Berlin is a fascinating place: it is steeped in history which still resonates deeply throughout the city, from its wide boulevards around the Brandenburg Gate to its seamier quarters to the east of the wall.  The best way to orientate yourself and begin to experience the richness of the city is through one of the brilliant free walking tours.  I did one with New Berlin Tours and it was great; the guide, Mike, was funny and extremely knowledgeable, and the atmosphere was really friendly.

The majestic Brandenburg Gate

You meet close to the imposing Brandeburg Gate and spend the next three hours or so visiting all of the main attractions in the city as listed on the link above.  The new Holocaust Memorial, in the news recently after Easyjet ran fashion photographs taken there in its in-flight magazine, is a sombre and moving site, and the impact is probably sharpened by its proximity to the location of Hitler’s former bunker (which, unsurprisingly, is barely commemorated).

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

The museum is a terrifying reminder of the Third Reich, and is a difficult but truly worthwhile experience.  The personal stories which are told are evocative and harrowing, and a visit leaves you very contemplative for the rest of the day and a long while afterwards.

On a happier note, the memorial is next to a strip of truly dreadful cafeterias serving up second-rate reheated drudge to budget travellers such as myself.  I had the misfortune to eat a spaghetti bolognaise served up by a guy who looked like he was from the Village People, before being chased out of the bathroom by a very small woman wielding a can of air freshener and shouting at me in German.

I spent a lot of time in Berlin running away from toilet attendants who would attempt to extort half a euro every time as I so much thought about paying a visit to the loo.  I actually sprinted out of Dunkin’ Donuts near Zoologischer Garten station one day to escape from a particularly angry man who was brandishing a tip tray at me and making vivid gestures towards the toilet.

The Hotel Adlon

Opposite the Brandenburg Gate is the Hotel Adlon, where the late great Michael Jackson famously dangled one of his children out of the window.  The Presidential Suite on the top floor costs $12,000-a-night and has bulletproof glass in the windows among its many very cool features.  If I win the lottery…

The Reichstag is the home of the German Parliament, and its roof alone makes it worth a visit.  You can look down into the chamber when parliament is in session: “a reminder to the politicians that we are always looking in on them and that they are accountable to us,” an ageing Berliner told me.  Get there early to beat the crowds, and be prepared for a very thorough (in my case, patently illegal) level of frisking.  All I will say is avoid the security guard with the handlebar moustache.

The Reichstag roof

The Berlin Wall, which collapsed 20 years ago, is an integral part of the visit, though very few parts of it remain intact and those that do are protected by fencing.  As with many parts of the city’s history, there’s a residual feeling of shame and embarrassment about it amongst the city’s residents, who you feel would rather live without the permanent reminders of their country’s past.

Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie is very artificial and one of the few attractions in the city which is a little underwhelming.  But you can take your disappointment away by heading into the unbelievably decadent Fassbender & Rausch chocolate shop which has models of things such as the Reichstag and the Titanic, all made out of chocolate.  The only thing stopping me from plunging my face straight in was concern about how long they had been there.

The Reichstag - made of chocolate

My face upon being told not to eat the Brandenburg Gate

Pergamon Museum entrance

The TV Tower - all 368 metres of it

A penguin doing his best Marilyn Manson impression

The sign marking the death march

As with the Holocaust memorial in the city, it is a very graphic realisation of the horrors of what went on there less than a century ago.  The tour around is well-constructed and allows plenty of time for personal exploration and reflection.  Imposing, thought-provoking, and with a huge underlying unease, it in many ways replicates the city itself.

'Freedom through work'

Amazing reading / recording yesterday of my new piece, the dreams we dream for the city of roses with Jessica Meyer (viola) and Steve Beck (piano) from counter)induction. Many thanks to these fine musicians for their time, energy, and tremendously helpful feedback.

Recording to follow soon.

Although Thanksgiving is still ahead of us, the holiday season is just around the corner. For many of us it is a good time to start thinking about gifts. This year why not shake things up a bit and make gifts of your own? The Potter’s Wheel of Steamboat Springs is a great place to do just that. You can choose from a large variety of ceramic pieces to paint: plates, bowls and vases, to picture frames, figurines, and decorative abstracts. Next tap into your creative spirit by selecting a trace design or free handing one of your own. As for color you can choose from nearly every color in a crayon box. The possibilities are seemingly endless! 

