Oct
21
2021
0

Garuda Indonesia increases flights, fleet; may buy rival

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Indonesian state-owned flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has been expanding, with the airline set to add nine new jets to its fleet and double its flights between Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. Garuda is also considering a bid for defunct rival Linus Airways.

Garuda is expecting the imminent arrival of four new Airbus jets and five new Boeings. The Airbuses, A330-200s, are earmarked to fly international routes to Seoul and Shanghai starting in July. All four have Internet and telephone access for passengers. The Boeings, B737-800 Next Generation aircraft, are due to be in service by the 2010.

Also planned before the year’s end is the increase in flights on the Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur route from one to two per week. “We saw our current load factor[s] have reached 75 percent and even more during school breaks like June and July,” Said the company’s Vice President for Network Oversight, Risnandi. “This is very promising.”

Garuda is now reported to be considering a bid for Linus, who stopped operating on April 27 and have recently been stripped of the rights to fly their former routes as legally required for airlines that do not operate for more than thrity days. Linus still holds some documents of worth to Garuda for transfer to their subisidiary Citilink.

“I heard that Garuda intends to buy Linus who already hold an aviation business license (SIUP) and an air operators certificate (AOC) for the scheduled air services,” said Indonesian Director General of Civil aviation Herry Bakti S. Gumay to reporters for Bisnis Indonesia. He said that his office was in favour of a takeover by Garuda because foreign bids are limited to holding a maximum total of 49% of the shares in Linus.

Linus Airways’ President Directer Indra said that “we are flexible to acquisition, depending on the investor. If someone wants to buy 100% of the shares we can release our shares, but if someone wants take only a majority shareholding with us as a partner – we are also open.” Indra commented that he has had an informal meeting with Garuda CEO Emirsyah Satar but says that they never discussed acquisition by Garuda and that Linus is already in talks with another ‘strategic investor’ with a view to resuming operations.

Two airlines, Riau Airlines and Kartika Airlines, have both launched bids for the ten routes formally operated by Linus, which include four from Jakarta and three from Batam.

Garuda Indonesia’s Financial Direcotr Eddy Purwanto has anounced that US$650 million worth of loans from Bank Mandiri have been restructured. Garuda, who has apointed Rothschild’s as their international financial advisors, will now pay US$450 million by 2015.

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Written by Admin in: Uncategorized |
Oct
21
2021
0

Dairy cattle with names produce more milk, according to new study

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Giving a cow a name and treating her as an individual with “more personal touch” can increase milk production, so says a scientific research published in the online “Anthrozoos,” which is described as a “multidisciplinary journal of the interactions of people and animals”.

The Newcastle University‘s School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development’s (of the Newcastle University Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering) researchers have found that farmers who named their dairy cattle Ermintrude, Daisy, La vache qui rit, Buttercup, Betsy, or Gertrude, improved their overall milk yield by almost 500 pints (284 liters) annually. It means therefore, an average-sized dairy farm’s production increases by an extra 6,800 gallons a year.

“Just as people respond better to the personal touch, cows also feel happier and more relaxed if they are given a bit more one-to-one attention,” said Dr Catherine Douglas, lead researcher of the university’s School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. “By placing more importance on the individual, such as calling a cow by her name or interacting with the animal more as it grows up, we can not only improve the animal’s welfare and her perception of humans, but also increase milk production,” she added.

Drs Douglas and Peter Rowlinson have submitted the paper’s conclusion: “What our study shows is what many good, caring farmers have long since believed. Our data suggests that, on the whole, UK dairy farmers regard their cows as intelligent beings capable of experiencing a range of emotions.” The scientific paper also finds that “if cows are slightly fearful of humans, they could produce [the hormone] cortisol, which suppresses milk production,” Douglas noted. “Farmers who have named their cows, probably have a better relationship with them. They’re less fearful, more relaxed and less stressed, so that could have an effect on milk yield,” she added.

South Norfolk goldtop-milk producer Su Mahon, one of the country’s top breeder of Jersey dairy herds, agreed with Newcastle’s findings. “We treat all our cows like one of the family and maybe that’s why we produce more milk,” said Mrs Mahon. “The Jersey has got a mind of its own and is very intelligent. We had a cow called Florence who opened all the gates and we had to get the welder to put catches on to stop her. One of our customers asked me the other day: ‘Do your cows really know their names?’ I said: I really haven’t a clue. We always call them by their names – Florence or whatever. But whether they really do, goodness knows,” she added.

