Frank A. Bennack Jr., the former chief executive of the Hearst Corporation, was recently touring the resplendent new headquarters the company has erected at Eighth Avenue and 57th Street in Manhattan.
What would William Randolph Hearst, the company's legendary founder, have thought of this glass and steel monolith? he was asked. "He only wanted to own his own land and all the land that joined it," Mr. Bennack replied. Gazing around the lobby, he added: "He would have loved it."
Chances are that the Chief, as Mr. Hearst was known to his minions, would be as pleased with the seemingly flush condition of the empire he left behind on his death 55 years ago. Indeed, the company paid for the gleaming headquarters with $500 million in cash.
Among the media giants, the privately held Hearst has been a famously buttoned-up organization. It is gaining a higher profile at a time when publicly traded companies like Time Warner and the Tribune Company are under mounting pressure from disappointed investors. Now, Hearst's ability to move in any direction it chooses without having to explain itself to Wall Street is looking more like a strategic advantage.
The company has been able to go stealthily about its business of running media assets that include newspapers like The San Francisco Chronicle and The Houston Chronicle; scores of magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and Esquire; television stations; investments in cable channels; digital start-ups; and much else. It even publishes Floor Covering Weekly and sells ketchup and grass-fed beef under the Hearst brand from ranches it owns in California.
"Since I became C.E.O. of Hearst, people have said: 'Do you like running a private company?' and I've said 'Yes,' " said Victor F. Ganzi, who succeeded Mr. Bennack in 2002. "Now I say, 'No. I love running a private company.' "
Mr. Hearst might also be surprised by the unexpected and ambitious directions Mr. Ganzi has lately taken the business. In March, for instance, Hearst signaled a move away from traditional media by buying a 20 percent interest in the Fitch Group, which operates the Fitch bond rating service, from its French owner, for $592 million.
A month after the Fitch deal — as if to show the company had not given up on its ink-stained roots — it announced a complex deal with the newspaper publisher William Dean Singleton, which would effectively result in Hearst owning a 20 percent to 30 percent stake in Mr. Singleton's company, the MediaNews Group, at a cost of $263 million.
Typical of the inscrutable Hearst style, both of these recent deals make the company appear to be a passive, patient investor in a larger entity. But Mr. Ganzi revealed in an interview that both arrangements carry rights of refusal and other provisions that would allow Hearst to increase its stake in Fitch and MediaNews (excluding a group of California newspapers it owns) and potentially acquire control of both businesses down the road.
"We are comfortable with our minority stake in all these cases and if it never changes we are comfortable with that," Mr. Ganzi said. In the case of MediaNews, Mr. Singleton, 54, and another investor, Richard Scudder, who is 93, each currently own 45 percent of the group of 55 daily newspapers. "Ultimately, I think there will be opportunities," Mr. Ganzi said. Mr. Singleton did not return calls seeking comment.
It is probably no accident that the new 46-story headquarters, with its geometric form, latest technology and green design elements, stands atop the medieval-style cast-stone husk of a six-story Hearst Magazines office built in the 1920's. The profile-raising new tower, like its occupant, is a melding of newfangled and nostalgic — a throwback to the future.
"As a business, it's a bit of an amalgam," said Richard D. Parsons, the chief executive of Time Warner and a friend of Mr. Ganzi. "They're able to think beyond quarter-to-quarter and my sense is they've been very deliberate and thoughtful about building a business that will be around for a long, long time."
Indeed, only one of the company's main business units, Hearst-Argyle Television, is publicly traded — and, as it happens, it has not been much of an investment in recent years. While acknowledging that his company is not immune to the challenges of the Internet or slowing growth at some businesses, such as newspapers, Mr. Ganzi said the company was loath to sell assets.
And while the company is assiduously private in nearly every sense of the word, it is not shy. Mr. Ganzi, 59, is known as a tough negotiator who recently took a personal role in tackling disputes with strong-minded media figures like Charles W. Ergen chief executive of EchoStar, which briefly took the Hearst-affiliated Lifetime Television channel off its satellite service, and Frank A. Blethen, a Seattle publisher trying to disentangle a partnership with The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, a Hearst newspaper.
Mr. Ganzi, a civic-minded accountant and Harvard-trained lawyer, joined the company as its general counsel in 1990. He was brought up in Queens, and his family has owned half of The Palm chain of steakhouses for close to 80 years. Colleagues say Mr. Ganzi is possessed of a photographic memory, and he speaks in precise rapid-fire bursts.
He agreed to a rare interview, given all the curiosity about the company's new tower, yet he declined to meet in person or to pose for a photo. When asked why, he quickly replied into the telephone: "It's quite simple. Don't take this the wrong way: I've enjoyed talking to you but it doesn't make the Hearst Corporation another dollar."
Mr. Ganzi said Hearst executives did not take their private status for granted, and regularly benchmarked their performance against other publicly traded companies. Despite the company's heritage — dating back to 1887, when young William took over The San Francisco Examiner — Mr. Ganzi said that 85 percent of the company's profits came from businesses that were built, started or acquired in the past 30 years.
Through acquisitions, new publications and the nearly obsessive pursuit of brand extensions, the company says it has increased profits in 13 of the last 14 years, and last year raised net income by 10 percent, to about $850 million on revenue of more than $7 billion. (Hearst declined to share more detailed financial information.) By comparison, in 1951, the year Mr. Hearst died, the company had earnings of around $2.6 million, or $20 million in 2005 dollars.
Hearst has been known mostly for its magazines but, while the company generates nearly 60 percent of its revenue from advertising, magazines are expected to represent only 16 percent of its after-tax cash flow this year. Its 12 newspapers and 28 television stations contribute similar cash-flow numbers. According to the company, Hearst generates nearly half of its cash flow from having invested wisely in cable TV channels alongside the Walt Disney Company.
In fact, much of its business is conducted in a maze of partnerships and investments more typical of European family media dynasties than American media conglomerates. For instance, Hearst publishes Smart Money with Dow Jones, runs a magazine distribution business with its publishing rival Condé Nast, and in cable channels holds 50 percent of Lifetime, one-third of A&E and 20 percent of ESPN.
All three of those cable holdings are close partnerships with Disney, which also uses Hearst to distribute its ESPN Magazine. Hearst-Argyle Television, meanwhile, is the largest operator of affiliates for Disney's ABC network.
In a similar vein, NBC Universal owns another third of the cable channel A&E, and Hearst-Argyle is the second-largest operator of NBC affiliates. NBC Universal also recently acquired the Web site iVillage.com, in which Hearst was a 25 percent shareholder.
The ESPN stake, acquired for around $170 million in 1990, has been especially lucrative. Hearst's investment is now worth as much as $3.5 billion, estimates Laura Martin at Soleil Securities. And Robert A. Iger, Disney's chief executive, says: "In many respects we're joined at the hip. We don't really intersect with any other company in the world the way we do with Hearst."
Hearst's marquee magazine business has long bumped up against the fancier Condé Nast Publications and the Time Inc. juggernaut — both of which outstrip Hearst's stable of 20 magazines in terms of ad pages and revenue in the United States. But Hearst has fought for a place in the top rank of publishers under the direction of Cathleen Black, its magazine president for the last decade.
Most notably, Hearst Magazines has pursued an aggressive international expansion of its titles (Cosmopolitan alone has 56 separate editions) and enjoyed breakout success with O, The Oprah Magazine, a partnership with Oprah Winfrey, started in 2000. But a Lifetime magazine fizzled and other recent lifestyle ventures such as Shop Etc., Quick & Simple and Weekend appear, at first blush, more cautious than revolutionary.
But Ms. Black — a champion of print for whom, it seems, the glass is not half-full but overflowing — said the company was constantly looking at ways to introduce and extend brands. "It's got to be something that parts the waters," she said.
Her current focus is online. IVillage, before being sold, was the exclusive Web home for women's publications at Hearst. Now, the company is hustling to create its own digital sales division and pursuing new Web distribution deals like one Ms. Black announced last month with MSN.
Elsewhere, Hearst's approach to the Internet has been typically idiosyncratic. Rather than running Web businesses, it has made some 35 investments in interactive start-ups that have included Netscape and XM Satellite Radio. Some of the company's recent bets — including the companies Sling Media, Brightcove, USDTV and Current Communications — reflect Mr. Ganzi's interest in capitalizing on new forms of distribution for Hearst's video businesses.
Since a vast majority of Hearst's 20,000 employees are outside New York, magazine staff members will fill most of the new tower's floors. Corporate executives and some other divisions will take what is left. The original magazine building, completed in 1928, was part of a plan the Chief hatched in his heyday — when he owned three New York dailies — for a gigantic media plaza. Indeed, its structure was built to support additional floors. Realizing Mr. Hearst's dream of a Midtown skyscraper has been under study for decades.
In his will, Mr. Hearst left an estate in trust valued at roughly $51 million to his wife, five sons and two charities (around $400 million in today's dollars). One provision of the will was that nonfamily members occupy 8 of the 13 slots on the board of trustees. Another was that the trust would dissolve on the death of the last grandchild living on the day Mr. Hearst died. Mr. Ganzi said actuaries estimated that to be some time around 2045 — too far into the future to affect the company's strategic planning.
Despite their codified independence, several people close to Hearst said Mr. Ganzi and other executives take pains not to be seen as getting in front of the Hearst heirs who are its shareholders. Today, some 60 descendants of Mr. Hearst's sons are among the owners and "remaindermen" (those who will inherit an interest) of the trust. Many of them meet once a year for a picnic in Northern California where, among other activities, bocce is inexplicably a favorite, said George R. Hearst III, a great-grandson of the founder.
George Hearst III is associate publisher of The Albany Times Union, a Hearst paper, and one of several family members who work in the business. His father, George R. Hearst Jr., the oldest surviving heir, is Hearst's chairman. The February issue of the company's Town & Country magazine was uncharacteristically familial: it featured the model Amanda Hearst posing at San Simeon, her great-grandfather's storied castle, in a cover spread.
While there have been tremors of unrest among family members over the years — not uncommon in wealthy dynasties—George Hearst III said in an interview that the family had been uniformly supportive of the new tower.
While it is not exactly Xanadu, Hearst Tower is certainly a major upgrade for many of the company's rank and file. With its soaring entry and French Balzac limestone lobby floor, the building sets a Four Seasons tone for a magazine business that rivals have viewed as more of a Sheraton.
"I've always felt that that is not fair," Ms. Black said. "What I do believe is fair is we've been a very profit-driven company forever. But there's a big difference between being profit-driven and being cheap."
The building has a gymnasium with fancy Italian equipment, which both supplies and launders workout clothes for employees. "I have to say that it's a lot more luxe than I expected," said David Granger, the editor of Esquire, whose staff is among 700 employees who have moved in as of last week.
Helen Gurley Brown, the longtime editor of Cosmopolitan and now head of its international editions, said she was delighted to be moving to a corner office with sweeping views on the 37th floor, leaving the fourth-floor space she occupies in Cosmo's current Midtown Manhattan offices. "I exercise after lunch every day on the floor of my office and I don't want to go clear down to the gym," Ms. Gurley Brown said. "But I think, on the 37th floor, if I stay down on the floor, no one is going to see me."
Hearst's executives say the best part is the culture that will emerge from gathering so many of their employees under one roof for the first time. Thus, for Mr. Ganzi, there is no contradiction in a media company whose bosses eschew public attention erecting a gleaming, translucent landmark.
"I'm less concerned about a statement to the world," he said. "I'm more concerned about a statement to my colleagues. It's a statement about our future as well as, I think, a statement and commitment to our past."


