text:
Chief Executive Magazine interviews Gary Solomon, Jr. about emerging technologies
Katrina 10 highlighted by Live Design
Solomon Group selected as a 2015 Best Place to Work.
Live Design covers "The Main Stage at ESSENCE Festival 2015"
Colorado Springs, CO
Cut, create, save the world.
traveling to new places for installs. Even though the hours are long, it is cool seeing the finished product and seeing new sites.
climbing or crawling into something, or zooming around leaving a trail of sawdust behind me.
sleeping or working.
originally am a photographer who experiments with alternative processes and installation art.
President / Co-Founder
Partner / Co-Founder
Vice President, Customer Success
Chief Financial Officer
Director of Production Design
Director of Exhibits & Environments
Estimation Department Manager
Technology Manager
Sr. Project Manager, Exhibits & Environments
Senior Technical Designer | Permanent Installations
Senior Technical Designer | Live Events
Floor Manager, Exhibits & Environments
Producer, Live Events
Event Technical Director
Production Estimator
Production Supervisor
Video Department Manager
Lighting Department Manager
Project Director, Exhibits & Environments
AV Technician
Audio/Visual Programmer
Audio/Visual Project Manager
Project Lead
Project Manager, Exhibits & Environments
Carpentry Shop Lead
Production Designer
Director of People
Systems Administrator
Print Shop Manager
Print Shop Operations Manager
Carpentry Manager
CNC Manager
Scenic Manager
Technical Design Manager
Senior Technical Designer
Carpenter III
Carpenter II
Senior Welder
Scenic Artist III
Scenic Artist II
Project Coordinator, Exhibits & Environments
Brand Marketing Video Producer
Account Executive, Live Events
Senior Account Manager, Festival Events
Director of New Business Development
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Welding Manager
Assistant Carpentry Foreman
Technical Designer
AV Systems Designer
Technical Designer
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CNC Senior Operator
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Senior Producer, Live Events
Fabrication Shop Assistant
VIdeo Technician
Senior Scenic Artist
Printshop Prepress Technician
CNC Operator
Director of Event Technologies
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Director of Administration
Senior Accountant
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text:
The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 101, No. 28, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 11, 1991
Description: Weekly newspaper from Canadian, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.
Date: July 11, 1991
Creator: Ezzell, Ben & Ezzell, Nancy
Item Type: Refine your search to only Newspaper
Partner: Hemphill County Library

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|El Dorado Hills, Calif.
|High School:
|Oak Ridge HS
2013-14 Season: Averaged 74.13 in 24 rounds…finished fourth at the Folino Invitational for his highest finish of the year…also tied for seventh at the America Sky Championships…lowest 54-hole total was 74-71--69-214 at the Itani Quality Homes Collegiate…shot 68 during the second round of the Folino Invitational for his season low.
2012-13 Season: Earned a spot as an individual to the NCAA Pullman Regional and was the America Sky Conference medalist…shot 72-70-71-213 to win the America Sky title by one stroke and record his first collegiate victory…opened the NCAA Pullman Regional with a career low 66…competed in 10 tournaments, including all six during the spring…averaged 75.00 in 30 rounds…had seven consecutive rounds of 73 or better spanning the second round of the Winchester Classic to the second round of the NCAA Pullman Regional…had seven rounds of 72 or better during the year.
2011-12 Season: Was named first team all-America Sky Conference…finished second at the conference tournament, placing two strokes behind medalist and teammate Cameron Rappleye…his stroke average of 74.13 ranked second on the team…had three rounds of 69 for his season low…best 54-hole score was 69-70-73-212 at the Braveheart Classic where he tied for third…tied for second at the Wolf Pack Classic in Stateline, Nev., after shooting 75-69-73-217.
2010-11 Season: Named the America Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year…competed in all 10 tournaments during his first season with the team…averaged 76.00 in 28 rounds…tied for fifth at the America Sky Championships…finished ninth at the Lamkin Grip/Cal Poly Challenge after shooting 79-79-148…lowest 54-hole total was 77-71-72-220 at the Bill Cullum Invitational…shot 68 in the first round of the America Sky Championships for his season low…had three rounds of 72 or better.
Personal: A business administration major.
Top Five Finishes
1st - America Sky Championships (April 29-May 1, 2013)
t2nd - Wolf Pack Classic (Oct. 3-4, 2011)
t3rd - Braveheart Classic, (April 9-10, 2012)
4th - Folino Invitational (Feb. 17-18, 2014)
t5th - America Sky Conference Championships (Apr. 19-20, 2011)
Lowest Rounds
66 - NCAA Pullman Regional, 1st Round (May 16, 2013)
68 - America Sky Confernece Championships, 1st Round (Apr. 19, 2011)
68 - Folino Invitational, 2nd Round (Feb. 17, 2014)
69 - Lamkin Grip/Cal Poly Challenge, 2nd Round (Mar. 25, 2011)
69 - Wolf Pack Classic, 2nd Round (Oct. 3, 2011)
69 - Braveheart Classic, 1st Round (April 9, 2012)
69 - Folino Invitational, 1st Round (Feb. 17, 2013)
69 - Sacramento State Invitational, 3rd Round (March 4, 2014)
Lowest 54-Hole Scores
212 - Braveheart Classic, (April 9-10, 2012)
213 - America Sky Championships (April 29-May 1, 2013)
214 - Folino Invitational (Feb. 17-19, 2013)
214 - Itani Quality Homes Intercollegiate (Sept. 9-10, 2014)


text:
De spon Surname Ancestry Results
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d'espieres d'espinay d'espiney d'espourrin d'esprandieu de spina de spreckelsen des pommare des presies despiere despieres despierre despierres despiers despines despinway despla desplaces desplaceys desplan desplanches despland desplas desplats desponds despontine despores despotakes despotin despotini despott despouy despoy desprats despre despreaulx despree desprelles despremont despres
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text:
Cityscape to Rolling Acres in Asia
From a high-tech house on 35 acres in Byron Bay, Australia, to a high-rise apartment in Hong Kong with expansive skyline views, here's a look at some of the properties featured as the Asia House of the Day in March.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... a tick to low maintenance ... this is to cityscape views ... these features are highlighted and this month's Asia House of the day ... staff a high tech home near Byron Bay Australia ... South house sits on thirty five acres of rolling green ... inside it's equipped with state of the art entertainment ... and a security system controlled with a touch of the night and ... just outside the open plan living pavilion with thirty foot ceilings ... Macedon firepit and an alfresco dining area there's also a toll ... the cost for the six veteran is four point six million dollars ... next up the slight build snowmen and leafy suburb of Melbourne Australia ... it was built as a show house complete with a synthetic lawn ... exits those without a green bow mm ... featuring glossy floors ... large picture windows ... in a kitchen with green glass Pakistan ... this home is on the market for two point six million dollars ... this next house offers a taste of that in in Queenstown New Zealand ... this six bedroom home that sits down and when burning fireplaces ... was renovated to its alpine setting ... it sits on nine acres of parkland land ... and offers mountain range in ages ... the asking price for the property is two point five million dollars ... moving on to Hong Kong this high rise apartment in the mid levels district ... has wide open Harbor Park and skyline ease ... its interiors were featured in a local design magazine in the flat was of rigidly three veterans ... it into a large master bedroom and against weeks of them the property is on the market for nearly six point seven million dollars ... the Wall Street gentle this is my aunt Oaxaca


text:
Thought this might be of interest. ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) is a division of ALA.
Subject: Upcoming ACRL OnPoint Chat: Getting Involved With ACRL
November 12, 2009: Getting Involved With ACRL (10:00 a.m. Pacific | 11:00 a.m. Mountain | 12:00 p.m. Central | 1:00 p.m.
In this discussion, ACRL Vice-President Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe and Executive Director Mary Ellen Davis will answer your questions about the wide variety of ways to make the most of your membership by getting involved in ACRL. Learn how and when committee appointments are made along with other ways you can become more active in the ACRL community and contribute to the profession.
ACRL OnPoint is a live series of informal monthly chat sessions that provide the opportunity to connect with colleagues and experts to discuss an issue of the day in academic and research librarianship. All ACRL OnPoint chats are free, open to the public, and require no registration. Meebo chat rooms have a limit of 80 total participants. Due to this restriction, ACRL OnPoint discussions will be delivered on a first-come-first-served basis. Complete details and login information are available on the ACRL Website at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/events/onpoint/index.cfm


text:
I am looking for an AI agent framework to use as a starting point in an Android game I have to create for a university research project. It has been suggested to me to use JADE, but, as far as I can tell, it's not a suitable framework for games (at least for my game idea) because it runs in a split-execution mode, and it needs an always-active network connection to a main host.
What I want is just a little something to give me a headstart. I am willing to adjust the game's features to the framework because it's more of a mockup game, and the purpose is to compare the performance of a couple of agents in the game world. The game will be very simplistic, with a minimal UI that displays various stats about the characters in the game (so no graphics, no pathfinding).
Thank you.