The researchers’ comparative study of production from the country’s National Milk Records reveals that “dairy farmers who reported calling their cows by name got 2,105 gallons (7,938 liters) out of their cows, compared with 2,029 gallons (7,680 liters) per 10-month lactation cycle, and regardless of the farm size or how much the cows were fed. (Some 46 percent of the farmers named their cows.)”

The Newcastle University team which has interviewed 516 UK dairy farmers, has discovered that almost half – 48% – called the cows by name, thereby cutting stress levels and reported a higher milk yield, than the 54% that did not give their cattle names and treated as just one of a herd. The study also reveals cows were made more docile while being milked.

“We love our cows here at Eachwick, and every one of them has a name,” said Dennis Gibb, with his brother Richard who co-owns Eachwick Red House Farm outside of Newcastle. “Collectively, we refer to them as ‘our ladies,’ but we know every one of them and each one has her own personality. They aren’t just our livelihood, they’re part of the family,” Gibb explained.

“My brother-in-law Bobby milks the cows and nearly all of them have their own name, which is quite something when there are about 200 of them. He would be quite happy to talk about every one of them. I think this research is great but I am not at all surprised by it. When you are working with cows on a daily basis you do get to know them individually and give then names.” Jackie Maxwell noted. Jackie and her husband Neill jointly operate the award-winning Doddington Dairy at Wooler, Doddington, Northumberland, which makes organic ice cream and cheeses with milk from its own Friesian cows.

But Marcia Endres, a University of Minnesota associate professor of dairy science, has criticized the Newcastle finding. “Individual care is important and could make a difference in health and productivity. But I would not necessarily say that just giving cows a name would be a foolproof indicator of better care,” she noted. According to a 2007 The Scientist article, named or otherwise, dairy cattle make six times more milk today than they did in the 1990s. “One reason is growth hormone that many U.S. farmers now inject their cows with to increase their milk output; another is milking practices that extend farther into cows’ pregnancies, according to the article; selective breeding also makes for lots of lactation,” it states.

Critics claimed the research was flawed and confused a correlation with causation. “Basically they asked farmers how to get more milk and whatever half the farmers said was the conclusion,” said Hank Campbell, author of Scientific Blogging. In 1996, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provided for a complex new cattle passport system where farmers were issued with passport identities. The first calf born under the new regime were given names like “UK121216100001.”

Dr Douglas, however, counters that England doesn’t permit dairy cattle to be injected hormones. The European Union and Canada have banned recombinant bovine growth hormone (rGBH), which increases mastitis infection, requiring antibiotics treatment of infected animals. According to the Center for Food Safety, rGBH-treated cows also have higher levels of the hormone insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), which may be associated with cancer.

In August 2008, Live Science published a study which revealed that cows have strange sixth sense of magnetic direction and are not as prone to cow-tipping. It cited a study of Google Earth satellite images which shows that “herds of cattle tend to face in the north-south direction of Earth’s magnetic lines while grazing or resting.”

Newcastle University is a research intensive university in Newcastle upon Tyne in the north-east of England. It was established as a School of Medicine and Surgery in 1834 and became the “University of Newcastle upon Tyne” by an Act of Parliament in August 1963.

The School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development is a school of the Newcastle University Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, a faculty of Newcastle University. It was established in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne as the College of Physical Science in 1871 for the teaching of physical sciences, and was part of Durham University. It existed until 1937 when it joined the College of Medicine to form King’s College, Durham.

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Written by Admin in: Uncategorized |
Oct
19
2021
0

Marketing By Prospecting

Submitted by: William Truax

Marketing by Prospecting – a system of using marketing tools with prospecting skills.

It is a strategy designed primarily for the small to medium sized business that doesn t have a large marketing budget. Also, for divisions within large companies that simply don t get the big marketing dollars.

Marketing by Prospecting first involves preparing the variety of marketing tools we use to grow our business. Then, the means we use to get these marketing tools in front of our potential customers is Prospecting skills.

Because the lines between Marketing and Prospecting tend to blur quickly, why not just face facts – our Marketing work requires Prospecting skills -hence, Marketing by Prospecting.

By the way, the reverse also has implications here, Prospecting by Marketing , but we will address that somewhat differently, more on that later.

As I have been writing for the last few weeks, our efforts for Prospecting in the Global Marketplace involve all the tools used in both our marketing and prospecting programs.

If you have a budget for running TV or mass media campaigns, this material is not for you.

By Marketing we are trying to get the world to know about the products and services we offer.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26intm7aNaI[/youtube]

By Prospecting we are trying to reach the individuals in the world who can buy our products and services.