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Home » Business » Subrata stays in jail but Sahara accounts de-frozen
Subrata stays in jail but Sahara accounts de-frozen
Jun 5, 2014 533 Viewed Gautam Comments Off on Subrata stays in jail but Sahara accounts de-frozen
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court reiterated its "no money, no release" order for Sahara group chief Subrata Roy, who has been detained since March 4, but in a relief relaxed orders freezing bank accounts and properties to provide Saharas with the means to raise the money needed for meeting bail condition.
The court allowed Saharas to operate bank accounts, sell FDRs, securities and government bonds, which is estimated to fetch nearly Rs 2,500 crore. It also lifted attachment orders on nine properties for sale, which would fetch another Rs 4,500 crore.
However, the court said Saharas could not sell the properties to relatives or below the circle rate or the estimated price. Moreover, if there was excess cash from these transactions after depositing Rs 5,000 crore in Sebi's designated account, then Saharas would have to put it in a separate account. The bench referred the Sahara case to a three-judge bench and said this proposal would now be considered by the new bench. It also appointed senior advocate Fali S Nariman as amicus curiae. But Saharas' counsel Gaurav Kejriwal and Keshav Mohan fairly informed the court that Nariman had appeared for Saharas in this case before. The bench said if Nariman declined the assignment, then it would consider other names.
On the proposal to sale Grosvenor House hotel in London and two other hotels in New York, the Saharas could furnish the consent letter from Bank of China, which had advanced loans for the purchase of these properties.
"The fact that valuation reports regarding the three assets were prepared at the instance of Bank of China, shall also have to be verified and confirmed by Bank of China, especially because no sale of the assets in question can be permitted at a price lesser than the price at which the said assets have been valued by the valuers, who are said to be valuers of repute. Directions regarding sale of properties outside the country can, therefore, await the furnishing of information and verification of the facts," it said.
Refusing to release Roy and two directors from prison on assurance that Rs 5,000 crore in cash and Rs 5,000 crore in bank guarantee would be deposited within a specified time frame, a bench of Justices T S Thakur and A K Sikri noted that the total outstanding against two Sahara companies — Sahara Real Estate and Sahara Housing — have by now touched an enormous figure of Rs 33,000- 35,000 crore with interest.
Writing the judgment for the bench, Justice Thakur said even if the contemnors were released on interim bail after they met the release condition, "they will have to arrange the deposit of the balance amount, which again is very substantial."
Sahara welcomes court ruling, says it will be vindicated
NEW DELHI: Sahara advocate Sudip Seth has issued a statement in which the group has expressed its gratitude to the court and faith in its wisdom for defreezing its accounts. The statement added, "From November 2013 all bank accounts of the group, every inch of immovable properties and every gram of movable properties were frozen and … Sahara was not in a situation to get or raise even Rs 100."
The advocate wondered why the bail order of Rs 5000 crore cash plus Rs 5000 crore bank guarantee was given without lifting any embargos. "We are very thankful that today we got clearances of bank accounts and certain select properties. However, the fact remains that Sahara has already repaid 93% of the investors, mostly in cash, and has submitted all the repayment vouchers, receipts and other documents in original with Sebi, which Sebi has to verify."
The statement added that Sahara has to pay twice for one liability (double payment for the same liability) to honour the court order. "Actual repayments pending are around Rs 2,500 crore only. The truth is that there is not even one complaint against Sahara, while Rs 5,600 crore is lying with Sebi from Sahara. Of course, all money shall ultimately come back to Sahara after verifications."
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Home/Featured/Entercom's Alternative Format Still Spinning Its Wheels
Entercom's Alternative Format Still Spinning Its Wheels
Severe ratings problems in NYC, LA, and SF are the result of systemic problems with execution…
Update 3/1/21: I'm adding this note to reflect the considerable feedback I've received since posting this piece. Generally speaking, that feedback has come from two constituencies; The overwhelming majority saying, "Thank you for saying this out loud," and a second, very much smaller group taking some level of offense. This is not the intent. It is an attempt to ring some alarm bells at senior levels in an effort to course correct these stations.
To clarify, the idea here is not to debate artists, the value or lack thereof of TikTok, or the history of Alternative Rock Radio. The question is whether or not the ALT format, as currently executed by a major radio corporation, is actually viable. Apologies to any great radio and label folks who felt this piece was unhelpful. However, we need great radio — and these stations can be be just that.
The problems Entercom is having with its ALT format are mounting, with myriad execution issues resulting in breathtaking under-performance in major markets.
The January Nielsen ratings are in, and it's more of the same.
In Los Angeles, legendary call letters KROQ have become increasingly meaningless as the station posts just a 1.7 share – suddenly looking up at niche players like KCRW (1.8) and even Classical KUSC (2.1). Those may be apples-to-oranges comparisons, but direct format competition confirms trouble as iHeart's ALT 98.7 appears to pull away in January, posting a 2.7 share.
In San Francisco, the legendary Live 105, re-branded as ALT 105.3, is riding a 1.5 – 1.4 – 1.3 trend. Putting up a moribund 1.3 in San Francisco with an "alternative" format is actually not that easy to do.
New York's ALT 92.3 cannot get itself over radio's version of the Mendoza Line, posting another sub 2-share at 1.9. This, despite a cume of more than a million people and a programming strategy entirely focused on minimal commercial interruption.
The "two minute promise (no more than 2 minutes of commercials at a time)" pounded by ALT 92.3 should deliver what we used to call Time Spent Listening (TSL). But it isn't, so something else is going very wrong.
In listening to Entercom's ALT stations, there are dozens of execution errors that collectively account for their failure.
I'll focus on just two of the biggies: 1) Botched music segmentation, and 2) a lack of brand authenticity.
The Top 22 songs played on KROQ, ALT 105.3, and Alt 92.3 in the last seven days (courtesy Mediabase).
In reviewing the playlists of Entercom's ALT stations, it becomes quickly apparent that there is a heavy corporate hand in the decision-making. Further, some of that centralized decision-making appears to have been outsourced to TikTok.
The TikTok-ing of the ALT format causes a couple of issues relating to music segmentation — a lot of TikTok hits simply don't fit together. A radio segue from Clairo to a classic from Red Hot Chili Peppers basically frustrates two sets of listeners, and this constant flushing of audience is the primary reason for the lack of TSL. It's almost impossible to listen to Entercom ALT stations for more than two consecutive songs.
TikTok-ing has resulted in the importation of a steady stream of white-kid pop songs that don't have a lot in common with the idea of Alternative. Billie Eilish is lightning in a bottle. Much of the rest, while often quite good, will ultimately result in little more than a flash in the pan. ALT, as executed, is manifesting itself as a never-ending string of often name-interchangeable one hit wonders with a dash of career artists sprinkled in.
A music segmentation study could help solve this very disjointed sound.
Compounding the TSL issue may be oppressive rotations. Perhaps designed to address short bursts of commuter and in-car listening, 65 spins a week can wear thin quickly in a stuck-at-home environment. New York's ALT 92.3 played Machine Gun Kelly's "My Bloody Valentine" roughly 65 times/week since June of 2020, now settling in at just 4-5 times per day in 2021. After 1800 spins, is it possible that fatigue has set in?
A white-kid pop song approach to a radio format might be a great idea, but you can't pass it off as Alternative. The idea that songs that are omnipresent on a teen social media platform are also "Alternative" is incongruent.
Not to take anything away from Mod Sun/Avril Lavigne's "Flames," but three plays a day on World Famous KROQ? And 23 spins a week for 2017's "Dissolve" from Absofacto? How about a dozen plays of Gotye's 2011 hit "Somebody I Used to Know?" This, from the station that used to cause near-riots in support of bands like Depeche Mode?
The problems at San Francisco's ALT 105.3 (formerly the great Live 105) can be summed up by its 36 spins last week of Post Malone's "Circles." Incredible pop song. Also currently #5 at Adult Contemporary.
Houston, we have a problem, and the problem is branding. Every time these stations say they're Alternative they lie – and a big chunk of the audience knows it.
Great brands deliver on great brand promises. Telsa – cutting edge technology. McDonalds – consistent, cheap, ok burgers, great fries. Spotify – instantly gives me music I like.
A simple way to gauge the success of a brand is to simply ask yourself, "Why am I here? Why am I buying this?" You might answer with things like price, design, durability, convenience, new.
It works with radio too. "Why am I here? Why am I listening to this instead of something else?" When I ask myself that question of Entercom's ALT stations, I kind of draw a blank. I'm honestly not sure what the value proposition is.
ALT 92.3 keeps interrupting the music to tell me that they don't play many commercials. They then follow it with commercials. After the commercials, they tell me again. It's weird.
Until Entercom gets some vision behind its ALT approach, expect these stations to struggle, if not disappear.
Tags Alt 105.3 Alt 92.3 Alt 98.7 Entercom KROQ Live 105
Previous Virtual Promotion Zooms Ahead in 2021
Matt Butler
When Entercom stripped the Buzz branding from KRBZ (Kansas City) and removed Lazlo (who was a core part of the brand) from music decisions, I debated with a handful of radio "professionals" who said the branding didn't matter to the listeners as long as they liked the music. My counter was that the Buzz brand (and KROQ, Live 105, etc.) at their best had a specific stated set of values and principles that the audience responded to. "ALT" doesn't. It's a nebulous soup of everything – but stands for very little, and as a result, gives the audience nothing to be deeply passionate about. As a result, the stations become easily replaceable – because whichever cluster of music you like most, it's not going to satisfy you.
To borrow from an alternative classic, these stations are the son and heir of nothing in particular. Whereas the KCRW's and KEXP's of of the world make it clear where they stand – and as a result, are seeing ratings growth and people actually care enough to support them financially. I'm not sure what commercial radio plans to do about it or their next move, but I sincerely hope they have one.
Gaylene Runey
I MISS "my" DJ's here in Portland, Oregon. They made it personable.
I'm interested to see how, say, Alt 98.7's top songs compare with KROQ's.
Los Angeles is Brown
Lately, KROQ Los Angeles sounds like the playlist of an uncool 14 year-old white girl.
I'm of the opinion that corporate influence lessened alternative rock's presence in the mainstream and lessened alternative radio's popularity. Would you agree? It's obvious that Entercom is trying to revitalize the format for a younger audience, and failing miserably at that. But corporate attempts to "poppify" the format have been present since at least the early-2010s. Examples: the rise of pop band AJR to the point where they're a format mainstay, and in 2018 when Mike Posner was given airplay and artists such as Muse and Thirty Seconds to Mars cheapened their sound in an attempt to sound more like Imagine Dragons. Entercom is in a sad state but iHeartRadio and even Cumulus are nowhere near innocent.
As a bonus question, what do you personally think alternative radio should play? I believe rock should be embraced, not shied away from. Chevelle and Deftones both have great singles out right now that are available for radio play. Fontaines D.C., Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, The Dirty Nil, July Talk, Spanish Love Songs, Beach Bunny, PUP, The Regrettes, Bleached, Tennis, Real Estate, and Future Islands are all bands that sound different, but they all have alternative rock appeal. I think radio would benefit from playing artists like them. Would they all segue together in a radio segment? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it's an improvement.
Thanks for the comments. I think one of the points I failed to land in the post is that I'm not really trying to debate Pop versus other genres, my question is really more about whether the format that these stations are executing is actually a viable format at all. I don't believe it is.
I don't believe Alternative is dead, but I think we now have enough evidence that ALT is a dud.
Alternative likely has a much better chance of success with an older target incorporating artists such as those you suggest. Think 25-54, with a super cell target of 30-45, spilling up toward 50. NON-COMMs are pulling this off with their direct funding model from station members.
halloran
chevelle?!!
puh-leeeeze!!!
now, you're spot on with Fontaines DC
but missed IDLES.
Don't knock Chevelle, "Self Destructor" is an epic banger and in general Chevelle hews closer to Deftones and Tool (who play alternative rock but with downtuning to create alternative metal) than say Godsmack or FFDP (who are more straight-forward rock).
The fact that Chevelle made the Billboard chart at #37 and is one spot ahead of "Hot Girl Bummer" of all songs says a lot about the current state of the format and how divided some station's playlists are.
Corporate playlists are killing radio, period. Even the companies that once claimed to be "live and local" have thrown the towel in on local programmers and it shows.
Tommy T
The funny thing here is that Stryker & Kline is a good show. Funny, not hacky, and edgy for an Alt format. But as soon as they moved them in the K&B spot under those circumstances, I saw it as them setting up for fail. The company has talent but bad PR moves baking made over and over again.
Zekke
I second. Felt kevin and bean had their best days 10 years behind them and Stryker and klein were hungry and growing a loyal fan base in the pm. But they did them no favors. As an audio file I like them better than heidi and frank, woody, etc, but they were sacrificial lambs and with the unfamiliar music to boot. SMH
You are correct and Richard is spot on. Entercom is trying to change alternative to a younger crowd by adding TikTok songs and more pop music. If you look at almost any Entercom alternative Facebook page from DFW to Portland to Vegas you will see how unhappy the listeners are since the format change. Yes the ratings have dropped because if Covid but between syndicated shows and lack of real alternative music every Entercom station is tanking and will continue to do so unless change is made.
Mackenzie Haa
Appealing to younger people is important because otherwise you'll wind up like Active Rock, which is on borrowed time due to the lack of young people tuning in, and unable to achieve any significant crossover hits to pop (absolutely essential for keeping a format's vitality).
The issue is HOW Entercom is doing it. Format captain Mike Kaplan is throwing the baby out with the bathwater and going all-in on TikTok songs and pop music. If it weren't for the pop-punk revival movement gaining steam, Kaplan wouldn't be playing any modern alternative music (in a recognizable sense) on Entercom stations. It's too much, too fast, and too reliant on something nebulous, we don't know if any of the TikTok stars have any real staying power.
They also aren't supplying a true music discovery outlet for Zoomers. Entercom alternatives are extremely reliant on recurrent tracks. WNYL, for example, plays "Come & Go" by Juice WRLD 64 times a week. While recurrent tracks are an essential part of any station's playlist, 64 spins for an aging song is programming malpractice. Why "3 Nights" and "coffee for your head" are getting 30 spins a week is beyond me. They create a feeling of a playlist that's staid even as it tries to be hip.
Also, you need the veteran staple artists and their new singles to keep things stable and to keep long-time listeners tuning in in case the new artists and songs don't work out. Kaplan has opted to order the Entercom stations to NOT play these staple artists (Kings of Leon, Foo Fighters, Weezer, etc.). This does not only put an artificial ceiling for these staple artists on the chart but makes their absences from the playlist conspicuous, contrary to what Kaplan thinks many Zoomers do listen to these artists. They don't have a stigma against veterans like Millennials do. So the Zoomers are going to notice this, too.
Entercom Alternatives also have an issue with mixing the songs – yesterday they put a Rage Against The Machine classic, "Guerrilla Radio" next to "Come & Go" by Juice WRLD and "Bang!" by AJR. There is such a clash in sounds here, it's jarring.
Finally, the DJs are clearly being stretched thin. They're exhausted by having to voice-track for so many different stations. Their break-ins sound canned and uninspired, and definitely don't sell the illusion of being live. iHeart is guilty of this too mind you but their DJs are better at hiding it (and probably aren't being overworked as badly). I get that Entercom is in dire financial straits but the DJing is embarrassingly bad, and that is a detriment to the experience.
So Entercom's issues are 1. trying too hard to appeal to Zoomers, 2. at the same time being too tentative to alienate Millennials, which results in a playlist that makes no one happy, 3. jarring music transitions, 4. exhausted, demoralized, and uninspired DJing, 5. too much centralized control by one format captain who can overrule all stations nationwide, and 6. carelessly tossing out format staples that are needed for format and listener continuity.
It's a daunting prospect to fix. I do not envy whoever has to try to fix this mess.