A couple of weeks ago the Chamber took a staff field trip to the shop. Each of us made something different the reflected our individuality. Some chose to make travel coffee mugs, other made serving platters, spoon rests and decorative coasters. It was so much fun! I think the best part was going back later in the week to pick up our finished items as each item must first be fired in the kiln. Firing brings all the color to the surface of the piece and seals it so it is ready for use. It was like Christmas as each of us carefully unwrapped our items, secretly hoping we chose the right colors and that they didn’t smear or look different than we had imagined. Much to our glee, all of our pieces were a roaring success and yielded huge smiles all around. I had such a good time that day that I am taking my mom this week to create custom “wedding plates” for two of my cousins upcoming nuptials. A perfect keepsake for years to come!

New recording of my Piano Quintet No. 1, at the end of the long feast of goodness and time by a tremendous ensemble from the Curtis Institute of Music. Here’s an excerpt. Full recording on the “Listen” page.

Amalia Hall and Becky Anderson, violins; Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola; Camden Shaw, cello; Lio Kuokman, piano.

I went to a Chamber Member’s Open House last night in a town nearby and the only chamber member who showed their support was the Chamber President.  Do you think that your local chamber should be changing with the times or should it continue to be the good old boys club.  Do the members support other members?  If they do, great.  If they don’t, shame on you.  Are you too big of a business that you don’t care if other members support you.  The Chamber is a lot more than just paying your dues.  If you don’t show up at any of the events, why should members show up at your events.  How many members really care about the success of your business or even what you do within your business.  Do the board members even know or understand each others businesses or if asked, would they even know the other board member’s business name?

Wasn’t the chamber the original networking group?  Are chamber members networking together?  Are they building relationships with each other?  Are they doing business together or do they go to the next town or city because they don’t know that business exists in their town.

As you can tell, I was quite disappointed in this local chamber.

Can you tell me the main reason people join the chamber?  I personally  joined 4 1/2 years ago to network with other business owners and to support and be supported by other members. Is this happening in your chamber?  If it’s not happening, then it might be time to join a different organization.  My choice is BNI.

I have to say that my chamber is better than most.  I stepped up to the plate when I didn’t see everything I wanted from my chamber.

Ok, I’ll get off my soap box.

I’m not going to pretend I know a huge amount about politics.  However, I’m not one of those people who sits in a pub complaining about the price of a pint, the lack of jobs, unreliable trains, and then says ‘But I don’t do politics.’  I know it affects me, and I am aware of its importance in the functionality of this country.

I think most people know decisions made in parliament affect them, so in a way it’s strange that so few know exactly what goes on behind those parliamentary doors. Come to think of it, most people probably didn’t know you could take a free tour to find out, either…

Entering the area around the Palace of Westminster (also known as the Houses of Parliament) and its additional buildings (such as Westminster Hall) is like going through airport security.  When you do get in, you are given a photo ID to wear around your neck, and told you must be accompanied by a pass holder at all times. 

I was taken to Westminster Hall, and as I sat waiting for the tour to begin, I started thinking.  It’s funny how, despite the fact I’ve lived in the south-east of England my whole life, there are so many places like this in London I’ve never visited.  I guess when you live so close to something you don’t feel obligated to make the effort.  In the same way that most New Yorkers have never been up the Empire State Building.     

The tour itself was superb – educational, yes, but somehow still extremely interesting.  I was shown around the House of Commons, House of Lords, the Queen’s Robing Room, the Prince of Wales’ chamber, and got an up-close look at some significant things associated with parliament.  For instance, we saw the original copy of the Commons notes when Guy Fawkes was first found to be plotting to blow up parliament.  The Queen’s throne in the House of Lords was obviously very impressive, as was standing in the exact place Gordon Brown would when speaking in the House of Commons.     

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, and apart from his phone ringing during a minute’s silence for Remembrance Day, was brilliant.  He explained the origins of parliamentary rituals that I’ve always known but never quite understood, like Black Rod banging on the door of the Commons.  He was happy to answer any bizarre, irrelevant questions from members of the tour group, and even did so with a straight face.    

After it finished, I felt really pleased that I’d done it.  It was enlightening, interesting, and wasn’t so long that it became boring in the least.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to find out a bit more about what goes on in those buildings we see on TV most days, and how the country is run.  After all, we do live here. 

