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Premium pay television network EPIX® has announced the 16 fighters who will be facing off with one another for the championship belt on the revival of boxing franchise series The Contender this fall. The highly anticipated 12-episode season, from MGM Television and Paramount Television, will premiere on EPIX on Aug. 24, 2018 at 10 PM ET/PT.
Hosted by undefeated boxing champion Andre "Son of God" Ward, the first-of-its-kind competitive documentary series for the network will feature 16 fighters pushing their limits in grueling elimination-style fights and testing their grit and determination to achieve their boxing dreams. The fighters will be overseen by legendary boxing coach Freddie Roach, and renowned Philadelphia trainer Naazim Richardson.
"The Contender takes unscripted TV to its grittiest. It has incredible professional fighters and real professional fights. The edge of your seat drama and true stories sets a tone that our audiences will be expecting and I love it," said Mark Burnett, President of MGM Television.
"With this new iteration of The Contender, the focus is on the gritty, personal stories of the fighters battling for boxing glory," said Michael Wright, President, EPIX. "It was important for us to find individuals who not only displayed the boxing chops and resilience in the ring, but who also showed a depth of heart and humor outside of it. Our 16 fighters are vivacious, tough, funny, sensitive, driven and inspiring, and we are excited for our fans to get to know their stories and root for them inside the ring and out."
The 16 Contenders come from a wide variety of professional boxing backgrounds and stations in life, bringing their unique stories, personalities, strengths and motivations to the series.
Each fighter will be vying to be declared the new 160-pound middleweight champion of The Contender and take home the winner's six-figure purse — a prize, which, for all the fighters, represents a better life for their families and loved ones who have been there with them through all the ups and downs of their journeys.
The 16 fighters on The Contender this season are:
Ievgen "The Ukranian Lion" Khytrov, Age: 29, Rank: 20, Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.- A Ukrainian immigrant, Olympian, Ievgen Khytrov recently relocated to America to pursue his dream of becoming a world champion and to create a better life for his family. A dedicated, quiet, religious man. He's also the one to beat.
Eric "Babyface Assassin" Walker, Age: 34, Rank: 68, Hometown: Plaquemine, La. - Incarcerated at 15 years old and spent 14 years behind bars for robbery and attempted murder, Eric "Babyface Assassin" Walker learned to box while in prison. He is now fighting for a second chance at life, living proof that it's never too late to live out your dreams.
John "Apollo Kid" Thompson, Age: 29, Rank: 70, Hometown: Newark, N.J. – After losing his mother to AIDS at six years old, this married performing artist, painter and fighter, John "Apollo Kid" Thompson is here to prove to the world that he can't be boxed into a single category despite holding impressive titles including the 2015 WBA-NABA Super Welterweight, WBO Inter-Continental Super Welterweight and Boxcino Tournaments.
Malcolm "The Punisher" McAllister, Age: 27, Rank: 172, Hometown: Long Beach, Calif. – Always at the center of schoolyard fights growing up, Malcolm "The Punisher" McAllister now channels his energy into helping others rebuild outside of foreclosure and his young, growing family. In boxing has built an impressive KO record and the 2014 Golden Gloves title on his journey to take the title of The Contender.
Brandon "The Cannon" Adams, Age: 28, Rank: Inactive, Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif. - A bold fighter in the ring, Brandon "The Cannon" Adams knows firsthand what it means to push through adversity and step up to care for his family when there's no one else around to. Coming from a poverty stricken neighborhood, this larger than life father of two marks his return to boxing after a three year hiatus, initiated by a loss to fellow competitor, John Thompson.
Quatavious "Cash" Cash, Age: 26, Rank: 161, Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev. – This Atlanta native is the current record-holder for fastest KO in Georgia, a four0time Golden Gloves state champ and Bronze medalist. Quatavious Cash is fighting for his late mother and for the chance to prove that a life of fighting street gangs can be channeled for good.
Shane "Sugarman" Mosley, Jr., Age: 27, Rank: 149, Hometown: Santa Monica, Calif. - The lone single contender, son of legendary Hall of Fame boxer "Sugar" Shane Mosley, Shane "Sugarman" Mosley Jr. is fighting to step out of his father's shadow and carve out his own legacy.
Daniel "El Chapulin" Valdivia, Age: 25, Rank: 116, Hometown: Tulare, Calif. - A natural salesman and real estate agent by day, nicknamed "El Chapulin" ("Grasshopper") for his boundless energy, Mexican immigrant Daniel Valdivia was born to step into the ring. With several titles including the NABF Super Welterweight Champion as an underdog, he's chasing fame to prove giving up college for boxing was the right move.
Michael "The Silverback" Moore, Age: 31, Rank: 252, Hometown:Cleveland, Oh. - Reformed from a hard life on the streets, fraught with drugs, death and family suicide, Michael Moore is a natural hustler and leader. Married with two kids, Moore is constantly moving from state to state with his family in tow in pursuit of the boxing dream.
Gerald "G5" Sherrell, Age: 24, Rank: 216, Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa. - A fan of the original Contender series growing up, Gerald "G5" Sherrell is an undefeated and explosive fighter with a level of unrivaled and self-proclaimed swagger. Hailing from the projects, this multiple time Golden Gloves, Silver Gloves and Junior Olympic competitor, this local zoo security guard by day, and young father by night, is looking to bring boxing glory back to his hometown of Pittsburgh.
Morgan "Big Chief" Fitch, Age: 34, Rank: 154, Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa. - Injury-plagued throughout his career, the Native American hailing from Southern Louisiana is a married father of three. Knowing that he's old for the sport, Morgan "Big Chief" Fitch has one last shot at making his boxing dreams come true.
Marcos "Mad Man" Hernandez, Age: 24, Rank: 104, Hometown: Fresno, Calif. - Having been bullied from a young age after an accident left him with burns on 30 percent of his body, Marcos "Mad Man" Hernandez is fighting for his young autistic son, in hopes that he won't be bullied the same way he was. With Junior Olympics, 2012 Blue and Gold titles and "Mexican-go-forward" style fighting he may be overlooked and underestimated.
Tyrone "Young Gun" Brunson, Age: 33, Rank: 39, Hometown: Philadelphia, PA – At a time when he needed to sell drugs to support himself at the age of 13, a stepfather's ultimatum: be grounded or go to the boxing gym was his saving grace. Now a humble father of two, and sitting with one of the best rankings in the competition, his 24 KO's send a signal that he will not fight silently but his cocky attitude has beat him more than just once.
Lamar "Omega" Russ, Age: 31, Rank: 115, Hometown: Wilmington, N.C. - One of four kids raised by a single mom and the first person in his family to graduate college, Lamar "Omega" Russ takes pride in being the underdog, and beneath the loud exterior is a boxer that needs to prove he can put his money where his mouth is. HBO, ESPN and a first round KO on Showtime do all the talking.
John "The Rock" Jackson, Age: 29, Rank: 63, Hometown: St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands - A divorced father of two, this slick and agile boxer, Virgin Islander John "The Rock" Jackson started fighting at 12 years old, following in his world champion father Julian Jackson's footsteps at the Pan American Games and 2008 Olympics. He comes from wealth but cares for the underprivileged and dreams of making his island proud bringing visibility to those struck by recent natural disasters.
Devaun "Unique" Lee, Age: 30, Rank: 82, Hometown: Jamaica Queens, N.Y.
When one of his friends was shot and killed at 16, Devaun "Unique" Lee knew he needed a way out from the mean streets of Queens. Boxing keeps him straight. So do long hours fueling airplanes and caring for his five year old daughter. The real love of his life. Fatherhood and the sport are the motivation to take his NY State Middleweight championship to the next level.
The original Contender series ran for four seasons (2005-2009) and launched multiple fighters into contention for world titles, including title winners Sergio Mora, Cornelius Bundrage, Sakio Bika, and Sam Soliman.
Eric Van Wagenen serves as executive producer and showrunner of the revived franchise alongside Mark Burnett. The format is owned by MGM Television and Paramount Television.
EPIX is available nationwide through cable, satellite, telco and streaming TV providers including Charter Spectrum, Cox, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse, Dish Network, Sling, PlayStation Vue and, as of June 13, Comcast.


