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Welcome to the COMSOL Image Gallery. The simulation images on this page are available for
editors and journalists to use in appropriate articles. The phrase "Image made using COMSOL
Multiphysics® software and provided courtesy of COMSOL." must appear in the vicinity of every image
or at the bottom of the article.
For all other uses you must contact COMSOL directly through www.comsol.com/contact/
or by writing to .
COMSOL Multiphysics Version 4.4
Multiphysics Analysis of a Heating Circuit
A model of a heating circuit was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics, the AC/DC Module, the Heat Transfer Module, and the Structural Mechanics Module. Results show the DC-induced Joule heating, heat transfer, and structural mechanics analysis of the thin resistive layer on a solid glass plate. When multiphysics phenomena such as thermal expansion is added to a model, the coupled physics is defined under the Multiphysics node in the Model Tree.
Mixer Module
Mixing Non-Newtonian Fluids
The Mixer Module comes with a Frozen Rotor feature that saves you computational time and resources. In this model, the frozen rotor feature is used to simulate the mixing of a non-Newtonian fluid. In the plots, arrows represent the direction of flow in the mixer and streamlines represent the velocity.
Non-isothermal Mixing
Heat transfer from the pipes and walls of a mixer is accounted for by using the Rotating Machinery, Non-isothermal flow physics interface in the Mixer Module. The temperature distribution in the mixer is shown here in a slice plot in addition to velocity streamlines and arrows.
Turbulent Mixer with Free Surface
This model of a turbulent mixer includes two rods and a three-bladed impeller. The Rotating Machinery, Turbulent Flow physics interface from the Mixer Module was used to simulate this application. In the plot, the blue surface at top represents the deformation of the free surface and a pressure contour is shown on the front blade. The center slice shows the direction and magnitude of the flow velocity.
Electrical Applications
Antenna Array for GPS Applications
A probe-fed corner-truncated microstrip patch antenna was simulated using the RF module. Results show right-hand circular polarization with a low axial ratio around the GPS frequency range.
Modeling of Pyramidal RF Absorbers
A microwave absorber was simulated as an infinite 2D array of pyramidal lossy structures using the RF Module. The lossy material was designed to represent the electromagnetic properties of radiation-absorbent materials (RAM) such as conductive carbon-loaded foam.
Substrate Integrated Waveguides
Model of leaky waves from a slot array on the top surface of a surface integrated waveguide (SIW) was implemented using the RF Module. SIW can be used in antenna applications where the leaky waves can be directed in a predetermined direction by changing the operating frequency.
RF MEMS Switch
A model of an RF MEMS switch comprised of a thin micromechanical bridge suspended over a dielectric layer was developed using the MEMS Module. Contact force was simulated using the penalty method. The plot shows both the contact force and displacement.
MEMS Micromirror
A model of an electrostatically controlled micromirror was developed using the MEMS Module with the large deformation and initial stress features. The plot shows the curvature or displacement in the prestressed plated device.
Frequency Selective Surfaces
A model of a frequency selective surface with periodic complementary split ring resonators was implemented using the RF Module. The actual model includes a single split ring resonator with RF input/output ports represented in the figure by red squares. A Periodic boundary condition is used to simulate the periodically replicating resonator structure. The results show that only signals around the center frequency can pass through the surface layer.
Mechanical Applications
Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger
This model was developed using the Heat Transfer Module and simulates a shell-and-tube heat exchanger. Heat exchange occurs between the air-filled shell and water flowing in the inner pipes. The results show the temperature distribution, pressure, and flow velocity inside the vessel.
Continuous Casting
This model, developed using the Heat Transfer Module, simulates the phase change in a metal rod after it is extruded in a molten state and cooled with water until solidification occurs. The study analyzes heat transfer from the liquid to the solid state, and accounts for the energy balance in the system.
Tumor Ablation
This simulation of tumor ablation was developed using the Heat Transfer Module. The localized heating of malignant tissue is achieved through the insertion of a four-armed electric probe. This example couples the bioheat and electric field equations, and models the temperature field in the tissue.
Contact Analysis of a Snap Hook
This model of a fastener was developed using the Structural Mechanics Module and the Nonlinear Structural Materials Module in COMSOL Multiphysics. The simulation results show the von Mises stress in the plastic under a prescribed displacement. Such fasteners are common in the automotive industry.
Tube Connection with Prestressed Bolts
A geometry of a flange with four prestressed bolts was imported using the CAD Import Module. The assembly is subjected to an external bending moment that is modeled using the Structural Mechanics Module. A contact force acting between the washers under the bolt heads and the flange is also considered. Results show how the stress state in the flange and bolts varies with the applied load.
Hyperelastic Seal
This model was developed using the Nonlinear Structural Materials Module, as well as the Solid Mechanics physics interface from the Structural Mechanics Module. It simulates the force-deflection relation in the soft rubber seal of a car door. The model uses a hyperelastic material and formulations that account for contact and large deformations. Results show the contact pressure and stress on the seal as the displacement changes.
Point Source Distortion by Jet Flow
A model of a Gaussian point source in a high-speed jet flow was implemented using the Acoustics Module. Perfectly matched layers were used to simulate an unbounded model for frequency domain analysis. The simulation results show that the acoustic pressure waves are highly influenced by the jet flow.
Fluid Flow Applications
Solar Panel in Periodic Flow
This simulation of the flow past and through a series of solar panels was developed using the CFD Module and the Structural Mechanics Module. The streamlines depict the direction and magnitude of the periodic flow. Arrows show the formation of a large vortex behind the panel. The surface plot show the structural displacement due to the wind load.
Inkjet Nozzle
This model uses the Laminar Two-Phase Flow, Level Set physics interface from the Microfluidics Module. It simulates the trajectory and velocity of an ink droplet traveling through the air after being ejected from a nozzle. The interface between the air and the ink is tracked using the level set method. The results show a plot of the velocity of the air surrounding the droplet.
Pore-Scale Flow
A model of flow in a porous medium was created by importing electron microscopy images into COMSOL Multiphysics to accurately reproduce a porous structure. The Creeping Flow physics interface from the Subsurface Flow Module was used to solve the flow in the interstices of the porous medium. This method enables the simulation of particulate and colloid movement through subsurface variable-pore geometries.
Chemical Applications
Hydrodealkylation in a Membrane Reactor
Simulation of the hydrodealkylation process in a membrane reactor was performed using the Plug-flow reactor type in the Reaction Engineering physics interface available with the Chemical Reaction Engineering Module. In the model, hydrogen is continuously supplied to the reactor through a porous membrane. External data was used to define the physical and thermodynamic properties of the model.
Electrokinetic Valve
This model of an electrokinetic valve is based on pressure driven flow and electrophoresis in a 3D microchannel system. The model was developed using the Microfluidics Module. The simulation shows the time-dependent transfer of ions for different configurations of the electric field.
Li-ion Battery Pack
This simulation of a lithium-ion battery pack was developed using physics from the Batteries and Fuel Cells Module and the Heat Transfer Module. The study couples an electrochemical model with thermal analysis to determine the temperature field in the pack.
Electrodeposition on a Car Door
This model, developed using the Electrodeposition Module, shows deposited paint thickness on an electrocoated car door. The simulation results show the total electrode thickness change and the electrolyte potential at t=120 s.
Mitigate Corrosion in a Ship Hull
This model of a ship's hull with a coated propeller was developed using the Corrosion Module. The results show the electrolyte potential on the surface of the hull during impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP). This technique is often used to mitigate corrosion by applying an external current to a surface, which polarizes it and lowers the electric potential.
Atmospheric Corrosion
This model simulates atmospheric galvanic corrosion of an aluminum alloy in contact with steel using the Corrosion Module. The electrolyte film thickness depends on the relative humidity of the surrounding air and the salt load density of NaCl crystals on the metal surfaces. The current densities are for a range of relative humidity values and salt load densities.
Glucose Sensor
A model of an electrochemical glucose sensor was developed using the Electroanalysis physics interface available in the Electrochemistry Module. The diffusion of glucose and ferri/ferrocyanide redox mediators occurs in a unit cell above an interdigitated electrode. A linear response is observed over a range of concentrations.
Multipurpose Modules
Ion Funnel
This model of an ion funnel was developed using the Particle Tracing Module and the AC/DC Module. The results show the electric potential along the funnel. The particle trajectories are indicated in black, showing positions at several time steps.
Electron Beam Divergence
This simulation, developed using the Particle Tracing Module and the AC/DC Module, shows a beam of electrons diverging due to its own space charge. Perturbations to these trajectories affect the space charge distribution. The results depict electric potential of the beam.
Microchannel Dispersion Optimization
This model, developed using the Optimization Module and the Microfluidics Module, studies the dispersion of particles through a curved microchannel in electroosmotic flow (EOF) that has a chemical species detector downstream of the curve. Geometric optimization was carried out to minimize the dispersion that occurs due to the curved walls.
Optimization of a Catalytic Microreactor
Simulation results show the optimal catalyst distribution in a microreactor where a reactant undergoes chemical reaction as it comes in contact with the porous catalyst. The simulation accounts for the fluid dynamics of the solution pumped through the catalytic bed, and the mass transport of the reactant and its reaction rate. The optimal catalyst distribution is found by maximizing the reactant conversion for a given total pressure difference across the bed.


