text:
I just recently began eating meat again after about 2 1/2 years of being a vegetarian. I mainly went on this diet to set some personal limits on myself in my day-to-day life to see if I could do it. I lasted a lot longer than I thought, I really enjoyed the foods I ate and I didn’t really find myself craving meat or missing it in any way. Now that I am in culinary school it is important for me to be able to try and experiment with all foods, so being a vegetarian or vegan would limit that.
A plant based diet is not just a diet; it is a lifestyle. Those who live by a plant-based diet usually follow these principles in their day-to-day lives. The idea of a plant based diet is to consume as little processed foods as possible, eat whole vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, grains, seeds…etc. and excluding all animal products. There are a few variations of the “plant-based” diet.
- Vegan: no animal products at all including honey and eggs.
- Ovo-Vegetarians: includes eggs but avoids all other animal products
- Lacto-Vegetarians: includes dairy but excludes all other animal products
- Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians: eat dairy and eggs but no other animal products.
Some other variations include pescetarians, who eat fish and/or shellfish and semi-vegetarians who occasionally eat meat or poultry.
Vegan BBQ Meatballs
This week, I set out to make a vegan dish- I decided instead of just making a salad or roasted vegetables or something basic, I would make a dish that is traditionally made with meat, and provide an alternative to those who adapt a plant-based lifestyle. I made Vegan BBQ Meatballs!
Along with being delicious, vegan/plant-based food provides a lot of health benefits!
It prevents high blood pressure.
There was a case study done in 2010 by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee measuring the blood pressure of adults who ate a plant based versus and animal based diet. The Plant based diets were associated with a lower systolic blood pressure and lower diastolic blood pressure than those on the animal based diet.
It helps keep our skin looking youthful and glowing.
Not eating animal’s products and meat also means you are not consuming the saturated fats associated with these foods. Saturated fats clog the pores in our skin, which results in pimples and blemishes on our faces. This, along with the fact that many fruits and vegetables contain many of the vitamins, pigments and phytochemicals that contribute to healthy skin. For example, Mangoes, papayas and apricots are packed full of a pigment calls carotenoid which improves the colour of our skin. Carotenoids are stored directly below the skin’s surface, so this gives our skin a healthy glow.
It increases our fibre intake.
Following a plant based diet means that you will be consuming lots of fruits and veggies which are packed with fibre. Fibre helps with out digestive health, helps with weight control, and prevention of many diseases.
Enviornmental Impacts of Adapting a Plant-Based Diet
It can reduce our carbon footprint.
The Worldwatch Institue have estimated that livestock production is responsible for 51 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions! This alone, not including the transportation and the fuel used to grow feed this contributes to a very large carbon footprint!
It can help reduce our water consumption.
According to the Water Footprint Network, it takes 1,000 gallons of water to produce only 1 gallon of milk! That statistic alone makes you think twice about purchasing animal products.
In the direction that the culinary industry is going, being able to adapt to specific diets, intolerance’s and allergies will be a key to success. There are so many different diets, whether it be for religion, weight loss, ethical reasons, or even just to try it out and see if you can do it- people make these decisions and as a service industry, we need to be able to be flexible to make it work. On my previous travel experiences with my family, some of the best restaurants we went to were vegetarian restaurants. I think this is because the chefs must be able to utilize spices, the natural sugars and pure, natural flavours of the vegetables and grains to make a fully rounded dish. Being able to cook vegetables well shows the ability of the chef, and also caters to all audiences.
I chose to make these meatballs because I already had all the ingredients in my pantry! I have low iron, so I try to incorporate beans and grains into my diet as much as I can to compensate. I would say most households would have a can of black beans and oats in their pantry, and everything else can be substituted for or you can make your own flavour profile! I added paprika, cumin and parsley to my (meat)balls but you can add what ever spices and herbs you want! As for the sauce, if you wanted to add these to a tomato sauce that would work brilliantly as well, or even to a vegan stroganoff with cashew cheese and mushroom sauce! The only trouble I had was when you are making a vegan dish, you must avoid animal products all together. When I make meat balls with ground meat, I use an egg as a binding agent and I find that is very effective. I found this dough to be quite dry, and it could have used an egg. That being said, I would absolutely make these again! They were relatively easy to make, and they involved very little clean up!
Vegan BBQ Meatballs
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 15-ounce can black beans (rinsed, drained, dried)
- 2 Tbsp water (or sub olive or avocado oil)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup diced shallot
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 2 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flake (reduce for less heat)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Your Favourite BBQ Sauce (Vegan, if you like)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add rinsed, dried black beans to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until beans appear cracked and feel dry to the touch (see beans in food processor photo). Remove beans from the oven and then increase oven heat to 375 degrees F (190C).
Heat a large (oven-safe) skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add water (or oil), garlic, and shallot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly softened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat (and reserve pan for later use).
Add black beans to a food processor along with garlic, shallot, sea salt, parsley, red pepper flake, and cumin and pulse into a loose meal (DON’T overmix). Then add oats, tomato paste, fresh parsley. Pulse to combine until a textured dough forms (you’re not looking for a purée, but it should be semi-tacky).
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt for saltiness/depth of flavor, red pepper flake for heat, herbs for earthiness, or Worcestershire (optional) for more depth of flavor.
Scoop out heaping 1 1/2 Tbsp amounts and gently form into small balls using your hands. Add to a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Heat an oven-safe metal or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and sauté for a few minutes, gently turning the meatballs to get a slight crust on either side. Then transfer to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown on the edges and slightly dry to the touch.
These meatballs are delicious as is, but I went one step further and added some of my favourite bbq sauce to the pan and heated the meatballs in the sauce on high for about 5 minutes.
Kubala, J. (2018) Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Diet: A Detailed Beginner’s Guide for Healthline. Access at: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/plant-based-diet-guide
Tuso, P. J., Ismail, M. H., Ha, B. P., & Bartolotto, C. (2013). Nutritional update for physicians: plant-based diets. The Permanente journal, 17(2), 61-6. Access at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662288/www.dietitians.ca/mentalhealth
Ventrice, M (2015). 5 Ways Eating More Plant-Based Foods Benefits the Environment [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mediterranean-diet-meal-plan


(BrightPress.org) – Congressional firebrand Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) said on Tuesday, October 2nd that the only person she supports for Speaker of the House is former President Donald Trump. In a post on X (Twitter), Greene said that she’s exclusively supporting Trump for the position and listed a litany of reasons.
Greene claimed that Trump would end the war in Ukraine, secure the southern border, and stop the weaponization of government against conservatives and more. She cited his “proven 4-year record” in office as president.
She also pointed out that in the last election, Trump secured more votes than any past Republican candidate.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) called for a vote to remove Speaker McCarthy (R-CA) from the position and was able to secure a majority vote with all the Democrats voting in favor of McCarthy’s ouster. Some pundits thought the Democrats were going to rescue McCarthy since he had been so accommodating thus far, but they ended up voting against him in one huge block along with a handful of conservatives.
Gaetz had been threatening to call for the vote after McCarthy broke several promises he made with the House Freedom Caucus to secure his election in the first place. Greene did not vote in favor of firing McCarthy, however.
Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) nominated Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) for the role and filed the appropriate paperwork earlier this week.
Trump may be ineligible due to House Republican rules that state someone under an indictment for a felony with more than 2 years as a penalty cannot hold the position. They could simply change the rules, however.
Trump has previously said he wasn’t interested in Speakership after Republicans secured the House in the 2022 midterm elections. He specifically said that people “bring it up,” but that “it’s not something I want to do.”
Trump may not be interested in the position as it would occupy a lot of his time which he’d prefer to spend campaigning for the presidency.
Copyright 2023, BrightPress.org


text:
Nessen, Walter Von
(1889 - 1943)
Walter von Nessen was a German-born designer. He studied under Bruno Paul at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Berlin before WWI. After the War, he worked for architect Peter Behrens in Berlin and designed furniture in Stockholm from 1919 to 1923. Here he met his future wife Margaretta. The couple moved to New York, where they opened Nessen Studios in 1927, specialized in architectural lighting.

domain: history


This week, Beer Sessions Radio is heading up to Western Canada to explore BC’s craft beer scene. Jimmy talks to Brad McQuhae from König Brewing Systems in Abbotsford, BC; Rob Liedl from Applied Brewing and Malting Solutions in Vernon, BC; and Joe Wiebe, author of Craft Beer Revolution: The Insider’s Guide to BC Breweries, co-founder of Victoria Beer Week, and director of content for BC Ale Trail.
The group starts off with a brief history of Canada’s craft beer scene during the 80s and 90s. Rob takes us down memory lane with the crazy story of how he was introduced to Brad, who helped land Rob an interview and eventually a job running a malthouse in BC. In the early 90s, there was hardly any demand for malt, but Rob explains that malt eventually grew into a push-pull relationship as more brewers entered the scene.
Brad and Joe agreed that everything began to accelerate in the late 90s. In the manufacturing world, Brad has witnessed first-hand the innovations and trends overtaking the craft brewing scene, such as a steep rise in pricing for equipment, and the monumental move from direct fire to steam. Even in the malting world, Rob praises the extensive knowledge of oxygen in relation to barley that just didn’t exist 20-30 years ago.
For Joe, all the innovation and success became obvious when he found himself struggling to keep up with all the new craft breweries open. Unable to update his book fast enough, he pivoted to creating an online BC Ale Trail to guide visitors and locals through the scene, and feels confident that Covid-19 has helped breweries strengthen their business models. Rob and Brad are also hopeful for 2021 and the future, with Brad anticipating a very good summer and Rob envisioning another wave of the roaring 20s.
Jet Fuel IPA from Ace Brewing Company, Courtenay, BC
High Frequency IPA from Category 12 Brewing
Blue Buck from Phillips Brewing Company
Photos Courtesy of Joe Wiebe and Brad McQuhae.
Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!
Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast .


WD 2TB My Passport Wireless Portable External Hard Drive – WIFI USB 3.0 – WDBDAF0020BBK-NESN
This is the SD card slot edition. It’s great for videographers and photographers who want to quick transfer files out in the field without the need of a computer.
So far from my use, it’s been great aside from the slow transfer speeds from the wireless setting. Also, the speeds weren’t as fast as I would have liked or as advertised when transferring from SD and USB 3.0 to computer.


text:
1071 Fifth Avenue / +12124233500 / guggenheim.org
Sun - Wed 10am to 5:30pm, Sat 10am to 7:30pm
Jun 28, 2013 - Apr 23, 2014
Mar 13 - Apr 25, 2014
Frith Street Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of new sculptures, drawings and video works by Daphne Wright.
Mar 14 - Apr 26, 2014
Jorge Queiroz first solo exhibition in Berlin since 2004 and his first exhibition to focus exclusively on paintings.
Mar 28 - May 17, 2014
The core of Pae White's practice is based in the desire to insert the domestic into the space of art.
798 Art Zone, No. 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District / +861084562862 / beijingcommune.com
Tue - Sat 10am to 6pm
Apr 3 - May 24, 2014

domain: artistic


text:
(Please note: This is my weekly column that was published in The Goan on Saturday)
Mumbai is well regarded as the financial capital of India. It may sound clichéd, but it is indeed the city of dreams. It is a city that has hosted and will continue to host celebrities who’ve made their way into tinsel town from different parts of the country. In fact, Bollywood has elevated Mumbai to international fame with its entertaining films. So, when I go to Goa for a vacation, I am quizzed by family, friends and neighbours who are curious to know if I’ve met any celebrities during my stay in this metropolitan city. The answer is – yes, a lot of them.
When I was still in college, I had taken up an internship with a production house that used to make television series including Dill Mill Gayye. In between sets, I used to find myself chatting with actors from this soap opera. Aspiring actors and actresses would often visit the production house for auditions. Some, I recognized and made a conversation, but to a lot of them, I just delivered a smile.
Earlier, I would be excited every time I spotted an actor. I was thrilled about seeing them in person. Back home, these guys were only limited to a television set or a movie theatre. Now, they can easily be spotted. There was this one time I saw Arjun Rampal and went speechless for the next one whole hour. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
If you love hanging out around Bandstand, you should never miss the crowd that desperately waits for Salman Khan to come to his balcony and wave to the public. They hope to get a glimpse of the star for real, and many a times, a lot get lucky. In Bandra, it’s also Shah Rukh Khan’s Mannat that attracts loads of people. Come towards Juhu, and its Amitabh Bachchan’s mansion that gets captured in photographs along with happy, smiling faces.
A few weeks ago, I stepped into a beauty store and the lady next to me was a small screen actor. I spared her a glance and then another one. The second look exchanged a smile. It was my way of saying, “Hey, I’ve seen you on television”. The most recent celebrity encounter was when Imtiaz Ali entered the same restaurant as I for a Sunday brunch, and sat at the table next to mine. I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to smile, but I eventually did. The director initiated a conversation that was limited to the food we ordered. I couldn’t stop smiling, and spent all evening narrating the story to my friends.
You don’t need to be working with an agency to meet actors and actresses in this city. Often, they will be walking beside you in areas such as Bandra, Four Bungalows, Lokhandwala, Goregaon or even Malad. Most of them go unnoticed simply because they look like any other Mumbaikar. So the next time I come to Goa, you know I would have seen and met many more celebs.

domain: entertainment


New director hired to lead SMEGA
Published 9:15 am Tuesday, February 2, 2016
A veteran of economic development work in Indiana, Barkley Garrett has been tabbed to lead the Southwestern Michigan Economic Growth Alliance in Niles.
Garrett is now SMEGA’s new executive director — a position that came open when Joe Sobieralski left to pursue a job in Battle Creek in December.
Last month, Garrett stepped down as economic development manager for the City of Elkhart in order to take the position at SMEGA, a non-profit organization that promotes business growth in southern Berrien County and all of Cass County.
“It felt like this was a great opportunity to spread my wings a little bit and do something in economic development that I had not done before,” Garrett said, explaining that while he has worked at the state and city level before, he has never worked for a non-profit.
Garrett, who lives in Mishawaka, Indiana, is originally from Alabama and graduated from the University of Alabama in 1989.
He spent several years doing economic development work for the State of Indiana in both Indianapolis and South Bend before becoming the director of economic development for the City of Elkhart in 2009.
He said he would be tasked with recruiting new companies to the area, working on business retention efforts and helping current businesses expand, among other things.
“We are the problem solvers, if you will,” he said. “If companies have an issue they need addressed we should be one of the first calls that they make.”
Garrett said he would spend the first 30 to 90 days of the job learning who the area’s major players are and developing a feel for whom SMEGA can rely on as partners in the future.
“Economic development is a team sport,” he said. “While I might be out there running point on a lot of these different projects there will be a lot of other partners that I bring to the table helping me address the issues that come up.”
A meet and greet with Garrett will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, in the rotunda of the Niles District Library.
“I just want to get out and meet the folks,” he said. “I want to find out what we have done well that we want to continue to do, what have we not done so well that we can improve upon and what is some low-hanging fruit we can take advantage of.”


text:
Captain Kitty Posters
Captain Kitty Posters is very attractive and makes a fantastic wall decoration, this produce dimension is 12 x 16 inch and the price is $27.99. If you're trying to find out top recommended Captain Kitty Posters with uncostly price, the item is the outstanding deals for you.
Type: Photographic Print
Dimension: 12 x 16 inch
Captain Kitty Posters is relatively simple, relatively flexible, and absolutely intense. You have many options and price classes for this product or photo you might want to but and a stable search tool. The product is totally cool valuable photo & paper property. This is a very wonderful poster, it printed on very perfect attribute paper and its a fabulous piece. This includes posters with clear picture sure to catch human eyes, and Captain Kitty Posters for the workplace. To purchase any of this click on the picture, all transactions are sure with satisfaction guaranteed. Buy this to accentuate your print and make them stand out. The item is sweepingly repetition and excrutiating detail of each item outlined in the first few chapters. Keyposters suitable artwork has delighted untold a huge number of collectors on the electric network.


text:
OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME
food and lodging
While in Mexico, we will lodge in the Villas Las Campanas situated in San Juan Teotihuacán. There we will be treated to home cooked meals, incredible views, and a foundation in which to experience our journey. Though most meals will be at Villas Las Campanas, we will also experience lunch in Coyoacan, the neighborhood of Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul. This bohemian neighborhood is home to many restaurants and street food vendors!
Villas las campanas
We have carefully created our small hotel and retreat center for you as a place to feel at home while exploring the energies of the 2000 year old pyramids of Teotihuacan. We welcome all forms of creative expression in our art studio classroom and meditation salon. Our dining room cafe is in one of the oldest houses in the village where you can enjoy its colonial charm while sipping your cappuccino. Our rooftop terrace offers spectacular views of the 18th century church right next door and of the Pyramid of the Sun. Wander through our central serpentine pathway between casitas and the gardens of our property aromatic with honeysuckle, lavender and roses, beneath our romantic wrought iron balconies, and remember that peace lives in your heart and that you can cultivate beauty in your life.
At Villa Las Campanas, we have cultivated a sense of intentional creativity from the beginning. Both in the conservation of the original house where our cafe is and the construction from the ground up of our guest rooms, our intent has been to inspire our guests with beauty and refined energy, making this a place of vibrant creativity, growth of consciousness, dreaming, and open hearts. Our world needs you, your vision and your compassion. By building bridges between cultures, we believe that together we can heal separation. Villa Las Campanas is dedicated to peace and union.
Our guest rooms offer a peaceful environment filled with light. Our romantic balconies are perfect for cappuccino , reading a good book, filling a sketchbook with colorful ideas, watching the birds come home to nest at sunset, and evening being serenaded by a mariachi. Our cafe dining room is in the original part of the house, which is said to date to the 18th century. We’ve preserved the colonial feel with clay tile floors and Boveda Catalana tile and beam ceiling to accent the charming old thick stone walls. Original artwork by Emily K. Grieves hangs throughout the villa as an invitation to our guests to explore their own creative expression.
More Info about Villas:
Villa Las Campanas is situated in the “Plazuela” of the center of San Sebastian Xolalpa in Teotihuacan with beautiful views of the charming historic village church built in 1735. The café/dining room is in original house, which is considered to be the oldest house in the village, and we’ve worked hard to conserve and restore it to its original charm, featuring impressive stone walls, clay tile floors and a classic “boveda” ceiling of clay tile and wood beams.
The spacious art studio, meditation salon, and rooftop terrace rise above the original house. The rooftop terrace is covered with wood and tile, making it the perfect space to enjoy a cup of coffee, a gathering or meeting, or even to set up easels to enjoy the extraordinary views of the church to the South and the Pyramid of the Sun to the North. The studio can also be used as a meeting room.
The art studio has been designed with careful intention to serve all of your creative work and play. There is table seating for 15, and the space can be reorganized to completely fit your needs – painting, journaling, writing, print-making… We have 8 easels. The studio has 2 utility sinks, and everything you’d need for painting: water jars, aprons, palettes, rags, paper towels, communal brushes, palette knives, charcoal, pencils, etc. all the basics. Just bring your own paint, medium, and favorite brushes! We can order canvas, paper and other materials for you with advance notice.
Breakfast, comida, and cena are included in group packages. Additional specialties are available for purchase, including alcoholic beverages and coffee drinks/cappuccinos. Enjoy homemade meals made fresh daily in our house kitchen and served in our classic colonial style café/dining room or on our rooftop terrace. Vegetarian meals available (PLEASE let us know in advance for any special dietary needs). You can also enjoy relaxing in our “secret” garden adjacent to the main building.
There is unlimited purified bottled water available. Purified water is served in a pitcher with glass in guest rooms and from a dispenser in the dining room and studio. In an effort to cut down on plastics use, we don’t provide single-use water bottles. We suggest you bring your own refillable bottle (ie kleen canteen) or purchase one from the house.

