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Issue #328 27 Mar 2011
Newsletter Issue #328: 27 Mar 2011
Our newsletters are sent out once a fortnight and are displayed here for archival purposes only. Some of the content will be outdated and some layout issues may be present in the translation from email to the web. We recommend that you subscribe to our newsletter for the best results!
Frenzied Blur
This might sound strange; after a crazy couple of weeks that have passed in a frenzied blur, it feels somewhat relaxing to be able to sit down and put together an editorial... strange because after a very busy and full-on fortnight at work, the last thing I should feel like doing on a Saturday afternoon is sitting down in front of a computer to work some more, but right now it's the only thing I want to be doing.
I know there's a lot of people out there who would never be able to understand why or how I could even consider doing more work as soon as I get home after a tiring day at work... sometimes I don't even know why or how I do it... I figure it comes down to my love and passion for music.
There's also something about the site that relaxes me.. that, no matter how stressful my day at work has been, whenever I work on the site anything that has been annoying me becomes irrelevant... or maybe that's just the music I'm listening to.
Speaking of music, I've been lucky enough to hear a few amazing albums which are due for release very soon... Avalanche City's new album 'Our New Life Above The Ground' has caught my attention in particular... it's not what I would usually listen to but the songs are addictive with catchy up-beat tunes that could brighten anyones day. There's also something good about an album when you think you've never listened to a band before but recognise nearly half of the tracks on their album.
The latest offerings from State of Mind - 'Nil By Ear' - and Shapeshifter - 'System Remix' also deserve a mention. Both albums are truly inspirational, showing the world that New Zealanders can produce high quality music just as well as any of the international greats. If you like electronica music, these two albums should be included on your must have list.
A few changes have taken place on the site recently... most of which have been behind the scenes changes which only serve to make things easier. A lot of this work has been completed with our reviews, making it easier for more reviews to be added to the site.
One change you will notice is we now have links on reviews and discographies (on artist pages) so you can purchase an album from Mighty Ape. If you are having trouble trying to locate a particular album, check out our suggestions on this page.
There's one other thing in NZ music that has captured my attention lately... this being the amazing amount of NZ musicians who have got behind Christchurch and performed in an outstanding number of fundraising gigs to show their support for our Cantabrians. It's people like these that make me feel proud to call myself a New Zealander.
Of course, special mention should also go to The Foo Fighters for performing a gig in Auckland, which was planned at the last minute, turning it into an almost three hour set of something like 30 songs and donating the proceeds this gig to Christchurch... one word sums it up.. incredible.
- Lisa and the muzic.net.nz team
Vince Harder
Vince Harder needs no introduction. He is after all, the voice behind one of the biggest songs to come out of New Zealand in the last five years.
His collaborative hit with P Money, Everything, soared to number one in the Kiwi charts in 2008 and received extensive airplay in Australia. The following year the single made its mark in Britain when it was named Record of the Week on the notable BBC Radio 1.
Now, having honed his individual sound in the studio, Harder is back with his self-produced, debut solo album The Space Between Us. Muzic.net.nz spoke to Vince, and this is what he had to say:
More gigging in NZ and Australia and more music to be released with the hopes of some action overseas in UK, Europe and USA.
If you have a passion for music, do your best, write lots and learn from others who are in this industry.
Who are your favourite NZ musicians/bands, and why?
At the moment I'm enjoying what katchafire are releasing, mainly because they've been working at their songs and style for long time and in my opinion are getting better and better.
Mainly from thoughts and feelings I have about whatever the song is about, I write about experiences I've had or other people I know of.
Either Usher or Bruno Mars at the moment.
How do you believe you fit into the NZ music industry?
I'm a Kiwi for a start, and I sing and make my mark here first as an artist. I hope that is enough to fit in.
What will your next release be?
My next release is my debut album which is coming out 28th of March 'The Space Between Us' is the name of the album.
My laptop
How do you describe your music?
St James Theatre, never played there but have seen bands play there and its pretty awesome.
For me its seeing different parts of the world and performing in front of new faces everywhere I go
What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?
I wouldn't mind seeing a band called Revelation. Their an old school R&B-Soul Gospel band, members were from Wellington and Auckland, I used to love seeing them live at Parachute Festival
I don't have a CD collection anymore, I have an Ipod and my laptop running all sorts, Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, Dru Hill, Beyonce and the list goes on
Would have to be performing with my fly down.
I enjoy Gisborne and Tauranga.
My Family are musical, my brother was an awesome guitarist, and my sister used to play the piano. Had alot of it around me with other members of the family so it became a part of who I am
One of best gigs I've performed at would have to be Parachute 2010 with the Levites who are my backing band. We ripped it up!
Facebook, twitter, blogger.com, Myspace and Bebo
What rumour would you like to start about yourself?
Haha, don't think I have the heart to start rumours about myself or anyone else, but if one did start for me, I'd hope it was for being the opening act for Bruno Mars in April at the Vector arena lol. Cheers
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The Twitch
Famous for their badass three piece sex drugs and rock n roll stylings and notorious for getting kicked out of hotels throughout the country, The Twitch released their second album 'Time For Change' last year. Vocalist and Bassist Fleur Jack spoke to muzic.net.nz:
The Twitch are heading off to Melbourne for our third visit this May.
We are always blown away by touring overseas, there's nothing like getting on a plane together and taking your music to new people.
For tour dates, pictures, music, videos and a whole lot more, the best place to keep up with The Twitch is on Facebook.
Guitar picks and ear plugs. If I'm doing a roadie then I'd never forget to take eye make up remover and toothbrush because The Twitch are always doing all nighters and after 7am I generally look and feel like filth.
Motley Crue!!!
All three of us write songs for The Twitch so I can only answer this from my own experience of lyric writing. For me, it's all about life experience, I write what I know. My songs are about love, lust, work, politics, and they're all rather 'sex drugs and rock n roll' in nature too.
I love touring! I don't get butterflies from performing but I always get them when I jump on a plane or in the tour van. I love playing to people that haven't seen us play before and watching them fall in love with what we do. I love being able to jump around and sing about hings that make me want to party.
Once a lady couldn't control herself and ripped off Jesus's pants while he was playing on stage. Luckily this was before he stopped wearing underwear.
What rumour would you like to start about The Twitch?
Each member of The Twitch has taken part in numerous side projects ranging from country to hard rock. There will be more projects in the near future.
We manly focus on our facebook page. We have found it to be the quickest and easiest medium to control.
The Twitch are Fleur Jack (vocals, bass), Jesus Raine (guitar, vocals) and Josh Crowther (drums, vocals).
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NZ Music News
Minuit Fundraise for Christchurch & Haiti Quake Victims
Minuit is fundraising for the victims of both the Christchurch and Haiti Quakes with the release of a new single and special fundraising show.
The single, 'Except You' (mix by Alexis K), is part of the Minuit Monday Mix series where the band is releasing free tunes each Monday through summer. This week however, the track is instead available for a $1 download with all proceeds going to the Red Cross Christchurch Quake Relief.
Fans can purchase the track exclusively from http://minuit.bandcamp.com/track/except-you-alexis-k-mix.
But that's not all the Minuit gang are up to. Lead singer Ruth Carr and Paul Dodge (machines) are off to Haiti to help rebuild a school – and they need your help to get them there.
Radio Active presents Minuit playing the San Francisco Bath House in Wellington on Friday 1 April, with all funds raised going towards the trip.
Warner Music New Zealand Are Thrilled To Announce An Album Deal With
Warner Music NZ and Let The People Speak (LTPS Music) Management are thrilled to announce an album deal and release date for exciting chart new comers Avalanche City.
Avalanche City are the band behind the whimsical and endearing tune "Love, Love, Love" (as featured on the TV2 promo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEGBnKp6iUM), and with an album date confirmed for OUR NEW LIFE ABOVE GROUND, things are looking good for the Auckland based band.
Matt Coleman from LTPS says, "This project has been one of the most organic projects we have worked in years. Combining social media, radio and a TV2 promotion has definitely put us in a very unique position".
OUR NEW LIFE ABOVE GROUND is a stunning collection of tracks by musical maestro Dave Baxter – the man responsible for playing each and every instrument on the debut album for AvalancheCity. Featuring beautifully crafted songs which comfortably straddle the folk / pop realm, AvalancheCity display a weath of musical gold on their debut album.
Does Your Band Have The Goods?
Kiwi bands are being offered a once in a life time big break, to open for United States pop punk megastars, Good Charlotte, at this year's ITM400 Hamilton V8 Supercar Championship Series street race.
A nationwide search kicks off today to find an unsigned band that has the goods to take to the stage in front of an expected 20,000 strong crowd, as part of the ITM400's new "Race by day, Rock all night" format.
Joel Madden, lead vocalist from Good Charlotte, says they are stoked an up-and-coming local band will open for their one-off New Zealand concert in April.
"We've heard some wicked music come out of New Zealand over the past few years and know we are going to find a rockin' Kiwi band to support us.
"We know what it's like to be an unsigned band - winning a competition like the 'ZM Big Break' can give you overnight exposure that is priceless in the music industry," he said.
Unsigned bands can send their demo to ZM radio station to be in with a chance. The top three finalists will be judged by the New Zealand public with Good Charlotte choosing the band they decide deserves a big break - opening for them at their concert Sunday 17 April at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
Antagonist A.D ' Old Bones Make New Blooms' 7inch Vinyl & Digital Release
Antagonist A.D is back with a 5 track digital and 7inch vinyl only release.
In between a hectic international touring schedule Antagonist A.D deliver a taste of what the future holds for this hardworking, uncompromising modern hardcore band.
As the title eludes, 'Old Bones Make New Blooms' is somewhat the death & rebirth of Antagonist A.D.
Steering into a new direction both musically & lyrically the band's primary was to strip back all intentions and deliversomething that is raw aggression but still ascertain the groove & connection that only five band mates can achieve.
Lyrically contrasting, touching on historical & social subject, vocalist Sam Crocker describes it as 'easily the best lyrics I have written'. Adding another layer of depth and intrigue into their music & another step away from acts typical of their genre - 'Old Bones Make New Blooms' is an energetic & engaging listen.
Antagonist A.D 'Old Bones Make New Blooms' available from online digital retailers 21st March 2011.
Black River Drive Release New Video
Black River Drive have released a video for their single '15 Minutes'. The video was directed by Antony Plant and the DOP was Garth Badger. Check out the video here.
Shapeshifter - System Remix Out Now!
Back in December, Shapeshifter announced plans to free the stems of The System Is A Vampire's killer cut 'Longest Day' for remixers and versionists worldwide, leveling the playing field so that any producer – irrespective of recognition or reputation – had the chance to sit alongside heavyweight production talent like Netsky, B-Complex, State Of Mind, and Camo & Crooked on Shapeshifter's box-fresh long player, System Remix.
The result? A stack of top shelf rerubs of 'Longest Day' for the band to work their way through – and one reworking that stood head and shoulders above the rest. Shapeshifter's Nick Robinson explains.
"When we started this remix competition, I had no idea there would be so many quality remixes of 'Longest Day' come in – we had over 100, and a lot were good enough to make this comp. But as soon as I heard Dhalsim's remix, I knew it was the one – sure to smash the dancefloor!"
A classically trained musician, audio engineer, DJ and producer with roots in hip hop and soul, self-proclaimed genre killer Swaren 'Dhalsim' Veygal has done just that to 'Longest Day', taking the track into unchartered terrain by matching PDigsss' soulful vocals with driving synth lines and punchy bass for a bass bin-challenging affair.
State Of Mind Announce the Release of New Album Nil By Ear
Drum & Bass duo State Of Mind are set to release their highly anticipated third studio album, Nil by Ear on 11 April and are celebrating with an album release with a show at Zen, Auckland, on April 15.
And what a party it's going to be. Combining catchy 3am ravers with seamless production and smooth vocals, Nil By Ear is set to become an anthem of an album for a heavy hype night out.
Through the driving party vibes and club friendly tunes, this is also an album of progression, with group member Stu Maxwell citing it as, "the peak so far of our technical skills."
"It's carefully produced from start to finish," says Stu. "A lot of thought has gone into the flow of the album. This is one that can be listened to from beginning to end, as opposed to a collection of singles."
And while they've upped-the-anti technicality-wise, the lads have been careful to maintain their commitment to dance floor stompers and wee-hour wonders with the proof found in their tracks – now tried and true - smashing it up worldwide over the last six months.
Global outrage as Wellington radio station forced left
Reports of shock, bewilderment and marauding kittens met the announcement today that iconic Wellington station RadioActive.FM has been forced to change its frequency.
The changeover for the new frequency 88.6FM happens at 8am Saturday April 2. At that time the old frequency 89FM will no longer operate.
This is because the government's new frequency changes dictate that they shoudn't interfere with each other by being too close on the spectrum.
According to the definitive history of Radio Active, The Definitive History of Radio Active, Radio Active was the first radio station in New Zealand to broadcast on the FM band.
Simon Spire Set To Release New Album Four-Letter Words On April 4th
New York based kiwi Simon Spire is set to release his sophomore album Four-Letter Words on April 4th. The album includes recent radio hit 'Liberate Your Love' and the new single 'A Four Letter Word'.
Simon calls himself a New Yorklander. Having lived in New York since 2008, NZ born Simon Spire has found familiarity amongst the bustle of Brooklyn and its spirited streets. It is also the city that inspired the writing of his second full-length album, which he recorded, in a nearby Manhattan studio.
Since the release of his 2008 debut album 'All Or Nothing', an evolution and maturity has taken place in Spire's songwriting, Four-Letter-Wordslead single 'Liberate Your Love' hints at the slightly edgier direction Spire has taken on album two, without losing the alluring melody hooks and ambitious lyrics he is known for. The album effortlessly navigates between differing intensities, from the uplifting stomp of 'Knocking On An Open Door', to the gloriously vulnerable 'No Solid Ground', to the conflicting struggle and triumph of the dream-pop track 'A Four Letter Word'.
Simon Spire's beautifully written songs, along with the wizardry of producers Rich Mercurio and Lee Nadel and gleaming mixing of engineer Brian Malouf (All American Rejects, Michael Jackson, David Gray) collide majestically to make a stunning pop album with a twist. Mercurio and Nadel have worked in a wide range of genres during their extensive time in the New York music scene, with artists such as Regina Spektor, Enrique Iglesias and Jewel, and Spire immediately felt a shared musical vision when first discussing ideas for the album with them.
Other NZ Music News
Gig and Tour News
Muzic.net.nz News
The following musicians were added to the muzic.net.nz website during the last fortnight:
MR S Lukah
The Adventures Of Mikejoffa Zona
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Reviews and Homegrown Photos
These reviews were added to the site in the last two weeks, check them out at the links below:
- Homegrown 2011 (and Photos)
- Wall of Silents and Barbecued Babies, 12 March 2011 Gig
- Her Make Believe Band - 6 Feb 2011 Gig
- Phil Edwards Band - Slow Borders Album Review
- Nort - Lifestyles of Bleeding Album Review
- Cern - Terminus Album Review
- SeaBed Review
- George FM Year book 2010 Mixed by Dick 'Magik' Johnson
- Ivy Lies - Little Mind Games Album Review
- Crash Test For Favourite Things - The Powers That Be EP Release Party - March 19
- The Thomas Oliver Band - Baby, I'll Play Album Review
You can check out every single interview and review in our Articles Page.
Tour Features
Every feature we have ever had on the site can be viewed here.
Information about muzic.net.nz newsletters
The next muzic.net.nz newsletter is going out on 10 April.
Feature space for our NZ Music Month newsletters is now available.
These newsletters will be going out on 8 and 22 May.
Any and all NZ bands and musicians can feature in our newsletters...
...even if you featured in a previous year.
You can choose any newsletter date which suits you.
We can also feature record labels, venues, music stores, music websites and anything else that has something to do with NZ music!
If you would like to feature in a muzic.net.nz newsletter, contact Lisa for further details.
Muzic.net.nz newsletters are sent out to over 8350 members!
With this number growing every day, featuring in our newsletter is an excellent promotional tool.
A muzic.net.nz newsletter feature will provide you with the exposure you need.
Our newsletter archives are one of the most accessed areas on the site.
If you would like to advertise anything to do with NZ music in our newsletter and/or gig mail out, email Lisa. It is 100% FREE to feature or advertise in our newsletter and gig mail outs!
The next muzic.net.nz gig mail out is going out on 3 April.
- The muzic.net.nz team