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The Official Site Of Bluffton Beavers Athletics
Running Back
5-10 Sophomore
Henderson, NE
Heartland Community High School
Health, Fitness and Sports Science major
"'I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord. 'Plans to prosper you not harm
you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11

subset: commoncrawl


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A Cobra 60mm stainless steel front bar for your Suzuki SX4 is a great way to protect the front of your pick-up whilst creating an eye catching look. The Cobra 'A' bar promotes an upmarket look for your Suzuki SX4.
The 60mm Front Bar is EU compliant and TUV certified, meaning that the bar has been crash-tested in accordance with the EU legislation to deem that in the event of a collision with a pedestrian, any injury caused would be reduced in comparison to a vehicle without a front bar. You can read more on the legality issues surrounding bull bars here and download the European legislation in PDF format here.
The Cobra 60mm Front Bar for your Suzuki SX4 features:
Create a classy look by fitting your Suzuki SX4 with a Cobra 60mm Front Bar
Cobra are one of the world's largest suppliers of 4x4 accessories. Since 1982 Cobra have progressed through constant development to achieve the quality and precision of the products we see today, including a 60mm Stainless Steel Front Bar for the Suzuki SX4.


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Our Angry Birds Space Dinner Plates will be perfect for your child's out of this world birthday celebration! Each set includes 8 paper plates measuring approximately 9" in diameter. These colorful plates feature select characters from the Angry Birds Space game and will perfectly match your party theme. This is an officially licensed Angry Birds product.
Complete the unique Angry Birds party theme down to the last detail with the wide range of party supplies available at Birthday Express. These dinner plates can be matched with our Angry Birds Space Dessert Plates, but they also work well with our complete selection of Angry Birds themed party supplies. Our other Angry Birds products include tablecovers, napkins, invitations, balloons, paper cups, pencils, outdoor action game, removable wall decorations, rubber bracelets, and more!
If you are looking for a convenient package that can be customized just for you, then check out the Angry Birds Party in a Box from BirthdayExpress.com This package comes with all the essential items you need in one purchase. You can include any specific items you want based on the number of party guests. For other party planning tips, please visit the Ideas section of our website for more suggestions on making this party a memorable experience for your child.Read More
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Kinetics Database Resources
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Administrative Links
Chemical and Biochemical Reference Data Division
Title: Disproportionation-Combination Ratios of Small Alkyl Radicals Formed by the Mercury-Photosensitized Hydrogenation of Olefins in the Gas Phase
Journal: Int. J. Chem. Kinet.
Volume: 3
Year: 1971
Reference type: Journal article
Squib: 1971FAL/SUN523
sec-C4H9 + sec-C4H9 → n-C4H10 + 1-C4H8
View full bibliographic record.


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Eddie's, the self-proclaimed "Home of the Bar Pie" out in New Hyde Park launched their mobile Pizza Truck last year. When it first launched, Adam took some issue with it, mostly in its timing.
To be precise, he had to wait 53 minutes for a pizza. That's pretty crazy for pizza from a truck. That said, he was moderately impressed with the flavor of the special, topped with sausage, peppers, meatballs, onions, and pepperoni, but lamented their soggy tips and relatively flavorless crust.
It's been a year and they've now got a permanent gig at The Lot On Tap, the open-air bar/food truck scene under the 30th street end of the High Line park that runs from the Meatpacking District to Chelsea. How do they stack up these days?
First off, they've made major strides in improving their timing. It could be that Adam happened to go when there were particularly long lines or they hadn't quite figured out their oven situation, but I had my pie in my hands within 8 minutes of ordering. That said, it still had most of the basic problems that Adam mentioned the first go around.
Thing is, Eddie's truck does not make their pizza with pizza dough. That's right. Their pizza is built on a sheeted circular cut-out. It's rolled and stamped, not tossed or stretched. It resembles a large tortilla more than a pizza crust.
Order your pie, and the cook pulls a pre-formed crust off of a large stack, spreads a thin layer of herb-heavy tomato sauce all the way to the edges, then haphazardly layers on cheese and toppings before throwing the whole thing into a 650°F deck oven for 6 minutes (much better than the 30 minutes for Adam's pie).
My pie looked a lot better than Adam's as well. Some decent charred bits around the edges (like a good bar pie should have), along with some nice spotting on the bottom. The slices were as thin as cardstock, but showed some major crispness—you could hold them out straight even with a full load of toppings on the end.
Now the bad news: The crust is still flavorless, existing as a vehicle to deliver toppings to your mouth and nothing more. Don't expect any chew, any hole structure, or any real flavor. It's crisp, and that's about it.
The toppings impart enough flavor to make the thing edible, but there's no hiding the fact that what you're getting is run-of-the-mill, low-grade pepperoni slices that are flabby (not crisp), and meatballs and sausage that are salty enough, but not particularly flavorful. And, unfortunately, there's no browning on the toppings whatsoever.
The best thing to add to the pies is the pickled peppers, which give a pleasant hit of heat and tang—some real flavor to rescue an otherwise dull pie.
I think perhaps the reason my pie came so fast is that these days, there's not much of a line at the truck, and it's not that hard to see why. At least there's been one major improvement since the truck left its old street-side locations: you can now drink while you wait for your pie.
Eddies's Pizza Truck
Multiple locations, but Tuesday through Sunday there's always one at the High Line, 10th avenue and 30th street (map) 917-439-7522; eddiespizzany.com


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|Family injured in Thursday evening, two-vehicle accident on S.R. 256
Four members of a family were listed as injured in a two-vehicle collision that occurred at Hardy Lake Road and State Road 256 East on Thursday evening, July 12.
According to information gathered by Deputy Joe Guarneri of the Sheriff's Department, Kirk Flowers was driving his 1998 Chevy pickup truck south on Hardy Lake Road. Flowers, 45, told the officer that he stopped at the intersection, which is marked with a north-south flashing red light and an east-west yellow flashing light.
Flowers stated he did not see any on-coming traffic on S.R. 256 and so proceeded to go south on State Road 203. That's when the pickup was struck in the passenger's side by an eastbound 2012 Chevrolet CZT driven by Jennifer J. Bennett, 34, Hanover.
Apparently, the collision caused one of the vehicles to veer off the road and strike a woodshed owned by Coby Whittymore and on the property of Pioneer Village, a convenience store/gas station on the southeast corner of the intersection.
The accident happened at 7:20 p.m.
Flowers was unhurt, according to the report, but Bennett and her three passengers were listed as injured.
Bennett experienced pain in her hip/upper leg. Jacob Bennett, 7, had pain in his shoulder/upper arm, and Maggie Bennett, 5, had pain in her abdominal/pelvic area. Another passenger, Kelsey Johnson, 15, Hanover, suffered contusions and bruises on her head.
Both vehicles were towed from the scene. Deputy Guarneri estimated damage at up to $50,000.
|Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 July 2012 09:26


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Story highlights
- State inspectors visited the site in 2012, 2010 and 1991, officials say
- The plant had the only permit required -- an industrial storm water permit
- West Virginia's governor says he's now considering increasing regulation
It sounds like a dangerous combination: massive tanks holding chemicals near a major water supply.
That was the setup in West Virginia last week when a chemical spill contaminated a river supplying water to hundreds of thousands of people. Officials say there wasn't much regulation at the site where the spill occurred and that little is known about the chemical that leaked.
Now, state officials say they're considering increasing oversight.
"Absolutely," Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin told CNN. "We need to do what we can to see that this kind of incident never happens again. There's no excuse for it."
Two U.S. congressmen say the spill exposes regulatory gaps in the country's chemical control laws.
And many in the area are asking key questions: What caused thousands of gallons of a chemical used to clean coal to spill into the water? How dangerous is the chemical? And why didn't anyone catch the problem sooner?
State regulators inspected site in 1991, 2010, 2012
The facility where the leak occurred is owned by Freedom Industries, which supplies products for the coal-mining industry. The chemical that spilled, known as MCHM, is used to treat coal to reduce the amount of ash.
A state environmental inspector visited the site in 2010 after a complaint about an odor, said Randy Huffman, the head of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
"We went out on site and didn't find anything that would cause concern, no leaks or anything like that," Huffman said. The licorice smell given off by the chemical that spilled, 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, can emerge when it is transferred to or from the facility -- not just during a leak.
Inspectors visited the plant again in 2012 to determine whether any processes had changed that would require the company to obtain additional air quality permits, Huffman said. The inspectors decided no new permits were needed, and they wouldn't have inspected the tanks where Thursday's leak occurred, he said.
Before that, the last inspection at the site had been in 1991. That inspection took place because the Charleston plant stored different materials that required regulation, said Tom Aluise, spokesman for the environmental protection department.
State environmental officials said the facility had the only permit it was required to have: an industrial storm water permit.
"Basically they had to monitor the runoff from the rain and send us the results every quarter. Those were the only regulatory requirements," Huffman said. "The materials they were storing there is not a hazardous material."
That's because the facility didn't process the chemicals, he said. It just stored them. The company was responsible for maintaining the tanks, Huffman said.
"There's not necessarily the kind of robust environmental controls that people might anticipate that there should be on these types of facilities," he said. That's left West Virginia officials trying "to beef up what could be viewed as a loophole with these kinds of facilities."
Booth Goodwin, the U.S. attorney in Charleston, said he's investigating whether any laws were broken when the chemical leaked into the Elk River. But even if no regulations were violated, rules in the state could change as a result of the spill.
"We are writing to request that you immediately schedule a hearing to examine the regulatory gaps that this incident has exposed in the nation's toxic chemical control laws," Rep. Henry A. Waxman, D-California, and Rep. Paul D. Tonko, D-New York said in a letter Monday.
Little known about chemical
Government health and safety officials say they don't know much about MCHM. But they told about 300,000 people in nine counties to stop using the water once they discovered that 7,500 gallons of the chemical had leaked on Thursday. On Monday, they said people in some areas could start using the water again and assured them that it would be safe.
This much is clear: somehow the chemical leaked out of the storage tank, breached a concrete wall surrounding the tank, seeped into the soil and reached the water supply.
"My guy said you could see it bubbling up out of the ground, and there was no question what was going on," Huffman said.
Freedom Industries President Gary Southern said last week that residents' safety had been his company's first priority since he learned about the leak.
"We have been working with local and federal regulatory, safety and environmental entities ... and are following all necessary steps to fix the issue," he said. "Our team has been working around the clock since the discovery to contain the leak to prevent further contamination."
An emergency official told CNN that when he saw the tank, it looked old.
"I would say the tank was antique," said C.W. Sigman, deputy director of emergency services in Kanawha County.
Elizabeth Scharman, West Virginia's poison control director, told CNN last week that the chemical inside the tanks had not been studied.
"We don't know the safety info, how quickly it goes into air, its boiling point," she said.
That raises an important question, Waxman and Tonko said Monday.
"It is critically important that we understand how the law allowed a potentially harmful chemical to remain virtually untested for nearly forty years. ... We should not have to wait for a major contamination event to learn the most basic information about a toxic chemical in commerce," they said.
A 2005 fact sheet about the chemical filed with West Virginia environmental officials offered guidance for what to do if a large spill is detected: "Prevent runoff from entering drains, sewers, or streams."


