Full of daring theories and fascinating tales from the world of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones: The Book of White Walkers delves deep into the most riveting aspects of White Walkers - who they are, where they came from and where they are going. How did the First Men cross the Narrow Sea, habitat of the Children of the Forest, and how did the war of technology and magic unleash the White Walkers? Was it really Bran the Builder who constructed the Wall and what horror lies underneath it?
Good information we know and out of date theories.
An epic collection of fantasy stories from true masters of the genre, including a never-before-published Song of Ice and Fire novella by George R. R. Martin. Fantasy fiction has produced some of the most unforgettable heroes ever: Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian, Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné, Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Classic characters like these made sword and sorcery a cornerstone of fantasy fiction and an inspiration for a new generation of writers spinning their own magical adventures.
Game of Thrones: A Family History recounts the epic tales of three of the largest and most important houses in the series: the Targaryens, the Starks, and the Lannisters. Learn how the Targaryens originally took control of the Seven Kingdoms under their great King, Aegon the Conqueror, and how the Lannisters came to be masters of Casterly Rock. Chart the development of the Starks, first as kings in the North then as kingmakers under their popular lord, Eddard Stark.
Follow the fortunes of three of the Seven Kingdom's most prestigious and powerful houses: the Baratheons, the Martells, and the Tyrells. See how they each conquered and held the rich, fertile kingdoms of the Stormlands, Dorne, and the Reach, and just why it is that the families of Game of Thrones are eager to avenge themselves on one another.
Unique fantasy with brilliant voice acting.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R. R. Martin's ongoing masterwork, A Song of Ice and Fire.
Before Tyrion Lannister and Podrick Payne, there were Dunk and Egg. A young, naïve but courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall towers above his rivals - in stature if not experience.
Tagging along with him is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg - whose true identity must be hidden from all he and Dunk encounter: for in reality he is Aegon Targaryen, and one day he will be king. Improbable heroes though they be, great destinies lie ahead for Dunk and Egg, as do powerful foes, royal intrigue and outrageous exploits.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms brings together for the first time the first three official prequel novellas to George R. R. Martin's ongoing masterwork, A Song of Ice and Fire, set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory.
Upon finishing all the "A Song of Ice and Fire" books, then re-rewatching all the "Game of Thrones" Blu-Rays (including commentary tracks and extras!) and finally watching Comicbookgirl19's amazing "Epic Histories" on YouTube I was feeling extremely deprived, even the Christmas gift of a "Game of Thrones" colouring book couldn't quench my thirst for more Westorosian stories.
As to the story, I honestly can't get enough of this world and the history leading up to "A Song of Ice and Fire" is even more intriguing than the series itself. As always Martin has produced engaging, well rounded characters and a well paced story that enriches this fantastic world.
A welcome return to the world of Westeros, the tale of Dunk and Egg expands on the story of Ser Duncan and Aegon Targaryen originally encountered in A Song of Ice and Fire.
Readers of the series should be mindful that these novellas are nowhere near the size of the series books, but rather are a helpful and enjoyable light supplement to the history of Westeros.
Definitely recommended reading prior to the release of The Winds of Winter and if you watch the TV series, Season 6.
very annoying narration style. when the character had verbalised mutterings the narrator was inaudible. I was turning the volume up and down to hear the softer thoughts. missed a lot I am sure.
It need another dozen chapters! Would of liked to hear if dunk and egg made it to wall and what kind of shenanigans they would get themselves into next.
Addictive and leaves you begging for more!!!
Full of unbelievable detail that drags you into the The 7 Kingdoms.
A poor cousin of the Game of Thrones series. Lacks the depth and grit of previous works.
For the sake of fans I hope the final book in the series lives up to expectations.
I enjoyed the story, felt like I was back in Westeros after waiting for and not having a new book to read. It felt like this book ended a bit abruptly though.
y wisper in an Audiobook!!!
every time the main character is thinking tohimself the reader wispers and i cannot here it!!!!
Great stories, very well put together with a nice flow.
Egg reminds me so much of Arya!!!
The reading is a bit childlike for the material.
The reading is too innocent and more fitting to a teen adventure. There are free readings online if this series that I enjoyed slightly more.
keep with the orginal series, this book is okay but pretty dry compared with all 5 other books.
The only problem with this book was that it was not long enough! Great read!!
One of the best audio books i have ever listened, the story keeps getting and better and better as time passes.
I had read the series a long time ago, and only now did I decide to listen to this story. In a way, I liked it and was disappointed too. I liked it because the book brings all the elements of the series (intrigue, betrayal, conflict of interest, power search ...), but at the same time all this is presented in a second plan, since the story is centered on the attempt of a poor young man guarantee his space in the world, and be recognized as Knight.
Tge story was okay. Sometimes found myself wondering about other things while listening. expected more from the story.
an awesome tale, awesomely told by the narrator. I look forward to more of such.
Great intro to Westeros if u can't face the Epics!
Wasn't expecting a "new" George RR Martin book to come out. Therefore, was intrigued when this appeared just as I was finishing the 5th Games of Thrones book! Expecting rants of "why doesn't he concentrate on final installment" (which I've seen for other "epic" novelists who divert temporarily!). However, it appears that these were written as 3 short novellas well before the "real" Game of Thrones.
Therefore, for fans, they're something new to get a short fix of Westeros. For newbies, it's a great intro to Westeros from 2 character perspective... especially if the huge Game of Thrones book set seems too daunting. This is a great was to "put a foot in the water"... see if you like it.
I was surprised how "fully formed" the world is in George's mind at such an early stage. The history is all there... the houses.... it's an exact world, just a 100 years earlier. Had expected to find a more "primitive" back story to the world with some major differences.
So, great self contained book which gives a good view of what to expect from the main set of books!
Wasn't sure what to expect, having been a big fan of the Game of Thrones series, but this just really surprised and really impressed.
Written in the typical George R. R. Martin way, the story of Dunk and Egg is another epic adventure, which holds true the history of the various houses which made their names in GOT.
This slots in around 100 years prior to A Game of Thrones, and I enjoyed learning about how many of the main characters in the main series came to pass. This book is perfectly interwoven into the history and legend of the Seven Kingdoms.
Wonderful narration from Harry Lloyd.
Would you consider the audio edition of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to be better than the print version?
Just as good - it'd be nice to see it in print and learn how the names and places are spelled, for example, but the characterisation here is wonderful (I do not greatly enjoy Roy Dotrice, sadly, and long for another actor to re-record the Ice and Fire books) and it's great to be able to listen to these stories back to back while relaxing or doing other things, as I think it'd take me too long to read them in print. I did find myself googling certain characters to find out more biographical information and learn more about the battles, because this universe George Martin has created is so vast and rich in its histories i.e. events are referred to in both these stories and Game of Thrones, and they all tally, and it's really nice to immerse yourself in this alternative history; you pick up new details every time you engage with the novels.
What other book might you compare A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to, and why?
Obviously the Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) books because they take place in the same world and have many overlapping characters, settings and so on. It enriches the action of Game of Thrones.
What about Harry Lloyd's performance did you like?
It was consistent, he really gets into the skin of Dunk the Tall, and knows his way around this world very well having acted in the Game of Thrones series so knows how everything works/how every role works, which comes across in the performance. Funny where it should be; dark and violent at other times - he marks out the internal dialogue from the external dialogue very clearly, it's just a very solid and enjoyable reading.
Makes you appreciate George R. R. Martin's immense achievement - we may marvel at how well J.K. Rowling knows her wizarding world, but this is arguably even more impressive, stretching back thousands of years, with every reign fully accounted for: magnificent (and beautifully well written).
A great side story to game of thrones. Thoroughly recommended. Narrator is different to the one for game of thrones, but that works well and he's very good.
Yes, Harry Lloyd brings it to life wonderfully.
Dunk the lunk, thick as a castle wall.
What does Harry Lloyd bring to the story that you wouldn't experience if you had only read the book?
He does amazing voices, a really great narrator - if Roy Dotrice doesn't carry on - then I'd love harry to do the future books.
What made the experience of listening to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms the most enjoyable?
When I first saw this book was released, I kind of thought: come on George this is not getting the next ice and fire story out. Why are you getting distracted with this?
intrigue, plots and villains. Castles, feasts and fights- and like all GoT books-, it always makes me hungry. Buttered capons and a flaggon of wine- Don't mind if I do!
So thanks George, but please finish Winds of Winter now.
A great addition to the game of thrones series while still being a stand alone novel. The book has a more traditional narrative when compared to Martins larger body of work "A song of fire and ice".
It can be listened to without the listener needing to have heard/read any of the rest of the series.
The performance is good and well read. Couldn't fault it.
Over all good audiobook and would recommend.