text:
Reluctance by the pedestrian to admit a mistake has led Democrats increasingly closer to saying that Novak dissembled about his actions when driving through the crosswalk. Even after a belated interview with TMZ, in which, in a quasi-apology rich with the dark irony for which he is noted, he stated that he was distracted while driving by "listening to NPR," finger-pointing at the events in the intersection continued. Messages between the Politico and Think Progress hashed over the quotes from witnesses, while more rational blogs speculated that the accident had been a set-up by liberal operatives, who hoped to draw attention from statements by John McCain praising the surge.
Novak's mission was created in his early crusading efforts to reform pedestrian behavior, using the clear, honest, visionary prose for which he has long been known. In 2001, he reportedly cursed at a jaywalker only blocks from the White House, on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th Streets, intoning the command heard round the world, "Learn to read the signs, [bodily orifice]!" Stating further in an interview that "I really hate jaywalkers...I despise them...the only other option is to run them over...", Democratic operatives unfairly concluded that Novak's compassionate calling to urban reform in fact represented a mission to splay.That's where Bono came in. Carrying the dual monikers of a sixties counterculture radical and a 21st century shades-wearing, debt-relieving, globe-trotting liberal firebrand, the bicyclist "witness" came to notice when, cruising lightly, almost as if windsurfing, he wheeled up on his no-doubt-French-made cycle to the window of Novak's Corvette (built entirely in the U.S.A.) and "hit the window with (his) fist." Bono claimed that he stated to Novak that "you can't just hit a pedestrian and drive away." He then placed his bicycle in front of Novak's car, apparently assuming that he had the force and authority to block Novak's further egress.
Bono is not a representative of District of Columbia Traffic Agency. However, his wife, Shaunee Moon (Littletree) Bono is an agency operative on liberalization of jaywalking policy. Two senior Traffic Agency officials told me that Bono's wife suggested sending him to 18th and K to intercept Novak's Corvette. The Agency states that its counterjaywalking officials chose Bono and asked Moon (Littletree) Bono to contact him. "I will not discuss any matters regarding my wife", said Bono, when I interviewed him, "Particularly when I am splayed across the hood of your car."
During the run-up to the 18th and K intercept (near the offices where he served), Bono had made oral reports to friends that "accidents are not that likely", and that "you are more likely to be injured slipping in the shower than crossing the street; after all, in the street, there are traffic signals." Notably, Bono's oral statements did not include mention of the possibility of pedestrians voluntarily launching themselves onto moving automobiles. The report of the Agency's interview with Bono remains classified.
After Novak stated that "He's not dead, that's the main thing," Bono declined any further interviews. "The story was never me," said Bono, "it was always the guy who drove directly into a 66-year old man crossing at a walk signal, who flew across his windshield, and then driving away, until repeatedly stopped by witnesses." The story, actually, is whether a covert jaywalking inducement policy, launched by an Agency operative, and executed by the spouse of that operative, should remain covert. I, for one, say no--in the Agency's, the streets' and the public interest.


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FOOTNOTES Downhill hotel. Richard D. Lothar-ius, formerly of Miami and now a senior accountant in our office in Lima, Peru, arrived in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on business late one night. He checked into the city's leading hotel, picturesquely located on the banks of the Guayas river. When he entered his room, he had the strange feeling that he was walking downhill. Shrugging it off as something akin to battle fatigue, he got into bed, rolled over, and right out of bed. He got back into bed, thinking how badly he needed a vacation. The next morning, things hadn't improved. When he opened the closet door, he found it wouldn't stay closed unless latched. In the shower, he kept sliding to one side. This, he decided, was more than his imagination. When he got downstairs, he learned that the building did lean several degrees. He was assured that there was no danger, but for the remainder of his stay, he chose another hotel. It wasn't that he was scared, he reports. It was just that he couldn't keep the pictures on the wall from hanging crooked. Executive Office changes. The Executive Office announced the following transfers effective on or about June 5, 1967: Michael N. Chetkovich, partner-in-charge of the San Francisco office, will transfer to the Executive Office to assist Managing Partner John W Queenan in the general administration of the Firm. Thomas B. Hogan, partner-in-charge of the New York office, will transfer to the Executive Office. He will assist Partner Malcolm M. Devore in the administration of domestic offices and will handle practice development and special assignments. John S. Schumann, Executive Office partner, will transfer to the New York office to become partner-in-charge. Four and a half years' work. The pile of volumes on the desk of Harold S. Moffet, partner-in-charge of DPH&S Montreal (see page 17), represents four and a half years of effort by "a tremendous concentration of talent," to quote Mr. Moffet. The six volumes, containing about 2,600 pages, make up the report of the Royal Commission on Taxation, appointed in 1962. Six outstanding Canadians comprised the commission, representing accountancy, economics, finance, industry, agriculture and consumers. A large staff of researchers, economists, tax specialists, accountants and others worked full time on the project. Extensive studies were contributed by the Canadian Tax Foundation, universities and other bodies. Public hearings were held throughout Canada. "The task," says Mr. Moffet, "was colossal." He adds: "After examining various alternatives, the commission has recommended several concepts that are new to the Canadian tax scene. Among these are taxing the income of families as opposed to individuals in the family group; the integration of personal and corporation income taxes; and the establishment of a comprehensive tax based on economic power whether it arises from personal earnings, operating a business, selling property or the receipt of a gift. There are many recommendations to make the task of the tax evader more difficult and to streamline the machinery of administration and enforcement." Mr. Moffet calls the report "the most comprehensive study of taxation ever undertaken in Canada." In behalf of CPAs. Managing Partner John W Queenan recently joined other leaders of accountancy to help set the record straight in a flurry of press reports indicating that the profession is under fire. The reports evidently stemmed from a number of lawsuits instituted against some accountants. "It is probable that the number of lawsuits has been greatly exaggerated," Mr. Queenan told the press. "Certainly they attack only an infinitesimal portion of the total practice. Nonetheless, the accounting profession is alert to any indication of unhappiness with its services and, in those cases where alleged weaknesses are found to be real, is making progress in eliminating them." Meet Peter Costigan. J. Peter Costi-gan, Jr., has been named to a newly created position in the E.O. personnel department, that of Professional Placement Director. Mr. Costigan, as head of his own concern, has been assisting H&S for many years, recruiting personnel for the Firm (principally MAS) as well as for clients. He says the new position he occupies evolved out of that work. It was established to enable us to do more effectively what we have sought to do for many years—to assist clients seeking professional accounting and executive personnel and to help our staff accountants who want to pursue their careers in private concerns. Peter Costigan says that, in his new position, he will be offering a service that clients have been increasingly requesting, "maybe because they believe we understand the people in this field." Unlike the practice followed by some other firms, H&S's service to its clients "will not be on a fee basis." Moves between offices. Harry E. Barth, staff accountant, from Houston to Dallas. Steven G. Bauer, staff accountant, from Los Angeles to Orange County (Calif.). Donald J. Benson, staff accountant, from Newark to New York. Richard W Bergstrasser, staff accountant, from Newark to Executive Office. Andre Bouchard, staff accountant (MAS), from Houston to Chicago. Hugh T. Clark, Jr., staff accountant, from Newark to Executive Office. Barry J. Knamm, staff accountant, from Miami to Rochester. Paul A. Makowski, staff accountant, from New York to Rochester. Freddie C. Ryan, staff accountant, from Houston to Chicago. William G. Van Note, Jr., consultant (MAS), from Rochester to Philadelphia. John K. Whalen, staff accountant, from Buffalo to Rochester. 9


text:
Expert says ND pheasant hunters will have to work
October 07, 2013 at 09:14 AM
The Associated Press
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota outdoors expert says pheasant hunters are going to have to work harder than usual to find birds this year.
Hunters who venture out for Saturday's opener and beyond will find that numbers are down across the board, Pheasants Forever regional representative Matt Olson said.
The nonprofit conservation group has 27 chapters and more than 4,000 members in North Dakota.
"It's going to be a bit tougher out there," Olson told the Grand Forks Herald (http://bit.ly/15evGVZ ).
A late and wet spring hampered bird reproduction, Olson said, although the cover is good so there will be opportunities to find adult pheasants. However, it will take some trekking through deep sloughs.
"The days of taking a nice, easy walk and getting your roosters are probably over," Olson said.
Olson said two large rain events in southeastern North Dakota put a damper on nesting. Some hens re-nested, which means hunters could encounter some immature roosters with very little color to make it easy to discern them from hens, which can't be hunted.
"Some birds now are just starting to get into color," Olson said. "I don't know how ready they'll be come opener, but later, they'll be colored up fully."
Olson said habitat continues to erode as acreage enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program expires and more grasslands are broken up for farming. CRP acreage in North Dakota, which peaked at about 3.4 million acres in 2007, is down to about 1.7 million acres.
"It's definitely in decline and on top of that, we're really starting to see a lot of pastures, some of those not being fully utilized, they're going to crop production, as well," Olson said. "We're losing permanent cover at a pretty bad rate right now."
Information from: Grand Forks Herald, http://www.grandforksherald.com
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.


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Masters of Moguls
The mogul course was hard. Frozen rain mixed with the snow, but the unforgiving conditions didn't stop Heavenly skiers from climbing the podium seven times.
The Heavenly Ski Foundation team hosted its second mogul event last weekend, and once again Taryn Baker came out on top. The freestylers raced in single moguls on Saturday then single and dual moguls Sunday.
Baker's consistent turns led to three wins in three races. Baker turned in the same 3-for-3 performance in her last race.
Ally Sullivan ripped fast turns down the course for two J-4 golds. Karli Anderson tackled moguls bigger than her for two J-5 silvers. Mia Idzorek, battling a back injury, got a J-4 bronze with her tight turns.
Shanti Payne led the men. He netted two seconds and a third with his stylish tricks and huge jumps. Yamato Kashima grabbed a third and fourth with some monster airs. Zach Shearer got two J-3 gold's with smooth turns and inverted jumps. Josh Sullivan displayed new and improved turns and picked up a J-3 bronze. Dean Ambrosi boosted some massive airs. Range Chapman got a J-4 bronze with clean turns and big jumps. Matthew Sullivan powered his way to a J-5 bronze.
Saturday single moguls
Athlete Overall Place Age Group Place Score
Taryn Baker 1 1 J-2 17.16
Ally Sullivan 10 1 J-4 10.14
Karli Anderson 15 2 J-5 5.01
Shanti Payne 2 1 J-2 20.19
Yamato Kashima 4 1 senior 18.42
Zach Shearer 5 1 J-3 15.86
Joshua Sullivan 9 4 J-3 11.08
Dean Ambrosi 10 5 J-3 11.07
Matthew Sullivan 16 4 J-5 6.35
Range Chapman 17 3 J-4 6.07
Sunday single moguls
Taryn Baker 1 1 J-2 15.48
Ally Sullivan 6 1 J-4 11.38
Mia Idzorek 10 3 J-4 9.34
Karli Anderson 14 2 J-5 5.45
Shanti Payne 2 1 J-2 20.32
Yamato Kashima 3 1 senior 18.31
Zach Shearer 5 1 J-3 16.65
Joshua Sullivan 7 3 J-3 10.95
Dean Ambrosi 9 4 J-3 10.34
Matthew Sullivan 14 3 J-5 5.94
Sunday dual moguls
Taryn Baker 1
Ally Sullivan 9
Mia Idzorek 10
Karli Anderson 13
Shanti Payne 3
Zach Shearer 5
Joshua Sullivan 6
Dean Ambrosi 8
Matthew Sullivan 13
Range Chapman 14