With small budgets, Marketing by Prospecting can be a very effective use of our marketing dollars.

The marketing materials tools that we create and use are usually Flyers, Brochures, Pamphlets, Newsletters, Websites, and even PowerPoint presentations.

Two additional Marketing by Prospecting tools that you should consider areArticle writing and Public Speaking.

Writing articles and having them published is really easy these days with the internet.

Write about the various ways your products and services are being utilized to the benefit of your customers.

There are dozens of web article submission services that will publish your articles and provide them to e-zines along with your contact information including your website.

This may be the perfect way to get published, but realize there are 1,000 s of others doing this, so we aren t alone in this market. But it does get your name and information out there. I have had 15 articles published on 6 different submission sites in the last week and they are popping up all over the place.

I entered my name in Google, and found a lot of my articles listed. I don t have a feel yet for what this will generate business wise, but it is another marketing tool and it is absolutely FREE.

If you are able to get published in the old style standard media, newspapers and magazines I suggest you take advantage of them. I know these take time and effort, but pursue this route if you like.

The web submission can be done right now, so give both a shot.

Speaking to association meetings, trade show conferences, corporate meetings, and other events may not be for everybody, but it is a tool I personally really like.

You will need to prepare a speech, of course. Then your marketing materials will consist of a brief overview of the speech and short bio telling why you are the expert on this subject they should hear. Then you will need to use your Prospecting skills to get that one page document into the hands (or onto the computer screen) of the meeting planner, program chairman, or who ever books the speakers.

Start off with small local groups, maybe ones in which you may be a member.

So there you have it, the idea of Marketing by Prospecting. Hopefully it is something we can all use to grow our businesses using the tools of both skills. We will continue with this discussion in the coming weeks.

Let me know your thoughts and ideas so we can all share in this Brain Trust.

Sell Well and Often,

Bill Truax

Bill@BlitzCall.com

Copyright 2006 WJ Truax

Blitz Call is a registered trademark of WJ Truax, Marketing by Prospecting and Prospecting by Marketing are trademarks of WJ Truax

About the Author: Bill Truax is a Sales Management and Field Operations Consultant living in Cleveland, Oh. He conducts Sales Team Assessments, conducts Management and Leadership development programs, and works with Field Sales Professionals both in the field and in workshops. He has written 3 books and recorded 2 CD s on Prospecting and Making Cold Calls and conducts a variety of skill based seminars, workshops, and train the trainer programs. Visit his website at

BlitzCall.com

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=32088&ca=Marketing

Written by Admin in: Communication Skills Training |
Oct
16
2021
0

U2 fan ordered to destroy CDs

Thursday, August 14, 2008

A man living in South Wales, United Kingdom was ordered to destroy his entire music collection after creating a ruckus by listening to the music at an extremely high volume. Police seized his stereo equipment in a raid.Karl Wiosna, a 44-year-old resident of Graig in Pontypridd, was playing Cher‘s album Believe at extremely high volume. His neighbours complained under the Environmental Protection Act and he was warned not to play the album at such high volume. However, he thought the warning was only for the Cher album, and he then started to listen to a U2 album a week later. His neighbors said they could hear the lyrics in their living room.

Before the Rhondda Magistrates’ Court Wiosna admitted breaching the noise abatement notice, with which he was served. He was ordered to pay a £200 fine. He was also ordered to pay £50 in costs, £15 in victim surcharge, and to destroy his music collection.

“They took £500 to £600 worth of stuff,” complained Wiosna. “I don’t think they should be able to do it, it isn’t right.”

“A legal notice under the Environmental Protection Act was served on Wiosna demanding he reduce the volume or stop playing music,” read a statement by the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. “Just a week after the legal notice was received, officers were called to the address during an out-of-hours emergency by a neighbour.”

“In this case, the swift and effective actions of environmental health officers enabled the issue to be dealt with and I hope it serves as a reminder to others, that we can take them to court and seize their belongings if they do not cease causing a nuisance to others,” said Councillor Mike Forey, the cabinet member for environmental health.

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Written by Admin in: Uncategorized |
Oct
13
2021
0

The Basics Of Emergency Room Coding

byadmin

The emergency room is oftentimes the very first place that potential patients arrive at a hospital. They are sometimes hurt seriously and will need to be admitted to the hospital for inpatient treatment or transferred to another hospital. Emergency departments are ranked on a one to four scale that determines trauma levels. One is the highest level of a trauma center.

What Is Emergency Room Coding?