text:
Railroad served plantation community
Hawkinsville is shown on this 1907 postal map
Hawkinsville was a plantation community seventeen miles from what is now Van Vleck in southeastern Matagorda County.
It was at a site on Caney Creek, where the rich bottomlands supported a thriving plantation economy before the Civil War.
The Hawkinsville Tap of the New York, Texas and Mexican Railway, which ran parallel to what is now Farm road 457, had reached Hawkinsville by 1903.
The community was named for plantation owner James Boyd Hawkins, who in 1840 or 1845 brought his wife and a number of slaves to lower Caney Creek.
They lived in a two-story colonial-style plantation house, the remains of which stood as late as 2011.
"Hawkins, family moved to lower Caney in 1840s"
Collegeport New Year's celebrations
EDITOR'S NOTE: We're following up on last week's stories on how the new year was celebrated across the county decades ago.
Collegeport: New Year's Day 1953
1st row seated: Lynda Wells, Margaret Bryan, Weldon Corporon, Carl Halfen "Spooky," Russell Corporon, Annie Nell Penland
2nd row: Mrs. Brown, Dick Corporon, A. A. Penland, Mr. Gableman, Paul Penland, Ruby Sanders, Clyde Ware, Jr., ____ Penland?, Sue Penland, Virginia Wells, Joy Corporon, Gerald Wells, Jr., Roy Corporon, unknown
3rd row: Gerald Merck?, Dorothy Franzen Merck, Mae Perciville, Vannie Penland, Mrs. A. G. Fitzgerald, Lena Carrick, Sherry Williams, Phyllis Holsworth, Ellen Franzen, Vick Gallaher, Prudence Gallaher, Lawrence Smith, Grace Smith, Billy Halfen, Juliette Halfen, Clifford Franzen, Della Braden, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown
4th row: Gilvie Holloway, Rev. A. G. Fitzgerald, LuEllen Corporon, John Carrick, Ellen (Emma) Franzen, Ruby Wells, Gaines Corporon, Dean "Deanie Boy" Merck, Jr., Roy Williams, Lynda Williams, Ethel Williams, Gustave Franzen, Ida Mae Franzen, unknown, Larry Corporon, unknown, Carrie Nelson, unknown, Fred Roessler, Dean Merck, unknown
Four times a year, the residents had special gatherings. Collegeport Day, begun in 1908 continues to today.
They joined with the residents of Citrus Grove for their annual Thanksgiving dinner.
The third was an annual dinner on February 22nd, to observe the birthday of George Washington, the father of their country.
The fourth celebration began on January 1, 1910 when New Year's Day was celebrated.
It continued into the 1960s and in 1926 was observed by only two community members who braved the weather to get together to continue the tradition.
The following articles give a glimpse into the celebrations for many year.
More information on Collegeport can be found at http://usgenwebsites.org/TXMatagorda/collegeport.htm
Local Santa letters from 1929-31 show different time
Area Christmas happenings in early 20th Century
An aviation-themed Christmas card from the 1930s.
A vintage Christmas card from the early 1900s.
Tidehaven students learn Matagorda County history on tour
Photos courtesy of Crystal Taska
A tour of Matagorda County Museum in Bay City was led by Barbara Smith (above), MCM director and Matagorda County Historical Commission member. Smith explains Rivers, Rice and Railroads exhibit.
Students in Crystal Taska's Tidehaven/Wharton County Junior College 1301 & 1302 History classes at Tidehaven High School in Tidehaven ISD participated in a Matagorda County History Field Trip on Nov. 21,which was sponsored by the Matagorda County Historical Commission.
Students toured sites in Blessing, Matagorda and Bay City.
Taska wanted her students to learn more about history in their own backyards, especially since Matagorda County played such an important role in the early history of Texas.
Thanksgiving updates from the '20s and '30s
Photo: americangrit.com/en.wikipedia.org
American football and Thanksgiving image from the early 1930s.
Palacios Point once hosted town of Portsmouth
Matagorda County Museum
The beach at Portsmouth.