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It's been 10 years since Brent Hartinger's novel Geography Club first hit the shelves. A lot has changed since the publication of this book, which tells the story of closeted Russel Middlebrook, who forms a support club for isolated gay students. Gay YA fiction has become much more mainstream. Also, the publishing industry now includes more options for writers looking to bring work to market. Hartinger is on the inside of both of these trends, having just self-published The Elephant of Surprise, the fourth book in his Russel Middlebrook series. Hartinger talks about the new book, his experience with releasing (and promoting) his own work, and why it's an exciting time to be a writer.
Why do you continue to write the Russel Middlebrook series?
I know every author gets fan email and it's the best part of the job. But there's something about these gay teen books. People have a relationship with them, and I get the most touching, wonderful emails. As a writer you can't really ask for anything better.
I wrote Geography Club based loosely on my own experiences of feeling alone and alienated as a gay teenager back in the '80s. The irony is that this story about a kid who feels alone makes me feel like I have friends all over the world. And if the book has done anything, it's made people who used to feel like I felt, feel less alone, too.
Has the content of readers' letters changed in the 10 years since Geography Club was first published?
I am hearing from kids who have come out at a much younger age. I still hear from a lot of kids in crisis and kids who have been kicked out [of their homes], but now I think they tend to be from Southern states and rural areas. Also, as the book gravitates across the planet, I get the same kind of emails that I was getting in 2003 and 2004 from the United States, [but now] from Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Bolivia, Qatar, Peru, and Colombia. The facts of Geography Club are kind of dated if you live in a city like Seattle or Los Angeles. But if you live in a small city in Utah or Georgia, or Bolivia or India, they are very, very relevant. On one hand it's incredibly depressing. On the other hand, we all know how the story ends. It's a horrible struggle, yet it has a happy ending.
In The Elephant of Surprise, Russel falls in love with a freegan, an anti-consumer who forages for food. Where did this idea come from?
When you do a series, it's really important that you don't ever repeat yourself. People think they want to read more of the same story, but the reality is they want a new story. They just want to feel the way that first story made them feel. So you're constantly on the lookout for a new way to talk about the same themes.
A friend of mine sent me an article on freeganism maybe four or five years ago. I thought, this is just perfect for Russel, because the recurring theme in his series is the outsider. What is an outsider? What makes an outsider? How do we deal with outsiders? Before, Russel was the outsider, and now he falls in love with this guy who is a Dumpster diver. I love the idea of the main character coming in contact with somebody who is even more of an outsider that he is, which forces him to question everything about his life.
Before, just getting a gay story published was revolutionary. Now it's sort of revolutionary to tell a story that has gay characters who are just like other kids. They are not being gay bashed or dealing with bullying. They are just getting on with their lives and they are dealing with issues that every teen deals with.
Why did you decide to self-publish this book?
HarperCollins published the first three books in the series. but it wasn't working out, so I left. HarperCollins still controlled the rights and a couple were out of print. The books had developed a following and I was getting all these emails from people saying they wanted to read these books. So I got back the rights for the latter two. Harper still publishes Geography Club.
Just as a lark, I reprinted [those] two books as e-books and paperbacks, too. I didn't get rich, but they sold surprisingly well. I had left the third book with sort of a cliffhanger, and I always wanted to write a fourth book. So I decided to self-publish it.
I had trepidations. Like every writer, I've had frustration over the years with choices my publishers have made. At the same time I didn't want to be responsible for all the marketing and deciding the cover and all of that. But then a movie version of Geography Club was announced and I thought well, certainly if I am going to [self-publish] I should do it now.
It's a lot of work, but at the same time, I got to write exactly the book I want. Traditional publishing was not this burden, but you serve many masters. With self-publishing, if I want to write about freegans and Russel's love affair with a kid who is a Dumpster diver, I can do it and no one is going to look at me askance.
I know my readers at this point. I know that what people like about these books is they are quirky, and the characters are neurotic and weird and dorks. So I knew this story would find its place. And if it continues to sell, I will make more money off this book then I made off any of the other books with HarperCollins, except Geography Club.
Do you plan to continue self-publishing other projects?
I have a movie coming out either next year or the one after that, which is based on a play of mine. I might novelize that play. Part of me thinks I should try to pitch that to publishers, and part of me thinks I should just self-publish it.
The problem with self-publishing is getting anybody to care. The books in the Russel Middlebrook series had a pre-existing audience, plus there's been publicity about the upcoming movie [tentatively scheduled for. I tell people who write to me about self-publishing that you really have to think long and hard. Does your book have a media hook? Do you have a platform or a following? Self-publishing is a game-changer, but I don't know that it's a panacea.
As hard as it is for me to get traditionally published, especially with a gay book back in the 1990s, when I first started trying to sell Geography Club – self-publishing is harder. I don't think it's any shortcut. It's just a different kind of hard. People should definitely go in with both eyes open.
Will you do a fifth book in the Russel Middlebrook series?
It is in my head, but I haven't outlined it yet. If I write it, it will be a reboot of the series. I am going to jump ahead four or five years with Russel, when he's in college. Writing it depends in part on how The Elephant of Surprise does – and how the Geography Club movie does, too. If the movie comes out and tanks, who knows?
How did the movie come about?
The rights were optioned right away and then it went through a whole series of producers. It almost got made a zillion different times: it was an indie film, a big budget film, a TV film, a TV series. I was starting to think it was never going to happen. But then around 2010, the latest producers invoked the option and purchased the rights.
It's an indie production, so it doesn't have a $50 million budget, but they really worked wonders and they didn't skimp. I saw it a couple of weeks ago and it looks great. It's updated as it needed to be, and some of the story was made more cinematic, since a big part of the book is in Russel's head.
I didn't write the movie, but the producers asked me my opinion now and again, and showed me the script. In a way, I am almost glad I didn't write it, because if the movie is a success, I get lots of credit, and I don't get any blame if it's not well received.
I was on set for a half a week, and I had this out-of-body experience watching a scene based on something that actually happened to me. By the end of the scene, I literally couldn't remember what actually happened to me, what did I write and what did I just see. It was this wonderful blur.
What else are you working on now?
I have a couple of projects that just went out with my agent a couple of weeks ago, as a traditional deal. In a couple of weeks, I am also pitching a Kindle Serial project for Amazon's new program, which publishes novels in episodes. It's an adult science fiction project, which I am writing right now. If Amazon says no, then I will try to traditionally publish that one as well.
It sounds like you're exploring all kinds of possibilities.
It's sort of nice to have options. We live in an exciting era where writers have more freedom than we've ever had.
The Elephant of Surprise by Brent Hartinger. Buddha Kitty Books, $12.99 paper ISBN 978-0-9846794-5-4


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YORK, PA – The York College men's cross country team hosted the second of two York Invitationals during the 2009 campaign on Saturday. The Spartans took fourth place out of the seven teams who placed at John Rudy Park in York.
The Green and White, who averaged a time of 27:44.47, were paced by all-conference runner Matt Provonche (Churchville, Md./C. Milton Wright). The junior crossed the line at 27:26.38 to capture 18th place in the 96-participant race.
Freshman Steven Childres (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Saint Joseph), who is shaping up to be one of York's best in just his rookie season, grabbed 23rd with a time of 27:39.14. Paul Wallace (Denver, Pa./Cocalico) finished two spots after Childres, posting a time of 27:44.24.
Ryan Janes (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) and Andrew Friesma (Adamstown, Pa./Cocalico) registered 31st and 32nd for the Spartans. Janes recorded a 27:55.59 while Friema clocked a 27:56.98.
Johns Hopkins University won the meet, averaging 26:35.56 for the course. The Naval Academy's "B" squad came in second while Franklin & Marshall nabbed third.
The Spartans return to action next Saturday as they travel to Reading, Pa for the Albright Invitational. Race time is set for 10:00 am.
Matt Provonche photo courtesy of Zach Clabaugh


