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Visit the web site of our church home and
Israel Wayne has compiled a pretty
comprehensive source of web sites and resources that espouse Christian
worldviews relative to just about any topic or issue you can think of. Not just
a great place to bookmark for future reference when doing a study or paper, it's
a great place to peruse to challenge and expand your own perception of God's
world and the ethical implications of living and stewarding it.
Home of the Homeschool Digest a quarterly journal for the veteran
homeschooler. Each issue provides a wide range of subjects including curriculum guides,
child training, organization, household tips, and encouragement for both moms and dads. A
MUST resource for every homeschooling family.
The Texas Home School Coalition is the state organization for Texas watchdogging the
political processes that effect homeschooling in Austin. THSC offers an abundance of
resources for the new and veteran homeschool family including their FREE quarterly
publication, The Review, and legal assistance through their new THSC Legal Defense
Fund. See the THSC web site for details.
The Constitution Party is the ONLY Pro-Life political party in the United States. It was
founded by and is directed by Howard Phillips, the man
James Dobson voted for president in the
1996 election. If you're interested in preserving the 1st and 2nd Ammendments as well as
the rest of our Constitution, true limited and smaller government, true tax relief, true
preservation of national sovereignty, and many other issues you need to check this out.
Formerly Operation Rescue, Operation Save America is led by the dynamic and brave Rev.
Flip Benham and serves to bring the Christian belief of sanctity of life to the front
lines of America's abortion mills.
Rev. Steve Schlissel's sometimes controversial and provocative slant on issues within and
without the Church keeps things hopping around his Brooklyn, NY location.
Their website is a good spring board into the world of Reformed works around the country.
Founded by R. J. Rushdoony, Chalcedon serves as the think tank of Reconstructionsim and
publishes many hard hitting articles and books.
Douglas Wilson and Douglas Jones stir up their fair share of trouble from their Moscow,
Idaho home base with this most-of-the-time monthly publication, The Credenda Agenda.
It is free by request and well deserving of your attention both for the smiles and the
topics of discussion.
A "Newsweek" like weekly from a Christian worldview covering the issues of our
nation and world.
One of my favorite on-line resource sites. Check it out for yourself.
Mt. Olive Tape Ministry is one of the most comprehensive tape libraries I am aware of. We
have used their tapes as curriculum for World History (R.J. Rushdoony), American History
(Steve Wilkins and Rushdoony), Christian Apologetics (Dr. Greg Bahnsen). Anyone you can
think of in the world of Reformed Theology, and then some, can be found in their catalog.
The Voice of the Martyrs was founded by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand. During the hard line
Communist rule of Romania, Pastor Wurmbrand spent fourteen years in prison for his
ministry with the underground church. He underwent frequent tortures. In 1964, Pastor
Wurmbrand, his wife Sabina, and their son, Mihai, were ransomed from Romania for $10,000.
Expecting to see a feeble, defeated man, the world witnessed a spiritual giant who
overcame desperate situations through his love for Christ.
His calling became clear as he established the ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs around
the world and quickly became known as "the voice of the underground church."
Patrick L. Hurd
Weatherford, Texas


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Optometrist Near Me In Burbank, CA
Located in Burbank, Monji Optometry has been serving California's Los Angeles area for more than 24 years.
Call us to make an appointment with our eye doctors, Dr. Monji and Dr. Ichiuji, to talk about your eyeglasses, contact lenses or specialty lens needs. You are also welcome to drop in anytime to browse through our large selection of designer eyeglass frames and sunglasses.
Parking: Free parking in public parking structures on Orange Grove, one block north and also one block south of our office.
Contact Details
- Phone: (818) 848-6659
Burbank, CA 91502
- Monday: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Payment Information
We Accept:
Contact Us
Contact our eye care staff to book or request an appointment by filling out one of the forms below. Or email one of our eye doctors with your questions or concerns. We look forward to hearing from you.
We believe that providing quality eye care to our patients is a two-way street, so please let us know where we can make improvements or what kind of services you would like to see in the future. Your feedback is important to us.

subset: commoncrawl


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Innovative Solutions to Complex Legal Issues
M C Hall & Associates, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, serves San Francisco Bay Area businesses and individuals in a variety of essential legal areas. Our approach is one of problem-solving, and for almost 30 years we have provided practical, cost-effective solutions tailored to each client's precise goals.
We are committed both to client service and community service. As a law firm we provide focused, individualized attention to every client large or small. As members of the community, we strive to mirror the diversity and spirit of the San Francisco Bay Area, and we are a GLBT friendly law firm.
Each of our legal practice areas can be complex and requires a strong orientation toward detail. Our strength is preparation along with an ability to take a broader view of the issues and potential disputes. As a result, we are able to counsel our clients not only in the substantive law but also in the strategic use of process and methods for dispute resolution.
We invite you to contact us by e-mail or at 415-512-9865 to schedule a consultation.
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One aspect of our firm's services that our clients particularly appreciate is our ability to help them choose the best method of achieving their goals. In particular, we frequently represent clients in mediation, which is often a more cooperative, efficient, and cost-effective method of resolving disputes. When mediation is not the best method to protect our clients' interests, however, we are effective trial lawyers with a high rate of success at trial.
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For more information or to schedule an appointment with an experienced attorney, please contact us by e-mail or call us at 415-512-9865.


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65,00€ – 99,00€
The staple evil eye of Hermina with zirconia stones.
Diameter of the medallion is 2 cm.
Material: sterling silver or gold plated.
International orders may be subject to duties and taxes billed by the destination country's customs department. The recipient must bear any additional charges for customs clearance; we have no control over such charges and cannot predict what they may be.
The Kressida collection was born when the evil eyes of Greek and Egyptian antiquity met Salvador Dali's approach through a symbolic surrealism!
Please allow 10 business days for us to create your 14k unique Kressida (All 14k products cannot be returned or refunded)


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Tara Sorensen
Principal Designer / Owner
Perspective is a powerful tool. It tempers how we receive information, be it visual, or verbal. Preferring to blaze my own trail, I tend to gravitate towards the unexpected, the positive, the uplifting. That viewpoint is apparent in all of my endeavors. My design style is edgy, but clean; when a client speaks, I listen; my attention to detail is acute; common sense abounds; sense of humor, as well as humility are intact and my organizational skills are bordering on manic. At the end of the day, design, no matter in what form it is presented, is still design. I love what I do and the variety of each opportunity. View Tara's Portfolio →
My most recent efforts have been directed towards designing a new line of jewelry, which has become an important part of my business. From the sale of certain pieces, I am donating to charities close to my heart. Following my mother's passing, I authored and published a book chronicling her 10-year journey through Alzheimer's from a positive perspective. Special Projects →
"You will never experience personal growth, if you fear taking chances. And, you will never become successful, if you operate without integrity."


