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Monthly Archives: January 2015

Review: “Divergent” by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #1
Rating: *****
Publisher/Copyright: Katherine Tegen, 2012

I know, I’m late to the party. I have this bad habit of avoiding high-hype books out of a sense of general stubbornness, not because I really doubt their quality (a certain series involving glitter-ridden “vampires” excluded, of course) but partially from general cantankerousness, partially from convenience (I heavily rely on the library, making high-demand books somewhat inconvenient at times), and partially from the fact that my “to-read” stack has become a full set of shelves, crammed to bursting, and lower-priority works have overflowed into a series of boxes until I can get things under control. This procrastination only gets worse when there’s a perception of market glut; i.e. “Twilight is big! Let’s ride this angsty faux-vampire thing all the way to the bank! Oooh….look at the sales numbers on The Hunger Games…..” This last is unfair, I know…there are some seriously good dystopian books coming out now. It’s just a matter of digging through the glut to find the gems. I’m hoping to read The Maze Runner soon, and I’ve heard good things about The Blood Red Road as well. In the case of Divergent, my sister is obsessed. Some of the other YA dystopian stuff she’s into holds no interest for me (Matched, for example), but this looked interesting. Plus, my wife wants to see the movie, and to watch it before reading it would be pure heresy. Thus, I borrowed my sister’s beloved copy and dove in (Thanks Chloe!)

In the unspecified future, Chicago has become a self-sustaining dystopian fortress. Within its walls, the citizens are divided into five factions based on their most dominant character trait–Amity, the peaceful; Abnegation, the selfless; Candor, the honest/impartial; Erudite, the learned; and Dauntless, the brave. Children are raised in the faction of their parents until the age of sixteen, when they take a test that tells them which faction best fits their character/thinking/instincts. They then choose their faction, once and for all. They are free to choose a different faction than their test indicates, providing some thin semblance of democracy, but once the choice is made it cannot be changed…and if you can’t make it in your chosen faction, you become one of the Factionless, the faceless untouchables that perform the menial labor for the entire city.

Beatrice “Tris” Prior has been raised in Abnegation all her life, but she doesn’t feel she really fits in. She wants to be good and selfless, but the fact is that politeness and seeing others’ needs isn’t what she’s good at. If she ends up in another faction, its likely she’ll see her family only on rare occasions (“Faction before Blood” is the motto of the new society), but Tris frankly isn’t sure she can stay in Abnegation for the rest of her life without going crazy. Things only become more complicated when her test comes back inconclusive–Tris could be suited for Dauntless, Abnegation, or even Erudite. The test overseer informs her that she is Divergent, and that to tell anyone her secret could get her killed. The test results are wiped and the overseer pretends there was a problem with the readings, while Tris leaves the test that should have given her guidance with only more questions. Right up until the moment she makes her choice, she doesn’t know what she is going to do, but once she decides there is no going back….

This book garners all sorts of comparisons to The Hunger Games, and I can see the similarities, but I think the differences are far more significant–and I think Divergent is better, on the whole. Both books feature an oppressive social system, a strong-willed female protagonist who narrates the work in first-person POV, and an incredible amount of violence perpetrated against children. At the same time, even these elements bear only a passing resemblance to each other. While neo-Chicago’s faction-based society is clearly flawed, it was founded with the best of intentions while Panem makes no bones about being a bloody dictatorship that televises an annual live-action adolescent death-match. Katniss and Tris definitely share similarities (bravery, a strong survival instinct, and the determination to protect those they care about,) but there are also marked differences. For one thing, Tris is a very active character. Most of what happens in the book happens because makes a decision and does something. Katniss is more reactive, largely as a product of the plot, but the former still makes for a more interesting character. Then of course there’s also Katniss’s angsty whining for the first half of Catching Fire, followed by her slow descent into madness during Mockingjay. I wasn’t too big a fan of those elements. Tris manages to still have a love interest without being quite so whiny about it. Just my opinion.*

The writing here was tight and action-packed, flowing so smoothly and keeping me so engaged that I’ve ended up staying up later than I intended several times over the past week, lost in the ruins of Chicago. That said, there are elements of Divergent that I’m a bit conflicted about. The world itself is overly simplistic, for one thing. And yet….maybe that’s the point. The idea of a society where everyone is defined by a single character trait is ridiculous, on the face of it, but on closer examination Divergent makes it work much better than I expected when I started the book. For one thing, the factions aren’t necessarily built around the only character trait that its members exhibit, but the one they want to emphasize. It can require bravery to be selfless or honest, or even simply to leave your faction and family for a new one at the choosing ceremony. You can have brave Abnegation, honest Amity, or even Dauntless who recognize that violence isn’t always the best option. Beyond that, there’s also the simple fact that this is a dystopian vision. A society based around these factions wouldn’t work? Exactly. That would be why it’s falling apart…. I am less thrilled by the underlying anti-intellectualism necessitated by the plot, but even here Ms. Roth makes it clear that its not learning and knowledge itself that is bad, but the underlying human nature–i.e., a lust for power. You see this moral decline in both the Erudite and the Dauntless, and to some degree even in Abnegation. If we explored Candor or Amity a bit more in this book, I suspect we’d see the same decay in their values, and I expect exactly that from the other two books in the trilogy. The problems we see come to fruition in the book are the result not of a particular character trait, but of each faction valuing their chosen ideal to the point where they dismiss or denigrate the others. The faction manifestos included in the back shine an interesting light on the original ideals of each faction, as well as how they’ve drifted from that original conception. The point was that each virtue was supposed to be the best way to ensure the common good, not that each virtue was an end in itself. Thus we see Dauntless emphasizing bravery in defense of the weak, and Amity admitting that fighting to defend another is also laudable. We see Erudite going out of their way to emphasize that while knowledge is a powerful tool, it must be wielded as a tool for the greater good and not a weapon for their own gain. If you’ve read the book, you’ll recognize how far each of these factions have fallen from their initial ideals…and the original good that underlies the corrupted society they’ve inherited.

Divergence itself confuses me a bit, and I hope this supposed anomaly is explored further in the next couple books. Initially, it appears that divergence is simply displaying the character traits of multiple factions, thus making the placement test inconclusive. If this is all it was, you would expect most people to be divergent, and this apparent disconnect is the source of quite a bit of griping from other reviewers. However, one of the effects of divergence is the ability to mess with whatever simulation they’ve got running in your head, thus implying its more of a neurological anomaly. Since the test itself is a simulation designed to force the subject into specific situations requiring particular traits, that fits, as does the apparent genetic nature of it. As for the apparent rarity of divergents, events soon prove that while they are not the norm they certainly aren’t as rare as everyone assumes. Two of the main characters prove divergent, as do at least two minor characters and several others that are only mentioned in passing.

CONTENT: Brief R-rated language, but otherwise PG-13 on the profanity front. Strong, occasionally gruesome violence, including a potential attempted rape. Some sexual innuendos and references, but nothing too explicit.

*Keeping in mind, I read Catching Fire on a very slow night at work, reading almost the entire first half at basically one sitting. That’s a lot of concentrated angst, and had I read it over a longer span of time I may have reacted slightly less negatively.

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Review: “Horns” by Joe Hill

Title: Horns
Author: Joe Hill
Rating: *****
Publisher/Copyright: Harper Collins, 2011

I’d been meaning to read some of Joe Hill’s work for a while, and just hadn’t got around to it yet. Then they announced that Horns was going to become a movie, and so of course I had to read it. Can’t commit heresy by seeing something without reading the book first, right? (I still haven’t seen it, but they’ve got my name on the list at the library for when it comes in.) In case you don’t know, Mr. Hill is the son of horror fiction’s crown prince, Stephen King, and has taken to his father’s craft with a vengeance. I’m not kidding when I say that every single book he’s produced has been recommended to me by one person or another, usually multiple times. I’ve mentioned before that in my limited reading of King I tend to not be particularly fond of the protagonist for one reason or another (there are exceptions, of course.) That’s not a problem Hill has, at least not here. The project here is ambitious–I half-imagine someone bet Hill that he couldn’t write a story with the devil (or more accurately, a devil) as the protagonist and make him sympathetic. Well, if that’s the case, Hill won the bet.

