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April 25, 2013 at 4:21 PM EDT
Revenue decline of 1%; Organic revenue declined 1%
GAAP earnings per share from continuing operations of $0.28; Adjusted earnings per share of $0.36
Reduces GAAP earnings per share guidance to $1.30 to $1.40; Adjusted earnings per share guidance to $2.00 to $2.10
WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- PerkinElmer, Inc. (NYSE: PKI), a global leader focused on improving the health and safety of people and the environment, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013.
The Company reported GAAP earnings per share from continuing operations of $0.28, compared to $0.19 in the first quarter of 2012. Revenue in the first quarter of 2013 was $505.4 million, as compared to $510.9 million in the first quarter of 2012. GAAP operating income from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2013 was $35.9 million, compared to $36.4 million income in the first quarter of 2012. GAAP operating profit margin from continuing operations was 7.1% in the first quarter of 2013, compared to 7.1% in the first quarter of 2012.
Adjusted earnings per share was $0.36, compared to $0.43 in the first quarter of 2012. Adjusted revenue for the quarter declined 2% to $507.3 million, compared to $517.4 million in the first quarter of 2012. Organic revenues declined 1% after adjusting for a decrease due to unfavorable foreign currency translations of 1%. Adjusted operating income for the first quarter of 2013 was $63.7 million, compared to $79.0 million for the same period a year ago. Adjusted operating profit margin was 12.6% as a percentage of adjusted revenue, compared to 15.3% for the same period a year ago. For the Company's non-GAAP financial measures, adjustments have been noted in the attached reconciliations.
"The majority of the business delivered solid growth in the quarter despite challenging global economic conditions. However a portion of our portfolio experienced more significant headwinds specifically in Europe and Japan," said Robert Friel, chairman and chief executive officer of PerkinElmer. "As a result, we are adjusting our sales forecast while maintaining the appropriate balance between prudent cost management and our growth and productivity investments."
For the three months ending March 31, 2013, operating cash flow from continuing operations was $11.1 million as compared to $15.3 million for the same period a year ago. Adjusted operating cash flow from continuing operations was $71.0 million as compared to $33.5 million for the same period a year ago.
Financial Overview by Reporting Segment for the First Quarter 2013
Revenue of $281.3 million, as compared to $280.8 million for the first quarter of 2012.
Operating income of $25.0 million, as compared to $18.2 million for the same period a year ago.
Adjusted revenue of $283.3 million, as compared to $287.3 million for the first quarter of 2012. Adjusted revenue declined 1%, organic revenue growth was flat.
Adjusted operating income of $50.3 million, as compared to $55.7 million for the same period a year ago.
Adjusted operating profit margin was 17.8% as a percentage of adjusted revenue, a decrease of approximately 160 basis points as compared to the first quarter of 2012.
Revenue of $224.0 million, as compared to $230.1 million for the first quarter of 2012. Revenue declined 3%, organic revenue declined 1%.
Adjusted operating profit margin was 10.4% as a percentage of revenue, a decrease of approximately 440 basis points as compared to the first quarter of 2012.
Financial Guidance — Full Year 2013 - Updated
For the full year 2013, the Company forecasts organic revenue to increase in the low-single digit range relative to 2012. For the full year 2013, the Company now forecasts GAAP earnings per share from continuing operations in the range of $1.30 to $1.40 and on a non-GAAP basis, which is expected to include the adjustments noted in the attached reconciliation, adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.00 to $2.10.
The Company will discuss its first quarter results and its outlook for business trends in a conference call on April 25, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). To access the call, please dial (617) 399-5129 prior to the scheduled conference call time and provide the access code 43039013. A playback of this conference call will be available beginning 7:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, April 25, 2013. The playback phone number is (617) 801-6888 and the code number is 60723454.
A live audio webcast of the call will be available on the Investor section of the Company's Web site, www.perkinelmer.com. Please go to the site at least 15 minutes prior to the call in order to register, download, and install any necessary software. An archived version of the webcast will be posted on the Company's Web site for a two week period beginning approximately two hours after the call.
(In thousands, except share and per share data)
Restructuring and contract termination charges, net 3,310 6,159
Interest expense 11,693 11,437
Other expense 452 1,603
Income from continuing operations before income taxes 23,861 23,552
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes (8,428 ) 1,476
(Loss) gain on disposition of discontinued operations, before income taxes (92 ) 535
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes on discontinued operations and dispositions (19 ) 42
(Loss) income from discontinued operations and dispositions (73 ) 493
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:
(Loss) income from discontinued operations and dispositions (0.00 ) 0.00
Additional Supplemental Information:
Mark to market on post-retirement benefits, net of income taxes (0.00 ) 0.01
Significant tax credits (0.08 ) -
(as adjusted)
Human Health Revenue $ 281,329 $ 280,778
Operating income 25,020 18,211
OP% 8.9 % 6.5 %
Purchase accounting adjustments 1,980 11,547
Adjusted OP% 17.8 % 19.4 %
Environmental Health Revenue $ 224,049 $ 230,112
OP% 9.3 % 13.1 %
Acquisition-related costs 49 75
Restructuring and contract termination charges, net 72 1,218
Corporate Operating loss $ (9,847 ) $ (11,958 )
Mark to market on post-retirement benefits (47 ) 1,219
Adjusted operating loss $ (9,894 ) $ (10,739 )
Continuing Operations Revenue $ 505,378 $ 510,890
Less: loss (income) from discontinued operations and dispositions, net of income taxes
73 (493 )
Amortization of deferred debt issuance costs, interest rate hedge and accretion of discounts 813 867
Accounts receivable, net 40,227 5,850
Inventories, net (16,187 ) (12,970 )
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of discontinued operations (187 ) 279
Capital expenditures (11,829 ) (5,228 )
Activity related to acquisitions and investments, net of cash and cash equivalents acquired 1,400 -
Net cash used in investing activities of continuing operations (10,429 ) (5,228 )
Net cash provided by investing activities of discontinued operations 123 -
Payments on revolving credit facility (135,000 ) (122,000 )
Proceeds from revolving credit facility 213,000 111,000
Payments of debt issuance costs - (279 )
Settlement of cash flow hedges 840 -
Net proceeds from other credit facilities
Excess tax benefit from exercise of common stock options - 1,139
Purchases of common stock (126,858 ) (1,632 )
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (3,604 ) 2,299
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (45,573 ) 2,415
Inventories, net 259,762 247,688
Other current assets 100,277 95,611
Property, plant and equipment, net:
Other assets, net 79,441 65,654
Short-term debt $ 7,301 $ 1,772
Accrued restructuring 17,866 21,364
Current liabilities of discontinued operations 865 995
Long-term debt 1,019,345 938,824
Accrued restructuring 5,789 6,387
Purchase accounting adjustments 2.1 0.4 % 11.0 2.1 %
Mark to market on post-retirement benefits
(0.0 ) 0.0 % 1.2 0.2 %
Amortization of intangible assets (9.6 ) -1.9 % (10.3 ) -2.0 %
Acquisition-related costs (0.1 ) 0.0 % (0.3 ) 0.0 %
Operating income $ 35.9 7.1 % $ 36.4 7.1 %
EPS $ 0.28 $ 0.20
EPS from continuing operations 0.28 0.19
Mark to market on post-retirement benefits, net of income taxes
(0.00 ) 0.01
Adjusted operating cash flow:
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations $ 11.1 $ 15.3
Significant contributions to post-retirement plans
Significant prepaid royalty payments 12.9 -
Excess tax benefit from exercise of common stock options
- 1.2
Adjusted operating cash flow 71.0 33.5
EPS from continuing operations $ 1.30 - 1.40
Restructuring and contract termination charges, net of income taxes 0.22
Significant tax credits (0.08 )
Adjusted EPS $ 2.00 - 2.10
Operating income $ 20.7 9.3 % $ 30.1 13.1 %
Q1 2013 Organic Revenue Growth
Less: effect of purchase accounting adjustments 1%
Adjusted revenue growth -2%
Less: effect of acquisitions 0%
Organic revenue growth -1%
Adjusted Revenue and Adjusted Revenue Growth
We use the term "adjusted revenue" to refer to GAAP revenue, including estimated revenue from contracts acquired in various acquisitions that will not be fully recognized due to business combination accounting rules. We use the related term "adjusted revenue growth" to refer to the measure of comparing current period adjusted revenue with the corresponding period of the prior year. We believe that these non-GAAP measures, when taken together with our GAAP financial measures, allow us and our investors to better measure the performance of our investments in technology, to evaluate long-term performance trends and to assess our ability to invest in our business. Adjusted revenue growth also provides for easier comparisons of our performance with prior and future periods and relative comparisons to our peers. Our GAAP revenue for the periods subsequent to our acquisitions does not reflect the full amount of revenue on such contracts that would have otherwise been recorded by the acquired businesses. The non-GAAP adjustment is intended to reflect the full amount of such revenue. We believe our investors will use this adjustment as a measure of the ongoing performance of the acquired businesses because customers have historically entered into such contracts for renewed and/or developmental support, although there can be no assurance that customers will do so in the future.
Organic Revenue and Organic Revenue Growth
We use the term "organic revenue" to refer to GAAP revenue, excluding the effect of foreign currency translation and acquisitions, and including estimated revenue from contracts acquired in various acquisitions that will not be fully recognized due to business combination accounting rules. We use the related term "organic revenue growth" to refer to the measure of comparing current period organic revenue with the corresponding period of the prior year. We believe that these non-GAAP measures, when taken together with our GAAP financial measures, allow us and our investors to better measure the performance of our investments in technology, to evaluate long-term performance trends and to assess our ability to invest in our business. Organic revenue growth also provides for easier comparisons of our performance with prior and future periods and relative comparisons to our peers. We exclude the effect of foreign currency translation from these measures because foreign currency translation is subject to volatility and can obscure underlying trends. We exclude the effect of acquisitions because acquisition activity can vary dramatically between reporting periods and between us and our peers, which we believe makes comparisons of long-term performance trends difficult for management and investors, and could result in overstating or understating to our investors the performance of our operations. We include estimated revenue from contracts acquired with various acquisitions that will not be fully recognized due to business combination rules. Our GAAP revenue for the periods subsequent to our acquisitions does not reflect the full amount of revenue on such contracts that would have otherwise been recorded by the acquired businesses. The non-GAAP adjustment is intended to reflect the full amount of such revenue. We believe our investors will use this adjustment as a measure of the ongoing performance of the acquired businesses because customers have historically entered into such contracts for renewed and/or developmental support, although there can be no assurance that customers will do so in the future.
Adjusted Gross Margin and Adjusted Gross Margin Percentage
