and doesn't rely on a strict set of standard pieces – it responds best to being thrown together. You can have 12 people over for dinner and not have to have 12 matching pieces of everything. You can replace, swap, add, subtract ... and it all looks great.
• First of all, think twice (or three times) about tossing or donating the family china you may have.
• Next, do not keep it packed away in a place that makes you hesitant to use it. Make it accessible, even if just a few pieces, and put it in rotation.
• Lastly, if you don't have any family china and are in need of tableware, fret not. Go to a thrift shop and buy somebody else's, remembering that the most sustainable stuff is the stuff that already exists.
I can imagine that soon enough tables everywhere will be swimming in chintz ... and eventually the pendulum will swing back towards the big white minimalist plate. Regardless, I'll just keep mixing and matching my random pieces – somehow managing to always stay simultaneously in and out of fashion. And when I pass my jumble of plates on to my kids, I'll have to remember to tuck a copy of this article in along with it.


After making a slew of development-oriented announcements from the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya on Tuesday at the grand Deepotsav celebrations, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath finally addressed the Ram Mandir topic directly on Wednesday, albeit also managing to retain the development focus.
The chief minister has formally spoken about a public statue of Lord Ram in Ayodhya and also expressed confidence, almost a sense of inevitability, about the construction of the Ram Temple on the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi site. On how exactly this would happen, he said that the government will abide by the Constitution in the matter of building of the Ram Mandir, the decades-old issue over which politics has recently spiked, ever since the Supreme Court delayed hearings in the matter till at least January 2019. Within the BJP there has been a chorus on a demand for a law to build the Ram Mandir before the SC hearing. Hundreds of seers at a Sant Sammelan'' gathering in New Delhi's Talkatora stadium on November 4 demanded an ordinance for constructing the Temple. The seers attended the Deepotsav festival on November 6.
Speaking on the Ram Mandir, he said that the government will take steps within the law to ensure it. "There is a temple in Ayodhya, people have been coming to take a darhsan of the Lord. Mandir tha, mandir hai, mandir rahega, there is no doubt this. We have faith in the constitution and we will follow the law in this matter,"he said.
He also spoke about the announcements made on Tuesday on the development of Ayodhya. "We are also building an airport in the name of Lord Ram so that Ayodhya will be connected to the world. We had also announced that the medical hospital here will be named after Lord Dashrath. We also want to create a dam on the upstream of Ram ki Paidi and ensure that the water of river Saryu is clean. There will also be a home for widows and orphans and it will be called Kaushalya," he said.
He added that the government is working on a war footing towards ensuring underground cabling in Ayodhya.
"The Centre and the state respect the sentiments of the people with regards to the development of Ayodhya," Yogi assured.
'The next programme, we will focus on the Kumbh mela and will try have the Prime Minister in the celebrations', the CM said.


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December 15, 2017 | M&A, Transactions
Zelig Associates advises BCSG on its sale to LegalZoom
BCSG has seen excellent adoption globally of its digital engagement platform in recent years, with installations on three continents with blue-chip customers including Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Mastercard, and EE.
London, Austin – Business Centric Services Group Limited ("BCSG"), a UK-based provider of digital engagement platforms for financial institutions and telcos, was acquired by LegalZoom.com, Inc. ("LegalZoom"), a US-based online legal technology company.
Zelig Associates has acted as BCSG's long-term financial advisor, having worked closely with the company on several strategic situations culminating in the acquisition by LegalZoom.
The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About BCSG
Founded in 2008, BCSG provides cloud-based, digital engagement platforms and cloud services market places for financial institutions and telcos. The BCSG platform is aimed at enhancing digital propositions for SME customers by providing easy access to a host of market leading SaaS applications, data, and analytics. BCSG's platforms reach over four million SMEs worldwide, with its business app market currently being used by over 200,000 SMEs
About LegalZoom
LegalZoom offers a technology platform that provides access to professional legal advice, from starting a new business to assisting in protecting families, contracts to copyrights, and trademarks to trusts. Since its inception in 2001, LegalZoom has evolved into the leading provider of online legal solutions for families and small businesses.
About Zelig Associates
Zelig Associates is a global FinTech investment banking boutique based in Europe and North America. We provide independent strategic and financial advice to entrepreneurs, private equity firms and venture-funded companies as well as international corporations. The firm combines entrepreneurial spirit and transaction excellence with a passion for the FinTech sector.
Zelig Capital Partners Limited
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Europe: Zelig Capital Partners Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FCA No. 919904.
North America: Zelig Associates LLC is not a broker dealer. Securities Products and Investment Banking Services are offered through BA Securities LLC. Four Tower Bridge, 200 Barr Harbor Drive, Suite 400, W. Conshohocken, PA 19428.(P) 877-738- 5841. Member FINRA, SIPC.
Zelig Associates LLC and BA Securities LLC are separate, unaffiliated entities.
© Copyright 2023 Zelig Capital Partners Limited and Zelig Associates LLC – Legal

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We woke up to cloudy skies and sprinkles this morning, our rafting morning.
We met the rafting guides in Carbondale, then drove to the river entry point. We would be floating down the Roaring Fork River to the takeout point on the Colorado River.
We picked a mild rafting route, and it proved to be just that. We had some rapids, but nothing too intense. Jeff and I did get pretty wet since we were on the front of the raft. Most of the trip was relaxing, with very little paddling, almost a bit too mild. We were able to see osprey and bald eagles along the way.
The Roaring Fork River empties into the Colorado River just west of Glenwood Springs. From there we floated about a mile or two to the takeout point. I guess Glenwood Canyon is closed to rafters due to really high water.
We enjoyed a BBQ lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, potato salad, cole slaw, brownies and chocolate chip cookies riverside before heading back to Carbondale.
What a great time! Too bad it was too wet for pictures.


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Jordan Carlos
Jordan Village, Connecticut
Jordan (Bishop of Poland)
Jordan Carlos is an American stand-up comedian who played a recurring character on The Colbert Report and is a co-host on the Nickelodeon kids' show Me TV. He currently appears as a panelist and reporter on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.
After graduating from Brown University in 2001, Carlos went to work as a copywriter in a New York ad firm. Carlos did this during the day and used the significant paycheck to finance a career in stand-up. Eventually, Carlos chose to abandon advertising altogether, although he feels he had trouble finding a niche audience because he "wasn't a stereotypical black man". He learned to use that characteristic as the basis for many of his jokes.
Role in the Colbert Report
On The Colbert Report, Carlos played Alan, host Stephen Colbert's "black friend". Whenever Colbert discussed racial issues, he often asked that a picture of him with his African-American coworker Alan be shown on screen. Colbert sometimes referred to him as "Alan, my black friend Alan". Alan first appeared on a Martin Luther King Day program when Colbert, complaining about having to work on the holiday, brought Alan into the argument, hoping that Alan was angry because he had to work, too. To Colbert's surprise, Alan was not.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Jordan_Carlos
The Jordan River (in traditional English River Jordan) (Hebrew: נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן nehar hayarden; Arabic: نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ nahr al-urdun) is a 251-kilometre (156 mi)-long river in West Asia flowing to the Dead Sea. Israel and the West Bank border the river to the west, while the Golan Heights and Jordan lie to its east. Both Jordan and the West Bank take their names from the river.
The river has a major significance in Judaism and Christianity and, to a more moderate degree, Islam, as the site where the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land and where Jesus of Nazareth was baptised by John the Baptist.
The streams coming together to create the River Jordan in its upper basin are, west to east:
Iyyon (Hebrew: עיון Iyyon, Arabic: دردره Dardara or براغيث Braghith – on old PEF maps (1871–77) as Wadi el-Kharrar in the Merj 'Ayun area and Nahr Bareighit in its lower part), a stream which flows from Lebanon.
Hasbani (Arabic: الحاصباني Hasbani, Hebrew: either שניר Snir or Hatzbani), a stream which flows from Mount Lebanon.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Jordan_River
Jordan is a village in the town of Waterford, Connecticut, and the historic center of the town. It was named from the Jordan River. The village was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Jordan Village Historic District in 1990. The district includes 58 contributing buildings and one other contributing site over an area of 57 acres (23 ha). It includes examples of Greek Revival and Queen Anne architectural styles.
Jordan Village is located on land known historically as Jordan Plain, a flat land area at the head of Jordan Cove, an estuary off Long Island Sound. The historic district surrounds the intersection of Rope Ferry Road and North Road.
National Register of Historic Places listings in New London County, Connecticut
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Jordan_Village,_Connecticut
Jordan (died in 982 or 984) was the first Bishop of Poland from 968 with his seat, most probably, in Poznań. He was an Italian or German.
Most evidence shows that he was missionary bishop subordinate directly to the Pope. He arrived in Poland, probably from Italy or the Rhineland, in 966 with Doubravka of Bohemia to baptise Mieszko I of Poland. After the death of Jordan until 992 the throne of the Bishop of Poland was vacant, or there was a bishop of unknown name (the first theory is more probable). His successor, from 992, was Unger.
Thompson, James Westfall. Feudal Germany, Volume II. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1928.
Wielkopolski Słownik Biograficzny. Warszawa-Poznań, 1983. ISBN 83-01-02722-3
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Jordan_(Bishop_of_Poland)
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I Can't Escape From You, The The
Honky Tonkin', The The
Dogs Of Lust (Germicide Mix), The The
Dogs Of Lust, The The
Bugle Boy, The The
BoilingPoint, The The
Delirious, The The
August & September, The The
Jealous of Youth, The The
Infected, The The
Bluer Than Midnight, The The
Icing Up, The The
I've Been Waitin' For Tomorrow (All Of My Life), The The
I'm A Long Gone Daddy, The The
I Saw The Light, The The
I Can't Get You Off Of My Mind, The The
The Violence Of Truth, The The
The Violence of Truth (Remix), The The
Three Orange Kisses From Kazan, The The
Time Again For The Golden Sunset, The The
True Happiness This Way Lies, The The
Twilight Of A Champion, The The
There's A Tear In My Beer, The The
The ?, The
This Is The Day, The The
This Is The Night, The The
PhantomWalls, The The
Saltwater, The The
TheWhisperers, The The
Dolphins, The The
Song Without An Ending, The The
Soul Mining, The The
Sodium Light Baby, The The
Solitude, The The
Slow Emotion Replay, The The
Slow Train To Dawn, The The
ShrunkenMan, The The
Six More Miles, The The
If You'll Be A Baby To Me, The The
The Beat(en) Generation, The The
That Was the Day, The The
Another Boy Drowning, The The
Another Boy Drowning (Live), The The
The Twilight Hour, The The
The Sinking Feeling, The The
The Nature of Virtue, The The
Dumb As Death's Head, The The
Fruit Of The Heart, The The
GIANT, The The
GlobalEyes, The The
Good Morning Beautiful, The The
Gravitate To Me, The The
SoulCatcher, The The
Helpline Operator, The The
Heartland, The The
DieselBreeze, The The
VoidyNumbness, The The
Uncertain Smile, The The
Weary Blues From Waitin', The The
Waitin' For The Upturn, The The
Your Cheatin' Heart, The The
WeatherBelle, The The
SwineFever, The The
Absolute Liberation, The The
Leap Into The Wind, The The
Kingdom Of Rain, The The
DecemberSunlight, The The
My Heart Would Know, The The
Mental Healing Process, The The
Perfect, The The
Out Of The Blue (Into The Fire), The The
Lonely Planet, The The
Like A Sun Risin Thru My Garden, The The
Lung Shadows, The The
Love Is Stronger Than Death, The The
Soup Of Mixed Emotions, The The
The Mercy Beat, The The
Armageddon Days Are Here (Again), The The
Beyond Love, The The
Helpline Operator (Sick Boy Mix), The The
Sweet Bird Of Truth, The The
Dis-Infected, The The
Angels Of Deception, The The
I've tried and tried to run and hide
To find a life that's new
But wherever I go I always know
A jug of wine to numb my mind
But what good does it do?
The jug runs dry and still I cry
These wasted years are souvenirs
Of love I thought was true
Your memory is chained to me
There is no end, I can't pretend
That dreams will soon come true
A slave too long to a heart of stone