domain: travel


A friend of mine and myself will be building an ~800hp 427 (stroked 351) with EFI that will be extensively dynoed on the engine dyno to work out the bugs. It will then be chassis dynoed after it is in the car with the racing C4 attached. I am looking forward to seeing the numbers and the true powerloss through the transmission and drivetrain.
It really varies from car to car. rjcuise car was 15.5% loss thru a 4 speed and 8" rear. Other 4 speed cars with 9" rears have been as much as 20% (537 FWHP vs 428 RWHP). 9" rears use more power than 8" rears. My car was a C4 with a 9" rear and RWHP was 315. Then I converted to a T5z and now it's 345 (some other minor mods may have been responsible for a few of those HP). T5z is more efficient than a toploader so maybe the loss is something like 15% with a 9" rear. C4 and 9" rear loss was probably more like 22%. An AOD is more efficient than a C4 I believe so 20% may be a good estimate for a car with a 9" rear...possibly less for a 8" rear equipped car. 25% sounds like a lot of loss for your car.
All of this is just estimates unfortunately since I never had a engine dyno. Don't you just love direct answers...LOL ::
The thing I find puzzling about parasitic loss is how that percentage stays mostly constant regardless of the engine's power. You would think it takes a given amount of power to turn the accessories, the trans, and the rear gear. Let's say it takes 40HP to move all that, so that a 200 crank HP engine shows 160 to the wheels. Now if you dropped a 500HP mill in that same car, it won't make 460HP (500 crank - 40 drivetrain loss). It will likely make about 400 at the wheels, turning the same accessories, the trans, and the rear gear.
I don't confess to understand why.


text:
Anat Admati on banks’ need for more capital, better regulation
In 2010, Jon Corzine, CEO of MF Global, revamped the company into a riskier full-service brokerage firm. But his vision came unstuck in October 2011, when Moody’s downgraded it to junk status because of large bets MF Global had taken on the bonds of some of Europe’s most indebted nations, causing the firm to fail. This week, a federal judge said he will allow a lawsuit seeking to hold Corzine and other MF Global executives responsible for the brokerage's collapse. Erin Ade reports. Then, it’s seven years this week since the financial crisis started with British bank HSBC’s shock announcement of large bad debt on subprime US mortgages. Erin elicits pointed commentary from Stanford Finance and Economics Professor Anat Admati on bank capital, bank regulation and shadow banking. In Big Deal, Erin and Edward Harrison discuss the questionable $13 billion Justice Department deal with JPMorgan Chase over bad mortgage loans.
Check us out on Facebook

domain: finance


text:
Now that Program 15's inaugural International Week event is over, it's time to take a look at video of every player's performance from the three-game series.
The following clips are video of every pitch by Alberto Gonzalez III, who is uncommitted
Lead Writer at New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series
Mike Ashmore is a veteran baseball writer with 15 years experience in the business.He's covered the last four World Series, and has also worked everything ranging from the MLB All-Star Game to the World Baseball Classic.In addition to his role working for Program 15, the 34-year-old New Jersey native currently serves as the beat writer of the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League as well as national hockey writer and New York Giants beat reporter for The Trentonian.Ashmore has worked the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup Final, Frozen Four, Daytona 500, major UFC events and much more as he approaches 2,000 games covered in his career.
Latest posts by Mike Ashmore (see all)
- VIDEO: 2018 Program 15 International Week — Daniel Espino (LSU) - September 8, 2018
- VIDEO: 2018 Program 15 International Week — Mick Abel (Oregon State) - September 8, 2018
- VIDEO: 2018 Program 15 International Week — Glenallen Hill, Jr. (Arizona State) - September 8, 2018

domain: sports


text:
Discover stories that matter to you, from readers like you. Goodreads is the world's largest community of readers.
Find new and interesting books by browsing personalized recommendations based on books you've read and your favorite genres. See what your friends are reading, write book reviews, and keep track of what you want to read. Goodreads is a free service for book tracking, recommendations and reviews.
Use our barcode scanner the next time you are in a bookstore. Add the book in your hands to your "Want To Read" shelf and browse reviews before buying.
• Get personalized recommendations and discover new books based on your tastes.
• Goodreads Choice Awards: vote for your favorite books of the year and see the winners!
• Participate in the Reading Challenge!
• Book cover and barcode scanner!
• Keep a want-to-read list.
• See book reviews and updates from your friends.
• Discover new books and explore popular book lists.
• Rate and review books you read.
• Share notes and progress updates as you read.
• Recommend books to friends.
• Join online book clubs and connect with other readers.
This release includes several app improvements and bug fixes!
Ratings and Reviews
Perfect for book lovers or casual readers.
I usually never write reviews, but my life as a reader was totally changed after finding this app. I love books and always have, but life keeps you busy and you end up putting things aside. Well, this app has helped me find so many books I NEED to read, and it has helped me rediscover my love for reading! I really can’t think of anything to improve. I love the layout. I love the ability to make “shelves” to save books. It even lets you track the progress of books you’re reading. You can read your friends reviews or any reviews in general. I also love that they have a vote at the end of the year (or beginning, I can’t remember) for best books in SEVERAL genres and also have best of the best and whatnot. Browsing books by categories is also great because it’s helping me find different kinds of books so my reading list can be more diverse. The only complaint I have (which actually isn’t a real complaint) is that every time I click on this app, I find a million more books I want to read and there’s no way I can read them all in my lifetime.
Hi Goodreads. PLEASE ADD THESE THINGS
This app is wonderful. It is almost perfect. BUT every person I’ve talked to who uses Goodreads have all been in agreement it would be a GAME CHANGER if these were added:
1) A 0.5 star option. It sounds silly but it can be so frustrating deciding if a book it 4 or 5 stars. If there was a 4.5 option for example, I think all my life problems would be solved.
2) Private ratings. I’m sure if you’re an app developer you know of Letterboxd, and for me personally, if some similar features could be added to Goodreads that would make it just *chefs kiss*. For example: one of my favorite things about Letterboxd is how your ratings don’t account to a larger average rating for a movie (but in this case it would be a book). You can rate a movie and write your OWN review describing how that movie fit into your personal taste. I would love to see this on Goodreads in a way in which I could do a private review (almost like a personal diary) rather than a public rating. Sometimes i’ll read a book and recognize it’s objectively a great book, but I might give it two starts because maybe that sub-genre of fantasy romance wasn’t up my alley, so maybe that review would be nice to have in a personal journal rather than a public one because my review is sort of niche. I hope this makes sense. :))) I LOVE THIS APP!!!
I don't have room in my house for a bookcase nor do I have enough money to buy all the books I love and display them in my house. Therefore, when I found goodreads I found the perfect way to create a digital bookcase with reviews and all! I simply adore it :)
My only wish would be a DNF category aside from the usual ones (i.e.- "Currently Reading", "To Read", "Read"). Right now I have a handful of books on my "Read" list even though I didn't finish them. I hate taking credit for reading a book when I didn't but if I take it off my list I'll forget I tried it and try to read it later.
In addition, I read many books via audiobooks and I want to update my progress under “currently reading” but I have no way of knowing what page I’m on and typing in the percentage is a pure guess. In order for this to be more accurate to where I am in the book, it might be nice to have a category that tracks what chapter or minute you’re on. If this was the case I would have a more comprehensive view of my progress throughout the read. Other than these two small tweaks I love it!
Developer Response ,
Thanks for your feedback. In this case, I'd suggest creating a DNF shelf and making it "exclusive," which will allow you to bypass the default shelves ("read", "currently-reading", and "to-read"). Books added to exclusive shelves cannot be added to other exclusive shelves (like "read"), but they can still be added to any of your non-exclusive custom shelves. Here's how to make a shelf exclusive:
1. Click on My Books in the header.
2. Click on "edit" next to the "Bookshelves" header on the left.
3. Find the shelf you'd like to make exclusive on your list of shelves, and click on the checkbox beneath "exclusive."
As a work around to track your progress for audiobooks, simply divide your current audiobook progress in hours into the total length of the audiobook to work out your %. For example, if you're 3 hours into an 8 hour audiobook, you have made 38% progress (3/8 = 37.5%, rounded up to 38%).
Hope this helps!
Data Linked to You
The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:
- Contact Info
- User Content
- Search History
- Usage Data
- Sensitive Info
- Other Data
Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More
- Goodreads, Inc
- 65.4 MB
- Requires iOS 14.0 or later.
- Requires iPadOS 14.0 or later.
- iPod touch
- Requires iOS 14.0 or later.
- Age Rating
- 12+ Infrequent/Mild Sexual Content and Nudity
- © 2010 - 2021 Goodreads Inc.
With Family Sharing set up, up to six family members can use this app.

domain: literature


ROSTOV-ON-DON, August 4 (RIA Novosti) – More than 400 Ukrainian military personnel requested refugee status from Russian border guards on Monday and Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has opened a corridor for the soldiers, a spokesman for the border control agency told RIA Novosti.
“Overnight 438 Ukrainian military personnel turned to Russian border guards with a request for refugee [status],” the head of the FSB’s border control in the southern Russian region of Rostov, Vasily Malaeyev, said.
Border control authorities have opened a humanitarian corridor and have allowed refugees into Russia. Among the 438 personnel, 164 are employees of Ukraine’s State Border Service.
Fierce battles in Ukraine’s southeastern regions have not abated since mid-April when Kiev officials announced the beginning of a special operation against local independence supporters. As a result, many Ukrainian servicemen left their military posts to cross into Russia.
On Sunday, 12 soldiers from the Ukrainian Armed Forces made it into Russia and applied for an asylum at Gukovo checkpoint in Russia’s Rostov Region, saying they had run out of food and ammunition.
Last month, another 40 Ukrainian troops abandoned their military units and asked independence supporters to allow them to come to Russia in order not to fight against their own people.


