Hey! I found a new YouTube channel that's Commodore 128 mode specific! NICE!
It's called Nybbles and Bytes. Its host is a software engineer and she goes into explaining the 8502 processor's archetecture and does a simple assembly language program with full explanation using the 128's MONITOR.
Her goal is to spark interest in developing new software for the Commodore 128's C128 native mode. How refreshing!
I think it's cool. Check it out.
Heh, yeah that's my bad as the guy that put the guide together scarfed my internal documents that were written for engineers already familiar with the subject. I can open the book to anywhere and tell within a couple of words if I wrote it, for example if you see a sentence that starts anything like "Additionally this allows..." Also I wasn't very good at English, I would change tense in the middle of a sentence and also dangles my participles and didn't use "to be" when I should have.
I was a self-taught (in electronics) high school dropout with long hair and ran around without my shirt or shoes too often. I have since tried to learn English. Two jokes from the day were "Herd learned to spell the day the Vax got a spell check program" and "he speaks Japanese and can't write English". Truthfully my Japanese wasn't all that great as I learned it sitting in bars.
I can't wait for the next episode! You're putting a LOT of work into unlocking the 128!


while in the process of being transported. Dave is in transit from London to Chicago. The new stereo is now in transit from the manufacturer.
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Q: jQuery and jsTree - select child nodes by class Having difficulty checking (checkbox) all nodes by a specific class
here is what i have so far, i'm trying to check all the nodes that have the class checkMe
$('.MyTree').jstree('check_node', 'li.checkMe');

Unfortunately it doesnt work :)
I can only seem to check or unchecl all the nodes by doing
$('.MyTree').jstree('check_all'); //or uncheck_all

Any ideas?
Thanks in advance

A: Solution
Why do you find the solutions after you posted on SO and after hours of previous searching :)
*Check*:
$.jstree._reference('#mytree').check_node('#id-of-node');

*Uncheck*:
$.jstree._reference('#mytree').uncheck_node('#id-of-node');

*Toggle check*:
$.jstree._reference('#mytree').change_state('#id-of-node');

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Smith's return gives Australia hope amid another England reshuffle
Thread: Smith's return gives Australia hope amid another England reshuffle
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Steve Smith walks back to the changing rooms after a net, ignoring a poster declaring that England represent 'the ultimate test' Getty Images
The Preview by Matt Roller
More than a week has passed since The Greatest Test Ever veered and lurched its way to a conclusion that had to be seen to be believed, and the events of Headingley 2019 still feel just as surreal.
But this Ashes series, with five Tests in six-and-a-half weeks, waits for no man - as James Anderson has discovered to his cost. The spectacle of a great mid-series comeback, of England's best bowler returning alongside Australia's best batsman, has been quashed by Anderson's troublesome calf, and Stuart Broad's dream "that he would be back and open the bowling at the James Anderson End, and bowl us to victory" is destined never to become a reality.
Instead, it is Australia that go to Manchester with their key man returning. If Steven Smith's absence due to concussion was not as keenly felt as Justin Langer might have initially feared at Headingley, the pace at which England managed to expose Australia's weak underbelly of a lower-middle order was slowed only by a pair of battling fifties by Marnus Labuschagne, who proved as apt a like-for-like replacement as could have been hoped for.
Labuschagne's reward will be a move back up the order to No. 3, where he batted at the SCG against India at the start of the year, while Usman Khawaja has paid the price for extending his poor record in England, as Smith slots back into the middle order. He is sure to be met with some hostility from Rajasthan Royals team-mate Jofra Archer, who said last week that there would be "more than ample time to get him out" in the series after Smith's jibe that he was yet to do so.
With the best batsman in the world returning - and it's now official again - Australia can remind themselves that they are still only one win away from retaining the urn, and remember that but for one of the great individual efforts in Test history, they would have done so already. The wounds opened up in England's first-innings effort of 67 all out have been patched up with little more than a sticking plaster, and after plenty of time off to get "cherry ripe", the seam attack will be raring to go.
The exact make-up of the bowling attack is yet to be confirmed, with Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc going head-to-head for the final spot, while Nathan Lyon has recovered from a niggling ankle injury and will be thrust back into the spotlight, no doubt with the added pressure of the Manchester crowd on his back after that fumbled run-out attempt in Leeds.
England, meanwhile, have stuck to their theory that their current batting line-up comprises "the best seven batters available to us at the moment" but have decided that Joe Denly - who is surely the only man to become a Test opener by improving his part-time legspin - should switch roles with Jason Roy. If there appears to be some logic to the move, with Roy less likely to be exposed against the moving ball, it should be remembered that Denly has not opened regularly in first-class cricket since 2015; that captain Joe Root has a substantially better record at four than a three; and that Roy's most recent red-ball hundred came at number three.
With the ball, England have opted for a change, naming Craig Overton in their XI, with Chris Woakes paying the price for an expensive display in the first innings at Headingley. While Sam Curran had game-changing lower-order runs and a left-arm angle in his favour, Overton's impressive County Championship form and Ashes experience made him a reasonably compelling alternative.
In truth, though, neither has been afforded an opportunity to stake much of a claim in recent months; that Australia's back-up seamer Michael Neser has played more first-class games than both Curran and Overton in the past five weeks is a damning indictment on the county schedule's suitability.
England WDLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia LDWWW
If Ben Stokes' World Cup feats meant that England were more than used to pinning their hopes on him, the burden will only have increased after his heroics at Headingley. Stokes' record at Old Trafford is mediocre - he has one 50 in six first-class innings with an average of 29.33, and two Test wickets at 60 apiece there - but if we have learned anything from Stokes it is that his ability is reflected poorly by conventional statistics. With 258 runs for one dismissal in his last three innings, Stokes is bound to revert to more human numbers soon; England will be desperate for him to keep riding the wave for a few weeks more.
Only one Test into his Ashes career, Marcus Harris finds himself under pressure having kept his spot for Manchester despite an expectation that Khawaja would move up to open. In an alternative timeline, Harris would have been the hero after clinging on to a brilliant catch diving forward at third man to dismiss Stokes at Headingley, but instead needs to combat a perceived weakness against right-arm seamers from around the wicket. He was dismissed twice by Jasprit Bumrah and once by Mohammed Shami from that angle in his debut series, and fell to Archer from that angle in the third Test; expect England to keep on using that as Plan A against him.
Joe Root confirmed England's XI on the eve of the Test, with Overton likely to slot in at No. 8 above Archer after replacing Woakes. Jos Buttler is set to continue at No. 7, below Stokes and Jonny Bairstow in England's engine room.
England: 1 Rory Burns, 2 Joe Denly, 3 Joe Root (capt), 4 Jason Roy, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 7 Jos Buttler, 8 Craig Overton, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 Jack Leach.
Australia's decision to leave Khawaja out of their side for Old Trafford raised a few eyebrows, not least with Matthew Wade keeping his place in the middle order. Tim Paine suggested a late decision would be made as to whether Starc or Siddle plays as the third seamer, but Starc is the favourite after spending the first three Tests on the periphery.
Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Marcus Harris, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Matthew Wade, 7 Tim Paine (capt & wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Peter Siddle/Mitchell Starc, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Nathan Lyon.
Pitch and conditions
The Old Trafford pitch looked a bit cracked and largely free of grass, suggesting it should be a good batting pitch, and certainly one that the winning captain would be expected to bat first on. It is sufficiently dry that the sides might have considered a second spinner in different circumstances, but with Australia only naming one spin bowler in their touring party, Moeen Ali out of form, and Adil Rashid injured, the Test will largely be dominated by seam.
The forecast is mixed for the five days, with conditions overcast at best for the most part. Friday in particular looks set to be threatened by rain.
Stats that matter
England last won an Ashes Test at Old Trafford in 1981, when Ian Botham hit a 102-ball 118 in a 103-run victory.
Seamers have outperformed spinners at Old Trafford in the past ten years, averaging 27.62 compared to 39.21.
No English ground has a higher scoring rate in Tests than Old Trafford in the last decade (3.46 runs per over).
David Warner averages 39.51 against right-arm seamers from around the wicket in Tests, compared to 58.63 over the wicket.
Craig Overton and Jack Leach have played together 48 times in first-class cricket for Somerset, winning 18 and losing only nine of those games.
"We've thought long and hard about our top order. I feel like we have the right players, but reshuffling it is going to be what really works for us and gets off to a strong start. Look at someone like Jason coming in lower down and the ability to play in his manner - more freely when it's not doing as much - might give him a better chance."
Joe Root, England's captain, thinks changing the batting order will be the final piece in the jigsaw
"I thought the way our group engaged in that and were really honest with each other, and the way that guys who had to look at some pretty ordinary stuff copped it on the chin and realised that it's coming from a good place and a place where we want everyone to really improve - I thought the group handled that really well, and we have learned some valuable lessons from the last Test match."
Australia captain Tim Paine says the team are all the better for their Headingely post-mortem
ds, emp, english, expensive, free, games, have, news, open, ratio-free, ratio-less, ratioless, ratioless trackers, root, sam, series, sport, sports, time, want