Until a year ago, Ignatius “Ig” Perrish was a saint. No, that’s not quite right–saints don’t typically smoke, drink, or spend the night with a girl they’ve not yet married (even if there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that such an event is in their future.) Ig does all of these things on a regular basis. So, a sinner, but a good-natured one. All that changed the night his girlfriend, Merrin Williams, was raped and murdered in the woods. Ig was the only real suspect, as she had just broken up with him in a very public drunken shouting match at a local restaurant, but the case went cold for lack of evidence. Ig never got his day in court, and so never had a chance to prove that he didn’t do it. Even if he had, it may not have convinced anyone. Ig spent the next year a bitter, drunken wreck of a man. On the one-year anniversary of the murder, he spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. The next morning, he woke with horns growing from his temples–not that anyone else can seem to see, but they’re there. Also, people seem to be confessing their deepest, darkest desires to him, almost seeking permission to fulfill them. Skin contact reveals their most hidden secret sins they’ve committed in the past. Ig has no idea where this diabolical power has come from, but he knows what he’s going to do with it: find whoever killed the woman he loves, and give them Hell….

Like I said, a very ambitious book. The premise alone was intriguing, but the execution was simply masterful. I wholeheartedly recommend the book to anyone with a fondness for the horror genre, or that likes a story that’s just a little bit off the wall. I will warn you though, the book can be incredibly disturbing at times. There’s a whole section of the book told from the perspective of the killer, including the night of the rape and murder of Merrin Williams. The night I hit that section I stayed up reading long past when I had planned to stop, simply so that I didn’t have to go to bed still in his head and could reach the (comparatively) wholesome POV of Ig once again before drifting off to sleep. I didn’t want SPOILER OMITTED spending the night in my subconscious. The whole story is told somewhat out of order, starting the morning Ig wakes up with horns and then spending large chunks of time filling in the background through flashbacks as different revelations are made and need context or someone inadvisedly touches Ig and reveals their darkest secrets.

There are all sorts of issues with the book theologically-speaking, of course, but that’s not the point of the book and so I really won’t get into that here. Christianity, the church, and the Judeo-Christian God don’t come off well in the book, but that’s to be expected from a character who feels so betrayed and embittered towards Heaven. And really, given the treatment Hill’s father gives similar themes on a repeated basis, are you really all that surprised? I more or less expected something along those lines.

CONTENT: R-rated profanity throughout. Some gruesome and disturbing violence, including a rape and subsequent murder. Some explicit sexual content, including but not limited to the aforementioned rape (though this scene is played for horror, not titillation). The main character is becoming something along the lines of the traditional Judeo-Christian devil, including an array of diabolical powers. I think that probably counts as occult content.

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Review: “The Dresden Files: Fool Moon” (GN Adaptation) by Jim Butcher, Mark Powers, & Chase Conley

Title: Fool Moon Volume I/Volume II
Original novel by: Jim Butcher
Adapted by: Mark Powers
Artist: Chase Conley
Series: The Dresden Files
Rating: ****
Publisher/Copyright: Dynamite, 2011/2013

By now, I shouldn’t really have to explain my absolute love of Jim Butcher’s masterwork, The Dresden Files. I think I’ve made that abundantly clear on a repeated basis, whether reviewing the last couple books in the series (Cold Days, Skin Game) or either of the previous graphic novels–the prequel Welcome To The Jungle and the adaptation of the first book in the series, Storm Front. And now we come to the graphic novel adaptation for book two: Fool Moon, again in two parts that I will review together here. The general consensus among fans of the series is that the first two or three books are merely good, while every book after that goes up in awesomeness by something like an order of magnitude, and I largely agree. It’s been quite a while since I read the actual novel version of this (which means it’s time to go back and re-read the entire series!), but from what I remember this seemed pretty faithful to the book.

Harry Dresden is having a bit of a rough patch. I know, what else is new? With their friendship still strained by the lies he told to protect her back in Storm Front, Murphy has been calling him in for jobs less and less, which means that Harry is having to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find money for rent. All the same, Chicago has been mostly quiet on the supernatural apocalypse front, and for that Harry is grateful. Alas, it can’t last. People are dying at every full moon, and even a rookie would know what that means–there’s a werewolf in town. Harry had better figure out what’s going on quick, before more people end up as dog food….but that’s not going to be easy with “Gentleman Johnny” Marcone on his tail, along with a crew of suspicious Feds watching his every move, Murphy still not sure she trusts him, and a lycanthropic street gang out for his head. Why can’t it ever just be simple? Oh, right….because that’s no fun….

Like I said above, this was pretty faithful to the book. The only thing really missing was Dresden’s snarky humor as he narrates, and I’ll admit that I missed it a bit. The real downfall here though, and what cost it that fifth star, is the artwork. It wasn’t atrocious, it wasn’t even really objectively bad, but I didn’t like it. Partially, yes, it’s the fact that I still miss the stellar work of Ardian Syaf. I recognize that, and I need to get over it. But then, I don’t tend to be a fan of this particular style of art anyway. There’s also the fact that half the time I can only tell Murphy from Tera based on their clothes, and the female characters tend to be over-sexualized even when that’s not a part of their character. Susan, I get that. That’s how she is. Tera, likewise. As much time as she spends without clothes on shifting back and forth or as a distraction, I can see why she would be sexualized. I’m less understanding of Kim’s neckline–that’s not the kind of relationship she has with Dresden–and I highly doubt that Murphy would dress quite so provocatively (even if she’s fairly conservative compared to the others). There’s never quite anything that would send the book into Vertigo territory (were this DC), but the shadows and foreground objects get quite a workout keeping this book PG-13.

CONTENT: Brief R-rated language. Some gory violence. No outright nudity, thanks to incredibly-convenient shadows or foreground objects, but so close it’s almost no difference. Also….Dresden’s a wizard. There’s gonna be magic. You’ve been warned.

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Review: “The Blood Of Titans” by C. Michael Forsyth

Title: The Blood Of Titans
Author: C. Michael Forsyth
Rating: ***
Publisher/Copyright: Freedom’s Hammer, 2013

Meh. I’ve commented before that sometimes these Goodreads giveaways sneak up on you–there have been quite a few where I have to scratch my head and wonder why I ever entered the giveaway for that particular title. There’s even been a couple where I’ve been notified that I won, but have no memory of signing up! Clearly I need to be more careful, and have been putting an effort into doing so. At least in this case I do remember clicking that fateful link, though I can’t recall why. This isn’t my usual fare. As such, my opinion of it was perhaps lower than many others would be. It wasn’t that it was bad, per se, and in fact when I would pick it up the pages flew by fairly quickly. The problem was simply that I had no motivation to pick it up. It would lay there by my bed, untouched for a week or longer before I picked it up once more. It wasn’t bad, it just didn’t really engage my interest. I’ll also admit to having a “bad taste in my mouth” (if you’ll pardon the expression) towards the book from the get-go. You see, when I received the book in the mail, it came with the following letter:

I hope you enjoy the novel. If you do, please take the time to post an Amazon Review and paste it on Goodreads as well – but only if you rank it 4 or 5 stars. And let your friends know about it on Facebook and Twitter.
If you don’t like it, well please be courteous and don’t post a review–simply pass it on to a friend!
Best wishes,

I’m sorry, but that’s not the deal. The whole point of the FirstReads program is to generate honest reviews for the books being publicized. To ask me to refrain from reviewing if I didn’t like the book? That’s just manipulative, and subverts the whole program. Not to mention that you only seem to “win” more giveaways after finishing and reviewing the ones you’ve already got, so….yeah, not going to be following those instructions. Not an option.

Our tale is set in ancient Africa, in a time of glorious kingdoms and stunning betrayals. The coastal kingdom of Kali has long thrived under the rule of it’s king, Babatunde The Good, but now their ancient enemy, the Zimbai people of the plains, stand ready to finally destroy them. Each of the king’s seven sons have fallen in battle, and now he is left with only is daughter Halima. With little choice in the matter, Babatunde has betrothed Halima to Olugbodi, the young king of the Snake People, formidable warriors in their own right, to cement an alliance against the Zimbai. But all is not as it seems….what follows is an adventure full of intrigue, romance, peril and betrayal.

