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The Heights by Amy Aislin
Series: Lakeshore #1
Release Date (Print & Ebook): September 20th, 2018
Length (Print & Ebook): Approx. 75,000 words or 320 pages
Subgenre: m/m contemporary romance
Reader Warnings: One of the main characters suffers from panic attacks
Cover Artist: Stacey Blake @ Champagne Book Design
Twenty-one years ago, a four-year old child was kidnapped from his front yard. He was never found. Until now.
All Nat Walker wants is to make his late father’s dream of running a father/son woodworking shop come true. And he had the perfect building in mind—until the new guy in town came in and bought the place right out from under him. The fact that the new guy is adorable means nothing. For all Nat cares, he can take his new dance studio and waltz back to New York City.
Professional dancer Quinn Carroll couldn’t be happier that he made the move to the small town of Lakeshore, Oregon. Sure, it’s not New York, but now he’ll be living closer to his adoptive brother. And since his studio will be the only one in the area, he should get enough business to keep him busy. Besides, there’s something about this place that seems familiar...
He doesn’t expect to fall hard for the local, grumpy woodworker who won’t even smile at him.
Or find out that his entire life is a lie.
Exclusive Excerpt ~
Turned out he may not need that wet, rainy day fantasy after all. Because here Nat stood. In his kitchen. Shirtless.
About The Author ~
Amy started writing on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class was forced to stay inside for recess. Tales of adventures with her classmates quickly morphed into tales of adventures with the characters in her head. Based in the suburbs of Toronto, Amy is a marketer/fundraiser at a large environmental non-profit in Toronto by day, and a writer by night. Book enthusiast, animal lover and (very) amateur photographer, her interests are many and varied, including travelling, astronomy, ecology, and baking. She binge watches too much anime, and loves musical theater, Julie Andrews, the Backstreet Boys, and her hometown of Oakville, Ontario.
Get The Book!
Enter The Giveaway!


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Embroidered Flowers 4x6 Frame
Intricate details and complicated design mimic customized embroidery. Brilliance of burgundy and yellow compliment the jet black backdrop. Flower design looks great to brighten up any area.
Size (Inches): 9 X 7.25

domain: artistic


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November 1, 2013 - November 10, 2013
Dining out on a Budget in Newport RI
Yumm... Crispy Local Oysters topped wuth Mango Pepper Relish, Red
Chili Mayo, then adelicious second course of moist roasted chicken with Sugar Pumpkin Gnocchi, Roasted Brussels Sprouts , Sage Jus cooked to perfection, and finish off with a mouth watering fall favorite, Apple Crostata with Cinnamon Crema. All for just $30.00 per person! This is just one of the many options Chef Kevin King of Fluke Wine Bar and Kitchen, located on Banisters Wharf has to offer in the 2013 Newport Restaurant week. Fluke is just one of the many of our favorite restaurants participating in this year’s celebration of good eats here in the city by the sea. Enjoy your pickings of either lunch or dinner of prefixed menus of three course meals for a deal. Also enjoy what we have to offer with our week day rates stay and enjoy the great food, wine and sites here at the Ivy Lodge a quintessential New England Bed and breakfast.
Tnatalize your taste buds with the wide variety of restaurants that the city by the sea has to offer. Here our a few of our personal favorites.
Castle Hill Inn
For a formal dinning experience we suggest Castle Hill Restaurant. On your way over, enjoy the 10 mile scenic ocean drive and as you enter the enchanting Castle Hill Restaurant you will hear the faint sounds of a lighthouse fog horn murmuring in the distance. The Mansion's chefs artfully craft fresh local fish, regional meats, and produce into a distinctly native, seasonal menu, served in four dining rooms within the Inn. Watch the change of seasons with stunning views of Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay.
All guest dinning in the formal dinning room must be dressed in business casual attire, jackets are not requires for men but prefurred.
Fluke Wine Bar and Kitchen
One of our personal favorites here at the Ivy Lodge, Fluke Wine Bar and Kitchen is a perfect restaurant for the foodie in all of us. Enjoy fresh, local, and seasonal best describes Chef Kevin King’s menu of frequently changing snacks, small plates and entrees. Enjoy scenic views and an Award-winning cocktail and wine list.
Our recommendation is to try their famous crispy flash fried local oysters, they are to die for! Also try one of there signiture drinks we enjoy the Juniperotivo made with Junipero Gin, Pomegranate Molasses, Fresh Mint, and Fresh Lemon Juice.
Cafe Zelda is a neighborhood French American bistro with casual fine dining. Zelda's features line-caught fish, hand-picked meats, local produce and homemade desserts. With a cozy bar full of locals and savvy tourists Zelda's is the place to be.
Calamari with banana peppers and Thai dipping sauce is a must try
The ideal embodiment of Newport dining with water front views of the Newport Harbor. At the mooring you will find the freshest seafood, al fresco seating, and warm hospitality. Our award-winning wine list is one of the most acclaimed in New England.
Our recommendation: Try their Raw Bar option of thee little necks or Rhode Island Oysters, both are amazingly delicious!
Midtown Oyster Bar
Newport’s newest restaurant and largest raw bar features 2 bars, dining rooms and outside seating. Only a 15 minute walk from the Ivy Lodge!
Scales and Shells
Upon entering the front door, aromas from the open kitchen will awaken your senses and draw you into visually participating in the preparation of your dinner.
Cash only and no reservations; make sure to stop at the atm first.
Stoneacre Pantry has an ever changing menu of seasonal offerings with a focus on using classic and creative culinary techniques.
The Black Pearl
A combination of American, seafood, and classically presented cuisines served in the Tavern or the elegant Commodores' Room.
Try the world renowned Black Pearl Chowder
The Spiced Pear at the Chandler
The Spiced Pear’s primary dining room features an open-air kitchen, grand fireplace, and views of the Atlantic Ocean and Easton’s Beach. Well known for its signature ‘New England Tasting Menu’, the restaurant features a symphony of six or nine courses of local New England fare each night in addition to an a la carte menu featuring Continental cuisine.
Other Special Events around the Newport Restaurant week:
Chocolate Brunch at Ocean Cliff
TIME: 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
COST: Tickets are $85 per person
For your sweet tooth come and enjoy this highly-anticipated Autumn event at Ocean Cliffs Chocolate brunch. Co-chairs Leslie Reed and Libby Kirwin, with support from NewportFed as event sponsor, worked diliigently to make this event successful. Brunch offerings of champagne, savory chocolate-infused entrees and yummy desserts and candies, live jazz by the Dick Lupino Band, an enticing Silent Auction for pre-Christmas shopping, and a $500 cash raffle will make for a fun afternoon overlooking the bay. To make the event even cozier and more homey, OceanCliff will offer a roaring fire and hot chocolate bar in the library.
Greenvales Harvest Festival
Time 1:00pm- 4:00 pm
Cost: $15.00 per person
Join us as we celebrate this year’s grape harvest! Bring your family and friends and enjoy the foliage and autumn weather. The celebration will include harvest games, gourd painting, tractor rides and walking tours along with tastings of Greenvale Vineyards’ award winning, estate grown wines. Feel free to bring a blanket and chairs for a wonderful afternoon picnic on the beautiful property of Greenvale Vineyards. There will also be live music by Dick Lupino and friends.

domain: travel


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Why We all have different favorites when it comes to food and flavor.
best pizza shop in dwarka: You may not run out of places that serve pizza, but making an order from the right place is what really matters. If you are a Delhiite then you will love pizza shop in Dwarka where you will have wide range of choices.
We all have different favorites when it comes to food and flavor. Among all the different cuisines, we all love to break our hunger on an Italian dish, and it is undoubtedly pizza. When we feel hungry as if we could eat a horse, the first thing that pops-in our heads is Pizza.pizza shop in Dwarka

domain: food


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The best poem is the one you write on the skin of somebody's heart.
Pétalos del Corazón (Petals of the heart) is my literary blog. You will find poems and stories. Some of them are in Spanish and some of them are in English.
You are invited to choose, to discern, to think and to read beyond political speeches and news media.
I sometimes write in Spanish and there are times when I can only write in English. It depends on the mood, the feelings or the thoughts which pour down the paper.
Each poem, story or article has its own music and pace; they are born with a unique map of words and I cannot choose which language to use.
Likewise, I sometimes dream in English and sometimes in Spanish. The movie in my head or in my heart has no subtitles or translation. It may be a scene in my mind or a river flowing from my heart. That's why it's so difficult to translate poetry, because each word, phrase or verse has its own music and pace; when you change the word, the music changes.
There are articles and editorials in this blog. I choose to think outside the box. I choose to look at people and to see what is hidden. When I think aloud, I write.
I do not care how long I can live. I do care how I live.
This blog could be called Susie's Chronicles. At first, I felt the need to share my life with a chronic disease (Endometriosis) with other Endo warriors. In fact, one of my articles about living with Endo was awarded a prize. Then, I just kept sharing my experiences as a woman, daughter, mother and grandmother.