We use the term "adjusted gross margin" to refer to GAAP gross margin, excluding amortization of intangible assets, inventory fair value adjustments related to business acquisitions, and including estimated revenue from contracts acquired in various acquisitions that will not be fully recognized due to business combination accounting rules. We also exclude adjustments for mark-to-market accounting on post-retirement benefits, therefore only our projected costs have been used to calculate our non-GAAP measure. We use the related term "adjusted gross margin percentage" to refer to adjusted gross margin as a percentage of adjusted revenue. We believe that these non-GAAP measures, when taken together with our GAAP financial measures, allow us and our investors to better measure the performance of our investments in technology, to evaluate the long-term profitability trends and to assess our ability to invest in our business. We exclude amortization of intangible assets from these measures because intangibles amortization charges do not represent what we believe our investors consider to be costs of producing our products and could distort the additional value generated over the cost of producing those products. In addition, inventory fair value adjustments related to business acquisitions and adjustments for mark-to-market accounting on post-retirement benefits do not represent what we believe our investors consider to be costs used in producing our products. We include estimated revenue from contracts acquired with various acquisitions that will not be fully recognized due to business combination rules. Our GAAP revenue for the periods subsequent to our acquisitions does not reflect the full amount of revenue on such contracts that would have otherwise been recorded by the acquired businesses. The non-GAAP adjustment is intended to reflect the full amount of such revenue. We believe our investors will use this adjustment as a measure of the ongoing performance of the acquired businesses because customers have historically entered into such contracts for renewed and/or developmental support, although there can be no assurance that customers will do so in the future.
Adjusted Selling, General and Administrative ("SG&A") Expense and Adjusted SG&A Percentage
We use the term "adjusted SG&A expense" to refer to GAAP SG&A expense, excluding amortization of intangible assets, changes to the fair values assigned to contingent consideration, and other costs related to business acquisitions. We use the related term "adjusted SG&A percentage" to refer to adjusted SG&A expense as a percentage of adjusted revenue. We believe that these non-GAAP measures, when taken together with our GAAP financial measures, allow us and our investors to better measure the cost of the internal operating structure, our ability to leverage that structure and the level of investment required to grow our business. We exclude amortization of intangible assets from these measures because intangibles amortization charges do not represent what we believe our investors consider to be costs that support our internal operating structure and could distort the efficiencies of that structure. We exclude changes to the fair values assigned to contingent consideration, and other costs related to business acquisitions, because they only occur due to an acquisition and the potential subsequent repositioning of the business that could distort the performance measures of costs to support our internal operating structure.
Adjusted Research and Development ("R&D") Expense and Adjusted R&D Percentage
We use the term "adjusted R&D expense" to refer to GAAP R&D expense, excluding amortization of intangible assets. We use the related term "adjusted R&D percentage" to refer to adjusted R&D expense as a percentage of adjusted revenue. We believe that these non-GAAP measures, when taken together with our GAAP financial measures, allow us and our investors to better understand and evaluate our internal technology investments. We exclude amortization of intangible assets from these measures because intangibles amortization charges do not represent what we believe our investors consider to be internal investments in R&D activities and could distort our R&D investment level.
Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted Operating Profit Percentage, Adjusted Operating Profit Margin and Adjusted Operating Margin
We use the term "adjusted operating income," to refer to GAAP operating income, excluding amortization of intangible assets, inventory fair value adjustments related to business acquisitions, changes to the fair values assigned to contingent consideration, other costs related to business acquisitions, and restructuring and contract termination charges, and including estimated revenue from contracts acquired in various acquisitions that will not be fully recognized due to business combination accounting rules. We also exclude adjustments for mark-to-market accounting on post-retirement benefits, therefore only our projected costs have been used to calculate our non-GAAP measure. Adjusted operating income is calculated by subtracting adjusted R&D expense and adjusted SG&A expense from adjusted gross margin. We use the related terms "adjusted operating profit percentage," "adjusted operating profit margin," or "adjusted operating margin" to refer to adjusted operating income as a percentage of adjusted revenue. We believe that these non-GAAP measures, when taken together with our GAAP financial measures, allow us and our investors to analyze the costs of the different components of producing and selling our products, to better measure the performance of our internal investments in technology and to evaluate the long-term profitability trends of our core operations. Adjusted operating income also provides for easier comparisons of our performance and profitability with prior and future periods and relative comparisons to our peers. We believe our investors do not consider the items that we exclude from adjusted operating income to be costs of producing our products, investments in technology and production or costs to support our internal operating structure, and so we present this non-GAAP measure to avoid overstating or understating to our investors the performance of our operations. We exclude restructuring and contract termination charges because they tend to occur due to an acquisition, divestiture, repositioning of the business or other unusual event that could distort the performance measures of our internal investments and costs to support our internal operating structure. We include estimated revenue from contracts acquired with various acquisitions that will not be fully recognized due to business combination rules. Our GAAP revenue for the periods subsequent to our acquisitions does not reflect the full amount of revenue on such contracts that would have otherwise been recorded by the acquired businesses. The non-GAAP adjustment is intended to reflect the full amount of such revenue. We believe our investors will use this adjustment as a measure of the ongoing performance of the acquired businesses because customers have historically entered into such contracts for renewed and/or developmental support, although there can be no assurance that customers will do so in the future.
Adjusted Earnings Per Share
We use the term "adjusted earnings per share," or "adjusted EPS," to refer to GAAP earnings per share, excluding discontinued operations, amortization of intangible assets, inventory fair value adjustments related to business acquisitions, changes to the fair values assigned to contingent consideration, other costs related to business acquisitions, restructuring and contract termination charges, and significant tax credits, and including estimated revenue from contracts acquired in various acquisitions that will not be fully recognized due to business combination accounting rules. We also exclude adjustments for mark-to-market accounting on post-retirement benefits, therefore only our projected costs have been used to calculate our non-GAAP measure. Adjusted earnings per share is calculated by subtracting the items above included in adjusted gross margin, adjusted R&D expense, adjusted SG&A expense, restructuring and contract termination charges, the provision for taxes related to these items, and significant tax credits from GAAP earnings per share. We believe that this non-GAAP measure, when taken together with our GAAP financial measures, allows us and our investors to analyze the costs of producing and selling our products and the performance of our internal investments in technology and our internal operating structure, to evaluate the long-term profitability trends of our core operations and to calculate the underlying value of the core business on a dilutive share basis, which is a key measure of the value of the Company used by our management and we believe used by investors as well. Adjusted earnings per share also facilitates the overall analysis of the value of the Company and the core measure of the success of our operating business model as compared to prior and future periods and relative comparisons to our peers. We exclude discontinued operations, amortization of intangible assets, inventory fair value adjustments related to business acquisitions, changes to the fair values assigned to contingent consideration, other costs related to business acquisitions, adjustments for mark-to-market accounting on post-retirement benefits, restructuring and contract termination charges, and significant tax credits, as these items do not represent what we believe our investors consider to be costs of producing our products, investments in technology and production, and costs to support our internal operating structure, which could result in overstating or understating to our investors the performance of our operations. We include estimated revenue from contracts acquired with various acquisitions that will not be fully recognized due to business combination rules. Our GAAP revenue for the periods subsequent to our acquisitions does not reflect the full amount of revenue on such contracts that would have otherwise been recorded by the acquired businesses. The non-GAAP adjustment is intended to reflect the full amount of such revenue. We believe our investors will use this adjustment as a measure of the ongoing performance of the acquired businesses because customers have historically entered into such contracts for renewed and/or developmental support, although there can be no assurance that customers will do so in the future.
The first quarter tax effect on adjusted EPS for (i) discontinued operations was a benefit of $0.00 in 2013 and an expense of $0.00 in 2012, (ii) amortization of intangible assets was an expense of $0.07 in both 2013 and 2012, (iii) inventory fair value adjustments related to business acquisitions was an expense of $0.00 in 2013 and an expense of $0.01 in 2012, (iv) restructuring and contract termination charges was an expense of $0.01 in 2013 and an expense of $0.02 in 2012, (v) significant tax credits was a benefit of $0.08 in 2013, (vi) the estimated revenue from contracts acquired with various acquisitions that will not be fully recognized due to business combination accounting rules was an expense of $0.01 in 2013 and an expense of $0.02 in 2012. The first quarter tax effect on adjusted EPS for each of the remaining items (changes to the fair values assigned to contingent consideration, other costs related to business acquisitions, and adjustments for mark-to-market accounting on post-retirement benefits) was $0.00 in both 2013 and 2012.
The tax effect for discontinued operations is calculated based on the authoritative guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board's Accounting Standards Codification 740, Income Taxes. The tax effect for amortization of intangible assets, inventory fair value adjustments related to business acquisitions, changes to the fair values assigned to contingent consideration, other costs related to business acquisitions, adjustments for mark-to-market accounting on post-retirement benefits, restructuring and contract termination charges, and significant tax credits, and the estimated revenue from contracts acquired with various acquisitions is calculated based on operational results and applicable jurisdictional law, which contemplates tax rates currently in effect to determine our tax provision.
Adjusted Operating Cash Flow
We use the term "adjusted operating cash flow" to refer to GAAP operating cash flow from continuing operations, excluding the effect of the excess tax benefit from the exercise of equity grants, significant contributions to our post-retirement benefit plans, and significant prepaid royalty payments. We believe that this non-GAAP measure, when taken together with our GAAP financial measure, allows us and our investors to better evaluate the long-term performance trends and to assess our ability to invest in the business. Adjusted operating cash flow also provides for easier comparisons of our performance with prior and future periods and relative comparisons to our peers. We exclude the effect of the excess tax benefit from the exercise of equity grants, significant contributions to our post-retirement benefit plans, and significant prepaid royalty payments from this measure because the excess tax benefit from the exercise of equity grants, significant contributions to our post-retirement benefit plans, and significant prepaid royalty payments can vary dramatically by quarter and between us and our peers and can obscure underlying trends, which we believe makes comparisons of long-term performance trends difficult for management and investors, and could result in overstating or understating to our investors the performance of our operations.
Stephanie R. Wasco, 781-663-5701
stephanie.wasco@perkinelmer.com


