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New Cloud Servers SLA…And Why It Matters

Today we are pleased to introduce a new and improved SLA for our Next Generation Cloud Servers service, powered by OpenStack.

To appreciate what has changed, it’s important to understand how cloud services are built. The vast majority of cloud services have two major components: 1) a “control plane” which is comprised of the API, provisioning system, database, etc; and 2) a “data plane” which is the actual resources that get provisioned via the control plane – in this case, cloud servers. (If you have a networking background, control and data planes may sound familiar.)

These components have different availability characteristics. It’s quite possible for the control plane to be down while the data plane is up (e.g. you can’t add servers because the API is down but your hosted web site is still up) as well as the data plane be down and the control plane up (e.g. the host running your web server crashes but you can create a replacement cloud server via the API).

Historically we have only guaranteed the Cloud Servers data plane and the new SLA adds control plane guarantee as well. This is meaningful for a couple of reasons:

  1. Apps are increasingly integrating with infrastructure APIs to make dynamic adjustments and thus take on a large dependency on API availability. A control plane guarantee means you can rely on the Cloud Servers API to be there when you need it.
  2. OpenStack has proven itself and we are ready to guarantee it.  Since its launch in the fall of 2012, Cloud Servers has handled approximately 650 million API requests with an overall uptime of 99.95%. At this time, we are guaranteeing a 99.9% control plane availability but have every intention of pushing it higher over time. Note also that we don’t cheat. We count all server side HTTP 5xx errors as unavailability, maintenance is not excluded, and we measure availability monthly.
  3. Having both control and data plane guarantees means you can build apps the way you want. If you want to build a more traditional static app that doesn’t need to work around data plane failure, you can do that. The data plane guarantee is there. If you want to build an elastic app that integrates with the API to autoscale, you can do that as well. The control plane guarantee is there.  No forced complexity. The choice is yours.

While SLAs are important, they are more than legalese to us. They are promises we make to our customers. It’s part of how we deliver Fanatical Support. We hate downtime and we work hard every day to keep our promises and provide you with a powerful and reliable platform so you can do what you do great. Thanks for being a customer, and we hope the new SLA gives you even more confidence in Cloud Servers and OpenStack.

Erik joined Rackspace in 2008 as Chief Architect helping to launch and grow Cloud Servers as well as integrate and optimize multiple services across the Rackspace Cloud portfolio. Erik has been involved in OpenStack since its inception and helped launch the Quantum network service. Erik currently serves as Director of Product Strategy for the Cloud Infrastructure Product Line, which includes all base cloud building block services (Cloud Servers, Cloud Networks, Cloud Block Storage, Cloud Files, Cloud Load Balancers and RackConnect). Prior to joining Rackspace, Erik was Chief Infrastructure Architect for SRA International, where he helped architect solutions for large, complex enterprise and government clients. Erik is a graduate of Virginia Tech and holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering and a minor in Computer Science.

  1. What’s the SLA for server creation? I have been waiting over an hour for a “create from image” to complete and I’m losing customers.

    • Thanks for the comment Brian. We’ve debated an SLA on server creates but don’t currently have one. We generally run in the couple to several minutes for base Linux builds and we have a couple of projects underway to drive down build times across the board. Part of the challenge with a build time SLA is the build time is extremely dependent on the image size. Windows images are bigger than Linux and custom images tend to be bigger than base images. It sounds like you are building from a custom image. If so, the hour+ build time is likely because the image is big (we have to move the image bits from cloud files to the host). I’d love to hear more and help get to the bottom of it if it’s not a large custom image.

      Another important option for build time optimization is diskconfig. By default, we auto expand the disk and filesystem. This can be a little time consuming, especially on bigger flavors. If you’d like the server faster and either don’t need the additional space and/or want to expand yourself later, you can set diskconfig to manual during server create (see our API docs here –> for more info. We’ll also be adding this option to our control panel shortly so it will be available via both API and UI.

      Feel free to email me at erik dot carlin at for more info on either of these.

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We opt for beauty over comfort, but what if comfort has a brand new look? Sneakers are the new heels and this has taken the fashion world by storm this Fall. With celebrities including Victoria Beckham and Kate Middleton alike opting for a pair of sneakers that are more pleasant for the feet, we think it’s time to follow in their footsteps and treat your soles better. Ideal for a casual weekend with the girls or a classy date night, The Shoe Spa has the perfect pair of sneakers that ought to add a little mix to your usual outfit.

Fly London Berg Lace-up
/ Maco Lace-upSneakers are the new heels_Fly London Maco Lace-up Sneakers

If you’re looking for something simple to begin your transition from heels to sneakers, these
Fly London Berge Lace-ups are the perfect choice.

Commute everywhere with these leather trainers with a minimalistic design making it easy to match whether you’re dressing for a run or simply a stroll in the park.

Fly London Salo Slip-on
Sneakers are the new heels_Fly London Salo Slip-on Sneakers

Sport an active look with these Fly London Salo Slip-ons when paired with your favorite pair yoga pants or jeggings. Switch up your outfit and wear these with your fall dresses to give your attire a bit of edge. This lightweight trainer with a removable footbed and flexible synthetic sole adds in the support that will have you feeling like you’re walking on clouds.

BeautiFeel Cella Lace-up

Sneakers are the new heels_BeautiFeel Cella Lace-up

Looking for a pair that will go along with your formal attire?  These BeautiFeel Cella Lace-ups with a unique 3D print suede design paired with a patent leather toe and velvet laces, are the ideal pair of sneakers as a more proper outfit choice. Best paired with trousers, you can also mix it up and wear it with your most colorful evening dress.

All of our sneakers are cushioned with a supportive footbed and flexible synthetic sole, guaranteed for maximum comfort no matter the distance you have to go. Let us know in the comments below whether you’ll be switching from heels to sneakers this fall or whether you think sneakers are the new heels.

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Reversing the Brain Drain in Nepal

One of the real benefits of technology we have been able to provide to rural Nepal has been to teach digital literacy skills to middle-aged women who need to get connected with their family members working abroad. Nepalese members of the diaspora are responsible for sending millions of dollars back to their home country to…

How Can I Get Microsoft to Write About My Startup? It’s Easy!

This is a question we get so many times, its worth having a blog post about it to point people to, so here goes.  Many people ask us every day how they can get some attention for the Windows 8 app they are working on, or the solution they have built on Azure, through the…

This is Why Entrepreneurs Do It Themselves

If you have been in any kind of investing and building game while trying to get your startup traction, you are probably aware of the singlemost nagging problem entrepreneurs face: building a startup is just not very easy to accomplish.  The reason is really structural, and it’s not just because startup building is inherently hard….

Relentless Entrepreneur is Relentless

Developers and entrepreneurs can get frustrated over a great many things. But one thing I have noticed that they don’t get frustrated about is what people think about them. They are too mightily focused on doing something new to worry what someone’s conformity will seem like to them. This post was written by Douglas Crets,…

New Round of Applications Opens for Second Windows Azure Accelerator

If you are working on an app, or trying to build a company using the cloud, mobile, or any other device you have laying around the house, you may want to check out this new Microsoft Accelerator for Windows Azure. It’s the second in what is looking to be a series of Accelerators that help…

A Startup Weekend Video Starring… Not Macs

Here’s what happens when you do a Startup Weekend at Microsoft.    A little bit about what happened at The Garage.

This Week’s Best Developer and Entrepreneur Conversations on Facebook

Facebook has a really poor way of archiving and curating great conversations. Since Facebook is basically collecting all the data for itself, you can’t really keep track of it. That’s why every week we take the time to archive the great conversations here, so that you can use them for your benefit, and find access…

Live Stream: iOS Developers Grab Insights on How to Develop for Windows 8

We’re running a live stream of this really fascinating iOS camp for Windows 8 Development.      About Big Nerd Ranch BNR is a training company focused on teaching iOS programming languages. They actually started out training Apple developers’ Cocoa API. It’s co-founder, Aaron Hillegass, is the author of “Objective-C: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide”,…

ZenDeals Launches Out of Stealth

We caught up with ZenDeals co-founders Chris Couhault and Alexi Suvacioglu at the BizSpark CoWorking Lab holiday party last night. It was fortuitous because they were about to launch out of stealth at midnight.  I asked them a few questions about how they got started, and was amused to learn that ZenDeals was born out…

Software Solves and Unifies — Why Developers Work On Microsoft Stack Technology

These three videos explain what many of the digerati fail to mention — software is not really eating the world. It’s really creating new growth. It is now so easy to get software — you can get free Windows and Azure stuff through Microsoft BizSpark — and it is so easy to get information about…


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Donna Ulisse CD enters XM chart

DONNA ULISSE CD COVERAfter doing an in-depth interview with host Kyle Cantrell as he introduced her fourteen song self penned CD “When I Look Back” to his listening audience on January 10, Ulisse’s CD has entered XM Radio Bluegrass Junction’s top 40 album chart at #29. The lead track “I’m Calling Heaven Down” has entered the top 30 singles chart at #26.

Multiple tracks are being played daily on the popular XM Satellite bluegrass channel with the titles “He Ain’t That”, “Gone”, “Doin’ Time” and “He’s Still A Believer” receiving some of the heaviest airplay. and


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Marty Stuart to host IBMA Awards show

The IBMA has announced that the host for this year’s International Bluegrass Music Awards show will be Marty Stuart. The show will be held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on September 28, 2006, at which time the winners of the 2006 IBMA Awards will be announced, and trophies presented.

Stuart got his start as a bluegrass artist, performing with Lester Flatt & The Nashville Grass as a young teen, returning to his bluegrass roots after a successful country music career with his newest CD, Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives – Live at the Ryman.

Tickets for the show will go on sale August 11, with details appearing soon on the IBMA web site.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.


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What IBMA Can Learn from Merlefest

MerleFest 2016 highway banner near North Wtilkesboro - photo by Claire Ratliff, Laughing Penguin PublicityLeaders of IBMA and the city of Raleigh can breathe a little easier now that another year of MerleFest is in the books.