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Big data: Innovation by numbers and the end of...
Big data: Innovation by numbers and the end of Mad Men
BY Howard Parry-Husbands ON 24 July 2012 min read
More data is being created today than that seen from the dawn of man to 2003. In fact, the amount of data we now have at our fingertips doubles in size every 18 months. It has exploded at such a rate that data, or 'big data' as it's now known, is profoundly changing the way businesses are innovating and developing their next generation of products and services. But unless brand owners understand how to analyse and interpret big data, they may be confusing a spurious result with a fabulous insight.
Big data, at least to most marketers, looks like a dashboard. It's simply presented data in neatly crafted reporting systems – basic visualisations of KPIs, vital indicators and trends data – to enable quick interpretation and clear storytelling.
Big data versus traditional analysis
Big data finds patterns in that myriad complex mass of data. These are patterns that shed light into previously murky corners of our brand or product experience to tell us things we've never previously known.
Traditional business intelligence software summarises data using statistics to look for patterns and hierarchies on a mission-critical basis. It's run by analysts and IT experts and is an expensive, high-quality resource to some companies or briefed out to specialist research agencies.
By way of contrast, big data uses any data available and doesn't try to cleanly integrate the data sets, instead using different analysis methods, such as 'Magnetic Agile Deep' (MAD) analysis.
Big data doesn't rely on a long-range, carefully-designed analysis plan, but literally looks for patterns, albeit for a purpose. It allows brand owners to see both the wood and the trees.
Unconstrained data analysis leads to paradigm shifts in innovation, which is great news for businesses investing in this area.
But, brands be warned: sometimes all is not what it may seem.
The problem with meaningless noise
Dr Michael Shermer, founder of the Skeptics Society and widely published scientist, coined the word 'patternicity' in 2008 as "the tendency to find meaningful patterns in meaningless noise". Shermer argues that we are hardwired to seek patterns because we have evolved as 'belief-engines': "pattern-recognition machines that connect the dots and create meaning out of the patterns that we think we see in nature" (Scientific American, 2008). Statisticians call these pattern-seeking errors 'Type I' errors – believing something is true when it's not.
And this is the Achilles heel of big data. The more variables included in an analysis, the disproportionately higher the number of spurious results. Unless you understand the nature of the data and the complexities of the possible interactions you may think you are looking at a fabulous insight but in fact you are looking at a spurious result.
So, the real skill is in the interpretation of the analysis to identify the 'true', meaningful patterns.
Research no longer the enemy of creativity
As companies are realising how big data is impacting on innovations and changing the way they do business, many have begun to look for people who can make sense of data – people who enjoy data, analysis, rigour and sampling and method. Data analysts, statisticians and researchers are all now working at the pointy end of insights to drive better innovation throughout the business cycle.
And just as it seems that the rise of the nerd is inexorable, so big data is shifting the gravity in the world of innovation from creativity to analysis.
If you don't believe me, listen to this guy: "If you are looking for a career where your services will be in high demand, you should find something where you provide a scarce, complementary service to something that is getting ubiquitous and cheap. So what's getting ubiquitous and cheap? Data. And what is complementary to data? Analysis." That's Professor Hal Varian, UC Berkeley, chief economist at Google.
Big data is useless without good analysts and the impact of this embrace of what were previously market researchers has been profound. Advertising agencies, for one, are galloping to employ experts in big data.
Meanwhile, the research profession has been undergoing a transformation, first to 'insights', and, via planning, to strategy. It now seems that big data has made the very data itself king. From process (research), to benefit (insights), it's now back to the future with big data (data and analysis).
Research as a discipline has moved from mitigating risk and being the enemy of creativity, to empowering innovation, to being the innovation in the creative industry.
Data analysts have become the new creators.
Implications for marketing and advertising
McKinsey tell us that big data has "the potential to drive a radical transformation in research, innovation, and marketing". The UK's largest retailer, Tesco, is a great example of this. Tesco collects the data on all of its customers' transactions through its loyalty card and then analyses this data to identify new business opportunities across pricing, promotions, and place.
The retailer was also one of the first to recognise that big data is useless without great analysts. Following the joint founding of Tesco Clubcard in 1995, the retailer wholly acquired data analytics pioneers DunnHumby in 2010. Tesco has built its success on analysing big data, with the volume of data doubling 11 times over since Tesco started. No wonder they bought DunnHumby.
Further, in a clear sign for the future of marketing, big data and advertising, in 2012 Tesco bought US-based word-of-mouth marketing agency, Buzz Agent, for US$60 million. Today, the bricks and mortar retailer holds all the data on its customers and has the ability to analyse this big data to inform and guide innovation at record speed.
Tesco now also owns a consumer media channel through which it can directly communicate specific messages to targeted consumer segments. And given that word-of-mouth marketing agencies don't make ads, it's looking like Tesco will be less reliant on traditional advertising campaigns to drive its future success.
The end of Mad Men?
So, big data is either a pretty dashboard of well-presented, easy-to-interpret data sets or else a very well-presented, clever analytical process, which drives paradigm-shifting innovations.
I suspect that in the rush to embrace big data we may still be seeing many more pretty front-end dashboards than we will Tesco Clubcards. This is why 'big data' is such a 'big thing' in the world of advertising.
Everyone recognises how badly so much quantitative data has been historically presented and how good it is to see data-driven success stories. But great analysis is actually the key to big data, rather than the data itself.
It might be anathema to the creative department but the nerds are taking over.
Move over Mad Men. Make way for MAD data.
BY Howard Parry-Husbands ON 24 July 2012
Managing director, Pollinate, a strategic research agency founded in 2004 by people frustrated with the average research experience. Pollinate works with influential consumers to develop innovative ideas, products and campaign concepts for brands.
« Darrell Lea: a take home message for marketers, CEOs and business ownersI'm just not the woman you think I am »


The OQEMA Germany, formerly Overlack, is one of the five largest chemical distributors in Germany and one of the top ten in Europe. Almost over 1,000 employees currently work for OQEMA Group at 40 locations in 18 countries. At the interface between chemicals manufacturers and chemical-processing industries we provide services along the supply chains: ranging from the procurement, product development and individual mixing to logistics and recycling. The Group has specific expertise in the technical and regulatory support of its customers. OQEMA Germany is also the exclusive sales partner of various renowned suppliers.
OQEMA customers across Europe consist of around 27,000 companies from various business areas such as life science, technical and environment applications. The OQEMA Group offers a dynamic and growing range of 13,000 products.