edge on apps to ease entrance as dogs eat dogs.
Good gracious … that graphic looks terrifying!
Hey dear Dami, don't take me too seriously! It makes a VERY dramatic impression and I was just, well, impressed 🙂 Best wishes from us both!
This one might have scared you awake! Sorry! They get softer now on the down hill to the last few albums.


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Last night Andrew and I were cleaning the kitchen when he remembered that he had to teach the Elder's Quorum lesson this Sunday. He excused himself, saying he was going to go read through the lesson. The kitchen was almost clean (enough) so I didn't mind him leaving and was rather surprised when he ran back into the kitchen moments later.
"We're going to want to go outside in a few minutes," he said.
I was also rather surprised to hear him say this because we had just been joking about being too chicken to brave the spiders/bats/creatures in the dark to take the garbage out. Now all of a sudden he's pulling on a sweater (to ward off mosquitoes, not cold) and urging me to find my shoes.
"They're launching a rocket from Virginia to the moon right now and we are within the view zone!" he excitedly explained.
With his iPod (acting as a compass) and his iPad (acting as a television), we went out on the back deck, positioned ourselves to the NE and counted down with NASA. Once the Minataur V had liftoff we had 120 seconds before we'd be able to see it, so we waited for a while, scanning the sky, before decided that either our chimney or trees would be in the way and that we'd probably have better luck out in the street.
With 40 seconds on the countdown, we ran through the house and braved the walk under the trees where orb spiders are prone to string their gigantic webs (I made Andrew go first).
We stood in the street together, blocking the streetlight with our hands, staring up at the sky.
We weren't really sure of what we'd see, or if we'd even see anything, and were just about ready to give up when we heard a zoom and saw the rocket streak across the sky. We only saw it for a split second, but it was rather amazing, even phenomenal.
Andrew used the word phenomenon at the dinner table the other night and the girls had no idea what it meant.
"What's a phenomenon?" Rachel asked.
"It's a thing that happens," Andrew said, giving the academic answer. I decided to give the girls the more colloquial meaning since not everyone is an eternal student. "It's not just 'a thing,'" I explained. "It has to be something unusual or amazing."
"Like what?" Rachel asked.
"It can't be ordinary," I said. "Like, we're having dinner. That's not a phenomenon because we do that every day. But, like...a shooting star! That's a phenomenon because how many shooting stars have you seen?"
Here Miriam's hand shot into the air and she exclaimed, "A lot! A million!"
She completely invalidated my example. What she meant, though, was that there are a lot of stars in the sky. I'm not sure she's ever seen a shooting star herself, though I'm sure she will when she's older. And it will be phenomenal for a split second. Watching a rocket launch, though? That was phenomenal for the split second we saw it and it remained phenomenal for a long time after.
Andrew and I kept saying to each other, "We just saw a rocket launch." At least, we kind of saw a rocket launch.
When we were getting ready for bed, Andrew pointed out the heart he'd drawn on our mirror with a whiteboard marker. We often leave notes for each other on the mirrors. Reminder notes, love notes, any kind of note.
Rachel noticed Andrew's note the other day, which fell into the love note category. He drew a big heart on the mirror with a little arrow pointing to it and labeled it "heart."
"What's that?" Rachel asked and before he could give her an answer she said, "Oh, I know what it is. Sometimes after we go to bed you and mom write secret messages to each other."
This was such a funny idea that I went into the girls' bathroom and left a secret message for them (Rachel asked me to take a picture of it before she cleaned the bathroom mirror):
Secret Message!
Last night while you were sleeping we sneaked outside and...
...watched a rocket zoom through the sky on its way to the moon!
(and we didn't even wake you up)
(but we still love you)
Love, Mom and Dad
Rachel was so excited to receive her own secret message that she didn't even care that she didn't get to see it. She climbed into bed with us this morning to ask us about it.
We had a long discussion about robots, people, and monkeys being sent to space; about the mission of the LADEE; and about whether or not it's possible to be a scientist and a teacher at the same time.
"That's what I'm doing," Andrew explained. "I studying to be both a scientist and a teacher."
"You're not a scientist," Rachel scoffed, which led to a discussion of hard versus soft science and whether or not the soft sciences are legitimately science. All that aside, we were able to assure Rachel that it was absolutely possible to be both a teacher and a scientist.
Ever a curious child, she asked at dinner if people study languages.
"They do," I said. "They're called linguists."
"That's what Mom studied in college," Andrew told her.
"But Mom quit college," Rachel said, with a hint of disdain.
"She didn't quit," Andrew corrected her. "She finished. There's a difference. Mom finished all her classes and graduated from college. You're looking at a real-live linguist."
"But people don't just finish school," Rachel said, the concept obviously eluding her. "You're still in school!"
"Yes, well..." Andrew choked, before launching into an explanation of undergraduate versus graduate education. There was also plenty of linguistic talk. Linguistics is another one of those soft sciences.
Softer scientists are perhaps a little more frightened when they come across things like Tussock moth caterpillars. Andrew found one on our crepe myrtle while he was out pruning some branches—those trees can grow over a foot per year and ours had been growing so sneakily that we hadn't even noticed we'd begun to hunch over when walking out to our van (Andrew removed enough branches that we don't have to do that anymore). Anyway, he came into the house exclaiming about this "caterpillar with human molars growing out of its back!"
He didn't touch it, which was wise, as those hairs are urticating hairs, and will leave a nasty rash.
I think this is a white-marked Tussock Moth caterpillar (we have a lot of crazy caterpillars out here). A tussock is "a small area of grass that is thicker or longer than the grass growing around it," in case you were wondering (as I was).
It was still there when we left to go to the park this evening, so Andrew lifted the girls up so they could look (but not touch!). They thought it was beautiful!
Posted by Nancy at 11:14 PM
Labels: home life, nerdiness
Molars growing out of it's back! Great (hilarious) description! And, I was so disappointed when I found out about the rocket launch the morning after it had happened. I'm quite certain we're much too far south to have seen it happen, but the kids and I have been studying rockets and space this last week and it would have been fun to hype up a little. :) Glad you guys got to see it in action!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Falcon tower: Falcon Towers are located in Ajman City which is close to the city centre and yet also in close proximity to the Creek and to the Ajman Beach road. The Towers are easily accessible to the Emirates Road that links Ajman with all the other six Emirates ( Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah & Khor Fakkan ).
Falcon Towers Facilities:Designated indoor covered parking.Temperature controlled swimming pool on the 1st floor Podium.A Health Club in each tower.Games Areas for the Children.High-speed elevators.Shopping Arcades within the complex.Chilled water facility.central A/C and fresh air system.24-Hour Security.Government electricity.Full beach view.All amenities nearby.Firefighting system installed.Highly maintained apartments.


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Item 8380 - Gene Cernan's Apollo 17 Flown Penthouse Centerfold Catalog 498 (Apr 2017)
Minimum Bid: $1,000.00
Sold Price: $12,251.23 (includes buyer's premium)
Gene Cernan's Penthouse centerfold carried to the Moon aboard the command module America during the Apollo 17 mission, measures 10.25 x 14 unfolded, signed and flight-certified in black felt tip, "Flown to the moon on Apollo XVII, CDR Gene Cernan." Removed from the October 1971 issue of Penthouse Magazine, the spread depicts 'Pet of the Month' Helen Caunt with two conveniently taped stickers of the cartoon characters Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. Another nude image of Caunt on the reverse is also playfully modified with an affixed cartoon sticker. In very good condition, with expected light overall creasing. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Cernan, signed in later age, in part: "I have kept this Penthouse centerfold as a memento of my Apollo 17 [mission] to the Moon after NASA returned it to me in 1973…This Penthouse centerfold represents one [of] the rarest and more 'interesting' Apollo artifacts of the Apollo 17 mission and was an example of the culture and camaraderie exhibited by [the] astronaut corp of the 1960's."
As a member of the back-up crew of Apollo 14 and the prime crew of Apollo 17, Cernan was involved with two of the greater pranks of the Apollo program. When the crew of Apollo 14 launched on January 31, 1971, they were surprised to discover a horde of mission patches hidden throughout their spacecraft. Designed by the Apollo 14 backup crew, the stowaway patches featured the popular Warner Bros. characters Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, and were embroidered along the top with the words 'Beep Beep.' The sheer number of patches floating in the service module prompted Commander Alan Shepard to contact mission control with the following: 'Cernan, if I find another one of those patches, it will be BEEP BEEP your ass!' Nearly two years later, Shepard and the crew of Apollo 14 found their revenge when Stu Roosa, then serving as part of the Apollo 17 backup crew, surreptitiously affixed inside the crew's mission flight plan this Penthouse Pet centerfold with its humorous "BEEP BEEP Yuras" stickers. Undoubtedly the most risqué and unusual of all flown items.


Responsible for organizing the core function of internal audit and controls.
Ensures compliance of all company internal audit requirements, ensuring adequacy of controls for safeguarding company's assets and optimum utilization of available resources besides maintaining coordination / liaison with the Chief Executive and Audit Committee.
CA or equivalent qualification from a reputable local/foreign institute.
Minimum 07 years of post-qualification relevant experience in any national or multinational company.
Preference will be given to candidates having experience of working in any reputable oil & gas company.


Washington, D.C., Council Proposal Sets New Standard On Paid Family Leave Critics say the U.S. is one of the few industrialized nations not to offer any paid leave for new parents, but now the Washington, D.C., Council is considering a bill that would grant workers in the nation's capital 16 weeks of paid leave — more than anywhere else in the U.S.
Critics say the U.S. is one of the few industrialized nations not to offer any paid leave for new parents, but now the Washington, D.C., Council is considering a bill that would grant workers in the nation's capital 16 weeks of paid leave — more than anywhere else in the U.S.
We hear a lot that the U.S. is behind other countries when it comes to paid maternity and paternity leave. People in Germany get 14 weeks. In Bangladesh, it's 16. In Cuba, it's 18 weeks. All at full pay. Martin Austermuhle, of member station WAMU, reports that city council members in Washington, D.C., are proposing that workers get 16 weeks of paid family leave.
MARTIN AUSTERMUHLE, BYLINE: Rob Keithan became a dad last month when his daughter was born seven weeks early. But for all the joy of becoming a parent, he says he's now adapting to the reality of being a parent.
ROB KEITHAN: Neither my wife or I have any paid leave. She works for a small business that has great, great people, but a small business, and doesn't have any kind of paid leave program. And I'm an independent consultant. So I don't get work, I don't get paid.
AUSTERMUHLE: Keithan says he and his wife were forced to save up so they could afford to take time off with their new daughter. And they're not alone, says Vicki Shabo, of the National Partnership for Women and Families.
VICKI SHABO: Only 13 percent of workers nationwide have access to paid family leave. Just 40 percent have access to temporary disability insurance. And only 60 percent of workers - 61 percent of workers - have access even to a single paid sick day.
AUSTERMUHLE: Shabo says only California, New Jersey and Rhode Island have paid leave laws on the books, but they could soon be joined by Washington, D.C., where this week a bill was introduced in the city council that would give workers like Keithan and his wife a full 16 weeks of leave, all of it paid. David Grosso is a member of the D.C. Council and wrote the paid leave bill. He says the bill would require all employers to pay a percentage of each employee's salary into a fund run by the city.
DAVID GROSSO: Higher-paid employees you pay up to 1 percent, lower-paid employees you pay as little as 0.2 percent. And then that money goes into the fund where the fund then gets paid out people who are out on leave.
AUSTERMUHLE: But that the cost would fall largely on employers has sparked opposition from business leaders like Harry Wingo of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce.
HARRY WINGO: You know, our concerns is that this would go further than any other type of legislation in the nation, and in a bad way. The burden would be completely on employers. So this would be employer funded, and in fact, employees would not be contributing as they do in other systems.
AUSTERMUHLE: Business owners also say that operating costs have steadily increased as the D.C. Council has passed new laws like mandatory paid sick leave and a higher minimum wage. Barney Shapiro says that cuts into the bottom line at the trash hauling company he owns.
BARNEY SHAPIRO: In theory, we all want better lives for our workers - at least I do. But you have to also take into consideration we still have to make money.
AUSTERMUHLE: But Grosso, the D.C. Council member, thinks the city's skeptical businesses should look at paid leave in a different light.
GROSSO: So you're going to be able to retain employees. You're going to be able to attract good employees. You're going to have employees coming back to work happy. They're going to be more productive.
AUSTERMUHLE: The paid leave bill still faces two votes in the council, but a majority of council members say they already support it. For NPR News, I'm Martin Austermuhle in Washington.