The annual four-day roots music extravaganza in Wilkesboro, NC, was the first major music festival held in the state since the controversial “bathroom law” hit the headlines. And from all indications, the issue caused barely a ripple.

MerleFest organizers announced Sunday that total attendance was 74,500. That was down slightly from 76,000 last year. But rain Saturday and Sunday, heavy at times, probably had more to do with the slight dip in attendance than the political squabble or any other factor.

No major artists stayed away and there was very little discussion of the law, from stage or in conversations that I could overhear (a decidedly non-scientific sample) during two and half days of wandering around. Brandi Carlile, an openly gay Americana artist, won applause for telling the crowd that North Carolina doesn’t always look like its politics. And more than a few attendees chuckled at a T-shirt vendor’s shirt with a logo that was half male restroom symbol and half female, with the word “whichever” beneath it. Beyond that, though, the 2016 edition of MerleFest was all about the music.

The Kruger Brothers at MerleFest 2016 with Sam Bush and Happy Traum - photo by Julie MacieThe festival, founded to honor Doc Watson’s late son, Merle, has made its mark by offering a wide range of American roots music – bluegrass, Americana, blues, old time and even a bit of jazz. There was a heavy bluegrass representation this year from the likes of Becky Buller, Kristy Cox, Tim O’Brien, the Kruger Brothers, Jerry Douglas and Sam Bush. But there were plenty of non-bluegrassers as well, such as Old Crow Medicine Show, John Prine, David Rawlings and Gillian Welch and Jason Isbell. To put it another way, there was plenty for everyone to choose from.

I happened to be leafing through the MerleFest program shortly after IBMA announced its lineup of showcase bands for the business conference portion of this fall’s World of Bluegrass conference and festival in Raleigh. I expected a lot of similarities between the MerleFest lineup and Raleigh’s end of the week Wide Open Bluegrass Festival, where some big name non-bluegrass acts are put on the bill to help put butts in seats. But I was surprised, at first glance, to find so many seemingly non-bluegrass acts on the list for showcases during the business conference early in the week. So, too, were a number of other folks, based on discussion groups and social media.

But closer consideration shows a handful of artists who, while not fitting under a traditional definition of bluegrass, do have strong ties to IBMA specifically and bluegrass general. Consider:

  • Joe Walsh had a good ride playing mandolin for the Gibson Brothers and still employs strong bluegrass sensibilities in his music.
  • Missy Raines, who fronts Missy Raines and the New Hip, has played at IBMA before and was the organization’s bass player of the year seven times.
  • Half of Zoe & Cloyd is John Cloyd Miller, a songwriter of some renown who has appeared in IBMA’s Songwriter Showcase.
  • Most members of Tellico made a big splash at IBMA a few years ago in Nashville, when they showcased as Dehlia Low. That band’s CD, Ravens & Crows made my Bluegrass Today favorites list.
  • Town Mountain has also been featured at IBMA before and shows a strong influence by both traditional bluegrassers and the Grateful Dead.

That’s on top of a handful of other bands among the 30 chosen that are grassers.

Zoe & Cloyd at MerleFest 2016 - photo by Claire RatliffWhile there has been some grousing about this year’s showcase lineup, the process for choosing the lineup was no different this year than in the past, according to IBMA Executive Director Paul Schiminger. The choices are made by four people from the bluegrass community who are selected by the board of directors and serve three-year terms.

For this year, the committee members individually reviewed more than 150 applications from bands, and their scores were tallied to come up with the final list.

“No instructions or guidance is provided by the IBMA staff or board,” Schiminger said. “Nor does anyone involved with contracting bands for the Red Hat or the StreetFest have any input.

“The selection of bands varies from year to year, based on those who have submitted. Typically the selection of bands has varied in styles and are geographically diverse.”

He didn’t identify the selectors “because we want them to maintain their independence and not feel pressure from outside influences.” But he said three of the four are talent buyers or event producers and one is a DJ.

Doc Watson once described the music of Merlefest as “traditional plus,” based on what he and his son used to play – “traditional music of the Appalachian region plus whatever other styles we were in the mood to play.”

Alison Brown and Jens Kruger jamming at MerleFest 2016 - photo by Claire Ratliff, Laughing Penguin PublicityMaybe IBMA should follow the same model and start calling the music it features “bluegrass plus” – traditional bluegrass music plus new grass, not grass and music that is played with traditional bluegrass instruments but doesn’t meet the strict definition of bluegrass.

It wouldn’t end the ongoing arguments about what is and what isn’t bluegrass, but it would at least offer some suggestion that not all of the music performed during the International Bluegrass Music Association business conference is bluegrass.

Should it be?

That’s fodder for a continuing dialog.

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About the Author

David Morris

David Morris, an award-winning songwriter and journalist, has written for Bluegrass Today since its inception. He joined its predecessor, The Bluegrass Blog, in 2010. His 40-year career in journalism included more than 13 years with The Associated Press, a stint as chief White House correspondent for Bloomberg News, and several top editing jobs in Washington, D.C. He is a life member of IBMA and the DC Bluegrass Union. He and co-writers won the bluegrass category in the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest in 2015.


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Wolfe Bros. – Old Virginia Hills

Wolfe Bros. - Old Virginia HillsOur friend Dale Morris sent along a note recently to let us know about a new CD from the Wolfe Bros., a fine old time band from Elk Creek, VA. The new project is Old Virginia Hills, released on Old Virginia Records.

Dale says that the new CD features a roughly half-and-half mix of old classic songs, and new compositions from within the band, 16 tracks in all. Members include Dale Morris on banjo, Jerry Correll on fiddle, Casey Hash on guitar and Donna Correll on bass.

Find out more about the band and the new CD on the Wolfe Bros. web site.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.


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Maryland Chick Drives Her Car Into A Tree, Then A Lake Because She Got A Text Message

Chicks are crazy…and absolutely terrible drivers.  Those two truths cannot be debated whatsoever.

Via NBC Washington:  “The 25-year-old driver of the Hyundai was northbound on St. Charles Parkway near St. Thomas Drive when she drove off the roadway, struck a tree and drove about 60 feet into the lake, becoming submerged in about 5 feet of water.  The driver of a car that crashed into a lake Tuesday afternoon reportedly was texting while driving, authorities said.”

Sometimes you read a story and you laugh out loud.  Other times you read a story and you just find yourself shaking your head up and down because you know all too well that the story makes too much sense.  Chicks can’t drive, we all know this.  Chicks texting while driving?  You might as well pull over to the side of the road and let them pass because there’s a pretty good chance you’re getting sideswiped.  Not surprised one bit by this story.  I mean look at where that car ended up!  It’s not a few feet into the water, it’s in the freaking deep end!  And that’s not even all, before she even got wet she hit a tree!  All while trying to text her girlfriend back or let her boyfriend know that she still loves him.  Bat. Shit Crazy!


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The true story

I want to write a piece
Guy behind this pen
Writing again and again
Telling about my stories as I recite this

My life is a poem, which is endless,
Soul with guilts and regrets
Lost in words and flowing in emotions I have..
Pain and disappointment has always kept me embrace
But still trying to move through effortless grace.
Yes I am trying, crying…
You can see my face, my lips drying.

Now, let me be real with you as I write this.
I don’t want to sound fake with a sigh of bliss.
Deep down my heart is aching, soul crushing inside me
This is what really defines me, Now can you see??

My subconscious mind is something I don’t wanna deal with.
Every time I choose, I have to deal with shit.
I keep losing people around me,
My friends and lovely thee
You guys never liked me coz I was never like you
But still I let you guys in my life, As I do it for few
And you guys left giving me no clue.

My friend made me what I am today
As I recall those times when they behaved Like a slay.
Drowned in my misery, Is this what I have to pay?
Look at me,
Just don’t hook at me.
Do you have something to say ?
Was my friendship just a game for you to play!?!

Now let’s come to another chapter
As I control my laughter
Another reason for my disaster
With a fake smile like some P.O.P plaster!!

I loved a girl, she was my best friend, I loved her like a blind.
She was my fellow traveller like a healthy sunshine.
I thought, I had everything I could ever find,
But as soon as her journey arrived,
she left proving me that she was never mine.
It’s ok , I am fine!!
Sitting on this table having pasta and wine!!
Looking at your picture on my rack
And Now, I find no one when I look back
Leaving me like a dirty sack.
You left me lame like cold headed,
Leaving me dependent on few medic..
wishing I was dead.

You all should be proud for making me what I am.
Not that I am ashamed of myself or trying to blame.
I don’t seek attention by playing dirty games.
I am writing this just to let you know my part of story,
Not for some fame or glory
Still if you think I am hurting you.
I say , I am sorry!!

It’s just my emotions, I feel lonely, expecting you guys beside me.
Waiting to be loved, As my soul gets free.
I wish you could see,
Now , I am just a living thing in a form of a tree.

7 thoughts on “The true story

  1. This last line. .it made me all senti. .I hope from the bottom of my heart you get loved, cherished and adored for your awesomeness. .everything is temporary Bobby. .it had to end one way or another. .You are a great person enjoy your wine & pasta..I might need a recipe 😂😂
    Listen! This was intriguing toll the end. .keep writing forever for the sake of your readers. .

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I am flattered by your comment my beautiful friend!! I will try to write until my last breath.
      Anyways I am not in pasta 😦 but the day I feel I have improved the recipe will be on your table 😉

      Liked by 1 person

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A Story Worth Telling

Yesterday, I gave  a Swazi woman a ride into town. With the rainy sheeting down, we snuggled into the truck’s cab with dripping umbrellas and jackets drying under the heat from the blower. We exchanged pleasantries, but before we got far, my phone rang.

Seeing it was Mother Lulane aka Glorious, my friend, I answered in siSwati, “Yebo, Make. Unjani?” Hi, Mrs. How are you?

We chatted for a few moments, then cleared up that indeed, I had NOT phoned her by mistake. Ending the call, my stranger-now-passenger said, “So you like our language,” pronouncing more of an observation, than a question. I nodded my head, saying, “Yebo, Ngiyasitsanda. Ngiyazama kufundza siSwati.” Yes, I like it. I’m trying to learn it.