The MUSC Community Training Center contracted with the American Heart Association in 2002 to operate as a Community Training Center. The CTC is a key component of the Emergency Cardiovascular Care Training Network. Each Training Center signs an Agreement with the American Heart Association (AHA) to provide Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Basic Life Support (BLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) training programs to the community. The CTC is dedicated to providing quality programs and helps strengthen the chain of survival in South Carolina.
The American Heart Association's mission is to reduce disability and death from cardiovascular disease and stroke. The CTC supports the AHA mission and goals through administrative, educational, and quality assurance support of its AHA instructors. The CTC also supports the Medical University of South Carolina's mission and purpose through the provision of quality AHA classes to healthcare professionals, to the community, and by educating and informing the AHA instructors on new skills or AHA programs.
MUSC/MUHA Staff and Students: register for classes.
Non MUSC/MUHA Staff and Students: register for classes.


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Bert Berns - The Bronx Explorer
Bertrand Russel Berns from The Bronx never set foot on the Emerald Isle yet he irrevocably changed Irish music.
Okay, so only his Jewish-Russian socialist parents ever addressed him as Bertrand Russell - in honor of the British philosopher-activist; but, without Bert Berns, Van Morrison would likely be a grouchy curmudgeon still slouching around East Belfast.
Berns is barely remembered nowadays but he's about to come back with a bang courtesy of a recently published biography, Here Comes The Night by Joel Selvin, and a new theatre production, Piece of My Heart, currently running at New York's Signature Center.
I first became aware of him as a boy while jamming my ear into an old cloth-covered wireless. On clear nights back in Wexford you could pick up the crackly sounds of AFN (American Forces Network) broadcasting from Germany.
Berns' songs and productions pulsed through those GI airwaves. Along with Carol King & Phil Spector he was one of the most brilliant graduates of the music scene centered around the Brill Building and 1650 Broadway.
Bert's effective career lasted only seven years, yet in that short span he wrote or produced 51 hit songs including Twist and Shout, Hang on Sloopy, Little Piece of My Heart and Here Comes The Night. He also owned and operated Bang Records where he nurtured the solo careers of Neil Diamond and Van The Man.
Although a human dynamo who rarely slept Berns had a severe heart condition from boyhood. His parents worked long hours at their dress shop on the Grand Concourse and legend has it that their convalescent son became interested in music on account of the pounding radio of his Cuban neighbors.
Infatuated with the Samba he became an accomplished dancer and even moved to Batista's Cuba to follow his passion.
Was it in Havana or The Bronx that he first became acquainted with certain shady figures from the New York Crime families? Of course, back then if you were involved in music it would have been hard not to cross paths with "made men."
Bert hustled around The Bronx and got by with handouts from his mother until well into his 20's, but eventually moved to Times Square where he honed his skills as a singer, guitarist and pianist cutting demos for songwriters. They soon discovered that he was equally adept as a lyricist.
Many feel he was responsible for introducing the Latin tinge that made New York pop music of the 60's so irresistible. He was also deeply influenced by R&B or race music, as it was often called. He got The Isley Brothers to record Twist and Shout. That song became the climax of live shows for then unknown Beatles, and was the standout track on their best selling first EP.
That's how Bert came to be in London where he was hired to produce Them, a raw Belfast R&B band. He instantly recognized the brilliance of vocalist, Van Morrison. Less enthusiastic about the band's musicians he brought in 20 year-old guitar whiz, Jimmy Page, and organist, Phil Coulter, to record his desolate ballad, Here Comes The Night. That hit record by Them still sends shivers down my spine.
When Them imploded and surly Van retired to his mother's East Belfast home Berns sent him the fare to New York and turned Van's Brown Eyed Girl into the exuberant Latin-tinged classic that still fills summer dance floors.
By then Bert's time was running down literally and figuratively. Corporate America was buying up the small independent labels; paranoid and under financial pressure he turned to his shady friends in the "families" for support.
When Neil Diamond wanted to break his Bang contract a veiled warning was delivered about the consequences. Meanwhile Van, wrestling with the complexity of his Astral Weeks masterpiece, had neither time nor inclination to deliver another Brown Eyed Girl.
Shortly after a telephone screaming match with Mr. Morrison, Berns' heart finally gave out on Dec. 30th 1967. He was 38.
Hopefully, the musical, Little Piece of My Heart, will catch the effervescence, complexity and volcanic talent of the forgotten genius from The Grand Concourse who changed the face of pop music and rescued Van Morrison from East Belfast anonymity.
For tickets, information and a video visit http://pieceofmyheartmusical.com
Posted by larry kirwan at 07:31 No comments:
Support Your Irish Festival!!!!!
support your irish festival!!!
They're everywhere now. Increasing and expanding by the year, Irish festivals have outgrown their natural roots on the East Coast and the Rust Belt of the Midwest. Now they flourish in Kansas City, Savannah, Manheim, and places you've never even heard of. Every month I get a call from some savvy All-American wondering about his or her chances of pulling off an Irish Festival.
And why not? Get yourself a fenced-in space, a stage, a workable PA, a headlining band, beer company support, a volunteer staff, some fine weather and you could be on your way to being the next Milwaukee Irish Fest.
Where did it all start? Well, that's a bit like the Ray's Pizza conundrum, isn't it? But my gut instinct is that it all began back in the New York Irish community of the 50's. Okay! South Side Chicago and Boston, you've got documented proof that your festivals were celebrating their centenaries when wide-trousered Galway men and their petticoated dates from Leitrim, Mayo and Tyrone were chastely cheek-to-cheeking to Micky Carton's Orchestra at the Jaeger House on Lexington Avenue.
My theory, though, is that when these young immigrant Irish trooped out to the Rockaways on pre-air-conditioned summer weekend and danced and drank in the haunts along the Irish Mile, that the seeds were sown for the modern Irish Festival.
With time, those dancers married, had children and didn't get out as much. Besides, the urban decay of the 60's hit the Rockaways hard. Most of Irish Town was demolished and the streets were no longer as safe; but the couples still wished to meet, reminisce and show off their kids. So, they unfolded their beach chairs, bought a keg, finagled a couple of hungover musicians into playing and before you knew it, they had a rip-roaring block party on their hands.
The Rockaway Festival that grew out of those innocent Sunday afternoons is one of my favorites – although, one year I was almost brained by a beer cooler thrown by an appreciative fan.
But I digress. A number of veterans of the Rockaway bash who relocated to Southern Florida, Sheila Hynes and Rory O'Dwyer (son of the great Irish American Civil Rights activist, Paul O'Dwyer) amongst other longed for an authentic hooley around St. Patrick's Day. They hired a park, a PA and engaged Adrian Flannelly to snare some top class musicians. A couple of decades later, their festivals in Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach are still setting the pace and, given the location, they almost always have good weather.
The first festival I performed at was the Catholic Charities event out in Coney Island. Chris Byrne and I were in the midst of a very earnest version of The Patriot Game" at the end of which, to the wail of the pipes, I would denounce every Taoiseach, Tanaiste and elected rat-catcher for betraying the Cause when, to my amazement, I glimpsed the sight of a nun in full habit sweeping past me. Figuring it was some kind of flashback, I returned to my denunciations but there she was again, this time fiddling with a boom-box from which emanated the heavenly sound of synthesized strings. After the set, I found out that we had overstayed our allotted time, the good sister had a second gig to get to, and it was "later for you, Black 47, whoever the hell you are!" Sister Mary Beata is a trooper who will be playing festivals a long time after more trendy musicians have hung up their guitar straps.
Speaking of divine intervention, ask Frank Bradley about weather. Frank is the visionary behind the great South Side Chicago Festival held every Memorial Day Weekend. Sounds balmy, right? On our first appearance in 1991, snow began falling as we hit the stage. We were contracted for a 90 minute set and, fearful of not being paid, we blazed on through a gathering blizzard to about 50 hardy souls who danced to our frantic pleas for James Connolly to rise up, initiate a proletarian revolution and liberate us from the frozen stage. When we shuffled off like six emasculated snowmen, Frank stood there, check in hand (plus bonus) silently marveling at the lunacy of certain New York musicians. The Festival now takes the precaution of erecting an enormous tent. You just can't trust that Lakeside weather. But you can depend on the warmth and rowdy loyalty of the South Side Irish.
For my money, having a headlining act is a must for a successful festival. Ask Cavan man Steve Duggan, whose Belmont Family Festival had chugged along to respectable successes. Some years back he nailed down the Saw Doctors for his Saturday night extravaganza and hit the jackpot with a record-breaking attendance.
Of course, when you have built up a reputation like the Milwaukee Irish Fest, you don't really need a headliner. Back in 1981, the goals of the organizers were modest, hoping in some small way to emulate the successful local Fest Italiano. Now over 100,000 pass through their turnstiles annually. Founded by Chuck and Ed Ward and a loyal, hard-working committee, Milwaukee has become the Mother of all Irish Festivals. One of the projects funded by the Festival is the Irish Music Archives; it now contains almost 50,000 pieces of Irish recordings and sheet music.