text:
Roanoke, VA (City Center)
What do we mean by a neighborhood?
NeighborhoodScout® uses the official government designation for neighborhoods - the census tract.
Census tracts are small, relatively permanent subdivisions of a county that are defined by the U.S. Census Bureau in conjunction with local authorities all across the country to define real neighborhoods that are bounded to contain areas with homogeneous population characteristics (including economic status, lifestyle, and living conditions). Census tracts usually have 4,000 persons, but can range between 1,500 and 8,000 persons. This is the most fine-grained area for which detailed information is made available from the government, to protect the individual privacy of each of us. Because census tracts are based on population, they vary in size depending on the density of settlement. In urban areas, they are small, and in rural areas they can cover an entire small town or even a few small towns in very rural areas.
Since census tracts are subdivisions of a county, we did a spatial overlay of the census tracts onto city and town boundaries using a geographic information system to properly assign each census tract to its appropriate city or town. Then we named each census tract to the local colloquially recognized neighborhood name for that spot (e.g., Boston, MA (Dorchester). If there was not a name available, we named the census tract by the largest street intersection in the census tract (e.g., Worcester, MA (Lincoln St/Plantation St)
Why we don't use Zip Codes as neighborhoods
Zip codes were developed by the Postal Service for the purpose of delivering mail, but were never intended to define coherent neighborhoods. In addition, Zip Codes can have as many as 10 distinctly different census tracts contained within them. When distinct census tracts are blended together in a single Zip Code, the data reflects their average conditions and often gives a false sense of the area. The result is that potentially great matching neighborhoods can be missed, and erroneous matches can also be produced and delivered to you.
Using census tracts makes great matches possible, and helps people find the areas that are best for them and their families. Because we are committed to providing the highest possible quality and finding the neighborhoods that best meet your criteria, we use census tracts. And, as always, we show you the actual street map of the neighborhood so you know exactly where your best matching neighborhood is located.
What is a Condition Alert?
A condition alert is a condition in the neighborhood that triggers an alert. NeighborhoodScout contains condition alerts to highlight conditions that are extreme, whether good or bad. This helps answer crucial questions about the state of the neighborhood being evaluated, such as:
What are the risks of violent crime here?
Is the risk of home break-ins or other property crimes increasing?
Does real estate here hold its value?
Are the trends in local vacancies or unemployment concerning?
...and dozens more.
Information at a glance that you need to know to invest, appraise or finance a property.
Trends & Forecasts
THIS IS A LIMITED PREVIEW OF THE
640 Vital Statistics. 37 Condition Alerts found.
8 Alerts
16 Alerts
About Roanoke, VA (City Center)
Overview Data Tutorial
Real Estate Prices and Overview
Median real estate price in the City Center of Roanoke is $654,872, which is more expensive than 89.9% of the neighborhoods in Virginia and 90.5% of the neighborhoods in the U.S.
The average rental price in Roanoke City Center is currently $1,269, based on NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis. Rents here are currently lower in price than 63.1% of Virginia neighborhoods.
Roanoke City Center is a suburban neighborhood (based on population density) located in Roanoke, Virginia.
Real estate in the City Center of Roanoke, VA is primarily made up of small (studio to two bedroom) to medium sized (three or four bedroom) apartment complexes/high-rise apartments and small apartment buildings. Most of the residential real estate is renter occupied. Many of the residences in the City Center neighborhood are relatively historic, built no later than 1939, and in some cases, quite a bit earlier. A number of residences were also built between 1940 and 1969.
Roanoke City Center has a 15.1% vacancy rate, which is well above average compared to other U.S. neighborhoods (higher than 75.1% of American neighborhoods). Most vacant housing here is vacant year round. This could either signal that there is a weak demand for real estate in the neighborhood or that large amount of new housing has been built and not yet occupied. Either way, if you live here, you may find many of the homes or apartments are empty.
Notable & Unique Neighborhood Characteristics
The way a neighborhood looks and feels when you walk or drive around it, from its setting, its buildings, and its flavor, can make all the difference. This neighborhood has some really cool things about the way it looks and feels as revealed by NeighborhoodScout's exclusive research. This might include anything from the housing stock to the types of households living here to how people get around.
Notable & Unique: People
Of note is NeighborhoodScout's research finding that the Roanoke City Center neighborhood has some of the lowest rates of children living in poverty of any neighborhood in the United States. In a nation where approximately 1 in 4 children are living in poverty, the Roanoke City Center community truly stands out from the rest in this regard.
In addition, an interesting characteristic about the Roanoke City Center neighborhood is that there are more incarcerated people living here than 99.6% of neighborhoods in the U.S. The United States has the highest rate of incarceration in the world, currently with 1 out of every 100 adults in the country are incarcerated as a punishment for crimes committed. The extremely high incarceration rate of this neighborhood could mean that a prison, juvenile detention facility or other correctional facility occupies a large proportion of the neighborhood, or contains a large portion of the neighborhood's population.
Notable & Unique: Real Estate
The Roanoke City Center neighborhood is very unique in that it has one of the highest proportions of one, two, or no bedroom real estate of any neighborhood in America. Most neighborhoods have a mixture of home or apartment sizes from small to large, but here the concentration of studios and other small living spaces is at near-record heights. With 92.9% of the real estate here of this small size, this most assuredly is a notable feature that makes this neighborhood unique, along with just a handful of other neighborhoods in the U.S. that share this characteristic.
In addition, renter-occupied real estate is dominant in the Roanoke City Center neighborhood. The percentage of rental real estate here, according to exclusive NeighborhoodScout analysis, is 94.2%, which is higher than 98.1% of the neighborhoods in America. If you were to buy and live in the property you bought here, you would be almost alone in doing so.
Furthermore, the real estate in the Roanoke City Center neighborhood really stands out in the way it looks for a unique reason: this neighborhood has a higher proportion of apartment complexes or high-rise apartments than nearly every neighborhood in the country. Most neighborhoods are a mixture of real estate and housing types, but here it is almost entirely dominated by big apartment buildings and complexes. In fact, 86.2% of the real estate here is classified as apartment complexes or high-rise apartments, which is more than is found in 98.0% of American neighborhoods.
Also of note, if you find historic homes and neighborhoods attractive, you love the details, the history, and the charm, then you are sure to be interested in this neighborhood. With 59.2% of the residential real estate in the Roanoke City Center neighborhood built no later than 1939, and some built considerably earlier, this neighborhood has a greater concentration of historic residences than 95.2% of all neighborhoods in America. In this regard, this neighborhood truly stands out as special.
Notable & Unique: Modes of Transportation
In the Roanoke City Center neighborhood, walking to work is a real option for many. In fact, NeighborhoodScout's exclusive research reveals walking to and from work is the chosen way to commute for 13.2% of residents here. This is a higher proportion of walking commuters than we found in 95.9% of American neighborhoods. Get ready to put on your walking shoes if you move here!
Notable & Unique: Migration / Stability
The freedom of moving to new places versus the comfort of home. How much and how often people move not only can create diverse and worldly neighborhoods, but simultaneously it can produce a loss of intimacy with one's surroundings and a lack of connectedness to one's neighbors. NeighborhoodScout's exclusive research has identified this neighborhood as unique with regard to the transience of its populace. In the Roanoke City Center neighborhood, a greater proportion of the residents living here today did not live here five years ago than is found in 99.4% of U.S. Neighborhoods. This neighborhood, more than almost any other in America, has new residents from other areas.
Notable & Unique: Diversity
Did you know that the Roanoke City Center neighborhood has more Scots-Irish and Belgian ancestry people living in it than nearly any neighborhood in America? It's true! In fact, 5.5% of this neighborhood's residents have Scots-Irish ancestry and 0.9% have Belgian ancestry.
The Neighbors: Income
There are two complementary measures for understanding the income of a neighborhood's residents: the average and the extremes. While a neighborhood may be relatively wealthy overall, it is equally important to understand the rate of people - particularly children - who are living at or below the federal poverty line, which is extremely low income. Some neighborhoods with a lower average income may actually have a lower childhood poverty rate than another with a higher average income, and this helps us understand the conditions and character of a neighborhood.
The neighbors in the City Center neighborhood in Roanoke are middle-income, making it a moderate income neighborhood. NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis reveals that this neighborhood has a higher income than 47.6% of the neighborhoods in America. In addition, 0.0% of the children seventeen and under living in this neighborhood are living below the federal poverty line, which is a lower rate of childhood poverty than is found in 100.0% of America's neighborhoods.
The Neighbors: Occupations
What we choose to do for a living reflects who we are. Each neighborhood has a different mix of occupations represented, and together these tell you about the neighborhood and help you understand if this neighborhood may fit your lifestyle.
In the Roanoke City Center neighborhood, 56.9% of the working population is employed in executive, management, and professional occupations. The second most important occupational group in this neighborhood is sales and service jobs, from major sales accounts, to working in fast food restaurants, with 24.1% of the residents employed. Other residents here are employed in manufacturing and laborer occupations (10.3%), and 8.6% in clerical, assistant, and tech support occupations.
The Neighbors: Languages
The most common language spoken in the Roanoke City Center neighborhood is English, spoken by 93.6% of households. Some people also speak Polish (2.0%).
The Neighbors: Ethnicity / Ancestry
Culture is shared learned behavior. We learn it from our parents, their parents, our houses of worship, and much of our culture – our learned behavior – comes from our ancestors. That is why ancestry and ethnicity can be so interesting and important to understand: places with concentrations of people of one or more ancestries often express those shared learned behaviors and this gives each neighborhood its own culture. Even different neighborhoods in the same city can have drastically different cultures.
In the City Center neighborhood in Roanoke, VA, residents most commonly identify their ethnicity or ancestry as German (17.0%). There are also a number of people of Irish ancestry (13.3%), and residents who report English roots (8.8%), and some of the residents are also of Italian ancestry (6.3%), along with some Scots-Irish ancestry residents (5.5%), among others.
Even if your neighborhood is walkable, you may still have to drive to your place of work. Some neighborhoods are located where many can get to work in just a few minutes, while others are located such that most residents have a long and arduous commute. The greatest number of commuters in Roanoke City Center neighborhood spend under 15 minutes commuting one-way to work (55.0% of working residents), one of the shortest commutes across America.
Here most residents (80.3%) drive alone in a private automobile to get to work. In addition, quite a number also hop out the door and walk to work to get to work (13.2%) . In a neighborhood like this, as in most of the nation, many residents find owning a car useful for getting to work.
Neighborhood Real Estate Data
Real Estate Data Tutorial
Raw data sources: National Agriculture Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Federal Housing Finance Agency, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Geological Service, American Community Survey.
Date(s) & Update Frequency:
Home Values, Rents: Reflects Q3 2019. Updated quarterly.
Setting, Housing Stock, Homeownership: 2017 (latest available). Updated annually.
Methodology: NeighborhoodScout uses over 600 characteristics to build a neighborhood profile… Read more
44 Vital Statistics. 8 Condition Alerts found.
Average Home Values
Median home value is the value which has equal numbers of homes valued above and below it. The median home value is more stable than the average home value, which can be greatly affected by a few very high or very low home values.
Real Estate Tax Rate
The average effective real estate tax rate is based on the median real estate taxes paid in the neighborhood, as a percentage of the median home value in the neighborhood. Published tax rates may differ slightly from the average effective rates used by NeighborhoodScout, where NeighborhoodScout's tax rates more closely follow the taxes paid by property owners.
Median Home Value:
Median Real Estate Taxes:
Locked ( effective rate)
Neighborhood Home Prices
Average Market Rent
Average market rent is exclusively developed by NeighborhoodScout. It reveals the average monthly rent paid for market rate apartments and rental homes in the neighborhood, excluding public housing. Utility payments are not included.
