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Archive for July 7, 2012

Haub Collection of Western Art

July 7, 2012 1 comment

Departure of an Indian War Party, Albert Bierstadt, oil on board

[Tacoma Art Museum, Promised Gift of Erivan and Helga Haub]

I learned some exciting local arts news from the Wall Street Journal today. German supermarket billionaire Erivan “Mr. Haub and his wife, Helga, are giving the bulk of their collection of Western art to the Tacoma Art Museum in Washington state. The couple is also funding most of a $15 million project to add a lobby and a museum wing to display it all.”

The article goes on to explain:

The 280 pieces in the gift include works by major Western artists Thomas Moran, Frederic Remington and Charles Russell. Collectively, the works chronicle the Western sweep of Manifest Destiny—from portraits of Native American chiefs to cowboys astride horses to sun-drenched vistas.

Many of the works are by 19th-century European painters who fell hard for the American West, whether or not they ever actually visited the region. The terrain they conjured on canvas is largely grand and unspoiled. The gem is “Green River, Wyoming,” by Moran, a self-taught painter from England who later crisscrossed the West to paint his epic landscapes. Moran’s 1907 scene shows a band of Indians riding toward the river as terracotta-colored rocks loom on the opposite bank.

I looked online in the Tacoma News Tribune to see if I could learn more, and they too have an article, which says the official announcement will be made on Monday.

Most of the new 15,000-square-foot wing and all of the 280-piece art collection come courtesy of Erivan Haub and his wife Helga, who own property here. They amassed the collection over 25 years.

The Haub collection is a who’s who of Western art: Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, Georgia O’Keeffe, Thomas Moran, Albert Bierstadt, John Clymer, and Tom Lovell as well as contemporary artists such as Bill Schenck. It contains both paintings and sculptures. The new wing will display anywhere from 100 to 150 pieces at a time, Hushka said.

“This is definitely one of the finest Western art collections in private hands,” [Curator Rock] Hushka said. Only the Denver Art Museum with its extensive collections of Native American art and Western painting and photography has a substantially greater collection.

We haven’t been to the Tacoma Art Museum in many years. Our loss, since they always seem to have interesting exhibitions. We’ll have to get down there soon. And again, of course, once the new wing opens.

Categories: Art, Museums

The Balkans

July 7, 2012 Leave a comment

I wrote the other night about Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad, which I finished two weekends ago. Between that and Chad Harbach’s The Art of Fielding, I had taken an excursion into recent American fiction, a welcome break from my non-fiction journeys through Eastern Europe and Central Asia. But perhaps it was time to get back overseas.

Where to? Well, it’s not like I have any particular plan or program. I seem to have fallen into this sequence of books, each suggesting another to read or a region to explore. In retrospect, it started three-and-a-half years ago with Judith Herrin’s Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire. Then there were the books I read two winters ago: Ian Frazier’s Travels in Siberia, Ted Conover’s The Routes of Man: Travels in the Paved World, Peter Hessler’s Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory, Eliza Griswold’s The Tenth Parallel: Dispatches from the Fault Line Between Christianity and Islam.

It took almost another year, and my reading of Max Egremont’s Forgotten Land: Journeys Among the Ghosts of East Prussia, before a theme began to emerge. That led to Timothy Snyder’s Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin, Orlando Figes’ The Crimean War, Colin Thurbon’s Shadow of the Silk Road, Thomas de Waal’s The Caucasus, Charles King’s Odessa: Genius and Death in a City of Dreams, Edmund de Waal’s The Hare with Amber Eyes , and the realization that I was reading books about the border between Europe and Asia, Christianity and Islam, Communism and Fascism, Medievalism and Modernism. And the people caught in the middle, millions of whom were dislocated, starved, or murdered.

In finishing the Crimean War history and moving from the Black Sea eastward to Central Asia and the Caucasus, I could just as well have headed west to the Balkans. Two weeks ago, I decided to do so.

But no book immediately suggested itself. Or rather, two did: Misha Glenny’s The Balkans: Nationalism, War and the Great Powers, 1804–1999, 726 pages long, and Mark Mazower’s The Balkans: A Short History, 188 pages long. I couldn’t help thinking that a book of intermediate length might be more suitable.

Both books are over a decade old. When they were new, Richard Crampton reviewed them in the New York Review of Books, praising them both. I chose Mazower, in part because it is available on the Kindle, while Glenny’s isn’t.

I was slow to get into it, and began to fear it was going to be the longest short book I ever read. One initial difficulty I had is that Mazower assumes a fair bit of familiarity with the basic historical and political facts. I seemed to be reading commentary, without being told what book this was commentary on. Not that I am all that ignorant of the facts, but to the extent that I am ignorant, he wasn’t filling me in. This obstacle was only temporary, and soon I was absorbed.

An essential theme of the book is that, contrary to the common view, the violence and wars of the Balkans are not an inevitable consequence of centuries of ethnic hatred. Indeed, during the Ottoman period, the region was characterized by its ethnic and religious tolerance. As Crampton explains in his review,

Mazower will not accept that the awful violence the peninsula has endured is the result of ancient ethnic hatreds. It was, he argues, the only means modern nationalists could find to break apart a society that was otherwise capable of ignoring the mundane divisions of class and ethnicity. Like Glenny and Allcock he sees nationalism as a Western or Central European import into the Balkans; and if this import gave the Balkans the categories with which its peoples defined themselves, so it gave them also the ideological weapons in the shape primarily of modern romantic nationalism with which to destroy themselves. Mazower, like Glenny, also shows how romantic, European-style nationalism was given its political opportunity by peasant anger at declining living standards.

While I’m at it, here’s more from Crampton:

[Mazower] produces a masterful and wonderfully succinct picture of the Ottoman Empire in the earlier centuries of its rule in Europe. It was an empire which was amazingly polyglot, especially in its capital. It may not have accepted religious equality—which was almost coterminous with ethnic equality—but it practiced tolerance and accepted coexistence. Despite the lurid pictures of Muslim persecution painted by many nineteenth-century European Christian observers or commentators, there was a great deal of intermixing in the Ottoman Empire. Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Jews, and others became members of the same guilds, and would even, in nineteenth-century Salonika, for example, join the same labor organizations or gentlemen’s clubs.

And his conclusion:

Those who already know something of Balkan history will be delighted by Mazower’s sober judgments, his measured style, his breadth of knowledge, and his telling anecdotes. For those who as yet know little of this history there could scarcely be a more reliable or a more appetizing introduction to it than Mazower’s book.

I closed the book last weekend eager for more.

And what do you know? A new edition of the Misha Glenny book that I rejected in favor of Mazower is coming out in late September. The new title will be The Balkans: Nationalism, War, and the Great Powers, 1804–2011, and unlike the original, this one will have a Kindle version. It should be worth reading.

In the meantime, there’s Mazower’s Salonica, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews 1430-1950. Crampton has a piece in the New York Review of Books on that too. It sounds wonderful, with an examination of the same themes that his Balkans introduction treated, but with the greater depth made possible by a longer book and the focus on a single city. And once again, in keeping with a thread that has run through several of the books I’ve read, I can learn about the growth and destruction of one of the great Jewish communities of Europe.

I have downloaded it. More once I’ve read it.

Categories: Books


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Employment Insurance - Is it really insurance?