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Haria, Lanzarote Destination Guide - Canary Islands Now
Haria, Lanzarote Destination Guide
The History of Haria
Similar to Puerto del Carmen or Teguise, Haría is one of the oldest settlements in Lanzarote.
Also known as The Valley of 1000 Palms, the village is famous for its 17th and 18th centuries tradition of planting a palm tree for every newborn girl and two for every newborn boy.
Just like its' neighbours – Haría was not spared from cruel and repeated pirate and privateer attacks. Morato Arraez, a notorious pirate, is responsible for the village's most violent attack which occurred on 1586. After stealing the settlement's riches, enslaving its' people and robbing their food supplies, Arraez burned the entire village to the ground, together with the legendary palm trees. Luckily, after the village was rebuilt, the people continued their planting tradition, making it one of the most fertile lands on Lanzarote in present day.
Where is Haria
La Graciosa, viewed from Mirador Del Rio
In a valley of green pastures and beautiful wildflowers lies the untouched village of Haría – the seat of the municipal district of Haría. Some 30 kilometres away from the capital Arrecife, Haría is most eastern and northern village.
The municipality covers a region of around 100 km2 and it comprises of the islands of Alegranza, Roque del Este, Montaña Clara, Roque del Oeste and La Graciosa (The Gaceful One). La Graciosa's soil is purely volcanic sand, therefore it lacks any natural resources. Despite this, nearly 600 people chose to live on the island, having to ship all their supplies, including water, here.
The municipality borders the wonderful lava tubes of Cueva de los Verdes and Jameos del Agua, and the spectacular cliff top of the Mirador del Rio, overlooking the close-by island of La Graciosa.
Things to do in Haria
Plaza León y Castillo
Despite being a quiet little village, disrupted only by the sounds of children playing or donkeys braying, Haría is one of the most visited places in Lanzarote, due to its spectacular views of palm trees surrounding the traditional houses. If you're planning to take a trip to Haría, make sure you take the route through Teguise and the rural region of Las Valles, as it reveals the stunning elevated panorama of the village settling.
The town square – Plaza León y Castillo – is one of the points of interest in Haría, where you can do some shopping or stop for a meal at the local restaurants. You will also find a small Sacred Art Museum in the parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación. If you plan to visit Haría on a Saturday, you can attend the Crafts Market.
What to do in Haria and surrounding
Away from the narrow streets and colourful bougainvilleas and geraniums are the main tourist attractions of Haría. Follow the snaky road across Risco de Famara to reach Mirador de Haría, a mountain pass just 5 kilometres south of the village. Here, you can enjoy the impressive views of the Peñas del Chache, which is the highest mountain on the island- with a height of 670 metres, as well as the settlements of Tabayesco and Arrieta. The nearby Arrieta, which is east of Haría, is home to a popular beach La Garita, preferred by families thanks to its close by shops and restaurants.
Other beaches in the area are Famara - which is a couple of kilometres long, lying below the cliffs of Risco, Orzola – a more isolated yet astonishing beach in the north of the island or Risco beach – another isolated beach, only accessible by boat or footpath.
A 15 minutes drive down the coastline to the farming district of Guatiza will get you to The Cactus Garden, formerly a dilapidated mine used as a junkyard and which has been now transformed into a cacti garden open to the public, with an impressive collection of over 1000 plants. It's open daily from 10AM to 5:45PM, it has a café and a restored windmill.
As mentioned previously, Jameos del Agua & Cueva de los Verdes are in the vicinity of Haría as well and they are a must see if you're in the area. They are part of an extensive underground volcanic tunnels, starting from the centre of La Corona and ending into the Atlantic Ocean. Jameos del Agua has an underground lake, home to Lanzarote's unique tiny blind white crabs and an amphitheater whose volcanic ridge produces exceptional acoustics. Cueva de los Verdes takes sightseers on a half an hour hike through some of the historic segments of the volcanic tube. If you're feeling adventurous, other sections of the tunnel can be accessed with precaution too.
The Red House in Arrieta
What stands out about Haria
Without doubt, what makes this small village stand out of the crowd is its unique ecosystem.
The picturesque views with green fields and lovely palm trees has attracted many visitors throughout time, and it even made Cesar Manrique, Lanzarote's world known architect retire here.
Haría has even been named by Alberto Vazquez - the famous Canarian author "without doubt the most beautiful village on the island, if not the world", being often compared to an African village or a Middle-eastern oasis, as it offers a breath-taking contrast to the bleaker, southern parts of the island.
Lanzarote - Destinations


The Dental Assisting certificate program at Tunxis Community College in Farmington is accepting applications for the fall 2018 semester. The application deadline is April 15.
The 10-month credit program offers preparation in chairside assisting and related office and laboratory procedures including manipulation of dental materials, infection control, and evaluation of patient medical and dental history, assessment data, and four-handed dentistry. Coursework, clinic, laboratory, and community activities are coordinated so that students become proficient in general dentistry chairside performance.
Tunxis students complete over 300 hours of clinical chairside experience during their spring semester at UConn School of Medicine, and at state hospitals, community health centers and private dental offices. They take all three sections of the Dental Assisting National Board Exam (DANB) during the program and graduate as Certified Dental Assistants (CDA). The program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
Employment of dental assistants is projected to grow over 10 percent from 2014 to 2024, with average yearly incomes of $43,000 according to the CT Department of Labor.
Students who are interested in applying should complete a Dental Assistant program application at tunxis.edu/da-app. Attendance at an information session is required. Information sessions will be held Feb. 22, 1 p.m.; March 28, 5 p.m.; and April 11, 1 p.m. To reserve a seat online, visit tunxis.edu/dainfo.
For information on how to apply and register, contact the Admissions Office at 860.773.1490. Financial aid and payment plans are available for those students who qualify.
Tunxis Community College offers over 60 associate degrees and certificates that prepare students for transfer to four-year degrees and transition into the workforce with such programs as dental hygiene, accelerated business; computer information systems; early childhood education; energy management, engineering; criminal justice; pathway to teaching careers; and technology. Tunxis is located at the junction of Routes 6 and 177. Visit the Tunxis website at tunxis.edu.