Public Health England has published guidance on the health clearance of healthcare workers and the management of those infected with bloodborne viruses, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
The guidance includes best practice information on securing health clearance for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV for new healthcare workers as well as the management of healthcare workers infected with hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV, including monitoring arrangements for those performing exposure-prone procedures.
It also addresses arrangements for undertaking patient notification exercises following the diagnosis of healthcare workers with hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV, plus the roles and responsibilities of the UK Advisory Panel on healthcare workers with bloodborne viruses and others involved in the management of healthcare workers infected with such diseases.


Rockabill Shellfish Co. Limited was set up on Wednesday the 14th of May 1997. Their current partial address is Co.Dublin, and the company status is Normal. The company's current directors have been the director of 10 other Irish companies between them. Rockabill Shellfish Co. Limited has 2 shareholders. This Irish company shares its Eircode with at least 32 other companies.


When it comes to real estate investing finding deals is an ever present need. This guest post from DealCollab shows us proven ways to find leads to solid real estate deals.
Every real estate deal starts with a lead whether it be from word of mouth or by generated leads as the ones offered by DealCollab. Having multiple sources of leads can greatly impact the success of your real estate investing and provide the results you are looking for.
Alternately you can still have a lot of success by choosing one source and develop a working process to maximize your results. Either way you choose it is smart to understand different sources for your real estate investing leads.
This article list four such sources of real estate leads for investors.
A pre-foreclosure lead occurs at the initial phase of foreclosure proceedings. A "Lis Pen Dens" is the first document that is filed with the county court house that indicates the intent to conduct foreclosure proceedings against an individual or entity. You can search the court's public records to find recently filed Lis Pendens or use a lead generation service as the one offered on DealCollab to find pre-foreclosure leads.
In a pre-foreclosure process the property owner is faced with losing their properties and must decide to sell the property real fast or arrange with the bank to stop the foreclosure proceedings. If this is not done, they stand to lose their property. As a real estate investor, the opportunity here is to contact the property owner and arrange to buy the property on terms that is both beneficial for you and the property owner. The foreclosure proceeding might be one of the most stressful experiences for a property owner so at all times the interest of the owner must be considered.
A foreclosure auction lead is a more advance stage of a pre-foreclosure lead. At this stage, the foreclosure proceedings have gone through the legal process and a judge has given a final judgement. In the final judgement, the court typically awards the plaintiff the amount they are foreclosing for plus any fees they may have incurred throughout the process. Lastly an auction date is set for the property to be sold. At this point, there is still time to contact the property owner and arrange to buy the property. If you are not able to contact the home owner, provided you have the cash to do so, you can purchase the property at the public auction. Often, the winning bids at a public auction are a below the after-repair value of the property.
REO leads occur after the foreclosure process has ran its course and the ownership of the property has transferred to the bank because it was not sold at the public auction. REO stands for Real Estate Owned, and in this case, it is typically owned by a bank or a financial entity. There still exist great opportunities with REOs as banks are really not in the business of owning real estate and want to sell these properties.
These properties are often offered at a discount of their market price. Do keep in mind that properties offered as REO sometimes needs substantial amount of repairs so you will need to factor that in your purchase price. Most banks will have a section on their website where they list their REOs.
As with a foreclosure auction, properties are also sold at public auctions for unpaid taxes. As for the opportunity here, the same applies as with foreclosures. You can contact the property owner and arrange to buy the property at a fair price. If you are not able to contact the property owner or work out a purchasing price with the owner, you can purchase the property if it proceeds to the auction date.
If the property makes it to the auction date then it is sold by the county court at a public auction either online or at the courthouse location. Properties purchased at the auction often needs repair and are sold at below after-repair market value. You should make it your responsibility to conduct adequate research on the property and drive to look at it, If the property owner is there they might also agree to show you the inside. If the property you are considering is very far from you, consider using a Proxy Visit service as is provided by DealCollab.
When you find deals be sure to Buy Right!


London, UK, 10 October 2016 – Intershop will sponsor an omni-channel commerce roundtable discussion at the eDelivery Conference, held on 11 October 2016 at the Novotel West, London. Chaired by Intershop's order management expert and enterprise architect Nils Breitmann, the interactive roundtable will ask why order management is the key to a seamless online and offline customer experience, and discuss the challenges, solutions, and visions of an integrated omni-channel commerce strategy.
As retailers rush to embrace omni-channel retailing to meet the ever-increasing demands of today's savvy, always connected shoppers, they are faced with new layers of operational challenges, including the management of increasingly complex order flows. To overcome these challenges, it is essential to build a solid commerce backend, starting with a centralised omni-channel Order Management System to orchestrate omni-channel commerce processes and enable the smooth customer experience that today's shoppers expect.
The eDelivery Conference is a pan-European event for fulfillment professionals that focuses on practical approaches to delivering the right product to the right customer at the right time, and at the same time increasing operational efficiency and profitability per order while boosting responsiveness and services. The roundtable discussions will bring together the brightest minds of the industry to share successes and challenge conventional thinking. Intershop's roundtable will run alongside roundtables chaired by Ocado, John Lewis, M&S, and Sky. For more information, visithttp://www.intershop.com/event-details/edelivery-conference.


