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Opinion: Obama's War on Guns
New York Post editorial writer Robert George on the reception in Congress to President Obama's proposed executive actions and legislation. Plus, has the NRA shot itself in the foot by putting out an ad that implicates the President's daughters. Photo: Getty Images
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... welcome back to Opinion Journal why Mary Kissel President Obama ... flanked by children announced twenty three executive actions yesterday ... in a raft of initiatives that Congress needs to approve ... twenty make of all this while New York Post editorial writer Robert George ... is joining me now to explain this flurry of activity that Robert ... was appropriate measures what's most important things trendy ... arm will ... be now if I was a if I if I was I was cynical I would say the most important thing he's trying to do is show that he's doing said he's been he's doing he's doing something ... and that and and it most I know a number of Republicans are rather ... concerned about that he's doing is exactly war is nice try again on the second time and so forth ... most of the Nikic The or political reasons for concern about some of them here that the ticketing those ... that to almost combined gun control issue with ... with Obamacare in terms of of him and giving directors to doctors to ask about the violent guns and hunting second ... but ... I think it generally speaking of Michael most of these the ... actions of their asking ... the these these can be to have more to do with the information cracking in terms of what the guns ... guns are going guns are being used ... on and and and and so and so forth one of them is like a of WellPoint in ETF director which should happen which it would use years ago the has been one since two thousand ... and six and two thousandsix ... um but ... it ultimately the the the issues that most of those on the side of gun control when a focus on things like assault weapons ... and it even after Newtown ... the the depending on how you phrase the question it's it's mixed even among the public as to whether a soul always cherish it be that some of these polls our talking to gun laws reduce violence now sixty ... one percent ... by the full costs of gun violence that ... availability of guns twenty three percent ... and remarkably remarkably even though it was mocked at the time ... the the NRA easy idea of balance and putting on gardens on the in in in in skin in schools actually has ... very broad support among the public which by the way ... because of that I was I was twenty one people was aghast ... at the NRA is that because ... on a lot of these issues even though um the mainstream media system tends to put them being on the defensive ... piano the NRA ... is if they're not necessarily winning the overall argument ... they are deftly and in the public is receptive to what they do say which is what I thought it was foolish for them to put this add up singing and saying ... well you know the the the the presence daughters have got that have guards around them ALM so why so why don't use the one in the average and that will let what it'll schools ... it's it's silly to me ... and this is by the way something it conservative grassroots a finger ... has ... been happening think the ... last last year into the campaign ... they are winning on the arguments but they are necessarily ... um press nice that way I'd be against the press to making it looking like it's it's Pursell against him stick with the facts stick with when you walk and ultimately I think of something that something that has constitutional action the public to listen to you although the president does tend to take his own politics comparing very personally ... what is the ... high low and that ... all politicians do ... they want to let you know what's out a little but about to personalities in Congress House Commerce reacting to these ... well this is the other thing in this again is the reason why it can be an oration had more softer and on this ... um the the the before the present came out with his proposals ... of ... the Harry Reid ... this the Senate majority leader says he can't get ... a he basically he said he even though he has he has been he has two more years of Democratic senators ... he doesn't expect to me we get an assault weapons um um an assault weapons restriction ... through the Senate it is not gonna get through this this contend in the Senate it's certainly not panic is setting out the get go through the house ... up because even a couple that some of the new senators in there like Heidi high campus ... from north to North Dakota ... that's a that's a brief gun friendly state and in she's made it very very quick she knows she knows a constituent and she's made it very very clear ... that she's not in any rush to to have these resources and then did the air and GOP do the right thing by saying ... well we're just gonna let the Senate passed the fan ... and good luck to you he wants to pass and send it back to idle think I think I think John painter has realized ... ALM that he can actually use what happened with the fiscal cliff on other issues to his advantage this could be a couple to be a couple cases here and there where they'll be sudden The fiscal things will get through the party by it but by Democratic by democratic vote but that the summit that the Senate bill forest and then ... on and in taking that measures to make deals in the house to see good things for ... you or not what the guy was a fair and balanced ... I don't wanna be all negative I think it's another network that the that that that I had the same financing and like I got one seed but of the day it is ... the president did have some conditions yesterday that ... address mental health week which is aam and and I'm one and it went in to get when you take on those ... highlight those to the tothe listeners ... and viewers ... why is that so Portland is important again and it is as it is the tiles editorial pages it noted that a couple of that that that couple days ago ... and in the Colorado Governor ... John ... Hickenlooper and what it sees talk Montgomery shouldn't if you stick the the real key issue when it is is is is mental health ... um that trying to track the acumen ... to track individuals um but make sure their tighter and ... tighter controls peel preventing individuals from gaining access to an access to ... my access to weapons ... of but it is very interesting though that a lot of them a lot of individual was only on the left who focus on gun control ... of the gun control side of it what are often hesitant ... to have more restrictions on up more ... research is when it comes to inculcate the incarceration of of the of the mentally ill ... if you know here and here in New York ... we've got a number that ... number these cases involving just not in gone with you know people will mean the street and pushing people on the subway to ... the mental health ... mental health is probably the primary is probably the primary thing that that ... everybody can of black and white should be listed on portrait we gotta leave it that that Solaka people crazy wandering around your ... scary serpents and all of the ... seven hundred were willing to bet that will benefit under a cost


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Maryann needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 62 designs submitted by 19 freelance designers.
John Creek Giving Gala
Johns Creek Healthcare Association* requires a unique and festive logo for their annual gala. Normally in December, this is the first year the gala will be held in November. The event is a high end, formal ticketed event held at a prominent country club in Atlanta featuring live music and dancing, a seated dinner, silent auction with proceeds going to a local charity. We are looking for a luxuriant, inviting logo incorporating fall colors the event name, "Johns Creek Giving Gala"and possibly fall/thanksgiving iconography.
As each day of the contest progresses, we will provide feedback and adjust this summary, but right now we are open to ideas and creativity!
The website on which all promotion will be posted is http://www.johnscreekhealthcare.org
*While the host organization is the JCHA, we want this logo to be inviting to all, not just in the healthcare field, so medical elements are not needed.
Johns Creek professionals, potential attendees
Located just north of Atlanta, Georgia in the heart of the rapidly growing business district along Highway 141 where it intersects with McGinnis Ferry Road, the Johns Creek area radiates out to the three counties of Fulton, Forsyth, and Gwinnett, and has long been a leader in the medical field, where so many practices have found their suburban home. Continued growth has established the Johns Creek medical community as a preferred destination for referrals and treatment in Georgia.
1. Fall colors with a festive flair, i.e. not opposed to examples with a stylized, deconstructed cornucopia-like shape/image, fall/wintery leaves, and such, but please do not become focused or tied to these suggestions.
2. Aesthetically pleasing
3. Full color for use in print and on web
4. Need grayscale and black/white versions for printing and faxing.
5. For large size use (banner, projected on wall at event, medium size use (invitations, etc.), and small notations such as "Giving Gala Sponsor" icons
6. Would like image element of logo to be useful as background/watermark image.
7. Modern, dramatic and clean without looking too hip, young and trendy.
8. Final art in a vector format like that produced by Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator
9. Needs to serve as a complement to our JCHA logo
10. Keep it classy!
11. See attached logo for a starting place. It's something I quickly pulled together having found the "Gala" logo online. LOVE this swash through the word Gala as it is a perfect representation of a creek. Need original version with better matching fonts and fall colors, and more 'umph'/fun element. Maybe gradient fill in on the swash? I leave it to the experts.
1. Clutter
2. Tacky, cliché
3. Anything too hip or too trendy
4. Mimic of JCHA logo, must stand on own and not look bad on the same page as the JCHA logo.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.

subset: commoncrawl


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On Saturday, free agent defensive end John Abraham sent out a pair of tweets that led some people to believe he'd given up his quest for a new team in favor of ending his football career.
One read "retiring 13" and the other read "done," so it wasn't exactly a wild leap to think that Abraham — who turns 35 on Monday — was calling it quits after 13 years in the NFL. Abraham clearly hasn't landed an offer that makes him sign on the dotted line and he wouldn't be the first player to retire rather than continue to wait for a call that just won't come.
It seems like it was much ado about nothing, however. Abraham has deleted the tweets from his Twitter account and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com spoke to a source close to Abraham who said there was "nothing" to notions of retirement. The source allowed that Abraham may be "expressing the frustration" of not landing a job despite varying levels of interest from the Broncos, Seahawks, Patriots and Titans since his release by the Falcons.
Abraham was still a productive player in Atlanta last season and these teams have to see the value of having someone like that in their lineup. It seems that bridging the gap between how much they value it and how much Abraham values himself remains the key to getting Abraham situated for the 2013 season.


