text:
9 top cities for 'detective travel'
Once upon a time it was the sunlit fjords, clean cities and reputedly gorgeous locals that drew tourists to Scandinavia.
Now it's crime, grime and darkness that's equally likely to reel them in.
A recent boom in the popularity of so-called Nordic noir -- TV cop dramas and crime novels based in northern Europe -- has seen fans making pilgrimages to the scene of the crime, the Scandinavian cities featured therein.
But why stop there?
With France tipped as the next hotbed of Euro-crime fiction, there's plenty of vacation inspiration from the doings of Gaelic gumshoes.
There's no reason to limit your detective travels to Europe.
Why travel like a private eye? The reason, as Sherlock Holmes would say, is elementary.
Whereas traditional guidebooks stick to the boring old tourist mill, crime fiction steers its readers to the seamier corners of the city, where mystery, adventure and possibly even sauciness lie in wait.
Let's look at the evidence.
Exhibit A: Stockholm
Detectives: Mikael Blomkvist, a bed-hopping journalist whose worthy but dull scoops lead him to lock horns with suits, sadists and psychopaths.
Lisbeth Salander, a tattooed security consultant who hacks computers, kicks ass and wreaks nasty revenge.
Both appeared in Stieg Larsson's "Millennium" trilogy.
Guide books say: Pretty Scandinavian city once home to Vikings and ABBA.
Crime fiction says: In Södermalm, the buzzing island suburb that both Blomkvist and Salander call home, you'll find stunning views, interesting shops and groovy people.
Stockholm City Museum now offers guided tours of Millennium trilogy locations.
Crime scene: Mellqvist Kaffebar, Hornsgatan 78; +46 (0)76 875 29 92. The coffee shop and cafe was a favorite of both the late Larsson and his characters.
Exhibit B: Copenhagen, Denmark
Detectives: Inspector Sarah Lund, an obsessive near-sociopath with a stylish taste in knitwear who has relentlessly chased suspects through three twisty seasons of TV drama "The Killing."
Guide books say: Visit the twee Little Mermaid or the happy hippies of Christiania commune.
Crime fiction says: Lund's city is dark, cold, perpetually overhung with rain clouds, riddled with corruption and littered with corpses.
Lund's $370 Faroe island sweater might steal the show, but there are plenty of other stars, not least the elaborate brick-built City Hall, the austere police headquarters or the upscale Østerbro district that Lund initially called home.
Crime scene: Holberg No. 19 cafe, Holbergsgade 19d; +45 33 14 01 90. A favorite of "Killing" star Sophie Gråbøl.
Exhibit C: Edinburgh, Scotland
Detective: Inspector John Rebus, a grizzled former military man whose prodigious love of jazz about equals his thirst for beer and whisky.
Guide books say: Och aye! Bagpipes, tartan and ancient castles.
Crime fiction says: Och no! Rebus pursues murderers, gangsters and bent politicians through Edinburgh's back alleyways and dark staircases to locations ranging from rundown housing projects to the Scottish parliament -- with plenty of booze stops along the way. The guided Rebus tour does it best.
Crime scene: The Oxford Bar, 8 Young St.; +44 (0)131 539 7119. Real life regulars at Rebus's favorite watering hole crop up in author Ian Rankin's novels.
Exhibit D: Paris
The detective: Commissaire Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg, a scruffy daydreamer who wouldn't last cinq minutes in most police forces. But quelle surprise, his eccentric methods get results.
Guide books say: Ah Paris! City of romance, of style, of architecture, of je ne sais quoi.
Crime fiction says: Ah Paris! City of pestilence, superstition and medieval grudges.
Author Fred Vargas conjures a French capital of introspective and untidy communities populated by amiable weirdoes.
It's a far cry from the boutique-filled boulevards. This is a grubbier, more vital world and, as Vargas's florid plots unfurl, no less filled with je ne sais quoi.
Crime scene: Père-Lachaise Cemetery, Av. Gambetta. Built to re-accommodate Paris black death victims, this tangled graveyard is classic Adamsberg territory.
Exhibit E: Oslo, Norway
The detective: Inspector Harry Hole, a brilliant sleuth whose maverick methods, alcoholism and troubled love life leave him constantly teetering between promotion and dismissal.
Guide books say: Boats in museums -- choose from Viking vessels or the Kon-tiki, weird park-based art (the heebie jeebie-inducing Vigelandsparken sculpture collection) and an opera house. Plus fish.
Crime fiction says: There aren't really any mean streets in Oslo -- Hole's home address on Sofies Gate is in the city's leafy Hanshaugen district -- so Nesbø adds grit via his hero's frequent trips to bars such as the Underwater pub (so gritty it hosts regular opera nights).
Crime scene: Restaurant Schrøder, Waldemar Thranes Gate 8; +47 22 60 51 83. A stodge-serving Norwegian eatery frequented by Hole when he's barred elsewhere.
Exhibit H: Marseille, France
The detective: Fabio Montale, a boozy and lovelorn cop hungry for justice and hungrier for Mediterranean cuisine.
Guide books say: Explore the Old Port, stroll along La Canebière avenue, lose yourself in the exotic Panier district.
Crime fiction says: Writer Jean-Claude Izzo captures the smells and tastes of Marseille, but imbues Montale with his own ambivalence toward the city.
In his trio of crime novels, Izzo spends half his time hymning about France's second city and the rest despairing about its evils. As he bluntly puts it: "Marseille isn't a city for tourists. There's nothing to see."
Crime scene: Chez Loury, 3 Rue Fortia; +33( 0)4 9133 0973. Also a keen food writer, Izzo sings the praises of this classic Provençal restaurant.
Exhibit I: Ystad, Sweden
The detective: We're back in Sweden, this time in the southern Skåne peninsula where insomniac Inspector Kurt Wallander defies his own shambolic lifestyle to catch criminals.
Guide books say: The charming town of Ystad is surrounded by pretty fields, splendid castles and golf courses. Zzzzzzz.
Crime fiction says: Writer Henning Menkell sees only stark, windswept countryside where bodies wash up on deserted beaches and teenagers are butchered in woodland glades.
Crime scene: Hotel Continental, Hamngatan 13; +46 411 137 00. Where Wallander eats numerous lonely dinners for one.
Exhibit F: Cape Town
The detective: Inspector Benny Griessel, a brilliant sleuth whose maverick methods, alcoholism ... you know the rest.
Guide books say: With Table mountain, the V&A waterfront and vineyards, Cape Town is South Africa's jewel.
Crime fiction says: Cape Town suffers from the same corruption, poverty and apartheid hangovers as the rest of South Africa, and has the body count to prove it. But writer Deon Meyer's dusty city is far more exciting than the yawn-inducing destination portrayed in travel brochures.
Crime scene: Carlucci's Deli, 22 Upper Orange Street; +27 (0)21 465 0795. A sandwich bar that is the hub of the action in Meyer's page-turning "Thirteen Days."
Exhibit G: Shanghai
The detective: Chief Inspector Chen Cao, the opposite of Hole and Grissel. He's a poetry-loving gumshoe who thrives within the rigid structures of China's Communist Party.
Guide books say: Gaze in awe at ultra-rich Shanghai's rapidly expanding skyscape.
Crime fiction says: Gaze with respect at disappearing ways of life and those who fall victim when money, power and politics collide.
Crime scene: Laobanzhai restaurant, 600 Fuzhou Road; +86 21 6322 3668. Author Qiu Xiaolong's favorite.


text:
When the Jets went 1-15 under Rich Kotite in 1996, they reached out to Bill Parcells to take over the team's football operation and get them headed back in the right direction.
Parcells did that, taking the team to the AFC Championship Game two years later and setting the team on a path that's saw the team post losing records just three times before this year. The Jets aren't quite at the Kotite level of hopelessness, but change is in the air around the franchise again and Brian Costello of the New York Post thinks he knows just the man to get them headed back in the right direction.
It's Parcells, as you've probably put together by yourself by now. Parcells didn't respond to Costello's text message looking for comment on the possibility that he could serve as a consultant who helps them find a new General Manager, so this is nothing more than the idea of a writer at this point in time. It's one that makes a certain amount of sense, especially if a report from Jason LaCanfora of CBSSports.com is correct. He reports the Jets would like to keep current General Manager Mike Tannenbaum around in a cap management role while bringing in someone else to oversee the personnel decisions.
LaCanfora points out that few strong candidates would agree to those circumstances given Tannenbaum's close relationship with Jets owner Woody Johnson and the lack of clear authority. What's more, Tannenbaum's cap management led to guaranteed salaries for players like Wayne Hunter, Mark Sanchez and Bart Scott that have hamstrung the Jets roster this season as well as the long-term deal with wide receiver Santonio Holmes that seems destined to become another albatross. If the Jets really want to change their fortunes, they can't do it through half measures and can't act like those with a hand in their poor record bear no accountability for their role.
The Jets need all the help they can get. Whether or not it is Parcells, they can't rely only on the people that got them into the mess for help getting out of it.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
blast from the craft past
Check out the crafty goodness I found at my parents' place this past weekend! I was finishing up the sort/purge of my old bedroom, before my parents move to Singapore, and came upon a bag of stuffed animals.
I found some old best friends, of course. I love that my uncle, in his mid-twenties when I was born, kept giving me white toys.
But I also found some nifty, crafty items–both homemade. First up, the birth of amigurumi! Crocheted in the late 70s, this ice cream cone was made for me by my mom.
I wish I knew crochet well enough to figure out how to make those blumpy spots of melting ice cream, because otherwise I suppose this would be pretty easy to make. I say this, of course, but I know nothing about crocheting toys–any experts out there got any ideas or patterns? I've been itching to try some amigurumi, but my crochet skills are pretty nonexistent. I used to claim I knew how to crochet, but a friend recently pointed out that I wasn't doing enough wraps on what I thought was a double crochet, so I shrug and now claim that I could know how to crochet, if I put my mind to it. And I'm thinking about putting my mind to it soon.
The other find was my first sewn toy, made in Home Ec in 6th grade.
I remember that we had a choice of animals, but I have no idea what the other options were. I feel as though most people made the shark. I'd forgotten all about this guy until he came peeking out of the bag. I think smaller versions would be very cute for baby gifts!


