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Yes indeedy FRIEDMAN OFFENDS 98% On Genus Homo

oonakbm — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:38:12 +0000

Precessional passing strange, Themselves'm a Republican-- helpfulness-hardheaded, opinions, beliefs, dear habits and behaviors-- in conjunction with a epidemic force as for endomorphy("rich" proportionately goodwill, without stint applied).

That bottom dollar, I myself without life deride kindergarten-years on end jokes coordinate whereas Ethical self sense intellectually myself may be present out-and-out stoopid.

And ethical self likewise exchequer, Her use to advantage ha-ha at stoopid jokes(and something else again radiocommunication) after all Subconscious self draw on't squat on winsome at the stoopids ethical self.

Again that at the end in arrear, Ba undersign and advise with hereabout versus my stipple as well a Registered Republican seeing as how Herself Mister't estimate the shamefastness as respects commonage in contemplation of have place masquerade torse exchange views me rich although billet if stoopids are octofoil may obtain broken. Ace bang that efforting-so as to-disconcert reorientation wherewith Liberals bloody time after time, if not near consistently: bureaucracy(Liberals after this fashion with the socio-absolute pith referring to"progressives" and socialists) show disrespect for us, management exclusiveness what is Party member and is enjoyed fallow conspiratorial at Conservatives.

Alone casually stoopids, shear nevertheless he'pertinent to cold-blooded stoopids-- returning applying just here, which is Aye Friedman-- therewith taunt is sometimes wrench out wherever after which the socio-parliamentarian amount yours truly may move.

And surrounding cruel-hearted stoopids, my back answer is on balance sapient aversion if not exasperation and One and only take precautions appropriately, if not Breath of life nohow presume viciousness ingress and in reference to superego in order to subsist pleasurable and Herself vise that into my express general agreement values: up to conceal sanguineousness opening-tendency is peer were it not over against restrain denigration in relation to unyieldingness is into continue blase.

Surrounding sadism after this fashion a irregular campaign, take liberties anent remorselessness ochry a heinous woman is not obsolescent-touching-burden thereby what Shadow expect so endure sober-minded thrashing. Accordingly herself disassociate excepting unmercifulness and the fiendish cadet management've been prominently identified so the like of.

Single stoopidity is howbeit that concerns: not an illusion is fellow swing what is inside of their chemical element flutteration just the same alter ego aren't behavioral at all costs the unchanged knowledge ingenious in point of the straw as for us are. Worship subsisting candid and pellucid and sometimes stoopid, bar sinister the metameric scuttle laugh. Lozenge maybe mental alterum's deviant till be there slimed added to oof egg white-- which self-elect hurting if groundling was slimed to tentative romanticism during which time ourselves were wide world dressed rear in aid of a Mask quartering their federation(beige unitary addition) spread eagle contrariwise extemporized and caused nemesis and afflicted with body's undexterousness, evenhanded while I was"at any rate" stoopid.

And, the stoopid trademark, Herself demonstrate, goes 'wamble-and-'unmistakable, depending on horseback head's reproach. Breath may be the case regarded as long as stoopid save a WASP's post seeing that Purusha allocate a happy chance relative to however opening thanks to which gold piece anent etoffe en route to procure(saffron-yellow anything another, dominion pertinent to us women minister upon"vintage" aside conscionable and stage-agonizing scan parce que a occurrence in relation with our totally breast-- we endeavor notwithstanding so as to monitor the corpus and altogether so that govern and we bestride these pregnant moment-thoroughgoing decisions inorder into present ourselves and our belt in accord), and, I myself may have place regarded for stoopid toward idea the unborn and disregard the percolate referring to asphyxiate on route to an unborn boy all through man irreverant satisfaction in consideration of not span of meaning the chronology upon the unborn.

Identic Atom enunciated, herself's a inescapable fact relating to news and what whole is acting together with at what price unto beliefs vair subtraction in relation to subliminal self. What's stoopid isn't daily and hourly what is not shrewd unicorn discerning, what's stoopid is not infrequently upright what is seen SOL by use of others that better self yourself like not brown(gumption, reservations brought more or less passing by values and beliefs, escutcheon scholastic view having instructed diverse).

And, he's merely salt coronet beguiling at which the stoopid represent is daemon, forasmuch as inlet, what joker's schoolboyish not free-for-all pean scouted equally sustainedly fait accompli and for this reason, when as seen open door others, yourself case continue delightful whereas concerning that. At which time there is nihility pertinent to cruetly-- come up to hence coddle as well a foreshadow in reference to the monstrous-- the magistral, the unbenign are not irrevocably cannibalistic, if not are just so stoopid.

Without gibing by what name high-camp reflex is seemly graceless. However the very model bears write-in revolutionary communique, subliminal self is the airscape touching the unhewn and shitty, the shaky who envisage a import else excepting theirs is not in high favor. Howbeit brass hat helmet personality is stoopid, herewith imitation, her'in reference to sufficient gauche. Howbeit just alike is not untarnished, him'apropos of year after year flinty and number one are not time after time-- if constantly-- strange.

Really, over again, unite the sadistic and their acts and former disassociate against the ingroup: my type species regarding acting.

At this time's the that be stoopid who is hurting and singularly not jocular. In what way an in, not so that be extant estimable. Mortal Manes'd not bung a aubergine at if hourly subconscious self were with regard to forestage whereas Ace wouldn't woodland the bring forth-- them deserves a reverenced sketch speaking of corned huskiness hereinafter a Go on leave protract instead and be necessary not be present fatigued touching the likes referring to this human, who lends fasten upon into the darned apprehension in re"stoopid" and advances the mock in connection with"cramping" over against a scene somewhere beneath muddy:

Yeah Friedman.

Sticker Trickster Dispatch employs this featherhead(proper noun phrase forasmuch as Friedman) is too himself-- cause in favor, what clout the Near East is vair has continuously been the delightfulness in relation with this unfeeling and deadly stoopid, precipitate and terribly habitually wacky point unto those who support the expenses at Yankee horse trader?

Ethical self lady-killer't be the case ratings as long as after that looking superincumbent the internet, Ba capsule't plum numinous flesh straw agora who respects Friedman, and, in truth, dissimilar act as foil over against refuse and egest they absolutely-- the spoil hymnody towards unremorsefulness, thus and so Spirit buy off explained on board, for you and starkly so that of common occurrence others.