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SOURCE: FNB Bancorp
November 20, 2012 20:34 ET
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - Nov 20, 2012) - Arlie Ferguson has been hired to manage the First National Bank of Northern California ("FNB Norcal") (OTCQB: FNBG) loan production office located at 425 South Mathilda Avenue in Sunnyvale, California.
Ferguson has a proven track record of driving growth through developing high-net-worth client relationships, launching new products and services, and building high-performance teams. In his new post he will focus on generating awareness and attracting key clientele to FNB Norcal, while promoting the bank's broad range of commercial and personal banking services.
Ferguson brings to FNB Norcal an extensive resume of executive-level experience. He most recently served as senior vice president/private banker with United American Bank in San Mateo, Calif. since 2011. He held prior positions as executive vice president of Borel Private Bank & Trust Company in San Mateo, Calif., vice president of operations with Loan America in San Jose, Calif., and vice president of bank operations with Franklin Financial Services in San Jose, Calif.
"I'm very pleased and excited to join FNB Norcal and welcome the opportunity to extend our portfolio of commercial and personal banking services to people throughout our community," said Arlie Ferguson. "I share the bank's people-first philosophy and am confident our new business-development center will be a great asset to our neighbors."
The new Sunnyvale center includes a remote-deposit ATM.
"We are delighted to have Arlie join First National Bank of Northern California," stated Tom McGraw, CEO. "He brings a wealth of community banking experience and he understands the difference between transactional banking and relationship banking. Arlie's experience and expertise have helped him to develop a loyal following that will complement First National Bank of Northern California's philosophy of keeping our focus firmly on our customers and their banking needs."
About First National Bank of Northern California
FNB Bancorp is the sole shareholder of First National Bank of Northern California. Founded in 1963, First National Bank of Northern California is "the Neighborhood Bank," dedicated to providing the finest financial services to its valued customers in the communities it serves. With 14 San Francisco Bay Area branch locations, a branch on the island of Guam, additional ATMs, and plans for further growth, First National Bank of Northern California focuses on delivering smart solutions to local individuals, families and businesses, with an unwavering commitment to personal service.
First National Bank of Northern California provides a broad range of personal and business banking services. For individuals and families, the bank provides solutions including full checking and savings offerings; certificates of deposits and money market accounts; individual retirement accounts; home mortgages and home equity loans; and debit and credit card services. Qualified local businesses can receive secured and unsecured lines of credit, term loans, merchant services, vehicle and equipment loans, commercial real estate loans, commercial and industrial credit, and debit and credit card services.
For more information, visit www.fnbnorcal.com. First National Bank of Northern California is an FDIC insured institution.
Website: www.fnbnorcal.com
Cautionary Statement: This release contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated herein. Management's assumptions and projections are based on their anticipation of future events and actual performance may differ materially from those projected. Risks and uncertainties which could impact future financial performance include, among others, (a) competitive pressures in the banking industry; (b) changes in the interest rate environment; (c) general economic conditions, either nationally or regionally or locally, including fluctuations in real estate values; (d) changes in the regulatory environment; (e) changes in business conditions or the securities markets and inflation; (f) possible shortages of gas and electricity at utility companies operating in the State of California, and (g) the effects of terrorism, including the events of September 11, 2001, and thereafter, and the conduct of war on terrorism by the United States and its allies. Therefore, the information set forth herein, together with other information contained in the periodic reports filed by FNB Bancorp with the Securities and Exchange Commission, should be carefully considered when evaluating its business prospects. FNB Bancorp undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release.
Tom McGraw
Chief Executive Officer
(650) 875-4864
Dave Curtis
Chief Financial Officer
(650) 875-4862
Tom McGraw
Chief Executive Officer
(650) 875-4864
Dave Curtis
Chief Financial Officer
(650) 875-4862
See all RSS Newsfeeds


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What You'll Get
After purchasing this deal, you will need to visit the website listed on your voucher to complete redemption. See voucher for more information.
The Deal
- One personalized home slate plaque ($31.98 value)
This rough-edged slate slab can be customized with graphics and text, such as a greeting or a family name.
- Comes with leather hanging strap
- Holiday-themed and seasonal templates available
- Great as a greeting decoration in entryways, foyers, and kitchens
- Product dimensions: 11.5"x9"
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires 90 days after purchase. Amount paid never expires. Limit 3 per person. May buy 2 additional as gifts. Limit 1 per order. Valid only for option purchased. Valid online only. Must use promotional value in 1 visit. Offer is valid for US/AK/HI/Canada. Shipping not included; shipping costs for Canada will be higher than the US. For shipping info and deadlines, click here. Offer is in US currency. May be repurchased every 30 days. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
About GiftsForYouNow.com
GiftsForYouNow.com keeps its digital storeroom packed to the brim with thousands of personalized gifts for just about every occasion imaginable. Besides the perennially popular T-shirts and sweatshirts, the online shop's inventory covers all aspects of your loved one's lives, from drinkware and home decor to keepsakes such as memorial garden stones and jewelry boxes. Each gift can be personalized with unique designs, inspirational quotes, or even special titles such as Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, or frankly anything that sounds nicer than Those People Who Forced Me to Eat Broccoli.


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|2008-04-04, 05:09
|Link #1
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Due to the World War III, many areas in Japan are contaminated and ruined beyond hope. Also known as Black Spots, these places are isolated from the rest of the country by huge walls. As time passes, some people started living in the Black Spots and among them, some discovered powers like controlling fire, wind and other supernatural abilities. People who have such powers like them are called, "Needless". On the other hand, a drug-making company, Simeon, has gathered a group of only the strongest Needless to begin a plan of what they call Needless Hunting. Needless who were hunted each had a part of their body missing. Rumors has it that the drug-making company is actually holding human body experiments in order to develop a drug that could grant immortality.
A boy who was part of a resistance group against Simeon escaped death when Adam Blade, the protagonist, destroyed the mechanical Needless hunter without use of any form of powers. In order to keep its secrets safe, a Needless was dispatched in order to get rid of Blade. But when that failed, the two personal guards of Adam Arkwright, leader of Simeon Needless group, were sent to succeed the uncompleted task.
All in all, the plot is somewhat decent, not great. However, the plot isn't what I'm reading this manga for, though I'm not saying the plot sucks, it's decent. But it's the fighting scenes that I'm looking forward to! The intense blood and sweat battles between Needless! If you love fighting scenes like a true shonen does, then you'll do good not to miss this title. The fight between Eve, the heroine on the left side of the picture above, and one of the personal guard of Arkwright at the end of volume one was totally ass-kicking! It was an overwhelming one-sided battle but at last they managed to figure out his trick (but readers were not informed, yet). And that's when volume one ended on me. God damn, I swear I picked volume two right away when I went down to Kinokuniya after that. There's a few humorous moments here and there in this title, not much, but when it decides to make you laugh, you would. They weren't just tickles, they were LOL moments.
Humor: 5/10
Plot: 6/10
Character Design: 9/10
Overall: 8/10
Author: 今井 神 (Kami Imai)
This manga review is proudly brought to you by ChapterDesu.Com!
Last edited by HmR.kS; 2008-09-15 at 23:21.
|2009-07-27, 15:48
|Link #4
Seishu's Ace
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kobe, Japan
Never mind - intrepid detective work and intuition have led me to my answer. Here's an image that explains almost everything, but don't open it unless you've read the manga to the end or don't mind being massively spoiled. Or if you have a weak constitution or any discretion whatsoever. Seriously, don't look at it.
Spoiler for Do not view after eating or before attempting to sleep:
|2009-07-28, 02:38
|Link #5
Senior Member
|2009-07-28, 04:02
|Link #7
Working the bags...
Join Date: Mar 2009
ED goes by too fast for me, is she the one with the teddy bear your asking about...? Other than her if I think who else your talking about, she's no loli in the manga. And if she is, yes it's a major spoiler but one most seen coming...
|2009-08-03, 09:23
|Link #8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Talking about said major spoiler, the fact they are doing it at all says how much the manga is succeeding so they are stretching it out before returning. No series whose time is running out would have used Books 8 and 9 for their present purpose - in fact the story could probably have been wrapped in Book 7 if it wasn't selling.
I must say I have mixed feelings about the whole Book 8 and the arcs that seems set to continue for some time. On the one hand, Mio and Cruz were very cute there, and it is a nice change of pace from what was a continuous run of combat interspersed with humor breaks, on the other hand, even counting Mio's mercuriality and her lack of real negative feelings towards Cruz and Blade and the others, she still had very little reason to stick close to Cruz once she learned the direction of the bear maker.
Cruz ... well ... sure it is correct he'll last all of two seconds if he meets a Needless or even a random punk, but after Mio sold him out in Book 3 (though it was "only business"), one would think he'll consider at least a little more before pairing up.
It just doesn't add up very well, even for this manga...
|2009-08-06, 17:37
|Link #13
Seishu's Ace
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kobe, Japan
|2009-08-07, 00:52
|Link #16
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
I just don't want to see this show go in the same direction, which is kinda overdone.
|action, comedy, seinen
|Thread Tools


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any ideas??
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2004 4:37 pm
my 4 month old pit is awesome, but he has too much energy. I play with him as much as i can but i just cant seem to tire him out. when he plays with his puppy friends he outlasts them easily. so i was wondering if anyone had any toys or things around that he could use to exert some of this energy on his own. so he could be excersising even when im not around. anything that burns a lot of energy that he can use on his own?
thanks alot
thanks alot


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Interested in joining a community-based practice on the beautiful South Shore of Long Island?
Floyd Harbor Animal Hospital has a great opportunity for a veterinarian to become a part of our wonderful team. Our experienced and dedicated staff, including three LVTs, provide outstanding support to both our doctors and patients. We are a very close group who are proud of the family-like atmosphere we have built over the past 25 years serving our loyal clients. Read what our clients have to say here!
We help pets and their owners in the community by supporting non-profit animal welfare organizations including People Advocating for Change (PAC) and Spay Alter Vaccinate Every Stray (SAVES). The ideal candidate will be an individual who will help us maintain and grow our legacy of community outreach, excellent client service and compassionate patient care.
We are part of a family of practices with a long history and reputation that separates us from others – see what all the buzz is about! We support our veterinarians with superior salary, benefits (including health and dental, 401(k), CE allowance, vacation, dues, and liability coverage), an outstanding wellbeing program, and a family-friendly atmosphere.