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Home » beta
Checkpoint: Vengeance Edition
Good news! My new PC woes are behind me. The Corsair Vengeance LPX were installed and the PC booted without a fuss — I even activated XMP mode without issue. I finished installing drivers and updates but without a storage drive (my old Western Digital Black 1TB doesn't fit the case), there's not much I can do. I guess I could play StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm and the countless other titles in my Steam catalog
I'm also waiting for NVIDIA's Pascal GPU to make its debut which will really open up the gaming possibilities.
Dailies. That's not something I thought I would be partaking in but everyday my brother and I put in an hour or so to complete the daily missions in The Division. It's really unfortunate that Ubisoft aren't able to maintain The Division's momentum. Now glitches, repetitive daily missions and inflated crafting requirements have blemished an otherwise strong start.
The Mirror's Edge: Catalyst closed beta is happening right now. I played through the tutorial and while it wasn't the consistent performer that I would like, I was impressed with the combat improvements and style. There's an open world element which I have yet to try but I suspect I'll be fine with it. I enjoyed the original Mirror's Edge but I enjoyed it for its style and parkour, not because it was linear affair.
beta, checkpoint, mirror's edge, the division
Checkpoint: Beta Weekend 2016 Edition
by No_Style | posted in: Editorials & Features, Previews & Impressions | 0
It's a weekend of betas so I thought I would chime in with some impressions.
The last Street Fighter V beta featured more characters, stages and a menu that teased what's to come. It also reminded me that Street Fighter V won't have a story mode at launch and that it will likely be filled with cutscenes like these and in-engine shots like this. I prefer the latter for consistency's sake. I'm not holding my breath for Mortal Kombat 9 calibre story but I am expecting some genuine effort beyond the arcade mode. I would really enjoy a Street Fighter Alpha 3 style RPG-lite system though.
The matchmaking was a lot better from a skill perspective; I wasn't being hammered by skilled players. I wasn't pleased with the time it took to find my next opponent though. I wouldn't mind the wait if it ensured a quality match but being paired with someone with a spotty connection after a long wait wasn't ideal. When it worked, it was very enjoyable. I already have it pre-ordered on disc but I am considering giving up the disc for a digital copy.
The beta of the weekend was The Division. Back in 2013, I was very skeptical on The Division and believed Destiny was the game for me. Unfortunately Destiny initial outing wasn't my cup of tea. It was a bad loot game filled with tedious grind and repetition. I fear for the same thing for The Division but that fear also extended to Diablo III.
What makes The Division so appealing for me is the Dark Zone — the lawless areas of New York City — where players can venture out to fight higher level enemies for the promise of better loot. The risky part of this equation are the other players out there who can attack and steal what my bro and I collected. I had two notable experiences in the Dark Zone.
The Positive
My brother and I were pursuing this group of NPCs from one end of a street. We easily flanked them because they were facing the other way and after they were dispatched we discovered they were distracted by another three players. We encountered friendly individuals before but we've never encountered a group. We were sub-level 8 so I presumed everyone was friendlier but out of nowhere one of them fired some shots. I rolled back into cover and they did the same. We hunkered there ready to fight. We waited for a long nervous minute before one of them approached the middle and raised his hands and began walking towards us. A misunderstanding? A ploy? We eventually walked passed each other with fingers on the triggers ready to retaliate. As soon as they passed us, they ran off.
Once we filled out backpacks with contaminated Dark Zone loot, we had to move to one of the extraction points and fire a flare out for extraction. This was a beacon for other agents to join in on the extraction or a signal for other predatory agents to come in for easy kills. Watching the clock countdown was tense. We didn't know if people were going to come and get us or what.
Moments like these were interesting. Can you trust other humans not kill you? The game temporarily flagged people who attacked other players as rogue agents. I accidentally hit another player outside of our group with crossfire and was flagged as rogue for about 10 seconds. I suspect killing someone would mean I was rogue for longer and be seen by all on the map as rogue.
Flagging rogue agents in the Dark Zone is smart. In theory, it helps out smaller groups to avoid treachery or indicate to others that there are assholes to take out. Unfortunately there was a bug in the beta where rogue agents were invisible and I would only appear after they've killed you. It was like being attacked by ghosts.
It's also highly recommended to venture out into the Dark Zone with other players. I'm reading too many stories of lone agents being gunned down by packs of rogue agents.
A Solid Foundation?
I like what I've seen of The Division thus far. It runs well and is surprisingly customizable for a console game. I can tweak a number of UI elements to my liking. On a technical perspective, I can even tweak graphical effects like how aggressive the anti-aliasing work (sharpening) and whether or not to enable chromatic aberration.
On the gameplay front, there were plenty of appearance and weapon modifications to personalize as well giving players plenty of options to express themselves.
What worries me the most about The Division are the enemy encounters. Damage sponges like those found in Destiny are tedious but mopping the floor with brain dead enemies is not fun either. Playing the "Hospital" mission on Hard and going up agains the higher level enemies in level 8 Dark Zone instances felt like that right mix. I don't expect the final game to feature smarter enemies but I hope for a better mix. What makes Diablo III's combat work is the juggling and management of different enemy types. I began to see glimmers of that on the hard difficulty but it's too early to say.
Cautious Optimism Continues
The Division looks like it's the next shooter RPG loot hybrid that could grip players all over the world. It may even sink its fangs into me like Diablo III U.E did. I'm still holding onto my pre-order for now but it's not a firm decision. There's a lot to like about the Division (I didn't even mention how I love all the details) but there's also a lot to dislike (too much running around). I'm unable to make a definitive judgement call on it yet but there is something about it that's piqued my interest.
beta, checkpoint, street fighter, the division, Ubisoft
Call of Duty: Black Ops PS4 Multiplayer Beta Impressions
by No_Style | posted in: Game Previews | 0
This was originally posted in a Call of Duty: Black Ops III beta impressions thread on NeoGAF but I decided to massage it into a post here:
I came away from the Call of Duty: Black Ops III PlayStation 4 multiplayer beta feeling positive and optimistic. The most glaring issue was the networking and matchmaking performance. It would be a damn shame if both of those areas do not improve in the final release. Dedicated servers would be greatly appreciated.
I thought the PS4 beta felt great. I liked the size of the maps and the pace of the game. I enjoyed the mobility options in Advanced Warfare but I felt the games were too frenetic at times and the "time to kill" felt too low for a game that's trying to promote mobility.
I felt BLOPS3 nailed the blend of TTK and mobility. It reminded me a lot of BLOPS2 with a touch of mobility options. There were numerous occasions where I saw an enemy late, they shot at me, and I was still able to get into cover and retaliate. I didn't feel like that was the case with AW or in any COD title since BLOPS2. Guns still felt lethal when targets were within the gun's optimal range but the bullet damage drop off seems to be more drastic outside that range which could explain how I'm surviving more firefights.
The idea behind the AW suit powers was sound but the implementation was flawed because I felt it wasn't worth the sacrifice of an attachment or a perk. Giving everyone an added ability via the Specialist class without occupying a crucial class slot was the right choice. They served like mini-scorestreak rewards which had the potential to turn around a player's performance in a round.
For the first time in a long time since I felt the SMG class was a viable option for me in certain maps. I can't recall a game after COD4 where I actually made an SMG class and used it regularly. I also noticed that silenced weapons were no longer a prevailing option for people. In the last few games, I felt like I was a huge disadvantage if I wasn't using a silencer.
As for deaths by scorestreaks? I felt it was manageable. The root of much of Call of Duty's scorestreak related issues stemmed from the ease in which players can obtain the UAV. I was pleased to see that UAV spam was surprisingly low. Even then the high end scorestreaks weren't wreaking a ridiculous amount of havoc in the games that I participated in.
I liked the fact that maps actually had character and wasn't just a maze of corridors. It reminded of COD4 and BLOPS2 where maps and battles flowed through a few select distinct alleys.
I know it's a beta but I hope the final release addresses the texture draw in issues; especially around shrubbery. Finally, it may be too late to address this but I wish it was easier distinguish friend or foe outside of the obvious name tag. Everyone appeared too similarly.
The multiplayer beta showed great promise but there's still a great deal that's a mystery to the player base. Will there be a deadly/cheap combination lurking somewhere that will ruin the game for everyone else? We shall see.
beta, black ops, call of duty, multiplayer, PlayStation 4
Checkpoint: Fighting Game Basics Edition
I don't know how to play fighting games. I've been playing fighting games since Street Fighter II Turbo on the Super Nintendo but I don't know how to play fighting games. I know how perform special movies and some basic combos but I don't know the tactical and strategic side of the game. I know of "footsies", "pokes" and "zoning" but I don't know how to use those ideas effectively with even the most basic characters like Ryu.
So with Street Fighter V, I decided to put in the effort to learn how to play fighting games. I started with a trio of videos featuring fighting game gurus Gootecks, Mike Ross and special guest WWE Superstar Xavier Woods:
These three videos are great for breaking down the fundamentals and how to apply basic fighting game techniques. It also shows a relatively new fighting game player (Xavier Woods) apply those lessons in live Street Fighter V beta matches and the gurus breaking down the matches.
Hungry for more information, I found Gootecks' video on Ryu fundamentals which re-iterated much of what was taught in the Xavier Woods videos but it was still useful to hear him elaborate and repeat the basics. I highly recommend watching them.
The videos shows me how to practice and so I have been putting in the work in the Street Fighter V beta while waiting for matches to appear. I'm faring better but the inconsistent quality in connections and matchmaking makes it difficult to improve. In one match, I'm playing a "Grandmaster" ranked player and the next I'm playing a similarly ranked player with poor connectivity. It's a beta after all.
Besides Street Fighter V, I've been playing Rocket League and chipping away at The Witcher 3. On the side, it's been quite a bit of Hitman: Sniper and Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy: Curtain Call.
I'm surprised by Hitman: Sniper but I shouldn't be. It's by the fine folks at Square Enix Montreal who made the delightful Hitman GO. As soon as I'm done with Sniper, I'm going to pick up Lara Croft GO which I hear is equally fantastic.
beta, checkpoint, final fantasy, hitman, square enix, street fighter, The Witcher, wwe


Providing kind, practical guidance through Tarot divination.
Using the symbols and orientations of the Tarot, I strive to help elucidate the course of life's events in order to move through blockages, illuminate scenarios and relationships, and plan for the future. Tarot is a practice of patterns, and I look forward to helping you realize and appreciate the intricacies inherent in each lived experience.
Learn more about my history as a Tarot reader, my practice, and my mission.
Ready for a reading? I'm taking in-person appointments in San Francisco, as well as video conference appointments and email consultations for those clients outside of the San Francisco Bay Area.


There's a new player in the game. The Medalist is a well-balanced mallet that is designed for competition. It is a lightweight stick that has incredible balance, definition, and power. A three-foam system allows for a clean, deep, and rich tone without 'overdriving' the drum at higher volumes. The mallet shaft is lathe-turned sugar-maple and is designed for playing comfort and maximum stick control.
The Medalist is available in Black, White, Red, Emerald Green, and Royal Blue.


text:
'use strict';

(function () {
  // Editors Controller Spec
  describe('Editors Controller Tests', function () {
    // Initialize global variables
    var EditorsController,
      scope,
      $httpBackend,
      $stateParams,
      $location,
      Authentication,
      Editors,
      mockEditor;

    // The $resource service augments the response object with methods for updating and deleting the resource.
    // If we were to use the standard toEqual matcher, our tests would fail because the test values would not match
    // the responses exactly. To solve the problem, we define a new toEqualData Jasmine matcher.
    // When the toEqualData matcher compares two objects, it takes only object properties into
    // account and ignores methods.
    beforeEach(function () {
      jasmine.addMatchers({
        toEqualData: function (util, customEqualityTesters) {
          return {
            compare: function (actual, expected) {
              return {
                pass: angular.equals(actual, expected)
              };
            }
          };
        }
      });
    });

    // Then we can start by loading the main application module
    beforeEach(module(ApplicationConfiguration.applicationModuleName));

    // The injector ignores leading and trailing underscores here (i.e. _$httpBackend_).
    // This allows us to inject a service but then attach it to a variable
    // with the same name as the service.
    beforeEach(inject(function ($controller, $rootScope, _$location_, _$stateParams_, _$httpBackend_, _Authentication_, _Editors_) {
      // Set a new global scope
      scope = $rootScope.$new();

      // Point global variables to injected services
      $stateParams = _$stateParams_;
      $httpBackend = _$httpBackend_;
      $location = _$location_;
      Authentication = _Authentication_;
      Editors = _Editors_;

      // create mock editor
      mockEditor = new Editors({
        _id: '525a8422f6d0f87f0e407a33',
        title: 'An Editor about MEAN',
        content: 'MEAN rocks!'
      });

      // Mock logged in user
      Authentication.user = {
        roles: ['user']
      };

      // Initialize the Editors controller.
      EditorsController = $controller('EditorsController', {
        $scope: scope
      });
    }));

    it('$scope.find() should create an array with at least one editor object fetched from XHR', inject(function (Editors) {
      // Create a sample editors array that includes the new editor
      var sampleEditors = [mockEditor];

      // Set GET response
      $httpBackend.expectGET('api/editors').respond(sampleEditors);

      // Run controller functionality
      scope.find();
      $httpBackend.flush();

      // Test scope value
      expect(scope.editors).toEqualData(sampleEditors);
    }));

    it('$scope.findOne() should create an array with one editor object fetched from XHR using a editorId URL parameter', inject(function (Editors) {
      // Set the URL parameter
      $stateParams.editorId = mockEditor._id;

      // Set GET response
      $httpBackend.expectGET(/api\/editors\/([0-9a-fA-F]{24})$/).respond(mockEditor);

      // Run controller functionality
      scope.findOne();
      $httpBackend.flush();