More about this free tour – and the one including a tour of Big Ben – can be found here and on the UK Parliament site.

by Chris Warburton

Guest Blogger: Paulette Thomas, Steamboat Resident & Chamber Staff Member

Ever since I moved to Steamboat last month I feel empowered to do it all. No longer am I restricted by traffic jams and crowded mall parking-lots. In Steamboat I can leave work, go to the gym, order and pickup take-out, grab a bottle of wine, fill up the tank (twice a month) and make it home in the same amount of time that it took me to drive straight home from work in Denver. What a dream come true. On that note I’m off to the gym.

Some of my favorite go-to spots are:

Fusion Fit
Drunken Onion
Soda Creek Pizza
Central Park Liquors

Visit our Chamber Member Business Directory for more convenient locations about town.

If you would like to become as guest blogger and share your own unique experiences about visiting or living in Steamboat Springs, contact Courtney Allen, courtney@steamboatchamber.com.

The article Accordion Reborn published Wednesday November 19, 2009, got my attention. From the Guardian, a thorough and highly accessible article on the state of contemporary ‘Classical’ Accordion music. Specifically Denmark, which since at least the 1970’s has been a bastion of creativity and genius in this genre.

For most people, the sound of the accordion conjures up images of bearded morris dancers, or jolly sea shanties sung with raised tankards of real ale. But in Denmark, the accordion has a classical life, with a whole generation of serious musicians developing new means of expression on an instrument Mark Twain once called “a Steinway on your lap”.

Supporting and fleshing out the work and world of composer Jexper Holmen, we learn about his newest project being performed in England.

Alongside Holmen will be two Norwegian accordionists, Frode Andersen and Frode Haltli, accomplished classical players who graduated from the prestigious accordion programme at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. So are there lots of high-flying jobs for accordionists in Scandinavia? “I would never aspire to become a full-time classical accordion soloist,” admits Haltli, “because I wouldn’t be able to eat.” In addition to solo work, Haltli plays with a jazz ensemble and a folk group, and has released a CD of new arrangements of traditional Norwegian melodies.

Try this list to expand your listening.

Another post about Communist Fighting Accordionist

Another post about World Accordion Trio

Another post about Bluegrass Accordion

Another post about my latest project

Another post about Guido Deiro

Another post about Richard Galliano’s recording Paris Concert

Another post about Accordionist Richard Galliano

Another post about Accordionist Maria Kalaniemi

Another post about Accordion Event Calendar

Another post about Octoberfest Accordion Babes

Another post about New Polka

Another post about Punk Rock Accordions

Another post about Busking

The Weekly Catch
Weekly Highlights from the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce
Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester by the Sea, and Essex
November 18, 2009

THIS WEEK ON CAPE ANN

THE SCHOONER ADVENTURE presents “Restoring Shellfish Beds and Salt Marsh at Gloucester’s Mill Pond” on Wednesday, November 18, 7pm at Cruiseport Gloucester. Featuring comments by Barbara Warren, Director of Salem Sound Coastwatch and Eric Hutchins, NOAA Restoration Coordinator. 978-281-8079

THE SAWYER FREE LIBRARY presents an Australian travelog with Jim & Lea Watson-Traveling to Teach Down Under-on Thursday, November 19, 7pm. 978-281-9763 (rescheduled from October 22)

NAMI CAPE ANN is pleased to present Janet Ruth Young reading from her novel “The Opposite of Music,” about a family dealing with the father’s depression on Thursday, November 19, 6:30-8pm at the Rockport Library, A discussion of holiday tips and strategies for people with mental illness and their families will follow.

THE TOPSIDE GRILL, located at 50 Rogers Street in downtown Gloucester, is now featuring entertainment on Thursday nights. This Thursday, November 19, 8-11pm, come see Steppers Heaven, who come from Boston and play an infusion of Blues, R&B, Funk, & Rock. 978-281-1399

EASTERN POINT DAY SCHOOL Family & Friends Dinner Dance and Auction will be held on Friday, November 20, 5:30-9:30pm at Cruiseport Gloucester. A delicious dinner by the amazing Turner’s Seafood Market and Grille. Music for the whole family by the amazing twisting fun DJ Chuck. Adults $25, Kids $15. RSVP to: 978-283-1700 or info@easternpointdayschool.org.

THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS presents a Great Magnolia Swamp Hike on Saturday, November 21, 1-3:30pm at Ravenswood Park. Join us for this pre-Thanksgiving hike. Get some exercise on this four-mile long rocky loop through beautiful habitats. Adults $5. Pre-registration required. 978-281-8400

SEA MEADOW GIFTS, located at 7 Main Street in Essex, will host a Holiday Open House on Saturday, November 21, 10am-5pm. Come join us for our 12th annual Holiday Open House celebrating the start of the holiday season. Enjoy gourmet food tasting, door prizes, and Open House specials while you start your holiday shopping. 978-768-3441

THE NORTH SHORE UNITED WAY (NSUW) will host its second annual NSUW Rocks II event on Saturday, November 21 7:30-11pm at the Mansion at Turner Hill in Ipswich. Proceeds from the event will go to support the North Shore United Way’s annual campaign that raises money to support local agencies and help build brighter futures for children and families on the North Shore. 978-922-3966

ROCKPORT PTO HOLIDAY FAIR. Saturday, November 21, 9:30am-2pm at Rockport High School. Featuring Crafters and Artists, Gingerbread Houses, Surprise Jars, Enchanted Gift Shop, Games, Face Painting, Baked Goods. Enjoy the Jazz Band 9:30-11:30. The DECA Store will be open all day. Come see Santa for pictures!

BLUE SHUTTERS BEACHSIDE INN is holding its Fall Wine and Food Tasting on Saturday November 21. Guests will be treated to a complimentary selection of wines and a sampling menu prepared by Langham Hotel Chef Mark Sapienza. And we’re offering a special discount for this weekend — book Saturday night and get Friday night for half-price. 978-283-1198 info@blueshuttersbeachside.com

THE CAPE ANN MUSEUM welcomes the Revels Repertory Company school touring ensemble to the Folly Cove Auditorium on Saturday, November 21, at 11am. This event is free and open to the public. The ensemble will be performing a school version of their original musical theater production “An American Journey,” about immigration to Boston in the early 1900s. 978-283-0455

HALIBUT POINT STATE PARK presents a Babson Quarry Ranger Walkabout on Saturday, November 21, 12-1pm. Healthy Heart walk for all ages – kids come and stamp your Passport; get a Healthy Heart Sticker and Activity map! Meet at the parking lot and take this walk with the District Ranger which loops around the Babson Farm quarry – take a step back in time to the days of the quarrying industry. 978-546-2997 617-694-9190

THE MAGNOLIA LIBRARY CENTER, located at 1 Lexington Avenue in Gloucester, is hosting an Electronic Recycling Pick-up on Saturday, November 21, 9am-1pm. Simply bring your items to the library and volunteers will be available to help you unload your car and weigh-in. Items are 50¢ per pound and large items are capped at $20. Sorry we cannot accept fluorescent light bulbs, tires, propane tanks, waste oil, and other non-electric items. 978-525-3343

Flute and Organ concert on Sunday, November 22. Eva Østergaard Principal flutist of the Royal Danish Opera & Heinrich Christensen, organist play music of C.P.E. Bach, Mozart, Alain, Fauré and a new piece by Graham Gordon Ramsay. 4pm at ST. JOHN’S CHURCH, 48 Middle St, Gloucester. $15/person 978-283-1708

THE CAPE ANN MUSEUM presents an artist talk with photographer Steve Rosenthal on Saturday, November 28, at 3pm in conjunction with the current exhibition Churches of Rural New England. The program will also include a documentary film by Peter Hoving, and a book signing for Rosenthal’s book, White on White: Churches of Rural New England. This program is included with Museum admission and reservations are required. Please call 978-283-0455 x11.

THE CAPE ANN SYMPHONY’S annual Holiday Pops: Holiday Sparklers is set for Saturday, November 28, at 8pm and Sunday, November 29, at 2pm at the Fuller Auditorium, featuring the return of the Cape Ann Singers. Ticket prices are $30/adults, $25/senior citizens, $20/college students, and free for children under 18 years old. 978-281-0543

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY OF ROCKPORT, located at 4 Cleaves Street in Rockport, will host a Holiday Craft Fair every Saturday from November 28 to December 19, 10am-1pm. Original art, handcrafted jewelry, greeting cards, knitted scarves, stained glass boxes, fresh baked cookies and candy, and much more. 978-546-2989

GLOUCESTER’S SANTA PARADE & TREE LIGHTING will be held on Sunday, November 29. The parade begins at 3pm at the State Fish Pier, running through Main Street and ending at the Boulevard for the Annual Tree Lighting at Kent Circle (at about 4:30pm).