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KALONA, Iowa — The sickly sweet smell of cocoa and cooked sugar hangs in the air at Kalona Chocolates, also known as 15-year-old Whitney Hershberger's math class.
At the moment, her teachers are in the back room pouring a thick caramel and pecan mix into cooking pans as the bespectacled teen smiles from behind a cash register at the customer who walks in the front door.
Whitney is a homeschool student in what now is a state with some of the most lax homeschool laws in the country.
For homeschool advocates, rollbacks on homeschool regulation in Gov. Terry Branstad's 2013 education reform bill were a resounding victory that made Iowa a model for the nation.
For those skeptical of the absence of government oversight of homeschool curriculum, testing and teacher qualifications, the rollback smacked of hypocrisy especially because the public education system is entering into a new era of accountability.
"It was about creating a new level accountability for the public," said House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, who homeschooled his four children and thinks the critics miss the point. "It wasn't about empowering the Iowa Department of Education."
More oversight, then less
The Iowa Department of Education had not collected information from individual school districts about homeschool students until the 2012-2013 school year.
The results: Of the 476,245 school-age children in Iowa, 10,732 were homeschooled, or roughly 2.3 percent of the state's school-age population. It's a little more than a third of the 30,000-student official estimate the state had been using at least since 2010.
The 2013 collection also marked the last time the state will be able to get such accurate figures.
The main source of information about Iowa's homeschoolers comes from a document commonly called the "Form A." It's essentially a report homeschool parents fill out about the students, curriculum and teachers in their homeschool that they turn into their local district.
Districts were not required to file the Form As with the state until the 2013 collection.
But the education reform bill eliminated the requirement to fill out a Form A for some homeschool parents and requires others to turn one in only if they get a letter from the school superintendent requesting it.
"At the end of the day, this is about liberty, this is about freedom, this is about me being able to raise my children in the way that I see fit without having to get a sanction from the government upon these studies that the government thinks my children should learn," said state Rep. Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley.
He's an assistant majority leader in the Republican-controlled Iowa House of Representatives whose formal education consisted of one year at a Christian school, the rest at a homeschool and then the U.S. Marine Corps.
The night he attached his homeschool amendments to the bill — another one allowed homeschool parents to teach driver education — it caught even the most ardent homeschool supporters off guard.
"(The) amendment took us at NICHE and most others by surprise," Bill Gustoff, head lobbyist for the Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators, would later write in the organization's quarterly magazine.
Kimberly Ehlers, a homeschool parent and Christian author from rural Bennett, Iowa, said, "A lot of us were totally taken by surprise; it was like a dream."
Some saw a double-standard.
"This bill was about public education, it was about reforming public education, not making teachers in public schools accountable while making other people not accountable for what they teach their kids," Rep. Sharon Steckman, D-Mason City, said when the amendments were first debated in February.
She ultimately voted for the legislation, despite her misgivings. So did every other member of the General Assembly.
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A national model
"We watched what was happening in Iowa very closely," said Scott Woodruff, senior legal counsel for the Virginia-based Home School Legal Defense Association, a 30-year-old organization that serves as a legal advocate for homeschool families.
"Iowa was once one of the worst states in terms of homeschool rights," he said. "It's now, thanks to (the education reform bill), one of the models for the rest of the country."
For students such as Whitney, the new laws likely won't change her typical routine much.
She gets class credit for working at the candy store, which her parents opened as a direct-to-business candy shop in 2009 then expanded into a retail storefront on the outdoor Kalona mall this year.
Her duties include running the cash register, helping in the kitchen and helping customers. Put another way, she's learning math, measurement, science, audio/video applications (she's been part of the shop's online commercials) and entrepreneurialism.
She also takes more traditional coursework at home and through the local school district's Home School Assistance Program. It's that connection with the school district that, if she continues to keep it, will keep Whitney counted in state records because using district facilities requires parents to file a Form A.
For Whitney's mother, Mattie Hershberger, homeschooling was the obvious choice for Whitney and her two older sisters, Krista and Kaylee, after her own experience at public school in Oklahoma.
"I wanted my children to be able to learn in a better environment," Mattie said. Her husband, Lyndon, added, "Part of it was being able to have a bigger say in the morals and values they learn."
Tammy Wawro, president of the Iowa State Education Association, said she thinks there are valid reasons for homeschooling but thinks the new law goes too far.
"I'm concerned that the accountability isn't there," she said. "I believe everyone wants the best education possible for the children, but how are we going to ensure teacher quality? I think we need to have a really hard look at this and see if it's good for kids."
Homeschool laws vary from state to state. Some states, including New York and Pennsylvania, have strict policies that require tracking of homeschool test scores and curriculum and make other reporting requirements of parents. Other states, such as Oklahoma and New Jersey, have little oversight in place.
"One of your neighbors, Missouri, has had laws similar to (the education reform changes) for years," said Woodruff, "and it's worked out very well for them."
Kathy Christie, vice president of knowledge management and dissemination at the Education Commission for the States, said the trend in state legislatures across the country has generally been for more, not less, oversight of homeschool programs and curriculum.
"Where we see bills come up, they are typically ones that strengthen oversight, but they don't make it," she said. "It's kind of perennial."
She said the few bills that do make it, however, are ones that end up helping homeschoolers.
"It's things like making it easier for them to apply to college, things which remove barriers that were put in place years ago," she said.
Paulsen dismisses the idea that less regulation is going to be a problem for homeschool parents and students.
"I think you can have problems in any system — public, private, parochial — I worry about all those," Paulsen said. "Homeschooling is just another system, and it's one that works well for some families."


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Artisan offers a full line of premium quality sink grids
for single and double bowl stainless steel sinks. All Artisan sink grids are manufactured of high quality 100% stainless steel and feature vinyl coated feet designed to protect your sink.
Artisan partnered with John Boos & Co. to create exclusive cutting boards for the 19" CPUZ, FPUR and FGUR series of premiere sinks. Used by professional chefs, Boos Blocks® cutting boards are crafted from 1-1/2" thick American maple and feature their famous cream finish with beeswax and are both durable and stylish.
*Cutting board is designed to sit on the Granite when cut to the DXF file or paper template.


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We've been big fans of Keegan Vance Forte since we meet her years ago, back when she was a VC and a huge advocate for fashion tech. Her smart insights, honest advice, and friendly style made her a stand-out in the world of VC, and her move to Ceros had us curious about what kind of amazing things she'll be doing there. We caught up with Keegan:
Tell us about your new role.
I'm really excited to have recently joined Ceros.com as the Director of Marketing & Business Development. Ceros is a B2B platform that empowers marketers and designers to create and publish beautiful, interactive content experiences without the need for developers. My main focus here is on driving awareness and activation via partnerships with retailers and e-commerce companies, publishers, B2B content marketers, Fortune 1000 brands, and agencies. I'll also be leading the company's events strategy in an effort to build a strong community of marketers and designers within these verticals around the Ceros brand.
What is Ceros, and who uses it?
Designers and marketers within the above mentioned verticals use our web-based platform to create, publish, and analyze highly engaging and interactive content experiences that work across all of your devices. Brands power a variety of content using Ceros: shoppable lookbooks, e-magazines, e-books, infographics as well as branded content, B2B marketing micro-sites, product guides, landing pages, and even event collateral. Some brands that currently use Ceros include Uniqlo, Elizabeth Arden, Chloe & Isabel, Marc Ecko, Contently, Mashable, NewsCred, MINI, Redken, and the list goes on. Using existing design assets and without the need for any web development, Ceros puts the power (and time) back in the designer's hands.
What was your path to get to here?
I've been really lucky in my career to have amazing mentors who are huge supporters of me and whose advice and guidance is invaluable. Long/short, I geek out big time about new and smart technology that is upgrading legacy marketing experiences within large brands. Having spent the last (almost) 4 years on the VC side of things focused mainly on the space where Ceros lives, I can say with confidence that the opportunity is massive.
Based in NYC, I helped form early-stage VC fund Bowery Capital as the General Manager and earlier was Chief of Staff at AOL Ventures. It was my AOLV role that acted as my gateway drug into the VC world and where my love for helping grow early-stage tech companies was seeded. It's here where I learned the true meaning of "entrepreneur" and I became addicted. Focused on a wide range of operational tasks, business development and sales initiatives for our portfolio, as well as deal sourcing, screening, and due diligence; I was a woman of many hats of all shapes and sizes. My pre-VC career path was the foundation that kept me moving in the right direction toward this goal that I didn't even know existed at the time. Between ABC Radio, IAC, a very brief side-stint at Songza, and helping build a boutique media consulting firm, I started building my network and creating opportunities for myself and the businesses where I worked.
What is the #1 thing that you wish brands knew about content creation?
How powerful the Ceros platform is when it comes to creating awesome content for your brand, duh!
What are you most excited about in fashion tech today?
I'm really excited that big brand retailers are leveraging innovative technologies to reinvent in-store shopping experiences for their customers. Brands like Rebecca Minkoff, Michael Kors, and JCrew (just to name a few) are at the forefront of this initiative; multiple in-store screens with constant rotating branded content, personal shopper platforms, shopping online inventory, smart dressing rooms, etc. There are a ton of fashion tech companies emerging in the space focusing on different verticals that will help evolve this in-store experience into something very powerful for brands.
How can we stay in touch with you?
Anyone can feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn then grab my Ceros email from there. I'm always happy to chat or brainstorm ways to work with smart people.
Anything else we should know?
We're a friendly team, we don't bite … Request a demo for your brand!
You can follow Ceros and Keegan on Twitter.
Third Wave Fashion has been your fashion tech think tank since 2011. We publish the first ever printed fashion tech magazine, Third Wave. Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our newsletter to stay on top of the latest in fashion tech + wearables.


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At first, I just hated Leah, hated her for doing what she was doing to Laine, hated her along side Laine. But then the truth about Leah's past started coming to light and I couldn't help but feel bad for Leah. Sure, she was still in the wring for doing that stuff to Laine, but when you're a kid being abused, you just don't understand why and all you want to do is get control of the situation which is never the case, so you get control over something else. And what about misery loves company. Leah did seem like the kind of girl who wanted someone else to feel her pain.
Click here to purchase.


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After graduating from Arizona State University in December, Megan Farris started vet school this month at the Ross University of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts. But her journey toward becoming a veterinarian actually started at the East Valley Institute of Technology. While attending Gilbert's Highland High School, Megan was also a straight "A" student at the EVIT Main Campus, taking Human Anatomy & Physiology for Medical Careers in 2009-10 and then Veterinary Assistant in 2010-11.
During her senior year at EVIT, Megan got her first job at a veterinary clinic. She then worked as a kennel tech at Pet Haven Animal Hospital for two years while attending Mesa Community College and earning her associate degree in applied biological sciences. She also started her own pet-sitting business.
At ASU, while majoring in microbiology, Megan worked her way through school as a veterinary technician at East Mesa Animal Hospital. She is an example of the many EVIT students who use their high school career and technical education training to land jobs to help pay for college.
"EVIT provided me with the opportunity to learn the basic veterinary assisting skills that I was able to further expand on during my employment as a technician," Megan said.
After she graduates from vet school, Megan plans to return to Arizona and eventually open her own hospital for large and small animals. "Becoming a veterinarian has been my life-long dream," Megan said, "and having the opportunity to attend both of EVIT's programs early on in high school was the best opportunity for my future."
Our business partners and elected leaders are part of Megan's success! On behalf of Megan and all EVIT students, we thank you for your support of quality career and technical education.
Students at EVIT's centralized campuses have a 96% graduation rate, 2 out of 3 go to college, and 87% are in college, jobs or the military within one year of their EVIT training.
It is the policy of the East Valley Institute of Technology District #401 to provide all persons with equal employment and education opportunities regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, marital status, age or disability. District grievance procedures will be followed for compliance with Title IX and Section 504 requirements. The compliance officer is the EVIT Superintendent.