text:
The 52mm Smoked Super White Series gauges have two modes. When the ignition is switched off the gauge faces are totally black and when the ignition is switched on the gauge faces come to life with illuminated super white detail and an illuminated red needle surrounded by a chrome bezel. These gauges have a subtle backlight making them perfectly clear during the day or fully illuminated at night. This series of gauges offers stunning looks, fantastic quality and easy fitment at an affordable price.
All of these gauges are supplied in a presentation box as a kit with instructions. Oil and water gauges are also supplied with required sensors.


text:
Morning Five: 09.10.12 EditionPosted by rtmsf on September 10th, 2012
- The biggest news from the weekend was without question the bombshell that dropped Friday that former Duke forward Lance Thomas is being sued by a New York City jeweler who caters to professional athletes for an unpaid debt of $67,800 — credit that was extended to Thomas upon a down payment of $30,000 and purchase of several items during December of his senior season. This is the same senior season that led to Duke and Mike Krzyzewski's fourth national championship won over upstart Butler; the same senior season where Thomas started in most of the Blue Devils' games and contributed five points and five rebounds in roughly 25 minutes per game. Right now, there are more questions than answers — where did Thomas get such a large sum of money to make the down payment? Why would a jeweler give a college student of marginal skill such exorbitant credit? What happened to the jewelry, and did anyone at Duke see him wearing it? Right now, all we know is that the NCAA and Duke both say that they are aware of the issue, but you'd better believe that a nation full of fans of schools other than Duke will be watching this one very, very closely.
- Of the six power conferences, the Big East has without question been the one most expendable because of its relative lack of marquee football programs. In an effort to keep up with the Joneses, it has expanded its gridiron presence to include schools from all four US time zones which hasled to understandable mockery over the word "East" in its moniker. Last week former interim commissioner Joe Bailey stated at a sports business conference that the league was investigating a name change to better fit its new national geographic presence. Within minutes of this news releasing, Twitter had a field day making fun of it, no doubt sending current Big East commissioner Mike Aresco into panic mode. Putting the matter to rest on Saturday, Aresco said that there are no plans to change the name, citing "tremendous brand equity" in the conference's geographic misnomer. Let's hope for Aresco's sake that the equity he refers to is more Apple than Enron.
- The third buzzworthy item from the weekend related to a comment made by NCAA executive VP for championships, Mark Lewis, late last week. In a conversation with ESPN.com, Lewis said he pulled out a US map and openly wondered why the population-heavy east and west coasts were effectively shut out of the possibility of hosting a Final Four because there are no domed stadiums located in those areas (every Final Four from 1997 to present has been in a dome). The eight existing viable locations — Atlanta, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, New Orleans, and St. Louis — are generally found in the nation's mid-section, far from the media hype machines located along the seaboards. The primary impact, of course, would be on the ticket market. Domes are set up to hold upward of 70,000 fans, whereas traditional basketball arenas top out in the low 20,000+ range. We've been to a number of Final Fours over the years, and in general have to agree with Mike DeCourcy who argues that the buzz and energy of the building filled with that many people surpasses the tradeoff of a more intimate environment. As a compromise position, we'd offer this suggestion — limit the regional rounds to traditional arenas only, allowing the NBA cities located up and down both coasts regular hosting opportunities; but keep the Final Fours in the dome environments, allowing huge fanbases as well as the general public a reasonable chance to experience one of the great spectacles in all of sports.
- As we inch closer to the 2012-13 season, UNLV basketball continues to receive positive attention. The Runnin' Rebels are loaded with talent and expectations are sky high in the desert. With good attention and expectations comes demands, and the Nevada Board of Regents made an effort to keep head coach Dave Rice happy by approving a raise to a base salary of $600,000 and an extension through the 2016-17 season. Rice's first season featured the emergence of star forward Mike Moser and a 26-9 overall record although it ended prematurely in the Rebs' first game of the NCAA Tournament. Next year's team will add star recruit Anthony Bennett and transfer Khem Birch to bolster the front line along with Moser, making UNLV a chic preseason pick to make a run at the 2013 Final Four.
- The 2012 Basketball Hall of Fame class was inducted on Friday night, and as always, college basketball was well-represented. The biggest name from our game was Virginia's three-time NPOY Ralph Sampson — for those of you under 40, read that part in italics again — a player who was so utterly dominant during one of the most talented eras the sport has ever seen that his NBA career (only four All-Star appearances) pales in comparison. Other college stars of note were UCLA's Jamaal Wilkes (two-time first-team All-American), UCLA's Don Barksdale (second-team All-American), Reggie Miller (two-time first-team Pac-10), Iowa's Don Nelson (two-time All-American, although he was selected for his coaching), Bradley's Chet Walker (two-time All-American), New Mexico's Mel Daniels (second-team All-American) and referee Hank Nichols. An interesting non-basketball-playing inductee was Nike CEO Phil Knight, whose impact on the sport through his sneakers and corollary marketing efforts have been incalculable.


text:
Monitor desk mounts
Create a clean, ergonomic workspace with our stylish monitor solutions!
TV wall mounts
Experience the easy installation of our TV brackets!
Floor stands
Choose from our wide range of manual or electrically adjustable products.
Ceiling mounts
Ideal for information and advertising purposes!
Find the perfect solution for every screen:
NewStar AV & IT Mounts
The best support for your AV & IT hardware