Celtic music sessions. Join Michael O’Leary and Friends for their Celtic music sessions on Sundays, 5-8pm, November 29 at THE LANDING AT 7 CENTRAL in Manchester and November 22 at ELLIOTT’S AT THE BLACKBURN in Gloucester. An acoustic session of mostly traditional songs and tunes from the Celtic countries and Cape Breton.

Lights of Love is an annual tribute to Cape Ann families and friends whose lives have been touched by cancer. Launched in 2008 by Gloucester residents Sue Kyle and Shawn Wilson in gratitude for exceptional patient care delivered at the GORTON’S SPECIALTY AND CANCER CARE CENTER AT ADDISON GILBERT HOSPITAL, the 2009 Lights of Love seeks to raise $25,000. The culminating event will take place on December 1st with a tree lighting featuring carols, holiday treats, and inspirational remarks at the hospitals Washington Street entrance. 978-853-4738

The Art Advisory Committee of the SAWYER FREE LIBRARY will sponsor the Annual Art Auction the entire month of November. Patrons are invited to come in and view original paintings by local artists. Silents bids will be accepted the entire month with a final live auction on Wednesday, December 2, at 7pm. A preview party will begin at 6pm. 978-281-9763

Despite all evidence to the contrary, turns out, I’m not invincible.

Well damn.

Though I’d like to be at the Gables Sneak Peek or a Whole Foods tour in honor of Dishola’s Dish-for-Dish (review a dish already, people!) or a happy hour birthday party at Piranha (man do I love their sushi) or Beer and Bingo at Jo’s, I am going to be on a couch, toilet paper roll nearby (don’t have Kleenex around), lemon-infused water in hand. Yes, allergies and/or a cold have knocked me down.

In my honor, YOU should please enjoy one of these fun Wednesday activities:

Drag Queen “Sapphire” will be reading the numbers, there’ll be a DJ and great prizes.

Beer is $3 and cards are $1; all money from the cards goes to Caritas.

*Benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas

 

Third Base Sports Bar

1717 West 6th Street

6-8pm

$2 wells and domestics

$3 Margaritas & $2.50 All Mexican beers

Admission: New Toy or $10 donation to BBBS

This is a great opportunity to network, have fun, and make a difference!

 

So, it wasn’t my patient, but another student had a patient tonight who was quite … ornery.  Understandable, given her condition (lung cancer spread to the brain).  But this patient had quite a time with the many folks who came into her room to help her:

• Trying to bite the instructor.
• Kicking the student when she came near.

And my personal favorite:

• Using her oxygen nasal cannula as a whip on the people coming near her bed.

In other news, my patient the last 2 days was a real sweetheart.  Older woman with quite a history, and who was in the hospital because of a stubborn little wound that wouldn’t heal.  She was in the hyperbaric chamber to promote wound healing, but had to have tubes put in her ears (bilateral myringotomy) because of the pressure of the hyperbaric chamber.  She didn’t have a whole lot going on, but was mostly blind, so I got to assist her with a lot of daily activities, such as helping her figure out where things were on her dinner tray, or helping her to the commode, or just generally sitting with her and getting her what she needed.

I really enjoyed these 2 days of helping her, because I felt like I was really aiding someone who needed it.  She was mostly self-sufficient, but it was nice to help her out whenever I could.  I also got to give her meds twice today, and didn’t even mess up once (unlike last time, where I forgot to ask the patient his name and birthday before I gave him his meds).  I’m becoming awfully familiar with doing the Accu-Chek as well (checking the patient’s blood sugar).

It’s also time to start thinking about a summer externship for 2010.  I’m asking my instructor for a letter of recommendation.  Not sure what I want to do yet — whether it’s just a general med/surg floor position or something more specific.  We shall see.

John Allen Muhammad, the mastermind of the sniper attacks that terrorized the nation’s capital region for three weeks in October 2002, was executed Tuesday. Muhammad died by injection at 9:11 p.m. at Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, prison spokesman Larry Traylor said.

He said Muhammad had no final statement and that Traylor didn’t hear him utter any words during the execution.

Muhammad was executed for killing Dean Harold Meyers, who was shot in the head at a Manassas gas station during a spree that left 10 dead across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C..  

“We extend our condolences not only to the families and loved ones of the victims, but also to the family and loved ones of John Allen Muhammad,” said J. Wyndal Gordon, one of Muhammad’s attorneys. “It’s just a tragic situation all around.”

