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Telegram: getting in a tight place

tellinghistory — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:00:05 +0000

(Telegram.)

FRANKLIN, November 30, 1864–12 M.

MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, Nashville:

Your despatch of 10.25 A.M. is received. I am satisfied that I have heretofore run too much risk in trying to hold Hood in check, while so far inferior to him in both infantry and cavalry. The slightest mistake on my part, or failure of a subordinate, during the last three days, might have proved disastrous. I don’t want to get into so tight a place again. Yet I will cheerfully act in accordance with your views of expediency, if you think it important to hold Hood back as long as possible. When you get all your troops together, and the cavalry in effective condition, we can whip Hood easily, and, I believe, make the campaign a decisive one. Before that, the most we can do is to husband our strength and increase it as much as possible. I fear the troops which were stationed on the river below Columbia will be lost. I will get my trains out of the way as soon as possible, and watch Hood carefully. Possibly I may be able to hold him here, but do not expect to be able to do so long.

(Signed)

J.M. SCHOFIELD,

Major-General.

American Gun - Devil Showed Me His Hand Review

kylepetersen — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:29:17 +0000

I owe American Gun quite a bit. If it wasn’t for the group, I might not be writing about local music today. As a young college student already fairly arrogant and smug in my musical tastes, I was skeptical to the idea that Columbia, SC could be the home to such a wealth of local musicians and bands. A vaguely knew groups like Hootie & the Blowfish and Crossfade emerged from the town, but their success seemed to support my skepticism all the more. Columbia isn’t a music town–Athens, Chapel Hill, Raleigh and the ilk are the independent music hotbeds of the Southeast. But on a single off-chance, I was listening to WUSC 90.5 FM, Columbia’s college radio station and the live DJ was promoting the upcoming Free Times Music Crawl, which showcases Columbia’s local talent (and quite well, I might add). The next song he put on simply blew me away with its subtle Americana beauty. A gradually crescendo of electric guitar chiming and a haunted, repeating vocal plea seemed to have tapped into the most elemental idea of a song. That tune was American Gun’s “Little Sister” from their first record Dark Southern Hearts, whose album title I have borrowed for my blog. The rest is not exactly history to anyone but me, but to this day I remain humbled by that experience–first hearing the song on the radio, and then being bombarded by that night (and many nights since) by the wealth of unknown talent in this city.

Fast forward more than four years later, and the group that literally changed my life is still alive and kickin’. Their new soon-to-be-released third record, Devil Showed Me His Hand is arguably their most explosive effort put to tape. The group officially unleashes their “new” (he’s been playing with them for a couple of years now) secret weapon for the first time on record–former Boxing Day/Capitols lead guitarist Noel Rodgers, who adds considerable sonic might to a band that already had a reputation for roots rock with a roar. His versatile playing and searing guitar leads are all over this one, from straight-forward Southern rock glory licks to soaring, effects-laden atmospherics. Along with Rodgers, the new record prominently features guest musicians on fiddle, banjo, mandolin, pedal steel, keyboard and B3 organ–giving the band a far more expansive and subtler sound than their raucous live shows. Bands like Lucero, the Drive-by Truckers, Steve Earle and Uncle Tupelo are the most obvious musical relatives, but as much for those artists’ willingness to take on different styles and approaches within the loose alternative country moniker they all get saddled with than anything else. But, given the type of music we are talking about, it ultimately comes down to how good the songwriting is–which is where the band’s ultimate strength lies.

Featuring two of the best singer/songwriters in South Carolina in a single band, it is almost a given the band will have a quality set of songs each time around, as Devil easily proves. The rootsier of the two songwriters, Donald Merckle, delivers up the buoyant, escapist folk-pop of “Girl in Texas” and what is easily the darkest song the band has come with in the disturbingly resigned title track. He also delivers the band’s first big traditional ballad, the archetypal “Killing Me,” and a straight-forward punk song (“The Underground”) that is a wry tribute to The Velvet Underground. Meanwhile his partner-in-crime, Todd Mathis, delivers up a set of guitar-heavy tunes that captures the raucous nature of the band’s live dynamic. After a couple of country-tinged opening songs (the rollicking country-punk of “13 Women” and the emotionally vulnerable “Mexican Restaurant”), Mathis delivers a trio of songs that wear their Brit-rock influence warmly on their sleeves–the bitter-yet-hopeful “My Friends,” the incredibly hooky “How Not to Fall in Love,” and the epic, spiraling “Find Some Good.” After Merckle’s encounter with the devil on the title track, the record closes with a Mathis gospel number, the church choir-backed “Are You Ready.” The song tugs and pulls between being a rock n’ roll closing number and a sincere attempt at a gospel tune, encompassing the aesthetic of the band in a nutshell–no matter what kind of song they are going for, they ultimately sound like themselves, in the best way possible.