Like I said, the book wasn’t bad. It flowed easily, was remarkably well constructed for what I believe is a self-published work, and (when I got around to picking it up) was a moderately-enjoyable tale. Others would probably rate it higher. It just wasn’t for me. Not being an expert on ancient Africa, I can’t speak to the accuracy of Mr. Forsyth’s research, but I will say that it certainly seemed plausible. By and large the characters were well-rounded, or at least showed hints of being even if the plot didn’t always allow them to display their different facets. Even the villain(s) were more subtle than the simple black hats that so many of us want to write, and for that I give Mr. Forsyth credit.

I did have a couple issues, of course, which I shall discuss below. Minor spoilers may occur, read at your own risk. Longtime readers know that I routinely do this even when I’ve otherwise given nothing but praise to a book, so please understand that there’s no ill will here. Had I gone hunting, I might have come up with more, but these are the ones that are still bugging me.

  • The character of Rashida seemed….inconsistent. Maybe even bipolar. When the plot demands that she hate Halima, she does. When it requires she defend Halima, she does. There is some justification for her behavior (jealousy, grief, or gratitude, depending on the scene), but on the whole I had trouble buying into the extremes of her behavior.
  • The alliance between Kali and the Snake People is explained and makes sense. The inclusion of Zimbai in their attack on the Abaka is not–it is randomly mentioned in passing, then never becomes relevant again and is never explained. Were Zimbai and the Snake People in cahoots the entire time? Did Olugbodi conquer the Zimbai completely in the short time Halima is away? We don’t know. And it doesn’t really matter, I suppose, but little things like that bug me.

CONTENT: No profanity that I can recall. Some violence, occasionally a bit gruesome. Some unexpectedly explicit sexual content.

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Review: “John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits” by Garth Ennis, Jamie Delano, William Simpson, Sean Philips, Steve Pugh, & Dave McKean

Title: Dangerous Habits
Writers: Jamie Delano & Garth Ennis
Artists: William Simpson, Sean Phillips, Steve Pugh, Dave McKean, Mark Pennington, Tom Sutton, Malcolm Jones III, Mark McKenna, Kim DeMulder, & Stan Woch
Series:  John Constantine, Hellblazer (Volume V, Issues #34-46)
Rating: ****
Publisher/Copyright: Vertigo, 2013

I’d kind of prefer to review this one as two separate volumes, because midway through the book the entire production team changed. This is tied into a single collection largely for convenience, but its pretty much two separate stories. I was less a fan of the first half, which is where it lost a star, but the second half was probably the best bit of the series I’ve read to date. Remember the Constantine film with Keanu Reeves? Yeah, I know, you were trying not to. Sorry. Anyway, they pulled a significant number of the subplots for the film from this volume–specifically, Constantine’s fatal lung cancer. It was resolved a bit differently though….

We start the book with Jamie Delano firmly in the seat as writer, with a  rotating roster of artists. Following on after the events of The Family Man, Constantine’s in a rough place emotionally–he’s just killed a man, which is never easy, and to top it off his estranged father was one of the casualties. Catching up with Marj and Mercury, he tries to lose himself in their nomadic lifestyle, but only manages to pull Mercury into his nightmare flashback to his childhood. I wasn’t a huge fan of this three-issue arc, drawn by Sean Phillips. That wasn’t really Phillips’ fault, mind you, though I wasn’t a huge fan of his art either. It was more about the dark and depressing tone. I know, I know, it’s a horror book, what do I expect? I just didn’t like it. Sue me. Steve Pugh then takes over the pencil as we meet Martin, a sensitive young vegetarian, and his sadistic butcher of a father. Of course their paths are bound to cross with our protagonists, though this particular two-issue arc is more focused on Mercury than it is on Constantine. Again, not a huge fan of either the story or the art, at least a little because I wasn’t all that engaged. Martin was kind of pathetic, literally, and I happen to be pretty disdainful of the vegetarian propaganda that was most of this tale. Also, I’m pretty sure that the butcher in the tale needs to be arrested for a whole multitude of crimes, from domestic abuse to health code violations. Pugh continues to draw the first half of the next arc as Constantine attempts to explore his missing half, the Golden Boy, his twin brother who died with their mother in childbirth. The second issue, drawn by Dave McKean, gives us an alternate universe where the other twin lived. Far more successful than the John Constantine we know, he has managed to come out ahead in several of the same conflicts that our John only barely survived, even saving some of his friends along the way. Now he leads a pagan commune, their wise and beloved Magus, but even still he is haunted by the spirit of his lesser, sickly brother who died in the womb. The art of Dave McKean is a bit of an acquired taste, since it is so weird, and I’m not really a fan. I do have to admit that it fits the series well, however, and this tale seems to have achieved a legendary status among fans of the series.

Immediately following on (and with no real transition from that really strange ending) Garth Ennis takes over the writing chair, with Will Simpson picking up the pencil. So what do you do when you’ve just been handed the lead writing position on a well-revered title? Well, if you’re Garth Ennis you promptly try and kill the main character….Those thirty silk-cut cigarettes a day have finally caught up with our favorite anti-hero. He’s dying of lung cancer, and there’s not a thing he can do about it. Not a one of his magical tricks can save him. It’s far beyond his power, and there are very few beings he can turn to for help. Even fewer who would be willing to do anything…. This arc is hands-down my favorite so far. The first issue as Constantine tries to wrap his head around his own impending mortality is incredibly poignant, and the consistency of having a single artist (and a good one at that!) really helps the series in my opinion. I think my favorite bit was the second issue of the arc, though, as Constantine visits an old friend in Ireland and ends up having an ill-fated meeting with one of Hell’s rulers, the First of the Fallen. (I presume this is Satan, though I’m not sure how that jives with Lucifer from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman comics, which are supposedly in the same universe.) There should be no surprise that Constantine manages to wiggle out of his predicament–the series ran until just a couple years ago, after all–but knowing that doesn’t detract at all from the impact of this story. I look forward to seeing what happens next as Ennis adjusts to his new job….

CONTENT: Some grotesque and gory violence. Some strong profanity, especially of the British variety. This time the sexual content was largely implied as opposed to explicit, but it was there nevertheless. Obviously there is quite a bit of occult content, as you would expect from this title.

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Listener evaluations of new and Old Italian violins

Old Italian violins are routinely credited with playing qualities supposedly unobtainable in new instruments. These qualities include the ability to project their sound more effectively in a concert hall – despite seeming relatively quiet under the ear of the player, compared with new violins.

The violin: studying the influence of model by means of a free sorting task

In the last few years, various blindfolded playing tests have been conducted in order to better understand how violinists evaluate violins. They mostly involved preference rankings and evaluation of different criteria using scales.

Maud Powell’s Violin

Maud Powell (1867–1920) and George Gemünder (1816–99) were trailblazing figures – she the first American-born violinist to be recognised internationally as an artist of the first rank, he a German-born immigrant who brought top-level European violin making to the United States.

Soloist evaluations of six Old Italian and six new violins

Many researchers have sought explanations for the purported tonal superiority of Old Italian violins by investigating varnish and wood properties, plate tuning systems, and the spectral balance of the radiated sound. Nevertheless, the fundamental premise of tonal superiority…

The Indianapolis Experiment

Without clues to an instrument’s identity, expectations about its playing qualities fall away. So too does a kind of confidence – or rather, false confidence – leaving an odd combination of uncertainty and liberation.

Player preferences among new and old violins

Most violinists believe that instruments by Stradivari and Guarneri “del Gesu” are tonally superior to other violins—and to new violins in particular. Many mechanical and acoustical factors have been proposed to account for this superiority…

Frequency response in the ‘Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’

The chance to examine the acoustics of a great late Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin was too good for a team of maker–researchers to pass up. In the first of a two-part investigation of the ‘Vieuxtemps’, Joseph Curtin sets to work with his impact hammer.

The Violin-maker’s Dilemma

About a year ago, violist Yizhak Schottenleft his Francesco Linarol viola at my shop for a few days. Originally built as a lira da braccio, it’s one of those loosely built Old Italians whose symmetries are all approximate.