text:
All About Pediatric Gliomas (Low and High Grade)
Brain tumors are the second most common tumor in children (20% of all pediatric cancers). Overall, the incidence of brain tumors is 4.84 cases per 100,000 children per year. Although some people say that the incidence of pediatric brain tumors has increased over the past few years, the incidence is most likely not rising – the increased numbers of brain tumors diagnosed has occurred because there is improved ability to detect these tumors.
Brain tumors can occur in any part of the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS includes the brain, the spinal cord and the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, which is called the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The specific type of brain tumor is determined by what the tumor looks like under the microscope, which is called histology. The location of the tumor in the brain is also important. If the tumor starts in the brain, it is called a primary brain tumor. If the tumor starts elsewhere in the body and spreads to the brain, it is called a metastatic brain tumor. Metastatic means that the tumor has spread to other parts of the body, other than where it initially began. When a child is diagnosed with a brain tumor, the histology, location and stage of the tumor will help determine how the tumor will be treated.
Gliomas are the most common type of brain tumor in both children and adults. The word glioma encompasses many different tumor types, and gliomas come in different "grades." Gliomas are often categorized as "low-grade", meaning that the tumor cells look as if they are dividing more slowly under the microscope, or "high-grade," meaning that the cells look more aggressive under the microscope. Low-grade tumors can cause problems even when they are not malignant (cancerous) by pressing on the normal structures in the brain and causing symptoms. Gliomas develop from the abnormal growth of glial cells. A glial cell is a type of cell in the brain that surrounds the neurons, which are the cells that conduct electrical impulses to transmit information. Glial cells support and insulate the neurons. For example, an astroctye is a special form of glial cell. Astrocytomas are a type of glioma that forms because of abnormal growth of astrocytes.
Approximately 60% of brain tumors in children occur in the infratentorial brain. The infratentorial brain is the lower part of the brain near the middle of the back of the head and includes the cerebellum and the brainstem. This is the part of the brain that controls movement and balance. The brainstem is the middle of the brain and connects the brain to the spinal cord. The brainstem controls breathing, movement of the eyes, passing on information about sensation and involuntary muscle movements. The supratentorial brain is the part of the brain that is above the cerebellum. The supratentorial brain includes the cerebrum, which is the largest part of the brain. This part of the brain controls thinking, emotions, problem solving, learning, talking, reading, writing and voluntary movement. Gliomas can be found in any part of the brain or spinal cord.
What are the types of pediatric gliomas?
Gliomas can either be low-grade or high-grade. Grading is done based on World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The grade is a measure of how abnormal the tumors cells look under the microscope. High-grade tumors look very unusual. Low-grade tumors look different than normal brain cells, but they are not as abnormal-appearing as high-grade tumor cells. The grade of the tumor also relates to how fast the tumor grows and affects prognosis. The WHO criteria were modified in 2016, and many gliomas are now classified both by their name, and by a description of their molecular or genetic characterization.
Pilocytic astrocytoma – This is a low-grade (WHO grade I) brain tumor that is made up of cells that are spindle-like in appearance. Pilocytic astrocytoma is the most common type of low-grade glioma. These types of gliomas often occur in the cerebellum and are called cerebellar pilocytic astrocytomas, though they can occur in any part of the CNS. The most common type of pilocytic astrocytoma is a juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA). JPA makes up 20% of pediatric brain tumors. Low-grade astrocytomas are usually slow-growing and are not found until they are very large and cause problems because of their size.
Anaplastic astrocytoma – This is a high-grade (WHO grade III) tumor. It is called anaplastic because the cells of the tumor do not have the structure of normal brain glioma cells. These tumors can grow in any part of the CNS. These tumors grow faster than low-grade gliomas and are more likely to recur even after treatment. They usually do not spread to other parts of the CNS.
Glioblastoma multiforme – This is a high-grade (WHO grade IV) tumor. These tumors can occur anywhere in the brain or spinal cord. While the tumors may start in one part of the brain, they sometimes spread to other areas in the CNS. These tumors are more aggressive, which means they grow faster than low-grade gliomas, and they also may grow back even after treatment.
Diffuse midline glioma, H3 K27M-mutant (formerly called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) – This is a high-grade tumor that is found in the brainstem. These tumors account for 10% of all brain tumors in children. Patients with these tumors usually have neurologic changes that lead them to be diagnosed with their brain tumors.
Optic pathway glioma – This is a low-grade tumor that occurs in the optic nerve. The optic nerve is the nerve that goes to the eye.
Tectal glioma – This is a low-grade tumor that occurs near the brainstem.
Oligodendroglioma – This is a very rare type of low-grade glioma.
Ganglioglioma – This is a low-grade glioma. It has some features that look like glial cells and some features that look like neurons.
Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma – This is a low-grade glioma. The tumor often has a cyst as part of the tumor. Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytomas most often grow in the temporal lobe of the brain.
Who gets gliomas, and how?
Tumors are an abnormal growth of cells. In most cases we do not know why children develop brain tumors. There are some syndromes or genetic mutations that we know increases a child's risk of developing a glioma. These syndromes include Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Turcot syndrome, and neurofibromatosis. Children with neurofibromatosis are specifically at higher risk for developing optic pathway gliomas. Another syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, can also lead to an increased risk of a type of low-grade glioma called subependymal giant cell astrocytoma. Sometimes children who have been treated for other types of cancer can develop brain tumors as a secondary cancer. In most cases, however, we do not know why a patient develops a brain tumor. Tumors begin when something goes wrong when cells divide to make new cells. This new abnormal type of cell grows quickly and creates a mass of abnormal cells. When a tumor develops in the brain, you cannot see it growing. Usually patients do not know that they have a brain tumor until the tumor is large enough to cause symptoms by pushing on normal structures in the brain.
What are the signs and symptoms of gliomas?
When brain tumors grow, they press on the normal parts of the brain and cause them to stop working properly. The signs and symptoms of a brain tumor depend on where the tumor is located in the brain. Gliomas can occur in any part of the CNS. Usually you cannot tell from the symptoms exactly what type of brain tumor is causing the problems. The most common symptoms are headaches and vomiting. Headaches that wake children up in the morning or headaches that are improved by vomiting are concerning for a brain tumor. Severe and frequent vomiting that does not seem to be part of a gastrointestinal bug are also concerning. Other symptoms of a brain tumor are changes in vision, such as double vision or blurry vision, hearing, or speech. If the tumor is in the optic pathway, it is more common to have vision loss or a bulging appearance to the eye (this is called proptosis). Children with brain tumors may become less steady while walking or have difficulty with balance. This is especially common in patients with astrocytomas because they often occur in the infratentorial brain. Children may become clumsy or have trouble holding objects or writing. Children may be confused or be more sleepy than normal. A child's behavior may change if he or she has a brain tumor, including being irritable, and some young children do not meet their developmental milestones. In some cases the first sign of a brain tumor is a seizure. In infants, sometimes the head will get visibly larger if a baby develops a brain tumor. Children with high-grade gliomas tend to have symptoms for a shorter period of time because these tumors grow more quickly.
How is a brain tumor diagnosed?
History and Physical examination – The first step in diagnosing a brain tumor is evaluation by a healthcare provider. Healthcare providers ask many questions about changes in the child and about all of the signs and symptoms discussed above. They will ask if any other members of the family have had a brain tumor or any other cancer because there are some types of cancer that tend to run in families. The provider will perform a full physical examination, including a thorough neurologic examination. The neurologic examination evaluates the functioning of the brain and the spinal cord to look for any abnormalities. The neurologic examination will include checking a child's mental status, coordination, senses and reflexes. If a child is old enough to walk, the examiner will check if the child is walking normally.
Imaging – Brain tumors are diagnosed by seeing the tumor on imaging of the brain. The two main kinds of imaging are Computed Tomography (CT) Scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). CT scans use x-rays to take a series of pictures of the brain from different angles. CT scans are very quick. Sometimes dye will be injected into the vein before the CT scan is performed to help improve the picture. A CT scan will often be the first type of imaging performed because it takes less time to do the test. If a CT scan shows a brain tumor, a patient will then have an MRI. MRI scans use magnets to take a detailed picture of the brain from multiple angles. A chemical called gadolinium is injected into the vein before the MRI. Gadolinium helps certain areas of the brain light up in the images to help with the diagnosis. An MRI scan can take multiple hours and the child needs to stay completely still during the scan. Sometimes children need medications to make them sleepy in order to not move during an MRI scan. A brain tumor will look like a mass or lesion in the brain that does not look like the normal brain tissue on the CT scan or MRI. Depending on the type of tumor, sometimes an MRI scan of the spine will need to be done to look for spread of the tumor, called metastasis, to other parts of the CNS.
Your physician may be able to determine a possible diagnosis based on the tumor's appearance on a radiology scan. Gliomas often have a characteristic appearance on MRI. JPA usually looks well-circumscribed with clear margins, very little surrounding swelling, and cystic areas in the tumor. JPA also lights up brightly on certain types of MRI images (T2 images). Fibrillary astrocytomas do not have a clear margin on MRI. High-grade gliomas, such as anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme, typically do not have clear edges and have a heterogenous appearance (parts of the tumor look different than other parts). There can also be swelling around the tumor and the normal brain may be shifted by the tumor pushing on the brain. Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is found in the brainstem and usually causes the brainstem to look enlarged.
Biopsy – The best way to make a final diagnosis about the type of brain tumor is looking at the tumor cells under a microscope to evaluate for cancer. In order to do this, surgery needs to be done to take a piece of the tumor out of the brain. This is called a biopsy. Specially trained doctors called pathologists will look at the tumor cells under a microscope to make a diagnosis of what the histology of the tumor is. Often the diagnosis is made when the whole tumor is removed during surgery instead of having a separate biopsy. Sometimes a brain tumor is located in a part of the brain where doing surgery would cause more problems than removing the brain tumor would solve. In those cases the diagnosis is made based on the MRI results and treatment is planned based on this imaging.
Lumbar Puncture – Children with high-grade gliomas may need a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to look for spread of tumor to the spinal fluid (CSF). A lumbar puncture is when a needle is inserted into the lower back to get a sample of the spinal fluid. A pathologist will look at the cells from the CSF to look for any evidence of tumor.
How are gliomas in children staged?
Staging for brain tumors is dependent on the type of tumor. The staging will depend on if the tumor is just in the primary site or if it has spread to other parts of the CNS. Gliomas do not usually spread to other parts of the CNS; most often they only spread locally. The grade of the tumor is very important and this has been discussed above. Usually, gliomas are characterized as "localized," meaning that they have not spread, or "disseminated," meaning that they have spread elsewhere within the CNS.
How are pediatric gliomas treated?
Pediatric oncologists, who are doctors who treat cancer in children, work with each patient to develop an individualized plan to treat his or her tumor. Doctors use the histology and location to determine the specific treatment. Pediatric oncologists use information based on years of research trials performed to try to learn more about the best ways to treat cancer in children. Doctors work with families using this knowledge from how other patients have been treated combined with the goals and desires of each patient and his or her family to determine an individualized treatment plan for each patient.
The main options for treating brain tumors include surgery to remove the tumor, radiation and chemotherapy. If a child does not have symptoms from a tumor that is a low-grade glioma, sometimes the patient will be monitored closely and will not undergo treatment.
If doctors think that a mass found in the brain on CT or MRI scan is a glioma, a surgeon will do a biopsy or surgery to remove the tumor. The primary treatment for both high and low-grade gliomas is surgery to remove (resect) as much of the tumor as can be taken out safely. Surgeons who remove brain tumors are called neurosurgeons. The neurosurgeon will use the CT or MRI scan to determine the surgical plan. The neurosurgeon may not know how much of the tumor can be safely removed until he or she sees what the brain tumor looks like during the surgery.
A gross total resection is when the whole tumor is removed during the surgery and no remaining tumor can be seen either during surgery or on MRI. A near-total resection is when more than 90% of the tumor is removed during surgery. A sub-total resection is when 51-90% of the tumor is removed during surgery. A partial resection is 10-50% of the tumor is removed during surgery.
The goal of surgery is to resect as much of the tumor as possible. However, studies have shown that it is not enough to just do surgery; most patients require chemotherapy and/or radiation to fully treat their brain tumors. Sometimes brain tumors are located in parts of the brain where doing surgery would cause more problems. This is the case in most optic gliomas and brainstem gliomas. In those cases children do not have surgery and are treated with radiation and/or chemotherapy.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses x-rays or high- energy particles that are directed at a tumor to kill abnormal cells. The dose of radiation will depend on the type of tumor, the location of the tumor, and the age of the child. Radiation can have side effects, specifically causing long-term impairment in development in children who are very young. Radiation therapy is often delayed as long as possible in the youngest children to give them a chance to grow and develop as much as possible before receiving radiation. The doctors who provide radiation therapy are called radiation oncologists. Families will meet with their pediatric oncologists and radiation oncologists to determine the best plan for treatment with radiation.
There are two main types of radiation therapy that can be used: photon radiotherapy and proton radiotherapy. Photon radiotherapy is the traditional form of radiation therapy. Photon therapy refers to the use of x-rays that are aimed at the tumor, enter the body, travel through the tumor, and then exit from through the other side of the body. This means that the tissues on either side of the tumor are treated with radiation, in addition to the tumor itself. Proton therapy is different. Protons enter the body and are at their peak dose at the site of the tumor. This means that they do not give as much radiation to the tissues on either side of the tumor. This can be very helpful when radiation is given to an important part of the body, such as the brain. Only some cancer centers are able to use proton therapy currently, but it can be a good option for treating certain brain tumors in children.
Chemotherapy is medicine that is used to treat cancer. Chemotherapy can be given by mouth, into a vein, into the muscle or into the spinal fluid. After surgery, children with high-grade gliomas will often receive chemotherapy in addition to radiation therapy. Some children will receive chemotherapy before surgery to shrink the tumor and make it possible to remove more of the tumor. The chemotherapy agents that are currently used in treating high-grade gliomas are vincristine, carboplatin, temozolamide, lomustine, vorinostat, bevacizumab and irinotecan. Some children with low-grade gliomas whose tumors cannot be removed surgically will receive chemotherapy as well.
Treatment of specific types of gliomas
Low-grade gliomas (pilocytic astrocytoma and fibrillary astrocytoma) – For patients with low-grade gliomas, surgery may be the only treatment that is needed. If a child has a gross total resection, he or she does not need any other treatment. If there is not a gross total resection or if the tumor grows after surgery, a child may need radiation or chemotherapy. This decision will be made based on how much of the tumor remains, the post-operative symptoms of the child, and the age of the child.
High-grade gliomas (anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme) – Most patients with high-grade gliomas have at least part of their tumor removed surgically. For some patients, however, the tumor cannot be fully removed safely. Children with high-grade gliomas need additional treatment after surgery due to the aggressive nature of the tumor. This additional therapy is to treat remaining microscopic tumor cells that are presumed to be present even after surgery. Most children will undergo high-dose radiation therapy to the tumor site after surgery. This radiation is usually given over a 6 week period and is combined with weekly chemotherapy. Children often receive further maintenance chemotherapy after radiation is completed.
Optic pathway glioma – While these are low-grade tumors, the location of these tumors in the optic pathway can make it difficult to surgically remove the tumor without causing significant long-term side effects. These patients receive a combination of chemotherapy agents to treat their tumors.
What happens if the glioma comes back?
Unfortunately, gliomas can recur after treatment. If the tumor recurs, the plan for treatment will be very customized, and will depend on where the new tumor is and how the child was treated initially. Some children who have recurrent glioma will receive high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant. Other children may receive treatment as part of a phase I clinical trial evaluating new chemotherapy options.
Clinical Trials
There are clinical research trials for most types of cancer, and every stage of the disease. Clinical trials are designed to determine the value of specific treatments. Trials are often designed to treat a certain stage of cancer, either as the first form of treatment offered, or as an option for treatment after other treatments have failed to work. They can be used to evaluate medications or treatments to prevent cancer, detect it earlier, or help manage side effects. Clinical trials are extremely important in furthering our knowledge of disease. It is through clinical trials that we know what we do today, and many exciting new therapies are currently being tested. Talk to your provider about participating in clinical trials in your area. You can also explore currently open clinical trials using the OncoLink Clinical Trials Matching Service.
Follow-up Care and Survivorship
After treatment for childhood cancer, the patient will be followed closely to monitor for the cancer coming back, to help them heal from ongoing side effects, and to help them to transition to survivorship. Initially they will be seen often and have ongoing tests to monitor their health. As time goes on, these visits and testing will become less frequent. The oncology team will discuss each patient's individual follow up plan with them.
Survivors often wonder what steps they can take to live healthier after cancer. There is no supplement or specific food you can eat to assure good health, but there are things you can do to live healthier, prevent other diseases, detect any subsequent cancers early and work with the social and emotional issues, including insurance, employment, relationships, sexual functioning, and fertility, that a prior cancer diagnosis sometimes brings with it. Your oncology team is there to support you and can help you find support resources.
It is important to have a plan for who will provide your cancer-focused follow up care (an oncologist, survivorship doctor or primary care doctor). Talk with your oncology team about developing a survivorship care plan. If you would like to find a survivorship doctor to review your history and provide recommendations, you can contact cancer centers in your area to see if they have a survivor's clinic or search for a clinic on OncoLink's survivorship clinic list.
Resources for More Information
National Brain Tumor Society
Aim to improve understanding of all brain tumors and transform research into new and effective treatments, as quickly as possible. Offers brain tumor information, related news and a blog.
American Brain Tumor Association
Providing comprehensive resources that support the complex needs of brain tumor patients and caregivers, as well as the critical funding of research in the pursuit of breakthroughs in brain tumor diagnosis, treatment and care.
Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium: research organization devoted to the study of tumor biology and new therapies for primary CNS tumors of childhood.
Fleming AJ, Chi SN. Brain Tumors in Children. Current Problems in Pediatrics and Adolescent Health Care. 2012, 42:80-103.
Fangusaro, J. Pediatric High Grade Glioma: a Review and Update on Tumor Clinical Characteristics and Biology. Frontiers in Oncology. 2012 August, 2: 1-10.
Hastings, C. The Children's Hospital Oakland Hematology/Oncology Handbook. Mosby. 2002.
Qaddoumi I, Sultan I, Gajjar A. Outcome and Prognostic Features in Pediatric Gliomas, a Review of 6212 Cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Database. Cancer. 2009 December, 115(24): 5761-5770.
Smith AR, Seibel NL, Altekruse SF, Ries LAG, Melbert DL, O'Leary M, Smith FO, Reaman GH. Outcomes for Children and Adolescents with Cancer: Challenges for the Twenty-First Century. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2010 May, 28(15): 2625-2634.


