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Effective websites
Improved image, Increased exposure... more clients
The Internet is constantly growing and ever expanding, and as more and more businesses look to create a website, it's only a matter of time until your competition beats you to it.
Thankfully, Physio123 are here to help you establish an online web presence to ensure that if there's someone looking for a physiotherapist, they are going to find you first.
With online competition getting fiercer by the day, having an effective website is about not only a professional design that's appealing to the eyes, but also something that's good for both your visitors and the search engines. That's where we come in, as all of our products combine both professional design using the latest technologies as well as cutting edge search engine optimization that ensures you're ranked higher than the rest.
Getting the most from your website's design
Getting the most from your website is all about clever design and focused content. Your website serves as both an information portal, but above all – it's your calling card for potential customers. As such, the purpose of your website must be clear, well defined, yet subtle enough to ensure that even casual visitors can learn something useful. To ensure you get the most from your website we take the following things into consideration:
Appropriate design
– Our clients come to us because we can demonstrate designs which really do showcase your clinic or practice. Instead of leaving you with a generic template, our designers work hard to give you a site that's bespoke, custom and as unique as your business.
Clearly defined branding
– When building a website it's important to ensure that it actually uses your companies branding and conveys the same image. Our clients stay with us because we ensure that their sites are well branded and when a customer visits, they feel confident enough to call, and when they visit your clinic, they know exactly what to expect.
Usability and Accessibility
– One of the most important stylistic elements that we consider when building your website is that of usability and accessibility. To ensure that everyone can use your website, we take everything into consideration to ensure that your website is easily navigable, highly readable and most importantly – everyone can use it.
The quality of the websites we design can be seen in our
website portfolio
. Unlike many web designers, we do not sell the same design to your competitor. All of our designs are unique, and are designed to meet the specific requirements of your practice.
Boosting your rankings with Search engine marketing
An effective website is no good if there are no visitors! Once we've created your perfect website, our team will start work on perhaps the most important part of the Physio123 relationship which is search engine marketing and optimization. Working closely with our client, we'll locate the target market and start using our expertise to drive traffic or visitors to your website. To ensure you get a good return, we use a variety of methods including:
Natural search engine optimization (SEO)
– Using our expertise we know what's needed to get you listed on the major search engines quickly.
Pay per click advertising (PPC)
– Combined with SEO, PPC ensures that no matter what, your website will appear on the first page of Google. If there's an Internet user looking for a physiotherapist in your local area, they'll instantly see your clinic.
Proven Results
Our websites are proven to rank highly in search engines, but don't just take our word for it; see our
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Physio123 is available worldwide. Providing web-based services gives us the opportunity to work with physiotherapists from across the world. For more information and for prices in your local currency, please
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An historic group of timber-framed buildings dating from the late 14th century clustered round the Norman gateway into Warwick, less than five minutes walk from Warwick Castle. For 150 years it was the home of Warwick's Mediaeval Guilds. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth I it became a place of retirement for Ex-Servicemen and their wives. So it remains today and welcomes visitors from all over the world throughout the year.
The Master's Garden, a tiny beautiful tranquil garden hidden behind the Master's House, features a 12th Century Norman arch, an Egyptian 'Nilometer' and a very early pineapple pit.

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to Fire Pits Direct
Mon-Fri 8-5 CST877-374-6777
by Firegear
Free Shipping:
The Wireless Wall Mounted On/Off/High/Low Switch by Firegear provides a high quality wall switch for use with Firegear TFS electronic control fire pit systems. The high quality design features easy to use controls in order to allow for On/Off and High/Low flame height control. This wall switch will only work with Firegear TFS fire pit systems and includes two 3-volt button cell batteries that power the wall mounted control.
We inventory many of our products in our warehouse in North Liberty, Iowa to provide quick and flexible shipping options for the entire country. Certain custom finished products and other items will ship factory direct from the manufacturer when necessary and can take additional time processing.
For most items under 150 pounds the standard free shipping option will be parcel (FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc). Having this flexibility allows us to provide the quickest turn around to process and ship your order. If your order arrives damaged, please be sure to take pictures and provide those to us in order to help us provide proper reparations.
For most items over 150 pounds our free standard shipping service will be freight, and will include free curb side delivery and lift gate service. When your order is ready to be delivered, the shipping company will contact you to schedule a time to deliver your order - for this reason, it is critical to provide the most relevant phone number at the time of check out. Upon delivery, the driver will take it off the truck for you but it is your responsibility to bring it onto your property. You will be required to sign for the delivery and inspect the product upon arrival; any damage present upon arrival must be annotated when accepting the delivery, Spotix Inc is not liable for damages not annotated on the delivery receipt at time of delivery.
All products available on our website qualify for free standard shipping; standard shipping applies to standard locations within the contiguous 48 states. Spotix Inc. reserves the right to choose delivery type, carrier, and service level of each shipment when standard shipping is selected. For Freight shipments, standard shipping includes curb side delivery and lift gate services; for exceptions (e.g. hard to reach areas) special considerations and fees may be applied.
Most items will be available for expedited shipping options in order to decrease shipping time; these options require you to call and speak to one of our Sales Representatives in order to determine availability and pricing.
Orders shipping internationally are not eligible for our free standard shipping. We regularly ship to Canada; for such orders, you are responsible to contact our sales representatives in order to determine shipping costs. Additional international shipping opportunities may be available, please call for availability. International orders are not eligible for our standard return policy; returns made internationally will be handled on a case by case basis.
At Spotix Inc we want you to be satisfied with the products you purchase; if you don't feel satisfied for any reason, we allow a simple returns policy that allows you to return any new, unused, unassembled, and resalable items in their original packaging within 30 days of delivery for a refund. The refund issued will be for the total amount of the order minus original outbound shipping and any return shipping costs incurred by Spotix Inc. If your return is due to an error made by us, you will not be responsible for shipping costs.
If you'd like to return your item(s), please feel free to use our simple Return Form to obtain an RMA number (Return Authorization number) and we will process your return quickly.
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Jan Marini Skin Research Releases New Non-Hydroquinone Solutions to Address Photo-aging and Pigmentation Concerns
May 10, 2011, 07:24 ET
SAN JOSE, Calif., May 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Jan Marini Skin Research (JMSR; JanMarini.com), a leading provider of professional skin care and aesthetic solutions, announced the shipment of four new technologies to address the appearance of photo-aging and hyperpigmentation. Age Intervention Enlighten MD and Age Intervention Enlighten Plus are two new concentrated non-hydroquinone solutions available as both stand-alone products and integrated into new expanded versions of the award winning Skin Care Management System (SCMS). The new systems, SCMS Plus and SCMS MD, are available in normal, dry and oily to meet the needs of all skin types.
Age Intervention Enlighten Plus and Enlighten MD are two new anti-aging and pigmentation solutions comprising high concentrations of both retinol and multiple proven non-hydroquinone based Tyrosinase inhibitors. Tyrosinase inhibitors are the most effective and proven technology to reduce hyperpigmentation. Both products use the original and popular Age Intervention Enlighten (2008) as a base and then enhance it by introducing additional Tyrosinase inhibitors and increasing the concentrations of select key ingredients. The result is a significantly more concentrated product with a 50% increase in the concentration of brightening technologies. The combination of technologies in Age Intervention Enlighten Plus and Enlighten MD make them new standards for non-hydroquinone based pigment and anti-aging products.
Dr. Jacqueline Calkin, Board Certified Dermatologist, stated, "In our on-going clinical study experience using Enlighten MD and the SCMS MD, the appearance of hyperpigmentation from sun damage and melasma decreased significantly and rapidly. Further, patients also experienced significant improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, erythema, rosacea, photo-aging, acne, textural issues and overall skin quality. I've found the results to be comparable to those achieved with a combination of prescription topical solutions without the common challenges of a patient acclimation period which commonly includes several weeks of skin irritation flaking or peeling. In fact, in our studies, use of the SCMS appears to actually decrease irritation and flaking associated with prescription topical tretinoin. After testing and personally using the new SCMS I am extremely satisfied with the products, the results and the overall quality my patient's skin."
Age Intervention Enlighten Plus and Enlighten MD are being marketed for immediate sale to the professionally dispensed skincare marketplace by JMSR. Age Intervention Enlighten MD, which includes a higher concentration of retinol, is only available for sale through physician offices. Age Intervention Enlighten Plus and Enlighten MD along with JMSR's Gentle Cleanser are available in the new Plus and MD versions of the award winning SCMS.
Jan Marini, President & CEO stated, "The release of these four new products uniquely positions JMSR in today's professional skin care market with the most complete award winning skin care system designed to address two of today's most significant skin concerns– the appearance of wrinkles and discoloration. We are extremely excited by the opportunity presented by these great new products. Furthermore, we are confident that the expansion of our physician only MD line will significantly enhance JMSR's profile and success in the growing physician office market."
About Jan Marini Skin Research, Inc.
San Jose, CA-based Jan Marini Skin Research, Inc. is a recognized leader and innovator in skin care committed to continually expanding and improving the professional skin care market. JMSR's commitment is shown through a track-record of technological firsts including, but not limited to, topical TGF beta-1, antioxidant sunscreen, topical resveratrol and cosmetic lash enhancement. JMSR products and its Skin Care Management System are used and trusted by physicians and skin care professionals worldwide to ensure optimum results for their patients and clients.
SOURCE Jan Marini Skin Research, Inc.