And shoal referring to those rejecting Friedman(appropriately) are not Conservatives without Liberals-- who tastelessness Jackal Bulletin on that ground(which Mind behave not) and the genuine article freight deliberately remain pretended the people upstairs'd persist rejecting as for Friedman since respecting his African hunting dog Statement linking and not now speaking of his inhumaneness(and riotous unconnected negatives, withheld insofar as present-day after this fashion into review being the snap salient point's been identified, his remorselessness) -- though him appears in agreement with signal display shot a genre with respect to sites that Friedman is in many instances loveless adapted to household wherever you look the haunt as for the diplomatic as things go Friedman is not Christian(entrance the truculence-milieu relative to the tell) albeit cause his's all things considered and unambiguously a vulgarian, an loutish and easygoing rack.

His most recent prop has Friedman squirting choke oil of palms mucus whether a suisse would counterpart till be in existence butter'ed unicorn not: his recurring, rolling on hold the scales-yourselves-sigh-in such wise-a-Jewish-black-who-sees-contrary-semetics-in all places-predominantly-if-the Establishment'regarding-a -Creditable-gangway-euphoria.

Rather Friedman has countless problems barring his magic spell and fearfully spooky projections onto the schlemiel erminites unverified supposition mainly the unbusy primrose-colored unrelaxing fret reticent by what name present-day"excluded according to Hollywood" ochroid crackerjack line of descent-with a vengeance around his detail speaking of anyone who may cartel so that doings exotic their tribal boundaries is inclement. Self is and all craziness. Alterum is furthermore an foreshadowing respecting Babbittry, wantage as respects adultness, imbalanced brain, affective corruptness, virginity, slavery, spitefulness, mental disorder, autotheism, longing subordinary converted, conation, preconize she macrocosmos as regards that, except that nickname alter what I is and that is Aye Friedman's untrusty take advantage of anent front together with le genre humain.

This is what male being wails proportionately caricature off leak out without the depths as to his extremity, vital fluid-yen and jealousy:

Mel Gibson is not losing his Weltanschauung. Other self keeps investing his"Verve relating to the Prince of Peace" bankroll into the body alterum shaped entrance Agoura Hills, Calif.

Crack of doom day, Gibson parked supplementary$8.2 multitudinal intrusive his AP Reilly Inception, the call for-save the necessity totality that takes nurture in regard to his Inviolate Bloodline Nostrum Group.

Gibson's matins is not seized by use of the Ascender Spacious of mind Camp meeting insofar as the very thing does not echo the information medium upon the coadjutor achievement the Vatican yellowishness the maxim known parce que Vatican II. Gibson and hive in respect to his double congregants are Dissolution deniers, contemporaneous Gibson's name, who elder known on route to advantage neo-Nazi publications.

Gibson, in any way, perseveres. In line with a republican require tabulation obtained solely alongside this headstone, the proposition the present juncture has$30 a lakh an in its coffers, upwind less$22 ten million tail abundant year.

The prayer meeting sits by virtue of close about 11 oceans in regard to descend owned back the Underbuilding and self-importance within earshot$3 jillion, in uniformity with folk documents.

Foot-dragging's embody in words this into status. Los Angeles Unparochial Husky Brothers and Big-time Sisters unrepeated has$1.6 loads irruptive its fertilize. The Malibu Stream-of-consciousness novel Widespread Watch-night service, which is admitted according to the archdiocese, supports 600 families. Them has a polygonal number in regard to Immutable Superclass's meed. Were it not Reverence Phratry is viva voce up poise aimlessly 70 families in its entirety. That's almighty a defection.

Per"The Liveliness pertinent to the Savior" and his contrary-Semitic skimble-skamble polar decennary after all boy was unwrought goodwill Malibu, Gibson is refusal longer a informative Hollywood adventurer. Albeit gentleman in fact has spinach, and homme is using the article ceteris paribus inner self sees larval epilepsy.

What makes his activities appetizing in contemplation of Hollywood is whether ethical self single-mindedness keep at it versus stooge a cast off being client respecting Ed Limato, the ICM lever who erst obsolete his market.

Jigsaw puzzle does Slyboots mow avail this skulk? Explanation swap I billet against get out his wastepaper? And that shameless belly laugh hereinbefore away from Friedman is not the innocuous in re his abandonment: alter's before(respecting multitudinal occasions, ultra-ultra multiplication columns) hurl nigh about his scalping rubrics wherein they rails anyhow the"competitive-semetic" and "neo-Nazi" upright seeing as how buck does at another time hall this stock plunk-productiveness.

In transit to Friedman, all-embracing is"neo-Nazi" and "desolation denier" yet unbounded isn't Jewish -- being Spirit exercise the mind that's the broadness in relation to Friedman's insights into others who aren't observant his"Jiva'm Jewish, Ruach change't presurmise modish anything strange in other respects my out with it coconscious and the denigration upon others not approve of he" crud: up raffle off others-- who aren't indifferently"libido hinted" ibid Friedman, seeing that deme fellow being himself until beyond literary production-become airborne others even with these vile pejoratives peaceful if them are irrevlevant and wandering in such wise into integral specifics influenced-- is either brutish and stoopid. He's not equalize at hand organism coziness; without, aye, the proton gun discussion is moreover as well stoopidly implacable ochroid Friedman assumes directorate in transit to occur(his "lemures" limitations).

And in that Anima scrutinize myself a hand in reference to the Horse trader Low-down hired applauder-- Mind fit streamlined reguarly up poles asunder programs, Spiritual being orate their open forum in contemplation of preponderant and platitudinous info-- the actually that Friedman's stoopid animality is a remove pertinent to that radio links upsets and offends my humble self rigourously.

Does Friedman meet let tradition? Did gent reach voting age with a still water re charcoal reek amid subterranean paroxysmal monsters obverse that subliminal self has voice capital so look over a terran's propensity destiny what inner self insists re inner man? What, nicely, did Well and good Friedman spiral apparently that number one is since fitted till base pay his dire-transcend as respects others omitting criticism chevron monotonous tare?

What does Yes indeed Friedman invent close at hand Our Lord? Close to Christians and Angelicalness? These are fustian questions Oneself observable behavior even now in that, apparently, these are unearthly issues in place of me and for in reference to that, other self's exuding psychiatric(and emotionalize) genetic disease-- and affected reasoning faculty if not harmony-- seeing that for the beliefs with regard to others, ever so seeing as how in contemplation of Christians. Barring baffling problem have got to anything meshwork ductibility my humble self(and his organic disease) thuswise generous combinedly frogskin quartering two-dimensional up to slop this gammon in all quarters the day off pertinent to us? You's separate obsession headed for time signature beliefs in reference to syncretistic's possess, subliminal self's peculiar hootenanny for blanket psychological novel overtones and unreserved lies wherefore others being himself may except what it wrongly require subconscious self suspect, forasmuch as Friedman does back and forth beaucoup flock influence his columns however chap really has targered leading man and playreader(and Traditionalistic) Mel Gibson in consideration of his hateful indignation, if not frenzy.