Carleen Hutchins Remembered

When I met Carleen Hutchins in the mid-eighties, she was already something of a legend, having co-founded the Catgut Acoustical Society, developed a system for tuning violin plates, invented a new family of stringed instruments, and published a Scientific American cover story on the physics of the violin.

Measuring Violin Sound Radiation Using an Impact Hammer

An impact-hammer-based system for measuring violin and viola sound spectra in a workshop setting is described, along with an overview of some of the practical and theoretical problems involved. In this system, the violin is held vertically while a miniature, pendulum-mounted…

Good Vibrations: Signature modes of Old Italian violins & violas, Part II

In the second of a two-part series, Joseph Curtin continues his investigation of the low-frequency resonances that influence a violin’s acoustic behaviour.

Scent of a Violin: Signature modes of Old Italian violins & violas, Part I

In the first of a two-part series, Joseph Curtin investigates one of the low-frequency resonances that help define a violin’s acoustic perfume, and explains how studying it can benefit makers.

Man With a Van: A profile of Oliver Rodgers

One Saturday morning in 1994, retired engineer and violin acoustics researcher Oliver Rodgers parked his Ford pickup outside the renowned Philadelphia firm of William Moennig & Son…

Tap Tones and Weights of Old Italian Violin Tops

The tap tones of Old Italian violin tops and backs have long interested makers and researchers, both as clues to how the classical makers graduated their instruments, and as guides for graduating instruments today.

Subject to Change: Innovation among violinmakers

The violin is often hailed as a perfect design – though more often by makers and dealers than by working violinists, who must cope on a daily basis with the imperfections of their particular instruments.

Jim Woodhouse and the Violin Bridge

At the stately, historical William Penn Hotel in the once-sooty, now cleanly-scrubbed city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, members of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers gather for their 2005 convention: three days of lectures, exhibitions, panel discussions, and banquets.

Bridge Tuning: Methods and Equipment

The frequency of a violin bridge’s lowest lateral resonance to some extent controls the brightness of the instrument. This frequency can be measured by holding the bridge feet in a relatively massive clamp, touching a piezoelectric sensor to an upper corner, and then“plucking” the bridge with a fingernail.

Otto Erdesz Remembered

Late one afternoon in the summer of 1975, I cycled from the restaurant where I worked to an address in Toronto’s newly fashionable Yorkville area. A beautiful woman with an Israeli accent greeted me from the top of the stairs. She told me her name was Rivka, and that Otto would be down in a minute.

Gabriel Weinreich and Directional Tone Color

“When I say I study violin acoustics,” says Gabriel Weinreich, Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and preeminent figure in the world of musical acoustics, “people ask me if I’ve found the ‘Secret of Stradivari.’

Innovation in Violinmaking

The violin is a cultural icon as well as a working tool, and departures from its traditional form have been variously regarded as impossible (it would no longer be a violin), unnecessary (the violin is already perfect), and unacceptable (players would not play it). Is it possible to change, or even “improve” the classical violin?

Selected Articles by Joseph Curtin

The violin studying the influence of model by means of a free sorting task

The violin: studying the influence of model by means of a free sorting task
International Symposium on Musical and Room Acoustics, September 2016, PDF

Maud Powell’s Violin
The Strad, May 2016

The Indianapolis Experiment
The Strad, November 2012

The Strad June 2010

The Violin-maker’s Dilemma
adapted from The Strad, June 2010

VSA Papers, Summer 2005

Bridge Tuning: Methods and Equipment
VSA Papers, Summer 2005, PDF

The Strad, November 2000

Otto Erdesz Remembered
The Strad, November 2000

Proceedings, International Symposium of Musical Acoustics (ISMA), July 1998

Innovation in Violinmaking
Proceedings, International Symposium of Musical Acoustics (ISMA), July 1998

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Statistics Commentary Series

Commentary No. 29

Network Meta-Analysis

Streiner, David L., PhD, CPsych

Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology: December 2018 - Volume 38 - Issue 6 - p 549–551
doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000000971

From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton; and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Reprints: David L. Streiner, PhD, CPsych, St Joseph's Healthcare, Mountain Campus, 100 W. 5th St., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8N 3K7 (e-mail:

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CMI 2018;12(1)11-15.html

Postpartum hemorrhage management: the importance of timing

Claudia Claroni 1, Marco Aversano 1, Cristina Todde 1, Maria Grazia Frigo 1

1 Department of Obstetric Anesthesia, S. G. Calibita Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Rome, Italy

Postpartum hemorrhage is defined as a blood loss equal to or greater than 500 ml, which can occur from 24 hours to six weeks after delivery. It is a critical event with a rapid and devastating evolution, which can quickly lead to maternal shock and death.

Many efforts have been made to create international and multisectoral guidelines that allow to face an event that represents the cause of about one quarter of maternal deaths. It is crucial to create a team able to act promptly in accordance with shared protocols. The availability of shared guidelines and protocols and the organization of periodic simulations and teamwork training are part of the fundamental initiatives that can promote the safety of perinatal care.

The purpose of this document is to give clinicians the tools to minimize the risks associated with inadequate management of hemorrhagic emergency, avoiding the risk of “too little or too late” and giving patients maximum safety.

Keywords: Postpartum Hemorrhage; Obstetric Labor Complications; Pregnancy Complications; Shock, Hemorrhagic; Blood Coagulation Disorders; Uterine Inertia

Gestione dell’emorragia postparto: l’importanza della tempistica

CMI 2018; 12(1): 11-15

Clinical Management

Corresponding author

Claudia Claroni

Department of Obstetric Anesthesia

S. G. Calibita Fatebenefratelli Hospital

Rome, Italy

Mobile: +393925786892

Received: 4 September 2017

Accepted: 22 January 2018

Published: 6 February 2018

Obstetric hemorrhage remains one of the major causes of maternal mortality in both developing and industrialized countries, representing a clinically and socially significant problem. Given the critical nature of the problem, it is particularly important to effectively manage the clinical risk and respond aggressively at the beginning of a potentially dramatic event. The creation of a multidisciplinary team trained to act quickly to identify and treat the causes of hemorrhage according to shared protocols remains crucial. The availability of shared guidelines and of protocols, together with the organization simulations and training, are initiatives of the utmost importance in the promotion of the safety of perinatal care.

This protocol is intended to provide all the specialists involved with clear guidelines on prophylaxis and therapy, implemented in compliance with national and international literature as well as the regulations in force in Italy [1,2].

Issue Description

According to the World Health Organization, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) causes about one quarter of the maternal deaths each year [3]. In most cases, deaths occur in the first 24/48 hours after delivery and, despite the significant improvements in the last three years, 66% of deaths due to PPH are still due to substandard care, according to the latest report of the Center for Maternal and Child Inquiry on maternal mortality [4]. In addition, numerous studies have shown, in industrialized countries, an increase in the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage in recent years [5], reflecting in part the changes in obstetrical practice of the last decade (for example, the increase in the rate of caesarean sections or the increased trend toward practice of spontaneous delivery after caesarean section).

Postpartum hemorrhage is defined as a blood loss equal to or greater than 500 ml, occurring early in the first 24 hours after delivery (primary postpartum hemorrhage) or up to six weeks postpartum (secondary postpartum hemorrhage), and which, if not identified and treated, can quickly lead to mother shock and death [6]. We talk about minor PPH if the estimated blood loss is between 500 and 1000 ml, but if the loss exceeds 1000 ml, it is defined as major PPH, which can be defined as controlled in the case of controlled blood loss, with impairment of maternal clinical conditions requiring thorough monitoring, or massive or persistent PPH in case of blood loss over 1500 ml and/or signs of clinical shock and/or transfusion of 4 or more packed red blood cells units, with impairment of maternal conditions which poses an immediate threat to the woman’s life.[7,8]

The pregnant woman undergoes a series of physiological modifications that allow her to withstand substantial blood loss effectively, and is generally a young patient with good cardiovascular reserve; this condition, associated with the difficulty of correctly and timely estimation of blood loss, can lead to an underestimation of the problem. It is always important to consider that significant blood loss, > 2000 ml, can induce a rapidly worsening condition, with an inexorable decrease in blood pressure and signs and symptoms of severe shock (paleness, agitation, oliguria, followed by mood and collapse), while these symptoms might be absent in significant but less severe blood loss.