Earlier, Gordon had described Muhammad as fearless and insisted he was innocent.

“He is absolutely unafraid and he will die with dignity – dignity to the point of defiance,” Gordon said.

The shootings terrorized the region, as victim after victim was shot down while doing everyday chores: going shopping, pumping gas, mowing the lawn. One child was shot while walking into his middle school.

People stayed indoors. Those who did go outside weaved as they walked or bobbed their heads to make themselves a less easy target.

The reign of terror ended on Oct. 24, 2002, when police captured Muhammad and his teenage accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, as they slept at a Maryland rest stop in a car they had outfitted for a shooter to perch in its trunk without being detected.

Muhammad and Malvo also were suspected of fatal shootings in other states, including Louisiana, Alabama and Arizona. Malvo was sentenced to life in prison.

The U.S. Supreme Court turned down Muhammad’s final appeal Monday and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine denied clemency Tuesday.

Cheryll Witz was one of several victims’ family members who traveled to Virginia to watch the execution. Malvo confessed that he shot her father, Jerry Taylor, on a Tucson, Ariz., golf course in March 2002 at Muhammad’s direction.

“He basically watched my dad breathe his last breath,” she said. “Why shouldn’t I watch his last breath?”

Muhammad met with family members in the hours before his execution but did not have a spiritual adviser, Traylor said

Thank you to the New York Post

My Take :  Oh well you deserved it faggot

Apex, NC 11-08-09

I am loco for Local. The old saying, “all politics is local” is a very powerful commentary about the human being. Cave people hunted and plundered close to the shelter of the open cave. Over the centuries, need forced us to travel in chariots, covered wagons and eventually automobiles to distant lands for the purposes of success and discovery. Today, there is no need to physically travel to the remotest island in the South Atlantic. I can travel there on google earth and hit the website for gorgeous pictures and commentary. By the way that is the island of Tristan Da Cunha. I have seen the Queen Mary’s Peak. In fact I go there a couple times a month. I love it there. My travels are at Internet speed. But when I am there via the information highway (who remembers calling it that) I am a local.

So to say I am a local fan of local is very true. Most of us get it when it comes to local. Some of us are forced to accept it because of the price of bread,eggs and gasoline. But all of our livelihood comes from our jobs near our homes. Our “family” is next store or down the block or across the street. With one of five of us here who actually were born here, we bond with next store who came here from Wyoming, and we share dinner with the family from New Jersey down the street.

Here is my message. We still are not out of what I call the Great Recession. So we want our community to survive and succeed. We want our local businesses to survive and succeed. Inside 919, Carolina Business Connection, and our local Chamber exist with this sole purpose. The inaugural Peak City Film Festival and the new pilot, The Rusty Bucket Kids Club exist strictly for the success of the community. They get it. It is their vision.

Local drives our ups and downs, our losses and our wins, and it even educates our children. Our hospitals, restaurants, and grocery stores are local. Our downtowns are local. And we need to become localites and promote local every chance we can get. Because we live here. Because we work here. Because we love here. It is more than responsibility. It is more than common sense. It is about opportunity.

Support the Peak City Film Festival, the neighborhood grocery store, and your favorite hangout. Do it just because it’s local.

I want you to walk over to your refrigerator and look at the drawings, appointments, pictures and magnets that splash the doors with everything local. See I wasn’t kidding! It starts with your fridge. You have been doing it all along!

The primary flaw with this juicer is that the feed tube directs its contents into the center of the shredding blade where it spins the slowest. To make matters worse, the teeth at the center of the shredding blade are arranged in the same circular path. This tooth arrangement fails to generate any shredding action between the blades, and only grinds circular groves in the produce. Thus, the produce tends feed very slowly, or actually stalls in the grind tube. This slowed feeding action also seems to cause the centrifuge basket to slow down, and clog up. I’m not exactly sure why this happens, but I suspect it may have something to do with the produce binding between the bottom edge of the feed tube and the center of the shredding blade. Obviously, once the centrifuge basket gets clogged, less juice is extracted, the pulp is wetter, and more juice ends up in the pulp receptacle.

The second flaw is that the pulp is only discharged into the pulp receptacle from one side of the shredding /centrifuge chamber. This tends to cause the pulp to linger in the centrifuge basket, and compounds the clogging problem. Once the centrifuge basket gets clogged, the pulp begins to stick to the inside of the shredding /centrifuge chamber, and eventually seems to make its way into the juice catch basin.