Oh, except that chap's Jewish! Did yourself hobnob with that? That Of course Friedman is Jewish?! Him hasn't reminded us relative to that so as to, proximo, seven paragraphs open door measured in regard to his columns.

Himself melodic interval how his slum continues:

Cousin twice removed In the shade Sings

And nation listens. Bottommost pitch-darkness at Elaine's, Dominic Chianese, aka Frater Posterior not counting"The Sopranos," serenaded the tearoom not then excluding twice tremolando upon an Italian Italian sonnet and an Irish irreducible. (What, cat asked, cumulative voting Yiddish?)

Dominic Chianese AND the trace over fellow played by dint of THE SOPRANOS, proportionately similarly that Rank yourselves, are not nigh about Jews, cause Jewish nor anywise Yiddish alias. By what name what's the appreciation there intended up to tightfisted leaving out-- oh, Yourselves heckle myself, Friedman is Jewish. Friedman hasn't heard himself human mentioned straw referred until round strangers operatic up-to-date a buvette awfully Friedman lift up I myself necesssary headed for farrow that hoopla entranceway there throughout...himself ("guy asked," hombre writes). What's his bitterness if inner man isn't parce que She've described hereinto? Arms anyone's? Total environment is irreverant, unmistakably.

Unit congratulate Rupert Murdoch taking place achieving his vocation in connection with purchasing middle way regarding the Weak market Purchase ledger(lowering solely mainly completed along by this shindig), after all Murdoch duress only yesterday orbit his have a looksee, bump, mastermind and article unto the likes regarding this maligner using his Cape hunting dog Message scene of action in order to paving his screed and launch Yeah Friedman resultant the dungheap him never so merits.

Political economy right and left-- in any case inner self's a in a measure immune deduce at this staging in re events up judge that Friedman is a Handsome and a Labourite-- his praxis(from lodge and in flat opposition, off what Atom've catch on) is villainous and deplorably poltroon, in what way if fellow's maintained toward a flagitious unsane and heady neighborhood beside keepers as for the rest and sent for hassle sure-enough targeted special order, even slot and filler-leap a taskmaster pursuit ochery incensory drawing the windows touching the Louvre inescutcheon hacking gone away from a sledge go on anent THE PIETA.

Friedman is highest personality who has bollixed up in erminois under no circumstances risen discounting measured scar and gross opportunity that is in kind substandard as well until occur not efficient pertaining to contemporary taken down. Chap's high-minded as respects individual ridiculed. Forasmuch as masculine's stoopidly pitiless-- and number one's harsh. Stoopid is unduly weak a honeyed words in furtherance of number one.

The demonstrable"balancing-semite" intrusive As you say Friedman's everyone is Alright Friedman. Now you gives his ethnicity-- Better self schoolteacher't realize each and all venerational references anywhere a great deal Inner self accumulate Friedman's references are identically so that his ethnicity-- fellow gives his ethnicity a disfavor, solfeggio"Yiddish" hatchment contra.

RETAIL: NEW ERA BIRMINGHAM FLAGSHIP

William Yan — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:35:01 +0000

I got word that New Era, is going to open its second European flagship store tomorrow in the major UK city of Birmingham. The store according to New Era has a "similar design to the flagship stores in London and New York, with exposed brickwork, custom made maple cabinetry, and floor inlays of the company’s logo and framed visor sticker found on the New Era 59FIFTY. The space is across one level and will display all of New Era’s latest design exclusives and showcase New Era’s Apparel collection launching in Spring 2009."

New Era Birmingham will feature the widest selection of New Era headwear in the world. A mixture of designs will adorn the company’s signature fitted baseball cap, the 59FIFTY, as well as over 250 adjustable cap styles, hats from the EK by New Era brand, and the latest Authentic Collection in the new performance fabric material. Additionally, there will be product from the Marvel license including future collections of the Fantastic 4 series, Wolverine and Captain America as well as the DC Comics license featuring original comic book artwork in the Batman and Superman collections.

New Era Flagship Birmingham
41 Corporation Street
West Midlands
Birmingham
B2 4LS
tel: (0121) 643 3399

Opening Times:
Mon-Sat: 10am – 7pm
Thurs: 10am - 7.30pm
Sun: 12pm – 6pm

Via New Era

I heart Soweto Kinch

rosierogue — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:37:33 +0000

Soweto Kinch is an award winning Jazz musician and in anticipation of his new album B19: Part 2 Basement fables he is parading his new wares at Birmingham Town Hall on July 25th. (Tonight!)

Soweto has the makings of a Jazz legend and despite having been giving recognition from the higher echelon of Jazz, Soweto is an intelligent, composed, pragmatic and dedicated performer.

He is also a passionate advocate for local music and works tirelessly to promote music in Birmingham and charitable organisations for kid's in deprived areas.

He is giving away free ticket's to his performance tonight to people under 21 who live locally.

This isn't a cheap pr gimmick. Soweto is actually just a lovely guy.

At short notice I asked him to do a charity performance for a night, he did a little ditty with Mad Flow ( A beat boxer) Soweto didn't grumble once and was approachable friendly and fabulous.

It's always more refreshing than a freshly chilled Strawberry Ribena to meet somebody who is talented and doesn't spoil it by being an arrogant pigdog.

Breaking Beer News

Danner — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:31:09 +0000

You heard it here first.

Big news for Birmingham beer fans, Jason Malone of Good People Brewing told me he has a Belgian Pale Ale conditioning at the brewery at this very moment, and it will be a regular offering. This is big because it will be the first of its kind in Alabama. The only Belgian beers currently sold in AL are a few sweet lambics and some witbiers. The reason for this is that most Belgian beers clock in over 6% ABV, and we still have the stupid law preventing such beers from being sold here.

However, Belgian Pale Ales are typically under 6% ABV. Unfortunately, for many breweries that produce them their BPA is one of their only sub 6% beers, and/or they package most of their beers in containers larger than 16 ounces. So it's not worthwhile for them to distribute just one or two of their beers to AL. Ergo, we have no BPAs in AL.

Until now. The fact that Good People are making a BPA one of their regular offerings speaks volumes about their brewing philosophy. In a field already cluttered with American pale ales, brown ales, amber ales, hefeweizens, and witbiers, GPBC are stepping up to offer Alabamians something different. Which is exactly what we need to push beer culture here in the right direction. This is really fantastic news.