From there, she asked where I was staying. We talked about our new homestead and how the rain was good for the crops we just planted. She shared that she was hoping I lived close because she wanted to ask me to interview a family member for a job. Being asked for a job is a common occurrence. No one ever pressures or begs really, yet finds a simple balance. “Do you have a job for me?” Oftentimes, the Asker may add the specific skills that they have, speaking their resume and not handing me a sheet of paper. It is partly due to me driving a car (sign of wealth) and largely to do with my skin color.

For reasons I’d rather not explore here, most white people (about 10% total in Swaziland) employ black Swazis. Oftentimes a “white” household will employ anywhere from 1-4 Swazis. Yard maintenance, house-cleaning, nannying and driving are the most common jobs. And the jobs ARE common. Since hiring a maid is not afforded in the average American home (or maybe my parents just wanted to use the cheap, child labor), this seems pretty strange to me. It’s just not a part of my home culture. Yet it is a part of my current culture – one I need to navigate stealthily.

Upon moving here, I had no idea that lines would be drawn so economically and seemingly racially.* I mean, I’m not a doofus, bringing my white, wealthy self into a 90%+ black, 3rd-world nation would cause me to be the minority in appearance and income. However, I figured that eventually people would come to see me for my heart not my wallet or hair tone. I knew I came here as an agent of reconciliation. Of myself and others to God. Of myself and others to the Creation. Reconciliation of myself TO others, and us to each others, as well as, myself to myself and themselves to themselves. In any place I live, I know this is my mission, right? For us all to become disciples of Christ who live as little Christs in our communities, agents of peace and redemption and grace among ourselves & our neighbors. This is my mission everywhere, I just happen to live in Swaziland instead of Newark or Ohio now.

I did not figure the ways in which such reconciliation would be needed. I now understand that the Swazis who speak honestly with me, tell of story of a divide between themselves and the “whites.” Although “Swazis like white people, for some reason, the white people don’t like Swazis.” Here is space for reconciliation.

I know that my husband can enter the grocery store, and the manager agrees to buy all the watermelons from him aka the farmer he’s asking for. But when Ncamsile enters with watermelons in tow and nephew strapped to her back, she’s turned away and hassled a bit. Told, “No,” initially. Lord let us be known for our words and hearts, not faces or pocketbooks.

SiSwati words spoken from these lips often bring a raised eyebrow, clapping hands, a delighted smile. Christ, let us savor your words of love and grace amidst our neighbors. Always. Regardless of if our neighbor is like us, or not.

Apologies that “I have no work because I live in a small, Swazi home. I cook and clean and grow my veggie garden, but I know the work is hard to find,” often meets the Asker with such awe. Astonishment. May people see Christ.

Explanations to an expatriate acquaintance about where we live, and how, and why. Her eyeballs bugging out of her head. “Do you feel safe?” and “Why did you move there?” and “Why don’t you come rent such-and-such place?” Her shock and discomfort clear. May people see Christ.

Our lives aren’t just ones of watching skin tones and pocket books. They’re pretty complex, like us all. Yet. Yet. The story of leaving Those-Who-Are-Like-Me to learn from and be among Those-Who-I-Am-Unlike in language, economics standards, culture, or religion certainly is a story that causes most people to jerk their heads back in shock, try to focus their eyes on mine, try to read my soul, figure it out.

But I come from a rich history of such stories. Of a God who came to a people who lived differently from him, looked different, spent money differently, and worshipped other gods. And His followers eventually went to the people unlike themselves – the prostitutes, tax collectors, Samaritans – gasp! – the lower levels of society, the poor, the disabled, the broken. It is a story unlike one the World tells. It is a story worth listening to because it’s a story that’s of God and about reconciling people to each other, Him, themselves, and Creation.

It is a story I’m honored to share, lest I forget that I am crippled with pride, broken from selfishness, and entrenched in my own sins. It is a powerful, moving story, but one that needs told, fleshed out through many lives, and all people, and every angle. May people be Christ.

*I name these in a similar fashion to what’s happening in America. Oftentimes we draw lines along race, only to decide they’re really drawn along class. VERY, VERY oversimplified, but I seek to draw our attention away from just skin color into some deeper implications like the divides between RICH and POOR that only grow deeper & wider weekly. Such divide is one I see Christ talking a LOT about, so one I figure doesn’t hurt to discuss as I aim to tell His story.

Categories: Kingdom Coming Related, Social Justice, Swaziland Updates | 3 Comments

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3 thoughts on “A Story Worth Telling

  1. Dave Fishback

    Love to hear your stories and learn form them!! Keep them coming!

  2. Kama Medders

    My heart is so happy reading these words! I want to be you, Nicole! Kama

  3. Jeff Medders

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Orange Juice Spritzers are a Light, Bubbly & Healthy Way to Start Your Day

Posted on April 09, 2016 by Customer Service

Orange Juice Spritzers are a light & refreshing way to start your day. Each glass will have 80% less sugar than a full glass of orange juice. You can make a full bottle using 2 fresh squeezed oranges or a small pour from your store bought OJ. They are simple to create with your Bonne O, let's see how.

Fill the flavour chamber with the fresh squeezed and strained juice from two oranges. Removing the pulp will make sure that it doesn't get caught in the filters of your Bonne O. Alternatively fill the flavour chamber with store-bought pulp-free orange juice. Place a carbonator in the carbonation chamber and fill your bottle to the rim with cold water. Close up the system and press the button to sparkle!

A light, refreshing & healthy way to start your day.  An Orange Juice Spritzer contains 80% less sugar than the same sized glass of orange juice. Enjoy!

Remember to let the removable cup and appliance cap air dry after each use. This will ensure that the interior of the machine remains fresh smelling and the cap easy to close. Here is a picture of how we do it at our house. The cap and cup fit nicely in the bottle holder - since the bottle is typically in the fridge.

Posted in all natural, orange, spritzer


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Monday, July 11, 2011

From Arequipa-Mirador of Yanahuara, Peru

Arequipa  is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 904,931 it is the second most populous city of the country. Arequipa lies in the Andes mountains, at an altitude of 2,335 meters (7,661 feet) above sea level; the former snow-capped volcano El Misti overlooks the city. More...

The suburb of Yanahuara is a nice place in Arequipa. The Mirador of Yanahuara was built in the nineteenth century and is composed of a series of sillar stone arches where the words of famous Arequipa citizens have been engraved. This spot is a wonderful view point of the city and Misti Volcano. The Iglesia de Yanahuara (church) which date from 1750. Located 2 km / 1 mile from downtown Arequipa (8 minutes by car).
Thank you very much, Jurate :)

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Category Archives: Knowledge

The Earth Shall Be Full of the Knowledge of the Lord – 2 Nephi 21:6-9

6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and … Continue reading

Posted in 2 Nephi, Knowledge, Millennium, Peace | Tagged | 1 Comment

Ye Have Heard His Voice – 1 Nephi 17:45, 55

45 Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord your God. Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto … Continue reading

Posted in 1 Nephi, Holy Ghost, Knowledge, Testimony | Tagged | 1 Comment

They Did Not Look unto the Lord – 1 Nephi 15:2-3

2 And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them. 3 For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were … Continue reading

Posted in 1 Nephi, Knowledge | Tagged | 2 Comments

The Things Which I Have Written – 1 Nephi 14:28-30

28 And behold, I, Nephi, am forbidden that I should write the remainder of the things which I saw and heard; wherefore the things which I have written sufficeth me; and I have written but a small part of the … Continue reading

Posted in 1 Nephi, Knowledge, Revelation | Tagged | 1 Comment

That Awful State of Blindness – 1 Nephi 13:32

32 Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which … Continue reading

Posted in 1 Nephi, God - Love, Knowledge | Tagged | 1 Comment

Knowest Thou the Meaning of the Tree? – 1 Nephi 11:21-23

21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw? 22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is … Continue reading

Posted in 1 Nephi, Knowledge, Teaching | Tagged | 1 Comment

All These Things…Were Done As My Father Dwelt in a Tent – 1 Nephi 10:16

16 And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as my father dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel. (1 Nephi 10:16) At the beginning of this chapter, Nephi relates a number of doctrines which … Continue reading

Posted in 1 Nephi, Agency, Knowledge | Tagged | 3 Comments


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Bump and Run

Front Cover
Berkley Publishing Group, 2001 - Fiction - 352 pages
1 Review
They call him Jammer in Vegas--the kind of guy who got things done. But when Jack Molloy inherits half of the NFL's New York Hawks, he must take a crash course in steroids, gambling, crooked quarterbacks, control-freak coaches, and idiot sportswriters. As an instant celebrity, he has to steel himself for a season in tabloid hell.

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What people are saying - Write a review

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - br14daga - LibraryThing

Money, greed, paparazzi, family, friends, and lovers, these are all the problems Jack Molloy, the former Las Vegas Jammer faces as he inherits the best team in the NFL. The New york Hawks. Jack ... Read full review

User Review  - Jane Doe - Kirkus

Pro-football as viewed from the superboxes—entirely raunchy, fitfully funny.Suddenly, Jack Molloy owns an NFL team. Now a lot of people would like that. Some would kill for it, in fact. But Jack isn ... Read full review

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About the author (2001)

Michael Lupica (born on May 11, 1952 in Oneida, New York) is an American newspaper columnist. At the age of 23, Lupica began his newspaper career covering the New York Knicks for the New York Post. In 1977, he became the youngest columnist ever at a New York newspaper when he started working for the New York Daily News. He has also written for numerous magazines during his career including Golf Digest, Playboy, Sports Illustrated, ESPN: The Magazine, Men's Journal and Parade. In 2003, he received the Jim Murray Award from the National Football Foundation. He has been a television anchor for ESPN's The Sports Reporters and hosted his own program The Mike Lupica Show on ESPN2. Lupica has written both fiction and non-fiction books. His novels include Dead Air; Limited Partner; Jump; Full Court Press; Red Zone; Too Far; Wild Pitch; and Bump and Run. He also writes the Mike Lupica's Comeback Kids series. He co-wrote autobiographies with Reggie Jackson and Bill Parcells and collaborated with William Goldman on Wait Till Next Year. His other non-fiction works include The Summer of '98; Mad as Hell: How Sports Got Away from the Fans and How We Get It Back; and Shooting from the Lip.