text:
Investigators return to Bristol lake for second day
By WFSB Staff
BRISTOL, CT (WFSB) -
The State Police Dive Team searched a local lake for the second day in a row to find evidence in the murder case involving Aaron Hernandez.
The five-man dive team, which was acting on a tip, searched Pine Lake on Tuesday, which is 2 miles away from the home owned by Aaron Hernandez's uncle, for the murder weapon used in the death of Odin Lloyd.
The dive team members wore scuba gear and searched the 54-acre pond using metal detectors, two-way communication and ropes.
Bristol detectives said they received a tip that the gun used in the crime could be somewhere in the lake.
Hernandez, who is a Bristol native, pleaded not guilty to murder, but Massachusetts police said he orchestrated the death of Lloyd, who was killed in June.
Lloyd's body was found in June not far from Hernandez's Massachusetts home,
Police have still not been able to find the .45-caliber Glock used to kill Lloyd.
Divers spent several hours searching the murky waters Monday and drew a crowd of onlookers throughout the day Tuesday.
"I don't know what to make of it," said local resident Todd Cassile. "If he's innocent, innocent, if guilty, I hope they get what they're looking for, so the family can have some closure."
According to investigators, Carlos Ortiz and Ernest Wallace, two men facing charges also in connection to Lloyd's death, returned to Hernandez's uncle's Bristol home one day later after the murder.
The same home has been searched three times. During the search, one warrant revealed an SUV, sought in connection to a double homicide in Boston, was rented in Hernandez's name.
"It seems to be there is evidence there," said local resident Glen Nelson. "But you never know. It's sad."
Police said the search could take several more days.
Copyright 2013 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
Sunday, April 20 2014 8:36 AM EDT2014-04-20 12:36:44 GMT
A man got stuck in a porthole at bar in Essex early Sunday morning, authorities confirmed. Few details were provided, but an unidentified man got stuck at the Black Seal on Main Street around 1 a.m. TheMore >
A man got stuck in a porthole at bar in Essex early Sunday morning, authorities confirmed.More >
Sunday, April 20 2014 6:29 AM EDT2014-04-20 10:29:32 GMT
A man has been arrested for murder after a female was found strangled in New Britain early Saturday morning. Luis Velez, 41, of New Britain, was identified as a possible suspect. At about 2:18 a.m.,More >
A man has been arrested after a female was found strangled in New Britain early Saturday morning.More >
Saturday, April 19 2014 12:22 PM EDT2014-04-19 16:22:14 GMT
A man was shot after he refused to move his car out of the way of a driveway belonging to a homeowner in Hartford. According to police, two people were sitting in cars talking when the homeowner returned.More >
A man was shot after he refused to move his car out of the way of a driveway belonging to a homeowner in Hartford. More >
Friday, April 18 2014 10:35 AM EDT2014-04-18 14:35:55 GMT
Connecticut lawmakers have proposed new bill that would ban whole milk from day care centers. The plan is being considered to improve nutrition standards among children and reduce obesity.The AmericanMore >
Connecticut lawmakers have proposed new bill that would ban whole milk from daycare centers. The plan is being considered to improve nutrition standards among children and reduce obesity.More >
Sunday, April 20 2014 1:26 PM EDT2014-04-20 17:26:08 GMT
A hiker was injured while hiking Ragged Mountain in Southington Sunday morning, police said.The Life Star medical helicopter was called to take the unidentified hiker to the hospital around 11:30 a.m.More >
A male climber was seriously injured after falling while climbing at Ragged Mountain in Southington on Sunday morning, fire officials said.More >
Sunday, April 20 2014 8:12 AM EDT2014-04-20 12:12:51 GMT
Police in East Hartford are investigating after a pedestrian was struck and killed in a three-car crash Saturday afternoon. Crash happened near Forbes Street and Silver Lane around 12:30 p.m. PoliceMore >
Police in East Hartford are investigating after a pedestrian was struck and killed in a three-car crash Saturday morning.More >
Sunday, April 20 2014 1:49 PM EDT2014-04-20 17:49:55 GMT
Food left cooking on the stove is believed to have caused a fire at an apartment in Willimantic that left 12 people displaced on Easter Sunday.Firefighters were called to a structure fire at 16 ChapmanMore >
Food left cooking on the stove is believed to have caused a fire at an apartment in Willimantic that left 12 people displaced on Easter Sunday.More >
Saturday, April 19 2014 6:02 PM EDT2014-04-19 22:02:04 GMT
A couple from Ledyard got married this afternoon in front of their home that was destroyed in a fire last week. Last Monday, Megan Hunley and Brian Osborne were forced to run from their burning homeMore >
A couple from Ledyard got married this afternoon in front of their home that was destroyed in a fire last week.More >

domain: law


text:
Get involved: Send your news, views, pictures and video by texting SUPIC to 80360 or email us.
Thatched roof of East Preston home near Littlehampton destroyed by fire
7:41am Monday 20th January 2014 in News
A thatched roof has been destoryed by fire at a home in East Preston near Littlehampton.
The blaze happened in the last night at a house in Tamarisk Way.
Firefighters were called at 8.30pm to the address and discovered the roof on fire.
Up to ten appliances were on the scene at one point tackling the inferno and two crews are still at the scene.
No one was injured in the fire.
- Busy junction plunged into darkness due to substation fire
- Your interview: Richard Robinson, Brighton Science Festival
- Eco activists heading to Lewes to 'reclaim the power'
- Council committee members trapped in library and staff went home
- Man spends months building marvels with Meccano
Comments are closed on this article.

domain: news


text:
Interracial lovers are commonplace in modern society. You can’t acquire a article or turn on the TV with no seeing these people. Interracial relationships have become more popular since the 1967 Loving sixth is v. Virginia decision when the Substantial Court dominated laws banning interracial marriage had been unconstitutional. Despite the popularity of mixte couples, reservations about dating or marrying someone via a different competition still remain in a few parts of the country.
It’s difficult to say what https://brides-russia.org/ constitutes a woman wife material. The best wife materials depends on the individual, mainly because it takes character and love to have a good relationship. However, there are some elements that can help you determine which female race ideal marriage.
One of these elements is her level of education. A highly educated woman has a better chance of working with a successful interracial relationship because she will contain a better understanding of her partner’s culture and values. She will also be capable to communicate with her partner more http://sauer-enterprises.de/get-the-perfect-yemeni-wife-characteristics properly.
An alternative factor is her family background. A woman which has a strong family support strategy is more likely to include a successful interracial relationship. This is due to a encouraging family can offer the encouragement and resources a lot needs to deal with challenges that occur in an interracial relationship. Furthermore, it can help them overcome obstructions they may facial area when dealing with racism or other interpersonal issues. These barriers can be specifically difficult with respect to Black couples, because they often encounter detrimental stereotypes about interracial connections and too little of acceptance from some customers of their the entire family.
Тел. +7 (7212) 996606,
Тел. +7 (708) 4360630
M02F3P7, Республика Казахстан,
г. Караганда, ул.Штурманская 7, корпус 2

domain: sociology


text:
Teddy Bear Dog Wisconsin
Teddy bear puppies, (shitzu/bichon) very sweet.
Teddy bear dog wisconsin. Teddy bear dog breeders, teddy bear dogs. We have one beautiful pups left! Storybook puppies debra and steve wallace texas phone:
Shichon puppies for sale, shichon breeder, shihpoo puppies for sale, puppies for sale, teddy bear puppies, shichon puppies, teddy bear shichon puppies for sale, shihpoo puppies, shichon breeders, shihpoo breeders, small. Puppies are dewormed and 8 week shots! For sale, beautiful teddy bear puppies.
Have created the precious teddy bear puppy. The result of these combinations is a small hypoallergenic house dog. Shichon puppies are great with kids, and wonderful for people who have allergies.
Reserve this puppy with a 50% deposit! Share it or review it. The look is an adorable puppy with a thick, wavy, multi colored coat, and a slightly shorter muzzle.
The sweetest hybrid developed from two wonderful, non shedding toy breeds! Wisconsin shih tzus, bichon frise from muscoda @www. You can find all breeds of puppies available to rescue.
We live on a small farm in southwestern wisconsin. We breed akc registered shih tzu's and maybe once a yr a litter of akc bichon frise. Kennel hounds, dogs and all.
- Shih Tzu Bichon Puppies Iowa
- Shiloh Shepherd Puppies For Sale Near Me
- Siamese Cats Lady And The Tramp Remake
- Shih Tzu Breeders Iowa
- Siamese Cats For Sale Medicine Hat
- Siamese Cats For Adoption In Florida
- Siamese Cat Personality Change
- Shih Tzu Puppies Va
- Service Animals For Veterans With Ptsd
- Service Animals In Training California
- Silver Bengal Cats For Sale Uk
- Shih Tzu Puppies For Sale Virginia Beach
- Shih Tzu Puppies Springfield Mo
- Shiloh Shepherd Puppies For Sale In Pa
- Shih Tzu Mix Puppies Missouri
- Siamese Cats Lady And The Tramp Live Action
- Siamese Cat Personality Reddit
- Shih Tzu Puppies Waterloo Iowa
- Siamese Cats For Sale Scotland
- Service Animals In California Hotels

domain: pet


text:
No products in the cart.
9 Hand painted watercolor papers with chevron patterns in shades of pink. All 300dpi print quality JPEG files. File Size: 18MB adore you, Scenic Route.
Big Bold Stripes Paper Pack 01
Kitlet Solids Paper Pack 06
North Pole Add-On Printable Paper Pack
Burlap Essentials: Oct.31st Paper Pack
North Pole Dots and Stripes Paper Pack
To the Sea Solids Dots and Stripes Paper Pack
Spooktacular Add-On Paper Pack
Blendable Layers Composite Paper Pack 03


text: Crafted from sterling silver and plated with black rhodium. This two colour gents ring is modern and contemporary band. In the middle of the ring it has extraordinary design of twisted rope. This ring has exclusive texture and unique detailing. Indulge and invest in this gorgeous style ring for yourself - or for that special someone in your life. Fields is supporting Make-A-Wish in 2022. A percentage of all non-branded silver jewellery sales during this period will be donated to Make-a-Wish.