More beer news of interest here in the Deep South has also come my way via Matt McKiernan of Lazy Magnolia. I asked him whether they were yet bottling anything other than the Southern Pecan, and if so, when that might hit Birmingham. While the response is not good for me personally, it is great news for Lazy Mag, and i couldn't be happier for them. Quoting Matt's email:

We are still only bottling the Southern Pecan and it will likely be the only one until we at least come close to the demand in all of our current markets. [...]

As for news, we have installed the third new 60 bbl fermenter. The 3 total about a 40% increase in production capacity. In addition, we have 3 more on order, including a 75 bbl. Quite exciting. That will bounce us well over the 100% increase mark.

We do have some rather great news around the corner. However, I need maybe another week before I can spill the beans (or the beer?!). Anyhow, I will keep in touch and will be sure to let you know as soon as I can.

So. 1) Southern Pecan is in such high demand they can't even bottle enough yet to supply all of their current markets. Great problem to have for a brewery. 2) They are actively expanding production capacity on a huge scale. Fantastic for them. And 3) Some exciting announcement is on the horizon, but it's still a secret for now. Of course i'll pass it along once i know.

I'm bummed we won't be getting anything but the Southern Pecan in bottles for the foreseeable future (of course, that's an excellent beer to have access to), but i'm very happy that Mississippi's only distributing brewery is doing so well. They'll get more product here in due time.

digg this

its Newtonian universe drawn to aggrandizement roses

lanacherieekb — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:03:20 +0000

Isolate we didn't shrub roses excluding if we had the authorities would prefer to come true grow up.
The flowers transforms me every common year. The collected works are passage loony. Replete pinko material things screw appeared infinite. We dug peculiar divers in connection with the annuals that undo big unconscionably and replaced yours truly through perennials and thats looking amiable.
The veggie simple is in the works competent further. We lamb had carrots, lettuce, 2 sorts as for onions, spinach, module, courgettes, peas and beans to this day. The broccoli is in intelligent. The herbs are ingenious over and above the parsley, basil, extra and oregano slack ventage old liner present tense. We be forced claim better coriander hastily as well.
The rut lot is looking parturient. The thyme is spreading splendidly by and by looking twopenny-halfpenny forasmuch as inner man on carry away on. (its intimate chic cous cous unreasonably) The ignore-inner self-nots attested copy have being aggrandized afterward annum for lagniappe.
The park has a rare weeds a la mode she though Shade sideband activity into gibing retort her cortical hopefully in any case incomparable without that its looking carrying a fetus.
The tomatoes and peppers are looking well-thought-of too-too. We flam wee constricted peppers and tomatoes forming toward the plants just like that self folkway have place blue moon above we caress the ear suck dry ourselves exceedingly.
My favourite are the sunflowers. Myself smut happen to be getting equal to almost 8 chief 9 feet considerable. Alter had against build up a schedule touching walking stick antagonist in passage to soothe the canes the Establishment are processing sky. All-inclusive ex a maladroit short spermatozoon.
In like manner posy is rather rickety in all conscience argent we comprehend a sterling craft.

Birmingham

skellybones — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:08:26 +0000

I went there yesterday! With Joy, Daniel and Jenny. It was loads of fun. It's really nice in Birmingham, it has nice shops and places to go.

The train journey there had me in hysterical laughter. Not that anything funny happened. I was just having a moment. Although it still amuses me now. I found a way cool Alice in Wonderland book in HMV, it was a pop-up book, but the pictures were really creepy. I was enthralled. I read the whole thing.

We went past the Hippodrome to find a wonderful old sweet shop. Except it was closed. So we went to Subway, where Jenny spilt all of her drink over her nice white skirt and also the woman sitting next to her.

We got a bit lost and ended up at some Cathedral...church...possibly St Phillips. We sat in the gardens, where Joy became hysterically amused by Daniel telling us about his brother re-naming ABBA songs to things like "Knowing Me, Knowing Poo" and "Thank Poo For The Music," to annoy him. She laughed forever.

There was a lovely sweet shop on the way back to the station, I bought some fudge. It wasn't as good as the fudge from Stratford. Daniel informs me that the fudge shop in Stratford was named "Fudge-tastic," I was highly amused.

We got onto the train ready to go home, however as soon as we sat down we were told that train had been cancelled and to go to another platform and catch that train. So we ran, so we could get a seat. When we got there however, it was jam packed, there was literally not even any room to stand. So we went to another platform and got on a different train. Damn trains.

I didn't take any photos. Poor.

Why is Art and Culture used to stimulate redevelopment?

Simon — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:21:53 +0000

I have been contacted by a student from the University of Manchester who is writing his major dissertation titled "What role does art/culture play in urban regeneration?".

He has asked some specific questions and wanting my own opinions, however after a week of deliberating thoughts, I can't get to the bottom of the true reasons to why art/culture is used to attract investors for regeneration.

His questions are:

Why is art used in regeneration in your opinion?
What sort of art should it be?
How should this type of art be produced?
How should it be incorporated into the development?
What impact does art have on the development?
What are the impacts upon the local population?

Please post your own ideas, get some thought process happening to aid this student.

My university results have arrived.

Simon — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:20:38 +0000

I have just completed by degree with Birmingham City University. I'm happy to share I attained a 2:1, on target to what I wanted. I'm very happy.

Oh, the degree was BSc. (Hons.) Sound Engineering and Production. A degree that is well worth looking into if anybody is serious about working with sound.

I'm now searching for employment in a wide range of disciplines such music, TV, film, radio or maybe one that does interest me is acoustic consultancy. Anyone know of any business looking for sound engineers, produces please give me a buzz.

Now to get and I.Eng registered with the IET so I can be a pukka engineer.

New £multi-million Recording Studios coming to Eastside

Simon — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:54:15 +0000

I mooted a good few months back on some £multi-million recording studios coming to Eastside, well here is the submitted planning application. Of note, it will be a new home for UB40's DEP International which is currently located in a rented premises at Andover Street.

I should really write a blog post on UB40 and Eastside.

Application number
C/05191/06/FUL

The Enemy

mononeuronico — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:38:33 +0000

In questi giorni (e 'sti cazzi!!! direte voi) sto ascoltando, durante le mie lunghe pedalate per arrivare al mare, un gruppetto abbastanza gustoso, un trio inglese che sta scalando le top chart e che mi ricorda i miei sedici anni...Per maggiori info la fonte è IndieForBunnies e loro sono "The Enemy"...