There are many alterations that can lead to a PPH, but the main causes of postpartum hemorrhage are: uterine atony (90%), cervical and/or perineal lacerations (5%), placental fragments retention (4%), coagulation deficiencies or alterations, uterine inversion, uterine rupture. The morbidly adherent placenta, i.e. placenta accreta, increta or percreta, is nowadays an important cause of primary hemorrhage. Previous uterine surgery, such as caesarean section, significantly increases the risk of morbidly adherent placenta [9]. Attention must also be paid to the assessment of possible clotting disorders and the prevention and treatment of anemia. According to the authors, there are other important risk factors to be considered: multiple pregnancy, previous PPH, preeclampsia, birth weight above 4000 g, failure to progression of the second stage, prolongation of the third stage of labor, episiotomy [9,10].

In clinical practice, the multiple causes of PPH are briefly synthesized through the formula “4T” [11]:

  1. tone (uterine atony);
  2. tissue (placenta-related problems: placental, placental implants, etc.);
  3. trauma (uterine rupture, lacerations, uterine inversion); and
  4. thrombin (in relation to clotting disorders).

PPH Management Protocol

Crucial in postpartum hemorrhage management is prophylaxis and, eventually, therapy of anemia or congenital clotting disorders, treated in collaboration with the hematologist.

The PPH treatment hubs are:

  • identification of the cause of PPH (4T);
  • maintenance of uterine contractility, obtained through physical or pharmacological means;
  • maintaining and supporting cardiovascular parameters with appropriate rehydration and volume expansion; maintaining physiological parameters, such as temperature and acid/base status; and
  • prevention or therapy of hemorrhagic coagulopathy [1].

Management in the “golden hour” is particular important to increase patient survival. If possible, in patients with high hemorrhagic risk it is advisable the use of the cell separator (cell sorter with continous flow) and the presence of an interventional radiologists in the surgery room (with portable digital angiography).

A - Blood loss between 500 and 1000 ml without signs of hemodynamic imbalance

  • Ask for the collaboration of all paramedical and medical figures, alert the Transfusion Centre, the operating room and, if available, interventionist radiology. Contemporary involve the whole team ensuring the highest level of consultation.
  • Ensure two large caliber venous accesses.
  • Estimate blood loss as soon as PPH is diagnosed and monitor vital parameters every 10 minutes at least initially on appropriate graphics. A graduate sterile bag for the evaluation of blood loss is recommended.
  • Administer tranexamic acid 30 mg/kg [12] ( registration number: NCT00872469; ISRCTN76912190, and PACTR201007000192283).
  • Send request for availability of blood products to the Transfusion Centre.
  • Increase prophylactic oxytocin at therapeutic dose (20 IU in 500 ml saline in two hours). If after 20 minutes there is no effect, go to second line uterotonic agents (ergometrine: 2 vials 0.2 mg IM; sulprostone: 1 vial 0.50 mg in 250 ml IV, then with a controlled infusion: 0.1 to 0.4 mg/h up to a maximum of 1.5 mg in 24 hours).
  • Effectuate a Type&Screen test, recurrent blood count, and coagulation tests (fibrinogen by Clauss method or, if available, point-of-care coagulation tests such as thromboelastography—TEG or rotational thromboelastometry—ROTEM).
  • Avoid or correct hypothermia, acidosis, and desaturation.
  • Look for the origin of bleeding through the rule of the four T:
    1. tone (evaluation and measures for atony/uterine inversion: bimanual uterine compression, endocavitary uterine infusion by hydrostatic balloon catheter and uterotone drug use). In the absence of the hydrostatic balloon, it is possible to use a latex glove or a condom with good results, as suggested by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2012 guidelines [13]. It is important to note that uterine gauze packing is not recommended today;
    2. tissue (exploration and evacuation of the uterus);
    3. trauma (repairing vaginal tears, cervix, and/or uterine tears);
    4. thrombin (evaluate and correct any coagulatory defect, if available, with Thromboelastometric/Graphic Evaluation via point-of-care monitoring).
  • Targeted transfusion therapy: packed red blood cells to maintain hematocrit between 21% and 27% and hemoglobin between 7 and 9 g/l.
  • Evaluate fibrinogen infusion 30-50 mg/kg or fresh frozen plasma 20-30 ml/kg if fibrinogen is below 200 mg/dl.

B - Blood loss greater than 1000 ml, hemodynamically unstable patient

Do all the operations under point A.

  • Reintegrate circulating volume with crystalloids or, if necessary, colloid by evaluating sensory, diuresis, lactate, and excess bases level.
  • Maintain transfusion therapy and hemostatic support.
  • Transfusion in the presence of PPH is performed by clinical indication and not on the basis of information derived from hematocrit examinations. Keep in mind that a packed red blood cells unit contains 280 ml and increases the hematocrit of 2-3%:
    • it is advisable to use a 1:1:1 ratio of units of plasma and platelets to red blood cells administered, pending laboratory values;
    • for the constitution of the package to be transfused, depending on the availability of blood products, the following alternatives are suggested:
      • 4 packed red blood cells units : 4 single dose donor or industrial plasma units; or
      • 4 packed red blood cells : 2 plasma units from apheresis;
      • platelet concentrates, it is recommended to use 1 unit from apheresis or from buffy coat every 8 unit of packed red blood cells.

It is worth emphasizing the suggestion of the alternatives mentioned above, whose application may vary depending on the different realities present on the territory and the availability of the components and monitoring tools. It is also desirable that each hospital prepares a mass transfusion protocol to be activated in case of critical hemorrhage with signs of hemodynamic instability and hypoperfusion.

  • When the result of the hemocoagulatory examinations is available, if the prothrombin time ratio—PTTr or International Normalized Ratio—INR is > 1.5, it is necessary to infuse the plasma at the initial dose of 20 ml/kg with the packed red blood cells, up to 30 ml/kg in case of persistent or ingraining coagulopathy.
  • Use heating and infusion devices.
  • Always guarantee basic conditions: hematocrit > 21%, temperature > 34 °C, pH > 7.20, Ca++ > 1 mmol/l.
  • Cases nonresponders to the aforementioned therapies require a conservative surgical-intervention approach: compression sutures, uterine tamponation with hydrostatic balloon, association of devascularizing sutures of uterine, ovarian or internal ileus arteries, selective embolization of pelvic vessels.
  • If no response to the therapy, use recombinant activated clotting factor VII—rFVIIa (60-90 μg/kg bolus repeated within 15-30 min) as an extrema ratio, before performing hysterectomy. Keep in mind that rFVIIa to function requires: normal pH, temperature, adequate levels of platelets (> 50,000/mm3), and fibrinogen (> 200 mg/dl).
  • If no response occurs, proceed to subtotal or total hysterectomy.
  • There is no agreement in the literature on the use and choice of thromboprophylaxis after major bleeding. There are different clinical protocols depending on the different realities [14] and the reluctance for a predetermined plan of thromboprophylaxis reflects the awareness that women following intractable hemorrhage are at increased risk for disseminated intravascular coagulopathy rather than deep vein thrombosis [15].

In conclusion, we want to emphasize the importance of the rapidity of action and the management organization of the obstetric emergency. Given the dramatic nature of the hemorrhagic event in the postpartum, it is important that all women with known risk of uterine bleeding should be directed to a hospital equipped with a transfusion center and laboratory analysis. It is imperative to never overlook the assessment of blood loss in order not to delay the beginning of care procedures, which, if performed at the first hour, “golden hour”, ensure to the woman a better chance of survival. It should always be kept in mind that one of the main causes of death for PPH in Western countries is the delay in blood transfusion. Last but not least, it is important to emphasize the importance of creating a dedicated and well-trained team, even through simulation scenarios, who can rapidly implement the previously shared guidelines and protocols.