This is the process of assessing a patient’s diagnosis and ranking it appropriately based on diagnosis, treatment, and prospective payments. Coders classify all of these figures and bill a patient based on the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). The coders use Ambulatory Payment Classifications (APCs) to determine where in the OPPS a patient falls.

Ambulatory Payment Classification

Ambulatory Payment Classifications (APCs) are the federal method in the United States to pay for services within the Medicare system. APCs are only applicable to hospital outpatient services. There are other methods by which a physician is reimbursed in the United States. Though APCs were originally created for determining Medicare payments, the standards are applied by some state programs, by Medicaid, and by some private health insurance firms. The streamlined process makes the job of coders more straightforward.

Guidelines

Emergency room coding guidelines vary from hospital to hospital, so it can be very difficult for a coder to properly determine how to code a certain patient’s services. Many facilities adhere to the OPPS and the APCs applicable therein, so it’s merely a matter of a coder being well versed in the statutes.

Coders have the unenviable task of considering every single documented procedure whether it is by a nurse or a physician. They are must also review a physician’s notes. They must also be very well versed in the medical field to properly assess how the diagnosis relates to the treatment and whether it was warranted. Also, the notes and documentation will have medical procedure codes and diagnosis codes. The coder must read the codes and determine the necessity of the resulting procedures. Also, there are no national or federal standards for what defines a necessary procedure and what doesn’t. That means every management service has to set its own guidelines. This can get very complex very quickly since there is no widespread standard. In fact, the codes between a hospital and a physician, even one with admitting privileges to the hospital, could be different. Determining the proper amount to bill a patient requires intricate knowledge of medical procedures and the medical field. Because of that, it is advisable to hire a firm that is experienced in coding and billing. These management companies can allow you to rest assured that you are getting the best coding and billing services that are available.

Written by Admin in: Hyperhidrosis Surgery |
Oct
13
2021
0

Gerrard announces retirement from professional football

Friday, November 25, 2016

Yesterday, former English and Liverpool F.C. football captain Steven Gerrard announced retirement from professional football.

Gerrard posted on Instagram: “Following recent media speculation surrounding my future I can confirm my retirement from playing professional football.” Graduating from Liverpool’s youth academy, Gerrard made his professional debut in November 1998. Since then, the midfielder has played 710 games of Liverpool netting 186 goals. Gerrard spent seventeen years at Anfield stadium, and served as the captain since October 2003.

In 2005, Gerrard guided Liverpool to UEFA Champions League victory over Italian club A.C. Milan in a dramatic final in Istanbul, Turkey. Gerrard scored one of the three goals for Liverpool in the final, who were trailing 3–0 at half time. Liverpool who were under the management of Rafael Benítez, won by a penalty shootout. Two years later, Liverpool including Gerrard collected the Champions League runners-up medal following defeat against AC Milan. Gerrard was with the team when they won the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup during the 2000-2001 season. The team, including Gerrard, also lifted the League Cup trophy in 2012, and 2006 FA Cup against London based club West Ham United.

In 2014, Liverpool failed to secure the Premier League trophy on the last day of the season. Manchester City F.C. won the title. Steven Gerrard has never won the Premier League trophy in his 17-year spell at Anfield.

Gerrard left Anfield for LA Galaxy in 2015. In 34 appearances for the Los Angeles club, Gerrard scored five goals and provided fourteen assists, helping the club to find a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Gerrard has played 114 matches for England debuting in 2000 and is the fourth most capped player in the country behind Peter Shilton, Wayne Rooney and David Beckham. Gerrard has scored 21 goals for England and featured in six major tournaments. He became the caption of the national team in 2102. Gerrard also represented England in the U-16, U-18 and U-21 teams. He was voted England Player of the Year twice, in 2007 and in 2012. Gerrard retired from international football after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

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Written by Admin in: Uncategorized |
Oct
13
2021
0

Bush requests $80bn to pay for on-going military operations

Wednesday, January 26, 2005U.S. President George W. Bush has asked the U.S. Congress for an additional $80bn to pay for the on-going military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This is on top of $25bn approved by Congress last summer in the fiscal defense appropriations bill for 2005. Bush states that this money is to provide U.S. troops with “whatever they need to protect themselves” and also to fight terrorism in Iraq.

The money will support the ‘global war on terror’ until September 30, 2005. Of the $80bn, $75bn will be spent on the repair and replacement of equipment, training of the Iraqi security forces, and basic personnel costs.