text:
Boy drowns after falling off Perryville town pier
Victim fell off pier Saturday
Perryville police have confirmed the 5-year-old boy who fell off a pier in Cecil County has died.Investigators said the boy fell into the water at Rogers Tavern around 7:15 p.m. Saturday.Authorities said they found the boy's body and performed CPR before rushing him to Harford Memorial Hospital.An autopsy determined the boy drowned.Stay with WBALTV.com and 11 News for more details as they become available.
PERRYVILLE, Md. —
Perryville police have confirmed the 5-year-old boy who fell off a pier in Cecil County has died.
Investigators said the boy fell into the water at Rogers Tavern around 7:15 p.m. Saturday.
Boy, 5, nearly drowns in Perryville
Authorities said they found the boy's body and performed CPR before rushing him to Harford Memorial Hospital.
An autopsy determined the boy drowned.
Stay with WBALTV.com and 11 News for more details as they become available.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
12 Fictional Bands That I Didn't Mention on Nerd Lunch Episode 170
Posted on March 17, 2015 by sexyarmpit
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The Nerd Lunch Podcast Episode 170 is now available for download! It's all about fictional/fake bands from various forms of entertainment. Tim Lybarger, CT, Pax, and myself offer some of our favorites and then later in the show we try to guess some really obscure selections! After you listen, check out my list of fictional bands below that I didn't get a chance to mention on the podcast.
12. Danger Kitty, Discover Card Commercial, 2001
They've been enjoying the biggest success of their career as Steel Panther, and to think they started as a cover band playing '80s hair band songs in Los Angeles! Originally they were known as Metal Shop, and then Metal Skool and they gained quite a following, now, as Steel Panther they're touring the world, literally. Everyone loves a some good, tight zebra skin spandex and vagina jokes. Early on, the band appeared as Danger Kitty in a Discover Card commercial where they played a kids Bar Mitzvah. In 2001, at their website, you could get a CD single of the track they played in the commercial called "Love Rocket," and you can imagine that I requested mine in about .02 milliseconds. Of course, I still have it and have been obsessed with the band ever since.
11. Arsenal, Rock of Ages Musical, 2005-present
Rock of Ages has been a staple musical since 2005 in various parts of the country and touring all over the world. The show spawned a 2012 film adaptation which I still haven't watched in fear that it's nowhere near as good as the stage show. The main band in the show is Arsenal and they play actual '80s arena rock tunes, but what makes them so special to me is that all of the stops on their fictional first tour were to random New Jersey towns! If you want to see proof, I have their original promotional t-shirt and there are photos in my review of the off Broadway production from 2008. This early incarnation of ROA reviewed here was the best before they started tweaking the story, characters, and actors.
10. The Barbusters, Light of Day, 1987
The band in this rock drama is comprised of Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett in one hell of an oddball mash up. The title track was written by Bruce Springsteen. Bon Jovi also appears on the soundtrack.
9. The Lost Soulz, The Perfect Age of Rock n Roll
This rock and roll road movie was filmed partly in New Jersey and my friend Jasin Cadic from the band Starkiller co-wrote it! Check out my review from when it was released.
8. Black Roses, 1988
A monstrous metal band turns everyone into monsters – quite a masterpiece. I recommend adding it to your Halloween time viewing if you haven't done so in the past. Tracks like "Dance on Fire" and "Soldiers of the Night," are staples of my Fall playlists. Bands that appear on this rare soundtrack include Lizzy Borden and King Kobra.
7. Vesuvius, The Rocker, 2008
For a while I was watching The Rocker at least 3 times a week. That's what happens when HBO gets a hold of a new movie. Rainn Wilson and Christina Applegate star in the comedy, but it's a who's who of comedic actors such as Fred Armisen, Will Arnett, and Jeff Garlin. It's well worth your time if you are into silly comedies about rock bands like Spinal Tap. The direct result of watching this movie constantly: I was obsessed with "Promised Land" and listened to it on loop on the way to work for several months. The tunes by Vesuvius are attributed to singer Keith England and his band Lazlo Bane.
6. Stillwater, Almost Famous, 2000
A young music journalist embarks on tour with his favorite band Stillwater to document their exploits for a possible published spot in a rock magazine. Said to be based off of the early years of director Cameron Crowe's life. I've had a couple of Stillwater songs on my iPod ever since I owned an iPod. The authentic track, "Fever Dog," it sounds like it was a lost track made recorded in the mid '70s, and it's not surprising because the Stillwater songs were written by Crowe, his ex-wife Nancy Wilson of Heart, and Peter Frampton which helped give it that special vintage sound. Although the film did not knock 'em dead at the box office, the soundtrack won a Grammy for best soundtrack/compilation.
5. Dyver Down from Holliston, 2013
Used mostly for comic relief, the Van Halen tribute band Dyver Down, lead by Lance Rocket (Dee Snider) actually has a track available on iTunes called "Love It Down Your Throat" and a schlocky, badass music video to go along with it. This was my favorite aspect of the show, well, this and Laura Ortiz of course.
4. Mouthfeel and Juggernaut, Gettin' The Band Back Together
You're almost guaranteed not to be familiar with these next bands, (it's a twofer, I cheated) but you will be soon if all goes well. I was lucky enough to see the play getting the band back together with Miss Sexy Armpit at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick in its early phase. It's been rumored for a while now that it's on making it's way to Broadway. If this happens, you may be seeing Rock of Ages take a back seat because that is how funny and entertaining this play is. The comedy/rock musical hybrid is about, you guessed it, a guy who gets his band back together to save his home and neighborhood. They get into a battle of the bands which pits the evil Mouthfeel against the rock heroes in Juggernaut. The original songs are '80s arena rock style and a select few are available on iTunes. Unfortunately the self titled track "Mouthfeel" isn't available. I hope Mouthfeel's tracks make it to the Broadway show otherwise I'm protesting in '80s hair band attire.
3. Eddie and the Cruisers, 1983
This Jersey classic is possibly one of the most successful fictitious band songs ever. "On The Dark Side," by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, scored a number one hit on the Mainstream Rock singles and reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The sequel, Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives, arrived in 1989.
2. Tears of Blood, Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place
If you follow me on Twitter, you may have read about how my life has spun out of control ever since Netflix removed Wizards of Waverly Place from their streaming service. I was completely devastated. It was like a punch in the gut! It's one of my favorite shows of all time and it never fails to make me happy. One minor aspect of the show references a rock band called Tears of Blood. They get mentioned in a bunch of episodes and there's even a poster that shows up on the wall in one scene. TOB is crazy popular with the teenage crowd within the universe of the show. They even get mentioned in other Disney shows which was always surprising considering the very un-Disney-like name of one of their tracks, "Crying Blood for You." I can't be certain anyone has actually heard their music though. If anyone has Tears of Blood music, send it my way!
1. The Hex Girls, Scooby Doo
Scooby Doo fans are ultra familiar with this "eco-goth rock band." You can see and hear them perform in several Scooby outings, but I suggest you check out the Mystery Inc. episode "In Fear of the Phantom" while it's still streaming on Netflix. In it, Daphne joins the band as a temporary new member, Crush, voiced by the lovely Grey DeLisle-Griffin. Look out for the influences of Phantom of the Opera, Phantom of the Paradise, and an awesome little surprise cameo from Vincent Van Ghoul from the 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo!
Who are some of your favorite fictional bands? Leave 'em in the comments! Thanks for reading!
Posted in dee snider, eddie and the cruisers, Hair Bands, hard rock, hex girls, jasin cadic, mouthfeel, nerd lunch, New Jersey, Podcast, rock and roll, rock band, steel panther, tears of blood, the perfect age of rock n roll3 Comments
WIN Tickets for Barnstorming The Bowery in NYC!
Posted on July 23, 2014 by sexyarmpit
Barnstorming the Bowery is not just a concert, it's really more of a music festival taking place on August 21st and it's sure to be equally as entertaining as the name sounds. This jam packed night of music spawned from an innovative idea pulling together 7 local bands to make up one mammoth night in downtown New York City! On deck for this rock and roll party: The Dirty Pearls, Ten Ton Mojo, Mother, Killcode, J and the 9s, The Liza Colby Sound, and The Threads!
*What makes this show different? A lottery will take place throughout the night to determine the lineup of bands taking the stage! That's some exciting shit right there! Who's on first? I'm on the edge of my seat already! This approach adds an element of intrigue that you won't get at any other concert!
This summer, why waste your time taking your significant other to the boardwalk to play a silly wheel game just to win a giant box of gum that'll just lose its flavor in under a minute? Take your shot at winning tickets to Barnstorming the Bowery – right here…NOW!
WIN 2 tickets to see this massive merger of bands right here from The Sexy Armpit!
All you have to do is correctly match each band to their song! It's that simple. Send your answers to sexyarmpit@comcast.net and include your full name and the subject BOWERY. All correct answers will be pooled and a winner will be chosen at random. Winner will be notified by e-mail. Contest ends on 8/1 so get those answers in!
For more info and to purchase tickets head over to Ticketmaster:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/Bowery-Ballroom-tickets-New-York/venue/1100
Doors open at 7PM, show starts at 8PM
The Bowery Ballroom
6 Delancy St.
Posted in concert, contest, hard rock, marty e., music, New York, New York City, rivington rebels, rock and roll, rock band, summer, the dirty pearls, tommy londonLeave a comment
Sweet Fix's GOLDEN AGE Revitalizes Rock
Posted on February 1, 2014 by sexyarmpit
Review of Sweet Fix's latest album Golden Age.
Sweet Fix is comprised of Tommy Walker/Lead vocals, Ivan Anderson/Guitars, Marco Santini/Drums, Bill Sapanaro/Bass, and Jeff Manian/Keys, Synth, backing vocals,
Sweet Fix's latest album is in my possession, and it's apparent that the party is officially on. Although, for me, it's a party of one. Yeah, just me sitting at my desk wearing my Sony headphones that I used every night when I was on the air as a rock radio DJ. That was before I became an astronaut and after I was a sanitation engineer. One major problem though, the disk drive on my computer is out of commission, I have no way of listening to the CD in the background as I write this. I don't own a CD player. You'd think with all this professional experience that I'd figure out how to listen to rig something up with lasers Real Genius style to get it to play, but, shit, if it's not in my iTunes I almost forgot what to do with it.
The Yoda in my life isn't, well, Yoda, it's Clark Griswold, and as he once so eloquently stated in 1983's National Lampoon's Vacation, "Nothing worthwhile is easy, Ellen, we know that." As such, getting to actually listen to Sweet Fix's Golden Age wasn't as simple as you would think.
With the disc in my hands I felt like the ape in 2001: A Space Odyssey discovering bones from a rotted carcass for the first time. Before completely losing all brain functionality and smashing the disc into my desk numerous times, I was overcome with a brilliant idea.
About an hour ago the thought came to me that I think I might still have my old Discman. This was the same Discman that I had to connect in my car during high school because I'm so old that I owned a car that didn't have a CD player, let alone Sirius or an iPod connection (Neither Sirius or iPods existed back then, so shush). I was going through old electronics and cell phones I had in my closet the other night to put on Instagram for shits and I could've sworn I saw my trusty old Discman. There may actually be people young enough reading this who legitimately don't know what that is, so for them, it's a portable CD player that is a little bit bigger than the size of an actual CD. It's hard to believe that CDs are feeling as ancient as records are, and if anything, records have actually risen again to be more relevant than CDs, at least in my geeky circles. I don't buy CDs often, unless they're impulse purchases at Wal-Mart like The Jackson Five's Five Greatest Hits. I don't think that exists, but it probably will soon if it doesn't already.
YES! I found it, I repeat, I found it! It's the Discman! Damn thing still works! I'm popping in the CD right now, but before I hit play, let me ramble on a bit more.
One thing is for sure, the Golden Age of music had nothing to do with CDs. Regardless, the title, Golden Age, is still appropriate. It's obvious that the band arrived at this name for a reason. Dictionary.com states that Golden Age refers to "the most flourishing period…" in the bands case, it's their most immense sounding and most passionate effort yet.
Golden age means different things to different people. Does it change and update as years pass? For instance, lots of people consider the '80s Hulkamania era the Golden Age of professional wrestling, but what about the Bruno Sammartino era? Generally, there are widely agreed upon Golden Ages. Was the MEGO craze in the '70s more impactful than Kenner's Star Wars Toys of the late '70s and throughout the '80s? This is a lame journalistic thing to write, but it's required: Golden Age is Sweet Fix's Golden Age.
Rooted in New York and Northern New Jersey, I first heard about Sweet Fix four or five years ago.
I checked them out live and was impressed with a couple of EPs they released, but my main gripe was that they barely ever played in Jersey. Reason for that is, there's basically no music scene here in New Jersey, let alone a rock scene. Since we are the sports bar capital of the world, how could there be? We have a couple of clubs here and there that feature bands, and we have the Starland Ballroom, but there's no actual scene. Fortunately this is where the Internet comes in. Sweet Fix has all their music available on iTunes and for sale on their website and you can watch their performances on YouTube. Golden Age of the Internet perhaps? Ever since their inception, they've been moving full speed ahead, sculpting their sound and their look throughout, but it wasn't until I saw their live show that I got the full effect of their unique approach.
Sweet Fix, photo by Janine Cheng
If you're not familiar with Sweet Fix, their sound incorporates a lot of familiar influences. Upon first listen, you'll notice their retro sounding hard rock with power pop sheen. My ears also make out inspiration and elements from bands like Queen, The Cars, The Killers, Marvelous 3, ELO, Van Halen, Weezer, The Darkness, all drizzled with a sweet electronic New Wave topping and a hairband flair for the dramatics. I suggest you give them a few listens and you'll begin to discover all these subtle nuances like I did.
Let me take you on a track by track tour of Golden Age:
1. The album kicks into overdrive with "Showtime," which builds into a BIG arena rock song. It's best experienced by closing your eyes and imagining a packed club in New York City. I can almost feel the heat from the spotlights above the stage. The hypnotizing beat and crunchy guitar intro ascends at the command of singer Tommy Walker's fluid vocals into a colossal Queen style chorus. Once kicked in, we're riding a wild mouse roller coaster, taking bumps into the harsh turns, but just before banging into a corner, the sound softens and I feel like my cart is made of memory foam. Meanwhile, the layered guitar sounds in the background become a lost frequency desperately trying to get tuned in.
