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Arts and More

Mountain Views News Saturday, May 18, 2013

MVNews this week: Page 14

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Mountain Views News Saturday, May 18, 2013

SEAN’S SHAMELESS REVIEWS:

JASMINE’S CORNER

Book Reviews by Jasmine Kelsey Williams

NOAH AND THE WHALE

“There will come a time; Where you will need someone tonight,” is a line
from “There Will Come A Time,” a Springsteen-lite song from Noah and The
Whale. In actuality, the band seems to have taken a class in “Springsteen 101.”
For their fourth LP, “Heart of Nowhere,” the band embodies the coming-of-
age theme. The ten brand new tracks weave through the turbulent times of
adolescence. The four-piece rock act even went as far as creating a short film
as a companion piece to the record. Singer/songwriter Charlie Fink specializes
in nostalgia here. Fink’s reflective lyrics alongside the band’s crisp 80s new wave influences deliver
a pretty killer combo. However, with the word “time” is found in three of the song titles. Noah and
The Whale’s affinity for nostalgia may not always mesh with your own. “Heart of Nowhere” works
wondrously as a breezy summer album, but on reaching the heights of Springsteen or Lou Reed it falls
somewhat short.

“Heart of Nowhere” segues from lush melodies
to streamlined guitars. The lightheartedness makes
for a non-edgy endeavor despite the Springsteen
mimicking. Fink’s lyrics are pretty conventional, but
sometimes an intelligible message just purely works.

The record is in no short supply of hook-laden
tunes accompanied by bittersweet vignettes. These
stories Fink delves into are straight from the heart and there is an endearing allure to them in spite
of the simplicity. I’m not quite sure if this generation is willing to open up their minds and hearts for
some nostalgia, but if they proceed to do so, “Heart of Nowhere” can get you thinking. However, since
the music is driven by pure straightforwardness, you won’t have to think too hard or for too long. The
stories here talk about ex-lovers, friends, your parents, and not having the slightest clue on what to
do in life. These are classic topics for anyone growing up. Noah and The Whale make such enjoyable
music that can captivate you with ease, but the required “darkness” to these themes is greatly missed.

On the other hand, it’s truly hard to disregard the band’s efforts in attempting to stand out amongst
a crowd of imitators. While Noah and The Whale are guilty of such a thing at times, their songs have
a way of grabbing a hold of you. Sometimes that hold is light, other times you can’t shake it loose.
The final song, “Not Too Late,” explores the time you go from being a boy to man. It’s that moment in
time where taking a leap is not only crucial, but wholly necessary. The closing track is an unhurried
tune that perhaps is Fink’s most heartfelt and best-written tune off the record. “Not Too Late” is the
anthem of realizing the fun has expired and it’s finally time to look ahead to see where you need to go.

You may not know where the journey leads or what obstacles will been seen along the way. All is
known is the risk seems frightening, but if you’re not afraid, then you’re not taking a chance. And if
you are not taking a chance, then what the hell are you doing?

Grade: 8 out of 10
Key Tracks: “All Through The Night,” “Silver and Gold,” “One More Night,” “Not Too Late”

HUNGER - Riders of the Apocalyspe

by Jackie Morse Kessler

The middle of May means finishing up the Riders of the
Apocalypse series, and we bring forth the first in the series
Hunger (since this columnist started the series from last to
first).

Hunger is the starter for the Riders of the Apocalypse series
and focuses on the protagonist 17-year-old Lisabeth and the
façade she puts on for her friends and family. The reason for
this façade is also a strong point in this story that readers may
be able to understand or even sympathize from experience:
Lisabeth battles with anorexia and as a result has attempted
to shut down anyone who questions her or shows concern
when it comes to food. Lisabeth’s inner demon comes in the
form of the Thin Voice which always which takes a form
of criticism when Lisabeth is around food and how much
she’s allowed to eat, then becomes amplified when Death
comes to her to inform her of being the Black Rider of the
Apocalypse, Famine. As the chapters progress, Lisabeth feels the freedom of bringing fullness
and fulfillment to people who suffer hunger while also conquering the inner battle with her
anorexia within her. Only when Lisabeth is able to understand the balance of being Famine,
and wielding the Scales that represent it, is she able to comprehend that there is nothing one
with hunger as long their remains a balance to replenish one’s strength and also finding the
courage to ask her friends and family for help with her anorexia.

Published and copyrighted in 2010, and receiving reviews from Booklist, Kirkus Reviews,
and Romantic Times Magazine, Jackie Morse Kessler brings together a wonderful series that
not only thrills readers, but also finding the courage to overcome one’s own personal demons.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_D2a_lTS-uYE/TM15UMgAUgI/AAAAAAAAEKI/Myz1cfT8BuA/s1600/Hunger.gif
Artist: Noah and The Whale

Album: Heart of Nowhere

Label: Mercury Records Limited

Release Date: May 6th, 2013

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

BUSINESS TODAY

The latest on Business News, Trends and Techniques

By La Quetta M. Shamblee, MBA

DOLLARS VS. DAYS

THE DANGER OF SAMENESS

As I listened to the CD included in the monthly issue of my Success Magazine subscription, I was
inspired by a series of featured speakers who shared some very intriguing, yet practical strategies
about how to do a makeover in your business and professional life. All of the speakers have an
impressive track record of personal accomplishments in one or more areas of business. One of the
speakers, Dr. Nido R. Qubein, spoke about sliding into the “ocean of sameness” that many people
(and businesses) find themselves in after reaching a certain level of success.