text:
Greenpeace's successful Detox campaign has proven that determined global action can make a difference. Here demonstrators demand international brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma and Li Ning eliminate all hazardous chemical discharges from across its supply chain. To read more head here.
During the course of the Detox campaign, we demanded companies eliminate all hazardous chemical discharges from across their supply chain. The campaign included a viral video, online petitions and public demonstrations were being held all around the globe, including outside Beijing's Adidas and Nike stores in Sanlitun. More than 600 volunteers participated in a "Detox flashmob striptease" outside Adidas and Nike stores in 29 cities in 10 countries, setting the record for the world's largest striptease. We also reached to the public at events such as Shanghai's Zebra Music Festival.
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text: The communication between Scout ships and their Homeports was embedded into video images and sent to respective way stations located in each solar system. The codes for our particular ship were finally decoded from messages entitled "I love Lucy". The diagram shown here is a reproduction of what was apparently a detailed cue sheet for the last mission the ship was on when it was lost. Once underway, these details would be projected onto the cylindrical section of the communications and guidance display for pilots to follow.


text:
I Love NY
I Love NY T-Shirts, Party Supplies, Mugs, Bags, Chocolates and more
The I Love NY (I Heart NY) logo is the most elegant and simple marketing campaign. With the red heart between I and NY, the symbol I ♥ NY creates a direct and unique identity for all who love New York City. Now, for over thrirty years this popular creative I Heart NY logo has captured the LOVE of people across the globe!
We carry only OFFICIALLY licensed I Love NY souvenirs, gifts and T-Shirts so you can be confident of our quality I Love NY products. Buy an inexpensive I Love NY t-shirt in various colors or our popular I Love NY snow globes and mugs!


text:
Toney, Glenn
Glenn has been the Director of Information Technology (ITec) at Emmanuel College since 1993. He graduated from Emmanuel (Junior) College with an AA degree in 1983. In 1985, Glenn completed his Bachelors of Science degree in Math and Computer Science at the University of Georgia. Glenn worked at the University of Georgia at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education for 6 year as a software developer and support specialist before coming back to EC as Information Technology Director.
Satara, Leo
Leo began working in the Information Technology department in 1999, the same year he received a B.S.Ed. in Business Administration with a minor in Information Systems from Emmanuel College. Native to former Yugoslavia, Leo came to the United States in 1993 via a foreign exchange program during his senior year of high school. It was during this time that he was recruited to play basketball at Emmanuel College, a blessing that had led to many wonderful years as both a student and employee.


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So often, Corvette owners invest untold hours and dollars in their cars, with the resulting car only generating mileage (footage?) while on a show field, or being driven on or off a trailer.
This isn't one of them.
In fact, one of the last times that Guy Moyers's '88 Corvette was on a trailer was when it was shipped from Bowling Green Assembly to its original selling dealer.
And it had covered plenty of distance by the time he saw it for the first time, back in the mid-'90s. "My wife and I were at a funeral in Virginia, and we saw it for sale on a corner lot," Moyers says. "We did a quick U-turn, and we saw that it was a daily driver that had a lot of miles on it." In fact, the 74,000-plus miles on the car then were all highway miles.
Before long, that '88 was in Moyers' Exton, Pennsylvania, garage and workshop. Before any modifications or upgrades went on it, Moyers went through it. "I went all over the car to make sure that it was mechanically sound," he recalls. "I did any repairs myself."
Over the next year and a half, Moyers went over the '88 from one end to the other, detailing and cleaning it. As he puts it, "It took me three months just to clean the engine, because it was a driver. I got everything down to where I knew what I had, and then I started…tweaking it into the shape it is now."
That meant starting with the '88's body, which gained a Greenwood ground-effects kit that fit Moyers' preference for C4 style and function. He then turned his attention to the suspension. "I put Bilstein shocks, heavy-duty sway bars, and higher-rate springs on, and polyurethane bushings from front to back," he says.
Two years ago, he completely disassembled the rearend and rear suspension. "[I rebuilt] everything from the back of the car all the way up to the transmission," he says. Next, he installed a Dana 44 rear with 3.73 gears and had the driveshaft re-balanced.
Note that except for the driveshaft work, and the machining and reassembly of the short-block, Moyers did it all himself. That's also how he upgraded the C4's 350-inch L98 small-block and 700R4 overdrive automatic—all work done in his shop, except for machine-shop services.
When it came time to get into the powertrain, he'd sought out plenty of advice before he turned a wrench on it. "I planned the engine project for over a year before I actually started doing it," Moyers says of his research, which led him to TPIS in Minnesota. "They gave me advice on how to keep everything compatible, so it works as a unit. The end result was an engine that exceeded my expectations."
More specifically, that result was a Mini-Rammed 355 that puts out 483 rear-wheel horsepower (on a 100-horse shot of nitrous oxide), and pushes the C4 through the quarter- mile in the mid-to-high 11-second range. "If I could hook up better, it would be in the mid-to-low 11s," Moyers adds.
On the street, and on the twisty roads in and around the Delaware Valley, Moyers' C4 is no less strong a runner. "The first time I tested it with the nitrous installed, my wife was scared to death of it—she thought it was going to explode!" Moyers says. "I opened it up on the [Pennsylvania] Turnpike, and she grabbed my leg and started screaming. I said, 'I can tune out the screaming; just don't grab me—that's dangerous!'"
Since John Machaqueiro shot these pictures of the '88, Moyers has updated it again, as he does each year when he has it off the road from October to April. "I changed the dash, and I've now got a complete Auto Meter analog gauge set in it. It's gorgeous, with the white Phantom gauges." The car has also thrown off some trouble codes, so he's having TPIS reprogram his C4's PROM to eliminate that problem.
Planning a C4 project of your own? For a lot of Corvette enthusiasts nowadays, that's the easiest (and most affordable) way to tailor a Vette to their tastes. If that's what you're looking to do, Moyers has this advice:
Moyers also made one mod that's really cool. "I moved the transmission cooler from the front of the car all the way to the back," he says. "I've now got a big B&M cooler on there with a fan on it." That change now lets his C4's 700R4 run 15 degrees cooler, while the engine runs 10 degrees cooler, too.
I would suggest that you speak to as many credible sources as you can," he says. "Openly discuss with them what your vision is for the finished product, and then bring a very big checkbook—unless you're prepared to do it all yourself.
"There are so many people that want to give you advice, but you really have to be able to confirm their credibility. You do that by asking around."
Spec Sheet
'88 Coupe
|Guy Moyers; Exton, PA
|L98 cast-iron, bored 0.030-inch and internally balanced
|355 ci
|Compression Ratio
|Power Adder
|100hp "wet" nitrous-oxide system
|TPIS-ported "D-Port" heads
|Manley 2.00/1.56
|TPIS "ZZX" hydraulic roller (0.597-in lift, 241-deg duration, 112-deg LSA)
|Rocker Arms
|Comp Cams 1.6 Magnum roller
|Forged aluminum
|Forged steel
|TPIS Mini Ram with 58mm throttle body
|Fuel Injectors
|Melling high-volume pump, 7-qt pan with windage tray and scraper bar
|MSD 6AL electronic with HVC-II coil
|Exhaust System
|TPIS long-tube headers, 3-in pipes, Borla "Stinger" mufflers
|Modified 700R4 automatic with external cooler and 3,200-rpm TCI torque converter
|Stock, balanced with solid U-joints
|Vette Brakes & Products heavy-duty front and rear springs, Bilstein shocks
|Modified Dana 44 with 3.73:1 gears
|Baer cross-drilled/slotted rotors (13-in front, 12-in rear), '96 Grand Sport calipers
|'96 Grand Sport aluminum; 17x9.5 (front), 17x11 (rear)
|BFGoodrich Comp T/A 275/40R17 (front), BFG g-Force T/A Drag Radial 315/35R17 (rear)
|Fuel Octane
|93 (min)
|Current Mileage
|Miles Driven Annually


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Cynthia Tassopoulos stopped 12 shots in the 4-0 shutout against Brown (Gil Talbot).
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Harvard field hockey team rallied for three second-half goals to pull away from Brown, clinching a 4-0 victory Saturday at Jordan Field.
The Bears (1-8, 0-3 Ivy League) worked well on the counter-attack during most of the first half, earning four penalty corners and testing Harvard goalie Cynthia Tassopoulos with 10 shots on frame. The momentum began to swing towards the Crimson end just over 10 minutes into the game as the Bears picked up a yellow card, putting them down a player for a key stretch.
While the Crimson (5-3, 2-1) was not able to take advantage of the Brown penalty, it was able to strike first at the 15:20 mark. Junior Katelin Wahl carried the ball into the circle and backhanded a shot across the goalmouth that found its way through a crowd and past Brown keeper Shannon McSweeney for a 1-0 lead. The Bears nearly broke through with the game-tying goal with 1:04 left in the half but Tassopoulos stopped a Brown penalty stroke to preserve the 1-0 lead into halftime.
Harvard doubled its lead just 18 seconds into the second half as Catriona McDonald slid a pass through the crease and Noel Painter was there to one-time home the shot. Carly Dickson nearly made it 3-0 early in the second stanza on a penalty stroke, but McSweeney lunged to her left to turn away the attempt.
With 53:11 gone in the game, Harvard was able to find its third tally, as Kyleigh Keating tapped in the ball from close range after getting the ball from Painter, who had collected the rebound of a Carly McNeill shot. Emma Keller notched the hosts' fourth and final score of the day, ripping a shot from the right side of the net that ricocheted off McSweeney and into the back of the cage.
Tassopoulos finished the clean sheet with 12 saves on the day while her counterpart McSweeney collected nine stops in the loss. Harvard held the advantage in both shots (21-12) and penalty corners (11-7) on the afternoon.
The Crimson returns to Jordan Field tomorrow for a non-conference contest against Vermont. Game time is slated for 2 p.m.