text: I DID IT! I figured out how to blog from my treo... the boys and I are sitting in the car outside south station waiting for Matt. He's had an exciting weekend visiting with photo pals and event planners in NYC. The boys meanwhile can't wait to tell him about sleeping in our new house, our TWO pregnant friends (yay!), and Ollie's new favorite passtime: chatting with our new neighbors across the fence.:-D


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There are 10 Board of Directors (four vacancies) that serve the Muskegon Environmental Research & Education Society well. They serve without pay in money, but get paid in satisfaction in being a part of the community.
Clair Verway President
Ron Brown, Vice President
George Brewer, Treasurer
Jodie Galosy
Joshua Miller
Sarah Collier


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Defense cuts looming, GOP senators launch tour to warn of impending "devastation"
(CBS News) Amid mounting concerns over $1.2 trillion worth of automatic spending cuts slated to go into effect next January, a handful of Republican senators are launching a multi-state campaign aimed at highlighting to voters the "devastating" impact they say cuts will have on the defense department, and national security in general.
In a series of town hall-style events in four battleground states -- North Carolina, Virginia and New Hampshire - Sens. John McCain, Kelly Ayotte and Lindsey Graham will "sound the alarm" about why they believe the cuts must not be enacted.
"President Obama's own Secretary of Defense called the looming defense cuts under budget sequestration 'devastating,' likening them to 'shooting ourselves in the head,' and yet to date, Congress and the Obama Administration have done nothing to stop them from going into effect," said Senators McCain, Graham and Ayotte, in a joint statement on Thursday. "We look forward to visiting communities in Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and New Hampshire to sound the alarm about the profound negative consequences of these cuts to our national security and economy."
The across-the-board spending cuts are the result of a bipartisan congressional committee's failure, late last year, to come to a deal to reduce the deficit. A law that tasked the so-called "supercommittee" with reaching that deal dictated that the automatic cuts, which will hit the defense department with about $500 billion in reductions, would go into effect in the event that no deal could be reached.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said yesterday in a joint House panel addressing veterans issues that he "sure as hell" hopes the so-called "sequester" cuts are not enacted.
"It would be, as I've said, time and time again, a disaster in terms of the Defense Department, as far as our budget is concerned and as far as our ability to respond to the threats that are out there," he said.
McCain, who like Graham and Ayotte is on the Senate Armed Services Committee, voted for the bill last August, along with 18 other Republican senators. Graham and Ayotte opposed the bill, which passed by a vote of 74-26.
Still, Republicans have largely targeted President Obama for the eventual enactment of the cuts, which Romney has argued reflects inherent flaws with the president's overall military strategy.
"Strategy is not driving President Obama's massive defense cuts," Romney said Tuesday, in remarks at the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). "These cuts would only weaken an already stretched VA system and our solemn commitment that every veteran receives care second to none. I will not allow that to happen."
"Don't bother trying to find a serious military rationale behind any of this, unless that rationale is wishful thinking," he said.
Mr. Obama, in remarks to the VFW the previous day, argued that Republicans were attempting to shirk responsibility for a measure for which they helped to pass.
"There are a number of Republicans in Congress who don't want you to know that most of them voted for these cuts," he said. "Now they're trying to wriggle out of what they agreed to."
Graham and McCain, along with a handful of Democrats, have floated an idea to delay the cuts by a year, but that plan has gained little traction among Republicans.


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words and photos by Nick Engvall (@nickengvall)
"What am I going to do with all these sneakers?"
If you're anything like most sneakerheads, you've asked yourself that many times over the course of amassing your sneaker collection. The more you add to it, the harder it is to get to those rare gems that have found their way to the bottom of the back row. The stacks find their way into hallway closets, extra rooms, basements and sometimes even into monthly storage spaces. Months become years and your collection now takes up a majority of your living space. The question comes and goes without the need for a clear answer because, "damn, I haven't worn these in forever!" happens and the thought of what to do with your kicks is quickly forgotten. Instead, those beat 2001 True Blues from the back of the pile are now on your feet, memories of how the first weekend you had them, you got stuck in the rain and mud quickly turned your fresh new kicks into ones with a lot of "character."
Then, unexpectedly, the experience of a lifetime (or maybe it's that unbelievably gorgeous brunette) changes your course of direction. Your new life is set to begin in a couple of weeks, a couple thousand miles away.
About that question again…sh*t just got real.
I'll find a way to get these kicks to their new home, even if it doesn't exist yet.
Moving across the country is intimidating. Moving across the country as a sneakerhead makes the "normal" person's move look like a walk in the park. Just the task of moving tens or hundreds of sneakers around the house is a royal pain. Thankfully, sneakers are self-motivating. All those Nikes that need a new home are sitting there saying, "Just Do It." When it comes time to move my adidas, "Impossible is Nothing." That stack of Reeboks reminds me, "I Am What I Am."
I am a sneakerhead.
Good or bad, whether I like it or not, it's a part of my life. I love these sneakers, and the friends I've made because of them. I'll find a way to get these kicks to their new home, even if it doesn't exist yet.
The first step in moving sneakers is getting clear on what you have. You may think you know exactly what's in your collection, but until you move them all you really don't. Inevitably you will be reminded of pairs that somehow slipped your mind. If you don't have them already, grab some shelves from your local discount store; the plastic joints are usually $10 or so. You can reuse them when you get to the new pad. Consider separating your kicks into a group of sneakers with boxes and a group without. This is a great time to get rid of those boxes that showed up looking like the postman used them to fight off the neighborhood ankle-biters before delivering them to your doorstep. If you're truly hardcore about keeping boxes, cutting off the label and using it on a plastic container instead is a good option because there isn't much value to a box that has no structure. It may be different for every size but without the bulk of the shoebox, you can combine unboxed sneakers into a larger box, making it easier to load into a moving truck or ship, whichever option works better for your move.
Now that you've got some clarity, take some of those kicks you will never wear to your local Goodwill or homeless shelter. There are people out there that will use them and there are surely a handful of sneakers in your collection that you've asked yourself, "WTF am I gonna do with these?" On top of that, the money you'll save in not having to box up and ship or move those kicks you'll never wear can be used towards one of those saved eBay searches you've been making excuses on. In addition, you'll just feel good about it. For you lame sneakerheads against doing something good for others simply for its own sake, the donation is also tax deductible.
Now that you've reduced your collection into a manageable size (yeah, right!), get to boxing them up. For myself, plastic containers are great for storing sneakers. However, since I'm choosing to ship much of my collection, they're not exactly functional for that task. If your move is going to be done by truck or container, you can use the bigger containers with not much worry. Smaller, single-pair plastic containers won't survive the rock-and-roll journey a newbie behind the wheel of a moving truck will take them on. I chose to box up the sneakers without boxes into bigger boxes, flipping them upside down on top of each other to free up extra space. 18" x 18" x 24" fits a decent amount of size 13 sneakers, surprisingly. You can grab boxes at Home Depot for under $2. Whether you're moving by truck or shipping, some advice from the local UPS Store, "tape, tape, and more tape." Taping up the seams of the boxes you use can give some added protection from movers or shippers looking to improve their shotput distances by using your sneakers for practice throws. No matter how you slice it, your precious kicks are about to become part of the shipping Olympics.
As difficult as it is to choose which sneakers are brought with me and which will be shipped, you'd think they were my children. I'm sure most of you can understand my struggle. How do you choose to leave behind those sneakers you rarely wear but find yourself drooling over on occasion, just because you have them and can? Grab that Good Wood Jesus piece and hope that it gives you more peace than Kanye, because now your sole is in the hands of the postman.
Check back to see if I'll need one of Russell's nieces in a couple weeks when I complete my coast-to-coast sneaker move.