We’ve all the time been aspiring to offer Qt users with the most effective applied sciences to handle not solely their current, but additionally their future necessities. The automotive trade, for instance, is all about making and promoting cars. If the windshield wipers fall off your automobile, get new ones at an automotive retailer. Through highly effective partnerships and creative collaboration, we are able to deliver the guarantees of mobility.
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With Linux at its core, AGL is creating an open platform from the ground up …Continue reading


Ask Computer Networking Questions and Get Answers ASAP
Welcome to the justanswer chat support, please let me know when you are ready to chat.
what is the model number of the wifi router you have at home and is this Kindle 1 2 or 3
how far is the distance the router and the kindle
wifi router is a cisco Linksys WRT300N, and it is a brand new Kindle received this week. I am downstairs and the router is upstairs, My computer is connected wirelessly
please follow the steps
o connect your kindle to a Wi-Fi network: Press the Home button, then press the Menu button.
Navigate to "Settings" by moving the 5-way controller down, then press the 5-way controller to select. Select "view" next to "Wi-Fi Settings"
it will display a list of detected Wi-Fi networks.
You may have to wait a moment as your Kindle detects networks in range. Kindle automatically scans for available Wi-Fi networks at periodic intervals.
Currently it detects 1 network, that is not mine and locked
this kindle is not the 3g model, as I live in Alaska and we do not have coverage
if that is not yours then the distance may be too much from your router
do you know the network name of your router
I have tried it in the same room as the router without success, also turning the router off/on as well as the modem.
you need to be in 35 feet radius of your cisco router
well within that range
ok let me start from the begining
do you have a computer conneted to this router?
yes, the one I am chatting to you on
same location as the kindle
It is not connected physically, only by wi-fi
that is ok
please follow these steps
Open a web browser such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari.Type in http://192.168.1.1 into the Address bar and press Enter on your keyboard.Do not type www.
what you get?
my router ip is 192.168.2.1 during installation linksys recommends changing it from the default, my router page is open
are you in the router console?
click Wireless and select Wireless Security.
do you see the ssid name?
and the passphase
security mode is currently disabled
When I make a change I will lose my connection, as I live in an isolated area, I prefer to have an open connection.
slid the power button for 10 seconds and then release it
turn off the kindle
Security should not make a difference to finding a network.
Kindle is now powered down
that is correct
it is off
turn on the kindle now
(0) wi-fi Networks
rescan for available networks for few times on the kindle
Still nothing, I have been been doing this for 2 evenings.
Today I went into the library and used their hot spot, so I know the device works
if you change your location does it detect any other network ouside your house
ok i got it
will you be comfortable resetting the router
i will walk you through
I occationally get a very weak signal from a closed network.
The router works fine.
what is your theory
may be some virtual ports are blocked on the router through which the kindle is unable to detect the router
we will secure it if you want however resetting the router will not effect anything
I have not configured any port forwarding, norport range forwarding, and no post range triggering
I have not enabled DMZ and have a limit of 5 devices set on the router.
fine but if we reset the router to factory default i believe we can move further
if you want we can set the wpa2 security to secure your connection as well.
Will you still be here after I lose my connection and reconfigure the computer?
all you have to do is relogin to justanswer.com and i will be connected back with you
Try to connect the compuer direclty to the router an then reset your router to factory defaults, use a pen or paperclip to press and hold the Reset button for approximately 10 seconds until the Test light blinks. The router power should be turned on. Release the button and wait for the router to reboot.
Kindle now recognizes the network.
now set the security
should i walk you through
Which type WEP, WPA Personal, WPA Enterprise, WPA2 Personal, WPA Enterprise, or RADIUS
set WPA2 Personal
(sic) WPA2 Enterprise
TKIP or AES?
Select TKIP on WPA Algorithms.
Enter your desired WPA Key on the WPA Shared Key field such as “MySecretKey.” This will serve as your network key
whenever you connect to your wireless network
Click Save settings.
If all your question was answered to your satisfaction you may hit the accept button to reward the time we spent
Please ask in case you need further support or have any questions.


Zach Bryan's summer is just getting busier and busier for next year.
Following his Grammy nomination for Best Country Solo Performance for 'Something In The Orange', it's been announced that Bryan will headline a night of Summerfest 2023 - the biggest festival of the year.
The American Heartbreak singer will headline on July 7th at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with tickets on sale November 18th at 10am CT here.
Summerfest is already shaping up to provide another massive summer of music, with Zac Brown Band and Imagine Dragons already announced to headline and plenty more to be announced.
On November 11th, Bryan released two new songs in the 'Fifth of May' and 'The Greatest Day of My Life', two live favourites that have already left a mark on his ever-growing, die-hard fanbase.
For more information and to purchase tickets for all country festivals taking place in 2023 and 2024, head here.
For more Zach Bryan, see below:


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By Paige Tyler
"Nonstop motion and hair-raising storytelling performed good. This sequence will get greater and better."-RT publication Reviews, four ½ Stars
Leaving him used to be Impossible...
It took every thing she had for FBI specified Agent Danica Beckett to stroll clear of the guy she enjoyed. but when she desires to shop his existence, she has to maintain her distance. Now, with a killer at the free and the stakes larger than ever sooner than, the dep. of Covert Ops is forcing those former enthusiasts into an uneasy alliance...whether they prefer it or not.
Seeing her back is even worse
The very last thing Clayne Buchanan desires is to be shackled to the girl who broke his center. She will get below his pores and skin in a fashion not anyone ever has and makes him wish issues he has no correct to anymore. All he has to do is endure via this situation and he may be freed from her for strong. but if Clayne reveals out why Danica left within the first position, every little thing he is attempted to bury comes roaring back-and there is no approach this wolf shifter goes to allow her escape this time.
Her ideal Mate
Her Lone Wolf
Her mystery Agent
Her Wild Hero
Praise for Her ideal Mate:
"A wild, scorching, and horny journey. I enjoyed it!"-Terry Spear, USA Today bestselling writer of A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing
"Absolutely ideal. the most effective books i have learn in years."-Kate Douglas, bestselling writer of the Wolf stories series
Read or Download Her Lone Wolf (X-Ops) PDF
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Ny occasions bestselling writer James Rollins dives a ways underneath the waves into unbelievable peril during this vintage story of motion and experience. Ex-Navy SEAL Jack Kirkland surfaces from an aborted underwater salvage project to discover Earth burning. sunlight flares have brought on a chain of gargantuan average failures.
Carved right into a relocating island of ice two times the scale of the USA, Ice Station Grendel has been deserted for greater than seventy years. The twisted brainchild of the best minds of the previous Soviet Union, it was once designed to be inaccessible and nearly invisible. yet an American undersea learn vessel has inadvertently pulled too close--and anything has been sighted relocating contained in the allegedly abandoned facility, anything whose survival defies each average legislation.
Wish is contagiousA devastating plague has decimated thepopulation, and people who are left stay in worry of catching it because the urban crumbles round them. So what does Araby worthy need to dwell for? Nights within the Debauchery membership, attractive clothes, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing how you can disregard all of it.
Additional info for Her Lone Wolf (X-Ops)
That man didn’t glance far better than his accomplice. He stared at Tony for a number of seconds earlier than the phrases sunk in. because the males left, Danica grew to become again to survey the physique back, hoping opposed to desire she was once fallacious approximately who’d performed this. She’d nearly confident herself while she heard a noise above her. She raised her Glock, aiming it towards the sound. A steel catwalk ran from one finish of the warehouse to the opposite, and her gaze darted over it simply as a guy up there hauled ass within the different path. “We’ve received a runner! ” Danica shouted. “Cover the skin exits. ” She didn’t wait to determine if Tony obeyed as she ran for the opposite finish of the construction. God, she was hoping there has been a stairwell that might get her as much as the catwalk. at the back of her, Tony ordered the police officers to get at the outdoor break out routes. figuring out her associate will be coming to again her up, Danica ran as quick as she may possibly and slammed into the set of double doorways on the some distance part of the warehouse. As she’d was hoping, it was once a stairwell. someplace above her, a door banged opposed to a wall, by way of pounding footsteps. She stored either her eyes and her weapon expert at the subsequent touchdown as she moved quickly up the stairs, totally looking forward to somebody to return racing down the steps. yet she acquired the entire strategy to the head of the fourth ground with out catching sight of a person. The door that led out to the roof had simply swung closed, so the fellow couldn’t be some distance sooner than her. Footsteps echoed at the stairs lower than her. Tony. Danica knew she should still watch for him, yet she’d by no means been the kind to hang out for backup. as an alternative, she kicked open the door to the roof and darted her head out for a fast glance. while not anyone took a shot at her, she stepped open air and did a sluggish sweep of the gravel-covered roof prior to relocating round the stairwell, able to take down the 1st threatening goal she pointed out. She didn’t be aware of evidently that the guy she used to be chasing had murdered anyone—he may be a few terrible homeless man for all she knew—but she’d think the worst till she knew higher. It had kept her butt greater than as soon as. She observed him operating clear of her around the roof as she rounded the nook of the stairwell. He used to be larger than she’d first thought—at least six two—and may perhaps run as speedy as an Olympic sprinter. “FBI! ” she shouted as she took off after him. Danica didn’t have an opportunity of catching as much as him. until eventually he ran out of roof, at the very least. until there occurred to be a hearth get away. because the guy picked up velocity, she had a sinking feeling. She missed it and ran speedier. She was once not less than fifty ft in the back of him, to date away that she might do little greater than make sure he was once actually male, dressed head to foot in black, and that he had shaggy, sandy blond hair. yet all of that grew to become beside the point whilst the fellow received to the sting of the roof and jumped. Holy crap. Danica skidded to a cease on the fringe of the roof seconds later and peered down on the highway under, awaiting to determine the guy in black at the floor. yet there has been no signal of him. She regarded round wildly for an additional approach off the roof.

domain: literature


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Members of the Local 100 Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees have signed contracts with 11 of the 25 restaurants employing union workers.
The latest eateries to agree to wage and pension increases, while maintaining health plans without co-payments, are La Grenouille and Nanni, both of which settled yesterday.
To keep pressure on the remaining holdouts, the union is scheduling a 3 p.m. rally Tuesday in front of Gallagher’s.
“It’s for the workers of Gallagher’s and Oyster Bar and all of the other restaurants that have and haven’t settled,” said union spokesman Brooks Bitterman.
For daily updates on the negotiations, the union has set up a Web site: eyeonbrodybusiness.info. It’s named for Marlene Brody, the CEO of Gallagher’s and the Grand Central Oyster Bar, considered by the union as the strongest holdout.