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September 7th, 1997, the date that signalled the demise of an ageing warrior and the birth of young and hungry champion, destined for greatness.
That night, in El Paso, Texas, saw a 21 year old, undefeated Erik Morales, brutally dispatch fellow Mexican and international boxing hall of famer, Daniel Zaragoza, to capture his first World Title - the WBC Super Bantam-Weight belt.
The similarities between Morales' famous victory over the legendary Zaragoza, and Danny Garcia's devastating fourth round knockout of the equally as legendary Morales are stark.
Just like in 1997, where Morales dealt the knockout blow to Zaragoza's career among boxing's elite, both literally and metaphorically, so too did Garcia to Morales when he sent him sprawling to the canvas - the product of a vicious left hook which separated the great Morales from his senses.
The scenes of jubilation in Danny Garcia's corner as the final bell sounded in the Barclays Center, New York (October, 20th) were in stark contrast to the scene of utter desolation in Morales' camp.
The great 'El Terrible' Morales, on the brink of tears, looked like a broken man.
For a warrior of Morales' ilk, the physical pain inflicted upon him by the Garcia, was pale into comparison to the emotional agony he will encounter, when he awakens to the bitter reality that his career as a prizefighter is over.
Like many a great, but ageing fighter before him, Erik Morales is in boxings last chance saloon.
But Morales should, by his own volition, sound the final bell and call time on a glorious career before the physical beatings begin to have a detrimental effect on his health.
But, the vast majority of distinguished champions, both past and present, were fighters long before they donned a pair of boxing gloves and hit the bag.
Instead a fight within the parameters of the ring was replaced by a fight for survival, often against the backdrop of grinding poverty and hardship.
Such tough and unforgiving beginnings, instilled people like Morales, with the sort of qualities such as, will, determination, desire and ruthless ambition that are pre-requisites for a professional boxer, not least a Prizefighter.
These very same qualities, which served great fighters so well in their ascent to the top, are the exact same attributes which convince them to fight on, in a bid to restore former glories.
On one hand, there is no doubt that Morales still possesses the heart and courage of a champion. On the other, it is beyond doubt that his physical decline makes it inconceivable that he will reclaim another World Title.
Surely Morales will admit defeat and accept that his knockout loss to Garcia was not merely another blemish on his record.
It is the end of an era for battle weary veteran. But the beginning of a legacy of a young, hungry and undefeated fighter destined for greatness, much in the same way Zaragoza acknowledged after his brutal knockout by a 21 year old, Erik Morales in 1997.
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Elvis Costello's interview/musical performance hour Spectacle is, of course, aptly named. Costello's specs have always been a part of his image, and the word correctly conjures both goals of the program: to look more closely at musical artists and to present performances that are truly "something to see." Because Costello is himself so hugely talented as an eclectic songwriter and performer, because his taste is so impeccable, and because he is such a cultural magpie, with an intellectual curiosity and a generally endearing eagerness, Spectacle is a wholly addictive musical program for the ages.
The thirteen episodes of Season One kick off with an hour featuring executive producer Sir Elton John. It's typical of the shows that follow. The segment begins with Costello performing "Border Song" (guitar and vocals) backed by a band that includes Alvin Toussaint (piano and vocals); then, with a "carnival barker meets soul man" intro, Costello brings out John for a freewheeling discussion of his musical lineage and friendships and collaborations. Name-dropping is part of the point of digging up key influences, and John obliges by mentioning The Beatles, James Taylor, Liberace, Patti LaBelle, Billy Stewart, Leonard Cohen, Leon Russell, Laura Nyro, David Ackles, Garnet Mimms, Betty Everett (and that's only a partial list). Costello runs clips of a few of them in performance, and in two of the show's "illustrative performances," John takes to the piano to demonstrate the styles of Russell and Nyro, as they influenced him. John and Costello and the house band perform "Workin' in the Coal Mine" (co-written by Toussaint). The conversation continues as host and guest exchange notes about their stage names, discuss John's amazing encounters with Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra, and reach the conclusion—articulated by John—"We're music-crazy, both of us." On that note, the two duet on the David Ackles song "Down River."
I'd say you get your money's worth right there (and more so, if you're watching the show on Sundance Channel). But the hits keep coming, in a season that includes over sixty such musical performances. Costello talks to President Bill Clinton (a fascinating autobiographical hour about Clinton's love of music from childhood to the Oval Office, as well as his own musicianship), the reunited The Police, Smokey Robinson, Rufus Wainwright, Jakob Dylan, Jenny Lewis, She & Him, Herbie Hancock, Roseanne Cash, Norah Jones, Kris Kristofferson, John Mellencamp, James Taylor and Renée Fleming. Costello steps aside for one episode so Elton John can interview jazz singer (and Costello's wife) Diana Krall. In an earlier outing, Tony Bennett unexpectedly called Krall out of the audience for a duet, one of the unscripted moments Costello has sought to enable.
The Lou Reed episode is full of them, as Reed recalls the importance held in his life and career by The Drifters, Doc Pomus, and great Jimmy Scott; then demonstrates how people get the riff from "Sweet Jane" wrong; then duets with Costello on "Perfect Day" before Costello invites out of the audience the eccentric painter and film director Julian Schnabel, Reed's New York neighbor and the director of a concert film of Reed's Berlin. Schnabel and Reed take turns telling the emotional story of the death of Schnabel's father, and Schnabel spontaneously recites the lyrics of "Rock Minuet," before Costello and Reed close out the show with a joint rendition of "Set the Twilight Reeling." Costello is indeed "music-crazy," crazy for rock through the ages, jazz, country and bluegrass, R&B, opera, you name it. Here's hoping he keeps the Spectacles coming well into his twilight years.
The four-disc Season One set for Spectacle: Elvis Costello with... absolutely must be seen and heard on Blu-ray. With brilliant color, spot-on black level and contrast, and sharp detail yielding an image with depth and "pop," Spectacle is easily one of the sharpest-looking titles in my collection. And though nothing blows up, the DTS-HD Surround 5.1 and Stereo options are both stunning, giving a warm and full-bodied presentation to what are some of the greatest musical performances produced for television this decade.
This four-disc set is mostly about putting this well-named show on the shelf for fans, but happily some terrific bonu features are included. Bonus Songs comprise four extra Costello performances: "Ballad of a Well Known Gun" (4:48, HD), "Beginning to See the Light" (4:57, HD), "Purple Haze," with the Police (3:04, HD), and "No More Tearstained Makeup" (3:27, HD). The four songs come with a Play All option.
The backstage chats in the Bonus Interview Footage section include "Elvis Costello" (13:27, HD) talking about the show in concept and execution, "Elton John" (11:54, HD), "Rufus Wainwright" (5:13, HD), "Sting" (3:27, HD), "Roseanne Cash" (7:27, HD), and "Smokey Robinson" (3:07, HD). All are worth a look, but the chat with Costello about his purpose is essential.
To anyone with good taste in music, I can't recommend this title highly enough, and, yes, I'll say it: this would make a great Christmas gift for the music-lover in your life.
|Review gear:
Panasonic Viera TC-P55VT30 55" Plasma 1080p 3D HDTV
Oppo BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
Denon AVR2112CI Integrated Network A/V Surround Receiver
Pioneer SP-BS41-LR Bookshelf Speaker (2)
Pioneer SP-C21 Center Speaker
Pioneer SW-8 Subwoofer


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A peculiar Tibetan delicacy worth its weight in gold
When most people think of tea, they don't picture drinking boiled caterpillar-like fungus. I have never tried it, nor do I expect to (unless I win the lottery), but believe me, it's a real drink. At about $550 for a bag… Continue reading


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|2012-02-10, 15:37
|Link #66
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
As someone who hasn't played an entry in this series since UN3, how is the ultimate jutsu situation looking? I heard for the Shippuden games thus far, they drastically shortened the animation lengths for characters' ultimate attacks. And as someone who liked those animations in the entries I did play, I wasn't crazy about hearing that.
So, how are they looking? I watched that big trailer, but I don't want to assume I know which attacks are ultimates or just normal jutsu.
|2012-02-12, 14:41
|Link #68
Ha ha ha ha ha...
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Right behind you.
Age: 29
That's assuming I'll have time for any other game after Mass Effect 3 comes out.
|2012-03-19, 19:04
|Link #75
Join Date: Dec 2011
I got this game second day of its release and it is pretty good, ive already beat the stories and unlocked all the characters and blah blah blah, this is what i got out of it
Top tier characters in normal form no specific order: masked man, kage summit naruto, sage naruto,minato, hashirama, sasori, pain, chiyo, susanoo sasuke, tsuchikage
Top tier awakenings no order: kisame, sage naruto, kage summit naruto, itachi, susanoo sasuke, raikage
|2012-03-20, 09:26
|Link #77
Join Date: Dec 2011
100 percent of the time in naruto games i have mained an uchiha, usually sasuke. But once u master hashirama the dude is a god...he can do combos str8 into ninjutsu that will either do the same exact damage or sometimes more then a ultimate jutsu, and his ultimate has the widest attack range in the game, has the longest attack range in the game, and it tracks ur opponent. Also in his team with tobirama, water wall jutsu + deep forest emergence = impossible to dodge if timed right. Haku is . a real fun character, his ultimate jutsu is stupid fast, he can clear the length of the screen in less then a second, seriously. So once he steps into that mirror u have two choices, immediately block, or die. They revamped susanoo and made it less godly, its still a pain in the ass tho...especially sasukes that shoots arrows that are near impossible to dodge, but kyuubi mode naruto stomps every character in this game, his speed and strength are absolutely ridiculous, even susanoo gets absolutely thrashed by km naruto
|Thread Tools