text:
You don't need to look far to find differences between Tom Brady and Eli Manning.
Just start with the superficial. Brady is married to a supermodel, hangs out with the jet set on both coasts and carries himself like a superstar. Manning is married to his college sweetie, lives in Hoboken and seems uninterested in attending any film premiere other than the one of next week's opponent.
They got to the NFL in very different ways as well. Brady had to bide his time behind Brian Griese at Michigan and then had to split time with Drew Henson, even though it was clear he could handle the starting quarterback job all on his own. He lasted until the sixth round despite leading the Wolverines to an Orange Bowl win and needed Jets linebacker Mo Lewis to knock Drew Bledsoe's lights out to get a shot with New England.
U.S. & World
Manning was born with a silver football in his hand. His father was a star quarterback, his older brother was a star quarterback and he walked onto the Ole Miss campus as a starter. He thrived there and, thanks to the machinations of father Archie, wound up in New York as the first overall pick after a megadeal with the Chargers.
Those circumstances began to switch once they hit the NFL. Brady won the Super Bowl in his first year as a starter and added two more titles in the next three years to cement his status as one of the best to ever play the game. In Boston, he was up on pedestal next to Williams, Bird, Russell and Orr before his career ever really took off.
Manning's legacy has taken longer to build. He's gone from golden boy to disappointment with a famous last name to good enough to win a Super Bowl with a great defense back to disappointment who throws too many interceptions and, finally, to the beloved "You can't spell elite without Eli" who led the Giants back to the big game with his best season ever.
There's truth in all those labels, but more than a little hyperbole as well. He was never that bad and, for all his success this season, he's not on the level of Brady (or his brother, for that matter). Manning is the biggest reason why the Giants are in the Super Bowl this season and the team wouldn't have survived without him while they were patching together the defense, but it bears mentioning that the Patriots' defense was just as bad while winning 13 games during the regular season.
And that's the way it has been throughout the careers of these two quarterbacks. Manning has had moments of great brilliance, but he's never had anything close to the sustained success that Brady has put together in the NFL. The stat trotted out most often these days to talk about Manning's intangible "eliteness" is that he's won five playoff games on the road.
Brady has only played five road playoff games in his entire career because his teams win so often that they don't need to go on the road once the postseason rolls around. Winning gets too much airplay in discussions about quarterback ability -- Dan Marino is better than Jim Plunkett, Doug Williams, Brad Johnson and most other guys who have won a Super Bowl, in case you didn't already know -- but shouldn't winning games all the time count when you're making these imaginary lists?
That's not a knock on Manning. It's just a reminder that for all of the deserved accolades lavished on him for his play during the five-game winning streak, Brady is riding a 10-game streak into this game. Eli's the fresh new thing right now, stepping out of his brother's shadow and performing as the unquestioned leader of his team for the first time on the big stage. Brady is old news, but the news hasn't become worse news just because something shiny has come bouncing along.
Ultimately, all those differences in style and narrative don't amount to much. Both of them are playing at the top of their games right now and that's really all that matters when looking ahead to Sunday. Both men have proven their mettle in the crucible of the fourth quarter, both men have shown they can take over a game and neither one has proven so unflappable that they won't possibly make a mistake that hurts their team.
Basically, any argument you can make for one, stripped of context that includes their teammates and opponents, is an argument you can make for the other guy. You can go round and round, but the end result is that bad quarterback play isn't likely to be the determining factor in Super Bowl XLVI.


text:
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol is expected to miss his third straight game with tendinitis in his knees.
Coach Mike D'Antoni said at the Lakers' shootaround that he hadn't received an official update from team doctors, but he took that to mean that Gasol is ``not ready yet'' for Friday night's game at Oklahoma City. D'Antoni says it ``could be any day'' that Gasol is ready to return.
Gasol was not on the court for the portion of the shootaround that was open to reporters.
D'Antoni also says he doesn't expect injured point guard Steve Nash to be back until at least the Lakers' next road trip, which starts Tuesday.
The Lakers host Utah on Sunday.


text:
Robert Frost
Robert Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963 / San Francisco)
» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
There was never a sound beside the wood but one,
And that was my long scythe whispering to the ground.
What was it it whispered? I knew not well myself;
Perhaps it was something about the heat of the sun,
read more >>
- Hits: Number of visitors who read the poem on the given date.
- Posts: Number of visitors who posted the poem to a friend (via e-mail) on the given date.
- Dates that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list.
- Dates, poems and poets that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list. Statistics are generated daily.


text:
Share Your StoryPage address: http://www.mnsu.edu/giving/stories/tellyourstory.html
Do you have your own story about why you give to Minnesota State University, Mankato or how your life has been touched by Minnesota State Mankato? We would love to hear it!
We may use your story on our website or in print pieces to inspire others to support our important work, so please let us know your preferences regarding anonymity. Thank you for sharing your story with us.


text:
Horrific Crash on Final Lap of Nationwide Series Race at Daytona [VIDEO]
Tony Stewart slid to the checkered flag to win the Nationwide Series "Drive 4 COPD 300" race at Daytona Speedway after a terrible last lap crash sent flaming debris into the grandstands injuring fans.
Regan Smith was leading the pack to the finish line on the last lap of a three lap dash to the end, when he was turned into the wall. That set off a chaotic scene of cars crashing everywhere, and sent rookie Kyle Larson's car airborne into the fence meant to protect the fans in the grandstands from the track.
The impact with the fence took the whole front-end off of Larson's car and left a huge gash in the fence, and his burning engine and a tire in the fan area. Volusia County Florida officials report that 11 race fans were injured, and 6 fans were being treated at Halifax Medical Center in Port Orange. (Watch for updates below as story develops.)
This is Tony Stewart's 19th win at Daytona Speedway. Stewart did not do the traditional victory celebration, and instead told media on hand...
The important thing is what is going on on the frontstretch right now. We've always known, and since racing started, it's a dangerous sport. We assume that risk, but it's hard when the fans get caught up in it."
Stewart went on to say...
As much as we want to celebrate now, as much as this is a big deal, I am more worried about the drivers and the fans that are in the stands right now."
Before that final 3-lap chase for the checkers was a huge crash that involved 13 cars. That incident sent 20-year-old Michael Annett to a local hospital for evaluation.
Daytona Speedway president Joie Chitwood said during a Saturday evening press conference that Sunday's Daytona 500 race will go on as scheduled despite Saturday's crash that injured 28 spectators, including two critically. The fencing at the track is being repaired.
Fourteen of the injured were taken to area hospitals. Of the two patients listed in critical condition, one has a life-threatening head injury and the other is a child. Both are stable, Byron Cogdell, a spokesman at Halifax Health, said.