domain: news


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A shoplifting charge against the wife of Olympic swimmer Geoff Huegill has been dismissed on mental health grounds.
Sara Huegill was arrested by mounted police in Byron Bay in May after allegedly making off from a store with a pair of leather Bassike pants worth almost $2000.
But the matter was dismissed on Friday at Byron Bay Local Court on mental health grounds.
In an Instagram post in June, Geoff Huegill said "good people make bad choices".
"Naturally there are two sides to every story, and there will be a time, when we as a family will share our side," the social media post stated.
Sara Huegill and her husband - a two-time Olympic medallist - were given a six-month good behaviour bond for cocaine possession at Sydney's Randwick races in 2014.
The Huegills are now based on the Gold Coast after selling their designer inner Sydney terrace in 2015.
© AAP 2020


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The inaugural screening of Chalti Tasveerein was held in India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on 14 February 2018 with the screening of a fiction film “TURUP” by Ektara Collective. The opening was well received as we witnessed a full house in the hall. After the film there was a discussion with Kuldeep, one of the actors of the film.
“TURUP” is a film made in a collective process along with people from within the community, the film is a delightful portrayal of how society, politics and media affect our daily lives. The many interesting characters in the film push the viewer to recognize the truth in this fictional masterpiece.
Day 2 – 4 : Chalti Tasveerein, the traveling film festival started off its first journey from New Delhi to Nandurbar, Maharashtra where it participated in the annual function of Jeevanshala ‘Bal Mela’ the schools run by Narmada Bachao Andolan.
We screened a documentary ‘Zoo‘ and a music video ‘Gaon Chhodab Nahi‘ to the students, which was very well received.
We had another round of screenings for the students at the Bal Mela, where we screened four films for them ‘A Chairy Tale‘ by Norman McLaren, ‘Ek Anek aur Ekta‘ by Bhimsen from the film’s division, ‘Printed Rainbow‘ by Gitanjali Rao and an excerpt of ‘Paani Pe Lekha‘ by Sanjay Kak. While the animated films garnered unrestrained applause from the children it was even more rewarding to see a new generation of students watch the early days of their resistance on a big screen. There were around 700 children and 1000 people in total.
Team Chalti Tasveerien concluded their first two-days film screening in Nandurbar, Maharashtra and will be traveling to Gujarat. The two-days film screening and various activities with the children was an amazing experience filled with caring, sharing and lots of learning to the team. We are now packed for Gujarat.
Day 5 : It was a day dedicated to with all possibilities. With more than a little help from the Samast Bharuch Jilla Machhimar Samaj we managed to pull off a screening in the middle of a galli/street. A dedicated usher to keep away the goats and a generous resident who dropped a pocha/mop on a street lamp to control the lighting; all came together to create a unique screening experience for a sizable and enthusiastic audience. The theme of possibilities wasn’t limited to the logistics of the screening alone as today added to the long list of events organised by the newly formed movement group. One which is gradually but effectively unifying the fishermen of Bharuch to assert their rights over a river which is being exploited by industries.
Day 6 – 7 : We held a screening at the Panchayat Hall at Baleshwar Village near Surat. We screened a documentary ‘Supermen of Malegaon‘ by Faiza Ahmed Khan and a fiction film ‘Modern Times‘ by Charlie Chaplin, along with a few videos. With the closest movie hall being 10 km away the screening allowed us to collectively address a range of questions around cinema! Sorry for the unclear photos. We can’t blame the hosts for organising a screening in absolute darkness!
Day 8 : The Fishworkers group Machhimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan (MASS) organised the screening for us at the Randhbandar coast of Kutch, Gujarat where we screened the films ‘Ek Anek Ekta‘ by Bhimsen, ‘A Delicate Weave‘, ‘A Chairy Tale‘, ‘The Chorus‘ by Abbas Kiarostami and the theme song of the World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP) 7th General Assembly which was held in New Delhi.
The audience comprised primarily of people from the fishing community and the children were particularly eloquent during the discussion. Watching a film with the sound of the waves in the background exposed us to the ethos of human nature coexistence; one that has been practiced by the fish working community for centuries.
Day 9 : While the initial screening at Ahmedabad was cancelled earlier and rescheduled for 22 February 2018, where we did the screening in a basti in Ahmedabad near the Chand Saiyaad, Dargah.
We did the screenings of films ‘Humaare Ghar‘ by Kislay Gonzalvez, ‘Bhagat Singh Tu Zinda Hai‘ (music video) by Sheetal Sathe and excerpts from ‘Mera Apna Sheher‘ by Sameera Jain for an audience comprising primarily of women and children.
The women are primarily occupied in manual labor and domestic work. After the screening, there was a vibrant discussion on the position of women in public spaces and the engagement with upward social mobility in ‘Humaare Ghar‘.
This screening marked the end of the Gujarat chapter of ‘Chalti Tasveerein’. We have been humbled by the hospitality of the people of Gujarat and inspired by their resilience for change. The love for food among the Gujaratis is much talked about; they say ‘Surat Nu Jaman Ane Kashi Nu Maran’ (Eat in Surat and die in Kashi for a soulful life). What isn’t mentioned often enough is their appetite for chewing on alternative cinema and digesting thought-provoking documentaries. We hope our effort will play a small role in developing a discourse around cinema which will bring joy and harmony to everyone in Gujarat. With our bellies full and our projector packed we now head to Rajasthan!
Day 10 : We started our Rajasthan journey at the Kotra village of Udaipur! The screening was held at the Adivasi Milan Mela, hosted by the Adivasi Vikas Manch, Kotra.
Due to the Mela, we got the opportunity to screen films for our largest audience till then and they thoroughly enjoyed all the films. With over a thousand people engaging with a wide range of films based on resistance we couldn’t have asked for a better start to the Rajasthan chapter of Chalti Tasveerein.
We screened ‘Dada Jaag Re‘ (music video) by Media Collective, ‘Marching with the Bhim Army‘ by The Quint, ‘Love Your Neighbor‘ by Norman McLaren along with excerpts from ‘RTI‘ by Jharna Jhaveri & Anurag Singh and ‘Bharat Ke Nirmata‘ by Shubham.
Day 11 : We were graciously hosted by the Prerna Public School today and it was a real delight to be with students. We screened documentaries ‘Supermen of Malegaon‘ by Faiza Ahmed Khan, ‘Glas‘ and a fiction film ‘Children of Heaven‘ (Abbas Kirostami). It was interesting to see that the students were particularly forthcoming in the discussions. The room echoed with laughter as they watched ‘Supermen of Malegaon‘ which was the clear favorite! We hope this is the beginning of a long-standing association with cinema for them!
After the screening at Prerna School, Chalti Tasveerein was given a space at Fateh Sagar Lake, Udaipur by 94.3 My FM and Seedling School which had organised a ‘Dil Ki Deewar’ event where citizens were encouraged to donate things for people from marginalized spaces. We screened the films ‘Love Your Neighbor‘, ‘A Chairy Tale‘, ‘Hum Ladenge‘ and ‘Kodaikanal Won’t‘ a music video by Sophia Ashraf, in the open space for people visiting the lake.
It was nice to see such a big crowd gathering in front of the screen and appreciating the films. There were many people who expressed their interests in the festival and the children were particularly supportive. It was nice to see that films have the power to draw people even when they aren’t looking for them. It was inspiring to see that some students of Prerna school who had come with their parents to attend the evening screening!
Day 12 : From Udaipur, we moved towards Rajyawas village in Rajsamand where we did the screenings for a group of women and children. We screened the animation ‘Ek Anek Ekta‘ by Bhimsain and a documentary ‘Maati Ki Maan‘ by Nishida Sahir. A couple of little girls who were amused to see the projection on the wall came and asked us about the projector and how we managed to show a movie without a TV or a screen!
This screening was organised by National Foundation for Social Development- School of Democracy, MKSS and Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) and coordinated by Rinku who is the Convenor of Udaipur Film Society.
The second screening of the day was at the Thana village in Rajasthan, where we screened ‘Bhagat Singh tu Zinda Hain‘ (music video), ‘Love Your Neighbor‘ and ‘Modern Times‘. The residents of this warm and welcoming village stayed up way past their bedtimes to enjoy the films. They laughed and cheered as they watched the films and soon the crowd was big enough to block the street in front of the screening. Even when a couple of jeeps tried to cross over, they didn’t let them and asked the drivers to take another route.
Day 13 : We had yet another double screening today and both were really successful. We kick-started the day with Bhim Boys Senior Secondary School at Bhinmal in Jalore district of Rajasthan. Contrary to its name is a coed school. We played ‘The Chorus‘ and ‘Supermen of Malegaon‘ and both the films were big hits with the students. Even the teachers were engrossed in the films and had many nice things to say after the screening.
In the evening we headed to the Jawaja village where we screened ‘Jadui Macchi‘, ‘The Red Balloon‘ and ‘Chairy Tale‘ for a very excited bunch of children and some of their mothers. The response was so positive that there were immediate talks about regular screenings in the library run by the Rajasthan Asangathit Mazdoor Union.
Both the screenings were facilitated by the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan and we are very grateful to them for helping us put the screenings together. Apart from managing the logistics the presence of our local coordinators has helped us understand our audience and reflect upon the way people across geographical and social locations engage with different forms of cinema.
Day 14 : We found ourselves in the company of some very enthusiastic lady scholars at the Sophia College, Ajmer. We screened ‘TURUP‘ and a vibrant discussion on gender, caste and conflict and the potential the medium holds to bring change. This was followed by a screening of ‘Kodaikanal Won’t‘ (music video) which initiated discussions on the medium.
The students and teachers were extremely supportive of the initiative and have decided to establish a film club on campus in collaboration with School of Democracy. The fact that two students decided to join us for the remaining journey in Rajasthan and their Principal decided to give them attendance for it bears testimony to the success of the screening.
The screening was organised by School of Democracy and MKSS.
The second screening of the day was at Nallu village where we screened films for the youngsters attending a three day workshop organised by the Rajasthan Mazdoor Kisan Morcha. We started with ‘Fan Baba Saheb Di‘ (music video) and ‘Marching with Bhim Army (Quint) which was followed by a discussion on how caste operates across the subcontinent and how the marginalized communities have begun asserting themselves through visual media.
After this we played ‘Echoes from the Past’ (documentary) which sparked a vibrant discussion on the ‘Behrupia’ community and the importance of documentary films. This was the first documentary experience for many young people in the audience and they really enjoyed it! Some of the elders shared tales from the past of the ‘Behrupiya’ of their village.
As we head towards our final destination (Jaipur) in Rajasthan, we can’t help be inspired and motivated by the variety of people who are joining our growing community of people who love cinema and the charcha around it!
Day 15 : We were warmly welcomed at the DP Tiwari Medical & Educational Institute and Sneh Public School in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Most of our audience was comprised of school children along with a handful of nursing students.
We screened the documentary film ‘Glas‘, a fiction film ‘Love Your Neighbors‘, the theme song of WFFP GA7 and an animation film ‘Printed Rainbow‘. The screening was interesting because we had some students expressing their boredom during the screening of ‘Glas‘. They mentioned that they were bored because the film had ‘no dialogues’. As a response we played ‘Love Your Neighbors‘, which they thoroughly enjoyed. Towards the end, ‘Printed Rainbow’ was played and it was well received.
Since it was the day of Holi celebration, most of the students left as soon as ‘Printed Rainbow’ ended and we had one nursing student who came and asked us why we didn’t talk about the film which was such an important film on reality and fantasy!
We hope we were able to inspire some young minds to look at films differently and engage with the idea of ‘boredom’ itself. It was such a pleasure to be among young minds who didn’t hesitate to speak their minds and were willing to think about what they were consuming.
Our final screening for the Rajasthan phase was facilitated by the Rajasthan Mahila Kaamgar Union at the Khatipura Basti in Jaipur. We screened the documentaries ‘Humaare Ghar‘ and excerpts from ‘Bharat Ke Nirmata‘ and both the films sparked a string of conversations.
The audience which was comprised almost entirely of women domestic workers were quick to identify the nuances in ‘Humaare Ghar‘ and related it to their daily struggles. They also gave the team an insight into the work the union was doing and how it has helped them assert their positions and claim their rights. The conversation could’ve continued all night long if the women didn’t have to leave for work. The screening was a befitting end to our Rajasthan leg.
Rajasthan has been extremely kind to us and the success of the festival here would not have been possible without the able support of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan and the School For Democracy. Their understanding of the communities bears testimony to the fantastic work they are doing.
We were also very pleased to have a variety of locations in our pool of screenings. Whether it was the Fateh Sagar lake or the Sophia College auditorium we managed to generate a great deal of interest in the unlikeliest of spaces. What was also very heartening was the interest the people showed in the medium. With institutions establishing film clubs and individuals deciding to shoot their own films, the Rajasthan leg of ‘Chalti Tasveerein’ was all about reclaiming the ‘Pardah’. We also managed to receive chanda from all places from Rs.1 to Rs.500 which would take care of our travel and food expenses in the coming days.
We hope that a land which has been a preferred location for filmmakers from around the globe will soon grow into a state which produces, consumes and engages with films on its own.
We are extremely thankful to all the friends, supporters, well-wishers and the movement groups who have hosted us and have been helpful in making this film festival possible at different places. We are also grateful to all the volunteers who have joined us at various phases of our journey in the last 15 days.
Day 16 : Team ‘Chalti Tasveerein’ reached Indore on March 1st. From here the team will head towards Badwani in Madhya Pradesh. This was supposed to be a break day for us but a string of coincidences gave us the opportunity to hold a short orientation for the teachers at the Indore Public School, Eastern Campus. We spoke to them about the potential of the medium and told them about our experiences with screenings in schools. The teachers were very interested and we hope they will take this forward!
Day 17 : March 02, 2018, this was our second break day of the journey and the team used it to wash their clothes and catch up on their sleep. At night we set up the projector and watched ‘Mr India‘ with our friends at the Narmada Bachao Andolan’s office in Badwani, Madhya Pradesh. We watched this timeless film with a fresh perspective and it became a ‘Chalti Tasveerein’ tribute to Sridevi. The informal screening gave us time to reflect on our experiences and reminded us why we are doing what we’re doing.