There were some plus points. Unlike the previous shirt/jacket/trousers combination, it didn't need ironing. It could be washed and dried in a very short time too, with no chance of shrinking, or unsightly creasing. It also guaranteed that all operational staff were dressed the same, and easily identifiable as Ambulance Staff (or dustmen) from a distance. It was less official in appearance, and less confrontational as a result. There was no headgear, so the rarely worn formal caps could be discarded. We could also wear industrial style boots for the first time, as they had previously looked out of place with the dressier uniform that went before. The overalls had numerous pockets, on the chest, arms, and thighs, as well as slots on the sleeves, for scissors, small torches, and pens. The identifying logos and patches were sewn on, and easily distinguished. In theory, it seemed like progress.
The problem was that the material was just uncomfortable to wear. We had to be issued with white T-shirts to wear underneath, and long-johns, to combat the cold feeling on the legs. The short thin anorak supplied was not warm enough for cold weather, and too much for warm weather, so NATO-style pullovers were eventually issued too. There was some rebellion against wearing this new issue, myself included, and many chose to continue to wear the old uniform, resulting in a mixture of operational staff, clad in bits and pieces of either kit. The management soon tired of this, and our tactic of constantly returning the new uniform, stating faults, or sizing problems, was rapidly exhausted. An ultimatum was issued, and a date announced, after which the wearing of anything but the new overalls was to be considered a disciplinary offence. I had tried, and failed, so reluctantly donned the ridiculous jumpsuit.
On good days, when the weather was 'just right', and exertions were at a minimum, it seemed OK. Not having to iron it was a time-saver, and there were enough issued to have a clean suit every day. The numerous pockets came in handy, holding everything from a bottled drink, to a selection of bandages; and in my case proved to be ideal for a packet of 20 cigarettes, and a zippo lighter too. Once everyone was wearing them, they didn't seem so bad, but I still felt like a road sweeper. Not that there is anything wrong with being a road sweeper, or a dustman for that matter, don't get me wrong. It was purely a case of identity, and public awareness. That took a while, but they eventually got used to us turning up in 'Kermit Green'. Once the weather warmed up, I really began to hate this polyester abomination. You could not cool down. Hospitals were swarming with ambulance crews, all of them having pulled the top of the suit down, tied the arms around the body, and appeared to be wearing T-shirts, with green trousers. So much for smartness and uniformity.
Then came an incident that changed my mind about these suits. After this, I never looked back, and no longer yearned for separate shirt and tie, smart trousers, and matching jacket. I was converted.
One early shift, not long after 9 am, we were called to Paddington Underground Station. This station has two branches, and we were sent to the Metropolitan Line entrance, a long way from the actual platforms and trains. The call was given as a 'one under', indicating that someone had fallen, or jumped, under a train. This is a relatively common occurrence in London, and I had been to many similar jobs before. On arrival, we saw that the Fire Brigade were already there, and we were soon joined by Transport Police, and London Underground Heavy Rescue. Staff on scene told us that the person was still under the train, and was not responding. It was a long way down, involving some steep stairs, so we took all our equipment with us, just in case. Arriving at the platform, we were overjoyed to see that the train had already been reversed away from the victim, saving us the unpleasant task of crawling under it. Staff told us that they believed that the person, a man in his twenties, was 'well dead', a phrase often used to indicate severe injury, from which there was no chance of recovery.
My colleague and myself joined some firemen and got down onto the tracks, as the strong electric current had already been switched off. A cursory examination showed that the man had sustained a massive head injury, with large parts of the scalp torn off, and an obvious broken neck. This left us with the relatively simple task of removing the body, and taking it to the mortuary at St. Mary's hospital, a hundred yards away from the station. We first wrapped the man in a blanket, then tied straps around, to secure his limbs. This 'parcel' was then strapped into a rescue stretcher, a bamboo and canvas affair, called a 'Neil-Robertson Stretcher'. This had rope handles top and bottom, as well as grips at the sides, making it easy for a group of people to carry, and manipulate around bends, or obstructions. As the man was very tall, it did not fully encompass his frame, and part of his head, and most of his lower legs protruded out of the contraption. We then enlisted the help of the many firemen on scene, to help us carry the stretcher and our various pieces of equipment back upstairs to the ambulance.
I got up onto the platform first, so was handed the head end, which I supported until everyone was in place to commence 'the carry'. In the new overall, I was unbearably hot, but unconcerned about the filthy state I had already got into; with the dirt, and grease from the track-well, and the congealed blood everywhere. In stages, we made our way upstairs, finally reaching the last flight out onto the street where the vehicle was parked. This was the steepest flight of stairs, but was nice and wide, so presented few problems. For some reason, the others helping us carry the stretcher decided to turn at the last bend. leaving me at the lower end, and to carry the man up feet-first. As they began to ascend the stairs, the top of his skull suddenly detached, swinging open like a cupboard door. As my right shoulder was supporting him at the time, the entire contents of his skull, thick blood clots, and most of his loosened brain matter, slipped out onto my collar, then ran freely down inside the new overall, all over my back and chest, finally collecting in a hideous mass in the baggy crotch area.
As you can imagine, I was not pleased. But this was where this new uniform showed its advantage. After quickly depositing the victim's body at the mortuary, I was able to wipe out most of the gunk from inside the suit, and return to our base. The suit and T-shirt were deposited in a contaminated linens bag, my boxer shorts consigned to the bin, and after a quick shower, and a change of overall, a clean T-shirt, and improvising underwear with a pair of long-johns, I was able to continue with my shift. The shiny synthetic material had not allowed anything to soak in, and what was there, was easily removed. Had I been wearing the old style uniform, I would have been in a far greater mess, and a lot more uncomfortable.
There were other times that I welcomed the style of the new overalls, when kneeling in the rain or mud, for example. But it was always the incident at the underground station that confirmed the practicality of the previously hated one-piece suit.
Sorry. I should have put a warning at the start.
It was such a good story, it was worth it!
It was more like 'Yuk', but I know what you mean, Jennie.
That may have out grossed the headless man on the tracks, Pete.
I don't know how you did this job either Pete. I suspect you weren't paid particularly well given what you went through.
I started at £47 a week, (before stoppages) in 1979. By 1990, it was still less than £100 a week. When I left to work for the police, in 2001, I got an immediate pay rise of almost 100%. We didn't work on the ambulances for the money, that's for sure. Even now, they only get around £37,000 a year, and that includes London allowance of almost 25%. Some bankers get that in bonuses, every MONTH!
I know. Shameful isn't it.
No words. Visual too strong, as well as tactile empathy. You guys are heroes, Pete. No other way to see it.
That's kind, Edith. Not heroes though, just doing a job. Honestly.
Well you could add warnings for future posts, Pete… You certainly have a head full of remembered events, and plenty that you would have preferred not to have witnessed…..
Yes, I would have been happy to have served my 22 years without seeing any such things. Many did, and they were the lucky ones.
For one thing, I doubt they ever have to deal with thick blood clots and loosened brain matter.
This rather reminds me of me and my GF's first date. It was not as dramatic a start as your new uniform requirement vs. the messy calamities you encounter. I had separated from my wife in Chicago and I had moved to a small rural town in Arizona as I got a job at a local funeral home.. the only one in the entire county, hence we also served as "county morgue". Turned out having been a great job for my nearly five years there… with it's mix of Native-American, CSI coroner stuff, and helping people in their times of grief.
Anyway, we had to hire a new office manage to do the admin work… a mix of computer and death certificate compilation. An attractive lady in her 50's ended up being the selection by the funeral director. Being "stuck" with her in a 8×15 foot office for hours at a time preparing body removals and tending to family arrangements naturally led to matters of the heart. She was also in the process of leaving her ex, given his propensity to wander sexually over the countryside. We reached a point where we thought it being a little more enjoyable if we actually went out together for an evening like real people usually do, for a date.
As we were driving over to a restaurant to begin our evening, hopefully encountering some actual romance outside the funeral home environment, I got a call on my cell from the local police saying there had been an accident between a car and a motorized wheelchair crossing a street.. and the occupant of the chair was no longer part of this world. Well, we agreed to do this removal together since, in fact, we were together. We drove back to the funeral home to get the removal van.
So we spent our first official date together.. her and I dressed in disposable hazmat suits from the neck down. We both have fond memories of her walking down the street behind the accident vehicle for about 50 feet, picking up skull and brain matter pieces and putting it in a red hazmat bag… while I was endeavoring to grapple (literally pulling and yanking) with removing scalp and bone pieces from the vehicle's left front wheel well.
Since those halcyon days of new found romance spawned in an atmosphere of death and grief.. nearly ten years ago now, and no longer in that biz, we've been living in sin without the benefit of clergy, very happily ever after.
Well if she was happy to do that on your first date, Doug, then you two must have been destined to be together always. 🙂 Great story!
There was a method to the madness of the overalls!
Another nightmare-inducing call. Thank goodness you retained your sense of humor Pete.
You write so vividly. I could picture everything.
Another true-life incident, from my days as an EMT. This post is from 2013, and from current followers, only Eddy has seen it.
Ok, so no spare underwear 🙂 I think B has it spot on, how did you cope; it's hard to imagine. I can see why you were always trying to get more money; you deserved it.
As I replied to B, after a while, it all seems normal. It is only when looking back, many years later, that you realise how awful it was. Cheers mate, Pete.


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Home Tags Asbestos
Roll up! Roll up! Behind the scenes with Spaghetti Circus
Spaghetti Circus Inc. is one of Australia's leading youth circuses and has been an energetic, vibrant and colourful part of the Byron Shire for 30 years from when it was founded by Leonie Mills OAM in 1992. Every week, Spaghetti's diverse team of coaches train more than 220 children and adults from their Mullumbimby Showground home.
Missing woman, Elanora
Police have charged a 30-year-old man with multiple domestic violence offences as the search continues for 61-year-old Wendy Sleeman,...
Australia Day in the Tweed
The Tweed community will reflect, respect and celebrate what it means to be part of the unfolding national story on Australia Day.
Stories about "Asbestos":
Byron locals asked to keep a look out for illegal dumping
Local News Paul Bibby - December 20, 2022 0
Byron Council is asking the community to continue watching out for and reporting illegal dumping after three major incidents in the last month, including two asbestos dumps.
Asbestos: it's in 1 in 3 homes
Local News The Echo - November 22, 2021 0
This year's National Asbestos Awareness Week campaign asks Australians to 'Think Twice About Asbestos'. The campaign challenges complacency by reminding home renovators and tradespeople that the danger of asbestos is far from over.
Toluene found at Mullumbimby's old hospital site
Byron Echo Paul Bibby - October 28, 2021 1
Yet another contamination concern has been uncovered at the site of the old Mullum Hospital, adding an extra $1.5 million to the already ballooning cost of remediating the land.
Mullumbimby hospital development update
Local News The Echo - April 14, 2020 0
Byron Shire Council says that the discovery of further deposits of asbestos at the former Mullumbimby hospital site has delayed the final remediation of the property.
Renovating? Pick up a free asbestos testing kit from Byron Shire Council
This week it's national Asbestos Awareness Week and now is a good time to remind people to check their properties for asbestos before starting any projects around the house.
Editorial: Profits of doom
Byron Echo Aslan Shand - October 3, 2019 11
Yet another IPCC report has come out on the dire circumstances of the planet from human burning of fossil fuels, this time with a particular focus on our oceans. As Rolling Stone put it 'UN Climate Report: Oceans Also F-cked'
Byron Council refutes 'poisoned chalice' hospital claim
Local News Chris Dobney - February 4, 2019 2
Byron Shire Council has denied claims by local filmmaker and activist David Bradbury that it was 'only given the hospital for $1 if they agreed to demolish the site using the Tweed-based contractor the state government had already signed the contract with'.
Residents lament demolition of Mullumbimby Hospital
Local News Chris Dobney - January 8, 2019 2
As the demolition team moved onto the site of the old Mullumbimby and District Hospital on Monday (January 7) a small group of onlookers held a vigil outside the grounds.
Mullumbimby Hospital must be demolished: report
Byron Echo Paul Bibby - November 29, 2017 4
The two main buildings at the Mullumbimby Hospital site will have to be completely demolished and the land remediated at a cost of more than $3 million after they were found to be riddled with asbestos that poses a high risk to future users and the surrounding community.
Local asbestos program nominated for award
Local News The Echo - September 14, 2017 0
The increase in DYI household renovations has highlights the importance of how to identify asbestos. It was the increasing quantity of asbestos that was unknowingly being taken to waste facilities in the northern rivers that lead to the development of the North East Waste's Household Asbestos Testing Program.