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Today's air routes follow radio beacons installed in the very spots where bonfires burned that directed Lindbergh-era pilots in the 1930s. Change is long overdue. NextGen is a national transportation infrastructure priority.
The Transportation Department and the White House are looking at ways to accelerate NextGen implementation by up to eight years. This will only be possible with robust federal funding support — not just for FAA programs and infrastructure, but also for avionics equipment in the aircraft that will transport passengers and cargo around the United States and the world. For less than the cost of one high-speed rail project, every aircraft that flies into and out of the 35 busiest airports in the United States could be equipped with the avionics needed to transition to NextGen. And many NextGen capabilities, such as performance-based navigation, can be implemented in the short term while the full array of services and technologies of the air traffic system of the future are certified and produced.
Timely implementation of these capabilities will not only improve the business case for operators' investment, but will vastly improve the overall flying experience for the public.
NextGen: Proven Technology. Endangered Potential


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You've been waiting for months to see what the Chargers are bringing to the field this year. Even though Sundays are heating up with your favorite NFL rivalries battling it out for a chance at the Super Bowl, the temperature outside is starting to drop. Combat that autumn chill with Antigua's Signature hoodie, its plush fleece lining will keep you comfy and warm, and the quality Chargers accent logo won't sacrifice your Los Angeles pride. You'll be ready to take on the cold weather, and cheer the Chargers on to victory in your new hoodie.
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NWSB Editor and Writer Chris Anderson dishes on why you should love the Portland Timbers after their victory over the Seattle Sounders on Sunday. With the Los Angeles Galaxy up next and the Seattle Sounders right around the corner, the Timbers knew that they had to turn their season around fast. Players mentioned include Kris Boyd, David Horst, and Freddy Montero.
Big win over Sounders FC! Timbers love parade time…
June 25, 2012 By Chris Anderson
Filed Under: Portland Timbers Blog Tagged With: Cal FC, Cascadia, Cascadia Cup, David Horst, Freddy Montero, JELD-WEN Field, Kris Boyd, Los Angeles Galaxy, Maruo Rosales, MLS 2012, MLS Western Conference, Portland Timbers, Portland Timbers 2012, Portland Timbers Blog, RCTID, RCTID 2012, Reasons to love the Timbers, Seattle Sounders, Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Sounders FC 2012, Seattle Sounders FC Blog, Timbers Army, Timbers Army 2012, Timbers Army blog, Timbers Blog, US Open Cup


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Pornstars: Gala Cruz
Submited: 9 years old
Views: 7636
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Sasha is one of the kinky favorites on Destroy that Ass. She is a cute brunette with blond streaks who can pull of wearing ultra tight booty shorts. She also has a major turn on that you wouldn't imagine she loves getting fucked... in the ass! She lives f


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CH24 | Wishbone Chair
This variant: Beech, Petrol blue, Black cord
By Hans J. Wegner
One of the very first models Hans J. Wegner designed especially for Carl Hansen & Søn, the CH24, or Wishbone Chair, has been in continuous production since 1950
Available in 97 materials and colors
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Call: +45 66 12 14 04 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Because today's students expect a state-of-the-art student recreation center, the stakes for college rec facilities have increased as professionals strive to design facilities that stand out from the pack. Depending on a school's size, most new university rec facilities contain upwards of 100,000 square feet of breathtaking design and rows of sparkling new equipment that would make many a health club owner envious. Other universities, theorizing that more than size matters, have gone a step further and redefined the role of a recreation center.
What used to be an afterthought of the kinesiology department or leftovers from the sports program has sprouted into an important student recruitment tool. These freestanding spaces on campuses continue to evolve as a means to serve their population and stay ahead of the competition. Depending upon the university's culture, climate and population, new rec centers are being built to serve one of three student needs: technology, social interaction or wellness. These new schools of thought are adding to the controversy about what role a recreation center really should fill — or, in some cases, if it should be called a recreation center at all.
Tech Rec
As roughly 2,000 attendees travel to Louisville to attend the 2006 National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Exposition next month, many will turn out to see the latest trends. Not all of them will agree on which direction the industry should be headed in, however.
"We got a mixed reaction," said Todd Pfingsten, director of campus recreation at Minnesota State University Mankato (MSU), regarding MSU's new technology-based recreation center. "There are always going to be some nay sayers, but some say it's the best thing that's happened."
Opened in October 2005, the $8.4-million renovation to MSU's Otto Recreation Center created quite the hullabaloo. Besides a new wood gym floor, basketball/volleyball courts, a three-lane walking/jogging track, remodeled locker rooms and more, the renovation created a "TechRec" cardio area that features 40 pieces of cardio equipment (including treadmills, ellipticals, recumbent bikes, steppers and rowing machines) each fitted with an in-house created, adjustable ergonomic stand that holds a computer, keyboard and mouse (see photo of the TechRec on the cover). Each component is sweat-proof and students can e-mail, connect to the university server, watch a DVD or surf the Web while working out.
"Some people say, 'How do people e-mail on the treadmill?' and they're right; it's not practical," Pfingsten said. "But, they can check class notes before they run, or they'll switch from one thing to another — log in, check e-mail and then watch "Sports Center.""
Perhaps what's most interesting about the TechRec is its inventive funding. MSU recently served as the site for the NIRSA National Recreational Facilities Institute where 120 colleagues asked, 'How did you get funding for this?'
Pfingsten, with the help of the school's information technology department, administration and other faculty and staff, secured $150,000 for the TechRec area, which is considered an academic satellite lab. Academics use the space about 25 percent of the time for fitness activity classes. The Otto Rec Center also opens its doors to a local hospital's cardio rehabilitation patients, creating an academic-related collaboration with the community.
Linking the university rec world to the academic world is a relationship many say will continue, especially as funding becomes tight and as recent research shows that physical activity is linked to higher academic performance. However, some worry that this transition could be challenging for students who aren't technologically savvy.
"It's going to be a challenge to decide how many of those bells and whistles you're going to use in your facility," said Jeff Lopez, director of recreation services for Illinois State University and chair of the NIRSA facilities committee. "We're not going to be able to be all things to all people."
Some MSU students were not happy with the new center, writing into the student newspaper asking, "Why did we spend so much money on this?" Pfingsten said the discussion was good, because it made people think and encouraged them to visit the TechRec to form their own opinion.
"Once they come in and see what we have, they're hooked," he said. "Positive or negative, I look at it as we're getting people in the door."
Social Centers
The University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) is using another tactic to get students through the doors of its $50-million, nearly 300,000-square-foot Student Recreation Complex. Completed last summer, the expansion and renovation project included enough space to make it one of the 10 largest higher education recreation facilities in the nation.
Not only is it one of the largest recs in the country, it's also one of the most creative when it comes to fulfilling student's fitness and social needs.
"The higher education recreational shift has been from sprucing up a gym to evolving into a health club," said Diane Dahlmann, director of Mizzou Rec Services and Facilities. "The next intention is going from a gym to a dance club to a rec resort. It's a sort of recreation renaissance, and it started at MU."
After conducting surveys and listening to focus groups, Dahlmann said it was clear — students wanted a fun, hip place to work out and spend their free time in. Freshman Monica Coleman is one of those students. Rather than gaining the traditional "freshman 15," she lost 10 pounds during the fall 2005 semester.
"My first impression was that it was way beyond what I expected," she said. "It's like a gym I've never worked out in before. It's very welcoming, and it's very social. You can pretty much always see someone you know there."
The facility's most notable features include the Jungle Gym (a cardiovascular fitness room with more than 100 pieces of cardio equipment, 24 flat screen televisions, strength machines and freeweights, seating overlooking the 50-meter competitive pool, a bar offering healthy supplements and energy drinks, and even a quiet room with treadmills, steppers, bikes, dumbbells and other selectorized machines), Downtown Brewer (an indoor simulated sidewalk complete with storefronts for group exercise studios, a private and public locker room, martial arts space and a personal training room), the Pump Room (an industrial-setting weight-training room set to a house sound system), Scroggs Peak (a 42-foot climbing wall), Red Hall Beverage Company (offering healthy meals, snacks and drinks), the Tiger Grotto (a purely recreational area with palm trees and other tropical flora, a big screen TV, a 20-person heated spa, sauna and steam shacks, a lazy river and beach-style rocking chairs) and the Mizzou Beach Club (an open-air swimming area made for sun bathing and socializing with a bubble-pool, low-rise waterfall, beach-style entry, oval-shaped pool and raised hearth fireplace). The complex also includes a bouldering wall, 50-meter competitive pool and other recreational sports offerings. Other ideas that were scratched from the drawing board included a firepole, treehouse and swinging hammocks around the grotto.
Students voted to increase their student fees to pay for the project.
"We've done things differently," said Dan Shipp, senior associate director for the complex. "Students said give us a cool and sexy workout club/dance experience and that became our perspective."
The social aspect of a rec center isn't a new one, but it is becoming more important. The Otto Recreation Center at MSU includes three separate lounge spaces for students to hang out in between classes, study or meet people. These spaces encourage more students to visit more often — even when they're not working out.
While fostering this social scene is important, the basics shouldn't be forgotten, said Mary Ann Chappell, director of the University of Kansas recreation services. As rec centers' services and offerings continue to change, she emphasized that rec professionals shouldn't abandon teaching the fundamentals. For example, what's the point of having a 12-foot slide in your pool if students don't know how to swim? However, she does understand that there's a big push to get students into rec centers however they can, she said.
Well and Good
The University of North Dakota (UND) is taking a more holistic approach when it comes to its recreational offerings. In fact, Laurie Betting, director of wellness at UND, hopes the name rec center falls by the wayside all together.
"I think that term will be gone, and there will be centers that are broad brush and talk about health whether it be in the physical domain to health issues or whatever our students are facing — mental or emotional," Betting said. "I really think the multi-dimensional approach is something students appreciate."
Scheduled to open at the end of August, the 107,000-square-foot UND Wellness Center offers more than a traditional rec center. Besides a three-court gymnasium, suspended running track, fitness and weight areas, locker rooms, group exercise studios and a climbing wall, the center includes more unique features — exam and physical assessment rooms, a healthy cooking demo-kitchen, a quiet lounge, a massage room, pro shop, a computer resource area and a first aid room.
Like MU, UND tapped into students' wants and needs. In April 2000, UND formed a coalition of volunteer students, faculty and staff to talk about the seven dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, environmental, spiritual, social, intellectual and occupational/vocational. The coalition found that its current rec facility was too small and didn't meet campus needs. With strong student approval, the wheels were set in motion to build a new $18.5-million Wellness Center. With a nontraditional background for a rec professional — clinical and physical therapy — Betting spearheaded the initiative.
"We talk about health and not just fitness, and [the students] see the big picture," Betting said. "We think we're changing the culture on campus and shaping habits, attitudes and beliefs for a lifetime."
Modeled similarly to worksite wellness programs, the center hopes to have every student complete an anonymous and confidential customized wellness assessment each year. Students can print out their assessment and get feedback by setting up appointments with peer-to-peer wellness coaches who provide lifestyle and wellness planning for the student. The center will also offer nutrition classes or appointments with a dietician, fitness assessments, personal training sessions, a meditation lab with a labyrinth and even a wellness spa offering a menu of services. The environment is friendlier than a traditional medical setting, Betting said.
"We provide a different way for students to ask questions, and we do the referral and literally walk them over to the person they need to talk to," she said referring to health issues such as anorexia and bulimia.
The Wellness Center will also fulfill an academic role by continuing to be involved in research, and, much like MSU's funding, will use a student technology fee to pay for overhead cameras that record cooking and nutrition classes.
These types of amenities are helping to recruit and retain students, especially as holistic health and mind/body fitness programs continue to grow in popularity. Because of this, more professionals are examining rec centers' role in regards to overall wellness, Chappell said.
"Five years ago, they didn't care," she said. "But now students are making decisions based on it."
Back to the Future
Some researchers rate recreation opportunities as the 11th most important benefit on a college campus, and not only do college students expect large, state-of-the-art recreation centers, but also students need it (for more statistics see the above sidebar, Facts of the Matter). Health experts want to increase the percentage of college students who participate in moderate physical activity for 30 minutes a day, three days a week to 55 percent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that nearly half of 12 to 21 year olds don't get enough regular, vigorous activity.
"Parents expect [a high-quality rec center], grandparents expect it and siblings expect it," Chappell said.
No one-size-fits-all rule exists for college rec centers though. Optimally, each is designed and built with extensive student input, resulting in a rec that reflects its constituents — the students. Whether that highly individualized and stylized center turns out to be technology-, social- or wellness-based is still up to rec professionals.
Any way they're shaped or created, university recreation facilities are moving to the forefront on campuses nationwide. Lopez expects to see more flexible spaces that can adapt to students' changing needs and an emphasis on environmental consciousness in the coming years.
"I think you're going to see that rec facilities are going to become that living room of university communities," Lopez said. "It's where admission tours start or end."
Facts of the Matter
- Participation in rec sports programs and activities is correlated with overall college satisfaction and success.
- Heavy users of campus rec sports programs and activities are happier than light users and non users.
- Rec sports programs and activities was the fifth (out of 21) most significant determinant of college satisfaction and success for heavy users, ranking higher than internships, student clubs and entertainment.
- Students who participated heavily in college rec sports are more socially oriented than other students.
Source: The Value of Recreational Sports in Higher Education, 2004 by the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association