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WASHINGTON — In a first-day flurry of activity, President Barack Obama on Wednesday set up shop in the Oval Office, summoned advisers to begin dealing with war and recession and ordered new lobbying rules for "a clean break from business as usual."
He also froze salaries for top White House staff members, placed phone calls to Mideast leaders and had aides circulate a draft executive order that would close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay within a year.
Devoting swift attention to the Mideast turmoil, Obama prepared to give George Mitchell, the former Senate Democratic leader, a top diplomatic post for the region.
Unveiling ethics rules that he portrayed as the fulfillment of a major campaign promise, Obama said that "the way to make government responsible is to hold it accountable." The rules are needed, he added, "to help restore faith in government, without which we cannot deliver the changes that we were sent here to make."
The pay freeze affects the roughly 100 White House employees who make more than $100,000 a year. "Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington," Obama said.
Obama's new lobbying rules will ban aides from trying to influence the administration when they leave his staff. Those already hired will be banned from working on matters they have previously lobbied on, or to approach agencies that they once targeted.
The rules also ban lobbyists from giving gifts of any size to any member of his administration. It wasn't immediately clear whether the ban would include the traditional "previous relationships" clause, allowing gifts from friends or associates with which an employee comes in with strong ties.
The new rules also stipulate that anyone who leaves his administration cannot try to influence former friends and colleagues for at least two years. Obama is requiring all staff to attend to an ethics briefing like one he said he attended last week.
Obama called the rules tighter "than under any other administration in history." They followed pledges during his campaign to be strict about the influence of lobbyists in his White House.
"The new rules on lobbying alone, no matter how tough, are not enough to fix a broken system in Washington," he said. "That's why I'm also setting rules that govern not just lobbyists but all those who have been selected to serve in my administration."
'Too much secrecy'
In an attempt to deliver on pledges of a transparent government, Obama said he would change the way the federal government interprets the Freedom of Information Act. He said he was directing agencies that vet requests for information to err on the side of making information public — not to look for reasons to legally withhold it — an alteration to the traditional standard of evaluation.
Other political news of note
Animated Boehner: 'There's nothing complex about the Keystone Pipeline!'
House Speaker John Boehner became animated Tuesday over the proposed Keystone Pipeline, castigating the Obama administration for not having approved the project yet.
- Budget deficits shrinking but set to grow after 2015
- Senate readies another volley on unemployment aid
- Obama faces Syria standstill
- Fluke files to run in California
- Animated Boehner: 'There's nothing complex about the Keystone Pipeline!'
Just because a government agency has the legal power to keep information private does not mean that it should, Obama said. Reporters and public-interest groups often make use of the law to explore how and why government decisions were made; they are often stymied as agencies claim legal exemptions to the law.
"For a long time now, there's been too much secrecy in this city," Obama said.
He said the orders he was issuing Wednesday will not "make government as honest and transparent as it needs to be" nor go as far as he would like.
"But these historic measures do mark the beginning of a new era of openness in our country," Obama said. "And I will, I hope, do something to make government trustworthy in the eyes of the American people, in the days and weeks, months and years to come."
Mideast diplomacy
Earlier Wednesday, the president called the leaders of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt and Jordan following the Israeli military assault on Gaza.
"He used this opportunity on his first day in office to communicate his commitment to active engagement in pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace from the beginning of his term, and to express his hope for their continued cooperation and leadership," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement.
"In the aftermath of the Gaza conflict," Gibbs added, the president "emphasized his determination to work to help consolidate the cease-fire by establishing an effective anti-smuggling regime to prevent Hamas from rearming, and facilitating in partnership with the Palestinian Authority a major reconstruction effort for Palestinians in Gaza."
Also Wednesday, Obama and the first lady, Michelle Obama, attended the prayer service at the National Cathedral. Joining them there were Biden and his wife, Jill. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Secretary of State-nominee Hillary Clinton, were also in the front row with the first family.
Pushing his economic plan
Obama began his morning with meetings with his top economic advisers, which meshed with quickened efforts in Congress to add top Cabinet officials to the roster of those confirmed on Tuesday and to advance the economic stimulus measure that is a top priority of his administration.
The enormity of Obama's challenge on the economy was evident in the mixed messages coming from Capitol Hill.
Rep. David Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, expressed doubt that the currently planned $825 billion economic stimulus package would be enough, calling the proposal "no silver bullet." At the same time, House Republicans requested a meeting with Obama to air their worries that the plan was too big.
Poll finds optimism
A new poll underscored the sense of anticipation that accompanied Obama into office.
The Associated Press-Knowledge Networks survey found that by a 3-1 margin, people feel more optimistic about the country's future now that Obama has been inaugurated, including 30 percent of Republicans.
Obama and his wife arrived at the White House around 1 a.m. after attending 10 official inaugural balls.
Several hours later he walked into the most famous office in America for the first time as president.
Press secretary Gibbs said in a statement that Obama spent 10 minutes alone and read a note left for him by former President George W. Bush that was in an envelope marked "To: .44, From: .43."
The war in Iraq that he has promised to end featured prominently in Obama's first day as well.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, were among those called in for a meeting later Wednesday as the new president assumed the role of commander in chief.
In his inaugural address on Tuesday, Obama said his goal was to "responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan."
The two unfinished wars are twinned for Obama. He has promised to bring U.S. combat troops out of Iraq within 16 months of taking office, as long as doing so wouldn't endanger either the Americans left behind for training and terrorism-fighting nor the security gains in Iraq. And he has said he would use that drawdown to bolster the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, where U.S.-backed fighters are losing ground against a resurgent Taliban.
Within hours of Obama's taking the oath of office on Tuesday, Emanuel ordered all federal agencies to put the brakes on any pending regulations that the Bush administration sought to push through in its final days.
More on Obama | Inauguration
The Associated Press and NBC News' Chuck Todd contributed to this report.


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I was blessed to be able to take a personal day and go to the pumpkin patch with Jace on his first kindergarten field trip. We were really rushed for time and it was a long drive but worth it. Some of those kiddos will never have the opportunity otherwise. I hope that we can go back one Saturday and enjoy an entire day. And by the way...not sure why the pic is sideways except that I blog from my phone and don't know how to turn it lol.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Pumpkin hollow
Posted by amber leann at 3:30 PM
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Zooming Around the World with Daniel Ricciardo
May 20, 2014 / BY Macbeth
Our Record Store Day Celebration is Gonna Be Off the Chain!
May 20, 2014 / BY Macbeth
New Music Tuesdays!
May 20, 2014 / BY MacbethHere are two cool releases from today, we think you will like them! 1) Mac DeMarco - Salad Days
New Music Tuesdays!
May 20, 2014 / BY Macbeth
Zooming around the World with Daniel Ricciardo: Australian Update
May 20, 2014 / BY MacbethWe watched Australian Daniel Riccardo at his best over the weekend, but then Monday morning woke to disappointment. Listening to some Parkway Drive helped. It's going to be a long season and this is only the first race. For more info, check out this NOW!
Le Blorr Gets Funky in Macbeth
March 18, 2014 / BY Macbeth
Bastard Lovechild Of Rock n' Roll, aka Le Blorr, is one of the coolest new bands around. The band was founded by two rad dudes, Cookie SugarHips and Hot Damm Sweet Huckleberry Winn from Satellite Beach, FL. Le Blorr is a mixture of experimental, psychedelic rock, electronic, dance and pop. Their 9 song EP is incredible and if you see them live, you won't be let down. Even if you don't like dancing, you will be shaking some part of your body a couple of minutes into their set. They're also on this month's Thank You comp so make sure you download that now! They stopped by our office while they were in town and got creative in the studio - making these beautiful on-stage decorations. Make sure to check out the video below to see them in action! [{le-blorr-painting-3.jpg}][{le-blorr-painting-4.jpg}][{le-blorr-painting-5.jpg}][{le-blorr-painting-6.jpg}]


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Main Street Dining Room
Classic elegance overlooking beautiful Stowe Village. The Main Street Dining Room offers an atmosphere of beauty and charm with polished hardwood floors, a fireplace and hardwood tables.
Village Room
Our Village Room, adjacent to the Main Street Dining Room, offers abundant natural light, charming antique wall sconces and a wonderful sense of privacy for your special event.