Bibliographic information


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If you’d like to get in contact, please do.

My email address is olorishas @ gmail dot com (remove the spaces)

Being polite, being funny, and/or bribes all help in getting a response. Barking orders or questions such as “PATTERN FOR IBU YUMU???!!!” will definitely be laughed at and then actively ignored. Try this:

“Wowzers, I love/like/admire/appreciate your site, gosh you have put a lot of work into it and thanks for sharing something when most people, like my ex, just take, take, take! Anywho, I’ve been searching high and low for Oshun Ibu Yumu’s bead pattern and I can’t find it anywhere. It really sucks, I wanted to make her something nice. If you don’t mind, could you please share it with me? It would make me so happy. Here, have some cake and a puppy!”

Or something like that – I don’t really want that many puppies.


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Animal Farm – George Orwell

Four legs good, two legs bad

Four legs good, two legs bad

Written four years before 1984, this novel was Orwell’s first attempt  “to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole” (‘Why I Write’ – George Orwell).  Yes, on the surface it’s about animals, but this allegorical tale is really about the Soviet Government under Stalin.  It begins when Old Major, the farms resident boar, summons the other animal together to teach them a revolutionary song, ‘Beasts of England’.  He refers to humans as parasites and encourages the animals to rebel.  Poor Old Major then dies, without living to see the rebellion.

Two pigs, Snowball and Napoleon then assume command and begin their revolt, driving the drunken farmer away in the process before renaming the place ‘Animal Farm’.  Seven commandments are then drawn up in order to unify the animals against humans:

  • Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
  • Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
  • No animal shall wear clothes.
  • No animal shall sleep in a bed.
  • No animal shall drink alcohol.
  • No animal shall kill any other animal.
  • All animals are equal.

the most important of these is ‘all animals are equal’.  All the pigs then elevate themselves to positions of leadership and keep back extra food, for their own health purposes.  All the other animals are promised better lives once their windmill is built.  Unfortunately this means lots of hard work, but it will all be worth it, they are assured.  When a violent storm destroys the windmill Napoleon (the Stalin figure) convinces the other animals that Snowball (Trotsky) is the saboteur.  With Snowball as a scapegoat, Napoleon then kills any animals who associate with his rival.  ‘Beast of England’ is replaced with an anthem glorifying Napoleon as his megalomania grows.

During a war with a neighbouring farmer, many of the animals receive devastating injuries, but work has to continue anyway.  Somehow the animals still convince themselves that life is better than it was under their previous farmer.  Boxer, a hardworking horse is particularly injured and so Napoleon decides he should go to a vet.  When the van arrives to take him away, Benjamin, a clever Donkey, realizes that it is a knackers van and Boxer has in fact been sold as scrap in order that napoleon can buy whisky.

As the years pass , the pigs learn to walk on two legs, seeing it as being more refined.  The commandments are amended slightly to take in their new human traits:

  • No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.
  • No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.
  • No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.

Eventually, these are condensed into  one ‘All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others’ and their previous motto of ‘four legs good, two legs bad’ becomes ‘ four legs good, two legs better.’

By the end the animals realize that they can no longer distinguish between pigs and humans as the power has turned them into everything they hated at the beginning.

Animal Farm was initially rejected by publishers because of fears it may sour relations with USSR.  It received criticism for being too gentle, too clumsy and too dull. I didn’t find that true in the slightest.  Perhaps the animals are stereotyped and perhaps, as has been suggested, Orwell could have just written a direct attack which would have been more honest.  But Orwell was a writer and this is a story.  It’s never going to stop governments or change the world, but it doesn’t have to.  Novels are artistic, creative interesting ways of getting a story across.  Taken in this context, as it should be, Animal Farm is a great story.  That is enough for me.

Sample Text:

“It had become usual to give Napoleon the credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune. You would often hear one hen remark to another, “Under the guidance of our leader, Comrade Napoleon, I have laid five eggs in six days” or two cows, enjoying a drink at the pool, would exclaim, “thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon, how excellent this water tastes!”…”

Further Reading:

If you like an animal story for adults you might like Watership Down

If you like a good dystopian story you might like The Handmaids Tale

The English Patient – Michael Ondaatje

Meh!  I wouldn't bother to be honest.

Meh! I wouldn’t bother, to be honest.

On paper, this book totally appeals to me, mystery, romance, history – 3 things I enjoy in a novel.  Yet somehow it just didn’t work.  I’m not sure why, I just didn’t get it.

The primary story is set during WW2 in Italy. Hana, a Canadian nurse is living out the war in an abandoned villa, filled with hidden bombs (sensible?)  She has a patient there with her, who has a strong English accent (hence the title) but he is so badly burned she has no way of identifying him.  He remembers his explorations into the North African desert in great detail but cannot say his own name.  Also in the villa is Caravaggio, a spy friend of Hana’s father, who was killed in the war.  Like the patient, Caravaggio is addicted to morphine.  Lucky for them they have a nurse with a handy supply!

After a time, two British soldiers turn up at the villa, one of whom is Kip, an Indian sapper who quickly becomes friends with the patient. Encouraged to reveal his story, the patient unveils the tale of how he came to be there… SO, WHAT IS HIS STORY?

Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell

Big Brother is watching you

Big Brother is watching you

This is definitely one of those ‘books to read before you die’.  It’s on all the lists, everyone always recommends it to you, and rightly so.  It’s brilliant.  Terrifying, but brilliant.

It’s set in Oceania in a dystopian future (1984 was the future when this was written – 1949.) This is a world of government surveillance, totalitarian ideology and mind control.  Deviating from the permitted ideals is seen as ‘thoughtcrime’ and punished by the Party led by their revered leader (who may or may not exist) Big Brother.

The protagonist is Winston Smith who works for the Ministry of Truth, which in actuality is a purveyor of lies.  Winston’s job is essentially to re-write history to suit the Party’s propaganda.  There’s also the Ministry of Plenty (overseeing shortage and famine), Ministry of Love (overseeing torture) and the Ministry of Peace which oversees war and devastation.

Winston hates this existence, but is terrified by the consequences of speaking out.  After becoming suspicious that his co-worker O’Brien has similar feelings, He is invited to join the ‘Brotherhood’ – a secret resistance movement seeking to overthrow the government – through which Winston, and his girlfriend Julia, are plunged into impending danger and the ever-present threat of torture in Room 101.

This controversial book really is a must-read.  Unlike some of the other classics, this is relatively short, easy to read and exciting throughout.  If you’ve already read it, you’ll know what I mean.  If not, shame on you – go and read it now!

Sample Text:

“You are a slow learner, Winston.”
“How can I help it? How can I help but see what is in front of my eyes? Two and two are four.”
“Sometimes, Winston. Sometimes they are five. Sometimes they are three. Sometimes they are all of them at once. You must try harder. It is not easy to become sane.”

Further Reading:

If you like the dystopian theme you might like Brave New World.

If you like this author you might like Animal Farm.

Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell

Cloud Atlas - a bit too much like showing off for my liking

Cloud Atlas – a bit too much like showing off for my liking

Written in 2004, Cloud Atlas consists of six separate stories that span the centuries, ranging from the 19th century to a distant post-apocalyptic future.  The first five stories all are interrupted at a crucial moment and, after the sixth story reaches its conclusion, we return to the first five in reverse chronological order, ending back in the 19th century (Still with me?)

Each story is written in a different style to the previous one.  Whilst I think this is a great skill, it also seemed a bit like showing off to me.  The first four stories I found entertaining enough, but by the fifth and sixth I got rather bored and impatient to return to the fourth.

The first story is entitled The Pacific Diary of Adam Ewing.  Slowly throughout this story, we see how it affects the central character in the second story, entitled Letters From Zedelghem. This story is all told in the form of Letters to and from Robert Frobisher. Again, in the third story (Half-Lives: The First Luisa Rey Mystery) we see how Frobisher has affected the life of Luisa Rey.  This story is a mystery thriller set in California.

The fourth story is a daft British comedy, The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish.  In this, the protagonist reads a book about Luisa Rey, thereby linking him to the grand scheme of things.  From here, things get futuristic, with the fifth story about a dystopian future and a slave called Sonmi-451.  To my mind, this story is too futuristic, with too much jargon and goes on far too long.  Sonmi-451 watches a film about Timothy Cavendish which is how she links in to the book.

Lastly is Sloosha’s Crossin’ an’ Ev’rythin’ After.  This is even more distant future after some terrible event known simply as ‘the fall’.  Humans are once again reduced to primitivism and worship a goddess called, yep you guessed it, Sonmi.

Cloud Atlas is quite a challenging book to read.  As the stories jump around I found it didn’t really hold my attention, which has been one of the biggest criticisms of it.  However, it has mostly received praise and positive reviews so I’m willing to accept it’s a good book, but only about half of it was to my taste.

Sample Text:

“To enslave an individual troubles your consciences, Archivist, but to enslave a clone is no more troubling than owning the latest six-wheeler ford, ethically. Because you cannot discern our differences, you assume we have none. But make no mistake: even same-stem fabricants cultured in the same wombtank are as singular as snowflakes.”   from An Orison of Sonmi-451.

“I elbowed my way into the grubby café, bought a pie that tasted of shoe polish and a pot of tea with cork crumbs floating in it, and eavesdropped on a pair of Shetland pony breeders. Despondency makes one hanker after lives one never led. Why have you given your life to books, TC? Dull, dull, dull! The memoirs are bad enough, but all that ruddy fiction! Hero goes on a journey, stranger comes to town, somebody wants something, they get it or they don’t, will is pitted against will. “Admire me, for I am a metaphor.” from The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish.