2. "I Think You Love Me" casts doubt on a girl who is trying to play it off like she's no longer interested in the guy, but the dude is confident and knows differently. There's an excitement knowing that it's not over between them – there's still feelings there as much as she denies it. Sporting an energetic, driving beat, Beach Boys-style background harmonies, and lyrics pouring with refined cockiness, this one is totally ripe for a music video (think Golden Age of MTV). I could see some hottie playing hard to get with Tommy Walker belting the lyrics at a rooftop party in New York City while the rest of the band is rocking out somewhere on the Hudson River just before night falls. Keep an ear out for an awesome dueling guitar shred, one guitar is swirling and full of effect while the other is a killer '80s style rock solo.
3. "Do You Want It?" yes indeed, power pop and retro rock fans will certainly want it. This is some intricately crafted pop saturated with a delicious glaze of space age sounds and topped with a funky rock beat. Is that a theremin I hear? This track gets me all charged up. You can see the band perform it live at Six Flags Great Adventure here in New Jersey from back in 2012 below.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSsLrWJNvhA?rel=0]
4. "Sometimes It's All Too Much" highlights the immense production of the album. Sunny '70s pop rock morphs into an arena rock anthem. This track will most likely prompt a few lighters to ignite in the crowd. The electronic elements from Jeff Manian are a special ingredient.
5. Next up is "True True Love" written by guitarist Ivan Anderson. Love songs are never my thing, but this is hands down the greatest song on the album. No exaggeration, it's a superbly formulated throwback to the latter day crooner style of love songs. Feels like Elvis' "Can't Help Falling in Love" had a one night stand with Extreme's "More Than Words," while the Beatles listened and nodded in approval. Lush harmonies and calm beautiful guitar work make this a standout. In the end, it floats back into space, or as I like to refer to it, the "Moving in Stereo Effect."
6. Picking up the pace is "Bad 4 U." The early Sambora-style intro sets the stage for this infectious head bopping rocker. "Now that I've got your attention, you're my main attraction" sings Tommy Walker. That lyric makes total sense following the previous heartfelt love song. This is Tommy Walker's best vocal performance since his range is on display as well as his Butch Walker influence. This is straight up hard melodic rock at its best, complete with Ivan's sick guitar solo. This is Sweet Fix's "You Give Love a Bad Name."
7. Marco leads us in with a "Living after Midnight" style drum intro on "The Last Night of Our Lives" This tremendously chilled out rocker is Chicago on Ecstasy in Space. Puts me in a good mood which is probably exactly what they intended it to do. Possibly my favorite track, but I haven't officially made up my mind yet.
8. Fitting that "This Aint Over" ushers this mammoth CD into the home stretch. The pulsing beat makes me feel like I was playing Super Mario Brothers and Mario jumped down a pipe into a secret Jimmy Eat World stage. The freaking vocal harmonies! I'll say it right now, no matter how much I despise the show Glee, they need to do an entire episode with songs from this album. As Billy Joe from Green Day said in This is 40: "You got a song on Glee? That's killer, man. That's so much money, that's good for all of us." Not sure if they used a keytar here, but it sure sounds like it, and more of those awesome Beach Boys style background vocals are always welcome.
9. Yes, I'm really about to write this, and I'm actually not drunk or wasted in any way shape or form: The quintessential celestial instrumental that sends it all home is "Golden Age." It sounds like guitarist Ivan Anderson birthed this while on his last vacation…on Saturn. The ethereal mood transported me into the another galaxy as I float amongst the stars. The sounds created sparkles and moved back and forth through my brain on a conveyor belt. It was either that or KITT's red LCD display is trying to tell me something telepathically.
Sweet Fix's badass logo – Skull Pez!
As with many independent bands there's often a distinct improvement from their early EPs and albums, but in this case, their previous efforts Sparks in the Dark, and FM Radio/Make a Move sound just as solid, but Golden Age is sprinkled with a dash of pop rocks and more synth, creating a hybrid that Ivan the guitarist refers to as "Cyber Rock."
What I appreciate most about Sweet Fix is that they pull from various different genres and generations of music. Ironically, their own sweet fix isn't for candy, it's for the diverse cross section of tunes that help to create their musical mutation which resides far off in Candy Land where the band plays on top of the Gumdrop Mountain. It sounds preposterous, but they've somehow combined pop, new wave, glam, modern and classic rock into one concise album. Clocking in at under 30 minutes, it's fast paced, memorable, and pretty f*cking epic thanks to the bands creativity and the outstanding production from Geoff Stanfield.
It's been a while since the days when fun party rock reigned. I miss the days of over the top antics, colorful clothes, hot girls on stage, and David Lee Roth doing splits in the air. Mainstream music is a bore. If you can recall the days blasting music in the car with your friends singing at the top of your lungs and when air guitaring at a friends house made you feel awesome and want to get a little crazy, then you know it's high time to rock out like that again. Golden Age will help you do just that. Find your old disc man, get your headphones, and escape to a higher plane of existence, and listen to Sweet Fix revitalize rock music.
With their enhanced sound, SWEET FIX is a band to catch in concert. Their bombastic and flashy live show is a spectacle and it's worth your time to check them out. See them at The Studio in Webster Hall in NYC tonight (2/1/14) for their first show of the year with more shows to be announced soon!
You can pick up Golden Age on iTunes and BandCamp
http://sweetfix.bandcamp.com/music
https://www.facebook.com/thesweetfix
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheSweetFix
http://www.sweetfixmusic.com
Posted in cd, iTunes, ivan anderson, music, New Jersey, New York City, rock band, sweet fix, tommy walkerLeave a comment
WIN TICKETS TO THE DIRTY PEARLS HOLIDAY CONCERT IN NYC!
We've got a bit of a dilemma. It's not a bad one, in fact it's a pretty rock and roll sort of dilemma. Our friends, the New York City rockers The Dirty Pearls, called Sludgey and I backstage to help them sort this all out for them. What's the problem? Well, their awesome fans have sent them 5 wrapped gifts for the holidays, but we don't know what band member gets which gift because they aren't labeled! Luckily, I used my x-ray sunglasses to see what's inside the boxes, now all I need you to do is help me figure out what member of the band gets each gift!
The Dirty Pearls and The Sexy Armpit present…
the Whose Gift Is Going To Who? Contest
WINNER WILL RECEIVE TICKETS TO THE DIRTY PEARLS HUGE HOLIDAY SHOW!
On Saturday 12/21/13 the winner will be heading to IRVING PLAZA in New York City to see The Dirty Pearls with special guest Brian Newman and featuring Marco With Love, Ten Ton Mojo, The Bone Chimes, Breedlove, and DJ Ian Eldorado.
All you have to do is match up The Dirty Pearls band member with the gift they would want and send your answers to sexyarmpit@comcast.net with the subject DP GIFT by 12/10/13:
For example if you think Tommy wants a new Guns and Roses album then type
1. E and if Sunny wants a box of condoms then write 4. D, you get the picture.
ALL CORRECT ENTRIES WILL BE POOLED AND A WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN AT RANDOM!
CONTEST ENDS ON 12/10/13 !
Don't forget to match ALL 5 of the band members!
Posted in contest, giveaway, marty e., New York City, nyc, rock band, the dirty pearls, tommy londonLeave a comment
Steel Panther's Stix Zadinia, A Jersey Drummer!
Posted on November 18, 2011 by sexyarmpit
http://steelpantherrocks.com
Steel Panther are the Viagra addicted, horny hair metal sons of Spinal Tap. The band has been on a tear since 2003's Hole Patrol, and 2009's Feel The Steel. Just a few weeks ago Steel Panther released their latest album BALLS OUT available through iTunes, Amazon or wherever you BUY music. Don't illegally download this album because these m'fers need the money. Especially Stix cause he's obviously been in therapy ever since missing out on the chance of drumming for Bon Jovi. Read all about the Jersey drummer in his bio pictured above that appeared in Feel The Steel's CD booklet.
SEE STEEL PANTHER ON DECEMBER 1st at STARLAND BALLROOM!
Posted in 80s, Band, Bon Jovi, drummer, Hair Bands, Hair Metal, hard rock, iTunes, music, New Jersey, rock band, starland ballroom, steel panther, stix zadiniaLeave a comment
Metal Day in the NJ 11-11-11
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FoN3S4-JsU?rel=0]
"Barry Manilow you better cover your ears…"
In honor of METAL DAY, here are a few items from around the Internet that help illustrate New Jersey's prominence as one of the most METAL states in America. Check these out! m/m/
– I found this classic clip from News 4 New York on YouTube that features interviews with employees and shoppers at Rock n Roll Heaven, a legendary music store in Clark, NJ. Reporter Anna Bond asks the folks in the store about the appeal of heavy metal with the underlying spin of metal being "the devil's music." The nightly news hasn't changed much. Thanks to YouTube user playmobilfriends for posting the video!
– Read Newark Metal Music Examiner writer Scott Boutsikaris' memories of Rock n Roll Heaven record store!
– Back in January 2009, the website Metal Injection did an awesome post on The State of METAL music in New Jersey. Some of the most popular metal bands from the Garden State are discussed in the article including The Dillinger Escape Plan, God Forbid, Monster Magnet, Overkill, and they also included The Misfits for their far reaching influence over rock and metal.
– Also, keep on the lookout for young and relentless NJ metal heads Rapid Fire: http://www.reverbnation.com/rapidxfire
Posted in hard rock, metal, monster magnet, music, Music Videos, New Jersey, news, overkill, rapid fire, records, rock, rock band, rock n roll heavenLeave a comment
WATCH: "GET SLUDGEY TO THE STARLAND!"
Posted on September 18, 2011 by sexyarmpit
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1_mysYJMxA?rel=0]
The Sexy Armpit's first appearance of Sludgey (played by Miss Sexy Armpit) and guest starring the Dirty Jersey Rockers Scarlet Carson. Sludgey was made by Puppatoons. Video was written, directed, and edited by The Sexy Armpit. Please watch it and LIKE it! If you think it's funny send it to someone who might get a kick out of it. Thanks for your support! P.S: WATCH IN HD!!!
*Get your tickets for Scarlet Carson's CD release party on September 24th at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville via this link at Ticketmaster.
Posted in concert, get sludgey to the starland, rock band, sayreville, scarlet carson, sludgey, starland ballroom, The Sexy ArmpitLeave a comment
"Static" by The Dirty Pearls, Live in Hoboken NJ
Posted on September 7, 2011 by sexyarmpit
The Dirty Pearls perform "Static" live at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ on 9/1/2011.
Posted in concert, hard rock, hoboken, marty e., maxwells, music, New Jersey, rock, rock band, the dirty pearls, tommy londonLeave a comment
Jon Bon Jovi Does Not Work For Me
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gFlfuqcsF0?rel=0]
Surprisingly "Work For The Working Man" sucks only a little bit less than the rest of the tracks on Bon Jovi's latest effort The Circle. The second I heard this blah medium paced rocker previous to it's release in late 2009, it's lyrics struck me as ironic coming from an obscenely wealthy music icon. I'm a working man and Jon Bon Jovi sure as hell doesn't work for me, otherwise he'd still be recording songs that make me jump out of my chair and play air guitar in front of my mirror.
Jon Bon Jovi's limp songwriting as of late is partly because in the past several years he's been too concerned with being an entrepreneur and hosting political galas to be a real rock star. Why concentrate on writing kickass songs when there's hobnobbing to do, hands to shake, pockets to fill, and horned up wives to flirt with? Rock stars always boast that there's no better job in the world than to play their music in front of crowds on a nightly basis. Sure, being a successful musician or rock star is lucrative, and as you know, offers a lot of tremendous fringe benefits. So why is this guy singing about losing his pension and having to work 2 jobs just to get by?
Jon Bon Jovi's net worth is estimated to be in the same range of the number of records his band has sold: 100 million. Listening to Jon sing lyrics that question "Who's gonna work for the working man?" is ridiculous. Jon brazenly announces that he's "here trying to make a living" in the first line of the song. It's a warm and fuzzy sentiment, but really just a futile attempt at appealing to the hard working average middle class citizen – the very group of people responsible for igniting the band to fame in early '80s New Jersey. Most of them aren't rock stars, but some did take a crack at it after seeing him make it big. Where are they now? Probably looking to be interviewed by The Sexy Armpit.
Jon Bon Jovi may have grown up in middle class suburban Sayreville, New Jersey, but it wasn't very long before Bon Jovi's hit records started making them millions. Oh, the woes of having a family and trying to make ends meet on a one hundred million dollar budget! I know Jon, it must be a real challenge to get those utility bills paid at the end of the month when dealing with such a meager salary. I hear the Bon Jovi clan may even have to skip Christmas this year. You know, sometimes I have $9 dollars left in my account when I'm done paying bills? Look out, airing on E! Network soon, Jay's True New Jersey Story.
Talk about Captain Crash, more like Captain Obvious! Themes such as the economy, unemployment lines, and government involvement are as easily detectable in the song as the moments in concert when Jon's about to twinkle his spirit fingers. You can see them coming from 7800 miles away. The song's clunky title, awkward chorus, and political theme fail to unite with the run of the mill Jovi musical background. Which reminds me about an old story. Once upon a time…not so long ago, Bon Jovi sang a song about a working class couple. Although "Work" shares a similar chugging musical intro that recalls their signature song "Livin' On A Prayer," their hopes to evoke the same emotions as "Prayer" has for the last 25 years were squashed.
John F. Kennedy's Inaugrual Address in 1961 included his famous call to action "…ask what you can do for your country." Essentially, Jon lyrics stand behind Americans who work their asses off every day and are still getting screwed. Now it's the governments turn to help the people out a little bit, and no matter your political beliefs, that's not a bad idea that Jon has. The bigger issue here is why he and his guitar slinger Richie Sambora couldn't turn these passionate sentiments into a huge walloping rock song with an indelible chorus that doesn't merely ask a question, but instead commands results. Rock music needs to resist and challenge the status quo, but unfortunately Bon Jovi's "Work" output is too sluggish to be taken seriously.
Posted in Bon Jovi, concert, iTunes, jon bon jovi, music, New Jersey, politics, richie sambora, rock, rock band, sayrevilleLeave a comment
See Sweet Fix Perform!
Sweet Fix is Tommy Walker, Ivan Anderson, Marco Santini, Wil Sapanaro
Sweet Fix is performing their infectious brand of pop infused rock tonight at Irving Plaza in NYC at 7:30 PM. They will be giving out FREE copies of their latest single "FM RADIO/Make a Move." Originally formed in Bergen County, NJ, and now based out of NYC, Sweet Fix's songs have a fun energy that will make you want to jump around and sing along with their memorable choruses. If their upcoming CD is anywhere near as good as their previously released EP "Sparks in the Dark," then we're in for a hell of a treat. Merely listening to their songs doesn't do them justice, you have to experience their ultra sugarbuzzed live performance. But, if you can't make tonight's show, make it a point to check them out on iTunes, Amazon, or CDBaby!
www.SweetFixMusic.com
http://www.reverbnation.com/thesweetfix
Twitter.com/sweetfix
Posted in bergen county, cd, hard rock, music, New York City, rock band, sweet fixLeave a comment


