| New hope for writers
It can survive on peanuts because it's a foundation and employees work for peanuts and their love of books. (How long that will last remains to be seen.) It is not a bank, and it doesn't make grants. LVF kicked up some dust in 2005 when it announced its creation, but it was a mere concept at the time. It has a track record now, and it's encouraging. LVF has helped publish or repackage 11 books of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry in the past 18 months. All have made some money for the Bildner operation, still a speck of a thing with four employees, including himself, split between New York and Boston. (Truth in advertising: I'm a friend of Ande Zellman, a former editor of the Globe magazine, who is LVF editorial director.) Bildner is the same James Bildner who, in a quick run in the '80s, had a meteoric rise and a breathtaking swan dive with his J.
Sprint's signal may be fading with Qwest as Verizon enters partner ...
Verizon Communications is in talks to replace Sprint Nextel as the wireless partner of Qwest, according to Verizon executives. The second-ranked mobile-phone carrier is considering whether to work with Qwest, chief executive Ivan Seidenberg told investors at a closed-door meeting Tuesday in New York. Spokesman Robert Varettoni confirmed Seidenberg's remarks and declined to comment further. Qwest, which has resold Sprint's service since 2004, is seeking a new agreement and may replace its current partner, chief executive Edward Mueller said Monday. Denver-based Qwest, with 824,000 wireless subscribers, wants to sell newer handsets and more data services than its contract with Sprint allows, Mueller said. Sprint also is in active discussions with Qwest, Sprint spokeswoman Melinda Tiemeyer said.
Union backs saucy ad teacher
A UNION has backed a teacher suspended from her job over a raunchy internet advert made during her student days. Sarah Green, who teaches at exclusive Stockport Grammar school, was sent home this week after pupils stumbled across a graphic advert in which she stars as a seductive secretary. The 25-year-old English teacher had carried out a number of acting jobs while a student at Manchester Metropolitan University. The National Union of Teachers said that her past activities would not affect her abilities to teach pupils. The four-minute film was created to promote a brand of protective workwear and shows three contractors being seduced by a number of attractive women. Although Ms Green was fully-clothed throughout, it was too explicit for television but proved a hit on the internet with tens of thousands of viewers on Youtube and other sites.
STAY TUNED: Oh, what a night: Losers, wannabes, bad girls and tattoos
Miss your favorite show last night? No problem. Check out our super-condensed recaps. American Idol -- Quoting Ryan Seacrest, "the 'Idol' mothership" landed in Omaha, Neb. Paula misses the beginning thanks to a delayed flight. Here's something different: While one contestant can't sing, he gets Simon's OK to be a red-carpet announcer at the finals. The Biggest Loser -- Bob and Jillian compete to divide the teams. Bob chooses Black, Orange and Gray to be the new Blue Team, and Jillian gets Blue, Yellow and Purple for her Black Team. The Black Team loses the weigh-in; Jenn goes home. The Bad Girls Club -- Tanisha trashes Jennavecia's room for putting hot sauce in her juice. Fed up with all of the fighting, a drunken Darlen wrecks the joint. Cordelia gets cozy with someone who's not her boyfriend, and Lyric decides to move out.
Stayaway Reebok fans: What's the answer?
I feel like we are people they see as a money making opportunity, who can be sponged for every penny they can get out of us. Even outside with those idiots trying every week to flog me a BWFC credit card. The board seem that they are just looking at money making instead of the real reason for existance which is in the name of the club. As far as I am aware our name is Bolton Wanderers Football Club. It is my club, in that I support it, but there is very little else I feel like I have in common with it. They don't listen to fans, as has been bourne out in the past month or so. They face alot more people turning their backs on the club and have only themselves to blame. Sorry for the ramble but thats how I feel. Forza Whites! .
An iterview with NJ hard-rock sensation, Mean Venus
No one I was playing with could so I decided to take charge and not leave my "career" in the hands of someone else. I started to teach myself guitar for the sake of writing songs. Eventually I branched out, wanting creative control, and I'd sing at open mic nights. I got a great response and kept building, amassing a huge repertoire of songs for Mean Venus. As a wannabee rock star for the past 20 years, my mind was always thinking up good band names. I thought the name Mean Venus sounded cool, and it reminded me of the '70s supergroups. After the fact, it has a good meaning, like a mean but beautiful dominatrix. We've messed around with a few ideas for a band mascot, one being a dominatrix. Plus, every good band name is already taken. When this idea popped up, I looked up meanvenus.com and it wasn't taken so I bought it on the spot.
Arcadia zooms onto the Net
Arcadia Group, which owns several UK retail chains including Top Shop, Burtons and Dorothy Perkins, is to launch an ecommerce portal and Internet service provider (ISP). The service, called Zoom, will offer news from Associated Newspapers, online dating and a job search facility. It will also include a loyalty card and a credit card. Zoom MD, Eva Pascoe, said: "We are an online shopping centre and a portal, too. Apart from Arcadia brands, we are signing up other partners such as Red or Dead." Pascoe added that she chose Easynet to provide ISP services because it has a good presence in France and Germany - the next two countries to be targeted by Zoom. Zoom will also offer some product lines not available anywhere else - first of which will be a special range of Wonderbras.
AP Photos of Feb. 28: FLSR117-121
Not long ago, Boston had one of the worst farm systems in baseball. From 2002 through 2004, a total of just five of its players were rated among the top 100 prospects by Baseball America. This year's ranking is drastically different: seven of the top 100, including Ellsbury at 13 and Lowrie at 73. "I think if we are able to add a (minor league) player a year to the major league team we would be extremely fortunate as an organization," Mike Hazen, Boston's director of player development, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "With all the pitfalls of minor league baseball and the inherent roadblocks that exist, while it sounds easy, I don't think in actuality it is. "I think if Jed continues to progress like he did in 2007, he will have an opportunity at some point to impact our major league club." Lowrie hit .297 in 93 games at Double-A Portland then .300 in 40 games at Triple-A Pawtucket.
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