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NEW YORK (JTA) — Much has been said and written about the financial priorities of the Jewish community and whether they are misdirected. All too often in these discussions, an artificial dichotomy is created between two goals: sustaining American Jewish support for Israel and attending to the domestic priorities of the community in the United States.
Reams of paper have been used in arguing where the financial priorities of the community should lie.
We need more and more to integrate these two challenges: to recognize, as the Taglit-Birthright Israel project has, that rather than a competition, the twin goals of strengthening Israel and strengthening the American Jewish community are linked and reinforce each other.
I believe the best way to strengthen a Jewish community that is diminishing through assimilation is through Jewish education. That is why, in my recent remarks to the Israeli Presidential Conference in Jerusalem, I called for a five-year, $500 million-per-year reinvestment in the Jewish Diaspora.
For whatever reason, it is very difficult to raise money in the Jewish community in the United States for Jewish education. It has always been much easier to raise money for Israel. Raising funds for Israel is certainly important. But what if we redirected some of the community purse back to the U.S. for the purpose of giving the next generation the possibility of a fuller immersion into Jewish life through all that a Jewish education has to offer?
Education, among other things, makes the real Jewish connection to Israel. And the best way to ensure continued Jewish support for Israel is by having a highly identified Jewish community.
Let's face it: American Jewish ignorance on Israel is the primary obstacle to American Jewish identity, continuity and American Zionism.
Here is where we are falling down as a community. Too many young Jews receive only rudimentary Jewish training. And those who do often stop studying and practicing their faith at age 12 or 13, right after their bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah.
Throughout the crucial teenage years, when peer pressures are intense and young people are truly learning what it means to be responsible adults in a confusing and challenging world, we neglect their spiritual development and allow the highly secular mass media and educational systems to work on them unchecked. When they go off to college, we hope that Hillel and other Jewish campus organizations will attract them. But why should they when our Jewish youth have seen their religion and their being Jewish treated as unimportant in their own homes and communities?
Why not let American Jews continue to raise the money for Israel, but let Israel take the money and invest in American Jewry. Invest in the infrastructure of day schools, whether Reform, Conservative, Orthodox or Reconstructionist, and to make scholarships available so that Jewish schools can be more affordable, especially for those students most willing to continue their Jewish education through high school and beyond.
Times have changed. Many years ago, when Israel was struggling to survive as a fledgling agrarian nation-state, $500 million would have been a princely sum. Today, Israel is a nation that has its own millionaires. The economy and tourism are robust and growing. That sum of $500 million is not as significant in Israel as it used to be.
Imagine how far we could advance Jewish education with such a commitment, which comes to $2.5 billion over five years. That is a significant sum of money for schools, scholarships and teachers.
A certain percentage of the money — perhaps 20 percent — should be invested in programs to continue, enhance and ensure bringing young people to Israel. There should be no waiting list.
We have developed the most exciting audio-visual Jewish identity program that anyone could dream of and it is called Israel. We know it works. This is the tourniquet. I believe that if 100 children go to Israel, one-third will be Zionists forever, for one-third it won't matter and one-third will be "different." That is a pretty good investment for $3,000 per youngster.
The remaining 80 percent of the money should be invested in Jewish education in the U.S. — in expanding its infrastructure, in substantial tuition subsidies, and in paying teachers' salaries that will attract the best and brightest. Only an estimated 35 percent of Jewish children are now attending private Jewish schools and yeshivas. The main reason is the cost, which averages $14,000 a year per child — and sometimes much more.
If I could, I would make Jewish day school education at all levels available and affordable for as many Jewish families as possible. This would mean building many new schools and providing scholarships for those who need them. It would be expensive, but worth every penny. Such a program could help bring about a vibrant Jewish future in America, which will reap benefits many times over in terms of future support for the Jewish state of Israel.
(Abraham H. Foxman is national director of the Anti-Defamation League.)

subset: commoncrawl


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I had an opinion piece published today in Bloomberg Views looking at the relationship between market efficiency and stability, a topic which hasn't received much attention in the economics literature until recently. The point of the essay was to explore two distinct recent studies which suggest that adding more derivative instruments to markets tends to make them less stable, even if they do push markets toward the ideal of market completeness and efficiency.
I wanted to make available here some further technical information on the two studies I mentioned, but as publication arrived very quickly and I've been pressed with other deadlines I haven't yet managed to write the post as I wanted. However, I can at least offer some information with the idea of updating it very shortly (later today, Thursday 25 August).
I've given some extensive discussion of the first study I mentioned, by economists William Brock, Cars Hommes and Florian Wagener, in an earlier post.
The second study by Matteo Marsili is quite technical and relies for parts of its analysis on ideas and techniques imported from physics. I will tomorrow try to give some simplified discussion of the gist of this argument. What makes this particularly fascinating is that it works fully within the confines of standard general equilibrium models, and examines how market stability should evolve as the market approaches the ideal of market completeness. Agents are assumed to be fully rational, there are no problems with asymmetric information, etc. Even here, however, Marsili finds that the equilibrium becomes more and more unstable as the ideal is approached. Efficient markets are also unstable markets.
Marsili's argument is one he has been developing in a series of papers (with various co-authors) over several years. This paper from last year offers what is perhaps the most concise argument. It looks at a market with informed (fundamentalist) traders and non-informed (noise) traders, and shows, first, that the market becomes efficient as the number of informed traders grows. They are assumed in the model to have different kinds of private information about market outcomes, and the market becomes efficient, roughly speaking, once there are enough traders to cover the space of outcomes so all private information gets aggregated into market prices. The paper then introduces a non-informed trader -- a chartist or trend follower -- and shows that this trader has a maximum impact on the market precisely at the point at which it becomes efficient. The conclusion is very much against standard economic thinking:
[The results suggest} that information efficiency might be a necessary condition for bubble phenomena - induced by the behavior of non-informed traders...Another paper from two years ago approaches the problem from a slightly different angle. This study looks explicitly at how the proliferation of financial instruments (derivatives) provides more means for diversifying and sharing risks and takes the market to an efficient state. However, it finds that this state is what physicists refer to as a "critical state", which is a state characterized by extreme (essentially infinite) susceptibility to small disturbances. Any small noise stirs up huge fluctuations. Again, efficiency trails instability in its wake. As the paper asserts:
This suggests that the hypothesis of Arbitrage Pricing Theory (the notion that arbitrage works to keep market in an efficient state) may not be compatible with a stable market dynamics.This paper also makes the important point that market stability really ought to be thought of as a public good because well functioning markets do help everyone. But like most public goods, private individuals acting in their own interests will not likely provide it.
Finally, the paper I discussed in the Bloomberg article is from last year and analyses a model set up specifically so as to include the finance sector. It is very much akin to standard general equilibrium models, and includes essentially two components:
1. There are investors who aim to take their current wealth and preserve it (or make it grow) into the future. They do this by investing in various instruments provided by a sector of financial firms. These investors are assumed to be rational and have full information and they invest their wealth optimally over the set of possible investments.
2. There are financial firms who create the investment instruments and take on risks in supplying them. They also act optimally, and they hedge their risks by trading between themselves. Again, the firms are rational and have full information.
Marsili then studies what happens to this world of investors and financial firms optimally making decisions as the number of different financial instruments grows. The first result confirms expectations -- the financial firms are ever more successful in hedging their risks and they can provide the financial instruments more cheaply. Investors can therefore invest more effectively. The market becomes efficient.
But there are also two unexpected consequences. As Marsili describes them,
As markets approach completeness, however, two "unintended consequences" also arise: equilibrium portfolios develop a marked susceptibility to idiosynchratic shocks and/or parameter uncertainty and hedging engenders divergent trading volumes in the interbank market. Combining these, suggests an inverse relation between financial stability and the size of the financial sector...In other words, the character of the optimum portfolios for both the investors and the financial firms becomes hugely sensitive to tiny shocks to the economy. As the efficient state is approached, these agents have to work ever harder to adjust their holdings to remain in the optimal condition. The market only remains efficient through an ever faster and more vigorous churning of investment positions. This shows up in the hedging done by the financial firms, where the volume of trading required to remain optimally hedged actually becomes infinite as the market reaches efficiency.
All three of these papers show much the same thing -- efficiency bringing instability along with it. But this latter paper may be the most interesting as it shows directly how the size of the financial sector also naturally explodes as this efficient-unstable regime is approached. The effect sounds suspiciously like what has happened in the past 30 years or so with massive growth in the financial industries in most developed nations.
What I find really remarkable, however, is that all of this comes from the very models that economists have been using for a long time to make arguments about market efficiency. Why did it take a physicist to look at what happens to stability at the same point? This seems bizarre indeed.