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Court communicates case against Azerbaijan about serious ill-treatment of LGBT people
The Fifth Section of the European Court of Human Rights has communicated the case of A and 24 Others v Azerbaijan.
The case concerns allegations of serious ill-treatment of 25 people by the police solely on the basis of sexual orientation.
This is the first case concerning sexual orientation discrimination in Azerbaijan to have been communicated by the Court.
In September 2017, police in Azerbaijan, as reported by Human Rights Watch, conducted a violent campaign, arresting and torturing men presumed to be gay or bisexual, as well as transgender women.
Police in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, reportedly "detained dozens of people on dubious charges, beating and using electric shocks on some of them to coerce bribes and information about other gay men".
Government officials are said to have "not denied the crackdown" but to have "attempted to justify it on spurious morality and public health grounds".
The applicants in this case are members of the LGBT community who were arrested during the police raids in mid-September 2017.
The complaints to the Court
The applicants complain that their arrest and subsequent administrative detention were unlawful and arbitrary, and based solely on their actual or perceived sexual orientation.
They further argue that they were ill-treated by police officers and custodial staff and that the relevant authorities failed to conduct an effective investigation into their alleged ill-treatment.
The applicants also complain that they were subjected to forced medical examinations during their detention.
Questions to the Parties
The Court has asked the Parties the following question, in respect of Articles 3, 5, 6, 8 and 14 of the Convention:
Have the applicants been subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment by police officers and custodial staff during their arrest and detention, in breach of Article 3 of the Convention?
Did the material conditions of the applicants' detention, amount to inhuman or degrading treatment? In particular: (a) What were the dimensions of the cell? How many persons were detained in that cell at the same time as the applicants? Did the applicants have a separate bed and bedding? (b) Was the cell adequately lit and ventilated? What were the sanitary conditions inside the cell? (c) Did the applicants have appropriate provisions of food, water, bedding and other necessities?
Have the competent domestic authorities conducted an adequate investigation into the applicants' allegations of ill-treatment, as required by the procedural obligation under Article 3 of the Convention?
Did the applicants have effective domestic remedies at their disposal for their complaint under Article 3 concerning the alleged ill-treatment, as required by Article 13 of the Convention?
Were the applicants deprived of their liberty in breach of Article 5 § 1 of the Convention? In particular, was the applicants' "administrative" detention in compliance with domestic procedural rules (see Huseynli and Others v. Azerbaijan, nos. 67360/11 and 2 others, §§ 142-149, 11 February 2016)?
Was Article 6 of the Convention under its criminal head applicable to the proceedings in all cases? In the affirmative, did the applicants have a fair hearing in the determination of the criminal charges against them, in accordance with Article 6 §§ 1 and 3 of the Convention? Were the applicants afforded adequate facilities to prepare their defence, as required by Article 6 § 3 (b) of the Convention? Were the applicants afforded an opportunity to defend themselves through legal assistance of their own choosing, as required by Article 6 § 3 (c) of the Convention? In particular, were the applicants' right to be defended by a lawyer of their own choice restricted during the questioning at the police station and the proceedings at the first-instance court?
Has there been an interference with the applicants' right to respect for their private life, on account of their alleged forced medical examinations while in detention, within the meaning of Article 8 § 1 of the Convention? If so, was that interference in accordance with the law and necessary in terms of Article 8 § 2?
Have the applicants suffered discrimination on the ground of their actual and/or perceived sexual orientation contrary to Article 14 of the Convention, this provision being read in conjunction with Articles 3, 5 and 8 of the Convention?
The Court has also requested that the Government submit copies of all documents relating to the proceedings concerning the applicants' arrest and administrative detention (including the documents concerning the applicants' medical examination, their lawyers' requests (if any) for such examination to be carried out, and the copy of the Baku Court of Appeal's decision of 29 September 2017 in respect of a case brought by one of the applicants.
My academic publications
Professor of Sociology at the University of York.
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FeaturedFitnessHealthWellness
Yin, Hold the Yang
by Haley Fritz December 27, 2019
written by Haley Fritz December 27, 2019
Discover Yin yoga, the restorative practice that targets deeply held tension and trauma.
The word "yoga" is over 2,000 years old, as old as the Sanskrit language itself. Though the practice is based on an ancient treatise (The Yoga Sutra), yoga lives on in modern times, and its popularity only continues to grow.
Over 36 million self-proclaimed yogis live in the U.S. today, comprising an industry worth $80 billion. From the ancient schools of Vinyasa and Bikram, modern yogis have developed Westernized yoga traditions like power yoga and hot yoga. But lately, more and more yogis are favoring relaxation over perspiration, leading to a surge in the popularity of Yin yoga classes.
Slower than Vinyasa and softer than Hatha, Yin yoga emphasizes meditation, breathwork (or Pranayama) and slow, deliberate movement. The Sanskrit word "yin" refers to the introspective, feminine energy within all of us. You may also recognize its twin, "yang," signifying the masculine, active forces of nature. "We tend to live in a very Yang culture," says Bernie Clark, Yin yoga teacher and founder of YinYoga.com. "Very rarely do we sit back and just accept what's happening in life…. [But] you can't have one and not the other. Life requires balance."
Enter your text here...In a typical Yin yoga class, yogis often hold poses for anywhere from three to 20 minutes at a time, allowing access to deeper tissues such as the fascia. According to Clark, targeting the fascia activates the cells that make up this tissue, prompting them to regenerate and become longer, stronger and even, in some cases, younger.
Yin yoga teacher Paul Grilley uses the 14-10-7 sutra to explain the foundations of Yin in his teacher trainings. This mnemonic stands for the 14 skeletal segments, 10 myofascial groups and seven archetypal poses targeted by a typical Yin yoga practice. "There are two aspects to health: to build up the body, make it stronger, make it more resilient; and to relax and restore the body," Grilley says. "After you stress a muscle and it gets sore, Yin yoga can speed up the rehabilitation of the muscle so you can go back to your Yang yoga sooner."
In addition to its physiological benefits, multiple studies have found Yin yoga helps relieve stress, worry and anxiety. Perhaps most profoundly, however, Yin yoga harnesses the power to release deeply held trauma and pain in the body, making it a popular clinical intervention for the treatment of depression, anxiety and even eating disorders. "Yin yoga is very simple, but simple doesn't mean easy," says Clark. "It is challenging to be still; to pay attention to what's happening [in the body]."
And that is where the power of Yin yoga lies: Unlike other yoga styles, Yin doesn't ask us to contort our body into pretzel-like shapes or sweat out half our body weight in a humid 90-degree studio. Instead, Yin yoga frees us from the perfectionistic demands of the modern world, asking us, for only 75 to 90 minutes, to do nothing but breathe and be present on the mat.
"After you do a pose for five minutes, take time to be completely calm and relax and feel what's going on inside your body as you rebound," says Grilley. "If you feel good after a pose, if you enjoy the spreading sensation of ease, then you did that pose correctly."
In a culture dominated by the pressure to be thinner, richer, more successful, Yin yoga stands alone as the one fitness modality that doesn't ask us to change our bodies—or ourselves. Whether tall or short, big or small, disabled or able-bodied, Yin yoga offers us the opportunity to celebrate our unique selves, and to be present just as we are.
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This training is led by Bradley Hospital/Lifespan and gives anyone the skills to help an adult who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. It will include a new supplement on opioid mediation awareness. This is session two of a two part-series. Participants must attend both sessions.