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December 07, 2012 03:00 ET
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM and NEW YORK, NEW YORK and SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE--(Marketwire - Dec. 7, 2012) - Tullett Prebon has been named the inaugural Interdealer Broker of the Year at the Futures and Options World International Awards 2012.
The awards, which celebrate innovation in the derivatives industry, were judged by an independent panel of market advisers and consultants and this year featured an interdealer broker category for the first time. The results were announced at a ceremony in London last night.
The judges highlighted a number of factors contributing to their decision including:
Tullett Prebon's success builds upon its strong performance in the recent Risk Magazine 2012 Annual Interdealer Rankings in which the business was named the overall number one interdealer broker, dominating 15 out of 24 FX categories as well as performing strongly in the Interest Rates and Credit categories, with 14 and 7 number one rankings respectively.
Last month, Tullett Prebon was also named Best Broker for Forwards FX for the 12th year running and Best Broker for Currency Options for a second consecutive year in the annual FX Week Best Banks Awards.
Commenting Angus Wink, Chief Executive Office of EMEA at Tullett Prebon, said:
"We're delighted to be named as Futures and Options World's inaugural Interdealer Broker of the Year. The win is testament to the success of our hybrid approach to broking, the evolution of which has allowed us to continue delivering a first class service to our clients despite challenging macro-economic conditions.
"This approach combined with the launch of several innovative new products and a growing commitment to providing market transparency through our Tullett Prebon Information business has ensured we're well-placed to meet our client's needs. The fact this has once again been recognised by the industry is something as a business we're extremely proud of."
Commenting John Abularrage, Chief Executive Officer and President the Americas at Tullett Prebon, said:
"Winning this award is recognition for the strength of our business across the globe. It's fantastic to see our recent acquisition of Convenção and Chapdelaine & Co highlighted by the judges, as we continue to strengthen both our geographic footprint and product offering to meet our client's needs in a shifting macro-economic environment."
About Tullett Prebon
Tullett Prebon (www.tullettprebon.com) is one of the world's largest interdealer brokers and operates as an intermediary in wholesale financial markets facilitating the trading activities of its clients in seven major product groups: Rates, Volatility, Treasury, Non Banking, Energy & Commodities, Credit and Equities.
With offices in 21 countries, Tullett Prebon operates voice, hybrid, electronic, volume matching, algorithmic matching and risk mitigation platforms, to accommodate the needs of its clients, and to satisfy the regulatory driven evolution of the marketplace. Tullett Prebon will be applying to be a Swap Execution Facility with the CFTC and the SEC in the US and will continue to provide regulatory compliant infrastructures in all other jurisdictions.
In addition to its brokerage services, Tullett Prebon offers a variety of market information services through its IDB Market Data division, Tullett Prebon Information.
Tullett Prebon has its principal offices in London, New Jersey, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo, with other offices, joint ventures and affiliates in Bangkok, Frankfurt, Geneva, Houston (Texas), Jakarta, Luxembourg, Madrid, Manama (Bahrain), Manila, Mumbai, New York, Paris, São Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Toronto, Warsaw and Zurich.
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To the Point: Penn State professor discusses U.S. housing market
Across the nation, more stories are surfacing about people owing more money than their houses are worth. The real estate market is still in a turmoil and even people with good credit histories are having financial problems. How could this be? From the mid-1990s until 2006, housing prices increased dramatically in parts of the United States including Southern California, Florida, Phoenix and Las Vegas. The rest of the country also experienced increases but not to the same extent. In 2006 sales slowed down and prices began to decline -- substantially in some markets.


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Serves 8
|package (about 12) corn
|Canola oil (for deep-fat frying)
|Salt, to taste
|cup shredded cheddar
|cup shredded Jack cheese
|cup crumbled blue cheese
|cup pico de gallo or fresh salsa
|cup sour cream
|bunch scallions, chopped
(for garnish)
1. In a deep saucepan over medium-high heat, heat enough oil to make a layer of several inches until it reaches 350 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer. Have ready a plate lined with paper towels. With a pizza cutter, quarter tortillas. Drop a few at a time into the hot oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 60 to 90 seconds or until the sizzling diminishes dramatically and the tortilla is crisp. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Continue until all the tortillas are fried.
2. Turn on the broiler. Place a rack about 6 inches from the heating element.
3. On a large rimmed baking sheet, arrange half the tortilla chips in one layer. Sprinkle with
4. Broil for 5 minutes or until the cheeses melt. Top with pico de gallo and sour cream. Garnish with scallions. Karen Given. Adapted from Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace


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BALLERINA (in Box)
400mg x 20 capsules
Slim down in 7 days without the diarrhea. Ballerina Anti-obesity capsules are made of five traditional Chinese herbs, which have been carefully selected and processed by the use of modern techniques to ensure maximum quality, effectiveness and safety. Ballerina reduces body fat, clears away toxins and improves skin texture.
Active ingredients: ginseng, medlar, polyphenol, lotus leaf, hawthorn fruit
Dosage: one capsule 2 to 3 x a day, 30 minutes before meals. Drink plenty of water and increase intake of fruits and vegetables
Indications: for obesity, concentrates elimination of fats in the arms, abdomen, buttocks and hips
Contraindications: not suitable for pregnant women & children
At Skin Perfect Essentials, we guarantee that all our products are 100% AUTHENTIC, GENUINE and ORIGINAL. If you feel and think that the product you got is not original, we would be glad to accept your returns and refund your payment.
The request for refund should be made 10 days after receiving the product.
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We will refund payment upon the receipt of the returned products.
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Orders are processed and prepared upon the receipt of the order. Turnaround time only takes a couple of hours and the orders are shipped the same day of the approval of the payment. Being a Big Company, we have a tie up Courier and a ship-anytime agreement with the Postal Corporation so we can ship orders anytime of the day, any day of the week.
As soon as we ship your order, we will notify you via e-mail. You will receive a tracking number which you can use to track your order online with the Online Tracking Site that will also be provided to you. We use Express Mail to ship International Orders and Shipping normally takes 7-10 working days, if there will be delays we will notify you.
We will continue to monitor your orders until it reaches you. We will be glad to be of assistance if there would be any problem on shipment. Just contact us and let us know.
Customers will also be responsible for custom taxes and duties in their countries. IF THERE WOULD BE ANY.
Information provided within this listing is intended to be used as general information only and is in no way intended to replace medical advice, is not be used as a medical treatment program, nor to diagnose or cure any disease or medical condition. Always consult with a qualified physician for medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by FDA/BFAD. You are solely responsible for the proper use of products offered by our store, so PLEASE DO NOT OVERDOSE. If you think or feel that you are not suited for take the pills, please consult a qualified physician before taking.
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Skip to comments.No Laughing at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Posted on 05/03/2012 7:41:04 AM PDT by slouch-no-more
This is a very brief video, and it will inspire you. God bless our brave men and women.
He passed away a year and a half ago. I miss him every day.
Thanks for sharing this.
I've seen this a few times and always share it on Facebook. How can you go there and not be quiet and show reverence? Some people are just so ungrateful and ignorant.
Thank you,Old Guard. Very professional way to straighten out those tools.
You're right philman. I'll do that next time, thanks.
notice the comments argument
folks know immediately what sort would laugh at such a solemn place
God bless your dad and many thanks for his faithful service.
I have been to the Tomb of the Unknowns a few times. The men that walk the mat are just glorious, that's just one of the words I could use. I was just in awe of how faithful and dedicated these men are. I cried, I smiled and I was deeply moved.
It is just a shame that there are those that are to illiterate to be in polite society. I'm glad they got a verbal slapdown.
I was there a few years ago, and a rude, annoying group of non-American-born tourists from Brooklyn walked to the site laughing, taking photos of each other and drinking beverages beyond the point that visitors are allowed.
The ceremony started and the soldier clocked himself in his head with the barrel of his rifle knocking off his hat. The crowd gasped (myself included because it must have really hurt.) The ringleader of the Brooklyn gaggle (who happened to be standing in front of me) laughed. I was on the steps behind him and literally towered over him. I said "show some respect or you won't walk out of her". The moron turned white and apologized. After the ceremony, half a dozen people came up to me and thanked me. I swear, if that asshat had said something stupid, I would have kicked his sorry butt down those stairs.
Wow...I can't believe people aren't just naturally quiet. What chuckle headed idiots.
If slouch-no-more had wanted to draw attention to the comments at the site then a comment in reply #1 along those lines would have been appropriate.
No such comment was made. I will go visit now just because of the comment you've made.
Somebody owes you a "thank you".
folks know immediately what sort would laugh at such a solemn place
I know the sort without having to go there and read the comments, as should you, just by the title.
Because it's unnecessary and hypocritical.
A click won't kill anyone. And the site does the free work of drawing attention to the video.
Exactly - not kind of, but exactly - like Free Republic draws attention to articles not found on Free Republic.
Of would you rather people clicked on the source articles, instead of the Free Republic comment threads?
I'm talking about he youtube site you posted...the comments there.
Immediately folks who commented said it was likely liberals who would laugh at such a place.
I was inspired to see how innately many people know that
And ummm...in case you haven't noticed, you have to click on the source link to read all of the article most of the time anyway.
Too much for you to fathom?
Yep....saw the same thing happen. Got quiet real fast. Great Soldiers there.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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PHOENIX — If Congress can't reach a deal by Friday, automatic spending cuts known as sequester will start to kick in.
A new report released by the White House has a list of federal cuts that Arizona will face this year, including:
• Nearly $30 million for teachers and schools, putting 360 jobs at risk, cutting 1,000 kids from Head Start and reducing aid to 3,600 college students.
• Cutting funding to military operations in Arizona by nearly $50 million
• Cutting funding to protect air and water quality by more than $2 million.
See the full report here.