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The Climb
Thrilling and charming in a way that very few American comedies ever are.
Thrilling and charming in a way that very few American comedies ever are.
Lana Wilson's doc is engineered to appease her fans and promote Swift's self-awareness, and yet it leaves one feeling that there is still so much…
Roger Ebert on James Ivory's "Howards End".
"The Ballad of Narayama" is a Japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice, telling a story of startling cruelty. What a space it opens…
Chaz Ebert reveals her Top Ten (PLUS) Films of 2019.
An article about today's noon premiere of a new movie about architect Benjamin Marshall at the Gene Siskel Film Center.
Chaz Ebert reveals her Top Ten (PLUS) Films of 2019.
Scout Tafoya's series on underrated films heads into the 2020s with a Tony Scott classic.
Theo Angelopoulos' Landscape in the Mist is a work of art that comes from the feelings, the dreams, the sorrows, and the flashes of life…
Far Flung Correspondent Seongyong Cho pens a letter to Roger about Michael Apted's 63 Up.
An interview with Hal Hartley, in anticipation of an upcoming retrospective at the Metrograph.
Two reviews from the opening night of Sundance 2020.
In the south of France, before World War I, we meet a hard-working well-digger named Pascal Amoretti (Daniel Auteuil), whose wife dies, leaving him with six daughters. A rich Parisian woman becomes impressed by the second oldest, Patricia (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), and pays for her to come to Paris and attend a convent school. At 18, with a cultured Parisian accent and stylish clothes, she returns home to help her father with the girls. Our first glimpse is of her running happily through flowers in a field.
Patricia is all heart, all true, all warm. The more we like her, the more we care. Her father would like her to marry his longtime employee, Felipe (Kad Merad), who is happy enough to go along with the plan but so genial that he would do anything to accommodate his boss. Felipe gets a tiny new car and takes Patricia to town, and there she meets Jacques Mazel (Nicolas Duvauchelle), the dashing son of a local "rich man." By rich is meant that his father owns the general store.
It is love at first sight, but given the temps and the mores, a romance between them would violate class barriers. Still, after Patricia sees Jacques flying his biplane in a little air show, she speaks to him, and he spirits her away on his motorcycle. They both are clearly smitten. All this happens in a charming Provencal countryside, with dusty lanes and rolling hills.
Class differences are all important. Patricia is a good girl, but like many good girls, she becomes pregnant, just as Jacques is called up by the French air force and sent to fly in Africa — literally overnight. Through one of those misunderstandings that are crucial to melodrama, Patricia believes he has left without saying goodbye. When good, simple Felipe offers his hand in marriage, she confesses her condition to him.
Her father erupts. In a scene of great fragility and tension, he dresses all his girls in their Sunday best and presents them to Monsieur and Madame Mazel (Sabine Azema and Jean-Pierre Darroussin), who are unmoved. Jacques' mother is the real problem; she is a dictatorial monster with an almost unnatural love for her son, and believes there is no possibility of the invaluable Mazel genes mixing with the Amorettis' miserable, working-class, well-digging genes.
Daniel Auteuil (you remember him as the busy father in "Cache") makes a rock-solid Pascal. Heavier and more work-worn than we've seen him, he has a face that embodies love and great probity; this is not a man to make hasty decisions or to easily change his mind. Patricia, now described as a "lost girl," is dispatched to live with his sister, where she gives birth to a son.
This story is based on a novel and a 1940 film by Marcel Pagnol, sometimes called "The Dickens of the South" (of France). "The Well Digger's Daughter" not only stars Auteuil but was directed by him, 26 years after he first became a star in two earlier and great films based on works by Marcel Pagnol, "Jean de Florette" and "Manon of the Spring" (1986). "The Well Digger's Daughter" is such a success that Auteuil has already been signed to direct three more Pagnol classics, and I eagerly want to see them.
What he does here, with precise casting, is to depend on the traditional strength of all love stories to make us hope the lovers will overcome the obstacles separating them. When it appears that may actually happen, Patricia's self-respect almost gets in the way. Although single moms were more frowned upon then than now, she refuses to think of herself as a lost girl, or to apologize for her baby boy. That the boy is as cute and burbling as the baby on a Gerber's jar is a great help for her case.
A TV review of Star Trek: Picard.
This message came to me from a reader named Peter Svensland. He and a fr...
The 2020 Oscar nominations.
A review of Netflix's Dracula, from the creators of Sherlock.


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Weeknights at 5PM and 10PM
(979) 268-1497
Karla Castillo anchors Live at Five and News 3 at Ten. She joined KBTX in May 2009.
A California native, Karla moved to the Brazos Valley in 2005 to be a reporter at another television station. She worked there for nearly two-and-a-half years before taking some time off to start a family. By 2009, she joined KBTX as a reporter and anchor. In 2011, Karla helped launch First News at Four with co-anchor Steve Fullhart.
Karla has been honored by the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters and nominated by the Lone Star Emmys for her anchoring. Among her notable assignments were covering Hurricanes Katrina and Rita the El Dorado chemical fire, and several undercover stings with police.
Karla graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Political Science. While at SJSU, she worked on the school's award-winning student newscast, "Update News." There, she gained lots of hands-on experience working as a reporter, producer, anchor, photographer and editor.
That knowledge came in handy when she spent a summer interning with the sports department at KSAT in San Antonio. Karla had many great opportunities that summer, including covering Bill Parcells' first training camp with the Dallas Cowboys, as well as the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs.
When she's not working, Karla enjoys spending time with her husband, Mike, and their son.


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I stopped my subscription to the Arizona Daily Star after I was "banned" from their snakepit online comments for using a term their esteemed online editor considered offensive (hint: it was a term used extensively, including in the Tucson Weekly).
I haven't missed the paper one iota, except for the political cartoons of David Fitzsimmons, who is one of their few assets.
Republicans for Barber, I like that.
Even they know Kelly is the wrong person for the Job.
And rained out Rainbow Bridge?
We ar so lucky here to have two artists in Toon with our town. Rand & Fitz
Thanks guys.
Yeah, I think these pie charts just about sum up the "news" from our major media outlets! Local television newscasts are particularly obnoxious with constant repetitive ads and relentless self-promotion.
Hopefully the FBI can pull the scab off the sore called "Tucson/Pima Co. Government".
Indictments, jail, fines, all sound good for the cretins who inhabit downtown Tucson.
Should'a been on a pick-em-up truck!
That's ABSOLUTELY right. It is easier to control pollution from a large stationary source rather than many small moving ones, but still....
not funny at all!
HOOO////// says thats good ok print it.
thats the guy that should be made to read this CRAP,
comeon man do you really think thats funny...You must be a hoot around the office.
The cartoon really is true. I despise mines, active or not. We avoid all towns and areas with mines and drive right through on our way to see other areas. No stopping to spend money on gas, food, or motels. We're avid birders and travel to see the flora and fauna of AZ. None of that is around a mine.
Did you read about the lady who borrowed almost $100K to get a degree from NYU in "Women's Studies"? She now has NO CHANCE to get a job with that degree which will allow her to ever pay back that loan (she can't even afford the interest), let alone ever buy a house, or anything of any value.
And around and around and around it goes, where it stops, nobody knows.
Pair of pricks, you mean.
Great as far as it goes. Better title, though, would be "Arizona voters - perhaps American voters - shopping for government services"


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|Energy Class
|1500.0 ft·lbf 2034.0 J
|Impact Frequency
|700-1260 bpm 700-1260 bpm
|Operating Weight - With Tool
|1382.0 lb 627.0 kg
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|70-150 lpm (18-40 gpm) 70-150 lpm (18-40 gpm)
|Tool Shaft Diameter
|3.4 in 87.5 mm
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|20.0 in 512.0 mm
|Overall Length
|21.0 in 520.0 mm
|Overall Height
|66.0 in 1666.0 mm
|Height - Without Tool
|49.0 in 1250.0 mm
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Massimo Monaci is puzzled. The director of the Eliseo theatre in Rome depends for funding on a mix of sponsorship, ticket sales, and government subsidies. In the three years to the end of 2010, his public funding shrank by 25% because of cuts imposed as a result of the economic crisis. They have hurt: next season, the Eliseo will not stage a single self-generated production.
"Yet it has not meant a drop in audiences," said Monaci. "On the contrary, over the past year and a half they have grown. It's odd."
Across town, at the foundation that organises the annual RomaEuropa festival, staff are also baffled. Years of economic woe have certainly taken their toll on public funding. But not on audiences. "In the past 10 years, notwithstanding the crisis, artistic output has grown," said Fabrizio Grifasi, the foundation's head. "The problem is meeting demand."
His impression is borne out by official figures. In the 10 years to the end of 2011, theatre audiences grew by 17%, while the number of cinemagoers rose by half that proportion.
A few hundred miles west in Spain, it's the same story. Tickets for The Lion King and Chicago are hot items in Madrid and Barcelona. Serious theatre is thriving too. As tough as life has become for many, Spaniards are flooding into theatres in record numbers. Last year's audience figures in Barcelona – 2.8-million – were the highest ever.
"Theatre in Barcelona is one of the few sectors that has not just maintained sales, but increased them," explained Daniel Martínez, of Barcelona's Catalan theatre business association. Ticket sales increased by 8%, bucking a consumer slump that is gripping almost every other sector of Spain's economy.
It's a strange dynamic. As austerity sweeps Europe, artistic and cultural institutions have been among the first to face cuts, with theatres, opera houses, orchestras, galleries and educational programmes all facing existential threats as their budgets and public subsidies are slashed. But as far as audiences are concerned, things couldn't be better.
Vincent Baudriller, director for the past nine years of the Avignon festival, probably the most important contemporary arts/theatre event in France, said the three-week festival was practically a sellout.
"Our artists are playing to 90% full houses. We couldn't really do better," he said. "At a time not just of economic crisis but when the world has become more and more virtual and people have lost their political, philosophical and existential bearings they are turning to the culture and the arts."
In some parts, the tendency can be explained, up to a point, by economics. Domenico De Masi, who holds a chair in the sociology of work at Rome's Sapienza University, said that in Italy there were technical explanations. "Almost all theatres have cut their prices. They have improved their marketing and nowadays provide a more varied offering. In the past, a theatre that did drama only did drama. A theatre that did dance only did dance. Now you get seasons that mix plays with ballet and musical concerts."
Music has made a particularly important contribution, said De Masi, a specialist in the economics of culture. Singers and bands were doing more live performances to compensate for the loss of earnings caused by illegal downloads.
None of this, though, really explains what has been happening at Rome's oldest theatre. Draped across the crimson plush sill of a box in the lower circle is a banner that reads "How Sad is Prudence". For more than a year now, the Teatro Valle, opened in 1727, has been occupied by a collective of actors and other theatre workers.
At first, it was a protest at the disbanding of a state-funded body that managed the Valle and two other theatres. But it soon became a broader movement in support of welfare guarantees for performers and more government backing for culture in general. What the protesters had not bargained for was the degree of support they received. "We couldn't get out", said Sylvia De Fanti, an actor and writer.
Large numbers of people, including several prominent figures in Italian life, signed their manifesto. Local restaurants provided them with food for their events. Shops gave discounts. And, when the participants staged plays in the Valle, they found they could pack it to capacity.
"Now, you could say that is because entry is free. But it's not just that. We make a suggestion that people pay whatever they think is fair. There is a hunger, not just for quality, but to learn what quality is," De Fanti said.
Like Monaci, she believes that the surge in interest in the theatre in Italy is an unexpected by-product of the economic crisis. But so far there is no agreement on the nature of the link. "Maybe people have a greater need to be together," said the theatre director.
"I think that the recession is like a crack in the wall," said De Fanti. "You worry the wall is going to fall down, and then you see that on the other side there is a garden you never knew existed".
In Spain, insiders also point to a complex of factors encouraging audiences. "No single theory explains why this is happening," said Martínez, a Barcelona-based impresario whose recent successes include a run of Edward Albee's 1962 play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? "I think our audience of middle-class people with stable jobs has cut down on other things. They don't buy cars or travel as much and so they have actually more disposable income and they are using it to have fun and forget their problems for a while."
"I remember something similar happened in Argentina," said Ana Gallego, a children's theatre producer based in Valladolid, central Spain. "Children are still coming to the theatre in Valladolid and I think people generally want culture now. They want to discover new things and find alternative ways of looking at the world in order to help them understand what is going on."
Prices have dropped to fit the times, to an average €25 a ticket, but it is reported overall income in Barcelona was up by 5% last year. "My theatres have no public funds and live purely off ticket sales," said José Cimarro, a Madrid producer who has programmed Madame Bovary, The War of the Roses and An Inspector Calls at his two theatres, La Latina and Bellas Artes.
"Theatre is relatively cheap. You can see a play and go out for tapas and it won't cost you that much."
A squeeze on funding by town halls and regional governments, however, may bring the death of many theatres outside Madrid and Barcelona. "We are very worried that public funding is being reduced," said Martínez. "We must all tighten belts to keep going."
Town halls built dozens of new theatres when they were swimming in fees and taxes generated by a construction boom that burst in 2008. Now income has fallen drastically and many state-of-the-art theatres must close – or be reserved for local amateur dramatic groups. Then there is the taxman, ever eager to fill the bottomless coffers of a near-bankrupt state. A 13% VAT increase on tickets announced this month is of great concern. "We were already worried things seemed to be slowing down in the past few months," said Martínez. "This is a terrible blow." – © Guardian News and Media 2012