Alan Ryan (16) has been missing from his home in the town for six weeks.
Gardaí are renewing their appeal for information on the whereabouts of a Drogheda teenager who has been missing from his home for six weeks.
16-year-old Alan Ryan went missing from his home in the town on September 22nd.
He was last seen on the 2nd October at Aston Quay in Dublin.
Alan is described as being 5' 11" , with brown hair and blue eyes.
Anyone who may have information is asked to contact Drogheda Garda Station on 041 - 987 4 200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.


As part of the work the Digital and Technology Strategy team are currently doing on revising guidance and support for spend controls, we have invited Kassandra Karpathakis from Public Health England (PHE) to talk about some of the work the team at PHE have been doing to update, improve and simplify the advice, guidance and support for teams looking to get digital spend approval and start their digital project.
This post will form the first in a series of posts as we continue to work with our community to improve the spend controls process.
The PHE Digital Strategy team is responsible for approving digital spend and assurance and setting policy and standards around digital public health. We also provide practical advice to teams doing a digital project, demystify digital jargon, and support collaborative working to help teams deliver high-quality digital projects.
My first task since joining the team in May this year has been to improve our guidance and support for PHE teams wanting to do a digital project. As I am sure you know, the Cabinet Office Spend Controls introduced in 2013 means Arm's Length Bodies (ALBs) of the Department of Health (DH) cannot spend any money on a digital product or service without approval from DH and, in some cases, the Government Digital Service (GDS).
To start this work, I talked to our users in PHE who had or were completing a digital spend control form. I wanted to learn about their experience of using the digital spend control form and the process, and what more we could do to help them. So far I have spoken to 11 people across nine projects.
The general feeling from users was the digital spend control form, while necessary to ensure taxpayer money is spent on thought out projects meeting user need, was taking away effort from the actual project. Instead of focussing on the Digital Service Standard and getting their project off to the best start, they were dedicating a lot of time and energy into filling out the spend control form.
But, don't be alarmed, it wasn't all bad. I then asked our users what we could do to help and support them with the spend control form and process going forward.
Our users are especially keen to work with PHE Digital and DH Digital to improve the spend control process for themselves and others. A user said "as it [digital] is completely new to us and we have no experience in this area" they welcome all the support they can get.
The suggestions from our users along with the candid feedback really got us thinking about how we can improve our support for PHE teams going through the spend and assurance process and starting a digital public health project.
To meet the ask of our users, we updated our internal content and guidance on the digital spend and assurance process. This included updating and embedding the 19 pages of additional guidance attached to the spend control form within the body of the form itself. We updated the guidance to make it as relevant to PHE teams as possible and tried to ensure it was written in plain English.
We've started running ad hoc workshops with PHE teams introducing them to the PHE Digital team, doing a digital project to GDS standards, user needs, and user research. These workshops have been specifically aimed at PHE teams new to digital ways of working and thinking. We're also exploring options for offering digital teams hands-on support and/or a digital-buddy.
Throughout this work we've actively sought user feedback on what we're doing to test and tweak different ideas. It's worth saying that without the help of our users we wouldn't have made so much progress. Thank you!
We'd welcome feedback from other teams outside of PHE on their experience of the spend and assurance process and/or to learn about how they support their teams doing a digital project. Please get in touch at Digital.Approvals@phe.gov.uk.
Calling all Digital Professionals . . .