EUR/USD continues to have a quiet week. Currently, the pair is trading at 1.1806, up 0.11% on the day. On the release front, Germany's trade surplus improved to EUR 21.2 billion, above the estimate of EUR 20.8 billion. In the US, today's major event is US JOLTS Jobs Openings, which is expected to improve to 5.74 million. On Wednesday, the US releases two employment indicators – Preliminary Nonfarm Productivity and US Preliminary Unit Labor Costs.
The euro has been on a roll over the past few months, as EUR/USD has soared 10.7% since April 1. Last week, the euro briefly pushed across the 1.19 line, its highest level since January 2015. Although the US economy is in better shape than the eurozone, investors have snapped up the continental currency, as expectations remain high that the ECB is not far away from starting to wind down its ultra-easy monetary policy. The cautious ECB has not provided any dates for a change in policy, but in June, ECB President Mario Draghi spoke about a "strengthening and broadening recovery" in the eurozone, and this sent the euro soaring. Clearly, any hints from the ECB about tightening policy could send the euro higher. In contrast, the dollar has taken a beating, as Donald Trump's antics and inability to pass healthcare legislation has increased political risk in the US. As well, the Federal Reserve's monetary policy remains unclear. Earlier this year the Fed strongly hinted that it planned to raise rates three times in 2017, but has only pressed the rate trigger twice. In June, Fed Chair Janet Yellen shrugged off low inflation, saying that it was due to "transient" factors, leaving the impression that the Fed still planned one final hike. However, inflation has not improved and the Fed has changed its tune. Last week, St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard said he opposed further Fed hikes, warning that another hike would actually delay inflation from hitting the Fed's target of 2%. The markets have become more skeptical about a rate hike in December, as the odds have fallen to 33%, compared to 43% a week ago.
A strong US economy continues to grapple with weak inflation, which is also apparent in the labor market. Although the nonfarm payrolls report in July easily beat expectations and the unemployment rate dropped from 4.4% to 4.3%, wage growth remains a sore point. In July, Average Hourly Earnings remained unchanged at 0.3%, and the indicator has failed to break above 0.3% in 2017. The weakness in earnings growth has puzzled economists, as a red-hot labor market should translate into higher wages. In fact, wage growth has actually slowed in 2017, and this could have significant economic repercussions, as consumers are responding by holding tight on the purse strings and reducing spending.
Could German Elections Shake the EU?
EUR/USD ratio showed gains towards short positions in the Monday session. Currently, short positions have a majority (67%), indicative of EUR/USD breaking out and moving lower.


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Academic Spotlight
Tag Archives: study abroad
SJSU Celebrates International Education Week
San Jose State University Alumni gather at International House for the 40th anniversary of the organization on Friday, Aug. 3, 2018. (Photo: Jim Gensheimer)
San Jose State University is showcasing the diversity of its community as well as a dedication to providing students with global experiences Nov. 12-16 during International Education Week. The College of International and Extended Studies (CIES), led by the International Student and Scholar Services, has planned a week of fun activities including a CIES Open House, sessions on studying abroad for international and domestic students, workshops on Visas, and a Thanksgiving cooking class. See the full list of activities online.
The week's activities allow an opportunity for international and local students to connect, explore potential career opportunities, and learn about opportunities to study abroad. SJSU offers traditional semester-long study abroad programs around the world as well as shorter-term faculty-led programs that allow students to experience a new culture while earning credit toward their degrees. Summer 2018 faculty-led courses are available in such far-flung destinations as Costa Rica, Finland, China and Uganda, among many other locations around the world on topics such as health, anthropology, political science and history.
On Friday, the International House will host an International Quiz and Scavenger Hunt. The I-House, as it is known to residents, celebrated its 40th year of providing an opportunity for students from many cultures to live together and learn about each other. Learn more: http://www.sjsu.edu/isss/pics/iweek-international-quiz-fall-18.PNG
International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Education. Learn more online.
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I-House Alumni Celebrate 40 Years
Nao Magami, at right, was one of the first students to stay at the International House. San Jose State University Alumni gather at International House for the 40th anniversary of the organization on Friday, Aug. 3, 2018. (Photo: Jim Gensheimer)
Alumni of SJSU's International House check in for the 40th anniversary gala reunion. (Photo: David Schmitz)
Director of International House Leann Chekasky Makhni, left, speaks on stage at the gala. (Photo: David Schmitz)
Four decades of alumni–and some family members–gathered for the 40th anniversary of SJSU's International House. (Photo: David Schmitz)
Alumni take a fun photo booth shot during the gala. (Photo: David Schmitz)
It was 1981. Bob Aron was a local student majoring in jazz. Yvette Young was from Panama and pursuing a degree in industrial management. For her, it made sense as a student from abroad to live at the International Center, now known as San Jose State University's Phyllis Forward Simpkins International House. He ended up there as almost a fluke, when a friend who enrolled at SJSU the year before sent a dorm deposit to the wrong place and ended up with a spot reserved in the International Center instead of the residence halls. Aron visited is friend and thought it looked like a nice place to live so he signed up, too.
"It is crazy to live with a bunch of people from different places," Aron said. "I grew up in the '80s in California (when it wasn't as diverse). It was the first time I met someone from Bangladesh. You start to realize how little you know."
Aron, '85 Music, and Young, '84 Industrial Management, started dating all those years ago after meeting in the university residence and 37 years later, they are married and retired from lucrative careers – Aron from Apple and Young from the mortgage industry. They both served on the planning committee for the 40th Anniversary Alumni Reunion hosted August 1-5 that brought more than 200 former residents and their family members back to San Jose.
"If more people in the world had an opportunity to live in the International House, the world would be a better place," said Leann Cherkasky Makhni, director of the I-House. "When people from around the world live together under one roof, we start to know each other as individuals and make lifelong friendships."
Located on 11th Street, the house is noticeable for both the many columns that adorn the front porch and the flags that fly from the rooftop. Those who have resided within its walls over the past 40 years endearingly call it I-House. Founded in 1978 by SJSU Alumni Alan and Phyllis Simpkins, the couple was actively involved in the development of the housing program and maintenance of the facility. They donated the building to the SJSU Research Foundation in 1997. Around 4,000 students have resided in the home in the four decades since it opened.
The reunion began with a kick-off reception and alumni music program; a trip to the redwoods and steam train, complete with a beach bonfire and s'mores in Santa Cruz; bowling on campus, a barbecue at I-House and a pub crawl; a 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner where the Simpkins' grandson Mike Bordoni spoke about his grandparents' legacy; and farewell brunch to say goodbye at the end of the five day event.
Whether they stayed for one semester, or lived there while completing an undergraduate or graduate degree, all the alumni gathered for a recent afternoon of bowling at the Diaz Compean Student Union recall their time fondly, and for some, like Aron and Young, their experience changed the course of their lives.
Young recalled the day and weekend trips she and her fellow students took to San Francisco and Yosemite.
"Those are still very fond memories," she said, mentioning a hike in Yosemite when the hikers were not equipped with enough water or the right shoes. "It was very memorable and I did things I'd never done before."
The pair kept in touch with a core group through the years, and reconnected with more people from I-House on social media.
"Facebook came along and it got easier," he said. "I like watching other people here who haven't seen each other in years and its fun watching people from the different eras."
Stijn Van Den Broek is one of those more recent residents. He visited SJSU for one semester as a foreign exchange student in fall 2014 from the Netherlands. A week in, he and the other residents went to Santa Cruz for a bonfire. He started talking with a German girl Michaela Fuhlert who complained about how noisy the people were in the room next door. It turned out to be Van Den Broek's room. The two started dating immediately and got engaged the day of the gala at the beach where they had their first conversation. They currently live in Germany where Fuhlert is beginning a teaching career and Van Den Broek is pursuing a master's degree in marketing communication.
For Fuhlert living in I-House was an adjustment not only to a new culture, but to living with a roommate.
"In Germany, you don't have roommates at university," she said, noting that the study abroad experience helped her mature. "You get more confident in handling things and it makes you grow up."
The alumni who attended travel from as close by as San Jose to as far away as China, some with spouses and families in tow. At least 40 countries were represented at the reunion, with alumni traveling from more than 20 countries to be back at SJSU.
Hiroki Moriomoto attended SJSU in 2013-14 as a Teaching English as a Second Language student. He served as a resident advisor in I-House where he also made many friends.
"It was exciting to meet people from all over the world," he said. "I've had the chance to travel with friends in Taiwan and Italy."
Eldita Tarani, '18 MA, came to SJSU from Kosovo in 2014 as a Fulbright Scholar in research and experimental psychology. She selected the I-House because she thought it would be a good experience.
"I-House is like a little family," she said. "The best part of it is the diversity. It offers a family in a foreign land for strangers who have never been here before."
She said while many of the other residents were younger than she was, she still managed to connect with many of them.
Many of the students credit Makhni with creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
"Leann has been running the house for the last 25 years and she does such a great job of maintaining the feeling of a home," Aron said. "Everyone feels that way."
"If more people in the world had an opportunity to live in the International House, the world would be a better place," Makhni said. "When people from around the world live together under one roof, we start to know each other as individuals and make lifelong friendships."
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March 2017 Newsletter: Education Expands Beyond Global Borders in International Experience Initiative
By Barry Zepel
Silicon Valley is considered by many to be the technology capital of the world and what happens here has a profound influence on the entire world. As San Jose State University continues to prepare students to join the 21st-century workforce, the College of Applied Sciences and Arts (CASA) encourages many of its undergraduates to take at least one academic course abroad, taught by an SJSU faculty member, before they earn their degree.
Unbounded Learning, one of the major goals established by the Vision 2017 initiative, asked faculty and students to think outside the classrooms. CASA's International Experience Initiative began in fall 2015 and now requires students enrolled in majors in five schools or departments within the college – School of Journalism and Mass Communications and the departments of Occupational Therapy, Hospitality Management, Kinesiology, and Justice Studies – to complete the requirement. About 175 students are anticipated to participate in eleven faculty-led programs with CASA faculty in 2017 (additional faculty-led programs are offered by faculty in other colleges as well).
"The goal of CASA's international experience requirement is to introduce students to international and intercultural perspectives as a way to prepare them to live and work in an increasingly globalized world," said Pamela Richardson, an associate dean in CASA who oversees the International Experience Initiative.
Accompanied by SJSU faculty members on their international excursions, which usually last about three weeks, the destinations and cultures have been as diverse as the subjects studied.
Shirley Reekie, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology, is scheduled to lead her course in Sports, Culture and Recreation to the United Kingdom again this summer, while Deepa Singamsetti, lecturer in the Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Packaging, will return to Puerto Rico to lead courses in food, culture and the environment. She plans to do it again – in India – next winter. This summer Lynne Andonian, an associate professor of occupational therapy, and Ruth Rosenblum, an assistant professor of nursing, will repeat their 2016 course offering on interdisciplinary health care, again in Finland.
Diane Guerrazzi, an associate professor, and Halima Kazem, a lecturer, in the School of Mass Communications taught a class in Greece and Germany last summer that documented the path of refugees from Syria and other countries into Europe. They plan to take another class of 14 pupils to Greece and Italy this summer, again to cover the migration of refugees from Syria as well as other Middle East and African countries. During their upcoming three-week trip, the students will learn how to write and produce documentary broadcast reports while visiting refugee camps, relief agencies and a small town in Italy that has taken in an extraordinary number of refugees. Both Guerrazzi (broadcast) and Kazem (print) have extensive international reporting experience.
"A faculty member from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University told me how impressed he is with the international experience we offer our students," said Guerrazzi, who also serves as SJSU's representative on the California State University Council of International Programs. "I know from my own experience of leading these international educational trips that every person would tell you how life-altering they are. They certainly broaden their world perspectives."
Megan Dejan, an SJSU senior who studied global leadership in Paris last summer with Dr. Matt Cabot's class, agrees with Guerrazzi about the positive impact that the international learning experience had on her. The public relations major said she "had the opportunity to network and work closely alongside Europe's top strategic communications firms, including the International Chamber of Commerce, Ubisoft … as well as the European Union."
"This class opened my mind to become more globally competent (and) to become a young global leader," Dejan said. "I am now inspired to travel and build my global network through my passion with public relations."
Jayne Balthazar, an SJSU alumna, traveled to Paris in summer 2014 with Linda Levine, a lecturer in the Department of Health Science and Recreation.
"It was the first time I earned a scholarship and traveled independently (of my family) and shared a room with someone I barely knew," Balthazar said, noting that she also raised money on her own to take the trip.
She said Levine and her husband David Buseck, an SJSU lecturer and co-instructor of the program, helped the students navigate the city and learn many things.
"When we first arrived in Paris, we didn't know how to use the Metro, but we had Linda and David there to help us."
Students who seek an alternative from the study abroad requirement – due to financial hardship, serious personal life situation, or physical limitations – may petition CASA to substitute a one-unit online seminar in conjunction with 20 hours of volunteer service to a San Jose organization that helps individuals or groups and represents a cultural heritage other than their own.
Further information about the program is available online.
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SJSU Students Study Cuban Culture in the Island Nation
Spartan musicians rehearse for a performance in Cuba on a recent summer trip. Photo by D. Michael Cheers
SJSU student Alysia Trillio (sax), Dr. Ruth Wilson,chair of the the African American Studies Department and student Kenyatta Yarn, sing the popular praise and worship song Let Us Break Bread Together, led by Professor Virginia Groce-Roberts, on Sunday, June 12, along the Malecon outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba. The gospel ensemble also performed at a Catholic Church in Regala, and at Ebenezer Baptist Church, which is part of the Dr. Martin Luther King Center in Havana.
Dr. D. Michael Cheers, a professor in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and Dr. Wilson, of the College of Social Sciences, led a summer faculty-led program in Cuba from June 10-19 on Afro-Cuban Literature, Culture and History. The course was designed to examine the role Africans played in the development of the island nation, and assess the next generation's perception of their future role in the world. To prepare for the course, students learned about the history of Cuba, literature and culture via seminars and lectures during their spring semester. The six-unit course required students to study in Cuba for two weeks and on campus or online for two weeks this summer. The ultimate goal of the course is to have the student's present research papers or creative works at undergraduate research conferences during the 2016/17 academic year.
The course is one of more than 25 summer faculty-led programs offered by a number of colleges with support from the College of International and Extended Studies. The courses offer students an opportunity to study abroad, to be immersed in another culture and to earn course credit.
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Faculty and Grad Students Invited to Webinar on Demonstrating RSCA Impact
New College, New Dean: Graduate Studies and Marc d'Alarcao
Research Foundation Offers Grant Guidance and More
University Scholars Series Presents Recent Research
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The Winona Steamboat Days Association will host a fish fry on Friday, March 23, at the Eagles Club, 210 East Fourth Street, Winona, from 4:30-7 p.m. Dinner includes battered or broiled cod, baked potato or fries, cold slaw, bun and coffee.
Tickets are $9 and available in advance from Steamboat Days Committee members and at the door. Proceeds from the fish fry go toward free Steamboat Days events such as fireworks and free shows.
Winona Steamboat Days 2018 is from June 13-17. For more information, including a complete list of events, go to WinonaSteamboatDays.com.