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Cole, who also is a volunteer staff attorney for the Center for Constitutional Rights, has argued cases including Texas v. Johnson and National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley before the U.S. Supreme Court, and defended dozens of immigrants charged with being everything from "national security threats" to "advocates of world communism."
In "Enemy Aliens," Cole argues that the U.S. government's detention of more than 1,200 foreign nationals following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks represents a dangerous sacrifice of the liberty of immigrants for the purported security of the majority. He is also legal affairs correspondent for The Nation, a commentator on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered," a columnist for Legal Times, co-author of Terrorism and the Constitution and author of No Equal Justice, which was named Best Nonfiction Book of 1999 by the Boston Book Review and best book on an issue of national policy in 1999 by the American Political Science Association.
Cole recently was named one of the top 45 public sector lawyers under 45 by American Lawyer. He will be available for a book signing during the Annual Conference.
Tickets to the luncheon are included in the full-conference and Friday registration fees for Annual Conference attendees. Single tickets may be purchased for $75 each, of which $20 is a tax-deductible contribution to the Massachusetts Bar Foundation. Conference attendees may make a contribution to the Foundation at the luncheon.
Other Articles in this Issue:


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When you need cash that's fast, yet reliable, you can get a car title loan on your Ford Explorer. Your car title loan comes with key perks and is hassle-free. Submit your car's information on the form to the right and you'll receive a prequalification in just seconds.
You've always recognized a good deal when you see it. So when you bought your Ford Explorer, you knew you were getting one of the most affordable SUVs (12 out of 13) around.
It had everything you wanted: A five-star safety rating, great interior features, affordability, and a car that was easy to handle. And from the day you drove it off the lot, you enjoyed the smooth ride. Your Explorer was different than any of your other cars - no other vehicle matched the comfort, so you said, "Deal!" And that's when you knew why your Ford Explorer was one of the most popular vehicles made.
Now that your car is paid in full, you can utilize the equity in your Ford Explorer and get a safe and savvy car title loan.
And your application process begins with your complimentary quote: There's no obligation to find out just what your borrowing power will be. Submit the year and mileage of your Ford Explorer and we'll send you your top dollar loan amount.
Then, if you want to walk away, you can. But most people don't - especially owners of the Ford Explorer because that's one vehicle that is well-known to our Preferred Lenders.
In addition, a car title loan on your Ford Explorer means you keep your keys and drive for the whole time you repay your loan.
Not many people think of a car as a smart investment. For many, it's a necessity - you get to and from work, carpool the kids, hit the grocery store. But you bought a Ford Explorer and that's a car that's affordable, versatile, and one of the most fuel-efficient.
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We don't need your credit report and thanks to our time-saving application process, you won't experience any hassle or red tape. What you will experience is an easy and reliable way to put more money in your bank account.
Just like your Ford Explorer revolutionized SUVs, we've revolutionized the lending process. You can apply for your car title loan online - from the convenience and privacy of your home computer. We've simplified the application so it's stress-free:
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You know not all cars are created equal. There are plenty of SUVs that don't match the features in a Ford Explorer. You car even has a reliability score from J.D. Power of 4/5.
However, what you may not realize is that your Ford Explorer depreciates more quickly than some other cars in that class. So if you were thinking of trading it in or pawning it elsewhere, you may not get the same cash back amount that our company provides.
But as we mentioned, the vast network of lenders we work with value highly what a Ford Explorer is really worth.
So, if you want to work with a lender that prizes your vehicle as much as you do, we're ready to help. We can get you the money you need in a day or sooner and you loan will be customized to fit all your needs.
I can help you find the best lender in your area and give you a no obligation free quote.Call (866) 539-7091
I can help you find the best lender in your area and give you a no obligation free quote.CLICK TO CALL
By working with our lenders, you could end up saving up to 20% on your repayment, and eliminate the risk of being taken advantage of.


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temple of the jaguar
temple of the jaguar (front)
look familiar? (think "The Empire Strikes Back")
cockscomb basin
victoria peak
william shoal
pet lamprey
Some quick notes...Belize is a small country along the Caribbean just
below Mexico and east of Guatamala. Although the Cayes are becoming very
commercialized, the mainland is still emerging third-world. There are incredible
things to see there and a day trip into Guatamala is a unique experience once you get over
the culture shock. Much of the Guatamala country-side is very third world with no
electricity, shacks for houses and a very simple lifestyle.
After spending a few days in San Ignacio and sightseeing the various ruins, it was off
to Cockscomb Basin for my
trek to Victoria Peak! The first night I spent at Cockscomb Basin headquarters.
For some reason I could not get to sleep. I don't know if it was because I
was so pumped for the next day's hike or that I was wondering what the hell I was doing
hiking to some far off peak with just myself and some mayan guide. Anyway, most of
the night was spent watching the fireflies swarm in the jungle and listening to the howler
The next morning I met my guide, William and came across my big disappointment...I
needed a permit to hike to Victoria Peak because it was outside of the Cockscomb boundary!
What the hell! I travel some 8 thousand miles from Hawaii and end up not
doing what I had initially set out to do! But, I took it in stride and asked if we
could instead hike to a peak called the Outlier which was within the boundary and in
viewing distance of Victoria Peak. This itself proved to be quite an experience.
The first day we hiked about 7 miles to the base of the mountain and set camp
there. It was extremely hot at about 105C with the humidity somewhere in the 90's as
well! We camped near a stream and shared our foods. I gave up some of my
powerbars and dehydrated oatmeal and William treated me to some homemade corn tortillas
and some soup broth. The night was incredible. You hear all sorts of noises
and see all sorts of cool insects. Huge long legged spiders, green fireflies...oh,
and damn cicadias! Think of the sound a grasshopper makes at night, then multiply
the volume by about 100 and have about 50 others join in the singing! Anyway, I
didn't get much sleep that night. Even after the cicadias stopped their noise
making, I was up and attentive for hours, listening to all the different sounds of the
jungle...I'd hear bushes or trees rustling and wait at the door of my tent until it
sounded near enough, then open the door and shine the flashlight hoping to catch a glimpse
of something! Just about every ambush was a failure, however I did get to see a
kinkajoo, which is a nocturnal cat/monkey-like creature.
The next morning we ate breakfast (more tortillas and dehydrated oatmeal), broke camp
and hiked up to the peak. The views up there were beautiful! Endless mountains
as far as you can see! Soaring hawks in the valley's below! And on the
left...Victoria peak in the distance! The only bad thing about it was that May is
the time when the people of Belize burn their fields as part of their "slash and
burn" agriculture, so there was much smoke in the air. The return back the the
headquarters was pretty quick and I spent the rest of the day lounging in a nearby stream
trying to beat the heat.
The rest of the trip was spent in nearby Hopkins at Greg and Rita Duke's Hopkins Inn. Although the
beach and coastline area around Hopkins left something to be desired, a boatride out the
the cayes takes you to the crystal blue waters you read about! I even got to have a
lamprey attach itself to my leg!
Date: May, 1999
Hike to the Outlier: I had been hearing about how brutal the hike to Victoria
Peak was. I can't say for sure because I never did it, but I'd guess the Outlier was
probably half as difficult and I'd rate that hike as very easy. The only thing that
made it hard was the heat and humidity. I think I could actually have hiked all the
way to the peak and back in a day. Definately could have if I didn't carry my 45lb
pack. It's much like the hikes here in Hawaii, where they say they're very difficult
but often those warnings are for the novice hikers.
Belize is an incredible place. There's all sorts of different animals unlike
Hawaii. I really liked the birds....the macaws, the toucans and my favorite, the
oropendula montezuma. I definately will be back there someday. Probably this
time to the Cayes!
Couple things though....bring very good insect repellant. The mosquitos are tiny
but they swarm! The flies bite and draw blood! If you stop and sit while
hiking, you'll probably pick up ticks. Also there's an insect called the Bot-Fly
that lays it's larvae on the mosquito's "beak" and thus gets deposited into your
flesh when bitten my a mosquito. Supposedly after about 4 weeks, the larvae are
feeding on your flesh and you can actually see them as they come up through openings in
your skin to get air. Preeeetty grusome. I thought I had them too! But I
think it was just bug bites that I got from my layover in LA because I decided to stay in
a chinese hotel near Inglewood.