Average annual rent as a percentage of property value. Gross rental yield is based on average market rents paid for a unit with the same number of bedrooms as the median owner occupied home.
Average Market Rent:
/ per month
GROSS RENTAL YIELD:
MEDIAN MONTHLY RENT BY NUMBER OF BEDROOMS
Coastal: Neighborhoods on the ocean or tidally influenced rivers.
Lakefront: The neighborhood includes shoreline on a significant body of freshwater. These are lakes large enough to include recreation and scenic areas. (Note that smaller lakes are not included, or neighborhoods that have little shoreline on a lake, relative to the size of the entire neighborhood).
Farms: Agricultural land uses are a significant part of the neighborhood and contribute to its character.
The look and feel of the neighborhood, from high rises on the coast, to rural farmlands.
Densely Urban: With densities above 10,000 people per square mile these are some of the densest neighborhoods in the nation.
Urban: Generally between 5,000 and 10,000 people per square mile, these are full built up places although not among the most dense in the country.
Suburban: Although not necessarily outside city limits, these neighborhoods have a more generous amount of space per person with densities generally between 1,000 and 5,000 people per square mile.
Rural: Neighborhoods consist mostly of open space or agricultural areas but also generally have around 100 residents per square mile.
Remote: Neighborhoods with the fewest people per square mile in the nation, generally less than 100 per square mile.
Neighborhood Look and Feel
Housing Market Details
Housing Details
Age of Homes
The proportion of homes and apartments in the neighborhood built within a certain time period.
These are the predominate forms of housing in the neighborhood. Percentages are based on the number of housing units in the neighborhood of each housing type.
Size of Homes
The predominate size of homes in the neighborhood, based on the number of bedrooms. Homes include single family houses as well as apartment and condominium units.
Special Purpose Housing
These housing types are not for sale or for rent to the general public but may have a strong influence on the character of the neighborhood.
AGE OF Roanoke, VA (City Center) HOMES
TYPE OF Roanoke, VA (City Center) HOMES
SIZE OF Roanoke, VA (City Center) HOMES
The percentage of housing units in the neighborhood that are occupied by the property owner versus occupied by a tenant. (Vacant units are counted separately.)
Vacancy Trend
The average annual change in the vacancy rate in the neighborhood during the latest five years. Trend is based on the percentage of properties that are vacant year round.
Neighborhood Demographics Data
Demographics Data Tutorial
Raw data sources: American Community Survey, U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Education, 50 state departments of education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 18,000+ local law enforcement agencies, Federal Housing Finance Agency, U.S. Geological Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Date(s) & Update Frequency: 2017 (latest available). Updated annually.
Methodology: Unlike standardly available Census demographics, NeighborhoodScout uses dozens of custom models to transform 8.5 million raw demographic data elements from government sources into proprietary indices and insights…. Read more
136 Vital Statistics. 0 Condition Alerts found.
Lifestyle Character
There isn't one neighborhood that is best for everyone. The best neighborhood for you may not be the best one for someone else. Similarly, what you want as a first-time home buyer may be different than what you want when you have school-aged children, or when you are nearing retirement.
The length of the bars indicate the percentage of neighborhoods in America that this neighborhood is more family-friendly than, more college student friendly than, more luxurious than, and so forth.
Read Scout's definitions for each Lifestyle
People have personalities, and so do neighborhoods. A neighborhood's character describes its personality and the feeling one gets when experiencing the neighborhood as a true resident. Quiet and sophisticated? Hip and walkable? The length of the bars indicate the percentage of neighborhoods in America that this neighborhood is more Urbane than, more Hip than, more Quiet than, more Nautical than, more Walkable than.
Read Scout's definitions for each Special Character
Age / Marital Status
Age groups present in the neighborhood, as a percentage of the total population. Neighborhoods that score highest for mixed ages have the most equitable distribution across all age groups, from infants to senior citizens, all living in the same neighborhood.
Marital status is defined based on the percentage of residents who are 18 and over. Marital Statuses include: Married, Divorced, Widowed and Single (Never Married). (We are not able to include same-sex marriages here because of data limitations. Same-sex couple data is available under Household Type.)
Military & College Status
Percent Currently Active in the Military
These are people currently active in the military. They may live on base or off base.
Percent Currently at College / University
These are students enrolled in higher education as either undergraduates or graduate students. They may live on campus or in off campus housing.
One person households
Same Sex Partners
Married Couple with Child
Single Parent with Child
Employment Industries in City Center
How you get to work – car, bus, train or other means – and how much of your day it takes to do so is a large quality of life and financial issue. The share of using each mode of transport is measured as percentage of all working adults.
Average One-Way Commute Time
The amount of time spent commuting tells a lot about a neighborhood's access to jobs and the degree of congestion in the area. The time is calculated for all residents working outside the home.
Vehicles Per Household
The number of vehicles the average household in the neighborhood possesses is a function of wealth, space constraints, the age people of the household (e.g., households with teenagers and parents), and the availability of alternatives to driving.
The measure is defined as the number of vehicles registered per household, as a percentage of all households in the neighborhood.
Migration & Mobility
Percent of Residents Moving Last Year
The percent of all current neighborhood residents who were not living in the same house one year ago. Very high values show a lack of stability in the neighborhood. Very low values may represent insularity to outsiders.
Percent of Residents Born Out of State
This value will be high in neighborhoods that attract new residents from around the country, and low in places where most residents grew up within the same state.
Percent of Residents Foreign Born
Foreign Born residents have immigrated to the United States from another country and may or may not be naturalized citizens.
Race & Ethnic Diversity
Race / Ethnic Diversity
These are the ways neighborhood residents have self-reported their race and ethnicity to the US Census. Asian and Hispanic residents may identify with one of the more specific subcategories.
The neighborhoods with the very highest racial diversity will contain roughly equal proportions, or as close as is possible to equal proportions, across all racial groups: White, Black, American Indian, Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander, and Asian.
(100 is the most diverse)
More diverse than of U.S. neighborhoods.
Ancestries & Languages Spoken
Ancestries
These are the most common groups that neighborhood residents self- report as their ancestry. Places with concentrations of people of one or more ancestries often express those shared learned behaviors and this gives each neighborhood its own culture.
These are tabulated as the languages people preferentially speak when they are at home with their families.
Ancestry (top 20)
Languages Spoken (top 20)
Income is measured either on a per capita basis or median household income. Per capita is the best measure of the average spending power of each person in the neighborhood. Median household income provides the best measure of the budget of the typical family or other non-family household.
How wealthy a neighborhood is, from very wealthy, to middle income, to low income is very formative with regard to the personality and character of a neighborhood.
Percent of Adults with College Degree
The percentage of adults aged 25 and older that have attained at least a 4 year college degree like a BA.
Percent of Adults with Advanced Degree
The percentage of adults aged 25 and older that have attained a graduate or professional degree above and beyond a 4 year degree, like an MA, MD, JD, MBA or PhD.
Percent with College Degree
Percent with Advanced Degree
income & education
Neighborhood Crime Data
Crime Data Tutorial
total Crime Index
Safer than of U.S. neighborhoods.
Neighborhood Annual Crimes
Neighborhood Violent Crime
violent Crime Index
Violent Crime Index By Type
100 is safest
in City Center
in Roanoke
in Virginia
Roanoke VIOLENT CRIMES
Report Total
Rate per 1,000
Neighborhood Property Crime
property Crime Index
Property Crime Index By Type
Roanoke Property CRIMES
Crimes Per Square Mile
Neighborhood Public School Data
School Data Tutorial
Raw data sources:
Test Scores: Edfacts (U.S. Department of Education), State departments of education.
Expenditures: National Center for Education Statistics.
Educational Environment: American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau).
Test data: Reflects 2017 – 2018 school year.
Expenditures: 2016
Educational Environment: 2017 (latest available). Updated annually.
Methodology: Only NeighborhoodScout gives you nationally comparable school ranks based on test scores, so you can directly compare the quality of schools in any location. Read more
School Rating Information
School Quality Rating
Know how good the public schools are before you buy a home, invest, or relocate. You can search for and find the best schools in any area.
Only NeighborhoodScout gives you nationally comparable school rankings based on test scores, so you can directly compare the quality of schools in any location. In fact, our nationally comparable school ratings are patented.
We also give you the ability to put in the school quality and class size you want, and the search engine will return the best neighborhoods for education in a list and map your results to the neighborhood level.
We are the only information provider to have this level of search functionality. Another NeighborhoodScout exclusive.
(100 is best)
Better than of U.S. schools.
Neighborhood School Quality Rating
Rates the quality of all K-12 public schools that serve this neighborhood.
Neighborhood Educational Ratings
U.S. Patent 8,376,755 by NeighborhoodScout®
Only NeighborhoodScout® has nationally comparable school ratings that facilitate accurate comparison among schools, school districts, and neighborhoods in the same (or different) cities, and even between schools in different states.
Each report provides detailed information on school district quality for every neighborhood in the country and specific school attendance patterns for over 85% of U.S. neighborhoods. Use NeighborhoodScout to determine the quality of the specific schools that serve each neighborhood, whether it is served by 1 or multiple school districts.
Schools That Serve This Neighborhood
School Address Information
Depending on where you live in the neighborhood, your children may attend certain schools from the above list and not others. In some cases, districts allow students to attend schools anywhere in the district. Always check with your local school department to determine which schools your children may attend based on your specific address and your child's grade-level.
Neighborhood Educational Environment
Adults In Neighborhood With College Degree Or Higher
Children In The Neighborhood Living In Poverty
This neighborhood is served by 1 district:
ROANOKE CITY PBLC SCHS
Students Enrolled in This District
Students Per Classroom
District Quality Compared to Virginia
(10 is best)
Better than of VA school districts.
District Quality Compared to U.S.
The Only Nationally Comparable School Quality Ratings Available Today
NeighborhoodScout® has developed the first ever nationally comparable school ratings.
The result? - neighborhood educational ratings that facilitate accurate comparison among schools, school districts, and neighborhoods in the same (or different) cities, and even between schools in different states.
It is well known that the quality of education provided by public schools varies greatly from school district to school district, and from city to city. Still further, the quality of a child's education can vary significantly from neighborhood to neighborhood within any city or town.
Better than of US school districts.
GET FULL REPORTS FOR ANY SCHOOL IN THIS DISTRICT
Public School Test Scores (No Child Left Behind)
Proficiency in Reading and Math
0.101011101001110 0.101011101001110
Proficiency in Reading
Proficiency in Math
School District Enrollment By Group
Ethnic/racial Groups
This District
This State
White (non-hispanic)
American Indian Or Native Of Alaska
Economic Groups
FREE LUNCH ELIGIBLE
REDUCED LUNCH ELIGIBLE
Educational Expenditures
For This District
Instructional Expenditures
Support Expenditures
Non-instructional Expenditures
Total Expenditures
Scout Vision® Neighborhood Trends and Forecasts
Trends & Forecast Data Tutorial
Raw data sources: U.S. Department of Education, 50 state departments of education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dow Jones S&P, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 18,000+ local law enforcement agencies, Federal Housing Finance Agency, U.S. Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Geological Service, U.S. Department of Transportation, LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics, Federal Highway Administration, National Agricultural Statistics.
Real Estate Value Forecasts & Regional Analysis: Updated Monthly
Real Estate Values & Trends: Q3 2019. Updated Quarterly.
Demographics, Crime Trends & Forecast: Reflects 2018 calendar year (latest available). Updated annually.
Methodology: Scout Vision uniquely solves for investment risk by generating Home Price Appreciation projections with unprecedented geographic granularity and predictive accuracy, for every micro-neighborhood (block group) in the U.S. Read more
Scout Vision® Summary
Rising Star Index
Appreciation Potential