According to a 2017 Gallup poll, low employee engagement costs businesses over $450 million per year in the U.S. Improve your engagement and productivity. Read our blog.
ClickSoftware, in collaboration with the Service Council, will soon be hosting a webinar on the "How To" of Employee Engagement, including success factors on improving engagement. Click, a Sponsor of the Service Council, is a thought leader in the development of mobile tools for monitoring and assessing employee engagement that gives managers accessible means for staying on top of engagement.
Why is employee engagement so important? According to a 2017 Gallup poll on the Global Workplace, 87 percent of workers worldwide and 70 percent of employees in the U.S. are either not engaged or actively disengaged. Furthermore, the cost of low employee engagement is staggering: Actively disengaged employees cost the U.S. $450 to $550 Billion per year. On the positive side, organizations with high employee engagement experience higher earnings per share, 22 percent higher profitability and 21 percent higher productivity, 37 percent lower absenteeism, 28 percent lower "shrinkage", 48 percent fewer staff safety incidents and higher customer engagement as well.
The Service Council's experience with successful initiatives to improve employee engagement has been, among other things, greater collaboration, more employee-driven innovation in service processes and a culture that becomes more resilient in times of organizational change. In our own research, "The Field Service Leader's Agenda–a 2018 Service Council Trends Survey, almost 50% of leaders deemed field service collaboration as their top focus area, and two of their top 4 concerns were employee engagement and field service collaboration with other functions.
Clearly, as leaders experience continued pressures to drive efficiencies and increase revenues, while also improving on customer satisfaction, they can't lose sight of the cultural dynamics that underlie any efforts at operational improvement. As Jim Collins stated in his book, "Built to Last", leaders have to become masters of the "Genius of the AND", instead of falling prey to the "Tyranny of the OR". Instead of thinking we can do one thing, such as focus on cost cutting rather than enhancing customer satisfaction, we need to be able to drive efficiency and cut costs, and at the same time improve both the employee and the customer experience.
A successful approach to changing to a culture of high employee engagement is what Smarter Services Leadership™ (SSL) is all about. With SSL methods, including Click's easily-accessible engagement tools, employee engagement and customer satisfaction increase, while employee attrition is reduced and operating cost is cut, among other benefits.
If you would like to know more about Smarter Services Leadership™ and how it can benefit your organization, please contact Chris Gera at cg@servicecouncil.com.
To register for the upcoming Click webinar, Key Considerations for Improving Employee Engagement, click here.


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Attractions We Manage
Other Leisure Business
Cotswold Country Park and Beach
In March 2017 PSL won a competitive tender to manage the Cotswold Country Park and Beach on behalf of the Cotswold Water Park Trust. The Country Park and Beach is set within the wider Cotswold Water Park which covers over 40 square miles. PSL has inv
In March 2017 PSL won a competitive tender to manage the Cotswold Country Park and Beach on behalf of the Cotswold Water Park Trust.
The Country Park and Beach is set within the wider Cotswold Water Park which covers over 40 square miles. PSL has invested heavily in the attraction to broaden the range of activities on offer and improve the customer experience.
The Country Park and Beach is set within the wider Cotswold Water Park which covers over 40 square miles. There are numerous walking trails throughout the Country Park that connect to the wider water park. Pedestrian access is permitted to these paths – but the use of the beach, swimming areas and other facilities (except catering) are chargeable.
For 2017 Planning Solutions introduced Gift Aid ticket options -when customers buy a Gift Aid park admission, at least 10% of the value of their ticket is a donation to the Cotswold Water Park Trust.
The Family Beach – a wonderful day out on a gently shelving sandy beach that has been upgraded with 150 tons of new sand for 2017! Pedaloes, Mini port themed boats, Water walkers, all fully supervised by trained life guards
The WIBIT AquaVenture – New for 2017 – the largest course of its type in the area! A true revolution in water play! An awesome experience for all the family – 20 separate action packed obstacles to overcome.
North Lake Watersports – offering kayaking and new Fanatic single, double and Group paddle boards
The Lakeside Pizzeria and Gelato – The Park's main reception building now has a brand new Pizzeria and Gelato, offering a great selection of Pizzas from a traditional wood burning oven and a range of delicious quality ice creams. Beside the Lakeside building an enclosed children's paddling pool can be found – as well as a great new outdoor play area.
Tickets for the Mini-golf course (situated beside The Aqua Venture Park on The North Lake) can also be purchased here. On the second floor of the building – offering panoramic water views – a function room is available for functions, education and private parties. Brilliant kid's birthday parties can also be held at the Park.
Click here to find out more about the Cotswold Country Park and Beach
Don't forget if you are looking for a company to manage a visitor attraction please don't hesitate to contact Mike Stickland at info@pslplan.co.uk
Planning Solutions Ltd
Email: info@pslplan.co.uk
About Planning Solutions Ltd
Operational Management & Services


IN this picture, Chris is a tad confused, because someone has broken into his music room with a camera.
Chris trained at RADA as an actor, and has acted both on stage and on TV.
He's also an award-winning writer, having written both plays and songs for theatre.
He's also a theatre director.
Scroll down to see what he's up to at the moment, listen to some of the music..
In the year (2018) of Spike Milligan's centenary, Larner and Jeremy Stockwell celebrate the great goon. In 90 minutes of slapstick, nonsense, sketches and songs, they explore his legacy and how he changed the world of comedy forever.
17th, 18th, 19th August 2.05 pm Pleasance Courtyard Below, venue 33. Limited availability.
Since graduating from RADA in 1979, Chris has worked extensively on stage; work includes Mad Hatter in Alice In Wonderland (RSC); Wind in the Willows (National Theatre) and on screen playing 'Clingfilm' in London's Burning.
Chris also wrote songs for a number of shows for the legendary 'The Right Size' Stop Calling Me Vernon, Do You Come Here Often? Bewilderness.
In 2011, Chris first performed his acclaimed show, 'An Instinct for Kindness' at the Edinburgh Fringe winning a Fringe First Award. He went on to tour the UK and perform at Trafalgar Studios in the West End.
Chris has also provided music for many productions like the Miser (Garrick Theatre, West End 2017), Barry and Angelos: New Power Generation (Soho Theatre 2017), Michael Morpurgo's Pinocchio (Workshop 2012) and Nina Conti 'Evolution' (2018).
Chris is also available as a freelance director having worked numerous times at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts on shows like 'Brezhnev's Children' and 'Oh What A Lovely War'.
He has also written many shows including, 'The Translucent Frogs of Quuup' starring Rosalie Craig (The Light Princess, Company) which transferred from the Edinburgh Fringe to the Ambassadors Theatre in 2004.
Other musicals include, 'On The Island of Aars' starring Laura Main (Call The Midwife) which was nominated for five MTM Awards, 2008.
Chris has co-written shows with many people like Rob Mountford for, 'Vagabonds' (Edinburgh Festival 2015, Dublin 2016), Simon David for 'Virgin' (Edinburgh Fringe 2018).


A recent announcement proves that the White House is becoming more involved in the open source software community. Whitehouse.gov is based on Drupal, an open source content management platform, and the White House has previously released source code for several Drupal modules. Now, developers in the Obama administration are working with the Drupal community to improve 'We the People,' the White House's online petition system. The White House plans to release a "white label" theme for its 'We the People' website that will allow others to re-use the code and create their own petition websites, according to a White House Blog post.
Web developers in the White House also collaborate with the open source community on Github, offering White House mobile apps. The White House website offers a page for developers interested in using their open source tools at whitehouse.gov/developers. Developers can also track the White House's open source activity through the White House's Github profile.