As for the production and process of making the record, the band, somewhat amazingly, has created a vibrant, energetic rock n’ roll record utilizing local mixer Paul Bodamer (of the Jangly Records collective) and the engineering talents of Steve Slavich at the Jam Room–making this an incredibly compelling example of local DIY record making that is every bit as polished and professional as any record you are likely to buy this year. This is a band that is as good if not better than there nationally-touring contemporaries, so here’s to hoping this record can reach as many ears as possible!

American Gun is releasing Devil Showed Me His Hand @ the Art Bar this Saturday, December 5th. Cover is $4, or $6 w/ CD. Westbank & Rob Lindsey open.

# 341 - COLUMBIA / 1, reptile

fiume051 — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:36:33 +0000

Republic of COLUMBIA

stamp: 1300 pesos

year: 1999

reptile: turtle – Chelonia mydas

adevarul (4) - n-am atins nicio stea

poetul — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:59:15 +0000

Au fost mai întâi nişte artişti cu ochii bulbucaţi care strigau „Am învins”. Urmează oameni pe tancuri, oameni pe străzi şi oameni cu steaguri fără stemă, oameni cu bucăţi de carton pe care scrie „Jos Asasinul”, tancuri, Miron Cozma cu portavoce, mineri, vandalizări, jandarmi gata de luptă, Bill şi Emil, Emil pe care îl strânge haina, drapelul Statelor Unite pe fundal, câteva raze de soare, copii care fug de blocurile urâte din spate, accidente, oribile accidente, morţi plânşi, proteste care se termină în flăcări, Michael Jackson, Preasfinţia Sa, un puşti care se agaţă de un băţ. În vârful băţului e o bucată de pânză albastră cu steluţe galbene. Uniunea Europeană.

Apoi: inundaţii, fotbal, bătăi la fundul gol şi lacrimi greu de explicat (obişnuiţii stadioanelor au sensibilităţi cronice şi complicate), miracolul maternităţii, tineri pe stâlpi, gata să sară, lăutari mici îngropaţi în bancnote mari, ziarişti care au fost în Irak şi s-au întors, doamna Mona Muscă la scena batistei, popa Daniel Exorcistul de la Tanacu, în drum spre puşcărie, o flegmă de la Marian Iancu, un pupic de la Cheeky Girls, un miliardar îngândurat şi o actriţă fericită, Doroftei – campion mondial şi găinile din Ceamurlia de Jos, omorâte şi aruncate în tomberoane, Ciomu, Poliţia Română în acţiune, Cristian Mungiu, Jane Fonda şi Marele Premiu de la Cannes, foamea, Petru Nica, hoţul mileniului, cel care a furat cincisprezece saci cu bani şi o sacoşică.

Iris, Papa Ioan Paul al II-lea şi Teoctist I, nişte luptători de K1, tovarăşul Nicolae Ceauşescu în balcon, rămas cu mâna în aer, într-un gest ce seamănă acum cu un „Adio”, Hagi după golul fantastic şi deloc întâmplător cu Columbia, Guru Bivolaru şi spiralele, splendide dansatoare şi un botez, Mama FNI şi înapoi în Piaţă, printre TAB-uri şi pumni ridicaţi a victorie.

Finalul vine cu vocea grea şi cunoscută a unui actor care spune: „Tu eşti România”. Colajul acesta de imagini durează două minute şi o secundă şi este difuzat de Pro TV. Peste imagini curge o melodie a Laurei Stoica. Laura (pe care o chema, de fapt, Laurenţia) a murit într-o noapte de martie, într-un accident rutier. Melodia este „Nicio stea”. Totul se încheie cu o întrebare puternică: „Eşti mândru de ce ai făcut în douăzeci de ani de libertate?”.

2009 e un an urât, dincolo de crize vechi. E un an urât pentru că obligă la un răspuns. Ce-am făcut în aceşti douăzeci de ani?

Ce avem? Lumină, căldură şi cuvinte mai libere, maşini mai multe şi mai mari, în care încap tristeţea, dragostea şi viaţa. Au murit cofetăriile, cu parfumul lor de iubire romantică şi ridicolă, şi s-au născut mallurile, strălucitoare şi impersonale. Au murit şi eroii. Acum ar fi trebuit să fie statui, bulevarde, adrese, dar noi… Noi n-am atins nicio stea.

* acest articol a fost publicat in ziarul adevarul, în data de 29.11.2009

Master's project master plan

Lisa Waananen — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:19:14 +0000

It finally started coming together in my head, so I went to the nearly desolate journalism school and comandeered a white board for half an hour. I have a dozen reporting checklists scribbled in notebooks, but this is the first time I felt like I know enough to make a writing plan.