domain: design


text: Katana Slot Review Katana is a Japanese-themed slot by Novomatic that centers on samurais and geishas. You will notice that the graphics are a bit dated, but. Katana casino game from Novomatic just for fun or find the best online casinos and play Katana with real money. ... Katana Slot. Play free Katana slot from Novomatic here at CasinoGamesOnNet.com. Try Katana online slot just for fun or learn the game. Find the best Novomatic casinos with the ... Rizk Casino Rizk Casino. 11 okt. 2016 - I stream Casino Slots LIVE on Rizk Casino on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12pm - 4pm GMT on Twitch and YouTube. ... I have created a YouTube playlist for all of my biggest wins feauring Fruit Warp, Katana, Amazon Queen and ofcourse Break da Bank Again where i got my biggest ever. Made it easier for us Edited November 22, 2016 by Patriotic Scot. Sign up for a new account in our community. NickSlots - Casino Streamer 47,680 views. NickSlots - Casino Streamer 23,343 The Lab - Mobil6000. Rizk is such an ace casino already, now look at all them juicy Novo's! Its so awesome to live in Norway. Add to Want to watch this again later? Book of Ra deluxe does for some reason not show up in the list, but is still available to play with the correct link. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Find out why Close. Thanks for tip mate! Posted November 23, 2016. Yeah, keep it Undo Close. Yeah, keep it Undo Close. Please try again later. I didnt know that. SLot Lover 1,056,619 views. Posted November 22, 2016. NickSlots - Casino Streamer 10,265 views New. Published on Sep 30, 2016. Unsubscribe from NickSlots - Casino Streamer? You can bet with as little as 20p per spin and increase that amount up to £40 per spin. The Gamble feature is also a very nice touch. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. NickSlots - Casino Streamer 61,657 views. Yeah, keep it Undo Close.


text:
Next story: The Imperial Court's Annual Spaghetti Dinner is this Sunday
Lit City: Literary Events
Lit City event listings are presented by Just Buffalo.
Write Thing Presents Betsy Wheeler. 7pm. Poet, bookmaker, and the editor and publisher of Pilot Books. The Library at Huber Hall, Medaille College | 18 Agassiz Circle (880-2327 / firstname.lastname@example.org).
Dog Ears Fourth Friday Poetry Circle: Susan M. Hutton and Jerome Gentes. 7pm. Local poets read from their work. Caz Coffee/Dog Eared Bookstore, 688 Abbott Road (825-7806).
Big Night: Eleen Myles. 8pm. The poet reads from her new book, The Importance of Being Iceland. Buffalo Poet’s Theater will present excerpts from Myles libretto “Hell.” Chef Geoffrey Gatza presents his culinary creations. Ekrem Serdar screens his short films. Just Buffalo @ Western New York Book Arts Center, 2nd Floor | 468 Washington Street @ Mohawk (832-5400 / email@example.com).
Eric Gansworth: From the Western Door to the Lower West Side. 2pm. Local poet reads from his new book of poems drawn from Milton Rogovin’s photography. Burchfield Penney Art Center, 1300 Elmwood Avenie (878-6011 / firstname.lastname@example.org).
Jewish Community Book Fair: Dara Horn. 2:30pm. Author of the award-winning novels The World to Come and In the Image reads from her latest, All Other Nights. Temple Beth Zion, Broder Building, 700 Sweet Home Road, Amherst (jccbookfair.com)
Nick Morris: Small Pressing Finnegans Wake. 1pm. Poetics Plus presents a lecture on the history of the text of Finnegans Wake. Poetry Collection, University at Buffalo North Campus, 420 Capen Hall.
David Hadbawnik, John Hyland, Carolyn Smart, Moez Surani. 7:30pm. Local poets Hadbawnik and Hyland along with Canadians Smart and Surani. Rust Belt Books, 202 Allen Street.
Buffalo Jewish Community Book Fair: James Gardner. 7:30pm. UB Law School’s Gardner discusses political campaigns and the role of persuasion in electoral law and politics. Temple Sinai, 50 Alberta Drive, Amherst (834-0708 / jccbookfair.com).
Greg Lamberson: Personal Demons. 7pm.Buffalo-based author and filmmaker Greg presents the followup novel to last year’s Johnny Gruesome. Talking Leaves Books, 3158 Main Street (837-8554 / www.tleavesbooks.com)
Issue Navigation> Issue Index > v8n43 (Week of Thursday, October 22th) > Literary Buffalo > Lit City: Literary Events
This Week's Issue • Artvoice Daily • Artvoice TV • Events Calendar • Classifieds

domain: library


Nuclear capable Agni-III missile fails in maiden night trial
The Made-in-India surface-to-surface missile carrying a dummy payload blasted off from an auto-launcher at Abdul Kalam Island in full operational configuration at about 7.15 pm.
BHUBANESWAR: Manufacturing defect has once against hit Agni series of missile as the first night trial of long-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile Agni-III from a defence base off Odisha coast ended in ‘failure’ on Saturday.
The Made-in-India surface-to-surface missile carrying a dummy payload blasted off from an auto-launcher at Abdul Kalam Island in full operational configuration at about 7.15 pm. This was third night trial of an Indian missile in the last fortnight.
A highly placed source informed ‘The Express’ that the missile tumbled into the sea after first phase separation. “The missile travelled around 115 km into its initial flight trajectory when things went awry. It deviated from the flight path forcing the mission team to terminate it midway,” he said.
The test was considered ‘very crucial’ as it was to reconfirm the technical parameters set for the user and its readiness to handle the weapon during night hours. The flight trajectory of the missile was set for nearly 2,800 km. While the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of Indian Army conducted the trial, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) provided all logistic support. The trial was conducted as part of user training exercise.
Though the exact technological fault behind the ‘failure’ is yet to be ascertained, preliminary investigations attributed it to manufacturing defects. “Staring from the launch to the first phase separation, everything was smooth in accordance with the mission plan. But suddenly it started behaving abnormally. It could be possibly due to metallurgical defects,” claimed the source.
The missile used in the test was picked up randomly from the production lot. The missile equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, advanced on board computer has the latest features to correct and guide in-flight disturbances. However, it was not the first failure of the Agni series missile. Two other variants of the missile, Agni-I and Agni-II, have failed during both development and user trials in the past. Agni-II had failed to deliver desired result during its first night trial in 2009.
Developed by DRDO, Agni-III has already been inducted in the armed forces in 2011. Propelled by two-stage solid propellant, it is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads weighing up to 1.5 tonnes. The missile is 17 metres tall and has a diameter of two-metre, it weighs around 50 tonne. All major cities of Pakistan and China come under its range.


text:
I think that 2009 is shaping up to be a pretty good music year, maybe on par with 2005, but not as good as 2006 or 2007. It is definitely better than 2008. 2007 was a ridiculously good year with brilliant releases by Radiohead, The New Pornographers, Okkervil River, Arcade Fire and The National along with really good stuff by MIA, Band of Horses, Elvis Perkins, Iron and Wine, Fiest, Lupe Fiasco and Tinariwen. In fact, any of those would have been in the top 2 of 2008, with only Frightened Rabbit (2008's best album) assured a spot in my 2007 list, had it been released a year earlier. However, looking back on it, I realize that The Hold Steady, Beck, Devotchka and The Roots all released very good albums.
2006 was a great year also, though not perfect (like 07). It gave us the first great release by K'naan (looking back on it- the best album of the year), along with greats from Jenny Lewis and the Watson Sisters, The Format, Regina Spektor, Gnarls Barkley, The Hold Steady, mewithoutyou, M Ward, Josh Ritter and Cold War Kids (many of whom released sub par albums in 08).
But 2005 was pretty solid but good, with great albums by only a few bands, Okkervil River, Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens (yes, it has been that long), My Morning Jacket and Sigur Ros. So, yes I think 2009 will be better than 08. It already is, and we have plenty of stuff on the horizon later this year (we are barely 1/2 way and many good albums come later in the year).
Over the next few days/ weeks I will try to give some thoughts on some of the new music I have been listening to and some that I am very excited about.
So, today lets focus on some exciting new music that is not out yet.
I am looking forward to Regina Spektor's Far coming out next week. The initial reviews are quite good andher last album is an all-time Bennett family favorite. Walking a line between the quirkiness of Fiona Apple and Tori Amos and the pop sensibilities of Ben Folds and a bit of Patty Griffin, each successive album by Spektor has gotten more acclaim and listeners. I have heard some of the new album and am impressed, knowing that her music grows on me over time (so if I like it today, I will love it next month).
The first single, the odd, compelling and singable One of Us for a new generation of listeners, entitled Laughing With is a distinctively Jewish take on God, which I hope will be a huge hit. I wish I was still a pastor or youth minister with a song like this to discuss with congregants. My kids already love the song, with Aedan asking for me to play it about 10 times in the car this weekend.
hear the song and watch the video.
Also, coming in August is the debut album by the band Fun. Consisting of the lead singer of The Format and a member of Anathallo, this should be a piece of sugary pop hiding lyrics full of melancholy and dark thoughts. I love that combination, which The Format perfected on an EP and album before saying goodbye to a cruel world unable to fathom its greatness.
The first single, At Least I'm Not as Sad (as I used to be) is a perfect example of the layer of sugary sweetness covering a bitter inner cookie. Listen on their myspace page. Judging from their show a few weeks ago, I think this is an indication of the direction of the album with some nods to the aforementioned Ben Folds along with poppy masters like Cheap Trick, The Bay City Rollers and Fountains of Wayne. The previewed songs are great and I cannot wait to get my hands on the final product.
I have heard the streaming from Wilco's latest and it is a vast improvement over Sky Blue Sky. While some Wilco cultists loved it despite the fact it was terribly sub par, I think this latest hearkens back to the more experimental sounds of previous releases, while looking forward and trying to be a rock band. I expect that I will like it a lot after multiple listens, but doubt it will be at the top of my year end list (it should be around #8-10 according to my predictions) like Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost is Born.
If you want to hear my take on the problems of Wilco's last album versus other bands (see Radiohead and U2) moving forward by reengaging their past, let me know and I will do a posting.
Lastly, I am also excited about the next albums by Magnolia Electric Company, Dinosaur Jr, Pearl Jam, Jay Z, Beastie Boys, New Pornographers, Modest Mouse, Gillian Welch and maybe the Fugees, all expected to be released this summer or fall.