text: Please ignore my lack of ability to follow instructions. I've been posting nearly every where but here and I "fat fingered" the post I started 30 minutes ago and lost it forever. Heck I'm 55, so typing on a smart phone is beyond my scope of talents. Right!? I didn't plan on being in hvac when growing up. In fact I was a college boy who had to quit for a short time to make some money. (I blame it on a girl) to make a long story short I applied to the unions apprenticeship program and 33I years later I'm working hvac and recently decided to teach a couple nights a week teaching hvac at a college. Thinking perhaps in the next few years I can hang up the tools and retire where Im working and I continue tea hung part or full time. After working service for a few years taking care of the comer island around where I live I decided to apply at a local aerospace e plant taking care of there equipment which includes around 300a buildings with an extreme variety of different hvac and refrigeration "stuff". I like the variety and the challenge. I've been here going on 28the years now and always learning more all the time. I'll be end here and pi k up later. Hopefully Ills get a rely from on e of you so I can find this site again and not get lost in no mans land where I've been hanging out. I'd like to get the required posts in to move on to they next level. Kind of like Rhode. Imputed games I can't seem to get past "beginner" and I'm feeling embarrassed. As all my kids are to level 10down and beyond. Later, Mark sorry about all the mistakes. Still fat fingering


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The Cutting Season
A Novel
Attica Locke
Harper/Dennis Lehane Books: 374 pp., $25.99
How much do I admire Attica Locke's second novel, "The Cutting Season"? To answer that, I need to go back to her 2009 debut, "Black Water Rising," which told the story of Jay Porter, an African American attorney in Houston, a former radical in full retreat from the unresolved issues, political and personal, of his past.
Set in 1981, "Black Water Rising" is nothing if not authoritative; Locke, who lives in Los Angeles, was raised in Houston and understands how the city works. But if that allows the novel to operate on a variety of levels — social, historical, cultural — it remains, primarily, an evocation of character.
This is an essential rule of the hard-boiled thriller: to develop drama from the mystery of personality, to find in the individual a microcosm of the compromise and corruption of the larger world. "Black Water Rising," an Edgar and
That's because with this novel Locke has opened up not just her writing but also the parameters of the form. Set in 2009, on an antebellum Louisiana plantation called Belle Vie, it is a mystery that expands the whole idea of the mystery, reaching from the present deeply into the past. By the time we see it, Belle Vie has been reinvented, preserved as both historical location — even down to its slave cabins — and high-end banquet site.
"The plantation proper sat on eighteen acres," Locke writes, "bordered to the north by the [Mississippi] river, and to the east by the raw, unincorporated landscape of Ascension Parish. To walk it — from the library to the northwest corner to the gift shop and on to the main house, past the stone kitchen and the rose garden, the cottages … , the old schoolhouse and the quarters — took nearly an hour."
The scene Locke sets is beautiful but dangerous, a point she makes in the opening paragraph when a cottonmouth "the length of a Cadillac" falls in the lap of the groom's mother during a wedding.
The danger is human also, as we learn when a woman is found, murdered, by the fence that divides the plantation from a sugar cane farming combine. For Caren Gray, Belle Vie's manager, this is a reminder of all the history, everything left unresolved as Louisiana struggled with Reconstruction after the Civil War.
"Belle Vie," she reflects, "its beauty, was not to be trusted. … [B]eneath its loamy topsoil, the manicured grounds and gardens, two centuries of breathtaking wealth and spectacle, lay a land both black and bitter, soft to the touch, but pressing in its power."
Caren knows her business. African American, she grew up on the plantation, where her mother was the cook for many years. As a child, she played with Raymond and Bobby Clancy, heirs of the family that has owned Belle Vie for nearly a century and a half.
Not only that, but her ancestors were slaves here, and the presence of that history, which functions in the novel almost as a physical force, blurs the line between past and present, particularly in regard to a man named Jason, who stayed on after Emancipation only to disappear under mysterious circumstances in 1872. These complications function like a web, trapping Caren in the weave of her own lineage, framing "The Cutting Season" as a book in which one murder echoes back to another, where the sins of one generation remain unsettled, an active presence in the landscape of the next.
This is what Locke did with "Black Water Rising," using
The Louisiana Locke portrays prides itself on being, in some important sense, post-racial, but those old divisions, those old distrusts and hatreds, linger. On the one hand, the lines appear to be redrawn, less between whites and blacks than between blacks and migrant workers, "Mexicans mostly, and some Guatemalans, plucked out of rice fields and fruit groves for a few months of working Louisiana sugarcane."
For Caren — college-educated, with two years of law school — or her ex-boyfriend, Eric, father of her 9-year-old daughter, Morgan, and an attorney in the Obama administration, the 2008 election symbolizes a new level of opportunity. "She'd gone over that ballot three or four times," Locke writes of Caren, "standing alone in the booth, tracing a finger under the first line, the word President. She wondered what her mother would have made of that, if she'd lived to see it."
That's great writing, the kind that gives you goose bumps — not just because of what it says about the character but also it feels so true. Throughout "The Cutting Season," Locke refuses to take such sentiments for granted, contrasting them with the reality of life on the plantation, where a black worker is railroaded for the murder despite compelling evidence to the contrary, and what's unspoken between Caren's family and the Clancys refuses to remain beneath the surface, where it has simmered since the 1870s.
I don't want to give anything away; among the most compelling aspects of the novel is the steady way Locke deepens her narrative, reminding us that, as Faulkner wrote, "The past is never dead. It's not even past." Locke's insistence on grounding her story in a deeper history pays off because it invests the book with gravitas, a sense of place and consequence, that feels profound and real. How can we isolate one murder, Locke asks, when the earth of Belle Vie itself is stained with blood, when the past refuses to be silenced or stilled? At the heart of this is Caren — torn, conflicted, on the run from herself, yet ultimately unable to avoid the larger questions that are her birthright.
Here, we see the key to "The Cutting Season": That for all those overlapping layers, it comes together in this one character. We see it in her reluctance, the reticence that leads her back to Belle Vie, and also in her realization that there is no solace in hiding, that we must face who we are.
That's a tricky — and, yes, dangerous — process; at novel's end, some things are won and some are lost. But Locke's refusal to offer false resolution makes "The Cutting Season" that much stronger, by reminding us that history, that heritage, is all we have.


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RE "Medical marijuana law takes form" (Page A1, Feb. 6): The public is outraged when a prescription medication thought to be safer and more effective than other options is found to have harmful effects. (One such example is Vioxx, a pain reliever that was associated with small increases in heart attacks among people with heart disease.) Yet marijuana is supported as therapeutic, and called "medical," without any placebo-controlled clinical trials that would tell us the benefits and risks.
It won't be prescribed by doctors — doctors are to "certify" patients to get it — or dispensed by pharmacists. The Food and Drug Administration won't be able to monitor risks the same way it does for other medications. Let's face it — it isn't medical; or, if it is, it has somehow escaped the usual scrutiny.
Although it is possible that the benefits outweigh risks for some, we don't know that, and surveys have found that in other states, many patients are young men suffering from substance use disorders, not just the elderly in pain or people with multiple sclerosis or glaucoma.
What is the justification for so-called medical marijuana's not being subject to the same standards as aspirin, Claritin, Lipitor, and other medications? Patients deserve no less.


text:
Clue: Kayak paddler
We have 1 answer for the clue Kayak paddler. See the results below.
Possible Answers:
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- Certain Alaskan
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- Eskimo-___ (language group)
- Seal fur trader
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- Sealskin wearer, maybe
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- Dweller on the Bering Sea
Last Seen In:
- New York Times - February 12, 2001
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In the lead-up to Valentine's Day next week, one central-west NSW couple have proven that love can find you at any age.
Today Anglican Reverend Alan McAnulty, 85, will marry his sweetheart Rosemary Brown, 81, in a ceremony at St Barnabas Anglican Church.
The couple have known each other for 16 years, but suddenly their stars collided just two months ago.
"He's a chaplin at Wontama and I used to go there singing," Ms Brown said.
"She also provided the music for me for the last four years," Reverend McAnulty said.
The couple told Fairfax Regional Media they had each been married before and found themselves on their own in their twilight years.
They said it was important they make their new union official.
"We've both had a church upbringing and think it's right," Ms Brown said.
When Ms Brown decided to give up volunteering at Wontama, Reverend McAnulty said he decided to make his move.
"So I wouldn't lose her I asked if we could carry on the friendship," he said.
"It was going to be on a friendship basis and a coffee, but it soon changed ...why waste time?
With the nuptials being held today Ms Brown said she was not at all nervous and was simply looking forward to the ceremony.
Like any bride she has planned the day, picked out a dress and told her friends and family about her new husband-to-be.
"We've had so many good wishes and things can't go wrong when you've had so many good wishes," she said.
While Ms Brown said it was a romantic proposal, she did not want to divulge details.