text:
items in my cart: 0
current subtotal: $0.00
view cart
Email Address:
Remember Me
Create an account
Forgot Password?
Blu-ray Disc
Live Autograph Sessions
Wrestling Gear
70s-80s Wrestling
Autographed Merchandise
Backstage Pass
Behind Closed Doors
Bell To Bell
Best Of's
Celebrity Shoot Interviews
Collectibles & Figures
Extreme Chronicles
Face Off
Gift Certificates
Grab Bags
House of Hardcore
In The Ring With...
Japanese Wrestling
On The Road With...
Replica Belts
Sharing My Knowledge
Shoot Interviews
Women's Wrestling
Wrestling Promotions
Wrestling Seminars
Wrestling Vixxxens
Email Address:
RF Video NOW
123 Bookings
Upcoming Appearances
Private Autograph Signings
RF Video on Twitter
RF Video on YouTube
RF Video on Facebook
eBay Collectible Auctions
Shoot Interviews
Names: A-I
Carlos Colon Shoot Interview
Carlos Colon Shoot Interview
View Larger Image
Item Number:
* denotes required field
Select ...
Add to a new shopping list
Email this page to a friend
It took over 23 years for ANYONE to get the details from one of the main people who was there for the Bruiser Brody murder…yes 23 years ago on a hot July night in 1989, wrestling lost one of its biggest draws, he was a rebel, we was a outlaw and some say he was the best big man in the business. The Wrestling Observer each year even has an award for Best Brawler which is the Bruiser Brody award.
Now for the first time ever Carlos Colon takes the RFVIDEO hot seat for his first ever shoot interview all about that night and his entire wrestling career. Carlos Colon is one of the best promoters out there of all time. His company in Puerto Rico had some of the biggest names of all time pass thru its rings. Not only was Carlos the owner of the company but he was one of their biggest babyfaces of all time.
Carlos has worked with every name in the business from Abby, Brody, Flair, Hanson, Funk, Vega, Jaggers, Dutch Mantell, Invaders and everyone in between Carlos has been in the ring with them all. During this shoot interview we talk all about all of his major feuds in that company.
We start off talking about his early career in the WWWF and what it was like to work the NY scene. How did he meet Abby for the first time? How did he get the idea to start up WWC? How did he pick what talent he was going to use?
Besides talking in great detail about his entire wrestling career and everything you could imagine about WWC from its booking, use of gimmick matches, rabid crowd riots, and monster heels that he battled with in some of the bloodies gimmick matches of all time, Carlos also talks about his family who has entered the business as well.
By far the highlight of the DVD is the part where we ask him about the Bruiser Brody murder. Carlos was the only guy who we did not interview yet about that tragic night. What really happened behind the scenes with Invader and Bruiser Brody? Did he know there was heat? What did he see after Brody was stabbed? Was there a cover up? How did he handle the press? How did he find out Brody had died? How did he react to the Invader and what happened in court?
Carlos at one point told us on tape he did not want to talk about this any further but we were not going to give up…RF VIDEO asked all the tough questions and we think we got you the answers that you were all looking for.
This was a huge deal for me because we interviewed everyone about the murder of Bruiser Brody and Carlos was the one guy we have tried to sit with for the past 10 years and finally we made it happen. To make this shoot even better we are going to have interviews from Savio Vega, Abby, Dutch Mantell, Bobby Jaggers, Tony Atlas and Manny Fernandez talking about the incident.
- Born in Santa Isabel, on the southern coast of Puerto Rico, emigrated to Brooklyn with parents and six siblings when he was 13 years old.
- Grew up a fan of Antonino Rocca and Miguel Perez Sr., eventually joined the gym they trained at and helped clean the place to pay for his training. Apparently also trained by a Puerto Rican wrestler named Barabas, who he had a falling out with years later when he attempted to run opposition to WWC.
- Wrestled Bobo Brazil in his debut match in Boston in 1966 for promoter Tony Santos, earning $15 U.S. Memories of Bobo?
- Briefly worked under the name Prince Kukuya in Boston, doing a Hawaiian gimmick (wore a Hawaiian shirt, lei, etc.)
- Moved to Montreal, where he met his future wife Nancy, and worked all over the East Coast, making his WWWF debut in December 1967.
- Wrestled regularly for the WWWF in 1968 and 1969 as lower-card guy. Worked with Johnny Rodz and Pete Sanchez a ton, as well as Gorilla Monsoon, Lou Albano, Baron Mikel Scicluna, The Sheik, Killer Kowalski and Thunderbolt Patterson.
- Ask his impressions of Vince McMahon Sr. and how he differed from Jr.?
- His fellow Puerto Rican Pedro Morales joined the WWWF in 1970 and won the World title the following year; ask if he thinks he could have gotten a similar push if he'd stayed in New York longer? What is his opinion of Pedro?
- Looks like he worked Abdullah the Butcher for the first time in Montreal in September 1968. Ask his first impressions of Abdullah?
- Worked for Stampede Wrestling from 1970 to 1973 under the name Carlos Belafonte. Ask his opinion of Stu Hart and his sons? Also, how he adapted to the long drives in brutal weather after growing up in Puerto Rico?
- Worked with Abdullah again in Calgary and had their first series of bloody matches that drew very well. Also feuded with Tor Kamata.
- Allegedly knocked out then-Stampede booker Dave Ruhl during a road trip from Medicine Hat to Saskatoon in October 1972. Story is that Carlos was feeling ill and rolled down the car window to clear out the smoke from Ruhl's cigar. Ruhl (the driver) complained about the cold, so Carlos asked Ruhl to put the cigar out. An argument ensued and Ruhl pulled over so they could settle things on the side of the highway. Carlos hit Ruhl with a hard slap and Ruhl fell backwards, hit his head and was knocked out cold (Ruhl still claims he simply slipped on a patch of ice). What does Carlos remember of the incident?
- Returned to Puerto Rico in 1973 and co-founded Capitol Sports Promotions, a.k.a. World Wrestling Council, with Victor Jovica (who he first met while working in Calgary) and Gorilla Monsoon. Memories of Gorilla?
- A Florida promoter named Clarence Luttrell had been promoting on the island since the '60s using NWA talent, but never used Puerto Rican wrestlers in prominent roles. Carlos saw that as a missed opportunity and WWC pushed himself and other native wrestlers as top stars. Ask if WWC was initially seen as an outlaw promotion?
- WWC front office also included the late, great Victor Quinones, godson of Monsoon (ask about scurrilous accusations that Victor was actually Gorilla's illegitimate child?) What does he think of the unsavoury rumours about Victor's personal life and alleged sexual harassment of wrestlers? Or Victor's alleged international mafia connections?
- Early WWC feuds were with Monsoon, Ernie Ladd, Killer Karl Krupp, Pampero Firpo and the Mongolian Stomper.
- Toured with All Japan in 1979, teaming with Abdullah and working regularly against Jumbo Tsuruta and Mil Mascaras. Memories of Mascaras? Was he the egomaniac he's reported to be? Also worked with Giant Baba himself several times.
- Worked at least one match in Mexico in 1982. Apparently also teamed with Mexican legend El Santo in WWC in 1975? What are his thoughts on the lucha style? Could it ever get over in Puerto Rico?
- WWC was eventually invited to join the NWA, allowing them access to top American talent, and Carlos was given a seat on the Board of Directors.
- Worked with Ric Flair many times beginning in 1982. As WWC champion, he defeated then-NWA champ Flair in a "unification" match in January 1983, but the match never aired outside of Puerto Rico and was never officially recognized as a title change by the NWA. What were the politics behind this?
- Memories of working with The Original Sheik in Puerto Rico in 1982?
- Bloody feud with Abdullah would draw some of the largest gates in WWC history. The two regularly worked death matches, brawling all over the building, in addition to barbed wire matches and chain matches. Memories of the famous angle where Abdullah "blinded" Carlos with ammonia?
- Ask about recent news that Abdullah tested positive for Hepatitis C. Has he been tested? Has it caused him to re-evaluate the practice of blading at all? Did he ever known Abdullah to blade people without permission? Devon Nicholson, the Canadian wrestler suing Abdullah for giving him the disease, also worked extensively for WWC in recent years; what are Carlos' thoughts on him?
- How did he feel about the promotion shifting toward a more violent style? What did he think about Quinones and Atsushi Onita using WWC as a template for Japan's FMW years later? Or Eddie Gilbert and Paul Heyman adopting a similar philosophy in booking ECW? What does he think of modern-day "hardcore" wrestling and the use of tables, ladders, chairs, glass, lightbulbs, thumbtacks, etc.? Has it gone too far?
- What is his take on Puerto Rican fans' reputation for violence (e.g. throwing rocks, batteries, cups of urine, etc.)? Is it true that several foreign wrestlers demanded increased security measures after Bruiser Brody was attacked by a knife-wielding fan, resulting in seats being moved further from the ring?
- Any stories from working exotic locations such as the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and the Virgin Islands? He and Abdullah apparently triggered a riot in Trinidad in the early '80s. Was he ever nervous about the armed soldiers acting as security at some of these shows?
- Memories of facing Abdullah at Starrcade '83 in Greensboro? He worked a few Crockett shows in the mid-'80s, as well as a few shots for Eddie Graham in Florida and Southwest Championship Wrestling in Texas. Was he ever tempted to return to the U.S. full-time during this period?
- Memories of his boxer vs. wrestler match with the late Joe Frazier in 1984? Colon apparently pinned Frazier after five rounds. Was it hard convincing Frazier to do the job? Frazier also refereed a match between Carlos and Brody around this time period; the finish called for Frazier punching Brody, who was apparently paranoid that he'd be double-crossed and legit KO'd because of his heat with the office at the time.
- Also worked for Pro Wrestling USA (ill-fated joint venture between NWA and AWA) in 1985, and even had his own Remco action figure in U.S. stores, sold in a two-pack with Abdullah.
- Memories of working with Randy Savage in 1984 and '85, just prior to his WWF run?
- Other notable '80s WWC opponents included Harley Race, Terry and Dory Funk, Stan Hansen, Dick Murdoch, Tully Blanchard, Ron Garvin and Jos LeDuc.
- Thoughts on Dutch Mantell, both as a wrestler and booker? Who was the best booker employed by WWC in his opinion?
- Worked with Bruiser Brody regularly beginning in 1983. What was he like to work with inside the ring? Was he difficult behind the scenes?
- Brody was stabbed to death by Jose Gonzalez, a.k.a. Invader #1, in a Bayamon locker room in July 1988. Carlos was seen speaking with Gonzalez just before the stabbing. Needless to say there are a ton of questions about Carlos' role in the case:
- Was he aware of the heat between Gonzalez and Brody prior to the murder? Is it true that he knew of Gonzalez's intention to confront Brody in the locker room that night?
- Is it true that Carlos was the first person on the scene after the stabbing, and that Brody's final words were to Carlos, asking him to take care of his family?
- Why was Brody left bleeding on the floor for 25 minutes before an ambulance arrived? Is it true that Victor Quinones had to enlist the help of a local radio station to plead for medical assistance?
- Is it true that Gonzalez and Victor Jovica engaged in a shoving match after the stabbing and Jovica unsuccessfully attempted to detain Gonzalez?
- Did the responding police officers really dismiss the stabbing as an angle at first?
- Was it his decision to proceed with that night's show in spite of the stabbing?
- How does he respond to allegations that he used his influence to cover up the murder and get Gonzalez acquitted? Or Tony Atlas' insinuation that WWC "security people" showed up to the hospital and intimidated doctors into ceasing operating on Brody because they wanted him dead?
- Does Carlos believe it was a genuine case of self-defence? If not why did he testify on Gonzalez's behalf at the trial? What did he say about Brody's character on the stand? What about Dutch Mantell's claim that he didn't receive his subpoena to testify until the day after the trial had ended?
- Does he stand by his decision to continue working with Gonzalez after the killing? What effect did it have on the company from a business standpoint? Did he hear talk of American wrestlers boycotting the island? Is it true that Gonzalez went on television essentially bragging about the killing years later?
- Was it in poor taste for WWC to promote a Bruiser Brody Memorial Cup in the same building in 2005? How did he feel about Atsushi Onita's aborted 1991 FMW angle, with the involvement of Victor Quinones, where Gonzalez "stabbed" Onita in the stomach?
- Memories of facing Hercules Ayala in the first-ever fire match in September 1988? Onita would bring the gimmick to Japan a couple years later.
- Worked with the Iron Sheik , Manny Fernandez and Kokina (a.k.a. Yokozuna) a lot during this time period. Also feuded with Steve DiSalvo, a.k.a. Steve Strong; was he as much of a nightmare to work with as others claim?
- Other reasons for WWC business going downhill in the late '80s and early '90s?
- Thoughts on the company's young talent at the time, such as TNT (a.k.a. Savio Vega), Miguel Perez Jr., Hurricane Castillo Jr. and Jose Estrada Jr.?
- Thoughts on long-time WWC announcer and heel manager Hugo Savinovich? He apparently had some serious drug problems over the years.
- Memories of his random appearance in the 1993 Royal Rumble? How did that come about? Thoughts on Gorilla Monsoon referring to the then-45-year-old Colon as a "youngster"?
- Thoughts on Eddie Gilbert's brief run as WWC booker before his death on the island in 1995? Is it true that Gilbert booked himself against a wrestling bear in what turned out to be his final match the night before his heart attack?
- Thoughts on Victor Quinones and Savio Vega forming IWA Puerto Rico in 1999 and running in opposition to WWC? How much bad blood was there? What was the dispute that led to Jose Gonzalez jumping from WWC to IWA? How big of an advantage was IWA's promotional relationship with the WWF at the time?
- How close did WWC come to going out of business at its lowest point? Was there any truth to Victor Quinones' claims that he actually loaned the rival company money between 2002 and 2005 to keep it afloat?
- What is the current state of the wrestling business on the island? Can it ever get back to what it was in the '80s? Thoughts on Savio Vega returning to WWC last year?
- Did he ever work as a heel? Did he ever consider the idea of turning heel in Puerto Rico at any point?
- Ask the origins of his signature cartwheel spot? When did he first start doing it?
- Does he actually know how many times he's held the WWC Universal Heavyweight Title? The number is at least 26.
- Memories of training his sons Carlito and Eddie (a.k.a. Primo), both of whom debuted in 1999? Also trained his nephew Orlando (a.k.a. Epico), who debuted in 2005. Also has a daughter named Stacey who is in the business.
- Memories of 2005 WWE house show angle with Carlito and Ric Flair in San Juan? Carlito spit an apple in his father's face and attacked him, leading to Flair making the save.
- Thoughts on Carlito's troubled WWE run and eventual firing after failing a wellness test and refusing to attend rehab?
- Thoughts on Primo and Epico's current tag title push and the challenges they face as smaller wrestlers in a company generally obsessed with size?
- Ask about the 2001 murder of his younger brother Noel? Apparently he was a union head who was shot to death in his office by a disgruntled former employee.
- Ask about his recent work as a boxing judge and his very controversial scoring of a Devon Alexander/Lucas Matthysse HBO fight that made headlines? How did he become a boxing judge in the first place?
- Any thoughts on a possible induction into the WWE Hall of Fame? Excluding family, who would he choose to induct him?
- As a proud Puerto Rican how does he feel about the island possibly applying for American statehood?
Your cart is empty.
Pre Orders
Top Sellers
About Us
Contact Us
My Account
Shipping Policy
Return Policy
Cart Help