The Scout Vision® Rising Star Index rates a neighborhood's 3 year appreciation forecast on a 1 -5 scale, from 1 (Very Low) to 5 (Rising Star). The 3 year appreciation forecast for each neighborhood is classified into 1 - 5 categories based on how this neighborhood's forecast 3 year performance compares to the real estate appreciation rates experienced in all neighborhoods nationwide for every 3 year period since 1999. This provides context for comparing what is very low, low, moderate, high, and rising star appreciation performance.
1 - Very Low (Forecast to appreciate less than 7.5% over the next 3 years).
2 - Low (Forecast to appreciate between 7.5% and 12.5% over the next 3 years).
3 - Moderate (Forecast to appreciate between 12.5% and 21% over the next 3 years).
4 - High (Forecast to appreciate between 21% and 30% over the next 3 years).
5 - Rising Star (Forecast to appreciate 30% or more over the next 3 years).
Appreciation Potential (3 years)
RATINGS: 1=Very Low 2=Low 3=Moderate 4=High 5=Rising Star
Blue Chip Index
Investment Security
Scout Vision's® exclusive Blue Chip Index rates a neighborhood's past performance and current fundamentals on a 1 -5 scale. Past performance takes into account the last 10 years of observed home value appreciation and current fundamentals include key ingredients that NeighborhoodScout's analyses have found to ensure properties hold value in a downturn.
1 - Very Low (Ranked in the bottom 20% of all neighborhoods in the nation for investment security).
2 - Low (Ranked in the bottom 40% of all neighborhoods in the nation for investment security).
3 - Moderate (Ranked in the middle 20% of all neighborhoods in the nation for investment security).
4 - High (Ranked in the top 40% of all neighborhoods in the nation for investment security).
5 - Blue Chip (Ranked in the top 20% of all neighborhoods in the nation for investment security).
Past Appreciation and existing fundamentals
RATINGS: 1=Very Low 2=Low 3=Moderate 4=High 5=Blue Chip
SCOUT VISION Neighborhood Home Value Trend and Forecast
Know the Future: Appreciation 3 Year Forecast
Scout Vision®: Accurate Predictive Neighborhood Home Value Forecasting
Developed by industry veterans and PhD geographers, Scout Vision uniquely solves for risk by forecasting home values with unprecedented geographic granularity and predictive accuracy:
#1 Accuracy: Three-year property appreciation forecasts with up to 90% predictive accuracy. (5-Yr available for Scout Vision API clients)
#1 Resolution: The highest resolution product in existence: forecasts to the micro-neighborhood (nearly 10X smaller than a Zip Code).
#1 Coverage: 100% seamless U.S. coverage
#1 Depth: 200+ independent factors, 35+ unique data dimensions, and 23 models undergird Scout Vision
Know the Past: Neighborhood Home Value Trends
Scout Vision's® Exclusive Home Appreciation Rates
NeighborhoodScout reveals the home value trends and appreciation rates for every state, city, town, neighborhood, and micro-neighborhood in America.
NeighborhoodScout has calculated and provides home appreciation rates as a percentage change in the resale value of existing homes in that city, town, neighborhood or micro-neighborhood over the latest quarter, the last year, 2-years, 5-years, 10-years, and even from 2000 to present. We show both the cumulative appreciation rate, and the average annual appreciation rate for each time period (e.g., last 5-years: 84% total appreciation, Avg. per year: 16.8%). We also show how each city, town, neighborhood or micro-neighborhood's appreciation rate compares to others across the U.S. and within the same metropolitan area or nonmetropolitan region (e.g., 9 relative to the nation, 5 relative to the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area [10 is highest]). This makes comparisons of house appreciation rates equally easy for professional investors and individual homebuyers. In this example, the neighborhood is one of the highest appreciating in the nation over the last 5-years, but is only average in appreciation for the same period relative to other neighborhoods in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area.
About the appreciation rate data
Our data are designed to capture changes in the value of single-family homes at the state, city, town, neighborhood and even micro-neighborhood level. Different micro-neighborhoods within a city or town can have drastically different home appreciation rates. NeighborhoodScout vividly reveals such differences. Our data are built upon median house values per square foot in each neighborhood. The data reflect appreciation rates for the micro-neighborhood or neighborhood, not necessarily each individual property in the neighborhood.
Our data are calculated and updated every three months for each geography, approximately two months after the end of the previous quarter.
What transactions are covered in the appreciation rate data?
Neighborhood appreciation rate data are based on transactions involving conforming, conventional mortgages. Conforming refers to a mortgage that both meets the underwriting guidelines of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and that doesn't exceed the conforming loan limit, a figure linked to an index published by the Federal Housing Finance Board. Conventional means that the mortgages are neither insured nor guaranteed by the FHA, VA, or other federal government entity.
Mortgages on properties financed by government-insured loans, such as FHA or VA mortgages, are excluded, as are properties with mortgages whose principal amount exceeds the conforming loan limit.
Scout Vision® Home Value Trends and Forecast
Total Appreciation
Avg. Annual Rate
Compared To
Metro*
America*
3 Year Forecast:
2019 Q4 - 2022 Q4
Latest Quarter:
Last 12 Months:
Last 2 Years:
Last 10 Years:
* 10 is highest
Key price drivers at this location
Factors likely to drive home values upward over the next few years or indicators of upward trends already underway.
Impediments to home value appreciation over the next few years or indicators of negative trends already underway.
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Price advantage over surrounding neighborhoods
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1 - Strong Disadvantage (At least 17.5% more expensive per square foot than other neighborhoods nearby).
2 - Disadvantage (At least 7.5% more expensive per square foot than other neighborhoods nearby).
3 - Similar Price (Similar price per square foot to other neighborhoods nearby).
4 - Advantage (At least 10% less expensive per square foot than other neighborhoods nearby).
5 - Strong Advantage (At least 20% less expensive per square foot than other neighborhoods nearby).
Price advantage score
RATINGS: 1=Strong Disadvantage 2=Disadvantage 3=Similar Price 4=Advantage 5=Strong Advantage
Neighborhood price per sqft
Average Nearby Home Price per sqft
Access to high paying jobs
Jobs within an hour
The Scout Vision® Jobs Score Index rates neighborhoods on a 1-5 scale according to how many high paying jobs are within commuting range of the location. We consider short, medium and longer one way commute times of 15, 30, and 45 minutes and sum up the total number of jobs paying at least $75,000 within each. Then every neighborhood is ranked relative to both other neighborhoods in the region and all other neighborhoods in the nation.
1 - Limited (On average in the bottom 20% for job accessibility).
2 - Below Average (On average in the bottom 40% for job accessibility).
3 - Average (On average in the middle 20% for job accessibility).
4 - Very Good (On average in the top 40% for job accessibility).
5 - Excellent (On average in the top 20% for job accessibility).
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RATINGS: 1=Limited 2=Below Average 3=Average 4=Very Good 5=Excellent
High-paying* jobs
*Annual salary of $75,000 or more
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Homeownership Trend
The average annual change in homeownership rates in the neighborhood during the latest five years.
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The market rental prices may be low, but are they going up? We calculate rental price trends as the average annual change in market rent paid in the neighborhood over the latest 5 years.
Avg. Annual Homeownership Trend Over last 5 years
Avg. Annual Rent Price Trend Over last 5 years
Avg. Annual Vacancy Trends Over last 5 years
Scout Vision® Crime Trends and Forecast
Scout Vision® Education TRENDS
Avg. Annual Change in College Graduates (over last 5 years)
We measure the average annual increase or decrease in the percentage of college graduates living in a neighborhood over the most recent 5 years. College graduates are defined here as adults 25 and older with at least a 4-year college degree.
Avg. annual change in K-12 school performance (over last 5 years)
We analyze school test performance for all schools that serve this location, and calculate the average annual increase or decrease in the school performance index, based on the percentage of students testing proficient or advanced in standardized testing.
Avg. annual change in college graduates Over last 5 years
Avg. annual change in K-12 school performance Over last 5 years
Scout Vision® Economic TRENDS
Avg annual change in per capita income (over last 5 years)
We measure the average annual increase or decrease in per capita income in the neighborhood over the most recent 5 years.
Avg annual change in household income (over last 5 years)
We measure the average annual increase or decrease in household income in the neighborhood over the most recent 5 years.
Avg annual change in unemployment rate (over last 5 years)
We measure the average annual increase or decrease in unemployment in the neighborhood over the most recent 5 years.
Avg annual change in per capita income Over last 5 years
Avg annual change in household income Over last 5 years
Avg annual change in unemployment rate Over last 5 years
Scout Vision® Demographic Trends
Population 5 years ago
Half Mile
Scout Vision® REGIONAL HOUSING MARKET ANALYSIS
Roanoke, VA Metro Area regional investment potential
Regional Investment Potential
The Scout Vision® Regional Investment Index rates a region's 3 year appreciation forecast on a 1 -5 scale, from 1 (Very Low) to 5 (Rising Star). The 3 year appreciation forecast for each region is classified into 1 - 5 categories based on how this region's forecast 3 year performance compares to the real estate appreciation rates experienced in all regions nationwide for every 3 year period since 1999. This provides context for comparing regional performance against historical benchmarking.
1 - Very Low (Forecast to depreciate over the next 3 years).
3 - Moderate (Forecast to appreciate between 10% and 20% over the next 3 years).
5 - Very High (Forecast to appreciate 30% or more over the next 3 years).
Regional Appreciation Potential (3yr)
RATINGS: 1=Very Low 2=Low 3=Moderate 4=High 5=Very High
Housing Affordability Trends: Roanoke, VA Metro Area
Housing Affordability Trends
The Scout Vision® Regional Housing Affordability Index is the ratio of the years of median household income in the region, to the median house value in the region. As this ratio becomes high, it becomes more difficult for local wages to support housing prices. As the Index approaches historical highs, it can be a warning of an overheated housing market that may be due for a pricing correction.
Because demand varies from region to region and the proportion of household income expected to be spent on housing also varies greatly from region to region, the Scout Vision Housing Affordability Index is best used to compare affordability in a region over time to assess overheated markets, rather than using the Index to compare different regions at one point in time to assess market overheating. The Regional Housing Affordability Index is reassessed and recalculated annually.
Years of average household income needed to buy average home
Region's Historical Low
Region's Historical High
Regional 1 and 2 Year Growth Trends
The Scout Vision® Regional 1 and 2 Year Growth Trends are a set of exclusive assessments of important conditions which influence a region's housing market, prices, security, and economic outlook.
Regional Trend
Compared to Nation*
Income Trend (Wages)
Unemployment Trend
Stock Performance of Region's Industries
Housing Added
Forecasts of potential occurrences or non-occurrences of future conditions and events are inherently uncertain. Actual results may differ materially from what is predicted in any information provided by Location Inc. Nothing contained in or generated by a Location Inc. product or services is, or should be relied upon as, a promise or representation as to the future performance or prediction of real estate values. No representation is made as to the accuracy of any forecast, estimate, or projection. Location Inc. makes no express or implied warranty and all information and content is provided "As is" without any warranties of any kind. Location Inc. expressly disclaims any warranty of accuracy or predictability, and any warranty of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Location Inc. further disclaims any liability for damages, loss, or injury arising out of the use this site and the data. All risks associated with using the site and the data are borne by the user at user's sole cost and expense. By using the site you agree to our Terms of Use.
Popular real estate near City Center
Blue Ridge, VA (Town Center)
Roanoke, VA (Bent Mountain / Poages Mill)
Roanoke, VA (Bonsack)
Roanoke, VA (Brambleton Ave / Colonial Ave)
Roanoke, VA (Clearbrook / Starkey)
Roanoke, VA (Franklin Rd / Southern Hills Dr SW)
Roanoke, VA (Hollins / Hollins U)
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comparable neighborhoods nearby
SCOUT's patented match algorithm identifies the most similar neighborhoods to a subject location, and quantifies the similarity to the subject location. This allows analysts to identify the most similar neighborhoods in a local market area for appraisals, investments, and research.
The algorithm uses 273 neighborhood conditions, identifies the dominant dimensions underlying the conditions and calculates the similarity. This captures the true culture and character of locations, economic conditions, and trends.
The closer to 100% means the locations are nearly identical. 80% is a very good, but not excellent match, and so forth.
65% Match ‐ Roanoke, VA (Jefferson College of Health Sciences / Franklin Rd SW)
58% Match ‐ Roanoke, VA (Brandon Ave SW / Edgewood St SW)
58% Match ‐ Roanoke, VA (Brandon Ave SW / Main St SW)
55% Match ‐ Roanoke, VA (Brambleton Ave / Electric Rd)
54% Match ‐ Roanoke, VA (Orange Ave NE / Williamson Rd NE)