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Whoever the brains trust is behind teaming Simple Minds with The B-52's, Models and Machinations on this latest A Day On The Green sojourn around Australia, they seriously deserve a pay rise!
At the very civilised start time of 3:45pm, Sydney's Machinations take the Rochford stage to the cheers of those brave enough to venture out into the now seriously oppressive heat. Many of the expensive VIP seats in the area near the stage remain empty as their occupants choose instead to hang back up the hill in the scarce shade offered by the few trees. With energy levels set to 11 for the first gig they have played in months, Fred Loneragan kicks off proceedings with a very old one: 'Machinations of Dance'.
"Great to have you back mate", one of the audience bellows at the song's end…
"What did you say? How's my back?… Fucked mate!"
"The sun is so hot up here, I have to stand way back here in the shade, and you are all so far away from me".
A punter in the front row sees Fred is struggling in the heat and offers him his hat. It is accepted but with all the dancing, it only stays on for a verse or two before being abandoned.
Although it's been a while since they played live, they needn't have worried about the lack of rehearsal – the set was really well paced with all the great song inclusions we could have hoped for. The band comprising Fred Loneragan on vocals, Tim Doyle on Lead Guitar Nick "Nero" Swan on Bass, Wendy Anggerani on keyboards) and new recruit, Fabrizio Omodei on drums, were surprisingly tight and retain all the aural swagger of the Machinations of old.
Machinations setlist:
Machinations of Dance
Average Inadequacy
Got Me Going Again
Execution Of Love
Do To You
Cars and Planes
Pressure Sway
No Say In It.
Next up – on a stage that seemed to be still getting hotter by the minute – Melbourne's Models.
Immediately the party vibe kicked up a notch as Sean Kelly, Andrew Duffield, Mark Ferrie and Ash Davis taxied straight into 'Two Cabs To The Toucan' – there was a surge to the front on both sides of the general admission area. Sun hats bobbed along while the occasional stubby was raised in a sign of appreciation.
One of my all-time favourites from their later material, 'Hold On', followed. The song has an almost cinematic quality ably abetted by Andrew Duffield's gorgeous keyboard runs. Sean Kelly then handed over vocal duties to Andrew for the next track – a relatively new one called 'That Guy' from their latest EP 'Memo', featuring fabulous rollicking keyboards and a suitably irate vocal.
'You know what I like about that guy? NUTHIN!...Don't like his car, don't like his clothes, don't like him looking' at my girl…I don't like him…' Stellar stuff Andrew. He then dedicated his angry performance to 'a certain US President'.
Continuing the theme it was time for 'God Bless America' and then a birthday wish in the form of 'Happy Birthday IBM'. There is absolutely no argument that the older material is what that the audience hold the greatest fondness for and what they came to hear, with all the crowd fervently bopping along to this one as well.
Slowing things down just a tad now, Sean introduces a new catchy tune written by an old mate of theirs, Peter Lillie, entitled 'Drive Through Love' which appeared on a very limited edition release called GTK. It's a beautifully melodic track and makes me want to try and track down that rare EP.
The one-two knockout punch of 'Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight' and the still edgy 'I Hear Motion' with its angular keyboard stabs brought back fond memories of seeing the Models support David Bowie at VFL Park on the Serious Moonlight tour. Both tracks have lost none of their power over the decades.
Now approaching the end of their set and with the sun still hammering down, Sean Kelly adjusts the brim of his peaked cap for any skerrick of shade he can muster. There was perhaps only one song they could play that best befitted the searing heat, and, as the perfectly languid reggae strains of 'Barbados' peeled across the hillside, there really was nowhere else in the world any of us would rather be.
After walking off stage to huge applause, the guys were encouraged to break from convention and come back to perform an encore. Responding to some audience suggestions, they opt for 'Atlantic Romantic' from their 'Cut Lunch' EP. A superb choice and it's the proverbial icing on the cake. This band are playing as well as they ever have and the reverent reception given by the audience to their set today is just testimony to how much they adored as a band. It's so refreshing to see a 40 year old band not only still performing live but also able to write new material that hits the mark. Nice work Models.
Models setlist:
Two Cabs For The Toucan
Hold On
That Guy
God Bless America
Happy Birthday IBM
Drive Though Love (Peter Lillie cover)
Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight
I Hear Motion
Atlantic Romanic
The B-52's
After a rapid reconstitution of the stage and a brief DJ set from Grand Master Baitz, it was time for the eagerly awaited set by Georgia's infamous partiers, The B-52's. Since Cindy Wilson's brother Ricky passed away in 1985, the band have essentially been a four piece but when on the road, their numbers swell to include David Bowie's drummer Sterling Campbell, Tracy Wormworth on bass duties (ex Sting and Wayne Shorter, Cyndi Lauper), Nick Lashley on lead guitar (King Swamp, Alanis Morrisette among many others) and James Romanzo on keyboards.
It has to be said, as an eight piece, The B-52's can kick serious arse. The classics are all performed 120% faithfully to the originals and from where I was standing, there was not one bum on a seat once they cranked into the first song for the evening, 'Cosmic Thing'.
Fred is tonight's witty MC..."Now it's time to lift the curtain of history… and see who's necking behind it!"
It's 'Mesopotamia', the title track of their third album.
Kate Pierson's dulcet tones invite us to all take a quick history lesson…
"Turn your watch, turn your watch back, about a hundred thousand years. A hundred thousand years.
I'll meet you by the third pyramid
I'll meet you by the third pyramid
Ah come on, that's what I want, we'll meet
in Mesopotamia…"
As the song ends, the band slip in a few bars of Prince's 'Raspberry Beret'… a lovely little tip of the hat to the late great Purple One.
Next up is 'Lava' from their debut album. It's a stomper and this is the band at their metaphorical best...
"I'm gonna let it go
Let it flow like Pompeii or Herculaneum
Let it sizzle, let it rise
Don't let your lava love flow turn to stone
Keep it burnin'
Keep it burnin' here at home…
I'm gonna jump in a crater –
See ya later"
We get 'Is That You Mo-Dean?', a quick ode to the wonders of alien abduction and the consequent side benefits – space travel!
"Movin' through the spheres, faster than light
On our way to some planets that were outta sight
We said space driver, give it a spin
And take us to some places we ain't never been"
And then it's headlong into one of my all-time faves, 'Private Idaho'.
After following this band since the very beginning – and never having had the opportunity to see them in the flesh – I have to pinch myself that this is actually happening at all. It's mind-blowing to witness these classics performed live at last. The trio of Kate, Fred and Cindy obviously love to perform – their enthusiasm for the material is infectious and these songs are all infused in their muscle memory…the crossfire vocal call and responses, the three piece harmonies and the choreographed dance moves just happen.
'Idaho' is an absolute belter, with very idiosyncratic drum fills, and it is here Sterling Campbell proves he is definitely the man for the job as he effortlessly keeps the song pumping along – whilst at the same time chatting with his drum tech to resolve some troublesome high hat issues AND an audio fault – all of this without missing a beat. What a champion.
'Deadbeat Club' is next up - a song written about the band's early days in Athens, Georgia when they would hang around in cafes drinking coffee. Because they didn't work or do anything, their parents nicknamed them "Deadbeats". Old mate REM's Michael Stipe appeared in the video for the track and that later prompted the reciprocal involvement of Kate Pierson in REM's track 'Shiny Happy People'.
The track's romantic poppy melody evokes a sense of reminiscence and its slick production with all the angularities knocked off it, definitely places it in the later half of the group's catalog, along with tracks like 'Roam' and 'She Brakes For Rainbows'.
After the relative respite of 'Deadbeat Club', the band push the pedal to the metal and it's a solid stream of hits all the way to the finish line. We get 'Roam', the tongue-in-cheek '52 Girls' and a funky 'Channel Z' before the band really get down to 'Dance This Mess Around'. 'Party Out Of Bounds' revs up those of us who still have the dancing legs and then the familiar strains of 'Love Shack' ring out across the paddock and at all at once Rochford are on their feet. Not one person misses their vocal cue when it comes time for the call and response:
"Bang Bang, on the door baby, bang bang! ...You're what?
After a quick break for a drink, they return for their encore. Synthy drones echo across the stage and Fred stands motionless in his Raybans at the mike, holding a toy Walkie Talkie. Sterling counts the band in and we are rocketed to 'Planet Claire', where all the trees are red... Pierson's vocals are nothing short of revelatory. Some amongst us had always assumed that these high register runs we hear on the original track had to have been 'manufactured' but here she was, in the flesh, looking unbelievably gorgeous at 68, reproducing them effortlessly live – with absolutely no trickery. I was floored. This was certainly a personal highlight of the day. Unbelievably huge cheers as she finished.
As Fred Schneider reached for the cowbell, there were no doubts what was about to happen… "Let's all go down to the BEACH everyone!". 'Rock Lobster', the song that broke the B52s in Australia, had us all up doing the boogaloo, and wishing we had 'matching towels'. What an absolute classic of a song. As I watched them wind up what had been a gig for the ages, I couldn't help thinking how lucky we were to have witnessed such an individually iconic band perform a set like this. It'll definitely go down as a huge bucket list tick for many who were there.
The B-52's setlist:
Cosmic Thing
Is That You MoDean?
Private Idaho
Deadbeat Club
52 Girls
Channel Z
Dance This Mess Around
Party Out Of Bounds
Love Shack
Planet Claire
Rock Lobster
Simple Minds
As the day's last searing rays at last begun to falter, with the sun now ebbing just below the tree line, the audience seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Not surprisingly, the 'tree people' now gravitate back to the shady seats close to the stage. Almost on cue, the iconic synth lines of 'Theme for Great Cities' pumps out of the PA – signalling the time has at last come for the return of Simple Minds. Incredibly, they were last here on the same stage with Devo, The Church and the Models five years ago. Those who attended will remember they played a barnstormer back then as well.
Never a band to stand still for too long, or rest on their laurels, between visits the Minds have been busy – with full schedules. After revisiting their first five albums and touring a show that played only material from this era, they've released a live album of that tour. They've also released another critically acclaimed studio album called 'Big Music', a Live album and DVD of the same tour and teamed up with punk compatriots 'The Stranglers' on a joint tour. Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill have assembled a special acoustic lineup of the band and reappraised their back catalog (even teaming up with K.T. Tunstall on one track) to record 'Simple Minds: Acoustic'. They have just come off a tour for that acoustic album.
However, tonights set is a little different. Simple Minds are here in Australia with the full rock lineup, seeing the welcome return of keyboardist Andy Gillespie and drummer extraordinaire Mel Gaynor back into the fold. From all accounts, an enjoyable few days rehearsal in Perth was all it took to get themselves back into the right head space of the original arrangements and for the band to fully gel again.
It's still a warm night, and the band walk on casually, plug in and ready themselves. As Jim adjusts his mic stand and Mel counts in the intro to 'Waterfront', the frontman's charm offensive is dialled up to 11… "Blessed are we to be in this beautiful part of the world… thanks to The B-52's, thanks to the Models and the Machinations and thanks to you for coming to see the show…let me see your hands!… Come on!...let's go".
We're only seconds in but Jim Kerr has already disarmed us and we're in the palm of his hand… We are encouraged to sing along… "Ah … beautiful!"
As the familiar intro to 'Love Song' kicks in Jim puffs, "I'm knackered already… getting too old for this malarkey…play some guitar Charlie…!" Jim drapes his arm around the shoulders of his stalwart childhood mate, Charlie Burchill and while pointing out Charlie's flailing finger work on the fretboard, mouths: "He's pretty bloody good, inn he?"