text:
Get DVD Talk Feeds
As a long-time lover of comics, one of the most unique and interesting books I've encountered has been Mike Mignola's Hellboy. Featuring equal parts drama, action, suspense and mythology, there's a lot to love and much to learn. Looking back, it was no surprise that it would eventually become a feature film: with a cinematic feel and a stylized look, Hellboy was ripe for the picking. Still, I couldn't help but be a little surprised upon first hearing of its venture to the big screen. Don't get me wrong---it's a great concept that works on many levels---but it just seemed like a big box-office risk (a sad truth, but a truth nonetheless). Thankfully, the recent tidal wave of comic book-related films of late (Spider-Man, Blade, Daredevil, Hulk, The Punisher, etc.) has really opened the door wide for funnybooks, and Hellboy has finally stepped through.
The title character first appeared in print just over 10 years ago (1993's San Diego Comic Con Comics #2), and the first "official" series began a year later. Seed of Destruction (March-June 1994) was a four issue mini-series published under the Dark Horse/Legend banner. Garnering a great amount of critical acclaim, this first adventure of "The World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator" really carved out its own niche in the comic book industry. Additionally, Hellboy appeared in various one-shots and compilations---including the excellent Dark Horse Presents---and made another return in his second mini-series, Wake the Devil (June-October 1996), which gave a slightly more detailed account of the character's origin (incidentally, the film itself is centered around the events of this mini-series). Since then, the character has appeared in countless other short stories and mini-series (The Conqueror Worm, The Third Wish), and the film itself has undoubtedly increased the character's exposure considerably. Supporting characters have even stepped up to the plate in such titles as Abe Sapien and Hellboy Junior, proving that there's much more to like about Hellboy than a great main character.
Although the film itself opened strongly at the box office (securing the top spot with a $23M gross) and enjoyed positive reviews, Hellboy only managed to gross $59M domestically. Still, with a projected sequel in the works for 2006 (and hopefully, more comics!), the future looks bright for Hellboy. In many ways, the story of the character's success is inspiring: although the going was slow for many years, the dedication of the creator really paid off. In any case, the book has made a relatively painless transition to the big screen, so long-time fans and newbies alike can really enjoy this one.
Part of the character's successful transition was due in part to the excellent costume design and production team. I've always been skeptical about the look of live-action comic book films, and for good reason: usually, they're quite lacking. Thankfully, Hellboy looks fantastic, and I doubt fans could ask for more. The casting of Ron Perlman as the main man himself was spot-on, as I doubt you'd find too many actors to fit the profile of The World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator (and I mean that in the nicest possible way). Perlman carries himself skillfully in what must have been a difficult acting situation, as the layers of makeup and bulky costume undoubtedly made for some long working days. The overall atmosphere of the film also deserves special mention, and does an excellent job of capturing the book's unending darkness. Yet another highlight of Hellboy was the music itself, which thankfully favors a traditional score rather than the trend of bland, "flavor-of-the-month" alternative rock. Notice to Hollywood: soundtracks should not be a marketing tool.
Despite the overall success of the film's production, there are a still a few stumbling points along the way. Predictably, these problems are quite common with most comic-book related movies, though Hellboy keeps them to a minimum. For starters, the film's supporting cast isn't always up to the task of carrying their own weight. For every successful performance (Abe Sapien, Professor Bruttenholm), there seems to be at least one not-so-successful performance (Grigori Rasputin, Dr. Tom Manning). While the latter performances aren't terrible, they suffer from a lack of real development. Of course, the balancing act of characters doesn't always lend itself to equal time for everyone, but the pacing and overall story progression could have been ironed out a little more.
Director Guillermo del Toro (The Devil's Backbone, Blade II) is no stranger to successful comic-to-film translations, as the second film would suggest. The genre demands a much different mindset and approach than traditional action films, and the skill of del Toro's directing really gets a chance to shine here. What Hellboy occasionally lacks in character development, it easily makes up for in action, pacing, comic relief, and the previously-mentioned stunning visuals. It's a wild ride, to be sure, but carries a certain charm that really makes it hard to hate. Overall, Hellboy is a genuine standout in the genre of comic book films, and has made a great transition to DVD as well.
Especially the second time around.
Director's Cut Notes:
Although the original cut was no slouch, this newly-created Director's Cut helps to smooth out the edges a little. First of all, it's worth noting that although this film is now "Unrated", it doesn't contain any over-the-top violence or nudity (thankfully, it hasn't been marketed to suggest this). Among other additions, this new cut fleshes out the supporting cast---particularly Liz and Myers---while also adding a bit of new footage with Rasputin and Ilsa (seen above). There's also some quick cuts that improve the scope of certain areas (including the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Rasputin's lair), all of which result in a more epic, seamless flow to the film. In all, there's roughly 15 minutes' worth of new footage added for this Director's Cut, which now clocks Hellboy in at a beefy 132 minutes. While I'd have liked to see even more attention paid to the supporting cast, it's hard to complain with the notable adjustments made here. While these improvements still don't make for a perfect film, I'm confident that Hellboy fans will agree that this Director's Cut is the superior of the two.
For this mammoth 3-Disc release, Columbia/Tri-Star has given us more than just a new cut of the film: they've added at least a disc's worth of new special features! Only a handful of the original extras have been done away with (the main one being the original director/creator commentary), and---in most cases---a few improved replacements have been thrown in as well. Although the technical presentation remains the same as the Special Edition, it was a terrific first effort that didn't offer much room for improvement. All of these new features and other improvements will be covered in detail below, so grab a sandwich and a comfy chair. Let's see how this whopper stacks up, shall we?
NOTE: This video and audio presentations are identical to that of the original DVD release.
For this DVD release, Hellboy has been given a solid presentation from top to bottom. The anamorphically-enhanced menus (seen above) are beautifully designed, combining animated film montages with selections from the film's soundtrack (Note: the menus are the same as the original two-disc release, but I grabbed a new screen capture). The 122-minute film has been divided into 28 chapters (with helpful indications of where new footage has been added), and no layer change was detected during playback. The packaging itself is one of the best I've seen from a mainstream studio. For starters, each of the three discs gets its own clear slim keepcase, with themed artwork from the original release's front cover. All three cases are housed in a sharp-looking slipcover that features terrific new artwork and a comprehensive list of the included features. Overall, it's a top-notch presentation that really stands out on the shelf.
Disc One kicks things off with a brief Introduction by Director Guillermo del Toro (along with a related Easter Egg found on the Main Menu), and follows up with a new Audio Commentary by del Toro. This commentary was recorded specifically for the Director's Cut, and features a nice amount of new information straight from the horse's mouth. Among other things, del Toro thankfully goes into a bit of detail about why certain scenes didn't make the Theatrical Cut. Although the commentary found on the original release---which also featured Hellboy creator Mike Mignola---has unfortunately been excised, the original cast commentary can now be found on Disc Three (albeit in a slightly different fashion). Although I wish the original cut of the film (and subsequent commentaries) were available here via seamless branching, the replacements are excellent in their own right.
There's more to discover on the first disc, including a selection of Branching DVD Comics drawn by Mike Mignola and written by Guillermo del Toro. There are eight comics in all (the sixth, "Hellboy Scrapbook", is seen above), and were created exclusively for the DVD release. Although the "animation" of the stories comes off as a little forced at times, it's an interesting bonus for fans of the original series. As a sidenote, these comics are selectable during the film or via a separate Index in the "Bonus Features" section. Next up, we're treated to The Right Hand of Doom: Branching Set Visits, another option available via branching or a separate Index. These eight scenes include behind-the-scenes snippets from the film's production, and can be played individually or as a group (19 minutes total). We also get a brand-new Storyboard Track featuring tons of new images! The first disc had a very skimpy storyboard section, so I'm happy to see this much-needed improvement.
NOTE: This second disc is identical to that of the original DVD release.
Disc Two begins with a short Introduction by Selma Blair, and is divided into several sections. The first section, "The Egg Chamber", kicks things off with The Seeds of Creation, a behind-the-scenes documentary that spans nearly two and-a-half hours! This "production order" documentary really pulls out all the stops, including details about the visual effects, makeup, production design, and everything in-between (seen above). It's one of the most comprehensive documentaries I've seen on DVD to date, easily standing beside such other notable documentaries as those found on the Black Hawk Down Deluxe Edition and The Lord of the Rings boxed sets. While the overall scope may be a little smaller than the others mentioned, it's a very interesting look at the production from start to finish. Next up are three Deleted Scenes (5 minutes) with optional commentary by Guillermo del Toro (present in the Director's Cut, of course). Also included here are a series of 15 Character Bios and Filmographies, including credits for the cast and crew.
The next section, "Kroenen's Lair", starts off with Scene Progression (2 minutes), a brief storyboard featurette hosted by Guillermo del Toro. Continuing the theme is the Animatics section (6 minutes), another segment hosted by del Toro. In this section, a mixture of sketches, finished storyboards, and basic CGI are used to illustrate a few key scenes from the film, and can be viewed by themselves or with a film comparison. A third art-related featurette, Board-a-Matics (10 minutes), showcases animated storyboards to map out several of the film's action scenes. Lastly, we get four individual Storyboard Comparisons (10 minutes), also viewable by themselves or with a film comparison. NOTE: There are a number of hidden Easter Eggs in this section as well, so look carefully!
Moving along, we're treated to a Maquette Video Gallery, an interesting collection of 3-D character model representations ("Baby Hellboy" is seen above) that segues into the final section, "Bellame Hospital". This section focuses on the promotional material for the film (a personal favorite), including a selection of Trailers and TV Spots. Also here are a number of beautiful Poster Designs, including an Easter Egg that highlights some pencil sketches by renowned artist Andrew Struzan. As a footnote, this second disc also includes a section of Previews for upcoming Columbia/Tri-Star projects, including Spider-Man 2 and Resident Evil: Apocolypse. Last but not least, there's an advertisement for the Hellboy website. Hey, wer'e almost there...only one more disc to go!
Disc Three is all-new to this release, and begins with a brief Introduction by Ron Perlman. Also here is the Cast Commentary from the original release, now presented in video form (the film plays in a small corner of the screen). Just for the record, this features a nice portion of the cast including Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Jeffrey Tambor and Rupert Evans (sadly, John Hurt was nowhere to be found). Next up are a series of production workshops that include Makeup and Lighting Tests and Visual Effects How-To's (7 and 12 minutes, respectively). Both featurettes offer new layers of insight, and I particularly enjoyed Guillermo del Toro's comments during the makeup tests...it's obvious he really wanted to preserve Mike Mignola's style on the big screen. Next up is a portion of the Comic-Con 2002 Q&A (24 minutes), which took place before the film's production. This interview session features del Toro, Mignola and Perlman, who do a great job of handling the crowd. I especially enjoyed the final comments, which include a number of responses to silly questions from the studio executives.
Next up, we're also treated to a few words from comics guru Scott McCloud during A Quick Guide to Understanding Comics (12 minutes). For the record, McCloud is creator of such books as Zot! and the seminal how-to guide Understanding Comics. He does a great job of informing the viewer in a very short time, although most die-hard comic fans won't learn anything new. Also here are a few new Image Galleries, including a terrific amount of pre-production artwork by Mignola (presented as a 40-minute slideshow with Mignola commentary). There's also a look at the Director's Notebook, and a nice section of Hellboy Pin-Ups from various notable comic book artists. Last but not least, we're given another batch of Previews which include Labyrinth, Underworld, and The Dark Crystal. On a related note, there's also a nice printed bonus included with this set: an Extract from the Diary of Grigori Rasputin. It's nice to look at, but doesn't serve as much more than eye candy.
From top to bottom, I'm happy to report that this Director's Cut really takes the cake for bonus features. The first release was jam-packed, but this version raises Hellboy to the level of other top-tier DVD releases like The Lord of the Rings: Extended Edition. For all intents and purposes, this massive 3-disc set is the definitive version of Hellboy, and worth the upgrade if you're a fan of the film. To use a long-running comic book cliche: 'Nuff said.
Hellboy: Special Edition was good, but this release is even better. Although the technical presentation remains the same, the additional footage and new bonus features make this one worth every penny. The slick DVD presentation and overall care put into this bad boy make it one of 2004's best releases and a must-have for any fan of comic books and great supernatural action films. In fact, the only thing keeping this release from earning DVD Talk's highest rating is the relatively quick double dip (though it was thankfully advertised well in advance). If you own the original Special Edition, chances are you'll want to upgrade (but you'll only want to ditch your old copy if you can live without the director/creator commentary). The Director's Cut of the film adds a nice layer to Hellboy and the new extras really put this release over the top. If you haven't added Hellboy to your collection yet, this is the version to hunt down. It really shows how far the format has come in the last few years and it's the best comic-based DVD package to date. Very, very Highly Recommended.
The Original Hellboy: Special Edition Review
Official Website of Hellboy (the book, not the movie!)
Superhero Hype (comic-related news website)
Guillermo del Toro Filmography at IMDb