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The other day my car died suddenly and it wouldn't even turn on. To give you details, the following are what I have (or do not have): piston movement, sparking, timing on the valves is accurate, no compression in the cylinder, and all fluid levels are good. When I try to crank the engine, it sounds slow and sluggish. I haven't yet checked the alternator, but I have charged the battery to the fullest. In my understanding, the car should start even if the battery is bad. Can you tell me what I need to do to get my car started?
Hello there, a vehicle that dies and cannot be restarted could be one of many items. The most common would be the battery, fuel pump, battery cables, starter, fuel filter, or one of many sensors. When a vehicle cranks sluggishly like this, the first thing a technician will check is to perform an load test on the battery. I recommend having a qualified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, diagnose your vehicle's sluggish cranking issue and let you know what should be done next.
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Lovelies, A recent dinner conversation with the Bean Sprout went as such: "I love you, more than I loved my six pack… and that's a lot… and I miss it, but I'd miss you more." Truer words were never spoken.
Micro Post: Embryos Or Babies
Hey Lovelies, I want to take a really close look at a dichotomy I experienced during IVF. The idea of when life starts and what constitutes a human baby became very confusing to me this month. Let's start this by


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Adair County
mu extension > Adair County > 4-H Camp
4-H Camps have a greater impact than most people may imagine — camp does develop life skills in youth. . . and we have proof. Two consecutive years of highly positive responses from campers and their parents!
Extension 4-H specialists and the families they serve consider 4-H Camp experiences as a high priority program. 4-H Campers ages 10-13 and their parents were surveyed in 2005 to determine the effectiveness of Missouri 4-H Camps in developing life skills in youth.
There's more to summer camp than the "tangibles" children bring home — new sports equipment, artwork, macaroni
necklaces and sun-catchers. Have you ever thought about the other benefits, the "intangibles"? 4-H Camps
develop a wealth of skills that benefits children well into adulthood.
© 1993
to Curators of the University
of Missouri, all rights reserved, DMCA
and other copyright information
University of Missouri Extension is an equal opportunity/access/affirmative action/pro-disabled and veteran employer.
University of Missouri Extension
© 1993
to Curators of the University of Missouri, all rights reserved


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Within a restored bank building in downtown Providence, is a fine dining spot that boasts some of the best craft cocktails in the area. The Dorrance is named after the street upon which it stands, and features vaulted ceilings and large windows which provide an open and airy vibe throughout the vast, elegant space. Private events, such as wedding receptions, are held here on Sundays and Mondays when the restaurant is otherwise closed.
A gorgeous bar stretches across the center of the cavernous dining room, with a lounge area adjacent to it. Towards the back of one of the dining spaces is an old bank vault which is dressed as a sitting room, although on a previous visit during the wintertime it was used as the coat check room. It's actually quite fascinating checking out the giant and complex doors to the former vault.
|The vault/sitting room/coat check
|Inside the "vault"
|Vault gears with a reflection of one of the picture windows
My two favorite things about The Dorrance include the incredible ambiance and the outstanding craft cocktails. These drinks change seasonally, and are not your average mixed drinks. There's probably a dozen different bitters used throughout the varied cocktails at any one time, and each recipe is beautifully crafted and executed.
I've visited The Dorrance thrice, once for cocktails at the bar, once for Restaurant Week this past winter, and once for Restaurant Week earlier this month. I love that The Dorrance includes their regular menu items as RW options. There's nothing worse than when a restaurant creates a completely unique menu for RW which showcases much cheaper and inferior dishes to what they normally create. A few new dishes are fine, but I like to see and taste a true example of what the restaurant offers.
I've had my share of cocktails at The Dorrance over the past visits, usually drinking a couple myself, and even tasting others my dining companions order, and I can honestly say they have all been fantastic. My photographs from my previous visits are dark and grainy cell phone pictures, so I won't be sharing those. Today, I'll only share the photos from my most recent meal.
Let's begin with cocktails. It's the best way to start! On our most recent trip to The Dorrance, my sister elected the Blackberry Beret, featuring Pisco, Lime, Jalapeno Kumquat Syrup, Blackberries, and Angostura. We loved the slight warmth from the jalapeno kumquat syrup that reminds me of the affect ginger has on one's throat.
|Blackberry Beret $10
My first cocktail choice was Send a Boat, containing Don Q Rum, Aperol, Cherry Herring, Lime, Rhubarb, Tiki and Angostura Bitters. It tastes like liquid alcoholic cherry candy... in a good way! This is my favorite drink of the night, and my sister loved it so much she ordered it as her followup after she finished her Blackberry Beret.
|Send a Boat $10
My second drink of the event was the Bello Desmadre (Beautiful Disaster), containing Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, Amiaro Montenegro, Blueberry Syrup, Lime, Allspice Dram, and Angostura. If you're not familiar with Mezcal, it's basically a smoky tequila. This cocktail is an absolutely stunning color and almost tastes like a barbecue cocktail. The smoky flavor and the sweetness of the drink itself reminds me of a sweet barbecue sauce. It's a little odd if you're not used to it, but honestly, I did really enjoy this drink, just not as much as Send a Boat.
|Bello Desmadre (Beautiful Disaster) $12
For my appetizer both last winter and this summer, I ordered the same dish. I absolutely fell in love with the Mussels Normandy (featuring Apples, Forest Mushrooms, House Made Bacon, Brandy, Shallots, and Cream) last winter, and couldn't resist getting it again. I'm not gonna lie. I was a little let down. I remember absolutely swooning over the flavors the first time I tried it, but on a repeat visit it didn't taste the same. The flavors were a bit more muted, and a couple of my mussels contained some grit. The dish was subpar compared to the original I had tried. Not sure if it was an off night, the mussels were decent, but after loving it previously it just felt like a bit of a letdown. I have a feeling that my second, so-so experience is the exception to the rule.
|Mussels Normandy
My sister had the Curried Cauliflower dish. It contains Crispy Cauliflower Florets, Toasted Cashews, Tamarind Yogurt, Chili Threads, Pickled Radish, Lime Jam, and Mint. I had a small taste and thought it was well done. I like the curry flavor a lot, and yet find it balanced and not overdone.
|Curried Cauliflower $10
The Roasted Chicken entree features Murray's Chicken Breast, Pea Tendrils, Marble Potatoes, Petite Carrots, and Preserved Lemon Jus. This was my sister's pick and she really liked it. I took a bite and thought it screamed comfort. It's really beautiful and rustic too. We'd happily recommend it.
|Roasted Chicken $26
My entree was the New York Sirloin with Celery Root Puree, Local Cauliflower, Cippolini Onions, Porcini Dust, French Breakfast Radish. I ordered medium-rare, but found it to be more on the medium side (I do find that when steak is pre-sliced it can dry out/appear or taste overcooked, so that could be the culprit). The celery root puree was one of my favorite components. It was silky smooth, a great contrast to the crisp texture of the onions and cauliflower. I liked this dish overall, though I wish the meat was a bit bloodier.
|New York Sirloin $29
Dessert at The Dorrance is also quite lovely. The Tropical Panna Cotta is incredibly refreshing, with mango, coconut, and pineapple flavors galore. Two thumbs up for this fruity dessert option that takes my mind and tastebuds to a tropical island.
|Tropical Panna Cotta $9
I also love the Give Me S'more!, which is a play on s'mores, featuring Flourless Chocolate Cake, Toasted Marshmallow, Graham Cracker Crumble, and Cinnamon Creme Anglaise. The cinnamon flavor really packs a punch, both from the sauce and the actual graham cracker crumble. It's a great foil to the intense chocolate. A really nice decadent dessert option.
|Give Me S'more! $9
All in all, I've had three memorable visits to The Dorrance thus far. I can't say enough about the beautiful space and the stellar cocktails. The food is great overall, but there are a few dishes that fall a little flat for me in terms of execution, at least on my most recent visit. Previously, I had loved all the dishes I tried (a wonderful short rib dish in the middle of winter was perfection), so I still think the problem was just a slightly off-night, and even that's very slightly, as the majority of the food was excellent.
P.S. I saw a girl eating a ridiculously awesome looking burger at the bar, and upon research I see it on the Bar and Lounge menu entitled Po' Burger and Fries. Apparently it's topped with fried oysters, among other things. I'm pretty sure this burger and I are about to become best friends. I'll update this review at some point once I get a chance to try it out :) Stay tuned!
The Dorrance
60 Dorrance St
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 521-6000