      // Test scope value
      expect(scope.editor).toEqualData(mockEditor);
    }));

    describe('$scope.create()', function () {
      var sampleEditorPostData;

      beforeEach(function () {
        // Create a sample editor object
        sampleEditorPostData = new Editors({
          title: 'An Editor about MEAN',
          content: 'MEAN rocks!'
        });

        // Fixture mock form input values
        scope.title = 'An Editor about MEAN';
        scope.content = 'MEAN rocks!';

        spyOn($location, 'path');
      });

      it('should send a POST request with the form input values and then locate to new object URL', inject(function (Editors) {
        // Set POST response
        $httpBackend.expectPOST('api/editors', sampleEditorPostData).respond(mockEditor);

        // Run controller functionality
        scope.create(true);
        $httpBackend.flush();

        // Test form inputs are reset
        expect(scope.title).toEqual('');
        expect(scope.content).toEqual('');

        // Test URL redirection after the editor was created
        expect($location.path.calls.mostRecent().args[0]).toBe('editors/' + mockEditor._id);
      }));

      it('should set scope.error if save error', function () {
        var errorMessage = 'this is an error message';
        $httpBackend.expectPOST('api/editors', sampleEditorPostData).respond(400, {
          message: errorMessage
        });

        scope.create(true);
        $httpBackend.flush();

        expect(scope.error).toBe(errorMessage);
      });
    });

    describe('$scope.update()', function () {
      beforeEach(function () {
        // Mock editor in scope
        scope.editor = mockEditor;
      });

      it('should update a valid editor', inject(function (Editors) {
        // Set PUT response
        $httpBackend.expectPUT(/api\/editors\/([0-9a-fA-F]{24})$/).respond();

        // Run controller functionality
        scope.update(true);
        $httpBackend.flush();

        // Test URL location to new object
        expect($location.path()).toBe('/editors/' + mockEditor._id);
      }));

      it('should set scope.error to error response message', inject(function (Editors) {
        var errorMessage = 'error';
        $httpBackend.expectPUT(/api\/editors\/([0-9a-fA-F]{24})$/).respond(400, {
          message: errorMessage
        });

        scope.update(true);
        $httpBackend.flush();

        expect(scope.error).toBe(errorMessage);
      }));
    });

    describe('$scope.remove(editor)', function () {
      beforeEach(function () {
        // Create new editors array and include the editor
        scope.editors = [mockEditor, {}];

        // Set expected DELETE response
        $httpBackend.expectDELETE(/api\/editors\/([0-9a-fA-F]{24})$/).respond(204);

        // Run controller functionality
        scope.remove(mockEditor);
      });

      it('should send a DELETE request with a valid editorId and remove the editor from the scope', inject(function (Editors) {
        expect(scope.editors.length).toBe(1);
      }));
    });

    describe('scope.remove()', function () {
      beforeEach(function () {
        spyOn($location, 'path');
        scope.editor = mockEditor;

        $httpBackend.expectDELETE(/api\/editors\/([0-9a-fA-F]{24})$/).respond(204);

        scope.remove();
        $httpBackend.flush();
      });

      it('should redirect to editors', function () {
        expect($location.path).toHaveBeenCalledWith('editors');
      });
    });
  });
}());

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Jeff Babicz and Jeff Carano are no strangers to innovative musical engineering. The two worked together at the Steinberger Guitar Company, renowned for the advanced design of its headless, paddleshaped guitars and basses.
Given Babicz and Carano's background, it's perhaps not surprising that their new company, Babicz Guitars, is making its mark with some rather unusual designs of its own. Take my review guitar, for example: the first thing you notice about the sleek and dramatic-looking Babicz Spider-O6E acoustic guitar is the weblike pattern created by the strings as they fan out over the guitar's top. Far from being a cosmetic gimmick, the design is, like the Steinberger's headless neck, a sonic enhancement — one might even say "a revelation."
The basis of the Babicz design is its patented icZ Lateral Compression Soundboard. In traditional acoustic guitar design, the strings are anchored to the bridge. Vibrations are focused at the bridge, as is the stress from string pull. This produces a very rigid top with limited bass reproduction. Heavy X-bracing helps to support the top and distribute vibrations across the top, but it also weighs down the top and prevents it from vibrating fully. Babicz's icZ system is designed to reduce or eliminate these shortcomings.
The strings are anchored, via studs, directly to the soundboard over a larger area of the top. This (to use Babicz's term) "energizes" the top, allowing it to resonate more fully.
Furthermore, by shifting tension from the center of the top to the bottom edge, Babicz can utilize lighter and more delicate bracing, allowing the top to vibrate more fully and produce a fuller sound that is balanced across its frequency spectrum. Does it work? Let's take a look at the Spider and find out.
The Identity Series Spider is the latest Babicz instrument and certainly the most striking looking. The thin, single cutaway body is two-tone black with a satin finish top and neck and gloss black back, sides and pickguard. There is no binding; the only ornamentation on the all-mahogany body is a contrasting soundhole ring that gives the Spider a high-tech look. The mahogany neck has a comfortable "C" contour and a rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays. The peghead is marked with a script logo and "Black Widow" hourglass, a clever, if subtle visual. The head also carries a twoway truss rod and Grover tuners.
Incidentally, while these design features are common to all Babicz guitars, the company offers two series of models that vary in body style and wood choice: the Identity Series guitars, which are handmade in Indonesia, and the more expensive Signature Series models, which are built in the U.S. by Jeff Babicz himself.
As mentioned above, the icZ system eliminates the need for heavy X bracing. Instead, the Spider has two longitudinal braces. Babicz has rethought the bridge as well, which consists of a static string retainer behind a bridge/saddle unit. Since it's bolted to the top, rather than glued, it is freely adjustable for intonation.
Other features worth noting include an onboard L.R. Baggs Element Active EQ system and a revolutionary neck joint that can be quickly adjusted for height without affecting intonation. Other moveable heel designs tilt the neck, affecting the intonation, but the Babicz system moves vertically on a rail. Simply pop the Allen wrench (conveniently clipped to the back of the headstock), give the recessed bolt in the heel a twist and the string height changes, without requiring a retune.
All this innovation makes the Babicz an enjoyable and versatile guitar. The icZ system produces a well-defined sound could be described as "modern," with a precise attack, excellent clarity and good separation of bass and treble voices, eliminating some of the "woody" midrange typical of olderstyle guitars.
It certainly lends itself to amplification, and the L.R. Baggs system works like a charm, giving the Spider a very versatile pluggedin sound. Moreover, the strings on the Spider felt more relaxed than on standard acoustics. This is down, once again, to the icZ system, which uses a longer length of string overall (though standard-length strings are used), resulting in a lighter feel, even on heavier-gauge strings.
The adjustable neck lets you switch from delicate fingerpicking to "Bluegrass banging" or beefy slide action in just seconds, then crank the neck back down in less time than it takes to introduce the next tune. This guitar would be a great live choice even if you don't feel you need the instant action-changing feature.
The Spider's versatility, durability and sound are mind boggling, especially for a guitar in this price range. Babicz offers numerous different models, some perhaps more conventional looking, but the darkly dashing black Spider is a standout guitar in every respect.
PRO: Extremely balanced tone, fuller sound, fast and advanced neck-adjustment system, great value for price.
Evolution. I think that single word captures the essence of Babicz guitars.
For about a century now, everybody and their sister have been making acoustic guitars pretty much the same way. Oh, perhaps a little innovation here and there, but nothing major; an acoustic is an acoustic. Craftmanship and wood quality make the difference. I know this is rather large, but let's face it, there's been nothing new under the sun.
Jeff Babicz has not redesigned the acoustic guitar, he re-invented it.
The major problem with an acoustic guitar is the sound hole. Because of its position, with the bridge coming up behind it, it has to be reinforced to hold under the strain of the strings. Unfortunately, by reinforcing it, you tend to lose a lot of the sound quality the guitar can offer. So what do you do? It's been an on-going problem with guitar manufacturers over the years. And no matter what they've done, after a time, the bridge section has a tendency to belly-up because of the strain, requiring major work on the guitar.
What Babicz has done is brilliant in its simplicity. If the problem is with the strings attaching on the bridge, just attach them somewhere else! Six anchors are set about an inch and a half from the back of the guitar in a fan shape and that's where the strings attach. They run into the neck, then out to the anchors. What this means, first and foremost, to the serious guitarist is that you immediately pluck the strings at that end. It's a lot of fun, believe me. Gave me a lot of ideas.
"Jeff Babicz has not redesigned the acoustic guitar, he re-invented it."
Once you get over that, you quickly realize the advantage of this system; the strings pull on the whole of the top of the guitar enabling a much greater resistance to the strain of the strings. Which also means the sound hole doesn't have to be reinforced. It's simply brilliant! Amazingly simple, yet so effective.
It also means that the whole of the inside top of the guitar is redesigned. Instead of the traditional X-Brace like you find on most acoustics, this one has two longitudinal braces running along almost the entire top of the guitar.
The second major problem with an acoustic lies in the neck. On most acoustics, the neck is glued on. Meaning you're stuck with the position it's at. Over time, it will have a tendency to be in the wrong position, because of the strain of the strings. Having it repositioned also requires major surgery that most of us can't afford. Or we're simply too scared to see our precious baby go under the knife and we play the guitar the way it is.
Some manufacturers have resorted to bolting on the neck. It does have some good results, but what you gain in efficiency, you lose in sound.
Babicz to the rescue again. Jeff has totally reinvented the neck joint. Here the neck is hooked up to the body using a patented rail system. This offers one absolutely incredible advantage over any acoustic guitar ever made: you can actually change the action! And it's so easy to do, you can do it in your sleep.
All you need is a wrench (but you keep losing those, don't you?). Here the wrench is actually located on a clip behind the neck. Jeff Babicz deserves huge credit for thinking about that one; a place to keep your wrench where you're likely to find it.
Insert the wrench behind the neck and turn. Raise or lower the neck in a few seconds. Yes, seconds. Brilliant. Want fast action? Raise the neck. Want a fatter sound? Lower the neck. It's so simple, you can actually do this on stage between two songs. And your band's frontman doesn't have to be Peter Gabriel: a short hello to the crowd and you're ready to perform again.
But what about the neck in relation to the bridge? The bridge is also adjustable by using a wrench!
Basically, Jeff Babicz thought of everything and applied it all. This is a great example of thinking outside the box. Perhaps it's due to his years at Steinberger.
So, you ask, you have a guitar that has all these innovations, but how does it sound? Quite frankly, it rates up there with the best of them. For a much smaller price tag. The one that was sent my way to review was a cut-away Dreadnought, Identity Series, Rosewood, with onboard active EQ. $1195 for the guitar and $399 for the onboards. Not expensive considering everything.
"I predict that this is the guitar of the future. In years to come, any professional will play the Babicz and nothing else".
Comfort-wise, it has all the comfort of your standard acoustic. Look-wise, it's a work of art. Sound-wise, well let's just say that my ears were more than delighted by the sound of the guitar. Try as I might, I never managed to get a less than incredible sound out of it.
The neck is comfortable and fast. The cutaway lets you reach the higher frets, much to my liking. The very first time you play it, you don't get that feeling you usually do from a different guitar. It feels like you've been playing it for years. And this guitar will follow you for years. An investment in your musical future.
I also wanted to mention those onboards. With other systems I found I always had a lot of trouble adjusting the EQ to get good sound. Not so of this system; plug it in, strum and twist the knobs for a few seconds and there you go. In fact, at any setting, the sound is great. You just adjust it to you own personal liking.
It came in a hardshell case which, before even opening it, allows you to see the mind-set of Jeff Babicz: instead of the usual hard plastic handle which is so uncomfortable, it has a large padded handle which feels very comfortable. I haven't tried it, but I'm sure you wouldn't damage your hand after carrying it around for an hour or so.
This is a serious guitar for the serious guitarist. Or for anyone who simply wants an acoustic that will last the rest of their life. One thing's for sure, once you try this out, you'll never look at another acoustic the same way. I predict that this is the guitar of the future. In years to come, any professional will play the Babicz and nothing else. I know I don't want to try out anything else now.
A-J Charron has wrote over 300 articles and reviews for Guitar Noise. Many of them have been translated into other languages. A-J is a singer and songwriter from Montréal, Québec.
Equally impressive, Babicz developed new technology that enables the player to make neck/string height (action) adjustments on the fly without any complexity or intonation changes/adjustments. This guitar is well worth your consideration, and is the first acoustic guitar to receive our prestigious WIHO Award.
This is where it gets really interesting. The Babicz Identity Series guitar is fitted with an adjustable rosewood torque-reducing split bridge system.
What? Unlike conventional bridge systems that are glued to the top of the guitar, the Babicz bridge is anchored to the guitar via a fastening system that allows the bridge to be loosened and repositioned for intonation adjustments.
The Babicz guitar came equipped with a nice hard shell case providing sufficient protection for the guitar. Though not equipped in the model reviewed, this guitar can also be ordered in an acoustic-electric model.
Because the neck movement is up and down, there is no need to worry about affecting the intonation of the guitar. Conventional neck adjustments cause change to the actual scale length of the string, which usually require intonation adjustments at the bridge. Never fear, though. The intonation on the Babicz guitar is adjustable as well. By loosening the anchor fasteners, the bridge can easily be moved forward or backward via the slotted soundboard to dial in accurate intonation.
Between the player-adjustable neck action and intonation features, we have never before experienced this kind of flexible setup in an acoustic guitar. Upon first glance at the guitar, we were curious if longer string lengths were required in order to accommodate the fanning of the strings to the outer edge of the soundboard. Not at all – the Babicz guitar uses standard strings, enabling you to use your favorite brand.