Day 18 : The team planned to utilize the morning slot of the second day at Badwani district in Madhya Pradesh to know more about the Narmada Bachao Andolan’s work. We visited Rajghat and Chikalda village which are on the bank of Narmada river. At present Narmada river is running dry and people expressed how the government makes them suffer in the name of development by favouring a group of individuals. We interacted with the locals and met, Sano Bhabi, from Chikalda who has been a part of the struggle for the last 32 years. She shared “how oppressed people from all parts of the country are linked together through these social movements. What makes this andolan special for us is to see how it has brought people together from different castes and religions in the area, and also gave local women the confidence to assert their rights”.
In the evening we organised a screening at the Hawalda village. Our first Madhya Pradesh screening saw a huge attendance. We screened ‘Paani Pe Lekha‘, ‘A Chairy Tale‘, ‘When Women Unite‘ and some music videos. People loved the films and commented on how the films reflected their daily lives and struggles. What stood out however was a very interesting interpretation of ‘A Chairy Tale‘ who likened the chair to a government position and how an official should handle his or her responsibilities ethically. With such an enthusiastic set of viewers for our first screening we are very optimistic about Chalti Tasveerein’ Madhya Pradesh leg.
We were delighted to have 9 volunteers from Delhi University comprising 8 students and one faculty. They have been helping us with documentation, publicity and of course providing entertainment!
Day 19 : Today we started off at the Kadmal village in Dhar district where we had a screening inside a garage and a lot of people from the village came inspite of it being the height of the festive season. We screened ‘Pani Pe Lekha‘ on demand of the senior leaders of the community. Many elders from the village got to relive the early days of the struggle and many young children got to witness the peak moment of the Andolan. The crowd was extremely responsive and we got to learn a lot from them and their experiences.
Our Second screening of the day was at the Century Yarn/Denim Satyagrah Aandolan at Satrati, Khargon district, Madhya Pradesh
In our journey so far, we have screened films in quite a few unusual spaces. In the middle of a street and by the sea, inside a garage and on someone’s balcony. On this evening however we found ourselves in an atmosphere that has been unparalleled so far. We were fortunate to have been given the opportunity to screen a film at the gates of the Century Yarn/ Denim Satyagrah, where the workers have been on a strike for the last 4 months now. They are the victims of a major corporate fraud which has snatched their rights. We screened ‘Hum Ladenge Saathi‘, ‘Daada Jaagre‘ (music video) and ‘Modern Times‘ for them which people enjoyed a lot and interpreted in many ways. Someone also mentioned that the film brought relief to them after four months of struggle. Our experience of the space had a deep impression on us and we hope we spread information about the struggle and extend solidarity to their struggle.
Day 20 : Today we did the screening at the Pichodi Village in Badwani district where people are engaged in farming and fishing. This dam affected region has a spirited set of people who enjoyed the film ‘Jadui Macchi‘. The people told us that they related to the film on multiple levels and were happy to be introduced to an alternative cinema which represented many of their concerns. It is always nice for us when people talk amongst themselves during the film screening and after the films and we were fortunate to witness some of that ‘Charcha’ in this village.
Day 21 : Today we had two screenings, one at the Chhola Road, Orriya Basti in Bhopal. The screening at Chhola road was facilitated by Abdul bhai from ‘Insani Biradri’. We screened ‘Love your Neighbors‘ and set of music videos by Majma. We screened one episode of Jan Gan Man Ki Baat on ‘Fallout of Demonetisation’. The video generated a lot of discussion on the credibility of the mainstream media. The screenings were followed by the discussions over tea that ranged from governance to conflicts in the houses.
Our second screening was at Soniya Colony, Aeshbagh. Mostly comprising of young adults, this screening was facilitated by Ektara Collective, that primarily does skill training among youth. Nidhi and Deepak helped us put a screening together. After a couple of music videos we screened excerpts of ‘Mera Apna Sheher‘ that sparked a fascinating debate on women’s access to public spaces. It was very inspiring to see a group of young women speaking out against the gender issues in public spaces. While there were many ideas and opinions in the hall, everyone unanimously agreed that a film can facilitate an intense discussion!
The Ektara Collective and Muskaan coordinated both the screenings along with the partnering organisations. We are very grateful to our friends for their enthusiastic support and belief in this initiative.
Day 22 : Our final screening at Madhya Pradesh happened at the Rajiv Nagar Basti in Bhopal where the people are from a Denotified tribe which faces regular harassment from the Police and the public at large. Many people from within the community are working towards building a better future for themselves. We screened ‘Ek Anek Ekta‘ and ‘Supermen of Malegaon‘ before were interrupted by a brief spell of rain. The conversation that followed however was easily one of the best we’ve had so far. The young people from the community showed us some of the funny videos they had made on apps and we talked about how videos can be used as a tool to further the cause of social justice. A boy studying in class fourth talked about how rich people make films on slums for their gain and how they must make their own films. Such was the enthusiasm that the people decided to initiate regular screenings of films. The first has been scheduled for the 10th of March.
The Muskaan Foundation which works with these groups helped us put this screening together and we are very grateful to their team.
With this we came to the end of our Madhya Pradesh phase. The people of MP have been extremely patient and interested in our initiative and have engaged with it with a lot of insight and understanding. The people here have a way of making outsiders feel at home. Whether it was Indore, Badwani or Bhopal the people at the venues made sure that we felt included and not out of place. People sitting in the audience would come forward to help with tying the ‘Pardah’ and in some cases would raise slogans to keep the spirits alive. ‘You’re only an outsider here if you think you are one and sparking a conversation here is as simple as chewing on poha.’ All this and more make this the perfect space for an alternative cinema and charcha!
Day 23 : International Women’s Day, 8 March
From Madhya Pradesh we travelled to Uttar Pradesh and our first screening was at Paltan Chawni Shelter Home. Our friends at the Vigyaan Foundation helped us to organise a screening of ‘Bharat ke Nirmata‘ for women who are mostly engaged in domestic work. The response was phenomenal and a lot of woken articulated some very poignant thoughts and experiences on womanhood and patriarchy. Some of them sang songs and recited poetry. This was a great start to UP ‘aur hum muskuraye ki hum Lucknow mein hai’!
Our second screening for International Women’s Day was held in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh where we screened ‘Love your Neighbors‘, ‘Echoes From The Past’ and ‘A Chairy Tale‘. The audience was almost entirely comprised of Women and Children. Some little girls were extremely forthcoming when it came to the discussions and it was a treat to be among them. Some stayed back till we finished packing our equipment and we had the chance to talk to them about their communities and learn more about the city!
Day 24 : Our second screening at Faizabad was held at the Industrial Training Institute where the Principal of the institute inaugurated the screening by lighting candle and welcoming the yatra. Most of our audience comprised of young college students. We screened ‘A Chairy Tale‘, ‘When Women Unite‘ and ‘Ek Red Color Ki Love Story‘ along with some music videos. The students responded passionately and there was noticeable enthusiasm to consume different kinds of films. Ek Red Colour ki Love Story led to some interesting response by women on stalking and harassment.
The students were very interested in the idea of collective film viewing and even fixed dates for screenings to be held later. Facilitated by Awadh People’s Forum and a bunch of young enthusiasts, we are certain that similar screenings will be held over the next couple of months in this space.
Day 25 : We are in Mau, and today our first screening was at the Harishchand Delari Inter College where we screened ‘Gaon Chodab Nahi‘, ‘Love your Neighbours‘, ‘A Chairy Tale‘ and ‘The Chorus‘. Each film was followed by an interesting discussion with the students and the girls were particularly outspoken. The local coordinator and teachers suggested screening ‘Gaon Chodab Nahi‘ twice and it was a delight to hear the students putting forward their thoughts and drawing connections with their village and society. They expressed their joy in seeing sights that were familiar and constituted their everyday on screen. What intrigued us further was how the students were well informed about the current political scenario and articulated their concerns confidently.
From Harishchand Delari Inter College we reached Sacred Heart School, Mau. The screening was attended by high school students and the administrative staff. We screened ‘Gaon Chodab Nahi and ‘I am 20‘. While ‘Gaon Chhodab Nahi‘ pushed the children to check their privilege and acknowledge the importance of the rights of Adivasi people ‘I am 20‘ allowed them to engage with varying perspectives on development and the problems that have plagued modern India. The children were particularly interested in contributing towards the chanda collection and donated portions from their pocket money.
After screening in two schools at Mau, we headed towards Devkali Vishunpur village, Mau. We screened ‘Dada Jaag Re‘, ‘Marching with Bhim Army‘, ‘A Chairy Tale‘ and ‘When Women Unite‘. Considering that the village comprised mostly of Dalits the villagers were particularly keen on the struggle of Chandrasekhar Azad and Bhim Army. It was heartening to see that as the screening of ‘ When Women Unite‘ progressed more and more women joined in. The day was wrapped up with a lovely hot meal which was provided by the residents of the village. The villagers seemed very interested and influenced by the films and we hope they take their engagement with both cinema and resistance forward!
All the screenings at Mau were facilitated by Mr. Arvind Murty. We are very grateful to him for bringing the energy and enthusiasm post-screenings.
Day 26 – 29 : Our final stop for the UP destination was at Allahabad where the Stree Mukti Sangathan, Pakistan India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) and Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) helped us organise a screening at Swaraj Vidya Peet. We could sense the interest of the audience right from the point we began introducing our initiative. We began with ‘Daada Jaag Re‘ after which a student from Allahabad university told us that he was from Jharkhand and he was very happy to see people from his state asserting themselves in the video. We followed this up with ‘Turup‘ which had people cheering at various points. The audience were stuck to their seats and they broke into cheers at many points in the during the film. The crowd which was a mix of young and old had a lot to say to after the screening. They were also planning to have follow up screenings to bring back the culture of collective cinema viewing. We were thrilled to have a great screening before we go into a short break. We will resume our journey from Delhi.
Day 30 : It is good to be back in Delhi and after a short break we are all set to take forward the travelling film festival. Our screening for today was planned and suggested by some of the Delhi University students and we were thrilled to take Chalti Tasveerein to them. The screening started with playing many music videos since the sundown was taking time and the outdoor wall projection needs darkness. The Chalti Tasveerein team was officially welcomed by Gandhi Ashram Women’s Hostel Warden Rosamma ma’am and wished the team the best of luck. The screening of Bina Paul’s ‘The Sound of Silence‘ was attended mostly by Malayali women hostelers of Delhi University and a few others from JNU and Jamia.
The discussion post screening slipped into Malayalam and mostly debated questions of security, freedom, consent and the need for strong gender neutral policies in institutional spaces and effective redressal mechanisms. The organisers Ima, Kavya and Abhirami wrapped up the screening and along with a few others headed for the Narmada valley to complete the survey work they had started during their visit to the valley with Chalti Tasveerein. It is a matter of joy that through this film initiative volunteers are being initiated into social movements.
Day 31 : Our second screening was hosted by the Delhi Young Artists Forum (DYAF) at their Khanpur centre, Delhi where saw a mixed crowd of women and children of all age groups. We started the screening with a couple of music videos and then screened ‘The Chorus‘, ‘Chairy Tale‘ and ‘Love your neighbour‘. The three films initiated some discussion on borders, friendship, compassion and how having a hearing aid can be helpful when one wants to take a break from the world’s chaos! Considering that DYAF does regular screenings at the centre, we screened ‘The Arrival‘ next.
The discussion that followed touched upon issues of migration, child labour, commodification, life in the city and living in the bastis. Questions on the impact of using silent films vis-a-vis films with Hindi dialogue was raised which further brought forward issues of access and familiarity with the different genres of films.
Day 32 : Saharanpur, After our earlier Uttar Pradesh screenings we were left with Western Uttar Pradesh which we continued after the Delhi chapter. We reached Saharanpur on 17 March, 2018 and conducted our first screening at Brownwood Public School. The screening was attended by students as well as teaching and non-teaching staff of the school.
We screened ‘Kodaikanal Wont‘ which generated a discussion around the potential music videos hold in preventing the onslaught on resources by multi national companies. Following the discussion we screened ‘Dada Jaag Re‘ to highlight how protest music videos take different forms. This was followed by a conversation about how videos like these do not get the required circulation.
Later we screened ‘I am 20‘ and ‘Under the Shade of Fallen Chinar‘. The first film made people reflect on the role of the government in promoting a critical culture among people through films and how this role has changed significantly over the years. People were of the opinion that a disagreement against the government can lead them into trouble and they would end up being branded as ‘anti-nationals’ easily. The second film presented a different narrative of the reality of Kashmir which is missing from the mainstream media. One woman from the audience shared her story about how her interaction with Kashmiri students at college changed her perspective on Kashmir.
Throughout the screening the role and the importance of the travelling film festival was emphasized upon by the local coordinator and the team and the response of the audience was very encouraging. The students, teachers and management all expressed a desire to continue the practice of watching meaningful cinema and possibly using it as a teaching aid.
Our second screening was at Khata Khedi, Saharanpur. We started with ‘Hum Ladenge Saathi‘ and an episode of ‘Jan Gan Man Ki Baat‘ on demonetisation. The people mentioned that they have read about the Panama Papers and related issues in the newspapers but have never seen it getting coverage on television.
The second film we screened was ‘Love Your Neighbours‘ led to a good discussion. It initiated a discussion on what the ‘flower’ meant for each person in the film. For some people, the flower represented political parties who divide people and one person expressed that the flower is Kashmir, over which two countries are fighting for their vested interests. Our third film ‘Marching with Bhim Army‘ made by the Quint evoked a guarded response, it was indeed good to provoke a serious discussion for the coming days in the area.