Then I photographed it and erased it.

N. DARWISH SILENCED @ COLUMBIA~ Reason? IT'S A MUSLIM WORLD NOW, STUPID!

themadjewess — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:26:53 +0000

The MOSLEM, Barack HUSSEIN Obama, does not want to offend his buddies, the MUSLIMS—->>

Anti-umanità

Orizzonte7 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:32:36 +0000

di Davide Villa Settantatremilacinquecentosettantasei (73.576). Di cui cinquantaduemiladuecentotrent

Viagra-laced desserts

gaydutchnyc — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:24:54 +0000

Student chefs in Columbia created a dessert using multiple aphrodisiac-style ingredients, one of them being Viagra. They made a pudding-like sweetness with chocolate, whipped cream and passion fruit that was showcased at a Gastronomy Show in Bogota. Unfortunately it cannot be sold in restaurants because it contains a prescription drug.

My country’s take on magic realism

John Ryan Recabar — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:04:47 +0000

I started reading works by Latin American writers when I entered college. They appealed to me becaus

Son of the Man from Columbia

Patrick — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:11:59 +0000

This could be the Man from Columbia 40 years ago. The father can look back and reminisce and the son can look forward …to a long life.

A Man from Columbia

Patrick — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:55:52 +0000

I had the pleasure today of photographing this man and his four middle-aged children. He is Columbian and brought his family to the United States when they were teenagers. He is over 80 years old.

New Etienne Aigner 4 piece Black Leather Wallet Set

salesatsnoturtle — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:36:01 +0000

Two Lips Shoes, Backyardigans Sing & Spin Pablo, Bumbo infant seat w/tray, Baby Martex Huge Crib Bedding Lot, NEW Sealed Trivial Pursuit 20th Anniversary Edition Game, Miss Spiders Sunny Patch Singing Bugging Bunch Rare, BVLGARI BLV Pour Homme 3.4 oz Men’s Cologne, and more!!!!

All reasonable offers are welcome!

My eBay items

NEW NWT Boca Classics Polo Shirt Postcard Men XXXL 3XL	Rare Backyardigans Sing Spin Singing Dancing Doll Toy	Two Lips Beads Embroidered Pump Heel Shoes Woman 9 Rare	BVLGARI BLV Pour Homme 3 4 oz Mens Cologne EDT Bottle	NEW Contradiction Calvin Klein 3 4 oz EDP Perfume Woman	Danskin Freestyle Pink Skirted Dance Leotard S 6 6X
Miss Spiders Sunny Patch Friend Singing Buggy Bunch Toy	Groovy Girls Large Life Size Plush Doll Dance Walk With	Baby Gap Red Fleece Logo Hoodie Hooded Sweatshirt Boy 4	NEW Trivial Pursuit 20th Anniversary Edition Board Game	NEW Etienne Aigner Black Leather 4P Wallet Key Ring Set	Vintage Fisher Price Puffalumps Monkey Shirt Plush Toy
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NEW B T BT Kids Green Holiday Christmas Dress 24 Month	Boutique Atlanta Apparel Holiday Christmas Dress 4 4T	Gymboree Traditions Velvet Silk Rose Dress 12 18 Month	Stuhrling Original 1776 Continental Calendar Mens Watch	Huge 17Pc Lot Old Navy NWT Shirts Jacket Jeans Boy 4 4T	Polly Flinders Wool Holiday Cardigan Sweater Jacket 4T

Free Quick*Sell Gallery from ISDN*tek

Caroline Neligan Presents the GuideStar Model to Colombian Civil Society

guidestarinternational — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:08:28 +0000

At the invitation of Conexion Colombia Caroline travelled to Bogota, Colombia from the 16-19 November 2009 to present the GuideStar model to a group of over 200 NGO representatives. The meeting, titled ‘Fundraising and Innovation for NGOs’ explored a range of initiatives that promote the work of NGOs and connect them to donors and other stakeholders at national and international levels. A summary can be read in Spanish and English.

César Bocanegra, Angela Escallón, Caroline Neligan, John Hecklinger

During her visit, Caroline also met with several leading organisations supporting social development and Colombian civil society:

Conexion Colombia channels resources from all around the world to a portfolio of Colombian NGOs and foundations and links diaspora Colombians to their country through a range of information services.

Compartamos con Colombia, is an NGO that promotes the Colombian nonprofit sector through strategic support and capacity building, the promotion of philanthropy and social investment, and by raising awareness of the importance of social responsibility with young entrpreneurs.

The Presidential Agency for Social Action and International Cooperation, Accion Social, coordinates, promotes and carries out international cooperation policies, plans and projects which contribute to the social and economic development of Colombia, and to reducing the poverty of Colombians who have been affected by violence, illicit crops and who live in conditions of vulnerability.