The third flaw is that juice catch basin is flat on the bottom, and does not drain well. Pulp particles in the juice tend to settle on the bottom the juice catch basin, and eventually may stop the juice from draining. When this occurs, juice will flow over the inside lip of the juice catch basin, and stream down the motor housing. Wait; it gets worse! Since the motor’s cooling vents are on the sides of the motor housing directly below the juice catch basin, juice escaping from the juice catch basin tends to flow into the motor housing through the cooling vents creating an electrical hazard.

For the fall concert I am going to have the following:

Chimerical Creatures – Part 1
Mvt. I – The Ogre’s Lair
Mvt. II – March of the Pixies
Mvt. III – Home of the Dwarfs

Flute – Luis Bin
Violin – Jamiel Arth
Cello – Joshua Dent
Piano – Dorian Hawkins

The piece is about 7 to 8 minutes in length, and the program notes to accompany it are as follows:

Composers are not always fortunate enough to compose pieces that truly inspire them. For me, “Chimerical Creatures” did just that: It allowed me to combine my love for fantasy and the imagination with music in a way I had not been able to before. The piece, written for Mixed Quartet, is separated into three fairly short movements, each portraying a different fantasy creature.

The first movement, “The Ogre’s Lair” embodies the suspense and dark mood associated with descending into the lair of an ogre. This movement is also responsible for setting up the main motif of the piece as well as a few other musical ideas that come back again and again throughout the piece.

The second movement, “March of the Pixies” depicts a group of pixies marching along to nowhere in particular. The main essence of this piece comes from the fact that pixies are cute from the outside, but their inherent desire for mischief often overtakes them. This disparity is primarily reflected by the fact that the movement is in a strange and off-kilter variant of B Major, and by the somewhat frantic section in the middle of the movement wherein the pixies swarm and attack before resuming their ‘marching’.

The last movement, “Home of the Dwarfs”, conveys the roughness associated with dwarfs via chords that are much thicker than those in the previous two movements and an overall thickening in the texture. Historically, dwarfs are often shown to have a complete disregard for danger: In accordance with this, there are many times throughout the movement that something strange or bombastic will occur and the dwarfs will resume their usual routine (reflected through the main melodies and theme) immediately afterward, or even while the madness is still ensuing.

By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009).

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

Reported in yesterday’s (11/02/09) Albuquerque Journal and New Mexico Business Weekly daily online digest is an opportunity for anyone, but especially those without health insurance, to obtain a discount card.

According to the articles, the card can provide up to 75% discounts for prescription drugs. But, there is much more according to the articles:

The New Mexico Drug Card will be available to any state resident who can print it off a computer. The card will be accepted at more than 250 pharmacy locations in the state and at more than 50,000 locations nationwide. The card is free, has no restriction to membership, no income requirements, no age limitations and has no applications to fill out.

Here’s the full New Mexico Business Weekly story

The link to download the card is found here download card

If you know someone without access to the internet or they have access, but no printer, They can go to any Smith’s or Albertson’s pharmacy and have them process your application for a card. If you scroll down on the application website you will find other pharmacies listed as participating. You can call any of the pharmacies listed to see if they will honor the card.

Finally, if for some reason this program does not meet your expectations, do not place belladonna or any other substance in my coffee.

Woah! It feels like forever since I did this segment, but it’s only been a week and half.

A lot has happened in that time wouldn’t you say?

I mean, the Hawkeyes are now 9-0 and ranked 4th in the BCS.

-The Cyclones beat the Huskers (1st time in 32 years)

-Our President won the Nobel Peace Prize

-The World Series has the Yanks up 3-1 on the Phillies

But enough with the sports/politics current events section of this blog post and let’s dive into another round of ‘101 Ways to Take Advantage of the Chamber.’

61) Executive Tours-When recruiting new employees or welcoming executives, we can assist you in showcasing the community by taking that person on a Tour of Siouxland (complete with backstage access). We also have newcomer packets and all the up-to-date regional information available right in our office.  How’s that for citizen service eh?

62)Reputation Mgmt- Being a member of the Chamber will help you do business. Statistics by The Schapiro Group show when consumers know that a restaurant franchise is a member of the chamber of commerce they are 40% more likely to eat at that franchise in the next few months.