Festivals, of course, reflect the current dynamics of Irish American life. There is the eternal battle between those more attuned to the homeland who cringe at leprechauns, green beer, freckle-faced competitions, and those who see no harm or, indeed, make a buck from such shenanigans. Then there are the various political activists who consider it their right to set up a table on the big day versus those who feel that festivals should be apolitical or that Irish politics ended circa 1916. This has led to friction at many festivals. But now, with peace in the ascendancy in the North of Ireland this issue shows every sign of becoming a memory. Besides, a vast majority of people now feels that festivals are about celebrating Irishness in its myriad forms and the tent is big enough for all.
I'm forever impressed by the level of altruism at festivals. Practically all of the money raised goes to an array of charities and quite often of the construction or maintenance of Irish Community Centers. Volunteers spend many months prepping, primping and preparing for their big weekend.
But in the end festivals are about community. Whether this means a return to the old neighborhood of Rockaway, a celebration of being South Side Irish in Chicago or a uniting of the clans in Patchogue, North Haven, Hartford or Herkimer, the festival is a way of getting together and celebrating heritage. In a society that becoming ever more white bread and homogenized, it's an affirmation of all the things that make us different.
So, you want to start your own Irish Festival? Just get a fenced off space, a stage, a PA, a good band, a Mussolini-like stage manager and everything Irish you can think of – except the weather. Maybe I'll see you there this summer.
Breezy Point Think Tank
Economic forecasting is the perfect mix of art and science: you may blame either component if you don't get it right! Not unlike horse racing you need to know the form and conditions, but you must also be able to sniff the wind, and be on speaking terms with lady luck.
Some calls are beyond obvious: when shacks in Ireland were selling for a half million Euros it was apparent that one hell of a bubble was about to burst.
Likewise back in 2007 when Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, stated that financial markets would self-regulate, it was time to head for the hills.
The most glaring current red flag is the number of over-capitalized start-ups that still haven't figured how to turn a profit. In other words, don't bet Auntie Eileen's jewelry on the next Facebook.
So how is the American economy really doing? You'll find an expert to confirm any opinion you might possibly hazard. Me? I stick to two bellwethers - one without cost, the other the price of a round of Coors Light.
The freebie merely requires a walk up the East Side of Broadway (once known as the plebian "shilling side,") from Canal to Houston. In the aftermath of the 2008 Financial Debacle you could walk in a straight line up that once congested commercial boulevard marveling at the sight of the empty flagstones ahead of you.
Around 2010 shopaholics returned only to stare longingly in store windows. In the last year, however, I'm forced to swear like a trooper to clear the way while zigzagging around laden down shoppers dazed as two-bit junkies after a fix.
This leads me to believe that happy days are ahead for the economy unless the bankers and gangsters wreck the joint again.
However, before certifying imminent boom times it would behoove one to journey out to Breezy Point on the Irish Riviera. My brother Jimmy holds court there in the Blarney Castle – a renowned economic think tank that doubles as a watering hole.
The assembled fellows of this vaunted institute have little time for the Economist or Wall Street Journal – they tend to be more News and Post aficionados. Yet it was on this sacred ground in 2007 the tragic news was revealed to me that hard times would soon be upon us.
You see Jimmy is a waterproofer – one of that doughty band who keeps the buildings of this town from collapsing on our noggins; and when Mr. Trump and other real estate titans are not employing these gentlemen, then things are going to hell in the proverbial breadbasket. Union members, I was informed, had been told to expect the worst and, even more ominous, official applications for building maintenance and repairs were at an all time low.
The current forecast from the Blarney is mixed. Things look good in the short term, the union is hiring - but there are grave concerns about future climatic conditions, and for good measure don't hold your breath for a Mets or Jets renaissance. However, Jimmy and his assembled think tank brethren stand at the ready to deliver forecasts for a mere round of Coors Lights!
Perhaps I can explain one puzzling statistic that is stumping the experts – the number of unemployed abandoning the workforce. Experts be damned! Do you know any regular person with enough stashed away to actually quit working?
What's happening is that since most jobs being created are in the lower paid service and health care industries many unemployed have begun their own small businesses. These range all the way from financial consulting to grandparents becoming daycare givers and pocketing some of the money saved.
Many people, however, are taking social security at 62 rather than waiting for full payment at 66. This will inevitably cause immense social and financial problems for the country down the line. But as they say out in Breezy, "What are you gonna do?"
Oh well, it's a nice day for a stroll up the Shilling Side of Broadway, or maybe I'll head out to the Blarney, shell out for a round of Coors Lights and find out what's really going on in this country.
Gerry Conlon Mo Chara
It was a crazy time back in late 1989. Black 47 had just been formed and was making waves. Chris Byrne and I were political and there was much to be political about.
The four main Irish causes were the wrongful convictions of The Guildford Four, The Maguire Seven, and The Birmingham Six in the UK, and the attempt to deport Joe Doherty from the US.
There were many benefits and demonstrations and we helped supply the music – often while on the way to a paying gig.
There was great buoyancy in the Irish Republican and Civil Rights movement back then – great unity too, especially after the squashing of the rigged convictions of the Guildford Four. If the Brits could admit they were wrong in this case, then there was hope for the others; and with Prime Minister Thatcher facing down a Tory rebellion perhaps negotiations for a just end to the conflict were finally at hand.
When Paul Hill, Gerry Conlon and Paddy Armstrong came to New York to thank the many people who had campaigned for their release, Black 47 played at the reception. Paul, Gerry and Paddy were music fans and took great interest in the new style we were creating. Their favorite songs were Free Joe Now, Land of de Valera and a version of Patriot Game we curried with a hip-hop beat.
On the face of it, they appeared to be three slightly dazed, working class Belfast men whose lives had been cruelly interrupted. After a horrific mainland bombing the British authorities needed convictions in a hurry – for whatever inane reasons these three adrift Paddies and an English friend, Carole Richardson, fit the bill. Confessions were extracted under duress, evidence was concealed, lies were told, the cell doors slammed and the case closed.
Newly freed, they were treated like heroes and celebrities in New York City; still on a high, it was like they were on a mission to make up for lost time.
Though very distinct personalities, all three were lovely people, albeit with that endearingly sardonic Belfast sense of humor.
Paddy was quiet and didn't care much for celebrity; Paul was stately and intense, while Gerry was voluble and passionate. Not surprisingly they had a powerful sense of the injustice that had been visited upon them, and were vividly aware of the many others around the world languishing in jails for unjust convictions.
They loved to party and stay out late and, oh man, did they hit the right city! They were a staple at our gigs, holding court by the bar and soaking up the atmosphere. You could tell Gerry and Paddy had never been political before their prison terms – they just weren't the type. Paul, on the other hand, had strong political convictions.
By their second visit to New York Black 47 were the talk of the town, and home base, Paddy Reilly's, had become a hotbed of politics awash with musical and Hollywood celebrities. Paul's soon to be wife, Courtney, added the Kennedy mystique. Few went home before dawn. Gerry, in particular, never seemed to want the night to end. Darkness and solitude didn't sit well with him. As soon as one party showed signs of flagging he was off to find another.
I thought of all three of them when news came of Gerry's death, of the good times in London when we lived in Paul's apartment while opening for The Pogues. But most of all I felt for Gerry and how he must have suffered on all the long nights down the lonely years when there were no more parties and he had to wait for the dawn alone.
I hope Paul and Paddy are well and, despite all the darkness they experienced because of a cruel and inept British legal system, they think fondly of the nights we rocked and rolled in New York City.
It's a different town now and the Republican movement is no longer unified. As my grandfather used to say about the Irish Civil War, "it was a lot easier be against something than be for it."
But, oh those were great days – and nights – when Gerry, Paul and Paddy first came to town.
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"They are exquisite!" exclaimed Flip. "And I never thought I'd say that about a pig!" Exquisite wasn't the adjective that had jumped to mind when I saw my first red river hogs. I'd had to crawl along the sandy earth on my stomach for 15 minutes just to get within 100m of them. And as soon as I lifted my body out of the long grass, the heavily whiskered, tassel-eared hogs sensed my presence and stampeded off into the forest.
The same happened when I saw a group of shaggy forest buffalo. Apparently they had tasselled ears too, but this was hard to verify thanks to the skittishness of the buffs. During my first 48 hours in Gabon I had seen far more animal backsides than animal faces.
It's no surprise that the wildlife is so wary of humans - Gabon's national parks have only been in existence since 2002. President Bongo realised that the country was too dependent on its oil, which wouldn't last forever. But with its extensive rainforests and rich wildlife, including western lowland gorillas, tourism could be the key to Gabon's economic future. More than 10% of the country was given over to a network of 13 national parks.