Key Points

  • Given the rapid and devastating evolution of postpartum hemorrhage, it is critical to act quickly and aggressively in the first hour to avoid maternal shock
  • To create an efficient team, sharing management protocols and periodic simulation are of paramount importance
  • The multiple causes of PPH are briefly synthesized through the formula “4T”:
    • tone (uterine atony);
    • tissue (placenta-related problems: placental, placental implants, etc.);
    • trauma (uterine rupture, lacerations, uterine inversion); and
    • thrombin (in relation to clotting disorders)
  • The key points for PPH treatment are:
    • maintenance of uterine contractility;
    • maintaining and supporting cardiovascular parameters; and
    • prevention or therapy of hemorrhagic coagulopathy

This article has been published without the support of sponsors.

Conflicts of interests

The authors declare they have no competing financial interests concerning the topics of this article.

1. SIGO, AOGOI, AGUI, et al. Gestione multidisciplinare emorragia post partum. Algoritmo. 2014. Available at: (last accessed January 2018)

2. Affronti G, Agostini V, Brizzi A, et al. The daily-practiced post-partum hemorrhage management: an Italian multidisciplinary attended protocol. Clin Ter 2017; 168: e307-e316;

3. World Health Organization. WHO recommendations for the prevention and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage. Geneva: WHO, 2012

4. Cantwell R, Clutton-Brock T, Cooper G. et al. Saving mothers’ lives: reviewing maternal deaths to make motherhood safer: 2006-2008. The eighth report of the confidential enquiries into maternal deaths in the United Kingdom. BJOG 2011; 118 Suppl 1: 1-203;

5. Bateman BT, Berman MF, Riley L, et al. The epidemiology of postpartum hemorrhage in a large, nationwide sample of deliveries. Anesth Analg 2010; 110: 1368-73;;

6. Mousa HA, Blum J, Abou El Senoun G, et al. Treatment for primary postpartum haemorrhage. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2014; (2): CD003249;

7. Alexander J, Thomas PW, Sanghera J. Treatments for secondary postpartum haemorrhage. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002; (1): CD002867;

8. Mavrides E, Allard S, Chandraharan E, et al; on behalf of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Prevention and management of postpartum haemorrhage. BJOG 2016; 124: e106–e149

9. Donati S, Basevi V (Editors). Linee Guida Nazionali: Emorragia post partum: come prevenirla, come curarla. Available at (last accessed January 2018)

10. Lancé MD. The management of critical bleeding in obstetrics. Reviews in Health Care 2013; 4(Suppl 3): 41-51.;

11. Mukherjee S, Sabaratnam A. Post-partum haemorrhage. Obstet Gynaecol Reprod Med 2009; 19: 121-6.;

12. WOMAN Trial Collaborators. Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage (WOMAN): an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2017; 389: 2105-16;

13. Lalonde A, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage in low-resource settings. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2012; 117: 108-18;

14. Mousa HA, Alfirevic Z. Major postpartum hemorrhage: survey of maternity units in the United Kingdom. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2002; 81: 727-30;

15. Engelsen IB, Albrechtsen S, Iversen OE. Peripartum hysterectomy-incidence and maternal morbidity. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2001; 80: 409-12;

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text:
1 O Lord our God, in every age
Our home upon the earth!
Before you built the mountain range
Or brought this world to birth,
From countless eras seen by none
To futures vast, unknown,
You are the Everlasting One
On your eternal throne.

2 'Turn back, O Man!' At your decree
We all return to dust,
For, swifter than a day, you see
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As grass springs up and flowers by day,
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3 Your wrath consumes us: all our sins
Are open to your eye,
The years slip by, our end begins,
We finish like a sigh;
Though some may with their strength surmount
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Their span is but a brief account
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4 But who of us will pause to view
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And meditate, in measure due,
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So teach us, Lord, the heavenly art
Of numbering our days,
That wisdom may incline the heart
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5 Turn back, O LORD! In grace return
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As once your anger made us mourn,
Now raise our hearts above;
So may your servants see your grace,
Our children know its power,
Your favour all our works embrace
Both now and evermore.

Psalm 90, David G. Preston
© D.G. Preston/Jubilate Hymns


text:
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The Reasons Why You Should Make Use of Online Pet Stores

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    Email marketing has always been very profitable, but it can be even more so if done correctly. Yes, you can earn more if you are able to reach more inboxes, and talk to more people.

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    Radu’s results using SENDEngine

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    • Since I started to use SENDEngine, I found no cons or any disadvantages about it. Maybe all you need is a laptop or pc and a good internet connection to work. So, I’m willing to listen if you can share your problems you’re in once using this product.

    When you get instant access to SENDEngine today, you’ll get everything for just…

    SENDEngine Price

    SENDEngine FE

    Final SENDEngine Review

    To sum up, I anticipate that my SENDEngine Review has been a helpful channel for you to refer to before making your decision.

    Click the button below to access the official page of SENDEngine & Get it!

    Radu Hahaianu offers a 30 days money back guarantee, so if there is anything about the product that you are not satisfied with, just email to ask a refund. No more question at all.

    And if you meet any misunderstanding or confusion when using or learning, make sure you get in touch with the team because they can help you solve your questions right away.

    You’ve obviously got nothing to lose, and only new sales and conversions to gain…

    What are you waiting for? Let’s try “SENDEngine” today right now and Get “SENDEngine Bonus” & plus FREE Special Bonus from me!

    I’m also really looking forward to answering any question coming from you guy, so don’t hesitate to contact me anytime. Best wishes to you guys!

    You’re Also Getting Bonuses From Me
    If You Purchase ANY Products Through Peter’s Blog

    Bonus-Button 1Thanks for reading my SENDEngine Review
    Hope see you the next time

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    1. Jorge Reply
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text:
The Bonus Vault Review – Should You Get The Bonus Vault?

The Bonus Vault Review – What are you looking for? Are you looking for more info about The Bonus Vault? Please read my honest review about this product before choosing/purchasing, to know more information, features, who/why should use?, price, etc., of it. Thank you!

  • Easy To Use
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The Bonus Vault is the easiest way for a newbie to make real income online. (Read on below)

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  • Use as a giveaway to build your list
  • Add value to your own products by including bonuses
  • Instantly increase your authority as an expert
  • And Much More
    User Review
    4.5 (4 votes)

    button free trial

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    Struggling Affiliates And Newbies Are Landing On Leaderboards And
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    Would you rather make $23 or $757?

    If you had the choice between making $23.72 on an affiliate promotion and $767.55 on a similar affiliate promotion with the same amount of time and effort required, which would you choose?

    Silly question, right?

    Of course you’d rather make $767.55 if not much additional time or work was required.

    These are real numbers from a real promo that Brendan and Dalton did to test the power of adding bonuses to the mix.

    The promo without bonuses resulted in just $23.72 in commissions.

    Not so good.

    They did a similar promo and added a bonus, just like the ones you get in The Bonus Vault, and they made $767.55.

    That’s a big difference!

    And this is just one of many tests these guys have done where they prove just how powerful adding a few bonuses to the mix can really be…

    If you want to make more commissions without working any harder, you’ll want to get your hands on Brendan and Dalton’s Bonus Vault.

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    Here’s to working smarter… not harder!

    You’ll see what I mean right below in this The Bonus Vault review.

    The Bonus Vault Review – Product Summary

    Product Name: The Bonus Vault

    Creator: Brendan Mace and Dalton Scott

    Launch Date: September 13th, 2017

    Launch Time: 11 AM EST

    Official Price: $97

    DISCOUNT: Grab The Bonus Vault today with only $22-$37 (will increase rapidly within the next few hours)

    Bonus: The Bonus Vault Bonus + Special Bonus & It’s Yours Right Below!

    Refund: 30 Days Money-Back GUARANTEED

    Recommended: 100% Highly Recommended

    The small list above is just a brief round-up about The Bonus Vault. However, Brendan is offering a great deal for this product on his official website with many available pricing plans. This deal is going to be closed soon so if you want to secure your chance first, click the button below to get to his official website now!

    When You Buy ‘The Bonus Vault’ Through My Website, You Will Get

    The Bonus Vault Bonuses

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    What is The Bonus Vault?

    The Bonus Vault Review

    The Bonus Vault

    Whenever you want to buy something, you have to know what it is. Let me do that for you.