The remaining $5bn will be used to fund State Department embassy construction, activities in Iraq, and humanitarian operations in Darfur, Sudan.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Bush_requests_$80bn_to_pay_for_on-going_military_operations&oldid=434345”
Written by Admin in: Uncategorized |
Oct
13
2021
0

Bat for Lashes plays the Bowery Ballroom: an Interview with Natasha Khan

Friday, September 28, 2007

Bat for Lashes is the doppelgänger band ego of one of the leading millennial lights in British music, Natasha Khan. Caroline Weeks, Abi Fry and Lizzy Carey comprise the aurora borealis that backs this haunting, shimmering zither and glockenspiel peacock, and the only complaint coming from the audience at the Bowery Ballroom last Tuesday was that they could not camp out all night underneath these celestial bodies.

We live in the age of the lazy tendency to categorize the work of one artist against another, and Khan has had endless exultations as the next Björk and Kate Bush; Sixousie Sioux, Stevie Nicks, Sinead O’Connor, the list goes on until it is almost meaningless as comparison does little justice to the sound and vision of the band. “I think Bat For Lashes are beyond a trend or fashion band,” said Jefferson Hack, publisher of Dazed & Confused magazine. “[Khan] has an ancient power…she is in part shamanic.” She describes her aesthetic as “powerful women with a cosmic edge” as seen in Jane Birkin, Nico and Cleopatra. And these women are being heard. “I love the harpsichord and the sexual ghost voices and bowed saws,” said Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke of the track Horse and I. “This song seems to come from the world of Grimm’s fairytales.”

Bat’s debut album, Fur And Gold, was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Prize, and they were seen as the dark horse favorite until it was announced Klaxons had won. Even Ladbrokes, the largest gambling company in the United Kingdom, had put their money on Bat for Lashes. “It was a surprise that Klaxons won,” said Khan, “but I think everyone up for the award is brilliant and would have deserved to win.”

Natasha recently spoke with David Shankbone about art, transvestism and drug use in the music business.


DS: Do you have any favorite books?

NK: [Laughs] I’m not the best about finishing books. What I usually do is I will get into a book for a period of time, and then I will dip into it and get the inspiration and transformation in my mind that I need, and then put it away and come back to it. But I have a select rotation of cool books, like Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés and Little Birds by Anaïs Nin. Recently, Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch.

DS: Lynch just came out with a movie last year called Inland Empire. I interviewed John Vanderslice last night at the Bowery Ballroom and he raved about it!

NK: I haven’t seen it yet!

DS: Do you notice a difference between playing in front of British and American audiences?

NK: The U.S. audiences are much more full of expression and noises and jubilation. They are like, “Welcome to New York, Baby!” “You’re Awesome!” and stuff like that. Whereas in England they tend to be a lot more reserved. Well, the English are, but it is such a diverse culture you will get the Spanish and Italian gay guys at the front who are going crazy. I definitely think in America they are much more open and there is more excitement, which is really cool.

DS: How many instruments do you play and, please, include the glockenspiel in that number.

NK: [Laughs] I think the number is limitless, hopefully. I try my hand at anything I can contribute; I only just picked up the bass, really—

DS: –I have a great photo of you playing the bass.

NK: I don’t think I’m very good…

DS: You look cool with it!

NK: [Laughs] Fine. The glockenspiel…piano, mainly, and also the harp. Guitar, I like playing percussion and drumming. I usually speak with all my drummers so that I write my songs with them in mind, and we’ll have bass sounds, choir sounds, and then you can multi-task with all these orchestral sounds. Through the magic medium of technology I can play all kinds of sounds, double bass and stuff.

DS: Do you design your own clothes?

NK: All four of us girls love vintage shopping and charity shops. We don’t have a stylist who tells us what to wear, it’s all very much our own natural styles coming through. And for me, personally, I like to wear jewelery. On the night of the New York show that top I was wearing was made especially for me as a gift by these New York designers called Pepper + Pistol. And there’s also my boyfriend, who is an amazing musician—

DS: —that’s Will Lemon from Moon and Moon, right? There is such good buzz about them here in New York.

NK: Yes! They have an album coming out in February and it will fucking blow your mind! I think you would love it, it’s an incredible masterpiece. It’s really exciting, I’m hoping we can do a crazy double unfolding caravan show, the Bat for Lashes album and the new Moon and Moon album: that would be really theatrical and amazing! Will prints a lot of my T-shirts because he does amazing tapestries and silkscreen printing on clothes. When we play there’s a velvety kind of tapestry on the keyboard table that he made. So I wear a lot of his things, thrift store stuff, old bits of jewelry and antique pieces.

DS: You are often compared to Björk and Kate Bush; do those constant comparisons tend to bother you as an artist who is trying to define herself on her own terms?