When travelling abroad, it is expensive to use data roaming service. If you like to get a free WiFi account at the institute you are visiting, it may require you to follow few complicated steps before an account is issued to you. If you are going to visit an institute abroad, eduroam (Education Roaming) eliminates the need for a guest account to access wireless network.
When UM's faculty staff members and students visit eduroam participating institutions, they can connect to eduroam using their UM wireless LAN credentials. Visitors to UM from participating eduroam universities can use UM's eduroam service using their home institution credential, too.
eduroam is a worldwide federation using the technology of RADIUS authentication through IEEE 802.1x and WPA or WPA2 for encrypting traffic. It involves three parties: a supplicant, an authenticator, and an authentication server. The supplicant is the client device that wishes to attach to the wireless LAN, the authenticator is the wireless Access Point (AP) and the authentication server is the host supporting the RADIUS authentication.
Now, let's see how the roaming confederation works together to deliver the worldwide eduroam service. For example, when Jenny, a student of UM, visits Sydney University in Australia. She tries to associate the SSID eduroam, she inputs her credentials same as using UM wireless LAN. She may need to change the configuration setting such as authentication and encryption types of eduroam. Since Jenny is trying to access eduroam at the University of Sydney, she needs to follow the setting recommended by University of Sydney. To prevent any inconvenience we recommend to check the eduroam setting before visiting an educational institution abroad.
When Jenny connects to eduroam at University of Sydney, her credentials are passed through the wireless LAN system of University Sydney route to UM eduroam authentication server via the global eduroam network. There is no need to worry about the security of user credentials. Credentials will not be saved on any other RADIUS servers throughout the routing paths.
All the credentials data will be processed by UM eduroam authentication server. When Jenny's request will arrive at UM eduroam authentication server, her credentials will be verified and then the authentication information, with either Accept or Reject confirmation is sent back through global eduroam network finally reaching University of Sydney.
If Jenny's credentials are accepted by UM, University of Sydney grants wireless LAN access to Jenny, and the network policy, such as access right of websites, the internet speed and other user policy will be controlled by University of Sydney not UM.
Who can use the eduroam outside UM?
All UM's faculty, staff and students can use eduroam when they visit the participating institutions joined with eduroam. Please note that user credentials (login ID and password) are the same as the wireless LAN account.
What steps are required before eduroaming outside UM?
To use eduroam, user's device must be compatible with 802.1x authentication and WPA/WPA2 for the traffic encryption like UM_SECURED_WLAN. As the authentication and encryption setting follows the visiting institution, user is recommended to check the setting according to the instructions provided by the institution one is visiting.
What happens after connected to eduroam outside UM?
After connected to eduroam outside UM, user's network policy and rules will be controlled by the visiting institution, you can inquire related information before your visit to the institution.
What are the participants of Macao eduroam?


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Nigeria i/naɪˈdʒɪəriə/, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Nigeria is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. Its coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean.
The site of many former kingdoms and empires, the modern political state of Nigeria has its origins in the British colonization of the region during the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries; it emerged from the combination of two neighboring British protectorates: the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate. During the colonial period, the British set up administrative and legal structures whilst retaining traditional chiefdoms. Nigeria achieved independence in 1960, but plunged into civil war several years later. It has since alternated between democratically-elected civilian governments and military dictatorships, with its 2011 presidential elections being viewed as the first to be conducted reasonably freely and fairly.
Nigeria is often referred to as the "Giant of Africa", due to its large population and economy. With approximately 174 million inhabitants, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world. Nigeria has one of the largest populations of youth in the world. The country is inhabited by over 500 ethnic groups, of which the three largest are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. Regarding religion, Nigeria is roughly divided in half between Christians, who live mostly in the southern and central parts of the country, and Muslims, concentrated mostly in the northern and southwestern regions. A minority of the population practice religions indigenous to Nigeria, such as those native to Igbo and Yoruba peoples.