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Based on the 1932 classic, "The Mummy" is an adventure tale a la "Raiders of the Lost Ark" lite. In the midst of an Egyptian battle in 1923, legionnaire Rick O'Connell (Brendon Fraser) stumbles upon the ruins of Hamunaptra. Years later, accompanied by beautiful Egyptologist Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), O'Connell returns seeking its legendary treasures, but he's up against a band of American scavengers as well as mysterious warriors sworn to protect the sacred burial grounds. The conflict unleashes Imhotep as the Mummy, seeking Evelyn as a human sacrifice to revive his long lost love, Anck-Su-Namun.
Laura's review of 'The Mummy'
"The Mummy" has a punchy opening, where we see the events that led to the mummy's curse. Imhotep has his tongue ripped out before being mummified alive and is then sealed into his sarcophagus with flesh-eating scarab beetles (now that's a curse!), for having murdered the pharaoh to obtain the pharaoh's equally treacherous mistress. But even some of these scenes' impact is lessened because of some less than convincing matte work.
The film's artfully edited trailer promised a grand scale summer blockbuster but, aside from some nifty special effects, it plays more like a 30's Saturday afternoon matinee. Attempts at humor are generally of the eye-rolling sort - Brendan Fraser can't sling a one-liner with the mastery of Harrison Ford although he's successful in a hit and miss kind of way. He spends most of the film shooting at things that bullets would be completely ineffective against, like sand. Rachel Weisz ("Swept >From the Sea") looks ravishing, but the script has her alternating between klutziness (an early mishap in a museum library is a real groaner) and translating every hieroglyphic in sight.
Arnold Vasloo has a Billy Zane-like villainy as the title character. In fact, this film was cast with several people who look like more well known people. O'Connell's slimy ex-partner Beni is played by Ben Stiller look alike Kevin O'Connor. Israeli actor Ardeth Bay, who has excellent presence as the leader of the desert warriors, resembles an Arabic George Harrison. John Hannah ("Four Weddings and a Funeral") chews scenery as Evelyn's cowardly and lazy brother. The actors cast as the Americans are all completely bland.
The film's special effects are noteworthy, if not revolutionary. Most spectacular are several occurrences of sand taking the shape of the mummy's screaming face, but the effect is used once too often. Images of locusts and scarabs swarming are too evidently CCG-created - they don't mesh well enough with the live action.
"The Mummy's" not a bad way to spend a couple of hours, but it's hardly competition for the likes of "The Phantom Menace."
Robin's review of 'The Mummy':
Based on the 1932 Karl Freund horror classic, "The Mummy" is a rousing adventure tale a la "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "The Man Who Would Be King." In 1923, legionnaire Rick O'Connell (Brendon Fraser) stumbles upon the ruins of Hamunaptra, the ancient city of the undead, during a raging battle. Years later, accompanied by beautiful Egyptologist Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), O'Connell returns to the city seeking its legendary treasures, but he's competing with a band of American scavengers as well as mysterious warriors sworn to protect the sacred burial grounds. The conflict unleashes Imhotep as the cursed Mummy, seeking Evelyn as a human sacrifice to revive his long lost love, Anck-Su-Namun.
This modern remake of "The Mummy" is a technically competent, modestly well-cast action adventurer tinged with ancient and Hollywood mythologies that suffers from not involving the viewer in the plot and characters.
The film's big budget shows up nicely in the nifty special F/X, from the Mummy, himself, to the battles with the undead. The technology used to give "life" to the computer-generated creatures has reached a high state of art, indeed. The makers meld the CGI and human actors so that, for example, Imhotep, (South African actor Arnold Vosloo), is half human/half monster in a visually seamless manner. The effects take those used in Sam Raimi's "Army of Darkness" a quantum leap forward.
Location setting, filmed in Morocco for Egypt, suits the mood of the film, giving the action scenes a sweeping desert vista as backdrop. The ancient city of Hamunaptra is set in an extinct, volcanic crater, with an impressive recreation of the mysterious city. Costuming, both in the beginning, explanatory sequence 3000 years before and in the "modern day" story of the 1920's, suits (no pun intended) the period effort well.
The script tries to push ever action thriller button it can. There is the requisite humor-in-the-face-of-adversity, though not nearly enough of it in the film. There are shoot-out and fight scenes aplenty, well done, but seen before. Special F/X ARE of the highest quality and uniquely handled and varied, with some good gross outs - especially if you don't like swarms of giant, flesh eating scarab beetles. Yuck! Industrial Light & Magic, I'm sure, have kept a few of their state-of-the-art F/X to themselves for use in that other little sci-fi film coming out soon.
The cast is fine for what they are expected to do. The sweep of the story and concentration on F/X and action keep the actors at arm length to the characters. This is not the fault of the thesps, though, as Brendan Fraser ("George of the Jungle") conte to get you into the characters. "The Mummy" is more akin to the mediocre 1985 "King Solomon's Mines" (with Richard Chamberlain) than to "Raiders of the Lost Ark." I give it a B-.
A Rembrandt valued at $24 million is stolen in a daring robbery and insurance investigator Virginia "Gin" Baker (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is certain that she knows the identity of the thief. She convinces her boss, Hector Cruz (Will Patton), to send her after the world's greatest art thief, Robert "Mac" MacDougal (Sean Connery). But nothing and no-one is really what they seem in the caper thriller, "Entrapment.".
Robin's review of 'Entrapment':
"Entrapment" is routine big-budget film fare that we come to expect from the Hollywood dream factory. It combines a slick caper flick with lots of B&E work and a complex cat-an-mouse story that keeps you guessing right up to the end. The good looking cast and capable behind-the-camera crew make this sleek tinsel town effort easy on the eye, but it lacks emotion.
Surprisingly, with the legendary Sean Connery and the beautiful, lithe Catherine Zeta-Jones ("The Mask of Zorro") in the lead roles, there is little, if any, romantic chemistry. The two have a mutual, professional respect for each other, but there is no spark as they plan their capers and get to know each other. The forced romance between Connery and Zeta-Jones makes the case for a father/daughter kind of relationship. As Connery approaches his septuagenarian decade, it might be a better idea to age his love interests a bit more. Zeta-Jones is pleasing to the eye and shows admirable athletic skill in the physical aspects of the film. The Welsh-born actress does a credible American accent, too.
There are few other players in the film, besides the principles, to flesh things out, so the use of some of the industry's top character actors helps considerably. Ving Rhames ("Pulp Fiction") is Thibadeaux, Mac's mysterious partner who is the one in control of their business. Rhames can go from a cuddly bear of a guy to a ruthless killer in the blink of an eye and lends a subtle menace to the role. The versatile Will Patton ("Armageddon") plays Hector Cruz, Gin's boss, a man obsessed with bringing Mac down. Finally, the great Maury Chaykin ("Dances With Wolves") play black marketer, Conrad Greene, a flamboyant character who is, sadly, only given brief screen time. For me, more of Maury is better.
Technically, everything is first rate and, in the hands of a helmer more tuned to the action-thriller genre, like John McTiernan ("Die Hard"), "Entrapment" could have been o top-notch cat-and-mouse, caper thriller. Director John Amiel ("Sommersby") fails to give the story any spirit as he builds one high-tech theft upon another. There are lots of nifty gadgets as befits a modern day thriller, but no soul to the story. A better example of the caper thriller is, of course, Alfred Hitchcock's great "To Catch a Thief" with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.
The screenplay by Academy Award-winner Ron Bass ("My Best Friend's Wedding") and William Broyles ("Apollo 13") starts with a daring art heist and builds upon that as each new caper gets more complex. Interestingly, with all the high tech gadgetry, the training and execution of the escapades is decidedly low-tech. For example, Zeta-Jones trains to get through a complex lazer-beam security system using strands of yarn and bells as a substitute. There are also many ambiguous loyalties and alliances among the characters that keep you guessing right up to the end. The ending is, unfortunately, a pat boy-gets-girl finale, as expected. A more melancholy ending would have been refreshing.
It's nice to see Sean Connery still pull off the charm and Catherine Zeta-Jones is beautiful in figure and movement. And, she can act. The rest of the film has the technical elements to complement the cast. What's missing is soul. I give "Entrapment" a B-.
When Hermia (Anna Friel) takes to the woods with her lover Lysander (Dominic West), she's followed by her father-approved fiance Demetrius (Christian Bale), who's followed in turn by Hermia's love sick cousin Helena (Calista Flockhart). Meanwhile a group of actors, lead by the hammy Bottom (Kevin Klein), is preparing a play for the Duke's upcoming nuptials. They're all about to be messed with when Oberon (Rupert Everett), the King of the Fairies who's got his own romantic problems with his Queen, Titania (Michelle Pfeiffer), sends Puck (Stanley Tucci) forth with a love potion.
Laura's review of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream':
One of the frothiest (and least) of Shakespeare's plays, "A Midsummer's Night Dream" should be a light romp. This production, which could have used a dose of Kenneth Branaugh, is an exercise in tedium punctuated by small bursts of pleasure.
Kevin Klein is the biggest reason to see this film as a man literally turned into an ass and the object of the bewitched Tatiana's desire. Michelle Pfeiffer has never been more stunning as the Fairy Queen. She pulls off a particularly comic line reading or two, but is mostly window dressing. Of the four mismatched lovers, only Flockhart makes much of an impression as the bicycle-riding Helena. Christian Bale, so promising as a young actor, is becoming more wooden with each adult role he takes on. Stanley Tucci is horribly miscast as Puck and brings nothing to the role (Adam Sandler would have been an interesting choice). Rupert Everett is a dull Oberon. The terrific character actor David Strathairn walks through his ducal part. Sophie Marceau provides more window dressing as his betrothed. A big surprise is Bill Irwin (TV's"Alf") who gives a twinkling performance, maintaining his own in scenes with Klein.
Michael Hoffman's direction is leaden. His film is incredibly stage bound, also due to Oscar winner Luciana Arrighi's atrocious production design which features fake boulders straight out of TV's "Land of the Giants" and tortoise transportation for Puck which brings to mind a Big Wheel.
The film does have the advantage of ending on a high note, when the fantastical middle section has ended and the motley group of actors are chosen as the Duke's wedding entertainment. The play is a disaster, presented as farcical slapstick enriched with bawdy double entendres. It's a comic delight founded in Klein's astoundingly funny performance, then capped with a note of poignance deftly delivered by Sam Rockwell. In this movie, the play's the thing.
Robin's review of 'William Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream'
Monte Athena, Italy, circa 1900
Helena loves Demetrius. Demetrius loves her best friend, Hermia. Hermia loves his brother, Lysander. Lysander also loves Hermia. Hermia and Lysander run off to elope on the new invention called the bicycle. Demetrius follows the pair, with Helena in pursuit, into the nearby enchanted forest.
Nick Bottom is an aspiring amateur thespian (read: ham). His little, local acting troupe plans to put on a play, "The Most Lamentable Comedy, and Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe," for the wedding celebration of Duke Theseus (David Strathairn). Bottom, as usual, wants to play all the parts. Common sense reigns, however, and the tiny company of actors also retire to the forest to prepare for their big debut.