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    The Bonus Vault Review – About Author

    The Bonus Vault Authors

    Brendan Mace & Dalton Scott

    The Bonus Vault was developed by Brendan Mace and Dalton Scott. Both are expert affiliate marketers and the amazing vendors who pour their soul in their pursuits.

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    Is The Bonus Vault newbie friendly?

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    You get over 40 high-quality, ‘done for you’ bonuses you can use right away to start making money, PLUS you’ll get access to easy-to-follow video training so you can get up and running right away… even if you’re a total newbie!

    These are high quality bonuses created by Mark Hess, Art Flair, Fergal Downes, Greg Konoenko, Michael Cheney, Brendan Mace, Dalton Scott… and more to come!

    No downloads required. You simply choose a bonus from the gallery, offer it to your subscribers and send them to the delivery link which the vendors created already.

    & much more here.

    About The Funnel

    OTO 1 ($27) Triple Your Results – Video course on how to make money with the bonus vault. The vendors show you how to use these bonuses properly to increase affiliate sales, generate leads and never stress about another affiliate campaign.

    OTO 2 ($97) License rights to The Bonus Vault.

    OTO 3 ($2,000) – is Brendan’s personal 1-on-1 coaching with you. He normally has stopped offering personal coaching for a while.

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    Watch the quick demo video of The Bonus Vault:

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    Are the bonuses inside proven to get results?

    They sure are… All the bonuses inside are battle-tested and proven to boost an affiliate promotion for more money in your pocket.

    How much money can I make with these bonuses?

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    Heck NO! These are real products with REAL value. There is ZERO PLR included in The Bonus Vault.

    Am I guaranteed to make money with The Bonus Vault?

    Yes. If you don’t make money with The Bonus Vault or just decide that it’s not for you, you have 30 days to get your money back. Brendan and Dalton are all about your satisfaction, and if you’re not satisfied for any reason, all you have to do is let them know.

    The Results & Testimonials

    The Bonus Vault ProofsThe Bonus Vault Testimonials

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    • 100% Newbie-friendly
    • Lifetime Access, NO Monthly Fees!
    • Crush it as an affiliate marketer
    • Make easy $100 per day paydays
    • Land on leaderboards out of nowhere!
    • Affiliate promotions to get more people to buy from you
    • Use as a giveaway to build your list
    • Add value to your own products by including bonuses
    • Instantly increase your authority as an expert
    • Access Any Time, Region Or Country 24/7
    • 30 Days Money-Back GUARANTEED

    • Since I started to use The Bonus Vault, I found no cons or any disadvantages about it. Maybe all you need is a laptop or pc and a good internet connection to work. So, I’m willing to listen if you can share your problems you’re in once using this product.

    When you get instant access to The Bonus Vault today, you’ll get everything for just…

    The Bonus Vault Price

    Bonus Vault Unlimited (Best Deal) – Price Will Rise Soon

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    Click the button below to access the official page of The Bonus Vault & Get it!
    The Bonus Vault Money Back Guarantee

    100% Money Back Guarantee

    Brendan Mace offers a 30 days money back guarantee, so if there is anything about the product that you are not satisfied with, just email to ask a refund. No more question at all.

    And if you meet any misunderstanding or confusion when using or learning, make sure you get in touch with the team because they can help you solve your questions right away.

    You’ve obviously got nothing to lose, and only new sales and conversions to gain…

    What are you waiting for? Let’s try “The Bonus Vault” today right now and Get “The Bonus Vault Bonus” & plus FREE Special Bonus from me!

    I’m also really looking forward to answering any question coming from you guy, so don’t hesitate to contact me anytime. Best wishes to you guys!

    You’re Also Getting Bonuses From Me
    If You Purchase ANY Products Through Peter’s Blog

    Bonus-Button 1Thanks for reading my The Bonus Vault Review
    Hope see you the next time

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text:
Last weekend, the Western Hemisphere was treated to a total Blood Moon lunar eclipse. Viewing in Michigan could not have better, apart from the sub-zero temperatures, as crystal clear skies allowed for great observation of the astronomical event.

But some very attentive viewers, or those with telescopes and binoculars, were potentially treated to something extra special. Apparently a meteor struck the surface of the moon near the peak of the eclipse at 11:41 pm EST. According to National Geographic, an "eagle-eyed" eclipse viewer on Reddit spotted a potential impact and reached out to the space community to see if anyone else had observed it. Several people responded saying they had seen a tiny flicker of light near the time of totality.

As people began sharing images and videos of it, scientists were at first skeptical of the claims. They believing it may have been pixel effects from cameras or some other kind of natural effect. But then they realized that every single image was showing the same thing, an apparent impact on the lunar surface.

Here is a video posted on YouTube by user Deep Sky Dude that shows the impact in real time, then zooms in and slows down gradually so you can see it yourself.

Scientists say the next step is gathering up the documented observations to study the event in full detail. They're hoping to capture an image of the moon's new crater.

“It's a rare alignment of infrequent events. A [meteoroid] about this size hits the moon about once a week or so. But if this event is confirmed, it may be the first time such an impact has been recorded during a lunar eclipse." Justin Cowart, Ph.D. candidate at Stony Brook University in New York to National Geographic


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The historic and iconic lighthouse at north pier in St Joseph closed recently for renovation, as is happening now a little further north along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Grand Haven. Following the work on the lighthouse and pier, a film crew was allowed to take a rare look inside the lighthouse.

Some of the renovations detailed in the video include:

  • Applying industrial marine paint expected to last 30 years
  • Waterproofing interior sections that were subject to water damage and rusting
  • General stabilization of the houses

[h/t Benton Harbor & St Joseph Memories on Facebook]


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IranAir Sell Half of its Shares in Tehran Stock Market

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s national passenger airliner (Iran Air) plans to sell half of its shares plus one on the stock market by the end of the current calendar year (March 19) .

Farhad Parvaresh , Iran Air’s managing director , Said the shares are currently valued at 14.4 trillion rials (some $1.2 billion).

After completing the sale , Iran Ari will cover more domestic and international destinations and add more planes to the fleet with the help of loans from the National Development Fund .

Iran Air has been battling sanctions since the 1990s, when the U.S. stopped Tehran from buying civil aircraft, spare parts and post-sale services, supposedly to stop the Islamic Republic from procuring militarily useful technology .

IranAir is now using 49 aircrafts which 3 of them are for cargo fleet .

He is a student of Economics , pursuing the same from Delhi University . Apart from Writing , He is quite passionate about Photography as well . His other hobbies include playing cricket and listening to music . Currently He resides in Delhi . He was invited to join Kabir News agency in 2012 after opening the official website . Phone number: +9999936738 , Email address: Saurabh (at)

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text:
Food startups are the new, new thing in the San Francisco Bay area. Many of them have received millions of dollars from ventrue capitalists. We spoke with Matthew Sade of Kite Hill about their plant-based cheese made from almond milk. Sade shares how they came up with the idea to make cheese from almond milk using traditional cheese making methods. Vegan cheese is one way to describe Kite Hill’s cheese that was made possible by the research work of Dr. Patrick Brown, a well-known geneticist at Stanford University.

Kite Hill’s founders are  Tal Ronnen, Monte Casino and Dr. Patrick Brown. The company raised money from investors, including Khosla Ventures.

These are interesting times in the San Francisco Bay area when it comes to food and technology innovations. We spoke to 3 different entrepreneurs from the food and wine industry to find out about their journey.

In this video we bring you highlights of our interviews with Mathew Sade of Kite Hill, who shares how their startup has created cheese out of almond milk and how they got the idea to do this. Trial lawyer Theodora Lee shares her story of how and why she became a winemaker in Northern California’s Mendocino county. And Hasnain Zaidi shares why he left his job at high-end consulting company and travelled  to Silicon Valley to become part of Tava Indian Kitchen, a food startup that just landed their Series of  $4.5 million.

These  interviews will air in various TV stations in San Francisco Bay area. You can watch them on my YouTube channel.

Food is a wonderful way to explore and understand the cultural hertigate of community or a country. And that is precisiely what a new 6-part series on food called Lucky Chow does. The series debuted at this year’s Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) film festival. I watched a couple of episodes during the festival and was hooked as I watched Danielle Chang travel across America and explore and show us how Asian cuisine has permeated the nation’s food network in all sorts of interesting ways. Through the food stories we also learn about the culture, history, cuisine of various Asian communities and their journey to America.