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Two previously unreleased White Stripes tracks - covers of Love's Signed DC and Otis Redding's I've Been Loving You Too Long - have surfaced online, and can be streamed below.
The now defunct duo recorded both songs way back in 1997 before the release of their first single - hence why they sound so fresh.
The tracks where recently dispatched on a 7" to subscribers of Jack White's Third Man Records' Vault series.


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Mutiny, which is part of the current batch of startups at accelerator Y Combinator, helps business-to-business, software-as-a-service companies present a message that's customized to each visitor on their website.
Co-founder and CEO Jaleh Rezaei said this concept is alive and well in the analog world: When she was at VMware, sales reps were given materials to help them tailor their pitch for each prospective customer. Then, when she was one of the early employees at HR services startup Gusto, she tried to do something similar online, only to find that existing software wasn't quite up to the task.
There are landing page optimization tools, but Rezaei asked, "Who wants to create a thousand versions of your website?" And there are A/B testing tools, but Rezaei argued that they're really designed to test "generic content" and use "very little audience intelligence." And as for creating your own personalization tools, many companies will find that it requires "way too much engineering effort."
That's where Mutiny comes in. It integrates with existing data sources to allow businesses to divide their customers into segments. Then they can use Mutiny's graphical interface to create personalized elements of the webpage for each segment.
For example, when you visit the homepage of Mutiny customer Amplitude, things like the customer testimonials and the call to action will change depending on the size of your company. Or when Brex customers click through from an email marketing campaign, they'll see a credit card offer tailored to their name and company.
These kinds of changes might not seem all that significant, but Rezaei said that when someone visits a B2B website, they're probably interested in the product or service already. If they're not converting, it's probably because "they didn't find what they wanted right away." Mutiny can help surface the right content or the right message for the right customer.
The startup will also compare the personalized results to the generic webpage to help determine what does and doesn't improve the bottom line. Rezaei said some of Mutiny's early customers (who include Gusto, Infusionsoft and Brex) have seen conversion rates improve by 20 to 180 percent.
"That's not to say that every test performs better, but the nice thing here is that you immediately see how something is performing," she added.
Eventually, Rezaei is hoping to expand Mutiny's technology so that it can personalize every aspect of the B2B purchase experience, including email and ad retargeting.
"Our passion as a founding team is growth," she said. "Progress occurs not when you just build something, but when that product makes it into the hands of the person for whom it was intended to help."


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For answers to common questions, refer to our FAQ .
JNEAT was written by Ugo Vierucci based on the original C++ package by Kenneth Stanley. Please direct bug reports to firstname.lastname@example.com. Please contact firstname.lastname@example.com for other comments, including ideas or plans for expanding the open source software. Versions: v1.2 6/24/02 vierucci


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There's one big reason why making your home more efficient should be at the top of your spring cleaning list: your home is addicted to coal. Did you know the average home produces twice as many emissions as the average car?
Just because your home doesn't have a tailpipe, doesn't mean that all the electricity you use for lights, TV, phones and computers is carbon-neutral. In fact, nearly 50 percent of our nation's electricity comes from burning coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel. If you've heard the word "fracking" then you know the natural gas you use for cooking and home heating also carries an environmental price tag. Likewise the water in our homes has to be treated and pumped — often hundreds of miles — and once it goes down the drain it has to be pumped back and treated again — all of which takes more coal-fired energy.
In fact, the average American home burns nearly three tons of coal a year. However, just by doing the easy stuff, you can improve your home's efficiency by 20 percent or more. If everybody did it, America would save $40 billion a year, while creating jobs, improving health and reducing pollution.
So when you start your spring cleaning this year, do more than just clear out the dust and clutter. Take a few steps to kick out the coal too.
The good news is there are simple, easy, cost-saving ways to make your home more efficient. Focus on these four areas for making your home more efficient:
Lighting: Improved CFL bulbs, and new full-size LED bulbs are giving those 100-year old Edison light bulbs stiff competition. You can now replace a 60watt Edison bulb with a 20watt CFL or a 7watt LED that will screw into the same fixture and provide the same amount of light. Those dramatic energy savings mean cost-savings to you.
Put it this way: if you could buy a $100 bill for 20 bucks you would, right? Well that's what you're doing when you buy an LED light bulb. Even though the price of each bulb is higher, the cost to use them is much lower. Because the newer bulbs are both more efficient, and much longer lasting, they can save you anywhere from 50 to a 100 dollars over the life of the bulb. Which is why McKinsey calls LEDs the most cost-effective technology for fighting climate change. So swap those light bulbs and start saving money!
Electricity: The New York Times reports that the average American home today has about 25 consumer electronic products, compared with just three in 1980. Electronics now represent up to 15 percent of American power bills — the fastest rising slice of home electricity use. All that demand will require building hundreds of new coal-fired or nuclear power plants in coming years. Unless we can be more efficient with electricity.
Using smart strips to shut down devices you're not using is one effective way to cut down your home's coal habit. Buying EnergyStar appliances and TVs is another. Signing up for Green Power is a great way to get your home off coal, and send a clear signal you want a cleaner economy. Nearly 900 utilities across the country offer optional programs that allow you to pay a little bit extra to support investments in local clean energy. Find a Green Power program near you, and kick the coal habit today!
Water: Taking shorter showers is conservation. Taking your usual shower while using 50 percent less water is efficiency. Simple faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads can cut your water use from 2 to 5 gallons per minute down to 1 or 1.5 gallons per minute. These are dramatic savings that you won't even notice while taking a shower or washing the dishes. And these simple devices will save you thousands of gallons of water, and hundreds of dollars in water bills. Because it takes energy to treat and transport water, every gallon you don't use means less coal burned on your behalf.
Temperature: Half the energy in your home is likely used for heating and cooling, so anything you can do to stop air leaks will save energy. Even if you don't have the money to replace windows or add insulation, there are simple things you can do to weatherize your home. Sealing cracks and drafts around doors and windows with caulking or weatherstripping is a good start. Sealing outlets and light switches with inexpensive foam gaskets is another way to block tiny holes that leak air. Regularly replacing the air filters on your heater and air-conditioner can keep these systems working properly and efficiently. As the weather heats up, opening windows for ventilation instead of using the AC can save energy and cut your home's coal emissions as well.
Take the EnergyStar virtual home tour to find more ways to save in every room of your home.
Making your home more efficient will save you money that you would otherwise be spending on fossil fuels. So if you're pissed off at the Koch Brothers, Halliburton, BP and the rest of the fossil fuel industry, making your home more efficient is the fastest, easiest way to cut into their profits.
This spring I'm creating a program that empowers young people to become Green Energy Agents and help their communities be more efficient. Together, we can all take a big bite out of coal!
Article by Andy Mannle, appearing courtesy Justmeans.