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Two arrested after break-in, assaulting Carson City home owner with a baseball bat, Carson City Sheriff's Office says
The following people were booked into the Carson City Jail. All are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
At 10 a.m., Jose Rivera, 25, and Brandon Sanchez, 21, were arrested on multiple felony charges after allegedly breaking into a home on Tiger Drive and assaulting the resident with a baseball bat. According to the arrest report, they stole guns, jewelry and other property before fleeing. They were identified by the victim and most of the stolen items were recovered from a backpack in the backyard of a nearby residence. Each was charged with home invasion, residential burglary with a weapon, robbery, battery with a deadly weapon and child endangerment because the victim was with his two-year-old son at the time. Bail for each defendant was set at $137,500.
At 7:28 p.m., Victor Cazarez, 31, was arrested after deputies investigated a report of shots fired through the wall of an apartment on Alloutte. Deputies determined the bullet was fired through the wall of one apartment closet into the apartment next door and the defendant told them his son had discharged the weapon. He was arrested after a background check revealed he has a prior conviction for domestic battery and cannot possess a firearm. He was also charged with child endangerment for leaving a loaded rifle where his small son could get and fire it. Bail was set at $22,500.
Inquest ordered into Carson City stabbing death
Carson City's man identified as body found in Douglas County on Jan. 3
Elko homicide suspect arrested in Sparks
1 of 2 victims of Elko shooting dies; suspect still loose
Carson City Sheriff reports: 1 needle, 2 pipes, brass knuckles and drugs


China has been on several occasions been blamed for its expansionary policies and its large scale Belt Road Initiative has been criticized for being a veiled form of neo-colonization. Chinese economic growth is slowing down, pushing the country to look elsewhere for newer markets and growth space. Waiting with its enormous resources and need for development is the continent of Africa. Over the last few years, Chinese presence has considerably increased in the region. In 2016, President Xi announced that China will be extending $60 billion in financial support to Africa, making it the 3rd largest recipient for Chinese investment behind Asia and Europe. The agreements that China is inking with African nations include industrial projects, infrastructure projects (popularly being railway lines) and other energy and development projects.
The resources found in Africa makes the continent a hot spot. Africa accounts for 30% of the world's reserves of hydrocarbons and minerals. Coupled with other characteristics such as large population and growing economies, it makes this place the most feasible for Chinese projects. Under the Belt Road Initiative, China has entered into several development and trade projects with many starved African countries that eat up the deals. It is estimated that nearly 10,000 Chinese owned firms are operating in Africa.
Another reason for China's interest in Africa is China's overpopulation and unemployment. In a drive to decongest China and to find further space for its growing population, large numbers of Chinese immigrated to African countries to work on the projects. China funded projects require the hiring of Chinese-owned contractors rather than employing local workers. Howard French, in his book, China's Second Continent, explains about million migrants building a new empire in Africa traveling around the Sub-Saharan region and also spoke of his conversations with several Chinese who had come to live in Africa.
Africa seems to love the attention. In 2018, China held a forum on China-Africa Cooperation where 53 out of 54 African countries sent representatives. Quartz Africa noted that 51 African leaders were in Beijing for the forum as compared with 27 in New York for a UN General Assembly Meeting. At the forum, African Union chairperson praised Chinese investments and aid in Africa. It termed it a source of deep transformation. This is unsurprising as Chinese investment and money have put Africa on the track of globalization. Senegal, one of the developing countries in Africa is the recipient of large Chinese loans in exchange for minerals and construction projects. China has invested nearly $1.6bn in investment in Senegal and this sits well with Senegal's Emerging Senegal Plan a development model "to speed up its march towards emergence". They see the situation as 'win-win' which it might most possibly be in the short run.
Another endearing factor is that Chinese friendship comes with no conditionality attached. Egypt, one of the continent's biggest economies has been criticized for its human rights violations. While foreign aid such as the IMF loan to Egypt came with strings attached and hence viewed paternalistic, Chinese aid is seen to be more flexible.China is also attempting to internationalize its currency. In 2018, Nigeria and China signed a 3-year currency swap agreement where Naira will be made available to the Chinese businessmen and the Chinese currency to Nigeria in order to boost speed, convenience and volume of transactions between the two countries.
Without due regulation, China's presence would become a liability. French, in an interview, stated that China's interests are extractive in nature and the Chinese companies in Africa have a history of lack of respect for the environment or regulatory compliance. Political motives have blinded some of the African leaders, French observed that a lack of transparency has permitted Chinese businessmen to export valuable resources like timber illegally. This could lead to long term damage.
Another major concern is the debt that African countries now owe China. In 2017, Sri Lanka had to hand over its strategically placed Hambantota Port to Chinese firms on a 99-year lease as it was unable to pay off Chinese debts. The country has borrowed large sums to facilitate a port project. Many believe that poor economies in Africa will be unable to bear the burden of Chinese debts and will have to sell off land or resources as payment. Africa's engagement with China might well be good for its economy and promote true common prosperity, but it mustn't also heedlessly disregard the suspicion surrounding the Belt Road initiative. When debt traps and resource exploitation become a reality they can blame no one but themselves. A smart Africa will help the continent realize its goals of development.