I was staying in Loango National Park, a beautiful spot about halfway down Gabon's Atlantic coast with a diverse ecosystem of forest, savannah, rivers, lagoons and ocean. It had sounded amazing - I'd read about the humpback whales breaching off its shores, leatherback turtles nesting on its beaches, and the frequent sightings of gorillas and chimps. Unfortunately, I hadn't done my homework well enough and had arrived in just about the worst month - May - for seeing anything other than the hogs, the buffalos and the elephants. And even they were proving to be coyer than a nun in a brothel.
The park is run by an alliance of private businesses, government bodies and NGOs, including the WWF and WCS. Known as Operation Loango, it is spearheaded by inspirational Dutch entrepreneur Rombout Swanborn who considers Gabon his second home.
Hunting is a regular part of life in Gabon, so there was some resistance to the creation of these protected areas. Operation Loango has very deliberately recruited from the villages that border the park. As Rombout explained: "We started with the people who were the most notorious poachers. It's a cliché but these are the people who know nature best.
"We try to recruit from every village. We employ about 250 people at the moment. They will be economically responsible for their family - maybe seven to ten people - so we are influencing around 2,000 people."
This policy is laudatory, but it's early days and the standard of guiding and service is nowhere near what you would get in east or southern Africa. For €300 a night you don't expect to be making up your own (camp) bed as I had to. But it's just the beginning, and the intentions are good.
I was being guided by Flip Nicholson from Zimbabwe, who was there to train the local eco-guides, as they are called. "They're still a bit raw," he admitted as we took a river trip with eight of his charges, "but some show real promise. I hope their enthusiasm will rub off on the others."
Heading upriver in a launch, visions of The African Queen kept coming to mind. Thick lianas lined the banks; behind them the forest was a dark and impenetrable mass. The journey was a birdwatcher's delight, with a different kingfisher every few metres, an array of herons and storks, countless palm nut vultures, the occasional African fish eagle and my first sighting of an African finfoot.
Slender-snouted crocodiles basked on fallen logs, while a hippo rapidly sank out of sight at our approach. The briefest of glimpses of a manatee's nose tantalised us. We rounded one bend in the river and came face to face with a young male elephant in some long grass above the bank. Forest elephants are a different species from the elephants of east and southern Africa. Smaller and shyer, they have huge, very round ears - like a simplified kid's drawing - and straight tusks with a pinkish tinge.
In between teaching his students the English names for everything we saw, Flip fed them titbits of information, such as how to identify the sexes of the various species of kingfisher. He then held their attention by explaining that it is the male jacana, rather than the female, that incubates their eggs. Sadly my limited French wasn't up to the saucy comments that were obviously being made in response.
The skills of the former hunters came to the fore the next day when we took a walk in the forest. A hitherto surly eco-guide called Ferre came into his own in this environment, confidently leading the way, leaving bent twigs and marks in the earth to enable us to find our way back. He talked through the various trees and their uses: the okume tree is carved into dugout canoes, while its resin is used in traditional ceremonies; the niovu has antiseptic properties, and is used by women after birth and men after circumcision; and the rare ifero, the much sought-after good luck tree, will get you a job or find you a wife.
Ferre and an excellent guide called Serge accompanied me from here to a bushcamp called Tassi, a collection of small tents spread out along a ridge with views across sandy savannah to the ocean, a kilometre away. The sense of isolation was palpable when it suddenly dawned on me that I was the only guest in the whole of the national park that night.
Down at the beach some hippo tracks were prominent in the white sand, leading from the sea to a brackish lagoon. Gabon is the one place in the world where hippos 'surf' the waves. While a rarely seen phenomenon, here at least was proof that the hippos do indeed enter the sea.
Other tracks crisscrossed the beach too: Serge pointed out the trails of genet, marsh mongoose, crocodile, buffalo and monitor lizard. There were even fresh signs of elephant. Squinting through the Atlantic spray and the dazzling light, we scanned the horizon and, sure enough, three large dark shapes were lumbering away from us in the far distance. We power-walked along the beach, only catching up with them after a good 3km hike. But the sun was now setting, so we turned around and trudged back.
As the light went, a new moon cast a glow over the sand turning it silver, while offshore we could see the twinkle of oilrig lights.
The next morning I peered out at an ethereal sight. In the pre-dawn light the sand looked like snow, while a ground mist added to the mystical effect. It was Sunday, the day off to visit the 'Gorilla Girls', three primate researchers who are based in a camp not far from Tassi. With two of the girls away having medical treatment, we visited the remaining one, JoJo, and took her some fresh fruit and beers.
JoJo Head is from Hampshire and has a degree in anthropology. She found the research position on the internet and was clearly thriving on it. "I love the simplicity of the life" she said as she showed us her log of gorilla sightings and behaviour.
JoJo revealed that it was a month since she had seen any gorillas or chimps.
"In January we were spending two hours at a time with them, only 40-70m away. They'd come and look at us, and sometimes beat their chests. Our main problem is not that they're afraid of us, but that we can't find them! Their territory is so huge. The vegetation is sparse, so they cover large areas to feed." She acknowledged two smiling men nearby. "That's why we've got these guys, the pygmy trackers. They are Baongo, renowned as forest people."
We all took a walk through the nearby forest, Massande and Ekia looking out for any telltale signs of gorillas or chimps - alas, there was nothing to see.
We invited JoJo back to Tassi for lunch and her eyes lit up at the sight of boiled eggs and fresh salad. "I can feel the vitamins racing through my body!" she sighed as she tucked in. The researchers are not allowed to hunt, fish or grow anything inside the park so live on tinned supplies, with sardines and rice being the signature dish.
We also had some unexpected visitors, who arrived by microlight. Dr Marti Marco is a European who has lived in Gabon for more than 20 years, and he is passionate about the country. "Gabon is the last paradise on earth. You can hunt in the forest, fish in the rivers; throw a seed and it will grow. There is no time of the year when there is no food. You don't need money to live here."
However, he was also worried for its future. He gave an insight into some of the conservation issues, with indiscriminate logging, mining and fishing - both legal and illegal - being of particular concern.
We took a stroll into some nearby forest to show JoJo a large nest we had found, just 100m from the camp. She examined it with the intensity of a forensic scientist and confirmed that it was a gorilla nest, most likely of a solitary male, and said it was very fresh - perhaps from the previous night. It was thrilling yet frustrating to know that a gorilla had slept so close to me without my knowledge.
There is one place in Gabon where a gorilla sighting is guaranteed. Operation Loango runs a rehabilitation programme for gorillas a few hours north of the park on an island in the Fernan Vaz Lagoon. At Petit Envengue, also known as Gorilla Island, it is another young woman who is filling the Dian Fossey role: Penny Elzinga, a 24-year-old from the Netherlands, was just two weeks into the job when I visited. She was on a massive learning curve, but fiercely committed, taking care of the project while also looking after visitors who either drop in for a couple of hours or stay overnight, as I was planning to do.
Penny explained that the gorillas here have either been taken from captivity or orphaned, most likely when their mothers have been killed for bushmeat. A small group of the primates, led by 26-year-old Mbeke, live in an enclosure that has been extended to cover half the island. The plan is to build the group up, then move them to the opposite, larger island, where they would have even more autonomy. From there, they will eventually be released into a wild habitat that has lost its gorillas.
For now, the gorillas don't have access to enough wild food, so are given supplementary food, such as sugar cane and bananas. In the late afternoon I accompanied a keeper to watch the feeding. Mbeke looked coolly at me, sending a shiver down my spine as he made eye contact. I lowered my gaze first; it was my turn to feel shy. He was less impressed with my male companion, doing mock charges along the fence and threatening to swing a punch at him. "Bryan's a strange male, so a threat to his 'family'," explained Penny. "Gorillas are usually very gentle, but we think Mbeke has had a terrible past and it has made him very distrustful. Who can blame him?"
Satisfied that he'd made his point - he was the alpha male around these parts - Mbeke went back to the serious business of tucking into a papaya.
Back at the base, a couple of young orphans were being hand-reared. The older one was a boisterous toddler, who age-wise had hit the 'terrible twos', and was almost ready to join the main group. Accompanying him on a walk into the woods, he bounded down the path in front of us, playing hide and seek among the tree trunks and dive-bombing us from overhead branches. He completely disregarded the rule that states that gorillas and visitors shouldn't make physical contact.
The other, smaller orphan, just nine-months old, was also oblivious to the guidelines. Clearly missing her mother, she climbed up into my arms, resisting all my attempts to put her back down. I melted as she looked at me with large, trusting eyes, and reached out to touch my face and hair.
It had been frustrating not to see a gorilla in the wild. But that's Gabon for you. Exasperating yet magical. An Eden, but a fragile one.