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A Christmas tradition brought Navajos from a 60 mile radius in wagons, horses, cars and trucks to a lonely Borrego Pass Trading Post in New Mexico for a yearly Christmas program.
Sheepherder was just a teenager when this magical time of Christmas brought Navajo woman in colorful pendleton blankets with turquoise jewelry and men in straw hats and boots along with excited children with bright brown faces.
If you ask, "When did this Christmas tradition start?" Well, I'll tell you, I don't know!, but it was a Christmas tradition!
The store was all by itself nestled in a red rock alcove about 7 to 8,000 foot along the Continental Divide.
Borrego Pass, in northern New Mexico, is 15 miles southeast of Crownpoint. Crownpoint is a Eastern Navajo agency with a large Navajo population and has numerous US Government boarding schools, Navajo Nation Chapters and trading posts.
Don and Fern Smouse and their three sons traded with the Navajos in the area. One of the sons fondly remembers staying up half of the night sorting the fruit and candies and putting them in the brown paper sacks.
Almost all the Navajos had charge accounts. Lambs sold in the fall and wool and mohair were brought in the late spring. The Smouses knew every rug weaver and silversmith by name and where they lived.
Sheepherder parents are Sam, a silversmith, and rug weaver Bessie Platero. They were close friends to the Smouses. Don help the men get railroad jobs with Santa Fe and Northern Pacific.
They were also active Mormons and served in various callings. Don even built a chapel with an apartment for the missionaries. Two of the missionaries were from Monticello - Elder Mel Walker and Elder Ty Lewis.
They taught the Sheepherder and he was eventually baptized in Gallup, New Mexico in 1962. Everyone knew the missionaries at a distance wearing white shirts and tie and riding Blackie and Billie. The horses belong to the Smouses.
Don Smouse was German that came out west from Pennsylvania and grew up in a Mormon community in Kirtland, New Mexico.
As a young man Don had a job hauling freight from Gallup to Toadlena, New Mexico. There he met his wife Fern Bloomfield, her parents were traders. Later the young couple bought Borrego Pass from Fern's brother.
Fern's parents, Brother and Sister Bloomfield, operated the Mancos Trading Post 25 miles south of Cortez, Colorado and traded with the Utes and Navajos.
The Bloomfield's were instrumental in sending on LDS Placement a young Navajo boy, George Lee, who later graduated from Orem High School and was called to serve in the Southwest Indian Mission.
He graduated from BYU in Education Adminstration, received the Spencer W. Kimball Lamanite Leadership Award, and was President of Ganado College.
He married Katherine Hattick, a Commache. Later he was also the misson president and was called as a General Authority, unfortunately Elder George Lee was excommunicated in 1989.
The Navajos started arriving early from the Southeast: the community of Whitehhorse Lake and Pueblo Pintado, from the South: Haystack, Baca, and Prewitt, from the West: Smith Lake, Mariano Lake, and from the Northwest: Standing Rock, Dalton Pass, and from the North Littlewater and Heart Butte.
Horses and wagons were tied to the fence and there was barely enough room for cars and trucks and the children loved the Christmas tree inside the store- with its magical bubble lights and Christmas songs in the air from the radio. Finally the store closed at noon and the Christmas program began its final prepartation.
Sheepherder was nervously talking with the elders as they stood on the steps of the store. A huge crowd closed in and the program began. Silent Night, Joy to World and Upon the Housetop are sung. Most of the singing was done by Don, Fern, their children and the Missionaries.
As the Christmas story is told by one of the elders, Sheepherder translates into the microphone so all can hear the story.
Finally the program is finished and suddenly Santa Claus arrives with his big sack. "Ho!, Ho!, Ho!" is heard with jingling bells. Santa stands 6'4" and is an imposing figure.
A few brave children line up to sit on Santa's lap and receive a toy. Most of the Navajo children are scared to death of Santa, mostly because this might be their first time to see Santa. And as usual, a mother tries in vain to drag a screaming young child to Santa. Sometimes it is a success, but mostly not.
After a while, Santa goes to the large delivery truck and opens the back to reveal boxes of Christmas gifts. This is highlight of the Christmas program.
The line snakes around as sacks containing an orange, apple, peanuts and hard candies are handed out. A calendar with a picture of Borrego Pass Trading Post is handed out to the adults.
That magical Christmas tradition, which lasted for more than 45 years, died when both Don and Fern passed away. Both were buried in Farmington, New Mexico.
Jokingly Fern would say, "When I die I want to be wrapped in my favorite Navajo rug and put me behind the store between the rocks."
Now the trading post is run down with new people leasing the store, the chapel is closed and the missionaries are in Crownpoint.
Now the Christmas tradition is a fond memory for the Navajos around Borrego Pass and also for the Sheepherder.


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The Dog Lover's Guide to Travel
The Dog Lover's Guide to Travel
(Save 50%)
National Geographic's ultimate resource for traveling with your furry friend features hundreds of dog-friendly places to pamper your pooch, from doggie daycare to canine cruises. Special features include walks you can take with your dog, insider tips from local pet parents on how to best enjoy their area with a pup, and sidebars detailing unique opportunities for coddled canines, such as winery hikes in California wine country.
New York Times bestselling author and pet parent Kelly E. Carter, and her beloved longhaired Chihuahua, Lucy, give you the inside scoop on pet-friendly hotels and restaurants, beaches, parks, and dog runs, plus the lowdown on events for four-legged visitors and dog-friendly attractions. A detailed introduction discusses everything you need to know when taking your pooch on vacation, including the lay of the land for road tripping and flying cross-country. From Sanibel Island, FL, to Whistler, BC, from Montreal, QC, and Nantucket, MA, to San Francisco, CA, The Dog Lover's Guide to Travel showcases 75 of the best pet-friendly vacation destinations across the U.S. and Canada.
- Softcover
- 280 pages including photo illustrations
- 6 1/2 x 8 1/4"
- ©
Kelly E. Carter has spent a decade traveling around the world with her beloved Chihuahua, Lucy. She founded the blog The Jet Set Pets, where she gives the inside scoop for pets on the go. A popular speaker at travel conferences, Carter is also the pet travel expert on AOL's revamped pet site Paw Nation. She has written for numerous publications and websites, includingA People, USA Today, Elite Traveler (where she's a contributing editor),A Departures, Men's Fitness, Black Enterprise, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun-Times,A South China Morning PostA in Hong Kong, Essence.com, Brides.com, TownandCountryTravelMag.com, CigarAficionado.com, and AOL's StyleList.com, and BlackVoices.com. With Venus Williams, Carter co-authored the New York Times best-selling bookA Come to Win: Business Leaders, Artists, Doctors and Other Visionaries on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession.


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Lady Flames to compete in three riding events this weekend
February 17, 2014 | Lynchburg, Va.
Last week's snowfall pushed Friday's scheduled horse show at Bridgewater College to this Friday, setting up an extremely busy weekend of competition for Liberty University's first-year women's equestrian program.
"We will be competing at Bridgewater on Friday, Hollins University on Saturday, and the University of Virginia on Sunday so we'll be doing the same number of shows as we did between October and February in one weekend," Lady Flames first-year Head Coach Caroline Trexler said.
She said the season is compacted with five shows in 16 days in February to leave time for regional, zone, and national competition by the end of the spring semester.
Liberty competed at its first two shows of the semester in indoor venues Feb. 7 at Randolph College and Feb. 9 at Sweet Briar College.
"We had a good show at Randolph," Trexler said.
The Lady Flames competed against 10 other members of Region 2 of Zone 4 the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association — Bridgewater, Hollins, James Madison University, Lynchburg College, Radford University, Randolph, Roanoke College, Sweet Briar, Virginia, and Washington & Lee University.
Freshman Elizabeth Chenelle landed the Lady Flames' second first-place finish of the season in the intermediate over-fences category, earning seven points toward Liberty's team score and her individual points total.
"She has a pretty strong showing background and she did exceptionally well," Trexler said, noting her parents own a hunter-jumper barn. "She is comfortable enough to draw any horse and is used to getting in a ring on any number of horses, but she drew a really, really nice horse and rode really well. Riders definitely are the focal point, but if you have a horse that makes you look better, that goes a long way toward positively influencing the judges' scores."
Sophomore Brittany Kimmell placed third in novice on the flat; senior Rebecca Carpenter finished fifth in advanced walk-trot canter; and freshman Cassandra Steptoe took sixth in novice on the flat.
At Sweet Briar, Liberty freshman Kendall Carter placed fourth in the open over-fences class.
The Lady Flames will bring their entire 17-rider team, but only expect to compete with five to seven in various categories at this weekend's shows at Bridgewater, Hollins, and UVa, which will host the Region 2 competition later Sunday afternoon.
Liberty is in its first season competing in one of the most challenging regions in the nation. The Lady Flames won't send any individual riders for regionals, needing 36 points to qualify, but Trexler hopes to have a solid all-around showing this weekend.
"Our goal is just to get through all three shows, have the girls perform smoothly and if we place, that's just icing on the cake," Trexler said. "It's been such a learning year. We've been working to bolster the reputation and standing of the team in the region and that will serve us well for next year.
"It takes such a long time to put together a riding program," she added. "You build the foundation of the program from day to day at the barn and by going to shows. We're working hard to make this a success. We're doing it the right way. We're excited to wrap up this year and end the season in a really good place and for the other schools to look back and say, 'Hey, Liberty's doing a good job and we're excited to compete with them next year.'"