The Fairy Queen, Titania (Michelle Pfeiffer), is miffed with her king, Oberon (Rupert Everett). He, in a plan to woo his angry wife back, sends his trusted lieutenant, Puck (Stanley Tucci), to seek a special flower to cast a spell on his beloved. While waiting for his minion's return, Oberon spies the young quartet of lovers. When Puck returns with the magic flowers, the king decides to play some mischief upon the four. He uses the same magic to try to win back Titania, but Nick Bottom, now turned into an ass (appropriately). Becomes the object of her affection instead of Oberon!
Director Michael Hoffman ("One Fine Day"), who also wrote this adaptation of the Shakespeare work, is in lofty company with this version of the Bard's comedy. Since the lavish 1934 production, which starred Mickey Rooney as Puck and James Cagney as Nick Bottom, there have been five other renditions of "Midsummer" brought to the big screen. This latest version attempts to convey Shakespeare's comedy of manner and magic with a visual look into the fairy world.
There were three ways to go for Hoffman in this production. One, following Shakespeare's own method, would concentrate on the actors/characters with the visuals left to the imagination of the spectator. Second, in the tradition of the earliest stage and screen renditions of "Midsummer," would be to concentrate on the fantasy/visual aspect with the characters less fleshed out. Finally, as Hoffman does it, a combination the playwright's dialog and character development in the play with the many visual techniques created over the last hundred years. Hoffman gives a yeoman's effort, but the film left me wondering how a more "classical" hand, say Peter Greenaway ("Prospero's Books"), would have done.
The story combines two separate and distinct worlds - the idyllic, bustling Italian town preparing for the wedding of their beloved Duke and the dark, otherworld of the fairy king and queen and their loyal vassals. The humans, unbeknownst, en, led by the still-beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer as Titania. Stanley Tucci shows lots of pluck as Puck, but is uninteresting in what should have been a more mirthful role. Rupert Everett looks good as the king of the fairies, but lends nothing special to the role.
Of the four lovers, only Calista Flockhart (TV's "Ally McBeal") gives any life to her performance of the lovelorn Helena. The rest, Christian Bale, Anna Friel and Dominic West are two dimensional at best. The members of Bottom's little acting troupe - Roger Rees ("The Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby"), Sam Rockwell ("Box of Moonlight"), Bill Irwin ("Fool Moon"), Max Wright (TV's "Alf") and Greg Jbara - are first rate in their tiny roles, making you wish THEY played the lovers.
A clever addition to the turn-of-the-century setting is the use of the bicycle as a magical implement in its own way. Costuming is right, especially as the camera wanders through the nightly world of the fairies. Production design has an artificial instead of mystical look.
The Shakespearean dialog is faithful to the original and requires the attention of the viewer to capture the Bard's nuance and humor in his period turn of a phrase. There are requisite Shakespearean turn of phrase, like "what fools these mortals be." However, the execution of the Bard's comic work is less than sparkling. I give "William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream" a disappointed C+.
"You land a million planes safely, but you have one little mid-air and you never hear the end of it." This sets the tone of director Mike Newell's latest foray into American sub-culture. This time, instead of the mob underworld of "Donnie Brasco," Newell examines the on-the-edge life of the travel world's unsung hero - the air traffic controller. Based on the insightful New York Times Magazine article by Darcy Frey, "Something's Got to Give," the film stars John Cusack as Nick "No Fly Zone" Falzone, THE hotshot ATC of the Newark Corridor, the busiest air-traffic spot in the world. Zone is the tops in his profession until a new gun, named Russell Bell (Billy Bob Thornton), strolls into town. Nick sees the newcomer as a challenger for his top spot, sparking an intense competition between the two in "Pushing Tin."
Robin's review of 'Pushing Tin':
Nick is the best of the best. He can juggle 10 planes at once on antiquated, unreliable equipment, banter with his fellows AND sing a tune between his rapid fire instructions to his air-bound wards. He's the top gun of the ATCs until Russell hits the scene. Russell is a legend among the controllers, a man who subjected himself to the air blast of a landing 747 just to know what turbulence really feels like. He's also a teetotaler (unheard of in the craft) and is married to a gorgeous younger woman, Mary (Angelina Joli, "Playing God").
Nick sees Russell as the enemy, even as he outwardly tries to befriend the newcomer. But, every time he challenges Bell, whether at getting the most planes on his radar or in a "friendly" basketball shoot-off, he loses. Without trying, Russell comes out on top every time, even when a bomb threat forces the ATC center to evacuate and he risks his life to get a plane in distress safely landed. This all drives Nick crazy, making him risk his marriage and his job in his quest to best Russell. In his obsessive state of mind, he even sleeps with Mary. The ensuing ramifications of his actions leads Nick into a downward spiral of divorce and job insecurity.
John Cusack is solid as the young Turk in command of his universe. He does a great job as he transitions from being #1 on the block to being, suddenly, a distant #2. His self-esteem depends on him being the best and he can't handle being less. Russell is the innocent catalyst that sends Cusack's Nick over the edge and the actor does a credible job.
Billy Bob Thornton is a surprise and a treat as the mysterious Russell. He is quiet and capable and delivers a subtly intense performance as the living legend of air traffic controllers. With a minimum of dialogue, Thornton displays the quiet, Zen-like passion Russell has for everything he does, doing his best because it is all he knows how to do. Thornton's is a quiet but powerful supporting performance.
Cate Blanchett ("Elizabeth") is terrific as Nick's dedicated, loving wife, Connie. She's not the brightest person, but loves Nick and is always doing some sort of extension course to improve herself. Nick's betrayal is devastating to the woman and Blanchett does a fine job in a tough role. (The loyal wife role has to be the toughest to do without cliche.) She does a pretty darn good New Yawk accent, for an Aussie, too.
Angelina Joli, a beautiful young actress who has peaked my interest in her other outings, is mis-cast or mis-directed as the confused young wife of Russell. Her mannered performance is annoying at times as Joli tries to define the undefined character, Mary.
The supporting cast of ATC personnel could have/should have been an ensemble of characters along the lines of "The Seven Samurai" or "The Magnificent Seven." Without a lot of effort, and with the talent of the actors involved here, a rich mine of characters could have helped flesh out the film beyond the leads. Mostly, the other controllers group themselves behind one or the other principle like an indistinct Greek chorus.
The screenplay by Glen Charles and Les Charles (TV's "Cheers) does an effective job of capturing the frenzied day-to-day life of air traffic controllers and the pressures and stresses that they undergo day in and out. They work this theme well through the first three quarters of the film. The last half hour, unfortunately, degrades into a conventional tale of a man trying to get back what he lost. There is even an obligatory corny scene where Nick serenades Connie in an attempt to woo her back. The last part is, unfortunately, ultra-conventional following the innovative, intelligent and energetic bulk of the film.
Technical credits, especially the crisp photography by Gale Tattersall ("Virtuosity") which cleanly captures the murky, dark environment of the tin pushers, are excellent. The frenetic editing by Jon Gregory ("Donnie Brasco") captures the wild, controlled chaos of an ATC center, giving the players' routine actions a palpable tension.
I wish the last half hour had kept the same pace and unusual qualities afforded during the first 90 minutes. If so, "Pushing Tin" could have been great. It's good, though, and I give it a B.
Laura's review of 'Pushing Tin'
British director Mike Newell ("Donnie Brasco") takes on the world of New York City air traffic controllers in "Pushing Tin." We're quickly informed, via a school trip to TRACON, that this profession has the highest alcoholism, heart attack and suicide rates and that a controller holds more lives in his hands during one shift than a surgeon does in an entire lifetime. The film begins with the quote 'You land a million planes safely, then you have one little mid-air and you never hear the end of it.' When an air traffic controller burns out (becomes 'frozen to the scope'), his colleagues routinely make bets as to how far he'll make it from his car on subsequent attempts to return to the job.
John Cusack is Nick 'no fly zone' Falzone, a wired hot shot who can land more planes than any of his colleagues, a bunch of high paid, low educated, hard partying cowboys (and one body building woman, played by TV's Vicki Lewis of "News Radio" with a flash of machismo). He lives the good life with his beautiful high school sweetheart Connie (Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth") and two young boys in a high priced, cookie cutter subdivision in New Jersey. His ego is threatened by the arrival of Russell Bell (Billy Bob Thornton, "A Simple Plan"), a half-Cree man of little words who's reputation (he once let a 747 pass over his head in order to experience its turbulence first hand) precedes him and whom women find 'interesting' (Lewis swallows the word as she realizes she's about to become the object of good-natured ribbing).
Nick, who strongly advocates safety first, is appalled when Russell moves planes dangerously close together in order to land them on schedule. Russell's zen-like calm while pushing more tin than Nick causes Nick to initiate a game of one upmanship that will have devastating consequences.
The group gapes when Russell attends a barbecue with his 19 year old wife Mary (Angelina Jolie, "Playing by Heart"). Mary's trashy attire, tattoos and heavy drinking add to Russell's mystique. When Nick finds her sobbing in a grocery store, he takes her out to dinner at his local Italian hangout and copious amounts of wine cause him to commit the ultimate transgression - sleeping with another controller's wife. Russell responds with eerie calmness, yet still gets under Nick's skin by comparing the charms of their wives.
John Cusack has a talent for displaying controlled insanity which is neatly utilized here. Thornton (who is rail thin in this role) is more impressive in his quiet authority (and ultimate heroism), building a strong and intriguing character with scant dialogue (and gives a hilarious rendition of 'Muskrat Love' with Mary hanging on his body while Connie hangs on his words). Blanchett's Connie is more than just a wife figure, creating a woman who copes with the lunacy of her husband's profession with outside interests (and plenty of sex appeal within the long term marriage). Jolie, a young actress of note, is merely baffling here, although that fault could be laid at the screenwriters' door. (The film was written by Glen and Les Charles, creators of "Cheers.")
The film balances moments of high tension (it's an eye opener to realize that it's the air traffic controller who really controls the plane during the most dangerous parts of its flight) and humor (Nick shows off to Russell with reckless driving only to find that Russell's nodded off during the wild ride). At the film's climax, Nick and Russell remain landing planes during a bomb scare. Nick, believing Russell's already left the building, does what he can for one last plane, before diving out into the snow seconds before the bomb's scheduled blast. Russell, meanwhile, has remained inside, calling an in-flight air phone to speak directly to the pilot of the last plane approaching New York. Russell then disappears while TV commentators air footage of Nick's heroic last minute dive out of the building as an example of the panic which took place.
>From this moment, the film stumbles. With his life in shambles, Nick searches out Russell to act as his guru and the movie deflates with pseudo-new ageisms and an 'only-in-the-movies' reconciliation between Nick and Connie. Yet "Pushing Tin" offers some great moments (a near miss seen from a cockpit made me duck!) and a terrific performance from Thornton.