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Home Mobile Android Nokia 3.1 Plus First Impressions: Nokia's New Budget Gem?
Nokia 3.1 Plus First Impressions: Nokia's New Budget Gem?
Karthik Iyer -
Last Updated: October 16, 2018 9:01 am
With its current smartphone line-up in India, Nokia has managed to establish a name for itself in the mid-range segment. Be it with the Nokia 7 Plus, or the Nokia 6.1 Plus, the company has been trying to lure the average Indian buyers who've been drooling over the Chinese brands.
The Nokia 3.1 Plus, on the other hand, is a budget phone. Though it has all the hallmarks of recent Nokia devices including a great build quality, an Android One badge, decent specs for the price, etc., HMD Global has cut some corners to achieve the affordable Rs. 11,499 price tag. So, is it still a solid Nokia budget phone or just another affordable smartphone?
Well, I've been using the Nokia 3.1 Plus as my daily driver for the past couple of days, and while my detailed review of the phone is still a work in progress, I thought I'd offer some of my first impressions –
Nokia 3.1 Plus Specs
Dimensions 156.68 x 76.44 x 8.19 mm
Display 6-inch HD+ IPS LCD
Processor MediaTek Helio P22
RAM 2/3GB
Storage 16/32GB, expandable up to 400GB
Rear Camera 13MP (f/2.0)+5MP (f/2.4), PDAF, single LED flash
Front Camera 8MP (f/2.2)
Battery 3,500 mAh
OS Android 8.1 Oreo, under Android One program
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, A-GPS, GLONASS, 3.5mm headphone jack, microUSB port
Sensors rear-mounted fingerprint, accelerometer, gyroscope, e-compass, proximity, ambient light
Colors Blue, White, Baltic
Design & Build Quality
The Nokia 3.1 Plus is immediately appealing, thanks to its build quality. It has a flat, yet grippy die-cast metal back that nicely wraps around the sides, giving it a handsome grip. The Nokia 3.1 Plus is a pleasure to hold as it doesn't feel like one of those flimsy thin plastic phones. It feels surprisingly premium, especially when compared to other budget devices. As you can see, we have the Blue variant with us, but you can also get in Baltic and White, which I believe, will look and feel equally good.
Nokia 3.1 Plus body
Other aspects of the hardware have also been round out pretty well. On the top, there's a 3.5mm headphone jack, that enables the FM radio app on the phone, along with a noise cancellation mic. The speaker at the bottom gets surprisingly loud, but you'll have to make do with a micro USB port for charging and data syncing.
Unlike the Nokia 3.1, this time we do have a fingerprint sensor at the back along with the 13MP + 5MP dual camera system. I'll talk a bit more about the cameras later, but as for the fingerprint sensor itself, I think I can make peace with it since it is the only way you can unlock the phone (unless you want to type in a password or draw a pattern which is, duh, so old school).
Nokia 3.1 Plus separate slots
I also like how Nokia has given two separate trays – a slot for SIM 1 & microSD card and a separate slot for SIM 2. If I have to nitpick, though, then I'd say the buttons could have been better. Both the power button and the volume rocker are made of the same material as the back of the phone, so I found them hard to press without actually looking for them.
The Nokia 3.1 Plus feels surprisingly premium, especially when compared to other budget devices.
The Nokia 3.1 Plus has a big, bright 6-inch HD+ display on the front along with Nokia branding and other essentials like the front-facing camera, earpiece, etc. It's an LCD panel with a resolution of 720 x 1440, which, I'd say looks a lot like displays on other phones at this price point. However, the 720p resolution is reserved to phones below the 10,000 price range, so the lower resolution at this price can be a dealbreaker for some.
Nokia 3.1 Plus 6″ HD+ Display
I am happy to report that there's no notch here, but the 18:9 aspect ratio display is just decent at best. It is also worth pointing out that you'll be stuck streaming SD movies on services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc., thanks to the lack of Widevine L1 certification.
I've also noticed a weird ghosting effect on texts while the phone is in night mode. Obviously, this can easily be fixed with a software update, but I am yet to see one on my unit, so let's hope this gets fixed before the phone goes on sale.
The Nokia 3.1 Plus, as mentioned earlier, is equipped with a 13MP + 5MP camera setup on the back, and yes, the phone can take Portrait Mode shots. On the front, there's an 8MP camera with support for "bokeh" mode for selfies.
I found the camera app to be decent as well. It offers all the essential options and modes to capture the shot you want. I haven't had the chance to fully play with the camera yet, so I'll have more on the camera performance and the app in my full review.
In the meantime, here are some shots that I have taken so far –
Hardware & Battery
The Nokia 3.1 Plus is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio P22 processor coupled with up to 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. I don't have a lot to say about the performance just yet, but sometimes the phone does feel sluggish even in day-to-day usage; I'll reserve my judgement for the full review, but so far the performance doesn't look very promising, especially if you go heavy on multi-tasking or gaming.
The battery life, however, is what exceeded my expectations. The Nokia 3.1 Plus has a 3,500 mAh battery and it has comfortably lasted me for a day without any issues. I've managed to get through a medium day of usage with 10-percent charge left. Yes, the phone is not breaking any records with that performance, but a full-day battery is good.
Nokia 3.1 Plus has the prestigious badge of 'Android One' at its back!
The Nokia 3.1 Plus is a part of Android One Program, which means, it has the prestigious badge of 'Android One' at its back. The badge means you'll get guaranteed timely security updates for the next three years and OS updates for two years. The Nokia 3.1 Plus runs on Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box, but is expected to get updated to Android Pie very soon.
Nokia 3.1 Plus runs on Android Oreo out of the box
Despite running on a vanilla build of Android, I am noticing sluggish animations just while casually browsing the phone. Honestly, I expected a better performance, but I guess, it is too early to judge based on the first impressions.
Nokia 3.1 Plus: Price & Availability
The new Nokia 3.1 Plus is priced at Rs. 11,499 in India and it will be available only on the Nokia store and offline stores starting October 19. With such a price tag, the Nokia 3.1 Plus is directly competing with the likes of the ZenFone Max Pro and the Redmi Y2 etc. and while the Nokia 3.1 plus does seem to be lagging behind when it comes to the display, the amount of RAM, or battery, it brings the trademark nice design of Nokia and Android One, so even with its drawbacks, the Nokia 3.1 Plus seems like a promising phone, and I'll be putting it through its paces in the coming days, so be sure to check back for a detailed review and other comparisons.
Karthik Iyer Oct 16, 2018 At 9:48 am
Hi Jay, you are absolutely right. But this phone will be sold in the offline market, which explains why it has been priced higher than other phones. Yes, it's an odd-ball pricing, but that's how online and offline markets work.
Jay Gori Oct 12, 2018 At 2:29 pm
why Nokia is selling 3.1 plus at a price of 11,499? With this price we can buy Nokia 5.1 plus.The Price of Nokia 3.1 plus should be at 8k.
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This sermon takes a look at how we manage our relationships with others. If we can't use anger or manipulation to get people to do what we want, how should we go about it? Jesus begins this topic with the command, "Judge Not!"


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Powiat de Kolno
Village dans la voïvodie de Podlachie

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An image scanned from a stereoscopic view many planks of lumber and four men near a river and several factory buildings and smoke stacks. Handwritten text has been added to the back of the card to read, "Rapids Below Falls, Orono, Maine, A.B. Carr, Photographer."


Nick Wells reported a story on CNBC.com with a headline suggesting online fraud is not a bad thing.
He comments on a report from Forter, an e-commerce fraud-prevention company. Forter monitors customer transactions to determine if the purchase may be fraudulent. Forter checks the device that purchased the item, the address it is being sent to, and other information. It will then approve or deny the transaction, based on machine learning and decision making.
The data in the report shows online fraud stabilizing at about 2% of all online transactions, or 98% of all transactions are legit. The report also mentions regular customers, who are technology savvy are taking advantage of coupon and referral promotions by using proxy and vpn's to bypass authorization controls. Some referral bonuses include free giftcards or merchandise. Using these methods to circumvent the system is online fraud.
The story concludes with Forter CEO, Mickael Reitblat saying, "A little bit of fraud helps. As long as it's controlled, it's okay. It's the cost of doing business." What he means is that if a company closes down all fraud avenues, the customer will find it more difficult to make an online transaction, which will chase them away.
Interesting article Fred. I am not really sure how I feel about Nick Wells' statement. When he said, "It's the cost of doing business.", I completely agree with it. There are always risks making purchases online and one need to be proactive in paying close attention to what links you are clicking on and if the websites are legitimate. I don't necessarily feel comfortable when he says "A little bit of fraud helps." I personally do not want to be that 2% and I do not think anybody wants to. I am not that familiar, but possibly some fraud cases are easily solved, but what about the ones that are not? The ones where others are going months and months of trying to get everything resolved.
I have to agree with Elizabeth. Just because the fraud occurring benefits the consumer instead of them being the victim doesn't make the fraud ok. In the same vein, just because brick and mortar stores plan and budget for shrinkage doesn't make stealing from them ok, no matter how large and greedy the retailer may be. Fraud is a cost of doing business that retailers and consumers should plan for, but I don't think it is ever ok to just accept that that is how things are. They should plan for if it happens but take steps to prevent it from happening in the first place.


My wife and I decided last minute to book and our 3 year old daughter had great fun at the play park which was within eyesight of our pitch. Staff was very friendly and helpful. No restaurant or bar... Read more.
My wife and I decided last minute to book and our 3 year old daughter had great fun at the play park which was within eyesight of our pitch. Staff was very friendly and helpful. No restaurant or bar but the local restaurant offers a shuttle bus which i thought was a good touch. Would definitely return to the site.


Bodybuilders: Do you Drink & how much?
Does fruit at night put on fat?
Coke Zero as good as water?
What supplements would you like to see at a reduced cost?
WTF is 'clean' and why does it even matter?
where do you buy your supplements from?


Self-catering cottage at 1750 m above sea level (Price max 6 people excl. Close to restaurants and food; Ski Area. You will love my accommodation because of cosiness, comfortable beds. My accommodation is good for couples and families (with children).
In der Nähe Restaurants und Essen; Skigebiet. Du wirst meine Unterkunft lieben wegen Gemütlichkeit, komfortable Betten. Meine Unterkunft ist gut für Paare und Familien (mit Kindern).