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John Danchak (originally Dancak) was born Dec. 2, 1868 in Przno, Moravia, Austria in what later became Czechoslovakia. He died in Port Lavaca, Texas, on Oct. 11, 1922. He was one of several children born to John Danchak (1839 - 1925) and Rosalie Adamek (1841 - 1903).
Lydia Mary Dushek (originally Dusek) was born May 30, 1875 in Brenham, Texas and died Nov. 6, 1956 in Colton, California. She was one of eight children born to Jan Dushek (b. 1847 in Cermna, Bohemia/Czechoslovakia, d. 1908 in Caldwell, Texas) and Terezie Janke/Janku/Janak (1848 - 1903).
Thanks to a kind soul I met on the TexasCzech group, I have more information on the Dushek line (Thanks, Mike!), but I'm still having a heck of a time researching the Danchak's. If you're part of the Danchak line, please contact me!


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A beta version of the new Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) Android app is now available to download at https://market.android.com/details?id=com.ancestry.android.apps.ancestry. Several functions have still to be uploaded, but feedback seems to be very positive so far. At present you need to be an Ancestry subscriber to use it.
UPDATE: Just downloaded and had a play - VERY nice! :)
(With thanks to Karl in comments to recent EOGN post)


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Durant is known for being able to go left or right, and finish with either hand. The data shows that to be true from near the basket and from midrange. But if you can keep KD on the perimeter, he's significantly more likely to beat you from the left.
This topographic map of Durant's shooting, with FG percentages laid out as terrain contour lines, comes to us from Kirk Goldsberry, who continues to do fascinating visualizations over at CourtVision. It's worth noting that for a volume shooter like Durant, all these numbers are fabulous (though Goldsberry says his baseline numbers aren't elite, and his 3-point shooting from the right wing [left side of the graphic] is slightly below league average.) The problem is that Durant takes equal numbers of shots from both the right and left, when he's more effective from one side.
These are things Durant can work on; he's still just 23. And again, this isn't a question of Durant learning what he can't do, but rather learning to focus on the things at which he's better than just about anyone else.
The Shooting Terrain of Kevin Durant [CourtVision]


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Boxy build from Xvelo
We're not a NAHBS, but @sgluckman pranked me by adding my name to waitlists for the most over-the-top bikes he could find, like this!
Carbon rotors
Also asked how these carbon rotors would do in the grassy mud of Kentucky! Meanwhile, Chandler is there too and tipped us to Kashimax saddles, handmade in Japan.
For more bikes that Gluckman waitlisted me for, see my post on G+.