And last but not least, ONG por la Transparencia (NGOs for Transparency) seeks to increase NGO visibility and make publicly available information that seeks to strengthen the credibility of the sector and increase public support for the work of these important organisations.

There was significant interest in how GuideStar might help illuminate the work of Colombian NGOs and promote a culture of transparency and information that will help connect Colombians both at home and abroad with national NGOs and the communities in which they work. We look forward to continuing these initial conversations.

Top tips for choosing an aged care facility

columbiaagedcare — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:49:04 +0000

Aged Care Connect have provided helpful guidelines to aid you in the difficult and stressful search of finding an aged care facility for a parent, spouse or friend.

There are a few rules that you should follow to make the process simpler.

Location
No single factor is more important to quality of care and quality of life of a resident than visits by family members. Visits can be the high point of the day or week for the resident. So, make it as easy as possible for family members and friends to visit.

Get references
Ask the facility to provide the names of family members of residents so you can ask them about the care provided in the facility and the staff’s responsiveness when the resident or relatives raise concerns.

Talk to the nursing home administrator or nursing staff
Ask staff how care plans are developed for residents and how they respond to concerns expressed by family members. Tour the facilityTry not to be impressed by a fancy lobby or depressed by an older, more rundown facility. What matters most is the quality of care and the interactions between staff and residents.

See what you pick up about how well residents are attended to and whether they are treated with respect. Investigate the quality of the food service. Eating is both a necessity and a pleasure that continues even when we’re unable to enjoy much else.

How do families choose between aged care homes?
Most families begin the process of finding the right aged care home after they have the copy of the aged care assessment from the ACAT.

The selection of the aged care home is important and will have a major impact upon your relative and upon the families peace of mind.

Final word of warning – Stories from well meaning friends and neighbours
Be wary of stories from friends and neighbours who have good intentions, but may not fully understand the current status of the aged care home.

Michael and Ashley...are engaged.

Sarah — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:09:46 +0000

me and you and you and me
no matter how they toss the dice, it has to be
the only one for me is you, and you for me
so happy together

The Monkees never had it so right–if there are any two people perfect for each other, it’s Michael and Ashley. After all, their engagement shoot was at the same playground where they got engaged, at the church where they both do youth ministry…they’re fun and joyful and very excited to get married to each other. I was so glad to be part of a couple that was so full of life that obviously comes from Jesus (John 15).

Sass-ay!

The bling!

What else do you shoot in at a church? The church bus.

Absolute favorite.

Oh, Ashley…beautiful

I, being the smarty I am, said “you two have matching eyes”. They responded “Yup, and that’s why we’re getting married.”

Adooooorrraaable.

The one request? A jumping picture. I’ve seen a lot of them, and this one is pretty awesome.

And one last demonstration of their crazy fun awesomeness–these are from their handshake. Who has their own handshake? Michael and Ashley, that’s who.

Thank you both!

Merry Christmas From Around the World

Quotes in a Bottle — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:56:05 +0000

How to say Merry Christmas in different languages. Send these to your friends around the world.

Afrikaans: Gesëende Kersfees

Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees

African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats

Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden

Arabic: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah

Argentine: Feliz Navidad

Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand

Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun

Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal

Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!

Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha

Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce

Brazilian: Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo

Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat

Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo

Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!

Chile: Feliz Navidad

Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun

Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan

Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito

Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo

Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth

Corsian: Pace e salute

Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo

Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi

Croatian: Sretan Bozic

Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok

Danish: Glædelig Jul

Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak

Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
or Zalig Kerstfeest

English: Merry Christmas

Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!

Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon

Estonian: Ruumsaid juulup|hi

Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!

Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad

Finnish: Hyvaa joulua

Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar

French: Joyeux Noel

Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!

Galician: Bo Nada

Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!

German: Froehliche Weihnachten

Greek: Kala Christouyenna!

Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!

Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka

Hebrew: Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova

Hindi: Shub Naya Baras

Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!

Hawaian: Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!

Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket

Icelandic: Gledileg Jol

Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal

Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah

Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat

Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.

Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie

Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto

Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags

Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha

Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!

Latvian: Prieci’gus Ziemsve’tkus un Laimi’gu Jauno Gadu!

Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto

Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus

Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu

Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un ‘n moi Nijaar

Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik

Maltese: LL Milied Lt-tajjeb

Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa

Maori: Meri Kirihimete

Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh

Navajo: Merry Keshmish

Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul

Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado

Papiamento: Bon Pasco

Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu

Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!

Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo

Philipines: Maligayan Pasko!

Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie

Portuguese:Feliz Natal

Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha

Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua

Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn

Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!

Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele

Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom

Sami: Buorrit Juovllat

Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou

Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou

Serbian: Hristos se rodi

Slovakian: Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce

Sami: Buorrit Juovllat

Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou

Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh

Serb-Croatian: Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina

Serbian: Hristos se rodi. Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa

Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok

Slovene: Vesele Bozicne. Screcno Novo Leto

Spanish: Feliz Navidad

Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År

Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko!

Tami: Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal

Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!

Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai

Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun

Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym

Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho

Vietnamese: Chung Mung Giang Sinh

Welsh: Nadolig Llawen

Yugoslavian: Cestitamo Bozic

Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye’dun!

Drawing 3 Student Work

matt ballou — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:30:26 +0000

In my Drawing 3 (basically Life Drawing) course at the University of Missouri, we have a series of projects that focus on developing drawings that have a dynamic, shifting arrangement of bodies and spaces. The goal is for students to hone their ability to combine observed form and light with a knowing, thoughtful editing of the overall structure in order to create/direct the psychological environment of the picture. In earlier projects, students are asked to create a drawing of a model who, after a certain period of time, shifts part of his or her pose. Students have to adapt their drawing, learning how to react the experience of seeing rather than freak out that everything isn’t the same (as if anything stays the same anyway). Later on, we work on a longer series of poses over the course of 8 or 10 class periods. Using up to three different models who strike a couple different poses, the class develops larger drawings that incorporate the combination of the different figures in some kind of invented, yet observation-based, pictorial framework. Below are a few examples of what students have done. Keep in mind that none of the models posed together, and often very little of the stage arrangement was the same. I could go on and on about how I believe these projects really strengthen the students to have an EXPERIENCE of art rather than simply executing an exercise, but I’ll let their work speak for them. Click on each for a larger version.

by Lindsey Cole

by Dan Jimenez

by Roxanne Kueser

by Charlie Hostman

by Jared Fogue

by Marcus Miers

by Mallory Parsons

by Derek Frankhouser

A study of gratitude

perlowstevensgallery — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:33:06 +0000

Above is a picture that my seven year old daughter painted of me. I keep it at my desk to remind me of the good things in my life. I work at being a glass half full person. I am a small business owner. I do own an art gallery in a challenging market, during a very challenging economy. I have plenty of opportunities for growth that I could talk about, but not today. Today is a study in gratitude. I have a sign in my office that hangs on a wall just beside the door. It reads “This is the best month ever”. It has hung there for about two years now. I have friends who kid me about the sign, but in reality This IS the best month ever. Let me tell you why.

I am grateful to have a happy, healthy, and beautiful daughter who can come hang out at work with me. I am grateful (and somewhat amazed) that in second grade she knows who Picasso is, and allows herself to be inspired by his work. I am grateful to have the opportunity to send her to a public school that celebrates the arts. I am grateful to go to a school assembly and hear an amazing drumming troupe. I am grateful to walk through the halls and see rich artwork done by incredible children.

I am grateful to have a step-son in high school who still thinks art is cool. I am grateful that he brags to his friends that his parents own an art gallery instead of hiding it. I am grateful that he is handsome, smart, and incredibly sure of himself. I love watching him talk to people at the openings. He wears a name tag that says “Clayton Stevens, Owner”. I am grateful that at 14 he has a sense of ownership in the gallery.

I am grateful to walk in a space every morning that is beautiful and fills my soul. The gallery resides in the old Hays Hardware building. It has white washed brick walls, an old elevator shaft, and a beautiful glass transom in the front of the building. It is warm and inviting. It provides the perfect backdrop for art. It is easy, day in and day out, to take your environment for granted. Sometimes when I am frustrated or discouraged I go sit on a bench in the middle of the gallery and breath in the beauty that surrounds me.

I am grateful to live in a community that values art enough to support it. I am grateful to live in a city that has a percent for art program. I am grateful to live in a city that has great public art. I remember as a child growing up in Columbia, passing the Flying French Fries or “La Colomba” as the sculpture is actually titled. I am grateful to live in a community that I am proud to tell people about. In addition to all the visual arts venues, we also have a great live music scene, independent film, and theater. For a town of this size we are very fortunate to have the arts community that we have. I, for one, am grateful for that.

I am grateful for the amazing customers that we have. I am grateful for the support and encouragement that each of them provide. I am grateful for the people who know when I am hanging a new show and make a point to one of the first to see it. I am grateful for the people who make art a priority in their lives. I am grateful for the people who have my postcard hanging on their fridge. I am honored to be a part of your lives.

I am grateful for the incredible artists who trust me with their work. I am grateful to be surrounded by creativity. I am grateful to know many of the galleries artists on a deeply personal level. I am privileged to be able to experience the creation of art first hand. I am proud of the part I play in bringing said art to the community.