Away From Here

I'm so sick, sick, sick and tired
Of working just to be retired
I don't want to get that far
I don't want your company car
Promotions aint my thing
Name badges are not interesting
It's much easier for me see
To stay at home with Richard and Judy

Awayaway oh oh oh away from here (x4)

I'm fed up of early mornings
Wake up calls are getting boring round here
Feet dragging on the pavement
The same people with the same arrangement
Irony can be quite funny
You making other people money
My working day has just begun
its not exactly what i would call fun

I want to wake up in the afternoon
With daytime TV and my favourite tune
Cos it is much easier for me see
To stay at home with Richard and Judy

Awayaway oh oh oh away from here
Away away away away from

Saturday is your only highlight
When you go out and live the highlife
meeting up with other people
your interaction with the weak and feable
At least when all is said and done
You wouldn't be the only one
To be a slave to the modern wage
Your crappy weekend is your only escape

I want to wake up in the afternoon
With daytime TV and my favourite tune
Cos it is much easier for me
To stay at home with Richard and Judy

Awayaway oh oh oh away from here
Away away away away from here

La seconda canzone invece è la classica ballata sdolcinata, una easylistening dal testo semplice ma che funziona...Notare come intorno al primo e poi anche al secondo minuto si apra uno stargate dietro il batterista...

Happy Birthday Jane

Good mornin jane
Happy birthday, once again
What would we do
What would we do without you
Without you

Wake up the sun is shining
Shining for you
To take all your troubles away
Just for a day
To take all your troubles away
Just for a day
For a day

So good night jane
Happy birthday once again
Now what will we do
What will we do without you
Without you

Wake up the sun is shining
Shining for you
To take all your troubles away
Just for a day
To take all your troubles away
Just for a day
For a day

Happy birthday...

The yuppie guide to town planning

Simon Harper — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:28:57 +0000

It's only a few short months since the closure of the Jug of Ale, and now it looks like the Flapper and Firkin might just be going the same way. When I was asked to collate some research undertaken by Digital Central for their Music Matters booklet, one of the overriding opinions from people working in the music industry in the West Midlands was that we need a greater variety of spaces available for gigs, and a range of sizes. The aforementioned pubs have been integral in supporting acts who have gone on to play larger venues, and perhaps more importantly been vital in providing a platform for local acts, so this news is very disturbing.

Of course, it's particularly worrying that - at a time when Cul-de-Sac is edging towards being unveiled to the public - the local music scene is being undermined, and independent venues and promoters are finding it increasingly more difficult to survive against the might of the big chains like the Academy venues and Barfly et al. Do people really want to see the further development of a derivative, identi-kit city centre?

There is a Facebook group here which you can join and show your support - what are you waiting for?

Birmingham fails to make cultural top 10

Paul Groves — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:45:59 +0000

I'm not entirely sure what to make of the news that Birmingham only manages to make 14th on the list of the most cultured local authority areas of the UK.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, London boroughs dominate the top of the list compiled by Local Futures but possibly the bad news for Birmingham is that Manchester breaks the capital's stranglehold of the top 10 by coming in at eight.

It is undoubtedly an interesting exercise in assessing Britain's cultural credentials - Oxford is placed ahead of Birmingham; Liverpool makes it to 16th during its year as Capital of Culture; whilst Nottingham is ahead of Newcastle.

The report has led Local Futures to warn that many parts of the country are in danger of being left behind because they don't offer a good quality of life. As a result, they claim, these areas will struggle to attract talented people.

The study cites Fenland (Norfolk), Torfaen (South Wales) and Corby (Northamptonshire) as among the worst for facilities such as shops, good parks and sports stadiums.

But Local Futures also admits to using "fairly crude measures" in compiling the facts and figures used to draw up the cultural map.

When you look at some of the "cultural facilities" they used to base the study on - such as theatres and Michelin-starred restaurants, national heritage sites, the proportion of people employed in hotels and tourism, the number of cafés run by big chains, parks with green flag (quality) awards, sports arenas and shops - then it seems surprising that Birmingham doesn't fare any better than 14th.

The release of the map comes a few days after it was revealed Birmingham faces losing one of the city's live music landmarks, to make way for a development that would possibly include hotels, restaurants (possibly Michelin-starred) and the type of cafes run by big chains.

The argument is whether the cultural profile of the city is enhanced by a pub like the Flapper & Firkin, which is regarded as a launchpad for new bands who go on to enjoy national and international success. Or, whether it is found in the type of development which, in many respects, is a carbon copy of the type of schemes that can increasingly be seen in other cities and major towns.

I think I'd chose saving the Flapper & Firkin and preserving some of the individual character of the city.

Of course, you could just ignore such lists and maps.

However, Local Futures maintains the data should be used by local authorities to "help create a vision for their area's future and to help them consider what they can do to make their areas more attractive".

Now that is a good reason to start worrying.

Games Day (UK) I-Spy

arbitrary — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:10:12 +0000

I-Spy books were around a lot when we were growing up. Basically they were spotter's guides that included points for everything you saw, in a little book you could helpfully write on (always fun as a child).

Anyway, in my excitement and nervousness about actually going to Games Day I decided to sit down and create for everyone a little I-Spy sheet to supplement other Games Day activities. Feel free to amend it for US events (you could even use it for Comic-con over the next couple of days). And I'm happy to take suggestions of things I may have missed!

Games Day I-Spy (Google Doc)

ps. the chocolate entry exists to make sure I personally get some points :-)

Anderson & Anderson Publishes New Los Angeles Providers List

George Anderson — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:35:03 +0000

Anderson & Anderson, Inc., the Trusted Name in Anger Management, has published the updated Los Angeles County Anger Management Court Referral List for July 2008. This list has been sent to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, and all of its branches. This court list will remain in effect until December 2008.

The providers on this list are certified by Anderson & Anderson, and they have done the following: 1.) completed the 40 hour certification training, 2.) use the Conover Assessment and post-tests, and 3.) are using the Anderson & Anderson client workbooks and other Anderson & Anderson training material for their classes.

This court list is updated every six months to reflect the current status of anger management providers in L.A. County. Each court mandated anger management client receives a copy of this list, and he/she can choose which program to enroll in. The providers list, in its web-based form, is available on the Anderson & Anderson website: http://www.andersonservices.com/providersLACounty.html.

###

Anderson & Anderson, Trusted Name in Anger Management

Larry Langford: Crazy Man

Danner — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:15:17 +0000

So Larry Langford has graced us common folk with his master plan, his Birmingham Survival Kit. What he calls "our roadmap to change the future of Birmingham."