NK: No, I mean, I guess that in the past it bothered me, but now I just feel really confident and sure that as time goes on my musical style and my writing is taking a pace of its own, and I think in time the music will speak for itself and people will see that I’m obviously doing something different. Those women are fantastic, strong, risk-taking artists—

DS: —as are you—

NK: —thank you, and that’s a great tradition to be part of, and when I look at artists like Björk and Kate Bush, I think of them as being like older sisters that have come before; they are kind of like an amazing support network that comes with me.

DS: I’d imagine it’s preferable to be considered the next Björk or Kate Bush instead of the next Britney.

NK: [Laughs] Totally! Exactly! I mean, could you imagine—oh, no I’m not going to try to offend anyone now! [Laughs] Let’s leave it there.

DS: Does music feed your artwork, or does you artwork feed your music more? Or is the relationship completely symbiotic?

NK: I think it’s pretty back-and-forth. I think when I have blocks in either of those area, I tend to emphasize the other. If I’m finding it really difficult to write something I know that I need to go investigate it in a more visual way, and I’ll start to gather images and take photographs and make notes and make collages and start looking to photographers and filmmakers to give me a more grounded sense of the place that I’m writing about, whether it’s in my imagination or in the characters. Whenever I’m writing music it’s a very visual place in my mind. It has a location full of characters and colors and landscapes, so those two things really compliment each other, and they help the other one to blossom and support the other. They are like brother and sister.

DS: When you are composing music, do you see notes and words as colors and images in your mind, and then you put those down on paper?

NK: Yes. When I’m writing songs, especially lately because I think the next album has a fairly strong concept behind it and I’m writing the songs, really imagining them, so I’m very immersed into the concept of the album and the story that is there through the album. It’s the same as when I’m playing live, I will imagine I see a forest of pine trees and sky all around me and the audience, and it really helps me. Or I’ll just imagine midnight blue and emerald green, those kind of Eighties colors, and they help me.

DS: Is it always pine trees that you see?

NK: Yes, pine trees and sky, I guess.

DS: What things in nature inspire you?

NK: I feel drained thematically if I’m in the city too long. I think that when I’m in nature—for example, I went to Big Sur last year on a road trip and just looking up and seeing dark shadows of trees and starry skies really gets me and makes me feel happy. I would sit right by the sea, and any time I have been a bit stuck I will go for a long walk along the ocean and it’s just really good to see vast horizons, I think, and epic, huge, all-encompassing visions of nature really humble you and give you a good sense of perspective and the fact that you are just a small particle of energy that is vibrating along with everything else. That really helps.

DS: Are there man-made things that inspire you?

NK: Things that are more cultural, like open air cinemas, old Peruvian flats and the Chelsea Hotel. Funny old drag queen karaoke bars…

DS: I photographed some of the famous drag queens here in New York. They are just such great creatures to photograph; they will do just about anything for the camera. I photographed a famous drag queen named Miss Understood who is the emcee at a drag queen restaurant here named Lucky Cheng’s. We were out in front of Lucky Cheng’s taking photographs and a bus was coming down First Avenue, and I said, “Go out and stop that bus!” and she did! It’s an amazing shot.

NK: Oh. My. God.

DS: If you go on her Wikipedia article it’s there.

NK: That’s so cool. I’m really getting into that whole psychedelic sixties and seventies Paris Is Burning and Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis. Things like The Cockettes. There seems to be a bit of a revolution coming through that kind of psychedelic drag queen theater.

DS: There are just so few areas left where there is natural edge and art that is not contrived. It’s taking a contrived thing like changing your gender, but in the backdrop of how that is still so socially unacceptable.

NK: Yeah, the theatrics and creativity that go into that really get me. I’m thinking about The Fisher King…do you know that drag queen in The Fisher King? There’s this really bad and amazing drag queen guy in it who is so vulnerable and sensitive. He sings these amazing songs but he has this really terrible drug problem, I think, or maybe it’s a drink problem. It’s so bordering on the line between fabulous and those people you see who are so in love with the idea of beauty and elevation and the glitz and the glamor of love and beauty, but then there’s this really dark, tragic side. It’s presented together in this confusing and bewildering way, and it always just gets to me. I find it really intriguing.

DS: How are you received in the Pakistani community?

NK: [Laughs] I have absolutely no idea! You should probably ask another question, because I have no idea. I don’t have contact with that side of my family anymore.

DS: When you see artists like Pete Doherty or Amy Winehouse out on these suicidal binges of drug use, what do you think as a musician? What do you get from what you see them go through in their personal lives and with their music?