Indian online marketplace Snapdeal has hired Bharti Airtel's business-to-consumer CMO Govind Rajan and appointed him as its new chief strategy officer.
Rajan, who also headed Airtel Money, will take on the new role in August.
The appointment comes less than a month after Snapdeal poached Airtel's chief product officer, Anand Chandrasekaran, and gave him the same position at the e-commerce startup.
Snapdeal, which claims more than three-quarters of sales are made on mobile devices, reportedly has attracted a $500 million investment from Alibaba and Foxconn, which have taken a combined 10 per cent stake. The deal is said to be waiting for regulatory approval in India.
The investment would value the company at an estimated $5 billion.
Snapdeal received $1 billion last year from Japan's SoftBank and eBay as well as other existing investors, to prepare it to compete with international and local rivals Amazon and Flipkart.


The ever-glam après-ski bar inside Little Nell Hotel debuted a new look for the 2014 season as well as a new name. Known as Chair 9, the name comes from a famous chairlift that once serviced Ajax Mountain and now sits at the rear entrance of the hotel. Whether coming from the mountain or street front, a contemporary lounge space awaits with chocolate leather banquettes, stylish settees and fluffy pillows clad in bougie fabrics. Working the room is a mix of Hollywood hipsters in Moncler and local Apsenites covered in the occasional head-to-toe mink coat. Entertainment comes in form of the daily games televised on big screen TVs as well as live bands and DJs that spin rock anthems through late evening.
The bar peaks around 6pm in winter as skiers make their way off the mountain for a quick costume change and prompt arrival inside the jammed hotel lounge.
An expanded menu mixes champagne by the magnum and equally large pitchers of margaritas. Food options include a sizeable raw bar, truffle fires, charcuterie and cheese platters as well as burgers and full dinner service.