Well this week we bagged an invite to VW's "Regional Tour 2015", where the German auto-bolters line all their cars up in a swish hotel with a roomy car park – in this case Buckinghamshire's exclusive Danesfield Park Hotel –and have a board full of keys to pick. It's like car Christmas, only without snoozy relatives demanding never ending sherry. So we had a fine selection of vehicles, a day and only Bucks' tractor filled roads to spoil our fun.
This "refreshed" Touareg started putting rubber to UK road in November last year, with a paddle shifted gearbox as standard. Inside it feels pretty luxurious, with 2zone climate control, digital DAB radio, Bluetooth and USB connectivity (via bizarre, individual Lightning/micro USB/etc adaptors), colour touchscreen satellite navigation with Google Earth mapping and Google Street View. Eight speed tiptronic auto hits max speed in 6th, with 7th and 8th added as overdrive ratios to aid fuel consumption.
Leather heated steering wheel with paddle shift as standard, keyless entry and start, touchscreen DVD/satellite system with 8-inch colour screen, 60GB hard drive, two SD card readers and Bluetooth support. Panoramic electric glass sunroof. Dusk sensor, rain sensor, automatic dimming rear view mirror, automatic coming/leaving home lighting function. Stop/start engine. Heated front seats with six-way adjustment.
This is the Switzerland of diving experiences, it's so neutral. The chassis is neutral, the engine okay, the driving position super comfy and high up with excellent visibility. The 262PS 3.0litre 8-speed auto sounds impressive on paper, but consider the fact it's pulling a near 2.2tonne kerb weight and it shifts without overly impressing and the interior is a nice place to be. It's strange, there's very little not to like here. But equally, there's little to genuinely please. It's nice. It's nice to drive.
We drove: Touareg R-Line V6 TDI 4motion SCR 262PS 8-speed auto tiptronic at £48,220 on the road.
Fourth generation GTi still based on the angular 2014 model, now with a new 1.8litre, 192PS turbocharged engine, LED lights, roof spoiler, automatic distance control (maintains a preselected speed and automatically brakes and accelerates in traffic), excellent new touchscreen infotainment centre and "Golfy" new look. It's now essentially the same size as the classic Golf GTi used to be. So if you're interested in hot hatch legacy, this is the one for you.
Touch screen, proximity sensing, 5.8-inch screened infotainment centre. Hill hold, automatic post-collision breaking system, automatic distance control and Bluetooth support. No standard satnav, surprisingly.
Stab the "Sport" button on the dash (it's a GTi, it would be perverse not to) and this is a grin-spreading little tyke. The terrier puppy of a turbocharged engine will take you to 62mph in 6.7, but it feels faster, and the ride is direct, communicative and hard in a way that'll keep dentists in Porches. But that's half the fun. The high revving, low end torque engine means it'll redline at 6,000 revs and run out of puff long before, so that gearlever will need to be studiously applied, up and down. But apply it well and this is endless fun.
Verdict: Great car, but just edged out by Ford's exemplary Fiesta ST.
We drove: GTi 1.8 TSI 192PS manual 5-door at £19,480 on the road.
Externally: new, streamlined shape with new LED headlights, tail lights and bumpers. Internally: new dash, dials and auxiliary instrument cluster front and centre, like a Ford Focus ST. New 280PS engines claim to achieve fuel efficiency improvements of up to 19 per cent.
New instrument cluster features chronometer, charge pressure and oil temp. Computer includes (tedious) visual gear change for fun-free fuel sipping. Stop/start engine function. Front and rear parking sensors. Touchscreen navigation/DAB radio with CD player, eight speakers SD card reader and Aux in, USB and iPod connection cables.
After stepping out of the Polo, the Scirocco's steering wheel felt like a dustbin lid, but it reinforces the fact this is more grown-up coupé than back road thrasher. We selected the top-of-the-range R variant with a transverse-mounted 2.0 litre engine put through the six-speed, paddle shift DSG gearbox. And immediately regretted it. On full auto you floor the right pedal and… the Scirocco thinks about it, checks its emails, then, explodes. The engine is brutally fast, but the auto gearbox is vexingly slow to respond. Turn it off and start flicking the paddle shift, though, and all that power's useable all the time. But for this involvement, the manual box is a more engaging – and £1,500 cheaper –alternative. Figure this out and the engine is responsive and pulls like chariot racer on a chassis that makes the Scirocco feel smaller and smaller the more you drive it. The UK loves the Scirocco –we're the model's biggest market outside China – and this will do nothing to dampen enthusiasm.
Verdict: Top, top fun, great engine, but get a manual, eh?
We drove: Scirocco R 2.0litre TSO 280PS 6-speed DSG at £34,080 on the road.
Europe's "Car Of The Year" for 2015 gets new engines boasting a reported 14 per cent better energy efficiency, a plug-in GTE hybrid (from October 2015), Active Info Display 12.3inch TFT option, 85kg has been shaved from the weight and a diesel BlueMotion will be available from July, returning an estimated 78mpg.
Keyless entry. Optional 12.3-inch interactive TFT screen in place of the instrument cluster. Front assist, adaptive cruise control, pre-crash system, driver profile selection, Car-Net info app support, predictive pedestrian protection, traffic jam assist: brakes, accelerates and steers automatically in traffic and trailer assist makes caravanning more fun/easier.
We spent a good deal of time being impressed by the Passat, but that's maybe more down to low expectations than anything else. We drove the "business" spec model, which will be the most bought as company cars, with the most used suit hanger. And by and large, it's great. There's surprisingly useable low end power, even if it does run out of puff alarmingly quickly and it pretty much goes where you point it. The ride is pretty much perfect for a family saloon, although the analogue clock in the middle of the drab interiored dash was possibly the saddest thing we saw all day. Plus, we had a true first world problem of Bluetooth syncing. Once the phone was synced the audio wouldn't work, and when trying to sync Bluetooth audio we were constantly told our phone was already synced, so couldn't be synced again. Annoying.
We drove: Passat SE Business 2.0litre TDI 150PS 6-speed manual: £25,135 on the road.
VW's first hybrid, this matches a 1.4 litre, direct injection, turbocharged 150PS four-cylinder engine with a 102PS electric motor, integrated into the gearbox housing. Somehow these two combined produce 204PS *scratches head*, but allow all sorts of driving combinations. Electric alone will provide 31miles of battery-fed range, at up to 81mph, you can drive petrol engine only or a combination of petrol and battery which adds the power and therefore the smiles. But the headline figure is a claimed 166mpg fuel efficiency with combined motors. VW's excellent, new touchscreen infotainment comes as standard, although the USB plug in for smartphone integration is four inches inside a compartment behind the gear lever and requires an awkward fingertip and fingernail push to get in. Duh.
Excellent 5.8-inch screened, touch screen, proximity sensing infotainment system with voice recognition. Keyless entry and start. Optional EV navigation identifies destinations within electric range and charging points. Parking sensors front and rear. "Car-Net" mobile support shows remote battery charging management, remote pre-trip interior climate control, vehicle status and vehicle trip stats.
It's a strange start up. Hit the start button and… nothing happens. That's because the GTE starts in all-electric mode, so we'd simply not realised the car was on. User error, see? You need to hit the GTE button or select a drive option – E-mode, GTE, battery hold (full petrol), battery charge and hybrid auto – on the touchscreen to get going on power other than leccy, but this needed explaining. Only once, mind. Hit the GTE button and you get the full petrol plus battery power and it's an instant hit. The Golf chassis is legendarily good and it's enormous fun to throw around country lanes. Although when the battery engine runs out of juice it's demonstrably slower, like someone's whipped off your Air Maxs in the middle of a run. But at just over £28k (including a £5k government "green" backhander, it's over four grand cheaper than the much-loved Golf GTi.
Verdict: VW's first hybrid. And it's a cast iron winner.
Volkswagen finally makes a hybrid, but will it electrify you?