text:
A Celebration & Reflection
Christmas came a few days early for me last week. It wasn't something I was anticipating, but there it was, an unexpected gift in my inbox. When I first read it I thought it was fake, but upon further investigation, it all checked out. I had actually been selected as one of the top wedding professionals for The Knot's Best of Weddings 2016! I couldn't believe it...little ol' me! I immediately did a happy dance, excited and also in disbelief!
Now I'm not writing this post to toot my own horn or brag about what an honor it was to be chosen, but to get real with you. This little award means more to me than anyone knows. I have never taken one single compliment of my photography lightly and I pray I never will. The truth is, I am a HUGE critic of myself and my work and I have been my whole life. It's the perfectionist in me that never does seem to fade away! Don't get me wrong, perfectionism has been a great motivator for me, but it's also the voice inside that constantly tells me I'm not good enough. So often I believe I should be better, I should be working harder, I should have accomplished more by now and that ultimately all this I do for my business will amount to nothing. Yes, I am my harshest critic. This is why satisfied clients are not only my goal, but my invigoration to keep going. All the wonderful people I've worked with have been blessings upon blessings! I can't even tell you how amazing it feels to read the things that past clients and brides have written about their experience with me. It fills my heart with so much joy and encouragement and reminds me that I am doing something right, even when I feel like I'm doing everything wrong sometimes!
I went into 2015 with a lot of hesitation and uncertainty about my photography business. I felt kind of lost and really unsure of where this year would take me. Without a lot of bookings early on, I honestly was about to throw in the towel. It broke my heart to think about giving up on my goals, but I just didn't know how to make it all work. But the Lord provided. He always has. The wedding season I thought would be dangerously slow, actually filled up and I was also shooting more portrait sessions than I ever did in the past. People from out of state were finding me through the power of the Internet and referrals were coming my way. It was like a switch was flipped! Now don't get me wrong, it's not like I became insanely popular or anything, but the work I did have coming in was a testament to how God was leading me in the path I should go and how He brought back a spirit of hope in me.
Then came the tough decision. I'd say the hardest decision of the year. Amongst all the shooting, editing, marketing, blogging, accounting, emailing and so on, I was juggling a job as a nanny to 3 wonderful children. I had hit my 3 year mark with them in June and it was amazing to me how fast the time had flown by. They all seemed so grown up from when I first started! But I had come to a crossroad in my business. I had to decide if I should keep the status quo and continue to stretch myself thin, giving the bare minimum to both of my jobs, or make the tough call and pursue a dream I had been working towards for years. The Crosby's were the closest thing I had to my own kids and I had shared so many tender moments with them all, which is why it was so hard to say goodbye. Like, really hard! Yet I knew if I didn't go full-time with my business, I would always be wondering, "What if?" I had to take the plunge and just go for it. So I did! This August I took a leap of faith and it's been an adventure ever since! I can't say thank you enough to the Crosby's for being so supportive of my decision to pursue a full-time business. They will forever be like family to me and luckily they live close by so I get to see them pretty often, which is always a treat!
Now I face a brand new year ahead, full of possibilities. I'm definitely not cured of my perfectionism nor have I silenced the harsh critic in my head, but I have hope. I have drive. I have support from friends and family and I have the Lord. Ultimately, wherever I end up this time next year and whatever I experience in the months to come, it will all be part of His perfect plan. Again, I am beyond grateful for this award from The Knot and don't take it lightly in the least. I feel like maybe it's a sign that I'm on the right track. At least I sure hope so! Thank you to everyone who has believed in me and my work. I can't end this post without saying how grateful I am to my amazing husband who has stuck by my side through my entire career and has cheered me on in my lowest of times! Also, to every client, friend, family member and even stranger who has supported me in my journey, I honestly couldn't have gone this far without you! Cheers to great new things in 2016!!


text:
Your Local Scheme
Moorlands NHW scheme was set up in 1989 by Chris Boucher. It was expanded in 2016 to include Cragside and the houses in Littledale that are in the immediate vicinity of Moorlands. The scheme has active points of contact in each of the road spurs throughout the area.
- A private Facebook group is available for members

domain: geography


text:
NEW RECRUIT FOR ENDLESS MANCHESTER
Endless is pleased to announce the recruitment of James Warburton into its Manchester team with immediate effect.
James joins Endless as an Associate Director from Deloitte LLP where he spent 8 years in the Manchester Restructuring team including spending 12 months on secondment at private equity firm LDC. As an Associate Director, James’s focus will be to help drive deal origination and execution in the North West working alongside partners Matthew Deering and Tom Jack and a team that has now grown to 7 investment professionals.
Mathew Deering said, “With our North West-based investment portfolio continuing to grow following recent deals such as American Golf and BBF’s acquisition of Greencore’s cake manufacturing business, we continue to invest in building a top quality team. James brings a great blend of restructuring and private equity experience and I am confident he will add real value to our future investment activity.”
James commented: “I am delighted to be joining the team at Endless and look forward to contributing to the further success of the firm as it continues to grow its investment activity across the North West.”


text:
From Publishers Weekly
In a highly stimulating, unorthodox inquiry that cuts across many disciplines, experimental psychologist Humphrey argues that raw sensation, not thought, is the central fact of consciousness. Furthermore, he claims, mental activities other than the five senses enter consciousness only when accompanied by "reminders" of sensation, as with mental imagery. Humphrey ( Consciousness Regained ) posits two separate channels of the mind--one for sensation or subjective feelings, another for perception or objective knowledge of the external world. These two channels are said to employ very different styles of information processing: "analog" processing of sensations leads to pictorial images, while "digital" processing of perception yields propositions. Lightening his often technical discussion with thought experiments, drawings and illustrative examples from authors ranging from Lewis Carroll to Aldous Huxley, Humphrey sketches an evolutionary history of the mind, from ameboid wriggles in the primeval soup onward. Conscious feeling, he stresses, is a form of intentional doing, creating the thick moment of the subjective present.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
"A wonderful book-brilliant, unsettling, and beautifully written. Humphrey cuts bravely across the currents of contemporary thinking, opening up new vistas on old problems and offering a feast of provocative ideas. Nobody else brings such an astonishing range of knowledge to bear on these issues." -- Daniel Dennett
"Humphrey is one of that growing band of scientists who beat literary folk at their own game." -- Daily Telegraph