text:
In a detailed assessment of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, researchers led by a team from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have determined that the blown-out Macondo well spewed oil at a rate of about 57,000 barrels a day, totaling nearly 5 million barrels of oil released from the well between April 20 and July 15, 2010, when the leak was capped. In addition, the well released some 100 million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas
When many people think of industrial chemicals, they think of those scary-looking yellow drums, containing unknown but almost certainly hazardous goo. A new industry initiative, though hopes to change that by giving consumers more information on the chemicals they use every day.
Output from the 10-megawatt AC project on 80 hectares of cleared land 50km southeast of Geraldton will contribute to offsetting the energy requirements of the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that a chemical distributor in Roanoke, Va., has agreed to pay a $43,967 penalty and complete more than $200,000 in safety improvements to settle alleged violations of federal environmental laws designed to protect and inform the public about hazardous chemicals.
Labor Day is coming, with the chance to get in one last weekend of watersports fun before fall and winter make the lake off-limits. Make sure you stay safe for next year's boat season with these tips.
With the expectation that Hurricane Irene, which is currently gathering steam offshore, will hit at least some part of the East Coast, here are a few tips that can help consumers prepare for—and ride out—a storm.
NEDAK Ethanol LLC, an alternative fuels manufacturer, has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $3,600 to the United States for failing to develop a risk management program and file a risk management plan for its ethanol production facility at Atkinson, Neb.
The sobering study fount that Western Europe emits about twice as much HFC-23 as officially reported.
The former president and CEO of French Gulch Nevada Mining Corporation and Bullion River Gold Corporation failed to surrender to federal authorities after he was indicted for his role in a conspiracy to illegally dispose of mining wastes containing hazardous concentrations of arsenic and lead.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Dow Chemical Company has agreed to pay a $2.5 million civil penalty to settle alleged violations of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) at its chemical manufacturing and research complex in Midland, Mich.
A Dow Plastics pilot program recovered 96 percent of potential energy from waste plastics burned to fuel an incinerator.
IEEE International Electric Vehicle Conference (IEVC) organizers are seeking technical papers on the technology, standards and engineering of electric vehicles.
Tenaris Global Services Corp., a manufacturer and supplier of steel pipe products for the oil and energy industry, has agreed to pay $717,324 of civil penalties to the United States to settle violations of environmental regulations at seven facilities related to the public reporting of toxic chemicals at its facilities in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas.
Scientists, environmental advocates, and Appalachian residents affected by mountaintop removal called on Congress to heed the warning in new research that suggest a link between mountaintop removal mining and elevated rates of certain birth defects.
Chemically bonded phosphate ceramics create a passivation layer that stops corrosion and is protected by a tough ceramic outer layer. These compounds protect metal from corrosion better than other options, such as polymer paints, and are less expensive than using stainless steel.
The NIH's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has awarded Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine $6.5 million for a five-year study exploring the potential health impacts of the Deepwater Horizon disaster on pregnant women and women of reproductive age living in Louisiana's coastal parishes.
Originally proposed as a small gathering of EVTV viewers, the concept grew into more of a convention within two weeks of the announcement due to the number of early registrants.
Renewable fuels can now be blended with conventional commercial and military jet (or gas turbine) fuel through requirements in the newly issued edition of Specifications for Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons.
A professor at The University of Texas at Austin's Cockrell School of Engineering said the risks incurred during hydraulic fracturing are low when compared to the risks of energy production from any other energy source and that some commonly believed notions about the gas extraction process are incorrect.
Green chemistry is the expansive discipline that is evolving in response to a wide array of challenges and, according to a new report from Pike Research, represents a market opportunity that will grow from $2.8 billion in 2011 to $98.5 billion by 2020.