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Home > Libraries > ARCHIVALTHESES > 240
Vocal Techniques in Modern Music: A Survey and Analysis of the Development of Vocal Music with a Suggested Solution of the Problems of Interval Perception in Music Written in the Modern Idiom of the Twelve-Tone Technique
Holmes Pretlow Ambrose, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Thesis (M.M.)—University of Nebraska—Lincoln, 1950. Department of Music.
The purpose of this paper is the analysis and suggested solution of some of the technical problems involved in the singing of music written in the idiom of the twelve-tone technique.A resume of accepted vocal practice in vocal homophony and polyphony constitutes the first section of the paper, beginning with the liturgical chants of the ninth century and progressing chronologically to the end of the nineteenth century.Examples have been chosen which illustrate both the style of a given period and the progress within it. The latter section of the paper is devoted to a suggested solution of the problem of interval production in modern music, with the recommended use of the Hindemith system of interval evaluation as expressed in the second volume of the CraftofMusicalComposition.
A most significant conclusion to be drawn from this survey is that there is a trend of vocal music away from the realm of the traditional major-minor idiom, toward the complete independence of the free chord. It is the opinion of this writer that this "new" harmonization of a given melody accounts for the difficulty which the singer finds in singing modern music.
A second conclusion which seems obvious is that while almost everyone agrees as to what is pure consonance, eg. the fifth and octave, many disagree as to relative dissonance.It seems that, while we have retained the idea that the interval of the perfect fifth is still the strongest and most satisfactory cadence device, we have begun to disagree with the traditional harmonization of that interval in its dominant to tonic usage.The obvious point to be made is this; we should be trained to sing at sight with equal facility any and every interval of the chromatic octave.Regardless of its feeling of consonance or dissonance, the interval itself is the important thing, in its relationship to the melody of which it is an integral part.
Advisor: Donald A. Lentz