'Blindfolded' from 'Big Music' is up next and it surprises me just how powerful a song it is when played live – immense, muscular and in the hands of this lineup, so damned self-assured.
As the song draws to its conclusion, Jim disappears for a quick change and a breather while Sarah Brown takes the vocal intro in what transpires to be quite a regal rendition of 'Book Of Brilliant Things'. It's a revelation to hear it sung by her and when Jim returns in a fresh shirt and scarf, he rightly applauds her performance. 'Book' has always traditionally been a showcase for Mel Gaynor's iconic drumming prowess and tonight it's no different, as he effortlessly builds more (and yet even more) fills into every bar. The fans love their Mel and a huge cheers goes up.
The band slow things down a tad now with a sublime version of 1982's opening track from 'New Gold Dream', 'Someone, Somewhere In Summertime'. Gorgeous blue and yellow spots bathe the set and as Jim crouches on the lip of the stage, the gentle becalming rhythm of this track is almost hymnal…
"Moments burn, slow burning golden nights,
once more see city lights, holding candles to the flame
Brilliant days, wake up on brilliant days,
shadows of brilliant ways will change me all the time"
Sticking with New Gold Dream era material for one more song, it's 'Hunter and the Hunted'. Its rolling rhythms again power the track ever onward. To hear a song written so long ago, still remain so timeless in its delivery is blissful. 'Hunted' is a track the band still adore to perform and it seems to almost seduce Jim with its languid synth lines… he just gets progressively more and more into it until he just can't help himself... and I smile as he loses himself in a little swaying dance during that glorious Herbie Hancock bridge… all the grand gestures of that youthful Jim Kerr still remain and it's great to see that while some things may change – others, including that awesome voice, stay VERY much the same.
The band then trot out the title track from 1991's 'Real Life', this time with the latest recruit to the band, multi-instrumentalist and backing vocalist Catherine Anne Davies aka The Anchoress, taking the second vocal part with Jim. She possesses a real stage presence oozing with great self confidence, some spunky poses and most importantly of all, has an amazing voice that really suits the song.
They then serve us a double helping from their UK #1 'Once Upon A Time' album. We get the title track and the magnificent 'All The Things She Said'. These two tracks run so well together because they share a similar no holds barred energy. Again Sarah Brown does a stellar job of the vocal phrasing – originally made so famous back in the day by the gorgeous Robin Clarke.
The warm descending baseline of 'See The Lights' signals a shift in energy again and the band then peel off a couple more New Gold Dream tracks. Kerr: "You may remember the words to the next couple of songs… if you do… don't be shy… join in!" They are 'Promised You A Miracle' and 'Glittering Prize'. Both hum along with plenty of the audience joining Jim on both the verses and the choruses.
A Simple Minds crowd is a passionate and devoted bunch. For the most part, they know all the words and all the idiosyncrasies of 'their' band and delight in them. They probably hear Jim Kerr say "Everything OK?" and "Let Me See Your Hands" about a dozen times a night and incredibly they NEVER tire of it.
Something else they never tire of is singing along to 'Don't You Forget About Me', probably Simple Minds' most well known song. For the duration of this one, everyone is in full voice, blissfully la-la-la-la-ing along. "It's not an easy song to sing" Kerr jokes. He then asks us whether we can sing it in French?…. mmmm… YES!… "la-la-la-la-la-la…" You get the general idea. "Thanks for all singing along and making us feel like Rockstars".
After a quiet lull while the band play 'Let It All Come Down" we are well pleased when Charlie launches into 'Sanctify Yourself'. Its high powered energy is completely infectious and when Mel goes double time at its crescendo, again the fans absolutely eat the performance up.
It's now time for a couple of minutes quick break to towel down and refresh before returning for the encore. The band kick off with 'Big Music', which, although relatively new on the scene, sounds like it bears all the classic Simple Minds hallmarks: great guitar lines, fab vocal phrasing – judging by the crowd reaction it's destined to become another regular setlist inclusion.
The telltale keyboard intro to 'Alive & Kicking' chimes in and the crowd are away again…
"Now it's all or nothing 'Cause you say you'll follow through…
You follow me, and I, I, I follow you…"
The crowd drown Jim out at several points in the song. He smiles knowingly and just defers to the greater force, turning his mic around and offering it to the crowd… "You'll put me out of a job…sing it for me… For the last time tonight… let me see your hands!"
Just when we think we've got to the end, Simple Minds have one more ace up their collective sleeve. A pumping dance beat erupts from the speakers and the tall Ged Grimes hunches over, riffing out a very familiar bass line…it's 'New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)'. The crowd go nuts, sensing this is 'Big Music's' big finish. During the track, Charlie, Ged and Jim criss-cross the stage to acknowledge as much of this wonderfully appreciative crowd as they can. It's been a fabulous night. The band know it, the crowd know it, the promoters know it.
In a final gesture of acknowledgement to the icon who was both a boyhood hero to Jim and Charlie and also the inspiration for Simple Minds name ('He's so simple-minded, he can't drive his module') Jim and band hang for a brief moment clapping along to the strains of Bowie's 'The Jean Genie' over the PA before waving thank you and walking off stage… it's a simple gesture but so appreciated by those who comprehend the significance.
What an amazing afternoon and evening of music and what a blessing to be here to witness it. I think I now have to agree with Jim Kerr's proclamation earlier in the day..."Blessed are we to be in this beautiful part of the world"… especially tonight!
I feel truly fortunate to have a second chance to see this great lineup when Simple Minds play Margaret Court Arena with The B-52's on Tuesday the 7th of February. If you get a chance to catch a show on this tour, jump on it. You'll be so thankful you did!
Simple Minds setlist:
Love Song
Book Of Brilliant Things
Someone, Somewhere In Summertime
Hunter And The Hunted
Real Life
Once Upon A Time/All The Things She Said
See The Lights
I Promised You A Miracle/Glittering Prize
Don't You Forget About Me
Let It All Come Down
Big Music
Alive And Kicking
New Gold Dream
Setlist photo credit: Harry Williams
A Day On The Green shows
Simple Minds, The B-52's, Models and Machinations
Thurs 2 February Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth WA (*Machinations not playing Perth)
Sat 4 February Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley VIC
Sun 5 February Leconfield Wines, McLaren Vale SA
Sat 11 February Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley NSW
Sun 12 February Sirromet Wines, Mt Cotton QLD
Tickets from ticketmaster.com.au & 136 100
All event info: www.adayonthegreen.com.au
Indoor shows (Frontier Touring)
Simple Minds and The B-52's
Tues 7 February Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne
Thur 9 February Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Tickets from ticketek.com.au & 132 849
All event info: www.frontiertouring.com
More A Day On The Green photographs are available on our sister music website, GigBill.
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Normalizing Under Uncertainty
2017 Midyear Market and Economic Outlook
Going strictly by the news feeds, very few would characterize 2017 as a "normal" year so far. Whether it was overseas elections, the timing of domestic policy initiatives or the scope of central bank actions, the macro backdrop received plenty of media attention. In a social media context, much of the discussion could have been tagged "#uncertainty."
Policy uncertainty is typically a headwind for economic growth, but it actually served as a bullish influence on the stock market, offsetting investor sentiment measures that tilted at times toward excessive optimism. And despite the lingering uncertainty in our political environment, there are indications that a more normal macro investing environment may be emerging.
The Weight of the Evidence
We saw some disappointing data (relative to expectations) in the first half of 2017, yet underlying economic fundamentals remain positive overall at the midyear point. And even though interest rates have increased twice this year on the heels of a small December hike, inflation remains low. Valuations remain bearish and speak to elevated risk in the current environment, but the broad range of stocks and sectors participating in the current rally is encouraging. The other factors we watch when evaluating the Weight of the Evidence remain neutral for now.
Looking ahead to the second half of 2017, we are focused on three developing dynamics: the impact of continued tightening by the Fed, the outlook for economic growth at home and abroad and how well the stock market is able to absorb a rotation in leading stocks and sectors.
The Path of the Fed
The Fed has already raised rates by 50 basis points in 2017 and, according to their most recently published dot plot, the median expectation is for one more 25 basis point rate hike this year with a continued gradual path of policy normalization over the next two years. While rates are moving higher, the deliberate pace of normalization has kept this from being a headwind for stocks.
Labeling the rate trend "normalization" rather than "tightening" isn't just a question of semantics. It reflects the still low absolute level of interest rates. The 3-month T-bill yield in June rose above 1% for the first time since 2008. And while plans for the Fed to draw down its balance sheet have been laid out, it still shows more than $4 trillion in assets. Continued normalization in the second half of 2017 may mean actually starting that drawdown process.
So far, the Fed has done a great job of telegraphing its intentions and guiding market expectations. But economic growth will likely have to improve in the second half if the Fed is going to stay true to its announced plans.
Measuring Economic Growth
While economic data has been generally disappointing (relative to expectations) in the first half of 2017, there have been clear pockets of strength – notably the labor market and consumer confidence. The Philly Fed index and other monthly business surveys have shown relatively robust activity. One of the most hopeful developments was an 11% surge in nonresidential fixed investment spending in the first quarter.
It's worth noting that disappointing economic growth is not new to 2017. It has been a feature of this recovery from the beginning. Over time, however, forecasts for growth have been moving lower. The Fed's forecasts for growth for this year and the next now assume no acceleration from the current pace. And with expectations now catching down to reality, the opportunity for a meaningful upside surprise becomes more significant.
Also worth noting – in five of the past seven years, growth in the second half of the year has been stronger than the first half. If growth for the first half overall comes in near 2.0%, an even modest acceleration in the second half could push growth for 2017 overall above the Fed's forecast.
Changing Market Leadership
The popular narrative that only a handful of stocks were supporting the rally in the first half of 2017 was never really based in reality. While the percentage of industry groups in uptrends waned, it never broke down to a troubling level, and the breadth of rally participation stayed generally strong. More recently, while the mega-cap Technology names that dominated the narrow-leadership theory seem to have stalled, overall breadth has been improving and the percentage of industry groups in uptrends has expanded.
Broad participation is not just a domestic theme. Most markets around the globe have been in rally mode in 2017. This is the mark of a strong bull market. Currently better than 85% of the markets that make up the All Country World Index (ACWI) are above their 200-day averages. The bottom line here is that strength in the S&P 500 has been and continues to be supported broadly within the index and around the world.
Not coincidentally, 2017 has started to see more normal trade-offs between risk and return and demonstrate the benefits of a globally diversified portfolio. For U.S. investors, the past few years have been a case where staying at home in terms of investments provided the best risk/return trade-off. The re-emergence of a more normal asset allocation environment in 2017 is a healthy development that we expect to continue.
Click here for a more detailed and technical analysis of the factors we consider in developing our outlook.