This was our last UP screening and we were hosted by different people who are working towards promoting communal harmony in the State. We hope that our initiative has added the values of co-existence and brotherhood further. The screenings were facilitated by All India Union of Forest Working People (AIUFWP) at Saharanpur.
Day 33 : The team arrived at Tehra Tongiya, Uttrakhand in the early morning where the screenings are being coordinated by All India Union for Forest Working People.
We conducted the screening at Tehra Tongiya village with the Sikh Banjara community. We screened ‘Fan Baba Sahib Di‘ and ‘Ek Anek Ekta‘. Due to the power cut the screening had to be stopped for a few minutes. To keep everyone engaged the kids started singing rhymes! Then, we screened ‘Maati ki Maan‘ which is about the Arippa land struggle in Kerala and very similar to the land struggle in the area.
Post-screening, the people gave the background of their struggle and they talked about the Rajaji National Park which was approved as a tiger reserve in 2015 and is threatening their lives. Taking quotes from the film, one man shared that land is an asset and in no condition should anyone sell it.
The second screening was scheduled at Haripur Tongiya, where we screened a few music videos as people assembled. Men, women and children of all age groups gathered for the screening. We screened ‘Dada Jaag Re‘ and it initiated a discussion about their movement. Drawing connections from Jharkhand the people discussed the need to unite and fight against the forces who are hellbent on oppressing people. A young woman expressed her gratefulness to the elders who had initiated the struggle and formed its backbone, many of these were present during the screening. We screened a few scenes from ‘Bharat Ke Nirmata‘ and Comrade Munilal spoke to the people about the women who are a part of the resistance. Later we screened ‘Zoo‘ and a ‘Chairy Tale‘ for the kids in the audience which they throughly enjoyed.
Our first day in Uttarakhand was very thought provoking and inspiring. The stories of the resistance in this picturesque state are bound to stay with us forever and we hope CT will prove to be a valuable initiative for the people here.
Day 34 : Our journey has taken us to locations which have been uncharted territories for cinema so far. Perhaps it is no coincidence that these places are some of the most beautiful places we have visited. One such place was the screening at Kanaou forest village. Home to Kashmiri Gujjars who are all engaged in dairy farming, the screening was held in an abandoned godown in their village with a connection from a tiny tea shop on the highway, the only structure with electricity. We screened ‘Ek Anek Ekta‘, ‘A Chairy Tale‘, ‘The Chorus‘ and ‘Gaon Chhodab Nahi’ in the woods for an audience comprised of children, ladies and the men who hadn’t yet taken the cattle for grazing. We heard their interpretations of the films and were extremely influenced by their hospitality and wisdom. While the community is living fulfilling lives within the forest it was nice to see that they were interested in the visual medium. Particularly so because they acknowledged that it was an important tool for having their voice heard when the government attempt to displace them.
Our second screening of the day was at Chandi plantation, Doiwala, Haridwar. It’s a multi diverse community where people from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh had settled during 1930s for plantation purpose in the area. We screened ‘Dada Jaag Re‘, ‘Fan Baba Sahib Di‘ and ‘Hum Ladenge Sathi‘. After screening we initiated a discussion on the varied themes that these three music videos present. People spoke about the different social movements going in the country and recognized their significance also. The youth were interested to know how they can use the visual medium for their own ongoing struggle. Then, we screened ‘Zoo‘, an episode on demonetisation by The Wire and the ‘First Cry‘. The film and the news video generated a discussion on man-animal interaction, role of alternate media and responsibility of community groups/unions.
Day 35 : Today we are at Jhambakri Barcha, Pathri Bagh, Haridwar. Our screening was supposed to happen with people who have been rehabilitated due to Tehri Dam. The place has no electricity and we waited for almost an hour and then distributed the booklet and some of the films available on YouTube. The kids assured to stream or download and organise screenings for their friends. The organisers from Matujan Sanghatan also assured to hold a screening at a later point.
The time we spent in Uttarakhand gave us the opportunity to listen to the stories of people who are resisting the powerful authorities to claim their land and resources. ‘Like dogs they enter and become tigers..’ from Dada Jaag Re song holds true here.
Day 36 – 37 : Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh
The first screening at Himachal was organised by Gyan Vigyan Samiti at the Panchayat Hall and was attended by the staff workers of the Panchayat and some local farmers and teachers. We screened ‘Bhagat Singh Tu Zinda Hai‘, ‘Fan Baba Sahib Di‘ and ‘Bant Singh Can Still Sing‘. The audience asserted that while caste discrimination is not prevalent in their village, the film really inspired them. After this, we screened parts of ‘First Cry‘ and ‘When Women Unite‘. Alcoholism is becoming menace in the area and women shared about their interventions to stop this problem. At the end we screened an episode from ‘Jan Gan Man Ki Baat‘ on demonetisation and education. This generated a lot of discussion on the education system among teachers. The teachers were of the opinion that the budget cut had a great impact on the quality of education in the country.
Similarly, the current education practices prevalent in public schools has resulted in teachers exploitation which in turn has harmed the student community. We witnessed great camaraderie and a willingness to engage at our first day at Himachal Pradesh and look forward to the rest of our yatra.
Our second screening was at Nahan, Sirmour at Himachal Pradesh, hosted by All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) and Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS), the audience comprised of children, men, women and elders. The screening started with Com. Santosh Kapoor, AIDWA State President welcoming the team. We screened ‘Bhagat Singh Tu Zinda Hai‘ and ‘Ek Anek Ekta‘. The animated music video immediately brought a smile on their faces and contemporarily importance of diversity in this country, we screened few parts of ‘Bharat Ke Nir-mata‘ related to this theme. After this we screened ‘Bloody Women‘ which is about the prevailing menstrual taboos in Himachal Pradesh. It initiated an hour long discussion among both men and women on age old discriminatory practices. One young girl asserted that she has come to realise the extent of discrimination in the name of purity and has resolved to not let the taboos affect her mobility anymore and the audience broke into applause. The discussion further led to the caste system and how different forms of discrimination operate at all levels.
Both sets of audiences at Paonta Sahib as well as Nahan were very receptive and spoke their minds.
Day 38 : The legacy of revolutionaries, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev inspire us even today. On this Shaheed Diwas (23 March), we witnessed an audience who are victims of corporate injustice. The audience comprised of men who work on a road construction site for Chaddha and Chaddha Gas and Coal Construction Ltd. Since November, 2017 the work on the construction site has not been taken forward even though thirty percent of the work is incomplete. In February, 41 workers were terminated without prior notice when they joined the union and the company plans to repeat the same with others who are fighting for their dignity. We screened ‘Bhagat Singh Tu Zinda Hai‘, ‘Modern Times‘, an episode of ‘Jan Gan Man ki Baat’ on ‘Modi’s Pakoda Employment Scheme’ by The Wire and ‘Gaon Chodab Nahi’. The people were really engaged and the fellows from The Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla who had joined us shared Bhagat Singh’s idea of freedom and equality with everyone which still remains a distant dream in this country.
We, the team Chalti Tasveerein along with the fellows from IIAS extend our solidarity to their struggle.
Day 39 : Our first screening at Mandi was organised by Dr. Om Prakash from Bharath Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS). In this picturesque village we screened ‘Dada Jaag Re’, ‘Love Your Neighbour‘, ‘Bloody Women‘ and ‘Fan Baba Sahib Di‘. The people loved the films and could connect easily with the film ‘Bloody Women’ which is based on menstrual taboos in Himachal Pradesh. Young women of this village expressed that they no longer follow certain age old practices. One elderly woman also shared that the discriminatory practice of social exclusion is linked to the economic status of a family. A family which shares a one bedroom house is in no position to exclude their womenfolk. Dr. Om Prakash shared the details of menstrual taboos practiced in Karnataka and how one panchayat decided to construct a ‘rest house’ outside the village for menstruating women instead of sensitizing the community about the taboo. This lead to a more nuanced discussion on ostracisation and ways to deal with the discriminatory practices surrounding menstruation.
Our second screening had only young women in the audience who are pursuing a Diploma in elementary education. We screened ‘Fan Baba Sahib Di‘, ‘Nirnay‘ and a song by Sheetal Sathe. The film generated a lot of discussion around the participation of women in key decision making processes in their lives. The students talked about patriarchy and societal norms which perpetuates biases. Dr. Om Prakash emphasized on the importance of teachers in society and how integral it is to motivate students to raise question on prescribed norms around them. He also added that it was important for progressive women to build communities that become support systems when dealing with oppression. Most of the women bought the Chalti Tasveerein booklet and said they would watch the films in the list and write to us about it.
Day 40 : Rakkar, Dharamshala, Our first screening of the day was organized by Jagori Rural Charitable Trust. The audience comprised of aanganvadi workers who were at Jagori Centre for training workshop on women’s health. We screened ‘Gaon Chodab Nahi‘ and ‘Bloody Women‘. The facilitator of the workshop initiated the discussion on menstrual taboo’s in Himachal Pradesh. The film was in a way extension of the training programme which they were undergoing at training centre. The women talked about the restrictions that are placed on them during periods and added that it was a means to sustain the patriarchal system. The director of the film, Priyanka Ishwari, spoke about the shame that is associated with this natural process and the role religion plays in practicing it. She also added about her inspiration to make the film on this important issue in Himachal Pradesh.
Our second screening was at Neevia Hotel, Dharmshala which was organized by Jagori Rural Charitable Trust with women Anganwadi workers who were attending a workshop on domestic violence and laws related to it. We screened ‘Dada Jaag Re‘, an episode on demonetisation by The Wire, ‘Bloody Women‘ and a song by Sheetal Sathe. The films led to discussion on alternate media and the current mainstream media practices. The women acknowledged that the social exclusion during periods is practiced in some parts of Himachal Pradesh. Some shared their personal encounters in places where it is practiced. The more than one and a half hour discussion led to the warmhearted discussion on caste, food practices, religion and the diversity of this country.
The last screening at Himachal was also held at the Jagori Center. The audience for this one was significantly bigger than the one in the morning that comprised of mostly farmers who were attending a workshop on farming and women leadership. As we set up the projector the ladies started singing and dancing and it was a treat to be a part of this spontaneous celebration. Once the projector was set up and everyone settled down we played ‘Ek Anek Ekta‘, ‘A Chairy Tale‘, ‘Love your Neighbors‘ and excerpts from ‘India Untouched‘. Each of the films sparked nuanced discussions on personal relations, conflict and power structures. The discussions were full of personal anecdotes and reflections. It was also heartening to see that there was a healthy dose of disagreement and debate within the audience. The thoughtful exchange of opinions led many people to reform their opinions as the discussion progressed. It was also very exciting to see the ladies pushing themselves to explore multiple interpretations of ‘A Chairy Tale‘ and ‘Love your Neighbors‘. ‘India Untouched‘ allowed the women to reflect on how caste operates in their daily lives and one of the ladies remarked that even though inter caste marriages are gradually being accepted nobody actively looks for partners outside their caste. One of the resource persons Alka brought in newer angles such as Babri Masjid and Kashmir issues and the way media and those in power manipulate the people into making these issues of contestation.
Supported by HGVS, AIPSN, AIKS, AIDWA and Jagori, we had a wide range of audience, but it needs to be pointed out that Himachal had the maximum of women audience in the course of Chalti Tasveerien.
We have had some very enthusiastic and participatory discussions at our screenings. We have witnessed some very insightful conversations and are hopeful that the medium will prove to be an effective tool in furthering dialogue in this state. We are very touched by the warmth of the people from this cold hilly state and are looking forward to working with the people here soon.
Day 41 : Punjab University, Chandigarh
Our first and the only screening at Chandigarh was hosted by Chandigarh Cinephiles, a group of young film enthusiasts who screen films in the city.
Organised by Department of Political Science, Punjab University, the students from other departments and colleges attended the screening. We screened ‘Dada Jaag Re‘, ‘18 Feet‘ , ‘In the Shade of Fallen Chinar‘ and a song from ‘Gadi Loghardaga Mail‘. The song received an ovation from the students and teachers. The films initiated discussion on identity and resistance. Both the films depict how music has been used by people to embrace their identity and as a source of liberation. The people mentioned that using music or arts to fight against the oppression is a ‘safe mode’ to resist, unlike picking up arms. The film ‘In the Shade of Fallen Chinar‘ generated a discussion on Kashmiri Pandits and their lost identity.
We hope to have a long term engagement with Chandigarh Cinephiles in the future to coordinate film screenings and discussions around the audio-visual medium.
Day 42 – 45 : After a 41 days of continuous travel, the last screening of the Chalti Tasveerein phase-1 was scheduled at the 4th General Assembly of New Trade Union Initiative at Nashik from 1-3 April, 2018. The comrades representing different trade unions/movement groups across the country and the worldwide were part of this general assembly. NTUI aims to build one trade union federation in the country and engages with working class at different levels. On the second day of General Assembly after dinner we started off the screening with the songs of Sheetal sathe, Bhagat Singh Tu zinda Hain, TM Krishna’s ‘Poramboku Padal’, Deepak Das’s ‘Dada Jaag Re’ and finally a Malayalam song from Dynamic Action. After these screenings the Canadian short film, ‘Love Your Neighbor‘ was screened and an attempt was made towards a discussion. Later we screened ‘Bharat Ke Nirmata‘ and ended the program with Gini Mahi’s ‘Fan Baba Sahib Di‘ song for which the comrades started dancing to.
On the last day, the organizers of the NTUI mentioned that many trade union groups from Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have expressed the desire to conduct the film screenings at their place. We are grateful to the organizers who arranged a slot for us to screen films amidst the busy schedule and we were really inspired by the NTUI’s motto-Unity, Democracy and Militancy.