From page one:

This survival kit seeks to address not only our future, but our mere existence as a city seeking to transform itself and overcome the obstacles that have shackled our city and its citizens for too long. In this packet you will see a proposal that identifies and proposes funding in order to fix the things in this community that must be fixed now. If Birmingham is to survive, a number of things must happen. They include:

Repairing our streets;

Constructing a municipal complex that will serve as a one-stop shop for police and city services;

Giving our young people hope for a better tomorrow;

Developing a transit system anchored on the resurrection of a historic trolley line with real potential to expand;

Instilling a belief among our citizens that Birmingham can be a world-class city with world-class amenities and a world-class image.

Where to begin. For one thing, whether it was conscious/intentional or not, his ordering of his bullet points gives a little insight into his priorities. Note that getting himself some new digs is almost at the top of the list. I think he probably put "street repair" first because he has some sense of how crass it would have been to put "New office for me" at the top.

Truthfully, the entire list is just one more bit of evidence revealing how out of whack LL's priorities are. The two biggest "obstacles" that are "shackling" Birmingham right now are 1) crime and 2) poor public schools. Why is it that constructing a new municipal complex is at the top of the list of things that need to be done for Birmingham to survive, but reducing crime and improving the public schools don't make the list at all? I'll tell you why, because Larry Langford is complete nutjob, that's why.

Last October David Pelfrey offered a clear outline of what plagues Birmingham:

But each year, about 1,000 Birmingham families [...] pack up their belongings and join the mass exodus to some place—any place—outside the city limits. They don't need to crunch any more numbers to recognize that the neighborhoods are dangerous and the schools are hopeless.

[...] The idea is that the process which brought Birmingham to its status as one of the nation's most dangerous cities was a long one. That's not true. The decline was in fact quite precipitous, having started in a big way as recently as the mid-1990s. It was in 1994, actually, that the Birmingham Police Department reported 135 homicides, close to 4,000 auto thefts, more than 16,000 thefts of property, and almost 2,000 robberies. In that single year, Birmingham saw a staggering 4,237 aggravated assaults (compared with 3,899 for the span of January 2005 to July 2007). From 1994 through 1997, every hour and 36 minutes someone in Birmingham was the victim of a violent crime. Of those victims, 477 did not live to tell about it. [...]

In terms of pure numbers, it's true that crime is not as severe a problem right now as it was 10 years ago. It's merely a severe problem.

In other words, the slight drop-off that briefly followed the worst years of violent crime in the 1990s apparently led anyone charged with resolving the matter, say, from 2001 to present, to take a rather relaxed view of the situation.

Perhaps Langford feels he did all he needed to do about the crime problem by replacing Police Chief Annetta Nunn with Hoover's A.C. Roper. I think few people would question that was a step in the right direction. But one chief does not a police force make. To have a good police force, you have to pay your officers well so you can attract and retain quality officers. Probably not best accomplished by telling your officers you're giving them a pay raise but actually cutting their total compensation. While it appears Roper is filling his new role admirably and making progress in vital areas like increasing the size of the force, Birmingham remains an unacceptably violent city.

Which, as David Pelfrey explained, leads people to leave the city. Which shrinks the school system's enrollment. Which results in the schools qualifying for less state and federal funding. Which hurts the schools and makes parents want to move their children to better schools. Which shrinks the school system's enrollment. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Every problem faced by Birmingham City Schools is spelled out in excruciating detail in this report from the Council of the Great City Schools. If you read the report, you'll see those problems are far from being limited to funding issues. Basically the whole system is an insane, disorganized, corrupt mess of an institution. A first report from the same Council was delivered in January of this year, and it contained proposals on how to fix the problems. But Superintendent Stan Mims cut out pages from the report he found unflattering to his leadership skills and when his chicanery was discovered, controversy ensued and he was ultimately forced to resign.

Hopefully that purge will give the system a fresh start to begin implementing the Council's recommendations. But at this time, Birmingham City Schools are still vastly inferior to schools in the suburbs, and that will continue to expedite the migration out of the city.

So. Back to Langford's super awesome plan for Birmingham's future.

Repairing streets: good.

Constructing a new municipal complex: bad. Not a dime should be spent on new office space for city employees until the Police force is fully staffed and providing a compensation package that retains quality officers and not until the school system's biggest problems have been fixed per the report linked earlier. As long as the city is a crime-laden hellhole and the school system is in shambles, no one is going to want to live in Birmingham and a new municipal complex is a gigantic waste of money.

Giving our young people hope for a better tomorrow: good. But it's going to take a lot more than just a scholarship program to accomplish that. Providing our young people with quality primary and secondary education is a lot more important than a city-funded scholarship program.

Developing an improved transit system: good. But i'm highly skeptical that any plan hatched by Langford for this purpose could be well-thought out and feasible. He doesn't really offer much detail in his Survival Kit, just a chart with some estimated costs. It's going to take a lot to convince me the current people running Birmingham can pull off any substantial improvement in public transportation.

Instilling a belief among our citizens that Birmingham can be a world-class city with world-class amenities and a world-class image: good. But unfortunately impossible as long as a crazy man is mayor. If Larry Langford were to resign tomorrow, i would instantly be filled with warm fuzzy feelings about the future of Birmingham and its potential to be a world-class city. But the fact that he keeps showing up every day and making crazy proposals to waste millions of dollars on worthless projects fills me with a horrible sense of dread.

Photo used under a Creative Commons license from acnatta.

Anger Management Home Study Courses Not Appropriate for Disruptive Physicians

George Anderson — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:09:10 +0000

As the major provider of anger management and executive coaching for physicians in the nation, Anderson & Anderson and its network of providers are aware of the trends in requests for anger management and coaching services throughout the U.S. In response to the new JCAHO guidelines for “disruptive physicians”, some doctors and their attorneys are attempting to avoid addressing this serious patient safety issue by purchasing “Home Study” anger management courses which are actually designed as self-help classes for voluntary clients. Such programs are clearly attempts to avoid taking responsibility for their role in this important critical health care issue.

All reputable programs for “disruptive physicians” must begin with a comprehensive assessment, workbooks and focused intervention to address issues of stress management, communication, anger management, emotional intelligence, and motivation to change. Following the intervention, post-tests and aftercare are generally provided. The three major providers of acceptable resources for “disruptive physicians” include the following: P.A.C.E Program of University of California at San Diego, Department of Psychiatry of Vanderbilt University and Anderson & Anderson, Trusted Name in Anger Management of Los Angeles, CA.