After building a reputation as a savvy and effective business leader in the corporate world, Dr. Nido R.
Qubein became the seventh president of this institution of higher learning in North Carolina. He has
served on the boards of numerous Fortune 500 Corporations and is currently the chairman of Great
Harvest Bread Company and also serves on the board of La-Z Boy Corporation.

Dr. Qubein defines “sameness” as the danger zone that an organization slides into that includes
looking like everyone else, doing things the same way as everyone else and not doing anything to
differentiate what you do and how you do it. Fortunately, he also provides valuable insight on how to
move into, and thrive in a zone of excellence by sharing the strategy that he adopted as the president
of High Point University in North Carolina.

Under his leadership, High Point University has experienced exponential growth during the past
seven years, including a 300% growth in the size of both the faculty and the student body. The
expansion also included a $700M capital campaign that resulted in the acquisition of 700 homes in
the neighborhood adjacent to the university to increase the size of the campus from 92 to 324 acres.

In his role as President, he committed to a vision of offering value that was differentiated from
competing universities. He applied four success-building principles that can be adopted any
entrepreneur or organization:

1) Devise and define a clear vision – What is the overall goal? What will the ultimate success
look like for your project or business?
2) Put together a solid strategy – Where are you today? Where do you want to be? Based on
what you know and understand currently, what is the best way to get there?
3) Develop practical systems – What is the most pragmatic approach to attracting and managing
the people, products/services and processes needed to operate your business?
4) Be consistent in the implementation and delivery of your strategy, including quality goods
and/or services.

The impressive accomplishments at this organization have taken place in a relatively short period
of time and stand as a testament to what can happen when a leader with vision, a strategy and a
commitment takes the helm. By the same token, entrepreneurs and business leaders can use this
four-step process to move their business ventures to a place of greater success and a higher level of
profitability.

After you've taken step one to decide to sell your home, step two is usually setting your asking price,
striving for a balance between generating offers and receiving top dollar.

Your chosen representative will perform a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) to produce an estimate
of your home's "fair market value," or that price that educated buyers will pay based on listings
and sales of homes similar to yours. The agent will not establish the price, but only provide the information
you need to make that decision yourself.

In a hot market, you have the advantage, but would still want to avoid overpricing, which is always
unproductive. However, in a neutral or buyers market, you'll have to be particularly cautious in your
approach to setting a price.

In soft markets, price reductions become more common, as well as fewer offers and longer listing
periods. You have to first establish your priority: is it more important for you to sell quickly or to
get the most money possible? Like it or not, one option simply must be more critical than the other.

Have a third party, like your agent, help you see your home as a commodity, with positive and negative
selling points. Price your home objectively and competitively, be prepared to negotiate to reach
an agreement with buyers, and exercise patience as you prepare your move.

MOBILE FRIENDLY EMAIL MARKETING

According to Litmus, 43%
of email is now opened on a
mobile device. If you are using email marketing
as part of your social media strategy, it might
be time to make sure your emails are mobile-
friendly. So, what does that mean?

Less pinching and pulling

A good mobile experience doesn’t over exercise
the users thumb and index finger. If your emails
are full of tiny text and columns, the user will
have to work hard to read your email, constantly
zooming in and out. The idea is to keep it very
simple and easy to read.

Use one column

A smart phone doesn’t have a lot of space so you
want to keep the layout simple and in one column
so it will look good on different types of devices.

Keep the design clean, avoid using too many
fonts and images

Use fonts that are the most legible on screen
(Verdana or Arial). Avoid using too many images.
Avoid using too many fonts and too many colors
(stick to your brands colors). Some devices
automatically turn off images and there is no
way to control this. Include image descriptions
so people know what the image is even if they
can’t see the image. Turn on the “view as web site”
feature. It allows them to click a link and view
your email as a web page and see the design and
images you intended.

Big buttons

Use big buttons for your call to action. Make it
easy for people to do what you want them to do,
like “buy now.”

Focus on one single idea or call to action

Put your call to action at the top (above the scroll)
and don’t try to overload your audience with too
many options. Stick to a single subject and don’t
get too wordy. Use big words to get your point
across.

If you use Constant Contact as your email service
provider, they offer mobile friendly templates
that you can customize. For your next email
blast, try a mobile friendly version and see if your
response is greater.

About MJ: MJ and her brother David own HUTdogs,
a creative services business that specializes in internet
marketing strategies and Social media education.
“Like” them on Facebook for trending news in social
media, internet marketing and other helpful tips, www.
facebook.com/hutdogs. Sign up for their upcoming
classes and presentations at: www.hutdogs.com/
workshops/schedule

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