FORT WORTH, TEXAS (February 10, 2014) – The largest arts festival in Texas and one of the finest in the U.S. is returning to Downtown Fort Worth for its 29th year on April 10-13, 2014. Presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth and produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., the four-day MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.) spans more than 27 blocks from the Tarrant County Courthouse to the Fort Worth Convention Center while showcasing 213 hand-selected juried artists.
Also billed as Fort Worth's largest, free music festival, MAIN ST. features 120 distinct performances throughout the weekend, including local and national entertainment acts and musicians, performance artists, dancers and street performers. Culinary options from local restaurants, beer and wine tastings, family-friendly arts-and-crafts activities and more complete the scene, providing four days of excitement on the historic red bricks of Main Street and throughout the beautiful new Sundance Square Plaza.
In addition to being the largest arts festival in Texas and in the Southwest region of the United States, MAIN ST. is annually ranked as one of the finest arts festivals in the U.S., as referenced in both the Art Fair Sourcebook and The Harris List.
Art enthusiasts can choose from a variety of creative and original works of art from 15+ mediums, such as sculpture, painting, digital, fiber, printmaking, mixed media, ceramics, photography, wood, glass, jewelry, and metalwork, with more than $4.6 million worth of art expected to be sold. MAIN ST. is a juried art fair, which means that artists must submit their work to an esteemed panel of national and local judges before being selected to exhibit. Of the nearly 1,400 applications received, only 213 artists were selected to exhibit at the 2014 festival, including the 26 award-winning artists from the 2013 festival. Each exhibiting artist will be present at their corresponding booths during festival hours to discuss their work and explain the processes and materials used in displayed works.
Details including artist statements, booth numbers, contact information and more can be found on MAIN ST.'s iPhone application or on its website's "Fine Art Showcase," here: www.MainStreetArtsFest.org/Experience-Main-St./The-Art/.
This year's MAIN ST. will be jamming with free, live music beginning at 11 a.m. daily during all four days of the festival, bringing to Downtown Fort Worth the biggest names in country, rock, folk, blues, jazz, Latin rock and more. More than 100 national, regional and local musicians will entertain on three different stages, including performances from the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the Fort Worth Opera, five-time Grammy Award-winning blues guitarist Robert Cray, chart-topping hybrid country / rock vocal group The Mavericks, nine-time Grammy Award-winning Latin jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri, Austin-based eclectic singer / songwriter Bob Schneider, the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition gold medal winner Vadym Kholodenko, and more than 10 performances from the world-famous Chinese Acrobats who will demonstrate acrobatic stunts and feats of balance, flexibility, coordination and strength.
Details including a comprehensive entertainment schedule, musician biographies, stage sponsors, and performance dates and times can be found on MAIN ST.'s "Music on MAIN" page, here: www.MainStreetArtsFest.org/Experience-Main-St./Music-On-Main/.
MAIN ST. is bringing back "festival-favorites" and the best in local cuisine in 2014, allowing revelers to experience a wide range of culinary arts. Whether it's tenderloin tamales or brisket tacos from Reata, smoked turkey legs or authentic Texas BBQ from Riscky's, Louisiana crawfish from the Crawfish Connection, German bratwurst or "Bahama Mamas" from Schmidt's Of German Village, handmade crepes from Crepe Crazy, zesty chicken fajita nachos or steak fajitas from Bobby's Fajitas, or original corny dogs from Fletcher's and McKinney's, festival-goers have choices to satisfy almost any taste bud.
Soft drinks, smoothies, iced tea and lemonade as well as beer, margaritas, Mojitos, and Texas wines will also be available for sale. To buy food and beverages, coupons are required, and can be purchased in-person at the MAIN ST. ticket booths or in advance online, here: Store.MainStreetArtsFest.org.
In addition, to help support and raise awareness for water conservation, the Tarrant Regional Water District will be sponsoring free water stations throughout the festival, featuring Fort Worth's nationally renowned municipal water dispensed with a state-of-the-art U/V filtration system and chilled to perfection.
The family-favorite "MAIN ST. Creates!" program, presented by Wells Fargo, is back for 2014 and will anchor the north end of the festival. The hands-on, arts-and-crafts outdoor art studio is home to the Young People's Art Fair (featuring the work of more than 300 student artists from the Fort Worth community), children's entertainment, educational programs, and interactive activities, such as ceramic painting, art demonstrations, clay sculpting, and rock climbing.
"MAIN ST. Creates!" is open from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (April 10-12), and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday (April 13). More details can be found online, here: www.MainStreetArtsFest.org/Experience-Main-St./Main-St-Creates.
Volunteer! MAIN ST. Volunteers are the "wonder team" behind the success of the nationally ranked MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival. The event simply could not take place without the hard work and dedication of more than 1,200 volunteers who handle everything from festival support to hospitality services to merchandise sales. Perks for MAIN ST. volunteers include complimentary commemorative MAIN ST. t-shirts, beverages, discounts on official MAIN ST. merchandise, and eligibility for prize giveaways. More details can be found online, here: http://bit.ly/MAINVolunteer.
Join The Collector's Club! The Collector's Club is an exclusive group of members that enjoy art seminars, social events, complimentary valet parking, dinners, VIP Skybox access, and Art Purchase Gift Certificates, valid towards artwork purchases at MAIN ST. Interested members can join at either the Premier Collector ($325 for singles / $550 for couples) or Young Collector ($225 for singles / $350 for couples) levels. More details can be found online, here: http://bit.ly/MAINSTCollector.
Become a "Friend of the Festival!" Friends of the Festival provide recognition and networking opportunities for businesses large and small, with added perks including company logo placements on MAIN ST. press materials and programs, complimentary dinners and beverages, Skybox access, valet parking, commemorative MAIN ST. fleece jackets, and signature entertainment, all alongside Fort Worth's movers and shakers. Interested businesses can join at either the Gold ($2,500), Silver ($1,500), or Bronze ($750) levels. More details can be found online, here: http://bit.ly/MAINFriend.
2014 marks the debut of the new Sundance Square Plaza, a pedestrian-only, 55,000-square-foot outdoor venue featuring 32-foot-tall umbrella shade structures, hundreds of jetted interactive water fountains, pools, waterfalls and cascades, a permanent two-tiered multi-purpose stage complete with LED stage lighting and audiovisual equipment, bicycle racks, seating, and indigenous plants and landscaping in the heart of downtown on Main Street between 3rd and 4th Streets. The plaza will serve as the location for the renewed MAIN ST. "Artist's Square," as well as the new Performing Arts Stage, one of three entertainment stages throughout the festival.
Give the gift of MAIN ST. art with Art Purchase Gift Certificates, valid for any art purchases made from participating artists at the 2014 MAIN ST. The refundable certificates are available in the amounts of $25 – $100 and are currently for sale online, here: Store.MainStreetArtsFest.org.
A 2014 MAIN ST. festival guide, complete with information pertaining to parking, public transportation, access, street closures, accommodations, and much more, will be available online in late March.
MAIN ST. traces its beginnings to the early 1980s when the City of Fort Worth set in motion a campaign of urban revitalization in the Central Business District. As momentum began to build, businessman Robert Bass spearheaded the initial effort in 1986 to create an event showcasing the attractions of the city's reawakening downtown core.
Mr. Bass and other prominent civic leaders envisioned a multi-faceted festival that would transform downtown into an outdoor gallery and concert stage on an early spring weekend. The inaugural MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival was a three-day event involving 140 artists, 60 performance groups and 600 volunteers. Attendance was approximately 80,000.
Nearly three decades later, Downtown Fort Worth has become a thriving, 24-hour live-work-play environment. The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival, meanwhile, has followed a parallel trajectory, evolving into the biggest and best-attended event of its kind in the Southwest.
Thursday, April 10: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday, April 11: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Saturday, April 12: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sunday, April 13: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
*Note artists may close at 8 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday, and at 6 p.m. on Sunday. Many, however, stay open later to accommodate the evening's music audience.
The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 29th year in 2014 and is presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth. Official Sponsors for 2014 are the Tarrant Regional Water District, Sundance Square, the University of Texas at Arlington, and Wells Fargo. Media Sponsors include the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and its Trinity Railway Express (TRE), 92.1 HANK FM (KTFW-FM), and 95.9 The Ranch (KFWR-FM). Supporting Sponsors include the Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association and the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau.