Cesar (Eduardo Noriega) is rich, handsome and prides himself on having a different beautiful woman every night. When he hits on his best friend's date Sofia (Penelope Cruz, "Live Flesh") at his birthday party, the woman from the night before, the sexy but clinging Nuria (Najwa Nimri, looking like a Spanish Louise Brooks), follows the couple and waits all night to offer Cesar a ride and more. Instead she drives her car over a cliff, killing herself and leaving Cesar horribly disfigured. Cesar next finds himself under psychiatric evaluation for the murder of a woman named Sofia, or is it Nuria, in the complex sci-fi thriller from newcomer Alejandro Amenabar "Open Your Eyes."
Laura's review of 'Open Your Eyes':
"Open Your Eyes" is an incredibly ambitious first film which delivers in the story department (screenplay by Amenabar and Mateo Gil) while the unsympathetic lead character forces an emotional distance upon its audience.
Amenabar juggles flashbacks, present day and flashforwards, reality and make-believe, throwing disconnected scenes at his viewers with a rapid fire pace while amazingly maintaining coherence.
Does Sofia really exist or is she a figment of Cesar's imagination, being the first woman he wishes to return to? Or is she really one and the same as Nuria? Is the work of plastic surgeons really so successful Cesar's pre-accident face is recreated or is he the Phantom-of-the-Opera-ish ghoul he still sees in the mirror? Is he a murderer or simply crazy as his friend Pelayo (Fele Martinez) maintains? What does Serge Duvernois (Gerard Barray), the narrator of a TV documentary on cryogenics, have to do with all this?
Amenabar comes up with a neat explanation in the film's final third, where it takes a distinct turn into science fiction. However, I found the first two thirds of "Open Your Eyes" more compelling and wished the film's ending had been more ambiguous.
Eduardo Noreiga does a fine job as Cesar in three modes. He's cocky and confident as the handsome playboy. Somewhat more sympathetic when disfigured (he resembles the late Klaus Kinski as Leatherface), Noreiga tormentedly replays the opposite story presented in the film's first third (another neat screenwriting trick). In present day, the masked Noriega (the look recalls the French film, "Eyes Without a Face") is withdrawn until he begins to connect the dots and enlists the aid of his psychiatrist Antonio (Chete Lera) to unravel the events which have placed him in a mental institution. Also noteworthy is Najwa Nimri as Nuria/Sofia, an exotic beauty soon to be seen costarring with Martinez in the upcoming "Lovers of the Arctic Circle."
The film's look is stark, featuring washed out, institutional grays and greens except for Nuria, whose signature color is bright red. Amenabar achieves amazing 'special' effects by clearing the streets of Madrid, creating an unnatural future world. The soundtrack features a haunting selection of pop songs.
"Open Your Eyes" is a startling debut from an eye-opening new talent.
Robin's review of 'Open Your Eyes':
Sometimes you attend a film where you can't quite keep track of what's going on, but you are so thoroughly intrigued by the story and its complexity that you forget the confusion and revel in the diversity of the tale. Such a film is "Open You Eyes" by acclaimed Spanish director Alejandro Amenabar, opening soon for the art house crowd.
"Open Your Eyes" is a multi-layered/multi-threaded story that deals with duality and the dichotomy between physical beauty and flaw. There is mask symbolism and metaphor galore and are all tied together with the intertwining of dream, reality and fantasy. The jumps in and out of dreams and reality is a little confusing, though Amenabar does not allow us to dwell to long on any of these transitions. He keeps us well intrigued by keeping us a little out of step.
Eduardo Noriega looks an awful lot like American actor Peter Gallagher in his handsome guise. As the disfigured Cesar, I thought he looked like a really battered Steve Tyler (Aerosmith). He has a third guise, too, with a mask hiding something we're not sure of. Whatever the face, Noriega turns in a terrific performance in a tough role. As the mutilated Cesar, there is a constant underlying tension in the man as he drifts in and out of dreams, in and out of beauty. The psychological impact of being pulled apart by two worlds is well conveyed by Noriega.
Penelope Cruz plays Sofia, the girlfriend of Cesar's best friend Pelayo (Fele Martinez) and the object of Cesar's attention. (Cesar is famous for his sexual conquests and one-night stands, which is his downfall). Cesar becomes obsessed with the beautiful Sofia following their chaste first meeting. More intriguing is the performance by Najwa Nimri as Nuria, as the catalyst for Cesar's dive into his hallucinatory world.
The screenplay by Amenabar and Mateo Gil could have stuck solely with the dream/reality aspect of the story. They don't. Instead, they add a science fiction element involving cryogenics and rebirth that subtly avoid convoluting the other part of the story.
Production is simple but effective. Photographer Hans Burmann captures the dream/reality shifts well enough, but excels in a sequence where Cesar, with the help of a shrink, Antonio (Chete Lera), analyzes an important dream. The look of this piece allows the viewer to almost see what Cesar almost sees in his dream.
"Open Your Eyes" is for the art house crowd. It's too strange for the average film-goer. It is an intriguing story with a whirlwind of back-and-forth between dream and reality, excellent visuals AND an element of science fiction. I give it a B+.
Long-time Roger Corman collaborator Rodman Flender brings us a tale of evil possession, zombies, murder, mayhem and blood in the new teen comedy, "Idle Hands."
Robin's review of 'Idle Hands':
Anton (Devon Sawa) is, if anything, a first rate slacker. Living off Mom and Dad, the boy is content to skip school, lay on the couch, smoke pot (out of his cleverly disguised pipe, made from an asthma inhaler), and watch scantily clad girls on MTV. That is, until an evil force enters the town of Bolan one Halloween season, slaughtering members of the town in a murder spree. Anton is oblivious to the goings on in the town, even when his parents are gruesomely killed. What Anton doesn't know, at first, but learns the hard way, is that the evil has taken possession of his right hand and he, Anton, is the killer!
This description could have been for a serious horror movie instead of a comedy. This "duality" of story, in experienced hands, could have been a complex weaving of horror and humor along the lines of Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead" flicks. It's not. Screenwriters Terri Hughes and Ron Milbauer have a bevy of plot pieces from black comedy to slapstick to gross-outs to straight horror, but there is no overall coherence to the story. It jumps from one path to the next without any sense of continuity.
Anton, if I get the story right, is possessed by evil and has, unwittingly, been killing members of the community. How he got possessed is one of the minor details overlooked by the filmmakers. After leaving a wake of bodies, including mom and dad, Anton brutally murders his two best friends, Mick (Seth Green, "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery") and Pnub (Elden Henson, "The Mighty"), but they come back to life as zombies (though no one else does). Meanwhile, the local neighborhood babe, Molly (Jessica Alba), who has not even noticed Anton for years, suddenly not only notices him, she sleeps with him and becomes his girlfriend for the big Halloween dance.
During the course of all these events, Anton frees the hand, teams up with a mysterious priestess who has been searching for the evil (Viveca A. Fox, "Independence Day") and saves the school and Molly. Getting to the climax is a mess of plot holes and inconsistencies. There just isn't a sense of what the film wants to be - gore fest, slapstick or dark comedy. It does all, but none well.
With a runtime of just over 90 minutes, "Idle Hands" is too long. There is no anchor for the film and, as such, it smashes against the shoals. I give it a D+.
Laura's review of 'Idle Hands'
"Idle Hands" is an attempt to rejuvenate the gross-out comic horror film genre defined by such great flicks as Peter Jackson's "Dead Alive" and Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead II." Roger Corman protege Rodman Flender squeezes a few chills and some laughs out of his material before the whole thing deflates. It's a good thing Flender and his editor Stephen E. Rivkin excel at pacing so this forgettable film flies by before you become annoyed at the time's you've invested in watching it.
Fred Willard and Connie Ray are suburban parents who don't live beyond the film's first five (and best) minutes. They're forewarned of their demise by a creepy message painted on their ceiling which informs them that 'I'm under the bed.'
Devon Sawa ("Casper's" human incarnation) is their son Anton, a slacker in the extreme whose sloth makes him the target for demonic possession. Anton's only activities are sleeping, watching TV and smoking pot, which he can barely muster up the ambition to cross the street to get. When he finally notices his parents are missing, his reaction is only annoyance at the inconvenience of running out of dog food and milk. When his buddies Mick (Seth Green, "Can't Hardly Wait") and Pnub (Elden Henson, "The Mighty") help him discover that he's the killer being talked about in the news, he promptly dispatches them as well. He can no longer control his murderous right hand.
Thankfully his pals are almost as lazy as he is and can't be bothered following the bright light they see, which allows them to stick around as undead (very reminiscent of "An American Werewolf in London"). Green, sporting a beer bottle protruding from his head and Henson, trying to keep his head, provide most of the fun "Idle Hands" has to offer.
The film takes on a new dimension when Anton hacks off his hand (shades of "The Evil Dead II") and it takes on a life of its own. Enter Druid priestess Debi (Vivica A. Fox, "Independence Day"), who's been following the demon from host to host, in a totally lackluster turn of events.
Good horror films are hard to come by and I've certainly seen far worse than "Idle Hands."
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David Barnard: Approved Driving Instructor in Horsham
My name is David Barnard and I am an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) with over ten years' experience. Take your driving lessons with me and learn to drive in a manner tailored to your personal needs.
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Not sure what is the best mattress for your needs? Here is a series of tips and offers for the best mattresses on the market. Resting well is of fundamental importance to reach that degree of physical well-being and, why not, also mental, which allows you to better face any day. A mattress that is too old, that is not very suitable for your physical characteristics, could cause quite a few back problems, making the night the worst part of the day so go with adjustable bed frame.
So, which mattress to choose? Just from the desire to answer this question, comes the need to focus our attention on selecting the ideal mattress for your needs. It will not be a simple classification of mattresses as proposed by other portals, but rather a complete guide in every respect.
General prerequisites for the choice of mattresses
Remember, the mattress should be considered almost like a part of your body: never restrict your choice based on price alone, many times saving money is equivalent to damaging your health. Spring mattresses, memory foam mattresses, latex or combined? Which one to choose? Here is a series of tips to better choose from the many best mattresses 2016 offers.
Try it before buying it
You have to sleep every night for at least ten years, so why not give yourself 10 minutes to try the mattress before buying it? Sitting down and hanging for a few moments does not give you the idea of comfort that you will feel lying down, so you dare and lie down, trying the various positions that you usually take in your sleep.
Covering of the mattress
While buying a mattress you must consider the quality of coverings on it as it plays an important role in deciding the overall quality but a bad or low quality covering may sometimes not suit your skin and in turn you face skin allergies. Also if the covering attracts too much dust, mould and dirt then too it's not good. And you may don't know perhaps but it's the fundamental aspect that affects the overall price of your mattress up to a great extent.