I am grateful to have two wonderful employees who work for peanuts, because they love PS:Gallery. Joel whom has been with me from the beginning, is invaluable (read the previous post about Joel if you want to know how much I truly appreciate him). Sarah, who started as an intern soon after we opened is now my gallery assistant. I am grateful that they know that in many ways the gallery is as much theirs as it is mine. I am grateful to have the ability to leave and not worry about what might happen. I am grateful that often my desk is cleaner after they have worked than after I have worked.

I am grateful to all of the people whom I have worked for and worked with that have helped prepare me for this. I don’t have a degree in business or in art for that matter. Somehow along the way, I have obtained the skill sets I needed to run a business. I have had some pretty incredible mentors. I will always be grateful for them.

Mostly, I am grateful for my husband. I am grateful that every day he puts on a suit and tie and goes to work so I am able to run the gallery that he always dreamed of opening. I am grateful that he has complete faith in my ability to run the gallery that bears our names. I am grateful that he is as crazy as I am and rarely questions what we are doing. I am grateful that even though my messy office drives him (and many others) crazy, he doesn’t say anything most of the time.

Thanks to all of you who allow me to do the work I love. I am grateful.

7 Ways to Improve The Stickiness Of Your Website

razicommunications — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:05:14 +0000

Today more than ever, consumers are overwhelmed with choices, and distractions. The cost of attracting users to your website continues to increase and keeping them engaged is more important than ever.

Engagement doesn’t end with an individual browser reading content or clicking on an ad. Rather, engagement is an ongoing process that results in loyal customers who come back again and again, becoming more vested in your web site.

How can you make sure you’re engaging and keeping customers?

In order to create a loyal following, there are some basic principles you need to consider. From first impressions to life-long membership, put yourself in the shoes of your browsers and make their experience a valuable one.

Reduce Clutter. How many times have you visited a website only to be overwhelmed and confused? What is this site about you may have asked yourself. Or perhaps you found yourself asking, ‘Where is the information I’m looking for?

Don’t ask your browsers or potential customers to figure this out. Make your site clutter free and create a visual priority that emphasizes the information, resources, or actions your browsers want. By reducing obstacles you build trust among new web site visitors and allow for simple decision making – which benefits everyone.

Make Navigation Intuitive. There are many ways to navigate a web page but intuition rules the day. Don’t try to get fancy with your navigation or overuse java script. Basic navigation that follows current convention is the best way to lead individuals through your web site to the information they’re looking for.

Make The Initial Site Interaction Relevant. When a browser reaches your web site, you have less than seven seconds to get them engaged. Making your initial site interaction relevant to what individuals are looking for is essential for keeping them interacting long term.

If you are promoting your web site with Google Adwords, or any pay per click advertising for that matter, be sure to create customer landing pages that are truly relevant to the individual who clicks-through your ad. Once you’ve established relevancy, you can move them deeper into your content, tools, and resources.

Ensure That Your Content Is Up-to-date. Web site content that isn’t up to date does not serve your audience and browsers are likely to move on. One way to ensure that information is timely is by providing a feed of relevant news or information. If including static text on your web pages, try not to include specific dates. However, if you must publish dates, be sure to update this information on a regular basis.

Start An Interaction With Your Users. Each time a browser views your web page, you have an opportunity to interact with them. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. One great way to interact is to offer something of value at no cost. This can be a white paper, access to an exclusive list, or simply a 30 day free trial. Be sure to capture an individual’s valid email address and include them on your mailing list. An auto-responder is best if you wish to engage these individuals on an ongoing basis.

Provide Plenty Of Support. Don’t hesitate to offer support right from your home page. Prominently display your 800 number, support email address, and additional information for your prospects and customers such as mailing address. This information is viewed favorably by search engines and also creates a sense of legitimacy. Contact information builds trust among prospects and elicits interest in your company.

Make Sharing Easy. Once you’ve made your web site easy to use, don’t hesitate to offer browsers the ability to share your web site with others. This can be in the form of a simple widget that allows users to bookmark your page, subscribe to an Rss feed, or submit your content to popular news sites like Digg.com.

Individuals are much more likely to visit a web site based on a friend’s recommendation versus some other type of marketing initiative. Leverage the power of viral marketing with easy sharing tools.

Your web site can be your greatest asset. Unfortunately, many marketers and website owners are so focused on increasing traffic that they lose site of the audience that’s already visiting their web pages but are simply not converting.

Don’t make the same mistake. Improve the quality of you site through relevant content that is up-to-date and easy to find. Once you’ve engaged users, encourage them to share. Doing so will make your site perform better, increase conversions, and deliver value for all involved.

www.RaziCommunications.com

info@razicommunications.com

Razi Communications is an Identity Company offering full-service public relations, advertising, marketing and Internet-based programs. We work with clients to help them discover their strengths and the things that make them unique and then help communicate those strengths into effective marketing campaigns. We bring your story to life in language that inspires and motivates utilizing traditional and new media.