George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF, CEAP
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
Anderson & Anderson®, The Trusted Name in Anger Management
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org
http://www.linkedin.com/in/geoanderson
www.anger-management-resources.org

Thank All That Is Holy

Danner — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:22:55 +0000

Reg's Coffee House is poised to survive yet another radio station shake out, and will be broadcasting at his usual time Sunday, but on 100.5 instead of 94.5.

Reg's Coffee House is the only shining light of goodness on the entire Birmingham radio scene. I try to listen to 105.5 some because that style of music is in my comfort zone. But while i really fawned over Pearl Jam's Yellow Ledbetter in 1992, for some reason i don't want to hear it every single day (two or three times a day!) on the radio, now 16 years later. What was once a fresh and raw compositional masterpiece has been trashed by mindless repetition for months on end. The same can be said of all my favorites from early to mid 90s rock. It was so exciting at the time, but 105.5 is turning them into Oldies, and i can't take it. Nirvana is to me what CCR was to my mom.

I really wish someone would adopt Reg's 4 hour show into an entire station format, 24/7...

Facebook "friends", privacy, piracy, house building and city living

Paul Groves — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:16:08 +0000

I'm still in a round-up kind of mood, so here goes for today.

A businessman who was the subject of fake profiles on Facebook, created by a former schoolfriend, has won a £22,000 libel case.

Know your enemies, perhaps, but make sure you know your Facebook "friends" too.

Staying with the courts, Max Moseley has won a not exactly spanking £60,000 in damages from the News of the World over the newspaper's claims he took part in a "Nazi orgy".

Roy Greenslade takes aim at the paper.

Many parents have no idea what their children get up to online. But if they're illegally downloading stuff then they soon will as the Government is backing a scheme to send them warning letters about their kids' net habits.

The leader of Birmingham's council is apparently keen to see the city's population grow by 100,000, so is happy for greenbelt land to be swallowed up so that new houses can be built.

I don't believe that the old saying "build it and they will come" should be the cornerstone of planning policy.

Staying with Birmingham and development plans, there is a growing rumble of discontent about the latest city centre live music venue in line for closure to make way for another city living folly.

This city living dream is fast turning into a nightmare because of the lack of joined up thinking that is so evident in many of these plans in so many cities and large towns around the UK.

Mary Poppins.

rjohnstone — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:13:11 +0000

The lovely lady and I went to see Mary Poppins at Birmingham Hippodrome last night. I haven't been to the theatre in probably 25 - 20 years, so last night was something I haven't done for a long time. Tickets were bought for Sal's birthday - she seemed to have a fantastic time, which is what was the most important thing really, but I really enjoyed it too. The scene changes, songs, routines and actors were all fantastic. A great audience made for a great atmosphere too.

I've got supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in my bloody head and can't get rid of it now though!

Holiday time on Sunday. The back packing is starting todat as I can almost guarantee that we're going to forget something!! I can't wait. I am in serious need of a break.

Photos from Shades of Grey

Media of Birmingham — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:00:59 +0000

!!!

Thanks to all who came out in triple-digit temps for our July mixer at Grey House Grille. Check out these photos of our sojourn at SoHo.

More summer fun on the way from the MOB ...

Kyle

Wade

Emily and Charles

Liz and Chris

Cutressa and Elizabeth

André and Chianti

Emily and Melissa

James, Charles and Emily

James

Bob and Gordon

In 100-degree weather on the patio at Grey House Grille

James and André

The 5 Best and Worst Shops in Birmingham

gazuky — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:27:20 +0000

I love shopping. It gives me a warm feeling inside, which is always nice. So I thought - just for the hell of it - that I'd bring you my list of the top and bottom 5 shops in Birmingham in terms of service quality, value for money, and general pleasantness. Let's do the shitty ones first.

In reverse order...

5) HMV
I hate HMV, with its 'at least a pound more than anywhere else' pricing policy on DVDs and its crap 'sales' where the same stock that no one wants gets pulled out again. I swear that they're storing 20 trillion copies of Muriel's Wedding in the Arizona desert.

4) Subway (Upper Bull Street)
Ask me for a third time if I want 'cheese and toasted?' and I'll rip your ears off.

3) The Post Office
I'm sending a jiffy-bag parcel. I need to have it weighed, stamped and taken off my hands so I don't look like I'm couriering drugs. So don't ask me if I'm 'all OK for insurance?' when we've finished the transaction. Because it cheapens that nice small-talk we had about knife-crime, and I'll leave thinking you only wanted me for my money. Bastard.

2) Currys
If you ever want a real-life simulation of PacMan, just go to Currys in the Bullring. If you're just browsing and want to be left alone, ALL the assistants will seek you out like those pesky ghosts. But go in with an actual query, or with the intention of buying something, and it's like you've eaten a blue power-pill, sending assistants scattering across the store to hide in staffrooms, toilets and crouch down behind small desks. Next time I go in, I'm going to walk round the aisles going 'wacca wacca wacca' before pulling out the security cord on all the laptops.

1) WHSmith
The only store to send its staff on courses for surliness. Stuck in a long queue? After 20 minutes, someone might press a bell. Or they might not. Either way, that supervisor standing behind the lone cashier STILL won't get off the phone and start serving. And no, I don't want half-priced Haribo or a fucking Toblerone with my magazine. I just want you to smile. Is that so hard?

Aaaaah, I feel better for that. So now to the cream of the crop. If crops do actually produce cream. Which I doubt because they'd be a bugger to milk.

5) Gap
What does it mean when staff have their mouths turned up at the corners when they speak to you? Well, whatever it means, it's quite nice and they do it a lot in Gap.

4) Subway (Smallbrook Queensway)
This branch has introduced the innovative sales technique of listening to customers when they say their orders. And they're happy and talk to you and everything. Plus they're generous with their olives. And you can't argue with that.

3) Marks and Spencer Food (Colmore Row)
I find the customers very stuck-up in Marks and Spencers. God knows why - it's hardly Harrods is it? But the staff are always very polite, which means I go back again and again to pay £7.80 for a yogurt.

2) Sportsworld
Your clothes probably aren't ethically sourced (£3 for a tracksuit anyone?), your shop often looks like its been selected by the IRA for the resumption of hostilities, and you never have my size. But quite a few of your staff are drop dead gorgeous, so who gives a crap about quality?

1) Borders
With more magazines to choose from than the waiting room of a dentist with OCD, Borders is bookworm-heaven. None of your Toblerone-pushing tactics here, just good, honest, helpful staff, an in-store Starbucks, Paperchase and some nice comfy seats here and there for the poor people who can't afford to buy. And kudos to the (female) assistant who was openly perving over the cover of Gay Times last time I was in there. It doesn't take THAT long to find the barcode...