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Photo credit: Tarek Mourad/StockFood Illustration credit: Jennifer Fox
So the World Cup is here, featuring one of the most beautiful sports in the universe, and perhaps you're already decked out in green-and-gold, or red-white-and-green, or good old red-white-and-blue for your favorite team.
There's no reason not to celebrate the Best Team Ever with a little party the night before or after they play.
Brazil is playing Croatia right now, and we promise not to update this with spoilers, but if you want to throw a last-minute "Go, Brazil!" party, you totally can. We recommend fejioada: It's got black beans and beef, it's party-friendly, and it's served with rice. You can whip it up in a couple of hours and it's even better the next day. If Brazil wins (again, no spoilers!) you can bring it into work tomorrow and gloat in the general direction of your Croatian co-workers. If you dare.
If Brazil doesn't win… maybe leave your triumphant dish at home. We're liking the looks of this Food & Wine recipe, which you can actually make the same night, and which involves pork shoulder, beef, and chorizo. Save the salad for tomorrow.


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Free Express Delivery on all orders over $100 within Australia
Orders less than $100 will incur a flat rate charge of $10 for express postage.
Orders placed before 2pm each business day will be dispatched on the same day. Orders placed after 2pm or on weekends will be dispatched the following business day. Our distribution centre is located in Melbourne, and is closed on weekends and public holidays
Orders shipped within Australia are delivered via a number of different carriers depending on your delivery address, the dispatch location of the parcel, and the delivery service selected at checkout. For orders placed before 2pm we do our best to ensure these parcels are delivered the next business day based on your delivery location and carrier used.
The above delivery times are reflective of all orders dispatched from our distribution centre. In the instance where we need to source your item(s) from one of our retail stores, please allow up to 3-5 business days for delivery of your order.
Please note, where an order is placed during a promotional period, there may be a delay on the date of dispatch due to the high volume of orders received.
All orders are tracked by the deliver carrier. You will receive an email with a tracking link once your parcel has been dispatched.
All orders require a signature upon delivery. If you are not present at the nominated address to accept delivery, a calling card will be left in your letterbox indicating the post office from which you can collect your parcel (you will need to present photo ID and the tracking information to collect your parcel).
For more information on delivery times and full terms and conditions of this service, see the Australia Post website.
Please note that some orders may be fulfilled from multiple warehouses or stores and therefore may arrive in multiple deliveries. As the customer you will not be charged for additional deliveries.
Christmas Delivery Cut Off Dates – Order in Time for Christmas
|Delivery Destination
|Order by (Australian Eastern Daylight Time)
|Regional Areas: 2PM, Tuesday 18th December
Metro Areas: 12PM, Thursday 20th December
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*The above delivery times are reflective of all orders dispatched from our distribution centre. In the instance where we need to source your item(s) from one of our retail stores, please allow an additional 1-2 business days for delivery of your order. Please note, estimated delivery times do not include customs clearance or instances where a shipment is held for payment of duties/taxes.
Items for delivery to countries outside of Australia may be subject to customs duties and taxes levied by the destination country. For any parcel shipped outside of Australia, you as the recipient will be liable for all import duties, customs and local sales taxes levied by the country you are shipping to.
If you refuse your delivery, you are responsible for the original delivery charges, any applicable tax and duties charges, and the cost of returning the package. This amount will be deducted from your refund. Please Contact Us if you have any questions.


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White Embroidery Lace Hijab - Emerald
The Embroidery Lace Hijabs are perfect for any occasion. This hijab can be dressed down or up and is especially perfect for formal events, parties, graduation, or eid.
- Beautiful white embroidery lace edges
- Lace measures approx. 7 inches on each side
- 50% Cotton 50% Viscose
- 70 in x 30 in // 180 cm x 75 cm
- Available in 5 stunning shades
Care Instructions:
Hand wash only // Line dry.
Customer Reviews
Perfect weight and size, end seams are well-sewn. Picture is true to color. I get compliments on this hijab all day.
Absolutely love it! Very unique and stylish. I would consider shopping more at Bella Hijabs :)
So beautiful !


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Philippians 4/
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God …." (v6). Through hardship, Paul had learned how to be content in any circumstance (v11), and he shared his wisdom. Instead of being captive to anxiety, he urged believers to be proactive, taking every concern to our Father. And in place of dwelling on the "what ifs" and letting negativity take over, we should fill our minds with what is true, lovely, and excellent (v8).
Despite life's problems, our souls can still find rest. "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (v7).