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Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that Jonah Rawitz of Buffalo Grove, IL (Adlai E. Stevenson High School), representing the Illinois High School Musical Theater Awards, was awarded the coveted Jimmy™ Award for Best Performance by an Actor on Monday, June 30, 2014 at Broadway's Minskoff Theater. The Jimmy™ Award for Best Performance by an Actress was presented to Jai'Len Josey, representing the Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards – Shuler Hensley Awards.
"I am so incredibly grateful to have had this unforgettable and amazing experience and to have met so many unforgettable and amazing people," said Jonah upon receiving the award.
The Jimmy™ Award is named in honor of James M. Nederlander, the legendary Broadway theater owner and producer. James L. Nederlander, Chairman of The Nederlander Organization, presented both winners with a check for $10,000 to further their education. They will also be eligible for a four-year merit and a need-based scholarship to attend the New Studio on Broadway, NYU Tisch School of the Arts Department of Drama, contingent upon acceptance into the program.
Four runners-up each received a $2,500 scholarship toward their future education from the Barry and Fran Weissler Foundation. These winners were Matthew Richards, Layton, UT; Brook Solan, Las Vega, NV; Sophia Tzougros, Dousman, WI; and Mekhai Lee, Charlotte, NC.
Three additional awards were presented to English Bernhardt, Wakeforest, NC (Best Performance in an Ensemble); Joshua Velez, Torrance, CA (Most Improved), and Matthew Washington, Cary, NC (Spirit of the Jimmy Awards). Another student, Jai'Len Josey, East Point, GA was selected to attend Carnegie Mellon University's 6-week Pre-College Drama program.
The ceremony was hosted by 2011 Jimmy Award-winner Ryan McCartan. McCartan recently starred as JD in the Off-Broadway hit musical, Heathers, appears regularly as Diggy in the TV show Liv & Maddie on the Disney Channel, and is a recurring character on the USA Network's Royal Pains. Andy Karl, star of Rocky: The Musical, also performed alongside the cast to close the show.
Jimmy™ Award winners were selected by a panel of Broadway brass including Kent Gash (New Studio on Broadway, NYU Tisch School of the Arts Department of Drama); Rachel Hoffman (Telsey +Co); Arielle Tepper Madover (Tony® Award-Winning Producer); Tara Rubin (Casting Director) Nick Scandalios (Nederlander Organization); Sergio Trujillo (Award-Winning Choreographer).
The production was directed by Van Kaplan and choreographed by Kiesha Lalama, with musical direction by Michael Moricz.
The annual Broadway-focused talent showcase featured performances by all 56 participants and solos by select finalists. Their Broadway debut followed 5-days of rehearsals and private coaching with faculty at the New Studio on Broadway, NYU Tisch School of the Arts Department of Drama and other professionals. Students also enjoyed a discussion with award-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The students also took in a performance of Kinky Boots and had a talkback with the cast.
Over 1,500 high schools and 60,000 students participate in these annual events. Student performers qualified to compete in the national program by winning top honors at 28 regional high school musical awards competitions presented by Broadway League member performing arts centers. Click here for the list of participating organizations.
Founded in 2009, NHSMTA's mission is to raise the profile of musical theater in schools, recognize dedicated teachers and inspire the next generation of performers and enthusiasts. Since its inception, the NHSMTA has enabled over $1,000,000 in university and conservatory scholarships to be awarded to talented students at the national and local level-several of whom have already been cast in Broadway, touring and West End productions.
To recognize the important work being done in high schools across the United States, Tony Award-winner Tommy Tune and Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director of The Broadway League, presented the 2014 League Educator Apple Award® to Vincent Gassetto, Principal of MS 343 Academy of Applied Mathematics and Technology in Bronx, New York (nominated by Situation Interactive in New York, New York); Holly Valentine, Fourth Grade Teacher at Walt Disney Elementary School in Rochester, New York (nominated by the Rochester Broadway Theatre League in Rochester, New York); Maureen Binienda, Principal at South High Community School in Worchester, Massachusetts (nominated by the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in Hanover, Massachusetts); and Brian Sammons, Third Grade Teacher at Aplington Elementary in Aplington, Iowa (nominated by Des Moines Performing Arts in Des Moines, Iowa).
The NHSMTA is produced by the Broadway Education Alliance and supported by many leading theater industry organizations including The Broadway League, BWF (Weissler) Foundation, Disney Theatrical Productions, Jujamcyn Theatres, Music Theatre International, Nederlander Organization, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Pittsburgh CLO,Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, Samuel French Library, Shubert Organization, Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc., Ticketmaster and others. To learn more about the National High School Musical Theater Awards and/or to make a donation to the program, please visit nhsmta.com.
BROADWAY EDUCATION ALLIANCE (BEA) is a 501.c3 organization that serves as an independent catalyst for the development and implementation of national programs that serve local performing arts organizations and supporttheatre arts education and cultural studies for audiences of all ages. The National High School Musical TheaterAwards is the organization's first national coalition presented to inspire creativity, build confidence, and stimulate critical thinking in American's youth. For more information, visit www.BroadwayEducationAlliance.org.
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATER AWARDS (NHSMTA)/JIMMY™ AWARDS was founded in 2009 by Pittsburgh CLO and Nederlander Alliances LLC, under the leadership of James L. Nederlander, and is produced by the Broadway Education Alliance in association with Pittsburgh CLO. The program promotes the importance of theater arts programming in high schools, provides educational scholarships and creates a pathway for promising young performers to pursue a career in the professional theater industry. For more information, visit www.nhsmta.com.
NYU TISCH SCHOOL OF THE ARTS DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA integrates a combination of rigorous professional theatre training and broad-ranging academic education. In partnership with some of the country's foremost professional theatre training institutions, the program offers comprehensive theatre courses in acting, directing, musical performance, design, and theatre production. The program also offers an expansive and innovative academic curriculum. The faculty is composed of nationally and internationally recognized theatre artists, scholars, and theorists. The curriculum is further enriched by required courses in the humanities and social sciences. An extensive internship program connects students to the professional theatre community of New York City. The program is complemented by challenging and innovative productions that welcome guest artists from a range of culture and artistic perspectives. Graduates of the program include Alec Baldwin '94, Kristen Bell '02, Raúl Esparza '92, Philip Seymour Hoffman '89, Bryce Dallas Howard '03, Felicity Huffman '88, Dan Jinks '85, Moisés Kaufman '89, John Leguizamo '83, Michael Longoria '02, Idina Menzel '93, Molly Shannon '87, and Chandra Wilson '91.