Hoodie Allen Wants to "Break Down the Wall Between Fans and Artists"
Even with the recent success of his debut album, People Keep Talking, rapper Hoodie Allen isn't getting a big head. The record charted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, but Allen is staying true to his roots–and making sure his fans realize that.
Allen is a special guest on tonight's episode of Top 20 Countdown–you can watch interview clips with him above and below, and you can tune into his full guest spot on the show tonight at 9/8c!
Since his early years as an artist, Allen has always been dedicated to keeping in contact with his fans. "I've always wanted to break down the wall between fans and artists, so it was always important to me to respond to people on Twitter or Facebook or even YouTube comments," he tells Fuse host Katie Van Buren.
"I try to carry that into the shows and do as many meet-and-greets as possible before the show and after the show. A while ago we did a tour where the whole premise of it was to meet every single fan before the show, and every person got a selfie and an autograph and then we play the show. That was a pretty exhausting tour, but we did it."
Don't miss Fuse's Top 20 Countdown tonight at 9/8c! Find Fuse in your area.
'Insurgent' Star Mekhi Phifer Loves Memes and Eminem's "Rap God"
Vote: Which Video Belongs on the Next Top 20 Countdown?


This page displays sold house prices for Lytham Drive in Bradford.
Lytham Drive in Queensbury, Bradford consists predominantly of semi-detached houses. Properties on Lytham Drive typically have values around £150,000 - £200,000, ranging upwards of £200,000 for larger semi-detached houses.
Map showing Lytham Drive in Bradford.