Today is Friday, Oct. 14, the 288th day of 2016. There are 78 days left in the year.
On Oct. 14, 1066, Normans under William the Conqueror defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings.
In 1939, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the HMS Royal Oak, a British battleship anchored at Scapa Flow in Scotland's Orkney Islands; 833 of the more than 1,200 men aboard were killed.
In 1947, Air Force test pilot Charles E. ("Chuck") Yeager (YAY'-gur) broke the sound barrier as he flew the experimental Bell XS-1 (later X-1) rocket plane over Muroc Dry Lake in California.
In 1960, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy suggested the idea of a Peace Corps while addressing an audience of students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
In 1986, Holocaust survivor and human rights advocate Elie Wiesel (EL'-ee vee-ZEHL') was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. The International Olympic Committee decided to separate the years of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games beginning in 1994.
In 1996, Madonna and her boyfriend, Carlos Leon, became parents as the pop star gave birth to a girl, Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon. The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 6,000 for the first time, ending the day at 6,010.00.
Ten years ago: The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to impose punishing sanctions on North Korea for carrying out a nuclear test. The Detroit Tigers swept the American League championship with a 6-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics. A sideline-clearing brawl interrupted the third quarter of Miami's 35-0 victory over Florida International. Gerry (GEH'-ree) Studds, the first openly gay member of Congress, died in Boston at age 69; singer Freddy Fender died in Corpus Christi, Texas, at age 69.
Five years ago: President Barack Obama cast himself as a savior of the U.S. auto industry as he stood in a once-shuttered Michigan assembly plant with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to boast of a new trade deal and the auto bailout he'd pushed through Congress. The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 to take a 3-2 lead in the NL championship series. In Tokyo, Japan's Kohei Uchimura (koo-hay oo-chee-mur-uh) gave the home fans what they wanted, becoming the first man to win three titles at the world gymnastics championships.
One year ago: Hundreds of soldiers fanned out in cities across Israel and authorities erected concrete barriers outside some Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem in a stepped-up effort to counter a monthlong wave of Palestinian violence. The state of Texas executed Licho Escamilla (LEE'-cho es-kuh-MEE'-uh) for the fatal 2001 shooting of Christopher Kevin James, a Dallas police officer who was trying to break up a brawl involving Escamilla.
Today's Birthdays: Actor Roger Moore is 89. Classical pianist Gary Graffman is 88. Movie director Carroll Ballard is 79. Former White House counsel John W. Dean III is 78. Country singer Melba Montgomery is 79. Fashion designer Ralph Lauren is 77. Singer Sir Cliff Richard is 76. Singer-musician Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues) is 70. Actor Harry Anderson is 64. Actor Greg Evigan is 63. TV personality Arleen Sorkin is 61. World Golf Hall of Famer Beth Daniel is 60. Singer-musician Thomas Dolby is 58. Actress Lori Petty is 53. MLB manager Joe Girardi is 52. Actor Steve Coogan is 51. Singer Karyn White is 51. Actor Edward Kerr is 50. Actor Jon Seda is 46. Country musician Doug Virden is 46. Country singer Natalie Maines (The Dixie Chicks) is 42. Actress-singer Shaznay Lewis (All Saints) is 41. Singer Usher is 38. TV personality Stacy Keibler is 37. Actor Ben Whishaw is 36. Actor Jordan Brower is 35. Director Benh Zeitlin is 34. Actress Skyler Shaye is 30. Actor-comedian Jay Pharoah is 29.
Thought for Today: "Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses." — George Washington Carver, American botanist (1864-1943).