NK: It’s difficult. The drugs thing was never important to me, it was the music and expression and the way he delivered his music, and I think there’s a strange kind of romantic delusion in the media, and the music media especially, where they are obsessed with people who have terrible drug problems. I think that’s always been the way, though, since Billie Holiday. The thing that I’m questioning now is that it seems now the celebrity angle means that the lifestyle takes over from the actual music. In the past people who had musical genius, unfortunately their personal lives came into play, but maybe that added a level of romance, which I think is pretty uncool, but, whatever. I think that as long as the lifestyle doesn’t precede the talent and the music, that’s okay, but it always feels uncomfortable for me when people’s music goes really far and if you took away the hysteria and propaganda of it, would the music still stand up? That’s my question. Just for me, I’m just glad I don’t do heavy drugs and I don’t have that kind of problem, thank God. I feel that’s a responsibility you have, to present that there’s a power in integrity and strength and in the lifestyle that comes from self-love and assuredness and positivity. I think there’s a real big place for that, but it doesn’t really get as much of that “Rock n’ Roll” play or whatever.

DS: Is it difficult to come to the United States to play considering all the wars we start?

NK: As an English person I feel equally as responsible for that kind of shit. I think it is a collective consciousness that allows violence and those kinds of things to continue, and I think that our governments should be ashamed of themselves. But at the same time, it’s a responsibility of all of our countries, no matter where you are in the world to promote a peaceful lifestyle and not to consciously allow these conflicts to continue. At the same time, I find it difficult to judge because I think that the world is full of shades of light and dark, from spectrums of pure light and pure darkness, and that’s the way human nature and nature itself has always been. It’s difficult, but it’s just a process, and it’s the big creature that’s the world; humankind is a big creature that is learning all the time. And we have to go through these processes of learning to see what is right.
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Oct
12
2021
0

Selecting The Right Hair Products For Your Hair

By Chickie Maxwell

Selecting the right hair products can be confusing due to a number of choices available, here are a few guidelines for healthy, shiny, easy to manage tresses.

Know Your Hair Type

The hair follicle is an organ that produces hair. Hair consists of three layers. The outer layer, or the cuticles, overlap one another down the length of the hair strand, or shaft. The shape of the middle layer determines whether the hair shaft is curly or straight. Sebum is produced in the hair follicle to moisturize and protect the cuticles.

Hair Products for Dry Hair

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urUiFFUHaEE[/youtube]

When your body does not produce enough sebum or if you have curly hair, the sebum may not moisturize sufficiently. Not enough sebum means your hair will lose its elasticity, become dull, break and split easier. Sometimes environmental factors such as sun, sweat, seawater or chlorine from a swimming pool will damage your hair making it dry and frizzy. Excessive chemical processing, heat from styling instruments and using the wrong hair product will dry out and damage your hair as well.

Look for hair products that contain ceramides, oils and fatty acids to combat dry hair. Products that claim to nourish, hydrate or moisturize indicate that they are made for dry hair. Leave-in conditioners are ideal for dry hair especially if you use heat styling tools.

Hair Products for Oily Hair

An overabundance of sebum produces oily hair. Hormones, genetics or stress can temporarily trigger an overabundance of sebum. Another common cause of oily hair is build-up of hair products that remain even after shampooing your hair. If your hair tends to be naturally oily, stay away from products that moisturize or replenish the natural oils in your hair. If your oily hair is due to overuse of hair products, try changing to a product that is designed to clarify or clear product or natural build-up.

Organic Hair Products

Not all organic products may actually be organic. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is charged with regulation of organic products. In the case of cosmetics, the USDA has established standards to certify products as organic or natural, but it does not require that all products be certified. What does that mean for someone looking to go organic? It means you have to be careful when choosing hair products that claim to be natural or organic. Look for the USDA seal that certifies this claim. If not, then look at the list of ingredients on the label. Ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance. Therefore, if the chamomile and peppermint in your shampoo is listed at the end of a long list of chemical sounding ingredients, chances are your hair product contains more artificial ingredients than organic ones.

The type of hair product you use and its effectiveness will depend on whether it is made for your hair type. It may take some experimenting, but once you find the right hair product, you will find that your hair is easy to manage, shiny and healthy.

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Written by Admin in: Website Design And Development |
Oct
11
2021
0

Surprise demolition of partially collapsed building in Buffalo, New York met with opposition

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Buffalo, New York —Wikinews has learned that, in a surprising turn of events, the city of Buffalo located in New York, has ordered and begun an emergency demolition on a three story 19th century stable which partially collapsed on Wednesday June 11 causing at least five homes to be evacuated. Residents are not happy, and despite the short notice of the demolition, nearly 30 people showed up to protest it. Demolition was not supposed to begin until Monday June 16.