text:
The Latest: Pakistan approves Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine
Churchill Downs (NASDAQ:CHDN) Earns Overweight Rating from Analysts at KeyCorp
Last updated on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 | 2021 MarketBeat
Analysts at KeyCorp assumed coverage on shares of Churchill Downs (NASDAQ:CHDN) in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The firm set an "overweight" rating on the stock.
A number of other analysts also recently commented on the company. 140166 raised Churchill Downs from a "neutral" rating to a "positive" rating and decreased their price target for the company from $185.00 to $180.00 in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Bank of America initiated coverage on Churchill Downs in a research report on Monday, January 4th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $235.00 target price for the company. Finally, Zacks Investment Research downgraded Churchill Downs from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Churchill Downs presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $191.00.
Shares of CHDN traded down $7.89 on Wednesday, reaching $204.19. 166,209 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 212,514. The company has a current ratio of 1.71, a quick ratio of 1.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.81. The stock has a market cap of $8.06 billion, a PE ratio of -84.73 and a beta of 1.37. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $197.66 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $169.76. Churchill Downs has a 52-week low of $52.90 and a 52-week high of $215.14.
Churchill Downs (NASDAQ:CHDN) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 28th. The company reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, beating the Zacks' consensus estimate of $0.75 by $0.44. The company had revenue of $337.80 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $288.12 million. Churchill Downs had a positive return on equity of 11.09% and a negative net margin of 8.99%. Analysts forecast that Churchill Downs will post 0.61 earnings per share for the current year.
In other news, COO William E. Mudd sold 6,000 shares of Churchill Downs stock in a transaction on Monday, December 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $202.97, for a total value of $1,217,820.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 271,552 shares in the company, valued at $55,116,909.44. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, COO William E. Mudd sold 4,998 shares of Churchill Downs stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $205.26, for a total value of $1,025,889.48. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 251,354 shares of the company's stock, valued at $51,592,922.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 4.28% of the company's stock.
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in CHDN. FMR LLC grew its position in shares of Churchill Downs by 13.0% in the second quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,532,338 shares of the company's stock valued at $470,331,000 after purchasing an additional 406,639 shares in the last quarter. Artemis Investment Management LLP boosted its stake in Churchill Downs by 58.2% during the third quarter. Artemis Investment Management LLP now owns 537,401 shares of the company's stock valued at $88,116,000 after buying an additional 197,601 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Churchill Downs by 26.6% during the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 758,830 shares of the company's stock valued at $124,312,000 after buying an additional 159,620 shares during the period. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can boosted its stake in Churchill Downs by 547.9% during the third quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 116,294 shares of the company's stock valued at $763,000 after buying an additional 98,344 shares during the period. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its stake in Churchill Downs by 82.0% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 114,941 shares of the company's stock valued at $19,075,000 after buying an additional 51,777 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 73.01% of the company's stock.
About Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs Incorporated operates as a racing, online wagering, and gaming entertainment company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Churchill Downs, Online Wagering, and Gaming. The company owns and operates Derby City Gaming, a historical racing machine in Louisville, Kentucky; online horse racing wagering platform, TwinSpires.com; and offers sports betting and iGaming through BetAmerica platform.
Read More: Total Return
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10 Rock-Solid Dividend Paying Stocks to Own
Historically low-interest rates have made it difficult over the last decade for income-oriented investors that want to generate safe cash flow for their retirements.
Dividend-paying stocks have become more appealing to income investors because of their competitive yields, the favorite tax treatment that dividends receive, and their ability to grow their payouts over time. While fixed interest rates from bond investments will lose purchasing power to inflation over time, the purchasing power of income from dividend growth stocks is more protected because companies tend to raise their dividend payments every year.
In this slideshow, we look at ten of the best high-dividend stocks that offer strong yields (above 3.5%), have consistent cash flow, and a strong track record of dividend growth. The companies in this slideshow have all raised their dividend every year for the last ten years.
These companies also have low payout ratios (below 75%), meaning that they will have the ability to continue to pay their dividend if their earnings have a temporary dip.
Stock prices will always fluctuate, but the dividends paid by these rock-solid dividend payers should remain secure with moderate earnings growth.
View the "10 Rock-Solid Dividend Paying Stocks to Own".
Analysts Offer Predictions for FuelCell Energy, Inc.'s FY2020 Earnings (NASDAQ:FCEL)


text:
K18 may refer to:
 K-18 (Kansas highway)
 Keratin 18
 Symphony No. 3 (Mozart), once attributed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Ok so I decided to go and let this dentist office check my toothache that I have been having on and off for about a year because after the last dentist visit I had at another dentist office, I said I would never go to a dentist again unless I was half way dying. So, after the visit and back and forth about which route to take I decided to have them extract 5 teeth and do a root canal and crown on another one. They said that they were going to do all this in one visit. I was like "THE HELL YOU WILL" all that in 1 visit....they must have thought I was Boo Boo the fool. They told me that they were going to do a oral conscious sedation. Now, those two words just didn't go together for me and I questioned it quite a bit. They said that I would take these pills an hour before my appointment and that I would not remember anything. I was like these people got me mixed up with someone else to actually believe that. Well, the day before I called and said that I changed my mind. Ms. Stephanie talked to me and assured me that I would be fine and I wouldn't feel anything. So, the morning of the procedure I took the medicine and let me tell you....THAT'S ALL I CAN RECALL!! Like if it wasn't for the fact that my mouth was sore I would not have believe they did anything to me. This was THE BEST DENTAL EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVERRRRRRR HAD!! I would recommend ANYONE with a fear of dental procedures to RUN TO THIS DENTIST OFFICE. I am 43 years old and I allowed my teeth to get to the point of NO RETURN because I was so afraid of going to the DENTIST!! And ON TOP OF THAT.....the STAFF IS AMAZINGGGG! Like this Dental office should be the STANDARD OF WHAT A DENTAL OFFICE SHOULD LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THE STAFF SHOULD ACT LIKE!!!! DR YOSIF....THAT DUDE IS THE BEST!! (And he smells AMAZINGGGGGGGGG) And when he talks all you smell is FRESH WINTERGREEN!!!! He talks to you so calmly and makes sure you understand EVERY OPTION not just HIS OPTION....he gives you the WHOLE PICTURE of what is happening with your mouth. If you don't give them a try.... YOU ARE DOING YOURSELF A HUGE DISSERVICE!!!!!! I am a patient for LIFEEEE!!!! My family will go NO WHERE ELSE BUT TO THIS OFFICE!!!!!!
I had a great experience as a new patient. My hygienist Rebecca was thorough in her work . Dr. Patterson gave me an excellent rundown of the work that will be required. Leslie in administration was able to run down the insurance coverage and explain my options. I will defiantly be returning since I did not have to call back for coverage explanations and the fees are reasonable.
The dental hygienist Rebecca Coleman is the best!
My wife and I both use Center For Cosmetic and Sedation Dentistry. They are totally awesome...from the dentists to the staff...everyone is so helpful and customer-focused. I don't normally do reviews but feel they deserve it totally.
I highly recommend this Dental office, they are very welcoming and professional. I was under sedation during my whole procedure and Dr. Kallu and his assistant Susy made me feel very at ease. Thanks to the whole staff for being awesome!!
This place has the absolute best staff. Dr. Kallu has been awesome and Mercedes always takes great care of my braces. Couldn't be happier!
After a bad experience at another facility, I avoided going to the dentist for years. However, the loss of a crown forced me to find a new provider.
The staff here was so nice and accommodating. They saw me the same day and actually improved the crown's fit. And although I normally suffer from awful anxiety, I felt at ease and scheduled an appointment for my first cleaning in years right then and there.
I braced for an intense visit/cleaning after years of neglect but once again, was pleasantly surprised. Rebecca, my hygienist, was wonderful, informative, non-judgemental and made my visit comfortable and easy. No soreness afterwards and I was happy to schedule my 6 month visit.
I'm thankful I found them and apparently have lost my fear of the dentist - no sedation needed!
Team is always courteous, professional and organized. Mercedes and Dr. Nurani are exceptional, always providing excellent dental care.
They took very good care in every aspect, especially Dr Kallu, McKenzie, May, Pang, and Mercedas. They make sure the patient is aware of all that is going on around them. Highly recommend them!!
Dr.Oh was great with treating me! Elena is an awesome assistant! I recommend all of my friends and family to come to this office! I met Mercedas and Alex they were so friendly! I look forward to all of my visits!!!!
Dr O. and her staff are very professional and top notch. I was sedated some, but meds I take for other issues interfered with the sedation process causing it to not take like it does. This wasn't my first rodeo sadly. They gave me headphones and gas to make me feel better. It was my fault not theirs. I was the difficult one, because I am a big baby. They tried in every way to take care of me as I braved on so the work could be done. My 4 hour visit only turned to 8, because they wanted me to be comfortable prior to starting procedure, it had nothing to do with anything done wrong by them. The Dr , hygienist, assistant and the office staff are amazing and always do whatever they can to make me comfortable. I have been going to them for over 10 years and each time I am treated like family, not just a patient I really love and appreciate you guys for even putting up with me. I apologize for being difficult.
Great experience. Very gentle and caring and respectful of my dental phobia!
My daughter had a consultation and Leslie and Dr. Oh were very friendly, informative, they both took the time to thoroughly explain procedures to me and my daughter and answered all of my questions. Made us feel very welcome! Thank you!!
Awsome for real, no joke.After going to Great Expressions and several others, finallyI got great service and not overcharged and upsold.
A+ on everything and i do mean everything and everyone.Thanks Audry from Publix for recommending The Center for Cosmetic and Sedation Dentistry.