When you register with a Thai bride website, it's a process offering you the possibility to find the right partner for a marriage of your dreams. You'll find the right lady to love, cherish, protect and to share your life with her. Be sure that she will reward you with a special relationship.
Nonetheless, you should register with several Thai bride websites, so don't hurry and choose the first Thai bride on the first Thai lady site you find. There are websites that can assist you with accommodation arrangements and travel. You'll be welcomed at the airport and your transfer to the hotel will also be arranged.
Thus, when you arrive, everything will be well organized and you'll have no problems. After you've recovered from the journey, you'll be introduced to the lady that you have chosen. In case you want, you'll also benefit from great tips and hints in order to entertain her.
You'll meet only ladies with great backgrounds as those reliable sites apply strict rules in their selection process of Thai ladies. Additionally, if you don't find what you want, you can come several times and visit Thailand. Choosing your life partner is an important decision, so you don't have to hurry and make a wrong decision.
If you find the right Thai woman and you want to marry her, there are special staff members that will provide you all the assistance to arrange the wedding and to obtain the legal documents and visas to bring your new wife home.
There is also support for your Thai wife to adapt to her new Western life. All you need is a phone call or an email and soon, her and your problems will be solved.
Use such services if you want to find a wonderful Thai lady and have a happy life together. It will last a short period of time until she will adapt to a new life, but with the help of these services, everything will be fine.
A love story is many times followed by a wedding, which represents the beginning of a new life for both bride and groom who from that point represent a unique family in the eyes of those who love them and of the society in which they live in. All this is true and simple to say, but when it comes about the wedding, the future bride may become a bridezilla and the future groom may be overwhelmed by all that he is expected to do. This is why, when planning a wedding a lot of organization is needed. Especially when the bride is Thai and guests may have doubts in what concerns the wedding.
The best advice for Thai brides is to ignore those who are mean and to take the best decision for a beautiful ceremony and a great wedding party. One of the most important details for the celebration of such an occasion as the wedding is the venue. Thai brides have to pay a lot of attention when choosing the wedding venue to make sure all the guests will feel just fine and will manage to befriend, even if they come from two very different cultures. To help Thai brides plan the wedding easy-breezy and find the best venue, we have some advice.
You may be surprised to find that planning a budget is not the first thing to do before hunting the perfect venue. Actually the guest list is the first when a mix-wedding is planned. This way, you will know exactly how many guests you will have and how many does the groom have. Moreover, the budget will be closer to reality like this. Establishing the budget first is utopian, because you will keep adding on the guest list and the spending will be greater than you wanted. Keep it real and know how many guest you each have. This way, you will also decide for the type of venue easier..
It's up to both of you to decide if you want a traditional Thai ceremony or a classic ceremony where you can skip all the Thai customs. If heritage is important to you, make it like in Thailand, no matter where you will host the wedding, but if you want to embrace something new, choose a white wedding dress and start thinking about decorating a regular venue in a simple manner.
Think about how do you envision your wedding to be: do you want a closed space where your guest may be kept together at least by the limits of the room or do you want to have it in the middle of nature, in a place where people will feel free and possibly more communicative and open to meet others? Both choices are great, but don't forget to check the weather forecast and to make sure that if something suddenly happen you will all have where to move with the whole wedding party, if you opt for an outdoor venue.
These may be details you didn't considered to have a major importance in selecting the venue. You need to know who will be there for you in your big day, how much do you afford to spend, how do you want it to be and in what kind of place. All the other details, like the flowers you want to have in the venue, the colors and the decorations can be established after. Fix the main problems first and then go out and about to find the perfect venue for one out the most beautiful days of your life.
Getting engaged is one of the most beautiful moments in life and no matter if you want to be a traditional Thai bride or you want to have a classic wedding, the planning that comes after the big proposal is exciting and fun. And of course, the best thing is to choose the wedding dress. If you don't want a traditional Thai outfit, but you dream of a gorgeous white dress, there are a few steps you need to follow in order to make sure you will find the most appropriate dress for you, one to make you look ravishing in the most important day of your life.
The first thing you need to do is to make a research on the Internet. You will need a lot of hours, but seeing so many dresses is very exciting and it will help you form an opinion about the type of dress you want to have. Bookmark the dresses you most like because this will help you later.
Based on what you found online, you will have to do the second step. Go in stores and try all the types of wedding dresses you found and loved online. Print the pictures of the dresses you most liked and take them with you. It will be easier for the sales assistants to help you this way, as you will already know what you are looking for. Even if the dresses you may see and try are not exactly what you wish to have, you need to try them on just to observe which style is more advantageous for you.
After figuring out the type of dress that looks the best on you, you need to think about the wedding theme. Find a good wedding planner, as this has all to do with the dress. Choose together with the planner and with your future husband a theme to represent you both and then think about actually finding and buying the wedding dress that is close to perfection. The third step is finally buying the dress.
Personalizing a dress in such a manner to be in totally accordance with the party theme is the fourth step. If the theme will be more romantic, you could wear a really long veil, for example or if the party will be held outdoor you can adorn the dress with natural flowers. Personalizing the dress is the key of a beautiful bridal look. Combining the style that looks the best on you with the theme of your wedding party is very important. Even if the dress you buy is not unique, you can make it to be.
The fifth step is the best! Wear your dress with pride! Your wedding day is one of the most amazing days of your and you future husband's lives, so smile and have the best time!
Finding the perfect wedding dress may take a lot of time and might be quite stressful, but don't let the stress overcome you. This is a wonderful adventure and is an important part of an intense event you will only celebrate once. So take your time, relax and find the perfect wedding dress for you while having fun at the same time.


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Boogie (2007)
Being touted as a party-game, it enables players to create their character, then use the Wii Remote and a microphone to sing and dance through it.
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Platforms: PS2, Wii, Nintendo DS
Developer: EA Montreal
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The National Federation of SubPostmasters (NFSP) is a membership organisation, which represents subpostmasters in the United Kingdom and currently has more than 8,000 members who operate approximately 9,300 post office branches. Post Office Ltd is contractually obliged to consult the NFSP on behalf of subpostmasters.

The NFSP has almost 50 branches throughout the UK, separated into 10 geographical regions. Each member is represented by their local Branch Secretary and Regional Secretary; the Board of Non-Executive Directors is made up of serving subpostmasters (each representing a UK region) and three representatives from organisations with a portfolio of post offices (WHSmith, Ryman and SPAR).

History
On 19 April 1897 a group of up to 90 subpostmasters assembled at the Music Saloon, Wood Street, Wakefield (now the Institute of Literature and Science) to consider forming a national association to "improve the conditions under which subpostmasters labour and to undertake the advancement of our interests by all legitimate and honourable means".

The federation was formed, with Wakefield as its headquarters, and the first conference was held in Nottingham on 11 April 1898. The first edition of a monthly newspaper The SubPostmaster was published on 4 September 1899, and Joseph Ranns, founder and first National President, wrote the inaugural article. The magazine is still published today. In February 1947, the federation's headquarters moved to Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex.

The NFSP was originally a trade union. In 2013 the Post Office stated that they did not recognise the NFSP for collective bargaining purposes.

Following a ruling of the Employment Appeal Tribunal that subpostmasters were not employees of Post Office Ltd, but were engaged under a contract for services, the Trades Union Certification Officer wrote to the NFSP to say that he believed the organisation did not meet the legal requirements to continue to be recognised as a trade union. Having rejected arguments against this by the NFSP, the Certification Officer stripped the organisation of trade union status on 13 January 2014.

Via a democratic vote, members chose overwhelmingly to reject amalgamation with other trade unions. The NFSP changed its status to a trade association on 1 October 2016.

Since 2016 membership of the NFSP has not charged a membership fee to subpostmasters. The NFSP instead receives funding from Post Office Ltd, consisting of an annual grant payment and funding for approved projects that are made under a Grant Framework Agreement introduced in 2015. The NFSP says its funding allows it to provide practical support to members but does not prevent it from challenging or criticising the Post Office.

Horizon scandal

The NSFP was criticised in April 2021 by Mr Justice Fraser for its actions in relation to the Horizon IT scandal. The judgment handed down stated that "the NFSP is not remotely independent of the Post Office, nor does it appear to put its members' interests above its own separate commercial interests." The NFSP claimed it had been misled by the Post Office.

The NFSP later issued the following statement:

In March 2020, the parliamentary Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee launched a "Post Office & Horizon inquiry" and included within the inquiry's terms of reference the question "What role did the National Federation of Sub-postmasters play in the Horizon scandal in terms of representing affected sub-postmasters?"

The statutory inquiry set up by the government in May 2021, the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, led by retired High Court judge Sir Wyn Williams, has within its issues to examine "What information and knowledge did [...] the National Federation of Subpostmasters [...] have about the following facts and matters during the relevant period."

References

External links
NFSP website

Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom
1897 establishments in the United Kingdom
Postal trade unions
Trade unions established in 1897


Dragon Age: Origins is a beautifully rendered fantasy role-playing game with medieval European visualization for the game art direction. Combat is bloody and gruesome, filled with spraying blood and decapitation, but also stylized with special finishing blow animations. The game has various Downloadable Content adventures, items, and small expansions; and one major expansion/sequel, "Awakening". This page of fantasy game art from Dragon Age: Origins features the interior of the Tower of Ishal in two settings: During the early game where the tower is mostly intact, and during the Return to Ostagar DLC. We have also included official walkthroughs demonstrating Dragon Age:Origins gameplay, starting from the exterior approach to the Tower and into the Tower itself.


There's still time to get books for Christmas. Also, if you're considering purchasing a month of Fundays, I have three wall calendars left in stock. I won't be printing any more due to the limited sale life of calendars, so if you're on the fence, better buy them now.
I'll be at Sac-Con on Dec 11th at the Scottish Rites Center in Sacramento. Please, stop by my table and say hello if you're so inclined. Have a great weekend!


Caricaceae (from the genus Carica, erroneously supposed to be a native of Caria; or from the Latin meaning a kind of dry fig). Pawpaw Family. Fig. 41. Peculiar trees with straight, rarely branched, palm-like trunks, very abundant milky juice, and a terminal crown of very large, alternate, palmately-lobed, rarely entire, leaves: flowers unisexual, small, nearly regular; sepals 5; petals 5, in the staminate flowers connate, in the pistillate nearly separate; stamens about 10, inserted on the corolla; ovary superior, 1- or 5-celled, many- seeded; styles 5: fruit a large melon-like berry.
This is a small family of 2 genera and 27 species, confined to tropical and subtropical America; most abundant in the Andes. The Caricaceae is united with the Passifloraceae by some authors, but is similar only in the fruit. It is also related to the Cucurbitaceae by the fruit. The peculiar habit and abundant milky juice are very distinctive.
The large melon-like fruits of Carica Papaya are now cultivated and eaten throughout the tropics; those of other species are also eaten. The milky juice of C. Papaya contains a pepsin-like substance which will curdle milk. This substance will separate the fibers of meat, and hence the leaves and fruit are cooked with too fresh tough meat to make it tender. The juice has also been used as a remedy for dyspepsia.
w:Caricaceae. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
This page was last modified on 13 May 2009, at 22:29.


Super fun and super cute "You can do anything" card from the new Stampin' Up So Hoppy Together Stamp Set that is available free during Sale-a-bration. The frog image is colored with the Stampin' Blends markers. The background paper is Gingham Gala DSP. Black and Silver Striped Metallic Ribbon.