Further Reading:

If you liked the dystopian future you might like 1984

If you like the detective mystery thriller you might like The Maltese Falcon


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Buddy Read Announcement

One of my best friends Selina @ The Nerdy Puffer and I are doing a buddy read! We will be reading A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki. This book first caught our eyes when it won an award at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. We will read 5 chapters a day, and each chapter is a change in POV. We will record our daily reactions and commentary, as well as in-depth reviews when we have finished. I am really looking forward to reading this book! It took so much self-restraint to keep from reading this all in one sitting, so I hope it’s worth the effort.

Here is the trailer for the book:

Stay tuned for an initial reaction to the cover and the trailer!

One Reply to “Buddy Read Announcement”

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Thoughts on NetGalley

As a relatively new blogger, I have joined several sites that provide electronic and physical review copies of books to bloggers. One of the biggest of these organizations is NetGalley. I feel like this is the perfect site for beginning bloggers like me for several reasons.
The Pros
1. It is very easy to use and navigate. I had no trouble requesting and accessing books.
2. It introduces new bloggers to publishing companies and vice versa. For those like me who are too new and/or shy to directly contact the publisher, NetGalley acts as the messenger. All you have to do is fill out your profile and click a button to request books.
3. Free books, especially when not yet available to the public, are AWESOME! Getting ARCs honestly does boost my self-esteem and encourages me to pursue success further.
4. Publicity works both ways. Bloggers who are able to review a highly-anticipated book will most likely gain viewership, and the book will get more attention.

1. The uncertainty of being approved. I think part of the reason some people, including me, go crazy while requesting books is because a) we don’t know if we will get approved and b) publishers can take as much time as they want to approve books. It’s just so disorganized.
2. Cover inconsistency. I don’t think most people have this issue, but when I send books to my kindle, most of them have no cover. A few of them don’t even list the name of the book or the author. I also just generally like looking at the cover of the book I’m reading.
3. There is no way to un-request a book. There have been several times where I request a book by accident and then I get accepted to review. My ratio is absolutely awful. I think I have 22 books and 1 feedback so far, which brings me to the next segment of this post.

My Personal Review-a-Thon!

I will be spending the next two months reviewing as many NetGalley, Blogging for Books, and LibraryThing books as possible in order to clear my name. I encourage you all to do so as well. I hope to feel the satisfaction of cleansing myself of all reviewing obligation. Since i have 40-something review books in total, I will try to write shorter reviews with several books per post so I don’t spam you guys with random books. Wish me luck!

Can you relate to any of these points? I’d love to hear some of your experiences with these programs! Help me keep strong and remind me to hold back on book requesting!

20 Replies to “Thoughts on NetGalley”

  1. OMG My ratio is Terrible too because when I first got Netgalley I went a little crazy. I think my ratio is like 107 approved and 67 feedback. I think I want to start a read-a-thon for netgalley getting as many as I can finished in a week!

  2. Oh yes, I can definitely relate! My ratio is pretty bad at the moment, but I’m working on getting it up to snuff!

    I had my books for this month lined up, but then received a couple more approvals. I made some readjustments and should be set to catch up throughout July and August. I lucked out in the titles I was approved for, and most of them were titles or authors I would be reading regardless of NetGalley, so not too much unwanted fat is on my list at the moment.

    I ran into two titles that didn’t have an option to send to my kindle, and when I tried to download and e-mail the file to kindle myself they wouldn’t load. I think the files had reached an expiration point, despite having been recently listed, or there was some other kind of error. I did send the publishers a note telling them I’m unable to review because of this.

    I should, finally!, be posting my official NetGalley review either today or tomorrow though.

    I definitely feel your pain on needing to hold back on the requests! Be strong!

    1. Thanks for the comment! I’ve had some great luck as well on the site. I got approved for two more books that I’ve been wanting to read, which is nice, but so stressful! I’m looking forward to reading your review.

      1. No problem!

        I also wanted to mention, if you don’t do it already, pay attention to the release date and archive date. It may not make much difference, but when lining up the titles I’ll be reading I try to get to them in advance of the publication. Thankfully there’s a few that don’t come out until Sept/Oct!

  3. I am so glad that you posted this! I am new to the blogging and book reviewing scene and have spent the last few months reviewing books that I currently own. I would to start getting my site out to more people and, well, who doesn’t enjoy ARCs!

  4. I agree with all your points. I’ve just joined Netgalley, and so far I’ve only requested one book, and I got approved for it was a definite boost in self-esteem. I’m nervous to take on too many books at the same time though for this exact problem. Good look with your reviews!

  5. I love NetGalley and I’m much better now about only requesting books I want to read, and more importantly have time to read. Remember you can give feedback on a book even if you don’t read it – it will keep your ratio up and so long as you give a good reason why you didn’t read and review it it seems publishers don’t mind, so long as you don’t do it too often, of course. And once you’ve been on it a while, you’ll get a feel for which publishers will approve your requests and which won’t – in fact some of the publishers will auto-approve you and then it all becomes much easier.

      1. It varies from publisher to publisher and not all of them seem to do it. I find the really small publishers are really keen and will auto-approve once you’ve done a couple of reviews. The big publishers it seems to take longer and be more random, but one tip is to tweet a copy of the review to the publisher as well as leaving feedback on NetGalley. At least if it’s a glowing review that is – if I’m slating a book, I don’t tweet it at all, though I still send feedback. Now I’m auto-approved by a couple of the biggies like Random House and Cambridge University Press I find I’m not constantly waiting to see will I/won’t I get approved.

  6. You are not alone in having a terrible feedback ratio 😉 I’ve been on NG for several years and mine is dismal. I’m always promising myself I’ll do better and then something else enticing shows up…

    One small tip—set up a calendar for yourself (I use the Yahoo calendar) showing archive, publication and, if applicable, expiration dates. That way, you’ll be able to keep things organized and Yahoo will send you email reminders.

  7. Thanks for posting this! Being a new blogger also, when I discovered Netgalley I went so crazy requesting. I need to do the same thing and just focus on reading the titles I’ve been approved for already instead of picking up random books on my shelves!

  8. I’m really glad to finally come-across someone who goes through the same!
    Even I get a lot of books with no cover, and it really affects my reading (God knows why!)

    My ratio is also horrible and I’ve been planning to do the same from last couple of days.
    I’m gonna try and read atleast 2 books from NetGalley (as I’m already reviewing books for 2 blogs) every month.
    Keep posting about your progress as it will inspire others like me!
    Have a great day 🙂

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Archive for City

Review: Jp, Chrissie and The Fairground Boys Live!

Posted in Review with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 26, 2010 by thenewserials

A Complex of Complexes and Perfect Perfections

Thank You For Ruling, New York City!

New York City

September 25th, 2010

Under the lavish bright lights of the Marquee that read ‘Irving Plaza’ small black letters meekly spell out the name of tonight’s act. ‘Jp, Chrissie and The Fairground Boys’ loads of New Yorkers walk by unawares of that exactly is going to happen tonight as they do every night.

‘Jp, Chrissie and the Fairground Boys?’  A women swimming, inebriated, in her own inebriation questions out-loud to herself. ‘Never heard of em”

And that’s the classic New York City anonymity coming in to play. It’s not unbelievable but, somewhat odd to think that Chrissie Hynde who has fronted one of the most enduring rock bands, The Pretenders, for over 30 years could be looked over so easily BUT, that starts the first major appeal of this band.

Fresh of the heels off a small tour playing just acoustic sets and the release of their first studio album ‘Fidelity!’ Jp Jones a Welsh born ‘Gypsy’, Chrissie Hynde and  lead Guitarist Patrick Murdoch are somewhat used to this grind with the songs at this point. Tonight, however, is going to be a new experience as NYC is going to be treated to the first performance with (most) of the band.

It should come to no surprise to anyone that this album is nothing less than amazing. Hynde who has put out consistently good work with the Pretenders and Jones who has been creating, writing and performing music for years have created a music child that can only be described as: ‘as close to perfection as humanely conceivable’.

If the mortal existence that human life exist in is an underling to a different world where the purest forms of every possible things exist, then ‘Fidelity’ is the skyline to the perfect city of music. It has everything one could ask for, great writing, great music, great voices and great production.

Jones/Hynde and the Fairground Boys pull no punches with this album, if its what they wanted to say they say it and do it in a way that you won’t forget. From Rockers to ballads to songs that simply fit into both and neither category, ‘Fidelity!’ is a revelation of the twilight that falls on a doomed relationship.

But enough of the obvious, with the technology today almost anyone could crank out a good sounding album, the real question is: Is it really them on the album, or when we hear them live are we going to hear something else? The test of any good band is how they sound live. Even if a studio album sounds horrific (which couldn’t be further from the truth about ‘Fidelity!’) the band could gel live and create a new life.

Anticipation over how ‘Fidelity!” would sound with an entire band was somewhat eased when the album was released. After hearing acoustic shows the album sounded perfect unplugged and an initial worry set in about how they would translate electrified but, it worked out better than one could have hoped for. Yet still, could they play live?

Marred by a dysfunctional Visa renewal system the Fairground boys were grounded overseas as Jones/Hynde and Murdoch carried the fight alone. Touring most in New York City during the acoustic sets there was something special about bringing the entire band to the City.

At show time NYC Finally got its first look at the entire band (minus 1) Patrick Murdoch on Lead Guitar, Vezio Bacci on Bass and Geoff Holroyde on Drums (Sam Swallow who plays Keys and attended the Housing Works show in NYC was absent for reasons unknown to me at the time of this post) took the stage with Jp Jones and Chrissie Hynde.

“Hello,” Hynde purred in her signature voice. “New York Fuckin’ City”

And then they proceeded to teach us a lesson.

Before I mentioned that people not knowing what was happening that night was part of the appeal of the band and by that I mean, the band is a secret almost. Its something that if you know about YOU KNOW what its all about (hopefully) this isn’t the Pretenders in any sort of fashion, this is a new endeavor that is amazingly genuine and crafty in itself and when other people are worried about their big box office tickets in row Z-21 at Madison Square Garden we’re standing five feet from one of the best acts out there today.