Avon's Reese Witherspoon In Bloom

pkm1115 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:24:44 +0000

Şi ţările au nevoie de advertising

Semafor — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:26:03 +0000

Unul dintre cel mai greu de abordat subiecte atunci când vine vorba de advertising sau marketing în

Caroline Neligan Presents the GuideStar Model to Colombian Civil Society

guidestarinternational — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:53:14 +0000

César Bocanegra, Angela Escallón, Caroline Neligan, John Hecklinger

During her visit, Caroline also met with several leading organisations supporting social development and Colombian civil society:

Conexion Colombia channels resources from all around the world to a portfolio of Colombian NGOs and foundations and links diaspora Colombians to their country through a range of information services.

Day 43

global-cnp.org — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:10:09 +0000

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Celebrate!

Listed board position on CU alumni groups
Registered board positions with NYU Wagner
Scheduled a call with Prof Rao about collaboration
Received business cards
Scheduled meeting with Heather from Reach the World
Talked with Dawndae and Heidi from the Charitable Partnership Fund about their Incubator Program. Heidi suggested researching employment pricing on salary.com and with the Association of Fundraising Professionals
Went to the Foundation Center to research pricing for business plan
Listed board positions with LBS
Registered for training sessions at the Foundation Center
Updated budget numbers
Worked more on the Echoing Green Fellowship application

The Awkward Off Vs. Chairlift

theawkwardoff — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:38:25 +0000

At the 40 WATT CLUB in ATHENS, GA members of CHAIRLIFT jabbered with me behind stage.

Any interview that starts with a quote from Dr. Dre is destined for greatness. Although it’s hard for them to escape their iPod commercial fame, Chairlift is proving they have more to offer than the poppy sweetness of Bruises. Patrick, the rhythm behind the band, started the interview and soon we were joined by Caroline. Our talk took us from a desert island with a stereo to dinosaur debates, and although my questions were “too easy” for Patrick, both he and Caroline were great fun.

Anytime you guys are in Austin, I’ll scrounge up some harder questions for you.