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Parisian experience style art history and gourmet dining The address on rue Saint-Honore is home to the most exclusive fashion houses where Parisians shop in style. At the top of Saint Honore is the Place Vendome a handsome octagonal plaza with glamorous jewellers surrounding a Napoleonic monument At the other end are the elegant Tuileries gardens where Parisians meet and relax. Interiors are amongst the most spacious in the capital and combine Parisian sophistication with art deco details and oriental touches. The Asian aesthetic amplifies the fresh open feel giving you space to breathe in a city so visually rich. The hotel features 99 luxurious rooms and 39 suites offering our guests an exclusive and eminently stylish Parisian experience.
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Brilliant from Manchester City, but still let down by their flaws. Oh yeah, and the bloody ref...
Man City had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Tottenham after chucking away a two-goal lead.
Spurs defender Kyle Walker insists he had to try something in an attempt to "put off" Raheem Sterling.
Everyone wants to praise Wayne Rooney after breaking Sir Bobby's United record...
A brace from Andy Carroll secured the points for West Ham as they beat Middlesbrough 3-1.
Wayne Rooney has now become a Manchester United legend, according to Jose Mourinho.
West Brom downed Sunderland 2-0 thanks to two brilliant first-half strikes at The Hawthorns.
Benik Afobe snatched a point for Bournemouth as they twice came from behind to draw.
Liverpool lost 3-2 at home to Swansea City to seriously dent their Premier League title hopes
Seamus Coleman scored late on to rescue a 1-0 victory for Everton on the road at Crystal Palace.
Have Marseille given up? Or have they lodged a new £26m bid? Plus Silva, Nasri and Townsend updates.
Jose Mourinho says Luke Shaw is not playing for Manchester United as he is "having a difficult period".
A 'shock admission'? Hardly. But it does show that the pressure is getting to Pep Guardiola.
Joey Barton claims that he could have joined Arsenal in 2011. That's news to Arsene Wenger.
Those words come from the mouth of Adnan Januzaj, for what it's worth. They are close friends...
Can Spurs cope as favourites against Man City? How will Costa respond to his telling off? Who is Pogba battling?
Mourinho would back retrospective action against players who dive in the box. Poor Ashley Young.
There's been a fair bit of business so far. Some of which you probably missed...
Sol Campbell has outlined his plans to become "one of the greatest managers this country has produced".
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The beauty of home cooking is that you can create many different dishes with the same ingredients. For instance a green pepper could be a light crunchy addition to a savory salad, or it could be a killer side dish after a simple sauté. But, will changing the preparation of the pepper change the benefits we get from eating it?
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A sore, scratchy throat is annoying, but probably not alarming enough to call your doc.
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Most toddlers are notoriously picky eaters. They snub new textures, colors, aromas and especially anything green. They may even flat out refuse to eat.
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text: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity[a] is a hack and slash video game developed by Omega Force, published by Koei Tecmo in Japan and internationally by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It was released on November 20, 2020. The game is a successor to 2014's Hyrule Warriors, and similarly acts as a crossover mixing the characters and universe of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series with the gameplay of Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors franchise. Unlike the first Hyrule Warriors, which was set in its own separate universe, Age of Calamity is part of the The Legend of Zelda canon, taking place 100 years before The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and depicting the Great Calamity, a war frequently mentioned in the original game. This makes Age of Calamity the first The Legend of Zelda game to act as a direct prequel to another entry in the series. In the story, Link and Princess Zelda must gather allies from all across Hyrule to fight the forces led by the evil Calamity Ganon, who is attempting to revive himself and destroy the kingdom. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity received positive reviews from critics, who praised its gameplay, varied character playstyles, amount of content, visuals, soundtrack, and characterization; the game's use of the assets and universe of Breath of the Wild was also lauded, with critics favorably singling out how it extended upon the original game's characters and backstory. However, some criticized the game for its technical issues, including heavy frame drops and certain aspects of the story. Within its first four days, the game shipped over 3 million copies worldwide, making it the single best-selling game in the entire Warriors franchise. Latest News See All News No items found. Latest Images See All Images No items found. Latest Videos See All Videos No items found.