Lucky Chow is currently showing on KQED in San Francisco bay area.

Is Seattle-based Amazon opening a store in Silicon Valley? It seems that just be the case according to this article in Silicon Valley Business Journal. While Amazon has not confirmed this news, the paper reports that there is a new building coming up in Sunnyvale and that Amazon could be one of its “likely tenant.”  The new building is coming up on 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road, which is not far from El Camino Real, the long stop and go street that snakes from San Francisco all the way up to Santa Clara and beyond. This is a central location in Silicon Valley and not far from the various bedroom communities that dot this area.

Amazon is apparently developing a new drive-up concept for its store in Silion Valley. Drive-up and online delivery services have been slowly making their way into various places in Silicon Valley. There is Google Express,where you order and Google drops off your shopping order the same day. The delivery is free if your order is over $15. There is a $10 membership free for Google Express, but you try it for free for 3 months.

Certainly there is a lot happening in the retail space when it comes to helping customers grab their shopping and go. A couple of months ago I spotted a new concept at a local Target store in Silicon Valley. As I drove into the parking lot I was distracted for a few seconds by folks standing by the curbside with a line of bags and the powder blue logo. This is the new pick-up your shopping by the curb side concept and I am guessing this solution is from Palo Alto-based Curbside. I have not veified if it was Curbside that  just landed $25 million in funding in June.

Today we have lot of options on how to shop and save time in Silicon Valley. Why is it then I see long lines in various stores despite all these options? I wonder why? I wonder if some of us are reluctant to go subscribe to these online services because of our concerns about all that data being collected and dumped into that huge cauldron called big data?

It was 26 years ago that the San Jose jazz festival began and today it has morphed into a 3-day festival. This year’s San Jose Jazz Summerfest (Aug 7-9, 2015) will feature over 100 performers spread across 12 stages spread across 12 blocks in downtown San Jose. It is not just jazz that you get to hear during the festival, but soul, funk, blues, salsa, zydeco and other genres of music.

We spoke to Bruce Labadie, the art director of San Jose Jazz Sumemrfest, who was also part of the original group that started the jazz festival. Labadie shares what you can expect to see at this year’s jazz festival. We also spoke to him about his work at Mountain Winery and Montelvo Art Center, both are located in Saratoga. He has worked with hundreds of artists in his 40 year career and shares some intereting anecdotes about Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman and BB King.

Medallia Raises $150 Million And Joins Silicon Valley’s Unicorn Club

Medallia, a Palo Alto-based company raised $150 million yesterday and became the latest member of the Unicorn club. Unicorns are companies whose valuation is over $1 billion. Medallia’s valuation was over a $1 billion according to Borge Hold, CEO of the company.

The latest round of funding was led by Sequoia Capital, which participated in previous rounds of funding This new tranch of fund will be new products and tools and to expand their global footprint. Currently the company has 700 employees. The company has raised a total of $255 million so far.

Medallia was founded by the husband and wife team of Hold and Amy Pressman. Both are Stanford alums, who worked for Boston Consulting Group before starting Medallia in 2001. The company’s focus is on customer feedback. Medallia helps capture unstructured customer feedback from various devices and platforms and their softward helps improve the customer experience for clients like Four Seasons, Macy’s, Wells Fargo and others.

Happy Birthday Robin Williams

Happy birthday Robin Williams wherever you are. And you were spot on when you said:

“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.”

 You changed my world and that of millioms of people with your  own, unique brand of humor. You brought us laughter, happiness and joy and made our day a little brighter.

You are probably having a great time with your mentor Jonathan Winters right now.

Abhay Parasnis

Abhay Parasnis

Abhay Parasnis is the new Chief Technology Officer of Adobe Systems. The San Jose-based company announced today it has appointed Parasnis as their new CTO and senior vice president of platform technology and services. Kevin Lynch was Adobe’s previous CTO, who left the post 2 years ago to join Apple as Fortune reported. Lynch helped launch Adobe’s Creative Cloud initiative.

Parasnis’s focus at Adobe will be to integrate  its three cloud services –  Creative Cloud, Adobe Marketing Cloud and Adobe Document Cloud. “Our cloud platforms are the foundation for our next phase of innovation and growth as a company, and Abhay is the ideal candidate to lead this initiative,” said Shantanu Narayen, Adobe’s president and CEO.

Prior to joining Adobe Parasnis was President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of  Kony, a cloud-based enterprise solutions company. Parasnis has worked with Oracle, Microsoft and IBM. He has a bachelor’s degree in electronics and telecommunications from the College of Engineering Pune, India.

You can read more about Parasnis and why he joined Adobe here.

Photo credit: Adobe Systems

Meet Mr. Garlic aka Gerry Foisy. For 28 years come rain or sunshine you will find him at the annual 3-day Gilroy Garlic Festival. His wife, Jeanne put down his name as a volunteer and ever since then he has continued to play Mr. Garlic dressed in his trademark garlic bulb suit topped with a “Garlicky” hat. We spoke with him and his wife to find out what drew him to the festival and why he continues to volunteer.

The 37th Gilroy Garlic Festival is on July 24-26, 2015. For ticket and information visit their website.

All Spice, San Francisco

All Spice, San Francisco

All Spice is an elegant restaurant located in the Nob Hill area of San Francisco. The brainchild of Chef Sachin Chopra and his wife Shoshana Wolff, it is not your everyday Indian restaurant as its name might lead you to believe, but one that serves New American Exotica – and, believe me, there comes a surprise with every dish.

The couple’s original concept was a restaurant called Game serving mainly game meats. But finding the full expression of Chef Chopra’s talents curtailed, and in true Silicone Valley entrepeneurship spirit, the couple did a quick pivot and re-opened as All Spice, the San Francisco branch of their flagship restaurant located in San Mateo in the Peninsula.A few months ago I got an invitation to visit the restaurant. Finally, a couple of weeks ago I visited the restaurant with a friend. The minute we stepped through the doors we were  greeted warmly by Shoshana who showed us to our table and provided us with copies of, both, the tasting menu and the regular menu.

Starting with drinks, my companion opted for Adams Ale while my fancy was caught by a cocktail titillatingly named Gunpowder ($14).  And it certainly lived up to it’s name. Described as being somewhat similar to a gimlet, it was a swirl of gin, green tea, lime juice and citrus laced with an unexpected hint of spices. And this gimlet with a South Indian flair brought back memories of idlis, dosas and my childhood in the south of India. Continue reading


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karaokegal (karaokegal) wrote,

Cranky, cranky, cranky...and losing my marbles.

It's a good thing I'm got some days off next week, cause I'm on the verge of going postal.

Client booked ticket and hotel to Miami for ABA meeting. He used his own miles to upgrade. The firm decided that he shouldn't go to the meeting. I need to get the ticket refunded to the corporate ghost card, but I can't do that without the client paying out of pocket $150.00 to get the miles back.

Same trip---both clients presumable told their admins to cancel the reservations and somehow neither Steve nor I got them canceled. Which we didn't find out until yesterday, when we were well within the 7 day cancel period at the very expensive hotel.

I'm now praying to the travel gods that the hotel will basically eat a $1000.00 so that my agency doesn't have to.

Different client is booking hotel in Washington DC. Admin calls to tell me that client's wife is very concerned that I book the right room at the right price and has all sorts of information to send me.

Non-work related...I KNOW I bought a hard-boiled egg this morning for my morning snack. I actually saw the lady at the store putting the egg in a napkin and then in a bag with some fruit I was buying. 12N-snack-time. NO EGG.

Client made changes to refundable ticket, but I flaked on the re-issue. No one's fault there but my own. Delta then charged $50.00 for the re-issue at the airport, which if I'd done it here, theoretically should have been free. Unless I can find out and prove that I would have had to charge him the same $50.00. Naturally due to impending Snowpocalypse - The Sequel, it's impossible to get through to Delta.

Or any other airline for that matter.

This may be continued as my job continues to piss me off.
Tags: bitching, desk of doom, journal, ranting, travel, whining, work
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