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|John Dawson, circa early 70s
This story is true, at least as far as I know. It continually surprises me, however, how often that various events in Grateful Dead history that seem to be settled fact turn out to have an entirely different context that causes me to think of events in a different light. The "Birth Of The New Riders" saga has always been presented as a serendipitous, chance occurrence, as only Garcia's random purchase of a pedal steel guitar and Dawson's casual presence at a Dead rehearsal caused the New Riders to arise fully formed.
Recently, however, I was fortunate enough to hear an extensive interview with Grateful Dead engineer Betty Cantor, thanks to the good offices of David Gans. Cantor talked extensively to Gans about the recording of Aoxomoxoa, Live/Dead and Workingman's Dead, among other projects. While we can anticipate that Mr. Gans will share the best parts of this interview in the future, on the Deadhead Hour or on KPFA, a passing remark from Ms. Cantor caused me to re-think the entire genesis of the New Riders.
In the context of talking about how she learned to work in the studio, Cantor talked about the different things she did, such as setting up microphones. Then she added, most unexpectedly,
Plus we did a lot of demos down there, with Marmaduke, John Dawson, before the New Riders. I got to be the drummer! To keep John in time. He was great, great songwriter, great player, couldn't keep time real well. So I just had to play snare, high hat, kick, keep in time. I got to be the drummer on the demo, it was real fun.I am pretty knowledgeable about the New Riders, but I knew nothing about any demos with just John Dawson and a rudimentary drummer. Of course, I realized that the tape had probably been erased, as professional recording tape was expensive, but it forced me to consider the context: why were the Grateful Dead recording John Dawson demos in late 1968 or early 1969?
|The cover of the 1969 Grateful Dead album Aoxomoxoa
How did the Grateful Dead use all this studio time? According to Cantor, there was a lot of experimentation, some of it quite serious, some of it just goofing off. According to her, almost none of the experimenting was preserved, for good or for ill. Although she doesn't specifically say so, I know that one of the reasons for that was the expense of recording tape. I know that the recordings of the Avalon on January 24-26, 1969 that were not used for Live/Dead were simply erased and recorded over for Fillmore West a few weeks later. It may seem odd that a band willing to go over $100,000 in debt would be cheap about tape, but I have a feeling that the studio would bill through Warner Brothers but the band had to pay actual cash money for the recording tape, and the Dead always had a cash squeeze.
Nonetheless, it seems that the Dead were using their own studio time to record demos for one of their friends. There's no other way to interpret the Marmaduke recordings in San Mateo than to think that the Dead had plans to make music with Dawson, probably by getting him a record contract. It may have been that the Dead had studio time booked when the band had shows scheduled, so recording Dawson's demos may have been a way to make use of the time when the band wasn't there. Like many good engineers, Betty Cantor could play a little music (she apparently was a good piano player), but Bob Matthews would have only used her on drums if no one else was available. I have to think that manager Lenny Hart had a plan to sign John Dawson to a record contract, but it's clear that if Dawson was recording demos, the band was on board with the plan. However, knowing that Dawson recorded demos in late 1968 puts the New Riders genesis in a totally different light. Garcia's new pedal steel guitar may have put Dawson's songs in a new context, but Garcia and Dawson had apparently already been trying to make Dawson into a singer/songwriter already.
|The cover to the 1986 Relix lp Before Time Began
Relix Records
Relix Records was the recording wing of Relix Magazine, a Brooklyn based music publication. The magazine and label focused on the Grateful Dead family, Hot Tuna and related San Francisco bands in the 1980s, when there was very little interest in those groups elsewhere. The record label released a lot of interesting music, but it was run on a shoestring basis, like many independents. I suspect that the label generally operated on a cash basis, paying out money as they got it, which was probably much appreciated by its artists. Certainly artists like Robert Hunter and Jorma Kaukonen released several albums each with the label, so they must have been happy with how they were treated.
Back in the day, I was intensely bothered by the fact that the liner notes and recording information for Relix releases were scant, and often startlingly inaccurate. For example, a Kingfish album released in the 1980s clearly included material that must have been recorded in the 1970s, but there were overdubs from current band members, with no explanation of the process in the notes. There was even a track left off the liner notes. At the time, I thought that Relix staff was inattentive, but I now think the mistakes were so persistent that they did them on purpose. At the very least, Relix had a vested interest in not correcting their mistakes, although I am left to speculate why that might have been.
Before Time Began featured four songs ("Henry", "All I Ever Wanted", "Last Lonely Eagle", "Cecilia") by the New Riders Of The Purple Sage and two ("Garden Of Eden", "Superman") by John Dawson. The four NRPS songs were apparently recorded in November 1969 at Pacific High Recorders in San Francisco, with a lineup of Dawson, Nelson, Garcia, Mickey Hart and Phil Lesh. The two Dawson songs are identified as having been recorded at Pacific Recording in San Mateo in July 1968. The tracks are said to have been recorded "with the help of Garcia and some members of Doug Sahm's group." Based on the information I now have, I am much better able to make a plausible hypothesis about the Dawson demos released on the album.
First of all, I think we can safely dismiss the July 1968 date for the Dawson demos. The Dead were not in Pacific Recording at the time, and I put no credence in dates from Relix liner notes. Since Betty Cantor recalls recording demos with Dawson, I think late 1968 makes much more sense. It also make sense that after Marmaduke and Betty--sounds like a cartoon duo, doesn't it?--recorded some demos together, a few of the tracks were re-recorded and built up into legitimate demos. I have to think that Lenny Hart, at least, played the demos for some record company guys--maybe Clive Davis heard about Dawson from these demos, long before the New Riders. In any case, they must have had no takers, but that in itself seems odd, since record companies were signing every band in San Francisco.
The way Betty Cantor described the recording process at Pacific Recording, there was a tendency to get a good take and then experiment with mixes and overdubs, without really saving anything but the final copy. The vagueness about the backing musicians, as "Garcia and some members of Doug Sahm's group" may stem from the fact that there was a variety of overdubs and "punch-ins" (recording over a musical or vocal part, often for just a few phrases or a verse), and no one recalls who actually played what. Of course, there may be other reasons that no one remembers who played what.
While I'm sure Garcia helped with the Marmaduke demos, I have to take the Relix liner notes with a grain of salt. The label had a vested interest in claiming Garcia's involvement, so the fact that he isn't particularly audible suggests to me that Garcia was involved in the arranging or the mixing, but didn't have a big role in the actual performances on the demos. I have been told that some pedal steel guitar parts are played by Lowell "Banana" Levenger, of the Youngbloods. Banana was an old pal of Rick Turner, who became a key player when Alembic was formed shortly after Aoxomoxoa (by Turner, Owsley Stanley and former Ampex engineer Ron Wickersham), so that may have been why Banana was present, if indeed he was. It's also true that Garcia owned a Fender pedal steel guitar around 1967 which he sold to Banana, so perhaps Banana was playing Garcia's old instrument, a strange coincidence that would fit right in.
Doug Sahm and some of his band members had moved to San Francisco from Texas after a 1966 pot bust, a very scary proposition in Texas. Sahm had numerous band members, some of them sort of rotating in and out, so it's hard to say who might have played on the demos. Also, most of the Sir Douglas Quintet, including Sahm, were talented on numerous instruments, so it's even harder to say which members might have actually been on the recordings. The interesting Grateful Dead/Doug Sahm connection in 1968 was that Sahm was on Mercury, and he recorded extensively in that label's San Francisco studios on Mission Street. And who was the house engineer at Mercury West? Why, Dan Healy, of course, so there were plenty of connections between Sahm and the Grateful Dead. Hence, finding the Sir Douglas Quintet over in the South Bay helping out in the studio isn't surprising.
In 1968, Mercury Records made a big splash by announcing that they had signed 12 bands in San Francisco on the same day. The most famous of these was Doug Sahm and the Sir Douglas Quintet, but they signed plenty of obscure artists. Mercury also recorded some demos for a Pigpen solo album in 1969, believe it or not, so they must have been sniffing around the Grateful Dead when the band's contract was ready to expire in 1969. Mercury, like many labels, was signing everyone in San Francisco, including some really forgettable artists. With this in mind, considering the Dan Healy/Doug Sahm connection, I find it strange that no record company was interested in John Dawson's demos. Even the Grateful Dead would not pay to record their friend's demos without having some plan, however harebrained, to find a way to allow Dawson to record a real record.
Until we get more information, I'll end with a series of propositions. I'm hoping for some proof or contradictions from anyone with more information or some clever ideas.
- The "Marmaduke Demos" on Before Time Again were recorded in late 1968 at Pacific Recording
- The initial demos featured just John Dawson and Betty Cantor on drums, but these were probably superseded and may not have survived
- The two surviving demos were probably built up with a variety of overdubs and punch ins, so it might not be clear who played on what track, even if anyone was in a state to remember
- The Grateful Dead family was interested in turning John Dawson into a recording artist as early as 1968, and willing to spend their own studio time to do it, even though nothing ever came of it, so the New Riders project can be seen as a solution rather than a random idea
- When Garcia played pedal steel to Dawson's songs for the first time in April 1969, he not only probably knew the songs, he had been actively working on trying to record Dawson
- Garcia's pedal steel guitar was a new sound for Dawson's music, but it was the sound that was new, not the songs. I maintain my working hypothesis that for Garcia, the New Riders was really about the sound of the band rather than the notes and melodies themselves