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With a virtually non-existent atmosphere and no liquid water, you’d think the moon would be the last place you’d find hematite — basically rusted iron that requires the presence of both iron and water. But that’s exactly what researchers have recently discovered at high latitudes on the moon.
The reddish dust we all know as rust is essentially a chemical product of the reaction between iron and oxygen. It’s very common on Earth (you can find iron oxides almost everywhere) but since there is no oxygen on the moon, you wouldn’t really expect any hematite. In fact, sample return missions during the Apollo era and subsequent satellite observations have only been able to find pristine metallic iron devoid of any sign of rust.
However, when planetary scientist Shuai Li of the University of Hawaii at Manoa was examining spectral data from NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), as well as from the Chandrayaan-1 orbiter operated by the Indian Space Research Organization, he noticed signatures typical of hematite.
“When I examined the M3 data at the polar regions, I found some spectral features and patterns are different from those we see at the lower latitudes or the Apollo samples,” said Li in a statement. “I was curious whether it is possible that there are water-rock reactions on the Moon. After months of investigation, I figured out I was seeing the signature of hematite.”
Researchers had quite a mystery on their hands. Hematite requires both water and oxygen to form. For water, researchers had a hunch. Hematite was most abundant at the lunar poles, where there’s also ice water. But what about the oxygen — where could that come from?
Here too, geography might hold the answer. According to the data analyzed by Li and colleagues, most of the hematite on the lunar surface seems to be distributed on the lunar nearside, which always faces Earth. So the likely culprit was Earthly oxygen.
“This reminded me of a discovery by the Japanese Kaguya mission that oxygen from Earth’s upper atmosphere can be blown to the lunar surface by solar wind when the Moon is in Earth’s magnetotail. So, Earth’s atmospheric oxygen could be the major oxidant to produce haematite,” Li said.
That’s not to say that hematite is absolutely absent from the far-side of the moon — it’s just that much fewer oxidative events were seen there, the researchers added.
“The tiny amount of water observed at lunar high latitudes may have been substantially involved in the haematite formation process on the lunar far-side, which has important implications for interpreting the observed haematite on some water poor S-type asteroids,” Li said.
Scientists may be able to learn more about how exactly oxidation occurs on the moon when NASA’s ARTEMIS mission return hematite samples from the polar regions. Beyond confirming the source of oxidation for lunar minerals, the sampled hematite could still retain oxygen isotopes from Earth’s ancient atmosphere. This way, scientists can learn more about our planet’s history.
“This discovery will reshape our knowledge about the Moon’s polar regions,” said Li. “Earth may have played an important role on the evolution of the Moon’s surface.”
The findings appeared in the journal Science Advances.
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First off, I've been reading on this site quite a bit and decided to join, so this is my first post. Thanks in advance for any help.
Here's how it goes....
I'm a 23 year old male. I had migraines (1-2/month) in high school but always linked them to lack of sleep as I played sports year round.
In college I started getting awful "hangovers".... a few drinks would lead to being stuck in bed and vomiting until 8 pm the next day. I had blood work done and it came back negative for celiac.
After graduating college I've stopped drinking because I hated wasting my weekends feeling miserable.
Within the past several months I have started getting those "hangovers" while being completely sober. (Stomach pains, migraines and nausea)
I have met with several doctors and this is what I've had done:
Endoscopy (negative for celiac, duodenal hernia, ulcer in small intestine) so I'm on Dexilant now.
Ultrasound (nothing came back on that)
HIDA gallbladder scan (my ejection fraction was 76%)
Here are some symptoms:
Geographic tongue (dentist said it was nothing to worry about but i know my body is trying to tell me something)
My mother had rheumatoid arthritis before passing from ovarian cancer 5 years ago.
My sister had her gall bladder taken out about 5 years ago and suffers from similar symptoms (no geo tongue or keratosis though)
My doctors all seem to think I'm healthy and I have the feeling that I am a hypochondriac. Now that you know all of my symptoms and my background.... any ideas how to go forward with my diagnosis??
My gut feeling is telling me I have celiac but i just cant find medical proof.