text:
using ApiApp.Models;
using MongoDB.Driver;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Web.Configuration;
namespace ApiApp.MongoAccess
{
    static class MongoUtil
    {
        private static IMongoClient _client;
        public static IMongoDatabase _database;
        //public static IMongoCollection<ReadyStatus> _readyStatus;
        //public static IMongoCollection<Vehicle> _vehicles;
        //public static IMongoCollection<Amissed> _amissed;
        //public static IMongoCollection<Checked> _checked;
        //public static IMongoCollection<Topic> _topic;
        //public static IMongoCollection<Users> _users;

        static MongoUtil()
        {
            var connectionString = WebConfigurationManager.AppSettings["primaryConnectionString"];
            _client = new MongoClient(connectionString);
            var dbName = WebConfigurationManager.AppSettings["databaseName"];
            _database = _client.GetDatabase(dbName);

            //_vehicles =_database.GetCollection<Vehicle>("echecker.Vehicle");
            //_readyStatus = _database.GetCollection<ReadyStatus>("echecker.ReadyStatus");
            //_amissed = _database.GetCollection<Amissed>("echecker.Amissed");
            //_checked = _database.GetCollection<Checked>("echecker.Checked");
            //_topic = _database.GetCollection<Topic>("echecker.Topic");
            //_users = _database.GetCollection<User>("echecker.User");

        }

        public static IMongoCollection<T> GetCollection<T>(string tableName)
        {

            return _database.GetCollection<T>(tableName);
        }

    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
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Tor.com eBook Club
Re-enlisting in the Old Man's War
Mon Jun 19, 2017 9:00am 2 comments 2 Favorites [+]
I remember the first time I saw Old Man's War. It was in my local Borders—a good one, where the books mostly had their spines intact and the staff actually knew what they were talking about. I asked the science fiction guy if he'd read anything good lately, and he pointed me right at it. But I guess I saw that throwback cover art and thought "Heinlein"—and "early Heinlein," at that. The Heinlein who hadn't yet embraced free love and freakydeaky libertarian thought experiments. The one who wrote Starship Troopers, an undoubtedly significant novel, but whose John Wayne attitude to war had always rubbed me the wrong way.
I would eventually fall in love with Old Man's War—even though it is, in one sense, a love letter to Starship Troopers. But it would take some time.
Black Hole: The Slow Death of the Destination City
Fri Mar 11, 2016 10:00am 2 comments Favorite This
One of science fiction's strengths, relative to other literary genres, lies with its ability to extrapolate present conditions onto imagined futures, and to ponder what life might be like if today's open questions were taken to their various logical conclusions. This is not the only valid approach to SF—there is and always be a place for escapist fun, as well as "scientistic" SF and SF that transgresses boundaries with other genres. I've enjoyed books reflecting each of these approaches, and am certain to again in the future.
But that's not why I'm here.
Message Fiction
The Politics of Star Wars: Aftermath
Mon Nov 16, 2015 1:00pm 27 comments Favorite This
When Disney bought LucasArts, with plans for a proper sequel to Return of the Jedi, they had a major decision to make. See, over the past forty or so years LucasArts had solicited a sprawling collection of novels, comics, games and other media, which was called the Expanded Universe (EU). A lot of EU material took place after Jedi, and was probably solicited—and written—with the understanding that no film sequels would actually be made. And if they were? Well, that could be dealt with later on. But now that Disney had possession of the property, the question of what to do with the EU could no longer be put off. People wondered: would they adapt one of the more popular works of the EU, or start afresh?
The answer, as we all presumably know by now, was "start afresh." And in order to do so, Disney decided to kill off the EU.
Old Man's War
What's Next for the Old Man's War Universe?
Tue Sep 22, 2015 4:00pm 5 comments Favorite This
Art by John Harris
I started the summer by reviewing John Scalzi's new Old Man's War novel, The End of All Things (episodes 1, 2, 3, 4). Then, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the series, I re-read books 1-5. It was a great experience—one that reminded me how clever and well-written these books are. But, of course, the series isn't over: in fact, Scalzi's 13-book contract with Tor Books explicitly calls for more Old Man's War books. Only…what should come next?
To answer that question, I asked three fellow bloggers, who also happen to be fans of the series, to talk about the stories they'd like to see Scalzi put to page. They are: Fred Kiesche of Bernal Alpha, Renay of Lady Business (and Strange Horizons), and Martin McGrath—who I wanted to refer to as a "cultural critic," but who prefers to be known as "someone who occasionally writes about SF." And of course I add my own ideas at the end.
New Beginnings: The Human Division by John Scalzi
Tue Sep 8, 2015 2:00pm 3 comments Favorite This
This essay, on The Human Division, is the fifth installment in an on-going retrospective of John Scalzi's Old Man's War series. Previous installments have covered Old Man's War, The Ghost Brigades, The Last Colony and Zoe's Tale. The latest volume in the series, The End of All Things, is currently available from Tor Books.
The Human Division takes place directly after the events of The Last Colony—at a moment when news of the Colonial Union/Earth split (engendered by John Perry and Jane Sagan) is just trickling down to the lower rungs of government and military. Higher up, the powers that be in the Colonial Union are adjusting to the new reality, which is to say, no longer being able to rely on Earth for a steady source of soldiers and colonists.
A Fresh Perspective: Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi
Wed Sep 2, 2015 2:25pm 3 comments Favorite This
This essay, on Zoe's Tale, is the fourth installment in an on-going retrospective of John Scalzi's Old Man's War series. Previous installments have covered Old Man's War, The Ghost Brigades and The Last Colony. The latest volume in the series, The End of All Things, is currently available from Tor Books.
Zoe's Tale is a unique entry in the series, in the sense that it isn't so much an original story as a a retelling of The Last Colony from the perspective of Zoe Boutin-Perry. Zoe, as you may recall, is the biological daughter of the traitor and scientist Charles Boutin, who offered the Obin consciousness in exchange for a war to destroy the Colonial Union. With Boutin's death, Zoe became the adopted daughter of John Perry and Jane Sagan.
She also became a goddess-like figure to the Obin, who the Colonial Union have now gifted with the fruits of Boutin's research in exchange for a treaty of peace and mutual assistance. As such, the Obin insisted that the treaty include access to Zoe. The Colonial Union acquiesced, agreeing that two Obin could record Zoe's life and experiences (as well as guard her person). These recordings would then be shared with the rest of their species, who may have gained consciousness, but have had no experience of consciousness. Zoe's Tale thus not only retells the story of The Last Colony, but explores the struggles of a teenage girl coming to terms with being a something in addition to a someone.
Expansionary Ambitions: John Scalzi's The Last Colony
Tue Aug 25, 2015 9:00am 3 comments 2 Favorites [+]
This essay, on The Last Colony, is the third installment in an on-going retrospective of John Scalzi's Old Man's War series. Previous installments have covered Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigades. The latest volume in the series, The End of All Things, is currently available from Tor Books.
You may recall me rather presumptuously suggesting that The Ghost Brigades was likely to remain my favorite entry in this series when all was said and done. Oh what a difference a week makes!
Now, don't take that for a knock on The Ghost Brigades. I mean, that book is great for all the reasons I laid out for you. It's just that The Last Colony does an exquisite job of bringing the whole story together, is a wonderful story in its own right and even tackles some of the lingering issues I've identified in previous entries. But I'm getting ahead of myself…
Hard Truths from a Harsh Universe: Scalzi's The Ghost Brigades
Tue Aug 18, 2015 2:30pm 3 comments 3 Favorites [+]
Last week I discussed the significance, both literary and personal, of John Scalzi's Hugo-nominated novel Old Man's War (2005). Today I shift focus to The Ghost Brigades (2006), the direct sequel and second book in the on-going series.
Rather than continue the story of John Perry, 75-year-old recruit to the Colonial Defense Forces, The Ghost Brigades shifts focus to the eponymous special forces units—including Perry love interest Jane Sagan. Only Sagan isn't really the protagonist here, per se. But more on that later.
Old Man's War, 10 Years On
Tue Aug 11, 2015 10:00am 10 comments 3 Favorites [+]
["I did two things on my seventy-fifth birthday."]
Katherine Kurtz' Deryni Rising — Precursor to A Game of Thrones?
Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:00am 15 comments 1 Favorite [+]
Provocative title? Sure–and only partially true. But to the obsessive genre reader, Mr. Martin's unfinished Song of Ice and Fire series can often read like a collage of influences, drawing from a wide range of classics–often with the express intent to subvert or problematize. Or so it seems to this obsessive genre reader, at least.
Katherine Kurtz' long-running Deryni series, about the Kingdom of Gwynedd and its ruling elite, is arguably one such influence. I'm not sure how direct that influence is, but as I re-read Deryni Rising (1970) it was hard not to think of A Game of Thrones, and imagine the two books in conversation with one another. For example, an oft-cited attraction to A Song of Ice and Fire is its "realism," which is not to say that the series is "realistic," per se, but rather to note the series' embrace of hard-nosed realpolitik contextualized by a world marked by limited access to the magical and metaphysical. Tolkeinic it ain't, but Kurtzian it may very well be.
A Race to the Finish: The End of All Things by John Scalzi, Episode 4: "To Stand or Fall"
Fri Jul 10, 2015 11:00am 4 comments Favorite This
The End of All Things is John Scalzi's sixth foray into the Old Man's War universe, and a direct sequel to The Human Division (2013). Like its predecessor, it is being serialized prior to the paperback release, albeit in four rather than thirteen parts. This review series follows the serialization schedule, with an entry for each episode. However, whereas previous entries (one, two, three) in this review series have focused on the "To Stand or Fall," this entry will also draw broader conclusions about the novel as a whole.
Warning: some spoilers were an inevitable consequence of writing this review. Those who are spoiler-sensitive should tread carefully.
Return to the Source: The End of All Things by John Scalzi, Episode 3: "Can Long Endure"
Thu Jun 25, 2015 2:30pm 3 comments Favorite This
The End of All Things is John Scalzi's sixth foray into the Old Man's War universe, and a direct sequel to The Human Division (2013). Like its predecessor, it is being serialized prior to the paperback release, albeit in four rather than thirteen parts. This review series will follow the serialization schedule, with an entry for each episode. Two weeks ago, I covered "The Life of the Mind,"and last week, I reviewed "This Hollow Union." This week I am reading Episode 3: "Can Long Endure."
Warning: spoilers for The Human Division and previous episodes of The End of All Things were an inevitable consequence of writing this review.
A Surprising Interlude: The End of All Things by John Scalzi, Episode Two: "This Hollow Union"
Thu Jun 18, 2015 10:00am 3 comments Favorite This
The End of All Things is John Scalzi's sixth foray into the Old Man's War universe, and a direct sequel to The Human Division (2013). Like its predecessor, it is being serialized prior to the paperback release, albeit in four rather than thirteen parts. This review series will follow the serialization schedule, with an entry for each episode. Last week, I reviewed Episode 1: "The Life of the Mind." This week, I am reading Episode 2: "This Hollow Union."
Warp-speed Action: The End of All Things by John Scalzi, Episode One: "The Life of the Mind"
Tue Jun 9, 2015 11:30am 3 comments Favorite This
The End of All Things is John Scalzi's sixth foray into the Old Man's War universe, and a direct sequel to The Human Division (2013). Like its predecessor, it is being serialized prior to the paperback release, albeit in four rather than thirteen parts. This review series will follow the serialization schedule, with an entry for each episode.
The trick to doing a serialized review, of course, is to ensure that each part is judged simultaneously on its own merits and in terms of how it fits within the overall narrative. Thankfully I have some experience with this, having written a serialized review of The Human Division in 2013 (check out the first entry, or my final thoughts, if you are so inclined). But enough about all that—on to Episode One of The End of All Things: "The Life of the Mind!"
Warning: spoilers for The Human Division were an inevitable consequence of writing this review.
Message Fiction: Power Rivalries and Interstellar Cold Wars
Tue May 26, 2015 9:00am 1 Favorite [+]
Welcome to the second installment of "Message Fiction: Politics in Sci-Fi and Fantasy Literature!" In the introductory post I outlined a framework for analyzing the political messages encoded into SF/F, talked a bit about what I personally like and dislike when it comes to political messaging, and explored the politics of Glen Cook's trailblazing military fantasy novel The Black Company (1984).
This month we pivot from fantasy to science fiction, but retain the thematic focus on war and the regular folks who fight them—with an in-depth discussion of Dan Abnett's 2011 novel Embedded.
(Warning: some spoilers.)