Full Transcript: (Audio)
Patrick Wimberly: Before we start this, can I just read a quote from Dr. Dre?
Ethan Silverman (Tour Manager): She already started it.
PW: Can I use a quote from Dr. Dre?
Nichole Bennett: Let’s do it.
PW: In 1993, Dr. Dre said “Everybody has something they can do in the studio. I can take a fuckin’ three year old and make a hit record on him. God has blessed me with this gift.”
NB: So, I’m Nichole, and I’m here in Athens, Georgia at the 40 Watt Club with Patrick of Chairlift.
PW: Hi.
NB: We were just starting off with a Dr. Dre quote that we are all still recovering from. I guess to start us off, if you could kind of describe the story of Chairlift would it be a pop-up book or would it be a graphic novel?
PW: Oh definitely a pop-up book. That’s an easy question.
NB: Would it have pull tabs? Like interactive pop-up books?
PW: Yeah. There would be pictures of us dancing. There would be pictures of us meeting each other, with big smiles on our faces.
ES: I picture a pop-up mountain with a chairlift with the two of you sitting on it.
NB: With a little wheel to make it go around?
PW: This is Ethan, he takes care of us on the road.
NB: You guys have a pretty varied sound. For most people who have just heard the iPod commercial, they get this “Bruises” poppy sound. But you’ve really got more of a darker sound as well. How would you say it all ties together? Or how would you describe your sound to a five year old? Or maybe that three year old that Dr. Dre was hanging out with?
ES: Patrick is really good at talking to three year olds.
PW: First off, I’d like to say that I really like three year olds. “We’re in a band called Chairlift, and we play songs for dancing and for having fun. And for exploring your own mind.” We did play a show recently for a bunch of three year olds, and they got up on stage and danced. It was really cute.
NB: So, if you could take five albums on a desert island…
ES: On a deserted island?
NB: A desert…well, you can have your friends.
PW: Do I have a stereo there?
NB: Yeah, you’ve got a stereo.
PW: I would take Sexuality by Sebastian Tellier because I can’t stop listening to it. What else would I take?
ES: You would take a Rolling Stones record, but I don’t know which one.
PW: I would take a Led Zeppelin record. I would take III.
NB: Three of them?
PW: No, I would take the third one. That’s only two. I would take Abby Road. That’s kind of like a standard. I would take the new YACHT record. I don’t have it yet, and it comes out July.
NB: Hopefully you’re not deserted by then.
PW: Yeah, hopefully I’m not getting deserted on this island until after July, and the YACHT record comes out. And one more: I would make a new one and take it with me.
NB: Just take a blank disk with you.
PW: Yeah, I would record it on the island.
ES: Just bring a four-track.
PW: And I would call it All Alone.
NB: What is your favorite dinosaur?
PW: This is another easy question because I would take the…wait. If I could take any dinosaur to a desert island, it would be a brontosaurus.
ES: I would take the new YACHT record.
NB: My favorite dinosaur is the new YACHT record!
PW: Next question.
NB: So you guys are touring. What is the most annoying thing about touring? You guys just came from Austin, and you are zooming around.
PW: The most annoying thing about touring is…
ES: All these free drinks we get.
NB: Oh, how terrible!
PW: No, that’s not that annoying.
ES: It’s being in cool places but not spending much time in them.
PW: Yeah, that’s it. It’s not having enough time in areas that you want to spend time in.
NB: Do you ever read press or reviews about yourself?
PW: Never. Some other members of our band do, but I never do.
NB: If you could replace your arms with anything, what would you replace them with?
PW: Other arms.
NB: Other arms?
PW: Because I need my arms. They’re important to me because I’m a drummer. I would replace them with Al Green’s. He’s got nice arms.
ES: You should replace them with another drummer’s arms.
PW: Well, maybe if I had his arms, I could sing that well.
NB: Crunchy or smooth peanut butter?
PW: Crunchy because it has peanuts in it.
NB: What is one question you wish interviewers would ask?
PW: I wish they would ask…Are you going to ask this one in your next interview?
NB: Yeah, maybe. And you can answer it if you like. If it’s good, I’ll steal it.
PW: Probably not. I’m not that good of an interviewer. I would ask me on this desert island…
NB: With a brontosaurus running around.
PW: …I would ask “What would you name a brontosaurus if you had a brontosaurus on a desert island?”
NB: That’s a good one.
Caroline Polacheck: I’m just going to hump into this interview
NB: Sure.
PW: Caroline is here.
NB: Caroline just arrived.
CP: Is this for radio?
NB: This is for college radio.
CP: I should not have said hump. Hi guys, I’m Caroline. I’m in a band called Chairlift.
NB: Thank you for joining us. Well, we should probably catch her up on the important questions. Mainly, what is your favorite dinosaur?
CP: Definitely a pterodactyl.
NB: That’s a good one. Let’s see, I guess the only other good one is: If you could replace your arms with anything, what would it be?
PW: I take that back. It would be Stevie Wonder’s arms because he can do everything with his arms.
NB: This is true.
CP: So it can be other people’s arms?
PW: Anything counts. I would put one hairdryer on one of your arms.
CP: I would probably have a giant snake coming out of one arm…
PW: And a hairdryer.
CP: No. Wait, yeah how will I dry my hair? Well, the snake can be trained to hold a hairdryer. In its mouth. It would be really long. It would be way longer than an arm size. It would go from here to there. But it would learn to coil for transportation purposes. And then the other arm would be some kind of moving light show with speakers in it.
NB: I’d want to hang out with you. Party time, Caroline’s here. If Chairlift had a catch phrase, what would it be?
CP: We have so many. “My dude.” “It’s on.”
NB: What is the most embarrassing CD in your collection? Or are you not embarrassed by anything?
PW: I’m not embarrassed by anything. I have music that people say I should be embarrassed to have, but it’s not embarrassing.
CP: I have some CDs at my mom’s house that are pretty embarrassing.
NB: Do you guys prefer performing in bigger venues or smaller ones?
CP: I like playing in place with good sound and good lights because that affects the show more than size. Playing in an intimate place and the lighting is really moody and the sound is really spectacular and submersive. That makes for a good show.
NB: I asked him earlier: Do you read reviews about yourself?
CP: Yeah, probably more than I should. Less and less. I think it’s interesting. I don’t take it all to heart. It’s like throwing a ball back and forth. It’s interesting watching your reviews consistently change. Like if all of them are saying the same thing at one point in time and all of them are saying another thing at another point in time, then it’s like “Okay, that’s a legit point you made.”
NB: I was talking to Matt of Matt and Kim last night and he said “I want more haters.” The more haters you have, the more people are paying attention. It changes the way I thought about criticism.
CP: To me the most brutal thing isn’t press because you can take that with a grain of salt, but for me it’s live videos. It freaks me out to see myself play live.
NB: What can we expect to see from Chairlift in the future?
CP: Probably Aaron, Caroline, and Patrick. A lot of those people.
NB: Those three.
CP: Yeah sometimes instruments….sometimes clothes.
NB: I will let you guys go grab dinner, but I have one more question: If you were any animal, what would it be?
PW: A monkey. Easy question.
NB: He was ready. He needs harder questions next time.
PW: Next time you come back why don’t you challenge me a little bit, okay?
CP: I think I would be a killer whale. It seems like it would be fun to be a whale.
NB: That would be really fun.