There isn’t any pretense with this band, they know already most of the audience has come to see Hynde and that the album may have been overlooked at this point, so they go into ‘sell mode’ they’re going to prove to us that this is an album YOU want and as a Bonus to those fans who have been digging the album since it was released on August 24th they opened with a song that’s not even on the album.

‘If You Were My Age’ says it all. Its ALL about that exact line. An album borne from the frustrations of the age difference between Jones and Hynde but, also of the mutual respect as artist, ‘Fidelity!’ broadcast the message of not being able to be together but, always being tied together. A Rocker that is already sorely missed from the album ‘If You Were My Age’ blast you into the world of the Fairground Boys and puts you on their roller-coaster/Carousel of mixed emotions and unabashed honesty.

The Band then started with the songs from the Album starting with their single: “If You Let Me”. No surprises here (unless you hadn’t heard the song before) Jones and Hynde musical conversation offers dueling ideas but, a want for the same thing (is your head hurting yet?) “If you don’t want to let me in, you better lock this door” Jones warns before Hynde coos in “Cause I’m not fine by myself are going to help me survive?”. It’s than kind of unique quality to their writing that really puts the listeners in awe of what they’re hearing. They could just as easily say: “I love you…you love me…this is hard. Let me in!”  and it’d be a fine song but, the way they play off one another shows, this isn’t just a collaborative act THESE two are somewhat one musical entity on stage.  They don’t take it too seriously either, the music isn’t meant to depress you into a state of endless rumination. Jones flubs up a lyric in the first line, catches himself and smiles through it giving Hynde a smiling nod as they understand each other. Its a fun scene.

‘Fairground Luck” follows, (a phrase that apparently sparked Jones’ and Hynde’s collaboration) a sensual ballad that crescendos into the chorus: “would you whisk me away, could you kiss these lips everyday? If I was down would you pick me up, throw me a little of that, ohh fairground luck”

The show really picks up from here on:

Jones and Hynde explain for the first time that they album is not meant to be taken literally at all points. “We didn’t really go to Australia” Hynde explains and the band begins ‘Australia’. A pop/ballad with enough heart to make a mass murderer reconsider his profession. It tells the story of when Hynde and Jones met, the two open up their verses respectively with: “Didn’t you come over and say Hi to me? I was propping up the bar on me own. Mostly guys like you say Goodbye to me and they never offer me a ride home”/ “I was too loaded to think you’d talk to me, but you’re obviously used to guys like that, when you said ‘no worries’ it came to me where you’re coming from and where you’re at.”

What struck me the most about this performance was just how amazing the band sounded, dare to say better than the studio version (which is impressive on its own) Geoff Holroyde pulls off a drum beat after the bridge that brings new dimensions to the song. Its suddenly no longer a song but, an experience. Jones and Hynde are letting you into their lives…honestly, openly and unapologetically.

The Jazzy Ballad: ‘Meanwhile’ follows, Vezio Bacci’s bass skills are a highlight. The opening notes between him Geoff and Patrick are so perfect that Jones and Hynde almost don’t have to be there and then of course they begin singing and it only gets better from there. Now I’m going to say this again listen to Bacci’s bass playing on the album and if you see them live listen for it…it’s there and its amazing.

Perfect Lover is next, quoted in EVERY article I’ve read about the band but, I won’t do it.

‘Courage’ follows that, Jones explains they hadn’t normally been doing this song (WHY?!) but, they were going to do it tonight. A psuedo-1970s R&B style song. Jones and Hynde show off how well they can sing. In the middle of the song professing: “They got it wrong when they said that we were done” they repeat over and over each time becoming more and more defiant as the music builds until it explodes and overflows like a tidal wave of emotions. Also for you guitar enthusiast Patrick Murdoch pulls off some of the best harmonics I’ve ever heard.

Jones’ solo song ‘Leave Me If You Must” comes next, he puts his guitar down and Hynde keeps hers, he takes his microphone and begins. Anyone use to Hynde’s writing can hear that even though Jones’ is singing it Hynde wrote it. Aside from the obvious lyrics that somewhat bad-mouth her (something Hynde does often about herself) “I couldn’t blame a man to leave a woman past her prime” there are these moments of unrivaled poetry: “I’m the spy who had his back turned hiding in a phone booth” and the Johnny Cash-esque quality of the song also lends to Hynde’s making but, it’s Jones’ deep semi-sexual growl (as he stands on stage with his shirt unbuttoned 3 buttons, his chest showing and a brush of hair peaks out) that pulls the song back as the music pushes it forward creating the sort of result one can only think to find in complex chemical reactions.

Misty Valleys a song Hynde explains is how she imagines Jones, her voice has never been in finer form. “Rockin’ the boat, we’re going nowhere, Drift and float We’re almost there’ Hynde coos in a falsetto that’s to die for.

Portabello Road – There’s no much I can say…This song rocks beyond belief. EVERY band members adds some kind of new besieging burst. Jones’ screams the condemnation of a place where only ‘stuck up muthafuckers’ would go to. in the Chorus they don’t warn but, demand: “don’t go down, don’t you go down Portabello!” Geoff, Vezio and Patrick then show you why THEY are the band and not some other folks. Holroyde doesn’t ever relent as he blast the drums, Bacci adds a pounding pulse with the slightest inclination of a fault and Murdoch, my word Murdoch crafts a solo that never seems to end but, always seems to get better and better and better.

It was then that I realized that something had happened, that this band wasn’t going to go anywhere anytime soon and also that the people closest to me were dead inside. So starstruck and stuck on Hynde that they forget to appreciate an amazing band. Portabello has fire behind it, the fire you see under a space shuttle or erupting from a volcano. Had the show been ended there I would have been fine. Pretenders or not THIS was among the best performance I’ve seen Hynde a part of and anyone who couldn’t appreciate the Fairground Boys last night, should have their hearts checked.

Your Fairground followed, slowing down the pace to be followed then by one of the most beautiful songs Hynde has ever sung. The title track ‘Fidelity’

A uniquely different song of the album Jones and Hynde explain they consider the album their child and since it was written in Cuba they gave it its name after Castro, as the song says: “Its life, we gotta little girl…Fidelity”

They ended the set with “You’re The One” another song not on the album. It continues the theme of the album. “You’re the one That I should’ve married, you’re the one that I should have carried” A nice rocking song to end the first set with.

They came back out for the encore and performed “Never Drink Again” my favorite song off the album, the Moby Grape song: “Murder in My Heart” and ended the show their Christmas song (Jones: “Its almost…well no it’s no where near christmas) “Christmas Soon”

All in all the show was amazing and anyone who has the chance would be a fool to not go see a band in top form perform top notch music together.

This isn’t it though, Jones and Hynde have good poker faces but, not that good. One could see easily that they’ve got more songs out there waiting to be put out.

Lets just hope we as fans are ready to experience the rawest form of perfection again.

Review: Fidelity! (Live)

Posted in Review with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 11, 2010 by thenewserials

Love, Loss and Fidelity!

How does one begin something like this? A review of this magnitude ought to be taught as a college seminar. That’s not some overzealous view of my writing skills but, rather an understatement of what happens when two musical geniuses get lemons and make lemonade.

Fidelity!(Available August 24th)  is the newest project from Chrissie Hynde, this time she shares the stage with Welsh born singer/song writer JP Jones, along with a band, filled with talented Musicians, the Fairground Boys. The result is: Jp,Chrissie and the Fairground Boys.

Make no assumptions about this band and about this album. You may think you know Chrissie Hynde and some of you may think you know JP Jones but, this album will send you for a loop from it’s subject matter to its execution.

Monday night  I had the chance to see Jp, Chrissie and the Fairground Boy(s) at the Rockwood music Hall in NYC. To say the show was intimate would be a drastic understatement. Sitting less than 5 feet from Chrissie Hynde, JP Jones and their guitarist Patrick Murdoch, I found myself apart of the action going on onstage.

In a fine mood the three came out ready to play the ENTIRE album of Fidelity (previous shows had only showcased a maximum of 7 songs) JP Jones explained that this would be the first time they played some of these songs live at all and asked for our pardon in advance.

He wouldn’t need it.

Starting with their single “If You Let me” (Released August 10th) the band began to rock the acoustic set. Its in this song that the listener realizes that this isn’t just an album. This isn’t someone putting out music simply because they want to make money or because they like to. This is a story of why growing up is a hard thing to do sometimes.

The lyrics say: “I’m going to on this world/I’m going to make you love me/if you let me/if you let me/if you let me” sung in tandem it shows the like mind of the two songwriters. Every song is just as much felt by JP as it is Chrissie. There aren’t any petty disagreements or empathy for the other. On Fidelity! Jp and Chrissie are one and the same.

The two of them chatted with the audience adding a great deal of humor to the rather humorless chunk of music.

The set of live songs were all gorgeous and painfully honest. The whole of Fidelity! being a story in which two people are forced to understand that they cannot be together because of the age difference between them. The woman is painted as “Past her prime” (a line which sparked some surprised audience reaction and “she wrote it!” as a response from JP Jones) and the man described as a “perfect lover but, he’s only half my age”.

The entire album is of this sort of thing, the realization that it isn’t going to work between this two characters (are they Hynde and Jones?…probably) but, what sets this apart from a normal ‘I wish I could have you but, I can’t’ story is that the two decide to take their love in a different direction.

The word “Son” and “Lover” comes up so much, it’s PAINFULLY clear that they came
to a choice when they said “Hey we can’t be lovers, let me take you under my wing son”

In words like my feeble minded vernacular it sounds somewhat perverse but, when you hear this album, start to finish and hear Hynde’s cooing versus JP ranting, you’ll know.

While JP Jones seems still somewhat embarrassed to admit that this is of any truth to his life Hynde seemed casually open about the failed relationship. Whilst introducing a song named “Never Drink Again” (A quote Hynde has used before) Hynde explained the original name of the song was going to be: “Never drink again, until the pub opens up” a sentiment apparently shared by the other two and much of the audience.

It was then that Hynde does what she does. There aren’t any words to describe it, it’s either some sort of fearless truth and insight of herself or some kind of over-the-top form of bullshit but, Hynde says that she’s stopped drinking because when she does she becomes a “Cunt”.