At about 2:30 p.m. (eastern time) on June 13, demolition crew arrived at the stable located at 428 Jersey Avenue and began to unload heavy equipment which will be used to demolish the building. This came as a surprise to residents, as demolition was not supposed to start until Monday June 16.

During the early afternoon hours on June 11, the Buffalo Fire Department was called to scene after residents called 9-1-1 stating that part of the building had collapsed. Material from the building fell into the yards of at least three neighboring houses. Some of the bricks landed inside the building, while some fell into the yards of some houses behind homes on Richmond Avenue, leaving a ‘V’ shape.

At about 3:30 p.m. crews began to demolish a small portion of the stable located behind Joe Murray’s home, a resident who lives behind a portion of the building on Jersey and Richmond avenues. While demolition was taking place, the section collapsed into Murray’s backyard, prompting a call to police. Some residents who own home surrounding the building were inside Murray’s house holding a neighborhood meeting when demolition began. No one was injured when the section collapsed.

“[The building] can come down any minute,” stated Donna Berry of the Buffalo Police Department who also added that when police arrived on scene, they immediately put a stop to demolition, fearing the safety of surrounding residents and pedestrians.

“So many [of the] people [living around the building] are at risk, it makes me want to cry,” added Berry.

Police, local politicians and area residents are concerned that demolition crews and the city are not taking the proper precautions to ensure the safety of residents during demolition.

“[There is] no protection for neighbors. [This is] appalling and beyond negligence,” stated Tim Tielman, Executive Director of the Campaign for Buffalo who was referring to the negligence of the demolition crew.

“[In order to stop demolition] citizens must demonstrate direct harm to themselves,” added Tielman.

The city’s preservation board held an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the issue. Wikinews has learned that the owner of the building, Bob Freudenheim, gave the city permission to demolish the building because he would not be “rehabilitating the building anytime soon.” Freudenheim was part-owner of the Hotel Lenox at 140 North Street in Buffalo and was also an advocate to stop the Elmwood Village Hotel from being built on the corners of Forest and Elmwood Avenues in 2006 and 2007, which Wikinews extensively covered. He also financially supported a lawsuit in an attempt to stop the hotel from being built. Though it is not known exactly how long Freudenheim has owned the stable, Wikinews has learned that he was the owner while fighting to stop the hotel from being built.

Tielman states that he was in contact with Freudenheim this morning. Tielman states that Freudenheim “is not spending a dime” to have the building renovated. Tielman states that Freudenheim has offered to sell the building to any interested party for only one US dollar, but that he “flip flops [his decision] constantly,” sometimes wanting hundreds of thousands of dollars for the building. Wikinews has attempted to contact Freudenheim, but so far has been unsuccessful.

City building inspectors were also on scene evaluating the building and ensuring the safety of residents. Donald Grezebielucina states that “some people are on notice to vacate their properties”, but also stated that no other precautions were being taken other than placing “tires and scaffolding” onto the side of 430 Jersey, which sits less than eight feet from the buildings East side.

“The gas has been shut off in case we lost the building, so there would be no explosions or anything like that. It’s so unstable, the structural integrity is gone. The chemical composite of the trusses has changed dramatically and dry rotted. There are three vehicles in the basement which totally disappeared,” stated Grezebielucina to the press while protesters yelled “save our building, save our neighborhood.”

Wikinews has also learned that local residents have consulted a lawyer regarding the issue, and hope to petition the New York State Supreme court to issue an injunction to stop demolition. They states that Freudenheim should be “100% responsible” for his actions, and many are afraid that once the building is demolished, Freudenheim’s charges of neglect will be abolished. Freudenheim is facing housing violations for neglecting the building. Though residents are fighting, Tielman states that “an injunction is unlikely.”

“We had a letter of violation against him. He was supposed to have started work to stabilize the brick this Monday. We all hope this building could be saved. But we’ve got five houses evacuated and we cannot tolerate any further delay. We’ve got to get people back into their homes in a safe condition,” said Richard Tobe, Commissioner of the city’s Permit and Inspection Services.

Demolition is set to resume at 8:00 a.m.in the morning of Saturday June 14.

Mike Lombardo, the Commissioner for the Buffalo Fire Department, believes that the building was built in 1812 or 1814, making it nearly 200 years old. It is one of only three stables still standing in the city.

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