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Technology key to tracking down Internet crime
By Doug Brown
| August 22, 1999
A recently formed working group focused on rooting out Internetrelated crime may model technologies that law enforcement agencies use to sift through the Internet to keep tabs on online illegal activity. President Clinton this month established the working group, made up of top government official
A recently formed working group focused on rooting out Internet-related crime may model technologies that law enforcement agencies use to sift through the Internet to keep tabs on online illegal activity.
President Clinton this month established the working group, made up of top government officials, to examine how law enforcement agencies can better investigate and prosecute criminal activities conducted on the Internet, such as the online sale of guns and illegal drugs, fraud and the peddling of child pornography.
The Clinton administration decided to form the group because there was "recognition within the government that there were some real issues" concerning computer crime that needed to be addressed, a White House official said. "There was an explosion [of legislation] at both the federal and the state level, and there was concern that if we passed a lot of legislation without taking a systematic look at this, we would end up with a haphazard approach to the problem."
Among other things, the group will scrutinize the ways in which the government uses technology to crack down on Internet-related crime. Understanding the technologies agencies use now, the White House official said, will help the administration decide how it can improve the investigation and prosecution of online criminal activity in the future.
Some helpful technology applications may come from the FBI, a representative from which will serve on the task force. The FBI is expected to take the lead in developing technology that the federal government will use to comb the Internet in search of criminal activity.
The FBI's Baltimore field office leads a project called Innocent Images, which works to identify and arrest online sexual predators. About 20 agents are assigned to the project full time, said Special Agent Barry Maddox, a spokesman for the field office. Hundreds of other agents and local law enforcement officials in cities nationwide also work with Innocent Images.
The agents join online chat groups about pedophilia or child pornography and also pose as children to try to catch pedophiles who attempt to set up face-to-face meetings. The program, which was established in 1995, has led to 378 arrests and 322 convictions, Maddox said.
Advancements developed elsewhere in the FBI also may be considered by the administration's working group. Such developments include the soon-to-be launched computer crimes squad, which will investigate crimes committed by hackers, and the National Infrastructure Protection Center, which works to prevent people or groups from hacking into vital government systems that operate such things as water supplies and transportation systems.
The group also may look at increasingly sophisticated and powerful Internet search engines as a way to sniff out Internet-related crime, said Rich Kellett, director of the General Services Administration's Emerging Information Technologies Policies Division.
With some companies laboring to "store everything that is on the Internet," Kellett said, "you can imagine what kind of base of information you could put together" with such databases. Combining powerful search engines with enormous databases would provide "interesting cross-sections of what is going on in America, including criminal activity."
Kellett also mentioned the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, a project involving more than 800,000 computers networked together that share information about radio signals and work together to compute algorithms in the hope of pinpointing evidence of life in outer space. A model like this, he said, could be used to sift through Internet data in search of criminal activity.
One problem with such massive undertakings, he said, is that "the use of all of that information and sorting through it all has tremendous public policy issues, in terms of privacy," Kellett said.
Daniel Boyle, SAS Institute Inc.'s director of the Defense Department and defense intelligence, said the working group likely will consider different ways of using data mining to deal with online criminal activity. The SAS Institute, Cary, N.C., is a major supplier of custom software to the federal government.
With a tidal wave of data coursing through the Internet every day, it would be impossible to successfully locate criminal activity just through pointing and clicking a mouse, Boyle said. What is needed are data-mining software tools that sift through data in search of anomalies or patterns - things that "don't look quite right," he said. "They've got to find them first, and one of the techniques is data mining."
Of use to government investigators, he said, might be "dump logs," or records of people who have visited individual World Wide Web sites. Servers, he said, "create volumes of these logs, [which] are tremendous and...exploding every day." The logs are used by private companies to see who is visiting their sites, but they also could be useful in tracking crime, he said.
Ari Schwartz, a policy analyst at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Democracy and Technology, cautioned working group members to keep privacy concerns in mind when they draft their report, which is due in December.
"This discussion could lead to a whole new set of monitoring tools," he said. "We hope this doesn't change the way people surf the Net. We don't want to have people think government is monitoring their lives."
Because it is so open, the Internet already has a vital monitoring system in place: the eyes of the millions of people clicking throughout cyberspace. New monitoring tools, he said, may be superfluous.
The government is considering a plan to monitor many non-DOD computers for signs of intrusion. In its quest to protect government computers from outside attacks, the proposed plan, called the Federal Intrusion Detection Network, unnecessarily sacrifices privacy, Schwartz said.
NEXT STORY: Study Finds Many Don't Trust Privacy on Web