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The 64 Studio Platform Development Kit (PDK) is a version control system for GNU/Linux distributions, allowing the creation and management of many different projects, based on Debian and Ubuntu sources. PDK is written in Python, and the source code is well commented and contains documented examples.
The Advanced Linux Sound Architecture is composed of several parts. The first is a fully modularized sound driver which supports module autoloading, devfs, isapnp autoconfiguration, and gives complete access to analog audio, digital audio, control, mixer, synthesizer, DSP, MIDI, and timer components of audio hardware. It also includes a fully-featured kernel-level sequencer, a full compatibility layer for OSS/Free applications, an object-oriented C library which covers and enhances the ALSA kernel driver functionality for applications (client/server, plugins, PCM sharing/multiplexing, PCM metering, etc.), an interactive configuration program for the driver, and some simple utilities for basic management.
ABISS (Active Block I/O Scheduling System) is an extension for the Linux kernel that implements priorities for disk IO operations, and that provides a means for applications to use these priorities to obtain real-time (e.g. a guaranteed data rate) and prioritized best-effort services. The kernel code is supported by a user space daemon and a library.
Fullscreen display of a short text.
A PHP class to decode email messages.


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"If you have an open mind... Give it a listen"
This is one of those books that just gives you a lot to think about. I would actually suggest this book to anyone. Fitting narration, excellent content, something that anyone can appreciate.
The narrator was pretty good, I wasn't falling asleep, I never thought that it was drawling on nor was I thinking it was being rushed. There were moments you can laugh at and it was also very easy to follow in the easy, cool tone the narrator had. The entire book was brought across very well.
I have some friends who studied botany in in college who I picture would find the entire book fascinating. I majored in Chemistry and I found myself channelling my inner scientist by the Potato chapter wondering how I could genetically modify a Pumpkin plant, that's how thought provoking I found this book. Also, I can see someone with no affiliation with science also appreciating this book as long as they have an open mind. The book was not complicated in any way by having overly complex concept and was broken down in a form I think anyone could appreciate.
"Amazing Listen - Thoroughly Satisfying"
I realized my teenage children and I have listened to various parts of this book a dozen times already. Time to write a Review! Recommended to us by their high school teacher, this book discusses the history, science, and more regarding the apple, the lily, weed, and the potato. Don't miss this book - it is well read and not only very informative but a great story as well.
"Great book"
This book is great. Sure it's not a textbook so don't expect to use it to pass your biology exams. It's a pop science book that will be interesting to a wide range of people, in particular anyone interested in gardening and plants.
It's basically four stories, each one about a different plant and the authors experience with them and musing on them and their history. The four plants are apples, tulips, marijuana and potatoes.
The book is well written and in some places quite funny. It kept me entertained, I picked up a few factoids on the history of these plants, and it made me think about how plants and humans depend on each other.
The narrators reading was a bit overdramatic in the introductory parts, either he settled down or I got used to it, because I enjoyed the narration through most of the stories. This narrator also did "The Traveler" (fiction), which I also enjoyed about 6 months ago.
Overall, this is one of the best books I've downloaded in the last few months.
"Surprisingly Excellent"
I got this book as I like the narrator and it had so many great reviews. This book makes you think of the relationship between humans and nature - and in particular plants - in a whole different way. Johnny Appleseed is explained with many fascinating facts about apples and apple trees.
Apples, Tulips, Marijuana and Potatoes are talked about and explained. I found the discussion on potatoes would be the most provocative. The book allows you to better understand the blight,why genetic engineering of foods is gaining a foothold, and the challenges of organic farming.
Well worth the listen!
"a delight"
Although I found the subject matter of this book interesting and appealing, it was Pollan's use of language that kept me coming back to listen more. It has been a long time since I have been exposed to such charming and lyrical prose -- a perfect accompaniment to the author's love of the subject. Or perhaps I should say "subjects" -- the choice of apple, tulip, cannabis, and potato provide a multidimensional view of human-plant interaction (and Pollan's passion for the topic) that would not be easily expressible in a more conventionally focused format.
Two green thumbs up!
"Good Book - Awful Narration"
I greatly enjoyed the content of this book, but stopped listening to it and read a paper copy due to downright unbearable narration. I would only recommend listening to this book if you have previously listened to Scott Brick and actually like (or can suffer through) his narration style, which is characterized by inexplicably dramatic passages, comically mispronounced words and a cadence that could make you seasick. That said, some people love his style. I'm not one of them and therefore cannot recommend this book or any other book read by Mr. Brick.
"How Plants Make Themselves Attractive to Humans"
After reading the Omnivores Dilemma and In Defense of Food, I looked forward to reading this one. I knew it had been written earlier and was about the natural history of plants, but I enjoyed his other writings and found them insightful so I didn't much care what it was, I'm a Michael Pollan fan. So, this turned out to be a quirky look at the history of how the Apple developed in North America, how the potato evolved and impacted Ireland and is being genetically modified today, how pot has gotten stronger as a result of the war on drugs and how the tulip evolved. Fun, funny and engaging not unlike Simon Winchester. Though, while Winchester is the proper old Englishman stumbling across interesting topics, Pollan is a stoner speculating about how plants evolve to make themselves attractive to humans for cultivation.
"Don't let the neg. reviews scare you- good book"
I'm not sure where those negative reviews came from. The book was well written, informative and entertaining. It's really a history of 4 things from our daily lives: apples, tulips, potatoes, and Mary Jane.
But it's more than just a history of these four; like his other book(s), Botany of Desire makes you question things- in this case the theory that the food chain might actually 'desire' to be what they have evolved into. Although he argues this point seriously enough, and it did make me think about it, I find it difficult to equate evolution to 'desire.'
Anyhoo, I bought this book because I really like Omnivore's Dilemma. It wasn't quite as good in my opinion, but still very good. And the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I read OD before and had another of his works to compare this one to.
In short, if you like apples, tulips, potatoes or wacky tobaccy, you'll like this book.
This is not a book for those looking for hard facts. Contrary to the book's description, you'll learn very little about the co-evolution of humans and plants. Most of the text consists out of lenghty contemplations and author's own, rather poetical, thoughts about humans and plants.
"Engaging and informative"
Michael Pollan has done extensive research and delivered it in an absorbing manner, of course with Scott Brick's help. He weaves history, philosophy and morality into the story of four plants. Fodder for many dinner conversations. You won't be disappointed!


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Frank Lampard's agent, Steve Kutner has claimed the veteran Chelsea midfielder is set to leave Stamford Bridge at end of the season following Blues refusal to offer him new contract.
Chelsea informed Kutner, after the club's 2-1 Premier League win at Everton that there was no possibility of the midfielder staying at Stamford Bridge beyond the end of this season, the Telegraph reports.
Lampard originally learned of Chelsea's decision at last month's Club World Cup in Japan.
The England international could be in no doubt of owner Roman Abramovich's determination to let him go as the club reiterated their position last week, after a game in which he had scored two match-winning goals.
Kutner said Frank has had to accept the decision and just wants to carry on playing football for Chelsea, and wants to finish the season as successfully as possible for the club he loves.
Despite suggestions of recent dialogue between Lampard and the club, it is understood that these discussions were designed purely to appraise him of Chelsea's stance rather than to offer him any hope of a new deal.
Lampard moved alongside Kerry Dixon as Chelsea's second all-time leading scorer on 193 goals, which is nine behind Bobby Tambling, when he converted a penalty in Chelsea's 5-1 FA Cup third-round victory at Southampton. (ANI)


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There's an article that's making its way through the SQL Ranks: Consultants are pros, while corporate IT staff are minor leaguers. Louis Davidson (blog | twitter) has a response to it here: Big League Technical Staff. Basically, the premise of the original is that consultants are major leaguers because they deal with different environments, have short time lines, and are constantly moving on to the next problem. Corporate IT doesn't do these things, so they aren't as good. Now it would be easy to bash consultants and us corporate IT folks have plenty of consultant horror stories. But let's just show how illogical the premise is with respect to the quality of corporate IT staff.
Andy Leonard:
Andy is a great friend of mine. He was a consultant. He was a published author, MVP, and well respected in the community. I guess that makes him major leagues. But then came a chance to work for his dream boss. But it meant corporate IT. He took it. Did he suddenly get dropped off the major league roster? Did his ability to do everything he did as a consultant suddenly go out the window? No, of course not. Now he's a consultant again. Did he automagically get his swagger back simply because he put consultant back as his title?See how ridiculous it is to try and classify one group one way and the other group another?
Louis Davidson:
If you've never heard Louis speak about data modeling, you need to. I've had the privilege of sitting through a SQL Saturday session of his and loved it. On a side note I learned quite a bit. He's a published author and MVP as well. Louis, who has written several books on data modeling in SQL Server (among other books, mind you), is minor league? Really? You want to try and justify that? Of course he's not. Which goes to show how silly the original premise is.
Linchi Shea:
I first heard about Linchi Shea because he wrote THE book on managing SQL Server with Perl. But that's not all he's good at. Did I mention he's an MVP, too? And if you think he's minor league, go read his blog. How many consultants have you run across who could drop that kind of knowledge? There aren't many, just like there aren't many on the corporate IT side. But if Linchi is minor league, I want to see the average consultant (who is a major leaguer, mind you) who knows more than that. And that's exactly Louis' point.
But These Are Exceptions...
These three are exceptional, sure. But exceptions, no. To say there aren't great, knowledgeable people within the rank and file of corporate IT staff is foolish. With respect to consultants, I've seen my share of good and bad. And I've also seen my share of good and bad in the corporate ranks. I'm of the same opinion of Louis, in that you can't say that one group are the rockstars and the other group the folks playing in cover bands. That original article gave examples of tasks he had seen corporate IT fail to do. Admittedly, that's sad. Those things should be doable by folks in those jobs. But what's equally sad is I've seen consultants who can't do those things, either. It's not isolated to one group. To try and make that claim makes me seriously doubt your ability to use logic and reason properly. And in IT, those are critical skills to be a professional.