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Q: What inspired this collection?
A:This collection is based on the principle "Basic doesn't mean boring". After a long conversation I had with Kathy Miller (co-owner of Michael Miller Fabrics) in early June of this year, it was decided that my next fabric line would be a collective of basic geometric prints in straightforward colors; something that would be timeless but would still embody the MODKID vibe. Dots and stripes were a given, but I toyed with several other geometrics until I came up with the six finalists, adding in a houndstooth, a hexagon and a diamond to the mix. The color palette was chosen next and I specifically chose six hues that spanned across the spectrum as well and worked well together. And then came the final touch: adding that faux canvas texture that received all the oooh's and ahhh's at Quilt Market. This was an afterthought but definitely not taken lightly. I thought the designs needed that little extra Je Ne Sais Quoi to make them stand out among all the other basic prints out there. I scanned in a few textures and played around with the opacity and scale until I came up with the perfect one. Once that texture was added to all the prints, I knew it was finished!
Q: What is your favorite project using this collection?
A:Staying with the theme of "Keep it simple", we decided that we should do a line of Micro-Mini patterns to go along with Textured Basics. The idea behind these, just like with the fabrics, was to design a set of sewing patterns that were simple and easy to sew but still retained that certain whimsical and "cool" vibe that our full-size MODKID patterns are well known for. We set out to design six different projects (yes, the number "6" seems to be a theme here as well). There is something for boys, girls, women and the home, so that everyone can partake. If I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be the Wrap Skirt, for its striking simplicity, with a close second in the Houndstooth Quilt, because it looks like modern art on the wall!
Q: What is your favorite thing about the quilting and fabric industry?
A:My favorite aspect of this industry is how selfless, helpful and friendly everyone is. This is the only industry where you'll find people from different companies (essentially competitors) eating, drinking and having a great time together. I truly love it! I love how you can be having lunch at a show and run into a fellow designer from another company, sit down, and minutes later, you are best of friends. Some of my closest friends have come out of this industry… people I've met at trade shows and conferences… and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Case in point, at the last Quilt Market, I had dinner with Carla Crim (a.k.a. The Scientific Seamstress) and she urged me to start doing PDF patterns because it was "the wave of the future". Although this was a road we weren't quite ready to travel, she made such a compelling point, that as soon as I returned we got to work on a few fresh new projects. The Mod Owl Stuffie, was our first PDF pattern, with the Elf Stocking (FREE pattern for Baby Lock) following soon after and most recently, the Katie Twirl Skirt! We are really loving these projects and I can honestly say this wouldn't be the case without Carla's friendly advice and helpful tips.
Q:What is your studio like?
A:Our studio is 2,800 square feet of color and fun! We have areas designated for warehouse, design, sewing and lounge. Colorful fabric racks line the walls. Four machines (two sewing machines and two sergers) sit on long tables along one wall. Two large cutting tables in the center of the studio provide plenty of work space and storage.
We have a stereo system that blasts music all day long and whoever arrives first gets to plug their iPhone into it! At the moment it's Christmas music all the time, but on other times of the year we have several playlists that we rotate or we just choose a Pandora station that we all can agree upon and go with it. The kids have a little lounge in the back where they can play Wii, read or draw. We even have a small fridge stocked with drinks and snacks, and a microwave for heating up our lunch!
To top it off, we stopped for a chat with Patty at Fall Quilt Market! Here is an peek inside her Fall Quilt Market booth, and a little discussion about Textured Basics!


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So, you've rented a great vacation property in Barcelona, but you're arriving before the apartment's check-in time or check-out is at 11:00am and you still have lots of sightseeing to do before departing the city. We've discovered 3 great options in Barcelona's city center where you can leave your luggage safely and affordably.
#1: Locker Barcelona
Near Placa de Catalunya (next to a main transportation hub with service to the train station and the airport), Locker Barcelona offers 3 locker sizes to hold bags measuring up to 50cm x 90cm x 90cm bags. Oversize items are also accepted and prices are quite reasonable, plus you can access your locker anytime you want during the day, at no extra charge. Other services include Wi-Fi access, boarding pass printing, luggage weighing, and use of their changing rooms. Perfect for large groups, too.
Locker Barcelona, C/ Estruc 36
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
(+34) 933.028.796
Hours: 8:30am to 9:00pm (winter hours: 8:30am to 8pm).
#2: Bag Drop Service
Bag Drop Service not only conveniently stores your dropped-off luggage, but you can save tons of time by arranging your luggage to be picked up from your rental property and delivered straight to your point of departure (train station, airport or cruise terminal). They have 3 locations in the city center that are all in close proximity to public transportation connections.
Bag Drop Service
Bag Drop Service: Ciutat Vella. c/ Jerusalem, 11
Bag Drop Service: Pl. Espanya. c/ Mèxic, 15
Bag Drop Service: Sants. c/ Joan Güell, 54
Email: email@example.com
(+34) 603 823 099
Hours: 9am to 9pm (year round)
#3: Easyin City
Our last recommendation, Easyin City, not only provides a place to store luggage, they add a really cool twist…with every locker rental you get a free bike loaner. Brilliant!
Easyin City, Carrer de Bertrellans, 4,08002
(+34) 932 80 96 91
Hours: 9:00 am to 9:00pm


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Should the Washington Redskins Change Their Name? — Sports Survey of the Day
The Washington Redskins have been under fire for years for not changing their name. Should they adopt a new moniker?
It's a very popular question among politicians, and activists, but not really sports fans. The Redskins have had their name since 1932, and not much with their logo has changed since then, either.
Many are calling their name "racist" and "offensive" to many native Americans, and that it's time for a name change. The Cleveland Indians in Major League Baseball had heard the same argument for years, and briefly changed their logo from the beloved Chief Wahoo, to just a C. They now rotate between both.