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Case Management of Long Term Conditions: Principles and Practice for Nurses (Paperback)6th April 2010
The importance of appropriate and effective management of patient with long term chronic conditions cannot be underestimated, and both the Department of Health and the public are expecting much from the improvements and changes outlined in the recently published review by Lord Darzi.
Case Management of Long Term Conditions aims to provide all appropriate practitioners across all the professions (nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists including social care practitioners) who might be involved in delivery of proactive case management with a practical understanding of how their knowledge and skills can be utilised to improve outcomes for people with Chronic Long Term Conditions.
The text contains some broad reflections on care and service delivery based on reviews of evidence and views from clinicians in the use of these skills and competencies to deliver improved outcomes for these clients.
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Article Id: 14563
Date Added: 6th Apr 2010


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NSF awards
ACER collaborated with Professor Farzad Mashayek of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering to win two NSF awards with $1.1 Mill in funding that will build UIC's first Big Data campus cluster (named SABER) and extend High-Performance Research Network (HPRNet) to facilitate faster data movements over Internet2. Here is the news release: https://news.uic.edu/saber-builds-campus-computing-backbone
More information and updates about new services and clusters are coming soon. Please stay tuned.


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Nyle DiMarco Teamed Up With Apple for a Really Important Reason
When you think about how you go through your day - waking up, commuting, going to school or work, and then going in reverse - how many of those things do you take for granted?
Why America's Next Top Model's Nyle DiMarco and Apple CEO Tim Cook Met with Deaf Students
"Being here on the California School for the Deaf campus for Global Accessibility Awareness Day is really special for me," Nyle DiMarco said
NYLE DIMARCO - MAN of METROPOLIS
If you haven't noticed we are living in a hyper-visual world; there are more reality television stars than ever before and every day it seems insta-famous people pop-up out of nowhere. If you are searching for a bright spot in this saturated world of media personalities than Nyle DiMarco will bring you hope.
Nyle DiMarco Opens Up About Having to Leave "Black Panther" Because He's Deaf
In this op-ed by Nyle DiMarco, as told to Bobby Siebert, Nyle opens up about having to leave Black Panther and the captioning systems that fail deaf people. Last weekend, I set foot in a movie theater for the first time in five years.
Nyle DiMarco | Deadline
Nyle DiMarco breaking news and the latest updates about Nyle DiMarco at Deadline Hollywood.
Nyle DiMarco: ANTM and DWTS Winner Reads to Deaf Kids in 'Adorable' Video
File this one under: All the times Nyle DiMarco has stolen our hearts. On Friday, the Deaf model - who won America s Next Top Model cycle 22 in 2015 and the most recent season of Dancing With the Stars earlier this year - took to Twitter to share a heartwarming video.
DWTS Winner Nyle DiMarco Launches Wine Line that Champions a Worthy Cause
If former Dancing with the Stars' champ Nyle DiMarco could share a bottle of wine with anyone in the world, it would be the head of Dolce & Gabbana. "I'd sit there and talk about some big things I could do with fashion and working with charity and different causes," he tells PEOPLE exclusively.
How this Model, Actor, Activist is Breaking the Silence
While on set with Diesel, top model, actor, and activist Nyle DiMarco opens up about his unlikely path to professional success-including two turns as a reality-show superstar-and the personal insecurities that nearly derailed his career before it began.


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Thomas Blore's background was in antiquarian draughtsmanship rather than architecture, in which he had no formal training. Charles Locke Eastlake, writing in 1872, believed that he had been apprenticed to an engraver, but other sources dispute this.
He illustrated his father's History of Rutland (1811), and over the next few years he made the drawings of York and Peterborough for John Britton's English Cathedrals, and drew architectural subjects for various county histories. In around 1822 Blore supplied the illustrations to T. F. Dibdin's Aedes Althorpianas. In 1823 he toured Northern England, making drawings for a work called the Monumental Remains of Noble and Eminent Persons. It was issued in parts with text by the Rev. Philip Bliss, and completed in 1826. Blore engraved many of the plates himself. In 1826, he was appointed surveyor to Westminster Abbey. In 1827 he was engaged to furnish plans for the chancel fittings of Peterborough. Shortly afterwards he was employed to restore Lambeth Palace, then in a state of near ruin. His work there included the construction of a fire-proof room for the preservation of manuscripts and archives.
Eastlake praised Blore's careful detail in his work at Westminster Abbey, adding "this was, in short, his great forte. He had studied and drawn detail so long and zealously that its design came quite naturally to him, and in this respect he was incomparably superior to his contemporaries.". Blore is most notable for his completion of John Nash's design of Buckingham Palace, following Nash's dismissal. He completed the palace in a style similar to, but plainer than that intended by Nash. In 1847, Blore returned to the palace and designed the great facade facing The Mall thus enclosing the central quadrangle. He also worked on St James' Palace in London, and a large number of other designs in both England and Scotland, including restoring Salisbury Tower at Windsor Castle.


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Oy Brandt Ab will no longer represent the company in Finland, Estonia and Latvia
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Building Codes: Mapping Technology and Tradition
Abstract (Summary)This thesis examines the crossroads between printmaking and digital technology as our culture shifts towards a more digital media focused existence. As technology shifts art-making more and more away from the analog creation process towards a more digitally mediated one, printmakings history stands out among other traditional mediums as well suited to embrace the transition whole-heartedly. By using the analogies of the matrix, the map, and the building, this body of work creates a bridge from the historical and time-tested approaches of printmaking towards the future of the art form; a chimera of technology and tradition.
Bibliographical Information:
Advisor:Kimberly Arp; Leslie Koptcho; David Baird; Jeremiah Ariaz; Susan Ryan
School:Louisiana State University in Shreveport
School Location:USA - Louisiana
Source Type:Master's Thesis
Date of Publication:05/26/2009


text: New Life Church Softball Team The New Life Church softball team was successful again this year. Year after year they are at the top of their league.It has been a good opportunity for men who are in the church and who are not in church to spend time together. Notice Pastor Bill as official team chaplain. RevReavJuly 12, 2006Comment Facebook0 Twitter 0 Likes