text:
Opposition to Confederation has existed since a union of British North American colonies was first proposed in the late 1840s. In the eastern parts of the country, opponents generally feared that Confederation would strip power from the provinces and hand it to the federal government; or that it would lead to higher taxes and military conscription. Many of these opponents ultimately gave up and even served in the Canadian government. In the West, Indigenous peoples in the Red River Colony were never asked if they wanted to join Confederation. Fearing for their culture and land rights under Canadian control, they mounted a five-month insurgency against the government. Many Quebec nationalists have long sought to separate from Confederation, either through the extreme measures of the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ), or through referenda in 1980 and 1995.
The Dorion Brothers in Canada East
As revolutions burned across Europe in 1848, a group of radical young francophones in Quebec created the Parti rouge. (It was also known as the Parti démocratique). The party wanted to repeal the Act of Union that had merged Upper and Lower Canada (which were renamed Canada West and Canada East) into a single colony. It also wanted the new Province of Canada annexed by the United States. (See Annexation Association.) The movement’s leaders had called for all government officials to be elected; for an expansion of the right to vote; and for an end to the hated seigneurial system. (This was a feudal system of land sharing. It forced 80 per cent of the population to be personally dependent on the local seigneur).
The Dorion brothers formed a powerful duo within the party. Jean-Baptiste-Éric Dorion, the younger brother, frequently unleashed a hot temper on his opponents; they called him the “enfant terrible.” His formal education did not go beyond elementary school, but he read widely. By 1844, he was working as a journalist and political activist. In 1847, he co-founded L’Avenir, a newspaper that advanced the Parti rouge cause.
Dorion believed the grand union of the British North American colonies, an idea then being considered, would fail. “I oppose Confederation because I foresee innumerable difficulties with the joint powers given to the local and general governments in several areas,” a translation of his French comments reads. “These conflicts will always be resolved in favour of the general government and to the detriment of the often legitimate claims of the provinces.”
Antoine-Aimé Dorion, the older brother by eight years, had a more temperate opposition. A lawyer, he became the Parti rouge leader in 1854. He held a seat in the Assembly of the Province of Canada. He celebrated American political structures, backed liberal ideas, and opposed the Catholic Church’s prominent role in public life, business and finance. He shared his brother’s desire to stop Confederation. He also believed it would strip power from the provinces and hand it to the federal government.
But Confederation rolled over their objections. Jean-Baptiste-Éric Dorion never saw it, though; he died in 1866 at the age of 40. Antoine-Aimé Dorion attended the 1864 Quebec Conference and denounced Confederation. But when it happened, he changed positions and served as the new country’s attorney general and minister of justice.
(See also Quebec and Confederation.)
Joseph Howe in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia flourished as a British colony. It had a healthy sense of independence and industry dating back to the early 1700s. The idea of risking that prosperity to merge with other colonies struck many as a terrible idea. Halifax-born Joseph Howe used his supreme public speaking and writing skills to try and keep Nova Scotia out of Confederation.
Howe ran the Novascotian, the province’s most read newspaper. He landed in court in 1835, accused of criminal libel. His newspaper had criticized government officials, and they wanted him to pay. He was acquitted, but he left the courtroom with a deep suspicion of government.
Howe then led the fight to win responsible government for Nova Scotia in 1848. (See also Nova Scotia: The Cradle of Canadian Parliamentary Democracy.) This furthered his belief that the colony’s best future lay with independence. He proudly noted that the colony earned responsible government without “a blow struck or a pane of glass broken.”
Nova Scotians elected Howe as premier in 1860. From this perch, he argued that the same electorate should decide if Nova Scotia would join Confederation. He compared the proposal to uniting Scotland with Poland, making the case that Nova Scotia’s interests did not match Canada’s.
Howe brought the electorate with him. In the Nova Scotia election on 22 May 1867, Howe’s Anti-Confederation Party won 36 of 38 seats. But it didn’t matter. Charles Tupper, premier until September 1867, believed that joining Canada would strengthen Nova Scotia’s commercial sector; provide the colony with greater influence; and prevent annexation by the United States. He used his government’s majority in the colonial legislature to pass the terms of Confederation agreed to in Quebec City. (See Quebec Resolutions.)
But public sentiment was not on his side. On the Halifax waterfront, protesters burned Tupper in effigy, along with a live rat. In the town of Yarmouth, some buildings were draped in black cloth in protest. The morning after the birth of Canada, the Morning Chronicle lamented: “Died! Last night at 12 o’clock, the free and enlightened Province of Nova Scotia.”
Another local newspaper, The British Colonist, cheered Confederation, and the passing of “the days of isolation and dwarf-hood.” Nova Scotians never got a chance to vote on Confederation. They again made themselves clear in the first Canadian election, on 18 September 1867. Of the province’s 19 seats in Ottawa, 18 went to Howe’s Anti-Confederation Party.
Encouraged by these results, Howe led a two-year effort to repeal the union. (See Repeal Movement.) When that hope slipped away, he strove to improve Nova Scotia’s conditions. In a very Canadian way, Howe, like Antoine-Aimé Dorion, finally accepted defeat. He joined the federal government in 1869. In 1873, he became Nova Scotia’s lieutenant-governor. He died three weeks later.
(See also Nova Scotia and Confederation.)
Prince Edward Island’s Resistance
Edward Palmer, who served as premier from 1859 to 1863, rejected Confederation. Like Joseph Howe’s anti-Confederation movement in Nova Scotia, Palmer believed that joining Canada would shrink his province’s power. He opposed even a union with the other Maritime colonies; he thought it would benefit the British government, not PEI. “We would submit our rights and our prosperity, in a measure, into the hands of the general government and our voice in the united parliament would be very insignificant,” he said.
James Pope was initially warmer towards Confederation. He said he approved of “the abstract principle of the proposed union,” but could not accept the actual terms offered. He felt they were not fair to Islanders. Pope was a businessman and a member of the island’s assembly from 1863. He was born in England and emigrated to PEI in 1819. Despite his skepticism, when the Confederation debate broke into angry public disputes, Pope supported PEI’s pro-Confederation politician, John Hamilton Gray.
Palmer led the anti-Confederation side. But the John Hamilton Gray faction of the assembly ousted him from office in 1863 and replaced him with Gray.
Pope then became premier in 1865. In 1866, he brought the “No terms Resolution” to the assembly. The resolution rejected the Quebec Conference’s terms for entering Confederation and ensured that PEI would not join.
Pope and Palmer’s opposition to Confederation matched the public mood. Palmer worked with anti-Confederation movements in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. He also wanted to improve the colony’s trade deal with the United States. The other two Maritime provinces joined Confederation, but PEI stayed out.
In 1871, PEI began building a railway to develop the province’s economy. It nearly destroyed the economy. The government fell heavily into debt and faced economic collapse in 1873. Palmer had warned of such a result from the start. He had backed the railway anyway out of political necessity.
Pope ran again in that year’s election, but with a very different promise; now he said he would bring PEI into Confederation. With heavy heart, Palmer likewise adopted a pro-Confederation view. Pope won the election and was PEI’s premier when the province joined Canada in 1873. Palmer left politics to return to the law. He served as chief justice until his death in 1889.
Anti-Confederation sentiments in PEI surfaced briefly again in 1973, as the Island was officially celebrating the 100th anniversary of its union with Canada. A handful of student activists won the hearts of many Islanders with a year-long campaign of stunts poking fun at Confederation. They draped the doors of the Legislature in black fabric and installed an outhouse on the grounds of Province House as a mock polling booth; the public was invited to enter and vote on whether PEI should remain in Canada.
(See also Prince Edward Island and Confederation.)
The North-West Resistance
Those opposed to Confederation in Eastern Canada found moderate, economic grounds for not joining Canada. But motivations were quite different in the West.
After Confederation, Canada extended its reach by purchasing the vast territory of Rupert’s Land from the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1870. (See also North-West Territories.) In 1885, those ambitions were met with violent resistance in the form of the North-West Resistance. The five-month revolt was led by the Métis, Cree, Siksika, Kinai, Piikani and Saulteaux. It began as Canadian expansion into their lands pushed the First Nations toward starvation. In 1880, Cree leader Big Bear and Blackfoot leader Crowfoot founded the Blackfoot Confederacy. In 1884, Louis Riel, a Métis leader of the earlier Red River Resistance, sought to unite the peoples of the North-West to stand against the Canadian government.
In 1885, Riel’s supporters passed a Revolutionary Bill of Rights. It asserted Métis land claims and made demands of the Canadian government. That March, armed resistors formed a provisional government and named Riel president. The Métis-led forces occupied Duck Lake near Batoche, in present-day Saskatchewan. On 26 March, 100 North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) constables and citizen volunteers went to Duck Lake. The Métis and Indigenous resistance met the police outside the village. In the clash, 12 NWMP constables and six resistance fighters were killed.
The Canadian government sent 3,000 soldiers to join the 2,000 already stationed in the West. They ran into staunch resistance from forces such as Big Bear’s. He objected to Canada’s plans to move his people onto a reserve. His warriors launched small-scale attacks on priests, an Indian agent and a trader, killing several people. The two sides fought again in the Battle of Batoche; Cree chief Poundmaker led the Indigenous forces to victory.
Canadian forces pressed on, capturing Batoche in May. Riel surrendered on 15 May. The resistance’s last act played out on 3 June at Loon Lake, with a small skirmish between the two sides. On 26 May, Poundmaker and other Indigenous leaders surrendered to Canadian troops. Riel was executed on 16 November 1885, followed by Cree leader Wandering Spirit on 27 November. The North-West Resistance was finished.
Opposition to Confederation among Indigenous peoples has continued into modern times. The 1990 Oka Crisis was sparked by Mohawk activists pressing Canada to recognize their pre-Confederation land rights. The Numbered Treaties in the West have also led to legal battles. Hayden King, the director of the Centre of Indigenous Governance at Ryerson University, has argued that First Nations view the treaties as sharing agreements, while Canada views them as land surrenders.
Many such disputes are resolved by the Supreme Court of Canada; for example, its 2014 ruling affirming the Tsilhqot’in Nation’s claim to land in the interior of British Columbia. As the legal struggles continue, new territories such as Nunavut show that First Nations can obtain greater local and regional autonomy within Confederation.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland was the last British territory in North America to join Confederation. The colony sent delegates to the 1864 Quebec Conference. But anti-Confederation leaders such as Charles Fox Bennett argued against the union. He thought it would give Quebec undue influence on Newfoundland, and lead to higher taxes and military conscription.
Roman Catholics and merchants likewise opposed joining Canada. Many Catholics were from Ireland originally. They felt that Ireland owed most of its problems to British rule. In Newfoundland, the Irish had home rule, state-funded separate schools and other advantages their cousins in Ireland still fought for. Why risk the good, new life by uniting with Canada?
Merchants saw no economic advantage to Confederation. In fact, they expected higher taxes and tariffs that would hurt Newfoundland. The popular “The Anti-Confederation Song” warned, “Come near at your peril, Canadian wolf.” A popular phrase declared “Newfoundland for the Newfoundlanders” and urged people to “stick with our Old Mother Country, Great Britain.” Two years after Confederation, the 1869 election was won overwhelmingly by anti-unionists. Newfoundland remained outside Canada.
The colony started the 1900s in strong shape. The First World War brought economic prosperity. The government spent money building railways and highways. But when the war ended, Newfoundland faced a debt of $43 million. By the 1930s, the colony’s debt approached $100 million. Facing severe financial problems, its government turned to Britain for help. Britain recommended suspending responsible government and letting an appointed commission run the colony. This meant the British Parliament would make decisions for Newfoundland. The Commission government took over in 1934.
The colony thrived again during the Second World War. It became an important North Atlantic base for Allied forces. (See Gander.) After the war, Newfoundlanders voted on one of three options for their future: commission rule; self-government (responsible government); or Confederation. The campaign for Confederation was led by Joey Smallwood and F. Gordon Bradley. Opponents of Confederation included Peter Cashin, Chesley Crosbie and Roman Catholic archbishop Edward Patrick Roche, who supported responsible government. In the referendum of 3 June 1948, the commission option received only 14.3 per cent, while Confederation received 41.1 per cent and responsible government received 44.6 per cent. The commission option was dropped from a second referendum held on 22 July 1948. In the end, the pro-Confederation side won a narrow (52.3 per cent) victory. On 31 March 1949, Newfoundland officially became Canada’s 10th province.
Nationalist fires have simmered in Newfoundland ever since. In 2008, Ryan Cleary, editor of the St. John’s newspaper the Independent, wrote: “Now that we’re rolling in cash it may be time to consider breaking away from the country of Canada.” Four years later, Newfoundland author and entertainer Greg Malone argued in his book Don't Tell the Newfoundlanders: The true story of Newfoundland's Confederation with Canada, that the 1948 vote on joining Canada was illegally rigged in a conspiracy by Ottawa and Britain. The book was a bestseller in Newfoundland.
The FLQ in Quebec
The most violent, modern opposition to Confederation came from within one of the founding provinces, 100 years after the country was formed. In the 1960s, radicals in Quebec formed parties such as the Réseau de Résistance du Québécois and Le Comité français de Libération nationale. The more radical members from both groups formed the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ).
Quebecers Raymond Villeneuve and Gabriel Hudon, along with Belgian Georges Schoeters, founded the FLQ in 1963. They drew inspiration from anti-colonial revolutionaries of the time in Cuba and Algeria. The FLQ also borrowed imagery and ideas from the Patriotes, or Parti Canadien, that fought the Rebellion of 1837–38 in Lower Canada. (See also Rebellions of 1837–38.) The FLQ wanted to create an independent state. Its members believed that this would give the Québécois more control over their lives, and better economic conditions.
FLQ members embarked on a campaign of terror. They planted bombs in mailboxes in prosperous Westmount, Montreal, to destroy symbols of English colonialism. They firebombed and vandalized government buildings. In 1964, they stole cash and military equipment from International Firearms; one member killed the company’s vice-president. The attacks intensified in the late 1960s, culminating in the 1970 October Crisis.
The FLQ kidnapped two government officials: British trade commissioner James Cross and Pierre Laporte, a provincial cabinet minister. They killed Laporte on 17 October 1970. The federal government of Pierre Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act. It is the only time in Canadian history that the Act was used in peacetime. The federal government declared that belonging to the FLQ was a criminal act. Armed troops took to the streets. More than 450 people were arrested.
The FLQ faded. But desires for independence remained in Quebec and grew peaceably.
1980 Quebec Referendum
In 1976, Quebecers elected the Parti Québécois, whose goal was separation from Canada. ( See Sovereignty-Association.) Under Premier René Lévesque, the PQ made French the sole official language in Quebec. It also promised to hold a referendum on sovereignty-association during its first term.
On 22 May 1979, the federal Liberal Party, led by Pierre Trudeau, lost the Canadian general election. Lévesque would now be dealing with a federal minority government led by Joe Clark, a prime minister who had little influence in Quebec. Thus, conditions had at last become favourable for a referendum. On 21 June 1979, René Lévesque told Quebec’s National Assembly that the Quebec referendum would be held in the spring of 1980. In this referendum, the government asked the people of Quebec to give it a mandate to “negotiate a new constitutional agreement with the rest of Canada, based on the equality of nations.”
However, by early December, the political calculus had changed again. Clark’s government lost a vote of confidence on its first budget. New federal elections were set for 18 February 1980. This time, the Liberals won, taking 74 out of 75 ridings in Quebec. Pierre Trudeau, who had returned as party leader, now formed a majority government. (See also Elections of 1979 and 1980). He promised that his government would reform federalism and that a “No” vote in the upcoming Quebec referendum would not be a vote for the status quo.
When the referendum was held on 20 May 1980, the “Yes” side was rejected by 59.56% of the vote. The participation rate was 85.61%. After the defeat, the Parti Québécois still held that sovereignty was the only viable option for Quebec and would one day win majority support. This hope was evident in the speech Lévesque gave on the night after the referendum; he said, “If I have understood you correctly, you are telling us, ‘until the next time.’”
1995 Quebec Referendum
After the failure of the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord, the rest of Canada was tired of constitutional matters. However, the alienation of Quebec brought the Parti Québécois back into power in 1994. Premier Jacques Parizeau promised that a referendum on Quebec separation would be held sometime in 1995.
At the beginning of the referendum campaign, the “No” side (opposed to separation) had a substantial lead in the polls. But as the campaign progressed, the “Yes” side gained momentum. This was especially true after Lucien Bouchard, leader of the Bloc Québécois, became the main spokesperson for the “Yes” side during the final three weeks of the campaign.
Ultimately, after an emotional and somewhat controversial campaign, the federalist forces won again, but with only a 50.58 per cent majority. Confederation remained intact, by the narrowest of margins.
In 1998, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Quebec does not have the right to unilaterally secede from Canada. However, the nine justices expressed the opinion that the other provinces and Ottawa would be obliged to negotiate with Quebec if voters there expressed their desire for independence by a clear majority. (See Reference re Secession of Quebec.)