Webster’s Dictionary defines insurance as “the practice by which an individual secures financial compensation for a specified loss with damage resulting from risk of any sort, by contract with a company to which he pays regular premiums.”
No one should be silly enough, however, to think that Employment Insurance is insurance.
First of all, we don’t purchase anything. If we collect a wage in this country, the employer is required to deduct the premiums and we have no choice about it. The word “purchase” means that there is a choice.
Let’s imagine Mark, the carpenter, the Canadian counterpart of Joe the plumber. Mark is 48 years old and has worked constantly since he was 18. Presently, you pay EI premiums of 1.73% on all earnings to a maximum of $42,300.00 per year, exactly what Mark makes, so he pays $731.00 a year in EI premiums. His employer has had to match more than that, 2.42%, a further $1,024.00 per year.
I think it is safe to assume that if neither Mark or his employer had to pay those premiums, all $1755 per year would have ended up in Mark’s pocket. When employers look at their labour costs, they look at the total cost including benefits, deductions, everything. It is that total number that determines whether the employer is profitable or not, not who the money is paid to.
Let’s assume that that is exactly the amount that has been sent over the last 30 years. Of course, Mark did not pay this much when he was 18 but then again the government has been holding on to his money for 30 years interest free without him ever collecting Employment Insurance.  Call it a draw. Over 30 years, Mark and his employer have sent $52,650.00 to the government for Mark’s “Employment Insurance”.
As a result of the slow down in the economy, after 30 years Mark’s employment is terminated. With his last pay cheque he gets $1,600.00 in unpaid overtime that he accumulated and $1,627.00 (two weeks) vacation pay that he had earned.
Now you can’t collect Employment Insurance until you’ve experienced two weeks of no income.
If we pretend that Mark gets no termination pay for the moment, the way your Member of Parliament has tolerated the Employment Insurance Act to be written for many years requires that Mark  uses up his vacation pay, notionally, but not his overtime pay. Mark won’t be eligible for his first EI cheque until four weeks after her last day of work…two weeks vacation and two weeks waiting period.
Both the overtime and the vacation pay were earned wages. Every time Mark worked an hour he earned 4% of that hourly wage as vacation pay. Every time he worked overtime, he earned that wage too.
If not for the termination, he would have taken the overtime as lieu time in the winter. If not for the termination, he would have taken his vacation pay when he went on holidays in the summer. One delays his eligibility for Employment Insurance. The other does not. It makes absolutely no sense to anyone but your Member of Parliament.
This may seem like a small injustice but Mark has two kids in college and a mortgage to pay and every dollar counts.
Mark’s employer initially does not offer Mark any severance and hopes that Mark is dumb enough not to notice. Mark hires a lawyer and negotiations begin. Mark finally starts receiving Employment Insurance (you can be sure that no matter how early Mark applied that the Employment Insurance cheque did not actually arrive in time to buy the groceries in week number five). Mark is entitled to 55% of his gross earnings or $435.00 a week, as a maximum for 38 weeks. So, he can collect a total of $16,530.00 over a period in which he would normally earn $30,911.00.
Mark’s employer turns out to be Neanderthal and Mark’s lawyer had to sue just to get a reasonable severance package.  Ten months after Mark was terminated, he found a new job paying about the same and the lawsuit was settled for ten months unpaid wages.
Ten months lost wages was $35,250.00. Mark’s lawyer told him he could keep fighting to get most of his legal costs covered but Mark just wanted to get the thing over with. His legal bill was $6,000.00 Mark was left with $29,250.00 out of the settlement, the equivalent of 36 weeks unpaid wages.
The Employment Insurance Act says that both the employer and employee are responsible for making sure that EI gets some of this money. If you receive a settlement or award for lost wages for a period for which you collected EI, EI has to be paid back. Over 36 weeks, Mark received $15,660.00 from EI. There was $13,590.00, before taxes, actually left for Mark after the lawyer had been paid and EI got their money back.
The funny thing is, and you might be shocked to hear it, EI was not interested in contributing to Mark’s legal fees. Mark’s family was stressed out and he started a lawsuit and ran all those risks for almost a year and took personal responsibility for the legal fees to get appropriate compensation for his years of service. In doing so he also to collected over $13,000.00 for the Federal government. So your Member of Parliament thinks that the government should get the rewards of the settlement without running any of the risks. They graciously allow you to deduct the legal fees before calculating the overpayment.
So, at the end of this story, Mark paid over $52,000.00 into EI in his 30 years of work and the government never had to pay out a dime because instead of just walking away Mark made the employer pay an appropriate severance package.
By the way, all these rules can change whenever your MP decides to change them. In a contract of insurance it’s all written down and you get what you pay for. There is no clause saying that the insurer can change all the rules on a whim like your Member of Parliament can.
Don’t get me wrong, having an Employment Insurance plan is certainly better than none and it does supply some important security to families and individuals, especially in these precarious times. It’s insulting, however, that our Members of Parliament have decided that we are all dim enough to actually believe that by calling it insurance we will think that it is.
As published in the Hamilton Spectator, January 24, 2009
Ed Canning
Ed Canning
P: 905.572.5809


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Tuesday, April 25, 2006

After the fall

If the Phase II Senate report is ever issued, maybe it will include information from the recently retired former head of CIA covert operations in Europe, Tyler Drumheller. Sunday, he told Ed Bradley of "60 Minutes" a significant bit of news:
...the CIA had made a major intelligence breakthrough on Iraq’s nuclear program. Naji Sabri, Iraq’s foreign minister, had made a deal to reveal Iraq’s military secrets to the CIA. Drumheller was in charge of the operation.

"This was a very high inner circle of Saddam Hussein. Someone who would know what he was talking about," Drumheller says.

"You knew you could trust this guy?" Bradley asked.

"We continued to validate him the whole way through," Drumheller replied.

According to Drumheller, CIA Director George Tenet delivered the news about the Iraqi foreign minister at a high-level meeting at the White House, including the president, the vice president and Secretary of State Rice.

At that meeting, Drumheller says, "They were enthusiastic because they said, they were excited that we had a high-level penetration of Iraqis."

What did this high-level source tell him?

"He told us that they had no active weapons of mass destruction program," says Drumheller.

"So in the fall of 2002, before going to war, we had it on good authority from a source within Saddam's inner circle that he didn't have an active program for weapons of mass destruction?" Bradley asked.

"Yes," Drumheller replied.
Josh Marshall reports that Drumheller told him that he had been interviewed multiple times by both the Senate investigators and Robb-Silbermann -- but his story didn't make it into the reports!

Drumheller also confirms that the CIA was skeptical about the uranium from Africa story all along -- and says that friendly intelligence was used to support the policy of invading Iraq. Intelligence that doubted Iraqi WMD, such as the information from Saddam's inner circle, was simply ignored:
"It directly contradicts, though, what the president and his staff were telling us," Bradley remarked.

"The policy was set," Drumheller says. "The war in Iraq was coming. And they were looking for intelligence to fit into the policy, to justify the policy."

...Once they [the administration] learned what it was the source had to say — that Saddam Hussein did not have the capability to wage nuclear war or have an active WMD program, Drumheller says, "They stopped being interested in the intelligence."

..."I think over time, people will look back on this and see this is going to be one of the great, I think, policy mistakes of all time."
It's a whopper all right.

Since I'm again blogging about Iraq's non-existent WMD, let me link to the Washington Post story revealing that the National Intelligence Council had concluded the Niger documents were phony -- weeks before the President mentioned the allegation in the State of the Union address in January 2003.
The council's reply, drafted in a January 2003 memo by the national intelligence officer for Africa, was unequivocal: The Niger story was baseless and should be laid to rest. Four U.S. officials with firsthand knowledge said in interviews that the memo, which has not been reported before, arrived at the White House as Bush and his highest-ranking advisers made the uranium story a centerpiece of their case for the rapidly approaching war against Iraq.
Maybe some of this can be investigated more thoroughly if Dems claim a majority of seats in at least one House of Congress after the midterm elections?

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Puma Future 18.4 Soft Ground has just been released by Puma . Our experts are working on a detailed review. Please, come back later.

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  • The Future lineup has set a whole new standard for custom fit with the introduction of its Netfit system. Even its low-tier variations including the Future 18.4 Soft Ground is no exception to such standard. Designed with simple yet beneficial features, this soccer cleat is ready to take on the soft ground arena with quality performance.
  • The Puma Future 18.4 is fitted with a synthetic upper that offers a soft yet structured sensation. It is engineered to mimic the texture of the Netfit technology found in its high-end versions such as the Puma Future 18.1 FG. The diamond-shaped texture serves as an aesthetic element while aiding in ball touch.
  • A trademark to the Future series, the sock extension brings an anatomical fit through its one-wrap tongue and ankle collar. The sock-like collar protects the cleat from debris especially from wet, muddy grounds while the tongue creates a hugging sensation that enhances lockdown. To personalize the fit further, a traditional lacing system is installed in the midfoot.
  • To provide enough responsiveness and flex on soft grounds, a TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) material is used for the construction of the soleplate. It is installed with conical screw-in studs that deliver excellent grip on slightly wet to muddy natural surfaces.

The Puma Future 18.4 Soft Ground is available in standard sizes for men ranging from 6 to 13. The sock extension is meant to offer a soft wrap-around sensation while the synthetic construction gives more structure to the overall fit. The central lace-up closure allows players to personalize the fit.

The base of this soccer cleat is made from a TPU material that caters to a responsive ride. The lightweight material allows for more agile movements on challenging muddy pitches. To better dig into the soft natural ground, six conical screw-in studs are installed on the outsole. They are strategically arranged to lessen stud pressure while maintaining excellent traction on soft ground surfaces.

The synthetic upper of the Puma Future 18.4 Soft Ground is styled with diamond-shaped texturing that resembles the Netfit technology. Although it does not serve as lace holes, it brings benefit to the shoe by enhancing ball touch. The heel area of the soccer cleat, on the other hand, is designed with a leather-like finish that carries the Puma branding.

The sock extension allows for a supportive fit that players need on slippery muddy grounds. It extends to the ankle area as a mid-height collar while the midfoot part flows through as a one-wrap tongue. The traditional lacing system brings more custom fit to the already snug wrap of the sock extension.


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9 reasons to buy

  • An overwhelming majority of reviewers applauded the Five Ten Freerider shoe’s excellent grip and said that it feels like it actually sticks to the bike’s pedals.
  • Plenty of buyers mentioned that it is comfortable.
  • This cycling pair runs true to size, according to the majority of purchasers.
  • Most shoe users commended the durable and well-made construct of the Five Ten Freerider.
  • A lot of riders deemed this model as the best flat MTB shoe in the market.
  • With the shoe’s numerous benefits, a significant number of buyers said that it is worth every penny.
  • A handful of commenters praised this pair’s versatile design.
  • Some wearers complimented the Five Ten Freerider’s sufficiently stiff sole.
  • A number of consumers liked that the shoe is offered in a wide variety of colors.

4 reasons not to buy

  • Some shoe users griped about how the tongue would slip onto the sides.
  • Several commenters said that it is loud when walking on hardwood floors and leaves rubber marks too.
  • According to a handful of wearers, this model is heavier and bulkier compared to a traditional pair of cycling shoes.
  • Based on a number of reviews, the shoe takes a while to dry after riding on a wet trail due to its sneaker-like upper materials.

Bottom line

Considered a classic in the mountain cycling arena, the Five Ten Freerider’s strongest point lies in its casual design and grippy outsole. Apart from these, its comfort, adequate rigidity, and durable construct make it ideal for both urban and mountain cyclists. However, some users warn that it is too stiff to be worn casually while off the bike.

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The Five Ten Freerider is the industry's most popular flat pedal cycling shoe. This review focuses on the model’s 2019 iteration. It continues its predecessor’s unparalleled popularity that comes with many good reasons. But mainly it is revered for its excellent mix of comfort, performance, and style.

The Five Ten Freerider displays the simple aesthetic of skate kicks but equipped with durability and essential features to withstand the demands of mountain cycling. Made with a burly and sturdy construct, this model offers versatility that would feel right at home in different mountain cycling activities such as gravity, enduro, and trail use. It is equipped with the well-known Stealth S1 rubber outsole to deliver excellent grip, while a medium flex midsole provides a bit of flex.

Unparalleled grip. Gum rubber outsole with medium flex covers the bottom surface of the Five Ten Freerider. The rubber material is crafted from the brand’s proprietary Stealth S1 outsole technology. This innovation has essentially put the Freerider shoe in the popularity list.

Five Ten describes the Stealth S1 as their most versatile rubber compound. The brand claims that it adheres to every type of surface, whether dry or wet. It is said to provide the ideal balance of durability, high traction and cushioning. What’s more, is that the outsole displays a dotty pattern throughout for added grip to flat pedal bikes.

Optimal pedal feel. The shoe’s one-piece molded cupsole allows the user to feel directly connected to the bike. It also allows a little bit of flex for a more comfortable experience once you are dismounted off the bike.

This shoe features a flat cleat system which is intended for flat pedal bikes. With its non-clip-in design, it offers fast release from the pedal in no time. Riders who prefer flat cycling shoes say that it gives them the confidence to focus on honing their skills. Why? Flat shoes aren’t attached to the pedals, and wearers can easily plant their feet on the ground, especially in times of urgency.

Well-ventilated and durable. The Five Ten Freerider employs a combination of mesh and suede materials for its upper. The mesh panels in the toe box, midfoot panel, heel, and tongue areas provide ventilation to keep feet dry in warm conditions. The suede overlays, on the other hand, act as reinforcements that offer stability and durability.

Time-tested closure system. Staying consistent with the sneaker-inspired aesthetic, this pair utilizes the traditional lace-up system. Apart from offering the tried-and-true function of the lace-up’s lockdown fit, it also works with the textile lining to prevent any hotspot. Users can search for different lacing ways that can fit their foot shape better.

The Five Ten Freerider is offered for both genders. The women’s version features specific design elements that cater to the ladies’ narrower foot shape.

With this pair’s sneaker-inspired shape, the Freerider offers a casual feel but burlier, heavier, and stiffer. It has a wide toe box, making it ideal for riders who prefer a more relaxed fit in the forefoot. Finally, due to the sole’s ultra stiff build, a break-in period might be requisite.

With a skate-inspired build, this shoe employs footbeds made from compressed foam and is lined with polyester for enhanced in-step comfort and added cushioning.

When it comes to riding flat pedals, finding a pair of excellent shoes is essential. And one brand pops up when the topic of flat cycling shoes comes on: Five Ten. The brand has a slew of flat cycling footwear that’s mainly adored by mountain cyclists. Their Impact model is popular among gravity riders. While the skate-inspired Freerider has been taken by the trail cyclists.

Released during the late 2000s, the Freerider initially captured the attention of enthusiasts due to its casual looks. But they were hooked upon trying it in the trails thanks to the Stealth S1’s excellent grip. From then on, the shoe became the brand’s best-selling flat model. But how did Five Ten start exactly?

Five Ten’s early beginnings

Did you know that Five Ten wasn’t born in the world of cycling? That’s because the brand has been in the outdoor sports market since the 80s. In 1985, Charles Cole, Five Ten’s founder, introduced the Stealth with the Five Tennie rock climbing shoe. Charles was an avid climber, which mainly served as the driving force behind the brand’s creation.

The company’s name was derived from the 80’s standard measurement of a climb. During this time, the climbs were rated using the Yosemite Decimal System. And one of the most challenging climbs is rated a 5.10.

Five Ten didn’t start manufacturing bike shoes until 2000. After hearing that a couple of top riders, such as Chris Kovarik and Nathan Rennie, were opting for a pair of Five Ten climbing shoes for racing, the brand took notice and embarked on their journey into the world of cycling. And the rest, as they, is history.

  • Some of the colorways available are the following: black/grey, onix/orange, black/grey/red, slime, black/khaki/white, grey/black/blue, black/orange, grey/black/yellow, and legend ink/black/shock blue.
  • The Freerider’s collar and tongue are well-padded to keep the top of the foot and ankle area comfortable and cushioned.
  • The women’s version of the Freerider came later in 2015.


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Search: Estonia,Czech Republic,Ukrainian Crisis,Visegrad Group (1 material)

The Beneficiaries of the Ukrainian Crisis

Sergey Rekeda: Who Benefits from it? The Baltic countries, i.e. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which have rarely demonstrated a penchant for pragmatic relations with Russia over the past 25 years, seem to take the ... ... Europe. Vadim Trukhachev Vadim Trukhachev: the Visegrad Gainers from Ukraine Tragedy The obvious beneficiary appears to be the Visegrad Group of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, where both Russia-haters and opponents of sanctions are set to obtain dividends. Domestic ...

Poll conducted

  1. In your opinion, what are the US long-term goals for Russia?
    U.S. wants to establish partnership relations with Russia on condition that it meets the U.S. requirements
     33 (31%)
    U.S. wants to deter Russia’s military and political activity
     30 (28%)
    U.S. wants to dissolve Russia
     24 (22%)
    U.S. wants to establish alliance relations with Russia under the US conditions to rival China
     21 (19%)
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Bill "Rusty" Crowell began writing original music in the early 1970's as a response to teenage angst and social consciousness. He was inspired by the music of artists such as: Pete Seeger, Gordon Lightfoot, Simon and Garfunkel, and James Taylor. While much of it is about personal feelings, it's also about events that effected him and his need to provide commentary. With an extensive background in harmony singing, Rusty is available for supportive vocals in recording and performances.

Jan Alba's experience on the flute spans over thirty years. In addition to her classical background, Jan is able to improvise easily with most styles of music.  She is the principal flutist and long-time board member of the Tri-County Symphonic Band. In addition to flute, Jan plays saxophone and is a member of the Pennsport String Band. Jan records and performs with various artists in the South Jersey and Philadelphia area

Together, they create a modern and innovative interpretation of many well known songs. They play a diverse assortment of styles including riginal music, classical, popular, and folk (to name a few). They are available for many venues including: Coffee Houses, Bars, Senior Centers, House Concerts, Weddings & other special events. Among their many projects, they are members of the band Fluteous Maximus

Latest Music


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2020 Forest River Sierra for sale 300213236
2020 Forest River Sierra
Lazydays The Villages
(855) 825-6827

2020 Forest River Sierra

Travel Trailer RV for sale by Lazydays The Villages in The Villages, Florida 34785

Email Dealer

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Here Are All the Crazy Overlanding Vehicles I Saw at Overland Expo West

I recap this year's expo highlighting a market for enthusiasts who use their vehicles to combine off-roading with camping.

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The 26-in camp trailer utilizes modern materials and focuses on energy efficiency.

RV Overview

  • 16 Radial tires-E Rated
  • 2 exterior speakers
  • 2 x 3 floor joists 12 on center
  • 3/8 roof decking (full walk-on roof)
  • 30 lb. double LP tanks with auto change over
  • 5 truss roof rafters
  • 5/8 tongue & groove plywood floor decking
  • 60 Dual pane patio door
  • Automotive-style fender skirts
  • Cambered powder coated frame with rust prohibitor
  • Dexter auto adjust brakes
  • Dometic? ?One-Touch? electric awning with adjustable arms, and integrated LED light
  • Enclosed and heated dump valves
  • Exterior folding grab handle
  • Flush floor hydraulic slideouts (per floorplan)
  • Fully enclosed underbelly
  • Gel coated color matched exterior fiberglass
  • Hitch light
  • Porch light with interior switch
  • R-10 sidewall construction
  • Rain gutters with extra long drip spouts (prevents black streaking)
  • Satellite and cable hookup with RG-6 cable for high quality picture
  • Welded aluminum-framed, vacuum bonded laminated superstructure
  • 10 Gal. DSI water heater
  • 20 cu. ft. stainless steel refrigerator
  • 40 LED HDTV
  • 65 Amp converter
  • 99 interior height with 64slide heights
  • Accent lighting over dinette
  • Accent paneling in slideouts
  • Bedroom slideout fascia
  • Breakaway switch (battery hook-up required)
  • Ceiling fan
  • Colored shower surround with etched tile pattern
  • Crown molding over kitchen cabinets
  • Dead-bolt lock on entry door
  • Denver mattress
  • Designer window treatment accented per d?cor
  • Digital thermostat for living room and bedroom A/C
  • Ducted 15K A/C
  • Extra large picture windows throughout
  • Fire escape windows
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Full coach water filtration system
  • Full extension ball bearing drawer glides
  • Handmade cabinetry with screwed lumber core stile construction
  • Hide-a-bed sofa with tri-fold
  • Interior thermostat for heating and cooling
  • Large tinted windows with 80/20 UV prohibitor
  • Liquid propane (LP) gas detector
  • Porcelain foot flush toilets
  • Radius triple steps with 9 riser (no pinched fingers)
  • Recessed residential LED lighting throughout
  • Residential carpeting
  • Residential countertops
  • Residential stain resistant carpet
  • Rustic Plank pattern Beauflor? linoleum
  • Smoke alarm
  • Solid wood drawer fronts with birch sides
  • Stainless steel kitchen package
  • Stainless steel under mounted kitchen sink
  • Swivel glider recliners (where applicable)
  • Trash receptacle in kitchen
  • TV antenna with booster
  • Two color coordinated interiors (Bisque, Walnut)
  • Upgraded adjustable shower head with shelf
  • Upgraded raised panel cabinet doors with designer rails
  • Vented side windows in slideouts
  • Walk-in shower (select models)
  • Washer/dryer prep (select floorplans)

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Don’t Sweat Family Holidays

Stress reduction for the holidays starts with a little structure and a lot of flexibility

(RxWiki News) Holiday gatherings can trigger stress from disrupted plans to concentrated face time with family. A psychiatrist from Vanderbilt created a list of tips to help cope with holiday chaos.

Balancing schedules, being flexible, accepting everyone and sticking to a budget are a great place to start managing holiday stressors.

“Try to be honest with one another with gratitude for the gifts of love and friendship we bring to the table, and not faulting each other for our inevitable imperfections,” said Dr. Keith G. Meador.

"Be flexible during the holiday bustle."

Keith G. Meador, MD, MPH, professor of Psychiatry and Preventive Medicine and director of the Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, talked about lowering holiday stress.

Dr. Meador said, “Holidays bring out yearning and hope, but also excessive expectations that everything is going to be perfect, or feelings of regret that things aren’t like they used to be, or that things have never been the way you want them.”

“It should be a season of anticipatory hope, rather than expectations of illusionary perfection.”

Dr. Meador developed a list of tips to reduce stress in family-centered holiday gatherings:

Keep a little routine going:

  • Holidays are notorious for disrupting schedules with traveling, changes in eating times and size of meals, holiday shopping and derailed bedtimes and sleeping in. Changes in routine are stressful for both kids and adults.
  • Try not throwing caution to the wind and keep a little structure to rely on for stability for the holidays, even if it means not committing to every invitation or fulfilling every obligation.

Accept change:

  • Holidays are a time of multiple variables. Plans change as entire families try to schedule things together or around each other.
  • Part of the holiday experience is going with the flow when plans change and not getting bent out of shape over tardiness or cancellations.

Be thankful:

  • Despite cozy depictions on greeting cards, holidays are not perfect. It’s not about lowering expectations, but rather being thankful for what exists.

Accept family members:

  • Ideals of perfect holidays can provoke the desire to criticize or be impatient with family members. This attitude doesn’t help. Truly accepting everyone will put relatives at ease and improve the quality of the gathering.

Spend within means:

  • Maxing out the credit card on presents is tempting, but it’s completely unnecessary to ensure a great holiday. Holiday stress often centers around budgetary concerns. Plan a budget and stick to it.

There was good and bad and there will continue to be:

  • New Year’s brings a sense of hitting a re-start button to create a perfect year starting on day one. Unrealistic expectations can only end in disappointment. Accept that the new year will have both joy and disappointment.

These holiday recommendations to manage stress were published in December through Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Reviewed by:
Review Date:
December 18, 2012


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SADIBA members recently had the opportunity to exchange ideas and witness IP broadcasts over DAB when a Harris Corporation delegation visited South Africa.  Digital Broadcasting specialists Bernhard Baumgartner and Dr Glodina Connan shared some information on Digital Video Broadcasting for Terrestrial (DVB-T)  as well as Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) technologies, the trends in the network infrastructure and design approaches to synchronised networks or Single frequency Networks.

Video over DAB

SADIBA is proud to have supported the demonstrations and appreciates the contribution made by Sentech in facilitating access to the L-Band transmitter as SentechTower.

Harris delegates provided an IP (Internet Protocol) inserter that was interfaced to the L-Band DAB transmitter at SentechTower. For the duration of the test demonstration this system broadcast IP over T-DAB.  Imbedded in the IP stream was a MPEG-4 video clip.   Although the encoding technology for inserting live video is readily available, the demonstration made use of a stored MPEG-4 video clip merely to reduce the number of modules and therefore the logistics associated with the demonstration.

The Video was displayed on two receivers capable of decoding IP over T-DAB.  The innovative integrated PDA and DAB receiver displayed the clip on the PDA screen.  The second solution was based on a receiver interfaced with a Laptop PC that used standard software on the PC to play the received video clip.


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Privacy Policy

This privacy statement applies to owned and operated by Saints and Monks Tours Private limited. This sets out how Saints & Monks uses and protects any information that you provide to us using our website Saints & Monks is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. We ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using please be rest assured that the information will only be used in accordance with this privacy policy.

What we collect

We may collect the following personal information from you:

  • Name, nationality, contact information including email address, telephone number, postal/mailing address.
  • Demographic information such as zip/post code, preferences and interests.
  • Passport and Visa data.

What we do with the information we gather

We require this information for the following reasons:

  • To understand your needs and serve you better.
  • To contact you for your queries.
  • We may use the information to improve our services.
  • We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information that you may find interested.
  • From time to time, we may use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We will do this by using your contact details including email, phone, fax or postal address.
  • We may use the information to customize the website according to your interests.

Information obtained From 3rd Parties:

The information that you provide us about others, or others share your information with us, we will use that only for the specific reason for which the same was provided.

Sharing of Information:

  • We will share your personal information with 3rd parties only in the ways that has been mentioned in this privacy statement.
  • We may need to provide your personal information to companies that provide services to help us and carry on business activities such as booking an air ticket, jungle safaris, permits to restricted areas, hotel bookings and any other service that we may we need to reserve time to time to fulfil customers requirements.

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorized access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

How we use cookies:

  • A cookie is a small text file which asks permission to be placed on your computer's hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.
  • We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about webpage traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.
  • Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website by constant monitoring of pages that user may have found useful. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.
  • You can decide to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser’s setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest whose privacy practices may differ from Saints & Monks. However, once you have used those links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over those other websites. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information that you provide whilst visiting such sites as those sites may have different privacy practices and are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

How we control on your personal information:

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways

  • Whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes.
  • If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your decision at any time by writing to us via email at
  • We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties that we think you may find interesting if you opt it to happen.
  • If you find any incorrect/incomplete information with regard to your details, please write or email us as soon as possible at We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

Notification of Changes to this Privacy Policy

Saints & Monks may change this privacy policy from time to time by updating this page reflecting changes to our information practices. We request you to review this page time to time for the latest information on our privacy practices

Saints & Monks Contact Details

Please contact us with regard to this privacy policy by writing or email us using the following details.

Saints & Monks Tour Private Limited
4th Floor, Sishan House, 119, Shahpur Jat
New Delhi – 110049 INDIA


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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

questioning compost

Questioning the value of compost that is. I believe good science is about challenging everything and all that. But questioning the value of compost???

I bought the latest OrganicNZ magazine this morning, because despite being on a strictly tight budget at the moment, I am prepared to make my family eat porridge for breakfast and lunch if it means I can still buy OrganicNZ. I flicked through and saw the challenging compost thing. And I saw there are four pages devoted to it and that's not including ads. I wasn't ready for the cornerpins of my daily existence to be sashayed around like a kite on acid just that early in the day.

So I've saved the article until now.

I may be ready to report back on this tomorrow. Or I may still be recovering. Just as well I didn't try and sweet talk the owners of the animal park into giving me their llama and alpaca and bison and less exotic animal poos last week. Like I said, the idea crossed my mind but I s-q-u-a-s-he-d it.

Sharonnz said...

I have been trying to read that article for over a week now. Planning to neglect the children at some stage this week to do so!

Nik said...

I look forward to a review!

Unknown said...

I am still getting over the fact that you didn't ask the animal park owners for the poo!


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You are here

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While today's youth face daunting challenges - from persistent structural racism to rising inequality and the existential threat of climate change - they are also rising up to tackle these problems through collective action, collaboration, advocacy, and new ways of organizing. Wesley Hogan,...

@ 5:00 pm

Students interested in grand strategy, international security,
foreign policy and/or diplomacy are encouraged to join us for an AGS information session!

The American Grand Strategy (AGS) Program is an interdisciplinary initiative that creates and disseminates new knowledge in the...

Rethinking Development
@ 1:00 pm

What challenges has Mexico faced as a country of transit and destination migration, including in the context of COVID-19?

This webinar will discuss recent trends in migration to Mexico, Mexican asylum system and migrants' integration in local communities. Presented by three country...

AGS Virtual Speaker Series
@ 5:30 pm

More details coming soon!

Research Town Hall Series
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Join us for an open discussion on how conducting research is affected by the COVID 19 Pandemic and the multiple pressures on researchers and administrators.

Attending this event fulfills the Responsible Conduct of Research Requirement for Faculty and Staff, RCR-200.


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Rep. Elise Stefanik Blasts House Democrats’ ‘Embarrassing’ New Impeachment Inquiry

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY, told Fox & Friends Tuesday that the Democrats’ hoping to move forward with another impeachment probe against President Donald Trump is “embarrassing.”

“They have been obsessed with impeachment after President Trump overwhelmingly won the election,” Stefanik said. “And I’ve seen this firsthand sitting on the House Intelligence Committee. Adam Schiff has continued to put out misinformation, and, frankly, lies to the American people. We saw this with the Mueller testimony as well. That when Mueller came to the House Intel, their case for impeachment just crumbled.”

House Democrats told the Supreme Court Monday that they’re moving forward with an impeachment investigation against the President and requested grand jury material from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Trump.

Stefanik continued, “This shows how weak Joe Biden is I think as a presidential candidate because they can’t run on their record. And what’s so concerning to me is we’re in the middle of coming out of a once in a hundred years pandemic. We have so many important issues in terms of rebuilding the economy, and this is what House Democrats want to focus on? It’s inexcusable, it’s embarrassing. And I think it’s a real opportunity for Republicans to take back the majority.”

The House Intelligence Committee has yet to include Republican members in their plans to move forward with impeachment proceedings, Stefanik added, slamming it as purely “political.”


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Give your customers the great taste of Sardos Coffee

Are you in the business of making coffee?

Do you need a reliable distributor, who can provide a delicious, high quality coffee blend without the fuss of contracts and commitments to minimum orders?

Sardos Coffee uses Arabica coffee beans, roasted to our own fresh, full-flavoured blend. We’ve spent years developing it and continue trying and improving it, because we strive for quality and consistency – it’s our promise to you.

We know you’re passionate about coffee and our goal is to help you deliver that to your customers.

No contracts! No limits!

Many coffee distributors want to lock you into contracts and require you to buy a set amount of coffee, even when you don’t need it. Sardos is different. We offer you an excellent quality product, with the flexibility to buy what you need, when you need it.

We can help with a machine and all you need to get started with leases designed to fade out as your business grows and you reach set kg’s of coffee purchased each week or just supply coffee beans if you already have your own equipment.

We are distributors of Monin syrups and stock the basic syrups used in coffee, caramel, hazelnut and vanilla on the shelf but are happy to meet your specific needs (limits may apply).

We also stock a premium drinking chocolate and a spiced chai powder, as well as jugs, thermometers, filters, group head brushes, and some machine parts make up the list of items that we can supply. We keep basic items in stock but are happy to source and price items on request.

We love our coffee and we think you will too. We will work with you to develop your coffee skills, so your business can enjoy the rewards of seeing the same happy faces come back, time and time again.

Give Sardos a try – great coffee, every time

If you’re new to the market, or simply wondering if there is a better alternative to your current coffee distributor, it is definitely time you tried Sardos. With no obligation or lock in contracts, what have you got to lose?

And not only can we provide you with an excellent product, but we’re happy to share our experience and knowledge with you.

Sardos. Great coffee every time.

Contact Us

0488 020 211

We would like to thank our cafe’, takeaways, and mobile vendor’ and customers using Sardos coffee beans for their commitment and support.


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Non-Traditional Therapy That Works

More Than Just Therapy. We Help You To Heal Yourself.

This is not your old school kind of therapy. That’s the reason why we are the top alternative mental healing office in Los Angeles. Our innovative sessions are highly effective. If you are interested in doing Releasing/Letting Go Work, we suggest you do that first before coming in for hypnotherapy. Doing so will help you to start clearing things out before we start to actively train your mind to do what you want it to do.

Click below to find out more about our “break-through” modes of therapy:

Therapy For Letting Go & Releasing Coach

All hypnosis sessions can be customized to your needs. Click the BOOK NOW button to make your appointment and be sure to sign up for Sasha’s newsletter as she is about to release numerous Coaching & Hypnosis Programs.

Click here to make your appointment.

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Tag: Edwina von Gal

Can Sayville Save The Great South Bay? It Starts With a Moratorium On Pesticides and Non-Organic Fertilizers

Sayville, via the drive and inspiration of its freshman class, can become a test case; can we as a village stop using pesticides and high nitrogen fertilizer? Will that help our oyster harvests, and will an increase in the oysters help the bay?

Read more


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‘I didn’t want this album to be an easy listen…’

Manchester singer-songwriter Nev Cottee’s new album, Broken Flowers, is his best yet. His darkest record to date, it was written in the aftermath of a failed relationship.

Nev’s rich, baritone voice – think Lee Hazlewood and Scott Walker – is backed by lush, cinematic strings and the album moves from twilight country music to bluesy psych-rock and spacey, hypnotic grooves.

I spoke to him about writing songs in India, ’70s drum sounds and descending into madness, and asked him if this album is his Blood On The Tracks

How the hell are you?

Nev Cottee: I’m good and I’m excited to get this album out, as the process seems to have taken a while. The record was finished in November last year and has been delayed due to record label stuff, artwork and admin. It was frustrating not to get it out earlier, but now it’s out, I’m completely happy. I’d rather do an album every year, because I seem to be able to write that many songs. Back in the day, bands would do it – The Beatles and The Stones and The Beachboys – put out an album every year and a few singles that weren’t on the album.

I think Broken Flowers is your best album yet. Do you agree?

NC: Yes – I do. It’s a more consistent record. The album was intended to be a unified whole. It’s not a concept album, but it’s got themes. I wanted to take the listener on a journey. Where that journey begins and ends, I have no idea…

When you released your last album, Strange News From The Sun, two years ago, I said that the first single, If I Could Tell You, sounded like Lee Hazlewood on a space walk. This time around, I’m saying that your new single, Open Eyes, sounds like Lee Hazlewood hanging out in Cafè del Mar. This joke’s going to run and run, isn’t it?

NC: Lee Hazlewood hanging out in Cafè del Mar? I’m always going to have the same voice – that can never change – so I’m always going to be coming at it from a Lee Hazlewood kind of angle. The sound of it does have a bit of modernity – that Cafè del Mar thing. Incidentally, I was on a Cafè del Mar compilation album, so I’m just awaiting my private jet to be sent over, so I can do a six-month residency in Cafè del Mar. I’m still waiting on that email…

Open Eyes is very chilled-out. It’s one of the lighter songs on the album and has a country feel…

NC: Open Eyes has got the wonderful Chris Hillman playing pedal steel on it – he’s a fantastic musician and a great lad. I was very lucky to have him play on one of my albums again. I’ve played with a lot of musicians and Chris is the best. He’s so intuitive and a born natural.

Initially, the song was influenced by Neil Young’s Harvest Moon. I was listening to some of the amazing songwriting on that album, which is very simple – some of the songs have two chords. Neil Young is fantastic at creating a mood with very little. Two chords, an acoustic guitar, a pedal steel, a light drum sound and his voice. He creates a whole world out of some very basic elements.

I wanted to keep it simple, but to evoke something – you don’t need a lot to make it sound special.

Open Eyes sets the tone for the album, without going too dark early on. It’s a twilight moment that lets you know that you’re going somewhere – the sun’s setting and you’re going to be in for a dark ride. There’s still an element of sanity that you can hold on to before you plunge into the next track, which is quite dark and foreboding and has a deeper meaning.

‘I wasn’t interested in writing verse, chorus pop songs. I wanted to delve into the songs a bit more, indulge myself and see where they went’

Let’s talk about the sound of the album. It’s a very dark record in places…

NC: I didn’t want it to be an easy listen – that was a conscious decision. I wanted to make the listener have to work – I wasn’t interested in writing verse, chorus pop songs. I wanted to delve into the songs a bit more, indulge myself and see where they went.

Me and Mason Neely, who produces my albums, made a very conscious decision for this album not to sound like a ’60s record, which my second album did – it was aping Lee Hazlewood, Scott Walker and a few other choice references.

For this album, we got a very, tight and clean ’70s drum sound. I’m not a big Fleetwood Mac fan, but it was that kind of drum sound – you hear it on modern recordings by Beck, who uses it quite a bit. It’s a cool sound and it was Mason who brought it to the table. We instantly felt that it would change the whole sound of the album. Saying that, there aren’t a lot of drums on the album, but the sound infused the feel of it.

I wanted to make a modern record.Yeah – it has elements of the ’60s and the ’70s, but there are also a lot of synthesiser sounds and strings. It’s not completely modern or completely retro – I wanted to leave it open. It’s sat in a weird place and I’ll let the listener decide where that place is.

What was the writing process for the record? How did the songs come about?

NC: I was out in India for four months. I set aside time to write and demo the songs. Looking back, it was an amazing time. I was able to get so much work done there. It was a beautiful place to be – there were no distractions. I was leading a nice life and the weather was good. It gave me the distance to reflect on things and some of the stuff that I wanted to write. I was coming out of a relationship with the person I thought I was going to be with for the rest of my life – the rug got pulled from under me. Everyone’s been there and it’s a bit of a clichè to write about it, but I felt I had to do something to get it off my chest. I wanted to explore what that meant. It was more lyrically-based than I’ve previously looked at things. I was spending a lot of time thinking about the lyrics.

When I came back from India, I went to Mason’s studio in Cardiff – I used a lot of the musicians I’ve used before, but they were supplemented with a lot of string work by friends of Mason’s. There were some amazing viola players and cellists. We made a decision to use real strings. You can get away with a lot on the computer, but these songs were too good to not use the real thing.

What were your musical influences for this album?

NC: I was listening to a lot of Tom Waits while I was away – I went through his entire back catalogue very slowly, which was an amazing journey. He’s a genius – all those different phases of his career, of which I think the latter period – like Dylan – stands up against – and even betters – some of his earlier work. The Waits album Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards, which is a triple album, was a major influence – and also Blue Valentine.

He writes confessional songs with a great lyrical turn of phrase. I can only dream of getting near what he achieved.

Leonard Cohen’s last album was a revelation and I was also listening to Mark Lanegan’s covers album Imitations, which is brilliant.

NEWSM_NCBF_backcover_large copy copy

You mentioned Dylan earlier. Is Broken Flowers your Blood On The Tracks? Most of – if not all – the songs on the album are about the end of a relationship…

NC: I guess it is. Looking back, it was a long time ago and things move on, but I had to document it. it. You’ve got to write about what’s happened in your life and in the world and explore those themes, otherwise you’re just writing about nothing. I wanted to go deep and explore what it meant. Without sounding too pretentious, I was reading Baudelaire and I’ve quoted some of his poems on the back of the album cover – it’s about looking at the darker side of the human condition and what that means. When you’re truly alone and what you can do with what you have. Do you descend into madness? On some of the tracks, I’ve tried to mirror that anguish and inner turmoil that you go through. I hope that’s reflected in the songs that appear later on the album – it’s a descent into abstract madness, when everything’s turned upside down.

The track I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead is stunning – a big, melancholy song, with sweeping, dramatic strings. Richard Ashcroft would kill to have written it.What’s the story behind it? It seems to deal with the death of a relationship and also finds you and the song’s other protagonist listening to Prince…

NC: I wanted to write a song with a disjointed story – not a narrative – that was completely non-linear and confused. When you do split up with someone, you question everything and you lose your grip and all your bearings. Your take on reality seems to go out of the window, yet you still have moments of clarity when you remember conversations and situations.

Be On Your Way is another moody, orchestrally-aided song. It reminds me of Richard Hawley’s last few records. The big, bluesy electric guitar solo is awesome! Is that you playing it?

NC: It’s not me playing guitar – I wish I could play like that. It’s a guy called Alex Foote, who’s a friend of Mason’s.

What were you channelling with that song?

NC: It’s a straightforward melody – Hawley is a good reference and he will always be an inspiration, but I was looking more to Serge Gainsbourg and trying to tap into that Histoire de Melody Nelson vibe. We got into a groove where we wanted to take it musically into a bit of madness – so you can drift away. It builds and builds into a beautiful, confusing mess.

new SM_DSC0911

Tired of Love is an epic – almost nine minutes. The wonderful, haunting arrangement reminds me of John Barry or Ennio Morricone – it has a cinematic feel. What can you tell me about that song?

NC: For me, that was the big one for the album.The whole album was moving towards it – it’s the culmination of the journey. I said to Mason, ‘it’s a simple song, but we’ve got to make it go from nothing to everything’. It’s tapping into a hypnotic vibe that you get with some dance music – you lose where you are in the song. It’s a repetitive psych vibe – I wanted it to confuse people. You start hearing weird noises – maybe the noises are there, or maybe they’re just in your head. We spent a lot of time making that track – I’m really proud of it. Mason’s string arrangement is absolutely phenomenal.

You’ve also been moonlighting as a DJ on Soho Radio, with your own monthly show. I’m really enjoying it – you play some great, eclectic tunes, there are seasonal themes, gardening tips and also advice on birdwatching and flora and fauna. Is it fun to do?

NC: I love doing the radio show and the interaction – there’s nothing better than turning someone on to a record. It brings me a lot of joy. Soho Radio is a great station – they let me just get on with it and do what I want to do. I’ve got mates who do shows on it. Everyone should check it out.

Any live shows coming up?

NC: I’m playing in Liverpool on May 27 and then I’m DJing at Spiritland in London on May 28 – that’s an album playback. On June 9, I’ll be playing at The Deaf Institute in Manchester – that’s the album launch – and Lee Southall, who used to be in The Coral, will be supporting me. There will also be Aficionado DJs – it will be a great night. All are welcome.

Finally, what’s on your hi-fi at the moment?

NC: The new Mac DeMarco album – This Old Dog –  is superb – well worth checking out – and Mark Lanegan’s new album, Gargoyle, is great. I’m spinning that.

Nev Cottee’s Broken Flowers is released on May 26 on Wonderful Sound.

For more information visit : https://wonderfulsound.bandcamp.com/album/nev-cottee-broken-flowers

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Recent Stories

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Family Weekend plays important role in student support

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Scandinova Systems

Sustainability and Quality.

Global sustainability and responsibility

For ScandiNova Sustainability and Quality is about running and developing a business with high customer satisfaction that is sustainable for our customers, environment and employees.

  • ISO 9001/14001 CERTIFIED (only company in the modulator industry)
  • At least 30% reduction in direct energy consumption compared to traditional technology
  • Minimized consumables
  • High personal safety
  • Electric cars and electric bicycles in our personnel program

ISO 9001/14001 CERTIFIED

ScandiNova is certified to ISO 14001, the framework for a holistic and strategic approach to an organization’s environmental policy. We believe that currently, we are the only environmental-certified pulse modulator supplier in the industry. In addition, we are certified according to the quality and management standard ISO 9001.

ScandiNova Systems AB ISO9001/ISO14001 eng
ScandiNova Systems AB ISO9001/ISO14001 sw

To provide solid-state modulators that meet our customers’ requirements with efficiency and sustainability. Our values, Innovation, Collaboration and Thoroughness shall characterize our entire business.

Our policy means:

  • That we produce pulse generators for high power (Modulators) that are based on Solid State technology.
  • That our products shall comply with the customer requirements which includes performance, contractual, legal and environment requirements.
  • That our products shall be produced in an efficient way, so that our customers are satisfied with our delivery times and the company becomes competitive and profitable. The efficiency also means that we are continuously improving our Management system and our processes.

ScandiNova will do its utmost to protect the environment in all our business processes. This includes pollution prevention, reduced energy consumption and waste disposal. At every delivery of our patented Solid State Modulators we will strengthen our positive environmental impact as our modulators energy consumption is less than our competitors and less than older modulator technology.

In our efforts at continuous improvement and pollution prevention, we shall:

  • Consider environmental impacts when developing our products, including attempting to minimize product energy consumption and choose materials and components that are better for the environment.
  • Adjust our travel and deliveries, for example through video conferences, coordination and choice of transport supplier.
  • By building high quality products, we reduce the number of service travels.
  • Choose eco-labeled production and office supplies, energy-efficient electrical equipment and chemicals with as little environmental impact as possible.
  • Recycle the waste generated in the business.
  • Comply with applicable environmental regulations and other environmental requirements.

The ScandiNova technology substantially reduces environmental impact of pulse generation. The power used for generating pulses is minimised due to improved power efficiency. This also decreases the need for cooling water and air conditioning. Customers experience at least 30% reduction in direct energy consumption continuously over the modulator lifetime. No consumables are used in the day to day operations and all use of consumables are minimized. In addition the space needed for the modulator is significantly reduced, resulting in simplified integration and construction work.

Technology is important, but our success is primarily driven by our employees. In keeping with our core values, we strive to continuously evolve and stay at the forefront of developments, two factors made possible by close collaboration between colleagues as well as with customers and other stakeholders. We also aim to maintain a dynamic and respectful environment where everyone’s contributions are taken into consideration; we are open-minded to hearing both new conceptual ideas and views on specific issues.

We also ensure that all employees are able to develop within the company; it’s through their development that our products also evolve and progress. As an international company with the majority of sales outside Sweden, we encounter many different languages and cultures. This puts extra demands on the diversity of our employees, which in turn creates an exciting, dynamic culture essential to maintaining our leading position.

Stability and a stable working condition were part of the initial concepts from ScandiNova. The Split Core™ concept has minimized the risks for personal and collateral damages and reduced the risk of fire. The modulator has a built in protection against arcs in the load. It is a unique feature that puts safety first.


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Hans M Hirschi on his new release Returning to the Land of the Morning Calm by Hans M Hirschi (author guest post)

Returning to the Land of the Morning Calm by Hans M Hirschi
Releasing date: May 21, 2018
Pages: Approx. 200, 67K words
More info: http://www.hirschi.se/the-books/morning-calm/ (buy-links, trailer)

Hans M Hirschi writes a new novel and bridges cultural divides between East and West.

Returning to the Land of the Morning Calm is the eleventh novel by author Hans M Hirschi. In it, he explores the life of an 84-year-old African-American Korean War veteran who is reminded by new friends of a man he once loved back in Seoul. As he thinks more and more about that first love, he begins to contemplate his life and suddenly wonders if he’s still alive. From there, the thought of actually traveling to Seoul to find out isn’t far… We asked the author a few questions:

Hans, you live in Sweden yet write in English, about an African-American war veteran in upstate New York…

HMH: Is there a question? LOL Guilty as charged. I can’t really say why Martin is a black man, I can only hope to have done him justice. As for the Korean connection, I think the increasing tensions along the Korean border last year somehow pushed a button in my subconscious. I have been to Korea in the past, on business and on vacation, and developed a special connection. It’s a beautiful country, an impressive culture, and the people are very kind and welcoming. It was interesting and helpful to go back to Korea just before the Olympics and follow recent geopolitical developments on the peninsula firsthand.

Martin is an old man, an octogenarian. Not something you read about very often in books. Yet this is the fourth time you’ve written about mature men. Are you obsessed with age?

HMH: Touché!?! I might just be interested in ageing, yes. I’m one of those
“mature” (odd word, but oh well) men myself. I’ll be fifty-one this summer, and all around me, the generation above me is thinning out. My grandparents are long gone, my husband and I have lost half of our parents, and the ones left are ageing rapidly and are affected by various ailments. So yes, ageing is on my mind a lot. Obsessed? I hope not.

On the other hand, as you say, there aren’t that many great characters who are older out there, and I think Martin’s story is both beautiful and inspiring. I think stories like his deserve to be told.

Returning to the Land of the Morning Calm tackles many different life aspects: culture clashes, racism, coming out, religious intolerance etc. Are you afraid you may have taken on too much?

HMH: I don’t think so. First of all, none of the topics you mention permeate the entire novel, but given that the story covers several decades, it’s inevitable for some topics to come up. Quite the contrary, I’d say it would be unrealistic to write about the gay world of the 1980s without mentioning the impact of HIV or to write about a black man in the U.S. without addressing racism and how it impacts the lives of the African-American communities. I think that the story simply reflects life, in all its glory as well as its darkness.

As for Korea, I think that most of us who do not live there or haven’t visited Korea know very little about it. I try to infuse a bit of knowledge about this beautiful country and show the reader a bit of its intricate culture. Once a teacher, always a teacher.

How did you do research for this book?

HMH: Most of my research, if not all, begins online, using the great resources available to us, from Wikipedia to niched blogs about trams in Seoul or sites dedicated to the Korean War. I use a lot of maps, images online, and I’ve been known to head to a library for books. Unfortunately, when it comes to non-fiction, libraries often carry old and sometimes obsolete books on certain topics. Ultimately, just as I had to last year for Last Winter’s Snow, I felt obliged to travel, and do research on-site. I visited many museums, looking for photographs of the war era, what the city looked like, but also how people lived back then, trying to get a sense of daily life in Seoul. I spent many hours poring over documents, talking to Koreans about life back then and now. I also had people read through the manuscript at various stages to make sure the story is a fair and realistic representation of the Korean people and their culture. While fiction, I find it important to reflect things accurately. I also spent a lot of time just walking through Seoul, taking in this metropolis, one of the biggest cities in the world, walking two marathons in four days. Interestingly, my days in Korea deeply impacted the story, not just the descriptions, but the plot and characters. For the better, I hope.

You call yourself a “feel-good writer.” Care to elaborate?

HMH: I have been looking for a genre to call mine ever since I began writing. My first published novel about a coming-out relationship was quickly adopted by romance readers. I never liked that label, simply because I never intended to nor actually did write romance. But in gay fiction, it’s impossible to avoid the romance genre, since it’s the dominant genre with over 90% of all published books belonging to that category. Most male writers of gay fiction who do not write romance struggle to be seen or to be

recognized for what they’re trying to achieve. Either because their stories are misunderstood, with readers only focusing on the romance aspect of the story, or dismissed because they don’t meet the expectations of what a real romance novel should be like.

That is true for my writing as well. I’m no romance writer. I explore relationships, not romances. I like to write stories that end well. Enough misery in the news. I like uplifting stories, but on the other hand, I try not to shy away from the darker aspects of contemporary (gay) life. Just because we can get married and start families legally (in some societies) doesn’t mean the struggle for true equality is over. It doesn’t mean that even those few of us fortunate enough to live openly and freely don’t have challenges to face. And for the vast majority of us, and the Korean example is indicative of that, marriage and openly lived relationships are still far from being a reality for most gay men.

To write feel-good, which is a widely used genre term in Sweden, despite the English term, simply means that you explore life but keep an optimistic outlook. You believe in the good of humanity and that things will get better. No light without darkness, and to see the light, you need to show people the shadows it casts. I may go darker than some, but my books always end on a positive, hopeful note. It’s why they call me the Queen of Unconventional Happy Endings. This is how I interpret feel-good, and I think it suits me well.

You mention Korea and the situation for the LGBT community in that country. Your book ends in a very particular way. Let’s not spoil it for your readers, but is there a reason why it ends the way it does?

HMH: Yes, and I don’t think I could’ve ended it differently and still remain true to Korea, which was important to me. I rewrote it at least three times and – unusual for being me – I wrote the ending early. It takes the current sociopolitical climate in South Korea into account, the developments in recent years, which are positive baby steps for the LGBT community, which include Pride parades etc. On the other hand, I also try to be mindful of the generational aspects, the fact that it is still a very conservative society, with a strong aspect of honor, particularly with regards to family. That’s about as much as I can say without spoiling anything…

One final question: your covers. They’re always so artful, so beautiful. Is there a message to them?

HMH: Thank you. I’ll make sure to pass your compliment on to my cover designer, Natasha Snow. I certainly like to think that we put a lot of thought into my covers, Natasha, my publisher and meI. Cover design is tricky. You want a cover that stands out among dozens of other thumbnails on Amazon, you want to make sure it’s not too

cluttered for the same reason, as most people first see a thumbnail, not the full-sized cover.

On top of that, I would like my covers to carry or convey at least aspects of the story. When I look at the final cover of pretty much all of my books, there are always details that will remind me of a particular scene. And that is my wish for my readers, to go back to the cover once they are finished with the book, and look at it again. This time, they’ll see that both the sunlight and, the scene in the foreground as well as the mountain in the background are significant with regards to some key scenes. I very much like this cover myself.

“Martin is eighty-four years old, a Korean War veteran, living quietly in a retirement home in upstate New York. His days are ruled by the routine of the staff. In his thoughts and dreams, Martin often returns to the Seoul of his youth, and the lost true love of his life.
Two close friends urge him to travel back to search for that love. What awaits Martin in Korea, more than six decades after he left the country on a troop transport back to the U.S.?
Returning to the Land of the Morning Calm is a story of friendship, love, and family, in all its many shapes, across time, generations and cultures.”
Series: N/A, stand-alone
Genre(s): Contemporary fiction, LGBT, Feel-good
About the Author

I’m an author. I write books. I write about things that are important to me: family, parenting, children, our environment, our world. Contemporary, fresh fiction with unconventional, hopeful or happy endings. It’s what I like to read myself. I write because I don’t have a choice. There are so many stories in my head, constantly forming, constantly trying to get out. Feel free to have a look on the other pages to learn more, listen to me narrate from those stories, and – if you like what you see or hear – you can follow the links to buy them on e.g. Amazon.

I’m an author. But I’m also a fifty-year-old father who clings to the illusion of still being twenty-seven (my pen age!), despite my body’s daily wake-up reminders to the contrary. I’m married to the most amazing man, Alex, and together we have a beautiful four-year-old son, Sascha. I consider myself a citizen of the world, having lived on two continents and traveled extensively (a hobby) through another three. I have friends all over the world. When I’m not writing, I like to do public speaking or training (where I have my professional background). Oh, right, I do have a Facebook profile, too. Say hi. If it is of interest to you, have a look at my LinkedIn profile or our company’s website.

Thanks for dropping in, enjoy your stay and welcome back!

Hans M Hirschi

PS: You’re more than welcome to contact me. I don’t bite and I try to be nice to people.

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