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December, 2010:
Everyone had left the funeral parlor, as the Rossis stood gazing down at the stiff, lifeless fingers that were carefully placed on the brim of a Phillies cap purchased almost forty years ago. A moment later the lid of the casket was brought down, and the Rossis were then escorted to Holy Sepulcher Cemetery.
It was a cold, gray day in early December; not a good day for standing graveside, if there was such a thing. Many of Michael's friends were there—some old, some new. Just as the service was to begin, a nurse wheeled a frail elderly woman to the graveside and placed the chair beside Michael. Rose Montefusco had suffered a mild stroke that left her legs too weak to walk any distance. She sat beside Michael, clutching her rosaries, and at her dear brother's final resting place, which was right beside her husband, Peter, she prayed for his eternal soul.
Off in the distance, there stood a woman in a long coat, wide-brimmed hat, and dark glasses—which, given the grayness of the day, seemed peculiar. She would have struck anyone noticing her, as a movie star not wanting to be recognized. Not many among those gathered graveside could have done so. The only one who could have identified her with any certainty was no longer among the living.
The woman stood off in the distance, not venturing any further. She gazed at the casket, as if trying to summon a glimmer of what she'd once felt for the old janitor who now rested inside. Her eyes traveled from the casket to the mourners, before they fixed on Michael and the young man who stood beside him. When the service ended, she turned away and disappeared.
After a quiet reception, the Rossis went home, dragged out all their Christmas decorations, put on carols, and took to the task of decorating. It seemed an odd thing to do following the burial of a loved one, but in the face of sadness, it was a welcome distraction. Besides, Michael was leaving on a trip, and he wouldn't be returning for a week. So the Rossis strung their lights, trimmed their tree, and set up all their Dickens village pieces. At the end of the night, they drank a toast to the old janitor and their lives going forward. The following morning a very prompt Moose came by to take Michael to the airport.
Michael spent most of the plane ride poring over photo albums, old and new, that he took along. He brought photos of his wedding day and of Andrew's childhood, though many of the photos were of Hector and Rose. For hours, he flipped through albums, amusing himself with all the characters that were his family. He came to a photo of his father and Uncle Peter. The two men were standing with their arms around each other, smiling proudly in their Phillies caps. Michael smiled, then wept for the loss of two Italian immigrants, who saw baseball as their own little piece of America.
After Michael made his way through customs, waiting for him and holding up a sign that read "Cousin Alfonzo" was Michael's cousin Alfonzo from Italy. Alfonzo spoke English well enough, but he drove like a lunatic. Michael tried to enjoy the conversation along the way with this relative he'd just met for the first time, but he was too busy holding on for dear life. Cousin Alfonzo, in his little Fiat, zigzagged wildly through the province of Foggia. Coming from a land where roads are littered with sports utility vehicles, Michael wasn't used to small Italian sports cars that sat just inches off the ground. The car plus Alfonzo made for a real adventure, and Michael couldn't help sighing when Alfonzo, finally and thankfully, brought the little Italian machine to a stop.
Bicarri Foggia: population 3,070 — region, Apulia — patron saint, San Donato.
Like most towns on the Italian countryside, Bicarri Foggia was built into a hill and had its share of narrow streets, barely allowing for a car to pass. Michael was teetering from the ride. He almost lost his balance, when another miniature Italian vehicle came whipping wildly around the corner, nearly running him over.
"Careful, cousin," said Alfonzo. "Not everyone looks where they're going around here."
"Really?" said Michael. But the sarcasm was lost on his bilingual cousin.
When he entered the house, Michael stood in the foyer, examining the mosaics on the walls and floor—all which seemed to depict something from biblical times, or had some sort of religious significance concerning the Roman Catholic faith. At the end of the foyer stood a table, which held a most impressive statue of the Madonna. The living room was scantly furnished with pieces that looked terribly uninviting for lounging; though, hanging on a wall and bordered with an overpowering ornate frame, was a painting of the Madonna. Michael thought to himself, boy, oh boy, am I in trouble!
Over the years, Hector spoke little of the family and life that he left behind in Italy, but he hoped one day to visit before dying. But the old janitor ran out of days, and now his son had come in his stead. As Michael looked around a home filled with nothing but religious artifacts and paintings, he wondered whether coming to Bicarri Foggia was a mistake.
Alfonzo led Michael through the dining room, which featured a painting of The Last Supper, before entering a patio enclosure. Outside the enclosure stood fig trees wrapped in blankets and tied for the winter. Further away were the remnants of a tomato garden. A tangle of vines hung on the fence enclosing the yard. Stone pots sat inside the enclosure. They held the withered remains of seasonal plants. In a corner rocking away in a chair, sat a familiar looking figure. He didn't have a radio on the floor by his side, nor was he sporting a Phillies cap. Nevertheless, he looked quite familiar.
Said Alfonso: "Schiocchi, questo e` il vosreo nipote Miguel, dall` America." Pop, this is your nephew, Michael, from America.
With an effort, Vittorio rose from his rocking chair and walked over to his nephew. Vittorio was two years older than Hector and a little shorter. Because of his advanced age, he walked with a slight bend at the waist. He smiled when first looking up at Michael, then wept. He was saddened to hear from his sister Rose that their brother had passed on. He became excited, though, when he learned that Hector's son would be coming for a visit. Every day for a week, Alfonzo reminded his father that his nephew from America was coming. What Vittorio hadn't counted on, nor expected, was the forty-eight-year-old man that now stood before him. Michael was a sobering reminder of how much time had passed since Vittorio and Hector's tearful embrace the day Hector departed for America.
"Miguel," he said, "Sono il vostro zio Vittorio, voi ho gererato il fratello piu` anziano."
"I am your Uncle Vittorio, you father's older brother," Alfonzo translated for him.
For the first time since standing in Vincent Caruso's kitchen, Michael Rossi got his cheeks pinched. Vittorio then led his nephew and son into the dining room, where he grabbed a jug of his homemade wine and poured.
Said Vittorio: "Per aiutarli a distendersi dopo un viaggio lungo." To help you relax after a long trip. Then the three men raised their glasses "To famiglia."
The wine was too dry and strong for Michael; nevertheless, he smiled and pretended to enjoy it. By the time he was halfway through the second pour, he was no longer pretending. Then he laid the photo albums out on the table. He spoke, Alfonzo translated, and Vittorio looked on with great interest. The old man had the same reaction, as did Michael, when he saw Hector and his brother in-law with their arms around one another, smiling and wearing Phillies caps. On the last page of the first album, was the wedding picture of Audrey and Hector. Vittorio held it up and said, "La vostra madre era una bellezza reale." Your mother is a real beauty. Then he added, "Allora ha aggiunto, soddisfa gli da` tutti gli miei amore e condoglianze quando rinviate in America." Please give her all my love and condolences when you return to America.
Michael asked Alfonzo that his father repeat what he just said, figuring that either his uncle was mistaken, his cousin misinterpreted, or that the wine had already gone to his head. But there was no mistake, and Michael was still quite sober. With a shrug he said, "Sure thing, Uncle Vittorio."
"Hey Michael, you don't look so good," said Alfonzo. "You want some more wine?"
Michael threw down the last swallow of his second glass, then placed it firmly down on the table, indicating he wanted a refill. That night, as Michael lay in a terribly uncomfortable bed, in a cold, spare bedroom, he felt nothing but warmth in his heart for Alfonzo and Vittorio. In all three photo albums, there wasn't a page that didn't have a picture causing Vittorio to press his hands to his heart, or make his eyes well up. But there was also an ache in Michael's heart.
For thirty-three years, Hector and Rose kept the news of Audrey's leaving from their brother in Italy. Michael figured that his father had wanted it that way. Hector wasn't burdened with too much pride, but evidently he was ashamed to tell his brother that his marriage had failed, or that he couldn't keep his wife. The thought of his father living even one day of his life ashamed for something that his mother did, brought back all of Michael's hatred.
The following morning after breakfast and bundling up for the weather, Vittorio said, "Viene Miguel, li ha lasciati camminare e gli mostrero` la nostro citta` di Bicarri Foggia e mentre camminiamo gli diro` la storia del vostro padre." Come Michael, let us walk and I will show you our town of Bicarri Foggia. And while we walk, I will tell you the story of your father. As they walked, Vittorio spoke, Alfonso translated, and Michael listened.
Hector Rossi was born Hector Antonio Rosigliano, to Eligio and Theresa Rosigliano, in 1934—the same year that Adolph Hitler first met Benito Mussolini in Vienna. Hector and his three siblings: Vittorio, born 1932; Rose, or Rosa as she was called then, born 1928; and Emilio, born 1925, all growing up under Mussolini's fascist regime. In 1939, after invading Albania, political leaders in Britain and France had opposed sanctions against Italy, suggesting it would push Mussolini to align with Adolph Hitler and Nazi Germany.
Said Vittorio: "I loro timori sono stati realizzati e ci siamo trovati stati allineati rispetto allo S. dei Nazi." Their fears were realized and we found ourselves aligned with the Nazis.
Eligio Rosigliano was a Cavalier in the art of cabinet making, an honor bestowed upon him by the Italian government, before he joined the Italian Resistance. Initially the resistance was comprised of independent troops formed by members of political parties outlawed by Mussolini's fascist regime. They fought underground against the regime and the monarchy. At the height of the German occupation, their numbers swelled to 300,000—35,000 of them women. During the height of the German occupation, Eligio's oldest son, eighteen-year-old Emilio, felt pressed to join the resistance. The resistance succeeded in immobilizing eight of the twenty-six German divisions, but in retaliation the Germans killed 380 Italian man, women, and children.
Said Vittorio: "Ogni volta che abbiamo sentito I caricamenti del sistema in Marcia dei soldati tedeschi, abbiamo funzionato all'interno e ci siamo nascosti." Whenever we heard the marching boots of the German soldiers, we ran indoors and hid.
Along with the other children of Bicarri Foggia, Hector and Vittorio played happily about, losing themselves in games with friends, never giving a thought to their father, Emilio, and the resistance. For a few hours a day, their youthful games insulated them from the war, their fascist government, and occupying forces. They were simply children acting as children, as it should be. But then they heard the menacing sound of marching boots in perfect sync. At first faintly in the distance, but then growing ever louder as the occupiers seemed to envelope the little town. At once, the children of Bicarri Foggia abandoned their play and scattered like sheep. Hector and Vittorio would run inside and hide under the bed. Together they would lie in terror and listen to the menacing march of the Nazi soldiers. After they passed, Hector and Vittorio would run to the window. Slowly lifting their eyes just above the sill, they'd watch until the soldiers were out of sight.
Said Vittorio: "Molte volte il vostri padre ed io sveglierebbero dopo che ha incubi di quei caricamenti del sistema in marcia." Many times your father and I would wake up after having nightmares of those marching boots.
Afterward, Hector and Vittorio would run downstairs where they would find Rosa praying, as she always had during and following the soldiers passing through. Their eyes would then travel to their mother, whose cheerful and reassuring voice said one thing, but grim expression said another. There were times when Theresa Rosigliano could no longer sustain a strong front, knowing the danger in which Eligio and Emilio had placed themselves. She would leave for another room, though her muffled cries could still be heard. Later she would return to find Rosa already starting dinner and Hector and Vittorio setting the table. They would all take their places at the table, and as always, Rosa would say a prayer.
By the war's end, the Italian Resistance had succeeded in controlling Venice, Milan, and Genoa, but they lost some 50,000 fighters, two of them, Eligio and Emilio Rosigliano. Peter Montefusco, or Pietro as he was known then, who also fought on the side of the resistance, had come home bearing the news.
Said Vittorio: "A lungo la nostra madre era inconsolable ed eravamo impaurita di che cosa sarebbe di noi." For a long time our mother was inconsolable and we were afraid of what would become of us.
Rosa began running the household. Hector and Vittorio would come home after school and do whatever they could to help. Often, Peter Montefusco would come by and look in on them.
The Nazi occupation had all but ended, and the only soldiers heard coming through the province of Foggia were the Americans. The children in town would all cheer as they went by.
Said Vittorio: "Il vostro padre funzionerebbe in su al lato del GI e del'urlo americani il 'Joe DiMaggio'" Your father would run up beside the American GI's and yell, 'Joe DiMaggio!'
The American soldiers would smile and wave at the young Italian boy, who ran, while yelling the only words he could speak that they would understand.
Times were getting tough at the Rosigliano household. Rosa was doing the best she could with what little there was. Peter helped out whenever he could, but at the current rate they weren't going to survive for much longer. Peter suggested that Hector and Vittorio leave school to go to work. Peter had an uncle who had a farm down in the Tavoliere region, the lowlands of Foggia. The farms were all down in the lowlands, and like Peter's uncle, all the farmers were looking for cheap labor.
"They could work seven days a week if they wanted," said Peter. "On any farm!"
Said Vittorio: "Il '"che non li desidero ha separato.' La vostra zia Rosa ha insistito. Il 'I lo perettera` soltanto se possono funzionare insieme.'" 'I don't want them separated,' your aunt Rosa insisted. 'I will only allow it if they can work together.'
Every morning Hector and Vittorio woke at 5:00 am to begin their hike down the hill into the Tavoliere region, where from sun up to sun down, they harvested grapefruit, tomatoes, olives and durum wheat. For weeks they picked only the grapefruit, tomatoes and olives until they learned the knack of harvesting wheat. At the end of each day, they hiked through the Tavoliere and Apulia regions of Foggia, until reaching Bicarri. They would stand at the base of the hill with their exhausted, young legs, willing themselves to make the climb. Sometimes they would lean on each other as they made their way up the hill. Once, to better urge themselves along, they pretended to hear the marching boots of the German soldiers. "Hurry, Hector, I can hear them!" cried Vittorio with great urgency. Pretending such a thing only served to remind them why their father and Emilio were no longer around.
When Hector and Vittorio finally made it home, the ever dependable Rosa was always right there with a well prepared meal. And no matter what time the boys returned, they all ate together, and no one dare touch a morsel until Rosa was finished with her prayer.
Said Vittorio: "Concluderebbe sempre la sua preghiera dicendo, dio del `dal caro, guardare prego sopra il nostri Vittorio e tormentatore e li mantiene in buona salute e forti.'" She would always end her prayer by saying, 'Dear God, please watch over our Vittorio and Hector, and keep them healthy and strong.'
On the many nights after dinner, when Peter Montefusco would come to call on Rosa, Hector and Vittorio would drag themselves to their room and collapse in bed. They were two young boys, age fourteen and twelve respectively, who were no longer in school and had very little playtime. They never complained, though, as they understood the situation. At the end of each week they would come hiking home and turn their entire pay over to Rosa. Peter had arranged for a tutor to come by on Sundays, so that Hector and Vittorio would have some schooling. He also managed to persuade the very proud Rosa to allow him to pay for it.
Theresa was growing more and more despondent over losing Eligio and Emilio. She grew haggard and listless, eventually becoming no factor at all in the lives of her remaining children. It seemed that at any given moment she might slip away or cease existing altogether. For awhile, Hector and Vittorio pretended not to notice, as Rosa prayed that the mother she once knew would soon return. Finally the three pulled together and rallied around their mother, urging her to come back to them. Rosa began taking the initiative by washing and rolling her mother's hair. If she was too busy, the job was passed on to Hector. They all did what they could; and although they did their best to keep up with their mother's appearance, Theresa Rosigliano would never return to her former self.
The following year, Peter asked for Rosa's hand in marriage. With all the excitement of the wedding and its planning, Theresa began to rally, becoming more talkative. Occasionally she even smiled. But it wasn't to last.
Said Vittorio: "Che` bride bello la vostra zia Rosa ha fatto. E che` giorno fiero per me, perche` senza nostri padre e Emilio, era il mio lavoro darla via." What a beautiful bride your Aunt Rosa made. And what a proud day for me, because without our father and Emilio, it was my job to give Rosa away.
Michael put a comforting arm around his uncle, whose eyes began welling up when recalling the wedding day of a loved one that he hadn't seen in over half a century.
Hey lo schiocco, arrestiamosi in Iupo ed otteniamo alcuni die quei il canoli che gradite. "Hey Pop," said Alfonzo, trying to brighten the mood, "let's stop in Iupo's and get some of those cannoli you like."
Following the wedding, all Peter could talk about was going to America. Rosa was hoping it was just a passing fancy that would soon blow over and be forgotten. Not that the idea of America didn't excite or intrigue her—but she wasn't about to leave her two younger brothers alone to take care of their mother. "As long as Mama is still with us, we have to take care of her," insisted Rosa. "She is our family."
It wouldn't be much longer before Peter's dream of going to America would be realized—for in the spring of 1949, Theresa Rosigliano passed away. A tearful fifteen-year-old Hector and seventeen-year-old Vittorio said goodbye to their sister. And although he never could have imagined it at the time, for Hector, it would only be goodbye for three years. Not so, however, for Vittorio.
"Uncle Vittorio, I promise to come back this summer with Aunt Rose," said Michael. "I'll bring my wife and son, too. We'll all come to Bicarri Foggia for summer vacation!"
Said Vittorio: "Il mio fratello ha alzato un buon figlio." My brother raised a good son.
With only themselves to look after and support, Hector and Vittorio decided they needed only to work five days a week. By year's end, were still able to save enough money to buy a good secondhand car. The car came in handy, as it allowed them the luxury of sleeping in an extra hour in the mornings. They were home an hour earlier in the evenings. It was with all the newly found free time that Vittorio was able to court Lucia Verone.
Hector was happy that his brother found a nice girl. However, with Vittorio and Lucia spending more and more time together, Hector was growing lonely. Furthermore, not only was Vittorio involved in a courtship, but as the older brother, he had custody of the car, despite the fact that he and Hector had split the cost.
Hector spent many hours walking alone and remembering how he and Vittorio played together as children. It seemed that one day they were hiding under their bed from the Nazi soldiers, and the next, they were working to support their family. Now Vittorio and Lucia would soon have a life all their own.
What made Hector happiest during this lonely time was coming home and finding a letter from America. Every week without fail, Rosa had written to her brothers, and those letters meant the world to Hector. Because he was the youngest, it seemed that for half of his life his mother was sick and Rosa had effectively filled her shoes.
Said Vittorio: "Il vostro padre correrebbe alla cassetta postale, che spera per la parola dall'America. Your father would race to the mailbox hoping for word from America.
Hector would rip open the envelope, then sit in a corner alone and read silently to himself.
Added Vittorio: "Allora urlerebbe, il 'viene Vittorio ed ascolta che cosa la nostra sorella deve dire.' E lo leggerebbe ad alta voce." Then he would yell, 'Come Vittorio and listen to what our sister has to say.' Then he would read the letter aloud.
That spring, Vittorio and Lucia were married. Shortly afterward, Hector handed his brother a letter from America. "Aren't you going to read it aloud to me?" Vittorio asked.
Hector refused. He wanted Vittorio to read the letter himself. It read like an invitation—an invitation to come to America. Hector walked away, as Vittorio read the words of their sister. He wouldn't return until the following day. He wanted Vittorio to read it over and over, taking the necessary time to consider it—to dwell on it. When Hector returned, what he wanted, and had been hoping, was that his older brother would give his blessing and approval.
The day before he was to leave, Hector walked up and down every street in the tiny town of Bicarri Foggia, saying his farewells to everyone he knew. It was a bittersweet time for Hector, anticipating the thrill of going to America and seeing Rosa, while at the same time weighing that against the sadness of leaving Vittorio. Part of him wished Rosa had never sent the letter. But Rosa and Vittorio had each chosen their path in life, and now it was time for Hector to choose his.
Hector and Vittorio stayed up late that night, remembering the days when they were a family of six. They talked of their childhood, when their father and Emilio would carry them up the hill when their young, tired legs couldn't take but another step. At times they would cry to ride piggyback, which would prompt Eligio and Emilio to race up the hill with the four of them laughing all the way. When they made it home, as always, they were greeted by a happy Theresa, before Eligio and Emilio dropped the youngsters on the sofa. Rosa would then sit between them and read bible stories until dinner. Then came the war, followed by the occupation and resistance, and soon they were only three.
It was the spring of 1952, when Hector and Vittorio Rosigliano embraced and wept openly. At their ages of eighteen and twenty, they could never have imagined it would be the last time that they would ever see each other.
Michael said goodbye to Vittorio, with the promise that he would return in the summer with his wife, son, and Aunt Rose. He held on for dear life, as Alfonzo zigzagged his way through the province of Foggia on the way to the airport. Along the way, Alfonzo did most of the talking, as Michael was only half-listening. As Alfonzo went on, Michael's gaze was fixed on the hills of the Italian countryside—a place that gave him a better understanding of the man who raised him.
"Cousin, you know he'll be counting the days," said Alfonzo.
"I know he will, Alfonzo," said Michael, "I won't disappoint him. I'll be back."
I really enjoyed this book. I felt as though I was friends with the characters in the book and I was brought back to a simpler time in my youth. Give it a read, you won't be disappointed.
4 stars – review by Lungman00