The Super Bowl has been called "The Marketer's Holiday" for good reason. At $5 million for a 30-second spot, it's one of the highest-grossing media events in the world. And with all the hype around previews before The Big Game, it's become a frenzy to follow all the activity of the big brands before and after the game.
And while the Super Bowl is the ultimate in big brand marketing, there are a number of takeaways that would apply to a business of any size. Entrepreneurs can learn a lot from this year's crop of advertising. After all, marketing is a spectator sport, and 2018's spectacle was no exception.
So, advertisers stuck to lighter messaging, product benefits and sheer entertainment. Febreze is a great example. The brand reminded people who were throwing a Super Bowl party that there is a key ingredient that they shouldn't leave out.
Rocket Mortgage is a good example. The advertising quickly led to an online resource to learn more, and social media also kicked in to generate leads throughout the game. Since it's highly likely that, as a small business owner or entrepreneur, you won't be using broadcast advertising, it's even more important that you use a mix of media to spread your messages.
Verizon is a good example. The brand honored first responders by connecting survivors with those who rescued them — by having them place a call on the Verizon network, of course. Big brands don't own any special territory when it comes to finding an insight, and in fact, it's quite the opposite. Since small businesses are even closer to customers, finding an emotionally unique insight should be easier and more fruitful.
Messaging that makes us smile is much more memorable and shareable. So, try to find a sense of humor in the work, and the work will more likely get noticed. Amazon's marketing with Alexa is a good example — it gave us a good laugh as it simultaneously showcased how it can add value to our lives. You should certainly stay true to your brand indeed, but don't take yourself so seriously. The NFL certainly did a good job of that!
In order to be effective, messaging needs to be repeated to be remembered. So be sure to repeat over and over again to ensure message penetration. Tide is as good example. It owned the night with repeated variations of their "This is a Tide Ad." And guess what, the messaging stuck. Yours can too if you put it on repeat mode.


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Gentry County, MO Inmate Search
Search Gentry County, MO Inmate Records
Gentry County Quick Facts
Gentry County Jail Demographics
A Timeline of Gentry County Incarceration by Gender
Gentry County Prison Records by Race & Ethnicity
Gentry County Incarceration Rates
Similar Counties to Gentry County
Gentry County, MO Jails
Gentry County, MO jails hold prisoners after an arrest or people who have been transferred to the county from a detention center. Gentry County holds 1 jails with a total of 4,012 inmates. These correctional facilities have private cells for extremely violent criminals or controversial suspects. Gentry County jails are subject to health and medical restrictions and have to provide medical care to all its inmates.
Gentry County Population Total
1,976 / 22
2,019 / 5,270 / 106
Gentry County is well known for its Property Crime Totals, it has a share of 45.12% of all the crimes committed in the county - 37 Property Crime Total cases. Murder And Nonnegligent Manslaughter is the least trendy crime of the area with only 0.00% out of all the crimes in Gentry County.
Violent Crime Total 6 5 3 1 0 0 0 0 5
Murder And Nonnegligent Manslaughter 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Revised Rape 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Legacy Rape 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Robbery 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Aggravated Assault 6 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 5
Property Crime Total 72 43 48 34 23 37 22 32 29
Burglary 45 22 21 14 8 12 10 14 11
Larceny Theft 16 16 25 18 15 24 11 16 15
Motor Vehicle Theft 11 5 2 2 0 1 1 2 3
Arson 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
The county has 6,685 people confined with a jail population density of 8 prisoners per jail. When breaking down the population by gender, females are a majority compared to male prisoners, being 2,020 women and 1,992 men.
2012 17,849 1,698
The county has an arrest rate of 1,324 and a local jail rate of 198 inmates per year and a pretrial rate of 253 pre trials per 100,000 residents aged from 15 to 64. The jail admit rate for the area equals 2,870, which is lower compared to the statistics of 2005 - 3,387 incarcerations a year.
The average jail count for Gentry is 8 incarcerations in a day. The numbers have decreased during the last 10 years, when there were on average 105 imprisonments a day.
2008 10,743 76
2012 195,172 7,420
Gentry County MO Jail