text:
One of Those Embarrassing Gary North Quotes.
First, Gary North's Quote:
"Everyone talks about religious liberty, but no one believes it. So let us be blunt about it: we must use the doctrine of religious liberty to gain independence for Christian schools until we train up a generation of people who know that there is no religious neutrality, no neutral law, no neutral education, and no neutral civil government. Then they will get busy in constructing a Bible-based social, political, and religious order which finally denies the religious liberty of the enemies of God." Continue reading


text:
After spending eight years crafting the boat that is his home, Terry Cyphers can't quite come up with a name that fits his unique and totally customized 55-foot Kingscraft that showcases his talents as a self-employed remodeling contractor.
Its working name, River Maiden, just doesn't quite capture the innovation and painstaking attention to detail that is found everywhere throughout the boat.
Long before he began actual construction, he saw in his mind's eye what he wanted in a liveaboard, then created detailed drawings of what it would look like. He did this while living aboard a 38-foot Seagoing houseboat, which he did for 20 years.
As a professional remodeler of both homes and boats, he had done significant work on that one, named Iron Maiden due to its steel construction. But he wanted something bigger and made to his exact requirements. He knew from experience that, "If I can draw it, I can build it."
Instead of searching for the right type of boat, he focused on looking for just the right kind of aluminum hull that could become the foundation for his concept. He struck gold when he found a 1972, 55-foot Kingscraft sitting on the hard whose owner had gutted the interior, then lost interest. In order to transport it to his Pittsburgh, Pa., area location, he had it stripped for salvage, removed the flybridge and superstructure and reduced its trailering width to 12 feet by taking off the catwalks. Then the boat was trucked back to a yard where it went on the hard again. It stayed there for two and a half years while he dried it and got it water ready.
He had kept the running gear in place after he bought it but to improve access to the engines, he moved a bulkhead forward. To create even more room, he mounted the generator in the bow. Then he replaced the old engines with 454 cubic inch models.
To improve the boat's handling, he mounted two hydraulic thrusters in the keel toward the bow and two others on the transom.
His goal was to create maximum livability so the walls were pushed out to the far edges of the reinstalled catwalks. The first interior he designed had traditional hallways and walls, but Cyphers scrapped that for the totally open layout he now has where the salon flows into the floating island and galley.
The aft galley wall shares plumbing and runs with the bathroom that has a full size, tub/shower combination. That area was also penciled in to have a washer/dryer, but he realized he had enough headroom in the hull under a raised bed to create a laundry room there. It is accessed by lifting a lid on a `sea chest' at the foot of the bed and opening a door that looks like one end of the `chest' to reveal steps to below.
Again, because it was a liveaboard, attention to insulating and sealing cracks was vital. For comfort control, has a two-and-a-half-ton heat pump, but also laid 20 loops of tubing under the floor that will supplement the heating with hydronic floor heat. He drew a detailed grid to show the location of the tubing to prevent accidental punctures in the future.
To increase the HVAC efficiency, he paid particular attention to creating an efficient return air system. To provide for continuous air circulation, a duct system collects air through louvers in the ceiling just inside the front doors, along the salon walls and others integrated into the top of the galley cabinets. Air circulation in the master suite is through four wall registers.
Because his front doors limit the size of material that can be carried through them, another practical innovation was installing double French doors leading to the aft deck. Then Cyphers built a removable panel that is connected to the door leading into the master suite. That gives him a 36-inch opening for moving furniture and other large items.
Everywhere you look both inside and outside, there are details not found on normal production boats. There are almost no nail or screw heads showing anywhere except a couple of places in the bathroom trim. The rest are all covered with plugs. He even made drilling jigs so the placement of fasteners for each window would have a symmetrical pattern.
The fixed cabin windows were glazed in place in normal fashion so standard window treatments would fit, but then he created 30-degree angled valances for a distinctive look.
He used a variety of birch, pine and luaun on the interior, but craftily stained and finished the wood so they all blend into a pleasing, uniform look. It is almost impossible to pinpoint where one wood starts and the other stops.
The galley cabinets are poplar, which was donated waste material, and the center panels are actually quarter-inch clear Plexiglas, also left over from another job, that he sprayed with black paint.
The pilot house Cyphers added serves a couple of purposes. It creates more room and layout flexibility in the salon by eliminating the helm station there. It also becomes part of the upper entertainment area and offers a sheltered area with great views. Its unusual ceiling is actually commercial grade aluminum exterior ceiling paneling.
Between the pilot house and party deck, Cyphers installed the plumbing for a second head. The pipes are connected to a manifold under the galley sink where valves will allow him to quickly and easily drain down the upper head for the winter.
As he was building the pilot house and party deck hardtop, he calculated the hard top would not fit the TraveLift that would launch the boat. So he hinged the forward end of the top so it would drop down to fit. By the time launch day arrived, however, a new, larger TraveLift made that unnecessary.
But his design strategies included building the aft hardtop supports strong enough to provide `ladders' to access the equipment mounted on top. Both the main cabin roof and the second level have rain gutters. The upper level drains down through what look like support columns for the aft overhang. The lower gutters are fabricated from PVC cove molding. The rear deck leads to an extremely unusual circular, tiered swim platform that Cyphers says is popular with his female guests.
The guttering is part of the maintenance-free material used everywhere on the exterior. The vertical siding is premium grade material and all the trim is a quality PVC product.
He launched the boat in 2006, then kept working on it a little at a time in its slip at the Oakmont Yacht Club on the Allegheny River, 12 miles above The Point in Pittsburgh. Part of the lengthy process was due to the fact he says, "I made almost every part of the interior except for the doors."
Those pocket doors are a store-bought exception, but even those had to be re-sized to fit his openings.
Cyphers was driven by a desire to end up with a first-class product. He knew he probably couldn't afford to buy a boat built to the level of quality and comfort he wanted so he decided to go slowly, do that level of work himself, and only use high-quality materials.
Part of his plan included purchasing and stockpiling parts over the years from the annual Dania Beach Flea Market in Florida. Since this is billed as the largest event of its type in the world, Cyphers and a group of his friends attended regularly to stock up on reasonably-priced parts. As it turns out, Cyphers says almost everything marine in the boat came from there. The list includes the Westerbeke generator, pilot house wheel, upper helm gauges, 12-volt lights, electric head, strainers, battery charger and more.
Besides utilizing good deals from the flea market, Cyphers is quick to credit a long list of friends and associates who helped him with the project. He says he can easily come up with a couple dozen names of people who donated time or material or befriended him in some way.
Mindful that a lot of people on the upper deck could create a stability problem, he had raked the cabin walls in 6 inches then set the upper rails back in another 12 inches. He figured that would keep the boat stable even with a crowd along the edges.
But as the boat became less of a construction site and he began having more guests aboard, he realized it had a tendency to be a bit tippy. He knew he had added significant weight to the top and it only had 11 feet of beam at the waterline, so he designed aluminum sponsons that could be attached to each side of the hull. By carefully measuring and creating templates, he found he could add 28 inches of width to each side with units 35 feet long that would be welded on from the transom forward.
They are constructed of a 3/16-inch aluminum skin attached to a series of gussets. In the spring of 2012, the boat was pulled so they could be installed. Once finish paint was applied, they blended right in and now provide plenty of stability. The extra lift has raised the stern about two and a half inches so Cyphers is considering adding water ballast to the sponsons through the inspection hatches he installed in each one above the water line.
Cyphers says that it's no big deal because he views the whole boat as a work in progress. Although careful consideration was given to each step, he already sees some things he might have done differently.
Given his abilities and personality, if Cyphers does decide to make some changes sometime, they will be done as close to perfection as he can get. He is that way with his own work and also with the work he does for others because that's just the way he is.
Maybe he could name the boat My Way, Done Right or even Miss Perfect, Perfect Maiden or Magnificent Maiden.
Like what you read?
Want to know when we have important news, updates or interviews?
Join our newsletter today!
Send to your friends!