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By Eric Boehlert
March 14, 2001 | Does radio seem bad these days? Do all the hits sound the same, all the stars seem like cookie cutouts of one another?
It's because they do, and they are.
Why? Listeners may not realize it, but radio today is largely bought by the record companies. Most rock and Top 40 stations get paid to play the songs they spin by the companies that manufacture the records.
But it's not payola -- exactly. Here's how it works.
Standing between the record companies and the radio stations is a legendary team of industry players called independent record promoters, or "indies."
The indies are the shadowy middlemen record companies will pay hundreds of millions of dollars to this year to get songs played on the radio. Indies align themselves with certain radio stations by promising the stations "promotional payments" in the six figures. Then, every time the radio station adds a Shaggy or Madonna or Janet Jackson song to its playlist, the indie gets paid by the record label.
Indies are not the guys U2 or Destiny's Child thanked on Grammys night, but everyone in the business, artists included, understands that the indies make or break careers.
"It's a big fucking mudball," complains one radio veteran.
At first glance, the indies are just the people who grease the gears in a typical mechanism connecting wholesaler with retailer. After all, Pepsi distributors, for example, pay for placement in grocery stores, right?
Except that radio isn't really retail -- that's what the record stores are. Radio is an entity unique to the music industry. It's an independent force that, much to the industry's chagrin, represents the one tried-and-true way record companies know to sell their product.
Small wonder that the industry for decades has used money in various ways to influence what radio stations play. The days are long gone when a DJ made an impulse decision about what song to spin. The music industry is a $12 billion-a-year business; today, nearly every commercial music station in the country has an indie guarding its playlist. And for that right, the indie shells out hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to individual stations -- and collects a lot more from the major record labels.
Indeed, say many industry observers, very little of what we hear on today's radio stations isn't bought, one way or another.
The indie promoter was once a tireless hustler, the lobbyist who worked the phones on behalf of record companies, cajoling station jocks and program directors, or P.D.s, to add a new song to their playlists. Sure, once in a while the indies showed their appreciation by sending some cocaine or hookers to station employees, but the colorful crew of fix-it men were basically providing a service: forging relationships with the gatekeepers in the complex world of radio, and turning that service into a deceptively simple and lucrative business. If record companies wanted access to radio, they had to pay.
In the 1990s, however, Washington moved steadily to deregulate the radio industry. Among other things, it removed most of America's decades-old restrictions on ownership. Today, the top three broadcasters control at least 60 percent of the stations in the top 100 markets in the U.S.
As that happened, indie promoters became big business.
Drugs and hookers are out; detailed invoices are in. Where indies were once scattered across the country, claiming a few dozen stations within a geographic territory, today's big firms stretch coast to coast, with hundreds of exclusive stations in every major format.
In effect, they've become an extraordinarily expensive phalanx of toll collectors who bill the record company every time a new song is added to a station's playlist.
And the indies do not come cheap.
There are 10,000 commercial radio stations in the United States; record companies rely on approximately 1,000 of the largest to create hits and sell records. Each of those 1,000 stations adds roughly three new songs to its playlist each week. The indies get paid for every one: $1,000 on average for an "add" at a Top 40 or rock station, but as high as $6,000 or $8,000 under certain circumstances.
That's a minimum $3 million worth of indie invoices sent out each week.
According to the FCC, there's nothing wrong with a radio station's accepting money in exchange for playing a song. The payment only becomes payola -- and illegal -- if the station fails to inform listeners about the cash changing hands.
But stations, of course, are reluctant to pepper their programming with announcements like "The previous Ricky Martin single was paid for by Sony Records." Besides that, stations want to maintain the illusion that they sift through stacks of records and pick out only the best ones for their listeners.
The secretive, and at times unseemly, indie system has been in place for decades. Rock radio pioneer Alan Freed was convicted in 1960 for accepting bribes in exchange for playing records. (What became known as the payola laws were passed as a response soon afterward.) More recently, legendary indie heavyweight Joe Isgro battled prosecutors for nearly a decade over payola-related charges before they were dismissed in 1996.
Isgro's tale of money, drugs and the mob was told in "Hit Men," Fredric Dannen's revealing 1991 book about the world of independent promoters and the extraordinary power they wielded over record companies.
Amazingly, says one radio veteran, "nothing's changed since 'Hit Men.' The cast of characters is different, but nothing's really changed."
One major-label V.P. agrees: "It's only changed color and form, but in essence it's the same. It's nothing but bullshit and operators and wasted money. But it's very intricate, and the system has been laid down for years."
Some in the increasingly sophisticated and global music business wonder if the time has finally come to break free from the costly chains of independent promotion. After all, no other entertainment industry vests so much power and pays so much money to outside sources who do so little work. Yet just-released figures indicate music sales were soft last year. Will record companies have the power, or the nerve, to walk away?
"Labels claim they're trying to cut back on indies, but everybody just laughs," says one radio veteran, who has both programmed stations and done indie promotion work. (He, like most of the people interviewed for this story, asked that his name not be used.) Adds another veteran: "Labels are pissed off and want to cut back, but they're powerless to do anything about it."
"The labels have created a monster," agrees longtime artist manager Ron Stone. Nevertheless, Stone views indies as an important insurance policy for his clients. "I never want to find out after the fact that we should've hired this indie or that indie. I want to cover all the bases.
"Because you only get 12 weeks for your record to get any traction at radio. After 12 weeks the next wave of record company singles come over the breach and if you don't have any traction you get washed away. But now it's become even more complicated and expensive because of consolidation. It's a high-stakes poker game."
Playing off record industry insecurities, indies have been winning this poker game for decades.
"The truth is, you could making a handsome living, and have a gigantic house in Greenville, S.C., for instance, if you have just six exclusive stations there," explains one industry veteran. (Arbitron ranks Greenville as the 61st largest radio market, with a metro population of 750,000.) "You could gross between half a million and 1 million dollars each year. That's with no staff -- just a couple of phones and a fax machine. Because somebody is going to pay you $1,000 every time one of those Greenville stations adds a song. And that $1,000 is just the average. Columbia records may be dying to get a single on, so they say, 'We'll pay you $2,500 for this add.'"
Do the math: six stations in a market like Greenville adding three songs a week, 50 weeks of the year. That represents about $900,000 worth of invoiced adds. If the indie is paying each station $75,000 a year in "promotional support," that leaves him with $450,000.
But that's just the beginning. There are additional sources of indie income, including retainers, "bill-backs" and "spin maintenance." Along with being paid on a per-add basis, some indies earn a retainer (roughly $800 a week) just to call stations on behalf of a song. Bill-backs are essentially second invoices -- to cover "promotional purposes" -- that indies send to record companies on top of the one for the add. If the add cost $2,000, the indie often sends a $1,000 bill-back invoice as well.
Meanwhile, the cost of the add covers just that: getting the song added to the playlist. If labels want to increase the spins (or number of times a song is played each week), that costs money, too. "There are spin programs you can buy," explains one record company source, such as "$4,000 to make the song top 15 at the station."
In the past, if indies wanted to increase their billings by getting stations to add more songs, they could employ "paper adds." Stations would notify labels that a song was on the playlist so the indie got paid, but in reality the single never got spun. Today, however, all key radio stations are monitored electronically by a company called Broadcast Data Service, which gives labels a detailed readout of actual airplay. Paper adds no longer pass the test.
The solution? A so-called lunar rotation.
"I've got one station that during crunch time in September and October, when every label is desperate for fourth-quarter adds, will do eight adds a week for four weeks in a row at $2,000 a pop," says one label source. That's 32 added songs -- and $64,000 in indie invoices -- for just one month. But the station's playlist could never support that many new songs. (With today's tightly controlled playlists, any new song is a risk that can cause listeners to switch to a channel with an older and more comforting hit.)
Most of these new "adds" are played only in the early-morning hours, or in the "lunar rotation." They are detected by BDS, but don't really affect the station's playlist or ratings.
For record companies, indie costs can be staggering. Just to launch a single at rock radio over several weeks can cost between $100,000 and $250,000 in indie fees. What exactly do labels get in return? "I'll be damned if I know," says artist manager Stone. "It's bizarre." (Labels can sometimes get artists to pay the indie promotion costs, but not always.)
Regardless, the No. 1 rule of radio promotion is that the indie always gets paid. Even if rock programmers discover a good song by a new band on their own, and add it to their playlists because they like it, the station's indie gets paid for it.
Even if someone at Universal Records persuades a pop station to play Nelly's new single "Ride Wit Me," the indie gets paid. Even if the song is a sure hit that needs almost no promotion, like Aerosmith's latest, "Jaded," the indie gets paid. "Either way the invoices arrive and you pay, in the interest of keeping everybody happy," says one former programmer.
The fear is that if a label tangles with an indie over billing, he could torpedo the label's next project by bad-mouthing a new single or keeping it off the air until his previous invoice is paid.
As messy as the relationship can be, the third-party arrangement between labels, indies and stations is crucial for appearance' sake. Today, indies pay stations for "access," not airplay. At least in theory.
"Everyone says indies don't force stations to add records. That's ridiculous," says one rock programmer who has worked in a Top 10 market. "Because [if there is friction] the indie will get on the phone with the station G.M. and say, 'Look, your P.D. has not been cooperative over the last few months on adds I need.' The G.M. either says to the indie, 'Our relationship is about access, not influence,' or he caves. Most G.M.s cave and have a word with the P.D.: 'Look, we have $100,000 a year riding on this relationship with our indie.' Then suddenly -- bam -- a song you know the P.D. hates shows up on the air."
"Record companies say, 'We're not doing anything illegal; we're just paying indies to promote the records," says another programmer. "And indies say we're not doing anything wrong; we're just helping market a radio station. Everybody toes the company line on this.
"But indies are like money launderers; they make sure record company money gets to radio stations, but in a different form."
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