At the sheer utterance of the ‘C’ word the entire audience gasped and moaned in disapproval but, Hynde got defensive of the choice of words. “No it’s true, he knows it. When I drink I go to the dark side”

It’s that kind of honesty (?) that fills the album, listeners will be treated to an unabashed version of their view on this tragic situation and the audience can decide if their even doing the write thing. Sure the two of  them can write a song but, what will this love affair yield at the very end? Is Fidelity! the ultimate love story or a musical tribute to the mistakes we make when we fall in love and can’t climb our way out?

Whatever it is, Rockwood Musical hall was able to get a glimpse of it. Filled with humor, fun and the passionately played out lyrics, it was hard not to get totally sucked into Fidelity!’s world. A wave of uneasy apprehension filled the room as the words: “I wish I could have met you in a former life, or seen you in a future time” Heartbreak plainly laid onto our laps with no real solution in sight.

Fidelity! is everything and nothing at the same time. Its what you WANT from an artist and yet it has no solution to its story, we’re told from the first lyric how this game is going to be played before our eyes and in the very end we still see they had not lied.

The concept of their love not being able to grow the way they want is complicated but, they treat it as a simple inconvenience. The human mind will baffle at it and enjoyed being toyed with.

Fidelity! is a complicated, perplexing view of simplicity and common sense.

As harsh as an acid and soothing as a base.

Tuesday August 10th New York City, SoHo.

After the events at the Rockwood musical hall the night before, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see the band again at the Apple store in SoHo. A free event that was set up for the store.

There’s not much to say here, they did 5 planned songs and revealed that management or Apple or some other power that be wouldn’t be allowing them to do anymore. But after some coaxing from the audience they unveiled an even NEWER song in a catalogue of new songs. Hynde explained the song is going to be released as a Christmas EP and the band had to take some time to remember how to play it but, when it was all over, the song was a beautiful christmas ballad.

Restricted by time and the store the SoHo appearance wasn’t the same glimpse into life ala Jones/Hynde but, a showcase of good songs.

I shouldn’t have to type this but, if you aren’t convinced that you should rush out and find the nearest performance by Jp/Chrissie and the Fairground Boys at this point of the review then simply don’t go. You’re not alive probably.

Fidelity! is NOT a Pretenders album and one shouldn’t convince themselves that the band will play Pretenders songs or have any Pretenders sentiments whatever. This is all new, and as real as it gets. Hynde hasn’t ever really let her audience down and Fidelity! is among the best music she’s ever put out.

Walk don’t run.

The Setlist for August 9th was:

If You Let Me

Fairground Luck

Your Fairground

Leave Me If You Must

Misty Valleys

Never Drink Again

Skinny Love (not performed)

You’re The One (not on the album)

Perfect Lover

Portobello Road

Murder in My Heart

an encore included

If You Were My Age.

The Setlist for August 10th was:

If You Let Me

Fairground Luck

Never Drink Again

You’re The One

Your Fairground

An Encore included:

It Must Be Christmas

JP. Chrissie and the Fairground Boys will be back in NYC on September 25th 2010 at Irving Plaza. Tickets on sale now

Magneto Was Right!

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 1, 2009 by thenewserials

Early I was joking with a friend telling them that I think there needs to be a gay Magneto in the real world. Someone radical enough to stand up for gay rights without any kind of condition. It was really just a light natured, funny idea but, as I watched the news today I saw yet another anti-gay-bias attack, this has been the third attack I’ve heard of this month alone. It seems now that every week there seems to be the same thing happening: someone walking down a street is attacked by a group of people and beat mercilessly whilst being being verbally attacked with gay slurs. I’m not sure why no one seems to be addressing this, it’s important and it needs to be stopped, Sunday was the pride parade and now something like this happens again?

It feels as if the tiny media attention this gets is all one can really expect from the NYC Police department, a department that has been known to abandon fellow gay cops in danger because of their sexual orientation. The mayor doesn’t really say anything about gay…anything cept he thinks we should have marriage but, considering he isn’t in the power to do anything about that his words are pretty much useless.

So what do we need?

Someone who is unafraid to intimidate this homophobic cowards, at this point trying to be nice people hasn’t really gotten us anywhere has it?  Marriage in some states and we’re just now getting some basic rights and the gay community as a whole seems to be OK with these insults?

Correct me if I’m wrong but, aren’t all Americans supposed to have the same basic rights from birth? We’ve seen the country try to block rights based on sex and race and those have broken through the barrier with great power but, here are the gay people politely knocking on the door of equality, meekly asking if they can be let in.

Its stupid by all accounts and there’s no real articulate way to express that any better, so I think now is the time to stop playing nice and start playing hardball. Obama has been extremely slow to do ANYTHING on the rights of the LGTBQ people, the other day I saw something that said he declared June LGTBQ month, what  the hell does that mean? When wasn’t June pride month? does he think he’s doing someone a favor by giving us a month anyway? I don’t want a month I want rights and I want a crackdown on Homophobic attacks of all kinds. the Government has been issuing insults to the Gay community for years; saying outright that we as a people aren’t good enough to have the same things Heterosexuals have and no one seems to be mad about that. Its time to get MAD its time to start breaking shit, sorry to say. I don’t condone violence at all but, when everyone is ignoring you and your dying on the side of the road its time to start throwing rocks at cars to get someones attention.

By any means Necessary has to be the new motto for the LGTBQ community, if they don’t want to give us our rights then we have be prepared to take our fist and choke it out of them, in the end if they will not empathize with us then they should truly fear what we may do to prove how serious we are. This country would not RUN without the many LGTBQ people working in its innards and making sure the Heterosexual people can live comfortable fair and legally protected lives. If need be then the Gay community needs to go to those same innards we work in and rip them out one by one and let the machine of injustice slowly die until they’re ready to begin serious talks.

The crippling effect of the blow will force out some terrible opponents but, what can they do to us that they already aren’t doing? They’ve broken our families, denied our health, sold our jobs, belittled our rights. We are a SECOND class of citizens in a country where one can prostitute themselves and their children in perverse manners to entertain and make money.

They think we’re going to sit back and be complacent until we forget we have rights and its time to stand up and show them its the opposite. That we aren’t going to wait a DAY longer for rights. We’ve lost too many people in a battle we haven’t even begun to fight. DEAD gay men and women, tied to trees, beaten, abused, raped, left for dead, abandoned by their fellow man, now its time to strike back so that years from now THEIR children’s children will cringe at our terrible might and then maybe they will begin to take us seriously.

But alas our Gay and Lesbian ‘leaders’ are weak and fearful. They stand under their bosses as lapdogs and take the scraps like sick, famished children. We need them to be put out of their misery and REMOVED from their offices and replaced with people who will not be afraid to look the unmoving President in the eye and tell him that TOMORROW is not insured that the rights of our people must be given today or HE will face an uprising against him so strong that not even his historic win in November will be able to survive the tarnishing glory of our demands!

If they will not give us our rights then we need to TAKE them BACK. We are HUMAN and we have RIGHTS and we will gain them NOW not later and God save anyone who stands in our way!


text:
The ancient Romans called what we refer to as “the Roman Empire” as Romania (roh-MAHN-ee-ya). The country north of Bulgaria borrowed this ancient name for itself. Older spellings—now obsolete—include “Roumania” and “Rumania.” But although in English we pronounce “Romania” roh-MAIN-ee-ya, it is never correct to spell the country’s name as “Romainia,” and the people and language are referred to not as “Romainian” but as “Romanian.”

Ancient Romans were citizens of the Roman empire, and today they are inhabitants of the city of Rome (which in Italian is Roma). Don’t confuse Romans with Romanians.


text:
Bringing Home Puppy

Our Family Vacation
September 7, 2010, 8:12 pm
Filed under: Cottage, Dogs, Pets, Vacation | Tags: , , , , , ,

We are officially back!  We spent a lovely 3 days at my family compound of cottages near Kingston, Ontario.  Even though it rained daily, was freezing cold, and we experienced some bad fishing – it was still a great time.  My bro was home from Iqaluit, and its always nice to get the family together.   Tim just loves the outdoors, and there were plenty of chipmunks to chase.  The rocks of the Canadian Shield provided good terrain for entertainment and lots of exercise for the little guy.  It was clear when we got into the car to go home, he was depressed.

As I forgot to pack the camera (but remembered tanning oil, flip flops, bug spray and 2 bathing suits – none of which got used, ever),  I have no pics to share, other than what I could snap with my blackberry on the way back to the car in the boat.

Cottage Time!
September 3, 2010, 11:09 pm
Filed under: Cottage, Dogs, Vacation | Tags: , ,

So excited!  We are off to the cottage this weekend.  Fingers crossed that we get at LEAST one nice day, without rain!  Its kinda special because my brother will be in town from Iqaluit!  Hooray!

To add to his lifejacket (which was a BIG hit last year) I bought Timmy a multicoloured LED light for his collar…cause you know its dark up there!  I’d hate for my little darling to go missing in the dark!

Pics and stories to follow!

Merry Christmas Timmy!
December 21, 2009, 6:04 pm
Filed under: Dogs, Pets | Tags: , , , , , ,

We were home in Chatham this weekend to celebrate Christmas with my side of the family this year.  Even my bro made an appearance, all the way from Iqaluit!  It was a great time.  Most exciting for Timmy however, was recieving a new coat!  Upon opening it, we assumed it was store bought…but it fit perfectly!  In fact, my mom had actually sewn it herself!  How impressive is that?!?!?

Gotta love the houndstooth with fur trim!  What a stylin’ pup!!!


text:
VIDEO: Busting into the Vancouver set of Alcatraz

Alcatraz has been on the air for a few weeks now, so it is about bloody time I posted this video. It was shot before Christmas while I was on the west coast visiting the set of the J.J. Abrams drama. The series is produced in Vancouver at the same North Shore studios where The X Files once squatted.
The large jail house interior is three stories high with cells on either side. The main stars of the series– Parminder Nagra, Sarah Jones and Jorge Garcia as well as the always “charming” Sam Neill–took questions from a few reporters against a cave wall-like background in the command centre on the set. Alcatraz, which has drawn around the million viewer mark over three weeks so far in Canada, airs Mondays at 9/8c on Fox and City.