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By Ore Abiona Photography by Eric Aydin-Barberini Apr 08, 2020
The marriage between urban culture and jewellery seems as if it's been about forever. Spanning back to the likes of LL Cool J and Run DMC wearing signature gold chains in the rap music videos of the 80's, throw in the acquisition of wealth and accessibility to luxury, the connection between 'the culture' and jewellery, has never been so prevalent. Bringing a level of earned lavishness and status to a culture that was once, and often still is, synonymous with struggle, the trend of statement jewellery is one that holds meaning, and one that's here to stay.
A big name in the UK jewellery scene is none other than A Jewellers, based in London's Hatton Garden, the capital's diamond quarter. Founded in 2008 by director Abtin Abbasi, the boutique has established itself as a key player in the urban jewellery scene. After waiting with Abtin's publicist in the Pret opposite the relatively new store, myself and Eric, photographer for the day, eventually enter the shop. High security double doors and CCTV everywhere, we instantly become aware of the level of trade that occurs here. "Make yourself comfortable – I think we should go to the VIP room at the back. Does that work for you guys?"
The VIP room is decorated with gold accents and green furnishing, and Abtin, who is clearly a guy with a busy schedule, spends 15 minutes answering multiple calls and meticulously arranging soft drinks in a specific pattern before we even start. I question him on his obvious eye for detail. "The reason why, sometimes I find it hard to focus, I've got ADHD… but this ADHD, I think it made me who I am… your mind and energy goes onto one thing, you just like, it takes over your mind and your life and everything." Speaking to Abtin at length, it's clear that this mindset has helped him develop A Jewellers to make it what it is today, with no plans of stopping.
Everybody, particularly people within the music and sports scenes, has become fixated on having a plug for everything. A role that was once reserved for dealers of illegal substances, the growing fixation on opulence means that the standard plug now refers to an expert of any kind, whether that be trainers, designer clothing, cars and of course, jewellery. Once off the phone, I chat to Abtin about how he made his name as a luxury jeweller. "It's [been] a massive journey, a really, really long journey. It wasn't like a planned, arranged thing for me to start trying to do jewellery. It was just random at the beginning. I've always had a skill for buying and selling knack from a young age, being in school, buying and selling sweets and cans of soft drink in school, cos we didn't have vending machines and stuff. And we weren't allowed certain things. So I used to bring things into school and sell them." Sitting in the VIP room of a jewellers in Hatton Garden, it's crazy to think that this started from selling cans of KA in the playground. Today, A Jewellers has 155,000 followers on Instagram, and amongst these followers are the likes of UK rap stars Dave, Fredo, J Hus and Headie One, as well as sports stars Eden Hazard and Floyd Mayweather.
Making the initial transition from playground snacks to sought-after trainers, Abtin explains to me how he closed a deal on his first luxury watch in his teens, with Eric popping up occasionally to take photos of both Abtin and the intricate interior décor of the store. Offered to him at £2000 with paperwork and certificates, he explains how this flip was his first venture into the luxury jewellery sector: "I sold it in the end, and I made a good profit, and then I put the word out to a network of people to offer me more watches, and then eventually, slowly, slowly over the years, it started building up… at the beginning I was just coming to Hatton Garden to sell those watches". This hustler mindset is something that clearly led to the growth of Abtin's business, but something that could potentially be overlooked is his genuine knowledge of the industry, one he's clearly passionate about. He doesn't hesitate to educate me on the ins and outs of jewellery, words getting faster and faster as he explains to me the difference between testing for nine and eighteen carat gold, and flower setting and regular diamond setting: "[flower setting] is… where they manage to fit the diamonds so close together because of the honeycombed kind of style, it fits so close. This kind of setting takes double the amount of diamonds, it takes double the amount of carat weight, and it costs double the price. But it's so packed that the watch goes off like crazy". Throughout his explanation, I catch a glimpse of his watch as he uses his hands to act out his words. I ask him whether the watch he's wearing is an example of a flower-set watch – he confirms that it is.
He continues to tell me about the ups and downs of the business – but where he gets most passionate remains the jewellery, spewing out facts and figures about Rolexes, AP's and more, and explaining his transition from reselling the goods to designing and creating custom items. I ask about the pieces he's most proud of, and he references pieces that went viral on social media, items he designed and had created for rappers such as AJ Tracey: "we made the K-Trap one, one of the sick ones… then we done a sick piece for AJ Tracey which blew up, like he put his trust in me". It seems to be at this point that Abtin realised their stake in the custom jewellery market and decided to expand on it, attempting to solidify A Jewellers position at number one with every custom set. "I got in contact with Young Adz [D-Block Europe rapper], and he hit me up, wanting jewellery for his whole 29 thing. And I said I want to incorporate more to it, it's too easy for me, it's too simple, I want to make it special – what means something to you, what's special to you? He said, "I believe I'm a goat; like the greatest of all time, goat". I said "let's make the goat the loop for the chain [to go] through and let's put it on top of the 29". We did a 3D goat, and it was sick, 3D horns, everything, fully diamond set the 29 and the goat. And it just came out mad. And then we put it out there and everyone was like "oh my God, this is the sickest pendant I've ever seen". Everyone went crazy over it. And we did that."
In a scene where so many people are trying to make a name for themselves – be it with luxury pieces or custom jewellery, I ask Abtin about the idea of making enough noise within the industry and maintaining that noise. His response is one of assurance – "we've solidified ourselves as the best in the game. People know that we can source them the classics, whether that be a [Rolex] Daydate, a [Audemars Piguet] Royal Oak, a [Patek Phillipe] Nautilus, the timepieces that people love to treat themselves to, the ones all the rappers big up.. but they also know that in the custom game, we are the best. There's no one doing the crazy things we're doing, to the level of detail we're doing it, and we've had to work to get here, but we're here. This is it."
So what's next for A Jewellers? We speak about plans to expand within the UK and then across to America, and to diversify his already-growing celebrity client list. "I'm trying to get us into bigger places, I'm trying to push us worldwide" – with no signs of slowing down and plans to only get bigger and better, it's clear that A Jewellers is not only here to stay, but here to champion the scene in the iciest way possible.
Tagged in:AJ Tracey K Trap a jewellers
AAA PASS: Breaking Bread With Blade Brown
On The Riddim With Steel Banglez.
AJ Tracey Proves His Versatility at Brixton Academy
Headie One Makes No Concessions On 'The One' Mixtape
K Trap Moves From Behind The Mask To The Stage


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Q: For Glassfish 3, why does DirectConnectionFactory give me a NullPointerException out of the blue when deploying my application? After working for a good number of weeks, I cannot deploy my application with Glassfish 3 to my local machine.  I get:

EJB Container initialization error

and it appears there is a null pointer:

com.sun.messaging.jms.ra.DirectConnectionFactory._createConnectionId(DirectConnectionFactory.java:424)

I occasionally change my application to point to a glassfish instance on another server and have to update the settings for the correct server, but I am sure that the current configuration is proper for my local machine.
What might be causing this sudden behaviour?

A: A very likely solution, though not one which is immediately obvious, is that a locking has taken place.  This often happens on a machine where the IP address is prone to changing.    It is one of the first checks that should be performed for an error involving DirectConnectionFactory and it is a behaviour which has carried over since Glassfish 2 (so this fix may work for that as well).
What you do to fix is:

*

*Go to the folder where your application is deployed (for me it is
glassfish3\glassfish\domains{MY_APPLICATION})

*Look for imq/instances/imqbroker/lock

*Delete that file

*Restart glassfish

*Try to deploy your application again.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange