text:
UNDEAD UK: The Othello Connection
Kenneth Branagh as Iago, Othello's nemesis
Shakespeare's Othello is about betrayal, manipulation, self doubt and paranoia. These are the main themes of my book Remember Me Dead, and I consciously thought of Othello when I was writing it, to the point where I named one of the characters Iago. This was purely for my benefit during the early drafts, and I changed the character's name for the final release, because I didn't want to make it too obvious to a reader that this was the character that would betray Breht, the book's protagonist.
Breht as a character existed in my mind for some years. I don't know why I wanted to make him gay (spoiler alert), but originally he was going to star in a gay version of Othello. I had a few notes, and I even sketched out a thriller set in Sierra Leone's civil war, with Breht as a South African mercenary. Nothing more came of this, and Breht returned to the waiting room in my mind where other characters are currently hanging around, waiting for their book to be written.
When I decided to write my first zombie novel, therefore, Breht came to mind, and immediately the basics of the plot came together. Remember Me Dead, of course, is not an exact rendering of Shakespeare's tale. Imagine, if you like, that Othello survived his ordeal, and spent the latter half of the story in exile, thinking about Iago's treachery whilst looking for him, and you have the other elements of my book.
If you haven't read my book yet, I can assure you that you don't need to have studied Shakespeare nor seen the play (or movie) to understand the book. And if you have read the book but failed to see any connection with Shakespeare, that's fine too. I didn't want Shakespeare front and centre, and many people have never heard of, read or seen Othello (or anything by the bard).
And if you're anything like me, you probably only heard about Shakespeare from the lips of pontificating snobs, and therefore did your best to avoid it. I sympathise.
But snobs don't own Shakespeare (they just think they do), and his timeless themes are the perfect ingredient for thrillers and dramas. And everything's better when you throw zombies into the mix.
Othello, the play, is set in Venice in the 17th Century, and Othello, the character, is a Moorish General serving in the Duke's army. These days, it's fashionable to make the character black, but in the past Othello was considered an Arab. There's still controversy over whether he's black or not, but considering his title of Moor (from Morocco), he is likely a Muslim, which is a factor that's rarely discussed. As he's also fighting against the Turks on behalf of the Venetians, he would also be, in the eyes of the Arab world, a traitor. The basic point about Othello, then, is that he's an outsider, and he knows it. He's been winning battles for years, but he's still insecure about his status, and what others may think about him, and he gets easily paranoid.
Iago is his trusted lieutenant. Passed over for promotion, he secretly expresses his hatred of Othello, and plots to have his revenge on him.
Although the play is called Othello, it's really about Iago. He's a dastardly plotter, pretending to be loyal while playing people against each other. Understanding Othello's insecurities well, he exploits them by manipulating him with doubts and whispered gossip, until Othello goes mad with rage and kills his own lover. Iago's intelligence, and the way he deftly pulls Othello's strings, drive the plot.
If Othello were to survive such a thing, it's quite possible that he'd learn never to trust anyone again. And so it is with Breht, whom we see at the beginning of the book remembering the events that led to him being alone in the apocalypse. His experience, and his betrayal, have left him colder. But he also wonders why his 'Iago' betrayed him.
Because in Shakespeare's play, it's not really all that clear why Iago hates Othello so much. He's served with him for years. They've fought battles together. Being passed over for promotion shouldn't have been that big of a deal - certainly not enough to get involved in a lengthy scheme of lies and murder. Was Iago ever really Othello's friend? Iago proves to be ambitious - maybe his bond with Othello was always false, simply using him as a means to an end. Iago's deviousness is so slick that it has to be part of his character. And he's known to all as 'honest Iago', which implies that he's pulled the wool over everyone's eyes, and is, and has always been, the opposite.
But he's a rogue, which makes him a good antagonist. And that's how I've portrayed him.
Labels: gay, othello, shakespeare and zombies
Rob Lopez
Author of Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic fiction. Welcome to my website.
WTF? Kingsglaive: A Final Fantasy movie
Solar Storm Is Out Now
Amazon and Amazon UK The biggest solar flare since the 1859 Carrington Event is about to bring the world to its knees.
Solar Dawn
Solar Dawn, the third book in the Survival EMP series, is now available on pre-order for just 99c at Amazon and Amazon UK . The book goe...
Dinosaurs ate my ebook
Yay, the digital revolution is here. The era of paper and cardboard books is over and soon everyone will be reading stories on their port...
© Rob Lopez. Awesome Inc. theme. Powered by Blogger.


text:
You are exporting:
This order will be exported using the default fund codes assigned to each branch, and
Override the fund code defaults for the export
User fund code
Close this order after export
Quirk Canadian Backlist Promo Fall 2018 Halloween
Default PDFs
Series: Interactive Mysteries Dracula's Heir Hardcover Sam Stall 9781594742859 $24.95 FICTION Aug 01, 2008
In 1897, Archibald Constable & Company published Bram Stoker's Dracula, the most famous horror novel of all time. For reasons still debated by scholars, the first chapter of Dracula was cut from the book just weeks before publication. Here, it becomes the central clue in a spine-tingling original interactive mystery. Dracula's Heir begins 10 years after the horrific events described in the original novel. Jonathan and Mina Harker are happily married and enjoying life in Bixby, England. Meanwhile, their friend Dr. John Seward is tracking a str... + Read More
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Paperback Ransom Riggs 9781594746031 $11.99 YOUNG ADULT FICTION Age (years) from 14 Jun 04, 2013
Read the #1 New York Times best-selling series before it continues in A Map of Days. Includes an excerpt from Hollow City and an interview with author Ransom Riggs A mysterious island.
An abandoned orphanage.
A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the... + Read More
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Hollow City The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Paperback Ransom Riggs 9781594747359 $11.99 YOUNG ADULT FICTION Age (years) from 14 Feb 24, 2015
Read the sequel to the New York Times #1 best-selling book.Bonus features: • Sneak preview of the third Peculiar Children novel • Exclusive Q&A with Ransom Riggs • Never-before-seen peculiar photographyLike its predecessor, this second novel in the Peculiar Children series blends thrilling fantasy with vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience.September 3, 1940. Ten peculiar children flee an army of deadly monsters. And only one person can help them—but she's trapped in the body of a bird. The extraordinary journey that b... + Read More
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Library of Souls The Third Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Hardcover Ransom Riggs 9781594747588 $20.99 YOUNG ADULT FICTION Age (years) from 14 Sep 22, 2015
The New York Times #1 best-selling series. The movie adaptation of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is now a major motion picture from visionary director Tim Burton, starring Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Ella Purnell, Samuel L. Jackson, and Judi Dench.Like its predecessors, Library of Souls blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience. A boy with extraordinary powers. An army of deadly monsters. An epic battle for the future of peculiardom. The adventure that... + Read More
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Boxed Set Undefined Ransom Riggs 9781594748387 $62.97 YOUNG ADULT FICTION Age (years) from 14 Oct 20, 2015
Includes 3 hardcover novels by Ransom Riggs and 12 collectible peculiar photographs. The #1 New York Times Best Seller is now a major motion picture from visionary director Tim Burton, starring Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Ella Purnell, Samuel L. Jackson, and Judi Dench. Together for the first time, here is the #1 New York Times best seller Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and its two sequels, Hollow City and Library of Souls. All three hardcovers are packaged in a beautifully designed slipcase. Also included: a special collector's... + Read More
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Movie Tie-In Edition) Media tie-in Paperback Ransom Riggs 9781594749025 $12.99 YOUNG ADULT FICTION Age (years) from 14 Aug 02, 2016
Read the #1 New York Times best-selling series before it continues in A Map of Days. Bonus features • Q&A with author Ransom Riggs • Eight pages of color stills from the film • Sneak preview of Hollow City, the next novel in the series A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of peculiar photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy se... + Read More
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Miss Peregrine's Journal for Peculiar Children Diary Ransom Riggs 9781594749407 $16.99 YOUNG ADULT FICTION Age (years) from 14 Aug 30, 2016
Record your thoughts or create your own peculiar stories in this beautifully designed journal, filled with vintage black-and-white photos and quotes from all three novels in the Peculiar Children series. Life is full of surprises. Things are rarely what they seem. We all have secret hidden talents. These are some of the lessons that Miss Peregrine's students learn, sometimes the hard way. You may not have an ymbryne as your guide, but now you can map your days, record your most peculiar thoughts, and bare your second soul in this beautifully ... + Read More
Series: Pride and Prej. and Zombies Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Paperback Jane Austen 9781594743344 $16.95 FICTION Mar 01, 2009
The New York Times best seller is now a major motion picture starring Lily James and Sam Riley, with Matt Smith, Charles Dance, and Lena Headey. Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an audacious retelling of English literature's most enduring novel. This expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem begins when a mysterious plague falls upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead ar... + Read More
Series: Pride and Prej. and Zombies Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Deluxe Heirloom Edition Hardcover Jane Austen 9781594744518 $27.95 FICTION Oct 01, 2009
The New York Times best seller is now a major motion picture starring Lily James and Sam Riley, with Matt Smith, Charles Dance, and Lena Headey. This deluxe heirloom edition includes a new preface by coauthor Seth Grahame-Smith, thirteen oil painting illustrations by Roberto Parada, and a fascinating afterword by Dr. Allen Grove of Alfred University—plus 30 percent more zombies!Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an audacious retelling of English li... + Read More
Series: Pride and Prej. and Zombies Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls Paperback Steve Hockensmith 9781594744549 $14.95 FICTION Mar 01, 2010
Complete with romance, action, comedy, and an army of shambling corpses, this prequel to the hit mash-up novel will have Jane Austen rolling in her grave—or crawling out of it! Four years before the events of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the Bennet sisters are enjoying a peaceful life in the English countryside, reading, gardening, and daydreaming about future husbands—until a funeral at the local parish goes strangely and horribly awry. Suddenly, corpses are springing from the soft earth—and only one family can stop them. As the bodies ... + Read More
Series: Pride and Prej. and Zombies Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After Paperback Steve Hockensmith 9781594745027 $14.95 FICTION Mar 22, 2011
Complete with romance, heartbreak, martial arts, cannibalism, and an army of shambling corpses, Dreadfully Ever After brings the story of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to a thrilling conclusion.When we last saw Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy—at the end of the New York Times best seller Pride and Prejudice and Zombies—they were preparing for a lifetime of wedded bliss. Yet the honeymoon has barely begun when poor Mr. Darcy is nipped by a rampaging dreadful. Elizabeth knows the only acceptable course of action is to promptly behead her ... + Read More
Series: Pride and Prej. and Zombies Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Movie Tie-in Edition) Media tie-in Paperback Jane Austen 9781594748899 $16.95 FICTION Dec 15, 2015
The New York Times best seller is now a major motion picture starring Lily James and Sam Riley, with Matt Smith, Charles Dance, and Lena Headey. This movie tie-in edition features sixteen pages of color stills from the film, a reading group discussion guide, and other bonus materials. Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an audacious retelling of English literature's most enduring novel. This expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featur... + Read More
Series: Quirk Classics Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters Paperback Jane Austen 9781594744426 $14.95 FICTION Sep 01, 2009
From the publisher of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies comes a new tale of romance, heartbreak, and tentacled mayhem. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters expands the original text of the beloved Jane Austen novel with all-new scenes of giant lobsters, rampaging octopi, two-headed sea serpents, and other biological monstrosities. As our story opens, the Dashwood sisters are evicted from their childhood home and sent to live on a mysterious island full of savage creatures and dark secrets. While sensible Elinor falls in love with Edward Ferr... + Read More
Series: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #1: Professor Gargoyle Hardcover Charles Gilman 9781594745911 $14.99 JUVENILE FICTION Age (years) from 9 - 12 Sep 25, 2012
"Two-headed monsters, giant tentacles, angry demons – Lovecraft Middle School is great creepy fun!"–Ransom Riggs, author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Strange things are happening at Lovecraft Middle School. Rats are leaping from lockers. Students are disappearing. The school library is a labyrinth of secret corridors. And the science teacher is acting very peculiar – in fact, he just might be a monster-in-disguise. Twelve-year-old Robert Arthur knew that seventh grade was going to be weird, but this is ridiculous! Profes... + Read More
Series: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #2: The Slither Sisters Hardcover Charles Gilman 9781594745935 $14.99 JUVENILE FICTION Age (years) from 9 - 12 Jan 15, 2013
"Two-headed monsters, giant tentacles, angry demons – Lovecraft Middle School is great creepy fun!" –Ransom Riggs, author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children This second novel in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Professor Gargoyle ended. Seventh-grader Robert Arthur has discovered that two of his classmates are actually sinister snake-women in disguise. Even worse, his new middle school is full of "gates" to a terrifying alternate dimension – a haunted mansion full of strange spirits and monstrous b... + Read More
Series: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #3: Teacher's Pest Hardcover Charles Gilman 9781594746147 $14.99 JUVENILE FICTION Age (years) from 9 - 12 May 07, 2013
"Two-headed monsters, giant tentacles, angry demons—Lovecraft Middle School is great creepy fun!" —Ransom Riggs, author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children DON'T BE FOOLED by his friendly smile, his perfect manners, or his shiny red apple. Student council president Howard Mergler is actually a sinister bug-monster in disguise—and he's summoning swarms of roaches, wasps, fleas, and head lice into the corridors of Lovecraft Middle School! Twelve-year-old Robert Arthur is the only student who can stop him—but he'll need help from his... + Read More
Series: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #4: Substitute Creature Hardcover Charles Gilman 9781594746406 $14.99 JUVENILE FICTION Age (years) from 9 - 12 Sep 24, 2013
It's Valentine's Day and a monstrous blizzard has descended upon Lovecraft Middle School, trapping twelve-year-old Robert Arthur inside the building! He and his companions have no choice but to spend the night—while snacking on cafeteria food, sleeping on the gymnasium floor, facing off against a sinister substitute teacher, and thwarting an army of abominable beasts.This fourth novel in the Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Teacher's Pest ended—with more action, more adventure, and more outrageous monsters!Story Locale: (the fi... + Read More
Series: Warren the 13th Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye A Novel Hardcover Tania del Rio 9781594748035 $17.95 JUVENILE FICTION Age (years) from 10 Nov 24, 2015
A beautifully illustrated, action-packed middle grade adventure in the spirit of Edward Gorey and Tim Burton.With fantastic Victorian-esque design, fast-paced action, and plenty of puzzles to solve, this middle grade mystery is a fun and engaging read for even the most reluctant readers. Warren the 13th is the lone bellhop, valet, groundskeeper, and errand boy of his family's ancient hotel. The strange, shadowy mansion is full of crooked corridors and mysterious riddles—and it just might be home to a magical treasure known as the All-Seeing Eye... + Read More
Series: William Shakespeare's Star Wars William Shakespeare's Star Wars Hardcover Ian Doescher 9781594746376 $15.95 FICTION Jul 02, 2013
Experience the Star Wars saga reimagined as an Elizabethan drama penned by William Shakespeare himself, complete with authentic meter and verse, and theatrical monologues and dialogue by everyone from Darth Vader to R2D2.Return once more to a galaxy far, far away with this sublime retelling of George Lucas's epic Star Wars in the style of the immortal Bard of Avon. The saga of a wise (Jedi) knight and an evil (Sith) lord, of a beautiful princess held captive and a young hero coming of age, Star Wars abounds with all the valor and villainy of Sh... + Read More
Series: William Shakespeare's Star Wars William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back Star Wars Part the Fifth Hardcover Ian Doescher 9781594747151 $15.95 FICTION Mar 18, 2014
Experience the Star Wars saga reimagined as an Elizabethan drama penned by William Shakespeare himself, complete with authentic meter and verse, and theatrical monologues and dialogue by everyone from Yoda to a hungry wampa.Many a fortnight have passed since the destruction of the Death Star. Young Luke Skywalker and his friends have taken refuge on the ice planet of Hoth, where the evil Darth Vader has hatched a cold-blooded plan to capture them. Only with the help of a little green Jedi Master—and a swaggering rascal named Lando Calrissian—ca... + Read More
Series: William Shakespeare's Star Wars William Shakespeare's The Jedi Doth Return Star Wars Part the Sixth Hardcover Ian Doescher 9781594747137 $15.95 FICTION Jul 01, 2014
Experience the Star Wars saga reimagined as an Elizabethan drama penned by William Shakespeare himself, complete with authentic meter and verse, and theatrical monologues and dialogue by everyone from C3PO to Admiral Ackbar.Prithee, attend the tale so far: Han Solo entombed in carbonite, the princess taken captive, the Rebel Alliance besieged, and Jabba the Hutt engorged. Alack! Now Luke Skywalker and his Rebel band must seek fresh allies in their quest to thwart construction of a new Imperial Death Star. But whom can they trust to fight by the... + Read More
Series: William Shakespeare's Star Wars William Shakespeare's Star Wars Trilogy: The Royal Imperial Boxed Set Includes Verily, A New Hope; The Empire Striketh Back; The Jedi Doth Return; and an 8-by-34-inch full-color poster Undefined Ian Doescher 9781594747915 $47.85 FICTION Oct 28, 2014
Experience the Star Wars saga reimagined as an Elizabethan drama penned by William Shakespeare himself, complete with authentic meter and verse, and theatrical monologues and dialogue by everyone from Darth Vader to R2D2.This Royal Imperial Boxed Set includes all three volumes in the original trilogy: Verily, A New Hope; The Empire Striketh Back; and The Jedi Doth Return. Also included is an 8-by-34-inch full-color poster illustrating the complete cast and company of this glorious production.Authentic meter, stage directions, reimagined movie s... + Read More
Series: William Shakespeare's Star Wars William Shakespeare's The Phantom of Menace Star Wars Part the First Hardcover Ian Doescher 9781594748066 $15.95 FICTION Apr 07, 2015
Experience the Star Wars saga reimagined as an Elizabethan drama penned by William Shakespeare himself, complete with authentic meter and verse, and theatrical monologues and dialogue by everyone from Darth Maul to Obi-Wan Kenobi.The entire saga starts here, with a thrilling tale featuring a disguised queen, a young hero, and two fearless knights facing a hidden, vengeful enemy. Authentic meter, stage directions, reimagined movie scenes and dialogue, and hidden Easter eggs throughout will entertain and impress fans of Star Wars and Shakespeare ... + Read More
Series: William Shakespeare's Star Wars William Shakespeare's The Clone Army Attacketh Star Wars Part the Second Hardcover Ian Doescher 9781594748073 $15.95 FICTION Jul 07, 2015
Experience the Star Wars saga reimagined as an Elizabethan drama penned by William Shakespeare himself, complete with authentic meter and verse, and theatrical monologues and dialogue by everyone from Padmé Amidala to Mace Windu.To Shmi or not to Shmi? Torn between duty to the Jedi, attraction to Padmé, and concern for his beloved mother, yeoman Jedi Anakin Skywalker struggles to be master of his fate. The path he chooses will determine not just his own destiny, but that of the entire Republic. And thereby hangs a tale.Authentic meter, stage di... + Read More
Series: William Shakespeare's Star Wars William Shakespeare's Tragedy of the Sith's Revenge Star Wars Part the Third Hardcover Ian Doescher 9781594748080 $15.95 FICTION Sep 08, 2015
Experience the Star Wars saga reimagined as an Elizabethan drama penned by William Shakespeare himself, complete with authentic meter and verse, and theatrical monologues and dialogue by everyone from Bail Organa to Count Dooku.Something is rotten in the state of Coruscant! The schemes of Emperor Palpatine come to fruition as Padmé Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and the other Jedi duel against the clone troopers of General Grievious and the nascent Empire.Authentic meter, stage directions, reimagined movie scenes and dialogue, and hidden Easter... + Read More
Series: How to Survive a Horror Movie Paperback Seth Grahame-Smith 9781594741791 $16.95 PERFORMING ARTS May 01, 2007
Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid. From ghosts, vampires, and zombies to serial killers, cannibalistic hillbillies, and haunted Japanese videocassettes, How to Survive a Horror Movie shows how to defeat every obstacle found in scary films. Readers will discover: • How to Perform an Exorcism • What to Do If You Did Something Last Summer • How to Persuade the Skeptical Local Sheriff • How to Vanquish a Murderous Doll • How to Survive an Alien Invasion • How to Tell If You've Been Dead Since the Beginning of the Mov... + Read More
Series: Bedbugs A Novel of Infestation Paperback Ben H. Winters 9781594745232 $16.95 FICTION Sep 06, 2011
FOR RENT: Top two floors of beautifully renovated brownstone, 1300 sq. ft., 2BR 2BA, eat-in kitchen, one block to parks and playgrounds. No broker's fee.Susan and Alex Wendt have found their dream apartment.Sure, the landlady is a little eccentric. And the elderly handyman drops some cryptic remarks about the basement. But the rent is so low, it's too good to pass up.Big mistake. Susan soon discovers that her new home is crawling with bedbugs . . . or is it? She awakens every morning with fresh bites, but neither Alex nor their daughter Emma ha... + Read More
Series: The Zombie Tarot An Oracle of the Undead with Deck and Instructions Cards Paul Kepple 9781594745690 $19.95 BODY, MIND & SPIRIT Jun 05, 2012
You've never seen tarot cards quite like these. Imagine the celebrated "Rider Deck" infused with the horrors of Night of the Living Dead, and the result is The Zombie Tarot—a crazy, campy interpretation of a classic divination system. In this zombified parallel universe, wands become limbs, pentacles are biohazard symbols, and the Major Arcana is full of shambling corpses. Along with the 78-card deck, readers will receive instructions in a 96-page full-color book; its contents explain how to survive the zombie apocalypse and forecast your futur... + Read More
Series: The Resurrectionist The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black Hardcover E. B. Hudspeth 9781594746161 $26.95 FICTION May 21, 2013
Philadelphia, the late 1870s. A city of gas lamps, cobblestone streets, and horse-drawn carriages—and home to the controversial surgeon Dr. Spencer Black. The son of a grave robber, young Dr. Black studies at Philadelphia's esteemed Academy of Medicine, where he develops an unconventional hypothesis: What if the world's most celebrated mythological beasts—mermaids, minotaurs, and satyrs—were in fact the evolutionary ancestors of humankind? The Resurrectionist offers two extraordinary books in one. The first is a fictional biography of Dr. Sp... + Read More
Series: 100 Ghosts A Gallery of Harmless Haunts Hardcover Doogie Horner 9781594746475 $10.95 HUMOR Sep 10, 2013
Cut two eyeholes out of a bed sheet, and BOO! You've scared yourself up a classic Halloween icon. But what does that ghost look like when he's shy? Or in love? Or a pirate, a llama, a bond villain, or Russian nesting doll? 100 Ghosts explores every sort of spook in a series of whimsically haunting illustrations. It's a delightful collection for adults, children, and anyone in need of a friendly fright.
Series: Horrorstor A Novel Paperback Grady Hendrix 9781594745263 $14.95 FICTION Sep 23, 2014
A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, Horrorstör comes packaged in the form of a glossy mail order catalog, complete with product illustrations, a home delivery order form, and a map of Orsk's labyrinthine showroom.Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking. To ... + Read More
Series: My Best Friend's Exorcism A Novel Hardcover Grady Hendrix 9781594748622 $21.99 FICTION May 17, 2016
An unholy hybrid of Beaches and The Exorcist that blends teen angst, adolescent drama, unspeakable horrors, and a mix of '80s pop songs into a pulse-pounding supernatural thrillerThe year is 1988. High school sophomores Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fourth grade. But after an evening of skinny-dipping goes disastrously wrong, Gretchen begins to act…different. She's moody. She's irritable. And bizarre incidents keep happening whenever she's nearby. Abby's investigation leads her to some startling discoveries—and by the time thei... + Read More
Series: Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge A Novel Paperback Paul Krueger 9781594747595 $17.99 FICTION Jun 07, 2016
In this sharp and funny urban fantasy novel, booze is magic, demons are real, and millennial Bailey Chen joins a band of monster-fighting Chicago bartenders instead of finding a "real" post-college job. Bailey Chen is fresh out of college with all the usual new-adult demons: no cash, no job offers, and an awkward relationship with Zane, the old friend she kinda-sorta hooked up with during high school. But when Zane introduces Bailey to his monster-fighting bartender friends, her demons become a lot more literal. It turns out that evil creat... + Read More
Series: Creepy Cute Crochet Zombies, Ninjas, Robots, and More! Hardcover Christen Haden 9781594742323 $16.95 CRAFTS & HOBBIES Apr 01, 2008
Attack of the Cute! Creepy Cute Crochet features more than 20 unique patterns for totally loveable zombies, ninjas, Vikings, vampires, aliens, robots, and even Death himself. Each easy-to-follow pattern is presented with step-by-step diagrams, hilarious commentary, and full-color photographs of the bloodcurdlingly sweet creatures in their natural environments. Creepy Cute Crochet comes complete with helpful crochet tips and a down-and-dirty course in doll making, with each pattern ranked by difficulty level, so even beginners can share in the... + Read More
Series: Witch Craft Wicked Accessories, Creepy-Cute Toys, Magical Treats, and More! Hardcover Margaret Mcguire 9781594744860 $16.95 CRAFTS & HOBBIES Oct 01, 2010
Double, double, toil and trouble! The instructions in Witch Craft will help you conjure up 25 totally wicked treasures—everything from vampire bite necklaces to graveyard cupcakes. You'll also find tips and tricks for transforming found objects and everyday items into wonderfully witchy treats.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Don't leave your workplaces: Health Minister to expats
·December 1, 2021
Amid the global scare over the new 'Omicron' variant of coronavirus, Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Wednesday urged the expatriates, especially those who are living in Africa, to avoid travel and stay in their respective workplaces.
"People coming from Africa must undergo a14-day quarantine. If 20,000 people from Africa come to the country at a time then it won't be possible to put them under institutional quarantine," he said.
The minister came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after a programme at the auditorium of Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) in the city.
If anyone comes to Bangladesh he or she must show his or her Covid negative report done 48 hours before departure which was 72 hours earlier, he said.
If anyone fails to show Covid test report, then the travellers must stay in an institutional quarantine for 48 hours, he added.
The hotels which were used for institutional quarantine before have resumed their normal activities but now they have been requested to rearrange quarantine centers, said Maleque.
Omicron has spread in different parts of Africa and the new variant has been detected in some European countries, including the UK.
The World Health Organization warned Monday that the global risk from the omicron variant is "very high" based on the early evidence, saying the mutated coronavirus could lead to surges with "severe consequences."
The assessment from the UN health agency, contained in a technical paper issued to member states, amounted to WHO's strongest, most explicit warning yet about the new version that was first identified days ago by researchers in South Africa, reports AP.
Two cousins die after falling off rooftop in Dhaka
Russian coronavirus-denying ex-monk sentenced to 7 years
Momen inaugurates two new units of M.A.G. Osmani Medical College and Hospital
Kibria murder: 18 years on, trial deferred repeatedly due to lack of witnesses
Bangladesh sees 12 more Covid cases, zero death
Bangladesh reports two more dengue cases


text:
Tag Archives: Arnold Schwarzenegger
"I'll Be Home For Christmas" by Kristin Chenoweth (Amazon Advent Calendar day 13)
A Lovely Way To Spend Christmas
This is probably the perfect time to slot in a song like this. It's a modern recording of a Christmas classic, sung so very sweetly. Yes, it's Kristin Chenoweth. Even when she's singing an angry tune about throwing out a wretch of a boyfriend and vowing to never allow his presence to darken her thoughts ever again…it's Sweetly Angry. As the boyfriend, you'd feel like it's best to just pick up all of your clothes and books and CDs off of the front lawn, get them into the trunk of the car, retreat to Panera for a few hours and then circle back and try to fix the situation.
(But if you drove past and saw a smoking slab in the driveway that used to be your Playstation 3, you'd probably conclude that it'd be best to keep on driving and try again later, maybe after catching a movie.)
Why is this weekend the exact right time to put this song into the lineup? Oh, I can give you three reasons. I can also slightly draw this introduction out, to make absolutely certain that the album artwork doesn't interfere with the formatting of the list.
Okay, we should now be clear to proceed:
It's the first weekend after the Thanksgiving holiday, and many of us are probably spending some of this time tending to holiday advance-prep. I myself put a half-gallon of apple cider in the fridge the other day, anticipating that this would be the big weekend that I set up my Bachelor Tree.
Not only is "I'll Be Home For Christmas" a timeless Christmas classic, but it's also a timely reminder to book your reservations early if you're traveling over the holidays.
It's still three weeks before Christmas, and we haven't yet begun that slow transition from Grinch Personality Mode to Cindy Lou Who Personality Mode.
…Which means that I can cave in to my three-sizes-too-small sentiments and complain about these bastards at the record companies who know damned well that there's only one good song on the CD, and cynically refuse to sell it to you online unless you buy the whole album.
I speak not of this track, of course (which you can purchase all by itself). I speak of Chenoweth's fantastic rendition of "O Holy Night." It's the gold wedding ring that got dropped into the dark, rank grease trap known as "Deck The Halls (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)."
Yes, of course it was a terrible movie. What a question!
It stars Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick. And if this were the 80's, that'd be terrific news. As-is, it's not a warning per se but suffice to say that we will study the trailer carefully before making a buying decision.
And oh, dear…there it is: the scene in which "Dad" is inside, or clinging on top of, an improbable and out-of-control vehicle or contraption, screaming and flying through the air.
Another:
It's such a common sign of an actor's desperate need to begin Act Three of his career that I wonder if it doesn't amount to a "suicide by cop" sort of tactic on the part of the actor or his agent. That is, he doesn't have the courage to pull the trigger and end all pretensions of still being able to carry an entire movie by himself, so he has critics, audiences, and executives do it for him. Mark my words: ten years from now, there'll be a movie trailer in which Johnny Depp will be seen riding an out-of-control rocket-propelled snowmobile over a snowbank and straight into a septic truck as his adorable kids look on.
(Honestly, it's the best thing. The actor takes a few years off and then, free from the pressure to keep earning those A-list paychecks, he can begin his highly successful Act Three. He'll re-emerge, usually as a producer of some well-regarded TV shows and as a strong supporting actor in independent dramas.)
Sorry…let's get back to this song. The "Deck The Halls" soundtrack CD consists of 13 holiday songs. Eight of them are forgettable. Four of the rest are nice, but they're so familiar that if you want to hear them you hardly need to actually spend any money. You pretty much just need to stand near a speaker placed in any public spot where more than nine people are likely to gather.
And then there's Track 9: Kristin Chenoweth's rendition of "O Holy Night." It's one of the loveliest versions I've ever heard. I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Ah: but it can only be purchased as part of the complete album.
Friends, there have been times when I've gone into a transaction knowing full well that I was being rooked. That this was a badger game. That this company or individual's entire business plan was based on the concept that they could indeed push around people like me — humble, hardworking men and women, who work the land with their bare hands and are responsible for putting the food on America's tables — get away with it.
Once, I ran out of gas on the highway, called AAA (if you're a member, they'll send a truck out free of charge), and then when the truck operator told me he didn't have any change on him, I pretended to believe him…and that I was delighted to tip him $15 for the $5 worth of gas he'd just put in my car.
Once, I bought an unlocked phone which, no matter how hard I tried, couldn't connect to AT&T's digital network. After lots of runaround with Customer Service, and ultimately speaking to an engineer who'd been working there so long that he had been there through two different corporate takeovers and renamings, I learned that the solution was simply to swap my original 16K SIM card for a new 64K one. When I got back in touch with Customer Service and they told me that they couldn't give me a new SIM without putting me on a one-year contract, I was angry, and I told them that I might switch to another carrier over this, but ultimately I agreed to the new contract.
(OK, yes, it helped that I already knew that AT&T was almost definitely going to become the exclusive carrier of Apple's upcoming and unnamed new iPod Phone.)
But — my comrades — I cannot bring myself to allow the record industry to make me pay ten dollars for a song that should only cost $1.29, maximum.
The line has been drawn…HERE.
Listen to "I'll Be Home For Christmas" on the Amazon MP3 Store.
As usual, my Amazon Associates ID is embedded in that link. Anything you buy during that shopping session will result in a small kickback to me in the form of Amazon gift credits…which I will then spend on foolish and wonderful things.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Amazon Advent Calendar 2010, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Christmas, Kristin Chenoweth, Matthew Broderick, mp3, Music, Robin Williams on December 4, 2010 by Ihnatko.


text:
Unituitionfees
Work and Live in Canada
Canada offers many opportunities to immigrates or settle down to Canada. For those who want to immigrate or settle down in Canada, there are different programs to consider. Immigrants can choose to enter the country via either employment or study programs. The choice of program to follow depends on the kind of experience an individual has and the skills they have acquired. There are various programs to choose from. Among the most common programs is the Provincial Nominee Program, the Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the International Mobility Programs.
If an individual is considering working in Canada, he or she should consider the work and living conditions in Canada. Canada is a very desirable location for expatriates and immigrants because it offers a variety of benefits and advantages. In addition to that, Canada offers very competitive salaries and benefits compared to wages and benefits in the United States. Canada's economy is also highly diversified, which means that any person coming to Canada can benefit from the benefits offered by the country's various industries. Moreover, Canada has a very high quality of life with excellent health care and social services available. In fact, Canada's work and living conditions are considered to be much better than in the United States.
An immigrant may choose to work and live in Canada by applying for a PN or provincial Nominee. A practitioner is a foreign national who is registered with the province in which he or she plans to reside permanently. A practitioner may work in one of the following three regions in Canada: Ontario, Quebec, or New Brunswick. These three regions boast various employers that offer work and residence permits. An individual who wants to apply for a PN must first consult an immigration consultant to assess his or her needs and requirements.
To work and live in Canada, an individual can apply for a work visa for immigration. To apply for a work visa, an applicant must have his or her qualifications verified by the Canadian immigration authorities. Requirements usually depend on the province in which the applicant lives. To work and live in Canada, an individual may also register with the province's employment registry.
The work permit will enable the worker to work legally in Canada without having to leave his or her country of origin. The work permit will enable the worker to reside and work in Canada. There are several types of work permits available in Canada. The type of work permit that an individual receives depends on the employer's policy regarding employment skills. The types of work permits that the individual obtains depend on the location in which he or she plans to reside and works.
Work and live in Canada cannot be taken lightly. It requires extensive planning and preparation. Prior to immigrating to Canada, it is essential to gather all the required documents and information. One of the most important documents that should be gathered in the application and displace application. Once all the necessary documents are gathered, the applicant should then proceed to the immigration assessment form. This form is completed according to the instructions on the form and is used to determine if the applicant fulfils the eligibility criteria set out by the immigration authorities.
Related Items:Immigrate to Canada, Work and Live in Canada
How to Get Canada Permanent Residency Visa
How to Immigrate to Canada as an Investor
How to Get a Canada Immigration Lawyer
How to Immigrate to Canada
How to Get a Canadian Work Permit
Recruitment for Fruit Pickers in Canada
Recruitment for Forklift Operator in Canada
Recruitment for Waiters in Canada
Housekeeper Jobs in Canada
Flight Attendant Jobs in Canada
Unituitionfees.com is a blog website that helps people with the information they need to start their Canadian Visa Process and Secure a job in Canada
Copyright © 2019 - 2021 Unituition Fees. Website by YusadTech Themes.
$(".comment-click-60").on("click", function(){ $(".com-click-id-60").show(); $(".disqus-thread-60").show(); $(".com-but-60").hide(); }); // Infinite Scroll $('.infinite-content').infinitescroll({ navSelector: ".nav-links", nextSelector: ".nav-links a:first", itemSelector: ".infinite-post", loading: { msgText: "Loading more posts...", finishedMsg: "Sorry, no more posts" }, errorCallback: function(){ $(".inf-more-but").css("display", "none") } }); $(window).unbind('.infscr'); $(".inf-more-but").click(function(){ $('.infinite-content').infinitescroll('retrieve'); return false; }); $(window).load(function(){ if ($('.nav-links a').length) { $('.inf-more-but').css('display','inline-block'); } else { $('.inf-more-but').css('display','none'); } }); $(window).load(function() { // The slider being synced must be initialized first $('.post-gallery-bot').flexslider({ animation: "slide", controlNav: false, animationLoop: true, slideshow: false, itemWidth: 80, itemMargin: 10, asNavFor: '.post-gallery-top' }); $('.post-gallery-top').flexslider({ animation: "fade", controlNav: false, animationLoop: true, slideshow: false, prevText: "<", nextText: ">", sync: ".post-gallery-bot" }); }); });


The Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs at Indiana University has released the first diversity assessment reports for IU Bloomington and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
In the fall of 2015, IU engaged outside consultants Halualani & Associates to conduct a university-wide, objective and comprehensive diversity assessment in support of the university's commitment to creating a diverse, engaged, multicultural academic community.
"The assessments will be used to establish a baseline measurement in the areas of diversity achievement and progress, and to provide information that helps further and expand the university's efforts in this area," said James Wimbush, IU's vice president for diversity, equity and multicultural affairs.
Last year, Halualani & Associates examined all diversity efforts completed by divisions, programs and units at IU Bloomington and IUPUI from Jan. 1, 2010, to Oct. 1, 2015. The goal was to identify each campus's commitment to and investment in diversity.
The assessment revealed that IU Bloomington implemented nearly 2,000 diversity efforts and found that 99 percent of those actions were motivated by a desire to create the fullest educational environment around diversity. IUPUI engaged in nearly 1,600 diversity efforts over the same time period.
"From a thorough evaluation of the institutionalized efforts at IU Bloomington and IUPUI, it is clear that both campuses are dedicated to promoting diversity," said Rona T. Halualani, managing principal and founder of Halualani & Associates.
Both campuses are reviewing the reports for strategic prioritization around the recommendations.
Some of that great work was evidenced this fall, when the IU Bloomington campus recruited its strongest, most diverse class in its history. Looking at how students report their own identities at census, and comparing this data with that collected in 2010, 22 percent of this fall's incoming class was composed of domestic students from underrepresented groups. Of those students, 7.1 percent identified as African American, and 7 percent as Hispanic. The total of domestic degree-seeking students from these groups is above 20 percent, and the total for African American enrollment is 6.2 percent.
From 2014 to 2016, the IU Bloomington campus increased funding for historically underrepresented minorities and financially disadvantaged, first-generation students by 20 percent (from $18 million to $22 million) and is planning to increase this funding by 25 percent by 2025, to $27.5 million. The funding covers programs such as Hudson-Holland Scholars, 21st Century Scholars Covenant, Pell Promise and Groups programs.
Diversity is directly tied to IUPUI's pursuit of academic excellence, and the diversity assessment report confirms that IUPUI continues to improve upon its past successes, which include the creation of a strategic plan that reflects the values, aspirations and culture of the campus, as well as a mission statement that supports its strong commitment to diversity. Implementing initiatives based on findings from the 2014 Climate Survey has already begun, including a series of town hall meetings designed to discuss issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Further, results and recommendations of the IUPUI Black/African American Student Recruitment and Retention Task Force commissioned in fall 2015 are being implemented with a focus on achieving 15 percent African American undergraduate student enrollment by 2020. In addition, as the Halualani & Associates report notes, each IUPUI school has diversity plans aimed at student, staff and faculty success and inclusion.
"Those plans are in the process of being revamped with an eye toward meeting everyone where they are or, as scholar Daryl Smith explains, our plans will be 'inclusive and differentiated' because we know diversity is not a one-size-fits-all proposition," said Karen Dace, IUPUI vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Each campus will have a public debriefing on the completed diversity assessment reports. Rona Halualani will address questions and share insights from the diversity mapping assessment at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 29 at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center at IU Bloomington and at 11:30 a.m. March 1 in the University Library Auditorium at IUPUI.
The full report with findings and recommendations can be found online. Halualani & Associates is currently working on diversity mapping reports for IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU Southeast and IU South Bend. The assessment reports are scheduled to be delivered in late May.
The Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs strives to foster an inclusive environment that promotes and nurtures diversity, broadly defined, on all campuses of Indiana University. Its goal is to promote an environment where faculty, staff, students and postdocs can do, as often stated by former IU President Herman B Wells, "their best work." To fulfill its mission, the office strategically focuses on the recruitment and retention of faculty, staff and students; the promotion of a welcoming and positive campus climate; and engagement in outreach and advocacy locally and nationally.


text:
//
//  KBSharedFileList.m
//  KBKit
//
//  Created by Gabriel on 2/23/16.
//  Copyright © 2016 Gabriel Handford. All rights reserved.
//

#import "KBSharedFileList.h"
#import "KBDefines.h"

@implementation KBSharedFileList

+ (void)findLoginItemForURL:(NSURL *)URL completion:(void (^)(LSSharedFileListRef fileListRef, CFArrayRef itemsRef, NSArray */*LSSharedFileListItemRef*/foundItems, NSInteger firstPosition))completion {
  [self findItemForName:nil URL:URL type:kLSSharedFileListSessionLoginItems completion:completion];
}

+ (NSArray *)itemsForType:(CFStringRef)type {
  LSSharedFileListRef fileListRef = LSSharedFileListCreate(NULL, type, NULL);
  if (!fileListRef) return nil;

  UInt32 seed = 0U;
  CFArrayRef itemsRef = LSSharedFileListCopySnapshot(fileListRef, &seed);
  NSArray *items = CFBridgingRelease(itemsRef);
  CFRelease(fileListRef);
  return items;
}

+ (NSArray *)debugItemsForType:(CFStringRef)type {
  LSSharedFileListRef fileListRef = LSSharedFileListCreate(NULL, type, NULL);
  if (!fileListRef) return nil;
  UInt32 seed = 0U;
  CFArrayRef itemsRef = LSSharedFileListCopySnapshot(fileListRef, &seed);
  NSMutableArray *info = [NSMutableArray array];
  for (id item in (__bridge NSArray *)itemsRef) {
    LSSharedFileListItemRef itemRef = (__bridge LSSharedFileListItemRef)item;
    CFStringRef displayNameRef = LSSharedFileListItemCopyDisplayName(itemRef);

    UInt32 resolutionFlags = kLSSharedFileListNoUserInteraction | kLSSharedFileListDoNotMountVolumes;
    CFURLRef URLRef = LSSharedFileListItemCopyResolvedURL(itemRef, resolutionFlags, NULL);
    if (URLRef == NULL) {
      DDLogDebug(@"Trying to resolve URL for %@", itemRef);
      OSStatus err = LSSharedFileListItemResolve(itemRef, resolutionFlags, &URLRef, NULL);
      if (err != noErr || URLRef == NULL) {
        DDLogError(@"No URL for %@", itemRef);
      }
    }
    [info addObject:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"Name: %@, URL: %@ (%@)", displayNameRef, URLRef, itemRef]];
    if (URLRef != NULL) CFRelease(URLRef);
    if (displayNameRef != NULL) CFRelease(displayNameRef);
  }
  CFRelease(itemsRef);
  CFRelease(fileListRef);
  return info;
}

+ (void)findItemForName:(NSString *)name URL:(NSURL *)URL type:(CFStringRef)type completion:(void (^)(LSSharedFileListRef fileListRef, CFArrayRef itemsRef, NSArray */*LSSharedFileListItemRef*/matchedItems, NSInteger firstPosition))completion {
  LSSharedFileListRef fileListRef = LSSharedFileListCreate(NULL, type, NULL);
  if (!fileListRef) return;

  UInt32 seed = 0U;
  NSMutableArray *foundItems = [NSMutableArray array];
  CFArrayRef itemsRef = LSSharedFileListCopySnapshot(fileListRef, &seed);
  NSArray *items = (__bridge NSArray *)itemsRef;
  NSInteger firstPosition = -1;

  NSInteger position = 1;
  for (id itemObject in items) {
    LSSharedFileListItemRef itemRef = (__bridge LSSharedFileListItemRef)itemObject;

    BOOL matched = NO;
    if (name) {
      CFStringRef displayNameRef = LSSharedFileListItemCopyDisplayName(itemRef);
      if (displayNameRef) {
        if ([name isEqual:(__bridge NSString *)(displayNameRef)]) {
          matched = YES;
        }
        CFRelease(displayNameRef);
      }
    }

    if (!matched && URL) {
      // On El Capitan, the URLRef is null if the mount or path is invalid
      UInt32 resolutionFlags = kLSSharedFileListNoUserInteraction | kLSSharedFileListDoNotMountVolumes;
      CFErrorRef errorRef;
      CFURLRef URLRef = LSSharedFileListItemCopyResolvedURL(itemRef, resolutionFlags, &errorRef);
      if (URLRef) {
        NSURL *itemURL = (__bridge NSURL *)URLRef;
        if ([URL isEqual:itemURL]) {
          matched = YES;
        }
        if (URLRef != nil) {
          CFRelease(URLRef);
        }
      }
    }

    if (matched) {
      [foundItems addObject:(__bridge id _Nonnull)(itemRef)];
      if (firstPosition == -1) firstPosition = position;
    }
    position++;
  }

  completion(fileListRef, itemsRef, foundItems, firstPosition);

  CFRelease(itemsRef);
  CFRelease(fileListRef);
}

+ (void)findItemAtPosition:(NSInteger)position type:(CFStringRef)type completion:(void (^)(LSSharedFileListItemRef itemRef))completion {
  if (position < 1) {
    completion(kLSSharedFileListItemBeforeFirst);
    return;
  }

  LSSharedFileListRef fileListRef = LSSharedFileListCreate(NULL, type, NULL);
  if (!fileListRef) return;
  UInt32 seed = 0U;
  CFArrayRef itemsRef = LSSharedFileListCopySnapshot(fileListRef, &seed);
  NSArray *items = (__bridge NSArray *)itemsRef;
  if (position > [items count]) {
    completion(kLSSharedFileListItemLast);
    return;
  }
  LSSharedFileListItemRef itemRef = (__bridge LSSharedFileListItemRef)[items objectAtIndex:position-1];
  completion(itemRef);
  CFRelease(itemsRef);
  CFRelease(fileListRef);
}

+ (BOOL)setEnabled:(BOOL)enabled URL:(NSURL *)URL name:(NSString *)name type:(CFStringRef)type position:(NSInteger)position error:(NSError **)error {
  __block BOOL changed = NO;
  __block NSError *bError = nil;
  // Good to use name to match (since on El Capitan the URL can be invalid)
  [self findItemForName:name URL:URL type:type completion:^(LSSharedFileListRef fileListRef, CFArrayRef itemsRef, NSArray */*LSSharedFileListItemRef*/matchedItems, NSInteger firstPosition) {
    // If not enabling, clear all matched items.
    // If matchedItems count is > 1, then let's clear the found items, and re-add a single item, which fixes an issue with duplicates.
    if (!enabled || [matchedItems count] > 1) {
      for (id item in matchedItems) {
        changed = YES;
        LSSharedFileListItemRemove(fileListRef, (__bridge LSSharedFileListItemRef)item);
      }
      matchedItems = [NSArray array];
    }

    if (enabled && [matchedItems count] == 0) {
      [self findItemAtPosition:position-1 type:type completion:^(LSSharedFileListItemRef insertAfter) {
        LSSharedFileListItemRef itemRef = LSSharedFileListInsertItemURL(fileListRef, insertAfter, (__bridge CFStringRef)name, NULL, (__bridge CFURLRef)URL, NULL, NULL);
        if (!itemRef) {
          bError = KBMakeError(-1, @"Error adding item");
        } else {
          CFRelease(itemRef);
          changed = YES;
        }
      }];
    }
  }];

  if (error) *error = bError;
  return changed;
}

+ (BOOL)isEnabledForURL:(NSURL *)URL type:(CFStringRef)type {
  __block BOOL found;
  [self findItemForName:nil URL:URL type:type completion:^(LSSharedFileListRef fileListRef, CFArrayRef itemsRef, NSArray */*LSSharedFileListItemRef*/matchedItems, NSInteger firstPosition) {
    found = ([matchedItems count] > 0);
  }];
  return found;
}

+ (NSInteger)firstPositionForURL:(NSURL *)URL type:(CFStringRef)type {
  __block NSInteger bFirstPosition = -1;
  [self findItemForName:nil URL:URL type:type completion:^(LSSharedFileListRef fileListRef, CFArrayRef itemsRef, NSArray */*LSSharedFileListItemRef*/matchedItems, NSInteger firstPosition) {
    bFirstPosition = firstPosition;
  }];
  return bFirstPosition;
}

@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The Internet: Enemy and Enabler of the U.S. Banking System
By Bill Davidow
Online technology facilitates the modern financial services industry, allowing firms to trade in high volumes and generate immense profits, but it also facilitates the protest of that industry, allowing dissenters to communicate their frustrations in mass
Watching Wall Street's reaction to the Occupy Wall Street movement, I'm reminded of the remark David Packard, the co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, once made about a prominent politician: "How can anyone that smart be that dumb?"
Why are the smart billionaires on Wall Street acting like they don't have a clue? Why would they fail to understand the simplest of 21st century axioms? It's all about the Internet.
By word and deed, Wall Street is playing into the protesters' hands. Packard would have marveled at the recent Bank of America announcement that it planned to waive debit card fees for customers who maintained at least $20,000 in their accounts. And everyone else? Five dollars per month for debit card transactions.
This is even more remarkable when you consider that debit card transactions involve no credit risk and, depending, on whom you believe, actually cost the bank less than two cents per transaction. By one estimate, the bank would have netted an extra billion a month in profits.
Why would BofA pick a "let them eat cake" strategy? The timing certainly couldn't have been better for the Occupy Wall Street folks. They seized on the debit card fees, and feeling the pressure, BofA nixed its plan earlier this week. Chase, Wells Fargo and others also canceled plans to charge debit-card fees. The protesters have vowed to close accounts with fee-charging institutions, designating November 5 as "Bank Transfer Day."
Occupy Wall Street may have started small, but it spread like a brush fire. The first protests sprang up in New York, then quickly spread to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and to Europe, Asia, and the Americas. According to OccupyTogether.org, "meetups" are currently taking place in more than 1,500 cities.
The similarities between Zuccotti Park and Tahrir Square are striking: people living in tents for weeks; peaceful protests occasionally turning violent; demonstrations spreading to other cities; an upper class unable to empathize with the frustrations of the protesters; anger at a privileged group that receives favorable treatment from the government; the dismissal of the disaffected as a radical fringe group; and a protest empowered by the Internet.
What surprises me most is Wall Street's failure to appreciate the power of the Internet. If you make a great proportion of your profits by leveraging the Internet in the financial world, why wouldn't you be concerned about others using its leverage to spread their frustrations?
It's the Internet that the financial world has to thank for the explosion of financial services industry and its ability to generate immense profits. Without the Internet it would be impossible to trade $4 trillion in currencies every day; high-frequency trading, which now accounts for almost two-thirds of stock trading volume, could not exist without Internet-facilitated information flows.
So what lessons should Wall Street have learned about Internet-driven protests from Tahrir Square and its own experiences with the Internet?
First, in a highly connected environment, even a small group can spread an economic or thought contagion. Wall Street firms, as well as most citizens, were victims of the financial contagions that spread throughout the world economy during the 2008 Financial Crisis. As Timothy Geithner recently observed, "This interconnectedness is not a trivial issue; even a relatively small country could threaten the world financial system."
What's true for a small country could be true for a small group.
The second lesson is that the little people -- let's call them the $5-a-month people -- now have a powerful collective voice. Regis McKenna, the Silicon Valley public relations guru, once told me, "Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel."
The little guys are now leveraging barrels of virtual ink, while directing the application of the real ink as well. According to a Pew report, recent anti-Wall Street protests accounted for 7 percent of news coverage -- almost twice the level of coverage devoted to the war in Afghanistan.
The third lesson is that the simplest missteps can become amplified and grow into major embarrassments. Certainly, banks deserve to be compensated fairly for providing debit card services. But they presented their case in the worst possible way.
Occupy Wall Street is a diffuse, unfocused effort that could peter out. But Wall Street shouldn't bet on that. Those who preside over the world of high finance would do well to heed the remarks of a former hedge fund manager: "Anybody who dismisses them publicly is putting a bull's-eye on their back."
I would go a step further and suggest that financial institutions carefully consider their actions before spoiling for a fight with a group that has barrels of virtual ink at its disposal. That's the lesson they should have learned from Tahrir Square.
Image: David_Shankbone/Flickr


Emilie Conrad, a genius healer, passed away at her home in Encino, California, yesterday.
Emilie was the founder of Continuum, a system of movement that empowers people who are totally paralyzed to be able to move again.
Although she was loved and inspired by many, I wanted to offer my insights about why she was so special to me. I have always felt she was 30 years well ahead of her time.
I heard about Emilie Conrad years ago when I was first studying healing work. My first foray into healing was with Brain Gym, a simple system of exercises that integrate the brain.
What struck me at that time was Emilie's insight about being a healer: "YOU are the technique," she wrote.
To me, that meant that your real gift as a healer is your personal vibration.
It meant to me that as a healer, all our own inner work, all our personal evolution, how we eat, how we move, how we meditate, how we breathe, how we do what we do and say what we say is part of what we contribute to others.
It meant to me that as a healer we can only take others as far as we have gone ourselves. And Emilie Conrad had gone a very long way in her personal evolution.
Emilie was born and raised in New York City where she studied ballet and Afro-Haitian dance. Aside from her professional accomplishments, she had also experienced personal abuse, which she used her movement to heal and overcome.
She spent five years as a choreography in Haiti before moving to Los Angeles in 1963.
She was a successful choreographer making very good money, but her dedication to her own evolution did not stop there.
In 1974, Emilie pioneered a protocol for spinal cord injury. She collaborated with Dr. Valerie Hunt, author of Infinite Mind, to study movement, healing and the chakras from 1974 to 1979. Their work proved that fluid, primary movement is essential to our ability to innovate.
Emilie Conrad was my favorite guest when I ran Total Fitness radio show from 2005 through 2007.
I also had the privilege of studying personally with Emilie in a workshop at her studio in Santa Monica. I remember parking my car and walking into the building. The shift in vibration was so profound – and this was even before the workshop started – that I walked back to my car and back into the building to feel the difference once again.
At the workshop, there was a young man in a wheelchair who had been totally paralyzed who was moving again as a result of his work with Emilie. He was there with his lover and they both seemed very happy. What a gift it is to be able to move! What a blessing it is to be able to make love and enjoy our bodies! Many who are able bodied do not yet feel this level of appreciation.
On my radio show, I discussed Emilie's views on the importance of evolution.
Many who are successful in life simply get stuck by money or fame. They attain a certain degree of comfort and lose their willingness to continue to evolve themselves or their work.
Emilie's personal example – of giving up her work as a dancer, then giving up her work as a choreographer, then giving up her wild success in Los Angeles to create this new system of movement that many did not first understand or appreciate – has inspired me throughout my own career.
When we fail to evolve, we fail to make an even bigger contribution.
It takes tremendous courage to move out of our comfort zone and give up stuck ways of living and working, but when we do, we can serve others at a higher level.
Emilie also discussed the importance of adaptability. Her favorite organism was the octopus because an octopus can morph to shift into any direction, with various systems of movement. When we adapt, we can thrive in literally any environment.
Emilie did not like conventional gyms where people work out on machines. She said that machine movement leads to mechanical movement.
She also made fun of yoga class, which she referred to as "behave yourself class." Instead, she favored movement as a system of personal discovery, as a means of drawing breath and chi deeper into the body to open up stuck energy to connect us to our deepest cellular wisdom and our intuition.
If you were to observe Continuum, what you would see is people lying on the ground making free form movement and guttural noises. Continuum connects breath to the healing vibration of the planet.
At our workshop, Emilie and I discussed intuition, which she saw as the ability to connect easily to the energy of all that is. I agreed.
I was also privileged to have a semi-private lesson years ago with one of Emilie's senior instructors. It was a shamanic journey I will never forget.
"The concert of existence places me in resonance with our biosphere, meaning at this moment there is no 'body' no separation; I am part of the swirl of bio-morphic unfolding," Emilie wrote in her phenomenal biography, Life on Land.
If you are at all interested in healing or movement therapy of any kind, I encourage you to study Continuum and the philosophy of Emilie Conrad.
What is healing? Healing happens when we remain dedicated to our own evolution for the highest good of all.
Thank you for sharing this. Emilie has been an inspiration and guiding light for me and all of us. May we carry the torch and her Light live on.


I hope to get you up to speed on first what Bitcoin is and some of the potential uses and pitfalls, and to also explain the technology behind it and how this could be used to help develop our industry.
Bitcoin is just one of many digital currencies often referred to as cryptocurrencies. The original concept of Bitcoin is to replace currencies that have a central controlling system, for example, governments. The system is completely decentralised, which means no-one can control it or change it.
How can you use Bitcoin? Well at least this bit is pretty easy to explain, given it is a currency. The grand idea is that Bitcoin replaces all world currencies so that the entire globe can transact with each other using it. At the moment you will be able to use your Bitcoin in a few hundred different retailers or companies across the UK.
In the waste industry, Prismm Environmental accepts and pays for material for waste and recycling in Bitcoin; as does our partner shipping company Jay Phillips Partnership. Other countries have taken this payment method to different levels; for example, Japan has ATMs for Bitcoin.
If you don't fancy flying to Japan to use an ATM, you can buy Bitcoin from an online exchange.And don't worry, you don't have to buy in multiples of one Bitcoin; you can buy £1 worth of Bitcoin if you want – the choice is solely on the purchaser.
Once you have a Bitcoin, it is extremely easy to make a payment transfer to anyone in the world. Depending on how you do this, there will only be small charges as a result of making a transaction.
These will be far below normal bank charges, especially if you factor in having to convert money to different currencies. Each transaction is verified within the system and takes minutes to complete instead of the days banks can often take.
The major challenge for the practical day-to-day use of this currency has actually been its own success. The value of Bitcoin has risen from $1,000 to $15,000 in one year. This sounds great, but it reduces the likelihood that Bitcoin will be used as payment, rather than to keep as an investment.
In the past couple of months, the price has stabilised quite nicely at around $15,000, but this does go up and down by a few thousand each day. You have got to be mad to predict the value in a year's time, and I personally believe Bitcoin will get to around $25,000 and then stabilise by the end of 2018.
As such, many people who have purchased Bitcoin use it for investment and trading purposes, rather than as a currency to pay for goods and services.
The technology behind this new currency is called Blockchain. Fundamentally this is a distributed ledger, which means the system is decentralised. Instead of having one big server for your office (or a bank) storing data, you have multiple individual computers running within a network all consensually witnessing, sharing and synchronising data.
It is also computer-coded. Now, you may be thinking, "I don't want everyone in the network to see my data." To counter this, the system encrypts all public data, so technically there should be less chance of hacking issues under this system.
Blockchain also uses a consensus technique for validation. In simple terms, all computers within a network act as an individual validator of the information within the system.
For example, if you have 1,000 computers in a network and 10 validations are required to change a piece of the blockchain, the system will pick 10 random computers to check that the information in the blockchain is correct. This makes hacking and loss of data almost impossible.
Given the above characteristics of the blockchain, you can probably already start thinking of situations it will be very useful for. Basically, anything that requires trust, accuracy, security or efficiency.
Does everyone in the supply chain always trust weights from a waste contractor? It is a sad fact that the old-school 'tricks' of waste contractors have left a lingering feeling of mistrust with many customers.
Weights measured by vehicle weighing systems and weighbridges linked to blockchain technology will be validated across the entire network of users and therefore there is far less opportunity for manipulation of figures.
Meanwhile, the UK authorities still insists on one A4 piece of paper being placed in every shipping container – even if that container is carrying 25 tonnes of A4 paper.
A blockchain solution to the Annex VII would mean all parties in the supply chain could enter information once and not have to send a single email or print a single piece of paper. The authorities would be given access codes to view the movement of each individual container.
Trials have already been done to test this, and it works. The only problem is that we as an industry would all have to agree to adopt this and then push the Environment Agency to agree and accept.
In a world of big data and machine learning, there is a huge challenge around the security of that data, who owns it and potential misuse. If the data were collected within a blockchain system, then a lot of these fears could be alleviated.
We could then collaborate on improving systems across the industry, for example household collections, and not have to worry about sensitive data ending up in the wrong hands.
Meanwhile, I don't think I've met anyone in the past five years with a positive thing to say about the current PRN system. It's clumsy and an old hat, at best. At worst there are many whispers of corruption and fraud rife in the process.
Unfortunately, current reform ideas and papers I have seen to date have not considered the use of blockchain technology – which would be perfect. A blockchain system could monitor the life of all materials from start to finish, on what day it moved from where and who had possession at each stage.
To take it even further, we could create our own crypto coin and get the system to regulate the financial transactions that need to take place between the supply chain.
It would take a lot of work, but it's possible.
I have provided a few examples of how this new technology can potentially be used and this is clearly just the tip of the iceberg. Fortunately, there are a lot of people far smarter than me already designing new systems for various industries, including waste and recycling.
There is a potential that blockchain systems will replace nearly all other software systems at some point in the future. Bitcoin and blockchain technology is a complex subject which requires much more explanation, but I hope I have helped you put the foot in the door.
Mike Jackson is managing director of Prismm Environmental.
I also found Netwexcoin cryptocurrency dealing in waste management system. I think the future is really bright.
Well written and interestingly informative. I can see the future of crypto platform being used to power the waste industry; the traditional waste management system has failed to operate in manners consistent with ecological restoration of the planet. Leveraging the power of decentralization of management systems could do more to empower the communities across the world and compensate them for contributing to waste management in units far beyond what our current system can deliver. Thanks Mike and kindly advice me on how to deploy this idea to help the community i m currently working for in the Philippines to come up with a good white paperwork for a academic proposal. Thanks.


text:
New transit-oriented apartment complex set to rise in Burbank
A few blocks from the Metrolink station
By Elijah Chiland Oct 8, 2017, 1:31pm PDT
The new development is set to include 327 units of housing.
Renderings courtesy Newman Garrison + Partners
A new transit-friendly apartment complex may be on the way to Burbank, just west of the city's Metrolink station, according to an announcement from architecture firm Newman Garrison + Partners, which has been selected to design the project.
Developed by Cusumano Real Estate Group, the development would rise seven stories and include 327 units of housing, ranging from studios to three and four-bedroom apartments. The project would have a mix of market rate and affordable units, though it's not clear how much of each would be included.
Retail space and room for "organic grocery offerings" would also be part of the project, which is geared toward "millennials working in the San Fernando Valley," according to the announcement.
Other building amenities would include a swimming pool and spa, a lounge and game room, an outdoor movie theater, a wine room, a media center, fire pits, and a bocce ball course.
Renderings of the project show it would have a glassy design, with plenty of terraces and balcony space throughout the complex. If all goes according to plan, the project could open by 2021.
Mapped: The 11 big projects poised to alter the Valley [Curbed LA]
Burbank is leading the Valley's urban transformation [Curbed LA]
Construction to start to bring second Metrolink station at Burbank Airport [Curbed LA]
Next Up In Los Angeles Development
Here are some hot takes on the Taix redevelopment plans
LA cracked down on McMansions. Developers are still building them.
Opposition persists against plans for 420 apartments, beer garden at LA River
Are luxury apartments sitting empty in LA?
Pico-Union borders Downtown LA but avoided development boom spillover—until now


If you are analytic for a burden abrasion organization, ensure that you are acutely alert in ablaze of the actuality that there are assorted burden abrasion organizations out there. There are capital tips that can prove to be advantageous in your seek and you will accept the accommodation of acquainted the best alignment to hire.
As you to attending for a burden abrasion organization, it is basal to appeal their references. Depending on the array of account the alignment offers, you can accept the adeptness to analyze a burden abrasion alignment to apply from their references. If you allocution to the barter they accept served before, you will accept a way area you can apperceive the attributes of casework offered by that company. The akin of accomplishment of the barter and the attributes of casework they got are a allocation of the things that you will get the befalling to apperceive if you allocution the barter that the burden abrasion alignment has served in the past.
The technology of the alignment is the added basal basal you charge to put at the top of the antecedence account as you aces this company. The ability of the casework and the account of the casework can be bent by the array of technology the alignment has adopted. If you charge to pay beneath for the casework and on the off adventitious that you charge abundant services, agreement that you baddest an alignment with technology that is latest. You charge to agreement that you aces an alignment that has accepted latest technologies back it suggests that they are specialists in the array of casework that they offer.
Price of casework assumes a analytical allotment in the burden abrasion alignment you are traveling to select. Comparing the costs of assorted burden abrasion organizations is basal afore you achieve on any company. Afore because the costs is it additionally basal to yield a ankle at the attributes of the services. The alignment that you admit needs the accommodation of alms you top superior casework at the actual affordable rate. Just in because of the actuality that burden abrasion casework is costly, it doesn't betoken that they are of top quality, it is important to apperceive this.
Looking at the acquaintance of the burden abrasion alignment is basic if you are authoritative your selection. The attributes of casework that you will get from that alignment will be founded on the array of acquaintance they have. If searching for an alignment to procure, ensure that you aces that alignment that has been accomplishing business for long. If you charge to get casework that are of your expectations, you accept to attending for an able company.


text:
Skovfoged är en äppelsort vars ursprung är okänt. Många pomologer hävdar dock att äpplet har sitt ursprung i Danmark. Äpplet är av en annorlunda form, avlång, och skalet är mörkrött, köttet vitgult (en aning röd precis under skalet), och smaken är saftig, söt, och lätt syrlig. Äpplet plockas kring september. Kort hållbarhet. Skovfoged passar bäst som ätäpple. Blomningen på detta äpple är medelsen, och äpplen som pollineras av Skovfoged är bland annat Cortland, Filippa, Guldborg, James Grieve, Lobo, Summerred och Transparente Blanche. I Sverige odlas Skovfoged gynnsammast i zon I-II.
Medelmåttig bordsfrukt, ej särdeles lämplig till kokning.

Referenser
 Görel Kristina Näslund - 100 älskade äpplen

Noter

Sommaräpplen
Äppelsorter

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Home/Leadership in Crisis – Preserving the Group
Leadership in Crisis – Preserving the Group
My name is Sari van Poelje. I'm the director of Intact Academy and Team Agility. At Team Agility we help businesses innovate more quickly than their products and become agile in a turbulent environment. In Intact Academy we organize training programs for coaches and consultants to teach them how to help businesses innovate.
I've been a consultant for 35 years and a leader in multinational businesses for 23 years, and one thing I've learned over time is how to deal with crisis. Of course this is more relevant than ever today.
I've grown and sold four businesses. I know what it is to deal with crisis. And as I've said in previous blogs, what you need to do is establish a clear leadership, re-establish your boundaries and re-establish your structure.
You also need to create more cohesion. You have to give everyone within the organization a sense of belonging. The difficulty is during times of crisis, we often have dynamics which are pressing on the boundaries, which creates breaches in the boundaries and breaches in boundaries create less cohesion. Imagine if you have a balloon and the air in the balloon is the cohesion. As soon as you have a hole, all the air goes out. So you need clear boundaries without breaches to hold that air or the cohesion in a company.
We talked about re-establishing the boundaries in previous blogs, but now we're going to talk about how to strengthen the cohesion in a company, a family or a nation.
I always describe cohesion using red dynamics and green dynamics. The red dynamics are the negative ones that press on your boundaries. If they press on your major external boundary it is called pressure. If it's on the major internal boundary, it's called agitation. If it is breaching the major internal boundary it's called intrigue.
You need a green dynamic to counteract these red dynamics, which we call cohesion. Cohesion means the need of the members and the leaders to preserve the existence of the group. This is the definition that Eric Berne gave in 1966 and I think it's still true. Now preserving the group can be at many different levels and I'm going to talk about that first.
Preserving A Group
A group can be preserved in terms of its structure, relationship and idea:
Structure: the group can continue to exist as a structure even if the rest is gone. So for instance, I'm dealing with a lot of production companies where they have to close the factory. So there's no one in the factory, no one is producing anymore, but the building is still there. Sometimes I walk through town now and I see buildings that are empty. But I know because the building is still there, that the organization still exists. And we say the same thing about teams: if the structure still exists, the teams still exist.
Relationship: A second level is when the building isn't there anymore, but the people are still there. So imagine this, the factory is closed, but the people are still there and the people still have a relationship with each other. The organisation exists as a relationship even if the structure isn't there anymore. The group still exists even if the building isn't there, but the people are still there. They're still a group. I went to a school reunion even though the school doesn't exist anymore. But we exist and when we came together, it was as if the group was still there.
Idea: The third level of existence of a team is when the building isn't there and the people aren't there anymore to hold the relationship. But the idea of the group is there. So the group exists as an idea, even if the building and the people aren't there. Think of Israel. Israel existed as an idea before the people were there and even before the country was established. So that idea of the group was already there. And that's a very powerful thing. We say every organization, every team starts as an idea before it starts as a structure or even as a group of people. As an analogy, if you have children, your child exists as an idea even before it's born. So you have hopes, fears, dreams for your children before they're physically born. Anytime you start a group or organization, there's an idea in someone's head before the structure is there and before the people are there.
So, cohesion is the need of the members and the leaders to preserve the existence of the group. And that existence can be at the structural level, at the relational level, or at the imago level (idea). How do you increase the cohesion? We have many different strategies for that, and I'm going to talk about that in the next blog.
Did you like this video? Then please share it. Click the share links below….
Sari van Poelje2020-05-22T14:08:25+02:00May 22nd, 2020|


Karen Phillips loved the people she worked with in Africa. She was in Gabon to help farmers to better market their produce and teach English at a local school.
"Africans are kind, intelligent, amusing and warm people who are taking very good care of your Sister here in Gabon. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Ma dzing wah! (I love you all)," she wrote in a letter to her family.
My good friend Karen Phillips I and 3 others landed in Gabon in 1998 We were the first marketing volunteers to serve there. I suffered daily hysteria after her death and it took me years to get over it. If I ever did, because even now it brings tears to my eyes. Because we were so close and she shared her life with me. It was very painful to know someone like her with such a sincere heart and reason for being there to have died for that cause. But she shared with me that she had never felt the kind of happiness that she felt in Gabon. So I feel maybe it was a purpose to the madness. In my heart Karen will remain forever. I loved her for the person whom I had the gift to know she was. She was an amazing kind and loving spirit that walked this earth!!


Are you and your family financially prepared for unemployment?
Unemployment happens to the best of us so it's important to be prepared…just in case. This Flashback Friday post provides tips to financially survive unemployment.
I n this day and age most people have either experienced unemployment or know someone who has. This can be really scary if you're not prepared for it and don't know what to do if it happens to you. Here are some tips to help you get through a bout of unemployment.
This is the most important thing you can do. Plan ahead and start setting aside money into a separate emergency savings account. Ideally, you'd want to have 3-6 months' worth of your household and living expenses set aside. Most companies don't get through posting the job, going through resumes, interviewing, and hiring within just a few weeks. Start depositing money into your emergency savings account from each paycheck – whatever is affordable for you. The more you can put in savings, the better off you will be. And if you get a bonus or a tax refund, think about putting a big chunk of that into savings as well. If you don't have enough time to build up savings, just do what you can…and keep reading.
Pay your necessities such as mortgage/rent, utilities, groceries, etc. – things that keep you safe and healthy. Then, to avoid using up all of your emergency savings and/or to prevent falling behind on bills, make cutbacks. See if you can temporarily cancel cable or internet. Skip dining out and instead make the most of your groceries. If you have a car payment, credit card, boat payment, student loan, etc. call and see if you can obtain a forbearance (a temporary suspension of payments). Also, call your utility company right away and talk to them about your options – don't wait until you fall behind on bills to make the phone calls. It's easier to call when your payments are still current.
Ask your employer for a severance package. Companies aren't obligated to offer you a severance (unless that was in a written agreement when you started), but they may be willing to give you severance – especially if you have a good employment history with them.
Medical costs are usually pretty expensive and if you find yourself needing medical treatment without insurance, which can lead to debt piling up. Bills can run tens of thousands of dollars if it's something that requires overnight hospital stays and/or surgery. So make sure that you try to find coverage as soon as possible.
First, if you have a spouse, check into getting put on their plan. If not, see if your company offers COBRA. Check all of your options before making a decision, but don't wait too long. There are also usually sliding fee scale clinics – especially in metro areas – that may be available to you temporarily until you regain insurance coverage. Visit United Way 211 for local referrals to those sliding fee scale clinics (or other local resources you may need).
Once you get laid off, the sooner you file for unemployment the better so that there isn't a major delay for you to receive your unemployment checks. You are eligible for unemployment even if you receive a severance package or buyout. Check with your state's unemployment website for more info and to estimate payments. If you live in MN, click here for more info.
Should I withdraw from my retirement account?
My suggestion is don't do it. If you withdraw from your retirement accounts before retirement age, there are tax ramifications and there's a possibility of an early distribution penalty depending on the type of account. Also a big, fat NO is using credit cards. The last thing you need when you're already short income is to build up credit card debt. If you use cards for necessities without paying the card in full each month, it adds up quickly and you'll see your debt skyrocket. Not to mention if you have high interest rates and/or are only able to make the minimum payment, it will take even longer to pay off – as in 10, 15, 20 or more years depending on the balance. So consider these both as absolute last resorts and avoid if at all possible. Check out another great post on saving for retirement.
Planning is key to minimizing the effects of an unexpected event such as a layoff. And even if you think you have a stable job, set aside what you can afford now because most people don't anticipate losing their jobs. If it's already too late and you don't have time to save money, follow the above steps to mitigate the negative possible outcomes. If you are diligent, it will be much easier for you to regain financial stability after a crisis.
LSS Financial Counseling can help you create a plan of attack so you're prepared for a layoff. Want more information on preparing for a layoff? Read 'How to Financially Prepare for a Layoff.' Give us a call today at 888.577.2227 to get started. Our Financial Counselors will empower you to build up savings, conquer your debt, and achieve your financial goals.
How do you save when you have nothing left at the end of the month?


text:
By movieman1957,
April 19, 2010 in Your Favorites
Eucalpytus P. Millstone
LocationPlanet Earth
Allhallowsday
50 minutes ago, Eucalpytus P. Millstone said:
I am a fan, but no hardcore. I had Eliminator on vinyl, but that's it. DUSTY HILL died at the end of July!
Speaking of Lee Marvin, here's Ol' Rheumy Eyes crooning his one and only hit record:
"'Wand'rin' Star' was a number one single in the UK for three weeks and in Ireland for two weeks for Lee Marvin in March 1970. The song also peaked at number 10 in Australia." -- Wikipedia
NoShear
7 hours ago, NoShear said:
Like his counterpart here, Mister Guitar impacted popular music from both sides of the recording console. The Chet Atkins signature Country Gentleman can be heard here to my knowledge:
Earlier forgot to bring full-circle:
1 hour ago, Eucalpytus P. Millstone said:
...keeping The Beatles at number two in the UK with their single "Let It Be"... I like that record. Meaning "Wanderin' Star"
1 hour ago, NoShear said:
I listen to that at YouTube...
16 hours ago, Eucalpytus P. Millstone said:
Re: "Although both my parents were Jazz lovers, my father's musical tastes were a tad more expansive. Among his (comparatively) meager collection of records was Christmas with Chet Atkins."
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, CHRISTMAS with CHET ATKINS...
You were blessed with having been exposed to such eclectic music.
JamesJazGuitar
There is nothing as bad as something not so bad
LocationCalifornia
15 hours ago, NoShear said:
Yea, I was going to post the Chet Adkins - Picks on the Beatles album yesterday but got distracted. I had this album that I put on a looper so I could play it over and over again, learning all of the guitar parts. I play many Beatles songs as instrumental songs and I'm sometimes ask; hey, that guitar solo,,,, I don't recall hearing that on a Beatles album; NOPE, it came from this fine Adkins record. I really like what Chet does on I'll Cry Instead and She Loves You.
1 hour ago, jamesjazzguitar said:
I had this album that I put on a looper so I could play it over and over agai
It is that kind of record for me too... put it on a loop!
JUNE CHRISTY Gone For The Day
1 hour ago, Allhallowsday said:
Just to ensure clarity:
I placed the album on a pedal looper which allows one to repeat either the entire song, or just certain parts over-and-over again.
I did this so I could use the album as part of practicing. One just uses the foot to hit the pedal to repeat. (much easier then picking up the needle on a record player and wearing out the record).
23 minutes ago, jamesjazzguitar said:
I got you. Of course, I'm in digital world so a "loop" is a repear... repeat...
JUNE CHRISTY Something Cool
My musical tastes were mostly shaped by Los Angeles AM radio. Stations such as KFWB, KRLA, and especially KHJ had a Top 40 format that included Rock, Soul, MOR, and a li'l bit o' Country-Western. Radio playlists weren't "segregated" as they are today -- at least as they are in the radio market where I currently reside ("All [Musical Style of Your Choice] All the Time!"). During the 1960s, I could tune into "Boss Radio" (93 KHJ) and listen to hits by The Beatles, The Supremes, Paul Mauriat, Roger Miller, Sergeant Barry Sadler, Booker T. and The M.G.s, Petula Clark, Wayne Newton, Johnny Cash, Herb Alpert, Hugh Masekela, and The Archies -- without ever changing the dial!
During my college years, I discovered college radio stations, which had even more varied and eccentric programming.
These days I primarily listen to National Public Radio, Classical Music, and -- when I can get its signal -- the only Jazz station within range.
3 hours ago, jamesjazzguitar said:
So, jamesjazzguitar, do you learn a song or an instrumental, strictly by repeatedly listening to it? Or can you also read (and write) music?
3 hours ago, Allhallowsday said:
Unfamiliar with June Christy. Pete Rugolo, OTOH . . .
WILLIE NELSON Stardust
Unfamiliar with June Christy. Pete Rugolo, OTOH
Something Cool is the classic JUNE CHRISTY album, from 1953, and successful in its era. I love her but she is largely forgotten. She sang with STAN KENTON's band in the late 40s (after ANITA O'DAY left). She married a member of KENTON's band.
Bruce Springsteen's daughter, Jessica, is competing in Tokyo...
Roy Bittan's shimmering keyboards are heard in BABY IT'S YOU (1983):
29 minutes ago, Allhallowsday said:
One of the most significant rock guitar-oriented albums of all, Van HaleN is possibly the most important one to be released in the past fifty years or so:
Hey, jamesjazzguitar, I thought of you last night with what sounded like some snazzy licks coming out of the Zodiac - go to about 5:56 and listen:
17 minutes ago, NoShear said:
I did watch Bell, Book and Candle last night and the film does have some niffy music; E.g. the trio of two horns and a guitar that played in the club.
I have seen the film before but what impressed me last night was the acting of Kim Novak.
Re: "I did watch Bell, Book and Candle last night and the film does have some niffy music; E.g. the trio of two horns and a guitar that played in the club."
I tried to (unsuccessfully?) hunt down the jazz guitarist for you, jamesjazzguitar, and am guessing it was Barney Kessel:
2 minutes ago, NoShear said:
It is Howard Roberts on guitar on this 2 for the Money album released in 1959.
3 minutes ago, jamesjazzguitar said:
Re: "It is Howard Roberts on guitar on this 2 for the Money album released in 1959."
Possibly Howard Roberts on the "Bell..." soundtrack as well, jamesjazzguitar? (The guitar sounds similar on both recordings.)