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Reading _Lower Ed_: Credentials, Jobs, and the New Economy

We continue our reading of Tressie McMillan Cottom‘s Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy (publisher; Amazon). Here we’ll discuss Chapter 6, “Credentials, Jobs, and the New Economy.”

I’ll begin with a short summary, followed by questions.  As a quick reminder, you can find all posts in this reading right here.

Chapter 6, “Credentials, Jobs, and the New Economy.”

Lower Ed being heldHere Cottom continues to explore reasons why people would enroll in for-profit colleges, focusing on the context of a new labor market.

The author returns to her earlier theme: that for-profits target poor people, shown, for example, by the connection between government assistance programs and for-profits (157-8).  Poverty’s constraints on decision-making and choices further nudge people into lower ed (163).  The labor market’s demand that individuals, rather than companies, provide education further encourages such enrollment: “the expectation now is that workers will increase their human capital at personal expense to ‘move up’ the professional ladder” by developing their own “negative insurance program[s]” (168, 174).

Ultimately, such educational choices aren’t really choices at all, given the options (170).  The world of higher education

assumes that there is a rational educational choice that can be made.  Given the character of the new economy, one that by definition is risky and highly variable, for millions of people that simply isn’t true. (173)

In this context, for-profits ultimately fail people.  “At best, Lowed Ed marginally serves a few individuals…” (177)

Job placement data and regulatory compliance seems to argue in favor of for-profits, as they share federal data about jobs and degrees.  However, there is room to fudge or creatively represent that data (164-5; 166-7).  Moreover, better data or more firmly established provenance seems likely to have had no impact on enrollment decisions (170).

Throughout this chapter Cottom compares for-profits to community colleges.  Both can address similar populations, at times offering related outcomes (rapid credentialing for jobs), and both coming in for job placement rate criticism.  However, regulation seems to be tighter on for-profits, which are also powered by Wall Street investment (165-6, for example).

This chapter concludes with considerations not just of recent history, but of possible futures.  Cottom thinks for-profits met a need, and unless that need changes, some other entity will step in to meet it:

If for-profit colleges like ITT are no longer around, then another form of short-term on-demand credentials will respond to consumer demand by extracting profit from student loans and education savings accounts.  That’s the best-case scenario. [emphases added] (172)

Inequality is likely to continue, with academia playing a major role:

The proposed future of higher education looks a lot like the start of the Wall Street era of for-profit college expansion: occupational credentials in narrow fields, paid for through public financing schemes that start with exemplars of high-status white men in high-pay jobs and offer little hope for anyone else. (177)

  1. Professor Cottom brings coding boot camps into play (175).  Do you see them as part of the for-profit world, or are they another kind of thing?
  2. Would a non-profit college or university’s online learning offerings better help the people for-profits have preyed on?
  3. Can non-profits expand in general, on-line or off-, to better serve poor Americans?

Next Monday, June 26, we move on to the book’s epilogue.

Our reading so far: the plan; introduction; chapter 1; chapter 2; chapter 3; chapter 4; chapter 5.

This entry was posted in future of education, readings and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to Reading _Lower Ed_: Credentials, Jobs, and the New Economy

  1. VanessaVaile says:

    Reblogged this on As the Adjunctiverse Turns and commented:
    ICYMI catch up with reading and discussing Tressie McMillan Cottom’s #LowcrEd with Bryan Alexander’s FTTE Book Club. Haven’t adjuncted at a for-profit (most likely online)? You still can’t miss sometimes disturbing parallels (and contrasts) with community colleges.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Pingback: Concluding _Lower Ed_: the epilogue | Bryan Alexander

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text:
election day

today i’ll write something serious.

it will be my first time to vote for the national election. i feel kind of scared and at the same time excited. lots of news-might-lead-to-failure-of-election  aired by media every night and every day. seems like it would be 49 rate of being successful and 51 would be failure (in the perspective of the negative Filipinos, at least). but the power of positivism never fails. three days more and i need to be more mature and responsible enough for the next 6 years of the Philippines.

i will sure vote.  god bless my homeland.


text:
Sinfully Southern Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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Name: Sinfully Southern Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Date: January 26, 2017
Time: 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM CST
Event Description:
Join us as we celebrate the opening of Sinfully Southern with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Sinfully Southern's food has southern flavors with a modern twist and focuses on an elegant presentation. Chef Dwayne Ingraham's philosophy is that dessert should be an experience that we participate in with others.  They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers a full bar.Open six days a week, closed on Tuesdays.
3000 Old Taylor Road
Oxford, MS
Date/Time Information:
Thursday, January 26th at 4:00 pm
Contact Information:
(662) 238-6262
Set a Reminder:
Enter your email address below to receive a reminder message.


text:
Truthful Useful Stories Make You Travel

Podcasting from Cork Ireland,
for 35 minutes you’ll hear
Roger Overall & Paul O’Mahony
riff off each other,
playing “Go off trail – you’ll fail

A truthful story – A useful story

In Episode 14 of Season 3,
we show you it’s vital
you don’t lose control of your story.
We want you to become more genuinely attractive in business today

In this podcast, you hear:

Erratum : Roger corrects a mistake he made in the heat of the moment

  • We’re ready to talk (1.28)
  • Personal Introductions (1.40)

  • Business communications (5.10)

Is this an Anti-Apple rant” (7.10)

  • Why would anyone stay with Apple?” (8.00)
  • Apple knows it has this reputation. (8.40)
  • Special Event in the life of Apple : Apple meets journalists – a rare occasion these days (8.50)
  • Remember those who don’t use Apple (10.00)

The point of the story: don’t let others tell your story.

  • If there’s a void, others will fill it (10.30)
  • You need to take control of the story – immediately (10.50)

USA – Frozen Head State Park – Tennessee – the Barkley Marathons 2017 (11.05)

  • Trail-running not orienteering (12.55)
  • Twitter’s the best way to follow the race @KeithNunn (13.30)
  • The drop-out rate is “horrendous”. (14.45)
  • NB – John Kelly finished in 59:30:53
  • Gary Robbins from Canada
  • The 5th and Final Loop (16.00)
  • Where’s Garry? (17.40)
  • The first story that went out from Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell :
    the “6 seconds late” story – exploded on Twitter (20.45)
  • The second story: “I did not complete“. (21.50)
  • Which story travels most?

Back to the practice of communications (23.50)

  • Putting the story right (24.00)
  • Correcting the message
  • The speed with which you put the story right (26.22)

Our advice & the Challenge:
how to draw valuable lessons from Roger’s story?

(1) A concise, appealing, powerful & emotional story that’s easily understood will travel (27.50)

(2) Make sure your message is accurate

(3) Give people something they can use – express your message in a form that others can use

BIG issues we didn’t resolve:

“Truth is not the big issue – usability is.” (Paul)

“Be careful you don’t fall into the trap of telling the truth.” (Paul)

“If you’re going to put out a message, why not make it a true message.” (Roger)

“Make it useful & true.” (Roger)

“Which would you prefer, an interesting lie or a boring truth?” (Paul)

Appeal to our supporters :
Please tell one other person
about #BusinessJazzPodcast
Contact us

Roger Overall
@rogeroverall Show&Tell Communications
(+ – running & cartoons)

Paul O’Mahony
@omaniblog BusinessJazz

Mark Cotton
– for your audio requirements –
Bletchley Park Podcast

Is Your Browser Experience Detestable?

For 36 minutes you’ll hear

Roger Overall & Paul O’Mahony shout

about loving your suppliers & staff

How can we win affection?

In Episode 5 of Season 3, we sink into this challenge that tests every business.

We discuss

  • It’s important to remember what podcast you’re on
  • Welcome “browsers” into your store – they’ll buy in future (2.00)
  • Show “you’re very welcome” (3.30)
  • Give customers space & time
  • Damn pop-up ads on websites
  • Attract some, repel others (7.40)
  • Don’t ignore loyal customers in favour of new customers (9.10)
  • Have a Web page for first time visitors (9.55) – a “Start Here” page

    Great welcomers win

We also discuss ………………

  • The big mistake we made last week (12.28)
  • “We are European” (14.25)
  • Our primary purpose  (15.10)
  • Fresh thinking from USA
  • It’s a pity we don’t have advice from Japan & China (17.00)
  • “We’re lazy” (18.00)

Admit your mistakes quickly

We also discuss:

  • Make a fuss of your suppliers & employees (19.49)
  • How to treat your suppliers well – pay invoices on time
  • Be irresistibly attractive
  • Why it’s important to be consistent (23.30)
  • Why treat staff well
  • Case study: Amazon in Cork (24.15)
  • “Internal customers” (25.00)
  • 3 things a company can do to be genuinely attractive  (25.20)
  • Generosity
  • Respect
  • Cheerleading
  • Selling books in Ireland & USA (28.10)
  • Projecting an image of your business ethos (30:05)
  • Featuring staff  (31.00)

Do something that matters every day

We finished with

  • Summary of key points  (31.20)
  • Cheering for Mark Cotton, our audio & music genius & Sarah (33.50)
  • He’s @mcfontaine
  • Produces The Bletchley Park Podcast
  • Truly “the bees knees”
  • Thanks to listeners (35.45)

Appeal to our supporters :
Please tell one other person
about #BusinessJazzPodcast

We offer you our best advice

  • Be generous
  • Be respectful
  • Be a cheerleader

We spoke fondly of

  • O’Mahony’s Bookshop in Limerick
  • AJ Leon, Misfits Inc @ajleon
  • Akari Software
  • Borders Bookstore
  • Chris Brogan, author @chrisbrogan
  • David Hobby, photographer @strobist
  • Rich Roberts @FiremanRich
  • Mark Cotton, sound engineer @mcfontaine
  • USA, Canada, Europe, Germany, Japan, China, Manilla, Mexico, Texas, Vietnam, Australia