63) Gain Media Attention- Creating press releases and handing your  public relations can be overwhelming for some. Let us help you get the word out about your business by taking you through the process of keeping the media up-to-date about your business.

64) Key Executive Welcome- We’re here to welcome your new management by formally introducing them to the business community. The next Key Executive Welcome will be held in the spring of 2010.

65) Accessibility-  The Chamber of Commerce strives to give you everything that a membership entails and nothing less.  A Chamber membership means constant retention, brainstorming, and putting us at your service.  We’re accessible and we will help you find solutions to your problems.

66) Quality of Life-  Let’s face it, quality of life is important to a strong economic economy that will make Siouxland a place to live.  That’s what we do, we want you to set up a successful shop in Siouxland and let us worry about promoting the community and drawing consumers to you.  We work tirelessly to develop the economy and break down regulation and tax barriers to enable you the innovator to make a buck.

67) Committee Diversification- Our success strives off of ideas from our members, our staff, and our organization.  We organize by breaking down in committees to specialize and cover each facet of economic promotion and development, these areas include: Ambassadors, Siouxland Beautification Task Force, Transportation, Government relations, Business Roundtable, & Community Enhancement.

68) Event Promotion-  Have a special event coming up?  Yes! That’s what we were hoping and we will help you market that event and get the word out to attract potential customers to your business.  We do this though blogs, Siouxland Business Journal, e-mails, & media relations.

69) Designing Sioux City-  Our President, Debi Durham sits on the committee for Sioux City Design Works.  This signifies that the Chamber has made a commitment to designing a community that we all  can continually be proud of.    The goal of this committee is as follows:

“Sioux City has embarked on a project to create Urban Design Guidelines that will help guide future development and redevelopment and ensure the future vision of the community is reflected in the physical shape and character of the built environment.” For more info follow the link above…

70) Want to take a day trip? Siouxland is in the perfect location for that and the Chamber of Commerce’s website will give you all the details as we will serve as your Tour Guide, but just for the day.

That’s all for now Siouxland, I bid you good day and wish you the best wishes for what hopefully will be a fun, entertaining week!

-Ian Banks-Social Media Intern

image: ‘Pride & Prejudice & Zombies’

This sleepy condition is not to be confused with sleep proper.
It is the Waking Sleep that calls maidens and men to a darker, more remote purpose.
They walk with chins down and arms outstretched; a pace languid with a hunger on their lips.
Do you know any loved ones that are among the Waking Dead?
What if you are, as of now, walking with Them? Would you know? Who could wake you then?

Kelli Ali - The Savages
Rocking Horse (One Little Indian, 2008)

Haruko – Welcome to Loveland
Wild Geese (Bracken Records, 2009)

Philip Glass – In the Upper Room/Dance VIII
Glassworks (Dunvagen Music Publishers, 1987)

Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron & Fred Squire – Flaming Home
Lost Wisdom (P. W. Elverum & Sun, 2008)

Marissa Nadler – Dying Breed
Songs III: Bird on the Water (Peacefrog, 2006)

Tape - Moth Wings
Luminarium (Häpna, 2008)

Maria João Pires - Chopin: Nocturne #21 in C Minor, Bi 108 – Lento Con Gran Espressione
Chopin: The Nocturnes (Deutsche Gramophon, 1996)

Ane Brun - Laid in Earth
A Temporary Dive (DetErMine Records, 2005)

Comus – After the Dream
To Keep from Crying (Dawn Records, 1974)

::listen::

***
HKE is easing into the Halloween spirit with this set of (unorthodox) zombie-inspiring songs; haunting yet beautiful all the same. A dark necrotic fantasy; pastoral as twilight journey; cold roses & cold faces.
Here you will find: an impending apocalypse, safe houses, empty streets, dark forests and a sense of deep longing.

The Chamber Membership Directory is highly sought after Members Only benefit that is published on an annual basis that provides the contact details and an in depth description of each Member company as well as other useful information about the Chamber and the business and diplomatic community.

Each Member receives two copies of the Membership Directory free of charge.

The Membership Directory also contains a Country Profile comprised of articles in relation to specific economic and business interest areas as well as political trends provided by Chamber Members who are experts in their respective fields.

Please click here to download the Chamber 2009 Membership Directory Country Profile (total) (7 MB).

If you need more information, please contact Ms. Elena Yakovenko, Communications Coordinator, at (380-44) 490-5800.