You're thinking "I want to sell my books online." You've heard that Amazon is the best place to start. Well, recently Amazon made a policy change that could create a reduction or even a complete loss of royalty for authors. This minor change has huge implications for authors and highlights the importance of providing an authorized and legitimate channel for customers to purchase from authors directly with full royalties and proceeds going to the author.
This issue was recently brought to light through a Huffington Post Article titled, "How Amazon, Once Again, Is Driving Down the Value of Books And Undermining Authors." The issue surrounds a change in policy that Amazon made in regards to the Buy Box. The Buy Box is the small box that customers click to purchase items from the giant retailer. An image of the Buy Box is below.
This seemingly minor change is actually pretty significant for authors. Before the policy change, when customers clicked the Buy Box and purchased your book, it meant they were buying the book directly from Amazon itself and Amazon was purchasing it from the publisher or Amazon was the publisher if you were self-publishing through Amazon. In either scenario, the author (and the publisher) were receiving their cut or share of the book's sale.
Now with the 3rd party policy, that may no longer be the case. It is possible for a vendor to sell books without having purchased them through legitimate channels. In other words, they may sell the book and make the profit and the author and publisher may receive nothing.
Most authors are not aware of this change and its implications, and the public likely has no idea. Most customers are unlikely to make a differentiation between purchasing from Amazon directly or from a 3rd party seller through Amazon. Since they are not aware, the lowest purchase price is likely to be key in their decision making. This means that more books at a lower price-point can be sold with no proceeds going to the author and publisher at all.
How Big is the Impact on Authors?
It may take some time to see the full impact of this policy change, but it's clear that the potential for loss of income for authors and publishers could be significant. The Authors Guild recently said of the policy change, "this has the potential to decimate authors' and publishers' earnings." The impact will be directly related to the extent that 3rd party sellers are in direct competition with those sold directly by Amazon.
In one example given by the Independent Book Publishers Association of American cited a case for the book Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, had this very scenario play out with the buy button going to a 3rd party vendor rather than the publisher or Amazon directly.
The publisher's price for that book on Amazon was $10.62 and the 3rd party vendor had it listed for $3.23. This is already a significant reduction in royalty were the author and publisher receiving money from its sale but that cannot be guaranteed with 3rd party sales.
Though there are various theories posited about the origin of the books from 3rd party vendors, it seems unlikely that the authors and publishers are receiving their share of the proceeds in this scenario.
This recent policy change by Amazon simply highlights the importance of providing a direct and authorized sales channel for an author where it is guaranteed that they are receiving their share of royalties and profits. As long as the sole vehicle of the sale of your book is through a company that has its own profit-sharing in mind, it is likely that these types of scenarios are going to pop up. If an author provides a sales channel in which the royalties and profit percentages are guaranteed, it is possible to direct customers there and reduce the loss of royalty and control over product sales.
By cultivating a customer list, and offering a direct selling option, you can increase profits and ensure that readers are purchasing the book through legitimate and legal means. With current technology, there are many simple and easy ways for authors to do this without a lot of technical knowledge. One solution for authors is to use a vendor like Selz to sell books directly on their website. This is a simple and safe solution that provides product delivery in whichever format a reader chooses (both epub and mobi ebooks and print). For electronic products, it is also possible to provide instant delivery via email once the purchase is made.
Since Amazon and other retailers are constantly seeking to increase profits, it seems likely that these sorts of scenarios will become more commonplace. By having a direct sales channel for their books through their website, authors can ensure they will receive income for their creative works.
For more details on why selling directly on a website for authors is beneficial, read the article 4 Reasons to Sell Books Independently.
Wow. How much money does they take out?
— If you are selling your ebook at $9.99, you will only receive $6.99 if you sell on Amazon.
— If you decide to sell through your own online store that you could create on Selz, you could receive $9.40 for that same ebook.
— If you are selling 1000 books a month directly, it could result in $36,000 in increased revenue!
Check out some really helpful infographics and a better explanation here.
Who knew! Thanks for this.
Thanks for reading Jeanne! Check out more information about the money you receive depending on who you sell your books through in one of our more extensive articles here.
This is actually "criminal". Why would Amazon make this decision? are they printing copies of the books and selling them to 3rd parties?
I was mainly concerned with this as well … where are the third parties getting their books to sell?
Hi Jim, I'm glad you found this article and it startled you just as it did us! It doesn't look like Amazon is printing the books then selling, rather these third-party providers are somehow obtaining books and selling the copies themselves. Amazon's only involvement is the new policy with their buy button. Previously, they did not allow third-party providers to be in the running of winning that purchase, but now they are.
No one seems to know where these third parties are getting the books. It's a very unfortunate issue, which is why we took the time to shed light on it. We really feel strongly that this issue is good reason for authors to start looking into selling independently. We have quite a few authors using the Selz platform to independently deliver their books to their authors.
Thanks for reading this post! Please share it along with any other authors you may know who would find this helpful!


text:
A Brief History of Kalalau
A reader recently asked me about the Hawaiians who lived in Kalalau valley before and the "hippies" who live there now:
I know Hawaiians previously lived in the valleys, but after it became illegal, they left. Or did they?
I'm not certain about exact dates, but here is a rough timeline. What's not exactly clear is when and how it became illegal to live in Kalalau.
Historically, Hawaiians lived in certain valleys that could support them (Kalalau was the biggest, but also Honopu, Nualolo, and maybe a few people in others). They created terraces and grew either taro in irrigated plots or dry-land yams, in addition to fishing. Much of the valleys were deforested, and I'm not quite sure what they did for fuel (I never thought of it before, and I've never heard anyone speculate on that). I know they had treacherous trails down from the forest in Kokee, so maybe they carried bundles of wood down.
In any case, archaelogists estimate up to 2000 people could live in Kalalau, which I find plausible. I suppose that was before 1800. After the subsistence agricultural society had been displaced by the commodities and merchandise-based economy brought by the missionaries and whalers, farms were abandoned, especially in the hard-to-reach valleys. I think they must've still been inhabited in the late 1800's, as demonstrated by the famous story of Koolau the leper who hid out in Kalalau with other lepers who didn't want to be sent away.
By the 1900's, I think the smaller valleys (Nualolo and Honopu) were abandoned. Kalalau was accessible by trail and had more water, so I think people still lived there. The land was sold to one of the big families on the island (not sure of the details, but it may have been the Robinsons), and it became grazing land for cattle. So there must have been a few people running cattle there, probably living seasonally with a few fruit trees and vegetable garden. Incidentally, they used to drive the cattle in and out on the Kalalau trail, sometimes losing one over the edge–and I'm not sure if they also got the cattle in and out by boat–seems like a lot of trouble to me.
I met a local in Kalalau who claims his Aunty was the last person to live in Kalalau, and I suppose that was in the 30's or 40's. Sometime after that, it became a state park, and parts of the Kalalau trail became nature reserves (though hunting is still allowed in many areas, so it's not just tourists on the trail). In the 50's and 60's, an African-American doctor retired/gave up his practice and became known as the hermit of Kalalau, in the pre-hippie era. In the 70's, the hippies were all over Kauai, especially at Taylor camp at Haena, and I'm sure many of them moved to Kalalau when the camp was shut down.
I'm not quite sure of the circumstances, but I suppose 20-50 people lived in Kalalau quasi-permanently over the 70's. I don't know if it was tolerated, ignored, or just plain unknown to the park administrators. Nor do I know if they more or less left by themselves or were forced out. I think by the 90's, there were less permanent residents, probably 10-20, with various free spirits adopting it as home for months at a time before moving on. When I first went in early 2000's, I think there were less than 10 real residents, with a few people migrating in and out over the seasons. Some of them live by growing weed for sale, as well as collecting welfare, and carrying supplies into the valley.
Does anyone live along the Na Pali? Aside from the legalities, could they?
I do know that over this decade, the park service has totally cracked down on the residents, evicting nearly all, some by force and commando-style. But I get the impression that a small core remain, both hiding up in the furthest reaches, and also grudgingly allowed by the park rangers. They sort of position themselves as care-takers, not trashing the place and keeping out or reporting the inevitable whackos who show up and try to move in. The local guy I met didn't live there himself, but use to boat in and out regularly to camp, hang out with the residents, resupply them, and carry out trash. I think he was tolerated as well, up to a point.
There was another local of Hawaiian descent who would live there for weeks at a time and claimed to be a caretaker of the spiritual locations in the valleys (old heiau). The park service cracked down on him pretty hard, because he was openly flaunting the permit system and authority of the parks, even though he was doing no harm.
Because Kalalau was historically an agricultural valley, there was one experiment of allowing a caretaker to go in and replant a taro and vegetable patch, sort of as a token gesture to the Hawaiian community. I saw the patch growing once when I was there, but I never saw the people. I don't think the park continued the experiment, because I'm fairly sure it does not sanction anyone living there now.
So there you have a short overview. Moving into Kalalau is certainly possible, people do it all the time even today, but it tends to be more limited and mostly under fear of being chased by rangers. The rangers come in by helicopter and chase down any "residents" they can catch, so they're really cracking down, or at least appearing to do so.
A recent comment also asked about the famous library of Kalalau:
I was wondering…I have heard there is a "library" in the valley….a bunch of paperbacks under a tarp….Does it exist and if so… how do you find it. I love to spend time reading…finding a great spot, soak up the beauty and share it with a book but they are HEAVY and if there are books to borrow I would love to do so. What can you tell me?
I believe it was the hermit of Kalalau mentioned above who started the library in the cave he lived in, which I gather was the first sea cave. I imagine that the various people living in the valley after him either kept his books or started new collections. When the rangers raided the valley these past years, I heard they dismantled whole encampments, and that probably included some books. But I don't know if there was still a big library or whether it survived.
When I was there last year and talked with some of the residents, it sounded like there were still books around, but whether that was the main library or just little collections, I could not tell. What I do know is that it's not a public library with borrowing privileges. You would need to meet and befriend one of the locals before you would have a chance at receiving any book they might have. And I doubt you would get to see or browse the "library" itself, if it still exists; I think they are much more particular about their hiding places now. However, once you break the ice with them, they tend to be very generous, so who knows what you will find.
Generous or not, it would still be a nice gesture if you brought a book with you and offered it to someone there. Paperbacks aren't that heavy and are usually small enough to pack on the trail. That might be the best way to open the doors to the library. (Then again, if everyone who reads this and takes a book in, the residents are going to start wondering what the big deal is.)
This entry was posted on Thursday, August 13th, 2009 at 9:15 pm and is filed under Kalalau . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
Printed from: http://great-hikes.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-kalalau/.
Mary Miller says:
22.08.09 at 14:33
Thanks for answering my questions. Let's hope your revealing and very interesting history doesn't start an exodus of folks moving into the valleys.
Very informative article. I wanted to share that my "uncle" John Medeiros, native of Kauai, told me that the white man bringing influenza to the islands help to wipe out the Kalalau population too. Just thought I'd share!
Manawai says:
One of the Robinson's did indeed own the back half of the valley for some decades and used to take the cattle out the back via a switchback tail. If a cow got turned around the wrong way, it sometimes had to be pushed off to clear the trail for the rest. When the State condemned it, it wasn't that big a loss as ranching it never was profitable.
Ras B says:
The "Library" was still there in 2003…have not been there since. Its truly magical place.
I lived in Kalalau from June '72- May '73. The library was pretty good, it was in the "dry cave" and cared for by "guitar Steve" who used to play at the full moon feasts until his fingers bled. The hermit had lived in the "wet cave" which wouldn't have been a good place for the library. No problems with rangers then, some problems with the "primo warriers" (the goat hunters).
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Welcome to week 4! In this module, we are going to discuss the human factor of SEO - how to manage your relationship with clients. We'll talk about what should be discussed in the critical first meetings, how to manage your client's expectations, and how to track and report on progress toward your client's goals. By the end of this module, you'll have developed a solid approach for achieving a productive and successful relationship with your client.
developing a strong client relationship.
how to track metrics, but how do you communicate your progress to your client?
as soon as possible and share them with your clients.
can be used to share organic traffic and keyword improvements.
We've got a lot of exciting material up ahead, so let's get started.
Keywords fluctuate a bit before calming down and picking a final resting place.
it is likely that your keywords will fluctuate by a few positions frequently.
because they will likely be very eager to see how their keywords are improving.
related to their keywords are trending, personalization, localization and more.
other metrics in addition to just the keyword rankings.
Generally, you will run a report for a client each month.
and will include one or two reports as their initial SEO engagement.
as well as keyword information.
There are many tools you can white label that provide reports for clients.
while others might contain both analytics information and keywords.
there are some out there with their own really nice built-in reports.
download various white label reports from different services I use.
because it allows me to put all of the information I have in one place.
It's then stored on my local machine.
that service goes down, I have my data with me.
This is an example of the dashboard I will often use for clients.
All of this information can be obtained directly from Google Analytics.
setup, and this allows my information to be stored in one document.
you only need to add the current month of data each month.
I provided a download of a blank dashboard that you can use for yourself.
Simply adjust the dates and update the graphs as necessary.
each of these graphs on another tab.
I do this in case the client wants to view specific data behind each chart.
I do the same thing with keyword rankings.
similar to the way I organized keywords into buckets during my research process.
of my website and focus keywords are performing.
this lets me know to go in and take a look to see how this area can be improved.
improving the content and user friendliness of a page.
Though I believe Moz has a grouping function that you can use which is nice.
change it to suit your needs if you want to do so.
edit the dates and keywords as appropriate.
The charts should update automatically for you.
That brings us to the end of client management.
actionable reports that measure the success of your campaign.