text:
Policy and Resources Committee - Wednesday 25th November, 2020 6.30 pm
Printed draft minutes PDF 100 KB View draft minutes as HTML
Apologies were received from Councillors M Burton and English.
Councillor Purle was present as Substitute Member for Councillor M Burton.
Councillor Joy was present as Substitute Member for Councillor English.
CHANGE TO THE ORDER OF BUSINESS
It was agreed that item 19 – Call-In of Economic Regeneration and Leisure Decision of Hazlitt Theatre Options would be taken before Item 16 – Discretionary Housing Payments to accommodate the public speakers on the item.
Councillors Brindle, Hinder and Naghi were present as Visiting Members for Item 19 – Call-In of Economic Regeneration and Leisure Decisions of Hazlitt Theatre Options.
Councillors Kimmance, Parfitt-Reid, Purle, Powell were present for the debate on Item 19 – Call-In of Economic Regeneration and Leisure Decisions of Hazlitt Theatre Options, as the Members that had signed the call-in referral form.
The following Members had been lobbied on Item 18 – Council-Led Garden Community Update:
Councillors Clark, Cox, McKay, Mortimer, Newton, Perry, Round, Springett and de Wiggondene-Sheppard.
The following Members had been lobbied on Item 19 – Call-In of Economic Regeneration and Leisure Decisions of Hazlitt Theatre Options:
Councillors Brice, Chappell-Tay, Clark, Cox, Mrs Gooch, Harvey, Joy, McKay, Mortimer, Perry, Purle, Round, Springett and de Wiggondene-Sheppard.
Councillor Chappell-Tay had been lobbied on Item 14 – 2nd Quarter Financial Update & Performance Monitoring Report 2020/21.
Councillor Round had been lobbied on Item 12 – Committee Work Programme.
1. All items be taken in public as proposed unless any Committee Member indicated a wish to refer to Item 20 – Exempt Appendix C – Hazlitt Theatre Options.
2. The Minutes (Part II) of the meeting held on 21 October 2020, be taken alongside the Part I Minutes under Item 8 without going into Part II.
Minutes of the Meeting Held on 21 October 2020 PDF 83 KB
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2020 (Parts I and II) be agreed as a correct record of the meeting and signed at a later date.
Question from Ms Kate Hammond to the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee
'How much has Maidstone Borough Council spent on their Heathlands Council-Led Garden Community to date?'
Ms Hammond asked the following supplementary question:
'That is roughly the same amount of money as the annual subsidy for the much loved Hazlitt Theatre. Do you think £305,645 is a prudent investment of public funds for what is essentially a high-risk investment?'
Question from Mr Steve Heeley to the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee
'How much has Maidstone Borough Council made budget provision for over the next five years for their Heathlands Garden Community?'
Mr Heeley asked the following supplementary question:
'Last week you said to the press that you find yourselves in a situation where you have to decide on the best use of your resources at the moment. Do you think Maidstone Council's pursuit to be a property developer is the best use of your scant finances and resources in the current climate, given the severe pressures on other services and the threat to institutions like the Hazlitt Theatre?'
Question from Mr David Finch to the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee
As Mr Finch was not in attendance, the question was read out on his behalf by the Democratic Services Officer.
'MBC's own Report shows that the Hazlitt Theatre brings in over £5m of direct and indirect business to the Town for a modest subsidy of £243k to Parkwood Theatres – a staggering return of over 2,000 percent per annum. With at least three Covid vaccines of over 90% success rates due to start coming onstream from next month and with mass vaccination planned for 2021, we are on the cusp of recovery and returning to normal social life from early/mid next year – which will enable the current Hazlitt management team to re-introduce its full programme of income generating events far sooner than the Council anticipate. Rather than mothball the Theatre with the resultant loss of experienced Theatre staff whilst still incurring the ongoing maintenance cost of £100,000 pa, what avenues have been explored with Parkwood to reduce the current Management Fee during the course of this pandemic to ensure a "win-win" situation – and thereby ensuring the Theatre remains well placed for the social and economic upturn expected in 2021?'
Question from Ms Becky Roberts to the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee
'I would like to know how MBC intend to generate the 5 million pounds income per annum that The Hazlitt Theatre brings into the county in normal circumstances? This would on the basis if you're intending to run the venue without the current experienced team being Parkwood Theatres, whom know this unique old building better ... view the full minutes text for item 75.
A Nomination form had been received from Councillor Perry for the appointment of Council representative to the Upper Medway Internal Drainage Board (UMIDB).
Councillor Round was thanked for his service as Council representative on the UMIDB, with this extended to Councillor Harper for his continued service.
RESOLVED: That Councillor Perry be appointed as the Council representative to the Upper Medway Internal Drainage Board.
2nd Quarter Financial Update & Performance Monitoring Report 2020/21 PDF 86 KB
Appendix 1 - Finance Update , item 79. PDF 275 KB View as HTML (79./2) 211 KB
Appendix 2 - Performance Update , item 79. PDF 121 KB View as HTML (79./3) 50 KB
Appendix 3 - Risk Update , item 79. PDF 831 KB View as HTML (79./4) 214 KB
Appendix 4 - NNDR Write-offs , item 79. PDF 40 KB
The Director of Finance and Business Improvement introduced the financial information update and highlighted the Council's £7million budget gap as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which had been partially mitigated through government funding. The slippage in the Capital programme had resulted in savings through reduced borrowing costs. The report also detailed the uncollectable Non-Domestic Rates at Appendix 4.
The Senior Business Analyst introduced the performance aspect of the report and noted that two of the three indicators were within 10% of the target. The percentage of successful duty relief outcomes had achieved a figure higher than the same period last year. The percentage of successful duty outcomes was noted as the Housing Options team achieved a positive outcome in three of four cases. Across the Council's Service Committees, only three indicators missed their target by more than 10% as a direct impact of the pandemic.
The Deputy Head of Audit introduced the risk management update. The 11 top scoring risks and the implementation of planned controls were identified. There was a risk profile reduction for five risks, with no increased risk profiles within the register. Three additional risks focused on the internal and external uncertainties of the pandemic and major contract failure had been created. The risk register would be continually reviewed.
In response to questions it was confirmed that government guidance required the Council to assist the Leisure Centre providers in managing the costs incurred through the pandemic. The Committee expressed support for the work undertaken to produce the report.
1. The Revenue position as at the end of Quarter 2 for 2020/21, including the actions being taken or proposed to improve the position, where significant variances have been identified, be noted;
2. The Capital position at the end of Quarter 2, be noted;
3. The Performance position as at Quarter 2 for 2020/21, including the actions being taken or proposed to improve the position, where significant issues have been identified, be noted;
4. The Risk Update, attached at Appendix 3 to the report, be noted; and
5. The uncollectable Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) listed in Appendix 4 to the report, be written off.
Strategic Plan Review Update and Medium-Term Financial Strategy PDF 72 KB
Enc. 1 for Strategic Plan Review Update and MTFS , item 80. PDF 56 KB View as HTML (80./2) 38 KB
Enc. 2 for Strategic Plan Review Update and MTFS , item 80. PDF 329 KB View as HTML (80./3) 326 KB
The Chief Executive introduced the report stating that the Committee had begun the process of refreshing the Strategic Plan in July, where they had agreed that whilst the priorities and ambitions remained the same, the plan's outcomes for the next five years for each of the priorities should be reviewed.
Appendix A to the report summarised the progress made concerning the refresh of the Strategic Plan. The future service delivery and efficient improvements for planning and economic development were highlighted, with feedback from Members welcome due to the current formative stage of the work. Key Councillors that included the Leader of the Council, Leader of the Conservative Group and the Chairmen of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee and Planning Committee would be consulted in finalising the scope of the work to be undertaken.
The Director of Finance and Business Improvement introduced the Draft Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), with the transformational approach to savings highlighted. It was likely that Council Tax would be increased by 2% as the Council's biggest source of revenue. Other important sources of income included planning fees and parking income. Parking income had been seriously affected by Covid-19.
The Chancellor's statement was referenced, with regards to the possibility that the Council would retain the same proportion of Business Rates Income as in previous years and the continuation of the existing financial settlement. The budget report to be presented in February 2021 would include greater detail into the MTFS as a result. The results of the resident survey undertaken were highlighted, with the top two most important service to residents identified as waste collection and parks and open spaces.
In response to questions, it was confirmed that the New Homes Bonus (NHB) and funding from the Kent Business Rates Retention Pool (KBBRP) could be used to temporary close the budget gap. The NHB was usually used for capital spending, with the Council's borrowing likely to increase as a result and the KBRRP usually used for economic development. From 2023 onwards, the Council's reserves would be increased. A 2% increase in Council Tax would total an additional £320,000.
1. The Strategic Plan Review update be noted alongside the feedback given;
2. The Draft Medium Term Financial Strategy 2021/22 – 2025/26 as shown as Appendix B to the report, be endorsed; and
3. The Council Tax setting principal as set out in paragraph 2.5 of the report be agreed.
Discretionary Housing Payments PDF 72 KB
Enc. 1 for Discretionary Housing Payments , item 81. PDF 91 KB View as HTML (81./2) 39 KB
Enc. 2 for Discretionary Housing Payments , item 81. PDF 270 KB
The Head of Revenues and Benefits Shared Service introduced the report and noted that the Council is provided with an annual discretionary housing payment (DHP) budget, from the Department of Work and Pensions. A total of 344 applications were awarded last year, with an increased budget of just over £406,000 provided to the Council due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The DHP policy had been updated to reflect the responsibilities of the claimant and the Council in providing DHP's, with the payments to be viewed as short-term emergency funding.
RESOLVED: That Council be recommended to adopt the Discretionary Housing Payment Policy, as attached at Appendix 1 to the report.
Call-In of Economic Regeneration and Leisure Decisions of Hazlitt Theatre Options PDF 52 KB
Appendix A - Reasons for Referral , item 82. PDF 55 KB
Appendix B – Part I - Extract from the Minutes of the Economic Regeneration and Leisure Committee Meeting held on 12 November 2020. , item 82. PDF 42 KB View as HTML (82./3) 8 KB
The Councillors that had signed the call-in referral form were invited to address the Committee.
Several public speakers were invited to address the Committee. Katie Penn on behalf of the Young Performers; Michelle Cleverley; Jacob Amos; Darren Clark; Scott Raffle as Chairman of the Willington Players and Secretary to the Hazlitt Theatre Users Association.
The Head of Regeneration and Economic Development introduced the briefing note within the context of the Council's Strategic Plan Review. The Committee agreed in September 2020 that the Economic Regeneration and Leisure (ERL) Committee would consider the Hazlitt's contribution to the town centre economy and options for its sustainability. The theatre had been closed since March 2020, with the members of staff either furloughed or made redundant with the Council paying Parkwood Theatres an annual subsidy of around £245,000.
Between March to September 2020, the Council had increased their monthly payments to allow the theatre to re-open when feasible. The funding bid submitted by Parkwood Theatres to the Cultural Recovery Fund had been unsuccessful, with a waiver against their contractual obligations until March 2021 requested. It was noted that despite the positive news of vaccine development, a high degree of uncertainty still remained when considering the Council's subsidy payments. The ERL Committee had considered all available options.
Councillor Harper addressed the Committee as Chairman of the ERL Committee. The importance of the theatre to the local economy and community was heavily referenced, with the desire to re-open the theatre when feasible highlighted. The impact of the arts and culture industry on resident's quality of life and the benefits of community engagement were identified. It was noted that the ERL committee was unanimous in their decision, with an all-Member briefing having taken place in October 2020 to provide further information on the Hazlitt Theatre. Suggestions of alternative uses in the short-term were provided.
During the debate, the benefits of deferring the decision made by the ERL Committee were referenced. This included that since the decision was taken, several potential vaccinations had been brought forward which could lead to a reduction in Covid-19 social distancing measures and that deferring the decision would provide further time to negotiate a reduced subsidy payment with Parkwood Theatres. The unknown costs of terminating the contract in place and re-opening the Hazlitt theatre were highlighted in contrast to the proposed savings.
The Head of Regeneration and Economic Development confirmed that there was no financial penalty from ending the contract early and that the financial and time costs associated with contract termination had not yet been discussed with Parkwood.
The staff furlough and redundancies that Parkwood Theatres had implemented from September 2020 prior to the ERL Committee's decision were noted. The importance of experienced staff was highlighted, in response to queries about the procurement process if the original decision was maintained.
The Director of Finance and Business Improvement confirmed that if the contract was not terminated, the proposed savings would need to be found from elsewhere within the Council's budget.
The Chairman of the ... view the full minutes text for item 82.
Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2021-22 PDF 110 KB
Enc. 1 for Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2021-22 , item 83. PDF 277 KB View as HTML (83./2) 48 KB
Enc. 2 for Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2021-22 , item 83. PDF 1022 KB
Enc. 3 for Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2021-22 , item 83. PDF 55 KB View as HTML (83./4) 140 KB
Enc. 4 for Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2021-22 , item 83. PDF 31 KB View as HTML (83./5) 21 KB
The Head of Revenues and Benefits Shared Service introduced the report and referenced the Committee's previous decision to introduce an income banded council tax reduction scheme. The current system was reactive to changes in Universal Credit, which increased council tax administration, reduced council tax collection and caused the production of multiple council tax bills for residents.
The objectives were to maintain the 80% maximum award, protect disabled households, simplify assessment and re-assessment and maintain costs. A public consultation on three potential models occurred between 31 July 2020 to 27 September 2020, with model two as the preferred option. 242 responses were received, with 163 having included the models being ranked in order of preference.
The Committee expressed support for the proposed scheme.
1. The outcome of the public consultation be noted;
2. Full council be recommended to implement the 2021-22 Council Tax Reduction Scheme for the reasons outlined in 4.1 of the report; and
3. The impact of the proposed changes to the Council Tax Reduction scheme on people with the protected characteristics of disability, sex and age, as set out in Section 1 and Appendix 2 of the report be noted, and that these impacts be weighed against any potential savings in the administration of the scheme that may be made by the Council as well as achieving the objective, to maintain costs of award of the scheme in line with the current scheme in 2021/22.
Council-Led Garden Community Update PDF 81 KB
The Director of Regeneration and Place introduced the monthly update on the Council-Led Garden Community and referenced Heathlands inclusion in the Regulation 18 preferred approaches public consultation document. It was noted that Homes England were continuing their due diligence, with no concerns highlighted. Community engagement would continue, with a meeting scheduled with the representative of the five principal landowners in the near future.
Exempt Appendix C - Hazlitt Theatre Options
View the reasons why item 85. is restricted
Minutes (Part II) of the Meeting held on 21 October 2020


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NEW YORK, NY, February 22, 2018 – The Deer Creek Chorale of Bel Air, Maryland will make its debut at legendary Carnegie Hall on Monday, March 19 as part of MidAmerica Productions 35th annual concert season.
A Requiem, at its core, is a prayer for rest- traditionally, for the deceased. However, according to Composer Dan Forrest, the five movements of his Requiem for the Living form a narrative just as much for the living — and their own struggle with pain and sorrow — as for the dead.
A career music educator, Ms. Banghart established the intergenerational Deer Creek Chorale in 2007 to promote the study of quality choral repertoire in an underserved area of Maryland. The Deer Creek Chorale draws talented vocalists from Harford and Baltimore Counties in Maryland and southern York County in Pennsylvania.
The chorale has performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, and the nationally renowned bluegrass bands and recording artists Monroe Crossing and Dailey and Vincent. Guest artists have included renowned composers, conductors and singers Paul Head, Tom Hall, Paul Rardin, Carolyn Black-Sotir, Melinda O'Neal, Bruce Rogers, and John Rutter. International performances have included The Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, China.
More than music, The Deer Creek Chorale is committed to the philosophy Sing Locally, Give Globally. Their concerts have raised funds to support community projects at home and across the globe. For their 2017-18 concert series, The Deer Creek Chorale has partnered with Pennies for Peace to raise funds to cover the costs of paper, pencils, books, uniforms and desks for students in remote northern Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The March 19 concert at Carnegie Hall will also feature the Heritage Signature Chorale of Washington, DC, and their Artistic Director and Founder Stanley John Thurston, who will conduct Joseph Hadyn's Missa in Angustiis (Mass for troubled times) or "Lord Nelson Mass" in D minor, Hob. XXII: 11.
Professional guest soloists will be Soprano Anais Mejias, Mezzo-Soprano Kristee Haney, Tenor William Davenport and Bass-Baritone Christopher Job.