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Job Information
24 Hour Fitness, INC. Asst General Manager Trainee - Monterey Park, CA in Monterey Park, California
FULL-TIME Full-time
LOCATION 500 N Atlantic Blvd Suite A-102-1 Monterey Park CA 91754
At 24 Hour Fitness we are committed to our mission of helping people--team members and members alike--to become the best version of themselves. We've changed the landscape of the fitness industry and pioneered the concept that fitness can be accessible, affordable and a way of life for everyone. We're looking for committed and dedicated individuals to help grow our business, so that we can share the promise of 24 Hour Fitness with more people
The Assistant General Manager (AGM) leads and manages the member service functions within the club to provide the best guest and member experience, and team member environment. The AGM recruits, hires, trains and develops a diverse, high performance team and provides leadership and direction to ensure the team achieves goals in a way that reflects the company values. The AGM assists the GM with club strategy, execution of Company initiatives, including responsibility for communicating and upholding company policies, standards and delivering on our commitment to a clean, friendly and well maintained club. The AGM will lead by example to deliver on the 24 Hour Fitness Anthem; "We are passionate about inspiring & empowering our members to live fit and healthy lives. We connect members with results. We value community, integrity, dedication. We deliver an inviting, friendly and supportive experience."
- Management of Member Service Team and Financial Performance
Drive all sales efforts within the club including new member sales, EFT, fitness packages and supplements. To achieve this objective the AGM will:
Set monthly, weekly and daily sales goals
Review daily and weekly sales numbers and club statistics with the GM to identify potential revenue gaps and modify sales execution as necessary
Execute and coordinate national sales promotions within the club
Drive club efforts in achieving revenue goals in NMS, EFT, Retail, Drink, Juice Bar and ancillary revenue
Responsible for attainment of department targets (e.g. revenue, member retention)
Responsible for scheduling team members to meet member needs
Manage time and labor system and labor spend
Supervise POS operations and file daily and weekly club revenue reports
Make daily banking deposits
Order and maintain all supplies
- Member and Guest Experience
Ensure that all club members are delivered a high member service experience. To achieve this objective the AGM will:
Proactively engage club member base, regularly greet and interact with members, and conduct member satisfaction surveys under company guidelines.
Resolve member concerns and complaints in a professional manner within 24 Hour Fitness corporate and club parameters
Monitor club facilities for appearance and equipment issues, and resolve or escalate issues that detract from the member experience. Assist GM in providing direction to third party janitorial service.
Instill a sense of common responsibility and teamwork across club functions.
- Staffing and Development
Maintain a fully engaged and high performing team that aligns with company values and goals.
Recruit, interview & hire department managers, and ensure proper levels of team member staffing.
Train and coach team members, including conducting planning sessions and performance reviews. Review, approve and provide recommendations regarding personnel actions including hiring, promotion, discipline and termination.
Lead club meetings to review performance and offer direction, motivation and guidance toward achieving individual and company goals.
Implement, supervise and direct regular training to ensure all club employees are trained in Operations, Fitness or Sales SOPs, and other company policies.
Instill a sense of common responsibility and teamwork across club functions to maintain positive member and team member experience. Ensure that all department heads and assistant department heads are 'cross-trained' on the fundamental aspects of each other's positions.
Create and conduct team building activities including participation in recognition programs.
- Club Administration and General
Work with GM in planning and implementation of promotions and merchandising.
Ensure that retail is optimally merchandised, displayed, and merchandise transfers are completed to company policy and procedure.
Implement new operational procedures in the club and follow-up with compliance checks by monitoring club systems and team member performance
Ensure that systems procedures are accurately followed: POS and cash handling, front desk set up, file organization, member check-in, telephone inquiry, guest processing, Master Appointment Book, membership cards, fitness orientation scheduling, etc.
Review manual agreements and prepare daily paperwork for forwarding to MSC
Responsible for proper inventory receiving and inventory control activities per company guidelines, including inventory counts and Mi9
In addition to specific functional accountabilities, the AGM is expected to act as 'cross functional' manager. The AGM develops a broad skill set in order to understand the fundamental roles and duties of the Fitness Manager and able to resolve issues if the FM is absent. The AGM's development may involve formal cross-training, and/or informal activities.
- Team Member Experience
Maintain a fully engaged and high performing team that aligns with company values and goals. To achieve this objective, the AGM will:
Utilize club systems to select, interview, and hire (with GM approval) qualified team members
Manage all non-management team members and Group X Instructor(s)-depending on the club model schedule within budgeted hours submitted to and approved by GM
Train & develop MSR's and Group X Instructors on 24 Hour Fitness member service SOPs and objectives, guest and new member enrollment process, emphasizing the dual goals of EFT setup and member retention
Conduct weekly (or as-needed) meetings with direct reports to review performance and offer guidance toward achieving individual and company goals. Offer career growth and advancement opportunities
Mediate club employee relations matters for all club member service employees
Discipline staff under the guidance of the GM and consult with the District Manager and HR Manager for additional direction
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Must be computer proficient
Management experience in sales / service industry
Leadership skills
Coaching/Motivation ability
Knowledge of company policies, practices and procedures, including emergency and safety procedures
Face-to-face customer service experience
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including proper telephone etiquette.
Generate, maintain and demonstrate a friendly, enthusiastic and positive attitude.
Possess a strong member service focus. Responds professionally to requests and inquiries from guests, members and team members.
Possesses strong organizational skills to execute and prioritize multiple tasks
Basic record keeping practices and procedures.
Experience operating office equipment including computers, calculators, faxes and photocopiers
Minimum Educational Level/Certifications
2-3 years of progressive management experience supervising 3-10 employees
3-5 years of broad retail/hospitality/operations industry experience
Physical Demands/ Environmental Conditions
Ability to work in club office; move about club floors and rooms; review, revise, create club paperwork; communicate with employees, members, and the public
Occasionally required to demonstrate or explain proper physical fitness activities, techniques and procedures
Ability to communicate telephonically with members
Ability to access and operate Company computer system including prepare documents, enter data into computer system, read reports from a computer data base or email system
While performing the duties of this job, regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts
Ability to work a varied schedule to support the needs of the business, including frequent extended workdays, and weekends and holidays may be required
While performing the duties of this job, regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts
Able to work in a loud environment
Travel Requirement
- Must be able to travel by car and airplane up to 10% of the time
Knowledge of fitness industry
Bachelor's degree.
24 Hour Fitness certification for Fitness, Sales and Operations
Prior experience in the three 24 Hour Fitness club departments: Sales, Operations, & Fitness preferred, cross functional training across other jobs/roles at minimum
Experience and familiarity with managing to a P&L preferred
Consultative sales experience preferred
DISCLAIMER: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by incumbents assigned to this job. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all the responsibilities, duties and skills required. The incumbent may be expected to perform other duties as assigned. This job may be reviewed as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity.
FUNCTIONAL GROUP Club Management