text:
Spectators traveled back in time to 1623 with Dean Paul Gibson’s brilliant rendition of A Winter’s Tale by Shakespeare at the Bard on the Beach Festival during its premiere night on June 22.
Now in its 28th season, the Bard on the Beach Festival is a not-for-profit professional Shakespearean Festival, set against the beautiful backdrop of Vancouver’s Waterfront. The theme for this particular play is the enduring strength women must acquire in the face of inequity.
The combined efforts of scenery designer Pam Johnson, lighting designer Gerald King, costume designer Carmen Alatorre, and puppet designers Heidi Wilkinson and Frances Henry created a realistic and awe-inspiring spectacle that is sure to keep even the most skeptical audience member entertained. The sheep puppets were one of the highlights, with their bodies wobbling about and producing explosions of laughter from the crowd. Malcolm Dow’s eerie, Middle-eastern sounding classical melodies added to the exotic aura of the performance.
Although considered one of Shakespeare’s romantic comedies, this label has been contested due to the tragic nature of the first half of this play, which outlines the unjust and cruel punishment endured by Hermione (Sereana Malani) at the hands of her jealous husband and King of Sicily, Leontes (Kevin Macdonald). Leontes accuses her of being unfaithful with his best friend and King of Bohemia, Polixenes (Ian Butcher). Although Antigonus (Andrew Wheeler) and Paulina (Lois Anderson) attempt to convince him otherwise, he condemns his wife to death and her new-born baby to exile.
However, the second act is teeming with comic relief due to the introduction of characters such as the Old Shepherd (David M. Adams), the Young Shepherd (Chris Cochrane), and the notable Autolycus (Ben Elliott). Ben Elliott embraced his character’s humorous persona through exaggerated mannerisms, which allowed him to steal the spotlight, with lines such as “she drops booties in my mouth”. In fact, every actor delivered their lines impeccably accurately, allowing the intricate lingo to be easily understood. Shakespeare’s timeless lines were enunciated eloquently, particularly by Serena Malani, her powerful demeanor entrapping the crowd’s gaze during her scenes. Lois Anderson was an influential character as well, her passion for the playwright evident through her poignant delivery. Well-choreographed dances coupled with entertaining songs by Florizel (Austin Eckert), and Perdita (Kaitlin Williams), among others, added a musical theme to the play which entranced the audience.
The final scene was perhaps one of the most touching, infusing a plethora of emotions into the audience, from tears caused by Hermione’s reunion with Leontes, laughter due to Autolycus’s continuous ruses, and appreciation of the realization that in the end, love conquers all.
Not a single detail in this performance was overlooked. From the stage set-up to the excellent direction and production, this winter’s tale is perfectly enjoyed with a cold beer or glass of wine on a sunny summer’s evening.


text:
Productivity is the new black in policy circles. It’s also the old black and the future black. And a fair bit of the new white, orange, green and whatever other colour you might think of.
From treasury officials and central bankers to business leaders and economic commentators, any talk about the future of the nation will include a lecture on the importance of productivity growth. Even politicians talk about it – whether they understand it or not.
What’s driving the focus on productivity is the inconvenient fact that we’re going to have to rely on it to maintain our current standard of living, let alone improve it.
The easy days of windfall resources profits are behind us. Now we have to lift our performance across the board.
Most of the commentary – especially from the conservative side of politics – tends to decry Australia’s productivity growth rate. Our productivity report card is constantly marked: “Could do better if tried harder”.
Yet I suspect we are actually in the early stages of quite a sharp lift in productivity growth, a lift most of talking heads are yet to recognise.
I am in the privileged position of travelling around a lot of the country, talking and listening to people working in many different fields.
Whatever else is happening in different regions and industries, there tends to be one constant: people are working smarter and harder, achieving more with less, or achieving much more with innovation.
Businesses are looking for an edge, a better way of doing whatever they are doing, getting more bang for their invested buck, because the blow torch of competition is on their collective belly.
I realise I’m not telling any small business person anything they don’t already know: the pressure is constantly on just to survive, let along prosper.
As I regularly tell audiences, necessity is a great mother of productivity.
Productivity improvement can take many forms. Buying a better widget machine that makes widgets faster and more reliably obviously boosts productivity, but so can something as intangible as improving worker moral, so that greater care is taken of the widgets, resulting in fewer breakages.
On a national scale, productivity is actually rather hard to measure. The Reserve Bank, for example, is wary of attributing too much credence to the productivity figures from one or two quarters as it takes time for the figures to settle down and provide a guide to how much more productively we’re working.
That said, there has been a nice lift in labour productivity this decade – not as good as the growth rate of the 1990s, but better than the lazy boomtime of the first decade of this century. It’s one of our under-sold success stories.
But labour productivity is only one part of the equation, the overall 'multifactor productivity' isn’t so flash. We’ve been lacking the necessary investment in new machinery and infrastructure to operate more efficiently.
This varies widely for different industries. At one extreme, mining is enjoying workforces are leaner. Higher unemployment in an industry tends to focus minds much more effectively than a shortage of labour during booms.
By pure coincidence, I recently attended two very different conferences that both had lessons about productivity growth.
One was for doctors using expensive specialist equipment. They were exhorted to try to see one more patient a day – given the capital tied up in the equipment, one more patient through the system becomes a productivity gain.
The other conference was for an aspect of the supply chain. Talk turned to the need to keep replace and maintain forklifts – yes, it costs money, but not as much as the downtime when a machine fails. And the newer forklifts are supposed to do their jobs better anyway.
The bottom line is the necessity of a holistic approach to the business’ productivity growth – effectively conducting an audit of the business. It may not be a matter of work ethic or equipment that can be improved, but the order in which work is done, or even realising that some work should not be done – that it’s not worth doing or could be outsourced, allowing key personal to get on with what can add the most value.
Arguably the great Australian retail success story of the past decade has been the revitalisation of Kmart – a chain that three different lots of management wanted to close down but were stopped by the lease penalties they would have incurred.
It’s the stuff of retail legend now that Kmart’s owner, Wesfarmers, took the radical step of appointing Guy Russo as CEO - someone with no shop experience and who had only ever worked at McDonalds.
There were many facets to how Russo turned Kmart around, but part of it was very quickly working out what was not worth stocking, what was taking up space for no return. By identifying core strengths and concentrating on them, the chain’s productivity was quite quickly lifted.
The same imperative for lifting national productivity applies to improving the productivity of an individual small business: lifting living standards in a competitive world.
And, as the former head of the Productivity Commission underlined in his farewell speech, national productivity is all about what happens in each individual workplace anyway.
Governments can help or hinder to the extent of red tape they might impose, or the infrastructure they do or don’t build, but in the end, it comes down to the relationship between individual employers and employees, the willingness of employers to invest in the most effective equipment and the skills of the workers.
Michael Pascoe is one of Australia’s most experienced and thoughtful business commentators with more than four decades in newspaper, broadcast and online journalism.

domain: politics