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Swisher visits Indians, leaves without deal
By Jordan Bastian / 12/18/12 5:20 PM ET
CLEVELAND -- The Indians are trying to sell free-agent outfielder Nick Swisher on the idea that there is no place like home. Bringing the Ohio State University product to Cleveland to suit up for the Indians tugs at the sentimental heartstrings, but the purse strings remain undoubtedly important.
On Tuesday, the Indians pulled out all the stops on Swisher's visit to Cleveland and Progressive Field, treating the free agent like a high school recruit during his tour of the stadium and facilities. Swisher left town in the afternoon without penning his name on a contract, but he has a standing offer from the Tribe to be its starting right fielder.
"It was great to connect with he and his wife, Joanna," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said, "and a couple of other people that were on the visit as well. It was great to visit and spend some time with him. We had a chance to share our thoughts on the organization and where we are, and answer any questions that Nick had, as well as reconnect him with some of his Ohio roots."
It is believed the Indians have offered Swisher a four-year deal that could be worth around $50 million. The deal is larger than the four-year pact offered by the Tribe earlier this offseason to outfielder Shane Victorino, who instead signed a three-year, $39 million contract with Boston. Swisher was headed to an undisclosed city to meet with another team after his stop in Cleveland.
According to Bart Swain, the Indians' director of baseball information, Swisher arrived in Cleveland on Monday night and had dinner with team president Mark Shapiro, Antonetti and manager Terry Francona. Bullpen coach Kevin Cash, who was a teammate of Swisher's with the Yankees in 2009, was also on hand.
Antonetti declined to delve into any specifics regarding the visit or contract negotiations.
Francona -- hired in October to be the 42nd manager in franchise history -- joined Cleveland due to his friendship with Shapiro and Antonetti, but also because of his family ties to the Indians. Francona's father, Tito, played for Cleveland years before Terry Francona suited up for the Tribe as well. Terry Francona also worked in the Indians' front office in 2001 before later going on to win two World Series as manager of the Red Sox.
When he took the job, Francona described his return as a feel-good family story. The Indians appear to be working a similar angle with Swisher, who was born in Columbus, Ohio, raised as a teenager in Parkersburg, W.Va., located on the southeast Ohio border, and played baseball at Ohio State University. Swisher's father, former big leaguer Steve Swisher, attended Ohio University.
During Tuesday's tour of Cleveland's home ballpark, the Indians announced Swisher's name over the loudspeakers and played his personal walk-up music. On the scoreboard above left field, the outfielder saw his image and was also treated to a special video message, which featured a handful of personalities (including Ohio State coaches Urban Meyer (football), Thad Matta (basketball) and Greg Beals (baseball) urging him to return to his home state.
Swisher was treated to lunch with Antonetti and Francona, as well as former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and former Buckeye football player Dustin Fox, who currently works as a radio host on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland. Swisher's agent, Dan Lozano, was also present for the visit, which later included meetings with Shapiro, team CEO Paul Dolan and other executives.
On his tour, the 32-year-old Swisher was given an opportunity to look at a suite (for family use), as well as the team's clubhouse and training facilities. After getting a behind-the-scenes look at what could become his new home ballpark, Swisher and his representative left town around 3 p.m. ET. The Indians did not make changes to their original contract proposal.
Last week, Cleveland traded away Shin-Soo Choo in a blockbuster deal that helped the Tribe acquire pitching prospect Trevor Bauer and relievers Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw from the D-backs, and outfielder Drew Stubbs from the Reds. As things currently stand, Stubbs and Michael Brantley project to occupy two of the Indians' outfield spots.
Swisher would potentially complete the outfield picture.
Throughout this winter, Swisher has also been linked to the Mariners, Phillies, Red Sox, Giants and Orioles in various reports. Cleveland has been the one club to consistently come up as having strong interest.
Last season, the switch-hitting Swisher hit at a .272 clip with 24 homers, 36 doubles and 93 RBIs in 148 games for the Yankees. He also posted a .364 on-base percentage and a .473 slugging percentage. Swisher has launched at least 23 home runs in five straight seasons and he has collected at least 80 RBIs four years in a row.


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WASHINGTON — Even with automatic spending cuts looming, the outlook for the U.S. economy brightened a bit Tuesday after reports showed that Americans are more confident and are buying more new homes.
Home prices are also rising steadily, and banks are lending more. Such improvements suggest that the economy is resilient enough to withstand the deep government cuts that will kick in Friday.
That's especially encouraging because uncertainty over the federal budget could persist for months.
"The stars are lining up for stronger private-sector growth this year," said Craig Alexander, chief economist at TD Bank.
Sales of new homes jumped nearly 16 percent in January to their highest level in 4 1/2 years, adding momentum to the housing recovery. Consumer confidence rose in February after three months of declines. And home prices increased in December from the same month in 2011 by the largest amount in more than six years.
The upbeat economic news contributed to a rally on Wall Street. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped more than 100 points.
Consumers still face numerous burdens. Among them is a sharp increase in gas prices. The national average for a gallon, $3.78, has surged 44 cents in a month.
And Social Security taxes rose 2 percentage points beginning Jan. 1. This year, the increase will cost a typical household that earns $50,000 about $1,000. Income taxes for the highest-earning Americans also rose.
Both factors could reduce overall spending.
On Friday, about $85 billion in automatic spending cuts are to kick in, and there's little sign that the White House and Congress will reach a budget deal to avoid them. The cuts will cause furloughs and temporary layoffs of government workers and contractors and sharply reduce spending on defense and domestic programs.
For about 2 million long-term unemployed, benefits now averaging $300 a week could shrink by about $30. Payments that subsidize clean energy, school construction and state and local public works projects could be cut. Low-income Americans seeking heating or housing aid might face longer waits.
Overall, the tax increases and spending cuts could shave up to 1.2 percentage points from growth this year, economists estimate. Alexander estimates that without the spending cuts or tax increases, the economy would expand more than 3 percent this year. Instead, he predicts growth of only 2 percent.
But growth should accelerate later this year as the effects of the government cutbacks ease, he and other economists say.


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There is a thin line between being a mad genius and simply being mad. If Brian Clough was the mad genius of English football, the new film The Damned United explores Clough's simply mad stage when he got fired at Derby County and then, after 44 days in charge of Leeds United, got himself dismissed there as well.
Michael Sheen stars as Brian Clough, and Sheen has carved out a nice little niche for himself playing late 20th century British icons. After playing Tony Blair in The Queen and David Frost in Frost/Nixon, can it be very long before we see Sheen as Malcolm McLaren or Bob Geldof? Sheen portrays Clough as a brilliant, driven egotist who is masking a deep layer of insecurity. Clough feels every little slight as if it is a stab in his heart, and those slights fuel his monstrous ambition.
Nobody has slighted Clough more than legendary Leeds United manager Don Revie (played by Colm Meaney). From the lack of a handshake after a FA Cup tie to a style of play that offends Clough's football sensibilities, Clough feels abused by Revie despite that fact that, at least initially, Revie barely knows that Clough exists. As manager of lowly Derby County, Clough, fired up by this one-way rivalry with Revie, drives Derby into the First Division and ultimately to the championship.
As charismatic as Clough may be, he is completely reliant on the grounding from his deputy, Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall). Taylor's football wisdom and player insight temper Clough's pride and ego. Clough is married to Taylor both professionally and emotionally as they support each other, bicker with each other, and, often, drive each other crazy.
However, as Clough becomes famous and successful at Derby, his ego grows to the point that not even Taylor can constrain him. He bickers with Derby's chairman Sam Longson (Jim Broadbent), feuds with the Derby board, and eventually Taylor too, and Clough winds up getting fired. When Don Revie leaves Leeds to become the English manager, Clough looks for redemption by becoming the Leeds manager and eradicating every bit of Revie's impact and style from the club. However, without Taylor's calming influence, Clough only succeeds in alienating everyone at Leeds, especially the players, and his short reign is a colossal failure. The film ends with Clough reconciling with Taylor and preparing to take Nottingham Forest onto fabulous success.
The film is a rousing success as both a sports film and, in many respects, a tragic love story. Clough and Taylor are a legendary pairing, and the affection they have for each other is wonderfully portrayed by Sheen and Spall. Clough and Taylor need each other, and are often befuddled by each other. Although the movie ends with their reconciliation, it is easy to see how their relationship will eventually end tragically at Nottingham Forest. Later in his professional and personal life, Clough is consumed by the demons that Sheen portrays in his earlier managerial career.
Soccer fans will find much to treasure in The Damned United. American sports journalism is replete with "game within the game" and behind the scenes stories. Successful baseball and basketball coaches are often asked to speak at business conferences to share their insights about how to manage different personalities. Those types of practice-field analysis are far less common in Europe, and the movie presents some real insights into the inner workings of a soccer team.
For modern fans of the EPL, a cosmopolitan glamorous league full of international superstars, the vision of English football in the 1970s will be something of a revelation. This was a working class league played before working class fans. The chain-smoking players were playing on pitches with as much mud as grass and where the studs-up foul or well-taken dive was taught and celebrated. Similarly, the film captures pre-Thatcher England as a dank, rundown place where even new buildings look old the day they open.
The Damned United opens in New York and Los Angeles this Friday and will expand to more cities in the weeks to come.