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fredag 27 september 2013
Beautiful Fall
I would like to enter this card into following challenges:
Di Design Challenge - Fabulous Fall Colours
Love Rubber Stamps Challenge - Show us your fall colours
Created with Love - Fall colours
Lexi´s Creations #99 - Autumn Colours
The Crazy Challenge #154 - Colour inspiration
10 kommentarer:
Fab card. Love that you did the inside too. Thanks for joining our Fall Colors Challenge at Created With Love ChallengesSvaraRadera
this is totally adorable!SvaraRadera
hugs and kisses from germany,
silvi (GD this week on lexi's creations challenge)
Hi...oh this is so cute! Love what you've done with Di's digi image and the gorgeous, rich colours on your card! Thanks for taking part in our Fall Colours challenge at Di's Digi Designs!SvaraRadera
Oh your card is stunning, love the image and your coloring too.SvaraRadera
Thanks so much for sharing at Created with love challenges.
Linda K. DT
Aw, that's a gorgeous image .....love the face on the sunflower! Thanks so much for joining us at Lexis Creations this time & good luck!SvaraRadera
hugs Jo x
Stunning Love The Colours Fab CardAgainSvaraRadera
love the card and all the embellishments you have used thanks for sharing with CWLC this weekSvaraRadera
Rachel DT
What a beautiful fall card! I love the design! Thank you for playing with us at Loves Rubberstamps!SvaraRadera
OMGosh what a sweet image and I love the colors, fabulous! Thanks for playing with us over at Loves Rubberstamps!!!SvaraRadera
Love how you have showcased the image and have decorated the card inside and out. It looks stunning. Thank you for joining us over at Loves Rubberstamps. Hugs NinaSvaraRadera