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Chocolate Zucchini Bread
5 tablespoons ground flax + 10 tablespoons water
3 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup nondairy milk (I use soy)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups zucchini, shredded
1 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped, optional
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 9x5" loaf pans with nonstick spray. For flax eggs, microwave flax meal and water for 30 seconds, stir, microwave, 30 more seconds, and stir again.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add vegetable oil, and use a fork to stir. It will be dry but stir as well as possible. Then add the flax eggs. Continue to mix.
3. Add milk and vanilla, and stir until well blended. Add zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts, if using, and blend them in. The mixture should be nice and smooth; moist looking.
4. Spoon into prepared loaf pans. Bake 55-60 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and it will keep for days (if your family doesn't gobble it up).
This is my Nana's recipe that I've converted to a delicious vegan zucchini bread.
I made these muffins since I couldn't find my loaf pans. It made 24 muffins. I reduced the bake time to 40 minutes for the first batch & they're a little too crispy (not burnt), just too crispy for me. Second batch is in the oven now, and I think after 30 min, I will take 'em out & let 'em sit. They should be perfect! PS - My carniverous brother-in-law came home from work & said it smelled fantastic. He scarfed one down, piping hot from the oven & gave it a thumbs up! (He also doesn't know that the spaghetti sauce he raved about for dinner had blended mushroom Field Roast for the "meat crumbles". He also thought it was fantastic! Tee hee!)
This recipe is wonderful. I made it for work and it was a HUGE hit. I just made a few alterations: 7 tbs cocoa powder instead of 1/4 cup and 2 tsp vanilla. So chocolatey, moist and delicious. Thanks for the great recipe!
I love this recipe! I used wholemeal flour, half a cup of sugar, half a cup of stevia. Then I used half oil, half applesauce, twice as much vanilla (I have a habit of doing this) and a HUGE zucchini. I made 12 muffins and 1 loaf. This tastes amazing, even without the chocolate chips and nuts.
like i need to reiterate, but this recipe is FANTASTIC. on a second try, however, i think i might reduce the amount of oil. due to my lack of baking vessels, i had a 12 muffin tray and an 8 in. heart shaped cake pan to work with. i think less oil would have made it a little lighter (i know zuke bread is supposed to be dense, but...), but maybe that's what works best for 2 loaf pans. i rotate through egg replacers, the one i had on hand was or-gran, it's the same measurements/ratio so i think i got the same results. didn't have walnuts or choc chips, so i just shy of doubled the cocoa (a little less than 1/2 c). i DID have some craisins left over from who-knows-when, gave it a real nice bite.
this will now become my go-to zuke bread recipe. thank you for sharing.
I have made this recipe twice now, both times for non-vegan audiences (first time, for 16 of my friends --- all loved it... tonight for a friend's family Christmas eve get-together) and both times... SUCCESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! Everyone thinks it is spectacular. Including me, who cannot stop eating it even now, as I type this. Last time used half and half white and whole wheat flour... this time I went all whole wheat. It is great both ways. Something so satisfying about this loaf... mmm mmm mmm!!
LoVe iT!!!
I made half a batch and this was just beautiful; loved by all the family who felt it was the best loaf cake (what it would be called in the UK) they have EVER had and half of them aren't vegans. Also really pleased as it looked just like the other pictures :-D
THANK YOU for such an ace recipe!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. I actually make muffins out of this and freeze them. Some fresh zucchini will taste great later in the year. I used half oil and half applesauce. I also decided to double the cocoa powder, and I used whole wheat flour, so I had to add a bit more almond milk. Baked the muffins about 30 minutes. Wonderful recipe!
Wow! This is incredibly amazing. I subbed applesauce for half the oil and I used egg replacer instead of flax eggs cuz I'm lazy. Made muffins and bread. Awesome! Thank you!
I love this recipe! The only things I changed were: 1/2 applesauce 1/2 oil, and I put 3 cups of zucchini. It is awesome! I will make this again. I might do less sugar next time. I gave muffins(made from this batter) to my son and 2 other kids that are over for their snack and they thought they were amazing. Thank you!! ;D ;)b


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Swedish scientists reveal findings of deep-sea 'alien' hunt
Swedish explorers have put to rest speculation of a spaceship at the bottom of the Baltic — but they're adding fuel to the 'what is it' mystery of this deep-sea object anyway.
Digital pictures FoxNews.com has obtained from the team show that the object, located beneath the waves of the Baltic between Sweden and Finland, is some sort of "natural, geological formation," Peter Lindberg, the leader of the Ocean Explorer team, told FoxNews.com.
"It's not obviously an alien spacecraft. It's not made of metal," the scientist said. Lindberg concedes that it could be an alien space ship — if the aliens decided to make their vessels out of meteor-like rocks. "Who says they had to use metal?" he joked. "This trip has raised a lot of questions."
For 12 days, starting on June 1, 2012, Lindberg, his partner Dennis Asberg, and other scientists and divers explored the 200-foot wide object under the Baltic that they had first discovered a year ago on sonar. Employing a robot camera, sonar and deep sea divers, this time, Lindberg and Asberg spent nearly two weeks probing the object and its environs.
Scientists are still examining the footage from the expedition, but it appears like a giant stone, "the kind divers see in keys and harbors" — one that seems to originate from before the Ice Age, Lindberg said. The main object was not the only thing seen by the explorers. "There are other, loose stones lying around as well," he added. "The formation of rocks is 60 meters in diameter."
While this unidentified flying object may have been identified, and likely never flew, it still holds secrets.
The odd thing about the discovery is that there is no silt on the rock, for example; it would ordinarily be covered with silt on the bottom of the sea, Lindberg said.
Even more odd for a seemingly natural formation, the main object is disc-shaped and "appears to have construction lines and boxes drawn on it," Lindberg said. "There are also straight edges."
The divers were limited in what they could see by their lighting technology. This gave them an illumination of only one meter at the most. Sonar was used to explore the object as well.
"The surface has cracks on it," said Lindberg. "There is some black material in the cracks, but we don't know what it is."
Adding to the mystery, there appears to be a pillar which is holding up the 200 foot wide object, said Lindberg. "The pillar is eight meters high," he added.
Divers explored the space, slowly, so as not to stir up undersea silt and interfere with digital photography. They collected stone samples from nearby the object as well as sonar images and digital images. "We're going through the footage right now," said Lindberg, who promised more footage for FoxNews after the team finished screening it.
"If an intelligent life form has built a spaceship, there's the question of 'why not make it out of stone or coral,' he said."
The discovery of what may or may not be the wreckage of an alien spacecraft that crash landed years ago off their sea coast has not created great anxiety in the populace of Sweden, a traditionally urbane and world weary culture. The oceanic equivalent of Roswell, N.M. is pretty much routine fare there, it seems.
"They're taking it very cooly," Lindberg told FoxNews.com. "If we had found actual aliens, they probably would say, 'Oh, there are aliens down there.'"


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We hope you will find this site informative and that it will give you a better understanding of IHS' public information programs. As part of the effort to make Federal agencies more transparent per President Barack Obama's Memorandum , we will continue to improve this site to bring you current program information.
After the implementation of President Bush's Executive Order 13,392 [PDF - 99KB], Improving Agency Disclosure of Information, signed by the President on December 14, 2005, required Federal Agencies improve their FOIA process by providing the general public with the best possible tools to make FOIA requests, know who to send those requests to, and to receive a response from the Agency in a timely manner.
The Executive Order allows the IHS to streamline the FOIA process which not only assists the public (the requester) but also allows the Program Staff to be more efficient in their duties.
Important Agency contacts:
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To request status of your FOIA request, or if you have any questions about the FOIA process, please contact our FOIA Public Liaison, by emailing Janet Ingersoll, or by phone, at 301-443-1116.
Your FOIA request can be sent to the Area FOIA Coordinators at one of the 12 IHS FOIA Area Offices which may have the information you are requesting, or to the IHS headquarters FOIA office.


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Here is a piece I improvised in Letchworth (north of London) on Nov 1st, 2014. Maybe you like it
My mini-England-tour was big fun. Thank you so much to Georgina for organizing the concerts in Letchworth and London, and for spending time with me (especially on Halloween evening), to the ladies at Dot to Dot in Letchworth, to Michael Bearpark and his family for hosting us, to Roger Harmar for spending a lovely day with me in Brighton, to Darren Sangita for a lovely spontaneous party, to Mathura Das for letting me be his cooking assistant.
(some photos were shot by Michael Bearpark)
The music that I played and the music that I had recorded during rehearsals before the tour ended up in this album, a very heterogenous collection of musical sounds, voices on the streets, and field recordings that is almost like a diary to me. The days in England were intense and surreal at times, and you can hear it. Listen loud.