As opposed to exactly what tv commercials as well as magazine advertising campaigns would possess you feel, you do not require the chemicals in many toothpastes, mouth washes, and other dental healthcare products to address gingivitis, periodontal gum tissue health condition, dry mouth, or foul-smelling breath. Actually, a lot of those advertising campaigns mislead you in to thinking that just gargling is going to deal with gum disease. Actually, the vegetation detergents, essential oils, vitamins, and herbs in organic oral medical products are actually usually more reliable in the procedure of gingivitis, in gum disease prevention, in dry mouth treatment, and in the everyday care from healthy teeth and also gum tissues.
Although most people don't produce the hookup, your teeth and also gum tissues can possess a remarkable effect on your health and wellness as well as wellness. Gum tissue issues, dental cavity, or even mercury fillings may possess a damaging influence on your health.
When your periodontals are actually healthy, they have a nice pink different colors, and don't bleed when you comb your teeth. Additionally, your periodontal product line snugly squeezes your teeth. However, however, gum condition impacts three-quarters from the population. Given that is actually usually painless, lots of people are uninformed that they have a problem.
The indicators of gum infection variation from hemorrhaging in the periodontal pockets; red, swollen, or tender gums; an ulcer on the periodontal area; gums that have pulled away coming from the teeth; as well as consistent halitosis.
Foul-smelling breath is actually greater than an awkwardness; this's an alerting sign that harmful germs are actually growing in your oral cavity. If you floss your teeth and also the floss reeks like rotted eggs, you likely possess gum ailment that is creating the hydrogen sulfide materials in your oral cavity to grow.
Likewise, dry out mouth is actually more than an annoyance; a constant absence from salivation may real accelerate dental caries and also gum tissue troubles since saliva helps always keep the micro-organisms and fungis in your oral cavity in inspection.
Natural oral health care products deal with the root from the problem, rather than merely the indicators. As an example, dry mouth could develop as a negative effects from numerous medications, or even as the result of a clinical ailment. Numerous commercial dental care products include booze or even salt lauryl sulfate, which could even further inflame and dehydrate your mouth. A refreshing, organic gel, on the contrary, may actually promote the salivary glands to make more saliva, which in turn will certainly help manage the micro-organisms as well as fungi.
Similarly, there are actually several products on the market that advertise a remedy to foul breath. Actually, most of these items consist of alcohol, which with time dries your gums as well as produces the issue much worse. Organic oral health care products stay clear of liquor and as an alternative utilize a mixture from substances that dissuades the development of the microorganisms that result in foul-smelling breath.
Good oral health care is actually a habit worth establishing. As well as, using all-natural dental healthcare items, you may be assured that you are actually doing all you could to deal with the complications you possess, or to avoid the advancement of gingivitis, periodontal gum health condition, foul breath, as well as dry mouth.
Dental Health & Nutrition Copyright © 2019.


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REVIEW: 'The Defenders' Episode 5 – Take Shelter
Chris Compendio
The One That Reminds You About the Supporting Characters
After a very dialogue-heavy episode, it was nice to start off this one with some high-octane action. The Defenders lack the cool team-up moves that the Avengers have, but no matter. The important thing that comes out of the action is watching our players show their character through their fighting style. It's entertaining to watch the more refined martial arts of Matt and Danny flow well with the scrappy brawling styles of Luke and Jessica.
But this episode reminds us that this is a psychological battle as much as it is a physical one. As a captured Sowande (AKA White Hat) reminds Stick and the foursome, "This is personal for all of us." Thus, our Defenders set out to protect their loved ones. After getting some time to develop the team, the characters briefly foray back into their individual worlds, with mixed results. it turns out, I'm not really big on some of these supporting characters.
First off, we have Luke retrieving Claire. Now, I've been surprised by how this series has been underutilizing Claire so far. You'd think that the writers would leverage the fact that she's the first one to meet all four of the main characters. I mentioned in my last review that I thought she would be a Nick Fury-type, but I guess she's more of a Phil Coulson, acting as connective glue.
Then we have Colleen Wing, who doesn't exactly need to be retrieved due to her fighting ability, but she is still devoted some time here. Her confrontation with Bakuto was a bizarre distraction; while the show has overall been doing a good job mixing the four shows together, this scene felt like it was branching off into an Iron Fist season 2. Not to mention, Bakuto seems a lot cheesier than I remember him to be. I found myself frustrated with Colleen in this episode; I don't understand why she was planting seeds of doubt into Danny about his new allies, and I don't understand if she's meant to have a bigger role in the story at-large.
Equally frustrating are Karen Page and Misty Knight, for separate reasons. The argument that Matt has with Karen carries very little weight. I understand that Karen is trying to move Matt away from his double life, but this is a superhero trope that I'm frankly tired of. And regarding Misty, her character has had very little to do other than move some plot points forward; she could be replaced by any other generic authority figure, and this series would pretty much be the same. On the other hand, I do enjoy how Trish has been somewhat active behind the scenes, trying to figure out the conspiracy behind the earthquake; she hasn't gotten nearly enough screentime, though.
Stick has been the most present supporting character in this series thus far, and we get an interesting moment between him and Matt. He urges Matt to basically lead this newly-formed team, an idea that he rejects. "You don't get to tell me who I am," he tells Stick. Meanwhile, Alexandra and Elektra have a similar moment, with Alexandra reminding her that her purpose is to be the weapon for the Hand; Elektra, conversely to Matt, is compliant.
But our villains begin to have some buyer's remorse for their Black Sky. After Murakami is attacked by Elektra, they begin to think that their new toy might have some defects. Alexandra is almost threatening to Elektra, warning her of possible failure. But the organization as a whole heightens their sense of urgency. Maybe their plan – this plan that I have still yet to understand – might not work; maybe their investment in the Black Sky wasn't worth it. It's hard to feel that urgency when what the urgency is for is still ambiguous.
Cracks are forming in these alliances, but the storytelling doesn't impress me so much. I'm questioning on why Elektra needed to be kept a secret in the first place; keeping secrets is a tired narrative device that creates unnecessary drama and conflict, like something you would see in a soap opera. Still, the parts I enjoyed most were moments reminding me of the characters' humanity. Alexandra seeks immortality partially motivated by her grief of losing her daughter, and the four Defenders are driven by some sort of grief or guilt as well. And I loved the final moment of Elektra enjoying Matt's bed – after all of this crazy action, it was a nice, calming, and almost sweet ending to the episode.
I appreciate that this episode had some movement. The chess pieces of the story have been shuffled about, but many of the pawns have been relocated into this Harlem precinct. Now that they're all in one spot, they have to come back into play for some reason. I just wish I had a better picture of where all of this movement was heading.
3 severed heads out of 5. This episode was all over the place, but it's good (and convenient for viewers) to put everyone together now.
White Hat doesn't look as fly without his white hat. Or his head.
Kinda weird to me that the "Fingers" of the Hand are doing this grunt work. Don't they have a bunch of ninjas at their disposal?
Danny trying to save Jessica and her telling him to get off is on-brand.
Damn, Jessica really punted that old lady.
Come on, do you really think you can capture the guy with super-strength and unbreakable skin?
"You are the dumbest Iron Fist yet." A lot of lamp-shading going on in this series.
I love Jessica's subpower of being able to wake up and knock out people instantly.
Heh. Stick with the "I'm blind" jokes.
"Maybe I got soft in my old age." Explains his somewhat out-of-character talk with Matt in the last episode.
Having the score done by Daredevil composer John Paesano is showing a bit; when Daredevil shows up in his costume, we clearly hear his theme song, while I don't recall hearing any of the other heroes' musical cues.
The shot of the dude with the juice after Jessica launched Murakami was super awkward.
Speaking of lamp-shading Iron Fist, thank goodness Misty called out Colleen on her weird habit of carrying her katana everywhere.
Daredevil being the only character with a secret identity mucks some things up for me. So the Hand didn't question who this Matt Murdock guy was in the restaurant, and now everyone loses their mind when Daredevil (as far as they know, a totally separate person) shows up.
Don't miss my review for episode six, "Ashes, Ashes", tomorrow!
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Tags: Reviews, The Defenders
Chris Compendio Editor/Writer
My mission in life is convincing the world that "The Winter Soldier" is one of greatest movies of all time. I studied screenwriting at Carnegie Mellon University, and taught a class about the MCU and its creative influences. I write opinion features and record podcasts about popular culture for my website @BadHaircutProd, I interned for Paste Magazine, and am also writing for Flixist. Secretly hoping to be the next famous "Chris" in the MCU.
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Check out the great video below showcasing all the fun that was had at NadaGras. You can even catch me groovin in front of the dj at around the 2:18 mark! Art, music, poetry, djs, dancing.
Ok well it's not downtown or in MidTown but it's large enough to report on regardless. As you know I occasionally spotlight new developments outside of the Reno core (such as Legends or Summit Sierra Mall.) This sounds like a pretty cool project.
Great Basin Food Co-Op will be having a holiday arts, craft and food faire this weekend Saturday the 14th from 2 to 6 pm at 240 Court Street.
Go For Broke Collective and the Holland Project have partnered for a 4th year to put on their favorite holiday market. In addition to the 25 local art+craft vendors, there will be a special Holland Editions Print Sale in the gallery.