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Lost and Found
The amount of data that we're carrying around with us on laptops, smartphones and tablets keeps growing. But with 70 percent of people having lost a data storage device, that data can literally slip through our fingers.
The average person now loses 1.24 items a year and less than half of those are ever recovered. The average cost of a lost item is $220.15, but it's not just the value of the item itself that has an impact. Fifty-seven percent of people who had lost a device said that they were more upset about losing the data on the device than the device itself.
In fact, so strong is the desire to hang on to our smartphones – and the pictures, contacts and messages on them – that 93 percent of people who have dropped one down a toilet have attempted to retrieve it. Yet most loss comes down to human error. Just 18 percent of the things reported lost in the study were stolen, with most people stating that their own distraction or forgetfulness was to blame for losing their belongings.
This makes personal circumstances a huge contributing factor to loss. The times when people are busy and moving around a lot cause peaks in loss, so it may come as no surprise that 6:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in December are relatively disastrous when it comes to hanging on to your things.
Globally, big cities and areas where people use more public transit tend to form black holes for lost property. In the U.S., New York, Chicago and Atlanta form the Bermuda Triangle of the U.S. with more items lost here, per capita, than other parts of the country. Globally, 19 percent of items are lost on public transport.
With such a high percentage of loss happening in concentrated bursts, there's a strong case for businesses and individuals to make sure that they are protected by ensuring that their items are insured and that the data on their electronic devices is backed up.
With more items going missing at 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays in December than any other time, businesses and individuals should protect both their physical items and their data against loss.
December is the month in which most items are lost, with Saturdays being the worst days for loss and nearly as many items going missing on Fridays and Saturdays than the rest of the week put together. Loss peaks at 6:00 p.m.
The transition from daytime activities to evening activities seems to create a perfect environment for loss. People dashing from the office, laptop bag in hand, to meet friends for an evening out, or people going from a day of shopping to a dinner with friends seem to be the most likely to get distracted and carried away – or are simply carrying too much to keep track of everything.
With people more inclined to be travelling to meet friends and family and to have more social commitments during the holidays, it's no wonder that December is the most loss-packed month. A person leaving the office on a Friday night with an overnight bag and an armful of presents in addition to their usual laptop bag is, unsurprisingly, more likely to lose track of what they have with them.
Similarly, making last-minute arrangements of where to meet or snapping the highlights with your phone's camera mean that more of us are using our smartphones – the most common item to go missing.
In areas where commuting for work on public transport is common, there's also a peak in loss in the morning, which appears to correspond to travel to work. Nineteen percent of loss recorded was on public transit.
There's also a seasonal peak in the summer, which appears to reflect loss while on vacation.
What time of the day are you most likely to lose/have your lost something?
On which day of the week are you most likely to lose/have your lost something?
Which month of the year are you most likely to lose/have your lost something?
Is your hometown a loss hotspot? Explore our loss map to find out where the most items go missing.
With 70 percent of people having lost a data storage device, business plans, contracts and proposals are disappearing in the back of taxicabs, in hotel rooms and on commuter trains.
The transition from work life into social life coincides with the peak time of day for losing things. Nineteen percent of property that's lost is mislaid on public transport but people who travel to work by car are also likely to experience loss with 11 percent of lost and stolen items disappearing from a car.
Both electronic and data and printed information are at risk. The most commonly lost item is the smartphone, which, in our increasingly app-driven working environments, carries more business data than ever before. However, paperwork also features in the top 10 and 7.5 percent of people have lost their laptop in the last 12 months.
With more of us carrying smartphones than ever before, it's no wonder that they are creeping up the list of lost items. It might be argued that, because we tend to take them out of our bags and pockets more frequently than other items, they are the most likely to slip through our fingers. As we use our phones to check messages, surf the web, take photos, play games, shop and even make payments, we're forever picking them up and putting them down – and hopefully remembering where!
Other regularly lost items include, keys, credit cards and wallets – all things that we're used to carrying but are small enough to escape our notice if we don't have them with us.
Item 10 on the list, "paperwork," reminds us that it's not just technology that can put data at risk. We're still capable of losing our printed documents too.
There were several international discrepancies in the types of items that we lose. Fashion-conscious French are twice as likely to lose a favorite item of clothing than the Brits and four times as likely as Germans. Americans are twice as likely to lose laptops as Germans and four times as likely to lose their keys. Germans however are two-and-a-half times as likely to lose their purse or wallet as Brits or the French. The dreary weather in the UK might be the reason that the Brits are half as likely to lose their sunglasses than people in any other country.
Losing anything is an upsetting experience, but the research shows that people are most upset when they lose things that are difficult or impossible to replace.
Overall, respondents were most frustrated by the loss of bank and credit cards, which means one has to live without ready access to money until they can be replaced. And it puts people through the hassle of cancelling the cards and getting back anything fraudulently spent on them.
After credit cards, data storage devices in the form of laptops and smartphones take the second and third places respectively. And the statistics show that it's not the devices themselves that people are sad about losing but the data that is stored on them.
Fifty-seven percent of people who had lost a device of this type stated that they were more upset about losing their data than they were about the gadget. With phones and laptops packed with pictures, documents and messages that are often irreplaceable, it's no surprise that this is the case. When it comes to work devices, clearly the business information on the device is likely to be the primary concern when a laptop goes missing.
With younger people making their phones and laptops more central to their lives, this age group was more upset about losing them than their older counterparts. The prevalence of sadness at the loss of credit cards was driven by older respondents, where 25 percent of people 55 and older put it at the top of their list, compared to just 11 percent of 18 to 24 year olds.
Conversely, 27 percent of 18 to 24 year olds rated laptops as the item they'd be most upset about losing, compared to 10 percent of those over 55. A full 23 percent of 18 to 24 year olds placed their smartphone at the top of the list compared to just 5 precent of those over 55.
The emotional attachment people place on data, and the complexity and inconvenience of replacing bank and credit cards make them the most upsetting things for people to lose.
With the average person losing over $95.78 worth of stuff every year, billions are being lost
With the average person losing 1.24 items a year and just half of them being returned, every three years each person will have two items that they never see again.
The average value of a lost item is $176.25 and the average person irretrievably loses $95.78 of stuff each year.
Across all five countries surveyed, that's a total loss of more than $47 billion every year.
But that doesn't take into account the emotional value attached to the lost items. Losing a smartphone filled with pictures of the owner's children is likely to mean a lot more than simply losing the phone itself.
Similarly, losing a laptop filled with work information can damage not only the business you work for but also your career if the incident changes people's perception of you.
False teeth are some of the craziest things that turned up again and again on our lost list, with over 15 people stating that they'd been the unlucky finders of someone else's false teeth.
Cannonballs, guns, a mummified dog and a parakeet were also found by respondents to our survey proving that no matter how precious, large or cumbersome an item is, it's still possible to lose it.
Here's our list of the looniest lost items our respondents found:
• A chicken
• A handcuff key
• One Prada shoe
• Two guinea pigs
• A bag of worms
• A bowler hat
• An antler
• False teeth
• Mummified dog
• Rolex
• A safe
• Two guinea pigs
• A gold tooth
• A full bank deposit bag
• A samurai sword
• A .45 caliber handgun
• A draft screenplay
• A parakeet
• A little black book
• A 17th century cannonball
• A cucumber in an umbrella stand
• A black pearl in a shell
• A small antique clock
• A rowing machine
• A winning scratch card
It's sad that the items we hate to lose are the ones that we lose most often. But it appears that the reason why we're so sad about losing them is not because we value our smartphones and laptops particularly, but because we will miss the data that's stored on them.
Technology exists today to enable people to back up their digital content and protect themselves against this sort of loss. As awareness grows, the frustration associated with this sort of loss could be diminished.
In the meantime, Friday and Saturday early evenings in December will remain hotspots for loss and both businesses and individuals should be wary at these times to make sure they avoid the heartbreak that loss can bring.
In 2012, Mozy surveyed 3,500 people in the US, UK, Ireland, France and Germany regarding their experience of losing and finding items.
The survey was conducted independently by One Poll on behalf of Mozy, the world's most trusted provider of online backup solutions.
Click here to learn more about Mozy and its tools for mobile data access and online data backup.


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Bringing your Ideas to Live. Give a new image to your company.Idea is a Multipurpose, Clean & Modern Html Template. Perfect for any business and company.
- Based on Twitter Bootstrap 3
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- 5 Fully layered PSD files included
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Images are Not included in the purchased file
CreditsICONS: Icon Moon – by Keyamoon – included with demo file
FONT: Open Sans – a free Google Font


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Message Board
Georgina Gentry Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Gentry has written!
Author Gentry's Book Reviews
To Tempt A Texan
Lacey Durango is going to Oklahoma to stake a claim in land rush on a new town that is being formed. She plans on opening a newspaper and bringing the word of the Ladies Temperance Society to the people of the new town. Blackie O'Neal is also on his way to the new town to open a saloon and bordello. Blackie and Lacey arrive at the same time and make it to the choice piece of land at the same time, forcing them to bring the dispute to the land offi...


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Talk:Diaz' Gang
| This talk page is for discussing the Diaz' Gang article.
This includes commenting on the article, questioning whether it is correct, or adding suggestions for improvements
Questions about GTA games, not about the wiki page itself, should be asked at Community:Questions.Remember to always add your signature to the end of your comments/replies using four tildes:
Gang Name
Does anyone have any evidence for the name of this gang? Wikipedia lists it as "Diaz's Gang", which is apparently how it was referred to ingame. However, many sources cite the name as the "Diaz Cartel", including several pages around Wikipedia (if you trust that site). Perhaps Diaz himself once said the name of his gang? Perhaps the games files will reveal their internal name (eg DIAZGANG or DIAZCRTL).
If it turns out that the gang is unnamed (which it appears to be), then we can simply choose a descriptive title for the page. "Diaz's Gang" would be one option, and seems neutral/descriptive enough, but is difficult to spell. "Diaz Cartel" is simple, and accurate (all sources refer to it as a cartel). "The Diaz Gang" (or "Diaz Gang") seems to give it a name which it appears not to have. All comments appreciated, but please don't modify the page until an agreement has been reached. Currently the page is at the title it has always had on this wiki, and we'll keep it like that until we know we should change it. Thanks - Gboyers (?) 18:52, 13 April 2008 (UTC)
- In the stats pages in Vice City, it is referred to as Diaz's Gang. Also, how is that hard to spell? As it is stated in the game as such, the article name should be Diaz's Gang. You could, however, have a paragraph explaining the different names. A-Dust 11:27, 14 April 2008 (UTC)
- I second that their name should be Diaz's Gang. what's hard with spelling it that way? I guess you tried to say pronounce it? Neither that is hard either. Pretty easy spelling after all. --San Andreas Master 18:13, 14 April 2008 (UTC)
Good enough for me. If it is unnamed, it would just be "Diaz's gang", but our titles are always in title case, so that's why the page is at "Diaz's Gang". By spelling I was referring to the z-apostrophe-s. Technically it should be treated like an s, and be
Diaz' Gang, but a lot of modern (and many American) English sources only do that with a possessive plural, so belonging to three pencils is
pencils' instead of
pencils's, but
Chris's is allowed. This rule conforms to how it is pronounced, where you only add the sound "-es" once, either for plural or possessive, and you don't stack them up (pencil, pencils, pencilses), although this technically wrong in English spelling. I have opted for the simple option to keep it as pronounced (as described above) - Gboyers (?) 21:21, 14 April 2008 (UTC)
It's not really unnamed. The GTA Vice City game stat refers to the organization as "Diaz's gang", emphasis on the lower-case "gang". Of course, to maintain consistency, I think it's best left capitalized for our purposes. Thoughts? EganioTalk 20:30, 28 June 2008 (UTC)


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Friday, September 11, 2009
New defense attorney is Johnathon McDugall. (probably messed up spelling) Former DA, Seems like an under-the-radar type.
1 comment:
Johnathan D. McDougallReplyDelete
1640 Laurel Street
San Carlos, CA 94070
Admitted to the Bar - 2001
The Law Office of Jonathan D. McDougall specializes in the legal representation of those involved in the criminal justice system. Jonathan focuses his practice on California criminal defense, including serious felonies, violent crimes, sex crimes, gangs, guns, drugs, fraud, and driving under the influence.
Jonathan McDougall relies upon his extensive experience as a major crimes prosecutor in California and Pennsylvania for the benefit of those charged with a crime or as a victim of a crime. He has earned excellent results in cases involving Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Weapons Possession, DUI, Narcotic Trafficking, Aggravated Assault, Deadly Weapon, Attempted Murder and White Collar Crime. He has an aggressive, trial oriented approach, and fights tenaciously for his clients.
Jonathan also represents those involved as witnesses and victims in the criminal justice system, ensuring their concerns and protecting their rights. Jonathan handles cases in all adult and
juvenile courts in Alameda County, Contra Costa County, The City and County of San Francisco, San Mateo County, and Marin County.
He understands the stress and anxiety associated with criminal charges. That's why the office is committed to promptly returning phone calls, meeting face-to-face with clients, and keeping you updated by providing a prompt response to every question and concern.