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This blog and related calendar are shuttering effective 1 Jan 2022 in favor of ConferenceKeeper.org
Friday, December 14, 2012
Illinois State Genealogical Society Announces Its 2013 Webinar Lineup
The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) is happy to announce that registration for the 2013 ISGS Webinar Series is now open! We have a fantastic lineup of presentations and speakers and we hope you will join us for a wonderful educational experience.
A webinar is a live lecture/presentation that you can attend via a computer with an internet connection. ISGS offers the live broadcast of its webinars to the public for free. The live broadcasts are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 8:00 PM Central. For ISGS members who are unable to attend the live session, recordings of all past webinars are available through the Members Section of the ISGS website, to watch at your convenience.
Here's what we have in store for 2013:
January 8 – Beyond the Draft Cards: Additional Selective Service Records
Presenter: Linda Woodward Geiger, CG, CGL
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4690779734341377024
February 12 – Best Genealogy Present You Can Give Yourself: Citing Your Sources
Presenter: Harold Henderson, CG
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7953472737629097216
March 12 – Back to Your Roots: Planning a Successful Heritage Research Trip
Presenter: Lisa Alzo
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8438226523594802432
April 9 – Digging Through Documents Word by Word
Presenter: Debbie Mieszala, CG
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3231307790843086592
May 14 – Timelines: Placing Your Heritage in Historical Perspective
Presenter: Laura Prescott
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6182542135328835840
June 11 – The Research Calendar: A Resource You Cannot Live Without
Presenter: Luana Darby
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1792803534084357632
July 9 – Common Surnames: Ways to Identify Your Ancestors in a Crowd
Presenter: Juliana Smith
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5387125736981834496
August 13 – Getting to Here from There: Following your Ancestor's Migration Trail
Presenter: Jay Fonkert, CG
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8033182932596979200
September 10 – "To the Honorable, the General Assembly" - The Treasure Trove in Legislative Petitions
Presenter: Judy G. Russell, CG
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3615763026611679744
October 8 – Little Houses on the Prairie: Midwestern Research Techniques
Presenter: Diana Crisman Smith
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/848493470127452672
November 12 – Up In Smoke!! What To Do When the Courthouse Burns
Presenter: Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1130232329628818432
December 10 – Miracles, Mysteries & Mayhem: Online Family Trees
Presenter: Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8253902195291921152
Note: All webinars take place at 8:00 PM Central.
For additional information on our webinar series, visit our ISGS Webinars page at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=227.
You may also want to review our Webinar FAQs at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=316.
And don't forget to spread the word! Forward this email onto your friends and colleagues, post the information to social media sites and/or your blog/website, or print out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings. The flyer can be accessed at
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Who Wants to See Tina Korbe's Thighs?
Posted on | February 16, 2012 | 101 Comments
The title of this post is not a hypothetical question, because last week the aforesaid Miss Korbe joined her Hot Air colleague Ed Morrissey for a video interview with Rick Santorum, which I didn't see until somebody brought it to my attention yesterday:
Our keen-eyed readers will note that at the 0:28 mark of the video, Miss Korbe gives a little tug at the hem of her skirt and, not to get all Melissa Clouthier about it or anything, some folks might say that's kind of a telltale clue that your skirt's too doggone short.
OK, so how this came to my attention: Tuesday I blogged about Melissa's criticism of the dress and behavior of some young ladies at CPAC and, as I said, I wanted to be responsible without being too judgmental. That is to say, I hesitate to judge a lady's morals merely because she feels obliged to follow contemporary fashion.
For example, I think tattoos and pierced bellybuttons are two of the tackiest things in the world, but I'm pretty sure not every woman with tattoos and a pierced bellybutton is a whore.
Most of them? Sure, but not all of them.
Similarly, short skirts and exposed cleavage do not necessarily signal that a woman is up for some action with any dude who'll give her the price of another hit of methamphetamine. It is true that many hookers dress that way, but not every woman who dresses that way is a hooker.
Or even a Maine College Republican.
'A Peep Show of Her Hoo-Ha'?
Anyway, my responsible-but-not-judgmental post was linked in a roundup on the CPAC decorum controversy at "Thoughts and Ramblings," whose proprietor suggested that this was in response to a post he'd done earlier, in which he said, "Tina, you are a Catholic, try actually dressing like one," and accused her of giving the Senator "a peep show of her hoo haa."
That went too far, I'd say. It was judgmental to the point of being irresponsible. And while I didn't realize it when I saw the link yesterday, the proprietor of that blog has kind of a history here, of which he has since reminded me.
But I don't want to get all into that now. What I want is to clarify that while my sense of humor is not universally appreciated, I mean no harm, no matter how offensive my jokes sometimes are. I'm pretty sure Steven Crowder and his (haawwtt) fianceé have figured that out by now.
Jokes work when they refer to truths that others recognize. We laugh at an observational comedian because he calls to our attention, in a humorous way, something we may or may not have previously noticed, but which causes us to laugh in recognition.
Back in the 1980s, when cable television began bringing to our homes a constant stream of stand-up comics, I remember kind of scratching my head in puzzlement when they'd do jokes about the bad driving habits of Asian women. Because I'm from Atlanta, and we didn't have a large Asian population, these jokes by West Coast comedians didn't provoke the laughter of recognition. Then, in 1997, I moved to D.C. which has a fairly large Asian population and . . .
Oh, my God! It's so true!
Look, I hate to foster negative stereotypes. I'm sure there are many Asian women who are excellent drivers. It's just that none of those excellent Asian women drivers live in the greater metropolitan Washington, D.C., area.
And everybody who lives in D.C. is laughing their butts off at that joke, because it's so true. (Asian ladies, please: Take the bus.)
The reason I have risked denunciation by the Asian-American Female Motorist Anti-Defamation League is because it relates to my own history of offensive humor in regard to Tina Korbe and Hot Air.
When Hot Air first advertised that it was planning to hire a new blogger, I immediately smelled a rat.
Nobody advertises jobs like that, because the world of conservative New Media is still small enough that everybody pretty much knows who's who. Hot Air is a sufficiently prominent site that there is no shortage of people who would crawl through broken glass and scale a 12-foot fence topped with razor wire for the opportunity to work there full-time. So if Hot Air wanted to hire a third blogger, all they'd have to do is send a few e-mails or make a phone call or two, and they'd have plenty of experienced bloggers to choose from.
The Cruel Charade
Something was extremely fishy, then, when a friend called to tell me he'd seen a "help wanted" ad from Hot Air posted in an online D.C. jobs-bank forum. My friend asked if was I planning to apply for it.
Obviously not: I was already a Green Room contributor, and if Hot Air wanted to hire me full-time, they didn't have to place an ad. Ed's got my number, I said. He could have called.
This was obvious enough, and I thought about all the other Green Room contributors — including a few friends of mine — who were also obviously about to be passed over for this full-time gig. Believe it or not, some of them actually applied for the job, although I knew that the mere fact that Hot Air was advertising this opening meant that the Green Room contributors (all of them) had already been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Shortly after my initial conversation with that friend, one of my fellow rejects from the Green Room called to talk about the advertised job, and I predicted, "They're gonna hire a chick. Somebody with the 'face for Fox,' a candidate for the Red Eye leg-chair they can use to 'brand' the blog."
The only other possible explanation, I said, was that corporate policy at Salem Communications (which had bought out Hot Air in 2010) required them to advertise the job opening. But even then, the prior existing relationship with Green Room contributors would have been a big enough loophole in such a policy that if there were a Green Room contributor they'd wanted to hire full-time at Hot Air, they wouldn't have placed an ad.
There was something distinctly fishy going on, I told my fellow reject, and this job advertisement was just a charade. The fix was in.
Both my friends applied for the job anyway and never even got a call or an e-mail in response. And when it was announced that Hot Air had hired Tina Korbe, former assistant to Heritage Foundation's New Media Director, Rob Bluey, my cynicism was amply vindicated.
So I Tweeted a couple of snarky remarks about it (I've forgotten what I said) and was profoundly offended when someone responded by accusing me of being jealous (!) of Tina Korbe. (I previously recounted this tale in August: "Discrimination Against the Ugly? Expect a Class-Action Lawsuit by Smitty and Me." Also see, Jerry Wilson's June item, "How to Become a High-Profile Conservative Pundit.")
Look: I'd never even heard of Tina Korbe until her name was announced as the new blogger at Hot Air. Didn't know her from Adam's housecat, and she'd been hired for a job that I had made a point of not applying for. Exactly how I was supposed to be "jealous" of her is something I'd love to hear someone try to explain.
Rather than being jealous, I was angry about the cruel charade by which at least two of my friends (one of them a Green Room contributor) had been led to believe they had a shot at being hired full-time by Hot Air when — as I had immediately deduced when the ad was posted — they never had any chance at all. Exactly how many other people got their hopes crushed by that process, I don't know. People don't generally go around talking about jobs they applied for but didn't get.
Nevertheless, despite the righteousness of my indignation, I regretted having publicly snarked about Tina Korbe's hiring. My comments were unseemly and apt to be misinterpreted, but I just had that don't-give-a-damn attitude that comes over me when I'm angry.
Bad Jokes and Hot Tempers
Complete cynicism is not an impenetrable armor, and even when you fully anticipate that the world will work exactly the way the world always works — "Them that has, gets," as a downhome saying expresses it — there are times when even the most predictable outcome produces a sense of helpless frustration.
And, yeah, I'd have hired a chick, too.
When Hot Air started, their cachet was the connection to Michelle Malkin, and even after she scaled back her direct participation in the site, she was still "The Boss." So after they sold out to Salem, having the blog as an Ed-and-Allah sausagefest involved a loss of some of the prestige they'd previously had. Ed's done Fox a few times, but Allah's a recluse, and if they wanted a "personality" to add to their brand, it only made sense to hire a telegenic young woman.
So I couldn't really complain, you see. Even if I had been personnel director of Salem Communications, I would have had to tell my buddies, "Sorry. We're hiring the blonde chick."
Or maybe a redhead.
At any rate, the point of telling all that was to explain that I am entirely sympathetic toward people who are temperamentally disposed to say offensive things, or to push it too far. The thing about being "edgy" is, you never find out where the line is until you cross it and the million-pound sh*thammer comes crashing down on your head.
If you manage to survive the impact of such an incident, it should be viewed as a valuable lesson: Congratulations, you've found out where the line is located.
So it is with me, and so it should be with the proprietor of "Thoughts and Ramblings," toward whom some of my friends say I'm too forgiving. (No one ever tells me I'm being too hard him.) I'm trying to be helpful and constructive. And to be told, in response, that I am "too much of a f–king coward" . . . Well, that's neither helpful nor constructive, and I'm at a loss as to how to fix the problem.
Hey, Patrick: I've got a hot temper, too. My temper causes me almost as much trouble as my sense of humor, but however unfair people's reactions may be, it's still my responsibility to deal with my own side of the problem, because I can't control other people's reactions. I'm throwing you five links in one post — with "Tina Korbe's Thighs" in the title, so it's unlikely to be ignored — as a gesture of goodwill. Because I have no more reason to hate you than I have to hate Tina Korbe, or Ed, or Allah, or anybody else. And considering how often I've been accused of "hate," and how much I've suffered on account of such accusations, I think you should ponder the significance of this gesture.
Also, you should ponder that Tina Korbe recently got engaged. Her fiancé is, I'm sure, a very nice person. Or maybe he's a 6-foot-9 violently jealous maniac with a black belt in Tae Kwon Do who's likely to hunt you down and pound you into a coma. Either way, you might want to ponder the location of a line somewhere between "your skirt's too doggone short" and "peep show of your hoo-ha."
Just sayin' . . .
The cruel charade that preceded Hot Air's hiring of Tina Korbe was not Tina's fault and, despite my unseemly snark about it, she has been entirely courteous and friendly toward me. During CPAC, as a matter of fact, she posed for a photo with a buddy of mine, Jason Mattera:
Jason has always appreciated my sense of humor. So when Jason finds himself pursued by a 6-foot-9 violently jealous maniac with a black belt in Tae Kwon Do . . . ROTFLMAO!
Finally: Don't get me started on "equality," Atilla.
Inequality is not always disadvantageous to women, you know. And feminism is a sort of Animal Farm, with women as the animals who vanquish their male/human oppressors, only to discover eventually that some animals are more equal than others.
UPDATE: Lisa Graas has a religious mediation on Tina Korbe's thighs, while Bill Quick incurs a Godwin's Law penalty by accusing me of being a "Skirt Nazi" — ! — although I prefer to describe myself as The Friendly Fascist o' Fun.
And of course, welcome, Instapundit readers!
UPDATE II: Now a Memeorandum thread, and I'm pleased to announce that we now have an answer to the titular question. Who wants to see Tina Korbe's thighs? About 3,500 readers in the first 51 minutes after Professor Reynolds linked us. And considering that Tina was interviewing The Next President of the United States, her thighs were displayed for a worthwhile cause.
Next? SkirtGate! I can see the headline now:
Is Blogger's Short-Skirted Video
An Illegal Campaign Contribution?
UPDATE III: "Subject to Misinterpretion," a necessary response to criticism, deserved or otherwise.
101 Responses to "Who Wants to See Tina Korbe's Thighs?"
Short Skirt 'ThighGate': Tina Korbe's Exposed Gorgeous Gams at CPAC 2012 Cause Mini-Scandal & Some Harsh Criticism from Some Conservatives (video) « Frugal Café Blog Zone
February 22nd, 2012 @ 4:04 pm[…] and probably has awesome legs herself) took offense at the outcry from some conservatives (namely, Stacy McCain, prolific, usually funny conservative blogger at The Other McCain) on how Korbe was dressed and […]