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Chicago Cubs Online > News and Transactions > From the Wire: Cubs Sign RHP Joe Nathan to One-Year Contract with a Team Option for 2017
From the Wire: Cubs Sign RHP Joe Nathan to One-Year Contract with a Team Option for 2017
May 17, 2016 1:05 pm By Neil 1 Comment
The Cubs announced Tuesday the team signed RHP Joe Nathan to a one-year Major League contract.
The Cubs placed Joe Nathan on the 60-day DL as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery. Nathan will not count against the team's 40-man roster, which currently stands at 39 players.
Nathan had Tommy John surgery in April, 2015 and is expected to be ready to pitch in the second half.
The 41-year old veteran closer pitched in one game for the Tigers last season before undergoing season-ending surgery.
Nathan was 5-4 with a 4.81 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 3.94 FIP in 62 games for the Tigers in 2014. Before signing with the Tigers, Nathan earned back-to-back trips to the All-Star Game as the Rangers' closer. Nathan was 6-2 with 43 save, a 1.39 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 2.26 FIP for Texas during the 2013 season.
Joe Nathan is a six-time All-Star who has earned 377 saves, eighth most in major league history, during his 15 Major League seasons with San Francisco (1999-2000, 2002-03), Minnesota (2004-09, 2011), Texas (2012-13) and Detroit (2014-15). He surpassed 30 saves in nine of 10 seasons from 2004-14, including four seasons with more than 40 saves, and recorded 35 saves with Detroit in 2014, his last full big league campaign. He made only one appearance with the Tigers last year before enduring his elbow injury in April and missing the rest of the season.
Overall, Joe Nathan is 62-34 with 377 saves and a 2.89 ERA (294 ER/917.0 IP) with a 1.11 WHIP in 777 major league appearances, all but 29 in relief.
Updated 1:28pm CDT – According to Joel Sherman, the Cubs signed Joe Nathan for the Major League minimum of $507,500. Nathan will receive a pro-rated salary of the MLB minimum if he works his way back to the big leagues. Sherman reported Nathan's deal includes "plenty of performance bonuses." Nathan is expected to continue his rehab at the Cubs' complex in Mesa.
Updated 5:00pm CDT – According to Jon Heyman, Joe Nathan's deal includes a team option for the 2017 season that "can convert to a mutual option based on performance."
Updated 5:05pm CDT – Jon Heyman reported Joe Nathan can earn up to $2.4 million through performance bonuses this season. Nathan's contract calls for $4.6 million incentives package on the team option for the 2017 season.
• Joe Nathan's Page on Baseball-Reference
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Q: Eclipse plugin developement. Keyboard binding to an Action object I develop a multipage XML-Editor and would like bind a specific action which calls parseDocument() and updateTabs() to a key. The action is defined in my editor contributor as follows:
private void createActions() {
    updateTabsAction = new Action() {
        @Override
        public void run() {
            ARTEditor artEditor = ((ARTEditor)((MultiPageEditorSite)activeEditorPart.getEditorSite()).getMultiPageEditor());
            artEditor.parseDocument();
            artEditor.updateTabs();
        }

        @Override
        public String getId()
        {
            return "com.portal.agenda.editors.updatetabs";
        }

    };
    updateTabsAction.setText("Update tabs");
    updateTabsAction.setToolTipText("Parses document and updates tabs to reflect textual changes");
    updateTabsAction.setImageDescriptor(PlatformUI.getWorkbench().getSharedImages().
            getImageDescriptor(IDE.SharedImages.IMG_OBJS_TASK_TSK));
}
    @Override
    public void contributeToToolBar(IToolBarManager manager) {
    manager.add(new Separator());
    manager.add(updateTabsAction);
}

Is there any possibility to do this some way? Or do I obligatory have to define command extension in the plugin.xml and to create a default handler for it (as described there for example)? In this case it would be kind of redundant code and I'd like to avoid it.

A: Phew... it has cost me a lot of time to figure out what I had to do to make it work.
Step one: getId() was the wrong method for my purpose, setActionDefinitionId() is the correct one. I created a nested class as follows:

public final class UpdateTabsAction extends Action
{
    public UpdateTabsAction()
    {
        setText("Update tabs");
        setToolTipText("Parses document and updates tabs to reflect textual changes");
        setImageDescriptor(PlatformUI.getWorkbench()
                                     .getSharedImages()
                                     .getImageDescriptor(IDE.SharedImages.IMG_OBJS_TASK_TSK));
        setActionDefinitionId("com.portal.agenda.editors.updatetabs");
    }

    @Override
    public void run()
    {
            ARTEditor artEditor = (ARTEditor)activeEditorPart.getSite().getPage().getActiveEditor();
            artEditor.parseDocument();
            artEditor.updateTabs();
    }
}

Step two The action must be registered with the handler service. I decided to override MultiPageEditorActionBarContributor's method setActivePage since it get passed a valid EditorPart instance, which is reference to my text editor if it's selected:

// Required to avoid multiple registering of the action
private IHandlerActivation iHandlerActivation;

@Override
public void setActivePage(IEditorPart part)
{
    if (part != null && iHandlerActivation == null)
    {
        IHandlerService hService = ((IHandlerService)part.getSite().getService(IHandlerService.class));
        iHandlerActivation = hService.activateHandler(updateTabsAction.getActionDefinitionId(),
                                                      new ActionHandler(updateTabsAction));
    }

    if (activeEditorPart == part)
        return;
    activeEditorPart = part;

    // ...skipped...
}

Step three: I mapped this action to a command extension point in the plugin.xml. In addition to it I created a context and binding:
<extension
      point="org.eclipse.ui.commands">
   <category
         id="com.portal.agenda.editors.category"
         name="ARTEditor">
   </category>
   <command
         categoryId="com.portal.agenda.editors.category"
         description="Parse document and update tabs to reflect textual changes"
         id="com.portal.agenda.editors.updatetabs"
         name="Update tabs">
   </command>
</extension>
<extension
      point="org.eclipse.ui.contexts">
   <context
         id="com.portal.agenda.editors.context"
         name="%context.name"
         parentId="org.eclipse.ui.textEditorScope">
   </context>
</extension>
<extension
      point="org.eclipse.ui.bindings">
   <key
         commandId="com.portal.agenda.editors.updatetabs"
         contextId="com.portal.agenda.editors.context"
         schemeId="org.eclipse.ui.defaultAcceleratorConfiguration"
         sequence="F5">
   </key>
</extension>

Step four: I added a FocusListener to my StructuredTextEditor so the context is only activated if the editor is active:
private void initKeyBindingContext()
{
    final IContextService cService = (IContextService)getSite().getService(IContextService.class);
    textEditor.getTextViewer().getTextWidget().addFocusListener(new FocusListener()
    {
        IContextActivation currentContext = null;

        public void focusGained(FocusEvent e)
        {
            if (currentContext == null)
                currentContext = cService.activateContext("com.portal.agenda.editors.context");
        }

        public void focusLost(FocusEvent e)
        {
            if (currentContext != null)
            {
                cService.deactivateContext(currentContext);
                currentContext = null;
            }
        }
    });
}

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