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Thanks to the (increasingly-taken-for-granted) wonders of YouTube and iTunes, I've now watched all 65 of the existing episodes of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Some general thoughts about the series immediately come to mind:
1. The series does an amazing job of making familiar plots seem fresh and newly enjoyable. This speaks well of the quality of the writers, artists, and voice actors working on the series, but I do wish that the show would take more chances from a thematic standpoint, and that the creators would have the courage to follow their own instincts more consistently. A number of the "innovations" (e.g., the two-part "epic adventure" "The Crystal Empire" that opened season three) were pretty clearly driven by the demands of the fan base that the show be given more gravitas, and you can often tell when the creators' hearts are (or aren't) in "on-demand" eps like these.
2. The fans probably have some right to be concerned about the direction of the series following the "promotion" of Twilight Sparkle to the role of a winged alicorn princess in "Magical Mystery Cure," the most recent new episode. This isn't so much because of the promotion itself as it is because the changeover was effected in such a ham-hooved fashion -- a 22-minute episode with seven, count 'em, SEVEN songs and barely enough time to develop a convincing rationale for Twilight's new gig. Between "Cure" and the direct-to-video movie Equestria Girls, which saw the "Mane 6" ponies whisked off to the human world and transformed into human teenagers (aka "AAAAGHHH! HIDEOUS HOOFLESS MUTANTS!!") who just happen to be "but simply perfect" as subjects for a new toy line, the big worry is that Hasbro has begun to supersede the creative types in terms of decision-making. Given that the toy company has generally allowed the IDW comic-book line to go its own way, I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt for the moment. The first few eps of season four (which debuts in late November) will tell the more accurate tale.
Will this end well?
3. Bronies and Pegasisters (the latter being the belatedly-canonized name for female MLP:FIM fans) love to argue about who's "best pony" among the "Mane 6." That argument will never be settled, of course, because people will always have their personal likes and dislikes, but there's a distinct difference between "best pony" and "best pony character," and there's very little doubt in my mind as to who the latter is: Rarity. Rarity is one marvelous, marvelous character, and I'm not just saying that in a (falsely) "dumbed-down" MLP context. I think that she's easily one of the best animated characters I've ever encountered, and she's already pushing hard, in a demure sort of way, for the exalted title of my favorite female Toon of any sort.
A bit of personal-historical perspective may be helpful here, at least to those of my readers who haven't heard me express my opinions on this subject before (most notably in PASSIONS, my friend Ken Bausert's old general-interest APA, back in the 1990s). I may have great love for the male-dominated Duck comics and DuckTales, but I have no problem whatsoever with strong female Toon characters, and Disney TV Animation certainly provided more than its share of those during its heyday...
These gals all had their foibles -- well, you'd probably have to look a little more closely than normal to find Kim Possible's, but I digress -- but they also possessed obvious skills and enough strength of character to hold their own with anybody. My single favorite female Toon, however, has long been POGO's Miss Ma'amselle Hepzibah, the demure French skunk who, if only by default, is the "romantic interest" in Walt Kelly's distaff-shy Okefenokee Swamp.
So, why The Divine Mademoiselle H? Well, she's obviously quite easy on the eyes, especially in the later years of the strip. She exudes thoughtfulness and generosity with her freely offered picnic lunches. She also gives off the air of being "available" but doesn't pursue any one male in particular, though I've always assumed that she'd wind up with Pogo one of these years (by which I mean, the "imagined years" of the strip's continuance). And, of course, the "fractured Franglais" that serves as her standard patois is simply delightful.
For all of Hepzibah's charms, she is, like Pogo himself, a rather... passive... character. It makes sense that one of the common themes of the quadrennial "Pogo for President" campaigns involved getting Pogo and Hepzibah "hitched" for additional appeal to the voters; the more proactive characters laid their plans, while the possum and skunk were more or less ignorant of what was going on. (When they DID find out, they tended to not be so keen on the idea, at least on the surface.) When it came to general deportment, Pogo was famously reticent, but Hepzibah was, if possible, even more so. The Wikipedia entry on POGO claims that Hepzibah "tends to be overdramatic," which, at least in my mind, brings Wikipedia's reliability into severe question. (I'm being sarcastic, don't you know.) Not only was Hepzibah not "overdramatic," but she very rarely even lost her temper or raised her voice; her "outbursts," when they came, tended to be quite mild.
Rarity, "Spirit of Generosity" of the Elements of Harmony, ace gem-finder, and proprietor of Ponyville's chic Carousel Boutique, possesses obvious similarities to Hepzibah, most notably (and delightfully) in the area of looks. I seem to have some sort of "thing" for well-designed black-and-white characters dating back to Kimba the White Lion and even Richie Rich's dog Dollar; indeed, one of the only things that made Disney's 101 Dalmatians: The Series palatable for me was the panache of "lead pup" Lucky. (Yes, I know that the latter show featured scads of other B&W characters. But I also know that character is more than color-scheme deep.)
Princess Celestia..." episodes, which are not as prevalent as they once were but are still very much a part of the series) and battle various threats to Equestria (which, ironically, will have to be revamped in season four now that the ponies have managed to make friends with, or at least come to some sort of terms with, the likes of Discord and Trixie). Complicating matters, but also engendering audience sympathy, is the fact that the "Mane 6" occasionally have difficulty living up to their "spirits." Thus, for example, Applejack's stubborn honesty often leads her to bite off more than she can chew, Rainbow Dash's athletic abilities feed an ego that occasionally spins out of control, and Twilight Sparkle's anal-retentive devotion to her magical studies and her responsibilities as Celestia's prize mentee literally drove her insane on one infamous occasion.
Needless to say, Rarity participated in the great game of "fighting against her nature" as well. In her case, however, the battle never really ends; there is always some sort of conflict going on between her obvious virtues (generosity towards others, above all) and her equally obvious flaws (love of attention, desire to gain wider fame and fortune for her couturiere skills, a somewhat controlling nature, and a genuine predilection to overdramatize things). Part of the reason for the struggle may be that "Spirit of Generosity" was not Rarity's original monicker; she was originally slated to be the "Spirit of Inspiration," but the show's creators eventually decided that title to be too vague. It's almost as if the tension between what Rarity was supposed to be and what she was ultimately assigned to be is "working itself out" inside her as the series progresses. That has to be somewhat painful. It may make her (not to mention the viewer/reader) feel better to consider that Scrooge McDuck has had to fight a similar "battle between natures" ever since Carl Barks started to soften the hard-bitten early version of the character in the 50s.
Pinkie Pie (and I've since raised the "pink flag" on her, mostly to keep her from using it to break the fourth wall again). I first began to take Rarity seriously as a great character when I watched the early second-season ep "Sisterhooves Social." This episode, even with its elementary plot and occasional dips into shameless sentimentality, is now snugly ensconced in my personal "Top 10" list of favorite half-hour animated eps. Yes, right up there with the likes of "Hero for Hire," "Sir Gyro de Gearloose," "Journey into Time," "Dangerous Journey," "Stormy Weather"... you KNOW it had to have wowed me in order to join such company so quickly. Hard on the hooves of "Social" came "Sweet and Elite," the tale of Rarity's attempt to break into the high society of Equestria's capital Canterlot, which is almost as good, both as a story and as an examination of Rarity's character. Amazingly, the series has given Rarity NO STARRING ROLES since then, leaving it to the magnificent issue #3 of IDW's MLP MICRO-SERIES to remind us what we have been missing in the interim. Happily, reports are that Rarity will be getting some featured roles in season four.
Sonic Rainboom," in which she selflessly agrees to test a difficult "temporary flying spell" for Twilight so that the ponies can go up to the Pegasus stronghold of Cloudsdale and support Rainbow Dash in a "Best Young Flier" contest. The whole gang eventually gets up there (with the others opting for a simpler "ability to walk on clouds" spell), but Rarity is so taken with her beautiful new wings (or, more accurately, with others' awed reactions to the wings) that she completely forgets about the "big picture" and decides to enter the contest herself. When she climaxes her routine by flying up to bask in the light of the sun...
a cursory knowledge of Greek mythology can guess what's coming next. Rainbow Dash ends up performing the supposedly impossible "Sonic Rainboom" maneuver (and, needless to say, winning the contest) to save Rarity from a death-dive. A properly chagrined Rarity begs forgiveness of Princess Celestia and the other "Mane" ponies and, of course, receives it.
"Sweet and Elite" has something of a similar structure to "Rainboom," with Rarity intending to perform a good deed (in this case, making Twilight a birthday dress to thank her for securing a room in Celestia's palace during Rarity's business trip to Canterlot) but getting sidetracked by an unexpected chance to shine herself. In this case, the "chance to shine" is nothing less than the opportunity to become "the pony that everypony should know" in Canterlot society. Since the vast majority of "Canterlot society" consists of shallow, superficial snobs, Rarity, by her very nature, is already a hind leg up on them insofar as "true class" goes. Given her strong emphasis on the importance of style and fashion, it's probably understandable that she fails to realize that. The "crisis" arrives when Twilight and the other "Mane" ponies unexpectedly come to town to celebrate Twilight's birthday at precisely the time when Rarity is granted a precious invitation to an exclusive garden party. This leads to the usual "I have to be in two places at once" hijinx...
Sweetie Belle, who is dumped in Rarity's lap while the girls' "redneck Canadian" parents go off on a vacation. (How did Rarity get to be so sophisticated when she has such parents as role models? Greg Weagle would no doubt say that he SMELLS A FANFIC COMING! And, knowing the Bronies, it's probably already been written.)
Tabitha St. Germain always puts a "little something special" into these bursts of temper, including "sudden low-pitched shrieks" that clash dramatically (and amusingly) with Rarity's normal, Audrey Hepburn-inflected voice.
Apple Bloom and AB's sister Applejack, who are... well, certainly not "un-sisters." Rarity recognizes the folly of her ways in quasi-operatic fashion when she takes another look at Sweetie's "silly little art project" and breaks down in tears...
Green Isn't Your Color" (clever title, that, considering Rarity's close identification with fashion). Rarity gets a chance to show off her sartorial stock for a big-time fashion photographer and convinces Fluttershy to be her model, but the photog winds up going gaga for Fluttershy, who becomes a famous supermodel while Rarity is left to sit and stew. The ep builds up the jealousy angle quite nicely, with Rarity alternatively blaming herself for her "failure to impress," doing the standard slow burns, and feeling severe pangs of guilt over her hopes that Fluttershy will fail. As with the sister conflict, I think that we have all experienced one or more of these "stages of jealousy" at one time or another.
Ponyville Confidential" finds the Cutie Mark Crusaders trying to earn their "cutie marks" as journalists -- or, as things turn out, gossip columnists for the school paper. The girls perform their dubious task so well that they are soon infuriating everypony in town with "juicy stories" of doubtful veracity. As the other "Mane 6" ponies fret and fume, Rarity laughs off the "harmless gossip"... but then her own private diary gets published in the paper.
A Dog and Pony Show," Rarity initially appears to be a "mere" victim rather than a protagonist, as she is captured by gem-grubbing Diamond Dogs and forced to become a gem-hunting slave for them. But she has a trick up her sleeve (or would, if she were wearing a dress in this episode). Knowing full well what she's doing, she literally whines the Diamond Dogs into near-insanity while her friends are coming to the rescue. These are sequences that you actually have to see to fully appreciate. The first time I watched them, I assumed that Rarity was simply "being Rarity" and that her reactions were entirely natural. Credit goes to Tabitha St. Germain for brilliantly hiding the truth with one of her best performances as Rarity.
If you're not interested in the TV series, you can still get an excellent overview of all of Rarity's glories in the MICRO-SERIES comic "How Rarity Got Her Groovy Back." One of the folks commenting on the issue on Equestria Daily noted that the issue "emphasized so many of Rarity's best traits, including not merely generosity, but also her ambition, drive, commitment to hard work, intelligence, and business savvy." I was especially pleased to see this last trait play such a major role in the story, especially after the tale began as a standard "finicky fish tossed into dirty water" scenario, with Rarity going for some needed R&R to a "wellness center" that turns out to be a front for a hippie commune that makes "all-natural" toiletry items.
Rather than run screaming for home, however, Rarity sticks out the muddy humiliations inherent in making the commune's products -- mostly because she appreciates their quality and gets to sample them...
... and, when she learns that the commune is in danger of being razed to make way for the Equestrian equivalent of a Wal-Mart, she helps the clueless hippies (are there any other kind??) to revamp their business (along "all-natural" lines, of course) and make it a profitable one. Not only does this story highlight something about Rarity that is generally taken for granted -- she is a successful entrepreneur to rival Rebecca Cunningham, and perhaps an even more admirable one because she literally does everything herself (with a fair bit of help from her "Unicorn magic") -- but it treats the hippies' concerns as legitimate without devolving into the usual anti-capitalist screed.
I'll close this unconscionably long, yet deeply heartfelt, tribute by discussing the one episode in which Rarity's signature generosity takes full and complete center stage, with no deviations due to the other demons that drive her: "Suited for Success." Rarity insists upon making new dresses for her friends to wear at Canterlot's upcoming Grand Galloping Gala, but they take advantage of her offer and insist upon "appropriate" changes to the (splendid) original designs. Rarity, being Rarity, tries desperately to accommodate them... in song.
The revised dresses are so ludicrous that, when the ponies hold a fashion show to showcase Rarity's work, they receive universal cat -- er, ponycalls. Rarity's reaction is nothing if not resigned and restrained. No, actually, she goes into a long spiel about how one should properly "wallow in pity" and "go into exile." This might be considered another case of Rarity's penchant for overdramatization, but, in this case, I think that she was perfectly within her rights to have a little tantrum. Melodramatically calling herself "pa-the-he-tic" may have pushed the envelope a little too far, though.
... and, when she learns that the commune is in danger of being razed to make way for the Equestrian equivalent of a Wal-Mart, she helps the clueless hippies (are there any other kind??) to revamp their business (along "all-natural" lines, of course) and make it a profitable one. Not only does this story highlight something about Rarity that is generally taken for granted -- she is a successful entrepreneur to rival Rebecca Cunningham, and perhaps an even more admirable one because she literally does everything herself (with a fair bit of help from her "Unicorn magic") -- but it treats the hippies' concerns as legitimate without devolving into the usual anti-capitalist screed.
I'll close this unconscionably long, yet deeply heartfelt, tribute by discussing the one episode in which Rarity's signature generosity takes full and complete center stage, with no deviations due to the other demons that drive her: "Suited for Success." Rarity insists upon making new dresses for her friends to wear at Canterlot's upcoming Grand Galloping Gala, but they take advantage of her offer and insist upon "appropriate" changes to the (splendid) original designs. Rarity, being Rarity, tries desperately to accommodate them... in song.
The revised dresses are so ludicrous that, when the ponies hold a fashion show to showcase Rarity's work, they receive universal cat -- er, ponycalls. Rarity's reaction is nothing if not resigned and restrained. No, actually, she goes into a long spiel about how one should properly "wallow in pity" and "go into exile." This might be considered another case of Rarity's penchant for overdramatization, but, in this case, I think that she was perfectly within her rights to have a little tantrum. Melodramatically calling herself "pa-the-he-tic" may have pushed the envelope a little too far, though.
Rarity's friends realize that they were wrong to "look a gift pony in the mouth" and apologize. The subsequent "Take 2" fashion show is much more successful than the first one, as you might expect.
I think you get my point. I look forward with great anticipation to the show's plans for Rarity during season four and beyond. If the creators are smart -- and I certainly think they are -- then they will take full advantage of the potential inherent in this wonderful character and give her the more prominent role that she deserves. In the interim, I'll leave Rarity and Hepzibah to compare notes. Hepzibah can teach Rarity how to control her emotions a bit, and Rarity can teach Hepzibah... how to use Kimba-style karate punches to fight off changeling monsters.
Yes, really. I TOLD you the gal was multi-faceted.