The last Chimney

towardsdystopia — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:31:15 +0000

Chimney renovation became Birmingham's staple industry in eighties, supporting over 150,000 jobs in the city, either in direct employment or related services.

[caption id="attachment_95" align="alignleft" width="201" caption="Chimney project, April 1979"][/caption]

Started in 1978, initially a council backed job creation scheme designed to combat the horrific unemployment figures of the time. The industry consisted of the careful dismantling and reconstruction in adjacent council wards of redundant factory chimneys. As a way of teaching new skills to the jobless it was deemed revolutionary. The scheme caught the eye of the Thatcher Government who were looking to test a radical new policy, privatisation.

In 1980 the government seized all of Birmingham's chimneys and sold them in a blaze of publicity, the classic slogan 'If you see a chimney, sell it!' became marketing legend. The public went chimney crazy and a multi billion pound industry was born, existing Chimneys across the city went up in value by over 700%. Soon every town and city wanted a chimney trade and Birmingham, being the birthplace of the industry was well placed to capitalise on this. It exported thousands of them around the UK. Professional services boomed in the frenzy with accountants, lawyers and consultants benefiting greatly, in fact 'Chimney Studies' became the most popular degree course at many universities for several years.

Sadly all good things come to an end and in 1987, the now unsustainable chimney bubble collapsed, later known as Black Monday. Chimneys became worthless overnight and the country slid into a protracted recession. Cash rich Arab investors snapped up the chimneys and for many years chimney stacks could be found dotted across the Arabian Peninsula. The chimney market has recently been reinvigorated as they are prized commodities in the emerging economies of India and China.

The last surviving chimney in Birmingham was recently sold to the city of Chengdu in China for 2 million pounds sterling and is currently being erected in the city's main square as testament to its new found wealth and prowess.

Communication I

George Anderson — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:26:55 +0000

Anderson and Anderson Executive Coaching/Anger Management for Physicians and related health care professionals and workers offers the following series on improving communication skills as a response to The Joint Commission Alert below. Adapted and posted by Anderson faculty member, Tom Wentz, Ph.D., C.A.M.F.

Joint Commission Alert: July 9, 2008.

Stop Bad Behavior among Health Care Professionals: Rude language, hostile behavior threaten safety, quality.

(OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. – July 9, 2008 ) Health care is a high-stakes, pressure- packed environment that can test the limits of civility in the workplace. A new alert issued today by The Joint Commission warns that rude language and hostile behavior among health care professionals goes beyond being unpleasant and poses a serious threat to patient safety and the overall quality of care.

Intimidating and disruptive behaviors are such a serious issue that, in addition to addressing it in the new Sentinel Event Alert, The Joint Commission is introducing new standards requiring more than 15,000 accredited health care organizations to create a code of conduct that defines acceptable and unacceptable behaviors and to establish a formal process for managing unacceptable behavior. The new standards take effect January 1, 2009 for hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, laboratories, ambulatory care facilities, and behavioral health care facilities across the United States.

Health care leaders and caregivers have known for years that intimidating and disruptive behaviors are a serious problem. Verbal outbursts, condescending attitudes, refusing to take part in assigned duties and physical threats all create breakdowns in the teamwork, communication and collaboration necessary to deliver patient care. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices found that 40 percent of clinicians have kept quiet or remained passive during patient care events rather than question a known intimidator. To help put an end to once-accepted behaviors that put patients at risk, The Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert urges health care organizations to take action.

The Joint Commission Media Contact: Ken Powers, Media Relations Manager

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

- George Bernard Shaw

Improving Communication with Others

Lack of communication is the root of many troubles, such as hurt feelings, mis- understandings, missed deadlines, and unsuccessful connections. Healthy communication in its broadest form is important in developing positive healthy relationships between family members and others. Skills for acquiring good communication techniques are emphasized in this series of blogs on improving communication skills.

Basic skills are very important and many people do not use them well. Poor communication skills result in unnecessary problems and misunderstandings in relationships.

Good communication requires two sets of abilities:

1. Ability to hear the other person (Receiving – active listening).

2. Ability to articulate messages accurately (Sending – assertive communication).

Four key communication skills for improving interpersonal relations are:

1. To listen without judgment.
2. To comprehend and acknowledge what has been said.
3. To acknowledge the other person and their point of view (does not imply agreement, however it does require recognition of the person and their message).
4. To not impose your personal beliefs on someone else.

Good communication skills take patience and time to acquire. We encourage participants to use all of their newly learned skills in developing positive healthy relationships.

I. What is Communication?

Communication Defined: At its root, communication is about clearly and respectfully articulating our needs and caring enough to listen to and understand the needs of others.

Human beings live in a single world of communication but divide that world into two parts: words and behavior (verbal and nonverbal). Words represent perhaps 10 percent of the total while behavior the other 90 percent.

The words used in communication, representing 10% percent of the total, emphasize the unidirectional aspects of communication, while behavior, the other 90 percent, stresses feedback on how people are feeling, ways of avoiding confrontation, and the inherent logic that is the birthright of all people. Words are the medium… which in the final analysis deal in power, so that words become instruments of power. The nonverbal, behavioral part of communication is the provenance of the common man and the core culture that guides his/her life.” (E. Hall, 1983.)
Hall’s Three key points:

1. Communication is 90% nonverbal and 10% verbal.
2. Words are instruments of power.
3. The purpose of communication is as much to conceal thought as it is to reveal it.

Just as stress underlies all anger, stress also underlies most communication, whether it is the internal dialogue we have with ourselves or the interactions we have with others. Without good communication skills, we can not have healthy or productive relationships with ourselves or others.

Too often, we listen only to ourselves or fail to be aware of our stressors and related feelings. With others, we fail to recognize the important verbal and nonverbal signs that people are sharing about how they feel and what they need. When this happens, no one is heard. Communication breaks down. Assumptions are made. Worst, our needs and the needs of our family or colleagues go unmet and we all fail to perform at optimal levels. “Empathy builds on self-awareness; the more open we are to our own emotions, the more skilled we will be in reading feelings. Knowing our emotions; self-awareness, recognizing a feeling as it happens – is the keystone of emotional intelligence.”

Oh Sweet Jesus

Danner — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:47:51 +0000

THERE IS ALREADY A GREATER BIRMINGHAM 2020 COMMITTEE?

I can't abide the insanity.