text: Trick or Treat! I hope everyone has a fantastic Halloween! Sydney has finally settled on being a cat tonight and is soooo excited to hit the streets on her quest for candy. If you're looking for any last minute decor or costume ideas, be sure to check out my Halloween Round Up. Have a wonderful day!


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Most Wanted Domestic Violence List
At the beginning of each week, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office publishes its "most wanted" list seeking tips from the public about the location of dangerous suspects. To report the whereabouts of a wanted person, call 303-277-0211.
Weekly Most Wanted
View the Weekly Most Wanted List and archive.
Most Wanted List
The Most Wanted list represents an agency-wide emphasis on identifying and managing violent offenders. Research has shown that as many as half of domestic violence offenders in the United States commit other crimes outside the home and represent an overall problem for the community. Nearly all offenders on our list are wanted for a domestic-violence-related offense; however, many - if not all - the suspects have demonstrated other risk factors that show potential for future harm to a specific victim or others. As you view the list, you may notice that the charges listed do not necessarily reflect the most heinous crimes committed in Jefferson County. Keep in mind the suspect's charge is only one factor used to determine which criminals represent a high risk. There are other risk factors to consider. These may include:
- The inability to function in the community
- The belief that the victim "belongs" to the suspect
- Other crimes
- The failure of the criminal justice system to curb the suspect's criminal behavior
- The severity of violence.
By focusing more on domestic-violence offenders, the Sheriff's Office is working on behalf of domestic-violence victims, and it is taking preventive steps to decrease crime and improve the quality of life for Jefferson County residents.
Physical Address
200 Jefferson County Parkway
Golden, CO 80401
Phone 303-271-6475Fax 303-271-6473
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed holidays
Phone Non-Emergency Dispatch: 303-271-0211