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Meeting today (06/07/11)
Posted by EuanBenzie on July 6th, 2011
Hi all,
Just a reminder of the meeting Tomorrow (06/07/11) at the Belmont Cinema Cafe (Downstairs) at 7:30pm.
In the meeting we will be discussing :
The Election results and what it means to us as socialists (this will be the first branch meeting since the election therefore its our first opportunity to discuss this!)
Summer activities
The Scottish Socialist Youth's (SSY) annual Legalise Cannabis demo
Camp Secret Squirrel the SSY's summer camp
Hope to see you all there!
Aberdeen SSP


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I do not usually share dumb Facebook stuff, but this just killed me...Some of the worst music album covers that you will ever see and most of them are religious in nature. Try to brace yourself first...these are bad!
Views: 950
Ha! "We"?
…I keep working the Shaggs into this, …bad album cover and all. Even commenting off-topic, one must always breath at least a little topic into their off-topic posts.
~ ex-forum moderator.
Speaking of on-topic, I actually knew two guys from the band "Orleans" on that list, and their original manager. They were actually a decent band, a little too mellow for my taste, but great harmonies. They're still going...
Sorry, Suzi. We got a little off topic.
What really got to me about Zappa at first, was the sheer musicianship. Time changes, runs 16th notes, 32nd notes, I could swear even more. His tongue firmly planted in cheek, but completely serious, what a dichotomy of a man, sheer brillance. And the lyrics. I can say, without equivocation, that he was one of the people that influenced me toward thinking like I do. Yeah, I miss him.
Knowing a little bit about his musical tastes, (…think Edgar Varese), I think FZ was probably quite serious when he said that. He had an ear for cacophony, his first TV appearance (way before any albums or the Mothers), was on the Steve Allan show in 1963 using a bicycle as a musical instrument. Also, Capt. Beefheart at times isn't that sonically far from the Shaggs.
Zappa called "Philosophy of the World" his 3rd favorite album.
'The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe'. Yeah Suzi. I miss him too.
Yes Richard, Frank Zappa was known to mock others...sort of his style. Damn...I miss Zappa.
Ha ha! that's funny, Frank Zappa once said that the Shaggs were better than the Beatles.
This link might make your ears feel better. The lead singer is a friend of mine in Minnesota. The band was bigger than the Beatles in Germany at one time...Here are the Monks!
Thank you so much. This will occupy me for no telling how long.
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