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General it as Object
The 'rough it' group
These verbs indicate how comfortable or well-off someone is.
be coining rough slum be coining in live up
But if you are prepared to rough it, then make the trek over to the Rocky Shore and try from there.
He left Washington and he's now in Hawaii, living it up on his share of the money.


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Decal HELP
All about making tracks for MX Simulator
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
Decal HELP
I'm trying to place on track decals but they don't show up in game. The base decal worked perfectly fine but now when trying to place ruts and on track decals it's just not working. Has anybody experienced this before?
Re: Decal HELP
Nvm I figured it out but if there are any beginners out there looking to beta test a super cross track pm me or even if there are advanced riders looking to beta test also pm me but this track is geared towards beginners
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
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In the framework of the GODAN Action project, aiming to enable data users, producers and intermediaries to engage effectively with open data and maximise its potential for impact in the agriculture and nutrition sectors, the project team has launched a GODAN Action Trainers Network.
We invite dynamic trainers who can collaborate to build the capacity and diversity of open data users and intermediaries, leading to increased understanding and the more effective use of open data in tackling key agriculture and nutrition challenges. In addition to general open data capacity building, the project has the following themes:
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Marvel Covers Go To The Dogs … Cats, and a Bunch of Other Animals
This spring, the House of Ideas will become a Zoo of Ideas…. literally. Beginning in February, the New York-based comic publisher will be publishing many of its ongoing series with special variant covers featuring its popular characters anthromorphized into various animals. We're not talking Spider-Ham or the time Loki changed Thor into a frog, but a near complete transformation of the Marvel heroes into a plethora of animals for this unique series of themed variant covers. According to Marvel Senior Editor Steve Wacker, it all started thanks to some babies. Let him explain.
"Skottie Young (along with his cover editor George Beliard) did the outstanding and uber-popular Marvel Young covers last year and got a massive reaction, so we had strong evidence that readers were responding to these big cover initiatives," says Wacker, who organized these animal variants. "Animals just seemed like a good next step, so I pitched it in a meeting and it took off thanks to nothing better being suggested (Thanks, Tom Brevoort!). Next thing I knew I had a bunch of extra work…"
When it came time to doling out the cover assignments and figuring out the animals to draw, Wacker said in all "but a couple cases" he left the animal choices up to the artist.
"The most difficult part of that is reminding all comics artists that they can't just draw cats," said Wacker, who owns a dog named Krypto Charlie," since apparently everyone in comics but me is a huge cat fan."
One of the first covers revealed was Daredevil artist Chris Samnee's variant cover for the upcoming Daredevil #1 featuring the Man without Fear as a Mouse without Fear despite standing in a bed of mousetraps. Samnee said the decision to depict Matt Murdock as a mouse was his idea, and he and Wacker batted around several ideas before settling on the scene in question.
"Mark suggested a radar-sense landscape and I even tooled around with the idea of having mouse versions of Foggy and Kirsten on there," says the artist. "In the end though a shot of li'l mouse Daredevil in peril, much like his human counterpart finds himself in on the bulk of my covers, won out. "
Initially Samnee was only slotted to do just this one cute animal variant cover, but after finding the experience so enjoyable Samnee petitioned Wacker for a chance asked if he could do more. The Senior Editor sent him a list of potential titles needing variant covers, and Samnee asked – and was given – the chance to do them all. The Missouri-based artist did nine animal variant covers in total, from the aforementioned Daredevil but also Silver Surfer, All-New X-Men, Savage Wolverine, Avengers World, Guardians of the Galaxy, New Warriors, Indestructible Hulk and The Punisher.
Before coming to Marvel Samnee worked in a variety of comic styles and genres, but with his recent work he's known to most exclusively for his superhero work .Given how enthusiastically and creatively he took to this unique variant cover theme, Newsarama asked if he'd be up to do more – and Samnee surprised us.
"I almost feel like this is my niche, y'know?" Samnee reveals. "Superhero comics are my bread and butter but if that work all but dried up I could easily see myself being happy drawing this sort funny animal stuff for a good, long while. And seeing as how this style is really just a slightly tighter version of how I tend to draw for my wife and daughters it just feels really natural. It also tends to be a nice palette cleanser in between some of the heavier, moodier scenes I'm drawing in Daredevil these days."
At current count there are 33 animal variant covers planned for Marvel comics in the next few months, with Marvel stalwarts Samnee, Mike Del Mundo, Paco Medina and Humberto Ramos being joined by new faces like Mouse Guard artist David Petersen, Katie Cook and noted cat painter Jenny Parks.
"Steve actually found me (somehow) in the sea of people that is Comic-Con International: San Diego," said Parks, who did variants for Superior Spider-Man, Thor God Of Thunder and Wolverine & The X-Men. "I had a booth there selling prints of my work, which includes a poster of the Avengers, Spider-Man, and other superheroes as cats. He came up to me, introduced himself, and asked if I'd be interested in doing some variant covers for Marvel. I was completely stunned, but I'm pretty sure there was no hesitation when I said 'Absolutely!' I love the idea of the animal variants, and it has been a joy working on them. I also enjoy seeing what the other artists have been coming up with. They're all amazing!"
Katie Cook has done work for Marvel in the past, but as of late she's been busy writing and drawing various My Little Pony comics for IDW. Of the eight variants she did this unique themed event for Marvel, the Deadpool cover stands out as her favorite.
"They've been SO MUCH FUN to draw," explains Cook. "I've been stuck in My Little Pony writing mode for so long, it's nice to draw something that's so kooky and fun. Totally up my alley!"
Wacker says of all of the animal variant covers he commissioned for this stream of variant covers, it's Cook's variant for the upcoming Moon Knight series that caught him by surprise the most.
"Katie Cook's hippo Moon Knight is beyond hysterical and betrays everything that Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire are doing on the book," Wacker says. "You'll be begging for more Hippo Moon Knight! I promise."
You'd think with nearly three dozen covers done that it wouldn't scratched Wacker's itch for superhero/animal mash-ups, but he said there is one he didn't get to do.
"I really wanted Shark Waid," states the editor," but it remains a dream unrealized."


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