text:
When second novels go bad
By By Taylor Antrim
May 03, 2009 | 12:00 AM
I'm having a love affair with "bad" second novels. Not "Rabbit, Run." Not "The Crying of Lot 49." Many writers do knock it out of the park on their second try -- and good for them. But those aren't the novels I mean.
I mean the misfires, the disappointments, the ugly ducklings. Three in particular I've recently curled up with: Martin Amis's slightly feral "Dead Babies," Joy Williams' drunken, reeling "The Changeling" and Zadie Smith's wry, laddy "The Autograph Man." None were much liked by critics, none became bestsellers -- and these are only two reasons I'm smitten. They also share an adolescent unruliness I can't get enough of, a go-for-broke spirit. Can a novel be unembarrassed by itself? That's the way these seem to me.
See, I'm writing my own second novel -- and is there anything worse than writing a second novel? It's a standoff between creative depletion and rising ambition, the desire to attain more combined with the creeping fear that everything you had went into that first book. It's exhausting.
Writing my first wasn't easy either, but No. 2 (three years and counting) is making No. 1 seem like a triumphant jog around the bases.
"Three years?" That would be Michael Chabon calling from the peanut gallery; he spent nearly five years piling up a 1,500-page shipwreck of a second novel called "Fountain City." His publisher hated it, so he stuffed the manuscript in his drawer and wrote "Wonder Boys" instead. Jeffrey Eugenides and Donna Tartt toiled nine and 10 years, respectively, on "Middlesex" and "The Little Friend."
Why are these things so thorny? A friend of mine wrote a brilliant first novel and eventually cried uncle beneath the weight of her unfinished second; another friend finished hers but confided to me that she hated it. "Don't read it," she whispered. "Read my first."
"Second novels! Such accursed children!" Rick Moody writes in his introduction to the recently reissued "The Changeling." Amen, but, really, what does Moody know? A mere two years passed between "Garden State" and "The Ice Storm."
And anyway, "The Ice Storm" is not a "bad" second novel; in fact, it's something of a contemporary classic. The same cannot be said for "Dead Babies," generally considered a minor entry in the Amis oeuvre. Upon its publication in 1976, the New York Times's Christopher Lehmann-Haupt wrote: "The babies are already dead at the beginning, and there's nothing for them to get but deader."
Baloney. To me, "Dead Babies" is thrashingly alive. Set at a country house stuffed with louche aristos who booze and do drugs while menaced by very scary character named Johnny, it's P.G. Wodehouse crossed with "A Clockwork Orange." It's gutsy and over the top, invigoratingly so. Take my word for it -- or don't. I once pushed my copy on a friend who made it to Page 100. Yuck, he said, giving it back.
Writers know the letdown of finishing a novel: This? This is all I was doing all this time? I'd bet the farm Amis didn't ask himself that at the end of "Dead Babies." It's a gloriously un-cautious second book -- and caution, as I inch along at my writing desk, feels like the Enemy. My first novel was written on nothing-ventured-nothing-gained fuel; now, having gained something by seeing it published, I seem to be riding the brakes.
Williams surely cut her brake lines to write "The Changeling." Anatole Broyard reviewed it so harshly in 1978 ("startlingly bad," "an arbitrary muddle") that the book never made it to paperback. Reviewers can be cruel -- and notoriously impatient. Certainly "The Changeling" requires patience. There's an alcoholic young mother trapped on an island with a family of mean-spirited blue bloods and bunch of half-savage children. But the language is so richly connotative, that's it hard to know exactly what is going on most of the time.
I love the novel's free mood, its doped-up enigmas and crazy blind turns. I love how sure of herself Williams seems even as she loses her moorings. When, late in the book, a little girl unaccountably morphs into a deer -- "Her face swung out flat and her nose turned black and became part of a soft, dark muzzle" -- I think, go, go, go.
A second novel can tarnish a writer. Smith's wisecracking and not-widely-liked "The Autograph Man" had something of that effect. It's smaller, less panoramic than her first book, "White Teeth," but also funnier. I like its youthful mood, its stoned Londoners adrift in their 20s -- so much so that when I was up for a job at a Book Review not long ago, and Smith came up, I told the editor I preferred "The Autograph Man" to "White Teeth." He peered at me over his glasses, and the room's atmosphere shifted.
"You do?" he asked.
I didn't get the job.
Failure is commonplace in the career of a writer, and a second novel is the beginning of a writer's career. That's what I'm telling myself as I inch along. I'm telling myself that I'll make plenty of mistakes and missteps, but hopefully they're interesting ones -- as interesting as those in Amis et al.
My second book certainly feels more interesting than my first -- riskier too, which perhaps is a good sign. A first novel is a circus stunt, a nice trick, but I'm not sure it makes you a writer. How does a writer become a writer? By writing a second novel.
I'm getting there.
Antrim is the author of the novel "The Headmaster Ritual."
Arts and Culture Newsletter
A look at what's happening in the L.A. scene, plus openings, critics' picks and more.
Latest Arts & Culture
Review: Thomas Adès' spectacular 'Inferno' gets the Wayne McGregor and Tacita Dean touch
Essential Arts: Fiery missives for Peter Zumthor and the architects of the Miracle Mile
SoCal classical music, July 14-21: Dudamel with the LA Phil, the iPalpiti Festival and more
SoCal theater, July 14-21: Musical parodies of 'Friends' and 'Lost' and more
SoCal museums, July 14-21: Lithographs by William Crutchfield and more


It's an emotional day for me: ABC Spare Parts/ABC Auto Gear on Ipswich Road, Oxley is now closed. I've had this baby for 32 years. The Department of Main Roads are performing major roadworks on the adjacent Ipswich Motorway and forced us to move out. I can't believe the day has come where ABC is no more!
ABC started its life out in 1986 as 'Self Service Auto Parts' and was later rebranded 'ABC Spare Parts'. I've been in the business since July 1987 and took ownership with my wife, Robyn, in 1991.
Business has allowed me to meet a lot of fantastic people over the years and helped me gain an abundance of invaluable knowledge, experience, and memories along the way.
Too many people to thank – all your support over 3 decades of operations means the world to me. I'm sure you all know who you are. Hugely appreciated, I can never thank you enough.
Our new venture, Raw Metal Corp turned 4 years old yesterday. Raw is blossoming and there are exciting times to come… so stay tuned!


Few days back while going through the press release of Lakme Absolute Monochrome collection i saw Kareena's pictures sporting a night look using the same collection.
The first thing that came to my mind was... Katy Perry .... ???
i had this picture of Katy Perry on my desktop with purple and green eyeshadow and its soo 'similar' to the look that Kareena had on..
The shade of purple in both the looks is different, but the idea is pretty much the same, Katy being lighter to Kareena has a lighter shade of purple.
I liked both the looks, perfectly done to compliment their complexion and style.
Which variant you liked more ??