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Expert Reviews
2008 Ford Escape
The Ford Escape has been thoroughly updated for 2008, reinforcing the character and appeal that have made it America's perennial best-selling small sport-utility vehicle. The improvements nearly cover the spectrum, and inject a new level of refinement. The Escape's standard safety features are upgraded significantly for 2008.
We'd call the Escape a little truck among small SUVs. Its new styling deliberately invokes Ford's larger, truck-based Expedition and Explorer sport-utilities. Escape's ride height and seating position are a bit higher than competitors such as the Honda CR-V, and it can tow up to 3,500 pounds, which is substantially more than most other vehicles in the class.
Yet the Ford Escape still delivers the advantages of unit-body, car-based competitors such as the Honda CR-V. Its smooth ride and agile handling make for enjoyable driving, and its compact dimensions make the Escape easy to park.
The base four-cylinder is adequate for all-purpose driving while the V6 offers quicker acceleration performance. All variants, including the V6 and Escape Hybrid, deliver some of best EPA mileage ratings in the class. All, including the gas-electric Hybrid, are offered with either front- or all-wheel drive. For the most part, the Hybrid drives just like a conventional gas-only Escape. It's a well-executed package. It offers better fuel economy and lower emissions but demands little additional effort or knowledge from the driver.
The new 2008 Ford Escape still provides comfortable seating for four, or five in a pinch, but with noticeably more headroom than in pre-2008 models. Folding the rear seats opens a good sized cargo area with a flat floor, and space behind the seat surpasses that in the trunk of the typical sedan. Interior storage options have improved considerably. The finish is more upscale and pleasing, and feature function and switches are among the best.
Safety features that were extra-cost options on lower-trim models are now standard across the board, including Ford's Roll Stability Control system. Escape now sets the class benchmark for safety features.
There's a Ford Escape model for most tastes and needs. They range from a decently equipped, four-cylinder Escape XLS 2WD for under $19,000 to the leather-upholstered Escape V6 Limited 4WD, with premium audio, navigation, dual-zone auto climate control and reverse sensing for about $30,000. Dollar for feature, Ford Escape prices have dropped considerably the past few years. The premium for the Escape Hybrid has also decreased. It's now less than $2,000 more than a comparably equipped Limited.
The Ford Escape remains one of the more appealing vehicles in its class, regardless of price, and certainly one of the better values. Those shopping for a small SUV should put it on their short list, especially those who appreciate its big-truck styling.
Model Lineup
Ford Escape XLS ($18,580); XLS 4WD ($21,320); XLT ($20,880); XLT 4WD ($22,360); Limited ($23, 580); Limited 4WD ($25,330); Hybrid ($25,075); Hybrid 4WD ($26,825)
Walk AroundThe 2008 Ford Escape has been re-styled more thoroughly than a quick glance might suggest. None of its major body panels are common to previous models, but the redesign is evolutionary and the most obvious changes are in the details, or jewelry, as designers call them. In an impressionistic way, the new Escape will look familiar to those who have owned previous Escapes, or those who pay attention to what others drive.
As such, the new Escape has the air of a conventional, truck-based SUV, with a more rugged look than many other small, sedan-platform sport-utilities such as the Honda CR-V. For starters, Escape sits a bit higher than many competitors (8.1 inches of ground clearance), and the high profile is enhanced by its design.
The new grille looks like it was designed for a truck. The headlights are essentially connected to the grille, and shaped to create a family resemblance with Ford's Edge crossover SUV. Yet the grille itself is tall and flat and stacked right on top of a skid plate-type fascia that flows under the bumper. Escape's beltline, or the crease that runs just under the windows, is high, too, and its roof pillars are blacked out. The taillights have a clear band that wraps around the rear corners. The lower bumpers and rocker panels are now painted to match the body on all models, rather than molded in a matte finish. In total, the effect is cleaner and more polished than previous models, and it's all quite handsome.
The trim levels are easy to distinguish from the front of the car. The base Escape XLS has a chrome grille and body-colored fascia from the bumper down. The XLT is identical, except for prominent fog lights in the front bumper. The Limited and Hybrid have grilles painted to match the body, unless you opt for the Chrome Appearance Package. This adds the chrome grille and more, with brightwork flowing down into the skid plate and bumper. It looks like a big, shiny T on the front of the vehicle.
Some changes to the new Escape are functional more than aesthetic. The side mirrors are larger than before, but Ford claims their shape generates less noise as air speeds over them. The roof, too, is designed to reduce interior noise. Recessed channels running its length are intended to move air more quietly over the surface. Horizontal ribs underneath the panel add structure, which limits flex in the metal and reduces booming noise inside at high speeds.
We're fond of a couple of features in back of the Escape. A new step pad on the bumper provides secure footing for anyone who steps up to put something on the roof rack, and the two-piece tailgate is handy. The rear glass can be popped open with the key fob, so dropping small items like a gym bag into the cargo area is much easier than it might be with some competitors, which require hefting the entire gate upward.
InteriorThe 2008 Ford Escape interior is all new, and we like it. It's not significantly roomier or a leap forward in design, but it's well thought out and well executed. It's a definite improvement in ergonomic function and overall visual appeal, and it makes a nicer place to spend time.
This is one of Ford's best interiors in years in terms of the look and feel of materials used. The headliner is plush and molded to the contour of the roof. Our Escape Limited had thick, tautly tailored leather on the seats and hard, glossy black plastic where you might expect fake wood or metal. It looked like the lacquered finish on a fine piano. The satiny black or silver used in lower trim levels isn't bad, either. Yet the highlight is a woven-look, rubberized trim on the dash and console. It looks sporty and suited to a more expensive car. The lowlight is the grained plastic on the door panels, which feels hard and looks cheap. Fortunately, it's not enough to overwhelm the good stuff elsewhere.
The Escape features upholstery cloth made from 100-percent recycled material. You'd never know by its look or feel, and Ford claims that compared to upholstery made from virgin fiber, production will conserve about 600,000 gallons of water and 7 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.8 million pounds.
Escape's front seats have enough cush to prevent numbing and enough support to limit fatigue during longer drives. Overall, though, the seats are smaller than those in a larger sport utility. Drivers with big frames might find them small. There's not an abundance of side bolstering, but that makes it easier to slide into the seats, and there's enough to keep occupants solidly in place during the type of driving a typical Escape owner is likely to undertake.
The gauges are clustered in a shaded binnacle that can be absorbed in a glance: Tachometer left, speedometer right, with fuel and coolant temperature in the middle, along with an easy-to-read trip- and systems-info display. We absolutely loved this, because it includes a menu that allows the driver to easily cycle through and change features such as headlight-off delay and auto-locking.
The gauges and switches feature Ford's new signature backlighting style, which the company calls Ice Blue. No gripe here, as the bluish white is crisper and brighter than conventional green-yellow or orange lighting. The problem is the script on the gauges, and particularly the speedometer. It's muddled and lacks differentiation beyond the big even numbers, so it's hard to tell quickly what speed you're driving unless you are traveling precisely at 20, 40, or 60 mph.
The dashboard is tall and squarish, but it's attractive and fits Escape's little-truck theme nicely. The big vents at the ends move lots of air, and there are two more in the middle near the top of the center stack. These can be aimed to avoid blasting the drivers hands or face with a rush of air. At the very top sits a neat TFT display that shows compass direction, date and time, exterior temperature and, on models so equipped, the two interior temp settings.
When it comes to placement and function of switches, the Escape is first rate, and examples are easy to find. When the driver rests his or her left forearm on the door rest, the window buttons sit almost perfectly at the fingertips. With elbows on the door rest and center console, arms are even and hands rest nicely at 9 and 3 o'clock on the steering wheel. The mirror adjustor sits on the door pillar, and it's easy to reach when the driver's head is in driving position. One easy-to-use stalk controls the blinkers and all wiper/washer functions. The steering wheel controls for cruise and audio work without moving hands from the driving position.
Audio and climate controls work just as well. The volume and station-selector knobs are good sized, but more importa
Driving ImpressionsThe 2008 Ford Escape is truckish as the current crop of small sport utility vehicles go, but not in a bad way. Its ride height and seating position are higher than a lot of unit-body (sedan style) utilities, though lower than many traditional truck-based SUVs.
The Escape is quite pleasant to drive. It handles well and has a firm, comfortable ride, without the roly-poly mush quality or the jarring suspension clanks that can characterize conventional truck-based SUVs with tall, off-road tires and long-travel suspensions. Several improvements for 2008, including an electric power steering system and changes in suspension tuning, raise the level of refinement above earlier Escapes.
Engines in the new 2008 model are carryover from the previous generation, but all are solid performers. Both the four- and six-cylinder engine deliver good response and decent acceleration. The Escape Hybrid delivers essentially the same performance, with very little to give away its hybrid powertrain except improved mileage. Indeed, all Escape models, from front-wheel-drive four-cylinders to all-wheel-drive V6s to the Hybrid, have some of the best EPA mileage ratings in the class (Be sure to compare mileage ratings according to the same model year. The EPA changed its calculation formula for 2008 to reflect something closer to real-world results, which lowered the ratings for 2008 models).
The base 2.3-liter four-cylinder delivers good power at high revs for those who like to wind it up and decent torque for acceleration when you need it at any speed. With a balance shaft to offset vibration, it's also smoother than some of Ford's previous four-cylinder engines. We prefer the 153-hp four-cylinder with the five-speed manual transmission; indeed, a front-drive, manual Escape XLS 2WD might be the most engaging and enjoyable model to drive. At an EPA-estimated 22/28 mpg City/Highway, it has one of the highest EPA mileage ratings of any non-hybrid SUV. With the four-cylinder, maximum towing capacity is 1,500 pounds, sufficient for dirt bikes or a snowmobile.
The 3.0-liter V6 engine offers 200 horsepower for stronger acceleration. It has about as much torque as any small SUV is likely to need. It's available only with the four-speed automatic, but its power band is broad. In day-to-day driving, it never lugs, strains or feels as if it's out of breath. And with the optional Class II towing package, the V6 AWD models can pull a substantial 3,500 pounds, which surpasses most vehicles in this class. Neither the four-cylinder nor V6 powertrain is the smoothest in small SUVs, but neither is course enough to seriously detract from Escape's appeal.
Our gripe in the driveline is the four-speed automatic, and it's not because some competitors now offer five-speeds. While the Escape automatic shifts smoothly, it sometimes shifts slowly, in that it seems to take its time deciding what gear it wants to be in. In particular, it's very reluctant to shift itself down into first gear, which would provide the most immediate acceleration. When rolling out of a parking lot onto a busy road, for example, the transmission will stay in second gear when you hit the gas, even when first is better for the traffic conditions. That's our biggest complaint about Escape's overall performance, and its importance will depend on how you drive.
The Escape handles well, and improvements for 2008 give it a more refined feel. One of those is the electric power-assisted steering system (EPS), which operates with an electric motor rather than a belt turned by the engine. One of the advantages is increased efficiency, because a conventional, belt-driven steering pump takes a bit of the engine's power just to operate. That's power that's not being used to move the vehicle. Another advantage, at least in the Escape's case, is improved steering feel. With the electric steering, there's a nice balance between steering assist at
The 2008 Ford Escape remains one of the best vehicles in Ford's lineup, and competitive in a crowded field of small sport-utilities, regardless of price. Yet model for model and feature for feature, Escape prices are very good. Considerable improvements for 2008 add safety features, refinement, comfort and more style. The Escape offers front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, competitive four- or six-cylinder engines and the Hybrid package, which works essentially as the conventional models do. Fuel mileage for all models, and towing capacity, rank with the best. For all-purpose, reasonably efficient daily transport on the road, the Escape rates among the best smaller SUVs.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent J.P. Vettraino test drove the 2008 Ford Escape in Detroit.